Idumea †Wil t not thou ô God which hast repelled vs and wilt not thou goeforth ô God in our hoastes †Geue vs helpe out of tribulation because mans saluation is vayne †In God we shal doe strength and he wil bring our enemies to nothing PSALME CVIII Christ by the mouth of Dauid requesteth of God to be iustly declared innocent and his enimies punished 6. particularly describing Iudas the traitors malice 21. and his owne temporal afflictions 26. prayeth 30. and praiseth God for his deliuerie †Vnto the end a Psalme of Dauid O God conceale not my prayse because the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man is open vpon me †They haue spoken against me with deceitful tongue and with wordes of hatred they haue compassed me and they haue impugned me without cause †For that they should loue me they backbited me but I prayed †And they set against me euil thinges for good and hatred for my loue Appoint a sinner ouer him and let the diuel stand on his righthand †When he is iudged let him comeforth condemned and let his prayer be turned into sinne †Let his dayes be made fewe and let an other take his bishopricke †Let his children be made orphans and his wife a widow †Let his children be transported wandering and let them begge and let them be cast out of their habitations †Let the vsurer search al his substance and let strangers spoile his labours †Let there be none to helpe him neither let there be anie to haue pittie on his pupilles †Let his children come to destruction in one generation let his name be cleane put out †Let the iniquitie of his fathers returne to memorie in the sight of our Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be blotted out †Let them be before our Lord alwayes and let the memorie of them perish out of the earth †For that he remembred not to doe mercie †And he persecuted the poore and needie man and the compunct in hart to kil him †And he loued cursing and it shal come to him and he would not blessing and it shal be far from him And he put on cursing as a garment and it entred as water into his inner partes and as oile in his bones †Be it to him as a garment wherwith he is couered and as a girdle wherwith he is alwayes girded †This is the worke of them that detract from me before our Lord and that speake euils against my soule †And thou Lord Lord doe with me for thy names sake because thy mercie is swete Deliuer me †because I am needie and poore and my hart is trubled within me †As a shadow when it declineth am I taken away and I am shaken as locustes †My knees are weakened with fasting and my flesh is changed by reason of oile †And I am made a reproch to them they saw me and wagged their heades †Helpe me ô Lord my God saue me according to thy mercie †And let them know that this is thy hand and thou ô Lord hast done it †They wil curse and thou shalt blesse let them that rise vp against me be confounded but thy seruant shal reioyce †Let them that detract from me be clothed with shame and let them be couered with their confusion as with a duble patched cloke †I wil confesse to our Lord excedingly with my mouth and in the middes of manie I wil prayse him †Because he hath stood on the righthand of the poore that he might saue my soule from the persecutors PSALME CIX Christ rising and ascending into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God 2. beginning in Ierusalem reigneth in the Church of the whole earth 4. vseth the Priesthood of Melchisedechs order to the end of the world 6. and shal iudge the world †A psalme of Dauid OVR Lord sayd to my Lord Sitte on my right hand til I make thine enemies thy footestoole of thy feete †Our Lord wil sendforth the rod of thy strength from Sion rule thou in the middes of thine enemies †With thee the beginning in the day of thy strength in the brightnes of holie thinges from the wombe before the day starre I begat thee †Our Lord sware and it shal not repent him Thou art “ a Priest for euer “ according to the order of Melchisedech †Our Lord on thy righthand hath broken kinges in the day of his wrath †He shal iudge in nations he shal fil ruines he shal crush the heads in the land of manie †Of the torrent in the way he shal drinke therfore shal he exalt the head ANNOTATIONS CIX 4. A Priest for euer In two respectes Christ is a Priest for euer in that from the first instant of his incarnation he was and remaneth a Priest now also in heauen and al other Priestes are his ministerial vicares not successors So that al priestlie functions which they doe he by them doth the same as the principal Priest VVherupon saith S. Paul 1. Cor 4. So let a man thincke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God Secondly Christ dayly offering Sacrifice by the handes of his Priestes doth continually pacifie Gods wrath in behalf of those sinners for whom it is duly applied euen to the end of the world VVheras the Priesthood of Aaron and of al others in the old Testament ceassed by their deathes both in the office and in the effect 4 According to the order of Melchisedech As Melchisedech king of peace and iustice without father mother or genealogie expressed in holie Scriptures or otherwise knowen to the world was Priest or the Hieghest offered bread and wine an vnbloudie sacrifice communicating with both Chananeites and Hebrewes blessed Abraham and tooke tithes of him and his subiectes so Christ the true King of peace iustice without father of his humanity without mother of his Diuinitie the Sonne of God of ineffable genealogie borne of a virgin in his humanitie the Priest of God offereth Sacrifice not only bloudie on the Crosse but also vnbloudie in the formes of bread and wine continueth the same by the ministerie of other Priestes maketh al nations partakers therof blesseth them and receiueth of them al dutiful and rellgious seruice as of his subiectes PSALME CX Praise of God for benefites 4. especially for the B. Sacrament of the Eucharist 6 with other graces imperted to the Catholique Church Alleluia I Wil confesse to thee ô Lord with al my hart in the counsel of the iust and b the congregation †The workes of our Lord are great exquisite according to al his willes †Confession and magnificence his worke
slaine the peoples hoste pray for them as our Lord hath coÌ„manded †And forthwith Aaron approching to the altar immolated the calfe for his sinne †the bloud wherof his sonnes brought to him wherin dipping his finger he touched the hotnes of the altar and poured the rest at the foote therof †And the fatte and the litle kidneis and the caule of the liuer which are for sinne he burnt vpon the altar as our Lord had commanded Moyses †but the flesh and skinne therof he burnt with fire without the campe †He immolated also the victime of holocaust and his sonnes brought him the bloud therof which he poured in the circuite of the altar †The hoste also it selfe being cut into peeces they brought with the head and euerie member Al which he burnt with fire vpon the altar †hauing first washed the entralles and the feete with water †And offering for the sinne of the people he slew the bucke goat and expâ—ating the altar †he made the holocaust †adding in the sacrifice the libaments which are offered withal and burning them vpon the altar be side the ceremonies of the morning holocaust †He immolated also the oxe and the ramme the pacifique hostes of the people and his sonnes brought him the bloud which he poured vpon the altar round about †The fatte also of the oxe and the rump of the ramme and the two little kindneis with their fatte and the caule of the liuer †they put vpon the brests and after the fatte was burnt vpon the altar †their brests and the right shoulders Aaron did seperate eleuating them before our Lord as Moyses had commanded †And stretching forth his hand to the people he blessed them And so the hostes for sinne and the holocaustes and the pacifiques being finished he descended †And Moyses and Aaron going into the tabernacle of testimonie and afterward comming forth blessed the people And the glorie of our Lord appeared to al the multitude †and behold a fire coming forth from our Lord deuoured the holocaust and the fatte that was vpon the altar Which thing when the multitude had senne they praised our Lord falling on their faces CHAP. X. Nadab and Abiu the sonnes of Aaron for offering strange fire are burnt to death and cast out of the campe 6. for whom the people mourne but not the Priests 8. Priests are forbid to drinke wine when they enter into the tabernacle 12. and are commanded to eate the residew of oblations in the holie place 16. which this timein part they omitted and are excused being sorowful for that vvhich happened to Nadab and Abiu AND Nadab and Abiu the sonnes of Aaron catching censors did put in fire and incense therupon offering before our Lord strange fire which was not commanded them †And fire comming forth from our Lord deuoured them and they dyed before our Lord. †And Moyses said to Aaron This is it which our Lord hath spoken I wil be sanctified in them that approch to me and in tbe sight of al the people I wil be glorified Which Aaron hearing held his peace †And Moyses calling Misael and Elisaphan the sonnes of Oziel the vncle of Aaron said to them Goe and take away your bretheren from the sight of the Sanctuarie and carie them without the campe †And going forthwith they tooke them as they lay reuested with linnen tunikes did cast them forth as it had bene commanded them †And Moyses spake to Aaron to Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes Vncouer not your heades and rent not your vestiments lest perhaps you die and indignation come vpon al the assemblie Let your brethren and al the house of Israel lament the burning that our Lord hath raised †and your selues shal not goe out of the dore of the tabernacle otherwise you shal perish for the oyle of holie vnction is vpon you Who did al thinges according to the precept of Moyses †Our Lord also said to Aaron †Wine and anie thing that may make drunke you shal not drinke thou and thy sonnes when you enter into the tabernacle of testimonie lest you die because it is an euerlasting precept through your generations †And that you may haue knowledge to discerne betwen the holie and prophane betwen the polluted and cleane †and may teach the children of Israel al my ordinances which the Lord hath spoken to them by the hand of Moyses †And Moyses spake to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes that were left Take the sacrifice that is remayning of the oblation of our Lord and eate it without leauen beside the altar because it is Holie of holies †And you shal eate it in a holie place which is giuen to thee and thy sonnes of the oblations of our Lord as it hath bene commanded me †The brest also that is offered and the shoulder that is seperated you shal eate in a most cleane place thou and thy sonnes and thy daughters with thee For they are laid apart for thee and thy children of the healthful hostes of the children of Israel †because the shoulder and the the brest and the fatte that is burnt on the altar they haue eleuated before our Lord and they pertaine to thee and to thy sonues by a perpetual lawe as our Lord hath commanded †Among these thinges when Moyses sought for the bucke goate that had bene offered for sinne he found it burnt and being angrie against Eleazar and Ithamar the sonnes of Aaron that remained he said †Why did you not eate the hoste for sinne in a holie place which is most Holie and geuen to you that you may beare the iniquitie of the multitude and may pray for it in the sight of our Lord †especially wheras of the bloud therof there hath not bene caried within the holie places and you ought to haue eaten it in the Sanctuarie as it was commanded me †Aaron answered This day hath bene offered the victime for sinne and the holocaust before our Lord and to me that is chanced which thou seest how could I eate it or please our Lord in ceremonies hauing a sorowful hart †Which when Moyses had heard he was satisfied with his answere CHAP. XI The distinction of cleane and vncleane in beastes fish birdes and other things 43. With commandment to be holie and impolluted AND our Lord spake to Moyses and Aaron saying †Say to the children of Israel These are the beasts which you ought to eate of al the liuing things of the earth †Euerie one that hath the hoofe diuided and cheweth the cudde among the cattel you shal eate †But whatsoeuer in dede cheweth the cudde and hath an hoofe but diuideth it not as the camel and others that you shal not eate and among the vncleane you shal repute it †Cherogril which cheweth the cudde and diuideth not the hoofe is vncleane †The hare also for that also cheweth
might be your God CHAP. XVI Core and his complices making schisme against Moyses and Aaron 31. some are swalowed in the earth with their families and substance 35. other two hundred and fiftie offering incense 41. and fourtene thousand seuen hundred of the common people murmuring in behalfe of the sedicious are consumed with fire from heauen AND behold Core the sonne of Isaar the sonne of Caath the sonne of Leui and Dathan and Abiron the sonnes of Eliab Hon also the sonne of Pheleth of the children of Ruben †“ rose against Moyses and other of the children of Israel two hundred fiftie men princes of the synagogue and which in the time of assemblie were called by name †And when they had stoode vp against Moyses and Aaron they said Let it suffice you that al the multitude consisteth of holie ones and our Lord is among them Why lift you vp your selues aboue the people of our Lord †Which when Moyses had heard he fel flatte on his face †and speaking to Core and al the multitude he said In the morning our Lord wil make it knowne who pertaine to him and the holie the wil ioyne to him selfe and whom he shal choose they shal approch to him †This do therfore Take euerie man their censars thou Core and al thy councel †and taking fire in them to morrow put vpon it incense before our Lord and whom soeuer he shal choose the same shal be holie you do much exalt your selues ye sonnes of Leui. †And he said againe to Core Heare ye sonnes of Leui †Is it a smal thing vnto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from al the people and ioyned you to him selfe that you should serue him in the seruice of the tabernacle and should stand before the ful assemblie of the people and should minister to him †did he therfore make thee and al thy brethren the sonnes of Leui to approch vnto him that you should chalenge vnto you the priesthood also †and al thy companie should stand against our Lord for what is Aaron that you murmur against him †Moyses therfore sent to cal Dathan and Abiron the sonnes of Eliab Who answered We come not †Why is it a smal matter to thee that thou hast brought vs out of a land that folowed with milke and honie to kil vs in the desert vnles thou rule also like a lord ouer vs †In deede hast thou brought vs into a land that floweth with riuers of milke and honie hast thou geuen vs possessions of fieldes vineyardes What wilt thou plucke out our eies also We come not †Moyses therfore being very wrath said to our Lord Respect not their sacrifices thou knowest that I haue not taken of them so much as a little asse at anie time neither haue afflicted anie of them †And he said to Core Thou and al thy congregation stand ye apart before our Lord and Aaron to morrow apart †Take euerie one your censars and put incense vpon them offering to our Lord two hundred fiftie censars Let Aaron also hold his censar †Which when they had done Moyses and Aaron standing †and had heaped together al the multitude against them to the dore of the tabernacle the glorie of our Lord appeared to them al. †And our Lord speaking to Moyses and Aaron said †Separate your selues from the middes of this congregation that I may sodenly destroy them †Who felilatte on their face and said Most mightie God of the spirites of al flesh when one sinneth shal thy wrath rage against al †And our Lord said to Moyses †Command the whole people that they separate them selues from the tabernacles of Core and Dathan and Abiron †And Moyses arose and went to Dathan and Abiron and the ancientes of Israel folowing him †he said to the multitude Depart from the tabernacles of the impious men and touch not the thinges that pertaine to them lest you be wrapped in their sinnes †And when they were departed from their tentes round about Dathan and Abiron coming forth stood in the entrie of their pauilions with their wiues and children and al the multitude †And Moyses said In this you shal know that our Lord hath sent me to do al thinges that you see and that I haue not forged them of my owne mind †If they die the accustomed death of men and if the plague wherwith others also are wont to be visited do visite them out Lord did not send me †but if our Lord do a new thing that the earth opening her mouth swallow them downe al thinges that pertaine to them and they descend quicke into hel you shal know that they haue blasphemed our Lord. †Immediatly therfore as he ceased to speake the earth brake insunder vnder their feete †and opening her mouth deuoured them with their tabernacles al their substance †and they went downe into hel quicke couered with the ground and perished out of the middes of the multitude †But al Israel that stoode round about fled at the cric of them that perished saying Lest perhappes the earth swallow vs also †But a fire also coming forth from our Lord slew the two hundred fiftie men that offered the incense †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Command Elâ—zar the sonne of Aaron the priest that he take vp the censars that lie in the burning fire and that he sprinkle the fire hither and thither because they be sanctified †in the deathes of the sinners and let him beate them into plates and fasten them to the altar because there hath bene offered incense in them to the Lord and they are sanctified that the children of Israel may see them for a signe and a monument †Eleazar therfore the priest tooke the brasen censars wherin they had offered whom the burning fire deuoured and bette them into plates fastening them to the altar †that the children of Israel afterward might haue wherwith to be admonished that no stranger approch and he that is not of the seede of Aaron to offer incense to our Lord lest he suffer as Core hath suffered and al his congregation according as our Lord spake to Moyses †And al the multitude of the children of Israel murmured the day folowing against Moyses and Aaron saying You haue killed the people of our Lord. †And when there rose a sedition and the tumult grew farder †Moyses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of couenant Which after they were entred the cloude couered it and the glorie of our Lord appeared †And our Lord said to Moyses †Depart from the middes of this multitude euen now wil I destroy them And as they lay vpon the ground †Moyses said to Aaron Take the censar and drawing fire from the altar put incense vpon it going quickly to the people to pray for them for euen now is the wrath come forth
prophecied of al his twelue sonnes and in Iudas of Christ Gen. 49. v. 10. And then dyed  Iob either of the progenie of Nachor or as semeth more probable of Esau liued the same time in which the children of Israel were pressed with seruitude in Aegypt Himselfe writte the historie of his affliction in the Arabian tongue which Moyses translated into Hebrew m 2286. Amrā Esron n Ioseph buried his father in Chanaan and nourished his bretheren with their families as their patron superior Gen. 50. v. 18.   o 2340.   o He dyed at the age of 110. yeares Gen. 50. After his death the Superioritie of the children of Israel descended not to his sonnes but to his bretheren and rested in Leui the third brother liuing longest of al the twelue to the age of 137. yeares Exodi 6. v. 16. whose genealogie is there declared to shew the descent of Aaron and Moyses About this time was Atlas the great Astronomer brother of Prometheus grandfather to Mercurius the elder whose nephew Mercurius otherwise called Tris megistus the master of moral philosophie must nedes be a good while after Moyses S. Aug. li. 18. c. 39. de ciuit Also Cecrops the first king and builder of Athens was in Moyses time after him Cadmus built Thebes and the first that brought letters into Grece more ancient then manie Pammes goddes S. Aug. li. 18. c. 8. c. The booke of Exodus conteyneth the affliction and deliuerie of the children of Israel precepts of Gods law p 2401. Aaron borne Aram. r Moyses an infant of three monethes was put in a basket on the water taken thence by Pharaos daughter nurced by his owne mother and brought vp in Pharaos court Exod. 2.   q 2404. Moyses borne  s At the age of fourty yeares he went to his bretheren to comfort them Where killing an Aegyptian that oppressed an Israelite he was forced to flee into Madian Exod. 2.   s 2244.   t After other fourtie yeares God appeared to Moyses in a bush burning not wasting Sent him into Aegypt with powre to worke miracles to bring the children of Israel out of that bondage   t 2484.  Aminadab v Pharao and the Aegyptians resisting were plaged with tenne sundrie afflictions At last the Israelites were deliuered and Pharao with al his armie drowned Exo. 3. to 15.   THE END OF THE THIRD AGE THE BEGINNING OF THE FOVRTH AGE Anni mūdi High-priests The line of Iudas The sacred historie Schismes and infidelitie Scriptures    w The law was geuen in Mount Sina the fifteth day after their going out of Aegypt Exod. 19. 20. In the absence of Moyses the people forcing Aaron to consent made adored a golden calfe for God Exod. 32.   x 2485.   x The tabernacle with al thinges perteyning therto was prepared in the first yeare and erected the first day of the second yeare of their abode in the desert Exod. 40.     Aaron  y In the same second yeare Aaron was consecrated Highpriest and his sonnes Priestes for an ordinarie succession Moyses remayning Superior extraordinarie during his life Leuit. 8. Nadab Abiu offered strange fire in sacrifice and were burnt to death Leuit. 10. Leuiticus conteyneth the Rites of Sacrifices Priestes Feastes Fastes and Vowes Numeri so called because in it are numbered the men of twelue tribes able to beare armes also the Leuites deputed to Gods seruice about the tabernacle and the mansions of the people in the desert with other thinges happening in the 40. yeares of their abode there     z Balaam a sorcerer hyred by Balac king of Moab to curse the Israelites was forced by Gods powre to prophecy good things of them Num. 22. 23. 24. Chore Dathan Abiron with manie others murmuring rebellīg against Moyses Aaron were partly swalowed aliue into the earth others burnt with fire from heauen Num. 16.      a Moyses and Aaron doubting that God would not geue water out of a rock to the murmuring people were foretold that they should dye in the desert and not enter into the promised land Num. 20.    b 2523. Eleazar  b Aaron dyed in the mount Hor and his sonne Eleazar was made Highpriest Num. 20.    c 2524.   c Moyses repeted the law commending it earnestly to the people Then dyed and was secretly buried by Angels in the valley of Moab Deut. 34.      To whom Iosue succeded in temporal gouernment his spiritual remayning in the Highpriest Nu. 27. v 20. d Al the children of Israel that came forth of Aegypt aboue the age of twentie yeares dyed in the desert except two Iosue Caleb Num. 26. v. 64. 65. Al nations generally besides the Iewes seruing many false goddes those thought themselues most religious that were most supersticious studious of art Magike Nigromancy the like And euerie countrie yea almost euerie towne village had their peculiar imagined goddes as S. Athanasius discourseth Orat contra idola Deuteronomie is an abridgement and repetition of the law conteyned more largely in the former bookes    e Presently after Moyses death Iosue brought the people ouer Iordan into Chanaan Iosue ◠And in the space of seuen yeares conquered the land Iosue 6. c.   f 2531   f And diuided the same amongst the tribes Iosue 13.   g 2533.   g The tribes of Ruben Gad and half Manasses hauing receiued enheritance on the other side of Iordan Num. 32. v. 33. and now returning thither made an altar by the riuer side which the other tribes suspecting to be for sacrifice and so to make a schisme prepared to fight against them but they answering that it was only for a monument al were satisfied Iosue 22.  The booke of Iosue is the first of those which are properly called Historical declaring how the Israelits conquered possessed the land of Chanaan it conteyneth the historie of 32. yeares   Naasson  The Romanes otherwise most prudent accoūted al inuenters of artes conqueroures of countries al archiuers of great explores at least after their deathes to be goddes And not only men but also manie other thinges were held for goddes  h 2556. h Iosue at the age of 110. yeares dyed Iosue 24. v. 29. had no proper successor     i 2556.   i Eleazarus the Highpriest dyed the same yeare Iosue 24. v. 33. And his sonne Phinees succeded    Phinees  k After the death of Iosue the people were afflicted by forreine nations God so permitting for their sinnes but repenting he raised vp certaine captaines who were called Iudges of diuers tribes without ordinarie succession to deliuer defend the countrie from inuasions These were in al fourtenne
wash his stole in wine and in the bloud of the grape his cloke †His eyes are more beautiful then wine and his teeth whiter then milke †Zabulon shal dwel in the shore of the sea and in the road of shippes reaching as farre as Sidon †Issachar a strong asse lying at rest betwen the borders †He saw rest that it was good and the earth that it was very good and he put vnder his shoulder to cary and became seruing vnder tributes †Dan shal iudge his owne people as also an other tribe in Israel †Be Dan “ a snake in the way a serpent in the path byting the hoosses of the horse that his ryder may fal backward †I wil expect THY SALVATION O Lord. †Gad the gyrded shal fight before him and himself shal be gyrded backward †Aser his bread is sat and he shal geue daynties to kinges †Nepthali a â—art let forth geuing speaches of beautie †Ioseph a child encreasing encreasing and comelie to behold the daughters coursed to and for vpon the wall †But the dart men did exasperate him brawled and enuied him †His bowe sate vpon the strong the bands of his armes and his handes were dissolued by the handes of the mightie of Iacob thence came forth a pastour the stone of Israel †The God of thy father shal be thy helper the Almightie shal blesse thee with the blessinges of heauen from aboue with the blessinges of the deapth that lieth beneath with the blessings of the pappes and of the wombe †The blessinges of thy father were strengthned with the blessings of his fathers vntil the desire of the eternal hilles came be they vpon the head of Ioseph vpon the crowne of the Nazarite among his brethren †Beniamin a rauening woolfe in the morning shal eate the pray and in the euening shal diuide the spoile †Al these in the tribes of Israel twelue these things spake their father to them and he blessed euerie one with their proper blessings †And he commanded them saying I am geathered vnto my people burie you me with my fathers in the duble caue which is in the field of Ephron the Hethite †against Mambre in the Land of Chanaan which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hethite for a possession to burie in †There they buried him Sara his wife there was Isaac buried with Rebecca his wife there also Lia doth lie buried †And when he had finished the precepts wherwith he instructed his sonnes he plucked vp his feet vpon the bed and died he was put vnto his people ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLIX 4. Because thou didest ascend thy fathers bed For this crime of incest Ruben was depriued of his first birth-right VVho being by order of birth former in guiltes wherby he should haue had duble portion and greater in Empire wherby he should haue bene Prince or Lord ouer his bretheren the former prerogatiue was geuen to Ioseph whose two sonnes were heades of two Tribes the other was geuen to the Tribe of Iuda in Dauid and his posteritie He was also depriued of his prerogatiue in Priesthood which was after annexed to the Tribe of Leui wherupon the Chaldee paraphrasis speaketh thus to Ruben It belonged to thee to haue receaued three better lettes then thy brethren Priesthood Best portion and the Kingdome But because thou hast sinned the duble portion is geuen to Ioseph the Kingdome to Iudas and Priesthood to Leui. 5. Veselles of iniquitie Albeit Simeon and Leui were moued with iust zeale to punish the soule crime committed by Sichem against their sister and whole familie yet in their maner of reuenging were manie sinnes worthely condemned by Iacob both immediatly after the fact and here at his death For before the slaughter they committed there greate sinnes in that they rashly did it vnknowne to their father therby putting him themselues in extreme danger if God had not maruelously protected them in falsly pretending agreement and league with the Sichamites which they ment not to performe and in sacrilegiously abusing the Sacrament of Circumcision making it a cloke to deceiue their ennemies In the fact also they committed other foure grosse crimes cruelly killing those that offered other abundant satisfaction murthering others that were altogether innocent sacking and destroying the citie and carying away wemen and children captiue Mystically S. Ambrose Ruffinus Isidorus and others vnderstand this prophecie of the Scribes and the Priestes descending of Simeon and Leui who were most eagre against our Sauiour as himself more plainely fortold saing The sonne of man balbe betrayed to the chiefe Priestes and to the Scribes and they shal condemne him to death Their furic was cursed aboue al surie Because as Iacob here saith it vvas stubborne or obstinate for they did not only condemne Christ to death in their wicked councel but also vrged and pressed Pilat endeuoringe to saue him sturred vp the people to crye Take him avvay Crucisie him Yea their indignation was so hard that they preferred Barabbas before Christ 10. The scepter shal not be taken avvay Here the Patriarch Iacob fortelleth the time when the promised Messias should come into the world by this signe that the scepter should not be taken from Iuda til the same Redeemer of mankind were at hand Not that the regal scepter should remaine in the Tribe of Iuda from Iacobs death â—il Christes comming for that Kingdome beganne first in Dauid aboue six hundred yeares after Iacobs death and after the captiuitie of Babylon the highe Priests of the Tribe of Leui did gouerne also the state not only the Church other six hundred yeares But the sense is that of the Tribe of Iuda should rise most gloriouse Kinges whose crowne and Kingdome should remaine with the Iewish Nation vntil their expected Messias should drawe nere and then be taken from them by the Gentiles VVhich was downe by Herod whose father was an Idumean his mother an Arabique Thus the Ancient fathers with one accorde vnderstood this prophecie S. Iustinus Martyr Ser. cum Triphone Eusebius Cesarien lib Hist Eccles. cap 6. S. Athanasius lib. de Incarnat S. Ambrose lib de Benedict Patriarch c. 4. S. Chrysostom Ilo 67. in Gen. S. Augustin lib. 18. c. 45. de ciuit Theodoretus q. vlt. in Gen. 11. He shal vvash hisstole in vvyne By wine and bloud of the grape what other thing is shewed saith S. Cyprian Epist ad Coecil 63 but the wine of the Chalice of our Lordes bloud Likwise Tertullian lib 4. contra Marcionem expoundeth the stole to signifie Christs flesh and the wine his bloud In al which booke his drift is to shewe that Christ did not destroy the olde Testament but fulfilled the figures and prophecie therof And not that Christ gaue his bodie in figure only as our aduersaries alleadge him 17. Be Dan a snake in the vvay This prophecie most
the thunders may cease and the haile that I may dismisse you and ye tarie not here any longer †Moyses said When I shal be gone forth out of the citie I wil stretch forth my handes to our Lord and the thunders shal cease and the haile shal not be that thou maist know that the earth is our Lords †but I know that neither thou nor thy seruantes do yet feare the Lord God †The flexe therfore and the barley were hurt because the barley came vp grene and the flaxe now was boulled †but the wheate and other winter corne were not hurt because they were late ward †And Moyses going forth from Pharao out of the citie stretched forth his handes to our Lord and the thunders haile ceased neither did there droppe raine any more vpon the earth †And Pharao seing that the raine and the haile and thunders were ceased he increased his sinne †and his hart was aggrauated and the hart of his seruantes and indurate exceedingly neither did he dismisse the children of Israel as our Lord had commanded by the hand of Moyses CHAP. X. The eight plague of Locustes 21. the ninth darknes Pharao yeldeth that al men and children should goe to the desert but not the cattle 28. At last commandeth Moyses to come no more in his sight which Moyses forecelleth shal so be AND our Lord said to Moyses Goe in to Pharao for I haue indurate his hart and the hart of his seruantes that I may worke these my signes in him †and thou maist tel in the eares of thy sonne and of thy nephewes how often I haue broken the Aegyptians wrought my signes in them and you may know that I am the Lord. †Moyses therfore and Aaron went in to Pharao and said to him Thus saith the Lord the God of the Hebrewes Til when wilt thou not be subiect to me dismisse mv people to sacrifice vnto me †But if thou resist and wilt not dismisse them behold I wil bring in to morow the locust into thy coastes †which may couer the face of the earth that nothing therof appeare but that which the haile hath left may be eaten for it shal gnawe al trees that spring in the fieldes †And they shal fil thy houses and the houses of thy seruantes and of al the Aegyptians such a number as thy fathers haue not seene nor grand-fathers since they arose vpon the earth vntil this present day And he turned him selfe away and went forth from Pharao †And Pharaoes seruantes said to him How long shal we endure this scandal Dismisse the men to sacrifice to the Lord their God Doest thou not see that Aegypt is vndone †And they called back Moyses and Aaron vnto Pharao who said to them Goe sacrifice to the Lord your God who are they that shal goe †Moyses said With our young and old we wil goe with our sonnes and daughters with our sheepe and heardes for it is the solemnitie of the Lord our God †And Pharao answered So be the Lord with you as I shal dismisle you and your litle ones who doubteth but that you intend very wickedly †It shal not so be but goe ye men only and sacrifice to the Lord for this your selues also desired And immediatly they were cast out from Pharaoes sight †And our Lord said to Moyses Strech forth thy hand vpon the Land of Aegypt vnto the locust that it come vpon it and deuoure euerie herbe that remained after the haile †And Moyses stretched forth his rodde vpon the Land of Aegypt and our Lord brought in a burning wind al that day night and when it was morning the burning winde raised the locustes †which came vp ouer the whole Land of Aegypt and sate in al the coastes of the Aegyptians innumerable the like as had not bene before that time nor shal be afterward †And they couered the whole face of the earth wasting al thinges Therfore the grasse of the earth was deuoured and what fruites soeuer on the trees which the haile had left there was also nothing at al left that was greene in the trees and in the herbes of the earth in al Aegypt †For the which cause Pharao in hast called Moyses and Aaron and said to them I haue sinned against the Lord your God and against you †But now forgeue me my sinne this time also and pray to the Lord your God that he take away from me this death †And Moyses going forth from Pharaoes sight prayed to our Lord †who made a very vehement wind to blow from the west and taking the locustes it threw them into the Red sea there remained not so much as one in al the coastes of Aegypt †And our Lord did indurate Pharaoes hart neither did he dismisse the children of Israel †And our Lord said to Moyses Stretch for thy hand toward heauen and be there darkenesse vpon the Land of Aegypt so thicke that it be palpable †And Moyses stretched forth his hand toward heauen and there was made horrible darkenesse in the whole Land of Aegypt three dayes †No man saw his brother nor moued himselfe out of the place where he was but wheresoeuer the children of Israel dwelt there was light †And Pharao called Moyses and Aaron and said to them Goe sacrifice to the Lord let your sheepe only and heardes remaine let your litle ones goe with you Moyses said Hostes also holocaustes thou shalt geue to vs which we may offer to the Lord our God †Al the flockes shal goe with vs there shal not a hoofe remaine of them the which are necessarie vnto the seruice of the Lord our God especially wheras we know not what must be offered til we come to the very place †And our Lord did indurate Pharaoes hart and he would not dismisse them †And Pharro said to Moyses Getre thee from me and beware thou see not my face any more in what day soeuer thou shalt come in my sight thou shalt dye †Moyses answered So shal it be as thou hast spoken I wil not see thy face any more CHAP. XI God biddeth Moyses cause the people of Israel to borow siluer and gold vessels of the Aegyptians 4. Fortelleth one other plague the death of the first borne 9. and that Pharao wil stil be obdurate AND our Lord said to Moyses Yet with one plague more wil I touch Pharao Aegypt and after this he shal dismisse you and compel you to goe forth †Thou shalt sav therfore to al the people that euerie man aske of his frend euery woman of her neighbour vessels of siluer of gold †And the Lord wil geue grace to his people in the sight of the Aegyptians And Moyses was a very great man in the Land of Aegypt in the sight of Pharaoes seruantes of al the people †And he said This saith our Lord At midnight
put it vpon their shoulders †And the children of Israel did as Moyses had commanded and they asked of the Aegyptians vessels of siluer and gold and very much rayment †And our Lord gaue grace to the people before the Aegyptians that they did lend them and they spoyled the Aegyptians †And the children of Israel sette forward from Ramesse into Socoth almost six hundred thousand of foote men beside litle ones †But also the common people of al sortes innumerable went vp with them sheepe and heardes and beastes of diuerse kindes exceding manie †And they baked the meale which a litle before they had taken out of Aegypt tempered and made hearth cakes vnleauened for it could not be leauened the Aegyptians vrging them to depart not suffering them to make any tarriance neither did they thinke vpon preparing any meate †And the dwelling of the children of Israel that they abode in Aegypt was foure hundred thirty yeares †The which being expired the same day al the armie of our Lord went forth out of the Land of Aegypt †This is the obseruable night of our Lord when he brought them forth out of the Land of Aegypt this night al the children of Israel must obserue in their generations †And our Lord said to Moyses and Aaron This is the religion of the Phase No aliene shal eate of it †And euerie bought seruant shal be circumcised and so shal eate †The stranger and the hireling shal not eate therof †In one house shal it be eaten neither shal you carrie forth of the flesh therof out of the house neither shal you breake a bone therof †Al the assemblie of the children of Israel shal make it †And if any of the soiourners be willing to dwel among you and make the Phase of the Lord first al the male that he hath shal be circumcised and then shal he celebrate it according to the rite he shal be as he that is borne in the land but if there be any man vncircumcised he shal not eate therof †Al one law shal be to him that is borne in the land and to the prose lyte that soiourneth with you †And al the children of Israel did as our Lord had commanded Moyses and Aaron †And the same day our Lord brought forth the children of Israel out of the Land of Aegypt by their troupes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 3. The tenth day Our Sauiour Christ instituting the Sacrament of the Eucharist after the celebration of the Paschal lambe whiles they were at supper the night before his death therby sufficiently declared that this old Pasch was a figure not only of his Passion and Sacrifice on the Crosse but also of that he then did so solemnly with his Apostles whom also in that action he made Priests commanding them and their successors to do the same in commemoâ—ation of him til the end of the world Other circumstances likewise and conference of the one with the other make it more clere that as in some respectes it more resembled Christs Passion and Sacrifice on the Crosse so in others it more expressed the Eucharist and mystical commemoration of his death though also in manie it profigured Christ in both places For example The preparing of the lambe the tenth day signified our Sauiours coming into Hierusalem the same tenth day of the first moone now represented in the Church on Palmesunday Also the choise qualities of the lambe vvithout spotte a male of the first yeare foreshewed in general the puritie fortitude meeknes and al perfection of the true Lambe of God that taâ—eth avvay the sinne of the vvorlde More particularly the killing and bereuing the Paschal Lambe of natural life the sprinkling of his bloud on the dore-postes the â—â—stâ—â—â— at tâ—e â—ire and not breaking anie bâ—ne therof most specially expressed Christs death on the Crosse But the fourtenth day the euining agree only with the Eucharist instituted the night before our Lords Passion which he suffered the fiftenth being the ful moore and at midday as ancient S. Dionyse of Ariopagite in two Episties to Policâ—rpus and to Appollophanes testifieth admiring the miracle of the sunnes Eclipâ—e that hapned the same time Neither did the â—ating of the Lambe directly prefigurate the oblation on the Crosse for Christ was not crucified to be eaten but the Sacrament in formes and bread and vvine was expresly figured by eating the lambe with vnleauened bread and drinking the cuppe therto idioyned Luc. 2â— v 17. In like sorte the Lambe immolated in commemoration of the deliuerie of Israel from death and from seruitude when the-first-borne of Aegypt were slaine most aptly prefigured the Eucharist which is a perpetuat commemoration of mans redemption and deliuerie from eternal death and from bondage of the diuel and sinne by Christes death on the Crosse which death in dede was the very redemption and deliuerie of mankind and not a commemoration therof Finally the immolating of the Lambe vvithin the house with precise commandment to carie nothing therof forth perteined particularly to the Eucharist which our Lord celebrated vvithin the house wherby S. Cyprian lib. de vnit Eccles proueth that the B. Sacrament must not be giuen to anie ouâ— of the Catholique Church though Christs Passion be extended to al the world as wel to bring such as are without into the Church as to saue those that are already entred in In this sorte the most ancient and best expositors of holie Scripture explicate this special figure of the Paschal Lambe As we shalhere produce some witnesses in confirmation of this truth Tertulian lib. 4. contra Marcionem expounding our Sauiours wordes VVith desire I haue desired to eate this Pasch vvith you before I suffer saieth Christ coueted not veruecinam Iudaeorum the mutton of the Iewes but professing that with desire he desired to eate the Pasch as his owne for it was vnmete that God should couete anie thing not his owne the bread which he toooke and gaue to his disciples he made his owne bodie saying This is my bodie that is a figure of my bodie Figura autem nonsuisset nisi veritatis esset corpus But it had not bene a figure saith he onles it vvâ—re a bodies of veritie or a verie bodie to wit not phantastical as the heretike Marcion imagined because the figures in the old Testament were not figures except a true bodie answered vnto them So the Sacramentaries sense that Tertullian should cal the Eucharist a figure is quite against his meaning and maketh him conclude nothing against Marcion wheras his whole drift is by the figures of the old Testament to proue that in the Eucharist is the true real bodie of Christ and that consequently Christ hath a true and real bodie Origen in 26. Mat. teacheth that in the great parlar where Christ did eaâ—e the Paschal Lambe he also made his new Pasch S. Cyprian
wife and commit aduontrie with his neighbours wife dying let them die both the adulterer and the aduoutresse †He that lieth with his stepmother and reuealeth the ignominie of his father dying let both die their bloud be vpon them †If anie man lie with his daughter in law let both die because they haue done an heinous fact their bloud be vpon them †He that lieth with man as if he should companie with woman both haue committed abomination dying let them die their bloud be vpon them †He that besides his wife the daughter marieth her mother hath done wickednes he shal burne aliue with them neither shal there so great abomination remaine in the middes of you †He that shal companie with beast and cattel dying let him die the beast also doe ye kil †The woman that shal lie vnder anie beast shal be killed together with the same their bloud be vpon them †He that taketh his sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother and seeth her turpitude and she beholdeth her brothers ignominie they haue committed a shameful thing they shal be slaine in the sight of their people because they haue reuealed one an others turpitude and they shal beare their iniquitie †He rhat compaineth with a woman in her menstrual fluxe and reuealeth her turpitude and she openeth the fountaine of her bloud both shal be destroyed out of the middes of their people †The turpitude of thy aunt by thy mother and of thy aunt by thy father thou shalt not discouer he that doeth this hath disclosed the ignominie of his flesh both shal beare their iniquitie †He that compaineth with the wife of his vncle by the father or of his vncle by the mother and reuealeth the ignominie of his kinted both shal beare their sinne without children they shal die †He that marieth his brothers wife doth an vnlawful thing he hath reuealed his brothers turpitude they shal be without children †Keepe my lawes and iudgementes and doe them lest the land which you shal enter into and inhabite vomite out you also †Walke not in the ordinances of the nations which I wil expel before you For al these thinges haue they done and I haue abhorred them †But to you I speake Possesse their land which I wil geue you for an inheritance a land flowing with milke and honie I the Lord your God that haue seperated you from other peoples †Therfore doe you also seperate the cleane beast from the vncleane and the cleane foule from the vncleane pollute not your soules in beastes and birdes and al thinges that moue on the earth and which I haue shewed vnto you to be polluted †You shal be holie vnto me because I the Lord am holie and I haue separated you from other peoples that you should be mine †Man or woman in whom is a pithonical or diuining spirite dying let them die they shal stone them their bloud be vpon them CHAP. XXI At what funerals Priests may not be present 7. VVhat wemen they may not marie 9. a priests daughter committing fornication must be burned 10. The high Priest shal not vncouer his head nor rent his garment nor be present at anie funeral nor at al goe forth of the holie place 13. when he marieth he must take a virgin 16. None that hath a blemish in his bodie though he be of Aarons stock shal minister in the Sanctuarie nor approch to the Altar OVR Lord said also to Moyses Speake to the priestes the sonnes of Aaron and thou shalt say to them Let not a priest be contaminated in the deathes of his citizens †but onlie in his kinne and nigh of bloud that is to say vpon his father and mother and sonne and daughter brother also †and sister being a virgin which hath not bene maried to a husband †but neither in the prince of his people shal he be contaminated †Neither shal they shaue their head nor beard nor make incisions in their flesh †They shal be holie to their God and shal not pollute his name for the burnt sacrifice of the Lord and breades of their God doe they offer and therfore they shal be holie †A whore and a vile strumpette he shal not take to wife nor her that is put away from her husband because they are coÌ„secrated to their God †and offer the breades of proposition Be they holie therfore because I also am holie the Lord that sanctifie them †The daughter of a priest if she be taken in whordome dishonour the name of hir father shal be burnt with fire †The grand bishoppe that is to say the priest that is greatest among his brethren vpon whose head hath bene poured the oyle of vnction and whose handes were consecrated in priesthood and who was reuested with the holie vestimentes shal not vncouer his head he shal not rent his garments †and to no dead person shal he enter in at al. vpon his father also and mother shal he not be contaninated †Neither shal he goe forth out of the holie places lest he pollute the SaÌ„ctuarie of the Lord because the oyle of the holie vnction of his God is vpon him I the Lord. †He shal take a virgin vnto his wife †but a widow and her that is put away and a filth and a whore he shal not take but a maide of his owne people †that he mingle not the stocke of his kinred with the common people of his nation because I am the Lord that sanctifie him †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Speake to Aaron The man of thy seede throughout their families that hath a blemish shal not offer breades to his God †neither shal he approch to his ministerie If he be blinde if lame if he haue a litle or a great or a crooked nose †if his foote be broken if his hand †if he be crooke backed or blere eyed or haue a pearle in his eye or a continual scabbe or drie scurffe in his bodie or be burnt †Euerie one that hath a blemish of the seede of Aaron the priest shal not approch to offer the hostes to the Lord nor the breades to his God †He shal eate notwithstanding of the breades that are offered in the Sanctuarie †yet so that he enter not within the vâ—ilen or approch to the altar because he hath a blemish and he must not contaninate my Sanctuarie I the Lord that sanctifie them †Moyses therfore spake to Aaron and to his sonnes and to al Israel al thinges that had bene commanded him CHAP. XXII VVho may eate of sanctified things 17. And what things may be offered OVR Lord also spake to Moyses saying †Speake to Aaron and to his sonnes that they beware of those that are the consecrated thinges of the children of Israel and contaninate not the name of the thinges sanctified to me which
the ceremonies therof A stranger shal not ioyne with you †Watch in the custodie of the Sanctuarie and in the ministerie of the altar lest indignation rise vpon the children of Israel †I haue geuen you your brethren the Leuites out of the middes of the children of Israel and haue deliuered them a gifte to the Lord to serue in the ministeries of his tabernacle †And thou and thy sonnes looke to your priesthood and al thinges that perteyne to the seruice of the altar and that are within the vele shal be executed by the priestes if anie stranger approch he shal be slaine †And our Lord spake to Aaron behold I haue geuen thee the custodie of my first fruites Al thinges that are sanctified of the children of Israel haue I deliuered to thee and to thy sonnes for the priestlie office as euerlasting ordinances †These thinges therfore shalt thou take of those that are sanctified and are offered to the Lord. Al oblation and sacrifice and whatsoeuer is rendred to me for sinne and offence becometh Holie of holies shal be thine and thy sonnes †In the Sanctuarie shalt thou eate it males onlie shal eate therof because it is to thee a cōsecrated thing †But the first fruites which the children of Israel shal vow and offer I haue geuen thee and thy sonnes and thy daughters for a perpetual right he that is cleane in thy house shal eate them †Al the best of oile and wine and corne whatsoeuer first fruites they offer to the Lord I haue geuen them to thee †Of fruites al the first that the ground bringeth forth and are brought to the Lord shal turne to thy vses he that is cleane in thy house shal eate them †Euerie thing that the children of Israel render by vow shal be thine †Whatsoeuer first breaketh forth from the matrice of al flesh which they offer to the Lord whether it be of men or of beastes shal be thy right yet so that for the first borne of man thou take a price and euerie beast that is vncleane thou cause to be redemed †whose redemption shal be after one moneth for fiue sicles of siluer by the weight of the Sanctuarie A sicle hath twentie oboles †But the first borne of beefe and sheepe and goate thou shalt not cause to be redemed because they are sanctified to the Lord. onlie the bloud of them thou shalt powre vpon the altar and the fatte thou shalt burne for a most sweete odour to the Lord. †But the flesh shal turne to thy vse as the consecrated brest and the right shoulder shal be thine †Al the first fruites of the Sanctuarie which the children of Israel offer to the Lord haue I geuen thee and thy sonnes and daughters for a perpetual right A couenant of salt is it for euer before the Lord to thee and to thy sonnes †And our Lord said to Aaron In their land you shal possesse nothing neither shal you haue a portion among them I am thy portion and inheritance in the middes of the children of Israel †And to the sonnes of Leui I haue geuen al the tithes of Israel in possession for the ministerie wherwith they serue me in the tabernacle of couenant †that the children of Israel approch not any more to the tabernacle nor committe deadlie sinne †onlie the sonnes of Leui seruing me in the tabernacle and bearing the sinnes of the people it shal be an euerlasting ordinance in your generations No other thing shal they possesse †being content with the oblation of tithes which I haue separated for their vses and necessaries †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Command the Leuites and denounce vnto them When you shal receiue of the children of Israel the tithes which I haue geuen you offer first fruites of them to the Lord that is to say the tenth part of the tenth †that it may be reputed to you for an oblation of first fruites as wel of the barne floores as of the presses †and of al thinges wherof you receiue tithes the first fruites offer to the Lord and geue them to Aaron the priest †Al thinges that you shal offer of the tithes and shal separate for the giftes of the Lord they shal be the best and chosen thinges †And thou shalt say to them If you offer al the goodlie and the better thinges of the tithes it shal be reputed to you as if you had geuen first fruites of the barne floore and the presse †and you shal eate them in al your places as wel you as your families because it is the reward for the ministerie wherwith you serue in the tabernacle of testimonie †And you shal not sinne in this point reseruing the principal and fatte thinges to your selues lest you pollute the oblations of the children of Israel and die CHAP. XIX A redde cow is offered in burnt victime for sinne 9. whose ashes are mingled in water for expiation of diuers legal vncleanes 11. as by touching the dead 14. by entring into the tent of the dead also the vessel that is therin and the vessel that lacketh a couer 22. and whatsoeuer the vncleane toucheth AND our Lord spake to Moyses and Aaron saying †This is the religion of the victime which the Lord hath appointed Command the children of Israel that they bring vnto thee a redde cow of ful age wherin is no blemish and that hath not caried yoke †and you shal deliuer her to Eleazar the priest who bringing her forth without the campe shal immolate her in the sight of al †and dipping his finger in her bloud shal sprinkle it against the doores of the tabernacle seuen times †and shal burne her in the sight of al committing aswel her skinne and the flesh as the bloud and the dong to the fire †Wood also of the cedar and hyssope and scarlet twise died shal the priest cast into the flame that wasteth the cow †And then at length washing his garmentes and his bodie he shal enter into the campe and shal be polluted vntil euen †But he also that burneth her shal wash his garmentes and his bodie and shal be vncleane vntil euen †And a man that is cleane shal gather the ashes of the cow and shal powre them out without the campe in a most cleane place that they may be reserued for the multitude of the children of Israel and for water of aspersion because the cowe was burnt for sinne †And when he that caried the ashes of the cow hath washed his garmentes he shal be vncleane vntil euen The children of Israel and the strangers that dwel among them shal haue this for a holie thing by a perpetual ordinance †He that toucheth the dead corps of a man and is vncleane therfore seuen daies †shal be sprinkled of
are they whom our Lord commanded to diuide the Land of Chanaan to the children of Israel CHAP. XXXV Cities and suburbes are appointed for the Leuites among the other tribes 6. Of which six shal be for refuge of such as vnwittingly kil anie man 22. where keping them selues til the death of the high Priest they shal be safe 30. VVilful murtherers conuicted so it be by more then one witnes must die forthwith THESE thinges also spake our Lord to Moyses in the champion countries of Moab vpon Iordan against Iericho †Command the children of Israel that they geue vnto the Leuites of their possessions †cities to dwel in and their suburbes round about that them selues may abide in the townes and the suburbes may be for their cattel and beastes †which from the walles of the cities outward round about shal reach the space of a thousand paces †Toward the East shal be two thousand cubites and toward the South in like manner shal be two thousand toward the sea also which looketh to the West shal be the same measure and the North part shal be limitted with equal boundes And the cities shal be in the middes and the suburbes without †And of the same townes which you shal geue to the Leuites six shal be separated for the ayde of fugitiues that he may flee to them which hath shed bloud and beside these other fourtie two townes †that is in al fourtie eight with their suburbes †And those cities that shal be geuen of the possessions of the children of Israel from them that haue more moe shal be taken away and that haue lesse fewer Eache shal geue townes to the Leuites according to the measure of their inheritance †Our Lord said to Moyses †Speake to the children of Israel thou shalt say to them When you shal haue passed ouer Iordan into the Land of Chanaan †determine what cities shal be for the succour of fugitiues that haue not voluntaryly shed bloud †in which when the fugitiue shal be the kinseman of him that is killed can not kil him vntil he stand in the sight of the multitude and his cause be iudged †And of those cities that are separated for refuge of the fugitiues †three shal be beyond Iordan and three in the Land of Chanaan †as wel for the children of Israel as for strangers and soiouners that he may flee to them which hath not voluntaryly shed bloud †If any man strike with yron and he die that was strooken he shal be guiltie of murder and him self shal die †If he cast a stone and he that is strooken die he shal be punished in like manner †If he that is strooken with wood die he shal be reuenged by the strikers bloud †The kinsman of him that is slaine shal kil the murderer as sowne as he apprehendeth him he shal kil him †If through hatred one push a man or cast any thing at him by stratageme †or being his enemie strike him with his hand and he die the striker shal be guiltie of murder the kinseman of him that is slaine as sowne as he findeth him shal kil him †But if by chance medlie and without hatred †and enemitie he do any of these thinges †and this be proued in the hearing of the people and the question debated betwen him that stroke the next of bloud †the innocent shal be deliuered from the hand of the reuenger by sentence shal be brought backe into the citie to which he had fled and he shal tarie there vntil the High priest that is anointed with the holie oile do die †If the murderer be found without the limites of the cities that are deputed to the banished †and be strooken of him that is the reuenger of bloud he shal be guiltles that killed him †For the fugitiue ought to haue stayed in the citie vntil the death of the High priest And after he is dead then shal the murderer returne into his countrie †These thinges shal be perpetual and for an ordinance in al your habitations †The murderer shal be punished by witnesses none shal be condemned at the testimonie of one man †You shal not take a price of him that is guiltie of bloud he also shal die forth with †The banished and fugitiues before the death of the High priest may by no meanes returne into their owne cities †Pollute not the land of your habitation which is polluted with the bloud of innocentes neither can it otherwise be expiated but by his bloud that shedeth an other mans bloud †And so shal your possession be cleansed my self abyding with you For I am the Lord that dwel among the children of Israel CHAP. XXXVI That the inheritances may not be alienated from one tribe to an other al must marrie within their owne tribes AND the princes also of the families of Galaad the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasses of the stocke of the children of Ioseph came and spake to Moyses before the princes of Israel and said †Our Lord hath commanded thee our lord that thou shouldest by lotte diuide the Land to the children of Israel and that to the daughters of Salphaad our brother thou shouldest geue the possession dew to their father †Whom if men of an other tribe take to wiues their possession shal folow and being translated to an other tribe it shal be a diminishing of our inheritance †And so it shal come to pasâ—e that when the Iubilee that is the fiftith yeare of remission is come the “ distribution of the lottes shal be confounded and the possession of one shal passe to others †Moyses answered the children of Israel and as our Lord commanded said The tribe of the children of Ioseph hath spoken rightly †And this law is promulgated of our Lord touching the daughters of Salphaad Let them marrie to whom they wil onlie that it be to the men of their owne tribe †lest the possession of the children of Israel be mingled from tribe into tribe For al men shal marrie wiues of their owne tribe and kinred †and al wemen shal take husbandes of the same tribe that the inheritance may remaine in the families †and that the tribes be not mingled among themselues but remaine so †as they were separated by our Lord. And the daughters of Salphaad did as it had beene commanded †and Maala and Thersa and Hegla and Melcha and Noa were married to the sonnes of their vncle by their father †of the familie of Manasses who was the sonne of Ioseph and the possession that had beene allotted to them remained in the tribe and familie of their father †These are the commandementes and iudgementes which our Lord commanded by the hand of Moyses to the children of Israel in the champion countries of Moab vpon Iordan against Iericho ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXXVI 4. Distribution of lottes By reason
and there is none other †Keepe his preceptes and commandementes which I command thee that it may be wel with thee and thy children after thee and thou mayest remayne a long time vpon the Land which the Lord thy God wil geue thee †Then Moyses separated three cities beyond Iordan at the east side †that he might flee to them which should kil his neighbour not voluntarily neither was his enemie a day or two before and he might scape to some of these cities †Bosor in the wildernesse which is situated in the champion countrie of the tribe of Ruben and Ramoth in Galaad which is in the tribe of Gad and Golan in Basan which is in the tribe of manasses †This is the law that Moyses sette before the children of Israel †and these are the testimonies and ceremonies and iudgementes which he spake to the children of Israel when they came out of Aegypt †beyond Iordan in the valley against the temple of Phogor in the land of Sehon king of the Ammorrheite that dwelt in Hesebon whom Moyses stroke The children of Israel also comming out of Aegypt †possessed his land and the land of Og the king of Basan the two kinges of the Amorrheites which were beyond Iordan toward the rysing of the sunne †from Aroer which is situated vpon the banke of the torrent Arnon vnto the mountaine Sion which is also Hermon †al the plaine beyond Iordan at the east side vnto the sea of the wildernesse and vnto the foote of mount Phasga ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. 2. You shal not adde Moyses can not meane that no more should be written nor commanded for then the last chapter of this booke and the rest of the Bible should not haue benne written after his death neither ought the Priestes or Prophetes to haue commanded anie thing not expressed in the law And wheras Protestantes say that al other Scriptures are included in the lawe or pertaine to the explicatioÌ„ or performance therof we also answer that vnwritten TraditioÌ„s both in the old and new Testament are likewise implied included or perteine to the explication or performance of the law For euen as the written doctrin of the Prophetes yea and of Christ and his Apostles in general is conteined in the law of Moyses so also are certaine fastes feastes rites ceremonies and other traditions proued and confirmed by general speaches and axiomes written in holie Scriptures as by our Sauiours wordes to his Apostles Luc. 10. He that heareth you heareth me S. Paules to other Christians 1. Cor. 10. other things vvhen I come I vvil dispose 2. Thess 2. Hold the traditions vvhich you haue lerned and the like VVherupon S. Augustin Li. 1. cont Crescon c. 33. geueth this rule that albeit an euident example can not be produced of holie Scripture yet the truth of the same Scriptures is holden by vs vvhen vve do that pleaseth the vvhole Church vvhich the authoritie of Scriptures commendeth The same he teacheth Epist 80. and in manie other places So do S. Epiphanius in compend sides Cathol S Hierom. Dialog cont Lucifer c. 4. S. Chrysost ho. 4. in 1. Thessal 4. S. Basil de Spiritu Sancto c. 39. S. Ireneus li. 3. c. 4. CHAP. V. The tenne commandements are repeted and explaned 23. with commemoration of their dread and feare When they heard the voice from the clowde and saw the mountaine burne AND Moyses called al Israel and said to them Heare Israel the ceremonies iudgements which I speake in your eares this day lerne them and fulfil them in worke †The Lord our God made a couenant with vs in Horeb. †Not with our fathers did he make the couenant but with vs at this present and doe liue †Face to face did he speake to vs in the mount out of the middes of the fyre †I was arbiter and mediatour betwixt our Lord and you at that time to shew you his wordes for you feared the fire and went not vp into the mount and he said †I the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt out of the house of seruitude †Thou shalt not haue strange goddes in my sight †“ Thou shalt not make to thee a thing grauen nor the similitude of any thinges that are in heauen aboue and that are in the earth beneath and that abide in the waters vnder the earth †Thou shalt not adore them and thou shalt not serue them For I am the Lord thy God a Iealouse God tendering the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation to them that hate me †and doing mercie vpon manie thousandes to them that loue me and keepe my preceptes †Thou shalt not vsurpe the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for he shal not be vnpunished that taketh his name vpon a vaine thing †Obserue the day of the Sabbath to sanctifie it as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee †Six dayes shalt thou worke and shalt doe al thy workes †The seuenth is the day of the Sabbath that is the rest of the Lord thy God Thou shalt not doe any worke therin thou and thy sonne and daughter man seruant and woman seruant and oxe and asse and al thy cattel and the stranger that is within thy gates that thy man seruant may rest and thy woman seruant euen as thy selfe †Remember that thou also didest serue in Aegypt and the Lord thy God brought thee out from thence in a strong hand and stretched out arme Therfore hath he commanded thee that thou shouldest obserue the Sabbath †Honour thy father and mother as our Lord thy God hath commanded thee that thou mayst liue a long time and it may be wel with thee in the Land which the Lord thy God wil geue thee †Thou shalt not murder †Neither shalt thou committe aduoutrie †And thou shal not steale †Neither shalt thou speake against thy neighbour false testimonie †Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife Nor house nor field nor man seruant nor woman seruant nor oxe nor asse and al thinges that are his †These wordes spake our Lord to al your multitude in the mount out of the middes of the fiâ—e and the cloude and the darkenes with a loude voice adding nothing more and he wrote them in the two tables of stone which he deliuered vnto me †And you after you heard the voice out of the middes of the darkenes and saw the mount burne came to me al the princes of the tribes and the elders and you said †Behold the Lord our God hath shewed vs his maiestie and greatnes for we haue heard his voice out of the middes of the fire and haue proued this day that God speaking with man man hath liued †Why shal we die therfore and this exceding great fire deuoure vs For if we heare the voice of the Lord our God any more we
that thou shalt perish vtterly †As the Nations which our Lord destroyed at thyne entrie so shal you also perish if you be disobedient to the voice of the Lord your God CHAP. IX Lest they should impute the victories which they shal haue to them selues 6. they are put in mind of their often prouoking Gods wrath 12. by idolatrie 22. by murmuring by concupiscence by contempt and other sinnes 25 for which they should haue bene destroyed but God spared them for his prouâ—â—se made to Abraham Isaeac and Iacob HEARE Israel Thou shalt goe ouer Iordan this day to possesse verie greate nations and stronger then thy selfe huge cities and walled euen vnto heauen †a great people and tal the sonnes of the Enacims whom thou hast seene and heard against whom no man is able to resist †Thou shalt know therfore this day that the Lord thy God him selfe wil passe ouer before thee a deuouring and consuming fyre who shal destroy and abolish and bring them to nothing before thy face quickly as he hath spoken to thee †Say not in thy hart when the Lord thy God shal haue destroyed them in thy sight For my iustice hath our Lord brought me in to possesse this land wheras these nations were destroyed for their impieties †For not because of thy iustices and equitie of thy hart doest thou enter in to possesse their landes but because they haue done impiously at thy entring in they are destroyed and that our Lord might accomplish his word which by oath he promised to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob †Know therfore that not for thy iustices hath the Lord thy God geuen thee this excellent land in possession wheras thou art a verie stiffe necked people †Remember and forget not how thou didst prouoke the Lord thy God to wrath in the wildernesse From the same day that thou camest out of Aegypt vnto this place thou hast alwayes contended against our Lord. †For in Horeb also thou didst prouoke him and being wrath he would haue destroyed thee †when I went vp into the mounte to receiue the tables of stone of the couenant which our Lord made with you and I continewed in the mounte fourtie daies and nightes not eating bread nor drinking water †And our Lord gaue me two tables of stone written with the singer of God and conteyning al the wordes that he spake to you in the mounte from the middes of the fyre when the assemblie of the people was gathered †And when fourtie dayes were passed and as manie nightes our Lord gaue me the two tables of stone the tables of couenant †and he said to me Arise and goe downe from hence quickly for thy people which thou didst bring out of Aegypt haue quickly forsaken the way that thou hast shewed them and haue made them a molten idol †And againe our Lord said to me I see that this people is stiffe necked †suffer me that I may destroy them and abolish their name from vnder heauen and may set thee ouer a Nation that is greater and stronger then this †And when I came downe from the burning mounte and held the two tables of couenant with both handes †and saw that you had sinned to the Lord your God and had made you a molten calfe and had quickly forsaken his way which he had shewed you †I cast the tables out of my handes and brake them in your sight †And I fel downe before our Lord as before fourtie dayes and nightes not eating bread not drinking water for al your sinnes which you committed against our Lord and prouoked him to wrath †for I feared his indignation and anger wherwith being moued agaynst you he would haue destroyed you And our Lord heard me this time also †Against Aaron also being exceeding angrie he would haue destroyed him and for him in like maner did I pray †And your sinne that you had committed that is the calfe I tooke and burnt it with fyre and breaking it into peeces and bringing it wholy into dust I threw it into the torrent that deâ—cendeth from the mount †In the burning also and in the tentation and in the Sepulchres of concupiscence you prouoked our Lord †and when he sent you from Cadesbarne saying Goe vp and possesse the Land that I haue geuen you and you contemned the commandement of your Lord God and did not beleue him neither would you heare his voice †but were alwaies rebellious from the day that I beganne to know you †And I lay before our Lord fourtie dayes and nightes in the which I humbly besought him that he would not destroy you as he had threatened †and praying I said Lord God destroy not thy people and thyne inheritance which thou hast redemed in thy greatnes whom thou didst bring out of Aegypt in a strong hand †Remember thy seruantes Abraham Isaac and Iacob regard not the stubbournes of this people and his impietie and sinne †lest perhappes the inhabitantes of the land out of which thou hast brought vs say The Lord could not bring them in vnto the Land that he promised them and he hated them therfore did he bring them forth that he might kil them in the wildernes †Which are thy people and thyne inheritance whom thou didst bring forth in thy great strength and in thy stretched out arme CHAP. X. Moyses receiuing the second tables of the tenne commandments and making an arke put them therin 6. with mention of certaine places where the children of Israel had camped of Aarons death and to the Leuites offices and possesstons 12. be inculcateth the feare and loue of God and the keping of his precepts 16. namely to circumcise the hart 19. to loue strangers 20. and not to serue nor sweare by false goddes AT that time our Lord said to me Hewe thee two tables of stone as the former were and come vp to me into the mounte and thou shalt make an arke of wood †and I wil write in the tables the wordes that were in them which before thou didst breake and thou shalt put them in the arke †I made therfore an arke of the wood Settim And when I had hewed two tables of stone like to the former I went vp into the mount hauing them in my handes †And he wrote in the tables according as he had written before the ten wordes which our Lord spake to you in the mount from the middes of the fyre when the people was gathered and he gaue them to me †And returning from the mount I came downe and put the tables into the arke that I had made which are there til this present as our Lord commanded me †And the children of Israel remoued their campe from Beroth of the children of Iacan into Mosera where Aaron died and was buried for whom Eleazar his soone did the function of priesthood †Thence they came into Gadgad from the which place departing
and the stranger and pupil and widow which abide with you in the place which our Lord thy God shal choose that his name may dwel there †and thou shalt remember that thou wast a seruant in Aegypt and thou shalt keepe and doe the thinges that are commanded †The solemnitie also of Tabernacles thou shalt celebrate seuen daies when thou hast gathered thy fruite of the barne floore and the presse †and thou shalt feast in the festiuitie thou thy sonne and thy daughter thy man seruant and woman seruant the Leuite also and stranger and pupil and widow that are within thy gates †Seuen daies shalt thou celebrate the feastes to our Lord thy God in the place which our Lord shal choose and our Lord thy God wil blesse thee in al thy fruites and in euerie worke of thy handes and thou shalt be in ioye †Three times in a yeare shal al thy male appeare in the sight of our Lord thy God in the place which he shal choose in the solemnitie of Azymes in the solemnitie of weekes and in the solemnitie of Tabernacles There shal not appeare before our Lord any emptie †but euerie one shal offer according to that he hath according to the blessing of our Lord his God which he shal geue him †Iudges and maisters shalt thou appoynt in al thy gates which our Lord thy God shal geue thee in euerie of thy tribes that they may iudge the people with iust iudgement †and not decline to either part Thou shalt not accept person nor giftes because that giftes blinde the eies of the wise and change the wordes of the iust †Iustly shalt thou pursew that which is iust that thou mayest liue and possesse the Land which our Lord thy God shal geue thee †Thou shalt plante no groue nor any tree neere the altar of our Lord thy God †Neither shalt thou make nor sette to thy self a statue which thing our Lord thy God hateth CHAP. XVII Perfect hostes not mamed nor defectiue must be offered to God Idolaters stoned to death 8. VVhen inferior iudges differ the cause must be decided by the High Priest in consistorie Who is warranted not to erre therin and al are bound to obey his sentence 14. The dutie also of a king Whom in future time God wil condescend to geue them is described with special charge to receiue the law of God at the Priestes handes THOV shalt not immolate to our Lord thy God a sheepe and an oxe wherein there is blemish or any fault because it is abomination to our Lord thy God †When there shal be found with thee within one of thy gates which our Lord thy God shal geue thee man or woman that do euil in the sight of our Lord thy God and transgresse his couenant †that they goe and serue strange goddes and adore them the sunne and the moone and al the hoste of heauen which thinges I commanded not †and this is told thee and hearing it thou hast inquired diligently and found it to be true and the abomination is committed in Israel †thou shalt bring forth the man and the woman that haue committed that most heynous thing to the gates of thy citie and they shal be stoned †At the mouth of two or three witnesses shal he perish that is to be slaine Let no man be killed one onlie geuing testimonie against him †The hand of the witnesses shal be first to kil him and the hand of the rest of the people shal be layd on last that thou mayest take away the euil out of the middes of thee †“ If thou perceiue that the iudgement with thee be hard and doubtful betwen bloud and bloud cause and cause leprosie and not leprosie and thou see that the wordes of the iudges within thy gates doe varye arise and goe vp to the place which our Lord thy God shal choose †And thou shalt come to the priestes of the Leuitical stocke and to the iudge that shal be at that time and thou shalt aske of them “ who shal shew thee the truth of the iudgment †And thou shalt do whatsoeuer they that are presidentes of the place which our Lord shal choose shal say and teach thee †according to his law and thou shalt folow their sentence neither shalt thou decline to the right hand nor to the left hand †But “ he that shal be proude refusing to obey the commandement of the Priest which at that time ministreth to our Lord thy God and the decree of the iudge that man shal die and thou shalt take away the euil out of Israel †and the whole people hearing shal feare that none afterward swel in pride †When thou art entred the Land which our Lord thy God wil geue thee and doest possesse it and dwellest in it and sayest I wil sette a king ouer me as al nations haue round about †him shalt thou sette whom our Lord thy God shal choose of the number of thy brethren A man of an other nation that is not thy brother thou canst not make king †And when he is made he shal not multiplie to him selfe horses nor lead backe the people into Aegypt taking high courage for the number of his horsemen especially whereas our Lord hath commanded you that in no case you returne any more the same way †He shal not haue manie wiues that may allure his minde nor huge weightes of siluer and gold †And after he shal sitte in the throne of his kingdome he shal copie to him selfe the Deuteronomie of this Law in a volume taking the copie of the priestes of the Leuitical tribe †and he shal haue it with him and shal reade it al the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare our Lord his God and keepe his wordes and ceremonies that are commanded in the law †And that his hart be not lifted vp into pride ouer his brethren nor decline to the right side or the left side that he may reigne a long time and his sonnes ouer Israel ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 8. If the iudgement be hard For a ful and assured decision of al controuersies God here instituted to his people a supreme Tribunal that in case inferior Iudges varied in iudgement recourse might be had to the Councel of Priestes where one chiefe Iudge the High Priest was appointed to geue sentence and al others commanded to receiue and obey the same 9. vvho shal shevv the truth God so assisted this consistorie with his spirite of truth that their sentence was infallible though otherwise they might erre either in life or in priuate opinion VVherfore our Sauiour distinguishing betwen their publique doctrin and their workes taught the people that for somuch as the Scribes and Pharisees sate in Moyses chaire and yet transgressed Gods commandmentes euerie one should obserue and doe as they saide but not doe according to their
vvorkes Mat. 23. And S. Iohn ascribeth the true sentence geuen by Caiphas in the councel to his office of High Priest saying Ioan. 11. He said not this of him selfe but being the high priest of that yeare he prophecied that IESVS should die for the nation and to gather into one the children of God VVhere the high priest by vertue and priuilege of his office vttered the truth which him selfe neither meant nor vnderstood And this happened when the Law and Priesthood of the Iewes was to decline geue place to Christs new ordinance and therfore no doubt God euer directed the sentence of the high Priest and most specially now Christ preserueth the Apostolique See from error in faith and in general decrees touching manners yea though the chiefe visible Iudge were as wicked as Caiphas And therfore the Protestantes euasion is friuolous limiting the priests sentence to binde the subiectes so long as he is the true minister of God and pronounceth according to his vvord For except God assisted him that he should pronounce according to his word and so al men rest satisfied submitting them selues to his sentence the controuersie should be endles and this consistorie nothing worth but stil be new examinations and new iudgementes whether the former were according to Gods word or no. 12. He that shal be proude This also conuinceth that al were bound to accept of the high priests sentence the law condemning him of pride that refused to obey the commandment of the Priest vvhich at that time ministred to our Lord and for his disobedience punishing him with death CHAP. XVIII In steed of other inheritance Priesies and Leuites haue prouision by Sacrifices and oblations 9. Al superstition to be auoided 15. Perpetuitie of prophetes and finally one special PROPHET towit CHRIST is promised 20. False prophetes must be slaine THE priestes and Leuites and al that are of the same tribe shal haue no part nor inheritance with the rest of Israel because they shal eate the sacrifices of our Lord and his oblations †and nothing els shal they receiue of the possession of their brethren for our Lord him selfe is their inheritance as he hath spoken to them †This shal be the right of the priestes from the people and from them that offer victimes whether they immolate oxe or sheepe they shal geue to the priest the shoulder and the mawe †the first fruites of corne of wine and oile and a part of the woolle of their sheepe shearing †For him hath our Lord chosen of al thy tribes that he might stand and minister to our Lord he and his sonnes for euer †If a Leuite goe out of one of thy cities of al Israel in the which he dwelleth and would come desiring the place which our Lord shal choose †he shal minister in the name of our Lord his God as al his brethren the Leuites that shal stand at that time before our Lord. †He shal receiue the same portion of meates that the rest doe beside that which in his owne citie is dew to him by succession from his fathers †When thou art entred the Land which our Lord thy God shal geue thee beware thou be not willing to imitate the abominations of those nations †Neither let there be found in thee any that shal expiate his sonne or daughter making them to passe through the fyre or that demandeth of southsayers and obserueth dreames and diuinations neither let there be a sorcerer †nor inchanter nor that consulteth with pithone or diuiners and seeketh the truth of the dead †for al these thinges out Lord abhorreth and for these abominations wil he destroy them at thy entring in †thou shalt be perfect and without spotte with our Lord thy God †These nations whose land thou shalt possesse heare southsayers and diuiners but thou art otherwise instructed of our Lord thy God †“ A PROPHET of thy nation and of thy brethren like vnto me wil our Lord thy God raise vp to thee him thou shalt heare †as thou didst request of our Lord thy God in Horeb when the assemblie was gathered and saidst I wil no more heare the voice of our Lord my God and this exceding great fire I wil see no more lest I die †And our Lord said to mie They haue spoken al thinges wel †A prophete wil I rayse vp to them out of the middes of their brethren like to thee and I wil put my wordes in his mouth and he shal speake al thinges that I shal command him †but he that wil not heare his wordes which he shal speake in my name I wil be the reuenger †And the prophet that being depraued with arrogancie wil speake in my name the thinges that I did not command him to say or in the name of strange goddes shal be slaine †And if in secrete cogitation thou answer How shal I vnderstand the word that our Lord spake not †This signe thou shalt haue That which the same prophete foretelleth in the name of the Lord and cometh not to passe that our Lord hath not spoken but by the arrogancie of his minde the prophet hath forged it and therfore thou shalt not feare him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVIII 15. A PROPHET of thy nation Amongst other places this plainly proueth that the same wordes in holie Scripture may haue diuers literal senses For first the coherence of the text sheweth that God here promised to geue his people an other extraordinarie prophet after Moyses death of their owne nation as wel to take away occasion of seeking to southsayers diuiners and other prophane prophetes of false goddes strictly forbidden in the wordes going immediatly before as in approbation of their conuenient desire mentioned in the wordes folowing to heare Gods wil not by himself nor by an Angel but by Moyses who was now shortly to be taken from them And so this promise was first performed in Iosue succeding next after Moyses in gouernment And as neede required God ceassed not to send more prophetes besides their ordinarie Priests Againe this place is also vnderstood of Christ our Sauiour chief Prophete and master of al prophetes S Peter so expounding it Act. 3. v. 22. 23. CHAP. XIX Certaine cities of refuge must be assigned for casual manslaughter 11. wilful murther punished by death without remission 15. so it be conuinced by two or three witnesses 16. False witnesses punished with the paine which the crime obiected deserueth VVHEN our Lord thy God hath destroyed the nations whose land he wil deliuer to thee and thou doest possesse it and dwellest in the cities and houses therof †three cities shalt thou separate to thee in the middes of the Land which our Lord thy God wil geue thee in possession †preparing diligently the way and thou shalt diuide the whole prouince of thy Land equally into three partes that he which for murder is a fugitiue may haue
of our Lord thy God and keepe his preceptes and ceremonies which are written in this law and returne to our Lord thy God in al thy hart and in al thy soule †This commandment that I command thee this daie “ is not aboue thee nor so farre of †nor situated in heauen that thou maiest say Which of vs is able to ascend vnto heauen to bring it to vs that we may heare and fulfil it in worke †Nor placed beyond the sea that thou mayest pretend and say Which of vs can passe ouer the sea and bring it euen vnto vs that we way heare and doe that which is commanded †But the word is very neere thee in thy mouth and in thy hart to doe it †Consider that I haue “ set before thee this day life and good and contrariewise death and euil †that thou mayest loue our Lord thy God and walke in his waies and keepe his commandmentes and ceremonies and iudgementes and thou mayest liue and he multiplie thee and blesse thee in the Land which thou shalt enter to possesse †But if thy hart be auerted and thou wilt not heare and deceaued with errour thou adore strange goddes and serue them †I foretel thee this day that thou shalt perish and abide a litle time in the Land which passing ouer Iordan thou shalt enter to possesse †“ I cal for witnesses this day heauen and earth that I haue proposed to you life and death blessing and cursing Choose therfore life that both thou mayest liue and thy seede †and mayest loue our Lord thy God and obey his voice and cleaue to him for he is thy life and the length of thy daies that thou mayest liue in the Land for the which our Lord sware to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob that he would geue it them ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXX 6. God vvil circumcise thy bart Most true it is that of our selues without Gods grace none can kepe or fulfil the commandmentes But he whose hart God doth circumcise is therby made able to loue God with al his hart and with al his soule And except some hartes were thus circumcised and so made able to loue God aboue al and consequently their neighboures God should not performe his promise that he wil circumcise the hart of some 11. Is not aboue thee VVhen thou art stirred vp assisted and indued with Gods grace the commandment of God is not then aboue thee nor faire of from thee but very nere thee in thy mouth to confesse God and his truth and in thy hart to do it But you wil aske How then cometh it to passe that manie hauing receiued sufficient grace yet do not kepe Gods commandmentes God him self answereth 15. That he hath set before thee life and good and contrrivvise death and euil he inuiteth and helpeth yet forceth thee not he geuethâ—thee powre abilitie helping and not destroying thy freewil that thou maist loue our Lord thy God walke in his wayes and kepe his commandements But if thy hart be auerted and v. 17. thou vrilt not heare thou shalt perish Againe God inculcateth 19. I cal for vvitnesses heauen and earth that I haue proposed to you life and death blessing and cursing Choose therfore life c. VVhat Doctor can teach more plainly the possibilitie of keeping Gods commandmentes and frewil in man then this text of holie Scripture CHAP. XXXI Moyses substituteth Iosue his successour in temporal gouernment 9. deliuereth the law to the Priestes 16. God fortelleth that the people wil often forsake him and that he wil punish them 19. commandeth Moyses to write a canticle an abrigement of the Law easie to be remembred 25. and in further testimonie against them the Leuites must put this booke in the arke of couenant MOYSES therfore went and spake al these wordes to al Israel †and said to them I am this day a hundred and twentie yeares old I can not goe out and come in any longer especially wheras our Lord also hath said to me Thou shalt not passe ouer this Iordan †Our Lord therfore thy God wil passe ouer before thee he wil destroy al these nations in thy sight and thou shalt possesse them and this Iosue shal passe ouer before thee as our Lord hath spoken †And our Lord shal doe to them as he did to Sehon and Og the kinges of the Ammorheites and to their land and shal destroy them †Therfore when our Lord shal haue deliuered these also to you you shal doe in like manner to them as I haue commanded you †Doe manfully and be strengthned feare not neither tremble ye at their sight because our Lord thy God him selfe is thy conductor and wil not leaue nor forsake thee †And Moyses called Iosue and said to him before al Israel Take courage and be strong for thou shalt bring in this people into the Land which our Lord sware that he would geue to their fathers and thou shalt diuide it by lotte †And our Lord that is your conductor him selfe wil be with thee he wil not leaue nor forsake thee feare not neither dread thou †Moyses therfore wrote this law and deliuered it to the priestes the sonnes of Leui which caried the arke of the couenant of our Lord and to al the ancientes of Israel †And he commanded them saying After seuen yeares in the yeare of remission in the solemnitie of tabernacles †when al come together out of Israel to appeare in the sight of our Lord thy God in the place which our Lord shal choose thou shalt read the wordes of this law before al Israel they hearing †and the people being assembled together as wel men as wemen children and strangers that are within thy gates that hearing they may learne and feare our Lord your God and keepe and fulfil al the wordes of this law †Their children also who now are ignorant that they may heare and feare our Lord their God al the daies that they liue in the Land which passing ouer Iordan you goe to obteyne †And our Lord said to Moyses Behold the daies of thy death are nigh cal Iosue and stand ye in the tabernacle of testimonie that I may command him Moyses therfore and Iosue went and stoode in the tabernacle of testimonie †and our Lord appeared there in the piller of a cloude which stood in the entring of the tabernacle †And our Lord said to Moyses Behold thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers and this people rysing vp wil fornicate after strange goddes in the Land to the which it entreth to dwel therein there wil they forsake me and wil make the couenant which I haue made with them of none effect †And my furie shal be wrath against them in that day and I wil forsake them and wil hide my face from them and they shal be deuoured al euils and afflictions shal finde them so that they shal say
made an end of diuiding the Land by lotte to euerie one by their tribes the children of Israel gaue possession to Iosue the sonne of Nun in the middes of them †according to the commandement of our Lord the citie which he requested Thamnath Saraa in mount Ephraim and he built the citie and dwelt in it †These are the possessions which Eleazar the priest and Iosue the sonne of Nun and the princes of the families and of the tribes of the children of Israel diuided by lotte in Silo before our Lord at the doore of the tabernacle of testimonie and they parted the Land CHAP. XX. Six cities of refuge for such as commit casual manslaughter are named 6 in which remayning til the death of the high priest they may then returne to their proper dwelling place and be safe AND our Lord spake to Iosue saying Speake to the children of Israel and say to them †Separate the cities of the fugitiues of the which I spake to you by the hand of Moyses †that he may flee to them whosoeuer shal strike a soule vnwitting and may escape the wrath of the nigh kinseman which is the reuenger of bloud †when he shal be fled to one of these cities he shal stand before the gate of the citie and shal speake to the ancientes of that citie those thinges that may proue him selfe innocent and so they shal receiue him and geue him place to inhabite †And when the reuenger of the bloud shal pursew him they shal not deliuer him into his handes because he stroke his neighbour by ignorance neitheir is he proued to be his enemie two or three dayes before †And he shal dwel in that citie til he stand before iudgement rendring a cause of his fact and the high priest die which shal be at that time then shal the manslaer returne and enter into the citie and his house out of the which he had fled †And they appointed Cedes in Galilee of the mount of Nepthali and Sichem in the mount of Ephraim and Cariatharbee the same is Hebron in the mount of Iuda †And beyond Iordan against the East quarter of Iericho they appointed Bosor which is situated in the champaine wildernes of the tribe of Ruben and Ramoth in Galaad of the tribe of Gad and Gaulon in Basan of the tribe of Manasses †These cities were appointed to al the children of Israel and to the strangesrs that dwelt among them that he might flee to them which vnwittingly had striken a soule and might not die in the hand of the kinseman coueâ—ing to reuenge the bloud shed vntil he might stand before the people to declare his cause CHAP. XXI Cities with suburbes are assigned to the tribe of Leui. 4. To the sonnes of Caath by the line of Aaron being priestes thirtenne 5. to the rest of Caaths progenie being Leuites tenne 6. To the sonnes of Gerson Leuites thirteâ—ne 7. To the sonnes of Merari Leuites 34. of a lower degree twelue 9. with the names of al the cities 39. in al fourtie eight 41. So Gods promise is fully performed hauing geuen the whole Land to Israel in peaceable possession AND the princes of the families of the Leui came to Eleazar the priest and Iosue the sonne of Nun and to the chief of the kinredes in euerie tribe of the children of Israel †and they spake to them in Silo of the Land of Chanaan and said Our Lord commanded by the hand of Moyses that cities should be geuen vs to inhabite and their suburbes to feede cattel †And the children of Israel gaue of their possessions according to the commandement of our Lord cities and their suburbes †And the lotte came forth vnto the familie of Caath of the children of Aaron the priest out of the tribe of Iudas and Simeon and Beniamin thirtene cities †And to the rest of the children of Caath that is to the Leuites which remayned out of the tribes of Ephraim and Dan and the halfe tribe of Manasses ten cities †Moreouer to the children of Gerson came forth a lotte that they should take of the tribes of Issachar and Aser and Nephthali and the halfe tribe of Manasses in Basan cities in number thirtene †And to the sonnes of Merari by their kinredes of the tribe of Ruben and Gad and Zabulon twelue cities †and the children of Israel gaue to the Leuites cities and their suburbes as our Lord commanded by the hand of Moyses geuing to euerie one by lotte †Of the tribes of the children of Iudas and Simeon Iosue gaue cities whose names be these †to the children of Aaron by the families of Caath of the Leuitical stocke for the first lotte came forth to them †Cariatharbe the father of Enac which is called Hebron in the mountaine of Iudas and the suburbes therof round about †But the fieldes and the townes therof he had geuen to Caleb the sonne of Iephone to possesse †He gaue therfore to the children of Aaron the priest Hebron a citie of refuge and the suburbes therof Lobna with the suburbes therof †and Iether and Estemo †and Holon and Dabir †and Ain and Ieta and Bethsames with the suburbes therof nine cities of two tribes as hath bene said †And of the tribe of the children of Beniamin Gabaon and Gabae †and Anathoth and Almon with their suburbes foure cities †Al the cities together of the children of Aaron the priest thirtene with their suburbes †But to the rest by the families of the children of Caath of the Leuitical stocke was geuen this possession †Of the tribe of Ephraim the cities of refuge Sichem with the suburbes therof in the mountayne of Ephraim and Gazer †and Cibsaim and Beth horon with the suburbes therof foure cities †Of the tribe of Dan also Eltheco and Gabathon †and Aialon and Gethremmon with the suburbes therof foure cities †Moreouer of the half tribe of Manasses Thanac and Gethremmon with their suburbes two cities †Al the cities ten and their suburbes were geuen to the children of Caath of the inferiour degree †To the children of Gerson also of the Leuitical stocke he gaue of the half tribe of Manasses the cities of refuge Gaulon in Basan and Bosram with their suburbes two cities †Moreouer of the tribe of Issachar Cesion and Dabereth †and Iaramoth and Engannim with their suburbes foure cities †And of the tribe of Aser Masal and Abdon †and Helcath and Rohob with their suburbes foure cities †Of the tribe also of Nephthali the cities of refuge Cedes in Galilee and Hammoth Dor and Carthan with their suburbes three cities †Al the cities of the families of Gerson thirtene with their suburbes †And to the children of Merari Leuites of the inferiour degree by their families was geuen of the tribe of Zabulon Iecnam and Cartha †and Damna and Naalol foure cities with their suburbes †Of the tribe
expecting the end of the thing and she cried to him The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson Who brake the bandes as if a man should breake a thread of to◠twyned with spittle when it hath taken the sauor of fyre and it was not knowen wherein his strength was †And Dalila said to him Behold thou hast deluded me and hast spoken false now at the least tel me wherwith thou mayest be bound †To whom he answered If I shal be bound with new cordes that were neuer occupied I shal be weake and like to other men †With the which Dalila againe bound him and cried The Philisthijmes vpon thee Samson ambushementes being prepared in the chamber Who did so breake the bandes as threades of linnen cloth †And Dalila said to him againe How long deceiuest thou me and speakest false Shew wherewith thou mayest be bound To whom Samson answered If thou platte seuen heares of my head with a heare lase and fasten a nayle tyed round about them in the ground I shal be weake †Which when Dalila had done she said to him The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson Who rysing vp from sleepe drew out the nayle with the heares and the heare lase †And Dalila said to him How doest thou say that thou louest me whereas thy mind is not with me These three times thou hast lied to me wouldest not tel wherein thy greatest strength is †And when she molested him and continually hong vpon him for many daies not geuing him space to rest his soule faynted and was wearied euen vnto death †Then opening the truth of the thing he said to her There neuer came yron vpon my head because I am a Nazareite that is to say consecrated to God from my mothers wombe if my head shal be shauen my strength shal depart from me and I shal fayle and shal be as other men †And she seing that he had confessed to her al his minde sent to the princes of the Philisthijms and willed them Come vp yet once more for now he hath opened his hart to me Who went vp taking with them the money which they had promised †But she made him to sleepe vpon her knees and to lay his head in her bosome And she called a barber and shaued his seuen heares and beganne to driue him away and thrust him from her for immediately the streingth departed from him †and she said The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson Who arysing from sleepe said in his mind I wil goe forth as I did before and wil shake my self not knowing that our Lord was departed from him †Whom when the Philisthijmes had apprehended forthwith they plucked forth his eies and led him to Gaza bound with chaynes and being shut vp in prison they made him grinde †And now his heares had begone to grow againe †and the princes of the Philisthijms assembled in one that they might immolate magnifical hostes to Dagon their god and might feast saying Our God hath deliuered our enemie Samson into our handes †Which thing the people also seing praysed their god and said the same thinges Our God hath deliuered our aduersarie into our handes who destroyed our countrie and killed verie manie †And reioysing through out their bankettes when they had now taken their good cheere they commanded that Samson should be called and should play before them Who being brought out of prison played before them and they made him to stand betwen two pillers †Who said to the seruant that gouerned his steppes Suffer me to touch the pillers on which al the house stayeth and let me leane vpon them and rest a litle †And the house was ful of men and wemen and there were al the princes of the Philisthijms also from the roofe and higher part about three thousand of both sexe beholding Samson playing †But he inuocating our Lord said Lord God remember me restore now to me myne old strength my God that I may reuenge me of myne enemies and for the losse of two eies may receiue one reuenge †And taking both the pillers on which the house rested and holding the one in his right hand and the other in his left †he said “ Let me die with the Philisthijms And the pillers being strongly shaken the house fel vpon al the princes and the rest of the multitude that was there and he killed manie moe dying then before he had killed liuing †And his brethren going downe and al his kindred they tooke his bodie and buried it betwixt Saraa and Esthaol in the sepulchre of his father Manue and he iudged Israel twentie yeares ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 30. Let me die vvith the Philisthiims Manie thinges do iustifie Samsons fact in killing himself with the Philisthiims First it appeareth by the miracle that God directly and extraordinarily concurred by restoring in that moment his admirable streingth that he could pull downe two such pillers And conformably we may gather that God inspired his mind to attempt this fact and so he erred not but obeyed God herein as S. Augustin noteth li. 1. c. 21. 26. de ciuit Dei Secondly he was moued with zele of Gods honour hearing the Idolaters praise their false god Dagon Thirdly he had a good and pure intention to reuenge him selfe for Gods more glorie praying to him for restauration of streingth Fourthy he did not directly desire to kil himselfe but to kil the Philisthims though himselfe must also die with them And in this act especially he was a figure of Christ who chiefly by his death conquered his enemies CHAP. XVII Michas and his mother cause a grauen and a molten idol to be made of siluer 5. He maketh one of his sonnes priest for the idol 10. and for the same purpose hyreth also a Leuite THERE was at that time a certaine man of mount Ephraim named Michas †who said to his mother The thousand and hundred siluer peeces which thou hadst separated to thy selfe and concerning the which thou didst sweare in my hearing behold I haue and they are with me To whom she said Blessed be my sonne to the Lord. †He therfore rendred them to his mother who had said to him I haue consecrated and vowed this siluer to the Lord that my sonne may receiue it of my hand and make a grauen and a molten god and now I deliuer that to thee †He rendred them therfore to his mother who tooke two hundred siluer peeces and gaue them to the siluersmith that he might make of them a grauen and a molten god which was in the house of Michas †Who separated also therein a litle house to the God and made an Ephod and Theraphim that is to say a priestlie vestiment and idoles and he filled the hand of one of his sonnes and he became his priest †In those daies there was not a king in Israel but euerie one did that which semed right to him self
Bethsabee therfore went in to the king in the chamber and the king was exceding old and Abisag the Sunamite ministred to him †Bethsabee bowed her self and adored the king To whom the king sayd What is thy wil quoth he †Who answering sayd My lord thou didst sweare to thy handmayd by our Lord thy God that Salomon thy sonne shal reigne after me and he shal sitte in my throne †And behold now Adonias reigneth thou my lord the king not knowing therof †He hath killed oxen al fatte thinges and manie rammes and called al the kinges sonnes Abiathar also the priest and Ioab the General of the warfarre but Salomon thy seruant he called not †Notwithstanding my lord king the eyes of al Israel looke vpon thee that thou wouldest shew them who shal sitte in thy throne my lord king after thee †And it shal be when my lord king sleepeth with his fathers I and my sonne Salomon shal be sinners †As she was yet speaking with the king Nathan the prophet came †And they told the king saying Nathan the prophete is here And when he was gone in to the king and had adored bowing to the earth †Nathan sayd My lord king didst thou say Let Adonias reigne after me and let him sitte vpon my throne †Because he is gone downe to day and hath immolated oxen and fattelinges and manie rammes and called al the kinges sonnes and the captaynes of the armie Abiathar also the priest and they eating and drinking before him and saying God saue the king Adonias †me thy seruant and Sadoc the priest and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada and Salomon thy seruant he called not †Is this word proceded from my lord the king and hast thou not told me thy seruant who should sitte vpon the throne of my lord the king after him †And king Dauid answered saying Cal vnto me Bethsabee Who when she was entered in to the king and stood before him †the king sware and sayd Our Lord liueth which hath deliuered my soule from al distresse †that as I sware to thee by our Lord the God of Israel saying Salomon thy sonne shal reigne after me and he shal sitte vpon my throne for me so wil I doe this day †And Bethsabee bowing her conâ—enance vnto the earth adored the king saying God saue my lord for euer †King Dauid also said Cal me Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophet Banaias the sonne of Ioâ—adâ— Who when they were entred in before the king †he said to them Take with you the seruantes of your lord and sette Salomon my sonne vpon my mule and bring him into Gihon †And let Sadoc the priest anoint him there and Nathan the prophet to be king ouer Israel and you shal sound the trumpet and shal say God saue king Salomon †And you shal goe vp after him and he shal come and shal sitte vpon my throne and he shal reigne for me and I wil ordaine him that he be prince ouer Israel and ouer Iuda †And Banaias the sonne of Ioiada answered the king saying Amen so speake our Lord the God of my lord the king †As our Lord hath beene with my lord the king so be he with Salomon and make his throne higher then the throne of my lord king Dauid †Sadoc therfore the priest and Nathan the prophet went downe and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada and Cherethi and Phelethi and they set Salomon vpon the mule of king Dauid and brought him into Gihon †And Sadoc the priest tooke a horne of oile out of the tabernacle and annointed Salomon and they sounded the trumpet and al the people said God saue king Salomon †And al the multitude went vp after him and the people singing on shaulmes and reioysing with great gladnes and the earth sounded of their crie †And Adonias heard and al that were inuited of him and the feast was ended yea and Ioab hearing the voice of the trumpet said What meaneth the crie of the citie making a tumult †As he yet spake came Ionathas the sonne of Abiathar the priest to whom Adonias said Come in because thou art a stout man and bringest good newes †And Ionathas answered Adonias Not so for our lord king Dauid hath appointed Salomon king †and hath sent with him Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophete and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada and Cerethi and Phelethi and they haue set him vpon the kinges mule †And Sadoc the priest and Nathan the prophete haue annointed him king in Gihon they are gone vp thence reioysing and the citie sounded this is the voice that you heard †Yea and Salomon sitteth vpon the throne of the kingdom †And the kinges seruantes entring in haue blessed our lord king Dauid saying God amplify the name of Salomon aboue thy name and magnifie his throne aboue thy throne And the king adored in his bed †and he hath thus spoken Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel who hath geuen this day one sitting in my throne mine eies seing it †They therfore were terrified and they al arose that had beene inuited of Adonias and euery man went his way †And Adonias fearing Salomon arose and went and held the horne of the altar †And they told Salomon saying Behold Adonias fearing king Salomon hath taken hold of the horne of the altar saying Let king Salomon sweare to me this day that he wil not kil his seruant with the sword †And Salomon sayd If he be a good man there shal not so much as one heare of his fal vpon the ground but if euil shal be found in him he shal die †King Salomon therfore sent and brought him out from the altar and going in he adored king Salomon and Salomon sayd to him Goe to thy house CHAP. II. Dauid geueth godlie preceptes to Salomon 5. willeth him to punish certaine offenders 10. and dieth 12. Salomon reigneth 13. Adonias by intercession of â—eâ—hsabee requesleth to haue Abisag to wife 22. but is put to death for demanding her 26. Abiathar the priest is banished and deposed for conspiring with Adonias 28. Ioab also for the same cause and former crimes is slaine 36. Semei is confined in Ierusalem 40. for transgressing his limites together with old faultes is likewise slaine AND the dayes of Dauid approched that he should die and he commanded his sonne Salomon saying †I enter into the way of al flesh take courage and play the man †And obserue the watches of our Lord thy God that thou walke in his waies and keepe his ceremonies and his preceptes and iudgementes and testimonies as is written in the law of Moyses that thou mayst vnderstand al thinges which thou doest and whithersoeuer thou shalt turne thy selfe †that our Lord may confirme his wordes which he hath spoken of me saying If thy children shal keepe their waies and shal walke before me in truth in al
their hart and in al their soul there shal not altogether be taken from thee a man out of the throne of Israel †Thou knowest also what Ioab the sonne of Saruia hath done to me what he did to the two princes of the armie of Israel to Abner the sonne of Ner and Amasa the sonne of Iether whom he slewe â—hed the bloud of warre in peace put the bloud of battel in his belt which was about his loynes and in his shoe which was on his feete †Thou shalt doe therfore according to thy wisdom and shalt not bring his hoare head peaceably vnto hel †But to the sonnes also of Berzellai the Galaadite thou shalt render kindnes and they shal eate on thy table for they mette me when I fled from the face of Absolom thy brother †Thou hast also with thee Semei the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini of Bahurim who cursed me with a wicked curse when I went to the Campe but because he came downe to meete me when I passed Iordam and I sware to him by our Lord saying I wil not kil thee with the sword †doe not thou suffer him to be guiltles But thou art a wise man so that thou knowest what thou shalt doe to him and thou shalt bring his hoare heare with bloud vnto hel †Dauid therefore slept with his fathers and was buried in the citie of Dauid †And the daies that Dauid reigned in Israel are fourtie yeares in Hebron he reigned seuen yeares in Ierusalem thirtie three †And Salomon sate vpon the throne of Dauid his father and his kingdome was confirmed excedingly †And Adonias the sonne of Haggith entered in to Bethsabee the mother of Salomon Who said to him Is thy coming peaceable Who answered peaceable †And he added I haue a word to speake with thee To whom she said Speake And he †Thou knowest quoth he that the kingdom was mine and al Israel had purposed to make me ouer them to be their king but the kingdom is transposed is made my brothers for it was appointed him of our Lord †Now therefore I desire one petition of thee Confound not my face Who said to him Speake †And he said I pray speake to Salomon the king for he can not denie thee any thing that he geue me Abisag the Sunamite to wife †And Bethsabee saied wel I wil speake 〈◊〉 thee to the king †Bethsabee therefore came to king Salomon to speake vnto him for Adonias and the king arose to meete her and adored her and sate downe vpon his throne and a throne was sette for the kinges mother who sate on his right hand †And she said to him One litle petition I desire of thee confound not my face And the king said to her My mother aske for it behoueth not that I turne away thy face †Who said Let Abisâ—g the Sunamite be geuen to Adonias thy brother to wife †And king Salomon answered and said to his mother Why doest thou aske Abisâ—g the Sunamite for Adonias aske for him also the kingdom for he is my brother elder then I hath Abiathar the priest Ioab the sonne of Saruie †Therfore king Salomon sware by our Lord saying These thinges doe God to me and these adde he because Adonias hath spoken this word against his life †And now our Lord liueth which hath established me and placed me vpon the throne of Dauid my father and which hath made me a house as he spake this day shal Adonias be slaine †And king Salomon sent by the hand of Banaias the sonne of Ioiada who slewe him and he died †To Abiathar also the priest the king said Goe into Anathoth to thy field and thou in deede art a man of death but to day I wil not kil thee because thou didst carie the arke of our Lord God before Dauid my father hast susteyned labour in al thinges wherein my father laboured †Salomon therefore cast out Abiathar that he should not be the priest of our Lord that the word of our lord might be fulfilled which he spake concerning the house of Heli in Silo. †And then a messenger came to Ioab for that Ioab had turned after Adonias and after Salomon had not turned Ioab therfore fled into the tabernacle of our Lord caught the horne of the altar †And it was told king Salomon that Ioab was fled into the tabernacle of our Lord and was beside the altar Salomon sent Banaias the sonne of Ioiada saying Goe kil him †And Banaias came to the tabernacle of our Lord and said to him Thus sayth the king Come forth Who said I wil not come forth but here wil I die Banaias reported his word to the king saying Thus spake Ioab and thus he answered me †And the king said to him Doe as he hath spoken and kil him burie him and thou shalt remoue the innocent bloud which hath beene shed of Ioab from me and from the house of my father †And our Lord shal render his bloud vpon his head because he murdered two iust men better then him self and slew them with his sword my father Dauid not knowing Abner the sonne of Ner general of the warfare of Israel and Amasa the sonne of Iether general of the armie of Iuda †and their bloud shal returne vpon the head of Ioab and vpon the head of his seede for euer But to Dauid and his seede and his house and to his throne be peace for euer from our Lord. †Banaias therfore the sonne of Ioiada went vp and setting vpon him slewe him and he was buried in his house in the desert †And the king appoynted Banaias the sonne of Ioiada for him ouer the armie and Sadoc the priest he placed for Abiathar †The king also sent and called Semei and said to him Build thee a house in Ierusalem and dwel there and thou shalt not goe out thence hither and thither †But what day soeuer thou shalt goe out and shalt passe the Torrent Cedron know that thou art to be slaine thy bloud shal be vpon thy head †And Semei said to the king The saying is good as my lord the king hath spoken so wil thy seruant doe Semei therfore dwelt in Ierusalem manie dayes †And it came to pasâ—e after three yeares that the seruantes of Semei sled to Achis the sonne of Maacha the king of Geth and it was told Semei that his seruantes were gone into Geth †And Semei arose and sadled his asle and went to Achis into Geth to require his seruantes and he brought them out of Geth †And it was told Salomon that Semei went into Geth out of Ierusalem and was returned †And sending he called him and said to him Did I not testifie to thee by our Lord and told thee before What day soeuer thou going out shalt passe hither thither know that thou shalt die
and fasting for them 2. Reg. 1. Al which were to no purpose if soules departed could not be releiued by such meanes It moreouer appeareth that the same royal prophet beleued diuers places to be in hel when he said Psal 85. Thou hast deliuered my soule from the lower hel signifiyng plainly that there is a lower and a higher hel which higher the Church calleth Purgatorie where soules suffer that paine in satisfaction for their sinnes which remaineth not satisfied before death is due after the guilt of sinne is remitted the law prescribing that besides restitution of damage sacrifice should also be offered Leuit. 5. 6. 16. And Dauid was punished by the death of his child 2. Reg. 12. by the plague sent amongst his people 2. Reg. 24. after his sinnes were remitted He feared also punishment in the other world yea two sortes and therfore prayed to be deliuered from both saying Psal 6. Lord rebuke me not in thy furie nor chastice me in thy wrath That is saith S. Gregorie Strike me not with the reprobate nor aflict me with those that are purged by the punishing flames And most expresly signifieth also a higher place called hel saying Psal 15. in the person of Christ to his Father Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hel From vvhence Christ deliuered the holie Patriarches Prophetes and other perfect soules resting vvithout sensible paine brought them into heauen vvhither before him none could enter VVhich vvas also signified by the cities of refuge whence none might depart to their proper countrie til the death of the high priest Num. 35. by Moyses dying in the desert and not entring into the promised land ouer Iordan Deut. 4. 31. 34. Presupposing the general Resurrection of al men as a truth knovven by former traditions king Dauid shevveth the difference of the vvicked and godlie in that time saying Psal 1. The impious shal not rise againe in iudgement nor sinners in the councel of the iust That is the vvicked shal not rise to ioy glorie as the iust godlie shal doe Of general iudgement is more plainly prophecied 1. Reg. 2. That our Lord shal iudge the endes of the earth not that Dauid nor Salomon but Christ should raigne in his mâ—litant Church euen to the endes of the earth and in fine iudge the vvhole vvorld The same is confirmed Psal 49. God wil come manifestly our God and he wil not kepe silence Fire shal burne forth in his sight Psal 95. He shal iudge the round world in equitie and the peoples in his truth Psal 96. Fire shal goe before him and shal inflame his enemies round about Againe the same royal prophete Psalm 48. describeth the future and eternal state of the damned saying as sheepe creatures vnable to helpe themselues they are put in hel death shal feede vpon them Of the blessed he addeth And the iust shal rule ouer them in the morning that is in the resurrection and Psal 149. The Sainctes shal reioyse in glorie they shal be ioyful in their beddes in eternal rest The exaltations praâ—ses of God in their throate and two edged swordes in their handes to doe reuenge in the nations punishments among the peoples To bind their kinges in fetters and their nobles in yron manicles That they may doe in them the iudgement that is written This glorie is to al his Sainctes And much greater glorie belongeth to Sainctes for this is but accidental vttered according to vulgar capacitie The essential and perfect glorie which no eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hart can cone iuâ— consisteth in seeing God Among accidental glorious giftes the foure dowries of glorified bodies are especially prefigured Impassibilitie by the wood Setim wherof the Arke was made Exod. 25. Agilitie and Penetrabilitie in some sorte by Dauids quicknes against Gâ—liath and his conuering of him self into Sauls campe and forth againe 1. Reg. 17. and 26. but a more plaine figure of Claritie was in Moyses face Exod. 34. which by his conuersation with God became more glorious then mortal eyes were able to behold glistering and shining as most splendent lâ—ght through christal described as if his skinne had benne a clere horne aâ—â—earing and spreading beamâ— like the sunnâ— proceding from the beautie of his soule so thâ—â— none of al the people could looke directly vpon him except he couered his face Thus much concerning particular pointes of faith and religion And it is no lesse euident that the vniuersal Church and Citie of God stil continued yea was more visible and conspicuous to the whole world then before First by Gods maruelous protection therof in the desert and famous victories and conquestes of the land of Chanaan And by the excellent lawes geuen to this people which al nations admired and none had the like Deut. 4. For in this fourth age besides other lavves and preceptes the spiritual and temporal States were more distinguished and the Ecclesiastical Hierarchie especially disposed in subordination of one supreme head with inferiour gouerners ech in their place and office for edification of the whole bodie For Moyses being chief ruler and conductâ—r of the Israelites out of Aegypt receiued and deliuered to them the written Law Exod. 20. And for obseruation and conseruation therof by Gods expresse appointment Leuit. 8. consecrated Aaron the ordinarie High priest himself remayning stil extraordinarie Superiour also aboue Aaron And after Aaron he consecrated in like maner his sonne Eleazar high priest and successour to his father Num. 20. To whom succeded others in this order 1. Paralip 6. Phinees Abisuë Bocci Ozi Zacharias otherwise 1. Reg. 1. called Heli Meraioth Amarias otherwise Achimelec whom Saul slew 1. Reg. 22. Achitob othervvise Abiathar vvho vvas deposed 3. Reg. 2. and Sadoc in vvhose time the Temple vvas founded To these vvere adioyned other Priestes also consecrated in a praescript forme Leuit. 8. and Leuites ordayned to assist in lower and distinct offices Num. 3. 4. In the first degree the Caathites whose office was to carrie the Sanctuarie and vessel therof vvrapped vp by the priestes but vvere forbid in paine of death to touch them or to see them In the second degree the Gersonites vvho carried the cortines and couers of the Tabernacle and vessel of the Altar In the third degree the Merarites vvho carried the bordes barres and pillers vvith their feete pinnes cordes and other implementes of the tabernacle euerie one according to their office and burdens Num. 4. v. vlt. But in the temporal state and gouernment Iosue of the tribe of Ephraim succeeded to Moyses Num. 27. Deut. 3. 34. And after Iosue were diuers interruptions of succession with gouerners of diuers tribes and change of gouernment from Dukes to Iudges and from Iudges to Kinges For after Iosues death the people being sore afflicted by inuasions of Infidels God raised certaine special men with title of Iudges to
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
and al thinges whatsoeuer I shal command thee thou shalt speake †Be not afraide of their face because I am with thee to deliuer thee saith our Lord. †And our Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth and our Lord saied to me Beholde I haue geuen my wordes in thy mouth †Behold I haue appointed thee this day ouer the Gentiles and ouer kingdomes that thou maist pluck vp and destroy and waste and dissipate and build and plant †And the word of our Lord was made to me saying What seest thou Ieremie And I said I see a rodde watching †And our Lord sayed to me wel hast thou seene because I wil watch vpon my word to doe it †And the word of our Lord was made to me the second time saying What seest thou And I said I see a pot boyling hote and the face thereof from the face of the North. †And our Lord saied vnto me From the North shal euil be opened vpon al the inhabitantes of the land †Because loe I wil cal together al the kinredes of the kingdomes of the North saith our Lord and they shal come and shal sette euerie one his throne in the entring of the gates of Ierusalem and vpon al the walles therof round about and vpon al the cities of Iuda †And I wil speake my iudgements with them touching al the wickednes of them that haue forsaken me and haue offered to strange goddes and haue adored the worke of their owne handes †Thou therefore girde thy loynes and rise and speake to them al thinges that I command thee Be not afraied of their face for I wil make thee not to feare their countenance †For I haue geuen thee this day to be as a fenced citie and as an yron pillar and as a brasen walle ouer al the land of the kinges of Iuda to the princes thereof to the priestes and to the people of the land †And they shal fight against thee and shal not preuaile because I am with thee saith our Lord to deliuer thee CHAP. II. God expostulateth with the Iewes 6. that they regard not his great benefites 8. Some priestes and pretended prophetes seruing false goddes 23. and denying their fault 25. are obstinate in idolatrie 36. for which they shal be confounded AND the word of our Lord was made to me saying †Goe and crie in the eares of Ierusalem saying Thus saith our Lord I haue remembred thee pitying thy youth and the charitie of thy despousing when thou didest folow me in the desert in a land that is not sowen †Israel is holie to our Lord the first fruites of his fruites al they that doe deuoure it doe sinne euil shal come vpon them saith our Lord. †Heare ye the word of our Lord ô house of Iacob and al ye kinredes of the house of Israel †thus saith our Lord What iniquitie haue your fathers found in me that they haue made themselues far from me and haue walked after vanitie and are become vaine †And they haue not said Where is our Lord that made vs come vp out of the land of Aegypt that led vs through the defert through a land inhabitable and without way through a land of thirst the image of death through a land wherein no man walked nor anie man dwelt †And I brought you into the land of Carmel that you might eate the fruite thereof and the best thinges therof and being entered in you haue contaminated my land and made mine inheritance an abomination †The priestes haue not said Where is our Lord and they that held the law knew me not and the pastours haue transgressed against me and the prophets haue prophecied in Baal and haue folowed idoles †Therefore wil I yet contend in iudgement with you saith our Lord and I wil plead with your children †Passe ye to the iles of Cethim and see and send into Cedar and consider earnestly and see if there hath the like thing bene done †If a nation hath changed their goddes and surely they are not goddes but my people hath changed their glorie into an idol †Be astoined ô heauens vpon this and ô gates thereof be ye desolate exceedingly saith our Lord. †For two euils hath my people done Me they haue forsaken the fountaine of liuing water haue digged to them selues cesternes broken cesternes that are not able to holde waters †Why is Israel a bondman or a seruant borne in the house why then is he become a praye †The lions haue roared vpon him and haue geuen their voice they haue made his land a wildernes his cities are burnt vp there is none to dwel in them †The children also of Memphis and Taphnes haue defloured thee euen to the crowne of the head †Is not this done to thee because thou didest forsake the Lord thy God at that time when he led thee by the way †And now what wilt thou in the way of Aegypt to drinke the trubled water And what hast thou to doe with the way of the Assyrians to drinke the waters of the riuer †Thy malice shal reproue thee and thine apostacie shal rebuke thee Know thou see that it is an euil and a bitter thing for thee to haue left the Lord thy God and that my feare is not with thee saith our Lord the God of hostes †From the beginning thou hast broken my yoke thou hast burst my bonds and thou saidst I wil not serue For on euerie litle high hil and vnder euerie greene thicke tree thou wast laied downe as an harlot †But I planted thee an elect vineyard al true seede how then art thou turned vnto me into that which is depraued ô strange vineyard †If thou shalt wash thyself with nitre and multiplie to thy self the herbe borith thou art spotted in thine iniquitie before me saith our Lord God †How sayst thou I am not polluted I haue not walked after Baalim see thy wayes in the valley know what thou hast done a swift courser that rideth his wayes †The wild Asse accustomed to the wildernes in the desire of his soule hath drawen the winde of his loue none shal turne her away al that seeke her shal not faile in her monethlie flowres they shal finde her †Stay thy foote from nakednes and thy throate from thirst And thou saidest I haue despayred no I wil not doe it for I haue loued strangers and I wil walke after them †As the theefe is confounded when he is taken so is the house of Israel confounded they and their kinges the princes and priestes and their prophetes †saying to wood Thou art my father and to stone Thou hast begotten me they haue turned the backe to me not the face and in the time of their affliction they wil say Arise and deliuer vs. †Where are the goddes whom thou
in the space of nere 300. yeares   l 2564.   l Othoniel the first Iudge of the tribe of Iuda deliuered the Israelites from molestation of the king of Syria He gouerned comprehending also the intermission fourtie yeares Iudic. 3. v. 11. Neither did it suffice their phancies to coÌ„mend themselues and their goodes to the protection of few goddes but diuers thinges yea and the same thinges according to diuers state to diuers goddes and goddesses As S. Augustin noteth li. 4. c. 8. de ciuit that they thought it not sufficient to coÌ„mend their landes possessions to one god or goddesse but the fieldes to one mouÌ„taines to an other little hilles to an other valleys or medowes to an other Likewise their corne not al to one but the sede newly sowne to one beginning to brewerd to an other when it riseth beginneth to haue knottes to an other when it bladeth to an other when the eare springeth to an other when it is ripe readie to be reaped to an other And so without end more and more vaine goddes were imagined by the diuels suggestion The booke of Iudges sheweth the state of the people of God the space of nere three hundred yeares after the death of Iosue when they had sometimes temporal gouerners of diuers tribes some times none m 2588.   m Aod of the tribe of Beniamin the second Iudge killed Eglon king of Moab and so deliuered Israel and slew tenne thousand Moabites Iud. 3. v. 20. 29.      n Samgar a husbandman the third Iudge killing six hundred Philisthimes with the culter of a plough defended Israel Iudic. 3. v. 31. He with Aod and the times wanting iudges gouerned seuentie fiue yeares   o 2663.   o Barach by direction of Debora a prophetesse fighting against Sisara chiefe captaine of Iabin king of Asor Iahil a stout woman slew the same captaine striking a naile in his head Iud. 4. They gouerned 38. yeares    Abisue Salmon p Gedeon confirmed by miracles that he was sent of God ouertherw the Madianites and deliuered Israel gouerning fourtie yeares Iudic. 6. 7. 8.   p 2701.   q Abimelech the base sonne of Gedeon vniustly vsurping auctoritie killed his seuenty bretheren one only escaping but within three yeares was hated of his folowers and slaine by a woman Iud 9.   q 2741.   r Thola defended the countrie from inuasion of enimies three yeares Iud. 10.   r 2744.   s Iair a potent noble man defended the people twentie two yeares Iud. 10. v. 3.   s 2767. Bocci  t Iepte first reiected but afterwards intreated by the ancientes of the people fought for them and ouerthrew the enemies And vpon an vndiscrete vow offered his daughter in sacrifice Iud. 11.   t 2789.  Booz   who so deluding men brought them to eternal ruine    v He killed in ciuil warre fourtie two thousand Ephraimites and gouerned six yeares Iud. 12.   w 2795.   w Abesan a fortunate good man ruled in peace seuen yeares Iudic. 12. v. 9. About this time Booz of the tribe of Iuda maried Ruth a Moabite by whom the right line of Iudas descended by Phares to Dauid Ruth 4. v. 18. c. The people in this time of peace fel againe to idolatrie For which God suffered the Philistimes to afflict them Iud. 13. The tribe of Dan set vp idolatrie Iud. 18.  x 2802.   x Ahialon gouerned likewise in peace tenne yeares Iud. 12. v. 11. A hainous crime being committed in the tribe of Beniamin and not punished the other Israelites made battle against them being themselues also great sinners lost manie men in two conflictes but in the third the tribe of Beniamin was almost destroyed Iud. 19. v. 20. The booke of Ruth amongst other mysteries sheweth the genealogie of Dauid of whose sede Christ was borne y 2812.  Obed. y Abdon an other nobleman gouerned eight yeares Iud. 12. v. 13.   z 2820. Ozi  z Samson from his birth a Nazareite of admirable streingth did manie heroical actes killed manie Philistimes in his life more by his owne death He gouerned twentie yeares Iud. 13. v. 5. c. ch 16. v. 31.   a 2840. Hei otherwise Zaraias  a Heli of the stocke of Aaron by the line of Ithamar was High priest and gouerned Israel fourtie yeares 1. Reg. 4. v. 18.     Isai or Iesse b Samuel whose mother being long barren had presented him an infant in the temple according to her vow was a Nazareire and a prophet from a child 1.  The foure bookes of kings shew the state of the Church from the b 2880.     first kinges of Gods people to their captiuitie And the two bookes of Paralipomenon do repete briefly some thinges written before partly adde thinges omitted in other bookes  Maraioth Dauid b. Reg. 1. 3. And after the death of Heli gouerned the people of Israel before Saul twentie yeares And with him twentie yeares more About the yeare of the world 2830. Troy was taken and destroyed by the Grecians In which battel were Agamemnon Vlisses Achilles Nestor many others not in dede so renowmed for anie vertues or factes of their owne as Homer Horace Viâ—gil Onid others by poetical libertie flatterie sette them forth But most follie appeareth in that the citie of Rome was afterwards commended to those goddes which were taken in Troy not able to defend them selues from inuasion and spoile S. Aug. li. 1. c. 3. ciuit The psalmes written by Dauid a summarie of al holie Scriptures c 2900. Achimelech or Amarias Dauid king c By the importunitie of the people to haue a king God appointed Samuel to annoint Saul 1. Reg. 10. who at first gouerned wel but afterwards declining from God was deposed Dauid annointed by the same prophet Samuel 1. Reg. 16. Yet Saul was not actually depriued of the scepter so long as he liued 1. Reg. 31.   d 2920. Abiathar or Achitob Salomon d Dauid king prophetâ—â— led his kingdom as a right parterne of al good kinges made the booke of Psalmes ful of al diuine knowlege prepared meanes for building the temple ordained diuers sortes of musitians and reigned fourtie yeares 2. Reg. totus 2. Par. 23 c.   e 2960. Sadoc  e Salomon excelling in wisdom prospered in this world 3. Reg. 3. c.   f 2964.   f He built the temple and adorned the same with al excellent furniture requisite for Gods seruice disposing al in order as Dauid had ordained   THE END OF THE FOVRTH AGE THE BEGINNING OF THE FIFTH AGE AnnimuÌ„di High-priests kinges of luda The sacred Historie Schismes and infidelitie Scriptures g 2972.   g The temple being finished in seuen yeares was
not counting the tribe of Leui nor wemen nor anie vnder 20. yeares nor old men vnable to goe to warre :: Al other tribes were in respect of seruing about the tabernacle called strangers 3. Aug. q. 3. in Num. :: As none but Leuites might serue in the tabernacle so none but of Aarons stock might do the office of Priest hood :: One chiefe Monarch in the Church to whom al other Superiors are subordinate Moyses is stil counted and hath chiefe place and office among the Priestes which were absurde saieth S. Augustin in Psal 98. if he were not a priest :: The sonnes of Moyses were with him so long as he liued but after his death they serued the Priests as other Leuites did and were numbred with the Caathites 1. Paral. 23. v. 12. This number exceedeth the 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 â—hy 300 are 〈…〉 in the 〈…〉 summe oâ— the Leuites Perfect numbers signifie perfection :: In this case it was necessarie for the priests to enter in where otherwise none entered but the high Priest and that but once in the yeare And al being foulded vp others also entered to carie it away v. 15. :: See that by your negligence those that are next vnto you incurre not offence for so none shal be excused :: Stil by the lesse saieth Theodoret God instructeth in the greatter q 8. in NuÌ„ If therfore lepers were cast out of the campe how much more iustly are heretiques cast out of the Church :: God ordained this law and miraculously concurred therin to auoid wiuesslaughter vpoÌ„ vehement â—elosie Theod. q. 10. in Num. * about the eight part of our peâ—k :: VVater sanctified by special rites is called holie water and serueth to holie vse chap. 8. v. 7. c. 19. v. 9. :: The water wheron the priest laide curses to light on the woman if she were guiltie Particular confession of sinnes satisfaction required by the law of God :: VVhen Samson was depriued of these haires he lost his streingth â—â—dâ—c 16. :: A special and determinate forme of blessing :: VVhen the priest vttereth the wordes God geueth the effect God prescribed the rule of Nazareites the rites of their consecration â— Aug. q. 52. in lib. Iudic. The same was a figure of vowes both temporal and perpetual :: Of great reuerence they cariod the arke and propitiatorie and the holie vessel ordinarily vpon their shoulders yet the same were sometimes caried on waines 2. Reg. 6. :: This water was mixed with ashes of a redde ow sacrificed without the campe chap. â—9 :: Aaron hauing receiued the Leuites preseÌ„ted them to God and so addicted them to their designed offices :: By touching the dead â— â—â— q. 15. in Num. :: God answered by a voice framed by an Angel from the propitiatorie chap. 7. â— 89. The second part Of diuers impediments which happened to the Israelites and renouation of sundrie precepts in their iorney from the desert of Sinai to the campe of Moab :: Before the whole multitude plaine and necessarie pointes of doctrine must only be vttered but before the lerned and wiser sorte â—â—gheâ— mysteries may be treated and taught Theod. ◠〈◊〉 in Num. :: Either this Hobab was otherwise called Raguel 〈◊〉 2. and also Iâ—â—â—â—o Exo. 3. and was father in law to Moyses or els he was sonne of the same Raguel and brother in law to Moyses * cognatâ— vel affâ—nâ— :: Moyses meaneth that wheÌ„ by the cloud and piller of fire their special guides the people should come to new places this Madianite his allied might direct them where to finde best pasture water and like commodities nere to them :: Besides general prayers for al purposes some are composed and applied for special times and occasions :: These were Aegyptians that parted out of their countrie with the Israelites and now murmuring drawe others by example to the same sinne :: Prayers of holie men are with submission of their willes to Gods wil either expressed or implied :: God imperted of the same spirite to these Ancientes wherof he had geueÌ„ to Moyses that they might haue so much helpe of grace as pleased God and Moyses haue neuer thelesse S. Aug. q. 1â— in Num. :: Gods grace sometimes preuenteth the ordinarie meanes Theodoret. q. 21. in Num. :: By this example and figure S. Paul sheweth that al shal not be saued which are baptised communicate in the same faith Sacraments but those only which also please God in their workes 1. Cor. 10. Exod. 2. :: Madianites were also called Aethiopipians S. Aug. q. 20. in Num. :: The Holie Ghost forced Moyses to vtter his owne praise which of him self he desired not :: Aaron was not publikly punished lest therby he had bene made coÌ„â—emptible to the people but was otherwise chatised :: Changing of his name literally imported the great office of chiefe Duke vnto which he was designed mystically prefigured our Lord IESVS for it is the same name in Hebrew and signifieth SAVIOVR Theod. q. 25. in Num. :: Pretending falsly that the Land had an vnwholsome ayre deuouring the inhabitaÌ„tes not possible to be obtained by reasoÌ„ of the gyants couertly they detracted froÌ„ Gods powre or his good wil towards them who had promised the same And therfore he gaue it to their children but not to these seducers and murmurers chap. 14. v. 23 29. :: These murmurers had their wish to their owne punishmeÌ„t chap. 14. v. 29. 26. v. 64. :: It is so absolutly necessarie in euerie communitie to haue one Superiorâ— fal that verie â—uâ—â—eâ—s themselues do euer choose such a one cal him the Electo :: After the sinne is forgeuen yet punishment remaineth to be inflicted :: Although grace be first geueÌ„ without desert yet good workes done by grace do merite reward S. Aug. de â—â—at lib. arb c. 6. :: Temporal punishment laid vpon the children for their fathers sinnes is for their owne spiritual good S. Aug. Epist 〈◊〉 ad Aâ—â—tum :: Though sinnes wittingly committed procediÌ„g of pride and contempt of Gods commandment could not be pardoned by the law yet such may also be remitted through true repentance S. Aug. q. 25. in Num. :: Seueritie is vsed towardes those that knowiÌ„g Gods wil do contrarie Luc. 12. v. â—7 :: The Iewes in Christs time hypochritically enlarged these fringes for vaine shew of holines Mat. 23. :: So Luther li. de abrog Missa and other enimies of Ecclesiastical Hiererchy wil haue no proper Priesthood in the Church of Christ because al Christians are called a holie priestbood 1 Pet. 2 and Priestes Apoc. 1. :: Those that touch things perteining to impietie or depart not from the tabernacles of schismatikes are inwrapped in their sinnes much more to goe vnto bcretical Synagogues is condemned See â— Cyprian li. de laâ—â—â—s â—a ag â— :: Moyses proâ—ed before by miracles Exod. 4. that he was sent of God and now he proueth againe by miracle that he and Aaron
answer :: Euil wordes for curteous vsage heret o sore and for late gentil intreating by messengers :: Things tyeâ— in bundels are stronger and more secure then single and loose :: Dauid is resolute and often repeteth that it is not lawful for priuate subiectes to kil their prince no although him selfe was annointed to succede :: Gods prouidence sent this extraordinary sleepe and inspired Dauid to doe this fact for more iustification of his innocencie :: These countries were neither subiect to the Philistijms not to the Israelites and were also of those nations whom God had coÌ„manded to destâ—roy dwelling within the land of Chanaan Deut 25. The fourth part Of the ruine of Saul and exaltation of Dauid :: Not manie but one excellent person an old man come lie in apparel Saul adored not Samuel with diuine honour but with dulia reuerencedue to a blessed soule * â—iadagâ— cognouit Luevv :: In state of the dead in an other world not in the same particular state S. Augustin opinion whether Samuele soule appeared or no. More probable that his verie soule appeared not compelled by the euil spirite but obeying Gods secrete ordinance First proose 2 3 4 â— to â— pag. 210. Soules sometimes appeare after death loco 〈◊〉 tatâ— :: He speaketh by amplification to make his fact seme more reasonable whereas the time of Dauids abode with him was but foute monethes ch 27. v. 7. :: Consuit out Lord for me so Dauid by the priests mediation was instructed what to do :: It is not against Gods coÌ„mandment Deut. 4. 12. to make new lawes so they be conformable not contrarie to Gods former lawes Saul killing himself after that he was wounded 〈◊〉 his enimies signifieth those that being ouercome by tentations desperatly persist wilfully die in their sinne S. Greg. â—â—o 10 :: These men are coÌ„mendable for gratitude towards Saul who had deliuered them ch 11. for a vvorke of mercie in burying the dead for pietie towards their king and princes and for fortitude in atchiuing so heroical an act This booke is wholly of Dauid His succession to the kingdom His vertues Faultes Thankes and Prophecie :: He fained al this thincking to get fauoure for Saul killed himself li. 1. ch 31. but Dauid punished him as such a crime desetued v. 15. :: Exequies of Saul obserued with mourning weeping and fasting :: The Philisthijms were strong cunning archers therefore Dauid commanded that his subiectes should lerne and exercise the same maner of fight :: This second annointing as also the third ch â— was in confirmation and to put him in possession of the first mâ—â—â— long before 1. Reg. 16. :: He reigned two yeares before he beganne much to decline but in al seuen yeares and a half for so long Dauid reigned only in Iuda v. 11. :: Hence perhaps cometh the phraise that one armie playeth vpon an other vvith smal and great arâ—â—lane that is strike and kil their enimies with al sortes of gunnes Iosephus li. 7. c. 1. Antiq. :: Am I coâ—temptible in thy sight and yet head of them that oppose against Dauid I that haue donne so much for thee wil not indure to be reprehended for a smal fault So God suffereth the maintainers of an euiâ— quarel to fal out among them selues wherby the right cause is aduanced :: weake being newly receiued king and not able to punish strong offenders But Ioab others were afterwardes punished 3. Reg. 2. :: They annoint him againe in confirmation of their consent as Iuda had donne chap. 2 acknowledging Gods ordinance 1. Reg. 16. :: King Dauid now atcheued that the tribe of Iuda could not in the time of Iosue Iosue 15. :: Idoles that haue eyes and can not see feete and can not goe shal not enter into the Church of Christ * â—câ—lp â—â—lia :: 〈…〉 there 〈…〉 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 as he 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 S. 〈…〉 S. 〈…〉 :: To dance before the arke is to dance before our Lord. :: The tabernacle made by Moyses was a goodlie thing but being couered with skinnes and in manie respectes insufficient for Gods seruice Dauid desired to build a glorious Temple But was not permitted to do it for mysterie sake to signifie that Christ the true Salomon should build his Church that farre excelleth the Synagogue of the Iewes and old Testament S. Augustin li. 17. c. 8. deciuit a He that supposeth this great promise to be fulfilled in Salomon erreth much sayeth S. Augustin ibidem b S. Paul expoundeth this of Christ Heb. 1. v 5. c This can not be saied of Christ but of Salomon and of anie christian so this place hath manie literal senses d The Sea Apostolique priestly powre in the church of christ is this perpetual kingdom S. Epiphanius Heresi 29. e Here and in manie other places the Hebrew word is of the plural number Elohim Goddes signifying more diuine Persons f The worke of mans Redemption is appropriated to God the Sonne :: For 〈◊〉 â—â—pâ—â—â—â— Dauid compâ—ssing then with cordes as 〈…〉 are eâ—â—iâ—â—â—â—d cast them on the around and by lotte killed some and spared some aliue :: Sette 〈◊〉 an Arch in memorie of triumph * â—rchaâ—â—â—lâ—r :: These were archers and sling throwers of the guard Pharaâ—â—rasis â—hâ—ll :: Or priestes oâ— chief rulers See the annotation Gen 47. v. 22. 1. Paâ—â—l 18. v. 17. :: The partiâ—â—lar inhereâ—â—â—â— that perâ—â—ined to Sauls familie :: Not siâ—â—e 〈◊〉 table with the king but haue his diet of the kinges prouision besides the forsaide inheritance :: This Naas king of Ammon curtously intertained Dauids freindes which escaped from the king of Moab killing most of them that were coÌ„mended to him because Dauid had leift his countrie and was returned into Iuda 1. Reg. 22. Histor Eccles :: Then do sius the Eâ—â—rerour pretenâ—ing to be excused from punishment for his sinnes because king Dauid also was an adulter â— and a manslaver S. Ambrose replied saying Thou that hast solovveding Dauid evving folovv him â—epenting After which admonâ—tion the Emperour most humbly did publique penance inioyned him by the Bishop in vâ—â—a Theodâ—sij :: Now then some of thy seede shal be violently slaine so were slaine three of his owne sonnes Ammon chap. 13. Absalom chap. 18. Adonias 3. Reg. 2. six sonnes of Iosaphat and al Iorams sonnes saue one â— paralip 21. also Ochozias Amasias Iosias 2. Par. 24 25. 35. and the sonnes of Sedechias himselfe hauing his eyes put out and so brought into Babylon 4. Reg. 25. :: Praised and thanked the king :: These children died before him as appeareth cha 18. :: Concubines were lawfully maried but had not al priuilegies as other wiues See 〈◊〉 25. Iudiâ— 19. :: He couered his head that he might not be seene to weepe lest he should discorege the people neuertheles the people also wept and likewise couered their heades :: King Dauid was here abused by false information to which he ought not so easely to
parente his vvrath must nedes be very great to euerie sinner for his ovvne proper sinnes p The hope of glorious resurrection turneth our calamities into spiritual ioy q Yea the more we suffer in this life for the truth the greater is our comforth in hope of reward r Not only in that we are thy creatures but also in that we are thy seruants we are thy proper worke therfore in both these respectes ô God looke vpon vs with clemencie ſ lead also our posteritie into the right way and make them thy seruantes t O God illuminate our vnderstanding v make our actions by thy grace profitable to vs. vv and make perfect in vs the worke of charitie In which one worke al good workes are included and to which al other are directed For then workes are right sayth S. Angustin when they are directed to this one end Gods prouidence the 3. key a Praise of Gods prouidence with thankes b Which Dauid songue with voice c He that firmely relieth and resteth vpon Gods prouidence is assuredly protected by him d Al secret and sutle machinations e and from al crueltie of tyrants f Terrors obscurly suggested by euil men or spirites with erronions conceipte that men are not bond in time of temporal dangers to confesse the truth g Open persecution threatning present death except men denie the truth which they know h circumuention of craftie enimies by sutle arguing and drawing men into error and so to decline from Catholique Religion i long torments euen to death except Gods seruants wil relent and denie the truth which they assuredly beleue and know in their conscience that they are bond to professe it k On thy left side in aduersitie manie fal from God l on thy right side in prosperitie manie more forgete and forsake God m In sincerely sayng thou art my hope thou makest God thy refuge n Angels haue protection of men by Gods ordinance o The diuel corruptly alleageth this scripture Mat. 4 omitting the latter part of this verse which sheweth when Angels protect iust men towitte when they walke in a right path obseruing ordinarie course in their actions not in geuing themselues headlong into needles danger as the same diuel proposed to our Sauiour to cast himself downe from the pinnacle of the temple Such falling is not the way of the iust but of Lucifer that fel from heauen So S. Bernard noteth Ser. 15. in hunc Psal p God speaketh the rest that foloweth in this Psalme q In eternal saluation Foure sortes of persecution for the Catholique faith 1. 2. 3 4 God leaueth none but those that first leaue him The vvorkes of God admirable the 2. key a Voices beginning instrumentes prosecute this song b when we rest from worke then especially vve ought to thincke vpon Gods vvorkes praise and thanke him for the same c To geue thankes d In prosperitie e in aduersitie f On euerie instrument of tenne stringes signifying the obseruation of the tenne commandments g namely on the Psalter h also on the harpe which signifieth mortification i Carnal and sensual man k he that thinketh only of present thinges not of future l The iust in confidence of a good conscience expect exaltation of their powre m and great consolation in the end of their life n Then shal the iust see their enimies depressed and themselues florish like the palme and ceder trees as folovveth o Militant Church p triumphant q Publikly professe Gods praeises as in the wordes folowing Perpetuitie of the Church the 6. key a Praise to be songue vvith voice b composed by Dauid c the sixth day of the weeke vvhich is our friday d in vvhich day the Church of Christ vvas founded by his bloud shed on the crosse f gloriously escending in soule into limbus and in bodie to his graue g he then put on al armour of strength strength to reforme the world and to inlarge his kingdom according to his owne prediction where he saide If I be exalted from the earth I wil draw al thinges vnto myselfe Ioan. 12. v. 31. Our Sauiour founding his Church by his death begane then to reigne therin h Not only in Iurie and Samaria but the whole earth i and the same Church shal not be destroyed k Christ being eternal hath an euerlasting Church l Al sortes of persecuters the High priestes who sometimes vvatered the spiritual land like riuers vvith Scribes Pharises and other incredulous Ievves also Paganes Turkes and Heretikes haue oppugned the Church m With more force then anie persecutions in the old Testament n but though al these assaultes be great and meruelous yet Christ in protecting his Church is more meruelous o Articles of faith are not euidently apparent to knovvlege but euident to credibilitie to those that are disposed by Gods grace illuminating their vnderstanding and mouing their free vvil to geue consent of beleefe if they vvil p It behoueth therfore al members of the Church to conuerse piously and religiously in this life seing she hath so excellent a spouse protector and instructor q euen to the end of the vvorld Eternal saluation and damnation the 10. key a The Hebrevv letter Lamed vvhich ordinarily is prefixed to the datiue case or signifieth to being set before proper names is a signe of the genetiue case Yet the Septuagint expresse it by the datiue and so doth the latin ipsi Dauid and consequently our English hath to Dauid himselfe to shevv a difference betvven sacred and profane vvriters For in humane bookes the vvriter and auctor is al one but in diuine the Holie Ghost is the proper auctor and a man is the vvriter To signifie therfore the principal auctor Dauid is sometimes named as the instrumental cause to vvhom the Holie Ghost inspired this and other Psalmes and by vvhom they vvere vvritten And vvhen the titles expresse othervvise A Psalme of Dauid yet it is so to be vnderstood that the Holie Ghost is alvvayes the principal auctor and Dauid the instrumental ministerial or secondarie auctor But vvhen other names are expressed either in the genetiue or datiue case or hovvsoeuer it proueth not that those men vvere the vvriters of the same Psalmes but importeth some other thing as by S. Augustins iudgement vve noted in the proemial Annotations page 3. 4. vvherby is proued that this Psalme vvas not written nor composed by Moyses as Hebrevv Rabbins suppose but by the Royal Psalmist Dauid b Made and ordinarily songue in the sourth day of the vveke our vvenesday in vvhich day Iudas the traitor sold our Sauiour Christ to his enimies The reuenge of vvhich vvickednes and of al other sinnes is here prophecied c God more commonly called the God of mercie vvhich vertue in him is aboue al his vvorkes Psal 144 is also the God of reuenges according to his iustice d He procedeth in iudgement resolutly not depending nor fearing not respecting anie person povvre
praised her she returneth al the praise to him d Praying him to come and stil remaine vvith her e Acknovvleging him to be the only Sauiour of both old and nevv testament a The Synagogue prosecuteth her prayer desiring Christs Incarnation b Christ admonisheth vvordlie men not to molest those that serue him in contemplation other spiritual vertues c Angels and other Sainctes of the triumphant Church admire the beautie of the Câ—nâ—les conuerted which is also vnderstood of euerie holie soule ascending from this world into heauen And more singularly of the most glorious virgin mother of God f The Church of Gentiles reioyceth in the strong defence vvhervvith her Sauiour hath established her g Keepers of this vinyard vvere the Prophetes and Apostles and their Successors are stil the kepers therof h Christ shevveth that together vvith the pastors himself especially hath care of his Church alvvayes assisting the visible gouerners therof vvith his inuisible grace i The vvhole Church militant vvel contented yea desiring Christs Ascension into heauen for the good of al that here serue him prayeth him from thence to send abundance of his grace that vve may ascend the high mountaines of perfect charitie and zele of Gods honour that he vvil make our soules such hilles the garden of al vertues so voutsafe to dwel therin Amen d The Synagogue of the Iewes was corrupt vnder the tree of Christs Crosse when they cried Crucifie him Crucifie him And againe His bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children Againe VVe haue no King but Caesar c. e Christ againe sheweth his affection towards his Church of the Gentiles calling her his owne sister and the Synagogs sister promising and bestowing on her manie excellent benefites Both the auctor auctoritie of this booke were sometimes doubtful The same doubt is of Ecclesiasticus It is most probable that Philo a Iew writte this booke collecting manie sentences of Salomons Argum. lib. Reg. Fiue Sapiential bookes of the old testament Chap. 7. 8. 9. The Iewes denie these bookes to be Canonical Mat. 22. Exo. 3. They are iudged by very manie ancient fathers and afterwards defined by the Church to be Canonical Scriptures Et li. 17. c. 20. â—â—â—â— The contents Diuided into three patts The 1. part An admonition to loue and practise iustice 3. Reg. 3. Isa 56. 2. Par. 1â— :: Mortal sinnes are not only committed in dedes vvordes but also in though tes :: He that maliciously curseth sâ—uâ—sed of God â—al 5. v. 22. :: Be not cause of your owne eternal death by euil life :: Desperate death deliuereth not the wicked from calamities :: Neither are anâ—e damned vvhile they are in thâ—â— life :: But sinners not repenting being etâ—â—nal 〈…〉 them 〈…〉 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 be after death fal to these prophane thoughts and speaches of infidelitie :: Of infidelitie touching paine or reward after death procedeth the Epicures life :: Infidels are not content to liue in riote but doe also enuie and persecute the iust vvhose good examples vexe their mindes sturred therto by the diuel :: An euident prophecie of the Iewes malice persecuting our Sauiour Fulfilled by the chief Priestes Scribes and Ancientes recorded dy the Euangelists Mat. 27. v. 41. Mar 14. v. 53. Mat. 27. v. 43. :: vvant of beleuing diuine Mysteries namely the reward of the iust punishmeÌ„t of the wic ked is cause of dissolute life and of hatred against the good :: Temporal death of the iust is the way to eternal life vvhere damnation called here the tormeÌ„t of death shal not touch them :: For albelt Martyrs seme in the eyes of the vnwise to dye or to be extinguished they passe in dede into eternal and vnspeakeable glorie Chap. 5. v. 4 Mat. 13. v. 43. :: Al the iust shal approue Gods iudgmeÌ„t condemning the wicked :: Literally is vnderstood that the wiues of adulterers often become adultresses their children wicked Morally their sensualitie al their vvorkes are wholly corrupted * See S. Ierom. in Isa 56. v. 4. :: Chastitie of the bodie is a singular great vertue spiritual chastitie of true faith and religion is greatter and more generally commended as the roote and fundation of al vertues For vvithout faith it is vnpossible to please God :: VVhen soeuer the iust dieth it is profitable for him dying yong his immaculate life is more commendable then old age in the wicked v. 16. :: The damned shal be vvithout al excuse vtterly confounded in their owne consciences Gods prescience dâ—â—th not preiudice mans free wil. â—tl 17. â— 30. ciuit :: VVicked men in their false conceipt iudge the trauels of the iust to be vaine fructles :: Repentance of the damned is only for the losse paine whereinto they are fallen not of loue towards God or vertue nor of hate towards sinne therfore is fructles bringing no comforte nor helpe at al but euerlasting torment and anguish of mind Chap. 3. v. 2. Pro. â—0 v. 19. :: For the certaintie of thinges that shal be Prophetes do very often speake in the pretertence of thinges to come as if they vvere already past :: As the ioy of the blessed so contrariwise the miserie of the damned is meruelous great for euer vnchangeable Eccle. 9. v. 18. :: Al powre is from God therfore to be respected though the magistrates sometimes abuse their auctoritie Rom. 1â— v. 1. :: As euerie ones charge is more or lesse so his account is easier or har der and the punishment if he offend smaller or greater S. Gre. ho. 9. in Euang. :: VVisdom is attained by this gradation and so from first to last a resolute desire ioyneth faithful soules to God v. 21. The second part VVisdom procedeth from God and is procured by prayer :: The perfectest children are borne in the beginning of the tenth moneth :: Children in the mothers wombe are as in slepe :: Salomon whose sayinges are here recited praied for wisdom obtained it 3. Reg. 3. 3. Reg â— v. 9. :: God first gaue him grace to desire wisdom before al other thinges as he explicateth plainly cap. 8. v. 21. :: Salomon was a most excellent Philosopher :: Proper Epithetons of the spirite of wisdom :: See the Annotation Prouerb 1. v. 2. Heb. 1. v. 3. :: God the increated wisdom is infinite and wisdom created is also most excellent amongst Gods giftes 3. Reg. 3. Prou. â— :: This is also the speach of Salomon recited by the writer of this booke :: Of Salomons wisdom riches glorie renowmed fame not only the bookes of Kinges Paralipomenon but also our Sauiour doth witnes Mat. 6. 12. :: It is not certaine that Salomon hath immortal glorie but rather by immortalitie is here vnderstood that his glorious fame remaineth to the end of this world :: Neuertheles wisdom of her part geueth life and glorie euerlasting to al that perseuere to the end of this life :: It is
desire nor anie of the rest is in a mans owne powre as of himself so much as to thinke a good thought but Gods grace preuenteth sturreth men vp and continually assisteth in al good beginninges progresse and perseuerance as the same diuine auctor teacheth a litle before v. 14. wisdom preuenteth them that couete her that she first may shew herself vnto them Then to admitte or refuse is in their powre that haue good motions And therfore sinne is rightly imputed and damnation iustly inflicted vpon the wicked because as Nehemias 2. Esd 9. v. 17. testifieth of the vngratful people they would not heare And they hardened their neckes and gaue the head to returne to their seruitude as it were by contention or striuing against God through their owne free wil which appeareth here to remaine in sinners On the other side the same Nehemias in confidence of reward for good workes and of his voluntarie cooperating with Gods grace feared not to pray 2. Esd 5. v. 19 in these wordes Remember me my God to good according to al thinges which I haue done to this people Some men moreouer besides the commandments of the law voluntarily professed a peculiar state of holie life a plaine figure or rather an example of Euangelical counsels As in the former ages the Nazerites whose rule is prescribed Numeri 6. practised by Sampson Iudic. 13. and Samuel 1. Reg. 1. and the Rechabites Iere. 35. so in this last age next before Christ the Assideans or Esseni 1. Mach. 2. v. 42. of whom Iudas Machabeus in his time was head or captaine 2. Mach. 14. v. 6. Ieremie the prophet ch 16. v. 2. by Gods ordinance liued single vnmaried al the time of the captiuitie Thou shalt not take a wife and thou shalt not haue sonnes and daughters in this place to witte in Ierusalem Neither did he marie when he was afterwardes in Aegypt But of his owne accord remayned a virgin al his life as S. Ierom writeth li 1. aduers Iouinianum Prayers of Sainctes after they are departed from this world is wanifestly deduced of the sacred text lere 15. v. 1. of Moyses and Samuel not to be heard if they should pray for the people whom God had decreed to punish were consequently to be heard in some other case And more expresly 2. Mach. 15. v. 12. 14. is recorded that Onias and Ieremie did pray for al the people and for al the holie citie Reuerent estimation of Reliques and other holie thinges is manifest by the fact of the same Prophet Ieremie who by Gods ordinance 2. Mach. 2. v. 1. 5. hid the holie fire and the Tabernacle and the Arke the Altar of incense in a caue that they should not be prophaned by infidels ransaking Ierusalem and the temple Other holie ornaments also and vesseles were restored by the fauorable king Cyrus 1. Esd 1. v. 7. ch 8. v. 30. In figure also of the holie Crosse on which Christ was to redeme mankind those that mourned for the abominations in Ierusalem Ezec. 9. vvere signed in their foreheades vvith the letter Thau or T. and so were saued from the common slaughter of the vnsigned Prayer and Sacrifice for the dead is likewise clere 2. Mach. 12. v. 43. c. if either the text may be admitted for Canonical saying v. 46. It is a holie and healthful cogitation to pray for the dead or for good testimonie of Iudas fact being Highpriest and doing that which the whole Church practised and which the Iewes yet obserue to this day Of the General Resurrection is good testimnie in the same place v. 43. and 44. as the ground of Iudas his pietie towardos the dead wel and religiously thincking of the Resurrection For vnles he hoped that they which were slaine should rise againe it should seme superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead But seing he did beleue the Resurrection he did right wel and piously And seing the beleefe of resurrection is true it foloweth as this auctor inferreth that it is a holie thing to pray for the dead Malachie the last of the Prophetes in the last chapter foresheweth and describeth the General iudgement in the end of this world wherin the wicked hal be condemned and the iust eternally rewarded Which day shal come sayth he kindled as a surnace Al that do impietie dying in that state shal be stubble and that day shal in flame them And there shal rise to you that feare my name the Sunne of iustice and health in his winges or glorious beames healing and curing al body lie infirmities and defectes Before which day he foretelleth of two signes v. 5. The coming of Elias the Prophet and. v. 6. the conuersion of the Iewes to Christ And thus much may here suffice for particular pointes of religion in this age It resteth to view the state and gouernment of the Church in this time Which may be considered according to the foure Monarchies of heathen nations the Chaldees the Medes Persians the Grecians and the Romanes Vnder the Chaldees whose Emperial citie was Babylon they were in captiuitie seuentie yeares By the Medes and Persians for that Monarchie consisted of those two nations they were released from captiuitie with manie fauoures yet sometimes afflicted Vnder the Monarchie of the Grecians they were partly in extreme persecution of Antiochus Epiphanes and of other Grecian kinges and princes partly in warres for defence of Gods lawes Before and after which persecution and warres as wel vnder the Grecians as the Romans til Christs Passion the Church was for most part in peace yet some times afflicted But omitting manie intricate diffiâ—uliies about the times and reignes of sundrie heathen kinges it wil suffice our purpose to shew the general state of the Iewish nation with their owne particular gouerners spiritual and temporal with more or lesse fauour of forreine Princes First therfore concerning their estate in their captiuitie in Babylon we may here obserue Gods prouidence in that before the citie and temple of Ierusalem were destroyed and the whole nation made captiue Ioachin otherwise called Iechonias the sonne of Ioachaz who was also called Iechonias king of Iuda was transported into Babylon and his mother and manie other principal persons 4. Reg. 24. v. 15. Likewise Iosedech sonne of Saraias highpriest 1. Paral. 6. v. 15. was caried into Babylon And in the meane time Sedecias vncle to Ioachin reigned in Iuda who in the eleuenth yeare was taken and caried captiue into Babylon and there died Ioachin yet liuing in prison And Saraias the Highpriest with others was slayne in Rebla when Ierusalem was destroyed 4. Reg. 25. v. 18. 21. To whom Iosedech succeded in the highpriesthood So that both the issue of Dauid in the right line of our Sauiours genealogie and the Highpriest of Aarons stocke were in Babylon before the whole bodie of the nation was brought thither
This Iechonias or Ioachin remained in prison til the death of Nabuchodonosor the space of thirtie seuen yeares and was then deliuered by Euilmerodach and by him entertayned courteously as a prince 4. Reg. 25. v. 27. He maried there and had issue Salathiel and Salathiel hâ—d Zorobabel Who together with Iosue sonne of Iosedech highpriest Esdras Nehemias others recited 1. Esd 2. conducted the children of Israel from Babylon into their countrie There were also in a former transmigration Daniel and the other three children Ananias Misael Azarias of the royal or principal bloud in the third yeare of Ioakim otherwise called Eliacim sonne of Iosias 4. Reg. 23. v. 34 king of Iuda Dan. 1. v. 1. 6. These with others were caried â—s hostages into Babylon and brought vp more liberally Where seruing God sincerely abstayning from vnlawful meates were protected by God much also estemed and promoted in that place For Daniel about the age of twelue yeares conuinced the two wicked Iudges and deliuered Susanna from their cruel handes Dan. 13. And afterwardes for declaring and interpreting the kings dreame Dan. 2. and excellent wisdom and gift of prophecie was admired by al aduanced by the king but maligned by certaine enuious sorcerers and great men Wherby he was sometimes in great danger but stil deliuered by Gods powre protecting him Dan. 6. 14. The other three children were likewise aduanced Dan. 2. v. 49. and therfore by diuers enuied and for refusing to adore an idol set vp by Nabuchodonosor were cast into a hote burning furnace and there preserued Dan. 3. Ieremie who before this time begane to prophecie whiles he was a childe Iere. 1. continued in the time of captiuitie in Ierusalem and Iurie with much affliction and stil prophecying finally dyed in Aegypt Baruch his scribe and also a Prophete went sometimes into Babylon and returned into Iurie Baruch 1. instructing and exhorting the people Ezechiel was caried with king Iechonias and Iosedech into Babylon and there prophecied ch 1. v. 2. part of the same time with Daniel in great part the same thinges with Ieremie And during the captiuitie king Iechonias Iosedech the highpriest Ieremie Baruch Ezechiel prophetes innumerable others some Martyres and manie Confessors parted from this world But Daniel yet liued And in place of Iosedech Highpriest Iosue succeded and the progenie of king Iechonias continuing in Salathiel and Zorobabel the nation â—ad them and other eminent men with temporal dependence vpon forreine princes in the next Monarchie of the Medes and Persians For when Darius king of Medes had slaine Baâ—â—azar king of the Chaldees and so possessed Babylon with the whole countrie he brought the Monarchie to the Medes Persians Dan. 5. v. 31. and within the space of one yeare he dyed and Cyrus succeding granted leaue to al the Iewes to returne into Iurie and there to build vp their temple and citie of Ierusalem which Nabuchodonosor had destroyed At which time Daniel had his vision that Christ our Sauiour should come into the world within seuentie weekes of seuen yeares to the weke that is in foure hundred ninetie yeares after the perfect finishing of the temple and citie Dan. 9. v. 24. 25. But when they were so built againe that the wekes beganne to be counted is very obscure as it was the wil of God that the prophecie being certayne in itself should not be ouer clere to euerie mans vnderstanding but as likewise manie other prophecies shut and sealed Dan. 12. v. 6. 9. 13. In this time of the Medes and Persians Monarchie Mardocheus remayning in Chaldea after the relaxation had that vision in a dreame Esther 11. after which folowed the historie of him Quene Esther and wicked Aman with the danger and deliuerie of al the Iewes in those partes Some thinke it likewise probable that the historie of Iudith happened after the captiuitie though others suppose that it was in the time of Manasses king of Iuda which not being our purpose to discusse and decide we wil passe to thinges more certayne The prophetes Aggeus Zachatias nere twentie yeares after the relaxation earnestly exhorted the princes people to build vp the temple which had bene begunne and now was neglected vpon vaine feare thincking the time was not yet come of building the house of our Lord. Aggeus 1. v. 2. Wherupon the prophet reproueth them expostulating thus Why is it time for you to dwel in embowed houses and this house of our Lord desert And assureth them v. 10. that their ground should remaine barren and ch 2. v. 15. their sacrifices vngratful til they should build the temple promising moreouer that this new temple should be more glorious by Christs personal presence therin then the former temple built by Salomon But especially the Church of Christ presigured by the temple should farre excel the Synagoge of the old testament ch 2. v. 10. Great shal be the glorie of this last house more then of the first Which Zacharie confirmeth inuiting the Gentiles to come and the Iewes to returne into Christs Church ch 2. v. 6. O flee out of the land of the North sayth our Lord because into the foure windes of heauen haue I dispersed you v. 7. O Sion flee thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon And by diuers other visions and prophecies they forshew the conuersion of the Gentiles and reiection of the Iewes for their obduration but in the end they also shal be conuerted Malachie prophecied after the finishing of the temple exhorting al to offer their sacrifices with puritie of hart reprehending both priestes and people for not so doing ch 1. He also foresheweth the reiection of the Iewes calling of the Gentiles with the change of the old sacrifices and institution of a new farre more excellent and more effectual to be offered euerie where v. 10. 11. He concludeth his prophecie ch 4. foretelling the terrible day of Iudgement and life or death euerlasting These later prophetes yet liuing as Iosephus Eusehius Theodoretus and others testifie in their histories the Grecians obtained so great a Monarchie by king Alexander the Great of Macedo that being parted after his death amongst manie yet al were great kingdomes some longer some shorter time In the beginning wherof when king Alexander came to Ierusalem as Iosephus writeth li. 11. c. 8. Antiquit. Iaddus the highpriest going forth in his pontifical attyre to mete him the same king straightwayes fel downe at his feete with al reuerence And being demanded by his freindes the princes of his armie why he so much honored the highpriest he answered that he honored noâ— the man for himself but for his office and God in him who had appeared to him in slepe in that very habite and ornaments when he in Macedonia discoursed in his minde of making battel against the Persians promising him assured victorie Shortly