Study Desk

Feare ye not me, saieth the LORDE? Are ye not ashamed, to loke me in the face? which bynde the see with the sonde, so that it can not passe his boundes: For though it rage, yet can it do nothinge: and though the wawes therof do swell, yet maye they not go ouer.

And like as a net is full of byrdes, so are their houses full of that, which they haue gotten with falsede and disceate. Herof cometh their greate substaunce and riches,

Like as a codyte aboundeth in water, eue so this citie aboudeth in wickednes. Robbery and vnrightuousnesse is herde in her, sorow & woundes are euer there in my sight.

But vnto whom shal I speake? whom shal I warne, that he maye take hede? Their eares are so vncircumcised, that they maye not heare. Beholde, they take the worde of God but for a scorne, and haue no lust therto.

And therfore I am so full of thy indignacion (o LORDE) that I maye suffre no longer. Shed out thy wrath vpon the children that are without, and vpon all yonge men. Yee the man must be taken presoner with the wife, and the aged with the crepel.

And therfore euen as I haue done vnto Silo, so wil I do to this house, that my name is geuen vnto, (and that ye put youre trust in) yee vnto the place that I haue geuen to you and youre fathers.

And therfore thus saieth the LORDE God: beholde, my wrath and my indignacion shalbe poured out vpon this place, vpon men and catell, vpo the trees in the felde and all frute of the londe, & it shal burne so, that no man maye quench it.

but this I commaunded them, sayenge: herken and obeye my voyce, and I shalbe youre God and ye shal be my people: so that ye walke in all the wayes, which I haue comaunded you, that ye maye prospere.

But they were not obedient, they inclyned not their eares there vnto, but went after their owne ymagynacions and after the mocions of their owne wicked herte, and so turned them selues awaye, and conuerted not vnto me.

And all they that remayne of this wicked generacion, shal desyre rather to dye the to lyue: where so euer they remayne, & where as I scatre them, saieth the LORDE of hoostes.

This shalt thou saye vnto them also: Thus saieth the LORDE: Do men fall so, that they arise not vp agayne: And turne they so farre awaye, yt they neuer conuerte?

Wherfore then is this people and Ierusalem gone so farre backe, that they turne not againe? They are euer the longer the more obstinate, and will not be conuerted.

For I haue loked, and considered: but there is no ma, that speaketh a good worde: there is no man, that taketh repetaunce for his synne, that will so moch as saye: wherfore haue I done this? But euery man (as soone as he is turned backe) runneth forth still, like a wilde horse in a battayl.

Morouer I will gather them in (saieth the LORDE) so that there shal not be one grape vpon the vyne, nether one fyge vpon the fyge tre, and the leaues shalbe plucte of. Then will I cause them to departe, and saye:

Vpon the mountaynes will I take vp a lamentacion and soroufull crie, and a mournynge vpon the fayre playnes of the wildernes: Namely, how they are so brente vp, that no man goeth there enymore: Yee a man shal not heare one beast crie there. Byrdes and catell are all gone from thece.

I will make Ierusalem also an heape of stones, and a denne of venymous wormes. And I wil make the cities of Iuda so waist, that no man shal dwell therin.

What man is so wise, as to vnderstonde this? Or to whom hath the LORDE spoken by mouth, that he maye shewe this, and saye: O thou londe, why perishest thou so? Wherfore art thou so brent vp, and like a wildernesse, that no ma goeth thorow?

For there is a lamentable noyse herde of Sion: O how are we so sore destroyed? O how are we so piteously confounded? We must forsake oure owne naturall countre, and we are shot out of oure owne lodgiges.

But who so wil reioyse, let him reioyse in this, that he vnderstodeth, and knoweth me: for I am the LORDE, which do mercie, equite and rightuousnes vpon earth. Therfore haue I pleasure in soch thinges, saieth ye LORDE.

namely, wod, syluer, which is brought out of Tharsis, and beate to plates: and golde from Ophir, a worke yt is made with the honde of the craftesman & the caster, clothed with yalow sylck and scarlet: euen so is the worke of their wyse men all together.