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.

¶ He exhorteth to laye asyde all vyce, sheweth that Chryst is the foundacion whervpon they buylt, and to obey worldly rulers. How seruauntes shulde be∣haue them selues towarde theyr masters. He exhor∣teth to suffre after the exemple of Chryst.

CAPI. II.

w✚Herfore laye asyde all malyce & gyle, [ A] and dissimulacion, and enuye, and all backbytyng: and as newe borne babes desyre that reasonable milke whiche is with∣out corrupcion, that ye may growe therin. Yf so be that ye haue tasted howe pleasaunt the Lorde is, to whome ye come as vnto a lyuing stone disalowed of men, but chosen of God and precious: and ye as lyuynge stones, are made a spirituall house, & an holy preesthode, for to offre vp spirituall sacrifyce acceptable to God by Iesus Chryste,

Wherfore it is contayned in the scripture: beholde, I put in Syon an heed corner stone, [ B] electe and precious:* 1.1 and he that byleueth on him, shall not be ashamed.* 1.2 Vnto you ther∣fore whiche byleue, he is precious: but vnto them whiche byleue not, the stone whiche the buylders refused, the same is made the heed stone in the corner, and a stone to stomble at, and a rocke to offende them which stomble at the worde,* 1.3 and byleue not that wheron they were set. But ye are a chosen generacion, a royall preesthode, an holy nacion, and a pecu∣lyer people, that ye sholde sh••we the vertu••s of him that called you oute of darkenes in to his meruaylous lyghte, whiche in tyme paste were not a people, yet are now the people of God: whiche were not vnder mercy, but now haue obteyned mercy. ⊦

✚* 1.4 Derely beloued, I beseche you as [ C] straungers and pilgrimis, absteyn from fleshly lustes, whiche fyght agaynst the soule, and se

that ye haue honest conuersacion amonge the Gentyles, that they whiche backbyte you as euyll doers, maye se youre good workes, and prayse God* 1.5 in the daye of visitacion.

Submyt your selues vnto all maner ordy∣naunce of man for the Lordes sake, whether it be vnto the kynge as vnto the chiefe heed, or vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punisshment of euyll doers, but for the laude of them that do well. For so is the wil of God, that ye put to sylence the ignorancie of the folysshe men: as free, and not as hauyng the libertie for a cloke of maliciousnes, but euen as the seruauntes of God.* 1.6 Honour al men. Loue brotherly felawshyp. Feare God and honour the kynge.

* 1.7Seruauntes obey your masters with all feare, not onely yf they be good and curteyse, but also thought they be frowarde. For it is thanke worthye yf a man for consciences to∣warde God, endure grefe, sufferynge wrong∣fully. For what prayse is it, yf when ye be buffetted for youre fautes, ye take it pacien∣ly? But yf when ye do well, ye suffre wronge and take it pacyently, then is there thanke with God.

[ D] For herevnto veryly were ye* 1.8 called: for ✚ Christ also suffered for vs, leuyng to you an exemple that ye shoulde folowe his steppes, whiche dyd no synne, neyther was there gyle founde in his mouth: which when he was re∣uyled, reuyled not agayne: when he suffered, he thretned not, but cōmitted the cause to him that iudgeth rightously,* 1.9 which his own self bare our synnes in his bodye on the tree, that we sholde be deliuered from synne and sholde lyue ī rightousnes. By whose stripes we were healed. For we were as shepe goynge astray: but are now returned vnto the shepeherde and bysshop of your soules. ⊦

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esay .xxviii. d
• * 1.2

  Psa .ccvii .c Math .xxi. d. Act .iiii .c
• * 1.3

  ☜
• * 1.4

  Osee .ii. d Roma .ix. •• Gala .v .c Roma .xiii. d
• * 1.5

  ••n the day ••••sitacion. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 doth Pe∣••••al y^e tyme ••hich god ••••chsafeth. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his inipi¦••••••n to call 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to bet∣•••••• lyuynge.
• * 1.6

  ••om .xii .c.
• * 1.7

  ••••esi .vi. a. ••••oss .iii. d.
• * 1.8

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 calling 〈◊〉〈◊〉 folowe ••••ste.
• * 1.9

  ••••••st beate 〈◊〉〈◊〉 synnes.