he enuieth hym that ordereth his waies aright he embraceth backbityng he loueth scornefulnesse and because y hatred hath blinded his mynde he doeth to his neighbor as he did to Ioseph therefore my children kepe your selues froÌ„ hatred bicause it committeth wickednesse euen against the lorde for it will not heare the wordes of Gods commaundement concerning the louyng of a mans neighbour but synneth spitfully againste god If a brother offende by by it blaseth hym abroad and is hastie to haue him condemned and killed or punished for his offence And if the offender be a seruaunt or a bondman it accuseth hym to his maister and deuiseth all meanes that maie be to persecute hym and to put hym to death if it be possible for hatred woorketh with spitfulnesse and is alwaies forie to heare or see men goe forward or prosper in well doyng For like as loue beareth good wil euen to the deade and wisheth them aliue and would if it were â—ossible staye them from death whiche are condemned to die So hatred seeketh to flea the liuyng and demeth theÌ„ vnworthie of life whiche haue offended neuer so lightly â–ª For the spirite of hatred doeth through cankred frowardnes of harte worke iointly with Sathan in all thynges euen to the death and destruction of men But the spirite of loue doth through long sufferance worke with Gods lawe to the welfare of men Hatred is euil because it abideth with liyng speakyng continually against the truthe makyng a great adoe of small matters ouershadowing the light with darknes comptyng swete to be sower teachyng slaunderousnesse warre wrong and aboundance of all mischief and finally filling the harte with deuelishe poison My children I â–ª speake these thynges vpon experience to the entent ye should eschew hatred and sticke to godly loue Righteousnes driueth out hatred and lowlinesse killeth it for a righteous and a lowly persons is ashamed to doe 1. wronge not for feare of rebuke but for conscience sake because God feeth his entent He backbiteth no man because the feare of the highest ouercommeth hatred â–ª for the feare of the lorde offeÌ„deth not neither will do any man wroÌ„g no not euen in thought At length I came to the knowledge of these thynges when I had repented me of my dealinges towardes Ioseph For the true repentaunce that is accordyng to Gods will mortifâ—eth a man to obedience chaseth awaie darknesse enlighteneth the eyes geueth knowledge to the minde and leadeth the soule to saluation And whatsoeuer men knowe not of themselues that doeth repentance teache theÌ„ For it brought vppon me the paine of the hart and if my father Iacobs praiers had not been surely I had died out of hande For looke wherein a man synneth by the same is he punished For as muche therefore as my hart was mercilesse towardes Ioseph I suffered Gods rigorous iustice in my harte by the space of a .xi. monethes that the tyme of my punishemente might fall out euen with the tyme that I vrged the â—ellyng of Ioseph Now therefore my childreÌ„ eche of you loue his brothers and put awaie hatred froÌ„ your hartes louyng one an other in deede worde and thought of mynde For before my Fathers face I spake mildely of Ioseph but behinde his backe the spirite of hatred darckened my vnderstandyng and tempted my mynde to kill hym Wherefore loue ye one an other hartely and if any of you offende other â–ª tel him of it gently driuyng out the poison of hatred and fosteryng no deceipt in harte And if the offender confesse it and be sorie for it forgeue it hym if he deny it striue not with hym least he fal to swearyng and so synne double Lette no straunger heare you vtteryng one an others secretes in variaunce least he turne to be your ilwiller worke some greate mischief against you For he will talke gilefully with thee and vndermine thee to doe thee a shrewde tourne takyng his poison at thyne owne hande Therfore if he deny it and be ashamed of it and hold his peace wheÌ„ he is rebuked drawe hym not out for in deniyng he repenteth him so as he will no more offende thee but honour thee and feare thee and be in quiet But if he be vnshamefaste and abide by his naughtinesse then refer the reuengement of it to God with all thy harte If an other man prosper more then you bee not agreeued at it but praye for hym that he maie haue perfecte prosperitie For peraduenture it maie be to your owne benefite And if he bee exalted more and more enuie hym not but remember that all fleshe shall dyeâ— and praise God for it who geueth good and profitable thy ages to all men Seeke the Lordes iudgementes and so thy mynde shall let hym alone and be in quiet Now if a man be enriched by euill meanes as Csau my Fathers brother was enuie him not for in so doyng ye controll the Lorde who either taketh awaie his benefites from the wicked or leaueth them still to the repentant or els reserueth theÌ„ in the vnrepentant to their endlesse punishement For the pooreâ—man hauyng sufficient of all thynges geueth thankes vnto the Lorde and is enriched of all men because men wishe him no harme Therefore my childreÌ„ away with hatred out of your harts and loue one an other with a right meanyng mynde Also will you your children to honor Leuy and Iuda for out of them shall the lorde make the Sauiour of Israel to come I knowe that in the ende your children shall depart from them and walke in all manner of mischief naughtinesse and corruption before the lorde And after a litle pausyng he said againe my sonnes heare me your father â–ª burie me by my fathers And so pluckyng vp his fete he slept in peace and after â—iue yeres they caried him thence and laied hym with his Fathers in Hebron ¶ The Testament of Aser made to his children at his death concernyng twoo faces of Vice and Veâ—tue Twoo waies saieth Aser are preparde For men the one for ioye The laste for death the firste is beste But this breedeth sore annoye THe copie of Aser his Testamente and of the thynges that he spake to his childreÌ„ In the hundred and twentie yere of his life beyng still in healthe he saied vnto them Ye children of Aser harken to your Father and I will shewe you all thynges that are righte before the Lorde The Lorde hath geuen twoo waies to the sonnes of menne twoo myndes twoo doynges twoo places and twoo endes and therfore all twooes may bee one â–ª yea though they bee contraries as are the waies of good and euill Also there are twoo myndes in oure breastes â–ª whiche moue vs either to honestie or dishonestie Therefore if a manne bee ledde to goodnesse all his doinges are occupied about righteousnesse and if he dooe any thyng amisse by and
The Testaments of the 〈◊〉 Patriarches the Sonnes 〈◊〉 Iacob translated out of Greeke 〈◊〉 Latine by Robert Grosthed 〈…〉 Byshop of Lyncolne and out of his copye into French and Dutch by others Now englished by A. G. To the credit whereof an auncient Greeke copye written in parchment is kept in the Uniuersitie Librarye of Cambridge AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate 1576. Cum gratia priuilegio Regiâ— Maiestates per dicennium To the Christian Reader ALbeit these our happy dayes in some respect good Christian haue and enioy diuers and sundry workes teÌ„dyng to the subuersioÌ„ of Belial and the erection of godlines yet considering that as earthly so we spirituall souldiors seldome ruÌ„ne to the watch without a larum I thought it conuenient to cal vpon you wyth this graue godly booke of long tyme hid in Hebrue now come to light in english The malice of the Iewishe people in concealing it by reason of Christ the righteous so often prefigured was intollerable but the singular prouidence of God in preseruing it vnspeakeable now at the last though chargeable yet fruitfull is the expressing and printing in our naturall language of this so worthy so goldeÌ„ a writte being of it selfe without the accessary painting of eloquent speach a Mirror for Princes a Preacher for al Christians a beutiful Glasse for Women for Children Seruauntes and such like a wise plausible and most ready Scholemaister For to apply to euery particular estate hys peculiar propertie art thou a Prince a Magistrate a Ruler let Iuda rule thee If thou thinkest vpon maÌ„ly courage he teacheth thee valiauntnesse if thou seekest to gouerne aright he willeth thee to flee tyranny if thou thirst after manners of life he soundeth it out that Uaineglorye â—â—nication and Discorde blemishe weaâ—en and at length vtterly coÌ„sume Nobilitie Let me proceede farther and aske a questioÌ„ Art thou a Byshop a Minister a Preacher of Christ his byrth lyfe and death behold Leuy as a lanterâ—e Thou caÌ„st teach thy selfe but he can teach thee better thou speakest to other harken to him that talketh to thee of thy office how Holy it is how Honorable the contemners thereof how miserable by whom begon continued and confirmed of thy state of lyfe what and how it should be Nunquam sine Sale sine Sâ—le to be shorte of thy blessednes if thou art godly wise and learned of thine and their plagues where thou lyuest if wicked and ignoraunt What should I say more Looke vpon Iacob O you PareÌ„tes peruse these 12. godly Fathers in â—yme and order learne of hym hys to pray to God in Christ his name for your ChildreÌ„ haue a regard to their instruction the want of the former your Châ—ldren shall misse the neglect of the latter you your selues shall bewayle For the harty prayer of a Father to the Almighty for his Children is a right singular benefite but he that for foolyshe pitie geueth to theÌ„ the bridle is before God accounted a giltie partaker of their sinfull race Uewe this booke therfore harkeÌ„ how to teach your selues your Children You haue already handled a Sicke mans salue enioy now at length a Sicke maÌ„s tounge to â—nâ—â—ruct them when you leaue them and what to leaue them when you dye els their ende wyll be lamentation but yours lameÌ„table miserie And come you hether you ChildreÌ„ of the earth reade see and say that olde Father Ruben with his good Bretheren redely and rightly describe the blessed path of righteousnes the 〈◊〉 way of Belial the one to flee the other to follow Wylt thou beginne with the eldest for that olde age seemeth wysest stop not then the cares of thy hart and body to so wyse and sweete a Charmer O the number O the ouglesome portraiture of those deadly spirites that â—e hath so orderly numbrâ—d and cunningly coloured Lechery Enuy Glotony Brauery Pride Vaineglory Vnrighteousnes Wilfull Ignoraunce All these as they seeme are in deede pernicious but the former is most detestable the ende wherof is consumption of thys earthly bodye and destruction of the soule â–ª which welspring and puddle of euil if thou wilt haue dried vp cease from drunkeâ—nes if not see it haue not a narrow and greedy eye vpon a beutifull face if not drinke stop thy mouth from busy questioÌ„s with wanton women to conclude if not therein be ducked and drowned vse labour â—ame youthfulnes For in this I ouershooting my â—elfe sayth Rubâ—n to his ChildreÌ„ defiled my Fathers bed Therefore looke not vpon the beautie of women muse not vpon theyr doinges but keepe your selues occupied either in learning or some worke charge your wiues and daughters that they 〈◊〉 not their heads will them to chasten their lookes for euery womaÌ„ that dealeth deceitfully in these things is reserued to the punishment of the world to come Which trade of lyfe to eschew seeing it is difficult without the fulfilling of the lawe and the lawe partly coÌ„sisteth in mutuall loue striue with Symeon the secoÌ„d Brother to auoyd strife which blindeth y mind pineth the body prouoketh murder The remedye whereof is both forgeuing forgetting Take vnto thee Ioseph his cherefull countenaunce a perfect platforme of a quiet mynde yet set before thine eyes Simeons wythered haud a â—ight plague for such 〈…〉 All which disquietnes mischiefe safely to set aside let not Iuda be set apart â—ather by him experience that for a man to glory in his owne workes is sinfull and 〈◊〉 which vpbraydeth an other maÌ„ his vice standeth slippery Iuda choked Ruben his eldest Brother wyth his fornication marke who â—â—med immediatly but enuious and â—aylyng Iuda Did he not offeÌ„d after y flesh in the Chananites house Did he not take a wiâ—e without consent of Parentes two great sinnes and alas in these our dayes to much vsed yet punished the one with waÌ„t losse or at the least smal ioy of ChildreÌ„ saith Father Iuda the Patriarch but the other 〈◊〉 vntollerable damage of body soule sayth S. Paule the Apostle Wherefore abstaiâ—e froÌ„ wine abhore droâ—kennesse for such a one slauÌ„dereth not rehearseth not another maÌ„s sinnes breedeth no sedition but embraceth loue charitie with a single hart as good Father Isachar who neuer rayled neuer was hurtfull or spitefull to his neighbour neuer cate his meat aloâ—e but gaue part to the poore neuer remoued the bondes and markes of other mens ground but loued all men as his naturall Children O that as we read this so we might expresse the same in lyfe and conuersation Mercy and loue is a precious iuell the maintainers wherof being iointly coÌ„nexed prosper once disseuered come to nought for the waters sayth Zabulon washe away the sand when the stones timber are dissolued Whose mercy and singular compassion was rewarded singularly Siâ—t his Testament resemble his rare charitie in clothing the naked and feeding the hungry knowne and vnknowne as well straungers as his countrey men
women and cleansed hys thoughtes from all fornication found fauour both before the Lord and men The Egiptian woman did much to him by vsing the helpe of witches and by offering him slaversawees but the purpose of his minde admitted no noysome desire For this cause the God of my fatherâ— deliuered him from al death bâ—tâ— séene and vnséene for if fornicatioÌ„ ouerrule not your minde neyther shall Belial preuayle against you women are hurtfull thinges my sonnes because that when they waÌ„t power and strength against a man they worke guilfully to draw him to them by traines whom they cannot ouermatch in streÌ„gth hym they ouercome by deceit For the Angel of the Lord which taught me folde meâ—e of them that they be ouermaistred by the spirit of fornicatioÌ„ more then men be and that they be euer practising in their harts agaynst meÌ„ first making their mindes to erre by decking of them selues theÌ„ sheadyng their poison in to them by sight finally catching them prisoners by their doynges for a woman is not able to inforce a man. Therfore my sonnes flee fornication charge your wiues and daughters that they trim not their heades will them to chasten their lookes for euery woman that dealeth deceitfullye in these things is reserued to y punishmeÌ„t of the world to come For by such meanes were y Watchers deceiued before the floud as soone as they saw theÌ„ they fell in loue one with another conceiued a workâ—ng in their mindes and turned them selues into the shape of meÌ„ and appeared to them in their companying with their husbandes and the womeÌ„ by conceiuing the desire of them in the imagination of their mynd brought forth Giants For the â— Watâ—here appeared to them of heigth vnto heauen Therefore keepe your selues from fornication if ye intend to haue a cleane mynde keepe your senses from all women and forbid them likewise the company of men that they may haue also cleane mindes For although coÌ„tinuall companyings do not alwâ—res worke wickednesse yet breede they incurâ—ble stinges to them and to vs euerlasting shame before Belial because that fornication hath neither vnderstandyng nor godlynes in it and all enuiousnes dwelleth in the desire therof and for that cause shall ye enuy the childreÌ„ of Leâ—y and seeke to be exalted aboue theÌ„ but ye shall not be able to compasse it for god will â—duenge them and you shall dye a daungerfull death for vnto I cuy Iâ—da hatl the Lord geuen the souereinty and vnto me and Dan and Ioseph hath he graunted to be princes with theÌ„ Wherfore I charge you heare Leuy for he shal know the law of the lord and deal forth â—udgement and offer sacrifices for all Israel til the full time of Christ the chief priest because the Lorde hath spoken it I charge you by the GOD of heauen that euery of you deale faithefully with his neighbour and sticke vnto Leuy in humblenesse of hart that ye maie receiue blessyng at his mouthe for he shall blesse Israell and Iuda God hath chosen Iuda to be the kyng of all people wherefore worship you his seede for he shall dye for you in battailes bothe visible and inuisible and shall raigne ouer you worlde without ende Ruben hauyng geuen his children the foresaied charge and blessed them died Then thei put him in a coffin and caried him out of Egipte buried hym at Hebron in the double caue where his fathers slepte Finis ¶ The Testament of Simeon made to his Children at his death concernyng 〈◊〉 The harte in womâ—ns mouthe the face the sworde the Wolfe the cap All these paint out the cauious race that runne to their mishap THe copie of Simeons wordes whiche he spake to his Sonnes at his death in the hundred and twenteth yere of his life in the whiche Ioseph died For they came to visite hym vpon his death bed and he sittyng vp kissed them saiyng Harken my children heare me your father Simeon whatsoeuer I haue in my hart I am my father Iacobs second soÌ„ne and my Mother Lea named me Simeon because the Lorde heard her praier I became very mightie I went through with my doynges and was not afraied of any thyng For my harte was stout my minde vnmoueable and my stomack discourageable for hardinesse is giuen of the highest inâ—o mennes soules and bodies In those daies I enuied Ioseph because my father loued hym I hardened my harte againste hym to kill hym because the Prince of errour sendyng forthe the spirite of enuie blynded my mynde that I could not take heede to spare my Father Iacob But his God the God of his fathers seÌ„dyng his Angel did rid hym out of my handes For while I weÌ„t into Sychem to crary tarre for our flockes and Ruben into Dotaiâ—â— where all our necessaries were laied vp in store our brother Iuda solde hym to the Ismalits and therefore when my brother was come againe he was sorie for he intended to haue conueyed hym safe againe to our father But I was angrie with Iuda for lettyng hym go aliue and bare him grudge fiue monthes after howbeit God â—etted me and restrained the woorkyng of my handes for my right hande was halfe withered vp for vii daies together Then did I perceiue my Sonnes that that befell me for Iosephes sake whereupon I repented sone after and besought the lord to restore my hande and I would abstaine from all rancour enuie and follye For I knewe I had conceiued a wicked thought against the Lorde and against my Father Iacob for my brother Iosephes sake whoÌ„ I enuied Now therefore my children kepe your selues froÌ„ the spirites of error and enuie For enuie ouerruleth the. mynde of euery manâ—â—e sufferyng hâ—m not to eate or drinke in rest â–ª or to doe any good thyng is alwaies eggyng him to slaie the partie whom he enuieth and â—inyng away at his prosperitie Twoo yeres together I punished my soule with fastyng in the feare of the Lorde For I knewe that the waie to deliuer me from enuie was the feare of the lorde If a maÌ„ flee to the lorde the wicked spirit fleeth froÌ„ hym so as his mynde becommeth meke and of spitefull he becoÌ„meth pitifull bearyng no grudge towardes suche as loue hym so his enuie ceaseth And because my father sawe me sadde he asked me the cause of it To whom I lied saiyng I haue a paine in my stomacke for I was foriest of all my brothers for that I had been the cause of Iosephes sellyng into Egipte And when I came into Egipt and was put in ward by hym as a spie Then perceiued I that I was iustly punished and I was not sorie for it But Ioseph beyng a good man and hauyng Gods spirite in hym beyng ful of pitie and mercie mynded not to doe me any harme but loued me
this shall Abraham Isaac and Iacob rise vp againe to life and I and the Princes my brethren shall be your Sâ—â—pter in Israell Leuy firste I next Ioseph the third Beniamin the fourth Symeon the fifth Isachar the sixth and so all the reste And the Lorde hath blessed vs Leuy shall bee the Messenger of my presence Symeon the Power of my glorie Ruben Heauen Isachar the Hearth ZabuloÌ„ the Sea Ioseph the Mountaines Beniamin the Tabernacle Dan the lightes Heptalim the 〈◊〉 God the Daysunne and After an Oliue tree And there shall be one people of the lorde and one tongue and there shall bee no more the false Spiritie of Beâ—â—â—â— â–ª because he shall bee cast into endlesse fire They that are buried in sorrowe shal 〈…〉 and they that were poore for the Lordes sake shall be made riche Thei that suffered penurie shall haue plentie and they that were weake shall bee made strong They that died for the lordes sake shall wake vp vnto life and runne in Iacob yea they shall runne skipping and leapyng and they shal flie as Eagles for iov But the vngodlie shall be sorrowfull and the synners shall mourne and all the people shall glorifie the Lorde for euer Therefore my children keepe all the lawe of the Lorde for there is hope for all suche as walke aright A hundreth and nineteene yeares olde doe I dye in your fight Lette none of you burie me costly clothes nor rippe my beallie for so will Rulers doe But cary me backe into Hebron with you With these woordes Iuda died and his children doyng in all thynges as he commaunded them buried hym with his fathers in Hebron Finis ¶ The Testament of Isachar made to his Children at his death conceâ—nyng a single harte Lâ—â—râ—e here a simple life Not voide of paine but strife The Sythe the Spade the Asse Sâ—â— forthe what man he was THe copie of Isachars woordes He callyng his children about hym saied vnto them Ye childreÌ„ of Isachar heare your Father and harken to the woordes of the beloued of the Lorde I am Iacobs fifth sonne in the reward of Mandrake For Iacob broughte Mandrakes out of the fielde and Rachell meetyng hym tooke them of hym Thereat Ruben wept and at his noise my mother Lea came out Now the Mandrakes were sweete sented apples whiche the lande of Aran bryngeth forthe in high countreis by the waterualleis And Rachell saied I will not geue thee these Apples because they shal helpe me to children Now there were twoo of these Apples And Lea said doth it not suffice thee that thou hast gotten awaie the housbande of virginitie but that thou wilte haue this also She aunswered let Iacob lye with thee to night for thy sonnes Mandragoras Lea saied vnto her do not boste nor brag for Iacob is myne and I am the wife of his youth And Rachell aunswered howe so was he not first handfasted vnto me and serued he not our Father fowerteene yeres for me What shall I doe to thee For many are the wiles and policies of menne and gile goes forward vpon yearth If it had been otherwise thou shouldest not haue sen Iacob in the face at this daie For thou arte not his wife but werte guilfully putte to hym in my steade My father deceiued me and conueiyng me awaie that nighte suffered me not to see hym For had I been there this had not come to passe Wherefore take thee one Mandrake and in lewe of the other I graunte thee hym for one nighte And Iacob knewe Lea who conceiuyng bare me and called my name Isachar because of the hire Then an Angell of the lorde appeared vnto Iacob and said that Rachel should beare but two sonnes because she had forsaken the companie of her housebande and chosen continencie And if my mother Lea had not geuen thee twoo Apples for his companie she should haue borne eighte children whereas by reason of that she bare but sixe and Rachell twoo because GOD visited her in the Mandrakes For he knewe that she desired to company with Iacob for issues sake and not for luste of pleasure For she â—â—ned vp the Mandrake and deliuered it to Iacob the next daie and therefore God heard Rachell in the Mandrakes because that although she had a mynde to them yet she eate them not but offered them to the Prieste of the moste highest whiche was in those daies and laied them vp in the Lordes house Therefore my children when I came to mannes state I walked with an vprighe harte and became Bayliffâ— of Housebandrie to my Fathers and broughte them the fruites of their Landes in their due seasons and my Father blessed me when he sawe howâ— I walked plainly and â—mplie I was no busie bodie in my dooynges I was not hurtfull nor spitefull to my neighbour I raiâ—ed not vpon any manne neither dispraised I the life of any that walked in singlenesse of mynde By reason hereof when I was thirtie yeres olde â–ª I tooke a wife beâ—ause labour had coÌ„sumed my strength I neuer knewe the pleasure of a woman through wantonnesse but my laboure made me to sleepe soundlie and my Father did alwaies reioice of my simplicity For whatsoeuer paines I tooke first of al I offered al the first fruites and the first ingendered cattle to the Lorde by the Priest and then gaue my Father the reste and the Lorde doubled his benefites in my handes Yea and Iacob hym self perceiued well that GOD wrought with my plain dealyng For vnto euery poore man and to euery man in aduersitie gaue I of the frutes of the yearth with a single harte And nowe my children harken and walke in singlenesse of mynde for I knowe that the lorde is verie well pleased with it The single-harted manne coueteth not golde vndermineth not his neighbour lusteth not after diuersitie of meates destreth not shifte of apparell nor behighteth hym self long tyme but onely hath an eye to Gods will and the spirites of error can doe nothyng against hym For he can no skill to entertaine a faire woman least he should destie his owne mynde wrathe ouermaistereth not his witte enuie melteth not his soule neither doeth his mynde run coueteously vpon gain For he leadeth an vpright life and beholdeth all thynges with a single eye excludyng all hurtfulnesse of worldly errour leaste he should ouersee any of the Commaundementes of God Therefore my children keepe Gods Lawe and holde faste plainnesse walke on in â—â—nocencie and bee not to inquisitiue in Gods secretes or of your neighbours doynges but loue God and your neighboure pitie the poore and weake bowe doune your backs to Housbandrie and labour in tillyng of the yearth in all maner of Housbandrie offering presentes to the lorde with thankesgeuyng who blesseth the yearth with encrease and newe spryng of fruites as he blessed all holy men from Abell to this daie for there is none other portion geueÌ„ thee then of the fatnesse of the yearth â–ª
whose fruites come by painestakyng for our Father Iacob blessed me with the benefites of the yearth and the firstelynges of fruites Leuy and Iuda are glorified of the lorde among the children of Iacob For God hath planted hym self in them geuyng to the one the Priesthoode and to the other the kyngdome Therefore obey ye them and walke plainly as our Father Iacob did For vnto Gâ—d it is geuen to destroye the temptations of Israell My Children I knowe that in the laste daies your children shall forsake plainnesse and cleaue to coueteousnesse let goe innocencie and followe lewdnesse Leaue Gods commaundementes and sticke vnto Beliall geue ouer Housbandrie and gadde after wicked deuices and therefore shall they be scattered among the Heathen and become bondeslaues to their enemies Wherefore warne your children of it that if they synne they maie retourne quickly to the Lorde for he is mercifull and will deliuer them and bryng theÌ„ home againe into their owne lande I am now an hundreth and twoo and twentie yeares olde and I knowe not any deadly lynne vppon me I haue not knowen any woman but my wife neither haue I committed whordome in the luste of mâ—neeyes I haue not drâ—nke Wine vnto droukeunelie neither haue I coueted any pleasant thyng of my neighbours There hath been no guile in my hart nâ—ither hath there any liyng gon out of my lippes I haue been foriâ— with euery man that was in heauâ—nesse and giuen my bread to the poore I haue not â—aten my ineate alone nor remoued the bouÌ„des and buttels of landes I haue been pitifull all the daies of my life and deaâ—te truely in all cases I haue loued the lorde with all my strength and all men as myne owne children My sonnes if you also doe â— the like all the spirites of Belial will flie from you and nothyng that mischieuous menne can doe against you shall haue power ouer you You shall bryng all wilde beastes in subiection to you because yâ— haue the Lorde of heauen with you if yâ— walke with menne in singlenesse of harte And he willed them to carie his bodie into Hebron and to burie hym there in the Caue with his Fathers Thus he stretched out his feete and died in a good age hauyng all his limmes strong and founde and sâ—epte the sleep of all the worlde ¶ The Testament of ZabuloÌ„ made to his Children at his death concerning compassion and mercie The poore man at home Zabulon fed The straungers vnknowen also clothed When Ship did saile God did not faile But gaue his wit To gouerne it THe charge that Zabulon gaue to his children in the hundreth and fourteenth yere of his life twoo and thirtie yeares after the decease of Ioseph And he saied vnto them heare ye me ye Sonnes of Zabulon a good gifte to my Father and Mother For when I was begotten my Father was greatly encreased in Shepe and cattell by reason of the good lucke that he had through the straked roddes I wiste not my Children I wiste not that I synned in those daies For I considered not that I dealt wickedly through ignorance in Iosephes case and moreouer concealed it with my Brothers from our Father howbeeit that I wepte muche for it in secret for I was afraied of my Brothers because they had all conspired together to kill hym with the Sworde that should beâ—â—aie that secrete Neuerthelesse when they would haue killed hym I besought them moste earnestly with teares that they would not dooe suche wickednesse For Symeon and God came vpoÌ„ Ioseph to haue killed hym and Ioseph fallyng vpon his knees saied vnto them haue pitie vppon me my Brethren haue pitie vppon the bowelles of our Father Iacob Laye not your handes vppon me to shead innocente bloude for I haue not synned againste you If I haue doen amisse nurture me with chastisemente but laye not your handes vpon me for our Father Iacobs sake Upon his saiyng of these wordes I beyng moued with compassioÌ„ came and wepte and my harte melted within me and all the substaunce of my bowels were loosened vppon my soule Also Ioseph wepte and I with hym and my harte trembled and the ioyntes of my bodye quaked and I was not able to stande And when he sawe me weepyng with hym and them commyng towardes hym to kille hym he fledde behinde me and besoughte them to pitie hym Then Ruben stepping in saied My brethren lette vs not kille hym â—nt lette vs caste hym into the drye pitte that our fathers digged and founde no water in it For GOD suffred no water to spryng vp in it because it should bee a sauegarde for Ioseph And so God did til they sold him to the I smaelites Thus gaue I no consente to the synne againste Ioseph but Symeon Gâ—d and the other of my Brothers takyng money for Ioseph bought Shoes with it for them selues their Wiues and their Children â–ª saiyng Lette vs not eate it because it is the price of our Brothers bloud but lette vs treade it vnder our feete because he saied he should raigne ouer vâ— and wee shall see what his dâ—eames will come vnto Therefore in the Sâ—â—pter of Cnoches Lawe it is written of hym that would not raise vp â—eede to his brother I haue loosed Iosephes Shoâ—e For when wee came into Egipte the younge menne vnbuckeled Iosephes Shooes at the gate and so wee worshipped Ioseph as it had been Pharao and not onely worshipped hâ—m but also kneeled downe before hym with blushyng and so were putte to shame before the Egiptians fâ—r afterwarde the Egiptians heard of all the ill that wee had doen vnto Ioseph After the laiyng of him in the pit my Brothers sette meate vppon the Table to eate But I mournyng for Ioseph did 〈◊〉 no meate by the space of two daies and two nightes together neither would Iuâ—â— ente with them but had an eye to the Pitte because he feared leaste Symâ—on and Gad should step there and kille hym When they sawe that I eate nothyng they set me to keepe hym till he was sold. He was in the pitte three daies and three nightes without repast ere he was solde Ruben hearyng that he was solde in his absence rente his garmentes and wepte saiyng how shall I looke my Father Iacob in the face And therewith all takyng money he ran after the Marchauntmen but he could not finde them For they had left the kynges high waie and were gone awai eapace by bye Lanes and Ruben eate no meate that daie Dan therefore commyng vnto hym saied weepe not neither bee sad for the boye for I wote what wee maie saie to our Father Iacob Wee will kill a Kid and staine Iosephes coate with the bloud of it and saie to hym See if this be thy sonnes coate or no. For wheÌ„ they entended to sell Ioseph they stripped hym out of our fathers coate and put vppon hym an old coate of a bondseruaunte
Simeon had gotten his coate and would not deliuer it vs but was mynded to haue cutte it in peeces with his sworde and he was angry that he was yet aliue and that be had not slain hym Then all my brethreÌ„ risyng vp together saied vnto hym why shouldest thou not geue it vs seeyng that thou onely art the worker of this mischief in Israell Hereupon he gaue it them and they did as Dan had counselled And now my children I warne you kepe the Lords Commaundementes be mercifull to your neighbours and haue inward compassion towardes all not onely men but also beastes For in that respect the Lorde blessed me insomuche that when all my brothers were sicke I scaped without sicknes For God knoweth euery mans intent Therefore my children haue compassion in your bowels because that as any man dealeth with his neighbor so will God deale with hym For the children of my brothers fell sicke also and dyed for Iosephes sake beecause their fathers pitied hym not but my children were preserued without sicknes as you know And while I was vpon the Sea coast of Chanaan I fell to fishing for my Father Iacob and whereas many others were drowned in the Sea I abode vnhurt I was the firste that made a fisher boate to float on the sea for God gaue me vnderstandyng and wisedome therein so that I did set vp a Mast in the boate and fastned a sayle to the middes of the wood and castyng along the shore in it I fished for my fathers houshold till we came into Egypt and for pities sake I gaue of my fishyng to euery stranger that I met with If there were any forrner borne or any sicke bodie or anie aged person I boyled my fish and dressed it well accordyng to euery mans neede and caried it to them comfortyng them and hauing compassion with them And therfore God made me to catch muche fishe in the Sea. For he that geueth his neighbour receiueth the thinges multiplied of the Lorde Fiue yeares did I fish geuing to euery man that I saw and seruing all my fathers house sufficieÌ„tly In haruest time I fished and in wintertyâ—â—e I fed sheep with my brothers Now will I tell you what I did I saw a miserable man in the depe of winter and hauyng compassion vppon hym I stale a garment priuily out of my House and gaue it the naked man You therefore my Children take pity indiffereÌ„tly of all men and shew mercy with the thinges whiche the Lorde geueth you and deale them abroad to all men with a good hart Aud if ye haue not wherewith to succour the needie out of hand yet haue compassion on him with inward mercy I know that my hand forâ—lowed not to geue to hym that wanted and to speÌ„d that time with him insomuch that I haue walked aboue seuen furloÌ„gs with such a one weeping and my hart yirned vpon hym for compassion You therfore my children haue earnest and inwarde mercy towardes all that are in misery that God hauyng pitie vppon you may be mercifull to you likewise For in the last dayes God will sende his mercy vppon the earth and wheresoeuer he findeth inward and hartie mercy there will he dwell For looke how muche mercie man sheweth to hys neighbour so much wil God shew to him again Now when wee came downe into Egipt Ioseph minded not our euill dealing with him but when he saw me it made hys hart yirne Whom looke ye vpou my children and learne to forget y harme that is done to you Loue ye one another doe not one of you thinke vppon anothers ill dealyng for that breaketh vnitie and displaceth all kinred and troubleth the mynde For hee that is mindful of harme past hath not the bowells of mercie Marke the water and see how it washeth away the Sande when the stones and timber are remoued asunder And if a brooke be drawâ—e into many streames the earth sucketh it vp and it commeth to nothyng and so shall you if you be deuided among your selues Therfore deuide not your selues into two heades for all thinges that God hath created haue but one head a peece He hath geuen a man two shoulders two handes and two feete but yet do all the members obey one head I know by the writinges of my Fathers that in the last dayes ye shall depart from the Lord and be deuided in Israell folowyng two kynges workyng all abhomination and worshippyng all maner of Idols and your enemies shall take you prisoners and you shall fit among the heathen in all misery tribulation and sorowe of mynd And afterward you shall remember the Lord and repent and he shal turne you againe for he is mercifull and full of compassion and thinketh not vppon the â—ewdnes of the Children of men because they be flesh and the spirites of errour beguile them in all their doyngs After this shall GOD himself ryse vp vnto you the light of righteousnes and holsonnes and mercy are in his punishments He shall redeeme all men from the bondage of Beliall and all the spirites of error shal be troden downe and he shall turne all nations to the folowyng of hym ye shall see God in the shape of man for God hath chosen Ierusalem and God is his name Neuerthelesse by the wickednes of your words you shall prouoke hym to wrathe and ye shall be caste of till the tyme of full finishing And now my children bee not sad for my death neither be ye out of hart because I leaue you For I shall rise vp againe among you as a captaiue in the middes of his childreÌ„ And I shal reioyce in the middest of my tribe among as many as haue kept the lawe of the Lorde aud the commaundementes of their Father Zabulon But as for the wicked God shall bring euerlastyng fire vpoÌ„ them and destroy them for euer I returne to my reste as my Fathers haue don now feare you the Lorde your GOD with al your strength all the dayes of your life As he had spoken these wordes he fell a sleepe to hys singular beneâ—ite and his sonnes said hym in a coffin and cariyng hym backe againe vnto Hebron buryed hym there with his Fathers ¶ The Testament of Dan made to his Children at his death concernyng anger and liyng The Serpent With weapon And Dan declare The intent Of those men That wrathfull are THe Copy of Dan hys words which he spake to them in hys laste dayes In the hundred and fiue and twenteth yeare of his life he called hys Tribe vnto hym and sayd Ye children of Dan heare my saiynges and geue heede to the words of your Fathers mouth I lyked in my hart and shewed in my whole lyfe the thing that is good for truth iâ—yned with right dealyng pleaseth God well I haue hated hurtfull thinges as liyng and anger because they teache a
and Leuy caughte holde of the Sunne and Iudas iumpyng vp caught holde of the Moone and were bothe of them lifted vp with theÌ„ And wheÌ„ as Leuy became as the Sunne a certain yong man deliuered hym twelue Boughes of Palme tree and Iuda shined as the Moone twelue beames or raies were vnder his feete And Leuy and Iuda runnyng together vphelde one an other And beholde there was a Bull vpoÌ„ yearth that had greate hornes and Eagles vinges vppon his backe and we would haue caught hym but wee could not for Ioseph steppyng before vs caught hym and mouÌ„ted alofte vppon hym And beholde there appeared-vnto vs an holie writyng saiyng the Assirians Medes Elamites Gelathites Caldes and Sirians shall holde the Scepter of Israell in thraldome And again a seuen monethes after I sawe our Father Iacob standyng in the sea of I amma and vs his sonnes with hym And beholde there came a ship sailyng by full of dried fleshe without Marriner or Pilote UpoÌ„ the ship was written Iacob and our father saied to vs let vs goe into our ship when wee were within it there rose a sore tempest and a mightie gale of winde and our Father who helde the sterne flewe awaie from vs and wee beyng tossed with the storme were caried into the Sea and our ship was filled with Water and weather beaten torne on all sides Then Ioseph fled out in the boate and we all were deuided vpoÌ„ twelue bordes and Leuy and Iuda were amoÌ„g vs so were we scattered on all costes and Leuy being clad in sackclothe praied to the Lorde for vs all As sone as the tempest was laied the Shippe came quietly to lande and behold our Father Iacob came and wee reioyced all together with one minde I told my Father these twoo dreames he saied to me these thynges muste bee fulfilled in their tyme and Israell muste endure many thynges Then said he further to me I beleue that Ioseph is aliue For I see that the Lorde doeth alwaies number hym with vs. And he saied thou liuest my sonne Ioseph but yet I se thee not neither seest thou Iacob that begat thee truly he made vs to wepe at these woordes of his and my bowelles glowed within me to bewraye to hym that Ioseph was solde but I was afraied of my brothers Beholde my Sonnes I haue shewed you the last times and all the thynges that shall be doen in Israell You therefore commaunde your children to be helpfull vnto Leuy and Iuda For by Iuda shall health and welfare spryng vp vnto Israell and in hym shall Iacob bee blessed For by his Sccpter shall God appeare and dwell among men vpon yearth to saue the stacke of Israel and to gather the righteous from among the Heathen My children if you doe well bothe menne and Angelles shall blesse you and GOD shall bee glorified by you among the Gentiles the Deuell shall slee from you thâ— beastes shall stande in awe of you and the Angelles shall receiue you For like as if a man bryng vp his childe well the childe endeuoureth alwaies to bee mindfull and thankfull So of good workes there is a good remembraunce with GOD. But as for hym that doeth not good hym shall meÌ„ and Angels curse and God shall be dishonored through hym among the Gentiles and the Deuell shall possesse hym as a peculiar vessell and instrument and all beastes shall ouermaster hym and the Lorde shall hate hym For the Commaundementes of the lawe are of twoo sortes and are fulfilled in woorke For there is a tyme for a man to companie with his wife and a tyme to forbeare her that he maye geue hymself to praier There are twoo Commaundementes whiche breede synne excepte they be doen in their due order And so is it in the rest of the commaundementes Therefore bee ye wise and skilfull in the Lorde knowyng the order of his commaundementes and the lawes of all thinges that God maie loue ye Hauyng commaunded them many other suche thinges he praied them to conueigh his bones to Hebron and to burie hym by his fathers And so eatyng and drinkyng with a mery harte he couered his face and died And Neptalims Children did all thynges accordyng as their Father had commaunded them Finis ¶ The Testamente of Gad made to his Children at his death concernyng hatred You that excell in marciall feates Loe Gad but God obeye Least in Gads wrathe you God offende And lose your hoped praie THe copie of Gads Testament and of y thynges that he spake to his Children in the C.vii. yere of his life saiyng I was Iacobs seuenth sonne and skilfull stroÌ„g in kepyng of sheepe I kept the flockes by night and when there came any Lion Libard Wolue Beare or other wilde beaste vpon our cattell I ran to it and killed it Ioseph also did feede shepe with vs about a thirtie daies who being tender fel sicke by reason of ouermuche heate and wente home to Hebron to his Fatherâ— whom he lodged by hym self because he loued hym And Ioseph told our father that y sonnes of Billa wasted his goods at Zelpha and made hauock of them without the knowledge of Iuda and Ruben For he kuewe that I had rescued a laÌ„be out of a Beares mouthe and killed the Beare and that because the Lambe could not liue whiche thyng greeued me we killed it also eate it He told our father of it our brothers were greatly disconteÌ„ted with his doyng euen to the daie that he was solde into Egipte and the spirite of hatred was in me in so muche that I could not finde in my harte to heare Ioseph speake or to se him because he had rebuked vs openly for eating the laâ—â—ibe without Iuda To beshore he made our Father beleue whatsoeuer he tolde hym But nowe I acknowledge my synne my Children that I was often in minde to haue killed hym for I hated him from my hart and I was vtterly without coÌ„passion towardes hym and the cause of this my great hatred towardes hym was his dreames Therefore I would haue deuoured him as an oxe eateth vp grasse froÌ„ the yearth And for that cause I and Iuda sold hym to the I smalites for 30. gildreÌ„s of the whith we kept awaisx priuely and showed the other xâ— to our brethren And so coueteonsnesse perswaded me to wishe his death But the God of our fathers deliuered hym out of my handes to the entent I should not do suche wickednesse in Israell And now my Children geue eare to the wordes of truthe that ye maie liue righteously kepe the law of the highest and not goe astraie through the spirite of hatred for what is euill in at a mannes doynges Whatsoeuer an other man doeth that doth the hater mislike and abhorre If one kepeâ— the lawe of the lorde he praiseth it not if one feare the lorde and deale rightcouslie hym he loueth not but dispraiseth the truthe
by he repenteth him for in as muche as his minde is bent vnto righteousnesse he putteth awaie naughtinesse and out of hande amendeth his missâ—deedes and correcteth the corruptnesse of his mynde But if his mynde encline to euill all his doynges tende to naughtines â–ª in somuche that he thrusteth awaye the good and taketh to hym the bad because he is vnder the dominion of Beliall and if he dooe any good thing he tourneth the same vnto euill For if he beginne to dooe any good he bringeth the ende of his dooynges to an euill worke because the treasure of his harte is infected with the venime of a deuellishe and mischeuous Spirite and therfore the euill ouermastereth the goâ—d in his mynde and bryngeth the ende of the thyng to naughtinesse Some man sheweth compassion vppon hym that serueth his tourne in naughtinesse that manne hath twoo faces and that deede of his is starke lewdenesse An other man loueth vngratiousnesse and he is leude likewise and althoughe he could finde in his harte to dye for the compassyng of his euill yet it is maniâ—este that he is double-faced and his doyng is altogether starke naught For his loue beyng but leudnesse dooeth as it were cloke his euill with a good name whereas the dâ—ist of his doynges tendeth to a wicked ende An other stealeth doeth open wroÌ„g pilleth and polleth is coueteous pitieth not the poore He also hath a double face and all this is starke naughte for in bâ—yng nigardly towardes his neightbor he prouoketh gods wrathe and denieth the highest in not pitiyng the poore He despiseth and spiteth the Lorde whiche is the commaunder of the lawe he suffereth not the poore to rest he defileth his owne soule to make his bodie gaie he killeth many and pitieth few this is the part of a double faced persone Another committeth whoredome and fornication or vexeth many menne piteously with his power and riches and yet absteineth from meates His faste is naught for he doeth the commaundementes with an euil conscience and that is a double faced dealyng whiche is all together naughte Suche maner of folke are like swine and Hares for they seeme to bee halfe cleane but in very deede they be vtterly vnclean You therefore my childreÌ„ become not like them neither beare ye in one hoode twoo faces the one of goodnesse and the other of naughtinesse but sticke alonely vnto goodnes For in goodnes doeth God rest and men like well of it ShuÌ„ naughtines and kill the deuell in your good workes for they y are double faced serue not god but their owne lustes because they seeke to please Belial and suche as are like theÌ„ selues Now although plaindealing men and suche as pretende but one face are taken for offenders at the handes of suche as beare twoo faces yet are they righteous before god For many in killyng wicked persones dooe twoo woorkes at once namely good by euill but in deede the whole worke is good because that he whiche hath rooted out the euill hath destroyed it Some man hatyng his neighbour mercifully blameth hym for his aduoutrie or thefte suche a one is double faced but yet is the whole woorke good because he followeth the Lordes example not respectyng what seemeth good when it is euill in deede An other wil not make merrie with riotters leaste he should bee stained by them and deâ—ile his owne soule This manne also is double faced but yet is al his doyng good and he is like a Roâ— or a Stagge whiche in common wilde herde some to bee vncleane and yet are altogether cleane because he walked in the zeale of the Lorde shunnyng and hatyng those â–ª whom God willeth to bee shunned in his commaundementes and so killeth he euill with weldoyng Se therefore my Sonnes how there are twoo in all thynges one against the other and the one hidden vnder the other Death succedeth to â—fe shame to glorie night to daie and darkenesse to lighte All righteous thynges are vnder light and life therefore doeth eternall life ouermaister death It is not to be â—aied that truthe is vntruth righteousnesse vnrighteousnesse or right wroÌ„g because that as al thinges are vnder God so all truthe is vnder light I haue practized all these thynges in my life and not straied from the truthe of the Lorde but sought out the commaundementes of the highest to the vttermost of my power and walked with one face in goodnesse Take heede therefore my Children to the Lordes Commaundementes and followe the truthe with one face in goodnesse Take heede therefore my Children to the Lordes Commaundementes and followe the truthe with one single face For they that are double faced shall be double punished The spirite of errour hateth the man that sighteth against it Keepe the lawe of the Lorde and regarde not euill that seemeth good but haue an eye to the thyng that is good in deede and keepe the same retournyng to the lorde in all his Commaundementes and restyng vpon hym for the endes where at menne doe ame dooe shewe their righteousnesse And knowe the Angelles of the Lorde from the Angelles of Sathan For if ye cleaue to wicked spirites your soules shall bee tormented of the wicked spirite whom ye serue in wicked lustes and woorkes But if ye quietly and cherefully acquainte your selues with the Aungell of peace he shall comforte you in your life tyme My Children become not like the Sodomites whiche knewe not the Aungell and perished for euer For I am sure that you shall synne and bee deliuered into the handes of youre enemies your â—ande shall bee laied waste and your selues shal be scattered into the fower corners of the yearth and bee despised as vnprofitable Water in youre dispersyng abroade vntill â—he highest dooe visite the yearth eatyng and drinkyng as a manne with menne and breakyng the Serpentes head in peeces without noice He shall saue Israel and all the Heathen by water â—eyng GOD hidden in manne Therefore tell your children these thynges that they neglecte not Gods Lawe written in the Tables of heauen For the tyme will come that thei shall geue no credite to the Lawe of the Lorde And you fallyng to naughtinesse shall deale wickedly against GOD geuing no heede to his Lawe but to mennes commaundementes For this cause shall ye bee scattered abroade as my brothers Gad and Dan whiche were not acquainted with their owne Countrey tribe and tongue Neuerthelesse the lorde shall gather you together again in * faith for the hope of his mercie for Abraham Isaac and Iacobs sake When he had so saied he commaunded them to burie hym in Hebron And he died slepyng a good slepe and afterward his sonnes doyng as he had willed them caried hym backe and buried hym with his fathers ¶ The Testamente of Ioseph made to his brethren children at his death concernyng chastiâ—â—e and pacience Let Ioseph teache thee â–ª Loâ—â—e and Chasâ—itie So shalte thou haue A blessed long life Voyde of all
their childrâ—Ì„ are giltie Commodities of concorde Exod. 17. 〈…〉 The fruit of â—â—â—dience Gene. 49. 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 Leuy his byrth and countrey Genes 14. Loue of a true Pasâ—or The visson of Leuy Christ. Christ. Ministers whaâ— they are â–ª and their oâ—â—ice The liuyng of the ministery from whence The description 1. of the seueÌ„ heauens his vision 〈…〉 A minister what he â—â—ould be of hym selfe not righteous Math. v. Ende of the Priesthode prophesâ—ed Christ his â—assion proâ—hesâ—ed Christ. â—enes 34 â–ª Christ 〈◊〉 The zealâ— a minister Genes 34. Genes 34. Genes 49. * The manner not the doyng rebuked The Sâ—nne of the Sichemites 1 Raped Dina. 2 Persecuted straungers Genes 12. 3 Rauished their wiues Gene xxxâ— The Minâ—â—sterie descrâ—â—â—bed â—xod xxviiâ—â— Leuit .viii. The thâ—â—e blessyng es of the famely of Lâ—â—y Christ Prophesâ—ed A distributyng excludeth a sole receiuyng of the Sacramentes Exod .xxix. Leuit. 〈…〉 â—n exhortation for Ministers A Minister maie bee maâ—â—ed Leuit .xxi. He muste come with a pure mynde to execute his office Leu. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. A comforte for godly parentes Prophesâ—e of the destruction of Israel The 〈◊〉 plagued whose ministerie is wicked 〈◊〉 .xxxvi. Leuy his â—rogenie Exod .vi. Leuy made Priest at .18 yeres Maried at xxviii A note for Paâ—entes Bâ— eâ—â—ynges of the learnâ—â— minister Wâ—sedome a prectous Iewell Synne bindeth wiâ—doÌ„ CoÌ„moditâ—es of wisedome Christe his death spitfulnes of the Iewes Prophesled Math. xxâ—ii Ministers what theâ— are The wicked Priesthoode and their miserie descâ—ibed â—â—amuel â— A prophesle of their destruâ—â—ion A Prophesâ—e of Christes persecution Marke the right portrature of the shâ—uelyng generation Christ and his meÌ„bers Ergo faith and the holy Ghost iustifieth and not merites Christ and his true ministery described Christ lighteneth the world Baptisme of Christ prâ—phesâ—ed 〈◊〉 Priesthoode shall succeed Christ. Priesthoode of Christ how beneficiall Christ is our propitiatour Christ gâ—neth power to his to to tread downe spirites Iuda his exhortâ—â—â—â— Gâ—nes â—9 The 〈◊〉 of children 〈◊〉 of Iuda by the gift of God. Genes 〈◊〉 The mâ—nhood Iuda The valiantnesse of Iacob Her and Anan slaine for not vsing the benefite of lawfull mariage Fornication 〈◊〉 of â—runkennes Genes 〈◊〉 In intollerable custome of the Ammorues Apparell beutie â—nd wiâ—e prouâ—keth whoredom Fornication to chargeable Happy are they that can cease from doyng ill It is sinfull for any man to glory in his 〈◊〉 See what it is to vpbraid men their 〈◊〉 ChildreÌ„ that marry without consent of parentes plagued Discommodities of wine 1 Blindeth vnderstanding 2 Seruaunt of â—echery Fruite of dronkennes A dronken maÌ„ is shameles Example Who ought to drinke Wine Properties of a dronken man is filthy talke andâ— wicked deed Discommodities of whordom Fower noysome spirits folow dronkennes 1 Concupiscence 2 Hartburnyng 3 Lechery 4 Couetousnes Abstinence from wine what commoditie it hath 1 It slaundereth not 2 It quarelleth not nor rayleth 3 It breaketh not the Commauâ—dâ—ments 4 It perisheth not before y tyme. Obedience to parentes how profitable The discommodities of couetousnes 1 Full of pride 2 Merciles 3 Disquieteth the soule 4 CoÌ„sumeth the body 5 Contemne Gods holy word The couetous and lecherous can not feare God. Idolatrie the fruite of couetousnes Two spirites waite vpon a man. * In respect that heauenly things are better then â—arthly not in externall rule and gouernment 〈…〉 the Pope can chalenge no earthly power * Not in power rule but in the excellencie of the office appertainyng to God. * Not in power rule but in the excellencie of the office appertainyng to God. Tyâ—anteâ— and wicked men described and prophesied Mutual discorde is a plague for Tyrauntes Christ prophested Note thys ye that seeke after witches for lost goodes The miserie of Ierusalem 1 Famine 2 Pestilence 3 Death and Sword. 4 Bescegement 5 Deuouryng Dogges 6 Dayly reproche 7 Losse and paine of eyes 8 Slaughter of children 9 Rauishing of wiues 10 Burning of the temple 11 Desolation of the countrey 12 Captiuitie A remedy for all these 1 Repentaunce 2 ObedieÌ„ce The moste heauenly benefite of Christ his seconde commyng A sweete coÌ„forte for the godly 〈…〉 The blessed estate of the 〈◊〉 after death Iuda would no sumptuous buriaâ—â— The exhortation Gene .xxx. The godlie life of Isachar and his 〈◊〉 deaâ—yng An example for godlie children A â—ntterne of a vertuous life with a plaine dealyng man the Lorde is pleased I â—â—ngle harted man deâ—â—â—â—bed who and what he is Learne you children of the yearth Obedience and plaine deaâ—ing commended A plague for disobedieÌ„ce The innocencie of Isachar dly patâ—â—o folâ— Harlien you Landâ—oâ— des learne you wealthie of the yearth His exhoriation when it was geuen Gene .xxx. The loue of Zabulon toward Ioseph A good conscience refuseth no trial Loue betweene brethren is as a precious oyntment Mutuall â—oue is mutuall safetie A â—â—gure of the trecheriâ— and couâ—teousâ—esse of Iuda read Math .xxvii. Iuda carefull so his brother Ruben his loue toward Ioseph Marke the wicked policie of the vngodlie Zabulon his exhortation Compassion is to be shewed as well to beastes as to men The vnmercifull punished both they their children Fishers boates firste inuented by ZabuloÌ„ but God gaue the wisedom Genes 49. The singuâ—ar compassion of Zabulon Note Zabulon his â—ercie in geuyng foode A mercifull deed to cloth the â—â—â—ked Inward coÌ„passion wantyng habilltie serueth A rare example of a mercifull hart God dwelleth in merciful hartes Ioseph rewardeth good for euill He that is mindfull of inâ—uries is not mercifull Apt similitudes In exhortation to concorde The end of discord is misery The hope of the resurrection a present comfort at the death of our frendes The state of the wicked at the latter day Hart ouâ—ward profession must be consociat Lies and anger scholemasters of euill life Selfe loue thinketh him self as good as other Desâ—er of prerogatiue entiseth to murther Man purpâ—â—eth but God disposeth A wrathfull man Iiuely described 1 He accomâ—eth his Paâ—entes as enemies 2 He knoweth not hys brother 3 He obeieth not the Minister 4 He regardeth not the righteous 5 He coÌ„ssder 〈◊〉 not his â—â—inde The properâ—ies of wrath â— wrathfull maÌ„ worketh three waies 1 By Seruauntes 2 By riches 3 By hym selfe 2 Instrumentes of wrath 1 Bitter speach 2 Uiolent handes Mâ—â—â—dy against wrath is forbearing of wordes The effect of impatience He ethâ— â—â—dne â–ª A note for couetousnes Repentance obtaineth mercy A propeste of Christ his humanitie Mâ—â—â—edy against wrath is forbearing of wordes Christe is our mediatour Christ assisteth his in all temptations His birth Why he was called Neptalim Why Ioseph was like Neptalim His familie The swiftnes of Neptalim Genes 49. GOD his wisedome in c. eatyng vs lâ—ueâ—y let foâ—th All thynges must be doen in tyme and order The reason They that breake the order of the Lorde shall be plagued Preachers Neptalim prophesteth the miserie of his children He Prophesâ—eeh also their repentaunce A Prophesâ—e of the commyng of Christe A vision Reinorse of conscience moueth open coÌ„fession but shaâ—â—â—e or fear hindereth By dooyng well God to glorified 2 And menne blessed 3 The deuill vanquished 1 By dooyng euill â–ª God is dishonoured 2 Men cursed 3 The deuill possesseth Gad a good and baâ—cant shephearde Gene .xxxvii. Gad hated Ioseph 1 For his coÌ„plainyng to his Father 2 For his goodly dreames The hatefull described He misliketh an other maÌ„s doynges 2 He pratseth noâ— theÌ„ that feare y lorde 3 He seeketh to destroy his neighbour 4 He blaseth abroad other mennesfaultes 5 Hastie to haue the partie condeÌ„ned 6 Maketh a little matter greate 7 Enuieth the prosperous doyng of his neighbour A coÌ„parison The properties of hatered A remedie against hatred A righteous maÌ„ described He forsaketh synne for coÌ„science not for feare 2 He backbiteth no man. 3 He thinketh no manne hâ—â—me The fruites of true repeÌ„taunce O how deare are y praiers of the parentes for their children God his rigorous iustice due to the merciles Loue consisteth in deede in worde and in mynde Enuie no mannes prosperitie 1 It maie be perchance to your profite 2 Remember that all fleshe is grâ—ssâ— 3 Least you seem to control the lorde A poore maÌ„ howe he is riche A Prophesâ—e of Christe Two 〈…〉 Twoo mâ—â—ndes in man â–ª of good and of euill Diners fortes of double faces The coueteâ—us mannes wickednesse described God abideth with y plain-dealer The preposterous iudgement of the worâ—e make not good or bodde Other kindes of double faced meÌ„ Aser his righteous liuyng Double faced double punished 〈…〉 Note this of faithe and mercie Iosephes affictions Locke paâ—â— God 〈◊〉 his in distresse God neuer forsaketh his 〈◊〉 conâ—â—ount in ten temptations Sufferance what it is A presente medicene in temptation Not from mâ—â—te but from waâ—ton fâ—re A craftie practise of a wom Flatterie the Deuelles sweete baite A token of a â—ious harte â—ipocrites â—re of all 〈◊〉 for â—ucre 〈…〉 Note the fruit of luste Ioseph did first monishe â—nd not pro The name of God feare of 〈◊〉 pricketh the conscience Note this A remedie against temptation Note a subtile woman Iosephs singular chastitie God respecteth the vertuous not the wealthy A propertie of a harloâ— The commoditie of prayer and sufferaunce 〈…〉 A token of mercy if it were not for an ill end Note a flatteryng woman A good nature 〈…〉 Loue betwene brethren pleaseth God. Iosephes mercifull hart declared A promise for them that praye for their enemies 〈…〉 〈…〉 Christ 〈◊〉 Beâ—iamin what it signifieth Ioseph◠〈…〉 〈◊〉 shall not ouercome them that feare the Lordâ— Ioseph a right figure of Iesus Christ. A good man 1 Ouercomâ—â—th euill 2 Loueth the righteous 3 Enuieth not 4 Praiseth the valiant 5 Defendeth hym that â—eareth God. 6 Admonisheth the sinner 7 Pittieth the poore The example of a 〈…〉 The properties of a righteous man. DisobedieÌ„ce the father of seuen mischiefes Enuy. Desperation Sorrow Bondage â—â—â—edines â—rouble â—esolatioÌ„ 〈◊〉 example of Caâ—â— An apt â—â—â—â—litude to a mind resisting sinne 〈…〉 Christ â–ª 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 A prophsy of toâ— last comming of Christ. The resurrection aâ—d iudgement described 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cum Gratia Priuilegio Regne Maiestateâ—