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 maruelous worckes of God▪ the ••nysetye and wret∣chednes of man. Agaynst God ought we not to complaynt. Praye muste we contynuallye.

CAPI. XVIII.

HE that lyueth for euermore, * 1.1 made all [unspec A] thynges together. God onely is rygh∣tuous, and remayneth a vyctoryous kynge for euer. * 1.2 Who shall be able to expresse the workes of him? Who wyll seke out the gron̄¦de of his noble Actes? Who shall declare the power of his greatenesse? Or, who wyll take vpon hym to tell out his mercy? As for the wonderous workes of the Lorde, there may nothynge be taken from theym / nothynge maye be put vnto them / neyther maye the grounde of them be founde out. But when a man hath done hys best / he muste begyune agayne: and when he thyncketh to become to an ende / he muste go agayne to hys la∣boure. What is man? Wherto is he worth? What good or euyll can he do? * 1.3 If the nom∣bre of a mās dayes be almost an hundreth ye re / it is muche.

Lyke as the droppes of rayne are vnto [unspec B] the see / and as a grauell stone is in compary¦son of the sāde: * 1.4 so are these few yeares to y^• dayes of euerlastynge. Therfore is the Lord pacient with them, and poureth out his mer¦cye vpon them. He sawe and perceyued the thoughtes and ymaginacyons of theyr hert, that they were euyll, therfore heaped he vp hys mercyfull goodnes vpon them / and she∣wed them the waye of ryghtuousnes. The mercy that a mā hath / reacheth to his neygh boure: but the mercy of God is vpon all flesh He chasteneth / he teacheth and nurtoureth: yee euen as a shepherde turneth agayne hys flocke, so dothe he all them that receyue cha∣stenyng, nurtoure and doctryne. * 1.5 Mercyful is he vnto them, that stande in awe of hys iudgementes.

My sonne, when thou doest good, make [unspec C] no grudgyng at it: and whatsoeuer thou ge∣uest, speake no disconfortable wordes. Shal not the dew coule the heate? euē so is a worde better then a gyft. * 1.6 Is not a frēdly worde a good honest gyft? but a gracious mā geueth thē both. * 1.7 A foole shall cast a man in y^e teeth, and that roughly / and a gyft of the nygarde putteth out the eyes. Get the ryghtuousnesse before thou come to iudgement. Lerne before thou speake / and go to physicke or euer thou be sycke: * 1.8 examen iudge thy selfe, before the iudgement come, & so shalt thou fynde grace in the syght of God. Humble thy selfe afore thou be sycke, & in tyme of thy dyscease she we thy conuersacyon. * 1.9 Let not to praye alway and stande not in feare to be refourmed vn∣to death, for the rewarde of God endureth

for euer. Before thou prayest / prepare thy soule / and be not as one that tempted God. Thynke vpon the wrathful indingnacyon, y^e shalbe at the ende / & the houre of vengeaūce,* 1.10 whē he shal turne away his face. Whe y^• hast ynough, remēbre the tyme of hongre: & when thou art rich, thinke vpon the tyme of pouer te and scarcenesse. [unspec D]

From the mornynge vntyll the euenyng the tyme is chaunged / and al suche thynges are sone done in y^• syght of God. A wyse man feareth God in all thynges, & in the dayes of trāsgressyon he kepeth hym selfe from s••••ne. A discrete man hath pleasure in wysdome / and he that findeth her / maketh much of her They y^e haue had vnderstanding, haue dealt wysely in wordes, haue vnderstāde the truth & ryghtuousnes, & haue sought out wyse sē∣tences & iudgemētes. ‡ 1.11 Folowe not thy lust{is}, but turne the frō thyne owne wyll. For yf y^• geuest thy soule her desires, it shal make thin enemies to laugh the to scorne. Take not thy pleasure in greate voluptuousnes, & medle not to much w^tal. Make not to great chere of the thyng that thou hast wōne by auaūtage, lest thou fal into pouerte, & haue nothyng in thy purse.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gene. i. ••
• * 1.2

  Psal. ii Eccle, ••••
• * 1.3

  Psal. ••••••
• * 1.4

  2. P••••••▪
• * 1.5

  E••••••. 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• * 1.6

  P••ou. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •• and, 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• * 1.7

  Eccle. ••••••
• * 1.8

  1. Cro••
• * 1.9

  Luke. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• ••. 〈…〉〈…〉. ••••
• * 1.10

  ••••••les. ••l. d
• ‡ 1.11

  〈…〉〈…〉. viv 〈…〉〈…〉xiii. ••