¶ An Epystle of the Iewes that dwelt at Ierusalem sente vnto them which dwelt in Egypt, wherin they exhorte them to geue thankes for the death of Antiochus. Of the fyre that was hyd in the pyt. The prayer of Nehemias.
CAPI. I.
THe brethren of the Ie∣wes [unspec A] which be at Ierusalem, and in the lande of Iewry, wysh vn∣to those brethren of the Iewes that are thorowe out Egypte: good fortune, health, and peace.
God be gracious vnto you / and thyncke vpon his couenaunt that he made with Abra¦ham Isaac and Iacob his faythfull seruaū∣tes: and gyue you all such an herte, that ye may loue and serue hym, yee and perfourme his wyll with an whole herte and of a wyll••g mynde: He open your hertes in his lawe and in his commaundementes / sende you peace: heare your prayers / be at one wt you, and ne∣uer forsake you in tyme of trouble. This is here our prayer for you.
What tyme as Demetrius raygned, •• the Clxix. yeare, we Iewes wrote vnto you in the trouble and vyolēce that came vnto vs. In those yeares / after that Iason departed out of the holy lande & kyngdome / they brēt vp the portes / & shed innocent bloude. Then made we our prayer vnto y• lord, & were herd: we offred: & lyghted the cādels, settyng forth cakes & bred. And nowe come ye vnto the feast of tabernacles in the moneth Casieu.
In the▪ Clxxxvii••. yeare / the people that [unspec B] was at Ierusalem and in Iewry / the coun∣cell and Iudas hym selfe / sent this wholeso∣me salutacyon vnto Aristobolus kynge Pto¦lomys maister / which came of the generacyō of the annoynted prestes: and to the Iewes that were in Egypte: in so muche as God hath delyuered vs from greate parels / we thancke hym hyghlye. In that we resysted so myghty a kynge. And why? he brought men out of Perses by heapes / to fyght agaynste vs / and the holye citie. For as he was in Per¦sis (namely / the Captayne with the greate host) he peryshed in the temple of Naneas / beynge disceyued thorowe the deuyse of Na∣neas prest{is}. For as he was purposed to haue dwelt there. Antiochus and hys frendes ca∣me thy••hec / to receyue muche moneye for a dowry. So when Naneas prestes had layed forth the moneye / he entred with a smal com∣pany into the cōpasse of the temple, & so they shut the temple.
Nowe whē Antiochus entred by openyng [unspec C] the preuye intraunce of the tēple, the prestes stoned the captayne to death, hewed them in peces that were with hym / smote of theyr hea¦des / and threw them out. In al thynges god be praysed / whiche hath delyuered the wyc∣ked into our handes.
Where as we nowe are purposed to kepe the puryficacyon of the temple vpō the. xxv. daye of the moneth Cas••le••, we thought ne∣cessarye to certifye you therof: that ye also myght kepe the tabernacles feast day / and the day of the fyre, which was geuen vs whē Nehemias offred, after that he had set vp y• temple & the aulter. For what tyme as our fa¦thers were led away vnto Persis, the prestes (which then sought the honour of God) toke the fyre preuely from the aulter, & hyd it in a valley, where as was a depe dry pyt: & therin they kepte it, so that the place was vnknowē to euery man. Nowe after many yeares whē it pleased God, that Nehemy as shuld be sent from the kynge of Persia, he sent the chyl∣ders chyldrē of those prestes (whiche had hyd the fyre) to seke it. And as they tolde vs they [unspec D] founde no fyre / but thycke water. Then com¦māunded he them to drawe it vp, & to bryng it hym, and the offringes withal. Now when the sacrifices were layed on and ordred / the prest Nehemias commaunded to sprynkle them and the wod with water. When thys was done / and the tyme come that the Sūne shone, whiche afore was hyd in the cloude: there was a great fyre kyndled. In so muche that euery man marueled. Nowe all the pre∣stes prayed., whyle the sacryfyce was a ma∣kynge. Ionathas prayed fyrst, and the other gaue answere.
And Nehemias prayer was after this ma¦ner: O Lorde God maker of al thinges, y• fea¦reful & stronge, thou ryghteous, & mercyful, y• that art onely a gracious kyng, onely libe∣rall, onely iust, Almyghtye / & euerlastynge / thou that delyuerest Israel from all trouble, thou that hast chosen the fathers, & halowed them: receyue the offeryng for the whole peo¦ple of Israel, preserue thyne ownē porcion / & halowe it. Gather those together / that are scarred abrode from vs: delyuer them that are vnder the Heythens bondage / loke vpō them / which are despised / and abhorred / that the Heythen maye knowe / and se / howe that thou art oure God: Punyshe them that op∣presse / and proudely put vs to dishonoure. Set thy people agayne in thy holy place /