7 Whiche when Ieremie perceaued, he reproued them, saying: As for that place it shalbe vnknowen, vntill the [unspec B] time that God gather his people toge∣ther againe, and receaue them vnto mercie.
8 Then shall God shewe them these thinges, and the maiestie of the Lorde shal appeare & the cloude also, like as it was shewed vnto Moyses: and like as when Solomon desired that the place might be honorablie sanctified, and it was shewed hym.
9 For he beyng a wyse man, handled ho∣norably and wysely, offering vnto God in the halowing of the temple when it was finished.
10 And like as when Moyses prayed vn∣to the Lorde, the fire came downe from heauen, and consumed the burnt offe∣ring: Euen so prayed Solomon also, and the fire came downe from heauen, and consumed the burnt offering.
11 And Moyses sayde: Because the sinne offering was not eaten, therefore it is consumed.
12 In like maner Solomon kept the de∣dication [or halowing] eyght dayes.
13 In the annotations and writinges of Ieremi were these thinges put also: and howe he made a librarie, and howe he gathered out of all countreys the bookes of the kinges, & of the prophetes, and of Dauid, and the epistles of the kinges concerning the holy giftes.
14 Euen so Iudas also, loke what he lear∣ned by experience of warre, and such [unspec C] thinges as hath happened vnto vs, he gathered them altogether, and so we haue them by vs.
15 If ye now desire to haue the same, send some body to fetch them vnto you.
16 Where as we then are about to cele∣brate the purification, we haue written vnto you: therefore ye shall do well, if ye kepe the same dayes.
17 We hope also, that the God which de∣liuered his people, and gaue them al the heritage, kingdome, priesthood, and sanctuarie,
18 That he promised them in the law, shal shortly haue mercie vpon vs, and ga∣ther vs together from vnder the heauen into his holie place: for he hath saued vs from great peryls, and hath clensed the place.
19 As concerning Iudas Machabeus and his brethren, the purification of the great temple, the dedication of the aul∣ter:
20 Yea and of the warres that concerne noble Antiochus & Eupator his sonne:
21 And the miracles shewed from heauen by the valiaunt actes of those which de∣fended the Iewes religion, so that a fewe ran through the whole countrey, and draue away the barbarous ar∣mies:
22 Repaired againe the temple that was spoken of throughout all the world, deli∣uered the citie, doyng their best that the [unspec C] law of the Lord which was put downe, might with all tranquilitie be restored againe vnto the Lord, that was so mer∣cifull vnto them.
23 As touching Iason also of Cyren, we haue vndertaken compendiously to bring into one booke the thinges that were comprehended of him in fyue.
24 For we, considering the multitude of the bookes, and howe hard it shoulde be for them that woulde meddle with sto∣ries and actes, and that because of so di∣uers matters:
25 Haue vndertaken so to comprehend the stories, that such as are disposed to reade, might haue pleasure and pastime therin: and that they which are diligent in such thinges, might the better thinke vpon them: yea and that whosoeuer reade them, might haue profite therby.
26 Neuerthelesse, we our selues that haue medled with this matter for the shortening of it, haue taken no small labour, but great diligence, watchinges, and trauayle.
27 Like as they that make a feast, would fayne do other men pleasure: euen so we also for many mens sakes, are very well content to take the labour,
28 Where as we may shortly comprehend [unspec D] the thinges that other men haue truely written.
29 For he that buyldeth an house anewe, must prouide for many thinges to the whole buylding: but he that paynteth it afterward, seketh but only that is come∣ly, meete and conuenient to garnishe it withall.
30 Euen so do we also in like maner: And why? He that beginneth fyrst to wryte a storie, must with his vn∣derstanding gather the matter toge∣ther, set his wordes in order, and di¦ligently