Fatherlie disposition This may teach all men but especially the Prophets of GOD and the Ministers of the Word to looke vpon sinne with impartiall eyes They must not spie a mote in the eye of pouertie and ouer-looke a beame in the eye of greatnes They must not be bolde in the mountaines of Iudah and bee Tongue-tyed when they come to Bethel the Kings-chappell but in euery place and to euery person of what degree soeuer he bee if he be guiltie of sinne speake boldly and powre vpon his head the viall of Gods vengeance and proclaime his Execrations and Curses that thereby he may be terrified from sinning drawne to Reformation newnesse of life Partialitie is like to the euill and lying (p) 1. Reg. 22.2 spirit in the mouth of Ahabs Prophets it corrupteth both Pulpits and Tribunals it maketh Iudges which should punish sinnes blinde and Preachers that should crie out against sinne Dumb-dogges Partialitie maketh great personages presume and assume a Libertie and priuiledge in sinning but would Iudges and Ministers doe as Iacob did lay aside all Respects the Tribunall and the Pulpit would bee more regarded and sinne better restrained I will diuide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israell In these wordes is contained the punishment of Simeon and Leui their Vnton is requited and recompenced with a Diuision They were brethren in euill and Confederates in mischiefe and therefore they must be Separated and Diuided in Israell Heerein the speech of the Prophet is proued true (q) Ezech. 18.2 The Fathers haue eaten sower Grapes and the Childrens teeth are set on edge For for the sinnes of Simeon and Leui these two tribes or families are punished and this accordingly came to passe for Simeon had no possession or inheritance by himselfe but was (r) Iosu 19. intermingled with Iudah (s) 1. Chron. 4. and was constrained afterward by force of Arms to enlarge his bounds And some are of opinion that the poore (t) Tharg Hieros Scribes which were dispersed in Israel came of Simeon howsoeuer certain it is that the tribe of SimeoÌ„ was ignoble base and contemptible in comparison of the rest insomuch as (u) Deut. 33. Moses omitteth it in his blessing whether it was for this act against the Sichemites or for that Simeon was ringleader in the conspiracie against Ioseph for which cause afterwards (x) Gen. 42.25 Ioseph of all the rest pickt him out to be his pledge and prisoner Or for that Zimri a prince of the tribe of Simeon had lately committed vncleannes with the Madianitish Cosbi or else for because Iudas Iscariot that betraide our SAVIOVR was foreseene by Moses to be of the tribe of Simeon I knowe not neither can it certainely be resolued only thus much may suffise to manifest their basenesse Moses neglected them in his blessing Leui also was diuided in Israel for the (y) Iosh 21. Leuites had no certaine inheritance but only some cities allotted vnto them among the rest of the Tribes to the number of 48. they went also waÌ„dring vp down to gather the Tythes of their inheritaÌ„ce I will diuide them in Iacob c. Simeon and Leui onely offended and yet they are not onely punished but euen all their posteritie this seemeth to be extreame rigour in Iacob and iniustice in God to make the children beare their fathers iniquitie and yet so it often coÌ„meth to passe For God saith that he will visite the wickednes of the Fathers vpon the children to the third fourth generation Instance hereof we haue in the dispersed Leuites scattered Simeonites for this speech other instaÌ„ces diuerse heretikes as the Marcionites the Valentinians and the Carpocratians reiected the olde Testament and affirmed God the Author thereof to be an euill God because hee would spare the parents that were sinners and punish the children that were innocents Besides God in doing thus is at contradiction with himselfe For thus he answereth the prophet Ezechiel (z) Ezech. 18.4 All soules be mine like as the soule of the father is mine so is the soule of the sonne mine also the soule that sinneth the same shall dye and the Sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father For clearing of this difficult point First I will shew that God is not contrary to himselfe and secondly though he punish one for the fault of another yet he is not vniust For the first (a) Deu. 5.9 God in Deuteronomie saith that he will visite the wickednes of the Fathers vpon the children to the third fourth generation And in Ezechiel hee saith That the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father these speeches seeme to be as contrarie one to the other as light and darknes Christ and Belial God and Mammon and yet if we obserue this distinction we shall easilie reconcile them Punishments are twofold temporall aeternall teÌ„porall punishmeÌ„ts haue their end in this life aeternall are such as appertain to euerlasting damnation Now then in Deuteronomie God speaketh of teÌ„porall punishments in Ezechiel of aeternall in this world both childreÌ„ are punished for the sinne of their pareÌ„ts as (b) Gen. 9.25 Chanaan was curst by Noah for Chams sake and subiects for the faults of their princes 2. Sam. 24.15 as the Israelites that died of the plague for Dauids sake many meÌ„ for one priuate maÌ„s offence as in the host of the Lord many perished by the sword for (d) Iosh 7.5 Achans sake but in the world to come euery one shall beare his owne burden the soule that sinneth the same shall die And thus it appeareth that God is not contrarie to himselfe For the second Though God punish one for the fault of another yet is hee not vniust Iustice giueth euery one his due therefore coÌ„cerning the punishments of this life as sicknes pouertie banishment death such like no man can be said to suffer theÌ„ vniustly because there is none perfect no not the child which is yet but one day old wherefore seeing the case so standeth and that we be all guiltie of sin we must not complaine that God dealeth too sharply with vs if being children we be punished for the sin of our pareÌ„ts for God can so direct those troubles as they may belong not onely to his owne glorie but also to the saluation of the pareÌ„ts (e) Chrysost hom 29. in Gen. ofteÌ„times he punisheth the fathers in the children the prince in the people for the punishment of childreÌ„ no lesse grieueth their 〈◊〉 then if theÌ„selues were afflicted but if so be the childreÌ„â—e dispersed scattered for their sake as the Simeoniâ—â—â— Leuites were or if they suffer death for their sake as Dauids child borne in adultery did yet haue they no iniurie done vnto them for death is due vnto them also otherwise it is certain that they must die Now then if God will vse their death in that sort to be the punishmeÌ„t of
be a Tower of defence vnto his children against the face of all their enemies Then Iacob called his Sonnes c. in the two first verses of this chapter is contained the Prologue or preamble to the ensuing Propheticall Benediction and in this preamble there is a Summons and a Charge The first branch is the summons Iacob citeth his sonnes to appeare and calls them before him that he may speake vnto them before he dies This was a custome amongst the holie Patriarches when they felt death approaching to call their children and their friends before them First to acquiante them with the knowledge of things to come and secondlie to instruct them in sacred Aphorismes and rules of good life So did f Deuter. 33. Moses g Iosu 24. Iosuah h 1. Reg. 2. Dauid and many others making their death-bed their Pulpit to Prophecie and preach in But why should they choose such a time a time of paine and anguish and a time of mourning lamentation because it is the fittest time i Xenoph. lib. 8 Plat. in apel Some Philosophers haue thoght that the soule of man vpon the approach of death growes more diuine and by a supernaturall inspiration is made euen then most able to discourse of future euents but this Assertion is repugnant to reason For the soule though in its owne nature it bee impassible yet doth it sympathize with the bodie and therefore when the bodie is ill affected and afflicted with sicknes then also the faculties of the soule begin to languish to growe fainte and dull Let then Xenophon bring in his Cyrus and Plato his Socrates to auouch that at the time of death a mans soule is inspired with the power of diuination yet will this position proue to bee but like a house founded vpon the sand and one of Sathans fallacies and illusions The cause then why Iacob prophecies vpon his death-bed is not because his soule was then more diuine but that the remarkeable circumstance of the time might procure in the memorie of his sonnes a deeper and more permanent impression of his Prophecie The second branch of the Preamble is the Charge in these words Gather your selues together that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last dayes gather your selues together and heare you sonnes of Iacob and hearken vnto Israel your Father This Charge is very emphaticall as appeareth by this threefold doubling of the words Gather your selues together gather your selues together Heare Hearken vnto Iacob and Israel your Father k Tharg Hieros in hunc locum This shewes that the holie Patriarch will speake of some great and important matters concerning his sonnes that hee will instruct them both as a naturall and spirituall Father and therefore because he will not haue them stand like idle spectators and carelesse auditors First hee chargeth them to gather and gather themselues together wherein hee requireth not onely the presence of their bodies but also of their cogitations Secondly hee commands them to heare and hearken vnto Iacob and Israel their Father which is as if hee should haue said let mee haue both the l Rup in Gen. lib. 9. Com. cap. 25. attention of your eares and the intention of your minds that I may tell you what shall come to you in the last dayes in this speech Iacob alledgeth the cause both why he summoned them to appeare also why hee giueth them so strict a charge This cause is the seale of his commission and a testimonie that he is one of Gods Prophets because the grouÌ„d of his speech must be a Reuealing of things to come which is onely proper peculiar to God them whom hee vouchsafeth to employ as his instruments It is not registred by the pen of Gods spirit how the Patriarch Iacob attained vnto this foreknowledge whether by Oracle dreame or vision which are the m Num. 12.6.7.8 three ordinary meanes of Reuelation yet it is very likely that God was knowne vnto him by vision which is three manner of wares either when true things are discerned by an infused light and the mere vnderstanding or else when besides that light Imâ—ges are also described that either in the minde as when Zachariah saw the n Zach. 18. Hornes and the o 4.2 candlesticke p Hier. 1.13 Hieremiah the Pot or else in the eyes and outward sense as was that q Dan. 5.5 hand spokeÌ„ of by Daniel which appeared on the wall and as Angels were seene to talke with men in a bodily shape now it is most probable that by the first of these three meanes Iacob prophecied telling his sonnes what should come to them in the last dayes Touching the boundes or limites of Iacobs Prophecie there is some question made amongst expositors both Iewish and Christian r Rab. Kimhi in 2. cap. Esa Rabbi Kimhi s Hieron in Michaeam cap. 4. S. Hierome and Lyranus affirme that as often as dies nouissimi the last dayes are mentioned in the Scriptures the Time or comming of the Messiah is signified and that his time is therfore called the last daies because he should be the period or ende of the Iewish state both in regard of the Lawe the Priest-hood the Kingdome and the figures or types of the Old Testament and that after the preaching of the Gospell no other priest-hood law nor Sacraments were to be expected though I doe not gainsay but that the Time of the Messiah may be called the last daies yet in these wordes that Time is not principally implyed for Iacob in this prophecie fore-telleth diuerse things which were fulfilled long before the comming of CHRIST therefore in this Text by the Last-daies is signified the Succeeding ages and Times from the departure of the Israelites out of Aegipt till the comming of Christ In this prologue of Iacob wee may for our instruction obserue two things First The patterne of dying Secondly the Art of hearing the first is couched in the Summons the second in the Charge of Iacob For the first it is vpon record that the holie men in former times vsed to assemble their friends kins-folke and children to blesse and instruct them before they died t Gen. 27. so Isaac blessed his two sonnes Iacob and Esau v Deut. 33. Moses the Tribes of Israel so x 1. Chro. 29. Dauid blessed Salomon and our blessed y Iohn 17. Sauiour prayed for his disciples immediately before his death these actions of them ought to be presidents for vs to followe and imitate and herein by their example are wee taught to haue a speciall care of the spirituall welfare of our children bequeathing them golden legacies wholsome counsell and good instructions how to serue God to walke in his wayes and obserue his statutes z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Death is common to all as well to the rich glutton cloathed in purple and fine linneÌ„ as to the famisht Lazar
thy friend praise thee to thy face giue no countenance to his wordes lest of a friend he become a dissembler and if a common parasite commend thee reiect and contemne his praises because hee is a flatterer If this preseruatiue were vsed Sathan would cease to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and his Orators who as Diogenes affirmed are worse then Crowes should in stead of liuing men be compelled to pray vpon carrine the fittest foode for such rauenous Harpies and greedie fowles Thine hand shal be vpon the necke of thine enemies c here Iacob prophecieth of the victorie that the children of Iudah should haue ouer the Chanaanites and this prophecie was in part presently fulfilled after the death of Iosuah at what time the tribe of (s) Iudg. 1.2 Iudah by the appointment of God went first vp to fight against the Chanaanites and ouerthrew Adoni-bezek but it was more euidently accomplished when Dauid triumphed ouer them this is the second Blessing which Iacob from the spirit of God bestoweth vpon the posteritie of Iudah namely Victorie ouer their enemies if Victorie in warre be a blessing then doth it follow that some kind of warfare is lawfull and yet the Anabaptistes being the furies plagues of our time say absolutely that it is not lawfull to warre because our Sauiour saith (t) Math. 5.39 If a man giue thee a blowe on the right cheeke reach thou vnto him the left and if a man take away thy coate giue him thy cloake also and in an other place he saith (u) Math. 25.52 he that striketh with the sword shall perish with the sword and S. Paul saith (x) Rom. 12. Reuenge not your selues my beloued but giue place vnto wrath hereout they conclude that all kind of Warre whether vndertaken for the auoyding or reuenging of iniurie is vnlawful but who seeth not that both our Sauiour and also the Apostle in these alleaged places speake onely against priuate quarrels and dissentions betwixt man and man not against the Publike enterprise of warre which being iustly managed is lawfull the better there fore that wee may vnderstād what kind of Warre God blesseth with victorie let vs see what Warre is Warre is a hostile dissention whereby through the Princes edict mischiefes are repressed by force of armes to the end that people may quietly peaceably maintaine iustice and godlinesse This definition of warre sheweth which is Iust which Vniust first it is called a hostile dissention because contrarie vnto War is Peace for as peace is a kind of Vnion so warre is a kind of Dissention and this word hostile is added to make a difference betwixt it and particular or priuate disagreements such as are in opinion in the manner of life or in the will this kind of Dissention is by the Hebrewes called Milchamah because therein many slaughters are committed by the sword secondly to make warre iust there is required the edict and authoritie of the Magistrate who beareth the sword without whose commaund or consent it is not lawfull to take Armes this condemneth all mercenarie soldiers who by couetousnesse as their conducter are drawn out of their natiue soile to follow and fight vnder forreyne ensignes these are not true soldiers but like Barrabas thieues and murderers because their actions are not truly authorised thirdly in a iust war there must be a repressiō of mischiefe by force of armes in this clause of the definition is set down the true cause of war which is to punish offendours such was the war of the ten tribes against (y) Iud. 20. Beniamin for offering violēce to the Leuites wife lastly the end of a iust war is that the people may quietly maintaine iustice and godlines according to that of (a) Aug. in Iosu quaest 10 Saint Austin All things are quiet when warres be made for warres are not made for pleasure nor vpon a greedie desire of getting nor vpon crueltie but for a desire of peace that good men may bee aduanced and euill men restrained that Warre wherein these conditions or circumstances are obserued is without all controuersie most lawfull and where the sword is thus drawen it is euer at the last victorious I might produce many testimonies out of the Scriptures to conuince the Anabaptistes but this is sufficient if it be a Blessing out of the mouth of Iacob for Iudah to lay his hand in the neck of his enemies then certainly Warre is lawfull (b) 2. Sam. 24.13 flight in war is one of the arrowes of Gods vengeance as appeareth by the wordes of Gad the Seer vnto king Dauid after he had numbred the people and Famine the Pestilence be the other two with which three God vseth to chastice and punish the sins of the people of the contrary part (c) Deut. 31 6. Victorie in battell Plentie and health are Gods great blessings wherewith he endoweth such as serue him in truth sincerity the first of these is Iudahs portion for according to the Chalde paraphrast Iacob prophecieth that his hand shall preuaile against his enemies they shall be disperst ouerthrowne and shall come in submissiue sort to begge and entreate for peace Thy fathers sonnes shall bowe downe vnto thee c. Here Reubens royall prerogatiue is giuen vnto Iudah for hee is ordained Lord and King of all his brethren this was not presently accomplished for Ioseph for the time present had the temporal honor but his authoritie took beginning in his posteritie euē at that time whē after the death of Iosuah the (d) Iud. 1.2 Tribe of Iudah was appointed to be as the Captaine to the rest and it grewe to eminencie when Saul was cast off and Dauid annointed in his place and though the ten tribes did reuolt from Iudah yet the right of the kingdome remained with Iudah stil and it continued notwithstanding it was often by Israel impugned when the other was vtterly dissolued As it is a great happinesse and a blessing that commeth from the Lord in this world to be seated in the throne of honour and soueraigntie by the speciall ordinance and appointment of God as Iudah was for he that is thus installed is a God vpon earth so contrariwise to bee aduanced by Sathan vnto power and dignitie which often falleth out by the permission of God is a miserable and an accursed preferment because as the Psalmist saith Such haue no vnderstanding but are compared vnto the beasts that perish of such Kings the Prophet Hoseah thus saith (e) Hos 8.4 they haue set vp a King but not by me they haue made Princes and I knew it not there is as great difference betwixt one of Gods Kings and Princes and betwixt the Diuels Princes and his Kings (f) Iud. 7. as betwixt the fa◠Oliue and the prickie Brier in Iothams parable yet as the Apostle saith All power is from God but the power of good Princes and Potentates is by speciall ordination
aemulation of her sisters happinesse a desire to be endeared to her husband and a feruent longing to be interessed in the promised seede herein shee doeth ill that good may ensue which is not to be allowed or iustified neither is there any inconuenience to yeeld to such holy women as Rahel their infirmities but here is not the lowest ebbe of her weakenesse for she goes further and giues her handmaide to her husband hoping to be comforted by her issue and vpon that contract with Bilha was Dan borne as I said before in my lecture vpon Isachar Laban by deceite made Iacob to diuide his Rib and to haue two Sisters to be his wiues and his two wiues being sisters by their perswasions made their owne husband to be Tetragamos the husband of sower wiues the one giuing him Bilha the other Zilpha their handmaids to be his Concubines now herein how can Iacob be excused or the childreÌ„ of Leah Bilha Zilpha be accounted legitimate considering that by the first Canon and institution of marriage made by God in paradice (g) Gen. 2.24 One man was to haue but one wife and they two saith Christ shall be one flesh the breach of euery lawe is sinne Iacob breaking then the lawe sinneth and consequently all his children except Ioseph and Beniamin the sonnes of Rahel to whom Iacob was first contracted were illegitimate S. Augustine thus answereth as long as it was the custome to haue many wiues it was no sinne Aug. Cont. Faustum manich lib. 22. cap. 47. but now it is a sinne because it is not the custome some sinnes are against nature some against Custome some against the lawe now saith he Iacob is not to be blamed for hee transgressed not the lawe of nature because he vsed his pluralitie of wiues not for lust but for the increase and multiplication of mankind neither did hee breake custome for in those daies in the east countries Polygamie was vsuall neither was it prohibited by any lawe concerning Custome Saint Augustine he holdeth the Truth but as for the Lawe of nature and the Lawe of God they Both are opposite to the multiplicitie of wiues first the lawe of Nature appeareth herein (h) Zanch. de sponsal that God when hee was to giue Adam a wife tooke onely one Rib not two and made onely one woman not two teaching vs thereby that one man should be contented with one wife and one wife with one Husband This Law of Nature is confirmed by that which God coÌ„manded Noah to doe when he destroyed the world with water (i) Gen. 7.7.8 Noah his wife his 3. sonnes their wiues of beasts both cleane vnclean the male the female entred into the Arke This coupling of Creatures both reasonable vnreasonable sheweth that Nature in her Seminarie requires no more but one Male and one Female Furthermore these are two Axiomes or Maximes in Nature Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne facias Do not that to another which thou wouldest not to be done to thy selfe Also Ne quod alterius est inuito eripiatur Let nothing which belongeth to another bee taken from him against his will Now in Polygamie these two Rules are broken off For first a man will not beare nor brooke it that his wife should take vnto her another man Then why should hee haue another wife Secondly the (k) 1. Cor. 7.4 Married man as the Apostle saith hath not power ouer his owne bodie but the wife How then can the Man without offering manifest wrong to his Wife bestowe his bodie vpon an other woman Concerning the law of God it doth directly forbid Polygamie as appeareth by the wordes of Christ who is the best interpreter of the Law saying (l) Mat. 19.5 For this cause shall a man leaue father mother câ—eaue vnto his wife they twayne shal be one flesh Herein our Sauiour teacheth vs that the wife is not onely not to be put away vpon euery cause but also that the Husband ought not to take vnto himselfe another Wife Thus both by the Law of God Nature Polygamie is condemned Can the Custome be Iacobs protection How caÌ„ his tetragamie be iustified and the rest of his Sonnes excepting Ioseph Beniamin be legitimate I answer by Dispensation For God according to the state of those times dispeÌ„sed with the Patriarks for the Law which he had made at the beginniÌ„g And this is euident out of the exaÌ„ples of Abraham Iacob Elcaenah other godly Fathers who were not reproued by any Prophet for their multiplicitie of wiues Nay which is more God gaue Saules wiues as (m) 1. Sam. 12.8 Nathan saith into the bosome of Dauid Now then if God gaue Dauid wiues notwithstanding his first institution is for the coÌ„trarie we may conclude that he dispensed with his own Law gaue the Patriarchs libertie for Polygamie The reason of this dispensation was this in those times God had chosen the seede of Abraham to bee his people in whose linage the true worship of the Deitie was preserued for all other people were giueÌ„ to idolatry went a whoring after straunge gods Therefore it was necessarie that the Children of Abraham should bee permitted to vse Polygamie and haue many wiues that mankind might bee spred by procreation because this propagation of the flesh was the increase of godlines Seeing God would that the people in whoÌ„ true religion was planted should continue euen vnto Christ So then it was by dispensation lawfull vnto the Patriarchs to haue many wiues to the inteÌ„t that that people whom God had chosen namely Israel might be manie in nuÌ„ber neither can it appeare that they sinned when they did so but here sin must be distiÌ„guished For if to sinne be to stray froÌ„ most perfect reason surely they sinned but if we determine that to be sinne wherewith God is offended prouoked to reueÌ„ge they sinned not sith God dispensed with his law to the ende that the people of whome hee would be worshipped might be of the greater nuÌ„ber For although amongst other Nations some perhaps were good men yet the publike worshipping of God was no where else but in Israel Furthermore AbrahaÌ„ Iacob the rest thogh they had many wiues yet they were not hereunto led by lust but by a chast desire to augment multiplie Gods familie This was Iacobs motiue wheÌ„ he went in vnto Bilha begot Dan. And therefore coÌ„sidering both Gods dispensation his owne intention Iacob is not to be condemned neither his children borne of concubines to be debased yet Rahels act in giuiÌ„g her handmaid caÌ„not be excused because she was moued therunto by the spirit of Pride Enuie shee knew it was a glorious thing to haue children a shame to be barren and therefore she desired to haue a child thogh borne by her maid to free herselfe from infamie in the worlde to be more equall with her sister Herein is
vntill the open and plaine reuelation of his pride was publikely professed in the papacie this truth is confirmed by the writings of the Fathers for Tertullian calleth Antichrist (k) Tertulide resur carn cap. 25. A Citie prostitute to spirituall fornication S. Ambrose (l) Ambros in Apoc. 17. The Citie of the diuel S. Augustine (m) August homil 10. in Apoc. The bodie of the vngodly fighting against the Lambe and A people contrarie to the people of God which ioyntlie with their head are called Antichrist Aquinas (n) Aquinas in Apoc. â—â— a bodie not a man Hugo Cardinalis an assemblie or a companie And lastlie the Glosse saith The head the bodie togither make vp the whole Antichrist Here is a cloud of witnesses prouing that Antichrist is not one man then consequently how is it likely that one woman of the tribe of Dan should be his mother (o) Rhem. 2. 2. Thess 2. and the diuell his father But let vs proceed to examine the reasons why the Papists affirme that Antichrist should be of the familie of Dan begotten by the Diuell and therefore a Diuell incarnate the sandie grounds of this dreame are these First because Iacob saith (p) Gen. 49 1â— â—an shall bee a Serpent by the way an Adder by the path bytinâ—â—he horse-heâ—â—â—s So that his rider shall fall backward Secondly because Hieremie saith (q) Hier. 8 1â— The neighing of his Horses was hearâ— from Dan the whole Land trembled at the Neighing of his strong Horses The third foundation of this coÌ„ceit is in the Apocalipse where twâ—lue thousand of euery tribe are reckoned only (r) Apoc. 7. Dan is left out These are pithie reasons if well examined let vs appeale to Bellarmines ceÌ„sure the speech of Iacob to Dan saith he was fulfilled in Samson and herein he iumpeth with Saint Hierom the same father euen according to the Prophets intention applieth the second speech to Nabuchadnezzars comming to destroy Hierusalem as for the omission of the tribe of Dan in the catalogue of the Elect that is no forcible argument for might not then Antichrist bee as well an Ephramite as a Danite considering that Ephraim as wel as Dan is left out Ephraim is omitted because Ioseph supplieth his place to fill vp the number of the twelue tribes Leui is put for Dan of all the Rest Dan is secluded not that all of his tribe are condemned or for that Antichrist should be of his stocke but because it was more accursed theÌ„ the rest for their great (s) Amos. 8.14 Idolatry in worshipping the golden calues of the contrary part we are taught by the Apostles wordes that the mother of Antichrist must not be any womaÌ„ of the tribe of Dan but the Carcasse of the Romane empire for S. Paul saith (t) 2. Thes 2.7.8 The misterie of iniquitie doth alreadie worke onely hee which now withholdeth shall let till he be taken out of the way in these words is contained the history of Antichrists natiuitie his Conception lasted 3. hundreth 16. yeares or there about al which time Rome was gouerned by Ethnick Emperours and the Bishops thereof euen to the losse of their liues laboured in Gods haruest But when Constantine raigned who was the first Christian Emperour who translated the Seate of the empire to BizantiuÌ„ which he called Constantinople leauing the citie of Rome to Pope Siluester the first and his successours who was the first Bishop that liued in Rome vnmartired the first that euer possessed patrimony rents or dignitie then was Antichrist borne his regiment sprâ—ng vp out of the ashes of the Romane Empire if then the time of his birth or reuealing falleth about the yeare of our Lord 3. hundreth and 16. for then (v) Deret distinet 96. did CoÌ„stantin the Great giue to Siluester the Citie of Rome and bestowed vpon him a triple Crowne for his coronation in token that hee had made him Supreme head ouer all the Churches in Asia Affrica and Europe and at that time saith Platina there was a voyce heard from heauen saying Now is poison sowen in the Church of God doth not this historie accord with Pauls prophecie whom then shall we iudge to be the mother of Antichrist a woman of the Tribe of Dan no that is but a fable whom then euen the Carcasse or Ruine of the Romane Empire which seeing it is most apparant if we will looke for Antichrist we must goe to Rome and there we shall find the Purple whore sitting vpon the Beast with seuen heads and ten hornes I could if I would make a larger digression from my text with pregnant arguments proue Rome as it now stands to be that Babylon spoken of in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn and the Succession of Popes there raigning to be That man of sinne and that child of perdition but this shal suffice to shew that Antichrist is not one man but a Multitude and that hee shall not be as the Papists imagine of the Tribe of Dan. O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation hauing deliuered the varietie of opinions coÌ„cerning this praier I will now in the close shew what was Iacobs intention and why he thus praied being a Prophet he did foresee the double Danger which the Tribe of Dan should fall into the first Temporall in being oppressed of their enemies as they were of the Amorites the second Spirituall in being corrupted with Idolatrie and therfore he maketh this praier therein imploring (x) Iud. 18.30 first Gods gracious assistance deliuerance and secondly the illumination of his spirit that thereby they might be taught that there is but One God to be worshipped namely the Creatour of heaueÌ„ earth and that the Idols of the Gentiles are but the workes of mens hands In this praier wee are taught what is the most Soueraigne Remedie both against temporall and spirituall afflictions namely like Iacob to call vpon God for his aid and helpe Penurie oppression sicknesse and such like be Temporall afflictions whereby God vsually trieth the patience of the Elect if then like Lazarus we be poore like Ioseph fettered till the yron enter into our soules or like Hezechiah sicke vnto death yet let vs not say The Lord hath forgotten vs he hideth away his face and will no more see but lifting vp our hearts our hands make our supplication saying O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation God is the Lord of hostes and in his hand are three arrowes The sword famine and pestilence these he shooteth sometimes amongst the thickest troupes of his children as well as amongst the wicked to chastice the one sort for their sinnes and vtterly to destroy the other against these then the best armour of proofe is the Shield of prayer it quencheth the fire of Gods wrath and kindleth his loue what is the cause that the Bloodie sword of God hath pierced the very entralles of so many Christian Nations
attended by Intelligencers tale-bearers detractours whisperers backe-byters which with their tongues as two edged swords strike their brethren neighbours secretly (f) Prou. 26.21 As the cole maketh burning coles and wood a fire so these kindle strife As he is Belial which signifies Irregular one that is subiect to no yoke or discipline he is gardeâ— with Atheists which say in their harts there is no God therefore like vntamed Heifars refuse to submit their necks to Gods two yokes the Law the Gospell As he is Mammon he is followed by Extortioners Oppressours Vsurers Land-rackers Inclosers of Commons Decayers of Tillage and Depopulatours which rauenously eate vp the poore like bread As he is Sathanas which is being interpreted an Aduersarie a Serpent he hath the atteÌ„dance of Hypocrites which like Iudas will kisse a man and betray him And like Ioab embrace and stabbe him As hee is Beelzebub which signifies the Maister of Flies he hath fiue sorts of Flies that continually swarme about him making his bosome their hiue Namely Golden-winged Cantharides which breede vpon high Cedars and Oliues These are the hautie minded whose eyes are loftie and their harts swelling with pride ambition the Pyrâ—â—llides which flie so long about the flame of a Candle that they burne their wings these are Carnalistes whose felicitie is dalliance chambering and wantonnes the fierie Pyraâ—stae which being bred and liuing in the fire die presently when it is queÌ„ched these are the enuious malicious whose tongues set on fire the course of Nature and are set on fire by hell The blood-sucking Solipungiae I meane Assassinates manslayers murderers whose glorie is to embruâ— their hands in innocent bloud And lastly the Idle drones which lie vpon beds of yourie stretch themselues vppon their beds which fold their armes and say yet a little sleepe as the sluggard doth in the Prouerbs Of all these Flies manie other Beelzebub is maister so that if whole mankinde should be surueied it would euidently appeare that Manie are called but fewe chosen because fewe follow CHRIST but manie Sathan The second thing blame-worthie in Leah is Enuies correspondencie (g) Gen. 30.1 Rahel enuied Leah because of her fruitfulnes and her enuie she expressed in the name of her hand-maids second sonne whome she called Napthali or Wrestling saying (h) Gen. 20.8 with excellent wrestling haue I wrestled with my sister and haue gotten the vpper hand Leah enuied Rahel because of Iacobs loue This her enuie shee manifesteth in calling her Hand-maides first sonne Gad which is an Armie or Troupe of men herein Leah answeres Rahel in her kinde saying an Armie commeth which is as if she should haue said though my sister hopeth to be râ—ueÌ„ged vpon me in hauing a sonne whom she hath named Dan which signifies Iudgement or reuenge and also wrestleth and contendeth with me for superioritie as appeareth in the name of Napthali yet I shall ouercome her for I haue fiue sonnes and an Armie of children Here then is Leahs sinne shee striues with her malicious sister and payes enuie with enuie againe contrarie to the rule of godlines which thus instructeth vs (i) Rom. 12.21 Bee not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with goodnesse In this infirmitie of Leah we are taught not to be prouoked to a correspondeÌ„cie in enuie by the enuie of others but rather to blesse them that curse vs to praie for them that hate vs and to heape coales vpon the heads of the enuious by rendering good for euill Gad an Host of men shall ouercome him but hee shall ouercome at the last The Chalde Paraphrast expoundeth these words of Iacob to Gad thus A Campe of Armed men shall come out of the house of Gad and passe ouer Iordan before their brethren to battell and with much substance shall they returne According hereunto (k) Hier. in huÌ„c locum some doe applie this prophesie to the marching of the Gadites with the rest of the Tribes against the Canaanites and their returning backe againe ouer Iordane to their owne possessions but this cannot bee for the Tribe of Reuben the halfe Tribe of Manasses went also before their brethren as well as Gad according to the couenant that they made with Moses (l) Numb 32 17. promising that they would goe armed before the children of Israel vntill they had brought them vnto their place Furthermore this exposition is disagreeing to the text for Iacob prophecieth that the Gadites should bee ouerthrowne but in their first exploite against the Canaanites vnder the conduct of Iosuah they were not ouercome but had prosperous successe Saint Hierome thus interpreteth this speech Gad a Thiefe shall spoyle or praie vpon him but afterwrd he shall pray vpon or spoyle the Thiefe Hereupon (m) Caiet in huÌ„c locum Caietan referreth this Prophecie to Iephthe who was first a [n) Iudg. 11.3 Captaine of Robbers and Idle-fellowes afterwards chosen to be the (o) Iudg. 11.6 Generall of the Israelites in their warres against the Ammonites (p) Iudg. 12.4 and last of all compelled to fight against the Tribe of Ephraim To make good this exposition by a Thiefe in the first part of the prophesie the king of Ammon is to be vnderstood who made warre with Israel especiallie with the Tribes of Gad Reuben and Manasseh who dwelt beyond Iordan from Arnon vnto Iabbok which Countreyes were taken from the Ammonites and giuen as a portion ro these Tribes and thereupon warre grewe betwixt Ammon and Israell and in the second part by the Thiefe is meant Iephthe who was as I said before A Captaine of Thieues There is some apparance of truth in this exposition of Câ—ietan if it were certaine that Iephthe was one of the tribe of Gad but he is rather thoght to haue bin one of the tribe of Manasseh because Gilead was his father not Gilead the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasseh but another of the same name and kindred (q] Iosu 12.31 Also the childreÌ„ of Manasseh had the halfe of Gilead in their lotte as the Gadites had another part So then though Iephthe was a Gileadite both in respect of his fathers name and the countrey where hee was borne yet it cannot be necessarilie concluded that hee was one of Gads Tribe The Patriarch Iacob then in this Prophesie may more trulie be thought to aime at the diuerse Conflicts which the Gadites had with the Hagarenes with Iethur Naphish and Nedab whome (r] 1. Chron. 5.20 at length they ouercame when as they carried from them fiftie thousand Camels and a great preye of Cattell besides This also is agreeable to (Å¿) Deut. 33.20 Moses his prophesie comparing him to a Lyon that catcheth for his preye the arme with the head Gad an Hoste of men shall ouercome him but he shall ouercome at the last Iacob in this Prophecie dealeth with Gad as (t] 2. Reg. 2.20.21 Elisha did with the waters of
the seate of iniquitie which lie vpon beds of yuorie stretch thēselues vpon their beds and eate the lābs of the flocke the calues out of the stall which sing to the sound of the violl inuent to thēselues instrumēts of musike like Dauid which drink wine in bowles anoynt thēselues with the chiefest ointments but are neuer sorie for the affliction of Ioseph the wickednes crueltie of these tyrants is the 2. cause that the land trēbles euery one mourns For so saith the prophet Amos (y) Amos. 8.4.5.6.7.8 heare this ô yee that swallow vp the poore that ye may make the needy of the land to faile saying whē will the newe month be gone that we may sell corne and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate and make the Ephah small and the shekell great and falsifie the weightes by deceite that we may buy the poore for siluer and the needie for shooes yea and sell the refuse of the wheate the Lord hath sworne by thy excellencie of Iacob surely I will neuer forget any of their workes shall not the land tremble for this yes Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will send a famine in the land not a famine of bread nor a thirst for water but of the hearing of the word of the Lord which is the foode of the soule this is the true fat bread that commeth downe from heauen that bread of life dipt in the oyle of gladnesse which maketh both the heart and countenance chearefull and of this bread are the Israelites depriued because of their sacriledge and oppression Secondly the Pleasures of the Asherites are expressed in these words And he shall giue pleasures for a King or he (z) Chal. paraph. Pag-m◠shall enioy the delights of Kings the meaning of both which readings is this the Land of Asher shall bring forth such delicate fruites that euen Kings shall desire to eate of them and be much delighted with them this is the ordinarie paraphrase of this speech but yet it doeth not truely declare the meaning of the word Madam in the originall which though it be sometimes vsed for to signifie delights and pleasures yet more properly it signifieth a Thing that breedeth or procureth Pleasure and delight and so I thinke is it here to be taken now what those things be Moses declareth in his Blessing of Asher of whom he thus said Asher shall be blessed with children (a) Deut. 33.24.25 he shall be acceptable vnto his brethren and shall dip his foote in oyle thy shooes shall be yron and brasse and thy strength shall continue as long as thou liuest here Moses beeing the Herald of God promiseth fiue things to the children of Asher which euen the Kings of the earth doe desire and wish for The first is to be blessed with Children and to haue store of them which according to the Philosophers is a furtherance to felicitie and the Psalmist confirmeth the same saying (b) Psal 127. Behold children are the inheritance of the Lord and the fruite of the wombe his reward as are the arrowes in the hand of the strong man so are the children of youth blessed is the man that hath his quiuerfull of them for they shall not be ashamed when they speake with their enemies in the gate The second is to be acceptable vnto his brethren that is to say to be beloued of the rest of the Tribes not because the daughters of Asher did excell the rest of the Israelitish women in beautie as Pererius thinketh but because all his brethren should be benefited by the plentifull and pleasant commodities of his countrie (c) Senec. de beneficijs It is better to giue then to receiue a benefite saith Seneca Asher then is happie in this that the Lot or inheritance of his posteritie should fall in so good a ground as that he may be enabled to giue bountifully and to distribute amongst such as want the increase of his land for which kindnesse he should be requited with loue and friendship which according to Aristotle is one of the proppes of mans felicitie Thirdly saith Moses he shall dip his foote in oile whereof he shall haue such aboundance as he may not onely annoynt his head but also his feete therewith (d) Psalm 140. the vse of ointments made of oile was very frequent amongst the Kings and Princes of the East whereas then it is said that Asher shall dip his feete in oile the meaning of Moses is that the Asherites like mightie potentates should feele the want of nothing but haue all things according to their hearts desire Fourthly his shooes must be yron and brasse hereby is signified the mines of brasse and Iron which were in the land of Asher of which there was store and herevpon one of the cities of Ashers portion was called Sarepta because there these mettals were molten refined and sold in shoppes how necessarie these matters are for a common-wealth we may coniecture easily if wee doe but consider into what streights the Israelites were driuen for want of a Smith now then if the Artisan be so profitable a member the mettal wherein he works must of force be needfull and very commodious the Asherites then were happie in their mines of Brasse and yron because thereby they were stored with vessels for their houses with instruments for husbandrie and with weapons for the warres Lastly his strength shall continue as long as he liueth Which words are thus interpreted by Saint Hierome As the daies of thy youth so shall be thine old-age full of strength and abilitie as Balaam speaking of the Israelites made this wish (f) Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like his euen so the Kings of the earth if their desire might be graunted would say Let vs liue the life of Asher let vs be blessed with children whom wee may make Princes in all lands Let vs be acceptable vnto our brethren which are our subiects for their loue friendship and loyaltie are the surest guard let vs dip our feete in oyle for plentie is the sinewe and strength of royaltie Let vs be shod with brasse and yron for the sword and the mattocke are a kingdomes bulwarkes and let our strength continue as long as we liue because if our armes growe feeble the hearts of the people will faint seeing then that Kings desire these things therefore they may fitly be called Pleasures or Blessings for a King but it often falleth out that those things which are giuen vnto vs by God for our good prooue to be by our abusing of them occasions of our falling so that of blessings they become Curses and of pleasures Corrosiues As for example First it is a singular Blessing for men to dwell in a fertile land where they may be fed with fat bread as the Asherites were but if this Plentifulnesse breed in them a forgetfulnesse of God as it did
If therefore we desire to possesse them as Blessings wee must not of our Brasse make a Brasen Bull as Phalaris did therein to frie and Torture such as bee poore and helpelesse Wee must not of our Yron make an yron-bedde as Procustes did thereupon to Tenter and Racke the straunger That is to say wee must not presuming vpon our wealth and greatnes offer violence to the poore and oppresse the needie For if we doe into the same pitte shall we fall that we haue digged for others and according to our owne measure it shall be measured vnto vs againe An Eye for an eyes Tooth for a Tooth Oppression for oppression and violence for violence Sixtly it is a blessed thing to liue long but to liue long to haue strength as in the daies of youth is a far greater blessednesse yet neither the one nor the other are to be regarded as Blessings except both the life that a man liues and the strength that he enioyes be vsed to the glorie of God happie was Moses that he was a hundreth and twentie yeares old when he died (p) Deut. 24.7 more happie because his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated but most happie because he was the Seruant of the Lord (q) Iosu 14.10.11 Caleb was foure score and fiue yeares old and yet as strong then either for warre or gouernment as when hee was but fortie to haue then the yeares and strength of Moses and Caleb as Asher had is a blessing if Age strength and godlinesse goe together but if they be separated then is their qualitie altered Age without strength is wearisomnesse and strength without godlinesse is the anuile vpon which Sathan hammers his temptations the daies of a man are paine and sorrow when the (r) Eccl. 12.3 keepers of the house as the wiseman saith begin to tremble wheÌ„ the strong men bow themselues when the grinders cease because they are fewe and when they wax darke that looke out by the windowes if the eye the teeth the legges and the hands growe weake and faile to doe their office a maÌ„ theÌ„ is but the image of a maÌ„ or a breathing coarse but ioyne strength to age and disioyne godlinesse then behold what an odious creature a strong old man is is it not a hatefull thing in the eyes of God that an old man should be leacherous or that an old man should be a drunkard and yet there be flockes of such grate-bearded goates and heardes of such aged swine who will neuer leaue sinne till sinne forsake them the long life and strength of such persons is vnto thee an occasion of falling and of increasing their sinnes but if godlinesse doe accompanie Age and strength then is Lâ—ng life a Crowne so saies Salomon (s) Prou. 16.31 Age is a crowne of glory when it is found in the way of Righteousnesse ô then let all that are old and strong striue to walke with God as (t) Gen. 5.24 Henoch did and if notwithstanding their yeares they be lustie as Eagles let them mount vpwards by meditating vpon the lawes of God night and day (u) Psal 102. as Dauid did and glorifie God in their strength so shall they be crowned with glorie for the eie that seeth them shall giue witnesse of their integritie and the eare that heares of their good life shall blesse them THE TENTH SERMON OF NAPHTALI GENES 49.21 Napthali shall bee a Hinde let goe giuing goodly wordes NAphtali was the 2. sonne that Bilha the concubine of Iacob bare and the signification of his name is wrestling or comparison which vpon this occasion was giueÌ„ vnto him (a) Gen. 30.7.8 when Bilha Rahels maide had conceiued againe borne Iacob the second sonne then Rahel said with excellent wrestlings haue I wrestled with my sister haue gotten the vpper hand and she called his name Naphtali This name shewes how far Rahel did proceed in sinne and how many steps she went towards hell being notwithstanding a godly woman for it caÌ„not be denied but that the most righteous haue their infirmities that by the corruption of nature the suggestion of Sathan they are euen compelled to do that which otherwise they would not as the Apostle saith (b) Rom. 7.19 I doe not the thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. And herein they may be coÌ„pared vnto the Planets whose naturall motion is from the West to the East but by the violence of the first Mouer whose course is contrarie to theirs they are daily wheeled about the Center of the world from the East to the West This is seene in Rahel she like a Planet is carried headlong by the forcible motions of Sathan into many sinnes contrarie to the course of Righteousnesse first shee is Enuious for when shee sawe that she bare Iacob no children (c) Gen. 30.1 she enuied her sister Secondly she is foolish for she said vnto Iacob giue me children not knowing that it is God alone (d) Psal 113. which maketh the barren womaÌ„ to dwel with a familie and to be a ioyfull mother of children Thirdly shee is Impatient for shee must either haue children or she dies not being content to stay the Lords leisure Fourthly she is Reuengeful for after the birth of Dan she said (e) Gen. 30.6 God hath giuen sentence on my side or hee hath reuenged me on my sister Fiftly she is vaineglorious for hauing but onely two adopted sonnes Dan and Naphtali whereas Leah had sixe of her owne body and two borne vpon the knees by Zilpha her hand-maid she boasteth that by wrestling she hath gotten the vpper hand of her sister Insultation and Imperiousnesse are hatefull things and therfore God by the mouth of the wiseman saith (f) Pro. 30.21.22.23 for three things the earth is moued yea for foure it cannot sustaine it selfe for a seruant when hee raigneth and a foole when hee is filled with meate for the hatefull woman when she is married and for a hand-maid that is heyre to her mistresse such a hatefull woman as is here spoken of was Rahel being both malicious and insolent and out of the very words of the text wherein is set downe the occasion of Naphtalies name she discouers her selfe first to be malicious because shee is a wrestler Secondly blasphemous a taker of Gods name in vaine for she calles her owne opposition against her sister an excellent wrestling or as it is in the originall the wrestlings of God as though he should be accessarie vnto sinne And thirdly foolish for she triumphs ouer Leah before shee had gotten the victorie In her we may see that one Sinne neuer goes alone for Rahel drawes as the prophet saith (g) Isaiah 5.18 iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sin with cart-ropes for first she is Enuious secondly foolish in her enuie thirdly impatient in her follie fourthly reuengefull in her impatience and fiftly vaineglorious in her reuenge
expresseth the multiplication of Iosephs seede by comparing him to a Bough and therin he vseth a gradation raising his speech by steppes his first steppe is this Ioseph shal be a bough the second is Ioseph shal be a fruitfull bough by the well side and the third is the braunches of this Bough shall runne vpon the Wall First Ioseph shall be a Bough or as a bough according to Pagnine and Rabbi Kimhi but Montanus translateth the words in the originall thus Ioseph shal be a Sonne encreasing The reason of this variety in readiÌ„g is because the Hebrue word Ben signifieth both a bough a SoÌ„ne but the Rabbines haue obserued that this worde Ben doth neuer signifie a sonne but when it is ioyned with a Reall relatiue that is to say with the name of a father or a mother wherefore the best reading is to say Ioseph shal be a bough because of the words following a fruitfull bough by the well side for hereby the Metaphor is continued Iacob was the planter of this Bough Rahel was the barren stocke wherein it was graffed and God was he that watered it and made it growe when the barren stocke beginnes to bud that Bough proues excellent Sarah Rahel Annah and Elizabeth were all of them barren stockes but when they beare their boughes or Branches proued admirable Isaac was Sarahs bough Samuel was Annahs Iohn Baptist was Elizabeths and Ioseph was Rahels all worthy Boughs and such like are those Branches that spring from spirituall Barrennesse for they that are truly conuerted from a sinfull life do euer proue most excellent instruments in Gods tabernacle as for instance S. Paul before his conuersion was a Persecutour of Christians but afterwards there was none of the Apostles that laboured more aboundantly in Gods haruest then he The Bough is the Embleme of Excellencie because it is the highest part of the Tree and therefore Iacob compareth Ioseph to a Bough to shew that he was more excellent then all the rest of his brethren first in regard of the prerogatiue of Birthright which was taken from Reuben and bestowed vpon him and secondly in respect of his great dignitie in Aegypt for God had made him Lord of Pharaohs house and ruler of all his substance so that according to his two Dreames (e) Gen. 37.7.9 the shâ—â—es of his brethren did reuerence vnto his Shâ—fe and the Sun the Moone and the Eleuen starres did bowe before him for a long time he was cast out like an abominable Branch (f) Gen. 37.28 being for twentie peeces of siluer sold to the Ishmaelites by his brethren and by the Ishmaelites brought downe into Aegypt of whom (g) Gen. 39.1 Potiphar an Eunuch the steward of Pharaohs house bought him afterwards through the false accusation of his mistresse he was cast into Prison (h) Psal â—05 18 and there he lay in the stockes till the yron entred into his soule but in processe of time hee became a flourishing Bough for the Lord sent deliuered him the Prince of the people set him free in this humiliation and Exaltation of Ioseph we may obserue the singular mercy and prouidence of God who though he suffer his children to be oppressed for a time that their faith Patience like gold siluer may be tried in the furnace of Affliction yet doth he neuer vtterly forsake them but is euer present with them to sustaine them and comfort them hee was with Daniel in the Den and musled the fierce Lions he was in the whales bellie with Ionah and cast a hooke in the nosthrilles of Leuiathan to bring him to the shore he was in the Inner prison to visit Paul and Silas being fast in the stockes (i) Gen. 39.21 and hee was in the dungeon with Ioseph and shewed him mercy and because he was constant in his humiliation he promoted him to honour and made him eminent in his exaltation for of a bondslaue hee made him a Lord of a Prisoner a Prince and of an abominable Branch as a flourishing bough Ioseph shall be a fruitfull bough euen a fruitfull bough by the well side here is the second step Ioseph is not onely compared to a Bough but to a fruitful bough by the well side hereby Iacob foretelleth Chal paraph in hunc locum that Ioseph should be a mightie people for so doth the Chalde paraphrast expound these words saying Ioseph my sonne shal be multiplied as a Vine that is planted by the fouÌ„taines of water and so it came to passe for (k) Numb 26.34.37 we find that when the children of Israel were numbred in the plaine of Moab from twentie yeares old aboue the families of Ioseph did farre exceede the rest in multitude Iacob did foresee this and therefore in this comparison he doubleth these words saying Ioseph shall be a fruitfull bough euen a fruitfull bough that is to say very fruitfull in children the more fruitfull because growing by the well side for places of temperate moisture are the fittest to plant trees in This well is mystically the Blessing of God without the water whereof the stem roote of euery tree will growe drie that is euery wombe will be barren for Children are the gift of God and an inheritance that commeth from the Lord. Thirdly Iacob steppeth further saies that The small boughes of this fruitfull tree shall run vpon the wall the word in the originall is Banoth which signifieth both Daughters and Branches and therefore some reade this text thus his daughters haue run vpon the wall which Rasi expoundeth of the daughters of Aegypt that did striue to behold Ioseph riding in his chariot and some of Iosephs mistresse that gazed vpon his beautie but this caÌ„not be for the Daughters of Aegypt cannot be called his daughters neither is there any likelihood that Iacob prophecying of things to come would turne backe to speake of Potiphars wife therefore howsoeuer the Hebrew word signifieth Daughters yet in this place it is more fitly translated Branches whereby is meant the Increase of the two Tribes Ephraim Manasseh both which braÌ„ched out of Ioseph so is it in the Septuagint Two tribes shall come out of his sonnes shall receiue their part inheritance Ioseph is here likened vnto a fruitfull Bough by the well side in regard of the Increase of his familie which is a Temporall Blessing in the first Psalme the Righteous man is compared vnto a (l) Psalm 1.3 Tree planted by the riuers of water that bringeth forth fruit in due season which is a Spirituall happinesse now if we respect both these blessings spiritual temporall I say in respect of them both Ioseph was a fruitfull Bough first because he had many branches or children secondly because hee was a righteous man and a true Israelite in whom there was no guile Whosoeuer is like Ioseph in goodnesse shall not want Iosephs blessings for his leafe shal not fade and whatsoeuer he shall
yet is hee proud and cruell For e) Matt. 23.14 vnder a colour of long Prayers hee will deuoure the House of the Widowe And therefore in the Hebrew tongue hee is verie fitly called Chaneph which signifieth Impure or Polluted and also such a one as boasteth of himselfe and braggeth of his owne vertue As the proud Pharisie did who (f) Luc. 18.11.12 stood prayed thus with himselfe O God I thanke thee that I am not as other men Extortioners Vniust Adulterers or as this Publican I Fast twice in the Weeke I giue Tithes of all that euer I possesse There be manie of these woluish Impostors and deceitfull Wolues in the worlde which because of their Sheepes cloathing can hardly bee knowne and discouered from the Sheepe of Christes Folde vnlesse they bee examined by the Rule of our Sauiour which is this You shall knowe them by their Fruites Doe men gather Grapes of Thornes or Figges of thistles The Thorne hath faire Blossomes but it beares no Grapes the Thistle brings foorth a flower but neuer a Figge So the hypocriticall Wolfe will transforme himselfe into the heauenly shape of an Angel and giue goodly words softer then oyle but it is as impossible to finde a good worke done by him as a grape vpon a thorne or a figge vpon a thistle Iacob doth not liken his sonne Beniamin to this Wolfe for if he had done so then had he exposed both him his tribe to the curse of God fox hypocrites are a g) Matt. 23.13 cursed generation (h) Mat. 3.7 and a generation of vipers Fourthly by the Wolfe is signified Courage in fight for though hee be neither so strong nor so well armed as the Lyon yet hee is as fierce and resolute as hee And therefore Iacob compareth in this place the Tribe of Beniamin to a Wolfe in regard of courage and valour in battell for though the children of Beniamin were neither so strong in respect of number nor so well armed in respect of power and authoritie as the Tribe of Iudah was who is compared vnto a Lyon yet they were as couragious in fight as they (i) Theodor vltim quaest in Gen. wherefore this Prophecie sheweth the warlike disposition of the whole Tribe of Beniamin whose childrē were indeed as they are called Wolues as may appeare (k) Iud. 20.15.16.17 by that fierce battel which they fought with the other tribes wherein they twice ouercame them beeing but sixe and twenty thousand men and seuen hundreth which fought against foure hundred thousand men that drewe sworde euen all men of warre and also by the warres which the house of Saul had with Dauid and the Tribe of Iudah for the Kingdome These seuerall conflicts are sufficient testimonies of Beniamins courage and resolution in Fight for which cause hee is compared vnto a Wolfe that shall rauine or make hauocke of his enemies as indeede the children of Beniamin did for at two seuerall times they slewe of the men of Israel fourtie thousand which could handle the sword In the morning hee shall deuoure the Preye and at might hee shall diuide the spoyle Of these words there be fiue seuerall interpretations First Rabbi Salomon saith that hereby is signified (l) Iudg. 21.23 the exploite of the Beniamites in taking as a preye the daughters of Silo as they came forth to daunce to be their wiues which afterwards they distributed and diuided as a spoile amongst themselues Or secondlie saith the same Author these words of Iacob may be applied to Saul who in the morning or the beginning of the Israelitish kingdome preyed vpon the Amalekites and to (m) Hest 7.10 8.5 Mordecai and Hester being both of them Beniamites by birth who in the euening that is to say after the decay and dissolution of the Kingdomes of Israel and Iudah Hiero. in tradit Hebr. in Genesim made preye of Haman and of their enemies Thirdly S. Hierome saith that some of the Hebrues were of opinion that by this speech Iacob meant the Temple of Ierusalem which was built within the portion or inheritance of Beniamin and that therefore it was by him called a Wolfe because it did deuoure and spend innumerable sacrifices of beasts which in the Morning were slaine and offered vnto God and in the Euening diuided amongst the Priests The Chalde Paraphrast subscribeth to this exposition Chald. paraphr in hunc locum for thus he saith Beniamin in his Land the presence of the Diuinitie shall rest in his possession shall the Sanctuarie be built in the Morning at Euening shall the Priests offer Oblations and in the euening they shall diuide the remainder of the things that be sanctified Fourthly manie of the ancient fathers as Ambrose Hierom Ruffinus Chrysostome Augustine thought that this prophecie principallie was fulfilled in S. Paul and therefore they referre it vnto him because (n) Rom. 11 1. being of the tribe of Beniamin at the first as a Rauenous Wolfe he persecuted the Church before his conuersion (o) Acts. 9.1 breathing out threatnings slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord but afterward when he was conuerted to the Faith of Christ he diuided the spoyle that is to say according to Rupertus the word of God and the doctrine of Saluation distributing to his Disciples and auditours this heauenly spoyle according to their capacitie vnderstanding for to some hee gaue Milke to some he gaue strong meate Fiftly though all these 4 interpretations may in some sort be receiued as consonāt to the Text because both the Beniamites which carried away the daughters of Siloh as also Saul Mordecai the Temple S. Paul were a Wolues deuouring the preye diuiding the spoile yet if wee doe but consider that Iacob in euery speech which hee maketh to anie of his Sonnes seuerallie doth chiefly prophecie of the state of their whole posteritie and not of any priuate person wee must then needs acknwledge that the exposition of these words by Theodoret Theodoret. quest vltim in genes comes nearest both to the letter and to the intention of Iacob which is this Beniamin shall rauin as a wolfe that is the Beniamites shall be a fierce and couragious people in warre Againe In the morning hee shall deuoure the praie and at night he shall diuide the spoile that is the Beniamites shall be prosperous and succesfull in battell for hauing ouercome their enemies they shall returne home being made glorious by victorie and rich by the spoile In this speech of Iacob concerning Beniamin we may obserue three things which make for morall vse and instruction The first is this Rahel called her youngest son Ben-oni the sonne of sorrowe and presently gaue vp the ghost but Iacob changed his name and called him Beniamin least it might haue brought to his remembrance the losse of his dearest wife and so haue prolonged and continued his sorrowe This holy patriarch euen in the reason of this Change