compassed it ten cubites going about the lauatorie there were two rewes of chamfered forowed grauinges cast †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 parâ—â—â— were al â—id inward †And the thickenes of the lauatorie wâ—â— of â—lrâ—â— câ—â—â—â—s and the brimme therof as it were the brimme of a chalice and the leafe of crisped lilie it contayned two thousand bates †And he made ten brasen seete of foure cubites in length euerie foote and foure cubites in bredth and three cubites in height †And the verie worke it selfe of the feete was entergrauen and enterg 〈…〉 betwen the ioyntures †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 â—â—â—des of brasse hanging downe †And foure wheeles at euerie foote and axeltrees of brasse and at foure â—ides as it were litle shoulders vnder the lauatorie cast looking one against an other †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 †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 †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 †For those foure litle shoulders also at euerie corner of one foote were cast out of the foote and ioyned together †And in the toppe of the foote was a certayne roundnes of halfe a cubite so wrought that the lauatorie might be put thereon haâ—â— the engrauinges therof and diuerse caruinges of it self 〈…〉 graued also in those fielinges which were of brasse and in the corners cherubs and lions and palmetrees as it wâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the similitude of a man standing that they semed not to be engrauen but put to round about †After this maner made he ten feete of one casting and measure like grauing 〈…〉 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 †And he sette the ten feete fiue on the right side of the temple and fiue on the leaft and the sea â—e put on the right side of the temple against the East toward the South †Hiram therfore made cauldrons and thoueles and litle pottes and perfected al the worke of king Salomon in the temple of our Lord. †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 †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 †And tenne feete and tenne lauatories vpon the feete †And one sea and twelue oxen vnder the sea †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 †In the champayne countrie of Iordan did the king cast those thinges in a clay ground betwen Sacoth and Sarthan †And Salomon placed al the vessel but for the exceding great multitude the brasse could not be weyed †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 †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 †and water pottes and fleshehookes and phiales and morters and censars of most pure gold and the â—ndges of doores of the inner Sanctum sanctorum and of the doores of the house of the temple were of gold †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 †And al Israel assembled to king Salomon in the moneth of Ethanim on a solemne day that is the seuenth moneth †And al the ancientes of Israel came and the priestes tooke the arke †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 †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 †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 †For the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place of the arke and couered the arke and the barres therof aboue †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 †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 †And it came to passe when the priestes were gone out of the Sanctuarie a clowde filled the house of our Lord †and the priestes could not stand and minister for the clowde for the glorie of our Lord had filled the house of our Lord. †Then sayd Salomon Our Lord sayd that he would dwel in a clowde †Building I haue built a house for thy habitation thy most firme throne for euer †And the king turned his face and blessed al the church of Israel for al the church if Israel stood †And Salomon sayd Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel who spake
And Iehu sayd to captaine Badacer Take him throwe him forth in the field of Naboth the Iezrahelite for I remember when I and thou sitting in a chariote did folow Achab this mans father that our Lord lifted vp this burden vpon him saying †If not for the bloud of Naboth and for the bloud of his children which I saw yesterday sayth our Lord I requiâ—e thee not in this field sayth our Lord. Now therfore take him and throw him into the field according to the word of our Lord †But Ochozias the king of Iuda seing this fled by the way of the house of the garden and Iehu pursewed him and said This man also strike ye in his chariote And they stroke him in the going vp of Ganer which is beside Ieblaam who fled into Mageddo and died there †And his seruantes layd him vpon his chariote and caried him into Ierusalem and they buried him there in his sepuâ—chre with his fathers in the Citie of Dauid †In the eleuenth yeare of Ioram the sonne of Achab reigned Ochozias ouer Iuda †and Iehu came into Iezrahel Moreouer Iezabel hearing of his entrance paynted her face with stibicke stone and decked her head and beheld through the window †Iehu coming at the gate and sayd Can there be peace to Zambri that killed his maister †And Iehu lifted vp his face to the window and sayd What is she And two or three eunuches bowed them selues to him †But he sayd to them Cast her downe headlong they threw her downe and the wal was sprinkled with the bloud and the hoofes of the horses trode her †And when he was entered in to eate and to drinke he sayd Goe and see that cursed woman and burie her because she is a kinges daughter †And when they went to burie her they found nothing but the skul and the feete and the extreme partes of the handes †And returning they told him And Iehu sayd It is the word of our Lord which he spake by his seruant Elias the Thesbite saying In the field of Iezrahel shal the dogges eate the flesh of Iezabel †and the flesh of Iezabel shal be as dung vpon the face of the earth in the field of Iezrahel so that they which passe by shal say Is this that same Iezabel CHAP. X. The Samaritanes fearing the force of Iehu choose no other king but offer him their seruice 6. and by his commandment kil the late kings seuentie sonnes 12. Fourtie two brothers of Ochazias late king of Iuda are slaine 15. Iehu making league with Ionadab vtterly destroyeth Achabs house 18. by a stratagem killeth al the worshippers of Baal 26. burneth his statua turneth his temple into a iakes 28. but maintaineth Ieroboams golden calues 32 The Asyrians afflict Israel 34. Iehâ— dieth and his sonne Ioachaz reigneth AND Achab had seuentie sonnes in Samaria Iehu therfore wrote letters and sent into Samaria to the chiefe of the citie and to the ancientes and to them that brought vp Achabs children saying †As sowne as you shal receiue these letters ye that haue your maisters sonnes and chariotes and horses and fensed cities and armou◠†choose the better and him that shal please you of your maisters sonnes and set him vpon his fathers throne and fight for the house of your lord †They were sore afrayd and sayd Behold two kinges could not stand before him and how shal we be able to resist †The ouerseers therfore of the house and the rulers of the citie and the ancientes and the tutors sent to Iehu saying We are thy seruantes whatsoeuer thou shalt command we wil doe neither wil we make vs a king Doe thou whatsoeuer pleaseth thee †And he wrote letters to them agayne the second tyme saying If you be mine and obey me take the heades of your maisters sonnes and come to me this verie houre to morow into Iezrahel Moreouer the kinges sonnes seuentie men were brought vp with the chiefe of the citie †And when the letters were come to them they tooke the kinges sonnes and slew seuentie men and put their heades in baskets and sent them to him into Iezrahel †And a messenger came told him saying They haue brought the heades of the kinges sonnes Who answered Lay them in two heapes by the entrance of the gate vntil morning †And when it was light he went forth and standing sayd to al the people You are iust If I haue conspired agaynst my maister and haue â—â—ayne him who hath strooken al these †See therfore now there hath not fallen of the wordes of our Lord on the ground which our Lord spake vpon the house of Achab and our Lord hath done that which he spake in the hand of his seruant Elias †Iehu therfore smote al that were leaft of the house of Achab in Iezrahel and al his nobles and familiars and priestes til there remayned no reliques of him †And he arose and came into Samaria and when he was come to the cabbin of the â—hepeheardes in the way †he found the brethren of Ochozias the king of Iuda and he sayd to them What are you Who answered We are the brethren of Ochozias and are come downe to salute the kinges sonnes and the queenessonnes †Who sayd Take them aliue Whom when they had taken aliue they killed them in a cesterne beside the cabbin two and fourtie men and he leaft not any of them †And when he was gone thence he found Ionadab the sonne of Rechab coming to meete him and he blessed him And he sayd to him Is thy hart right as my hart with thy hart And Ionadab sayd It is If it be so quoth he gâ—ue me thy hand Who gaue him his hand But he lifted him vp to him into the chariote †and sayd to him Come with me and see my zele for our Lord. And being sette in his chariote †he brought him into Samaria And he stroke al that were leaft of Achab in Samaria til there was not one according to the word of our Lord which he spake by Elias †Iehu therfore assembled al the people and sayd to them Achab worshipped Baal a litle but I wil worshipe him more †Now therfore cal to me al the prophetes of Baal and al his seruantes and al his priestes let there be none but that he come for I haue a great sacrifice to Baal He that shal be wanting shal not liue Moreouer Iehu did this craftely that he might destroy the worshippers of Baal †And he sayd Sanctifie a solemne day to Baal And he called †and sent into al the borders of Israel and al the seruantes of Baal came there was leaft not one that came not And they entered into the remple of Baal and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other †And he sayd to them that were ouer the garmentes Bring forth garmentes for al the seruantes of Baal And they brought
euerie naile weighed fiftie sicles a peece the vpper chambers also he couered with gold †He made also in the house of Sanctum sanctorum two Cherubs of statuarie worke and he couered them with gold †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 †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 †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 †He made also a vele of hyacinth purple scarlet and silke woue in it cherubs †Before the doores also of the temple two pillers which had fiue and thirtie cubites in height moreouer their heades of fiue cubites †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †He made also the court of the priestes and a great hal and doores in the hal which he couered with brasse †Moreouer he set the Sea on the right side agaynst the East toward the South †And Hiram made cauldrons and flesh hookes and phials and accomplished al the kinges worke in the house of God †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 †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 †He made feete also and lauatories which he put vpon the feete †one sea also twelue oxen vnder the sea †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 †In the countrie of Iordan did the king cast them in a clay ground bewen Socot and Saredatha †And the multitude of vessels was innumerable so that the weight of the brasse was not knowen †And Salomon made al the vessels of the house of God and the golden altar and the tables vpon them the loaues of proposition †the candlestickes also with their lampes to giue light before the oracle according to the rite of most pure gold †and certayne florishing thinges and lampes and golden tonges al were made of most fine gold †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 †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 †There came therfore vnto the king al the men of Israel in the solemne day of the seuenth moneth †And when al the ancientes of Israel were come the Leuites caried the Arke †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 †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 †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 †so that the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place wherin the Arke was set and couered the Arke it selfe with his barres †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 †And there was nothing in the
Arke but the two tables which Moyses had put in Horeb when our Lord gaue the law to the children of Israel coming out of Aegypt †And the Priestes being gone out of the Sanctuarie for al the priestes that could be found there were sanctified neither as yet at that time were the courses and the order of the ministeries deuided among them †as wel the Leuites as the singing men that is both they which were vnder Asaph and they which were vnder Heman and they which were vnder Idithun their sonnes brethren reuested with finne linnen clothes sounded on cymbals and psalteries and harpes standing at the East side of the Altar and with them Priestes an hundred twentie founding with trumpettes †Therfore al sounding together both with trumpettes and voyce and cymbals and organes and with diuerse kind of musical instrumentes and lifteng vp their voice on high the sound was heard far of so that when they began to prayse our Lord and to say Confesse to our Lord because he is good because his mercie is for euer the house of God was filled with a cloud †that the Priestes could not stand and minister for the darkenesse For the glorie of our Lord had filled the house of God CHAP. VI. Salomon blesseth the people 4. prayeth to God geuing thankes for benefites receiued 16. and requesting continual protection and that God wil heare the prayers of the people 32. yea also of strangers that pray in the Temple THEN Salomon sayd Our Lord promised that he would dwel in darkenesse †and I haue built a house to his name that he might dwel there for euer †And the king turned his face and blessed al the multitude of Israel for al the multitude stood attent and sayd †Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel who in worke hath accomplished that which he spake to Dauid my father saying †From the day that I brought my people out of the Land of Aegypt I chose not a citie of al the tribes of Israel that a house might be built in it to my name neither did I choose anie other man to be Duke in my people Israel †but I chose Ierusalem that my name may be in it and I chose Dauid that I might appoynt him ouer my people Israel †And wheras Dauid my father had meant to build a house to the name of our Lord the God of Israel †our Lord sayd to him Because thy wil was this that thou wouldest build a house to my name thou hast done wel certes to haue such a wil †howbeit thou shalt not build the house but thy sonne which shal come out of thy loynes he shal build a house to my name †Our Lord therfore hath accomplished his word which he spake and I am risen for Dauid my father and sit vpon the throne of Israel as our Lord hath spoken and haue built a house to the name of our Lord the God of Israel †And I haue put in it the Arke wherin is the couenant of our Lord which he made with the children of Israel †He therfore stoode before the Altar of our Lord ouer agaynst al the multitude of Israel and stretched forth his handes †For Salomon had made an eminent place of brasse and had put it in the middes of the Temple hauing fiue cubites of length bredth three of height he stoode vpon it afterward kn̄eeling ouer agaynst al the multitude of Israel and his handes lifted vp toward heauen †he sayd Lord God of Israel there is not the like God to thee in heauen and in earth which keepest couenant and mercie with thy seruantes that walke before thee in al their hart †which hast performed to thy seruant Dauid my father what thinges soeuer thou hadst spoken to him and the thinges that by mouth thou hadst promised in worke thou hast accomplished as also the present time proueth †Now therfore Lord God of Israel fulfil to thy seruant my father Dauid what soeuer thou didst speake to him saying There shal not fayle of thee a man before me to sitte vpon the throne of Israel yet so if thy children keepe their waies and walke in my law as thou also hast walked before me †And now Lord God of Israel be thy word confirmed which thou hast spoken to thy seruant Dauid †Is it credible then that God should dwel with men vpon the earth If heauen and the heauens of heauens doe not take thee how much more this house which I haue built †But to this end only it is made that thou shouldest respect the prayer of thy seruant and his supplication Lord my God and mayst heare the prayers which thy seruant powreth out before thee †that thou open thine eies vpon this house daies nightes vpon the place wherein thou hast promised that thy name should be inuocated †and wouldest heare the prayer which thy seruant prayeth in it and mayst heare the prayers of thy seruant and of thy people Israel Whosoeuer shal pray in this place heare out of thy habitation that is from the heauens and be propitious †If anie man shal sinne agaynst his neighbour and come readie to sweare agaynst him and binde himself with a curse before the altar in this house †thou shalt heare from heauen and shalt doe the iudgement of thy seruantes so that thou render to the vniust his way vpon his owne head and reuenge the iust rewarding him according to his iustice †If thy people Israel shal be ouercome of their enemies for they wil sinne to thee and conuerted shal doe penance and besech thy name and pray in this place †thou shalt heare from heauen and be thou propetious to the sinne of thy people Israel and reduce them into the land which thou gauest them and their fathers †If the heauen being shut there fal no rayne for the sinnes of the people and they shal besech thee in this place and shal confesse to thy name and shal be conuerted from their sinnes when thou shalt afflict them †heare from heauen ô Lord and forgeue the sinnes of thy seruantes and of thy people Israel and teach them the good way by the which they may goe and geue rayne to thy land which thou hast geuen thy people to possesse †If famine shal arise in the land and pestilence rust and blast and locust and bruche and the enemies wasting the countries shal besiege the gates of the citie and al plague and infirmitie shal presse them †if any of thy people Israel shal pray knowing their plague and infirmitie and shal spred forth their handes in this house †thou shalt heare from heauen to wit out of thy high habitation and be thou propitious and render to euerie one according to his wayes which thou knowest him to haue in his hart for thou onlie knowest the hartes of the children of men †that they may feare
†Take counsel gather a councel set thy shadow in the midday as it were night hide them that flee and them that wander bewray not †My fugitiues shal dwel with thee Moab be thou their couert from the face of the destroyer for the dust is ended the wretch is come to naught he hath failed that trode downe the earth †And a throne shal be prepared in mercie and there shal sit vpon it in truth in the tabernacle of Dauid he that iudgeth and seketh iudgement and quickly rendereth that which is iust †We haue heard the pride of Moab he is proud excedingly his pride and his arrogancie and his indignation is more then his strength †Therfore shal Moab howle to Moab al shal howle to them that reioyce vpon the walles of baqued bricke tel ye their plagues †Because the suburbes of Hesebon are desolate and the vineyard of Sabama the lords of the Nations haue cut of the branches therof haue reached to Iazer they wandered in the desert the branches therof are leaft they passed ouer the sea †For this I wil lament in the weeping of Iazer the yineyard of Sabama I wil inebriate thee with my teare ô Hesebon and Elealé because the voice of the treaders is rushâ— in vpon thy vintage and vpon thy haruest †And gladnes and ioy shal be taken away from Carmelus and it shal not reioyce nor make iubilation in vineyards He shal not treade wine in the presse that was wonte to treade the voice of the treaders I haue taken away †For this my bellie shal sound as an harpe to Moab my bowels to the wal of baqued bricke †And it â—shal be when it shal appeare that Moab hath laboured for his excelses he shal goe in to his sanctuaries to pray shal not preuaile †This is the word that our Lord spake to Moab from that time †and now our Lord hath spoken saying In three yeares as the yeares of an hired seruant the glorie of Moab shal be taken away vpon al the multitude of people and it shal be leaft litle and smal not much CHAP. XVII Damascus with other Syrians shal be afflicted 4. likewise the tenne tribes of Israel 7. Of which some few persons wil returne to God 12. And finally their enimies the Assirians shal be ouerthrowne THE burden of Damascus Behold Damascus shal cease to be a citie and shal be as an heape of stones in ruine †The forsaken cities of Aroer shal be for flockes and they shal rest there and there shal be none to terrifie them †And ayde shal cease from Ephraim and the kingdom from Damascus and the remnant of Syria shal be as the glorie of the children of Israel sayth the Lord of hostes †And it shal be in that day the glorie of Iacob shal be diminished and the fatnes of his flesh shal become leane †And it shal be as one gathering in haruest that which remayneth and his arme shal gather the eares of corne and it shal be as he that seketh eares in the vale of Raphaim †And the fruite therof shal be leaft as it were a cluster of grapes in it and as the shaking of the oliue tree of two or three oliues in the toppe of a bough or foure or fiue in the toppes therof sayth our Lord the God of Israel †In that day man shal incline himselfe to his maker and his eies shal looke to the holie one of Israel †And he shal not incline to the altars which his handes made and the things that his fingers wrought he shal not regard as groues and temples †In that day the cities of his strength shal be leaft as the ploughes and the corne that were leaft before the face of the children of Israel and thou shalt be desolate †Because thou hast forgotten God thy fauiour and hast not remembred thy strong helper therfore shalt thou plant a faythful plant shalt sow a strange seede †In the day of thy planting shal be the wilde grape in the morning thy seede shal florish the haruest is taken away in the day of inheritance and he shal be vehemently sorie †Woe to the multitude of manie peoples being as the multitude of the sounding sea the tumult of multitudes as the sound of manie waters †Peoples shal sound as the sound of waters ouerflowing and he shal rebuke him and shal flee far of and he shal be violently taken away as the dust of the mountaines at the face of the wind and as a whirlewind before a tempest †In the euentide and behold truble in the morning and he shal not be this is the portion of them that haue wasted vs the lot of them that spoiled vs. CHAP. XVIII The Aegyptians for alluring the two tribes to their confederacie shal be afflicted 7. and the Iewes returne to more sincere seruice of God VVOE to the land the cymbal of winges which is beyond the riuers of Aethiopia †which sendeth legates into the sea and in the vessels of bulrushes vpon the waters Goe ye swift angels to a nation shaken a sunder and torne in peeces to a terrible people after which there is none other to a nation expecting and troden vnder foote whose land the floodes haue spoiled †Al ye inhabitants of the world which abide in the earth where the signe shal be lifted vp in the mountaines you shal see and shal heare the sound of the trumpet †because thus sayth ourd Lord to me I wil rest and consider in my place as the no one light is cleere and as a cloud of dew in the day of haruest †For before haruest it hath wholly florished and vnripe perfection shal spring forth and the boughes therof shal be cut of with hookes and the thinges that are leaft shal be cut of and shaken out †And they shal be left together to the birdes of the mountaynes and beastes of the earth and the foules shal be vpon it the whole summer and al the beastes of the earth shal winter vpon it †In that time shal a gift be brought to the Lord of hostes of a people plucked asunder and rent in peeces of a terrible people after which there hath bene none other of a nation expecting expecting and troden vnder foote whose land the floudes haue spoiled to the place of the name of the Lord of hostes mount Sion CHAP. XIX Further description of the Aegyptians punishment 17. With their conuersion to Christ in the new Testament THE burden of Aegypt Behold our Lord wil ascend vpon a swift cloude and wil enter into Aegypt and the idols of Aegypt shal be moued at his presence the hart of Aegypt shal melt in the middes therof †And I wil make the Aegyptians to runne together against the Aegyptians and a man shal fight against his brother and euerie man against his freind citie against citie
conceiued labour and brought forth iniquitie †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 †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 †Their feete runne to euil hasten to shede innocent bloud their cogitations are vnprofitable cogitations waste and destruction are in their wayes †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 †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 †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 †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. †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 †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 †And iudgement was turned backward and iustice stood far of because truth hath fallen downe in the streete and equitie could not enter in †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †and there shal come a redemer to Sion and to them that returne from iniquitie in Iacob sayth our Lord. †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 †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 †And the Gentiles shal walke in thy light and kinges in the brightnes of thy rising †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 †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 †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. †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 †Who are these that flie as cloudes and as doues to their windowes †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 †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 †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 †For the nation and the kingdome that shal not serue thee shal perish and the Gentiles shal be wasted with desolation †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 †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 †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 â—oy vnto generation and generation †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †And thy people al iust for euer shal inherite the land the bud
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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †We haue knowen ô Lord our impieties the iniquities of our fathers because we haue sinned to thee †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 †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 “ 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 †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 †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 †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 †For who shal haue pitie on thee Ierusalem or who shal be sorie for thee or who shal goe to pray for thy peace †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 †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 †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 †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. †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 †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 †Why shal yron be confederate with the yron from the North and also brasse †Thy riches and thy treasures I wil geue into spoile for naught for al thy sinnes and in al thy borders †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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. †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
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 Ascoloâ—ites vvherof Iosephus writeth li. 15. c. 14. Antiq. Iudâ—icarum 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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †and a chamber with one reede in length and one reede in bredth and betwen the chambers fiue cubites †and the threshold of the gate by entrie of the gate within with one reede †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 †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 †And he measured the bredth of the threshold of the gate of tenne cubits and the length of the gate of thirtene cubits †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 †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 †And he made fronts by sixtie cubits to the front the court of the gate on euerie side round about †And before the face of the gate which raught euen to the face of the entrie of the inner gate fiftie cubits †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 †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 †And the pauement in the front of the gates according to the length of the gates was beneath †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. †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€
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 â—laâ—des 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. â—1 :: 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. â—â— 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 â—3 :: 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 eâ—il men seme most secure they â—al into sodaine calamities * Hel. Iere. 42. :: Both this Prophet and afterwards â—ereâ—â—e 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 Sennacaâ—â—b 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
hinder their increasing to keepe them in bondage and seruitude But God almightie who had chosen them for his peculiar people did not only so conserue and multiplie them that of seuentie persons which came into Aegypt in the space of two hundred and fiefteene yeres there were six hundred thousand men able to beare armes besides wemen children and old men which by estimation might be three millions in al but amongst other most strange and miraculous workes especally deliuered one Hebrew infant from drowning whom afterwards he made the Guide and supreme Gouernour of the same people by him admonished the King to cease persecuting and diuers waies plagued him his people for their obdurat and obstinate crueltie In fine called away and mightily deliuered his owne people drowned that king and al his armie in the red sea the Israelites wonderfully passing through as in a drie chanel the waters standing on both sides like two walles In the desert fed them miraculously with Manna and gaue them al necessaries defending them also from enimies Then God hauing thus selected and seuered his people from al other nations gaue them a written law as wel of Moral as Ceremonial and Iudicial preceptes with the maner of making the Tabernacle erecting Altares consecrating Priects with the institution of daylie sacrifice and of al vestures veselles other holie things belonging to the seruice of God So this booke may be diuided into three partes First is declared the Israelites seruile affliction in Aegypt vvith their deliuerie from thence in the fieftene first chapters Then how they were maintained in the desert and prepared to receiue a law in the foure next chapters In the other 21. chapters the lavv is prescribed instructing them hovv to liue tovvards God and al men THE BOOKE OF EXODVS IN HEBREW VEELLE SEMOTH CHAP I. The smal number of Israelites much increasing in Aegypt 6. especially after the death of Ioseph and his brethren 8. a new king that knew not Ioseph in vaine striueth to hinder their multiplication 11. by imposing workes vpon them 15. and by commanding to kil 22. and to drowne al the malchildren of them God in the meane time rewardeth the midwiues that fearing him killed not the children THESE be the names of the children of Israel that entred into Aegypt with Iacob they did enter in euerie one with their houses †Ruben Simeon Leui Iudas †Issachar Zabulon and Beniamin †Dan and Neptali Gad and Aser †Therfore al the soules that came out of Iacobs thigh were seuentie and Ioseph was in Aegypt †Who being dead and al his brethren and al that generation †the children of Israel increased and as it were springing vp did multiplie and growing strong exceedingly filled the land †In the meane time there arose a new king ouer Aegypt that knew not Ioseph †and he said to his people Behold the people of the children of Israel is much and stronger then we †Come let vs wisely oppresse the same lest perhaps it multiplie and if there shal be anie warre against vs it ioyne with our enemies and we being ouerthrowne they depart out of the land †Therfore he set ouer them maisters of the workes to afflict them with burdens and they built vnto Pharao cities of tabernacles Phithom and Ramesses †And the more they did oppresse them so much the more they multiplied and increased †and the Aegyptians hated the children of Israël and deriding afflicted them †and they brought their life into bitternes with the hard workes of clay and bricke and with al seruice wherewith they were pressed in the workes of the earth †And the King of Aegypt said to the mid wiues of the Hebrewes of whom one was called Sephora the other Phua †commanding them When you shal be midwiues to the Hebrew wemen and the time of deliuerie is come if it be a manchild kil it if a woman reserue her †“ But the midwiues feared God and did not according to the commandement of the king of Aegypt but preserued the menchildren †To whom being called vnto him the king said What is this that you ment to do that you would saue the men-children †Who answered The “ Hebrew wemem are not as the Aegyptian wemen for they haue the knowledge to play the mindwife them selues and before we come to them they are deliuered †God therfore did wel to the midwiues and the people encreased and became strong exceedingly †And “ because the midwiues feared God 〈…〉 e built them houses †Pharao therfore commanded al his people saying Whatsoeuer shal be borne of the male seâ— cast it into the riuer whatsoeuer of the female reserue it ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 17. But the midvviues feared God In commendation of the midwiues not obeying the kings commandment Moyses opposeth the feare of God to the feare of Princes shewing therby that when their commandments are contrarie the subiects must feare God and not do that the Prince commandem So did our Sauiour himself teach and that for feare of damnation saying Feare him vvho hath povver to cast into het And so his Aporâ—les indued with the Holie Ghost practised answering in this case that they must heare God rather then men Againe God must be obeyed rather then men Alwayes vnderstood when they are contrarie For otherwise both S. Peter and S. Paul teach vs that Princes yea Infidels of whom they especially speake must be obeyed 19. Hebrevv vvemen are not Herein the midwiues sinned For it is neuer lawful to lye Because the lavv of God is truth wherby S. Augustin proueth li. coot mend c. 10 that whatsoeuer varieth from truth is vnlawful VVhen therfore saith he examples of lying are proposed to vs out of holie Scripture either they are not lies but are thought to be whiles they are not vnderstood oâ— if they be lies they are not to be imitated because they are vnlawful â— Gregorie teacheth the same li. 18. Moral c. 20. Qâ—â—a proseltâ— ab 〈◊〉 discrep it quitquidâ—â—eritate discordâ—t Because assuredly vvhatsoeuer disagreeth from veritie differeth from equitie Yet these fathers hold such an officious lye as this was to be a lesse sinne and more easily pardoned and purged by good workes folowing 21. Because the midwiues feared God Feare of God â—s 〈◊〉 is properly taken in holie Scripture is that holie feareâ— by which the children of God reâ—â—aine from sinne and that with temporal dangeâ— lest they should ofend the diuine Maiestie So these midwiues endangering their owne liues by not fullfiling Pharaos commandment had the true feare of God and for the same were rewarded as is most probable eternally though mention be here made only of temporal reward afteâ— the 〈…〉 of the old 〈◊〉 VVhere such promises were made to Abraham and other most godlie Patriarches
this water the third day and the seuenth and so shal be cleansed If he were not sprinkled the third day the seuenth day he can not be clensed †Euerie one that toucheth the dead corps of mans soule and is not sprinkled with this commistion shal pollute the tabernacle of the Lord and shal perish out of Israel because he was not sprinkled with the water of expiation he shal be vncleane and his filthinesse shal remaine vpon him †This is the law of the man that dieth in a tabernacle Al that enter into his tent and al the vessel that are there shal be polluted seuen daies †The vessel that hath no couer nor bynding ouer it shal be vncleane †If any man in the field touch the corps of a man that was slaine or that died of himself or his bone or graue he shal be vncleane seuen daies †And they shal take of the ashes of combustion and of sinne and shal powre liuing water vpon them into a vessel †in the which when a man that is cleane hath dipped hyssope he shal sprinkle therwith al the tent and al the implementes and the men polluted with such contagion †and in this maner he that is cleane shal purge the vncleane the third and seuenth day And being expiated the senenth day he shal wash both himself and his garmentes and be vncleane vntil euening †If anie man be not expiated after this rite his soule shal perish out of the middes of the Church because he hath polluted the Lordes Sanctuarie and is not sprinkled with water of lustration †This precept shal be an ordinance for euer He also that sprinkleth the waters shal wash his garmentes Euerie one that toucheth the waters of expiation shal be vncleane vntil euen †Whatsoeuer he toucheth that is vncleane he shal make it vncleane and the soule that toucheth anie of these thinges shal be vncleane vntil euen CHAP. XX. ariâ— the sister of Moyses dieth 2. The people murmure for lack of water 7. Moysâ—s and Aaron being commanded to draw some out of a rock do it doutfully 12. and for the same are foretold that they shal die in the desert 14. Not obtaining licence to passe through Edom 22. they come into Mount Hor where Eleazar is ordained hiegh Priest Aaron dieth and is mourned by the people thirtie daie AND the children of Israel and al the multitude came into the desert Sin the first moneth and the people abode in Cades And Marie died there and was buried in the same place †And when the people lacked water they came together against Moyses and Aaron †and being turned into sedition said Would God we had perished among our brethren before our Lord. †Why haue you brought forth the Church of our Lord into the wildernesse that both we and our cattel should die †Why did you make vs ascend out of Aegypt and haue brought vs into this exceding naughtie place which can not be sowed which bringeth forth neither figge nor vines nor pomegranates moreouer also hath no water for to drinke †And Moyses and Aaron the multitude being dismissed entring into the tabernacle of couenant fel flatte vpon the ground and cried to our Lord and said Lord God heare the crie of this people and open vnto them thy treasure the fountaine of liuing water that being satisfied their murmuring may cease And the glorie of our Lord appeared ouer them †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Take the rodde and assemble the people together thou and Aaron thy brother and speake to the rocke before them and it shal geue waters And when thou hast brought forth water out of the rocke al the multitude shal drinke and their cattel †Moyses therfore tooke the rodde which was in the sight of our Lord as he commanded him †the multitude being assembled before the rocke and he said to them Heare ye rebellious and incredulous Can we out of this rocke bring you forth water †And when Moyses had lifted vp his hand stricking the rocke twise with the rodde there came forth great plentie of water so that the people drunke and their cattel †And our Lord said to Moyses and Aaron Because you haue not beleued me to sanctifie me before the children of Israel you shal not bring in these peoples into the land which I wil geue them †This is the water of contradiction where the children of Israel quarelled against our Lord and he was sanctified in them †In the meane time Moyses sent messengers from Cades to the King of Edom which should say Thus thy brother Israel biddeth vs to say Thou knowest al the labour that hath taken vs †in what maner our fathers went downe into Aegypt and there we dwelt a great time and the Aegyptians afflicted vs and our fathers †and in what maner we cried to our Lord and he heard vs and sent an Angel that hath brought vs out of Aegypt Loe being presently in the citie of Cades which is in thy vttermost borders †we besech thee that we may haue licence to passe through thy countrie We wil not goe through the fieldes not through the vineyardes we wil not drinke the waters of thy welles but we wil goe the common high way declining neither to the right hand nor to the left til we be past thy borders †To whom Edom answered Thou shalt not passe by me otherwise I wil come armed against thee †And the children of Israel said We wil goe by the beaten way and if we and the cattel drinke thy waters we wil geue thee that which is iust there shal be no difficultie in the price only let vs passe speedely †But he answered Thou shalt not passe And immediatly he came forth to meete them with an infinitie multitude and a strong hand †neither would he condescend to them desiring to grant them passage through his borders For the which cause Israel turned an other way from him †And when they had remoued the campe from Cades they came into the mountaine Hor which is in the borders of the land of Edom †Where our Lord spake to Moyses †Let Aaron sayeth he goe to his people for he shal not enter to the Land which I haue geuen the children of Israel for that he was incredulous to my mouth at the Waters of contradiction †Take Aaron and his sonne with him and thou shalt bring them into the mountaine Hor. †And when thou hast vnuested the father of his vesture thou shalt reuest therewith Eleazar his sonne Aaron shal be gathered and die there †Moyses did as our Lord had commanded and they went vp into the mountaine Hor before al the multitude †And when he had spoyled Aaron of his vestimentes be reuested Eleazar his sonne with them †After that he was dead in the toppe of the mountaine he went downe with Eleazar †And al the multitude seeing that Aaron
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 â—he 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 †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 †Therfore wil we not feare when the earth shal be trubled and mountaines transported into the hart of the sea †Their waters haue sounded and were trubled the mountaines were trubled in his strength †The violence of the riuer maketh the citie of God ioyful the Highest hath sanctified his tabernacle †God is in the middes therof it shal not be moued God wil helpe it in the morning early †Nations are trubled and kingdomes are inclined he gaue his voice the earth was moued †The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defender †Come ye and see the workes of our Lord what wonders he hath put vpon the earth †taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth He shal destroy bow breake weapons and shields he shal burne with fire †Be quiet and see that I am God I shal be exalted among the gentiles and I shal be exalted in the earth †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 †Vnto the end for the sonnes of Core ALYE Nations clappe handes make iubilation to God in the voyce of exultation †Because our Lord is high terrible a great king ouer al the earth †He hath made peoples subiect to vs gentiles vnder our feete †He hath chosen his inheritance in vs the beautie of Iacob which he loued †God is ascended in iubilation and our Lord in the voice of trumpet †Sing ye to our God sing ye Sing ye to our king sing ye †Because God is king of al the earth sing ye wisely †God shal reigne ouer the gentiles God sitteth vpon his holie seate †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 †Mount Sion is founded with the exultation of the whole earth the sides of the North the citie of the great king †God shal be knowen in the houses therof when he shal receiue it †For behold the kings of the earth were gathered together they assembled in one †They seing it so were in admiration were trubled were moued †trembling tooke them Their sorowes as a woman traueling †In a vehement spirit thou shalt breake the shippes of Tharsis †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 †We haue receiued thy mercie ô God in the middes of thy temple †According to thy name ô God so also is thy prayse vnto the endes of the earth thy right hand is ful of iustice †Let mount Sion be glad and the daughters of Iuda reioyce because of thy iudgementes ô Lord †Compasse Sion and embrace ye her tel ye in her towers †Set your hartes on her strength and distribute ye her houses that you may declare it in an other generation †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 †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 †Al ye earthly persons and children of men together in one the rich and the poore †My mouth shal speake wisedom and the meditation of my hart prudence †I wil incline mine eare vnto a parable I wil open my proposition on a Psalter †Why shal I feare in the euil day the iniquitie of my heele shal compasse me †They that trust in their strength and glorie in the multitude of their riches †A brother doth not redeme man shal redeme he shal not geue vnto God his reconciliation †And the price of the redemption of his owne soule and he shal labour for euer †and shal liue yet vnto the end †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 †and their sepulchers their houses for euer Their Tabernacles in generation and generation they haue renowmed their names in their landes †And man when he was
are saide of thee ô cittie of God †I wil be mindeful of Raab and Babylon knowing me Behold the foreners and Tyre the people of the Aethiopians these were there †Shal it not be said of Sion Man and man is borne in her and the Highest himselfe founded her †Our Lord wil declare in scriptures of peoples and of princes of those that haue bene in her †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 †Lord the God of my saluation in the day haue I cried and in the night before thee †Let my prayer enter in thy sight incline thine eare to my petition †Because my soule is replenished with euils and my life hath approched to hel †I am accounted with them that descend into the lake I am become as a man without helpe †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 †They haue put me in the lower lake in the darke places and in the shadowe of death †Thy furie is confirmed vpon me and al thy waues thou hast brought in vpon me †Thou hast made my familiars far from me they haue put me abomination to themselues I was deliuered and came not forth †myne eies languished for pouertie I cried to thee ô Lord al the day I stretched out my handes to thee †Wil t thou doe meruels to the dead or shal phisicians raise to life and they confesse to thee †Shal any in the sepulchre declare thy mercie and thy truth in perdition †Shal thy meruelous workes be knowne in darkenes and thy iustice in the land of obliuion †And I ô Lord haue cried to thee and in the morning shal my praier preuent thee †Why doest thou o Lord reiect my prayer turnest away thy face from me †I am poore and in labours from my youth and being exalted humbled and troubled †Thy wrathes haue passed vpon me and thy terrours haue trubled me †They haue compassed me as water al the day they compassed me together †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 †Because thou saidst Mercie shal be built vp for euer in the heauens thy truth shal be prepared in them †I haue ordained a testament with mine elect I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant †for ever wil I prepare thy seede And I wil build thy seat vnto generation and generation †The heauens shal confesse thy meruelous workes ô Lord yea and thy truth in the church of saintes †For who in the cloudes shal be equal to our Lord shal be like to God among the sonnes of God †God who is glorified in the counsel of saintes great and terrible ouer al that are round about him †O Lord God of hoastes who is like to thee thou art mightie ô Lord and thy truth round about thee †Thou rulest ouer the powre of the sea and the mouing of the waues therof thou doest mitigate †Thou humbledst the proud one as one wounded in the arme of thy strength thou hast dispersed thine enimies †The heauens are thine and the earth is thine the round earth and the fulnes therof thou hast founded †the north and the sea thou hast created Thabor and Hermon shal reioice in thy name †thy arme is with might Let thy hand be confirmed and thy righthand exalted †iustice and iudgement is the preparation of thy seat Mercie and truth shal goe before thy face †blessed is the people that knoweth iubilation Lord they shal walke in the light of thy countinance †and in thy name they shal reioyce al the day and in thy iustice they shal be exalted †Because thou art the glorie of their streingth and in thy good pleasure shal our horne be exalted †Because our protection is of our Lord and of the holie one of Israel our king †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 †I haue found Dauid my seruant with myne holie oyle haue I anointed him †For mine hand shal helpe him and myne arme shal strengthen him †The enimie shal nothing preuale in him and the sonne of iniquitie shal not adde to hurt him †And I wil cut downe his enimies before his face and them that hate him I wil put to flight †And my truth and my mercie with him and in my name shal his horne be exalted †And I wil put his hand in the sea and his righthand in the riuers †He shal inuocate me Thou art my Father my God and the protector of my saluation †And I wil put him the firstbegotten high aboue the kings of the earth †I Wil kepe my mercie vnto him for euer and my testament faithful to him †I wil put his seed for euer and euer and his throne as the daies of heauen †But if his children shal forsake my lawe and wil not walke in my Iudgementes †If they shal profane my iustices and not kepe my commandmentes †I wil visite their iniquities with a rod and their sinnes with stripes †But “ my mercie I wil not take away from him neither wil I hurt in my truth †Neither wil I profane my testament and the words that procede from my mouth I wil not make frustrate †Once I haue sworne in my holie if I lie to Dauid †his seede shal continewe for euer †And his throne as the Sunne in my sight and as the Moone perfect for euer and a faithful witnesse in heauen †“ But thou hast repelled and dispised thou hast differred thy Christ †Thou hast ouerthrowne the testament of thy seruant thou hast profaned his
not heare for neither is there breath in their mouth †Let them that make them become like to them and al that haue confidence in them †Ye house of Israel blesse our Lord ye house of Aaron blesse our Lord. †Ye house of Leui blesse our Lord you that feare our Lord blesse ve our Lord. †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 †Confesse ye to the Lord of lordes because his mercie is for euer †Who onlie doth great meruels because his mercie is for euer †Who made the heauen in vnderstanding because his mercie is for euer †Who established the earth ouer the waters because his mercie is for euer †Who made the great lightes because his mercie is sor euer †The sunne to rule the day because his mercie is for euer †The moone and starres to rule the night because his mercie is for euer †Who stroke Aegypt with their firstbegotten because his mercie is for euer †Who brought forth Israel out of the middes of them because his mercie is for euer †In a mightie hand and loftie arme because his mercie is for euer †Who diuided the Read sea into diuisions because his mercie is for euer †And brought forth Israel through the middes therof because his mercie is for euer †And he ouerthrew Pharao and his host in the Readsea because his mercie is for euer †Who led his people through the desert because his mercie is for euer †Who stroke great kinges because his mercie is for euer †And slewe strong kinges because his mercie is for euer †Sehon the king of the Amorrheites because his mercie is for euer †And Og the king of Basan because his mercie is for euer †And he gaue their land for an inheritance because his mercie is for euer †For an inheritance to Israel his seruant because his mercie is for euer †For in our humiliation he was mindful of vs because his mercie is for euer †And he redemed vs from our enemies because his mercie is for euer †Who geueth foode to al fleshe because his mercie is for euer †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 †On the willowes in the middes therof we hanged vp our instrumentes †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 †How shal we sing the song of our Lord in a strange land †If I shal forget thee ô Ierusalem let my right hand be forgotten †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 †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 †Daugther of Babylon miserable blessed is he that shal repay thee thy payment which thou hast payed vs. †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 †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 †In what day soeuer I shal inuocate thee heare me thou wilt multiplie strength in my soule †Let al the kinges of the earth ô Lord confesse to thee because they haue heard al the wordes of thy mouth †And let them sing in the wayes of our Lord because great is the glorie of our Lord. †Because our Lord is high and he beholdeth low thinges and high thinges he knoweth far of †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 †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 †thou hast knowen my sitting downe and my rising vp †Thou hast vnderstood my cogitations far of my path and my corde thou hast searched out †And thou hast foresene al my wayes because there is not a word in my tongue †Behold ô Lord thou hast knowen al the last thinges them of old thou hast formed me and hast put thy hand vpon me †Thy knowledge is become meruelous of me it is made great and I can not reach to it †Whither shal I goe from thy spirit and whither shal I flee from thy face †If I shal ascend into heauen thou art there â—f I descend into hel thou art present †If I shal take my winges early and dwel in the extreme partes of the sea †Certes thither also shal thy hand conduct me and thy right hand shal hold me †And I sayd Perhaps darknes shal treade ouer me and the night is mine illumination in my delightes †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 †Because thou hast possessed my reynes thou hast receiued me from my mothers wombe †I wil confesse to
that neither running is of the swift nor warre of the strong nor bread of the wise nor riches of the lerned nor grace of the artificers but time and chance in al. †Man knoweth not his owne end but as fishes are taken with the hooke and as birdes are caught with the snare so men are taken in the euil time when it shal sudenly come vpon them †This wisdom also I haue sene vnder the sunne and haue proued it to be very great †A litle citie and few men in it there came against it a great king and compassed it and builded fortes round about and the siege was perfired †And there was found in it a man poore and wise and he deliuered the citie by his wisdom and no man afterward remembred that pooreman †And I sayd that wisdom is better then streingth how then was the wisdom of the pooreman contemned his wordes were not heard †The wordes of the wise are heard in silence more then the crie of a prince among fooles †Better is wisdom then weapons of warre and he that shal offend in one point shal lose manie good thinges CHAP. X. Considering the great difference betwen wisdom and follie 4. it behoueth to resist vehement tentations diligently 5. As when euil ignorant men haue auctoritie ouer the wise 8. The wicked often fal into their owne snares 10. are hard yet not vnpossible to be corrected 11. Detracters are like serpents 12. wise graue princes are profitable childish are hurtful to the commonwealth 18. which by their negligence tendeth to ruine 20. yet subiectes ought not to iudge euil of them FLIES dying marre the sweetnes of ointment Wisdom and glorie is more precious then a litle and temporal follie †The hart of a wiseman is in his righthand and the hart of a foole is in his lefthand †Yea and the foole walking in the way wheras himself is vnwise estemeth al men fooles †If the spirite of him that hath powre ascend vpon thee leaue not thy place because carefulnes wil make the greatest sinnes to cease †There is an euil that I haue sene vnder the sunne as it were by errour proceding from the face of the prince †a foole set in high dignitie and the rich to sitte beneth †I haue sene seruants vpon horses and princes walking on the ground as seruants †He that diggeth a pitte shal fal into it and he that breaketh the hedge a serpent shal bite him †He that remoueth stones shal be afflicted in them and he that cutteth trees shal be wounded of them †If the iron shal be blunt and that not as before but shal be made blunt it shal be sharpened by great labour and after industrie shal wisdom solow †If a serpent bite in silence nothing lesse then it hath he that detracteth seoâ—etly †The wordes of the mouth of a wiseman grace and the lippes of the vnwise shal throw him downe headlong †The beginning of his wordes is follie and the later end of his mouth is most wicked errour †A foole multiplieth wordes A man is ignorant what hath bene before him and what shal be after him who can tel him †The labour of fooles shal afflict them that know not to goe into the cittie †“ Woe to thee ô land whose king is a childe and whose princes eate in the morning †Blessed is the land whose king is noble whose princes eate in their time to refection and not to riotousnes †In slouthfulnes the roofe of the house shal goe to ruine in the infirmitie of the handes the house shal droppe through †They make bread for laughter and wine that liuing they may make merie and to money al thinges obey †In thy cogitation detract not from the king and in the secret of thy chamber curse not the richman because euen the birdes of the ayre wil carie thy voice and he that hath winges wil declare the sentence ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 16 VVoe to thee o land vvhose king is a childe S. Ierom as in most part of his commentaries vpon this booke expoundeth this passage in two senses simply according to the first apparance of the letter and mystically concerning the Church The wiseman semeth in dede sayth he to reproue the principalitie of yongmen and to condemne luxurious iudges for that in the one by want of age is infirme wisdom in the other mature age is weakened by delicacies And contrary wise he approueth a prince of good partes liberal education commendeth those Iudges which do not preferre voluptuousnes before publique affayres but after great labour and administration of the commonwealth are constrained as by necessitie to take meate Yet to me saith this great Doctor something more sacred semeth to lye hidde in the letter that in Scripture they are called yongmen who forsake old auctoritie and contemne ancient precepts of forefathers who neglecting Gods commandment desire to establish traditions of men Touching which points our Lord threatneth Israel by Isaias for that this people hath refused the water of Siloe that runneth with silence and hath turned away the old fishpond choosing the streames of Samaria and gulfes of Damascus I wil geue yongmen to be their princes and deluders shal rule ouer them Read Daniel Thou shalt finde God ancient of dayes Read the Apocalips of S. Iosu Thou shalt finde the head of our Sauiour white as snow and as white wool Ieremie also because he was wise and grauitie was reputed in his wisdom was forbid to cal himself a childe VVoe therfore to the land whose king is the diuel who alwayes couering nouelties rebelled in Absalom against the father VVoe to that land whose Iudges and Princes loue the pleasures of this vvorld VVho vntil the day of death come say Let vs eate and drinke for to morow we shal dye Contrarivvise blessed is the land of the Church vvhose King is Christ the Sonne of the freeborne descending from Abraham Isaac and Iacob the stock of Prophetes and of al Saintes ouer vvhom sinne ruled not and for that cause they vvere truly free of vvhom vvas borne the holie Virgin Marie more free hauing no shrubbe nor branch out of the side but her vvhole fruite sprungforth into a floure saying in the Canticles I am the floure of the filde the lillie of the valles The princes also of this land are the Apostles and al sainctes vvho haue their king the sonne of the freeborne the sonne of the freevvoman not of the bondvvoman Agar but borne of the freedom of Sara Neither do they eate in the morning nor quickly For they seke not pleasure in this present vvorld but shal eate in their due time vvhen the time of revvard shal come and they shal eate in fortitude and not in confusion Al the good of this present vvorld is confusion but of the future vvorld is perpetual fortitude Thus farre
the law multiplieth oblation †It is an holsome sacrifice to attend to the commandments and to depart from al iniquitie †To depart from iniquitie is a thing that pleaseth our Lord wel and to depart from iniustice is an intreating for sinnes †Thou shalt not appeare before the sight of our Lord emptie †For al these thinges are done because of the commandment of God †The oblation of the iust maketh a fatte altar and is an odour of sweetenes in the sight of the Highest †The sacrifice of the iust is acceptable and our Lord wil not forget the memorie thereof †Render glorie to God with a good minde and diminish not the first fruites of thine handes †In euerie gift make thy countenance chereful and in ioyfulnes sanctifie thy tithes †Geue to the Highest according to his gift and with a good eie doe according to the abilitie of thine handes †because our Lord is a rewarder and wil repay thee seuen times so much †Offer not wicked giftes for he wil not receiue them †And looke not vpon an vniust sacrifice because our Lord is iudge and there is not with him the glorie of person †Our Lord wil not accept person against the poore and he wil heare the prayer of him that is hurt †He wil not despise the prayers of the pupil nor the widow if she power out speach of mourning †Do not the widows teares runne downe to the cheeke her exclamation vpon him that causeth them to runne †For from the cheeke they goe vp euen to heauen and our Lord the hearer wil not be delighted in them †He that adoreth God in delectation shal be receiued his petition shal approch euen to the cloudes †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 †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 †and he wil repay vengeance to the Gentiles til he take away the multitude of the proude breake the scepters of the vniust †til he reward men according to their doings and according to the workes of man and according to his presumption †til he iudge the iudgement of his people and shal delight the iust with his mercie †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 †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 †Lift vp thy hand ouer the strange Nations that they may see thy might †For as in their sight thou art sanctified in vs so in our sight thou shalt be magnified in them †that they may know thee as we also haue knowen that there is no God beside thee ô Lord. †Renewe signes and change meruels †Glorifie thy hand and thy right arme †Raise vp furie and power out wrath †Take away the aduersarie and afflict the enemie †Hasten the time and remember the end that they may declare thy meruels †Let him that is saued be deuoured in the wrath of flame and let them that euil intreate thy people finde perdition †Breake the head of princes of the enemies that saie There is none other beside vs. †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 †Haue mercie on thy people vpon which thy name is inuocated and vpon Israel whom thou hast made equal to thy first begotten †Haue mercie on the citie of thy sanctification Ierusalem the citie of thy rest †Replenish Sion with thy wordes that can not be vttered thy people with thy glorie †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 †Geue reward to them that patiently expect thee that thy prophets may be found faithful and heare the prayers of thy seruants †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 †The bellie wil eate al meate and one meate is better then an other meate †The iawes taist venison the wise hart lying wordes †A peruerse hart wil geue sorow and a cunning man wil resist it †Some woman wil receiue euerie man and one daughter is better then an other daughter †The beautie of a woman chereth the face of her husband and increaseth the desire aboue al mans concupiscence †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 †He that possesseth a good woman beginneth riches she is an helpe like vnto him a piller as rest †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 †But a companion and freind wil be turned to enmitie †O most wicked presumption whence wast thou created to couer the drie land with malice and with the deceitfulnes thereof †A companion is pleasant with his freind in delectations and in the time of tribulation he wil be an aduersarie †A companion is sorie with his freind for his bellies sake and he wil take a shield against the enemie †Forgete not thy freind in thy minde and be not vnmindeful of him in thy riches †Consult not with him which betraieth and hide thy counsel from them that enuie thee †Euerie counseler vttereth counsel but there is a counseler in him selfe †From such a counseler keepe thy soule First know what his necessitie is for he wil deuise to his owne minde †lest perhaps he thrust a sharpe
the tribes of Iacob †Blessed are they that saw thee and were honored in thy freindshipe †For we liue by life only but after death our name shal not be such †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 †Neither did any word ouercome him and his bodie prophecied being dead †In his life he did wonders and in death he wrought meruelous thinges †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 †And there was leaft a verie smal nation and a prince in the house of Dauid †Some of them did that which pleased God but others committed manie sinnes †Ezechias fenced his citie and brough in water into the middes thereof and digged a rocke with yron and built a wel for water †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 †Then were their harts and hands moued and they were in sorow as trauailing wemen †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 †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 †He ouerthrew the campe of the Assirians and the Angel of our Lord destroyed them †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 †In his daies the sunne returned backward added life to the king †By a great spirite he saw the last thinges and comforted the mourners in Sion †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 †His remembrance shal be sweete as honie in euerie mouth and as musick in banket of wine †He was directed by God into the repentance of the nation and he tooke away the abominations of impietie †And he gouerned his hart toward our Lord and in the daies of sinners he strengthened pietie †Except Dauid and Ezechias and Iosias al committed sinne †For the kinges of Iuda forsooke the law of the Highest and contemned the feare of God †For they gaue their kingdom to others and their glorie to a strange nation †They burnt the chosen citie of holines and made the waies thereof desolate in the hand of Ieremie †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 †Ezechiel who saw the sight of glorie which he shewed him in the chariote of Cherubs †For he made mention of the enemies in rayne to doe good vnto them that haue shewed right waies †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 †How may we magnifie Zorobabel for he also was as a signet on the right hand †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 †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 †No man hath bene borne in the earth like to Henoch for he also was taken vp from the earth †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 †and his bones were visited and after death they prophecied †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 †The height also of the temple was founded by him the duble building and high walles of the temple †In his daies the welles of waters flowed out and they were filled as the sea aboue measure †Who had care of his nation and deliuered it from perdition †Who preuailed to amplifie the citie who obteyned glorie in conuersing with the nation and amplified the entrance of the house and the court †As the morning starre in the middes of a cloude and as the ful moone he shineth in his dayes †And as the sunne shining so did he shine in the temple of God †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 Aâ—os 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 aâ—â—e 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 immineÌ„t 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 †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 †The oxe hath knowen his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowen me and my people hath not vnderstood †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 †For what shal I strike you anie more which adde preuarication euerie head is sicke euerie hart in heauines †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 †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 †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 †Vnlesse the Lord of hostes had lefte vs seed we had beene as Sodom and we should be like to Gomorrha †Heare the word of our Lord ye princes of Sodom geue eare to the law of our God ye people of Gomorrha †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 †When you should haue come before my sight who sought for these thinges at your handes that you should walke in my courtes †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 †My soule hateth your Calendes and your solemnities they are become tedious to me I haue laboured in susteyning †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 †Wash you be cleane take away the euil of your cogitations from mine eies cease to doe peruersely †Lerne to doe good seeke iudgement succour the oppressed iudge for the pupil defend the widow †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 †If you be willing and wil heare me you shal eate the good thinges
of the earth †But if you wil not and wil prouoke me to wrath the sword shal deuoure you because the mouth of our Lord hath spoken †How is the faythful citie ful of iudgement become an harlot iustice hath dwelled in it but now mankillers †Thy siluer is turned into drosse thy wine is mingled with water †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 †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 †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 †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 †Sion shal be redemed in iudgement and they shal bring her backe in iustice †And he shal destroy the wicked and the sinners together and they that haue forsaken our Lord shal be consumed †For they shal be confounded for the idols to which they haue sacrificed and you shal be ashamed of the gardens which you chose †When you shal be as an oke the leaues falling of and as a garden without water †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 †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 †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 †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 †House of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of our Lord. †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 †The land is replenished with siluer and gold and there is no end of their treasures †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 †And man bowed himself and man was humbled therfore forgeue them not †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 †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 †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 †And vpon al the ceders of Libanus high eleuated vpon al the okes of Basan †And vpon al the high mountaines and vpon al little hilles eleuated †And vpon euerie high towre and euerie fensed wal †And vpon al the shippes of Tharsis and vpon al that is fayre to behold †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 †And idols shal vtterly be destroyed †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 †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 †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 †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 †The strong and the man of warre the iudge and the prophete and southsayer and the ancient †The prince ouer fiftie and the honorable of countenance and the counseler and the wise of workemasters and the skilful of mystical speach †And I wil geue children to be their princes and the effeminate shal rule ouer them †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †Say to the iust that it is wel because he shal eate the fruite of his inuentions †Woe to the impious vnto euil for the reward of his handes shal be made to him †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 †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 †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 †Thou shalt take this parable against the king of Babylon and shalt say How hath the exactour ceased the tribute rested †Our Lord hath broken the staffe of the impious the rodde of the rulers †that did beate peoples in indignation with vncurable wound subdewing nations in furie persecuting cruelly †Al earth is quiet and stil is glad hath reioyced †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. †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 †Al shal answere and say to thee Thou also art wounded euen as we made like vnto vs. †Thy pride is drawen downe to hel thy carcasse is fallen vnder thee shal the mothe be strawed and wormes shal be thy couering †How art thou fallen from heauen Lucifer which didst rise in the morning art thou fallen to the earth that didst wound nations †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. †I wil ascend aboue the height of the cloudes I wil be like to the Highest †But yet thou shalt be drawen downe to hel into the depth oh the lake †They that shal see thee shal turne toward thee behold thee Is this the man that trubled the earth that shaked kingdomes †that made the world a desert destroyed the cities therof opened not the prison to his prisoners †Al the kinges of the nations euerie one haue slept in glorie eche man in his owne house †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 †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 †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 †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. †And I wil make it the possession of the hedgehog marriâ—es of waters I wil sweepe it with besome wearing it sayth the Lord of hostes †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 †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 †This is the counsel that I haue deuised vpon al the earth and this is the hand stretched forth vpon al nations †For the Lord of hostes hath decreed and who can weaken it and his hand is stretched out and who shal turne it away †In the yeare that king Achaz died was this burden made †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †Hesebon shal crie Elealé their voice is heard euen to â—asa For this shal the wel appoynted of Moab howle his soule shal howle to himself †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 †For the waters of Nemrim shal be made desolate because the grasse is withered the spring is faded al grennes is perished †According to the greatnes of the worke is also their visitation they shal lead them to the torrent of willowes †Because the crie shal goe round about the border of Moab vnto Gallim the howling therof and vnto the Pit-Elim the crie therof †Because the waters of Dibon are replenished with bloud for I wil pur additions vpon Dibon the â—on 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 †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
Sion the zele of the Lord of hostes shal doe this †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 †In the way that he came by the same he shal returne and into this citie he shal not enter sayth our Lord. †And I wil protect this citie that I may saue it for myne owne sake and “ for Dauids sake my seruant †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 †And he went out and departed and Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians returned and dwelt in Niniue †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 â—5 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 â—eâ—ned 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 â—â—â—â— 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 doâ—â— this â—ouour 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 〈…〉 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 †And Ezechias turned his face to the wal and prayed to our Lord †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 †And the word of our Lord was made to Isaie saying †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 †and out of the hand of the king of the Assirians wil I deliuer thee and this citie and wil protect it †And this shal be a signe to thee from our Lord that our Lord wil doe this word which he hath spoken †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †Lord if mans life be such and the life of my spirit in such thinges thou shalt chasten me and shalt quicken me †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 †Because hel shal not confesse to thee neither shal death prayse thee they that goe downe into the lake shal not expect thy truth †The liuing the liuing he shal confesse to thee as I also this day the father shal make thy truth knowen to the children †O Lord saue me and we shal sing our psalmes al the dayes of our life in the house of our Lord. †And Isaie commanded that they should take a lumpe of figges plaster it vpon the wound and he should be healed †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
drunke euen to the dregges †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 †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 †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 †Therefore heare this poore little one and drunken not of wine †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 †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 †Be shaken out of the dust arise sit vp Ierusalem loose the bonds of thy necke ô captiue daughter of Sion †Because thus sayth our Lord You were sold for nought and without siluer you shal be redemed †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 †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 †For this cause shal my people know my name in that day because I myself that spake loe am present †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 †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 †Reioyce prayse together ye deserts of Ierusalem because our Lord hath comforted his people he hath redemed Ierusalem †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 †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. †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 †Behold my seruant shal vnderstand he shal be exalted and shal be lifted vp and shal be exceding high †As manie haue bene astoined vpon thee so shal his looke among men be inglorious and his forme among the sonnes of men †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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. †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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. †Enlarge the place of thy tent and stretch out the skinnes of thy tabernacles spare not make long thy coardes and fasten thy nailes †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 †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 †Because he shal rule ouer thee that made thee the
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 †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 †He that brought them out through the depthes as an horse in the desert that stumbled not †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 †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 †For thou art our father and “ 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 †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 †As nothing haue they possessed thy holie people our enemies haue troden downe thy sanctification †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 captiâ—itie 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 â—â—h 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 heaâ—e 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 Vigilanâ—ius S. Gregorie li. 3. Epist ep â—0 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 †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 †When thou shalt doe meruelous thinges we shal not sustayne thou art descended and at thy presence the mountaines are melted †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 †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 †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 †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 †And now Lord thou art our father and we clay and thou art our maker and al we the workes of thy handes †Be not angrie ô Lord ynough and remember no more our iniquitie loe regard al we are thy people †The citie of thy holie one is made desert Sion is made desert Ierusalem is become desolate †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 †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 †I haue spred foâ—th mine handes al the day to an incredulous people which goeth in a way not good after their owne cogitations †A people that prouoke me to anger before my face alwayes that immolate in gardens and sacrifice vpon brickes †That dwel in sepulchers and sleepe in temples of idols that eate swines flesh and profane potage in their vessels †That say
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 †What wil you contend with me in iudgement you haue al forsaken me saith our Lord. †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 †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 †Wil a virgin forget her ornament or a bride the stomacher of her brest but my people hath forgotten me innumerable daies †Why dost thou endeuour to shew thy way good to seeke loue which moreouer also hast taught thy malices to be thy wayes †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 †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 †How vile art thou become exceedingly iterating thy wayes and thou shalt be confounded of Aegypt as thou art confounded of Assur †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 †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 †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 †Therefore at the least from henceforth cal me thou art my father the guide of my virginitie †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 †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 †And I said when she had done al these thinges Returne to me and she returned not And Iuda her transgressing sister saw †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 †And with the facilitie of her fornication she contaminated the land and plaid the harlot with stone and wood †And in al these thinges Iuda her transgressing sister hath not returned to me in her whole hart but in falsehood saith our Lord. †And our Lord said to me The rebellious Israel hath iustified her soule in comparison of the transgressour Iuda †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 †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. †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 †And I wil geue you pastours according to my hart and they shal feede you with knowlege and doctrine †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 †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 †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 †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 †But as if a woman should contemne her louer so hath the house of Israel contemned me saith our Lord. †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 †Returne ye reuolting children and I wil heale your reuoltinges Behold we come to thee for thou art the Lord our God †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 †Confusion hath eaten the labour of our fathers from our youth thei◠flockes and their heards their sonnes and their daughters †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 †And thou shalt sweare Our Lord liueth in truth in iudgement and in iustice and the Gentiles shal blesse him shal praise him †For thus saith
our Lord to the man of Iuda and to Ierusalem Make vnto you new fallow ground sow not vpon thornes †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 †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 †lift vp the signe in Sion Take courege stand not because I do bring euil from the North ad great destruction †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 †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. †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 †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 †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 †A ful spirit from these shal come to me and now I wil speake my iudgement with them †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 †Wash thy hart from malice ô Ierusalem that thou maist be saued how long shal hurtful cogitations abide in thee †For a voice of one declaring from Dan and notifying the idol from mount Ephraim †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 †They are set vpon her round about as the keepers of fildes because she hath prouoked me to wrath saith our Lord. †Thy waies and thy cogitations haue done these thinges to thee this thy malice because it is bitter because it hath touched thy hart †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 †Destruction is called vpon destruction and al the earth is wasted my tentes are wasted quickly sodenly my skinnes †How long shal I see one that fleeth away shal I heare the voice of the trumpet †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 †I beheld the earth and loe it was voide and a thing of nothing and the heauens there was no light in them †I saw the mountaines loe they were moued al the little hilles were trubled †I beheld and there was not a man and euerie soule of the aâ—re was departed †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 †For thus saith our Lord Al the land shal be desolate but yet I wil not make a consummation †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 †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 †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 †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 †Yea if they say Our Lord liueth this also they wil sweare falsely †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 †But I said Perhaps they are poore foolish not knowing the way of the Lord the iudgement of their God †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 †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 †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 †They are become as amarous horses and stalions euerie one neyed at his neighbours wife †VVhy shal I not visite vpon these thinges saith our Lord and on such a nation shal not my soule take reuenge †Scale the walles therof and dissipate them but make not a consummation take away the branches therof because they are not the Lordes †For by preuarication hath the house of Israel preuaricated against me the house of Iuda saith our Lord. †They haue denied our Lord and saied It is not he neither shal the euil come vpon vs we shal not see sword famine †The prophets haue spoken into the wind there was no answer in them these things therfore shal happen to them †Thus saith our Lord the God of hostes Because you haue spoken this word behold I geue my wordes in thy mouth as fire
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 †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 †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 †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 †And in mount Sion shal be saluation and it shal be holie and the house of Iacob shal possesse those that had possessed them †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 †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 †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 †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 †Arise and goe into Niniue the great citie and preach in it because the malice therof is ascended before me †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. †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †And he sayd to them I am an Hebrew the Lord God of heauen I feare which made the sea and the drie land †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 †And they sayd to him What shal we do to thee and the sea shal cease from vs because the sea went and swelled †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 †And the men rowed to returne to the land and they were not able because the sea went and swelled vpon them †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 †And they tooke Ionas and cast him into the sea and the sea ceased from his rage †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 †And Ionas prayed to our Lord his God out of the bellie of the fish †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 †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 †And I sayd I am cast away from the sight of thine eyes but yet I shal see thy holie temple againe †The waters haue compassed me euen to the soule the depth hath inclosed me the sea hath couered my head †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 †When my soule was in distresse within me I remembred our Lord that my prayer may come to thee vnto thy holie temple †They that kepe vanities in vaine forsake their mercie †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. †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 †Arise goe into Niniue the great citie and preach in it the preaching which I speake to thee †And Ionas arose went into Niniue according to the word of our Lord Niniue was a great citie of three dayes iorney †And Ionas began to enter into the citie on dayes iorney he cried
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 †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 †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. †Your fathers where are they and the prophets shal they liue for euer †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. †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 †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 †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 †And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered sayd These are they whom our Lord sent to walke through the earth †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 †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 †And our Lord answered the Angel that spake in me good wordes comfortable wordes †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 †And with great anger am I angrie vpon the welthie nations because I was angrie a litle but they helped toward the euil †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 †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 †And I lifted vp mine eyes and saw and behold foure hornes †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 †And our Lord shewed me foure artificers †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 †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 †And behold the Angel that spake in me came forth and an other Angel went out to meete him †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 †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 †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. †O c Sion flee thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon †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 †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 †Prayse and reioyce ô daughter of Sion because loe I come and wil dwel in the middes of thee sayth our Lord. †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 †And our Lord wil possesse Iuda his portion in the sanctified land and he wil yet choose Ierusalem †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 †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 †And Iesus was clothed with filthie garments and he stood before the face of the Angel †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 †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 †And the Angel of our Lord contested Iesus saying †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 †Heare ô Iesus thou grand priest thou and thy frendes that dwel before thee because they are portending men for behold
them And Demetrius sate vpon the seate of his kingdom †and there came to him the wicked and impious men of Israel Alcimus the captaine of them who would be made the priest †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †And they attended not to their wordes for they saw that they came with a great armie †And there assembled to Alcimus Bacchides a congregation of the scribes to require the thinges that are iust †and first the Assideans that were in the children of Israel and they sought peace of them †for they sayd A man that is a priest of the seede of Aaron is come he wil not deceiue vs. †And he spake with-them peaceable wordes and he sware to them saying We wil doe you no harme nor your freindes †And they beleued him And he tooke of them threescore men and slew them in one day according to the word that is written †The flesh of thy saincts and the bloud of them they haue shed round about Ierusalem and there was none to burie them †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 †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 †And he committed the countrie to Alcimus and left with him ayde to helpe him And Bacchides went away to the king †and Alcimus did what he could for the principalitie of his priesthood †and there gathered together vnto him al that disturbed their people and the obteyned the land of Iuda made a great plague in Israel †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 †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 †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 †And the king sent Nicanor one of his nobler princes that practised emnities against Israel and he commanded him to destroy the people †And Nicanor came into Ierusalem with a great armie and he sent to Iudas and to his bretheren in peaceable wordes with guile †saying Let there be no fighting betwen me and you I wil come with few men to see your faces with peace †And he came to Iudas and they saluted one an other peaceably and the enemies were readie to catch Iudas †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 †And Nicanor knew that his counsel was disclosed and he went forth to Iudas into battel beside Capharsalama †And there fel of Nicanors armie almost fiue thousand men and they fled into the citie of Dauid †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 †And scorning he contemned them and polluted them and he spake proudly †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 †and the priests entered in and stood before the face of the altar and the temple and weeping they sayd †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 †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 †And Nicanor went out from Ierusalem and moued the campe neere to Bethhoron and the armie of Syria mette him †And Iudas approched in Adarsa with three thousand men and Iudas prayed and sayd †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 †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 †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 †And as his armie saw that Nicanor was slaine they threw away their weapons fled †and they pursewed them one dayes iorney from Adazer euen til ye come into Gazara and with trumpets they sounded after them with significations †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 †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 †And the people reioyced excedingly and they spent that day in great gladnes †And he ordayned that this day should be kept euerie yeare the thirtenth of the moneth Adar †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 †And he apprehended of the men of the countrie that were the principal of the mischife fiftie men and he slew them †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 †And Bacchides vnderstood it and gathered together al his multitude and sent word to them that were of Iurie †And he came and camped aboue Bethbessen and assaulted it manie dayes and made engins †And Ionathas left Simon his brother in the citie and went forth into the countrie and came with a number †and stroke Odares and his bretheren and the children of Phaseron in their tabernacles he began to slay and to grow in forces †But Simon and they that were with him went out of the citie and burnt the engins †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 †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 †And Ionathas vnderstood it and he sent vnto him legates to make peace with him and to render vnto him the captiues †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 †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 †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 †And Demetrius the king heard it and he gathered together an exceding great armie and went forth to meete him into battel †And Demetrius sent an epistle to Ionathas in peaceable wordes to magnifie him †For he sayd Let vs preuent to make peace with him before he make with Alexander against vs †for he wil remember al the euils that we haue done against him and against his brother and against his nation †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 †And Ionathas came into Ierusalem and read the epistles in the hearing of al the people and of them that were in the castle †And they feared with great feare because they heard that the king gaue him authoritie to gather an armie †And the hostages were deliuered to Ionathas he rendered them to their parents †And Ionathas dwelt in Ierusalem and began to build and to renew the citie †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 †And the Aliens fled that were in the holdes which Bacchides had built †and euerie man left his place and departed into his owne countrie †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 †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 †and he sayd Why shal we find any such man and now we wil make him a freind our felow †And he wrote an epistle sent it to him according to these wordes saying †KING Alexander to his brother Ionathas greeting †We haue heard of thee that thou art mightie of powre and art meete to be our freind †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. †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 †And Demetrius heard these wordes and was exceding sorie and sayd †What is this that we haue done that Alexander hath preuented vs to take the frendshippe of the Iewes for his strength †I also wil write to them wordes of request and dignities and gifts that they may be with me to ayde me †And he wrote to them in these wordes KING Demetrius to the nation of the Iewes greeting †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 †And now perseuere stil to keepe fidelitie towards vs we wil reward you with good thinges â—or that you haue done with vs. †And we wil remitte you manie charges and wil geue you manie gifts †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 †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 †and let Ierusalem be holie and free with the coasts therof and the tithes tributes be they to it †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 †And euerie soule of the Iewes that is
Isaac and Iacob and of Osee and Amos and of Ioel and Abdias and Ionas and Michaeas †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 †Their mother that bare them sayth to them Goe children because I am a wydow and forsaken †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 †But now what shal I doe to you I am a wydow and desolate goe my children aske mercie of our Lord. †And I cal thee ô father a witnes vpon the mother of the children that would not keepe my testament †that thou geue them confusion their mother into spoile that there be no generation of them †Let their names be dispersed into the Gentiles let them be destroyed out of the land because they haue despised my sacrament †Woe be to thee Assur which hidest the wicked with thee Thou naughtie nation remember what I did to Sodom Gomorrha †whose land lieth in cloddes of pitch heapes of ashes so wil I make them that haue not heard me saith our Lord omnipotent †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 †And I wil take to me the glorie of them and wil geue them eternal tabernacles which I had prepared for them †The wood of life shal be to them for an odour of oyntment and they shal not labour nor be wearied †Goe you shal receiue Aske for your selues a few dayes that they may abide Now the kingdom is prepared for you watch ye †Cal thou heauen and earth to witnes for I haue destroyed euil and haue created good because I liue sayth our Lord. †Mother embrace thy children bring them vp with ioy As a doue confirme their feete because I haue chosen thee sayth our Lord. †And I wil raise agalâ—e the dead out of their places and out of the monumentes I wil bring them forth because I haue knowen my name in Israel †Feare not ô mother of the children because I haue chosen tâ—ee faith our Lord. †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 †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 †Iustifie thou the widow iudge for the pupil geue to the needie defend the orphane cloth the naked †cure the broken feeble mocke not the lame defend the maimed and admitte the blind to the vision of my glorie †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 †Pause and rest my people because thy rest shal come †As a good nurce nourish thy children confirme their feete †The seruantes that I haue geuen thee none of them shal perish For I wil require them of thy number †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 †The gentiles shal enuie and shal be able to doe nothing against thee sayth our Lord. †My handes shal couer thee that thy children see not hel †Be pleasant thou mother with thy children because I wil deliuer thee sayth our Lord. †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 †Embrace thy children til I come shew them mercie because my fountaines runne ouer and my grace shal not faile †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. †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 †Be ye readie for the rewardes of the kingdom because perpetual light shal shine to you for time euerlasting †Flee from the shadow of this world receiue ye the pleasantnes of your glorie I openly cal to witnes my sauiour †Receiue the commended gift and be pleasant geuing thankes to him that called you to the heauenlie kingdomes †Arise stand see the number of them that are signed in the feast of our Lord. †They that haue transferred them selues from the shadow of the world haue receiued glorious garmentes of our Lord. †Receiue ô Sion thy number and shut vp thyne made white which haue accomplished the law of our Lord. †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 †I Esdras saw in mount Sion a great multitude which I could not number and they did al prayse our Lord with songes †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 †Then asked I an Angel and sayd Who are these Lord †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 †And I sayd to the Angel That yongman what is he which putteth the crownes vpon them and geueth palmes into their handes †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 †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
Babylon and was trubled lying in my chamber and my cogitations came vp ouer my hart †because I saw the desolation of Sion and the abundance of them that dwelt in Babylon †And my spirit was tossed excedingly and I began to speake to the highest timorous wordes †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 †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 †and thou broughst him into paradise which thy right hand had planted before the earth came †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 †And euerie nation walked in their owne wil they did meruelous thinges before thee and despised thy preceptes †And agane in time thou broughst in the floud vpon inhabitantes of the world and didst destroy them †And there was made in euery one of them as vnto Adam to dye so to them the floud †But thou didst leaue one of them Noe with his house and of him were al the iust †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 †And it came to passe when they did iniquitie before thee thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham †And thou didst loue him and to him on lie thou didst shew thy wil. †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 †And Iacob thou didst seuer to thy selfe but Esau thou didst separate And Iacob grewe to a great multitude †And it came to passe when thou didst bring forth his sede out of Aegypt thou broughst it vpon mount Sinai †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 †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 †And thou didst not take away from them a malignant hart that thy law might bring forth fruite in them †For Adam the first bearing a viâ—ious hart transgressed and was ouercome yea and al that were borne of him †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 †And the times passed the yeares were ended and thou didst raise vp vnto thee a seruant named Dauid †and spakest vnto him to build a citie of thy name and to offer vnto thee in it frankencense and oblations †And this was done manie yeares and they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee †in al things as Adam and al his generations For they also vsed a wicked hart †And thou didst deliuer thy citie into the hands of thyne enimies †Why doe they better thinges that inhabite Babylon And for this shal she rule ouer Sion †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 †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 †I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken doth Babylon better thinges then Sion †Or hath anie nation knowen thee beside Israel or what tribes haue beleued thy testamentes as Iacob †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 †Now therfore wey our iniquities in a ballance and theirs that dwel in the world thy name shal not be found but in Israel †Or when haue not they sinned in thy sight that inhabite the earth or what nation hath so obserued thy commandmentes †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 †and sayd to me Thy hart exceding hath exceded in this world thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest †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 †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 †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 †And I answered and sayd what man borne can doe it that thou askest me of these thinges †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 †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 †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 †And he sayd to me Thou canst not know the thinges that are thine which grow together with thee †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 †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 †And he answered me said Going forth I went forward to a wood of trees in the filde and they deuised a deuise †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 †and it shal be sought of manie and shal not be found and iniustice shal be multiplied and incontinencie vpon the earth †And one countrie shal aske her neighbour and shal say Hath iustice doing iust passed through thee and she shal denie it †And it shal be in that time men shal hope and shal not obtaine they shal labour and their wayes shal not haue successe †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 †And I awaked and my bodie did shiuer excedingly and my soule laboured that it fainted †and the Angel that came that spake in me held me and strengthened me and sette me vpon my feete †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 †Konwest thou not that Israel is committed to thee in the countrie of their transmigration †Rise vp therfore and taste bread and forsake vs not as the pastour his flocke in the hand of wicked wolues †And I sayd to him Goe from me approch not vnto me And he heard as I sayd and he departed from me †And I fasted seuen dayes howling weeping as Vriel the Angel commanded me †And it came to passe after seuen dayes and againe cogitations of my hart molested me very much †and my soule resumed the spirit of vnderstanding agayne I began to speake wordes before the Highest †and I sayd Lord Dominatour of euerie wood of the earth al the trees therof thou hast chosen one vineyard †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 †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 †and of al created soules thou hast named thee one doue and of al beastes that were made thou hast prouided thee one shepe †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 †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 †and they haue troden vpon it which gainesayd thy couenants and which beleued not thy testamentes †And if hating thou hatest thy people it ought to be chastised with thy handes †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 †and he sayd to me Heare me and I wil instruct thee and harken to me and I wil adde before thee †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †And I sayd Lord Dominatour for who is there that can know these thinges but he that hath not his habitation with men †And I am vnwise and how can I speake of these thinges which thou hast asked me †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †And I sayd it can not verily but according to time †And he sayd to me And I haue geuen a matrice to the earth for them that are sowen vpon it by time †For as the infant bringeth not forth the thinges that perteyne to the aged so haue I disposed the world created of me †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 †And he answered me and sayd Aske her that beareth children and she wil tel thee †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 †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 †Consider therfore thou also that you are of lesse stature then they that were before you †and they that are after you of lesser then you as it were creatures now waxing old and past the strength of youth †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 †For then euery man and now the creator in this world prepared and haruest not fayling and law vnsearchable their manners are corrupted †And I considered the world and behold there was danger because of the cogitations that came in it †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 †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 †And thou if thou adde yet seuen other dayes but thou shalt not fast in them †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 †Pray to the Highest without intermission and I wil come and wil speake with thee †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 †And it came to passe after seuen dayes and I sate downe vpon the grasse and my hart was trubled agayne as before †And my mouth was opened and I beganne to speake before the Highest and sayd †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 †Thou Israel heare me and sede of Iacob attend to my wordes †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 †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 †For they that receiued it perished not keeping that which had bene sowen in them †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 †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. †We in dede that receiued the law sinning haue perished and our hart that receiued it †For the law hath not perished but hath remayned in his labour †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 †And I left the cogitations wherin I was thinking and I turned to her and sayd to her †Why weepest thou and why art thou sorie in mynde And she sayd to me †Suffer me my Lord that I may lament myselfe adde sorrow because I am of a very pensiue mynde and am humbled exceedingly †And I sayd to her What ayleth thee tel me And she sayd to me †I thy seruant haue beene barren and haue not borne childe hauing a husband thirty yeares †For I euery howre and euerie day and these thirty yeares do beseche the Highest night and day †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 Sâ—rong exceedingly †And I nourished him with much labour †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 reioyâ—ing AND it came to passe when my sonne was entred into his inner chamber he fel downe and dyed †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 †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 â—eest into this field †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 †And I left the talke wherin I was and with anger answered her sayd †Thou foole aboue al wemen seest thou not our mourning what thinges chance to vs †Because Sion our mother is sorroweful with al sorrowe and humbled and mourneth most bitterly †And now wheras we al mourne and are sadde wheras we aâ—e sorrowful and art thou sorrowful for one sonne †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 †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 †And who then ought to mourne more but she that hath lost so great a multitude rather then thou which art sorie for one †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 †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 †as thou hast brought forth with payne so the earth also geueth her fruite for man from the beginning to him that made her †Now therfore kepe in with thy sorrowe and beare stoutly the chances that haue be fallen thee †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 †Goe in therfore into the citie to thy husband And she sayd to me †I wil not doe it neither wil I enter into the citie but here wil I dye †And I added yet to speake to her sayd †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 †For thou seest that our sanctification is made desert and our altar is throwen downe and our temple is destroyed †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 †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. †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 †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 †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 †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 †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 †And when I was speaking these thinges behold he came to me and sawe me †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 †What ayleth thee and why is thy vnderstanding and the sense of thy hart trubled why art thou trubled And I sayd †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 †Stand like a man I wil moue thee And I sayd †Speake thou my Lord in me forsake me not that I die not in vaine †because I haue seene thinges that I knew not I doe heare thinges that I know not †Or is my sense deceiued doth my soule dreame †Now therfore I besech thee that thou shew vnto thy seruant concerning this trance And he answered me sayd †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 †He hath seene thy right way that without intermission thou was sorrowful for thy people and didst mourne exceedingly for Sion †This therfore is the vnderstanding of the vision which appeared to thee a litle before †The woman whom thou sawest mourning thou beganst to comfort her †And now thou seest not the forme of the woman but there appeared to thee a citie to be built †And because she tolde thee of the fal of her sonne this is the interpretation †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 †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 †And it came to passe after thirtie yeares Salomon built the citie and offered oblations then it was when the barren bare a childe †And that which she sayd vnto thee that she nourished him with labour this was the habitation in Ierusalem †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 †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 †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 †For therfore did he say to thee that thou shoulest tarie in a field where house is not built †For I knew that the Highest beganne to shew thee these thinges †therfore I sayd vnto thee that thou shouldest goe into a field where is no fundation of building †For the worke of mans building could not be borne in the place where the citie of the Highest began to be shewed †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 †afterward thou shalt heare as much as the hearing of thyne eares is capable to heare †For thou art blessed aboue manie and art called with the Highest as few †And to morrow night thou shalt tarie here †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 †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 〈…〉 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 †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 †And I saw and of her fethers sprang contrarie fethers and they became litle winges and smale †For her heades were at rest and the midle head was greater then the other heades but she rested with them †And I saw and behold the eagle flew with her winges and reigned ouer the earth and ouer them that dwel in it †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 †And I saw and behold the eagle rose vp vpon her talons and made a voice with her winges saying †Watch not al together sleepe euerie one in his place watch according to time †But let the heades be preserued to the last †And I saw and behold the voice came not out of her heades but from the middes of her bodie †And I numbered her contrarie winges and behold they were eight †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 conâ—ider 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 odoriâ—erous 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 â—â—â— 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 Lâ—tanies 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. â—â— Exo. â—â— Num. â—â— 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
Mystically the Gentiles were iudged by Salomon better then the Iewes S. Ierom. :: Base vicions meâ— mixt with the good corrups the whole companie much more a mortal sinne in a mans soule destroyeth al the vertues that were there before :: Euil men aduanced seme to prosper :: But they fal into their owne trappes :: Such as seke by sense and reason to obtaine true knowlege enter not into the citie the Church They labour in vaine and are afflicted in studie of Scriptures when they walke in the desert and can not finde the citie S. Ierom. This text and manie others haue two senses 1. In kinges and al superiors are required mature age diligent care of the coÌ„mon good 2. Antiquitie in matter of faith and religion is to be folowed not noueltie Iya. 8. Dan 7. Apoc. 1. Iere. 1. Also mortification and labour is required in Pastors not delicacie nor ease The B. Virgin Marie more free from sinne then the Patriarches Cant. 2. The 3. part An exhortation to beginne quickly and perseuere in Gods seruice a Of al vertues the workes of mercie corporal and spiritual most auaile for obtaining eternal felicitie Mat. 25. b So the same be grounded in true faith beleuing al that is written in the old and new testament signified by seuen eight c After deâ—th none ca 〈…〉 either â—â—erite or demerite d Both in youth and old age do good workes :: An admonition to al in general to liue wel in this world remembring the day of general iudgement before which such signes shal come as are described here and by our Sauiour Mat. 24. And likewise euerie one is admonished in particular to serue God diligently whiles he hath time before death come when al his senses former helpes shal faile * The preachet :: This is the brife summe of al proficable doctrine Feare God kepe his commandments * Hidden or obscure thing Proem in Eccle. King Salomon according to his three names writte and intitled his three bookes Salomon Pacifier king of Israel Ecclesiastes Preacher king of Ierusalem Idida Beloued This Canticle doth excel other Canticles Al are not mete to read it Heb. 5. Best methode in lerning is to beginne with doctrine of good life then studie to know natural thinges and finally contemplate diuine mysteries A sacred dialogue or Enterlude * Forma dramatis God Christ the Spous or Bridgrome Three spouses The General The special and Singular Ephes 5. Origen S. Ierom. S. Aug. lib. 8. de Gen. adli S. Greg. S. Beda S. Tho. Aâ—bor Geneb Del Rio. The particular contents are sette in the margent of euerie chapter a The Church of the old testament desireth Christs coming in flesh and the Christian Church prayeth for his coming in glorie b The Church outwardly afflicted is inwardly fayre c Christ encorageth his spouse the Church d She meditateth of his Passion and Resurrection e Christ praiseth his spouse f She againe praiseth him g VVith thankes for her repose and present consolation a Christ professeth himself the floure of mankinde yea Lord of al creatures b The Church excelleth al other societies In the Church the godlie excel sinners Among the innocent and holie the virgin Marie surpasseth al. c The Church praising Christ resteth secure vnder his protectioÌ„ d He for the weakes sake permitteth her not to be molested til she be prepared to suffer vvith patience e She feeling Christs assistance confesseth preacheth boldly his Gospel truth against al Paganes and Heretikes f VVho though he shew not himself visibly g yet encorageth her to approch vnto him h commandeth his pastors to destroy heresies i And so she reposeth in him a The Church finding Christ not in darke ignorance nor in philosophie but by his reueâ—ling him selfe to her holdeth him for euer b euen til the lewes shal at last also find him c Christ speaketh as before ch 2. v. 7 d The Church of Christ admireth her owne conuersion from Gentilitie e now ful of good workes f She also professeth that the ascending to eternal rest is by fighting manfully in obseruing the ten commandments in the six dayes of this life g euen to bloud if nedâ— be h which is the highest degree of charitie i And inuiteth al others to come vnto Christ k who in the flesh which he tooke of his mother was crowned in heauen after his Passion a Christ againe praiâ—eth the beautie of his Church b Sincere and simple intention c Al her temporal occupations directed to Gods glorie d Pastors who like nurces geue bread of good doctrine to litle ones e Faith and good workes f Preaching Christs passion g And not ashamed to professe Christ Crucified h Administration of Sacraments wherby the Church Christs mystical bodie is ioyned to him her head i which is an inexpugnable fortresse k Both Iewes and Gentiles are fed with the principles of Christian doctrin l Christ dwelleth in mortified and deuout mindes m The Church triumphant is without spotte and euerie particular soule entring into heauen the B virgin mother was also in this life alwayes immaculate n Al tentations whether they be in manifest crueltie or in flatering sureltie make constant soules more gratful to God a The spouse condescending to Gods vvil is vvel content to suffer persecution b Christ againâ— shevveth his good liking in his spouses patience c and vvilleth the glorious Sainctes to congratulate vvith the patient d The spouse desireth to rest in meditation e but is called vpon to helpe others f and vrged by Christs owne example working for al mankind g And so she imployeth herself also in actiue life h Stil conseruing a desire to returne vnto contemplation i The deuout confer together describing the excellencies of Christ k And resolue to seke him whersoeuer he be a The Church teacheth her children that Christ is delighted with the godlie desires and fructful vvorkes of the faithful b Christ gâ—â—â—â—e commendeth his Church wel composed of distinct orders some gouerning some retired in cloâ—sters from this world the rest also exercising vvorkes of mercie in the trubles of this life al together making a complete armie terrible to al enimies c The more anie contemplate Gods Maiestie the better they perceiue that he is incomprensensible d Manie true pastores e more hyrelinges that also preach truth but for temporal commoditie f And innumerable faithful soules in the Church g Al vvhich are but one bodie in vnitie of â—aith h The voice of the old synagogue admiring the beautie of Christs Church i The Church of Christ exhorteth the Synagogue of the Ievves to returne to Christ a Christ interposeth his commendation of the Ievves vvho at last shal returne to him vvith great seruoure of faith and deuotion b And so iointly praiseth his Church consisting of both peoples c The Church as it vvere taking the vvoid out of Christs mouth vvhiles he
spiritual Et cont Mend. c. 1â— â—â—â—ym in Pâ—al 1â—7 VVhy God would haue them obscure Isai of noble lineage and a marâ—iâ— prophecied a long time Presat ad Paul Lusto Is called the Euangelical Prophet Hewritte in a high stile S. Ieâ—o Epist ad Paâ—â—â—â— Et in com Isaâ— S. Aug. â—â— 18. c. 27. â—uâ—t lib 9 c. â— conâ—â—â—â— 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 Aâ—â—s 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 successâ—â—s :: 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 aâ—d 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 â—oly 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 Proâ—mio 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 loâ—â—â— 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 â—l 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 â—â—acted :: 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 coÌ„mon 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
Ieremie prophecied ch 24. v. 9. I vvil geue them into reproch to be a parable and a prouerb c. :: Iewes by their sinnes prouoking God to punish them with captiuitie gaue occasion that other nations said God could not defend his people blaspheming against his powre when he exercised iustice :: Rabbi Dauid the Chaldee Paraphrasis expound this place of remission of sinne And al Christian Doctors vnderstand it of Baptisme which in dede is in water clensing sinnes Ephes 5. v. 26. â—it 3. v 5. :: An euident text that by Gods grace some men do kepe the commandments :: A duble prophecie of two great benefits the reduction of the Iewes from captiuitie and of the Gentiles from idolatrie to Christ wherein also is included the mysterie of resurrection a One cause of distrust that the people of Israel should not be restored from captiuitie was because they were like to drie bones b Secondly they had al generally lost their hope of restitution c Thirdly they semed like to trees or plantes cut of at the very root d Yet God by his powre and goodnes restored them e Before Christ ioyned the Gentils to his Church he first vnited the two kingdoms of Iuda Israel signifying that Catholiques which labour for conuersion of heretikes as now in England must first agree amongst themselues then shal their endeuoures be more effectual For so al shal sooner be made one fold vnder one shepheard :: Fulfilled by Christ the good Pastor who bringeth al nations into one folde vnder one pastor Ioan. 10. v. 16. :: Gog signifying hid or couered was the common surname of the Scithian kinges :: Mâ—gog out of the hid were the people and adherents of Gog persecuting the faithful :: Alluding to those that endeuoured to spoyle and oppresse the Iewes after their relaxation from captiuitie he prophecieth of Antichrist and al heretikes that seeke to peruert or to suppresse Catholique Christians who are deliuered rom the bondage of the diuel by Baptisme and other Sacraments of Christ :: Antichrist signified by Gog shal persecute the Church nere the end of the vvorld :: In euerie part of the vniuersal Church God wil at last destroy Antichrists powre confounding him and al his adherentes Gog and Magog the king and kingdom of Scithia Gâ—â— 10. Signifying al persecuters of the Church especially Antichrist Psal â— Isa 11. Dan. 1â— VVho shal be destroyed :: Antichrist persecuting the Church in al partes of the world shal be resisted by some in euerie place and at last vanquished :: Not vvith material fire but with zele and â—eruour Catholiques shal resist him and finally ouercome him :: Gods people vvere not made captiues by the povvre of their enimies as if God could not defend them but by his permission for punishment of their sinnes Foure expositions of this vision 1. Of the temple and citie reedified after the captiuitie 2. That Messias shal build a material temple and citie 3. That this prophetical vision was conditional ch 18 v. 23. ch 33. v. â—1 4. That it cannot al be expounded according to the historie but only mystically The fift part Restauration of the temple vvith thinges perteyning therto more especially the glorie of the Church militant triumphant :: Into the destroyed citie of Ierusalem :: Mount Sion :: called exceding heigh mystically in that it signifieth the Church of Christ for historically Sion vvas not so exceding hiegh :: In the Hebrevv text in the Chaldee Paraphrasis in the 70. Interpreters it is thus of six cubites in a cubite and a palme to signifie that these cubites vsed in measuring sacred thinges conteyned six palmes vvheras the ordinarie cubite conteineth but fiue palmes See ch 43. v. 13. :: Larger within then without to spread the light within the place to auoide the danger of hurt from abrode as the windowes of Salomons temple 3. Reg. 6. as also in casties and towres is commonly vsed In explicating this vision by reason of the obscuritie is great varietie amongst the expositors but al agree that God here reueled to the prophet that he vvil reward the good tevvitte in the old Testament temporally in the nevv spiritually first vvith grace in this life and with eternal glorie in life euerlasting :: To the gates of the vtter vval vvas ascent of seuen steppes but of the inner vval v. 32. of eight steppes to signifie that mâ—â—e perfection is required in the new Testament then was in the old for vvhich more grace is geuen and better revvard S. Greg. :: For that the pillers are not measured it semeth they were of the same height and bignes as the former vvere built by Salomon 3. Reg. 7. v. 1â— :: This description of the temple order of priesthood vvith the partition and fertilitie of the land is much more excellent then was in Salomons time the new temple reedified by Zorobabel was much meaner then Salomons and therfore this prophecie as likevvise the prophecies of Aggeus Zacharias cannot be vnderstood of the temple in Ierusalem but of the Church of Christ S. Ierom in ch 40 Ezec. S. Aug. li 18. c. 45. ciuit :: In the vval of the temple vvere interchangeably painted a Cherub signifying knovvlege a palmetree signifying victorie representing to men that they must be instructed in diuine knowlege â—o sight for victorie :: Signifying our Sauiour vvho in his humanitie suffered miseries but as a lion ouercame al enimies S. Ierom finding the Hebrevv text and the 70. interpreters and others to differ not only in vvordes but also in the sense explicating as semed to him most probable auoucheth vvithal that saying of Socrates Sciâ— quodnescio I knovv that I do not â—novv anie thing perfectly For it is a part of knovvlege saith he to â—novv that thou art ignorant :: Al the world is lightned by the preaching of Christs Apostles and their successors and the triumphant Church shal perfectly shine vvhen that vvhich is so vvne iâ— corruption â—hal â—â—â—e in incorruption â—â— c. 1. Cor. 1â— S. Ierom. S. Thomas also exponndeth this place of the â— virgin conceiuing the Sonne of God p 3. q 27. a 3. ch 9. ch 1. :: God hath left the house of the Ievves desolate â—aâ— 23. v. 38 but remaineth vvith the Church of Christ al dayes to the end of the vvorld Mat 28 v. 2â— And the perfect impolluted Church vvithout spoâ— or vvâ—â—ncle Eph 5 v. 27. is only the 〈…〉 hant Church :: The sacred cubite or cubite vsed in sacred thinges was longer then the common cubite by one palme :: The altar is called Ariel the lion of God because fire sometimes descending from God vpon the altar consumed the sacrifice as a lion consumeth his praye S. Ierom. S. Ierom expoundeth this of the hardnes of scripture which no man vnderstaÌ„ndeth fully but the sonne of God Mat. 11. v. 27. Likevvise of of our B. Ladie a perpeâ—ual virgin also