1   
The second booke of the Prophet ^note Esdras the sonne of Saraias, the sonne of Azarias, the sonne of Helchias, the sonne of ^note Sadamias, the sonne of Sadoc, the sonne of Achitob,

2   
The sonne of Achias, the sonne of Phinees, the sonne of Heli, the sonne of Amarias, the sonne of Aziei, the sonne of Marimoth, the sonne of Arna, the sonne of Ozias, the sonne of Borith, the sonne of Abisei, the sonne of Phinees, the sonne of Eleazar,

3   
The sonne of Aaron, of the Tribe of Leui, which was captiue in the land of the Medes, in the reigne of Artaxerxes king of the Persians.

4   
^noteAnd the word of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

5   
Goe thy way, and shew my people their sinfull deeds, and their children their wickednes which they haue done against me, that they may tell their childrens children,

6   
Because the sinnes of their fathers are increased in them: for they haue forgotten me, ∧ haue offered vnto strange gods.

7   
Am not I euen hee that brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage? but they haue prouoked me vnto wrath, and despised my counsels.

8   
Pull thou off then the haire of thy head, and cast all euill vpon them, for they haue not beene obedient vnto my law, but it is a rebellious people.

9   
How long shall I forbeare them vnto wh&obar; I haue done so much good?

10   
^noteMany kings haue I destroyed for their sakes, Pharao with his seruants, and all his power haue I smitten downe.

11   
All the nations haue I destroyed before them, ^note ∧ in the East I haue scattered the people of two prouinces, euen of Tyrus and Sidon, and haue slaine all their enemies.

12   
Speake thou therefore vnto them saying, Thus saith the Lord,

13   
^noteI led you through the Sea, and in the beginning gaue you a large and safe ^note passage, ^note I gaue you Moyses for a leader, and Aaron for a priest,

14   
^noteI gaue you light in a pillar of fire, and great wonders haue I done among you, yet haue you forgotten me, saith the Lord.

15   
Thus saith the Almightie Lord, The quailes ^note were as a token for you, I gaue you tents for your safegard, neuerthelesse you murmured there,

16   
And triumphed not in my name for the destruction of your enemies, but euer to this day doe ye yet murmure.

17   
Where are the benefits that I haue done for you? when you were hungry and thirstie in the wildernesse, ^note did you not crie vnto me?

18   
Saying, Why hast thou brought vs into this wildernesse to kill vs? It had bin better for vs to haue serued the Egyptians, then to die in this wildernesse.

19   
Then had I pity vpon your mournings, and gaue you Manna to eat, ^note so ye did eate Angels bread.

20   
^noteWhen ye were thirstie, did I not cleaue the rocke, and waters flowed out ^note to your fill? for the heate I couered you with the leaues of the trees.

21   
I diuided amongst you a fruitfull land, I cast out the Canaanites, the Pherezites, and the Philistines before you: ^note what shall I yet doe more for you: saith the Lord?

22   
Thus saith the Almighty Lord, when you were in the wildernes in the riuer of the ^note Amorites, being athirst, and blaspheming my Name,

23   
I gaue you not fire for your blasphemies, but cast a tree in the water, and made the riuer sweet.

24   
What shall I doe vnto thee, O Iacob? thou ^note Iuda wouldest not obey me: I will turne me to other nations, and vnto those will I giue my Name, that they may keepe my Statutes.

25   
Seeing yee haue forsaken mee, I will forsake you also: when yee desire me to be gracious vnto you, I shall haue no mercy vpon you.

26   
^noteWhensoeuer you shall call vpon me, I will not heare you: for yee haue defiled your hands with blood, and your feete are swift to commit manslaughter.

27   
Yee haue not as it were forsaken me, but your owne selues, saith the Lord.

28   
Thus saith the Almighty Lord, Haue I not prayed you as a father his sonnes, as a mother her daughters, and a nurse her young babes,

29   
That yee would be my people, ^note and I shoud be your God, that ye would be my children, and I should be your father?

30   
^noteI gathered you together, as a henne gathereth her chickens vnder her wings: but now, what shall I doe vnto you? I will cast you out from my face.

31   
^noteWhen you offer vnto me, I will turne my face from you: for your solemne feast dayes, your newe Moone, and your circumcisions haue I forsaken.

32   
I sent vnto you my seruants the Prophets, whom yee haue taken and slaine, and torne their bodies in pieces, whose blood I will require of your hands, saith the Lord.

33   
Thus saith the Almighty Lord, Your house is desolate, I will cast you

out, as the wind doth stubble.

34   
And your children shall not bee fruitful: for they haue despised my Commandement, and done the thing that is euill before me.

35   
Your houses wil I giue to a people that shall come, which not hauing heard of mee, yet shall beleeue mee, to whom I haue shewed no signes, yet they shall doe that I haue commaunded them.

36   
They haue seene no Prophets, yet they shall call their sinnes to remembrance, and acknowledge them.

37   
I take to witnesse the grace of the people to come, whose little ones reioyce in gladnesse: and though they haue not seene me with bodily eyes, yet in spirit they beleeue the thing that I say.

38   
And now brother, behold what glory: and see the people that commeth from the East.

39   
Unto whom I will giue for leaders, Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, Oseas, Amos, and Micheas, Ioel, Abdias, and Ionas,

40   
Nahum, and Abacuc, Sophonias, Aggeus, Zacharie, and Malachie, which is called also an ^note Angel of the Lord. 940 CHAP. II. 1 God complaineth of his people: 10 Yet Esdras is willed to comfort them. 34 Because they refused, the Gentiles are called. 43 Esdras seeth the Sonne of God, and those that are crowned by him.

1   
Thus saith the Lord, I brought this people out of bondage, and I gaue them my Commaundements by my seruants the prophets, whom they would not heare, but despised my counsailes.

2   
The mother that bare them, saith vnto them, Goe your way ye children, for I am a widow, and forsaken.

3   
I brought you vp with gladnesse, but with sorrow and heauinesse haue I lost you: for yee haue sinned before the Lord your God, and done that thing that is euil before him.

4   
But what shall I now doe vnto you? I am a widow and forsaken: goe your way, O my children, and aske mercy of the Lord.

5   
As for mee, O father, I call vpon thee for a witnesse ouer the mother of these children, which would not keepe my Couenant,

6   
That thou bring them to confusion, and their mother to a spoile, that there may be no off spring of them.

7   
Let them bee scattered abroad among the heathen, let their names bee put out of the earth: for they haue despised my ^note Couenant.

8   
Woe be vnto thee Assur, thou that hidest the vnrighteous in thee, O thou wicked people, remember ^note what I did vnto Sodome and Gomorrhe.

9   
Whose land lieth in clods of pitch and heapes of ashes: euen so also wil I doe vnto them that heare me not, saith the Almightie Lord.

10   
Thus saith the Lord vnto Esdras, Tell my people that I will giue them the kingdome of Hierusalem, which I would haue giuen vnto Israel.

11   
Their glory also wil I take vnto mee, and giue these the euerlasting Tabernacles, which I had prepared for them.

12   
They shall haue the tree of Life for an oyntment of sweet sauour, they shall nether labour, nor be weary.

13   
Goe and yee shall receiue: pray for few dayes vnto you, that they may be shortned: the kingdome is already prepared for you: Watch.

14   
Take heauen and earth to witnesse; for I haue broken the euill in pieces, and created the good; for I liue, saith the Lord.

15   
Mother, embrace thy children, and ^note bring them vp with gladnesse, make their feet as fast as a pillar: for I haue chosen thee, saith the Lord.

16   
And those that be dead wil I raise vp againe from their places, and bring them out of the graues: for I haue knowen ^note my Name in Israel.

17   
Feare not thou mother of the children: for I haue chosen thee, saith the Lord.

18   
For thy helpe I will send my seruants Esay and Ieremie, after whose counsaile I haue sanctified and prepared for thee twelue trees, laden with diuers fruits;

19   
And as many fountaines flowing with milke and hony: and seuen mightie mountaines, whereupon there grow roses and lillies, whereby I will fill thy children with ioy.

20   
Doe right to the widow, iudge

for the fatherlesse, giue to the poore, defend the orphane, clothe the naked,

21   
Heale the broken and the weake, laugh not a lame man to scorne, defend the maimed, and let the blind man come into the sight of my clearenesse.

22   
Keepe the olde and yong within thy walles.

23   
^noteWheresouer thou findest the dead, ^note take them and bury them, and I will giue thee the first place in my resurrection.

24   
Abide still, O my people, and take thy rest, for thy quietnesse shall come.

25   
Nourish thy children, O thou good nource, stablish their feete.

26   
As for the seruants whom I haue giuen thee, there shall not one of them perish; for I will require them from among thy number.

27   
Be not weary, for when the day of trouble and heauinesse commeth, others shal weepe and be sorrowfull, but thou shalt be merry, and haue abundance.

28   
The heathen shall enuie thee, but they shall be able to doe nothing against thee, sayth the Lord.

29   
My hands shal couer thee, so that thy children shall not see hell.

30   
Be ioyfull, O thou mother, with thy children, for I will deliuer thee, sayth the Lord.

31   
Remember thy children that sleep, for I shall bring them out of the sides of the earth, and shew mercy vnto them: for I am mercifull, sayth the Lord Almightie.

32   
Embrace thy children vntill I come and ^note shew mercy vnto them: for my welles runne ouer, and my grace shall not faile.

33   
I Esdras receiued a charge of the Lord vpon the mount Oreb, that I should goe vnto Israel; but when I came vnto them, they set me at nought, and despised the commandement of the Lord.

34   
And therefore I say vnto you, O yee heathen, that heare and vnderstand, Looke for your shepheard, hee shall giue you euerlasting rest; for he is nigh at hand, that shall come in the end of the world.

35   
Be ready to the reward of the kingdome, for the euerlasting light shal shine vpon you for euermore.

36   
Flee the shadow of this world, receiue the ioyfulnesse of your glory: I testifie my Sauiour openly.

37   
O receiue the gift that is giuen you, and be glad, giuing thankes vnto him that hath called you to the heauenly kingdome.

38   
Arise vp and stand, behold the number of those that be sealed ^note in the feast of the Lord:

39   
Which are departed from the shadow of the world, and haue receiued glorious garments of the Lord.

40   
Take thy number, O Sion, and ^note shut vp those of thine that are clothed in white, which haue fulfilled the Law of the Lord.

41   
The number of thy children whom thou longedst for, is fulfilled: beseech the power of the Lord, that thy people which haue been called from the beginning, may be hallowed.

42   
^noteI Esdras saw vpon the mount Sion a great people, whom I could not number, and they all praised the Lord with songs.

43   
And in the middest of them there was a young man of a high stature, taller then all the rest, and vpon euery one of their heads he set crownes, and was more exalted, which I marueiled at greatly.

44   
So I asked the Angel, and said, ^note Sir, what are these?

45   
Hee answered, and said vnto me, These be they that haue put off the mortall clothing, and put on the immortall, and haue confessed the Name of God: now are they crowned, and receiue palmes.

46   
Then sayd I vnto the Angel, What yong person is it that crowneth them, and giueth them palmes in their handes?

47   
So hee answered, and said vnto me, It is the sonne of God, whom they haue confessed in the world. Then began I greatly to commend them, that stood so stiffely for the Name of the Lord.

48   
Then the Angel sayd vnto me, Goe thy way, and tell my people what maner of things, and how great wonders of the Lord thy God thou hast seene. 941 CHAP. III. 1 Esdras is troubled, 13 and acknowledgeth the sinnes of the people: 28 yet complaineth that the heathen were lords ouer them, being more wicked then they.

1   
In the thirtieth yeere after the ruine of the citie, I was in Babylon, and lay troubled vpon my bed, and my thoughts came vp ouer my heart.

2   
For I saw the desolation of Sion, and the wealth of them that dwelt at Babylon.

3   
And my spirit was sore moued, so that I began to speake words full of feare to the most High, and said,

4   
O Lord, who bearest rule, thou spakest at the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth (and that thy selfe alone) and commandedst the people,

5   
^noteAnd gauest a body vnto Adam without soule, which was the workemanship of thine hands, ∧ didst breathe into him the breath of life, and he was made liuing before thee.

6   
And thou leddest him into paradise, which thy right hand had planted, before euer the earth came forward.

7   
And vnto him thou gauest commandement to loue thy way, which he transgressed, and immediatly thou appointedst death in him, and in his generations, of whom came nations, tribes, people, and kinreds out of number.

8   
^noteAnd euery people walked after their owne will, and did wonderfull things before thee, and despised thy commandements.

9   
^noteAnd againe in processe of time thou broughtest the flood vpon those that dwelt in the world, and destroyedst them.

10   
And it came to passe in euery of them, that as death was to Adam, so was the flood to these.

11   
Neuerthelesse one of them thou leftest, namely ^note Noah with his household, of whom came all righteous men.

12   
And it happened, that when they that dwelt vp&obar; the earth began to multiply, and had gotten them many children, and were a great people, they beganne againe to be more vngodly then the first.

13   
Now when they liued so wickedly before thee, ^note thou diddest choose thee a man from among them, whose name was ^note Abraham.

14   
Him thou louedst, and vnto him onely thou shewedst thy will:

15   
And madest an euerlasting couenant with him, promising him that thou wouldest neuer forsake his seede.

16   
^noteAnd vnto him, thou gauest Isahac, and ^note vnto Isahac also thou gauest Iacob and Esau. As for Iacob thou ^note didst choose him to thee, and put by Esau: and so Iacob became a great multitude.

17   
And it came to passe, that when thou leddest his seede out of Egypt, ^note thou broughtest them vp to the mount Sina.

18   
And bowing the heauens, thou didest set fast the earth, mouedst the whole world, and madest the depth to tremble, and troubledst the men of that age.

19   
And thy glory went through foure gates, of fire, and of earthquake, and of wind, and of cold, that thou mightest giue the law vnto the seed of Iacob, ^note and diligence vnto the generation of Israel.

20   
And yet tookest thou not away from them a wicked heart, that thy law might bring forth fruite in them.

21   
For the first Adam bearing a wicked heart transgressed, and was ouercome; and so be all they that are borne of him.

22   
Thus infirmity was made permanent; and the law (also) in the heart of the people with the malignity of the roote, so that the good departed away, and the euill abode still.

23   
So the times passed away, and the yeeres were brought to an end: ^note then diddest thou raise thee vp a seruant, called Dauid,

24   
^noteWhom thou commandedst to build a citie vnto thy name, and to offer incense and oblations vnto thee therein.

25   
When this was done many yeeres, then they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee,

26   
And in all things did euen as Adam, and all his generations had done, for they also had a wicked heart.

27   
And so thou gauest the citie ouer into the hands of thine enemies.

28   
Are their deeds then any better that inhabite Babylon, that they should therefore haue the dominion ouer Sion?

29   
For when I came thither, and had seene impieties without number, then my soule saw many euill doers in this thirtieth yeere, so that my heart failed me.

30   
For I haue seene how thou sufferest

them sinning, and hast spared wicked doers: and hast destroyed thy people, and hast preserued thine enemies, and hast not signified it.

31   
^noteI doe not remember how this way may be left: Are they then of Babylon better then they of Sion?

32   
Or is there any other people that knoweth thee besides Israel? or what generation hath so beleeued thy Couenants as Iacob?

33   
And yet their reward appeareth not, and their labour hath no fruite: for I haue gone here and there through the heathen, and I see that they ^note flowe in wealth, and think not vpon thy commandements.

34   
Weigh thou therfore our wickednesse now in the ballance, and theirs also that dwell in the world: and so shall thy Name no where be found, but in Israel.

35   
Or when was it that they which dwell vpon the earth, haue not sinned in thy sight? or what people hath so kept thy commandements?

36   
Thou shalt find that Israel by name hath kept thy precepts: but not the heathen. 942 CHAP. IIII. 1 The Angel declareth the ignorance of Esdras in Gods iudgments, 13 and aduiseth him not to meddle with things aboue his reach. 23 Neuerthelesse Esdras asketh diuers questions, and receiueth answeres to them.

1   
And the Angel that was sent vnto me, whose name was Uriel, gaue mee an answere,

2   
And said, Thy heart hath gone too farre in this world, and thinkest thou to comprehend the way of the most High?

3   
Then said I, Yea my Lord: and he answered me and said, I am sent to shew thee three wayes, and to set forth three similitudes before thee.

4   
Whereof if thou canst declare me one, I will shew thee also the way that thou desirest to see, ∧ I shall shew thee from whence the wicked heart c&obar;meth.

5   
And I said, Tel on my Lord. Then said he vnto me, Goe thy way, weigh me the weight of the fire, or measure me the blast of the wind, or call me againe the day that is past.

6   
Then answered I and said, What man is able to doe that, that thou shouldest aske such things of mee?

7   
And he said vnto me, If I should aske thee how great dwellings are in the midst of þe; sea, or how many springs are in the beginning of the deepe, or how many springs are aboue the firmament, or which are the outgoings of Paradise:

8   
Peraduenture thou wouldest say vnto me, I neuer went downe into the deepe, nor as yet into hell, neither did I euer climbe vp into heauen.

9   
Neuerthelesse, now haue I asked thee but onely of the fire and winde, and of the day where through thou hast passed, and of things fr&obar; which thou canst not be separated, and yet canst thou giue me uo answeere of them.

10   
He said moreouer vnto me, Thine owne things, and such as are growen vp with thee, canst thou not know.

11   
How should thy vessel then bee able to comprehend the way of the highest, and the world being now outwardly corrupted, to vnderstand the ^note corruption that is euident in my sight?

12   
Then said I vnto him, It were better that we were not at all, then that we should liue still in wickednesse, and to suffer, and not to know wherefore.

13   
He answered me and said, I went into a forest into a plaine, and the ^note trees tooke counsell,

14   
And said, Come, let vs goe and make warre against the Sea, that it may depart away before vs, and that we may make vs more woods.

15   
The floods of the Sea also in like maner tooke counsell, and said, Come, let vs goe vp and subdue the woods of the plaine, that there also we may make vs another countrey.

16   
The thought of the wood was in vaine, for the fire came and consumed it.

17   
The thought of the floods of the Sea came likewise to nought, for the sand stood vp and stopped them.

18   
If thou wert iudge now betwixt these two, whom wouldest thou begin to iustifie, or whom wouldest thou condemne?

19   
I answered and said, Uerily it is a foolish thought that they both haue deuised: for the ^note ground is giuen vnto the wood, and the sea also hath his place to beare his ^note floods.

20   
Then answered he me and said, Thou hast giuen a right iudgment, but why iudgest thou not thy selfe also?

21   
For like as ^note the ground is giuen vnto the wood, ∧ the sea to his floods: euen so ^note they that dwell vpon the earth may vnderstand nothing, but that which is vpon the earth: and hee that dwelleth aboue the heauens, may onely vnderstand the things that are aboue the height of the heauens.

22   
Then answered I, and said, I beseech thee, O Lord, let me haue vnderstanding.

23   
For it was not my minde to be curious of the high things, but of such as passe by vs dayly, namely wherefore Israel is giuen vp as a reproch to the heathen, and for what cause the people whom thou hast loued, is giuen ouer vnto vngodly nations, and why the Lawe of our forefathers is brought to nought, and the written Couenants come to ^note none effect.

24   
And wee passe away out of the world as grassehoppers, and our life is astonishment and feare, and we are not worthy to obtaine mercie.

25   
What will he then doe vnto his Name, whereby we are called? of these things haue I asked.

26   
Then answered he me, and said, The more thou searchest, the more thou shalt marueile, for the world hasteth fast to passe away,

27   
And cannot comprehend the things that are promised to the righteous in time to come: for this world is ful of vnrighteousnesse and infirmities.

28   
But as concerning the things whereof thou askest me, I wil tell thee; for the euil is sowen, but the destruction thereof is not yet come.

29   
If therefore that which is sowen, be not turned vpside downe; and if the place where the euil is sowen passe not away, then cannot it come that is sowen with good.

30   
For the graine of euill seed hath bene sowen in the heart of Adam from the beginning, and how much vngodlinesse hath it brought vp vnto this time? and how much shall it yet bring foorth vntill the ^note time of threshing come.

31   
Ponder now by thy selfe, how great fruit of wickednesse the graine of euil seed hath brought forth.

32   
And when the eares shall bee cut downe, which are without number, how great a floore shall they fill?

33   
Then I answered and said, How and when shall these things come to passe? wherefore are our yeeres few and euill?

34   
And he answered me, saying, Do not thou hasten aboue the most Highest: for thy haste is in vaine to be aboue him, for thou hast much exceeded.

35   
Did not the soules also of the righteous aske question of these things in their chambers, saying, How long shall I hope on this fashion? when commeth the fruit of the floore of our reward?

36   
And vnto these things ^note Uriel the Archangel gaue them answere, and said, Euen when the number of seedes is filled in you: for he hath weighed the world in the ballance.

37   
By measure hath hee measured the times, and by number hath he numbred the times; and he doeth not mooue nor stirre them, vntill the said measure be fulfilled.

38   
Then answered I, and said, O Lord that bearest rule, euen we all are full of impietie.

39   
And for our sakes peraduenture it is that the floores of the righteous are not filled, because of the sinnes of them that dwell vpon the earth.

40   
So he answered me, and said, Go thy way to a wman with childe, and aske of her, when she hath fulfilled her nine moneths, if her wombe may keepe the birth any longer within her?

41   
Then said I, No Lord, that can she not. And he said vnto mee, In the graue, the chambers of soules are like the wombe of a woman:

42   
For like as a woman that trauaileth, maketh haste to escape the necessitie of the trauaile: euen so doe these places haste to deliuer those things that are committed vnto them.

43   
From the beginning looke what thou desirest to see, it shalbe shewed thee.

44   
Then answered I, and said, If I haue found fauour in thy sight, and if it be possible, and if I be meet therefore,

45   
Shew me then whether there be more to come then is past, or more past then is to come.

46   
What is past I know; but what is for to come I know not.

47   
And he said vnto me, Stand vp vpon the right side, and I shal expound the similitude vnto you.

48   
So I stood and saw, and behold an hot burning ouen passed by before mee: and it happened that when the

flame was gone by, I looked, and behold, the smoke remained still.

49   
After this there passed by before me a watrie cloude, and sent downe much raine with a storme, and when the stormie raine was past, the drops remained still.

50   
Then said he vnto me, Consider with thy selfe: as the raine is more then the drops, and as the fire is greater then the smoke: but the drops and the smoke remaine behind: so the ^note quantity which is past, did more exceede.

51   
Then I prayed, and sayd, May I liue, thinkest thou, vntill that time? ^note or what shall happen in those dayes?

52   
He answered me, and sayd, As for the tokens whereof thou askest me, I may tell thee of them in part; but as touching thy life, I am not sent to shew thee, for I doe not know it. 943 CHAP. V. 1 The signes of the times to come. 23 He asketh why God choosing but one people, did cast them off. 30 Hee is taught, that Gods Iudgements are vnsearchable: 46 and that God doeth not all at once.

1   
Neuertheles as concerning the tokens, beholde, the dayes shall come that they which dwell vpon earth, ^note shall bee taken in a great number, and the way of trueth shall be hidden, and the land shall be barren of faith.

2   
But ^note iniquitie shalbe increased aboue that which now thou seest, or that thou hast heard long agoe.

3   
And the land ^note that thou seest now to haue roote, shalt thou see wasted suddenly.

4   
But if the most high graunt thee to liue, thou shalt see after the third trumpet, that the Sunne shall suddenly shine againe in the night, and the Moone thrice in the day.

5   
And blood shal drop out of wood, and the stone shall giue his voice, and the people shalbe troubled.

6   
And enen he shal rule whom they looke not for that dwel vpon the earth, and the foules shall take their flight away together.

7   
And the Sodomitish sea shall cast out fish, and make a noyse in the night, which many haue not knowen: but they shall all heare the voice thereof.

8   
There shall be a confusion also in many places, and the fire shalbe oft ^note sent out againe, and the wilde beasts shall change their places, and menstruous women shall bring foorth monsters.

9   
And salt waters shall be found in the sweete, and all friends shall destroy one another: then shall wit hide it selfe, and vnderstanding withdraw it selfe into his secret chamber,

10   
And shall be sought of many, and yet not be found: then shall vnrighteousnesse and incontinencie be multiplyed vpon earth.

11   
One land also shall aske another, and say, Is righteousnes that maketh a man righteous, gone through thee? And it shall say, No.

12   
At the same time shall men hope, but nothing obtaine: they shall labour, but their wayes shall not ^note prosper.

13   
To shew thee such tokens I haue leaue: and if thou wilt pray againe, and weepe as now, and fast seuen dayes, thou shalt heare yet greater things.

14   
Then I awaked, ∧ an extreme fearefulnesse went through all my body, and my minde was troubled, so that it fainted.

15   
So the Angel that was come to talke with me, helde me, comforted me, and set me vp vpon my feete.

16   
And in the second night it came to passe, that Salathiel the captaine of the people came vnto mee, saying, Where hast thou beene? and why is thy countenance so heauie?

17   
Knowest thou not that Israel is committed vnto thee, in the land of their captiuitie?

18   
Up then, and eate bread, and forsake vs not as the shepheard that leaueth his flocke in the handes of cruell wolues.

19   
Then sayd I vnto him, Goe thy waies from me, and come not nigh me: And he heard what I said, and went from me.

20   
And so I fasted seuen dayes, monrning and weeping, like as Uriel the Angel commanded me.

21   
And after seuen dayes, so it was that the thoughts of my heart were very grieuous vnto me againe.

22   
And my soule recouered the spirit of vnderstanding, and I began to talke with the most high againe,

23   
And said, O Lord, that bearest rule of euery wood of the earth, and of

all the trees thereof, thou hast chosen thee one onely vine.

24   
And of all lands of the whole world thou hast chosen thee one pit: and of all the flowers thereof, one Lillie.

25   
And of all the depths of the Sea, thou hast filled thee one riuer: and of all builded cities, thou hast hallowed Sion vnto thy selfe.

26   
And of all the foules that are created, thou hast named thee one Doue: and of all the cattell that are made, thou hast prouided thee one sheepe.

27   
And among all the multitudes of peoples, thou hast gotten thee one people: and vnto this people whom thou louedst, thou gauest a law that is approued of all.

28   
And now O Lord, why hast thou giuen this one people ouer vnto many? and ^note vpon the one roote hast thou prepared others, and why hast thou scattered thy onely one people among many?

29   
And they which did gainesay thy promises, and beleeued not thy couenants, haue trodden them downe.

30   
If thou didst so much hate thy people, yet shouldest thou punish them with thine owne hands.

31   
Now when I had spoken these words, the Angell that came to me the night afore, was sent vnto me,

32   
And said vnto me, Heare me, and I will instruct thee, hearken to the thing that I say, ∧ I shal tell thee more.

33   
And I said, Speake on, my Lord: then said he vnto me, thou art sore troubled in minde for Israels sake: louest thou that people better then hee that made them?

34   
And I said, No Lord, but of very griefe haue I spoken: For my reines paine me euery houre, while I labour to comprehend the way of the most High, and to seeke out part of his iudgement.

35   
And he said vnto me, Thou canst not: and I said, wherfore Lord? wherunto was I borne then? or why was not my mothers wombe then my graue, that I might not haue seene the trauell of Iacob, and the wearisome toyle of the stocke of Israel?

36   
And he said vnto me, Number me the things that are not yet come, gather me together the droppes that are scattered abroad, make mee the flowres greene againe that are withered.

37   
Open me the places that are closed, and bring me forth the winds that in them are shut vp, shew me the image of a voyce: and then I will declare to thee the thing that thou labourest to knowe.

38   
And I said, O Lord, that bearest rule, who may know these things, but hee that hath not his dwelling with men?

39   
As for me, I am vnwise: how may I then speake of these things whereof thou askest me?

40   
Then said he vnto me, Like as thou canst doe none of these things that I haue spoken of, euen so canst thou not find out my iudgement, or in the end the loue that I haue promised vnto my people.

41   
And I said, behold, O Lord, yet art thou nigh vnto them that be reserued till the end; and what shall they doe that haue beene before me, or we (that be now) or they that shall come after vs?

42   
And he said vnto me, I wil liken my iudgement vnto a ring: like as there is no slacknesse of the last, euen so there is no swiftnesse of the first.

43   
So I answered and said, Couldst thou not make those that haue beene made, and be now, and that are for to come, at once, that thou mightest shewe thy iudgement the sooner?

44   
Then answered he me, and said, The creature may not hast aboue the maker, neither may the world hold them at once that shalbe created therin.

45   
And I said, As thou hast said vnto thy seruant, that thou which giuest life to all, hast giuen life at once to the creature that thou hast created, and the creature bare it: euen so it might now also beare them that now be present at once.

46   
And he said vnto me, Aske the wombe of a woman, ∧ say vnto her, If thou bringest forth children, why doest thou it not together, but one after another? pray her therefore to bring forth tenne children at once.

47   
And I said, She cannot: but must doe it by distance of time.

48   
Then said he vnto me, Euen so haue I giuen the wombe of the earth to those that be sowen in it, in their times.

49   
For like as a young child may not bring forth the things that belong to the aged, euen so haue I disposed the world which I created.

50   
And I asked and said, Seeing thou hast now giuen me the way, I will proceed to speak before thee: for our mother of whom thou hast told me that she is yong, draweth now nigh vnto age.

51   
He answered me and said, Aske a woman that beareth children, and shee shall tell thee.

52   
Say vnto her, Wherefore are not they whome thou hast now brought forth, like those that were before, but lesse of stature?

53   
And she shall answere thee, They that be borne in the strength of youth, are of one fashion, and they that are borne in the time of age (when the wombe faileth) are otherwise.

54   
Consider thou therfore also, how that yee are lesse of stature then those that were before you.

55   
And so are they that come after you lesse then ye, as the creatures which now begin to be old, and haue passed ouer the strength of youth.

56   
Then saide I, Lord, I beseech thee, if I haue found fauor in thy sight, shew thy seruant by whom thou visitest thy creature. 944 CHAP. VI. 1 Gods purpose is eternall. 8 The next world shall follow this immediatly. 13 What shall fall out at the last. 31 Hee is promised more knowledge, 38 and reckoneth vp the workes of the creation, 57 and complaineth that they haue no part in the world for whome it was made.

1   
And he said vnto me, in the beginning when þe; ^note earth was made, before the borders of the world stood, or euer the windes blew,

2   
Before it thundred and lightned, or euer the foundations of Paradise were laide,

3   
Before the faire flowers were seene, or euer the moueable powers were established, before þe; innumerable multitude of Angels were gathered together,

4   
Or euer the heights of the aire were lifted vp, before the measures of the firmament were named, or euer the chimnies in Sion were hot,

5   
And ere the present yeeres were sought out, and or euer the inuentions of them that now sinne were turned, before they were sealed that haue gathered faith for a treasure:

6   
Then did I consider these things, and they all were made through mee alone, and through none other: by mee also they shall be ended, ∧ by none other.

7   
Then answered I and said, What shall bee the parting asunder of the times? or when shall be the ende of the first, and the beginning of it that followeth?

8   
And he said vnto me, From Abraham vnto Isaac, when Iacob and Esau were borne of him, ^note Iacobs hand held ^note first the heele of Esau.

9   
For Esau is the end of the world, and Iacob is the beginning of it that followeth.

10   
The hand of man is betwixt the heele and the hand: other question, Esdras, aske thou not.

11   
¶ I answered then and said, O Lord that bearest rule, if I haue found fauour in thy sight,

12   
I beseech thee, shew thy seruant the end of thy tokens, whereof thou shewedst me part the last night.

13   
So he answered and said vnto me, Stand vp vpon thy feete, and heare a mightie sounding voyce.

14   
And it shall be as it were a great ^note motion, but the place where thou standest, shall not be moued.

15   
And therefore when it speaketh be not afraid: for the word is of the end, and the foundation of the earth is vnderstood.

16   
And why? because the speech of these things trembleth and is mooued: for it knoweth that the ende of these things must be changed.

17   
And it happened that when I had heard it, I stood vp vpon my feet, and hearkened, ∧ behold, there was a voice that spake, and the sound of it was like the sound of many waters.

18   
And it said, Behold, the dayes come, that I will begin to draw nigh, and to visit them that dwell vpon the earth,

19   
And will begin to make inquisition of them, what they be that haue hurt vniustly with their vnrighteousnesse, and when the affliction of Sion shalbe fulfilled.

20   
And when the world that shal begin to vanish away shall bee ^note finished: then will I shew these tokens, the books shalbe opened before the firmament, and they shall see all together.

21   
And the children of a yeere olde shall speake with their voyces, the women

with childe shall bring foorth vntimely children, of three or foure moneths old: and they shall liue, and bee raised vp.

22   
And suddenly shal the sowen places appeare vnsowen, the full storehouses shall suddenly be found empty.

23   
And the trumpet shall giue a sound, which when euery man heareth they shalbe suddenly afraid.

24   
At that time shall friendes fight one against another like enemies, and the earth shall stand in feare with those that dwell therein, the springs of the fountaines shall stand still, and in three houres they shall not runne.

25   
Whosoeuer remaineth from all these that I haue told thee, shall escape, and see my saluation, and the ende of your world.

26   
And the men that are receiued, shall see it, who haue not tasted death from their birth: and the heart of the inhabitants shalbe changed, and turned into another meaning.

27   
For euil shalbe put out, and deceit shalbe quenched.

28   
As for faith, it shall flourish, corruption shalbe ouercome, ∧ the trueth which hath bene so long without fruit, shalbe declared.

29   
And when hee talked with mee, behold, I looked by little and little vpon him before whom I stood.

30   
And these words said he vnto me, I am come to shew thee the time of the night to come.

31   
If thou wilt pray yet more, ∧ fast seuen daies againe, I shal tel thee greater things ^note by day, then I haue heard.

32   
For thy voice is heard before the most High: for the mighty hath seene thy righteous dealing, he hath seene also thy chastitie, which thou hast had euer since thy youth.

33   
And therefore hath he sent mee to shew thee al these things, and to say vnto thee, Be of good comfort, ∧ feare not.

34   
And hasten not with the times that are past, to thinke vaine things, that thou mayest not hasten from the latter times.

35   
And it came to passe after this, that I wept againe, and fasted seuen dayes in like maner, that I might fulfill the three weekes which he told me.

36   
And in the eight night was my heart vexed within mee againe, and I began to speake before the most High.

37   
For my spirit was greatly set on fire, and my soule was in distresse.

38   
And I said, O Lord, thou spakest from the beginning of the creation, euen the first day, ∧ saidest thus, ^note Let heauen and earth bee made: and thy word was a perfect worke.

39   
And then was the spirit, and darkenesse, and silence were on euery side; the sound of mans voice was not yet formed.

40   
Then commandedst thou a faire light to come foorth of thy treasures, that thy worke might appeare.

41   
Upon the second day thou madest the spirit of the firmament, and commandedst it to part asunder, and to make a diuision betwixt the waters, that the one part might goe vp, and the other remaine beneath.

42   
Upon the thirde day thou didst commaund that the waters should bee gathered in the seuenth part of the earth: sixe parts hast thou dried vp and kept them, to the intent that of these some being planted of God and tilled, might serue thee.

43   
For as soone as thy word went foorth, the worke was made.

44   
For immediatly there was great and innumerable fruit, and many and diuers pleasures for the taste, ∧ flowers of vnchangeable colour, and odours of wonderfull smell: and this was done the third day.

45   
^noteUpon the fourth day thou commandedst that the Sunne should shine, and the Moone giue her light, and the starres should be in order,

46   
And gauest them a charge to do ^note seruice vnto man, that was to be made.

47   
Upon the fift day, thou saydst vnto the seuenth part, ^note where the waters were gathered, that it should bring foorth liuing creatures, foules and fishes: and so it came to passe.

48   
For the dumbe water, and without life, brought foorth liuing things at the commandement of God, that al people might praise thy wondrous works.

49   
Then didst thou ordeine two liuing creatures, the one thou calledst ^note Enoch, and the other Leuiathan,

50   
And didst separate the one from the other: for the seuenth part (namely where the water was gathered together) might not hold them both.

51   
Unto Enoch thou gauest one part which was dried vp the third day, that

he should dwel in the same part, wherein are a thousand hilles.

52   
But vnto Leuiathan thou gauest the seuenth part, namely the moist, and hast kept him to be deuoured of whom thou wilt, and when.

53   
Upon the sixt day thou gauest commaundement vnto the earth, that before thee it should bring foorth beasts, cattell, and creeping things:

54   
And after these, Adam also whom thou madest lord of all thy creatures, of him come wee all, and the people also whom thou hast chosen.

55   
All this haue I spoken before thee, O Lord, because thou madest the world for our sakes.

56   
As for the other people which also come of Adam, thou hast said that they are nothing, but be like vnto spittle, and hast likened the abundance of them vnto a drop that falleth from a vessell.

57   
And now, O Lord, behold, these heathen, which haue euer been reputed as nothing, haue begun to be lordes ouer vs, and to deuoure vs:

58   
But wee thy people (whom thou hast called thy first borne, thy onely begotten, and thy feruent louer) are giuen into their hands.

59   
If the world now be made for our sakes, why doe we not possesse an inheritance with the world? how long shall this endure? 945 CHAP. VII. 4 The way is narrow. 12 When it was made narrow. 28 All shall die and rise againe. 33 Christ shall sit in iudgement. 46 God hath not made Paradise in vaine, 62 & is merciful.

1   
And when I had made an ende of speaking these words, there was sent vnto mee the Angel which had beene sent vnto mee the nights afore.

2   
And he said vnto me, Up Esdras, and heare the wordes that I am come to tell thee.

3   
And I said, Speake on, my God. Then said he vnto me, The Sea is set in a wide place, that it might be deepe and great.

4   
But put the case the entrance were narrow, and like a riuer,

5   
Who then could goe into the Sea to looke vpon it, and to rule it? If hee went not through the narrow, how could he come into the broad?

6   
There is also another thing. A city is builded, and set vpon a broad field, and is full of all good things.

7   
The entrance thereof is narrow, and is set in a ^note dangerous place to fall, like as if there were a fire on the right hand, and on the left a deepe water.

8   
And one only path between them both, euen betweene the fire and the water, so small that there could but one man goe there at once.

9   
If this city now were giuen vnto a man for an inheritance, if he neuer shall passe the danger set before it, how shall he receiue this inheritance?

10   
And I said, It is so, Lord. Then said he vnto me, Euen so also is Israels portion:

11   
Because for their sakes I made the world: and when Adam transgressed my Statutes, then was decreed that now is done.

12   
Then were the entrances of this world made narrow, full of sorrow and trauaile: they are but few and euill, full of perils, and very painefull.

13   
For the entrances of the ^note elder world were wide and sure, and brought immortall fruit.

14   
If then they that liue, labour not to enter these strait and vaine things, they can neuer receiue those that are laide vp for them.

15   
Now therefore why disquietest thou thy selfe, seeing thou art but a corruptible man? and why art thou mooued, whereas thou art but mortall?

16   
Why hast thou not considered in thy minde this thing that is to come, rather then that which is present?

17   
Then answered I, and sayd, O Lord, that bearest rule, thou hast ordained in thy ^note Law, that the righteous should inherite these things, but that the vngodly should perish:

18   
Neuerthelesse, the righteous shal suffer strait things, and hope for wide: for they that haue done wickedly, haue suffered the strait things, and yet shall not see the wide.

19   
And he said vnto me, There is no iudge aboue God, and none that hath vnderstanding aboue the highest.

20   
For there be many that perish in this life, because they despise the Lawe of God that is set before them.

21   
For God hath giuen strait commandement

to such as came, what they should doe to liue, euen as they came, and what they should obserue to auoid punishment.

22   
Neuerthelesse they were not obedient vnto him, but spake against him, and imagined vaine things:

23   
And deceiued themselues by their wicked deeds, and sayd of the most Hie, that he is not, and knew not his waies.

24   
But his Law haue they despised, and denied his couenants in his statutes haue they not beene faithfull, and haue not performed his workes.

25   
And therfore Esdras, for the emptie, are emptie things, and for the ful, are the full things.

26   
Behold, the time shall come, that these tokens which I haue told thee, shall come to passe, and the bride shall appeare, and she comming forth shall be seene, that now is withdrawen from the earth.

27   
And whosoeuer is deliuered from the foresaid euils, shall see my wonders.

28   
For my sonne Iesus shall be reuealed with those that be with him, and they that remaine shall reioyce within foure hundred yeeres.

29   
After these yeeres shall my sonne Christ die, and all men that haue life.

30   
And the world shall be turned into the old silence seuen dayes, like as in the ^note former iudgements: so that no man shall remaine.

31   
And after seuen dayes, the world that yet awaketh not shall be raised vp, and that shall die, that is corrupt.

32   
And the earth shall restore those that are asleepe in her, and so shall the dust those that dwell in silence, and the secret places shall deliuer those soules that were committed vnto them.

33   
And the most high shall appeare vpon the seate of iudgement, and miserie shall passe away, and the long suffering shall haue an end.

34   
But iudgement onely shall remaine, trueth shall stand, and faith shall waxe strong.

35   
And the worke shall follow, and the reward shall be shewed, and the good deeds shall be of force, and wicked deeds shall beare no rule.

36   
Then said I, ^note Abraham prayed first for the Sodomites, and ^note Moses for the fathers that sinned in the wildernesse:

37   
And Iesus after him for Israel in the time of ^note Achan,

38   
And Samuel; and Dauid for the destruction: and ^note Solomon for them that should come to the sanctuary.

39   
And ^note Helias for those that receiued raine, ∧ for the dead that hee might liue.

40   
And ^note Ezechias for the people in the time of Sennacherib: and many for many.

41   
Euen so now seeing corruption is growen vp, and wickednesse increased, and the righteous haue prayed for the vngodly: wherefore shall it not be so now also?

42   
He answered me and said, This present life is not the end where much glory doth abide; therefore haue they prayed for the weake.

43   
But the day of doome shall be the end of this time, and the beginning of the immortality for to come, wherein corruption is past.

44   
Intemperancie is at an end, infidelity is cut off, righteousnesse is growen, and trueth is sprung vp.

45   
Then shall no man be able to saue him that is destroyed, nor to oppresse him that hath gotten the victory.

46   
I answered then and said, This is my first and last saying; that it had beene better not to haue giuen the earth vnto Adam: or else when it was giuen him, to haue restrained him from sinning.

47   
For what profit is it for men now in this present time to liue in heauinesse, and after death to looke for punishment?

48   
O thou Adam, what hast thou done? for though it was ^note thou that sinned, thou art not fallen alone, but we all that come of thee.

49   
For what profit is it vnto vs, if there be promised vs an immortall time, wheras we haue done the works that bring death?

50   
And that their is promised vs an euerlasting hope, whereas our selues being most wicked are made vaine?

51   
And that there are layd vp for vs dwellings of health and safety, whereas we haue liued wickedly?

52   
And that the glory of the most high is kept to defend them which haue led ^note a wary life, whereas we haue walked in the most wicked wayes of all?

53   
And that there should be shewed

a paradise whose fruite endureth for euer, wherein is ^note securitie and medicine, sith we shall not enter into it?

54   
For we haue walked in vnpleasant places.

55   
And that the faces of them which haue vsed abstinence, shall shine aboue the starres, whereas our faces shall bee blacker then darkenesse?

56   
For while we liued and committed iniquitie, we considered not that we should begin to suffer for it after death.

57   
Then answered he me and saide, This is the ^note condition of the battell, which man that is borne vpon the earth shall fight,

58   
That if he be ouercome, he shall suffer as thou hast said, but if he get the victorie, he shall receiue the thing that I say.

59   
For this is the life whereof Moses spake vnto the people while hee liued, saying, ^note Choose thee life that thou mayest liue.

60   
Neuerthelesse they beleeued not him, nor yet the prophets after him, no nor me which haue spoken vnto them,

61   
That there should not be such heauinesse in their destruction, as shall bee ioy ouer them that are perswaded to saluation.

62   
I answered then and saide, I know, Lord, that the most Hie is called mercifull, in that he hath mercy vpon them, which are not yet come into the world,

63   
And vpon those also that turne to his Law,

64   
And that ^note he is patient, and long suffereth those that haue sinned, as his creatures,

65   
And that he is bountifull, for hee is ready to giue where it needeth,

66   
And that is of great mercie, for he multiplieth more and more mercies to them that are present, and that are past, ∧ also to them which are to come.

67   
For if he shall not multiplie his mercies, the world would not continue with them that inherit therein.

68   
And he pardoneth; for if hee did not so of his goodnesse, that they which haue committed iniquities might be eased of them, the ten thousand part of men should not remaine liuing.

69   
And being Iudge, if he should not forgiue them that are ^note cured with his word, and put out the multitude of ^note contentions,

70   
There should bee very fewe left peraduenture in an innumerable multitude. 946 CHAP. VIII. 1 Many created, but few saued. 6 Hee asketh why God destroyeth his owne worke, 26 and prayeth God to looke vpon the people which onely serue him. 41 God answereth that all seed commeth not to God, 52 and that glory is prepared for him and such like.

1   
And he answered me, saying, The most High hath made this world for many, but the world to come for fewe.

2   
I will tell thee a similitude, Esdras, As when thou askest the earth, it shall say vnto thee, that it giueth much mold wherof earthen vessels are made, but litle dust that golde commeth of: euen so is þe; course of this present world.

3   
^noteThere be many created, but few shall be saued.

4   
So answered I and said, Swallow then downe O my soule, vnderstanding, and deuoure wisedome.

5   
For thou hast agreed to giue eare, and art willing to prophesie: for thou hast no longer space then onely to liue.

6   
O Lord, if thou suffer not thy seruant that we may pray before thee, and thou ^note giue vs seed vnto our heart, and culture to our vnderstanding, that there may come fruit of it, howe shall each man liue that is corrupt, who beareth the place of a man?

7   
For thou art alone, and we all one workemanship of thine hands, like as thou hast said.

8   
For when the body is fashioned now in the mothers wombe, and thou giuest it members, ^note thy creature is preserued in fire ∧ water, and nine months doeth thy workemanship endure thy creature which is created in her.

9   
But that which keepeth, and is kept, shall both be preserued: and when the time commeth, the wombe preserued, deliuereth vp the things that grew in it.

10   
For thou hast commanded out of the parts of the body, that is to say, out of the breasts milke to be giuen, which is the fruit of the breasts,

11   
That the thing which is fashioned, may bee nourished for a time, till thou disposest it to thy mercy.

12   
Thou broughtest it vp with thy

righteousnesse, and nourturedst it in thy Law, and reformedst it with thy iudgement.

13   
And thou shalt mortifie it as thy creature, and quicken it as thy worke.

14   
If therefore thou shalt destroy him which with so great ^note labour was fashioned, it is an easie thing to be ordeined by thy Commaundement, that the thing which was made might be preserued.

15   
Now therefore, Lord, I will speake (touchiug man in generall, thou knowest best) but touching thy people, for whose sake I am sory,

16   
And for thine inheritance, for whose cause I mourne, and for Israel, for whom I am heauy, and for Iacob, for whose sake I am troubled:

17   
Therefore will I begin to pray before thee, for my selfe, and for them: for I see the falles of vs that dwell in the land.

18   
But I haue heard the swiftnesse of the Iudge which is to come.

19   
Therefore heare my voyce, and vnderstand my wordes, and I shall speake before thee: this is the beginning of the words of Esdras, before he was taken vp: and I said;

20   
O Lord, Thou that dwellest in euerlastingnes, which beholdest from aboue, things in the heauen, ∧ in the aire,

21   
Whose Throne is inestimable, whose glory may not be comprehended, before whom the hosts of Angels stand with trembling,

22   
(Whose seruice is conuersant in wind and fire,) whose word is true, and sayings constant, whose Commandement is strong, and ordinance fearefull,

23   
Whose looke drieth vp the depths, and indignation maketh the mountaines to melt away, which the trueth witnesseth:

24   
O heare the prayer of thy seruant, and giue eare to the petition of thy creature.

25   
For while I liue, I will speake, and so long as I haue vnderstanding, I wil answere.

26   
O looke not vpon the sinnes of thy people: but on them which serue thee in trueth.

27   
Regard not the wicked inuentions of the heathen: but the desire of those that keepe thy Testimonies in afflictions.

28   
Thinke not vpon those that haue walked fainedly before thee: but remember them, which according to thy will haue knowen thy feare.

29   
Let it not bee thy will to destroy them, which haue liued like beasts: but to looke vpon them that haue clearely taught thy Law.

30   
Take thou no indignation at them which are deemed worse then beasts: but loue them that alway put their trust in thy righteousnesse, and glory.

31   
For we and our fathers ^note doe languish of such diseases; but because of vs sinners, thou shalt be called mercifull.

32   
For if thou ^note hast a desire to haue mercy vpon vs, thou shalt bee called mercifull, to vs namely, that haue no workes of righteousnesse.

33   
For the iust which haue many good workes layed vp with thee, shall out of their owne deedes receiue reward.

34   
For what is man that thou shouldest take displeasure at him? or what is a corruptible generation, that thou shouldest be so bitter toward it?

35   
^noteFor in trueth there is no man among them that be borne, but he hath dealt wickedly, and among the faithfull, there is none which hath not done amisse.

36   
For in this, O Lord, thy righteousnesse, and thy goodnesse shalbe declared, if thou be mercifull vnto them which haue not the ^note confidence of good workes.

37   
Then answered he mee, and said, Some things hast thou spoken aright, and according vnto thy words it shalbe.

38   
For indeed I will not thinke on the disposition of them which haue sinned before death, before iudgement, before destruction.

39   
But ^note I will reioyce ouer the disposition of the righteous, and I wil remember also their pilgrimage, and the saluation, and the reward that they shall haue.

40   
Like as I haue spoken now, so shall it come to passe.

41   
For as the husbandmau soweth much seed vpon the ground, and planteth many trees, and yet the thing that is sowen good in his season, commeth not vp, neither doeth all that is planted take root: euen so is it of them that are sowen in the world, they shall not all be saued.

42   
I answered then, and said, If I haue found grace, let me speake.

43   
Like as the husbandmans seede perisheth, if it come not vp, and receiue not the raine in due season, or if there come too much raine and corrupt it:

44   
Euen so perisheth man also which is formed with thy hands, and is called thine owne image, because thou art like vnto him, for whose sake thou hast made all things, and likened him vnto the husbandmans seede.

45   
Be not wroth with vs, but spare thy people, and haue mercy vpon thine owne inheritance: for thou art mercifull vnto thy creature.

46   
Then answered he me, and said, Things present are for the present, and things to come, for such as be to come.

47   
For thou commest farre short, that thou shouldest be able to loue my creature more then I: but I haue oft times drawen nigh vnto thee, and vnto it, but neuer to the vnrighteous.

48   
In this also thou art marueilous before the most high;

49   
In that thou hast humbled thy selfe as it becommeth thee, and hast not iudged thy selfe worthy to be much glorified among the righteous.

50   
For many great miseries shall be done to them, that in the latter time shal dwell in the world, because they haue walked in great pride.

51   
But vnderstand thou for thy selfe, and seeke out the glory for such as be like thee.

52   
For vnto you is Paradise opened, the tree of life is planted, the time to come is prepared, plenteousnesse is made ready, a citie is builded, and rest is allowed, yea perfect goodnesse and wisedome.

53   
The root of euil is sealed vp from you, weakenesse and the moth is hidde from you, and corruption is fled into ^note hell to be forgotten.

54   
Sorrows are passed, ∧ in the end is shewed the treasure of immortalitie.

55   
And therefore aske thou no more questions concerning the multitude of them that perish.

56   
For when they had taken liberty, they despised the most High, thought scorne of his Lawe, and forsooke his wayes.

57   
Moreouer, they haue troden downe his righteous,

58   
And ^note said in their heart, that there is no God, yea and that knowing they must die.

59   
For as the things aforesaid shall receiue you, so thirst and paine are prepared for them; for it was not his will that men should come to nought.

60   
But they which be created, haue defiled the Name of him that made them, and were vnthankefull vnto him which prepared life for them.

61   
And therefore is my iudgement now at hand.

62   
These things haue I not shewed vnto all men, but vnto thee, and a fewe like thee. Then answered I, and said,

63   
Behold, O Lord, now hast thou shewed me the multitude of the wonders which thou wilt begin to doe in the last times: but at what time, thou hast not shewed me. 947 CHAP. IX. 7 Who shall be saued, and who not. 19 All the world is now corrupted: 22 Yet God doeth saue a few. 33 Hee complaineth that those perish which keepe Gods Law: 38 and seeth a woman lamenting in a field.

1   
Hee answered me then, and sayde, Measure thou the time diligently in it selfe: and when thou seest part of the signes past, which I haue tolde thee before,

2   
Then shalt thou vnderstand, that it is the very same time, wherein the highest will begin to visite the world which he made.

3   
Therefore when there shall bee seene ^note earthquakes and vprores of the people in the world:

4   
Then shalt thou wel vnderstand, that the most high spake of those things from the dayes that were before thee, euen from the beginning.

5   
For like as all that is made in the world hath a beginning, and an ende, and the end is manifest:

6   
Euen so the times also of the highest, haue plaine beginnings in wonders and powerfull workes, and endings in effects and signes.

7   
And euery one that shalbe saued, and shalbe able to escape by his works, and by faith, whereby ye haue beleeued,

8   
Shall be preserued from the sayd perils, and shall see my saluation, in my land, and within my borders: for I haue sanctified them for me, from the beginning.

9   
Then shall they ^note be in pitifull case which now haue abused my wayes: and they that haue cast them away desspitefully, shall dwell in torments.

10   
For such, as in their life haue receiued benefits, ∧ haue not knowen me:

11   
And they that haue loathed my law, while they had yet liberty, and when as yet place of repentance was open vnto them, vnderstood not, but despised it:

12   
The same must know it after death by paine.

13   
And therefore be thou not curious, how the vngodly shalbe punished and when: but enquire how the righteous shall be saued, whose the world is, and for whom the world is created.

14   
Then answered I, and said,

15   
I haue said before, and now doe speake, and will speake it also heereafter: that there be many moe of them which perish, then of them which shall be saued,

16   
Like as a waue is greater then a droppe.

17   
And he answered me, saying: like as the field is, so is also the seed: as the flowres be, such are the colours also: such as the workeman is, such also is the worke: and as the husbandman is himselfe, so is his husbandry also: for it was the time of the world.

18   
^noteAnd now when I prepared the world, which was not yet made, euen for them to dwell in that now liue, no man spake against me.

19   
For then euery one obeyed, ^note but now the maners of them which are created in this world that is made, are corrupted by a perpetuall seed, ∧ by a law which is vnsearchable, rid themselues.

20   
So I considered the world, and behold there was perill, because of the deuices that were come into it.

21   
And I saw and spared it greatly, and haue kept me a ^note grape of the cluster, and a plant of a great people.

22   
Let the multitude perish then, which was borne in vaine, and let my ^note grape be kept and my plant: for with great labour haue I made it perfect.

23   
Neuerthelesse if thou wilt cease yet seuen dayes moe (but thou shalt not fast in them.)

24   
But goe into a field of flowres, where no house is builded, and eate only the flowres of the field, Tast no flesh, drinke no wine, but eate flowres onely.

25   
And pray vnto the Highest continually, then wil I come and talke with thee.

26   
So I went my way into the field which is called Ardath, like as he commanded me, and there I sate amongst the flowres, and did eate of the herbes of the field, and the meate of the same satisfied me.

27   
After seuen dayes I sate vpon the grasse, and my heart was vexed within me, like as before.

28   
And I opened my mouth, and beganne to talke before the most High and said,

29   
O Lord, thou that shewest thy selfe vnto vs, thou wast ^note shewed vnto our fathers in the wildernesse, in a place where no man ^note treadeth, in a barren place when they came out of Egypt.

30   
And thou spakest, saying, Heare me, O Israel, and marke my words, thou seed of Iacob.

31   
For behold I sow my law in you, and it shall bring fruite in you, and yee shall be honoured in it for euer.

32   
But our fathers which receiued the law, kept it not, and obserued not thy ordinances, and though the fruite of thy law did not perish, neither could it, for it was thine:

33   
Yet they that receiued it, perished, because they kept not the thing that was sowen in them.

34   
And loe, it is a custome when the ground hath receiued seed, or the Sea a ship, or any vessel, meate or drinke, that, that being perished wherein it was sowen, or cast into,

35   
That thing also which was sowen or cast therein, or receiued, doth perish, and remaineth not with vs: but with vs it hath not happened so.

36   
For we that haue receiued the law perish by sinne, and our heart also which receiued it.

37   
Notwithstanding the law perisheth not, but remaineth in his force.

38   
And when I spake these things in my heart, I looked backe with mine eyes, ∧ vpon the right side I saw a woman, and behold, she mourned, ∧ wept with a loud voyce, and was much grieued in heart, and her clothes were rent, and she had ashes vpon her head.

39   
Then let I my thoughts goe that I was in, and turned me vnto her,

40   
And said vnto her, Wherefore weepest thou? why art thou so grieued in thy minde?

41   
And she said vnto me, Sir, let me alone, that I may bewaile my selfe, and adde vnto my sorow, for I am sore vexed in my minde, and brought very low.

42   
And I said vnto her, What aileth thee? Tell me.

43   
She said vnto me, I thy seruant haue bene barren, and had no childe, though I had an husband thirty yeres.

44   
And those thirtie yeeres I did nothing else day and night, and euery houre, but make my prayer to þe; highest.

45   
After thirtie yeeres, God heard me thine handmaid, looked vpon my misery, considered my trouble, and gaue me a sonne: and I was very glad of him, so was my husband also, and all my neighbours, and we gaue great honour vnto the Almightie.

46   
And I nourished him with great trauaile.

47   
So when he grew vp, and came to the time that he should haue a wife, I made a feast. 948 CHAP. X. 1 Hee comforteth the woman in the field. 17 She vanisheth away, and a citie appeareth in her place. 40 The Angel declareth these visions in the field.

1   
And it so came to passe, that when my sonne was entred into his wedding chamber, he fell downe and died.

2   
Then we all ouerthrew the lights, and all my ^note neighbours rose vp to comfort me, so I tooke my rest vnto the second day at night.

3   
And it came to passe when they had all left off to comfort me, to the end I might be quiet: then rose I vp by night and fled, and came hither into this field, as thou seest.

4   
And I doe now purpose not to returne into the citie, but here to stay, and neither to eate nor drinke, but continually to mourne, ∧ to fast vntil I die.

5   
Then left I the ^note meditations wherein I was, and spake to her in anger, saying,

6   
Thou foolish woman aboue all other, seest thou not our mourning, and what happeneth vnto vs?

7   
How that Sion our mother is full of all heauinesse, and much humbled, mourning very sore?

8   
And now seeing we all mourne, and are sad, for we are all in heauinesse, art thou grieued for one sonne?

9   
For aske the earth, and she shall tell thee, that it is she, which ought to mourne, for the fall of so many that grow vpon her.

10   
For out of her came all at the first, and out of her shal all others come: and behold they walke almost all into destruction, and a multitude of them is vtterly ^note rooted out.

11   
Who then should make more mourning, then she that hath lost so great a multitude, and not thou which art sory but for one?

12   
But if thou sayest vnto me, My lamentation is not like the earths, because I haue lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought foorth with paines, and bare with sorrowes.

13   
^noteBut the earth not so: for the multitude present in it, according to the course of the earth, is gone, as it came.

14   
Then say I vnto thee, Like as thou hast brought foorth with labour: euen so the earth also hath giuen her fruit, namely man, euer sithence the beginning, vnto him that made her.

15   
Now therefore keepe thy sorrow to thy selfe, and beare with a good courage that which hath befallen thee.

16   
For if thou shalt acknowledge the determination of God to be iust, thou shalt both receiue thy sonne in time, and shalt be commended amongst women.

17   
Goe thy way then into the citie, to thine husband.

18   
And she said vnto me, That will I not doe: I will not goe into the city, but here will I die.

19   
So I proceeded to speake further vnto her, and said,

20   
Doe not so, but bee counselled by me: for how many are the aduersities of Sion? Bee comforted in regard of the sorow of Ierusalem.

21   
For thou seest that our Sanctuary is laid waste, our Altar broken downe, our Temple destroyed.

22   
Our Psaltery is laid on þe; ground, our song is put to silence, our reioycing is at an end, the light of our candlesticke is put out, the Arke of our Couenant is spoiled, our holy things are defiled, and the Name that is called vpon vs, is almost prophaned: our children are put to shame, our priests are burnt, our Leuites are gone into captiuitie, our virgines are defiled, and our wiues rauished, our righteous men caried away,

our litle ones destroyed, our yong men are brought in bondage, and our strong men are become weake.

23   
And which is the greatest of all, the seale of Sion hath now lost her honour: for she is deliuered into the hands of them that hate vs.

24   
And therefore shake off thy great heauinesse, and put away the multitude of sorrowes, that the mighty may be mercifull vnto thee againe, and the highest shal giue thee rest, and ease from thy labour.

25   
And it came to passe while I was talking with her, behold her face vpon a sudden shined exceedingly, ∧ her countenance glistered, so that I was afraid of her, and mused what it might be.

26   
And behold suddenly, she made a great cry very fearful: so that the earth shooke at the noise of the woman.

27   
And I looked, and beholde, the woman appeared vnto me no more, but there was a city builded, and a large place shewed it selfe from the foundations: then was I afraid, and cried with a lowd voice, and said,

28   
Where is ^note Uriel the Angel, who came vnto mee at the first? for hee hath caused me to fall into many ^note traunces, and mine end is turned into corruption, and my prayer to rebuke.

29   
And as I was speaking these wordes, behold, he came vnto me, and looked vpon me.

30   
And loe, I lay as one that had bene dead, ∧ mine vnderstanding was taken from me, and he tooke me by the right hand, and comforted mee, and set me vpon my feet, and said vnto me,

31   
What aileth thee? and why art thou so disquieted, and why is thine vnderstanding troubled, ∧ the thoughts of thine heart?

32   
And I said, because thou hast forsaken me, and yet I did according to thy ^note words, and I went into the field, and loe I haue seene, and yet see, that I am not able to expresse.

33   
And hee said vnto me, Stand vp manfully, and I wil aduise thee.

34   
Then said I, Speake on, my lord in me, onely forsake me not, lest I die frustrate of my hope.

35   
For I haue seene, that I knew not, and heare that I do not know.

36   
Or, is my sense deceiued, or my soule in a dreame?

37   
Now therfore, I beseech thee, that thou wilt shew thy seruant of this ^note visi&obar;.

38   
He answered me then, ∧ said, Heare me, and I shall enforme thee, and tell thee wherefore thou art afraid: for the highest will reueile many secret things vnto thee.

39   
Hee hath seene that thy ^note way is right: for that thou sorrowest continually for thy people, and makest great lamentation for Sion.

40   
This therefore is the meaning of the vision which thou lately sawest.

41   
Thou sawest a woman mourning, and thou beganst to comfort her:

42   
But now seest thou the likenesse of the woman no more, but there appeared vnto thee a city builded.

43   
And whereas she told thee of the death of her sonne, this is the ^note solution.

44   
This woman whom thou sawest, is Sion: and whereas she said vnto thee (euen she whom thou seest as a city builded.)

45   
Whereas I say, she said vnto thee, that she hath bene thirty yeres barren: those are the thirty yeeres wherein there was no offering made in her.

46   
But after thirtie yeeres, Solomon builded the city, ∧ offered offrings: and then bare the barren a sonne.

47   
And whereas she told thee that shee nourished him with labour: that was the dwelling in Hierusalem.

48   
But whereas she said vnto thee, That my sonne comming into his marriage chamber, happened to haue a fall, and died, this was the destruction that came to Hierusalem.

49   
And behold, thou sawest her likenesse, and because she mourned for her sonne, thou beganst to comfort her, and of these things which haue chaunced, these are to be opened vnto thee.

50   
For now the most High seeth, that thou art grieued vnfainedly, ∧ sufferest from thy whole heart for her, so hath he shewed thee the brightnes of her glory, and the comelinesse of her beautie.

51   
And therfore I bad thee remaine in þe; field, where no house was builded.

52   
For I knew that the Highest would shew this vnto thee.

53   
Therefore I commanded thee to goe into the field, where no foundation of any building was.

54   
For in the place wherein the Highest beginneth to shew his city, ther can no mans building be able to stand.

55   
And therfore feare not, let not thy

heart be afrighted, but goe thy way in, and see the beautie and greatnesse of the building, as much as thine eyes be able to see:

56   
And then shalt thou heare as much as thine eares may comprehend.

57   
For thou art blessed aboue many other, and art ^note called with the highest, and so are but few.

58   
But to morrow at night thou shalt remaine here.

59   
And so shall the highest shew thee visions of the ^note high things, which the most high will do vnto them, that dwel vpon earth in the last dayes. So I slept that night and another, like as he commanded me. 949 CHAP. XI. 1 Hee seeth in his dreame an Eagle comming out of the Sea: 37 And a Lion out of a wood talking to the Eagle.

1   
Then saw I a dreame, and beholde, there came vp from the Sea an Eagle, which had twelue feathered wings, ∧ three heads.

2   
And I saw, and behold, she spred her wings ouer all the earth, and all the windes of the ayre blewe on her, and were gathered together.

3   
And I beheld, and out of her feathers there grewe other contrary feathers, and they became little feathers, and small.

4   
But her heads were at rest: the head in the middest was greater then the other, yet rested ^note it with the residue.

5   
Moreouer I beheld, and loe, the Eagle flew with her feathers, and reigned vpon earth, and ouer them that dwelt therein.

6   
And I saw that all things vnder heauen were subiect vnto her, and no man spake against her, no not one creature vpon earth.

7   
And I beheld, and loe, the Eagle rose vpon her talents, and spake to her feathers, saying,

8   
Watch not all at once, sleepe euery one in his own place, ∧ watch by course.

9   
But let the heads be preserued for the last.

10   
And I beheld, and loe, the voice went not out of her heads, but from the middest of her body.

11   
And I numbred her contrary feathers, and behold, there were eight of them.

12   
And I looked, and behold, on the right side there arose one feather, and reigned ouer all the earth.

13   
And so it was, that when it reigned, the ende of it came, and the place thereof appeared no more: so the next following stood vp and reigned, and had a great time.

14   
And it happened, that when it reigned, the end of it came also, like as the first, so that it appeared no more.

15   
Then came there a voice vnto it, and sayd,

16   
Heare, thou that hast borne rule ouer the earth so long: this I say vnto thee, before thou beginnest to appeare no more.

17   
There shall none after thee attaine vnto thy time, neither vnto the halfe thereof.

18   
Then arose the third, and reigned as the other before: and appeared no more also.

19   
So went it with all the residue one after another, as that euery one reigned, and then appeared no more.

20   
Then I beheld, ∧ loe, in processe of time, the feathers that folowed, stood vp vpon the right side, that they might rule also, and some of them ruled, but within a while they appeared no more:

21   
For some of them were set vp, but ruled not.

22   
After this I looked, and behold, the twelue feathers appeared no more, nor the two little feathers:

23   
And there was no more vpon the Eagles body, but three heads that rested, and sixe little wings.

24   
Then saw I also that two little feathers diuided themselues from the sixe, and remained vnder the head, that was vpon the right side: for the foure continued in their place.

25   
And I beheld, ∧ loe, the feathers that were vnder the wing, thought to set vp themselues, and to haue the rule.

26   
And I beheld, ∧ loe, there was one set vp, but shortly it appeared no more.

27   
And the second was sooner away then the first.

28   
And I beheld, and loe, the two that remained, thought also in themselues to reigne.

29   
And when they so thought, behold, there awaked one of the heads that were at rest, namely it that was in the middest, for that was greater then the two other heads.

30   
And then I saw, that the two other heads were ioyned with it.

31   
And behold, the head was turned with them that were with it, and did eate vp the two feathers vnder the wing that would haue reigned.

32   
But this head put the whole earth in feare, and bare rule in it ouer all those that dwelt vpon the earth, with much oppression, and it had the gouernance of the world more then all the wings that had beene.

33   
And after this I beheld, and loe the head that was in the midst, suddenly appeared no more, like as the wings.

34   
But there remained the two heads, which also in like sort ruled vpon the earth, and ouer those that dwelt therein.

35   
And I beheld, and loe, the head vpon the right side, deuoured it, that was vpon the left side.

36   
Then I heard a voyce, which said vnto me, Looke before thee, and consider the thing that thou seest.

37   
And I beheld, and loe, as it were a roaring Lyon, chased out of the wood: and I saw that hee sent out a mans voyce vnto the Eagle, and said,

38   
Heare thou, I will talke with thee, and the highest shall say vnto thee,

39   
Art not thou it that remainest of the foure beasts, whom I made to raigne in my world, that the end of their times might come through them?

40   
And the fourth came and ouercame all the beasts that were past, and had power ouer the world with great fearefulnesse, and ouer the whole compasse of the earth with much wicked oppression, and so long time dwelt he vpon the earth with deceit.

41   
For the earth hast thou not iudged with trueth.

42   
For thou hast afflicted the meeke, thou hast hurt the peaceable, thou hast loued lyers, and destroyed the dwellings of them that brought forth fruite, and hast cast downe the walles of such, as did thee no harme.

43   
Therefore is thy wrongfull dealing come vp vnto the Highest, and thy pride vnto the Mighty.

44   
The Highest also hath looked vpon the proud times, and behold, they are ended, and his abominations are fulfilled.

45   
And therefore appeare no more thou Eagle, nor thy horrible wings, nor thy wicked feathers, nor thy malitious heads, nor thy hurtfull clawes, nor all thy vaine body:

46   
That all the earth may be refreshed, and may returne, being deliuered from thy violence, and that she may hope for the iudgement, and mercy of him that made her. 950 CHAP. XII. 3 The Eagle which hee saw, is destroyed. 10 The vision is interpreted. 37 He is bid to write his visions, 39 and to fast, that he may see more. 46 He doth comfort those, that were grieued for his absence.

1   
And it came to passe whiles the Lyon spake these words vnto the Eagle, I saw:

2   
And behold, the head that remained, and the foure wings appeared no more, and the two went vnto it, and set themselues vp to raigne, and their kingdome was small and full of vprore.

3   
And I saw, and behold, they appeared no more, and the whole body of the Eagle was burnt, so that the earth was in great feare: then awaked I out of the trouble and traunce of my minde, and from great feare, and said vnto my spirit,

4   
Loe, this hast thou done vnto me, in that thou searchest out the wayes of the Highest.

5   
Loe, yet am I weary in my mind, and very weake in my spirit: and litle strength is there in me; for the great feare, wherewith I was affrighted this night.

6   
Therefore wil I now beseech the Highest, that hee will comfort me vnto the end.

7   
And I said, Lord, that bearest rule, If I haue found grace before thy sight, and if I am iustified with thee, before many others, and if my prayer indeed be come vp before thy face,

8   
Comfort me then, and shew me thy seruant the interpretation, and plaine difference of this fearefull vision, that thou maist perfectly comfort my soule.

9   
For thou hast iudged me worthy, to shew me the last times.

10   
And he said vnto me, This is the interpretation of the vision.

11   
The Eagle whom thou sawest come vp from the sea, is the kingdome

which was seene, in the ^note vision of thy brother Daniel.

12   
But it was not expounded vnto him, therefore now I declare it vnto thee.

13   
Behold, the dayes will come, that there shall rise vp a kingdome vpon earth, and it shall be feared aboue all the kingdomes that were before it.

14   
In the same shall twelue kings reigne, one after another.

15   
Whereof the second shall begin to reigne, and shall haue more time then any of the twelue.

16   
And this doe the twelue wings signifie which thou sawest.

17   
As for the voice which thou heardest speake, and that thou sawest not to goe out from the heads, but from the mids of the body thereof, this is the interpretation:

18   
That after the time of that kingdome, there shall arise great striuings, and it shall stand in perill of falling: neuerthelesse it shall not then fall, but shal be restored againe to his beginning.

19   
And whereas thou sawest the eight small vnder feathers sticking to her wings, this is the interpretation:

20   
That in him there shal arise eight kings, whose time shall bee but small, and their yeeres swift.

21   
And two of them shall perish: the middle time approching, foure shall bee kept vntill their end begin to approch: but two shall be kept vnto the end.

22   
And whereas thou sawest three heads resting, this is the interpretation

23   
In his last dayes shall the most High raise vp three kingdomes, and renew many things therein, and they shal haue the dominion of the earth,

24   
And of those that dwell therein with much oppression, aboue all those that were before them: therefore are they called the heads of the Eagle.

25   
For these are they that shal accomplish his wickednesse, and that shall finish his last end.

26   
And whereas thou sawest that the great head appeared no more, it signifieth that one of them shall die vpon his bed, and yet with paine.

27   
For the two that remaine, shall be slaine with the sword.

28   
For the sword of the one shall deuoure the other: but at the last shall he fall through the sword himselfe.

29   
And whereas thou sawest two feathers vnder the wings passing ouer the head, that is on the right side:

30   
It signifieth that these are they whom the Highest hath kept vnto their end: this is the small kingdom and full of trouble, as thou sawest.

31   
And the Lyon whom thou sawest rising vp out of the wood, and roaring, and speaking to the Eagle, and rebuking her for her vnrighteousnesse, with all the words which thou hast heard,

32   
This is the Anointed which the Highest hath kept for them, and for their wickednesse vnto the end: he shall reprooue them, and shall vpbraid them with their crueltie.

33   
For hee shall set them before him aliue in iudgement, and shall rebuke them and correct them.

34   
For the rest of my people shall he deliuer with mercie, those that haue bin preserued vpon my borders, and he shal make them ioyfull vntill the comming of the day of iudgement, whereof I haue spoken vnto thee from the beginning.

35   
This is the dreame that thou sawest, and these are the interpretations.

36   
Thou onely hast bene meete to know this secret of the Highest.

37   
Therefore write all these things that thou hast seene, in a booke, and hide them.

38   
And teach them to the wise of the people, whose hearts thou knowest may comprehend, ∧ keepe these seerets.

39   
But wait thou here thy selfe yet seuen dayes moe, that it may be shewed thee whatsoeuer it pleaseth the Highest to declare vnto thee: And with that he went his way.

40   
And it came to passe when all the people saw that the seuen dayes were past, and I not come againe into the citie, they gathered them all together, from the least vnto the greatest, and came vnto me, and said,

41   
What haue we offended thee? and what euill haue we done against thee, that thou forsakest vs, and sittest here in this place?

42   
For of all the ^note prophets thou only art left vs, as a cluster of the vintage, and as a candle in a darke place, and as a hauen or ship preserued from the tempest:

43   
Are not the euils which are come to vs, sufficient?

44   
If thou shalt forsake vs, how

much better had it bene for vs, if we also had bene burnt in the midst of Sion.

45   
For we are not better then they that died there. And they wept with a loud voice: then answered I them, and said,

46   
Be of good comfort, O Israel, and be not heauy thou house of Iacob.

47   
For the Highest hath you in remembrance, and the mighty hath not forgotten you in temptation.

48   
As for mee, I haue not forsaken you, neither am I departed from you: but am come into this place, to pray for the desolation of Sion, and that I might seeke mercy for the low estate of your Sanctuary.

49   
And now goe your way home euery man, and after these dayes will I come vnto you.

50   
So the people went their way into the city, like as I commanded them:

51   
But I remained still in the field seuen dayes, as the Angel commanded me, and did eate onely in those dayes, of the flowers of the fielde, and had my meat of the herbes. 951 CHAP. XIII. 1 Hee seeth in his dreame a man comming out of the sea. 25 The declaration of his dreame. 54 He is praised, and promised to see more.

1   
And it came to passe after seuen dayes, I dreamed a dreame by night.

2   
And ^note loe, there arose a winde from the sea that it mooued all the waues thereof.

3   
And I beheld, and loe, that man waxed strong with the ^note thousands of heauen: and when he turned his countenance to looke, all the things trembled that were seene vnder him.

4   
And whensoeuer the voyce went out of his mouth, all they burnt, that heard his voyce, like as the earth faileth when it feeleth the fire.

5   
And after this I beheld, and loe, there was gathered together a multitude of men out of number, from the foure windes of the heauen, to subdue the man that came out of the sea.

6   
But I beheld, and loe, hee had graued himselfe a great mountaine, and flew vp vpon it.

7   
But I would haue seene the region, or place, whereout the hill was grauen, and I could not.

8   
And after this I beheld, and loe, all they which were gathered together to subdue him, were sore afraid, and yet durst fight.

9   
And loe, as hee saw the violence of the multitude that came, hee neither lift vp his hand, nor held sword, nor any instrument of warre.

10   
But onely I saw that he sent out of his mouth, as it had bene a blast of fire, and out of his lippes a flaming breath, and out of his tongue he cast out sparkes and tempests,

11   
And they were all mixt together; the blast of fire, the flaming breath, and the great tempest, and fel with violence vpon the multitude, which was prepared to fight, and burnt them vp euery one, so that vpon a sudden, of an innumerable multitude, nothing was to be perceiued, but onely dust and smell of smoke: wh&ebar; I saw this, I was afraid.

12   
Afterward saw I the same man come downe from the mountaine, and call vnto him an other peaceable multitude.

13   
And there came much people vnto him, whereof some were glad, some were sory, some of them were bound, and other some brought of ^note them that were offred: then was I sicke through great feare, and I awaked and said,

14   
Thou hast shewed thy seruant wonders from the beginning, and hast counted me worthy that thou shouldest receiue my prayer:

15   
Shew mee now yet the interpretation of this dreame.

16   
For as I conceiue in mine vnderstanding, woe vnto them that shall be left in those dayes; and much more woe vnto them that are not left behinde.

17   
For they that were not left, were in heauinesse.

18   
Now vnderstand I the things that are layde vp in the latter dayes, which shall happen vnto them, and to those that are left behinde.

19   
Therefore are they come into great perils, and many necessities, like as these dreames declare.

20   
Yet is it easier for him that is in danger, to come into ^note these things, then to passe away as a cloud out of the world, and not to see the things that happen in the last dayes. And he answered vnto me, and said,

21   
The interpretation of the vision shal I shew thee, and I wil open vnto thee, the thing that thou hast required.

22   
Wheras thou hast spoken of them that are left behinde, this is the interpretation.

23   
He that shall endure the perill in that time, hath kept himselfe: they that be fallen into danger, are such as haue workes, and faith towards the Almightie.

24   
Know this therefore, that they which be left behinde, are more blessed then they that be dead.

25   
This is the meaning of the vision: Whereas thou sawest a man comming vp from the middest of the Sea:

26   
The same is hee whom God the highest hath kept a great season, which by his owne selfe shall deliuer his creature: and hee shall order them that are left behinde.

27   
And whereas thou sawest, that out of his mouth there came as a blast of winde, and fire, and storme:

28   
And that he helde neither sword, nor any instrument of warre, but that the rushing in of him destroyed the whole multitude that came to subdue him, this is the interpretation.

29   
Behold, the dayes come, when the most high wil begin to deliuer them that are vpon the earth.

30   
And he shall come to the astonishment of them that dwell on the earth.

31   
And one shall vndertake to fight against another, one city against another, one place against another, ^note one people against another, and one realme against another.

32   
And the time shalbe, when these things shall come to passe, and the signes shall happen which I shewed thee before, and then shall my sonne be declared, whom thou sawest as a man ascending.

33   
And when all the people heare his voice, euery man shall in their owne land, leaue the battaile they haue one against another.

34   
And an innumerable multitude shalbe gathered together, as thou sawest them willing to come, and to ouercome him by fighting.

35   
But hee shall stand vpon the top of the mount Sion.

36   
And Sion shall come and shall be shewed to all men, being prepared and builded, like as thou sawest the hill grauen without hands.

37   
And this my sonne shall rebuke the wicked inuentions of those nations, which for their wicked life are fallen into the tempest,

38   
And shall lay before them their euill thoughts, and the torments wherwith they shall begin to be tormented, which are like vnto a flame: and hee shall destroy them without labour, by the law which is like vnto fire.

39   
And whereas thou sawest that hee gathered another peaceable multitude vnto him;

40   
Those are the ten tribes, which were caried away prisoners out of their owne land, in the time of Osea the king, whom ^note Salmanasar the king of Assyria ledde away captiue, and hee caried them ouer the waters, and so came they into another land.

41   
But they tooke this counsaile amongst themselues, that they would leaue the multitude of the heathen, and goe foorth into a further countrey, where neuer mankind dwelt,

42   
That they might there keepe their statutes, which they neuer kept in their owne land.

43   
And they entred into Euphrates by the narrow passages of the Riuer.

44   
For the most high then shewed ^note signes for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed ouer.

45   
For through that countrey there was a great way to goe; namely, of a yeere and a halfe: and the same region is called ^note Arsareth.

46   
Then dwelt they there vntill the latter time; and now when they shall begin to come,

47   
The highest shall stay the springs of the streame againe, that they may go through: therefore sawest thou the multitude with peace.

48   
But those that be left behinde of thy people, are they that are found within my borders.

49   
Now when hee destroyeth the multitude of the nations that are gathered together, he shal defend his people that remaine.

50   
And then shall hee shewe them great wonders.

51   
Then said I, O Lord, that bearest rule, shew me this: Wherefore haue I seene the man comming vp from the midst of the Sea?

52   
And he said vnto me, Like as thou canst neither seeke out, nor know the things that are in the deepe of the sea: euen so can no man vpon earth see my

sonne, or those that be with him, but in the day time.

53   
This is the interpretation of the dreame which thou sawest, and whereby thou onely art here lightened.

54   
For thou hast forsaken thine owne way, and applied thy diligence vnto my law, and sought it.

55   
Thy life hast thou ordered in wisdome, and hast called vnderstanding thy mother.

56   
And therefore haue I shewed thee the treasures of the Highest: After other three dayes, I will speake other things vnto thee, and declare vnto thee mightie and wonderous things.

57   
Then went I forth into the field giuing praise and thanks greatly vnto the most High, because of his wonders which he did in time,

58   
And because hee gouerneth the same, and such things as fall in their seasons, and there I sate three dayes. 952 CHAP. XIIII. A voice out of a bush calleth Esdras, 10 and telleth him that the world waxeth old. 22 He desireth, because the Law was burnt, to write all againe, 24 and is bid to get swift writers. 39 Hee and they are filled with vnderstanding: 45 but hee is charged not to publish all that is written.

1   
And it came to passe, vpon the third day I sate vnder an oke, and behold, there came a voyce out of a bush ouer against me, and said, Esdras, Esdras.

2   
And I said, Here am I Lord, and I stood vp vpon my feet.

3   
Then said he vnto me, ^note In the bush I did manifestly reueale my selfe vnto Moses, and talked with him, when my people serued in Egypt.

4   
And I sent him, and led my people out of Egypt, and brought him vp to the mount of Sinai, where I held him by me, a long season,

5   
And told him many wonderous things, and shewed him the secrets of the times, and the end, and commanded him, saying,

6   
These wordes shalt thou declare, and these shalt thou hide.

7   
And now I say vnto thee,

8   
That thou lay vp in thy heart the signes that I haue shewed, and the dreames that thou hast seene, and the interpretations which thou hast heard:

9   
For thou shalt be taken away from all, and from henceforth thou shalt remaine with my sonne, and with such as be like thee, vntill the times be ended.

10   
For the world hath lost his youth, and the times begin to waxe old.

11   
For the world is diuided into twelue parts, and the ten parts of it are gone already, and halfe of a tenth part.

12   
And there remaineth that which is after the halfe of the tenth part.

13   
Now therefore set thine house in order, and reproue thy people, comfort such of them as be in trouble, and now renounce corruption.

14   
Let go fr&obar; thee mortall thoughts, cast away the burdens of man, put off now the weake nature,

15   
And set aside the thoughts that are most heauy vnto thee, and haste thee to flie from these times.

16   
For ^note yet greater euils then those which thou hast seene happen, shall bee done hereafter.

17   
For looke how much the world shall be weaker through age: so much the more shall euils increase vpon them that dwell therein.

18   
For the trueth is fled farre away, and leasing is hard at hand: For now hasteth the vision to come, which thou hast seene.

19   
Then answered I before thee, and said,

20   
Behold, Lord, I will go as thou hast commanded me, and reprooue the people which are present, but they that shall be borne afterward, who shall admonish them? thus the world is set in darkenes, and they that dwell therein, are without light.

21   
For thy law is burnt, therefore no man knoweth the things that are done of thee, or the works that shal begin.

22   
But if I haue found grace before thee, send the holy Ghost into me, and I shall write all that hath bene done in the world, since the beginning, which were written in thy Lawe, that men may find thy path, and that they which will liue in the latter dayes, may liue.

23   
And he answered me, saying, Goe thy way, gather the people together, and say vnto them, that they seeke thee not for fourtie dayes.

24   
But looke thou prepare thee many ^note boxe trees, and take with thee Sarea, Dabria, Selemia, ^note Eranus and

Asiel, these fiue which are ready to write swiftly.

25   
And come hither, and I shall light a candle of vnderstanding in thine heart, which shall not be put out, till the things be performed which thou shalt beginne to write.

26   
And when thou hast done, some things shalt thou publish, and some things shalt thou shew secretly to the wise: to morrowe this houre shalt thou beginne to write.

27   
Then went I foorth as he commanded, and gathered all the people together, and said,

28   
Heare these words, O Israel.

29   
^noteOur fathers at the beginning were strangers in Egypt, from whence they were deliuered:

30   
^noteAnd receiued the law of life which they kept not, which ye also haue transgressed after them.

31   
Then was the land, euen the land of Sion, parted among you by lot, but your fathers, and yee your selues haue done vnrighteousnesse, and haue not kept the wayes which the Highest commanded you.

32   
And for as much as he is a righteous iudge, hee tooke from you in time, the thing that he had giuen you.

33   
And now are you heere, and your brethren amongst you.

34   
Therefore if so be that you will subdue your owne vnderstanding, and reforme your hearts, yee shall be kept aliue, and after death yee shall obtaine mercy.

35   
For after death, shall the iudgement come, when we shall liue againe: and then shall the names of the righteous be manifest, and the workes of the vngodly shall be declared.

36   
Let no man therefore come vnto me now, nor seeke after me these fourty dayes.

37   
So I tooke the fiue men as hee commanded me, and we went into the field, and remained there.

38   
And the next day behold a voyce called mee saying, Esdras, ^note open thy mouth and drinke that I giue thee to drinke.

39   
Then opened I my mouth, and behold, he reached me a full cup, which was full as it were with water, but the colour of it was like fire.

40   
And I tooke it, and dranke: and when I had drunke of it, my heart vttered vnderstanding: and wisedome grew in my brest, for my spirit strengthened my memory.

41   
And my mouth was opened and shut no more.

42   
The highest gaue vnderstanding vnto the fiue men, and they wrote the wonderfull visions of the night, that were told, which they knew not: And they sate fourty dayes, and they wrote in the day, and at night they ate bread.

43   
As for me I spake in the day, and held not my tongue by night:

44   
In fourty dayes they wrote ^note two hundred and foure bookes.

45   
And it came to passe when the fourty dayes were fulfilled, that the Highest spake, saying, The first that thou hast written, publish openly, that the worthy and vnworthy may read it.

46   
But keepe the seuenty last, that thou mayest deliuer them onely to such as be wise, among the people.

47   
For in them is the spring of vnderstanding, the fountains of wisedome, and the ^note streame of knowledge.

48   
And I did so. 953 CHAP. XV. 1 This prophecie is certaine. 5 God will take vengeance vpon the wicked, 12 Vpon Egypt, 28 An horrible vision. 43 Babylon and Asia are threatned.

1   
Behold, speake thou in the eares of my people the words of prophesie, which I will put in thy mouth, saith the Lord.

2   
And cause them to be written in paper: for they are faithfull and true.

3   
Feare not the imaginations against thee, let not the incredulity of them trouble thee, that speake against thee.

4   
For all the vnfaithfull shall die in their vnfaithfulnesse.

5   
Behold, saith the Lord, I will bring plagues vpon the world; the sword, famine, death, and destruction.

6   
For wickednesse hath exceedingly polluted the whole earth, and their hurtfull workes are fulfilled.

7   
Therefore saith the Lord,

8   
I will hold my tongue no more as touching their wickednesse, which they prophanely commit, neither wil I suffer them in those things, in which they wickedly exercise themselues: behold, the ^note innocent ∧ righteous blood

cryeth vnto me, and the soules of the iust complaine continually.

9   
And therefore saith the Lord, I wil surely auenge them, and receiue vnto me, all the innocent blood from among them.

10   
Beholde, my people is ledde as a flocke to the slaughter: I wil not suffer them now to dwel in the land of Egypt.

11   
But I will bring them with a mighty hand, and a stretched out arme, and smite Egypt with plagues as before, and wil destroy al the land thereof.

12   
Egypt shal mourne, and the foundation of it shall bee smitten with the plague and punishment, that God shall bring vpon it.

13   
They that till the ground shall mourne: for their seedes shall faile, through the blasting, and haile, and with a fearefull constellation.

14   
Woe to the world, and them that dwell therein.

15   
For the sword and their destruction draweth nigh, and one people shall stand vp to fight against another, and swords in their hands.

16   
For there shalbe sedition among men, and inuading one another, they shal not regard their kings, nor princes, and the course of their actions shall stand in their power.

17   
A man shall desire to goe into a citie, and shall not be able.

18   
For because of their pride, the cities shalbe troubled, the houses shalbe destroyed, and men shalbe afraid.

19   
A man shall haue no pitie vpon his neighbour, but shall destroy their houses with the sword, and spoile their goods, because of the lacke of bread, and for great tribulation.

20   
Behold, saith God, I will call together all the Kings of the earth to reuerence me, which are from the rising of the Sunne, from the South, from the East, and Libanus: to turne themselues one against another, and repay the things that they haue done to them.

21   
Like as they doe yet this day vnto my chosen, so will I doe also and recompense in their bosome, Thus saith the Lord God;

22   
My right hand shall not spare the sinners, and my sword shal not cease ouer them, that shed innocent blood vpon earth.

23   
The fire is gone foorth from his wrath, and hath consumed the foundations of the earth, and the sinners like the straw that is kindled.

24   
Wo to them that sinne and keepe not my c&obar;mandements, saith the Lord.

25   
I will not spare them: goe your way ye children from the power, defile not my Sanctuary:

26   
For the Lord knoweth all them that sinne against him, and therefore deliuereth he them vnto death and destruction.

27   
For now are the plagues come vpon the whole earth, and ye shall remaine in them, for God shal not deliuer you, because ye haue sinned against him.

28   
Behold an horrible vision, and the appearance thereof from the East.

29   
Where the nations of the dragons of Arabia shall come out with many charets, and the multitude of them shalbe caried as the winde vpon earth, that all they which heare them, may feare and tremble.

30   
Also the Carmanians raging in wrath, shall go forth as the wilde bores of the wood, and with great power shall they come, and ioyne battell with them, and shall waste a portion of the land of the Assyrians.

31   
And then shall the dragons haue the vpper hand, remembring their nature, and if they shall turne themselues, conspiring together in great power to persecute them,

32   
Then these shalbe troubled, and keepe silence through their power, and shall flee.

33   
And from the land of the Assyrians, shall the enemy besiege them, and consume some of them, and in their host shall be feare, and dread and strife ^note among their kings.

34   
Behold clouds from the East, and from the North, vnto the South, and they are very horrible to looke vpon; full of wrath and storme.

35   
They shall smite one vpon another, ∧ they shall smite downe a great multitude of starres vpon the earth, euen their owne starre; and blood shalbe from the sword vnto the belly.

36   
And doung of men vnto the camels ^note hough.

37   
And there shalbe great fearefulnesse and trembling vpon earth: and they that see the wrath, shall be afraid, and trembling shall come vpon them.

38   
And then shall there come great stormes, from the South, and from the

North, ∧ another part from the West.

39   
And strong winds shal arise from the East, and shall open it, and the cloud which hee raised vp in wrath, and the starre stirred to cause feare toward the East and West winde, shalbe destroyed.

40   
The great and mightie cloudes shall be lifted vp full of wrath, and the starre, that they may make all the earth afraid, and them that dwel therein, and they shall powre out ouer euery high and eminent place, an horrible starre.

41   
Fire and haile, and fleeing swords, and many waters, that all fields may be full, and all riuers with the abundance of great waters.

42   
And they shal breake downe the cities, and walls, mountaines and hils, trees of the wood, and grasse of the medowes, and their corne.

43   
And they shal goe stedfastly vnto Babylon, and ^note make her afraid.

44   
They shall come to her, and besiege her, the starre and all wrath shall they powre out vpon her, then shall the dust and smoke goe vp vnto the heauen: and all they that be about her, shall bewaile her.

45   
And they that remaine vnder her, shall doe seruice vnto them that haue put her in feare.

46   
And thou Asia that art ^note partaker of the hope of Babylon, and art the glory of her person:

47   
Woe be vnto thee thou wretch, because thou hast made thy selfe like vnto her, and hast deckt thy daughters in whoredome, that they might please and glory in thy louers, which haue alway desired to commit whordome with thee.

48   
Thou hast followed her, that is hated in all her works and inuentions: therefore sayth God,

49   
I will send plagues vpon thee: widowhood, pouertie, famine, sword, and pestilence, to waste thy houses with destruction and death.

50   
And the glory of the power shall be dried vp as floure, when the heate shall arise that is sent ouer thee.

51   
Thou shalt bee weakened as a poore woman with stripes, and as one chastised with woundes, so that the mightie and louers shall not be able to receiue thee.

52   
Would I with iealousie haue so proceeded against thee, saith the Lord,

53   
If thou haddest not alway slaine my chosen, exalting the stroke of thine hands, ∧ saying ouer their ^note dead, when thou wast drunken,

54   
Set foorth the beauty of thy countenance.

55   
The reward of thy whoredome shall be in thy bosome, therefore shalt thou receiue recompense.

56   
Like as thou hast done vnto my chosen, sayth the Lord; euen so shall God doe vnto thee, and shall deliuer thee into mischiefe.

57   
Thy children shall die of hunger, and thou shalt fall through the sword: thy cities shalbe broken downe, and all thine shall perish with the sword in the field.

58   
They that be in the mountaines shall die of hunger, and eate their owne flesh, and drinke their owne blood, for very hunger of bread, ∧ thirst of water.

59   
Thou, as vnhappy, shalt come through the Sea, and receiue plagues againe.

60   
And in the passage, they shall rush on the idle citie, and shall destroy some portion of thy land, and consume part of thy glory, and shall returne to Babylon that was destroyed.

61   
And thou shalt be cast downe by them, as stubble, and they shall be vnto thee as fire,

62   
And shall consume thee and thy cities, thy land and thy mountaines, all thy woods and thy fruitfull trees shall they burne vp with fire.

63   
Thy children shall they cary away captiue, and looke what thou hast, they shall spoile it, and ^note marre the beauty of thy face. 954 CHAP. XVI. 1 Babylon and other places are threatned with plagues that cannot be auoided: 23 and with desolation. 40 The seruants of the Lorde must looke for troubles: 51 and not hide their sinnes, 74 but leaue them, and they shall be deliuered.

1   
Woe be vnto thee, Babylon and Asia, woe be vnto thee Egypt and Syria.

2   
Gird vp your selues with clothes of sacke and haire, bewaile your children, and be sory, for your destruction is at hand.

3   
A sword is sent vpon you, and who may turne it backe?

4   
A fire is sent among you, and who may quench it?

5   
Plagues are sent vnto you, and

what is he that may driue them away?

6   
May any man driue away a hungry Lion in the wood? or may any one quench the fire in stubble, when it hath begun to burne?

7   
May one turne againe the arrow that is shot of a strong archer?

8   
The mightie Lord sendeth the plagues, and who is hee that can driue them away?

9   
A fire shall goe foorth from his wrath: ∧ who is he that may quench it?

10   
He shall cast lightnings, and who shall not feare? he shall thunder, and who shall not be afraid?

11   
The Lord shall threaten, and who shall not be vtterly beaten to powder at his presence?

12   
The earth quaketh and the foundations thereof, the sea ariseth vp with waues from the deepe, and the waues of it are troubled, and the fishes thereof also before the Lord, and before the glorie of his power.

13   
For strong is his right hand that bendeth the bow, his arrowes that hee shooteth are sharpe, and shall not misse when they begin to bee shot into the ends of the world.

14   
Behold, the plagues are sent, and shall not returne againe, vntill they come vpon the earth.

15   
The fire is kindled, and shall not be put out, till it consume the foundation of the earth.

16   
Like as an arrow which is shot of a mightie archer returneth not backward: euen so the plagues that shall be sent vpon earth, shall not returne againe.

17   
Woe is me, woe is me, who will deliuer me in those dayes?

18   
The beginning of sorrowes, and great mournings, the beginning of famine, and great death: the beginning of warres, and the powers shall stand in feare, the beginning of euils, what shall I doe when these euils shal come?

19   
Behold, famine, and plague, tribulation and anguish, are sent as scourges for amendment.

20   
But for all these things they shall not turne from their wickednes, nor be alway mindfull of the scourges.

21   
Behold, victuals shall be so good cheape vpon earth, that they shal think themselues to be in good case, and euen then shall ^note euils growe vpon earth, sword, famine, and great confusion.

22   
For many of them that dwell vpon earth, shall perish of famine, and the other that escape the hunger, shall the sword destroy.

23   
And the dead shall be cast out as doung, and there shalbe no man to comfort them, for the earth shall be wasted, and the cities shall be cast downe.

24   
There shall be no man left to till the earth, and to sow it.

25   
The trees shall giue fruite, and who shall gather them?

26   
The grapes shall ripe, and who shall treade them? for all places shall be desolate of men.

27   
So that one man shall desire to see another, and to heare his voyce.

28   
For of a citie there shalbe ten left, and two of the field which shall hide themselues in the thicke groues, and in the clefts of rockes.

29   
As in an orchard of oliues, vpon euery tree there are left three or foure oliues:

30   
Or, when as a vineyard is gathered, there are left some clusters of them that diligently seek through þe; vineyard:

31   
Euen so in those dayes there shalbe three or foure left by them that search their houses with the sword.

32   
And the earth shall be laid waste, and the fields therof shal waxe old, and her wayes and all her paths shall grow full of thornes, because no man shal trauaile therethrough.

33   
The virgins shall mourne hauing no bridegromes, þe; women shal mourne hauing no husbands, their daughters shall mourne hauing no helpers.

34   
In the warres shall their bridegromes bee destroyed, and their husbands shall perish of famine.

35   
Heare now these things, and vnderstand them, ye seruants of the Lord.

36   
Behold the word of the Lord, receiue it, beleeue not the gods of whom the Lord spake.

37   
Behold, the plagues draw nigh, and are not slacke.

38   
As when a woman with childe in the ninth month bringeth forth her son, within two or three houres of her birth great paines compasse her wombe, which paines, when the child commeth forth, they slacke not a moment,

39   
Euen so shall not the plagues bee slacke to come vpon the earth, and the world shall mourne, and sorrowes shal come vpon it on euery side.

40   
O my people, Heare my word: make you ready to the battell, and in those euils, be euen as pilgrimes vpon the earth.

41   
He that selleth let him be as hee that fleeth away: and he that buyeth, as one that will loose.

42   
He that occupieth merchandize, as he that had no profit by it: and he that buildeth, as hee that shall not dwell therein.

43   
He that soweth, as if he should not reape: so also he that planteth the vineyard, as he that shal not gather the grapes.

44   
They that marry, as they that shall get no children: and they that marrie not, as the widowers.

45   
And therefore they that labour, labour in vaine.

46   
For strangers shall reape their fruits, and spoile their goods, ouerthrowe their houses; and take their children captiues, for in captiuity and famine shall they get children.

47   
And they that occupy their merchandize with robbery, the more they decke their citties, their houses, their possessions and their owne persons:

48   
The more will I be angry with them for their sinne, saith the Lord.

49   
Like as an whore enuieth a right honest and vertuous woman:

50   
So shall righteousnesse haue iniquity, when she decketh herselfe, and shall accuse her, to her face, when he commeth that shall defend him that diligently searcheth out euery sinne vpon earth.

51   
And therfore be yee not like therunto, nor to the workes thereof.

52   
For yet a little iniquitie shall be taken away out of the earth, and righteousnesse shall reigne among you.

53   
Let not the sinner say that he hath not sinned: for God shall burne coales of fire vpon his head, which saith before the Lord God and his glory, I haue not sinned.

54   
Behold, the Lord knoweth all the workes of men, ^note their imaginations, their thoughts, and their hearts:

55   
Which spake but the word, let the earth be made, ^note and it was made: let the heauen be made, and it was created.

56   
In his word were the starres made, and he knoweth the ^note number of them.

57   
He searcheth the deepe, and the treasures thereof, he hath measured the Sea, and what it containeth.

58   
He hath shut the Sea in the midst of the waters, and with his word hath he hanged the earth vpon the waters.

59   
He spreadeth out the heauens like a vault, vpon the waters hath he founded it.

60   
In the desart hath hee made springs of water, and pooles vpon the tops of the mountaines, that the floods might powre downe from the high rockes to water the earth.

61   
He made man, and put his heart in the midst of the body, and gaue him breath, life, and vnderstanding.

62   
Yea and the spirit of Almighty God, which made all things, and searcheth out all hidden things in the secrets of the earth.

63   
Surely he knoweth your inuentions, and what you thinke in your hearts, euen them that sinne, and would hide their sinne.

64   
Therefore hath the Lord exactly searched out all your workes, and he will put you all to shame.

65   
And when your sinnes are brought foorth yee shalbe ashamed before men, and your owne sinnes shall be your accusers in that day.

66   
What will yee doe? or how will yee hide your sinnes before God and his Angels?

67   
Behold, God himselfe is the iudge, feare him: leaue off from your sinnes, and forget your iniquities to medle no more with them for euer, so shall God lead you forth, and deliuer you from all trouble.

68   
For behold, the burning wrath of a great multitude is kindled ouer you, and they shall take away certaine of you, and feede you ^note being idle with things offered vnto idoles.

69   
And they that consent vnto them shall be had in derision, and in reproch, and troden vnder foote.

70   
For there shall be in euery place, and in the next cities a great insurrection vpon those that feare the Lord.

71   
They shall be like mad men, sparing none, but still spoiling and destroying those that feare the Lord.

72   
For they shal waste and take away their goods, and cast them out of their houses.

73   
Then shall they be knowen who

are my chosen, and they shall be tried, as the gold in the fire:

74   
Heare, O yee my beloued, saith the Lord: behold, the dayes of trouble are at hand, but I will deliuer you from the same.

75   
Be yee not afraid, neither doubt, for God is your guide,

76   
And the guide of them who keepe my commaundements, and precepts, saith the Lord God; Let not your sinnes weigh you downe, and let not your iniquities lift vp themselues.

77   
Woe bee vnto them that are bound with their sinnes, and couered with their iniquities: like as a field is couered ouer with bushes, and the path thereof couered with thornes, that no man may trauell through.

78   
It is ^note left vndressed, and is cast into the fire, to bee consumed therewith.

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