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
wil haue pittie vpon the inchanter stricking of a serpent or of anie that come nere to beastes so also he that kepeth companie with a wicked man and is wrapped in his sinnes †For one houre he wil tarie with thee but if thou decline he wil not abide it †In his lippes the enimie speaketh swetely and in his hart he lyeth in wayte that he may ouerthrow thee into the pitte †In his eyes the enimie weepeth and if he may finde a time he wil not be satisfied with bloud †and if euils happen to thee thou shalt finde him there first †In his eyes the enimie weepeth and as it were helping thee he wil vndermine thy feete †He wil shake his head and clappe his hand and whispering manie thinges he wil change his countenance CHAP. XIII Conuersation with the proud rich and potent is dangerous 9. Relie vpon Gods helpe 11. Beware of pusillanimitie of presumption 19. A meane is necessarie and the companie of equals is most secure HE that toucheth pitch shal be defiled with it and he that communicateth with the proud shal put on pride †He shal take a burden vpon him that communicateth with one more honorable then himself And be not companion with one richer then thyself †What societie shal the caudron haue with the earthen potte for when they shal knock one against the other it shal be broken †The rich man hath done vniustly and he wil fume but the poore man being hurt wil hold his peace †If thou geue he wil take thee and if thou haue not he wil forsake thee †If thou haue he wil liue with thee and wil emptie thee and he wil not be sorie for thee †If thou be necessarie for him he wil supplant thee and smiling wil put thee in hope telling thee good thinges and wil say What wantest thou †And he wil confound thee in his meates til he emptie thee twise thrise and at the last he wil mocke thee and afterward seeing he wil forsake thee and wil shake his head at thee †Humble thyself to God and expect his handes †Take heede lest seduced into follie thou be humbled †Be not humble in thy wisdom lest hmbled thou be seduced into follie †Being called of the mightier depart for by this he wil cal thee the more †Be not importune lest thou be reiected and be not farre from him lest thou goe into obliuion †Stay not to speake felowlike with him neither credite his manie wordes For by much talke he wil proue thee and smiling wil examine thee of thy secretes †His cruel mind wil kepe thy wordes and he wil not spare for malice and for bandes †Take heede to thyself and attend diligently to thyn hearing because thou walkest with thy subuersion †But hearing those thinges see as it were in sleepe and thou shalt watch †Loue God al thy life and inuocate him for thy saluation †Euerie beast loueth the like to it self so also euerie man the nerest to himself †Al flesh wil match with the like to itself and euerie man wil associate himself to his like †If the woolfshal at anie time communicate with the lambe so the sinner with the iust †What fellowshippe hath an holy man with a dogge or what part hath the riche with the poore †The wilde asse in the deserte is the lyons pray so the poore are also the pastures of the riche †And as humilitie is abomination to the proude so also the poore man is the execration of the riche †The riche man being moued is confirmed by his frendes but the humble when he is fallen shal be thrust out euen of his familiars †To the rich deceeued there are many recouerers he hath spoken proud wordes and they haue iustified him †The humble was deceiued he moreouer is rebuked also he hath spoken wisely and place was not geuen vnto him †The rich man spake and al helde their peace and they wil carry his worde euen to the cloudes †The poore man spake and they say Who is this and if he stumble they wil ouerthrowe him †Substance is good to him that hath no sinne in his conscience and pouertie is most wicked in the mouth of the impious †The hart of a man altereth his countenance either into good or into euil †The token of a good hart and a good countenance thou shalt hardly finde and with labour CHAP. XIIII Offence of the tongue is a frequent and dangerous sinne 3. Riches are hurtful to a couetous and to an enuious mind 11. workes of mercie necessarie 22. and perseuerance in wisdom BLESSED is the man that hath not offended in a worde out of his mouth and is not pricked with the sorrow of sinne †Happie is he that hath not had heauines of his minde and hath not fallen from his hope †Substance is without reason to the couetous man and niggard and for the spiteful enuious man to what purpose is gold †He that heapeth together from his hart vniustly gathereth for others and in his goodes an other wil kepe riote †He that is wicked to himselfe to what other man wil he be good and he shal haue no pleasure in his goodes †He that enuieth himselfe nothing is worse then he and this is the reward of his malice †and if he doe good he doth yt ignorantly and not willing and at the last he manifesteth his malice †The eye of the enuious is wicked and turneth away his face and despiseth his owne soule †The eye of the couteous man insatiable in a portion of iniquitie wil not be satisfied til he consume his owne soule withering it †An euil eye is towards euil thinges he shal haue his fil of bread needie in heauines shal he be at his table †Sonne if thou haue it doe good to thyselfe and offer to God worthie oblations †Be mindful that death slacketh not and that the couenant of hel hath beene shewed thee for the couenant of this world shal dye the death †Before death do good to thy freind and according to thine abilitie stretching out thy hand geue to the poore †Be not defrauded of thy good day and let not a litle portion of a good gift ouerpasse the. †Shalt thou not leaue to others thy sorrowes labours in the deuision of the lotte †Geue and take and iustifie thy soule †Before thy death worke iustice for in hel there can not meat be found †Al flesh shal waxe olde as grasse and as the leafe fructifying on a greene tree †Some grow and some are shaken of so the generation of flesh and bloude one is ended and an other is borne †Al corruptible worke shal faile in the end and he that worketh it shal goe therwith †And euerie excellent worke shal be iustified and he that
transgressed Morally ancient Fathers here note that albeit the life of the Patriarkes seemeth long to vs yet if we coÌ„pare the same to eternitie it is nothing Neither by the iudgement of Philosophers may aniething be counted long that hath an end as Tullie bringing Cato wisely disputing sheweth the longest life to be but a short moment VVhereby againe we may see what losse we sustaine by sinne seeing if sinne had not benne we should al haue benne translated from earth to heauen and neuer haue dyed 24. VVas seene no more That Enoch and Elias are yet aliue is a constant knowne truth in the hartes and mouthes of the faithful saith S. Augustin in his first booke de peccat merit remiss c. 3. and confirmeth the same in diuers other places And it is testified by very many both Greeke and Latin Doctors S. Ireneus li. 5. S. Iustinus Martyr q. 85. ad Orthodoxos S. Hippolitus li. de Antichristo S. Damascen li. 4. de Orthodoxafide S. Hierom. epist 61. ad Pamach c. 11. S. Ambrose in Psalm 45. S. Chrysostom ho. 21. in Gen. ho. 58. in Mat. ho. 4. in epist 2. ad Thess ho. 22. in ep ad Heb. S. Greg. li. 14. Moral c. 11 ho. 12. in Ezech. S. Prosp li. vlt. de promis S. Bede in c. 9. Marc. Theophilact and Oâ—cumenius in cap. 17. Mat. and others innumerable Touching Elias it is manifest in Scriptures that he shal come preach be slaine with an other witnes of Christ before the terrible day of Iudgement Of Enoch Moyses here maketh the matter more then probable saying of euerie one of the rest he dyed onlie of Enoch saith not so but that he appeared or vvas seene no more For which the seuentie two interpreters say And he vvas not found for God translated him VVhich can not signifie death but transporting or remouing to an other place VVhereto agreeth the author of Ecclesiasticus saying Enoch pleased God and vvas translated But most clearly S. Paul saith Enoch vvas translated that he should not see death and he vvas not found for God translated him VVith what plainer wordes can any man declare that a special person were not dead then to say He vvas translated or coÌ„ueyed away that he should not see death Neither is it a reasonable euasion to interprete this of spiritual death For so Adam being eternally saued as S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 34. Epiphan con haeresim 46. S. Aguâ—â—in epist 99. ad Euodium and others teach and the whole Church beleeueth was preserued from that death and so vndoubtedly were Seth and Enos being most holie and the rest here recounted as is most probable Neuertheles for further confutation of the contrarie opinion of Protestants the reader may also obserue the iudgement of S. Chrisostom who affirmeth that Though it be not a matter of faith vvhether Enoch be novv in Paradise from vvhence Adam and Eue vvere expelled or in some other pleasant place Dicunt tamen sacrae Scriprurae quod Deus transtulit eum quod viuentem transtulit eum quod mortem ipse non sit expertus The holie Scriptures say that God translated him and that he translated him aliue that he felt not or hath not experienced death And S. Augustin as expresly saith Non mortuus sed viuus translatus est He to vvit Enoch is translated not dead but aliue Yea he teacheth how his life is sustayned thus many thousand yeares vpon earth And sheweth moreouer that both Enoch and Elias shal dye For seing Enoch and Elias saith he are dead in Adam and carying the ofspring of death in their flesh to pay that debt are to returne to this life of common conuersation and to pay this debt vvhich so long is deferred Diuers reasons are also alleaged why God would reserue these two aliue First to shew by example that as their mortal bodies are long conserued from corrupting or decaying in like sorte Adam and Eue and al others not sinning should haue bene conserued and according to Gods promise neuer haue died but after some good time translated to heauen and indued with immortalitie Secondly to giue vs an argument of immortalitie which is promised after the general Resurrection For seing God doth preserue some mortal so long from al infirmitie we may assuredly beleue that he wil geue immortal eternal life of bobie and soule to his Sainctes after they haue payed the debt of death and are risen againe Thirdly these two one of the law of nature the other of the law of Moyses are preserued aliue to come amongst men againe towards the end of the world to teach testifie and defend the true faith and doctrin of Christ against Antichrist when he shal most violently oppugne persecute the Church Of Enoch it is said in the booke of Ecclesiasticus that he was translated vt det gentibus poenitenntiam that he geue repentance to the nations by his preaching reducing the deceiued from Antichrist And of Elias Malachie prophicieth that he shal come before the great and terrible day of our Lord and shal turne the hart of the fathers that is the people of the Iewes to the sonnes the Christians and of the sonnes the deceiued Christians to the fathers the ancient true Catholiques CHAP. VI. Mans sinnes cause of the deluge 4. Giants vvere then vpon the earth 8. Noe being iust vvas commanded to build the Arke 18. vvherin he vvith seuen persons more and the seede of other liuing things vvere saued AND after that men began to be multiplied vpon the earth had procreation of daughters †The sonnes of God seing the daughters of men that they were faire tooke to them selues wiues out of al which they had chosen And God said My spirit shal not remaine in man for euer because he is flesh his dayes shal be an huÌ„dred twentie yeares †And Giants were vpon the earth in those dayes For after the sonnes of God did companie with the daughters of men and they brought forth children these be the mightie of the olde world famous men †And God seing the malice of men was much on the earth and that al the cogitation of their hart was bent to euil at al times †it repented him that he had made man on the earth And touched inwardly with sorrowe of hart †I wil saith he cleane take away man whom I haue created from the face of the earth from man euen to beastes from that which creepeth euen vnto the foules of the ayre for it repenteth me that I haue made them †But Noe found grace before our Lord †These are the generations of Noe Noe was a iust and perfect man in his generations he did walke with God †And he begat three sonnes Sem Cham Iapheth †And the earth was corrupted before God and was replenished with iniquitie †And when God had perceiued
a ribbe of his side to be his mate and vnseparable companion as man and wife ioyned in Mariage with Gods blessing for increase and multiplication As appeareth in the two first chapters of this booke But God hauing made man right he intangled him selfe â—â— holie Scripture speaketh with infinite questions For the diuel enuying mans felicitie inâ—â—gled our mother Eâ—e with questions and lies and then by her first seduced and deceiued allured also Adam to the transgression of Gods commandment And so they lost original iustice which Adam had receiued for him selfe and al mankind and al proceeding from them by natural propagation are borne the children of wrath in original sinne contracted from Adam slaues of the diuel not only subiect to temporal death but also are excluded for euer from heauenly blisse and glorie except by Christs redemption particularly applied they be restored to grace iustice in this life And touching Adam and Eue whose sinne was not original but actual directly committed by them selues Gods mercie so reclamed them by new grace that they despared not as Cain and some orhers did afterwards but with hope of remission were sorie and penitent and accordingly receiued penance and redemption For God brought Adam from his sinne as holie writte testifieth and the same is collected of Eue God shewing the like signes of his prouident mercie towards them both of which we shal by and by note some for example Now let vs see the more principal points of faith and Religion professed and obserued by the Church of God before Noes floud First they beleeued in one Eternal and Omnipotent God who made the whole world and al things therin of nothing which is easely confessed of al that are not plaine Atheists and may be proued against them by reason And therfore Adam and other Patriarches could not erre in this Article nor others be ignorant therof except they were very wicked The Mysterie also of the Blessed Trinitie three Diuine Persons in one God though farre aboue the reach of mans reason yet was beleued more expresly by somâ— more implied by others and conserued from age to age by tradition at least amongst the chiefe heades and leaders wherupon Moyses afterwardes insinuated the same great Mysterie by diuers wordes and phraseâ— writing of God and his workes The two wordes God created if they be rightly considered importe so much For the word Elohim God in the plural number signifyeth pluralitie of Persons for manie Gods it can not signifie seeing there is but one God and the verbe bara created in the singular number signifyeth one God in nature and substance albeit three Persons For whatsoeuer God doth in creatures is the worke of the whole Trinitie though holie Scriptures do oftentimes appropriate some worke to one Diuine Person some to another which also proueth distinction of Persons in God So the wordes God created heauen and earth signifie the Father to whom powre is attributed In the beginning signifie the Sonne to whom wisdome is appropriated and the words The Sprite of God moued ouer the waters signifie the Holie Ghost by whose bountiful goodnes the waters were made fruictful Likewise Gods owne wordes Let vs make man signifie the pluralitie of Persons and Image and likenes in the singular number signifie one God Men also knew by faith manie things perteyning to them selues As that the bodie was made of the slime of the earth the soule not produced of anie thing formerly existing but created immediatly of nothing and naturally immortal that the soule of Adam was indued with grace and iustice that he fel from that happie state by yelding to tentation and breaking Gods commandment of abstinence that for the same sinne Adam and Eue were cast forth of Paradise and al mankind subiect to death and other calamities For remedie against sinne restauration to grace they beleeued in Christ promised to be borne of the womans seede who by his death should conquer the wicked serpent deliuer man from captiuitie and restore him to spiritual life And this is the cause of the perpetual enmitie betwen the woman especially the most blessed Virgin Mother of whom Christ tooke flesh and the serpent and betwen her seede the spiritual children of Christ and the serpents seede the whole companie of the wicked Of this battle and conquest Targhum Hierosolimitanum thus speaketh There shal be remedie and health to the children of wemen but to thee o serpent there shal be no medicine yea they shal tread thee vnder their feete in the latter dayes by the powre of Christ their King Likewise Gods familiar conuersation with diuers men in mans shape Gen. 2. 3. 4. 6. and 7. was a signe of Christs incarnation And The Sacrifices immolated did prefigurate his death in respect wherof it is said in the Apocalips The Lambâ— was slaine from the beginniing of the world But more expresly S. Paul testifieth that Abel Enoch and Noe beleeued in Christ naming them for example of the first age and others of other times and in the end concludeth that manie more being approued by the same faith receiued not the promise to wit in their life time God prouiding that they without others of the new Law should not be consummate that is not admitted into heauenlie ioyes fruition of God vntil the way of eternal glorie were opened by our Lords Passion and Asâ—ension Neither did the true seruants of God in those first dayes only beleeue in hart but they also professed their saith Religion by external Rites namely in offering of Sacrifice the most special homage seruice to God which is clerly testified cha 4. as wel bloudie in figure of Christs Passion as vnbloudie in figure of the holie Eucharist Also the accepting of the one rightly offered by Abel reiecting the other not donne sincerly by Cair was declared by external signes which Cain disdayning and enuying his brothers good worke knowing his owne to be naught of mere malice killed his brother Besides Sacrifice they had also other Rites in publique Assemblies praying and inuocating the name of our Lord in more solemne maner from Enos time and so forvvard according to that is recorded of him in the end of the fourth chapter for douteles Adam Abel and Seth did also pray and call vpon God and therfore it was some addition or increase of solemnitie in the seruice of God which is referred to Enos They had moreouer other ceremonies of the seuenth day particularly blessed and sanctified by God kept holie by Adam and other Patriarches as Abben Ezra witnesseth in his commentaries vpon the tenne commandements Of abstayning from meates for it semeth the more godlie sorte did eate no flesh before the floud which was after permitted Obseruation of cleane and vncleane beastes for Sacrifice Of peculiar places dedicated to religious vses where people mette together to pray Likwise diuers
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
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
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
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
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 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
thou know that we are ignorant of what doest thou vnderstand that we know not †There are both oldmen and ancientes among vs much elder then thy fathers †Is it a great matter that God should comforth thee but thy naughtie wordes hinder it †Why doth thy hart eleuate thee and as thinking great thinges hast thou estonied eies †Why doeth thy spirit swel agaynst God to vtter such wordes out of thy mouth †What is man that he should be without spot and that the borne of a woman should appeare iust †Behold among his sainctes none is immutable and the heauens are not cleane in his sight †How much more is man abominable and vnprofitable who drinketh iniquitie as it were water †I wil shew thee heare me that which I haue seene I wil tel thee †Wisemen confesse and hide not their fathers †To whom onlie the earth was geuen and stranger hath not passed by them †The impious is proud al his daies and the number of the yeares of his tyrannie is vncertaine †The sound of terrour is alwaies in his eares and when there is peace he alwaies suspecteth treason †He beleueth not that he may returne from darkenesse to light looking round about for the sword on euerie side †When he shal moue himself to seeke bread he knoweth that the day of darkenesse is prepared in his hand †Tribulation shal terrifie him and distresse shal compasse him as a king that is prepared to battel †For he hath stretched his hand against God and is strengthened against the Omnipotent †He hath runne against him with necke set vp right and is armed with a fatte necke †Fatnesse hath couered his face and from his sides there hangeth tallow †He hath dwelt in desolate cities and in desert houses that are brought into hillockes †He shal not be enriched neither shal his substance continew neither shal he put his roote in the earth †He shal not depart out of darkenes the flame shal drie his boughes and he shal be taken away with the spirit of his owne mouth †He shal not beleeue vainely deceiued with errour that he may be redemed with anie price †Before his daies be accomplished he shal perish and his handes shal wither †His cluster in the first flower shal be hurt as a vine and as the oliue tree casting his flower †For the congregation of the hypocrite is barren and fire shal deuoure their tabernacles which gladly take giftes †He conceiued sorow and hath brought forth iniquitie and his wombe preprareth guiles CHAP. XVI Iob moued by his importune freindes 4. expostulateth their seueritie 12. further describeth his afflictions and appealeth to Gods iudgement that he suffereth more then his sinnes deserue BVT Iob answering sayd †I haue heard often times such things heauie conforters you are al. †Shal wordes ful of winde haue an end or is anie thing trublesome to thee if thou speake †I also could speake thinges like to you and would God your soule were for my soule †I also would confort you with wordes and would wag my head vpon you †I would strengthen you with my mouth and would moue my lippes as sparing you †But what shal I doe If I speake my paine wil not rest and if I hold my peace it wil not depart from me †But now my sorow hath oppressed me and al my limmes are brought to nothing †My wrinkles giue testimonie against me and a false speaker is raysed vp against my face contradicting me †He hath gathered his furie vpon me and threatening me hath gnaâ—hed against me with his teeth mine enemy hath beheld me with terrible eies †They haue opened their mouthes vpon me and exprobating haue strooken my cheke they are filled with my paines †God hath shut me vp with the wicked man and hath deliuered me to the hands of the impious †I sometime that welthie one sodenly am broken he hath held my necke broken me and set me to himself as it were a marke †He hath compassed me with his speares he hath wounded my loynes he hath not spared and hath powred out on the earth my bowels †He hath cut me with wound vpon wound he hath come violently vpon me as it were a giant †I haue sowed sackcloth vpon my skinne and haue couered my flesh with ashes †My face is swollen with weeping and my eyeliddes are dimme †These thinges haue I suffred without the iniquitie of my hand wheras I had cleane prayers to God †Earth couer not my bloud neither let my crie find place in thee to be hid †For behold my witnesse is in heauen and he that knoweth my conscience on high †My freindes ful of wordes mine eie distilleth vnto God †And would God a man might so be iudged with God as the sonne of man is iudged with his companion †For behold the short yeares passe away and I walke the path by the which I shal not returne CHAP. XVII For the greuousnes of his paine Iob expecteth speedie death 4. chargeth his freindes with folie for holding only remuneration in this life 6. himself hopeth happie rest in the other World MY spirit shal be extenuated my daies shal be shortened and the graue only remaineth for me †I haue not sinned and mine eie abideth in bitternesse †Deliuer me and set me beside thee and let anie mans hand fight against me †Thou hast made their hart far from discipline and therfore they shal not be exalted †He promiseth a praye to his felowes and the eies of his children shal faile †He hath set me as it were for a prouerbe of the comon people and I am an example before them †Mine eie is dimne for indignation and my members are brought as it were to nothing †The iust shal be astonied vpon this and the innocent shal be raised vp against the hypocrite †And the iust shal hold his way and with cleane handes shal adde strength †Be al you therfore conuerted and come and I shal not finde among you anie wiseman †My daies haue passed my cogitations are dissipated tormenting my hart †Night they haue turned into day and againe after darkenesse I hope for light †If I shal expect hel is my house and in darkenesse I haue made my bed †I haue sayd to rottenes Thou art my father my mother and my sister to wormes †Where is now then my expectation and my patience who considereth †Al my thinges shal descend into most deepe hel there at the least shal I haue rest thinkest thou CHAP. XVIII Baldad setteth vpon Iob againe chargeing him with present impatience and former impietie 6. and that therfore he suffereth worthie punishment BVT Baldad the Suhite answering sayd †How long wil ye speake vaunting wordes vnderstand ye first and so let vs speake †Why
these things are sayd in part of his waies and where as we haue heard scarce a litle droppe of his word who shal be able to behold the thunder of his greatnes CHAP. XXVII More and more â—ob confirmeth his innocencie auouching that God not presently iudging 11. wil in time condemne the wicked IOB also added taking his parable and sayd †God liueth who hath taken away my iudgement and the Omnipotent which hath brought my soule to bitternesse †That as long as breath remaineth in me and the spirit of God in my nosthrels †My lippes shal not speake iniquitie neither shal my tongue meditate lying †God forbid that I should iudge you to be iust til I faile I wil not departe from mine innocencie †My iustification which I haue begune to hold I wil not forsake for my hart doth not reprehend me in al my life †Let mine enemie be as the impions and mine aduersarie as the wicked one †For what is the hypocrites hope if couetousely he take by violence and God deliuer not his soule †Wil God heare his crie when distresse shal come vpon him †Or can he be delighted in the Omnipotent and inuocate God at al time †I wil teach you by the hand of God what the Omnipotent hath neither wil I hide it †Loe you doe al knowe and why speake you vaine thinges without cause †This is the portion of an impions man with God and inheritance of the violent which they shal receiue of the Omnipotent †If his children be multiplied they shal be in the sword nephewes shal not be filled with bread †They that shal be leaft of him shal be buried in death and his widowes shal not weepe †If he shal heape together siluer as earth and as clay shal prepare garmentes †He shal prepare in deede but the iust man shal be clothed with them and the innocent shal diuide the siluer †He hath built his house as a moth and as a keeper hath he made a bowre †The rich man when he shal sleepe shal take away nothing with him he shal oppen his eies finde nothing †Pouertie as water shal apprehend him in the night a tempest shal oppresse him †The burning wind shal take him vp and cary him away and as a whirle winde shal pul him violently out of his place †And he shal cast vpon him and shal not spare out of his hand fleing he shal flee †He shal claspe his handes vpon him and shal hisse vpon him beholding his place CHAP. XXVIII The maruâ—lous workes of God the author of nature shew his powre and wisdome 12. and that true riches consist not in temporal creatures but in wisdome 28. and feare of God SILVER hath beginnings of her vaines and gold hath a place where in it is molten †Yron is taken out of the earth and stone resolued with heate is turned into brasse †He hath set a time for darkenesse and the end of al thinges he considereth the stone also of darkenesse and the shadow of death †The torrent diuideth from the pilgrime people them whom the foote of the needie man hath forgotten and to whom there is no way †The land out of which bread grew in his place is destroyed with fire †The place of the sapphire the stones thereof and the cloddes of it gold †The bird hath not knowen the path neither hath the eie of the vulter beheld it †The children of merchantes haue not troden it neither hath the lionesse passed by it †He hath stretched forth his hand to the flint he hath ouerthrowen mountaines from the rootes †In the rockes he hath cut out riuers and his eie hath seene euerie pretious thing †The depthes also of riuers he hath searched hid things he hath brought forth to light †But where is wisdome to be found and what is the place of vnderstanding †Man knoweth not the price therof neither is it found in the land of them that liue pleasently †The depth sayth It is not in me and the sea speaketh It is not with me †The finest gold shal not be geuen for it neither shal siluer be weyed in the change therof †It shal not be compared with the died colours of India nor with Sardonyx the most pretious stone or with the Sapphire †Gold or glasse shal not be equal to it neither shal vessels of gold be changed for it †High and eminent thinges shal not be mentioned in comparison of it and wisedom is drawen out of secrete places †The topazius of Aethiopia shal not be equal to it neither shal it be compared to the cleanest diyng †From whence then cometh wisedom and what is the place of vnderstanding †It is hid from the eies of alliuing the foules of the ayre also know it not †Perdition and death haue sayd With our eares we haue heard the fame therof †God vnderstandeth the way of it and he knoweth the place therof †For he beholdeth the endes of the world looketh on al thinges that are vnder heauen †Who made a poise to the windes and weyed the waters in a measure †When he gaue a lawe to the raynes and a way to the sounding stormes †Then he saw it and declared and prepared and searched it †And he sayd to man Behold the feare of our Lord that is wisedom and to depart from euil vnderstanding CHAP. XXIX Againe Iob recounteth Gods former benefites as Wel his grace wherby he did good workes 5. as temporal prosperitie 9. and wisdome aboue other princes IOB also added taking his parable and sayd †Who wil grant me that I may be according to the former monethes according to the daies in which God kept me †When his lampe shined ouer my head I walked by his light in darknes †As I was in the daies of my youth when God was secretly in my tabernacle †When the Omnipotent was with me and my seruantes round about me †When I washed my feete with butter and the rocke powred me riuets of oile †When I went forth to the gatte of the citie and in the streate they prepared me a chaire †Yong men sawe me and hid them selues and old men rising vp stoode †The princes ceased to speake and did put the finger vpon their mouth †Dukes held in their voice and their tongue cleaued to their throte †The eare hearing counted me blessed and the eie seing gaue testimonie to me †For that I had deliuered the poore man crying out and the pupil that had no helper †The blessing of him that was readie to perish came vpon me and I conforted the hart of the widow †I was clothed with iustice and I reuested me with my iudgement as with a garment and crowne †I was an eie to the blind and a foote to the lame â€
his children with former wickednes and him as iniurious to God in his speaches of which if he would repent he should be healed and prosper as before Arguing in general that God neuer afflicteth the innocent nor assisteth the malignant Insinuating therby that Iob was an hypocrite wherto Iob answered chap. 9. 10 that in dede no man may compare nor iustifie himselse before God Neuertheles it standeth wel with Gods iustice powre wisdome that innocentes be sometimes exercised with tribulations more then their offences deserue Thirdly Sophar the third disputer assaulted Iob ch 11. imputing his speach and defence of himself to loquacitie and audacious temeritie in that he desired to know the causes of Gods prouidence in so grieuously afflicting him Of which faultes holie Iob purged himself in the three next chapters stil maintayning his innocencie according to his owne conscience better knowen to himself then to them desiring God to instruct him if he had anie vnknowen sinnes Discoursed also much more profoundly of Gods powre wisdome iustice and prouidence as weâ— in general as towards himself in particular and professed his faith and great confidence of the Resurrection Againe Eliphaz ch 15. more bitterly then before condemned Iob of presumption and blasphemie discoursed of mans corruptnes and prones to sinne describing the maners of hypochrites and other impious men with their miserable endes and argued Iob for such a one VVho in the next two chapters expostulated with these his freinds that they coming with pretence to comforth him did so violently afflict him by charging him with false and heynous crimes his owne conscience better knowing and testifying his former life and state of his soule then that their imaginations could alter his iudgement And so with contempt of this world desire of death and rest appealed to Gods iudgement against his three freindes touching the matter in controuersie In the meane time comforted himself with meditation of the next world Baldad likewise replied ch 18. with hote contention accusing Iob of insolent impatience inculcating the greuous punishmentes both of him and others for their impietie In answer wherto he lamented againe the wanâ— of expected comforth especially by such freindes Stil comforted himself with assured faith of the Resurrection Sophar also ch 20. attempted againe to coÌ„uince Iob of impietie and hypochrisie by the miserable and speedie fal of wicked men after prosperitie for so he imagined Iob to be fallen into irrecouerable miserie But Iob shewed the contrarie that some wicked men prosper long yea al their life and the same long and then in a moment goe downe to hel and so the argument of present affliction proued not their opinion against him Eliphaz disputed the third time ch 22. contending that the causes of affliction are not to be attributed to Gods secrete prouidence but to assured sinnes of the wicked Vpon whom only he supposed that afflictions fal inferring that Iob was guiltie of enormious crimes grosse errors Vrged him therfore to returne to God that he might be restored to former prosperitie Iob againe appealed to Gods sentence not in his terrour nor rigour of his iustice but against his aduersaries in this quarel describing Gods powre and wisdome by which he permitteth the innocent to be afflicted the wicked to prosper no man knowing how soone or how late al shal receiue as they deserue Moreouer Baldad disputed the third time very briefly ch 25. endeuouring to terrifie Iob from further answering and especially from appealing to Gods iudgement But Iob very largely in six ensuing chapters discoursed diuinely of Gods souereigne Maieste Powre Wisdom exact Iustice and infinite Mercie Also of wicked mens destruction of his owne former prosperitie and present calamitie together with his good workes and innocencie which he stil anouched in respect of great iniquities After that Iob and his three freindes ceassed nothing being agreed vpon in the point of controuersie the diuel yet ceassed not but sturred vp a yongman called Eliu proud and arrogant but not vnlerned who abruptly condemned them al to witte Iob of pertinacie the others of insufficiencie And therfore tooke vpon him to conuince Iob though the others could not Very like to late-rising Protestantes or Puritaines bragging that by new argumentes and proofes neuer heard of they wil ouerthrow the Papistes or Catholique Romaine Church and doctrin which al former enimies Iewes Pagaines Turkes and Heretikes nor Hel gates could not ouercome This yong Eliu therfore with his Priuate spirite wiser in his owne conceipt then al that went before him assaulted constant Iob ch 32. and fiue more ensuing with manie wordes and bragges often chalenging prouoking but not extorting anie answer from so graue a man to his friuolous and idle argumentes largely discoursing of thinges either not denied or so manifest false that euerie meane seruant of God could easely conuince them and neuer approching to the maine controuersie only railed against holie Iob charging him more furiously then anie had donne before with impietie impatience ignorance pride blasphemie and obstinacie vices farre from Iobs sanctitie dilating also of Gods iustice mercie wisdome powre and prouidence and that no man ought to contend nor expostulate with God that afflictions must be borne patiently and that God is iust and maruelous in his workes wherof no wiseman euer doubted and so Iob conuinced him with silence But God himself for decision of al from ch 38. to the end of the Booke first by way of examining instructed Iob more particularly reciting manie maruelous workes of nature shewing therby his Diuine Maiestie Powre and wisdome exercising Iob in more patience and withal perfecting him in humilitie So that with al reuerent feare and subiection he offered and submitted him selfe to Gods onlie good pleasure Then finally God gaue sentence that Iob had defended the truth his three freindes had erred VVhom after Sacrifice and Iobs prayer for them he pardoned restored Iob to health and to duble prosperitie of al he had lost before geuing him also long life and a happie end In this historie besides the literal sense shewing that Iob was iust and sincere and not for his sinnes as his freindes falsly supposed but for his more mereâ—e was most extremly afflicted and afterwards restored to health and wealth we haue also hâ—re in the Allegorical sense an especial figure of Christ who as he was absolutly most innocent most perfect so was he without coÌ„parison most afflicted of al mankind Likewise Iobs restauration to better state then before signified in the Anagogical sense the Resurrection and restâ—uratioÌ„ of better most glorious qualities in the blessed with fulnes of daies in eternal glorie Finally in the Moral sense which S. Gregorie most especially prosecuteth al Christians haue here a most notable example of al vertues namely of patience wherin Iob proceded by degrees to great perfection For he was first
in honour did not vnderstand he was compared to beasts without vnderstanding and became like to them †This their way is a scandal to them and afterward in their mouth they shal take pleasure †As sheepe they are put in hel death shal feede vpon them And the iust shal rule ouer them in the morning and their aide shal waxe old in hel from their glorie †Neuerthelesse God wil redeme my soule out of the hand of hel when he shal take me †Feare not when a man shal be made rich and when the glory of his house shal be multiplied †Because when he shal dye he shal not take al thinges neyther shal his glorie goe downe with him †Because his soule in his life shal be blessed he wil confesse to thee when thou shalt do him good †He shal enter in euen to the progenies of his fathers and he shal not see light for euer †Man when he was in honour did not vnderstand he was compared to beasts without vnderstanding and became like to them PSALME XLIX Christ in his first coming calleth al Nations 3. in his second wil iudge the world 7. In the meane time God exhorteth al men to serue him in puritie of vertue which he much preferreth before external sacrifice of the old law 17. reprehending such as professe or teach the right way and liue wickedly †A Psalme to Asaph THE God of goddes our Lord hath spoken and he hath called the earth from the rysing of the sunne euen to the going downe †Out of Syon the beauty of his comelines †God wil come manifestly our God and he wil not kepe silence Fire shal burne forth in his sight and round about him a mighty tempest †He shal cal the heauen from aboue and the earth to discerne his people †Gather ye together his saincts vnto him which ordaine his testament aboue sacrifices †And the heauens shal shew forth his iustice because God is Iudge †Heare ô my people and I wil speake Israel and I wil testifie to thee God thy God am I. †I wil not rebuke thee in thy sacrifices and thy holocaustes are in my sight alwaies †I wil not take calues out of thy house nor buckegoats out of thy flockes †Because al the wilde beasts of the woods be myne the cattle in the mountaines and oxen †I haue knowne al the foules of the ayer and the beauty of the fielde is with me †If I shal be hungrie I wil not tel thee for the round earth is myne and the fulnes therof †Wil I eate the flesh of oxen or wil I drinke the blood of bucke goats †Immolate to God “ the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vowes to the Highest †And inuocate me in the day of tribulation I wil deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me †But to the sinner God hath sayde Why doest thou declare my iustices and takest my testament by thy mouth †But thou hast hated discipline cast my words behind thee †If thou didst see a theefe thou didst rune with him and with adulterers thou didst put thy portion †Thy mouth hath abounded with malice and thy tongue fourged guiles †Sitting thou spakest against thy brother and against thy mothers sonne thou didst put a scandal †these things hast thou done and I haue held my peace †Thou hast thought vniustly that I wil be like thee I wil reproue thee and set it against thy face †Vnderstand these things you that forget God lest sometime he take you violently and there be none to deliuer you †The “ sacrifice of prayse shal glorifie me and there is the way by which I wil shew him the saluation of God ANNOTATIONS PSALME XLIX 14. 23. The sacrifice of praise For better and more due performing of external sacrifice it is requisite that those which offer it or desire to participate do bring with them necessarie internal vertues or disposition as sorow and repentāce for their sinnes which is a kind of improper sacrifice mentioned in the next Psalme the sacrifice of iustice which rendereth ro euerie one that is due Psal 4. and sacrifise of praise or thankes geuing for al Gods benefites receiued or expected which kindes of internal and improper sacrifices do nothing preiudice but rightly prepare men to the fruict of external sacrifice euer vsed in the law of nature the law of Moyses and of Christ This place also hath an other higher and prophetical sense of the Sacrifice of Christs bodie in the Eucharist which is both propitiatorie and Sacrifise of praise and thankes geuing So S. Augustin orat aduersus Iudeos c. 6. teacheth that here certainly is a plaine change of the old sacrifices The same he affirmeth Ep. 120. c. 18. God foreshewing that the old sacrifices should be changed which were offered in shadow of a sacrifice to come I wil not take faith God to Israel calues nor goares at thy hand c. but appointeth that al Israel al nations from the rysing of the sunne to the setting shal immolate the sacrifice of praise the same Christ whom old Simeon knew an infant whom he receiued into his handes Likewise li. contra aduers legis prophet c. 20. The Church offereth to God in the bodie of Christ the sacrifice of praise PSALME L. King Dauid in great sorow for his sinnes of adultrie and murder most seriously prayeth God of his manifold mercies to remitte and purge al his offences and paines due for them 12. to restore vnto him the grace of the Holie Ghost lost by his sinnes 15. that he may teach others as in deede his singular example may teach the whole world true penance 19. contrition of hart worthely to offer sacrifice for the whole Church †Vnto the end a Psalme of Dauid †“ when Nathan the Prophet came to him after that he had sinned with Bethsabee 2. Reg. 12. HAVE mercie on me ô God according to thy great mercie And according to the multitude of thy commiserations take away myne iniquitie †“ Wash me more amply from mine iniquitie cleanse me from my sinne †Because I do know myne iniquitie and my sinne is before me alwaies †To thee onely haue I sinned and haue done euil before thee that thou mayst be iustified in thy words and mayst ouercome when thou art iudged †For behold “ I was conceiued in iniquities my mother conceiued me in sinnes †For behold thou hast loued truth the vncertaine and hidden thinges of thy wisdome thou hast made manifest to me †Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssope and I shal be clensed thou shalt wash me and I shal be made whiter then snow †To my hearing thou shalt
and let vs enioy the good thinges that are and let vs quickly vse the creature as in youth †Let vs fil ourselues with precious wine and oyntments and let not the flowre of the time passe vs. †Let vs crowne ourselues with roses before they wither let there be no medow which our riote shal not passe through †Let none of vs be exempted from our rioteousnes euerie where let vs leaue signes of ioy because this is our portion and this our lot †Let vs oppresse the poore iust man and not spare the widow nor reuerence the oldmans grey head of long time †But let our strength be the law of iustice for that which is Weake is found vnprofitable †Let vs therfore circumuent the iust because he is vnprofitable to vs and he is contrarie to our workes and reprochfully obiecteth vnto vs the sinnes of the law and defameth in vs the sinnes of our discipline †He boasteth that he hath the knowlege of God and nameth himselfe the sonne of God †He is made vnto vs to the defaming of our cogitations †He is greuous vnto vs euen to behold because his life la vnlike to others and his wayes are changed †We are estemed of him as triflers and he absteyneth from our wayes as from vncleannes and he preferreth the later ends of the iust and glorieth that he hath God for his father †Let vs see therfore if his wordes be true and let vs proue what thinges shal come to him and we shal know what shal be his later ends †For if he be the true sonne of God he wil defend him wil deliuer him from the hands of the aduersaries †By contumelie and torment let vs examine him that we may know his reuerence and proue his patience †To a most shameful death let vs condemne him for there shal be respect had vnto him by his wordes †These thinges haue they thought and haue erred for their malice hath blinded them †And they haue not knowen the sacraments of God nor hoped for the reward of iustice nor estemed the honour of holie soules †For God created man incorruptible and to the image of his owne likenes he made him †But by the enuie of the diuel death entred into the world †and they folow him that are of his part CHAP. III The iust contemned by the wicked and proued by tentations are happie 10. and the wicked vnhappie 12. Chastitie shal be rewarded adulterous generations shal not prosper BVT the soules of the iust are in the hand of God and the torment of death shal not touch them †They semed in the eies of the vnwise to die and their decease was counted affliction †and that which with vs is the way is destruction but they are in peace †And though before men they suffered torments their hope is ful of immortalitie †Vexed in few thinges in many they shal be wel disposed of because God hath tempted them and hath found them worthie of him selfe †As gold in the furnace he hath proued them and as an host of holocaust he hath receiued them and in time there shal be respect of them †The iust shal shine and as sparkes in a place of reedes they shal runne abrode †They shal iudge nations haue dominion ouer peoples and their Lord shal reigne for euer †They that trust in him shal vnderstand truth and the faithful in loue shal rest in him because rest and peace is to his elect †But the impious according to the thinges which they haue thought shal haue correption which haue neglected the iust haue reuolted from our Lord. †For he that reiecteth wisdom and discipline is vnhappie and their hope is vaine and labours without fruite and their workes vnprofitable †Their wiues are sensles and their children most wicked †Cursed is their creature because happie is the barren woman and the vndefiled which hath not knowen bed in sinne she shal haue fruite in visitation of holie soules †and the eunuch that hath not wrought iniquitie with his hands nor thought most wicked things against God for the chosen gift of fayth shal be geuen to him and a most acceptable lot in the temple of God †For of good labour there is glorious fruite and the roote of wisdom which falleth not †But the children of adulterers shal be in consummation and the sede of the vnlawful bed shal be destroyed †And if certes they be of long life they shal be reputed for nothing their last oldage shal be without honour †And if they dye quickly they shal haue no hope nor speach of comfort in the day of acknowledging †For of a wicked nation the endes are cruel CHAP. IIII. Great difference betwen chaste and adulterous generations 7. Speedier death of the iust is recompensed by Gods prouidence 19. but the wicked incurre greater damnation by liuing long O How beautiful is the chaste generation with glorie for the memorie therof is immortal because it is knowen both with God and with men †When it is present they imitate it and they desire it when it hath withdrawen itself and it triumpheth crowned for euer winning the reward of vndefiled conflictes †But the multitude of the impious that hath manie children shal not be profitable and bastarde plants shal not take deepe roote nor lay sure fundation †And if in the boughes for a â—ime they shal spring being weakly set they shal be moued of the winde and by the vehemencie of the windes they shal be rooted out †For the vnperfect boughes shal be broken and their fruites shal be vnprofitable and sowre to eate and meete for nothing †For the children that be borne of wicked sleepes are witnesses of wickednes against the parents in their examination †But the iust if he be preuented with death shal be in a place of refreshing †For venerable oldage is not that of long time nor accounted by the number of yeares but the vnderstanding of a man are grey heares †and an immaculate life is old age †Pleasing God he is made beloued and liuing among sinners he was translated †“ He was taken away lest malice should change his vnderstanding or lest anie guile might deceiue his soule †For the bewitching of vanitie obscureth good thinges and the inconstancie of concupiscence peruerteth the vnderstanding that is without malice †Being consummate in short space he fulfilled much time †for his soule pleased God for this cause he hastened to bring him out of the middes of iniquiries but the peoples that are seing and not vnderstanding nor putting such thinges in their hartes †that the grace of God and mercie is toward his saintes and respect toward his elect †But the iust dead condemneth the impions aliue and youth soone ended the long life of the vniust †For they
that the Apostles and al the faithful of Christ vvere signed in their foreheades vvith the signe of THAV the last of the Hebrew letters bearing the forme of a Crosse the same saith he vvith the Greke letter TAV and our Latin T. VVho further both in that place and li de corona â—â—luis liâ—de resurrect carnis testifieth the most frequent vse of this holie signe of the Crosse After him S Cyprian vvitnesseth the same in his time Epist ad Tybaritanos li. ad Demâ—trâ—anum li. 1. ca. 8. Testimoniorum aduers Iudaeos More especially li. 2. c. 22. proueth by this place amongst other holie Scriptures that in this signe of the Crosse is health to al that are signed therwith in the foreheades S. Chrysostom li. cont Gentiles Amongst other demonstrations sheweth by the honour and daylie vse of the Crosse that Christ is God because none but God could make a thing vvhich before vvas so execrable to be novv euery where so highly esteemed And in his Homilies 55. in Mat. 16. 84. in Ioan. 19. and other places vvitnesseth that in Baptisme in the most holie Eucharist in the Sacrament of holie Orders in al most excellent Mysteries the Ensigne of Victorie the signe of the Crosse is euer present vnto vs in al his discourse teaching to glorie not only in Christ crucified but also to honour the signe of the Crosse And that vvho soeuer despiseth the signe of the Crosse despiseth in deede Christ Crucified To omitte others S. Augustin recordeth li. 1. Confess c. 11. that himself vvhen he vvas a childe and dangerously sicke vvas by his mothers pious care signed vvith the signe of the Crosse li. de catechizandis rudibus c 20. teacheth that euerie one is to be signed in the forehead with the signe of the Crosse that al Christians are so signed Also Tract 118. in Ioan. VVhat is the signe of Christ saith he which al know but the Crosse of Christ which signe vnles it be adioyned as wel to the foreheades of them that beleue in Christ as to the vvâ—ter it selfe vvherevvith they are regenerate and to the chriâ—â—â—ne oyle vvherevvith they are anointed as also to the Sacrifice vvherevvith they are nourished none of these thinges is rightly performed Or vvil you haue him to speake more plainly or more generally Ser 101. de tempore VVith the signe of the Crosse saith he our Lords bodie is consecrated al thinges vvhatsoeuer are sanctified are consecrated vvith the inuocation of Christs name in this signe VVho pleaseth to see more testimonies of ancient Fathers may also reade S. Basil li. de Spiritu Sancto S. Cyril of Ierusalem Catechesi 4. 13. S. Ambrose Orat. â—unebri de obitu Theodosij S. Gregorie Epist 126. The apparition also of this signe to Constantin the great vvith this inscription IN HOC VINCES is most famous vvritten by Eusebius Caesariensis li. 1 c. 22 23. de vita Constantini and manie others The same signe also appeared in Ierusalem in the time of his sonne Constantius as S. Cyril of Ierusalem testifieth in his Epistle to the same Emperour And Nicephorus li. 10. c. 2. Hist Eccles vvriteth that the formes of Crosses fel vvith the devv vpon the garments of Iulian the Apostata and of his folovvers And manie other histories both ancient and moderne make mention of the like apparitions But aboue al others the most principal is to come The Signe of the Sonne of man as our B. Sauiour himself fortelleth vvhich shal appeare in the heauen at his coming to iudge the vvhole vvorld his most proper Ensigne the Crosse by vvhich he conquered the diuel sinne death and al enimies of God and men So al ancient Fathers vndoubtedly vnderstand his prediction Mat. 24. Then vvil this signe appeare to the great confusion of al vnsigned miscreants vvith other vvicked enimies of the Crosse and Crucifix For then shal al the vvorld both men and Angels see vvhat infinite charitie our most blessed Redeemer hath vsed for mans saluation and hovv iustly those that either doe not beleue or not regard his so vnspeakable mercie shal be adiudged to euerlasting damnation in the pitie and fire of hel And on the other side al those that are rightly signed in their foreheades and haue accordingly performed that which in Baptisme they promised shal mete this sauing Ensigne vvith incomparable comforth â—oy and gladnes vvho coming clothed â—n vvhite robes vvith palmes of victorie in their handes shal then receiue glorious crovvnes in eternal life CHAP. X. Destruction of the citie is againe signified by apparence of fire sprinkled therin 9. with description of Cherubims foure wheeles and of the foure liuing creatures AND I saw and behold in the firmament that was ouer the head of the Cherubs as it were the sapphire stone as it were the forme of the similitude of a throne appeared ouer them †And he spake to the man that was clothed with the linnen garments and sayd Goe in the middes of the wheeles that are vnder the Cherubs and fil thy hand with the coles of fyre that are betwen the Cherubs powre them out vpon the citie And he went in in my sight †and the Cherubs stood on the right hand of the house when the man went in and a cloude filled the inner court †And the glorie of our Lord was lifted vp from aboue the Cherub to the threshold of the house and the house was replenished with the cloude and the court was replenished with the brightnes of the glorie of our Lord. †And the sound of the winges of the Cherubs was heard euen to the vtter court as it were the voice of God almightie speaking †And when he had commanded the man that was clothed with the linnen garments saying Take fyre from the middes of the wheeles that are betwen the Cherubs he being gone in stood beside the wheele †And a Cherub streched out his hand from the middes of the Cherubs to the fyre that was betwen the Cherubs and he tooke gaue into his handes that was clothed with the linnen garments who taking it went forth †And there appeared in the Cherubs the similitude of a mans hand vnder their winges †And I saw and behold foure wheeles by the Cherubs one wheele by one Cherub and another wheele by one Cherub and the forme of the wheeles was as it were the resemblance of the stone Chrysolithus †and their resemblance one similitude to the foure as it were a wheele in the middes of a wheele †And when they walked they went into foure partes and they returned not walking but to the place wherunto that which was first declined the rest also folowed neither did they turne †And al their bodie and neckes and handes and winges and the circles were ful of eyes in the circuite of the foure wheeles †And these wheeles he called voluble my self hearing it †And one had foure
take it †Then shal the spirit be changed and he shal passe fal this is his strength of his God †Why wast thou not from the beginning ô Lord my God my holie one we shal not dye Lord thou hast appoynted him for iudgement and strong to chastise thou hast founded him †Thine eyes are cleane from seing euil thou canst not looke toward iniquitie Why lookest thou not vpon them that doe vniust thinges holdest thy peace when the impious deuoureth him that is more iust then him self †And thou wilt make men as the fishes of the sea as the creeping beast not hauing a prince †He lifted vp al in the hooke he drew it in his traine and gathered it into his nette vpon this he wil be glad and reioyce †Therfore wil he immolate to his trayne and he wil sacrifice do his nette because by them his portion is fatte and his meate chosen †For this cause therfore spreddeth he his trayne and alwayes to kil the nations he wil not spare CHAP. II. The captiuitie of the two tribes their relaxation Christ wil assuredly come though not quickly 5. Their afflicters the Chaldees shal be destroyed 18. and al other idolaters I WIL stand vpon my watch and fixe my steppe vpon the munition and I wil behold to see what may be sayd to me and what I may answer to him that rebuketh me †And our Lord answered me sayd Write the vision make it playne vpon tables that he which runneth may read it ouer †Because as yet the vision is far and it shal appeare at the end and shal not lye if he shal make tariance expect him because coming he wil come he wil not slacke †Behold he that is incredulous his soule shal not be right in him self but the iust shal liue in his faith †And as wine deceiueth him that drinketh so shal the prowd man be and he shal not be beautified who as it were hel hath dilated his soule and himself as death and he is not filled and he hath gathered together vnto him al nations and hath heaped together vnto him al peoples †Why shal not al these take vp a parable vpon him and a speach of obscure sayings of him and it be sayd Wo to him that multiplieth thinges not his owne how long also doth he agrauat against himself thicke clay †Why shal they not rise sodenly that shal bite thee and they that teare thee be raysed vp and thou be for a spoile to them †Because thou hast spoiled manie nations al that shal be left of the peoples shal spoile thee for the bloud of man and the iniquitie of the land of the citie and of al that dwel therein †Wo to him that gathereth together naughtie auarice to his house that his nest may be on high and thinketh he is deliuered out of the hand of euil †Thou hast thought confusion to thy house thou hast cut in sunder manie peoples and thy soule hath sinned †Because the stone out of the wal shal crie and the timber that is betwen the iunctures of the buildings shal answer †Wo to him that buildeth a citie in blouds and prepareth a citie in iniquitie †Why are not these thinges from the Lord of hosts For the peoples shal labour in much fire and the nations in vaine and they shal faynt †Because the earth shal be replenished that they may know the glorie of our Lord as waters couering the sea †Wo to him that geueth drinke to his freind putting in his gal and making drunke that he may behold his nakednes †Thou art filled with ignominie for glorie drinke thou also and be fast a sleepe the cuppe of the right hand of our Lord shal compasse thee and the vomite of ignominte vpon thy glorie †Because the iniquitie of Libanus shal couer thee and the wasting of the beasts shal terrifie them for the blouds of men and the iniquitie of the land and of the citie and of al that dwel therein †What profiteth the thing engrauen that the forger therof hath grauen it a molten and a false image because the forger therof hath hoped in his forgerie to make dumme idols †Wo vnto him that sayth to wood Awake Arise to the dumme stone Why can it teach Behold this same is couered with gold and siluer and there is no spirit in the bowels therof †But our Lord is in his holie temple let al the earth be silent at his presence CHAP. III. 1. The prayer of Habacuc the prophet for ignorances LORD I heard thy hearing and was afrayd Lord thy worke in the middes of yeares quicken it In the middes of yeares shalt thou make it knowen when thou art angrie thou wilt remember mercie †God wil come from the South and the holie one from mount Pharan His glorie shal couer the heauens and the earth is ful of his prayse †His brightnes shal be as the light hornes in his handes There is his strength hid †Before his face shal death goe and the deuil shal goe forth before his feete †He stood and measured the earth he beheld and dissolued the Gentils and the mountaines of the world were broken The hilles of the world were bowed by the wayes of his eternitie †For iniquitie I saw the tents of Aethiopia the skinnes of the land of Madian shal be trubled †Why wast thou angrie with the riuers ô Lord or was thy furie in the riuers or thine indignation in the sea Who wilt mount vpon thy horses and thy chariots saluation †Raysing thou wilt rayse vp thy bow the othe to the tribes which thou hast spoken Thou wilt curte the riuers of the earth †The mountaines saw thee and were sorie the gulfe of water passed The depth gaue his voice the height lifted vp his handes †The sunne and the moone stood in their habitation in the light of thine arrowes they shal goe in the brightnes of thy glittering speare †In freating thou wilt treade downe the earth in furie thou wilt astonish the Gentils †Thou wentst forth the saluation of thy people saluation with thy Christ Thou strokest the head out of the house of the impious thou hast discouered the fundation euen to the neck †Thou hast cursed his scepters the head of his warriers them that come as a whirlewinde to disperse me Their exultation as his that deuoureth the poore in secrete †Thou madest a way in the sea for thy horses in the middes of manie waters †I heard and my bellie was trubled at the voice my lippes trembled let rottenes enter in my bones swarme vnder me That I may rest in the day of tribulation that I may ascend to our girded people †For the figtree shal not florish and there shal be no spring
went against Gorgias the gouernour of Idumea †And he went forth with footemen three thousand and horsemen foure hundred †Who buckling together it chanced few of the Iewes to be slayne †But Dositheus one of the Bacenors an horseman a valiant man held Gorgias and wheras he would haue taken him aliue a certayne horseman of the Thracians came vpon him and cut of his shoulder and so Gorgias escaped into Maresa †But they that were with Esdrin fighting long and being wearied Iudas inuocated our Lord to be their helper and captayne of the battel †beginning in his countrey language and with hymmes raising a crie draue Gorgias souldiars into flight †And Iudas hauing gathered an armie came into the citie Odollam when the seuenth day came on being purifyed according to the custome they kept the Sabbath in the same place †And the day folowing Iudas came with his companie to take away the bodies of them that were ouerthrowen and with their kinsmen to lay them in the sepulchers of their fathers †And they found vnder the coates of the slayne some of the donaryes of the idols that were in Iamnia from which the lawe forbiddeth the Iewes therfore it was made playne to al that for that cause they were slayne †Al therfore blessed the iust iudgement of our Lord who had made manifest the hidden thinges †And so turning to prayers they besought him that the same offence which was committed might be forgotten But the most valient Iudas exhorted the people to keepe themselues without sinne seing before their eyes what was done because of the sinnes of them that were ouerthrowen †And making a gathering he sent twelue thousand drachmes of siluer to Ierusalem for sacrifice to be offered for sinne wel and religiously thinking of the resurrection †for vnles he hoped that they that were slaine should rise againe it should seeme superfluous and vaine to pray for the dead †And because he considered that they which had taken their sleepe with godlines had very good grace layd vp for them †“ It is therfore a holie and healthful cogitation to pray for the dead that they may be loosed from sinnes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 46 It is a holie and healthful cogitation to pray for the dead The Catholique beleefe doctrine and practise of praying for the dead is so euidently confirmed by this place that our aduersaries haue no better shift to auoide the same then by denying these bookes to be Canonical Scripture VVhich being authentically proued it may here suffice to adde that albeit the Greke text as in other innumerable places differeth from the Latin yet it is no lesse clere for this doctrin VVhich in English is thus v 45. Regarding or considering that grace is layde vp for them that sleepe or dye in pietie tovvitte in true faith and repentance in the next verse 46. inferreth thus VVherupon he Iudas Machabeus made reconciliation or expiation for the dead that they might be deliuered or loosed from their sinne that is from punishment for sinne Omitting therfore multitude of other proofes vve vvil here only cite tvvo great Doctors who with others teach that the denial of this particular point of religion is a condemned heresie S. Augustin li. de Haeresib haer 53. noteth this for a special heresie saying Aerians are named of one Aerius vvho being a priest and taking it greuously that he could not be ordained a Bishop falling into the heresie of the Arrians added some proper doctrines of his ovvne saying that vve ought not to pray nor offer sacrifice for the dead Likevvise S. Bernard Ser. 66 in Cantica in plaine termes saith they are heretikes vvhich beleue not that there is purgatorie fire after death but that the soule departing from the bodie goeth forthvvith either to rest or to damnation Let them then saith he aske of him vvho saide There is some sinne that shal not be forgeuen neither in this vvorld nor in the future why he sayd this if there remaine no remission and purgation of sinne in the future vvorld He therfore aduiseth al to bevvare of such seducers saying See the detracters see the dogges They deride vs because vve baptize infantes for that vve pray for the dead It is also most vvorthie of consideration that Iudas Machabeus vvho did this charitable act for his souldiars slaine in the holie vvarres vvas the High priest or chief Bishop of the Church at that time and defender of true faith and Religion Finally vve may also obserue that he did not anie nevv thing but practised the vsual custome of the vvhole Church For so it appeareth by their sette forme of Office for the dead called HASCHABAH that is Rest or prayer for rest in their booke MAHZOR translated and set forth by Bishop Genebrard in the yeare of our Lord. 1569. VVhere are these expresse supplications Requiescat anima ipsius in cubili suo iaceat in pace dormiat in pace His or her soule rest in his bed lye and slepe in peace Againe Ye Angels of peace come forth to mete him c. And that the Ievves this day vse to pray for the dead is a clere thing and confessed by Protestantes namely Munsterus and Fagius in their Annotations vpon the 14. of Deut. and M. VVhitaker in his first booke against F. Dureus fol 81. CHAP. XIII Menelaus a fugitiue Iewe is put to death 9. Antiochus with his great armie is defeated twise with losse of manie men 23. Philippe rebelling peace is renewed 24. And Iudas is made Lord of Ptolemais IN the yeare an hundred fourtie nine Iudas vnderstood that Antiochus Eupator came with a multitude agaynst Iurie †and with him Lysias the procuratour and cheefe ouer the affayres hauing with him of footemen an hundred tenne thousand of horsemen fiue thousand elephants twentie two chariots with hookes three hundred †And Menelaus also ioyned him selfe with them and with much deceite besought Antiochus not for the weale of his contrie but hoping that he should be appoynted to the principalitie †But the king of kinges stirred vp Antiochus mind against the sinner Lysias suggesting that he was the cause of al the euils he commanded as the custome is with them that being apprehended he should be killed in the same place †And there was in the same place a tower of fiftie cubites hauing an heape of ashes on euerie side this had a prospect steepe downe †From thence he commanded the sacrilegious person to be throwne downe into the ashes al thrusting him forward to death †And by such law it chanced the transgressour of the law to dye Menelaus not to be put into the earth †And in deede very iustly because he committed manie offences toward the altar of God the fyre and ashes wherof was holie himself was condemned into the death of ashes †But the king furiouse in mind came to shew
wombe Ch. 33. v. 14. Behold the dayes wil come sayth our Lord and I wil rayse vp the good word v. 15. I wil make the spring of iustice to bud forth vnto Dauid he shal do iudgement and iustice in the earth Ieremies Lamentations are in greatest part of Christ and his Church And some part can hardly be applied to anie other ch 3. v. 30. He shal geue the cheke to him that striketh him he shal be filled with reproches ch 4. v. 20. Christ our Lord is taken in our sinnes Baruch 2. v. 35. God promising to reduce the people from Babylon addeth And I wil establish vnto them an other testament euerlasting by Christ whose kingdom is for euer that I be their God and they shal be my people Ch. 3. v. 36. This is our God and there shal none other be esteemed against him v. 38. After these thinges he was sene vpon the earth and was conueâ—sant with men Ezechiel peculiarly called by an Angel the sonne of man was therin a special figure of our Sauiour who so calleth him self And the same prophet hath in plaine termes foreshewed the office of Christ the true Pastor of al pastors eh 34. v. 25. I wil sayth God by this prophet rayse vp ouer them one Pastor who shal feede them my seruant Dauid that is Christ prefigured by Dauid His admirable visions in the three first chapters and nine last perteyne properly and principally to the new Testament of Christ and his Church shewing the abundance of grace and glorie geuen by him to the elect Daniel 7. v. 13. With the cloudes of heauen there came in as it were the Sonne of man and he came euen to the ancient of dayes and in his sight they offered him He came euen to the ancient of dayes because in his Diuinitie he is equal to the Father and in his humanitie he is offered to God in Sacrifice v. 14 His powre is eternal and his kingdom shal not be corrupted ch 9. v. 24. Seuentie wekes of yeares are abridged that sinnes may be forgeuen grace be infused prophecies be fulfilled and the Holie one of holies be annointed Al which belong only to Christ. v. 26. After sixtie two wekes Christ shal be slaine Aggeus 2. v. 8. The desired of al nations shal come Zach. 3. v. 8. I wil bring my seruant the Orient ch 13. v. 7. Strike the Pastour and the shepe shal be dispersed fulfilled in Christs Passion Mat. 26. v. 21. Malaâ—h 3. v. 2. Forthwith shal come to his temple the Dominator whom you seke the Angel of the testament whom ye desire The booke of wisdom ch 2. v. 12. describeth the malice of the wicked against Christ Let vs say they circumuent the iust because he is vnprofitable to vs and he is contrarie to our workes and reprochfully obiecteth to vs the sinnes of the law v. 13. He boasteth that he hath the knowlege of God and nameth him self the Sonne of God Ecclesiasticus 24. v. 34. God appointed to Dauid his seruant to raise vp a king of him most strong and sitting in the throne of honour for euer Which eternal king proceeding from Dauid can be none but Christ our Sauiour And al the praises of Paâ—riarches and Prophetes in the last eight chapters consist in their fayth and expectation of Christ Likewise the Priestes and people 1. Mach. 14. v. 28. 35. and 49. shewed their fayth of Christ to come when they established Simon and his progenie in the gouernment and highpriesthood for euer til there rise the faithful Prophet to witte the Prophet of whom al the prophetes did speake Luc. 24 v. 27. Amongst the rest Ieremie ch 31. v. 23. and Ezechiel ch 44. v. 2. make also especial mention of some singular priuileges of the most excellent virgin Mother of God Of whom also Iudith and Esther were apparent figures who receiued special graces for the benefite of their nation and so did this singular Virgin receiue of God most eminent giftes aboue al other mere creatures for the benefite of the whole Church Of Angels the celestial spirites is frequent mention in the holie Scriptures of this age Their multitude is innumerable and therfore are insinuated to men by general termes Daniel 7. v. 10. Thousandes of thousandes ministered to him and tenne thousand hundred thousandes assisted him And their powre is most great and to men most profitable An Angel defended the three children in the fornace walking with them in the fire Daniel 3. v. 49 95. Another defended Daniel from the lions ch 6. v. 22. The same or an other caried Habacuc from Iurie into Babylon Dan. 14. v. 35. and restored him in his place againe v. 38. The Archangel Gabriel instructed Daniel ch 8. v. 16. 17. ch 9. v. 21. And ch 10. v. 13. 20. Other Angels the Patrones or Guardians of the Persians and Grecians prayed for those countries and S. Michael v. 21. for the Iewes An Angle spake in Zacharie ch 1. v. 9. An other Angel went to mete him ch 2. v. 3. And in respect of Angelical offices both S. Iohn Baptist and our Sauiour himself are figuratiuely called Angeles Malach. 3. v. 1 No meruel therfore that Iudas Machabeus and his armie 2. Machab. 11. v 6. prayed for the assistance of a good Angel which was granted them v. 8. And so they went promptly hauing an helper from heauen v. 10. Their like prayer had the same effect in an other battel 2. Machab. 15 v. 27. Contrarie to these glorious Angeles are other spirites at first created in grace which falling into pride and most obstinate malice are perpetual enimies to God their Creator and to al mankind continually calumniating the workes of God and of al his seruantes wherof they are called Diuels or calumniators They neuer cease tempting al they can to euil so to bring men to eternal death For by the enuie of the diuel Sap. 2. v. 7. death both of soule bodie came into this world The iust stipend of sinne Al sinnes offend God and please the diuels But more particularly they desire to be honored as God with Sacrifice Which therfore they require to themselues and their idols And for this sinne of Idolatrie aboue al others God is most prouoked to wrath for the same most especially punished his people as the Prophet Baruch chap. 4. v. 6. signifieth to the people saying You are sold to the Gentils c. You are deliuered to their aduersaries and geuing the reason why he addeth v. 7. For you haue exasperated him that made you the eternal God immolating to diuels And not to God The same al the Prophetes teach and withal that Sacrifice is the souereigne seruice due to God only and not to any creature how excellent soeuer But of Sacrifice there is so much written that it were ouer long and nedeles to recite the places It importeth more
that with sorowes haue kept thy testimonies †Neither thinke thou of them that in thy sight haue conuerst falsly but remember them that according to thy wil haue knowen thy feare †Neither be thou willing to destroy theÌ„ that haue had the maners of beastes but respect them that haue taught thy law gloriously †Neither haue indignation towards them which are iudged worse then beastes but loue them that alwayes haue confidence in thy iustice and glorie †Because we and our fathers languish with such diseases but thou for sinners shalt be called merciful †For if thou shalt be desirous to haue mercie on vs then thou shalt be called merciful to vs hauing no workes of iustice †For the iust which haue manie workes layd vp of their owne workes shal receiue reward †For what is man that thou art angrie with him or the corruptible kinde that thou art so bitter touching it †For in truth there is no man of them that be borne which hath not done impiously and of them that confesse which haue not sinned †For in this shal thy iustice be declared and thy goodnes ô Lord when thou shalt haue mercie on them that haue no substance of good workes †And he answered me and sayd Thou hast spoken somethinges rightly and according to thy wordes so also shal it be done †because I wil not in dede thinke vpon the worke of them that haue sinned before death before the iudgement before perdition †but I wil reioyce vpon the creature of the iust and I wil remember their pilgrimage also and saluation and receiuing of reward †Therfore as I haue spoken so also it is †For as the husbandman soweth vpon the ground manie seedes and planteth manie plantes but not al which were sowen in time are preserued nor yet al that were planted shal take roote so they also that are sowen in the world shal not al be saued †And I answered and sayd If I haue found grace let me speake †As the seede of the husbandman if it come not vp or receiue not the rayne in time if it be corupted with much rayne perisheth †so likewise also man who made with thy handes and thou named his image because thou art likened to him for whom thou hast made al thinges and hast likened him to the seede of the husbandman †Be not angrie vpon vs but spare thy people and haue mercie on thy inheritance And thou hast mercie on thy creature †And he answered me and sayd The thinges that are present to them that are present and that shal be to them that shal be †For thou lackest much to be able to loue my creature aboue me and to thee often times euen to thyselfe I haue approched but to the vniust neuer †But in this also thou art meruelous before the Highest †because thou hast humbled thyself as becometh thee hast not iudged thyself that among the iust thou maist be very much glorified †For which cause manie miseries and miserable thinges shal be done to them that inhabite the world in the later dayes because they haue walked in much pride †But thou for thyselfe vnderstand for them that are like vnto thee seeke glorie †For to you paradise is open the tree of life is planted time to come is prepared abundance is prepared a citie is builded rest is approued goodnes is perfited perfit wisdome †The roote of euil is signed from you infirmitie and mothe is hid from you corruption is fled into hel in obliuion †Sorowes are past the treasure of immortalitie is shewed in the end †Adde not therfore inquiring of the multitude of them that perish †For they also receiuing libertie haue despised the Highest and contemned his lawe and forsaken his wayes †Yea and moreouer they haue troden downe his iust ones †and haue sayd in their hart that there is no God and that knowing that they dye †For as the thinges aforesayd shal receiue you so thirst and torment which are prepared shal take them for he would not man to be destroyed †But they them selues also which aâ—e created haue deâ—yled his name which made them haue bene vnkinde to him that prepared life †Wherfore my iudgement now approcheth †Which thinges I haue not shewed to al but to thee to few like vnto thee And I answered and sayd †Behold now Lord thou hast shewed me a multitude of signes which thou wilt beginne to doe in the latter times but thou hast not shewed me at what time CHAP. IX Certaine signes shal goe before the day of iudgement 14. More shal perish then be saued 25. Prayer with other good workes are meanes to saluation AND he answered me and sayd Measuring measure thou the time in it selfe and it shal be when thou seest after a certaine part of the signes which are spoken of before shal passe †then shalt thou vnderstand that the same is the time wherin the Highest wil beginne to visite the world that was made by him †And when there shal be sene in the world mouing of places and truble of peoples †then shalt thou vnderstand that of these spake the Highest from the dayes that were before thee from the beginning †For as al that is made in the world hath a beginning and also a consummation and the consummation is manifest †so also the times of the Highest haue the beginning manifest in wonders and powers and the consummations in worke and in signes †And it shal be euery one that shal be saued and that can escape by his workes and by fayth in which you haue beleeued †shal be leaft out of the foresayd dangers and shal see my saluation in my land and in my costes because I haue sanctified my â—elfe from the world †And then shal they be in miserie that now haue abused my wayes and they that haue reiected them in contempt shal abide in torments †For they that knew not me hauing obtained benefits when they liued †and they that loathed my law when they yet had libertie †and when as yet place of penance was open to them vnderstoode not but despised they must after death in torment know it †Thou therfore be not yet curious how the impious shal be tormented but inquire how the iust shal be saued and whose the world is and for whom the world is and when †And I answered and sayd †I haue spoken hertofore and now I say and hereafter wil say that they are moe which perish then that shal be saued †as a floud is multiplied aboue more then a droppe †And he ansvvered me and sayd Like as the field so also the sedes and as the flovvers such also the colours and as the workeman such also the worke and such as the husbandman such is the husbandrie because it was the time of the world †And
†My righthand shal not spare sinners neither shal the sword cease vpon them that shede innocent bloud vpon the earth †Fire came forth from his wrath and hath deuoured the fundations of the earth and sinners as it were straw set on fire †Woe to them that sinne and obserue not my comandmentes sayth our Lord. †I wil not spare them depart ô children from the powre Defile not my sanctification †because the Lord knoweth al that sinne against him therefore hath he deliuered them into death and into slaughter †For now are euils come vpon the world and you shal tarrie in them For God wil not deliuer you because you haue sinned against him †Behold an horrible vision and the face of it from the east †And the nations of dragons of Arabians shal come forth in manie chariots as a winde the number of them is caried vpon the earth so that now al doe feare and tremble that shal heare them †the Carmonians madde for anger and they shal goe forth as wild boares out of the wood they shal come with great power and shal stand in fight with them they shal waste the portion of the land of the Assirians †And after these thinges the dragons shal preuaile mindful of their natiuitie and conspiring shal turne themselues in great force to pursue them †These shal be trubled and hold their peace at their force and shal turne their fete into flight †And from the territorie of the Assirians the besiegers shal beseige them and shal consume one of them and there shal be feare and trembling in their armie and contention against their kinges †Behold cloudes from the east and from the north vnto the south and their face very horrible ful of wrath and storme †And they shal beate one against an other and they shal beate downe manie starres and their starre vpon the earth and bloud shal be from the sword vnto the bellie †And mans dung vnto the camels litter and there shal be much feare and trembling vpon the earth †And they shal shake that shal see that wrath and tremble shal take them and after these thinges there shal manie showers be moued †from the south and the north and an other portion from the weast †And the windes from the east shal preuaile vpon it and shal shut it vp and the cloudes which he raised in wrath and the starre to make terrour to the east winde and the west shal be destroyed †And there shal be exalted great and mightie cloudes ful of wrath and a starre to terrifie al the earth and the inhabitantes therof and they shal powre in vpon euerie high and eminent place a terrible starre †fire and haile and flying swordes and manie waters so that al fildes also shal be filled and al riuers with the fulnes of manie waters †And they shal throw downe cities and walles and mountaines and hilles and the trees of the woodes and the grasse of the medowes and their corne †And they shal passe constant vnto Babylon and shal raise her †They shal come together against her and shal compasse her and shal power out the starre and al wrath vpon her and the dust and smoke shal goe vp euen into heauen and round about shal lament her †And they that shal remaine vnder her shal serue them that terified her †And thou Asia agreeing into the hope of Babylon and the glorie of her person †woe be to thee thou wretch because thou art like to her and hast adorned thy daughters in fornication to please glorie in thy louers which haue desired alwayes to fornicate with thee †Thou hast imitated the odious in al her workes and in her inuentions therefore sayth God †I wil send in euils vpon thee widow hood pouertie and famine and sword and pestilence to destroy thy houses by violation and death and glorie of thy vertue †As a flower shal be withered when the heate shal rise that is sent forth vpon thee †thou shalt be weakned as a litle poore soule plaged and chastised of wemen that the mightie and the louers may not receiue thee †Wil I be zealous against thee sayth our Lord †vnles thou hadst slayne myne elect at al times exalting the slaughter of the handes and saying vpon their death when thou wast drunken †Adorne the beautie of thy countenance †The reward of thy fornication is in thy bosome therefore thou shalt receiue recompence †As thou shalt doe to my elect sayth our Lord so shal God do to thee and shal deliuer thee vnto euil †And thy children shal dye for famine and thou shalt fal by the sword and thy cities shal be destroyed al thyne shal fal in the filde by the sword †And they that are in the mountaines shal perish with famine and shal eate their owne flesh drinke kloud for the famine of bread and thirst of waters †Vnhappie by the seas shalt thou come and againe thou shalt receuie euils †And in the passage they shal beate against the idle citie and shal destroy some portion of thy land and shal deface part of thy glorie againe returning to Babylon ouerthrowen †And being throwen downe thou shalt be to them for stubble and they shal be to thee fire †and deuoure thee and thy cities thy land and thy mountaynes al thy woodes and fruitful trees they wil burne with fire †Thy children they shal lead captiue shal haue thy goodes for a praye and the glorie of thy face they shal destroy CHAP. XVI Al are admonished that extreme calamities shal fal vpon this world 36. the penitent returning to iustice shal escape 55. as al thinges were made by Gods omnipotent powre at his wil so al thinges shal serue to the reward of the blessed and punishment of the wicked VVOE to thee Babylon Asia woe to thee Aegypt and Syria †Gird yourselues with sackclothes and shirtes of heare mourne for your children be sorie because your destruction is at hand †The sword is sent in vpon you and who is he that can turne it away †Fire is sent in vpon you and who is he that can quench it †Euiles are sent in vpon you and who is he that can repel them †Shal anie man repel the lion being hungrie in the woode or quench the fire in stubble forthwith when it beginneth to burne †Shal anie man repel the arrow shot of a strong archer †Our strong Lord sendeth in euiles and who is he that can repel them †Fire came forth from his wrath and who is he that can quench it †He wil lighten who shal not feare he wil thunder and who shal not be afrayde †Our Lord wil threaten and who shal not vtterly be destroyed before his face †The earth hath trembled and the fundations thereof the sea tosseth vp waues from the
of you by violence shal make the slaine to be meate for idols †And they that shal consent vnto them shal be to them in derision and in reproch and in conculcation †For there shal be place against places and against the next cities great insurrection vpon them that feare our Lord. †They shal be as it were madde sparing no bodie to spoyle and waste yet them that feare our Lord. †because they shal waste and spoyle the goodes and shal cast them out of their houses †Then shal appeare the probation of mine elect as gold that is proued by the fire †Heare my beloued sayth our Lord Behold the dayes of tribulation are come and out of them I wil deliuer you †Doe not feare nor stagger because God is your guide †And he that kepeth my commandmentes and precepts sayth our Lord God Let not your sinnes ouerway you nor your inquities be aduanced ouer you †Woe to them that are entangled with their sinnes and are couered with their iniquities as a filde is entangled with the wood the path therof couered with thornes by which no man passeth it is closed out cast to be deuoured of the fire FINIS A table of the Epistles taken forth of the old Testament vpon certayne festiual dayes The other feastes and al the sundayes haue their Epistles in the new Testament As is there noted In the feast of our Blessed Ladies Conception Prou. 8 v. 22 to the v. 36 S. Iohn Euangelist Eccli 15. v. 1. to v. 7. The Epiphanie Isaioe 60. v. 1. to v. 7. Candlemasse day Malach 3. v. 1. to v. 5. S. Thomas Aquinas Sap. 7. v. 7. to v. 15. The Annunciation of our B. Ladie Isaioe 7. v. 11. to v. 16. S. Marke Ezechiel 1. v. 5. to v. 14. S. Philippe and S. Iames. Sap. 5. v. 1. to v. 6. S Iohn ante portam Latinam the same The Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist Isa 49. v. 1. to v. 6. v. 23. Visitation of our B. Ladie Cant. 2. v. 8. to v. 15. The octaue of S. Peter and S. Paul Eccli 44. v. 10. to v. 16. S. Marie Magdalen Cant. 3. v. 2. to 6. ca. 8. v. 6. to 8. S. Anne Prouerb 31. v. 10. to the end of the chap. The Assumption of our B. Ladie Eccli 24. v. 11. to 21. Decollation of S. Iohn Baptist Iere. 1. v. 17. to the end The Natiuitie of our B. Ladie Prouerb 8. v. 22. to 36. S. Mathew Ezech. 1. v. 10. to 15. S. Martin Eccli 44. v. 25. ca. 45. v. 1. to v. 9. S. Cecilie Eccli 51. v. 13. to 18. S. Catherin Eccli 51. v. 1. to 13. In the Anniuersarie of the dead 2. Mach. 12. v. 42. to the end of the chapter Deo Gratias AN HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE TIMES SPECIAL PERSONS MOST NOT ABLE THINGES AND CANONICAL BOOKES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT Anni mundi Pattiarches Especial pointes of the sacred historie of Gods Church euer visible Schismes and infidelitie Canonical Scriptures a The first yeare first weeke Adam the first man of whom al mankind is propagated a Creation of heauen and earth and al thinges therin in six dayes Gen. 1. Man last created was made lord of al corporal creatures of this lower world placed in paradise Gen. 2. For transgressing Gods cōmandment Adam and Eue were cast out of paradise But by Gods grace repenting had promise of a Redemer Gen. 3.  Genesis conteyneth the historie of the visible Church from the beginning of the world to the death of Ioseph in the yeare of the world 2340. b 130. Seth borne Cain the first borne became a husbandman Abel next borne a shepheard Gen. 4. God respecting Abels sacrifice and not Cains Cain killed Abel Gen. 4.   c. 235. Enos borne Seths children and other faythful were called the sonnes of God to distinguish the true Church from the wicked citie begune by Cain Gen. 6. Cain wentforth from the face of our Lord begane a new city opposite to the Citie of God  d. 325. Cainan In the dayes of Enos begane publique prayers of manie assembling together besides Sacrifice which was before Gen. 4. v. 26. Gen. 4. v. 16. His generations in the right line to Lamech who slew him are these without notice of time when they were borne or dyed Enoch Irad Mauiael Mathusael Lamech Gen. 4. v. 17.  e 395. Malaleel    f 460. Iared    g 622. Enoch Mathusala Lamech Enoch a Prophet pleased God in al his wayes None borne in the earth like to Enoch Eccli 49. v. 16. Some declining from God and marchīg in mariage with Cains race begate those monstruous men huge of stature most wicked cruel called giantes  h 687. Noe bor k Adam dyed at the age of 930. yeares Gen. 5. v. 5. To whom Seth succeded chief Patriarch And so in the rest Gen. 6. v. 4.  i 874. Sem bor And the next two yeares Cham Iaphet l Enoch in the yeare of his age 365. was sene no more because God tooke him Gen. 5. v. 24. Enoch was translated that he should not see death Heb. 11. v. 5.   k 930.  m Seth dyed in the yeare of his age 912.   l 987.  o Enos dyed anno aetatis 905.   m 1042.  p Cainan dyed an aet 980.   n 1056.  q Malaleel dyed an aet 895.   o 1140.  r Iared dyed an aet 962.   p 1265.  s Noe the preacher of iustice forewarned al men that except they repented God would destroy them with a floud And by Gods commandement built an Arke or shippe wherin himself his familie with other liuing creatures were preserued from drowning   q 1290.  v Lamech dyed before his father in the yeare of his age 777.   r 1422.  w Mathusala dyed an aet 969. immediatly before the floud as semeth most probable   s 1536.     t 1556.     v 1651.     w 1656     x 1656.  x The same yeare of the world 1656. the 17. day of the second moneth Noe with his three sonnes his wife and their wiues in al eight persons and seuen payres of euerie kinde of cleane liuing creatures and two payres of vncleane entered into the Arke And presently it rayned fourtie dayes and nightes together Wherby al liuing creatures on the earth out of the arke were drowned Gen. 7. Al Cains race with other wicked infideles were vtterly destroyed by the flould Gen. 7.  THE END OF THE FIRST AGE AND BEGINNING OF THE SECOND y 1658. Arphaxad borne the sonne of Sem. The whole earth being couered with water Noe with his familie and other liuing creatures remained in the arke twelue monethes and ten dayes a iust yeare of the sunne then coming forth built an altar and offered
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
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
affliction not able to deliuer them selues seeke reuenge by murmuring and other euil speaches but the perfect resolue to rule their tongues d euen to forbeare sometimes from their owne iust defence e though therby they indure more persecution f sorow suppressed maketh the hart to burne with zele and indignation g If it may please thee let me know how long I shal liue desiring to dye as Elias desired 3. Reg. 19. h my life and al that I haue is as nothing compared to thy eternitie i as a shadow or image appearing in a glasse which is quickly forgotte k therfore there is no cause man should be trubled in mind for temporal miseries l Thou hast suffered me to be reproched by the foolish that prosper in this world m I know my tribulation is by thy prouidence o my life decayeth as a spider hauing spent al her moysture p Almen are strangers in this life heauen being our home q that I may recouer spiritual streingth in this life r after which I shal not be in state to do frceworkes of satisfaction nor merite Christs comming and redeming of manking The 5 key a perteyning vnto the new Testament b the faithful of the old and new Testament reioyce in the coming of Christ c Christ by him seâ—â—e and by others preached the Gospel of saluation d the multiplication of Christians therbâ— e â—â— sacrifice of the old testament sufficed â—o satisfie Gods iustice for the sinne of man f Christ by the eare of obedience performed the redemption of man by his death as was determined from eternitie S. Paul for eares â—aith bodie See Annotations Heb. 10. Heb. 10. g The summe of holie Scripture is of Christs Incarnation death for redemption of man h Againe Christ inculcateth the preaching and receiuing of his Gospel in the whole world i In the greatest and wisest congregations of this world Christ concealeth not his mercie and truth So himselfe professed before Annas Caiphas Pilate and their councels S. Paul preached Christ at Atheâ—s and in manie nations and so the other Apostles For their voice went into al the coastes of the earth k The prophet now speaketh in the name of Christs mystical bodie the Church praying to be made partaker of mercie and to be deliuered from euâ—les l the sinnes also of those which beleue in Christ are so manie that they can not be fully sene in particular m I almost faint in considering so manie and so great iniquities amongst those that professe Christ n The whole Church prayeth in the name of al for the infirme members o The prophet foresheweth that the reprobate for their obstinate malice seeking to hurt others shal be confounded p that skornfully say wel wel wishing al euil to good men q which not only in mouth and outward profession but also in sinceritie of hart seeke thee may with confidence reioyce and praise God r Christ speaketh in the name of sinners truly repenting whose sinnes he vndertaketh to redeme and wash away by his passion Å¿ The faithful of the old testament pray for Christs first coming into this world and the faithful now pray for his second coming to purge his Church and to reward the good Christs Passion and Resurrection The 5 key a Perteyning to the new testament as appeareth by the 10. verse alleaged by our Sauiour This Psalme is also applied by the Church in the office of the sick whom whosoeuer assisteth in that case may hope to haue assistance in their owne like necessitie Io. 13. v. 18. b He is happie that is not scandalized in Christ Luc. 7. v. 23. coming in pouertie and suffering extreme afflictions c He that trusteth in Christ notwithstanding the contrarie motiues of his wordlie miserie shal be deliuered by him in al distresse d Our Lord wil geue to such seruantes more grace in this life and glorie in the next e not suffer him to be ouercome in tentations f when such constant seruantes are sick to death Christ wil most especially comforte and helpe them g Christ in the behalf of his mystical bodie confesseth their sinnes and prayeth for them h After death suffered for mankind Christ riseth and his name and kingdom is glorious i Those that came not of good wil but of malice to obserue Christs deedes and wordes carped at both sometimes saying he taught against the law and against Moyses sometymes that he â—ast out diuels in the powre of Beelse bub k At last they resolued that he should die l But they could not so suppresse his powre for he rose againe in glorie m By our Sauiours application of this verse it is certaine that the traitor Iudas is here described Ioa. 13. v. 18. Io. 11. Act. 1. n in the day of iudgement Christ Iudge of al wil render to euerie one as they deserue o As before in respect of sinners Christ Iudge of al wil render to euerie one so here in his owne person he auoucheth his owne innocencie which made him apt to satisfie for others p For this mercie of Almightie God in sauing the elect by his Sonnes death he is to be praised for euer eternally q Al the blessed agree in this that God is eternally to be praised and therto say Amen So be it so be it Some diuide the Psalmes into fiue bookes supposing the first booke to end here with these wordes Be it be it not obseruing that the last Psalme hath not this ending S Ierom confuteth this opinion by our Sauiours and S. Peters naming it the booke not bookes of Psalmes Luc. 20. v. 42. Act. 1. Moreouer if this were the end of one booke then the Psalme folowing should not be called the 41. Psalme but the first Psalme of the second booke Eternal glory The 10. key a The sonnes of Core repented and departed from their fathers schisme and so escaped miraculosly the horrible pitte of damnation inâ—o which heir father and his complices fel. Num. 26. v. 10. By which example al seduced and deceiued Christians are admonished not to persist in schisme or other sinnes And wordlie men â—mbicious of honour be warned to desire seke God aboue al thinges first of al the kingdome of heauen â—o be liuing mâ—mbeâ—s of the Catholique Church and the iustice therof to seke thinges whâ—â—h are aboue 〈◊〉 which are vpon the earth lest hel deuoure them as it denoured the complices of Core Num 1â— v. 31. b A harte waxing old and burdened with much heare and great hornes draweth a serpent into his nosethrels so being infected with poyson desireth most ardently to drinke and afterwards casteth his hornes and heare and becometh as it were yong againe c with such feruent desire a true penitent feeling himselfe infected with poyson of sinnes seeketh the water of Gods grace d God is omnipotent and in dede the only true liuing God diuels who are honored in idols ca do no more then God permitteth and so they can
certaine that Salomon was sometime innocent and holie but was peruerted by wemen 3. Reg. 11. 3 Reg. 3. v 9. 12. :: Here againe it is euident that the Auctor reporteth Salomons speaches 1. Paral. 28. v. 5. 2. Par. 1. v. 9. :: VVisdom increated is with God yea is God him selfe Prou. 8. v. 22. :: VVisdom vvhich is geuen to men procedeth from God as a gift created :: Mans wisdom vvithout special wisdom from God is not sufficient to gouerne ourselues much lesse others The 3. part The excellent effectes of wisdom iustice :: Adam Gen. 1. v. 27. :: By this it is certaine that our first pareÌ„t Adam truly repented and had remission of his sinne Gen. 4. v. 8. Gen. 6. :: Noe. :: Abraham Gen. 19. :: Lot :: In al trees about Sodom there is only shew of fruite which when it is touched falleth into dust :: Lots wife an example of inconstancie :: Iacob Gen. 28. Gen. 37. :: Ioseph Gen. 41. :: Gods peculiar people Exo. 1. Exo. 3. Exo. 14. Exo. 12. Exo. 15. :: Moyses Exo. 16. Exo. 27. :: The Amalachites Exo. 17. Num 20. :: VVhen the Israelites wanted water God gaue them abundance out of rockes :: But turned the Aegyptians waters into blood :: After affliction the benefite of peace is more gratful :: Moyses was reiected when he iudged betwen his bretheren Exo. 2. :: 14. but was afterwards the deliuer of the whole people Act. 7. v. 45. Leuit. 26. v. 22. Iere. 8. v. 17. â— Aegyptians seruing beasts for goddes were plaged by frogges stuiphes flees and locustes :: God made no creature euil as the Manichees foolishly imagined neither is there any God but one who alone created al thinges :: From the land of Iurie called sacred because God was there tightly serued in the old testament and mans redemption vvas wrought there by Christ Exo. 23. Deut. 7. :: By custom malice became as it were natural after that nature was corrupted :: Gods powre being almightie is only limited by his vvil Rom. 1. v. 23. :: Serpents battes moles like beastes which seme not only super fluous in the world but also hurtful yet were estemed as goddes :: Knowing him to be the only true God by vvhom they saw their false goddes destroyed yet they did not serue him as God :: Gods most proper name is HE WHICH 1â— Exo. 3. v. 14. Rom. 1. Deut. 4. :: Seing no creature how excellent soeuer is or may be estemed a god it is more foolish to thinke an Image or statua or anie thing framed by mans handes can be God Isa 4. Iere. 10. God is the beginning of al thinges absolute and independing :: Great madnes to inuocate a wodden idol more base commonly more corruptible then the wood of a shippe :: As the Israelites went through the redsea :: The auctor prophetically alludeth to the wood of the Crosse on which our Sauiour redemed mankind :: From whole death procedeth mans iustification :: Inuention of Idols brought men to spiritual fornications corruption of maners :: This first idolatrie was only prâ—uâ—tly exercised by the father and his seruants at their masters coÌ„mandment by which occasion publique idolatrie came into the world wicked custom in time preuailing :: The name GOD in the proper signification can not be geuen to anie creature Manie enormious crimes procede from dolatrie :: Two sort es of periurie swearing by false goddes and swearing vntruthes Caluin falsly chargeth this booke vvith â—râ—or Gen. 31. Images of false goddes are rightly called idols Idolatrie begane by vvorshipping images of dead men vvith diuine honour Priuate idolatrie was before publique :: Of the diueâ—s sortes of idols and â—dolaters see our brife Annotion vpon the 113. Psal :: Idolaters hauing forsaken and forgot the onlie true God become as Atheists making their temporal gaine of false goddes :: And so waxing insolent contemte and persecute the seruants of God :: Some idolaters worshipped brute beastes for goddes as being better then sensles images but al are abominable :: The Aegyptians were plagued for their idolatrie :: And that by beastes because they worshipped beastes for goddes and by death of their first begotten for their crueltie against Gods people :: God punished his owne people as a father for their amendment :: The brasen serpent not by anie vertue inherent but as a signe of Gods fauoure vvas the meanes of curing the people Num. 21. :: VVith the plague of haile there vvas also fire mixed Exo. 9. v. 24. VVhich destroyed the profitable cattle :: But burnt not other beastes that plagued the Aegyptians :: Haile did not extinguish the fire by Gods povvre aboue nature :: See the miracles of Manna Annoe Exod 16. :: He speaketh againe of Manna :: The vaine imagination of the vvicked that himself shal be saued vvil faile him Exo. â— 10. :: Literally the 〈…〉 s â—â—â—â—a knes thâ—er dayes together Exo 10. v. 22. Morally they other gâ—nâ— les vvere in darknes vvithout faith in God til Christs Resurrection the third day :: A trubled conscience is a great torment :: This signified the conuersion of al nations to Christ :: The Church is called holie because it professeth holines and hath alwayes some holie men without the Church there is no sanctitie :: VVhen the Aegyptians drowned the Hebrews children Moyses was saued and reserued to guide the Israelites when the Aegyptians were drowned :: A prophecie of Christ comming into this world when there was temporal peace but extreme darkenes of â—gnorance :: An other example of difference in Gods punishing his people for their â—mendment and of the obstinate vnto their â—uine Exo 14. â— â—8 Num. 16. â— 46. Num 10 :: God foreseing the Aegyptians malice permitted them to persecute his people but was no way the cause nor auctor of their sinne Exo. 14. Exo. 16. :: The Amorrheites refused to grant them passage Num 21. v. 21. The Aegyptians brought them into seruitude Exo. 1. God changing the natural properties of elementes by them wrought iustice on sinners S. Greg. â—â— 35. in Euang. Exo. 9. v. 24. Exo. 16. v. 2â— Particular testimonies that this booke is holie Scripture It was written in Hebrew translated into Greke Difference betwen Ecclesiasticus and Ecclesiastes Panaretos The contents diuided into two partes By reason of a more perfect law the people of Israel were more renowmed then anie other nation in the world Deut. 4. :: Translations into other languages hardly expresse the seâ—se of the original tongue The 1. part Praises and preceptes of vvisdom :: Mans vvisdom is not able to comprehend the vvorkes of God :: Eternal glorie is the fruicte of the feare of our Lord not that this one vertue sufficeth but it is the beginning grounded in true faith and bringeth forth other vertues diuine giftes vvith the fruites of the Holie Ghost a ioyful crowne in the end Prou. 1. 9. :: Men drowned in
spiritual Et cont Mend. c. 1â— â—â—â—ym in Pâ—al 1â—7 VVhy God would haue them obscure Isai of noble lineage and a marâ—iâ— prophecied a long time Presat ad Paul Lusto Is called the Euangelical Prophet Hewritte in a high stile S. Ieâ—o Epist ad Paâ—â—â—â— Et in com Isaâ— S. Aug. â—â— 18. c. 27. â—uâ—t lib 9 c. â— conâ—â—â—â— Heb. 1. Liued in the kingdom of Iuda The contents diuided into two general partes and into eight particular 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The first part The kingdom of Iuda shal be captiue in Babylon for their ingratitude towards Gods and other sinnes :: Not Aâ—â—s the third of the lesse prophetes for this name is written in other letters in Hebrew but one of the royal bloud as S. Ierom. testifieth :: Prince Priest and people are al sicke of ingratitude against God other iniquities :: Ierusalem defaced and destroyed :: God continually preserueth some holie seede that his Church neuer faileth Rom. 9. :: Much wickednes reigned in Ierusalem before their captiuitie in Babylon but much more at Christs passion when they persecuted him euen to the Crosse and his disciples and al christians til their citie was taken by the Romanes and the whole nation dispersed :: The Rabbins vnderstand those Iudges and Priestes that gouerned the people after their deliuerie from captiuitie but S. Ierom expoundeth this and the like places of the Apostles and their successâ—â—s :: It is not only certaine but also euident that the prophet speaketh here and in innumerable other places of the Church of Christ which is the citie set vpon a mountaine Mat 5. vnto which al nations are gathered aâ—d al the time of the new Testament is called the last houre 1. Ioan. 2. because no time shal folow after this but al eternitie :: The Iewes were reiected after Christs death before which they were stil conserued though often seuerely punished And so now the Church of Christ shal neuer be reiected noâ— :: It is most absurde and contrarie to this and other Scriptures that Protestants seyne of great idolatrie in the Christian world for a thousand or more yeares together professing Christs name Religion and yet continually committing as these new masters imagine grosse idolatrie :: This was fulfilled first in the captiuitie of Babylon and more notoriously after Christs passion in the destruction of Ierusalem and dispersion of the Iewes euen to this day and yet forward til nere the end of this world :: An Ecclesiastical preacher must not flatter the people He must moue teares sayth S. Ierom not laughter Apoc. 1. :: By the metaphor of wemen S. Ierom vnderstandeth the cities of Iurie of which Ierusalem was the head and Sion the chiefe place there of al which were defaced by the Babylonians but more fully destroyed by Titus and Vespatian fourtie yeares after Christs Passion :: After the reduction of heathnish or heretical people to catholique religion there wil be great want of spiritual pastors :: Not al the Iewes that escaped temporal death in the destruction of Ierusalem but those only shal be eternally saued that beleuing shal be baptized and liue wel :: Isaie of the tribe of Iuda here prophecieth the doleful songue which Christ vttered weeping ouer Ierusalem fore seeing foretelling their destruction Luc. 19. v. 41. Mat. 21. :: Al this sheweth that God only subtracting his protection no man nor people is able to stand of whose ruine God is not the auctor but only permitteth that they fal into sinnes and so into other miseries :: An admonition to celebrate festiual dayes with â—oly religious exercises and not to folow drunkennes nor other wicked or vaine thinges Rom. 12. :: Greuous sinnes must be greuously punished Such as was the sinne of the Ievves persecuting Christ 4. Reg. 15 2. Par. 26 :: Neither Isaie nor Moyses nor anie other mortal man did euer see God in himselfe but only shadowed Yet the wicked calumniously accused condemned and put Isaie to cruel death vpon pretence of blasphemie for saying that he saw God VVhich he otherwise said not but couered by the vvinges of the Seraphimes Origen in hunc locum S. Ierom. Tradi Hebraicis in Paral. Apoc. 4. Rom. 1â— :: Isaie was not only an Euangelical but also an Apostolical prophet with whom God here treateth and procedeth as with an Apostle saying VVhom shal I send and the prophet answering Send me God sent him saying Goe c. S. Ierom in Proâ—mio Isais Mat. 23. :: Before this the kinges of Syria and of Israel had taken king Achaz in battel and caried avvay great spoyles 2. Paral. 28. But presuming to do the like againe God suffered them not to preuaile My stically this signified that heretikes of diuers sectes conspire together to impugne the Catho like Church VVhich they do much afflict and terrifie but can neuer ouerthrow iâ— S. Ierom in hunc loâ—â—â— 4. Reg. 16 :: Though Achaz vvas very vvicked and committed idolatrie 4. Reg. 16. 2. Par. 28. yet he beleued in God Almightie knovving that he ought not to tempt him :: Vpon occasion of Gods mercie promised vvithout mans desert which king Achaz hardly beleued to confirme the same with a farre greatter example God inspired the Prophet also to forshevv the greater mysterie of Christs Incarnation his conception birth of a virgin for the redemption of â—l mankind Luc. 1. 4. Reg. 19. :: The mysterie here prophocied is of so great importance as would require a very great booke for ful explication therof :: Christ the Sonne of God and virgins child quickly taketh the pray from the diuel who before possessed almost al the world :: The prophet speaketh of the tenne tribes vvhich ioyned forces with the king of Syria against Ierusalem but them selues vvere first brought into captiuity by the Assyrians God protecting Ierusalem for that time and long after Luc. 2. Rom. 9. 1. Pet. 2. :: VVheter they seke to God in their extreme distresse not sincerely but â—â—acted :: or seke worldlie helpe they shal not escape miserie :: S. Mathew expoundeth this prophecie of Christ first preaching in Galilee VVhere his disciples beleued in him folowed him Mat. 4. :: But after his passion few Iewes beleued in him in comparison of the Gentiles Iudic. 7. :: He that is great yea omnipotent God is borne a litle one in this vvorld and vvithout violence conquereth ruleth al the vvorld Luc. 2. :: God punishing sinners and they not repenting his iust furie stil increaseth punishing eternally al those that neuer repent :: VVhere is no repentance there can be no remission As v. 12. 17. ch 10. v. 4. c. :: VVheras good lawes are the stabilitie of the coÌ„mon wealth wicked are the ruine therof Such as Ieroboam made forbidding to goe to Ierusalem and setting vp golden calues in Bethel and Dan causing the people to serue them as the goddes of Israel 3. Reg. 12. v. 16. Such also as the Scribes and
Pharises made deuising wicked traditions contrarie to Gods commandments Mat. 15. v. 5. :: The Iewes are called a deceiptful nation because they broke their promise made to God that they would serue him and kepe his commandments Exo. 19. v. 8. 4 Reg. â—â— :: Senacharib not by his owne powre but as Gods instrument minister afflicted the Israelites Neuertheles he persecuted them of his owne free wil which God vsed for the punishment of his people In general therfore euil men are like to instruments without sense but differ in that mens actions are voluntarie vnreasonable and sensles creatures haue no wil at al but only natural apâ—nes and inclination Iudi. 7. :: By these places Senacherib passed with his armie from Aegypt to Ierusalem :: The blessed virgin Act. 13. :: Christ our Sauiour replenished with the seuen giftes of the Holie Ghost of whose infinite plenitude his seruantes participate as it pleaseth his diuine spirite to impert 2. Thes 2. Rom. 15. :: Christ after his death which to the vvorld was ignominious vvould be gloriously buried by very honorable persons Ioseph and Nicodemus with abundance of most precious spices vvrapped in finne linnen and laide in a nevv monument to shew that the glorie of the iust beginneth from their death where the glorie of the vvicked endeth Christs sepulchre stil also remaineth glorious honored euen by the Turkes much more by Catholique Christians Exâ— 15. Psal 117. The 2 part Tenne prophetical comminations against so manie people 's The 1. against Babylon :: The Iewes gaue thankes for their deliuerie from captiuitie of Babylon much more the Church of Christ rendereth thankes for her deliuerie from al sinnes :: Nemrod began the kingdom of Babylon Gen. 10. his sonne Belus did much augment it and his sonne Ninus brought it to be a very great Empire Monarchie But at last after 1240. yeares it was ouercome by Cyrus king of Persia Ezech. 32. Ioel. 3. Mat. 24. Mar. 13. â—uc 2â— :: Medes and Persians were called sanctified in that they were the ministers of Gods iustice in the ruine of Babylon which the Prophet foretelling calleth it The burden of Babylon :: After the slaughter there shal be so few Babylonians or Chaldeans left aliue that one man shal be more rare and precious then much fine gold Psal 1â—6 Gen. 1â— :: An other citie was built by the same name but much lesse in an other place of Chaldea :: Isaie prophecied the destruction of Babylon aboue 100. yeares before the Iewes were caried thither captiue and their captiuitie indured 70. yeares VVhich was released by Cyrus after he had ouercome the Babylonians Yet this space of nere 200. yeares is counted a short time in respect of so great a Monarchie as this was which had now continued aboue a thousand yeares from the time of Ninus yea was begunne by Nemrod Gen. 10. v. v. :: As Lucifer the greatest diuel so Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon fel through pride into extreme miserie :: The miraculous destruction of the Assiriansarmie beseging Ierusalem is recorded 4. Reg. 19. :: The second commination is against the Philistians 4 Reg 1â— :: Though Achaz was dead whom the Philistims feared yet Ezechias a better king did afflict them more then the other had done 4. Reg. 18. v 8. Much more Ozias 2. Par. 26 :: From Ierusalem which is situated on the north of Philistea :: The third commination was against the Moabites :: Destruction made in the night preuented that they feared not the imminent danger but so much the more they were afflicted being sodainly oppressed vvith extreme myserie Iere. 4â— EEâ—ch 7. :: Miscrie euen of â—â—miâ—s moueth a charitable hart to compassion So the Prophet lamenteth the Moabites afflictioÌ„ :: In the great miserie of he Moabites the Prophet saw one special cause of consolation that Christ the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world should be borne of their lineage by one of thâ—er progenie :: Of Ruth a Moabite who was maried to Booz and so was Dauids great grandmother Ruth 4. See the argument of Ruth :: The vvarres against Moab continued three yeares :: In vvhich it was brought into seruitude The fourth prophetical commination vvas against the Syrians Iosue 10. 11. c. :: After that the Assirians had afflicted the Israelites and their confederates them selues were also afflicted The fift was against the Aethiopians and Aegyptians * Or paper boates :: The Aegyptians bid their messengers goe swiftly tel the Iewes that they shal haue present helpe according as they require expect :: But the prophet shevveth that the Aegyptians them selues shal be ouerthrowne by the Assirians :: VVhen our B. Sauiour was caried in his infancie by his mother into Aegypt the idoles of that countrie lost their powre And the inhabitantes vvere specially blessed afterwards very manie beleued in Christ and sincerely serued him :: Both Iewes and Christians vnderstand this prophecie of the conuersion of the Aegyptians to Christ But the Ievves expect it as yet to come vve know that it is already fulfilled At least in part For there vvere sometimes manie Christians in that countrie yea manie most excellent Sainctes S. Paul S. Antonie S. Hilarion and innumerable others :: The holie prophet of noble bloud vvas not disobedient nor ashamed to goe naked because nothing is more honest then to obey Gods commandment S. Ierom. in â—unâ— locum Gods prouidence in punishing al that trust in men not in him Examples of mutations in kingdomes The sixt commination was against the Assirians specially the Babylonians :: Cyrus king of the Persians a people of smal powre of the Medes of great streingth Iere. 51. Apoc. 14. :: The seuenth prophetical commination was against the Idumeans :: The eight against the Ismaelites Arabiam :: The ninth against the cheefe rulers of Ierusalem :: Sion situated on a hil and often called a montaine is here called a vale for the afflicted state wherin it was in the captiuitie :: This Sobna had some of fiâ—e about the Temple but by craftie intrusion and vniust vsurpation rather then by lawful induction was very couetous ambicious so by Gods iudgement fel into miserie The tenth commination was against the Tyrians :: Tyrus was an iland as Ezechiel also describeth it ch 27. in the entrance yea situated in the hart of the sea but not farre distant for king Alexander filled vp that passage of water and made it continent :: The Tyrians reioyced in the Iewes captiuitie therfore God punished them with like captiuitie of 70. yeares The third part Prophecies perteyning to the whole world Osee 4. :: Diuersitie of states which is now in the world shal cease at the general iudgement and al men shal receiue according to their delertes :: Nere the end of the world manie forgetting the law of God nature wil rage in extreme furie against others persecuting murthering one an
are circumcised in hart which argueâ—h them of hypochrifie :: Heathnisâ— idolaters thought theâ—â— was diuine powre in the planetes and other starres But the faithful know thâ—â— they are the creatures of God made for the benefite of men not that men should serue or feare thâ—â— :: Of other idols made of vvood siluer gold and the like it is more easie to see the vanitie Mich. 7. Apoc. 15. Psa 134. :: Man can not do anie good thing without Gods helpe nor anie euil without his permission neither of which destroyeth freewil As in the present example Nabuchodonosor could not afflict the Iewes but by Gods permision Psal 6. Psal 78. :: Not for the priuilegies of kinred being the children of Abraham Isaac and Iacob nor for suffering circumcision nor for the rest of the Sabbath but for obedience in keeping the couenant and precepts our Lord is the God of Israel and Israel his people S. Ierom. :: Ch. 7. v. 16. ch 14. v. 11. :: Flesh offered in sacrifice is holâ—e but profiteth not those that are obstinate in sinne :: By consent of al Churches saith S. Ierom this is spoken of Christ :: VVho so bore himself as if he had not knowen when the Iewes condemned him in their councel For otherwise he knew and foretold that he should be betrayed crucified Mat. 20. v 18. 19 ch 26 v. 2. :: He speaketh only of the wicked for stil some reliques remaine Isa 10. Ier. 4. Ro. 9. :: Prophetes other holie men not ignorant nor doubtful of Gods prouidence speake sometimes in the person of the weake as desirous to know why God suffereth the wicked to prosper in this world and the godlie to be afflicted Iob. 21. v. 7. Dauid Psal 72. v. 2. 3. Abacuc 1. v. 3. Iob. 21. Abac. 1. * Sâ—gregate :: After that the children are chasticed the rodde is to be burned The 2. part The peoples ingratitude sâ—ning against God and persecuring the Prophet :: Prophecies vttered in factes haue more force to perswade then only wordes And therfore the Prophetes by Gods commandment vse both these wayes Heb. 1. :: An other prophetical similitude to signifie that the Iewes shal be perplexe not knowing what to do in extreme disstresse as sensles men ouercome with much wine â—am 1. :: Custome is as it were an other nature hard to be altered yet Gods grace raiseth some inueterate sinners to true repentance but this is rare And of them selues without grace no sinners can rise nor repent :: The Iewes suffered famine thirst by reason of drought for their sinnes which also signifieth depriuation of Godâ— grace for their former wickednes :: As one that braggeth and esteemeth him self strong :: False prophetes seducing the people can not excuse them from sinne For when the blind leadeth the blind both fal into the pitte Lam. 1. 2. :: Notwithstanding there were very manie greuous sinners yet in respect of the iust the Church is a virgine :: The Geneua Bible is corruptly translated contrarie to the Hebrew and Greeke Though Moyses and Samuel stood before me :: This Hebrew phrase signifieth that some shal dye by sicknes some by the sword some by famine some shal be lead into captiuitie as God hath feuerally ordayned Zach. 11. 4. Reg. 21. Amos. 8. :: There can hardly be concord betwen potent kingdomes :: The weaker is easily afflicted by the stronger :: The Prophet fearing his ovvne vveaknes prayeth to be deliuered from persecution :: Defer not to deliuer me As Psal 12. v 2. 3 Psal 1. 2â— :: Vaine hopes :: The people shal yeld to the prophets admonition not he to their peruersitie No prayers of others do aauaile for obstinate impenitent sinners Sainctes after their death pray for men in this world This text is vnderstood of Moyses and Samuel them selues :: Ieremie not only liued single in the time of tribulation but also remaâ—ned a virgin al his liâ—e S. Ierâ—m li 1. aduer Iouian post medium :: After long expectation of amendment generation after generation adding more sinnes at last cometh great punishment :: But againe after punishment God sheweth his mercie :: The Apostles :: Other Apostolical men :: Not only Christ is a rock but he hath also geuen to his Apostle Peter to be called a rocke In whose iudgements they that rest are rightly sayde to be translated from the rocke S. Iero. in hunc locum :: To make men is the worke of God and therfore it is very absurde that a man can make goddes S. Iero. ibidem :: These metaphorical termes signifie that their sinnes were inueterated and hard to be blotted out :: Chiefe and principal trust must be in Gods helpe not in mans strength or policie Isa 30. Psal 1. :: It is proper to God only by his owne powre to search the hart of man and to know his secrete thoughts vvhich men nor Angels can not naturally know but holie Angels glorified Sainctes do knovv the thoughtes of men by light of glorie vvhen mortal men pray vnto them prophetes know by light of prophecie as Elizeus savv vvhen Giezi tooke bribes and by special inspiration S. Peter knew the fraude of Ananias Za phira Act. 5. Psa 7. v. 10. Apoc. 2. v. 23. :: By the sabbath as often els vvhere is meant the obseruation of al the lavv :: Such temporal rewardes vvere commonly promised in the old testament but in the nevv is promised life euerlasting eternal glorie :: A potter can make a nevv vessel of the same clay being misformed in casting so it be yet fresh moyst but God can also reforme man being hardned in hart as if he made a new potte of an old one broken into peeces or deformed Isa 45. Rom. 9. :: Alluding to his owne persecution the prophet here speaketh expresly of Christ as S. Ierom sheweth it verified when the Iewes crucified Christ crying Crucifie him crucifie him :: VVordes actions together instruct both by the eares eyes and so moue more effectually as S. Ierom often noteth :: That which is vnpossible to men is possible to God Mat. 19. See Annot ch 18. v. â— :: Phassur signifieth multiplying principalitie but his name was changed into Feare on euerie side to signifie that he should be terrified by many enimies :: As Iob saith S. Ierom so this holie prophet in hyperbolical wordes she weth his afflicted mind signifying that which our Sauiour also affirmeth Mat. 26. It were better not to be then to be in miserie as Iacob hauing liued in much trauel and affliction calleth his dayes few and euil Gen. 47. Amos also â—â— 5. saith The day of our Lord afflicting is darknes not light Likewise S. Paul calleth this world wicked Gal. 1 and the dayes euil Ephes 5. Iob. 3. The 3. part Comminations to Ierusalem especially to the King euil priests false prophets for which Ieremie is againe persecuted :: This reuelation was made to
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