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| [1]Agayne, another man purposing to sayle, and beginning to take his iourney thorowe the raging sea, calleth for helpe vnto a stocke that is farre weaker then the vessell that beareth hym. |
[1]Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carrieth him. |
| [2]For as for it, couetousnesse of money hath founde it out, and the craftes man made it with his cunning. |
[2]For verily desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill. |
| [3]But thy prouidence O father gouerneth it: For thou hast made a way euen in the sea, and a sure path in the middest of the waues, |
[3]But thy providence, O Father, governeth it: for thou hast made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves; |
| [4]Declaring therby that thou hast power to helpe in all thinges, yea though a man went to the sea without ship. |
[4]Shewing that thou canst save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art. |
| [5]Neuerthelesse thou wouldest not that the workes of thy wysdome shoulde be in vayne: and therefore do men commit their liues to a small peece of wood, passing ouer the stormie sea in a ship, and are saued. |
[5]Nevertheless thou wouldest not that the works of thy wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved. |
| [6]For in the olde tyme also when the proude giauntes perished, he in whom the hope was left to increase the world, went into the ship whiche was gouerned thorowe thy hand, and so left seede behynde hym vnto the worlde. |
[6]For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by thy hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation. |
| [7]For happy is the tree, wherthrough righteousnesse commeth: |
[7]For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh. |
| [8]But cursed is [the idoll] that is made with handes, yea both it and he that made it: He, because he made it: and it, because it was called God, whereas it is but a frayle thing. |
[8]But that which is made with hands is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible, it was called god. |
| [9]For the vngodly and his vngodlynesse, are both like abhominable vnto God. |
[9]For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God. |
| [10][Euen so] the worke and he that made it also, shalbe punished together. |
[10]For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it. |
| [11]Therefore shall there a plague come vpon the idols of the heathen: for out of the creature of God they are become an abhomination, a temptation vnto the soules of men, and a snare for the feete of the vnwyse. |
[11]Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a visitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and stumblingblocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise. |
| [12]For why, the seeking out of idols, is the beginning of whordome, and the bringing vp of them, is the destruction of lyfe. |
[12]For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life. |
| [13]For they were not from the beginning, neither shall they continue for euer. |
[13]For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever. |
| [14]The vayne glory of men hath founde them out vpon earth, therfore shal they come shortly to an ende. |
[14]For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end. |
| [15]For when a father mourned heauyly for his sonne sodainely taken away from hym, he made hym an image: and hym whiche then was but a dead man, he now began to worship as a god, and ordayned for his seruauntes ceremonies and sacrifices. |
[15]For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honoured him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices. |
| [16]Thus by processe of time this vngracious custome being waxen strong was kept as a lawe, and images were worshipped by commaundement of tirauntes. |
[16]Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the commandments of kings. |
| [17]As for those that were so farre of that men might not worship them present, their visage beyng drawne out from farre of, was made as the cleare image of an honourable king, that they might with affection flatter aswell the absent as the present. |
[17]Whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to the end that by this their forwardness they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present. |
| [18]Agayne, the singuler ambition of the craftes man gaue the ignoraunt also a great occasion to increase the superstition. |
[18]Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition. |
| [19]For he willing to please one peraduenture that bare rule, laboured with all his cunning to make the image of the best fashion. |
[19]For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion. |
| [20]And so thorowe the beautie of the worke, the common people being therto allured, toke hym nowe for a god, whiche a litle before was but honoured as a man. |
[20]And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a god, which a little before was but honoured. |
| [21]And this was to the deceauing of mans life, when men either with calamitie or tirannie oppressed, ascribed vnto stones and stockes that name [of God] whiche ought not to be geuen vnto any thing [els.] |
[21]And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name. |
| [22]Moreouer, this was not inough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God: but where as they liued in the great warre of ignoraunce, those so [many and] great plagues called they peace. |
[22]Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace. |
| [23]For either they slue their owne chyldren and offred them in sacrifice, or vsed secrete ceremonies, or folowed madde drunken dissolutenesse of rites in sacrifice: |
[23]For whilst they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites; |
| [24]So that they kept neither life nor mariage cleane: but either one slue another traytorously, or greeued hym by adulterie. |
[24]They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traiterously, or grieved him by adultery. |
| [25]So that there raigned in al men without exception, blood, manslaughter, theft, dissimulation, corruption, vnfaythfulnesse, sedition, periurie, |
[25]So that there reigned in all men without exception blood, manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury, |
| [26]Disquieting of good men, vnthankefulnesse, defiling of soules, chaunging of byrth, disordering of mariages, adulterie, and vncleanenesse. |
[26]Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness. |
| [27]For why, the honouring of abhominable images, is the beginning, the cause and ende of all euill. |
[27]For the worshipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil. |
| [28]For [they that worship idols] eyther they are madde when they be merie, or prophesie lies, or liue vngodly, or els lightly forsweare them selues. |
[28]For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves. |
| [29]For insomuche as their trust is in the idols whiche haue no soule, though they sweare falsely, yet they thinke it shall not hurt them. |
[29]For insomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt. |
| [30]Therefore commeth a great plague vpon them, and that worthyly for both causes: for they haue an euyll opinion of God that geue heede vnto idols, and they sweare vniustly in deceipt, despising holynes. |
[30]Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness. |
| [31]For it is not the power of them by whom they sweare: but it is the iust vengeaunce of sinners that punisheth alwayes the offence of the vngodly doers. |
[31]For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punisheth always the offence of the ungodly. |