The most sacred Bible, whiche is the Holy Scripture conteyning the Old and New Testament / translated into English, and newly recognised with great diligence after most faythful exemplars, by Rychard Taverner.

¶ Threatenynges agaynst the prestes beyng sedu∣cers of the people.

CAPI. II.

[ A] ANd nowe (O ye prestes (this commaū¦dement toucheth you: yf ye wyll not heare it ne regarde it, to gyue the glo∣ry vnto my name, saythe the Lord of hostes, I wyll sende a curse vpon you, & wyll curse youre blessinges: yea curse them wyll I yf ye do not take hede. Beholde, I shall corrup your sede, and cast donge in youre faces: euē the donge of youre solempne feastes and it shall cleue fast vpon you And ye shall know that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you: that my couenaunt which I made with Leui, myghte stande saythe the Lorde of hoostes.

[ B] I made a couenaunte of lyfe and peace w^t him: this I gaue him, that he myght stande in a ••oe of me: and so he did feare me, and had my name in reuerence. The lawe of truthe was in his mouth, and there was no wicked¦nesse founde in his lyppes. He walked with me in peace and equyte, and dyd turne many one waye from their synnes. For the prestes lyppes shulde be sure knowledge, that men maye seke the lawe at his mouth, for he is a messenger of the Lorde of hoostes. But as for you, ye are gone cleane out of the waye, and haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe: ye haue broken the couenaunte of Leui, sayth the Lorde of hostes. Therfore wyll I also make you to be despysed, and to be of no reputacion amonge all the people: because ye haue not kept my wayes, but ben parciall in the lawe.

[ C] Haue we not all one father? Hathe not one God made vs? why doth euerye one of vs then despyse his owne brother, & so breake the couenaunt of oure fathers? Nowe hath Iuda offended? yea y^e abhomynacion is done in Israel and in Ierusalem, for Iuda hath de¦fyled the Sanctuary of the Lord, whiche he loued, & hath kept the doughter of a straūge God. But the Lorde shall destroye the man that doth this (yea both the master and the scolar) out of the tabernacle of Iacob, with him that offreth vp meatofferynge vnto the Lorde of hostes.

Now haue ye brought it to this poynte a∣gaine y^t the alter of the Lord is couered with teares wepynge and mournynge: so that I wyll no more regarde the meatoffryng, nei¦ther wyll I receyue or accepte any thinge at your handes. And yet ye saye: wherfore? Euē because that where as the Lorde made a co∣uenaunt betwyxt the & the wife of thy youth [ D] thou hast despised her: Yet is she thyne owne companyon and maryed wyfe.

So dyd not the one, and yet had he an ex∣cellent spirite. What dyd then the one? He sought the sede promysed of God. Therfore loke well to your spirite, and let no man des¦pyse the wyfe of his youthe. If thou hatest her put her awaye saythe the Lorde God of Israel and giue her a clothing for the scorne fayth the Lorde of hostes. Loke well then to your spirite, and despyse her not. Ye greue the Lorde with youre wordes, and yet ye saye: wherwithall haue we greued him? In this that ye saye: All that do euell are good in y^e fyght of God, and suche please him. Or elles where is the God that punysheth?

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 xx••ii. b
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••xv .c
• 〈…〉〈…〉 b
• 〈…〉〈…〉 b
• 〈…〉〈…〉