Wisdom, in The Douay Old Testament (1609–1610)

The Book of Wisdom, attributed in its title to Salomon. This is Wisdom as it stands in the second tome of the Douay Old Testament (Doway: Laurence Kellam, 1610), the English College of Douai’s Catholic translation from the Latin Vulgate, in its original spelling. The page gives the edition’s Argument of the book, every chapter with its printed summary, the verse text and the marginal notes and the Annotations.

THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKE OF WISDOM.

AS wel of the auctor, as of the auctoritie of this booke, there haue bene [Margin: Both the auctor & auctoritie of this booke were ſometimes doubtful.] diuers opinions among the lerned. But in proceſſe of time, the firſt is probably diſcuſſed, the other is clerly decided by the Church. For concerning the former doubt, Manie ancient Fathers alleage ſentences of this Booke, as the ſayinges of Salomon. Namely S. Ireneus (apud Euſebium, lib. 5. c. 8. Hiſt.) S. Clement of Alexandria, li. 5. & 6. Stromat. Origen. ho. 12. in Leuit. & li. 8. in Epiſt. ad Rom. S. Athanaſius in Synopſi, & Orat. 2. cont. Arrian. S. Baſil li. 5. cont. Eunomianos. S. Epiphanius hereſi 67. S. Gregorie Nazianzen. lib. de Fide. S. Gregorie Niſſen. in Teſtimonijs ex vet. Teſtam. cap. de Natiuitate ex Virgine. S. Chriſoſt. hom. 33. & 34. in Mat. S. Cyril of Alexandria li. 10. c. 4. Alſo S. Cyprian li. de exhortat. Martyrum. c. 12. & li. 3. c. 59. ad Quirin. & li. de Mortalitate. S. Hilarie in Pſal. 127. S. Ambroſe, li. de Salomone. c. 1. and diuers others ſuppoſe Salomon to be auctor of this booke. To whom likewiſe ſome of them [Margin: The ſame doubt is of Eccleſiaſticus.] aſcribe the booke of Eccleſiaſticus. But S. Ierom Praefatione in libros Salomonis teſtifieth that ſome ancient writers affirme this booke to be written by Philo a Iew, and the other by Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach. And S. Auguſtin very plainly (li. 17. c. 20. de ciuit.) ſaith, cuſtom preuailed, that the bookes of Wiſdom, & Eccleſiaſticus, for ſome ſimilitude of ſpeach are called Salomons: but the more lerned aſſuredly iudge that they [Margin: It is moſt probable, that Philo a Iew writte this booke collecting manie ſentences of Salomons.] are not his. what then shal we ſay, ſeing ſo manie other ancient lerned Doctors cite them as his. The anſwer is eaſie. And ſufficiently inſinuated by S. Auguſtin, that theſe two bookes being like vnto the other three, which are Salomons, were alſo called his. VVherto we may adde a like example in [Margin: Argum. lib. Reg.] the two firſt bookes of Kinges, which are called the bookes of Samuel, though he writte not al the firſt, nor anie part of the ſecond. Moreouer al theſe fiue are called by one general title Sapiential bookes. In ſo much that the Church readeth in the ſacred Office before al Epistles, taken out of anie of theſe fiue [Margin: Fiue Sapiential bookes of the old teſtament.] bookes, not Lectio Prouerbiorum, or Eccleſiastae, &c. but ſtil, Lectio libri Sapientiae. The ſolution therfore is very probable, that this booke of wiſdom was written by Philo Iudeus, not he that liued after Chriſt, but an other of the ſame name, nere two hundred yeares before. And Eccleſiaſticus by Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach. Who not only imitated Salomon, but alſo compiled their bookes, for moſt part of Salomons ſentences; conſerued til their times by tradition, or in ſeparated ſcrolles of papers; yea they ſo vtter ſome ſentences in [Margin: Chap. 7. 8. 9.] his perſon, as if himſelf had written them. As touching the auctoritie of [Margin: The Iewes denie theſe bookes to be Canonical.] theſe two bookes, and ſome others, it is euident that the Iewes refuſe them. And therfore manie ancient Fathers writing againſt them, ſpared ſometimes to vrge ſuch bookes, as they knew would be reiected. Eſpecially hauing abundant teſtimonies of other holie Scriptures, for deciding matters of [Margin: Mat. 22.] faith againſt them. Euen as our Sauiour himſelf proued the Reſurrection of the dead againſt the Sadduces, out of the bookes of Moyſes, which they confeſſed [Margin: Exo. 3.] for Canonical Scripture, denying other partes, where the ſame point might otherwiſe haue bene more euidently shewed. And ſo S. Ierom in reſpect of the Iewes ſaide theſe bookes were not Canonical. Neuertheles he did often alleage teſtimonies of them, as of other diuine Scriptures: ſometimes with this parentheſis [ſi cui tamen placet librum recipere] in cap. 8. & 12. Zachariae; other times, eſpecially in his last writinges, abſolutly without ſuch reſtriction, as in cap. 1. & 56. Iſaiae. & in 18. Ieremiae. Where he profeſſeth to alleage none but Canonical Scripture. As for al the other ancient fathers [Margin: They are iudged by very manie ancient fathers, and afterwards defined by the Church to be Canonical Scriptures.] here aboue mentioned, aſcribing this booke to Salomon, and manie others cited by Doctor Iodocus Coccius (To. 1. Theſauri. li. 6. art. 9.) they make no doubt at al, but that it is Canonical Scripture, as appeareth by their expreſſe termes, Diuine Scripture, Diuine word, Sacred letters, Prophetical ſaying, the Holie Ghoſt ſaith, & the like. Finally aswel ancient General counſels, namely that of Charthage, an. D. 419. With others, as the later of Florence, and Trent haue declared this booke to be Canonical. And that conformably to the moſt ancient, and lerned Fathers, as S. Auguſtin, not only iudgeth himſelf, but alſo plainly teſtifieth (li. de Pradeſtinat. [Margin: Et li. 17. c. 20. ⟨illegible⟩.] Sanct. c. 14.) ſaying: The ſentence of the booke of wiſdom ought not to be reiected (by certaine inclining to Pelagianiſme) Which hath bene ſo long publiquely read in the Church of Chriſt, and receiued of al Chriſtians, Byshops, and others, euen to the laſt of the Laitie, Penitents, and Catecumes (cum veneratione diuinae auctoritatis) With veneration of diuine auctoritie. Which alſo the excellent writers, next to the Apoſtles times, alleaging for witnes (nihil ſe ad⟨illegible⟩ibere, niſi diuinum teſtimonium crediderunt) thought they alleaged nothing but diuine testimonie.

The ſumme and contents of this booke is an Inſtruction, and Exhortation to Kinges and al Magistrates, to miniſter iuſtice in the comonwealth, teaching [Margin: The contents.] al ſortes of vertues vnder the general names of iuſtice & Wiſdom. With frequent Prophecies of Chriſts Coming, Paſſion, Reſurrection, & other Chriſtian Mysteries. Al may be commodiouſly diuided into three partes. In the ſix firſt [Margin: Diuided into three patts.] chapters, the auctor admonisheth al Superiors to loue and exerciſe iustice and wiſdom. In the next three, he teacheth that Wiſdom procedeth only from God, & is procured by prayer & good life. In the other tenne chapters, he sheweth the excellent effects, and vtilitie of wiſdom and Iuſtice.

THE BOOKE OF WISDOM.

Chapter 1

CHAP. I. Superiors are admonished to do iuſtice, ſincerely ſeking God. 7. Who being euery where ſeeth al thinges. 11. Murmuration, detraction, and lying [Margin: The 1. part. An admonition to loue and practiſe iuſtice.] bring to perdition. 13. God created men to liue, but they brought death vpon themſelues.

1 LOVE iuſtice, you that iudge the earth. Thincke of our Lord in goodnes, and in ſimplicitie of hart ſeeke him:

2 becauſe he is found of them, that tempt him not: and he appeareth to them, that haue ſaith in him.

3 For [::] peruerſe cogitations ſeperate from God: and proued powre chaſteneth the vnwiſe:

4 becauſe wiſdom wil not enter into a malicious ſoule, nor dwel in a bodie ſubiect to ſinnes.

5 For the Holie Ghoſt of diſcipline, wil flie from him that feyneth, and wil withdraw himſelfe from the cogitations, that are without vnderſtanding, and he shal be chaſtened of iniquitie ⟨illegible⟩ni⟨illegible⟩ wing▪

6–7 For the ſpirite of wiſdom is gentle, and wil no⟨illegible⟩ [::] the ⟨illegible⟩ for from his lippes: becauſe God is witnes of ⟨illegible⟩ is a true ſearcher of his hart, and an h⟨illegible⟩ar⟨illegible⟩r ⟨illegible⟩cauſe the Spirite of our Lord ⟨illegible⟩ath ⟨illegible⟩ whole world▪ and that, which contayneth al ⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩udge of voice.

8 For this cauſe he that ſpeaketh ⟨illegible⟩ſt thinges, can not be hid, neither shal the chaſtiſing iudgment paſſe him.

9 For in the cogitations of the imp⟨illegible⟩ou⟨illegible⟩ there shal be examination: and the hearing of his workes shal come to God, to the chaſtiſing of his iniquities.

10 Becauſe the eare of ielouſie heareth al thinges, and the tumult of murmurings shal not be hid.

11 Kepe your ſelues therfore from murmuring, which profiteth nothing, and refraine your tongue from detraction, becauſe an obſcure ſpeache shal not paſſe in vaine: and the mouth that lyeth, killeth the ſoule.

12 [::] Zeale not death in the errour of your life, neither procure ye perdition by the workes of your handes.

13 Becauſe God made not death, neither doth he reioyce in the perdition of the liuing.

14 For he created al thinges to be: and he made the nations of the earth to health▪ and [::] there is no medicine of deſtruction in them, [::] nor kingdome of hel in the earth. (

15 For iuſtice is p⟨illegible⟩rpetual and immortal.)

16 But the impious with handes & wordes haue [::] prouoked it: and eſteming it a freind, haue fallen to decay, and haue made couenances with it: becauſe they are worthie to be of the part therof.

Marginal notes to Chapter 1

• 1 3. Reg. 3. Iſa 56. 2. Par. 1⟨illegible⟩.
• 3 [::] Mortal ſinnes are not only committed in dedes & vvordes, but alſo in though tes.
• 6–7 [::] He that maliciouſly curſeth s⟨illegible⟩u⟨illegible⟩ſed of God.
• 6–7 ⟨illegible⟩al. 5. v. 22.
• 12 [::] Be not cauſe of your owne eternal death by euil life.
• 14 [::] Deſperate death deliuereth not the wicked from calamities.
• 14 [::] Neither are an⟨illegible⟩e damned vvhile they are in th⟨illegible⟩ life▪
• 16 [::] But ſinners not repenting being et⟨illegible⟩nal ⟨illegible⟩ them ⟨illegible⟩ ▪

Chapter 2

CHAP. II. Such as hope not of life to come, 6. addict themſelues to ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ ⟨illegible⟩ ▪ and perſecute the iust, eſpecially our Sauio⟨illegible⟩ ⟨illegible⟩ their wickednes. 23. Death came vpon man by the ⟨illegible⟩.

1 FOR they haue ſaid thinking with the ⟨illegible⟩ :: Little, and with tediouſnes is the time of ⟨illegible⟩ the end of a man there is no recou⟨illegible⟩, and ⟨illegible⟩ knowne that hath returned from hel:

2 becauſe oe of ⟨illegible⟩ were we borne, and after this, we shal be as if ⟨illegible⟩ bene: becauſe the breath is a ſmoke in our noſthrels: & ⟨illegible⟩ch a ſparke to moue our hart.

3 Which being extinguished, our bodie shal be ashes, and the ſpirit shal be powred abrode as ſoft ayre, and our life shal paſſe as the trace of a cloude, and shal be diſſolued as a miſt, which is driuen away by the beames of the ſunne, and oppreſſed with the heate therof:

4 and our name in time shal be forgotten, and no man shal haue remembrance of our workes.

5 For our time is the paſſing of a shadow, and there is no returne of our end: becauſe it is ſealed, and no man returneth.

6 [::] Come therfore, and let vs enioy the good thinges that are, and let vs quickly vſe the creature as in youth.

7 Let vs fil ourſelues with precious wine, and oyntments: and let not the flowre of the time paſſe vs.

8 Let vs crowne ourſelues with roſes, before they wither: let there be no medow, which our riote shal not paſſe through.

9 Let none of vs be exempted from our rioteouſnes: euerie where let vs leaue ſignes of ioy: becauſe this is our portion, and this our lot.

10 Let vs [::] oppreſſe the poore iuſt man, and not ſpare the widow, nor reuerence the oldmans grey head of long time.

11 But let our ſtrength be the law of iuſtice: for that which is Weake, is found vnprofitable.

12 [::] Let vs therfore circumuent the iuſt, becauſe he is vnprofitable to vs, and he is contrarie to our workes, and reprochfully obiecteth vnto vs the ſinnes of the law, and defameth in vs the ſinnes of our diſcipline.

13 He boaſteth that he hath the knowlege of God, and nameth himſelfe the ſonne of God.

14 He is made vnto vs to the defaming of our cogitations.

15 He is greuous vnto vs euen to behold, becauſe his life la vnlike to others, and his wayes are changed.

16 We are eſtemed of him as triflers, and he abſteyneth from our wayes as from vncleannes, and he preferreth the later ends of the iuſt, and glorieth that he hath God for his father.

17 Let vs ſee therfore if his wordes be true, and let vs proue what thinges shal come to him, and we shal know what shal be his later ends.

18 For if he be the true ſonne of God, he wil defend him, & wil deliuer him from the hands of the aduerſaries.

19 By contumelie and torment let vs examine him, that we may know his reuerence, and proue his patience.

20 To a moſt shameful death let vs condemne him: for there shal be reſpect had vnto him by his wordes.

21 Theſe thinges haue they thought, and haue erred: for their malice hath blinded them.

22 And they haue not knowen [::] the ſacraments of God, nor hoped for the reward of iuſtice, nor eſtemed the honour of holie ſoules.

23 For God created man incorruptible, and to the image of his owne likenes he made him.

24 But by the enuie of the diuel, death entred into the world:

25 and they folow him that are of his part.

Marginal notes to Chapter 2

• 1 ⟨illegible⟩ be ⟨illegible⟩, and ⟨illegible⟩ be after death, fal to theſe prophane thoughts and ſpeaches of infidelitie.
• 6 [::] Of infidelitie touching paine or reward after death, procedeth the Epicures life.
• 10 [::] Infidels are not content to liue in riote, but doe alſo enuie and perſecute the iuſt. vvhoſe good examples vexe their mindes, ſturred therto by the diuel.
• 12 [::] An euident prophecie of the Iewes malice perſecuting our Sauiour. Fulfilled by the chief Prieſtes, Scribes, and Ancientes, recorded dy the Euangeliſts. Mat. 27. v. 41. Mar, 14. v. 53.
• 14 Mat. 27. v. 43.
• 22 [::] vvant of beleuing diuine Myſteries, namely the reward of the iuſt, & puniſhmēt of the wic ked, is cauſe of diſſolute life, and of hatred againſt the good.

Chapter 3

CHAP. III The iuſt contemned by the wicked, and proued by tentations are happie. 10. and the wicked vnhappie. 12. Chaſtitie shal be rewarded, & adulterous generations shal not proſper.

1 BVT [::] the ſoules of the iuſt are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shal not touch them.

2 [::] They ſemed in the eies of the vnwiſe to die: and their deceaſe was counted affliction:

3 and that which with vs is the way, is deſtruction: but they are in peace.

4 And though before men they ſuffered torments, their hope is ful of immortalitie.

5 Vexed in few thinges, in many they shal be wel diſpoſed of: becauſe God hath tempted them, and hath found them worthie of him ſelfe.

6 As gold in the furnace he hath proued them, and as an hoſt of holocauſt he hath receiued them, and in time there shal be reſpect of them.

7 The iuſt shal shine, and as ſparkes in a place of reedes they shal runne abrode.

8 They [::] shal iudge nations, & haue dominion ouer peoples, and their Lord shal reigne for euer.

9 They that truſt in him, shal vnderſtand truth: and the faithful in loue shal reſt in him: becauſe reſt and peace is to his elect.

10 But the impious according to the thinges which they haue thought, shal haue correption: which haue neglected the iuſt, & haue reuolted from our Lord.

11 For he that reiecteth wiſdom, and diſcipline, is vnhappie: and their hope is vaine, and labours without fruite and their workes vnprofitable.

12 Their [::] wiues are ſenſles, and their children moſt wicked.

13 Curſed is their creature: becauſe happie is the barren woman: and the vndefiled, which hath not knowen bed in ſinne, she shal haue fruite in viſitation of holie ſoules:

14 and [*] the eunuch, that hath not wrought iniquitie with his hands, nor thought moſt wicked things againſt God: for the choſen gift of fayth shal be geuen to him, and a moſt acceptable lot in the temple of God.

15 For of good labour there is glorious fruite, and the roote of wiſdom which falleth not.

16 But the children of adulterers shal be in conſummation, and the ſede of the vnlawful bed shal be deſtroyed.

17 And if certes they be of long life, they shal be reputed for nothing, & their laſt oldage shal be without honour.

18 And if they dye quickly they shal haue no hope, nor ſpeach of comfort in the day of acknowledging

19 For of a wicked nation the endes are cruel

Marginal notes to Chapter 3

• 1 [::] Temporal death of the iuſt, is the way to eternal life. vvhere damnation (called here the tormēt of death) ſhal not touch them.
• 2 [::] For albelt Martyrs ſeme in the eyes of the vnwiſe to dye, or to be extinguiſhed, they paſſe in dede into eternal, and vnſpeakeable glorie.
• 2 Chap. 5. v. 4
• 7 Mat. 13. v. 43.
• 8 [::] Al the iuſt ſhal approue Gods iudgmēt condemning the wicked.
• 12 [::] Literally is vnderſtood, that the wiues of adulterers, often become adultreſſes, & their children wicked. Morally, their ſenſualitie & al their vvorkes are wholly corrupted.
• 14 [*] See. S. Ierom. in Iſa. 56. v. 4.

Chapter 4

CHAP. IIII. Great difference betwen chaſte, and adulterous generations. 7. Speedier death of the iuſt is recompenſed by Gods prouidence, 19. but the wicked incurre greater damnation by liuing long.

1 O How beautiful is [::] the chaſte generation with glorie: for the memorie therof is immortal: becauſe it is knowen both with God, and with men

2 When it is preſent, they imitate it, and they deſire it when it hath withdrawen itſelf, and it triumpheth crowned for euer, winning the reward of vndefiled conflictes.

3 But the multitude of the impious, that hath manie children shal not be profitable, and baſtarde plants shal not take deepe roote, nor lay ſure fundation.

4 And if in the boughes for a ⟨illegible⟩ime they shal ſpring being weakly ſet, they shal be moued of the winde, and by the vehemencie of the windes they shal be rooted out.

5 For the vnperfect boughes shal be broken, and their fruites shal be vnprofitable, and ſowre to eate, and meete for nothing.

6 For the children that be borne of wicked ſleepes, are witneſſes of wickednes againſt the parents in their examination.

7 But [::] the iuſt if he be preuented with death, shal be in a place of refreshing.

8 For venerable oldage is not that of long time, nor accounted by the number of yeares: but the vnderſtanding of a man are grey heares:

9 and an immaculate life is old age.

10 Pleaſing God he is made beloued, and liuing among ſinners he was tranſlated.

11 “ He was taken away leſt malice should change his vnderſtanding, or leſt anie guile might deceiue his ſoule.

12 For the bewitching of vanitie obſcureth good thinges, and the inconſtancie of concupiſcence peruerteth the vnderſtanding that is without malice.

13 Being conſummate in short ſpace he fulfilled much time:

14 for his ſoule pleaſed God: for this cauſe he haſtened to bring him out of the middes of iniquiries: but the peoples that are ſeing, and not vnderſtanding, nor putting ſuch thinges in their hartes:

15 that the grace of God, and mercie is toward his ſaintes, and reſpect toward his elect.

16 But the iuſt dead condemneth the impions aliue, and youth ſoone ended, the long life of the vniuſt.

17 For they shal ſee the end of the wiſe, and shal not vnderſtand what God hath thought of him, and why our Lord hath fenſed him.

18 For they shal ſee and shal contemne him: but our Lord shal laugh them to ſcorne,

19 and they shal fal after this without honour, and in contumelie among the dead for euer: becauſe he shal breake them puffed vp [::] without voice, and shal remoue them from the fundations, and they shal be made deſolate vnto the higheſt degree: and shal be moorning, and the memorie of them shal perish.

20 They shal come feareful in cogitation of their ſinnes, and their iniquities on the contrarie shal conuince them.

Marginal notes to Chapter 4

• 1 [::] Chaſtitie of the bodie is a ſingular great vertue, & ſpiritual chaſtitie of true faith and religion is greatter, and more generally commended, as the roote and fundation of al vertues. For vvithout faith it is vnpoſſible to pleaſe God.
• 7 [::] VVhen ſoeuer the iuſt dieth it is profitable for him & dying yong his immaculate life is more commendable then old age in the wicked. v. 16.
• 19 [::] The damned ſhal be vvithout al excuſe vtterly confounded in their owne conſciences.

ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII.

11. He vvas taken avvay] By this place S. Auguſtin proueth that ſuch as died in good ſtate, might haue fallen into wickednes, if they had liued longer: and [Margin: Gods preſcience d⟨illegible⟩th not preiudice mans free wil.] therefore it was a benefite to them, to dye ſooner And that it is neuertheles certaine, that God both knew the poſſibilitie that ſuch might, yea would haue ſinned, if they had liued longer, and alſo knew that they ſhould d⟨illegible⟩e ſooner, and ſo eſcape that danger. VVhich aſſured foreknowlege of al thinges that shal be, or may be, ſtandeth wel with mans freewil: againſt certaine that inclined to Pelagianiſme, attributing too much to mans freewil; and detracting from Gods foreknowlege, and prouidence. VVhich he prouing by this place, his aduerſaries excepted againſt the auctoritie of this booke, and therfore he alſo [Margin: ⟨illegible⟩tl 17. ⟨illegible⟩. 30. ciuit.] proueth that it is Canonical Scripture. li. de Predeſt. Sanct. c. 14.

Chapter 5

CHAP. V. In the general iudgement, the wicked ſeing the iust, whom they had contemned, to be in great honour, shal bewaile their owne miſerie, 9. conſidering that their pleaſure was short, 16. and the ioy of the bleſſed shal be for euer. 18. God wil arme himſelf, and al creatures, to punish the impious.

1 THEN shal the iuſt ſtand in great conſtancie againſt thoſe that haue afflicted them, and [::] taken away their labours.

2 They ſeing shal be trubled with horrible feare, and shal meruel at the ſodennes of vnexpected ſaluation,

3 ſaying within themſelues, [::] repenting, and ſighing for anguish of ſpirit: Theſe are they, whom we had ſometime in deriſion, and in a parable of reproch.

4 We ſenſleſſe eſtemed their life madnes, and their end without honour.

5 Behold how they are counted among the children of God, and their lot is among the ſaints.

6 We therfore haue erred from the way of truth, and the light of iuſtice hath not shined to vs, and the ſunne of vnderſtanding roſe not to vs.

7 We are weried in the way of iniquitie and perdition, and haue walked hard wayes, but the way of our Lord we haue not knowen.

8 What hath pride profited vs? or what commoditie hath the vaunting of riches brought to vs?

9 Al thoſe thinges are paſſed away as a shadow, and as a meſſenger running before,

10 and as a shippe, that paſſeth through the ſurging waters: wherof, when it is paſt, the trace can not be found, nor the path of that shippes keele in the waues:

11 or as a bird, that flyeth through in the ayre, of which there is no token can be found of her paſſage, but only a ſound of the winges beating the light winde: and by vehemence of going cutting the ayre, mouing the winges she is flowen through, and afterward there is no ſigne found of her way:

12 or as when an arrow is shotte forth to a ſette marke, the diuided ayre is forthwith cloſed in itſelf againe, ſo that the paſſage therof is not knowen:

13 ſo we alſo being borne forthwith ceaſed to be: and of vertue certes haue bene able to shew no ſigne: but in our naughtines we are conſumed.

14 Such thinges [::] ſayd they in hel, which ſinned:

15 becauſe the hope of the impious is as duſt, which is taken away with the winde: and as a thinne froth, which is diſperſed by the ſtorme: and as ſmoke that is ſcatered abrode by the winde: and as the memorie of a gheſt of one day that paſſeth.

16 But the iuſt shal liue for euer, and their reward is with our Lord, and cogitation of them with the Higheſt.

17 Therfore shal they receiue a kingdom of honour, & a crowne of beautie at the hand of our Lord: becauſe with his right hand he wil couer them, and with in his holie arme he wil defend them.

18 And [::] his zele wil take armour, and he wil arme the creature to the reuenge of the enemies.

19 He wil put on iuſtice for a breſtplate, & wil take ſincere iudgement for an helmet:

20 he wil take equitie for an inuicible ſhilde:

21 and he wil ſharpen fierce wrath for a ſpeare, and the round world shal fight with him againſt the ſenſleſſe.

22 The shottes of lightenings shal goe directly, & as it were from a bow of the clouds wel bent they shal be caſt forth, and shal light on a certaine place.

23 And from rocked wrath shal thicke haile ſtones be caſt, the water of the ſea shal rage againſt them, and the riuers shal runne together roughly.

24 A ſpirit of powre shal ſtand againſt them, and as a hurle winde shal diuide them: and their iniquitie shal bring al the land to a deſert, and naughtines shal ouerthrow the ſeates of the mightie.

Marginal notes to Chapter 5

• 1 [::] VVicked men in their falſe conceipt iudge the trauels of the iuſt to be vaine & fructles.
• 3 [::] Repentance of the damned is only for the loſſe & paine whereinto they are fallen not of loue towards God, or vertue, nor of hate towards ſinne, & therfore is fructles bringing no comforte nor helpe at al, but euerlaſting torment and anguiſh of mind.
• 4 Chap. 3. v. 2.
• 10 Pro. ⟨illegible⟩0 v. 19.
• 14 [::] For the certaintie of thinges that shal be, Prophetes do very often ſpeake in the pretertence, of thinges to come as if they vvere already paſt.
• 18 [::] As the ioy of the bleſſed, ſo contrariwiſe the miſerie of the damned is meruelous great, & for euer vnchangeable.

Chapter 6

CHAP. VI. Kinges and al Magiſtrates are againe admonished to exerciſe iuſtice: 7. otherwiſe they shal be more greuouſly punished. 13. wiſdom may eaſely be found, 18. by thoſe that ſincerely deſire it. 22. And is very profitable (25. excepting the enuious, or il diſpoſed) 26. both to prince and people.

1 VVISEDOM is better then ſtrength: and a wiſeman then a ſtrong.

2 Heare therfore ye kinges, & vnderſtand, lerne ye iudges of the endes of the earth.

3 Geue eare ye, that rule multitudes, and that pleaſe yourſelues in multitudes of nations:

4 becauſe the [::] powre is geuen you of our Lord, and ſtrength by the Higheſt, who wil examine your workes, and ſearch your cogitations:

5 becauſe when you were the miniſters of his kingdom, you iudged not rightly, nor kept the law of iuſtice, nor haue walked according to the wil of God.

6 Horribly and quickly wil he appeare to you: becauſe moſt ſeuere iudgement shal be done on them, that beare rule.

7 For to the litle one mercie is granted: but [::] the mightie shal mightely ſuffer torments.

8 For God wil not except any mans perſon, neither wil feare the greatnes of any man: becauſe he made the litle and the great, & he hath equally care of al.

9 But to the ſtronger more ſtrong torment is imminent.

10 To you therfore ô kings are theſe my wordes, that you may lerne wiſdom, and not fal.

11 For they that haue kept iuſt thinges iuſtly, shal be iuſtified: and they that haue lerned theſe thinges, shal find what they may anſwer.

12 Couet ye therfore my wordes, and loue them, and you shal haue diſcipline.

13 Wiſdom is cleere, and ſuch as neuer fadeth, and is eaſely ſene of them that loue her, and is found of them that ſeeke her.

14 She preuenteth them that couete her, that she firſt may shew herſelf vnto them.

15 He that awaketh early to her, shal not labour: for he shal find her ſitting at her doores.

16 To thinke therfore of her, is perfect vnderſtanding: and he that watcheth for her, shal quickly be ſecure.

17 Becauſe she goeth about ſeeking them that be worthie of her, and in the wayes she wil shew her ſelf to them cheerefully, and in al prouidence she wil meete them.

18 For [::] the beginning of her is the moſt true deſire of diſcipline.

19 The care therfore of diſcipline, is loue: and loue, is the keeping of her lawes: and the keeping of the lawes, is the conſummation of incorruption:

20 and incorruption maketh to be next to God.

21 Therfore the deſire of wiſdom leadeth to the euerlaſting kingdom.

22 If therfore you be delighted with thrones, and with ſcepters ô ye kinges of the people, loue wiſdom, that you may reigne for euer.

23 Loue the light of wiſdom al ye that beare rule ouer peoples.

24 But what wiſdom is, and how she was made, I wil declare: and I wil not hide from you the myſteries of God, but from the beginning of her natiuitie I wil ſearch out, and ſette the knowlege of her into light, and wil not let paſſe the truth:

25 neither wil I goe with pyning enuie: becauſe ſuch a man shal not be partaker of wiſdom.

26 But the multitude of the wiſe is the health of the round world: and a wiſe king is the ſtabilitie of the people.

27 Therfore take ye diſcipline by my wordes, and it shal profite you.

Marginal notes to Chapter 6

• 1 Eccle. 9. v. 18.
• 4 [::] Al powre is from God: & therfore to be reſpected, though the magiſtrates ſometimes abuſe their auctoritie.
• 4 Rom. 1⟨illegible⟩. v. 1.
• 7 [::] As euerie ones charge is more or leſſe, ſo his account is eaſier or har der, and the punishment (if he offend) ſmaller or greater. S. Gre. ho. 9. in Euang.
• 18 [::] VViſdom is attained by this gradation and ſo from firſt to laſt, a reſolute deſire ioyneth faithful ſoules to God. v. 21.

Chapter 7

CHAP. VII. [Margin: The ſecond part. VViſdom procedeth from God, and is procured by prayer.] Wheras al men haue the like birth and death, 7. Wiſdom maketh great difference, bringing al goodnes, 13. and knowlege, 17. as wel of natural thinges, 22. as moral. 25 Which heauenlie gift is a ſparckle, and participation of wiſdom increated, God himſelf.

1 I alſo certes am a mortal man, like to al, and of the earthlie kinred of him, that was made firſt, and in the wombe of my mother was I fashioned flesh,

2 the time of [::] ten monethes was I brought together in bloud, of the ſeede of man, and the delectation of [::] ſleepe concurring.

3 And I being borne receiued the common ayre, and fel vpon the earth, that is made alike, and the firſt voice like to al men did I put forth weeping.

4 I was nourished in ſwadling clothes, and great cares.

5 For none of the kinges had other begynning of natiuitie.

6 There is one entrance therfore into life to al men, and like departure

7 For this cauſe [::] I wished, and vnderſtanding was geuen me: and I inuocated, and the ſpirit of wiſdom came vpon me:

8 and I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and riches I counted to be nothing in compariſon offer.

9 Neither did I compare the precious ſtone to here becauſe al gold in compariſon of her, is a litle ſand, and ſiluer in the ſight of her shal be eſtemed as clay.

10 Aboue health and beautie did I loue her▪ and purpoſed to haue her for light: becauſe her light can not be extinguished.

11 And al good thinges came to me together with her, and very much honeſtie by her handes,

12 and I reioyced in al: becauſe [::] this wiſdom went before me, and I was ignorant that she is the mother of al theſe.

13 Which I lerned without fiction, and doe communicate without enuie, and her honeſtie I hid not.

14 For she is an infinite treaſure to men: which who ſo haue, are made partakers of the frenship of God, commended for the gifts of diſcipline.

15 And to me God hath geuen to ſpeake according to my minde, and to preſume thinges worthie of thoſe, that are geuen me: becauſe he is the guide of wiſdom, and the creator of the wiſe:

16 for in his hand are both we, & our wordes, and wiſdom, and the knowlege and diſcipline of workes.

17 For he gaue me [::] the true knowlege of thoſe thinges, which are: that I may know the diſpoſition of the round world, and the vertues of the elements,

18 the beginning, & end, & middes of times, the permutations of changeable ſeaſons, and conſummations of times,

19 the courſes of the yeare, and diſpoſitions of the ſtarres,

20 the natures of beaſtes, and furies of wilde beaſtes, the force of windes, and the cogitations of men, the differences of plantes, and vertues of rootes,

21 and whatſoeuer are hid thinges and not forſene, I haue lerned: for wiſdom the worker of al taught me.

22 For in her is the ſpirite of vnderſtanding, [::] holie, onlie, manifold, ſubtil, eloquent, moueable, vndefiled, ſure, ſwete, louing good, sharpe, who nothing hindereth wel doing,

23 gentle, benigne, ſtable, certaine, ſecure, hauing al powre, forſeing al thinges, and that conteyneth al ſpirites: intelligible, cleane, ſubtile.

24 For wiſdom is more moueable then al moueable thinges: and reacheth euerie where becauſe of her cleannes.

25 For she [::] is a vapour of the powre of God, & a certaine ſincere emanation of the glorie of God omnipotent: and therfore no defiled thing cometh vnto her.

26 For she is the brightnes of eternal light, & the vnſpotted glaſſe of Gods maieſtie, and the image of his goodnes.

27 And wheras she is one, she can doe al thinges: and permanent in herſelfe she reneweth al thinges, and by nations tranſporteth herſelf into holie ſoules, she maketh the frendes of God, and Prophetes.

28 For God loueth none, but him, that dwelleth with wiſdom.

29 For she is more beautiful then the ſunne, and aboue al diſpoſition of the ſtarres, being compared to light she is found the firſt.

30 For night ſuccedeth to it, but malice ouercometh not wiſdom.

Marginal notes to Chapter 7

• 2 [::] The perfecteſt children are borne in the beginning of the tenth moneth.
• 2 [::] Children in the mothers wombe are as in ſlepe.
• 7 [::] Salomon (whoſe ſayinges are here recited) praied for wiſdom, & obtained it. 3. Reg. 3.
• 10 3. Reg ⟨illegible⟩. v. 9.
• 12 [::] God firſt gaue him grace to deſire wiſdom before al other thinges, as he explicateth plainly cap. 8. v. 21.
• 17 [::] Salomon was a moſt excellent Philoſopher.
• 22 [::] Proper Epithetons of the ſpirite of wiſdom.
• 25 [::] See the Annotation, Prouerb. 1. v. 2.
• 26 Heb. 1. v. 3.

Chapter 8

CHAP. VIII VViſdom excelling al thinges, that can be deſired, 9. is worthely preferred as the cauſe of much eſtimation, 13. and of immortal glorie, 16. without moleſtation. 21. Alwhich is Gods gift.

1 SHE [::] reacheth therfore from end vnto end mightely, and diſpoſeth al thinges ſwetely.

2 Her haue I loued, and haue ſought her out from my youth, and haue ſought to take her for my ſpouſe, and I was made a louer of her beautie.

3 She glorifieth her nobilitie, hauing conſociation with God: yea and the Lord of al hath loued her.

4 For she is the miſtreſſe of the diſcipline of God, & the chooſer of his workes.

5 And if riches be deſired in life, what is richer then wiſdom, which worketh al thinges?

6 And if vnderſtanding doe worke: who is the worker of thoſe things that are, more then she?

7 And if a man loue iuſtice: her labours haue great vertues: for she teacheth ſobrietie, and prudence, and iuſtice, and ſtrength, then the which nothing is more profitable in life to men.

8 And if a man deſire multitude of knowlege: ſhe knoweth thinges paſt, & coniectureth of thinges to come: she knoweth the ſubtilities of wordes, and the ſolution of arguments: she knoweth ſignes and wonders before they be done, and the euentes of times and ages.

9 [::] I purpoſed therfore to bring her to me to liue together: knowing that she wil communicate vnto me of good thinges, and wil be a comfort of my cogitation & tediouſnes.

10 I shal haue for her ſake [::] glorie with the multitudes, and honour with the ancient being yong:

11 and I sh⟨illegible⟩ be ⟨illegible⟩nd sharpe in iudgement, and in the ſight of the mightie I shal be meruelous, and the faces of princes wil meruel at me.

12 Holding my peace they shal expect me, and whiles I ſpeake manie wordes, they shallay their hands on their mouth.

13 Moreouer by her I shal haue [::] immortalitie: and I shal leaue an eternal memorie to them, that shal be after me.

14 I shal diſpoſe peoples: and nations shal be ſubiect to me.

15 Horrible kings hearing shal feare me: in the multitude I shal ſeme good, and in battel ſtrong.

16 Entring into my houſe, I shal reſt with her: for her conuerſation hath no bitternes, nor her companie tediouſnes, but ioy and gladneſſe.

17 Thinking theſe thinges with myſelfe, and recording in my hart, that [::] immortalitie is in the kindred of wiſedom,

18 and good delectation in her frendship, and in the workes of her handes honeſtie without defect, and wiſdom in the diſputation of her talke, and glorie in the communication of her wordes: I went about ſeeking, that I might take her to me.

19 And I was a wittie childe, and had gotten a good ſoule.

20 And wheras I was more good, I came to [::] a bodie vndefield.

21 And as I knew that I could not otherwiſe be continent, vnleſſe God gaue it, this verie thing alſo was wiſdom, to know whoſe this gift was: I went to our Lord, and beſought him, and ſaid from my whole hart.

Marginal notes to Chapter 8

• 1 [::] God, the increated wiſdom is infinite and wiſdom created is alſo moſt excellent amongſt Gods giftes.
• 3 3. Reg. 3.
• 8 Prou. ⟨illegible⟩.
• 9 [::] This is alſo the ſpeach of Salomon, recited by the writer of this booke.
• 10 [::] Of Salomons wiſdom, riches, glorie & renowmed fame not only the bookes of Kinges & Paralipomenon, but alſo our Sauiour doth witnes. Mat. 6. & 12.
• 13 [::] It is not certaine that Salomon hath immortal glorie, but rather by immortalitie is here vnderſtood that his glorious fame remaineth to the end of this world.
• 17 [::] Neuertheles wiſdom of her part, geueth life and glorie euerlaſting, to al that perſeuere to the end of this life.
• 20 [::] It is certaine that Salomon was ſometime innocent and holie, but was peruerted by wemen. 3. Reg. 11.

Chapter 9

CHAP. IX. A prayer (made by Salomon) for wiſdom, 9. wherby Superiors are able to gouerne: 13. Which by only humane wiſdom, they can not rightly performe.

1 GOD of my fathers, and Lord of mercie, which madeſt al thinges with thy word,

2 and by thy wiſdom didſt appoint man, that he should haue dominion of the creature, that was made by thee,

3 that he should diſpoſe the roundworld in equitie and iuſtice, and execute iudgement in direction of hart:

4 geue me wiſdom the aſſiſtant of thy ſeates, and repel me not from thy children:

5 becauſe I am thy ſeruant, and the ſonne of thy handmaide, a weake man, and of ſmal time, and leſſe to the vnderſtanding of iudgement and lawes.

6 And if one be perfect among the children of men, and thy wiſdom be abſent from him, he shal be counted for nothing.

7 [::] Thou haſt choſen me king to thy people, and iudge of thy ſonnes, and daughters:

8 and badſt me build a temple in thy holie mount, and an altar in the citie of thy habitation, a ſimilitude of thy holie tabernacle, which thou didſt prepare from the beginning:

9 and [::] thy wiſdom with thee, which knew thy workes, which then alſo was preſent when thou madeſt the roundworld, and knew what was pleaſing to thyne eyes, and what was direct in thy precepts.

10 [::] Send her from thy holy heauens, and from the ſeate of thy greatnes, that she may be with me, and may labour with me, that I may know what is acceptable with thee:

11 for she knoweth al thinges, & vnderſtandeth, and shal conduct me in my workes ſoberly, & shal keepe me with her might.

12 And my workes shal be acceptable, and I shal gouerne thy people iuſtly, and shal be worthie of the ſeates of my father.

13 For [::] who of men is able to know the counſel of God? or who can thinke what God wil?

14 For the cogitations of mortal men be fearful, and our prouidences vncertaine.

15 For the bodie, that is corrupted burdeneth the ſoule, and the earthlie habitation preſſeth downe the vnderſtanding that thinketh manie thinges.

16 And we doe hardly coniecture the thinges that are in the earth: and the thinges that are in ſight, we finde with labour. But the thinges that are in the heauens who shal ſearch out?

17 And thy ſenſe who shal know, vnles thou geue wiſdom, and ſend thy holie ſpirit from on high:

18 and ſo the pathes of them, that are on the earth may be corrected, and men lerne the thinges that pleaſe thee?

19 For by wiſdom they were healed, whoſeouer haue pleaſed thee ô Lord from the begynning.

Marginal notes to Chapter 9

• 1 3 Reg. 3. v 9. 12.
• 7 [::] Here againe it is euident, that the Auctor reporteth Salomons ſpeaches.
• 7 1. Paral. 28. v. 5.
• 8 2. Par. 1. v. 9.
• 9 [::] VViſdom increated is with God, yea is God him ſelfe.
• 9 Prou. 8. v. 22.
• 10 [::] VViſdom vvhich is geuen to men procedeth from God as a gift created.
• 13 [::] Mans wiſdom vvithout ſpecial wiſdom from God is not ſufficient to gouerne ourſelues, much leſſe others.

Chapter 10

CHAP. X. The benefites of wiſdom are declared by examples, in Adam, 4. Noe, [Margin: The 3. part. The excellent effectes of wiſdom & iuſtice.] 5. Abraham, 6. Lot, 10. Iacob, 13. Ioſeph, 15. And the people of Iſrael.

1 SHE kept him, [::] that was firſt made of God father of the world, when he was created alone,

2 and she [::] brought him out of his ſinne, and gaue him powre to conteyne al thinges.

3 After the vniuſt departed in his anger from her, by the furie of brothers man ſlaughter perished.

4 For whoſe cauſe, when water deſtroyed the earth, wiſdom healed it againe, gouerning the [::] iuſt by contemptible wood.

5 She euen in the conſent of wickednes, when the nations had confederated themſelues, knewe [::] the iuſt, and preſerued him without blame to God, and in his ſonnes mercie kept the ſtrong.

6 She deliuered [::] the iuſt, fleing from the impious that perished, when the fyre came downe vpon Pentapolis:

7 to whom for a witnes of their wickednes the deſert land ſtandeth ſmoking, and [::] trees hauing fruites at vncertain ſeaſon; and the memorie of an incredulous ſoule a ſtanding [::] piller of ſalt.

8 For pretermitting wiſdom they did not only ſlippe in this, that they were ignorant of good thinges, but they left alſo vnto men a memorie of their foolishnes, that in thoſe thinges, in which they ſinned in, they could not be hid neither.

9 But wiſdom hath deliuered them, that obſerue her from ſorowes.

10 And [::] the iuſt fleing his brothers wrath, she conducted by the right wayes, and shewed him the kingdom of God, and gaue him the knowlege of the holie, did honeſt him in labours, and accomplised his labours.

11 In the fraude of the circumuenters of him she was preſent with him, and made him honorable.

12 She kept him from the enemies, and from ſeducers she defended him, and from ſeducers she defended him, and gaue him a ſtrong fight, thas he might ouercome, and know that wiſdom is mightier then al.

13 She forſooke not [::] the iuſt being ſold, but deliuered him from ſinners: and she went downe with him into the pitte,

14 and in bands leaft him not, til she brought him the ſcepter of a kingdome, and might againſt them, that oppreſſed him: and shewed them to be lyers, that ſpotted him, and gaue him eternal glorie.

15 The [::] iuſt people, and ſeede without blame she deliuered from the nations, that oppreſſed them.

16 She entered into the ſoule of the ſeruant of God, and ſtood againſt dreadful kinges in wonders and ſignes.

17 And she rendred to the iuſt the hope of their labours, and conducted them in a meruelous way: and she was vnto them for a couerr in the day, and for the light of ſtarres by night:

18 and she tranſported them through the Redſea, and caried them ouer through a great water.

19 But their enemies she drowned in the ſea, and from the depth of hel she brought them out. Therfore the iuſt tooke the ſpoyles of the impious,

20 and they ſang thy holie name ô Lord, and thy victorious hand they praiſed together:

21 becauſe wiſdom hath opened the mouth of the dumme, and the tongues of infants she hath made eloquent.

Marginal notes to Chapter 10

• 1 [::] Adam.
• 1 Gen. 1. v. 27.
• 2 [::] By this it is certaine that our firſt parēt Adam truly repented, and had remiſſion of his ſinne.
• 3 Gen. 4. v. 8.
• 4 Gen. 6.
• 4 [::] Noe.
• 5 [::] Abraham.
• 5 Gen. 19.
• 6 [::] Lot.
• 7 [::] In al trees about Sodom there is only ſhew of fruite, which when it is touched falleth into duſt.
• 7 [::] Lots wife an example of inconſtancie.
• 10 [::] Iacob.
• 10 Gen. 28.
• 13 Gen. 37.
• 13 [::] Ioſeph.
• 14 Gen. 41.
• 15 [::] Gods peculiar people.
• 16 Exo. 1.
• 16 Exo. 3.
• 18 Exo. 14.
• 20 Exo. 12.
• 20 Exo. 15.

Chapter 11

CHAP. XI. Other benefites of wiſdom, protecting the Iſraelites in the deſert; 3. ouerthrowing their enimies; 4. geuing them water out of a rocke; 8. plaguing the Aegyptians, 21. yet not al ſudenly, but by often admonitions, that they might haue repented if they would.

1 SHE directed their workes in the handes of [::] a holy prophet.

2 They made a iourney through the deſerts, that were not inhabited: and in deſert places they pitched cottages.

3 They ſtood againſt [::] the aduerſaries, and reuenged themſelues of the enemies.

4 They thirſted, and inuocated thee, and water was geuen them out of a moſt high rorcke, and quenching of their thirſt out of the hard ſtone.

5 For by the thinges wherby their enemies ſuffered punishment, for defect of their drinke, and therein, when the children of Iſrael abunded, they did reioyce;

6 by theſe thinges, when others lacked the ſame, it went wel with them.

7 For in ſteede of the fountaine of an euerlaſting riuer, thou gaueſt mans bloud to the vniuſt.

8 Who when they were diminished in the deſtruction of the murdered infants, thou gaueſt them abundant vnlooked for:

9 shewing by the thirſt, that then was, how thou didſt exalt thine, & didſt kil their aduerſaries.

10 For when [::] they were tempted, and in deede with mercie taking diſcipline, they knew how [::] the impious being iudged with wrath did ſuffer torments.

11 Theſe certes admonishing as a father thou didſt proue: but them examining as a hard king thou didſt condemne.

12 For the abſent and the preſent were tormented alike.

13 For duble tediouſnes had taken them, and ſighing with the memorie of good thinges paſt.

14 For when they vnderſtood [::] by their punishement that it went wel with them, they remembred our Lord, merueling at the end of the euent.

15 For [::] whom before they derided, being caſt forth in that wicked laying out to perish, him they merueled at in the end of the euent: not thirſting in like maner to the iuſt:

16 but for ſenſeles cogitations of their iniquitie, for that [::] ſome erring did worshippe dumme ſerpents, and ſuperfluous beaſts, thou didſt ſend vpon them a multitude of dumme beaſts for reuenge:

17 that they might know that by what thinges a man ſinneth, by the ſame alſo he is tormented.

18 For thine omnipotent hand, which made the world of inuiſible matter, was not vnable to ſend vpon them a multitude of beares, or fierce lyons,

19 or vnknowen beaſts ful of anger of a new kind; or breathing the vapour of fires, or caſting forth the ſauour of ſmoke, or shooting horrible ſparkes from their eies:

20 of which not onlie their hurt was able to deſtroy them, but alſo their ſight to kil them for feare.

21 Yea and without theſe with one ſpirit, they might haue beene ſlaine ſuffering perſecution of their owne factes, and diſperſed by the ſpirit of thy powre: but thou haſt diſpoſed al thinges in meaſure, and number, and weight.

22 For, to be of great force reſted alwaies in thee onlie: & who shal reſiſt the powre of thyne arme?

23 Becauſe as the leaſt weight of the balance, ſo is the round world before thee, and as a droppe of the dewe before day, that falleth vpon the earth.

24 But thou haſt mercie on al, becauſe thou canſt do al thinges, and diſſembleſt the ſinnes of men for repentance.

25 For thou [::] loueſt al thinges that are, and hateſt nothing of thoſe which thou haſt made: for thou didſt not ordaine, or make any thing hating it.

26 And how could any thing continew, vnles thou wouldeſt? or be preſerued which was not called of thee?

27 But thou ſpareſt al: becauſe they are thine ô Lord, which loueſt ſoules.

Marginal notes to Chapter 11

• 1 [::] Moyſes.
• 1 Exo. 16.
• 2 Exo. 27.
• 3 [::] The Amalachites. Exo. 17.
• 4 Num 20.
• 10 [::] VVhen the Iſraelites wanted water God gaue them abundance out of rockes.
• 10 [::] But turned the Aegyptians waters into blood.
• 14 [::] After affliction the benefite of peace is more gratful.
• 15 [::] Moyſes was reiected when he iudged betwen his bretheren Exo. 2.
• 16 [::] 14. but was afterwards the deliuer of the whole people Act. 7. v. 45.
• 18 Leuit. 26. v. 22.
• 19 Iere. 8. v. 17.
• 19 ⟨illegible⟩ Aegyptians ſeruing beaſts for goddes, were plaged by frogges, ſtuiphes, flees, and locuſtes.
• 25 [::] God made no creature euil as the Manichees fooliſhly imagined, neither is. there any God but one who alone created al thinges.

Chapter 12

CHAP. XII. Gods wiſdom and mercie in deſtroying the wicked inhabitants of Chanaan, by parts (10. that they might haue amended,) whom he could haue ſlaine ſudenly. 15. In that God neuer condemneth the iuſt, 19. his people are inſtructed to confide in him, 25. and ſinners to turne vnto him.

1 O how good, and ſweete is thy ſpirit ô Lord in al!

2 And therefore thoſe, that erre, by partes thou doeſt chaſtiſe: and doeſt admonish, and ſpeake to them, concerning the thinges wherin they ſinne: that leauing naughtines, they may beleue in thee ô Lord.

3 For, thoſe old inhabitantes of thy holie land, whom thou didſt abhorre,

4 becauſe they did workes odious to thee by ſorceries, and vniuſt ſacrifices,

5 and the murderers of their owne children without mercie, and eaters of mens bowels, and deuourers of bloud from the middes [::] of thy ſacrament,

6 and the parents authors of aydeleſſe ſoules, thou wouldſt deſtroy by the handes of our parents,

7 that they might receiue a peregrination worthie of the children of God, which is a land of al moſt deare to thee.

8 But them alſo as men thou didſt ſpare, and didſt ſend forerunners of thine hoſt, waſpes, that by litle and litle they might deſtroy them.

9 Not becauſe thou waſt vnable in battel to ſubdewe the impious to the iuſt, or with cruel beaſtes, or with a sharpe word to deſtroy them together:

10 but iudging by partes thou gaueſt place of repentance, being not ignorant, that the nation of them is wicked, and their malice [::] natural, & that their cogitation could not be changed for euer.

11 For it was a curſed ſeede from the begynning: neither fearing any, didſt thou geue pardon to their ſinnes.

12 For who shal ſay to thee: what haſt thou done? or who shal ſtand againſt thy iudgement? or who in thy ſight shal come reuenger of the wicked men? or who shal impute it to thee, if the nations perish, which thou haſt made?

13 For there is no other God but thou, who haſt care of al, that thou mayſt shew that thou doeſt not geue iudgement vniuſtly.

14 Neither king, nor tyrant in thy ſight shal enquire of them, whom thou haſt deſtroyed.

15 For ſo much then as thou art iuſt, thou doeſt diſpoſe al thinges iuſtly: thou alſo eſtemeſt it diſagreable from thy powre, to condemne him, who ought not to be punished.

16 For thy powre is the begynning of iuſtice: and for this that thou art Lord of al, thou makeſt thyſelf to ſpare al.

17 For thou sheweſt powre, which art not thought to be abſolute in powre, and thou conuinceſt the boldnes of them, that know thee not.

18 But thou dominatour of powre, iudgeſt with tranquilitie, and with great reuerence diſpoſeſt of vs: for [::] it is in thy powre when thou wilt, to be able.

19 And thou haſt taught thy people by ſuch workes, that they muſt be iuſt and gentle, and haſt made thy children of good hope: becauſe iudging thou geueſt in ſinnes place of repentance.

20 For if thou didſt punish the enemies of thy ſeruants, and that deſerued to die, with ſo great conſideration, geuing time and place, whereby they might be changed from their wickednes.

21 With what diligence haſt thou iudged thy children, to whoſe parents thou gaueſt othes and couenants of good promiſes?

22 Therfore when thou geueſt vs diſcipline, thou ſcourgeſt our enemies very manie wayes, that iudging we may thinke vpon thy goodnes: and when we are iudged, we may hope for thy mercie.

23 Wherfore to them alſo, which in their life haue liued foolishly & vniuſtly, thou haſt geuen great torments by the ſame thinges, which they did worshipe.

24 For they wandered long in the way of errour, eſteming for goddes thoſe thinges, that in beaſts [::] are ſuperfluous, liuing after the maner of ſenſles infants.

25 For this cauſe thou haſt geuen iudgement on them as on ſenſles children to be in deriſion.

26 But they that were not amended by ſcornes and reprehenſions, haue tried the worthie iudgement of God.

27 For in what thinges they ſuffering tooke indignation, by thoſe whom they thought goddes, when ſeing they were deſtroyed in them, him, whom in time paſt they denied that they knewe, they acknowleged the true God: [::] for the which cauſe the end alſo of their condemnation shal come vpon them.

Marginal notes to Chapter 12

• 5 [::] From the land of Iurie called ſacred becauſe God was there tightly ſerued in the old teſtament, and mans redemption vvas wrought there by Chriſt.
• 10 Exo. 23. Deut. 7.
• 10 [::] By cuſtom malice became as it were natural, after that nature was corrupted.
• 18 [::] Gods powre being almightie is only limited by his vvil.
• 24 Rom. 1. v. 23.
• 24 [::] Serpents, battes, moles, & like beaſtes, which ſeme not only ſuper fluous in the world, but alſo hurtful, yet were eſtemed as goddes.
• 27 [::] Knowing him to be the only true God, by vvhom they ſaw their falſe goddes deſtroyed, yet they did not ſerue him as God.

Chapter 13

CHAP. XIII. Men folowing their phantaſies knew not God by his creatures, but honored the creatures for goddes. 10. Moſt ſottishly alſo worshipped thinges fashioned by mens handes, as goddes.

1 BVT al men be vame, in Whom there is not the knowlege of God: and of theſe good thinges, which are ſene [::] they could not vnderſtand him :: that is, neither attending to the workes haue they agniſed who was the workeman:

2 but either the fyre, or the wind, o⟨illegible⟩ the ſwift ayre, or a circle of ſtarres or exceding much water, or the ſunne and the moone, they thought to be goddes rulers of the world.

3 With whoſe beautie if being delighted, they thought them goddes: let them know how much the Lord of them is more beautiful then they. For the author of beautie made al thoſe thinges.

4 Or if they merueled at their vertue, & operations, let them vnderſtand by them, that he which made theſe, is ſtronger then they:

5 for by the greatnes of the beautie, and of the creature the creator of them may be ſene, to be knowen therby.

6 But not withſtanding there is yet in theſe leſſe complainte. For they alſo perhaps erre, ſeeking God, and deſirous to finde him.

7 For whereas they conuerſe in his workes, they enquire: & they are perſwaded that the thinges be good which are ſeene.

8 But againe neither ought theſe to be pardoned.

9 For if they could know ſo much, that they were able to eſtimate the world: how did they not more eaſely find the Lord therof?

10 But they are vnhappie, & their hope is among the dead, who haue called [::] the workes of mens handes godds, gold & ſiluer, the inuention of art, and the ſimilitudes of beaſtes, or an vnprofitable ſtone the worke of an old hand.

11 Or if an artificer a carpenter, cut ſtreight timber out of the wood, & pare of al the barke therof cunningly, and vſing his art, diligently frameth a veſſel profitable for the common vſe of this life,

12 and vſeth the chippes of that worke to dreſſe his meate:

13 and maketh that which is left therof, which is for no vſes, but being a crooked peece of wood, and ful of knobes, carueth it diligently in the holownes therof, and by the skil of his art fashioneth it, and maketh it like to the image of a man,

14 or compareth it to ſome beaſt, ſtraking it ouer with redde, and with paynting making the colour therof ruddie, and layeth a colour ouer euerie ſpot that is in it:

15 and maketh a worthie habitation for it, and ſetting it in a wal, and faſtening it with yron,

16 leſt perhaps it fal, prouiding for it, knowing that it can not helpe it ſelfe: for it is an image, and it nedeth helpe.

17 And concerning his ſubſtance, & his children, & for mariage, making a vow he ſeeketh to it. He is not ashamed to ſpeake with him, that is without ſoule:

18 and for health certes he beſecheth the weake, and for life asketh the dead, and for helpe inuocateth him that is vnprofitable:

19 and for a iourney asketh him, that can not walke: and for getting, and for working, and for the euent of al thinges he asketh him, that in al is vnprofitable.

Marginal notes to Chapter 13

• 1 [::] Gods moſt proper name is HE WHICH 1⟨illegible⟩. Exo. 3. v. 14.
• 1 Rom. 1.
• 2 Deut. 4.
• 10 [::] Seing no creature how excellent ſoeuer, is or may be eſtemed a god, it is more fooliſh to thinke, an Image, or ſtatua, or anie thing framed by mans handes can be God.
• 11 Iſa. 4.
• 11 Iere. 10.

ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIII.

1. They could not vnderſtand him, that is.] Philoſophers diſcuſſing the nature [Margin: God is the beginning of al thinges, abſolute and independing.] of manie creatures, ſaw that euerie creature proceded of ſome other thing, & ſo there muſt nedes be one beginning of al, abſolute of itſelfe, neither proceding nor depending of an other, nor a limited ſubſtance. As the thing that is a man, is not a beaſt; an oxe is not a horſe: &c. and telling what anie thing is, we exclude therby that it is not other thinges, but ſaying without addition, HE WHICH IS, we shew the beginning of al, in no ſorte limited: and this is God. VVhom ſome Philoſophers, by ſuch diſcourſe found, & knew, in general, & ſometimes confeſſed, but did not honour him as God, and therefore were inexcuſable, as S. Paule concludeth againſt them. Rom. 1.

Chapter 14

CHAP. XIIII. Foolish men intending to ſaile, honour woodden idols, in regard of the profite they receiue by shippes: 6. by which ſome were ſaued in the general diluge. 8. Idols, and idolmakers are curſed. 12. They were not from the beginning, 15. but were deuiſed for memorie of the dead, and worshipped with diuine honour. 22. So men forgetting God, proceeded in idolatrie, with other abominable, and cruel enormities.

1 AGAYNE an other thinking to ſayle, and begynning to make a iorney through the fierce waues, inuocateth wood [::] more fraile then the wood that carieth him.

2 For couetouſnes of getting inuented it, and the crafteſman by his wiſdom framed it.

3 But thy prouidence, ô Father, doth gouerne: becauſe thou haſt geuen a way euen in the ſea, and among the waues a moſt ſure path,

4 shewing that thou art able to ſaue out of al thinges, yea [::] if a man goe to the ſea without art.

5 But that thy workes might not be voyde of wiſdom: for this cauſe alſo men commit their liues euen to a little wood, and paſſing ouer the ſea are deliuered by shippe.

6 But from the begynning alſo when the prowde giants perished, the hope of the world fleing to a shippe, rendered to the world feede of natiuitie, which was gouerned by thy hand.

7 For [::] bleſſed is the wood, by the which :: iuſtice is made.

8 But the idol that is made by handes, curſed is both it, and he that made it: becauſe he in deede wrought it: and the ſame being fraile, was called god.

9 But to God the impious and his impietie are odious alike.

10 For that which is made, with him that made it, shal ſuffer torments.

11 For this cauſe alſo in the idol of the nations there shal be no reſpect: becauſe the creatures of God were made to hatred, and for tentation to the ſoules of men, and for a ſnare to the feete of the vnwiſe.

12 For the begynning [::] of fornication is the deuiſing of idols: and the inuenting of them is the corruption of life.

13 For neither were they from the begynning, neither shal they be for euer.

14 For this vanitie of men came into the world: and therfore there is found a short end of them.

15 For “ the father being ſorowful with bitter moorning, made vnto himſelf the image of his ſonne quickly taken away: and him, that then was a dead man, now [::] he began to worshipe as god, and appointed holie thinges and ſacrifices among his ſeruants.

16 [::] Afterward by ſucceſſion of time, the wicked cuſtom preuayling, this errour was kept as a law, and thinges grauen were worshipped by the commandement af tyrants.

17 And thoſe, whom openly men could not honour, for that they were far of, their figure being brought from a far, they made an euident image of the king, whom they would honour: that by their carefulnes they might honour as preſent, him that was abſent.

18 And to the worshipping of theſe, the excellent diligence alſo of the artificer, holpe them forward, that were ignorant.

19 For he willing to pleaſe him, that entertained him, laboured by his art, to fashion the ſimilitude in better ſort.

20 And the multitude of men caried away by the beautie of the worke, him that a little before had bene honoured as a man, now they eſtemed for a god.

21 And this was the deceyuing of mans life: becauſe men ſeruing either affection, or kinges, gaue the name that is [::] not communicable to ſtones and wood.

22 And it was not ſufficient that they erred about the knowlege of God, but alſo liuing in a great battail of ignorance ſo manie and ſo great euils they cal peace.

23 For :: either ſacrificing their children, or making abſcure ſacrifices, or hauing watches ful of madnes,

24 they now neither keepe life, nor mariage cleane, but one killeth an other by enuie, or playing the adulterer maketh him ſorowful:

25 and al thinges are mingled together, bloud, manſlaughter, theft and fiction, corruption, and infidelitie, truble, and p⟨illegible⟩iutie, diſquieting of the good,

26 forgetfulnes of God, inquination of ſoules, immutation of natiuitie, inconſtancie of mariage, diſorder of adulterie, and vnchaſtnes.

27 For the worshippe of idols not to be named, is the cauſe of al euil, and the beginning and end.

28 For either when they reioyce, they are madde: or certes prophecie falſe thinges, or liue vniuſtly, or quickly forſweare themſelues.

29 For whiles they truſt in idols, which are without ſoule, ſwearing amiſſe they hope not to be hurt.

30 [::] Two euil thinges therfore shal happen to them worthely, becauſe they haue thought euil of God, attending to idols, and haue ſworne vniuſtly, in guile contemning iuſtice.

31 For it is not the powre of them, that are ſworne by, but the punishment of them that ſinne, goeth alwayes through the trangreſſion of the vniuſt.

Marginal notes to Chapter 14

• 1 [::] Great madnes to inuocate a wodden idol more baſe & commonly more corruptible then the wood of a ſhippe.
• 4 [::] As the Iſraelites went through the redſea.
• 7 [::] The auctor prophetically alludeth to the wood of the Croſſe, on which our Sauiour redemed mankind.
• 12 [::] From whole death procedeth mans iuſtification.
• 15 [::] Inuention of Idols brought men to ſpiritual fornications, & corruption of maners.
• 16 [::] This firſt idolatrie was only pr⟨illegible⟩u⟨illegible⟩tly exerciſed by the father and his ſeruants at their maſters cōmandment, by which occaſion publique idolatrie came into the world, wicked cuſtom in time preuailing.
• 21 [::] The name GOD in the proper ſignification, can not be geuen to anie creature.
• 24 Manie enormious crimes procede from dolatrie.
• 30 [::] Two ſort es of periurie: ſwearing by falſe goddes, and ſwearing vntruthes.

ANNOTATIONS. CHAP. XIIII.

15. The father made vnto himſelf the image of his ſonne.] Caluin here chargeth [Margin: Caluin falſly chargeth this booke vvith ⟨illegible⟩r⟨illegible⟩or.] this booke with error, in affirming that idolatrie begane by ſuperſticiouſly honoring images of the dead. Againſt which he alleageth that Labans idoles, [Margin: Gen. 31.] and others more ancient, were before anie images of dead men were honoured. But he argueth vpon a falſe ground. For labans idols were images, as the Hebrew word Teraphim ſignifieth, and is ſo tranſlated in the Engliſh Bibles (1552. and 1577.) but becauſe they were images of falſe goddes, and for that Laban called them his goddes, a later Bible (1603.) rranſlateth it better, idoles, [Margin: Images of falſe goddes are rightly called idols.] as the Latin and Greke haue idola. It is alſo certaine that Ninus king of Aſſirians long before Laban, yea before Abraham, ſette vp the image of his Father Belus (otherwiſe called Iuppiter) to be publikly honored by the people as S. Cyril ſheweth. li. 3. in Iulianum, nere the end, and S. Ambroſe, or an other graue Auctor writeth the ſame, in cap. 1. ad Romanos. Likewiſe S. Cyprian li. de Idolorum vanitate. S. Chryſoſtom. ho. 87. in Matth. and Egeſippus, apud S. Ieronym. li. de Viris Illuſtrib. teſtifie, that the making of mens images, in memorie of the dead, was the occaſion, and beginning of idol⟨illegible⟩tric, according as this place repotteth, that a Father ſorovving for the death of his ſonne, [Margin: Idolatrie begane by vvorſhipping images of dead men vvith diuine honour.] made an image in his memorie, & begane to worshippe him as a god, cauſing his ſeruants alſo to honour his dead ſonne, vvith rites and ſacrifices. VVhich priuate idolatrie vvas abſolutely the firſt, that is recorded in holie Scripture, or anie other good auctor. And the firſt publique is counted by moſt auctors, that of Ninus, vvorſhipping the image of his father Belus, vvith diuine honour, who alſo pardoned al offenders, how enormious ſoeuer their crimes were, that fled vnto that image. VVhich allurment together vvith ſo great a kinges auctotitie, [Margin: Priuate idolatrie was before publique.] drevv innumerable to publique idolatrie. VVherupon S. Ierom noteth (in cap. 2. Oſeae) that Ninus became ſo great and glorious, as to make his father to be honored as a god▪

Chapter 15

CHAP. XV. The wiſe gratfully praiſe the ſwetenes, and mercie of God, by whom they are deliuered from idolatrie: 6. deteſting the makers, & worshippers of idols.

1 BVT ô thou our God, art ſweete, and true, patient, and diſpoſing al thinges in mercie.

2 For if we ſinne, we are thine, knowing thy greatnes: and if we ſinne not we know that we are counted with thee.

3 For to know thee, is abſolute iuſtice: and to know iuſtice, and thy powre, is the roote of immortalitie.

4 For mens inuention of euil art hath not brought vs into errour, nor the shadow of a picture being a labour without fruite, a shape grauen by diuerſe colours,

5 the ſight wherof geueth concupiſcence to the ſenſles, and and he loueth the shape without life of a deade image.

6 The louers of euils, are worthie to haue their hope in ſuch thinges, both they that make them, and that loue, and that worshippe them.

7 Yea and the potter preſſing ſofte earth, with labour fashioneth euerie veſſel to our vſes, and of the ſame clay maketh the veſſels, that are cleane to vſe, and in like maner them, that are contrarie to theſe: but what the vſe of theſe veſſels is, the potter is iudge.

8 And with vaine labour he [::] fashioneth a god of the ſame clay: he which a litle before was made of earth, and a litle after returneth backe whence he was taken, being exacted the debte of the life which he had.

9 But his care is, not becauſe he shal labour, nor becauſe he hath a short life, but he contendeth with goldſmithes and ſiluer ſmithes: yea and he imitateth the copper ſmithes, and counteth it a glorie, becauſe he maketh vaine thinges.

10 For his hart is ashes, and his hope vaine earth, and his life viler then clay:

11 becauſe he was ignorant who made him, and who inſpired into him the ſoule which worketh, and who breathed into him the vital ſpirite.

12 Yea and [::] they eſtemed our life to be a paſtime, and the conuerſation of life made for a gayne, & that we muſt get euerie way euen of euil.

13 For he knoweth that he offendeth aboue al men, which of the matter of earth fashioneth frayle veſſels, and ſculptils.

14 For al the vnwiſe, and vnhappie aboue meaſure of the ſoule, proude [::] are the enemies of thy people, and rule ouer them:

15 becauſe they haue eſtemed al the idols of the nations for goddes, which neither haue vſe of eies to ſee, nor noſthrels to take breath, nor eares to heare, nor fingers of the hands to handle, yea and their feete are ſlow to walke.

16 For a man made them: and he that borowed breath, the ſame fashioned them. For no man can make God like to himſelf.

17 For wheras himſelf is mortal, he maketh a dead thing with his wicked handes For he is better then they, whom he worshippeth, becauſe he in deede liued, though he were mortal, but they neuer.

18 But [::] they worship alſo moſt miſerable beaſts: for the ſenſleſſe thinges compared to theſe, are worſe then they.

19 Yea neither by ſight can any man ſee good of theſe beaſts. But they haue fled from the prayſe of God, and from his bleſſing.

Marginal notes to Chapter 15

• 8 [::] Of the diue⟨illegible⟩s ſortes of idols and ⟨illegible⟩dolaters ſee our brife Annotion vpon the 113. Pſal.
• 12 [::] Idolaters hauing forſaken and forgot the onlie true God, become as Atheiſts, making their temporal gaine of falſe goddes.
• 14 [::] And ſo waxing inſolent, contemte and perſecute the ſeruants of God.
• 18 [::] Some idolaters worſhipped brute beaſtes for goddes, as being better then ſenſles images: but al are abominable.

Chapter 16

CHAP. XVI. God plaguing the Aegyptians for idolatrie, and crueltie, deliuered the Iſraelites. 5. Chaſticed them alſo, but againe shewed them mercie; 20. and fedde them with Manna.

1 FOR [::] theſe thinges, and [::] by the like to theſe, they haue worthely ſuffered torments, and were deſtroyed by a multitude of beaſts.

2 For the which torments thou didſt wel diſpoſe of thy people, to whom thou gaueſt the deſire of their delectation a new taſte, preparing them the quaile for meate:

3 that they in deede coueting meate, becauſe of thoſe thinges which were shewed and ſent them, might be turned away euen from neceſſarie concupiſcence. But they in short time being made needie, taſted a new meate.

4 For it behoued that without excuſe deſtruction should come vpon them exerciſing tyrannie: [::] but to theſe onlie to shew how their enemies were deſtroyed.

5 For when the cruel wrath of beaſtes came vpon them, they were deſtroyed with the bytings of peruerſe ſerpents

6 Howbeit thy wrath endured not for euer, but for chaſtiſement they were trubled a short time, hauing a ſigne of ſaluation for the remembrance of the commandment of thy law.

7 For he that turned to it, [::] was not healed by that which he ſaw, but by thee the ſauiour of al:

8 and in this thou didſt shew to our enemies, that thou art he which deliuereſt from al euil.

9 For the bitings of locuſts, and flies killed them, and there was found no remedie for their life: becauſe they were worthie to be deſtroyed by ſuch thinges.

10 But neither the teeth of venemous dragons ouercame thy children: for thy mercie coming healed them.

11 For in memorie of thy wordes they were examined, & were quickly ſaued, leſt falling into deepe obliuion, they might no⟨illegible⟩ vſe thy helpe.

12 For neither herbe, not pla⟨illegible⟩ſter healed them, but thy word, ô Lord, which healeth al thinges.

13 For i⟨illegible⟩ is thou, ô Lord, that haſt powre of life and death, and bringeſt downe to the gates of death, and fetcheſt agayne:

14 but man certes killeth by malice, and when the ſpirit is gone forth, it shal not returne, neither shal he cal backe the ſoule that is receiued:

15 but it is vnpoſſible to eſcape thy hand.

16 For the impious denying to knowe thee, haue bene ſcourged by the ſtrength of thine arme, ſuffering perſecution by ſtrange waters, and haile, and rayne, and conſumed by fyre.

17 For that which was meruelous in water, which extinquisheth al thinges, [::] fyre more preuayled: for the world is reuenger of the iuſt.

18 For a certayne time, the fyre was mitigated, that [::] the beaſts which were ſent to the impious might not be burnt, but that they ſeing might know that by Gods iudgement they ſuffer punishment.

19 And at a certaine time the fyre aboue his powre burnt [::] in water on euerie ſide, that it might deſtroy the nation of a wicked land.

20 For the which thinges thou didſt nourish thy people with the meate of Angels, and bread prepared thou gaueſt them from heauen without labour, [::] hauing in it al delectation, and the ſweetnes of al taſte.

21 For thy ſubſtance did shew thy ſweetnes which thou haſt toward thy children, and ſeruing euerie mans wil, it was turned to that, that euerie man would.

22 Yea ſnow and yee ſuſteyned the force of fyre, and melted not: that they might know that fyre burning in hayle, and lightening in rayne deſtroyed the fruites of the enemies.

23 And this againe, that the iuſt might be nourished, it forgat alſo his owne ſtrength.

24 For the creature ſeruing thee the Creatour, is fierce into torment againſt the vniuſt: and is made more gentle to doe good for them, that truſt in thee.

25 For this cauſe euen then being transformed into al thinges they ſerued thy grace the nource of al, at their wil that deſired thee:

26 that thy children might know, whom thou louedſt ô Lord, that not the fruites of natiuitie doe feede men, but thy word preſerueth them, that beleue in thee.

27 For that which could not be deſtroyed by fyre, forthwith being [::] heated with a litle beame of the ſunne did melt:

28 that it might be knowen to al men, that we ought to preuent the ſunne to bleſſe thee, and at the ryſing of light to adore thee.

29 For the [::] fayth of the vngratful shal melt as winter yee, & shal perish as vnprofitable water.

Marginal notes to Chapter 16

• 1 [::] The Aegyptians were plagued for their idolatrie.
• 1 [::] And that by beaſtes, becauſe they worshipped beaſtes for goddes: and by death of their firſt begotten, for their crueltie againſt Gods people.
• 4 [::] God puniſhed his owne people as a father, for their amendment.
• 7 [::] The braſen ſerpent not by anie vertue inherent, but as a ſigne of Gods fauoure, vvas the meanes of curing the people. Num. 21.
• 17 [::] VVith the plague of haile there vvas alſo fire mixed. Exo. 9. v. 24. VVhich deſtroyed the profitable cattle.
• 18 [::] But burnt not other beaſtes, that plagued the Aegyptians.
• 19 [::] Haile did not extinguiſh the fire, by Gods povvre aboue nature.
• 20 [::] See the miracles of Manna. Annoe. Exod 16.
• 27 [::] He ſpeaketh againe of Manna.
• 29 [::] The vaine imagination of the vvicked that himſelf shal be ſaued vvil faile him.

Chapter 17

CHAP. XVII. Horrible darkenes falling in Aegypt. 19. the reſt of the world had ordinarie light.

1 FOR thy iudgements ô Lord are great, & thy wordes inexphcable, for this cauſe the ſoules lacking diſcipline haue erred.

2 For whiles the wicked are perſwaded that they can rule ouer the holie nation: fettered with the bands of darknes, and [::] long night, shut vp vnder roofes, they haue lyen fugitiues from the euerlaſting prouidence.

3 And whiles they thincke that they lie hid in obſcure ſinnes, they were diſperſed by the darke couert of obliuion, being horribly afrayd and diſturbed with exceding admiration.

4 For neither did the denne that conteyned them, keepe them without feare: becauſe the ſound coming downe trubled them, and ſorowful viſions appearing to them, put them in feare.

5 And no force certes of the fyre could geue them light, neither could the clere flames of the ſtarres lighten that horrible night.

6 But there appeared to them ſoden fyre, ful of feare: and being ſtroken with the feare of that face, which was not ſene, they eſtemed the thinges that were ſene to be worſe:

7 and there were added deriſions of the magical art, and contumelious rebuke of the glorie of their wiſdom.

8 For they which promiſed that they would expel feares and perturbations from the languishing ſoule, theſe with deriſion languished ful of feare.

9 For although none of the monſters diſturbed them: being moued with the paſſing by of beaſts, and hiſſing of ſerpents, they perished trembling: and denying that they ſaw the ayre, which by no meanes any man could avoyde.

10 For wheras wickednes is fearful, it geueth teſtimonie of condemnation: for [::] a trubled conſcience doth alwayes preſume cruel thinges.

11 For feare is nothing els but a bewraying of the aydes of cogitation.

12 And whiles inwardly there is leſſe expectation, the greater doth he count the ignorance of that cauſe which maketh the torment.

13 But they that during the night in deede impotent, and coming vpon them from the loweſt and higheſt hel, ſlept the ſame ſleepe,

14 were ſometime moleſted with the feare of monſters, ſometime fayled by paſſing away of the ſoule: for ſoden feare and vnlooked for came vpon them.

15 Moreouer if any of them had fallen downe, he was kept shut vp in priſon without yron.

16 For if one were a husbandman, or if a shepheard, or worker of the labours in the ſilde were ſodenly taken, he ſuſteyned neceſſitie ineuitable.

17 For with one chayne of darkenes they were al tyed together. Whether it were the hiſſing winde, or among the thicke boughes of trees the ſweete ſound of birdes, or the force of water running downward exceedingly,

18 or the mightie ſound of rockes tumbled headlong, or the running of playing beaſts, that were not ſene, or the mightie noyſe of roaring beaſtes, or an Echo reſounding from the higheſt mountaynes: they made them ſwoone for feare.

19 For [::] al the world was illuminated with a cleare light, & none was hindered in their workes.

20 But ouer them onlie was layd an heauie night, the image of darkenes, which was to come vpon them. They therfore were vnto themſelues more heauie then the darknes.

Marginal notes to Chapter 17

• 2 Exo. ⟨illegible⟩ & 10.
• 2 [::] Literally the ⟨illegible⟩s ⟨illegible⟩a knes th⟨illegible⟩er dayes together Exo 10. v. 22. Morally they & other g⟨illegible⟩n⟨illegible⟩ les vvere in darknes vvithout faith in God, til Chriſts Reſurrection the third day.
• 10 [::] A trubled conſcience is a great torment.
• 19 [::] This ſignified the conuerſion of al nations to Chriſt.

Chapter 18

CHAP. XVIII. In the Aegyptian darknes, the Iſraelites ſaw clerly, and were not ſene of their enimies. 5. For the Aegyptians crueltie againſt the Hebrewes infants, al their owne firſt borne were ſlaine, and their whole armie drowned in the redſea. 20. But fire deuouring the rebellions in Chores ſchiſme, was quenched by Aarons interceſſion.

1 BVT to thy [::] ſaincts there was very great light, and their voyce in deede they heard, but figure they ſaw not. And becauſe themſelues alſo did not ſuffer by the ſame thinges, they magnified thee:

2 and they that before had bene hurt, becauſe they were not hurt, gaue thankes: and that there might be a difference, they asked a gift.

3 For the which cauſe they had a burning pillar of fyre for a guide of the vnknowen way, and thou gaueſt them the ſunne without hurt of a good harbour.

4 They in deede worthie to lacke light, and to ſuffer the priſon of darkenes, which kept thy children shut vp, by whom the vncorrupt light of the law began to be geuen to the world.

5 When they decreed to kil the infantes of the iuſt: and [::] one child being layd forth, and deliuered, thou to the reprouing of them, didſt take away a multitude of children, and deſtroyedſt them together in the mightie water.

6 For that night was knowen before of our fathers, that they knowing in deede what othes they had credited, might be of better comfort.

7 And by thy people in deede the health of the iuſt, was receiued, but deſtruction by the vniuſt.

8 For as thou didſt hurt the aduerſaries: ſo vs alſo thou didſt magnifie, prouoking vs.

9 For the iuſt children of the good ſacrificed ſecretly, and diſpoſed the law of iuſtice in concorde: that the iuſt should receiue both good & euil alike, ſinging now the prayſes of the fathers.

10 But there ſounded a diſagreing voyce of the enemies, and a lamentable moorning was heard for the bewayled infants.

11 And the ſeruant with the maſter was afflicted with like punishment, and a man of the vulgar ſort ſuffered the like thinges to the king.

12 Al therfore alike by one name of death had dead ones innumerable. For neitheir did the liuing ſuffice to burie them: becauſe in one moment, that which was the nobler nation of them, was deſtroyed.

13 For concerning al thinges being incredulous becauſe of the inchantments, but then firſt when there was deſtruction of the firſt begotten, they promiſed to be the people of God.

14 [::] For when quiet ſilence conteyned al thinges, and the night was in the midde way of her courſe,

15 thy omnipent word ſalying out of heauen from the royal ſeates, lighted as a ſeuere conquerour vpon the middes of the land of deſtruction,

16 a sharpe ſword carying thy vnfeyned commandment, and ſtanding filled al with death, and reached euen to heauen ſtanding on the earth.

17 Then incontinent the viſions of naughtie dreames trubled them, and feares vnlooked for came vpon them.

18 And one here an other there, caſt forth halfe aliue, shewed for what cauſe of death he died.

19 For the viſions, that trubled them, forewarned theſe thinges, that they might not perish as ignorant why they ſuffered euils.

20 But then [::] there touched the iuſt alſo a tentation of death, and a diſturbance of the multitude was made in the wildernes: but thy wrath did not long continew.

21 For a man without blame haſting to pray for the people, bringing forth the shilde of his miniſterie prayer, and by incenſe alleaging ſupplication, reſiſted the wrath, and made an end of the neceſſitie, shewing that he is thy ſeruant.

22 And he ouercame the multitudes, not in ſtrength of bodie, nor with might of armour, but with a word ſubdewed he him, that vexed him, rehearſing the oathes of the parents, and the teſtament.

23 For when they were now fallen dead by heapes one vpon an other, he ſtood betwen, and cut of the violence, and ſeperated that way which leadeth to the liuing.

24 For in the veſture downe to the foote, which he had, was al the world: and the glorious thinges of the fathers were grauen in the foure iewels of ſtones & thy magnificence was written in the diademe of his head.

25 And to theſe he that deſtroyed gaue place, & theſe did he feare: for the proofe onlie of wrath was ſufficient.

Marginal notes to Chapter 18

• 1 [::] The Church is called holie becauſe it profeſſeth holines and hath alwayes ſome holie men, & without the Church there is no ſanctitie.
• 5 [::] VVhen the Aegyptians drowned the Hebrews children, Moyſes was ſaued, and reſerued to guide the Iſraelites, when the Aegyptians were drowned.
• 14 [::] A prophecie of Chriſt, comming into this world when there was temporal peace, but extreme darkenes of ⟨illegible⟩gnorance.
• 20 [::] An other example of difference in Gods punishing his people for their ⟨illegible⟩mendment, and of the obſtinate vnto their ⟨illegible⟩uine. Exo▪ 14. ⟨illegible⟩. ⟨illegible⟩8. Num. 16. ⟨illegible⟩. 46.
• 20 Num 10

Chapter 19

CHAP. XIX. Aegyptians perſecuting the Hebrewes were drowned, 10. hauing bene plagued before with flies, and frogges. 11. Quailes were geuen to the people of Iſrael. 13. The barbarous not receiuing, or euil intreating Gods people, were ſtrooken with blindnes. 17. And al creatures ſerue God in punishing the impious, and rewarding the godlie.

1 BVT vpon the impious euen to the later end there came wrath without mercie. For [::] he foreknew alſo the thinges that should come vnto them:

2–3 becauſe when they had permitted that they should depart, and had ſent them away with great diligence, they repenting purſued them. For hauing as yet moorning betwen their hands, and lamenting at the graues of the dead, they tooke to themſelues an other cogitation of follie: and whom by intreating they had caſt forth, them they purſued as fugitiues:

4 for worthie neceſſitie brought them to this end: and they loſt the remembrance of thoſe thinges, which had chanced, that punishment might fulfil the thinges that wanted to the torments:

5 and that thy people certes might paſſe through meruelouſly, but they might finde a new death.

6 For euerie creature according to his kind was fashioned agayne from the begyning, ſeruing thy precepts, that thy children might be kept without hurt.

7 For a clowde ouer shadowed their campe, and out of the water which was before, there appeared drie land, and in the redſea a way without impediment, and of the great depth a ſpringing filde:

8 through the which al the nation paſſed, which was protected with thy hand, ſeing thy meruelous thinges and wonders.

9 For euen as horſes they fed on meate, and as lambes they reioyced, magnifying thee ô Lord, which didſt deliuer them.

10 For they were mindful of thoſe thinges, which had bene done in their ſeiourning, how for the nation of beaſts the earth brought forth flies, and for fishes the riuer yelded a multitude of frogges.

11 And laſt of al they ſaw a new creature of birdes, when allured by concupiſcence they deſired meates of deliciouſnes.

12 For in comfort of their deſire, there came vp to them the quaile from the ſea: and vexations came vpon the ſinners, not without thoſe arguments, which were made before by the force of lightninges: for they ſuffered iuſtly occording to their wickednes.

13 For they inſtituted a more deteſtable in hoſpitalitie: [::] ſome certes receiued not the vnknowen ſtrangers, and other ſome brought the good ſtrangers into ſeruitude.

14 And not onlie theſe thinges, but in deede there was an other reſpect alſo of them: for they againſt their wil receiued the ſtrangers.

15 But they that receiued them with gladnes, did afflict them with moſt cruel ſorowes, that vſed the ſame rightes:

16 but they were ſtriken with blindnes: as they in the dores of the iuſt, when they were couered with ſodaine darkenes, euerie man ſought the paſſage of his doore.

17 For whiles the :: elements are turned in themſelues, as in an inſtrument the ſound of the qualitie is changed, and al keepe their ſound: wherfore it may be certainly iudged by the very ſight.

18 For the thinges of the fild were turned into thinges of the water: and what ſoeuer were ſwimming thinges paſſed into the land.

19 The fyre had force in water aboue his powre, and the water forgot her quenching nature.

20 On the contrarie the flames vexed not the flesh of corruptible beaſts walking therewith, neither did they melt that good meate, which was eaſely diſſolued euen as yce. For in al thinges thou didſt magnifie thy people ô Lord, and didſt honour them, and didſt not deſpiſe them, at al time, and in euerie place aſſiſting them.

Marginal notes to Chapter 19

• 1 [::] God foreſeing the Aegyptians malice, permitted them to perſecute his people, but was no way the cauſe nor auctor of their ſinne.
• 1 Exo. 14.
• 12 Exo. 16.
• 13 [::] The Amorrheites refuſed to grant them paſſage. Num 21. v. 21. The Aegyptians brought them into ſeruitude, Exo. 1.
• 17 God changing the natural properties of elementes, by them wrought iuſtice on ſinners, S. Greg. ⟨illegible⟩. 35. in Euang.
• 19 Exo. 9. v. 24.
• 20 Exo. 16. v. 2⟨illegible⟩.

Colophon

The holie Bible faithfully translated into English, out of the authentical Latin. Diligently conferred with the Hebrew, Greeke, and other editions in diuers languages. With arguments of the bookes, and chapters: annotations. tables: and other helpes. By the English College of Doway. The second tome (Psalms to 2 Machabees, with the Prayer of Manasses and the third and fourth books of Esdras), Doway: Laurence Kellam, 1610 (STC 2207). Copy: Henry E. Huntington Library, as reproduced in Early English Books Online (image set 2087).

Transcription: Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership (EEBO-TCP), Phase I text A11777 (2007), released under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal public-domain dedication.

This is an archival transcription, not a Good Works Translation: the English is the Douay translators’ own, kept in the original spelling, with long s (ſ), u and v, i and j as printed. The Good Works Library converted the TCP text to this page, removing only markup, page breaks and line-end hyphens. In the print a cross (†) opens each verse and the verse number stands in the margin; here each verse is its own paragraph headed by that number. Marginal notes are gathered after each chapter under the number of the verse beside which they stand; where the print sets a reference mark in the text (a letter, four pricks ::, or a star *), the mark is kept at its place in square brackets. In prose sections the marginal notes stand at their places in square brackets. Marks that the transcription records in the text are kept as they stand: ▪ is the transcribers’ sign for a printed mark they could not set, which this edition’s key to its marks uses to point to an Annotation after the chapter, and “ is another such printed mark. Words the transcribers could not read are marked ⟨illegible⟩ (81 on this page); none has been filled in by conjecture.

In 2 places on this page the transcription has no verse cross between two numbered verses; there both numbers head a single paragraph (for example “12–13”) rather than cutting the text by guesswork.

🌲