¶The firste Chapiter.

HEare heaven / ād listen er­the: for it is the Lorde that speaketh. Childerne haue I noureshte vp and promoted / ād they haue despyg­htfully rebelled agēste me. The vnrea­sonable oxe knoweth his owener: & the very asse his masters stall: but Israel is vnsensible / my people is with oute vn­derstandynge. Oh synful nacion / a nacion laden with wikednes / a myschevous generacion / pestelent children. The ve­ry Lorde haue thei forlakē / & euen hym that chose & made holy Israel haue thei prouoked to anger / & are fled backwar­de. [Page] withe what plage more shall I then smyte you? sith the more ye ar correkt y^• worse ye are. All your heads ake & eue­ry harte is ful syk: from toppe to toe is ther not an hole place in all your bodye All are woundes / runninge sores / ful of botches & blaynes / which noman maye clense or bynd plaster to / nor yet sowple with eny oyntement. your regiō is deso­late / your cites are brent vp with fyer / your lande before your eyes a strāge natiō devowerth: It is wasted lyk as wi­th a cruel hoste. And y^• daughter of Zi­on is lefte a lone lyk an hovelin a vyne yarde / lyke a skoulke lodge in tyme of warre / and lyke a beseged cyte. And excepte y^e lorde of powers had saued vs a fewe reamnauntes / we had bē lyke So dome and Gomorre. Heare therfore the worde of the Lorde ye prynces of Sodo­me: And thou people of Gomorre / take hede to the lawe of owre God sayinge thus: what haue I to do with yower so manyfolde and so ofte offeringes and sacrifices? I abhorre yower brente we­thers: [Page] I am ful of the kidnese of yower fatte beastes / the bloude of oxen / of lā ­bes and gotes thei yrke me. Whē ye co­me to se my face / who requyreth these of ferīges at your handes? Is this y^• waie to trede my temple? Offere no more (I praye yowe) your giftes thus in vayne. this incēse is abhominacion to me: your festes of the newe mone / your Sabbath dayes / and solempne festes I maye not a waye withe: for ful wyked are yower ydle congregacions / yower kalendes and feries my harte hatethe / yower fa­stes are all in vayne: I am wery of the­se thinges / and it yrketh me to se them. when ye shal stretch forth your handes I wil hyde myne eyes from yowe: And pray ye never so miche yet shal I not he­are yowe: for your handes are bathed in bloude: wasshe ye & be cleane / put a wa­ye your yuel thoughtes & croked couns­ells oute of my sighte: ceasse to do hurte & studye for equyte: seke iustice / delyuer the oppressed / avenge y^• poore fatherlesse & defende y^s cause of the wedowe. Come [Page] hither (I praye ye) and let me be proued (saithe the Lorde). when yower syn­nes were as redde as skarlet / were thei not made as whyte as snowe? And when thei were as redde as purple / we­re thei not made as whyte as woll? If ye wil heare and be ruled / shal ye not take your plesure even of the best frut­es of the londe? But if ye wilbe steffe ne­cked / thinke ye not to be devowerde wi­th swerde? Suerly God hath so promy­sed with his owne mouthe. But howe is it thus come to passe / that this cite whiche sometyme was faithful / ful of equite in the whiche iustice was excer­cysed / hath thus changed hir face lyke an harlet / and is nowe become a murt­herer of hir owne innocēt citesens? Thi syluer is turned into drosse / Thy wyne is marred withe water / Thy rulers arbetrayers and bakslyders frome God / even felowes vnto theves. All they lo­ve giftes / and are sentence sellers: they restore not his righte to the fatherlesse and the wedewes cause comethe neuer [Page] at thē. Wherfore / thꝰ saith the lorde god of powers and the myghty forth leader of Israel. Ahlasse / I muste neades ease my mynde and be auenged vpon my aduersares. I shal suerly sette my hande vpon the: & I shal seeth oute thy drosse and trye oute thy pureste / and I shal take awaye all thy leade. Aftyr this shal I restore the thy iuges ād senatours as they were before. And then shalte thow be called the cite of rightwysnes and the faithful towne. Thus shal Ziō no­we redemed frome captiuite / be accusto­med with equite and excercised in righ­twisnes: when the vngodly transgres­sours and bakslyders frome the Lorde shalbe alto broken and vtterly peresshe And excepte ye be ashamed of your sto­ckes and Idolls in wodes and hilles in whiche ye delighted / and leve your gro­ves and gardens which ye chose for yo­we: ye shalbe lyke okes whose leaves fal a waye / and lyke a garden with ou­te water. For the glysteringe glorye of these images shalbe turned into stubble [Page] and the makers of them into sparkes of fyer: and bothe of them shalbe brente togither / noman quenchinge them.

The seconde Chapit. the title prefixed

THe worde whiche was shewed vnto Isaye y^e sonne of Amoz / vppon Iuda and Ierusalem. Thus shal it be in the laste dayes. The hill of the house of the Lorde shalbe so prepared and setvp / that it sh­al apere aboue al the toppes of wother hilles: And then shal there flowe vnto it all Gentyls / and infinite folke shal goforth sayinge one to a nother: come & let vs ascende vnto the hyll of the lor­de / to the house of the god of Iacob / th­at he mought teache vs his wayes / ād that we moughte walke in his pathes: For oute of Zion the lawe shal goforth and the worde of the lorde frome Ieru­salem / that he mought be a iuge emon­ge the Gentyls / and rule therwith th­at infinite multitude. And then a none shal thei cause their swerdes to be smy­ten into matoks and coultres / and th­eir [Page] speares into sythes and sykels: For the one nacion shal no more lifte vp sw­trde agenste the other / nether shal they enymore excercyse them selfe into bat­ayle. And nowe speake I vnto the (o h­ouse of Iacob). Come neare (I praye y­owe) that we moughte walke togither in the light of the Lorde. But wherfore do I bidde the (o thow vnhappye house of Iacob) seinge y^t thou with thy people ar now fledbacke frō y^e Lorde: for ye are far worse then yower elders both in so­th saīgs aftyr y^e maner of y^e palestyns / & in calkynge of mennes birthes ye pas­se evē y^e very haithē: for as sone as yo­ur lande abounded in goolde & syluer / & ye knewe non ende of your tresure / as sone as it was replenesshed with horsemē & chariets: a none was it ful of Idolls & ymages / evē y^e workes of your owne hā des which ye made with your owne fingers: ye / & ye worshipte thē: But doiste thou (o mā) faldowne befo^r these Idols & worshipest thē? ye / & y^t so supersticio­usly / so steffly / y^t no thīge may plucke y^e [Page] frome them? Gete the hence quikly / go hyde the in the rockes of stone / runne into the chynnes of the erthe frome the sight of the fearful iuge and frome the brightnes of his maiestye: whiche cast­tehdowne the highe lokes of the proude men and layethe the stowte ful lowe / which shalbe alone aboue al exalted so mightely in the daye of vēgeaūce takī ­ge. For that daye of the lorde of powers shal take vengeaunce vpon al pryde & stowtenes / vpon al elacion & oppressi­on: It shal reache vnto the highe Ce­ders of Libani and vnto the steffe okes of Basan / it shal mete with al the hig­he mountayns and hylles / and shal co­me by all the hyghe towers / ād vnto e­very wall of defence / it shal stretche vn­to all the shippes of the sea & vnto wh­at so eueris goodly and plesaunte to be holde: & shal thrustedowne the proude countenaunce of man / & shal laye ful lowe his highe lokes. For the lorde alone shal haue the victorye in that daye.

And the Idoles shalbe vtterly destro­yed. [Page] Men shal krepe into dēnes of stone & into the chynnes of the erthe from the face of the fearfuliuge / & frome the bri­ghtnes of his maiestye / when he shal prepare him to come & sinyte the erthe. Then then shal mā castawaye his go­olden goddes & images of syluer which he had made hym to worshipe thē: then shal he caste thē to molles & backes th­at he myght the more spedely runne in­to these kaues of stone to hyde hym sel­fe in the rockes frome the face of the fe­arfuliuge / and frome the glorye of his maiestye: when he shal prepare him selfe to come & smyte the erthe.

Cap. iij

YE canne wel beware & avoyde an haastye malencoly man: whiche dothe all thīge in a gareshe furye Se then ye take here goode hede: for it is y^e lorde god of pow^rs that is nowe angrye / & wil take a waye frome Ierusalē & Iuda all substance ād strength / alm­aner of sustenaunce both of meate & drī ke / capytayne and souldier / iuge & Prophete / the sage wyse & senato^r / pety ca­pytaynes [Page] and men in authorite / lawy­ers and learned / masters of workes ād oratours. And I shal set babes (saith y^e lorde) to be your princes / and wylye eff­eminate skorners shalbe your rulers. And the people shal do wronge and violence one to a noth^r / even neghboure a­genste neghboure: the boye shal countr­off the sage / and the knave the noble.

Every mā shal set holde on his brother which is of his fathers famylye saying thou haste a good cote thow shalte be o­wer capytayne / for thow maiste abyde this hevye bronte: then shall he a non swere and saye: I cannot remedie it / for in my nowne house is ther nether mea­te nor moneye: make not me then y^e he­ad of the people: for Ierusalem shal fall and Iuda shal go to wrake / for both th­eir speach / studye / ād thoughtes / all are agenste the lorde to prouoke the counte­naunce of his maiestye to anger. The hevye changing of their chere bewrieth and betrayeth them: ye thei declare th­eir owne synne lyke the Sodomytes [Page] / neth^r can thei cloke it. wo be to their ly­ves / for grevouse punyshmēt shalbe th­eir rewarde: by which punishment they now thus taught at the laste / shal saye Blessed ar the rightwyse for they shall eate the frutes of their studye. But contrarywise: wo be to the vngodly ād wykedman which shalbe rewarded accordī ge to the workes of his owne handes.

O my people / ful gredye tyrauntes ād craftye brybers are thy rulers and weake wemen have the in subiection. O my people / thy leaders are deceyvers and leade the oute of y^e waye / thei trede oute the steapes of thy fete. The lorde is co­meforth to reason the matter / he is red­ye to be iuge for the people: for the lorde shal come to trye it by iugement withe the elders and rulers of his people say­inge: ye haue brentevp my vyne yarde: the spoyle of the poore is in your house: wherfore stāpe ye thꝰ downe my people togith^r / & grynde ye thꝰ togith^r y^e faces of the poore? Euen thus shal the god of pow^rs reproue these mē / saying: because [Page] the proude daughters of Zion go with so forth stretched neckes / withe so false wynkinge eyes / and with so wanten & light behaviour: therfore shal the lorde clippe the crownes of the daughters of Zion / and so make bare their beutye in that daye: and the lorde shal take from them the beuteful glory of their aparel their chaynes ād stomachers / their partelettes / their armelets and burlettes their costelye broydred clothes both go­wne and kyrtel / pomaunders / muske balles and earinges / ringes and frōtel­lettes set with goolde & perle / their chā ges with their frockes / their kerchews & pinnes their glasses & lawndes / fillettes & hearbendes: And for their swete sav­ours thei shal haue stynke / for their co­stiouse girdles they shal go loose / for th­eir heare broyderd with goolde thei sha­lbe balde / and for their softe stomachers thei shal were sacke & hayer: & fore th­eir fayernes thei shalbe sonne brēte. yo­wer housbondes / even the moste stron­gest of thē shalbe smyten downe withe [Page] swerde in batayle. Their gates shal ex­presse their moorninge & hevynes / & th­ese kareful wemen shal sit vpon the gr­ownde desolate / and then shal seven we men set holde vpō one man sayinge: w­hat so euer meate ād substaunce we ha­ue / we bringe it here all togither to the in commune / so that thou wilt let vs be thy wyves called aftyr thy name to ta­ke a waye oure obprobry and calamite.

The fowerth Chapiter.

AFter this shal there aryse that Ioyful floureshīg budde of the Lorde: and this noble & goodly frute of the erthe shal springe vnto those Israelites which shal escape ād be saued: & the reamnaunte that sh­albe lefte salfe in Zion and Ierusalem shalbe called sayntes / even all those in Ierusalem which are writen emōge the lyuinge men. And then when the lorde hathe washed awaye the filthenes of the daughters of Zion / & with the bla­ste of his hotte vengeaunce hath pour­ged Ierusalem frome bloude: the lorde [Page] shal create a clowde & smoke be daye / & be nighte the brightnes of flaming fyer over every buyldinge of the hill of Ziō and over every congregacion rowndab­oute it / for it shalbe defended withe all his gloriouse mighty power: that it sh­ulde be in tyme to come a tabernacle ād a shadewinge place be daye frome hea­te / and also a refugye and shelter to hyde vs frō tēpestes & rayne.

The fyfte Chapiter.

ANd nowe therfore wil I singe vn­to my welbeloued frende a songe vppon his vyne yarde. My we­lbeloued made hym a vyne yarde in a plesaunte and a plentuouse soyle: wh­iche he closed rownde a boute withe a stone wall / and he planted it withe the moste nobleste vyne: In the middes of it he set vp a tower and made the^r yn a wynepresse: lokinge that it shulde make grapes / & it yilded thornes. wherfo^r nowe O ye citesens of Ierusalē & al y^• ar of y^e fonde of Iuda / I reporte me vn­to yowe / decerne yowe betwene me and [Page] my vyne yarde / what thinge more cou­lde I haue done to my vyne yarde wh­ich I did not to it? And wherfor then (I lokinge y^t it shulde haue yilded me grapes) hath it brought me forth thornes? Suerly I shal shewe you therfo^r what I wil do to my vyne yarde. I shal go b­reke vp hir fense y^t she maye be robbed & destroyed: I shal thro downe hyr wall y^t she maye be troden downe with men­nis fete: I shal leve hyr desolate al a lone / noman to cut hyr / nor yet to digge hyr: She shalbe overgrowne with bry­ers & thornes: & I shal forbyd y^• clowdes to geve hyr eny rayne. But yet y^e vyne yarde of y^e lorde of hostes is the house of Israel / & y^e mē of Iuda ar his goodly p­lētuous plantes which (when he loked for iugemēt) lo al wasful of iniquite: w­hē he loked for equite: lo al was iniurye & cōplayntes. wo be to yow y^t ioyne ho­use to house ād laye felde to felde vntyl there be no more rome lefte for yowe as thoghe ye wolde haue y^e worlde all a lone. But y^e lorde of pow^rs roundeth me ī [Page] myn eare saying: If these grete and fa­yer houses be not lefte a lone nomā dw­elling in them? ye / a vyne yarde of .v. a­kres shal yilde but a fyrkyn of wyne: & of .zo. bushells of sede skāt shal aryse th­re. wo be to the haunters of dronkenes which ryse erly to drinke / cōtinuinge in it tyl nighte beīg hot with wyne: in whose bankets there are harpes and futes taberet & pype washed with wyne. but in the meane tyme / the very worke of the lorde thei beholde not / nether consy­der thei what his hādes haue made. Be cause therfore that my people hath no knowledge / thei ar sone brought into ca­ptiuite / their nobles are made thynne with honger / and the proude multitude peresheth for thirste: And for this cause the helles haue opened their vnsaciable throtes and their mouthes gape be yen­de mesure / that thither mought descen­de pryde / pompe / riches / and al that are addicte to these vices. Thus is man pl­ucked downe / the stowte stoupeth / and highe lokes are abated: but the Lorde of [Page] powers and the holy god is exalted and stableshed into a gloriouse exēple of eq­uite and rightwisnes / that the poore lā ­bes might be fed of the thinge apoynted thez / and the stourdy strayīge rammes mought go graze vppon the baren deserte. Wo be vnto these vayne skorners w­hich drawe vnto them selfe wykednes (as ye wolde saye) with a lyne: ād pluk synne also to them even with carte rop­es: in whose mouthes are al wayes the se sayinges / let hym worke on faste / th­at we might once se it / let the mynde of Israels holy maker come to passe ād be once presente that we myght once kno­we it. Wo be vnto them that saye that thing to be evel which thei knowe to be good / and that to be good which they k­nowe to be evel: which reken derknes to be light / and the lighte to be derknes / & that at is bitter / they saye is swete / ād swete to be bitter. Wo be to thez that at wyse in their owne eyes / and haue vn­derstandinge in their owne iugemente. Wo be vnto these grete drinkers of wy­ne [Page] / and to men hardye to receyue dron­kenes: which absolue y^e wiked for giftes and condempne the iuste for his right­wisnes: wherfore lyke as y^e tonge of the fyer licketh yn the stubble / and as the flame consumethe the strawe: even so / their rote putrifyed / the flow^r of them shal vaynesshe a waye lyke duste whi­ch contempne the lawe of the lorde of powers / and despyse the worde of hym th­at maketh holye Israel: wherfore y^e w­rathe of the lorde is kyndled agenste his people / and he hath turned his hande to smyte them / that these hilles mought tremble / and theire karcases mought lye stinkinge lyke dongehills in the hi­ghe wayes. And yet after al this shal he nothinge abate his wrathe / but sh­al yet farther stretche forth his hande / & shal geve a token to the straunge nac­ion a farreof / whistelinge thē frome the fartheste partes of the erthe: & lo / thei shal come a none / & that swyftlye: Th­ere is not one wearye or faynte emonge them / not one of them drowsye or sleap­ye [Page] / their girdles a boute their raynes t­hei do not once slak / nor yet vnlose the latchets of their shoes / their arows are sharpe and their bowes redye bente / th­eir horse howves shode as sharpe as fl­yntes / and the wheles of their charye­ts turninge lyke a whirlewinde. Th­is nacion roreth lyke a lyon / and gren­neth lyke the lyons whelpes / they sh­al grenne and snatche vp their proye / nether shal there be one that maye escape / nor yet eny that maye delyuer them Thei shal grenne vpon the people of Israel at y^t tyme like a fyerce sea. Then if we beholde the erthe / lo / all shalbe de­rkenes / and no refugye. If we beholde the starres: lo / they shalbe derkened in­to ower hevynes with oute hope.

Ch. vi

THe yeare in the whiche Dzias the kynge dyed: I see the Lorde sittinge in an highe seate all a­boue / and the trayne of his robe filled y^• temple. And the Seraphims apered a­bove ouer him / and eche of them had si­ye winges: with two of their wīges th­ei [Page] kouerde their faces / & with two thei kouerde their fete / and withe the tother two they flewe / and they kryed to eche other sayinge: Holy / holy / holy is y^e lorde of powers: all the erthe be fulfylled with his gloriouse maiestye: ye and the postes with their windowes were mou­ed at the voyce of these angels kryinge & y^e same house was ful of smoke: then sayde I / Ah lasse / for I was a stonned in asmych as I me selfe beynge a man hauynge polluted lippes / and conuers­aunte withe people hauinge also pollu­ted lippes / yet not withstandinge / had sene with my eyes a kinge / even the lor­de of powers. Then one of the Serap­hims flwe vnto me bringinge a quicke cole taken srome the alter with a payer of tonges: and he touched my lippes sa­ynge these wordes: beholde / as sone as this cole hath touched thi lippes thy in iquitie is gone / and thy sinne is purged. Farthermore I harde the voice of the lorde takinge aduysmente on this ma­ner: whome shal I sende? Or who shal [Page] go on ower message? And then answer­de I: lo / here at your plesure to sende me And he sayde: Go thy wayes and saye vnto this people / ye shal heare verely / and yet shal ye not vnderstonde / and ye shal see playnly / but yet shal ye not kn­owe: Make grosse and fatte the hartes of this people / make thicke their eares / and kover their eyes / leste thei see with their eyes / or heare with their eares / or vnderstande with their hartes ād so be conuerted and saued. And here I bega­ne to speake for them sayinge: howe lo­nge my lorde? vntil the cytes (sayde he) be destitute their dwellers / & not a man lefte in the houses / and the grownde be layed voyde: For ful farre shal the lor­de baneshe the men / and there shalbe grete destructiō in the londe: but yet sh­all there be lefte a tythe in it to retur­ne a gene / so that their pasture shalbe restored: and as their okes and lyne tr­ees caste of their frutes / even so shal th­at holy seade shoteforth frutefully em­onge them.

The seventh Chapiter.

THen was it so / that in the raig­ne of Ahaz y^e sonne of Iotham the sonne of Ozias kinge of Iu­da: Rezin the kinge of Aram and Phe­cca the sonne of Romelie kinge of Isra­el ascended to Ierusalem to laye sege ag­enste it: whiche at that tyme they myg­ht not wynne: & then tolde they the ho­use of Dauid that the Syryons wer co­nfederde with Ephraim / which tydyn­ges made Ahaz with the house of Da­uid to trēble lyke trees in the wode sm­yten with wynde. wherfo^r the lorde sa­yde vnto Isaye. Haue done and get the forthe with thy sonne Iasus whiche is lefte the / and mete Ahazat y^e heade of the over pole in the waye towerde the suffers felde / and saye vnto hym. Se y^t thou be still & feare not / let not thy har­te melte at these two tayles with theyr smokynge fyerbrandes / that is to saye at the furye of Rezin kynge of the Syr­ions / and of the sonne of Romelye beca­use the Syrions / Ephraim / and Rome­lis sonne haue thus myscheuously cou­nselde [Page] and conspyred agenste the / sayn­ge. We will go vp into Iuda and scour­ge them and translate them vnto vs / and we shal sette the sonne of Tabal to be kinge ouer them: For even thus say­th the lorde: This thinge shall not ryse nor come to passe: but Damascus shal­be y^• head of Syria / & Rezin shalbe y^e he­ad of Damascꝰ: & aftyr .65. yeares / Eph­raī karyed awaye shal no more be y^e peo­ple: although now Samarya be head of Ephraim / ād y^e sonne of Romelye y^e he­ade of Samaria: If ye beleve not / yowe are but gone to. And besydis thys / the Lorde commaunded hym to saye thꝰ al­so vnto Ahaz. Aske the some token of y^e Lorde thy God / whether it be frome y^e deapest benethe or frome the hyghest a­bove. And Ahaz answerde: I wil not a­ske / nether will I tempte the Lorde. W­herfore he sayde. Heare then ye house of Dauid / is it not enough for yowe to ve­ye men / but ye must wearye my god to? The lorde therfore his owne selfe shall geve yow a tokē. Beholde / a mayde sh­albe [Page] with chylde and bringeforth a son­ne and she shall call his name Imman­uel. Boter and honey shal he eate vntil he can eschewe yuel and chose good: not­withstandynge before this childe be thꝰ waxen / thy londe shalbe desolated / for y^• which thou arte so a frayde of their two kinges. ye the lorde shal bringe both vp­on the / and vpon thy people / and vpon thy fathers house / siche dayes as haue not ben sene frome the departinge of E­phraym from Iuda: that is to saye / he shal bringe vpon yowe the kynge of the Assyrions: For the tyme shal come that the lorde shal whystle for a flye whiche dwelleth beyende the flowde of Egyp­te & for bees which ar in the lande of the Assyrions / which shal come all hole to­gither and besege the even with yn thy drye dykes at the kaves with in the ro­ckes / in every wode / & at euery stertin­ge hole. ye in that tyme / the Lorde shall shaue the with a raser / he shal hyer a raser beyende the flowde Euphrates / ev­en the kynge of the Assyryons: and he [Page] shal shave of the heares of thy heade & fete / and even thy verye berde shall he wype of: then shal the tyme come that a man shal lyue with a kowe ād tway e­ [...]es / and for the plentye of mylke eate boter: for yet shal every on lefte in the myddes of the lande eate boter and ho­ney / and yet in those dayes a vyne yar­de of a thousand vynes bought for mo­re then a thousand penys shal be turn­ed into bryers and thornes: For the kinge of the Assyrions shal not come hither armed so thicke withe bowe and arows as the bryers and thornes shall stande over al this region: Also euery frutefull hill which was wonte to be delved and ploughed / then shal not a man come to them for feare of thornes & bryers / but shal serue to put yn heardes / ād beastes to graze yn.

The aight Chapiter.

ANd then sayde the Lorde agene to me: take the a grete rolle ād wryte yn it withe a pen lyke a man Maherschalal haschbaz which ys to saye / haste the to robbe / spede [Page] the to spoyle. Then I toke me certa­yne faithfull witneses / vry the preste & Zachary the sonne of Barachy: and ca­me vnto a prophetise which had now cō ceyued and brought forth a sonne: & the Lorde spake vnto me. Geve hym this name: hastye robber gredy spoyler: for before thys chylde can call Dadye & Mā ­mye he shal bare away the riches of D­amasce and the proye of Samarye / yn y^• sight of the kynge of Assyrye. And ag­ene the Lorde spake vnto me these wor­des. For asmych as this people abhorr­eth the waters of Siloah that flowe so still / and hathe rather plesure in thys kynge Rezin and in the sonne of Rome­ly: Lo / the lorde therfore shal let the gr­ete myghtye flowdis breke in vpon th­em / that is to saye the kinge of the Ass­yrions withe all his power: whiche sh­al aryse every where a bove their ryue­rs and run over all their bankes dryu­ynge into Iuda / redowndyng and sw­ellyngevp even to theyr throtes: And the tyme shal come that the spreadinge [Page] a brode of their winges shal kover the breadeth of thy lande / O Immanuel. Get ye togither / ye people into counsel / and all ye of the fartheste partes of the lande caste yower heades togither / ha­ste ye togither to take counsell: and yet shall all togither be yn vayne. Conclu­de ye vpon eny thynge / and yet shall it not come to passe / excepte Immanuel. Thus then sayd the Lorde vnto me ta­kynge me by the hande lyke a guyde & nourteringe me that I shulde not go in the waye of this people saynge. Breke not yower myndes aboute eny confede­ration with other for eny helpe: for alt­houghe this people speaketh of nothin­ge but of coniurations and confederati­ons: yet let them not fraye yow: but sa­nctifie yowe the Lorde of powers: hī fe­are / hym dreade ye: for it is he that is y^• very holymakynge and the stomblyn­ge stone also: even a rocke to fal at / sna­re and net to ether of y^• houses / that is to saye to Israel / and to them that dw­ell aboute Ierusalem: and many shall [Page] stomble at hym / they shall fall / they sh­albe broken / they shalbe trapt and tak­en. Nowe (sayth the Lorde) rollvp thys testemony / and sealevp the lawe withe my disciples. Nowe shal I loke for the lorde (faith Isaye) whiche hath hyd his face frome the house of Iacob / and I sh­al truste yn hym / both I me selfe and y^e seruantes whom the Lorde hath geven me to be a miracle and woundre yn Isr­ael for the lorde of powers plesure that dwelleth yn the mounte Zion. And w­hen men shall saye to yowe (O my chil­derne and disciples of the lorde) aske co­unsell of the Pythonyts and soth sayers of sorcerers and charmers: then answe­re yowe saynge: do not euery nacion as­ke counsel and knowledge of theyr ow­ne goddes? shal they then aske of y^• de­de to know thinges concerninge the ly­uinge? gete ye to the lawe and to godd­es testymones: for who so ever speaketh not aftyr these wordes they ar not of y^• morninge lyght. If a man be negligent and dyspyse the lawe / he smyteth hymselfe [Page] agenste a rok and faileth of his po­rpose / and when he thus failethe of his porpose / he shalbe angrie & so fret hymselfe that he shal curse his kynge & his god. And when he shal loke ether vp­warde or downwarde to the grownde: lo / all are full of anguyshe derknes and tribulacion floteringe aboute hym wi­th the clowdes of erroure whiche shall not be taken from him that is thus gr­evously tangled in anguisshe. (as it ha­ue bene sene of late in the lande of Zab­ulon & in the lande of Neptalim)

Ch. ix

FIrste y^e londe was ridde of Za­bulon ād Neptalim:4. Re. 15 but at laste it shalbe right greuously scourg­ed: The londe of Zabulon and Nepta­lim laye by the waye from over Iord­an to the sea / thorow Galile whervpon then bordred the gentyls / the folke th­at walked in derkenes / which shal see a grete lyght / and over them dwelling in the region of y^e dedly shadewe light sh­al springe: thou shalt multiplye the gē ­tyls / & shalt thou not therwith also ma­gnifye [Page] gladnes? thei shalbe glad with y^• as men reioyse in their reapīge & as mē hauinge victory / reioyse in deuyding of their proie. For y^• hevye yoke of y^e gent­yls / and the burden of their shulders / & the pow^r of their tyrauntes / thou shal­te breke euē as thou once delyuerdst thy people frome the tyranye of the Madi­anites:Iud. vij ye / & al vyolente roberye / al ha­stye insurreccion / and al cruel bloud sh­ed shal fead the fyer: For a chylde shal­be borne for vs / and a sonne shalbe geu­en vs / vppon whese shulders / Impery and the gouernaunce shalbe put / and he shalbe called the meruelous counseler / the myghtye God / the father everlast­inge / the prince of peace: this kinge shall neuer haue ende in encresinge his Imp­ery & yet shal he therwith nouryshe pe­ace / sittinge in the seat regall of Dauid / ād in his kingdome / to mayntayne it in equyte & rightwysnes frome thence in­to euerlastinge: the zele of y^• lorde of po­wers shal bringe this to passe. The lor­de sente a worde into Iacob and it fell in­to [Page] Israel: which all the people shal kn­ow / euen Ephraim & the citesens of Sa­marye althoughe yet of a prowde har­te thei saye thus: Ower buldīges of br­ycke are smyttē downe / but we shal bu­ylde thē agene with fower sqwared sto­nes: ower houses of wilde figtres ar br­oken downe / but we shal restore thē bu­ylded with Cedre trees: wherfore y^• lor­de shal stere vp Resin with other enem­es vpon thez: whom he shal so dispose & ordre that Syrus shal come yn vpon y^• fronte of Israel / and the palestines shal come in on their backes ād devower th­em with open mouthe: and yet for al th­is shal he not swage his wrath / but sh­al yet stretche forth his hande: for neth­er the people returneth vnto hym that plaged them / nor yet seke thei the lorde of powers. wherfore y^• lorde shal kutof from Israel both toppe and tayle brau­nche and bande al at once / by the toppe vnderstande thou the aldermā and him y^t bearethe rule / by y^• tayle vnderstande thou the prophete that preachethe lyes [Page] For they whiche preache this people to be happye or blessed / are deceyuers / and they that are thoughte happye emonge them are the moste nyghest their destr­uction. Wherfore the Lorde delighteth not in their yongons and is vnmerciful vnto the fatherles and to their wede­ws / for thei ar al hypocryts and kursed and thei al speake folishnes: and yet for all this shall he not swage his wrathe but stretche stil forth his hande: For th­eir vngodlynes burneth lyke fyer whi­ch is noureshed with brambles and th­ornes / and the smoke of their pryde flee­thforth lyke y^e smoke of fyer that is fal­len emonge thycke bryers: wherfore the lande shalbe brente in the wrathe of the lorde of powers / ād the people shall fede the fyer: for noman shal spare a nother. And if eny man turne hym on his righ­thande / he shal sterve for honger / and if he turne hym on his lefte hande to eats yet shal he fynde no fode / every man sh­al eate the brawne of his owne armes. Manasse shal eate Ephraim and Ep­hraim [Page] Manasse / ād then shal these to­gith^r also eate Iuda. And yet for al th­is shal he not swage his wrathe but st­retch styll forth hys hande.

Chapi. x.

WO be to yowe that make vngo­dly lawes / and set statutes to h­arde to kepe / to oppresse the poo­re in iugement and vtterly to beger my afflicte simple people with stryfe ād la­we / that the wedewe myght be a proye for yow / and to robbe the fatherlesse.

What then shal ye do in the daye of vi­sitation and destruccion cominge frome a farre? to whome then shall ye flee for helpe? Or where shall ye leave yower glorye for a pledge that ye be not caste into fetters or fall into emonge the sīa­yne? And yet for all this shal he not sw­age his wrathe but stretche still forthe his hande. Wo be to Assur also the we­apen of my wrathe which holdethe the rodde of my indignacion in his hande: for I muste sende hym emonge hypocr­ytes / and to people that hathe deserued my Indignacion shal I sende him to ro­bbe [Page] and to spoile thez of al that thei ha­ue / & to stampe them vnder his fete ly­ke the dyrte in the streates: not with sta­ndinge / yet he himselfe shal not so cons­yder y^• thinge / nether thus thinke it in his harte: but hitherto loketh his harte his luste is to destroye ād to wype awa­ye with his swerde not a fewe folke / for thus thinketh he saynge with hymsel­fe: Are not al other kinges and princes trybutares vnto me? shal not I subdwe to me Calenum as easelye as Charc­hamim? and as sone take Antioch as I haue Arphad? and Damase as Sama­riam? (as who saye) I haue goten by my nowne power these kingdoms in y^• which Idols & karued images ar wors­hiped / and can I not then get Ierusalē and Samarye? shall not I be as able to do to Ierusalem and to hir Images as I haue done to Samarye and to hir god­des? Then the tyme shal come (saith y^e lorde) when I haue fyneshed al my wo­rke in the mounte of Zion and Ierusal­em / y^t I muste vyset and loke vpon this [Page] Ioylye byrde and so fortunate a felowe even vpon the stoute harte of the kynge of the Assyrions and vpon his hyghe l­oke: for thus he thinketh of him selfe: by my nowne power and wysdome do I t­hese thinges: for I am wise: It is I th­at haue taken awaye y^e coostes of y^e na­cions and haue spoyled their princes: ād I lyke a gyaunte haue plucked downe men sittinge a lofte: and the hostes of y^e innumerable people with theyr substa­unce are al brought into my handes as egges into a neste: for I haue gatherd to me euery region of the erthe even as scatred egges are gatherd togither into o­ne place / and there is not one in the me­ane tyme that dare move his winge / y^t dare open his mouthe or once chatter agenste me. But (I praye yowe) dothe y^• axe glorye agenste hym that vsethe it to cutte therwith? Or doth y^e sawe ma­gnyfye it selfe agenste the drawer there of? this were as lyke as though the ro­dde shulde lyftvp hyr selfe agenste hyr bearer and the staffe exalte it selfe age­nste [Page] the smyter as though it we^r no tr­ee: Wherfore the Lorde God of powers shal sende penurye into hys plentuous­nes / ād fyer shal krepe in vnder his po­w^r and waste it: and the lyghte of Isr­ael shalbe his fyer / and Israels sanctu­arye shalbe his flame / which shal kyn­del and devower his bryers and thorn­es all one a daye. Also the beutye of his wodes and hilles shalbe vtterly consu­med / and in conclusion he hymselfe sh­albe lyke a chased vagabonde / and the reaste of his trees lefte in his wodes sh­al stande so thynne that a chylde maye tel and write them. And then the ream­naunte of Israel and thei that shalbe saued pertayninge to the house of Iacob shal no more cleave to hym as their sm­yter: but by faithe they shall truste to the Lorde that maketh holy Israel: th­ere shal but a fewe (I saye) returne / evē but the reamnaunte of Iacob (I tel yo­we) shal be turned to the myghtye god / For althoughe (O Israel) thy people be lyke the sandes of the sea / yet but a fe­we [Page] of them shalbe turned to hym: For y^• sentence of hym that is ryche in ryght­wysmakinge muste neades stande / wh­erfore dowtlesse the lorde god of powers shal do this assuerde thinge even in the myddes of all the worlde: For thus spe­aketh the Lorde god of powers: be not a frayde of Assur (my people which dwel­lest in Zion) for with a rodde verely sh­al he smyte the and shal lyftvp his w­eapen agenste the lyke as somtyme dyd the Egiptions / but aftyr a lytel space / ye in lesse then a lytel space the mesure of my indignacion and wrathe for their synnes shalbe fulfilled / saith the Lorde: for then the Lorde of powers shal ster­evppe a scourge agenste them as he dyd once agenste the Madianytes at the ro­cke of Oreb / and as he lyftedvp his ro­dde vpon the sea / and shal smyte thē as he smyt the Egypcions. Then shal his burden be taken frome thy shulders / ād his yoke from thy necke / and hys yoke shal rotte for fatte. But this Assur ve­rely shal come yn firste vnto Aiath / ād [Page] from thense shal he conne into Migron In Machmas shall he nowmber hys hoste / there shal he go ouer the foorde & so turne to Gabaam / then shal Rama be a frayde / and Gabaa which is called Saules Gabaa shall flee. The neayn­ge of their horses shal sownde over al y^• dawghter of Gallim which shalbe ha­rde vnto Lais and to lowe Anathot. but whyles Madmena be a frayde se that ye citesens of Gebim pluckevp your h­artes / for this one daye shal he yet tar­yein Noba / and from thence shal he tu­rne his hoste towerd the mounte / y^• da­ughter of Zion and to the hyl of Hieru­salem. But yet beholde / for the Lorde god of powers shall cut of this gloriouse renowne with grete feare / he shal cut d­owne the talle men and they that are a lofte shall come full lowe / the thorney places of the wodes shal he smyte dow­ne with axes / and the grete hyghe Ce­der trees shal haue a fall.

Theleuenth Chapiter.

But at laste shal the Gryffe com­eforth of the stocke of Iesse and the floury shinge budde shal sp­ringe forth of his rote / which shalbe en­dued withe the spirit of the Lorde / even withe the spirit of wysdome / and of vn­derstandinge / with the spyrit of couns­el and strength / the spyrit of knowled­ge and feare of the Lorde / and shall ma­ke hym accepte or of swete savoure in y^• feare of the Lorde / for he shal not Iuge aftyr the face nor reprove aftyr the fa­me brought vnto his ears: but shal av­enge the poore with right wisnes / & re­ason for the lowe oppressed of the erthe with equyte: The erthe shal he smyte with the rodde of his mouthe / and wy­the the very breath of his lippes shall he slaye the vngodly man: for rightwi­snes shalbe the gyrdele of his loynes / & trowthe and faithfulnes shal gyrde a­boute hys sydes / that the wolfe myght dwel and acorde with the lombe / the le­oparde lye downe with the gote / and lykewyse the hey fore with the lyon / and [Page] that euery wylde beaste moughte agre with the tame and become so meke that a lytel chylde myght rule them / the ko­we and the female beare shal fede togit­her in one hearde and shall nourysh vp their yonge togith^r in one place / the ly­on shal eate chaffe with the oxe / here y^e yonge babe shal playe vpon the Serp­ents denne / and aftyr that it be weaned / it shal put his hande into the neste of y^e venoumse kockatrice. Noman shal hur­te or destroye other thorowt al my holy hyll: for y^e lande shall swymme in y^e kn­owledge of the lordis worshipe as it w­ere a sea flowinge ouer all: and then sh­all it come to passe / that the gentils sh­al seke this roote of Iesse which stande­th vp for a signe emonge the folke: For his quyet habitacion shalbe right glou­riouse. And then the Lorde shall put to his hande agene to chalenge and to pos­sesse the reamnaunte of his people wh­ome he reserued salfe frome the Assyri­ons / frome the Egiptions / frome the h­arde Arabens / frome the yindes / frome [Page] the Elamytes / frome the Chaldes fr­ome the Antiochens / and frome the ey­lands of the sea / then shal he geve a si­gne to the Gentyls and shal gather to gither the scaterde men of Israel / & bri­nge togither also the dispersed of Iuda frome the fower quarters of the erthe / Ephraim shalbe eased of hir hateful a­duersares / and the enymes of Iuda sh­albe clene wyped a waye: Nether shall Ephraim enuye or hate Iuda / nor Iu­da shall inuade Ephraim / but their shal flee bothe togither vpon the shulders of the Palestynes towerde the weste / ret­urninge both togither to robbe the chy­lderne of the Easte: the Idumes and y^e Moabites shalbe at their becke / ād the sonnes of Ammon shal obaye them / ād the Lorde shall stoppe the tonge of the sea of Egipte and shal shake his hande over this flovde with a vehement wy­nde smytinge hyr seven mouthes so th­at men maye go over hyr drye shod / and the waye shallye wyde open for the re­amnaunte of his people which were sa­ued [Page] frome the Assyrions even as it la­ye open for Israell when they came vp frome Egypte / so that then / euery one of them shal saye thus.

Chap. xij.

I Thanke the (Lorde) for thow w­ast wrathe with me / but thy coun­tenaunce nowe changed / thou arte mercyfull and counfortest me. Lo / God is my savioure / I shal truste in hym / ād shall not feare. For the Lorde god is my strength and prayse. It is he that wilbe my refuge. ye shal drawe waters with grete ioye owte of the welles of ow^r sa­viow^r / and shal saye in those dayes. Let vs geve thankes to the Lorde / let vs spreade his name / Let vs publeshe his plesures to the people / and let vs neuer forget that right highe is his name ex­alted. Let vs synge vnto the lorde for he hath done highe thinges that they sh­ulde be knowne thorowe all the erthe. Lawghe and be glad frome thy very h­arte / thou that dwelleste in Zion for ri­ght grete is thy prynce which maketh holye Israel.

Chap. xiij.

THe heuy destruction of Babylō whiche Isaye the sonne of Am­oz sawe before. Lyftevp a token to the hill a bove krye to them / beken yow^r handes to thez / that the pr­ynces might cōvaye theirselues into w­ithyn the gates. For I (saith the Lorde) shal commaunde my apoynted message­rs and cal my mightyons that delight in my maiestye to fyneshe my wrathe. And methought then that Iharde a no­yse frome the mountaynes lyke the no­yse of miche people swellinge and clust­eringe togither evē a noyse of men mu­steringe / as thoughe the realmes of the gētyles had bē gatherde altogither ha­uinge the lorde of powers for their cap­ytain / ād as thoughe thei had come fr­ome farre regions euen frome the extre­me partes of the worlde / ye as thoughe bothe the Lorde himselfe / his ministers and vessels of his indignaciō shulde ha­ue come to destroye y^• wholl worlde. Ho­wle ye therfore / for ful nyghe is the da­ye of the lorde which shal come vpon vs [Page] lyke a destroyer frome the moste mygh­tyeste: then shal euery mānes hāde ha­ue the palsaye / and their hartes shal fa­ynte / thei shalbe astonned / holden with anguyshe and dazynges in their heades thei shal haue panges lyk women trau­elinge of childe / euery man shalbe a fra­yde of other ād their chekes shal glowe for shame / for beholde / y^e daye of the lor­de shall be presente ful of fyarcenes / In­dignacion / wrathe / anger / vntyl their lande be brought into a wyldernes / and synne be castoute of it / for the starres & the planets of heuen shalnot geve the­ir lighte. The sonne shalbe quenched in his vprysing / & y^e mone shal with drawe hyr lighte. I shal (saith y^e lorde) loke v­pon the malice of the worlde & shal pu­nyshe the synnes of the vngodly. I sh­al abate the pryde of the prowde / ād the wanten lustes of tyrants shal I bringe downe. I shal make that a man shal be then more preciouse then y^e pureste gol­de. ye & that but a vyle man shal be be­t^r then a wedge of gold of Ophyr. Wh­erfore [Page] I shal so sinyte heven that the er­the shal shake frome hyr place. these pl­ages (I saye) shal fall vpon Babylon at the Indignacion of the lorde of powers / and that in the daye of his fyarce wra­the: then shal a man be as fearful as a chased doo and as a flocke of shepe wh­om noman can bringe to gither: one co­untreman shal flee to a nother for helpe and euery man to his owne lande / ād he that shalbe fownde alone shalbe steked: and he that abydeth in the raye shalbe smyt downe. their chylderne shalbe th­rone agenste y^e grownde before their fa­ces / their houses shalbe robbed and the­ir wyues defyled. For lo / I shal stere vp the Medes vpon them which shal set nothing by syluer & but a lytel by golde of whom y^e bowes of the yonge men sh­albe brokē / thei shal haue lytel petye of wemen with chylde and lesse shame to kyll their chylderne. And Babylon the heade of al kingdomes / the beuteful fl­ower of the Chaldes shalbe destroyde even as the lorde destroyde Sodome ād [Page] Gomor: it shal neuer be inhabited net­her eny man shall dwell in it frome age to age. The Arabes shal nomore pitche bothes there / nether the herdemen shall thith^r bringe their flocke / but wylde be­astes shal lye there / ād their houses sh­albe ful of owles there shal inhabit St­ruthions / there shal scyppe these wodo­uses / there shall krye these nyght rav­ens one agenste a nother in the houses of Babylon / and dragons shal there playe in the palaces.

Chapiter .xiiij.

ANd the tyme of his cominge is nowe at hande / his daye shall not be longe differred. But yet agene the lorde wilbe mercyful to Iacob / and shal yet chose Israel / and bringe them agene vnto their owne lan­de: and straūgers shalbe cowpled with them and Ioyned to the house of Iacob Thei shal take this straunge nacion & leade them to their places / and the hou­se of Israel shall holde them for seruan­tes and handemaydes in the lordes lan­de & holde them in captiuite / vnder wh­ose [Page] gyrdel thei their selfe where before / & shal commaunde thez which before we­re their masters. And then when y^e lor­de shal geve the reste frome thy labou­res and tremblinge and frome thy gre­vouse seruitute by which thou were thꝰ holden vnder: thou shalte take vp this lamētable songe agenste y^e kinge of Ba­bylō sayng / howe is this extorsener br­ought to reste with his golden tayes ād trybutes? The lorde verely hath broke the staffe of the vngodly even the sep­tre of these lordely rulers: which when he is angry smyteth the people with a plage vncurable / when he is chafed / he tameth these Gentyles & persu [...]th th­em still: so that nowe al ower lande is at reste and singeth for Ioye / ye the very fyrtrees and the Cedres of Libani reio­yse vpō thy fall / sainge. Aftyr that th­ou were layed a sleape noman clymed vp to kut vs downe: helle trembled at thy cominge: Gyauntes and al prynces of the erthe came forthe to mete the / all kinges of the gentyles rose vp frome th­eire [Page] trones / all these in course magnify­ed the saynge: Arte thou not wounded as well as we & made lyke vs? but thy pryde was plucked downe to hell with thy vayne folyshnes. Mottes shalbe strewed vnder the & wormes shalbe thy koverled. Howe felle ye frome heuen (lucifer) ye fayer sonne of the morninge? ar ye nowe fallen so wretchedly to the ert­he which were wonte to be Emperow^r over the gentyles? ye and that even w­hen thou thus thoughtest in thy harte. I shal ascende into heven and shal exa­lte my seate aboue the starres of heven and sitte in the congregacion hill at the northe syde: I wyl ascende hygher then the clowdes / ād be equale with the mo­ste hyghest. But nowe arte thou pluck­ed downe to helle vnto the moste deapest plage of the erthe: thei that se the come now nerer and dare tote y^e in the face th­inkinge thus vpon the / Is not this the stoute man that made the erthe a fray­de / that shoke the kingdoms to gith^r / & made the worlde lyke a deserte? which [Page] betedowne cytes and townes and wo­lde never let his captiues come home.

Howe cometh it to passe that whyls all other kinges of al nacions sleape gloryously euery one at his owne house / thou arte caste oute of thy grave lyke a plan­te oute of kynde? lyke the fleses of sla­yne mē digged thorow with speares / ye lyke mene let downe into doungēs of st­one / and lyke dede karcases troden vn­der the fete. Therfore arte thou not bu­ryed with them because thou destroyed­ste thy nowne lande / and sluest thy pe­ople. The posterite of synful men ther­fore shal euermore be ignomyniouse / ād men shall seke meanes to make a waye their chylderne for their fathers iniqui­te: leste thei aryse and possesse the king­dome / and fyl the lande ful of strōge ho­ldes. I shal ryse vpon them (saith y^e lor­de of powers) ād kut of the name of Ba­bylon / and al that there remayne with the chylderne ād their neves / saith the lorde: I shal leve it for oters / and turne it into a fysshe pole / ye I shal swepe it [Page] with a consuminge besome (saith the lo­rde of powers): ye / and besydes al this y^e lorde of powers bownde it with an othe thus to come to passe as he had thoug­ht / and to be as suer of this plage as he had decreed it. I shal breke downe y^e As­syrions (saith he) in my lande / and trede them downe in my mountayns: the yo­ke of Assur shalbe taken frome yowe / & yower shulders shalbe delyuerde of his burden / so standeth it with the counsels which the lorde hath decreed vpon all y^e lande / and thus is his power stretched­forth vnto all gentyles: for the lorde of powers decreynge eny thinge / who shal make it voyde? When he hath streched forth his hande / who maye bende it bac­ke? In the yeare that kynge Ahaz dyed God thretened one this maner by Isa­ye. Reioyse not al at once thou Palesty­ne / as thoghe y^e staffe of hym that smyt the were al to broken: for oute of the ro­te of the edder shal ryse a koketrice / and oute of hym shal springe a fleinge fyer drake / and the poore shal eate of the best [Page] and nedyons shall dwell in savegarde: But thy rote shal I quenche oute with honger / and he shall slaye thy reamna­untes. yell oute ye gates: krye ye cytes / and thou palestyne be trowbled all ouer for there cometh a smoke frome the nor the / whose thycknes and bitter violence noman maye abyde: and then what ot­her answere shal the tydinge beares of the folke make / but that the Lorde hath set faste Zion / and his poore people sh­al cleve vnto hyr.

Chapi. xv.

The heuye vision that the Lorde shewed to Isaye vpon Moab. I have sene that Ar Moab sh­ulde be destroyed and layed ful lowe / ād that in the nighte / and in the night also the walles of Moab shulde be throne downe. These Moabites ascended vn­to their highe places called Baithe and Dibon where they worshiped Idols / to wepe before them. This lamentable h­owlinge of Moab was harde over Na­ [...]o and Medeba / every man polled his heade and shoue his berde. Thei stode [Page] gyrte in sacke in every korner of the to­wne. Vpon their house toppes / and in y^• stretes every man kryed oute and fell to wepinge. Hesebon and Eleale kryed so lowde that their voyces were harde to Iahaz / and the soudgiers of Moab w­hen thei shulde haue blowne vp theire trompetes to batayle / for sorowe of the­ir hartes they kryed ah lasse for sorowe / ower hartes blede vpon Moab fleinge towerd Zoar that welthye bullok / and vpon the hanging of the hyll of Luhith they clymed withe wepinge. Also the waye of Horonaim they filled with th­eire lamentable noyse. The waters of Nemrim were forsaken and the grasse was wytherd awaye. Corne fayled / ād there was no grene thinge lefte. And e­ven aftyr this maner the reste of theyr substaunce and goodes theyr aduersar­es karied a waye to Arabye prosperou­sly by shippe. And to be shorte / the noyse wente thorowe al the coostes of Moab so that frome Eglaim vnto Beer Elim all was fylle dwith theyr howlinge.

The waters of Dimon were full of bl­oude / for there laye the hoste waytynge lyke lyons / both for them y^t shulde ha­ue escaped frome the cyte / and for them that fled frome the felde.

Chap. xvi

Then y^e lorde of y^e lande sente a soul­dyer frome the stoney deserte vn­to the hill of the daughter of Zi­on (for the daughters of Moab abode yet at the foorde of Arnon lyke trembl­inge byrds put oute of their nestes) wh­ich messagere requyred them thus sayn­ge. Gather togither yower senatours & take counsell howe ye myghte shadewe and defende vs in this hot persecution / hyde them that flee / and destroye not y^e dispersed / let ower Moabytes fled vn­to yowe be soukerde / hyde vs from the face of the destroyer / for ower enymes trede vs downe: this destroyer ceasseth not to waste vs a waye frome the ert­he: For the seate of yower kyngdome is ful of mercye / wherfore he that sittethe in it muste iuge of faithfulnes and tro­wthe as in the tabernacle of Dauid / he [Page] muste seke equite & haste hym to mayn­tayne the righte. Vnto the which requ­este it was thus answerde. Moabs pr­yde is wel knowne and howe grete it is His Arrogancye & swellinge furye was never so grete but his strength is nowe as small. Wherfore let Moab compla­yne of his fall to hym selfe / that he mo­ught all alone lamente / and that he al­so thus broken with sorowe mought sit complayninge and moorninge in vay­ne at the fete of che brycke walles of A­rnon nowe caste downe. Also Isawe th­ose suburbes of Hesebon destroyed: The vyneyardes of Sibme planted withe y^e moste nobleste vynes which reched vn­to Iazer and spred vnto the deserte / hyr branches spred vnto y^e weste sea the pe­ars of Gentyles dyd kut downe. Whe­rfore I wepte for Iazer and for the vy­neyardes of Sibme / I waterde the vy­neyarde of Hesbonam and Elealen wi­th the teares of my eyes / because that in their harueste and in the gatheringe of their grapes theire wonte mery songes [Page] were gone / their myrth was layed in b­ed / both of felde and vyne yarde / so that they coulde nether be glade nor synge: y^e treder in y^e vyne presse trede out no more wyne / their harueste and grape gather­inge songes were layed downe. Wher­fore my belye murmuerde lyk an harpe for Moab / and even my bowels also for that bryk walle. For when Moab see t­hat hyr goodes were in perell she wear­ed hir selfe going to hyr Idols in highe places and to hyr holy houses to praye / but non might helpe hyr. This is y^e w­orde which the lorde spake then vpon Moab: but nowe the lorde speaketh on this maner. Aftyr thre yeares / the po­wer of Moab with al hyr pompe & ryc­hes (which ar very mych) shalbe taken a waye / evē as an hyerde seruante his yeares oute serued is quyte gone / ād hir reamnauntes shalbe ful fewe ād of sm­all valewe.

Chap. xvij.

THe heuye affliccion which y^e lo­rde shewed to Isaye vpon Da­mascum. Damascus shal no­more [Page] be a cyte / but throne downe into an heape of stones. The cites of Aroer shalbe turned into pasture & layers for flockes of shepe ād other heardes so th­at noman shal fraye them a waie Ep­hraim shal nomore be strōge defensed / Damascus shalbe nomore a kingdome. Also the glorye of the lefte cytes of Sy­rie shalbe lyke the glorye of the chylde­rne of Israel saith the lorde of powers / then shal the glorye of Iacob be ful thy­nne / and the well lykinge of theire fatte bodyes shalbe full leane. For they shal­be lyke a gatherer of corne yet stādinge after the sykle which reapeth down the handfulles withe his Arme / but when he gathereth or thrusteth them togith­er (even in the valye of Rephaim) yet he levethe som what for the gleaners: th­ey shalbe lyke one beatingeof olyve be­ryes which yet leveth two or thre bery­es in the toppe and not passinge fower or fyve in all the other bouwes saithe y^e lorde god of Israel. Then shal man ret­urne vnto his maker and his eyes shall [Page] loke vnto hym that maketh holye Isr­ael: and shall not loke vnto Altars the worke of theyr handes neth^r shal he be­holde those thinges whiche his owne fyngers made / nether wordes / nor yma­ges. Then shal the stronge cytes be lef­te desolate as were the ploughes & ha­rows sometyme (of the chananites) for feare of the chylderne of Israel. Becau­se thou hast forgoten god thy saviower and not remembred thy stronge rocke / therfore hast thou planted the so fayer settes and sowne the so straunge seades When thou plantedste them / thou wa­ste riche and in thy flowers and beleu­edste to haue had fulerlye frutes of thy seade: But when the tyme shall come to gather and to possesse them / thou shalt reape right plentuouse afflicciō and so­rowe. Wo be to this confuse clustre and monstrose multitude of so prowde peop­le swellinge lyke the sea whiche haith­en hoste ryseth vp lyke a fearce water.

But let this heady folke / be they never so many / neuer so vnrulye and lawles [Page] swell / yet as sone as the Lorde blameth them and sette agenste them / thei shall flee full farre a waye / and shalbe wyn­nowed of the wynde lyke the duste of y^e drye mountayne / and lyke a whirlew­ynde at the comynge of a storme: For lo / lyke as at the eveninge thei were mer­velouse terrible / so before the morninge shal thei begone. This is the very en­de of them that scourge vs / this is the rewarde of them that robbe vs of ower goodes.

Chap. x viij.

WO be to the lande whose shipp­es are so swyfte / which lande lyeth one thys syde of the flowde of Ethiopye / which sendeth ambassiat­ours by the sea and that in shippes of r­eedes and bulrushes put vpon the wat­ers saynge: Go yower wayes ye messa­gers vnto a y^e pyssed ād ragged nacion / people more fearfull then owers and fa­rre vnlyke / a vyle nacion & litel set bye whose lande the floudes devyde. But o ye all that dwel vpon the erthe and in­habit the rownde worlde / take hede and [Page] loke when ye se the signe lyfted vp to yo­we in the hylles / and when ye heare the trompetes blowne vp to bataile: For th­us sayd the Lorde to me. I laye downe to reste consyderynge withe my selfe yn my house in the myddaye when it was full warme lyke as a genste a shower of rayne as it is wonte to be in haruest ce­ason / but yet before the corne be redye to reape and the clusters of grapes be per­fitly rype: and the^r was one which kut­downe the clusters with a kutting kn­yfe / and he kut a waye even the branc­hes also / and toke them a waye: the res­ydwe were lefte as well fore the fowles of the mountayns as for the beastes of the felde / that y^e fowles myght lye the­re all the somer ād the beastes of the fe­ldes all wynter. And then shall the^r be offred the Lorde of powers a gyfte of y^e pild ragged nacion and dredfull people farre above vs / a vyle nacion / ād troden vnd^r fote. Whole landes y^e flowdes de­uyde: vnto the lorde of powers (I saye) these gentyles shalbe offerd at the pla­ce [Page] consecrated vnto his name / even at y^e mounte Zion.

Chap. xix.

THe heuye afflicion which y^e lor­de shewed to Isaye vppon Eg­ypte. Beholde / the lorde shal come rydinge vpon a swyfte clowde into Egypte: at whose cominge the Idols of Egypte shal sheake / ād the harte of E­gypte shal faynte in hyr owne bodye. For I shal set the Egipcions (saith the lorde) one agenste a nother so that eue­ry man shal fyght with other / even bro­ther agenste brother / cyte agenste cyte / kyngdome agenste kyngdome / and the breath of Egypte shalbe broken in hyr belye / and I shal scater hyr counsel wh­en she shal go aboute to aske it of hir I­dols / wytches / soth sayers and diuyne­rs. I shal betake Egypte into the hand­es of cruel lordes / and a violente kinge shal rule thē / saith the lorde god of po­wers. The waters of the sea shal synke awaye / and Nilus shalbe dryedup / their flowdes shalbe dronke vp / and their dy­kes and brooks shalbe ful shalowe and [Page] fayle / reed and rushes shalbe wytherd­vp / the medewes ād all the feldes a bo­ute Nilꝰ which wer wonte to wexe gr­ene at the openinge of hyr lippes shalbe dryed vp and of no valwe. The fyshe­rs shal morne / ād al that were wonte to laye hokes & bende nettes at their wat­ers shal lamente: the spynners and ma­kers of lynyne / the sylke wemen with y^e weavers therof shalbe begerde and cō ­funded. At that made pondes ād stwes shal breke vp their bankes. Also the co­unsells of the folesshe princes of Zoan & the wyse counsel of Pharao shalbe tur­ned al into felyshnes. Howe dare ye th­en be so bolde to saye vnto Pharao / I am come of a wyse stocke / ād I am of an auncyāt noble bloude? where nowe / w­here (I praye the) are thy wyse men? let them tell the nowe (I praye the) what y^e lorde entendeth and hath thought to do with Egipte. The folyshe prīces of Zo­an and the prowde princes of Memph­eos begylde Egipte with their noble hyghe stocke. The lorde shall mingle the [Page] sprite of erroure emonge thez that then shulde seduce Egipte in all thinges ev­en as the dronken and vomytinge man is brought oute of the waye. Egipte sh­al want counsel to convaye hyr causes / she shal not knowe where she shal beg­inne nor where she shal make an ende / whether it be vpon y^e lande or sea. Th­en shall Egipte be lyke wemen / fearfull and astōned at y^e lyftinge vp of the hā ­de of the lorde of powers / which he shall lyftup agenst hyr. Also te lande of Iuda shalbe a thondreclappe to Egipte / so th­at who so euer mynde hyr to Egipte she shal a non be sinayde with feare at y^e co­unsel of the lorde of powers whiche he hath decreede agenste hyr. Then shall there be .v. cytes in the lande of Egipte which shal speake the Chananytes to­nge / and shalbe sworne vnto y^e lorde of powers / of the which one is called Heli­opolis. Also then shal there be an altar for y^e lorde in the myddes of Egipte ent­ytlede to the lorde to be into a signe and testymonye for the lorde of powers in y^e [Page] lande of Egipte / y^t when thei krye vnto him / for feare of their oppressours he m­ought sende them a saviowr and a guy­de which mought delyuer them. The lorde shal knowe the Egypcions ād ag­ene the Egipcions shal knowe the Lor­de / then shal thei worship him with sa­cryfices & gyftes. They shal vowe vn­to the lorde and performe it. Thus shal the lorde smyte the Egypcions and he­ale them agene / thus shal they be con­uerted to the lorde / and thus shal he be merciful vnto them and shal heale thē. Then shal the waye be comenly haw­nted frome Egypte to Assyria / and the Assyrions shal come to the Egypcions and Thegypcions agene to them / & th­ei shall both worshippe one God. Then shal Israel with Egipte & Assyria ma­ke all thre one blessed trinite in the my­ddes of the erthe / which trinite the lor­de of powers shal blesse saynge: Blessed be Egipte my people / blessed be the As­sirions y^e worke of my handes / ād blessed be Israel my inheretaunce.

Chap. xx.

[Page] IN the yeare that Thartan came to Azotum sente of Sargon kyn­ge of the Assyrions and had won­ne by bataile and taken Azotum: y^e lor­de spoke vnto Isaye the sonne of Amoz thus saynge. Go and draw of thy sacke frome thy loynes and lose thy shoes frome thy fete / which so doynge / wente naked and bare fote. And the lorde sayd: y^e nakednes and barefote goinge of my se­ruante Isaye is a token ād a fore shewi­nge of a woundrefull thinge that shall fall vpon Egypte & Ethiope aftyr thre dayes: for so shall the kynge of Assyrye dryve the captyues of Egypte and the baneshed of Ethiope / both yonge and olde shall he dryue awaye naked and bar­fote: and shal vnkouer the arses of the­gipcions beinge ashamed of the Ethio­ps and Ehethiops of thegypcions / and then shall the dwellers of this eylonde saye: is this ower hope vnto whom / we fled for helpe to be delyuerde frome the kinge of Assyrye? howe shal we escape?

The .xxi. Chapiter

THe grevouse affliccion of y^e wy­lde sea. There is an hevye vis­ion shewed me / lyke as when a storme brought frome the sout­he comethe owte frome the deserte that terrible lande. Babylon shalbe beseged rownde aboute and shalbe vtterlye de­stroyde. Come vp Elam / besege it Mede / all theyr syghes shal I swage. At these wordes my raynes were a stoned and panges came vpon me lyke the pā ­ges of a woman travelinge of chylde.

When I harde this I fell downe / when I se it I was amased. My harte trem­bled and panted / I shoke for feare / & be­cause this thīge was derke to me al my wittes wer a stonned. For even this no­yse was harde also: let the table be lay­ed sodenly / and the watche wel apoyn­ted / eate / drynke / aryse capytaynes and take ye to bukler ād shylde. Then thꝰ sayd the lorde to me: Go ād set vp a sp­ye that shal tel what he se: which when he hadde diligently loked rownde abo­ute / he espyed a cowple of men cominge [Page] rydinge togither one of an asse and tot­her of a Camel: and this spye kryed ly­ke a lyon / O my master / I haue stande here besely watchinge all daye ād haue kepte my stadinge diligently al this ni­ghe to: And lo there are come a cowple of the which one hath brought this me­ssage and sayd / Babylon is fallen / Ba­bylon is fallen in very dede / and all the karued & graven Images of their Go­ddis ar braste agenste the grounde: the­se are the tydinges (o my felawes in w­orke and offyce) whiche I haue harde of the Lorde of powers to shewe vnto yo­we. The heuye affliccion of Dume.

Me thought I harde a noyse of one kri­nge frome Seir saynge: watche man w­hat haste thou espyed this mighte? wa­tche man what haste thou espyed this nighte? which me thought answerde.

The daye is come / and the night shall come agene / and if ye be so desyerouse to knowe / come agene then ād aske. The hevye affliccion layed vpon the Arabe­ns. ye shall lodge all nyght in the wode [Page] in the waye to Dedamin: but o ye cytes­ēs of Theme / bringeforth water for the thyrstye / and mete ye the men in slyght withe vytel: for thei shal flee frome the face of yerne / even frome the edge of the naked swerde / frome the presens of the bente bowe / ād frome the edge of the se­tte felde cominge vpon them: for thus hath the lorde spoken vnto me: Aftyr this yeare al the power of Cedar shall haue an ende even lyke the goinge forth of the seruyce of an hyerde man / his ye­ares nowe serued oute / and the reamna­unte of the Archers of Cedar shalbe th­ruste into a ful narowe straighte. For it is the Lorde God of Israel that hath spoken it.

Chap .xxij.

THe hevye affliccion of the vale of the vision. What ayeldeth yowe thus al togither to clyme vp vp­on yow^r house toppes / O cyte ful of w­oundringe / and running togither on he­apes whiche sometyme hast ben so wel­thy a towne? ye are yet a lyue and yet areye but as slayne men with swerde in [Page] bataile: for al your capytayns ar fled on horsebacke oute of boweshote / ye / al thy princes are slipte a waye and fledde ful farre frome the. When I harde these th­inges / I sayde / Go yowrr wayes frome that I myght wepe bitterlye / neth­er be yow aboute to conforte me as con­cerninge the destruccion of my people: For this is the daye of tribulacion / do­wntredinge and confuse perplexite of y^• vale of the vysion (the lorde god of po­wers so throing downe hyr walles that the noyse rebowndeth agenste the mo­untayns): And I sawe y^• Elamytes ta­kinge to them their quyvers and the h­orse men with their Charietes bēdinge their selves to fyghte / ād Cir made ba­re their shyldes. Thy chosen valeys were filled with chariets and the horse men assayled boldely the gates. Then the beutiful deckinge of Iuda was ta­ken a waye: and the house of ordinaun­ce made with the tymber of lybani was layed wyde open / then shall ye se thor­ow chynnes into euery korner of the cy­te [Page] of Dauid / yt shalbe so sore shaken ād rente: and ye shall gather to gither the waters of the lower pole / ye shall also tell the houses of Ierusalem / and breke them downe to defende the walles / and ye shalbe compelled to make a dyke be­twene the two walles withe the wate­rs of the olde pole / hauinge no consyder­acion of the firste makinge there of nor yet of y^• porpose of hyr first maker. Fa­rther more in those dayes / the Lorde god of hostes shall cal yow to wepinge and moorninge to tearing of yower heare of yower heades and to wearinge of sacke whyles lo some men laughe and make mery slaing oxen and shepe / eating fles­she and drinkinge wyne saynge / let vs eate and drynke for we shall dye to mo­rowe: whiche thinge when it came to y^• eares of the Lorde god of powers / he sa­yd. This same yower syme shal not be pourged but by yower dethe. Farther­more thus spake the Lorde God of po­wers. Go thy wayes into this tresure house vnto Sobnam president of the to­wne [Page] house / and aske hym / what mak­est thou here? Or who made the so bol­de to hewe the here a sepulchre? (For he hadde graven hym a prowde tombe ou­te of stone and had made hym a cowche there yn). Beholde the Lorde shall caste the oute violently / and shall araye the withe a newe cote / he shal clothe the w­ithe a straunge vesture / and tryndel y^• lyke a balle into a farre ād wyde count­rye and there shalt thou dye / there shal the pompe of thy charietes be ended O shame and sclawnd^r of the house of thy Lorde: I shall thruste the (saith the lo­rde) frome thy standinge / and shall put the frome thy order. And after thys sh­all I call my seruante Eliakim the sonne of Helkye / and I shall put thy cloth­es vpon his backe and shall gyrde hym withe thy gyrdle / and thy power shall I be take into hys handes / and he shal­be the father both of the cyte of Ierusa­lem and of the house of Iuda / and Ish­all hange the kaye of the house of Da­uid vpon his shoulders / ād when he sh­all [Page] open it / noman shall shitte it agene / and when he shall shit it / noman shall open it agene: And I shall pitche hym as faste as a stake in the hygheste and faithfullest place / and he shalbe promo­ted vnto the gloriouse seate of his fath­ers house. All the glorye of his fathers house and of his chylders chylderne sh­all they offer vnto hym / ye / and all ve­ssels bothe grete and small withe all m­aner of musike instruments. These th­inges (at the warninge of the Lorde of powers) shalbe done even then when thys stake whiche was set in the moste faithfulleste place and authorite shalbe plucked vp / and the burden that depen­dethe vpon hym shall be plucked vp by the rote / throne downe / and broken: for it is the lorde that spake it.

Cha .xxiij. The heuye affliccion of Tyrus.

BEwayle ye shippes of Tharsis for Tyrus is vtterly destroyed euē of y^e dwellers of y^• eylāds to mīg frō their owne house to captiue thē The cytesens of Cypres ar at rest / y^• m­chantes [Page] of Sydon whiche were wonte to haue recourse thither by sea and all that thither occupyed nowe ceasse / wh­ose pure whete withe all maner of go­od grayne was thither brought frome Nilus by sea / fore it was the haven to­wne of marchandise for alnacions. Sy­don is a shamed / the sea withe all hyr power mony shinge hyr saynge: I wol­de I had neuer bene mother to haue br­ouht vp hyr yong mē & decked hyr ma­ydens: Egypte / as sone as she heare of this / shall bewayle it even lyke Tyrus hyr owne selfe. They that are beyende the sea withe the citesens of the eylan­des all lamente these grevouse afflicci­on saynge was not this yower plesau­nte commodiouse cyte whose auncyau­ntnes have be commended of longe ty­me? The goer frome hyr into farre co­untres haue noblye spred hyr name. Who wolde haue thoughte that thys hevye chaunse shulde haue happened to Tyrus the flower of cytes? Whose m­archant men were Prynces / and the [Page] peares of the worlde occupyed vnto hyr The lorde of powers hath decreed this to abate the pryde of all stowtenes / and to plucke downe all the gloriouse of the erthe: Passe over all thy lande lyke a fl­owde (O nymphe of the sea) and yet sh­alte thow not fynde the siche a nother gyrdle. The Lorde whiche hath trow­bled the Kyngdomes and layed his h­ande vpon Chanaan to destroye hyr stronge peares / hath nowe stretched fo­rthe hys hande also vnto the sea sayn­ge. Thou shalt no more be gladde: For thow shalte suffer the violence of the Cethens / O virgen daughter of Zid­on. Wherfore aryse and go thy wayes (althoughe thou shalt not there haue e­ny reste) for lo the lande of the Chaldes was a nacion that had no felawes / and Assur firste buylded it / but yet he lefte it for wodowses: he buylded theire str­onge holdes and palaces / but yet they brought them to naught. Wayle ye th­erfore o shippes of the sea for yower str­engthe is gone. And then thus shall it [Page] happen also to Tyrus / it shal be forgo­ten. lxx. yeares even a kinges age / and after .lxx. yeares it shall happen to Tyrus as to an harlet mynstrel / to whom men saye / take thy harpe and go abou­te in the cyte (fowle forgoten harlet) th­at withe thy wel playnge and syngyn­ge all maner of songes thou myghteste yet so be remembred and knowne age­ne: even so I saye shall it chaunse vnto Tyrus / After .lxx. yeares / the Lorde shall loke vpon Tyrus and restore hyr to hyr owne: which shal vse hyr feates of marchandise with all the kyngdoms of the face of the erthe / and hyr marchā dyse & occupyinge shalbe accepte to y^e lo­rde / for thei shal not be hyd & muggerd­vp but be turned frome one to a noth^r in Tyro / as it becometh the cytesens of y^• Lorde / into the refreshinge of the nedy­ons / and clothinge of age.

Chap. xxiiij.

BEholde y^• Lorde shal waste & destroye y^e rownde worlde / he shal wrythe of hyr face & scater hyr inhabitours. And then shal y^e laye peop­le [Page] & preeste / seruāt & Master / Mayde & mastres / byer & seller / lend^r & borow^r cr­editour & detter / be ala lyk non beter th­en a noth^r. Ful myserably shall therthe be wasted & destroyed: for the lorde hath decreed it / therthe shal wayle & fala w­aye / the worlde shalbe ful feable & slyde down. The proude people of therthe sh­al faynte: for the erthe is defyeled of hyr owne inhabitours in y^t they haue trās­gressed y^e lawe / they haue altered y^e ordi­naunces / & broken the everlastīg cōuen­aunte. Wherfo^r maledicciō & kurse shal devower therthe / because hyr inhabit [...] ­urs haue offended: whervpon they sha­lbe madde / & very fewe mortall men sh­albe lefte a lyve. Wyne shall moorne / & the vynes shal faldowne / al men shal sighe sorowfully y^t we^r wonte to be iocun­de in harte. The myrthe of timpanyes / swete songes with their plesaunte har­pes al shal ceasse. thei shal not drīk wy­ne with songes. Bea^r shalbe bitt^r to the drīkers / cytes geuen to vanyte shalbe destroyed / euery house shalbe shit vp y^t no­man [Page] maye go yn. The skasenes of wy­ne shalbe kryed oute in the streates. All myrthe shalbe gone / and the ioye of the erthe shall fall a waye / desolacion shal­be lefte in the cytes / and mysery shal st­eke vpon the gates: for so shall it come to all the erthe and to all the people as if one shulde betedowne the thinne res­ydue of the olyve beryes and pyke of the reamnaunte of grapes after the grape gatheringe. And then they that shalbe yet lefte shal with lowde voyce extoll the maiestye of the lorde / syngynge fr­ome the sea and magnifyinge the name of the Lorde God of Israel from the kaues and eylandis. We heare comenlye songes sunge thorowte all the erthe in­to the prayse of the rightwouse. And I me selfe saye / Oh my barennes / oh my penurye / ah lasse for sorowe / all the wo­rlde is ful of vngodly synners / ye and that of siche synners which synne even of a set porpose so boldelye. Wherfo^r fe­are and drede / pitte and snare / gape fore the O dweller vpon y^e erthe / so that he [Page] that wolde fle to avoyde the fearfull v­oyce muste fall into the pitte and if he krepeth oute of the pitte he shalbe tak­en in the snare. For the wyndowes of heaven shalbe opened and the foundaci­ons of the erthe shalbe shaken togither The erthe shall geue a meruelouse cr­acke / the erthe shalbe sore broken / the erthe shalbe violently shaken in sondre / y^e erthe shall stacker lyke a dronken man and be borne ouer lyke a tente / For hyr synne shal lye full hevye vpon hyr / and she shall fall / never aftyr to aryse. And then this thing shal come / the lorde sh­all vyset the prowde sprytes of the ayer that are above / and the kinges of the erthe that inhabit the erthe / and these sh­albe gatherde togither as men in band­es to be caste into doungens and shit vp in presons and be punysshed for ever.

Even the mone shalbe then ashamed / the sonne shalbe confounded when y^e lorde of powers shall raigne in the mounte Zion & in Hierusalem / accōpaned with so gloriouse a sage multitude.

Ch. xxv

LOrde thou arte my God / I sh­all extoll the and magnifie thy name / for thou doist thinges to be merueld at / accordinge to thy auncy­aunte counsells both faste and faithful For thou turnest grete cytes into heap­es of erthe / stronge defensed townes in­to ruyne / and the houses of the vngodly thou pluckeste oute of cytes neuer to be restored: wherfore even the rude people muste nedes glorifye the and the cytes of the cruel gentyles muste feare the.

For thou arte the weake mannis stren­gth and the poore mannis myght wh­en he is in destresse / thou arte a refugye in tempestes / a shadwe in heate / and w­here the hastye violence of tyraūtes br­eke yn lyke a whyrlewynde there thou settest yn thy selfe agenste them lyke a stronge wall. Thou arte to them lyke y^e drowght in the deserte. It is thou that swagest the swellinge boldenes of y^e vn­godly / thou puttest awaye the heate w­ithe the shadwe of a clowde / and cuttest awaye the violent lyke a vyne twygge [Page] Farthermore y^e lorde of hostes shal feste al y^e people in this hyl / he shal make thē a plentuouse & a delicate feste of y^e moste fattest & ful of marye / with y^e moste be­ste & eldest wyne / he shal take awaye y^e veyle in thys hyll / even y^e veyle y^• hāge­th before y^e face of al y^e people & y^e koverī ­ge which koverth y^e face of al y^e gentils: deth shal he vtterly devower / & y^e lorde god shal wype awaye y^e teares frō everi mānes face / & y^e opprobrye of his people thorowt al y^e worlde shal he take away for it is y^e lorde y^t spake it. Also men shal saye in this daye. Beholde / this is ow^r god / we haue trusted in hym / & he hath saued vs this is the lorde in whom we-beleued / let vs nowe reioyse and beglad in his sauinge helthe / for it was his ha­nde that favourde this hill: But Mo­ab shalbe alto broken of hym / as small as chaffe to be caste into the donghill / fore he shall stretche forthe his handes agenste hym even lyke a swymmer w­hen he swymmethe / and he shall thru­ste downe hys pryde by the vertwe of [Page] his power / he shal make his highe wa­lles of defence to rele / and laye them ful lowe vpon the grownde and smyte th­em to powlder.

Chap. xxvj.

And then shal this songe be sun­ge in the lande of Iuda. We h­aue a stronge cyte / a saviour is hyr walles and hyrbolwerke. Opene ye hyr gates that the rightwo­us folke and the lovers of faithfulnes moughte enteryn: Thow whiche arte bothe Master ād workman shal frame togither peace / even y^e very peace (I tell yow) for in the / men truste. Truste in y^e lorde for euer for he bendeth downe the stately cytesen / & the prowde cyte he ca­stethe to the grownde / & in processe bri­ngeth it into duste to be troden vnder y^e fete even of y^• poore nedyons. Thou (lor­de) ponderste the pathe of the ryghtwy­se whether it be iuste and whether his waye be eaven: wherfo^r we meruelat y^e pathes of thy iugements: for in thy na­me / & at the rememberaunce of the / ma­nnis soule is fedde. I desyer y^e be nyght [Page] with al my harte / and with all my my­nde and spirit with yn me I haste me to the: for a non as thy Iugements were publesshed in the worlde / the inhabito­urs therof lerned rightwysnes: but the vngodly when he had once goten mer­cye / he lerned not ryghtwysnes / but as sone as he is correkte he synnethe the more and feareth not the maiestye of y^e Lorde. Lorde thei wilnot see thy hyghe power / but the tyme shall come that they shall see it and be confounded / whē thou shalt devower them by the indig­nacion of the people and by the fyer of thy enymes. But emōge vs (Lorde) th­ou shalt set peace / for it is thou y^t wor­kest and fyneshest all thinges in vs bo­the ower thoughtes and ower deades.

O Lorde ower god / althoughe straunge Lordes contrarye to the haue ben rule­rs over vs: yet not with standinge we remember the only and beare thy name ī ower myndes. The cruell Tyrauntes whiche are nowe dede / lyue not: nether ar they rekened in the resurreccion of the [Page] faithfull. For thou haste so visited and destroyed them that all their memorial shulde pereshe. But contrary wyse / thy folke (Lorde) thou haste encresed / thou haste encresed thy people / glorified and magnified them thorowte all the coost­es of the erthe. Lorde / in their tribulac­ion they seke the: Affliccion and sorow­ful complayninge are to them thy nou­rteringe: but in the meane tyme as a w­oman grete withe chylde when hyr ty­me is come trauelleth and kryeth for anguyshe and payne / euen so are we (Lor­de) in thy sighte: we conceyue / we trau­el / and in a maner we bringeforth helth thorowe the spyrit / leste therthe shoul­dbe destroyed and the dwellers ther yn shulde peresshe: But thy dede men lyue and ower deare beloued are in the resurreccion: Thei are awake and right glad which lye in the duste: For thou water­est them with the dewe of light and ly­fe: but the habitacion of the violente is fallen awaye. Go yower waye therfore my people into yower secrete closets ād [Page] shit the dore aftyr yowe / abyde / and suf­fre / even but a momente tyl the wrathe bepassed over: For lo / the lorde shall co­meforth of his place to vyset the wyke­dnes of thinhabitours of the erthe / wh­ich erthe shall disclosse whose bloude so ever she hath dronke / and shal hyde no lenger hyr slayne persons.

Cha .xxvij.

THe tyme shal come that the lor­de shall vyset Leuiathan / that inuincible serpent with his ha­rde / grete / stronge swerde / even Levia­than that subtel serpente: and shal sla­ye this dragone of the sea. Then shall men heare this songe vpon the amiable vyneyarde of Hemer / one answeringe a nother / I the Lorde defende and water hyr in dwe tyme. I kepe hyr daye & ni­ghte leste eny man inuade hyr. I am w­ithe oute all wrathe: who then maye so move me to be so grete an enymye to h­yr that (my promyse neglecte) I wolde set hyr a fyer all at once with thornes & bryers? Or who maye holde bak my st­rength / to pacefye me and to reconcyle [Page] me vnto hyr if I wolde not? But Iac­ob brought owte of Captiuite vnloked for / shalbe roted agene / Israel shal bu­dde and floureshe so that the holl worl­de shalbe repleyneshed with their frut­es. For shall not the lorde smyte his sm­yters agene even as he was smyten? or shal he not slaye as he was slayne? wh­at mesure so ever mengeue / the same sh­all they receyve agene. He bloweth for­th his vehemēt skorchinge wynde. W­herfore the iniquite of Iacob is pourged on this maner / and by this meanes he taketh awaye all their synful seade: as when he turnethe all the stones of the­ir alters into powlder / when their ima­ges worshiped in wodes and solitary tē ­ples be layed downe / when their stron­ge cytes are destroyde / when their goo­dlye fayer cytes are lefte desolate lyke a wyldernes for bullocks to fede theryn to lye ād brose on the bouwes: when th­eir corne is brentvp / and the wemen w­hich in their cominge forthe garneshed their cytes are defyeled: fore thys people [Page] is with owte vnderstandinge. Wherfo­re their maker wilnot pyte them / ād th­eir potter shal haue no fansye to them. In these dayes the lorde shal smyte do­wne all the frutes frome the fyerce flo­wde Euphrates vnto Nilus the flow­de of Egypte: and ye chylderne of Isra­el one by one shalbe gatherd togither in to one place: And then shall there blo­wvp a meruelouse grete trompet / & th­ei that had perysshed in Assyria and be­ne outlawes in Egipte shal come forth to worshipe the Lorde in the holye hyll which is in Ierusalem.

Chap. xxviij.

WO be to the proude crowne of dr­onken Cphraim and to the falli­nge flower of hyr gloriouse beu­tie which is set in the toppe over the m­oste plentuoust vale / wo be to the dron­kherds. Beholde / the stronge power of the lorde comethe lyke an hay le storme dryuynge downe stronge holdes / and lyke a grete shower of rayne dryuinge v­pon euery parte of therthe: even withe mennis fete shall the prowde crowne of [Page] dronken Ephraim be troden downe / ād it shall happen to the fadinge flower of hyr g [...]oriouse beutye which yet stande­th on the toppe ouer the moste plentuo­use vale even as it happeneth vnto the hastye frute rype before y^• harueste / wh­ich as sone as on espieth it he is redye to devower it before his hande canne reche it. Aftyr this / the lorde of powers sha­lbe a Ioyefull crowne and a beutifull g­arlande to the residwe of his people and shalbe the spyrit bothe of iugement to y^• iuges / and the spirit of strength to thez that shal dryve his enemis from the gates. But yet euen these also erre witheoute knowlege by the reason of wyne / & are with oute their wittes for theyr w­elthy dronkenes. ye their preestes and prophetes also erre oute of the waye for dronken welthynes. For they laden w­ith wyne / and drowned with luste / erre in preachinge / ād offende in iuginge: fo [...] all their tables are so fylled with vom­etes and fylthynes that no parte shal­be lefte vnfylled. Which of them (I pr­aye [Page] you) shalbe then able to īstructe eny man or to teache the right disciplyne to eny of these chylderne newely weaned & plucked frō y^• teate? Or what els ma­ye they teache then clowtinge constitu­tion to constitution / throyng one cōma­undement vpon a noth^r / inhibicion vpō inhibicion / a lytel here & a lytel whyles there. Wherfo^r lorde shal speake vnto this people confusely & in a straunge tō ge vnto whō he sayde sometyme. This shal quyet thy consciens: this refresshe­th y^• weary & afflicte soule: It is this (I tel the) that shal bringe thy harte into a blessed peace & reste: but they wolde not heare: wherfo^r y^• lorde shal speake to thē saynge. Byd & cōmaunde agene / forbyd and forbyd agene / a lytel here and a ly­tel whyles there / that they mought go backwarde / fall / and be alto broken / ye y^• they mought fall into their snares and be taken. Wherfore heare the worde of the lorde Oye olde wylye skorners / w­hiche playe the Lordes ouer my people which is in Ierusalē: for thꝰ thīke ye / we [Page] ar at a bargaine with deth / & at a poīte with hel / that when eny gret myscheffe or plage cometh / it shal not touche vs: for dissemblīg hypocrysye shalbe our refugye / & with lyes we shalbe defended. Wh^r fo^r even thus telleth you y^e lorde god saynge. Beholde I shal laye a stone yn ziō / a touche stone / a kornerd stone / a pr­eciouse stone to stablesshe y^e foundacion: so y^t whoso ev^r beleueth & cleueth to this stone / shal not lightly slyde: for his eq­uite & eavenes shal I trye by plomet ād squyer / & his rightwysnes shalbe pōde­rd as in a payer of balāces. But an ha­ple storme shal take awaye your refuge which ye stablessed: & your defence pain­ted with kraftye lyes swellinge waters shal bare away: & yo^r bargē made with deth shalbe brokē / your apointmēt also made with hell shalnot stāde: for when this swellinge destrucciō shal aryse & come vpon yow it shal swelowe yow in & karye you a waye sodenlye. For when it shal beginne erly in the morning / it shal enduw^r but the same daye and nyghte [Page] / ād there shalbe siche a feare that it alo­ne shal breke euen the hartes of thē th­at do but heare of this. Then shal bed­des be so narowe that noman maye ha­ue his reste / and the koueringes so ska­nte y^• noman maye be wrapped in them for the lorde shal stepeforth as he dyde in the mounte of Perazim and shal rof­fle angerly as he dyd in the vale of Gi­beon to worke his owne worke: he take­th a meruelouse strange wayes / to brīge his owne worke to passe / ful straunge & woūdreful are his dedes. Nowe therfore dispyse not this warninge lesteyow^r ca­ptiuyte be the more grevouse: For I ha­ue harde of the lorde god of powers that there shal come a soden ende and destru­ccion vpon al the erthe. Lysten therfore and heare my voyce / geue hede and bel­eue my wordes. Is not the tylman alw­ayes busye in duwe tyme to ploughe / to opene / and to kutforth his lande to so­we it? dothe he not a non as he hath ma­de it eaven and playne sowe his fetch­es or sprynkel his Coomyn? and aftyr [Page] warde sowe it orderly now with wh [...]te and then with barley and so forth wit­he other corne acordinge to the strength of y^• soyle? And to do these thinges du­ely in ordre do not his god teache ād dyr­ecte hym? for he thressheth not his fete­hes with a wayne / nor turneth the car­te whele vpon his Coomyn. But the fetches he thressheth with a flayle / and his Coomyn he beateth forth withe a staffe / and even so lykwyse he gryndeth his whete into brede. Which he coulde never do with thresshinge it. For nether the violence of the turninge of the carte whele: nor yet the tredinge of the beast­ [...]sfete maye grynde it into meale. And this thinge is shewed hym of the Lorde of powers which is the moste meruelste counseler and the gretest magnifyer of equyte.

Chap. xxix.

WO be vnto y^• Ariel / Ariel / a cy­te sometyme subdued of Dauid.☞ Take yet a fewe yeares respite set some festes yet passe ouer awhyle / & then suerly shal I besege Ariel. Then [Page] shal she be so heauye ād so kareful that she maye welbe called Ariel. I shall cō ­pase the rownd a boute with tentes and castells and shitte the yn withe towers and dryue vp bolwerkes agenste the. And thow shalt be so lowe brought th­at thow shalt speake even oute of y^• gr­ownde / and as of one buryed in the du­ste thy voyce shalbe harde. For thy vo­ice shalbe lyke a sprite speakinge oute of therth / so fayntly shalt thow grone oute of the grownde. For the multitude of thy enymes shalbe lyke the motes in y^• sonne beames ād the cruel multitude of them shalcome vpon the lyke duste rea­sed vp and karyed sodenly in the twink­linge of an eye. Then shalt thow be vi­sited of the lorde of powers with thond­re / erthe quakes / ād fearful crackes / w­ith whyrlwīdes / stormey tempestes / & with the flame of a devoweringe fyer. But nowe al this multitude of the gentyles beinge aboute to bringe forth their armye agēste Ariel / all this hoste / the compassinge aboute hyr / ād hir besegers [Page] al appere abyet to be but a dreame of an hongrye man dreaminge to haue eaten / which nowe waking is ful hongrye ha­uinge his bely emptye / and lyke a thir­stye man dreaminge that he drinketh & a non as he is a wake he is ful faynte & drye whose desyer yet birneth for drynke Thus (I saye) appereth the multitude of al these gentyls as yet to be lyke / w­hich shal fight agenste the mounte Zi­on. But then shal ye be amased / astoned gapynge and beholdinge al these thin­ges / ye shalbe dronken / but not with w­yne / ye shal rele / but not for dronkenes / for the lorde shal power forth vpon you the spryte of a depe slomber / ād shal sh­it vp yower eyes / that is to saye he shal kouer yow^r prophetes and cheffe seinge men: And al prophecyes shalbe vnto y­owe even as the wordes of a clasped bo­ke and sealed vp: which if thou offerest vnto a wel lettred man saynge / I praye yow read this boke / he shal saye / I can­not read it for it is sealed vp: Also if it be geuen to an vnlerned man saynge / I [Page] praye the read this boke / he shal answe­re the. I am not lettrede. Wherfore thus saith the lorde. Because that this peop­le draweth nighe me withe their mout­hes ād with their lippes speak mich w­orship by me their hartes beinge farre fro me / and because the feare that they owe vnto me they geue it me aftyr the doctryne and the commaundements of men / therfore beholde / I my selfe shall do to this people a thinge to be merueled and woundred at a bo ve mesure: that is to saye / I shal destroye the wysdome of their wysemen and the vnderstandinge of their men of moste actiuite shal haue a fall. Wo be to them that so depely dr­owne their selues in their own policye / that they thynke to hyde their though­tes and counsells frome the lorde. Whi­ch hyde their enforcements ād studes in derkenes saynge presumptuously: Who sethe vs? or who knoweth vs? which yower presumpcion / is as thoughe y^• po­tters claye shulde devyse with in it selfe or that y^• worke shulde saye to hyr ma­ster. [Page] Make me not: and as thoghe y^• po­tte shulde reporte vpon hyrpotter / that he vnderstandeth not. See ye not now therfore to be euen at hande that Liban­us shalbe turned into Charmelum and Charmelus shalbe rekened amonge y^• wodes? Even then shal the deffe vnde­rstande the wordes of the boke / and the eyes of the blynde (the derke clowde ta­ken a waye) shal receyue lyghte: And y^• oppressed shal celebrate a glad daye to y^• lorde / & the nedyons shal reioyse in hym that maketh holye Israel. For these vi­olente tyrauntes shalbe consumed / and these wylye mockinge hypocrytes shall perish. And these that are so bente vpon myschefe to leade men into sinne for the noonce goinge a bought to supplante y^• reprover that sitteth in iugement / & th­orow lyes lead the rightwyse into a co­ntrarye pathe shalbe kutof. Wherfore thus saith the lorde the saviow^r of Abr­aham vnto the house of Iacob. Let not Iacob now be ashamed neth^r chāge his chere when he seithe even them also w­hom [Page] my handes haue made to be emon­ge his chylderne to sanctifye my name / ye to sanctifye hym that maketh holy Iacob & to worshipe y^• god of Israel. W­hich gētyls lately erred / but now haue they the spyrit of vnderstanding: whi­ch before were barbarouse ād fyerce but nowe ar they tamed and learned the la­we.

Chap. xxx.

Fyghe vpon these vnnatural ch­ylderne☞ goīg oute of kynde (sai­th the lorde) which dare make a counsel with oute my counsel / and wea­ue a web nothinge aftyr my mynde / to heape synne vpon synne. For they gofo­rth to descende into Egypte and asked not my mouthe: trustinge to Pharaos strength and in the shadewe os the Eg­ypcions: but Pharaos helpe shalbe tur­ned into yower confusion: and the confi­dence y^t ye haue in the protection of y^• E­gyptiōs shal turne ye to ignominye. yo­w^r princes were in Zoana & yower Am­bassiatours came to Hanesam: But yet shall ye be all ashamed of y^• people that [Page] maye not helpe yowe: for they shal net­her brynge yow helpe nor ayed / but shal bringe yowe into confusion and opprob­rye. yower beastes wente laden by the sowth waye / ye thorow a region ful of perel and feare be cause of lyons and ly­onesses / kocketryces and swyfte fleyng dragons laye there: yower mules were laden vpon their shulders with yower tresure: & Camels bore vpon their bun­chedbackes yow^r ryche presentes to pe­ople vnalbe to helpe yowe. For ful va­yne and vnprofytable shalbe the Egy­pcions helpe: wherfore I kryed vpon y­ow on this maner / let yow^r prowde au­dacite ceasse: And nowe therfore go wr­yte this thinge in their owne tables ād recorde it in a boke to endwer into a per­petual testimonye to their posterite. For this people is stowrdie / they ar false ch­ylderne / chylderne that loue not to he­are the lawe of the Lorde. Whiche dare saye to the prophetes / kare ye not for vs and also to the seinge men tell not vs of thinges to come / but preach vs pleasa­unte [Page] thinges loke vs oute deceytes / saye forsake this waye / go frome that waye and at laste take from vs even him th­at maketh holy Israel / Wherfore thus saith he that maketh holy Israel. For as myche as ye haue thus abhorred my worde trustinge in fraude and violence cleuynge there vnto / this same yower wykednes shalbe yow^r breke & fall / ev­en lyke a relinge high holowe walle w­hich cometh downe al at once yere eny man beware: ye / yow^r destruction shal­be lyke the breakinge of an erthen pits­herde whose fall and breakynge noman shal pyte / no althoughe it be so smal br­oken that there be not fownde therof so miche as wolde fetche a cole of fyer or take vp a litel water from the pitte / for even thus hath the lorde god which sa­nctifiyth Israel promysed saynge. In si­ttinge styll quyetlye shall ye be saued: for in sylence ād hope standeth yow^r str­ength: but as for yow / ye neuer receiued it / but rather sayd naye not so: but we wylget vs to horskacke and so estape: [Page] but thynke ye so to flee and to escape? ye wyl answer / the swyfter that ow^r ho­rse be / the soner shall we be oute of daun­ger. And I tell yowe agene / that the faster ye flee / the swyftlyer shal yower persuers folowe vpon yow: so that a th­ousande of yow shal fle at y^e feare of one man or of fyde at the moste vntyl ye be lefte as thynne as stande the trees in y^• hyll toppes lefte for mastes of shippe / ye shal stand as naked in sighte as a mar­ke in a molle hyll. Not withestandinge yet in the meane tyme / the Lorde abyd­deth with longe sufferinge to haue me­rcye vpon yowe / and suspendeth his co­unsell to then tente he wolde be bountu­ously mercy ful to yow: for the lorde god is ful rightwyse: And blessed are all m­en that wayte on hym: If ye thus do (O people of Zion and cytesens of Ier­usalem) ye shulde neuer wepe: for suer­ly he wolde haue mercy on yowe / ye as sone as he harde the voyce of yower kr­yige he wolde helpe yowe. It is the Lo­rde verely that geueth yowe the brede [Page] of affliccion and the water of heuynes. But yet will not yower master abhor­re yow longe / if ye loked vp withe yow­er eyes reuerently vnto yower teacher and yower ears heare the wordes of h­ym warnīge and tellinge yowe saynge: This is the waye / this waye see that ye go whether he se yowe swaruīge eth­er on the right hande or on the left han­de. If ye heare yow^r master (I tell yow) and wyl despyse the curiouse sylverin­ge of yower ka ruen Images / and thro a waye the costuouse gyldinge of them euen as ye wolde abhorre clothes poll­uted withe menstrwe / and byd them w­alke straungers. Then shall he geue rayne to yo wer sede whiche ye shall co­mmitte vnto the grounde / and it sh­all bringe forth fode from the erthe: and there shalbe plentye and grete abound­aunce. And then shall yower heardes fede vpon yower brode medewes / yower drafte oxen and muses shall eate fatte prouendoure wen [...]w [...]d with the fanne. Also diuerse ryuers of waters [Page] shal flow downe frome euery highe m­ountayne and highe hylle. But aftyr grete slaughter and ruyne of towers / y^• mone shalbe as bryghte as the sonne: & the light of the sonne shalbe seuen tym­es bryghter then it is and so grete as is the lighte of .vij. dayes altogither / ye & especially in that tyme when the Lorde shal bynde togither the breke of his pe­ople and shall heale the gappe of their wounde. For beholde / the maiestye of y^e lorde shal come from a farre / his face sh­al brenne so bryght that none maye ab­yde it / his lippes shalbe ful of indignac­ion ād his tonge lyke a devoweringe fy­er / his breath shalbe lyke a swelling fl­owde arysinge vp to the throte to take a waye the haithen which are geuen to vanyte / and to take a waye the brydel of erroure beinge yet in the chaves of the people: but yow shall syngeas men in y^• vygils of holyfestes and be glad in har­te lyke them that go by the trompet bl­owers goinge forthe to the hyl of the lo­rde even the rocke of Israel. Also the lo­rde [Page] shal put forthe the gloriouse power of his voyce & shal shewe forth his th­reteninge arme with a grymme count­enaunce and with the flame of deuowe­ringe fyer / ye ād that with an erthe qu­ake and a grete hayle storme. Then sh­al the Assyrions be a frayde at the voy­ce of the lorde which shal smyte thē wi­th a rodde / and the rodde that the Lorde shal bende agenst them shal go thorow euery foundacion. Which rodde he shall laye vpon them with tympanes / harp­es and batayle to ouercome thē. For ev­en frome the beginninge huth he prepa­red the fyer of affliccion ye and that for the very kinges / which fyer hath he m­ade both depe and brode runninge viol­ently as in A grete heape of wode wh­ose violence the blaste of the lorde sette­th a fyer lyke y^e floteringe noyse of brym stone.

Chap .xxxj.

WO be to thez that godowne in to Egypte for helpe / whiche truste in their horse / and put their con­fidence in their chariets because they ar [Page] so many / and in their horse men because theire strengthe is myghtye: but vnto hym y^t maketh holy Israel they haue no respecte / and the lorde never seke th­ey / when he of his infinyte wysedome bringeth affliccion vpon men / and yet his worde maketh he not voyde / he ry­seth agenst the famylye of the wyked / ād agenst the helpe of eveldoers. The Egipciōs verely ar men and not goddes and their horse ar flesshlye and not of y^e spirit. Wherfore when the lorde shal st­retche forth his hande / both the helper / and he that loketh for helpe shal fall: ād shalbe altogither destroyed. For thꝰ ha­th the lorde spoken to me: Even as a ly­on / or y^e lyōs whelpe roreth over hyr pr­oye nowe taken / fearing nothīge at the noyse of al y^• herdmenkrying at hym / no not once abasshed at their oute shryte / so shall the lorde of hostes come downe to defende & fyght for the mounte Zion ād for hir fytel hyll. The lorde of powers shal defende Ierusalem lyke a byrde fl­otteringe aboute hyr neste / kepinge / de­lyvering [Page] / awaytinge and sauynge hyr. Come vp agene (O ye chylderne of Is­rael) as farre as ye haue gone downe fo­rsakyng yow^r god / for the tyme shal co­me y^t every man shal caste a waye their syluer images & golden Idols which y­ow^r vngraciouse handes haue made in­to yow^r synne. Assur shalbe smitendow­ne with swerde but not with y^e swerde of man / & y^e swerde shal devower hym / but not y^e swerde of man / and he shal fle frō y^e slaughter (his hoste takē) he shal ov­errunne his owne castel for feare / & his capitayns shal abhorre & be ashamed of their owne baners & badges. These thī ges hath y^e lorde spoken / whose laūpe is fedde in Zion and his fyer is nouressh­ed in Ierusalem.

Chapiter .xxxij.

BEholde / a kynge shal raigne af­tyr the rule of rightwysnes and his chefe rulers shall governe and ordyr aftyr the balaunce of Equite: Which dwe adminstracion shalbe vnto the subiects as shelter frome the wynde [Page] and defence frome the storme. Siche pri­nces shall refresshe theirs even as swe­te ryvers in a drye place / ād lyke the sh­adewe of a grete hyghe rocke in a thyr­stye lande. The eyes of the seers shaln­ot be deceaued / and the eares of the hea­rers shal take good hede / ād the hartes of the stockysshe fooles shal vnderstan­de learinge: the stuttinge tonge shal sp­eake distinctly and eloquently / also the knaue shalnomore be called Ientelman nether the nyggerde shalbe called lybe­rall / but the knaue shal thinke knauys­he thinges and his harte shall properly convaye wykednes to playe the hipocr­yte and to conspyre abhominacion agen­ste y^e lorde / pylling and polling the hon­grye soule / & taking the drynke forme y^• thyrstye. These are his myschevouse weapens / these ar his dedely counsels to destroye to pylle & to robbe y^e poore affli­cte with lyīge wordes / ye & y^t whyles he mynistreth y^e lawe vnto thē / but y^e Iēt­elmā cōceyueth Iētel thīges / by which Iētel & noble deads he arysethe & is becōe [Page] cleare. But o ye ryche cytes geven al to welthye ydlenes / aryse and heare my voyce. Geve eare vnto my wordes ye cytes that sitte so faste and suer: for af­tyr certayne dayes and yeares ye shal­be troubled (o ye cytes so suer). When y^• grape gatheringe shalbe at a staye / ād the gatherer of the frutes shalnot come you shalbe a stonned / o ryche cytes in so welthy ydlenes / ye shalbe amased fore al yower suer confidence to se yower se­lfe brought so bare / and yower bare loynes gyrte with sacke. At the very souk­inge teate shal there be waylinge for y^• croppe of the yeare / and for thencrese of the vyne yarde: fore my peoples feldes shal yilde them bryers and thornes be­cause that all the house holdes and cyt­es are full of vayne mirthe and welth­ye wantenes. Their palaces shalbe th­rone downe / and their cytes so full of pe­ple shalbe lefte voyde: Their towers & turrettes of defence shalbe brought into perpetual dennes into battlinge places for mules and pastures for flockes. Vntyl [Page] the spyret be powerd into vs frome aboue / Charmelus shalbe turned into a deserte / and Charmelus shalbe takē for a wode / and equyte shall dwell in y^• deserte / and rightwysnes shal inhabite Charmelum / and peace shalbe the ende of rightwysnes / reste and suernes shall folowe rightwysnes for ever. And my people shall dwell yn the fayer house of peace / in suer tabernacles / and in ryche beddes. Hayle / when it shal defcende / it shal fall only vpon wodes and cytes / O how happye are yowe whiche shal sowe boldely and suer / ye and that by every ryuersyde settinge the fete of your ox­en and asses whother wardes so ever ye luste.

Chap. xxxiii.

BVt wo be vnto the that robbeste and destroyste wother: for shaft not thow thy selfe (thinkest) be robbed agene? And wo be vnto the that layeste awaighte for other / for thynke­ste thow thy selfe to escape? Even as thow hurtest wother / so shalt thow be hurted agene / and as thow haste layed [Page] wayte to destroye wother / even so lyke maner shalt thow thy selfe peryshe.

Lorde haue mercy on vs / fore vpon the do we depende. Thoghe it be so that th­eyre power be bente to persue vs: yet be thow a presente savyowre to vs yn tyme of tribulacion. Let thys people fle a waye at thy angrye voyce. Let these haythen folke be scaterd and dispersed a waye at thy busklynge vp to ruffle.

Let theire proye be taken a waye frome them / as men take awaye locustes / w­hen they gather a grete multitude tog­ither and caste thez into a dyke. Be th­ow exalted (Lorde) whiche dwellest a­bove: Let Zyon be fylled withe equyte and ryghtwysnes. Let the faithe be yn hyr tyme: Let strengthe / helthe / wysdo­me / knoweledge / and feare of the Lorde be hyr tresure. Beholde / the aungels of them krye witheowte / the aungels of peace wepe bitterly / the pathes are forsaken / the wayefayerers are gone / the conuenauntes are broken / cytes are neglecte / noman setteth by a nother / the [Page] lande nowe destroyed / lyeth moorning the beutye of Libanus is cut downe and turned into hyr shame / the goodly pasture of Saron is lyke a drye deserte: the p­lentuous feldes of Basan and charme­lus are gone. Wherfore now shal I aryse (saith the lorde) now wil I be exalted now will I be borne vp an highe. But you shal conceyue chaffe and bringefor­th stubble and yower owne fyerye brea­the shal devower yowe: the people shal­be burned lyke lyme / and shalbe lyk th­ornes cut downe sor the fyer: Heare the­rfore / ye that dwell a farre what I will do / and ye that are nighe knowe my po­wer / The synners are a frayde in Zion and tremblinge feare holdeth hypocry­tes saynge / whiche of vs shall abyde in this devoweringe fyer? which of vs sh­al continue in this perpetual burninge? But he that lyueth iustlye (I tell yow) and speketh the trwthe / he that abhor­reth to do iniuryes couetuously / ād sm­yteth a waye his handes frome giftes / he that stoppethe his heares lestet hey [Page] hear the desaightful oppression of thin­nocent bloude / and shit his eyes leste he se evel: this man shal inhabit hyghe pl­aces / this mannis savegarde shal be in right highe and stronge holdes of stone vnto this man shal there be geven y^• very pure fode / his eyes shal se the kinge in his gloriouse estate / and shal loke o­ver the fartheste region: Also his harte shal delight in the feare of god. But w­here is now the wyse craftye scrybe? w­here is nowe the depe sercheroute of the wordes of the lawe? where is the disputinge doctour ād teacher of yonge men? But here seest thow no strange tonged people / neth^r yet of eny hard speach to y^• which thou mayest not attayne / but be­holde thow Zion / ower solempne cyte / let thy eyes loke vpon Ierusalem that riche habitacion even the tabernacle w­hich shal not be moued frome hyr place / whose nayles shal never be plucked ou­te / whose ropes al shal never wexolde / for the maiestye of the Lorde shal abyde there present with vs. This is the pla­ce [Page] where brode flowdes shal go full styl rown [...]aboute in sighte / in the which ne­ther rouinge galeys shall sayle to robbe nor yet eny woth^r charged shippe of w­arre: for y^e lorde is ow^r iuge / ow^r lawe gev^r / the lorde shalbe ower kynge / it is he y^t shal saue vs / here shal the ropes and gables be so stretched forthe that they shall nede neuer to be repayerde / The m [...]ste shal stande as styfe asthoghe th­ere were no sayle bentevp / and then sh­al there be grete proyes distrybuted / w­hen even the lame men shal catche pro­yes. Here shal there be non caste downe into his be [...] saynge / I am syke / but the people that dwelleth here shalbe quyte frome all deceases.

Chap. xxxiiij.

APproche nighe ye gentyles to heare / and ye people come ād take hede / heare erthe / and what so euer is in it / let y^e worlde he­are and al thinge that springeth oute of it / for the lorde is angrye with all naci­ons / and his wrathe is so kyndled agen­ste the power of them / that he wyll cu­rse [Page] them and be take thē to dethe / so th­at theire karions shal be throne awaye to lye and stynke / and the mountaynes shalbe whasshed with their bloude: fore even the beutifull power of the heavens shalbe consumed / and shalbe layed wy­de opene lyke a boke vnder the skye so that all their beuteful aparel shall fall downe lyke leaves frome the vyne and frome the fygge tre: For even in the he­auens wil I bathe my swerde / and from thense shal it descende straight to Idu­mea / and to the people whom I haue a­poynted to my vengeaunce. Then shal the swerde of the Lorde be bathed in bl­owde and in the fatte and blowde of lā ­bes and gotes / and shalbe noynted wi­th the fatte of the wethers kydneys: for the Lorde shal slaye a grete sacrifice in Bozra and in the lande of Edom whe / re the vnicornes and stowerdye bulles the whiche is to saye the mightye men of power shalbe smytendowne / and the erthe shal be wasshed with theyr blou­de / and y^• grounde shal be dounged with [Page] their fatte kydnes: ye / & the daye of god­dis vengeaunce / and the yeare where in thy stowerdenes shalbe rewarded shal come vpon the O Zion / and thy brokes shalbe turned into pitche / and thy grou­nde into brymstone with whiche thy so­yle shalbe so sore brente that nether da­ye nor night maye it be quenched but it shal smoke ever. It shalbe drye frome age to age / and noman shal passe over it for evermore / but oestroges / ibices / ouls ravens shal inhabit it: for the lorde shal meate it forth with the lyne of destruc­cion and waye it withe the waighte of wastynge / and then if thow callest hy­kinges they shall no where apere / fore even all hyr princes shal be broughte to naught / then shal hyr palaces bringefo­rthe bryers and thornes / nettels and so­wthystels shall growe where hyr wal­les and castells stode / and thus shal th­ey be dennes fore dragons / and palace [...] for struthyons there shall sprytes lyk [...] monstrose bestes apere to eche other / āl the roughe wodouses shal call there for [Page] eche other / also there shal come these lamyes to take their reste / Erchyns shal there make their nestes & lye / they shal make them dennes and nouryshevp th­eir whelpes: thyther shal Gryphes be gatherd every on to his mate. Serche ye the scripture of the lorde / and reade it for there is not one of these thinges th­at shal fayle / there is not one worde but shalbe fulfylled all a lyke: fore what he commaundeth with his mouthe / they are finesshed by his spirit / loke to whom he dealeth his heretage and deuydeth it withe his owne hande or meate it owte with a lyne / that muste nedes abyde faste for ever / so that they muste dwell in it frome age to age.

Chap. xxxv.

THe desertes and wyldernes sh­albe glad / y^• drye lande also sh­al reioyse and flouresshe lyke a lyle: It shal flouresshe righte plesantly it shal laughe and reioyse more and more / and be beutyfull to beholde. For the beutye of Libanus shalbe geven hyr / the come lynes of Charmelus and Sarone [Page] also shall she haue / the Gentyles shall knowledge the glorye of the lorde and y^• magestye of ower God. Be therfore co­unforted ye syke handes / and be steffe / ye faynte knees / speake vnto the fayn­te harted saynge / be bolde and stronge / and feare not. Beholde / yower God sh­all come to avenge yowe and to rewar­de yowe / ye he shal come to saue yowe. And then shal the eyes of the blynde be illumined / and the eares of the deffe sh­albe opened. Then shal the lame leape lyke an harte / and the domme tonge sh­all speake prayse / Fountayns and spri­nges shal breke forth in the deserte / and swete ryuers in the drye lande / so that the drye lande shal have hyr pondes ād the thirstye erthe hyr quycke springes. In the same dennes where the dragons laye / shal growe swete flowers and gr­ene rushes. There shall lye bypathes and the kinges highe waye whiche sh­albe called even the holy waye. A poll­uted man shall not passe thorowe it / for the Lorde hym selfe shall go withe th­em [Page] thorowe the same waye that fooles go not oute of it / here shalbe no lyō / nor eny other nyouse beste shall come vp to this waye or befownde yn it / but ryght suer shall the passage be / also they that shalbe redemed of the Lorde shalbe tur­ned and come vnto Zion with prayse & shal haue euerlastinge Ioye / gladnes & solace shal acompany them but hevyn­es and sorowe shalbe fled awaye.

The .xxxvi. Chapiter.

IT came to passe that in the .viiij. yeare of kinge Ezekias / Senherib Kinge of the Assyrions wolde co­me vp to conquere and to take al the noble and stronge cytes of Iuda. Wherfo­re this Assyrius sente Rabsacen frome Lachis to Ierusalem vnto Ezekias w­ithe a grete hoste: which Rabsace when he had layed his hoste at the sluse of y^• ouer pole in the waye to the fullers fel­de / there cameforth vnto hym Eliakim the sone of Helkie president of the tow­ne house / Sobna the scrybe / and Ioas the secreterye sonne vnto A saphe. [Page] vnto whome Rabsace spake thus / Go yower wayes (I praye yow) and tel Ez­ekias howe that the grete kinge of Ass­prye hathe spoken these same wordes: what is this thy confidence to which t­hou stekest so faste? Arte thow so folys­sh hardye to thinke to haue counsel and power to wage batayle? other in who­me nowe at laste trustest thow so myc­he that thow darest rebel agenste me? I shal tel the / thou trustest to the ayed ād vpholdinge of this broken reede / that is to an Egypcion / to the which reede w­hoso ever leaneth / he pearseth his han­de and boreth it thorowe. Fore even si­che on is Pharao kinge of Egypte to al that truste vpon hym: but if thou wylt saye / we truste in the lorde ower God: a suer truste in dede to truste in hym w­hose highe places and alters Ezekias hathe taken awaye commaundinge Iu­da and Ierusalem to worshipe befor th­is alter. Be it in case (I praye the) that I shulde geve the now (notwithstandi­nge thy bargayn made withe my Lorde [Page] the kinge of Assyrye) two thousand ho­rses / art thou able yet of thy selfe to mā them? And howe is it then / that seinge thou arte not able to abyde the violence and power even but of one of the leste princes of my Lorde / yet not withstan­dinge / wylte thou truste to the horse m­en and chariets of the egypcions? Th­inkest thou that I of my nowne heade am come vp hither to destroye this la­nde? It was my Lorde that commaun­ded me saynge. Go thy wayes vp to th­at lande ād destroye it. Then spake El­iakim / Sobna / and Ioas vnto Rabsac­en: speake vnto vs thy seruaunts (I pr­aye the) in the Syre tonge / for we vnd­erstande that languege / and speke not to vs in the Iwes languege leste the p­eople nowe beinge at the walles heare. Whome Rabsices answerde. Why / th­inke ye that my Lorde sente me only to yow and to your Lorde to saye this me­ssage / and not rather to these kareful & miserable men that sitte vpon the wa­lls that they shulde not be constrayned [Page] to eate theire owne dyrte and to drynke their owne pisse with yow? Rabsace th­erfore proceded stefly in his oracion kry­inge with a lowde voyce in the Iuwes tonge saing / heare what the grete king the Kinge of the Assyrions commaun­deth. Thus cōmaundeth the kinge / ta­ke hede leste kinge Ezekias deceyue yo­we / for it lieth not in his power to defende yowe / Nether let hym persuade yow to truste in his lorde / affirminge that y^• Lorde with oute doute wyl delyuer you and that this cyte shal not be delyuer­de into the handes of the kinge of Assy­rye: se that ye obaye not Ezekie / for th­us promyseth yow the kynge of Assyrie If ye wyll beare me so myche favoure as to forsake hym and turne to me / every man shal enioye styll his owne vyn­eyarde his fygge trees / and euery man shal drinke the waters of his owne py­tte vntyl I shal come and leade yow vll to a lande as good as is this yowers / e­ven a lande wheryn is plentye bothe o whete and wyne: ye / a lande al redy so­wne [Page] withe al maner corne and planted with y^e beste vynes. Take good hede y^t Ezekias deceyve yowe not saynge / the Lorde shal delyver yow. For / haue therever yet eny of the goddis of the genti­les delyuerd their lande frome the pow^r of the kinge of the Assyrians? Where is nowe the God of Hemath ād Arphad? Whe^r is the god of Sepharuaim? And who (I praye yowe) delyuerde Samar­ia fro my power? Whiche on emonge all the goddes of these kingdomes hath de­lyverde their region from my power / so that ye maye truste to the lorde to dely­ver Ierusalem from my hande? At the­se wordes the kinges legates we^r so put to sylence that they had not a worde to answere. Then returned Eliakim the presydent of y^e towne house sonne of He­lkie / Sobna the scrybe / and Ioas Secr­eterye the sonne of Asaph vnto Ezeki­as their clothes alto cutte / and tolde hī the oracion of Rabsacen.

The .xxxvij. Chapiter.

THen kinge Ezekias hearing th­is / cut his clothes: and he cloth­ed with sacke wente into the te­mple of the Lorde: and in the meane ty­me he sente Eliakim the president of y^e towne / Sobnam the scribe and the seni­ours of the preestes clothed with sacke vnto Isaye the prophete sonne of Am­os whiche sayed vnto hym. Thus co­mmaundeth vs Ezekias to saye vnto the. The daye of tribulacion / the daye of affliccion and blasphemye is nowe co­me even lyke as thoughe the tyme of delyueraunce of chylde were presente / and strengthe to put it forth shulde fa­yle the mother. Verely the Lorde thy god hath harde the wordes of Rabsace / whome his Lorde the Kinge of Assyrye hathe sente to blaspheme and to revyse the lyuinge god with certayne wordes which the lorde thy god hath harde / w­herfore thou muste geve the to pray^r for y^• reamnaunte which ar yet left a lyue Then Isaye answerd y^e seruāts of kīge Ezekie thꝰsente & comen on this maner [Page] Thus shall ye tell yower lorde. Thus saith the lorde. Feare thou not for these wordes which thou hast harde / in y^• w­hich the seruants of the kinge of Assy­rye haue thus revyled and blasphemed me / for lo / I shall sende vpon him but a blaste of wynde / whose noyse as sone as he heareth he shal returne into his ow­ne lande / where I shall cause him to be slayne with swerde. Nowe was Rabs­aces returned and fownde the kinge of Assyrye making warre agenst Lobnam (for he had knowledge that he was re­moued from Lachis and it was report­ed also of Tharhaca kinge of the Eth­iops y^t he shuldbe nowe cōe to make wa­rre with him) which message when the kinge of Assyrye harde / anon he sente o­ther ābassiatours to Ezekias with th­is commaundement. Thus shal ye tell Ezekias kinge of Iuda. Take hede thy god deceyue the not in whom thou tru­steste promysinge the that Ierusalē sh­al not be delyuerd into the hands of the kinge of the Assyryons. For thou hast [Page] harde what great actes the kinge of As­syry hath done to al kingdomes in sub­uertinge them / ād darest thou haue yet eny hope to escape? Did the goddis of y^• Gentyles delyuer them whom my pr­edicessours haue cōquered? Coulde th­ei delyuer Gozan / Haran / Rezeph / and the Chyldern of Eden / whiche holde of Thalassar? where is the kinge of Ham­ath / kinge of Arphad / kinge of Sepha­ruaim / Hene and Aue? Then toke kin­ge Ezekias the Pystel of the handes of the Ambassiatours / & when he had red it / he wente vp into the house of the lor­de / and opened it before the lorde makīge his prayer on thys maner. O lorde of powers / the God of Israel / which dwellest at the Cherubyms:thou arte y^e God which is the only god / even the god of al the kingdoms of the erthe / for it is thou that haste made bothe heauen ād erthe. Bowe downe thy eare lorde and lysten opene thy eyes ād beholde / Consyder al the wordes of Senherib which hath se­nte hither a blasphemous message / wh­eryn [Page] he curseth and blasphemeth the lyuinge god. Verely (lorde) I knowe this to be trwe / that the kinges / of Assyrye haue conquered all tye kingdoms and regions of the other nacions / & that th­ey casted their goddes into the fyer / for these were no goddis but the workes of mennis handes made of tre and stone / wherfore they haue destroyed them wo­rthely. But nowe (lorde ow^r god) nowe saue vs frome the handes of Senherib that nowe al the kingdoms of the erthe might knowe that thou art the lorde a lone. When the thinge was at this poy­nte / Isaye the sonne of Amos sente ād tolde Ezekias these wordes. Thus ha­th the Lorde God of Israel spoken vnto these thinges which thou in thy prayer askedste of me as concerninge the kinge of the Assyryōs. Thꝰ answerth the lo­rde agenst him. O virgyn and daught­er of Zion / the kinge of Assyrye hathe despysed ād scorned the / he shoke his he­ad aftyr the o daughter of Ierusalē: but thow proude kynge / whō revilest thou? [Page] whom curseste and blasphemeste thou? Agenste whom krowest thou or lyftest vp thy stately loke? verely euen agenst him that sanctifieth Israel. For (thy se­ruants sente hither) thou reuyledst the lorde and hast taken so stoughtly vpon thy selfe this thinge sayng / I shal kou­er the moste highest mountayns ād sy­des of Libani with the multitude of my horse men and chariets / I shal cutdow­ne hir highe Ceder trees & hir beste fyr trees. I shal entre thorowe both hir hi­ghe mountayns and also hyr wodes ād fayer feldes. And where I fynde wat­ers I shal drye them al vp with the fe­te of my hoste. Speakest thow not now euen thus to kinge Ezekias? saīge / hast thou not harde what actes and by wh­at power I haue done them in tyme pa­ste and what I am abonte to do now al­so? that is to wete / that I am aboute to subuerte thy cytes be they neuerso stro­nge and to bringe thez into heapes of st­ones ād into ruyne / whose inhabitours shal quake for feare lyke handlesse men [Page] beinge confounded / for they shalbe lyke the grasse of the felde which nowe is gr­ene and a nō is it thek for houses / ye w­hich often tymes is withred before it be rype. But I know I knowe (saith y^• lo­rde) thy conuersacion / I knowe thy set­tinge forth and thy returninge / ye I k­nowe thy furyouse rebellinge agenst me For this therfore thy hasty conspyrison agenste me and for thy pryde which al I wel knowe / I shal put a brydle vpon t­hy nose and shal set a snaffle vpon thy lyppes where with I shal plucke y^• bac­ke agene by the same waye thou camste But (o Ezekias) this token shal I geue y^• / this yeare shalt thou eate siche as ye haue in store / the nexte yeare shal ye ea­te siche as shal growe of their selfe with oute tillinge or sowinge / but the thirde yeare ye shall both sowe ād reape for ye shal plante vynes and eate their frutes And then thei shal come agene togither which escaped beinge of the house of Iu­da / and their rotes sente downe into the erthe / they shal yilde forthe their fruteful [Page] highe. For oute of Ierusalē shal cōe the reamnaunt that are lefte / and thei that ar saued shall come from the mou­nte Zion. These thinges shall the zele of the lorde of hostes thus bringe to pa­sse / wherfore thus promyseth the lorde / as touchinge kynge Assyrye. That in no maner of wyse shall he enter into th­is cyte / no not so myche as an arowc sh­al he shote hither / there shal no shylde or buckler be bente vp agenste hyr. Net­her shal they dygvp eny bulwerke age­nste hyr / but the same waye that he ca­me shal he retourne. For vnto this cyte shal he not come sayd the lorde: for Ish­al fyghte for this cyte and shal defende it / (saith the lorde) ād shal saue it for my nowne sake and for my seruante Daui­des sake. Then wente forth the angel of the lorde and smyt .v. thousande / an hō dred and .iiij. score / in the tentes of the Assyrions / and when the people of Ierusa­lem rose erly in the mornīge / lo they la­ye aldede / wherfore Senherib kinge o [...] Assyrie departed ād wente his waye frō [Page] thence and abode at Niniue. And after this / it chaunced on a tyme y^t as he wor­shiped his god in the house of Nisroch: Adramesech ād Sarezer his sonnes sm­it of his head with a swerde and fled in­to the lande of Ararat. And aftyr this / Esarhadon his sonne raigned for hym.

The .xxxviij. Chapiter

NOt lōge before these thīges w­ere in doinge / Ezekias was so­re syke and lykely to haue dyed and then came there vnto him Isaye y^• prophete the sonne of Amoz / & sayd vn­to him. Thus sayth the lorde. Set an ordyr in thy house / for thou shalt dyeād not lyue. Then Ezekias turned his fa­ce to the walle and made his prayer to y^• lorde saynge: Remembyr lorde (I besec­he the) how I haue walked before the intrwe faithe / with ꝑfit harte doinge thy plesures. And thus saynge Ezekias w­epte sore / Then spake the lorde to Isaye on this maner. Go thy wayes and tell Ezekias. Thꝰ sayth the lorde / the god of thy father Dauid. I haue harde thy [Page] prayer / I haue sene thy teares: wherfore lo / I adde yet vnto thy lyfe .xv. yeares also I shal delyuer the and this cyte w­hich I defende frome the handes of the kinge of the Assyrions. And this token shalbe geuen y^• of the lorde that he will performe his promyse. Beholde / I shall bringe backe the shadue of the dyall w­hich shadne is now descended withe the sonne arysinge in Ahazdy all and shall turne it vp agene .x. howers: then tur­ned backe the sonne the same .x. degrees ascending agene by the which the shad­ue had descended before. The thākesge­uinge which Ezekias kīge of Iuda w­rite aftyr he had bene sycke & was nowe rekouerd frome his sore. I had wente y^t I shulde haue gone to my graue in my beste dayes / when I moste desyerde the resydue of my age. I sayd with my selfe I shal no more apere before y^e lorde god in this lyfe. I shal nomore be cōuersan­te with the mortal men but shalbe wi­th y^e banesshed cytesens. My dayes are foldenvp and taken awaye fro me lyke [Page] an herdemannis tente. My lyfe is kut­of lyke y^• weauers webbe: whylys I prouyded to lyue he kut me of. He made an ende of me on a daye / I trusted at the le­ste to haue lyued vnto the morowe / but he alto broke my bones lyke a lyon / and made an ende of me on a daye. Then ch­attred I lyke a swalowe / and murmu­red lyke a Crayne / I moorned lyke a dove / lyftīge vp my eyes vnto y^• highe god saynge. Lorde I am sore handled / delyu­er me vpon thy worde. What myght I thīke or what might I saye that he w­olde do this miche for me? That I mou­ght yet ꝑuse al my dayes / ye although it be to my bytter payne. For I knowe v­erely (lorde) y^t this lyfe is saulsed with galle / and that my lyfe is subiecte to all bitter myserye. I knowe that thou ma­kest me heuye of sleape / & wakenest me agene. But lo / yet shal I thīke that th­ou doste me grete plesure if thou graun­test me these kareful bitternesses. Here thou stayest my lyfe that it ꝑesshed not whiles thou castedste al my synnes be­hynde [Page] thy backe. For nether men la­yed in their graues prayse the / nor yet y^• deade loaue the / nor they that descende into their graues abyde for thy faithfu­lnes. But it is the lyuīge man / it is the lyuinge (I saye) that prayseth the / euen as I do nowe this daye. For the fathers laye forth thy faithfulnes vnto theire chylderne. Sane vs (lorde) and we shal synge ower psalmes / all the dayes of o­wer lyfe in the house of the lorde. Then commaunded Isaye sayng / take the pl­aster and laye it vpon his botche ād he shal amende. And then sayed Ezekias. Oh what a meruelouse thinge is this that I shal yet ascēde into the house of the lorde?

The .xxxix Chapiter

AT the same tyme / Merodach / Baladan y^• sonne of Baladan & kinge of Babylon sente letters ād presents vnto Ezekias. For he had harde how that he was sycke & amēded. And Ezekias was glad of thē and shewed thē his tresure houses of his syluer and golde / of his riche spyces / ād [Page] his fyned oyles ād his preciouse oyntm­ents / he shewed thē al the houses of his plate / and what soeuer tresure he had.

There was nothinge that Ezekie had other in his house / or thorowte al his re­alme / but he shewed it thē. And then ca­me Isaye y^• prophete vnto kīge Ezekias sayng to him. What saye these men / or frō whense ar they comē vnto y^•? Ezeki­as answerde him sayng / they arcomon vnto me frō a farre lande euen frō Ba­bylon. And Isaye sayd / what haue they sene in thy house? Ezekias answerde / al y^t I haue in my house haue they sene / I haue shewed them also all my tresure.

Then sayd Isaye to Ezekias / heare the worde of y^• lorde of powers. Beholde / y^• dayes shal come that what so euer is in thy house / & whatsoeuer thy fathers haue gathred & layed vp in store vnto this daye / it shalbe takē awaye & karyed to Babylō / neth^r shal therbe eny thīg left saith y^• lorde / ye & certaīe of thy chylde­rne which shal go forth of the ād whom thow shalt begete shalbe taken awaye [Page] also / & shalbe come gelded men in the ky­nge of Babylons courte. And then sayd Ezekias vnto Isaye. The lorde turne it to good that thou hast nowe expressed: but in my dayes (sayd he) I beseche y^• lo­rde that al thinges mought be quyet & suer.

Here begineth of kynge Cyrus Cha. xl

BE of good chere be of good chere my people (say the yower god). Se that ye counforte y^e hartes of Ierusalem / & tel them of their reste and delyueraunce from captiuite / tel thē ho­we their synnes shalbe forgeuen aftyr that thei haue receyued their ful chasti­singe of the lordes hāde for al their syn­nes. Wherfore / there kryeth a voyce sa­ynge. Prepare ye the waye for the lorde in the deserte: and make the pathes pla­yne for yower god in the wyldernes: let euery vale be exalted / ād euery mount­ayne and hyllbe layed lowe / let kroked wayes be made straight / & rowghe wa­yes smothe. For the gloriouse maiestye of the lorde shal appere which euery mā [Page] shal see / for the lorde hath promysed it. Farthermore the same voyce commau­nded sayng: krye thou. And I asked hī what shal I krye? which answerde. T­hat euery man is but grasse: ād all their gloriouse beutye is lyke a flower of the felde. Grasse as sone as it is wythred / y^• flower falleth a waye: And euen so the people is but grasse / aftyr that the spir­it of the Lorde hath blowne vpon them notwithstandinge this grasse be withe­rd and the flower faded / yet abydeth the worde of ower god for euer / yet this vo­yce commaunded agene [...]aynge. Go vp into the highe hill O Zion / which pre­achest vs good tydīges. Lyftvp thy vo­yce as lowde as thow mayste O Ierus­alē whiche preachest the gospel. Lyftvp thy voyce (Isaye) & be not a frayed / and tell the cytes of Iuda saynge. Beholde / it is yower god / beholde / the lorde almi­ghty shal come with grete might / & sh­al rule by his owne power. Beholde / he beinge cleare & noble both in counsell ād in his actes / shal bringe forth his ryches [Page] withe greate triumphe. He shall feade his flocke lyke an herdman / he shall ga­ther his lamb [...] into his armes and ba­re thē in his besome. But the ewes gre­te with lābe shal he wel noureshe. Who hath concluded the waters in his fist & spanned the heauens with his hande / or hath holden vp the waight of the wh­oll erthe vpon his thre fingers? Who wayeth y^e mountayns in a payer of bal­aunces / & pondreth the hilles in a payer of scoles? Who hath enformed the myn­de of y^e lorde? or who hath bene of his co­unsel to teache hym? or of whō hath he fetched his counsel to be taught the wa­ye of iugement to instructe hym of eny knowledge or to declare hym the waye of vnderstandinge? Beholde / al naciōs in comparison to hym ar but a drope of a bucket or a batemēt of a balaunce. The eylandes ar but motes in y^• sonne beame All the trees of Libanꝰ are not sufficiēt to make him a fyer: nether al the beast­es theryn ar enoughe for his brente sacr­ifyces / al nacions compared to hym / are [Page] (as ye welde saye) but nothinge / ād but a tryful. Vnto whom then wyl ye lykē God? or aftyr what fasshion will ye pa­ynte or karue hym? Canne eny golds­myth set forth his Image? or cāne he w­ith al his goold and thinne syluer plate caste him into eny forme that maye rep­resente him? Shal a keruer for eny mā ­nis plesure that foly shly delyghteth to beholde his Image / and haue not whe­rwithe to make it of gold or syluer / ch­ose oute a tree īputrible to setforthe his Image that cānot moue oute of his ow­ne place? are ye so blynde that ye se not these thīges. Maye ye not heare? wer not these vngodlinesses declared yow e­uen frō y^• begynninge? Were ye not mo­neshed of these thinges at the laynge of the foundaciō of the erthe? Sitte he not (of whom we now speake) vpon the ro­nnde worlde lyke as vpon a balle / and are not we that inhabit it as lytel locu­stes? Stretchethe he not forth the he­auens lyke a cortayne and lyke a tente that is faste pitched to be inhabytede?

Doth he not bringe princes to nothīge? & the iuges of the erthe to duste / so that they be neuer more plāted nor sowē ag­ene / nor yet their stocke roted in the ert­he? For a non as he hath blowne vpon them / they ar wythred awaye and gat­hred vp lyke the stubble with a whyrl­ewynde. But to what thynge (I praye yowe) wyll yow lyken me? or aftyr wh­at fasshion shal I be made / saith the ho­lyon? lyfte vp yower eyes into the skye above / & consyder who made these thin­ges which ledeth forth their a raye or a­pparel into so grete a nowmber / of wh­om he calleth euery one by his name.

For by y^• reason of his infinite pow^r str­ength ād mighte / ther is not one of the­sehyd frome him. Wherfore then shuld Iacob thinke and Israel saye. My wa­yes are hyd frome the lorde / & my iuge­mēt scapeth my god? for is it possible for the to be ignorant or not to haue harde that God is euerlastinge? The lorde y^t made the worlde laboureth not nether is he wearye nether is it possible his wy [Page] sedome to be serched oute. But he geue­th strength to the wearye / and hī y^t fay­nteth he restoreth right wel. Chyldern ar weary & almoste brethlesse / ād yon­ge men vtterly falldowne / but to them that wayte vpon the Lorde strengthe is encresed / and oute of thez shal growfor­th egles wynges / so y^t whiles they run­ne they shall not faynte & whyles they walke they shal not be wearye.

Ch. xl

LEt the eylandes lysten vnto me and let the people take good h­arte vnto thē / let thē come bef­ore me & pleate their cause / let vscall ec­he oth^r to iugemēt: wo stereth vp y^t rig­htuouson frō y^e easte calling hī forth to subdue to hym y^e gentyles & to holde do­wne kinges? to dinge thē downe to the grounde with his swerde / & to scater thē a brode lyke stubble with his bowe? so y^t in folowing vpon thē he maye passe th­orowe with oute perel / nether be cōpell­ed to slippe a syde into eny bypathe? wohathe wroughte / made / & ordined y^• ge­neraciōs frō y^• begīnīg? Even I y^• Lorde [Page] which am both before the firste and af­tyr the laste. Beholde ye ey landes & w­onder ye angles of the erthe: come and see: whiche of yowe haue louingly byd / yower neghboure and brother to dyner & exhorted hym? The golde smyth hel­de with the metal caster / & y^• smyter wi­th the gretest hamer with hym y^t wrou­ght with the lighter saynge / This im­age shalbe wel wroghte & faste nayled that it be not moued. But thou arte Is­rael my seruant and Iacob my chosen / even the seade of Abraham whom I lo­ne. It was I that broughte the frome the coostes of the erthe & called the from the farre regions therof saynge to the. Thow shalte be my seruaunte / I haue chosen the / nether shal I at eny tyme refuse the: Se that thou fearest not / for I shalbe withe the / nether loke thou abo­ute for eny other / for I am thy god wh­ich shal conforte the / I shal helpe the / I shal holde the faste with this same my faithful righte hande. Beholde as ma­ny as prouoke the to anger / shall be [Page] confunded & shamed / thy aduersares sh­al come to naught & peresshe / so that he that shall seke for them / shal no where fynde them. Thy enymes whiche dare move bataile agenste the shalbe destro­yed. For I the lorde thy God shal holde faste thy righthande / whiche also nowe saye vnto the: feare not / for it is I that shal helpe the: be not a frayde my lytel seruaunte Iacob: feare not poore despy­sed Israel / for I shal helpe the saith the lorde / & I that maketh holy Israel shal auenge the / ye I shal trendel the lyke a wayne & lyke a neweshode carte to thr­esshe downe mountayns & to bete them into poulder / & the lytelhylls shalt th­oudryue into duste / thou shalt wenowe them & dryue them awaye lyke the w­ynde / & seater thē abrode lyke a whyrle wynde / whyles thou thy selfe shalt re­ioyse gretly in the lorde / ād shalt prayse hym y^t makethe holy Israel. When the poore afflicte desyerth water & fynde it not & their tong is drye for thyrste / then do I y^• lorde geue it thē / I y^• god of Israel [Page] forsake thē not / I bringeforthe flowdes into thehyghe hylles / & also quyk spr­inges in the myddes of the feldes. I turne the drye deserte into a ponde of wut^r / & the thirstye erthe I wat^r with moyst vaynes. I plante the wylde waste gro­unde with Cedre trees / b [...]xe / pyne / and olyue trees / & y^e drye lāde with fyr / elme & plane trees. These thīges (I tell you) do I / y^t men might vnderstande & know­we / & y^t al togith^r myght cōsyder depely & expende y^t y^e hande of y^e lorde hath do­ne these thinges & that he that maketh holy Israel hath created these thinges. Stande to your cause therfo^r (saith y^• lorde) bringe in your strength saith y^e kinge of Iacob / ye let even those goddes comeyn & shewe you thinges that haue somtyme chaunsed & be done of olde antiquite. Let thē (I saye) declare) you thinges to come or expounde you thinges present that we might y^e bet^r know thē & holde thē in mynde / I wil speake even to your owne selfes: tel vs thinges aftyr this to come / & we shal know that you ar god­des [Page] Do goode or yet evel / that we mou­ght al se & tel it forth. Beholde / year of nothinge / & your makīge is of nothing: abhominacion hath chosen yow. I ver­ely shal stervp one frō the northe which shal come / & frō the easte which shal cal vpon my name / & he shal come to y^• prī ­ces lyke a potter to his claye & shal tre­de thez downe as the potter stampethe his claye. Who tolde these thinges before that we mought haue knowne & kn­owledged hym to be that rightuouson? but there was non that sayed these th­inges before or tolde thē / neth^r haue th­ere eny man harde the wordes of thez. Beholde fyrst shal I geue Zion & Ieru­salem to be euangelistes and preachers but as I remembyr there was not on of these that coulde se these before to geue you warninge of these thinges: for wh­en I asked thez / they answerd not on w­orde. Here maye ye se what men these ar al / syche are the deades of men / even synne / naughtynes / wynde ād vayne lyes whiche they blowe togither.

Ch. xiij.

BEholde therfore / this is my ser­uante for yowe / vnto whō I sh­all cleaue: lo / this is my chosen for whose sake alone I am pleased. I sh­al enryche him with my spirit / he shall bringeforth all thinges into iugement & duwe ordre emonge the gentyles. He sh­al not be clamouse & contēciouse nor pr­oude / nether shal his voyce be harde yn the market place / Akrased reede he sh­al not all to breke / nether the smokinge snyphe shal he oute quenche. In verye faith fulnes shal he ministre y^e lawe / he shal not be ouersene nether be headye in mynistringe iustice on the erthe. Also y^• eylandis of the gentlys shal receyue his lawe / for vnto hym thus speaketh the lorde god which made y^e heauens & stre­tched thē so wyde & spred the worlde w­ith hyr encrese geuinge breth vnto y^• pe­ople y^t inhabit it / & lyfe to those thinges y^t ar in it / I the Lorde haue called y^e even for y^t rightwysnes sake & led y^• hither e­uen by thy hande / wherfore I shal pres­erue y^• / & geue y^e for an erneste to y^• people [Page] to be y^• lighte for the gentyls / to open y^• eyes of the blinde / to lede men in bondes y^t sit in derkenes oute of custodye & pres­one / I (I tel yow) am he whose name is y^• LORDE which geue not my glorye to eny other creature / nether yet my pr­ayse vnto keruen images seinge y^t al th­inges spoken of before ar come / ād these newe thinges haue I tolde yowe before they came. Singe ye therfore to y^• Lorde a newe dyte / let his prayse rebounde vnto y^• farthest coosies of the erthe / prayse hym ye y^t sayle on y^• sea & what so ev^r is in it / prayse hym ye eylandis & al y^t inh­abit thez / the deserte with hyr cytes / the townes also with y^e dwellers in Cedar mought lyftvp their voyces. Let thē reioise y^t inhabit y^• highe rockes / & from y^• toppes of y^e mountaynes let thez clappe their handes for ioye / let thez geue y^• for deasmightenes / & let them declare his worship emonge y^e gentils. For the lorde shal comforth like a valyaunt waryer & shal krye like a capitayne stāding be­fo^r his araie ex horting & animatīg their [Page] hartes to batayle putting forth his vo­yce & stretchinge forth al his strēgthes & pow^r agenste his enymes. Because I haue hither to helde my peace / shal I be styl & suffereu^r? naye verely: but I shal krye rather lyke a woman traueling of chylde / I shal destroye & devow^r soden­ly / I shal subuerte mountayns & hilles / & shal dry vp all their frute / I shal turn their ryuers into drye lande / & their pondes shal I dry vp. I shal lede the blynde into a waye that thei yet knowe not / ād directe thez into a pathe of whiche they ar ignorant / I shal turne y^e derkenes in to lyght befo^r thē & y^e kroked into an e­aven waye. These thinges shal I do for thē / neth^r will I forsake thez / let them therfo^r be turned backwarde & be conf­ounded with shame that truste in kar­uen images & that saye to these caste I­dols: you ar our goddes. Heare o ye deffe & lyfte vp your eyes o blinde / for who is blinder then my [...]uante? or so deffe as ar my messagers whom I sente vnto thē? Who (I saye) ar so blinde as the people [Page] of the lorde & rulers of thē? They ar / as ye wolde saye vnto one / thou vndersta­ndest myche but thou obseruest nothing or as one shulde heare ād beleue it not / full prone & redye verely is y^e lorde to fo­rgeue for his rightwysnes sake to mag­nifye his worshipe & his lawe & to ma­ke it excellent & cleare / but this people is for lorne & troden vnder fote. Wherfore al theyr yongemen shal come to y^e ro­pe & be thruste into depe presons. They shal go into proyes & noman shalbe m­ynded to restore thē. Which of you so ta­keth these thinges to beware by thez & warned her aftyr? Who delyuereth Iacob to be troden downe / and Israel into a proye / but the lorde? But we verely are they y^t committe these fautes agenst hī: we ar they y^t wyl not go ī his wayes nor obaye his lawes. Wherfo^r he power the y^e wrathe of his hevye indignaciō vpon vs & grevous batayls which assayle vs on every syde: but yet we wil not repen­te and amende: these stronge batayls v­exe vs with burninge / but yet we rega­rde [Page] hym not.

The .xliii. Chap.

ALso thus speaketh the lorde which hath created the O Iacob / and fasshioned y^e o Israel: feare thou not / for I shal redeme y^e / I haue chalenged y^e for my nown selfe & gevē y^e thy name / y^t thou shuldest be myne / so y^t when thow passedste thorowe y^e waters I wolde be with y^e / when thou wentest thorow the floud esthei ouerwhelmed the not: whē thou wentst thorowe fyer / it burned the not / neth^r yet the flame skortched y^e: for I am y^e lorde thy god / & he y^t maketh holy Israel / evē thy sauiour: I redemed y^e oute of Egypte / the Ethiopes & Sabeōs I destroyed to save y^e / because thou wa­ste so preciouse in my eyes ād I setted so myche by y^e & loued y^• so interely. I spent awaye what so euer naciō or people th­ey we^r for thy plesu^r & sauegarde / to th­entēt thou shuldst not feare / but y^t I w­olde be of thy syde frō y^e easte shal I br­inge hith^r thy seade & gath^r y^• frō y^e we­ste / I shal saye to y^e northe / geve forthe my people / & to y^e sowthe / let thez not to [Page] come to me: ye & yet farthermo^r / I shal brīge forth my sonnes frō farre lādes / & my daughters frō y^e coostes of y^e worlde y^t is to saye euery man mamed aftyr me for hī haue I created fashioned ād made for myglorye: bringe me forth people / as wel y^e blīde as thē y^t can se / as wel y^e def­fe as they y^t heare / let al naciōs / gētyls & iuwes be gatherd togith^r & brought in to one. Which of al these goddes coulde tel vs these thinges & haue shewed vs thē to come? let thē brīg forth their wit­nesses & go quyte: for they y^t shal heare thē / shal reporte y^t at iuste is & trwe. E­vē I me selfe (saithe y^e lorde) take you to witnesses whiche are my chosen because your owne cōscienses teache yowe & evē y^• very selfe thinge cōstrayneth y^e trow­the to be ascribed vnto me / so y^• ye nowe vnderstāde clearly y^t I am he which haue neth^r peare befo^r me nor eny matche aftyr me / y^t I am evē y^e lorde alone & y^t be sydes me the^r is no saviour / I warne / I saue / I teache because ye shulde receyue no noth^r. ye / I appele vnto your own cō scienses [Page] to be my witneses (saith y^e lorde) y^e I am god / & y^• I am he y^t is frō y^e begin­ninge of y^e tyme / neth^r is the^r eny y^t ma­ye take eny thinge fro my hande / or vn make y^t at I make or do. Thus therfore saith y^• lorde your redemer y^e maker ho­ly of Israel. For your punyshment shal I send vnto Babylon & shal cal to thez al their pow^r / that is to saye y^e pow^r of y^t Chaldes whose glorye standeth in pra­ctizinge of warre / I am (I saye) y^e lorde your holy mak^r / y^e maker & kinge of Is­rael: Farthermore thus sayde the lorde which layed forth y^• waye thorowe y^e sea &. y^• pathe thorow grete waters bringīg forth chariets & horsemen / & hostes wi­th gret pow^r to laye thē so a sleape al to gith^r y^t thei shuld no more ryse / ye to qu­enche thē oute lyke y^e snyffe of a candel. Because ye ar evel rememberers of old thinges & haue no vnderstanding of th­inges paste / beholde / therfo^r I shal ma­ke a newe thīge which shal flowresshe forth evyn by & by: & wyl ye know it? I tolde yowe it befo^r / & nowe shal I tel it [Page] you agene / I shal lay forthe awaye in y^• deserte & in y^e flowdes. In y^e wyldernes wylde beastes shal honour me / dragons & struthions shal knowledge me / I sh­al geue waters in y^e desertes & flowdes in the wyldernes to geue drīke to my chosen people / even to this people which I haue fashyoned fore my selfe to declare my prayse / for as for thou (Iacob) thow woldest not cal vpō me / & thou disdayn­edst me o Israel: for thou offredst not to me beastes into brent sacrifices / neth^r honouredst me w^t thy oblacions / thou bo­ughtste me no preciouse fragraunte spi­ce w^t thy moneye / neth^r w^t thy fatte sa­crifices dydst thou embrue me / althou­ghe I dyd not requyre siche sacrifices of y^•: neth^r wolde I charge y^e w^t incense & fume. But thou madeste me thy [...]uāte to bare thy synnes & thrustedste medowne ladē w^t thy iniquites: when it is I only y^t do away thy vngodlynesses for my nown selfes sake / & thi sinnes do I forget / put me ī remēbrāce & let vs reason togi­th^r / & shewe me y^t thīg wherby thou tr­ustest [Page] to be forgeuen & iustifyed: as for y^e fyrst man thy fath^r / is firste & formest a synner: & thy intercessours betwene y^e & me haue synned agenst me / wherfo^r evē y^e moste holyest rulers haue I slayne / e­vē iacob dyd I kyl & israel dyd I betake into blasphemye.

The .xliiij. Cha.

NOw therfo^r heare o iacob my [...] ­uāte / & israel my chosen / for thꝰ spake y^e lorde which hath made & fashioned y^e / & hath ben thy helpe evē frō thy mothers wōbe / let it not greue y^e (my [...]uāt iacob & my very right israel whō I haue chosen) because I wyl pow­erforth wat^r vpō y^e thirstye erthe / & flo­wdes vpō y^e drye lande: I shal powerfo­rth (I tel y^e) my spyrit vpō thy seade ād my graciouse blessinge vpō thy yssue / & they shal flouresh mingled w^t you lyke y^e grasse & lyke y^e oysyers by y^e ryuersyd­es / one shal saye / I am named for y^e lor­des owne / & a nother shalbe named aft­yr iacob / & a nother shal wryte w^t his ow­ne hāde his name aftyr y^e lordes name & shalbe named aftyr israel. Thꝰ (I saye) [Page] spake y^e lorde / kīge of Israel & thy rede­mer / y^e lorde of pow^rs: I am the first & I am y^e laste / & besydes me is the^r no god / who hath at eny tyme be lyk me syth I am of euerlastīg? name & shewe me ī w­hat on thing he might be cōpared to me? if the^r be eny / let thē shewe thīges paste & to cū as I haue done & y^t w^t oute feare faute & stoppe / do not I euē of ev^rlastīg declare & tel you? of which thīge I brīge you forth as my witnesses / is there eny god besydes me? is the^r eny shap^r y^t I kn­ow not? ful vayne therfo^r ar al thefe fa­cioners of images / & ful vnprofitable ar their studye & labour / for they testifie of their owne selues (sithe their images ne­th^r se nor yet haue eny other sence) well worthy to be cōfounded & shamed. who then maye sashion god? or who wil cast an image profitable for nothīg? wh^r fo^r al this felau shipe of image makers ma­ye wel be ashamed / let al men cū togit­h^r befo^r me / ye geue me he^r al maner sm­ythes keruers w^t sich oth^r / & I shal ma­ke thē togith^r a lyke shamed & astonned [Page] the smythe taketh the yerne ī his tōges he tameth it in y^e fyer & facioneth it with his hamer / ye & y^t w^t al y^e mighte of his armes / & sometyme he faynteth for honger & worketh so longe w^t oute drinke y^t he falleth downe weary. Then cometh y^e carpentou^r & he draweth forth a lyne vpō y^e tymb^r & smyteth it forth w^t chal­ke / he squareth he cōpasseth / he clenseth & karueth it vntyl his worke be lyke a man / ye lyke a well proporcioned man to have his seate in the tēple / he getteth him (I saye) to y^e wode to kutdowne Ceders to karye home y^e harde pyne trees / okes / & siche oth^r trees of the wode / or­els siche as he had set at home as some pyne trees whō the rayne made to wexe which mē vse to kutdowne to the fyer / he goth & taketh some of these to warm him w^t al / & with some he heateth his oouen to bake in his brede / ye ād of some of these trees he makethe hym even a god and worshipethe it / he maketh hym a karuen image and fallethe downe b­efore it: withe parte of it he makethe [Page] his fyer / withe parte he seethe or rosteth his fleshe ād eate it when he hath done & so is wel satisfyed: withe parte of it he is well warmed / so that he nowe maye saye / the worlde is wel amended / I am wel warme / I haue bene at the fyer / ād the reste of this timber he karueth into a god & into an idole for him selfe / before this he falleth downe / this he worshipp­eth / vnto this he maketh his vowe / of this he aske the his peticions / & prayeth sayng / delyuer me for thou arte my god And yet these images haue nether sense nor vnderstandinge: for they ar so daw­bedouer that thei neth^r se with their ey­es nor vnderstande withe their hartes. There is noman that so cometh agene to hym selfe thinkinge theys images ar nether endued with eny of the .v. senses nor yet with vnderstandinge nor yet cō syderth thus / parte of this image haue I burnte ād vpon the colles of it haue I soden & broyled my meate and eaten it / wherfore then of the reste of it shulde I make me so abhominable an Idolle and [Page] thus fall downe before so roten a stocke? vayne idlenes and a folysshe harte hath brought them vnto thys Idolatrye / ād so peruerted them that non hath his ri­ght mynde or maye thus thinke of hym selfe: maye not I erre / althoughe I ape­re to my nowne selfe to do right well? Remember wel these thinges Iacob and Israel / for thou arte my seruante whō I haue fashioned to thentente that th­ou shuldest be my seruāte never to be oute of my mynde O Israel: I do a waye thy iniquites even as I disperse a clow­de / & thi synnes take I awaye lyke a m­yste. Turne the therfore vnto me / for I will delyuer the. Beglad ye heauēs w­hom the lorde hath made / reioyse ye fo­undacions of the erthe / clappe yow^r ha­ndes ye mountayns / make mery wodes with almaner trees / for the lorde wil redeme Iacob and vpon Israel wil he spr­ede his glorye: for thꝰ spake y^e lorde thy defender which hath fashioned y^e euē fr­om thy mothers wōbe / I am the Lorde which al a lone maketh althīges which [Page] a lone haue stretched forth y^e heauēs / w­hiche alone haue set faste y^e erthe. I sk­ater the sygnes of these sothe sayers or astrominers / so y^t they shal diuyne ī va­yne & be madde for anger / I turne these wysemen bakwarde & brīg their conīg into foleshnes. But I ster vp y^e mynde & entēte of my seruāt & the counsel or tho­ughtes of my messagers I accomplesshe saīg vnto Ierusalē / be thou restored īto thy olde state / & to the cytes of Iuda / be ye buylded agene. It is I y^t restore desol­ate places. I cōmaunde y^e depe waters sayng / be ye drye / & hyr ryuers I dry vp. It is I that saye vnto Cyrus / he is my herde man / al thinges shal I accōples­she accordīg to my wyl / it is I y^t saye v­nto Ierusalez / be thou buylded agene / & to the temple / let thy foundacion be la­yed agene.

The .xlv. Chapiter

THus (I saye) spake the lorde vnto his anoynted Cyrꝰ / whose ri­ght hande (saith he) I haue takē that the gētles shuld fast downe before hī. I shal turne thei^r kīges oute of their [Page] armoure so that at his comīge they shal opene their gates ād shyt thē nomore: I shal go before the / I shal make eaven y^e roughe wayes / brasen gates shal I bre­ke & barres of yerne shal I shake in son­dre: I shal geue the tresure lyinge yet in derkenes & thinges which ar yet hyd pr­euely that thou mightest knowe that I the lorde god of Israel haue called y^e be­name for my seruante Iacob and Israel my chosen: I haue called the be thy na­me & beutifyed the when as yet thou k­newest me not: I am the Lorde / besydes whom there is no god: I gyrte the forth warde when as yet thow knewst me not that men shuld knowe frōe easte to weste that with oute me al thinges are naught / & that it is I that am the Lorde & no nother / I fashione the light & crea­te derkenes / I make peace & bringe for­the trouble: It is I the lorde that dothe al these thīges. Heauen shal geue dow­ne dewe frō a bone / ād the clowdes shal rayne downe rightwylnes / y^• erthesha­lbe opened & bringeforth the sauyower: [Page] Ryghtwysnes also shal bud forth with hym. Euen I the lorde shal create this thinge. Wo be to him that disputeth w­ith his mak^r / even the potsherde with y^e potter: shal the claye saye to the potter / what thīge makest thou? or thy worke [...]ueth to no vse? Wo be to him that say­th to the father wherfor wilt thou gete chylderne? & to the mother wherfor w­ilt thou bring forthe frute? Thꝰ saith y^e lorde that maketh holy Israel & his ma­ker also. Aske me thinges to come vpon my chylderne / & byd me tell yow of the workes of my hādes. I made therthe & created man ther vpon / I stretched the heauens with my handes / & al hyr my­ghty hoste or beutyful aperel are at my cōmaundemēt. I shal stervp this kyng Cyrꝰ with rightwysnes & al his way­es shal I directe: He shal edyfe my cyte & let lose my captiuite & that persuaded nether by money nor mede saith the lor­de of powers. Farthermore thus said y^e lorde / the marchantes of Egipte of Et­hiope / & the tributaryes of Sabe shall [Page] cōe to the & shalbe thyne / they shal folo­we the / they shalgo in gyves of their fe­te / they shal knefe before the & make th­eyr supplicaciō & prayer vnto the: for v­erely god is with the besydes whō there is no god / howe profounde & howe depe­ly hyd arte thou o god evē the god & sau­iow^r of Israel? let thē beshamed cōfou­nded & go their wayes togith^r with ig­nomynye al theys worshipers of Idols but Israel shalbe saued in the lorde w^t a ꝑpetual helth: Thei shalnot be shamed ne noted w^t ignomynye for evermo^r / for thꝰ sayd the lorde that created heauens evē god that fashioned therthe he made & prepared it: I haue not made it in va­yne / but to be inhabited / I am the lorde besydes whō their is none. Neth^r haue I spoken in hyd places nor in eny derke ko­rner of the erthe. Neth^r in vayne sayd I to the sead of Iacob seke me. For I am y^e lorde speakinge that at iuste is and she­wing that at right is: let them be gath­erd to gither ād come / let the tother nac­ion escaped that is to saye the gentyles [Page] come also vnto me. What vnderstand­inge haue they that fyft vp an image of tree ād so praye to a god that cannot sa­ue them? Let them come to me (I saye) and let them agree in one ād tel me who hath shewed them these thinges before or who expownded thez firste? Did not I the Lorde besydes whom there is no god? It is I that am the rightwyse god and sauiow^r besydes whom ther is non Beturned therfore to me al the costes of the erthe and ye shalbe saued / for I am god & ther is no noth^r. I swere be my se­lfe that rightwysnes shalgoforth of my mouthe / & my worde returneth not ī v­ayne / but euery knee shalbe bowed vn­to me & euery tōge shal swere & saye: In y^e lorde standeth my rightwysnes ād st­rength / vnto hym shall men come / but they shalbe confounded as many as sp­eake agenst him. And al the sead of Is­rael shal be iustifyed and haue their ple­sure in the lorde. Bel shalbe broken do­wne / & Nebo shal haue a fall / with wh­ose heauy images y^e poore beastes shalbe [Page] laden & weryed with their grevous w­ayght / these beastes with other bearets of these stockes shal faldowne vnd^r the­yr burdens / for they maye not cast them of / and thus shal they be karyed into ca­ptyuite.

The .xlvi. Chap.

HEare me Iacobs famylye & al the reamnaunte escaped of the house of Israel / whom I toke euen from theyr mothers wo­mbe & haue borne thē from their byrthe [...] ye & shal bare thē vnto their olde age & in their bederethye / for sythe I haue m­ade thē / I shal also beare thē / helpe thē & delyuer them. To whō (I praye yow) wyl yowe laye me / lyken me / or comp­are me? Whō am I lyke? wyl yow th­en (vayne lyers) go and waye yow^r go­lde or syluer oute of yow^r purse at a pa­yer of seoles & hyer yow a caster of me­tall to make ye a God therof for men to faldowne before it & so to worship it? w­hich notwithstandinge yet muste be la­yed on mennis shulders / be borne ād se in his place to stande faste & cānot mo [...] [Page] se frome his place: farther more let men krye vnto it & yet maye it not answere neth^r delyuer them from their anguysshe & trouble. Consyder this ād loke vpon yow^r selues o brekers of goddes cōmau­ndemētes & turne to a better mynde / cal to mynde olde thinges done from y^e creaciō of the worlde that ye maye se that I am god & that there is no moth^r god ne­th^r eny thīge lyke me / which frō the be­gīnīge shewe the laste thinges ād even frō the creacion tell you thīges which ar not yet done: My counsel standeth at a worde & so do I accōplesshe all my ples­ures / I cal a swyfte byrde frome the ea­ste and what so euer I wysdo from a fa­rre it shalbe done at a belt / for as sone as I se it / it is done. Heare me ye proude mē in harte and farre frome the rightwysn­nes. I shal bringe nighe my rightwisn­es nether shal it be absent / and my helt­he shal not tarye / I shal geue a sauinge helthe to Zion / and my beutyful glorye to Israel.

The .xlvij. Chapiter

BVt thou shalt godowne & sit in y^• duste O virgen the daughter of Babylō / thou shalt sit on y^e gro­unde & not in thy kinges sete o daughe^r of the Chaldes: thow shalt nomore be called tendre and dylicate. Thou shalt go take the querne sweape / & griude out the flower of the corne. Thou shalt ca­ste of thy preciouse tyre & bonettes / thy shulders shalbe naked and bare legged shalt thou wade thorowe y^• brokes / th­ou shalt not haue one bratte on thy nar­se & men shal se thy secretes to thy grete shame. For I wyl take vengeaunce ād wilnot be entreded. These thīges hathe ow^r redemer spokē whose name is y^• for de of pow^rs & the maker holye of Israel Sit downe daughter of Chaldye ādbe styll / go thy wayes into some derke place for thou shalt nomore be called y^e ladye of realmes: I was verely so angrye wi­th my people / y^• I scourged my heretage & betoke thē into thy power / & thou ha­ddest no pyte on thē but oppressedst ev [...] their sage men with thy hevye yoke ab­oue [Page] mesure thīkīge thus: I shalbe a la­dye for euer / but thow consyderdste not these thīges in thy harte nether remēb­redst thīges to cōe: wherfore heare now these thinges O Delicate ladye which sittest so suer ād thus thinkest with thy selfe. I am ladye a lone and besydes me is there none / I shall not sit lyke a wed­ue moornīge nor yet be destitute my ch­ylderne. But yet shal these two thing­es that is to saye to syt housband lesse & chylderlesse fall sodenly vpon the bot­he on a daye / they shal fall (I saye) on y^e to fynishe thi sorowe / both for so grete multitude of thy inchauntīge sothe sa­yers / and also for the strength of thy so many helpers. For thou trustedst in thy nowne couetuou se wylynes saynge. No man seeth me. Thy nowne wysdome & knowledge deceyued the / for thus pres­umedste thou in thy harte saynge: I am ladye a lone & besydes me ther is nō. So­rowful afflicciō therfore shalcōe vpō y^e & frōe whē se it shal sprīg thou shal't not knowe / & mi [...]able calamite vnable to be [Page] a voyded shal fal vpon the. There sh­al cōe vpon the vnwares a soden subu­ersiō / and then (I praye the) flee to thy helpers & to thy ench auntīge soth sayers of whō thou haste grete plentye / whom also thou hast set myche by & haue had thē in grete reputaciō even frōe thy kra­dle / stāde vnto these (I saye) & loke w­heter parauēture thou maiste be holpen & conforted of thē? for thou hast occupied thy selfe & weared thy selfe hitherto in their manyfolde counsells: let these he­auengasers & starrestarers (I praye y^e) comeforth & helpe y^• / & tel the frō whēce these newes ar to cōe & fall vpon y^e. Be­holde / they shalbe lyke stubble / whiche aftyr it be set a fyer noman maye helpe it / which stubble neth^r is it profytable to make coles to warme y^e / nor yet to make a fyer to abyde by: Sychons (I tel the) shal these men be whō thou haste somy­che set by & occupyed & wearyed thy selfe with even frome thy yougthe / for euery one of these aftyr his professiō shal dece­yue y^e / & in y^e meane ceason ther shal not [Page] be one lefte y^e maye saue y^e.

Chap. xlviij

HEare these thīgeeye house of I­acob whose toname is called Israel / which also ar cōe of y^e sa­me stocke y^e Iuda came of whi­ch also swere by y^e name of the Lorde te­stifye / affirme / & geue thākes / & al by y^e god of Israel / ye althoughe ye do it not of faith aid rightwysnes: which arena­med aftyr the cytesens of y^e holy cyte w­hich truste vnto the god of Israel y^e for­de of powers. Haue I not don ethese thī ­ges oute of hāde? ar they not nows fulf­illed which I tolde you of euē frō y^e beg­īnīg when they wēt oute of my mouthe & I expounded thē to yow? Notwithst­ādīg I know ful wel y^• thou art harde & how srefnecked & vnshāfaced thou arte yet haue I tolde & declared to y^e frōe the begīnīge thinges before they were done leste (I tel the) thou shuldest saye. My idole tolde me these or my karuē or caste images cōmaunded these thīges. Cōsy­der & beholde al these whether yow ha­ue prophecyed thē / and whether it was [Page] not I that tolde yow before certayne ne­wes & secretes which thou knewest not of. And now I haue created some a ne­we of y^e which nether from y^e beginnīge nor yet nowe before the daye of their cr­eacion haue ye harde / because ye shulde not tel them: Lo it was I y^• knewe thē before / farthermore I tolde yow of some thīges which nether haue ye harde nor knowne before / nor neuer befor wer op­ened vnto thy eares. For I knewe that thou shuldest be a breker of my comma­undemētes / for euen frome thy mothers wombe hast thou be called a transgerss­our / notwithstondinge yet for my nam­es sake I differred my wrathe / & for my nowne glorye I defended y^e y^t thou sho­uldst not perysshe: For so it is I that po­urged the / not for thy money / but at thi moste nede I chose y^e. For my nowne sa­ke (I tel y^e) haue I done this / for I geue not my glorye to eny wother leste thou shuldst in eny wyse be prophaned & caste fro me: heare me Iacob & israel whom I haue called. I am he that hath his be­inge [Page] of hym selfe / I am the lyrste and I am the faste. My handes haue layed y^• foundacions of the erthe / and my rigth­ande hath set faste the heauens / when I called them anon they stode still. Be ye all therfore gatherd togither and he­are / whiche of these goddes hath tolde you these thinges which the lorde hath done by the kinge of Babylon and Ch­alde by whom he dothe his plesure and vseth them to execute his power? It is Ialone that tolde you these thinges be­fore / & I only shal call & brīge him fort & make prosperouse his iourneye. Come (I saye) vnto me / & heare this thīge / haue I euer yet spokē eny thīge obscurely frō y^• creaciō of y^• worlde which am pres­ēt & euē ī y^e same article whē al thīg w­as made? For this cause therfore y^• lorde god & his spirit sente me / & thꝰ speaketh y^e lorde thy redem^r y^e maker holy of Isr­ael / it is I y^• am y^e lorde thy god teachīg y^• y^• shal profite y^e / directīge y^• in y^• waye wherī thou shalt go. And if thou obssue­ste my precepts thy peace & rest shal swī me [Page] lyke a floude & thy rightwisnes shal aryse lyke y^• waues of the sea. Thy sead shalbe lyke y^e sandes / & the frute of thy bodie lyke hir grauel stones. Thi name shal not be cut of nor yet banesshed from my syghte / ye shal goforthe of Babylō / ye shal slipawaye frō y^• Chaldeys w^t a ioyeful voyce / which thīge shalbe tolde shewed / & preached vnto y^e vttermoste coostes of y^e erthe & it shalbe sayed. The lorde hath redemed his seruāte Iacob so y^• they thirsted not when they wēte tho­row y^e drye wildernesse / for he drewe thē wat^r out of y^e stone / he claue y^e grete roc­ke & the^r flowed out wat^rs / but to y^• vngodly saith y^e lorde: the^r is no reste ne peace Of Messias which is christe.

Cha. xliv

HEa^r me eylādis & ye people al a farre take hede / y^e lorde hath call­ed me fro my byrthe and fromy mothers wōbe he publesshed my name / he hath made me a mouthe lyke a shar­pe swerde / he hathe koverde & defended me with the shadue ofhis hande / ād hi­dde me as a chosen shafte in his quyuer: [Page] he sayd to me / verely Israel yet art th­ou my [...]uāt in whō I wyl be gloriously deelared: & I answerde / I shal laboure ī vayn & spende my strength w^t oute frute / notwithstanding yet shal I offe^r my cause vnto y^e lorde / & my diligent labour to my god: Wherfo^r y^e lorde spake which fashioned me his [...]uāte fro my mothers wōbe to bringe Iacob agene vnto hī (ye althoughe y^e tyme shulde come y^t he wil not be gathred to hym) in whose eyes I am gret which is my god & my strēgth / and he sayed: It is no grete thīge for y^e to be my [...]uante to stervp y^• trybes of Iacob & to restore y^e destrucciō of Israel / excepte I make y^• also y^e lyghte of y^e gētyls to be y^• sauinge helth sente fro me to y^e vttermoste coostes of therthe. Thꝰ spake y^• lorde y^• redemer & mak^r holy of Israel vpō Christe contēned & despysed of y^e gē tyls & [...]uante to al y^• bare rule. Kynges & prīces shal se & ryse vp to worshipe for y^• lordes sake / for he is faithful / & for his sake y^t maketh holy Israel which hath chosen y^• o Messias / & agene thꝰ spake y^e [Page] Lorde / in the tyme apoynted shal I come & be present withe the & in the article of thy helth I shal helpe y^• & saue y^e / and I shal geue the into an erneste of y^e promyse tomy people to restore therthe y^• thou myghtste chalenge agene y^e dispersed he retages & saye to thē in bondes / go your wayes oute / & to thē y^• ar in derknes: co­meforth into y^e lighte / y^e they mought fe­ade by y^• woye sydes & take their plesu­res in al theyr plentuo [...]se pastures / thei shal not honger nor thirste / y^• heate of y^• sonne shal not smyte thē / for theyr goy­de shal tender & kepe thez ientely & shal geue them drinke at the vaynes of wa­ters / I shal make all my hylles playne and redy wayes / & my pathes shal ape­re troden for euery man. Beholde for th­ere shall come some frome a farre / some from the northe & from the sea / ād some frome the sowthe. Beglad heavens / re­ioyse erthe / clap your handes hylles for ioye: for the lorde shal conforte his peo­ple & haue mercy on hys poore afflicte. But here parauenture Zion wyll saye: [Page] The lorde hath forsaken me / & the lor­de hath forgoten me: Shal the woman forgete hyr yonge chylde borne of hyr o­wne bodye? but if she forgete hyr chyl­de / yet shal I neuer forgete the: for so / I haue printed the in these my handes / thy walles shal neuer fal fro my mynd they y^t casted the downe shal come as faste to buylde the agene / thei y^t destroyde the shal haue continual course & recour­se vnto the / lyft vp thy eyes & loke abo­ute & see / al these gentyls shalbe gathr­ed togither & come to the: as verely as I lyue (sayth the lorde) shalt thou be or ned & arayed with thē as w^t a riche or­nament & aparel / even lyke a bryde dec­ked in hyr cleane costely araye / for thy lande which lyeth desolate / wasted & loste / shal euen by & by be to lytel to cōtayne thinhabitours theryn / & they y^t wold devow^r y^• shalbe far baneshed / then shal thy childern born ī thi barenes speak to y^• / sayng: this place is to narowe / let me haue a place to sit ī / & thꝰ shalt thou thi­nke: who hath begotē me these childern [Page] sith I am baren ād a banesshed diuorsed wedue? who hath nouresshed & brought me vp these chyldern? beholde / I am so­le & forsaken / of whēce then ar these? Thꝰ therfo^r answereth y^e lorde god: be­hold / I shal stretch forth myhād to y^e gē tils / & to y^t populose naciō shal I lyftvp my signe & they shal brīge sonnes to the in their bosoms / & daughters vpō their shulderne shal they brīge y^• / & theyr kinges shal fede y^• & their quenes shalbe thi nourses / they (their faces bowed downe to therthe) shal reuerence y^• & licke of y^• duste frō thy fete / & thou shalt knowe y^• I am y^• lorde in whom who so ev^r trusts they ar not confounded. Who maye ta­ke y^• proye frō y^• strōge / or y^e captyue frō y^e mighty? but because y^e lorde hath so spo­kē it / bothe y^e captyue shal be takē frō y^e myghtye & y^e proye frō y^e strōge / for I wil defende thy cause agēst thi aduersarye & saue thy chyldern / thy enemes shal I fede w^t theyr own flessh / & w^t their owne bloude shal thei be drōkē like as w^t sw­ete wyne / by y^• which vēgeaunce every [Page] flessh shal se y^t I am y^e lorde thy saviour & thy myghty redemer o Iacob.

Cap. l.

Thus saith y^e lorde. Whe^r is this testimonial of y^e diuorse of your moth^r which I sent hyr? or who is my creditour to whō I solde you? be­holde / for evē for your own iniquites ar ye solde & for brekīg of mycōmādements is your moth^r diuorsed & put awaye / w­herfo^r wolde nomā receyue me when I came / nor yet answe^r when I called? was my hāde so cutof & shortened y^t it might not delyuer you? or was my pow^r so my neshed y^t it was not able to redeme you? which by a worde only dry vp y^e sea & turne y^e floudes into drye lāde / so y^t their fy­sshes be corrupte for want of wat^r & pe­risshe for thyrste / it is I y^t clothe y^e heau­ens in a blacke moorning clowde & kou^r thē w^t sak / the lorde god hathe geuē me a lerned tonge & to know how & when I shoulde speake w^t the weake afflticte: erly in the morninge he twitched me by y^e eare & wakened me as my masters we­re wont to do to make me lysten & take [Page] hede / it was y^• lorde god y^t opened myne eare / how then coulde I not but obaye? or how coulde I auoyde or slyppe bak? Wherfore I offere my backe to the sm­yters & my chekes to the twitchers / my face I turne not away frō rebukes & sp­etel / for y^• lorde god bringeth me helpe / wherfo^r I shal not be confounded / but I set my face agenste them as harde as a flynte / for I knowe wel y^t I shal not be shamed / for I haue my defend^r by me to delyuer me: who then maye stryue age­nste me? Let vs go & stande togither be­fore a iuge / & if eny mā wil contende w­ith me in iugemente / let hym come hit­her. Beholde / the lorde god hathe taken vp my cause to defende it / who then shal condempne me? lo / al these thy Idols ād goddes shalbe worne oute lyke a garm­ent / wormes shal eate thez. Who so ev^r he be then emonge you y^• fear y^e lorde / let hym heare y^e voyce of his seruāte / & w­ho ho euer walketh in derkenes & y^e light shyneth not vpon hym / let him truste in y^e name of the lorde & cleaue to his god. [Page] Beholde / al you haue kindled a fyer / ād evē your selues gyrtaboute w^t y^e flame walke in y^e myddes of your own fyer w­hich ye haue kindled / but this one thin­ge is brought to passe be my hād for you y^t ye shal sleape with sorowe.

Chap. li

HEare me ye y^t folowe rightwi­snes sekinge y^e lorde / cōsyder y^e stone oute of whō ye ar hewen & y^e pitte oute of whō ye ar digged & drawne. Cōsid^r. (I saye) Abrahā your father & Sara your moth^r / how y^e I called hī one alone & blessed hī / & made him riche & encresed his substance / cōsid^r how the lorde hath counforted Zion in al hir poore state / turnīg hir deserte in­to a paradise / & hirdrie barē grounde in to the lordes gardē / ioye & gladnes shal dwel in hir / the^r shalbe thankes geving w^t the voice of men praisinge. Wherfo^r loke to me my folke / ād geue eare to me my people: for the lawe shal goforthe of me / & I shal publesshe my iugements to lighten the gentils / the time is nighe y^• my rightwisnes and my sauinge helth [Page] shal goforth to gouerne the people tho­row my power. The eylands shal wa­ite on me trusting to my strength / lyfte vp your eyes to heavē & beholde the er­the vnder you / for heavē shalbe dispers­ed lyke smoke / & the erthe shalbe broken lyke a garment / & thinhabitours shall peresshe in lyke maner / but my sauinge helthe shal enduer for euer & my mercy wherwith I make men rightwyse shal neuer fayle / heare me ye y^t loue rightw­ysnes / & namely thou (o my people) wh­ich holdest my lawe in thy harte / be not a frayed of mennes reuylīges / fear not theyr rebukes / for mottes shal eate thē as clothes ād wol: but my rightwysnes shal enduer everlastīg / & my helth shal abyde from age to age / be thou steredvp / & do vpō y^• strength even the arme of the lorde / be steredvp as in tymes paste th­orowte al ages. Art thou not euen he y^t smytdown y^• proud Rahab & woundedst the dragō of Egypte? Art thou not the very same y^• dryedste vp y^• gret depe sea? & madest the depe botome of it so playne [Page] that thou gauest fre passage thorowe it vnto the delyuerde men? so that thei set at lybertye thorow y^e lorde mought ret­urne & come agene to Ziō with ioye th­ere to haue gladnes for a longe tyme? that they moughte there haue ioye and mirthe al sorowe and hevynes set a parte? And yet answerde the lorde / it is I (I saye) that conforte yow at all tymes and who art thou then that wylt feare and worshipe a mortall man redy to fal and wither awaye lyke grasse? wyle th­ou forgete the lorde which hath made y^• which hath stretched abrode the heaue­ns and hath layed the foundacions of y^• erthe? For this cause thou oughtst to fe­are at al tymes the anger of hym displesed which is bente to destroye: but thow wylt saye / where is his wrathe? it has­teth / it cometh swyftly to apere / he shal not ons fal by y^e waye wherby he maye be hyndred to destroye nether shall his sustinance fayle hī. I am y^e lorde thi god which now make playne y^e sea / & a non I let it swel aboue mesure / & am called y^e [Page] lorde of powers / I shal put my wordes into thy mouth / & shal caste vp my hande befo^r y^• for thy defence y^t thow maiste plante heauens & set therthe / & y^t it may be sayd to Zion. Thou art my people.

Stertout of thy sleape / stertoute of thy slepe / springevp Ierusalem which haste dronke of y^e lordes hande the cuppe of his indignacion / which haste dronke & sou­kedoute even the very dregges & al his cuppe of slomber / neth^r is there one emō ge al thy chyldern whom thou hast no­ureshed vp y^t wil take the by y^e hande to leade & sustayne y^e. These two plages ar fallen vpon y^e but who therfore is sorye for y^e? & these also ar come vpon y^• / as pestelence / honger / ād swerde / but who is thy counforter? Thy chylderne fylled with the wrath of the lorde & indignac­ion of thy God lye troden vnder fote at thenteringe into every streat lyke a rayne deare taken / hyr fete bounde togither with a corde: wherfo^r heare this one th­inge (I praye y^e) thou wretched dronken Ierusalez (althoughe it be not with w­yne) [Page] Thus sayth thy master the lorde & thy god / y^e auenger of his people. Beholde I shal take frome thy hande y^e cuppe of slomber with y^e dregges of y^e cuppe of my indignacion so y^e thou drynkeste no­more here aftyr therof / & I shal put it in to y^e handes of thē y^• scourge y^t / which haue sayed to thy soule / lye downe on y^• gr­ounde y^t we mought go vpō your backes y^t you might be vnto vs as y^e pavement of y^• streates to go vpon.

Cap. lij.

ARyse / Aryse vp Zion & do vpō the thy strength / do vpon y^e thi beutyful robes Ierusalem wh­ich art y^e cyte of y^e holye god / for the vncircuncised & polluted shal nomore come into the: shake of y^e duste frō the Aryse Ierusalem & sit vp / lose thy nec­ke oute of y^e bondes / o captyue daughter of Zion: for thus saith the Lorde / ye are solde frely / wherfore ye shalbe redemed also wtout syluer / for thus saith y^e lorde god / somtyme my people went downe in to Egipte ther to be straungers / & y^e Assyriōs also dyd thē gret violence & wrōg [Page] and that with oute eny cause / and nowe what profite ariseth therof vnto me (sa­ith the lorde) that my people are thꝰ le­dawaye with oute a cause? and their lordes and masters constrayned thē to kr­ye oute & wayle / & yet is my name blas­phemed cōtinually saith the lorde / wherfore to thentent y^t my people might kn­ow my name / I my selfe shal speake yn these dayes saynge. Beholde / I my sel­fe am come: Oh how happye & fayer sh­al the fete be of y^• messagers sente by the authorite of god to preache this peace­able delyueraunce / to tel vs these good tydinges / to preache vs the very sauin­ge helthe / saynge vnto Ziō / thi god mo­ught raigne and lyve? when thi overse­ers lyftvp this voyce / they shal also w­ith their voyce shewe yow hī with pra­yse / for they shal se clearly w^t their eyes whē y^e lorde shal cū agene to Ziō / Thei shal saye / O desolated Ierusalē be thou glad and reioyse / for the lorde shal conf­orte his people & shal redeme Ierusalē / y^e lorde shal dovp his sleve & stretchforth [Page] his bare holy arme ī y^e sight of al naciōs & al the coostes of ther the shal se y^e sau­iour sente frō our god / thei shal byd yow go your wayes cleane / gete you oute frō hense / & touche no polluted thinge / gofo­rth frō emōge thē / & se y^t ye be cleane y^• bare y^e vessels & iwels of y^e lorde / but go not forth as it we^r to muster neth^r w^t to grete haste as men y^t fled / for the lorde shall go befo^r you / & y^e god of Israel shal gat­her your cōpany togither.

Cap. liij

BEholde / my [...]uāt shal brīge th­is mater to passe wysely / wher­fore he shalbe exalted / extolled & set in right hyghe honour. for lykwy­se as many shal woundre vpon hī to se his face so deformed & hīselfe so shame­fully entretede lyke noman / favourlesse & beutelesse: evē so shal the^r many gen­tyls loke vp vnto hī w^t prayer / & kīges shal holde their mouthes / for they vn­to whō no mēciō was made of hī / shal se hī / & they which nev^r harde of him / shal moste vnd^rstāde & regarde hī. But who is he y^t beleueth our preachinge? or vnto [Page] whō is y^e arme of y^e lorde shewed? he shal growe verely before y^e lorde lyke a yon­ge groue / & lyke a rote in a hotte groun­de / he shal haue nether beutye nor fau­oure / when we shal beholde him he sha­lbe out of shappe & fauour / so y^• we shall not desyer hym / he shalbe despysed & le­ste set bye of al men / a man hauinge ex­perience & fealinge bothe ow^r sorowes & sykenesses / we shal (I saye) repute hym so vyle & lothely y^t we shal hyde our fa­ces at him. When this (notwithstandinge yet) is evē he y^• muste beare our syke­nesses and sorowes. but we shaliuge hī to be thus castdowne & smyten with so­me plage of god / ye when he is wounded even of our transgressions & thus smy­ten for our vngodlynes / for y^e punyshm­ent for our correccion shalbe layed vpon hym & by his strypes & hurte we shalbe healed / Al we are strayed a waye lyke shepe / euery man folowinge his owne waye: but y^• lorde layeth al our wyked­nesses vpon hī to pardone vs. It is he y^t shal abyde y^• anguyshe & be scourged / ād [Page] yet shal he not ons opene his mouth / he shalbe led lyke a lambe to be offred vp? & shalbe as styl as a shepe vnd^r hyr clyp­pers handes & shal not ons opene his lippes / he shalbe taken away & put to de­the / his cause not examined aftyr trwe iugement as a man frenlesse & kynles / & yet who maye noumbyr his kynrede / even then when he shalbe thought cle­ne to be kut oute of this worlde? whiche plage shal fal vpō hī for y^e transgressiō of his owne people: farthermore he shal be thought to dye emōg y^• vngodly & be lyfted vp on y^e crosse betwene theves / al­thoughe he nev^r dyd hurte nor yet eny desaight founde in his wordes: but the lorde had decreed hī to be thus brokē w­ith infirmite / y^t he offred for our synnes / mought se his longe lyued posterite / ād this decree of y^e lorde shal prospere in his hāde / w^t y^e perel of his owne lyfe he shal fynde ryches / & by this means my right [...]uāt shal iustifye many mē / for he hī selfe shal bea^r away their sinnes / wh^r fo^r I shal diuide to hī y^• proye bothe of y^e many [Page] men & also of y^e strōge violente / because he shal let his lyfe to dethe & be reputed emonge the mysdoers / which not with­standinge / yet shal he take awaye y^e sy­nnes of many and make intercession for the transgressours.

Chap. liiij.

REioyse therfore euē frō thy very hart with prayse thou baren w­hich temeste not / beglad singe / & clappe thy handes for ioye thou whiche bareste no more chyldern / for y^e diuorsed & forsaken woman shal haue mo chyld­ern then y^• maryed wyfe (saith y^e lorde). Dilate the place of thy tentes and let the cortayns of thi tabernacles be stret­ched wyde: Se thou spare not to drawe­forth at length thy meate lynes & steke thē down faste w^t stakes / for thou shalt be encresed w^t chylderne on every syde / thi seade shal haue possession emōg y^e naciōs / & īhabit desolate cytes: fear not for thou shalt not beshamed / be not astōned forthou shalt not be cōfūded / thou shalt forget y^e shamefacenes of thi yougth & nev^rmo^r remēb^r y^• opprobry of thi wedew­hed: [Page] for thi maker shalbe thy lorde & ho­usbonde / even he whose name is y^e lorde of powers / he that maketh holy Israel even y^e god of al the erthe shalbe called thy kynsman & thy redemer for y^e lorde shal cal y^e as a diuorsed woman & as one sore troubled in mynde: he wil cal the to him as a yonge wyfe y^e had broke prom­yse with hir housbonde saith thy god. I forsoke y^• for a litel tyme but I called the to me agene with myche mercye / I hyd my face frōe y^e for alytel space whyles I was angrye / but I will take y^• into my armes agene with an euerla stīge merc­ye saith y^e lorde thy redemer / for this th­īge shalbe to me as were y^e wat^rs of No­he / for lyke wyse as I swore neuermore to brīge agene y^e waters of Nohe vpon y^e erthe / evē so haue I sworne to be not an­grye with the agene / neth^r yet to chyde with y^e / for y^e mountaīs shal soner fors­ake theyr places & the hylles shal soner falldowne / then other my mercye shall forsake y^• or the promyse of my peace sh­al fayle y saith thy mercyful lorde. Be­holde [Page] my litel poore afflicte & forsakē / I shal make thy walles of preciouse carb­ōcles & shall laye thy foundacions with Saphyrs: thy windows & gates shal I make of cleare Christal / & al thy vtt­ermoste buyldinges shal I sette with ri­che stones. And besydes all this / al thy chylderne shalbe taughte of the lorde & I shal endue thē with ryche peace. Th­ou shalt be buylded al of ritghtwysnes & be oute of all daunger of violence wh­erof thou shalt not nede to feare / no pl­age shal cōe a nyghe y^e. Beholde / a not­h^r naciō which were straūg^rs to me sh­al come & dwel with the / & the aleaun­tes shalbe ioyned with the / lo it is I th­at make this smythe which first kynd­leth y^e colles with his blowynge & then makethe these peaceable weapēs accor­dīge to his kraft. Also it is I that create y^• destroyer to subuerte & to destroye also but al y^e weapens made agēst y^• shalnot prospere / & euery tōge that shall aryse & speke agēst y^• in iugemēt thou shalt ou­ercome ād condēne. Siche shalbe the he­retage [Page] of y^• lordes [...]uātes & this innocē ­cy [...] ād favour shalbe geuen them of me saith the lorde.

The .lv. Chap.

Oye al therfor which ar a thirste come to the waters. Also yowe that wante syluer go ād bye y^t ye mought eate / go yower wayes & bye wyne & mylke with oute money ād pry­ce: wherfore do yow laye oute yow^r mo­neye for y^t fode that fedeth not? & spende yow^r labo^raboute y^t thīg that satisfyeth yow not? And wherfore rath^r lystē yow not vnto me that yow^r soules mought eate of y^• beste & take theyr fill vpon the moste fatteste dylicates? Gyue eare to me & cōe to me / take hede to me & yower soules shalbe refresshed: for I wyl smite handes withe yow into an euerlastinge conuenaunte to geue yowe these assuerd mercyes promysed vnto Dauid. Beho­lde I shall geue hym to testifye of me to the people / to be prynce and goyde vn­to the Gentyles. Beholde thow shalt call an vnknowen nacion vnto the / and the Gentyles (vnto whome thowe [Page] were vnknowne) shal haste thē to y^• ād that euen for the lordes sake thy god ād the maker holye of Israel whiche hath set the in thy hyghe honow^r. Seke ye y^• lorde whyles he wolde be founde / cal v­pon hym whyles he is nighe / let y^e vn­godly forsake his owne wayes & euery wyked man his owne imaginaciōs and thoughtes ād returne to the lorde for he wyl haue mercye on him / let him (I sa­ye) turne vnto ow^r god for he is redye & bente to forgeue / for euen thus saith the lorde / yower counsells ād thoughtes at not lyke my counsels & thoughtes / & yower wayes ar not lyke my wayes / but as farre as the heauēs ar aboue the er­the even so farre excede my wayes yow^r wayes / & my thoughtes yow^rs / for ly­ke as the rayne or snowe descendeth frō heauen & turneth not thither agene but moysteth the erthe & maketh it to budde & to bringe forth frute that it shulde ge­ue corne to the sower & fode to eate / even so my worde which goithe out of my m­outh shall not returne to me voyde but [Page] shaldo whatsoeuer I wyl & shal prosp­er in those thinges for which I sente it / for yow shal lyue in gladnes & shal lea­de yow^r lyfe in peace. Mountayns and hylles shal leape ād singe for ioye withe yowe ād al the trees of the feldes shall clappe their handes / for the bushe shall there ryse a fyrtre & for the thorne a py­ne tre. Al this shall make for the glorye of the Lorde and shalbe a token y^t it shal euermore abyde.

The .lvj. Chap.

THus sayed y^• lorde. Se y^t ye obse­rue equyte & do rightwisnes / fo^r my sauīge helth hasteth him to­come vnto yowe & my ritghtwisnes sp­edeth him to be declared. Blessed is the man that shal do this thīge / & the sonne of man y^t maye receyue this thinge / evē him I meane that kepe the y^t Sabbat da­ye & defyelleth it not / that is to saye th­at holdeth his handes & dothe no euel. Here let not the straungers which shall clea [...]e to the Lorde saye on this maner. Ah lasse for sorowe the lorde seperatethe me frome his people. Nether let y^• Gel­ded [Page] man saye / lo I am a drye stocke: for thus hathe the lorde fyrste of al promy­sed the Gelded men / as lōge as they kepe my Sabbat dayes / that is to saye haue these thīges in moste pryce to chose & to obserue thez which it pleaseth me to cōmaunde & wyl holde faste my conue­naunte / I shal geue vnto thē in my ho­use & witheyn my walles both a better parte & a better name then oother of my nowne sonnes or daughters. I shal ge­ue thē (I tell yowe) siche a name that it shal neuer fayle: Secondaryly he prom­ysethe to the chylderne of the straung­ers whiche desyer to be ioyned vnto the lorde / that they shal serue hym and ky­sshe the name of the lorde and that they shalbe his seruauntes / that is to saye al those which take hede that they pollute not my name / that is to saye holde faste my cōuenaunt. For these men shal I br­inge vnto my holy hyll and shal cheare thē in my house of prayer / their brēte sacryfyces with rheir oth^r oblaciōs shalbe accepte vnto me vpon my alter: For my [Page] house shalbe an house of prayers to all nacions. For thꝰ sayde y^e lorde god which gathereth to gither y^• dispersed people of Israel: yet shall I gather vnto thē siche as pertayne to their cōgregaciō / euē al y^• beastes of y^t felde / & al the wylde beastes of their wodes shal come to them to eate hym vp.☞ Notwithstandinge yet / al the­ir byshopes are blynde / they aral with­out knowledge / ye they ar aldōme dog­ges & maye not barke / they lye lōge sle­apīge & dreamīge delightīge in vayne & ydle plesures / they ar dogges / ye & y^t the moste vnshamefaced never satisfyed. These herdemen vnderstāde nothinge / but euery one of thē foloweth his owne counsells and thoughtes / every one fo­loweth his owne couetuouse harte with al his might / sayng thus / come I shall brīge y^t to y^t wyne & let vs drīke drōken / & as largely shal we drīke to morowe as to daye / ye & more largely. But ī y^e me­ane tyme the innocēte is iuged to dethe and noman consydereth it in his harte y^e moste beste men ar conueyde out of the [Page] waye / and noman so loketh vpon this y^• he wyl saye / beholde the synful maketh a waye y^• rightwyse y^t he hymselfe mig­ht lyue at his plesure in reste / y^t he my­ght be suer in his bedde ād wal [...]e aftyr his owne luste.

The .lvij. Chap.

COme hither therfor ye childerne of wytches borne betwene y^e w­horemonger & harlete / whom do ye thus scorne ād take yower plesure of?☞ Vppon whom do ye mowe withe yower mouthes & bleare oute yower tōges at? Ar not yowe conceyued in adulterye ād euen y^t lyinge desayghtful ysswe? takīg yow^r lybidinouse plesure at the okes ād vnder euery brode shadewed tre? destro­ynge chylderne in valeys ād vnder the rockes of stone? In highe places of stone buylded by ryuer sydes is thy porciō / w­herfore y^• flowdes shalbe thy lot / for th­ou haste powerd forth thy lyquet sacry­fices vnto thē & haste the^r offerd thy oblaciōs: shal I suffer these abominaciōs? In highe mountayns thou madest thy beddes & thether thou ascēdedst to offere [Page] thy sacryfices behynde y^• gates & postes thou leftedst a remēbrāce of y^• when th­ou madest naked thy selfe as wel to me as to a nother. Thow wentst & madest thy bedde wyder: when thou hewedste & pluckedst certayne of y^t goddis of y^t gentyls vnto y^• / thou wentest into y^e beddes of them where so euer thou syest thē. And thou anoyntedst thy selfe w^t swete oyn temētes & wasshedst y^• with dyuerse sw­ete wat^rs & wentedst strayte vnto kīgis when thou sentedst thy messagers into farre countres thorowe whiche thinge thou fellest vnto hell. Thou labouredst in y^• multitude of thy nowne wayes / ād neuer thīkedste it is sufficiēt. Thou be­leuedst to haue gotē y^• thy lyuing thor­owe thy nowne laboure ād pollicye so y^t thow shuldst neuer neded to haue kared or to haue asked it of me: but whom ou­ghtedst thou to dreade & fear aftyr that thow haste broken promyse withe me? Thou regardedst not me / thow calledst not me into thy mynde: Thinkest thou y^t I will holde my peace / as I haue done [Page] hitherto so y^t thow nedest not be a frayd of me? No verely / but I shal rather dis­close thy rightwisnes & thy workes and declare howe lytel they shal profite the Let thē delyuer y^t at thy nede with whō thou art confedred / but y^• wynde shal fi­rst take a waye al these thy helpers / ād vanite shal plucke thē in sondre: but th­ey y^t truste in me shal possesse y^• lande ād shal inherit my holy hyll / wherfore thꝰ saith he. Make waye & geue rome / take awaye al obstacles & stomblyng stockes in y^e waye which leadeth vnto my peo­ple. For thꝰ speaketh he that dwelleth ī y^e moste hyghest place for euer whose name is holye. I inhabit bothe y^• moste hy­ghest ād holyest place I dwel also with the cōtrite & homble sprited to refresshe y^• myndes of men deiected / ād to heale y^• broken hartes. For I am not wrath nor chyde not alwayes but I blowe ouer a non my haterede / & yet do I breath in breathe: I am wrathe / I smyte / I abhorre & haue indignaciō at a man geuen all to his owne lustes / ād especially when he [Page] gothe fro my lawes ād foloweth y^e stu­dyes / counsells or thoughtes of his ow­ne harte. But agene / I beholde his wa­yes / & I heale hym / I brīge hym into y^e waye agene / I restore him vnto thē w­hō he maye conforte / & to them also wh­ich desyerde him / I create frendlye con­uersacion & louīge cōmunicatiō one wi­th a nother. I make peace & suernes bo­the with thē y^t dwel farre & with these y^t dwel nighe saith y^t Lorde & healer of his But the vngodly are lyke the wode sea called Euripus which canne neuer reste hyr waters contynually troubled with slyme & stynkinge mudde / ād euen so haue the vngodly never rest nor peace sa­ith my God.

The .lviij. Chap.

THou therfore / whosoeuer thow arte / beinge a verye trwe prea­cher / se y^t thou kryest with ope­ne mouthe / & beware thou ceassest not: lyftvp thy voyce lyke a trompet / ād tel my people their synnes / tel the house of Iacob theyr offences. For they apere to seke me beselye by their disputaciōs ād [Page] wold be sene te knowe my wayes as fo­lke y^t wolde be sene to work rightwisnes & not to forsake the plesures of their god They moue me questiōs weth^r my iu­gemēts ar iuste in rightwy smakinge / & ar ful besye to contende ād dispute with god saynge: Wherfore do we faste when thou lokeste not vpon vs? we chasten our selues & yet thou wiltnot knowe it Beholde (saith the lorde agene to them) when ye faste / yet abyde yow^r owne w­yl ād lustes styl withe yowe / for yower faste notwithstandinge / yet do yow constrayne and vexe yow^r detters / lo / yow faste to thentēte yow might applye yo­w^r sutes & stryffes ād to smyte orto ent­rete yow^r condemned detters more cruelly / ye faste not nowe a dayes to please god & y^t your voyce might be harde of h­im aboue. Thinke yow that I loue th­ys maner of fastīg / wherby men at pre­scripte ād certayne dayes chastene the­ir selues goinge with thei^r heades writ­hen downe lyke an hoke / strewed with asshes / & clothed with sacke? wilt thow [Page] say y^t this maner of faste and that vpon this or that apoynted daye is more acce­pte to y^• lorde? but rath^r euen contrarye wyse? This maner of fastīge do I alo­we & love: forgeue thy detters wrapped in shrewd bargoyns vnlose their viole­nte obligacions / set them at lybertye w­hom thou castedst in to presone for dette and breke of frome them al maner of bo­ndes & yokes. D [...]uyde oute thy meate & drynke to y^e hongrye & thyrstye / and the poore way faeringe straunger leade th­ou hōe into thy house / when thou seest [...] y^e naked clothe hym & turne not thy fa­ce frō thy nowne flesshe. Then shal thy light brekeforthe as fresshe as y^e mornī ­ge / & thy helthe shal spryngforth right sone. Then shal these dedesbe cleare te­stimones of thy rightwysnes & y^e glorio­use maiestye of y^e lorde shal embrase the Then shalt thou cal vpon him / & y^e lor­de shal hea^r y^• / thou shalt krye / & he sh­al answere / lo / here at thy hande. If th­ou nowe puttest of thy burdēs / & holdest thy fingers / & ceasseste to speake vngo­dly [Page] / if thou offerest thy selfe to y^e hōgrye & refresshest y^e poo^r afflicte soul: then sh­al thy lighte sprīgeforth in derkenese / & thy derkenes shalbe lyke y^e mydday / ye y^e lorde shal directe y^e alwayes / he shall satisfye y^e desyers of thy mynde & confir­me y^e in goodnes. Also thou shalt be lyk a freshe watred garden / and as y^e ryuers whose vaynes neuer ceasse runnīge. Pl­aces of longe tyme not īhabited thou sh­alt occupye & dwel vpō and shalt stervp their foundaciōs for y^e generaciōs to cum And then shalt thou be called y^e repaye­rer of brokē places & y^e mend^r of y^e waye of y^• Sabbat daye. If thou refraynest t­hy fote frō y^e Sabbat daye / y^t is to saye if thou doiste not thy nowne plesure & wyl in my holye daye / then shalt thou becal­led vnto y^e ioyful holye & gloriouse reste of y^e lorde / If thou honourst him (I saye) so y^t thou nethe^r doist thy nowne wayes nor sekest thy nowne wyl / nor speakest thy nowne wordes: then shalt thou del­ight ī y^• lorde which shal karye y^t vp ab­oue y^e highest places of therthe ād shal [Page] nouresshe y^• vp ī y^e heretage of thy fath^r Iacob: for so haue y^e lorde promysed wi­th his owne mouthe.

The .lix. Chap

BEholde / y^e lordes hande is not so cut of y^t he may no mo^r saue: neth^r his eares so dulled y^t he may not heare: but it is you^r inites y^t make this grete diuisiō betwene you & your god / ād your synnes make hym to hyde his face frō you to thētēt he wolde not hea^r. For your hādes ar polluted w^t bloude & you^r fyngers embrwed w^t synne / your lyppes speke lyes / & your tōge paīteth mischefe Nomā calleth yn rightwisnes for his aduocate in the lawe / nomā iugeth faithfully but euery man leaneth to vanyte adlyes / studieth phātasyes / cōceyueth la­boriouse busynes & brīgeth forth mysche­fe / they sit hatchīge y^• kocatryces egges weauīge y^• spyd^rs webbe / & he y^t eateth of theyr egges shal dye / but if he trede thē vnd^r his fete y^e (ser)pēt shal yet brekeforth / of thei^r webbe thei^r is made no clothe / so y^t w^t thei^r owne workes they maye not kou^r thē [...]elf for they ar myscheuous evē [Page] workis of robery & stelth shalt thou fy­nde ī their hādes / their fete runne to do mischef / & swyftely they haste thē to sh­ede īnocēt bloude / theyr studye & thoug­htis ar abhoīnable: destrucciō & deth dr­awe they w^t thē wheresoeu^r they becōe but y^e waye of peace they knowe not / th­e^r is no eqⁱte ī their processe / they haue so depraued their pathes y^t euery mā y^t pas­seth thorou thē shal knowe no peace / w­herfo^r fulfarre is eqⁱte exyled frō vs ād rightwisnes wil not cōe nighe vs: we loked & taryed for lighte / & lo what derk­enes is the^r? we waited for y^e morninge / but lo we walke ī y^e derke mydde nighte we go gropīg by y^e walles lyke blīde mē we grope as thoughe ow^r eyes we^r pu­toute / we stōble at none dayes as thou­ghe we wādred ī y^e derke morninge lyke olde mē halfe dede stōblīge at thei^r gra­ues: we grone lyke beares & morne cōti­nually lyke douves: we loke for eqⁱte but she appereth no whe^r / we tarye for helt­he but it is very farre frō vs / & that be­cause ow^r wikednes is so encresed befo^r y^e [Page] & y^t we are so synful / for our transgressi­ons we denye not / & our synnes we kn­owledge / that is to saye we are synners we ar false lyers agenst y^e lorde / we ha­ue forsaken our god / and turned our backes to hym / we haue blasphemed hym / & folowed strange goddes / we haue con­ceyued euel in our hartes & occupyed our myndes aboute false wordes & deades. Wherfore equite hath forsaken vs and rightwisnes standeth al a farre moorn­ynge [...] for trwthe is fallen downe yn the streutes & equyte ys locked vp / ye tru­the is cruelly handled / & he y^t forsaketh euel is torne in peses / these thinges wh­en the lorde saw / he was not cōtent y^t th­ere was no equite / & he saw y^t ther was non y^t wolde make intercession & it beru­wed hym / & he turned hī selfe vnto his owne power / & cleued to his rightwisn­es / & a non he dyd vpon him selfe right­wysnes as a cote of mayle & put helthe vpō his hed in stede of anhelmet / he dyd vpon hī vengeaunce for his vesture ād kouerd hym selfe with indignacion lyk [Page] as with a cloke / & ther was siche hatre­de as is w [...]nt to be betwene two enimes reuenging ether other / this armed he hī selfe to rewarde y^e cruel tyraunts / wherfore they shal feare y^e name of y^e lorde frō y^• weste & his maiestye frō y^e easte / for he shal cū lyke a violent floude which the lorde hath steredvp with a wynde: but vnto Zion & thē which beinge of y^e sea­de of Iacob repente thē selfe & turne frō their wikednes he shal cū a redem^r saith y^• lorde. For I me selfe saith y^• lorde shal make this conuenaunte & promyse with thē y^t is to saye. My sprite w^t whō I sh­al instructe y^• / & my wordis which I sh­al put into thy mouthe shall not fal frō thy mouth neth^r frō the mouthes of thi childerne / nor frō y^e mouth of their chil­ders chylderne here after into everlast­ing saith the lorde.

The .lx. Chap

ARyse therfore & haste y^• for thy lighte is come / & y^e maiestye of y^t lorde shal shyne vpon y^e / beh­olde / for whiles the derke clou­des kov^r therthe & y^e people / y^e lorde shal [Page] shyne ouer the & his gloriouse maiestye shal apere with the. Then shall the ge­ntils comeforth vnto thy lighte / ād the kynges shal walke vnto the brightnes y^t springethforth with the: lyfte vp thy eyes roundaboute the & beholde / al the­se ar gath^rde togith^r & come to the / evē frō farre countres / sonnes shal come to y^e & daughters shal flee vnto the on every syde / then shalt thou perceyue & be in p­rosperite / thy harte shal reioyse & be op­ened wyde / even when the grete multi­tude of the sea shalbe conuerted vnto y^e / y^t is when the infinite noumber of the gē tyls shal come vnto the / aboundance of camels shall cover the / Dromedares of Madian & Epha shal cloye y^e / al y^e Sa­bens shal come bringinge golde & incen­se geuinge prayse to the lorde / al the w­ylde beastes of Cedar shal come togith^r to the / y^• wethers of Nebaioth shal do y^e (ser)uice / thei shalbe offerde at y^t altar whi­ch I haue chosen & at y^e house of my maiestye whiche I haue magnified / lo who ar these y^t come fleīg like cloudis & doves [Page] to their wyndous? also y^e eylands shal­be gatherd to me / the shippes of the sea shal come togither to karye their child­erne to the from farre countres with th­eir golde & syluer to y^e honour of y^e lorde thy god y^• maketh holye Israel & magnifyethe y^e / Also straunge chylderne shal buylde thy walles ād their kinges shal ministre to the / for when I was angrye I smyt y^e / & when it pleaseth me I wyll haue mercy on y^e. Thy gates shal stand open daye & night / they shal neu^r be sh­yt y^t y^e multitude of y^e gentyls myght cū to the & their kinges be brought yn / for bothe y^e gētils & y^e people or kingdoms y^e wyl not serue the / shal peresshe & be sm­yten downe with swerde / even y^e ryches of Libani shalbe brought vnto y^e as hyr Cypresse trees / pyne trees / & Cedres al togither a lyke shal garneshe the place of my sanctuarye / for I shal make y^e pl­ace of my fete right honourable / & they y^t sometyme scourged y^e shal cū nowe ho­mbly & lowely to y^e / & they y^• spake evell vpon the shal faldowne at thi fete & cal [Page] the the cyte of y^e lorde even y^e holye. Ziō of Israel Farthermore where as thow wast forsaken & so odyouse y^t noman w­olde go thorowe y^e / nowe shal I make y^• clear & goodlye for ev^r / & right glad th­orout al ages. Thou shalt souke y^e mylke of the gentyls & be nouresshed at the brestes of kynges / ād knowe y^t I am the lorde / thy sauioure & y^e stronge avenger of Israel / for thy brasse I shal geue the golde / & for yerne syluer / for wode brasse & for stone yerne / I shal geue y^e peace to be thi rulers & rightwysnes shalbe thy lawiers. The^r shalneth^r roberye nor e­xtorsion be hardof eny more in thy co­stes / nether destruccion nor losse with in thi region / thi walles shalbe called hel­the / & thi gates named prayse / The sonne shal no more be thy seruante to ministre to the lyghte be daye nether y^e mone be nighte / but y^e lorde shal be thi contin­ual lighte & thi god shalbe thi clearnes / thi sonne shal nomore go downe nor thi mone enymore be hyd / for y^e lorde shalbe thy perpetual lighte / & thy moorninge [Page] dayes shal haue an ende ād be matched with gladnes / al thi people shalbe inno­cent & iuste & possesse y^e lande for ev^r / thei shalbe y^e flow^r of my plantīges & my nowne handye worke in whom I wyl glorye / y^e leste shal encrese into a thousande & y^e laste shal growe into a right stronge nacion / I the lorde shal spede this thin­ge in hyr tyme.

The .lxi. Chap.

The spirit of the lorde god is with me / for y^e lorde hath anoīted me & hath sente me to preache to y^e meke afflicte in harte / to bīdevp & to he­ale the woundes of y^e broken in harte / to sheweforth delyueraunce to thez y^t ar in captiuite / to opene y^e presone to thē y^t arī bondes / to publesshe y^e tyme of grace & remission apointed of y^e lorde & y^e tyme wh­eryn our god wylbe auenged of his adu­ersares: to counforte al y^t moorne / to geue thez y^t sorowe in Ziō fayernes for asshes glad ointement for their sorowing / y^e ioyful garment of thankis geuīge for their heuye mynde / y^t they might be called excellent in rightwisnes / ād a budde newe [Page] spronge oute to magnifye y^e lorde / y^t they mought restore places desolate / occupye olde forlaten houses / & buylde agene de­stroyed cytes & wylde groundes of lōge tyme paste y^t y^e aliauntes mought stāde & feade your flockis & straungers be your tylmen & vyneplanters / & y^t you might be called y^t prestes of y^e lorde / & y^t men m­ought cal yow y^e ministers of our god / y^• you mought eate the substāce of the gē ­tils & take your plesurs of their aboun­daunce for your grete confusion & igno­mynye / thei shal reioyse to haue lyke ꝑ­te with you / to deuyde the riche hereta­ge in their lande / y^t thei myght haue gl­adnes for a longe ceason: for I am y^e lor­de y^e loueth equite & hate roberye / ye alt­houghe a man wolde brene it & offere it vp to me / also I shal make y^t their wor­kis shalbe done of trw faith / & I shal sin ite a ꝑperual bargē w^t thē / & their yssue shalbe knowne of the gētils / & their po­sterite in the myddis of y^e people / all y^t se thē shal know y^• thei ar y^• blessed sede of y^e lorde: wh^rfo^r I ioy excedīgly ī y^e lorde [Page] soule leapeth for ioye in my God / for he clothe me with the garmentes of the sauinge helth & shal kouer me with y^e mā tel of innocencye: I shalbe lyke a bryde­grome comely arayede & lyke y^e bride rychely apparelde in hyr ornamentes / for lyke as ther the bringeth forth hir settes & y^e gardē hir seades: even so shal y^e lor­de god make rightwysnes & godly wo­rshipe spring forth before al nacions.

The .lxij. Chapiter

WHerfor / for Ziōs sake I shal not reste / & for Ierusalems plesure I shal not ceasse vntil hir rightw­isnes be comforth & shewed lyke y^e shy­ning lighte & hir sauinge helthe brenn­eth like a laumpe. For y^e gentyls shal se thy rightwysnes & al kinges shal beholde thy glorye / and shal call y^e be a newe name which y^e mouthe of y^e lorde shal declare / & thou shalt be lyke a beutiful cr­owne in y^e hande of y^e lorde / & as a kyng­es dyademe yn y^e hande of thi god: thou shalt nomore be called y^e forsaken / neth^r shal thy lande be called enymore y^e deso­lated [Page] / But thou shaltbe called Hephziba that is to saye my beste beloued / ād thy lande shalbe called Beula that is to sa­ye my wedded wyfe. For the lorde is an­ambred on the / ād thy lande shalbe ma­ryed to hym thy very housbonde / & as y^e yongman marieth to him a mayden / s [...] shal thy chylderne be maryed vnto the lorde / & as y^e brydegrome is ioyouse ouer the bryde even so shal thy god be ioyou­se vpon the. Vpon thy walles O Ieru­salez / shal I set watche men whiche sh­alnot ceasse daye nor nighte preachinge the lorde. Farthermore / euen yow y^t are of the comen people shalnot ceasse in no­man^r wyse vntyl Ierusalē be repayerde & tyl she be made the moste prayse wort­hye in al the erthe. The lorde hath sw­orne by his righthande & by the streng­th of his arme that he wyl nomore geue thy whete īto meate for thy enymes / ne th^r thy swete wyne for the which thow haste sore swette into drīke for straunge chylderne: but they y^t gathe^r it shal eate it also / & geue thankes to the lorde: and [Page] they y^t gath^r it togith^r shal drīke it also in y^e porches of my sanctuarye. Stande abacke & get ye a syde which stāde ī y^e gates / geue rome o prople prepare y^e waye / & take awaye al ftōblīge stones / & setvp a signe for y^e people: for beholde the lorde telleth forth these good tydīges vnto y^e vttermoste partes of the erthe. Saye ye daughters vnto Zion: beholde thy Sa­uiowr is come. Beholde he hath broug­ht withe hym his riches / and his noble actes go before hym & they y^• shalbe red­emed of the Lorde shalbe called the hol­ye people / and euen thow shalt be called the gretely haunted populose cyte ād th­ou shalt nomore be called the forsaken.

The .lxiij. Chap.

THen shal it be sayd: who is this y^t cometh frō Edom / his clothes thus dyed with y^e red of Bozra? who is this y^t goth so myghtely / so cōely in his cote armoure? I am he (I tel you) that warnethe & speaketh rightwysnes & am ryche to saue. wherfo^r then ar thy garments so red and thy clothes so we­tte [Page] as thoughe thou haddest troden in y^e wyne presse? The wyne presse (I tel y­ow) haue I troden al alone / ād of al the people was there not one with me: I tr­ode / I trode downe my enymes in my feruēt wrathe so y^t they haue thꝰ sprin­kled my clothes with their bloude & ha­ue thus spotted al my garmentes. For y^e daye of vengeaunce which I had conce­yued in my harte and y^e yeare wheryn I wold redeme is tōe. I loked rounde abo­ute / but there was not one helper / I w­as destitute al hope / but the^r was not o­ne that wolde sustayne me: and then cl­eued I to my nowne arme and feruoure which helpte me / and then I trode dow­ne the people in my wrathe and bathed them so in my furye that theyr bloude ranne downe vpon the erthe: The me­rcyes of y^e lorde I shal remenbre & geue hym thākes for all thīges which he ha­th geue vs / y^• is to saye for the īnumera­ble goodnes done to the house of Israel / whiche of his mercye and goodnes hath geuē it thē / for he said / verely these men [Page] shalbe my people / and these shalbe y^e ch­ylderne which shal not go out of kynde For he was their Sauiour / and broug­ht it so passe that in al their tribulucion he wolde not suffer them to bescourged / but wolde delyuer thē by his angel whō he sente thez. And because he loued and pytyed thez / he redemed / he defended ād bore thē vp frome the beginnīge of y^e ty­me: but althogh they so rebelled & chaf­ed his holy mynde that he wolde be tu­rned into their enemye & fight agēst thē yet he remembred the tyme paste / he re­membred even Moses & his people how that he led thē oute frome the sea lyke as the shepherde leadeth his flocke / ād how he gaue thē his holy goste / he rem­embred howe he led Moses by his glo­ryouse arme / takinge him by the right hāde & diuidīge the waters before thē to get him selfe a name for euer / he remem­bred how he led thē thorow the depthe & thorow the de (ser)te lyke as by an euen ād playne waye / that thei stombled not / for the spirit of the lorde directed them ly­ke [Page] the beastes y^t go in the felde. So ledd­est thou thy people O god / to gete the a gloriouse name. Lokeforth therfore frōe heauen & frō the holy habitacion of thy maiestye & beholde / howe is it thus cū to passe / that thy zele / thy strēgthe / thy plentuouse intere petye ād soste mercye ar so hardened agenste me? Thow arte owr father. Abraham knoweth not vs neth^r Israel knoweth vs: but it is thou lorde that art owr father ād redem^r / thy name is of euer. Wherfore (lorde) haste thou led vs frōe thy wayes? haste thou hardened owr hartes y^t we shulde not feare the? brīge vs agene into thy fauou^r for thy promyses sakes made to thy se­ruants which ar of the trybs of thy he­retage. It was not longe that thy holy people enioyed thy sanctuarie / for our e­nymes destroyed and spoylde it / and as for vs we haue bene thy people euen frō the begīnīge of y^e worlde / but as for thē they knewe the not for their god / neth^r were thy called aftyr thy name.

The .lxiiij. Chapi.

I Wolde thow woldest cleve inso­ndre heauē and come downe th­at the hylles mought melte aw­aye at thy presens even as agenst an h­otte fyer ād that the violent tyrāts m­ought be set a fyer as is water inflam­medde with fyer: that thy name moug­ht be knowne vnto thy enymes / ād th­ese haithen mought tremble at thy pr­esens. Descende (I saye) with thy wou­ndreful & vnwonte workes vnloked fo­re that these hilles mought consume in thy syghte: For from al tymes paste th­ere was noman that wolde heare or ta­ke hede / nether beholde with his eyes these thinges which thou haste done for men waytinge for the: but thow a lone (O god) thou helpest hym that boldely foloweth rightwysnes / ād socourste th­em that depende on the to go in thy wa­yes. But lo / thow arte nowe angrye because we are synners and continue stil in ower synnes and there is not one sal­fe / for we are all lyke an vnclene thinge and all ower rightwisnesses are lyke cl­othes [Page] polluted withe menstrwe / all we fall lyke leaves / for ower iniquites take vs awaye lyke y^e wynde / there is nō th­at wil cal vpon thy name or endeuer h­ym selfe to holde the / wherfore thou hy­dest thy face frome vs and scourgest vs for ower wykednes. Nowe therfore w­hen it is so that thow art ower father / and we ar but claye: thou arte vnto vs as a potter and all we ar the workes of thy hande. Be not so sore angrye (Lorde I beseche the) nether remember owr in­iquites alwayes / but rath^r (I praye the) consyder al vs to be thy people. Bohol­de / the cytes of thy holy lande are turn­ed into a wyldernes. Ziō is forsaken / ye and even Ierusalem is a deserte / ow^r holy temple which was ower beutyful fl­ower whereyn owr fathers praysed the is brentvp / and all ower plesaunte pla­ces are turned into wyldernesses. Wylt thou not (Lorde) aftyr all these thinges be entreted and bowed with prayer? wi­lt thou be styl & scourge vs so grevous­lye?

The .lxv. Chap.

MEn shal seke me whiche now se­ke me not / they shall fynde me y^• nowe seke me not / vnto whome I shal saye anon / lo / lo / I am here at yow^r hāde / thus shal it be sayde vpon th­ese gentyles which yet cal not on my name: for I haue stretched forthe my hand­es al this tyme paste vnto a nacion that beleued not whiche goithe not the right waye y^e is to saye lyueth not aftyr my mynde and plesures / which also neu^r ce­asseth to exasperat & to anger me euē to my face offeringe their offeringes in gr­oves & wodes & brēnīge their incense v­pō alters made of stone / they sit prayīge at tombes & shrynes / sleapīge al y^e night in chyrches ful of images / they eate ho­gges flesshe & vncleane potage is in their [...]hes: they saye / if thou cōest nighe thē touch me not lest I make y^• vnclene / th­ese mē shal smoke at my wrathe & be set a fy^r to brene for eu^r. Beholde / these thī ­ges ar decreed in my presens y^• I shulde not forgete thē but geue you you^r rewarde wh^r fo^r I shal laye yo^r wykednes & y^e [Page] wikednes also of your fath^rs ī your own bosoms (sayth y^e lorde) which brēte their sacrifices vpō mūtaīs & blasphemed me in y^e hilles: wh^r for I shal meate oute th­eir iniq^•tes agē & turn thē into their own bosoms. thꝰ saith y^e lorde / as mē wil say to hī y^e happeneth on an holy vyne: pluk no grapis of this / for it is holy: evē so sh­al I do for my [...]uāts sakes because I w­olde not destroye thē al: but I shal brīg­forth a sede out of Iacob & thinheretour of my hyl oute of Iuda / y^• is to saye my chosen shal possesse it & my ministers sh­al dwel ther: sarone shalbe fylled w^t flo­ckis & heardes / & y^e vale of Achor shalbe layers for herdes of my people y^t seke me but you haue betrayed y^e lorde & forgotē my holy hyl / you garnesshed an alt^r for y^e goddes of Fortune / & consecrated your offerīg to y^e god of tresu^r / I shal therfor kepe you ī sto^r as tresu^r for y^e swerde / y^e you mought al be smitdown w^t it because y^t whē I called you / ye wolde not ans­wer / & whē I spake / ye wolde not hear / but ye dyd evel ī my sight & chosed those [Page] thigis which I hated. Wh^r for thꝰ spek­eth y^e lorde. Lo my [...]uāts shal eat / when ye shalbe ful hōgrye. beholde my [...]uāts shal drink / whē ye shalbe ful thirsty: beholde my [...]uāts shalbe glad whē ye shal be ashamed. Lo / my [...]uāts shal reioyse & singe evē for y^e very helth of their hartis but you shalkrye oute for y^e very sorow of your hartes & for anguysh of mynde: ye shal houle as hoūdis / your name shal not be swornby emōg my chosen: for y^e lorde shal slaye you / & cal his [...]uāts by a noth^r name. He y^t shalbe praysed in y^e erthe let hī be praysed in y^e true god / & he y^t shal swer in y^e erthe let hī swer by y^e true lord for olde enymytes shalbe forgotē & takē away (saith he) out of my sight / for lo / I shal make newe heauēs & a newe erthe & their shalbe no mētion of y^e olde / neth^r shal thei enymo^r ascēde to mēnis hartis but these mē shal reioyse & enioye these y^e I shal make for ev^r / for lo / I shal make Ierusalez right glad even frō hyr very harte / whose people shalbe ioyful w^t w­hō I my selfe shalbe glad / & merye with [Page] [...] people / there shal not be harde in hireny wepīge or kryinge / neth^r shal there be aftyr this eth^r infant or olde mn y^t haue not their ful dayes / but y^• yōge mā at an C. years shaldye / & y^e transgressour of an C. years shalbe dāned / they shall buylde houses & īhabit thē / thei shal pl­āte vynes & eate of their frutes / thei sh­al not edifie for a noth^r to dwel in it / ne­th^r plante for a noth^r to eate it / but y^e lyfe of my people & y^e workes of their hāds shalbe as fresshe as y^e tre of lyfe / my chosen shal se many years & shal not labour in vayne nor bring forth their frute w^t trouble / for thei ar y^e blessed sead of y^e lorde & their yssue shal abyde w^t thē / & y^e tyme shal cū y^t I wil answer thē befor thei cal on me. I wil hear thē whyle thei ar yet but in cōceyuing their peticiō: y^e wolfe & y^e lābe shal fede togith^r / y^e lyō shal eate haye w^t y^e oxe / but y^e erthe shalbe meate for y^e [...]pēt / ther shalbe nomo^r trouble nor plage in al my holy hil saith y^• lorde. c. 66

THus saith y^e lorde / heauen is my se­ate & y^e erthe is my fote stole / where [Page] then shal this house stōde which ye [...] buy lde me? & whe^r is this place wherin Ishal rest? whē my hādis made al these thing is & thei ar rekened emonge y^e thin­gis which ar made saithe y^e lorde: but to whō shal I loke? euē to y^e hōble in spirit which trēbleth at my speach / for he y^t slayeth an oxe slayeth a mā / & he y^t slaye­th a shepe hāgeth a dogge / he y^t offereth to me anvtwarde offerīg pleaseth me as wel as to offer me swynes bloude / he y^t īcēse me doth evē a lyke thīg as to pray se & blesse an idole / but these mē haue chosen these thīgis & their myndes haue delighted ī these wayes & abhominaciōs / wh^r for Ishal euē lykwise chose oute th­eir skorners / & those thīgis y^t thei feared I shal brīge on their neckis because y^• w­hē I called / nomā wolde answ^r: & whē I spake nomā wolde hear: but they dyd e­uel ī my presens / & chosed those thinges which I reproue. Hear y^e worde of y^e lord ye y^e trēble & fear at his speache / your broth^rn which hate & abhorre you because ye cal on my name saye / let y^e lorde ma­gnifye [Page] hī selfe y^t we mought se your gla­dnes / but siche mē shal be cōfūded / ye / e­uē now begīneth y^e voyce of y^e lorde (as cō cernīg y^e destrucciō of y^e cyte & tēple takīg vēgeāce & rewarding his enemes) to be harde like y^e lamētatiō of a womā grete w^t chylde before hir pāges & labours cū whē she is brīgīgforth a mā childe who hath harde siche thīgis? or who hath se­ne siche thīgis? do y^e erthe brīgforth al on a day? or ar al folke borne at once as Ziō cōceyueth & brīgethforth hir childern? do I destroye or do I not rath^r begette? do I not begette? & do I not make barē saith god? beg lad w^t Ierusalē & singe w^t hir for ioye al hir louers / reioyse w^t hyr euen frō your hartes al hir moorners: for ye shal souke & be satisfyed at hir teatis of cōso­laciō / ye shal souke & be rep leneshed [...]xith hir gloriouse plētuousnes / for thꝰ spake y^e lorde / Lo I shal lede forth peace to hyr lyke af loude / & y^e pow^r of y^e gētils shal I ledeforth lyke a gret rysing wat^r: ye sh­al souke th^r for & be borne in hir bosome / & dāsedvpō hir knees / for I shal cōfort you [Page] & euē in Ierusalē shal you receyue cōsol­aciō as of a moth^r cōforting hyr sonne: & whē ye se this / your hartis shal ioye ād your bones shal floureshe lyke a grene plāt / & y^e lordes [...]uāt shal prayse his pow^r / & his enymes shal he threaten: For lo / y^e lorde shal cū in fyer / & his chariets lyke a whirlewinde w^t grete fury / to a­vēge in his wrath / he shal cū in y^e flame of fyer / for w^t fyer & w^t his swerde shall he iuge eu^ry flessh: & his welbe loued sl­ayne for his sake shalbe ēcresed: but th­ey y^• vowed to make theyr selfe cleane in groues / & thei y^• eat opēly emōge thē selfe hoggis flessh / my se / & sich oth^r abho­minable vnclennes shalbe takē awaye altogith^r saith y^e lorde: for I shal cū to g­ath^r togith^r bothe ev^ry naciō & tōge th­ [...]ir studyes & workis: & thei shal cū & semy maiestye. Also I shal geue thē a to­kē & sende some of my chosen to y^e gētyls as to y^• Cylicks / Lybes / & Lydees which ar noble archers: I shal sende to Italye & Grece & to y^e fardest eylāds w^ch yet h­ [...]rd not my preaching nor saw my glory [Page] & they shal preach my glorye emōge the gētils / brīging al your broth^rn frō y^e m­ultitude of y^e gētils to be an oblaciō to y^e lorde / thei shal brīge thē on horse / in wagēs & chariets / on mules & ī cartes to Ierusalē my holy hyl saith y^e lorde no noth^r wyse thē y^e chyldern of Israel we^r wont to bring their oblaciōs into y^e house of y^e lorde in clene vessels / & out of thē shal I take some preestes & leuytes saith y^e lor­de: for as this newe heauē & erth w^ch I shal make shal abyde in my presens sai­th y^e lorde: even so shal your seade & your name abyde also / & th^r shalbe ꝑpetual festes of y^e newe mones & ꝑpetual sabbath days / & euery flessh shal cū to worshipe befo^r me saith y^e lord: & thei shal goforth to beholde y^e kariōs of y^e synners agenst me / for y^e worme of thē shal nev^r dye / & their fyer shal nev^r be quēched / & theish albe lothed of every flessh.