Biblia the Byble, that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faithfully translated in to Englyshe.

The boke of Wyszdome.

What this boke conteyneth.

• Chap. I. An exortaciō for iudges and rulers to loue wyszdome. The sprete of wyszdome ha∣teth falsede, disfimulacion and Ypocrysie, re∣buketh vnrighteousnesse and abhorreth wic∣ked doers.
• Chap. II. The ymaginaciōs and thoughtes of the vngodly, how they geue thē selues ouer vn¦to synne, and persecute all vertue and trueth.
• Chap. III. The felicite and health of godly peo¦ple, though they be put here to trouble and he∣uynesse: Agayne, what sorow shall happen to the vngodly and their children.
• Chap. IIII. To lyue chaist & godly withall, is cō¦mendable. A disprayse of the wicked. The ho∣noure of verteous age. The shamefull death of the vngodly.
• Chap. V. How the iust men shal stōde against the wicked, that haue put them here to trouble & what sorowe shall come vpon the vngodly. Agayne, what ioye shal happen to the righte∣ous, which haue God himself for their defēce.
• Chap. VI. An exortacion vnto soch as be in rule and auctorite, to receaue wyszdome. A commē¦dacion of wyszdome.
• Chap. VII. All men haue like intraūce in to the worlde: yet who so calleth vpon God for wysz∣dome, shal haue his desyre The profit that cō∣meth by wyszdome passeth all other thinges.
• Chap. VIII. Wiszdome shulde be receaued in youth. He that marieth himself vnto her, shall optay∣ne loue of God and men.
• Chap. IX. A prayer vnto God for the gift of wyszdome.
• Chap. X. What profit and good came by wysz¦dome in the olde tyme.
• Chap. XI. How wiszdome ledeth the righteous, & how the vngodly are punyshed thorow the mightie hande of God.
• Chap. XII. God is mercifull and suffreth longe, to the intent that synners shulde amende.
• Chap. XIII. Vayne are they that haue not the knowlege of the lyuynge God, but turne vnto to the creatures: vnhappie are they that ho∣noure ymages.
• Chap. XIIII. The worshippinge of ymages. The power of God. Punyshment of them that ma∣ke ymages, and of soch as worshipe them. How ymages came vp first. The honouringe of y∣mages is the cause, begynnynge, and ende of all myschefe.
• Chap. XV. The faithfull haue respecte vnto God and not vnto ymages.
• Chap. XVI. God punisheth the wicked, but defen¦deth the godly, & that by greate wonders.
• Chap. XVII. Of the greate darcknesse in Egipte, and blyndnesse of the vngodly.
• Chap. XVIII. How God destroied the firstborne of Egipte. Gods people eate the easter lambe ioy¦fully, the Egiptians mourne, God punysheth the synners in the wildernesse, Moses intrea∣teth for the people.
• Chap. XIX. Like as the wicked are euer synnyn∣ge more and more, so doth the wrath of God neuer ceasse, tyll they be destroyed. Of them that were punyshed in the tyme of Loth.

[illustration]

The first Chapter.

O Set youre affeccion vpō wysz¦dome, [ A] ye that be iudges of the earth. Haue a good opinion of the LORDE, & seke him in the synglenesse of hert. For he will be foūde of them that tempte him not, and appeareth vnto soch as put their trust in him. As for frowarde thoughtes, they sepa∣rate from God, but vertue (yf it be alowed) refourmeth y^e vnwyse. And why? wyszdome shall not entre in to a frowarde soule, ner dwell in the body that is subdued vnto syn∣ne. For the holy goost abhorreth fayned nur¦toure, & withdraweth himself frō y^e though∣tes that are without vnderstondinge: & whe¦re wickednes hath the vpper hāde, he flieth from thence. For the sprete of wyszdome is louynge, gentle and gracious, and wil haue no pleasure in him that speaketh euell with his lippes. For God is a witnesse of his rey¦nes, a true searcher out of his hert, and an hearer of his tonge. For the sprete of y^e LOR¦DE fylleth the rounde compasse of the worl∣de, and y^e same that vpholdeth all thinges, hath knowlege also of the voyce.

Therfore he that speaketh vnrighteous [ B] thinges, can not be hydd, nether maye he es∣cape the iudgmēt of reprofe. And why? in∣quysicion shal be made for the thoughtes of the vngodly, and the reporte of his wordes shal come vnto God, so that his wickednes shalbe punished. For the eare of gelousy hea¦reth all thinges, and the noyse of the grud∣ginges shal not be hydd. Therfore bewarre of murmuringe, which is nothinge worth, and refrayne youre tonge from slaūder. For there is no worde so darck and secrete, that it shall go for naught: and the mouth that speaketh lyes, slayeth the soule.

O seke not youre owne death in y^e errou∣re [ C] of youre life, destroye not youre selues tho¦row the workes of youre awne handes. For God hath not made death, nether hath he pleasure in the destruccion of the lyuynge.

For he created all thinges, that they might haue their beynge: yee all the people of the earth hath he made that they shulde haue health, that there shulde be no destruccion in them, and that the kyngdome of hell shul¦de not be vpon earth (for righteousnesse is e∣uerlastinge and immortall, but vnrighteous¦nes bringeth death.) Neuerthelesse, the vn∣godly call her vnto them both w^t wordes & workes, & whyle they thinke to haue a fren∣de of her, they come to naught: for the vn∣godly that are confederate with her and ta¦ke hir parte, are worthy of death.

The II. Chapter.

[ A] FOr y^e vngodly talke & ymagin thus amonge them selues (but not right:) The tyme of oure life is but short & tedious, & when a man is once gone, he hath nomore ioye ner pleasure, nether knowe we eny man y^t turneth agayne from death: for we are borne of naught, & we shal be heraf∣ter as though we had neuer bene. For oure breth is as a smoke in oure nostrels, & y^e wor¦des as a sparck to moue oure herte. As for o^r body, it shalbe very aszshes y^t are quēched, & o^r soule shal vanish as y^e soft ayre. Oure life shall passe awaye as y^e trace of a cloude, & come to naught as y^e myst y^t is dryuē awaye w^t the beames of y^e Sonne, & put downe w^t the heate therof. Oure name also shalbe for¦gotten by litle & litle, & no man shal haue ou¦re workes in remembraunce.

[ B] For o^r tyme is a very shadow y^t passeth a∣waye, & after o^r ende there is no returnynge, for it is fast sealed, so y^t no mā cōmeth agay∣ne. Come on therfore, let vs enioye y^e pleasu¦res y^t there are, & let vs soone vse y^e creature like as in youth. We wil fyll oure selues w^t good wyne & oyntment, there shal no floure of the tyme go by vs. We wil crowne o^r sel∣ues w^t roses afore they be wythered. There shal be no fayre medowe, but o^r lust shall go thorow it. Let euery one of you be partaker of oure volupteousnes. Let vs leaue some to¦ken of o^r pleasure in euery place, for y^t is ou∣re porcion, els gett we nothinge. Let vs op∣presse the poore righteous, let vs not spare the wyddowe ner olde man, let vs not regar¦de y^e heades y^t are gray for age. Let y^e lawe of vnrighteousnesse be oure auctorite, for y^e [ C] thinge y^t is feble is nothinge worth. Therfo¦re let vs defraude the righteous, & why••he is not for o^r profit, yee he is cleane cōtrary to o^r doinges. He checketh vs for offendinge a∣gaynst y^e lawe, & slaundreth vs as transgres∣sours of all nurto^r. He maketh his boost to haue y^e knowlege of God, yee he calleth him self Gods sonne. He is the bewrayer of oure thoughtes: It greueth vs also to loke vpon him, for his lyfe is not lyke other mens, his wayes are of another fashion. He counteth vs but vayne personnes, he w^t draweth him self from o^r wayes as from fylthynes: he cō∣mendeth greatly y^e latter ende of the iust, & maketh his boast y^t God is his father. Let vs se then yf his wordes be true, let vs proue what shal come vpon him: so shal we knowe what ende he shal haue. For yf he be y^e true [ D] sonne of God, he will receaue him & delyuer him from the handes of his enemies. Let vs examen him with despitefull rebuke and tor¦mentinge, that we maye knowe his dignite & proue his pacience. Let vs condemne him with the most shamefull death: for like as he hath spoken, so shal he be rewarded.

Soch thinges do the vngodly ymagin, & go astraye, for their owne wickednes hath blynded them. As for the misteries of God, they vnderstonde them not: they nether hope for the rewarde of righteousnesse, ner regar∣de the worshipe that holy soules shall haue. For God created man to be vndestroied, yee after the ymage of his awne licknesse made he him. Neuerthelesse thorow envye of the deuell came death in to the worlde, and they that holde of his syde, do as he doth.

The III. Chapter.

BVt the soules of y^e righteous are in [ A] y^e hande of God, & y^e payne of death shal not touch thē. In y^e sight of the vnwyse they appeare to dye, & their ende is takē for very destruccion. The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruccion, but they are in rest. And though they suffre payne before men, yet is their hope full of im¦mortalite. They are punished but in few thin¦ges, neuerthelesse in many thinges shal they be well rewarded. For God proueth them, & fyndeth thē mete for himself: yee as the gol∣de in the fornace doth he trye them, & recea∣ueth them as a brent offeringe, and when y^e tyme commeth they shalbe loked vpon.

The righteous shal shyne as the sparkes [ B] y^t renne thorow the rede buszshe. They shal iudge the nacions, & haue dominion ouer y^e people, & their LORDE shal raigne for euer. They y^t put their trust in him, shal vnderston¦de the trueth, & soch as be faithfull, wil agree vnto him in loue: for his chosen shal haue gif¦tes & peace. But the vngodly shalbe punys∣hed acordinge to their awne ymaginaciōs, for they haue despysed the righteous, & for∣saken the LORDE.

Whoso despyseth wyszdome & nurto^r, he [ C]

is vnhappie, and as for the hope of soch, it is but vayne, their labours vnfrutefull, and their workes vnprofitable. Their wyues are vndiscrete, and their childrē most vngodly. Their creature is cursed. Blessed is rather y^e baren & vndefyled, which hath not knowne the synfull bedd: she shall haue frute in the rewarde of the holy soules. And blessed is y^e gelded, which w^t his handes hath wrought no vnrighteousnesse, ner ymagined wicked thinges agaynst God. For vnto him shal be geuen y^e speciall gift of faith, and the most [ D] acceptable porcion in y^e temple of God. For glorious is the frute of good laboure, & the rote of wyszdome shall neuer fade awaye. As for y^e childrē of aduoutrers, they shal co¦me to an ende & the sede of an vnrighteous bedd shal be roted out. And though they ly¦ue lōge, yet shal they be nothinge regarded, & their last age shalbe without honoure. Yf they dye haistely, they haue no hope, nether shal they be spoken to in the daye of knowle¦ge. For horrible is the death and ende of the vnrighteous.

The IIII. Chapter.

[ A] O How fayre is a chaist generacion w^t vertue? The memoriall therof is im¦mortall, for it is knowne w^t God and men. When it is present, mē take exāple there at: and yf it go awaye, yet they desyre it. It is allwaie crowned & holden in hono^r, & wyn¦neth y^e rewarde of the vndefyled battayll. But the multitude of vngodly childrē is vn∣profitable, and the thinges y^t are planted w^t whordome, shal take no depe rote, ner laye eny fast foundacion, Though they be grene in the braunches for a tyme, yet shal they be shakē w^t the wynde: for they stonde not fast, & thorow the vehemence of the wynde they shalbe roted out. For the vnparfecte braun∣ches shalbe broken, their frute shalbe vnpro¦fitable & sower to eate, yee mete for nothin∣ge. And why? all the children y^t are borne of the wicked, must beare recorde of the wicked¦nesse agaynst their fathers & mothers, when they be axed. But though the righteous be ouertaken w^t death, yet shal he be in rest.

[ B] Age is an honorable thinge: neuertheles it stondeth not only in the lenth of tyme, ner in the multitude of yeares: but a mans wysz¦dome is the graye hayre, and an vndefyled li¦fe is the olde age. He pleased God, & was be∣loued of him: so that where as he lyued amō¦ge synners, he trāslated him. Yee sodēly was he taken awaye, to the intent y^t wickednesse shulde not alter his vnderstōdinge, & y^t ypo∣crisye shulde not begyle his soule. For y^e craf∣tie bewitchinge of lyes make good thinges darck, y^e vnstedfastnesse also & wickednes of voluptuous desyre, turne asyde y^e vnderston¦dinge of y^e symple. Though he was soone deed, yet fulfilled he moch tyme. For his sou¦le pleased God, therfore haisted he to take him awaye frō amonge y^e wicked. This the people se, & vnderstonde it not: they laye not vp soch thinges in their hertes, how y^t y^e lo∣uynge fauo^r & mercy of God is vpō his sain¦tes, & y^t he hath respecte vnto his chosen.

Thus y^e righteous y^t is deed, cōdemneth [ C] the vngodly which are lyuinge: & y^e youth y^t is soone brought to an ende, y^e lōge life of y^e vnrighteous. For they se y^e ende of y^e wyse, but they vnderstōde not what God hath de¦uysed for him, & wherfore y^e LORDE hath ta∣ken him awaie. And why? they se him & des∣pyse him, therfore shall God also laugh thē to scorne: So y^t they thē selues shal dye here after (but without hono^r) yee in shame amon¦ge y^e deed for euermore. For without eny voy¦ce shal he burst those y^t be puft vp, & remoue thē frō y^e foundacions, so y^t they shalbe laied waist vnto the hyest. They shal mourne, and their memoriall shall perishe. So they beyn∣ge afrayed shall remembre their synnes, and their owne wickednesse shal bewraye thē.

The V. Chapter.

THen shal y^e righteous stonde in grea¦te [ A] stedfastnesse agaynst soch as haue dealt extremely w^t thē, & takē awaye their labours. When they se it, they shalbe vexed w^t horrible feare, & shal wonder at the haistynesse of y^e sodane health: groninge for very distresse of mynde, & shall saye within them selues (hauynge inwarde sorow, and mournynge for very anguysh of mynde):

These are they, whom we somtyme had in derision, & iested vpō. We fooles thought their life very madnesse, & their ende to be w^t out honoure. But lo, how they are counted amonge the children of God, & their porcion is amonge the sayntes. Therfore we haue er¦red from the waye of trueth, y^e light of righ¦teousnesse hath not shyned vnto vs, and the Sōne of vnderstōdinge rose not vp vpō vs. We haue weeried o^r selues in y^e waye of wic¦kednesse & destruccion. Tedious wayes haue we gone: but as for the waye of the LORDE, we haue not knowne it.

What good hath o^r pryde done vnto vs? [ B] Or, what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vs? All those thinges are passed a∣waye like a shadowe, & as a messaunger ren¦nynge before: as a shippe y^t passeth ouer the wawes of the water, which whan it is go∣ne by, the trace therof can not be founde, ne∣ther y^e path of it in the floudes. Or as a byr¦de y^t flyeth thorow y^e ayre, & no man can se

eny token where she is flowen, but only hea¦reth the noyse of hir wynges, beatinge the light wynde, partinge the ayre thorow the vehemēce of hir goinge, & flyeth on shakyn∣ge hir wynges, where as afterwarde no to¦kē of hir waye can be foūde. Or like as whē an arowe is shott at a marck, it parteth the ayre, which immediatly cōmeth together a∣gayne, so that a man can not knowe where it wente thorow. Euen so we in like maner as soone as we were borne, beganne imme∣diatly to drawe to oure ende: & haue shewed no token of vertue, but are consumed in oure owne wickednesse.

[ C] Soch wordes shal they that haue synned, speake in the hell: for the hope of the vngod¦ly is like a drye thistell floure (or dust) that is blowne awaye w^t the wynde: like as thyn¦ne scomme y^t is scatred abrode w^t the storme: like as y^e smoke which is dispersed here & the¦re w^t the wynde, & as y^e remembraunce of a straūger y^t tarieth for a daie, & thē departeth.

But y^e righteous shal lyue for euermore: their rewarde also is w^t the LORDE, & their remembraunce w^t the Hyest. Therfore shal they receaue a glorious kyngdome & a beuti¦full crowne of the LORDES hande: for w^t his right hande shal he couer thē, & w^t his owne arme shall he defende thē. His gelousy also shal take awaye the harnesse, & he shal wa∣pē y^e creature to be auēged of y^e enemies. He shal put on righteousnes for a brest plate, & take sure iudgment in steade of an helmett. The invyncible shylde of equite shall he ta∣ke, his cruell wrath shal he sharpē for a spea¦re, & the whole compase of the worlde shall fight with him agaynst the vnwyse.

[ D] Thē shal the thonder boltes go out of y^e lighteninges, & come out of the rayne bowe of the cloudes to the place apoynted: out of the hard stony indignacion there shall fall thick hales, & y^e water of y^e see shalbe wroth agaynst thē, & the floudes shal renne rough∣ly together. Yee a mightie wynde shal stōde vp agaynst them, & a storme shall scater thē abrode. Thus the vnrighteous dealinge of thē shal bringe all the lōde to a wyldernes, & wickednes shall ouerthrowe the dwellinges of the mightie.

The VI. Chapter.

[ A] WYszdome is better then strength, & a mā of vnderstādinge is more worth thē one y^t is strōge. Heare therfore (O ye kinges) & vnderstonde: O lerne ye y^t be iudges of the endes of the earth. Geue are ye y^t rule y^e multitudes, & delite in moch peo∣ple. For the power is geuē you of the LORDE, & the strēgth from the Hyest: which shal trie yo^r workes and search out yo^r ymaginaciōs: How that ye beynge officers of his kyngdo¦me, haue not executed true iudgment, haue not kepte the lawe of righteousnes, ner wal¦ked after his will. Horribly & that right soo¦ne shall he appeare vnto you: for an harde iudgmēt shal they haue y^t beare rule. Mercy [ B] is graūted vnto the symple, but they that be in auctorite shalbe sore punyshed. For God which is LORDE ouer all, shall excepte no mās personne, nether shal he stande in awe of eny mans greatnesse: for he hath made y^e small and greate, & careth for all alyke. But the mightie shal haue y^e sorer punyshmēt.

Vnto you therfore (o ye kinges) do I spea¦ke, y^t ye maye lerne wyszdome and not go a∣mysse: for they y^t kepe righteousnes shalbe righteously iudged: and they y^t are lerned in righteous thinges, shal finde to make answe¦re. Wherfore set yo^r lust vpon my wordes, & lo¦ue thē, so shal ye come by nurto^r. Wyszdome is a noble thinge, & neuer faydeth awaie: yee she is easely sene of thē that loue her, & foun¦de of soch as seke her. She preuēteth them y^t [ C] desyre her, y^t she maye first shewe herself vn∣to thē. Who so awaketh vnto her by tymes, shal haue no greate trauayle, for he shal fyn¦de her syttinge ready at his dores. To thinke vpon her, is parfecte vnderstandinge: & who so watcheth for her, shalbe safe, & that soo∣ne. For she goeth aboute, sekynge soch as are mete for her, sheweth her self cherefully vn∣to them in their goynges, & meteth them w^t all diligēce. For y^e vnfained desyre of refour¦macion is hir begynnynge: to care for nurto^r is loue, and loue is the kepinge of hir lawes. Now the kepinge of y^e lawes is perfeccion & an vncorrupte life, & an vncorrupte life ma¦keth a man familier w^t God. And so the desy¦re of wyszdome ledeth to y^e kingdome euerla¦stinge. Yf yo^r delyte be thē in royall seates & [ D] cepters (o ye kynges of the people) set youre lust vpō wyszdome, y^t ye maye raigne for euer more. O loue the light of wyszdome, all ye y^t be rulers of the people. As for wyszdome, what she is, and how she came vp, I wil tell you, and will not hyde the misteries of God from you: but wil seke her out from y^e begyn¦nynge of the natiuyte, and brynge the know¦lege of her in to light, and wil not kepe back the trueth: Nether will I haue to do w^t cōsu¦mynge envye, for soch a man shal not be par¦taker of wiszdome. But the multitude of the wyse is the welfare of the worlde, and a wy∣se kynge is the vpholdinge of the people. O receaue nourtoure then thorow my wordes, and it shal do you good.

The VII. Chap.

I Myself also am a mortall man, like [ A] as all other, & am come of y^e earthy generaciō of him y^t was first made, & in my mothers wōbe was I fashioned to be

flesh: In the tyme of ten monethes was I brought together in bloude thorow the sede of man, & the cōmodious appetite of slepe. Whan I was borne, I receaued like ayre as other men, & fell vpon the earth (which is my nature) crienge & wepinge at the first, as all other do. I was wrapped in swadlinge clo∣thes, & brought vp w^t greate cares. For there is no kinge y^t hath had eny other begynnyn¦ge of byrth. All men then haue one intraun∣ce vnto life, & one goinge out in like maner.

[ B] Wherfore I desyred, and vnderstandinge was geuē me: I called, & the sprete of wysz∣dome came in to me. I set more by her thē by kingdomes & royall seates, & counted riches nothinge in cōparison of her. As for preci∣ous stone I compared it not vnto her: for all golde is but grauell vnto her, & syluer shalbe counted but claye before hir sight. I loued her aboue welfare & beutie, & purposed to ta∣ke her for my light, for hir shyne can not be quenched. All good thinges came to me w^t her, & innumerable riches thorow hir hādes. I was glad in thē all, for this wyszdome wē¦te before me, & I knew not y^t she is the mo∣ther of all good thinges. Now as I myself lerned vnfaynedly, so do I make other men partakers of her, & hyde her riches from no man: for she is an infinite treasure vnto men, which who so vse, become partakers of the loue & frendshipe of God, and are accepted vnto him for the giftes of wyszdome.

God hath graunted me to talke wysely, & [ C] conueniētly to hādle the thinges y^t he hath graciously lent me. For it is he, y^t ledeth vn∣to wyszdome, & teacheth to vse wyszdome a right. In his hāde are we & o^r wordes: yee all o^r wyszdome, o^r vnderstandinge & knowlege of all o^r workes. For he hath geuē me y^e true sciē¦ce of these thinges: so that I knowe how y^e worlde was made, & the powers of y^e elemē∣tes: y^e begynnynge, endinge & myddest of y^e tymes: how the tymes alter, how one goeth after another, and how they are fulfilled: y^e course of the yeare: the ordinaunces of the starres: the natures & kindes of beastes: the furiousnesse of beastes: the power of y^e wyn¦des: the ymaginacions of mē: the deuersities of yonge plantes: the vertues of rootes, & all soch thinges as are secrete & not loked for, ha¦ue I lerned. For the worckmaster of all thin¦ges hath taught me wyszdome. In hir is y^e [ D] sprete of vnderstādinge, which is holy, ma∣nifolde, one onely, sotyll, curteous, discrete, quyck, vndefyled, playne, swete, louynge the thinge y^t is good, sharpe, which forbyddeth not to do well, gētle, kynde, stedfast, sure, fre: hauynge all vertues, circūspecte in all thin∣ges: receauinge all spretes of vnderstādinge beīge cleane & sharpe. For wiszdome is neem∣bler thē all neēble thīges: she goeth thorow & attayneth to all thīges, because of hir clen¦nes. For she is y^e breth of y^e power of God, & a pure cleane expressinge of y^e clearnes of All∣mightie God. Therfore can no vndefyled thinge come in to her: for she is y^e bryghtnes of y^e euerlastīge light, y^e vndefiled myrro^r of y^e maiesty of God, & y^e ymage of his goodnesse. And for so moch as she is one, she maie do all [ E] thinges: & beinge stedfast herself she renueth all, & amōge y^e people cōveyeth she herself in to y^e holy soules. She maketh Gods frendes & p••ophetes: for God loueth no mā, but him in whō wyszdome dwelleth. For she is more beutyfull then the Sonne, and geueth more light then the starres, and the daye is not to be cōpared vnto her: for vpō y^e daye cōmeth night. But wickednesse can not ouer come wyszdome, and foolishnes maye not be w^t her.

The VIII. Chapter.

WYszdome reacheth frō one ende to a∣nother [ A] mightely, & louīgly doth she ordre all thinges. I haue loued her and laboured for her euē fro my youth vp: I dyd my diligēce to mary my self w^t her, soch lo¦ue had I vnto hir beutye. Who so hath y^e cō¦pany of God, cōmēdeth hir nobilyte, yee the LORDE of all thinges himself loueth her. For she is y^e scolemastresse of y^e nurto^r of God, & y^e choser out of his workes. Yf a man wolde desyre riches in this life, what is richer then wiszdome, y^e worketh all thīges? (Thou wilt saye:) vnderstādinge worketh. What is it a∣mōge all thinges, y^t worketh more thē wysz∣dome? Yf a man loue vertue & righteousnes, let him labo^r for wyszdome, for she hath grea¦te vertues. And why? she teacheth sobernes & prudence, righteousnes & strēgh, which are soch thinges as mē can haue nothinge more profitable in their life. Yf a mā desyre moch [ B] knowlege, she cā tell y^e thinges y^t are past, & discerne thinges for to come: she knoweth y^e sotilties of wordes, & cā expoūde darcke sen∣tēces. She can tell of tokēs & wōderous thin¦ges, or euer they come to passe, & the endes of all tymes & ages. So I purposed after this maner: I will take her vnto my cōpany, & co¦mō louīgly w^t her: no doute she shal geue me good coūcell, & speake cōfortably vnto me in my carefulnes & grefe. For hir sake shal I be well and honestly taken amōge the comōs & lordes of y^e councell. Though I be yonge, yet shal I haue sharpe vnderstandinge: so y^t I shal be maruelous in y^e sight of greate mē, & y^e faces of prynces shal wōder at me. Whā I holde my tōge, they shal byde my leysure:

whā I speake, they shal loke vpō me: & yf I talke moch, they shal laye their handes vpō their mouth. Morouer, by the meanes of her I shal optayne immortalite, and leaue behin¦de me an euerlastinge memoriall, amōge thē y^t come after me. I shal set y^e people in ordre, & the nacions shalbe subdued vnto me. Hor∣rible tyrauntes shal be afrayed, whan they do but heare of me: amonge the multitude I shal be counted good, & mightie in battayll. Whā I come home, I shal fynde rest w^t her: for hir cōpany hath no bytternes, & hir fela∣shipe hath no tediousnesse, but myrth & ioye.

[ C] Now whan I cōsidered these thinges by myself, & pondered them in my hert, how y^t to be ioyned vnto wyszdome is immortalite, & greate pleasure to haue hir frendshipe: how y^t in the workes of hir handes are infinite ri∣ches: how that, who so kepeth company w^t her shalbe wyse: and that he which talketh with her, shal come to honoure: I wente a∣boute sekynge, to gett her vnto me. For I was a ladd of a rype wytt, and had a good vnderstandinge.

But whan I grewe to more vnderstādin¦ge, I came to an vndefyled body. Neuerthe¦les whan I perceaued that I coude not ke∣pe myself chaist, excepte God gaue it me (& y^t was a poynte of wyszdome also, to knowe whose gift it was) I stepte vnto the LORDE, and besought him, and with my whole hert I sayde after this maner:

The IX. Chapter.

[ A] O God of my fathers, & LORDE of mer¦cies, (thou y^t hast made all thīges w^t yⁱ worde, & ordeyned mā thorow thy wyszdome, y^t he shulde haue dominiō ouer y^e creature, which thou hast made: y^t he shulde ordre y^e worlde acordinge to equite & righte∣ousnes, & execute iudgmēt w^t a true hert) geue me wyszdome, which is euer aboute y^e seate. & put me not out frō amōge y^e children: for I thy seruaunt & sonne of y^e handmayden, am a feble personne, of a shorte tyme, and to yō¦ge to the vnderstandinge of iudgment and y^e lawes. And though a man be neuer so par∣fecte amonge the children of men, yet yf thy wyszdome be not with him, he shal be nothin¦ge regarded. But thou hast chosen me to be a kynge vnto y^e people, and the iudge of thy sonnes and daughters.

[ B] Thou hast cōmaunded me to buylde a tem¦ple vpon y^e holy mount, & an aulter in the ci∣te wherin thou dwellest: a licknesse of thy ho∣ly tabernacle which thou hast prepared frō the beginnynge, and thy wyszdome with y^e, which knoweth y^e workes: which also was w^t y^e whan thou maydest y^e worlde, & knew what was acceptable in thy sight, & right in thy commaundementes. O sende her out of thy holy heauens and from the trone of thy maiesty, that she maye be with me, & la¦boure with me: that I maye knowe, what is acceptable in y^e sight. For she knoweth and vnderstandeth all thinges: and she shal lede me soberly in my workes, and preserue me in hir power. So shal my workes be ac∣ceptable, & then shal I gouerne thy people righteously, & be worthy to syt in my fathers seate. For what man is he, that maye knowe the councell of God? Or, who can thinke what the will of God is? For the thoughtes of mortall men are miserable, & oure forecas∣tes are but vncertayne. And why? a mortall [ C] and corruptible body is heuy vnto the soule, and the earthy mansion kepeth downe the vnderstandinge y^t museth vpon many thin∣ges. Very hardly can we discerne the thin∣ges that are vpon earth, and greate labo^r ha¦ue we, or we can fynde the thinges which are before oure eyes: Who will then seke out the groūde of the thinges that are done in hea¦uē? Oh LORDE, who cā haue knowlege of y^e vnderstandinge and meaninge, excepte thou geue wyszdome and sende thy holy goost frō aboue? that the wayes of them which are vpon earth maye be refourmed: y^t men maye lerne y^e thinges that are pleasaunt vnto the, and be preserued thorow wyszdome.

The X. Chapter.

WYszdome preserued y^e first mā, whō [ A] God made a father of the worlde, whā he was created alone, brought him out of his offence, toke him out of the moulde of y^e earth, & gaue him power to ru∣le all thinges. Whan the vnrighteous wente awaye in his wrath from this wyszdome, y^e brotherheade perished thorow y^e wrath of murthur. Agayne, whā y^e water destroyed y^e whole worlde, wyszdome preserued the righ∣teous thorow a poore tre, wherof she was gouerner herself. Morouer whā wickednes had gotten y^e vpperhande, so y^t the nacions were puft vp with pryde, she knewe y^e righ∣teous, preserued him fautlesse vnto God, and layed vp sure mercy for his children. She preserued the righteous, whan he fled from the vngodly y^t perished, what tyme as y^e fyre fell downe vpon y^e v. cities: Like as yet this [ B] daye the vnfrutefull, waist and smokinge lō¦de geueth testimony of their wickednesse: yee the vnripe and vntymely frutes that growe vpon the trees.

And for a tokē of a remembraunce of the vnfaithfull soule, there standeth a piler of salt. For all soch as regarded not wyszdome,

gat not only this hurte, that they knewe not the thinges which were good, but also left behinde them vnto mē, a memoriall of their foolishnes: so y^t in the thinges wherin they synned, they coude not be hydd. But as for soch as take hede vnto wyszdome, she shal de¦lyuer them from sorowe.

[ C] Whan the righteous fled because of his brothers wrath, wyszdome led him the right waye, shewed him y^e kyngdome of God, ga¦ue him knowlege of holy thinges, made him riche in his laboures, and brought to passe the thinges that he wente aboute. In y^e dis∣ceatfulnes of soch as defrauded him, she sto¦de by him, & made him ryche. She saued him from the enemies, and defended him from y^e disceauers. She made him stronge in bat∣tayll, and gaue him the victory, y^t he might knowe, how that wyszdome is stronger then all thinges. Whan the righteous was sol∣de, she forsoke him not, but delyuered him frō synners. She wente downe with him in to the dongeon, and fayled him not in the ban∣des: tyll she had brought him the cepter of y^e realme, and power agaynst those that op¦pressed him. As for them that had accused him, she declared them to be lyers, & brought him to perpetuall worshipe.

[ D] She delyuered the righteous people and fautlesse sede, from the nacions that oppres∣sed them. She entred in to the soule of the seruaunt of God, and stode by him in won∣ders and tokens agaynst the horrible kynge. She gaue y^e righteous the rewarde of their labours, & led them forth a maruelous waye: on the daye tyme she was a shadowe vnto them, and a light of starres in the night sea∣son. She brought them thorow the reed see, and caried them thorow the greate water. She drowned their enemies in the see, and brought them out of the depe. So the righ∣teous toke the spoyles of the vngodly, and praysed thy holy name (o LORDE) and mag∣nified thy victorious hād with one acorde. For wyszdome openeth the mouth of y^e dom¦me, & maketh y^e tonges of babes to speake.

The XI. Chapter.

[ A] SHe ordred their workes in the hādes of the holy prophet: so y^t they wente thorow y^e wyldernes y^t was not inhabited, & pitched their tētes in y^e waist deserte. They stode agaynst their enemies, & were auenged of their aduersaries. Whā they were thirstie, they called vpō y^e, & water was geuē them out of y^e rok, & their thirst slockened out of y^e harde stone. For by y^e thinges, where thorow their enemies were punished, were they hel∣ped in their nede. For vnto the enemies thou gauest mās bloude in steade of lyuynge wa¦ter. And where as they had scarcenesse in y^e rebuke whan the children were slayne, thou gauest vnto thine awne a plenteous water vnloked for: declaringe by the thyrst y^t was at that tyme, how thou woldest bringe thine awne vnto hono^r, & slaye their aduersaries.

For whan they were tryed & nourtured w^t [ B] fatherly mercy, they knowleged how the vn¦godly were iudged, and punyshed thorow y^e wrath of God. These hast thou exorted as a father, & proued thē: but vnto y^e other thou hast bene a boysteous kynge, layed hard to their charge, & condēned thē. Whether they were absent or present, their punyshmēt was alyke. For their grefe was dubble: namely, mournynge, and y^e remēbraunce of thinges past. But whā they perceaued y^t their punish¦mētes dyd thē good, they thought vpon the LORDE, & wondered at y^e ende. For at the last they helde moch of him, of whō in y^e out cas∣tinge they thought scorne, as of an abiecte. Neuerthelesse y^e righteous dyd not so when they were thirstie: but euenlike as y^e though¦tes of y^e foolish were, so was also their wic∣kednes. Where as certayne mē now (thorow [ C] erro^r) dyd worshipe dommeserpentes & vayne beestes, thou sendedst a multitude of domme beastes vpon them for a vengeaunce: y^t they might knowe, that loke where withall a mā synneth, by the same also shal he be punys∣hed. For vnto thy allmighty hande, that ma¦de the worlde of naught, it was not vnpossi¦ble, to sende amonge them an heape of Bee¦res, or woode lyōs, or cruell beastes of a straū¦ge kynde, soch as are vnknowne, or spoute fy¦re, or cast out a smokinge breth, or shote hor∣rible sparkes out of their eyes: which might not only destroye them with hurtinge, but also kyll them with their horrible sight. Yee without these beestes might they haue bene slayne with one winde, beynge persecuted of their awne workes, and scatered abrode tho∣row the breth of thy power.

Neuertheles thou hast ordred all thinges [ D] in measure, nōbre & weight. For thou hast e∣uer had greate strēgth & might, & who maye withstōde y^e power of thine arme? And why like as y^e small thynge y^t y^e balaunce weyeth, so is y^e worlde before y^e: yee as a droppe of y^e morninge dew, that falleth downe vpon the earth. Thou hast mercy vpon all, for thou hast power of all thynges: and makest the as though thou sawest not the sinnes of mē, because they shulde amende. For thou louest all the thinges that are, and hatest none of

thē whō thou hast made: nether didest thou ordeyne or make eny thinge of euell will.

How might eny thinge endure, yf it wer not y^e will? Or how coude eny thinge be pre∣serued, excepte it were called of y^e? But thou sparest all, for all are thine, o LORDE, thou lo¦uer of soules.

The XII. Chapter.

[ A] O LORDE, how gracious & swete is thy sprete in all thinges? Therfore chas∣tenest thou thē measurably that go wrōge, and warnest them, concernynge the thinges wherin they offende: thou speakest vnto them (o LORDE) and exortest thē to lea¦ue their wickednes, and to put their trust in the. As for those olde inhabiters of thy holy londe, thou mightest not awaye with them, for they commytted abhominable workes agaynst the: as wytch craft, sorcery and Ido¦latry: they slew their owne children without mercy: they ate vp mens bowels, and deuou¦red the bloude: Yee because of soch abhomi∣naciōs, myszbeleues & offeringes, thou slew¦est the fathers of the desolate soules by the handes of oure fathers: that y^e londe which thou louest aboue all other, might be a dwel¦linge for the childrē of God.

[ B] Neuertheles thou sparedest thē also (as mē) & sendedst y^e forerūners of thyne hoost, e∣uē hornettes to destroye thē out by lytle & li∣tle. Not y^t thou wast vnable to subdue y^e vn¦godly vnto y^e righteous in battayll, or with cruell beestes, or w^t one rough worde to des∣troye thē together: But y^e mynde was to dry¦ue thē out by lytle & litle, geuinge thē time & place to amende: knowinge well, y^t it was an vnrighteous nacion & wicked of nature, & y^t their thought might neuer be altered. For it was a cursed sede from y^e begynnynge, & fea¦red no mā: Yet hast thou pardoned their syn∣nes. For who wyl saye vnto the: why hast thou done y^t? Or who wyl stōde agaynst thy iudgmēt? Or who wil come before y^e face an auēger of vnrighteous mē? Or who wil bla¦me [ C] y^e, yf y^e people perish, whō thou hast ma¦de? For there is none other God but thou, y^t carest for all thinges: y^t thou mayest declare how y^t y^e iudgmēt is not vnright. There dar¦re nether kīge, ner tyraūt in y^e sight requyre accōptes of them, whō thou hast destroyed.

For so moch thē as thou art righteous y^e self, thou ordrest all thīges righteously, & pu∣nishest euē hī y^t hath not deserued to be punys¦hed, & takest him for a straūger & an aleaunt in y^e lōde of y^e power. For y^e power is y^e begin¦nynge of righteousnes: and because thou art LORDE of all thinges, therfore art thou gra∣cious vnto all. Whan men thinke y^e not to be of a full strength, thou declarest y^e power: & boldly delyuerest thou them ouer y^t knowe y^e not. But thou LORDE of power iudgest quy∣etly, and ordrest us with greate worshipe, for thou mayest do as thou wilt.

By soch workes now hast thou taught [ D] thy people, that a mā also shulde be iust and louynge: and hast made thy childrē to be of a good hope: for euen when thou iudgest, thou geuest rowme to amende from synnes. For in so moch as thou hast punyshed, and w^t soch diligence delyuered y^e enemies of thy seruaū¦tes, which were worthy to dye (where thorow thou gauest thē tyme & place of amēdement y^t they might turne frō their wickednes) w^t how greate diligence then punyshest thou thine awne childrē, vnto whose fathers thou hast sworne & made couenaūtes of good pro¦mises? So where as thou doest but chasten vs, thou punyshest o^r enemies dyuerse wayes: to y^e intēt y^t whā we punysh, we shulde remē¦bre y^e goodnesse: & whan we o^r selues are puny¦shed, to put oure trust in thy mercy.

Wherfore where as men haue lyued igno¦raūtly & vnrighteously, thou hast punyshed [ E] thē sore, euē thorow y^e same thinges that they worshipped. For they wente astraye very lō∣ge in y^e waye of erro^r, & helde y^e beestes (which euē their enemies despysed) for goddes, lyuyn¦ge as children of no vnderstandinge. Ther∣fore hast thou sent a scornefull punyshment amonge them, as amonge the chidrē of igno¦raunce. As for soch as wolde not be refour∣med by those scornes & rebukes, they felt the worthy punishmēt of God. For y^e thinges y^t they suffred, they bare thē vnpaciētly, bein∣ge not contēt in them but vnwyllinge. And whan they peryshed by y^e same thinges that they toke for goddes, they knowleged then, that there was but one true God, whom a∣fore they wolde not knowe: therfore came y^e ende of their dampnacion vpon them.

The XIII. Chapter.

VAyne are all men, which haue not y^e knowlege of God: as were they that [ A] out of the good thinges which are sene, knewe not him, that of himself is euer∣lastinge. Nether toke they so moch regarde of the workes that are made, as to knowe, who was the craftesman of them: but some toke the fyre, some the wynde or ayre, some y^e course of y^e starres, some y^e water, some toke Sonne and Moone, or the lightes of heauen which rule y^e earth, for goddes. But though they had soch pleasure in their beuty, that they thought them to haue bene goddes:

yet shulde they haue knowne, how moch mo¦re fayrer he is that made them. For the ma∣ker of beuty hath ordened all these thinges. Or yf they marueled at the power and wor∣kes of thē, they shulde haue perceaued ther¦by, y^t he which made these thinges, is migh∣tier then they.

[ B] For by the greatnesse & beutye of the crea¦ture, y^e maker therof maye playnely be know¦ne. Notwithstondinge they are the lesse to be blamed, that sought God & wolde haue founde him, and yet myssed. And why? for so moch as they wēte aboute in his workes and sought after them, it is a tokē, that they regarded and helde moch of his workes y^t are sene: howbeit they are not wholy to be excused. For yf their vnderstondinge and knowlege was so greate, y^t they coude dis∣cerne the worlde and y^e creatures, why dyd they not rather fynde out y^e LORDE therof?

But vnhappie are they, and amonge the deed is their hope, that call thē God which are but the workes of mens handes: golde, syluer and the thinge, that is founde out by connynge, the similitude of beastes, or eny vayne stone that hath bene made by han∣de of olde. Or as whan a carpenter cutteth downe a tre out of the wodd, and pareth of [ C] the barck of it connyngly: and so with the one parte maketh a vessell to be vsed, and dighteth meate with the residue. As for the other parte that is left, which is profita∣ble for nothinge (for it is a croked pece of wodd and full of knobbes) he carueth it dili∣gently thorow his vanite, and (acordinge to the knowlege of his connynge) he geueth it some proporcion, fashioneth it after the simi¦litude of a man, or maketh it like some beest, straketh it ouer with reed and paynteth it, and loke what foule spot is in it, he casteth some coloure vpon it. Then maketh he a con¦ueniēt tabernacle for it, setteth it in the wall and maketh it fast with yron, prouydinge so for it, lest it happē to fall: for it is well know∣ne, that it can not helpe it self: And why? it is but an ymage, and must of necessite be helped.

[ D] Then goeth he and offreth of his goo∣des vnto it for his children and for his wife: he seketh helpe at it, he axeth councell at it: he is not ashamed to speake vnto it y^t hath no soule: for health, he maketh his peticion vnto him that is sicke: for life, he prayeth vn¦to him that is deed: he calleth vpon him for helpe, that is not able to helpe him self: & to sende him a good iourneye, he prayeth him that maye not go. And in all the thinges y^t he taketh in hande (whether it be to optayne eny thinge or to worke) he prayeth vnto him that can do maner of good.

The XIIII. Chapter.

AGayne, another mā purposinge to say¦le [ A] & begīnynge to take his iourney tho¦row y^e raginge see, calleth for helpe vn¦to a stock, y^t is farre weaker, thē y^e tre y^t bea∣reth him. For as for it, coueteousnesse of mo∣neye hath founde it out, & y^e craftesmā made it w^t his connynge. But y^e prouydence (O fa∣ther) gouerneth all thinges frō y^e begynnyn∣ge, for thou hast made a waye in y^e see, & a su∣re path in the myddest of y^e wawes: declarin¦ge therby, y^t thou hast power to helpe in all thinges, yee though a man wente to the see without shippe. Neuerthelesse, y^t y^e workes of y^e wyszdome shulde not be vaine, thou hast caused an arke to be made: & therfore do men commytte their lyues to a small pece of wod passinge ouer the see in a shyppe, & are saued.

For in the olde tyme also whā the proude [ B] giauntes perished, he (in whō the hope was left to increase y^e worlde) wēte in to the ship∣pe, which was gouerned thorow thy hande, & so left sede behinde him vnto y^e worlde. For happie is y^e tre where thorow righteousnes cōmeth: but cursed is the ymage of wod, y^t is made w^t hādes, yee both it & he y^t made it: He, because he made it: & it, because it was called God, where as it is but a frayle thinge. For the vngodly & his vngodlynes are both like abhominable vnto God. Euen so y^e worke & he y^t made it also shal be punyshed together. Therfore shal there a plage come vpon the ymages of the Heithen: for out of the crea∣ture of God they are become an abhomina∣cion, a temptacion vnto the soules of men, and a snare for the fete of the vnwyse. And why? the sekinge out of ymages is the begin¦nynge of whordome, and the bringinge vp of them is the destruccion of life. For they were not from the begynnynge, nether shall they cōtinue for euer. The welthy ydilnes of [ C] men hath founde them out vpon earth, ther¦fore shal they come shortly to an ende. Whē a father mourned for his sonne y^t was taken awaye frō him, he made him an ymage (in all y^e haist) of his deed sonne: & so begāne to wor¦shipe him as God, which was but a deed mā & ordened his seruauntes to offre vnto him. Thus by processe of tyme & thorow lōge cus∣tome, this erro^r was kepte as a lawe, & tyraū¦tes cōpelled mē by violēce to hono^r ymages. As for those y^t were so farre of, y^t mē migt not worshipe them presently, their picture was brought frō farre (like the ymage of a kynge

whō they wolde honoure) to the intent that with greate diligence they might worshipe him which was farre of, as though he had bene present. Agayne, the syngular connyn be of the craftesman gaue the ignoraunt al¦so a greate occasiō to worshipe ymages. For the workman wyllinge to do him a pleasure that sett him a worke, laboured with all his connynge to make the ymage of the best fas∣hion. [ D] And so (thorow the beuty of the worke) the comon people was disceaued, in so moch that they toke him now for a God, which a litle afore was but honored as a man. And this was the erroure of mans life, whan men (ether for to serue their owne affeccion, or to do some pleasure vnto kinges) ascrybed vnto stones and stockes the name of God, which ought to be geuen vnto no man.

Morouer, this was not ynough for them that they erred in the knowlege of God: but where as they lyued in the greate warres of ignoraunce, those many and greate plages called they peace. For ether they slewe their awne children and offred them, or dyd sacrifi¦ce in the night season, or els helde vnreasona¦ble watches: so that they kepte nether life ner mariage cleane: but ether one slewe another to death maliciously, or els greued his negh¦boure [ E] w^t aduoutrie. And thus were all thin∣ges myxte together: bloude, manslaughter, theft, dissimulacion, corrupcion, vnfaithful∣nesse, sedicion, periury, disquyetinge of good men, vnthākfulnes, defylinge of soules, chaū¦ginge of byrth, vnstedfastnesse of mariage, mysordre of aduoutrie and vnclennesse. And why? the honouringe of abhominable yma∣ges, is the cause, the begynuynge and ende of all euell. For they y^t worshipe Idols, either they are madd whā they be mery, or prophe¦cie lyes, or lyue vngodly, or els lightly man∣sweare them selues. For in so moch as their trust is in y^e Idols (which haue nether soule ner vnderstondinge) though they sweare fal¦sely, yet they thinke it shal not hurte them.

Therfore commeth a greate plage vpon them, and that worthely: for they haue an e∣uell opiniō of God, geuinge hede vnto Idols, swearinge vniustly to disceaue, and dispysin¦ge righteousnes. For their swearinge is no vertue, but a plage of them that synne, and goeth euer with the offence of the vngodly.

The XV. Chapter.

[ A] BVt thou (O o^r God) art swete, longe sufferinge and true, and in mercy or∣drest thou all thinges. Though we synne, yet are we thine, for we knowe thy strength. Yf we synne not, then are we sure, that thou regardest vs. For to knowe the, is parfecte righteousnes: Yee to knowe y^e righ¦teousnes and power, is the rote of immorta∣lite. As for the thinge that men haue founde out thorow theyr euell science, it hath not disceaued vs: as the payntinge of the pictu∣re (an vnprofitable laboure) and carued yma∣ge, with diuerse colours, whose sight entiseth the ignoraunt: so that he honoureth and lo∣ueth the picture of a deed ymage, that hath no soule.

Neuertheles, they that loue soche euell [ B] thinges, are worthy of death: they that trust in them, they that make them, they that loue them, and they that honoure them. The pot∣ter also taketh & tempereth soft earth, labou∣reth it, and geueth it the fashion of a vessell, what so euer serueth for oure vse: and so of o∣ne pece of claye he maketh some cleane ves∣sel for seruice, and some contrary. But where to euery vessell serueth, that knoweth y^e pot∣ter himself. So with his vayne laboure he maketh a god of the same claye: this doth euen he, which a litle afore was made of earth himself, and within a litle whyle after (whan he dyeth) turneth to earth agayne.

Notwithstandinge, he careth not y^e mo∣re [ C] because he shal labo^r ner because his life is shorte: but stryueth to excell goldsmythes, y^e syluer smythes & copper smithes, and taketh it for an hono^r to make vayne thinges. For his hert is ashes, his hope is but vaine earth & his life is more vyle then claye: for so moch as he knoweth not his awne maker, that ga∣ue him his soule to worke, and brethed in him the breth of life. They counte oure life but a pastyme, and oure conuersacion to be butt a market, and that men shulde euer be gettin∣ge, yee and that by euell meanes. Now he y^t of earth maketh frayle vessell and ymages, knoweth himself to offende aboue all other.

All the enemies of thy people and y^t hol∣de [ D] them in subieccion, are vnwyse, vnhappie and exceadinge proude vnto their owne sou¦les: for they iudge all the Idols of the Hei∣thē to be goddes, which nether haue eyesight to se, ner noses to smell, ner eares to heare, ner fingers of handes for to grope: & as for their fete, they are to slowe to go. For man made them, and he that hath but a borowed spre∣te, fashioned them. But no man can make a God like vnto him: for seinge he is but mor∣tall himself, it is but mortall that he maketh with vnrighteous handes. He himself is bet¦ter then they whom he worshippeth, for he lyued though he was mortall, but so dyd ne∣uer they. Yee they worshippe beestes also▪

which are most miserable: for compare thin¦ges that can not fele vnto them, & they are worse then those. Yet is there not one of the¦se beestes, that with his sight cā beholde eny good thinge, nether haue they geuen prayse ner thankes vnto God.

The XVI. Chapter.

[ A] FOr these and soch other thinges ha∣ue they suffred worthy punyshment, & thorow y^e multitude of beestes are they roted out. Insteade of y^e which punish¦mentes thou hast graciously ordred thine awne people, & geuen them their desyre that they lōged for: a new & straunge taist, prepa∣ringe them quales to be their meate: to the intent y^t (by the thinges which were shewed and sent vnto them) they y^t were so gredy of meate, might be withdrawen euen from the desyre that was necessary. But these within shorte tyme were brought vnto pouerte, and taisted a new meate. For it was requisite y^t (without eny excuse) destruccion shulde co∣me vpō those which vsed tyrāny, & to shewe onely vnto the other, how their enemies were destroyed. For whan the cruell woodnesse of the beestes came vpon them, they peryshed thorow the stinges of the cruell serpentes▪

[ B] Notwithstōdinge yⁱ wrath endured not perpetually, but they were put in feare for a litle season, y^t they might be refourmed, ha∣uynge a token of saluacion, to remembre the cōmaundement of thy lawe. For he y^t cōuer¦ted, was not healed by the thinge y^t he sawe, but by THE, O sauio of all. So in this thou shewdest thine enemies, y^t it is thou, which deliuerest frō all euell. As for thē whan they were bytten w^t greshoppers and flyes, they died, for they were worthy to perish by soch: But nether the teth of dragons ner of veny¦mous wormes ouer came y^e children, for thy mercy was euer by them & helped thē. Ther¦fore were they punyshed to remēbre thy wor¦des, but hastely were they healed agayne: lest they shulde fall in to so depe forgetful∣nesse, that they might not vse thy helpe.

[ C] It was nether herbe ner plaster y^t resto∣red thē to health, but thy worde (o LORDE) which healeth all thinges. It is thou (o LOR¦DE) y^t hast the power of life & death: thou le¦dest vnto deathes dore, & bringest vp agay∣ne. But man thorow wickednes slayeth his owne soule, & when his sprete goeth forth, it turneth not agayne, nether maye he call a∣gayne y^e soule y^t is takē awaye: It is not pos¦sible to escape yⁱ hande. For y^e vngodly y^t wol¦de not knowe y^e, were punyshed by y^e strēgth of thine arme: w^t straūge waters, hales and raynes were they persecuted, & thorow fyre were they cōsumed. For it was a wonderous thinge that fyre might do more then water which quēcheth all thinges: but y^e worlde is y^e auēger of the righteous. Some tyme was y^e fyre so tame, y^t the beestes which were sent to punysh y^e vngodly, brent not: & y^t because they shulde se & knowe, y^t they were persecu∣ted w^t the punyshmēt of God. And somtyme brent the fyre in the water on euery syde, y^t it might destroye y^e vnrighteous naciō of the earth. Againe, thou hast fed thine awne peo¦ple [ D] w^t angels fode, & sent thē bred ready from heauē (without their labo) beynge very plea¦saūt & well gusted. And to shewe thy riches & swetnesse vnto thy childrē, thou gauest eue¦ry one their desyre, so y^t euery man might ta∣ke what liked him best. But the snowe & yse abode the violēce of the fyre, & melted not: y^t they might knowe, y^t the fyre burninge in the hale & rayne, destroied y^e frute of y^e enemies: y^e fyre also forgatt his strēgth agayne, y^t y^e righteous might be norished. For y^e creature y^t serueth y^e (which art y^e maker) is fearse in punyshinge y^e vnrighteous, but it is easy & gētle to do good, vnto soch as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd all thinges alter at the [ E] same tyme, & were all obediēt vnto thy gra∣ce, which is y^e norse of all thinges, acordin∣ge to y^e desyre of thē y^t had nede therof: y^t y^e childrē (O LORDE) whō thou louest, might knowe, y^t it is not nature & the growinge of frutes y^t fedeth mē, but y^t it is y^e worde, which preserueth thē y^t put their trust in the. For lo¦ke what might not be destroyed w^t the fyre, as soone as it was warmed w^t a litle Sonne beame, it melted: y^t all men might knowe, y^t thankes ought to be geuen vnto y^e before y^e Sonne ryse, & y^t thou oughtest to be worship¦ped before y^e daye sprynge. For y^e hope of y^e vnthankfull shal melt awaie as the wynter yse, & perishe as water, y^t is not necessary.

The XVII. Chapter.

GReate are thy iudgmētes (o LORDE) [ A] & thy councels can not be expressed: therfore men do erre, y^t wil not be refourmed w^t thy wyszdome. For whan the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subieciō, they were bounde w^t the bandes of darcknes & longe night, shutt vnder y^e rofe, thinkinge to escape y^e euerla••tinge wiszdome. And why¦le they thought to be hyd in y^e darcknesse of their synnes, they were scatered abrode in y^e very myddest of the darck coueringe of for∣getfulnes, put to horrible feare & wonderous¦ly vexed. For the corner where they were, might not kepe them from feare: because y^e

sounde came downe and vexed them: yee ma¦ny terryble and straunge visions made them afrayed.

[ B] No power of the fyre might geue them light, nether might the cleare flāmes of the starres lightē y^t horrible night. For there ap∣peared vnto thē a sodane fyre, very dredeful: At y^e which (whan they sawe nothinge) they were so afrayed, that they thought y^e thinge which they sawe, to be the more fearfull. As for the sorcery & enchauntemēt y^t they vsed, it came to derisiō, and the proude wyszdome was brought to shame. For they y^t promy∣sed to dryue awaie the fearfulnes & drede frō y^e weake soules, were sick for feare thē selues, and that w^t scorne. And though none of y^e wōders feared thē, yet were they afrayed at the beestes which came vpon thē, & at y^e His¦synge of the serpētes: In so moch that with trēblinge they swowned, & sayde they sawe not y^e ayre, which no mā yet maye escape.

[ C] For it is an heuy thinge, whā a mans ow¦ne consciēce beareth recorde of his wicked∣nes & condēpneth him. And why? a vexed & wounded consciēce, taketh euer cruell thin∣ges in hāde. Fearfulnes is nothinge els, but a declaringe y^t a mā seketh helpe & defence, to answere for him self. And loke how moch lesse the hope is within, the more is y^e vn cer¦taynte of the matter, for the which he is pu∣nished. But they y^t came in y^e mightie night, slepte y^e slepe y^t fell vpō thē frō vnder & frō aboue: somtyme were they afrayed thorow y^e feare of y^e wonders, & somtyme they were so weake, y^t they swowned withall: for an has¦tie & sodane fearfulnes came vpon thē. After¦warde, yf eny of thē had fallē, he was kepte & shutt in preson, but without chaynes. But yf eny dwelt in a vyllage, yf he had bene an hyrd or huszbandman, he suffred intollerable necessite: for they were all bounde with one chayne of darcknesse.

[ D] Whether it were a blasynge wynde, or a swete songe of y^e byrdes amonge the thicke braunches of the trees, or the vehemence of haistie rūnynge water, or greate noyse of y^e fallynge downe of stones, or the playenge & rūnynge of beastes whō they sawe not, or y^e mightie noyse of roaringe beestes, or y^e sown¦de y^t answereth agayne in the hye mountay¦nes: it made thē swowne for very feare. For all the earth shyned w^t cleare light, & no mā was hyndered in his labo^r. Onely vpon thē there fell a heuy night, an ymage of darck∣nesse that was to come vpon them. Yee they were vnto them selues the most heuy & horri¦ble darcknesse.

The XVIII. Chapter.

NEuertheles thy sayntes had a very [ A] greate light (and the enemies herde their voyce, but they sawe not the figure of them.) And because they suffred not y^e same thinges, they magnified the: and they y^t we∣re vexed afore (because they were not hurte now) thanked the, and besought y^e (o God) y^t there might be a difference. Therfore had they a burnynge piler of fyre to lede them in the vnknowne waye, & thou gauest them the Sonne for a fre gift without eny hurte. Rea¦son it was, that they shulde want light & to be put in the preson of darcknes, which kep∣te thy childrē in captiuyte, by whom the vn¦corrupte light of the lawe of y^e worlde was for to be geuen. Whan they thought to slaye [ B] the babes of the righteous (one beinge laied out, and yet preserued to be leder vnto the o∣ther) thou broughtest out the whole multi∣tude of the children, and destroydest these in the mightie water. Of that night were ou∣re fathers certified afore, that they knowin∣ge vnto what oothes they had geuen credē∣ce, might be of good cheare. Thus thy peo∣ple receaued y^e health of the righteous, but the vngodly were destroied. For like as thou hast hurte oure enemies, so hast thou promo¦ted vs whom thou calledest afore. For the righteous children of the good men offred se¦cretly, & ordred the lawe of righteousnes vn¦to vnite: y^t the iust shulde receaue good and euell in like maner, singinge prayses vnto y^e father of all men. Agayne, there was herde an vnconuenient voyce of the enemies, & a piteous crie for childrē that were bewayled. The master and the seruaūt were punyshed [ C] alike, the meane man and the kynge suffred in like maner. For they all together had innu¦merable that dyed one death.

Nether were y^e lyuinge sufficient to bury y^e deed, for in y^e twincklinge of an eye, the no¦blest nacion of thē was destroyed. As oft as God helped thē afore, yet wolde it not make thē beleue: but in y^e destruccion of y^e first bor¦ne they knowleged, that it was y^e people of God. For whyle all thinges were still, & whā y^e night was in y^e myddest of hir course, thy Allmightie worde (o LORDE) leapte downe frō heauē out of y^e royall trone, as a rough mā of warre, in y^e myddest of y^e londe y^t was destroyed: & y^e sharpe swerde perfourmed yⁱ straite cōmaundemēt, stādinge & fyllinge all thinges w^t death: yee it stode vpō y^e earth & reached vnto the heauen. Then the sight of the euell dreames vexed them sodenly, and fearfulnesse came vpon them vnawarres.

[ D] Then laye there one here, another there half deed half quyck, and shewed the cause of his death. For the visions that vexed thē, shewed thē these thinges afore: so that they were not ignoraunt, wherfore they perished.

The tentacion of death touched the righ¦teous also, and amonge the multitude in the wyldernesse there was insurreccion, but thy wrath endured not longe. For the fautlesse man wente in all the haist, and toke the bat¦tayll vpon him, brought forth the weap•• of his ministracion: euen prayer and y^e cēsours of recōcilinge, set himself agaynst y^e wrath, and so brought the misery to an ende: decla∣ringe therby, that he was thy seruaunt. For he ouercame not the multitude with bodely power, ner with weapēs of might: but with the worde he subdued him that vexed him, puttinge the in remembraunce of the ooth & couenaūt made vnto the fathers. For whan the deed were fallen downe by heapes one vpon another, he stode in the myddest, paci∣fied the wrath, and parted y^e waye vnto the lyuynge. And why•• in his longe garmēt was all the beuty, and in the foure rowes of the stones was the glory of the fathers grauē, and thy maiesty was written in the crowne of his heade. Vnto these the destroyer gaue place, and was afrayed of them: for it was only a tentacion worthy of wrath.

The XIX. Chapter.

[ A] AS for the vngodly, the wrath came vpō them without mercy vnto the en¦de. For he knew before what shulde happē vnto them: how that (whan they had cōsented to lett them go, and had sent them out with greate diligence) they wolde repen¦te, & folowe vpon them. For whan they we∣re yet mournynge and makinge lamētacion by the graues of the deed, they deuysed ano∣ther foolishnes: so that they persecuted them in their flienge, whom they had cast out afo¦re w^t prayer. Worthy necessite also brought them vnto this ende, for they had cleane for¦gotten the thinges y^t happened vnto them afore. But the thinge that was wantynge of their punyshment, was requysite so to be fulfilled vpon them with tormētes: that thy people might haue a maruelous passage thorow, and that these might fynde a straun¦ge death.

[ B] Thē was euery creature fashioned agay¦ne of the new acordinge to the wyll of their maker, obeyenge thy commaundementes, y^t thy children might be kepte without hurte. For the cloude ouershadowed their tentes, & the drye earth appeared, where afore was water: so y^t in the reed see there was a waye without impediment, and the greate depe be¦came a grene felde: where thorow all y^e peo¦ple wente that were defended with thy han∣de, seinge thy wonderous & maruelous wor∣kes. For as y^e horses, so were they fedd, & leap¦te like lābes, praysinge the (o LORDE) which haddest delyuered them. And why? they we¦re yet myndefull of the thinges, that happe¦ned whyle they dwelt in the londe: how the grounde brought forth flyes insteade of ca¦tell, and how y^e ryuer scrauled with the mul¦titude of frogges in steade of fyszshes.

But at the last they sawe a new creacion [ C] of byrdes, what tyme as they were discea∣ued with lust, and desyred delicate meates. For whan they were speakinge of their ap∣petite, the quales came vp vnto them from the see, and punyshmentes came vpon y^e syn¦ners, not without the tokēs which came to passe afore by the vehemēce of y^e streames: for they suffred worthely acordinge to their wickednesses, they dealt so abhominably & churlishly with straungers. Some receaued no vnknowne gestes, some brought y^e straun¦gers in to bondage that dyd them good. Be¦syde all these thinges there were some, that not only receaued no straungers with their wylles, but persecuted those also, and dyd thē moch euell, that receaued thē gladly. Ther∣fore were they punyshed with blyndnesse, li∣ke as they that were couered with sodane darcknesse at the dores of the righteous: so y^t euery one sought y^e intraunce of his dore.

Thus the elementes turned in to them sel¦ues, [ D] like as whan one tune is chaunged vpon an instrument of musick, and yet all the resi∣due kepe their melody: which maye easely be perceaued, by the sight of the thinges that are come to passe. The drye lōde was turned in to a watery, & y^e thinge that afore swam¦me in the water, wente now vpon the drye grounde. The fyre had power in the water (cōtrary to his awne vertue) and the water forgatt his awne kynde to quench. Agayne, the flammes of the noysome beastes hurte not the flesh of them that wēte with them, nether melted they the yse, which els mel∣teth lightly. In all thinges hast thou promoted thy people (o LORDE) and brought them to honoure: thou hast not despysed them, but allwaye and in all places hast thou stonde by them.

The ende of the boke of wyszdome.

Notes

• 3. Reg. 3 Psal. 2. b
• 2. Par. 15▪
• Galat. 5.
• Esaie 6. a Iere. 23. d Acto. 7. ••
• 3. Re. 2. g Matt. 6. a Heb. 4. b
• Luce 12. a
• Deut. 4. c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 7. a ••at. 22 b Cor. 15. d
• Par. 30. c ••sa. 22. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉 56. c ••ap. 5. b
• Ioh. 〈…〉〈…〉 Esa. 〈…〉〈…〉
• Psal. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• Gen. 〈…〉〈…〉
• Gen. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 17. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1 a 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 7. c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 11. a
• Matt. 19.
• Sap. 3. a
• 1. Par. 30. Sap. 2. b
• Pro. ••0. b
• ••ob 8. a Psal. 1. b Pro. 10. d and 11. a ••ac. 1. b
• ••sal. 39. a
• ••phe. 6. b
• Eccls. 9. d
• Rom. 13. a
• Eccl••. 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 1. c 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6. b
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉 6. d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 3. a
• Heb. 1. a
• Iob. 2••. ••
• 3. Reg. 3. b Gen. 1
• Psal. 115. b
• 1. Par. 29. b 2. Par. 1. a
• P••o. 8. c 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. a
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
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• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••7. c 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 7. b
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 41 f
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 45.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••4. f
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1••. a
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 17. b 〈…〉〈…〉 a
• Deut. 8. a
• Sap. 12. e Rom. 1. c
• Leui. 26. d Sap. 16. a Iere. 8. c
• Rom. 2. ••
• Deut. 9. a 12. d. 18. b
• Exo. 23. d Deut. 7. d
• 1. Pet. 5. a
• ••ob 9. b
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• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 44. b 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10. a
• Exo. 14. d
• Gen. 6. c
• Gen. 7. b
• Psal. 7. a
• Deut. 1••. b ••ere. 7. a ••nd 19. a
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 11. g
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••1. a
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10. d
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 32. f 〈…〉〈…〉. b
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 9. c
• Exo. 16. ••
• Deut. 8. •• Matt. 4 ••
• Rom. 11. ••
• Exo. 10. ••
• ••••od. 7. b
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 45. a
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• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈…〉〈…〉
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 16 g
• 〈…〉〈…〉. b. c
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ 14. a
• Exo. 16. c Nu. 11. g
• ••. ••oh. b
• Gen. 19. •• 4. Re. 6. ••