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            THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF ESDRAS.

CHAP. I.

Esdras is sent to expostulate with the vngratful Iewes for neglecting

Gods manie great benefites.

THE second book of Esdras the prophet, the sonne of Sarei, the sonne of

Azarei, the sonne of Helcias, the sonne of Sadanias, the sonne of Sadoch,

the sonne of Achitob, (1 Esd 7:1) 2 the sonne of Achias, the sonne of

Phinees, the sonne of Heli, the sonne of Amerias, the sonne of Asiel, the

sonne of Marimoth, the sonne of Arna, the sonne of Ozias, the sonne of

Borith, the sonne of Abisei, the sonne of Phinees, the sonne of Eleazar,

3 the sonne of Aaron of the tribe of Leui; who was captiue in the

countrie of the Medes, in the reigne of Artaxerxes king of the Persians.

4 And the word of our Lord came to me, saying: 5 Goe, and tel my people

their wicked deedes, and their children the iniquities, that they haue

done against me, that they may tel their childrens children: 6 because

the sinnes of their parentes are increased in them, for they being

forgetful of me haue sacrified to strange goddes. 7 Did not I bring them

out of the land of AEgypt from the house of bondage? But they haue

prouoked me, & haue despised my counsels. 8 But doe thou shake of the

heare of thy head, and throw al euils vpon them: because they haue not

obeyed my law. And it is a people without discipline. 9 How long shal I

beare with them, on whom I haue bestowed so great benefiates? 10 I haue

ouer throwen manie kinges from them. I haue stroke Pharao with his

seruantes, and al his hoste. (Ex 14) 11 Al nations did I destroy before

their face, & in the East I dissipated the peoples of two prouinces Tyre

and Sidon, and I slew al their aduersaries. 12 But speake thou to them,

saying: Thus sayth our Lord: 13 I made you passe through the sea, and

gaue you fensed streates from the beginning. I gaue you Moyses for your

gouernour, and Aaron for the Priest: 14 I gaue you light by the piller

of fire, & did manie meruelous things among you: but you haue forgotten

me, sayth our Lord. (Ex 13) 15 Thus sayth our Lord omnipotent: The

quayle was a signe to you, I gaue you a campe for defense, and there you

murmured: 16 And you triumphed not in my name for the destruction of

your enemies, but yet vntil now you haue murmured. (Ex 16) 17 Where

are the benefites, that I haue geuen you? Did you not crie out to me

when you were hungrie in the desert, 18 saying: Why hast thou brought vs

into this desert to kil vs? it had bene better for vs to serue the

AEgyptians, then to dye in this desert. (Num 14) 19 I was sorie for

your mournings, & gaue you manna to eate. You did eate bread of Angels.

(Ex 16 / Wis 16:20) 20 When you thirsted did not I cleaue the rocke, &

waters flowed in abundance? for the heates I couered you with the leaues

of trees. 21 I deliuered vnto you fatte landes: The Chananeites, and

Pherezeites, and Philistheans I threw out from your face: what shal I

yet doe to you, sayth our Lord? (Isa 9:4) 22 Thus sayth our Lord

omnipotent: In the desert when you were thirstie in the riuer of the

Amorrheites, and blasphemeing my name, (Ex 15:25) 23 I gaue you not fire

for blasphemies, but casting wood into the water, I made the riuer swete.

24 What shal I doe to thee Iacob? Thou wouldest not obey o Iuda. I wil

transferre my self to other nations, and wil geue them my name, that they

may keepe my ordinances. (Ex 32) 25 Because you haue forsaken me, I

aslo forsake you: when you aske mercie of me, I wil not haue mercie.

(Isa 1:15) 26 When you shal inuocate me, I wil not heare you. For you

haue defiled your handes with bloud, and your fete are quicke to commit

murders. 27 Not as though you haue forsaken me, but yourselues, sayth

our Lord. 28 Thus saith our Lord omnipotent, haue not I desired you, as

a father his sonnes, and a mother her daughters, and as a nurce her litle

ones, 29 that you would be my people, and I your God, and to me for

children, and I to you for a father? 30 So haue I gathered you, as the

henne her chickenes vnder her winges. But now what shal I doe to you? I

wil throw you from my face. (Matt 23:37) 31 When you shal bring me

oblation, I wil turne away my face from you. (Isa 66:5) For I haue

refused your festiual dayes, & newmoones, and circumcisions. 32 I sent

my seruantes the prophetes to you, whom being taken you slew, and mangled

their bodies, whose bloud I wil require, sayth our Lord. 33 Thus sayth

our Lord omnipotent, your house is made desolate, I wil throw you away,

as the winde doth stubble, 34 and your children shal not haue issue:

because they haue neglected my commandment, and haue done that which is

euil before me. 35 I wil deliuer your houses to a people comming, who

not hearing me do beleue: to whom I haue not shewed signes, they wil do

the thinges that I haue commanded. 36 The prophetes they haue not sene,

and they wil be mindful of their iniquities. 37 I cal to witnes the

grace of the people comming, whose litle ones reioyce with ioy, not seing

me with their carnal eyes, but in spirit beleuing the thinges that I haue

sayd. 38 And now brother behold what glorie: and see people comming

from the east, 39 to whom I wil geue the conduction of Abraham, Isaac,

and Iacob, and of Osee, and Amos, and of Ioel, and Abdias, and Ionas, and

Michaeas, 40 and Naum and Habacuc, of Sophonias, Aggaeus, Zacharias, and

Malachias, who also is called the Angel of our Lord. (Mal 3:1)

CHAP. II.

The Synagogue expostulateth with her children for their ingratitude;

10. shewing that they shal be forsaken, and the gentiles called.

THVS saith our Lord: I brought this people out of bondage, to whom I

gaue commandment by my seruantes the Prophetes, whom they would not

heare, but made my counsel frustrate. 2 Their mother that bare them,

sayth to them: Goe children, because I am a wydow and forsaken. 3 I

brought you vp with ioy, & haue lost you with mourning & sorow, because

you haue sinned before our Lord your God, & haue done that which is euil

before him. 4 But now what shal I doe to you? I am a wydow and

desolote, goe my children, & aske mercie of our Lord. 5 And I cal thee o

father a witnes vpon the mother of the children, that would not keepe my

testament, 6 that thou geue them confusion, & their mother into spoile,

that there be no generation of them. 7 Let their names be dispersed into

the Gentiles, let them be destroyed out of the land: because they haue

despised my sacrament. 8 Woe be to thee Assur, which hidest the wicked

with thee. Thou naughtie nation, remember what I did to Sodom &

Gomorrha: (Gen 19:24) 9 whose land lieth in cloddes of pitch, & heapes

of ashes: so wil I make them, that haue not heard me, saith our Lord

omnipotent. 10 Thus saith our Lord to Esdras: Tel my pople, that I wil

geue them the kingdom of Ierusalem, which I ment to geue to Isreal.

11 And I wil take to me the glorie of them, and wil geue them eternal

tabernacles, which I had prepared for them. 12 The wood of life shal be

to them for an odour of oyntment, and they shal not labour, nor be

wearied. 13 Goe & you shal receiue. Aske for your selues a few dayes,

that they may abide. Now the kingdom is prepared for you, watch ye.

14 Cal thou heauen and earth to witnes: for I haue destroyed euil, and

haue created good, because I liue sayth our Lord. 15 Mother embrace thy

children, bring them vp with ioy. As a doue confirme their feete:

because I haue chosen thee, sayth our Lord. 16 And I wil raise againe

the dead out of their places, and out of the monumentes I wil bring them

forth, because I haue knowen my name in Israel. 17 Feare not o mother of

the children, because I haue chosen thee, saith our Lord. 18 I wil send

thee ayde, my seruantes I saie, and Ieremie, at whose counsel I haue

sanctified, and prepared for thee tweleue trees loden with diuerse

fruites, 19 and as manie fountaines flowing milke and honie: and seuen

huge mountaines, hauing the rose and the lilie, in the which I wil fil

thy children with ioy. (Ex 15:27) 20 Iustifie thou the widow, iudge for

the pupil, geue to the needie, defend the orphane, cloth the naked,

21 cure the broken & feeble, mocke not the lame, defend the maimed, and

admitte the blind to the vision of my glorie. 22 The old man & the yong

keepe with in thy walles: 23 where thou shalt finde the dead, committe

them to the graue signing it, & I wil geue thee the first seate in my

resurrection. (Tob 1:20) 24 Pause and rest my people, because thy rest

shal come. 25 As a good nurce nourish thy children, confirme their

feete. 26 The seruantes that I haue geuen thee, none of them shal

perish. For I wil require them of thy number. 27 Be not wearied. For

when the day of affliction and distresse shal come, others shal weepe,

and be sad, but thou shalt be merie and plenteous. 28 The gentiles shal

enuie, and shal be able to doe nothing against thee, sayth our Lord.

29 My handes shal couer thee, that thy children see not hel. 30 Be

pleasant thou mother with thy children, because I wil deliuer thee sayth

our Lord. 31 Remember thy children that sleepe, for I wil bring them out

of the sides of the earth, & wil doe mercie with them: because I am

merciful, sayth our Lord omnipotent. 32 Embrace thy children til I come,

& shew them mercie: because my fountaines runne ouer, and my grace shal

not faile. 33 I Esdras receiued commandment of our Lord, in mount Oreb;

that I should goe to Israel: to whom when I came, they refused me, and

reiected the commandement of our Lord. 34 And therfore, I say vnto you

gentiles, which heare, and vnderstand, Looke for your pastor, he wil geue

you the rest of eternitie: because he is at hand, that shal come in the

end of the world. 35 Be ye readie for the rewardes of the kingdom,

because perpetual light shal shine to you for time euerlasting. 36 Flee

from the shadow of this world: receiue ye the pleasantnes of your

glorie. I openly cal to witnes my sauiour. 37 Receiue the commended

gift and be pleasant, geuing thankes to him that called you to the

heauenlie kingdomes. 38 Arise, & stand & see the number of them that are

signed in the feast of our Lord. 39 They that haue transferred them

selues from the shadow of the world, haue receiued glorious garmentes of

our Lord. 40 Receiue o Sion thy number, and shut vp thyne made white,

which haue accomplished the law of our Lord. 41 The number of thy

children, which thou didst wish is ful. Desire the powre of our Lord

that thy people may be sanctified, which was called from the beginning.

42 I Esdras saw in mount Sion a great multiude, which I could not number,

and they did al prayse our Lord with songes. (Apoc 7:9) 43 And in the

middes of them was a young man high of stature, appearing aboue ouer them

al, & he put crownes vpon euerie one of their heades, and he was more

exalted. And I was astonied at the miracle. 44 Then asked I an Angel,

and sayd: Who are these Lord? 45 Who answering sayd to me: These are

they that haue laid of the mortal garment, and taken an immortal, and

haue confessed the name of God. Now they are crowned, and receiue

palmes. 46 And I sayd to the Angel: That yongman what is he, which

putteth the crownes vpon them, and geueth palmes into their handes?

47 And answering he sayd to me: The same is the Sonne of God, whom they

did confesse in the world: & I begane to magnifie them, that stood

strongly for the name of our Lord. 48 Then sayd the Angel to me: Goe,

tel my people, what maner of meruelous thinges and how great, thou hast

sene of the Lord God.

CHAP. III.

The workes of God are wonderful from the beginning, 7. and men vngrateful

13. In Abraham God chose to himself a peculiar people: who neuertheles

were froward, and obstinate. 23. He also chose Dauid, but stil the

people were sinful: 28. the Babylonians also, by whom the are afflicted,

are no lesse but rather greater sinners.

IN the thirteth yeare of the ruine of the citie I was in Babylon, and was

trubled lying in my chamber, and my cogitations came vp ouer my hart:

2 because I saw the desolation of Sion, and the abundance of them that

dwelt in Babylon. 3 And my spirit was tossed excedingly, and I began to

speake to the highest timorous wordes, 4 and sayd: O Lord dominatour

thou spakest from the beginning, when thou didst plant the earth, and

that alone, and didst rule ouer the people, (Gen 1) 5 and gauest Adam a

dead bodie: but that also was the worke of thy handes, & didst breath

into him the spirit of life, and he was made to liue before thee:

(Gen 2:7) 6 and thou broughst him into paradise, which thy right hand

had planted, before the earth came. 7 And him thou didst command to loue

thy way, and he transgressed it, & forth with thou didst institute death

in him, and in his posteritie, and there were borne nations, and tribes,

and peoples, and kindreds, wherof there is no number. 8 And euerie

nation walked in their owne wil, & they did meruelous thinges before

thee, and despised thy preceptes. 9 And agane in time thou broughst in

the floud vpon inhabitantes of the world, and didst destroy them.

(Gen 7) 10 And there was made in euery one of them, as vnto Adam to dye,

so to them the floud, 11 But thou didst leaue one of them, Noe with his

house and of him were al the iust. 12 And it came to passe, when they

began to be multiplied, that dwelt vpon the earth, & multiplied children

and peoples and manie nations: and they begane againe to doe impietie

more then the former. 13 And it came to passe when they did iniquitie

before thee, thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham.

14 And thou didst loue him and to him onlie thou didst shew thy wil.

(Gen 12) 15 And thou didst dispose vnto him an euerlasting testament,

and toldst him that thou wouldst neuer forsake his seede. And thou

gauest him Issac, and to Isaac thou gauest Iacob and Esau. 16 And Iacob

thou didst seuer to thy selfe, but Esau thou didst separate. And Iacob

grewe to a great multitude. 17 And it came to passe when thou didst

bring forth his sede out of AEgypt, thou broughst it vpon mount Sinai.

(Ex 19) 18 And thou didst bowe the heauens, and fasten the earth, and

didst shake the world, and madest the depthes to tremble, and trubledst

the world, 19 and thy glorie passed foure gates of fire, and of

earthquake, and winde, and frost, that thou mightst geue a law to the

seede of Iacob, and to the generation of Israel diligence. 20 And thou

didst not take away from them a malignant hart, that thy law might bring

forth fruite in them. 21 For Adam the first bearing a vicious hart

transgressed and was ouercome, yea and al that were borne of him. 22 And

it was made a permanent infirmitie, and the law with the hart of the

people, with the wickednes of the roote, and that which is good departed,

and the wicked remayned. 23 And the times passed, & the yeares were

ended: and thou didst raise vp vnto thee a seruant named Dauid, 24 and

spakest vnto him to build a citie of thy name, and to offer vnto thee in

it frankencense, and oblations. 25 And this was done manie yeares, and

they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee, 26 in al things as Adam and

al his generations. For they also vsed a wicked hart. 27 And thou didst

deliuer thy citie into the hands of thyne enimies. 28 Why, doe they

better thinges, that inhabite Babylon? And for this shal she rule ouer

Sion? (Jer 12) 29 It came to passe when I was come hither, and had sene

the impieties that can not be numbred: and my soul saw manie offending

this thirteth yeare, & my hart was astonied: 30 because I saw how thou

bearest with their sinne, and didst spare them that did impiously, and

didst destroy thine owne people, and preserue thine enimies, and didst

not signifie it. 31 I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken:

doth Babylon better thinges then Sion? 32 Or hath anie nation knowen

thee beside Israel: or what tribes haue beleued thy testamentes as

Iacob? 33 Whose reward hath not appeared, nor their labour fructified.

For passing through I passed among the nations, and I saw them abound,

and not mindeful of thy commandmentes. 34 Now therfore wey our

iniquities in a ballance, and theirs that dwel in the world: & thy name

shal not be found, but in Israel. 35 Or when haue not they sinned in thy

sight, that inhabite the earth? or what nation hath so obserued thy

commandmentes? 36 These certes by their names thou shalt finde to haue

kept thy commandments, but the nations thou shalt not finde.

CHAP. IIII.

Mans witte and reason is not able to vnderstand the counsel and iudgement

of God, 22. why his people are afflicted by wicked nations, 33. nor of

times, and thinges to come.

AND the Angel answered me, that was sent to me, whose name was Vriel,

2 and sayd to me: Thy hart exceding hath exceded in this world, & thou

thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest. 3 And I sayd: It is so

my Lord. And he answered me, & sayd: I am sent to shew thee three

wayes, & to propose to thee three similitudes. 4 Of the which if thou

shalt declare to me one of them, I also wil shew thee the way which thou

desirest to see, and wil teach thee whence a wicked hart is. 5 And I

sayd, Speak my Lord. And he sayd to me: Goe, wey me the weight of the

fire, or measure me the blast of the winde, or cal me backe the day that

is past. 6 And I answered, and sayd: what man borne can doe it, that

thou askest me of these thinges? 7 And he sayd to me: If I should aske

thee, saying: How great habitations are there in the hart of the sea, or

how great vaines be there in the beginning of the depth, or how great

vaines be there aboue the firmament, and what are the issues of paradise:

8 thou wouldest perhaps say to me: I haue not descended into the depth,

nor into hel as yet, neither haue I ascended at anie time into heauen.

9 But now I haue not asked thee, sauing of the fire, and the winde, and

the day by the which thou hast passed, and from the which thou canst not

be separated: and thou hast not answered me of them. 10 And he sayd to

me: Thou canst not know the thinges that are thine which grow together

with thee: 11 and how can thy vessel comprehend the way of the Highest,

and now the world being outwardly corrupted, vnderstand the corruption

euident in my sight: 12 I sayd to him: Better were it for vs not to be,

then yet liuing to liue in impieties, and to suffer, and not to

vnderstand for what thing. 13 And he answered me, & said: Going forth I

went forward to a wood of trees in the filde, and they deuised a deuise,

(Judges 9 / 2 Par 25) 14 and said: Come and let vs goe, and make warre

against the sea, that it may retyre backe before vs, and we may make vs

other woodes. 15 And in like maner the waues of the sea they also

deuised a deuise, and sayd: Come let vs goe vp, let vs ouerthrow the

woodes of the filde, that there also we may consummate an other countrie

for our selues. 16 And the woodes deuise was made vaine, for fire came,

and consumed it. 17 Likewise also the deuise of the waues of the sea.

For the sand stood, & stayed them. 18 For if thou wert iudge of these,

whom wouldest thou begin to iustifie, or whom to condemne? 19 And I

answered, and sayd: Verely they deuised a vayne deuise. For the earth

is geuen to the wood, and a place to the sea to carie her waues. 20 And

he answered me, and sayed: Thou hast iudged wel, and why hast thou not

iudged for thy self? 21 For as the earth is geuen to the wood, and the

sea for the waues therof: so they that inhabite vpon the earth, can

vnderstand onlie the thinges that are vpon the earth: and they vpon the

heauens, the thinges that are aboue the height of the heauens. 22 And I

answered, and sayd: I besech thee Lord, that sense may be geuen me to

vnderstand. 23 For I meant not to aske of thy superiour thinges, but of

those that passe by vs dayly. For what cause Israel is geuen into

reproche to the gentiles, the people whom thou hast loued, is geuen to

impious tribes, & the law of our fathers is brought to destruction, & the

written ordinances are no where: 24 and we haue passed out of the world,

as locustes, and our life is astonishment and dreade, and we are not

worthie to obtaine mercie. 25 But what wil he doe to his name that is

inuocated vpon vs? and of these thinges I did aske. 26 And he answered

me, and sayd: If thou search very much, thou shalt often meruail:

because the world hastening hasteneth to passe, 27 and can not comprehend

the thinges which in times to come are promised to the iust: because

this world is ful of iniustice and infirmities. 28 But conerning the

thinges that thou demandest I wil tel thee: for the euil is sowed, and

the destruction therof is not yet come. 29 If then that which is sowen

be not turned vp, and the place depart where the euil is sowen, that shal

not come where the good is sowen. 30 Because the grayne of il seede hath

bene sowen in the hart of Adam from the beginning: and how much impietie

hath it ingendered vntil now, and doth ingender vntil the floore come?

31 And esteme with thy self the graine of the il seede, how much fruite

of impietie it hath ingendred: 32 When the eares shal be cut, which are

innumerable, what a great floore wil they begin to make? 33 And I

answered, and sayd: How, and when shal these things be? why are our

yeares few and euil? 34 And he answered me, and sayd to me, Hasten not

aboue the Highest. For thou doest hasten in vaine to be aboue him, for

thy excesse is much. 35 Did not the soules of the iust in the cellars,

aske of these things, saying: How hope I so, and when shal the fruite

come of the floore of our reward? 36 And Ieremiel the Archangel answered

to those things, and sayd: When the number of the sedes in you shal be

filled, because he hath weyed the world in a balance, 37 and with a

measure hath he measured the times, and in number he hath numbered the

times, and hath not moued, nor stirred them, vntil the foresayd measure

be filled. 38 And I answered, and sayd: O Lord Dominatour, we also are

al ful of impietie. 39 And left perhaps for vs the floores of the iust

be not filled, for the sinnes of the inhabitantes vpon the earth. 40 And

he answered me, and sayd: Goe, and aske a woman with childe, if when

she hath accomplished her nine monethes, her wombe can yet hold the

infant within it? 41 And I sayd it can not Lord. And he sayd to me, in

hel the cellars of the soules are like to the matrice. 42 For as she

that is: In trauail maketh hast, to escape the necessitie of trauailing:

so this also hasteneth to render those thinges which are commended to it.

43 From the beginning it shal be shewed thee touching those thinges,

which thou doest couet to see. 44 And I answered, and sayd: If I haue

found grace before thine eyes, & if it be possible, and if I by fitte,

45 shew mee if there be more to come then is passed, or more things haue

passed, then are to come. 46 What passed, I know: but what is to come,

I know not. 47 And he sayd to me: Stand vpon the right side, and I wil

shew thee the interpretation of the similitude. 48 And I stood, and saw:

and behold a burning fornace passed before me, & it came to passe when

the flame passed, I saw: and behold the smoke ouercame. 49 And these

thinges there passed before me a clowd ful of water, and with violence

casting in much raine: and when the violence of raine was cast, the

droppes therin ouercame. 50 And he sayd to me: Thinke with thyself, as

the raine increaseth more then the droppes, and the fire then the smoke:

so did the measure that passed, more a bound. But the droppes, and the

smoke ouercame: 51 and I prayed, & sayd, shal I liue thinkest thou vntil

these dayes? or what shal be in those dayes? 52 He answered me, and

sayd: Of the signes wherof thou askest me, in part I can tel thee,

howbeit of thy life I was not sent to tel thee, neither doe I know.

CHAP. V.

Diuers signes of thinges to come are shewed to Esdras by an Angel:

16. for the comforth of the people in captiuitie.

BVT concerning signes: behold the dayes shal come, wherin they that

inhabite the earth shal be taken in a great number: and the way of truth

shal be hid: and the countrie shal be barren from fayth. 2 And

iniustice shal be multiplied aboue that which thy self seest, & aboue

that which thou hast heard in time past. (Matt 24) 3 And they shal put

their foote into the countrie which now thou seest to reigne, and they

shal see it desolate. 4 And if the Highest geue thee life, thou shalt

see after the third trumpet, and the sunne shal sodenly shine agayne in

the night, and the moone thrise in a day, 5 and out of wood bloud shal

distil, and the stone shal geue his voice, and the peoples shal be moued:

6 and he reigne, whom they hope not that inhabite vpon the earth, and

soules shal make their flight away. 7 & the sea of Sodom shal cast the

fishes, and shal make a noise in the night, which manie knew not, and al

shal heare the voice therof, 8 and there shal be made a confusion in

manie places, and the fire shal often be sent backe, and the sauage

beastes shal goe to other places, and wemen in their monethlie flowers

shal bring forth monsters, 9 and in swete waters shal salt waters be

found, and al frendes shal ouerthrow one an other: and then shal witte

be hid, and vnderstanding shal be separated into his cellar: 10 and it

shal be sought of manie, and shal not be found: and iniustice shal be

multiplied, and incontinencie vpon the earth. 11 And one countrie shal

aske her neighbour, and shal say: Hath iustice doing iust passed

throught thee? and she shal denie it. 12 And it shal be in that time,

men shal hope, and shal not obtaine: they shal labour, and their wayes

shal not haue successe. 13 These signes I am permitted to tel thee: and

if thou pray againe and weepe, as also now, and fast seuen dayes, thou

shalt heare againe greater thinges then these. 14 And I awaked, and my

bodie did shiuer excedingly: and my soule laboured, that it fainted:

15 and the Angel that came, that spake in me, held me, and strengthened

me, and sette me vpon my feete. 16 And it came to passe in the second

night, and Salathiel the prince of the people came to me, and sayd to me:

Where wast thou? and why is thy countenance heauie? 17 Knowest thou not

that Isreal is committed to thee in the countrie of their transmigration?

18 Rise vp therfore, and taste bread, and forsake vs not, as the pastour

his flocke in the hand of wicked wolues. 19 And I sayd to him: Goe from

me, & approch not vnto me. And he heard, as I sayd: and he departed

from me. 20 And I fasted seuen dayes howling & weeping, as Vriel the

Angel commanded me. 21 And it came to passe after seuen dayes, and

againe cogitations of my hart molested me very much, 22 and my soule

resumed the spirit of vnderstanding: & agayne I began to speake wordes

before the Highest: 23 and I sayd: Lord Dominatour of euerie wood of

the earth, & al the trees therof, thou hast chosen one vineyard: 24 & of

euerie land of the world thou hast chosen thee one ditch: & of al the

flowers of the world thou hast chosen thee one lilie: 25 and of al

depthes of the sea, thou hast filled thee one riuer: and of al the

builded cities, thou hast sanctified vnto thyself Sion: 26 and of al

created soules, thou hast named thee one doue: and of al beastes that

were made, thou hast prouided thee one shepe: 27 and of al multiplied

peoples, thou host purchased thee one people: and a law approued of al

thou hast geuen to this people, whom thou didst desire. 28 And now Lord,

why hast thou deliuered one vnto manie? And thou hast perpared vpon one

roote others, and hast dispersed thy onlie one in manie: 29 and they

haue troden vpon it, which gainesayd thy couenants, and which beleued not

thy testamentes. 30 And if hating thou hatest thy people, it ought to be

chastised with thy handes. 31 And it came to passe, when I had spoken

the wordes, and the Angel was sent to me, that came to me before the

night past, 32 and he sayd to me: Heare me, and I wil instruct thee:

and harken to me, and I wil adde before thee. 33 And I sayd: Speake my

Lord. And he sayd to me: Thou art become excedingly in excesse of minde

for Israel: hast thou loued it more then him that made it? 34 And I

sayd to him: No Lord, but for sorow I haue spoken, for my veynes torment

me euerie houre, to apprehend the pathe of the Highest, and to search

part of his iudgement. 35 And he sayd to me: Thou canst not. And I

sayd: Why Lord? To what was I borne, or why was not my mothers wombe my

graue, that I might not see the labour of Iacob, & the wearines of the

stocke of Israel? 36 And he sayd to me: Number me the thinges that are

not yet come, and gather me the dispersed droppes, and make me the

withered flowers grene againe, 37 and open me the shut cellars, & bring

me forth the blastes inclosed in them, shew me the image of a voice: and

then wil I shew thee the labour that thou desirest to see. 38 And I

sayd: Lord Dominatour, for who is there that can know these thinges, but

he that hath not his habitation with men? 39 And I am vnwise, and how

can I speake of these thinges, which thou hast asked me? 40 And he sayd

to me: As thou canst not doe one of these thiges, which haue bene sayd:

so canst thou not finde my iudgement, or in the end the charitie, which I

haue promised to the people. 41 And I sayd: But behold Lord thou art

nigh to them that are nere the end: and what shal they doe that haue

bene before me, or we, or they after vs? 42 And he sayd to me: I wil

resemble my iudgement to a crowne. As there shal not be slacknes of the

last, so neither swiftnes of the former. 43 And I answered, and sayd:

Couldst thou not make them that haue bene, and that are, and that shal

be, at once, that thou mayst shew thy iudgement the quicker? 44 And he

answered me, and sayd: The creature can not hasten aboue the Creatour,

nor the world sustayne them that are to be created in it, at once.

45 And I sayd: As thou didst say to thy seruant, that quickening thou

didst quicken the creature created by thee at once, and the creature

susteined it: it may now also beare them present at once. 46 And he

sayd to me: Aske the matrice of a woman, & thou shalt say to it: And if

thou bring forth children, why by times? Aske it therfore, that it geue

ten at once. 47 And I sayd, it can not verily: but according to time.

48 And he sayd to me: And I haue geuen a matrice to the earth for them,

that are sowen vpon it by time. 49 For as the infant bringeth not forth

the thinges that perteyne to the aged, so haue I disposed the world

created of me. 50 And I asked, and sayd: Wheras thou hast now geuen me

a way, I wil speake before thee: for our mother, of whom thou toldest

me, yet she is yong: now draweth nigh to old age. 51 And he answered

me, and sayd: Aske her that beareth children, and she wil tel thee.

52 For thou shalt say to her: Why are not they whom thou hast brought

forth, now like to them that were before thee, but lesse of stature?

53 And she also wil say vnto thee: They that are borne in the youth of

streingth are of one sort, and they of an other, that are borne about the

time of old age, when the matrice fayleth. 54 Consider therfore thou

also, that you are of lesse stature, then they that were before you:

55 and they that are after you, of lesser then you, as it were creatures

now waxing old, and past the strength of youth. 56 And I sayd: I besech

thee Lord, if I haue found grace before thine eyes, shew vnto thy

seruant, by whom thou doest visite thy creature.

CHAP. VI.

God knowing al thinges before they were made, created them 54. for man:

and considerth the endes of al.

AND he sayd to me: In the beginning of the earthlie world, and before

the endes of the world stood, and before the congregation of the windes

did blow, (Prov 8) 2 and before the voyces of thunders sounded, & before

the flashinges of lightenings shined, and before the fundations of

paradise were confirmed, 3 and before beautiful flowers were sene, and

before the moued powers were established, and before the innumerable

hostes of Angels were gathered, 4 and before the heightes of the ayre

were aduanced, and before the measures of the firmaments were named, and

before the chymneies were hote in Sion, 5 and before the present yeares

were searched out, and before their inuentions that now sinne, were put

away, and they signed that made fayth their treasure: 6 then I thought,

and they were made by me only, and not by any other: and the end by me,

and not by any other. 7 And I answered, and sayd: What separation of

times shal there be? and when shal the end of the former be, and the

begynning of that which foloweth? 8 And he sayd to me, from Abraham vnto

Isaac, when Iacob and Esau were borne of him, the hand of Iacob held from

the begynning the heele of Esau, 9 for the end of this world is Esau, and

the begynning of the next Iacob. 10 The hand of a man betwen the heele

and the hand. Aske no other thing Esdras. 11 And I answered, and sayd:

O Lord dominatour, if I haue found grace before thyne eyes, 12 I pray

thee shew thy seruant the end of thy signes, wherof thou didst shew me

part the night before. 13 And he answered, and sayd to me: Arise vpon

thy feete, and heare a voice most ful of sound. 14 And it shal be as it

were a commotion, neither shal the place be moued wherin thou standest.

15 Therfore when it speaketh be not thou afrayd, because of the end is

the word, and the fundation of the earth vnderstood, 16 for concerning

them the word trembleth and is moued, for it knoweth that their end must

be changed. 17 And it came to passe, when I had heard, I rose vpon my

feete, and I heard: and behold a voice speaking, and the sound therof as

the sound of manie waters: 18 and it sayd: Behold the dayes come, and

the time shal be when I wil begyne to approch, that I may visite the

inhabitantes vpon the earth. 19 And when I wil begin to enquire of them

that vniustly haue hurt with their iniustice, and when the humilitie of

Sion shal be accomplished. 20 And when the world shal be ouersigned that

shal beginne to passe, I wil doe these signes: Bookes shal be opened

before the face of the firmament, and al shal see together, 21 and

infantes of one yeare shal speake with their voices, & wemen with child

shal bring forth vntimely infantes not ripe of three or foure monethes,

and shal liue, and shal be raysed vp. 22 And sodenly shal appeare sowen

places not sowen, & ful cellers shal sodenly be found emptie: 23 and a

trumpet shal sound; which when al shal heare, they wil sodenly be afrayd.

24 And it shal be in that time, freindes as enimies shal ouerthrow

freindes, and the earth shal be afrayd with them: & the vaynes of

fountaynes shal stand, and shal not runne in three howres: 25 and it

shal be, euerie one that shal be leaft of al these, of whom I haue

foretold thee, he shal be saued, and shal see my saluation, & the end of

your world. 26 And the men that are receiued, shal see, they that tasted

not death from their natiuitie, and the hart of the inhabitantes shal be

turned into an other sense. 27 For euil shal be put out, and deceite

shal be extinguished, 28 but fayth shal florish, and corruption shal be

ouercome, and truth shal be shewed, which was without fruite so manie

dayes. 29 And it came to passe, when he spake to me, & I loe by litle &

litle looked on him before whom I stood, 30 and he sayd to me these

wordes: I am come to shew thee the time of the night to come. 31 If

therfore thou pray agayne, and fast agayne seuen dayes, agayne I wil tel

thee greater thinges by the day which I haue heard. 32 For thy voice is

heard before the Highest. For the strong hath sene thy direction, and

hath fore sene the chastitie which thou hast had from thy youth: 33 and

for this cause he hath sent me to shew thee al these thinges, and to say

to thee, haue confidence, and feare not, 34 and hasten not with the

former times to thinke vayne thinges, that thou hasten not from the last

times. 35 And it came to passe after these thinges, and I wept againe,

and in like maner I fasted seuen dayes, to accomplish the three weekes,

that were told me. 36 And it came to passe in the eight night, and my

hart was trubled againe in me, and I began to speake before the Highest.

37 For my spirit was inflamed excedingly, and my soul was distressed.

38 And I sayd: O Lord, speaking thou didst speake from the beginning of

creature from the first day, saying: Let heauen be made and earth: and

thy word was a perfect worke. 39 And then there was spirit, and

darknesse was caried about, and silence, the sound of the voyce of man

was not yet from thee. 40 Then thou didst command the lighsome light to

be brought forth of thy treasures, wherby thy worke might appeare.

41 And in the second day thou didst create the spirit of the firmament,

and commandest it to diuide, and to make a diuision betwen the waters,

that a certayn part should depart vpward, and part should remaine beneth.

42 And in the third day thou didst command the waters to be gathered

together in the seuenth part of the earth: but sixe partes thou didst

drie and preserue, that of them might be seruing before thee thinges

sowen of God, and tilled. 43 For thy word proceded, and the worke forth

with was made. 44 For sodenly came forth fruite of multitude infinite,

and diurse tastes of concupiscence, and flowers of vnchangeable colour,

and odours of vnsearcheable smel, and in the third day these thinges were

made. 45 And in the fourth day thou didst command to be made the

brightnesse of the sunne, the light of the moone, the disposition of the

starres: 46 and didst command them that they should serue man, that

should be made. 47 And in the fifth day: thou saydst to the seuenth

part, where the water was gathered together, that it should bring forth

beastes, and foules, and fishes: and so was it done, 48 the dumme water

and without life, the thinges that by Gods appointement were commanded,

made beastes, that therby the nations may declare thy meruelous workes.

49 And then thou didst preserue two soules: the name of one thou didst

cal Henoch, and the name of the second thou didst cal Leuiathan, 50 and

thou didst separate them from eche other. For the seuenth part, where

the water was gathered together, could not hold them. 51 And thou gauest

to Henoch one part, which was dried the third day, to dwelt therin, where

are a thousand mountaynes. 52 But to Leuiathan thou gauest the seuenth

part being moyst, and kepst it, that it might be to deuoure whom thou

wilt, and when thou wilt. 53 And in the sixt day thou didst command the

earth, to create before thee cattel, and beastes, and creeping creatures:

54 and ouer these Adam, whom thou madest ruler ouer al the workes, which

thou didst make, & out of him are al we brought forth, and the people

whom thou hast chosen. 55 And al these thinges I haue sayd before thee o

Lord, because thou didst create the world for vs. 56 But the residue of

the nations borne of Adam thou saydst that they were nothing, and that

they were like to spittle, and as it were the droping out of a vessel

thou didst liken the abundance of them. 57 And now Lord, behold these

nations which are reputed for nothing, haue begune to rule ouer vs, and

to deuoure vs: 58 but we thy people whom thou didst cal thy first onlie

begotten emulatour, are deliuered into their handes: 59 and if the world

was created for vs, why doe not we possesse inheritance with the world?

how long these thinges?

CHAP. VII.

Without tribulations no man can attayne immortal life: 17. which the

iust shal inherite: and the wicked shal perish. 28. Christ wil come,

and dye for mankind. 36. Prayers of the iust shal profite til the end of

this world, but not after the general iudgement. 48. Al sinned in Adam.

52. and haue added more sinnes, 57. but it is in mans powre, 62. by Gods

grace, to liue eternally.

AND it came to passe when I had ended to speake these wordes, the Angel

was sent to me, which had bene sent to me the first nights, 2 and he sayd

to me: Arise Esdras, and heare the wordes which I am come to speake to

thee. 3 And I sayd: Speake my God. And he sayd to me: The sea is set

in a large place, that it might be deepe and wide: 4 but the entrance to

it shal be set in a straict place, that it might be like to riuers.

5 For who witting wil enter into the sea, and see it, or rule ouer it:

if he passe not the streite, how shal he come into the bredth? 6 Also an

other thing: A citie is built, and set in a plaine place, and it is ful

of al goodes. 7 The entrance therof narrow, and set in a stepe place, so

that on the right hand there was fire, & on the left depe water: 8 and

there is one onlie pathe set betwen them, that is, betwen the fire and

the water, so that the pathe can not conteyne, but onlie a mans steppe.

9 And if the citie shal be geuen a man for inheritance, if he neuer passe

through the peril set before it, how shal he receiue his inhertance?

10 And I sayd: So Lord. And he sayd to me, So it is: Israel also a

part. 11 For I made the world for them: and when Adam transgressed my

constitution, that was iudged which was done. 12 And the entrance of

this world were made streite, and sorowful, & paynful, and few and euil,

and ful of dangers, & stuffed very much with labour. 13 For the

entrances of the greater world are large andsecure, and making fruite of

immortalitie. 14 If then they that liue entring in enter into these

streite and vayne thinges: they can not receiue the thinges that are

layd vp. 15 Now therfore why art thou trubled, wheras thou art

corruptible? and why art thou moued, wheras thou art mortal? 16 And why

hast thou not taken in thy hart that which is to come, but that which is

present? 17 I answered, and sayd: Lord dominatour: behold thou hast

disposed by thy law that the iust shal inherite these thinges, and the

impious shal perish. (Deut 8) 18 But the iust shal suffer the streites,

hoping for the wyde places, for they that haue done impiously, haue both

suffered the streites, and shal not see the wide places. 19 And he sayd

to me: There is no iudge aboue God, nor that vnderstandeth aboue the

Highest. 20 For manie present doe perish, because the law of God which

was set before, is neglected. 21 For God commanding commanded them that

came, when they came, what doing they should liue, and what obseruing

they should not be punished. 22 But they were not perswaded, and

gaynesayd him, and made to them selues a cogitation of vanitie, 23 and

proposed to them selues deceites of sinnes, & they sayd to the Highest

that he was not, and they knew not his wayes, 24 and dispised his law,

and denyed his couenaunces, and had not fidelitie in his ordinances, and

did not accomplish his workes. 25 For this cause Esdras, the emptie to

the emptie, and the ful to the ful. 26 Behold the time shal come, and it

shal be when the signes shal come, which I haue foretold thee, and the

bride shal appeare, and appearing she shal be shewed that now is hid with

the earth: 27 and euerie one that is deliuered from the foresaid euils,

he shal see my meruelous thinges. 28 For my sonne IESVS shal be reueled

with them that are with him, and they shal be merie that are leaft in the

foure hundred yeares. 29 And it shal be after these yeares, and my sonne

CHRIST shal dye: and al men that haue breath, 30 and the world shal be

turned into the old silence seuen dayes, as in the former iudgementes, so

that none shal be leaft. 31 And it shal be after seuen dayes, and the

world shal be raysed vp that yet waketh not, and shal dye corrupted:

32 and the earth shal render the thinges that sleepe in it, & the dust

them that dwel in it with silence, and the cellars shal render the soules

that are commended to them. 33 And the Highest shal be reueled vpon the

seate of iudgement, and miseries shal passe, and long sufferance shal be

gathered together. 34 And iudgement onlie shal remayne, truth shal

stand, and fayth shal waxe strong, 35 and the worke shal folow, and the

reward shal be shewed, and iustice shal awake, and iniustice shal not

haue dominion. [See note below.] 36 And I sayd: First Abraham prayed

for the Sodomites, and Moyses for the fathers that sinned in the desert.

(Gen 18 / Ex 32) 37 And they that were after him for Isreal in the dayes

of Achaz, and of Samuel, 38 and Dauid for the destruction, and Salomon

for them that came vnto the sanctification. (2 Kings 24:17 / 2 Par 6:13)

39 And Elias for them that receiued raine, and for the dead that he might

liue, (3 Kings 17 & 18) 40 and Ezechias for the people in the dayes of

Sennacherib, and manie for manie. (4 Kings 19:15) 41 If therfore now

when corruptible did increase, and iniustice was multiplied, and the iust

prayed for the impious: why now also shal it not be so? 42 And he

answered me and sayd: This present world is not the end, much glorie

remaineth in it: for this cause they prayed for the impotent. 43 For

the day of iudgement shal be the end of this time, and the beginning of

the immortalitie to come, wherein corruption is past: 44 intemperance is

dissolued, incredulitie is cut of: and iustice hath increased, truth is

strong. 45 For then no man can saue him that hath perished, nor drowne

him that hath ouercome. And I answered, 46 and sayd: This is my word

the first and the last, that it had bene better not to geue the earth to

Adam, or when he had now geuen it, to restraine him that he should not

sinne. 47 For what doth it profit men presently to liue in sorow, and

being dead to hope for punishment? 48 O what hast thou done Adam? For

if thou didst sinne, it was not made thy fal only, but ours also which

came of thee. (Rom 5:12) 49 For what doth it profit vs if immortal time

be promised to vs: but we haue done mortal workes? 50 And that

euerlasting hope is foretold vs: but we most wicked are become vayne?

51 And that habitations of health and securitie are reserued for vs, but

we haue conuerst naughtely? 52 And that the glorie of the Highest is

reserued to protect them that haue slowly conuerst: but we haue walked

in most wicked wayes. 53 And that paradise shal be shewed, whose fruite

continueth incorrupted, wherin is securitie and remedie: 54 but we shal

not enter in: for we haue conuerst in vnlawful places. 55 And their

faces which haue had abstinence, shal shyne aboue the starres: but our

faces blacke aboue darkenes. 56 For we did not thinke liuing when we

did iniquitie, that we shal beginne after death to suffer. 57 And he

answered, and sayd: This is the cogitation of the battel which man shal

fight, who is borne vpon the earth, 58 that if he shal be ouercome, he

suffer that which thou hast sayd: but if he ouercome he shal receiue

that which I say: 59 for this is the life which Moyses spake of when he

liued, to the people, saying: Choose vnto thee life, that thou mayst

liue. (Deut 30:19) 60 But they beleued him not, no nor the Prophetes

after him, no nor me which haue spoken to them. 61 Because there should

not be sorow vnto their perdition, as there shal be ioy vpon them, to

whom saluation is perswaded. 62 And I answered, and sayd: I know Lord,

that the Highest is called merciful in that, that he hath mercie on them

which are not yet come into the world, 63 and that he hath mercie on them

which conuerse in his law: 64 and he is long suffering, because he

sheweth long sufferance to them that haue sinned, as it were with their

owne workes: 65 and he is bountiful, because he wil geue according to

exigentes: 66 and of freat mercie, because he multiplieth more mercies

to them that are present, and that are past, and that are to come.

67 For if he shal not multiplie his mercies, the world shal not be made

aliue with them that did inherite it. 68 And he geueth: for if he shal

not geue of his bountie, that they may be releeued which haue done

iniquitie, the tenth thousand part of men can not be quickned from their

iniquities. 69 And the iudge if he shal not forgeue them that are cured

with his word, and wype away a multitude of contentions: there should

not perhaps be leaft in an innumerable multitiude, but very few.

CHAP. VIII.

God is merciful in this world, yet fewe are saued. 6. Gods workes, and

disposition of his creatures are meruelous. 15. Esdras prayeth for the

people of Israel: 37. and saluation is promised to the iust, and

punishment threatned to the wicked.

AND he answered me, & sayd: This world the Highest made for manie, but

that to come for few. 2 And I wil speake a similitude Esdras before

thee. For as thou shalt aske the earth, and it wil tel thee, that it wil

geue much more earth wherof earthen worke may be made, but a litle dust

wherof gold is made: so also is the act of this present world. 3 Manie

in deede are created, but few shal be saued. (Matt 20:16) 4 And I

answered, and sayd: Then o soul swallow vp the sense, and deuoure that

which is wise. 5 For thou art agred to obey, and willing to prophecie.

For there is no space geuen thee but only to liue. 6 O Lord if thou wilt

not permitte thy seruant, that we pray before thee, and thou geue vs

seede to the hart, and tillage to the vnderstanding, wherof may the

fruite be made, wherby euerie corrupt person may liue, that shal beare

the place of a man? 7 For thou art alone, and we are one workmanshippe

of thy handes, as thou hast spoken: 8 and as now the bodie made in the

matrice, and thou doest geue the members, thy creature is preserued in

fire & water: and nine monethes thy workemanship doth suffer thy

creature that is created in it: 9 and it self that keepeth, and that

which is kept, both shal be preserued: and the matrice being preserued

rendreth agayne at some time the thinges that are growen in it. 10 For

thou hast commanded of the members, that is the brestes to geue milke

vnto the fruite of the brestes, 11 that the thing which is made, may be

nourished til a certayne time, and afterward thou mayst dispose him to

thy mercie. 12 For thou hast, brought him vp in thy iustice, and hast

instructed him in thy law, and hast corrected him in thy vnderstanding:

13 and thou shalt mortifie him, as thy creature: and shalt geue him

life, as thy worke. 14 If then thou wilt destroy him that is made with

so great labours: it is easie by thy commandment to be ordayned, that

also which was made, might be preserued. 15 And now Lord I wil speake,

of euerie man thou rather knowest: but concerning thy people, for which

I am sorowful: 16 and concerning thine inheritance, for which I mourne,

and for Israel for whom I am pensiue, and concerning Iacob, for whom I am

sorowful. 17 Therfore wil I begin to pray before thee for me, & for

them: because I see our defaultes that inhabite the earth. 18 But I

haue heard of the celeritie of the iudge that shal be. 19 Therfore heare

my voyce, and vnderstand my word, and I wil speake before thee. 20 The

beginning of the wordes of Esdras before he was assumpted: and I sayd:

Lord which inhabitest the world, whose eyes are eleuated vnto thinges on

high and in the ayre: 21 and whose throne is inestimable, and glorie

incomprehensible: by whom standeth an host of Angels with trembling,

22 whose keping is turned in wynde and fire, thou whose word is true, and

sayings premanent: 23 whose commandment is strong, and disposition

terrible: whose looke dryeth vp the depthes, and indignation maketh the

mountaynes to melt, and truth doth testifie. 24 Heare the prayer of thy

seruant, & with thine eares receiue the petition of thy creature. 25 For

whiles I liue, I wil speake: and whiles I vnderstand, I wil answere:

26 Neither doe thou respect the sinnes of thy people, but them that serue

thee in truth. 27 Neither doe thou attend the impious endeuours of the

nations, but them that with sorowes haue kept thy testimonies.

28 Neither thinke thou of them that in thy sight haue conuerst falsly,

but remember them that according to thy wil haue knowen thy feare.

29 Neither be thou willing to destroy them that haue had the maners of

beastes: but respect them that haue taught thy law gloriously.

30 Neither haue indignation towards them, which are iudged worse then

beastes: but loue them that alwayes haue confidence in thy iustice, and

glorie. 31 Because we and our fatheres languish with such diseases: but

thou for sinners shalt be called merciful. 32 For if thou shalt be

desirous to haue mercie on vs, then thou shalt be called merciful, to vs

hauing no workes of iustice. 33 For the iust which haue manie workes

layd vp, of their owne workes shal receiue reward. 34 For what is man,

that thou art angrie with him: or the corruptible kinde, that thou art

so bitter touching it? 35 For in truth there is no man of them that be

borne, which hath not done impiously, and of them that confesse, which

haue not sinned. (3 Kings 8:46 / 2 Par 6:36) 36 For in this shal thy

iustice be declared, and thy goodnes, o Lord, when thou shalt haue mercie

on them, that haue no substance of good workes. 37 And he answered me,

and sayd: Thou hast spoken somethinges rightly: and according to thy

wordes, so also shal it be done, 38 because I wil not in dede thinke vpon

the worke of them that haue sinned before death, before the iudgement,

before perdition: 39 but I wil reioyce vpon the creature of the iust,

and I wil remember their pilgrimage also, and saluation, and receiuing of

reward. 40 Therfore as I haue spoken, so also it is. 41 For as the

husbandman soweth vpon the ground manie seedes, and planteth manie

plantes, but not al which were sowen in time, are preserued, nor yet al

that were planted, shal take roote: so they also that are sowen in the

world, shal not al be saued. (Matt 13 & 20) 42 And I answered, and

sayd: If I haue found grace, let me speake. 43 As the seede of the

husbandman, if it come not vp, or receiue not the rayne in time, if it be

corupted with much rayne, perisheth: 44 so likewise also man who made

with thy handes, and thou named his image: because thou art likened to

him, for whom thou hast made al thinges, and hast likened him to the

seede of the husbandman. 45 Be not angrie vpon vs, but spare thy people,

and haue mercie on thy inheritance. And thou hast mercie on thy

creature. 46 And he answered me, and sayd: The thinges that are present

to them that are present, and that shal be, to them that shal be. 47 For

thou lackest much to be able to loue my creature aboue me: and to thee

often times, euen to thyselfe I haue approched, but to the vniust neuer.

48 But in this also thou art meruelous before the Highest, 49 because

thou hast humbled thyself as becometh thee: & hast not iudged thyself,

that among the iust thou maist be very much glorified. 50 For which

cause manie miseries, and miserable thinges shal be done to them that

inhabite the world in the later dayes: because they haue walked in much

pride. 51 But thou for thyselfe vnderstand, & for them that are like

vnto thee seeke glorie. 52 For to you paradise is open, the tree of life

is planted, time to come is prepared, abundance is prepared, a citie is

builded, rest is approued, goodnes is perfited, & perfit wisdome. 53 The

roote of euil is signed from you: infirmitie, and mothe is hid from you:

& corruption is fled into hel in obliuion. 54 Sorowes are past, & the

treasure of immortalitie is shewed in the end. 55 Adde not therfore

inquiring of the multitude of them that perish. 56 For they also

receiuing libertie, haue despised the Highest, and contemned his lawe,

and forsaken his wayes. 57 Yea and moreouer they haue troden downe his

iust ones, 58 and haue sayd in their hart, that there is no God: and

that, knowing that they dye. (Ps 13 & 52) 59 For as the thinges

aforesayd shal receiue you: so thirst and torment, which are prepared

shal take them: for he would not man to be destroyed. 60 But they them

selues also which are created, haue defyled his name which made them: &

haue bene vnkind to him that prepared life. 61 Wherfore my iudgement now

approcheth. 62 Which thinges I haue not shewed to al, but to thee, & to

few like vnto thee. And I answered, and sayd: 63 Behold now Lord thou

hast shewed me a multitude of signes, which thou wilt beginne to doe in

the latter times: but thou hast not shewed me at what time.

CHAP. IX.

Certaine signes shal goe before the day of iudgement. 14. More shal

perish then be saued. 25. Prayer with other good workes, are meanes to

saluation.

AND he answered me, and sayd: Measuring measure thou the time in it

selfe: and it shal be when thou seest, after a certaine part of the

signes which are spoken of before shal passe, 2 then shalt thou

vnderstand, that the same is the time wherin the Highest wil beginne to

visite the world that was made by him. 3 And when there shal be sene in

the world mouing of places, and truble of peoples, 4 then shalt thou

vnderstand, that of these spake the Highest, from the dayes that were

before thee, from the beginning. 5 For as al that is made in the world

hath a beginning, and also a consummation, and the consummation is

manifest: 6 so also the times of the Highest haue the beginning manifest

in wonders and powers, and the consummations in worke and in signes.

7 And it shal be, euery one that shal be saued, and that can escape by

his workes, and by fayth, in which you haue beleeued, 8 shal be leaft out

of the foresayd dangers, and shal see my saluation in my land, and in my

costes, because I haue sancitifed my selfe from the world. 9 And then

shal they be in miserie, that now haue abused my wayes: and they that

haue reiected them in contempt, shal abide in torments. 10 For they that

knew not me, hauing obtained benefits when they liued: 11 and they that

loathed my law, when they yet had libertie, 12 and when as yet place of

penance was open to them vnderstoode not, but despised: they must after

death in torment know it. 13 Thou therfore be not yet curious, how the

impious shal be tormented: but inquire how the iust shal be saued, and

whose the world is, and for whom the world is, and when. 14 And I

answered, and sayd: 15 I haue spoken hertofore, and now I say, and

hereafter wil say: that they are more which perish then that shal be

saued: (Matt 10) 16 as a floud is multiplied aboue, more then a droppe.

17 And he ansvvered me, and sayd: Like as the field so also the sedes:

and as the flovvers, such also the colours: and as the workeman, such

also the worke: and such as the husbandman, such is the husbandrie:

because it was the time of the world. 18 And now when I was preparing

for them, for these that now are before the world was made, wherin they

should dwel: and no man gaynsayd me. 19 For then euery man, and now the

creator in this world prepared, and haruest not fayling, and law

vnsearchable their manners are corrupted. 20 And I considered the world,

and behold there was danger because of the cogitations that came in it.

21 And I saw, and spared it very much: and I kept vnto my selfe a grape

kernel of a cluster, and a plant of a great trybe. 22 Let the multitude

therfore perish, which was borne without cause, and let my kernel be

kept, & my plant: because I finished it with much labour. 23 And thou

if thou adde yet seuen other dayes, but thou shalt not fast in them,

24 thou shalt goe into a field of flowers, where no house is built: &

thou shalt eate only of the flowers of the field, and flesh thou shalt

not tast, and wine thou shalt not drinke, but only flowers. 25 Pray to

the Highest without intermission, and I wil come, and wil speake with

thee. 26 And I went forth, as he sayd to me, into a field which is

called Ardath, and I sate there among the flowers. And I did eate of the

herbes of the field, and the meate of them made me ful. 27 And it came

to passe after seuen dayes, and I sate downe vpon the grasse, and my hart

was trubled ayayne as before. 28 And my mouth was opened, and I beganne

to speake before the Highest, and sayd: 29 O Lord thou shewing thy selfe

to vs, wast shewed to our fathers in the desert, which is not troden, and

vnfruitful, when they came out of AEgypt: and saying thou saydst:

(Ex 19 & 24 / Deut 4) 30 Thou Israel heare me, and sede of Iacob attend

to my wordes. 31 For behold, I sow my lawe in you, and it shal bring

forth fruite in you, and you shal be glorified in it for euer. 32 For

our fathers receiuing the law obserued it not, and kept not my

ordinances, and the fruite of the law did not appeare: for it could not,

because it was thine. 33 For they that receiued it, perished, not

keeping that which had bene sowen in them. (Ex 32) 34 And behold it is

the custome, that when the earth hath receiued sede, or the sea a shippe,

or some vessel meate or drinke: when that shal be destroyed wherin it

was sowne, or into the which it was cast: 35 that which was sowne, or

cast in, or the thinges that were receiued, are destroyed withal, and the

thinges receiued now tarye not with vs: but it is not so done to vs.

36 We in dede that receiued the law, sinning haue perished, and our hart

that receiued it: 37 For the law hath not perished, but hath remayned in

his labour. (Ezech 48) 38 And when I spake these thinges in my hart, I

looked backe with myne eyes, and saw a woman on the right side, and

behold she mourned, and wept with a lowd voice, and was sorrowful in

mynde exceedingly, and her garments rent, and ashes vpon her heade.

39 And I left the cogitations, wherin I was thinking, and I turned to her

and sayd to her: 40 Why weepest thou? and why art thou sorie in mynde.

And she sayd to me: 41 Suffer me my Lord, that I may lament myselfe, &

adde sorrow: because I am of a very pensiue mynde, and am humbled

exceedingly. 42 And I sayd to her, What ayleth thee: tel me. And she

sayd to me: 43 I thy seruant haue beene barren, and haue not borne

childe, hauing a husband thirty yeares. 44 For I euery howre, and euerie

day, and these thirty yeares do beseche the Highest night and day.

45 And it came to passe, after thirtie yeares God heard me thy handmayd,

and saw my humilitie, and attended to my tribulation, and gaue me a

sonne: and I was very ioyful vpon him, and my husband, and al my

citizens, and we did glorifie the Strong exceedingly. 46 And I nourished

him with much labour. 47 And it came to passe when he was growen, and

came to take a wife, I made a feast day.

CHAP. X.

The state of Ierusalem is prefigured by a woman mourning, 25. and