The .xl. Chapter.
3 The commyng of saint Iohn Baptist. 9 The preparation of the Apostles. The callyng of the Gentiles.
[unspec A] 1 COmfort my people [O ye prophetes] comfort my people, saith your God,
2 Comfort Hierusalem at the heart, and tell her, that her trauayle is at an ende, that her offence is par∣doned, that she hath receaued at the Lordes hande sufficient correction for all her sinnes.
3 * 1.1A voyce crieth in wildernesse: Prepare the way of the Lorde, make strayght the path of our God in the desert.
4 All valleys shalbe exalted, and euery mountayne and hyll layde lowe: what so is croked shalbe made strayght, and the rough shalbe made playne.
5 * 1.2For the glorie of the Lorde shall ap∣peare, for all fleshe shall at once see that the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it.
6 The same voyce spake: Nowe crye. And the prophete aunswered, What shall I crye? * 1.3That all fleshe is grasse, and that all the goodlinesse therof is as the floure of the fielde.
7 The grasse is withered, the floure [unspec B] falleth away, for the breath of the Lord bloweth vpon them: of a trueth the people are grasse.
8 The grasse withereth, and the floure fadeth away: * 1.4yet the worde of our God endureth for euer.
9 Go vp vnto the hye hyll O Sion thou that bryngest good tidinges, lyft vp thy voyce with power O thou preacher Hierusalem, lyft vp without feare, & say vnto the cities of Iuda: Beholde your God,
10 Beholde ye Lorde God shal come with power, and shall of him selfe beare rule with his arme: beholde his rewarde with hym, and his workes before hym.
11 He shall feede his flocke like an heard∣man, he shall gather the lambes toge∣ther with his arme, and cary them in his bosome, and shall kyndly intreate those that beare young.
12 Who hath measured the waters in his fist? who hath measured heauen with his spanne, and hath comprehen∣ded all the earth of the worlde in three measures? who hath wayed the moun∣taynes and hylles in a ballaunce?
13 Who hath directed the spirite of the Lorde? * 1.5or who gaue hym counsayle, and shewed hym?
14 Who is of his counsayle, and geueth [unspec C] hym vnderstandyng, and hath taught hym the path of iudgement? who taught hym cunnyng, and opened to hym the way of vnderstandyng?
15 Beholde, all people are in comparison of hym as a droppe of a bucket full, and are counted as the least thyng that the ballaunce wayeth: yea and the Isles he taketh vp as a very litle thyng.
16 Libanus is not sufficient to minister fire to his offeryng, and all the beastes therof are not inough for one sacrifice.
17 All people in comparison of hym are reckened as nothyng: * 1.6 yf they be com∣pared with hym, lesse then nothyng, and as it that is not.
18 To whom then wyll ye lyken God? or what similitude will ye set vp to him?
19 Shall the caruer make hym a carued image? and shall the goldesmith couer hym with golde, or cast hym into a fourme of siluer plates?
20 Moreouer, shal the image maker that the poore man which is disposed may haue some thyng to set vp also, seeke out and choose a tree that is not rotten, and carue thereout an image that moueth not?
21 Knowe ye nothyng? hearde ye neuer of it? hath it not ben preached vnto you