¶ The destruction of Idolatrers, and the conuer∣sacyon of the ryghtous. They that shall be saued are marcked. They that are vnmarcked are slayne. A complaynte of the Prophete for the destruction of the people.
CAPI. IX.
HE cryed also with a loud voyce in myne [ A] eates, sayinge: Come here ye rulers of the city, euery man with his weaponed hande to the slaughter. Then came there sixe men oute of the strete of the vpper porte to∣warde the Northe, and euerye man a wea∣pon in his hande to the slaughter. There was one amongest them that had on him a lynnen rayment, and a wryters ynckhorne by his syde.
These went in & stode besyde the brasen aul¦ter [ B] / for the glory of ye Lorde was gone away from the Cherub,* 1.1 and was come down to the thressholde of the house, and he called the mā that had the lynnen rayment vpon him, and the wryters ynckhorne by his syde, and the Lorde sayd vnto him: Go thy waye thorow the city of Ierusalem,* 1.2 & set this marke Thau vpon the foreheedes of theym that mourne and are sorye for all the abhominacions that be done therin. And to the other he sayd that I might heare: Go ye after him thorow the city, slee, ouerse none, spare none / kyll and de∣stroye both olde men and yong maydens, chil∣dren and wyues.
But as for those that haue this marcke Thau vpon them, se that ye touch them not / and begyn at my Sanctuarye.* 1.3 Then they be∣gan at the elders whiche were in the temple, for he had sayd vnto them: when ye haue de∣filed the temple, and fylled the courte with the slayne, then go your waye forth. So they went out, and slewe downe thorow the city. Now when they had done the slaughter, and I yet escaped, I fel downe vpon my face, and cryed, sayinge: O Lorde, wilte thou then de∣stroye all the r••sidue of Israel in thy sore dis∣pleasure, that thou hast poured vpon Ierusa∣lem? Then sayd he vnto me: the wyckednes of the house of Israell and Iuda is verye great, so that the lande is full of bloode, and the city full of vnfaythfulnesse. For they say: Tusshe the Lorde regargeth not the earthe, he seeth vs not.
Therfore wyll I vpon them, myne eye [ D] shall not ouerse them,* 1.4 neyther wyll I spare them, but wyll recompence their wycked∣nesse vpon theyr heedes. And beholde, the man that had the lynnen rayment vpon him and the wryters ynckhorne by his syde, tolde all the matter howe it happened, and sayde: Lorde, as thou hast commaunded me, so haue I doone.