CHAP. XIII.
1 All things be vaine, except the knowledge of GOD. 10 Idolaters and idoles are mocked.
1 SVrely all men are vaine by nature, and are ignorant of God, * and colde not knowe him that is, by the good things that are sene, nether consider by the workes the worke master.
2 * But they thoght the fyre, or the winde or the swift aire, or the course of the starres, or the raging water, or the lights of heauen to be gouernours of the worlde, and gods.
3 Thogh they had such pleasure in their beau tie that they thoght them gods, yet shulde they haue knowen, how muche more excel lent he is that made them: for the first autor of beautie hathe created these things.
4 Or if they marueiled at the power, and ope ration of them, yet shulde they haue percei∣ued thereby, how muche he that made these things, is mightier.
5 For by the greatnes of their beautie, & of the creatures, the Creator being cōpared with them, may be considered.
6 But yet the blame is lesse in these, that seke God and wolde finde him, & yet peraduentu re do erre.
7 For * they go about by his workes to seke him, and are persuaded by the sight, because the things are beautiful that are 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
8 How be it they are not to be excused.
9 For if they can knowe so muche, that they can discerne the worlde, why do they not ra ther finde out the Lord thereof?
10 But miserable are they, and among the dead is their hope, that call them gods whiche are the workes of mens hands, golde, and siluer, and the thing that is inuented by arte, and the similitude of beasts, or anie vaine sto ne that hathe bene made by the hand of an∣tiquitie.
11 * Or as when a carpenter cutteth downe a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 mete for the worke, and pareth of all the barke thereof cunningly, & by arte maketh a vessel profitable for the vse of life.
12 And the things that are cut of from his wor ke, he bestoweth to dresse his meat to fil him self,
13 And that which is left of these things, which is profitable for nothing [(for) it is a croked piece of wood and ful of knobbes] he car∣ueth it diligētly at his leasure, and according as he is expert in cunning, he giueth it a pro∣porcion, and facioneth it after the similitude of a man,
14 Or maketh it like some vile beast, and stra∣keth it ouer with red, and painteth it, and co∣uereth euerie spotte that is in it.
15 And when he hathe made a conuenient ta∣bernacle for it, he setteth it in a wall, and ma∣keth it fast with yron,
16 Prouiding so for it, lest it fall: for he know∣eth that it can not helpe it self, because it is an image, which hathe nede of helpe.
17 Then he prayeth for his goods, and for his mariage and for children: he is not ashamed to speake vnto it, that hath no life.
18 He calleth on him that is weake for health: he prayeth vnto him that is dead for life: he requireth him of helpe that hathe no expe∣rience at all.
19 And for his iourney, him that is not able to go, and for gaine, and worke, and successe of his affaires he requireth furtherance of him that hathe no maner of power.