of iron and clay and brake them to peeces then was the iron the clay the brasse the siluer and the gold broken all together that no place was found for them and the stone that smote them became a great mountaine and filled the whole earth Dan. 2. Daniel sawe some great beasts come vp from the sea the first a Lyon the second a Beare the third a Leopard the fourth vnlike the former with teeth of iron and tenne hornes Dan. 7. These great beasts which are foure are foure Kings which shall take the kingdome of the Saints of the most high In the thirteenth of the Reuelation Iohn sawe a beast rise out of the sea hauing seauen heads and tenne hornes mouthed like a Lyon bodied like a Leopard footed like a Beare and the Dragon gaue him his power And Daniel beheld till the thrones were set vp and the Ancient of daies did sit whose garment was white as snowe and the haire of his head like the pure wooll his throne was like the fiery flame and his wheeles as burning fire a fiery streame issued and came forth from before him thousand thousands ministred vnto him and tenne thousand thousands stood before him the iudgement was set and the bookes opened the beasts were slaine and their bodies cast into the burning fire and behold one like the Son of man came in the clowdes of heauen and came to the Ancient of daies and he gaue him dominion and honour and a kingdome that all people nations and languages should serue him his kingdome shall neuer be destroyed so as Reuel 20. Iohn sawe a great white throne and one that sate on it from whose face flied both the earth and the heauen and he sawe the dead both great and small stand before God and the bookes were opened and another booke was opened which was the booke of life and the dead were iudged of those thinges which were written in the bookes according to their workes and whosoeuer was not found written in the booke of life was cast into the lake of fire Dan. 3. Nebucadnetzar erecteth an Image and commaundeth to worshippe it Sidrach Mishach and Abednego refused This sheweth that wicked lawes cannot compell godly men to doe that which God forbiddeth for the faithfull are alwaies assured that God wil defend them this is the meaning of this place and will not feare him that can throwe the body into the fire but stand in awe of him that can throwe both body and soule into eternall fire so in Apoc. 1◠As many as would not worship the image of the beast were killed 3409. Ioachin three moneths HE was eight yeares old when he beganne to raigne and hee ruled three monthes and ten dayes in Ierusalem and did euill in the sigh of the Lord. And when the yeare was out King Nebucadnetzar sent and brought him to Babel with the pretious vessels of the house of the Lord. He beganne his raigne at eight yeares and raigned ten yeares when his father was aliue and after his fathers death which was the eighteenth yeare of his age he raigned alone three monthes and ten dayes So he was brought prisoner to Babel and Zedechias his brother but in truth his Vncle was made King in his steede so he continued in prison all the daies of Nebucadnetzar that is seauen and thirtie yeares after Nebucadnetzar had carried him captiue vnto the first yeare of euill Merodach King of Babel who succeeded Nebuchadnetzar This was foretold him by the Prophet Ieremie cap. 22. Thou that dwellest in Lebanon and makest thy nest in the Cedars how beautifull shalt thou be when sorrowes come vppon thee as the sorowes of a womā in trauaile as I liue saith the Lord though Coniah that is Ioachin or Ieconias the sonne of Iehoiachim King of Iuda were as the signet of my right hand yet would I plucke thee thence and I will giue thee into the hand of them that seeke thy life and into the land of them whose face thou fearest euen into the hand of Nebucadnetzar King of Babel and into the hand of the Chaldeans and I will cause them to carry thee away thy mother that bare thee into another countrie where ye were not borne and there shall yee die but to the land whereunto they desire to returne they shall not returne thither But after the death of Nebucadnetzar euill Merodach his sonne did lift vp the head of Ioachin or Ieconias King of Iudah out of the prison and spake kindely to him and set his throne aboue the throne of the Kings that were with him in Babel changed his prison garments and he did continually eate meate before him all the daies of his life and his portion was a continuall portion giuen him by the King euery day a certaine all the daies of his life 3410. Zedechias Eleauen yeares HIs name was first Mattamah but Nebucadnetzar changed his name to Zedechiah Hee was one and twentie yeares olde when he beganne to raigne And he did euill in the sight of the Lord according to all that Iehoiakim had done Therefore the wrath of the Lord was against Ierusalem and Iudah vntill he cast them out of his sight And Zedechias rebelled against the King of Babell and in the ninth yeare of Zedechias raigne the tenth month and which day of the month Nebucadnetzar King of Babel came he and all his host against Ierusalem and pitched against it and they built forts against it round about So the citie was besieged vnto the eleauenth yeare of King Zedechias and the ninth month the famine was so great in the citie that there was no bread for the people of the land So that the fourth of Ieremies Lamentations was trulie performed that mothers did eate their owne children So the citie was broken vp and the King Zedechias fledde but the armie of the Caldees pursued after him and tooke him in the deserts of Iericho and all his host was scattered from him Then they tooke the King and carried him vp to the King of Babel to Riblah where they gaue iudgment vpon him and they slue the sonnes of Zadechias before his eyes and put out the eyes of Zedechias and bound him in chaines and carried him to Babel Heere is performed the wordes of Ieremie the Prophet chap. 24. I will giue Zedechias the King of Iudah and his Princes and the rest of Ierusalem for a terrible plague to all the kingdomes of the earth and for a reproch and for a prouerb for a common talke for a curse in all places where I shall cast them and I will send the sword the famine and the pestilence among them till they be consumed out of the land that I gaue to them and their Fathers And Ier. 5. For the house of Israel and the house of Iudah haue grieuouslie transgressed against me saith the Lord they haue denied the Lord and said It is not he neither shall the plague come vpon vs neither shall wee see sword nor famine
Iustice to seale the vision and Prophet and to annoint the most Holy By which we are constrained highly to esteeme of the knowledge of the times for they are of as great force to the vnderstading of the Bible as the starres are in the heauens for giuing of light No part of the Bible but consisteth of time place or person If of time as one third part then the knowledge thereof is to be embraced and in no respect to be despised as lightly regarding the vse thereof lest striuing for darknesse we become the children of darkenesse and so loose the light of eternall life as the Iewes and Romanes did whose recompence hath followed The one depriued of their earthly glory the other aduanced to glory to be a staine of eternall damnation The Treatise of Time IOHN 1. In the beginning was the word c. THese words In the beginning are the first wordes of the old Testament whose first word in Hebrew is Bera which consisteth according to the Hebrews of three letters which closely containe in them Father Sonne Holy Ghost as ב for Ben which signifieth Son × for Abba which is Father ר for Rouach Hachodesh which is the Holy spirit Thus the Trinitie is closely contained in the first word but in the first verse is expressed in open words In the beginning God made heauen and earth and the spirit of God moued vpon the waters and God said let their be light This is expounded in Iohn 1. in these words In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and that word was God shewing that Word in this place is taken for the Sonne of God by whom he made the world as Iohn 1. By him were all things created And Ephes 3. God made all things by his Sonne who ruleth all things by his mighty power Wherefore Christ in the dayes of his flesh chose the trade of a Carpenter Iohn 6. and in Esay 43. It is said This Record you must beare me your selues saith the Lord that I am God and euen he I am from the beginning I doe the worke and who shall let it Thus saith the Lord the holy one our Redeemer Wherein is distinctly expressed Father Sonne and Holy Ghost IOHN 1. ⧠He was the Light and that Light was the Life of man LIfe and Light is not here carnally meant but spiritually to which two things Aarons Iewell of Vrim and Thummim had a full relation Vrim signifieth light of the mind Thummim perfection of vertue which bringeth life to the soule Christ is the true light that lighteth euery man And hee that abideth in this light hath euerlasting life God is light and in him there is no darknes at all If we walke in light euen as he is light then haue we fellowship with him and the blood of Iesus Christ shall giue vs life and cleanse vs from our sinne We the Gentiles were darknes but now are light in the Lord. Ephes 5.8 The great Schollers of the Iewes spake euen in the same words Philo the Iew commenteth vpon these wordes saying God is the Soueraigne begetter and next to him is the Word of God Also there are two firsts the one is Gods word and the other is God which is afore the Word and the same word is the beginning and the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his good pleasure intent or will And in another place Like as a Citie saith he whereof the platforme is but yet set downe in the mind of the builder hath no being else where but in the builder so this world had no being else where then in the Word of God which ordained all things And this is not the meaning of me only but also of Moses himselfe And in another place This word saith he is Gods yonger sonne but as for the elder sonne he cannot bee comprehended but in vnderstanding for he it is who by prerogatiue of eldership abideth with the Father And againe The Word is the Place the Temple and the dwelling house of God because the Word is the only thing that can containe him and to shew the greatnes of this word he could skarce tell what names to giue it Hee calleth it the booke wherin all essences of all things that are in the whole world are written and printed The Perfect patterne of the word Day sunne that is to be seene but onely of the mind Prince of Angels First borne of God Shepheard of his flocke Chiefe high Priest of the world Manna of mens soules Wisedome of God Perfecting of the Highest Instrument whereby God created the world Altogether Light God and the Beer that is of himselfe And he saith further that this Word is the expresse print or stampe of God and euerlasting as God himselfe is R. Azariel calleth him Spirit Word and Voice saying The Spirit bringeth foorth the Word and the Voice but not by speech of the tongue or by breathing after the maner of men and these three be one Spirit to wit one God one Spirit rightly liuing blessed be he and his name who liueth for euer and euer Spirit Word and Voice that is to say one Holy Ghost and two spirits of that Spirit R. Ioseph saith thus The Light of the soule of the Messias is the liuing God and the liuing God is the fountaine of the liuing Waters and the Soule of the Messias is the riuer or streame of life and none but the Messias knoweth God fully he is the light of God the light of the Gentiles and therefore hee knoweth God and God is knowen by him I thy God saith God am light and mind and of more antiquitie than nature of moisture that is issued from the shadow And this lightsome speach which proceedeth from the mind is the Sonne of God that which seeth and heareth thee is the word of the Lord and the mind is God the Father These differ not one from another as for their vnion it is the vnion of life And this speech being the workman of God the Lord of the whole world hath chiefe power next him is vncreated infinite Proceeding from him the commaunder of all things which he made the perfect and naturall first borne sonne of the most perfect Numenius a Pithagorist saith The first God is free from all worke but the second is the maker which commaundeth heauen and God the worker or maker saith he is the beginner of begetting and God the good is the beginner of Being and the second is the liuely expresser of the first as begetting is an image of Being And in another place he saith that this worker being the Same is knowen to all men by reason of the creating the world but as for the first Spirit which is the Father he is vnknowen vnto them Iamblichus saith plainely that God made the world by his diuine word and the first God being afore the Be-er is the Father of a first God whom hee begetteth and yet neuerthelesse
and fetch a Kid that thereof she might make pleasant meat for Isaack Iacob is affraid she comforteth him for she had her warrant from God that the elder should serue the yonger and therefore shee boldly aduentureth He commeth to Isaack who supposeth him to bee Iacob by his voyce but feeling the roughnesse of his handes and necke is perswaded that it is Esau and blesseth him When hee was blessed in commeth Esau with his venison and prayeth his Father to blesse him Isaack was now astonied to thinke of this subtiltie His spirite must needs be full of feare to thinke how hee whom he would haue blessed the Lord would not choose Isaack therefore seeing the euent acknowledgeth the election of God in Iacob and concludeth that he shall be blessed Now here is a question to be handled When Iacob saith I am thy Sonne Esau And Isaac answereth It is Iacobs voice Whether Iacob doth lye or no. This answere of Iacobs if we expound in the best sence is no lye for then it is no more but a kind of scoffing called Ironia So God speaketh in Gen. 3. Behold the man is become as one of vs to know good and euill So Christ in the Gospell commeth to his Disciples and finding them a sleepe saith Sleepe henceforth Wee may answere it further thus Iacob in respect of the purpose of God which chose him for the blessed might verie well bee called the onely Sonne Besides in regard of ciuill right now hee was his eldest Sonne seeing hee had bought the birth-right of Esau Whether it were a lye or no we will leaue it to God and wee cannot altogether condemne this answere seeing God approoueth it by giuing Iacob the blessing Plato saith When men are dead wee cannot aske them what they meant Therefore we must expound their speeches and their actions to the best meaning And further words are not alwayes to be taken in proper kinde of speaking For Abram defendeth himselfe that Sara was his Sister to wit the Daughter of his Father but not the daughter of his mother Ioseph sweareth by the life of Pharaoh if you take the words as they lye in proper sence he sinned greatly and was euen for his oath the worst of all Iacobs Sonnes But Salmo Iirki expoundeth him thus by the life of Pharaoh you are Spies that is Pharaohs life is a wormes life which in account is no life euen so are ye no Spies in truth though you may seem so to be So likewise Hushai answereth Absalom for when Absalom saw Hushai Dauids Counsellor he asketh him Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend Why wentest thou not with thy friend meaning Dauid Hushai answereth Nay but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel chose his will I be and with him will I dwell This sentence hath a double meaning either that he meant to serue Absalom or King Dauid Therefore when thinges are spoken doubtfully we must marke how men may in wit expound them 2183. Abraham died Gen. 25. Being One hundred Seuentie and fiue yeares old He was buried in Hebron 2188. Heber died Gen. 11. Being Foure hundred Seuentie and fiue yeares old He was the longest liuer of any that was borne after the flood 2231. Ismael died being 137. yeares old THe prophet Esay Cap. 66. prophecying of the calling of the Gentiles nameth the two eldest Sonnes of Ismael Nebaioth and Kedar saying The Rammes of Nebaioth shall serue thee and the sheepe of Kedar shall be gathered vnto thee Againe hee nameth two of Abraham by Ketura Sheba and Seba which two names doe also containe the Gentiles by Cham and the Gentiles of Sem by Iocktan So that vnder the names of the most worthy Gentiles which are the Gentiles by Abraham he sheweth the calling of all the Gentiles in the world Wherby we are taught that Ismaels posteritie was not wholy rooted out of the fauour of God as Ameleck was 2245. Iacob goeth to Laban Gen. 28. HE goeth into the Countrey of Mesopotamia to Laban There he serueth Twentie yeares This Laban was the Sonne of Bethuell and brother to Rebecca and of the house of Nachor the Brother of Abraham and Haran who remained in the Land of the Chaldees after Abrahams departure So that Laban though of Mesopotamia yet is neere kinsman to Iacob Iacob in this Iourney goeth ouer Iordan with his staffe and skrip as closely and secretly as hee could that thereby Esau might not know of his departure for Esau was mightie and as it appeareth afterwards had a band of Foure hundred men Alexander Polyhistor writeth of this flying of Iacob for feare of his brother Esau of his abode in Mesopotamia his seuen yeares seruice his marrying with two Sisters the number of his children the rauishing of Dina the slaughter of Sichem the selling of Ioseph and of his imprisonment his deliuerance for expounding of dreames his authoritie in Egipt his marrying with Putifars daughter his two Sons by name that were borne of her the comming of his Brethren into Egypt the Feast that he made them the Fiue parts that he gaue to Beniamin whereof this Author intendeth to yeeld a reason the comming of Iacob and his whole houshold into Egypt of what age euerie of them was and how many children euerie one of them had and so he bringeth vs downe from Noah to the flood from the flood to Abraham from Abraham to Leui and from Leui to Moses notwithstanding euer among faults in recording the times with some other additions of small importance Which plainely shew that he had not those Histories immediately out of the Bible but out of some other bookes which he had seene elsewhere Iacob going to Haran stayeth by the way all night because the Sunne was downe and layd of the Stones of the place vnder his head and slept There hee seeth the Vision of the Ladder and when hee awaketh hee saith Surely the Lord was in this place and I was not ware of it Then he rose and tooke vp the stones and made a pillar and called it Bethel for he said This is no other but the house of Iehouah and the gate of heauen He seeth a Ladder c. THis Ladder representeth Christ the foot on the earth his humanitie and the top reaching to heauen his deity The Angels of God ascending and descending the meditations betwixt God and vs And the Lord standing aboue vppon it the readinesse of the Father to receiue our prayers This is expounded Ioh. 1.51 Ye shall see the heauens open and the Angels of God ascending and descending vppon the Sonne of man In this Vision of the Ladder we see the whole meditation of Christ is shewed to Iacob And if we duly consider it there could not bee a fitter similitude in the whole course of nature to represent the meditation than the Ladder For euen as in the Ladder if two or three steps be broken the Ladder is to no vse seeing wee can neither ascend nor goe downe by
adopted therefore to keepe the number of Twelue hee must leaue out some Simeon was the fittest seeing hee was without repentance Leui must be reckoned seeing his was a spirituall inheritance and the Lord promised to be his inheritance therefore Dan must be omitted And this may be the reason when the Children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan the Tribe of Dan causeth the first Idolatrie and therfore that Tribe was iustly plagued And in this Tribe Idolatrie continued vntill the remoouing of the Arke from Siloh But yet this wee must vnderstand that though Dan is not named yet in respect his tribe are Iacobs Sonnes the Tribe is comprehended in the generall blessing And Moses concludeth that seeing the eternall God is the refuge Israel the Fountaine of water shall dwell in safetie Isachar Was content to liue vnder tribute like to an Asse couching downe betweene two burthens rather than to seeke glorie by leading bands of men Reuben He looseth his prerogatiue because he went vp to his Fathers bed therefore hee is light as water hee shall not excell Reuben hath one of Dauids Captaines of his Tribe but it is presently added therewith Nine and Twentie better than he Reuben sheweth some compassion to Ioseph and would not haue him killed but cast him into some pit Iudah thought that might be too long ere he would be dispatched and therefore selleth him Simeon and Leui. Their wrath was fierce yet because Leui afterwardes repented and shewed tender affection to Ioseph and was zealous in destroying Idolatrers therefore he had a blessing in Moses will Simeon neuer shewed any tender affection to Ioseph and therefore when his brethren come into Egypt and Ioseph accuseth them for Spies he keepeth Simeon in prison till they come downe againe as a kinde of punishment for his former malice His sinne against the Sichemites was exceeding great and seeing he neuer shewed any signe of repentance hee was iustly cut off from the hope of a blessing By this wee may learne to reiect the authoritie of the booke of Iudith First because she sayd to be of the Tribe of Simeon If wee marke this well wee shall see how this booke cannot be scripture For wee must note that it is no small glorie to haue the spirite of God penne a booke of ones actions If there be but a sentence spoken in the commendation of any in the scripture it is a great weight of glorie Now if wee looke to Iacobs will and see that he hath a curse and not a blessing and in the course of Scripture afterward no mention of any repentance that Simeon and his Tribe shewed nor any zeale of religion expressed how can this stand with Iacobs prophecie nay it cleane crosseth it and maketh it frustrate For seeing Iacob as a Prophet telleth all his Sonnes what should befall them in the last dayes to euerie one and his tribe so long as the Kingdome of the Iewes and their policie stood and in his will maketh no mention of the booke of Iudith We must by admitting this booke accuse the spirite of God of ignorance Besides it is a Storie and yet the time thereof doth not fall out within the compasse of any time neither before the captiuitie neither after and therefore to be despised And for my opinion I make as much account of Ouids Metamorphosis as of Iudith for Plato sayth that in fables there is a truth reuealed secretly Thus we are to thinke likewise of the booke of Tobie Leui he repented when Amram of the tribe of Leui saued Moses Zabulon Was a Marchant and delighted in Shippes In Greeke Canaan is called Phenicia and the men of Canaan Phenices Aristotle a Thousand yeares after Moses makes mention of a Riuer Tartesus he meant the Sea Tharsis and the Phenices brought gold had such plenty that their anchors were thereof No doubt he had heard of Salomons time wherin gold and siluer was no more esteemed than stone This trauelling of Iacobs Sonnes into farre Countreys must needs make the heathen haue a tast of Religion And Moses he willed the heathen to resort to the Mountain where the Temple was built Aser Was a Farmer to prouide pleasures for a King You haue in the old Testament little spoken of him but because his tribe should not thinke themselues excluded the fauour of God you haue in the newe Testament Anna that is Grace a verie rare woman for godlynesse the daughter of Phanuel that is See God of the happie Tribe of Aser for Aser signifieth Happie Gad He shall lead an Host of men This was performed when Reuben Gad and halfe Manasses gaue a great ouerthrowe to the Hagarims about the time that Saul was annointed King Thus wee may see that whatsouer is requisite in policie for the maintenance of a common weale you shall finde expressed in the liues and behauiours of the Sonnes of Israel 2369. Ioseph died Gen. 50. being One hundred and ten yeares old By Faith Ioseph when hee died hee made mention of the departing of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and gaue commaundement of his bones Heb. 11. Now because many excellent things are to bee said of Ioseph before his death when hee was in Egypt and in the Sinay sight no yeares layd downe I will here handle them together God prospered him in Egypt in all his actions And euen as God blessed Laban for Iacobs sake so hee blessed Iosephs Master for Iosephs sake Ioseph was a goodly person and a well fauored which commendation in the same words is bestowed vpon Dauid 1. King 16. the same of Daniel and the same of Christ Ioseph would not bee defiled with the fornication of Egypt Daniel would not bee defiled with the vncleane diet of Babell Ioseph expoundeth Pharaohs dreame Daniel expoundeth Nebuchadnetzars dreame Ioseph was made Ruler ouer Egypt Daniel was made Ruler ouer Babell Ioseph being in prison found fauour with the Master of the prison Daniel found fauour with the Kings Chamberlaine Iosephs name was changed by Pharaoh Daniels name was changed by Nebuchadnetzer Ioseph was falsely accused Christ was falsely accused Ioseph was Thirtie yeares old when hee stood before Pharaoh Iesus is baptised beginning to be Thirtie yeares old Ioseph was in prison betweene two theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned Christ was crucified betweene Two theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned Yet notwithstanding all these blessings of God vpon Ioseph to shew that euen the best haue their infirmities his vertues were darkened verie much in that hee marrieth an Egyptian woman Gen. 41. which was altogether vnlawfull For Esau before doing the like is blamed and Rebecca hauing an especiall care ouer Iacob least he should commit the like wickednesse sendeth him to Laban to choose a wife of his owne kindred Abraham had the like care for Isaack and Moses afterwars forbids it by a law thereby confirming the vnlawfulnesse thereof Seuen hundred yeres after is this sinne punished in Israel
and Fortie when hee fell to Idolatrie They reckon it thus He is twentie yeares old when he is King Foure yeres after he builds the Temple hee is Seuen yeares in building thirteene yeares after he builds his owne house Vpon this his Idolatrie there hath been a great doubt whether he was saued or not It is without questiō he was saued but yet it was not without singuler reason that the holy Ghost left it doubtfull for if it had been easie for him to bee saued hee had been an example of great impietie It is promised him that if he sinne he shall be chastised but God will neuer take his mercie cleane from him This cannot bee meant of succession in the kingdome for what comfort had it beene to him to haue enioyed the Kingdome and afterwardes to haue enioyed damnation therefore it must needs bee meant of his estate after this life Besides hee is called the Beloued that may bee a reason to prooue his saluation And in the 13. of Marke Abraham Isaack and Iacob and the Prophets are sayd to be in the kingdome of heauen therefore he being a prophet must needes be there Yet false prophets are excepted as Balaam and others of whome Saint Peter giueth a rule 2. Pet. 2. That they bring vpon themselues swift damnation Now God knowing his own wisdome speaks things wonderfull short Where it is sayd He worshipped strange Gods I haue oftentimes muzed what should be the meaning of it For I could neuer thinke that hee could esteeme the Idols of the heathen for Gods considering he had such woonderfull knowledge But surely this is the meaning that allowing his Concubines to worship them seeing done by his commaundement it was as his act and this will I hold till I be better instructed For if hee had come to so open a folly as to worship them as God this sinne must needs haue been the sinne against the holy Ghost Now concerning his felicitie THere is no one thing setteth it forth more than the Booke of the Preacher which Booke was made in his age and after his repentance yet in that he speaketh coldly of repentance He beginneth Vanitie of vanities all is but vanities saith the Preacher This is the summe of the Booke It is amplified by the generall state of all things then by the particular The generall thus The earth standeth yet one Generation passeth and another commeth so there is nothing constant If we consider thinges past they are the same which shall be all things haue a time And the Persians called wise men the searchers of time Moses teacheth vs to pray to God to teach vs to number our dayes that wee may apply our hearts to wisedome In all this there is nothing but for a man to bee merrie in his labor Let vs behold the Sunne it riseth and setteth and returnes againe to his place and there rising goeth towards the South and bendeth towards the North he neuer continueth in one place he causeth Winter and Summer Spring time and Haruest the Riuers runne all into the sea and they ouer-flowe againe into the sea Of all these this is the summe that all things vnder the Sunne are vanitie and affliction of spirite Euen so is the state of man This likewise the creation sheweth for there is nothing new vnder the Sunne either for good or badde Euen the finest inuentions haue been before but we count them new because the generation that knew them is past and so forgotten So that by this wee may see no happpinesse vnder the Sunne but all is vanitie Thus much for the generall Now follow the particulars FIrst as concerning men and they are in two sorts The first concerning the best men then men of corrupt conuersation I therefore saith the Preacher I meant to trie pleasure alone and wisedome alone and then both together Concerning wisedome I talked with the best Schollers I knew all the plants from the lowest shrubbe to the tallest Cedar in Libanon and their vse in cleansing the leaprosie and how thereby Christ was signified Yet this knowledge did not ouer-reach Moses The nature of the fowles was familiar vnto me If it bee asked how hee came by this knowledge it may be answered partly by education and partly by an immediate inspiration from God and yet of all this is the end Much reading is a wearinesse of the flesh and there is no end of making many bookes So wise men are neuer quiet because they see so few saued for crooked things shall not bee made streight from this I went saith the Preacher and tryed pleasure Goe to now I will prooue thee with ioy and with pleasant things and yet this is a vanitie Of laughter this I sayd that it was madnesse and of ioy What is that thou doest Wee may see hee neuer disputes of these things but speakes short for the heathen by the light of nature knew thus much I went yet further saith the Preacher and ioyned pleasure and wisedome together For I made great workes I built houses set Gardens planted vineyardes and trees of all sorts I got seruants and maides and had children borne in the house I had great possession of Beeues and Sheepe and to conclude I was great and encreased aboue all that were before mee in Ierusalem When I beganne to looke on all these thinges I beheld nothing but vanitie and vexation of spirit and that there was no profite vnder the Sunne Besides when I looked who should after mee possesse these and thought with my selfe What Roboam the foole and then I hated all the labor wherein I had trauailed vnder the Sunne seeing no man knoweth whether he shall be wise or foolish which shall be ruler ouer my workes and wherein I haue shewed my selfe wise this is also a vanitie Therefore we see to all things an appointed time A time to be borne and a time to die a time to loue and a time to hate a time of warre and a time of peace Thus God turneth the wheele of our life to the end that we should not set our affections on these earthly vanities but being risen with Christ seeke those things which are aboue Now that all hope of constancy in these transitory things might be takē away he reproues it frō his owne person For if he being a king and the greatest in Israel and such a one as Who is the man that will come after the King in things which hee now hath done and yet could not finde wherein to free his heart from vexation and disquietnesse shall any other thinke to finde quietnesse and securitie in this life therefore of all these experiences thus he concludeth There is no profite to a man seeing all his dayes are sorrow and his trauaile griefe that hee eate and drinke and delight his soule with the profite of his labours because this is of the hand of God Concerning actions they are either without a man or within him Without the most excellent is Iustice and
God requireth by the Law is spirituall as the reward which wee ought to looke for is spirituall You are also to note that there was seuen times seuen dayes after the eating of the Lambe before the giuing of the Law Whereby wee may know that God careth not for ciuilitie without the knowledge of Christ though the contrarie bee taught that it is ynough so wee bee ciuill in life though our mindes neuer thinke of the eating of the Lambe But if wee will liue godlie indeed all our care must bee to esteeme highlie of those rules which concerne the teaching of the Redemption By Christ For it is no commendation to liue ciuilly though a sinne to misse in conuersation And yet this honest behauiour amongst all men must not be neglected Where it is said Sanctifie your selues for to morrow is the Sabbath If it bee demaunded how the Iewes could vnderstand this it may thus be answered God so spake that a childe may vnderstand it For Adam fell in Paradise the sixt day and sacrificed the seuenth which is as much as Moses speaketh heere This is the consent of the Hebrewes There is a Question Whether Ioseph in Egypt and the Iewes in Babylon did keepe the Sabbath For any thing that I can finde they did it not publiquelie Peraduenture Ioseph might doe it priuatlie in respect of his owne conscience but not otherwise And for the keeping of the Sabbathes by the Iewes in Babylon wee haue an expresse example to the contrarie There was a feast at Shusan which was on the Sabbath day which feast the Iewes likewise did solemnize immediately vppon that there was a decree to destroy the Iewes The Chaldee paraphrast expounds it to be for the contempt of the Sabbath Iob in his booke expounds this commaundement of honoring Father and Mother by shewing how contumeliously those did vse him whose Fathers he would not haue set with his dogges Saint Paul sheweth that this is the first commaundement that hath a promise annexed shewing thereby that we are to be dealt with like children by allurements to embrace common ciuilitie such is the peruersenesse of our nature Ieremy telleth the Iewes that if they will keep their Sabbaths they shall not goe into captiuitie He thereby meaneth that by the true keeping of the Sabbaths they must learne all religion For they must remember Adams fall and the restoring by Christ and then the instituting of the Sabbath Then must they come to Sem and Abraham and the promise and the offering vp of Isaack which was a figure of the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and so through the Stories of the Scripture The Law is vsually diuided into two Tables the First Second The Foure first Commaundements concerning God The sixe last concerning man The end of the Law is Christ which is excellently set downe in the Epistle to the Hebrewes which Epistle begins in this sort At sundrie times and in sundry manners God spake in the old time by the Prophets As to Adam The Seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent To Noah Blessed be the God of Sem. To AbrahaÌ„ In thy seed al Nations in the earth shall bee blessed c. And now last by his Sonne whome hee hath made heire of all things by whome hee made the world â— who being the brightnesse of his glorie and the Character of his substance sustaineth all thinges by whome the world was made farre aboue all Angels For in the beginning O Lord thou establishedst the heauens they will perish but thou doest remaine And the Angels they are but thy miâ—istring spirits for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation Now if euerie transgression and disobedience receiued a iust reward how shall we escape if wee neglect so great saluation It is easie to make triall hereof For the world was made in the beginning to obey man the Angels receiued damnation for despising this and in respect hereof Dauid sayth What is man that thou shouldest be mindfull of him thou hast made him a little inferiour to the Angels that thou mightest crowne him with glorie and honour And it was necessarie that Iesus should take vpon him the seede of Abraham and so be made inferiour to the Angels by suffering death that so hee might bring many Children to glorie and through death destroy him that had the power of death and by this victorie ouer the Deuill be crowned with glorie and honour and haue all things put in subiection vnder his feet And by these his sufferings hee was made like vnto his brethren that hee might be mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God that hee might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people Moses was a faithfull witnesse hereof and they that beleeued him not but disobeyed were plagued in the Wildernesse Therefore while it is called to day harden not your hearts least hee sweare They shall not enter into my rest This Doctrine was further made plaine by Aaron the Annointed of the Lord whose office was to offer for his owne sins and the sinnes of his brethren But his office ceased This ceasing was figured before in Melchisedech blessing Abraham when Leuie was yet in Abrahams loynes and therefore aboue Abraham for the lesser is blessed of the greater to whom Abraham gaue tythes therefore the Iewes must goe to a higher Religion than to the Lawe and Thy God contayneth more than ceremonies Wee shall see this cleare by the Tabernacle in the which wee are not to speake of the particular Ceremonies but of those cheefely which as referred to Christ In the Tabernacle there were two places the Holy the Holy of holiest The Holy was called the Sanctuarie of this world wherein were the Candlestickes Table of shew-bread c. The Holy of holyest did represent the state of heauen in which was the Arke of the Couenant of God In which Arke there was reserued as a memorie for all posterities a potte of Manna Aarons Rodde that alwayes flourished and the Tables of the Lawe The Arke was couered and the couering thereof was called the mercie-seat which figured Christ who is our propiciatorie or mercie-seat to couer our iniquities Ouer the mercie-seat were the forme of two Angels hauing relation to the Angels that kept the way to the tree of life to shew that none were worthie to come into that Holy of holiest but Aaron the annointed of the Lord who likewise figured Christ both in name and office For Aaron signifieth Christ which in English is Annointed and in office by entring once for all into the Holy of holiest For it was the office of the high Sacrificer once euery yeere to enter into this Holy of holyest with blood Of this Dauid speaketh Psalme 40. When hee commeth into the world hee saith Sacrifice and burnt offering thou wouldest not haue but a bodie hast thou ordained In the beginning of thy booke it is written that I should doe thy will O God Then said I loe I
come Thus you see how the Redemption by Christ was taught by Moses The two resemblances of heauen and earth are a glasse for vs to behold Gods glory in The heauens are the heauens of God and the earth a beeing for man In which there be Creatures cleane and vncleane the cleane to represent the godlie the vncleane the wicked of conuersation And this rule was generall from the creation and figured in Paradise by the tree of Life and the tree of knowledge of good and euill And as trees and all other Creatures differ one from another so doe the manners of men And God made Beasts Fish and Fowle to expresse the affections of mens mindes and gaue libertie to Beast Fish and Fowle to eate vp one another but to man he gaue a iustice among themselues and taught them a ciuile life by eating of cleane Beasts and forbiddeth grosse behauiours in forbidding to eate vncleane Beasts as Hogs and Dogges and Conies and Hare and Daw and such like to shew that wee should not bee like Hogs to wallowe in the mire of our vncleane conuersation nor like to the Dogge to returne to our former impieties but bee clothed with repentance which is newnesse of life nor like to Conies whose nature is to vndermine but to deale faithfully with our neighbours that so our conuersation may appeare before men as wee may glorifie our Father which is in heauen nor like the Dawe or Crowe which peereth with his eyes for wee ought not to bee curious in looking to other mens faults but striue to mend our owne as our Sauiour Christ teacheth in the Gospell Matth. 7. Thou that spiest a moat in thy brothers eye first pull out the beame out of thine owne and so of all the rest of vncleane Beasts Fishes and Fowles something in life is taught to be eschewed which to handle particularly were too long For the lawfulnesse and vnlawfulnesse of eating them now there is no doubt for they were onely appointed by Moses Lawe to distinguish the Iew and the Gentile but Christ hauing broken downe the wall of seperation wee are nowe freelie to vse any onely the equitie of the iustice of the same lawe remaineth still For the Lawe of God is eternall The cleane were such as chewed the cud and parted the hoofe as Oxe Sheepe Goat and Hart and such like to teach vs that wee ought alwaies to bee meditating of the wormanship of heauen and earth and the Redemption by the sonne of God painefull in our vocation as Oxen meek as sheep hardie as Goats vnder the crosse of Christ and swift to good and slow to euill that our bodies might be a cleane Tabernacle holy and vndefiled fit for the Holy of holiest to enter into So should wee be clothed with Aarons white garment of perfect iustice and in our bosome reteine the precious Iewell of Vrim and Thūmim that is Light of the knowledge of Christ and perfection of vertue to embrace the same Thus we see that the Law and all the ceremonies thereof the Tabernacle and all appurtenances thereof Aarons office and his attire are all to be applied to the Redemption by Christ Wee are further to obserue in the story of Moses that Moses on the mountaine sawe the summe of all saluation The knowledge of this is of speciall consequence in diuinitie For if Moses left out any point of Religion then his doctrine is a maimed doctrine and not sufficient to eternall life There be some teachers now a dayes like to the Church of Laodicea who though shee was poore yet thought and esteemed her selfe rich Euen so these men for knowledge in expounding of Scriptures when as they seuer the new Testament from the old and doe not make the one a light vnto the other For this is the onely difference betweene Moses and the newe Testament That the newe Testament is an exposition or comment vpon Moses Saint Peter teacheth this plainely 2. Pet. 1.19 Wee haue the sure worde of the Prophets to the which giue heede as vnto Light shining in darkenesse till the day appeareth and that the morning starre shineth in your hearts Christ himselfe approoueth this Doctrine when hee giueth his hearers a commaundement Iohn 5. That they should search the Scriptures to wit Moses and the Prophets because they testifie of me sayth Christ and in them you hope to haue eternall life Saint Paul in the Acts Chap. 26. layeth downe a rule how to try the truth of his doctrine For saith he I taught nothing but Moses and the Prophets that Christ should die and rising from the dead should giue life vnto the world The truth of this rule will be manifested by the particulars in this sort The Pope forbiddeth meats where is this in Moses Indeed the ceremonie of Moses made a distinction betweene Iew and Gentile in respect of election which distinction was to continue but a time but now in Christ Iesus neither is circumcision nor vncircumcision any thing and therefore all the Creatures of God are good so they be receiued with thankesgiuing Therefore by this rule the Pope is a false Prophet teaching a doctrine not in Moses This therefore is a sound rule to trie all doctrines Where are they taught in Moses So likewise if any Scisme be bred or breedeth in the Church we shall by this rule be able to establish our consciences if we examine it by Moses doctrine Now seeing the new Testament referres it selfe to Moses wee shall neuer be able truelie and sincerely to expound it but by being skilfull and readie in Moses Wee see Mathew makes mention of Abraham and proues Christ to come of him The vse of this will bee of no force to vs except wee search Moses for Abrahams storie and see there what glorious things are spoken of him Saint Paul likewise proouing iustification to bee by faith without the workes of the Lawe bringeth for an ineuitable argument the manner how Abraham was iustified This argument will hardlie bee made plaine and certaine vnto vs except we search Moses for Abrahams actions The same Apostle Heb. 11. commending the excellencie and certaintie of faith vseth no other proofe then a rehearsall of the actions and liues of particular men Who by faith subdued kingdomes stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the furie of fire despised the glory of this life and beleeued in the son of God c. By these reasons it is euident that the new Testament is then made plaine when it is referred to the old Now though the new Testament shewes that he is come and so the prophecie being fulfilled there may seeme to be small vse of the old yet we know that it is not ynough for vs to embrace a truth but this one thing is further required an Abilitie to proue the truth against all gainesayers that so wee may be able to render a reason of that hope that is in vs. This therefore is a sure ground that in Moses is the summe of all saluation
the end of the seauenth seauen THE time from the first proclamation by Cyrus for the building of this Temple is seauen seauens that is Nine and fortie yeares but being hindred vntill the third yeare the exact time is but six fortie yeares according to Iohn 2. Fortie and six yeares was this Temple in building The meaning is that the Temple and walles of the Cities were now fullie reedified by Nehemiah This nine and fortie yeares was the twentieth yeare of Artaxerxes the godly Neh. 6.25 By the way here is to be vnderstoode that presently after the building of the Temple all prophesying fayled The Prophets that were in these times after the captiuity of Babylon were Esdras Nehemias Haggai Zacharias and Malachi All the other Prophets as Esay Amos Micheas Oseas Ieremie Sophonie Obadias Ionas Nahum Abacuk or Ioel were before the captiuity and Daniel and Ezechiel in the captiuity After him succeeded Xerxes the fift King of the Persians The time when he first warred with Grecia is not certainely set downe After him Artaxerxes Longi-manus the sixt King of Persia Then Ochus Artaxerxes Darius Nothus the seauenth Artaxerxes Memor the eighth Arses Artaxerxes and then Darius the last King of the Persians conquered by Alexander according to Dan. 10. Behold I goe away and the King of Grecia commeth Here the Ramme is ouerthrowne by the goate bucke Alexander the horne in the forhead of the Bucke ouercommeth him as Dan 8. I saw in a vision in the Pallace of Shusan in the Prouince of Elam being by the riuer Vlai a Ramme with two hornes and the Ramme pushed against the West against the North and against the South so that no beasts might stand before him nor could deliuer out of his hand but he did what he listed and became great And as I considered behold a goate bucke came from the West ouer the whole earth and touched not the ground and this Goate had a horne that appeared betweene his eyes and he came to the Ramme that had the two hornes and ran vnto him in his fierce rage and he smote the Ramme and brake his two hornes and there was no power in the Ramme to stand against him but he cast him downe to the ground and stamped vpon him and there was none that could deliuer the Ramme out of his power Therefore the Goate waxed exceeding strong and when he was at the strongest his great horne was broken and for it came vp foure that appeared towardes the foure windes of the heauen This Ramme is the kingdome of Media and Persia the two hornes are to distinguish the kingdomes and doe represent the Meeds Persians they are also the Beare the armes and brest of siluer Here the Beare is cast into the fire by Christ the fierie iudge and the armes and brest of the image are punned to dust and the Ramme that boasted himselfe in his strength stamped vnder foote And heere endeth the glorie of the Persians IT is sayd Dan. 11. Behold there shall stand vp three Kings in Persia and the Fourth shall be farre richer than they all Now hee meaneth that there shall be but Foure Kings in Persia for the Plaine crosseth but from Cambyses who at this time raigned there should be foure Kings that should bee enemies to the Iewes that is Cambyses Smerdes Darius the Sonne of Hystaspis and Artaxerxes or Darius whome Alexander ouerthrew This Darius was of wonderfull power hee had in his armie Nine hundred thousand men Yet he was not able to withstand Alexander the Horne in the fore-head of the Bucke The reason was he trusted in his strength and not in God And againe God had promised Alexander the victorie One hundred yeares before As touching their confused names ye shall vnderstand that among the Persians Darius signifieth he that subdueth Xerxes a Warriour Also that this name Assuerus is drawne from the Hebrewes in stead of Artaxerxes Further that Artaxerxes was the common name of all kings of Persia as Pharaoh was the common name of the kings of Egypt and Caesar of the Romane Emperours Therefore where ye finde many indifferently named Darius or Artaxerxes or both together you must diligently examine the Storie and the difficultie of vnderstanding vnder what king that happened which is recited in the Bookes of Esdras Nehemias and Ester will easily be made plaine Here the old Testament ends and Malachi prophecieth of the comming of Iohn Baptist vnder the name of Elias Mal. 3. Behold I send you Elias Christ himselfe expoundeth this of Iohn Baptist Mat. 11. This is he of whome it is written behold I send mine Angell before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee for all the Prophets and the lawe prophecied vnto Iohn and if ye will receiue it this is Elias which was to come He that hath eares to heare let him heare Here endeth also the Hebrew tongue And though Schollers write Hebrew yet vpon the first sight it is apparant to be the writing of man so farre it disagreeth from the stile of the holy spirite Now all prophecying ceaseth And where the old Testament leaueth there the new beginneth The old Testament beginnes with describing the earthly habitation for man and the tree of life The new Testament ends with description of the heauenly habitation of the soule of man that is the heauenly Ierusalem and the tree of life The old Testament ends with grace that is Iochanan or Iohn The new Testament both begins with grace and ends with grace that is to say with Iohn Baptist and Iohn the Euangelist ⧠Here beginneth the Kingdome of the Grecians to flourish 3591. Alexander the great raigneth Twelue yeares HIs name signifieth Conquerour His Countrey was Macedonia or Grecia Iauans Countrey that is where Iauans Sonnes were scattered at the confusion of tongues He is of Iaphet by kindred In his conquest ouer the whole world there is the wonderfull loue of God to bee vnderstood and that is that by his meanes the Greeke tongue wherein the newe Testament was afterwards to be written was made famous ouer all the world that when the holy Ghost should penne the Booke it might bee easie to all This blessing was to Iaphet in recompence of his vertuous action with Sem in couering their Father For Noah prophecied that Sem should first be blessed and then Iaphet should haue a larger glorie This blessing concerning Iaphets house began in the successe of Darius of Iaphet with Cyrus of Sem against the Babylonians enlarged now by Alexanders conquest and by making the Greeke tongue famous but most of all after Christ when Iohn was banished into Iaphets Country to see the glorious forme of the heauenly Ierusalem and a Booke in the Greeke tongue deliuered vp to all the world containing the graces of Christ and the glad tidings of the euerlasting Gospell The comfort of this is vnspeakable being duly embraced but especially to vs of Iaphets house that is the Ilands of the ends of the
earth seeing by the benefite thereof we haue the true vnderstanding of eternall life The vse of this compelleth vs to search the Stories of our antiquities which wee may finde in the 10. of Genesis About this time Solon the wise flourished and made a law that Homer the Poet who was long before him should be read in the publike assemblies on holy dayes and festiuall dayes as the Epistles and Gospels bee read in our Churches This Homer in a trifling argument of the warre at Troy layeth downe all the excellencie of the Greeke tongue About this time also the Seuen wise men of Greece were famous and all their disputations be vpon Homer as Plato Aristotle and Zenophon c. The Grecians affirme that Homer was translated into the Indian tongue and other languages that so he might be knowne and vnderstood of other nations also Againe Alexander being of great possessions hee must haue many vnder-officers to belong vnto him then he that would beare any office or bee in any credite must be skilfull in the greeke tongue Caesar Seuen and Fortie yeares before Christ speaketh of the Denides learning greeke in England Tullie pro Archia the poet reasoneth thus Though Archias the poet be not by nature a Citizen yet he deserueth to bee thought so to bee seeing by birth hee is a Grecian and of Antiochia a populous Citie and of great account from whence flowed learned men and liberall studies And if any man shall thinke a lesser fruite of glorie to be reaped from greeke verses than from latine hee erreth in good sadnesse because those thinges which are written in greeke are read almost into all nations those which are in latine are contained with their owne borders which in good sooth are verie narrowe Thus by Tullies testimonie the greeke tongue stretched ouer the whole world At Augustus Caesars time the latine beganne to flourish and the greeke tongue ceased as if the holy ghost should haue aduised the Grecians to haue written no more For Plutarch and Athenaeus doe not write any new storie but either cōment on that which was written before or abridge it And any one skilfull in the greeke tongue may easily perceiue from what notable place of Plato Homer or other greeke writers euerie phrase in the newe Testament is deriued and those which are not there to bee found in those authors are fetched from the hebrew of the old Testament from whence all the rootes of the greeke tongue are drawne So that to the exact knowledge and vnderstanding of the new testament two things are requisite cunning in the greeke authors and in the old Testament Let vs returne to Alexander He is the great Horne in the forehead of the Goat Bucke Hee is also the Leopard but the foure heads of the Leopard are foure Captaines to whome after his death his Kingdome was diuided He is also the belly and sides of brasse Alexanders great power is broken for when he had ouercome all the East he thought to returne to Grecia to subdue them that there had rebelled and so hee died by the way after he had raigned twelue yeares Here the bellie and sides of brasse are beaten to dust by Christ the Stone The Leopard is cast into the fire by Christ the fierie Iudge The great Horne is broken by Christ truely Palmoni hauing secrets numbred Who numbreth wayeth and diuideth This sentence doth extend to the vse of all men in the world For God numbreth all our wayes and wayeth vs in the ballance of his iustice but entreth not into iudgement with his seruants knowing whereof they be made He diuideth his mercie vnto vs farre beyond the compasse of our desarts whereby we crie Abba Father Now after Alexanders death the whole gouernment was diuided vnto foure of his Captaines which are the foure heads of the Leopard The bodie of the Leopard was himselfe and his entier gouernement the winges the speedie spoyle that he made of the Persians The names of his Captaines were Cassander Seleucus Antigonus Ptolomeus who had Macedonia Syria Asia the lesse Egypt And in a short space after the gouernement came into two heads that is it was ruled by Seleucus king of Syria and Ptolomeus Lagi king of Egypt the King of the North and the King of the South and their gouernment and the succession of their gouernment are the beast with tenne Hornes and the legs of yron and clay they are also called Gog and Magog in Ezechiel The whole gouernement or Kingdome is the beast the tenne hornes are tenne cruell Kings that shall arise out of that kingdome namely Seleucus Nicator Antiochus Soter Antiochus Theos Seleucus Callinicus Seleucus Ceraunus Antiochus the great Seleucus Philopater Ptolomeus Euergetes Ptolomeus Philopater and Antiochus Epiphanes 3620. Seleucus Nicator one of Alexanders Successors HE held Asia two and fortie yeares Here beginneth the tyrannicall gouernment of the tenne Hornes and the hardnesse of the yron legges for yet the legges are yron Hee is the first Horne that rusheth against Iudea exacting all duties as if he had been their king From this time to Antiochus Epiphanes is reckoned one hundred thirtie and seuen yeares 1 Mach. 1.11 3663. Antiochus Soter the second Horne HE is made king in his fathers life Hee falleth sicke for loue of his Fathers wife and afterwards marieth her and within few yeares dyeth in recompence of that villanie 3663. Antiochus Theos the third Horne HE marrieth Berenice the Daughter of Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of the South or Egypt hauing a former wife Laodice by whome hee is poysoned and Berenice with all her Assistants slain This is handled Dan. 11.6 And in the end of yeares they shall bee ioyned together for the Kinges Daughter of the South shall come to the king of the North to make an agreement but she shall not retaine the power of the arme neither shal he continue nor his arme but she shall be deliuered to death and they that brought her and hee that begat her and hee that comforted her in these times Thus it appeareth how the legges of yron and clay cleaue not together This Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of Egipt being desirous to bee famous for Bookes getteth a Librarie of all the bookes hee could heare of Amongst which he heard of a booke that the Iewes had at Ierusalem which was the Bible so hee sent for Seuentie Iewes to translate the booke out of hebrew into greeke which they did in Seuentie dayes Now they knowing that it was not of any deuotion of religion that he desired it but to furnish his Librarie they thrust in likewise into the Bible diuers of their owne fables as the storie of Susanna of Bell the Dragon of Esdras the bookes of Tobie and Iudith la the bookes that we call Apocripha because they knew that God had no purpose to saue them being Egiptian Dogs and because they would not throwe pearles to swine they thrust into the ages before the flood more yeares by a thousand than