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.

¶ A wyse man. The workes of God. Vnto the good, good thynges do profyt: but vnto the euyll e∣uen good thynges are euyll. [ A] CAPI. XXXIX.

HE that aplyeth his mynde to vnderstād the lawe of God, doth diligently seke out wysdome of them of the olde tyme, and exercyseth hym selfe in the Prophetes. He kepeth the sayinges of famous men, and preaseth to the vnderstandynge of darke sen∣tences of wysdome. He seketh out the myste∣rye of secrete saynges, and exercyseth him self therin continually. He doth seruyce amonge greate men, and appeareth before the prynce. He goeth in to a straunge countrye, and tra∣uayleth thorow it: loke what good or euyll [ B] is amōg men, he proueth it and seketh it out. He purposeth in his hert, to resorte early vnto the Lorde that made him, and to pray before the hyest God.

He openeth his mouth in prayer, and pray∣eth for his synnes. When y^e great Lord wyl, he shall be fylled with the sprete of vnderstā∣dyng, that he maye then poure out wyse sen∣tences, and gyue thankes vnto the Lorde in his prayer. He shall ordre his deuyce, and lede his knowledge aryght, and gyue him vnder∣standynge of secrete thynges. He shall shewe forth the science of his lernyng,* 1.1 and reioyce in the couenaunt of the lawe of the Lorde. The hole congregacyon shall commende his wys∣dome, & it shall neuer be put out. The remē∣braunce of hym shal neuer be forgotten, and his name shall contynue frome one genera∣cyon to an other. His wysdome shall be spokē of, and the hole congregacion shall openlye declare his prayse. Whyle he lyueth, he hath a greater name then a thousande besyde: and after his death, the same name remayneth [ C] vnto hym. Yet wyll I speake of mo men of vnderstandynge, for I am ful as the moone.

Herken vnto me (ye holy vertuous chyl∣dren brynge forth frute, as the rose that is planted by the brokes of the felde, and gyue ye a swete smell as Lybanus. Flourysh as y^e rose garden, synge a songe of prayse. O gyue thākes vnto God ouer al his workes.* 1.2 Gyue glory and honoure vnto the Lorde, shew his prayse with your lyppes.

Yea euen with y^e song of your lyppes, with harpes & playeng, and in geuing thankes vn¦to hym, say after this maner: All the wor∣kes of the Lorde are excedynge good, and all [ D] his commaundementes are mete and conue∣nyent in due season.

A mā nede not to say: what is that?* 1.3 what is that? for at tyme conuenyent they shall all be sought. At his commaundement the wa∣ter was a wall, & at the worde of his mouth the waters stode styl. In his commaundemēt is euery thynge acceptable and reconcyled, & his healthe can not be mynyshed. The wor∣kes of all flesh are before hym & there is no∣thynge hyd from his eyes. He seeth frome e∣uerlastynge to euerlastynge, and there is no∣thynge to wonderfull or hyghe vnto hym. A man nede not to saye what is this or that? For he hath made al thīges to do good vnto man. His blessynge shall renne ouer as the streame, and moysture the earth lyke a floude [ E] of water. Lyke as he maketh the water for drouth, so shall his wrath fall vpon the hei¦then.

His wayes are playne and right vnto the iust, but the vngodly stomble at theym. For the good are good thinges created from the begynnynge, and euil thynges for the vngod¦ly. All thynges necessarye for the lyfe of man are created from the begynnynge: water fire yron and salte, mele, wheat, and hony mylke and wyne, oyle and clothynge. All these thin¦ges are created for the best to the faythful: But to the vngodly shall all these thynges be turned to the hurt and harme. There be spirites that are created for vengeaunce and in their rygorousnes haue they fastened their tormentes. In the tyme of the ende they shal poure out their strength, & pacyfye the wrath of hym that made them. Fyre, hayle, honger, [ F] and death: all these thynges are created for vengeaunce.

The teeth of wylde noysome beastes, the scorpyons, serpentes, and the swerde are crea¦ted also for vengeaunce to the destruction of the vngodly They shal be glad to do his com¦maundementes: and whē nede is, they shall be ready vpon earth: and when their houre is come, they shall not ouerpasse the cōmaun¦dement of the Lord.

Therfore haue I taken a good courage vn¦to

me from the begnnynge, and thought to put these thynges in wrytynge, and to leaue them behynde me. All y^e workes of the Lorde are good, and he gyueth euery one in due sea∣son, and when nede is, so that a man nede not to saye: this is worse then that. For in due season they are all pleasaunt and good: And therfore prayse the Lorde with hole herte and mouth, and gyue thankes vnto his name.

Notes

• * 1.1

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ii. d
• * 1.2

  Gene .i. d
• * 1.3

  Gen .vii. d