Bishops(i)
1 Let vs commende the noble famous men, & the generation of our fore elders and fathers.
2 Many more glorious actes haue the Lorde done in them, and shewed his great power euer sence the beginning.
3 The noble famous men raigned in their kingdomes, and bare excellent rule, in their wysdome and vnderstanding, they folowed the counsel shewed in the prophecies.
4 They led the folke thorow the counsell and wysdome of the scribes of the people, wyse sentences are founde in their instruction:
5 They sought the sweetnesse and melodie of musicke, and brought foorth the pleasaunt songues in scripture:
6 They were riche also, and coulde comfort and pacifie those that dwelt with them.
7 All these were very noble and honorable men in their generations, & were well reported of in their times.
8 These haue left a name behynde them, so that their prayse shall alway be spoken of.
9 Afterward, there were some whose remembraunce is gone, they came to naught & perished as though they had neuer ben, and became as though they had neuer ben borne, yea and their children also with them.
10 Neuerthelesse these are louyng men, whose righteousnesse shall neuer be forgotten, but continue by their posteritie.
11 Their children are an holy good heritage: their seede endured fast in the couenaunt.
12 For their sakes shall their children and seede continue for euer, and their prayse shal neuer be put downe.
13 Their bodies are buried in peace, but their name lyueth for euermore.
14 The people can speake of their wysdome, and the congregation can talke of their prayse.
15 Enoch walked right and acceptably before the Lorde, therfore was he translated for an example of amendement to the generations.
16 Noe was a stedfast and righteous man, and in the time of wrath he became a reconciling: therfore was he left a remnaunt vnto the earth when the fludde came.
17 An euerlasting couenaunt was made with him, that all fleshe should perishe no more with the water.
18 Abraham was a great father of many people, in glorie was there none like vnto hym.
19 He kept the law of the hyghest, & came into a couenaunt with him.
20 He set the couenaunt in his fleshe, and when he was proued, he was founde faythfull.
21 Therfore swore God vnto him with an oth, that he woulde blesse all people in his seede, that he woulde multiplie and increase him as the dust of the earth, and to exalt his seede as the starres: yea and that his seede shoulde haue the possession, an inheritaunce of the lande, from sea to sea, and from the riuer vnto the borders of the worlde.
22 With Isaac dyd he stablishe the same couenaunt for Abraham his fathers sake: Yea that gratious blessing & health of all men, and couenaunt dyd he stablishe with Isaac, and made it rest vpon the head of Iacob.
23 He knewe him, in that he prospered him so wel and richely, and gaue him an heritage, and sundered his portion by it selfe, and parted among the twelue tribes.
24 Mercifull men brought he out of hym, whiche founde fauour in the sight of all fleshe.