he was but of Iudah shall bring vs if so we will studie to enter into that rest Without studying and striving it will not be for the Gate is straight and the way narrowe that leadeth vnto Life and fewe there be that finde it Mat. 7. 14. b Ioshuah hauing seated the Tribes in their seuerall Lots as God had appointed onely Levies Tribe had no such Lot for the Lord was his special portion and the other Brethren were to paye vnto them Tenths Reuben Gad and the halfe Tribe of Manassâ—h Then returne vnto their Lot which fell out on the other side Iordan They as wee must sought no Rest to themselues till they see Rest for the Body of Israel c Ioshuah readie to set foot in the Graue calleth before him the Elders of the People rehearsing before them the wonderfull mercies of God received for the which they were all neerely tyed vnto IEHOVAH But in the end he concludeth howsoever others were resolved yet Hee togither with his Houshold would serue the Lord. Soone after he died being 110. yeares olde having ruled 17. yeares and about 50. yeares after their comming from Aegypt So endeth the book of Ioshuah the World then aged 2570. yeares Here beginneth the Booke of IVDGES Ioshuah dead the People consult with God for the succession in Government The Lord appointeth the Tribe of Iudah Of Iudah Othoniel was chosen Iudge who oversawe them for 40. yeares To him succeedeth Ehud of Ben-iamins Tribe who was not I think lame but left handed Iudg. 3. 15. compared with Verse 21. and therefore exercised that hand as most ready to drawe his dagger forth Hee slewe Eglon Israels Oppressour for 18. yeares From Othoniels death to the end of his Iudge-ship are 80. yeares Heere Shamgar slewe 600. Philistims with an Oxe-goade and so helped Israel But after Ehud his death Israel forgetteth God their deliverer for which IEHOVAH giueth them into the hand of Iabin a Cananitish King whose chiefe Captaine was Sisera a Gentile He had 900. Chariots of Iron and twentie yeares he vexed Israel But Israel crying vnto IEHOVAH hee raised vp in Israel the woman Deborah an excellent Prophetesse who stirreth vp Barak of Naphtali to take 1000. men of Naphtali and Zebulon for rescuing Israel out of the hands of Sisera Iabins Captaine The Prophetesse goeth vp with Barak and they ioyne with Siseraes hudge Armie by the waters of Megiddo Siseraes Armie is discomfited himselfe finding a paire of feete better than two paire of handes Comming wearie into Iaels Tent he sleeping she knocketh a nayle into his Temples and and so brought Barak pursuing to the spectacle So had Israel much rest for 40. years not for 40 years after this Triumph but accompting 40. years from Ehud vnto Gideon next Israelitish Iudge After Deborahs victorie the Lord because of Sinne gaue Israel into the hands of Midian for whose deliverance Gedeon of Manasseh called also Ierub-baal was stirred vp who Iudged his People 40. yeares To him succeedeth Abimilech Ierubbaals yong sonne hauing first murdered his brethren and hee raigned 3. yeares After him Tola of the Tribe of Issachar helped his people 23. yeares Next Iair of Manasseh for 22. yeares Then Iephte Spurius of Manasseh for 6. yeares After him arose Ibsan of Bethlehem-Iudah Iudged 7. yeares To him succeeded Elon of Zabulons Tribe hee had 40. sonnes and thirtie Nephewes that rode on 70. Asse-coltes He iudged 10. yeares Then next Abdon of Ephraim for 8 yeares In his nect followed Sampson of kicking Dans Tribe He for 20 yeares was a strong plaguer of the vncircumcised Philistims slaying more in his Death than in his Life A Nazarite hee was and a figure of our Nazaret Annointed who by his death on the Crosâ—e overcame Death and destroyed all power infernall to the Faithfull After Sampson arose Eli of the Tribe of Levi and of the Familie of Ithamar the 4. Sonne of Aaron for Aaron had Nadab and Abihu slaine of God in the Wildernes for offering with straunge fire as also he had Eleazar and Ithamar for sonns This Eli became as Priest so Iudge to his people for 40. yeares And heere examining the time of Iudges durance the Booke of Iudges will end within whose times falleth the Story of Ruth the Moabitish Gentile married to Boaz great Grandfather to David The Moabites came from LOT his incestuous sonne Moab 1 Othoniel raigned 4. years 2 Ehud his end of Iudgship after Othoniel 80. yeares 3 From thence to Gedeon 40. yeares 4 Gedeon 40. yeares 5 Abimelech 3. yeares 6 Tolâ— 23. yeares 7 Iair 22. yeares 8 Iephte 6. yeares 9 Ibsan 7. yeares 10 Elon 10. yeares 11 Sampson 20. y. 12 Eli 40. yeares The yeares of the 12. Israelitish Iudges in one summe are 339. yeares Obiect But holy Paul preaching at Antioch and making rehearsal of the sacred Story he there saith that the Lord gaue vnto Israel Iudges about 450. years Act. 13. 20. so that by the former number 339. Paul should over-compt one hundred and eleuen yeares Ans. Manie and not vnlearned haue either here affirmed the text corrupted or else they haue not begunne the number of Iudges from Ioshuahs last but they haue runne backe beyond Ioshuah beyond Moses beyond Iaacob even to Isaac But if they marke Paul there they shall easilie see that he bringeth in the accompt of Iudges from the time that Israel had full possession of their Lots In a word to resolue the doubt Paul hath an eye not onely to these 12. Iudges sprong out of Israel but also to the vncircumcised Rulers that oppressed them and into whose handes the Lord gaue them because of their sinnes for who knoweth not that if the Lord gaue his people into the hands of the Vncircumcsed and so it is oft said in the book of Iudges then it was God that seâ— the Rulers ouer them Let vs number the yeares of the Oppressours 1 Chusan 8. yeares 2 Eglon 18. yeares 3 Sisera 20. yeares 4 Midian 7. yeares 5 Ammon 18. yeares 6 Philistims 40. yeares These halfe 12. being Oppressors do so make 111. yeares Which one hundred eleuen put vnto three hundred thirtie nyne doeth giue vp holy Pauls number of 450. Neither are these 111. yeares falling Alone or successiuely to the Iudges but Togither or intermixtly with them And therefore that 339. yeares are in mixture or confusion 450 yeares mystically reproouing the peoples ' confused manners Let vs now number from Israels Exit from Aegypt hitherto The whole 396. Moses governed 40. yeares Ioshuah 17. yeares The Iudgships orderly time 339. yeares Nowe followe the Books of SAMVEL Eli last Iudge of that Number being now Priest in Israel vnto him and for the service of the Lord Hannah the wife of Elkanah brought her young sonne Samuel to which Samuel the mightie God appeared declaring to him the destruction of Eli and his house because hee stayed not his sonnes Hophni and Phineas from prophaning the holy things Warres being then with the Philistims Israel went out
Essence or Soule But as the Father worketh not without his Sonne nor the Holy Ghost without the Father and the Sonne so neither doth the minde or will or working power effect any thing sundred but ioyntly yet as wee attribute Creation to the Father Redemption to the Sonne Illumination to the Spirit So to the Minde we attribute Vnderstanding conceipt to the Will we attribute well or ill affecting and to the working power we attribute the thing wrought or done As in that one God no Person is before or after another in Time but in Order of some externall work to vs wrought So neither in that one Soule is the minde before the will in Time nor the working power behinde them in time For the power of working is before the â—hing wrought but onely in Order for there is no sooner a Soule but there exist all them three and without any one of them the Soule cannot be If one demaund what is it that Createth all things I answere God What is it that Redeemeth Man falne God What is it that enlightneth man God yet there are not three but One God So demand what it is in mee that vnderstandeth I answere a Soul What is that which willeth or affectionateth any thing the Soule What is it whereby thou art enabled to liue mooue I answer a Soule yet are there not three but one Soule in me whereby them things are wrought Philosophandi quia non institutum Dixi. But as no Image can almost any whit attaine the peâ—fection of that Thing whereof it is an Image so neither this Image of GOD in man able to attaine the excellency of the Highest who in every thing is Infinite Onely and the Cause of other things h Hauing Created man ELOHIM bringeth all inferiour Creatures before him to see howe he will call them who in the depth of his vnderstanding minde willeth and vttereth such names as the Lord approved But euery living thing hauing his yoke-felowe man was alone and therfore imperfect ELOHIM casting HIM therefore on sleep doth from his side extract a Rib whereof he made Mans-mate putting Her vnto Him with blessing to Encrease i He giveth vnto Both but one Name Gen. 5. 1. contrary to some Cuntries custome nowe where the Wife beareth not her Hus-bandes Name to teach them that they were but One He the Root She the Braunch sprong out of his side 2. Staffe That a Man and a Mans in b Eden placed were To whome God gaue Commaund of all the fruites The fruit of c One Tree only to forbeare In paine of death as holy writ disputes Which Precept kept A sacramentall wood of Life d during before their eies there stood a He was called Ish that is Man she was called Ishah that is Mans fiâ—st because she was deriued from Man secondly for that she was made for Man b They being made of Dust Genes 2. 7. God notwithstanding preferreth them before all other Creatures First by putting in their Soule an Image of himselfe Secondly by seating them in the most glorious plot of the Earth called Eden or Paradisâ— Thirdly by giuing them dominion over other his Creatures Fourthly by commending onely vnto them Hierogliphiks or holy preaching signes as followeth c One Commandement was laid vpon them that thereby they might professe subiection to the Creator The Tree was called the Tree of knowledge of good and evill Gen 2. 17 because it preached sacramentallie to Adam that hee should do Good in not eating of it but hee should do Evill in eating of it d This second Tree sacramentally preached to Adaâ— that to them and their seede Life should be immortall if so they kept ELOHIM his Precept 3. Staffe But e Satan f Devill envying God and Man Possest the Serpent beautifull and feate Who vnto Woman subtellie soone came And her perswades on fruit forbid to eat g She eat and gaue to Man so both did sinne And cruell h Death his kingdome did begin e Adversarie f Accuser when this Advers-spirit was created I knowe not except in the first day togither with the Light But created an Adversarie he was not but first togither with the whole Armie of Angels hee was created good but sinning against God God cast him and all that sinned with him downe to Hell 2. Pet 2. 4. He can yet transforme himselfe into an Angel of Light in being a false Spirit in the mouths of men 2. Cor. 11. 14 15. and King 21. 22. No maruell then if here hee could occupie the tongue of the Serpent the Serpent then beautifull and so speake from his Iawes vnto Heuah she as yet not hauing like knowledge of the Creatures nature as had Adam who before her Creation had seene and named the Creatures g As Satan durst not first assaile Man so hee hoped that Woman once perverted shee would easilie pervert Man h Sinne brought in Death for hauing sinned Mortalitie seazed on their nature so that from the day of their sinning their nature ever was dying Before immortall but thencefoorth mortall subiect to diseases agues gripings by the which Nature finallie is overthrowne 4. Staffe Their soules once stript of a Light and Holines b They flie from God He calles them back againe And then besides the Soule his dead distres He doth inflict on both their c Bodies pain But promiseth that d WomaÌ„ seed shuld bring who should destroy Satan his deadly sting a Thus They lost the Image of God and in roome of Light the mind was cove red with spirituall Darknes the will possessed with vnholines from both which proceeded the Power of doing Evill In this perversion therefore of the Soules Faculties they caried in them the Image of the Deuill b Their Mind conceiving wrongly of God the Will which is as the foote of the Soule willed to walk a wrong way The erroneous mind begetteth an vnholy Wil and from them both proceede that Power whereby they conceived and brought forth evill where is nowe Free-wil vnto good This spirituall death of the Soule for life to good was lost liuelie preached the desert of eternall death c He enjoyneth Man and all in Man to labour in honest calling And to the end that there might be occasion of Mans labour the Earth is cursed after which Curse it bringeth foorth bryars brambles and other annoying Creatures which had no place in the first Creation holy The sight of these things should teach Man much wisedome Vnto Woman he appointed dolor of the womb in bringing foorth Children As for the Serpent Satans Instrument he is enioyned to go on the Earth with his bellie and to feed of dust betwene whome and Mankind there should ever be enmitie Hereof it commeth that nether Man can abide the Serpent nor the Serpent brooke Man d Woman being the first in transgression is by ELOHIM his free-favour here appointed to bring foorth the Saving seede namely Iesus the Christ. Betweene this blessed seed and his members faithfull on the one side and Satan the
Serpents possessor and his seed of vnfaithful and rebellious people on the other side betweene them I say is heere fore-decreed a spirituall Battell Satan called the Dragon Rev. 12. 7. it may be because hee here possessed that kind of Serpent he shaâ— bruise the heele of Christ and his mysticall body far enough from the heart but the Blessed-seed in the end breaketh the Dragons head and casteth him out of Heaven into the Earth as worthie to be excommunicate to the death This Seede of the Woman darklie preached heere is afterwards in God his booke more and more clearlie revealed and taught 5. Staffe Promise of Life made through that holy seed Adam he calles her a Heuah dame of Life Then God to let them haue their right meed Our of the b Garden sends Man and his wife Life and Heaven lost they lost the Signes withall which holy Signes we Sacraments do call a Gen. 3. 20. As the Lord of Life was to come of womans not oâ— Mans seed so he entitleth his wife Heuah that is Giving Life From the Beginning holy significatiue names were given but we neglect the wisedome of God b As the Lord is the onely Institutor of Sacraments so he hath appointed that the sacramentall signe shuld be removed from These that haue not the Thing signified by that signe Adam Heuah hauing in themselues and for their seed lost Heauen they therefore are expulsed the Garden the signe of Heaven hauing lost Life they are banished from the sight of the Tree that signifyed Life Sacramentall Signes therefore are outwarde visible Creatures preaching vnto Man some inward invisible grace which inward thing or thing signified is as verilie to bee apprehended by Faith as is the outward Sign to be apprehended by the eye hand mouth 6. Staffe HEVAH after conceiu'd and brought forth c Kain Then holy c Habel churches figure right Who for his goodnes was by brother slaine In roome of whome God gaue her blessed d Sheth As of Kain came the seede of Serpents brood So of this Sheth came many Persons good cc whether Kain and Habel were Twyns Kain first came foorth and afterwards Habel in the same Conception it is not plain Yet considering that Heuah was to increase and multiplie for filling of the Earth it is not vnlike that in that her strength shee brought foorth more than one at a Birth-time Kain being taught Husbandrie by his Father and Habel instructed to keep sâ—eep Gen. 4. they brought sacrifices to the Lord. Kain as it seemeth rather as standing in awe of his Father but Habel offered with a free heart which was cause that the Lord reiected Kain and accepted Habel Kain seeing this Reiection he therefore slaieth Habel As hereby appeared Satans Serpentine-seede so the first borne of the Holy-seede is persecuted to death This wicked seede in Kain argueth that Heuah had not conceived till after their fall and therefore by consequent that Adam had not carnallie known the woman before their Fal. For had he there being no sin in them to hinder the blessing she must needs haue conceived an holy seed and so haue brought forth no Murderer That Habels sacrifices pleased God it was because hee first professed that maner of spirituall obedience not of his owne head but by God his Commaundement which precept he might well receiue of his Father Secondly because in that sacrifice he did though darkly see that one was to bee offered vp a slaine sacrifice for the sinnes of the People d In the next Staffe 7 Staffe To passe by Some of a Sheth came Henoch he Who walkt with God till God tooke him away Lamech and Noah that time Sheths petigre Matcht with Kains daughters to their dyre decay That sinne so greiued God as plainlie he Foretold to Noah the world should drowned be a Habel being slaine God giueth to Adam Sheth in his rome Sheth begot Enosh Enosh Kenan Kenan Mahalaleel Mahalaleel Iered Iered begot Henoch the 7. from Adam IVDI 14. Henoch begot Methushelah Methushelah Lamech Lamech Noah Noah begot Shem Châ—â— and Iapheâ— elder brother of Shem. Gen. 10. 21. Here Sheths seede was deeply degenerate from Henoch and Sheths sinceritie for they seeing the daâ—ghters of Men viz. of Kains lawles race to be snowt-faire Sheths Petygre marrieth with them mixing the holy seede with the vnholy by reason whereof Gyants and strong Miscreants abounded This so vexed the Lord as hee hastely repaireth to Noah and fore-tels him that hee may preach it to others that after the expirement of 120. yeares he would drowne the whole world with water Commanding him in the meane time to build an Arke of Pyne trees wherein HE and His might then be saved 8. Staffe One hundred yeares and twentie after then The a Cataracts were loosd Seas burst ope The rayne and waters drown'd the wicked men And over Earth had libertie and scope But â—re that day as God had Noah told An Ark he built of Pyne-trees room'd threfold a Noah preaching and building the Ark that 120. years the people believed not the spirit of GOD preaching in Noaâ— for the which as their bodies were drowned in the â—â—ood so their soules nowe remaine in the Prison of God his wrath 1. Pet. 3. 18 19 20. That water was a figure of Baptisme for as by that water Noah and his Familie the faithfull for Cham was not then seene-wicked were saved from Iehouahs wrath even so by Baptisme the Faithful are saved and the lurking hypocrite for the time fareth not the worse But as all without the Arke were vtterly destroyed by the same water even so shall Baptizing water be but a Sacrament of condemnation vnto such as receiue it vnworthelie whether they be within the Ark the visible Church as was Cham or baptized in the Church of the World or visible worldlings such as is that great Citie Revel 17. 18. 9. Staffe Into this Ark did Noah and his Wife His sonnes Shem Cham Iaphet a enter anone With sortes of Creatures all that breathed life Preserved in the Ark by God alone b After twelue Months the Men their wiues and all Out of the Ark did go at God his call a The Worlde was here 1656. yeares old and so tooke his end with water Noah hauing in the Ark of every cleane Beast for Sacrifice and of vncleane for preservation of their kinde to the Newe World aswell as of the cleane b Noah and his Wife with his three sonnes and their Wiues even 8. Persons in the whole as they went into the Arke at God his commaund so they come not foorth vntill he commaund Gen. 8. 16. Comming forth Noah offereth Sacrifice to God whose savour was acceptable and therefore the Lord blesseth Noah to the beginning of the Newe World promising that he would no more smite the World as he had done with water and thereof he appointed the Rainbowe to be a signe sacramentall Here was Noah permitted to eate flesh but forbidden to eate of the blood of
chiefest Mathewe hee regardeth the Genealogie of Ioseph Iesus his Father by Ordinance not by Nature and Luke he draweth the Petygre of Marie the Reall mother of Iesus according to the flesh both of David and so consequently of Iudah Blessed IESVS was every way Heyre vnto the Crowne The Sophies of Persia knew that Mat. 2. 2. Nathaniel confessed that Iohn 1. 49. Pilate gaue him absolute Title of Iudahs King superscribed in Hebrue Greeke and Latine neither had he power to qualifie That though the Iewes wished him Iohn 19. 19. 20. 21. 22. The People knew That that would haue made him King Iohn 14. 16. neither could the bloody wretches alledge any one betwixt him and the Crowne but Romes Cesar. Iohn 19. 12. 15. Hee that knowes not that Christ must needes be of David is more blinde than was Bartimens Mark 10. 47. Neither can any bee ignorant of his being Dauids Son except they will repugne his owne testimonie Mat. 17. 25. 26. 27. where he prooues himselfe free from tribute paying as also many moe Scriptures that openly proclaime him Davids Sonne and so consequently Heire Legall and Naturall to Iudahs Crowne But as the blessed Word Iohn 1. assumed our flesh for the newe creating our flesh even to the end that wee might become Spirituall for the discerning of spirituall things so neither was his Kingdome and Scepter to be of this world carnall and outward as was the figure in David but spirituall inward and heavenlie and thereof it commeth that the Newe Testaments Church-state is â—o ofâ—en called The Kingdome of heauen Matth. 11. 1â— 13. and Ierusalem from aboue Galat. 4. Revel 21. This doctrine if it would be learned the learners would not keepe Christ vnder Moses nor his newe body vnder olde Israel as though the second should in nothing excell the former I must never leaue vrging this point till the skales fall from Sauls eyes 2. Staffe An a Angel doth preach this to b shepherds who Do leaue their flocks and wend to c Bethlehem Looke howe the Angel said they finde it so Babe in a d Cratch did there appeare to them With it e Marie Ioseph Shepherds then Giue praise to God and back returne agen a As an Angell from Heaven did preach the conception of Iesus to Ioseph and Marie so an Angell from Heaven doeth preach his byrth heere to the Sheepherds Accordingly the holy Ghost giveth the title of Angel to the Newe Testaments Ministery where he calleth them Angels that is in English Sent-ones or Embassadours or Messengers sent by God to preach Iesus annoynted to his People The woorthines of the Title must feare men from running before the Lord bid and the Lord never in mercie saith Goe but first he furnisheth them with holy giftes fit for the Embassage If any come vnto vs without their spirituall furniture wee may boldly conclude that God hath not sent them in Mercie but in Iudgement as though he should haue said vnto them Go in a vengeance and so indeede he bid Balaam goe to Balak b Christ was not published to lazie idle Nobles and Churles of the World nor yet to the presumpteous Priest or glavering Prophet but to well exercised shepherds feeding their flocks As his kingdome was not world-like so neither weâ—e world-like men to be acquainted with that first c Bethleem was the natiue Towne of David the figure and of our David figured d Ioseph and Marie being vnable as it semeth to hyre a seemely place in the Inne they were glad to vse a back-house for their lodging and there was the King of Kings borne As the place of his Nativitie was simple so the bed-stead wherein he couched his sacred corpes was but a Beasts cratch Our Earthly vanishing Kinges would take this in dudgeon and the meanest of vs are vsually more renowmed in our byrth yet like rude Horses and Mules voide of vnderstanding we are impatient e With the blessed Babe Iâ—SVS they finde no greater concourse of People than Ioseph his suppoâ—ed Father and Marie his Reall mother according to the flesh homely solemnizing of Rex Regum but worldlie Bethlehem was not further from Christ then when Christ was borne in their litle Towne The neerer the Church commonlie the further from God And indeede the Sunnes light nothing availeth a blind man in his blindnes If God first giue eye-sight to the soul that is Light vnto the Mind man may disceme spirituall things Otherwise King Herod Master Priest Sir Scribe shall discerne Christ or the habitation of Christ no more than a Mole 3. Staffe a Twise twentie daies Ore past the Babe is brought Into the Temple There good b Simeon Did meet with him who chief was in his thought So c Anna did behold good Maries Son That done they home and liue there quietly But d Marie ponders all right seriouslie a The Wife delivered was to be vncleane for a Sabaoth of dayes but the 8. daye which was a figure of our Lord his day the day after the seaventh and yet the first of our newe creations weeke the Male-childe was to be circumcised Thirtie three daies besides the first 7. she was to rest in vncleane estate and thirtie three yeares after Christ his byrth it was before we were purified from sinne and then she was to be cleansed by the Law bringing vnto the Temple a Lamb or a payre of young Pigeons or Turtles b Simeon having a Revelation that hee should not see Death ere he had seeene the Messiah Luke 2. hee therefore confidently awaiteth the corporeall sight of Iesus Iesus at last he meeteth in the Armes of his Mother within the Temple Hee taketh him into his Armes and therewithall before God hee protesteth his willingnes to leaue corporeall life prophecying therewithal that Iesus shuld be the Gentiles Light and the Iewes Glorie c Anna of Asers Tribe Luke 2. 36. who had lived 7 yeares with an Husband and had bene 84. yeares Widowesse shee haunting continually the Temple found Iesus there at the same time as did Simeon whome she boldly confessed and professed to all such as looked for Redemption in Ierusalem d Marie she layeth all these extraordinarie accidents to her heart and thereby gathereth more and more that the miraculous fruite of her womb was appointed to some great inaudible work 4. Staffe After from a East do a Sophies make repaire They by b a starre came to the house aright Who finde the Babe and Marie c onely there To d Gentiles sure an heavenly blessed sight e Myrrhe Frankensence and Gold they offer than And so depart each one an happie man aa The Romanistes haue preched vnto the simple People that these wisemen were 3. Kings of Colin That they should be 3. the Scriptures teach not much lesse 12. as some haue written for the number is indefinite That they should be Kings is not very likelie seeing they passing seldome gaue themselues vnto Star-gazing That they should be of Colin is apparantly false for the holy
Ghost testifieth Mat. 2. that they were Magies of the East whereas Colin was west from Iudea Persia was Easterne from the Holie Land and that people were notable Astrologers or Star-gazers therefore onely probable to me that these Magitians must bee Persians At the word Magitian thou must not stumble seing it was then a worde vsed in the good part rather than in the ill as also a long time after These Mâ—goi I haue called Sophoi both titles importing Wise. b These Star-gazers haue their ouercurious speculation sanctified vnto them for drawing them vnto Christ. Many by indirect means are brought vnto Iesus not by reason of any promise of blessing promised by God vnto men following curious arts but by vertue of God his antecedent Election who therefore regardeth the constancie of his owne Decree not of mans Deseruing c The Sheepheards founde with the blessed Babe Ioseph and Marie but these Sophies finde with the Babe Iesus onely Marie Quest. Where was Ioseph Answ. It may be he was playing the Carpenter abrode for all their three livings but sure it is he was not idlely plodding the streetes much lesse tipling in the Taverne with our idle swingers Neither is it vnlike that Iesus himselfe till 30. yeares age was much employed in that Carpentrie work considering the holy Ghost testifieth of him that He was subiect to his supposed Father and Reall Mother Noah plaied the Carpenter 120. yeares building for the preservation of his Families bodies and can wee think that Ioseph and IESVS the well nourtered youth woulde neglect the bodie He that provideth not in some honest Calling for the sustentation of his Familie is worse than an Inidel Nay that which more is Hee denyeth the Faith of Iesus 1. Tim. 5. 8. for the Christian Faith teacheth not a man to bee idle and negliegent although indeede it command a man not to be Carefull about there things Mat. 6. 25. c. Labour in thy Christian calling but without Care for labouring in a consecrated Calling why shouldest thou be carefull seeing Goldlines hath promise of bodily necessaries neither will the Lord with-holde any thing that Goodis from these that Walk prightly Psalm 84. 11. d The Iewes had first sight of Iesus the Gentiles enioved the second sight a plaine signe that the Gentiles Iapheâ—s house should nowe step into Shems Tent that the partition was to bee broken downe and that Iesus would be Sheepherd to both sortes of sheepe e They having offered Gold vnâ—o the King of the world preaching thereby homage and fealtie vnto Dauids Lord and yet Davids sonne as also having offered Frankencense in signe hee was the perfumer of our prayers as also Myrrhe fittest for his buâ—iall a signe that his death was our life happie men they depart Herod vnder pretence to woorship Iesus thinking to worrye Iesus had commaunded the Magies to returne and relate vnto him where the Iewes King was borne but God having otherwise admonished them they preferre IEHOVAHS will before Herods wish 5. Staffe The Dragons a Horne pursues to smite the Child But b God forewarneâ— and they to Aegypt flie c Herod once dead they Three that stood exild Returne but go downe into Galilie d At twelue yeares end Iesus he doth dispute In Temples Court which caused mickle brute a The Dragon the Deuill Rev. 12. is introduced with his Hornes for dossing ey destroying this Man-childe Iesus The first Horne that studied Iesus his destruction was the Idumean Herod and that he did because he heard by the former Sophies that there was a king borne vnto the Iewes b The Lord hauing a care of our Lord as hee first warned the Magies not to returne to Herod so hee forewarneth Ioseph and Marie of Herods hollowe heart wherevpon they flie into Aegypt Into Aegypt went Abraâ—am the Father of the Faithfull by reason of a Famine thither was Ioseph pushed by his Bretheren to whome Father and Fathers house was glad to repaire for succour and thither nowe went Maries Ioseph and a greater than Ioseph A Horne of Hel pusheth our Lord thither and but Hornes of the Devill are all that bloodily pursue Iesus in his members They gone into Aegypt Herod slaughtereth all Male-children vnder two yeares olde hoping amongst them the Vndefiled Man-childe should haue bene murdred The Massacre was so abhominable as dead Rahel the first Iosephs Mother could not but after a sort lament the destruction of her Children Of a certaine Ancient it is written that Herod should slaughter his owne young Sons lest of them Iudah should haue had a King wherevpon Augustus then should say I had rather be one of Herods Hogges than Sons for his Hogges he fats but his Sonnes he sleas c The Beast dead Ioseph and Marie with Iesus are called by God out of Aegypt even as Israel before was called from thence by Moses IEHOVAHS mouth But they hearing that his Sonne Archelaus did succeede like Cock commonly like Chicken they turned aside to Nazareâ— in the partes of Galiâ—e wherevpon he tooke the name of Nazarite and besides that hee was to vs a more Pure and Powerfull Nazarite than was Samson his figure d Ioseph and Marie what time Iesus was aged 12. yeares they doe come as yearely they ever had to keep the Passe-ouer at Ierusalem The Feast finished Ioseph Marie set homewards with their Kins-folks and acquaintance but after a daies iorney they missing their sonne Iesus they returne with sorrowful hearts to Ierusalem who after three daies do find him amidst the Doctors in the Temple disputing His Mother saying vnto him Sonne Why hast thou dealt thus with vs Behold thy Father and I haue sought-thee with heavie hearts to her he returned this answer Howe is it that you sought me knewe ye not that I must go about my Fathers busines But they vnderstoode not the word that hee spoke vnto them Then hee went downe with them and came to Nazaret and was subiect to them and his Mother kept all these sayings in her heart And Iesus increased in wisdome and stature for indeed they two should growe togither and in favour with God and men 6. Staffe a Bout 30. yeares he comes to Iordans side Whereas b Iohn Baptist doth baptize our Lord. Iesus the Christ then from that blessed tyde Gathers c Disciples by his blessed word Twelue of them he d Apostles nominates And e Seauentie moe his will abrode relates a See Luke 3. 23. b Iohn Baptist the soâ— of Zachariah the Priest Luke 1. allyed by his Mothers side to blessed Marie for though the other Tribes might not marry one with another for avoyding confusion of Lotted inheritance yet might Levi who had no such inheâ—itance and therefore not like possibilitie of confusion marrie with other Tribes This Iohn begun to preach The Baptisme of Repentance for the remission of Sinnes in the 15. yeare of Tiberius Romes Cesar Ponâ—â—us Pilate being then Governour in Iudea but afterwards beheaded by Herod for reproving his vnlawfull marriage This Iohn having