The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ Of the chaste generacyon of the faythfull, and of them felicite. Of the death of the ryghteous, and of the condem∣ne ••yon, of the vnfaythfull.

CAPI. IIII.

O Howe fayre is a chast generacyō with vertue? The memoriall therof is im∣mortal / [unspec A] for it is knowen with God and with men. When it is present / men take example there at: & yf it go awaye / yet they desyre it. It is all waye crowned & holden in honour, and wynneth the rewarde of the vndefyled batrayll. But the multitude of vngodly chyldren is vnprofitable / and the thynges that are planted with whordome / shal take no depe rote, nor laye any fast foundacyon. Though they be grene in the braūches, for a tyme, yet shal they be shaken with y^• winde, for they stande not fast / and thorowe the ve∣hemecye of the wynde they shalbe roted out. For the vnparfecte braunches shalbe bro∣ken, theyr frute shalbe vnprofitable & sowre to eate, ye mete for nothynge. And whyeal y^• chyldren that are borne of the wicked, muste beare recorde of the wyckednesse agaynste theyr fathers & mothers, whe they be asked. But though the ryghteous be ouertaken with death / yet shall he be in rest.

Age is an honorable thinge: neuertheles [unspec B] it▪ standeth not onely in the lenght of tyme,

nor in the multytude of yeares: but a mans wysdome is the graye hearre, and an vnde∣fyled lyfe is the olde age. He pleased God, & was beloued of him: so that where as he ly∣ued amōge sinners, he translated him Yee sodenly was he taken awaye, to the intente that wyckednesse shulde not alter hys vn∣derstandyng, & that ypocrysie shulde nat be gyle his soule. For the craftye bewitthynge of lyes make good thynges darck, the vn∣sted fastnesse also and wyckednes of bolup∣teous desyreturne asyde the vnderstandyng of the symple. Though he was soone deed, yet fulfylled he moch tyme: For hys soule pleaseth God: therfore hasted he to take him awaye from amonge the wycked. Thys the people se, and vnderstande it not: they laye not vp suche thynges in theyr hertes, howe that the louynge fauoure and mercy of God is vpon hys saynctes / and that he hathe re∣specte vnto hys chosen.

Thus the ryghteous that is deed, condē∣neth [unspec C] the vngodly which are lyuynge: & the youth that is soone brought to an ende / the long lyfe of the vnrighteous. For they se the ende of the wyse, but they vnderstande not what God hath deuysed for him, and wher∣fore the Lorde hathe taken him awaye. And why? they se him & despise him, therfore shal God also laugh thē to scorne: So that they thē selues shall dye here after (but without honour) yee in shame amonge the deed for euermore. For without any voyce shall he burst those y^• be pufte vp, & remoue them frō the foūdacyons, so y^• they shalbe layed wast vnto the hyest. They shall mourne, & theyr memoryall shall peryshe. So they beynge afrayed shal remēbre theyr synnes / & theyr owne wyckeduesse shall bewraye them.

Notes

• 〈…〉〈…〉. v. s,