c. The title ouer Christ on the crosse was written in 3. tongues Hebrew Greeke Latine Although it may not bee vrged that all these Threes haue full relation to the Trinitie seeing they fall not out by chaunce wee are not to despise the pleasant harmonie and comfortable vse of them but to thinke that the wisedome of God hath contriued saluation into such a sweet Art that verie children may learne the same and therefore the Scripture is called verie fitly a shallow water and a deepe fountaine shallow that the Lambe may wade and deepe that the Elephant may swimme Foure Is a square number and vsuall Heber the Fourth after the floud Iuda the Fourth Sonne of Iacob Square signifieth true Religion The Lord came in the 4000. yeare of the world Moses Fourth Son in the 4. age was sacrificer to the tribe of Dan. Times 7 Iubiles the time of Christs death The forme of the heauenly Ierusalem Fiue The Letters of Iehouah The 5 Vowels the sinewes of all tongues Christ feedeth 5000. with 5 Loaues Six The day of Adams creation which number is oftentimes vsed in the scripture to put vs in mind of the Creation Hundreth Thousand fighting men came out of Egipt Hundreth yeares old was Noah at the floud Times 7 standings had the children of Israell in the Wildernesse Yeeres was the Land of Canaan in conquering Cities of refuge for one that killed a man by chaunce and not of malice had the Iewes to flie vnto Times did the children of Israell fall before Dauids time in the time of the Iudges Seuen The number of the Sabbath which number of 7. as it is famous for the creation so God continueth the same proportion throughout the Bible to the redemption For as God the Father made the world in six daies and rested the seuenth so God the Son hauing performed his Fathers will resteth the seuenth day in the graue Is a yeare of Grace Planets in the Firmament which Plato compareth to the number of Seuen Starres in Ap. 1. Yeares was the Land of Canaan plagued for that Ioseph the beloued of the Lord should haue been slaine by his brother Stones in the Temple Gods Seuen-fould wisedome or prouidence in all his actions Seuen eyes to looke vpon the building of euery stone in the Temple of Ierusalem Yeares the Land of Canaan was setled in rest Yeares the Temple was in building Yeares Nebucadnetzer was a beast for destroying it Gates in the Temple before you come to the Holy of holiest Braunches did the Candlesticke in the Temple stand vrpon which had 42. knobbes signifying the six dayes worke and the Seuenth day of rest in the creation Moneths was the Tabernacle in building Iubiles was the Arke in the house of Ioseph Trumpeters is a great number that doe alwaies sound Gods praise Henoch the seuenth from Adam Heber the seuenth from Henoch Isaack the seuenth from Heber Moses the seuenth from Abraham Iosua the seuenth from Ephraim Elias taken vp in the seuenth age from Samuel Ioram the seuenth from Dauid Salomons Temple was consecrated in the seuenth moneth answerable to the birth of the Fathers The ceremonie of the Feast of Tabernacles continued seuen dayes After the comming from Egipt it was seuen times seuen daies before the law was giuen Seuen times seuen daies after Christs resurrection descended the holy Ghost The stories of the Scripture goe by seuens From Moses till Christs death thus Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was in conquering Seuen fifties for the glorie of Iosephs house Seuen seuenties for the house of Iuda Seuen tennes for the captiuity From the captiuitie to the death of Christ seuen seuenties Moses ceremonies for the most part were in the seuenth moneth The Manna that was gathered on the sixt day serued for the seuenth The seuenth yeare the Iewes might not plowe sowe nor reape In the end of seuen seuens was the yeare of Iubilee In the seuenth seuen from Cyrus the walles of Ierusalem were built Seuen times seuen Thousand of the Iewes came from captiuitie Ioakim endeth the seuenth seuentie with affliction Seuen yeeres plenty Seuen yeeres dearth in the land of Egipt figured by seuen eares of corne and seuen kine Noah liued seuen Iubilees after the flood Seuen Thousand in the booke of Kings mentioned that neuer bowed their knees to Baal Kaines house cut off in the seuenth age How often shall I forgiue my brother till seuen times I say vntill seuen times seuenty times alluding vnto Daniels Seuens The number of the persons saued in the Arke The day of circumcision Ten is a full number and the highest of last of simple numbers All Nations after the number of Ten beginne againe for plaine teaching and plainenesse in reckoning Ten is the yeare of iudgement or accompt You haue Ten woordes for the creation of the world and Ten words for the gouernment of the whole world The Tenth is a holy number as in Tythes which is giuen to vs to acknowledge our duties In the Tenth moneth the waters of the floude abated Sem liued to see the Tenth age a great blessing Ten plagues were the Egiptians plagued with for afflicting Sems house Ten spyes in the Wildernes misbelieued Ten tribes fell away at Roboams time Daniels beast hath Ten hornes which doe represent Ten cruell Kings The beast in the Reuelation hath Ten hornes The Pope had Ten stately kingdomes to assist him Noah is the Tenth from Adam Abraham the Tenth from Noah Twelue signes in the Zodiacke Twelue monthes in the yeare Twelue Fathers from the floude to Iacob Twelue Sonnes of Iacob Twelue Fountaines in the Wildernesse Twelue stones in Iordan Twelue stones in Aarons breast Salomon had Twelue Stewards and Dauid Twelue valiant Captaines Salomon at Twelue yeares of age discided the controuersie betweene the women for the dead Childe Christ at Twelue yeares of age is founde disputing among the Doctors He likewise ordayneth Twelue Apostles and Twelue times did he appeare after his resurection and in the reuelation of euery Tribe is sealed Twelue thousand The heauēly Ierusalem is described to haue Twelue foundations of Twelue precious stones Twelue gates and Twelue Angels and the names written of the Twelue Apostles and through the Citie there runneth a pure riuer and on either side of the riuer the Tree of Life which beareth Twelue manner of fruites and beareth fruite euery moneth in the yeare and the leaues of the Tree doe serue to heale the Nations with NOw the reason why God in the beginning layd downe in close signification and such easy proportions the whole scope of his gouernment to the worlds end is to shew that his wisedome is infinite and that nothing in the Scriptures doe fall out by chaunce but by his fore-purpose according to the secret counsell of his own will to make vs still looke backe vnto the Creation 130. Seth borne ge 5. when Adam is 130. yeares old ADam was made in the Image of God but Seth is begotten in the
that thereby we may be made more fit for his iudgements C ham was saued in the Arke to be a scourge for all the rest And if you marke through the Bible you shall find that God dealeth in the like seueritie For euery good familie hath one of Chams impietie to persecute him Adam had The Serpent to tempt them Abell had Kaine to kill him Isaack had Ismael to flout him Iacob had Esau to pursue him Ioseph had His owne brethren to sell him Iob had His wife and friends to reproue him The Israelites had Pharaoh to afflict them Dauid had Saule and Absalom to persecute him The Iewes had the Babylonians Medes and Persians Grecians Sirogrecians to subdue them Christ had the Iewes and Romanes to crucifie him ⧠The time of the continuance of the Flood is thus described IN the dayes of the Flood Moses teacheth two things the dayes of the moneth and the dayes of the whole yeare For hee writeth that the Flood began the Seuenteenth day of the Second moneth and that the waters preuailed One Hundred and Fiftie dayes and that the next day after One Hundred and Fiftie was the Seuenteenth day of the Seuenth moneth Six and Fortie dayes had passed before the Floud for the Seuen and Fortie day I meane the Seuenteenth day of the Second moneth the Floud began Ioyne One Hundred and Fiftie with Six and Fortie they make plainely One hundred Nintie and Sixe dayes which diuided by Thirtie leaue Sixe exact moneths and the Seuenteene dayes of the Seuenth Moneth in which Moses writeth that the Arke rested Hereby it is most euident that in ancient time they had Thirtie dayes to a Moneth Moreouer a moderate expounder of Moses shall finde Three hundred sixtie and fiue dayes in the yeare of the floud Thus The first day of the Tenth Moneth Two hundred Seuentie and One dayes from the beginning of the yeare the tops of the Mountaines were discouered Noah taried yet Fortie dayes when Three hundred and Eleuen dayes were past then he sent forth a Rauen which houered a long time hee nameth not the time but as Seuen vpon Seuen in the Doue is expressed so Fortie vppon Fortie is here to be vnderstood So then there are Three hundred fiftie and one dayes to which adde the fourteene last in which the Doue was twise sent forth then you haue Three hundred sixtie and foure dayes after the Fourteene dayes in which the Doue returned not Moses reckoneth the first day of the Moneth in these words In the Six hundred and One of the age of Noah the first day of the first Moneth the waters were dried vp Concerning the fiue dayes euerie sixe yeares they make a leap Moneth and the odde quarter of a day in One hundred and Twentie yeares make a leape Moneth Thus much for the vse of the Fathers before the Flood ⧠NOW FOLLOWETH THE Fathers after the Flood whose Storie containeth vnto the promise giuen vnto Abraham 427 yeeres ⧠Some thinge will I speake of the generall vse of them both WE haue two stayes the Fathers before the flood and the Fathers after the flood The summe of all is nothing else but to know God and him whom he hath sent Iesus Christ For surely the spirit of God hath in such plainesse penned downe the Storie of the Scriptures that all the world must wonder at the wisdome of God layd downe so shortly and plainely Before the flood hee taught nothing but the Gospell adding to the doctrine thereof Kaines Murther and Lamechs Adulterie And after the flood we haue not Ten notable Fathers as before for Terah the Father of Abraham fell away and worshipped strange Gods And surely as the Sunne Moone and Starres are glorious and excellent for the distinguishing of times so are the numbers of the ages of the fathers and through the Scripture for the clearenesse of the word Times are generall or particular generall from Adam to the flood and from thence to Abrahams promise from thence to the comming out of Egipt then to the building of Salomons Temple then to the burning thereof by the Babilonians and then to the end of the captiuity and from thence to the death of Christ These are the summe of all the times the proofe of these is scattered through the Scriptures Thus much for the two tables in generall After the flood NOah and Sem be here handled againe because their story continued through and after the floode Compare Noah with Adam and you shall see that Noah is another Adam Adam Noah was an husbandman Became into transgression by eating vnlawfully And Euah after their transgression seeing their nakednes sowed figge tree leaues to couer them and the very same words that God spake to Adam in Paradise for ruling and encreasing the very same he reneweth to Noah Had the tree of life in Paradise for a seale of conseruation Had twoo younger Sonnes good and the elder wicked Was an husbandman Became into transgression by drinking vnlawfully After his transgression hauing his nakednes vncouered is couered by Sem Iaphet Had the rainbowe as a couenant of preseruation Had twoo eldest Sons good and the younger wicked Kaine the eldest Son of Adam was cursed C ham the yongest Son of Noah euen to Canaan his youngest Sonne was cursed The one against nature killed his brother The other against humanitie vncouered his fathers nakednes Adam before the flood might eate no flesh Noah after the floode might eat flesh the blood onely excepted because in the blood of euerie thing is the life and the life of euerie thing will God require at euerie creatures hand from the seueritie of which a commandement against murther was giuen to Noah The reason why they might eat flesh after the flood and not before may be because the dayes of man being shortened at the flood halfe in halfe the bodies of men were afterwards of a more weake constitution and then you read first of planting of Vines for wine which was added to be a helpe in digestion to the strengthning of the bodie and quickning of the vitall spirits as in Psal 104. Wine doth make the heart glad and oyle doth cause a cheerefull countenance Noah was drunke and vncouered in the midst of his tent and awaking from his wine hee knew what his youngest Sonne had done and sayd Cursed be Canaan a slaue of slaues shall he be now Noah would not curse Cham because God blessed him but hee cursed Canaan his Nephew the Sonne of Cham who as some suppose derided also his Grandfather Blessed be the God of Sem and God will perswade Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Sem. Vpon these three sentences doe the chiefe Stories of the Bible depend For whatsoeuer plagues doth befall the Egyptians the Cananites Ethiopians Blackemores Babylonians and such like is contained within Chams curse Whatsoeuer blessing is promised or performed to the Iews is comprehended within Sems blessing Whatsoeuer promises of mercie and sauing health was prophecied of to
and goe through hard and bitter contentions and afflictions of this life And yet then we are not in rest for the next Station we come to is Sin Thorny There the people murmure against Moses for meat In the euening God fedde them with Quailes and they came to the place of Sepulches leanenesse entred into their soules In the morning they were fed with Manna to know that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Deut. 8. They did all eat of the same spirituall meat 1. Cor. 10. This Manna was to be gathered as euerie man had need of it If any were reserued till morning it brought foorth wormes Exod. 16.20 This Saint Paul applyeth to the vse of wealth 2. Cor. 8. Let it be of equality at this time that your aboundance fulfill their want that their aboundance may reach to your want that there may bee an equalitie as it is written He that gathered much had not ouer-much and hee that gathered little had not ouer-little The summe of these standings is this that the soyle being good and bad sheweth vs the manners of the men which liue on the earth and with whome wee liue at whose hands we must looke for badde dealing more than for good This Christ taught in the Gospell when hee willed that those who would embrace him should take vp his Crosse and follow him After they come to Rephidim where was no water for the people to drinke the people murmure against Moses the place is called Tentation according to that of Dauid Psal 95. Hebr. 3. To day if you will heare my voice harden not your hearts as is the prouocation in the day of Temptation in the wildernesse c. Moses striketh the Rocke and the Rocke was Christ 1. Cor. 10. They dranke all of the same spirituall drinke c. Iesus fighteth with Ameleck Moses erecteth an Altar and calleth it Iehouah my Banner Christ by death ouercame him that had the power of death and wee haue an Altar Iesus Christ the righteous Heb. 11. Then they come to Horeb which had the soyle verie drie But Sina on the toppe a hole where the winde made a fearefull noyse But Sion was a pleasant and fruitfull soyle full of springs to wash away the blood of the beasts that there were slaine The Land of Chush alwaies in seruitude So we if wee looke onely to haue our liues sauour of ciuilitie our soules not lightned with the knowledge by Christ we shall bee continually in seruitude And as these places come short of the glorie of Ierusalem so the Iewes not thinking on Christ haue their cogitations wandring not finding rest in their soules Saint Paul handleth these two Mountaines in this sort Galat. 4. By the which things another thing is meant saith he for these two hils are two Testaments the one Agar of Mount Sinay which gendreth vnto bondage being a Mountaine in Arabia and it answereth to Ierusalem which now is and shee is in bondage with her children but Ierusalem which is aboue is free the mother of vs all The Persians wonder at the statelinesse of Ierusalem being in glorie One Thousand yeares Saint Paul calleth this time to Christ the time of a childe vnder a Tutor The Sonne is Rom. 15. Whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that wee through patience might haue hope Now saith Saint Paul These things are our examples to the end wee should not lust after euill things as some of them lusted and fell in one day three and twentie Thousand 1. Cor. 10. In this place Sinay where the Lawe was giuen many things are to be considered The Law was giuen that sinne might be knowne to abound It was giuen by Angels Deut. 33. By a Mediator Moses There is one Mediator of God and man the man Christ Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament Heb. 9. It was giuen on the Lords day in the morning the Lord arising and shining from Pharan with Thousands of his Angels with thunder lightnings and earth-quake Moses erecteth an Altar on Twelue pillars and hauing made a sacrifice doth read the Booke of the couenant and taking the blood of Oxen and Buls with water purple wooll and Isope doth sprinkle the Booke saying This is the blood of the Couenant which God hath commanded for you This is handled in the 9. to the Hebrewes If the blood of Oxen and Bulles doth sanctifie to cleanenesse of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ cleanse our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing Lord Moses goeth vp to the Mountaine and fasteth Fortie dayes Exod. 32. Christ in the Wildernesse fasteth Fortie daies Luk. 4. The people turne the glorie of God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay Exod. 32.6 Be not Idolatrers as some of them were as it is written The people sat downe to eat and drinke and rose vp to play 1. Cor. 16. Moses breaketh the two Tables which hee receiued from God written with the finger of God The Leuites kill three thousand of Israel that had committed Idolatrie They regarded not Father mother brethren or sisters This Christ applyeth to all men Mat. 10. Hee that loueth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of mee Moses goeth vp againe to the Mountaine with two Tables prepared of himselfe continueth Fortie dayes fasting writeth the words of the former tables in these This Paul handleth 2. Cor. 3. Yee are the Epistle of Christ ministred of vs written not with inkes but with the spirite not in Tables of stone but in the Tables of hearts of flesh The second yeare after their comming from Egypt the Tabernacle is erected out of which the Lord speaketh in a more manifest gracious sort than at any time before he had done to shew himselfe in a speciall sort mercifull Christ his humane nature is the Tabernacle The word became flesh and had his Tabernacle amonge vs Ioh. 1. In him all fulnesse dwelled bodily Col. 4 By grace all Christians are a Tabernacle Es 10. Ap. 21. A cloude ouer-shadowed the Tabernacle To the Virgine Marie Gabriel saith Luk. 1. The power of the highest shall ouer-shadow thee So Moses could not enter into the tabernacle of testimonie because the cloude abode therevpon and the glorie of the Lord filled the Tabernacle When Christ is glorified on the Mountaine and a bright cloude ouer-shadowed him Peter said Let vs make here three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Mat. 17. The Temple of the Tabernacle of witnesse was open and the temple was full of the smoke of the glorie of God and no man could enter into the Temple Ap. 15. Where the cloude remained they went forward with the Arke Christ hath a white cloude vnder him Ap. 14. Nadab and Abihu are consumed with fire for offering strange fire before the Lord. To be an example how God is a consuming fire against foolish zeale After this the children
because it did not see those things that touched the the peace of it and sheweth how it shall no more be Ierusalem but Iebus that is troden vnder foot for now Melchisedech vnder whome it was first called Salem is to bee acknowledged a figure of the Lord. Now Isaacke offered not offred is knowne whereof he was a figure which Isaack gaue Abraham occasion to augment that name Salem with Iire before Salem where the Lord will prouide for euerlasting peace 3960. Iesus Christ the King the most holy is betrayed by Iudas Iscarioth that is which falleth away for reward CHrist is crucified according to Daniel 9. Pontius Pilate being then Lieutenant of Iurie for Tiberius Caesar then Emperour of Rome after that he had preached three yeares and a halfe For comparison with this three yeares and an halfe you haue Elias in praying it might not raine and it rained not in three yeares and sixe moneths Our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell remembreth this Storie when he maketh comparison with his comming to the Iewes with that of Elias In the dayes of Elias sayth Christ many widdowes were in Israel when the heauens were shut three yeares and sixe Moneths but vnto none was Elias sent saue vnto the widdow of Sarepta Further the Iewes vnder Antiochus Epiphanes had the like storie of three yeares and sixe moneths when the Idoll was set in the Temple of God Moses layd downe a law that when they came into the Land what tree they planted good for meat they should the three first yeares hold it vncleane and those three yeares they should not eat the fruit thereof So Christ in the Gospell handleth it thus in a parable A man had a figge-tree planted in his Vineyard and finding no fruite thereon hee sayd to the dresser of this Vineyard Behold these three yeres haue I come and sought fruit but I finde none cut it downe why keepeth it the ground barren and hee answered Lord let it alone this yeare till I digge it round about and dunge it and if then it beare not fruit you shall cut it downe We haue the like comparison of three yeres and an halfe in the Reuelation For all the persecution vnder the Romane Emperours being about three hundred yeres is alluded to this time of Christs preaching being called fortie and two Moneths which makes three yeres and sixe moneths The Papists vpon this dreame that Antichrist when hee comes shall raigne but three yeares and a halfe and therefore the Pope cannot be Antichrist seeing he hath raigned many hundred yeres But to what purpose should the holy spirite speake of him so long before if his tyrannie should bee of no longer continuance Besides seeing by the two and fortie moneths which are the same in account with One thousand three hundred and sixtie dayes the whole time of the tyrannie executed by the prophane Emperours is meant It must needs be that the Popes gouernment which commeth vp in their stead must be signified by One thousand three hundred and sixtie daies To this Carthusianus and Beda expound this time of One thousand three hundred and sixty dayes to cōprehend the whole continuance of the preaching of the Gospel to the end of the world This their own side vse for an exposition and seeing it is true wee embrace it It is further to bee demaunded of them how it can bee possible that the Antichrist should be able in three yeares and a halfe to subdue all the world Before Christ this time was spoken in proper termes but since in a metaphor because there ensueth the like dealings The Two and thirtie and a halfe are the yeares of Christs gouernment vpon the earth and haue comparison with Dauids two and thirtie yeares and sixe moneths gouernment in Ierusalem This Seuentie is to shew that this is the last Seuen of the 70 Seuens or Foure hundred and ninetie yeres expressed Dan. 9. wherein Christ should end the sacrifice and oblation The Fifty is to shew that it is the last Iubilee of the eight twenty His humilitie his life his death the cause and manner of his death was told before by the Prophets In Esay Ieremie and Daniel In Esay 53. it is sayd of him Who will beleeue our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed hee hath neither forme nor beautie when wee shall see him there shall bee no fourme that wee should desire him Hee is despised and reiected of men hee is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities He was despised and wee esteemed him not Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes yet we did iudge him as plagued and smitten of God and humbled but hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed He was oppressed and afflicted yet did hee not open his mouth He is brought as a sheepe to the slaughter and as a sheepe before his shearer is dumbe so hee openeth not his mouth Hee was taken out of prison and from iudgment and who will declare his age for he was cut out of the land of the liuing for the transgression of my people was he plagued And he made his graue with the wicked and with the rich in his death though he had done no wickednesse neither was any deceite in his mouth By his knowledge shall hee iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities He was counted with the transgressors and he bare the sinne of many and prayed for the transgressors And againe he sayth Esay 50. I gaue my backe vnto the smiters and my cheekes to the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting And againe Psal 22. As for me I am a worme and no man a verie scorne of men and the out-cast of the people All they that see mee laugh me to scorne they shoot out their lippes and shake their heads saying He trusted in God that hee would deliuer him let him deliuer him if hee will haue him Many Oxen are come about mee fatte Bulles of Basan enclose me in on euerie side they gape vpon me with their mouthes as it were a ramping and roaring Lion I am powred out like water and all my bones are out of ioynt my heart also in the midst of me is euen like melting waxe They pierced my hands and my feete I may tell all my bones they stand staring and looking vpon me They part my garments among them and cast lots vpon my vesture Yea the verie abiects came together against me vnawares making mowes at me and ceased not With the flatterers were busie mockers which gnashed vppon me with their teeth they gaped on me with their mouthes and sayd Fie on thee fie on thee we saw it with our eyes They that sit in the gate speake against me and the drunkards make song vpon me they gaue mee gall to eate and when I was thirstie they gaue