olde and newe testament For that teachyng wherby our religiō was taught our forefathers in types and figures is called the olde testament but that which without figures describeth and sheweth vnto vs Christe the perfectiō of the lawe is called the newe testament not therfore newe because the olde fathers knewe not Christe but by conferryng settyng it together with the olde and because a new people euē the cōgregation of gentiles is receiued into this league through Christ preachyng of the gospel And hereby now you maie the better perceiue howe the bible is called the olde new testamēt For the selfe written bookes of the bibles are no more the newe testament it selfe then the tables writinges testamentarie or of leagues are the testamēt or league it selfe and yet of all men be thei called the testamēt league Thus of the thing that thei doo describe thei take this name Because then that in the former bokes of the Bibles be declared preceptes promises factes rites traditions and diuers waies wherby God hath instructed ledde mankinde in his testament in his league true religiō therfore Olde testamēt saie I thei called it the old testament And because the latter bookes declare vnto vs how in Christ al thinges are fulfilled made new in dede restored again how also a newe people gathered together of the Iewes gentils is ioigned into one bodie in faith charitie worship God in Christ New testamēt therfore were these bookes called the newe testamēt Touchyng the title purpose of our heuēlie philosophie thus moche haue we spokē in general After wil we brieflie expoune what matier is cōteined in ech boke seuerallie But first wil I speake somewhat of placyng the bokes of the olde and new testament and how thei stande in ordre S. Hierome in the preface to the bokes of kinges Daniel The numbre and ordre of the bookes of the olde Testament sheweth that the olde testamēt is diuided by the Hebrues into the lawe the prophetes holie bookes writtē by holie men called in greke Hagiographa So he nūbreth of the lawe .v. bokes Genesis Exod. Leuiti Numeri The first ordre Deutero this he maketh the first ordre In the seconde whiche he calleth of prophetes The seconde ordre he putteth .viij. bookes Iosue Iudges wherunto he ioigneth the little boke of Ruth Samuel Malachim Esaie Ieremie with his lamētations Ezechiel and the .xij. prophetes He also hath noted that these .xii. prophetes be not nūbred of the Hebrues and the .lxx. interpretours in al one ordre and the interpretours to reken thus Oseas Amos Micheas Ioel Abdias Ionas Nahū Abacuk Sophonias Haggeus zacharias Malachias The Hebrues to folow this ordre Oseas Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Abacuk Sophonias Haggeus zacharias Malachias The bookes called Hagiographa he rehearseth .ix. Hagiographa Iob the Psalmes whiche is comprehēded in .v. particions and one volume the Parables of Solomon his Ecclesiastes the Canticles the booke of Daniel the Chronicles Esdras to whiche is ioigned Nehemias and the boke of Ester Al these put together he thinketh of tholde law to be gathered xxii bokes He warneth vs yet that there be some which count the booke of Ruth and the Lamentations of Ieremie emong Hagiographa and set theim in this ordre First the boke of Paralipomenon whiche with vs is diuided into two bokes then the Psalmes the Prouerbes of Solomon nexte after theim Iob. Ruth foloweth him Ecclesiastes hath the sixte place the Lamētacions of Hieremie the seuenth the Canticles the eight Esther the ninthe Daniel the tenthe Esdras and his cōpaniō Nehemias the last The holie writinges whiche be next in aucthority to the bokes of the first seconde order those by likelihod thei called Hagiographae as first writtē made by holie men the other ascribe thei to God himself affirming him and not man to be the maker of theim Bullingers minde touching these bookes To speake freely as I thinke I doe not see why by as good reason God maie not bee accoumpted to be the maker of these bookes aswel as of thother and why thei of the firste and seconde order maie not in likewise be called Hagiographa Saincte Peter speaking of all the Prophetes aswell of Dauid Daniel and Solomom as of other No prophecie in the Scripture saieth he hath any priuate interpretacion ii Peter i For the holie Scripture came neuer by the wil of man but holie men of GOD spake as thei were moued by the holie Ghoste Verely that these bee of equall auctoritie with the other it is proued partly by many Argumentes and especially by this that the LORDE Iesus and the Apostles in teaching and confirming true and sounde Religione vsed aswell the Testymonies of the Psalmes of Daniel and other bookes emong those called Hagiographa As of Moses Esaie and other There bee some whiche of the matiers that the bookes treate of In other diuision diuide all the Olde Testamente into fower partes Into the Lawe Histories Preceptes of Wisedome and Prophetes Of the Lawe thei recken fiue Bookes whiche bee well knowen to all menne Thirtene of Histories Iosue Iudicum Ruth fower of the Kinges two of Paralipomenon Esdras Nehemias Hesther and Iob. Of wisedome the count those three moste excellente of Solomon the wiseste of all mortall Menne Into the Prophetes thei putte the Psalmes the fower greate Prophetes and the twelue lesser I wil not kepe from you the Iudgemente of Iosephus touching the bokes of the Olde Testamente The iudgemente of Iosephus touching these bookes disputing against Appion There bee not with vs saieth he innumerable volumes discording one with an other emong theimselues But there be onely twoo and twentte bookes whiche conteine the iuste order of al times whiche also are rightlie beleued to bee written throughe the inspiration of GODDE Of them fiue bee called the Bookes of MOYSES conteinyng Lawes of liuyng the firste Creacione of Manne and his ofspringe vntill the death of Moyses himselfe And from that time vnto Artaxerxes whiche emong the Persians reigned after Xerxes the Prophetes and soche as liued at those daies haue writtē in thirtene bokes the actes that were dooen The other fower teache Hymnes praises to god wardes preceptes rules of liuyng From Artaxerxes vntill our time all thinges bee written whiche yeat neither are woorthie so greate credite nor so to bee estemed as are the firste matiers Euen for this verelie that the Prophetes folowed not still in one course one after other nor throughly be knowen what thei were To these woordes streight waies he addeth whiche greately setteth foorth the aucthoritie of the Scriptures Hereby therefore it is plaine saieth he how reuerently we vse our scriptures For in so many hundred yeres comming and going neuer durst any man put to take awaie nor chaunge anything but into all men of our nation is this faieth in maner graffed To beleue all these to
be the decrees of GOD and for euer to abide in theim and for theim if the matier so require gladlie to leaue their liues Hitherto be the woordes of Iosephus And I moche allowe this Iudgemente of his touching the bookes of Diuinitie Whiche Ciprianus or Ruffinus for so thinketh Cassianus in the Seuenthe booke of the onely begotten wel nighe folowing in thexposicion of the Crede maketh soche an order of the holie bookes as hath semed alwaies vnto me best and plainest He setteth together al the Historicall bookes then the writinges of the prophetes almoste in this wise The order of Ciprian or Ruffinus Firste he putteth the fiue bookes of Moses next the Prophetes called of some the former Prophetes that is the booke of Iosue of Iudges of Ruth twoo of Samuel and two of Kinges To these streightwaies he ioigneth the other bookes of Histories two of Paralipomenon Hester and twoo of Esdras After these he setteth the Prophetes whiche we call the greater Esaie Ieremie Ezechiel and Daniel To thē he ioigneth the Bookes of the twelue lesser whose names are rehearsed afore Last of al he setteth the other excellent Bookes replenished with all kinde of heauenlie doctrine The booke of Iob the Psalmes and thre bookes of Solomon within this nūbre both certein plaine he includeth al the Canonicall Bookes of the olde Testament Neither didde the Bishoppe of the moste auncient Churche of Sardis nor that excellent learned man Origenes doctour of the Apostolicall Schole at Alexandria reken vp any moe vnto Melitus Of that one Eusebius maketh mencion in the fowerth booke and fiue and twentie chapiter Ecclesiasticae Historiae and of that other in the sixth boke eightenth Chapitre Yet in placing them thei vse not all one order as after the diuersitie of examplers and wil of the Scriueners you maie finde I doubte not these holy Bookes otherwise ordred also one setting that before whiche an other placeth behinde moued not somoche by reason as by wil and pleasure But a wise reader will not passe greatly hereupon knowing that wee ought principally to regarde not the order but the matier Neither woulde I my selfe haue stande so long herein hadde I not wiste some menne so earnestly to require and loke for soche an exacte and curious handeling of this matier The newe Testamente is finished in seuen and twentie bookes For the Euangelicalle Historie is sette foorth bothe in fower Bookes Numbre and order of the bookes of the newe Testament and by fower Writers The Actes of the Apostles are conteined in one Booke The Epistles of Saincte Paule bee coumpted fowertene To the Romaines one To the Corinthians twoo To the Galathianes Ephesianes Phillipianes and Collossians one a piece To the Thessaloniās twoo As many to Timothie one to Tite one to Philemon and one to the Hebrues After these folowe seuen Epistles Canonicall One of Iames twoo of Peter three of Ihon the Apostle and one of Iudas Laste is the Apocalyps made and published by Ihō the Apostle By these bookes the Canon of the newe Testamente to bee fully perfeicte all the auncient Writers and the holiest Doctours with one consent dooe testifie and agree Saincte Hierome in those his prefaces Augustine in his seconde Booke and eighte Chapitre De Doctrina christiana Ciprian also in thexposicion of the Crede Origene varieth nothing from theim saue that hee sheweth certeine Bookes to bee in this Canon of whiche some menne haue somewhat doubted As for the Epistle of Paule to the Hebrues I saie saieth he As it hath been taught mee of mine Elders that it is Paules vndoubtedlie and that all our forefathers haue so taken it Thus saieth Eusebius in the sixte boke the eighteenthe Chapitre De Ecclesiastica Historia And he also folowing Origene writeth thus To assigne and marke out all the Canon of the newe Testamente first lette vs ioigne together the fowersquare heauenly Chariotte of all the Gospelles Eusebeus touching the bookes of the new Testament Couple to theim the Actes of the Apostles and after the Epistles of Paule whiche be plainly knowen to be fowertene had in aucthoritie Yet am I not ignoraunte the Latines to bee in doubte touchīg the Epistle to the Hebrewes Then set the first epistle of Ihō the first of Peter also Of these neuer was there any doubte at all There hath been of the Apocalyps of the Epistle of Iames of Iude of the seconde of Peter of the seconde and thirde of Ihon whether thei were his that was the Euangeliste or els some others of that name These be the woordes of Eusebius in his thirde booke the thirde and fiue and twentie Chapiters But I haue proued elswhere that the aucthoritie of holie scripture is not appaired by the doubting of some seing it is not confirmed ratified and established by Depositions and opiniones of Menne but approoued to bee infalliblie true by the moste sure Sentence and approbation of almightie and euerlastyng GOD. In the librarie of the churche of Tigurie there is in the vpper part of the college a verie olde and true exampler of the Bible written by hande which placeth firste the .vij. Epistles Canonical euen in the same ordre that thei stande with vs. The epistle of Iames stādeth first Peter next Iohn after thē Iude and the .xiiij. Epistles of Paule last of whiche that to the Hebrues standeth hindemoste In that exampler the Euangelistes are set first the Actes folowe nexte last after al the Epistles is sette the Apocalyps And thus moche haue we spoken touchyng the numbre ordre and distinction of the bokes of the moste sacred Bible Now come we to the argumentes and briefe expositions of eche booke seuerallie of either Testament Moses Moses as a golden cōduit and firste father by whom the heauenlie doctrine is translated from Godde to man comprehending all vertue and true wisedome in fiue bookes hath taught thesame and whatsoeuer he hath described from the creacion of the worlde vntill his owne time with soche diligence trueth and vprightnesse that he semeth none otherwise to haue set it out then he had receiued from aboue and by the secrete inspiration of the holie ghost As for the lawe it selfe as it was deliuered him from god so did he publishe send it abroade Wherunto he ioigned the actes of .xl. yeres whiche space Israel wādred in desert him self being a great part of those thinges that there were dooen and seen These bookes conteine the historie of two thousande fiue hundred and seuentie yeares wherof the Genesis hath .ij. M. .iij.c .xc. For frō Adam to the fludde are M. vi.c.lvi yeres From the fludde vnto Abrahams going out of Chaldee ccc.lxiij From thence vnto the death of Ioseph .cc.xc. In Exodus be the rest of their afflictiōs and the actes of their going out in the first yere The other .iii. bokes make vp the space of xl yeres in whiche thei wandred in desert and al this put together maketh ij M.
v.c.lxx yeres Genesis The first booke declareth the beginnyng and causes of all thinges speciallie the creation of man how it was frō the beginnyng how he fell and was restored again how all men came of one and being dispersed through the world by enormeous faultes angred God and caused the fludde to come vpon them Againe how thei that were saued in the same gaue the beginnyng to all kingdomes last of Abraham Isaac and Iacob holie Prophetes whiche liued before the lawe written in tables the liues condicions maners religion notable dedes and saiynges be discribed and how thei descended out of the lande of Chanaan into Egipt For these and other good men this first boke of Moses was called of some The booke of iuste men Yet with vs and our elders hath their naming preuailed whiche called it Genesis doubtlesse of the generation and beginnyng of al thinges at which Moses beginneth his booke The seconde boke declareth how the Israelites oppressed in Egipt by Pharao Exodus deliuered by their capitain Moses were ledde into desert through the redde sea how thei fought against the Amalechites were fedde with breade that rained downe from heauen how at the commaundemēt of God thei did create a Magistrate and at the last receiued lawes also describyng settyng out and commaundyng true religion holie maners rites ceremonies and finallie al due and good ordre in the cōmune wealthe Here also is touched a little their shamefull offence that thei did in worshippyng the golden calfe And of their commyng out of Egipte whereof it principallie treateth this booke is called Exodus Leuiticus Vnto this ioigneth Leuiticus so called of the Leuitical ministeries which it teacheth It sheweth sundry kindes of sacrifices vowes pollucions infections general clēsyng of sinnes lawful vnlawful mariages like other It speaketh a little of ciuill Gouernaunce but speciallie of holie rites or customes and as we might saie the bishoppes or canon lawes Here maie we see how vertuous and learned priestes ought to be All the misteries of the gospel the priesthode sacrifice of Christ his vertue power yea and our whole redēptiō couertlie wrapped in figures is here throughlie conteined ¶ The fourth booke is called Numeri peraduēture of this Numeri that in it the people of Israel are nūbred It declareth the actes from the second yere of their going out of Egipt euē vnto the death of Moses In it be many notable exāples of sondrie cōmocions rufflinges emōg rebellious people There is shewed what euill ende sedicious persones come vnto what maruellous chaunces happen to the rulers them selues Moses of all menne moste constant and pacient suffred vntollerable thinges dooen to him bothe by his owne people and other foreins to and yet he him selfe is not fautlesse neither Many thinges are in this boke which perteine to religion and ciuil gouernaūce speciallie this That bishoppes ought not to flie from intermedlyng wyth matiers of the cōmon weale nor a ciuil officer to passe little vpon religion Almost at the ende be described great battailes and certaine lawes are declared at large in the great plaine of Moab The fift and last booke is called Deuteronomium Deuterono or seconde lawe and as you woulde saie The lawe expouned now the second time This is added of Moses vnto the other afore as a briefe of all heauenlie Philosophie In it is conteined all that euer serueth to liue wel and vertuouslie The briefenesse thereof is moche commended and set by and is a plaine commentarie of the ten commaundementes This Booke the Lorde woulde haue still in the handes of his people wherin he hath so ordred all matiers as to all degrees and ages thei maie be moste mete and conuenient Iosue The booke of Iosue declareth principallie the trueth of Goddes promise How after the death of Moses the people of Israel by the leadyng of Iosue of whom the booke hath his name as of the chiefe persone were brought into the lande of promise the princes and people of the Cananites vainquished destroied in punishment for their great sinnes It hath a goodlie description of the holie Lande and sheweth vnto vs an example of a verie good Prince and obedient people It conteineth the historie of .xxvi. yeres or therabout Iudges The Booke of Iudges taketh his name of the Iudges of Israel whose actes and gouernaunce it declareth And countyng Iosue him selfe there were emong the people thirtene Iudges not as Kinges and Monarches but pastours presidentes and consuls of free people Here is set out a fre state with many chaunges victories slaughters Oppressions Deliueries iudgementes and commocions Also the mutabilitie of the commons alwaies ready to the worst diuerse heauie chaūces the fight betwixt religion and supersticion is here declared It is a mirrour of that weale publique where is no head officer but euerie man foloweth what liketh him best it sheweth what euil end that to moche libertie cometh vnto Thē ensueth ciuill battail and destruction within theim selues The historie is of .cccxxxvi. yeares accountyng hereunto the time of Iosue and .xxiiij. yeres out of the ministration of Helie Ruthe The little booke of Ruth toke the name of the chiefe person It treateth of no high matier but sheweth how after harde happes and greuous tēptations cometh a merie ende and that vertue is rewarded if we cōtinue stil in goodnesse and refuse not honest labour It hath a rehearsall of Dauids or rather of Messias kinred very profitable for that that foloweth and the vnderstandyng of the promise of God This historie perteineth to the times of the Iudges After this folowe .ij. bokes of Samuel Samuel and Kinges and .ii. bookes of kinges a woorke of many and sondrie matiers very profitable and full of learnyng By moste notable examples in them be declared and confirmed the lawes and promises of GOD. Out of theim also are made the Psalmes and homelies of the Prophetes To be shorte emong the best goodliest cunningest and moste necessarie bookes of the Scripture these be not the laste The booke of Iudges sheweth a state of gouernaunce where the people or rather the chiefe emong them dooe beare rule The Historie of Samuel of the Kinges setteth out in his colours a Monarchie or one highe gouernour describing not onely what a King is but the facions also of al his Courte and Kingdome bee it good or eiuell Here maie you finde how lawes be chaunged religion kept or neglected notable examples also of Vertue and vice of trueth falshod prudence iustice of princes and priestes bothe good and badde But who is hable in fewe woordes to comprehēde the great varietie profite of matiers in these bokes The first chieflie describeth the gouernaunce of Samuel and Saul The seconde of Dauid the third painteth out the glorie of Solomō how mightie kingdomes decaie except thei be mainteined by feruent loue of Godlinesse religiō vertue and concorde So in the
latter parte is shewed how the Kinges of the Israelites and Iewes wounded and killed eche other how to their great cost and charge theie hiered the Egiptianes and Assyrians to aide theim and thereby gaue occasione to inuade the Kingdome of Israel as it is declared in the fowerth booke Where also you maie see a litle before their captiuitie how greate miserie thei were in vnder Ieconias in the yere after the making of the worlde three thousande fower hundred and thirtie For the Historie of Samuel comprehendeth an hundred euen the twentie latter yeres of Heli. Fowertie of Samuel and Saul as it is in the Actes and fowertie of Dauid The two bookes of the Kinges vnto the Captiuitie haue fower hundred twentie and sixe yeres and sixe Monethes To whiche if you put the yeres of the Historie of Moyses and Iudges you shall finde thre thousand fower hundred and thirtie yeres Adde hereunto the seuenty of the Captiuitie in Babilone and you shall haue from the twentie of HELI fower hundred ninetie and thre yeres and sixe monethes But into the numbre of seuentie yeres you muste put the litle booke of Hester It seemeth Hester those thinges written of her to haue been dooen vnder Astiages vnto whome the myghtie Monarche Euilmerodach sōne to the most victorious Nabuchodonozer peraduēter had geuē rule vpon those people whom the first chap. of Hester speketh of The same mā as far as wee can gesse by the ninthe of Daniel by likelihod was called Assuerus a worde of Regall dignitie his proper name being Astiages euen the very same that by the mothers side was graundfather to Darius not Darius the sonne of Histaspis but of that auncient Median surnamed of Zenophon Cyaparis which caried awaie Daniel with him into Medea euē thē also possessing ii.c.xx great Lordships For .vii whiche his father Assuerus as it is said in the firste Chapiter of Hester possessed were come vnto the Persians vnto whom at the last the remnaunt also were subiect after the death of Darius the Mede whose Daughter Cyrus hadde maried beyng Victour Lorde and Kinge of Babilon Mede and Persia But howsoeuer it be in this booke is described the courtlie life foolishe madde and pernicious There all thinges are gaie and gallaunt menne liue at pleasure and by riotous excesse lose al thei haue Many heauie chaunces great pensifenesse perill and heinous treason is there also The proude and rebellious quene Vasthi is compared with the lowelie and obedient Hester Aman is a paterne of an ambicious vniust and cruell tiraunte from base lowe degre enhaunsed into the toppe of highe dignitie and foorthwith caste downe headlong ending his life on the gallowes an example to vs of vnstable fortune and what thei shall come to that geue cruell counsail But Mardocheus representeth a vertuous lord standing on a sure ground through his wisedome sauing himselfe and his people and by his prudente counsail doing moche good to other foreine Princes As the litle Volume of Ruth so this also taketh his name of the chiefe persone Now folowe the Bookes whiche Esdras declare what happened to the people of GOD after their deliuerance Esdras euen at the firste preacheth the trueth of Goddes promise In captiuitie thei crie to the Lorde and be heard Seuentie yeres expired by fauour of king Cyrus thei retourne into Iewrie with Golde and riche giftes to be put in the Temple being made vp again Thei set vp an altare and hast them to building but the worke was let two and fowertie yeres At last vnder Darius the yōger the Temple was finished Then came Esdras renewed the Lawes corrected the faultes of the people and prelates After him came Nehemias Nehemias and walled the Citie eased the people from hard Exactions burdennes and vsuries by witte and Wisedome holpe the Citizeines and amended that was amisse The Souldioures of Antichriste and their Craftes whereby the buildinge might not go forwardes is here plainly set out and how ware men should be to ouercome thenemies of the people of GOD. This Historie conteineth thre score and tenne yeres From the first of Cyrus vnto the twentie of Darius are coumpted eight and fiftie yeres From thence vnto the two and thirtie are .xij in whiche the walles were made vp There remaineth the Chronicles whiche the Grekes and Latines diuide into two bookes called Paralipomenon Chronicles For some thinges passed ouer in the former Historie of the Kinges bee here rehearsed and spoken of more largelie Yet sure it is that these be not the Chronicles of Iuda and Israel whiche many times bee mentioned in the Bookes of Kinges Doubtlesse those wer most copious commentaries of the actes of the kinges of Iuda and Israel now being lost through wastful time Some thinke these to be a briefe of this excellente historie namely of the Kinges of Iuda Thei profite moste to the exposition of the Prophetes Thus hitherto haue we rehearsed all the bokes of the diuine historie whiche from the beginning of the worlde vnto the building vp againe of the Citie of Ierusalē that is to the two and thirtie yere of Darius is thre M. iiii C. lxxxviij yeres and vi monethes So many shal he finde whosoeuer wil diligently reade ouer the holie Historie for we made this accoumpte by the yeres of the Patriarches iudges Dukes and Kinges Neither maketh it any matier that Iosephus Eusebius and many other folowe an other accoumpt We haue folowed the holy writers yea and the trueth it self Now to the other bokes of holie Scripture Iob teacheth to beare paciently the crosse of aduersitie Iob and that not by triflyng preceptes of Philosophie but by wonderful consideration of Goddes prouidence First of al is the historie it self how there was a certeine good and iust man broughte to greate aduersitie and what shoulde bee the merueilous meaning of God in this case After the mater is discussed by a gret disputatiō last of all foloweth the croune triumph of the victour And in this boke is shewed more syncere philosophie then in al the bokes that euer al the philosophers wrote of the which none hath tought any thīg purely in this matier The Epicures cal vs frō the crosse to delectacion pleasure The Peripatetiques counte sickenesse pouertie reproche and disworshippe emong the greatest eiuilles that can be Certeine Stoiqnes doe counsaile men that be in daūgier either to breake their owne neckes either to hang or kil them selues or by some other violente death to shift frō their peine And other teache other thinges more foolishe The booke of Psalmes is an heauenly worke Psalmes treating diuers matiers and is both profitable and pleasaunte It pleased God whiche touched briefly al Sciences to speake a litle of Musique also and handle it purely if perchaunce thereby men might be driuen from vncleane and wanton songes So whatsoeuer cunning and holie sōges Dauid and of his nacion other wisemen Poetes prestes haue writtē of diuerse matiers at diuerse