for the building of the Temple Hester of Beniamin saued all Iuda from the practise of Haman Paul of Beniamin was one of the last Builders of the spirituall Temple DAN Moses in his blessing in numbring the Tribes leaues out Simeon And in the Reuelation when the Tribes are sealed Dan is left out Therevpon the Grecians thinke that Antichrist shall come of the Tribe of Dan. That is not so but Moses being of Leui in blessing the Tribes putteth in Leui and speaketh largely of his spirituall blessinges Iosephs Sonnes are not to be left out because they were adopted therefore to keepe the number of Twelue he must leaue out some Simeon was the fittest because he was without repentance Leui must be reckoned seeing his was a spirituall inheritance and the Lord promised to be his inheritance therefore Dan must be omitted And this may be the reason When the children of Israel came into the land of Canaan the Tribe of Dan causeth the first Idolatrie and therefore that Tribe was iustly plagued And in this Tribe Idolatrie continued till the remoouing of the Arke from Siloh But yet this wee must vnderstand that though Dan is not named yet in respect his Tribe are Iacobs Sonnes the Tribe is comprehended in the generall Blessing And Moses concludeth that seeing that the eternall God is his refuge Israel the Fountaine of water shall dwell in safetie ISACHAR Was content to liue vnder tribute or labour like a Merchaunt or like to an Asse couching downe betweene two Burdens rather then to seeke glorie by leading Bandes of men REVBEN Hee lost his prerogatiue because hee Went vp to his Fathers bedde therefore hee is light as Water hee shall not excell Reuben hath one of Dauids Captaines of his Tribe but it is presently added therewith Thirtie better then hee Reuben sheweth some compassion to Ioseph and would not haue him killed but cast him into some Pitte Iuda thought that might be too long ere hee would be pispatched and therefore selleth him SIMEON and LEVI Their wrath was fierce yet because Leui afterwardes repented and shewed tender affection to Ioseph and was zelous in destroying Idolaters therefore he had a Blessing in Moses Will. Simeon neuer shewed any tender affection to Ioseph and therefore when his Brethreh come into Egipt and Ioseph accuseth them for spies he keepeth Simeon in prison till they come downe againe as a kind of punishment for his former malice His sinne against the Sichemites was exceeding great and seeing hee neuer shewed any signe of repentance hee was iustly cut off from the hope of a Blessing By this wee may learne to reiect the authoritie of the Booke of Iudith First because shee is sayd to be of the Tribe of Simeon If wee marke this well wee shall see how this Booke can not be Scripture for wee must note that it is no small glory to haue the spirit of God penne a Booke of ones actions If there be but a sentence spoken in the commendation of any in the Scripture it is a great weght of glory Now if we looke to Iacobs Will and see that hee hath a Curse and not a Blessing and in the course of Scripture afterward no mention of any repentance that Simeon and his Tribe shewed nor any zeale of Religion expressed how can this stand with Iacobs Prophecie nay it cleane crosseth it and maketh it frustrate For seeing Jacob as a Prophet telleth all his Sonnes what should befall them in the last dayes to euery one and his Tribe so long as the Kingdome of the Iewes and their pollicie stood and in his Will maketh no mention of the Booke of Iudith Wee must by admitting this Booke accuse the spirit of God of ignorance Besides it is a Storie and yet the time thereof doth not fall out within the compasse of any time neither before the Captiuitie neither after and therefore to be reiected And for my opinion I make as much account of Ouid Metamorphosis as of Iudith for Plato sayth That in Fables there a Truth reuealed secretly Thus we are to thinke likewise of the booke of Tobie LEVI Hee repented when Amram of the Tribe of Leui saued Moses ZABVLON Was a Merchaunt and Delighted in Shippes In Greeke Canaan is called Phenicea and the men of Canaan Phenices Aristotle a thousand yeares after Moses maketh mention of a Riuer Tartesus he meant the Sea Tharsis and the Phenices brought Gold and had such plentie that their Ankers were thereof No doubt he had heard of Salomons time wherein Gold and Siluer was no more esteemed then Stone This trauayling of Iacobs Sonnes into farre Countries must needes make the Heathen haue a taste of Religion And Moses hee willed the Heathen to resort to the Mountaine where the Temple was built ASER Was a Farmour To prouide pleasures for a King You haue in the old Testament little spoken of him but because his Tribe should not thinke themselues excluded the fauour of God you haue in the new Testament Anna that is Grace a very rare Woman for godlinesse the daughter of Phanuell that is see God of the happie Tribe of Aser for Aser signifieth Happie GAD Hee shall Lead an Host of men This was performed when Reuben Gad and halfe of Manasses gaue a great ouer throw to the Haggarines about the time that Saul was annoynted King Thus we may see that whatsoeuer is requisite in palicie for the maintenance of a Common-weale you shall finde expressed in the liues and behauiour of the Sonnes of Israel Ioseph died Gen. 50.26 being 110. yeares old BY Fayth Ioseph when hee died made mention of the departing of the Children of Israel out of Egipt and gaue commandement of his bones Heb. 11.22 Now because many excellent thinges are to be said of Ioseph before his death when he was in Egipt in the Sinay sight no yeares layde downe I will heere handle them togeather God prospered him in Egipt in all his actions And euen as God blessed Lahan for Jacobs sake so he blessed Iosephs Maister for Iosephs sake Ioseph was a goodly person and well fauoured which commendation in the same wordes is bestowed vpon Dauid Sam. 16 â—3 the same of Daniel and the same of Christ Ioseph would not bee defiled with the fornication of Egipt Daniel would not be defiled with the vncleane diet of Babel Ioseph expoundeth Pharaohs Dreame Daniel expoundeth Nebuchadnetzars Dreame Ioseph was made Ruler ouer Egipt Daniel was made Ruler ouer Babel Ioseph being in Prison found fauour with the Maister of the Prison Daniel found fauour with the Kings Chamberlaine Iosephs name was changed by Pharaoh Daniels name was changed by Nebuchadnetzar Ioseph was falsely accused Christ was falsely accused Ioseph was thirtie yeares old when he stood before Pharaoh Iesus is baptized beginning to be thirtie yeares old Ioseph was in Prison betweene two Theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned Christ was crucified betweene two Theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned
sold his Brethren sprinkleth the blood of a Kidde vpon his partie coloured Coate and brought it home to their Father and said a wilde Beast had slaine him Jacob was 20. yeares from his father Isaacke and did not see his face Ioseph was 20 yeares from his father Iacob before he seeth his face To shew that wherein a man offendeth therein he shall be punished Joseph the sonne of Jacob fedde Israel in Egipt as putting meat into the mouth of a Child Joseth the sonne of Jacoh taketh the child Jesus and his Mother Mary fleeth into Egipt Mat. 2.14 and properly putteth meate into the Childes mouth Er and Onan died Gen. 38.7 ER and Onan hauing committed a horrible sinne before God are slaine and no seed left vnto them Then according to the custome Thamar thought to haue had the third sonne Selah to haue raysed vp seed but Iuda neglecting it shee attyred her selfe like a light woman and lay in the way as Iuda should goe to the Sheepshearing Whom Iuda knew and at the time shee bare two Children Phares and Serah For which fact Iuda would haue burt her Whereby we may know that before the Law giuen by Moses they had the same equitie of Iustice for punishing of sinne that they had afterwards In Moses Law a Magistrate might not be condemned vnder three witnesses Thamar condemneth Iuda by three witnesses his Seale Bracelet Staffe From this deed of Iuda wee may vnderstand the prerogatiue that his Brethren should prayse him could not be meant of himselfe but herein is manifest the giftes of God to be of Grace and not of Nature for if Iuda had been rare of godlinesse the prerogatiue of Nature might seeme to haue caused Christ to haue come of him Isaacke died Gen. 35.29 being 180. yeares old HEe is the longest liuer after Heber and liueth longer then Abraham to shew that he was a Child of Promise for if Abraham begetting him when he was old he should haue died quickly what rare blessing had it been to Abraham And therefore that the power of God might be seene euen in the weaknesse of man Isaacke hath a longer life then Abraham or any after him Herevpon it may be concluded the Booke of Tobias to be false because it maketh Tobias life so long and thereby seemeth to crosse Iacobs Blessing Besides wee shall finde that in Nehemias time they which came out of Captiuitie do out-liue any in the Scriptures that come after and these men were accounted old The longest liuer of them commeth short of Isaackes age Ezrom borne of him nothing is spoken Iacob goeth into Egipt Gen. 47.5 Hee is nourished of Ioseph 17. yeares NOw for this number of 215. how is that performed Gen. 15.13 where God sayth to Abraham Thy seed shall be euill intreated in a Land that is not theirs 400. yeares seeing they continue in Egipt but 215. yeares They were afflicted by some of Egipt 400. yeares for Ismael the Egiptian by Hagar mocketh Isaacke in the beginning of the 400. yeares and that Mocking in the Scripture is called Persecution And in the end of the 400. yeares they were afflicted vnto the comming out of Egipt so that they were not in Egipt 400. yeares but they were afflicted first and last 400. yeares Psal 105.23 Israel came into Egypt and Iacob was a Stranger in the land of Cham to confirme the couenant that hee made with Abraham and the oath that he sware vnto Isaacke which he appoynted to Iacob for a Law and to Israel for an euerlasting Testament saying Vnto thee will I giue the Land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance when as yet there were but a few of them and they Strangers in the Land what time as they went from one Nation to another and from one Kingdome to another people Hee suffered no man to doe them wrong but reprooued euen Kinges for their sakes saying Touch not mine Annoynted and doe my Prophets no harme Yet hee called for a Dearth vpon the Land and destroyed all the prouision of Bread But hee had sent a man before them Gen. 39.1 euen Ioseph which was sold to be a Bond-seruant whose feete were hurt in the Stockes and the Iron entered into his soule vntill the time that his cause was knowne The word of the Lord tryed him This Famine ouer all the land of Canaan may appeare to be a punishment on Iacobs samilie for selling Ioseph into Egipt IAcob goeth into Egipt and there telleth Pharaoh that hee was 130. yeares old though Pharaoh in his demaunde meant no more then a Heathen man would to wit to know his yeares and the age of his life yeâ— God so disposeth Jacobs answere that he signifieth vnto him that his comming into Egipt with Seauentie soules is answerable in a contrarie degree to the first scattering of the Seauentie Families at the building of the Tower of Babel In fourtie eight yeares there came three discentes from Iacob Whereby it appeareth that Iuda and Pharez could not be much elder when they begot children then Salomon was when he begot Roboam which was about twelue yeares of age By meanes of which speedy increase there were of these Seauentie in two hundred and fifteene yeares Six hundred thousand fighting Men besides Women and Children godly and of the household of fayth to shew how God could performe his Promise to Abraham that Hee would make his seede as the Starres of Heauen and as the Sand of the Sea-shore Heereupon Abacucke sayth that the Councels of God are eternall thereby teaching vs to marke diligently the time wherein God performeth his Promises which may be made familiar by examples in this sort It is sayd Gen. 3.15 The Seede of the Woman shall breake the head of the Serpent This was not performed till Christ tooke flesh of the Virgin and became Man which was 4000. yeares wanting but 70. after the Promise made to Adam Satan to try this tempteth Christ and is ouerthrowne Abraham goeth foorth of his Countrey to imbrace the Promise that God would giue him a Land 430. yeares before his Seede should enioy it But the true performance was long after that is to say in Christ as Zacharias speaketh Luk. 1. To performe the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham that he would giue vs. God speaketh as though presently it should fall out but seeing one thousand yeares in his sight aâ—â—â—â— one day we must marke how his Counsels are eternall It was spoken in King Achaz daies by Esay 7.14 Behold a Virgine shall conceaue a Sonne Hee nor his seede saw the performance thereof So was Isaacke a figure of Christ and the Lambe kept it in memorie Daniel in his time prophesieth of 70. Seauens or 490. yeares before Christ the King should be killed to performe euery Vision and Prophecie Iacob died in Egipt c. Gen. 49.33 HEe is brought from Egipt to Canaan to be buried in Hebron with Abraham and Isaacke as a signe that hee
looked for the Resurrection and inioying of the spiriturll Canaan This place Caleb afterwardes claymeth for an Inheritance when he commeth into the Land for it was the first Purchase and a signification of our Pilgrimage in this life hauing heere no abiding place Now let vs compare the Iourneyes of Abraham Iacob Iacobs sonnes and Christ together Abraham Was borne in Mesopotamia He goeth to Canaan He returneth to Egipt He dieth in Canaan Iacob Was borne in Canaan He goeth to Mesopotamia He returneth to Canaan He goeth into Egipt He is brought to Canaan Iacobs sonnes Are borne in Mesopotamia They dwell in Canaan They multiply in Egipt They returne to Canaan and after that are carried into Babel an other Egipt CHRIST Is borne in Canaan He goeth to Egipt He returneth to Canaan and there he dieth and bringeth a new Babel or Egipt the Romanes on the Iewes to destroy them Rambam an old Hebrew maketh another comparison in the euents thus Iacob himselfe was vsed well in Egipt but his posteritie was plagued by the Kings which liued after him in Egipt In Babylon those that went into captiuitie were plagued as Sidrack Misack Abednago but their posteritie found reliefe in Cirus and Darius conquering the Babilonians Now it is necessarie to speake of the place where Iacob died This place was Egipt Chams Countrie long agoe accursed Where it is spoken in the Prophets that in Egipt men spake with the tongue of Canaan The meaning of it is thus much That when Christ shall come to preach his teaching shall be of such power that it shall conuert in all Countries as well Egipt as Grecia Barbaria and all other the Countries of the Gentiles which knew not God soules vnto God which being conuerted shall speake the tongue of Canaan that is their tongues shall prayse God for their Redemption by Christ which is the tongue of Canaan This continueth yet true for there it no Countrie nor Nation where God hath not had or hath those which vnfaignedly beleeue the Gospell Yet if it be obiected that the tongue of Canaan was Hebrew how then shall a simple Ploughman vnderstand it This obiection is thus taken away It is not necessarie for a simple Ploughman or trades-man to be a skilfull Hebrecian for hee may be saued without the knowledge of the tongue seeing by the Bible translated hee may learne the Religion of Canaan and that learning will teach him the tongue of Canaan If they reply further that the Papistes say the Translations be corrupted and therefore it is necessarie he should be cunning in the originall For answere to this reply made from the Papistes argument If any doubt of the trueth of the Translations he may resort to learned Preachers which can easily resolue him And for the Papistes if the controuersie be betweene them and vs the originall must determine it It is sayd that Iacobs sonnes were of Cham. It is not meant his twelue Sonnes for they were borne before hee came into Egipt but that place of Scripture hath speciall referrence to the two sonnes of Ioseph Ephraim and Manasses who are recconed to be Iacobs Children For Ioseph marrying an Egiptian by whom he had them they by the Mothers side are of Cham and so Iacobs Children in this sense are of Cham. Thus much for the place Now followeth his Will Gen. 49.2 HEare yee Sonnes of Iacob and hearken to Israel your Father Heere hee repeateth his owne name Israel that is Mightie with God The occomplishment of this strength was fulfilled when they came from Egipt As there is no Common-wealth but standes of those that be Wanton of men ouerreached with Choller of Iudges of Husbandmen of Merchants of men of Trade of Warriours to defende from forraine inuasion so are Iacobs twelue Sonnes of all degrees in life In placing them heere thus their Dignitie is regarded and not their prerogatiue of Birth for then Reuben should be first IVD A hath the prerogatiue that His Brethren shall prayse him Yet if wee looke into his life this could not be meant of him for who looser then hee who lay with his daughter Thamar But herein is manifest the giftes of God to be of Grace and not of Nature For if Iuda had been rare for godlinesse then the prerogatiue of Nature might seeme to haue caused Christ to haue come of him Iuda his Storie of Prayse God is repeated by S. Paul Rom. 2.25 where he sayth Whose prayse is not of men but of God So euery man that knoweth the birth of Christ and imbraceth the truth thereof with constancie not turning for the loue of reward his prayse is of God though the world hate him JOSEPH hee Exceedes in vertue and therefore hath woonderfull blessinges for among the thirteene Iudges sixe are of his Tribe By which glory his posteritie began to despise the Tribe of Iuda for at Roboams time they say 1 Kin. 12. What haue we to doe with the house of Iessai What haue we to doe with the house of Dauid to your Tentes O Israel to your Tentes But the Lord plagued them with a Plague euer to be kept in memorie as the Prophet Ieremie sayth Ier. 7.12 Marke what I haue done to Siloh which was a Citie in the Tribe of Ephraim And in Psal 78.67 He forsooke the Tabernacle of Siloh euen the Tent that hee had pitched among them He refused the Tabernacle of Ioseph and choose not the Tribe of Ephraim but choose the Tribe of Iuda euen the hill of Sion which he loued Concerning the prosperitie of Iosephs house Nazeanzenus noteth that hee himselfe was more afrayde of the subtleties of Satan in his prosperitie then in his aduersities NEPHTALI Of him this onely is spoked Gen 49. Hee is a Hinde let goe giuing goodly wordes Which was performed when Barack of Nephtali and Debora of Ephraim sang for the ouerthrow of Sisera at the waters of Mageddon Iudg. 5.1 c. Now whereas you haue Abacuck to bring a messe of Pottage to Daniel in the Lions denne some Iew that made that neuer meant so but from that place of Abacuck The iust shall liue by his Fayth Abac. 2. fayneth a comparison that as Pottage preserueth this naturall life from perishing so the meditating by Fayth on the Promises of God in Christ kept our soules from wauering by distrust and by that confidence Daniel was saued from the mouth of the Lions BENIAMIN A child very vertuous Rachel calleth him Ben-oni Sonne of my sorrow but Israel calleth him Beniamin Sonne of my right hand Moses in Deut. 33.12 in his blessing sayth The beloued of the Lord shall dwell in safetie by him and God shall dwell betweene his shoulders And so he did for the Temple was afterwardes built in the Tribe of Beniamin His Tribe hath the first King though he be the meanest of the Tribes Beniamin continueth till the euening When the other Tribes fell away hee onely with Iuda at Roboams time hee onely with Iuda in Cyrus time ioyned
controuersie betweene the Women for the dead Child Christ at Twelue yeares of age is found disputing among the Doctors He likewise ordained Twelue Apostles and Twelue times did he appeare after his resurrection In the Reuelation of euery Tribe is sealed Twelue thousand The heauenly Ierusalem is described to haue Twelue Foundations of 12. precious Stones Twelue Gates and Twelue Angels and the Names written of the Twelue Apostles and through the Cittie there runneth a pure Riuer and on either side of the Riuer the Tree of Life which beareth Twelue manner of Fruites and beareth Fruite euery moneth in the yeare and the leaues of the Tree doe serue to heale the Nations with Now the reason why God in the beginning layde downe in close signification and such easie proportions the whole scope of his gouernment to the Worldes end is to shew that his Wisedome is infinite and that nothing in the Scriptures doth fall out by chaunce but by his forepurpose according to the secret counsel of his owne will to make vs still looke backe vnto the Creation Seth borne Gen. 5. when Adam is 130. yeares old ADam was make in the image of God Seth is begotten in the image of Adam to shew that whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh and whatsoeuer is borne of the spirit is spirit When Adam was 130. yeares old hee begetteth Seth being as may be gathered not one day more nor one day lesse And this rule serueth for all the Ten Fathers before the Flood The holy Ghost keeping an exact Chronicle of the times beginneth at Adam and so goeth forward laying downe the particular ages of the Fathers vnto the Flood saying When Adam is 130. yeares old Seth is borne Now if he had been one day more the number had not been perfect if one lesse it had not been exact We may better therefore conclud that all the ten Fathers were borne on the sixt day that is the day of Adams creation rather then on any other day seeing it can not well be denied and that it crosseth neither Storie nor rule of Religion Seth signifieth Setled or Foundation Hee knew the Creator and that the world should be founded vpon him Esay 58.11 The Wicked haue no sure foundation but are like to the Chaffe in a Summer floore But the Godly shall be like a fresh watred Garden and like the Fountaine of water that neuer leaueth running whose foundation is layde for many generations For as a Tree that hath sure rootes will beare many Branches so to be setled in Religion as Seth was many things will appeare to be of singular force Seth died being 912. yeares old Now compare him with Christ thus Seth His name signifieth Foundation He was begotten in the image of Adam Christ The Rocke and sure Foundation of his Church The very caracter of his Father Enosh borne when Seth is 105. yeares old In these numbers you haue 10. multiplyed by 10. and 5. which is the number of the letters of Iehouah HIs name signifieth Sorowfull Euery man is called sorowfull Enosh and the Hebrew tongue sometime calleth a man Enosh and sometimes Adam The Caldeans call a man Enosh but not Adam because they had not the antiquitie of the Creation of the world In Enosh his time Religion decayed in the house of God for which the Flood came and drowned the World This Sorrow is called a Godly sorrow to which the Lord hath added a Blessing as Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall receiue comfort And Ecclesiastes 7.5 Crauitie is better then laughter for when the countenaunce is heauie the heart is reformed And Christ in Luk. 6.21 sayth Blessed are yee that weepe now for yee shall laugh Christ being sorrowfull for the negligence of the Iewes knowing that they should be plagued for not embracing the Promise to Abraham Isaacke and Iacob weepeth ouer Ierusalem saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem O sight of peace O sight of peace If thou haddest knowen those thinges that belong to thy peace And so with griefe and sorrow of heart he leaueth off as not able to expresse the summe of his sorrow Againe with like sorrow he sayth How often would I haue gathered you togeather as a Henne gathereth her Chickens and you would not Enosh dyed being 905. yeares old Kenan borne when Enosh was 90. yeares old HIs name signifieth Contrite or small store Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen Esay 57.15 Thus sayth the High and Excellent euen hee that dwelleth in Eternitie whose name is the Holy one I dwell high aboue and in the Sanctuarie and with him also that is of a Contrite spirit doe I dwell that I may heale a troubled minde and a Contrite heart Psal 51.17 An humble and Contrite heart the Lord doth not despise Therefore shall euery godly man prayse the Lord without ceasing Kenan dyed being 910 yeares old Mahalaleel borne when Kenan was 70. yeares old You haue in this number ten seuens or seuen multiplyed by ten which is 70 which is the number of his natiuitie wherein you haue a sweete resemblance of the Creation of which number many excellent thinges are to be spoken which I will handle afterwardes THis name signifieth My prayse God Leah nameth her fourth sonne Iuda the Father of Shiloh Prayse God for so his name likewise signifieth The vse of this ought to be imbraced of all seeing it stretcheth to the saluation of all It appeareth hereby that the godly Fathers in auncient time had wonderfull regard in naming their Children For if you doe marke the whole Stories of the Bible you shall finde very few notable men whether they were godly or wicked but they containe rare matter in their names From Mahalaleel we are taught to Prayse God aright that is in sinceritie of spirit with sounde knowledge grounded vpon the trueth of his word David knowing that prayse giuing to God is not onely required at our hands but also at euery creatures in their kind biddeth the whole course of Nature Prayse the Lord. And in Psalm 47.6 hee sayth O sing prayses sing prayses vnto our God O sing prayses sing prayses vnto our King for the Lord is high and to be feared Hee is the great King vpon all the earth sing prayses therefore with vnderstanding Hee sheweth vs a reason in the 19. Psal 1. when he sayth The Heauens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handie worke One day telleth another one night certifieth another c. Therefore let the wordes of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be alway acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Locke and my Redeemer Whereby we are taught that the true prayse of God consisteth not onely in outward acknowledging of his workes and his iudgementes for that the wicked are often times compelled to confesse as Pharaoh Nebucadnetzar and others but we must prayse God so as that all our
Yet notwithstanding all these Blessinges of God vpon Ioseph to shew that euen the best haue their infirmities his Vertues were darkened very much in that he marrieth an Egiptian woman Gen. 41.50 Which was altogeather vnlawfull For Esau before doing the like is blamed and Rebecca hauing an speciall care ouer Iacob least hee should commit the like wickednesse sendeth him to Laban to choose a Wife of his owne kindred Abraham had the like care for Isaacke And Moses afterwards forbids it by a Law thereby confirming the vnlawfulnesse thereof Seauen hundred yeares after is this sinne punished in Israel for Ieroboam receiued Religion of Egipt and maketh two Calues whereby all Israel became Ipolaters FINIS The Table Page IEhouah The signification and efficacie Page 1. The Wisedome Power and eternitie of God Page 1.2 Our God Page 2. The Trinitie described Page 3. Of Election Page 4.5 The effect of Election Page 6.7 In the fulnesse of time all shall be brought vnder one head Page 9.10 In the beginning was the word c. expounded Page 11. Hee was the Light c. what is meant by it Page 12. The Creation of the World Page 13. Adams creation the day the houre and place with the time and continuance in Paradise c. Page 14.15 What is meant by the Seede of the Woman c. Page 17. Adam and Eue driuen out of Paradise Page 18. Of Kaine and Abels offeringes with the signification of their names agreeing with their conditions Page 18.19 Also the interpretation vse of the names of the Fathers from Adam to Noah Page 19.20.21.22 The time of the yeare and day of Adams creation Page 23.24.25 Adams death and the place where Page 26.27 Christ compared with Adam Page 28.29 Of the number one Page 29. Of three Page 30. Of foure Page 31. Of fiue Page 32. Of sixe Page 32. Of seuen Page 32.33.34 Of eight Page 34. Of ten Page 34.35 Of twelue Page 35. Of Seth borne and what vse of him Page 36. Seth compared with Christ Page 37. Of Enoâ—h and what of him Page 37. Of Kenan Page 38. Of Mahalaleel Page 38.39 Of Jared Page 40.41 Of Henoch Page 41.42.43 Of Henoch compared with Christ Page 44. Of Methuâ—helah Page 45. Of Lamech Page 46. Of Noah Page 47. Of Noah compared with Christ Page 47 48. When Noah began the Arke the place and how long in building Page 48. Of Japhet and the signification of his name Page 52. 67. Of Sem and his name Page 53. 68. Of the Flood and the thinges to be considered thereby Page 54.55.56 Christ and the Arke compared togeather Page 57. The time of the continuance of the Flood Page 59. Adam and Noah compared togeather Page 62. Of Cham and his issue Page 64.65.66 Of Heber and his name with the rare vse of his Storie Page 69.70.71 Of Peleg and the rare vse of him Page 72.73.74 Of the birth of Abraham and his name Page 77. A question discussed about Terabs age when he begat Abraham Page 78.79 Of Sarah and the signification of her name Page 81. The Promise giuen to Abraham Page 82. Melchisedech shewed to be Sem. Page 84.85 Of Ismael and his Storie Page 87.88 Of Jsaacks birth and name Page 89. Of Jsaacks age when Jsmael flouted him Page 92. Of Jsaacks age when he was to be sacrificed answerable to Christs death Page 93. Jsaacks compared with Christ Page 95. Esau and Jacob borne with their stories depending Page 96.97 c. Jsaacks blindnesse a great blessing to the children of God Page 100.101 Jacob goeth to Laban Page 103. Jacob in his iourney seeth a Ladder the interpretation thereof Page 104. Jacobs Wiues and Children with the interpretation of their names Page 105.106 Jacobs departure from Laban and his wrestling with God Page 106.107 Josephs Dreame and his selling into Egypt Page 108. Iacobs iourney into Egypt Page 110.111 Iacob dieth in Egypt Page 112. The Iournies of Abraham Iacob Iocobs sonnes and Christ compared togeather Page 113. Of the place where Jacob died Page 114. Of Iacobs Will the blessing of his Children according to the worthinesse of their tribes and posteritie to come Page 115.116.117 118.119.120 Of Iosephs death and of his excellent worthinesse Page 120.121 The Figures in the margent are the yeares of the world FINIS Apoc. 12.11 Iohn 8. 44. 930. 130. 1042. 235. 1140. 325. 1235. 395. 1290. 460. 1422. 622. 987· 687. 1656. 874. 1651. 1056. 1535. 1536. 1556. 1558. 1656. 1658. 1693. 1723. 1757. 1996. 1997. 2006. 2008. 20 2026. 2049. 2083. 430. 2090. 2094. 2096. 2108. 1. Chro. 2.35 Ier. 41.2 2126. 2140. 2145. 2148. 2158. 2168. 2183. 2188. 2231. 2245. 20. 2260. 2255. 2264. 2276.17 2280. 2288. 2298.17 215. 1298. 2315. 2369
ascending and descending vpon the Sonne of man In this vision of the Ladder we see the whole Mediation of Christ is shewed to Jacob And if we duely consider it there could not be a fitter Similitude in the whole course of Nature to represent the Mediation then the Ladder for euen as in a Ladder if two or three Steppes be broken the Ladder is to no vse seeing we can neither ascend nor goe downe by it euen so the whole Mediation is so vnited knit togeather that by despising any one part wee bereaue our selues of the benefite of the whole After that Iacob was come to Haran hee serued Seauen yeares for Rachel Laban giueth him Leah and deceiueth him and vseth this excuse That it was not the vse of the Countrie that the younger should be serued before the elder Leah is sayd to be Contrite Heere we may see what it is to enioy the truth of Gods Religion and to worship him truely Leah committeth a great sinne and though God make her fruitfull yet this euent excuseth not the fault before committed Shee knew very well that she could not enioy saluation by staying with her Father and we are to make the best collection of the actions of the best Women and therefore no doubt the zeale that she had to know God made her to venture so farre No doubt this was a great sinne and yet a farre greater to haue been marryed to an vnfaythfull Husband for thereby there was no hope left for saluation And wee see that Christ chooseth to come of Leah by Iuda rather then of Rachel God himselfe onely knoweth how farre he will pardon so great offences Then hee serueth Seauen yeares for Rachel Leah is fruitfull shee hath Reuben and saith The Lord hath Looked on my tribulation Then she conceiued and bare Simeon and saith Because the Lord Heard that I was hated therefore he hath giuen me this Sonne Shee conceiued againe and bare Leui and sayth Now my Husband will be Ioyned vnto mee therefore she named him Leui Ioyned Then she bare Iuda and sayd Now will I Prayse the Lord. The Heathen by the light of Nature will confesse that the Lord looketh on their tribulation and helpeth them that he heareth their hatred and reuengeth it But they cannot for all these benefites prayse the Lord Therefore she as a Prophet knowing that Christ should come of Iuda Pray seth God for so glorious a blessing Then shee left bearing for a time Rachel giueth Bilha to Jacob she beareth Dan Iudgement and sayth God hath giuen Sentence on my side Afterwardes Nepthali Wraftling Leah doth the like and giueth Iacob Zilpha who beareth Gad a Companie and Asher Happy Leah after beareth Isachar Wages or Reward then Zebulon God hath giuen me a goodly Dowrie and last Dina a Daughter Iudgement So God shewed iudgements to the Sichemites for rauishing of her Fourteene yeares after Ioseph Encrease is borne A rare man and we commonly see that rare men haue great expectation before their birth After this Iacob like a good Philosopher enricheth himselfe by vsing Roddes of diuers colours Ioseph in Egipt vseth a kind of pollicie to take away the Landes from the people and to bring them to the King These actions at the first might seeme vnlawfull because the cause is hid from vs though afterwardes the purpose of God appearing they are approoued Iuda borne his father Iacob being 87. yeares old HEe was the fourth Sonne of Iacob his mother nameth him Prayse God Whereby it appeareth that she looked for Redemption by Christ respecting the Promise concerning the Seed of the Woman to be accomplished in him It could not so haue appeared by naming Ruben Simeon or Leui for a wise Philosopher might haue giuen those names But Iuda contayning a name of heauenly comfort sheweth a spirit gouerned by the holy Ghost Iacob goeth from Laban Gen. 31.17 WHere he had bin twentie yeares two seuens a sixe in which number is contained the Creation and the Sabaoth And as any one may gather closely expressed seuen yeares plentie and seuen yeares dearth As he returned from Laban he feared his brother Esau But the Angell of God met him to comfort him therefore he calleth the name of the place Mahanaim that is Gods Hoste This Campe of Angels is repeated in the Song of Songes and applyed to Christ as the companie of an Armie So Dauid likewise affirmeth that the Angels of God doe pitch their Tentes about them that feare him When Absolom is destroyed Dauid and his Campe were at Mahanaim the place where the Angel mette Iacob Wherein we are to learne that God so disposeth the actions of his elect that hee regardeth their goinges out and their commings in and marketh all their Paths that whether they be at home with their Father or abroad among Strangers they are shadowed vnder the defence of the most High whose dwelling is in eternitie After this he wrastleth with the Sonne of God that is in likenesse of the same nature which he afterward tooke vpon him vntill the breake of the day and would not let him goe till he had blessed him Therefore hee called him Israel a Conquerour This is expounded in Oseas By his strength he had power with God To shew that as he had power with God so he should preuaile with men Then hee erected an Altar there and called it Penuel for sayth hee I haue seene Ged face to face This storie of Iacob is repeated in Iohn 1.47 where Christ sayth to Nathaniel Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile Nathaniel is called the true Israelite in that hee acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of God which hee might know by casting Daniels Seauens Afterwardes hee is reconciled to his brother Esau and beyond Iordan hee dwelt neere Sichem where Dina is deflowred Er Onan Selah borne Er Onan were married to Thamar committed grieuous sins before God and therfore he destroyeth them Ioseph is sode into Egipt when he is 17. yeares old so long was he nourished at home of Iacob IOseph Dreameth that the Sunne Moone and eleuen Starres worshiped him Gen. 37.9 meaning his Father Mother and his eleuen Brethren of whom in the creation the twelue Signes in the Zodiacke had a full reference shewing thereby that God in his Counsell at the Creation had a great regard to the number of the Sonnes of Iacob which were to be borne more then two thousand yeares after He hath the like regard at the confusion of Tongues in setling Canaan and his eleuen Sonnes in a soyle which Iacobs sonnes should afterwards possesse For declaring this Dreame the poyson of the Serpent possessing his Brethrens heartes they were mooued with enuie and sold Joseph into Egipt Iuda caused him to be sold to saue his life but Iudas Iscariot that is which falleth away for reward sold Christ to loose his life Math. 26.15 Iacob deceiued his father Isaacke with a Kidd Gen. 37.31 When Ioseph is