¶ And I hearde the nombre of them whiche were sealed, and there were sealed. an. C. and xliiii. ••. of at the crybes of the children of Israel. Of the trybe of Iuda were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Ruben were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Gad were sealed twelue. M. Of the trybe of Aser wer sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Neptalim were sealed twelue. M. Of the trybe of Manasses were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Symeon were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Leuy were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Isacar were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Zabulon were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Ioseph were sealed. xii. M. Of the trybe of Beniamin were sealed. xii. M.
Thus hathe our sauiour Iesus Christ chosen into his churche & cōgregacion, not onely out of the gentyles or heathen but also out of the Iewes, of all trybes & generacions. Out of ye whiche, euen before the passion of Christ, there were in∣fynite noumbres, scattered & dyspersed abrode thorow out ye whole world, which were conuerted vnto ye christen faithe & receyued ye baptisme or christendome. As the holy Apostles also, preached first vnto the Iewes, the syncere & pure christen faith. And the nombre of those Iewes ye were conuerted by them, was doubtles greate, throughout the whole world, & in continuaunce of tyme increased. But here in this place, after ye customeable vse of the holy scripture, is marked or sea∣led a certen appoynted, & prescribed nomber, for an vncerten & an vnprescrybed nomber, but yet a full and a perfyght nomber. For. xii. times. xii. thousande, doe make an hundreth and. xliiii. thousande. For what cause certen are not here re∣hersed amonge the. xii. trybes, it is not necessarye to searche. For there are euen as many true christians, & more also (thorowe y• wyll of god) conuerted vnto the true faythe out of y• trybe or flocke of Iacob: And more shal be dayly conuerted, whan as the Christen religion shalbe restored and reformed after the rule and square of holy scripture, as it was first bylded, of the Apostles & bysshops of the prymatyue churche.