hast made to thee let them arise and deliuer thee in the time of thine affliction for according to the number of thy cities were thy goddes ô Iuda â What wil you contend with me in iudgement you haue al forsaken me saith our Lord. â In vaine haue I striken your children they haue not receiued discipline your sworde hath deuoured your prophetes as a wasting lion is your generation â See yee the word of our Lord why am I become a wildernes to Israel or a lateward springing land why then hath my people said We haue reuolted we wil no more come to thee â Wil a virgin forget her ornament or a bride the stomacher of her brest but my people hath forgotten me innumerable daies â Why dost thou endeuour to shew thy way good to seeke loue which moreouer also hast taught thy malices to be thy wayes â And in thy winges is found the bloud of the soules of the poore and innocentes Not in diches haue I found them but in al places which before I haue mentioned â And thou hast said I am without sinne and innocent and therfore let thy furie be turned away from me Beholde I wil contend with thee in iudgement because thou hast said I haue not sinned â How vile art thou become exceedingly iterating thy wayes and thou shalt be confounded of Aegypt as thou art confounded of Assur â For from hence also thou shalt goe and thy handes shal be vpon thy head because the Lord hath destroyed thy confidence and thou shalt haue nothing prosperous therein CHAP. III. I dolaters and other sinners are inuited to repent with promise of remission 6. but neither the kingdome of Israel nor Iuda wil returne 14 God stil calling some Iewes and manie Gentiles come to Christ IT IS commonly said If a man put away his wife and she departing from him marie an other man wil he returne to her anie more shal not that woman be polluted and contaminated but thou hast committed fornication with manie louers neuertheles returne vnto me saith our Lord and I wil receiue thee â Lift vp thine eies direct and see where thou hast not bene polluted thou didest sitte in the waies expecting them as a robber in the wildernes and thou hast polluted the land in thy fornications and in thy malices â For which thing the droppes of rayne were kept back and there was no lateward shower thou haddest an harlots forehead thou wouldest not blush â Therefore at the least from henceforth cal me thou art my father the guide of my virginitie â Why wilt thou be angrie for euer or wilt thou perseuere vnto the end Loe thou hast spoken and hast done euils and hast preuailed â And our Lord said to me in the daies of Iosias the king Hast thou seene what thinges the reuolter Israel hath done she hath gone of herself vpon euerie high mountaine and vnder euerie thicke greene tree and hath fornicated there â And I said when she had done al these thinges Returne to me and she returned not And Iuda her transgressing sister saw â because the rebel Israel had plaied the harlot I had put her away and geuen her a bil of diuorce and Iuda her transgressing sister was not afrayd but went and plaid the harlot also herself â And with the facilitie of her fornication she contaminated the land and plaid the harlot with stone and wood â And in al these thinges Iuda her transgressing sister hath not returned to me in her whole hart but in falsehood saith our Lord. â And our Lord said to me The rebellious Israel hath iustified her soule in comparison of the transgressour Iuda â Goe and crie these wordes against the North and thou shalt say Returne ô rebellious Israel saith our Lord and I wil not returne away my face from you because I am holie saith our Lord and I wil not be angrie for euer â But yet know thou thine iniquitie that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and thou hast dispersed thy waies to strangers vnder euerie thicke greene tree and hast not heard my voice saith our Lord. â Returne ô ye reuolting children saith our Lord because I am your husband and I wil take you one of a citie and two of a kinred and wil bring you into Sion â And I wil geue you pastours according to my hart and they shal feede you with knowlege and doctrine â And when you shal be multiplied and increase in the land in those daies saith our Lord they shal say no more The Arke of the testament of our Lord neither shal it ascend vpon their hart neither shal they be mindeful thereof neither shal it be visited neither shal that be done anie more â In that time Ierusalem shal be called the throne of our Lord and al Gentiles shal be gathered together to it in the name of our Lord into Ierusalem they shal not walke after the peruersitie of their most wicked hart â In those daies the house of Iuda shal goe to the house of Israel and they shal come together from the land of the North to the land which I gaue to your fathers â But I said How shal I make thee as children and geue thee a land worthie to be desired the goodlie inheritance of the hostes of the Gentiles And I said Thou shalt cal me father shalt not cease to walke after me â But as if a woman should contemne her louer so hath the house of Israel contemned me saith our Lord. â A voice was heard in the waies weeping howling of the children of Israel because they haue made their way vniust they haue forgotten our Lord their God â Returne ye reuolting children and I wil heale your reuoltinges Behold we come to thee for thou art the Lord our God â In verie deede the litle hilles were lyars and the multitude of the mountaines verily in the Lord our God is the saluation of Israel â Confusion hath eaten the labour of our fathers from our youth theiâ flockes and their heards their sonnes and their daughters â We shal sleepe in our confusion and our ignominie shal couer vs because we haue sinned to the Lord our God we and our fathers from our youth euen to this day and we haue not heard the voice of the Lord our God CHAP. IIII. An admonition to sincere repentance and circumcision of the hart 5. with threates of grieuous punishment to those that persist in sinne 19. Which the Prophet foreseing lamenteth the vastation of the land 27. yet mixt with consolation that it shal not be vtterly ruined IF thou wilt returne ô Israel saith our Lord returne to me if thou wilt take away thy stumbling blockes from my face thou shalt not be moued â And thou shalt sweare Our Lord liueth in truth in iudgement and in iustice and the Gentiles shal blesse him shal praise him â For thus saith
dispise in his euils in the day of his destruction and thou shalt not be sent out against his armie in the day of his destruction â Neither shalt thou stand in the outgoings to kil them that flee and thou shalt not shut vp his remnant in the day of tribulation â Because the day of our Lord is at hand vpon al nations as thou hast done so shal it be done to thee thy retribution he wil returne vpon thine owne head â For as you haue drunke vpon my holie mount shal al Gentils drinke continually they shal drinke and swallow vp and they shal be as though they were not â And in mount Sion shal be saluation and it shal be holie and the house of Iacob shal possesse those that had possessed them â And the house of Iacob shal be a fyre and the house of Ioseph a flame and the house of Esau stubble and they shal be kindled in them and shal deuoure them and there shal be no remaynes of the house of Esau because our Lord hath spoken â And they that are toward the South shal inherite the mount of Esau and they in the champaine countries Philisthiims and they shal possesse the region of Ephraim and the region of Samaria and Beniamin shal possesse Galaad â And the transmigration of this host of the children of Israel al places of the Chananeits euen to Sarepta and the transmigration of Ierusalem that is in Bosphorus shal possesse the cities of the South â And sauiours shal ascend into mount Sion to iudge the mount of Esau and the kingdom shal be to our Lord. THE PROPHECIE OF IONAS IONAS the sonne of Amathi in Geth of the tribe of Zabulon in the reigne of Ieroboam sonne of Ioas king of Israel not only in wordes but also in his person prophecied and prefigured Christ as our Sauiour himself testisieth And vnder the name of Niniue announceth saluation to al Gentiles that repent and returne to God as Niniue did CHAP. 1. Ionas being sent to preach in Niniue fleeth by sea 4. atempest riseth 8. wherof he being found by lotte to be the cause 12. is cast into the sea 15. and it is caulme AND the word of our Lord was made to Ionas the sonne of Amathi saying â Arise and goe into Niniue the great citie and preach in it because the malice therof is ascended before me â And Ionas arose to flee into Tharsis from the face of our Lord and he went downe into Ioppe and found a shippe going into Tharsis and he gaue the fare therof went downe into it that he might goe with them into Tharsis from the face of our Lord. â But our Lord sent a great winde into the sea and a great tempest was made in the sea the shippe was in danger to be broken â And the mariners were afrayd and the men cried to their god they threw the vessels that were in the shippe into the sea that it might be lightned of them and Ionas went downe into the inner part of the shippe and slept a deepe sleepe â And the gouerner came to him sayd to him Why art thou oppressed with sleepe Rise inuocate thy God if perhaps God wil thinke of vs and we perish not â And euerie one sayd to his felow Come and let vs cast lottes and know why this euil is to vs. And they cast lottes and the lot fel vpon Ionas â And they sayd to him Tel vs for whose cause this euil is to vs what is thy worke what is thy countrie and whither goest thou or of what people art thou â And he sayd to them I am an Hebrew the Lord God of heauen I feare which made the sea and the drie land â And the men feared with great feare and they sayd to him Why hast thou done this For the men knew that he fled from the face of our Lord because he had told them â And they sayd to him What shal we do to thee and the sea shal cease from vs because the sea went and swelled â And he sayd to them Take me vp and cast me into the sea and the sea shal cease from you for I know that for me this great tempest is vpon you â And the men rowed to returne to the land and they were not able because the sea went and swelled vpon them â And they cried to our Lord and sayd We besech thee ô Lord let vs not perish in the life of this man and geue not vpon vs innocent bloud because thou ô Lord hast done as thou wouldest â And they tooke Ionas and cast him into the sea and the sea ceased from his rage â And the men feared our Lord with great feare immolated hostes to our Lord and vowed vowes CHAP. II. Ionas is swallowed by a great fish 3. prayeth with confidence in God 11. and the fish casteth him on the drie land AND our Lord prepared a great fish to swallow done Ionas and Ionas was in the bellie of the fish three dayes and three nightes â And Ionas prayed to our Lord his God out of the bellie of the fish â And he sayd I cryed out of my tribulation to our Lord he hath heard me out of the bellie of hel cried I and thou hast heard my voice â And thou hast cast me forth into the depth in the hart of the sea and a floud hath compassed me al thy surges thy waues haue passed ouer me â And I sayd I am cast away from the sight of thine eyes but yet I shal see thy holie temple againe â The waters haue compassed me euen to the soule the depth hath inclosed me the sea hath couered my head â I am descended to the extreme parts of the mountaines the barres of the earth haue shut me vp for euer and thou wilt lift vp my life from corruption ô Lord my God â When my soule was in distresse within me I remembred our Lord that my prayer may come to thee vnto thy holie temple â They that kepe vanities in vaine forsake their mercie â But I in the voice of prayse wil immolate to thee what thinges soeuer I haue vowed I wil render for saluation to our Lord. â And our Lord spake to the fish and it vomited vp Ionas vpon the drie land CHAP. III. Againe Ionas is commanded to preach in Niniue that within fourtie dayes it shal be destroyed 5. They al fast and repent 10. and God recalleth his sentence AND the word of our Lord was made to Ionas the second time saying â Arise goe into Niniue the great citie and preach in it the preaching which I speake to thee â And Ionas arose went into Niniue according to the word of our Lord Niniue was a great citie of three dayes iorney â And Ionas began to enter into the citie on dayes iorney he cried
the prophetes â And this by the word of our Lord was done against Iuda to take it away before him for al the sinnes of Manasses which he did â and for the innocent bloud that he had shed filled Ierusalem with the bloud of innocentes for this thing God would not be made propitious â But the rest of the wordes of Ioakim and al that he did are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda And Ioakim slept with his fathers â and Ioachin his sonne reigned for him â And the king of Aegypt added no more to come out of his countrie for the king of Babylon had taken al that had beene the kinges of Aegypt from the riuer of Aegypt vnto the riuer Euphrates â Eightene yeares old was Ioachin when he began to reigne and he reigned three monethes in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Nohesta the daughter of Elnathan of Ierusalem â And he did euil before our Lord according to al thinges which his father had done â At that time came vp the seruantes of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon into Ierusalem and the citie was compassed with fortes â And Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon came to the citie with his seruantes to assault it â And Ioachin the king of Iuda went forth to the king of Babylon he and his mother and his seruantes and his nobles and his eunuches and the king of Babylon receiued him the eight yeare of his reigne â And he brought forth from thence al the treasures of the house of our Lord and the treasures of the kinges house and he cut in peces al the golden vessel which Salomon the king of Israel had made in the temple of our Lord according to the word of our Lord. â And he transported al Ierusalem and al the princes and al the strong men of the armie ten thousand into captiuitie and euerie artificer and incloser and nothing was left sauing the poore sorte of the people of the land â He transported also Ioachin into Babylon and the kinges mother and the kinges wiues and his eunuches and the iudges of the land he led into captiuitie from Ierusalem into Babylon â And al the strong men seuen thousand and the artificers and inclosers a thousand al valiant men and warries and the king of Babylon led them captiues into Babylon â And he appointed Matthanias his vncle for him and called his name Sedecias â One and twentie yeares old was Sedecias when he began to reigne and he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Amital the daughter of Ieremie of Lobna â And he did euil before our Lord according to al thinges which Ioakim had done â For our Lord was wrath against Ierusalem and against Iuda til he cast them away from his sace and Sedecias reuolted from the king of Babylon CHAP. XXV Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon beseiging Ierusalem two yeares the souldiars pressed with famine flee away King Sedecias also fleeth 5. is taken and brought before Nabuchodonosor 7. Al his sonnes are slaine in his sight his eyes are put out and he is caried into Babylon the Temple the kinges palace and other houses burned the walles destroyed the people caried captiue 12. except poore husbandmen 13. Al vessel of brasse siluer and gold broken and transported 18. Saraias high priest and other principal men are slaine 22. Godolias made gouernernour 25. is slaine by Ismael 27. Ioachin is deliuered from prison and exalted by a new king of Babylon AND it came to passe in the ninthe yeare of his reigne the tenth moneth the tenth day of the moneth came Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon himselfe and al his armie vnto Ierusalem and they besette it and built rampires rond about it â And the citie was shut vp trenched about vntil the eleuenth yeare of king Sedecias â the ninth day of the moneth and there was a sore famine in the citie neither was there bread for the people of the land â And a breach was made into the citie and al the men of warre fled in the night by the way of the gate which is betwen the duble wal toward the kinges garden moreouer the Chaldees besieged the citie round about Sedecias therfore fled by the way that leadeth to the champayne of the wildernes â And the armie of the Chaldees pursewed the king and ouertooke him in the plaine of Iericho and al the warriers that were with him were dispersed and forsooke him â They therfore hauing taken the king brought him to the king of Babylon into Reblatha who spake iudgement with him â And he slewe the sonnes of Sedecias before his face and he put out his eies and bound him with cheynes and brought him into Babylon â The fifth moneth the seuenth day of the moneth that is the ninetenth yeare of the king of Babylon came Nabuzardan the General of the armie the seruant of the king of Babylon into Ierusalem â And he burnt the house of our Lord the kings house and the houses of Ierusalem euerie house he burnt with fyre â And al the armie of the Chaldees which was with the General of the souldiars destroyed the walles of Ierusalem round about â And Nabuzardan the General of the armie transported the remnant of the people that remained in the citie and the fugitiues that were fled to the king of Babylon and the rest of the comon people â And of the poore of the land he leift dressers of vineyardes and husbandmen â And the brasen pillers that were in the temple of our Lord and the feete and the sea of brasse which was in the house of our Lord the Chaldees brake and transported al the brasse into Babylon â The pottes also of brasse and masars and forkes with three teeth and cuppes and litle mortars and al the vessel of brasse in the which they ministred they tooke away â Moreouer also the censars and phials those that were of gold and that were of siluer the General of the warfare tooke â that is two pillers one sea and the feete which Salomon had made in the temple of our Lord there was no weight of the brasse of al the vessels â One piller had eightene cubites in height and the litle head of brasse vpon it was three cubites in height and the nette and the pomegranates vpon the litle head of the piller al of brasse the second also had the like adorning â Also the general of the armie tooke Saraias the chiefe priest and Sophonias the second priest and three porters â And of the citie one Eunuch which was captayne ouer the men of warre and fiue men of them that wayted before the king whom he found in the citie and Sopher the captaine of the armie who proued the yong souldiars of the people of the land and threescore men of the common people which were found in the citie â
as also at this day â And now as it were a litle and for a moment was our prayer made before the Lord our God that a remnant might be left vs and a nayle might be geuen vs in his holie place and that our God would illuminate our eies and would geue vs a litle life in our bondage â Because we are bondmen and in our bondage our God âid not forsake vs he inclined mercie vpon vs before the king of the Persians to geue vs life and to aduance the house of our God and to build the desolations therof and to geue vs a hedge in Iuda and Ierusalem â And now what shal we fay ô our God after these thinges because we haue forsaken thy coÌmandmeÌts â which thou hast coÌmanded in the hand of thy seruantes the prophetes saying The land to the which you enter to possesse it is an vncleane land according to the vncleannesse of peoples and of other landes by the abhominations of them that haue filled it from mouth vnto mouth in theier coinquination â Now therfore geue not your daughters to their sonnes and their daughters take not for your sonnes and doe ye not seeke their peace and their prosperity for euer that you may be strengthned and may eate the goodes that are of the land and may haue your children heyres for euer â And after al thinges that come vpon vs in our most wicked workes and our most great sinne because thou our God hast deliuered vs from our iniquitie and hast geuen vs health as it is at this day ãâã â that we shal not turne away and make frustrate thy commandementes neither should ioyne matrimonies with the peoples of these abominations Why art thou angrie with vs vnto vtter destruction not to leaue vs a remnant vnto saluation â Lord God of Israel thou artiust because we are leift which should be saued as at this day Behold we are before thee in our sinne for there can be no standing before thee vpon this CHAP. X Esdras calling the people together commandeth them to dismisse the strange Wemen which they haue married 14 appointing officers to see it executed 18 and reciteth those Which had married such wemen ESDRAS therfore thus praying and beseeching and weeping and lying before the temple of God there was gathered to him of Israel an exceeding great companie of men and wemen and children and the people wept with much lamentation â And Sechenias the sonne of Iehiel of the children of Aelam answered and said to Esdras We haue transgressed against our God and haue taken to wiues strange wemen of the peoples of the land and now if there be penance in Israel vpon this â let vs make a couenant with the Lord our God to put away al the wiues and them that are borne of them according to the wil of our Lord and of them that feare the precept of the Lord our God be it done according to the law â Arise it is thy part to discerne and we wil be with thee take courage and doe it â Esdras therefore rose vp and adiured the Princes of the Priestes and of the Leuites and al Israel that they should doe according to this word and they sware â And Esdras rose vp before the house of God and went to the chamber of Iohanan the sonne of Eliasib and entered into it he did eate no bread and dranke no water for he mourned for the transgression of them that were come out of the captiuitie â And there was a proclamation sent in Iuda and Ierusalem to al the children of the transmigration that they should assemble together into Ierusalem â And euerie one that shal not come within three dayes according to the counsel of the princes and ancientes al his substance shal be taken away and him selfe shal be cast out of the companie of the transmigration â There assembled therfore al the men of Iuda and Beniamin into Ierufalem within three dayes that is the ninth moneth the twenteth day of the moneth and al the people sate in the streate of the house of God trembling for the sinne and the rayne â And Esdas the Priest arose and sayd to them You haue transgressed and taken strange wemen to wife to adde vpon the sinne of Israel â And now geue confession to our Lord the God of your fathers and doe his pleasure and be separated from the peoples of the land and from your wiues the strangers â And al the multitude answered and sayd with a lowde voyce According to thy word vnto vs so be it done â Neuerthelesse because there is much people and a tyme of rayne and we can not abyde to stand without and it is not a worke of one day or two for we haue excedingly sinned in this thing â let there be princes appoynted in al the multitude and let al in our cities that haue taken strangers to wife come at sette tymes and with them the ancientes by citie and citie and the iudges therof vntil the wrath of our God be turned away from vs for this sinne â Therfore Ionathan the sonne of Azahel and Iaazia the sonne of Thecua were appoynted ouer this and Mesollam and Sebethai Leuites did helpe them â and the children of the transmigration did so And Esdras the Priest and the men princes of the families went into the houses of theyr fathers and al by theyr names and they sate in the first day of the tenth moneth to search out the matter â And al the men were fully counted that had taken strangers to wife vnto the first day of the first mos neth â And there were found of the sonnes of the Priestes that had taken strangers to wife Of the children of Iosue the sonne of Iosedec and his brethren Maasia and Eliezer and Iarib and Godolia â And they gaue theyr handes to put away theyr wiues and to offer for theyr offence a ramme of the flocke â And of the children of Emmer Hanani and Zebedia â And of the children of Harim Maasia and Elia and Semeia and Iehiel and Ozias â And of the children of Pheshur Elionai Maasia Ismael Nathanael Iozabed and Elasa â And of the children of the Leuites Iozabed and Semei and Celaia the same is Calita Phataia Iuda and Eliezer â And of the singing men Eliasib and of the porters Sellum and Thelem and Vri. â And of Israel of the children of Pharos Remeia and Iezia and Melchia and Miamin and Eliezer and Melchia and Banea â And of the children of Aelam Mathania Zacharias and Iehiel and Abdi and Ierimoth and Elia. â And of the children of Zethua Elioenai Eliasib Mathania Ierimuth and Zabad and Aziza â And of the children of Bebai Iohanan Hanamia Zabbai Athalai â And of the children of Bani Mosollam and Melluch and Adaia Iasub and Saal and Ramoth â And of the children of Phahath Moab Edna and Chalal Bananias and Maasias Mathanias Beseleel Bennui and Manasse â And of
Sion the zele of the Lord of hostes shal doe this â Therfore thus sayth our Lord concerning the king of the Assyrians He shal not enter this citie and he shal not shoote arrow there and shilde shal not occupie it and he shal not cast rampier about it â In the way that he came by the same he shal returne and into this citie he shal not enter sayth our Lord. â And I wil protect this citie that I may saue it for myne owne sake and â for Dauids sake my seruant â And the Angel of our Lord came forth and stroke in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred eightie fiue thousand And they arose in the morning and behold al were carcasses of dead men â And he went out and departed and Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians returned and dwelt in Niniue â And it came to passe when he adored in the temple of Nesroch his god Adramelech and Sarasar his sonnes stroke him with the sword and they fled into the land of Ararat Asarhaddon his sonne reigned for him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXXVII â5 For Dauids sake VVe haue here a manifest example that the merites of Sainctes departed forth of this world do profite the liuing God protecting Ierusalem not only for his owne but also for his seruant Dauids sake Against which plaine sense Protestantes denying merites and prayers of Sainctes seme to haue no better quasion then this sillie shift âeâned without vvarrant of holie Scripture or ancient Father to interprete these vvordes for Dauids sake to signifie for Gods promise sake made to Dauid But if they be demanded vvhere and when God promised to Dauid that he vvould protect and saue the citie of Ierusalem from sacking by enimies or from ruine they can neuer shevv it God made Dauid conquerour of Ierusalem extirpating there the Iebusites who vntil his time kept the tovvre of Sion 2. Reg. 5. v. 7. protected the same citie al his time and long after And in certaine particular dangers promised to Achaz a vvicked king Isaie 7. and to this good king Ezechias here â 4. Reg. 19. â that he vvould saue and deliuer Ierusalem from oher particular distresses vvherin it vvas at those times but he promised not this to king Dauid Neither did God make a general promise to protect that citie perpetually For if he had so promised it should not haue bene subdued brought into captiuitie defaced as it was by the Babylonians And therfore this glosse of Protestants is built vpon false ground And the vvordes are as manifest as if the kings Maiestie should say I vvil protect the ââââ of London that I may saue it for myn ovvne sake and such my former subiectes sake that haue faithfully heretofore serued their kinges Or if he should say I vvil protect such a noblemans chiefe Manour place for myn owne sake for such his progenitors sake who serued me loyally VVherby is plainely signified that the king doââ this âouour not only forth is ovvne sake but also for the merites of some that liued there and deserued vvel before Neither do vve produce this similitude to proue that is in controuersie but to explaine the Catholique doctrine apparent by this text and approued by the ancient Fathers and the vvhole Church of God CHAP. XXXVIII Ezechias being sick and advertised by the prophete that he shal then dye by prayer ãâ¦ã prolongation of life 6. with promise of victorie confirmed by a signe 9. For which he rendereth thankes to God with a Canticle of praise IN those dayes Ezechias was sick euen to death and Isaie the sonne of Amos the prophet went in vnto him and said to him Thus sayth our Lord. Take order with thy house for thou shalt die and shalt not liue â And Ezechias turned his face to the wal and prayed to our Lord â and said I besech thee Lord remember I pray thee how I haue walked before thee in truth and in a perfect hart and haue done that which is good in thine eies And Ezechias wepte with great weeping â And the word of our Lord was made to Isaie saying â Goe tel Ezechias Thus saith our Lord the God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer and seene thy teares Loe I wil adde vpon thy dayes fiftene yeares â and out of the hand of the king of the Assirians wil I deliuer thee and this citie and wil protect it â And this shal be a signe to thee from our Lord that our Lord wil doe this word which he hath spoken â Behold I wil make the shadow of the lines returne by the which it is now gone downe in the dyal of Achaz in the sunne backward ten lines And the sunne returned ten lines by the degrees whereby it was gone downe â The scripture of Ezechias the king of Iuda when he had bene sicke and was recouered of his infirmitie I haue said In the middes of my daies shal I goe to the gates of hel I haue sought the residue of my yeares â I haue said I shal not see our Lord God in the land of the liuing I shal behold man no more and the inhabiter of rest â My generation is taken away and is wrapped together from me as the tent of shepehards My life is cut of as by a weauer whiles I yet began he cut me of from morning vntil night thou wilt make an end of me â I hoped vntil morning as a lion so hath he broken al my bones From morning vntil euening thou wilt make an end of me â As a yong swallow so wil I crie I wil meditate as a doue Mine eies are weakened looking on high Lord I suffer violence answer for me â What shal I say or what shal he answer me wheras him self hath done it I wil recount to thee al my yeares in the bitternes of my soule â Lord if mans life be such and the life of my spirit in such thinges thou shalt chasten me and shalt quicken me â Behold in peace is my bitternes most bitter But thou hast deliuered my soule that it should not perish thou hast cast al my sinnes behind thy backe â Because hel shal not confesse to thee neither shal death prayse thee they that goe downe into the lake shal not expect thy truth â The liuing the liuing he shal confesse to thee as I also this day the father shal make thy truth knowen to the children â O Lord saue me and we shal sing our psalmes al the dayes of our life in the house of our Lord. â And Isaie commanded that they should take a lumpe of figges plaster it vpon the wound and he should be healed â And Ezechias sayd What shal be the signe that I shal goe vp into the house of our Lord CHAP. XXXIX The king of Babylon sent legates to visite king Ezechias and congratulate his recouerie
fathers that I would geue them a land flowing with milke hunnie as is this day And I answered said Amen Lord. â And our Lord said to me Crie aloude al these wordes in the cities of Iuda and without Ierusalem saying Heare ye the wordes of this couenant and do them â because contesting I did contest your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Aegypt euen to this day arising early I contested and said Heare ye my voice â and they heard not nor inclined their eare but went euerie one in the peruersitie of his owne wicked hart I brought vpon them al the wordes of this couenant which I commanded them to doe and they did not â And our Lord said to me Conspiracie is found in the men of Iuda and in the inhabitants of the men of Ierusalem â They are returned to the former iniquities of their fathers which would not heare my wordes and these therfore haue gone after strange goddes to serue them the house of Israel and the house of Iuda hath made voide my couenant which I made with their fathers â For which thing thus saith our Lord Behold I wil bring in euils vpon them out of which they shal not be able to goeforth and they shal crie to me and I wil not heare them â And the cities of Iuda and the inhabitants of Ierusalem shal goe and crie to goddes vnto whom they sacrificed and they shal not saue them in the time of their affliction â For according to the number of thy cities were thy goddes ô Iuda and according to the number of the waies of Ierusalem thou didst set altars of confusion altars to sacrifice to Baalim â Thou therefore pray not for this people and take not to thee praise and prayer for them because I wil noâ heare in the time of their crie vnto me in the time of their affliction â What is it that my beloued hath in my house done much wickednes shal the holie flesh take away from thee thy malices in which thou hast bosted â The Lord hath called thy name a plentiful oliue tree faire fruiteful beautiful at the voice of a word a great fire flamed vp in it and the shrubbes thereof are burnt â And the Lord of hostes that planted thee hath spoken euil vpon thee for the euils of the house of Israel and of the house of Iuda which they haue done to themselues to prouoke me in offering to Baalim â But thou Lord hast shewed me and I haue knowen thou hast shewed me their studies â And I as a milde lambe that is caried to a victim and I knew not that they deuised counsels against me saying Let vs cast wood on his bread and rase him out of the land of the liuing and let his name be mentioned no more â But thou ô Lord of Sabaoth which iudgest iustly and prouest the reynes and the hartes let me see thy reuenge of them for to thee I haue reueled my cause â Therefore thus saith the Lord to the men of Anathoth which seeke thy life and say Thou shalt not prophecie in the name of our Lord and thou shalt not die in our handes â Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes Behold I wil visite vpon them their yong men shal die by the sword their sonnes and their daughters shal die in famine â And there shal be no remaines of them for I wil bring in euil vpon the men of Anathoth the yeare of their visitation CHAP. XII It semeth strange that the wicked prosper 5. The Iewes heretofore afflicted by weaker enimies shal be more oppressed by the Babylonians 10. Euil pastors shal be punished 14. and forraine enimies destroyed THOV in deede ô Lord art iust if I dispute with thee but yet I wil speake iust thinges to thee Why doth the way of the impious prosper why is it wel with al that transgresse and doe wickedly â Thou hast planted them and they haue taken roote they prosper and bring forth fruite thou art nigh to their mouth and farre from their reynes â And thou Lord hast knowen me thou hast sene me and proued my hart with thee gather them together as a flocke to the victime and sanctifie them in the day of slaughter â How long shal the land mourne and the herbe of euerie fielde be withered for malice of the inhabitants therein Beast is consumed and foule because they haue saied He shal not see our later endes â If running with footemen thou hast laboured how canst thou contend with horses And whereas in a land of peace thou hast bene secure what wilt thou doe in the pride of Iordan â For euen thy bretheren the house of thy father they also haue fought against thee and haue cried after thee with ful voice beleue them not when they shal speake good thinges vnto thee â I haue forsaken my house I haue left mine inheritance I haue geuen my beloued soule into the hand of her enemies â Myne inheritance is become vnto me as a lion in the wood it hath vttered a voice against me therefore haue I hated it â Why is myne inheritance vnto me as a bird of diuers coulors is it as a birde died through out come assemble yourselues al ye beastes of the land make haste to deuoure â Manie pastours haue destroyed my vineyard they haue troden downe my portion they haue made my portion that was worthie to be desired into a desert of desolation â They haue laied it into dissipation and it hath mourned vpon me With desolation is al the land made desolate because there is none that considereth in the hart â Vpon al the wayes of the desert the wasters are come because the sword of our Lord shal deuoure from one end of the land to the other end thereof there is no peace to al flesh â They haue sowen wheate and reaped thornes they haue taken an inheritance and it shal not profite them you shal be ashamed of your fruites for the wrath of the furie of our Lord. â Thus saith the Lord against al my most wicked neighbours which touche the inheritance that I haue distributed to my people of Israel Behold I wil plucke them out of their land the house of Iuda I wil plucke out of the middes of them â And when I shal haue plucked them out I wil returne and haue mercie on them and wil bring them backe euerie man to his inheritance and euerie man into his land â And it shal be if being taught they wil learne the waies of my people that they sweare in my name Our Lord liueth as they haue taught my people to sweare by Baal they shal be built in the middes of my people â But if they wil not heare I wil plucke out that nation with plucking vp and with destruction saith our Lord. CHAP. XIII By a girdle first vsed and after leaft of 8. is
to haue in length on the north quarter foure thousand fiue hundred reedes vvith the same length on the vvest quarter and consequently on the east and south that is nine thousand passes or nine myles on euerie side in al the circuite thirtie six myles Of vvhich greatnes it is certaine the temple and citie neuer were No not after the temple vvas augmented by Herod Ascoloâites vvherof Iosephus writeth li. 15. c. 14. Antiq. Iudâicarum Neither vvere there anie such waters issuing from the material temple nor such trees on the bankes therof bringing forth fruites euerie moneth as are described ch 47. v. 1. 12. Al vvhich vvith other like dissonances considered the later Iewes confessing that this prophecie is not hitherto fulfilled say that their Messias whom they expect shal builde such a terrestrial citie and temple with al the appertinances as are shewed in this vision Reiecting therfore these Iewish errors and ridiculous imaginations Richardus de Sancto Victore Hugo Cardinalis Nicolaus Lyranus and some other Christian Doctors suppose that God in dede conditionally according to his antecedent wil promised al these thinges euen as the letter soundeth to the Iewes if after their deliuerie from captiuitie they should sincerely serue him vvalke rightly in his wayes and perfectly kepe his commandmentes And that besides this supposed literal sense al the same should more excellently be performed in the mystical temple and citie of God our Sauiour Christ and his Church But for so much say these Doctors as the Iewes performed not that which vvas required of their part in perfect life and due seruice of God this vision was not fulfilled but only in some part according to the vertues and merites of the better sorte of that people by the restauration of the citie temple and other thinges as in the bookes of Esdras that lastly for their general reuolt from Christ persecuting him to death their temple and citie were againe destroyed the people slaine dispersed reiected except only the few reliques conuerted to Christ In vvhom with the multitude of Gentiles the vvhole vision hath ful effect This opinion albeit grounded in probabilitie yet semeth not so certaine nor in dede so probable as the iudgement of S. Ierom S. Theodoret in their commentaries as also of S. Gregorie in his homiles vpon Ezechiel and of manie others both ancient and late writers VVho not finding hovv to applie this vision in al partes to the state of the old testament neither that promise of such a huge great temple and citie with the rest vvere agreable to Gods vvisdome do only expound this vision to perteine in some partes to the Iewes reduced from temporal captiuitie as in figure of al mankind redemed by Christ and of his Church gathered of al nations enriched and adorned vvith al spiritual graces vertues and powre Neither yet expounding al of the militant Church but some part of the triumphant only as surpassing the perfectest state of this transitorie life Vve therfore out of their large discourses shal abridge a fevv and brief marginal notes for some light of vnderstanding the text and entrance into the spiritual sense principally intended by the Holie Ghost CHAP. XL. In a vision the prophet seeth the reedisication of Ierusalem 5. with the measures of diuers partes therof 47. and of the court and entrie of the temple IN the fiue and twentith yeare of our transmigration in the beginning of the yeare the tenth of the moneth the fourtenth yeare after the citie was strooken in this self same day the hand of our Lord was made vpon me and he brought me thither â In the visions of God he brought me into the Land of Israel and left me vpon a mountaine exceding high vpon which there was as it were the building of a citie bending toward the south â And he brought me in thither and behold a man whose forme was as the forme of brasse and a linen corde in his hand and a reede of measure in his hand he stood in the gate â And the same man spake to me Sonne of man see with thine eyes and heare with thine eares and set thy hart on al thinges which I wil shew thee for thou art brought hither that they may be shewed to thee declare al thinges that thou seest to the house of Israel â And behold a wal on the out side round about the house and in the mans hand a reede of measure of six cubits a palme he measured the breadth of the building with one reede the height also with one reede â And he came to the gate that looked to the way of the east he ascended by the steppes therof he measured the threshold of the gate with one reede the bredth that is one threshold with one reede in bredth â and a chamber with one reede in length and one reede in bredth and betwen the chambers fiue cubites â and the threshold of the gate by entrie of the gate within with one reede â And he measured the entrie of the gate of eight cubites and the front therof of two cubites and the entrie of the gate was within â Moreouer the chambers of the gate to the way of the East three on this side and three on that side one measure of the three and one measure of the fronts on both partes â And he measured the bredth of the threshold of the gate of tenne cubits and the length of the gate of thirtene cubits â and the border before the chambers of one cubite and one cubite the end on both sides and the chambers were of six cubites on this side and that side â And he measured the gate from the roofe of the chamber euen to the roofe therof the bredth of fiue and twentie cubits doore against doore â And he made fronts by sixtie cubits to the front the court of the gate on euerie side round about â And before the face of the gate which raught euen to the face of the entrie of the inner gate fiftie cubits â And oblique windowes in the chambers and in their fronts which were within the gate on euerie side round about and in like maner there were also in the entries windowes round about within and before the fronts the picture of palme trees grauen â And he brought me out to the vtter court and behold celles and the pauement paued with stone in the court round about thirtie celles in the compas of the pauement â And the pauement in the front of the gates according to the length of the gates was beneath â And he measured the bredth from the face of the lower gate euen to the front of the inner court without an hundred cubits to the East and to the North. â The gate also that looked to the way of the North of the vtter court he measured as wel in length as in bredth â
desire nor anie of the rest is in a mans owne powre as of himself so much as to thinke a good thought but Gods grace preuenteth sturreth men vp and continually assisteth in al good beginninges progresse and perseuerance as the same diuine auctor teacheth a litle before v. 14. wisdom preuenteth them that couete her that she first may shew herself vnto them Then to admitte or refuse is in their powre that haue good motions And therfore sinne is rightly imputed and damnation iustly inflicted vpon the wicked because as Nehemias 2. Esd 9. v. 17. testifieth of the vngratful people they would not heare And they hardened their neckes and gaue the head to returne to their seruitude as it were by contention or striuing against God through their owne free wil which appeareth here to remaine in sinners On the other side the same Nehemias in confidence of reward for good workes and of his voluntarie cooperating with Gods grace feared not to pray 2. Esd 5. v. 19 in these wordes Remember me my God to good according to al thinges which I haue done to this people Some men moreouer besides the commandments of the law voluntarily professed a peculiar state of holie life a plaine figure or rather an example of Euangelical counsels As in the former ages the Nazerites whose rule is prescribed Numeri 6. practised by Sampson Iudic. 13. and Samuel 1. Reg. 1. and the Rechabites Iere. 35. so in this last age next before Christ the Assideans or Esseni 1. Mach. 2. v. 42. of whom Iudas Machabeus in his time was head or captaine 2. Mach. 14. v. 6. Ieremie the prophet ch 16. v. 2. by Gods ordinance liued single vnmaried al the time of the captiuitie Thou shalt not take a wife and thou shalt not haue sonnes and daughters in this place to witte in Ierusalem Neither did he marie when he was afterwardes in Aegypt But of his owne accord remayned a virgin al his life as S. Ierom writeth li 1. aduers Iouinianum Prayers of Sainctes after they are departed from this world is wanifestly deduced of the sacred text lere 15. v. 1. of Moyses and Samuel not to be heard if they should pray for the people whom God had decreed to punish were consequently to be heard in some other case And more expresly 2. Mach. 15. v. 12. 14. is recorded that Onias and Ieremie did pray for al the people and for al the holie citie Reuerent estimation of Reliques and other holie thinges is manifest by the fact of the same Prophet Ieremie who by Gods ordinance 2. Mach. 2. v. 1. 5. hid the holie fire and the Tabernacle and the Arke the Altar of incense in a caue that they should not be prophaned by infidels ransaking Ierusalem and the temple Other holie ornaments also and vesseles were restored by the fauorable king Cyrus 1. Esd 1. v. 7. ch 8. v. 30. In figure also of the holie Crosse on which Christ was to redeme mankind those that mourned for the abominations in Ierusalem Ezec. 9. vvere signed in their foreheades vvith the letter Thau or T. and so were saued from the common slaughter of the vnsigned Prayer and Sacrifice for the dead is likewise clere 2. Mach. 12. v. 43. c. if either the text may be admitted for Canonical saying v. 46. It is a holie and healthful cogitation to pray for the dead or for good testimonie of Iudas fact being Highpriest and doing that which the whole Church practised and which the Iewes yet obserue to this day Of the General Resurrection is good testimnie in the same place v. 43. and 44. as the ground of Iudas his pietie towardos the dead wel and religiously thincking of the Resurrection For vnles he hoped that they which were slaine should rise againe it should seme superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead But seing he did beleue the Resurrection he did right wel and piously And seing the beleefe of resurrection is true it foloweth as this auctor inferreth that it is a holie thing to pray for the dead Malachie the last of the Prophetes in the last chapter foresheweth and describeth the General iudgement in the end of this world wherin the wicked hal be condemned and the iust eternally rewarded Which day shal come sayth he kindled as a surnace Al that do impietie dying in that state shal be stubble and that day shal in flame them And there shal rise to you that feare my name the Sunne of iustice and health in his winges or glorious beames healing and curing al body lie infirmities and defectes Before which day he foretelleth of two signes v. 5. The coming of Elias the Prophet and. v. 6. the conuersion of the Iewes to Christ And thus much may here suffice for particular pointes of religion in this age It resteth to view the state and gouernment of the Church in this time Which may be considered according to the foure Monarchies of heathen nations the Chaldees the Medes Persians the Grecians and the Romanes Vnder the Chaldees whose Emperial citie was Babylon they were in captiuitie seuentie yeares By the Medes and Persians for that Monarchie consisted of those two nations they were released from captiuitie with manie fauoures yet sometimes afflicted Vnder the Monarchie of the Grecians they were partly in extreme persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes and of other Grecian kinges and princes partly in warres for defence of Gods lawes Before and after which persecution and warres as wel vnder the Grecians as the Romans til Christs Passion the Church was for most part in peace yet some times afflicted But omitting manie intricate diffiâuliies about the times and reignes of sundrie heathen kinges it wil suffice our purpose to shew the general state of the Iewish nation with their owne particular gouerners spiritual and temporal with more or lesse fauour of forreine Princes First therfore concerning their estate in their captiuitie in Babylon we may here obserue Gods prouidence in that before the citie and temple of Ierusalem were destroyed and the whole nation made captiue Ioachin otherwise called Iechonias the sonne of Ioachaz who was also called Iechonias king of Iuda was transported into Babylon and his mother and manie other principal persons 4. Reg. 24. v. 15. Likewise Iosedech sonne of Saraias highpriest 1. Paral. 6. v. 15. was caried into Babylon And in the meane time Sedecias vncle to Ioachin reigned in Iuda who in the eleuenth yeare was taken and caried captiue into Babylon and there died Ioachin yet liuing in prison And Saraias the Highpriest with others was slayne in Rebla when Ierusalem was destroyed 4. Reg. 25. v. 18. 21. To whom Iosedech succeded in the highpriesthood So that both the issue of Dauid in the right line of our Sauiours genealogie and the Highpriest of Aarons stocke were in Babylon before the whole bodie of the nation was brought thither
Ieremie prophecied ch 24. v. 9. I vvil geue them into reproch to be a parable and a prouerb c. :: Iewes by their sinnes prouoking God to punish them with captiuitie gaue occasion that other nations said God could not defend his people blaspheming against his powre when he exercised iustice :: Rabbi Dauid the Chaldee Paraphrasis expound this place of remission of sinne And al Christian Doctors vnderstand it of Baptisme which in dede is in water clensing sinnes Ephes 5. v. 26. âit 3. v 5. :: An euident text that by Gods grace some men do kepe the commandments :: A duble prophecie of two great benefits the reduction of the Iewes from captiuitie and of the Gentiles from idolatrie to Christ wherein also is included the mysterie of resurrection a One cause of distrust that the people of Israel should not be restored from captiuitie was because they were like to drie bones b Secondly they had al generally lost their hope of restitution c Thirdly they semed like to trees or plantes cut of at the very root d Yet God by his powre and goodnes restored them e Before Christ ioyned the Gentils to his Church he first vnited the two kingdoms of Iuda Israel signifying that Catholiques which labour for conuersion of heretikes as now in England must first agree amongst themselues then shal their endeuoures be more effectual For so al shal sooner be made one fold vnder one shepheard :: Fulfilled by Christ the good Pastor who bringeth al nations into one folde vnder one pastor Ioan. 10. v. 16. :: Gog signifying hid or couered was the common surname of the Scithian kinges :: Mâgog out of the hid were the people and adherents of Gog persecuting the faithful :: Alluding to those that endeuoured to spoyle and oppresse the Iewes after their relaxation from captiuitie he prophecieth of Antichrist and al heretikes that seeke to peruert or to suppresse Catholique Christians who are deliuered rom the bondage of the diuel by Baptisme and other Sacraments of Christ :: Antichrist signified by Gog shal persecute the Church nere the end of the vvorld :: In euerie part of the vniuersal Church God wil at last destroy Antichrists powre confounding him and al his adherentes Gog and Magog the king and kingdom of Scithia Gââ 10. Signifying al persecuters of the Church especially Antichrist Psal â Isa 11. Dan. 1â VVho shal be destroyed :: Antichrist persecuting the Church in al partes of the world shal be resisted by some in euerie place and at last vanquished :: Not vvith material fire but with zele and âeruour Catholiques shal resist him and finally ouercome him :: Gods people vvere not made captiues by the povvre of their enimies as if God could not defend them but by his permission for punishment of their sinnes Foure expositions of this vision 1. Of the temple and citie reedified after the captiuitie 2. That Messias shal build a material temple and citie 3. That this prophetical vision was conditional ch 18 v. 23. ch 33. v. â1 4. That it cannot al be expounded according to the historie but only mystically The fift part Restauration of the temple vvith thinges perteyning therto more especially the glorie of the Church militant triumphant :: Into the destroyed citie of Ierusalem :: Mount Sion :: called exceding heigh mystically in that it signifieth the Church of Christ for historically Sion vvas not so exceding hiegh :: In the Hebrevv text in the Chaldee Paraphrasis in the 70. Interpreters it is thus of six cubites in a cubite and a palme to signifie that these cubites vsed in measuring sacred thinges conteyned six palmes vvheras the ordinarie cubite conteineth but fiue palmes See ch 43. v. 13. :: Larger within then without to spread the light within the place to auoide the danger of hurt from abrode as the windowes of Salomons temple 3. Reg. 6. as also in casties and towres is commonly vsed In explicating this vision by reason of the obscuritie is great varietie amongst the expositors but al agree that God here reueled to the prophet that he vvil reward the good tevvitte in the old Testament temporally in the nevv spiritually first vvith grace in this life and with eternal glorie in life euerlasting :: To the gates of the vtter vval vvas ascent of seuen steppes but of the inner vval v. 32. of eight steppes to signifie that mââe perfection is required in the new Testament then was in the old for vvhich more grace is geuen and better revvard S. Greg. :: For that the pillers are not measured it semeth they were of the same height and bignes as the former vvere built by Salomon 3. Reg. 7. v. 1â :: This description of the temple order of priesthood vvith the partition and fertilitie of the land is much more excellent then was in Salomons time the new temple reedified by Zorobabel was much meaner then Salomons and therfore this prophecie as likevvise the prophecies of Aggeus Zacharias cannot be vnderstood of the temple in Ierusalem but of the Church of Christ S. Ierom in ch 40 Ezec. S. Aug. li 18. c. 45. ciuit :: In the vval of the temple vvere interchangeably painted a Cherub signifying knovvlege a palmetree signifying victorie representing to men that they must be instructed in diuine knowlege âo sight for victorie :: Signifying our Sauiour vvho in his humanitie suffered miseries but as a lion ouercame al enimies S. Ierom finding the Hebrevv text and the 70. interpreters and others to differ not only in vvordes but also in the sense explicating as semed to him most probable auoucheth vvithal that saying of Socrates Sciâ quodnescio I knovv that I do not ânovv anie thing perfectly For it is a part of knovvlege saith he to ânovv that thou art ignorant :: Al the world is lightned by the preaching of Christs Apostles and their successors and the triumphant Church shal perfectly shine vvhen that vvhich is so vvne iâ corruption âhal âââe in incorruption ââ c. 1. Cor. 1â S. Ierom. S. Thomas also exponndeth this place of the â virgin conceiuing the Sonne of God p 3. q 27. a 3. ch 9. ch 1. :: God hath left the house of the Ievves desolate âaâ 23. v. 38 but remaineth vvith the Church of Christ al dayes to the end of the vvorld Mat 28 v. 2â And the perfect impolluted Church vvithout spoâ or vvââncle Eph 5 v. 27. is only the ãâ¦ã hant Church :: The sacred cubite or cubite vsed in sacred thinges was longer then the common cubite by one palme :: The altar is called Ariel the lion of God because fire sometimes descending from God vpon the altar consumed the sacrifice as a lion consumeth his praye S. Ierom. S. Ierom expoundeth this of the hardnes of scripture which no man vnderstaÌndeth fully but the sonne of God Mat. 11. v. 27. Likevvise of of our B. Ladie a perpeâual virgin also
the buier and so he shal receiue his possession againe â but if his hand finde not to repay the price the buier shal haue that he bought vntil the yeare of Iubilee For in it al sale shal returne to the owner and to the old possessour â He that selleth a house within the walles of a citie shal haue licence to redeme it vntil one yeare be expired â if he redeme it not and the compasse of the yeare be fully out the buier shal possesse it and his posteritie for euer and it can not be redemed no not in the Iubilee â But if the house be in a village that hath not walles it shal be sould according to the law of fieldes if it be not redemed before in the Iubilee it shal returne to the owner â The houses of Leuites which are in cities may alwaies be redemed â if they be not redemed in the Iubilee they shal returne to the owners because the houses of the cities of the Leuites are for possessions among the children of Israel â But let not their suburbes be sould because it is a perpetual possession â If thy brother be empouerished and weake of hand and thou receiue him as a stranger and seiourner and he liue with thee â take not vsuries of him nor more then thou gauest feare thy God that thy brother may liue with thee â Thou shalt not geue him thy money to vsurie and an ouer plus of the fruites thou shalt not exact of him â I the Lord your God that brought you out of the Land of Aegygt that I might geue you the Land of Chanaan and might be your God â If thy brother constrained by pouertie sel him self to thee thou shalt not oppresse him with the seruitude of seruants â but he shal be as an hireling and a seiourner vntil the yeare of Iubilee he shal worke with thee â and afterward he shal goe out with his children and shal returne to his kinred and to the possession of his fathers â for they are my seruantes and I brought them out of the Land of Aegypt let them not be sould by the condition of seruantes â afflict him not by might but feare thy God â Let your man seruant and woman seruant be of the nations that are round about you â And of the strangers that seiourne with you or that were borne of them in your land these you shal haue for seruantes â and by right of inheritance shal leaue them to your posteritie and shal possesse them for euer but your brethren the children of Israel doe ye not oppresse by might â If the hand of a stranger or seiourner grow strong among you and thy brother empouerished sel him self to him or to any of his stocke â after the sale he may be redeemed He that wil of his brethren shal redeme him â both the vncle by father and the vncles sonne and the kinsman and the allied But and if him self be able also he shal redeme him selfe â accounting onlie the yeares from the time of his selling vnto the yeare of Iubilee and accounting the money that he was sould for according to the number of the yeares and the reckning of an hyreling â If they be more yeares that remaine vntil the Iubilee according to these also shal he repay the price â if few he shal make the reckning with him according to the number of the yeares and shal repay to the buyer for that which remaineth of the yeares â his wages being allowed for the which he serued before he shal not afflict him violently in thy sight â And if by these meanes he can not be redemed in the yeare of Iubilee he shal goe out with his children â For the children of Israel are my seruantes whom I brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt CHAP. XXVI VVith new prohibition of Idolatrie and commandment to kepe the Sabbath 3. rewardes are promised to al that obserue Gods precepts 14. And manie miserable punishments are threatned to al transgressors I THE Lord your God you shal not make to your selues an idol and thing grauen neither shal you erect titles nor set a notorious stone in your land for to adore it for I am the Lord your God â Keepe my sabbathes and dread my Sanctuarie I the Lord. â If you walke in my preceptes and keepe my commandementes and doe them I wil geue you raine in their seasons â and the earth shal bring forth her spring and the trees shal be replenished with fruites â The threshing of your haruest shal reach vnto vintage and the vintage shal reach vnto sowing time and you shal eate your bread to your fil and without feare shal you dwel in your land â I wil geue peace in your coastes you shal sleepe and there shal be none to make you afraid I wil take away euil beastes and the sword shal not passe through your quarters â You shal pursue your enemies and they shal fal before you â fiue of yours shal pursue an hundred strangers and an hundred of you tenne thousand your enemies shal fal by the sword in your sight â I wil respect you and make you encrease you shal be multiplied and I wil establish my couenant with you â You shal eate the eldest of the old store and new coming vpon it you shal cast forth the old â I wil sette my tabernacle in the middes of you and my soule shal not cast you of â I wil walke among you and wil be your God and you shal be my people â I the Lord your God that haue brought you out of the Land of the Aegyptians that you should not serue them and that haue broken the chaines of your neckes that you might goe vpright â But if you wil not heare me nor doe al my commandements â if you dispise my lawes and contemne my iudgementes that you do not those thinges which are appointed by me and bring my couenant to nothing worth â I also wil do these thinges to you I shal quickly visite you with pouertie and burning heat which shal waist your eies and consume your liues you shal sowe your seede in vaine which shal be deuoured of the enemies â I wil sette my face against you and you shal fal downe before your enemies and shal be made subiect to them that hate you you shal flee when no man pursueth you â But if you wil not obey me so neither I wil increase your chastisementes seuen fould for your sinnes â and wil breake the pride of your stubburnesse and I wil make to you the heauen from aboue as iron and the earth as brasse â Your labour shal be speÌt in vaine the earth shal not bring forth her spring nor the trees yeld their fruites â If you walke contrarie to me and wil not heare me I wil increase your plagues vntil seuen fould for your sinnes â and I wil send in vpon you the beastes of the field
are they whom our Lord commanded to diuide the Land of Chanaan to the children of Israel CHAP. XXXV Cities and suburbes are appointed for the Leuites among the other tribes 6. Of which six shal be for refuge of such as vnwittingly kil anie man 22. where keping them selues til the death of the high Priest they shal be safe 30. VVilful murtherers conuicted so it be by more then one witnes must die forthwith THESE thinges also spake our Lord to Moyses in the champion countries of Moab vpon Iordan against Iericho â Command the children of Israel that they geue vnto the Leuites of their possessions â cities to dwel in and their suburbes round about that them selues may abide in the townes and the suburbes may be for their cattel and beastes â which from the walles of the cities outward round about shal reach the space of a thousand paces â Toward the East shal be two thousand cubites and toward the South in like manner shal be two thousand toward the sea also which looketh to the West shal be the same measure and the North part shal be limitted with equal boundes And the cities shal be in the middes and the suburbes without â And of the same townes which you shal geue to the Leuites six shal be separated for the ayde of fugitiues that he may flee to them which hath shed bloud and beside these other fourtie two townes â that is in al fourtie eight with their suburbes â And those cities that shal be geuen of the possessions of the children of Israel from them that haue more moe shal be taken away and that haue lesse fewer Eache shal geue townes to the Leuites according to the measure of their inheritance â Our Lord said to Moyses â Speake to the children of Israel thou shalt say to them When you shal haue passed ouer Iordan into the Land of Chanaan â determine what cities shal be for the succour of fugitiues that haue not voluntaryly shed bloud â in which when the fugitiue shal be the kinseman of him that is killed can not kil him vntil he stand in the sight of the multitude and his cause be iudged â And of those cities that are separated for refuge of the fugitiues â three shal be beyond Iordan and three in the Land of Chanaan â as wel for the children of Israel as for strangers and soiouners that he may flee to them which hath not voluntaryly shed bloud â If any man strike with yron and he die that was strooken he shal be guiltie of murder and him self shal die â If he cast a stone and he that is strooken die he shal be punished in like manner â If he that is strooken with wood die he shal be reuenged by the strikers bloud â The kinsman of him that is slaine shal kil the murderer as sowne as he apprehendeth him he shal kil him â If through hatred one push a man or cast any thing at him by stratageme â or being his enemie strike him with his hand and he die the striker shal be guiltie of murder the kinseman of him that is slaine as sowne as he findeth him shal kil him â But if by chance medlie and without hatred â and enemitie he do any of these thinges â and this be proued in the hearing of the people and the question debated betwen him that stroke the next of bloud â the innocent shal be deliuered from the hand of the reuenger by sentence shal be brought backe into the citie to which he had fled and he shal tarie there vntil the High priest that is anointed with the holie oile do die â If the murderer be found without the limites of the cities that are deputed to the banished â and be strooken of him that is the reuenger of bloud he shal be guiltles that killed him â For the fugitiue ought to haue stayed in the citie vntil the death of the High priest And after he is dead then shal the murderer returne into his countrie â These thinges shal be perpetual and for an ordinance in al your habitations â The murderer shal be punished by witnesses none shal be condemned at the testimonie of one man â You shal not take a price of him that is guiltie of bloud he also shal die forth with â The banished and fugitiues before the death of the High priest may by no meanes returne into their owne cities â Pollute not the land of your habitation which is polluted with the bloud of innocentes neither can it otherwise be expiated but by his bloud that shedeth an other mans bloud â And so shal your possession be cleansed my self abyding with you For I am the Lord that dwel among the children of Israel CHAP. XXXVI That the inheritances may not be alienated from one tribe to an other al must marrie within their owne tribes AND the princes also of the families of Galaad the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasses of the stocke of the children of Ioseph came and spake to Moyses before the princes of Israel and said â Our Lord hath commanded thee our lord that thou shouldest by lotte diuide the Land to the children of Israel and that to the daughters of Salphaad our brother thou shouldest geue the possession dew to their father â Whom if men of an other tribe take to wiues their possession shal folow and being translated to an other tribe it shal be a diminishing of our inheritance â And so it shal come to pasâe that when the Iubilee that is the fiftith yeare of remission is come the â distribution of the lottes shal be confounded and the possession of one shal passe to others â Moyses answered the children of Israel and as our Lord commanded said The tribe of the children of Ioseph hath spoken rightly â And this law is promulgated of our Lord touching the daughters of Salphaad Let them marrie to whom they wil onlie that it be to the men of their owne tribe â lest the possession of the children of Israel be mingled from tribe into tribe For al men shal marrie wiues of their owne tribe and kinred â and al wemen shal take husbandes of the same tribe that the inheritance may remaine in the families â and that the tribes be not mingled among themselues but remaine so â as they were separated by our Lord. And the daughters of Salphaad did as it had beene commanded â and Maala and Thersa and Hegla and Melcha and Noa were married to the sonnes of their vncle by their father â of the familie of Manasses who was the sonne of Ioseph and the possession that had beene allotted to them remained in the tribe and familie of their father â These are the commandementes and iudgementes which our Lord commanded by the hand of Moyses to the children of Israel in the champion countries of Moab vpon Iordan against Iericho ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXXVI 4. Distribution of lottes By reason
the Land which the Lord your God wil geue you that you may haue and possesse it â See therfore that you fulfil the ceremonies and iudgementes which I shal sette this day in your sight CHAP. XII Al idolatrie and whatsoeuer apperteineth therto must be destroyed 5. Sacrifices tithes and donaries must be offered in the special place 15. Eating flesh they must not eate the bloud 29. In no case to imitate the idolatrie of gentiles THESE are the preceptes and iudgementes that you must do in the Land which the Lord God of thy fathers wil geue thee to possesse it al the daies that thou shalt goe vpon the earth â Subuert al places wherein the nations which you shal possesse worshipped their goddes vpon the high mountaines and hilles and vnder euerie tree ful of leaues â Ouerthrow their altares and breake their statues their groues burne with fire and their Idols hewe al to peeces destroy their names out of those places â You shal not doe so to the Lord your God â but to the place which the Lord your God hath chosen of al your tribes to put his name there and to dwel in it shal you come â and shal offer in that place your holocaustes and victimes the tithes and first fruites of your handes and your vowes and donaries the first borne of your oxen and sheepe â And you shal eate there in the sight of the Lord your God and you shal reioyce in al thinges whereunto you shal put your hand you and your house wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you â You shal not doe there the thinges that we doe here this day euerie man that which seemeth good to him self â For vntil this present time you are not come to rest and to the possession which the Lord your God wil geue you â You shal passe ouer Iordan and shal dwel in the Land which the Lord your God wil geue you that you may haue rest from al enemies round about and may dwel without al feare â in the place which the Lord your God shal choose that his name may be therin Thither shal you bring al the thinges that I command you holocaustes and hostes and tithes and the first fruites of your handes and whatsoeuer is the principal in the giftes that you shal vowe to our Lord. â There shal you feaste before the Lord your God you and your sonnes and daughters men seruantes and wemen seruantes and the Leuite that dwelleth in your cities for he hath no other part and possession among you â Beware thou offer not thy holocaustes in euerie place that thou shalt see â but in that which our Lord shal choose in one of thy tribes shalt thou offer hostes and shalt doe what thinges soeuer I command thee â But if thou wilt eate and the eating of flesh delight thee kil and eate according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which he hath geuen thee in thy cities whether it be vncleane that is to say blemished and feeble or cleane that is to say sound and without blemish such as is lawful to be offered as the doa and the hart shalt thou eate it â only without eating of the bloud which thou shalt power out vpon the earth as water â Thou canst not eate in thy townes the tithe of thy corne and wine and oyle the first borne of thy heardes and cattel and al thinges that thou vowest and that thou wilt offer voluntarily and the first fruites of thy handes â but before the Lord thy God shalt thou eate them in the place which the Lord thy God shal choose thou and thy sonne and thy daughter and man seruant and woman seruant and the Leuite that dwelleth in thy cities and thou shalt reioyce and be refreshed before the Lord thy God in al thinges whereunto thou shalt extend thy hand â Take heede thou forsake not the Leuite al the time that thou liuest in the land â When the Lord thy God shal haue dilated thy borders as he hath spoken to thee and thou wilt eate the flesh that thy soule desireth â and if the place be farre of which the Lord thy God shal choose that his name may be there thou shalt kil of the heardes and cattel which thou hast as I haue commanded thee and shalt eate in thy townes as it pleaseth thee â As the doa is eaten and the hart so shalt thou eate them both the cleane and vncleane shal eate in common â This onlie beware that thou eate not the bloud for their bloud is for the soule and therfore thou must not eate the soule with the flesh â but vpon the earth thou shalt power it as water â that it may be wel with thee and thy children after thee when thou shalt doe that which pleaseth in the sight of our Lord. â But the thinges which thou hast sanctified and vowed to our Lord thou shalt take vp and shalt come to the place which our Lord shal choose â and shalt offer thy oblations the flesh and the bloud vpon the altar of the Lord thy God the bloud of thy hostes thou shalt power on the altar and the flesh thy self shalt eate â Obserue and heare al thinges that I command thee that it may be wel with thee and thy children after thee for euer when thou shalt doe that which is good and pleasing in the sight of the Lord thy God â When the Lord thy God shal haue destroyed before thy face the nations that thou entrest in to possesse and thou shalt possesse them and dwel in their land â beware lest thou imitate them after they be subuerted at thy entring in and thou require their ceremonies saying As these nations haue worshipped their goddes so wil I also worshippe â Thou shalt not doe in like maner to the Lord thy God For al the abominations that our Lord doeth abhorre haue they done to their goddes offering their sonnes and daughters and burning them with fyre â What I command thee that onlie doe to our Lord neither adde any thing nor diminish ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 32 That only do to our Lord. VVheras the Gentiles offered their sonnes and daughters v. 31. and other abominable sacrifices to Idols God commandeth his people to offer those things only which are prescribed by the law and neither to imolate anie other thing nor exclude anie thing appointed by the same law for sacrifice As for other preceptes it is likewise forbid to adde or diminish anie thing that may corrupt the law but was euer lawful for Superiors to adde more preceptes agreable and not contrarie to the former So King Dauid established a new law that such as stayed with the baggage should haue like portion of the praye with those that fought in battel 1. Reg. 30. And our Sauiour by his presence Ioan 10 approued the feast of dedication instituted long after Moyses law 1. Machab 4. CHAP. XIII False Prophets must be slaine
Og in Basan which reigned in Astaroth and Edrai he was of the reliques of the Raphaims and Moyses stroke and destroyed them â And the children of Israel would not destroy Gessuri and Machati and they haue dwelt in the middes of Israel vntil this present day â But to the tribe of Leui he gaue no possession but the sacrifices and victimes of our Lord the God of Israel that is his inheritance as he spake to him â Moyses therfore gaue possession to the children of Ruben according to their kinredes â And their border was from Aroer which is situate on the banke of the torrent Arnon and in the middes of the valley of the same torrent al the plaine that leadeth to Medaba â and Hesebon and al their villages which are in the champayne Dibon also and Bamothbaal and the towne Baââmaon â and Iassa and Cedimoth and Mephaath â and Cariathaim and Sabama and Sarathasar in the mountaine of the Valley â Bethfogor and Asedoth Phasga and Bethiesimoth â and al the champayne cities and al the Kingdomes of Sehon the King of the Amorrheite that reigned in Hesebon whom Moyses stroke with the princes of Ma ian the Heueite Recem and Sur and Hur and Rebe Dukes of Sehon inhabitantes of the Land â And Balaam the sonne of Beor the soothsayer did the children of Israel kil by the sword with the rest that were slayne â And the riuer of Iordan was made the border of the children of Ruben This is the possession of the Rubenites by their kinredes of cities and villages â And Moyses gaue to the tribe of Gad and to his children possession by their kinredes the diuision wherof is this â The border of Iaser and al the cities of Galaad and the half part of the Land of the children of Ammon as farre as Aroer which is against Rabba â and from Hesebon vnto Ramoth Masphe and Betonim and from Manaim vnto the borders of Dabir â In the valley alo Bethhara and Bethnemra and Socoth and Saphon the other part of the Kingdom of Sehon the King of Hesebon the end of this also is Iordan vnto the vttermost part of the sea Cenereth beyond Iordan on the east side â This is the possession of the children of Gad by their families their cities and villages â He gaue also to the half tribe of Manasses and their children possession according to their kinredes â the beginning wherof is this from Manaim al Basan and al the kingdoms of Og the King of Basan and al the villages of Iair which are in Basan threescore townes â And the half part of Galaad and Astaroth and Edrai cities of the kingdom of Og in Basan to the children of Machir the sonne of Manasses to the half part of the children of Machir according to their kinredes â This possessioÌ diuided Moyses in the champayne countries of Moab beyond Iordan against Iericho on the East side â But to the tribe of Leui he gaue no possession because our Lord the God of Israel him self is their possession as he spake to them CHAP. XIIII Caleb of the tribe of Iuda sâing some knew their lottes already and that the whole land was now to be diuided 6. demandeth according to Gods promise made by Moyses for his true and good report of the same land when he with others viewed it that Hebron be geuen him and his seede to inherite 13. which Iosue confirmeth vnto him THIS is it which the children of Israel possessed in the Land of Chanaan which Eleazar the priest and Iosue the sonne of Nun the princes of the families by the tribes of Israel gaue to them â diuiding al thinges by lotte as our Lord had commanded in the hand of Moyses to the nine tribes and the half tribe â For to two tribes and a half Moyses had geuen possession beyond Iordan besides the Leuites which receiued no land among their brethren â but into their place succeded the children of Ioseph diuided into two tribes of Manasses and Ephraim neither did the Leuites receiue other portion in the Land but cities to inhabite and their suburbes to feede their beastes and cattel â As our Lord had commanded Moyses so did the children of Israel and they diuided the Land â Therfore the children of Iuda came to Iosue in Galgal and Caleb the sonne of Iephone the Cenezeite spake to him Thou knowest what our Lord spake to Moyses the man of God concerning me thee in Cadesbarne â Fourtie yeares old was I when Moyses the seruant of our Lord sent me from Cadesbarne to view the Land and I reported to him that which to me semed true â But my brethren that had gone vp with me discouraged the hart of the people and I neuertheles folowed our Lord my God â And Moyses sware in that day saying The Land which thy foote hath troden shal be thy possession and thy childrens for euer because thou hast folowed our Lord my God â Our Lord therfore hath granted me life âs he promised vntil this present day It is fourtie and fiue yeares since our Lord spake this worde to Moyses when Israel walked through the wildernes this day am I eightie and fiue yeares old â so âustie as I was at that time when I was sent to view the strength of that time contineweth in me vntil this day as wel to fight as to goe â Geue me therfore this mountaine which our Lord promised thy selfe also hearing it wherein are the Enacims and great cities and fensed if perhaps our Lord be with me and I shal be able to destroy them as he promised me â And Iosue blessed him and deliuered to him Hebron in possession â And from thence forth Hebron belonged to Caleb the sonne of Iephone the Cenezeite vntil this present day because he folowed our Lord the God of Israel â The name of Hebron before was called Cariath Arbe Adam the greatest among the Enacims was layd there and the Land ceased from battels CHAP. XV. The borders of the lotte of Iuda 13. including Calebs particular inheritance 16. out of which he geueth Cariath Sepher and his daughter to Othoniel for winning it 21. with the names of the cities therof 63. the Iebuseite yet dwelling with Iuda in Hierusalem THERFORE the lotte of the children of Iudas by their kinredes was this From the border of Edom vnto the desert of Sin against the South and vnto the vttermost part of the south coaste â the beginning therof was from the toppe of the most salt sea and from the brinke therof that looketh to the South â And it goeth forth against the Ascent of the Scorpion and passeth through into Sina and ryseth vp into Cadesbarne reacheth into Esron ascending to Addar and coÌpassing Carcaa â and thence passing through into Asemona and reaching to the Torrent of Aegypt and the borders therof shal be the great sea this shal be the end of the south coast â
made an end of diuiding the Land by lotte to euerie one by their tribes the children of Israel gaue possession to Iosue the sonne of Nun in the middes of them â according to the commandement of our Lord the citie which he requested Thamnath Saraa in mount Ephraim and he built the citie and dwelt in it â These are the possessions which Eleazar the priest and Iosue the sonne of Nun and the princes of the families and of the tribes of the children of Israel diuided by lotte in Silo before our Lord at the doore of the tabernacle of testimonie and they parted the Land CHAP. XX. Six cities of refuge for such as commit casual manslaughter are named 6 in which remayning til the death of the high priest they may then returne to their proper dwelling place and be safe AND our Lord spake to Iosue saying Speake to the children of Israel and say to them â Separate the cities of the fugitiues of the which I spake to you by the hand of Moyses â that he may flee to them whosoeuer shal strike a soule vnwitting and may escape the wrath of the nigh kinseman which is the reuenger of bloud â when he shal be fled to one of these cities he shal stand before the gate of the citie and shal speake to the ancientes of that citie those thinges that may proue him selfe innocent and so they shal receiue him and geue him place to inhabite â And when the reuenger of the bloud shal pursew him they shal not deliuer him into his handes because he stroke his neighbour by ignorance neitheir is he proued to be his enemie two or three dayes before â And he shal dwel in that citie til he stand before iudgement rendring a cause of his fact and the high priest die which shal be at that time then shal the manslaer returne and enter into the citie and his house out of the which he had fled â And they appointed Cedes in Galilee of the mount of Nepthali and Sichem in the mount of Ephraim and Cariatharbee the same is Hebron in the mount of Iuda â And beyond Iordan against the East quarter of Iericho they appointed Bosor which is situated in the champaine wildernes of the tribe of Ruben and Ramoth in Galaad of the tribe of Gad and Gaulon in Basan of the tribe of Manasses â These cities were appointed to al the children of Israel and to the strangesrs that dwelt among them that he might flee to them which vnwittingly had striken a soule and might not die in the hand of the kinseman coueâing to reuenge the bloud shed vntil he might stand before the people to declare his cause CHAP. XXI Cities with suburbes are assigned to the tribe of Leui. 4. To the sonnes of Caath by the line of Aaron being priestes thirtenne 5. to the rest of Caaths progenie being Leuites tenne 6. To the sonnes of Gerson Leuites thirteâne 7. To the sonnes of Merari Leuites 34. of a lower degree twelue 9. with the names of al the cities 39. in al fourtie eight 41. So Gods promise is fully performed hauing geuen the whole Land to Israel in peaceable possession AND the princes of the families of the Leui came to Eleazar the priest and Iosue the sonne of Nun and to the chief of the kinredes in euerie tribe of the children of Israel â and they spake to them in Silo of the Land of Chanaan and said Our Lord commanded by the hand of Moyses that cities should be geuen vs to inhabite and their suburbes to feede cattel â And the children of Israel gaue of their possessions according to the commandement of our Lord cities and their suburbes â And the lotte came forth vnto the familie of Caath of the children of Aaron the priest out of the tribe of Iudas and Simeon and Beniamin thirtene cities â And to the rest of the children of Caath that is to the Leuites which remayned out of the tribes of Ephraim and Dan and the halfe tribe of Manasses ten cities â Moreouer to the children of Gerson came forth a lotte that they should take of the tribes of Issachar and Aser and Nephthali and the halfe tribe of Manasses in Basan cities in number thirtene â And to the sonnes of Merari by their kinredes of the tribe of Ruben and Gad and Zabulon twelue cities â and the children of Israel gaue to the Leuites cities and their suburbes as our Lord commanded by the hand of Moyses geuing to euerie one by lotte â Of the tribes of the children of Iudas and Simeon Iosue gaue cities whose names be these â to the children of Aaron by the families of Caath of the Leuitical stocke for the first lotte came forth to them â Cariatharbe the father of Enac which is called Hebron in the mountaine of Iudas and the suburbes therof round about â But the fieldes and the townes therof he had geuen to Caleb the sonne of Iephone to possesse â He gaue therfore to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron a citie of refuge and the suburbes therof Lobna with the suburbes therof â and Iether and Estemo â and Holon and Dabir â and Ain and Ieta and Bethsames with the suburbes therof nine cities of two tribes as hath bene said â And of the tribe of the children of Beniamin Gabaon and Gabae â and Anathoth and Almon with their suburbes foure cities â Al the cities together of the children of Aaron the priest thirtene with their suburbes â But to the rest by the families of the children of Caath of the Leuitical stocke was geuen this possession â Of the tribe of Ephraim the cities of refuge Sichem with the suburbes therof in the mountayne of Ephraim and Gazer â and Cibsaim and Beth horon with the suburbes therof foure cities â Of the tribe of Dan also Eltheco and Gabathon â and Aialon and Gethremmon with the suburbes therof foure cities â Moreouer of the half tribe of Manasses Thanac and Gethremmon with their suburbes two cities â Al the cities ten and their suburbes were geuen to the children of Caath of the inferiour degree â To the children of Gerson also of the Leuitical stocke he gaue of the half tribe of Manasses the cities of refuge Gaulon in Basan and Bosram with their suburbes two cities â Moreouer of the tribe of Issachar Cesion and Dabereth â and Iaramoth and Engannim with their suburbes foure cities â And of the tribe of Aser Masal and Abdon â and Helcath and Rohob with their suburbes foure cities â Of the tribe also of Nephthali the cities of refuge Cedes in Galilee and Hammoth Dor and Carthan with their suburbes three cities â Al the cities of the families of Gerson thirtene with their suburbes â And to the children of Merari Leuites of the inferiour degree by their families was geuen of the tribe of Zabulon Iecnam and Cartha â and Damna and Naalol foure cities with their suburbes â Of the tribe
men dying They fel and were ouerthrowen on the east side of the citie of Gabaa â And there were that were slaine in the same place eightene thousand men al most valiant warryers â Which when they had seene that were remayning of BeniamÃn they fled into the wildernes and went on to the rocke the name wherof is Remmon In that flight also stragling and going diuers waies they slew fiue thousand men And whereas they went farder they pursewed them and slew also other two thousand â And so it came to passe that al which were slaine of Beniamin in diuerse places were fiue and twentie thousand one hundred fighting men most prompt to warres â There remayned therfore of al the number of Beniamin that could escape and flee into the wildernes six hundred men and they abode in the Rocke Remmon foure monethes â But the children of Israel retyring stroke al the remaines of the citie with the sword from men euen to beastes and al the cities and villages of Beniamin the deuouring flame did consume CHAP. XXI The tribe of Beniamin is repayred 8. by foure hundred virgins reserued in the slaughter of Iabes Galaad 19. and by other virgins taken that come forth of Silo to daunce THE children of Israel sware also in Maspha and said None of vs shal geue of his daughters to the children of Beniamin to wife â And they came al to the house of God in Silo and sitting in his sight vntil euening lifted vp their voice and with great wayling beganne to weepe saying Wherfore ô Lord God of Israel is this euil done in thy people that this day one tribe should be taken away out of vs â And on the morrow rising early they built an altar and offered there holocaustes and pacifique victimes and said â Who hath not ascended in the hoste of our Lord of al the tribes of Israel For they had bound them selues with a great othe when they were in Maspha that they should be slayne which had beene wanting â And the children of Israel being moued with repentance vpon their brother Beniamin beganne to say One tribe is taken away out of Israel â whence shal they take wiues For we haue al sworne in common that we wil not geue our daughters to them â Therfore they said Who is there of al the tribes of Israel that went not vp to our Lord into Maspha And behold the inhabitantes of Iabes Galaad were found not to haue bene in that armie â At that time also when they were in Silo none of them was found there â They sent therfore ten thousand the strongest men and commanded them Goe and strike the inhabitantes of Iabes Galaad in the edge of the sword as wel their wiues as their litle ones â And this shal be it which you shal obserue Al of the male kinde and wemen that haue knowen men kil ye but the virgins reserue â And there were found of Iabes Galaad foure hundred virgins that knew not mans bedde and they brought them to the campe in Silo into the Land of Chanaan â And they sent messengers to the children of Beniamin that were in Rocke Remmon and commanded them that they should receiue them in peace â And the children of Beniamin came at that time and there were geuen vnto them wiues of the daughters of Iabes Galaad but others they found not which they might geue them in like maner â And al Israel was very sorie and repented for the killing of one tribe out of Israel â And the ancientes said What shal we doe to the rest that haue not taken wiues For al the wemen in Beniamin are dead â And we must very carefully and with great studie prouide that one tribe be not destroyed out of Israel â For our owne daughters we can not geue them being bound with an oath and a curse wherby we said Cursed be he that shal geue to Beniamin anie of his daughters to wife And they tooke counsail and said Behold there is an anniuersaire solemnitie of our Lord in Silo which is situate on the North of the citie of Bethel on the East side of the way that goeth from Bethel to Sichem and on the South of the towne of Lebona â And they commanded the children of Beniamin and said Goe and lie hidde in the vineyardes â And when you shal see the daughters of Silo come forth after the maner to lead daunses issue forth sodenly out of the vineyardes and catch of them euerie one his wife and goe into the Land of Beniamin â And when their fathers shal come and their brethren and shal beginne to complaine against you and to chide we wil say to them Haue pittie on them for they tooke them not away by the right of warryers and conquerours but when they desired to receiue them you gaue them not and on your part the fault was committed â And the children of Beniamin did as it had beene commanded them and according to their number they tooke away to them selues of those that ledde the daunses euerie one his wife and they went into their possession building cities and dwelling in them â The children of Israel also returned by their tribes and families into their tabernacles In those daies there was not a King in Israel but euerie one did that which semed right to him selfe THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKE OF RVTH AMONGST other thinges that happened to the people of Israel in the time of the Iudges this historie of Ruth to witt her coming from Moab her conuersion to true Religion godlie conuersation and mariage with Booz of the tribe of Iuda is recorded as a more principal matter For that not onlie king Dauid but consequently also our SAVIOVR the Redemer of mankind descended from her VVherby was fore signified that as saluation thus proceded from the Gentiles together with the Iewes so the Gentiles are made partakers of the same grace More clerly prophecied as S. Hierom noteth by Isai cap. 16. saying Send forth ô Lord the lambe the Ruler of the earth from the Rocke of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Sion That is from Ruth the gentile to Hierusalem or rather to the Church This mariage of Ruth came to passe about the time of Abesan Iudge The booke was written as is most probable by Samuel and is diuided into foure chapters whose contentes folow in their places THE BOOKE OF RVTH CHAP. I. By occasion of famine Elimelech of Bethleem going with his wife Noemi and two sonnes into the Land of Moab there dieth 4. His sonnes marrie wiues of that countrie and die without issue 6. Noemi returning homewardes hardly perswadeth one of her daughters in law to part from her 15. The other called Ruth wil needes goe with her professing the same God and Religion 19. So these two arriue in Betheleem IN the dayes of one Iudge when the Iudges ruled there came a famine in the Land And there went a
emeroides and the similitudes of the mise that haue destroied the land and you shal geue glorie to the God of Israel if perhaps he wil lighten his hand from you and from your goddes and from your land â Why doe you harden your hartes as Aegypt and Pharao did harden their hart did not he after he was striken then dimisse them and they departed â Now therfore take and make one new wayne and two kine hauing calued on which there hath no yoke beene put couple in the wayne and shut vp their calues at home â And you shal take the arke of the Lord and put it in the wayne and the vessels of gold which you haue payed him for sinne you shal put into a litle casket at the side thereof and dimisse it that it may goe â And you shal looke and if so be that it shal goe vp by the way of his coastes against Bethsames he hath donne vs this great euil but if not we shal know that his hand hath not touched vs but it hath happened by chance â They therefore did in this maner and taking two kine that had sucking calues yoked them to the wayne and shut vp their calues at home â And they layd the arke of God vpon the wayne and the litle casket that had the golden mise and the similitudes of emeroides â And the kine went directly by the way that leadeth to Bethsames and they went one way going forward and lowing and they declined not neither to the right hand nor to the left but the princes also of the Philistijms folowed vnto the borders of Bethsames â Moreouer the Bethsamites reaped wheat in the valley and lifting vp their eies they saw the arke and were gladde when they had seene it â And the wayne came into the field of Iosue the Bethsamite and stoode there And there was a great stone and they did cut the wood of the wayne and layed the kine vpon it an holocaust to our Lord. â And the Leuites tooke downe the arke of God and the litle casket that was at the side of it wherin were the vessels of gold and they put it vpon the great stone The men also of Bethsames offered holocaustes and immolated victimes that day to our Lord. â And the fiue princes of the Philistijms saw and returned into Accaron that day â And these are the golden emeroides which the Philistijms rendred for sinne to our Lord Azotus one Gaza one Ascalon one Geth one Accaron one â and the golden mise according to the number of the cities of the Philistijms of the fiue prouinces from walled citie vnto towne that was without wal and vnto Abel the great wherupon they put the arke of our Lord which was vntil that day in the field of Iosue the Bethsamite â But he stroke of the men of Bethsames for that they had seene the arke of our Lord and he stroke of the people seuentie men and fiftie thousand of the common people And the people mourned because our Lord had striken the common people with a great plague â And the men of Bethsames sayd Who shal be able to stand in the sight of our Lord God this holie one and to whom shal he goe vp from vs â And they sent messengers to the inhabitantes of Caria Thiarim saying The Philistijms haue brought backe the arke of our Lord come downe fetch it backe vnto you CHAP. VII The Arke is brought to the house of Abinadab in Gabaa 3. By Samuels exhortation the people cast away the idols and serue only God 10. Samuel offering sacrifice and praying Israel preuaileth against the Philisthijms THEREFORE the men of Caria Thiarim came and brought backe the arke of our Lord and caried it into the house of Abinadab in Gaaba And Eleazar his sonne they sanctified that he might keepe the arke of our Lord. â And it came to passe from the day that the arke of our Lord abode in Caria Thiarim the dayes were multiplied for it was now the twentith yeare and al the house of Israel rested after our Lord. â And Samuel spake to al the house of Israel saying If you turne to our Lord in al your hart take away the strange goddes out of the middes of you Baalim and Astaroth and prepare your hartes to our Lord and serue him only and he wil deliuer you from the hand of the Philisthijms â Therefore the children of Israel tooke away Baalim and Astaroth and serued our Lord only â And Samuel sayd Gather together al Israel into Masphath that I may pray our Lord for you â And they assembled into Masphath and they drew water and powred it out in the sight of our Lord and they fasted that day and sayd there We haue sinned to our Lord. And Samuel iudged the children of Israel in Masphath â And the Philisthijms heard that the children of Israel were gathered together into Masphath and the princes of the Philisthijms went vp to Israel Which when the children of Israel had heard they were afrayde at the face of the Philisthijms â And they said to Samuel cease not to crie to our Lord God for vs that he saue vs from the hand of the Philisthims â And Samuel tooke one sucking lambe and offered iâ a whole holocauste to our Lord and Samuel cried to our Lord for Israel and our Lord heard him â And it came to passe when Samuel offered the holocauste the Philisthijms beganne battel against Israel but our Lord thundered with a great noise in that day vpon the Philisthijms and terrified them and they were slaine before the face of Israel â And the men of Israel issuing out of Masphath pursued the Philisthijms and stroke them vnto the place that was vnder Bethcar â And Samuel tooke one stone and layd it betwen Masphath and Sen and he called the name of that place The stone of helpe And he sayd Thus farre hath our Lord holpen vs. â And the Philistijms were humbled neither added they any more to come into the borders of Israel Therefore the hand of our Lord was made vpon the Philistijms al the dayes of Samuel â And the cities which the Philistijms had taken from Israel were rendred to Israel from Accaron vnto Geth and their borders and âe deliuered Israel from the hand of the Philistijms and there was peace betwen Israel and thâ Amorrheite â Samuel also âudged Israel al the daies of his life â and he went euerie âeare circu ãâ¦ã Bethel and Galgala and Masphath and âudged Israel in the foresaid places â And he returned into Ramatha for there was his house and there he iudged Israel he built also there an altar to our Lord. CHAP. VIII Samuel growing old and his sonnes for bribes peruerting iudgement the people require to haue a king 7. âo Whom by Gods commandment Samuel forâheneth the law of a king to make them cease from their demand 19. but they persist therein AND it came to
compassed it ten cubites going about the lauatorie there were two rewes of chamfered forowed grauinges cast â And it stood vpon twelue oxen of which three looked to the North and three to the West and three to the South and three to the East and the sea was ouer them whose hinder parâââ were al âid inward â And the thickenes of the lauatorie wââ of âlrââ cââââs and the brimme therof as it were the brimme of a chalice and the leafe of crisped lilie it contayned two thousand bates â And he made ten brasen seete of foure cubites in length euerie foote and foure cubites in bredth and three cubites in height â And the verie worke it selfe of the feete was entergrauen and enterg ãâ¦ã betwen the ioyntures â And betwen the litle crownes and the playtes lions and oxen and cherubs and in the ioyntures likewise aboue and vnder the lions and oxen as it were âââdes of brasse hanging downe â And foure wheeles at euerie foote and axeltrees of brasse and at foure âides as it were litle shoulders vnder the lauatorie cast looking one against an other â The mouth also of the lauatorie was inward in the toppe of the head and that which appeared outward was of one cubite al round and together it had one cubite a halfe and in the corners of the pillers were diuers engrauinges and the middle enterpillers square not round â The foure wheeles also which were at the foure corners of a foote ioyned one to an other vnder the foote one wheele had in height a cubite and a halfe â And they were such wheeles as are accustomed to be made in a chariote and their axeltrees and spokes and strakes and naues al cast â For those foure litle shoulders also at euerie corner of one foote were cast out of the foote and ioyned together â And in the toppe of the foote was a certayne roundnes of halfe a cubite so wrought that the lauatorie might be put thereon haââ the engrauinges therof and diuerse caruinges of it self ãâ¦ã graued also in those fielinges which were of brasse and in the corners cherubs and lions and palmetrees as it wâââ ãâã the similitude of a man standing that they semed not to be engrauen but put to round about â After this maner made he ten feete of one casting and measure like grauing ãâ¦ã made also ten lauatories of brasse one lauatorie conteyned fourtie bates and it was of foure cubites also at euerie foote that is ten he put so manie lauatories â And he sette the ten feete fiue on the right side of the temple and fiue on the leaft and the sea âe put on the right side of the temple against the East toward the South â Hiram therfore made cauldrons and thoueles and litle pottes and perfected al the worke of king Salomon in the temple of our Lord. â Two pyllers and two cordes of the litle heades vpon the litle heades of the pyllers and two litle nettes to couer the two cordes that were ouer the heades of the pyllers â And foure hundred pomegranates in the two nettes two rewes of pomegramates in euerie nette to couer the cordes of the litle heades which were vpon the heades of the pyllers â And tenne feete and tenne lauatories vpon the feete â And one sea and twelue oxen vnder the sea â And cauldrons and shouels and litle pottes Al the vessels that Hiram made to king Salomon in the house of our Lord were of bright latten â In the champayne countrie of Iordan did the king cast those thinges in a clay ground betwen Sacoth and Sarthan â And Salomon placed al the vessel but for the exceding great multitude the brasse could not be weyed â And Salomon made al the vessels in the house of our Lord an altar of gold and a table wherupon the loaues of proposition should be put of gold â and candlestickes of gold fiue on the right hand and fiue on the leaft against the oracle of pure gold and as it were lilie floures and lampes aboue of gold and golden snuffers â and water pottes and fleshehookes and phiales and morters and censars of most pure gold and the ândges of doores of the inner Sanctum sanctorum and of the doores of the house of the temple were of gold â And Salomon perfected al the worke that he did in the house of our Lord and brought in the thinges that Dauid his father had sanctified siluer and gold and the vessel and layed them in the treasures of the house of our Lord. CHAP. VIII The arke is brought in and the temple dedicated 10. a glorious cloyvde replenisheth it 14. Salomon prayeth long to God 55. blesseth the people 62. and manie victimes are offered in this solemne festiuitie THEN were gathered together al the ancientes of Israel with the princes of the tribes and the heades of the families of the children of Israel to king Salomon into Ierusalem that they might carrie the Arke of the couenant of our Lord out of the citie of Dauid that is out of Sion â And al Israel assembled to king Salomon in the moneth of Ethanim on a solemne day that is the seuenth moneth â And al the ancientes of Israel came and the priestes tooke the arke â and caried the arke of our Lord and the tabernacle of couenant and al the vessels of the Sanctuarie that were in the tabernacle and the Priestes and the Leuites caried them â And king Salomon and al the multitude of Israel which was assembled vnto him went with him before the arke and they immolated sheepe and oxen without estimation number â And the priestes brought in the arke of the couenant of our Lord into his place into the oracle of the temple into Sanctum sanctorum vnder the winges of the cherubs â For the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place of the arke and couered the arke and the barres therof aboue â And whereas the barres stood out and the endes of them appeared without in the Sanctuarie before the oracle they appeared no farder outward which also were there vntil this present day â And in the arke there was nothing els but two tables of stone which Moyses put in it in Horeb when our Lord made the couenant with the children of Israel when they came out of the Land of Aegypt â And it came to passe when the priestes were gone out of the Sanctuarie a clowde filled the house of our Lord â and the priestes could not stand and minister for the clowde for the glorie of our Lord had filled the house of our Lord. â Then sayd Salomon Our Lord sayd that he would dwel in a clowde â Building I haue built a house for thy habitation thy most firme throne for euer â And the king turned his face and blessed al the church of Israel for al the church if Israel stood â And Salomon sayd Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel who spake
shalt geue mercie before them that shal haue them captiues that they may haue compassion on them â For they are thy people and thine inheritance whom thou hast brought out of the Land of Aegypt from the middes of the yron fornace â That thy eies be open to the petition of thy seruant and of thy people Israel thou heare them in al thinges for which they shal inuocate thee â For thou hast separated them to thee for an inheritance from al the peoples of the earth as thou hast spoken by Moyses thy seruant when thou didst bring our fathers out of Aegypt Lord God â And it came to passe when Salomon had accomplished praying to our Lord al this prayer and petition he rose from the sight of the altar of our Lord for he had fastened both knees on the ground and had spred his handes toward heauen â He stood therfore and blessed al the assemblie of Israel with a lowde voyce saying â Blessed be our Lord which hath geuen rest to his people Israel according to al thinges that he hath spoken there hath not fayled so much as one word of al the good thinges that he spake by Moyses this seruant â Be our Lord God with vs as he hath beene with our fathers not forsaking nor reiecting vs. â But incline he our hartes to him that we may walke in al his waies and keepe his commandementes and his ceremonies and iudgementes whatsoeuer he commanded our fathers â And be these my wordes wherewith I haue prayed before our Lord approching to our Lord God day and night that he may doe iudgement for his seruant and for his people Israel day by day â that al the peoples of the earth may knowe that our Lord he is God and there is none other besides him â Let our hart also be perfect with our Lord God that we walke in his decrees and keepe his coÌmandementes as also this day â Therfore the king and al Israel with him did immolate victimes besore our Lord. â And Salomon killed pacisâque hostes which he immolated to our Lord of oxen two and twentie thousand and of sheepe an hundred twentie thousand and they dedicated the temple of our Lord the king and the children of Israel â In that day the king sanctified the middes of the court that was before the house of our Lord for he made the holocaust there and sacrifice and fatte of the pacifiques because the brasen altar that was before our Lord was too litle and could not take the holocaust and sacrifice and fatte of the pacifiques â Salomon therfore made in that time a solemne festiuitie and al Israel with him a great multitude from the entrance of Emath vnto the Ryuer of Aegypt before our Lord God seuen daies and seuen daies that is fourtene daies â And in the eight day he dismissed the people Who blessing the king went into their tabernacles reioysing and with a ioysul hart for al the good thinges that our Lord had done to Dauid his seruant and to Israel his people CHAP. IX Our Lord appearing againe to Salomon 4. admonisheth him and his people to keepe the precepts 6. threatning punishment if they do not 10. The king of Tyre receiueth tvventie cities of Salomon but liketh them not 14. Salomon buildeth more cities and tovvnes 20. Maketh diuers nations tributarie 24. The Quene repayreth to her house 25. The king offereth victimes thrise euerie yeare 26. and fetcheth gold from Ophir AND it came to passe when Salomon had perfected the building of the house of our Lord the kinges house and al that he wished and would haue done â our Lord appeared to him the second time as he had appeared to him in Gabaon â And our Lord said to him I haue heard thy prayer thy petition which thou hast prayed before me I haue sanctified this house which thou hast built that I might put my name there for euer and myne eies and my hart shal be there alwaies â Thou also if thou wilt walke before me as thy father walked in simplicitie of hart and in equitie and wilt doe al thinges which I haue commanded thee and wilt keepe my ordinances and my iudgementes â I wil sette the throne of thy kingdom ouer Israel for euer as I haue spoken to Dauid thy father saying There shal not be taken away a man of thy stocke from the throne of Israel â But if by reuolting you and your children shal turne away not folowing me nor keeping my commandementes and my ceremonies which I haue proposed to you but shal goe and worshippe strange goddes and adore them â I wil take away Israel from the face of the land which I haue geuen them and the temple which I haue sanctified to my name I wil cast away from my sight and Israel shal be for a prouerbe and for a fable to al peoples â And this house shal be for an example euerie one that shal passe by it shal wonder and hisse and say Why hath the Lord done thus to this land and to this house â And they shal answere Because they haue forsaken the Lord their God which brought their fathers out of the Land of Aegypt and haue folowed strange goddes adored them and worshipped them therfore hath the Lord brought vpon them al this euil â And twentie yeares being complete after that Salomon had built the two houses that is the house of our Lord and the house of the king â Hiram the king of Tyre ministring to Salomon ceder trees firre trees and gold according to al that he had neede then Salomon gaue to Hiram twentie townes in the Land of Galilee â And Hiram went from Tyre to see the townes which Salomon had geuen him and they pleased him not â and he sayd Are these the cities which thou hast geuen me brother And he called them the land Chabul vntil this day â Hiram also sent to king Salomon an hundred and twentie talentes of gold â This is the summe of the expences which king Salomon offered to build the house of our Lord and his owne house and Mello and the wal of Ierusalem and Heser and Mageddo and Gazer â Pharao the king of Aegypt came vp and rooke Gazer and burnt it with fire And the Chananite that dwelt in the citie he slewe and gaue it for a dowrie to his daughter the wife of Salomon â Salomon therfore built Gazer and Bethhoron the lower â and Baalath and Palmiâa in the Land of the wildernes â And al the villages that perteyned to him and were without wal he fensed and the cities of the chariotes and the cities of the horsemen and whatsoeuer pleased him to build in Ierusalem and in Libanus and in al the land of his dominion â Al the people that was remayning of the Amorrheites and Hetheites and Pherezeites and Heueites and Iebuseites that are not of the children of Israel â their children that were remayning in the
prophetes about foure hundred men and he sayd to them Shal I goe into Ramoth Galaad to fight or sitte stil Who answered Goe vp and our Lord wil geue it into the kinges hand â And Iosaphat sayd Is there not here some prophete of our Lord that we may aske by him â And the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat There is one man leaft by whom we may aske our Lord but I hate him because he doeth not prophecie vnto me good but euil Micheas the sonne of Iemla To whom Iosaphat sayd Speake not so ô king â The king of Israel therfore called a certaine eunuch and sayd to him Make hast and bring hither Micheas the sonne of Iemla â And the king of Israel and Iosaphat the king of Iuda sate eche in his throne clothed with royal attyre in a court beside the doore of the gate of Samaria and al the prophetes prophecied before them â Sedecias the sonne of Chanaana made him self hornes of yron and sayd Thus sayth our Lord With these shalt thou strike Syria til thou destroy it â And al the prophetes in like maner prophecied saying Ascend into Ramoth Galaad and goe prosperousely our Lord wil deliuer it into the Kinges handes â But the messenger that went to cal Micheas spake to him saying Behold the wordes of the prophetes with one mouth preach good thinges to the king let thy word therfore be like to theirs and speake good thinges â To whom Micheas sayd Our Lord liueth whatsoeuer our Lord shal tel me that wil I speake â He therfore came to the king and the king sayd to him Micheas shal we goe into Ramoth Galaad to sight or sitte stil To whom he answered Ascend and goe prosperousely and our Lord wil deliuer it into the kinges handes â But the king sayd to him I adiure thee agayne and agayne that thou speake not to me but that which is true in the name of our Lord. â And he sayd I saw al Israel dispersed in the mountaynes as sheepe not hauing a shepeheard and our Lord sayd These haue no maister let euerie man returne into his house in peace â Therfore the king of Israel sayd to Iosaphat Did I not tel thee that he doeth not prophecie me good but alwaies euil â But he adding sayd Therfore heare the word of our Lord I saw our Lord sitting vpon his throne and al the hoste of heauen assisting him on the right hand and on the left â and our Lord sayd Who shal deceiue Achab the king of Israel that he may goe vp and fal in Ramoth Galaad And one sayd these maner of wordes and an other otherwise â And there came forth a spirit and stood before our Lord and sayd I wil deceiue him To whom our Lord spake Wherein â And he sayd I wil goe forth and be a lying spirit in the mouth of al his prophetes And our Lord sayd Thou shalt deceiue and shalt preuayle goe forth and doe so â Now therfore behold our Lord hath geuen the spirite of lying in the mouth of al thy prophetes that are here and our Lord hath spoken euil agaynst thee â And Sedecias the sonne of Chananna came and smote Micheas on the cheeke and sayd Hath the Spirit of our Lord leaft me and hath it spoken to thee â And Micheas sayd Thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt enter into thy chamber within the chamber to be hid â And the king of Israel sayd Take Micheas and let him tarie with Amon the gouernour of the citie and with Ioab the sonne of Amelech â and tel them Thus sayth the king Cast this man into prison and feede him with bread of tribulation and water of distresse til I returne in peace â And Micheas sayd If thou returne in peace our Lord hath not spoken in me And he sayd Heare al ye peoples â Therfore the king of Israel went vp and Iosaphat the king of Iuda into Ramoth Galaad â The king of Israel therfore sayd to Iosaphat Take armour and goe into the battel and put on thyne owne garmentes Moreouer the king of Israel changed his habite and went into the battel â And the king of Syria had commanded the princes of his chariotes thirtie and two saying You shal not fight agaynst any lesser or greater but agaynst the king of Israel onlie â When therfore the princes of the chariotes had seene Iosaphat they suspected that he was the king of Israel and making a violent assault they fought agaynst him Iosaphat cried out â And the princes of the chariotes perceiued that he was not the king of Israel and they ceased from him â And a certaine man bent his bow directing the arrow at al aduenture and by chance he stroke the king of Israel betwen the lunges and the stomacke But he sayd to his cochere Turne thy hand and carrie me out of the armie because I am greuousely wounded â The battel therfore was fought that day and the king of Israel stood in his chariote agaynst the Syrians and he died in the euening the bloud of the wound ranne into the middes of the chariote â and the herauld sounded in al the armie before the sunne sette saying Euerie man returne into his citie and into his countrie â And the king died and was carried into Samaria and they buried the king in Samaria â and washed his chariote in the poole of Samaria and the dogges licked his bloud and they washed the raynes of the bridle according to the word of our Lord which he had spoken â But the rest of the wordes of Achab and al that he did and the house of yuorie that he built and of al the cities that he built are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel â Achab therfore slept with his fathers and Ochozias his sonne reigned for him â But Iosaphat the sonne of Asa began to reigne ouer Iuda the fourth yeare of Achab the king of Israel â Fiue and thirtie yeares old was he when he began to reigne and fiue and twentie yeares he reigned in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Azuba the daughter of Salai â And he walked in al the way of Asa his father and he declined not from it and he did that which was right in the sight of our Lord. â But yet he tooke not away the excelses for as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense in the excelses â And Iosaphat had peace with the king of Israel â But the rest of the wordes of Iosaphat and his workes which he did and his battels are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda â Yea and the remnant of the effeminate which remayned in the daies of Asa his father he tooke out of the land â Neither was there then a king appoynted in Edom. â But king Iosaphat had made nauies
Eliseus went from Galgal â And Elias sayd to Eliseus Sitte here because our Lord hath sent me as far as Bethel To whom Eliseus sayd Our Lord liueth and thy soule liueth I wil not leaue thee And when he was come downe to Bethel â the children of the prophetes that were in Bethel went forth to Eliseus and sayd to him Doest thou know that this day our Lord wil take thy maister from thee Who answered I also know it hold your peace â And Elias sayd to Eliseus Sitte here because our Lord hath sent me into Iericho And he sayd Our Lord liueth thy soule liueth I wil not leaue thee And when they were come to Iericho â the children of the prophetes that were in Iericho came to Eliseus and sayd to him Doest thou know that this day our Lord wil take away thy maister from thee And he sayd I also know it hold your peace â And Elias sayd to him Sitte here because our Lord hath sent me as farre as Iordan Who sayd Our Lord liueth and thy soule liueth I wil not leaue thee They went therfore both together â fiftie men of the children of the prophetes folowed them who also stood ouer agaynst them farre of but they two stood vpon Iordan â And Elias tooke his mantel and folded it together and smote the waters which were diuided into two partes and they both passed ouer by the drie land â And when they were ouer Elias sayd to Eliseus Aske what thou wilt haue me to doe for thee before I be taken from thee And Eliseus sayd I besech thee that in me may be thy duble spirit â who answered Thou hast asked a hard thing Neuerthelesse if thou see me when I shal be taken from thee thou shalt haue that thou hast asked but if thou see me not thou shalt not haue it â And when they went forward and going talked together behold a fyrie chariote and fyrie horses parted them two asunder and Elias ascended by a hurle winde into heauen â And Eliseus saw him and cried My father my father the chariote of Israel and the guider therof And he saw him no more and he tooke his garmentes and rent them in two peeces â And he tooke vp the mantel of Elias that was fallen to him and returning he stood vpon the banke of Iordan â and with the mantel of Elias that fel downe to him he smote the waters and they were not diuided And he sayd Where is the God of Elias now also and he smote the waters and they were diuided this way and that way and Eliseus passed ouer â And the children of the prophetes that were in Iericho ouer agaynst him seing him sayd The spirit of Elias hath rested vpon Eliseus And coming to meete him adored him flatte to the ground â and they sayd to him Behold there are with thy seruantes fiftie strong men that can goe and seeke thy maister lest perhaps the spirit of our Lord hath taken him and cast him vpon one of the mountaines or into one of the valleis Who sayd Send not â And they forced him til he agreed and sayd Send And they sent fiftie men Who when they had sought three daies found not â And they returned to him but he dwelt in Iericho and he sayd to them Did I not say to you Send not â The men also of the citie sayd to Eliseus Behold the habitation of this citie is verie good as thy selfe my lord perceiuest but the waters are very il and the ground barren â But he sayd Fetch me a new vessel and put salt into it Which when they had brought â going out to the fountayne of the waters he cast salt into it and sayd Thus sayth our Lord I haue amended these waters and death shal no more be in them nor barrennesse â The waters therfore were amended vntil this day according to the word of Eliseus which he spake â And from thence he went vp into Bethel when he went vp by the way little laddes came forth out of the citie and mocked him saying Come vp baldhead come vp baldhead â Who when he had looked backe he saw them cursed them in the name of our Lord and two beares came forth out of the forest tore of them two and fourtie boyes â and from thence he went into the mount of Carmel and from thence he turned into Samaria CHAP. III. Ioram king of Israel accompianed with the kinges of Iuda Edom fighteth against the king of Moab for not paying tribute according to their league 9. wanting waters 16. Eliseus procureth sufficient without raine and prophecieth victorie 21. The king of Moab deceiued by a vision is ouerthrowne in the fielde 26. then being besiged immolateth his first begotten sonne and the Israelites leaue the siege AND Ioram the sonne of Achab reigned ouer Israel in Samaria the eightenth yeare of Iosaphat the king of Iuda And he reigned twelue yeares â And he did euil before our Lord but not as his father and mother for he tooke away the statues of Baal which his father had made â Neuertheles in the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat who made Israel to sinne he stucke fast and departed not from them â Moreouer Mesa the king of Moab nourished manie sheepe and he payed to the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambes and a hundred thousand rammes with their fleeces â And when Achab was dead he brake the league which he had made with the king of Israel â Therfore king Ioram went forth that day out of Samaria and mustered al Israel â And he sent to Iosaphat the king of Iuda saying The king of Moab is reuolted from me come with me against him to battel Who answered I wil come vp he that is mine is thine my people thy people my horses thy horses â And he said What way shal we goe vp but he answered By the desert of Idumea â Therfore the king of Israel and the king of Iuda and the king of Edom went forward and compassed seuen daies iourney neither was there water for the armie and the beastes that folowed them â And the king of Israel said Alas alas alas our Lord hath gathered vs three kinges together that he might deliuer vs into the handes of Moab â And Iosaphat said Is there not here a prophet of our Lord that we may besech our Lord by him And one of the seruantes of the king of Israel answered Here is Eliseus the sonne of Saphat which powred water vpon the handes of Elias â And Iosaphat sayd The word of our Lord is with him And the king of Israel went downe to him and Iosaphat the king of Iuda and the king of Edom. â And Eliseus said to the king of Israel What is to me and thee goe to the prophetes of thy father and thy mother And the king of Israel said to him Why hath our Lord gathered together these three kinges that he
24. The Syrians besiege Samaria 26. For extreme famine a mother eateth her child 31. And the king commandeth to kil Eliseus AND the children of the prophetes sayd to Eliseus Behold the place wherin we dwel before thee is streite for vs. â Let vs goe as far as Iotdan and take out of the wood euerie man some timber that we may build there a place to dwel in Who said Goe â And one of them sayd Come therfore thou also with thy seruantes He answered I wil come â And he went with them And when they were come to Iordan they cut wood â And it chanced that when one had cut downe timber the head of the axe fel into the water and he cried out and said Alas alas alas my lord this same also I did borow â And the man of God sayd where âel it and he shewed him the place he therfore cut of a pece of wood and cast it thither and the yron did swimme â and he said Take it vp Who stretched forth his hand and tooke it â And the king of Syria fought against Israel and tooke counsel with his seruantes saying In that and that place let vs lay embushementes â Therfore the man of God sent to the king of Israel saying Beware thou passe not into such a place because the Syrians are there in embushementes â The king of Israel therfore sent to the place which the man of God had told him and preuented him and looked wel to himself there not once or twise â And the hart of the king of Syria was trubled for this thing And calling together his seruantes he sayd Why doe you not tel me who is the betraier of me to the king of Israel â And one of his seruantes sayd Not so my lord king but Eliseus the prophet which is in Israel telleth the king of Israel al wordes whatsoeuer thou shalt speake in thy priuy chamber â And he sayd to them Goe and see where he is that I may send and take him And they told him saying Behold in Dothan â He therfore sent thither horses and chariotes and the force of his armie who when they were come in the night they besette the citie â And the seruant of the man of God rising early went out and saw an armie round about the citie and horses and chariotes and he told him saying Alas alas alas my lord what shal we doe â But he answered Feare not for there are more with vs then with them â And when Eliseus had prayed he sayd Lord open the eies of this man that he may see And our Lord opened the eies of the seruant and he behold and loe the mountaine ful of horses and of firie chariotes round about Eliseus â But the enemies went downe to him moreouer Eliseus prayed to our Lord saying Strike I besech thee this people with blindenesse And our Lord smote them that they saw not according to the word of Eliseus â And Eliseus sayd to them This is not the way neither is this the citie folow me I wil shew you the man whom you seeke He therfore led them into Samaria â and when they were entered into Samaria Eliseus said Lord open the eies of these men that they may see And our Lord opened their eies and they saw them selues to be in the middes of Samaria â And the king of Israel said to Eliseus when he had sene them Shal I strike them my father â And he said Thou shalt not strike them for thou didst not take them with thy sword and thy bow that thou mayst strike them but set bread and water before them that they may eate and drinke and goe to their maister â And a great preparation of meates was sette before them and they did eate and drinke and he dismissed them and they went away to their maister and the robbers of Syria came no more into the Land of Israel â And it came to passe after these thinges Benadad the king of Syria gathered together al his armie and went vp and besieged Samaria â And there was a great famine in Samaria and so long it was besieged til the head of an asse was sold for foure score siluer peeces the fourth part of a cabe of pigeons dung for fiue siluer peeces â And when the king of Israel passed by the wall a certayne woman cried out to him saying Saue me my lord king â Who sayd No our Lord saue thee how can I saue thee of the floore or of the presse And the king sayd to her What ayleth thee Who answered â This woman sayd to me Geue thy sonne that we may eate him to day my sonne we wil eate to morrow â We therfore boyled my sonne and did eate him And I sayd to her the next day Geue thy sonne that we may eate him Who hath hid her sonne â Which when the king had heard he rent his garmentes and passed by the wal And al the people saw the hearecloth which he ware next vpon his flesh â And the king sayd These thinges doe God to me and these adde he if the head of Eliseus the sonne of Saphat shal stand vpon him this day â But Eliseus sate in his house and the ancientes sate with him He therfore sent a man before and before that messenger came he sayd to the ancientes Doe you know that this murderers sonne hath sent to cut of my head See therfore when the messenger shal come shut the doore and suffer him not to enter in for behold the sound of his maisters feete is behinde him â Whiles he was yet speaking to them the messenger appeared which came to him And he sayd Behold this so great euil is of our Lord what shal I looke for more of our Lord CHAP. VII Eliseus prophecieth plentie of corne the next day and death to a chief man that wil not beleue it 3. Foure Lepers going to yeld themselues to the Syrians 6. who by Gods prouidence are frighted and fled away 9. bring newes therof to Samaria 12. which by trial is found true 16. And so there is plentie of corne and the incredulous nobleman is trod to death with presse of multitude in the gate as the prophet fortold AND Eliseus sayd Heare ye the word of our Lord Thus sayth our Lord At this time to morow a bushel of floure shal be at one stater and two bushels of barley at one stater in the gate of Samaria â One of the Dukes vpon whose hand the king leaned answearing the man of God sayd If our Lord shal make fludgates in heauen can that possibly be which thou speakest Who sayd Thou shalt see it with thine eies and shalt not eate therof â There were therfore foure men lepers beside the entrance of the gate who sayd one to an other What meane we to be here til we die â Whether we enter into the citie we shal die for famine or whether we tarie
the priestes did sacrifice from Gabaa vnto Bersabee and he destroyed the altars of the gates in the entrance of the doore of Iosue chief of the citie which was on the left hand of the gate of the citie â Howbeit the priestes of the excelses went not vp to the altar of our Lord in Ierusalem but only they did eate azimes in the middes of their brethren â He contaminated also Topheth which is in the Valley of the sonne of Ennom that no man should consecrate his sonne or daughter by fyre to Moloch â He tooke away also the horses which the kinges of Iuda had geuen to the Sunne in the entrance of the temple of our Lord beside the chamber of Nathanmelech the eunuch who was in Pharurim and the chariotes of the Sunne he burnt with fire â The altars also that were vpon the roofes of the vpper chamber of Achaz which the kinges of Iuda had made and the altars which Manasses had made in the two courtes of the temple of our Lord the king destroyed and he ranne from thence and sprinkled the ashes of them into the Torrent cedron â The excelses also that were in Ierusalem on the right side of the Mount of offence which Salomon the king of Israel had built to Astaroth the idol of the Sidonians and to Chamos the scandal of Moab and to Melchom the abomination of the children of Ammon the king destroyed â And he brake in peces the statues and cut downe the groues and he filled their places with the bones of dead men â Moreouer the altar also that was in Bethel and the excelse which Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat had made who made Israel to sinne and that altar and excelse he destroyed and burnt and brake into powder and the groue also he burnt â And Iosias turning saw there sepulchres that were in the mount and he sent and tooke the bones out of the sepulchres and burnt them vpon the altar and polluted it according to the word of our Lord which the man of God spake who had foretold these thinges â And he sayd What title is that which I see And the citizens of that citie answered It is the sepulchre of the man of God which came from Iuda and foretold these thinges which thou hast done vpon the altar of Bethel â And he sayd Let him alone let no man moue his bones And his bones remayned vntouched with the bones of the prophet that came out of Samaria â Moreouer al the temples of the excelses which were in the cities of Samaria which the kinges of Israel had made to prouoke our Lord Iosias tooke away and he did to them according to al the workes which he had done in Bethel â And he slew al the priestes of the excelses that were there vpon the altars and he burnt mens bones vpon them turned into Ierusalem â And he commanded al the people saying Make a Phase to our Lord your God according as it is writen in the booke of this couenant â For there was not such a Phase made from the daies of the Iudges which iudged Israel and of al the daies of the kinges of Israel and of the kinges of Iuda â as in the eightenth yeare of king Iosias this Phase was made to our Lord in Ierusalem â Yea and the Pythones and Southsayers and the images of idols and the filthes and the abominations that had bene in the land of Iuda and Ierusalem Iosias tooke away that he might establish the wordes of the law that were writen in the Booke which Helcias the priest found in the temple of our Lord. â There was no king before him like to him that returned to our Lord in al his hart in al his soule and in al his powre according to al the law of Moyses neither after him did there arise the like to him â But yet our Lord was not auerted from the wrath of his great furie wherwith his furie was wrath agaynst Iuda for the prouocations wherwith Manasses had prouoked him â Our Lord therfore sayd Iuda also wil I take away from my face as I haue taken away Israel and I wil reiect this citie which I chose Ierusalem and the house wherof I sayd My name shal be there â But the rest of the wordes of Iosias and al that he did are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda â In his dayes came vp Pharao Nechao the king of Aegypt agaynst the king of Assyrians to the riuer Euphrates and Iosias the king went to meete him and was slaine in Mageddo when he had seene him â And his seruantes caried him dead from Mageddo they brought him into Ierusalem and buried him in his sepulchre And the people of the land tooke Ioachaz the sonne of Iosias and they anoynted him and made him king for his father â Three and twentie yeares old was Ioachaz when he began to reigne and he reigned three ãâ¦ã in Ierusalem the name of his mother was A ãâ¦ã the daughter of Ieremie of Lobna â And he did euil before our Lord according to al thinges which his fathers had done â And Pharao Nechao bound him in Rebla which is in the land Emath that he should not reigne in Ierusalem and he lette a penaltie vpon the land an hundred talentes of siluer and a talent of gold â And Pharao Nechao made Eliacim king the sonne of Iosias for Iosias his father and turned his name Ioakim Moreouer he tooke Ioachaz and brought him into Aegypt and he died there â And Ioakim gaue the siluer and the gold to Pharao when he had taxed the land vpon euerie man that it might be payd according to the precept of Pharao and he exacted of euerie man according to his abilitie as wel siluer as gold of the people of the land to geue vnto Pharao Nechao â Fiue and twentie yeares old was Ioakim when he began to reigne and he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem the name of his mother was zebida the daughter of Phadaia of Ruma â And he did euil before our Lord according to al thinges which his fathers had done CHAP. XXIIII Ioakim serueth the king of Babylon three yeares 2. Manie rouers infest his countrie 5. He dieth and his sonne Ioachim reigneth 10. The king of Babylon carieth king Ioachim and al the chief persones and treasures into Babylon 17. appointing Matthanias whom he nameth Sedecias king of Iuda 20. VVho reuolâeth from the king of Babylon IN his daies came vp Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and Ioakim was made his seruant three yeares and he rebelled agaynst him againe â And our Lord senr in vpon him the rouers of the Chaldees and the rouers of Syria and the rouers of Moab the rouers of the children of Ammon and he sent them into Iuda to destroy it according to the word of our Lord which he had spoken by his seruantes
of Basan vnto Baal Hermon and Sanir and mount Hermon for the number was great â And these were the princes of the house of their kinred Epher and Iesi and Eliel and Esriel and Ieremia and Odoia and Iediel most valiant men and mightie and renowned princes in their families â But they forsooke the God of their fathers and fornicated after the goddes of the peoples of the land whom God tooke away before them â And the God of Israel raysed vp the spirit of Phul king of the Assyrians and the spirit of Thelgathphalnasar king of Assur and he transported Ruben and Gad and the halfe tribe of Manasses and brought them into Lahela and into Habor and to Ara and to the riuer of Gozan vntil this day CHAP. VI. The genealogies of Leui 4. with the right line of Aaron by Eleazar to Iosadech high priest in the captiuitie of Babylon 16. other progenies of his three sonnes Gerson Caath and Merari 31. with their offices in the temple 49. only Aarons sounes admitted to priesthood 54. Particular possessions of the Leuites dwelling amongst the other tribes THE sonnes of Leui Gerson Caath and Merari â The sonnes of Caath Amram Isaar Hebron and Oziel â The children of Amram Aaron Moyses and Maria. The sonnes of Aaron Nadab and Abiu Eleazar and Ithamar â Eleazar begat Phinees and Phinees begat Abisue â and Abisue begat Bocci Bocci begat Ozi â Ozi begat Zaraias and Zaraias begat Maraioth â Moreouer Meraioth begat aMARIAS and Amarias begat Achitob â Achitob begat Sadoc and Sadoc begat Achimaas â Achimaas begat Azarias Azarias begat Iohanan â Iohanan begat Azarias the same is he that executed the priestlie office in the house which Salomon built in Ierusalem â And Azarias begat Amarias and Amarias begat Achitob â and Achitob begat Sadoc and Sadoc begat Sellum â Sellum begat Helcias and Helcias begat Azarias â Azarias begat Saraias and Saraias begat Iosedec â Moreouer Iosedec went forth when our Lord transported Iuda and Ierusalem by the handes of Nabuchodonosor â The sonne then of Leui Gerson Caath and Merari â And these be the names of the sonnes of Gerson Lobni and Semei â The sonnes of Caath Amram and Isaar and Hebron and Oziel â The sonnes of Merari Moholi and Musi And these are the kinredes of Leui according to their families â Gerson Lobni his sonne Iahath his sonne Zamma his sonne â Ioah his sonne Addo his sonne Zara his sonne Iethrai his sonne â The sonnes of Caath Aminadab his sonne Core his sonne Asir his sonne â Elcana his sonne Abiasaph his sonne Asir his sonne â Thahath his sonne Vriel his sonne Ozias his sonne Saul his sonne â The sonnes of Elcana Amasai and Achimoth â and Elcana The sonnes of Elcana Sophai his sonne Nahath his sonne â Eliab his sonne Ieroham his sonne Elcana his sonne â The sonnes of Samuel the first begotten Vasteni and Abia. â And the sonnes of Merari Moholi Lobni his sonne Semei his sonne Oza his sonne â Sammaa his sonne Haggia his sonne Asaia his sonne â These are they whom Dauid appointed ouer the singing men of the house of our Lord since the Arke was placed â and they ministred before the tabernacle of testimonie singing vntil Salomon built the house of our Lord in Ierusalem and they stood according to their order in the ministerie â And these are they which aslisted with their sonnes of the sonnes of Caath Hemam singing man the sonne of Ioel the sonne of Samuel â the sonne of Elcana the sonne of Ieroham the sonne of Eliel the sonne of Thohu â the sonne of Suph the sonne of Elcana the sonne of Mahath the sonne of Amasai â the sonne of Elcana the sonne of Iohel the sonne of Azaries the sonne of Sophonias â the sonne of Thahath the sonne of Asir the sonne of Abiasaph the sonne of C'ore â the sonne of Isaar the sonne of Caath the sonne of Leui the sonne of Israel â And his brother Asaph who stood on his right hand Asaph the sonne of Barachias the sonne of Samaa â the sonne of Michael the sonne of Basaia the sonne of Melchia â the sonne of Athanai the sonne of Zara the sonne of Adaia â the sonne of Ethan the sonne of Zamma the sonne of Semei â the sonne of Ieth the sonne of Gerson the sonne of Leui. â And the children of Merari their brethren on the left hand Ethan the sonne of Cusi the sonne of Abdi the sonne of Maloch â the sonne of Hasabia the sonne of Amasia the sonne of Helcias â the sonne of Amasai the sonne of Boni the sonne of Somer â the sonne of Moholi the sonne of Mosi the sonne of Merari the sonne of Leui â Their brethren also the Leuites which were ordained for al the ministerie of the tabernacle of the house of our Lord. â But Aaron and his sonnes burnt incense vpon the altar of holocaust and vpon the altar of incense for euerie worke of Sancta Sanctorum and to pray for Israel according to al thinges which Moyses the seruant of God had commanded â And these are the sonnes of Aaron Eleazar his sonne Phinees his sonne Abisue his sonne â Bocci his sonne Ozi his sonne Zarahia his sonne â Meraioth his sonne Amarias his sonne Achitob his sonne â Sadoc his sonne Achimaas his sonne â And these are their habitations by the townes and confines to witte of the sonnes of Aaron according to the kinredes of the Caathites for they were fallen to them by lotte â They gaue therfore to them Hebron in the Land of Iuda and the suburbes therof round about â but the fieldes of the citie and the townes to Caleb the sonne of Iephone â Moreouer to the sonnes of Aaron they gaue cities to flee vnto Hebron and Lobna and the suburbes therof â Iether also and Esthemo with the suburbes therof yea Helon and Dabir with their suburbes â Asan also Bethsemes their suburbes â And of the tribe of Beniamin Gabee and the suburbes therof Almath with the suburbes therof Anothoth also with the suburbes therof al the cities thirtene by their kinredes â And to the children of Caath the residue of their kinred they gaue of the halfe tribe of Manasses in possession ten cities â Moreouer to the children of Gerson by their kinredes of the tribe of Issachar of the tribe of Aser and of the tribe of Nephthali and of the tribe of Manasses in Basan thirtene cities â And to the sonnes of Merari by their kinredes of the tribe of Ruben and of the tribe of Gad and of the tribe of Zabulon they gaue by lot twelue cities â Also the children of Israel gaue to the Leuites cities and their suburbes â and they gaue by lot of the tribe of the children of Iuda of the tribe of the children of Simeon and of the tribe of the children of Beniamin these cities which they called by their names â and to them that were of
euerie naile weighed fiftie sicles a peece the vpper chambers also he couered with gold â He made also in the house of Sanctum sanctorum two Cherubs of statuarie worke and he couered them with gold â The winges of the cherubs were extended twentie cubites so that one wing had fiue cubites and touched the wal of the house and the other hauing fiue cubites touched the wing of the other cherub â In like maner the wing of the other cherub had fiue cubites and touched the wal and his other wing of fiue cubites touched the wing of the other Cherub â Therfore the winges of both the cherubs were spred forth and were extended twentie cubites and they stoode vpright on their feete and their faces were turned to the vtter house â He made also a vele of hyacinth purple scarlet and silke woue in it cherubs â Before the doores also of the temple two pillers which had fiue and thirtie cubites in height moreouer their heades of fiue cubites â Moreouer also as it were litle chaynes in the oracle he put them to the heades of the pillers pomegranates also an hundred which he put betwen the litle chaynes â The pillers also them selues he put in the entrance of the temple one on the right hand and the other on the left that which was on the right hand he called Iachin and that on the left hand Boz CHAP. IIII. The formes of the brasen altar 2. of the lauatorie or Sea with figures of twelue oxen 6. of other tenne smal lauatories 7. tenne candlestickes 8. tenne tables and an hundred bassens a great hal for the Priestes 10. and other vessel and ornamentes of the Temple are described HE made also an altar of brasse of twentie cubites in length and of twentie cubites in bredth and of ten cubites in height â A Sea also cast ten cubites from brimme to brimme round in compasse it had fiue cubites in height and a corde of thirtie cubires did compasse it round about â There was also vnder it the similitude of oxen and certaine engrauinges of ten cubites on the outside compassed the bealie of the Sea as it were with two rewes â And the oxen were cast and the Sea it self was sette vpon the twelue oxen of the which three looked toward the North and other three to the West moreouer other three to the South and the three that remayned to the East hauing the Sea put vpon them and the hinder partes of the oxen were inward vnder the sea â Moreouer the thicknesse therof had the measure of a palme and the brimme therof was as it were the brimme of a chalice or of a crisped lilie and it held three thousand metretes â He made also ten lauatories and set fiue on the right hand and fiue on the left that they might wash in them al thinges that they would offer for holocaust moreouer in the Sea the priestes were washed â And he made also ten golden candlestickes according to the fashion which they were commanded to be made by and he set them in the temple fiue on the right hand fiue on the left â Moreouer also ten tables and he set them in the temple fiue on the right hand and fiue on the left Phials also of gold an hundred â He made also the court of the priestes and a great hal and doores in the hal which he couered with brasse â Moreouer he set the Sea on the right side agaynst the East toward the South â And Hiram made cauldrons and flesh hookes and phials and accomplished al the kinges worke in the house of God â that is to say two pillers and the chapiters and the heades and asit were certayne litle nettes which should couer the heades ouer the chapiters â Pomegranates also foure hundred and two litle nettes soe that two rewes of the pomegranates were ioyned to ech litle nette which couered the pommels and the heades of the pillers â He made feete also and lauatories which he put vpon the feete â one sea also twelue oxen vnder the sea â And the cauldrons and flesh hookes and phials Al the vessels did Hiram his father make for Salomon in the house of our Lord of most pure brasse â In the countrie of Iordan did the king cast them in a clay ground bewen Socot and Saredatha â And the multitude of vessels was innumerable so that the weight of the brasse was not knowen â And Salomon made al the vessels of the house of God and the golden altar and the tables vpon them the loaues of proposition â the candlestickes also with their lampes to giue light before the oracle according to the rite of most pure gold â and certayne florishing thinges and lampes and golden tonges al were made of most fine gold â The vessels also of persume and censars and phials and litle mortars of most pure gold And he graued the doores of the inner temple that is in Sancta sanctorum and the doores of the temple without of gold And so al the worke was finishd which Salomon made in the house of our Lord. CHAP. V. Manie giftes are offered 4. The Arke is brought with great solennitie into the Temple 6. Innumerable hostes are offered 11. with excellent musick the Temple is replenished with the glorie of God SALOMON therfore brought in al the thinges that Dauid his father had vowed the siluer and gold and al the vessels he put in the treasures of the house of God â After which thinges he gathered together al the ancientes of Israel and al the princes of the tribes and the heades of families of the children of Israel into Ierusalem to bring the Arke of the couenant of our Lord from the Citie of Dauid which is Sion â There came therfore vnto the king al the men of Israel in the solemne day of the seuenth moneth â And when al the ancientes of Israel were come the Leuites caried the Arke â and brought it in and al the furniture of the tabernacle Moreouer the Priestes with the Leuites did carrie the vessels of the Sanctuarie which were in the tabernacle â And king Salomon and al the assemblie of Israel and al that were gathered before the Arke immolated rammes and oxen without anie number for so great was the multitude of victimes â And the priestes brought in the Arke of the couenant of our Lord into his place that is to the oracle of the temple into Sancta sanctorum vnder the winges of the cherubs â so that the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place wherin the Arke was set and couered the Arke it selfe with his barres â And the heades of the barres wherwith the Arke was caried because they were a litle longer appeared before the oracle but if a man had beene a litle outward he could not see them The Arke therfore was there vntil this present day â And there was nothing in the
his mother was Azuba the daughter of Selahi â And he walked in the way of his father Asa neither declined he from it doing the thinges that were pleasing before our Lord. â But yet the excelses he tooke not away and as yet the people had not directed their hart to our Lord the God of their fathers â But the rest of the actes of Iosaphat the first and the last are writen in the wordes of Iehu the sonne of Hanani which he disposed into the Bookes of the kinges of Israel â After these thinges Iosaphat the king of Iuda entered frendshipe with Ochozias the king of Israel whose workes were most impious â And he was partaker to make shippes which should goe into Tharsis and they made a nauie in Asiongaber â And Eliezer the sonne of Dodau of Maresa prophecied to Iosaphat saying Because thou hast had a league with Ochozias our Lord hath strooken thy workes and the shippes are broken neither could they goe into Tharsis CHAP XXI Iosaphat dieth and Ioram succeding killeth his owne brethren and some other chiefe men 6. reigneth wickedly 8. Edom and Lobua reuolt from him 12. Elias by letters forwarneth him of plagues 16. which falling vpon him he dieth after two yeares languishing and horrible disease AND Iosaphat slept with his fathers was buried with them in the Citie of Dauid and Ioram his sonne reigned for him â Who had brethren the sonnes of Iosaphat Azarias and Iahiel and Zacharias and Azarias and Michael and Saphatias al these were the sonnes of Iosaphat the king of Iuda â And their father gaue them manie giftes of siluer and of gold and pensions with the most fensed cities in Iuda but the kingdom he deliuered to Ioram because he was the first begotten â And Ioram rose ouer the kingdom of his father and when he had established himself he slew al his brethren with the sword and certain of the princes of Israel â Two and thirtie yeare old was Ioram when he began to reigne and he reigned eight yeares in Ierusalem â And he walked in the waies of the kinges of Israel as the house of Achab had done for Achabs daughter was his wife and he did euil in the sight of our Lord. â But our Lord would not destroy the house of Dauid for the couenant which he had made with him and because he had promised that he would geue him a lampe and to his sonnes for euer â In those daies Edom rebelled from being subiect to Iuda and made them selues a king â And when Ioram had passed with his princes and al the horsemen that were with him he rose in the night and stroke Edom which had compassed him and al the captaynes of his horsemen â But yet Edom rebelled from being vnder the dominion of Iuda vntil this day at that time Lobna also reuolted from being vnder his hand For he had forsaken our Lord the God of their fathers â moreouer he built also excelses in the cities of Iuda and he made the inhabitantes of Ierusalem to fornicate and Iuda to transgresse â And there were letters brought him from Elias the prophete in which was Writen Thus sayth our Lord the God of Dauid thy father Because thou hast not walked in the waies of Iosaphat thy father in the waies of Asa the king of Iuda â but hast gone by the waies of the kinges of Israel and hast made Iuda to fornicate and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem hauing imitated the fornication of the house of Achab moreouer also hast killed thy brethren the house of thy father better men then thou â behold our Lord wil strike thee with a great plague with al thy people and children and thy wiues and al thy substance â And thou shalt be sicke of a very sore disease of thy bealie til thy vital partes come forth by litle and litle euerie day â Our Lord therfore raised vp agaynst Ioram the spirit of the Philisthianes and of the Arabians which are borderers to the Aethiopians â and they went vp into the Land of Iuda and wasted it and they spoyled al the substance that was found in the kinges house moreouer also his sonnes and wiues neither was there a sonne left him but Ioachaz who was the yongest â And beside al these thinges our Lord stroke him with an incurable disease of the bealie â And when day succeded day and the spaces of times passed about the circuite of two yeares was complete and soe being wasted with a long comsumption soe that he voyded euen his very bowels he was ridde of the disease and of his life together And he died in an exceding vile infirmitie the people made him not exequies according to the maner of burning as they had done to his anceters â He was two and thirtie yeares old when he began to reigne and he reigned eight yeares in Ierusalem And he walked not rightly and they buried him in the Citie of Dauid but yet not in the sepulchre of the kinges CHAP. XXII Ochozias reigning one yeare 3. is slaine together with Ioram king of Israel by king Iehu 10. Athalia killeth the kinges children onlie Ioas being saued by his aunt and vsurpeth the kingdom six yeares AND the inhabitantes of Ierusalem made Ochozias his least sonne king for him for al the elders that had bene before him the rouers of the Arabians had slayne which inuaded the campe and Ochozias the sonne of Ioram the king of Iuda reigned â Two and fourtie yeares old was Ocohzias when he began to reigne and he reigned one yeare in Ierusalem and the name of his mother was Athalia the daughter of Amri â But he also went by the waies of the house of Achab for his mother forced him to doe impiously â He therfore did euil in the sight of our Lord as the house of Achab for they were his counselers after the death of his father to his destruction â And he walked in their counfels And he went forth with Ioram the sonne of Achab king of Israel into battel agaynst Hazael king of Syria into Ramoth Galaad and the Syrians wounded Ioram â Who returned to be cured into Iezrael for he had taken manie woundes in the foresayd battel Therfore Ochozias the sonne of Ioram king of Iuda went downe te visit Ioram the sonne of Achab in Iezrael being sicke â For it was the wil of God agaynst Ochozias that he should come to Ioram and when he was come he should goe out also against Iehu the sonne of Namsi whom our Lord anoynted to destroy the house of Achab. â When Iehu therfore ouerthrew the house of Achab he found the princes of Iuda and the sonne of the brethren of Ochozias which serued him and he slewe them â Searching also for Ochozias himself he tooke him lying hid in Samatia and being brought vnto him he killed him and they buried him because he was the sonne of Iosaphat who had sought our Lord in
leprosie for the which he had bene cast out of the house of our Lord. Moreouer Ioathan his sonne gouerned the kinges house and iudged the people of the land â But the rest of the wordes of Ozias the first and the last wrote Isaias the sonne of Amos the prophet â And Ozias slept with his fathers and they buried him in the kings sepulchres field because he was a leper and Ioathan his sonne reigned for him CHAP. XXVII Ioathan a godlie king 5. preuaileth in battel against the Ammonites 7. dieth and his sonne Achaz succedeth FIVE and twentie yeares old was Ioathan when he began âo reigne and he reigned sixtene yeares in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Ierusa the daugter of Sadoc â And he did that which was right before our Lord according to al thinges which Ozias his father had done sauing that he entered not into the temple of our Lord and as yet the people did sinne â He built the high gate of the house of our Lord and in the wal of Ophel he built manie thinges â Cities also he built in the mountaynes of Iuda and castelles and towres in the forrestes â He fought agaynst the king of the children of Ammon and ouercame them and the children of Ammon gaue him at that time an hundred talentes of siluer and tenne thousand cores of wheate and as manie cores of barley the children of Ammon gaue him these thinges in the second and third yeare â And Ioathan was strengthened because he had directed his waies before our Lord his God â But the rest of the wordes of Ioathan and al his battels and workes are writen in the Booke of the kinges of Israel and Iuda â He was fiue and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne and he reigned sixtene yeares in Ierusalem â And Ioathan slept with his fathers and they buried him in the Citie of Dauid and Achaz his sonne reigned for him CHAP. XXVIII For his great wickednes Achaz is taken in battel his countrie spoyled and manie âââyne by the kinges of Syria and Israel 9. yet God suffereth not the kingdom to be subdued 16. Then requiring helpe of the Assyrians 17 is spoyled by the Idumeans Philisthians and Assyrians 22. After al which plâânes he committeth more idolatrie 26. dieth and his sonne Ezechias reigneth TWENTIE yeares old was Achaz when he began to reigne he reigned sixtene yeares in Ierusalem he did not right in the sight of our Lord as Dauid his father â but walked in the wayes of the kinges of Israel moreouer also he did cast statues to Baalim â He it is that burnt incense to the Valebenennom and he consecrated his sonnes in fire according to the rite of the nations which our Lord slewe in the coming of the children of Israel â He sacrified also burnt incense in the excelses on hilles and vnder euerie tree ful of grene leaues â And our Lord his God deliuered him into the handes of the king of Syria who stroke him and tooke a great praye out of his kingdom brought into Damascus to the handes also of the king of Israel was he deliuered and striken with a great plague â And Phacee the sonne of Romelia slewe of Iuda an hundred twentie thousand in one day al men of warre for that they had forsaken our Lord the God of their fathers â At that time Zechri a mightie man of Ephraim slewe Maasias the kinges sonne and Ezricam the gouernour of his house Elcana also second from the king â And the children of Israel tooke of their brethren two hundred thousand of wemen of boyes and of wenches and an infinite praye and they brought it into Samaria â At that time there was a Prophete of our Lord named Oded who going forth to meete the armie coming into Samaria sayd to them Behold our Lord the God of your fathers being angrie against Iuda hath deliuered them into your handes and you haue slayne them cruelly so that your crueltie did reach to heauen â Moreouer the children of Iuda and Ierusalem you wil subdue vnto you for bondmen and bondwemen which nedeth not to be done for you haue sinned hereupon to our Lord your God â But heare ye my counsel and carie backe the captiues that you haue brought of your brethren because the great furie of our Lord hangeth ouer you â There stood therfore princes of the children of Ephraim Azarias the sonne of Iohanan Barachias the sonne of Mosollomoth Ezechias the sonne of Sellum and Amasa the sonne of Hadali against them that came out of the battel â and they sayd to them You shal not bring in the captiues hither lest we sinne to our Lord. Why wil you adde vpon our sinnes and heape vp old offences for it is a great sinne and the anger of the furie of our Lord hangeth ouer Israel â And the men of warre dismist the pray al the thinges that they had taken before the princes and al the multitude â And the men whom we mentioned aboue stood and taking the captiues and al that were naked they clothed and shod them with the spoyles and when they had clothed and refreshed them with meate and drinke and annoynted them because of their labour and had looked carefully to them as manie as could not walke and were of a weake bodie they set on beastes and brought them to Iericho the Citie of palme trees to their brethren and themselues returned into Samaria â At that time king Achaz sent to the king of the Assyrians asking helpe And the Idumeans came and stroke manie of Iuda and tooke a great praye â The Philisthijms also were spred abroad by the cities of the champayne and toward the South of Iuda and they tooke Bethsames Aialon and Gaderoth Socho also Thamnan and Gamzo with their villages and dwelt in them â For our Lord had humbled Iuda because of Achaz the king of Iuda for that he had made it naked of helpe and had contemned our Lord. â And he brought agaynst him Theglathphalnasar the king of the Assyrians who also afflicted him and spoyled him no man resisting â Therfore Achaz spoyling the house of our Lord and the house of the kinges and of the princes gaue giftes to the king of the Assyrians and yet it did nothing profite him â Moreouer also in the time of his distresse he increased contempte agaynst our Lord king Achaz himself by himself â immolated victimes to the goddes of Damascus that stroke him and sayd The goddes of the kinges of Syria doe helpe them whom I wil pacifie with hostes and they wil ayde me wheras on the contrarie part they were his ruine and al Israels â Achaz therfore hauing spoyled al the vessels of the house of God and broken them shut the gates of the temple of God and made him altars in al the corners of Ierusalem â In al the cities also of Iuda he built altars to burne frankincense and
and began to pray with teares â saying Thou art iust ô Lord al thy iudgementes are iust and al thy waies mercie truth and iudgement â And now Lord be mindful of me and take not reuenge of my sinnes neither remember the sinnes of me or of my parentes â Because we haue not obeyed thy commandmentes therfore we are deliuered in spoile and captiuitie and death and into a fable and into reproch to al nations in which thou hast dispersed vs. â And now Lord great are thy iudgementes because we haue not done according to thy preceptes haue not walked sincerely before thee â and now Lord according to thy wil do with me command my spirite to be receiued in peace for it is expedient for me to die rather then to liue â The verie same day therfore it chanced that Sara the daughter of Raguel in Rages a citie of the Medes she also heard reproch of one of her fathers handmaydes â because she had beene deliuered to seuen husbandes the diuel named Asmodeus had killed them forth with as they were entred in vnto her â Therfore when she rebuked the wench for her fault she answered her saying Let vs no more see sonne of thee or daughter vpon the earth thou murderer of thy husbandes â What wilt thou kil me also as thou hast now killed seuen husbandes At this voice she went into an higher chamber of her house and three dayes and three nightes did not eate nor drinke â but continewing in prayer with teares besought God that he would deliuer her from this reproch â And it came to passe the third day whiles she accomplished her prayer blessing our Lord â she sayd Blessed is thy name ô God of our fathers who when thou hast bene angrie wilt doe mercie in the time of tribulation forgeuest them their sinnes that inuocate thee â To thee ô Lord I turne my face to thee I direct myne eyes â I desire Lord that thou loose me from the bond of this reproch or els take me away from the earth â Thou knowest Lord that I neuer coueted a husband and haue kept my soule cleane from al concupiscence â Neuer haue I companied my self with sporters neither haue I made my selfe partaker with them that walke in lightnesse â But a husband I consented to take with thy feare not with my lust â And either I was vnworthie of them or they perhaps were not worthie for me because perhaps thou hast kept me for an other man â For thy counsel is not in mans power â But this hath euerie one for certayne that worshippeth thee that his life if it be in probation shal be crowned and if it be in tribulation it shal be deliuered and if it be in correction it shal be lawful to come to thy mercie â For thou art not delighted in our perditions because after a tempest thou makest a calme and after teares and weeping thou powrest in ioyfulnesse â Be thy name God of Israel blessed foreuer â At that time the prayers of both were heard in the sight of the glorie of the high God â and the holie Angel of our Lord Raphael was sent to cure them both whose prayers at one time were recited in the sight of our Lord. CHAP. IIII. Tobias thincking he shal dye geueth his sonne godlie admonitions 7. especially exhorteth him to geue almes diligently 13. to flee al fornication pride and fraude 21. And telleth him of money lent to a friend THERFORE when Tobias thought his prayer to be heard that he might haue died he called to him Tobias his sonne â and sayd to him Heare my sonne the wordes of my mouth lay them as a foundation in thy hart â When God shal take my soule * burie my bodie and thou shalt doe * honour to thy mother al the dayes of her life â for thou must be mindful what perils and how great she suffered for thee in her wombe â And when she also shal haue accomplished the time of her life burie her beside me â And al the dayes of thy life * haue God in thy mind and beware thou consent not to sinne at anie time and pretermitte the preceptes of our Lord God â * Of thy substance geue almes and turne not away thy face from anie poore person for so it shal come to passe that neither the face of our Lord shal be turned from thee â As thou shalt be able so be merciful â If thou haue much geue aboundantly if thou haue litle studie to impert also a litle willingly â For thou dost treasure vp to thy self a good reward in the day of necessitie â because almes deliuereth from al sinne and from death wil not suffer the soule to goe into darkenesse â Great confidence before God most high shal almes be to al them that doe it â * Take heed to thy self my sonne of al fornication beside thy wife neuer abide to know crime â * Neuer permitte pryde to rule in thy word for in it al perdition tooke his beginning â * Whosoeuer hath wrought anie thing for thee pay him his hyre immediatly and let not the hyre of thy hyred seruant remayne with thee at al. â * That which thou hatest to be done to thee by an other see thou doe it not to an other at anie time â Eate thy bread with the hungrie needie and of thy garmentes couer the naked â * Set thy bread and thy wine vpon the burial of a iust man and doe not eate and drinke therof with sinners â Seeke counsel alwaies of a wiseman â At al time blesse God and desire of him that he direct thy waies and that al thy counsels remayne in him â I tel thee also my sonne that I gaue tenne talentes of siluer whiles thou wast yet a child to Gabelus in Rages a citie of the Medes and I haue a bil of his hand with me â and therfore enquire how thou maist come to him and receiue of him the foresayd weight of siluer and restore him the bil of his hand â Feare not my sonne we leade in dede a poore life but we shal haue many good thinges if we feare God and depart from al sinne and doe wel CHAP. V. Yong Tobias seeking a guide for his iourney Raphael the Angel in shape of a man presenteth himself and vndertaketh this office 23. The mother lamenteth the abscence and danger of her sonne THEN Tobias answered his father and sayd I wil doe al things father whatsoeuer thou hast commanded me â But how I shal require this money I can nor tel he knoweth not me and I know not him what token shal I geue him Yea neither the way which leadeth thither did I euer know â Then his father answered him and sayd I haue the bil of his hand with me which when thou shalt
and watch â And Iudith stood before the bed praying with teares and with mouing of her lippes in silence â saying Confirme me o Lord God of Israel and in this houre haue respect to the workes of my handes that as thou hast promised thou mayst aduance Ierusalem thy citie and I may bring to passe that which I beleuing that it may be done by thee haue purposed â And when she had sayd these thinges she went to the piller that was at his beds head and his sword that hong tyed on it she loosed â And when she had drawen it out she tooke him by the heare of his head and sayd Confirme me ô Lord God in this houre â and she stroke twise vpon his necke and cut of his head and tooke his canopie from the pillers and rolled aside his bodie a truncke â And after a while she went out and deliuered the head of Holofernes to her mayde and bad her put it into her wallet â And they two went forth according to their custome as it were to prayer and they passed the campe and compassing the valley they came to the gate of the citie â And Iudith a far of said to the keepers of the walles Open the gates because God is with vs which hath wrought power in Israel â And it came to passe when the men had heard her voyce they called the ancientes of the citie â And they ran al to meete her from the least to the greatest because they hoped not that now she would come â And they lighting lightes gathered round about her euerie one and she going vp into a higher place commanded silence to be made And when al had held their peace â Iudith said Prayse yee the Lord our God who hath not forsaken them that hope in him â and in me his handmayde he hath sulfilled his mercie which he promised to the house of Israel and he hath killed by my hand the enemie of his people this night â And bringing forth the head of Holofernes out of the wallet she shewed it them saying Loe the head of Holofernes the general of the armie of the Assyrians and behold his canopie wherein he lay in his drunkennes where the Lord our God stroke him by the hand of a woman â But the same our Lord liueth that his Angel hath kept me both going hence and abyding there and from thence returning hither and our Lord hath not suffered me his handmayde to be defyled but without pollution of sinne he hath called me backe to you reioysing in this victorie in my escape and in your deliuerie â Confesse ye al to him because he is good because his mercie is for euer â And they al adoring our Lord said to her Our Lord hath blessed thee in his power because by thee he hath brought our enemies to nothing â Moreouer Ozias the prince of the people of Israel said to her Blessed art thou daughter of our Lord the high God aboue al wemen vpon the earth â Blessed be our Lord which made heauen and earth which hath directed thee vnto the woundes of the head of the prince of our enemies â Because this day he hath so magnified thy name that they prayse shal not depart out of the mouth of men which shal be mindeful of the power of our Lord for euer for that thou hast thy life for the distresses and tribulation of thy kinred but hast holpen the ruine before the presence of our God â And al the people sayd So be it so be it â Moreouer Achior being called came and Iudith said to him The God of Israel to whom thou gauest testimonie that he reuengeth him self of his enemies he hath cut of the head of al the vnfaithful this night by my hand â And that thou mayst proue that it is so loe the head of Holofernes who in the contempt of his pride contemned the God of Israel and threatened thee death saying When the people of Israel shal be taken I wil command thy sides to be pearsed with a sword â But Achior seing the head of Holofernes being in anguish for feare fel on his face vpon the earth and his soule was sore trubled â But after taking spirit agayne he was refreshed fel downe at her feete and adored her and sayd â Blessed art thou of thy God in euerie tabernacle of Iacob because in euerie nation which shal heare thy name the God of Israel shal be magnified in thee CHAP. XIIII Holofernes head is hanged on the wall 6. Achior is circumcised 7. The Israeelites assault the Assyrians 8. who going to awake their General 14. finde him slaine 17 and are al confounded with feare AND Iudith said to al the people Heare me brethren hang ye this head vpon our walles â and it shal be when the sunne shal rise let euerie man take his armour and yssue ye forth with violence not that you goe downe beneath but as it were inuading violently â Then the watchmen must of necessitie runne to rayse vp their prince to battel â And when the captaynces of them shal runne to the tabernacle of Holofernes and shal finde him headles rowled in bloud feare wil fal vpon them â And when you shal know that they flee goe after them securely because our Lord wil destroy them vnder your feete â Then Achior seeing the power that God of Israel wrought forsaking the rite of gentilitie beleued God and circuncided the flesh of his prepuce and was ioyned to the people of Israel and al the succession of his kinred vntil this present day â And immediatly as day brake they hong the head of Holofernes vpon the walles and euerie man tooke his armour and they went forth with great noyse and shouting â Which the watchmen seing ranne to the tabernacle of Holofernes â Moreouer they that were in the tabernacle coming and before the dore of the tabernacle making a noyse to rayse him they endeuored by art to disquiet him that Holofernes might awake not by them raysing him but by them making a noyse â For no man durst by knocking or entring to open the chamber of the chiefe of the Assyrians â But when his dukes and tribunes were come and al the chiefe of the armie of the king of the Assyrians they said to the chamberlayns â Goe in and awake him becaufe the mice yssuing out of their holes haue presumed to prouoke vs to battel â Then Vagao entring into his chamber stoode before the cortine and made a clapping with his handes for he thought that he slept with Iudith â But when with the sense of his eares he percieued no motion of person lying he came neere to the cortine and lifting it vp and seing the bodie without the head of Holofernes weltred in his bloud lye vpon the ground cried out in a lowd voyce with weeping and rent his garmentes â And going into the tabernacle of Iudith he found her not and he lept
alwaies corporally with vs Could anie of them tarie here til this time could they tarie to the time yet to come But vvas therfore the Church leaft desolate by their departure God forbid For thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee VVhat is this for thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee The Apostles were sent fathers in place of the Apostles sonnes are borne to thee Byshops are appointed For whence were the Bishops borne that are at this day through the vvorld the Church herselfe calleth them fathers âhe begate them and appointed them in the seates of the fathers Do not therfore thinke thy self desolate o christian Church because thou seest not Peter seest not Paul for thou seest not them by vvhom thou wast borne but of thyne issue fatherhood is sprong to thee For thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee thou shalt make them princes ouer al the earth This is the Catholique Church Her children are made princes ouer al the earth her sonnes are constituted for fathers Let them acknowlege this that are cut of let them come to the vnitie be they brought into the temple of the king Thus S. Augustin PSALME XLV The Church in persecution acknowledgeth Gods perpetual defence 5. making her therby more glorious 10. sometimes granting rest 11. God himself ckecking the persecuters and euer protecting her â Vnto the end to the sonnes of Core for the secretes OVR God is a refuge and strength an helper in tribulations which haue found vs excedingly â Therfore wil we not feare when the earth shal be trubled and mountaines transported into the hart of the sea â Their waters haue sounded and were trubled the mountaines were trubled in his strength â The violence of the riuer maketh the citie of God ioyful the Highest hath sanctified his tabernacle â God is in the middes therof it shal not be moued God wil helpe it in the morning early â Nations are trubled and kingdomes are inclined he gaue his voice the earth was moued â The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defender â Come ye and see the workes of our Lord what wonders he hath put vpon the earth â taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth He shal destroy bow breake weapons and shields he shal burne with fire â Be quiet and see that I am God I shal be exalted among the gentiles and I shal be exalted in the earth â The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defender PSALME XLVI Gentiles are called and inuited to praise God for his magnificence 6. for Christs Ascension and powre â Vnto the end for the sonnes of Core ALYE Nations clappe handes make iubilation to God in the voyce of exultation â Because our Lord is high terrible a great king ouer al the earth â He hath made peoples subiect to vs gentiles vnder our feete â He hath chosen his inheritance in vs the beautie of Iacob which he loued â God is ascended in iubilation and our Lord in the voice of trumpet â Sing ye to our God sing ye Sing ye to our king sing ye â Because God is king of al the earth sing ye wisely â God shal reigne ouer the gentiles God sitteth vpon his holie seate â Princes of peoples are gathered together with the God of Abraham because the strong goddes of the earth are excedingly aduanced PSALME XLVII God most and euerie where laudable is especially praised in the Church of Christ prefigured by Sion and there begunne 9. Al thinges being fulfilled in the Church euen as they were prophecied and promised 12. the faithful are exhorted to consider and congratulate the same A Psalme of Canticle to the sonnes of Core the second of the Sabbath GREAT is our Lord and to be praysed excedingly in the citie of our God in his holie mount â Mount Sion is founded with the exultation of the whole earth the sides of the North the citie of the great king â God shal be knowen in the houses therof when he shal receiue it â For behold the kings of the earth were gathered together they assembled in one â They seing it so were in admiration were trubled were moued â trembling tooke them Their sorowes as a woman traueling â In a vehement spirit thou shalt breake the shippes of Tharsis â As we haue heard so haue we seene in the citie of the Lord of hostes in the citie of our God God hath founded it for euer â We haue receiued thy mercie ô God in the middes of thy temple â According to thy name ô God so also is thy prayse vnto the endes of the earth thy right hand is ful of iustice â Let mount Sion be glad and the daughters of Iuda reioyce because of thy iudgementes ô Lord â Compasse Sion and embrace ye her tel ye in her towers â Set your hartes on her strength and distribute ye her houses that you may declare it in an other generation â Because this is God our God for euer and for euer and euer he shal rule vs euermore PSALME XLVIII The royal prophet inuiting al states and sortes of men to heare him attentiuely 6 sheweth that al ought to feare eternal damnation that liue wickedly 9. vainly and foolishly seeking 13. euen like brute beastes carnal pleasures which they can not long enioy nor long escape hel 16. confidently animating him selfe and al good men that trust not in this world â Vnto the end to the sonnes of Core a Psalme HEARE these thinges al ye Gentiles receiue with your eares al ye that inhabite the earth â Al ye earthly persons and children of men together in one the rich and the poore â My mouth shal speake wisedom and the meditation of my hart prudence â I wil incline mine eare vnto a parable I wil open my proposition on a Psalter â Why shal I feare in the euil day the iniquitie of my heele shal compasse me â They that trust in their strength and glorie in the multitude of their riches â A brother doth not redeme man shal redeme he shal not geue vnto God his reconciliation â And the price of the redemption of his owne soule and he shal labour for euer â and shal liue yet vnto the end â He shal not see death when he shal see the wise dying the vnwise and the foole shal perish together And they shal leaue their riches to strangers â and their sepulchers their houses for euer Their Tabernacles in generation and generation they haue renowmed their names in their landes â And man when he was
are saide of thee ô cittie of God â I wil be mindeful of Raab and Babylon knowing me Behold the foreners and Tyre the people of the Aethiopians these were there â Shal it not be said of Sion Man and man is borne in her and the Highest himselfe founded her â Our Lord wil declare in scriptures of peoples and of princes of those that haue bene in her â The habitation in thee is as it were of al reioycing PSALME LXXXVII A faithful person sore and long afflicted lamentably complaineth praying God 15. not stil to repel him being leift desolate 19. without al consolation of freindes A Canticle of a Psalme to the children of Core vnto the end for Maheleth to answer of vnderstanding to Eman the Ezrahite O â Lord the God of my saluation in the day haue I cried and in the night before thee â Let my prayer enter in thy sight incline thine eare to my petition â Because my soule is replenished with euils and my life hath approched to hel â I am accounted with them that descend into the lake I am become as a man without helpe â free among the dead as the wounded sleeping in the sepulchres of whom thou art mindeful no more and they are cast of from thy hand â They haue put me in the lower lake in the darke places and in the shadowe of death â Thy furie is confirmed vpon me and al thy waues thou hast brought in vpon me â Thou hast made my familiars far from me they haue put me abomination to themselues I was deliuered and came not forth â myne eies languished for pouertie I cried to thee ô Lord al the day I stretched out my handes to thee â Wil t thou doe meruels to the dead or shal phisicians raise to life and they confesse to thee â Shal any in the sepulchre declare thy mercie and thy truth in perdition â Shal thy meruelous workes be knowne in darkenes and thy iustice in the land of obliuion â And I ô Lord haue cried to thee and in the morning shal my praier preuent thee â Why doest thou o Lord reiect my prayer turnest away thy face from me â I am poore and in labours from my youth and being exalted humbled and troubled â Thy wrathes haue passed vpon me and thy terrours haue trubled me â They haue compassed me as water al the day they compassed me together â Thou hast made frend and neighboure far from me and my familiars because of miserie PSALME LXXXVIII Gods mercie and truth with his great promises to Dauid 6. his powre in the whole world and iust iudgements are the true ioy of his seruantes 20. Christs kingdom shal remaine for euer 31. yea manie offending yet al shal not perish 39. but after great affliction 47. God wil respect mans infirmitie 50. his owne promise and the enimies reproching his seruantes and himselfe 53. who is blessed for euer Of vnderstanding to Ethan the Ezrahite THe mercies of our Lord I wil sing for euer In generation and generation I wil shewe forth thy truth in my mouth â Because thou saidst Mercie shal be built vp for euer in the heauens thy truth shal be prepared in them â I haue ordained a testament with mine elect I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant â for ever wil I prepare thy seede And I wil build thy seat vnto generation and generation â The heauens shal confesse thy meruelous workes ô Lord yea and thy truth in the church of saintes â For who in the cloudes shal be equal to our Lord shal be like to God among the sonnes of God â God who is glorified in the counsel of saintes great and terrible ouer al that are round about him â O Lord God of hoastes who is like to thee thou art mightie ô Lord and thy truth round about thee â Thou rulest ouer the powre of the sea and the mouing of the waues therof thou doest mitigate â Thou humbledst the proud one as one wounded in the arme of thy strength thou hast dispersed thine enimies â The heauens are thine and the earth is thine the round earth and the fulnes therof thou hast founded â the north and the sea thou hast created Thabor and Hermon shal reioice in thy name â thy arme is with might Let thy hand be confirmed and thy righthand exalted â iustice and iudgement is the preparation of thy seat Mercie and truth shal goe before thy face â blessed is the people that knoweth iubilation Lord they shal walke in the light of thy countinance â and in thy name they shal reioyce al the day and in thy iustice they shal be exalted â Because thou art the glorie of their streingth and in thy good pleasure shal our horne be exalted â Because our protection is of our Lord and of the holie one of Israel our king â Then didst thou speake in vision to thy saintes and saidst I haue put helpe on the mightie one and haue exalted an elect one of my people â I haue found Dauid my seruant with myne holie oyle haue I anointed him â For mine hand shal helpe him and myne arme shal strengthen him â The enimie shal nothing preuale in him and the sonne of iniquitie shal not adde to hurt him â And I wil cut downe his enimies before his face and them that hate him I wil put to flight â And my truth and my mercie with him and in my name shal his horne be exalted â And I wil put his hand in the sea and his righthand in the riuers â He shal inuocate me Thou art my Father my God and the protector of my saluation â And I wil put him the firstbegotten high aboue the kings of the earth â I Wil kepe my mercie vnto him for euer and my testament faithful to him â I wil put his seed for euer and euer and his throne as the daies of heauen â But if his children shal forsake my lawe and wil not walke in my Iudgementes â If they shal profane my iustices and not kepe my commandmentes â I wil visite their iniquities with a rod and their sinnes with stripes â But â my mercie I wil not take away from him neither wil I hurt in my truth â Neither wil I profane my testament and the words that procede from my mouth I wil not make frustrate â Once I haue sworne in my holie if I lie to Dauid â his seede shal continewe for euer â And his throne as the Sunne in my sight and as the Moone perfect for euer and a faithful witnesse in heauen â â But thou hast repelled and dispised thou hast differred thy Christ â Thou hast ouerthrowne the testament of thy seruant thou hast profaned his
not heare for neither is there breath in their mouth â Let them that make them become like to them and al that haue confidence in them â Ye house of Israel blesse our Lord ye house of Aaron blesse our Lord. â Ye house of Leui blesse our Lord you that feare our Lord blesse ve our Lord. â Blessed be our Lord out of Sion who dwelleth in Ierusalem PSALME CXXXV God being meruelous in himself 4. hath shewed his powre and goodnes in his workes as wel in general to al the world 10. as in particular towards his elected people Alleluia CONFESSE ye to our Lord because he is good because his mercie is for euer Confesse ye to the God of goddes because his mercie is for euer â Confesse ye to the Lord of lordes because his mercie is for euer â Who onlie doth great meruels because his mercie is for euer â Who made the heauen in vnderstanding because his mercie is for euer â Who established the earth ouer the waters because his mercie is for euer â Who made the great lightes because his mercie is sor euer â The sunne to rule the day because his mercie is for euer â The moone and starres to rule the night because his mercie is for euer â Who stroke Aegypt with their firstbegotten because his mercie is for euer â Who brought forth Israel out of the middes of them because his mercie is for euer â In a mightie hand and loftie arme because his mercie is for euer â Who diuided the Read sea into diuisions because his mercie is for euer â And brought forth Israel through the middes therof because his mercie is for euer â And he ouerthrew Pharao and his host in the Readsea because his mercie is for euer â Who led his people through the desert because his mercie is for euer â Who stroke great kinges because his mercie is for euer â And slewe strong kinges because his mercie is for euer â Sehon the king of the Amorrheites because his mercie is for euer â And Og the king of Basan because his mercie is for euer â And he gaue their land for an inheritance because his mercie is for euer â For an inheritance to Israel his seruant because his mercie is for euer â For in our humiliation he was mindful of vs because his mercie is for euer â And he redemed vs from our enemies because his mercie is for euer â Who geueth foode to al fleshe because his mercie is for euer â Confesse ye to the God of heauen because his mercie is for euer Confesse ye to the Lord of lordes because his mercie is for euer PSALME CXXXVI The Prophet describeth how lamentably the people in captiuitie of Babylon wil bewaile the want of meanes to serue God and of their natiue soyle 7. with iust desire of their enimies punishment A Psalme of Dauid for Ieremie VPON the riuers of Babylon there we sate and wept whiles we remembred Sion â On the willowes in the middes therof we hanged vp our instrumentes â Because there they that led vs captiue demanded of vs wordes of songes And they that led vs away Sing ye an hymne to vs of the songes of Sion â How shal we sing the song of our Lord in a strange land â If I shal forget thee ô Ierusalem let my right hand be forgotten â Let my tongue cleaue to my iawes if I doe not remember thee If I shal not set Ierusalem in the beginning of my ioy â Be mindful ô Lord of the childrem of Edom in l the day of Ierusalem That say Rase it rase it euen vnto the foundation therof â Daugther of Babylon miserable blessed is he that shal repay thee thy payment which thou hast payed vs. â Blessed is he that shal hold and shal dash thy litle ones against the rocke PSALME CXXXVII The whole Church or anie iust person rendreth thankes to God for his benefites 4. praying that al kinges and kingdomes may do the same 4. because God being high respecteth and aduanceth the humble To Dauid him self I wil confesse to thee ô Lord in my whole hart because thou hast heard the wordes of my mouth In the sight of Angels I wil sing to thee â I wil adore toward thy holie temple and wil confesse to thy name For thy mercie and thy truth because thou hast magnified aboue euerie thing thy holie name â In what day soeuer I shal inuocate thee heare me thou wilt multiplie strength in my soule â Let al the kinges of the earth ô Lord confesse to thee because they haue heard al the wordes of thy mouth â And let them sing in the wayes of our Lord because great is the glorie of our Lord. â Because our Lord is high and he beholdeth low thinges and high thinges he knoweth far of â If I shal walke in the middes of tribulation thou wilt quicken me and vpon the wrath of mine enimies thou hast extended thy hand and thy right hand hath saued me â Our Lord wil repay for me ô Lord thy mercie is for euer despise not the workes of thy handes PSALME CXXXVIII Gods knowlege 7. and presence 10. without the helpe or hinderance anie thing extendeth to al thinges times and places 17 he geueth exceding great honour to his sainctes 20 the wicked as enimies to God are iustly hated 23. the iust pray for Gods perpetual direction Vnto the end a Psalme of Dauid LORD thou hast proued me and hast knowen me â thou hast knowen my sitting downe and my rising vp â Thou hast vnderstood my cogitations far of my path and my corde thou hast searched out â And thou hast foresene al my wayes because there is not a word in my tongue â Behold ô Lord thou hast knowen al the last thinges them of old thou hast formed me and hast put thy hand vpon me â Thy knowledge is become meruelous of me it is made great and I can not reach to it â Whither shal I goe from thy spirit and whither shal I flee from thy face â If I shal ascend into heauen thou art there âf I descend into hel thou art present â If I shal take my winges early and dwel in the extreme partes of the sea â Certes thither also shal thy hand conduct me and thy right hand shal hold me â And I sayd Perhaps darknes shal treade ouer me and the night is mine illumination in my delightes â For darkenes shal not be darkened from thee and the night shal be lightened as the day as the darkenes therof so also the light therof â Because thou hast possessed my reynes thou hast receiued me from my mothers wombe â I wil confesse to
exercised to the discerning of good and euil With what moderation therfore and humilitie this Canticle of Gods perfect spouse may be read the discrete wil consider and not presume aboue their reach but be wise with sobrietie For here be very high and hidden Mysteries as Origen teacheth in his lerned Commentaries which S. Ierom translated into Latin and singularly commendeth and so much harder to be rightly vnderstood for that the feruent spiritual loue of the inward man reformed in soule and perfected in spirite is here vttered in the same vsual wordes and termes wherwith natural worldlie yea and carnal loue of the outward man old Adam corrupted by sinne is commonly expressed and are so much more dangerous to be mistaken as we are more addicted to proper wil priuate iudgement or subiect to carnal or passionate motions Wherfore it semeth most mete to kepe the same order in reading these three bookes which the auctor wise Salomon obserued in writing them And which Philosophers also folow in their forme of discipline For they first lerne and teach Moral Philosophie then Natural lastly Metaphisikes which is their Diuinitie As Salomon had geuen them example first teaching precepts of good life and maners in his Prouerbes after discoursing of natural thinges in Ecclesiastes deduced thence a conclusion which prophane Philosophers wel vnderstood not to contemne this world and finally cometh to high mystical Diuinitie in this supereminent Canticle written in an other stile in verse and in forme of a sacred Dialogue betwen Christ and his spouse or as Origen calleth it in forme of an Enterlude in respect of diuers speakers actors of diuers persons to whom the speaches are directed and of whom they are vttered For by the Spous or Bridgrome is not only vnderstood Christ as Man but also as God and the whole Blessed Trinitie to whom manie prayers praises and thankes are offered vp and by whom manie benefites are geuen praises returned promises made to his spouse Likewise by the Spouse or Bride the ancient fathers vnderstand three sortes of spouses al espoused to Christ and to God towitt his General Spouse the whole Church of the old and new Testaments of al that are and shal be perfect making one mystical bodie free from sinne without spotte or wrinkle sanctified in Christ Also his special spouse which is euerie particular holie soule And his singular spouse his most blessed most immaculate Virgin Mother This being the general summe of this excellent Canticle remitting the reader for explication therof to the lerned deuout Commenters both of ancient and late writers we shal also endeuour together the same contents more particularly not before the chapters because we can not there so conueniently distinguish the same by verses but in the margent Where we shal especially note the speakers as semeth more probable of euerie parcel according to the first sense not hauing rowme for more perteyning to the General spouse the Catholique Church which is the great and euerlasting holie Citie of God the eternal King SALAMONS CANTICLE OF CANTICLES WHICH IN HEBREW IS CALLED SIR HASIRIM CHAP. I. LET him kisse me with the kisse of his mouth because thy brestes are better then wine â smelling fragrantly of the best ointments Oile powred out is thy name therfore haue yongmaydes loued thee â Draw me we wil runne after thee in the odour of thine ointments The king hath brought me into his cellars we wil reioyce be glad in thee mindful of thy brests aboue wine the righteous loue thee â I am blacke but beutiful ô ye daughters of Ierusalem as the tabernacles of Cedar as the skinnes of Salomon â Doe not consider me that I am browne because the sunne hath altered my colour the sonnes of my mother haue fought against me they haue made me a keeper in the vinyards my vinyard I haue not kept â Shew me ô thou whom my soule loueth where thou feedest where thou lyest in the midday lest I beginne to wander after the flockes of thy companyons â If thou know not thyselfe ô most fayrest among wemen goeforth and folow after the steppes of the flockes and feede thy kiddes byside the tabernacles of the pastours â To my companie of horsemen in the chariotes of Pharao haue I likened thee ô my loue â Thy cheekes are beautiful as the turteldoues thy necke as iewels â We wil make thee cheynes of gold enamoled with siluer â Whiles the king was at his repose my spikenard gaue the odour thereof â A bundle of myrrhe my beloued is to me he shal abide betwen my brestes â A clustre of cypre my loue is to me in the vineyardes of Engaddi â Behold thou art fayre ô my loue behold thou art fayre thyne eyes are as of doues â Behold thou art fayre my beloued comlie our litle bed is florishing â The beames of our houses are of cedar our rafters of cypresse trees CHAP. II. I AM the flower of the filde and the lilie of the valley â As the lilie among the thornes so is my loue among the daughters â As the apletree among trees of the woddes so is my beloued among the sonnes Vnder his shadow whom I desired I sate and his fruite was sweete vnto my throte â He brought me into the wineceller he hath ordered in me charitie â Stay me vp with flowers compasse me about with apples because I languish with loue â His lefthand vnder my head and his righthand shal embrace me â I adiure you ô daughters of Ierusalem by the roes and the hartes of the fildes that you rayse not nor make the beloued to awake vntil herselfe wil. â The voice of my beloued behold he cometh leaping in the mountaines leaping ouer the little hilles â my beloued is like vnto a roe and to a fawne of hartes Behold he standeth behind our walle looking through the windowes looking forth by the grates â Behold my beloued speaketh to me Arise make hast my loue my doue beautiful one and come â For winter is now past the rayne is gone and departed â The flowers haue appeared in our land the time of pruning is come the voice of the turtledoue is heard in our land â the figgerree hath brought forth her greene figges the florishing vineyards haue geuen their sauour Arise my loue my beautiful one come â My doue in the holes of the rocke in the holow places of the wal shew me thy face let thy voice sound in mine eares for thy voice is sweete and thy face comely â Catch vs the litle foxes that destroy the vineyards for our vineyard hath florished â i My beloued to me and I to him who feedeth among the lilies â til the day breake and the shadowes decline Returne be like my beloued to a roe and to the fawne of hartes
thinke as if thou were to pay it â Iudge not agaynst a iudge because he iudgeth according to that which is iust â With the audacious goe not on the way lest perhaps he burden thee with his euils for he goeth according to his owne wil and thou shalt perish together with his follie â With an angrie man make no brawle and with the audacious goe not into the desert because bloud is as nothing before him and where there is no helpe he wil ouerthrow thee â Conferre no counsel with fooles for they can not loue but such thinges as please them â Before a stranger doe no matter of counsel for thou knowest not what he wil bring forth â Make not thy hart manifest to euerie man lest perhaps he repay thee false kindnes and speake reprochfully to thee CHAP. IX Great prudence is required in conuersation betwen men and wemen 14. Esteme old freindes 16. Emulate not sinners 18. Auoide the companie of malicious 21. Consult with the prudent hauing God euer before thyne eyes BE not ielous ouer the wife of thy bosome lest she shew vpon thee the malice of wicked doctrine â Geue not to a woman the power of thy soule lest she goe in thy strength and thou be confounded â Looke not vpon a woman that is desirous of manie lest perhaps thou fal into her snares â With her that is a dauncer be not daily conuersant nor heare her lest perhaps thou perish in her efficacie â Behold not a virgin lest perhaps thou be scandalized in her beautie â Geue not thy soule to harlottes in any poynt lest thou destroy thyself and thine inheritance â Looke not round about in the waves of the citie nor wander vp and downe in the streates therof â Turne away thy face from a trimmed woman and gaze not about vpon an others beautie â By the beautie of a woman manie haue perished and hereby concupiscence is inflamed as a fire â Euerie woman that is an harlot shal be troden vpon as dung in the way â Manie hauing admired the beautie of an other mans wife haue become reprobate for her communication burneth as fire â Sit not at al with an other mans wife nor repose vpon the bed with her â and striue not with her at the wine lest perhapes thy hart decline toward her with thy bloud thou fal into perdition â Forsake not an old frend for the new wil not be like to him â A new frend is as new wine it shal waxe old and thou shalt drinke it with sweetnes â Doe not zelousely desire the glorie and the riches of a sinner for thou knowest not what his subuersion shal be â Let not the iniurie of the vniust please thee knowing that euen to hel the impious shal not please â Be far from the man that hath power to kil and thou shalt not suspect the feare of death â And if thou come to him committe nothing lest perhaps he take away thy life â Know it to be communication with death because thou shalt goe in the middes of snarres and shalt walke vpon the weapons of the sorowful â According to thy powre beware thee of thy neighbour and treate with the wise and prudent â Let iust men be thy ghests and let thy gloriation be in the feare of God â and let the cogitation of God be in thy vnderstanding al thine enarration in the precepts of the Highest â Workes shal be praysed in the handes of artificers and the prince of the people in the wisdom of his speach but the word of the ancients in the sense â A man ful of tongue is terrible in his citie and he that is rash in his word shal be odious CHAP. X. Wise superiors are very necessarie because the multitude folow their example 6. Remitte and forget iniuries detest pride iniustice contumelie and auarice 12. Life is short 14. Pride is the roote of al sinnes 23. Iust pouertie is better then sinful riches 31. Mekenes and modestie are necessarie in al men A wise iudge shal iudge his people and the principalitie of the wise shal be stable â According to the Iudge of the people so also are his ministers and what maner of man the ruler of a citie is such also are the habitants therein â An vnwise king shal destroy his people and cities shal be inhabited by the vnderstanding of the prudent â The powre of the earth is in the hand of God and he wil rayse vp a profitable ruler for a time ouer it â The prosperitie of man is in the hand of God vpon the face of the scribe he wil put his honour â Anie iniurie of thy neighbour remember not and doe nothing by workes of iniurie â Pride is odious before God and men and al the iniquitie of the nations is execrable â A kingdome is translated from nation vnto nation because of iniustices and iniuries and contumelies and diuerse deceites â But nothing is more wicked then the couetous man Why is earth and ashes proud â Nothing is more wicked then to loue money For he hath his soule also to sel because in his life he hath cast forth his most in ward thinges â Al power is of short life Long sicknes greueth the Physicion â Short sicknes the Physicion cutteth of at the first so also the king is to day to morow he shal die â For when a man shal die he shal inherite serpents and beasts and wormes â The begynning of the pride of man is to apostatate from God â because his hart is departed from him that made him for pride is the begynning of al sinne he that holdeth it shal be filled with curses it shal subuert him in the end â Therfore hath our Lord dishonoured the congregations of the euil hath destroyed them euen to the end â God hath destroyed the seates of proud princes and hath made the meeke sitte in their stead â God hath made the rootes of the proud nations to wither and hath planted the humble of the nations themselues â Our Lord hath subuerted the landes of the gentiles and hath destroyed them euen to the fundation â He hath made of them to wither and hath destroyed them and hath made the memorie of them to cease from the earth â God hath destroyed the memorie of the proud and hath left the memorie of them that are humble in vnderstanding â Pride was not created to men nor wrath to the nation of wemen â That seede of men shal be honoured which feareth God but that seede shal be dishonoured which transgresseth the commandments of our Lord. â In the middes of brethren their ruler shal be in honour and they that feare our Lord shal be in his eyes â The glorie of the rich of the honourable and of the poore is the feare of God â Despise not the iust man that is poore and magnifie
the law multiplieth oblation â It is an holsome sacrifice to attend to the commandments and to depart from al iniquitie â To depart from iniquitie is a thing that pleaseth our Lord wel and to depart from iniustice is an intreating for sinnes â Thou shalt not appeare before the sight of our Lord emptie â For al these thinges are done because of the commandment of God â The oblation of the iust maketh a fatte altar and is an odour of sweetenes in the sight of the Highest â The sacrifice of the iust is acceptable and our Lord wil not forget the memorie thereof â Render glorie to God with a good minde and diminish not the first fruites of thine handes â In euerie gift make thy countenance chereful and in ioyfulnes sanctifie thy tithes â Geue to the Highest according to his gift and with a good eie doe according to the abilitie of thine handes â because our Lord is a rewarder and wil repay thee seuen times so much â Offer not wicked giftes for he wil not receiue them â And looke not vpon an vniust sacrifice because our Lord is iudge and there is not with him the glorie of person â Our Lord wil not accept person against the poore and he wil heare the prayer of him that is hurt â He wil not despise the prayers of the pupil nor the widow if she power out speach of mourning â Do not the widows teares runne downe to the cheeke her exclamation vpon him that causeth them to runne â For from the cheeke they goe vp euen to heauen and our Lord the hearer wil not be delighted in them â He that adoreth God in delectation shal be receiued his petition shal approch euen to the cloudes â The prayer of him that humbleth himself shal penetrate the cloudes and til it approch he wil not be comforted and he wil not depart til the Highest behold â And our Lord wil not be long but wil iudge the iust and wil do iudgement and the strongest wil not haue patience in them that he may crush their backe â and he wil repay vengeance to the Gentiles til he take away the multitude of the proude breake the scepters of the vniust â til he reward men according to their doings and according to the workes of man and according to his presumption â til he iudge the iudgement of his people and shal delight the iust with his mercie â The mercie of God is beautiful in the time of tribulation as a cloude of raine in the time of drught CHAP. XXXVI A prayer for conuersion of al nations 14. and for conseruation of the Israelites 20. Discretion is necessarie in al actions and desires HAVE mercie vpon vs ô God of al and respect vs and shew vs the light of thy mercies â and send in thy feare vpon the nations that haue not sought after thee that they may know that there is no God but thou and that they may shewforth thy glorious thinges â Lift vp thy hand ouer the strange Nations that they may see thy might â For as in their sight thou art sanctified in vs so in our sight thou shalt be magnified in them â that they may know thee as we also haue knowen that there is no God beside thee ô Lord. â Renewe signes and change meruels â Glorifie thy hand and thy right arme â Raise vp furie and power out wrath â Take away the aduersarie and afflict the enemie â Hasten the time and remember the end that they may declare thy meruels â Let him that is saued be deuoured in the wrath of flame and let them that euil intreate thy people finde perdition â Breake the head of princes of the enemies that saie There is none other beside vs. â Gather together al the tribes of Iacob and let them know that there is no God but thou that they may declare thy great workes thou shalt inherite them as from the beginning â Haue mercie on thy people vpon which thy name is inuocated and vpon Israel whom thou hast made equal to thy first begotten â Haue mercie on the citie of thy sanctification Ierusalem the citie of thy rest â Replenish Sion with thy wordes that can not be vttered thy people with thy glorie â Geue the testimonie to them that are thy creatures from the beginning and raise vp the prophecies which the former prophets spake in thy name â Geue reward to them that patiently expect thee that thy prophets may be found faithful and heare the prayers of thy seruants â according to Aarons benediction of thy people and direct vs into the way of iustice and let al knowe that inhabite the earth that thou art God the beholder of the worldes â The bellie wil eate al meate and one meate is better then an other meate â The iawes taist venison the wise hart lying wordes â A peruerse hart wil geue sorow and a cunning man wil resist it â Some woman wil receiue euerie man and one daughter is better then an other daughter â The beautie of a woman chereth the face of her husband and increaseth the desire aboue al mans concupiscence â If there be a tongue of curing there is also of mitigating and of mercie her husband is not according to the sonnes of men â He that possesseth a good woman beginneth riches she is an helpe like vnto him a piller as rest â Where there is no hedge the possession shal be spoiled and where there is no wife he mourneth wanting Who doth credite him that hath no nest and turning aside wheresoeuer it waxeth darke as a robber girded leaping from citie to citie CHAP. XXXVII Beware of a feaned loue à sure freind 7. consult with the wise trustie 15. and vertuous 19. especially relying vpon God 21. The tongue is cause of much good or much euil 30. Be temperate in diet EVERIE freind wil say I also haue ioyned freindshipe but there is a freind in name only a freind Doth there not sorow remaine euen to death â But a companion and freind wil be turned to enmitie â O most wicked presumption whence wast thou created to couer the drie land with malice and with the deceitfulnes thereof â A companion is pleasant with his freind in delectations and in the time of tribulation he wil be an aduersarie â A companion is sorie with his freind for his bellies sake and he wil take a shield against the enemie â Forgete not thy freind in thy minde and be not vnmindeful of him in thy riches â Consult not with him which betraieth and hide thy counsel from them that enuie thee â Euerie counseler vttereth counsel but there is a counseler in him selfe â From such a counseler keepe thy soule First know what his necessitie is for he wil deuise to his owne minde â lest perhaps he thrust a sharpe
testamentes â and their children because of them abide for euer their seede and their glorie shal not be forsaken â Their bodies are buried in peace and their name liueth vnto generation and generation â Let peoples tel their wisdom and the Church declare their praise â Henoch pleased God and was translated into paradise that he may geue repentance to the nations â Noe was found perfect iust and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation â Therefore was there a remnant least to the earth when the flood was made â The testaments of the world were made with him that al flesh should no more be destroyed with the flood â Abraham the great father of the multitude of the nations and there was not found the like to him in glorie who kept the law of the Highest and was in couenant with him â In his flesh he made the couenant to stand and in tentation he was found faithful â Therefore by an oath he gaue him glorie in his nation that he should encrease as an heape of earth â and that he would exalt his seede as the starres and they should inherite from sea to sea and from the riuer to the endes of the earth â And he did in like manner in Isaac for Abraham his father â Our Lord gaue him the blessing of al nations and confirmed his couenant vpon the head of Iacob â He knew him in his blessinges and gaue him an inheritance diuided him his portion in twelue tribes â And he preserued vnto him men of mercie and found grace in the eies of al flesh CHAP. XLV Praises of Moyses 7. Aaron 16. and his priestlie progenie 22. Against whom Chore with his complices rebelling were destroyed MOYSES beloued of God and men whose memorie is in benediction â He made him like in the glorie of saintes and magnified him in the feare of his enemies And with his wordes he appeased monsters â He glorified him in the sight of kinges and gaue him commandment before his people shewed him his glorie â In his faith and meekenes he made him holie and chose him of al flesh â For he heard him and his voice and brought him into a cloude â And he gaue him precepts face to face and a law of life and discipline to teach Iacob his testament and Israel his iudgements â He exalted Aaron his brother high and like to himself of the tribe of Leui. â He established vnto him an euerlasting testament and gaue him the priesthood of the nation and made him blessed in glorie â and he girded him about with a girdle and put vpon him a robe of glorie and crowned him in furniture of power â Garments to the feete and breches and an Ephod he put vpon him and compassed him with litle belles of gold very manie round about â to geue a sound in his going to make sound heard in the temple for a memorie to the children of his nation â An holie robe of gold and hyacinthe and purple a wouen worke of a wiseman indued with iudgement and truth â Of twisted scarlet the worke of an artificer with precious stones figured in the closure of gold and grauen by the worke of a lapidarie for a memorial according to the number of the tribes of Israel â A crowne of gold vpon his miter grauen with a seale of holines and the glorie of honour a worke of power and the adorned desires of the eies â There were none such so faire before him euen from the beginning â No stranger was clothed with them but only his children alone and his nephewes for euer â His sacrifices were consumed with fire euerie day â Moyses filled his handes anoynted him with holie oile â It was made vnto him for an euerlasting testament and to his seede as the daies of heauen to doe the function of priesthood and to haue praise and to glorifie his people in his name â He chose him of al that liued to offer sacrifice to God incense and good odour for a memorial to pacifie for his people â and he gaue them power in his preceptes in the testaments of his iudgementes to teach Iacob his testimonies and in his law to geue light to Israel â Because strangers stood against him and for enuie men compassed him about in the desert they that were with Dathan and Abiron and the congregation of Core in anger â Our Lord God saw and it pleased him not and they were consumed in the violence of wrath â He did prodigious thinges vnto them and consumed them in flame of fire â And he added glorie to Aaron and gaue him an inheritance and diuided vnto him the first fruites of the increase of the earth â He prepared them bread in the first vnto satietie for the sacrifices also of our Lord they shal eate which he gaue to him and to his seede â But he shal not inherite the nations in the land and he hath no part in the nation for himself is his portion inheritance â Phinees the sonne of Eleazar is the third in glorie in imitating him in the feare of our Lord â and to stand in the reuerence of the nation in the goodnes and alacritie of his soule he pacified God for Israel â Therefore did he establish vnto him a couenant of peace to be the prince of the holies and of his nation that the dignitie of priesthood should be to him and to his seede for euer â And the testament to Dauid king the sonne of Iesse of the tribe of Iuda and inheritance to him and to his seede that he might geue wisdom into our hart to iudge his nation in iustice that their good thinges might not be abolished their glorie in their nation he made euerlasting CHAP. XLVI Praises of Iosue 9. Caleb 13. the Iudges of Israel 16. Namely of Samuel Iudge and Prophet STRONG in battel was Iesus the sonne of Naue successour of Moyses among the prophets who was great according to his name â most great in the saluation of Gods elect to ouerthrow the enemies rising vp that he might get the inheritanâ of Israel â What glorie obteyned he in lifting vp his handes and casting swordes against the cities â Who before him did so resist âor our Lord himself brought the enemies â Whether was not the sunne hindered in his anger and one day was made as two â He inuocated the mightie soueraine in assaulting of the enemies on euerie side and the great and holie God heard him in haile stones of exceeding great force â He made violent assault against the nation of his enemies and in the goeing downe he destroyed the aduersaries â that the nations might know his might that it is not easie to fight against God And he folowed at the back of the mightie â And in the daies of Moyses did mercie and Caleb the
the tribes of Iacob â Blessed are they that saw thee and were honored in thy freindshipe â For we liue by life only but after death our name shal not be such â Elias was in dede hid in the whirlewind his spirit was complete in Eliseus in his daies he feared not the prince and no man ouercame him by might â Neither did any word ouercome him and his bodie prophecied being dead â In his life he did wonders and in death he wrought meruelous thinges â In al these thinges the people repented not and they departed not from their sinnes til they were cast out of their land and were dispersed into al the earth â And there was leaft a verie smal nation and a prince in the house of Dauid â Some of them did that which pleased God but others committed manie sinnes â Ezechias fenced his citie and brough in water into the middes thereof and digged a rocke with yron and built a wel for water â In his daies came vp Sennacherib and sent Rabsaces and lifted vp his hand against them and put forth his hand vpon Sion and became proude by his mightines â Then were their harts and hands moued and they were in sorow as trauailing wemen â And they inuocated our merciful Lord and spredding their handes they lifted them vp to heauen and the holie Lord God quickly heard their voice â He was not mindful of their sinnes neither did he geue them to their enemies but purged them by the hand of Isaie the holie prophete â He ouerthrew the campe of the Assirians and the Angel of our Lord destroyed them â For Ezechias did that which pleased God and went strongly in the way of Dauid his father which Isaie commanded him the great prophet and faithful in the sight of God â In his daies the sunne returned backward added life to the king â By a great spirite he saw the last thinges and comforted the mourners in Sion â For euer he shewed the thinges to come secret thinges before they came to passe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLVIII 10 VVho art vvritten Amongst other quarels Protestantes except against the authentical auctoritie of this booke because the auctor saith that Enoch and Elias shal come againe to appease the wrath of our Lord to reconcile the father to the sonne and to restore the tribes of Iacob But that this is no iust exception is clere by other holie Scriptures where the same vniforme doctrin of the whole Church is no lesse euident then in this booke For God himself saith the same also by the mouth of his prophet Malachie Behold I wil send you Elias the prophet before the day of our Lord come the great and dreadful Christ also sayth Elias in deede shal come and restore al thinges VVherupon S. Chrysostom after he hath shewed how terrible Antichrist shal be by reason of his temporal powre crueltie and wicked lawes he addeth Feare thou not He shal only haue force in the reprobate that perish For then also Elias shal come to fortifie the faithful Likewise the wordes in the Apocalips I wil geue to my two witnesses they shal prophecie a thousand two hundred and three score dayes were euer inuariably vnderstood by tradition from the first preachers of Christ as the ancient writer Aretas testifieth that Enoch and Elias shal come admonish al not to geue credite to the deceiptful wonders of Antichrist and that they shal trauel in this testimonie the space of three yeares and a half For 1260. dayes come very nere to that space of time CHAP. XLIX Praises of Iosias who like to Dauid and Ezechias tooke away occasions of idolatrie 8. Praises of Ieremie 10. Ezechiel 12. and the twelue Prophetes 13. Also of Zorobabel Iesus the sonne of Iosedech Nehemias Enoch Ioseph Seth Sem and Adam THE memorie of Iosias is according to the confection of perfume made by the worke of an apothecarie â His remembrance shal be sweete as honie in euerie mouth and as musick in banket of wine â He was directed by God into the repentance of the nation and he tooke away the abominations of impietie â And he gouerned his hart toward our Lord and in the daies of sinners he strengthened pietie â Except Dauid and Ezechias and Iosias al committed sinne â For the kinges of Iuda forsooke the law of the Highest and contemned the feare of God â For they gaue their kingdom to others and their glorie to a strange nation â They burnt the chosen citie of holines and made the waies thereof desolate in the hand of Ieremie â For they euil intreated him who was consecrated a prophet from his mothers wombe to ouerthrow and pluck vp and destroy and to build againe and renewe â Ezechiel who saw the sight of glorie which he shewed him in the chariote of Cherubs â For he made mention of the enemies in rayne to doe good vnto them that haue shewed right waies â And the bones of the twelue prophets wel may they spring out of their place for they haue strengthened Iacob and haue redeemed themselues in the fidelitie of power â How may we magnifie Zorobabel for he also was as a signet on the right hand â and so Iesus the sonne of Iosedec who in their daies built the house and erected the holie temple to our Lord prepared to euerlasting glorie â And Nehemias in the memorie of much time who erected vs our walles ouerthrowen and set vp the gates and lockes who built our houses â No man hath bene borne in the earth like to Henoch for he also was taken vp from the earth â Neither as Ioseph who was a man borne prince of his bretheren the stay of the nation the ruler of his bretheren the stay of the people â and his bones were visited and after death they prophecied â Seth and Sem obteyned glorie with men and aboue euerie soule in the beginning Adam CHAP. L. Praises of Simon the High Priest 27. Detestation of certaine persecuting aduersaries 29. With conclusion that the obseruers of this doctrine shal be wise and happie SIMON the sonne of Onias the high priest who in his life held vp the house and in his daies strengthned the temple â The height also of the temple was founded by him the duble building and high walles of the temple â In his daies the welles of waters flowed out and they were filled as the sea aboue measure â Who had care of his nation and deliuered it from perdition â Who preuailed to amplifie the citie who obteyned glorie in conuersing with the nation and amplified the entrance of the house and the court â As the morning starre in the middes of a cloude and as the ful moone he shineth in his dayes â And as the sunne shining so did he shine in the temple of God â As the rainbow that shineth among
laide oppen before prophane persons S. Gregorie also alleageth an other reason ho. 17. in Ezech. that occasion of humilitie may be geuen vs by those thinges which are hidden in holie Scriptures And increase also of merite by beleuing more then we vnderstand because faith hath not merite where reason geueth experiment THE ARGVMENT OF THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIE ISaie the sonne of Aâos and nephew as S. Ierom insinuateth to king Amasias prophecied in the times of Osias Ioathan Achaz Ezechias and in the beginning of Manasses Kinges of Iuda in al aboue three score yeares and was cruelly put to death sawed into partes by commandment of Manasses He is commonly called the Euangelical Prophet for his ample and particular speaches of Christ more large and more plaine then in aââe other of the old Prophetes His stile is high and eloquent according to his liberal education being of the royal bloud For so it pleaseth the Holie Ghost to vtter his diuine prophecies diuersly according to the qualities and conditions of the persons by whom he speaketh by Isaie in a loftie and by Amos in a meane stile as a musitian soundeth the same songue by a simple pipe by a corneâ trumpet or other musical instrument Which S. Paul also witnesseth saying Diuersly and by diuers meanes God spake to the fathers in the Prophetes Isaie therfore conuersing in the kingdom of Iuda especially in the Emperial and Metropolitan citie of Ierusalem preached prophecied manie thinges perteyning to the Tribes of Iuda and Beniamin as also to the tribe of Leui. Which after the schisme of Ieroboam repayred in maner al to the kingdom of Iuda where God was rightly serued He prophecied also of the tenne Tribes the kingdom of Israel of the future captiuities of them both and of the reduction of Iuda Also he prophecied of other nations and peoples with whom the Iewes had either emnitie or freindlie conuersation and of al the world But most especially of the coming of Christ to redeme and deliuer mankind from captiuitie of sinne The whole prophecie conteyneth two general partes First more principally the Prophet admonisheth and threatneth the people that they shal be punished for their manifold sinnes in the 39. former chapters In the other 27. he comforteth them signifying that God of his mercie wil after chatisment their repentance deliuer them from their aduersaries Yet so that ech part participateth of the principal contents with the other More particularly the whole booke may be diuided into eight partes In the twelue first chapters the Prophet admonisheth alsortes in the kingdom of Iuda of their ingratitude towards God with manie other sinnes and of iust punishment but mixt with consolation of Gods mercie and thanksegeuing for the same In eleuen chapters folowing he directeth his speach to other Nations aduersaries to the Iewes In foure more he extendeth his admonitions to al the world stil intermixing some consolations In other foure he reprehendeth both the kingdoms of Israel and Iuda for seeking helpe of strange nations In the next eight chapters he prophecieth of diuers dangers immineÌt to the kingdom of Iuda of their captiuitie in Babylon of Gods benignitie deliuering them very much in euerie part of Christ and his Church Then in fiue chapters he prophecieth very particularly of the comfortable deliuerie from sinne by Christ In other foure from temporal captiuitie by Cyrus King of Assirians And finally in the last eightene chapters he prophecieth largely of the perfect deliuerie by Christ conuersion of al Nations reiection of the Iewes til nere the end of the world when they shal also returne to Christ THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIE CHAP. I. Isaie prophecying in the dayes of foure kinges of Iuda 2. admonisheth both princes and people of their ingratitude and other sinnes against God 7. for which they shal be led captiue 11. Neither shal sacrifices nor prayers saue them 16. except they cleanse their soules from sinnes 20. which they not doing shal be seuerely punished 26. Wherby the reliques shal be purged and the Church shal flourish THE vision of Isaie the sonne of Amos which he sawe concerning Iuda and Ierusalem in the dayes of Ozias Ioathan Achaz and Ezechias kinges of Iuda â Heare ye heauens geue eare ô earth because our Lord hath spoken I haue brought vp children and exalted them but they haue despised me â The oxe hath knowen his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowen me and my people hath not vnderstood â Woe to the sinful nation the people loden with greeuous iniquitie the wicked seede vngracious children they haue forsaken our Lord they haue blasphemed the holie one of Israel they are reuolted backewards â For what shal I strike you anie more which adde preuarication euerie head is sicke euerie hart in heauines â From the sole of the foote vnto the toppe of the head there is no health therein wound and wayle and swelling stroke it is not bound vp nor cured with medicine nor mollified with oile â Your land is desolate your cities burnt with fire your countrie strangers deuoure before your face and it shal be made desolate as in the spoile of enemies â And the daughter of Sion shal be left as a vineyard and as a cottage in a place of cucumbers and as a citie that is wasted â Vnlesse the Lord of hostes had lefte vs seed we had beene as Sodom and we should be like to Gomorrha â Heare the word of our Lord ye princes of Sodom geue eare to the law of our God ye people of Gomorrha â To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victimes saith our Lord I am ful the holocaust oframmes and the fatte of fatlings and the bloud of calues and lambes and buck goates I haue not desired â When you should haue come before my sight who sought for these thinges at your handes that you should walke in my courtes â Offer sacrifice no more in vaine incense is abomination to me The Newe moone and the Sabbath and other sestiuities I wil not abide your assemblies are wicked â My soule hateth your Calendes and your solemnities they are become tedious to me I haue laboured in susteyning â And when you shal streach forth your hands I wil turne away mine eies from you when you shal multiplie prayer I wil not heare for your handes are ful of bloud â Wash you be cleane take away the euil of your cogitations from mine eies cease to doe peruersely â Lerne to doe good seeke iudgement succour the oppressed iudge for the pupil defend the widow â And come and accuse me sayth our Lord if your sinnes shal be as scarlet they shal be made white as snow and if they be red as vermelon they shal be white as wooll â If you be willing and wil heare me you shal eate the good thinges
of the earth â But if you wil not and wil prouoke me to wrath the sword shal deuoure you because the mouth of our Lord hath spoken â How is the faythful citie ful of iudgement become an harlot iustice hath dwelled in it but now mankillers â Thy siluer is turned into drosse thy wine is mingled with water â Thy princes are vnfaithful companions of theues al loue giftes folow rewardes They iudge not for the pupil and the widowes cause goeth not in to them â For this cause sayth our Lord the God of hostes the mightie one of Israel Alas I wil comfort myselfe vpon mine aduersaries and wil be reuenged of mine enemies â And I wil turne mine hand to thee and I wil boyle out thy drosse til it be pure wil take away al thy tinne â And I wil restore thy iudges as they haue beene before and thy counselers as of old After these thinges thou shalt be called the iust a faithful citie â Sion shal be redemed in iudgement and they shal bring her backe in iustice â And he shal destroy the wicked and the sinners together and they that haue forsaken our Lord shal be consumed â For they shal be confounded for the idols to which they haue sacrificed and you shal be ashamed of the gardens which you chose â When you shal be as an oke the leaues falling of and as a garden without water â And your strength shal be as the isles of to we and your worke as a sparke and both shal be set on fire together and there shal be none to quench it CHAP. II. Al nations shal come to the Church of Christ which shal beginne in Ierusalem 6. And the Iewes shal be reiected for their idolatrie auarice and other sinnes 11. Proud men shal be humbled Gods glorie shal increase 18. Idolatrie shal be destroyed THE word that Isaie the sonne of Amos saw vpon Iuda and Ierusalem â And in the later dayes the montaine of the house of our Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of montaines and it shal be eleuated aboue the little hilles and al nations shal flowe vnto it â And manie peoples shal goe shal say come and let vs goe vp to the mount of our Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he wil teach vs his wayes and we shal walke in his pathes because the law shal come forth from Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem â And he shal iudge the Gentiles and rebuke manie peoples and they shal turne their swordes into culters and their speares into siethes nation shal not lift vp sword against nation neither shal they be exercised any more to battel â House of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of our Lord. â For thou hast reiected thy people the house of Iacob because they are filled as in times past and haue had southsayers as the Philisthijms and haue stucke fast to strange children â The land is replenished with siluer and gold and there is no end of their treasures â And their land is replenished with horses and their chariotes are innumerable And their land is ful of idoles they haue adored the worke of their handes which their fingers made â And man bowed himself and man was humbled therfore forgeue them not â Enter thou into the rocke and be hid in a pitte in the ground from the face of the feare of our Lord from the glorie of his maiestie â The loftie eies of man are humbled and the height of men shal be made to stoupe our Lord onlie shal be exalted in that day â Because the day of the Lord of hostes shal be vpon al the proude and loftie and vpon euerie one that is arrogant and he shal be humbled â And vpon al the ceders of Libanus high eleuated vpon al the okes of Basan â And vpon al the high mountaines and vpon al little hilles eleuated â And vpon euerie high towre and euerie fensed wal â And vpon al the shippes of Tharsis and vpon al that is fayre to behold â And the loftines of men shal be bowed and the height of men shal be humbled and our Lord onlie shal be exaited in that day â And idols shal vtterly be destroyed â And they shal enter into the caues of rockes and into the pittes of the earth from the face of the feare of our Lord and from the glorie of his maiestie when he shal rise vp to strike the earth â In that day shal a man castaway the idols of his siluer and the idols of his gold which he had made him to adore mowles and battes â And he shal goe into the clefts of rockes and into the caues of stones from the face of the feare of our Lord and from the glorie of his maiestie when he shal rise vp to strike the earth â Cease therfore from the man whose spirit is in his nosthrels because he is reputed high CHAP. III. The Iewes shal be depriued of wise men 4. and be subiect to childish and effeminate gouerners 8. for their greuous sinnes 16. The proud curious and lasciuious attyre of their wemen 24. shal be turned into ignominie and sorow FOR behold the dominatour the Lord of hostes shal take away from Ierusalem and from Iuda the valiant and the strong al strength of bread and al strength of water â The strong and the man of warre the iudge and the prophete and southsayer and the ancient â The prince ouer fiftie and the honorable of countenance and the counseler and the wise of workemasters and the skilful of mystical speach â And I wil geue children to be their princes and the effeminate shal rule ouer them â And the people shal rush violently man against man and euerie one against his neighbour the childe shal make tumult against the ancient and the base against the noble â For a man shal take hold of his brother one of the house of his father Thou hast a garment be thou our prince and let this ruine be vnder thy hand â He shal answer in that day saying I am no physicion in my house there is no bread nor garment do not appoint me prince of the people â For Ierusalem is gone to ruine and Iuda is fallen because their tongue their inuentions were against our Lord to prouoke the eyes of his maiestie â The knowlege of their face hath answered them and they haue proclaimed their sinne as Sodom neither haue they hid it woe to their soule because euils are rendered to them â Say to the iust that it is wel because he shal eate the fruite of his inuentions â Woe to the impious vnto euil for the reward of his handes shal be made to him â My people their exactours haue spoyled wemen haue ruled ouer them My people they that cal thee blessed the same deceiue thee and dissipate
most proud and mightie shal be throwne into extreme miserie 24. In the meane time the Asirians beseging Ierusalem shal be defeated 28. Neither shal the Philistims preuaile against the lewes as they presume IT is neere that the time therof shal come and the daies therof shal not be porlonged For our Lord wil haue mercie on Iacob and wil yet choose out of Israel and wil make them rest vpon their owne ground the stranger shal be ioyned to them shal sticke to the house of Iacob â And peoples shal hold them and bring them into their place and the house of Israel shal possesse them vpon the land of our Lord for seruants and handmaides and they shallead captiue those that had taken them shal subdewe their exactours â And it shal be in that day when God shal geue thee rest from thy labour and from thy vexation and from the sore seruitude which thou didst serue before â Thou shalt take this parable against the king of Babylon and shalt say How hath the exactour ceased the tribute rested â Our Lord hath broken the staffe of the impious the rodde of the rulers â that did beate peoples in indignation with vncurable wound subdewing nations in furie persecuting cruelly â Al earth is quiet and stil is glad hath reioyced â The firre trees also haue reioyeed ouer thee and the ceders of Libanus since thou hast slept there hath none come vp to hewe vs. â Hel beneath is trubled to meete thy coming it hath raysed vp the giants for thee Al the princes of the earth are risen vp from their thrones al the princes of nations â Al shal answere and say to thee Thou also art wounded euen as we made like vnto vs. â Thy pride is drawen downe to hel thy carcasse is fallen vnder thee shal the mothe be strawed and wormes shal be thy couering â How art thou fallen from heauen Lucifer which didst rise in the morning art thou fallen to the earth that didst wound nations â Which didst say in thy hart I wil ascend into heauen aboue the starres of God wil I exalt my throne I wil sitte in the mount of the testament in the sides of the North. â I wil ascend aboue the height of the cloudes I wil be like to the Highest â But yet thou shalt be drawen downe to hel into the depth oh the lake â They that shal see thee shal turne toward thee behold thee Is this the man that trubled the earth that shaked kingdomes â that made the world a desert destroyed the cities therof opened not the prison to his prisoners â Al the kinges of the nations euerie one haue slept in glorie eche man in his owne house â But thou art cast forth out of thy sepulchre as an vnprofitable branche polluted and wrapped vp with them that were slaine by the sword and are gone downe to the fundations of the lake as a rotten carcasse â Thou shalt not keepe companie with them neither in burial for thou hast destroyed thy land thou hast slaine thy people the seede of the wicked shal not be named for euer â Prepare his children to slaughter in the iniquitie of their fathers they shal not rise vp nor inherite the land nor fil the world with cities â And I wil rise ouer them sayth the Lord of hostes I wil destroy the name of Babylon and the remaynes and bud and progenie sayth our Lord. â And I wil make it the possession of the hedgehog marriâes of waters I wil sweepe it with besome wearing it sayth the Lord of hostes â The Lord of hostes hath sworne saying If it shal not be as I haue thought and so fal out as I haue in mind consulted â That I destroy the Assirian in my land and in my mountaines tread vpon him and his yoke shal be taken away from them and his burden taken of from their shoulder â This is the counsel that I haue deuised vpon al the earth and this is the hand stretched forth vpon al nations â For the Lord of hostes hath decreed and who can weaken it and his hand is stretched out and who shal turne it away â In the yeare that king Achaz died was this burden made â Reioyce not thou whole Philistaea that the rod of thy striker is broken in peeces for from the roote of the serpent shal issue forth a cockatrice and his seede swalowing the bird â And the first borne of the poore shal be fed the poore shal rest considently and I wil make thy roote to perish in famine and wil kil thy remnant â Howle thou gate crie out ô citie al Philisthaea is throwen downe for a smoke shal come from the North and there is none that shal escape his troupe â And what shal be answered to the messengers of nations That our Lord hath founded Sion and the poore of his people shal hope in him CHAP. XV. Unexpected ruine shal fal vpon the Moabites 5. Wherof the Prophet hath compassion THE burden of Moab Because Ar-Moab was wasted in the night he hath held his peace because the wal of Moab is destroyed in the night he hath held his peace â The house is gone vp Dibon to the high places to moorne vpon Nabo and vpon Medaba shal Moab howle on al the heades therof baldnes and euerie beard shal be shauen â In the high wayes therof they are girded with sackcloth vpon the roofes therof and in the streates therof al howling goeth downe to weepe â Hesebon shal crie Elealé their voice is heard euen to âasa For this shal the wel appoynted of Moab howle his soule shal howle to himself â My hart shal crie to Moab the barres therof vnto Segor an heifer astonishing for by the ascent of Luith he shal goe vp weeping in the way of Oronaim they shal lift vp a crie of contrition â For the waters of Nemrim shal be made desolate because the grasse is withered the spring is faded al grennes is perished â According to the greatnes of the worke is also their visitation they shal lead them to the torrent of willowes â Because the crie shal goe round about the border of Moab vnto Gallim the howling therof and vnto the Pit-Elim the crie therof â Because the waters of Dibon are replenished with bloud for I wil pur additions vpon Dibon the âon for them that shal flee of Moab and for the remmant of the land CHAP. XVI The prophet prayeth for and prophecieth Christs coming 6. adding more of the affliction of the Moabites for their pride SEND forth ô Lord the lambe the dominatour of the earth from the Rocke of the desert to the mount of the daughter of Sion â And he shal be as a bird fleing and the yong flying out of the nest so shal the daughters of Moab be in the passage of Arnon
drunke euen to the dregges â There is none that can vphold her of al the children that she hath borne and there is none that taketh her by the hand of al the children that she hath brought vp â There are two thinges which haue happened to thee who shal be sorie for thee Spoile and destruction and famine and the sword who shal comfort thee â Thy children are throwen forth they haue slept in the head of alwayes as the orix that is snared ful of the indignation of our Lord of the rebuke of thy God â Therefore heare this poore little one and drunken not of wine â Thus sayth thy dominatour our Lord and thy God who hath fought for his people Behold I haue taken out of thy hand the cuppe of drousines the botome of the cuppe of mine indignation thou shalt not adde to drinke it any more â And I wil put it in their hand that haue humbled thee and haue sayd to thy soule Bow downe that we may passe ouer and thou hast layd thy bodie as the ground and as a way to them that passe ouer CHAP. LII The prophet alluding to the deliuerie of Sion and Ierusalem from Babylonical captiuitie sturreth vp the Church of Christ to reioyce for the deliuerie from sinne 7. which Christs Apostles preached 10. with great fruite in al nations ARISE arise put on thy strength ô Sion put on the garments of thy glorie ô Ierusalem the citie of the holie one because the vncircumcised and vncleane shal adde no more to passe by thee â Be shaken out of the dust arise sit vp Ierusalem loose the bonds of thy necke ô captiue daughter of Sion â Because thus sayth our Lord You were sold for nought and without siluer you shal be redemed â Because thus sayth our Lord God My people went downe into Aegypt at the beginning to be a seiourner there and Assur without any cause did oppresse them â And now what haue I here sayth our Lord because my people is taken away for nought Their rulers doe vniustly sayth our Lord and continually al the day my name is blasphemed â For this cause shal my people know my name in that day because I myself that spake loe am present â How beautiful vpon the mountaines are the feete of him that euangelizeth preacheth peace of him that telleth good preaching health that sayeth to Sion Thy God shal reigne â The voice of thy watchemen they haue lifted vp their voice they shal prayse together because eie to eie they shal see when our Lord shal conuert Sion â Reioyce prayse together ye deserts of Ierusalem because our Lord hath comforted his people he hath redemed Ierusalem â Our Lord hath prepared his holie arme in the sight of al the Gentiles and al the endes of the earth shal see the saluation of our God â Depart depart goe ye out from thence touch not a polluted thing goe out of the middes of her be cleansed ye that carie the vesseles of our Lord. â Because you shal not goe out in tumult neither with flight shal you make hast for our Lord wil goe before you and the God of Israel wil gather you together â Behold my seruant shal vnderstand he shal be exalted and shal be lifted vp and shal be exceding high â As manie haue bene astoined vpon thee so shal his looke among men be inglorious and his forme among the sonnes of men â He shal sprinkle manie nations kinges shal shut their mouthe vpon him because they to whom it was not told of him haue sene and they that heard not haue beheld CHAP. LIII Al wil not beleue Christs Gospel to whom it shal be preached 2. as the mysterie of his ignominious death for al mens sinnes 7. which he wil suffer most mekely 10. for which his name shal be glorified in al places VVHO hath beleued our hearing and the arme of our Lord to whom is it reueled â And he shal come vp as a yong spring before him and as a roote from a thirstie ground there is no beautie in him nor comelinesse and we haue sene him and there was no sightlines and we were desirous of him â Despised and most abiect of men a man of sorowes and knowing infirmitie and his looke as it were hid and despised whereupon neither haue we estemed him â He surely hath borne our infirmities and our sorowes he hath caried and we haue thought him as it were a leper and striken of God and humbled â But he was wounded for our iniquities he was broken for our sinnes the discipline of our peace vpon him and with the waile of his stripe we are healed â Al we haue strayed as sheepe euerie one hath declined into his owne way and our Lord hath put vpon him the iniquitie of al vs. â He was offered because him self would and opened not his mouth as a sheepe to slaughter shal he be led and as a lambe before his shearer he shal be dumme and shal not open his mouth â from distresse and from iudgement he was taken vp who shal declare his generation because he is cut out of the land of the liuing for the wickednes of my people haue I striken him â And he shal geue the impious for his burial and the riche for his death because he hath not done iniquitie neither was there guile in his mouth â And our Lord would breake him in infirmitie if he shal put away his soule for sinne he shal see seede of long age and the wil of our Lord shal be directed in his hand â For that his soule hath laboured he shal see and be filled in his knowlege the same my iust seruant shal iustifie manie and he shal beare their iniquities â Therefore wil I distribute vnto him verie manie and he shal diuide the spoiles of the strong for that he hath deliuered his soule vnto death and was reputed with the wicked and he hath borne the sinnes of manie and hath prayed for the transgressours CHAP. LIIII Gentiles who were barren shal multiplie in the Church of Christ 10. from which Gods mercie shal neuer be separated PRAISE ô barren woman which bearest not sing prayse and make ioyful noyse which didst not beare because manie are the children of the desolate more then of her that hath a husband saith our Lord. â Enlarge the place of thy tent and stretch out the skinnes of thy tabernacles spare not make long thy coardes and fasten thy nailes â For thou shalt penetrate to the right hand and to the left and thy seede shal inherite the Gentiles and shal inhabite the desolate cities â Feare not because thou shalt not be confounded nor blush for thou shalt not be ashamed because thou shalt forget the confusion of thy youth and the reproch of thy widowhood thou shalt remenber no more â Because he shal rule ouer thee that made thee the
conceiued labour and brought forth iniquitie â They haue broken the egges of aspes and haue wouen the spiders webbes he that shal eate of their egges shal die and that which is nourished shal be hatched into a cockatrice â Their webbes shal not be for clothing neither shal they be couered with their workes their workes are vnprofitable workes and the worke of iniquitie is in their handes â Their feete runne to euil hasten to shede innocent bloud their cogitations are vnprofitable cogitations waste and destruction are in their wayes â They haue not knowen the way of peace and there is no iudgement in their steppes their pathes are become croked to them euerie one that treadeth in them knoweth not peace â For this cause is iudgement far from vs iustice shal not apprehend vs. We expected light and behold darkenesse brightnes we haue walked in darkenes â We haue groped as blind men for the wal and as without eies haue feeled we haue stumbled at noone day as in darkenes in darke places as the dead â We al shal roare as beares and as mourning doues we shal lament We haue expected iudgement and there is none saluation and it is far from vs. â For our iniquities are multiplied before thee and our sinnes haue answered to vs because our wicked doings are with vs our iniquities we haue knowen â to sinne and lie against our Lord and we were turned away so that we went not after our God that we spake calumnie and trangression we conceiued and spake from the hart words of lying â And iudgement was turned backward and iustice stood far of because truth hath fallen downe in the streete and equitie could not enter in â And truth grew into obliuion and he that departed from euil lay open to the praye and our Lord saw and it appeared euil in his eies because there is no iudgement â And he saw that there is not a man and he was astoined because there is none to oppose himself and his owne arme saued to himself and his iustice it self confirmed him â He is clothed with iustice as with a brestplate and is an helmet of saluation on his head he is clothed with garments of reuenge and is couered as with a mantel of zele â As vnto reuenge as it were vnto retribution of indignation to his aduersaries and recompence to his enemies he wil repay the like to the ilandes â And they of the West shal feare the name of our Lord and they of the rysing of the sunne his glorie when he shal come as a violent streame which the spirit of our Lord driueth â and there shal come a redemer to Sion and to them that returne from iniquitie in Iacob sayth our Lord. â This is my couenant with them sayth our Lord My spirit that is in thee and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seede and out of the mouth of thy seedes seede sayth our Lord from this present and for euer CHAP. LX. In the Church of Christ shal shine the light of true faith and sincere charitie 8. which shal be spredde in al nations and continue al times 15. replenished with manie ioyful graces 18. and eternal glorie ARISE be illuminated Ierusalem because thy light is come the glorie of our Lord is risen vpon thee â Because loe darkenes shal couer the earth a mist the peoples but vpon thee shal our Lord arise and his glorie shal be seene vpon thee â And the Gentiles shal walke in thy light and kinges in the brightnes of thy rising â Lift vp thine eies round about and see al these are gathered together they are come to thee thy sonnes shal come from a farre thy daughters shal rise from the side â Then shalt thou see abound and thy hart shal meruel and be enlarged when the multitude of the sea shal be conuerted to thee the strength of Gentiles shal come to thee â The inundation of camels shal couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha al of Saba shal come bringing gold and frakincense and shewing forth prayse to our Lord. â Al the cattel of Cedar shal be gathered together vnto thee the rammes of Nabaioth shal minister to thee they shal be offered vpon my placable altar and I wil glorifie the house of my maiestie â Who are these that flie as cloudes and as doues to their windowes â For the ilandes expect me and the shippes of the sea in the begynning that I may bring thy sonnes from a farre their siluer their gold with them to the name of the Lord thy God and to the holie one of Israel because he hath glorified thee â And the children of strangers shal build thy walles and their kinges shal minister to thee for in mine indignation haue I stricken thee and in my reconciliation haue I had mercie vpon thee â And thy gates shal be open continually day and night they shal not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee and their kinges may be brought â For the nation and the kingdome that shal not serue thee shal perish and the Gentiles shal be wasted with desolation â The glorie of Libanus shal come to thee the firretree and boxetree and pinetree together to adorne the place of my sanctification and the place of my feete I wil glorifie â And the children of them that humbled thee shal come crouching to thee and al that detracted from thee shal adore the steppes of thy feete and shal cal thee the citie of the Lord Sion of the holie one of Israel â For that thou wast forsaken and hated and there was none that passed by thee I wil make thee to be the pride of worldes a âoy vnto generation and generation â and thou shalt sucke the milke of the Gentiles and thou shalt be nurced with the tette of kinges and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that saue thee and thy redemer the strong one of Iacob â For brasse I wil bring gold and for yron I wil bring siluer and for wood brasse and for stones yron and I wil make thy visitation peace and thine ouerseers iustice â Iniquitie shal no more be heard in thy land waste and destruction in thy borders and saluation shal occupie thy walles and prayse thy gates â Thou shalt haue the sunne no more to shine by day neither shal the brightnes of the moone lighten thee but the Lord shal be vnto thee for an euerlasting light and thy God for thy glorie â Thy sunne shal goe downe no more and thy moone shal not be diminished because the Lord shal be vnto thee for an euerlasting light and the daies of thy mourning shal be ended â And thy people al iust for euer shal inherite the land the bud
where is he that brought them out of the sea with the pastours of his flocke Where is he that put in the middes of him the spirit of his holie one â He that brought out Moyses to the right hand by the arme of his maiestie that diuided the waters before them that he might make to himself an euerlasting name â He that brought them out through the depthes as an horse in the desert that stumbled not â As the beast that goeth downe in the plaine filde the spirit of our Lord was their conductor so didst thou bring thy people that thou mightest make thee a name of glorie â Attend from heauen and looke from thy holie habitation of thy glorie where is thy zele and thy strength the multitude of thy bowels and of thy mercies they haue held backe them selues toward me â For thou art our father and â Abraham hath not knowen vs and Israel hath bene ignorant of vs thou ô Lord art our father our redemer from the begynning is thy name â Why hast thou made vs erre ô Lord from thy waies hast thou hardned our hart that we feared not thee Returne for thy seruants the tribes of thine inheritance â As nothing haue they possessed thy holie people our enemies haue troden downe thy sanctification â We are become as in the begynning when thou didst not rule ouer vs neither was thy name inuocated vpon vs. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. LXIII 16. Abraham hath not knovvne vs. The faithful people considering their ovvne great frequent inueterate sinnes vvith the extreme calamities wherinto they vvere fallen for the same supposed that their progenitor Abraham vvhom God had particularly called out of his countrie Iacob of vvhose tvvelue sonnes the vvhole nation vvas propagated did no longer acknowlege them for their children because they had so greuously offended God vvere not vvorthie of anie fauour Al vvhich notwithstanding yet they hoped in Gods incomparable mercie that his diuine goodnes being Creator of al who had elected them for his peculiar people brought them out of Aegypt and often deliuered them from sundrie afflictions vvould againe reduce them from captiâitie and as their merciful father remitte their sinnes and releue their miseries though Abraham Iacob and other Patriarches had iustly reiected them as lost children This being the proper literal sense of this place according to S. Ieroms and other ancient Doctors explication it maketh nothing at al for the old and new heresie of Vigilantius Luther denying that Sainctes in an other life do knovv vvhat is donne in this vvorld For albeit the Patriarches in zele of iustice did not acknovvlege their carnal posteritie because of their great sinnes for their children yet they knevv their state as S. Augustin li. de cura pro mortuis interpreting this and other places of holie Scripture teacheth partly by relation of such as passed from hence to them partly by holie Angels and especially by diuine inspirations As it is clere that Abraham knevv the state of poore Lazarus of the rich glutton describing vvhat ech of them had deserued and consequently receiued Much more both the old Patriarches and al other Sainctes in eternal glorie knovv ââh other though neuer sene nor knovvne before in this vvorld as S. Gregorie teacheth li 4 c. 33. Dialogi The glorified Sainctes see also in God that vvhich perteyneth to their clientes that pray vnto them in earth so farre as God doth ordaine more clerly by light of glorie then prophetes see by light of prophecie as S. Augustin teacheth But touching the maner he saith it exceeded the reach of his vnderstanding hovv Martyrs do helpe those vvho it is certaine are holpen by them So discoursing at large of the vncertaine maner shevveth that there is no doubt at al of the thing it selfe that Sainctes in heauen do knovv mortal mens necessities heaâe their prayers and helpe them by their intercession and merites vvhich he confirmeth also li. 20. c. 21. cont Faust Tract 8. in Ioan. Ser. 5. de Sanctis Likevvise S. Ierom against Vigilanâius S. Gregorie li. 3. Epist ep â0 li. 7. ep 126. li. 9. ep 38 and others in manie places CHAP. LXIIII. The Iewes in captiuitie pray to God for release 4. acknowleging his former great benefites and their owne sinnes fleing now to his mercie VVOVLD God thou wouldest breake the heauens in sunder and wouldst descend at thy presence the mountaines should melt away â As the burning of fyre would they melt the waters would burne with fyre that thy name might be made knowen to thine enemies at thy presence the nations should be trubled â When thou shalt doe meruelous thinges we shal not sustayne thou art descended and at thy presence the mountaines are melted â From the begynning of the world they haue not heard nor receiued with the eares the eie hath not seene ô God beside thee what thinges thou hast prepared for them that expect thee â Thou hast mette him that reioyceth and doth iustice in thy waies they shal remember thee behold thou art angrie and we haue sinned we haue bene alwayes in them and we shal be saued â And al we are become as one vncleane and al our iustices as the cloth of a menstrued woman and we haue al fallen as a leafe and our iniquities as the winde haue taken vs away â There is none that inuocateth thy name that ryseth vp and holdeth thee thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast dashed vs in the hand of our iniquitie â And now Lord thou art our father and we clay and thou art our maker and al we the workes of thy handes â Be not angrie ô Lord ynough and remember no more our iniquitie loe regard al we are thy people â The citie of thy holie one is made desert Sion is made desert Ierusalem is become desolate â The house of our sanctification and of our glorie where our fathers praysed thee is turned into the burning of fyre and al our thinges worthie to be desired are turned into ruines â Wilâ thou vpon these thinges conteyne thyself ô Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict vs vehemently CHAP. LXV The gentiles shal seeke and finde Christ 2. Whom the Iewes wil persecute and shal be reiected only a few reliques reserued 13. So the Church shal multiplie and abound in graces THEY haue sought me that before asked not they haue found that sought me not I said Behold me behold me to a Gentilitie that did not inuocate my name â I haue spred foâth mine handes al the day to an incredulous people which goeth in a way not good after their owne cogitations â A people that prouoke me to anger before my face alwayes that immolate in gardens and sacrifice vpon brickes â That dwel in sepulchers and sleepe in temples of idols that eate swines flesh and profane potage in their vessels â That say
our Lord to the man of Iuda and to Ierusalem Make vnto you new fallow ground sow not vpon thornes â be circumcised to our Lord and take away the prepuces of your hartes ye men of Iuda and inhabitants of Ierusalem lest perhapes mine indignation goe forth as fire and be kindled and there be none that can quench it because of the malice of your cogitations â Declare ye in Iuda and make it heard in Ierusalem speake and sound with the trumpet in the land crie strongly and say Assemble yourselues and let vs enter into the fenced cities â lift vp the signe in Sion Take courege stand not because I do bring euil from the North ad great destruction â The lyon is come vp out of his denne and the robber of the Gentiles hath lifted vp himselfe he is come forth out of his place that he may make thy land as a wildernes thy cities shal be wasted remayning without an inhabiter â For this gird yourselues with clothes of heare mourne and howle because the wrath of the furie of our Lord is not turned away from vs. â And it shal be in that day saith our Lord The hart of the king shal perish the hart of the princes and the priests shal be astonied and the prophets shal be amased â And I said Alas alas alas ô Lord God hast thou then deceiued this people and Ierusalem saying You shal haue peace and behold the sword hath come euen to the soule â At that time it shal be said to this people to Ierusalem A burning wind in the waies that are in the desert of the way of the daughter of my people not to fanne and to purge â A ful spirit from these shal come to me and now I wil speake my iudgement with them â Behold he shal come in a cloude and his chariots as a tempest his horses are swifter then eagles woe vnto vs because we are destroyed â Wash thy hart from malice ô Ierusalem that thou maist be saued how long shal hurtful cogitations abide in thee â For a voice of one declaring from Dan and notifying the idol from mount Ephraim â Say ye to the Gentiles loe it is heard in Ierusalem that there come keepers from a farre countrie sound their voice vpon the cities of Iuda â They are set vpon her round about as the keepers of fildes because she hath prouoked me to wrath saith our Lord. â Thy waies and thy cogitations haue done these thinges to thee this thy malice because it is bitter because it hath touched thy hart â My bellie my belly aketh the senses of my hart are trubled in me I wil not hold my peace because my soule hath heard the voice of the trumpet the crie of battel â Destruction is called vpon destruction and al the earth is wasted my tentes are wasted quickly sodenly my skinnes â How long shal I see one that fleeth away shal I heare the voice of the trumpet â Because my foolish people haue not knowen me they are vnwise children and without witte they are wise to do euils but to doe wel they haue not knowen â I beheld the earth and loe it was voide and a thing of nothing and the heauens there was no light in them â I saw the mountaines loe they were moued al the little hilles were trubled â I beheld and there was not a man and euerie soule of the aâre was departed â I looked and behold Carmel made desert and al the cities therof were destroyed at the face of our Lord and at the face of the wrath of his furie â For thus saith our Lord Al the land shal be desolate but yet I wil not make a consummation â The earth shal mourne and the heauens shal lament from aboue because I haue spoken I haue purposed and it hath not repented me neither am I turned away from it â At the voice of the horseman and the archer al the citie is fled they haue entred into high places and haue climed the rocks al the cities are forsaken and there dwelleth not a man in them â But thou being wasted what wilt thou doe when thou shalt clothe thy selfe in scarlet when thou shalt be adorned with golden iewels shalt paint thine eies with stibike stone thou shalt be trimmed in vaine thy louers haue contemned thee they wil seeke thy life â For I haue heard the voice as of a traueling woman anguishes as of a woman in labour of child The voice of the daughter of Sion amongst them that dye and stretch forth their handes woe is me because my soule hath fainted for them that are slaine CHAP. V. Al sortes of higher and lower degrees transgresse Gods law 9. and shal be punished GOE round about the wayes of Ierusalem and looke and consider and seeke in the streetes therof whether you can finde a man that doth iudgements and secketh fidelitie I wil be propicious vnto him â Yea if they say Our Lord liueth this also they wil sweare falsely â O Lord thyne eies regard fidelitie thou hast striken them they were not sorie thou hast broken them and they haue refused to receiue discipline they haue hardned their faces more then the rocke and they would not returne â But I said Perhaps they are poore foolish not knowing the way of the Lord the iudgement of their God â I wil go therfore to the great men wil speake to them for they haue knowen the way of their Lord behold these altogether haue more broken the yoke haue burst the bondes â Therefore hath the lion out of the wood striken them the woolf in the euening hath wasted them the leopard watching vpon their citties euerie one of them that shal come forth shal be taken because their preuarications are multiplied their reuoltinges are strengthned â Wherupon can I be propicious to thee thy children haue forsaken me and sweare by them that are not goddes I filled them they committed aduoutrie and did riotously in the harlots house â They are become as amarous horses and stalions euerie one neyed at his neighbours wife â VVhy shal I not visite vpon these thinges saith our Lord and on such a nation shal not my soule take reuenge â Scale the walles therof and dissipate them but make not a consummation take away the branches therof because they are not the Lordes â For by preuarication hath the house of Israel preuaricated against me the house of Iuda saith our Lord. â They haue denied our Lord and saied It is not he neither shal the euil come vpon vs we shal not see sword famine â The prophets haue spoken into the wind there was no answer in them these things therfore shal happen to them â Thus saith our Lord the God of hostes Because you haue spoken this word behold I geue my wordes in thy mouth as fire
prophecie in my name whom I sent not that say There shal not be sword and famine in this land In sword and famine shal those prophetes be consumed â And the peoples to whom they prophecie shal be cast forth in the waies of Ierusalem through famine and sword and there shal be none to burie them they and their wiues their sonnes and their daughters and I wil power out their euil vpon them â And thou shalt say this word vnto them Let mine eies shede teares night and day and not cease because the virgine daughter of my people is afflicted with great affliction with a verie sore plague exceedingly â If I shal goe out to the fieldes loe the slaine with the sword and if I enter into the citie loe the pyned away with famine For the prophet and the priest are gone into a land which they knew not â Why casting of hast thou cast away Iuda or hath thy soule abhorred Sion why then hast thou striken vs so that there is no health we haue expected peace and there is no good and a time of curing and behold truble â We haue knowen ô Lord our impieties the iniquities of our fathers because we haue sinned to thee â Geue vs not into reproche for thy names sake neither make vs to haue the contumelie of the throne of thy glorie remember make not thy couenant with vs voide â Why are there among the sculptils of the Gentiles that can raine or can the heauens geue showers art not thou the Lord our God whom we haue expected for thou hast made al these thinges CHAP. XV. Though Moyses and Samuel should pray for this people yet God hath determined to punish them with plague warre famine and captiuitie 6. for their impenitencie 10. The prophet lamenteth that for his preaching the people is become worse 15. and persecuteth him 19. but God promiseth to deliuer and to reward him AND our Lord said to me â If Moyses and Samuel shal stand before me my soule is not toward this people cast them out from my face and let them goe forth â And if they shal say vnto thee Whither shal we goe forth thou shalt say to them Thus saith our Lord They that to death to death and they that to sword to sword and they that to famine to famine and they that to captiuitie to captiuitie â And I wil visite vpon them foure kindes saith our Lord The sword to kil and dogges to teare the foules of the ayre and beasts of the earth to deuoure and to destroy â And I wil geue them into rage to al the kingdomes of the earth because of Manasses the sonne of Ezechias the king of Iuda for al thinges that he did in Ierusalem â For who shal haue pitie on thee Ierusalem or who shal be sorie for thee or who shal goe to pray for thy peace â Thou hast forsaken me saith our Lord thou hast gone backward and I wil stretch forth my hand vpon thee and wil kil thee I am wearie in praying thee â And I wil scatter them with a fanne in the gates of the land I haue slayne and destroyed my people yet they are not returned from their waies â Their widowes are multiplied vnto me aboue the sand of the sea I haue brought into them vpon the mother of the youngman a waster at noone day I haue cast terrour sudenly vpon the cities â She is weakned that bare seuen her soule hath fainted the sunne went downe to her when it was yet day she is confounded and ashamed and the residue of them I wil geue vnto the sword in the sight of their enemies saith our Lord. â Woe is me my mother why hast thou borne me a man of brawling a man of discord in al the earth I haue not lent to vsurie neither hath anie man lent vnto me to vsurie al curse me â Our Lord saith If thy remnant shal not be to good if I haue not holpen thee in the time of affliction and in the time of tribulation against the enemie â Why shal yron be confederate with the yron from the North and also brasse â Thy riches and thy treasures I wil geue into spoile for naught for al thy sinnes and in al thy borders â And I wil bring thine enemies out of a land which thou knowest not because a fire is kindled in my furie it shal burne vpon you â Thou knowest ô Lord be mindful of me and visite me and defend me from them that persecute me doe not receiue me in thy patience know that I haue sustayned reproch for thee â Thy wordes were found and I did eate them and thy word was made to me a ioy gladnes of my hart because thy name is inuocated vpon me ô Lord God of hostes â I sate not in the councel of iesters and I haue gloried at the face of thy hand I sate alone because thou hast filled me with threaning â Why is my sorow made perpetual and my desperate plague refuseth to be cured it is become vnto me as a lie of vnfaythful waters â For this cause thus saith our Lord If thou wilt be conuerted I wil conuert thee and thou shalt stand before my face and if thou wilt seperate the pretious thing from the vile thou shalt be as my mouth they shal be turned to thee thou shalt not be turned to them â And I wil geue thee vnto this people as a brasen wal strong and they shal fight against thee and shal not preuaile because I am with thee to saue thee and to deliuer thee saith our Lord. â And I wil deliuer thee out of the hand of the most wicked and I wil redeeme thee out of the hand of strong ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XV. 1. If Moyses and Samuel shal stand before me As before God reueled to this prophet Ieremie that the people should assuredly be punished and therfore prohibited him ch 7. v. 16. ch 11. v. 14 ch 14. v. 11. that he should not pray for them so here he confirmeth the same determinate sentence of their punishment saying If Moyses and Samuel shal stand before me my soule is not tovvards this people That is though not only Ieremie a zelous holie prophet now liuing but also Moyses and Samuel departed from this world long before shal pray for this people yet they shal not escape the designed punishment for their great sinnes By necessarie consequence of which confirmation is also proued that Moyses and Samuel after their death both could and did sometimes pray for the same people For otherwise the particular mention of these prophetes were not to the purpose if they neuer did nor could pray for them And wheras the English glosse in the Geneua Bible supposeth Gods meaning to be that if there vvere anie man liuing moued vvith so great zele tovvards the people as vvere these tvvo yet
as the wounded in the streets of the citie when they yelded vp the ghostes in the bosome of their mothers Wherto shal I compare thee or wherto shal I liken thee ô daughter of Ierusalem wherto shal I make thee equal and comfort thee ô virgin daughter of Sion For great is thy destruction as the sea who shal heale thee Thy prophetes haue sene false and foolish thinges for thee neither haue they opened thyne iniquitie to prouoke thee to penance but they haue sene false burdens and banishements for thee Al that passed by the way haue clapped their handes vpon thee they haue hissed and moued their head vpon the daughter of Ierusalem saying Is this the citie of perfect beautie the ioy of al the earth Al thyne enemies haue opened their mouth vpon thee they haue hissed and gnashed with the teeth and haue sayd We wil deuour Loe this is the day which we expected we haue found it we haue sene it Our Lord hath done the thinges that he meant he hath accomplished his word which he commanded from the dayes of old he hath destroyed and hath not spared and he hath made the enemie ioyful ouer thee and hath exalted the horne of thine aduersaries Their hart hath cryed to our Lord vpon the walles of the daughter of Sion Shede teares as a torrent by day and night geue no rest to thyself neither let the aple of thyne eye cease Arise prayse in the night in the beginning of the watches powre out thy hart as waters before the sight of our Lord lift vp thy handes to him for the life of thy litle ones which haue fainted for famine in the head of al high wayes See ô Lord and consider whom thou hast vintaged thus shal wemen then eate their owne fruite litle ones of the measure of a spanne is the priest and the prophet slaine in the sanctuarie of our Lord The childe and the old man lay on the ground without my virgins and my yongmen are fallen by the sword thou hast killed in the day of thy furie thou hast strooken neither hast thou had mercie Thou hast called as it were to a solemne day those that should terrifie me round about and there was none in the day of the furie of our Lord that escaped and was left whom I brought vp nourished mine enemie hath consumed them CHAP. III. I THE man that see my pouertie in the rod of his indignation He hath led me and brought me into darknes and not into light Only against me he hath turned and hath conuerted his hand al the day He hath made my skinne old and my flesh he hath broken my bones He hath built round about me and he hath compased me with gaul and labour In darke places he hath placed me as the euerlasting dead He hath built round about against me that I goe not forth he hath aggrauated my fetters Yea and when I shal crie and aske he hath excluded my prayer He hath shut vp my wayes with square stones he hath subuerted my pathes He is become vnto me a beare lying in waite a lyon in secret places He hath subuerted my pathes and hath broken me he hath made me desolate He hath bent his bow and set me as a marke for the arrow He hath shot in my reines the daughters of his quiuer I am made a derision to al my people their songue al the day He hath replenished me with bitternes he hath inebriated me with wormwood And he hath broken my teeth by number he hath fed me with ashes And my soule is repelled from peace I haue forgotten good thinges And I sayd Mine end is perished and mine hope from our Lord. Remember my pouertie and transgression the wormwood and the gual Remembring I wil be mindful and my soule shal languish in me Recording this thing in my hart therfore wil I hope The mercies of our Lord that we are not consumed because his commiserations haue not fayled New in the morning great is thy fidelite Our Lord is my portion sayd my soule therfore wil I expect him Our Lord is good to them that hope in him to the soule that seeketh him It is good to waite with silence for the saluation of God It is good for a man when he beareth the yoke from his youth He shal sit solitarie and hold his peace because he hath lifted himselfe aboue himself He shal put his mouth in the dust if perhaps there be hope He shal geue the cheeke to him that striketh him he shal be filled with reproches Because our Lord wil not reiect for euer Because if he hath reiected he wil also haue mercie according to the multitude of his merciés For he hath not humbled from his hart and cast of the children of men To stamp vnder his fete al the prisoners of the earth To auert the iudgement of a man before the face of the Highest To peruert a man in his iudgement our Lord hath not knowne Who is this that hath commanded it to be done our Lord not commanding it Out of the mouth of the Highest there shal not procede neither euil thinges nor good What hath the liuing man murmured man for his sinnes Let vs search our wayes seeke and returne to our Lord. Let vs lift vp our hartes with our handes to our Lord into the heauens We haue done wickedly and prouoked to wrath therfore thou art inexorable Thou hast couered in furie and hast strooken vs thou hast killed and not spared Thou hast sette a cloude before thee that prayer may not passe Thou hast made me to be rooted out and abiect in the middes of the peoples Al the enemies haue opened their mouth vpon vs. Prophecie is made vnto vs feare and snare and destruction Myne eye hath shed streames of waters in the destruction of the daughter of my people Myne eye is afflicted neither hath it bene quiet because there was no rest Til our Lord regarded and looked from the heauens Mine eye hath spoyled my soule for al the daughters of my citie Myne enemies in hunting haue caught me as a birde without cause My life is fallen into the lake and they haue layd a stone vpon me The waters haue flowed ouer my head I sayd I am vndone I haue inuocated thy name ô Lord from the lowest lake Thou hast heard my voice turne not away thine eare from my sobbings and cries Thou didst approch in the day when I inuocated thee thou hast sayd Feare not Thou hast iudged ô Lord the cause of my soule redemer
the middes of the slaine by the sword they shal fal the sword is geuen they haue drawen her and al her peoples â The most mightie of the strong shal speake to him from the middes of hel which went downe with his helpers and slept vncircumcised slame by the sword â There Assur and al his multitude round about him their graues al the slaine and they that fel by the sword â Whose graues were made in the lowest lakes and his multitude was made round about his graue al the slaine and they that fel by the sword which sometime had geuen feare in the land of the liuing â There Aelam and al the multitude therof round about her graue al these slaine and falling by the sword that went downe vncircumcised to the lowest earth which did put their terrour in the land of the liuing and they haue borne their ignominie with them that goe downe into the lake â In the middes of their slaine they haue set her couche among al her peoples round about him their graâe al these vncircumcised and slaine by the sword for they gaue their terrour in the land of the liuing and haue borne their ignominie with them that descend into the lake they are layde in the middes of the slaine â There Mosoch and Thubal and al their multitude round about him their graues al these vncircumcised and slaine and falling by the sword because they gaue their feare in the land of the liuing â And they shal not sleepe with the valients and them that fel and the vncircumcised that went downe to hel with their weapons and put their swordes vnder their heades and their iniquities were in their bones because they were made the terrour of the valients in the land of the liuing â And thou therfore shalt be destroyed in the middes of the vncircumcised and shalt sleepe with the slaine by the sword â There Idumea and her kinges al her princes which were geuen with their host with the slaine by the sword and which slept with the vncircumcised and with them that goe downe into the lake â There al the princes of the North and al the hunters which were brought downe with the slaine fearing and in their strength confounded which slept vncircumcised with the slaine by the sword and haue borne their ignominie with them that goe downe into the lake â Pharao saw them and he was comforted vpon al his multitude which was slaine by the sword Pharao and al his host saith our Lord God â because I gaue his terrour in the land of the liuing he slept in the middes of the vncircumcised with the slaine by the sword Pharao and al his multitude saith our Lord God CHAP. XXXIII By example of a watchman 7. God chargeth the prophet to declare whatsoeuer dangers he seeth imminent to the people 10. Sinners repenting shal be saued and if the iust leaue their iustice they shal be damned 21. The promise made to Abraham maketh not the Iewes secure 23. but for their enormious sinnes they shal be caried out captiues 33. Then they shal know that the prophet said the truth AND the word of our Lord was made to me saying â Sonne of man speake to the children of thy people and thou shalt say to them The land when I shal bring the sword in vpon it and the people of the land take a man one of their meanest make him a watchman ouer them â and he shal see the sword coming vpon the land and sound with the trumpet tel the people â and he that heareth the sound of the trumpet whosoeuer he be and doth not looke to himselfe and the sword come and take him his bloud shal be vpon his head â He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not looke to himself his bloud shal be on himself but if he shal looke to himself he shal saue his life â And if the watchman see the sword coming and sound not with the trumpet and the people looke not to them selues and the sword come and take a soule from among them he certes is caught in his iniquitie but his bloud I wil require of the hand of the watchman â And thou sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman to the house of Israel hearing therfore the word from my mouth thou shalt tel them from me â If when I say to the impious O thou impious dying thou shalt dye thou speake not that the impious may keepe himself from his way the impious himself shal dye in his iniquitie but his bloud I wil require at thy hand But if thou telling the impious that he conuert from his wayes he conuert not from his way he shal dye in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule â Thou therfore ô sonne of man say to the house of Israel Thus you haue spoken saying Our iniquities and our sinnes are vpon vs in them we fade away how then can we liue â Say to them Liue I sayeth our Lord God I wil not the death of the impious but that the impious conuert from his way and liue Conuert conuert ye from your most euil wayes and why wil you dye ô house of Israel â Thou therfore sonne of man say to the children of thy people The iustice of the iust shal not deliuer him in what day soeuer he shal sinne and the impietie of the impious shal not hurt him in what day soeuer he shal conuert from his impietie and the iust can not liue in his iustice in what day soeuer he shal sinne â Yea if I shal say to the iust that liuing he shal liue and he trusting in his iustice doe iniquitie al his iustices shal be forgotten and in his iniquitie which he hath wrought in the same shal he dye â And if I shal say to the impious Dying thou shalt dye and he do penance from his sinne do iudgement and iustice â and the same impious restore pledge and render robberie walke in the commandments of life and doe not anie vniust thing liuing he shal liue shal not dye â Al his sinnes which he hath sinned shal not be imputed to him he hath done iudgement and iustice liuing he shal liue â And the children of thy people haue said The way of our Lord is nor of equal weight their owne way is vniust â For when the iust shal depart froÌ his iustice and doe iniquities he shal dye in them â And when the impious shal depart from his impictie and shal doe iudgements and iustice he shal liue in them â And you say The way of our Lord is not right euery one according to his wayes wil I iudge of you ô house of Israel â And it came to passe in the twelfth yeare in the tenth moneth in the fifth of the moneth of our transmigration there came to me one that was fled from Ierusalem saying The citie is made waste
East â And behold the glorie of the God of Israel went by the East gate and he had a voice as the voice of manie waters the earth shined at his maiestie â And I saw a vision according to the forme which I had seene when he came to destroy the citie and the shape according to the sight which I had seene by the riuer Chobar and I fel vpon my face â And the maiestie of our Lord went into the temple by the way of the gate that looked to the East â And the spirite lifted me vp and brought me into the inner court and behold the house was filled with the glorie of our Lord. â And I heard one speaking to me out of the house a man stood by me â said to me Sonne of man the place of my throne and the place of the steppes of my feete where I dwel in the middes of the children of Israel for euer and the house of Israel shal no more pollute my holie name they and their kinges in their fornications and in the ruines of their kinges and in the excelses â Who haue built their threshold by my threshold and their posts by my posts and there was a wal betwen me and them and they polluted my holie name in the abominations which they did for the which thing I consumed them in my wrath â Now therfore let them repel their fornication and ruins of their kinges far from me and I wil dwel in the middes of them alwayes â But thou sonne of man shew to the house of Israel the temple and let them be confounded at their iniquities and let them measure the frame â and be ashamed of al thinges that they haue done The figure of the house and of the frame therof the goings out the comings in and al the description therof and al the precepts therof and al the order therof and al the lawes therof shew to them and thou shalt write in their eyes that they may keepe al the descriptions therof and the preceptes therof and let them doe them â This is the law of the house in the toppe of the mount Al the border therof round about is holie of holies this then is the law of the house â And these are the measures of the altar by the most true cubite which had a cubite and a palme in the bosome therof was a cubit a cubite in bredth and the limite therof euen to the brimme therof and round about one palme this also was the trench of the altar â And from the bosome of the ground to the lowest brimme two cubits and the bredth of one cubite from the lesser brimme vnto the greater brimme foure cubits and the bredth of one cubite â And Ariel it self of foure cubits and from Ariel vpward foure hornes â And Ariel of twelue cubits in length by twelue cubits of bredth four square with equal sides â And the brimme of fourtene cubits of length by fourtene cubits of bredth in the foure corners therof and the crowne round about it of halfe a cubite and the bosome therof of one cubite round about and the steppes therof turned to the East â And he said to me Sonne of man thus saith our Lord God These are the rites of the altar in what day soeuer it shal be made that holocaust may be offered vpon it and bloud powred out â And thou shalt geue to the Priestes and Leuites that are of the seede of Sadoc that approch to me saith our Lord God that they offer to me a calâe of the heard for sinne â And taking of his bloud thou shalt put it vpon the foure hornes therof and vpon the foure corners of the brimme and vpon the crowne round about and thou shalt clense and expiate it â And thou shalt take the calfe that is offered for sinne and thou shalt burne him in a seperate place of the house without the sanctuarie â And in the second day thou shalt offer a bucke of goates vnspotted for sinne and they shal expiate the altar as they did expiate in the calfe â And when thou shalt haue accomplished expiating it thou shalt offer a calfe of the heard vnspotted and a ramme of the flocke vnspotted â And thou shalt offer them in the sight of our Lord and the priests shal cast salt vpon them and shal offer them an holocaust to our Lord. â Seuen dayes shalt thou make a bucke goate for sinne dayly and a calfe of the heard and a ramme of the cattel vnspotted shal they offer â Seuen dayes shal they expiate the altar and shal clense it and they shal fil his hand â And the dayes being expired in the eight day so forth the priests shal make your holocausts vpon the altar and those which they offer for peace and I wil be pacified toward you saith our Lord God CHAP. XLIIII The East gate of the Sanctuarie shal be alwayes shut 5. The incircumcised shal not enter into the sanctuarie 10. nor the Leuites that haue serued idols but shal do other seruice belonging to sacrifices 15. and the children of Sadoc shal do the priestlie functions 17. obseruing the prescribed rites therof AND he turned me to the way of the vtter sanctuarie which looked toward the East and it was shut â And our Lord said to me This gate shal be shut it shal not be opened and man shal not passe through it Because our Lord the God of Israel is entered in through it and it shal be shut â for the prince The prince himself shal sit in it to eate bread before our Lord by the way of the gate of the entrie shal he enter in by the way therof he shal go out â And he brought me by the way of the North gate in the sight of the house and I saw and behold the glorie of our Lord filled the house of our Lord and I b fel on my face â And our Lord said to me Sonne of man c set thy hart and see with thine eyes heare with thine eares al thinges that I speake to thee concerning al the ceremonies of the house of our Lord and concerning al the lawes therof and thou shalt set thy hart in the wayes of the temple by al the goings out of the sanctuarie â And thou shalt say to the house of Israel that exasperateth me Thus saith our Lord God Let al your wicked deedes suffice you ô house of Israel â because you bring in strange children vncircumcised in hart and vncircumcised in flesh to be in my sanctuarie and to pollute my house you offer my breades the fatte and the bloud and you dissolue my couenant in al your wicked abominations â And you haue not kept the precepts of my sanctuarie and you haue set keepers of my obseruances in my sanctuarie to your owne selues â Thus saith our Lord God Euerie stranger
vncitcumcised in hart vncircumcised in flesh shal not enter into my sanctuarie euerie strange child that is in the middes of the children of Israel â Yea and the Leuites that haue reuolted farre from me in the errour of the children of Israel haue erred from me after their idols and haue borne their iniquitie â they shal be officers in my sanctuarie and porters of the gates of the house and ministers of the house they shal kil the holocausts and the victimes of the people and they shal stand in their sight to serue them â For that they haue serued them in the sight of their idols and were made to the house of Israel a scandal of iniquitie therfore haue I lifted vp mine hand vpon them saith our Lord God and they shal beare their iniquitie â and they shal not approch to me to doe the function of priesthood vnto me neither shal they approche to al my sanctuarie by Sancta Sanctorum but they shal beare their confusion and their wicked abominations which they haue done â And I wil make them porters of the house in al the ministerie therof and in al thinges that shal be done therin â But the priests Leuits the sonnes of Sadoc which kept the ceremonies of my sanctuarie when the children of Israel erred from me they shal approach to me to minister vnto me they shal stand in my sight to offer me the fatte and the bloud saith our Lord God â They shal enter into my sanctuarie and they shal approch to my table to minister vnto me and to keepe my ceremonies â And when they shal enter into the gates of the inner court they shal be clothed with linnen garments neither shal anie wollen thing come vpon them when they minister in the gates of the inner court within â There shal be linnen mitres on their heades and there shal be linnen breeches on their loynes and they shal not be girded in swette â And when they shal goe out to the vtter court vnto the people they shal put of from them their vestiments wherin they had ministered and shal lay them vp in the vesterie of the sanctuarie they shal cloth themselues with other garments they shal not sanctifie the people in their vestures â And they shal not shaue their head nor nourish their heare but powling they shal powle their heades â And no priest shal drinke wine when he is to enter into the inner court â And widow and her that is diuorced they shal not take for wiues but virgins of the seede of the house of Israel but a widow also which hath bene the widow of a priest they shal take â And they shal teach my people what is betwen a holie thing and polluted and betwen cleane and vncleane they shal shew to them â And when there shal be a controuersie they shal stand in my iudgements shal iudge my lawes my preceptes in al my solemnities shal they keepe and my sabbathes they shal sanctifie â And to a dead man they shal not enter in lest they be polluted but to father and mother sonne and daughter and brother and sister which hath not had an other husband in which they shal be contaminated â And after that he is clensed seuen daies shal be numbred to him â And in the day of his entering into the sanctuarie to the inner court to minister vnto me in the sanctuarie he shal offer for his sinne sayth our Lord God â And there shal not be inheritance to them I am their inheritance and possession you shal not geue them in Israel for I am their possession â The victime both for sinne and for offence they shal eate and euerie vowed thing in Israel shal be theirs â And the first fruits of al the first borne al the libaments of al thinges that are offered shal be the priests the first fruits of your meates you shal geue to the priest that he may lay vp a blessing for thy house â Al carren and thing taken by a beast of birdes and of cattel the priests shal not eate CHAP. XLV In distribution of the land after the captiuitie seueral portions are assigned for the Priestes the Leuites the Citie and the Prince the rest was for the people 9. Rulers are admonished to obserue iust measures 15. and to offer due sacrifices AND when you shal begin to diuide the land by lot seperate ye first fruits to our Lord a peece sanctified of the land in length twentie fiue thousand and in bredth tenne thousand it shal be sanctified in al the border therof round about â And it shal be sanctified on euerie side by fiue hundred and fiue hundred foure square round about and of fiftie cubits for the suburbs therof round about â And from this measure thou shalt measure the length of fiue and twentie thousand and the bredth of tenne thousand in it shal be the temple and sanctum sanctorum â The sanctified peece of the land shal be for the priests the ministers of the sanctuarie which approch to the ministerie of our Lord and it shal be a place to them for houses and for the sanctuarie of holines â And fiue and twentie thousand of length tenne thousand of bredth shal be for the Leuits which minister in the house they shal possesse twentie celles â And the possession of the citie you shal geue fiue thousand of bredth and of length fiue and twentie thousand according to the seperation of the sanctuarie to al the house of Israel â To the prince also on this side and on that side according to the separation of the sanctuarie and according to the possession of the citie against the face of the seperation of the sanctuarie and against the face of the possession of the citie from the side of the Sea euen to the Sea and from the side of the East euen to the East And the length according to euerie part from the West border to the East border â Of the land shal he haue possession in Israel and the princes shal no more spoile my people but the land they shal geue to the house of Israel according to their tribes â Thus saith our Lord God Let it suffice you ô princes of Israel intermitte ye iniquitie and robberies and doe iudgement and iustice seperate your confines from my people saith our Lord God â Iust balance and a iust ephi and a iust bat shal be to you â The ephi and the bat shal be equal and of one measure that the bat may take the tenth part of a core the ephi the tenth part of a core according to the measure of a core shal be the equal balassing of them â And a sicle hath twentie obolos Moreouer twentie sicles fiue and twentie sicles and fiftene sicles make Mnam â And these are the first fruits which you shal take the sixth
and twentie thousand and toward the Sea of bredth ten thousand Yea and toward the East of bredth ten thousand and toward the South of length fiue and twentie thousand and the sanctuarie of our Lord shal be in the middes therof â The sanctuarie shal be for the priests of the sonnes of Sadoc which kept my ceremonies and erred not when the children of Israel erred as the Leuites also erred â And for them shal be the first fruits of the first fruits of the land holie of holies by the border of the Leuites â Yea and to the Leuites in like maner by the borders of the priests fiue and twentie thousand of length and of bredth tenne thousand Al the length of fiue and twentie thousand the bredth of tenne thousand â And they shal not âel therof nor change neither shal the first fruits of the land be transported because they are sanctified to our Lord. â But the fiue thousand that remaine in the bredth against the fiue twentie thousand shal be the profane partes of the citie for habitation and for the suburbs and the citie shal be in the middes therof â And these are the measures therof to the North quarter fiue hundred and foure thousand and to the South quarter fiue hundred and foure thousand and to the East quarter fiue hundred and foure thousand and to the West quarter fiue hundred and foure thousand â And the suburbs of the citie shal be to the North two hundred fiftie and to the South two hundred fiftie and to the East two hundred fiftie and to the Sea two hundred fiftie â And that which shal be residue in length according to the first fruits of the sanctuarie ten thousand toward the East and ten thousand toward the West shal be as the first fruits of the sanctuarie and the fruits therof shal be for bread to them that serue the citie â And they that serue the citie shal worke of al the tribes of Israel â Al the first fruits of fiue and twentie thousand answering to fiue twentie thousand foure square shal be seperated according to the first fruits of the sanctuarie and to the possession of the citie â And that which shal be left shal be the princes of euerie part of the first fruits of the sanctuarie and of the possession of the citie ouer against the fiue and twentie thousand of the first fruits vnto the East border Yea and to the sea ouer against the fiue and twentie thousand vnto the border of the Sea likewise it shal be in the portions of the prince and the first fruits of the sanctuarie and the sanctuarie of the temple shal be in the middes therof â And of the possession of the Leuites and of the possession of the citie in the middes of the princes portions shal be to the border of Iuda and to the border of Beniamin shal also perteine to the prince â And to the rest of the tribes from the East quarter to the West quarter for Beniamin one â And against the border of Beniamin from the East quarter to the West quarter for Simeon one â And vpon the border of Simeon from the East quarter to the West quarter for Issachar one â And vpon the border of Issachar from the East quarter to the West quarter for Zabulon one â And vpon the border of Zabulon from the East quarter to the quarter of the Sea for Gad one â And vpon the border of Gad to the South quarter toward the South and the border shal be from Thamar euen to the waters of contradiction of Cades the inheritance against the great sea â This is the land which you shal diuide by lot to the tribes of Israel and these are the portions of them saith our Lord God â And these are the goings out of the citie from the North quarter thou shalt measure fiue hundred and foure thousand â And the gates of the citie according to the names of the tribes of Israel three gates on the North side the gate of Ruben one the gate of Iuda one the gate of Leui one â And to the East quarter fiue hundred and foure thousand and three gates the gate of Ioseph one the gate of Beniamin one the gate of Dan one â And to the South quarter thou shalt measure fiue hundred foure thousand and three gates the gate of Simeon one the gate of Issachar one the gate of Zabulon one â And to the West quarter fiue hundred and foure thousand and their gates three the gate of Gad one the gate of Aser one the gate of Nephthali one â Round about eightene thousand and the name of the citie from that day Our Lord there THE ARGVMENT OF DANIELS PROPHECIE DANIEL of the tribe of Iuda royal bloud about the age of tenne yeares was caried into Babylon with other children for hostage when Nabuchodonosor inuaded the kingdom of Iuda in the third yeare of king Ioakim His whole life in al about an hundred and tenne yeares was most pious with such zele of Gods honour and common good of his countrie that he was called by an Angel vir desiderioruÌ the man of godlie desires whom also Ezechiel elder in yeares prophecying part of the same time ioyned with Noe and Iob for example of holie men recounting him also the most renowmed of his time for wisdom VVhose loyal fidelitie towards the king of Babylon was so clere that his malignant enimies said expresly of him f We shal not find against this Daniel anie occasion vnles perhaps in the law of his God His booke as wel in respect of various important narrations of thinges done as of most hiegh diuine Mysteries is very excellent but withal very obscure for that manie thinges here inserted seme hardly to agree with other authentical histories some thinges also are intricate in themselues nor placed in order of time as they happened and manie thinges so briesly related that they can not be vnderstood without the knowledge of prophane histories As S. Ierom affirmeth Epist 103. But as for an other difficultie which some make denying the Prayer of Azarias with the Hymne folowing the histories of Susanna Bel and the Dragon to be Canonical Scripture it is partly solued already in the Annotations before the Booke of Tobie where is shewed that it is no iust exception against these and other partes of holie Scripture of the old Testament because they are not in the Hebrew Edition being otherwise accepted for Canonical by the Catholique Church And further it is very probable that these parcels were sometimes either in the Hebrew or Chaldee tongue in which two languages part in one part in the other the rest of this booke was written For from whence els could the Septuagint Interpreters Theodotion Symmachus and Aquila translate them In whose Editions S. Ierom found the same But S. Ierom some wil say calleth these
deliuer vs. â But if he wil not be it knowen to thee ô king that we worshipe not thy goddes the golden statua which thou hast erected we adore not â Then was Nabuchodonosor replenished with furie and the looke of his face was altered vpon Sidrach Misach and Abdenago and he commanded that the fornace should be heated seuen times more then it had bene accustomed to be heated â And commanded the strongest men of his host to binde the feete of Sidrach Misach and Abdenago and to cast them into the fornace of burning fyre â And forth with those men being bound with their breeches and head attire and shoes and garments were cast into the fornace of burning fyre â For the commandent of the king did vrge and the fornace was heated excedingly Moreouer the flame of the fyre slew those men that had cast in Sidrach Misach and Abdenago â But these three men that is Sidrach Misach and Abdenago fel in the middes of the fornace of burning fire bound together That vvhich folovveth I found not in the Hebrevve volumes â And they walked in the middes of the flame praysing God and blessing our Lord. â And Azarias standing prayed thus and opening his mouth in the middes of the fire he sayd â Blessed art thou ô Lord the God of our fathers and laudable and glorious is thy name for euer â because thou art iust in al thinges which thou hast done to vs and al thy workes are true and thy wayes right and al thy iudgements true â For thou hast done true iudgements according to al thinges that thou hast brought in vpon vs and vpon the holie citie of our fathers Ierusalem because in truth in iudgement thou hast brought in al these thinges for our sinnes â For we haue sinned and done vniustly reuolting from thee and we haue offended in al thinges â and thy precepts we haue not heard nor obserued nor done as thou hadst commanded vs that it might be wel with vs. â Al thinges therfore that thou hast brought in vpon vs and al thinges that thou hast done to vs thou hast done with true iudgement â and thou hast deliuered vs into the handes of our enemies vniust and most wicked and preuaricatours to an vniust king and most wicked aboue al the earth â And now we can not open the mouth we are become a confusion and reproch to thy seruants to them that worshipe thee â Deliuer vs not for euer we besech thee for thy name sake and dissipate not thy testament â neither take thou away thy mercie from vs for Abraham thy beloued and Isaac thy seruant and Israel thy holie one â to whom thou hast spoken promising that thou wouldest multiplie their seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand that is in the sea shore â Because ô Lord we are diminished more then al nations and are abased in al the earth this day for our sinnes â And there is not at this time prince duke and prophet nor holocaust nor sacrifice nor oblation nor incense nor place of first fruits before thee â that we may finde thy mercie but in contrite minde spirit of humilitie let vs be receiued â As in holocaust of rammes and bulles and as in thousands of fat lambes so let our sacrifice be made in thy sight this day that it may please thee because there is no confusion to them that trust in thee â And now we folow thee in al our hart and feare thee and seeke thy face â Confound vs not but doe with vs according to thy meekenes and according to the multitude of thy mercie â And deliuer vs in thy meruels and geue glorie to thy name ô Lord â and let al be confounded that shew euils to thy seruants let them be confunded in al thy might and let their strength be broken â and let them know that thou art the Lord the onlie God and glorious ouer the round world â And the kings seruants that had cast them in ceased not to heate the fornace with Naphtha tow and pitch and drie stickes â and the flame mounted out aboue the fornace nine and fourtie cubits â and it brake forth and burnt them whom it found by the fornace of the Chaldees â But the Angel of our Lord descended with Azarias and his felowes into the fornace and he shooke the flame of the fire out of the fornace â and made the middes of the fornace as a winde of dew blowing and the fire touched them not at al nor payned them nor did them anie greuance â Then these three as out of one mouth praysed and glorified and blessed God in the fornace saying â Blessed art thou ô Lord the God of our fathers and laudable and glorious and superexalted for euer and blessed is the holie name of thy glorie and laudable and superexalted in al ages â Blessed art thou in the holie temple of thy glorie passing laudable and passing glorious for euer â Blessed art thou in the throne of thy kingdom and passing laudable and superexalted for euer â Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths and sittest vpon the Cherubs and laudable and superexalted for euer â Blessed art thou in the firmament of heauen and laudable and glorious for euer â Al workes of our Lord blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Blesse our Lord ye Angels of our Lord prayse superexalt him for euer â Ye heauens blesse our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Al waters that are aboue the heauens blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Blesse our Lord al ye powers of our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Sunne and moone blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Starres of heauens blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Euerie shower dew blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Al spirits of God blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Fire and heate blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Colde and heate blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Dewes and hore frost blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Frost and cold blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Yse and snowes blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Nightes and dayes blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer Light and darknes blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Lightenings and cloudes blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Let the earth blesse our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Mountaines and litle hilles blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â Al things that spring in the earth blesse ye our Lord prayse and superexalt him for euer â
eyes the same is the first king â But wheras that being broken there rose vp foure for it foure kinges shal rise vp of his nation but not in his strength â And after their reigne when iniquities shal be increased there shal arise a king impudent of face and vnderstanding propositions â And his strength shal be made strong but not in his owne strength and more then can be beleued shal he waste al thinges and shal prosper and doe And he shal kil the strong and the people of the saints â according to his wil and craft shal be directed in his hand and he shal magnifie his hart and in the abundance of al thinges he shal murder very manie agaynst the prince of princes shal he arise without hand he shal be destroyed â the vision of the euening and the morning which hath bene sayd is true thou therfore seale the vision because it shal be after manie dayes â And I Daniel languished and was sicke for certaine dayes and when I was risen vp I did the kings workes and was astonied at the vision and there was none that could interprete it CHAP. IX Daniel confessing that they are iustly afflicted for their sinnes 15. prayeth for speedie mercie 20. An Angel signifieth to him that within seuentie wekes of yeares Christ wil come 26. and be slayne his people the Iewes denying him whom he wil therfore reiect IN the first yeare of Darius the sonne of Assuerus of the seede of the Medes who reigned ouer the kingdom of the Chaldees â the first yeare of his kingdom I Daniel vnderstood in bookes the number of the yeares wherof the word of our Lord was made to Ieremie the prophete that seuentie yeares should be accomplished of the desolation of Ierusalem â And I sette my face to our Lord my God to pray and besech in fastinges sackcloth and ashes â And I prayed our Lord my God and I confessed and said I besech thee ô Lord God great and terrible which keepest couenant mercie to them that loue thee and keepe thy commandements â We haue sinned we haue done iniquitie we haue dealt impiously and haue reuolted we haue declined from thy commandments and iudgements â We haue not obeyed thy seruants the prophets that haue spoken in thy name to our kinges to our princes to our fathers and to al the people of the land â To thee ô Lord iustice but to vs confusion of face as is to day to the man of Iuda and to the inhabiters of Ierusalem and to al Israel to them that are nere and to them that are farre of in al the landes to which thou hast cast them out for their iniquities in which they haue sinned against thee â O Lord to vs confusion of face to our princes to our fathers that haue sinned â But to thee Lord our God mercie and propiciation because we haue reuolted from the â and haue not heard the voice of the Lord our God to walke in his law which he gaue vs by his seruants the prophetes â And al Israel haue transgressed thy law and haue declined from hearing thy voice and the malediction hath distilled vpon vs the detestation which is written in the booke of Moyses the seruant of God because we haue sinned to him â And he hath established his wordes which he spake vpon vs and vpon our princes that iudged vs that he would bring in vpon vs a great euil such as neuer was vnder al the heauen according to that which hath bene done in Iersalem â As it is written in the law of Moyses al this euil is come vpon vs and we besought not thy face ô Lord our God that we might returne from our iniquities might thinke on thy truth â And our Lord hath watched vpon the malice and hath brought it vpon vs iust is the Lord our God in al his workes which he hath done for we haue not heard his voice â And now ô Lord our God which broughtest forth thy people out of the Land of Aegypt in a strong hand madst thee a name according to this day we haue sinned we haue done iniquitie â O Lord according to al thy iustice but let thy wrath be turned away I besech thee and thy furie from thy citie Ierusalem from thy holie mount For by reason of our sinnes and the iniquities of our fathers Ierusalem and thy people are a reproch to al round about vs. â Now therfore heare ô our God the petition of thy seruant his prayers and shew thy face vpon thy sanctuarie which is desert for thyne owne sake â Incline my God thine eare heare open thine eyes and see our desolation the citie vpon which thy name is inuocated for neither in our iustifications doe we prostrate prayers before thy face but in thy manie commiserations â Heare ô Lord be pacified ô Lord attend doe delay not for thine owne sake my God because thy name is inuocated vpon thy citie vpon thy people â And when I yet spake prayed and confessed my sinnes and the sinnes of my people of Israel and did prostrate my prayers in the sight of my God for the holie mount of my God â as I was yet speaking in prayer loe the man Gabriel whom I had sene in the vision from the beginning quickly flying touched me in the time of the euening sacrifice â And he taught me and spake to me sayd Daniel now am I come forth to teach thee and that thou mighst vnderstand â From the beginning of thy prayers the word came forth and I am come to shew it to thee because thou art a man of desires and doe thou marke the word and vnderstand the vision â Seuentie weekes are abbridged vpon thy people vpon thy holie citie that preuarication may be consummate and sinne take an end iniquitie be abolished and euerlasting iustice be brought vision be accomplished and prophecie the Holie one of holies be anointed â Know therfore marke From the going forth of the word that Ierusalem be built againe vnto Christ the prince there shal be seuen weekes sixtie two weekes the streete shal be built againe the walles in * straitnes of the times â And after sixty two weekes Christ shal be slaine and it shal not be his people that shal denie him And the city the sanctuary shal the people dissipate with the prince to come the end therof waste after the end of the battel the appoynted desolation â And he wil confirme the couenant to manie one weeke and in the halfe of the weeke shal the hoste the sacrifice fayle and there shal be in the temple the abomination of desolation euen to the consummation and to the end shal the desolation endure CHAP. X. After fasting other voluntarie afflictions 4. Daniel seing a
colored horses he prophecieth bitter times 18. confirming the same by an other vision of foure hornes IN THE eight moneth in the second yeare of king Darius the word of our Lord was made to Zacharie the sonne of Barachias the sonne of Addo the prophet saying Our Lord hath bene wrath vpon your fathers with wrath â And thou shalt say to them Thus saith the Lord of hosts Conuert to me sayth the Lord of hosts and I wil conuert to you sayth the Lord of hosts â Be not as your fathers to whom the former prophets cried saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts Conuert from your euil wayes from your most wicked thoughts and they heard not neither attended to me sayth our Lord. â Your fathers where are they and the prophets shal they liue for euer â But yet my wordes mine ordinances which I gaue in commandment to my seruants the prophets did they not take hold of your fathers and they conuerted sayd As the Lord of hosts thought to do to vs according to our wayes according to our inuentions he hath done to vs. â In the foure twentith day of the eleuenth moneth Sabath in the second yeare of Darius the word of our Lord was made to Zacharie the sonne of Barachias the sonne of Addo the prophet saying â I saw by night and behold a man mounting vpon a red horse he stood among the myrtletrees that were in the botome and after him horses red speckled and white â And I sayd What are these my Lord and the Angel that spake in me sayd to me I wil shew thee what these thinges are â And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered sayd These are they whom our Lord sent to walke through the earth â And they answered to the Angel of our Lord which stood among the mirtle trees sayd We haue walked through the earth and loe al the earth is inhabited and at rest â And the Angel of our Lord answered and sayd ô Lord of hosts how long wilt thou not haue mercie on Ierusalem and on the cities of Iuda with which thou hast bene angrie this now is c the seuentith yeare â And our Lord answered the Angel that spake in me good wordes comfortable wordes â And the Angel that spake in me sayd to me Crie saying Thus sayth the Lord of hosts I haue bene zelous for Ierusalem and Sion with great zele â And with great anger am I angrie vpon the welthie nations because I was angrie a litle but they helped toward the euil â Therfore thus saith our Lord I wil returne to Ierusalem in mercies my house shal be built in it saith the Lord of hosts the plumme line shal be stretched forth vpon Ierusalem â As yet crie thou saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts As yet shal my cities flow with good thinges and the Lord wil yet comfort Sion and he wil yet choose Ierusalem â And I lifted vp mine eyes and saw and behold foure hornes â And I sayd to the Angel that spake in me What are these And he sayd to me These are the hornes that haue scattered Iuda and Israel and Ierusalem â And our Lord shewed me foure artificers â And I sayd What come these to doe Who spake saying These are the hornes that scattered Iuda euerie man a part none of them lifted his head and these are come to fray them to cast downe the hornes of the nations that haue lifted the horne vpon the land of Iuda to scatter it CHAP. II. Vnder the name of Ierusalem he prophecieth the progresse of the Church of Christ 6. by the conuersion of some Iewes 8. and manie Gentiles AND I lifted vp mine eyes and saw and loe a man and in his hand a corde of measurers â And I sayd Whither goest thou And he sayd to me To measure Ierusalem and to see how great the breadth therof is and how great the length therof â And behold the Angel that spake in me came forth and an other Angel went out to meete him â And he sayd to him Runne speake to this yongman saying Without wal shal Ierusalem be inhabited for the multitude of men and of beasts in the middes therof â And I wil be to it sayth our Lord a wal of fire round about and I wil be in glorie in the middes therof â O b flee ye out of the land of the North saith our Lord because into the foure windes of heauen haue I dispersed you sayth our Lord. â O c Sion flee thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon â because thus sayth the Lord of hosts After glorie he sent me to the nations that haue spoiled you for he that shal touch you toucheth the apple of myne eye â because loe I lift vp my hand vpon them and they shal be a praye to those that serued them and you shal know that the Lord of hosts sent me â Prayse and reioyce ô daughter of Sion because loe I come and wil dwel in the middes of thee sayth our Lord. â And manie nations shal be ioyned to our Lord in that day and they shal be my people and I wil dwel in the middes of thee and thou shal know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me to thee â And our Lord wil possesse Iuda his portion in the sanctified land and he wil yet choose Ierusalem â Let al flesh be silent at the presence of our Lord because he is risen vp out of his holie habitation CHAP. III. In a vision the diuel appeareth accusing the hiegh Priest 4. He is clensed from his sinnes 8. Christ is promised and great fruite of his passion AND our Lord shewed me Iesus the grand priest standing before the Angel of our Lord and Satan stood on his right hand to be his aduersarie â And our Lord sayd to Satan The Lord geue rebuke on thee Satan and the Lord that chose Ierusalem geue rebuke on thee Why is not this a firebrand taken out of the fire â And Iesus was clothed with filthie garments and he stood before the face of the Angel â Who answered and sayd to them that stood before him saying Take away the filthie garments from him And he sayd to him Behold I haue taken away thine iniquitie and haue clothed thee with change of garments â And he said Put a cleane mitre vpon his head they put a cleane mitre vpon his head and clothed him with garments and the Angel of our Lord stood â And the Angel of our Lord contested Iesus saying â Thus saith the Lord of hosts If you wil walke in my wayes and keepe my watch thou also shalt iudge my house and shalt keepe my courts and I wil geue thee walkers of them that now assist here â Heare ô Iesus thou grand priest thou and thy frendes that dwel before thee because they are portending men for behold
that had bene at Rome an hostage and he reigned in the hundreth and seuen and thirteth yeare of the kingdom of the Greekes â In those dayes there went forth of Israel wicked children perswaded manie saying Let vs goe and make a couenant with the Gentils that are about vs because since we departed from them manie euils haue found vs. â And the talke semed good in their eyes â And some of the people determined and went to the king and he gaue them leaue to doe the iustice of the Gentils â And they built a schoole in Ierusalem according to the lawes of the Nations â and they made to them selues prepuces and reuolted from the holie testament and were ioyned to the Nations and were solde to doe euil â And the kingdom was prepared in the sight of Antiochus he begane to reigne in the land of Egypt that he might reigne ouer two kingdoms â And he entered into Aegypt with great multitude with chariots and elephants and horsemen and a copious multitude of shippes â And he made warre agaynst Ptolomee the king of Egypt and Ptolomee was afrayd at his presence and fled and manie fel wounded â And he tooke the fensed cities in the land of Aegypt and he tooke the spoiles of the land of Aegypt â And Antiochus turned after he strooke Aegypt in the hundreth and three and fourtith yeare and he went vp to Israel â and went vp to Ierusalem with a great multitude â And he entered into the sanctification with pride tooke the golden altar and the candlesticke of light and al the vessels therof and the table of proposition and the libatories and the phials and the litle morrers of gold and the vele and the crownes and the golden ornament that was in the face of the temple and he brake al into pâeces â And he tooke the siluer and gold and the desiderable vessels and he tooke the hidden treasures which he found and carying away he departed into his owne land â And he made a slaughter of men and spake in great pride â And great lamentation was made in Israel and in euerie place of theirs â and the princes and the ancients mourned and the youngmen and the virgins were weakned and the beautifulnes of the wemen was changed â Euerie husband tooke lamentation and the wemen that sate in the mariage bed mourned â and the land was moued vpon the inhabitants therein al the house of Iacob did put on confusion â And after two yeares of dayes the king sent a prince of tributes into the cities of Iuda he came to Ierusalem with a great multitude â And he spake vnto them peaceable wordes in guile and they beleued him â And he fel vpon the citie sodenly and stroke it with a great plague and destroyed much people in Israel â And he tooke the spoiles of the citie and burnt it with fyre and destroyed the houses therof and the walles therof round about â and they led the wemen captiue and the children and the cattel they possessed â And they built the citie of Dauid with a great wal and a strong and with firme towers and it was made a castel for them â and they placed there a sinful nation wicked men and they waxed strong therein And they layd armour and victuals and gathered together the spoiles of Ierusalem â and layd them vp there and they became a great snare â And this was made for an embushment of the sanctification and to be an il deuil in Israel â And they shed innocent bloud round about the sanctification and contaminated the sanctification â And the inhabitants of Ierusalem fled by reason of them and it became the habitation of strangers and she became stranger to her owne seede and her children forsooke her â Her sanctification was desolate as a wildernes her festiual dayes were turned into mourning her sabbaths into reproche her honours into naught â According to her glorie was her ignominie multiplied and her highnes was turned into mourning â And king Antiochus wrote to al his kingdom that al the people should be one and euerie one should leaue his owne law â And al Nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus â and manie of Israel consented to his seruice and they sacrificed to idols and defiled the sabbath â And the king sent bookes by the handes of messengers into Ierusalem into al the cities of Iuda that they should folow the law of the Nations of the earth â and should prohibite holocausts and sacrifices placations to be made in the temple of God â and should prohibite the sabbath to be celebrated and the solemne dayes â And he commanded the holie places to be defiled and the holie people of Israel â And he commanded altars to be built and temples and idols and swines flesh to be immolated and common beasts â and to leaue their children vncircumcised and their soules to be contaminated in al vncleannesses and abominations so that they should forget the law and should change al the iustifications of God â And whosoeuer had not done acording to the word of king Antiochus they should dye â According to al these words wrote he to al his kingdom and he appoynted princes ouer the people that should force these thinges to be done â And they commanded the cities of Iuda to sacrifice â And manie of the people were gathered to them they that had forsaken the law of our Lord and they did euils vpon the land â and they chased forth the people of Israel in hidden corners and in the secret places of fugitiues â The fiftenth day of the moneth Casleu the hundreth fiue and fourtith yeare king Antiochus built the abominable idol of desolation vpon the altar of God and through out al the cities of Iuda round about they builded altars â and before the gates of houses and in the stretes they burnt frankincense sacrificed â and the bookes of the law of God they burnt with fyre cutting them â and with whomsoeuer were found the bookes of the testament of our Lord and whosoeuer obserued the law of our Lord they murdered him according to the edict of the king â In their powre did they these thinges to the people of Israel that was found in euerie moneth and moneth in the cities â And the fiue and twentith day of the moneth they sacrificed vpon the altar that was agaynst the altar â And the wemen that circumcided their children were murdered according to the commandment of king Antiochus â and they hang vp the children by the necks through out al their houses and those that had circumcided them they murdered â And manie of the people of Israel determined with themselues that they would not eate the vncleane thinges they chose rather to dye then to be defiled with vncleane meates â they would not breake the
them And Demetrius sate vpon the seate of his kingdom â and there came to him the wicked and impious men of Israel Alcimus the captaine of them who would be made the priest â And they accused the people to the king saying Iudas and his bretheren haue destroyed al thy freindes and vs he hath destroyed out of our land â Now therfore send a man whom thou doest credite that he may goe and see al the destruction that he hath done to vs and to the kings countries and let him punish al his freinds and their ayders â And the king chose of his freinds Bacchides that ruled beyond the great riuer in the kingdom and was faythful to the king and he sent him â to see the destruction that Iudas hath made and Alcimus the impious man he appointed to the priesthood and gaue him in commandment to make reuenge vpon the children of Israel â And they arose and came with a great armie into the land of Iuda and they sent messengers and spake to Iudas his brethren with peaceable wordes in guile â And they attended not to their wordes for they saw that they came with a great armie â And there assembled to Alcimus Bacchides a congregation of the scribes to require the thinges that are iust â and first the Assideans that were in the children of Israel and they sought peace of them â for they sayd A man that is a priest of the seede of Aaron is come he wil not deceiue vs. â And he spake with-them peaceable wordes and he sware to them saying We wil doe you no harme nor your freindes â And they beleued him And he tooke of them threescore men and slew them in one day according to the word that is written â The flesh of thy saincts and the bloud of them they haue shed round about Ierusalem and there was none to burie them â And there fel feare and trembling vpon al the people because they sayd There is no truth iudgement in them for they haue transgressed the appointment and the othe which they sware â And Bacchides remoued the campe from Ierusalem and approched to Bethzecha and he sent tooke manie of them that were fled from him and certaine of the people he killed and threw them into a great pitte â And he committed the countrie to Alcimus and left with him ayde to helpe him And Bacchides went away to the king â and Alcimus did what he could for the principalitie of his priesthood â and there gathered together vnto him al that disturbed their people and the obteyned the land of Iuda made a great plague in Israel â And Iudas saw al the euils that Alcimus did and they that were with him to the children of Israel much more then the Gentils â And he went out into al the coasts of Iurie round about and did vengeance vpon the men that reuolted and they ceased to goe forth any more into the countrie â But Alcimus saw that Iudas preuailed and they that were with him and he knew that he could not stand with them and he went backe to the king and accused them of manie crimes â And the king sent Nicanor one of his nobler princes that practised emnities against Israel and he commanded him to destroy the people â And Nicanor came into Ierusalem with a great armie and he sent to Iudas and to his bretheren in peaceable wordes with guile â saying Let there be no fighting betwen me and you I wil come with few men to see your faces with peace â And he came to Iudas and they saluted one an other peaceably and the enemies were readie to catch Iudas â And the thing was knowne to Iudas that he was come with guile and he was sore afrayd of him would not see his face any more â And Nicanor knew that his counsel was disclosed and he went forth to Iudas into battel beside Capharsalama â And there fel of Nicanors armie almost fiue thousand men and they fled into the citie of Dauid â And after these wordes Nicanor went vp into mount Sion there went forth of the priests of the people to salute him in peace and to shew him the holocausts that were offered for the king â And scorning he contemned them and polluted them and he spake proudly â and sware with anger saying Vnles Iudas be deliuered and his armie into my handes incontinent when Ishal returne in peace I wil burne this house And he went out with great anger â and the priests entered in and stood before the face of the altar and the temple and weeping they sayd â Thou ô Lord hast chosen this house for thy name to be inuocated therin that it might be a house of prayer and obsecration for thy people â Take vengeance vpon this man and his armie and let them fal by the sword remember their blasphemies and grant not vnto them to be permanent â And Nicanor went out from Ierusalem and moued the campe neere to Bethhoron and the armie of Syria mette him â And Iudas approched in Adarsa with three thousand men and Iudas prayed and sayd â They that were sent by king Sennacherib ô Lord because they blasphemed thee an angel came forth and stroke of them an hundred eightie fiue thousand â so destroy this armie in our sight to day and let the rest know that he hath spoken il vpon the holy places and iudge thou him according to his malice â And the armies ioyned battel the thirtenth day of the moneth Adar and the campe of Nicanor was discomfited and himself was slaine first in the battel â And as his armie saw that Nicanor was slaine they threw away their weapons fled â and they pursewed them one dayes iorney from Adazer euen til ye come into Gazara and with trumpets they sounded after them with significations â And they went forth out of al the townes of Iurie round about and they pushed them with the hornes and they turned againe to them and they were al slaine with the sword and there was not left of them so much as one â And they tooke the spoiles of them for a praye and Nicanors head they cut of and his right hand which he had proudly stretched forth and they brought it and hung it vp against Ierusalem â And the people reioyced excedingly and they spent that day in great gladnes â And he ordayned that this day should be kept euerie yeare the thirtenth of the moneth Adar â And the land of Iuda was quiet for a few dayes CHAP. VIII Iudas knowing the Romanes to be a most renowmed nation reciting their worthie actes 17. sendeth Embassaders to enter league with them 21. Wherto they a greing confirme a perpetual amitie with mutual conditions AND Iudas heard of the name of the Romanes that they are mightie of power and agree vnto al thinges that are
epistles to his felowes that were in Iurie to take Ionathas and them that were with him but they could not because their counsel was knowen to them â And he apprehended of the men of the countrie that were the principal of the mischife fiftie men and he slew them â And Ionathas retyred aside and Simon and they that were with him into Bethbessen which is in the desert and he built vp the ruins therof and they fortified it â And Bacchides vnderstood it and gathered together al his multitude and sent word to them that were of Iurie â And he came and camped aboue Bethbessen and assaulted it manie dayes and made engins â And Ionathas left Simon his brother in the citie and went forth into the countrie and came with a number â and stroke Odares and his bretheren and the children of Phaseron in their tabernacles he began to slay and to grow in forces â But Simon and they that were with him went out of the citie and burnt the engins â and they fought against Bacchides and he was discomfited by them and they afflicted him excedingly because his counsel and his conflict was in vayne â And being angrie against the wicked men that had geuen him counsel to come into their countrie he slewe manie of them but himself thought with the rest to depart into their countrie â And Ionathas vnderstood it and he sent vnto him legates to make peace with him and to render vnto him the captiues â And he tooke it gladly and did according to his wordes sware that he would doe him no harme al the dayes of his life â And he rendered vnto him the captiues which he before had taken for a praye out of the land of Iuda and returning he departed into his owne countrie and he added no more to come into their coasts â And the sword ceased out of Israel and Ionathas dwelt in Machmas Ionathas began there to iudge the people and he destroyed the impious out of Israel CHAP. X. Demetrius inuaded by Alexander 3. seeketh helpe of Ionathas 15. but he ioyneth with Alexander a surer freind 22. though Demetrius solicite him againe offering rewardes with remission of tributes 31. and great priuilegies 46. Al which he suspecting to be feaned persisteth with Alexander 48. who in battel killeth Demetrius 52. espouseth the kings daughter of Aegypt 59. calleth Ionathas to the mariage 62. and honoreth him as a king 67. Demetrius the sonne coming into Syria sendeth Apollonius against Ionathas 70. prouoketh him 74. and is ouerthrowen 79. notwithstanding his ambushment of a thousand horsemen 83. Ionathas burneth Asotus with their idol Dagon 86. so returneth by Ascalon to Ierusalem with great glorie AND in the yeare an hundreth threescore came vp Alexander the sonne of Antiochus that was surnamed Noble and he tooke Ptolemais and they receiued him and he reigned there â And Demetrius the king heard it and he gathered together an exceding great armie and went forth to meete him into battel â And Demetrius sent an epistle to Ionathas in peaceable wordes to magnifie him â For he sayd Let vs preuent to make peace with him before he make with Alexander against vs â for he wil remember al the euils that we haue done against him and against his brother and against his nation â And he gaue him authoritie to gather an armie and to make weapons and to be himself his felow and the hostages that were in the castel he commanded to be deliuered to him â And Ionathas came into Ierusalem and read the epistles in the hearing of al the people and of them that were in the castle â And they feared with great feare because they heard that the king gaue him authoritie to gather an armie â And the hostages were deliuered to Ionathas he rendered them to their parents â And Ionathas dwelt in Ierusalem and began to build and to renew the citie â And he spake to them that made the workes that they should build the walles and mount Sion round about with square stones for munition and so they did â And the Aliens fled that were in the holdes which Bacchides had built â and euerie man left his place and departed into his owne countrie â onlie in Bethsura there remained some of them that had forsaken the law and the precepts of God for this was for a refuge to them â And Alexander the king heard of the promises that Demetrius had promised to Ionathas and they told him the battels and the worthie acts that he did and his bretheren and the labours that they endured â and he sayd Why shal we find any such man and now we wil make him a freind our felow â And he wrote an epistle sent it to him according to these wordes saying â KING Alexander to his brother Ionathas greeting â We haue heard of thee that thou art mightie of powre and art meete to be our freind â now we make thee this day high priest of thy nation that thou be called the kings freind and he sent him purple and a crowne of gold and in our affayres thou be of one minde with vs and keepe amitie towards vs. â And Ionathas put on him the holie stole the seuenth moneth in the yeare an hundreth threescore in the solemne day of Scenopegia and he gathered an armie and made very manie weapons â And Demetrius heard these wordes and was exceding sorie and sayd â What is this that we haue done that Alexander hath preuented vs to take the frendshippe of the Iewes for his strength â I also wil write to them wordes of request and dignities and gifts that they may be with me to ayde me â And he wrote to them in these wordes KING Demetrius to the nation of the Iewes greeting â Because you haue kept couenant towards vs and haue continewed in our amitie and haue not ioyned to our enemies we haue heard of it are glad â And now perseuere stil to keepe fidelitie towards vs we wil reward you with good thinges âor that you haue done with vs. â And we wil remitte you manie charges and wil geue you manie gifts â And now I release you and al the Iewes from tributes and I pardon you the prices of salt and remitte the crownes and the thirds of the seede â and the halfe of the fruite of trees which is my portion I leaue to you from this day forward that it be not taken of the land of Iuda and of the three cities that are added therto of Samaria and Galilee from this day and for euer â and let Ierusalem be holie and free with the coasts therof and the tithes tributes be they to it â I release also the authoritie of the castel that is in Ierusalem and I geue it to the high priest to place therin men whomsoeuer he shal choose that may keepe it â And euerie soule of the Iewes that is
killeth Ionathas and his sonnes 25 Simon erecteth a memorie to his parentes and bretheren 31. Tryphon murthereth his young king 33. Simon fortifieth the countrie obteyneth peace and liberties of Demetrius 42. subdueth the citie Gaza and the rebellious castle within Ierusalem AND Simon heard that Tryphon gathered a very great armie to come into the land of Iuda and to destroy it â Seing that the people was in dread and in feare he went vp to Iurusalem and assembled the people â and exhorting he sayd You know what great battels I and my bretheren and the house of my father haue made for the lawes the holies and the distresses that we haue sene â by reason of these are al my bretheren perished for Israel and I onlie am left â And now let it not fal to me to spate my life in al time of tribulation for I am not better then my bretheren â I wil auenge therfore my nation and the holies our children also wiues because al the heathen are gathered together to destroy vs of emnitie â And the spirit of the people was kindled as soone as they heard these wordes â and they answered with a lowd voice saying Thou art our captayne in the place of Iudas and Ionathas thy brother â fight thou our battel we wil doe al thinges whatsoeuer thou shalt say to vs. â And gathering together al the men of warre he hastened to finish al the walles of Ierusalem and fortified it round about â And he sent Ionathas the sonne of Absalom with him a new armie into Ioppe and they that were in the castel being cast out he remayned there â And Tryphon remoued from Prolemais with a great armie to come into the land of Iuda Ionathas with him in ward â But Simon pitched in Addus against the face of the playne â And a Tryphon vnderstood that Simon was risen in the place of his brother Ionathas and that he would ioyne battel with him he sent legats to him â saying For the siluer that thy brother Ionathas owed in the kings account for the affayres which he had we haue stayed him â And now send an hundred talents of siluer and his two sonnes for hostages that being dismissed he flee not from vs and we wil release him â And Simon knew that with guile he spake with him neuertheles he commanded the siluer and the children to be geuen lest he should get great emnitie with the people of Israel saying â Because he sent not the siluer the children therfore is he perished â And he sent the children and the hundred talents and helyed and dismissed not Ionathas â And after these thinges came Tryphon within the countrie to destroy it and they compassed by the way that leadeth to Addar Simon and his campe marched into euerie place whither soeuer they went â And they that were in the castel sent legates to Tryphon that he should hasten to come through the desert and should send them victuals â And Tryphon prepared al the horsemen to come that night but there was an exceding great snow and he came not into the countrie of Galaad â And when he had approched to Bascama he slew Ionathas and his sonnes there â And Tryphon returned went into his countrie â And Simon sent and tooke the bones of Ionathas his brother and buried them in Modin the citie of his fathers â And al Israel lamented him with great lamentation they mourned for him manie dayes â And Simon built ouer the sepulcher of his father and of his bretheren a building high to behold of stone polished behind and before â and he erected seuen spyres one against one to his father and mother and to his foure bretheren â and about these he set great pillers and vpon the pillers armour for an eternal memorie and by the armour shippes grauen which might be sene of al that sayled the sea â This is the sepulcher that he made in Modin euen vntil this day â But Tryphon wheÌ he iourneyed with Antiochus the king being but a yong man by guile he slew him â And he reigned in his place and put the crowne of Asia vpon him self and made a great plague in the land â And Simon built the fortresses of Iurie fortifying them with high towres and great walles and gates and lockes and he put victuals in the fortresses â And Simon chose men sent to Demetrius the king that he would make a release to the countrie because al Tryphons actes had bene done by spoile â And Demetrius the king according to these wordes answered him and wrote an epistle in this maner â KING demetrius to Simon the high priest and the freind of kinges and to the ancients and to the nation of the Iewes greeting â The crowne of gold and the bahem which you sent we haue receiued and we are readie to make with you great peace and to write to the kings chiefe officers to release you the thinges that we haue released â For what soeuer thinges we haue decreed vnto you stand in force The holdes that you haue built let them be to you â We remitte also the ignorances and offences euen vntil this day and the crowne which you owed and if any other thing was tributarie in Ierusalem now let it not be tributarie â And if anie of you be fitte to be inrolled among ours let them be inrolled and let there be peace betwen vs. â In the yeare an hundreth seuentie was the yoke of the Gentils taken away from Israel â And the people of Israel began to write in the tables and publique instruments The first yeare vnder Simon the high priest the great duke and the prince of the Iewes â in these dayes Simon approched to Gaza and compassed it with campes and he made engins set them to the citie and he stroke one towre and tooke it â And they that were within the engin brake out into the citie and there was made a great sturre in the citie â And they that were in the citie went vp with their wiues children vpon the wal their coates rent and they cried with a lowd voice desyring of Simon that the right handes might be geuen them â and they sayd Requite vs not according to our malices but occording to thy mercies â And Simon yelding destroyed them not but yet he cast them out of the citie and clensed the houses wherein there had bene idols and then he entered into it with hymes blessing our Lord â and al filthines being cast out of it he placed in it men that should doe the law and he fortified it and made it his habitation â But they that were in the castel of Ierusalem were prohibited to goe out and to come in to the countrie to bye and sel and they were exceding hungrie and manie of them perished for famine â and they cried to Simon to
suffer molestation for these thinges which haue bene done by ignorance â And we haue sent also Menelaus to speake to you â Fare ye wel In the yeare an hundred fortie eight of the moneth Xanthicus the fiftenth day â And the Romans also sent an epistle which is thus QVINTVS Memmius and Titus Manilius legats of the Romans to the people of the Iewes health â Concerning these thinges which Lysias the kings cosin hath granted you we also haue granted â But touching the thinges which he thought good to be referred to the king send ye forthwith some bodie conferring diligently among your selues that we may decree as is conuenient for you for we goe to Antioch â And therfore make hast to write agayne that we also may know of what minde you are â Fate ye wel In the yeare an hundred fourtie eight the fiftenth day of the moneth Xanthicus CHAP. XII VVhiles the Iewes haue peace with the king others stil persecute them 5. which Iudas reuengeth 13. and in Caspân maketh great slaughter and reposeth in Charaâa 19. Tenne thousand of Timothees men are slayne 20. whom Iudas pursuing killeth manie in Carnion 34. taketh him but releaseth him againe 27. the like in Ephron 32. Some Iewes are slaine in battel against Gorgias 38. Iudas and his men are purified and gathering the dead bodies finde that some had taken vnlawful spoiles 42. For whose soules he prayeth and causeth sacrifice to be offered THESE couenants being made Lysias went foreward to the king and the Iewes gaue themselues to husbandrie â But they that stayed there Timothie Appollonius the sonne of Gennaius also Ierom Demophon besides these also Nicanor the gouerner of Cyprus did not suffer them to liue in rest and quietnes â And the Ioppites committed a certaine flagicious fact which was this They desired the Iewes with whom they dwelt to goe into the botes which they had prepared with their wiues children as though no secret emnities were between them â Therefore according to the common decree of the citie they agreeing therto because of the peace suspecting nothing when they were gone forward into the depth they drowned no lesse then two hundred â Which crueltie Iudas as he vnderstood to be done vpon the men of his nation commanded the men that were with him and inuocating God the iust iudge â he came against the murderers of his brethren the hauen he set on fire in the night the botes he burnt them that were fled from the fire he flew with the sword â And when he had thus done these thinges he departed as to returne againe and to roote out al the Ioppites â But when he vnderstood that they also which were at Iamnia would doe in like maner to the Iewes dwelling with them â he came vpon the Iamnites also by night and set the hauen on fyre with the shippes so that the light of the fire appeared at Ierusalem two hundred fourtie furlongs of â When they were now departed thence nine furlongs and made their iourney towards Timothee the Arabians fiue thousand men and fiue hundred horsemen ioyned battel with them â And when there was a mightie battel and by the helpe of God it had succeded prosperously the rest of the Arabians that were ouercome besought Iudas that the right hand might be geuen them promising that they would geue pastures and profite them in other thinges â And Iudas thinking in very deede that they might be profitable in manie thinges promised peace and right handes being taken they departed to their tabernacles â And he set also vpon a certaine citie strong with bridges and enuironed with walles which was inhabited with multitudes of heathen of al sortes the name wherof is Caspin â But they that were within trusting in the firmenes of the walles the prouision of victuals dealt the more stackly with reuiling wordes prouoking Iudas and blaspheming and speaking such thinges as is not lawful to speake â But Machabeus inuocating the great prince of the world who without rammes and engines in Iesus time threwe downe Ierico fiercely assaulted the walles â And the citie being taken by the wil of our Lord he made innumerable slaughters so that the poole adioyning of two furlongs in bredth semed to runne died with bloud â From thence they departed seuen hundred fiftie furlongs and they came to Characa to those Iewes that are called Tubianeians â and in those places they tooke not Timothee and nothing being done he went backe hauing left in a certaine place a very strong garrison â But Dositheus and Sosipater who were captayns with Machabeus slewe them that were left of Timothee in the hold ten thousand men â And Machabeus ordayning about him six thousand and placing them by bandes went forth against Timothee who had with him an hundred twenty thousand footemen of horsemen two thousand fiue hundred â And the coming of Iudas being knowen Timothee sent the wemen and children and the other baggage before into the fortresse that is called Catnion for it was inuincible and hard to come by by reason of the straites of the places â And when the first band of Iudas had appeared seare was stroken into the enemies by the presence of God who seeth al thinges and they were put to flight one of an other so that they were rather ouerthrowen of their owne companie and were weakened with the strokes of their owne swordes â But Iudas was exceding earnest punishnig the prophane men and he ouerthrewe of them thirtie thousand men â And Timothee him selfe fel into the handes of Dositheus and Sisipaters partes and with manie prayers he besought that he might be let go aliue because he had parents brethren of manie of the Iewes whom it might happen by his death to be deceiued â And when he had geuen his faith that he would restore them according to the appointmeÌt they let him goe without harme for the safetie of their brethren â And Iudas came backe from Carnion hauing slayne twentie fiue thousand â After the flight and slaughter of these he moued his armie to Ephron a strong citie wherin a multitude dwelt of diuerse nations strong young men standing before the walles resisted manfully in this were manie engins and prouision of dartes â But when they had inuocated the Almightie who with his power breaketh the forces of the enemies they tooke the citie and of them that were within they ouerthrew twentie fiue thousand â From thence they departed to a citie of the Scythians which was distant from Ierusalem six hundred furlongs â But those Iewes that were with the Scythopolitans testifying that they were vsed curteously of them euen in the times of miserie that they dealt modestly with them â geuing them thankes and exhorting them also thence forward to be fauourable toward their stock they came to Ierusalem the solemne day of the weekes approching â And after Pentecost they
from Babylon to build the citie that there should be libertie aswel to them as to their children and to al the priestes that goe before â And he wrote a quantitie also and commanded the sacred stole to be geuen wherein they should serue â and to the Leuites he wrote to geue preceptes vntil the day wherein the house shal be finished and Ierusalem builded And to al that kepe the citie he wrote portions and wages to be geuen to them â And he sent away al the vessels whatsoeuer Cyrus had separated from Babylon and al thinges whatsoeuer Cyrus sayd he also commanded to be donne and to be sent to Ierusalem â And when that yong man was gone forth lyfting vp his face toward Ierusalem he blessed the king of heauen â and sayd Of thee is victorie and of thee is wisdome and glorie And I am thy seruant â Blessed art thou which hast geuen me wisedom and I wil confesse to thee Lord God of our fathers â And he toke the letters and went into Babylon And he came and told al his brethren that were in Babylon â and they blessed the God of their fathers because he gaue them remission and refreshing â that they should goe vp and build Ierusalem and the temple wherein his name was renowmed and they reioyced with musike and ioy seuen dayes CHAP. V. Those that returned from captiuitie of Babylon into Ierusalem and Iurie are recited 47. They restore Gods seruice 66. but are hindered from building AFTER these thinges there were chosen to goe vp the princes of townes by their houses and tribes and their wiues and their sonnes and daughters and their men seruantes and wemen seruantes and their cattel â And Darius the king sent together with them a thousand horsmen til they conducted them to Ierusalem with peace with musicke with tymbrels and shaulmes â and al the brethren were playing and he made them goe vp together with them â And these are the names of the men that went vp by their townes according to tribes and according to the portion of their principalitie â Priestes The children of Phinees the sonne of Aaron Iesus the sonne of Iosedec Ioacim the sonne of Zorobabel the sonne of Salathiel of the house of Dauid of the progenie of Phares of the tribe of Iuda â Who spake vnder Darius king of the Persians the meruelous wordes in the second yeare of his reigne the first moneth Nisan â And they are these that of Iurie came vp from the captiuitie of the transmigration whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon transported into Babylon and returned into Ierusalem â And euerie one sought a part of Iurie according to his owne citie they that came with Zorobabel and Iesus Nehemias Areores Elimeo Emmanio Mardocheo Beelsuro Mechpsatochor Olioro Emonia one of their princes â And the number of them of the same nation of their rulers the children of Phares two thousand an hundred seuentie two â The children of Ares three thousand an hundred fiftie seuen â The children of Phoemo an hundred fourtie two in the children of Iesus and Ioabes a thousand three hundred two â the children of Demu two thousand foure hundred seuentie the children of Choraba two hundred fiue the children of Banica an hundred sixtie eight â the children of Bebech foure hundred three the children of Archad foure hundred twentie seuen â the children of Cham thirtie seuen the children of Zoroar two thousand sixtie seuen the children of Adin foure hundred sixtie one â the children of Aderectes an hundred eight the children of Ciaso and Zelas an hundred seuen the children of Azoroc foure hundred thirtie nine â the children of Iedarbone an hundred thirtie two the children of Ananias an hundred thirtie the children of Asoni ninetie â the children of Marsar foure hundred twentie two the children of Zabarus nintie fiue the children of Sepolemon an hundred twentie three â the children of Nepopas fiftie fiue the children of Hechanatus an hundred fiftie eight the children of Cebethamus an hundred thirtie two â the children of Crearpatros which are of Enocadie and Modia foure hundred twentie three they of Gramas and Gabea an hundred twentie one â They of Besselon and Ceagge sixtie fiue they of Bastaro an hundred twentie two â they of Bechenobes fiftie fiue the children of Liptis an hundred fiftie fiue the children of Labonni three hundred fiftie seuen â the children of Sichem three hundred seuentie the children of Suadon Cliomus three hundred seuentie eight â the children of Ericus two thousand an hundred fourtie fiue the children of Anaas three hundred seuentie The priestes â the children of Ieddus the sonne of Euther the sonne of Eliasib three hundred seuentie two the children of Emerus two hundred fiftie two â the children of Phasurius three hundred fiftie seuen the children of Caree two hundred twentie seuen â The Leuites The children of Iesus in Caduhel and Bamis and Serebias and Edias seuentie foure the whole number from the twelfth yeare thirtie thousand foure hundred sixtie two â The sonnes and daughters and wiues the whole number fourtie thousand two hundred fourtie two â The children of the Priestes that sang in the temple the children of Asaph an hundred twentie eight â And the porters the children of Esmeni the children of Azer the children of Amon the children of Accuba of Topa the children of Tobi al an hundred thirtie nine â Priestes that serued in the temple the children of Sel the children of Gaspha the children of Tobloch the children of Caria the children of Su the children of Hellu the children of Lobana the children of Armacha the children of Accub the children of Vtha the children of Cetha the children of Aggab the children of Obai the children of Anani the children of Canna the children of Geddu â the children of An the children of Radin the children of Desanon the children of Nachoba the children of Caseba the children of Gaze the children of Ozui the children of Sinone the children of Attre the children of Hasten the children of Asiana the children of Manei the children of Nasissim the children of Acusu the children of Agista the children of Azui the children of Fauon the children of Phasalon â the children of Meedda the children of Phusa the children of Careé the children of Burcus the children of Saree the children of Coesi the children of Nasith the children of Agisti the children of Pedon â Salomon his children the children of Asophot the children of Phasida the children of Celi the children of Dedon the children of Gaddahel the children of Sephegi â the children of Aggia the children of Sachareth the children of Sabathen the children of Caroneth the children of Malsith the children of Ama the children of Sasus the children of Addus the children of Suba the children of Eura the children of Rahotis the children of Phasphat the children of Malmon â Al that serued the sanctuarie and the seruantes of Salomon foure hundred eightie two
Babylon and was trubled lying in my chamber and my cogitations came vp ouer my hart â because I saw the desolation of Sion and the abundance of them that dwelt in Babylon â And my spirit was tossed excedingly and I began to speake to the highest timorous wordes â and sayd O Lord dominatour thou spakest from the beginning when thou didst plant the earth and that alone and didst rule ouer the people â and gauest Adam a dead bodie but that also was the worke of thy handes didst breath into him the spirit of life and he was made to liue before thee â and thou broughst him into paradise which thy right hand had planted before the earth came â And him thou didst command to loue thy way and he transgressed it forth with thou didst institute death in him and in his posteritie and there were borne nations and tribes and peoples and kinreds wherof there is no number â And euerie nation walked in their owne wil they did meruelous thinges before thee and despised thy preceptes â And agane in time thou broughst in the floud vpon inhabitantes of the world and didst destroy them â And there was made in euery one of them as vnto Adam to dye so to them the floud â But thou didst leaue one of them Noe with his house and of him were al the iust â And it came to passe when they began to be multiplied that dwelt vpon the earth multiplied children and peoples and manie nations and they begane againe to doe impietie more then the former â And it came to passe when they did iniquitie before thee thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham â And thou didst loue him and to him on lie thou didst shew thy wil. â And thou didst dispose vnto him an euerlasting testament and toldst him that thou wouldst neuer forsake his seede And thou gauest him Isaac and to Isaac thou gauest Iacob and Esau â And Iacob thou didst seuer to thy selfe but Esau thou didst separate And Iacob grewe to a great multitude â And it came to passe when thou didst bring forth his sede out of Aegypt thou broughst it vpon mount Sinai â And thou didst bowe the heauens and fasten the earth and didst shake the world and madest the depthes to tremble and trubledst the world â and thy glorie passed foure gates of fire and of earthquake and winde and frost that thou mightst geue a law to the seede of Iacob and to the generation of Israel diligence â And thou didst not take away from them a malignant hart that thy law might bring forth fruite in them â For Adam the first bearing a viâious hart transgressed and was ouercome yea and al that were borne of him â And it was made a permanent infirmitie and the law with the hart of the people with the wickednes of the roote and that which is good departed and the wicked remayned â And the times passed the yeares were ended and thou didst raise vp vnto thee a seruant named Dauid â and spakest vnto him to build a citie of thy name and to offer vnto thee in it frankencense and oblations â And this was done manie yeares and they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee â in al things as Adam and al his generations For they also vsed a wicked hart â And thou didst deliuer thy citie into the hands of thyne enimies â Why doe they better thinges that inhabite Babylon And for this shal she rule ouer Sion â It came to passe when I was come hither and had sene the impieties that can not be numbred and my soul saw manie offending this thirteth yeare my hart was astonied â because I saw how thou bearest with their sinne and didst spare them that did impiously and didst destroy thine owne people and preserue thine enimies and didst not signifie it â I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken doth Babylon better thinges then Sion â Or hath anie nation knowen thee beside Israel or what tribes haue beleued thy testamentes as Iacob â Whose reward hath not appeared nor their labour fructified For passing through I passed among the nations and I saw them abound and not mindeful of thy commandmentes â Now therfore wey our iniquities in a ballance and theirs that dwel in the world thy name shal not be found but in Israel â Or when haue not they sinned in thy sight that inhabite the earth or what nation hath so obserued thy commandmentes â These cettes by their names thou shalt finde to haue kept thy commandmentes but the nations thou shalt not finde CHAP. IIII. Mans witte and reason is not able to vnderstand the counsel and iudgement of God 22. why his people are afflicted by wicked nations 33. nor of times and thinges to come AND the Angel answered me that was sent to me whose name was Vriel â and sayd to me Thy hart exceding hath exceded in this world thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest â And I sayd It is so my Lord. And he answered me sayd I am sent to shew thee three wayes to propose to thee three similitudes â Of the which if thou shalt declare to me one of them I also wil shew thee the way which thou desirest to see and wil teach thee whence a wicked hart is â And I sayd Speake my Lord. And he sayd to me Goe wey me the weight of the fire or measure me the blast of the winde or cal me backe the day that is past â And I answered and sayd what man borne can doe it that thou askest me of these thinges â And he sayd to me If I should aske thee saying How great habitations are there in the hart of the sea or how great vaines be there in the beginning of the depth or how great vaines be there aboue the firmament and what are the issues of paradise â thou wouldest perhaps say to me I haue not descended into the depth nor into hel as yet neither haue I ascended at anie time into heauen â But now I haue not asked thee sauing of the fire and the winde and the day by the which thou hast passed and from the which thou canst not be separated and thou hast not answered me of them â And he sayd to me Thou canst not know the thinges that are thine which grow together with thee â and how can thy vessel comprehend the way of the Highest and now the world being outwardly corrupted vnderstand the corruption euident in my sight â I sayd to him Better were it for vs not to be then yet liuing to liue in impieties and to suffer and not to vnderstand for what thing â And he answered me said Going forth I went forward to a wood of trees in the filde and they deuised a deuise â and sayd Come and let vs goe and make watre against the sea that it
waters be found and al frendes shal ouerthrow one an other and then shal witte be hid and vnderstanding shal be separated into his cellar â and it shal be sought of manie and shal not be found and iniustice shal be multiplied and incontinencie vpon the earth â And one countrie shal aske her neighbour and shal say Hath iustice doing iust passed through thee and she shal denie it â And it shal be in that time men shal hope and shal not obtaine they shal labour and their wayes shal not haue successe â These signes I am permitted to tel thee and if thou pray againe and weepe as also now and fast seuen dayes thou shalt heare againe greater thinges then these â And I awaked and my bodie did shiuer excedingly and my soule laboured that it fainted â and the Angel that came that spake in me held me and strengthened me and sette me vpon my feete â And it came to passe in the second night and Salathiel the prince of the people came to me and sayd to me Where wast thou and why is thy countenance heauie â Konwest thou not that Israel is committed to thee in the countrie of their transmigration â Rise vp therfore and taste bread and forsake vs not as the pastour his flocke in the hand of wicked wolues â And I sayd to him Goe from me approch not vnto me And he heard as I sayd and he departed from me â And I fasted seuen dayes howling weeping as Vriel the Angel commanded me â And it came to passe after seuen dayes and againe cogitations of my hart molested me very much â and my soule resumed the spirit of vnderstanding agayne I began to speake wordes before the Highest â and I sayd Lord Dominatour of euerie wood of the earth al the trees therof thou hast chosen one vineyard â of euerie land of the world thou hast chosen thee one ditch of al the flowers of the world thou hast chosen thee one lilie â and of al depthes of the sea thou hast filled thee one riuer and of al the builded cities thou hast sanctified vnto theyself Sion â and of al created soules thou hast named thee one doue and of al beastes that were made thou hast prouided thee one shepe â and of al multiplied peoples thou hast purchased thee one people and a law approued of al thou hast geuen to this people whom thou didst desire â And now Lord why hast thou deliuered one vnto manie And thou hast prepared vpon one roote others and hast dispersed thy onlie one in manie â and they haue troden vpon it which gainesayd thy couenants and which beleued not thy testamentes â And if hating thou hatest thy people it ought to be chastised with thy handes â And it came to passe when I had spoken the wordes and the Angel was sent to me that came to me before the night past â and he sayd to me Heare me and I wil instruct thee and harken to me and I wil adde before thee â And I sayd Speake my Lord. And he sayd to me Thou art become excedingly in excesse of minde for Israel hast thou loued it more then him that made it â And I sayd to him No Lord but for sorow I haue spoken for my veynes torment me euerie houre to apprehend the pathe of the Highest and to search part of his iudgement â And he sayd to me Thou canst not And I sayd Why Lord To what was I borne or why was not my mothers wombe my graue that I might not see the labour of Iacob the wearines of the stocke of Israel â And he sayd to me Number me the thinges that are not yet come and gather me the dispersed droppes and make me the withered flowers grene againe â and open me the shut cellars bring me forth the blastes inclosed in them shew me the image of a voice and then wil I shew thee the labour that thou desirest to see â And I sayd Lord Dominatour for who is there that can know these thinges but he that hath not his habitation with men â And I am vnwise and how can I speake of these thinges which thou hast asked me â And he sayd to me As thou canst not doe one of these thinges which haue bene sayd so canst thou not finde my iudgement or in the end the charitie which I haue promised to the people â And I sayd But behold Lord thou art nigh to them that are nere the end and what shal they doe that haue bene before me or we or they after vs â And he sayd to me I wil resemble my iudgement to a crowne As there shal not be slacknes of the last so neither swiftnes of the former â And I answered and sayd Couldst thou not make them that haue bene and that are and that shal be at once that thou mayst shew thy iudgement the quicker â And he answered me and sayd The creature can not hasten aboue the Creatour nor the world sustayne them that are to be created in it at once â And I sayd As thou didst say to thy seruant that quickening thou didst quicken the creature created by thee at once and the creature susteined it it may now also beare them present at once â And he sayd to me Aske the matrice of a woman thou shalt say to it And if thou bring forth children why by times Aske it therfore that it geue ten at once â And I sayd it can not verily but according to time â And he sayd to me And I haue geuen a matrice to the earth for them that are sowen vpon it by time â For as the infant bringeth not forth the thinges that perteyne to the aged so haue I disposed the world created of me â And I asked and sayd Wheras thou hast now geuen me a way I wil speake before thee for our mother of whom thou toldest me yet she is yong now draweth nigh to old age â And he answered me and sayd Aske her that beareth children and she wil tel thee â For thou shalt say to her Why are not they whom thou hast brought forth now like to them that were before thee but lesse of stature â And she also wil say vnto thee They that are borne in the youth of streingth are of one sort and they of an other that are borne about the time of old age when the matrice fayleth â Consider therfore thou also that you are of lesse stature then they that were before you â and they that are after you of lesser then you as it were creatures now waxing old and past the strength of youth â And I sayd I besech thee Lord if I haue found grace before thine eyes shew vnto thy seruant by whom thou doest visite thy creature CHAP. VI. God knowing al thinges before they were made created them 54. for man and considereth the endes of al. AND he sayd to me In the beginning
now when I was preparing for them for these that now are before the world was made wherin they should dwel and no man gaynsayd me â For then euery man and now the creator in this world prepared and haruest not fayling and law vnsearchable their manners are corrupted â And I considered the world and behold there was danger because of the cogitations that came in it â And I saw and spared it very much and I kept vnto my selfe a grape kernel of a cluster and a plant of a great trybe â Let the multitude therfore perish which was borne without cause and let my kernel be kept my plant because I finished it with much labour â And thou if thou adde yet seuen other dayes but thou shalt not fast in them â thou shalt goe into a field of flowers where no house is built thou shalt eate only of the flowers of the field and flesh thou shalt not tast and wine thou shalt not drinke but only flowers â Pray to the Highest without intermission and I wil come and wil speake with thee â And I went forth as he sayd to me into a field which is called Ardath and I sate there among the flowers And I did eate of the herbes of the field and the meate of them made me ful â And it came to passe after seuen dayes and I sate downe vpon the grasse and my hart was trubled agayne as before â And my mouth was opened and I beganne to speake before the Highest and sayd â O Lord thou shewing thy selfe to vs wast shewed to our fathers in the desert which is nor troden and vnfruitful when they came out of Aegypt and saying thou saydst â Thou Israel heare me and sede of Iacob attend to my wordes â For behold I sow my lawe in you and it shal bring forth fruite in you and you shal be glorified in it for euer â For our fathers receiuing the law obserued it not and kept not my ordinances and the fruite of the law did not appeare for it could not because it was thine â For they that receiued it perished not keeping that which had bene sowen in them â And behold it is the custome that when the earth hath receiued sede or the sea a shippe or some vessel meate or drinke when that shal be destroyed wherin it was sowne or into the which it was cast â that which was sowne or cast in or the thinges that were receiued are destroyed withal and the thinges receiued now tarye not with vs but it is not so done to vs. â We in dede that receiued the law sinning haue perished and our hart that receiued it â For the law hath not perished but hath remayned in his labour â And when I spake these thinges in my hart I looked backe with myne eyes and saw a woman on the right side and behold she mourned and wept with a lowd voice and was sorrowful in mynde exceedingly and her garments rent and ashes vpon her heade â And I left the cogitations wherin I was thinking and I turned to her and sayd to her â Why weepest thou and why art thou sorie in mynde And she sayd to me â Suffer me my Lord that I may lament myselfe adde sorrow because I am of a very pensiue mynde and am humbled exceedingly â And I sayd to her What ayleth thee tel me And she sayd to me â I thy seruant haue beene barren and haue not borne childe hauing a husband thirty yeares â For I euery howre and euerie day and these thirty yeares do beseche the Highest night and day â And it came to passe after thirtie yeares God heard me thy handmayd and saw my humilitie and attended to my tribulation and gaue me a sonne and I was very ioyful vpon him and my husband and al my citizens and we did glorifie the Sârong exceedingly â And I nourished him with much labour â And it came to passe when he was growne and came to take a wife I made a feast day CHAP. X. The state of Ierusalem is prefigured by a woman mourning 25. and afterwardes reioyâing AND it came to passe when my sonne was entred into his inner chamber he fel downe and dyed â and we al ouerthrewe the lights and al my citizens rose vp to comfort me and I was quiet vntil the other day at night â And it came to passe when al were quiet to comfort me that I might be quiet and I arose in the night and sled and came as thou âeest into this field â And I meane nowe not to returne into the citie but to stay here and neither to eate nor drinke but without intermission to mourne and to fast vntil I dye â And I left the talke wherin I was and with anger answered her sayd â Thou foole aboue al wemen seest thou not our mourning what thinges chance to vs â Because Sion our mother is sorroweful with al sorrowe and humbled and mourneth most bitterly â And now wheras we al mourne and are sadde wheras we aâe sorrowful and art thou sorrowful for one sonne â For aske the earth and it wil tel thee that it is she thaâ ought to lament the fal of so manie thinges that spring vpon it â And of her were al borne from the beginning and others shal come and behold almost al walke into perdition and the multitude of them commeth to destruction â And who then ought to mourne more but she that hath lost so great a multitude rather then thou which art sorie for one â And if thou say vnto me that my mourning is not lyke the earthes because I haue lost the fruite of my wombe which I bare with sorrowes and brought forth with paynes â but the earth according to the maner of the earth and the present multitude in it hath departed as it came and I saye to thee â as thou hast brought forth with payne so the earth also geueth her fruite for man from the beginning to him that made her â Now therfore kepe in with thy sorrowe and beare stoutly the chances that haue be fallen thee â For if thou iustifie the end of God thou shalt in time both receiue his counsel and also in such thinges thou shalt be praysed â Goe in therfore into the citie to thy husband And she sayd to me â I wil not doe it neither wil I enter into the citie but here wil I dye â And I added yet to speake to her sayd â Doe not this word but consent to him that counseleth thee For how manie are the chances of Sion Take comfort for the sorrowe of Ierusalem â For thou seest that our sanctification is made desert and our altar is throwen downe and our temple is destroyed â and our psalter is humbled and hymne is silent and our exultation is dissolued and the light of our candlesticke is extinguished and the arke of our testament is taken for spoyle
our holie thinges are contaminated and the name that is inuocated vpon vs is almost prophaned and our children haue suffred contumelie and our Priestes are burnt our Leuites are gone into captiuitie our virgins are defloured and our wiues haue suffered rape and our iust men are violently taken and our litle ones are lost and our yong men are in bondage and our valiants are made impotent â and that which is greatest of al the seale of Sion because she is vnsealed of her glorie For she is also deliuered into the handes of them that hate vs. â Thou therfore shake of thy great heauines and lay away from thee the multitude of sorrowes that the Strong may be propicious to thee agayne and the Highest wil geue thee rest rest from thy labours â And it came to passe when I spake to her her face did shine suddenly and her shape and her visage was made glistering so that I was afrayde excedingly at her thought what this thing should be â And Behold suddenly she put forth a great sound of a voyce ful of feare that the earth was moued at the womans sound And I saw â and behold the woman did no more appeare vnto me but a citie was built a place was shewed of great fundations and I was afrayd crying with a loude voyce I sayd â Where is Vriel the Angel that from the beginning came to me for he made me come in multitude in excesse of this minde and my end is made into corruption my prayer into reproch â And when I was speaking these thinges behold he came to me and sawe me â And behold I was layd as dead my vnderstanding was alienated and he held my right hand and strengthned me set me vpon my feete sayd to me â What ayleth thee and why is thy vnderstanding and the sense of thy hart trubled why art thou trubled And I sayd â Because thou hast forsaken me and I in dede haue done according to thy wordes went out into the field behold I haue seene doe see that which I cannot vtter And he sayd to me â Stand like a man I wil moue thee And I sayd â Speake thou my Lord in me forsake me not that I die not in vaine â because I haue seene thinges that I knew not I doe heare thinges that I know not â Or is my sense deceiued doth my soule dreame â Now therfore I besech thee that thou shew vnto thy seruant concerning this trance And he answered me sayd â Heare me and I wil teach thee and wil tel thee of what thinges thou art afrayd because the Highest hath reuealed vnto thee manie mysteries â He hath seene thy right way that without intermission thou was sorrowful for thy people and didst mourne exceedingly for Sion â This therfore is the vnderstanding of the vision which appeared to thee a litle before â The woman whom thou sawest mourning thou beganst to comfort her â And now thou seest not the forme of the woman but there appeared to thee a citie to be built â And because she tolde thee of the fal of her sonne this is the interpretation â This woman which thou sawest she is Sion and wheras she told thee of her whom now also thou shalt see as a citie builded â And wheras she told thee that she was barren thirtie yeares for the which there were thirtie yeares when there was not yet oblation offered in it â And it came to passe after thirtie yeares Salomon built the citie and offered oblations then it was when the barren bare a childe â And that which she sayd vnto thee that she nourished him with labour this was the habitation in Ierusalem â And wheras she sayd to thee that my sonne comming into the bryde chamber dyed and that a fal chanced vnto him this was the ruine of Ierusalem that is made â And behold thou hast seene the similitude of her and because she lamented her sonne thou beganst to comfort her and of these thinges that haue chanced these were to be opened to thee â And now the Highest seeth that thou wast sorie from the hart and because with thy whole hart thou sufferest for her he hath shewed thee the clearnes of her glorie and the fayrenes of her beautie â For therfore did he say to thee that thou shoulest tarie in a field where house is not built â For I knew that the Highest beganne to shew thee these thinges â therfore I sayd vnto thee that thou shouldest goe into a field where is no fundation of building â For the worke of mans building could not be borne in the place where the citie of the Highest began to be shewed â Thou therfore feare not neither let thy hart dread but goe in and see the beautie and greatnes of the building as much as the sight of thyne eyes is capable to see â afterward thou shalt heare as much as the hearing of thyne eares is capable to heare â For thou art blessed aboue manie and art called with the Highest as few â And to morrow night thou shalt tarie here â and the Highest wil shew thee those visions of the thinges on high which the Highest wil doe to them that inhabite vpon the earth in the later dayes â And I slept that night and the other next as he had sayd to me CHAP. XI An eagle appeareth to Esdras coming forth of the sea with three heades and twelue winges sometimes one reigning in the world sometimes an other but euerie one vanisheth away 36. A lion also appeareth coming forth of the wo ãâ¦ã suppresse the eagle AND I sawe a dreame behold an eagle came vp out of the sea which had twelue winges of fethers and three heades â And I saw and behold she spred her winges into al the earth and al the windes of heauen blew vpon her and were gathered together â And I saw and of her fethers sprang contrarie fethers and they became litle winges and smale â For her heades were at rest and the midle head was greater then the other heades but she rested with them â And I saw and behold the eagle flew with her winges and reigned ouer the earth and ouer them that dwel in it â And I saw that al thinges vnder heauen were subiect to her and no man gaynesayd her no not one of the creature that is vpon the earth â And I saw and behold the eagle rose vp vpon her talons and made a voice with her winges saying â Watch not al together sleepe euerie one in his place watch according to time â But let the heades be preserued to the last â And I saw and behold the voice came not out of her heades but from the middes of her bodie â And I numbered her contrarie winges and behold they were eight â And I saw and behold on the right side rose one wing and reigned
promised vvith an oath p and vvil performe q to sette one of Dauids sonnes vpon his Throne vvhich vvas not only fulfilled in Salomon vvho reigned in great peace and builded the Temple but especially in Christ the Sonne of Dauid to vvhom our Lord God gaue the seate of Dauid his father he shal reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdom there shal be no end Luc. 1. v. 32. 33. By this promise S. Peter also proueth Christs Resurrection Act. 2 v. 30. r Concerning the children of Christ members of his kingdom the Church the promise is conditional if they obserue Gods commandments they shal sit vpon his seate be coheyres of his kingdom Rom. 8 v. 17. Å¿ Sion the Catholique Church is a perpetual place where God dwelleth t The Church vvanting Christs visible presence is replenished vvith manie blessinges v and al her humble children are releeued vvith holie Sacraments w The Church hath alwayes some holie Priestes x and some holie people y Of this Church elected by God Christ is the Protector and strong defence z and the same Church shal be a perpetual lampe vvherby others may come to him Fraternal concord the 7. key a Dauid being a most peaceable man euen tovvard his enimies is added by Esdras in this title as an example for others to imitate b That concord is both good and pleasant nedeth no other proofe but only to conâider to behold the fruict therof in euerie communitie and especially in the Church of God c The ointment vvhervvith Aaron and other High Priestes vvere consecrated vvas precious and most odoriâerous signifying grace bought by Christs blood and producing vertues vvhich make svvete sauoure d vvas povvred vpon the High Priests head vvho being head of the Church e vnitie and concord descended from him to other Priestes f and so to the people euen to the lovvest and meanest in Gods Church g An other similitude to declare the excellencie of concord As the devv of mount Hermon vvhich is perpetually couered vvith snovv that falleth from the heauen thence descending refresheth fructifieth the hil of Sion so mutual concord and fraternal charitie amongst the faithful nourisheth each other making them fructful in al good vvorkes h VVhere there is vnitie God geueth abundance of grace as vvhere the Apostles vvith other faithful vvere geathered and continued in prayer the Holie Ghost came vpon them al. And the multitude of beleuers then increasing had one hart and one soule Act 2. 4. v. 32. God continually to be praised the 1. key a This last Gradual Psalme as a conclusion exhorteth al to praise God b for to this end he made al creatures in heauen in earth Gods perfection and goodnes the 1. key a Gods seruantes b Clergie that serue in the Temple c and ye Laitie that attend to his seruice must praise him for these causes d âââ goodnes e his benignitie f he hath adopted vs his children g he is omni potent as appeareth by his vvorkes here and elsvvhere recited and manie wayes knovvne to the vvorld Exo. 1â Ios 12. Num. 21. Ios 13. Psal 113. Gods meruelous workes the 2. key a VVhose goodnes is incomparable b This second part of euerie verse first pronounced by the Priestes confessing praising Gods mercie aboue al his workes was stil repeted by musicians or other assistants in maner as now in Lâtanies ô Lord deliuer vs and VVe besech theeto heare vs And as Gloria Patri c. is added in the end of Psalmes and our Lords prayer and the Angelical salutation are often repeted in diuers Offices and in the Rosarie c VVhose diuine powre created al other thinges d By this inuitation to praise our Lord God thrise repeted we professe the blessed Trinitie who is one God in substance and three Diuine Persons e VVhose dominion is ouer al the world f Only God can do true miracles towit workes aboue the course of al nature g In admirable wisdom Gen. 1. h Made the waters aboue nature to remaine vvithin their bondes not to couer the earth Exo. 11. Exo. ââ Exo. ââ Num. ââ i Al Gods benignitie as wel of particular benefites towards his people as general to them and al others procedeth from his mercie The Iewes lamentation in captiuitie the 4. key a By adding to this title for Ieremie the Septuagint Interpreters signifie that this Psalme treateth of the same captiuitie in which Ieremias writte his Lamentations b Nere the riuers in Chaldea wherof Babylon was the head citie c the Iewes remained mourning d remembring the holie rites and seruice of God which had bene in Sion wherof they were depriued in the captiuitie e Al their musical instruments as hauing no vse of them f Either in earnest or in scorne the Chaldees willed them to sing as they were accustomed in their countrie g They excused themselues and refused to sing sacred Psalmes before prophane people neither had they mind to sing in that mourning state of captiuitie h The people shew not only their feruent present desire to serue God in Ierusalem but also their firme purpose stil to desire the same wishing that if they forget it or lose this affection their right handes or what soeuer is most deare or necessarie for them may be forgotten not conserued but suffered to perish i If I lose this affection let me also lose the vse of my tongue k The Idomeans incensed the Chaldees to be cruel against the Iewes wherof they pray for iust reuenge and withal the Psalmist prophecieth that it wil be reuenged which Isaias also prophecieth c. 21. v. 11. l. for their reioycing in Ierusalems miserie m The voice of the Idumeans inciting the Babylonians vtterly to destroy Ierusalem n A prophecie that the people of Babylon should also be punished for their crueltie against the Iewes wherof Isaias likewise prophecieth c. 13. o God wil blesse or reward them that shal seuerly afflict the Babylonians p not sparing their children Morally he is blessed that mortifieth his owne passions cutteth of first il motions or punisheth venial sinnes that they grow not strong vvithin his soule and so draw it to committe mortal sinne S. Aug. hic S. Greg. in fine expos Psal 4. paeuit Thankes to God for benefites the 7. key a This Psalme is a fitte forme of thankes for Dauid or anie other seruant of God b I vvil render thankes and praise c God euer heareth the prayer that is rightly made for vvhich the supplicant is therfore to geue thankes d Angels are present vvhere the faithful pray obserue our prayers and offer them to God if they be sincere as the prayers of Tobias and Cornelius 1. Cor. 11. v. 10. Iob. 12. Act 10. Psal 24. v. 10. e VVhen there vvas not accesse to the Temple yet the Ievves praying in captiuitie turned themselues tovvards the Temple f The Name and Maiestie of GOD The VVORD which
spiritual Et cont Mend. c. 1â âââym in Pâal 1â7 VVhy God would haue them obscure Isai of noble lineage and a marâiâ prophecied a long time Presat ad Paul Lusto Is called the Euangelical Prophet Hewritte in a high stile S. Ieâo Epist ad Paââââ Et in com Isaâ S. Aug. ââ 18. c. 27. âuât lib 9 c. â conââââ Heb. 1. Liued in the kingdom of Iuda The contents diuided into two general partes and into eight particular 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The first part The kingdom of Iuda shal be captiue in Babylon for their ingratitude towards Gods and other sinnes :: Not Aââs the third of the lesse prophetes for this name is written in other letters in Hebrew but one of the royal bloud as S. Ierom. testifieth :: Prince Priest and people are al sicke of ingratitude against God other iniquities :: Ierusalem defaced and destroyed :: God continually preserueth some holie seede that his Church neuer faileth Rom. 9. :: Much wickednes reigned in Ierusalem before their captiuitie in Babylon but much more at Christs passion when they persecuted him euen to the Crosse and his disciples and al christians til their citie was taken by the Romanes and the whole nation dispersed :: The Rabbins vnderstand those Iudges and Priestes that gouerned the people after their deliuerie from captiuitie but S. Ierom expoundeth this and the like places of the Apostles and their successââs :: It is not only certaine but also euident that the prophet speaketh here and in innumerable other places of the Church of Christ which is the citie set vpon a mountaine Mat 5. vnto which al nations are gathered aâd al the time of the new Testament is called the last houre 1. Ioan. 2. because no time shal folow after this but al eternitie :: The Iewes were reiected after Christs death before which they were stil conserued though often seuerely punished And so now the Church of Christ shal neuer be reiected noâ :: It is most absurde and contrarie to this and other Scriptures that Protestants seyne of great idolatrie in the Christian world for a thousand or more yeares together professing Christs name Religion and yet continually committing as these new masters imagine grosse idolatrie :: This was fulfilled first in the captiuitie of Babylon and more notoriously after Christs passion in the destruction of Ierusalem and dispersion of the Iewes euen to this day and yet forward til nere the end of this world :: An Ecclesiastical preacher must not flatter the people He must moue teares sayth S. Ierom not laughter Apoc. 1. :: By the metaphor of wemen S. Ierom vnderstandeth the cities of Iurie of which Ierusalem was the head and Sion the chiefe place there of al which were defaced by the Babylonians but more fully destroyed by Titus and Vespatian fourtie yeares after Christs Passion :: After the reduction of heathnish or heretical people to catholique religion there wil be great want of spiritual pastors :: Not al the Iewes that escaped temporal death in the destruction of Ierusalem but those only shal be eternally saued that beleuing shal be baptized and liue wel :: Isaie of the tribe of Iuda here prophecieth the doleful songue which Christ vttered weeping ouer Ierusalem fore seeing foretelling their destruction Luc. 19. v. 41. Mat. 21. :: Al this sheweth that God only subtracting his protection no man nor people is able to stand of whose ruine God is not the auctor but only permitteth that they fal into sinnes and so into other miseries :: An admonition to celebrate festiual dayes with âoly religious exercises and not to folow drunkennes nor other wicked or vaine thinges Rom. 12. :: Greuous sinnes must be greuously punished Such as was the sinne of the Ievves persecuting Christ 4. Reg. 15 2. Par. 26 :: Neither Isaie nor Moyses nor anie other mortal man did euer see God in himselfe but only shadowed Yet the wicked calumniously accused condemned and put Isaie to cruel death vpon pretence of blasphemie for saying that he saw God VVhich he otherwise said not but couered by the vvinges of the Seraphimes Origen in hunc locum S. Ierom. Tradi Hebraicis in Paral. Apoc. 4. Rom. 1â :: Isaie was not only an Euangelical but also an Apostolical prophet with whom God here treateth and procedeth as with an Apostle saying VVhom shal I send and the prophet answering Send me God sent him saying Goe c. S. Ierom in Proâmio Isais Mat. 23. :: Before this the kinges of Syria and of Israel had taken king Achaz in battel and caried avvay great spoyles 2. Paral. 28. But presuming to do the like againe God suffered them not to preuaile My stically this signified that heretikes of diuers sectes conspire together to impugne the Catho like Church VVhich they do much afflict and terrifie but can neuer ouerthrow iâ S. Ierom in hunc loâââ 4. Reg. 16 :: Though Achaz vvas very vvicked and committed idolatrie 4. Reg. 16. 2. Par. 28. yet he beleued in God Almightie knovving that he ought not to tempt him :: Vpon occasion of Gods mercie promised vvithout mans desert which king Achaz hardly beleued to confirme the same with a farre greatter example God inspired the Prophet also to forshevv the greater mysterie of Christs Incarnation his conception birth of a virgin for the redemption of âl mankind Luc. 1. 4. Reg. 19. :: The mysterie here prophocied is of so great importance as would require a very great booke for ful explication therof :: Christ the Sonne of God and virgins child quickly taketh the pray from the diuel who before possessed almost al the world :: The prophet speaketh of the tenne tribes vvhich ioyned forces with the king of Syria against Ierusalem but them selues vvere first brought into captiuity by the Assyrians God protecting Ierusalem for that time and long after Luc. 2. Rom. 9. 1. Pet. 2. :: VVheter they seke to God in their extreme distresse not sincerely but ââacted :: or seke worldlie helpe they shal not escape miserie :: S. Mathew expoundeth this prophecie of Christ first preaching in Galilee VVhere his disciples beleued in him folowed him Mat. 4. :: But after his passion few Iewes beleued in him in comparison of the Gentiles Iudic. 7. :: He that is great yea omnipotent God is borne a litle one in this vvorld and vvithout violence conquereth ruleth al the vvorld Luc. 2. :: God punishing sinners and they not repenting his iust furie stil increaseth punishing eternally al those that neuer repent :: VVhere is no repentance there can be no remission As v. 12. 17. ch 10. v. 4. c. :: VVheras good lawes are the stabilitie of the coÌmon wealth wicked are the ruine therof Such as Ieroboam made forbidding to goe to Ierusalem and setting vp golden calues in Bethel and Dan causing the people to serue them as the goddes of Israel 3. Reg. 12. v. 16. Such also as the Scribes and
other especially the wicked afflicting the good which our Sauiour describeth Mat. 24 saying Nation shal rise against nation You shal be odious to al nations for my sake Iniquitie shal abound c. :: This ioyful propagation of Gods glorie and name is either vnderstood to be prophecied of the Church in general which is as an iland of the whole world or properly and particularly amongst other gentiles of âlaâdes conuerted to Christ as great Britannie others Iere. 48. :: The prophet and faithful people confessing Gods benefites and perfect performance of whatsoeuer he promiseth or determineth conforming their desires to his pleasure say Amen as wel in prosperitie when he deliuereth and blesseth them as in aduersitie when he punisheth by the destruction of Ierusalem which is here prophecied and the like :: After the reiection of the Iewes al Gentiles shal be conuerted to Christ Apoc. 7. â1 :: In the time of grace geuen by Christ his whole Church singeth this and other like canticles of praises :: Other peoples haue their peculiar proper cities Babylon Damascus Tyrus Sidon c. but al Christians haue one citie the Catholique Church signified by Sion :: Fensed vvith vval and bul vvorke of faith good vvorkes S. Ierom here noteth that the sense of this Canticle is hard by reason of often and sudaine inter locutions of diuers persons consisting in questions and ansvvers To vvhose lerned commentaries vve remitte the studious readers :: A prophecie of the general resurrection of al men :: Some in glorie :: Some in miserie Mich. 1 Iob. 40. :: Tyrants are called serpents for their suttle poysenful malice and barres because they hold men fast inclosed in bondage And for the same reasons the diuel is called a serpent and a barre The fourt part Prophetical admonitions to both the kingdomes of Israel and Iuda :: By Ephraim is vnderstood the kingdom of Israel whose first king Ieroboam was of that tribe :: After that the tenne tribes were caried captiues 4 Reg. 17. God deliuered the two tribes out of imminent danger 4. Reg 18. 19 :: geuing peace to their people :: spirite of iudgement to king Ezechias :: and victorie to the souldiars :: Because Isaias other holie prophetes often and much vrged not only the people but also priestes vvhich had rule ouer the people to kepe Gods commandments and to expect his mercie and goodnes they scornfully repete the same wordes deriding such exhortations desperatly geuing themselues to al wickednes as if they neither feared death nor hel v. 15. Mat. 21. v 42. Act. 4. 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 9. 2. Reg. 5. 1. Par. 14 Iosue 10 :: As husbanmen dispose their workes in order so God sometimes worketh miracles sometimes geueth benefites sometimes sendeth afflictions and greater to some then to others :: But none are continually afflicted without intermission :: Ari signifieth a lion El God So Ierusalem called the lion of God to witte a strong citie is threatned with destruction which happened first by the Babylonians 4. Reg. 25 againe more miserably by Titus Vespasian 40. yeares after Christs death 2. Reg. 5. 1 Par. 11 Luc. 19. :: Scribes and Pharises pretending knowlege of Scriptures can not read Christ in the Prophets because these bookes are sealed or loeked and they haue not the key Apoc. 3. :: The Gentiles could not read Christ in these bookes because they knew not letters of the holie Scriptures S. Ierom Praemio in Isaiam Mat. 15. Mar. 7. 1. Cor. ââ Eccli 29. :: You that trust in your owne counsels and forces or in other mens and not in God shal finde the miserable euent of your follie as is before noted chap. 2â * Apostatae or denyers :: Either Isaias was commanded to write this which should be fulfilled manie yeares after or els he speaketh prophetically to Ieremie nere 200. yeares before he prophecied signifying that he should hen write it as in dede he did Iere. 41 c. Psal â3 :: This claritie in sunne and moone shal be after the general resurrection :: Christ wil exercise his seuere iustice in the general iudgement when he shal bid the damned goe into euerlasting fire Mat. 25. :: If often happeareth that when eâil men seme most secure they âal into sodaine calamities * Hel. Iere. 42. :: Both this Prophet and afterwards âereââe admonished the Iewes not to trust in the Aegyptians but they contemning this admonition shewed in their deedes that they distrusted God not be leuing nor obeying his prophetes for the same were at last punished :: In the meane time God destroyed the armie of Sennacaââb be seging Ierusalem 4 Reg. 19. But they forgote this and manie other examples of Gods powre and loue Isai 2. The fift part Of the captiuitie and relaxation of the kingdom of Iuda with other afflictions and comfortes but especially of Christ and his Church :: Albeit manie thinges in this and other places perteyne first and literally to the old testament yet al are in figure and some thinges haue no other literal sense but of the new testament As this prophecie of maffling or vnperfect tongues to speake readily is fulfilled in the Church of Christ plainly and distinctly confessing al Mysteries of Catholique faith and religion and the like which can not be verified in the Iewish people * Noble cities of Iuda This manie other prophecies perteyne to the old testament as in figure alluding to the historie but principally to Christ and his Church Pref. of prophetical bookes VVhat the wordes Iudgement and Iustice signifie Definition of Iudgement and Iustice as they are vsed in the holie Scriptures Both applied to Gods and mens actions Explication of the text :: Sennacarib spoyled al the kingdom of Israel and al Iuda sauing Ierusalem which he also beseged reproching and despising God but himself was therfore spoyled and despised :: Fidelitie in performing promises of good thinges temporal and spiritual :: Messengers sent to procure peace shal mourne because they can not obtaine it Psal 14 1. Cor 1. :: Both prophecies histories testifie that terrene Ierusalem was subiect to destruction and was destroyed and therfore this is necessarily to be vnderstood of the Church of Christ against vvhich heâ gates shal neuer preuaile :: God willeth as vvel the gentiles that were farre of to come neere :: As Iso the Iewes that were his pecular people al to attend that he wil destroy this whole world before the general Iudgement :: No defence of strong places signified by Bosra shal saue anie men from destruction in the day of Iudgement :: In the meane time as a figure therof Sion shal be destroyed and therfore the metaphorical destruction folovving rather perteyneth to the state of the damned in the next vvorld then to the afflicted in this life :: An euident prophecie of the conuersion of Gentiles In whom the Church shal continually spring florish :: Christ leaning al logical
34. c Niniue exceeding glorious for antiquitie greatnes riches vvarlike prowese most large dominion vvas at last destroyed a Ierusalem vvithout proper merites preferred by Gods special grace before al other places sanctified adorned protected most singularly yet stil prouoked him to vvrath contemning his admonitions and persisting and multiplying sinnes can not but at last be seuerely punished Ezec ââ Mich. â * bring b About 40. yeares after Christs resurrection the most part of the Ievves persisting obstinate vvere brought to maruelous distresse and miseries vvhen Titus tooke destroyed Ierusalem which is also a figure of the destruction of this vvorld and of eternal punishment of the vvicked d Al nation shal inuocate one God in a chosen lippe or tongue in vnitie of fayth and vvith one shoulder of fortitude beare the yoke and burden of Christian life made svvete and light by Christs grace e Men of light conuersation contemners of Christ shal also be conuerted become graue greatly honour him Aggeus prophecied after the captiuitie of Christ and his Church S Ierom. Epist ad Paulin. a Zorobabel descending directly from the kinges of Iuda was now duke chiefe temporal gouerner of the Iewes by permission of Darius king of Persians c It behooueth without delay to set forward restauration of Gods seruice reductioÌ of soules from sinne amending of il maners because by foresâowing therof Gods honour is hindered and manie soules do eternally perish b In like sorte Iesus secceded in the office of high priest to Iosedec vvho vvas caried vvith others captiue into Babylon 1 Par. 6. v. 15. Deut. 28. Mich. â d To incite the people to iust estimation of his preaching the prophet auoucheth that he is a messenger not coming of him self but sent by God a They beganne the new vvorke the 24. day of the sixt moneth b and the 21 of the 7 moneth the prophet had an other reuelation Heb. 12. c Iacob the Patriarch Gen. 49. prophecied that Christ should be the expectation of the Gentiles VVho is called the desired of al Nations because he vvas hertofore vvanting and alvvayes necessarie to al nations d That vvhich touched a holie thing vvas sanctified Leui. 6. v 18 but the thing so touched did not sanctifie other thinges so the people by touching the sacrifices vvere legally sanctified but not really and therfore their sacrifices were not gratful to God so long as they did not endeuour to build the temple as they ought to haue done Amos. 4. * sprâng vp Al other kingdomes perishing the kingdom of Christ which is his Church is neuer destroyed Eccli ââ The temple restored after the captiuitie vvas not so glorious as that which Salomon built But Christs Church of the nevv Testament in which he dvvelleth spiritually farre excelleth the material temple Zacharie begane to prophecie but two monethes after Aggeus S. Ierom. Epist ad Paulin. Mal. 3. Isa 21. Iere. 3. Ezec. 18. 20. Ose 14. Ioel 2. a VVhen God in the holie Scriptures sayth Conuert to me and I vvil conuert to you VVe are admonished that vve haue freewil And when vve ansvver Conuert vs o Lord to thee and vve shal be conuerted we confesse that Gods grace preuenteth vs. Conc. Trid. sess 6. c. 5. b That this was an Angel in the shape of a man is manifest v 11. c Seuentie yeares from the transmigration of Ioachin vvere complet in the first of Cytus Dan 9. Seuentie yeares were also complet from the destructioÌ of the temple in the second of Darius Histaspis and therfore the prophet novv prayeth God to inspire such as vvere able that they would build the temple againe Zach. 8 d From foure partes of the world to wite the Moabites Ammonites on the east of Iurie The Idumeans and Aegyptians on the south the Philisthims on the vveast the Assirians Chaldees on the North side had much molested the Ievves al vvhich vvere therfore plaged punished for the same * fabros a According to S Augustins rule in Psal 71. vvhen greater thinges are sayd then can be verified as the letter soundeth the same is literally to be vnderstood of the thing presigured And so this prophecie perteyneth to the Church of Christ rather then to the citie of Ierusalem b O ye Gentiles that remaine in confused Babylon of this world flee from it into the Church c And ye Iewes that haue feloship vvith Babylon leaue it and serue God sincerely a Literally this vision perteyned to the hiegh priest of thaâ time b Vvhose fault is here taxed for that he admonished not the people to build the temple and to abstaine from marying vvemen of strange nations as 1. âsd 8 9 10. c Angels are promised to assist the Prelates of the Church d Christ according to his manhâod is the seruant of God Of vvhó S Luke expoundeth this prophecie Luc. 1. â 78. a Most Hebrevv Doctors some Christian expound this vision of the temple the old synagog but most others vnderstand it literally of Christ his Church b The candlesticke Metaphorically signifieth Christs Church c The lampe or light Christ d seuen lightes al the pastores of the Church e Tvvo oliues Enoch and Elias Apoc. 11. f VVhich vision vvas to be declared to Zorobabel for his consolation that he might knovv that God vvould protest his Church g Tvvo branches the diuine and humane natures of Christ a In this booke or roll of papers were writen the sinnes of the people and designed punishment b It appeared flying to signific that this decree of punishment came from heauen S. Chrysost ho. 27. ad popul c Excecation obduration fel vpon the Iewes for their auarice and periurie d Antichrist shal beginne his reigne vvhere Babylon vvas first built Gen. 11. a Foure Monarchies of the Chaldees the Medes and Persians the Grecians and the Romanes Dan. 2. b VVhen the prophet set the crovvne on the high priests head that he might withal signifie that it perteyned not him but as in figure of Christ he explicateth that God reueled this mysterie saying Behold a man vvho is also God called Orient that is Raising vp establishing the kingdom vvhich vvas promised to Dauid S. Iero. is bunc locum Luc. 1. r 78. a Because the temple vvas burned in the fift moneth Godolias slaine in the seuenth 4. Reg. 25. v. 8. 15 the Ievves fasted in those two monethes al the time of their captiuitie Isa 58. b VVhich fast vvas good but vnperfect wan ting vvorkes of mercie most especially required in fastes Isa 58 S. Greg. p. 3 past curae admonie 20. ho 16. in Euang. c And therfote the prophet admonisheth to fast from al sinnes Exo. 22. Isa 1. Iere. 5. a These benefites here prophecied are greater then euer vvere bestovved vpon the Ievves before Christ came therfore are rather to be vnderstood of the graces of the nevv testament Zach. 1. v. 14. b The tenne tribes vvere
and cleane stone shal al the streates therof be paued and in the streates therof Alleluia shal be song â Blessed be our Lord which hath exalted it and his kingdom be for euer and euer ouer it Amen CHAP. XIIII Old Tobias dieth at the age of an hundred and two yeares 5. exhorteth his sonne and nephewes to pietie forshewing that Niniue shal be destroyed and Ierusalâm reedified 14. yonger Tobias returneth with his familie to Raguel and dieth happely as he had liued AND the wordes of Tobias were ended And after that Tobias was restored to his sight he liued two and fourtie yeares and saw the children of his nephewes â Therfore an hundred and two yeares being accomplished he was buried honorably in Niniue â For being six and fiftie yeares old he lost the sight of his eies and being threescore he receiued it agayne â And the rest of his life was in ioy and with great increase of the feare of God he went forward in peace â And at the houre of his death he called vnto him Tobias his sonne and his seuen yong sonnes his nephewes and sayd to them â The destruction of Niniue is neere for the word of our Lord fayleth not and our brethren which are dispersed from the land of Israel shal returne to it â And al the desert land therof shal be replenished and the house of God which is burnt in it shal agayne be reedefied and thither shal al returne that feare God â and the Gentiles shal forsake their idols and shal come into Ierusalem and shal inhabite in it â and al the kings of the earth shal reioyce in it adoring the king of Israel â Heare ye therfore my children your father serue our Lord in truth and seeke to doe the thinges that please him â and command your children that they doe iustices and almes deedes that they be mindeful of God and blesse him at al time in truth and in al their power â Now therfore children heare me and doe not tarie here but what day soeuer you shal burie your mother by me in one sepulchre from thenceforth directe your steppes to depart hence â for I see that the iniquitie therof wil giue it an end â And it came to passe after the death of his mother Tobias departed out of Niniue with his wife and children and childrens children and returned to his father and mother in law â And he found them in health in good old age and he tooke care of them and he closed their eies and al the inheritance of Raguels house he receiued he saw the fifth generation his childrens children â And nintie nine yeares being accomplished in the feare of our Lord with ioy they buried him â And al his kinred and al his generation continewed in good life and in holie conuersation so that they were acceptable both to God and to men and to al the inhabitantes in in the land THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKE OF IVDITH S. Ierom sometime supposed this booke not to be canonical but after warde finding that the Councel of Nice accounted it in the number of holie Scriptures he so estemed it and therupon not only translated it into Latin out of the Chaldeetongue wherin it was first written but also as occasion required alleaged the same as diuine Scripture and sufficient to conuince matters of faith in controuersie For otherwise his opposing the authoritie of the Nicen Councel should proue nothing at al against the Iewes seing they also acknowledge this booke amongst Agiographa or holie writtes but lesse fitte say they to streingthen those thinges which come into contention wherby is clere that S. Ierom thenceforth held it for diuine Scripture As further appeareth in his commentaries in Isai 14. more expresly Epist ad Principiam he counted it in ranke with other Scriptures wherof none doubteth saying Ruth Esther Iudith were of so great renoume that they gaue the names to sacred volumes And in this Preface doubted not to say that the rewarder of Iudithes chastitie God himself gaue her for imitation not only to wemen but also to men gaue her such vertue that she ouerthrew him whom none could ouercome and conquered the inuincible Also Before the Councel Origen in c. 14. Iudith Tertullian de Monogamia c. vlt. And diuers whom S. Hilarie citeth and dissenteth not from them Prologo in Psalmos held this booke for Canonical Manie more writes likwise about the time of the same Councel and after so account it Prudentius in Phychomachia prudicitiae libidinis Chromatius in c. 6. Mat. Paulinus in Natali 10. S. Chrysostom hom 10. in Math. S. Ambrose li. 3. Offic. c. 13. Epist. 82. et li. de viduis S. Augustin or some other good author written two sermons of Iudith 228. 229. Cassiodorus diuini lect c. 6. Fulgentius Epist 2. de statu viduarum Ferrandus Carthaginensis ad RegiuÌ de re militati Iumiâus Africanus li. 1. de partibus diuine lâgis Sulpitius in hisstoriâ S. Beda de sex aetatibus Alredus writing the life of S. Edward our king More are not necessarie to reasonablâmen Conâerning the time and author it sâmâth most probable thaâ these thinges happened when Manasses king of Iuda was eât er in prison in Babylon or newly restored to his kingdom who as it semeth permitted the gouerment to the high Priest Eliachim Chap 4 otherwise called âoachim ch 15 ãâã also writte this booke as âhilos Chronologie li. 2. reporteth From which time they had no warâes âilth reigne of Ioachoz about 80 yeares conformable to the long peaââ mentioned chap. 6. v 30. In summe we haue her not a poetical Comedie as Martin Luther shameth âot to cal it in Simposâacâs c. 29 and in his German Preface of Iudith but a sacred Historie as al âforâmentione estemed it and the Iewes confesse of a most valiant Matrons fact deliuering the people of God from persecution of a cruel Tyranne The first three chapters shew the occasion of this danger the next foure describe the difââculties distresses therof other seuen with part of the 15. how Iudith deliuered them from it In the rest Iudith is much praysed and she with the whole people praise God THE BOOKE OF IVDITH CHAP. I. Nabuchodonosor king of Assyrians ouercometh Arphaxad king of the Medes 7. summoneth manie other nations to submitte themselues to his Empyre 11. which they refusing he threatneth reuenge ARPHAXAD therfore king of the Medes had subdued manie nations to his empire he built a most mightie citie which he called Ecbatanis â Of stone squared and hewed he made walles therof in height seuentie cubites and in breadth thirtie cubites and the towers therof he made in height an hundred cubites â But each side of them was in foure square twentie foote long and he made the gates therof according to the height of the towers â and he gloried as mightie in the force of his
armie and in the glorie of his chariotes â In the twelfth yeare of his reigne Nabuchodonosor the king of the Assyrians who reigned in Niniue the greate citie fought against Arphaxad and ouer came him â in the great field which is called Ragan about Euphrates and Tigris and Iadason in the field of Erioch the king of the Elicians â Then was the kingdom of Nabuchodonosor exalted and his hart was eleuated and he sent to al that dwelt in Cilicia and Damascus and Libanus â and to the nations that are in Carmelus and Cedar and the inhabitantes of Galilee in the great field of Esdrelon â and to al that were in Samaria and beyond the riuer Iordan euen to Ierusalem and al the land of âesse til you come to the borders of Aethiophia â To al these Nabuchodosor king of the Assyrians sent messengers â Who al with one minde said nay sent them backe emptie and reiected them without honour â Then Nabuchodonosor the king taking indignation against al that land swore by his throne and kingdom that he would reuenge him selfe of al those countries CHAP. II. Nabuchodonosor sendeth Holofernes his General to Waist al countries of the West 7. With a great armie and aboundant munition 11. They subdue manie places and others are strooken With great feare IN the thirtenth yeare of king Nabuchodonosor the two and twenteth day of the first moneth the word was geuen out in the house of Nabuchodonosor the king of the Assyrians that he would reuenge him selfe â And he called al the ancientes and al the captaynes and his men of warre and communicated with them the secrete of his counsel â and he said that his cogitation was vpon that to subdew al the earth to his empire â which saying when it had pleased them al Nabuchodonosor the king called Holofernes the General of his warres â and said to him Goe forth against euerie kingdom of the west against them especially that contemned my commandment â Thyne eie shal spare no kingdom and euerie âensed citie thou shalt âubdew to me â Then Holofernes called the captaynes magistrates of the powre of the Assyrians and he mustered men for the expedition as the king commanded him an hundred twentie thousand fighting men on foote and twelue thousand archers horsemen â And he made al his expedition to goe before in a multitude of inumerable camels with those thinges that might suffice the armies abundantly heardes of oxen also and flockes of sheepe which had no number â He appoynted corne to be prepared out of al Syria in his passage â But gold and siluer he tooke out of the kings house exceding much â And he went forth and al the armie with the chariotes horsemen and the archers which couered the face of the earth as locustes â And when he had passed through the coastes of the Assyrians he came to the great mountaines of Ange which are on the left hand of Cilicia and he went vp into al theit casteles and wonne euerie fortresse â And he brake downe the renowmed citie of Melothus and spoyled al the children of Thersis and the children of Ismael which wete against the face of the desert and on the south of the land of Cellon â And he passed ouer Euphrates and came into Mesopotamia and he brake al the high cities that were there from the torrent of Membre til ye come to the sea â and he tooke the borders therof from Cilicia vnto the coastes of Iapheth which are toward the south â And he caried away al the children of Madian and spoyled al their riches and al that resisted him he slew in the edge of the sword â And after these thinges he went downe into the fieldes of Damascus in the daies of haruest and he set al the corne on fire and he made al the trees and vineyardes to be cut downe â and the feare of him fel vpon al the inhabitantes of the land CHAP. III. Manie kinges and other princes submitte them selues to Holofernes 8. He receiueth them and taketh of their chief men to reinforce his armie 11. neuertheles destroyeth their cities and their goddes that Nabuchodonosor only might be called God THEN the kinges and princes of al cities and prouinces namely of Syria and Mesopotamia and Syria Sobal and Libya and Cilicia sent their embassadours which coming to Holofernes said â Let thy indignation towarde vs cease For it is better that liuing we feare Nabuchodonosor the great king and be subiect to thee then dying we should with our destruction suffer the damages of our seruitude â Euerie citie of ours and al our possession al mountaynes and hilles and fieldes and heardes of oxen and flockes of sheepe and goates and of horses and camels and al our goodes and families are in thy sight â let al our thinges be vnder thy law â We also and our children are thy seruantes â Come to vs a peaceable Lord and vse our seruice as it shal please thee â Then went he downe from the mountaynes with horsemen in a great powre and tooke euerie citie and euerie inhabiter of the land â And of al the cities he tooke to helpe him valiant men and chosen for battel â And so great feare lay vpon al those prouinces that the inhabitantes of al cities princes and honorable persons together with the people went out to meete him coming â receyuing him with garlandes and torches dauncing with timbrels shaulmes â Neither doing these thinges could they for al that mitigate the fiâcenesse of his stomacke â for he did both destroy their cities and cut downe their groues â For Nabuchodonosor the king had commanded him that he should destroy al the goddes of the earth that he only might be called God of those nations which could be subdewed with the might of Holofernes â And passing through al Syria Sobal and al Apamea al Mesopotamia he came to the Idumeians into the land of Gabaa â and tooke their cities and sate there for thirtie dayes in which daies he commanded al the armie of his powre to be vnited CHAP. IIII. The children of Israel excedingly fearing Holofernes forces 3. prouide to resist him by the exhortation of the High Priest vsing both humaine 8. and diuine meanes THEN the children of Israel which dwelt in the Land of Iuda hearing these thinges were sore asrayd of his presence â Trembling also and horrour inuaded their senses lest he would doe that to Ierusalem and to the temple of our Lord which he had done to other cities and their temples â And they sent into al Samaria round about as for as Iericho and preoccupated al the toppes of mountaynes â and they compassed their townes with walles and gathered together corne for prouision of battel â Eliachim the priest wrote to al that were against Esdrelon which is against the face of the great fielde beside Dothain and to al by whom there might be passage of
and al thinges whatsoeuer I shal command thee thou shalt speake â Be not afraide of their face because I am with thee to deliuer thee saith our Lord. â And our Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and our Lord saied to me Beholde I haue geuen my wordes in thy mouth â Behold I haue appointed thee this day ouer the Gentiles and ouer kingdomes that thou maist pluck vp and destroy and waste and dissipate and build and plant â And the word of our Lord was made to me saying What seest thou Ieremie And I said I see a rodde watching â And our Lord sayed to me wel hast thou seene because I wil watch vpon my word to doe it â And the word of our Lord was made to me the second time saying What seest thou And I said I see a pot boyling hote and the face thereof from the face of the North. â And our Lord saied vnto me From the North shal euil be opened vpon al the inhabitantes of the land â Because loe I wil cal together al the kinredes of the kingdomes of the North saith our Lord and they shal come and shal sette euerie one his throne in the entring of the gates of Ierusalem and vpon al the walles therof round about and vpon al the cities of Iuda â And I wil speake my iudgements with them touching al the wickednes of them that haue forsaken me and haue offered to strange goddes and haue adored the worke of their owne handes â Thou therefore girde thy loynes and rise and speake to them al thinges that I command thee Be not afraied of their face for I wil make thee not to feare their countenance â For I haue geuen thee this day to be as a fenced citie and as an yron pillar and as a brasen walle ouer al the land of the kinges of Iuda to the princes thereof to the priestes and to the people of the land â And they shal fight against thee and shal not preuaile because I am with thee saith our Lord to deliuer thee CHAP. II. God expostulateth with the Iewes 6. that they regard not his great benefites 8. Some priestes and pretended prophetes seruing false goddes 23. and denying their fault 25. are obstinate in idolatrie 36. for which they shal be confounded AND the word of our Lord was made to me saying â Goe and crie in the eares of Ierusalem saying Thus saith our Lord I haue remembred thee pitying thy youth and the charitie of thy despousing when thou didest folow me in the desert in a land that is not sowen â Israel is holie to our Lord the first fruites of his fruites al they that doe deuoure it doe sinne euil shal come vpon them saith our Lord. â Heare ye the word of our Lord ô house of Iacob and al ye kinredes of the house of Israel â thus saith our Lord What iniquitie haue your fathers found in me that they haue made themselues far from me and haue walked after vanitie and are become vaine â And they haue not said Where is our Lord that made vs come vp out of the land of Aegypt that led vs through the defert through a land inhabitable and without way through a land of thirst the image of death through a land wherein no man walked nor anie man dwelt â And I brought you into the land of Carmel that you might eate the fruite thereof and the best thinges therof and being entered in you haue contaminated my land and made mine inheritance an abomination â The priestes haue not said Where is our Lord and they that held the law knew me not and the pastours haue transgressed against me and the prophets haue prophecied in Baal and haue folowed idoles â Therefore wil I yet contend in iudgement with you saith our Lord and I wil plead with your children â Passe ye to the iles of Cethim and see and send into Cedar and consider earnestly and see if there hath the like thing bene done â If a nation hath changed their goddes and surely they are not goddes but my people hath changed their glorie into an idol â Be astoined ô heauens vpon this and ô gates thereof be ye desolate exceedingly saith our Lord. â For two euils hath my people done Me they haue forsaken the fountaine of liuing water haue digged to them selues cesternes broken cesternes that are not able to holde waters â Why is Israel a bondman or a seruant borne in the house why then is he become a praye â The lions haue roared vpon him and haue geuen their voice they haue made his land a wildernes his cities are burnt vp there is none to dwel in them â The children also of Memphis and Taphnes haue defloured thee euen to the crowne of the head â Is not this done to thee because thou didest forsake the Lord thy God at that time when he led thee by the way â And now what wilt thou in the way of Aegypt to drinke the trubled water And what hast thou to doe with the way of the Assyrians to drinke the waters of the riuer â Thy malice shal reproue thee and thine apostacie shal rebuke thee Know thou see that it is an euil and a bitter thing for thee to haue left the Lord thy God and that my feare is not with thee saith our Lord the God of hostes â From the beginning thou hast broken my yoke thou hast burst my bonds and thou saidst I wil not serue For on euerie litle high hil and vnder euerie greene thicke tree thou wast laied downe as an harlot â But I planted thee an elect vineyard al true seede how then art thou turned vnto me into that which is depraued ô strange vineyard â If thou shalt wash thyself with nitre and multiplie to thy self the herbe borith thou art spotted in thine iniquitie before me saith our Lord God â How sayst thou I am not polluted I haue not walked after Baalim see thy wayes in the valley know what thou hast done a swift courser that rideth his wayes â The wild Asse accustomed to the wildernes in the desire of his soule hath drawen the winde of his loue none shal turne her away al that seeke her shal not faile in her monethlie flowres they shal finde her â Stay thy foote from nakednes and thy throate from thirst And thou saidest I haue despayred no I wil not doe it for I haue loued strangers and I wil walke after them â As the theefe is confounded when he is taken so is the house of Israel confounded they and their kinges the princes and priestes and their prophetes â saying to wood Thou art my father and to stone Thou hast begotten me they haue turned the backe to me not the face and in the time of their affliction they wil say Arise and deliuer vs. â Where are the goddes whom thou
Isaac and Iacob and of Osee and Amos and of Ioel and Abdias and Ionas and Michaeas â and Naum and Habacuc of Sophonias Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachias who also is called the Angel of our Lord. CHAP. II. The Synagogue expostulateth with her children for their ingratitude 10. shewing that they shal be forsaken and the gentiles called THVS saith our Lord I brought this people out of bondage to whom I gaue commandment by my seruantes the Prophetes whom they would not heare but made my counsel frustrate â Their mother that bare them sayth to them Goe children because I am a wydow and forsaken â I brought you vp with ioy haue lost you with mourning sorow because you haue sinned before our Lord your God haue done that which is euil before him â But now what shal I doe to you I am a wydow and desolate goe my children aske mercie of our Lord. â And I cal thee ô father a witnes vpon the mother of the children that would not keepe my testament â that thou geue them confusion their mother into spoile that there be no generation of them â Let their names be dispersed into the Gentiles let them be destroyed out of the land because they haue despised my sacrament â Woe be to thee Assur which hidest the wicked with thee Thou naughtie nation remember what I did to Sodom Gomorrha â whose land lieth in cloddes of pitch heapes of ashes so wil I make them that haue not heard me saith our Lord omnipotent â Thus saith our Lord to Esdras Tel my people that I wil geue them the kingdom of Ierusalem which I ment to geue to Israel â And I wil take to me the glorie of them and wil geue them eternal tabernacles which I had prepared for them â The wood of life shal be to them for an odour of oyntment and they shal not labour nor be wearied â Goe you shal receiue Aske for your selues a few dayes that they may abide Now the kingdom is prepared for you watch ye â Cal thou heauen and earth to witnes for I haue destroyed euil and haue created good because I liue sayth our Lord. â Mother embrace thy children bring them vp with ioy As a doue confirme their feete because I haue chosen thee sayth our Lord. â And I wil raise agalâe the dead out of their places and out of the monumentes I wil bring them forth because I haue knowen my name in Israel â Feare not ô mother of the children because I haue chosen tâee faith our Lord. â I wil send thee ayde my seruantes I saie and Ieremie at whose counsel I haue sanctified and prepared for thee twelue trees loden with diuerse fruites â and as manie fountaines flowing milke and honie and seuen huge mountaines hauing the rose and the lilie in the which I wil fil thy children with ioy â Iustifie thou the widow iudge for the pupil geue to the needie defend the orphane cloth the naked â cure the broken feeble mocke not the lame defend the maimed and admitte the blind to the vision of my glorie â The old man the yong keepe with in thy walles where thou shalt finde the dead committe them to the graue signing it I wil geue thee the first seate in my resurrection â Pause and rest my people because thy rest shal come â As a good nurce nourish thy children confirme their feete â The seruantes that I haue geuen thee none of them shal perish For I wil require them of thy number â Be not wearied For when the day of affliction and distresse shal come others shal weepe and be sad but thou shalt be merie and plenteous â The gentiles shal enuie and shal be able to doe nothing against thee sayth our Lord. â My handes shal couer thee that thy children see not hel â Be pleasant thou mother with thy children because I wil deliuer thee sayth our Lord. â Remember thy children that sleepe for I wil bring them out of the sides of the earth wil doe mercie with them because I am merciful sayth our Lord omnipotent â Embrace thy children til I come shew them mercie because my fountaines runne ouer and my grace shal not faile â I Esdras receiued commandment of our Lord in mount Oreb that I should goe to Israel to whom when I came they refused me and reiected commandement of our Lord. â And therfore I say vnto you gentiles which heare and vnderstand Looke for your pastor he wil geue you the rest of eternitie because he is at hand that shal come in the end of the world â Be ye readie for the rewardes of the kingdom because perpetual light shal shine to you for time euerlasting â Flee from the shadow of this world receiue ye the pleasantnes of your glorie I openly cal to witnes my sauiour â Receiue the commended gift and be pleasant geuing thankes to him that called you to the heauenlie kingdomes â Arise stand see the number of them that are signed in the feast of our Lord. â They that haue transferred them selues from the shadow of the world haue receiued glorious garmentes of our Lord. â Receiue ô Sion thy number and shut vp thyne made white which haue accomplished the law of our Lord. â The number of thy children which thou didst wish is ful Desire the powre of our Lord that thy people may be sanctified which was called from the beginning â I Esdras saw in mount Sion a great multitude which I could not number and they did al prayse our Lord with songes â And in the middes of them was a young man high of stature appearing aboue ouer them al he put crownes vpon euerie one of their heades and he was more exalted And I was astonied at the miracle â Then asked I an Angel and sayd Who are these Lord â Who answering sayd to me These are they that haue laid of the mortal garment and taken an immortal and haue confessed the name of God Now they are crowned and receiue palmes â And I sayd to the Angel That yongman what is he which putteth the crownes vpon them and geueth palmes into their handes â And answering he sayd to me The same is the Sonne of God whom they did confesse in the world I begane to magnifie them that stood strongly for the name of our Lord â Then sayd the Angel to me Goe tel my people what maner of meruelous thinges and how great thou hast sene of the Lord God CHAP. III. The workes of God are wonderful from the beginning 7. and men vngratful 13. In Abraham God chose to himself a peculiar people who neuertheles were froward and obstinate 23. He also chose Dauid but stil the people were sinful 28. the Babylonians also by whom they are afflicted are no lesse but rather greater sinners IN the thirteth yeare of the ruine of the citie I was in
breadth 90. so it was in citcuite of the vvalles 480. And euerie forlong hauing 125. paces of fiue foote the pace the compasse vvas 60. Italian myles about 50. or 48. English myles a sufficient trauel of three dayes to passe through the principal streates and more publique places therof b As vvel this as manie other like prophecies shevv that Gods threates are conditional if sinners vvil repent for then God changeth his sentence S. Chrys ho. 5. ad popul S. Iero in hun âocum S. Greg. li. 16 c. 18 Moral The same is also clere Iere 18. v. 8. c Great remorse detestation of sinne maketh penitents to excede in austere vvorkes vvhich being vvel meant is accepted at Gods handes so it be not indiscreete Iere. 18. Ioel. â a Ionas coniectured by their penance that God vvould for this time spare Niniue and so vvas afflicted fearing that both this and other prophecies should be reputed vn certaine But this doubt is solued vnderstanding Gods threates to be conditional as before ch 3 v. 4. and so it proued For they falling againe into former sinnes vvere afterwards destroyed Nahum 1. 2 3. Psal 58. Ioel. 2. b Ionas had iust cause to be greued so God had iust cause of compassion that the citie should not perish In this prophecie vvhich is also an historie vvho could haue thought that Ionas had bene a figure of our Sauiours death and resurrection vnles himself had so expounded it Mat. 12. * greued S. Epiph. devita prophet Micheas prophecied the same time vvith Isai c. a If the prophet should not admonish the people both he and they should dye in their sinne Iere. 3. v. 18 19 but he dischargin his office as âod is witnes they not repenting shal perish in their iniquitie Deut. 32. Isa 1. Isa 26. b Samaria gathering riches by traffike with idolaters communicated also vvith them in idolatrie therfore their riches shal be caried into Niniue other places of Assyria c Tel not these calamities vvhich I foreshew amongst your enimies lest they reioyce therat d But lament in your ovvne houses vvhich shal be ruined replenished vvith dust S. Ierome here testifieth the hardnes of this place praying for the assistance of the Holie Ghost to vnderstand it e Ironiously he sayth the glorie that is the miserie of Israel shal be extended to Odolla the vttermost citie of Iuda a By the figure Liptote that is here called vnprofitable vvhich is indede extreme hurtful hath nothing profitable in it b The princes of the people command the prophets not to speake and inculcate so much of future afflictions c God ansvvereth that his threates procede from his mercie For he vvould saue al and those that either vvalke rightly or repent shal feele the effect of his mercie but except they be admonished neither the good vvil perseuere in goodnes nor the euil returne into the right vvay d In further proofe of Gods mercie he promiseth to gather his Church of al nations by Christ a The chief of both the kingdomes the tvvo tribes the tenne were great extorcioners and the poore murmuring against the rich also extorted ech from other imitating the greater sorte in euil b False prophetes sought also their priuate gaine c Likewise the Iudge peruerted iudgement scraping their tempo al profite of other mens quarels Ezec. 22. Soph. 3. d And therfore al sortes greeuously offending shal al vvorthely perish Iere. 26. a The Ievves confesse this prophecie to be of Christ the promised Messias but denie it to be of our Sauiour IESVS of Nazareth framing for their purpose diuers arguments which the lerned may see very vvel confuted by Doct. Franc. Ribera in this place The later dayes are this whole time from Christ to the end of the vvorld which is the last time or state after which shal be no other statâ of time but eternitie Though in some places the later dayes or last dayes signifie the time that folovveth after the thing then mentioned as Isa 9. v. 1. 2 Tim. 3. v. 1. Isa 2. b True and sincere christians loue kepe peace yea rather sustaine iniuries with meeknes then contend one against an other 1 Cor. 6. c Al such quiet patient people as vvalke in the name of God our Lord wil kepe this peace yea euen vvith them that hate peace Pâ 119. suffering persecution with alacritie of minde Heb. 10. v. 34. S. Iren l. 4. c 67. aduers haeres S Iustin Apolog. 2. pro Christian S. Cyril in hunc locuÌ d The Iewes shal be at last conuerted to Christ Soph. 3. Luc. 1. Dau. 7. e Captiuitie of the two tribes f The relaxation from captiuitie a Ierusalem is called daughter of the spoiler that is addicted to spoyling oppressing the poore as ch â and therfore shal be spoyled yet shal be restored conserued til Bethlehem bring forth the Dominatour Christ our Lord. Mat. 2. Ioan. â b Bethlehem a smal citie of least account amongst manie yet by Christ borne there it became not a litle one but more excellent then manie others Mat. â v. 6. Christ man and God The Church hath alvvayes true pastors a VVheras God shevved most singular great benefits the vngratful malignant people required him with most vvicked reprochful crueltie As is excellently set forth in the Churches seruice on good friâday Iere. 2. Exo 14. Num. 22. b Both Moyses Aaron were figures of our Sauiour and their sister Marie a figure of B Marie the mother of Christ c VVorkes of iustice mercie do farre excel external sacrifice of the old lavv Leuit. 26. Deut. 28. Agge 1. d Thou Ierusalem art so wicked foolish as to imitate the most vvicked kings and people of the tenne tribes Amri Achab. 3. Reg 16. v. 25. 30. a Such general speach doth not importe absolutly al vvithout exception but that very manie or the farre greater part of the vvicked remaned so stil notvvithstanding the prophetes diligence in preaching by the vvhich fevv were conuerted b In time of great general distresse ne rest freindes euen domestical may not be trusted because euerie one in such case hath care of himself though it be vvith preiudice of others Mat. 10. v. 21. â5 c Babylon shal be taken and spoyled by the Medes Persians by them the Iewes shal be deliuered vvherat the Chaldees vvil much repine d Pastors office is to feede and rule vvith meate and rodde vvith doctrine and discipline Iere. 10. Act. 10. Collos 2. Iuc 1. v. 55. 73. Gen. 22. v. 17. f God gaue truth to Iacob performing that vvhich was promised g of his mere mercie to Abraham S. Ierom. Epist ad Paulin. Nahum prophecied about 50. yeares after Ionas âere 135. before the destruction of Niniue a Burden signifieth comminatorie pen siue prophecie of ruine and punishment Allegorically Nahum according to his name comforteth the iust shevving that God vvil reuenge them by destroying
Niniue the beautiful great citie that is the terrestrial vvorld called cosmos beautful and then reward his Sainctes in eternal glorie b The Assirians accounting themselues assured to take and spoile Ierusalem and therupon banketting and drinking were defeated al in one night c To Senacherib succeded his sorne Asar haddon but presently after the vvhole lineage vvas destroyed ââg ââ Isa 52 Rom. 10. a Nabuchodo nosor muading the territorie of Niniue vvasted al thinges and then assaulted and tooke the citie b The Assirians became more proud and insolent after they had spoiled the tvvo tribes caried the ten into captiuitie and therfore God vvil novv reuenge this pride c The people of Niniue vvhen the wal of the citie shal once be broken by the enemies vvil flee away as vvater runneth out of a pond or fish-poole vvhen the banke is broken d Although some of more corege wil exhortethe fugitiues to stay and sight for their citie it vvil not auaile because the most part vvil seeke to escape by running avvay Isa 2. e The king of Assirians like a furious lion gathered praye out of al countries and brought it into Niniue as into his denne but at last shal be spoyled of al. a Nemrod beganne vvith sheeding bloud to make himself great Gen 10. so Ninus who built Niniue and their successors vvere stil very bloudie and otherwise wicked but at last after 1200 yeares vnder Sardanapalus their Monarchie decayed much as most vvriters both Greke Latin testifie but yet continued longer florished againe as Doctor Ribera shevveth by the holie Scriptures continued in al from Ninus time til it vvas destroyed by the Chaldees about 1440. yeares yea vvas repayred againe vvas great after the relaxation of the Ievves from captiuitie As Eusebius S. Augustin S. Beda and others vvrite Bzee 14. Habac. 2. Isa 47. b This citie was first called No but being destroyed by the Chaldees and reedified by K. Alexander vvas then called by his name S. Ierom. Habacuc prophecied of the tvvo tribes of the Chaldees and of Christ a This prophet expresseth not against vvhat kingdom citie or person this burden is the reason vvherof semeth to be because it is against very manie and diuers yea against al persecuters of Gods seruantes Act 13. v. 41. b S. Paul alleageth this place in the mystical sense Act 13 in the literal the coherence is very obscure c The Chaldees vvere not yet comen to their greatnes and therfore this could not be the same Habacucmentioned Daniel 14. v. 32. d After that the Chaldees shal haue subdued the Assirians they shal also be ouerthrowne by others to witte by the Medes and Persians e The Chaldees and other victorious nations conquering other countries attribute al to their owne industrie forces honoring themselues and not God f Men of al nations a The wordes of the prophet expecting vvhat God wil further reuele vnto him Isa 2â b He that cometh at the time appointed though it belong is not slacke c The principal comforte of the iust consisteth in their faith an I confidence of the vvorld to come VVherby they liue vvith consolation vvheras otherwise this miserable life vvere rather â death Heb. 10. v. 38 Sec also S. Aug. li. 3. c. 5. cont duas epist Pe'ag li. 14. de ârinit c. 12. de spiritu lit c. 9. 11. explicating vvith the Apostle that faith is the beginning of spiritual life by grace to vvhich workes of the lavv vvithout faith in Christ sufficed not Rom. 1. Gal. â Ioan. â Rom. 1. Gal. 3. Heb. 10. d For much bloudshed by the Chaldees for auarice in iustice other vvickednes they shal at last be ruined e Vvhiles thou thoughest by rapine auarice to eter nâze thy familie kingdom thou hast merited the ruine therof Ezec. 24. Nahâ 3. Psal 10. * Al sinnes in some sorte procede of ignorance for remission wherof the prophet prayeth in this Canticle that for the same Christs coming may not be differred 2. So prophecieth his Incarnation 3. Natiuitie 4. Miracles and Doctrine 5. Passion Resurrection and conuersion of Gentiles 16. The general Iudgement Glorie of the blessed damnation of the reprobate a For the great excellent and admirable mercie of God I was astonished as one afrayde seing God himself vvil take mans nature and therin pay ransom redeme mankind b in the time disigned for this purpose The 70. Interpreters reade betvven tvvo liuing creatures thou shalt be found and so the Church hath in the office of Christs Natiuitie and Circumcision betvven an oxe and an asse in the shall c From Bethlem vvhich is southvvard from IerusaleÌ * Sela. See Aânot Psal â d In Madian a part of Aethiopia the people liued most in tentes not in houses so here is signified that in the tumulte of warres vvil be much remouing of skinnes that is of their tentes made of skinnes * Sela. e Antichrist the head of the malignant house or conuenticle shal be destroyed by Christ Isa 11 v. 4 2 Thes 2. * Sela. f Al afflictions are to be patiently sustayned that vve may haue rest in the day of iudgement Sophonias prophecied the captiuitie of the tvvo tribes their relaxation And Mysteries of Christ a In saying the vvord of our Lord the prophets signifie that they are not the principal auctors of that vvhich they preach or vvrite but the ministers by vvhom God speaketh b Gathering more coÌmonly signifieth a benefite but by that vvhich folovveth from the face of the earth it is manifest that God here threatneth to destroy sinners the kingdom of Iuda d The day of punishment is commonly called the day of our Lord. Isa 2. Ioel. 2. 1. Cor. 3. 2. Thess 2. e Ioachaz vvas depriued of his kingdom and died in Aegypt 4. Reg. 23 Ioakim vvas continually vered by the Babylonians other nations 4. Reg. 24. at last slaine and his bodie cast out of the citie Iere. 22. Sedecias taken his eyes put out so caââed into Babylon and al his sonnes slaine Iechonias otherwise called Ioachin was kept long prisoner in Babylon al the issue of Iosias afflicted c VVhosoeuer ioyneth false goddes vvith God Almightie in dede serueth not God * the valley nerâ Ierusalem Amos â f Al these afflictions are nere g Repeting and inculcating the same termes doth âlegantly describe the greatnes of the future calamities Iere. 3â Ioel. 2. Amos. â Ezech â a Ye that deserue not Gods loue but rather to be reâected yet by repentance returne to him and he vvil receiue you b It is very frequent in the prophetes âo speake of thinges to come as if they were donne already for the certaintie therof And these prophecies of the destructions of other nations by the Chaldees do confirme that vvhich is threatned to the Ievves for al sinning al must be punished And God vvho is Lord of al wil sovvner or later geue to al as they deserue Isa