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.

❧: The booke of wysdome.

¶Howe we ought to searche and enquyre after God, and who ••e those that fynde hym. Of the holy goost, we ought to flye from backbytynge and murmurynge. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

CAPI. I.

O Sette your affeccion [unspec A] vpon ryghteousnesse, ye that be iudges of the earth. Haue a good opiniō of the Lorde, and seke hym in the synglenesse of herte. For he wyll be founde of them that tempte hym nat, and appereth vnto suche as put theyr truste in hym As for frowarde thoughtes / they separate from God / but vertue) yf it be alowed) reformeth y^• vnwyse. And why? wysdome shall nat entre into a frowarde soule, nor dwel in the body that is subdued vnto synne. For the holy goost ab∣horreth fayned nurtoure / and withdraweth hym selfe from the thoughtes that are with¦out vnderstandinge: and where wyckednes hathe the vpper hande, he flyeth frō thence. For the sprete of wysdome is louynge, gen∣tle and gracyous / & wyll haue no pleasure in hym that speaketh euell with his lyppes. For God is a wytnesse of hys raynes, a true searcher out of his herte, and an hearer of his tonge. For the sprete of the Lorde fylleth the rounde compasse of the worlde: and the same that vpholdeth all thynges / hathe knowledge also of the voyce:

Therfore, he that speaketh vnryghteous [unspec B] thynges, can not be hyd, nether maye he es∣cape the iudgemēt of reprofe. And why? in∣quisicion shalbe made for the thoughtes of the vngodly, and the reprote of hys wordes shal come vnto God, so that his wickednes shalbe punished, for the eare of gelousy hea∣reth all thynges, and the noyse of the grud∣ginges shall not be hyd. Therfore, beware of murmurynge, which is nothynge worth, and refrayne youre tonge from sclaunder. For there is no worde so darcke and secrete, that it shall goo for naught: and the mouth that speaketh lyes, sleyeth the soule.

O seke nat your owne death in y^• erroure [unspec C] of youre lyfe, destroye not youre selues tho∣row the worckes of youre awne hādes. For God hath not made death, nether hath he pleasure in the destruccyon of the lyuynge. For he created all thinges, that they myght haue theyr beynge: yee all the people of the earth hathe he made that they shulde haue health, that there shulde be no destruccyō in them, and that the kyngdome of hell shulde not be vpō earth (for ryghteousnesse is euer∣lastinge & immortall, but vnryghteousnes bryngeth death.) Neuerthelesse, y^• vngodly call her vnto them bothe with wordes and workes: and whyle they thynke to haue a frende of her, they come to naught: for the vngodly that are confederate with her and take her parte, are worthy of death.

¶ The ymaginacyons and desyres of the wycked, and the••e councell agaynst the faythfull.

CAPI. II.

FOR the vngodly talke and ymagin [unspec A] thus amonge thē selues (but not right:) The tyme of our lyfe is but short & tedious, and when a man is once gone, he hathe no more ioye nor pleasure, neyther knowe we any man that turneth agayne frō death: for we are borne of naught, & we shal be hereaf∣ter as though we had neuer bene. For oure breth is as a smoke in oure nosetre••s, & the wordes as a sparke to moue oure herte. As for oure body / it shalbe very asshes that are quenched, and oure soule shall vanish as the softe ayre. Oure lyfe shal passe awaye as the trace of a cloude, and come to naught as the myst that is dryuen awaye with y^• bea∣mes of the Sonne, and put downe with the heate therof. Oure name also shalbe forgot¦ten by lytle and lytle, and no man shal haue oure workes in remembraunce.

For oure tyme is a very shadowe y^• passeth awaye / & after oure ende there is no retur∣nynge, [unspec B] for it is fast sealed, so that no man cō¦meth agayne: Come on therfore / let vs en∣ioye the pleasures that there are, and let vs soone vse the creature lyke as in youth. Let vs fyll oure selues with good wyne & oynt∣ment, and let there no floure of the tyme go by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with roses afore they be withered. Let there be no fayre medowe / but our lust go thorowe it. Let euery one of you be partake•• of oure volup∣teousnes. Let vs leaue some token of oure pleasure in euery place, for that is oure por∣cyon, els get we nothynge. Let vs oppresse the poore ryghteous / let vs nat spare the wyddowe nor olde man: let vs nat regarde the heades y^• are graye for age. Let y^• lawe of vnryghteousnesse be oure auctorite, for the thing y^• is feble is nothing worth. Therfore [unspec C] let vs defraude the ryghteous, & ••hy? he is not for oure profet / yee he is cleane contarye to oure doynges. He checketh vs for offen∣dynge agaynst the lawe / & ••••landreth vs as trangressours of al nurtou••. He maketh his boast to haue the knowledge of God, yee he

calleth him selfe Goddes sonne. He is the be wrayer of our thought{is}. It greueth vs also to loke vpō him, for his lite is not like other mens, his wayes are of another fashyō. He counteth vs but vayne personnes, he with∣draweth hym selfe from our wayes as from fylthyues: he commendeth greatly the latter ende of the iuit, and maketh hys boast that God is his father. Let vs se then yt his wor¦des be true, let vs proue what shall come vpon hym: so shall we knowe what ende he shall haue. For yf he be y^• true sonne of God, [unspec D] he wyl receaue hym, and delyuer hym from the handes of his enemyes Let vs examen hym with despytefull rebuke aod tormen∣tynge, that we may knowe hys dignite, and proue his pacyence. Let vs condemne hym with the most shameful death: for lyke as he hathe spoken, so shall he be rewarded.

Suche thynges do the vngodly ymagin, and go astraye, for theyr owne wyckednes hath blynded them. As for the mysteries of God, they vnderstande thē not: they neyther hope for the rewarde of ryghteousnesse, nor regarde the worshyp that holy soules shall haue. For God created mā to be vnde stroied: yee after y^• ymage of hys owne lyckenesse made he hym. Neuerthelesse thorowe enuye of the deuell came death in to the worlde: & they that holde of his syde, do as he dothe.

¶ The conseruatyon and assurance of the ryghteous. The rewarde of the faythfull.

CAPI. III.

BVT the soules of the ryghteous are in the hande of God, and the payne of [unspec A] death shall not touch them. In the syght of the vnwyse they appeared to dye, and theyr ende is taken for very destruccyon. The waye of the ryghteous is iudged to be vt∣ter destruceyon, but they are in rest. And though they suffre payne before men, yet is theyr hope full of immbrtalyte. They are punyshed but in fewe thinges, neuerthelesse in many thynges shall they be well rewar∣ded. For God proueth them, and fyndeth them me••e for hymselfe: yee as the golde in the fornace dothe he trye the, and receaueth them as a 〈…〉〈…〉 offerynge, and when the tyme commeth they shalbe loked vpon.

The ryghteous shall shyne as y^• sparkes [unspec B] that renne thorow the red busshe. They shal iudge the nacions, and haue dominion ouer the people, and theyr Lorde shall raygne for euer. They that ••u•• theyr trust in him / shall vnderstande the trueth, & suche as be fayth∣full; wyl agre vnto him in loue: for his cho∣seu shall haue gyftes and peace. But the vngodly shalbe punished according to their owne ymaginacions, for they haue despised the ryghteous, and forsaken the Lorde.

Who so despyseth wysdome & uurtoure, [unspec C] he is vnhappye, & as for the hope of suche, it is but vayne, theyr labours vnfruteful, and theyr workes vnprofytable. Theyr wyues are vndisercte, and theyr chyldren most vn∣godly. Theyr creature is cursed. Blessed is rather the baren and vndefyled, which hath nat knownethe synfull bed: she shall haue frute in the rewarde of the holy soules. And blessed is the gelded, which with his hādes hathe wrought no vnryghteousnesse, nor ymagined wycked thynges agaynste God. For vnto him shall be geuen y^• speciall gyfte of fayth / & the most acceptable porcion in y^• temple of God. For glorious is the frute of [unspec D] good labour / & the rote of wysdome shal ne∣uer fade awaye. As for the chyldren of ad∣uouterers / they shall come to an ende / & the sede of an vnryghteous bed shall be roted out. And though they lyue longe / yet shall they he nothynge regarded / & theyr last age shalbe without honoure. Yf they dye hastely they haue no hope, nether shal they be spokē to in the daye of knowledge. For horible is the death and ende of the vnryghteous.

¶ 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.

¶ The constantue•• of the ryghteous before theyr persecu∣ters. The hope or the vnfaythfull is vndurable and vayne. The blessednes of the saynctes and godly.

CAPI. V.

THEN shall the ryghteous stande in [unspec A] greate stedfastnesse agaynste suche as haue dealt extremely with them / and taken awaye theyr labours. When they se it, they shalbe vexed with horible feare, and shall wonder at the hastynesse of the sodayne health: gronyng for very dystresse of mynd, and shall saye wythin them selues, hauynge in warde sorowe, and mournynge for very anguysh of mynde.

These are they, whom we somtyme had in derisyō, & iested vpon. We fooles thought theyr lyfe very madnesse, and theyr ende to be with out honoure. But lo / how they are counted amonge the chyldren of God, and theyr porcyō is amonge the sayntes. Ther∣fore we haue erred from the waye of trueth, the lyght of ryghteousnesse hath not shyned vnto vs, & the sunne of vnderstandyng rose nat vp vpō vs. We haue weried our selues in y^• waye of wickednesse & destruccion. Te∣dyous wayes haue we gone: but as for the waye of the Lorde we haue not knowne it.

What good hathe our pryde done vnto vs? Or, what profyt hathe the pompe of ry∣ches [unspec B] brought vs? All those thynges are pas∣sed awaye lyke a shadow, and as a messaun ger renuyng before: as a shyppe that passeth ouer the waues of the water, which when it is gone by, the trace therof cannat be founde nether the path of it in the floudes. Or as a byrde that flyeth thorowe in the ayre, and no man can se any token where she is flowen, but onely heareth the noyse of her wynges, beatynge the lyght wynde, partynge y^• ayre, thorowe the vehemencye of her goynge, and flyeth on shakynge her winges, where as af¦terwarde no token of her way can be foūde. Or lyke as when an arowe is shorte at a marck, it parteth y^• ayre / which ymmediatly commeth together agayne, so that a mā can not knowe where it wēte thorow. Euē to we in lyke maner as soone as we were borne, be ganne immediatly to drawe so oure ende / & haue shewed no token of vertue, but are cō∣sumed in oure owne wyckednesse.

Such wordes shal they that haue synned [unspec C] speake in the hell, for y^• hope of the vngodly is lyke a drye thystell floure (or duste) that is blowen awaye with the wynde: lyke a thyn∣ne fome that is scatred abrode with the storme: lyke as the smoke which is dispersed here & there with the wynde, & as the remem¦braunce of a straunger y^• taryeth for a daye, and then departeth. But the ryghteous shal lyue for euermore: theyr reward also is with the Lorde: & theyr remembraunce with the Hyest. Therfore, shal they receaue a glorio{us} Kyngdome, and a bewtyfull crowne of the Lordes hande: for w^t his ryght hande shall he couer thē, and with hys owne holy arme shall he defende them, His gelousy also shal take awaye the harnesse / & he shall weapen the creature to be auenged of y^• enemyes. He shall put on ryghteousnes for a breast plate, and take sure iudgement in steade of an hel∣met. The inuincible shylde of equite shal he take, hys cruell wrath shall he sharpen for a speare, & the whole compase of the worlde shall syght with hym agaynste the vnwyse.

Then shall the thonder bolies go out of [unspec D]

the lyghtenynges / & come out of the rayne∣bowe of the cloudes to the place appoynted: out of y^• harde stony indignacion there, shal fall thycke hayles, and the water of the see shalbe wroth agaynst them, and the floudes shal renne roughly together. Yee a myghty wynde shall stande vp agaynst them, and a storme shal scater them abrode. Thus y^• vn∣ryghteous dealynge of thē shall brynge all the lande to a wyldernes, & wyckednes shall ouerthrowe the dwellynges of the myghty.

¶ The callynge of Kynges, Prynces, and Iudges: whiche are also exhorted to searche wysdome.

CAPI. VI.

WYsdome is better then strength, & a man of vnderstandyng is more [unspec A] worthe then one that is stronge. Heare therfore (O ye Kynges) & vnderstāoc: O lerne ye that be iudges of the endes of the earth. Geue eare ye y^• rule the multitudes, & delyte in much people. For the power is ge∣uen you of the Lorde, and the strength frō y^• Hyest: whiche shall trye youre workes and search out youre ymaginacions: Howe that ye being officers of his kyngdome, haue nat executed true iudgemēt / haue nat kepte the lawe of ryghteousnes, nor walked after the [unspec B] wyll of God. Horryble and that right soone shall he appeare vnto you: for an harde iud∣gemēt shal they haue y^• beare rule. Mercy is gaunted vnto the simple, but they that be in auctoryte shalbe sore punished. For God which is lorde ouer al, shal excepte no mans personne, nether shall he stāde in awe of any mans greatnesse. For he hathe made the smal & great, & careth for all a lyke. But the myghty shall haue the sorer punishmente.

Unto you therfore (O ye Kynges) do I speake / that ye way lerne wysdome and not go amysse. For they y^• kepe his ryghteous∣nes shalbe ryghteously iudged / & they that are lerned in ryghteous thinges, shal fynde to make answere. Wherfore, set youre luste vpon my wordes, and loue them, so shall ye come by nurtour. Wysdome is a noble thing sene & neuer faydeth awaye: yee she is easely of them that loue her, and founde of suche as seke her. She preuenteth them that de∣syre [unspec C] her, y^• she maye fyrste shewe her selfe vn∣to thē. Who so awaketh vnto her by tymes, shall haue no greate trauayle / for he shall fynde her syttynge readye at hys dores. To thynke vpon her, is parfecte vnderstāding: and who so watcheth for her, shalbe safe, & that soone. For she goeth about, seking such as are mete for her, sheweth her selfe che∣refully vnto them in theyr goinges, and meteth thē with al diligence. For y^• vnfay∣ned desyre of refourmaciō is her begynyng: to care for nurtour is loue / & loue is the ke∣pynge of her lawes. Now the kepyng of the lawes is perfeccion and an vncorrupte lyfe, and an vncorrupt lyfe maketh a man fami∣lier wyth God. And so y^• desyre of wysdome ledeth to the Kyngdome euerlastynge. If [unspec D] youre delyte be then in royall seates & cep∣ters (O ye kynges of the people) set youre lust vpō wysdome, that ye maye raygne for euer more. O loue the lyght of wysdome / all ye that be rulers of the people. As for wys∣dome what she is, and howe she came vp, I I wyl tel you, & wyl not hyde the mysteryes of God from you: but wyl seke her out from the begynnynge of the natiuite, & brynge y^• knowledge of her into lyght, & wyl not kepe backe the trueth: Nether wyll I haue to do with cōsumynge enuye, for such a man shall not be partaker of wysdome. But the mul∣tytude of y^• wyse is the welfare of y^• worlde, and a wyse kynge is the vpholdynge of the people. O receaue nourtoure then thorowe my wordes / and it shall do you good.

¶ Wysdome ought to be preferred before all thynges.

CAPI. VII.

I My selfe also am a mortall man lyke as [unspec A] all other, & am come of the earthy genera¦cyon of hym that was fyrst made, and in my mothers wōbe was I fashyoned to be flesh: In y^• tyme of ten monethes was I brought together in bloude thorowe the sede of man, and the cōmodyous appetyte of slepe. When I was borne, I receaued lyke ayre as other men / & fell vpon the earth (whiche is my na∣ture) cryenge & wepynge at the fyrst, as all other do. I was wrapped in swadlynge clo∣thes, & brought vp with greate cares. For there is no kynge y^• hathe had any other be∣gynnynge of byrth. All mē then haue one en¦traunce vnto lyfe, & one goynge out in lyke [unspec B] maner. Wherfore I desyred, and vnder∣standinge was geuen me: I called, and the sprete of wysdome came in to me. I set more by her then by kyngdomes & royall seates, & counted ryches nothynge in comparyson of her. As for precious stone, I cōpared it not vnto her: for all golde is but small grauell vnto her, & syluer shalbe counted but claye before her sight. I loued her aboue wellfare and beautye, and purposed to take her for my lyght, for her lyght cannat be quenched. All good thynges came to me w^t her, & innume∣rable ryches thorow her hādes. I was glad in thē all, for this wysdome went before me, and I knew not that she is the mother of al

good thynges. Nowe as I my selfe learned vnfaynedly, so do I make other men parta∣kers of her, and hyde her ryches frō no man: for she is an infynite tresure vnto mē, which who so vse, become partakers of the loue & frendshype of God, & are accepted vnto hym for the gyftes of wysdome.

God hath graunted me to talke wysely, [unspec C] and conueniently to handle the thinges that he hath gracyously lent me. For it is he / that ledeth vnto wysdome / and teacheth to vse wysdome a ryght. In his hande are both we and our wordes: yee all our wysdome / oure vnderstandynge and knowledge of all oure worckes. For he hath geuen me the true scy∣ence of these thynges: so that I knowe howe the worlde was made / and the powers of the elementes: the begynnynge / endynge and myddest of the tymes: howe the tymes alter / how one goeth after another, and howe they are fulfylled, the course of the yeare, the or∣dinaūces of the starres: the natures & kynd∣nes of beastes: the furiousnes of beastes: the power of the wyndes: the ymagynacyons of men: the diuersities of yong plantes: the ver¦tues of rotes, and al suche thinges as are se∣crete and not loked for / haue I learned. For the worckmaster of all thynges hath taught me wysdome. In her is the sprete of vnder∣standynge, [unspec D] whiche is holy / manyfolde / one onely / sutell / courteous, discrete / quycke / vn defyled / playne / swete / louynge the thynge that is good, sharpe / which forbiddeth not to do well / gentle / kynde / stedfast / sure / fre: ha∣uynge all vertues, circumspecte in all thyn∣ges: receyuynge all spretes of vnderstan∣dynge beynge cleane and sharpe. For wys∣dome is nymbler then all nymble thynges: she goeth thorowe & attayneth to all thyn∣ges because of her clenues. For she is the breth of the power of God, and a pure cleane expressynge of the clearenes of Almyghtye God. Therfore can no vndefiled thyng come vnto her: for she is the bryghtenesse of the euerlastynge lyght / the vndefyled myrroure of the maiesty of God, and the ymage of hys goodnesse. And for so much as she is one, the [unspec E] maye do all thynges: and beyng stedfast her selfe she renueth all / and amonge the people conueyeth she her selfe into the holy soules. She maketh Godes frendes and prophetes: for God loueth no man / but hym in whome wysdome dwelleth. For she is more beautye∣full then the Sunne, and geueth more lyght then the starres, and the daye is not to be cō∣pared vnto her: for vpon the daye commeth nyght. But wyckednesse cannot ouercome wysdome, and foolyshnes maye not be w^t her

¶ The effecte of wysdome.

CAPI. VIII.

WYsdome reacheth from one ende to [unspec A] another mightely, & louingly doth she ordre al thinges. I haue loued her, & laboure for her, euen fro my youth vp: I dyd my diligēce to mary my selfe with her, such loue had I vnto her beuty. Who so hath the company of God, commendeth her nobi∣lite, yee the Lorde of all thynges himselfe lo∣ueth her. For she is the scolemay stresse of the nurtoure of God / and the choser out of hys workes. Yf a mā wolde desyre ryches in this lyfe, what is rycher then wysdome, that wor¦keth all thynges? Thou wylte saye: vnder∣standynge worketh. What is it amonge all thynges / that worketh more then wysdome? If a man loue vertue and ryghtuousnes, let hym laboure for wysdome, for she hath great vertues. And why? she teacheth sobernesse & prudence, rightuousnes and strength, which are such thynges as men can haue nothynge more profytable in their lyfe. If a man desyre [unspec B] muche knowledge, she can tel y^• thinges that are paste / and discerne thynges for to come: she knoweth the soteltyes of wordes / and cā expounde darke sentences. She can tell of tokens and wonderous thīges, or euer they come to passe, and the endes of al tymes and ages. So I purposed after thys maner: I wyll take her vnto my company, and comen louyngly with her: no doute she shall gyue me good councell / and speake comfortablye vnto me in my carefulnes and grefe. For her sake shall I be well and honestely taken amonge the comens and Lordes of the coun¦cell. Thoughe I be yonge, yet shall I haue sharpe vnderstandyng, so that I shalbe mar¦uelous in the syght of greate men / and the fa¦ces of Prynces shal wonder at me. When I holde my tonge, they shall byde my leasure: when I speake, they shall loke vpon me, and yf I talke muche, they shal lay their handes vpon theyr mouth. Moreouer / by the mea∣nes of her I shall optayne immortalite / and leaue behinde me an euerlastynge memoryal amonge them that come after me. I shall set the people in ordre / and the nacyons shall be subdued vnto me. Horrible tyrauntes shalbe afrayed, when they do but heare of me: amōg the multytude I shal be counted good / and myghtie in battayle. When I come home / I shal fynde reste with her for her cōpany hath no bitternes, & her felowshyp hath no tedy∣ousnesse / but myrth and ioye.

Nowe when I consydered these thynges [unspec C]

by my selfe / and pondered them in my herte, how that to be ioyned vnto wysdome is im∣mortalyte / and greate pleasure to haue her frendshyp: howe that in the worckes of her handes are infynyte ryches, howe that, who so kepeth company with her shall be wyse: and that he which talketh w^t her, shall come to honoure: I went aboute sekyng, together vnto me. For I was a lad of a rype wytte / and had a good vnderstandynge.

But when I grewe to more vnderstan∣dyng, I came to an vndefyled body. Neuer∣thelesse when I perceyued that I coulde not kepe my selfe chaste / excepte God gaue it me (and that was apoynte of wysdome also / to know whose gyft it was) I stepped vnto the Lorde / and besought him / & with my whole herte I sayde after this maner.

¶ A prayer of Salomon to optayne wysdome.

CAPI. IX.

O God of my fathers / and Lorde of mer¦cyes (thou that haste made all thynges [unspec A] with thy worde, and ordayned man thorowe thy wysdome that he shulde haue domy∣nyon ouer the creature whyche thou haste made: that he shulde ordre the worlde accor∣dynge to equyte and ryghtuousnes / and exe¦cute iudgemēt with a true hert) geue me wis∣dome, which is euer about thy seate, and put me not out from amonge thy chyldren: for I thy seruaunt and sonne of thy handmayden, and a feble personne / of a short tyme / and to yonge to the vnderstandyng of iudgemente and the lawes. And though a man be neuer so perfecte among the chyldren of men / yet if thy wysdome be not with hym / he shalbe no∣thyng regarded. But thou hast chosen me to be a kynge vnto thy people / and the iudge of thy sonnes and daughters.

Thou hast commaunded me to buylde a [unspec B] tēple vpō thy holy mounte, & an aulter in the cytie wherin thou dwellest: a lickenesse of thy holy tabernacle whyche thou hast prepared from the begynnynge / & thy wysdome wyth the / which knoweth thy worckes: which also was with the / when thou madest the worlde & knewe what was acceptable in thy syght and ryght in thy cōmaundementes. O sende her out of thy holy heauens and frō the trone of thy maiesty / that she may be with me, and labour with me, that I maye knowe, what is acceptable in thy syght. For she knoweth and vnderstandeth all thynges: and she shal lede me soberly in my worckes / and preserue me in her power. So shall my workes be ac∣ceptable, and then shall I gouerne thy peo∣ple ryghtuously / and be worthy to syt in my fathers seate. For what man is he, that may know y^e councel of God? Or, who can thinke what the wyll of God is? For the thoughtes of mortall men are miserable / and oure fore∣castes are but vncertayne. And why? a mor∣tal [unspec C] and vncorruptible body is heuy vnto the soule / and the early mansyon kepeth downe that vnderstandyng that museth vpon ma∣ny thinges. Uery hardly can we discerne the thynges that are vpon earth, and greate la∣boure haue we / or we can fynde the thynges which are before our eyes. Who wyll then / seke out the grounde of the thynges that are done in heauen? Oh Lorde / who can haue knowledge of thy vnderstandyng and mea∣nyng, excepte thou geue wysdome, and sende thy holy ghost from aboue •• that the wayes of them whiche are vpon earthe / maye be re∣fourmed: that men maye learne the thynges that are pleasaūte vnto the, and be preserued thorowe wysdome.

¶ The delyueraunce of the righteous commeth through wysdome.

CAPI. X.

WYsdome preserued the fyrste man, [unspec A] whom God made a Father of the worlde, whē he was created alone brought him out of his offence toke hym out of the moulde of the earth, & gaue hī power to rule all thynges. When the vnryghtu∣ous went away in hys wrath from this wys¦dome, the brotherhed perysshed thorowe the wrath of murthur. Agayne / whē the water destroyed the whole worlde / wysdome preser¦ued the ryghtuous thorow a poore tre, wher¦of she was gouerner herself. Moreouer whē wyckednesse had gotten the vpper hande so that the nacions were puft vp with pryde she knew the ryghtuous, preserued him faut¦lesse vnto God, and layed vp sure mercye for his chyldren. She preserued the rightuous / whē he fled frō the vngodly that e••pyshed / what tyme as y^• fyre fell downe vpon the. v. cyties: Lyke as yet thys daye the vnfruteful waste / and smokynge land geueth testimony [unspec B] of their wyckednesse: yee the vnrype & vnty∣mely frutes that growe vpon the trees.

And for a token of a remembraūce of the vnfaythfull soule / there standeth a pyler of salt. For al suche as regarded not wysdome, gat not onely thys hurte, y^t they knewe not the thynges whiche were good, but also lefte behinde them vnto mē / a memoriall of their foolishnes: so that in y^e thynges wherin they synned / they coulde not be hyd. But as for suche as take hede vnto wysdome, she shal de¦lyuer them from sorowe.

Whē the ryghtuous fled because of his [unspec C] brothers wrath, wysdome led him the ryght waye, shewed him the Kyngdome of God / gaue hym knowledge of holy thinges, made him rych in his laboures, & brought to passe the thynges that he wente aboute. In the dis¦ceatfulnes of such as defrauded hi, she stode by hym, & made him ryche. She saued him from the enemyes, & defended hym from the disceyuers. She made hym stronge in bat∣tayle & gaue him the vyctory / that he myght knowe, howe that wysdome is stronger then all thynges. When the ryghtuous was solde / she forsoke hym not / but delyuered hym from synners. She wente downe wyth hym into the dongeon, and fayled hym not in the bandes: ‡ ••yll she had broughte hym the scepter of the realme, and power agaynst those that oppressed hym▪ As for theym that had accused hym / she declared them to be lyers / and brought hym to perpetual wor¦shyppe. [unspec D]

She deliuered the ryghtuous people & fautelesse lede / from the nacions that oppres¦sed them. She entred into the soule of the ser¦uaunt of God, and stode by hym in wonders and tokēs agaynst the horrible kinges. She gaue the ryghtuous the rewarde of their la∣bours, and led thē forth a maruelous waye / on the daye tyme she was a shadowe vnto them, and a lyght of startes in the nyght sea¦son. ‡ She brought thē thorowe y^• reed see / & caryed them thorowe the great water. She drowned theyr enemyes in the see, & brought them out of the depe. So the rightuous toke the spoyles of the vngodly, ‡ and praysed thy holy name, O Lorde, and magnified thy vic¦toryous hande with one accorde. ‡ For wys∣dome openeth the mouth of the dōme / and maketh the tonges of babes to speake.

¶ The miracles done for Israel. The vengeaūce of synners The great power and mercy of God.

CAPI. XI.

SHe ordred their worckes in the handes of [unspec A] the holy prophete: so that they went tho∣rowe the wildernes that was not inhabyted, and pitched their tentes in the waste deserte. They stode agaynst their enemies / and were auenged of theyr aduersaryes. ‡ When they were thyrstye / they called vpon the / and wa∣ter was gyuen thē out of the most hye rocke / and theyre thyrst was quenched out of the harde stone. For by the thynges / where tho∣rowe theyr enemyes were punished, were the chyldren of Israell helped in theyr nede / to theyr comforte. For vnto the enemyes thou gauest mans bloude in steade of lyuynge wa¦ter. And where as they had scarcenesse in y^• rebuke, when the chyldren were slayne, thou gauest vnto thyne owne a plentuous water vnloked for: declarynge by the thyrste that was at that tyme / howe thou woldest bryng thyne owne vnto honoure / and sleye their aduersaries.

‡ For when they were tryed and nourtured [unspec B] with fatherly mercy / they knowledged how the vngodly were iudged, and punished tho¦rowe the wrath of God. These hast thou ex∣horted as a father / and proued them: but vn∣to y^• other thou hast bene a boysterous king, layed hard to their charge, & condēpned thē. Whether they were absent or presente / theyr punyshment was alyke. For their grefe was double: namely, mournynge / and the remē∣braunce of thynges past. But whē they per∣ceyued that their punishmētes did thē good, they thought vpon the Lorde / and wonde∣red at the ende. For at y^• last they helde much of him, of whome in the out castynge they thought scorne, as of an obiecte. Neuerthe∣lesse / the ryghtuous dyd not so when they were thyrstye: but euen lyke as the though∣tes of the folyshe were, so was also the wyc∣kednes. [unspec C] ‡ Where as certayne men nowe (tho¦rowe errour) dyd worshyppe dōme serpentes and vayne beastes thou sendedst a multitud: of domme beastes vpon them for a venge∣aunce: that they myght knowe, y^• loke where withall a man synneth / by the same also shal he be punysshed. ‡ For vnto thy almyghtye hande, that made the worlde of naught, it was not vnpossyble / to sende amonge them an heape of Beeres, or wood Lyons, or cruel beastes of a straunge kynde / suche as are vn¦knowen / or spou••e fyre or cast out a smoking breth / or shote horryble sparkes out of theyr eyes / whiche myght not onely destroye them with hurtynge / but also kyl them with their horyble syght. Yee wythout these beastes might they haue bene slayne with one winde, beyng persecuted of there owne workes, and scatered abroade thorowe the brethe of thy power.

Neuertheles, thou hast ordred all thinges [unspec D] in measure, nombre & weight. For thou haste euer had great strēgth & myght, & who maye w^t stande y^• power of thyne arme? And why? lyke as the smal thyng y^• the balaūce weyeth so is the worlde before y^•: yee as a droppe of y^• mornynge dewe, that falleth downe vpon the earth. Thou hast mercy vpō al / for thou hast power of al thynges: & makest the as though thou sawest not the synnes of men / because they shulde amende. For thou louest

all the thynges that are / and hatest none of thē whō thou hast made: neither dydest thou ordayne or make any thynge, of euyll wyll.

How myght any thyng endure / yf it were not thy wyll? Or howe coulde any thynge be preserued / excepte it were called of the? But thou sparest all / for all are thyne (O Lorde) y^u louer of soules.

¶ 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 y^u thē measurably y^t 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^•. As for those olde inhabiters of thy holy lande, thou myghtest not awaye w^t 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 w^t cruel beastes / or with one roughe word to destroye them together: 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 y^u hast made? For there is none other god but y^u, 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, y^u ordrest all thynges ryghtuouslye & 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. 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 y^t 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.

¶ At thynges be vayne, excepte the knowledge of God. Ido¦laters and Idoles are mocked.

CAPI. XIII.

VAyne are al men, which haue not know¦ledge [unspec A] of God: as were they that out of the good thynges whyche are sene, knewe not hym, y^• of hym selfe is euerlastyng. Ney∣ther toke they so much regarde of the workes

that are made / as to knowe, who was the craftesman of them but some toke the fyre / some the winde or ayre, some the course of the starres / some the water / some toke Sunne and Moone / or the lyghtes of heauen which rule the earth / for goddes. But though they had suche pleasure in theyr beuty / that they thought them to haue bene goddes: yet shuld they haue knowen / howe muche more fayrer he is that made them. For the maker of bew∣tye hath ordayned all these thynges. Or yf they marueled at the power and worckes of them / they shulde haue perceyued therby / that he whiche made these thynges, is mygh¦tyer then they.

For by the greatenesse and bewty of the creatures, the maker therof may playnely be [unspec B] knowen. Notwithstandynge / they are the lesse to be blamed, that seke God, and wolde fynde hym / and yet mysse. And why? for so muche as they go about in his worckes and seke after thē / it is a token, that they regarde and holde moche of his workes that are sene: howbeit they are not wholy to be excused. For yf theyr vnderstandyng & knowledge be so great, that they can discerne the world and the creatures, why do they not rather fynde out the Lorde therof?

But vnhappye are they, and amonge the deade is theyr hope, that call them Goddes whiche are but the workes of mens handes: golde / syluer / and the thynge that is founde out by connynge, the similitudes of beastes. or any vayne stone that hath bene made by hande of olde. Or as whā a carpēter cut∣teth downe a tree out of the wod / and pareth of the barke of it cōningly: & so w^t the one {per}te maketh a vessel to be vsed, & dresseth meat w^t the resydue. As for the other parte y^• is lefte / which is {pro}fytable for nothing (for it is a cro∣ked [unspec C] pece of wod & full of knobbes) he carueth it diligently thorowe his vanite, & according to the knowledge of his cōnnyng) he geueth it some proporcyon, fashyoneth it after the si militude of a mā, or maketh it like some beast straketh it ouer with redd / and paynteth it / & loke what foule spot is in it he casteth some coloure vpon it.

Then maketh he a conuenient tabernacle for it / setteth it in the wall, & maketh it faste with yron, prouydynge so for it / least it hap∣pen to fall: for it is well knowen / that it can not helpe it selfe: And why? it is but an yma∣ge / and must of necessyte be helped.

Then goeth he & offreth of his goodes vn¦to it, for his chyldren and for his wyfe: he se∣keth [unspec D] helpe at it, he asketh councell at it: he is not ashamed to speake vnto it that hathe no soule: for health, he maketh his peticion vn∣to hym that is sycke: for lyfe, he prayeth vnto him that is deed: he calleth vpō him for help, that is not able to helpe him selfe: & to sende him a good iourneye / he prayeth him y^• maye not go. And in al the thynges that he taketh in hande (whether it be to optayne any thing or to worcke) he prayeth vnto hym / that can do no maner of good.

¶ The detestacyon and abhomynacion of ymages. A curse of them, and of him that maketh them. The euyls that come of Idolatrye.

CAPI. XIIII.

AGayne / another man / purposynge to sayle / and begynnyng to take his iour¦nye [unspec A] thorowe the ragynge see, calleth for help vnto a stocke, that is farre weaker / then the tree that beareth hym. For as for it / coue∣teousnesse of moneye hath founde it out, and the craftesman made it with hys connynge. But thy prouydence / O Father / gouerneth all thynges from the begynnyng: for thou hast made awaye in the see / and a sure path in the myddest of the waues: declarynge ther by / that thou haste power to helpe in al thin¦ges, yee though a man wente to the see with∣out shyppe. Neuerthelesse / that the worc∣kes [unspec B] of thy wysdome shulde not be vayne / ‡ thou hast caused an arcke to be made: & ther∣fore do men commytte theyr lyues to a small pece of wodd, passyng ouer the see in a shyp / and are saued.

For in y^• olde tyme also when the proude grauntes peryshed / he (in whō the hope was lefte to encrease the worlde) wente into the shyppe / whiche was gouerned thorowe thy hande / and so left sede behynde him vnto the worlde. For happye is y^• tree, where thorowe ryghtuousnes cōmeth: but cursed is the ydol that is made with hādes / ye both it and he that made it. He / because he made it: and it / because it was called God / where as it is but a frayle thynge. ‡ For the vngodly & hys vngodlynes are both lyke abhominable vn∣to God. Euen so the worke and he that made it also, shall be punyshed together. There∣fore shall there a plage come vpon the ydols of the Heythen: for out of the creature of God they are become an abhomynacyon / a temptacyon vnto the soules of men / and a snare for the fete of the vnwyse. And why? y^• sekynge out of ydoles is the begynnynge of whordome / and the bryngynge vp of thē is the destruccyon of lyfe. For they were not from the begynnynge / nether shall they con∣tynue [unspec C] for euer. The welthy ydelnes of men

hath founde them out vpon earthe, therfore shal they come shortly to an ende.

Whē a father mourned for hys sōne y^• was takē awaye frō him / he made him an ymage (in all y^• haste) of his deed sonne: & so begāne to worshyppe him as God, which was but a deed mā, & ordened his saruaūtes to offre vn¦to him. Th{us} by processe of tyme & thorow an vngracio{us} custome, this erroure was kepte: as lawe, and tyrauntes cōpelled men by vio¦lence to honour ymages. As for those that were so farre of, that men myght not wor∣shyppe them presently, theyr pycture was brought frō farre (lyke the ymage of a Kyng whō they wolde honoure) to the intent that with greate diligence they myght worshypp him which was farre of / as thoughe he had bene present, Agayne / the synguler connyng of the cratesman gaue the ignoraunte also a great occasyon to worshyp ymages. For the workeman wylling to do him a pleasure that set him a worcke / laboured with all his con∣nynge [unspec D] to make the ymage of the best fashyon And so (thorowe the beuty of the worcke) the comē people was disceyued, in so much that they toke him nowe for a God / which a lytle afore was but honored as a man. And thys was the erroure of mans lyfe / when men (ey∣ther for to serue theyr owne affeccion, or to do some plesure vnto kinges) ascribed vnto sto¦nes and stockes y^• name of god, which ought to be gyuen vnto no man.

Moreouer, this was not ynough for thē that they erred in the knowledge of God: but where as they lyued in the greate war∣res of ignorauncy / those many & greate pla∣ges called they peace. For eyther they slue theyr owne chyldren, and offred them / or dyd sacrifice in the nyght season / or els helde vn reasonable watches: so that they kepte ney∣ther lyfe nor maryage cleane: but eyther one slue another to death malyciously / or els gre¦ued [unspec E] his neyghboure wyth aduoutrye. And thus were al thynges myxte together: bloud manslaughter / theft / dissimulacyon / corrup∣cyon / vnfaytfulnesse / sedycyon / periurye / dis quyetynge of good men / vnthanfulnes / de∣fylynge of soules / chaungynge of byrth, vn∣sted fastnesse of maryage, mysorder of aduou trye and vnclenesse. And why? the honou∣rynge of abhomynable ymages is the cause, the begynnynge and ende of all euyll. For they that worshyppe Idols, eyther they are mad when they be mery, or prophecie lyes or lyue vngodly, or els lyghtly forsweare them selues. Frr in so much as their truste is in y^• Idols (which haue nether soule ner vn¦derstandynge) thoughe they sweare falsely, yet they thynke it shall not hurte them.

Therfore commeth a greate plage vpon them, & that worthely: for they haue an euyll opinion of God / gyuyng hede vnto Idols / swearyng vniustly to disceyue, & despysynge rightuousnes. For theyr swearing is no ver¦tue, but a plage of thē y^• sine, & goeth euer w^t the offence of the vngodly.

¶ The voyce of the faythfull, praysynge the mercy of God, for whose graces sake they serue not Idols.

CAPI. XV.

BUt y^u (O our God) art swete, long suffe∣ryng [unspec A] & true, & in mercy ordrest y^u al thin∣ges. Though we synne, yet are we thyne / for we knowe thy strēgth. If we synne not / then are we sure, that thou regardest vs. For to knowe the / is perfecte ryghtuousnes: Yee to knowe thy ryghtuousnes and power / is the rote of immortalyte. As for the thynge / that men haue founde out thorowe theyr euyll sci¦ence / it hath not disceyued vs: as the payn∣tyng of the picture (an vnprofytable labour) and carued image, w^t diuerse colours, whose syght entysed the ignoraunt: so that he hono∣reth and loueth the pycture of a deed image that hath no soule.

Neuertheles, they that loue such euyl thi∣ges, [unspec B] are worthy of death: they y^• trust in thē / they y^• make them, they that loue them, & they that honoure thē. The potter also taketh & tempereth soft earth, laboureth it, & giueth it the fashion of a vessel, whatsoeuer serueth for our vse: & so of one pece of claye he maketh some cleane vessel for seruice, & some cōtrary. But wherto euery vessel serueth, y^• knoweth the potter hym selfe. So with his vayne la∣boure he maketh a God of the same claye: this dothe euen he / whiche a lytle afore was made of earthe hym selfe / and within a lytle whyle after (when he dyeth) turneth to earth agayne.

Notwithstandyng, he careth not the more [unspec C] because he shall labour, nor because hys lyfe is short: but stryueth to excell gold smythes, the siluer smythes and coper smythes, and ta¦keth it for an honour to make vayne thyn∣ges. For his herte is asshes, hys hope is but vaine earth, & his life is more vile then clay: for so much as he knoweth not his owne ma¦ker, y^• gaue hi his soule to worke, & brethed in hī the breth of lyfe. They coūte our lyfe but a pastyme, & our cōuersacion to be, but a mar∣ket, & that men shulde euer be gettyng, & that by euyl meanes. Nowe he y^• of earth maketh frayle vessels & ymages, knoweth hī selfe to offēde aboue al other.

All y^• enemyes of thy people & that holde thē in subieccyon, are vnwise, vnhappy, and [unspec D] exceadynge proude vnto theyr owne soules / for they iudge all the Idols of the Heathen to be goddes, which nether haue eye syght to se, nor noses to smell, nor eares to heare / nor fyngers of handes for to grope: & as for their fete, they are to slowe to go. For man made them / & he that hath but a borowed sprete / fashioned them. But no mā can make a God lyke vnto hym: for seynge he is but mortall hym selfe / it is but mortall that he maketh with vnryghtuous handes. He hym selfe is better then they whom he worshyppeth, for helyued though he was mortall / so dyd ne∣uer they. Yee they worshyppe beastes also / which are most miserable: for compare thin∣ges that cannot fele vnto them / and they are worse then those. Yet is there not one of these beastes / that with his syght can behold any good thing / nether haue they geuē pray∣se nor thanckes vnto God.

¶ The punyshment of Idolatrers, and the benefytes done vnto the faythfull,

CAPI. XVI.

FOr these and suche other thynges haue [unspec A] they suffred worthy punyshement and thorowe the multytude of beastes are they ro¦ted out. In steade of the whiche punyshmen¦tes thou hast gracyously ordred thyne owne people / and geuen their desyre that they lon∣ged for: a newe and straunge tayst, prepa∣rynge them quales to be theyr meate: to the intent that (by the thynges which were shew¦ed and sent vnto them) they that were so gre¦dy of meate / myght be withdrawen euen frō the desyre that was necessary. But these with in shorce tyme were brought vnto pouertye / and tasted a newe meate. For it was re∣quysite that (without any excuse) destruccion shulde come vpon those which vsed tyranny, and to shewe onely vnto the other, how their enemyes were destroyed. ‡ For when the cru¦el woodnesse of the beastes came vpon them, they peryshed thorow the stinges of the cruel Serpentes.

Notwithstandynge, thy wrath endured [unspec B] not perpetually / but they were put in feare for a lytle season / that they myght be refour∣med, hauyng a token of saluacyon, to remē∣bre the commaundemēt of thy lawe. For he that cōuerted / was not healed by the thynge y^• he sawe / but by the / O sauiour of all. So in this thou shewedst thyne enemyes / that it is thou / which deliuered trō all euyll. As for them whē they were byttē▪ w^t greshoppers and flyes, they dyed / for they were worthy to perysh by such: But neyther y^• teth of dra∣gōs nor of venimous wormes ouercame thy chyldrē, for thy mercy was euer by thē & hel∣ped thē. Therfore were they punyshed to re∣mēbre thy wordes, but hastely were they hea¦led agayn / lest they shuld fal into so depe for∣getfulnes, y^• they myght not vse thy helpe.

It was nether herbe nor playster that re∣stored thē to the helth / but thy word (O lord) [unspec C] which healeth all thynges. It is y^u (O Lord) that hast the power of lyfe and death ‡ : thou ledest vnto deathes dore / and bryngest vp agayne. But mā thorow wickednes slayeth his owne soule, and when hys sprete goeth forth / it turneth not agayne, neyther may he call agayne the soule that is taken awaye: It is not possyble to eskape thy hande. For the vngodly that wolde not knowe y^• / were punyshed by y^• strength of thyne arme: wyth straunge waters / hayles and raynes were they persecuted, and thorowe fyre were they consumed. For it was a wonderous thynge that fyre myght do more then water whiche quencheth all thynges: but the worlde is the auenger of the ryghtuous. Somtyme was the fyre so tame / that the beastes which were sent to punysh the vngodly, brente not: and that because they shulde se and knowe / that they were persecuted with the punyshmente of God. And some tyme brent the fyre in the [unspec D] water on euery syde, that it myght destroye y^• vnrightuous nacion of the earth. ‡ Againe thou haste fed thyne owne people w^t Angels fode, and sent the breade redy from Heauen (without their laboure) beynge very plea∣saunt and of good tast. And to shewe thy ry∣ches & swetenesse vnto thy chyldren, thou ga¦uest euery one theyr desyre, so that euery mā myght take what lyked hym best. But the snowe and yse abode the vyolence of the fyre & melted not: that they myght knowe / that the fyre burnyng in the hayle and rayne / de∣stroyed the frute of the enemyes: the fyre al∣so forgat his strength agayne / that the rygh tuous myght be noryshed. For the creature that serueth the (whiche art the maker) is fe∣arse in punyshyng y^• vnryghtuous, but is ea¦sy & gētle to do good / vnto suche as put their trust in the. Therfore dyd all thynges alter [unspec E] at the same tyme / and were all obedient vn∣to thy grace, whiche is the nurse of all thyn∣ges, accordynge to the desyre of them that had nede therof: that thy chyldren (O Lord) whō thou louest, myght knowe, that it is not nature and the growynge of frutes that fedeth men, but that it is thy worde, whiche preserueth them that put theyr truste in the.

For loke what myght not be destroyed wyth the fyre / as soone as it was warmed wyth a lytle Sūne beame / it meltetd: y^• al mē myght knowe, that thankes ought to be geuen vn∣to the before the Sunne ryse, and that thou oughtest to be worshypped before the daye springe. For the hope of the vnthākfull shall melt awaye as the wynter yse, & perysshe as water, that is not necessary.

¶ The iudgementes of God vpon the Egyptions.

CAPI. XVII.

GReate are thy iudgementes (O Lord) [unspec A] and thy councels can not be expressed: therfore men do erre / that wyl not be refour¦med w^t thy wysdome. For when y^• vnrygh∣suons thought to haue thy holy people in subieccyon, they were bounde with the ban∣des of darknes & long nyght, shut vnder the rofe, thynkynge to escape the euerlastynge wysdome And whyle they thought to be hyd in the darckenesse of their synnes / they were scatred abrode in the very middest of y^• darke couerynge of forgetfulnes / put to horryble feare & wōderously vexed: for the corner wher they myght not kepe them from feare (becau¦se the sounde came downe and vexed them) yee many terrible and straunge visions ma∣de them afrayed.

No power of the fyre myght geue them [unspec B] lyght, nether myght the cleare tlammes of y^• starres lyghtē that horrible nyght. For there appeared vnto them a sodayne fyre / verye dredefull: At the which (when they sawe no∣thynge they were so afrayed / y^• they thought the thynge whiche they sawe / to be the more fearfull. As for the sorcery & enchauntmēt that they vsed / it came to derysyon / and the proude wysdome was brought to shame. For they that promysed to dryue away the feare∣fulnes & drede from that weake soules, were sicke for feare them selues / and y^• with scorne And though none of the wonders feared thē / yet were they afrayed at the beastes whiche came vpon them, & at the Hyssyng of the ser∣pentes. In so much that with trēblyng they swowned, & sayd they sawnot y^• ayre, whiche no man yet may escape:

For it is an heuy thynge / when a mans [unspec C] owne conscience beareth recorde of his wye∣kednes and condempneth hym. And why••a vexed and wounded conscyence, taketh euer cruell thynges in hād. Fearefulnes is no∣thyng els / but a declaring that a man seketh helpe and defence / to answere for hym selfe. And loke how much lesse the hope is within, the more is the vncertentye of the matter, for the whiche he is punyshed. But they y^• came in the myghtye nyght: slepe the slepe that fel vpon them from vnder and from aboue: som¦tyme were they afrayed thorowe the feare of the wonders / and somtime they were so wea¦ke that they swowned withall: for an hastye and sodayne ferfulnes came vpon them. Af∣terwarde / yf any of them had fallen / he was kepte and shut in preson / but without chay∣nes. But if any dwelt in a vyllage / if he had bene an heyrde or husbandman he suffred in∣tollerable necessyte: for they were all bounde with one cheyne of darkenes.

Whether it were a blasynge wynde / or [unspec D] a swete songe of the byrdes among the thyc¦ke braunches of the trees / or the vehemen∣cy of hastye runnynge water / or great noyse of the fallyng downe of Stones / or the play enge and runnynge of beastes whom they sawe not / or the myghtye noyse of roarynge beastes / or the sownde that aunswereth a∣gayne in the hye Mountaynes: it made them swowne for very feare. For all the earthe shyned with cleare lyght / and no man was hyndered in his labour. Onely vpon them there fell a heuy nyght / an ymage of darek∣nesse that was to come vpon them. Yee they were vnto them selues the moste heuy & hor∣ryble darcknes.

¶ The Fyre lyghte that the Israelytes had in Egypte. The persecucyon of the faythfull. The Lorde smote all the fyrste borne of Egypte. The synne of the people in the wyldernesse. Aaton stode betwyte the lyue and the deed, with his censoure.

CAPI. XVIII.

NEuertheles / thy Saynctes had a very [unspec A] great lyght (and the ennemyes herde theyr voyce / but they sawe not the fygure of them.) And because they suffred not the same thynges / they magnyfied the: and they that were vexed afore (because they were not hurte nowe) thancked the / and besought the (O God) that there myghte be a dyffe∣rence. Therfore had they a burnynge pyler of fyre to lede them in the vnknowne waye, and thou gaueste them the Sunne for a fre gyft without any hurte. Reason it was that they shulde want lyght, and be put in y^• preson of darcknes / whiche kepte thy chyl∣dren [unspec B] in captyuyte / by whom the vncorrupte lyght of the lawe of the worlde was for to be geuē. When they thought to slaye the ba bes of the ryghtuous (one beynge layed out, and preserued to be leader vnto the other) thou broughtest out y^e whole multytude of the chyldren / and destroyedst these in the myghtye water. Of that nyght were oure fathers certyfyed afore / that they knowynge

vnto what othes they had geuen credence / myght be of good cheare, Thus thy people receaued y^• health of the ryghteous / but the vngodly were destroyed. For lyke as thou hast hurte our enemyes / so hast thou promo¦ted vs whome thou calledest afore. For the ryghteous chyldren of the good men offred secretly / & ordred the lawe of ryghteousnes vnto vnite: that the iust shuld receaue good and cuyll in lyke maner, syngynge prayses vnto the father of all men. Agayne / there was herde an vnconueniēt voyce of the ene¦myes / and a pyteous crye for chyldren that were bewayled. The master and the ser∣uaunt were punyshed in lyke maner. For they altogether had innumetable that died one deathe.

Neyther were the lyuinge sufficient to [unspec C] bury the deed, for in the twyncklynge of an eye / the noblest nacion of them was destroy¦ed. As ofte as God helped them afore / yet wolde it not make thē beleue: but in the de∣struccyon of the fyrste borne they knowled∣ged / that it was the people of God. For whyle all thynges were styll / and when the nyght was in the myddest of her course, thy Almyghtye worde (O Lorde) leapte downe from heauen oute of thy royall trone / as a rough man of warre, in the myddeste of the lande that was destroyed: and the sharpe swerde perfourmed theyr strayte commaū∣dement, standynge and fyllyng all thynges with death: yee it stode vpon the earth & rea¦ched vnto the heauen. Then the sight of the euyl dreames vexed them sodenly, and fear∣fulnesse came vpon them vnawares.

Then laye there one here / another there / halfe deed, halfe quycke, & shewed the cause of hys deathe. For the vysyons that vexed them shewed them these thynges afore: so that they were not ignoraunte / wherfore they peryshed.

The tētacion of death touched the rygh∣teous [unspec D] also, and among the multytude in the wyldernesse there was insurreccyō, but thy wrath endured not lōge. For the blamelesse man wente in all the hast, and toke the bat∣tayll vpō him, brought forth the weapen of his myny stracyon: euen prayer and the cen∣sours of reconcylynge, set him selfe agaynst the wrath / and so brought the misery to an ende: declaringe the chy, that he was thy ser¦uaunt. For he ouercame not the multytude with bodely power / nor wyth weapens of myght: but with the worde he sobdued hym that vexed hym / puttynge them in remem∣braunce of the othe and couenaunte made vnto the fathers. For when the deed were fallen downe by heapes one vpō another he stode in the myddest, pacified the wrath, and parted y^• waye vnto lyuynge. And whyem hys longe garment was al the bewtye / and in the foure rowes of the stones was y^e glo∣ry of the fathers grauen / and thy maiesty was wrytten in the crowne of hys heade. Unto these the destroyer gaue place / & was afrayed of them: for it was onely a temtaciō worthy of wrath.

¶ The deeth of the Egypcyans, and the greate ioye of the Hebrues. The meate that was geuen at the despre of the preople. The elementes serut not onely to the wyll of God / but also to the wyll of man.

CAPI. XIX.

AS FOR the vngodly / the wrathe [unspec A] came vpon them without mercye vn∣to the ende. For he knewe before what shulde happen vnto them: howe that (when they had consented to let them go / and had sente oute with great dylygence) they wolde repente, and folowe vpon them. For when they were yet mournynge and ma∣kynge lamentacyon by the graues of the dead, they deuysed another fooly shenes: so that they persecuted them in theyr flyenge. whom they had cast out afore with prayer. Worthy necessyte also broughte them vnto thys ende, for they had cleane forgotten the thynges that happened vnto them afore. But the thinge that was wantinge of theyr punyshemente / was requysyte so to be ful∣fylled vpon them wyth tormentes / that thy people myghte haue a maruelous pas∣sage thorowe, and that these myght fynde a straunge death.

Thē was euery creature fashioned againe [unspec B] of newe, accordinge to the wyll of theyr ma∣ker / obeyenge thy commaundementes that thy chyldren myght be kept without hurte / For the cloude ouershadowed theyr tentes / and y^e dry earth appeared / where afore was water: so that in y^• reed see there was awaye without unpedimēt, and the great depe be∣came a grene felde: where thorow al the peo¦ple wēte that were defended with thy hand, seing thy wonderous and maruelous wor∣kes. For as the horses, so were they fed, and leapte lyke lambes, praisynge the (O Lord) which haddest deliuered thē. And whyethey were yet myndefull of the thynges / y^t hap∣pened whyle they dwelt in the lāde: how the groūde brought for the flyes in steade of ca∣tell: & howe the ryuer scrauled with the mul¦tytude of frogges in steade of rythes. [unspec C]

But at the last they sawe a new creacion

of byrdes / what tyme as they were dicea∣ued with lust / and desyred delicate meates. For when they were speakynge of theyr ap∣petite, the quailes came vp vnto them from the see / and punyshementes came vpon the synners, not without the tokēs which came to passe afore by the vehemē••ye of the strea∣mes: for they suffred worthely accordyng to theyr wyckednesses / they dealt so abhomy∣nably & churiyshly w^t straūgers. Some re∣ceaued no vnknowne gestes / some brought the straungers into bondage that dyd them good. Besyde all these thynges there were some / that not onely receaued no straūgers with theyr wylles / but persecuted those al∣so / & dyd them much euyll / that receaued them gladly. Therfore were they punished with blyndnesse / lyke as they that were couered w^t sodayne darcknesse at the dores of the ryghteous / so that euery one sought the en••rau••••e of bys dore.

Thus the elementes turned into them [unspec D] selues / lyke as when one tyme is chaunged vpon an instrument of musycke, and yet all the resydue kepe theyr melody: which maye easely be perceaued, by the syght of the thin¦ges that are come to passe. The drye lande was turned into a waterye / and the thynge that afore sw••mme in the water / wēte now vpon the drye ground. The fyre had power in the water (contrary to hys owne vertue) and the water forgace hys owne kynde to quenche. Agayne, the flammes of the noyso¦me beastes hurte not the flesh of them that went with thē / neyther melted they the yse / which els melteth lightely. In al thyn¦ges hast thou promoted thy people (O Lorde) and brough them to honour: thou hast not despy¦sed thē, but alway and i all places hast thou stande by thē.

❧: Here endeth the Booke of wysdome.

Notes

• Gene. i. d.
• 〈…〉〈…〉. v. s,
• Gene. ••. ••
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••.
• Gene. 4. ••
• Gene. v••••.
• Gene. xix. ••
• Gene. 2 ••▪ ••
• Gent. 37. •• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. vii. b
• ‡

  Gent. xii. s
• Exodi. i. b. 〈…〉〈…〉. b
• ‡

  Exodi. 13. f
• ‡

  Exod. xv. a
• ‡

  Psa. viii. a Math. ii. c
• Exod. 27. a Num. xx. a
• ‡

  Exodi. 16. a
• ‡

  Deute. 8. a
• ‡

  Sapi. xii, •• Roma. ••. ••
• ‡

  Leuit.. 26. •• 〈…〉〈…〉. 16. a Iere. vii. c
• Roma. ii. a
• Deut. ix. a xii. d. xviii c
• Exodi 23 d Deut. vii. d
• ••. Petr. v. a
• Io••. ix. a
• Sap〈…〉〈…〉 Roma. 〈…〉〈…〉
• Roma. ••••
• Esay. 44. b Iere, x. a
• Exod. 14. b
• ‡

  Gene. vi. b.
• Gene. vii. d
• Psal. 115. a and. 135. c. Baru. vi. d
• ‡

  Psal. vii. d
• Deut▪ ••8. b Iere. vii. b and. xix. a
• Nume. xi. ••
• ‡

  Nume. 2••. b
• Exodi. x. d.
• ‡

  Deute. 32. •• i. Regū. ii. b
• ‡

  Exodi. 16. ••
• Deute. 8. a. Math. 4. ••
• Roma •• ••. c
• Exod••. x. c
• Exodi. 7. b.
• Psal. 46. a
• Exodi 〈…〉〈…〉
• Exodi 〈…〉〈…〉
• Exodi 〈…〉〈…〉
• Exod, xii, c.
• Exo. 28. b. c
• Exo xiiii a
• Exo. ••vi c. Nam. xi. g
• iii. Iohn. b,
• Gene. xix. c.