1   Loue righteousnesse ye that be iudges of þe; earth, consider deepely of the Lorde in goodnesse, and seeke hym in singlenesse of heart:

2   For he wyll be founde of them that tempt hym not, and appeareth vnto such as put no distrust in him.

3   For wicked thoughtes seperate from God, and [his] power when it is ^note tryed, reproueth the vnwise.

4   For why? wysdome shall not enter into a wicked soule, nor dwell in the body that is subiect vnto sinne.

5   For the holy spirite of discipline fleeth from deceipt, and withdraweth hym selfe from thoughtes that are without vnderstanding, and is declared when wickednesse commeth.

6   For the spirite of wysdome is louing, and will not absolue hym that blasphemeth with his lippes, for God is witnesse of his raynes, and a true beholder of his heart, ∧ an hearer of his tongue. B   

7   For the spirite of the Lorde filleth the rounde compasse of the worlde, and the same that vpholdeth all thinges hath knowledge also of the voyce.

8   Therfore he that speaketh vnrighteous thinges can not be hid, neither shall the iudgement of reprofe let him escape.

9   And why? inquisition shalbe made for the thoughtes of the vngodly, and the sounde of his wordes shall come vnto God, so that his wickednesse shalbe punished.

10   For the eare of ielousie heareth all thinges, ∧ the noyse of the grudginges shall not be hid.

11   Therefore beware of murmuring whiche is nothing worth, and refraine your tongue from sclaunder: For there is no worde so secrete that it shall go for naught, and the mouth that speaketh lyes, slayeth the soule.

12   O seeke not your owne death in the errour of your lyfe, destroy not your selues thorowe the workes of your owne handes: C   

13   For God hath not made death, neither hath he pleasure in the destruction of the liuing:

14   For he created all thinges that they might haue their being, and the ^note generations of the worlde were healthfull, and there is no poyson of destruction in them, nor the kyngdome of hell vpon the earth.

15   For righteousnesse is [euerlasting and] immortall: but vnrighteousnesse bringeth death.

16   Neuerthelesse, the vngodly call ^note it vnto them both with workes and wordes, and whyle they thinke to haue it their friende, they come to naught, ∧ they haue made an agreement with it, for they are worthy to be of her part.

¶2; The .ii. Chapter. The imaginations and desires of the wicked, and theyr counsayle against the faythfull. A   

1   For the vngodly say reasoning with them selues but not a right, our life is short and tedious, and in the death of a man there is no remedie, neither is there any man knowen to haue returned from the graue.

2   For we are borne at all aduenture, and we shalbe here by more fortune after, as though we had neuer ben: for our breath is as a smoke in our nosetrilles, and wordes as a sparke raysed out of our heartes:

3   Whiche being extinquished, our body shalbe turned into ashes, and our spirite shall vanishe as the soft ayre.

4   Our life shall passe away as the trace of a cloude, and come to naught as the miste that is driuen away with the beames of the sunne, and put downe with the heate thereof: Our name also shalbe forgotten by litle and litle, and no man shall haue our workes in remembraunce.

5   For our tyme is a very shadowe that passeth away, and after our ende there is no returning: for it is fast sealed, so that no man commeth agayne.

6   Come on therefore, let vs enioy the pleasures that are present, and let vs chearefully vse the creatures, like as in youth: B   

7   Let vs fill our selues with good wine and oyntment, and let there no flowre of the tyme escape vs:

8   Let vs crowne our selues with rose buddes, afore they be withered:

9    ^noteLet there be no fayre medowe, but our lust go thorowe it. Let euery one of vs be partakers of our volupteousnes, let vs leaue some token of our pleasure in euery place: for that is our portion, and this [only] our lot.

10   Let vs oppresse the poore righteous, let vs not spare the wydowe nor olde man, let vs not regarde the heades that are gray for age.

11   Let the lawe of vnrighteousnesse be our strength: for the thing that is feeble is nothing worth.

12   Therefore let vs defraude the righteous, and why? he is not for our profite, yea he is cleane contrary to our doinges, he checketh vs for offending against the lawe, and slaundereth the faultes of our maner of liuing.

13   He maketh his boast to haue the knowledge of God, yea he calleth hym selfe Gods sonne. C   

14   He is made vnto vs for reproffe of our thoughtes.

15   It greeueth vs also to looke vpon him, for his life is not like other mens, his wayes are of another fashion.

16   He counteth vs but ^note vayne persons, he withdraweth hym selfe from our wayes as from filthynes, he commendeth greatly the latter ende of the iust, and maketh his boast that God is his father.

17   Let vs see then if his wordes be true, let vs proue what shall happen in the ende of hym.

18   For if the iust man be the sonne of god, he wyll receaue hym, and deliuer hym from the handes of his enemies.

19   Let vs examine him with despitefull rebuke and tormenting, that we may know his meekenesse, and proue his pacience.

20   Let vs condempne him with the most shamefull death: for as him selfe saith, he shalbe rewarded [of God.]

21   Suche thinges do they imagine, and go astray, for their owne wickednesse hath blinded them.

22   As for the mysteries of God, they vnderstande them not, they neither hope for the rewarde of righteousnesse, nor regarde the worship that holy soules shall haue.

23   For God created man to be vndestroyed, yea after the ^note image of his owne lykenes made he hym.

24   Neuerthelesse, thorowe enuie of the deuyll came death into the worlde, and they that helde of his side do finde it.

The .iij. Chapter. 1 The conseruation and assuraunce of the ryghteous. 7 The rewarde of the faythfull. 11 Who are miserable. A   

1   But the soules of the ryghteous are in the hande of God, ∧ there shal no torment touche them.

2   In the syght of the vnwise they appeared to die, ∧ their ende is taken for miserie,

3   And their departyng from vs to be vtter destruction: but they are in rest.

4   For though they suffer payne before men, yet is their hope full of immortalitie.

5   They are punished but in few thinges, neuerthelesse in many thinges shal they be well rewarded: for God proueth th&ebar;, and findeth them meete for hym selfe.

6   As golde in the furnace doth he trye them, and receaueth them as a burnt offeryng: and when the tyme commeth they shalbe loked vpon. B   

7   They shall shyne and runne through as the sparkcles among the stubble.

8   They shal iudge the nations and haue dominion ouer the people: and their Lorde shall raigne for euer.

9   They that put their trust in him shall vnderstande the trueth, and such as be faythfull shall perseuer with hym in loue: for his saintes haue grace ∧ mercie, and he hath care for his elected.

10   But the vngodly shalbe punished accordyng to their owne imaginations, for they haue dispised the righteous, and forsaken the Lorde.

11   For who so dispiseth wisdome and ^note nurture he is ^note vnhappy, and as for the hope of such it is but vayne, their labours vnfruitfull, and their workes vnprofitable.

12   Their wyues are vndiscrete, and their children most vngodly.

13   Their offpryng [or progenie] is cursed: Wherfore blessed is the barren that is vndefiled, which hath not knowen the sinnefull bed, she shall haue fruite in the visitation of soules, C   

14   And the gelded which with his handes hath wrought no vnrighteousnesse, nor imagined wicked thinges agaynst God: for vnto hym shalbe geuen the speciall gyft of fayth, and the most acceptable portion in the temple of God.

15   For glorious is the fruite of good labour, and the roote of wisdome shall neuer fade away.

16   As for the children of adulterers they shall not come to a perfect ende, and the seede of an vnryghteous bedde shalbe rooted out.

17   And though they lyue long, yet shall they be nothyng regarded, and their last age shalbe without honour.

18   If they dye quickly they haue no hope, neither comfort in the day of inquirie.

19   For horrible is the ende of the vnryghteous generation. The .iiij. Chapter. 1 Of vertue and the commoditie therof. 10 The death of the ryghteous, and the condempnation of the vnfaythfull. A   

1   O howe faire is a chaste generation with vertue? the memoriall therof is immortall: for it is knowen with God and with men.

2   When it is present, men take example at it, ∧ if it go away, yet they desire it: it is crowned and euer triumpheth, when it hath wunne the rewarde of the vndefiled battayles.

3   But the multitude of the vngodly aboundyng in children, shall profite nothyng, nor geue deepe roote by the seede of adulterie, nor lay any fast foundati&obar;.

4   For though they budde foorth in the braunches for a tyme, yet shall they be shaken with the wynde, for they stande not fast: and through the vehemencie of the wynde they shalbe rooted out.

5   The vnperfect braunches shalbe broken, their fruite shalbe vnprofitable, ∧ sowre to eate, yea meete for nothyng.

6   And why? all the children that are borne of the wicked bed, must beare recorde of the wickednesse agaynst their

fathers and mothers when they be asked: B   

7   But though the ryghteous be ouertaken with death, yet shall he be in rest.

8   For honorable age is not that which standeth in length of tyme, nor that that is measured by number of yeres:

9   But a mans wisdome is the gray heere, and an vndefiled lyfe is the olde age.

10   He pleased God and was beloued of hym, so that wheras he lyued among sinners, he translated hym.

11    ^noteYea spedyly was he taken away, to the intent that wickednesse shoulde not alter his vnderstandyng, and that deceipt shoulde not beguile his soule.

12   For wickednesse with bewitchyng doth darken the honest thynges: and the lyghtnesse of ^note voluptuous desire ^note turneth asyde the single mynde.

13   Though he was soone dead, yet fulfylled he much tyme: C   

14   For his soule pleased God, therfore hasted he to take hym away ^note from among the wicked.

15   This the people see, and vnderstande it not, they lay not vp such thynges in their heartes, howe that the louyng fauour and mercie [of God] is vpon his saintes, and that he hath respect vnto his chosen.

16   Thus the ryghteous that is dead, condemneth the vngodly which are liuing: and the youth that is soone brought to an ende, the long life of the vnrighteous.

17   For they see the ende of the wyse: but they vnderstande not what God hath deuised for him, and wherfore the Lord hath taken him away to be in safetie.

18   And why? they see hym and dispise hym, therfore shall God also laugh them to scorne.

19   So that they them selues shall dye hereafter without honour, yea in shame among the dead for euermore: For without any voyce shall he burst those that be puft vp, and shake them from the foundations, so that they shalbe layde as vtterly wasted: they shalbe in sorowe, and their memoriall perishe.

20   So they shall come afrayde in remembraunce of their sinnes, and their owne iniquities before their face shal conuince them. The .v. Chapter. 1 The constantnesse of the righteous before their persecutours. 14 The hope of the vnfaithfull is vayne. 15 The blessednesse of the saintes and godly. A   

1   Then shal the righteous stande in great boldenesse before the face of such as haue dealt extremely with them, and taken away their labours.

2   When they see it, they shalbe vexed with horrible feare, and shal wonder at his health so farre beyonde all that they loked for.

3   And chaungyng their opinion with gronyng for the redresse of mynde, they shall say: This is he whom we sometyme had in derision, annd iested vpon.

4   We fooles thought his lyfe very madnesse, ∧ his ende to be without honour:

5   But lo howe he is counted among the children of God, and his portion is among the saintes.

6   Therfore haue we erred from the way of trueth, the lyght of ryghteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs, and the sunne of vnderstandyng rose not vp vpon vs. B   

7   We haue weeryed our selus in the way of wickednesse and destruction, yea we haue gone through tedious desertes: but as for the way of the Lorde, we haue not knowen it.

8   What good hath pride done vnto vs? or what profite hath the pompe of riches brought vs?

9   All those thynges are passed away like a shadowe, and as a poste that hasteth by:

10   As a ship that passeth ouer the waues of the water, which when it is gone by the trace therof can not be founde, neither the path of it in the fluddes:

11   Or as a birde that fleeth through in the ayre, and no man can see any token where she is flowen, but only heareth the noyse of her wynges beatyng the lyght wynde, partyng the ayre through the vehemencie of her goyng, and fleeth on shakyng her wynges, wheras afterwarde no token of her way can be

founde:

12   Or lyke as when an arrowe is shot at a marke, it parteth the ayre which immediatly commeth together agayne, so that a man can not knowe where it went through:

13   Euen so we in lyke maner assoone as we were borne, began immediatly to drawe to our ende, and haue shewed no token of vertue, but are consumed in our owne wickednesse.

14    ^noteSuch wordes they that haue sinned speake in the hell: C   

15   For the hope of the vngodly is lyke a ^note drye thistle floure that is blow&ebar; away with the wynde, like a thinne ^note scumme that is scattered abrode with the storme, lyke as the smoke which is dispersed here and there with the wynde, and as the remembraunce of a straunger that taryeth but a day and then departeth.

16   But the ryghteous shall lyue foreuermore, their rewarde also is with the Lorde, and the care for them is with the hyghest.

17   Therfore shall they receaue a glorious kyngdome, and a beautifull crowne of the Lordes hande: for with his ryght hande shall he couer them, and with his arme shall he defende them.

18   His ielosie also shall take on harnesse, and he shall arme the creature to be reuenged of his enemies.

19   He shall put on ryghteousnesse for a brestplate, and take vnfaigned iudgement in steade of an helmet.

20   The inuincible shielde of equitie shall he take. D   

21   His fierse wrath shall he sharpen for a sworde, and the whole compasse of the worlde shall fyght with hym agaynst the vnwise.

22   Then shall the thunder boltes go ^note ryght out of the lyghtnynges, and come as out of the well bent bowe of the cloudes to the place appoynted,

23   And as from an angry caster of stones, there shall fall thicke hayles, and the water of the sea shalbe wroth agaynst them, ∧ the fluddes shall runne roughly together.

24   Yea a mightie wynde shall stande vp agaynst them, and a storme shall scatter them abrode: Thus vnrighteous dealyng shall bryng all the lande to a wildernesse, and wickednesse shall ouerthrowe the royal ^note seates of the mightie. The .vj. Chapter. 2 The callyng of kynges, princes, and iudges, which are also exhorted to searche wisdome. A   

1    ^noteWisdome is beter then strength, and a man of vnderstandyng is more worth then one strong.

2   Heare therfore (O ye kynges) and vnderstande, O learne ye that be iudges of the endes of the earth.

3   Geue eare ye that rule the multitudes, and glorie in the number of peoples.

4   For the power is geuen you of the Lorde, and the strength from the hyest, which shall trye your workes, ∧ searche out your imaginations:

5   Howe that ye beyng officers of his kyngdome, haue not geuen true iudgement, haue not kept the lawe of ryghteousnesse, nor walked after the wyll of God.

6   Horribly and that ryght soone shall he appeare vnto you: for an harde iudgement shall they haue that beare rule. B   

7   Mercie is graunted vnto the lowest: but they that be in aucthoritie shalbe sore punished.

8   For he which is Lorde ouer all shall ^note except no mans person, neither shall he stande in awe of any mans greatnesse: for he hath made the small and great, and careth for all a lyke.

9   But the mightie shall haue the sorer triall.

10   Unto you therfore (O ye kynges) do I speake, that ye may learne wisdome, and not go amisse.

11   For they that kepe holinesse ^note holyly, shalbe iudged holy: and they that haue learned such thinges, shal finde defence.

12   Wherfore ^note set your delyght vpon my wordes and desire them, so shall ye ^note come by nurture.

13   Wisdome is a noble thyng, and neuer fadeth away: yea she is easyly seene of

them that loue her, and founde of such as seke her. C   

14   She preuenteth them that desire her, that she may shewe her selfe vnto them.

15   Who so awaketh vnto her betymes, shall haue no great trauayle: for he shal fynde her sittyng redy at his doores.

16   To thynke therfore vpon her, is perfect vnderstandyng: and who so watcheth for her, shall quickly be dispatched of care.

17   For she goeth about sekyng such as are meete for her, sheweth her selfe chearefully vnto th&ebar; in ^note their goynges, and meeteth them with ^note all diligence.

18   For the vnfaigned desire of ^note reformation is her begynnyng: to care for nurture is loue,

19   And loue is the kepyng of her lawes, and the kepyng of her lawes is the assuraunce of immortalitie:

20   And immortalitie maketh a man familier with God. D   

21   And so the desire of wisdome leadeth to the kyngdome [euerlastyng.]

22   If your delyght be then in royall seates and scepters (O ye kynges of the people) set your ^note lust vpon wisdome, that ye may raigne for euermore.

23    ^noteO loue the lyght of wisdome all ye that be rulers of the people.

24   As for wisdome, what she is ∧ howe she came vp, I wyll tell you, and wyll not hyde the mysteries of [God] from you: but wyll seke her out from the begynnyng of her natiuitie, and bryng the knowledge of her into lyght, and wyll not kepe backe the trueth,

25   Neither wyll I haue to do with consumyng enuie: for such a man shall not be partaker of wisdome.

26   But the multitude of the wise, is the welfare of the worlde: and a wise kyng is the ^note vpholdyng of the people.

27   O reaue nurture then through my wordes, and it shall do you good. The .vij. Chapter. Wisdome ought to be preferred aboue all thynges. A   

1   I my selfe also am a mortall man, lyke as all other, ∧ am come of the earthy generation of hym that was first made,

2   And in my mothers wombe was fashoned to be fleshe in the tyme of tenne monethes, beyng brought together in blood, through the seede of man, and the pleasure that came with sleepe.

3   And when I was borne I receaued lyke ayre as other men, and fell vpon the earth which is of like nature, crying and weeping at the first as all other do.

4   I was wrapped in swadlyng clothes, and brought vp with cares.

5   For there is no kyng that hath had any other begynnyng of birth.

6   All men then haue one entraunce vnto lyfe, and one goyng out in lyke maner. B   

7   Wherfore I desired, and vnderstandyng was geuen me: I called, and the spirite of wisdome came into me.

8   I set more by her then by kingdomes and royal seates, and counted riches nothyng in comparison of her.

9   As for pretious stone, I compared it not vnto her: for all golde is but a litle grauell vnto her, and siluer shalbe counted but clay before her syght.

10   I loued her aboue ^note welfare ∧ beautie, and purposed to take her for my lyght: for her lyght can not be quenched.

11   All good thynges together came to me with her, and innumerable riches through her handes.

12   And I was glad in all thynges, because wisdome went before them: and I knewe not that she was the mother of them.

13   And I my selfe learned vnfaignedly, and make other men partakers of her without enuie, and hyde her riches from no man.

14   For she is an infinite treasure vnto men: which who so vse, become partakers of the loue [and friendshyp] of God, and are accepted vnto him for the giftes of ^note wisdome.

15   God hath graunted me to speake what my mynde conceaueth, and to thynke as is meete for the thynges that are geuen me: For it is he that leadeth vnto wisdome, and teacheth to vse wisdome a ryght.

16   For in his hande are both we and our

wordes, yea all our wisdome, and knowledge of [his] workes.

17   For he hath geuen me the true science of the thinges that are, so that I know howe the worlde was made, and the powers of the elementes:

18   The begynnyng, endyng, and myddest of the tymes, howe the tymes alter, howe one goeth after another, ∧ howe they are fulfylled,

19   The course of the yere, the ordinaunces of the starres,

20   The natures of lyuyng thynges, the furiousnesse of beastes, the power of the wyndes, the imaginations of men, the diuersities of young plants, the vertues of rootes: C   

21   And all such thynges as are either secrete or manifest, them haue I learned.

22   For wisdome which is the worker of all thynges hath taught me: for in her is the spirite of vnderstandyng, which is holy, one only, manifolde, subtile, ^note quicke mouyng, cleare, vndefiled, plaine, sweete, louyng the thyng that is good, sharpe, which can not be letted, doyng good,

23   Kynde to man, stedfast, sure, free from care, hauyng all ^note vertues, ^note circumspect in all thynges, and passyng through all vnderstanding, cleane, ∧ subtile spirites.

24   For wisdome is nimbler then all nimble thynges, she goeth through and attayneth to all thynges, because of her cleannesse.

25   For she is the breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glorie of the almightie [God:] therfore can no defiled thyng come vnto her.

26   For she is the bryghtnesse of the euerlastyng lyght, the vndefiled mirrour of the maiestie of God, and the image of his goodnesse.

27   And beyng [but] one, she can do all thinges: and remaynyng in her selfe she renueth all, and in all ages of tymes entryng into holy soules, she maketh Gods friendes, and prophetes:

28   For God loueth none, if he dwell not with wisdome.

29   For she is more beautifull then the sunne, ^note and geueth more lyght then the starres, and the day is not to be compared vnto her.

30   For vpon ^note the day commeth nyght: but wickednesse can not ouercome wisdome. The .viij. Chapter. The effectes of wisdome. A   

1    ^noteWisdome reacheth from one ende to another mightily, and ^note louyngly doth she order all thynges.

2   I haue loued her, and ^note laboured for her, euen from my youth vp: I dyd my diligence to mary my selfe with her, such loue had I vnto her beautie.

3   That she hath the companie of God, it commendeth her nobilitie: yea the Lorde of all thynges hym selfe loueth her.

4   For she is the scoolemaistresse of the nurture of God, and the choser out of his workes.

5   If ^note a man woulde desire riches in this lyfe, what is richer then wisdome that worketh all thynges?

6   For yf prudencie worke: what is it among all thynges that worketh better?

7   And yf a man loue ryghteousnesse, her labours are but vertues: For why? she teacheth sobernesse and prudence, ^note righteousnesse and strength, which are such thinges as men can haue nothyng more profitable in their lyfe. B   

8   If a man desire much ^note knowledge, she can tell the thynges that are past, and discerne thynges for to come: she knoweth the subtilties of wordes, and can expounde darke sentences: she forseeth signes and wonders or euer they come to passe, and the ^note endes of all tymes and ages.

9   Therfore I purposed after this maner: I wyll take her into my companie, that she may liue with me, knowyng for certaintie she shall geue me good counsayle, and speake comfortably vnto me in my carefulnesse and griefe.

10   For her sake shall I be well [∧ honestly] taken among the commons, and with honour among the elders though I be young.

11   I shalbe founde to be of sharpe iudgement, so that I shalbe marueylous in

the sight of great men: ^note and the faces of princes shall wonder at me.

12   When I holde my tongue, they shall byde my leasure, and when I speake, they shall geue good eare vnto me, and if I talke much, they shall lay their handes vpon their mouth.

13   Moreouer, by the meanes of her I shall obtayne immortalitie, and leaue behynde me an euerlastyng memoriall among them that come after me. C   

14   I ^note shall set the people in order, and the nations shalbe subdued vnto me.

15   Horrible tirauntes shalbe afraide when they do but heare of me, among the multitude I shalbe counted good, and mightie in battayle.

16   When I come home I shall fynde rest with her: for her companie hath no bitternesse, and her felowshyp hath no tediousnesse, but mirth and ioy.

17   Nowe wh&ebar; I considered these thinges by my selfe, and pondered them in my heart, howe that to be ioyned vnto wisdome is immortalitie,

18   And great pleasure to haue her friendshyp, and that in the workes of her handes are infinite riches, and that who so ^note kepeth companie with her shalbe wise, and that he which talketh with her, shall come to honour: I went about sekyng howe to get her vnto me.

19   For I was a lad of ripe witte, and had a good ^note vnderstandyng.

20    ^noteBut when I grewe to more vnderstandyng, I came to an vndefiled body.

21   Neuerthelesse when I perceaued that I coulde not enioy it except God gaue it [me] and that was a poynt of wisdome also to knowe whose gyft it was, I stepped vnto the Lorde and besought hym, and with my whole heart I sayde after this maner: The .ix. Chapter. A prayer of Solomon to obteyne wisdome. A   

1   O God of ^note [my] fathers, and Lorde of mercie, thou hast made all thynges with thy worde,

2   And ordeyned man through thy wisdome, that he shoulde haue ^note dominion ouer the creatures which thou hast made,

3   That he shoulde ^note order the worlde accordyng to equitie and righteousnesse, and execute iudgement with a ^note true heart:

4   Geue me wisdome which is euer sittyng about thy seate, and put me not out from among thy children:

5   For I thy seruaunt and sonne of thy handmayden, am a feeble person, and of a short tyme, ^note and to young to the vnderstandyng of iudgement and lawes.

6   And though a man be neuer so perfect among the children of men, yet yf thy wisdome be not with hym, he shalbe nothyng regarded. B   

7   Thou hast chosen me to be a kyng vnto thy people, and the iudge of thy sonnes and daughters.

8   Thou hast commaunded me to builde a temple vpon thy holy mount, and an aulter in the citie wherin thou dwellest, a likenesse of thy holy tabernacle, which thou hast prepared from the beginning.

9   And thy wisdome with thee, which knoweth thy workes, which also was with thee wh&ebar; thou madest the worlde, and knewe what was acceptable in thy syght, and ryght in thy commaundementes.

10   O sende her out of thy holy heauens, ∧ from the throne of thy maiestie, that she may be with me and labour [with me] that I may knowe what is acceptable in thy syght.

11   For she knoweth and vnderstandeth all thynges, and she shall leade me soberly in my workes, and preserue me ^note in her power.

12   So shall my workes be acceptable, and then shall I gouerne thy people ryghteously, and be worthy to sit in my fathers seate.

13   For what man is he that can knowe the counsayle of God? or who can thinke what the wyll of God is?

14   For the thoughtes of mortall men are ^note miserable, and our forecastes are but vncertaine.

15   For why? a corruptible body is heauy vnto the soule, and the earthy mansion kepeth downe ^note that vnderstandyng that museth vpon many thynges.

16   Uery hardly can we discerne the

thynges that are vpon earth, ^note and great labour haue we or we can fynde the thynges which are before our eyes: ∧ who hath then sought out the ground of the thynges that are done in heauen?

17   [Oh Lorde] who can haue knowledge of thy ^note [vnderstandyng and] meanyng, except thou geue wisdome, and sende thy holy ghost from aboue?

18   For so the wayes of them which liued on the earth were refourmed, and men haue learned the thynges that are pleasaunt vnto thee, and were preserued through wisdome. The .x. Chapter. The deliueraunce of the ryghteous, and destruction of the enemies commeth through wisdome. A   

1   She preferred the first fourmed father of the worlde that was created alone, and brought hym out of his fall:

2    ^noteAnd gaue him power to rule all thynges.

3    ^noteBut when the vnrighteous went away in his wrath from her, he perished by the furious desire to murther his brother.

4   For whom when the ^note water destroyed the whole worlde, wisdome agayne preserued it, her selfe gouernyng the iust man by no costly worke of wood.

5    ^noteMoreouer, when the nations were confounded [or ioyned together] in their malicious confederacie, she founde out the righteous, and preserued hym faultlesse vnto God, and kept hym strong agaynst the loue of his sonne.

6   She preserued the ryghteous ^note when he fled from the vngodly that perished, what tyme as the fire fell downe vpon the fiue cities. B   

7   Like as yet this day the [vnfruitfull] waste [and] smokyng lande geueth testimonie of their wickednesse: yea the ^note vnripe ∧ vntymely fruites that growe vpon the trees, and for a token of a remembraunce of the vnfaythfull soule, there standyng a pyller of salt.

8   For all such as regarded not wisdome, gat not only this hurt, that they knewe not the thynges which were good: but also left behynde them vnto men a memoriall of their foolishnesse, so that in the thynges wherin they sinned, they coulde not be hyd.

9   But as for such as toke heede vnto wisdome, she hath deliuered them from sorowe.

10    ^noteWhen the ryghteous fled because of his brothers wrath, ^note wisdome led hym the ryght way, shewed hym the kyngdome of God, gaue hym knowledge of holy thynges, made hym riche in his labours, ∧ brought to passe the thynges that he went about.

11   In the ^note disceiptfulnesse of such as defrauded hym, she stoode by hym and made hym riche.

12   She saued hym from the enemies, and defended him from the ^note deceauers: In a strong battayle she gaue hym the victorie, that he myght knowe howe that the feare of God is stronger then all thynges.

13    ^noteWhen the ryghteous was solde, she forsoke hym not, but delyuered hym from sinne: She went downe with hym into the ^note dungeon, C   

14   And fayled hym not in the bandes, ^note till she had brought hym the scepter of the realme, and power agaynst those that oppressed hym: As for them that had accused hym, she declared them to be lyers, and brought hym to perpetuall ^note worshyp.

15    ^noteShe deliuered the ryghteous people and faultlesse seede, from the nations that oppressed them.

16    ^noteShe entred into the soule of the seruaunt of the Lorde, and stoode by hym in wonders and tokens agaynst the dreadfull kynges.

17   She gaue the ^note ryghteous the reward of their labours, and led them foorth a marueylous way: on the day tyme she was a shadowe vnto them, and a lyght of starres in the nyght season.

18    ^noteShe brought them through the red sea, and caryed them through the great water.

19   But she drowned their enemies [in the sea] but brought them out of the bottome of the deepe.

20    ^noteSo the ryghteous toke the spoyles of

the vngodly, ^note ∧ praysed thy holy name O Lorde, and magnified thy victorious hande with one accorde.

21    ^noteFor wisdome openeth the mouth of the dumbe, and maketh the tongues of babes to be eloquent. The .xj. Chapter. 1 The miracles done for Israel. 13 The vengeaunce of sinners. 28 The great power and mercie of God. A   

1   She ^note ordered their workes in the handes of the holy prophete:

2    ^note[So that] they went through the wildernesse that was not inhabited, and pitched their tentes in the waste desert.

3   They stoode agaynst their enemies, and were auenged of their aduersaries.

4    ^noteWhen they were thirstie they called vpon thee, and water was geuen them out of the [most] hye rocke, ∧ their thirst was quenched out of the harde stone.

5   For by the thynges wherthrough their enemies were punished, were the ^note children of Israel helped in their neede.

6   For in steede of a fountaine of the perpetuall runnyng flud all troubled with gorie blood, B   

7   In reproche of the commaundement published to murther the infantes, thou gauest vnto them aboundaunce of water, and that not loked for neither:

8   Declaryng by that thirst then, howe thou hadst punished thine aduersaries.

9    ^noteFor when they were tryed, and nurtured with [fatherly] mercie, they knewe howe the vngodly were iudged and punished in the wrath [of God.]

10   For these hast thou exhorted as a father, and proued them: but vnto the other thou hast ben a boystuous kyng, ^note layed harde to their charge, and condempned them.

11   Whether they were absent or present, their punishment was a lyke.

12   For their griefe was double, and mournyng for the remembraunce of thynges past:

13   For when they perceaued that their punishmentes dyd them good, they ^note thought vpon the Lorde. C   

14   For whom in his castyng out before, as an abiect they had denied with derision, him in the ende when they sawe what happened, they wondered at: for they were of another thirst then was the iust.

15   But for the foolishe deuises of their wickednesse, wherwith being deceaued they worshipped serpentes that had not the vse of reason, and vile beastes, thou sentest a multitude of vnreasonable beastes vpon them for reuengeaunce:

16   That they myght knowe, that loke wherewithall a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished.

17    ^noteFor vnto thy almightie hande that made the worlde of naught, it was not vnpossible to sende among them an heape of beares, or wood lions,

18   Or cruell beastes of a straunge kynde such as are vnknowen, or spout fire, or cast out a smokyng breath, or shoote horrible sparkes out of their eyes:

19   Which myght not only destroy them with hurtyng, but also kyll them with their horrible syght.

20   Yea without these [beastes] might they haue ben slayne with one wynde, being persecuted by the reuengeaunce, and scattered abroade through the breath of thy power: Neuerthelesse, thou hast ordered all thinges in measure, number, and wayght. D   

21   For thou hast euer had great strength and myght, and who may withstande the power of thyne arme?

22   For why? lyke as the small thyng that the ballaunce wayeth, so is the worlde before thee: yea as a drop of the mornyng deawe that falleth downe vpon the earth.

23   But thou hast mercie vpon all, for thou hast power of all thynges, ^note and makest thee as though thou sawest not the sinnes of men, because they shoulde amende.

24   For thou louest all the thynges that are, and hatest none of them whom thou hast made: for thou wouldest not haue made any thyng yf thou hadst hated it.

25   Yea howe myght any thyng endure yf it were not thy wyll? or howe coulde any thyng be preserued, except it were called of thee?

26   But thou sparest all: for they are thine (O Lorde) thou louer of soules.

¶2; The .xij. Chapter. 2 The mercy of God towarde sinners. 14 The workes of God are vnreprouable. 19 God geueth leasure to repent. A   

1   For thy vncorruptible spirite, O Lorde, is in all thinges?

2   Therfore chastenest thou them measurably that go wrong, and warnest them by putting them in remembraunce in what thinges they haue offended, that leauing their wickednesse, they may beleue on thee O Lorde.

3    ^noteAs for those olde inhabiters of thy holy lande, thou mightest not away with them.

4   For they committed abhominable workes [against thee] as witchcraft, sorcerie, and wicked sacrifices.

5   They slue their owne chyldren without mercy, they dyd eate vp the bowels of mens fleshe, and deuoured the blood in abhominable bankets, and had their mad fanaticall priestes:

6   And the fathers were the chiefe murderers of the soules destitute of helpe, [these doers] thou wouldest destroy by the handes of our fathers: B   

7   That the lande whiche thou louest aboue all other, might be a meete dwelling for the chyldren of God.

8   Neuerthelesse, thou sparedst them also as men, and sendedst the forerunners of thyne hoast, euen hornettes, to destroy them out by litle and litle.

9   Not that thou wast vnable to subdue the vngodly vnto the righteous in battayle, or with cruell beastes, or with one rough worde to destroy them together:

10    ^noteBut thy mynde was in punishing them by litle ∧ litle, to geue them place for amendement, knowing well that it was an vnrighteous nation, and wicked of nature, and that their thought might neuer be altered.

11   For it was a cursed seede from the beginning: yet hast thou not pardoned their sinnes wherein they offended, for that thou fearest any man.

12   For who will stand against thy iudgement? or who wyll blame thee for the nations that perishe, whom thou hast made? or who wyll come before thy face to be reuenged for the vnrighteous men?

13   For there is none other God but thou, ^note that carest for all thinges: that thou mayest declare howe that thy iudgement is not vnright. C   

14   There dare neither king nor tiraunt in thy sight, require accomptes of them whom thou hast ^note destroyed.

15   Forsomuche then as thou art righteous thy selfe, thou ordrest all thinges righteously, ^note thinking it vnseemely for thy power to condempne hym that hath not deserued to be punished.

16   For thy power is the beginning of righteousnesse, and because thou art Lorde of all thinges, it maketh thee to be gracious vnto all.

17   For when men thinke thee not to be of a full strength, thou declarest thy power, and reprouest the boldnesse of the wyse.

18   But thou ^note mastring thy power doest iudge with equitie, and ordrest vs with great fauour: for thou mayest vse power when thou wylt.

19   By suche workes nowe hast thou taught thy people, that the iust man shoulde be louing, and hast made thy chyldren to be of a good hope, because thou geuest roome to repentaunce for sinnes. D   

20   For insomuche as thou hast punished and with such deliberation and obtestation, the enemies of thy seruauntes, whiche were worthy to dye, where through thou gauest them tyme and place of amendement, that they might turne from their wickednesse:

21   With howe great circumspection then punishest thou thyne owne chyldren, vnto whose fathers thou hast sworne, ∧ made couenauntes of good promises?

22   So where as thou doest chasten vs, thou ^note punishest our enemies a thousande tymes more: to the intent that when we punishe, we should diligently thinke of thy goodnesse, and when we our selues are ^note punished, we shoulde hope for mercy.

23   Wherefore, where as men haue liued

dissolutely and vnrighteously, thou hast punished them sore with their owne abhominations.

24    ^noteFor they went astray very ^note long in the wayes of errour, ∧ held the beastes (whiche euen their enemies despised) for gods, deceaued as chyldren of no vnderstanding.

25   Therefore hast thou sent them thy iudgement in scorne, as to chyldren voyde of reason.

26   As for such as wyll not be refourmed by those scornes [and rebukes] they shall feele the worthy ^note punishment of God.

27   For looke in what thinges they ^note disdayned when they ^note suffred for their sakes whom they counted gods, seyng them selues punished in the ^note same, they perceaued that he was in deede the true God, whom before they had denyed to knowe, and therefore came extreme dampnation vpon them. ¶2; The .xiij. Chapter. 1 All thinges be vayne except the knowledge of God. 10 Idolaters and idols are mocked. A   

1   Surely vayne are all men by nature, which were ignoraunt of God, and coulde not out of the good things that are seene knowe hym that of hym selfe is [euerlasting] neither toke so muche regarde of the workes that are made, as therby to knowe who was the craftesman of them:

2   But some toke the fire, some the winde or swift ayre, some the course of the starres, some the running water, [some toke sunne and moone] or the lightes of heauen, for gods that rule the worlde.

3   But though they had such pleasure in their beautie, that they thought them to haue ben gods, yet should they haue knowen howe muche more ^note fayrer he is that made them: For the ^note maker of beautie hath ordayned al these thinges.

4   Or if they marueyled at the power and worke of them, they shoulde haue perceaued therby, how much he which made these thinges is mightier then they.

5   For by the greatnesse of the beautie and of the creatures, the maker therof compared with them, may playnely be ^note knowen.

6   Notwithstanding, they are the lesse to be blamed that seeke God, and woulde finde him, ∧ yet peraduenture ^note misse.

7   For they being occupied in his works, do seeke hym diligently, and are perswaded by the sight, because the things are beautifull that are seene. B   

8   Howebeit, yet neither are they to be excused.

9   For if their vnderstanding [and knowledge] be so great, that they can ^note discerne the world [and the creatures] why do they not rather finde out the Lorde therof?

10   But miserable are they, and ^note among the dead is their hope, that call them gods whiche are but the workes of mens handes, golde, siluer, and the thing that is founde out by ^note cunning, the similitude of beastes, or any vayne stone that hath ben made by hande of olde.

11   Or as wh&ebar; a carpenter cutteth downe a tree meete for the purpose, and pareth of al the barke cunningly, and so by arte comely maketh a vessell profitable to the vse of life:

12   And with that whiche is cut of from his worke, doth dresse his meate to fyll his belly:

13   And as for the other part that is left, whiche is profitable for nothing (for it is a crooked peece of wood and full of knobbes) he carueth it diligently by leasure, and according to the knowledge of his cunning, he geueth it some proportion, fashioneth it after the similitude of a man, C   

14   Or maketh it lyke some vyle beast, straketh it ouer with red, and paynteth it, and looke what foule spot is in it, he casteth some colour vpon it.

15   Then maketh he a ^note conuenient tabernacle for it, setteth it in the wall, and maketh it fast with iron:

16   Prouiding so for it, lest it happen to

fall, ^note for it is well knowen that it can not helpe it selfe: For why, it is but an image, and must of necessitie be helped.

17   Then making prayer for his goodes, for his mariage, and for chyldren, he is not ashamed to speake to that whiche hath no soule.

18   For health, he maketh his petition vnto him that is ^note sicke: for life, he humblie prayeth vnto hym that is dead: he ^note calleth vpon hym for helpe, that hath no experience at all: and to sende hym a good iourney, he prayeth him that may not go.

19   And for gayne, for worke, and for successe of his affayres, he asketh power of hym whiche is without all maner of power. ¶2; The .xiiij. Chapter. 1 The detestation and abhomination of images. 8 A curse of them and of him that maketh them. 14 Whereof idolatrie proceeded: 23 What euils come of idolatrie. A   

1   Agayne, another man purposing to sayle, and ^note beginning to take his iourney thorowe the raging ^note sea, calleth for helpe vnto a stocke that is farre weaker then the vessell that beareth hym.

2   For as for it, couetousnesse of money hath founde it out, and the craftes man made it with his cunning.

3   But thy prouidence O father gouerneth it: For thou hast made a way euen in the sea, and a sure path in the middest of the waues,

4   Declaring therby that thou hast power to helpe ^note in all thinges, yea though a man went to the sea without ^note ship.

5   Neuerthelesse thou wouldest not that the workes of thy wysdome shoulde be in vayne: and therefore do men commit their liues to a small peece of wood, passing ouer the stormie sea in a ship, and are saued.

6    ^noteFor in the olde tyme also when the proude giauntes perished, he in whom ^note the hope was left to increase the world, went into the ship whiche was gouerned thorowe thy hand, and so left seede behynde hym vnto the worlde. B   

7   For ^note happy is the tree, wherthrough righteousnesse commeth:

8   But cursed is ^note [the idoll] that is made with handes, ^note yea both it and he that made it: He, because he made it: and it, because it was called God, whereas it is but a ^note frayle thing.

9    ^noteFor the vngodly and his vngodlynesse, are both like abhominable vnto God.

10   [Euen so] the worke and he that made it also, shalbe punished together.

11   Therefore shall there a plague come vpon the idols of the heathen: for out of the creature of God they are become an abhomination, a ^note temptation vnto the soules of men, and a snare for the feete of the vnwyse.

12   For why, the ^note seeking out of idols, is the beginning of whordome, and the ^note bringing vp of them, is the ^note destruction of lyfe.

13   For they were not from the beginning, neither shall they continue for euer. C   

14   The vayne glory of men hath founde them out vpon earth, therfore shal they come shortly to an ende.

15   For when a father mourned heauyly for his sonne ^note sodainely taken away from hym, he made hym an image: and hym whiche then was but a dead man, he now began to worship as a god, and ordayned for his ^note seruauntes ceremonies and sacrifices.

16   Thus by processe of time this ^note vngracious custome being waxen strong was kept as a lawe, and images were worshipped by commaundement of tirauntes.

17   As for those that were so farre of that men might not worship them present, their visage beyng drawne out from farre of, was made as the ^note cleare image of an honourable king, that they might with ^note affection flatter aswell the absent as the present.

18   Agayne, the singuler ambition of the craftes man gaue the ignoraunt also a great occasion to increase the superstition.

19   For he willing to please one peraduenture that ^note bare rule, laboured with all his cunning to make the image of the best fashion.

20   And so thorowe the beautie of the worke, the ^note common people being therto allured, toke hym nowe for a god, whiche a litle before was but honoured as a man. D   

21   And this was to the deceauing of mans life, when men either with calamitie or tirannie oppressed, ascribed vnto stones and stockes that name [of God] whiche ought not to be geuen vnto any thing [els.]

22   Moreouer, this was not inough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God: but where as they liued in the great warre of ignoraunce, those so [many and] great ^note plagues called they peace.

23   For either ^note they slue their owne chyldren and offred them in sacrifice, or vsed secrete ceremonies, or folowed madde drunken dissolutenesse of rites in sacrifice:

24   So that they kept neither life nor mariage cleane: but either one slue another traytorously, or greeued hym by adulterie.

25   So that there raigned in al men without exception, blood, manslaughter, theft, ^note dissimulation, corruption, vnfaythfulnesse, sedition, periurie,

26   Disquieting of good men, vnthankefulnesse, defiling of soules, chaunging of byrth, disordering of mariages, adulterie, and vncleanenesse.

27   For why, the honouring of ^note abhominable images, is the beginning, the cause and ende of all euill.

28   For [they that worship idols] eyther they are madde when they be merie, or prophesie lies, or liue ^note vngodly, or els lightly forsweare them selues.

29   For insomuche as their trust is in the idols whiche haue no ^note soule, though they sweare falsely, yet they thinke it shall not hurt them.

30   Therefore commeth a great plague vpon them, and that worthyly for both causes: for they haue an euyll opinion of God that geue heede vnto idols, and they sweare vniustly in deceipt, despising holynes.

31   For it is not the power of them by whom they sweare: but it is the iust ^note vengeaunce of sinners that punisheth alwayes the offence of the vngodly doers. ¶2; The .xv. Chapter. ¶ The voyce of the faythfull praysing the mercy of God, by whose grace they serue not idols. A   

1   But thou O our God art gratious, true, and long suffring, and in mercy ordrest thou all thinges.

2   Though we sinne, yet are we thyne, for we knowe thy strength: but we wyll not sinne, because we knowe we are counted thyne.

3   For to knowe thee, is perfect righteousnes: yea to knowe thy power, is the roote of immortalitie.

4   As ^note for the thing that men haue found out through their euyll science it hath not deceaued vs, nor the paynters vnprofitable labour [to wit] an image ^note spotted with diuers colours,

5   Whose sight entiseth the ignoraunt to lust after it, and he desireth the ^note picture of a dead image that hath no breath. B   

6   Both they that make them, they that desire them, and they that worship them, loue euyls, and are worthy to haue suche thinges to trust vpon.

7   For the potter tempereth soft earth, laboureth it, and geueth it the fashion, of whatsoeuer vessell serueth for our vse: and of the selfe same clay he maketh both the vessels that serue for cleane vses, and also such as serue to the contrary: wherevnto euery vessell serueth, the potter hym selfe beyng the iudge.

8   So by his wicked labour he maketh a vayne god of the same clay, this doth euen he whiche a litle before was made of earth hym selfe, and within a litle whyle after returneth to the same out of whiche he was taken, when the lone of his lyfe shalbe demaunded from him agayne.

B   

9   Notwithstanding, he careth not the more for this that he must labour, nor that his life is short: but striueth to excell goldsmythes and siluersmythes, and endeuoureth to do like the coppersmythes, and taketh it for an honour to make ^note deceauable thinges.

10   His heart is but ashes, his hope is more vayne then earth, and his lyfe of ^note lesse honour then clay.

11   Forsomuche as he knoweth not his owne maker that gaue him his soule of power to worke, and breathed in hym the breath of life.

12   But they counted our lyfe but a pastime, and [our] conuersation to be but a market for gayne, and that men should euery way be getting, yea though it were by euyll meanes.

13   Nowe he that of earth maketh frayle vessels and images, knoweth hym selfe to offende aboue all other.

14   Al the enemies of thy people that hold them in subiection, are most vnwyse, ∧ are more miserable then very ^note fooles. C   

15   For they iudge all the idols of the heathen to be gods, whiche neither haue eyesight to see, nor noses ^note to smell, nor eares to heare, nor fingers or hands to grope, and as for their feete, they are [to] slowe to go.

16   For man made them, and he that borowed his owne spirit fashioned them: but no man can make a god lyke vnto hym selfe.

17   For seyng he is but mortall, it is but mortall that he maketh with vnrighteous handes: He him selfe is better then they whom he worshippeth, for he liued as they dyd neuer.

18   Yea they worshipped [such] beastes also as are ^note most hatefull: for if they were compared for ^note madnesse, they are worse then others.

19   Neither haue they any beautie why to be desired in respect of other beastes: but are all voyde of the prayse of God, and his blessing. The .xvj. Chapter. 1 The punishment of idolaters. 20 The benefites done vnto the faythfull. A   

1   Therfore by such things are they worthyly punished, ∧ thorowe the multitude of beastes are they ^note rooted out.

2   In steede of the whiche punishmentes thou hast graciously ordred thine owne people, preparing for the desire of their appetite a straunge taste, ^note euen quayles to be their meate:

3   To the intent that by the thinges whiche were shewed ∧ sent vnto them, they that were so greedie of meate, might begin to lothe euen their necessarie appetite, and they which had suffred penurie for a short space, might be partakers of the newe taste.

4   For it was requisite that without any excuse pouertie should come vpon those whiche vsed tirannie, and to shewe onlye vnto the other howe their enemies were ^note destroyed.

5    ^noteFor when the cruell ^note woodnesse of the beastes came vpon them, and they perished thorowe the stinges of the cruell serpentes, [Notwithstanding] thy wrath endured not perpetually.

6   But they were ^note put in feare for a litle season, that they might be refourmed, hauing a ^note token of saluation to remember the commaundement of thy lawe. B   

7   For he that looked backe [to it] was not healed by the thing that he sawe, but by thee O sauiour of all.

8   So in this thou shewedst our enemies, that it is thou whiche deliuerest from all euyll.

9   For then ^note when they were bitten with grashoppers and flyes, they dyed, neither was there any remedie founde for their life, for they were worthy to be punished by suche.

10   But not the very teeth of venemous dragons dyd ouercome thy chyldren: for thy mercy was euer by them, and healed them.

11   For they were pricked because they should remember thy wordes, but speedyly were they healed agayne, lest they shoulde fall into so deepe forgetfulnesse, that they might not be called backe by thy benefite.

12   For it was neither hearbe nor plaster that restored them to health: but thy word O Lord, which healeth al things.

13   It is thou O Lord that hast the power of life and death, ^note thou leadest ^note vnto deathes doore, and bringest vp againe.

14   A man in deede thorowe his wickednesse

may slay [another] but when his spirite is gone foorth, it turneth not agayne, neither may he call agayne the soule that is taken away. C   

15    ^noteBut it is not possible to escape thy hande.

16   For the vngodly that woulde not knowe thee, were punished by the strength of thyne arme: with straunge raynes, hayles, and showres were they persecuted that they coulde not auoyde, and thorowe fire were they consumed.

17   For it was a wonderous thing that fire might do more then water whiche quencheth all thinges: but the worlde is the auenger of the righteous.

18   For sometimes was the fyre so tame, that the beastes whiche were sent to punish the vngodly, brent not, and that because they should see and knowe that they were persecuted with the punishment of God.

19   And sometyme brent the fire in the middest of the water, that it might destroy the fruites of the vniust lande.

20    ^noteIn steede wherof, thou hast fed thine owne people with angels foode, and sent them bread redye from heauen without their labour, ^note being very pleasaunt and of good taste.

21   For this thy substaunce vnto thy chyldren declared thy sweetenes, and seruing to his appetite that toke it, tempered it selfe according to his desire.

22    ^noteBut the snowe and yse abode the violence of the fire and melted not, that they might know that the fire burning in the hayle, ∧ sparkeling in the rayne, destroyed the fruite of the enemies. D   

23   The fire also forgat his owne strength agayne, that the righteous might be nourished.

24   For the creature that serueth thee whiche art the maker, is fierce in punishing the vnrighteous, but is easie [and gentle] to do good, vnto such as put their trust in thee.

25   Therefore dyd it alter at the same tyme into all fashions, and was obedient vnto thy grace, whiche is the nurse of all thinges, according to the desire of them that had neede thereof:

26   That thy chyldren O Lorde whom thou louest, might knowe ^note that it is not the ^note growing of fruites that feedeth men, but that it is thy word which preserueth them that put their trust in thee.

27   For looke what ^note myght not be destroyed at all with the fire, assoone as it was warmed with a litle sunne beame, it melted:

28   That all men might knowe, that thankes ought to be geuen vnto thee before the sunne ryse, and that thou oughtest to be ^note worshipped before the day spring.

29   For the hope of the vnthankfull shall melt away as the winter yse, and flowe away as vnprofitable water. ¶2; The .xvij. Chapter. ¶ The iudgementes of God against the wicked. A   

1    ^noteFor great are thy iudgmentes [O Lorde] and can not be expressed: therefore men do erre that wyll not be refourmed [by thy wysdome.]

2    ^noteFor when the vnrighteous thought to haue thy holy people in subiection, they were bounde with the bandes of darknesse and long night, shut vp vnder roofes, and lay there to escape the eternall prouidence.

3   And whyle they thought to be hyd in the darknesse of their sinnes, they were scattered abrode in the very middest of the darke couering of forgetfulnesse, put to horrible feare, and ^note wonderouslye vexed.

4   For the corner where they lay hyd, might not kepe them from feare, because the soundes came rounde about them and vexed them, yea many terrible and ^note straunge visions appeared vnto them.

5   No power of the fire might geue them light, neither might the cleare flambes of the starres light&ebar; the horrible night:

6   But there appeared vnto them a sodayne fire only, very dreadfull: At the which sight, wherin they sawe nothing throughly, they were so afrayde, that they thought the thing whiche they sawe to be ^note the more fearefull.

7   As for the illusions of the magicall art, they came to naught: and it was a most shamefull reproche of the pryde that they had of their owne wysdome.

B   

8   For they that promised to driue away the feares and troubles from the sicke soule, were sicke them selues with feare worthy to be laughed at.

9   For though no terrible thing did feare them, yet were they afrayde at the beastes whiche passed by them, and at the hissing of the serpentes.

10   Insomuch that with trembling they ^note sowned, and ^note sayde they sawe not the ayre, whiche no man yet may escape.

11   For malice is a dreadfull thing, that is condempned by his owne witnesse: and beyng pressed with conscience, it euer ^note suspecteth cruel thinges.

12   For feare is nothing els but a ^note betraying of the succours whiche reason offereth.

13   And looke howe muche the lesse his hope is within, the greater doth he recount his ignoraunce of that cause that bryngeth the torment. C   

14   But they [that dyd indure] the night that in deede was intollerable, and that came from the dungeons of intollerable hell, sleping the same sleepe,

15   Were somtimes chased with monsterous apparitions, and sometymes they sowned, as their owne soules had betrayed them: for an hastie feare, ∧ that was not looked for, came vpon them.

16   And thus, whosoeuer was there fallen, he was in pryson, but without chaines:

17   For whether a man had occupied husbandrie, or had ben an heardman or labourer in the ^note woods, if he were taken, he suffred ^note intollerable necessitie.

18   For they were all bounde with one chayne of darknesse: whether it were a blasing winde, or a sweete song of the byrdes among the thicke braunches of the trees, or the vehemencie of hastie running water,

19   Or great noyse of the falling downe of stones, or the runnyng of playing beastes whiche they sawe not, or the mightie noyse of roaring wilde beastes, or ^note the sounde that aunswered agayne in the holonesse of mountaynes: these terrible thinges made them sowne [for very feare.]

20   For all the ^note earth shined with cleare light, and no man was hindered in his labour.

21   Onlye vpon them there fell a heauie night, an image of darknesse that was to come vpon them: Yea they were vnto them selues more heauie then darknesse. ¶2; The .xviij. Chapter. 3 The firie piller that the Israelites had in Egypt. 8 The deliueraunce of the faythfull. 10 The Lorde smote the Egyptians. 20 The sinne of the people in the wyldernesse. 21 Aaron stoode betweene the liuing and the dead with his censure. A   

1   Neuerthelesse, thy saintes had a very great light, whose voyce they hearing, and not seeing their figure, for that they suffred not the same thinges, they thought them blessed.

2   And for that they dyd not hurt them nowe of whom they had ben wronged before, they thanked them, ∧ besought them pardon of that they had ben enemies.

3   Therfore thou gauest them a burning piller of fire to leade them in the vnknowen way, and the sunne not to hurt them in their honourable iourney.

4   But reason it was that they shoulde leese the light and be put in the pryson of darknesse, whiche had kept thy chyldren ^note shut vp, by whom the vncorrupt light of the lawe was to be geuen vnto the worlde.

5    ^noteAfter when they thought to slay the babes of the saintes, one chylde beyng cast out, and preserued to reproue them, thou tokest away the whole multitude of their chyldren, and destroyedst them altogether in a mightie water.

6    ^noteOf that night were our fathers certified afore, that they knowing vnto what othes they had geuen credence, might be of good cheare.

7   Thus thy people receaued the health of the righteous, but the vngodly were destroyed.

B   

8   For like as thou hast ^note reuenged our enemies, so hast thou promoted vs whom thou hast called.

9   For the righteous chyldren of the good men offred secretely, and made a godly lawe with one consent, that the saintes should in like maner receaue together both good and euil, and that the fathers nowe should first sing prayses.

10   But there was hearde a disagreing voyce of the enemies, and there was a miserable lamentation for children that were bewayled.

11   The maister and the seruaunt were punished after one maner: and lyke as the king, so suffred the common people:

12   So they had innumerable that dyed with one kinde of death altogether: ^note neither were the liuing sufficient to bury ^note the dead, for in the twinckling of an eye the noblest ofspring of them was destroyed.

13   For whereas they woulde discredite all thinges by reason of the inchauntmentes, in the destruction of the first borne they acknowledged that this people was the chyldren of God. C   

14   For whyle all thinges were styl in scilence, and when the night was in the middest of her course, thy almightie worde O Lorde lept downe from heauen out of thy royall trone,

15   As a ^note rough man of warre in the middest of the land that was destroyed,

16   And brought thyne vnfayned commaundement as a sharpe sworde, and standing vp, filled all thinges with death, yea it stoode vpon the earth and reached vnto the heauen.

17   Then the sightes of the euyl dreames vexed them sodainly, and fearefulnesse came vpon them vnawares.

18   Then lay there one here, another there halfe dead [halfe quicke] and shewed the cause of his death.

19   For the visions that vexed them, shewed them these thinges afore, that they might not be ignoraunt wherefore they perished.

20   Yea the temptation of death touched the righteous also, and ^note among the multitude in the wildernesse there was ^note insurrection: but thy wrath endured not long. D   

21    ^noteFor the blamelesse man went in all the haste, and toke the battayle vpon hym, brought foorth the weapon of his ministration, euen prayer and the reconciliation of incense, set hym selfe against the wrath, and so brought the miserie to an ende, declaring [therby] that he was thy seruaunt.

22   For he ouercame not the ^note multitude with bodyly power or force of weapons: but with the word he subdued him that ^note vexed, alleaging the oth and couenaunt made vnto the fathers.

23   For when the dead were fallen downe by heapes one vpon another, he stoode in the middest, ^note pacified the wrath, and ^note parted the way that it might not come to the liuing.

24    ^noteAnd why? in his long garment was all the beautie, and in the foure rowes of the stones was the glory of the fathers grauen, and thy maiestie was wrytten in the ^note crowne of his head.

25   Unto these the destroyer gaue place, and was afrayde of them: for it was inough that they onlye tasted of the wrath. ¶2; The .xix. Chapter. 1 The death of the Egyptians, and the great ioy of the Hebrues. 11 The meate that was geuen at the desire of the people. 17 All the elementes serue to the will of God. A   

1   As for the vngodly, the wrath came vp&obar; them without mercy vnto the ende: for he knewe before what shoulde happen vnto them:

2   How that when they had consented to let them go, and had sent them out with great diligence, they would repent and ^note folowe vpon them.

3    ^noteFor whyles they were yet mourning and making lamentation by the graues of the dead, they deuised another foolishnesse, so that they persecuted them in their fleeing, whom they had ^note cast out afore with prayer.

4   For the ^note necessitie whiche they had deserued brought them vnto this ende, and made them forget the thinges that had alredy happened, that they might by tormentes fulfill their punishment whiche remayned:

5   And that thy people might trye a marueylous passage: and these might fynde a straunge death.

6   For euery creature in his kynde was fashioned agayne of newe, seruyng the peculiar offices as was commaunded them, that thy children myght be kept without hurt: B   

7   For the cloude ouershadowed their tentes, and the drye earth appeared where afore was water: so that in the red sea there was a way without impediment, and the great deepe became a greene fielde:

8   Wherthrough all the people went that were defended with thy hande, seyng thy marueylous straunge wonders.

9   For as the horses, ryght so they neyed, and leaped lyke lambes, praysyng thee (O Lord) which hadst deliuered them.

10   And why? they were yet myndefull of the thynges that were done whyle they dwelt in the straunge lande, howe the grounde brought foorth flies in steade of cattell, and howe the riuer scrawled with the multitude of frogges in steade of fisshes.

11    ^noteBut at the last they sawe a newe generation of birdes, what tyme as they were stirred with lust, and desired delicate meates.

12   For why? the quayles came vp to them from the sea for their comfort: but punishmentes came vpon the sinners, not without the signes which came before to passe by vehemencie of the thicke lyghtnynges: For they suffered worthyly accordyng to their wickednesse, because they dealt so churlishly ∧ with an hate of straungers.

13   For some would not receaue ^note men that came vnto them and were vnknowen: and some brought the straungers into bondage that dyd them good. C   

14   Nor only so, but yf they had ben any where regarded, they coulde not suffer it: for they entreated straungers very dispitefully.

15   Others that had receaued them with great solempnitie, when they were admitted vnto their ^note societie, they afflicted them with greeuous labours.

16    ^noteTherfore were they stricken with blindnesse, like as when they that were couered with sodayne darknesse at the doores of the ryghteous, sought euery one of them the entraunce of his doores.

17   Thus the elementes beyng chaunged, agreed among them selues, lyke as when tunes are chaunged vpon an instrument of musicke, and yet kepe styll a melodie: which may easyly be perceaued by the syght of the thynges that are come to passe.

18   For the earthy thynges were turned into waterie: and the thyng that before swamme in the water, nowe went vpon the grounde.

19   The fire had power in the water, forgetting his owne vertue: and the water forgat his owne kynde to quenche [the fire.]

20   Agayne, the flambes hurted not the fleshe of the corruptible liuing thynges though they walked therin, neither melted they that isie kynde of immortall meate that was of nature apt to melt.

21   For in all thynges hast thou promoted thy people (O Lord) and brought them to honour, thou hast not dispised them, but alway and in all places hast thou ^note stande by them. The ende of the booke of wisdome.

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