The Bible and Holy Scriptures conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament. Translated according to the Ebrue and Greke, and conferred with the best translations in diuers languges. VVith moste profitable annotations vpon all the hard places, and other things of great importance as may appeare in the epistle to the reader

CHAP. XIIII.

1 The derestacion and abominacion of images, 8. A curse of them, and of him that maketh them. 14 whereof idola∣trie proceded. 23 What euils come of idolatrie.

1 AGaine, another man purposing to saile, & intēding to passe thorowe the raging waues, calleth vpon a stocke more rotten then the shippe that carieth him.

2 For as for“ 1.1 it, couetousnes of money hathe founde it out, and the craftesman made it by cunning.

3 But thy prouidence, ô father, gouerneth it: ** 1.2 for thou hast made away, euen in the sea, and a sure path among the waues,

4 Declaring thereby, that thou hast power to helpe in all things, yea, thogh a man went to the sea without meanes.

5 Neuertheles thou woldest not, that the wor kes of thy wisdome shulde be vaine, and the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 do men commit their liues to a smale piece of wood, and passe ouer the stormie sea in a shippe, and are saued.

6 * For in the olde time also when the* 1.3 proude gyants perished, the hope of the worlde wēt into a shippe which was gouerned by thine hand, and so left sede of generacion vnto the worlde.

7 For blessed is the tre whereby righteousnes commeth.* 1.4

8 But that is cursed that is made with hands, ** 1.5 bothe it, and he that made it: he because he made it, and it being a corruptible thing, be∣cause it was called god.

9 *For the vngodlie, and his vngodlines are* 1.6 both like hated of God: so truely the worke and he that made it, shalbe punished toge∣ther.

10 Therefore shal there be a visitation for the idoles of the nations: for of the creatures of God they are become abominacion, * and* 1.7 stumbling blockes vnto the soules of men,* 1.8 and a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 for the fete of the vn wise.

11 For the inuenting of idoles was the begin∣ning of whoredome, and the finding of them is the corruption of life.

12 For they were not from the beginning, ne∣ther shal they continue for euer.

13 The vaine glorie of men broght them into the worlde: therefore shal they come shortly to an end.

14 Whē a father mourned grieuously for his sonne that was taken away suddēly, he made an image for him that was once dead, whome now he worshipeth as a God, and ordeined to his seruants ceremonies and sacrifices.

15 Thus by proces of time this wicked custo∣me preuailed, and was kept as a law, and ido∣les were worshiped by the commandement of tyrants.

16 As for those that were so farre of that men might not worship them presently, they did conterfet the visage that was farre 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and made a gorgeous image of a King, whome they wolde honour, that they might by all meanes flatter, him that was absent, as thogh he had bene present.

17 Againe the ambition of the craftesman thrust forwarde the ignorant to increase the superstition.

18 For he peraduenture willing to please a no∣blemā, labored with all his cunning to make the image of the best facion.

19 And so thorowe the beautie of the worke the multitude was allured, and so toke him now for a God, which a litle afore was but honored as a man.

20 And this was the deceiuing of mans life, when men, being in seruitude, through cala∣mitie and tyrannie ascribed vnto stones and stockes the name, which ought not to be cō 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto anie.

21 Moreouer, this was not ynough for thē that they erred in the knowledge of GOD: but where as they liued in great warres of ignorā ce, those so great plagues called they peace.

22 For ether* they 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their owne children* 1.9 in sacrifice, or vsed secret ceremonies, or* 1.10 ra∣ging dissolutenes by strange 〈◊〉〈◊〉,

23 And so kept nether life nor mariage cleane: but ether one slewe another by treason, or els vexed him by adulterie.

24 So were all mixt together, blood & slaugh ter, thefte and deceit, corruptiō, vnfaithful∣nes, tumultes, 〈◊〉〈◊〉,

25 Disquieting of good men, vnthankefulnes, defiling of soules, chāging of birth, disordre in mariage, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and vnclenes.

26 For the worshiping of idoles that ought not to be named, is the beginning and the cause and the end of all euil.

27 For either they be mad when they be me∣rie, or prophecie lies, or liue vngo dlie, or els lightly for sweare them selues.

28 For in so muche as their trust is in the ido∣les, which haue no life, thogh thei sweare fal sely, yet they thinke to haue no hurt.

29 Therefore for two causes shal they iustely be punished, because they haue an euil opi∣nion of God, addicting them selues vnto ido les, and because they sweare vniustly to de∣ceiue, and despise holines.

30 For it is not the power of them by whome they sweare, but the vengeance of them that sinne, which punisheth alwayes the offence of the vngodlie.

Notes

• “ 1.1

  Or, the shippe.
• * 1.2

  Exod 14, 22.
• * 1.3

  Gen. 6, 4. & 7, 10.
• * 1.4

  Psal. 115, 8.
• * 1.5

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 6, 30
• * 1.6

  Psal. 7 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.7

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 10, 8.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 2, 18.
• * 1.9

  Den 18, 10.
• * 1.10

  〈◊〉〈◊〉. 7, 9. & 19, 4.