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.

¶ A wyse man. The workes of God. Unto the good / good thynges do profet: but vnto the euell, euen good thyn∣ges are euell.

CAPI. XXXIX.

HE that applyeth hys mynde to vnder∣stande [unspec A] the law of God, doth diligently seke out the wysdome of them of the old tyme, and exerciseth him selfe in the Prophetes. He kepeth the saynges of famous men, and pre∣seth to the to vnderstandynge of darcke sen∣tences of wysdome, He seketh out y^• mystery of secrete sayinges / & exerciseth him self ther in continually. He doth seruice amōge great men, & appeareth before the prince: He goeth into a straūge countre, & trauayleth thorowe it: loke what good or euyll is among men, he proueth it & seketh it out, He purposeth in his herte, to resorte early vnto the Lord y^• made him, & to pray before the Hyest God. He ope∣neth his mouth in prayer, & prayeth for hys sinnes. Whē the great Lorde wyll, he shalbe fylled with y^• sprete of vnderstandyng / that he may then poure out wyse sentences, & ge∣ue thanckes vnto the Lorde in hys prayer. He shall ordre his deuice, and lede his know¦ledge [unspec B] a ryght, and geue him vnderstanding of secrete thynges. He shall shewe forth the* 1.1 science of his lernynge / and reioyse in the co∣uenaunt of the lawe of the Lord. The whole congregacyon shall commende his wysdo∣me / and it shall neuer be put out. The remē∣braunce of him shal neuer be forgotten / and his name shall continue from one generaciō to another. Hys wysdome shalbe spoken of / amonge the people, and the whole congrega¦cyō shal openly declare his prayse. Whyle he lyueth, he hath a greater name then a thou∣sāde besyde: & after his death, the same name remayneth vnto hym. Yet wyll I speake of mo men of vnderstandynge / for I am ful as the Moone.

Herken vnto me (ye holy vertuous chyl∣dren) [unspec C] brynge forth frute / as the rose y^t is plā∣ted by the brokes of the felde / and geue ye a swete smell as Libanus. Florysh as the rose garden / synge a songe of prayse. O geue thā∣kes vnto God ouer all his worckes. Geue glory and honoure vnto the Lorde, shew his prayse with youre lyppes. Yee euen with the ••onge of your lippes / with harpes & playing and in geuynge thanckes vnto hym / saye after this maner. * 1.2 All the worckes of the Lorde are exceadynge good, and all his cō, maundementes are mete and conueniente in due season.

A mā nede not to saye: what is that? what is that? for at tyme conuenient they shall all [unspec D] be sought. At his commaundemēt the water was as a wal, and at the word of his mouth the water stode styll. * 1.3 In his commaunde∣ment is euery thynge acceptable and recon∣cyled, and his health can not be mynisshed. The worckes of al flessh are before him, and there is nothyng hyd from his eies. He seyth from euerlastyng to euerlastynge / and there is nothynge to wonderfull or hye vnto hym. A man nede not to saye then / what is thys / or that? For he hathe made all thynges to do good vnto man. His blessynge shall renne ouer as the streame, and moysture the earth lyke a floud of water. Lyke as he maketh the water for drouth / so shal his wrath fal vpon the Heathen.

* 1.4 His wayes are playne and ryght vnto the [unspec E] iust / but the vngodly stomble at them. For the good / are good thinges created from the begynnyng, & euyl thynges for the vngodly. * 1.5 Al thynges necessary for y^• lyfe of man are created frō the begynnyng: water / fyre / yron & salt, meel, wheat, and hony mylke & wyne, oyle & clothyng. * 1.6 All these thynges are crea¦ted for the best to the faythful: But to the vn godly shal al these thinges be turned to the hurt & harme. There be spretes y^t are created for vengeaunce, & in their rigorusnes haue they fastened theyr tormētes. * 1.7 In the tyme of the ende they shal poure out their strength & pacifie the wrath of hī that made thē. * 1.8 Fire hayle / hōgre & deth: al these thinges are crea¦ted for vengeaunce.

The teeth of wylde noysome beastes, the scorpions, serpētes, and the swerde are crea∣ted [unspec F] also for vengeaūce, to the destruccyon of the vngodly. They shal be glad to do his cō∣maundementes: and when nede is, they shal be ready vpon earthe: and when theyr houre is come, they shall not ouerpasse the cōmaun¦dement of the Lorde.

Thefore haue I taken a good corage vn∣to me from the begynnynge / and thought to put these thinges in wrytinge / & to leaue thē behynde me. * 1.9 All the workes of the Lord are good / & he geueth euery one in due season, & whan nede is / so that a man nede not to say: this is worse then that. For in due seasō they are al pleasaunt & good: And therfore prayse the Lord with whole hert & mouth, and geue thankes vnto his name.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eccle. 44 b
• * 1.2

  Gene. ••, d
• * 1.3

  Gene. vii. b
• * 1.4

  Osce. 14. •• Rome. ••. ••
• * 1.5

  Eccles. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••
• * 1.6

  1. Eim. ••. ••
• * 1.7

  Math. 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.8

  Eccles. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• * 1.9

  Gene. ••. ••