A BRIEFE OF THE BIBLE DRAWNE FIRST into English Poësy and then illustrated by apte Annotations togither vvith some other necessary Appendices By HENOCH CLAPHAM ¶ PRINTED BY Robert Walde-graue Printer to the Kings Maiestie 1596. Cum Priuilegio Regio TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL MASTER THOMAS MY-LOT Esquier encrease of all true happines in Iesus Annointed FInding right Woorshipful so great vtterance of your Christian affecttoÌ„ immediatly after the spirituall exercises I kept at CHESTER in the STREET I could not but now in dedicatioÌ„ of Loue-memorials signifie my duetifull thankfulnes towards you not onely amidst but that more is in the forefront of my Friendes Accept therefore I pray you not a handfull of the Persians vvater offered to an vncircumcised Kesar but a handfull of the vvater of Life offred by the Lord his poor servant vnto an open professed Christian. A vvise Lapidarie chooseth not stones so much for outward quantitie as inherent qualitie nor I hope vvill you so much measure my guift with the bodily eye as by the Line of the Mind or spirituall eye whereupon setting downe my wrest I here rest Beseeching the Lord in all goodnes to be vvith you and yours for ever Amen EDINBVRGH 1596. Your poore vnworthie Kinsman HENOCH CLAPHAM TO ALL YOVNG ones in Christs Schoole increase of knowledge and sanctification be multiplied daily from aboue Amen I Haue heere for thy vse drawn a Summe of the Sacred-writ vsually caled BIBLE from the greek word that in English is BOOKE because it is the Book of al books with which Book other books compared they are but blots of mans braine whereas this is the Sacred-writ and wisedome of ELOHIM or of that ONE ESSENCE IN TRINITIE That Holy-booke before the Incarnation of the PROMISED SEED was divided into Lavve and Prophets but since the CHRIST assumed our nature in the same ascended to the right hand of Majestie from whence HE sent downe the HOLY-GHOST to fill all thinges especially the hearts of his APOSTLES for speaking penning the minde of IESVS after that time I say The Book of God was divided into PROPHETS and APOSTLES Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe Corner-stone Ephes. 2. 20. The whole then consisteth in these Books These are called the fiue Bookes of Moses or of the Lawe 1 Genesis 2 Exodus 3 Leviticus 4 Nombers 5 Deuteronomie 6 Iob which for order of time might be placed next Genesis but here for order of Books 7 Ioshua 8 Iudges 9 Ruth 10 Sam. 1. 11 Sam. 2. 12 Kings 1. 13 Kings 2. 14 Châ—on 1. 15 Chron. 2. 16 Ezra 17 Nehemiah 18 Hester 19 Psalmes 20 Proverbs 21 Ecclesiastes 22 Song of Songs These be called the 4. great Prophets 23 Isaiah 24 Icremiah 25 Ezechiel 26 Daniel These 12. bee called the small Prophets 27 Hoshea 28 Ioel. 29 Amos. 30 Obadiah 31 Ionah 32 Micah 33 Nahum 34 Habakkuk 35 Zephaniah 36 Haggai 37 Zechariah 38 Malachi The last Prophet of the olde Testament and the last book of the OLD COVENANT Betweene this Malachi and the NEVVE TESTAMENT haue too inconsideratlie bene inserted certaine PRIVATE writings called Apocrypha an Humaine Breath betwixt the Lips of the two Testamentes Malachi in English Messenger or Angel prophecieth plainly Chap. 3. 1. and 4. 5. that IEHOVAH will sende vnto the Iewes a Messenger even Elijah to prepare the way before the MESSENGER OF COVENANT viz. CHRIST These speaches of Malachi or last ANGEL of the old Covenant are the very Face of the Newe Testament or Covenant made for Many Matthew he reporteth the ANGEL from Heauen Chapter 1. 20. bringing newes of IESVS and Chap. 2. 1. The Messenger of Covenant is borne and Chap. 3. IOHN BAPTIST the PREPARER of Christ his way is introduced in that worke Mark beginneth with the same and Luke Chap. 1. bringeth in the ANGEL publishing the birth of the Messenger appointed to prepare the waye as also proclaiming the birth of the ANGEL of the NEVVE COVENANT for whome he was to prepare the waye calling this IOHN ELIAS because hee goeth before Christ in the SPIRIT and POVVER of ELIAS or Eliiah The Evangelist Iohn in his 1. Chapter bringeth in the saving LIGHT Iesus and the MAN SENT from GOD viz. Iohn Thus the last BREATH of the olde Testament in Malachi the first BREATH of the Newe Testament in the mouthes of the EVANGELISTS is all ONE BREATH CANONICALL from Heaven They looke not with Ianus into two contrary Coastes but Hand in hand they joyne kissing each other and both of them looking into the EAST from whence the Glorious DAY-STAR did visit the Earth Who nowe dare hinder their lips from meeting by inserting Vn-canonicall writs a Darke-Cloude and Private if not a stinking Breath The Iews that kept the Canon received them not As also they were not written in Hebers sacred tongue a sufficient Brand that they were no Orackles from IEHOVAH to Hebers People Leaping theÌ„ over them Logs we come vnto the Newe Testament whose Books be these 1 Matthewe 2 Mark 3 Luke 4 Iohn 5 Acts of the Apostles 6 Paul his Epistle to the Romanes 7 Corinthians 1. 8 Corinthians 2. 9 Galatians 10 Ephesians 11 Philippians 12 Colossiaus 13 Thessalonians 1. 14 Thessalonians 2. 15 Timothie 1. 16 Timothie 2. 17 Titus 18 Philemon 19 The Authour to the Hebrewes 20 The Epistle of Iames. 21 Of Peter 1. 22 Of Peter 2. 23 Of Iohn 1. 24 Of Iohn 2. 25 Of Iohn 3. 26 Iude. 27 Revel Exercise thy selfe in pervsing the Bible the whole of al these several writs and thereby thou shalt easilie God his Spirite assisting thee discerne the true Christ from False the True Church from the False True writ from False and so consequently all holy Trueth from Falshood And for helping thy weake Memorie as also for giuing a taste of that large Truth in short speach I haue throgh God his helpe manifested my poore power but riche good-will in this little booke First I haue in English Poësie drawn according to an ancient staffe delivered summarily the hystorie of the olde and newe Testament Secondly vpon the most difficult points of the Poësie I haue dilated by way of Illustration not only for the fulfilling of the hystorie but also for discussing sometimes some necessarie question as also annexed hereto such certaine computation of time for speciall joynts of the Story as whereby the spirituall minded may something bee furthered to deeper points contemplatiue As thou shalt receiue any good hereby so I pray thee be thankful vnto God therfore quickly thou shalt finde his hand vpon thee to every good work The Lord be with thy spirit Amen Dedicate to shewe all duetie chiefly to England H. C. A BRIEFE OF THE BIBLE WITH NECESSARY Annotations vpon the most materiall pointes in the Poësie 1. Staffe VVHen Elohim a El b Shaddaj c Iehovah d Iah d Ehjesh that is GOD e in Persons Three But e Essence One On whome all things do stay Cause of all Causes and Sufficiencie when f HE
willinglie suffer such as would In Iude his Epistle over and besides I obserue First that the wicked are but as menstruous cloths in our Feastes of Loue. 2. Lastly that the man Iesus our Saviour is God and he onely able to keepe vs from falling away as also to present vs faultlesse before the Father Nowe followeth a litle to be said of the Bookâ— of Revelation Blessed Iohn beloved of Iesus being banished into the I le Patmos and that by all probabilitie by Domitianus who succeeded Nero There on the Lords day Iohn was deeply ravished in the Spirite during which time blessed Iesus commendeth vnto him the state of his Church vntill the last First he enioyneth Iohn to write vnto the 7. Churches of Asia the lesse Secondly to set down in writing such visions and their adiuncts as might continue for the Faithfuls vse for ever And indeede this Booke so pictureth out the False Churches whether Idolatrous Christian or Mahumetane as I cannot maruell though Satan hath almost driven this Booke out of vse The olde Church Zion had her golden prophecies for future events and this was left to the Newe Testaments Church as a Loue-letter of Iesus whereby she should discerne Times Persons Thinges But marke this that the Iewe is never brought in within this book as an Adversary Their number is sealed Cap. 7. The same number of Them stands on Mount Zion with the Lamb Chap. 14. And the Gentiles are glad to repaire vnto them for being healed Chap. 21. and 22. This brieâ—â—ie for the present That which nowe followeth hath his groundes from the former Canonicall writings Alâ— falling out within the compasse of time contained in the book of Revelation or Apocalyps for the time of that Booke reacheth to the second comming of Iâ—sus 15. Staffe The Apostles haue for help a Evangelists And so the Churches by them planted be Th'Apostles dead there riseth b hellish mysts Which with the Light at no hand could agree Sun darks Starres fall The Moone doth change her hue Heaven rolles away as They before did shewe a Evangelists in English is Publishers of glad Tydings In the large sence any bringer of glad newes may be so called but in this speciall and peculiar sense these are properly Evangelistes that wer called by the Apostles to assist them in the planting of Churches Such were Marke Luke Timothie Titus b Inventions of men fetched out of their botâ—omlesse brayne first broched into their brayne by Satan of the lowest Hells these arose in the Churches and so darkned the Sun of Righteousnes Hereupon the Angels of the churches fel out of the heauenly places who before were as Starres in Christ his right hand The Churches who before tooke their word which was their Lantern light from the mouth of Iesus even as the Moone taketh her light from the Sunne they quicklie changed their hue whervpon the Heauenly Face of the Churches passed away even as the materiall heavens at last shall scroleâ—like vanish Paul charged his Churches to be watchfull of their waies and blessed Iohn he specially admonisheth the Churches of Asia-Minor But al of them neglecting their spiritual watch what are become of them what is become of the golden Romane People what is become of Coâ—â—nth of Galatin Philippi Colossus Thessalonia what are become of Iohns 7. Churches They vanished like a scrowle their visibilitie or face vnable to bee founde The 7. Churches of Asia togither with their fellowes had Mahumet quickly seated in their chair The 7. Churches Rev. 1. were seven golden Candlesticks and their Ministers 7. Starres in Iesus his right hand if these be Apostate as all knowe they be what warrant had Rome never to fall awaye These 7. were in Christs right hand and yet Apostate such a priviledged place in so open speach Rome never had or if she had bene an 8. starre in his hand vet lo the Sun lost his Light the Sonne hath turned his hand vpside dowâ—e Paul writing vnto Rome he saith To the Saintes at Rome not To the Church of Rome to other people he saith To the Church or Churches by which forme of speach it is to be thought that there was not at the writing of that Epistle any established Church at Rome Obiect Hee saith Chap. vlt. Salute the Church in their house Vers. 5. Ans. By the Church or Congregation faithfull of that house he cannot meane a Church established for then all the residue of the Saints saluted shuld seeme to be so many Churches as there were divers housholds or else that they stood apart from the Church but thereby he must necessarily meane the Faithfull Assemblie of that house Every Established Church is a companie of Faithfull convened but every company of Faithfull congregated is not an established Church They two are not Convertibles Neither is it any thing like that there should then in Rome be an established Church First considering that Great Citie Revel 17. 18. was heade for Idolatrie Secondly had bloody Nero King called by Paul the Lyons mouth 2. Tim. 4. 17. therein I doubt not alluding to the Lyons Monarch of Babel Dan. 7. 4. the mouth of the 4. mettelled Image wherof elsewhere I haue spoken Howe hatd it was long after for any to professe Christ in Rome much more to haue an established Church their owne Records declare Nay seeing All forsooke Paul what time he was first examined before the Emperour Nero 2. Timoth. 4. 16. I would demaund of such where was Peter then did he then apostate from Paul or was hee Non-resident Indeed the Romanists say he was then gone into some other Cuntrie notwithstanding his Apostolicall Sea was at Rome As such an answer is but absurde so neither if Peter had bene there and had an established Church could it well be deemed that both the common persons of that Church as also every their Ministers should forsake Paul Besides Peter should haue shewen himselfe no true Pastor by such Non-residencie as also haue beene guiltie of that Peoples fall Howe trulie then they haue taught that Peter first established the Faith of Christ in Rome as also should for 25. yeares be Romes Bishop let the wise hearted coniecture by the former Circumstances Much more let them consider what feeble footing they haue for Standing alwaies in visible obedience to the true Faith 16. Staffe a First order gone and Dores not being kept By b Baptisme heapes of prophane do rush With them at length a c Ministry in crept That with the Horne Gods ordinance did push So Anti-christ is stept vp to the Throne Who by his d Lawes would governe every one a The churches by little and little growing secure and idle in their spirituall watch they giue vp all their power vnto the Elders the Elders afterwards they leaue all to the Pastor The seâ—erall Churchâ—pastors in one Cittie they finally giue vp their keyes to so me one and hee was called Metrapolitane The Metrapolitanes finally gaue vp their power to some one
Saintes by Calling Obiect The Prophets cryed often bitterly out of their owne People within that visible Church Ans. Confound not the two Testaments in their Ministery Lawes People If their Maiestrate wold cut the wicked from the Cittie of God so it was but if hee would not neither Priestes nor People could do withall As for the New Church she hath power be the Magistrate never so negligent as to keepe defiled ones from entring the Lords Cittie Revel 21. 12. 27. for Christ his Church here is Ierusalem from aboue Galatians 4. 26 c. so it hath power to preserue puritie within If therefore any wickednes arise within there must not bee knocking of hammers our Saviour hath commaunded a Rule whereby to walk Math. 18. 15. 16 17. namely to vse all peaceable brotherly speaches and behaviour for drawing the Trespasser to repentance If he Repent hee is woon and there an end But if he Repent not then hee is to be put out of Communion as an Heathen out of the Temple nor eat and drunk withall of vs willingly no more than the Iewes would with Publicans Such honour is to all his Saints Psal. 109. 9. This is called a deliverie vp to Satan 1. Cor. 5. and not for ever but vntill the partie Repent and his obstinate flesh be humbled In the meane time if by any meanes wee haue to deale with him we are commaunded to admonish him as a brother 2. Thess. 3. 15. For if hee haue not proceeded so far as directly to reiect Iesus for the Kâ—rim and black cuâ—se is due to such a one 1. Cor. 16 22. we are ever to hope him a brother not vtterly dead but in a trance who happilie once may bee recovered by chyrting the cheeke and vse of strong waters But as a man in a foming sounde is not fit for our Table c so neither a Brother in the hands of the hellish club-fiâ—â—ed Surgeon till he be come to his pristine estate Let therefore Invectivers against Brethren and foolish Excommunicators here Smite their thigh and sav What haue I done See 2. part Staffe 13. In this Temple were two Pillers the one called Iachâ—n or stabâ—litie the other called Boas or In strength To these two our Saviour casteth his eye when he saith Him that overcommâ—tâ— will I make a Piller in the Temple of my God c. Revel 3. 1â— Every thing in this Temple was Glorious figuring the glorious estate of a Christian Proportionable and 〈◊〉 figuring the pâ—oportion and order of Christes Church Precious signifying the high valewe of a Christian and nothing there was that is not for our â—rudition Salomon having finished the work he dedicates it by Prâ—â—er to IEHOVAH The Lord giueth vnto him wisedome beyond all measure of other men But â—est he should think hee stood of himselfe the Lord for a season leaues him to himselfe who by meanes of strange women fell to grosse Idolatrie not onely marrying with Pharaohs daughter a figure of the Gentile Church but also concubining Maâ—y At last the Lorâ— â—ho hath promised to Dauid his Father that If SALOMON sinned hâ—e wâ—uld chastice him with the Rodde of Men but his mercie shulâ— not depart away from him as 〈◊〉 did from SAVL He giveth to Salomâ—n grace to Repent and not only that but he appointeth him to be the holy Ghosts Scribe for three Canonicall bookes In the first Booke entitled Proverbâ— he setteth down positiue Lawes for initiating all People of all ages sexes callings notablie inveying against the Idolatrous Church vnder the person of the strange woman Bitten Child fire dreades he spoke of experience In the second Booke entitled Ecclesiastes or Preacher he taketh his Puple into an higher seate and there letting him see the things vnder the Sun secretly compared with things aboue the Sunne he concludeth all belowe to be Vanitie In the third Booke entitled Song of Songs or Canticles he superelateth or carrieth his Disciple aboue the Sunne to let him see the mysticall Vnion of Christ his Church togither with their Loue-signes and spirituall Amouâ—s To this purpose his former fleshlie loue and Loue-tricks was deepelie sanctified and had he not that way bin overshoes he had bene nothing so fitte to discouer the overtrance of the Spirit Oh the wisedome and mercie of God To these that are called according to his purpose all things work to the best Rom. 8. 28. yea Sinne and All. And he that knowes not this knoweth nothing yet as he should knowe Having finished these three Bookes three degrees of Ascension from Sinne as was Peters triple conâ—ession of Loue for his threefolde deniall hee afterwardes dieth having raigned overall Ierusalem 40. yeares leaving his Sonne Rehobâ—â—m to Raigne after him 28. Staffe In his a sonnes daies for wickednes and sinne God rent the Tribes from Salomon his blood Kingdome of Iudah here did first begin To which the Tribe of Ben-iamin fast stood The ten Tribes King as holy Scriptures tell Was after this term'd King of Israel a Rehâ—boâ—m his Son forsaking the counsel of the Aged cleaving to the desperat advise of young start vps who willed that his little Finger should be sorer vpon the People than was his Fathers â—oynes Ten of the Tribes doe Schisme from Rehoboâ—m despitefully who take vnto them I eroboam the Sonne of Nebat and creat him their King From this time the King of the ten Tribes was called King of ISRAEL The other two Tribes that stood to Rehoboam lawefull though wicked King they hencesorth were called Iewes and their King King of IVDAH togither with which Iudah Beniamin stood on whose hilles as on shoulders Deuâ— 33. 1â— the Temple of IEHOVAH stood Thus the Sonne of the Right hand set his shoulders to the Lyon of Iudah for supporting Church and Churchwoorship Worthie was Ben-iamin to stand on the Righthand of Iesus our Lyon of Iudah 29. Staffe These ten Tribes Israelites a falling from God They fell into the hands of Assurs King Who led them far away a righteous rod As for the two Tribes Ievves from them did spring Some holy Kings But ever and among They grieved God and did his Servants wrong a They Schisming or rendring themselues from Davids house Ieroâ—â—â—â— to keep them from sacrificing at Ierusalem neither was it lawfull any where else hee reareth vp an Idole in Dâ—â— and another in Bâ—tâ—el appointing Tinker-like fellowes for sacrificing Priestes By this meanes as they had Schized from the true Church so now likewise from the true worship to a false Neitâ—er after this did the Kings of Israel better of whome therefore still the holy Ghost saith He followed Ieroboam â—â—e sonne of Nebat who caused Israel to sinne This Supreame head of Idolatrie sprung out of Epâ—raim and begun his Raigne with Râ—hoboam of Iudah The age of the Olde and New-World here was 3030. yeares Of the Newe-worlâ— 2344 From the Promise 1917. From Aegypt 516. From former Iudgeship hitherto 120. And from the Temples structure 36. yeares
to the whole world they shall finde as I observed in the former Staffe that all sortes of Levits though spotles were not capable of Priest-hoode and so of standing before the Alter As Gershom Aaron their Familie was chosen to the Priestes worke so this sort of Levites could onely be saide to be debarred the Alter as for the other though they never fell yet they might not medle with that peece of Service If the Levites of the Families of Kohath and Merari so fel they notwithstanding are not debarred their former place Onely One sorte of Levites Beare that shame of being debarred their former height of Calling and they bee such as in the former Height did beare a liuely resemblance of Christ. For such as had made so fearfull a Fall to haue beene restored or lifted vp into that place that specially typed out Our spotles Priest IESVS having bene so notablie spotted with open palpable Idolatrie would haue beene derogatorie vnto Christ figured If a blemish in one of their bodies made him vncapable of Priesthood then no maruell if so greiâ—â—ie a fall put him from that sacred â—iguring Seate Thus where divers whose names I willinglie conceale haue thought that that Deposition was nothing Ceremonial and therefore with too open sounde did smite vp their drum and display their Banner they see the very ground of all their hope cashierde quasht with a wet Finger Obiec Paul would haue him Varebukeable Answ. So would I haue every Minister vnrebukeable but if we shall haue no man that at any time of his life hath committed grosse Sinne for so you haue taught for to medâ—le at all with any Church office Surely I can not tell how Rome Corinthe Asia Minor shal ever come to haue Church-Officers Paul would and so would I that every common Professor of Christ should liue vnrebukeable much more I wish it in the Teacher of the People but to say that a matter of Rebuke doth debarre a man simplie from al such office is as though one should say Christians ought to liue vnrebukeable If therefore any commit matter of Rebuke he is no more notwithstanding Repentance to bee admitted to the place of a Christian for to vse your owne reason Hee must beare his shame that is He must be in a lower place than before but he was in the estate of a Christian before therefore nowe notwithstanding Repentance he may not be restored to the state of a Christian Such an Argument wold beseeme Nouaâ—us or rather Novatianus who is saide to denye such for ever a place in their Church as once had falne into sinne Nay this is worse than that of Novatianus for he denied the dignitie of Christian to him that before had fallen in a Christian place but this Newe-learning denieth office to him that never fell in office Wiselie fore-sawe the holy Ghost this soare and therfore hath left a plaster accordingly in the Gospell where hee propoundeth vnto vs Persons Rebukeable both before and after their Calling yet neither it debarred the first from entrie nor the second from the continuance in their holy Church Function Matthew and Paul notablie rebukeable Before Peter and Barnabas notablie Rebukeable After their Calling Mathew a Publicane Paul an abhominable Bloodsucker Peter first an Apostate secondy togither with Barnabas taken tardye with fowle dissembling And if in any there shuld of absolute necessity haue bene conversation vnrebukeable it had bene highly necessary in the Maister Buildâ—rs If any of absolute necessitie should haue beene vnrebukeable as was Christ then necessarily such should haue bene his Hands for such were they in their work Every one will cast their eye back vnto the Master workman and think themselues happy if they can but attaine to bee so perfect why then would Christ call into office such as might after fal and scandalize the holy truth had it not bin more credit to his cause that such should first haue preached as might every way be vnrebukeable would not people the sooner haue beleved when they had seene the Faith of Christ so powerful in the Apostle as hee never once fell after the preaching thereof Surely surely Brethren as it woulde haue gone hard with a man that should come to his Deaths-bed vnrepentant if Christ had not left one President of graunting Remission of Sinne at the last houre so had we not sufficient Presidents of Iesus his Calling men To and continuing men IN the Church-office ey a more excellent office than any of vs can beare it would go hard with the poor Church Except Angels came from Heauen Itrow she would never be furnished with men As the Priests were called to figure Christ spotles even as the spotles Lamb figured his Sacrifice so there was required in them Persons all outward shewe of Puritie Dauid was a speciall figure of Christ the Warriour Salomon of Christ the Churches Spouse but they and their seede might enioy that Regall roome notwithstanding they had blemishes in their Bodies and though they weare vnwashen Garments c. But for the Levites of Aarons Family one blemish would put them by and herein they fully represented our Sacrifice and Sacrificer spotles without which there had bene no Redemption for sinne If Church-Officers nowe shadowe Christ his Priesthood as did the former â—hen there were some likelyhood of this namely That Persous reprooueable for passed fact were ever afterwards notwithstanding Repentance vtterlie vncapable of entring into and still retaining any Ecclesiasticall function But I trowe none are so grosse as to affirme that the Newe Church or Newe Testaments Church her Ministery doth so fore-type fore-figure or shadowe the Priest everlasting even Iesus ordained by oath a Priest foreuer after the Order of Melchi-sedech which if I see not why any shuld any longer retaine such an Argument of Angellike ministery 23. Staffe The a Tabernacle built and al things done They forewards set towards old Canaan b But by the way they into mischiefs run For which the Lord destroyed every man Even all saving Caleb and Ioshua Who out of Aegypt vndertook the way a For beginning and perfecting the glorious work of the Tabernacle the Lord gaue singular guiftes vnto Bezaleel of Iudahs Tribe and to Aâ—oliah of the Tribe of Dan. No common guiftes are required in the builders and rearers vp of Churches for of the Church vniversall or Catholick was the Tabernacle a type or figure yet but of a Church in the Wildernes as also in Canaan vnder the warfare of the Church for onely peaceable Salomon must builde the glorious house of IEHOVAH Secondly the Tabernacle being ioyned togither and reared vp great enoylings and consecrations were required and performed that so IEHOVAH might dwell in it continuallie Exod 40. Here endeth EXODVS or the Book of Going out that is out of Aegypt The next Book LEVITI VS is spent in rehearsall of the Service of the Levites The Book of Nombers spendeth it self in Numbring the Remoovals and pitchings of Israel
and caused the Ark of Gods Covenant to be fetched from Shiloh into the Host. But the Philistims caught away the Arke which afterwards they sent back againe and slewe the flaunting Priests Hophni and Phineas Newes heereof comming to Eli sitting without on a stoole he in a pieuish qualme fell downe and broke his Neck being 98. yeares old Phineas wife big with child hearing all this shee sodainlie brought foorth calling the Childe Ichabod that is No Glorie and so dyed Thus the Lord was as good as his word sent before to Eli by the man of God Chap. 2. They that honour IEHOVAH them will IEHOVAH honour but if they will kick against God and dishonour him by their vnrepentant Prophanations IEHOVAH will assuredly dishonour them by takeing their Glory from them in the sight of all men As they haue lived not glorifying God so they shall dye without glory to themselues Let Rulers chieflie learne this Lesson 26. Staffe But when they cryde to God he a Iudges sent Who did avenge them on their Enemie b At last with Iudges they growe discontent And for King Heathenlike they rudely cry God giues to them then Saul of Benjamin Whome after God rejected for his sinne a As he stirred vp by times 6. sorte of Oppressours so he mercifullie raised vp twelue of their owne people to exercise power over them besides Shamgar that slue the 600. Philistims with his Goade b Eli dead Samuel Iudged Israel passing righteouslie He waxing old his sonnes Ioel and Abiah governed whose inequall waies observed the People loathed Iudgship and desired to haue a King after the fashion of the Gentiles about them The Lord hearing their murmuring doth appoint Samuel to annoynt Saul of Beniamins Tribe a tall fellowe to the Kingship Saul seeking his Fathers Asses he found a Kingdome for comming to enquire of Samuel concerning his Asses as fooles runne to Witches Samuel annointeth him after the which the Spirit not of Sanctification but of Government and Maiestie came vpon him This Saul afterwards neglecting his charge concerning the slaughter of Amaleks Cattle and Agag the King the Lord therefore taketh from him the former Spirit and put in him a frantick Spirite commanding Samuel to annoynt David the youngest sonne of Ishai of Bethlehem-Iudah the Towne of Boaz and Ruth vpon whome came the former Maiesticall Spirite After this Saul ceaseth not to persecute David which persecution was cause of penning most of the Book of Psalmes but David though hee had him at vantage would not hurte him In the end consulting with a Witch at Enâ—or for before hating Samuel and Samuel nowe was dead hee tunneth to the Devill to speake with Samuel Saul the next daye after was slaine togither with his Sonnes in his warres with the Philistims running himselfe desperatlie on his swordes pointe Thus the wretched King run from sin to sinne till sinne slewe him From a lesser sinne he runnes to a greater from the greater vnto the greatest till hee meete with his match that is with a sinne that overmatcht him and brought him vnder foot Let Kings beware of sparing any cursed Agag or any fat Idole Religion for the bellie is Agags God lest the Lord leaue them to 〈◊〉 sinnes race the best end whereof is but shame confusion of face Seing we are all called to be Kings vnto God Lee vs spare neither fat sinnes nor leane sinnes sinnes lesse or more gainefull and pleasurable but let vs kill them all for as the bleating of the Cattle bewraied Sauls halting so will the crying of one sinne vnmortified bewray our hollowe hearts and prouoke the holy one to Iudgement The time of Sauls Raigne and of Samuel his Iudgship togither making 40. yeares 27. Staffe a Then Samuel did David King annoint Who was of Iudah b gracious good true c Then Salomon his Sonne he doth appoint Him to succeede as book of Kings doth shew This Salomon for d Tabernacles Rite Did build a Glorious Temple Gods delite a Se for this into the Annotation next before b As Dauid succeeded Saul so he raigned in all goodnes excepting the slaughter of Vriah the defiling of his wife Bathsheba marrying at length with Bathsheba by whom the adulterous Childe dead he had Salomon the figure of Iesus the peaceable Spouse of his church even as his Father David was the speciall type of IESVS the slaughterer of his Churches â—oes And here beginneth the Books of KINGS c David in his old age caused Zadok the Priest Nathan the Prophet he that reproved David for his Adulterie with his valiant men to carry his Son Salomon downe on his Mule to Gihon and there the Priest annoynting him with oyle taken out of the Tabernacle to proclaime him King who did so crying God saue King SALOMON After that David having exhorted his sonne to fear the Lord As also informing him of IEHOVAHS will concerning the Temple he dyed having raigned seauen yeares in Hebron where hee was the second time annoynted and 33. yeares in Ierusalem where he was the third time vncted d In stead of the Tabernacle formed in the wildernes Salomon by the Lord his appointment buildeth a Temple divided into the 1. Court 2. Holie and 3. Most Holy as was the Tabernacle The Stone was hewen and first made euen and afterwards were conioyned togither for the rearing vp of walles so that it is saide There was not heard the noise of an hammer in setting of it vp 1. King 6. 7. This signified that the Temple spirituall of our Iesus greater than Salomon namely the Church of the Newe Testament should consist of spirituall stones namely Men and weomen who first shuld be hewed and made smooth as Iohn Baptist smoothed the waye to Christ by the preaching of Prophets and having once the visible spirituall knobs hewen off then they should conioyne and knit togither into one communion This was cause that Iohn Baptist would not baptise any but such as first Confessed Sinne giving hope of Amendment And this was it that holy Peter respected when he said And yee as liuely stones be made a spirituall house 1. PETER 2. 5. Secondly that hammers or forcing meanes are not for ioyning People togither in holy Communion and Vnion spirituall for no Iron sworde can beget Faith but that Princes swords and hard meanes are appointed for the smoothing of them and cutting off their knobs and wicked manners that so they may bee fitted sooner for Christ. This Armie is to appeare willingly in holy beautie at the time appointed Faith is free or voluntarie not forced by humaine power Thirdly that Ratling noyse of Accusations Reprehensions is not fitte teaching within Christ his spirituall Temple the Church Iohn is to charge 〈◊〉 for Generation of Vâ—pers that are without as 〈◊〉 these that are once entred into the Lords house and â—nrolled by Baptisme in his Booke to them appertaine sweeter wordes than Salomon spake in the hearing of his servants and why All â—â—thin are hoped to be Christes and