¶ Esaye prophecyeth that the angre of God shall come v∣pon Ierusalem because of theyr synnes.
CAPITVLO. I.
THe vysyon of Esaye [unspec A] the sonne of Amos, whiche he sawe vpon Iuda and Ieru∣salem: in the dayes of Uzia and Ioathan, Aham and Ie∣hezikiah Kynges of Iuda. Heare, O Hea∣uens, and herken O earthe: For the Lorde hathe spoken: I haue norished and brought vp chyldren, but they haue done wyckedly against me. The oxe hath knowē his owner and the asse his maysters cryb: but Israel hathe receyued no knoweledge, my people hathe no vnderstandynge. Alas for this [unspec B] synfull nacyon / a people of greate iniquy∣tie, a frowarde generacyon / vnnatural chil¦dren. They haue forsaken the Lorde / they haue prouoked the holy one of Israel vnto angre / & are gone backward. Wherby shuld ye be plaged any more? For ye are euer fal∣lynge awaye. The whole heed is syke / and all the herte is heuy. From the sole of y• fote vnto y• heed / there is no hole part in al your body / but al are woundes / botches / sores / & strypes, which can neither be helped / boūde vp: molifyed. nor eased with any oyntment.
Your lande lyeth waste / your cityes are [unspec C] brent vp, your enemyes deuoure your lande and ye must be fayne to stande, and loke v∣pon it, and it is desolate: as it were with ene¦myes in a batayle. Moreouer / the daugh∣ter of Syon is lefte alone lyke a cotage in a vyneyarde / lyke a lodge in a gardeyn of cu∣cumbers, lyke a beseged cytie. And excepte the Lorde of Hostes hadde lefte vs a fewe a∣lyue / we shulde haue bene as Sodoma, and lyke vnto Gomorra.
Heare the worde of the Lorde ye Lordes of Sodoma / & harken vnto the lawe of our God, thou people of Gomorra sayth y• lorde Why offre ye so many sacrifyces vnto me? I am ful of the brent offerynges of wethers and of the fatnesse of fed beastes. I haue no pleasure in the bloude of bullockes, lambes and gotes. When ye appere before me / who [unspec D] requireth you to treade within my porches? Offre me no mo oblacyons, for it is but lost labour. Incense is an abhominable thynge vnto me. I may not awaye with your newe mones, your Sabbathes & solemne dayes. Your fasting{is} are also in vaine. I hate your new holy dayes & fastinges: euen fro my ve∣ry herte. They make me wery, I can not a∣bide them. Whan ye holde out your handes I wyl turne myne eies frō you. And though ye make many prayers / yet will I heare no∣thynge at all, seynge your handes ar full of bloude.
Washe you, make you cleane / put away your euyll thoughtes out of my syght, cease [unspec E] from doing of euell. Learne to do ryght ap∣ply your selues to equite / delyuer y• oppres∣sed / helpe the fatherlesse to his right, let the wydowes cōplaynt come before you. Nowe go to (saythe y• Lorde) let vs talke together. Though your synnes be as reade as searlet they shalbe as whyte as snow. And though they were lyke purple, they shalbe as whyte as wolle▪ If ye be louing & obedyent, ye shal enioye the best thing y• groweth in the lande But yf ye be obstinate & rebellious / ye shall be deuoured wt the swerde, for thus the lorde hath promysed with his owne mouth,
Howe happeneth it then that the ryghtu¦ous [unspec F] cytie (whiche was full of equyte) is be∣come vnfaythfull as an whore? ryghtuous∣nes dwelt in it, but nowe murther. Thy syl∣uer is turned to drosse / and thy wyne myxte with water. Thy Prynces are wycked and companyons of theues. They loue gyftes all together, and gape for rewardes. As for the fatherles, they helpe him nat to h{is} ryght neyther wyll they let the wydowes causes c〈…〉〈…〉e before them. Therfore sayth the Lord ¶ 〈…〉〈…〉 of Hostes / the myghtye one of Israel Al, I muste ease me of myne enemyes, and auenge me of myne aduersaries, I shall lay my hande vpon the / & burne out the drosse from the fynest and purest, and put out all thy fynne / and sette thy iudges agayne as they were somtyme, and thy Senatours as they were from the begynnyng. Then shalt thou be called ryghtuous citie / the faith full cyte, Syon shall be redemed with equi∣te [unspec G] / and they shall turne agayne vnto her in ryghtuousnesse. For the transgressours and vngodly / and suche as are become vn∣faythfull vnto the Lorde / must al together be vtterly destroyed.
And excepte ye be ashamed of y• oke trees wherin ye haue so delyted / & of the gardens y• ye haue chosen: ye shalbe as an oke whose leaues are fallen awaye, & as a garden that hath no moistnesse. And as for y• glory ☞ of these thiges, it shalbe turned to drye strawe and he y• made thē to a sparke. And they shal