¶ The constauntnesse of the ryghtous before their persecuters. The hope of the vnfaythfull is vndu∣rable and vayne. The blessednesse and fortunate∣nesse of the saynctes and godly.
CAPI. V.
[ A] THen shall ye ryghtuous stande in greate stedfastnesse, agaynste suche as haue dealt extremely with them, and taken awaye theyr laboures. When they se it, they shall be vexed with horryble feare, and shall wonder at the hastynesse of the sodayn helth: gronyng for very destresse of mynde, and shal saye within them selues, hauynge inwarde sorow, and mournyng for very anguysshe of mynde.
These are they, whom we somtyme had in derisyon, & iested vpon. We fooles thought theyr lyfe very madnesse, and their ende to be without honoure. But lo, how they are coū∣ted among ye chyldren of God, and their por∣cyon is amonge the saynctes. Therfore we haue erred from the way of truth, the lyghte of ryghtousnesse hathe not shyned vnto vs, and the sunne of vnderstandyng, rose not vp vpon vs. We haue weryed our selues in the waye of wyckednesse and destruction. Tedi∣ous wayes haue we gone: but the way of the Lorde we haue not knowen.
[ B] What good hath our pryde done vnto vs? Or what profyte hath the pompe of rychesse brought vs? All those thynges are passed a∣waye lyke a shadow, and as a messenger ren∣nynge before: as a shyp that passeth ouer the waues of water, whiche when it is gone by, the trace therof can not be founde, neither the path of it in the floudes. Or as a byrde that flyeth thorow the ayre, and no man can se eny token where she is flowen, but only heareth the uoyce of her wynges, beatynge the lyght wynde, partynge the ayre thorowe the vehe∣mence of her flyghte, and flyeth on shakynge her wynges, where as afterwarde no token of her waye can be founde. Or lyke as when an arrowe is shot at a marcke, it parteth the ayre, whiche immediatly commeth togyther agayne, so that a man can not knowe where it went thorow. Euen so we in lyke maner as soone as we were borne, began immediatlye to drawe to our ende, and haue shewed no to∣ken of vertue, but are consumed in our owne wyckednesse.
Such wordes shall they that haue synned [ C] speake in the hell: for the hope of the vn∣godly is lyke a drye thistell floure (or dust) yt is blowen awaye with the wynde: lyke as thyn scom that is scatered abrode with the storme, lyke as the smoke whiche is dispersed here and there with the wynde, & as the re∣membraunce of a straunger that taryeth for a daye, & then departeth. But the ryghtous shall lyue for euermore: their reward also is with the Lorde: and their remembrannce wt the hyghest. Therfore shal they receyue a glo¦ryous kyngdome and a beautyfull crowne of the Lordes hande: for with his right hād shall he couer thē, and with his owne arme shall he defende them. His gelousy also shall take harnesse, and shall arme the creature to be auenged of the enemyes. He shall put on ryghtousnesse for a brest plate, and take sure iudgemēt in stede of an helmet. The inuinci∣ble shylde of equitie shall he take, his cruelly wrath shall he sharpen for a speare, and the hole compasse of the world shall fyght with hym agaynst the vnwyse.
Then shall the thonder boltes go oute of the lyghtenynges, and come out of the rayn∣bowe [ D] of the cloudes to the place appoynted out of the harde stony indignacion there shal fall thycke hayles, and the water of the see shal be wroth agaynst them, and the floudes shall renne roughly togyther. Yea a mygh∣tye wynde shall stande vp agaynst them, and a storme shall scatre them abrode. Thus the vnryghtous dealynge of them shall brynge all the lande to a wyldernes, and and wyc∣kednesse shall ouerthrow the dwellynges of the mightye.