¶ The mercye of God towarde synners, the workes of god are vnreprouable. God gyueth leysoure to repent vs.
CAPI. XII.
O Lorde / howe gracyous & swete is thy [unspec A] sprete in al thing{is}? Therfore chastenest yu thē measurably yt go wrong, & warnest thē concernyng y• thinges wherin they offende: y• speakest vnto thē (O Lorde) & exhortest them to leaue theyr wyckednes / and to put theyr trust in y•. * 1.1 As for those olde inhabiters of thy holy lande, thou myghtest not awaye wt thē, for they cōmitted abhominable worckes agaynst the: as witch craft, sorcery and Ido∣latry, they slewe theyr owne chyldren wyth∣out mercy: they dyd eate vp mens bowels / & deuoured the bloude: yee because of suche ab¦hominaciōs, mysoeleuers & offeringes / thou slewest the fathers of the desolate soules by the handes of our fathers: y• the land whiche thou louest aboue al other, myght be a dwel∣lynge [unspec B] for the chyldren of God.
Neuertheles, thou sparedst them also (as men) & sendedst y• forerūners of thyne hooste euen hornettes to destroye them out by lytle & lytle. Not that thou wast vnable to subdue the vngodly vnto the rightuous in batayle / or wt cruel beastes / or with one roughe word to destroye them together: * 1.2 But thy mynde was to dryue them out by lytle and lytle ge∣uynge thē tyme & place to amende: knowyng well, that it was an vnryghtuous nacyon & wicked of nature, and y• their thought might neuer be altered. For it was a cursed sede frō the beginnyng / and feared no man: Yet hast thou pardoned theyr synnes. For who wyll saye vnto the: why hast thou done that? Or who wyll stāde agaynst thy iudgemente? Or [unspec C] who wyl come before thy face an auenger of vnryghtuous mē? Or who wyl blame y•, if y• people perysh, whō yu hast made? For there is* 1.3 none other god but yu, that carest for al thing{is} y• thou mayest declare how that thy iudgemēt is not vnright. There darre nether king, nor tyraūt in thy syght require accōptes of them whom thou hast destroyed.
For so muche then as thou art ryghtuous thy selfe, yu ordrest all thynges ryghtuouslye * 1.4 & punishest euen him that hathe not deser∣ued to be punyshed, & takest him for a straū∣ger and an aleaūt in the lande of thy power. For thy power is the begynnynge of rygh∣tuousnes: and because thou art Lorde of all thinges / therfore art thou gracious vnto al. When mē thinke y• not to be of a full strength thou declarest thy power: and boldly deliue∣rest thou thē ouer that knowe the not. But thou Lord of power iudgest quietly / and or∣drest vs with great worship / for thou maiest do as thou wylte.
By suche workes nowe hast thou taught thy people, that a man also shulde be iuste & [unspec D] louynge: and hast made thy chyldren to be of a good hope: for euen when thou iudgest / thou geuest rowme to amende from synnes. For in so muche as thou hast punyshed / and with such diligence deliuered the enemies of thy seruauntes, whiche were worthy to dye (where thorowe thou gauest them tyme and place of amendement that they myght turne from their wyckednes) with how great dyli∣gēce then punishest thou thyne owne chyldrē vnto whose fathers thou hast sworne & made couenauntes of good promyses? So where as thou doest but chasten vs / thou punishest our enemyes diuerse wayes, to the intente that when we punyshe / we shulde remembre thy goodnesse: & when oure selues are puny∣shed, to put our trust in thy mercy.
Wherfore, where as men haue lyued ig∣norauntly & vnryghtuously thou hast puny¦shed [unspec E] thēfore / euen thorow y• same thynges y• they worshypped. * 1.5 For they wente astraye very longe in the waye of errour, & helde the beastes (which euen their enemyes despysed) for goddes / lyuinge as chyldren of no vnder standyng. Therfore hast thou sente a scorne∣full punyshment among thē, as amonge the chyldrē of ignoraunce. As for suche as wolde not be refourmed by those scornes and rebu∣kes / they felt the worthy punyshmēt of God. For the thynges that they suffred, they bare them vnpaciently, beyng not content in thē, but vnwyllyng. And when they peryshed by the same thinges yt they toke for goddes, they knowledged then / that there was, but one true God, whom afore they wold not know: therfore came the ende of theyr damnacyon vpon them.