therfore tooke away al abominations of al the countries of the children of Israel and made al that were left in Israel to serue our Lord their God Al his daies they reuolted not from our Lord the God of their fathers CHAP. XXXV Iosias celebrateth a most Solemne Pasch 20. Is slaine by the king of Aegypt al Iudalamenting him 25. most specially Ieremias AND Iosias made in Ierusalem a Phase to our Lord which was immolated the fourtenth day of the first moneth †And he appoynted the Priestes in their offices and exhorted them that they would minister in the house of our Lord. †To the Leuites also at whose instruction al Israel was sanctified to our Lord he spake Put the Arke in the Sanctuarie of the temple which Salomon built the sonne of Dauid the king of Israel for you shal carie it no more but now minister to our Lord your God and to his people Israel †And prepare your selues by your houses and kinredes in the diuisions of euerie one as Dauid the king of Israel commanded and Salomon his sonne described †And minister ye in the Sanctuarie by families and Leuitical companies †and being sanctified immolate the Phase prepare also your brethren that they may doe according to the wordes which our Lord spake in the hand of Moyses †Moreouer Iosias gaue to al the people that was found there in the solemnitie of the Phase lambes and kiddes of the flockes and of the rest of the cattel thirtie thousand of oxen also three thousand al these thinges of the kinges substance †His dukes also voluntarily offered that which they vowed as wel to the people as to the Priestes and the Leuites Moreouer Helcias and Zacharias and Iahiel princes of the house of our Lord gaue to the Priestes to make the Phase cattel one with an other two thousand six hundred and oxen three hundred †And Chonenias and Semeias also Nathanael his brethren moreouer Hasabias and Iehiel and Iozabad princes of the Leuites gaue to the rest of the Leuites to celebrate the Phase fiue thousand sheepe and oxen fiue hundred †And the ministerie was prepared and the Priestes stood in their office the Leuites also in companies according to the kinges commandement †And the Phase was immolated and Priestes sprinkled the blood with their hand and the Leuites drew of the skinnes of the holocaustes †and they seperated them to geue them by the houses and families of euerie one and to be offered to our Lord as it is writen in the Booke of Moyses of oxen also they did in like maner †And they rosted the Phase vpon fyre according to that which is writen in the law but the pacifique hostes they bâ—vled in caudrons and kettles and pottes and in hast they distributed it to al the people †And for themselues and for the Priestes they prepared afterward for in oblation of holocaustes and of fatte the Priestes were occupied vntil night wherfore the Leuites prepared for themselues and for the Priestes the children of Aaron last †Moreouer the singing men the children of Asaph stood in their order according to the precept of Dauid and Asaph and Heman and Idithun the prophetes of the king and the porters watched at euerie gate so that they departed not a moment from the ministerie for the which cause also their brethren the Leuites prepared meates for them †Therfore al the seruice of our Lord was ritely accomplished that day so that they made the Phase and offered holocaustes vpon the altar of our Lord according to the precept of king Iosias †And the children of Israel that were found there made the Phase at that time and the solemnitie of Azymes seuen daies †There was not a Phase like to this in Israel from the daies of Samuel the prophete neither did anie of al the kinges of Israel make a Phase as Iosias to the Priestes and the Leuites and to al Iuda and Israel that was found and to the inhabitantes of Ierusalem †In the eightenth yeare of the kingdom of Iosias was this Phase celebrated †After that Iosias had repayred the temple came vp Nechao the king of Aegypt to fight in Charcamis beside Euphrates and Iosias went forth to meete him †But he sending messengers vnto him sayd What haue I to doe with thee king of Iuda I come not agaynst thee this day but I fight agaynst an other house to the which God hath commanded me to goe in hast leaue to doe agaynst God who is with me lest he kil thee †Iosias would not returne but prepared battel agaynst him neither did he agree to the wordes of Nechao from the mouth of God but went forward to fight in the fielde of Mageddo †And there being wounded of the Archers he sayd to his seruantes Carie me out of the battel because I am sore wounded †Who remoued him from one chariote into an other chariote that folowed him after the maner of kinges and they caried him away into Ierusalem he died and was buried in the monument of his fathers and al Iuda and Ierusalem mourned for him †Ieremie most of al whose lamentations al the singing men and singing wemen repeate vntil this present day vpon Iosias and it is growen as it were a law in Israel Behold it is sayd to be writen in the lamentations †But the rest of the wordes des of Iosias of his mercies which are commanded by the law of our Lord †his workes also the first and the last are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel CHAP. XXXVI Ioachaz reigneth three monethes 4. His brother Eliakim named loakim eleuen yeares 9. his sonne Ioachin three monethes 11. his vncle Sedecias eleuen yeares 14. Most Priestes and people contemning the admonitions of Prophetes 17. manie are slaine by the Chaldees the Temple and Ierusalem spo led and burnt 20. The sayd kinges successiuely and people are caryed captiue into Babylon 22. After seuentie yeares Cyrus king of Persia releaseth the captiuitie and geueth leaue to reedifie the Temple THE people therfore of the land tooke Ioachaz the sonne of Iosias and made him king for his father in Ierusalem †Taree and twentie yeares old was Ioachaz when he began to reigne and he reigned three monethes in Ierusalem †And the king of Aegypt when he came into Ierusalem deposed him and condemned the land in an hundred talentes of siluer and a talent of gold †And he made Eliakim his brother king for him ouer Iuda and Ierusalem and he turned his name Ioakim but he tooke Ioachaz himself with him and caried him away into Aegypt †Fiue and twentie yeares old was Ioakim when he began to reigne and he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem and he did euil before our Lord his God †Agaynst him came vp Nabuchodonosor the king of the Chaldees and brought him bound in chaynes into Babylon †Whither he transported also the vessels of
name of God which essentially is proper only to the three Diuine Persons of the B. Trinitie and incommunicable to anie creature Sap. 14. is neuertheles by similitude attributed in holie Scripture to other persons As Exod. 22. v. 8. Iudges or princes are called goddes for the eminent authoritie and powre which they haue from God So Moyses was constituted the Iudge and God of Pharao not only to punish him for his obstinacie and finally to compel him to dismisse the Israelites out of Aegypt but also to terrifie him so in the meane time that he being otherwise a mightie King and extremly and often afflicted by Moyses yet durst neuer lay violent handes vpon him left himsefe and al his nation should presently haue bene destroyed As S. Hilarie lib. 7. de Trinitate S. Gregorie ho. 8. in EZech. note vpon this place Likwise Priests are called goddes Exod 22. v. 28. for their sacred function pertaining to Religion and Seruice of God Prophetes also are called Videntes Seers 1. Reg. 9. because by participation of diuine knowledge they see sometimes the secretes of other mens hartes things supernatural and future contingent though properly and naturally onlie God almightie is Scrutator cordis the searcher of the hart and knoweth al things Sap. 1. Againe S. Peter saieth 2. Epist c. 1. that iust men are made partakers of diuine nature VVhich is rather more then to participate in name Al which titles rightly perteined to Moyses being in life Holie in knowledge a Prophete in function a Priest and in powre a Prince In the same sense of participation Saintes are called our Mediators Aduocates Redemers Deliuerers and the like 3. I vvil indurate According to our purpose mentioned in the Annotations vpon the 9. chap. to the Romanes we shal here recite the summe of S. Augustins doctrine Ser. 88. de tempore touching the hard question How God did indurate Pharaoes hart And withal we shal briefly explicate according to the doctrine of the same other most learned Fathers of the Church the true sense of this and like places by which Zuinglius Caluin Beza and other Sectaries would proue that God not only permitteth but also commandeth inclineth inforceth and compelleth men to do that which is sinne yea that God is the author internal mouer inforcer that man transgresseth though they denie thâ—t God sinneth or is cause of the malice of sinne For exaÌ„ple Zuinglius Ser. de prouidentia Dei ca. 5 saieth Numen ipsum auctor est eius quod nobis est iniustitia illi vero nullatenus est The diuine povvre it selfe is author of that thing vvhich to vs is iniustice but to him in no vvise is And alitle after Cum igitur Angelum transgressorem â—acit hominem ipse tamen transgressor non coÌ„stituitur VVhen therfore God maketh Angel and man transgressor yet himself is not made a transgressor Cha. 6. Vnum igitur atque idem sacinus puta adulterium aut homicidium quantum Dei est auctoris motoris impulsoris opus est crimen non est quantum hominis est crimen acscelus est Therfore the self same act as adulterie or manslaughter as it is of God the author mouer inforcer is a worke is not a crime but as it is of man is a crime a wicked act Caluin li 8. Instit c. 17. para 11. affirmeth that the diuel the whole band of the wicked can not conceiue nor endeuoure nor doe anie mischief nisi quantum Deus permiâ—erit imo â—isi quantum ille mandarit but so farre as God permitteth which al Catholiques firmly beleue nay â—ut so far as he coÌ„mandeth which al Catholiques abhorre and detest Likewise li. 2. c. 4. para 4 alleaging Gods wordes saying he had aggrauated and hardned Pharaoes hart affirmeth that which God did more besides not mollifying his hart was quod obstinatione pectus eius obâ—irmandum Satanae mandauit that he committed his hart to Satan to be obdurated vvith obstinacie making God the author and Satan only the minister of hardning Pharaos hart Beza folowing this race in Respon ad Castallionem Aphorismo 22. saieth God so vvorketh by euel instruments that he doth not only suffer them to worke nor only moderateth the euent sed etiam vt excitet impellat moueat regat atque adeo quod omniuÌ„ est maximum etiam creet vt per illa agat quod constituit but also sturreth them vp driueth them forward moueth them ruleth them and which is most of al euen createth them that by them he may vvorke that which he appointed Al vvhich saith he God doth rightly and vvithout anie iniustice So in dede these men say when they are pressed with the blasphemous absurditie that they make God author and cause of sinne which necessarily and euidently foloweth of their doctrin For by the very light of nature it is clere that the commander or inforcer is author of that euil which an other doth by his coÌ„mandement or inforcement and by al law of nature and nations diuiue and humane is condemned as culpable and guiltie of the fault which the other coÌ„mitteth but these ministers say in the places aboue cited God câ—mandeth inforceth and vvorketh al that a sinner doth Ergo God by this doctrin must be author culpable and guiltie of sinne VVhich is so blasphemous and horrible to Christian eares that they dare not say it in expresse termes Seing then God is said to haue indurated Pharaoes hart and al confesse that induration of hart is a most greuous sinne the controuersie is VVhether God commanded inforced and wrought the induration in Pharaoes hart or only permitted it or what els God did to Pharao wherby his hart was indurate and finally by whom it was properly indurate by God or by Pharao him selfe Al which S. Augustin explicateth laying first this ground which euerie one is faithfully and firmly to beleue that God neuer forsaketh any man before he be first forsaken by the same man yea God also long expecteth that a sinner which much and often offendeth conuert and liue But when the sinner abideth long in his wickednes of the multitude of sinnes riseth desperation of desperation is ingendred obduration For vvhen the impious is comon to the depth of sinnes he contemneth Obduration therfore cometh not of Gods powre compelling but is ingendred by Gods remisnes or indulgence and so not diuine powre but diuine patience did harden Pharaoes hart How often soeuer therfore our Lord saieth I vvil indurate the hart of Pharao he would nothing els to be vnderstood but I wil suspend my plagues and punishments wherby I wil permit him through mine indulgence to be obdurate against me Perhaps some wil aske why did God by sparing him let him be indurate why did God take from him his wholsome punishment I answer securely this was done because Pharao for the huge heape of his sinnes deserued not as
a child to be corrected vnto amendment but as an enemie was suffered to be indurate For of them whom Gods mercie suffereth not to be indurate it is written God scourgeth euerie child vvhom he receiueth And in an other place VVhom I loue I correct and chastise Againe VVhom God loueth he chastiseth Let no man therfore with Paganes and Manichees presume to reprehend or blame Gods iustice but certainly beleue that not Gods violence made Pharao indurate but his owne wickednes and his vntamed pride against Gods precepts Againe what els is it to say I vvil indurate his hart but when my grace is absent from him his owne wickednes wil obdurate him To know this by examples water is congeled with vehement cold but the heate of the sunne coming vpon it is resolued and the sunne departing it freezeth againe In like maner by the lasines of sinners charitie waâ—eth cold they are hardned as yse but when the heate of Gods mercie commeth vpon them they are againe soâ—tned So Pharao without pittie or compassion afflicting the Hebrewes became as hard as yse but Gods hand touching him with afflictions he made humble supplication that Moyses and Aaron would pray to God for him promising what they demanded againe when the plagues were remoued he was more indurate against God and his people then before VVherby we see Gods gentlenes indulgence and sparing of Pharao not his â—igour nor his wil or set purpose but his permission and Pharaoes owne wilful malice hardned his hart and brought him to obstinate contempt of Gods coÌ„mandments And therfore God did only indurate him in that coÌ„mon phrase of speaking as a father or a maister hauing brought vp his child or seruant delicatly and not sufficiently punished his frequent faultes wherby he becometh worse and worse desperate and obdurate at last the father or maister saieth I haue made thee thus bad as thou art I by sparing thee and suffering thee to haue thine owne pleasure haue nourished thy peruersnes and carelesnes yet he saieth not this as though by his wil and intention but by his goodnes and gentlenes the man became so wicked It may here be demanded againe why did not our Lord so mercifully punish Pharao as wholy to reclame him for it semeth that had benne greatest mercie and God dealeth so with some why doth he not with al that al might be saued First it is most iustly and rightly ascribed to their iniquitie which deserue to be indurate againe why this sinner is reclaimed and not an other of the same il deserts is to be referred to Gods inscrutable iudgements which are often secrete neuer vniust Let it therfore suffice piously and humbly to beleue that as Moyses testifieth God is faithful and vvithout anie iniquitie iust and right and as the royal Prophet also professeth Thou art not a God that vvâ—â—â— iniquitie and as the Apostle teacheth there is no iniquitie vvith God By al which and some more to the same effect which we omit S. Augustin concludeth againe that properly Pharao hardened his owne hart God only by bestowing benefites vpon him which he abused and not plaguing him so much as he deserued but letting him liue and reigne and persecute the Church for the time vntil he and al his armie were in the middes of the sea VVhither as the same lerned father noteth ser 89. their owne desperate boldnes drew them vaine furie through their owne madnes prouoking them to goe so farre where God not working but only ceasing to continew his miracle the waters returning to their owne nature and meeting together inuolued and drowned them al. Other like expositions the same lerned father hath in other places As q. 18. super Exodum he teacheth that Pharao being already so wicked through his owne fault other things were done to him and his people which partly were to the correction of others and might haue bene to his but he abusing al became worse worse by Gods suffering and dispensation not only for his 〈◊〉 but euidently iust punishment Li. 5. cont Iulian c. 3. touching the ground of tentation he alleageth the Apostle saying Euerie one is tempted of his ovvne concupiscence abstracted and allured but touching one kind of Gods punishing some that are ouerwhelmed in obstinate sinnes he alleageth the saying of an other Aopstle God hath deliuered them into passions of ignominie and into a reprobate â—â—nâ—e to do those things that are not conuenient for God deliuereth them saith he conveniently that the same sinnes are made both punishments of sinnes past and are deserts of punishments to come Yet he maketh not the willes euil but vseth the euil as he wil who can not wil anie thing vniuâ—â—ly Againe q. 24. It appeareth saith he that the causes of induration of Pharaoes hart were not only for that his Inchanters did like things to those which Moyses and Aaron did but the very patience of God by which he spared him Gods patience according to mens hartes is profitable to some to repentance to some vnprofitable to resist God persist in euil yet not of it selfe vnprofitable but through the euil hart Briefly q 36. I haue harned Pharaoes hart that is I haue bene patient ouer him and his seruants Epist 105. God doth not indurate by imperting malice but by not imperting mercie or grace Li de Proedâ—st Grat. c 4. God is sayed to indurate him whom he wil not mollisie So to make him blinde whom he wil not illuminate So also to repel him whom he wil not cal And â— 6 what is that to say I vvil indurate his hart but I wil not mollifie it cap 14. It ought to haue auailed Pharao to saluation that Gods patience deâ—erring his iust and deserued punishment multiplied vpon him frequent stripes of miracles or miraculous punishmeÌ„ts Cap 15. Did not Nabucodonosor repent being punished after innumerable impieties and recouered the kingdome which he had lost But Pharao by punishment became more obdurate and perished Both were men both Kings both persecutors of Gods people both gently admonished by punishments VVhat then made their endes diuers but that the one feeling Gods hand mourned in remembrance of his owne iniquitie the other by his freewil fought against Gods most merciful veritie Neither is this the doctrin of S. Augustin alone but of other Doctors also Origen li. 3. Periarch c. de Libert arbitrij saieth the Scripture sheweth manifestly that Pharao was indurate by his owne wil. For so God saied to him Thou vvouldest not If thou vvilt not dismisse Israel S. Basil Orat. quod Deus non sit auctor malorum saieth God beginning with lesse scourges proceeded with greater and greater to plague Pharao but did not mollifie him being obstinate neither yet did punish him with death vntil he drowned himselfe when he presumed through pride to passe the same way by which the iust went
answer that the distinctioÌ„ of honour coÌ„sisteth not alwayes in the external action but in the intention of the mind For when we do such external actes of honour to God we intend therby to honour the Creator and Lord of al and so it is diuine honour but doing the same external actes to a Saint we conceiue of him as a glorious seruant of God and so we honour him as a sanctified and glorified creature Gods subiect and seruant VVithout this diuersitie of intentions in your mind you can not shew difference betwen the honour you do to God and that you do to the King by bowing kneeling and the like For it is the same external action yet no Christian doubteth but he honoreth God with diuine honour the King with ciuil Againe we answer that we do not al the external actions of honour to Sainctes which we doe to God For Sacrifice is donne only to God and to no Sainct and because Altares perteine to Sacrifice they are erected to God only though oftentimes in memorie of Saincts Both which answers S. Augustin gaue long since to Faustus the Manachie arguing that Catholiques by doing the same external actes worshipped Martyrs with diuine honour and so turned them into Idols as that heretike inferred VVherupon S. Augustin declareth that Christian people celebrate together the memories of Martyrs with Religious solemnitie to styr vp imitation to be partakers of their merites and to be holpen by their prayers Yet so that we erect not Altares because they are for Sacrifice to anie Martyr though in memorie of Martyrs but to God of Martyrs For who euer standing at the Altar in places of Sainctes bodies saide VVe offer to thee Peter or Paul or Cyprian but that which is offered is offered to God who crowned the Martyrs at their memories whom he crowned that by commonition of the very places greater affection may arise to inkindle charitie both towards them whom we may imitate and towards him by whose helpe we may VVe honour Martyrs with that worship of loue and societie wherwith holie men are worshipped in this life VVhose hart we perceiue is prepared to like sufferance for the Euangelical veritie but Martyrs more deuoutly by how much more securly after al vncertainties are ouercome and with how much more confident praise we preach them now victours in a more happie life then others yet fighting in this But with that worshippe which in greke is called Latria a eruâ—e property due to God which in Latin can not be expressed by one word we neither worship nor teach to be worshipped but one God And for so much as offering of Sacrifice perteineth to this worshippe wherof they are called Idolaters that offer sacrifice to anie Idols we by no meanes offer anie such thing nor teâ—ch to be offered either to anie Martyr or blessed soule or holie Angel Thus farre S. Augustin The same teacheth Theodoret li. 8. ad Grecos Our Lord hath depriued false goddes of the honour they had in Temples and in place of them caused his Martyrs to be honored yet not in the same maner for we neither bring hostes nor libaments to Martyrs but honour them as holie men and most deare freinds of God It would be to long to cite manie ancient Fathers testifying and teaching that Saincts are to be honored More compendiously we wil take our aduersaries confession the Magdeburgian Centuriators VVho Prof Cent. 6. holding that the Church was only pure from idolatrie the first hundred yeares of Christ and that it begane to faile in the second and third age more in the fourth and fifth and was vtterly perished in the sixth impute the cause of her ruine that the very chiefe men taught and practised the honour of Saincts First of al say they these horrible and pernicious darknes as certaine black cloudes couering the whole firmament rose vp in the verâ—e assemblie of teachers For that partly the very Doctors of the Church partly other supersticious men augmented ceremonies and humane worshippes in the Temples For sacred houses began to be built in al places with great coste altogether in heathnish maner not principally to the end Gods word might there be taught but that some honour might be exhibited to the Reliques of Saincts and that foolish people might there worship dead men And how pleasant eloquent is that Gregorie called the great how feruent when as from his three footed stoole he preached the maner of consecrating these houses And a litle after By this occasion dead creatures and bloudles half wormeaten bones began to be honored inuocated and worshipped with diuine honour Al which The Doctors oâ— the Church not only wincked at but also set forvvard Thus the reader seeth notwithstanding standing their lies scoffes and blasphemies Protestants do confesse that the Church and her chiefe pillers straight after the first hundred yeares of Christ fiue hundred next folowing honored Saincts and their Reliques Neither wante there autentical examples of holie Scriptures wherby the same is proued As. Gen. 32 48. Exodi 3. 32. Num. 22. Iosue 5. 3. Reg. 18. 4. Reg. 2. Psalm 98. and els vvhere 4. A grauen thing Here the same falsiâ—iers of Christian doctrin do not only peruert the sense of holie Scripture wresting that against Images which is spoken against Idols but also shamfully corrupt the text by translating grauen image neither folowing the Hebrew Greke nor Latin For the Hebrew word pesâ—l is the verie same that sculpâ—iâ—e in Latin that is a grauen or carued thing The Greke hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an idol So al Protestants English Bibles are false In the meane time til they correct their bookes they may please to remember that God shortly after this Exod. 25. commanded to make Images of Angels to wit Cherubins Likewise a brasen serpent Num. 21. Also oxen and Lions 3. Reg. 6. 7. Neither are Puritanes so precise but that they engraue carue print paint cast sow embrother and otherwise make and kepe Images puâ—tractes and pictures of men and other things As for worshipping of sacred Images the second concel of Nice Act. 4. The concel of Trent sess 25. S. Gregorie the great li. 7. â—p 5. 53. S. Damascen in diuers whole bookes and manie others and al Catholique Catechismes and Christian Instructions teach that the honour is not done to the Image for it self but at the presence of the Image to Christ or Sainct whose Image it is An other controuersie Caluin here maketh that from these wordes Thou shalt not make beginneth the second precept so counting foure precepts in the first table and six in the second But being no matter of faith how they are diuided so al the wordes and the number of tenne commandemens be acknowledged for holie Scripture calleth them tenne Exo 34. v. 28. Deut. 4. v. 13. 10. v. 4 we wil not contend but only as more reasonable we folow the
shal burne the fatte vpon the altar but the breast shal be Aarons and his sonnes †The right shoulder also of the pacifique hostes shal fal for first fruites of the priest †He of the sonnes of Aaron that offereth the bloud and the fatte him selfe shal haue the right shoulder also for his portion †For the brest of eleuation and the shoulder of seperation I haue taken of the children of Israel from their pacifique hostes and haue geuen them to Aaron the priest and to his sonnes by a lawe for euer of al the people of Israel †This is the anoynting of Aaron and his sonnes in the ceremonies of our Lord in the day when Moyses offered them that they might doe the function of priesthood †and the thinges that our Lord commanded to be geuen them of the children of Israel by a perpetual religion in their generations †This is the lawe of holocauste and of the sacrifice for sinne and for an offence and for consecration and the victimes of pacifiques †Which our Lord apointed to Moyses in mount Synai when he commanded the children of Israel that they should offer their oblations to our Lord in the desert of Synai CHAP. VIII Moyses consecrateth Aaron high Priest 13. and his sonnes Priests 33. continuing in the tabernacle seuen dayes and nights AND Our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Take Aaron with his sonnes their vestimentes and the oyle of vnction a calfe for sinne two Rammes a basket with azymes †and thou shalt gather al the assemblie to the dore of the tabernacle †And Moyses did as our Lord had commaunded And al the multitude being gathered before the dore of the tabernacle †he said This is the word that our Lord hath commanded to be done †And immediatly he “ offered Aaron his sonnes and when he had washed them †“ he reuested the high priest with the sttait linnen garment girding him with a bawdrike and reuesting him with the tunike of hyacinth and ouer it he put the Ephod †which he straitening with the girdle fitted it to the Rationale wherin was Doctrine and Veritie †with the mitre also he couered his head and vpon it against the forehead he put the plate of gold consecrated in sanctification as our Lord had commanded him †He “ tooke also the oyle of vnction wherwith he anoynted the tabernacle with al the furniture therof †And sanctifying them and hauing sprinckled the altar seuen times he anoynted it and al the vessel therof and the lauer with the foote therof he sanctified with the oyle †The which pouring vpon Aarons head he anoynted and consecrated him †his sonnes also after he had offered them he reuested with linnen tunikes and girded them with bawdrikes and put mitres on them as our Lord had commanded †He “ offered also the calfe for sinne and when Aaron and his sonnes had put their handes vpon the head therof †he did immolate it drawing the bloud and dipping his finger touched the hornes of the altar round about Which being expiated and sanctified he poured the rest of the bloud at the botome therof †But the fatte that was vpon the entralles and the caule of the liuer and the two little kidneys with their little tallow he burnt vpon the altar †the calfe with the skinne and the flesh and the dung he burnt without the campe as our Lord had commanded †He offered also a ramme for an holocaust vpon the head wherof when Aaron and his sonnes had put their handes †he did immolate it and poured the bloud therof in the circuite of the altar †And cutting the ramme it selfe into peeces the head therof and the ioyntes and the fatte he burnt with fire †hauing first washed the entralles and the feete and the whole ramme together he burnt vpon the altar because it was an holocaust of most swete odour to our Lord as he had commanded him †He offered also the second ramme for the consecration of priests and Aaron and his sonnes did putte their handes vpon the head therof †which when Moyses had immolated taking of the bloud therof he touched the tippe of Aarons right eare and the thumbe of his right hand in like maner also of his foote †He offered also the sonnes of Aaron and when of the bloud of the ramme being immolated he had touched the tippe of the right eare of euerie one and the thumbes of the right hand and foote the rest he poured on the altar round about †but the fatte and the rump and al the fatte that couereth the entralles and the caule of the liuer and the two kidneies with their fatte with the right shoulder he seperated †And taking out of the basket of azymes which was before our Lord a loafe without leauen and a manchet tempered with oile and a wafer he put them vpon the fatte and the right shoulder †deliuering al to Aaron and to his sonnes Who hauing lifted them vp before our Lord †he tooke them againe of their handes and burnt them vpon the altar of holocaust because it was the oblation of consecration for a swete odoure of the sacrifice to our Lord. †And he tooke of the ramme of consecration the brest for his portion eleuating it before our Lord as our Lord had commanded him †And taking the oyntment and the bloud that was vpon the altar he sprinckled it vpon Aaron and his vestiments vpon his sonnes and their vestiments †And when he had sanctified them in their vestiments he commanded them saying Boile the flesh before the dore of the tabernacle and there eate it Eate ye also the loaues of consecration that are laid in the basket as our Lord commanded me saying Aaron and his sonnes shal eate them †and whatsoeuer shal be left of the flesh and the loaues fire shal consume †Out of the dore also of the tabernacle you shal not goe forth seuen daies vntil the day wherein the time of your consecration shal be expired for in seuen dayes the consecration is finished †as at this present it hath bene done that the rite of the sacrifice might be accomplished †Day night shal you tarie in the tabernacle obseruing the watches of our Lord lest you die for so it hath bene commanded me †And Aaron and his sonnes dld al thinges which our Lord spake by the hand of Moyses ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VIII 6. Offered Aaron By this maner of taking offering and consecrating Aaron Hiegh Priest S. Paul sheweth that none may chalenge to them selues nor presume to exercise priestlie offices or anie authoritie in spiritual causes but such as be orderly called therto Yea that Christ him self would not haue exercised this function but that he was also called of God vnto it saying Euerie Hiegh Priest taken from among men is appointed for men in those thinges that pertaine to God Neither doth anie man
thinges which his father had vowed and him self he brought into the house of our Lord gold and siluer and of vessels diuers furniture †And there was no warre vnto the fiue and thirteth yeare of the reigne of Asa CHAP. XVI Agaynst the king of Israel king Asa procureth helpe of the Assyrians 7. which a prophet reprouing is put in fetters 11. Asa dieth with disease of his feete and is buried with pompe AND in the six and thirteth yeare of his reigne came vp Baasa the king of Israel into Iuda and with a wall compassed Rama that none could safely goe out and come in of the kingdom of Asa †Asa therfore brought forth siluer and gold out of the treasures house of our Lord and of the kinges treasures and he sent to Benadad the king of Syria who dwelt in Damascus saying †There is league betwen me thee my father also and thy father had concord wherfore I haue sent thee siluer and gold that breaking the league which thou hast with Baasa the king of Israel thou make him retire from me †Which being knowen Benadad sent the princes of his hostes to the cities of Israel who stroke Ahion and Dan and Ablemaim and al the walled cities of Nephthali †which when Baasa had heard he ceased to build Rama and intermitted his worke †Moreouer Asa the king tooke al Iuda and caried away the stones out of Rama and the timber that Baasa had prepared for the building and he built of them Gabaa Maspha †At that time came Hanani the prophete to Asa the king of Iuda and sayd to him Because thou hast had confidence in the king of Syria and not in our Lord thy God therfore hath the armie of the king of Syria escaped out of thy hand †Were not the Aethiopians and Libyians manie moe in chariotes and horsemen and a multitude exceding great whom when thou didst beleue in our Lord he deliuered into thy hand †For the eies of our Lord behold al the earth and geue strength to them that with perfect hart beleue in him Thou therfore hast done foolyshly for this cause from this present time shal battels arise agaynst thee †And Asa being angrie agaynst the Seer commanded him to be cast into fetters for he tooke indignation excedingly vpon this thing and he slewe of the people at that time verie manie †But the workes of Asa the first the lasl are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel †Asa also fel sicke in the nine and thirteth yeare of his reigne of a most vehement payne of his feete and neither in his infirmitie did he seeke our Lord but rather trusted in the arte of Phisitians †And he slept with his fathers and he died the one and fouâ—teth yeare of his reigne †And they buried him in his sepulchre which he had digged for himsels in the Citie of Dauid and they layd him vpon his bed ful of spices and odoriâ—erous oyntementes which were made by the arte of apothecaries and they burnt it ouer him with exceding ambition CHAP. XVII Iosaphat succeding in the kingdom preuaileth in battel agaynst the king of Israel 6. destroyeth Idolaters and sendeth Priestes and Leuites to instruct the people 11. The Philistians and Arabians send presentes to king Iosaphat 13. the leaders of the armie and souldiars are numbred AND Iosaphat his sonne reigned for him grew strong agaynst Israel †And he appoynted numbers of souldiars in al the cities of Iuda that were compassed with walles And he placed garrisons in the land of Iuda and in the cities of Ephraim which Asa his father had taken †And our Lord was with Iosaphat because he walked in the first waies of Dauid his father and he trusted not in Baalim †but in the God of his father and went forward in his preceptes and not according to the sinnes of Israel †And our Lord confirmed the kingdom in his hand and al Iuda gaue giftes to Iosaphat and there grew to him infinite riches and much glorie †And when his hart had taken courage for the waies of our Lord he tooke away also the Excelses and groues out of Iuda †And in the third yeare of his kingdom he sent of his princes Benhail and Abdias and Zacharias and Nathanael and Micheas that they should teach in the cities of Iuda †and with them Leuites Semeias and Nathanias and Zabadias Asael also and Semiramoth and Ionathan and Adonias and Tobias and Thobadonias Leuites and with them Elisama and Ioram Priestes †And they taught the people in Iuda hauing the booke of the law of our Lord and they went about al the cities of Iuda and instructed the people †Therfore the dread of our Lord came vpon al the kingdomes of the landes that were round about Iuda neither durst they make battel agaynst Iosaphat †Yea and the Philistians brought giftes to Iosaphat and tribute of siluer the Arabians also brought cattel of rammes seuen thousand seuen hundred and buckegoates as manie †Iosaphat therfore grewe and was magnified on high and he built in Iuda houses like to toures and walled cities †And he prepared manie workes in the cities of Iuda there were also men of warre and valiant in Ierusalem †of whom this is the number by the houses and families of euerie one In Iuda princes of the armie Ednas duke and with him most valiant men three hundred thousand †After him Iohanan the prince and with him two hundred eightie thousand †After him also Amasias the sonne of Zechri consecrated to our Lord and with him two hundred thousand of valiant men †Him followed Eliada valiant to battels and with him of them that held bow shield two hundred thousand †After this man also Iozabad and with him an hundred eightie thousand readie souldiars †Al these were at the hand of the king beside others whom he had put in walled cities in al Iuda CHAP. XVIII Iosaphat ioyned in affinitiâ— with wicked Achab king of Israel goeth with him against Ramoth Galaad four hundred false prophetes promising victorie 14. Micheas prophecying the contrarie 25. is put in prison 28. Achab notwithstanding he changeth his attire and leaueth Iosaphat in danger 33. is slaine IOSAPHAT therfore was rich and verie glorious and was ioyned in affinitie to Achab. †And he went downe to him after certaine yeares into Samaria at whose coming Achab killed muttons and oxen very manie for him and the people that came with him and he perswaded him to goe vp into Ramoth Galaad †And Achab the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat the king of Iuda Come with me into Ramoth Galaad To whom he answered As I am thou also as thy people so my people also and we wil be with thee in battel †Iosaphat sayd to the king of Israel Consult I besech thee presently the word of our Lord. †Therfore the king of Israel
defendeth his owne iust â—â—â—â—cencie and that worldlie calamities and prosperitie happen indifferently to good and had in this lifâ— and that the truâ—r ward of the iust and punishment of the wicked is to be expected in the other world At last God with due reprehension of Iob for some imperfections sharply rebuketh the errors and insolencie of his aduerse freindeâ— geueth sentence on Iobs side pardoneth â—â—â—m at his intercession and restoreth al thinges to him duble to that he had before Bâ—â—iâ—eâ— the literal sense Iob in al his actions sufferinges and whole life was a special figure of Christ shewing sayth S. Gregorie by those thinges which he did and susteyned what our Redemer should do and suffer yea more particularly thâ—n most part of the Patriarches which S. Ierome epist ad Paulin. also admireth and testifieth saying what mysteries of Christ doth not this booke comprehend Euerie word is ful of sense Moreouer this historie is replenished with moral documents how to embrace vertue and eschew vice proposing the life of a right godlie man neither insolent in prosperitie not desparing in aduersitie alwayes resolute in Gods seruice as wel in his prosperous kingdom as in the miserable dunghil Here also we haue the true maner of arguing according to the rules of Logike with detection of sophistrie Iob prouing and disprouing assertions by proposition assumption and conclusion as S. Ierom obserueth with profound knovvlege of natural thinges and causes as appeareth in very manie places Al which varietie and abundance of matter comprised in smal rowme make manie thinges hard and obscure yet are the same so tempered with other thinges plaine and easie that here is verified S. Augustins obâ—â—ruation li. 2. c. 6. doct Christ certaine places of holie Scriptures serue as delectable meate to them that hunger and thirst diuine knowlege and the obscure take away tediousnes from them that loath vsual plaine doctrin It is most probable that Iob himself inspired by the Holie Ghost by whose grace he excelled al in right simplicitie c. 1. writte his owne historie the most part in verse only the two first chapters and the last in prose in the Arabian tongue which Moyses translated into Hebrew for the consolation of the Israelites afflicted in Aegypt And it may be diuided into three general partes First the change of Iobs state from prosperitie into affliction with his lamentation for the same are recorded in the three first chapters In foure and thirtie chapters folowing are sundrie disputations conflictes and discourses betwen him and his freindes touching the cause of his so vehement affliction In the fiue last chapters God discusseth the quarel geueth sentence for Iob against his aduersaries pardonteh them and rewardeth him THE BOOKE OF IOB CHAP. I. Holie Iob offereth sacrifice for euerie one of his children 6. whose good estate Satan enuying by Gods permission spoyle hâ—â—m of al his goodes and children 20. for which he being pensiue offendeth not but thanketh God for al. THERE was a man in the Land of Hus named Iob that man was “ simple right and fearing God and departing from euil †And there were borne to him seuen sonnes and three daughters †And his possession was seuen thousand sheepe and three thousand camels also fiue hundred yoke of oxen and fiue hundred she asses and a familie exceding great and that man was great among al them of the East †And his sonnes went and made a feast by houses euerie one in his day And sending they called their three sisters to eate and drinke with them †And when the dayes of feasting had passed about in course Iob sent to them and sanctified them and rising vp early “ offered holocaustes for euerie one For he sayd Lest perhaps my sonnes haue sinned and haue blessed God in their hartes So did Iob al the dayes †But on a certaine day when the sonnes of God were come to assist before our Lord Satan also was present amongst them †To whom our Lord sayd From whence comest thou Who answering sayd I haue gone round about the earth and walked through it †And our Lord sayd to him Hast thou considered my seruant Iob that there is not the like to him in the earth a man simple and right and fearing God and departing from euil †To whom Satan answering said Why doth Iob feare God in vayne †hast not thou fensed him and his house and al his substance round about blessed the workes of his handes and his possession hath increased on the earth †But stretch forth thy hand a little and touch al thinges that he possesseth vnlesse he blessethee in the face †Our Lord therfore sayd to Satan behold al things that he hath are in thy hand onlie vpon him extend not thy hand And Satan went forth from the face of our Lord. †And when vpon a certeine day his sonnes and daughters did eate and drinke wyne in the house of their eldest brother †there came a messenger to Iob which sayd The oxen plowghed and the she asses fed beside them †and the Sabeians came in violently haue taken al things and haue stroken the seruantes with the sword and I onlie haue escaped to tel thee †And when he yet spake an other came and sayd The fire of God fel from heauen and striking the sheepe and the seruantes hath consumed them and I only haue escaped to tel thee †But whiles he also was yet speaking there came an other and said The Chaldees made three â—roupes and haue inuaded the camels and taken them moreouer the seruantes also they haue strooken with the sword and I alone am fled to tel thee †He yet spake and behold an other came in and said Thy sonnes and daughters eating and drinking wine in the house of their eldest brother †sodenly a vehement winde came violently from the countrie of the desert and shooke the foure corners of the house which falling oppressed thy children and they are dead and I alone haue escaped to tel thee †Then Iob rose vp and rent his garmentes and with powled head falling on the ground adored †and said Naked came I out of my mothers wombe and naked shal I returne thither Our Lord gaue and our Lord hath taken away as it hath pleased our Lord so is it done the name of our Lord be blessed †In al these thinges Iob sinned not with his lippes neither spake he anie foolish thing against God ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 1. Simple right and fearing God Moyses Samuel Esdras other Prophetes writ ther owne actes among others also their owne prayses speaking of themselues in the third person so did holie Iob humbly truly and simply without vayne glorie or arrogancie as S. Gregorie noteth saying Blessed Iob inspired with the Holie Ghost might wel write his owne actes which were the giftes of supernal inspiration God being the
ye and see that our Lord is sweete blessed is the man that hopeth in him †Feare ye our Lord al ye his sainctes because there is no lacke to them that feare him †The rich haue wanted and haue bene hungrie but they that seeke after our Lord shal not be diminished of any good †Come children heare me I wil teach you the feare of our Lord. †Who is the man that wil haue life loueth to see good daies †“ Stay thy tongue from euil and thy lippes that they speake not guile †Turne away from euil and do good seeke after peace and pursewe it †The eies of our Lord vpon the iust and his eares vnto their prayers †But the countenance of our Lord is vpon them that doe euil things to destroy their memorie out of the earth †The iust haue cried and our Lord hath heard them and out of al their tribulations he hath deliuered them †Our Lord is nigh to them that are of a contrite hart and the humble of spirit he wil saue †Manie are the tribulations of the iust and out of al these our Lord wil deliuer them Our Lord keepeth al their bones there shal not one of them be broken The death of sinners is verie il and they that hate the iust shal offend Our Lord wil redeme the soules of his seruantes and al that hope in him shal not offend ANNOTATIONS PSALME XXXIII 1. He changed his countenance S. Augustin by holie Dauids changing of his countenance and by changing the king of Geth his name who in the booke of kinges where the historie is recorded is called Achis and here Abimelech gethereth that here is an hidden and great Mysterie VVhich he explicateth partly by interpretation of the Hebrew names but more especially by Dauids changing of his countenance which prefigured Christ eternal God becoming also man and so making great changes in the world For as Dauid killed Goliath and for his good act gotte enuie so Christ killing the diuel and humilitie in Christs meÌ„bers killing pride are persecuted by the wicked For Christ was both to the ruine and Resurrection of manie He changed Sacrifice and Priesthood The Iewes had sacrifice according to the order of Aaron in victims of cattle and this was in mysterie For there was not then the Sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of our Lord which the faithful and those that haue read the Gospel do know which Sacrifice is now spread in al the round earth Aâ—litle after the Sacrifice of Aaron is taken away and the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech begane to be He therfore I knovv not vvho changed his countenance Let it not be I knovv not vvho for our Lord Iesus Christ is knowen He would haue our health to be in his bodie and bloud From whence did he commend his bodie and bloud from his humilitie For vnles he were humble he would neither be eaten nor druncke Behold his highnes In the beginning was the vvord and the vvord was with God and God the vvord Loe the euerlasting meate and Angels eate it supernal powres eate it celestial spirites eate it and they eate and are fatted and the thing remaineth whole which satiateth and reioyceth them How then hath the vvisdome of God fedde vs vvith the same bread the word was made flesh and dwelt in vs It were too long to recite this great Doctors vvhole discourse He further sheweth that Christ dismissed the Ievves and vvent from them to the Gentiles Thou seekest novv Christ saith he among the Ievves and findest him not because he hath changed his countenance For they sticking to the sacrifice according to the order of Aaron held not the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech and haue lost Christ and the Gentiles haue begunne to haue him Againe this holie father vvilleth vs to remember the Gospel VVhen our Lord Iesus Christ spake of his bodie he said Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shal not haue life in you because he had changed his countenance this semed as furie and madnes vnto them to geue his flesh to be eaten of men his bloud to be drunke therfore Dauid vvas reputed madde before Achis vvhen he said you haue brought this madde man vnto me Doth it not seme madnes Eate ye my flesh and drinke my bloud He semed to be madde thus S. Augustin Neuer imagining the figuratiue interpretation of our nevv Sacramentaries vvho say Christ gaue no more but a figure of his bodie bloud for then it had bene easily vnderstood by the Capharnaites and no such contradiction nor murmuring had happened Yet S. Augustin saith more plainly if more plaine may be Christ caried himselfe in his ovvne handes And hovv this can be done bretheren in man vvho can vnderstand For vvho is caried in his ovvne handes A man may be caried in the handes of others no man is caried in his ovvne handes VVe find not hovv it can be vnderstood in Dauid according to the letter but in Christ vve find it For Christ vvas caried in his ovvne handes vvhen geuing his verie bodie he said This is my bodie for he caried his bodie in his ovvne handes 14 15. â—tay thy tongue c. Both these verses and frequent other places in the Psalmes shevv plainly that iustice consisteth not only in faith but in abstayning from euil and doing good yet requiring and presupposing true faith vvithout which no workes are aualable to iustice nor to euerlasting life PSALME XXXIIII Dauid in figure of Christ prophetically by way of inuocating Gods helpe forsheweth his persecution and the iust reuenge vpon his persecutors 9. with praise to God 13. his charitie towards his cruel aduersaries 17. whom neuertheles God punisheth 20. for pretending peace in wordes and in fact persecuting 23. rendering to al as they deserue To Dauid himself IVDGE ô Lord them that hurt me ouerthrow them that impugne me †Take armour and shield and rise vp to helpe me †Bring forth the sword and shut vp against them that perfecute me say to my soule I am thy saluation †Let them be counfounded ashamed that seeke my soule Let them be turned backward and be confounded that thinke euil against me †Be they made as dust before the face of winde and the angel of our Lord straictning them †Let their way be made darkenesse and slippernes and the angel of our Lord pursewing them †Because they haue hid the destruction of their snare for me without cause in vaine haue they vpbrayded my soule †Let the snare which he knoweth not come on him and the net which he hath hid catch him and let him fal into the verie same snare †But my soule shal reioyce in our Lord and shal be delighted vpon his saluation †Al
tayle †And they that cal this people blessed seducing them and that are called blessed shal be throwen headlong †For this cause our Lord shal not reioyce vpon their yong men and on their pupilles and widowes he shal not haue mercie because euerie one is an hypocrite wicked and euerie mouth hath spoken follie In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but his hand is yet stretched forth †For impietie is kindled as a fyre it shal deuoure bryer and thorne and it shal be kindled in the thicket of the forest and it shal be wrapped vp together in the pride of smoke †In the wrath of the Lord of hostes the earth is trubled and the people shal be foode for the fyre man shal not spare his brother †And he shal decline to the right hand and shal be hungrie and shal eate on the left hand and shal not be filled euerie one shal eate the flesh of his arme Manasses Ephraim and Ephraim Manasses they together against Iuda †In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but his hand is yet stretched forth CHAP. X. Makers of wicked lawes are cursed 3. For which the Israelites shal be afflicted by the Assirians 5. The Assirians ouerthrowne by extraordinarie meanes sent from God 21. and the Iewes deliuered from imminent danger with diuers mysteries of Christ intermixed VVOE to them that make wicked lawes and writing haue written iniustice †That they might oppresse the poore in iudgement doe violence to the cause of the humble of my people that widowes might be their praye and they might spoile pupilles †What wil you doe in the day of visitation and of calamitie coming from farre to whose helpe wil ye flee and where wil ye leaue your glorie †That you be not bowed vnder the bond and fal with the slaine In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but his hand is yet stretched forth †Woe to Assur he is the rod of my furie and the staffe myne indignation is in their handes †I wil send him to a deceitful nation I wil geue him commandment against the people of my furie that he take away spoiles and catche the praye and put them to be troden vpon as the mire of the streates †But he shal not so thinke and his hart shal not esteme it so but his hart shal be set to destroy and to the destruction of no few nations †For he shal say †Are not my princes with al kinges Is not as Charcamis so Calano and as Arphad so Emath Is not as Damascus so Samaria †Euen as my hand hath found the kingdomes of the idol so also their idols of Ierusalem of Samaria †Shal I not as I haue done to Samaria and her idols so do to Ierusalem and her idols †And it shal be when the Lord shal haue accomplished al his workes in mount Sion and in Ierusalem I wil visite ouer the fruite of the magnifical hart of the king of Assur and ouer the glorie of the hautines of his eyes †For he hath said In the strength of mine owne hand haue I done it and in mine owne wisdome haue I vnderstood and I haue taken away the borders of peoples and haue spoiled their princes and haue pulled downe as a mightie man them that sate on high †And my hand hath found the strength of peoples as a nest and as egges be gathered that are leaft so haue I gathered together al the earth and there was none that moued wing and opened mouth and once muttered †Shal the axe glorie against him that cutteth with it or shal the saw exalt itselfe against him by whom it is drawen As if a rod should lift vp itself agaynst him that lifteth it vp and a staffe exalt itself which is certes but wood †For this cause the Dominatour the Lord of hostes shal send leannes in his fat ones and vnder his glorie shal burne as it were the burning of fyre kindled †And the light of Israel shal be in fyre and the Holie one therof in flame and his thorne shal be kindled and be deuoured and the briars in one day †And the glorie of his forest and of his carmelus shal be consumed from the soule euen to the flesh and he shal be a fugitiue for feare †And the remaynes of the woode of his forest for the fewnes shal be numbred and a child shal write them †And it shal be in that day the residue of Israel and they that shal escape of the house of Iacob shal not adde to leane vpon him that striketh them but they shal leane vpon our Lord the holie one of Israel in truth †The remnant shal be conuerted the remnant I say of Iacob to the strong God †For if thy people ô Israel shal be as the sand of the sea the remnant therof shal be conuerted consumnation abbridged shal make iustice ouerflow †For our Lord the God of hostes shal make consummation and abbridgement in the middes of al the earth †For this cause thus sayth our Lord the God of hostes O my people inhatiter of Sion be not afrayd of Assur he shal strike thee with his rod and shal lift vp his staffe ouer thee in the way of Aegypt †For yet a litle and a very litle and mine indignation and furie vpon their wickednes shal be consummate †And the Lord of hostes shal rayse vp a scourge vpon him according to the plague of Madian in the Rocke Oreb and his rod vpon the sea and he shal lift it vp in the way of Aegypt †And it shal be in that day his burden shal be taken away from of thy shoulder and his yoke from of thy necke and the yoke shal putrifie at the face of oile †He shal come into Aiath he shal passe into Magron at Machmas he shal commend his vessels †They haue passed in hast Gaba is our seate Rama was astonied Gabaath of Saul fled †Neay with thy voice ô daughter of Gallim attend Laisa seelie poore Anathoth †Medemena is remoued ye inhabitants of Gabin take courege †Yet there is day to stand in Nobe he shal shake his hand ouer the mountaine of the daughter of Sion the litle hil of Ierusalem †Behold the dominatour the Lord of hostes shal breake the litle flagon in terrour and the high of stature shal be cut downe and the loftie shal be humbled †And the thicke places of the forest shal be ouerthrowen with iron and Libanus with the high ones shal fal CHAP. XI Christ borne of the stock of Iesse replenished with seuen giftes of the Holie Ghost 4. shal haue a spiritual kindom most iust and potent 10. wherto al nations wil repayre AND a rod shal come forth of the roote of Iesse and a flowre shal rise vp out of his roote †And the Spirite
not eaten it was consumed †In like maner Salomon also eight dayes celebrated the dedication †And these self same thinges were put in the descriptions and commentaries of Nehemias and after what sort he making a librarie gathered together bookes of the prophetes and of Dauid and the epistles of the kinges and concerning the donaries †And in like maner Iudas also such thinges as were fallen away by the warre that happened to vs gathered them al together and they are with vs. †If therfore you desire these thinges send some that may fetch them vnto you †We therfore meaning to kepe the purification haue written vnto you You shal doe wel then if you kepe these dayes †And God that hath deliuered his people and rendered the inheritance to al the kingdom and the priesthoode and the sanctification †as he promised in the law we hope that he wil quickly haue mercie vpon vs and wil gather vs together from vnder heauen into the holie place †For he hath deliuered vs out of great perils and hath purged the place †Concerning Iudas Machabeus and his brethren and of the purification of the great temple and of the dedication of the altar †Yea and of the battels that perteyne to Antiochus the Noble and his sonne Eupator †and of the apparitions that were made from heauen to them that did manfully for the Iewes so that being few they reuenged the whole countrie and put to flight the barbarous multitude †and repayred the most famous temple in al the world and deliuered the citie and the lawes that were abolished were restored our Lord with al clemencie being made propicious vnto them †Also the thinges which by Iason the Cyrenean are comprised in fiue bookes we haue attempted to abridge in one volume †For considering the multitude of bookes and the difficultie to them that wil attempt the narrations of histories because of the multitude of matters †we haue bene careful for them that are willing to reade that there might be delectation of the minde and for the studious that they may more easily comitte it to memorie and that profite might ensewe to al that read it †And to our owne selues in deede which haue taken vpon vs this worke to make an abridgement we haue taken in hand no easie labour yea rather a busines ful of watching and swetâ—e †As they that prepare a feast and seeke to condescend to other mens wil for manie mens sakes we doe willingly susteyne the labour †The veritie certes concerning euery particular leauing to the auctors and our selues according to the forme that is geuen studying to be briefe †For as the builder of a new house must haue care of the whole building but he that hath the care to paint must seeke out the thinges that are apt for garnishing so must it be esteemed also in vs. †For to gather together the vnderstanding to order the speach and curiously to discusse euerie particular part agreeth to the auctor of an historie †but to pursew the breuitie of speach to auoyde the exact declarations of thinges is to be granted to him that abridgeth †From hence then wil we begine the narration of the preface let it be sufficient to haue sayd thus much for it is a foolish thing before the historie to flow ouer and in the historie to be shorte CHAP. III. VVhen Ierusalem was in peace and good order by the care of Onias high priest and king Seleucus fauoured pious workes 4. Simon a wicked churchwarden betrayeth the treasure of the Sanctuarie 7. VVher upon Heliodorus sent by the king and after curteous intertainment declaring that he must carie al the money to the king is resisted by Onias with others deuoutly commending the cause to God 23. He neuertheles attempting the sacrilege is terrified by a vision sore beaten and in desperate miserie 31. by Onias sacrifice and prayers is restored to health 35 and returning home confesseth the powre of God THEREFORE when the holie citie was inhabited in al peace the lawes also as yet were very wel kept because of Onias the high priest his pietie minde that hated euils †it came to passe that kinges also themselues and princes esteemed the place worthie of high honour and glorified the temple with verie great giftes †so that Seleucus the king of Asia of his reuenewes allowed al the charges perteyning to the ministerie of the sacrifices †But Simon of the tribe of Beniamin being appointed ouerseer of the temple â—â—contended the prince of the priestes resisting him to worke some wicked thing in the citie †And 2. when he could not ouercome Onias he came to Appollonius the sonne of Tharsaeas who at that time was gouernour of Caelesyria and Phaenicia †and told him that the treasurie at Ierusalem was ful of innumerable deale of money and the common store to be infinite which perteyne not to the account of the sacrifices and that it is possible al might fal into the kings powre †And 3. when Appollonius had made relation to the king concerning the money that he was told of he calling for Heliodorus who was ouer his affayres sent him with commission to transport the foresayde money †And forthwith Heliodorus began to take his iourney in shew in dede as if he would goe visite the cities through out Coelesyria and Phaenicia but in very deede to accomplish the kings purpose †But when he was come to Ierusalem and was curteously receiued in the citie by the high-priest he told of the the aduertisment geuen of the money and opened for what cause he was come and asked if these thinges were so in very deede †Then the highpriest shewed that these were deposita and the liuelihoods of widowes and pupils †but certaine of them to belong vnto Hircanus of Tobie a very noble man among these thinges which impious Simon had promoted the whole to be of siluer foure hundred talents and of gold two hundred †And that they should be deceiued which had committed it to the place the temple that is honoured through out the whole world to be a thing for the reuerence and holines therof altogether vnpossible †But he by reason of those thinges which he had in commission of the king sayd in any wise that they must be caried to the king †And on a day appointed Heliodorus entered in to take order concerning these thinges But there was noe smal trembling through out the whole citie †And the priestes cast themselues before the altar with their priestes stoles and inuocated him from heauen which made the law of deposita that he would kepe the thinges safe from them that had deposed them †But now he that saw the countenance of the high priest was wounded in minde for his face and colour being changed declared the inner sorow of the minde
Leuiticum Mystically it signified that the fire of charitie being first kindled in mans hart by Gods grace must be continually nourished and kept burning from which al other good workes are deriued By slesh of penance is vnder stood fasting watchig hair-cloth teares prayers aâ—mes which whosoeuer duly toucheth shal be sanctified He sychâ—us Hierosol li. 2. in Leuit. c. 6. :: This text sheweth there is difference in the nature of a fault committed commonly called sinne of dutie omitted here called offence in latin peccatuÌ„ and delictum Yet both are alike offencife to God in matter of equal importance As appeareth for that the same sacrifice was offered for both S. Aâ—â— q. 20. in Leuit. :: Geuen or presented to our Lord not offered vpon the Altar for no leauen could be offered in sacrifice cap. 2. v. 15 The second part Of consecrating Priests and their vestmeÌ„ts with punishment of some that transgressed :: VVashing signified puritie required in Priests :: Precious vestiments their dignitie and holie oile their authoritie :: VVhen the high Priest at anie time put the Ephod to the Rationale God gaue answers to his demandes in matters of doctrine and veritie which king Dauid willed Abiathar to doe 1. Reg. 23. v. 9. Neuer could anie woman weue doctrin veritie but diuine vvisdom did make such garmeÌ„ts S. Cyril lib. 6. in Leuit. :: As wel by the function of coÌ„secrating Priests as of offering Sacrifice it appeareth that Moyses was a Priest Yea the chiefe and hieghest Priest saith S. Augustin for his more excellent ministerie and extraordinarie calling Aaron was hiegh priest for his Pontifical inuesture and ordinarie vocation which should continew in his successors q. 23. in Leuit. Particular calling and consecration necessarie to priestlie offices authoritie in spiritual causes Heb. 5. Psal 109. Ordering of Priestes was a Sacrament in the law of Moyses SeueÌ„ precious vestments for the high Priest signifiing 1. Puritie 2 Discretion 3. Good works of edification S. Hierom Epist ad Fabiol 4. Toleration of others infirmities 5. Knowledge and sinceritie 6. IntentioÌ„ directed to God 7. Contemplation of God his workes Other Priestes had also three ornamentes Aaron annointed high Priest His sonnes also consecrated Al three kindes of sacrifice offered at the consecration of Priests Num. â— Priestood and Law changed together The SacrameÌ„t of holie Orders prefigured and the new Law Heb. 7. :: The people before worshipped a calfe for God Exod 32. Now therfore they offer a calfe in sacrifice to God for their sinne and to kepe them from idolatrie S. Hieron in Hierem 7. :: God appeared in his worke by sending fire to burne the sacrifice without mans industrie v. 24. :: This did signifie that Christ in whoÌ„ al nations are blessed should be stretched on the Crosse where he redemed vs in memorie wher of we now make the signe of the Crosse :: The Priests were commaÌ„ded to nourish and kepe this fire petpetually that it should not be extinguished cha 6. v. 12. :: Such as receiued more at Gods hand are more seuerly punished if they transgresse S. Aug. q. 21. in Leuit. By this also al are warned to be content with the doctrine of the Holie Ghost to abhorre heresies the fautors wherof adde falsehood to Gods word preferre their owne wicked inuentions be fore the true sense of holie Scripture Theod. q 9. in Leuit. :: Abstinence from wine coÌ„manded to Priests when they serued in the tabernacle not at other times for they serued at certaine times by turnes Theod. q. 10 in Leuit. As for drunkennes it is forbid to al men and at al times :: Natural griâ—e of mind made Aaron both vnwilling to eate lesse apt to coâ—plete al the ceremonies so without sinne he omitted that pertained to his commoditie offering it to God The third part Of things cleane and vncleane with the maner of purifying other precepts moral iudicial :: Hitherto God reueled his Law to Moyses onlie and by him to the people Now also to Aaron after he was coÌ„secrated high Priest yet not alwayes for Moyses was stil superior chap. 12. 14. 16. 17. c. :: If in dede this vncleaÌ„nes were a sinne it should be clensed by contritioÌ„ and neither necessarily remaine til night nor theÌ„ be taken away without other meanes Gen. 7. 〈◊〉 8. Some things connted vncleane in the law of nature of Moyses Three causes of this obseruance 1. For instruction 2. For exercise of obedience 1. Tim. 4. Rom. 5. 2. Mach. 6. 7. 3. For signification The things holden for cleane signified vertues The vncleane signified vices Christians are not bound to the obseruances of the old law but to that which they signified The second third Lessons on Candlemas day :: The most pure virgin mother was not subiect to this law For she conceiued not by the seede of man yet obserued the custome of other wemen Luc. 2. as Christ also would be baptized by S. Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. to geue example of humilitie S. Cyril li. 8. in Leuit S Bernard Ser. 3. de Purific :: It pertained to the Priests to discerne of leprosie in figure of Priestes authoritie to bind and loose sinnes in the new Testament S. Chrysost li. 3. de Sacerdotio :: Leprosie making spottes in the skinne of an other colour signifieth heresie that mixeth falshood with truth â— Aug. li. 2. quest Euangel c. 4â— :: Sometimes that semeth leprosie or herelie which is not wherof the priest is to iudge Deut. 17. :: This gift sacrifice were commanded saith S. Augustin because the Sacrifice of Christs bodie was not yet ordained which now serueth for al other sacrifices lâ— 1. ca. 19. et 20. cont aduersar â—eg et prophet * of vvel or riuer not of a cesterne poole or marrâ—â—â— :: If natural infirmities brought vncleaÌ„nes much more lasciuiousnes of the mind Theod. q. 15. 20. in Leuit. :: To make offer and sacrifice an hosteâ—is al one :: S. Hierom. â—s cap. 5 ad 〈…〉 at vnderstandeth this place of the abominable sines that may not be named :: Only once in the yeare the high priest and no other entred into Sancl◠〈…〉 v. 34. signifying that heauen was not open to anie Sainct before Christs passion Heb. 9. v. 8. :: Praying that al their sinnes may be remitted :: Sinnes do so defile the soule that the very holiest of al places is accounnted as contaminate therby Theodo â— 22. in Leuit. 〈◊〉 sine :: God so remitteth sinnes to those that are truly peninitent as that which is caried into a wildernes and neuer returneth :: Besides particular sacrifices for euerie oues sinnes once in the yeare was instituted a general expiatioÌ„ of al. :: If anie killed for sacrifice he must offer it at the dore of the tabernacle that a priest might offer it on the Altar for no other man nor place was allowed without special dispensation of God And so Samuel offered sacrifice in an
promised land S. Hierom. de Mans 42. to 3. :: They were retained in the ayre til the earth broken vnder them was closed againe :: Amram maried his aunt which sheweth that the second degree in consanguinitie is not forbid by the law of nature though it was after prohibited by a positiue law Leuit 18. :: For the general murmuring wherof al the people were guiltie cha 14. â— 29. :: Temporal Princes are also pastors or shepheards of the people but this made not Iosue supreme in spiritual causes For it is clere in the next lines that he had but part of Moyses his glorie or office and that was to be temporal prince Eleazar being chief in causes spiritual before vvhom and the multitude he was ordained Duke but Eleazar consulted God for him and directed his principal actions called here his going out and going in :: Varietie of Sacrifices for diuers times :: Euerie day twise 1. 2. :: On the Sabbath day 3. :: The Neomenia or new moone :: Pasch or Phase 4. 5. :: Pentecost 6. :: Feast of Trumpets 7. :: Feast of Expiation :: For remissioÌ„ of sinnes the penitents did cooperate by penal workes of fasting and abstinence from euen vntil euen Leuit. 23. 〈◊〉 â—2 S. Aug. q. 57. in Num. Theod. q. 32. in Leuit. :: Feast of Tabernacles 8. 9. :: Feast of Assemblie and Collection :: He that voweth abstinence from a thing lawful maketh it vnlawful to him selfe by his vow S. Aug. q. 56. in Num. :: In this case God wil not impute it to her for a siÌ„ne S. Aug. q. 58. :: By afflicting of the souleâ— here vnderstood restraining sensual delectation S. Aug. q. 57. in Num. :: The husbaÌ„d reuoking his consent once geuen by word or by silence to his wiues vow sinned but the wife was bound to obey him and so was excused Vowes of things not commanded S. Aug q. 57. in Num. :: VVith whoÌ„ he sinned with them he was also iustly punished :: These wemen bringing imagies of Beelphogot caused the Israelites to offer sacrifice to him before they should committe fornication with them :: In more detestation of the parents sinne God coÌ„manded to kil these children so they were preuented from committing the like crimes But ordinarily wemen children ought not to be slaine after the victorie Deut. 20. v. 14. :: A right figure of those that would possesse heauen without labour or danger But none shal be crovvned vnles he striue lavvfully 2. Tim. 2. :: These remonings and camping places signifie by what degrees christians leauing sinnes and folowing Christ our guide may come to perfect pietie S. Hierom. de mans 42. ad Fahiol :: Danger to those that destroy not infidelitie and al enormious sinnes which dwelt in their soules before their conuersion Two handes which worke saluation :: Otherwise called the dead sea where Sodom and Gomort had stood :: A mountaine so called of the multitude of scorpions which were in it :: Mediterraneal sea called great in respect of the lakes in the holie Land :: Mount of Libanus :: Yet not before sentencâ— of death â— 12. 24. S. Aug. q. 65. in Num. :: Mystically this signified that the way to true life was not open before Christs death Theodor. q. 51. in Num. S. Grig ho. 6. in Ezechielem :: Al were not bound by this law to marie but al that would marrie must contract within their owne tribe Restrant in Mariages also for a temporal cause â—â—◠◠◠〈◊〉 Tradition Christ a King and a Priest This booke is a repetition explication and suplement of the Law S. Aug. q. 49. in Deuteroâ— It presigured the Gospel et princ Leutero Mans vlt. Conteineth fiue partes Chap. 1. 4. 12. 27. 31. 34. The first part A repetition of Gods benefites the peoples ingratitude and punishment :: God so helpeth his seruantes that they also must cooperate S. Aug. q. 1. in Deut. :: Difference of sinnes :: God is also angrie with his good seruantes and punisheth theÌ„ temporally for smal sinnes S. Aug. q. 1. in Iosue :: These were men of very great stature but not equal to the giantes before the sâ—ould :: By this we are instructed to fight agaâ—st inâ—ideles but not without special cause against christians signified by the childreÌ„ of Lot and Esau :: The I dumeans once denied them passage Num. 20. v. 20. but afterwards granted therto :: God permitted him for his former sinnes to indurate him selfe See Exod. 7. v. 3. :: Longer sorte of cubites are a foote and 9 inches so this bed was 15. foote and nine inches long and 7. foote brode Vitruuius Agricola :: Esdras adding these wordes and often times the like did not against the law because such additions are agreable and not contrarie to that which was written before :: See Num. 〈◊〉 â— 12. The second part A repetition explication of the law :: To kepe Gods coÌ„mandments is counted by al nations the most excellent wisdome :: Here and in other places it is manifest that the commandments called the Decalogue are iust tenne :: Venial and least sinnes passe not with out temporal punishment :: This was also a Mysterie that the old law signified by Moyses could not bring to heauen the true land of promise but the law of Christ signified by Iosue Theodoret q. 43. in Deut. :: Conuersion of the Iewes in the end of the world As other Scriptures are included in the law so also TraditioÌ„s are conteined in the Scriptures Brentius KeÌ„nisius Caluin The Church commended by Scriptures approueth Traditions :: It is not ynough to beleue only or to know the commandments but necessarie also to fulfil them in â—vorâ—e :: The title of mediator lawfully ascribed to Gods lieuâ—enant in â—â—rth :: Coueting as other mans wife and coueting his goodes differ as much as the exterior actes of adultry and of theft And so these two commandments are as distinct as the former two Images of Idols forbid but not of other things :: Some adoration agreeth to creatures but seruice of Latria to God onlie S. Aug. q 61. in Gen. Not withstanding this commination God ofrentimes differreth punishment expecting the sinners repentance :: Gods promises coÌ„ditional if his people serue him :: God is able to make foode of what he plesse or to sustaine men without â—â—cate :: A serpent lesse then a scorpion making those whom he byteth to die of thirst Solâ—â—us in polyhist cap. de Africa :: Holie Scripture vseth the figure Hyperbola folowing the vulgar maner of speakiÌ„g as wel to helpe the vnderstanding as to moue affectioÌ„ in great and extraordinarie things :: The similitude of a calfe and called it their god Exed 32. :: This Mosera where Aaron died is more commonly called Hor. Num. 20. 33. :: VVhen iust cause requireth an oath it must be made in the name of God not of false goddes :: Raine after seeding and before haruest signifieth Gods grace first stirring
Ieremie prophecied ch 24. v. 9. I vvil geue them into reproch to be a parable and a prouerb c. :: Iewes by their sinnes prouoking God to punish them with captiuitie gaue occasion that other nations said God could not defend his people blaspheming against his powre when he exercised iustice :: Rabbi Dauid the Chaldee Paraphrasis expound this place of remission of sinne And al Christian Doctors vnderstand it of Baptisme which in dede is in water clensing sinnes Ephes 5. v. 26. â—it 3. v 5. :: An euident text that by Gods grace some men do kepe the commandments :: A duble prophecie of two great benefits the reduction of the Iewes from captiuitie and of the Gentiles from idolatrie to Christ wherein also is included the mysterie of resurrection a One cause of distrust that the people of Israel should not be restored from captiuitie was because they were like to drie bones b Secondly they had al generally lost their hope of restitution c Thirdly they semed like to trees or plantes cut of at the very root d Yet God by his powre and goodnes restored them e Before Christ ioyned the Gentils to his Church he first vnited the two kingdoms of Iuda Israel signifying that Catholiques which labour for conuersion of heretikes as now in England must first agree amongst themselues then shal their endeuoures be more effectual For so al shal sooner be made one fold vnder one shepheard :: Fulfilled by Christ the good Pastor who bringeth al nations into one folde vnder one pastor Ioan. 10. v. 16. :: Gog signifying hid or couered was the common surname of the Scithian kinges :: Mâ—gog out of the hid were the people and adherents of Gog persecuting the faithful :: Alluding to those that endeuoured to spoyle and oppresse the Iewes after their relaxation from captiuitie he prophecieth of Antichrist and al heretikes that seeke to peruert or to suppresse Catholique Christians who are deliuered rom the bondage of the diuel by Baptisme and other Sacraments of Christ :: Antichrist signified by Gog shal persecute the Church nere the end of the vvorld :: In euerie part of the vniuersal Church God wil at last destroy Antichrists powre confounding him and al his adherentes Gog and Magog the king and kingdom of Scithia Gâ—â— 10. Signifying al persecuters of the Church especially Antichrist Psal â— Isa 11. Dan. 1â— VVho shal be destroyed :: Antichrist persecuting the Church in al partes of the world shal be resisted by some in euerie place and at last vanquished :: Not vvith material fire but with zele and â—eruour Catholiques shal resist him and finally ouercome him :: Gods people vvere not made captiues by the povvre of their enimies as if God could not defend them but by his permission for punishment of their sinnes Foure expositions of this vision 1. Of the temple and citie reedified after the captiuitie 2. That Messias shal build a material temple and citie 3. That this prophetical vision was conditional ch 18 v. 23. ch 33. v. â—1 4. That it cannot al be expounded according to the historie but only mystically The fift part Restauration of the temple vvith thinges perteyning therto more especially the glorie of the Church militant triumphant :: Into the destroyed citie of Ierusalem :: Mount Sion :: called exceding heigh mystically in that it signifieth the Church of Christ for historically Sion vvas not so exceding hiegh :: In the Hebrevv text in the Chaldee Paraphrasis in the 70. Interpreters it is thus of six cubites in a cubite and a palme to signifie that these cubites vsed in measuring sacred thinges conteyned six palmes vvheras the ordinarie cubite conteineth but fiue palmes See ch 43. v. 13. :: Larger within then without to spread the light within the place to auoide the danger of hurt from abrode as the windowes of Salomons temple 3. Reg. 6. as also in casties and towres is commonly vsed In explicating this vision by reason of the obscuritie is great varietie amongst the expositors but al agree that God here reueled to the prophet that he vvil reward the good tevvitte in the old Testament temporally in the nevv spiritually first vvith grace in this life and with eternal glorie in life euerlasting :: To the gates of the vtter vval vvas ascent of seuen steppes but of the inner vval v. 32. of eight steppes to signifie that mâ—â—e perfection is required in the new Testament then was in the old for vvhich more grace is geuen and better revvard S. Greg. :: For that the pillers are not measured it semeth they were of the same height and bignes as the former vvere built by Salomon 3. Reg. 7. v. 1â— :: This description of the temple order of priesthood vvith the partition and fertilitie of the land is much more excellent then was in Salomons time the new temple reedified by Zorobabel was much meaner then Salomons and therfore this prophecie as likevvise the prophecies of Aggeus Zacharias cannot be vnderstood of the temple in Ierusalem but of the Church of Christ S. Ierom in ch 40 Ezec. S. Aug. li 18. c. 45. ciuit :: In the vval of the temple vvere interchangeably painted a Cherub signifying knovvlege a palmetree signifying victorie representing to men that they must be instructed in diuine knowlege â—o sight for victorie :: Signifying our Sauiour vvho in his humanitie suffered miseries but as a lion ouercame al enimies S. Ierom finding the Hebrevv text and the 70. interpreters and others to differ not only in vvordes but also in the sense explicating as semed to him most probable auoucheth vvithal that saying of Socrates Sciâ— quodnescio I knovv that I do not â—novv anie thing perfectly For it is a part of knovvlege saith he to â—novv that thou art ignorant :: Al the world is lightned by the preaching of Christs Apostles and their successors and the triumphant Church shal perfectly shine vvhen that vvhich is so vvne iâ— corruption â—hal â—â—â—e in incorruption â—â— c. 1. Cor. 1â— S. Ierom. S. Thomas also exponndeth this place of the â— virgin conceiuing the Sonne of God p 3. q 27. a 3. ch 9. ch 1. :: God hath left the house of the Ievves desolate â—aâ— 23. v. 38 but remaineth vvith the Church of Christ al dayes to the end of the vvorld Mat 28 v. 2â— And the perfect impolluted Church vvithout spoâ— or vvâ—â—ncle Eph 5 v. 27. is only the 〈…〉 hant Church :: The sacred cubite or cubite vsed in sacred thinges was longer then the common cubite by one palme :: The altar is called Ariel the lion of God because fire sometimes descending from God vpon the altar consumed the sacrifice as a lion consumeth his praye S. Ierom. S. Ierom expoundeth this of the hardnes of scripture which no man vnderstaÌ„ndeth fully but the sonne of God Mat. 11. v. 27. Likevvise of of our B. Ladie a perpeâ—ual virgin also
high priest but an vsurper nor that he liued after Iudas vvho vvas slaine a yeare before this time v. 3 18. VVherby and by manie other such errors vve see that Iosephus is rather to be corrected by this booke then to disalovv this booke because it differeth from Iosephus or other like auctors :: Euil counsel hovv soeuer it happeneth to them that folovv it is euer hurtful to them that geue it :: He falsely auovvched that he vvas the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes for he was in dede of very meane birth Iustinus li. 35. :: It vvas not in the kinges povvre to make Ionathaâ— high priest but he being so before the â—ing from this time did so account him :: This king Demetrius to gette his desired purpose sticked not to vvrite a plainelye for he had heard that the Ievves had refused him and made league vvith his enimie Alexander v 22 23. :: Notwithstanding the great offers of euil disposed men Ionathas and al prudent men considering their former vvicked dedes do not geue credite to glorious vvordes ch 7. v. 11. :: This Ptolomeus Philometor decided a controuersie that the Iewes had the true temple in Ierusalem and that the Samaritanes temple in Garizim vvas schismatical vvhich he iudged because albeit both pleaded antiquitie yet only the Iewes proued by continual succession of high priestes from Aaron and shewed that the other departed from them first in the time of Ieroboam and aftervvardes built that temple in Garizim vvhen some were returned from captiuitie vvherof Iosephus vvriteth li. 13. c. 6. Antiquit Our Sauiour also iudged that the cause of the Ievves vvas better Ioan. 4. v. 22. :: VVhen caluminators see that the innocent is iustified and honored they faile in their hart to procede against him :: Ionathas set his armie in that maner as on euerie side his men stood in front readie to resist the force of the enemie coming towards them al their backes so turned vvithin their ovvne squadron that the enemie could no vvay enter without present resistance and so those of the embushment could only cast dartes but could not breake the aray of Ionathas campe not make anie entrance with out their owne present death :: By this hyperbolical description very frequent in holie scripture is signified that Ptolomeus armie vvas exceding great yea greater then can be easily conceiued therfore is described by excessiue termes :: VVhen pastors endeuour to extirpate siâ—ne out of the mindes of the people those that hate godlines suggest to temporal princes that such spiritual preaching is dangerous to their state :: But zelous men cease not from so necessarie a worke because Gods vvord is not â—yed 2. Tim. 2. :: And vvise kinges vvil most esteme of such men knovving that their fidelitie tovvards God is an assurance that they vvil also be faithful to princes :: The king had before adioyned principal places to Iudea vvhich were called â—opaâ—chiâ— that is places of principalitie or principal gouernments novv he granted also immunities to them as to al Iudea and Samaria :: Three thousand faithful encoâ—â—â—â—ing vvith an hundred twentie thousand infidels killed of them in one day an hundred thousand :: As to vveare purple and to bare a crowne so to drinke in gold cuppes and to vveare a gold cheyne vvas proper to kinges and to vvhom they gaue license :: It is an ancient ceremonie in al uations often mentioned in these bookes to confirme peace by geuing ech other the right hand :: Only tvvo captaines remained and vvith them some souldiars as Iosephus vvriteth about 50 for it is not to be thought that Ionathas vvould haue returned to battel v 72. being but three men in al to beginne a new assault :: Sparta the chief citie of Lacedemonia called also Lacedemon and Theramne :: Spartians otherwise called Lacedemonians by Iosephus and other vvriters descended from Abraham v. 21. and vvere in great league vvith the Ievves :: The Spartianes had written this epistle before Onias vvritte to theÌ„ though it be here placed after :: There remained vvith the Spartiates old vvrites of genealogies as Iosephus supposeth li. 12. c. 5. li. 13. c. 9. :: Morally in Tryphon is noted the practise of the diuel vvho intending to ouerthrovv a king or a kingdom first seeketh to deceiue the pastores and to destroy them especially by error or other sinne For as S. Gregorie teacheth ho. 38. if the pastors life be corrupted his doctrine vvil be contemned :: Simon the fourth general captaine of the Machabees high-priest excelled his bretheren in vvisdome by the restimonie of his father c. 2. v 65. :: He vndertooke by al his endeuour to defend and deliuer his nation from danger and to restore their former libertie :: Simon being vvise choise the lesse euil and lesse danger For if he had not sent that vvas demanded it was very like and almost cettaine that Ionathas should be slaine and it vvould haue bene imputed to Simon that he had not taken iust care of his brothers life vvherby the people vvould haue bene alienated from him and perhaps haue reuolted from him and also from religion S. Tho. in hunc locum :: This vvas not vaine glory but true glorie to kepe memorie of so great vertue therby to stur vp others to imitation He that loueth honour saith S. Augustin li. cont Secundin c. 17. imitateth God But humble soules desire houour in God proud men vvil be honoured more then God or vvithout God O hovv manie Epitaphes are of vvicked men nothing els but perpetual monuments of their ambition vanitie iniustice crucltie other vices but those that are of true vertues are to Gods more honour the auctor of al vertues * a precious chaine :: By hovv much more that mercie is admixed vvith iustice so that iustice be not destroyed and that religion be aduanced the better it pleaseth God and edifieth the vvel disposed :: This Iohn Hyreanus defended the countrie against inuaders ch 16. :: Simon had novv gouerned the people two yeares beginning with great difficulties but hence forth enioyed peace til Antiochus Sedetes brake the league inuaded Iurie ch 15. v. 27. 39. :: He reduced manie Ievves from captiuitie :: Sparta being the chief citie of Lacedemonia had manie cities subiect depending as vpon their Metropolitane :: Vvhen peace was estabished in al Iurie and friendshippe confirmed vvith the Romanes Lacedemonians the vvhole nation of the Ievves in gratitude tovvards Simon vvho onlie novv remained of Mathathias sonnes confirmed him in the office of high-priest perpetually or for euer v. 41 that is during his life to his progenie v. 49 :: The hieghpriesthood continevved in this familie of the Machabees vntil Herod tooke it from them selling it for money and then shortly came Christ the faith ful Prophet :: This Antiochus Sedetes sonne of Demetrius Soter vvas brother to Demetrius the second who was now captiue in Per â—â—a ch 14.