A   And now (o ye prestes) this commaundement toucheth you: yf ye will not heare it, ner regarde it, to geue the glory vnto my name (sayeth the LORDE off hoostes) ^note I wil sende a curse vpon you, ∧ will curse youre blessinges: yee curse them will I yf ye do not take hede. Beholde, I shal corruppe youre sede, and cast donge in youre faces: euen the donge of youre solempne feastes and it shal cleue fast vpon you. And ye shall knowe, that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you: that my couenaunt which I made with Leui, might stonde, sayeth þe; LORDE of hoostes.

I made a couenaunt of life and peace &wt; him: this I gaue him, that he might stonde in awe of me: and so he dyd feare me, &abar;d had my name in reuerence. The lawe of treuth was in his mouth, and there was no wickednesse founde in his lippes. ^noteHe walked with me in peace &abar;d equyte, and dyd turne many one awaye from their synnes. For the

prestes lippes shulde be sure knowlege, that men maye seke the lawe at his mouth, for he is a messaunger of the LORDE of hoostes. But as for you, ye are gone clene out off the waye, and haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe: ye haue broken the couenaunt of Leui, ^note sayeth the LORDE of hoostes. Therfore wil I also make you to be despised, and to be of no reputacion amonge all þe; people: because ye haue not kepte my wayes, but bene parciall in the lawe.

^noteHaue we not all one father? Hath not one God made vs? why doth euery one off vs then despyse his owne brother, and so breake the couenaunt of oure fathers? Now hath Iuda offended: yee the abhominacion is done in Israel and in Ierusal&ebar;, ^note for Iuda hath defyled the S&abar;ctuary of the LORDE, which he loued, and hath kepte the doughter of a straunge God. But the LORDE shal destroye the m&abar; that doth this (yee both the master ∧ the scolar) out off the tabernacle of Iacob, with him that offreth vp meatofferynge vnto the LORDE off hoostes. Now haue ye brought it to this poynte agayne, that the aulter of the LORDE is couered with teares wepynge and mournynge: so that I will nomore regarde the meatofferynge, nether wil I receaue or accepte enythinge at youre h&obar;des.

C   And yet ye saye: wherfore? Euen because that where as the LORDE made a couena&ubar;t betwixte þe; and the wife off thy youth, thou hast despysed her: Yet is she thyne owne c&obar;panyon and maried wife.

So dyd not ^note the one, ∧ yet had he an excellent sprete. What dyd then the one? He sought the sede promised of God. Therfore loke well to youre sprete, ∧ let no man despyse þe; wife of his youth. ^noteYf thou hatest her, put her awaye, sayeth the LORDE God of Israel and geue her a clothinge for the scorne, sayeth the LORDE of hoostes. Loke well then to youre sprete, 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 the sight of God, and soch please him. Or els where is the God that punysheth?

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