the cloudes of glorie and as a flower of roses in the daies of the spring and as the lilies that are in the passage of water and as frankensence smelling in summer daies †As fire glistering and frankensence burning in the fire †As a massie vessel of gold adorned with euerie precious stone †As an oliue tree budding and a cypresse tree aduancing it self on high when he tooke the robe of glorie and was reuested to the consummation of strength †In going vp to the holie altar he made the vesture of holines glorie †And in receiuing the portions out of the hand of the priestes himself also standing by the altar About him was the ring of his bretheren and as the ceder plant in mount Libanus †so stoode they about him as boughes of the palme tree al the children of Aaron in their glorie †And the oblation of our Lord in their handes before al the synagogue of Israel and executing the consummation on the altar to amplifie the oblation of the high king †he stretched forth his hand in oblation of moist sacrifice and offered of the blood of the grape †He powred out on the fundation of the altar a diuine odour to the high prince †Then cried out the children of Aaron they sounded with beaten trumpets and made a great voice to be heard for a remembrance before God †Then al the people together made hast and fel on their face vpon the earth to adore our Lord their God and to make prayers to God omnipotent the Highest †And the singers amplified in their voices and in the great house the sound was encreased ful of sweetenes †And the people in prayer desired our Lord the Highest vntil the honour of our Lord was perfected and they finished their office †Then coming downe he lifted vp his handes ouer al the congregation of the children of Israel to geue glorie to God from his lippes and to glorie in his name †and he repeated his prayer willing to shew the power of God †And now pray ye the God of al who hath done great thinges in al the land who hath encreased our daies from our mothers wombe and hath done with vs according to his mercie †geue he vnto vs ioyfulnes of euerlasting †that Israel may beleue that the mercie of God is with vs to deliuer vs in his dayes †Two nations my soule hateth and the third is no nation which I hate †they that sitte in mount Seit and the Philisthijms and the foolish people that dwel in Sichem †Iesus the sonne of Sirach a man of Ierusalem wrote the doctrine of wisdom and discipline in this booke who renewed wisdom from his hart †Blessed is he that conuerseth in these good thinges and he that layeth them in his hart shal be wise always †For if he doe them he shal be able to doe al thinges because his steppes are in the light of God CHAP. LI. The auctor rendereth praises and thankes to God 18. and inuiteth others to do the same by his owne example 31. and by earnest exhortation THE prayer of Iesus the sonne of Sirach I wil confesse to thee ô Lord king and wil praise thee God my sauiour †I wil confesse to thy name because thou art become my helper and protectour †and hast deliuered my bodie from perdition from the snare of an vniust tongue and from the lippes of them that worke lying and in the sight of them that stoode vp thou art become my helper †And thou hast deliuered me according to the multitude of the mercie of thy name from them that did roare prepared to deuoure †out of the handes of them that seeke my soule and from the gates of tribulations which haue compassed me †from the oppression of the flame which hath compassed me and in the middes of fire I was not burnt †From the depth of the bellie of hel and from a defiled tongue and from the word of lying from a wicked king and from an vniust tongue †my soule shal praise our Lord euen to death †and my life was approching to hel beneth †They haue compassed me on euerie side there was none that would helpe I looked toward the helpe of men there was none †I remembred thy mercie ô Lord and thy operation which are from the beginning of the world †Because thou deliuerest them that patiently expect thee ô Lord and sauest them out of the handes of the nations †Thou hast exalted my habitation vpon the earth and I haue prayed for death to passe away †I haue inuocated our Lord the father of my Lord that he leaue me not in the day of my tribulation and in the time of the proude without helpe †I wil praise thy name continually and wil collaude it in confession and my prayer was heard †And thou hast deliuered me from perdition and hast rescued me from the wicked time †Therfore wil I confesse say praise to thee and blesse the name of our Lord. †When I was yet young before I erred I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer †Before the temple I prayed for it and vnto the later end I wil seâ—ke after it and it shal flourish as the grape timely ripe †my hart hath reioyced in it my foote hath walked the right way from my youth I searched after it †I bowed mine eare a litle and receiued it †I found much wisdom in myself I haue much profited therein †To him that geueth me wisdom wil I geue glorie †For I haue consulted to doe it I haue had a zele to good and shal not be confounded †My soule hath wrestled in it and in doing it I was confirmed †I stretched forth my handes on high I lamented foolishnes †I directed my soule to wisdom and in knowlege I found it †I possessed with it an hart from the beginning for this cause I shal not be forsaken †My bellie was trubled in seeking it therefore shal I possesse a good possession †Our Lord hath geuen me a tongue for my reward and with the same I wil praise him †Approch vnto me ye vnlerned and gather yourselues together into the house of discipline †Why slacke ye yet and what say you herein your soules are exceeding thirstie †I haue opened my mouth and haue spoken Bye it for you without siluer †and submit your necke to the yoke and let your soule receiue discipline for it is very neere to finde it †See with your eyes that I haue laboured a litle and haue found much rest to myself †Take ye discipline in a great summe of siluer and possesse abundance of gold in it †Let your soule reioyce in his mercie and you shal not be confounded in praise †Worke your worke before the time and he wil geue you your reward in
of you by violence shal make the slaine to be meate for idols †And they that shal consent vnto them shal be to them in derision and in reproch and in conculcation †For there shal be place against places and against the next cities great insurrection vpon them that feare our Lord. †They shal be as it were madde sparing no bodie to spoyle and waste yet them that feare our Lord. †because they shal waste and spoyle the goodes and shal cast them out of their houses †Then shal appeare the probation of mine elect as gold that is proued by the fire †Heare my beloued sayth our Lord Behold the dayes of tribulation are come and out of them I wil deliuer you †Doe not feare nor stagger because God is your guide †And he that kepeth my commandmentes and precepts sayth our Lord God Let not your sinnes ouerway you nor your inquities be aduanced ouer you †Woe to them that are entangled with their sinnes and are couered with their iniquities as a filde is entangled with the wood the path therof couered with thornes by which no man passeth it is closed out cast to be deuoured of the fire FINIS A table of the Epistles taken forth of the old Testament vpon certayne festiual dayes The other feastes and al the sundayes haue their Epistles in the new Testament As is there noted In the feast of our Blessed Ladies Conception Prou. 8 v. 22 to the v. 36 S. Iohn Euangelist Eccli 15. v. 1. to v. 7. The Epiphanie Isaioe 60. v. 1. to v. 7. Candlemasse day Malach 3. v. 1. to v. 5. S. Thomas Aquinas Sap. 7. v. 7. to v. 15. The Annunciation of our B. Ladie Isaioe 7. v. 11. to v. 16. S. Marke Ezechiel 1. v. 5. to v. 14. S. Philippe and S. Iames. Sap. 5. v. 1. to v. 6. S Iohn ante portam Latinam the same The Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist Isa 49. v. 1. to v. 6. v. 23. Visitation of our B. Ladie Cant. 2. v. 8. to v. 15. The octaue of S. Peter and S. Paul Eccli 44. v. 10. to v. 16. S. Marie Magdalen Cant. 3. v. 2. to 6. ca. 8. v. 6. to 8. S. Anne Prouerb 31. v. 10. to the end of the chap. The Assumption of our B. Ladie Eccli 24. v. 11. to 21. Decollation of S. Iohn Baptist Iere. 1. v. 17. to the end The Natiuitie of our B. Ladie Prouerb 8. v. 22. to 36. S. Mathew Ezech. 1. v. 10. to 15. S. Martin Eccli 44. v. 25. ca. 45. v. 1. to v. 9. S. Cecilie Eccli 51. v. 13. to 18. S. Catherin Eccli 51. v. 1. to 13. In the Anniuersarie of the dead 2. Mach. 12. v. 42. to the end of the chapter Deo Gratias AN HISTORICAL TABLE OF THE TIMES SPECIAL PERSONS MOST NOT ABLE THINGES AND CANONICAL BOOKES OF THE OLD TESTAMENT Anni mundi Pattiarches Especial pointes of the sacred historie of Gods Church euer visible Schismes and infidelitie Canonical Scriptures a The first yeare first weeke Adam the first man of whom al mankind is propagated a Creation of heauen and earth and al thinges therin in six dayes Gen. 1. Man last created was made lord of al corporal creatures of this lower world placed in paradise Gen. 2. For transgressing Gods cōmandment Adam and Eue were cast out of paradise But by Gods grace repenting had promise of a Redemer Gen. 3.  Genesis conteyneth the historie of the visible Church from the beginning of the world to the death of Ioseph in the yeare of the world 2340. b 130. Seth borne Cain the first borne became a husbandman Abel next borne a shepheard Gen. 4. God respecting Abels sacrifice and not Cains Cain killed Abel Gen. 4.   c. 235. Enos borne Seths children and other faythful were called the sonnes of God to distinguish the true Church from the wicked citie begune by Cain Gen. 6. Cain wentforth from the face of our Lord begane a new city opposite to the Citie of God  d. 325. Cainan In the dayes of Enos begane publique prayers of manie assembling together besides Sacrifice which was before Gen. 4. v. 26. Gen. 4. v. 16. His generations in the right line to Lamech who slew him are these without notice of time when they were borne or dyed Enoch Irad Mauiael Mathusael Lamech Gen. 4. v. 17.  e 395. Malaleel    f 460. Iared    g 622. Enoch Mathusala Lamech Enoch a Prophet pleased God in al his wayes None borne in the earth like to Enoch Eccli 49. v. 16. Some declining from God and marchīg in mariage with Cains race begate those monstruous men huge of stature most wicked cruel called giantes  h 687. Noe bor k Adam dyed at the age of 930. yeares Gen. 5. v. 5. To whom Seth succeded chief Patriarch And so in the rest Gen. 6. v. 4.  i 874. Sem bor And the next two yeares Cham Iaphet l Enoch in the yeare of his age 365. was sene no more because God tooke him Gen. 5. v. 24. Enoch was translated that he should not see death Heb. 11. v. 5.   k 930.  m Seth dyed in the yeare of his age 912.   l 987.  o Enos dyed anno aetatis 905.   m 1042.  p Cainan dyed an aet 980.   n 1056.  q Malaleel dyed an aet 895.   o 1140.  r Iared dyed an aet 962.   p 1265.  s Noe the preacher of iustice forewarned al men that except they repented God would destroy them with a floud And by Gods commandement built an Arke or shippe wherin himself his familie with other liuing creatures were preserued from drowning   q 1290.  v Lamech dyed before his father in the yeare of his age 777.   r 1422.  w Mathusala dyed an aet 969. immediatly before the floud as semeth most probable   s 1536.     t 1556.     v 1651.     w 1656     x 1656.  x The same yeare of the world 1656. the 17. day of the second moneth Noe with his three sonnes his wife and their wiues in al eight persons and seuen payres of euerie kinde of cleane liuing creatures and two payres of vncleane entered into the Arke And presently it rayned fourtie dayes and nightes together Wherby al liuing creatures on the earth out of the arke were drowned Gen. 7. Al Cains race with other wicked infideles were vtterly destroyed by the flould Gen. 7.  THE END OF THE FIRST AGE AND BEGINNING OF THE SECOND y 1658. Arphaxad borne the sonne of Sem. The whole earth being couered with water Noe with his familie and other liuing creatures remained in the arke twelue monethes and ten dayes a iust yeare of the sunne then coming forth built an altar and offered
powre amongst the dead h Myn enimies haue endeuored not only to beleue me of temporal life wherby I should goe into limbus but also to kil my soule spiritually wherby I should descend into the lower hel of the damned i Thy iust wrath also ô God hath excedingly afflicted me k O God deliuer me whiles I am yet liuing for I may not looke for extraordinarie and miraculous helpe as to be raised againe after death l When I shal be dead buried I can not denounce thy praises as now I can to mortal men m Much lesse shal the damned praise thee in eternal perdition n As wel young o as waxing elder I haue bene stil afflicted p My miserable estate hath alienated al freindes neighboures acquantances from me The Church of Christ neuer faileth the 6. key a Otherwise called Idithun 1. Paral. 25. or rather Ethan who was very wise mentioned with others to whom Salomon is preferred for wisdom 3. Reg. 4. v. 31 and signifieth strong applied here to those that are strong in assured hope of Christs promises notwithstanding it semeth sometimes to the weake that his promises are not performed b In al generations c The heauens shal rather fal then Gods truth faâ—le Mystically in the Apostles and by their preaching the Church of Christ is built for euer d Dauids seede conserued til Christ was borne of his virgin mother and in his spiritual seede his kingdom the Church is for euer conserued Otherwise not verified of Dauids temporal kingdom which decayed in the captiuitie of Babylon and is now wholly destroyed e The Angels f The prophet aludeth to the plagues and miracles in Aegypt and in other enimies g Conuersion of Gentiles h VVhether God punish as with the left hand i or bestow benefites as with the right hand al is to his glorie and according to mercie and truth k They are spiritually happie that do thus consider of Gods meruelous procedings praise the same and reioyce therin l powre and kingdom :: Thus God promised to establish the kingdom of the Iewes in Dauid and his familie 1 Reg. 16. 2. Reg. 5. and other places which was performed aâ— in a figure but more fully in Christ Act. 13. v. 22. * I vvil not lie m Christian iust soules as the sunne n and as the perfect or full moone See the first Tome page 716. S. Augustin also expoundeth this verse in the Anagogical sense of the iust after the Resurrection in glorie where the soule shal be like the sunne and the bodie which now is mutable shal be like the moone not as now alwayes changing but as the ful moone alwayes perfect :: God hauing promised al the aforsaide the prophet in the person of the weake lamenteth that the contrarie shal happen as wel in the temporal kingdom oppressed by the Assirians Babylonians Persians Grecians and Romanes as in the Church impugned by innumerable sortes of Heretikes and other Infidels o Amongst manie pensiue thinges this one word doth comforte vs thy promise remaineth thou hast not denied to send Christ but differred him p From the use of Sacrifice and Sacraments wherby sinners were wount to be cleansed :: The Psalmist prayeth and prophecieth that God wil respect the weaknes of man maintaine his Church in mante natioÌ„s saue manie soules q As though Christivere changed and turned from vs. r So we wish and pray that al may blesse and praise thee Amen Though Christians do sinne yet Christ loseth not his Church Hard places explicated by the cleare Gods Promises to Dauid were not fulfilled in Salomon but in Christ Defectes in the lewes supplied in the Gentiles Man rightly created fel by sinne into miseries the 2. key a Some Expositors thincke Moyses was the author of this Psalme and of the tenne next folowing But others hold that Dauid vvas author of al and that Moyses his name is here put in the title by Esdras because this Psalme is like to the prayer of Moyses vvhen the people prouoked Gods vvrath by their sinnes in the desert And because mans creation fal punishmeÌ„t and Gods mercie to vvards him are here described which Moyles first vvritte as going before the vvritten lavv And that Moyses made not this Pialme is probably gethered by the 10. verse where the ordinarie age of men is described to be in streingth and vigore senentie yeares or of some fourscore and the greater part of the one or the other is in labour and sorovv And it is euident Deut. 34. that Moyses liued in al an hundred and tvventie yeares and his eye was not dimme neither vvere his reeth moued So Aaron Iosue and others commonly liued longer then is here mentioned But Dauid vvas old and impotent at seuentie yeares 3. Reg. 1. S. Hâ—larion liuing neere seuentie yeares in his heremitage S Remigius gouerning the Church of Rhemes seuentie yeares and the like are accounted to haue bene ful of dayes and such as liued longer are reputed extraord narie Agane it is more euidenly proued that Moyses vvas not author of the 94. and 95. Psalmes b Alwayes from the beginning of the world to the end c The Prophet sheweth that the world was created in and with time not eternal d And that only God is eternal e God hath often saide that he vvould not the death of sinners but rather that they be connerted and liue for euer f Though some liued long none for al that did reach to a thousand yeares yet it is nothing before God and in respect of eternitie g The youth of man quickly passeth h old age can not last long vvherof cometh our English prouerb A young man may dye sovvne an old man can not liue long i Sinne the cause of shortnes of mans life * Seculum k Mans life as brickle as a spiders vveb or mans life vvasteth continually as a spider vvasteth her self by spinning and consuming her ovvne substance l These numbers literarly shew the shortnes of the longer sorte of mens liues Mystically seuen signifie the rest after laboures of this vvorld and perteyn to the old testament eight signifie the revvard in the resurrection perteyning to the nevv testament VVhich multiplied by tenne a perfect number make seuentie and eightie VVhich ioyned together make an hundred and fiftie The number of al these Psalmes m These numbers literarly shew the shortnes of the longer sorte of mens liues Mystically seuen signifie the rest after laboures of this vvorld and perteyn to the old testament eight signifie the revvard in the resurrection perteyning to the nevv testament VVhich multiplied by tenne a perfect number make seuentie and eightie VVhich ioyned together make an hundred and fiftie The number of al these Psalmes n It is of Gods milde prouidence that mans life is short for that manie if they vvere sure or had probabilitie to liue long vvould presume to sinne more o Seing God of his iustice punished al mankind for one sinne of our first
†Let the enemie persecute my soule and take it and treade downe my life in the earth and bring downe my glorie into the dust †Arise Lord in thy wrath and be exalted in the coastes of myne enemies And arise ô Lord my God in the precept which thou hast cōmanded †and a sinagogue of peoples shal compasse thee And for it returne on high †our Lord iudgeth peoples Iudge me ô Lord according to my iustice and according to my innocencie vpon me †The wickednesse of sinners shal be consumed and thou shalt direct the iust which searchest the hart and raynes ô God †My iust helpe is from our Lord who saueth those that be right of hart God is a iust iudge strong patient is he angrie euerie day †Vnlesse you wil be conuerted he shal shake his sword he hath bent his bow and prepared it †And in it he hath prepared the vessels of death he hath made his arrowes for them that burne †Behold he hath bredde with iniustice he hath conceiued sorow and brought forth iniquitie †He hath opened a pit and digged it vp and he is fallen into the diche which he made †His sorrow shal be turned vpon his head and his iniquitie shal descend vpon his crowne †I wil confesse to our Lord according to his iustice and wil sing to the name of our Lord most high PSALME VIII God is magnified praised for his meruelous worke of creatures 5. but especially of mankind singularly exalted by the Incarnation of Christ. †Vnto the end for “ presses the Psalme of Dauid O LORD our Lord how meruelous is thy name in the whole earth Because thy magnificence is eleuated aboue the heauens †Out of the mouth of infantes and sucklinges thou hast perfected praise because of thine enemies that thou mayest destroy the enemie and reuenger †Because I shal see thy heauens the workes of thy fingers the moone and the starres which thou hast founded †What is man that thou art mindful of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him †Thou hast minished him a litle lesse then Angels with glorie and honour thou hast crowned him †and hast appointed him ouer the worke of thy handes †Thou hast subiected al thinges vnder his feete al sheepe and oxen moreouer also the beastes of the field †The birdes of the ayre and fishes of the sea that walke the pathes of the sea †O Lord our Lord how meruelous is thy name in the whole earth ANNOTATIONS PASLME VIII 1. Presses Most Hebrew Doctors say the word Gittith may either signifie the place where this Psalme was made or the musical instrument on which it was song But most Christian Doctors expound it literally of Christs Passion who was stretched on the Crosse and al his sacred bloud pressed and drawne out of his bodie VVhich Metaphor Isaias also vseth demanding of Christ VVhy is thy clothing redde and thy garments as theirs that tread in the vine presse and answereth in Christs person I haue troden the presse alone S. Augustin also applieth it morally to the Church where Christ is the vine the Apostles are the branches spreaders that is preachers of the Ghospel Christians are the grapes Christian vertues are the wine Namely patience and fortitude in afflictions VVherby the good are purified and seuered from amiddes the reprobate as wine is pressed out of the grapes barreled and laid vp in sellers and * the huskes and carnels cast to hogges or other beastes PSALME IX The Church prayseth God for her protection 4. in repelling the enemies force 8. in punishing the wicked and rewarding the iust †Vnto the end for the secrets of the sonne the Psalme of Dauid I WIL confesse to thee ō Lord with al my hart I wil tel al thy meruelous thinges I wil be glad and reioyce in thee I wil sing to thy name ō most High †In turning mine enemie backward they shal be weakened and perish before thy face Because thou hast done my iudgement and my cause thou hast sitte vpon the throne which iudgest iustice Thou hast rebuked the Gentiles and the impious hath perished their name thou hast destroyed for euer and for euer and euer †The swordes of the enemie haue fayled vnto the end and their cities thou hast destroyed †Their memorie hath perished with a sound and our Lord abideth for euer He hath prepared his throne in iudgement †he wil iudge the whole world in equitie he wil iudge the people in iustice †And our Lord is made a refuge for the poore an helper in opportunities in tribulation †And let them hope in thee that know thy name because thou hast not forsaken them that seeke thee ô Lord. †Sing to our Lord which dwelleth in Sion declare his studies among the Gentiles †Because he requiring bloud remembred them he hath not forgotten the crie of the poore †Haue mercie on me ô Lord See my humiliation by my enemies †Which exaltest me from the gates of death that I may declare al thy prayses in the gates of the daughter of Sion †I wil reioyce in thy saluation the Gentiles are fastened in the destruction which they made In this snare which they hid is their foote taken †Our Lord shal be knowen doing iudgements the sinner is taken in the workes of his owne handes †Let sinners be turned into hel al nations that forget God †Because to the end there shal not be obliuion of the poore man the patience of the poore shal not perish in the end †Arise Lord let not man be strengthned let the Gentiles be iudged in thy sight †Appoint Lord a lawgeuer ouer them that the Gentiles may know that they be men The 10. Psalme according to the Hebrevves †Why Lord hast thou departed far of despisest in opportunities in tribulation †Whiles the impious is proude the poore is set on fyre they are caught in the counsels which they deuise †Because the sinner is praysed in the desires of his soule and the vniust man is blessed †The sinner hath exasperated our Lord according to the multitude of his wrath he shal not seeke †There is no God in his sight his waies are defiled at al time Thy iudgementes are taken away from his face he shal rule ouer al his enemies †For he hath sayd in his hart I wil not be moued from genetion vnto generation without euil Whose mouth is ful of cursing and bitternesse and guile vnder his tongue labour and sorrow †He sitteth in waite with the rich in secrete places to kil the innocent †His
the world haue obtained riches †And I saide Then haue I iustified my hart without cause and haue washed my handes amongst innocentes †And haue bene scourged al the day and my chastising in the morninges †If I saide I wil speake this behold I reproued the nation of thy children †I thought to know this thing it is labour before me †Vntil I may enter into the sanctuarie of God and may vnderstand concerning their latter endes †But yet for guiles thou hast put it to them thou hast cast them downe whiles they were eleuated †How are they brought into desolation they haue failed sodanely they haue perished for their iniquitie †As the dreame of them that rise ô Lord in thy citie thou shalt bring their image to nothing †Because my hart is inflamed and my reynes are changed And I am brought to nothing and knew not †As a beast am I become with thee and I alwaies with thee †Thou hast helde my right hand and in thy wil thou hast conducted me and with glorie thou hast receiued me †For what is to me in heauen and besides thee what would I vpon the earth †My flesh hath fainted and my hart God of my hart and God my portion for euer For behold they that make them selues faire from thee shal perish thou hast destroyed al that fornicate from thee †But it is good for me to cleaue to God to put my hope in our Lord God That I may shew forth al thy prayses in the gates of the daughter of Sion PSALME LXXIII Faithful people pressed with persecution lamentably complayning besecheth God to respect his owne inheritance cruelly afflicted â—â— and leift long without helpe 12. wheras heretofore he releeued his people in like distresses 18. And therfore confidently hopeth he wil renenge the blasphemers of his name Vnderstanding to Asaph VVHY hast thou ô God repelled for euer is thy furie wrath vpon the sheepe of thy pasture Be mindful of thy congregation which thou hast possessed from the beginning Thou hast redemed the rod of thine inheritanâ—â—e mount Sion in which thou hast dwelt †Lift vp thy handes vpon their prides for euer how great thinges hath the enimie done malignantly in the holy place †And they that hate thee haue gloried in the middes of thy solemnitie They haue sette their signes for signes †and haue not knowne as in the issue on high As in a wood of trees they haue with axes †cut out the gates therof together in hatchet and chippeaxe they haue cast it downe †They haue burnt thy sanctuarie with fire they haue polluted the tabernacle of thy name in the earth †Their kinred together haue saide in their hart Let vs make al the festiual daies of God to cease from the earth †Our signes we haue not seene there is now no prophet and he wil know vs no more †How long ô God shal the enimie vpbraide the aduersarie prouoke thy name for euer †Why doest thou turne away thy hand and thy right hand out of the middes of thy bosome for euer †But God our king before the worldes he hath wrought saluation in the middes of the earth †Thou in thy strength hast confirmed the sea thou hast crushed the head of Dragons in the waters †Thou hast broken the heads of the dragon thou hast giuen him for meate to the peoples of the Aethiopians †Thou hast broken vp fountanes and torrentes thou hast dried the riuers of Ethan †The day is thine and the night is thine thou hast made the morning and the sunne †Thou hast made al the coasts of the earth the summer and the spring thou hast formed them †Be mindeful of this the enimie hath vpbraided our Lord and a foolish people hath prouoked thy name †Deliuer not to beasts the soules that confesse to thee and the soules of thy poore forget not for euer †Haue respect vnto thy testament because they that are obscure of the earth are filled with houses of iniquities †Let not the humble be turned away being confounded the poore and needy shal praise thy name †Arise God iudge thy cause be mindful of those thy reproches that are from the foolish man al the day †Forget not the voices of thine enimies the pride of them that hate thee hath ascended alwaies PSALME LXXIIII Christ with his Assessors wil iudge the whole world at the last day in the meane time exhorteth sinners to amend their life 7. for none shal escape iust iudgement 1â— The wicked shal be punished and the good rewarded Vnto the end Corrupt not a Psalme of Canticle to Asaph VVE wil confesse to thee ô God we wil confesse and wil inuocate thy name We wil tel thy meruelouse workes †when I shal take a time I wil iudge iustices †The earth is melted and al that dwel in it I haue confirmed the pillers thereof †I said to the wicked doe not wickedly and to them that offend Exalt not the horne †Exalt not your horne on high speake not iniquitie aganst God †For neither from the East nor from the West nor from the desert mountanes †because God is Iudge This man he humbleth and him he exalteth †because there is a cuppe in the hand of our Lord of mere wine ful of mixture And he hath powred it out of this into that but yet the dregges therof are not emptied al the sinners of the earth shal drinke †But I wil shewforth for euer I wil sing to the God of Iacob †And I wil breake al the hornes of sinners and the hornes of the iust shal be exalted PSALME LXXV The royal prophet singeth Gods praises for his particular prouidence towards the Iewes 10. further to be extended to al the meeke of the whole earth Vnto the end in prayses a Psalme to Asaph a Canticle to the Assirians God is knowne in Iewrie in Israel his name is great †And his place is made in peace and his habitation in Sion †There he brake the powres of bowes the shilde the sword and the battle †Thou doest illuminate meruelousely from the eternal mountaynes †al the foolish of hart were trubled †They slept their sleepe and al the men of riches found nothing in their handes †At thy reprehension ô God of Iacob they haue al slumbered that mounted on horses †Thou art terrible and who shal resist thee from that time thy wrath †From heauen thou hast made thy iudgement hearde the earth trembled and was quiet When God arose vnto iudgement
laide oppen before prophane persons S. Gregorie also alleageth an other reason ho. 17. in Ezech. that occasion of humilitie may be geuen vs by those thinges which are hidden in holie Scriptures And increase also of merite by beleuing more then we vnderstand because faith hath not merite where reason geueth experiment THE ARGVMENT OF THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIE ISaie the sonne of Aâ—os and nephew as S. Ierom insinuateth to king Amasias prophecied in the times of Osias Ioathan Achaz Ezechias and in the beginning of Manasses Kinges of Iuda in al aboue three score yeares and was cruelly put to death sawed into partes by commandment of Manasses He is commonly called the Euangelical Prophet for his ample and particular speaches of Christ more large and more plaine then in aâ—â—e other of the old Prophetes His stile is high and eloquent according to his liberal education being of the royal bloud For so it pleaseth the Holie Ghost to vtter his diuine prophecies diuersly according to the qualities and conditions of the persons by whom he speaketh by Isaie in a loftie and by Amos in a meane stile as a musitian soundeth the same songue by a simple pipe by a corneâ— trumpet or other musical instrument Which S. Paul also witnesseth saying Diuersly and by diuers meanes God spake to the fathers in the Prophetes Isaie therfore conuersing in the kingdom of Iuda especially in the Emperial and Metropolitan citie of Ierusalem preached prophecied manie thinges perteyning to the Tribes of Iuda and Beniamin as also to the tribe of Leui. Which after the schisme of Ieroboam repayred in maner al to the kingdom of Iuda where God was rightly serued He prophecied also of the tenne Tribes the kingdom of Israel of the future captiuities of them both and of the reduction of Iuda Also he prophecied of other nations and peoples with whom the Iewes had either emnitie or freindlie conuersation and of al the world But most especially of the coming of Christ to redeme and deliuer mankind from captiuitie of sinne The whole prophecie conteyneth two general partes First more principally the Prophet admonisheth and threatneth the people that they shal be punished for their manifold sinnes in the 39. former chapters In the other 27. he comforteth them signifying that God of his mercie wil after chatisment their repentance deliuer them from their aduersaries Yet so that ech part participateth of the principal contents with the other More particularly the whole booke may be diuided into eight partes In the twelue first chapters the Prophet admonisheth alsortes in the kingdom of Iuda of their ingratitude towards God with manie other sinnes and of iust punishment but mixt with consolation of Gods mercie and thanksegeuing for the same In eleuen chapters folowing he directeth his speach to other Nations aduersaries to the Iewes In foure more he extendeth his admonitions to al the world stil intermixing some consolations In other foure he reprehendeth both the kingdoms of Israel and Iuda for seeking helpe of strange nations In the next eight chapters he prophecieth of diuers dangers immineÌ„t to the kingdom of Iuda of their captiuitie in Babylon of Gods benignitie deliuering them very much in euerie part of Christ and his Church Then in fiue chapters he prophecieth very particularly of the comfortable deliuerie from sinne by Christ In other foure from temporal captiuitie by Cyrus King of Assirians And finally in the last eightene chapters he prophecieth largely of the perfect deliuerie by Christ conuersion of al Nations reiection of the Iewes til nere the end of the world when they shal also returne to Christ THE PROPHECIE OF ISAIE CHAP. I. Isaie prophecying in the dayes of foure kinges of Iuda 2. admonisheth both princes and people of their ingratitude and other sinnes against God 7. for which they shal be led captiue 11. Neither shal sacrifices nor prayers saue them 16. except they cleanse their soules from sinnes 20. which they not doing shal be seuerely punished 26. Wherby the reliques shal be purged and the Church shal flourish THE vision of Isaie the sonne of Amos which he sawe concerning Iuda and Ierusalem in the dayes of Ozias Ioathan Achaz and Ezechias kinges of Iuda †Heare ye heauens geue eare ô earth because our Lord hath spoken I haue brought vp children and exalted them but they haue despised me †The oxe hath knowen his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowen me and my people hath not vnderstood †Woe to the sinful nation the people loden with greeuous iniquitie the wicked seede vngracious children they haue forsaken our Lord they haue blasphemed the holie one of Israel they are reuolted backewards †For what shal I strike you anie more which adde preuarication euerie head is sicke euerie hart in heauines †From the sole of the foote vnto the toppe of the head there is no health therein wound and wayle and swelling stroke it is not bound vp nor cured with medicine nor mollified with oile †Your land is desolate your cities burnt with fire your countrie strangers deuoure before your face and it shal be made desolate as in the spoile of enemies †And the daughter of Sion shal be left as a vineyard and as a cottage in a place of cucumbers and as a citie that is wasted †Vnlesse the Lord of hostes had lefte vs seed we had beene as Sodom and we should be like to Gomorrha †Heare the word of our Lord ye princes of Sodom geue eare to the law of our God ye people of Gomorrha †To what purpose do you offer me the multitude of your victimes saith our Lord I am ful the holocaust oframmes and the fatte of fatlings and the bloud of calues and lambes and buck goates I haue not desired †When you should haue come before my sight who sought for these thinges at your handes that you should walke in my courtes †Offer sacrifice no more in vaine incense is abomination to me The Newe moone and the Sabbath and other sestiuities I wil not abide your assemblies are wicked †My soule hateth your Calendes and your solemnities they are become tedious to me I haue laboured in susteyning †And when you shal streach forth your hands I wil turne away mine eies from you when you shal multiplie prayer I wil not heare for your handes are ful of bloud †Wash you be cleane take away the euil of your cogitations from mine eies cease to doe peruersely †Lerne to doe good seeke iudgement succour the oppressed iudge for the pupil defend the widow †And come and accuse me sayth our Lord if your sinnes shal be as scarlet they shal be made white as snow and if they be red as vermelon they shal be white as wooll †If you be willing and wil heare me you shal eate the good thinges
violence of manie waters ouerflowing sent forth vpon a large ground †The crowne of pride of the drunkards of Ephraim shal be troden vnder feete †And the flowre of the glorie of his exultation which is vpon the toppe of the valley of fatte ones shal be falling as a timely fruite before the ripenesse of autumme which when he that seeth it shal behold as soone as he taketh it in his hand he wil deuoure it †In that day the Lord of hostes shal be a crowne of glorie and a garland of exultation to the residue of his people †and a spirit of iudgement to him that sitteth in iudgement and strength to them that returne out of battel to the gate †But these also haue bene ignorant because of wine and by drunkennes haue erred the priest and the prophete haue bene ignorant because of drunkennes they are swalowed vp with wine they haue erred in drunkennes they haue not knowne him that seeth they haue bene ignorant of iudgement †For al tables were filled with vomiting and filth so that there was no more place †Whom shal he teach knowledge and whom shal he make to vnderstand the thing heard them that are weyned from the milke that are plucked away from the breasts †For command recommand command recommand expect reexpect expect reexpect a litle there a litle there †For in the speach of lippe and in an other tougue he wil speake to his people †To whom he sayd This is my rest refresh the wearie and this is my refreshing they would not heare †And the word of our Lord shal be to them command recommand command recommand expect reexpect expect reexpect a litle there a litle there that they may goe and fal backward and be destroyed and snared and taken †For this cause heare the word of our Lord ye scorneful men which rule ouer my people that is in Ierusalem †For you haue sayd We haue stroken a league with death and with hel we haue made a couenant The scourge ouerflowing when it shal passe shal not come vpon vs because we haue made lying our hope and with lying we are protected †Therfore thus sayth our Lord God Behold I wil send in the foundations of Sion a stone an approued stone a corner stone pretious founded in the foundation He that beleueth let him not make hast †And I wil put iudgement in weight and iustice in measure and haile shal ouerthrow the hope of lying and waters shal ouerflow the protection †And your league with death shal be abolished and your couenant with hel shal not stand when the scourge ouerflowing shal passe you shal be troden downe of it †Whensoeuer it shal passe through it shal take you away because in the morning early it shal passe through in the day and in the night and vexation alone shal geue vnderstanding in the hearing †For the bed is streitened so that one must fal out and a short mantel can not couer both †For our Lord shal stand as in the mount of diuisions as in the valley which is in Gabaon shal he be angrie that he may doe his worke his strange worke that he may worke his worke is strange from him †And now mocke not lest perhaps your bonds be tied strayte For I haue heard of our Lord the God of hostes consummation and abridgement vpon al the earth †Harken with your eares and heare my voice attend and heare my speach †Wil the ploughman plowe al the day to sow wil he cut and harrow his ground †Wil he not when he hath made euen the face therof sprinkle cummine and place the wheate by order and the barley and millet and vetche in their bondes †And his God wil instruct him in iudgement he wil teach him †For gith shal not be threshed with instruments that haue teeth neither shal the wayne wheele turne about vpon cummine but gith shal be beaten out with a rodde and cummine with a staffe †But bread corne shal be broken smal but the thresher shal not thresh it for euer neither shal the wayne wheele vexe it nor breake it with the teeth therof †And this is come forth from our Lord the God of hostes that he might make his counsel meruelous and magnifie iustice CHAP. XXIX The Prophet bewaleth the Iewes destruction 9. for their blinde obstinacie 17. prophecying the Gentiles conuersion VVOE to Ariel Ariel the citie which Dauid ouercame yeare is added to yeare the solemnities are at an end †And I wil make a trench about Ariel and it shal be sorowful moorning and it shal be to me as Ariel †And I wil compasse as a sphere round about thee and wil cast a rampier against thee and place munitions to besiege thee †Thou shalt be humbled thou shalt speake out of the earth and out of the gronnd thy speach shal be heard and thy voice shal be out of the earth as the Pythons and out of the ground thy speach shal mutter †And the multitude of them that fanne thee shal be as smal dust and as issles passing away the multitude of them that haue preuailed agaynst thee †And it shal be sodenly forthwith It shal be visited of the Lord of hostes in thunder and earth quake and with great voice of whirlewind and tempest and with flame of deuouring fyre †And the multitude of al nations that haue fought agaynst Ariel shal be as the dreame of a vision in the night and al that haue waried and beseged preuailed agaynst it †And as he that is hungrie dreameth eateth but when he is awake his soule is emptie as he that is thirstie dreameth and drinketh and after he is awake faint as yet thirsteth and his soule is emptie so shal the multitude be of al the Gentiles that haue fought agaynst mount Sion †Be astonied and meruel wauer and stagger be ye drunke and not of wine be moued not of drunkenes †Because our Lord hath mingled vnto you the spirit of drowsines he wil shut your eyes he wil couer your prophetes and princes that see visions †And the vision of al shal be vnto you as the wordes of a booke sealed which when they shal geue to him that knoweth letters they shal say Read this and he shal answer I can not for it is sealed †And the booke shal be geuen to one that knoweth not letters and it shal be sayd to him Reade and he shal answer I know not letters †And our Lord sayd Because this people approcheth with their mouth and with their lippes glorifieth me but their hart is far from me and they haue feared me by the commandement and doctrines of men †therfore behold I wil adde to make admiration to this people by a great and wonderful miracle for wisdom
already Praef. Tobiae that the Canon of the Christian Catholique Church is of souereigne auctoritie though the Iewes Canon haue them not Finally wheras these bookes were not canonized in the former General Councels it sufficeth that they are since declared to be Canonical Diuine Scripture as some other partes haue likewise bene which English Protestants do not denie As the Epistle of S. Iames the second of S. Peter the second and third of S. Iohn and S. Iudes epistle of al which Eusebius and S. Ierom testifie that some lerned Fathers doubled sometimes whether they were Apostolical or no. But afterwards the same with these two bookes of Machabees and others were expresly declared to be Diuine Scripture by the third Councel of Carthage can 47. By the Councel of seuentie Bishops vnder Gelasius though by the name of one booke as also Esdras and Nehemias as but one booke Last by the Councels of Florence and Trent If anie further require the iudgement of more ancient Fathers diuers doe alleage these bookes as Diuine Scriptures S. Dyonise c. 2. celest Hierar S. Clemens Alexan. li. 1. Stromat S. Cyprian li. 1. Epist ep 3. ad Cornelium li. 4. ep 1. de exhort ad Martyrium c. 11. Isidorus li. 16. c. 1. Etym. S. Gregorie Nazianzen hath a whole Oration of the seuen Machabees Martyrs and their mother S. Ambrose li. 1. c. 41. Offic. But to omite others albeit S. Ierom vrged not these bookes against the Iewes yet he much estemed them as appeareth in his commentaries vpon Daniel c. 1. 11. 12. S. Augustin most clerly auoucheth li. 2. c. 8. de doct christ li. 18. c. 36. de ciuit that notwithstanding the Iewes denie these bookes the Church holdeth them Canonical And wheras one Gaudentius an heretike alleaged for defense of his haeresie the example of Razias who slew him self 2. Mac. 14. S. Augustin denieth not the auctoritie of the booke but discusseth the fact and admonisheth that it is not vnprofitably receiued by the Church si sobrie legatur vel audiatur if it be read or heard soberly VVhich was a necessarie admonition to those Donatistes who not vnderstanding the holie Scriptures depraued them as S. Peter speaketh of like heretikes â—p 2. c. 3. to their owne perdition Now touching the contentes a great part of the same historie which is written in the former booke is repeted in the second with such varietie of some thinges added some omitted as in the bookes of Kinges and Paralipomenon and as the Gospel is written by the foure Euangelistes Ioyning therfore these two bookes together the Concordance therof conteyneth foure principal partes The Preface the Historie an Appendix the Conclusion But the three former partes are very extraordinarily disposed For the writer of the second booke who doubtles was a distinct person from him that writte the former first of al added an Appendix to the historie written before making mention of two Epistles and reciting the summe of one of them in the first chapter and part of the second as though he meant to haue writte no more of the same matter But then as it may seme vpon new resolution intending to abridge the historical bookes of Iason maketh a preface to his worke in the rest of that second chapter And so prosecuteth his purpose and finally maketh a briefe conclusion in the three last verses of the same second booke The mayne historie conteyneth two special partes The first sheweth the state of Gods peculiar people the Iewish nation from the beginning of the Grecian Monarchie parted after the death of Alexander amongst his folowers of which some did exceedingly persecute the Iewes by diuers both suttle and cruel meanes to the ruine of manie and euen to death and martyrdom of some most constant obseruers of Gods Lawes and true Religion til the warres of the Machabees in the first chapter of the first booke and in the 3. 4 5 6. and 7. chapters of the second booke In the other fiftene chapters of the former booke and other eight of the second are described the battles victories triumphes of the valient Machabees Of which holie warres Mathathias was the beginner and first captaine Iudas the second the third Ionathas and Simon the fourth after whose death his sonne Iohn Hyrcanus succeded Duke and Hieghpriest But because these bookes are intermixed the one with the other whâ—soeuer please to read them in order of the historie may folow the direction of the Alphabet letters set in the inner margen beginning with A. at the twentith verse of the second chapter of the second booke to the end of the same chapter Thence procede as the signe of a starre directeth to the next letter B. which is at the beginning of the first booke the first chapter first verse And so in the rest And when the capital letters are ended the smaller wil direct you THE FIRST BOOKE OF MACABEES CHAP. I. King Alexander conquering manie countries erecteth a new Monarchie 6. who dying his chief folowers succeede in seueral kingdomes of the same Monarchie 11. King Antiochus approueth that a prophane schole be setup in Ierusalem 17. subdueth Aegypt 21. inuadeth Iudea entreth by force into Ierusalem spoyleth the temple 25. and killeth manie 30. Two yeares after sendeth an other spoyler who killing manie robbeth and burneth lerusalem 35. fortisieth the towre of Dauid 38. prophaneth al holie thinges 4â— commandeth al to committe idolatrie 47. and to forsake the rites of Gods law 52. vpon paine of death 57. He setteth vp an abominable idol in the Temple 60. persecuteth and murdereth those that conforme not themselues to these innouations AND it came to passe after that Alexander Philips sonne the Macedonian that first reigned in Greece being gone out of the land of Cethim stroke Darius king of the Persians and the Medes †he made manie battels and obteyned the munition of al and slewe the kinges of the earth †and he passed through euen to the ends of the earth and tooke the spoiles of the multitude of the Gentils and the earth was silent in his sight †And he gathered powre and an armie exceding strong and his hart was exalted and eleuated †and he obtayned the regions of the Gentils and the tyrantes and they were made tributaries to him †And after these thinges he fel downe in his bed and he knew that he should dye †And he called his seruants the Nobles that were brought vp with him from his youth he diuided his kingdom to them when he yet liued †And Alexander reigned twelue yeares and he died †And his seruants possessed the kingdom euerie one in his place †and they did al put crownes on them after his death their sonnes after them manie yeares euils were multiplied in the earth †And there came forth of them a sinful roote Antiochus Illustre the sonne of king Antiochus
that such workes may be profitable and be conserued they must be donne in true faith in the Catholique faith in societie of the vnitie of the Church h VVorkes are good and rightly laide vp when they are donne in vnitie and participation of Gods Altares the most proper places of Diuine Seruice of external Sacrifice in this life and spiritual sacrifice of perâ—ect praises in eternal glorie whereal Sainctes without ceasing sing Holie holie holie Lord God of hoastes Isaiae 6. Apoc. 4. i The Catholique Church k The iust by Gods grace and helpe may resolue to ascend by steppes and degrees from vertue to vertue v. 8. euen to heauen l though he be now in this vaile of teares by reason of mans sinne who otherwise was before sinne in paradise a place of delight m Christ our lawgeuer n geueth abundance of graces o with continual increase p but our only omnipotent God is to be senne by this effect of his grace in the Church and not elswhere q Agreably to this the Church maketh al her petitions concluding al prayers By Christ our Lord. r In respect of the future retribution which euerie one shal receiue according to their desertes one day in Gods Church is better then thousands out of it Å¿ And better to be in the poorest state of Catholique Christians t then in greatest palaces or hieghest dignities amongst sinners v The Diuine wisdom so vseth mercie and veritie that neither may preiudice the other vv and so geueth grace in this life x and glorie in the â—ext y Besides innocencie conserued without sinne there is also innocencie after remission of sinne of which the prophet here speaketh Incarnation of Christ the 5. key a God bestowed manie great benefites vpon the people of Israel b he brought them out of the bondage of Aegypt c Remitted their manifold sinnes d pardoned also a great part of due punishment e As thou hast soared thy peculiar people so we besech thee ô God creator and general Sauiour of al mankind f mitigate thy wrath towards vs al g Til God first shew his mercie sinners lye dead in guilt of sinne but by his grace they are sturred vp and quickned h and ioyfully returne to God i The wordes of the prophet k signifying that God had reueled vnto him the redemption of mankind l Not al men are iustified and saued but those that are hartely and sincerely conuerted m Though al be not saued because manie wil not cooperate to Gods grace yet very manie hauing the feare of God which is the beginning of godlie wisdom freely accept of Gods mercie and so â—he Church is gloriously propagated n VVheras Gods mercie would saue al and his truth or iustice requireth that sinnes be duly punished by Christs Passion and death sufficient satisfaction is offered for al sinnes and thoâ—e that wil be partakers by penance and conformitie to Gods law may haue remission o and so iustice is obserued and peace made betwen God and his subiects p Integritie of conscience reigneth in good men q God sending iust meanes from heauen to saue them r God geueth grace Å¿ and so men yeld fruict t Yea they walke in iustice and right path of Gods law A prayer for continual grace the 7. key a A forme of prayer for king Dauid and for anie faithful person b There be sundrie iust causes which moue God to heare our prayers c first our necessitie requireth Gods helpe d Secondly because we professe and promise to lead a holie life e Thirdly because we trust and hope in God f Fourtly because we perseuere in prayer g Fiftly if we pray with attention of mind h Sixtly because God of his owne nature is benigne readie to bestow benefites i Seuently he is meeke to remitte offences k Eightly he is merciful to mitigate the punishment to those that make recourse vnto him l For these causes we pray as foloweth m Vocation of Gentiles n They shal come by faith o and glorifie God by good workes Mat. 5. v. 17. p Cofession of praise q From the state of eternal damnation r In performing al promises Å¿ A digression vsual to prophetes of Christs Empyre and Kingdom the Church geuen to him being the sonne of an immaculate virgin the handmaide of God t The chief and principal signe of Christs and his Churches glorie is his Resurrection praefigured in Ionas v VVherby al enimies are confounded either to their conuersion or to eternal damnation See 6. Augustin The Catholique Church glorious the 6. key a Christs Church was first founded in Ierusalem on whitsunday Act. 2. in mount Sion which hath two toppes in one of which the Temple stood in the other Dauids towre oâ— palace b The Prophet in the person of Christ saith he wil commend vnto his Apostles and other Apostolical men that they conuert al nations as our Sauiour gaue expresse commission and commandment Math. 28. Luc. 24. v. 47. Act. 1. v. 8. c naming here Raab which is Aegypt and Babylon d The Philistims Tyrians Aethiopians e the rest shal be regenerate in this Church which for the assured certaintie therof after the prophets maner of speaking is affirmed in the pretertence as if it were then donne f It shal be reported or one shal say to an other Loe this and that man al these and al these men are regenerate by Baptisme in the Church of Christ g God himselfe Christ God and Man founded this Church h The multitude of the elect is so great that only God knoweth the number i and the qualities of al sortes of Princes Prelates and Peoples k Great spiritual ioy with peace of conscience is in true Christian Catholiques in the militant Church but the blessed haue the most absolute secure ioy of al in the Church triumphant A prayer in long affliction the 7. key a An instrument of musike apt for lamentable songues Not expressed in the title of anie other Psalme Perhaps because this Psalme mixteth not anie consolation with mourning as other Psalmes do which are also prayers in affliction As the 30. 53. 63. 73. b Neither is this word in anie other title It is added here to admonish vs that as this Psalme and some others were songue by two quires one answering the other so we must in answer and imitation of Christ suffer long and great afflictions with patience seing he in his passion was leift without ordinarie coÌ„solation c By some interpreted his bretheren For Christ saith S. Augustin voutchsaffeth to make them his bretheren which vnderstand the mysterie of his Crosse and not only are not ashamed therof but also faithfully glorie therin d I haue cried to thee very often both by day and by night e I am almost dead f Accounted as dead and readie to be buried g If I were dead I should be free from these afflictions Especially it agreeth to Christ who was free yea of infinite
Ierusalem according to Salomons prayer 3. Reg. 8. v. 47. 48. he obserued the same custome stil and vvas not senne publiquely of manie but his enimies searching curiously v. 11. found him praying accused him of breaking the kings Edict :: To this miracle wrought by the powre of God in defence and for the merites of this holie prophet S. Paul alludeth Heb. 11. v. 33. :: The law of like-punishment is so agreable to the law of nature that this Pagane king punished Daniels accusers when it appeared to him that Daniel had not committed treason but only vsed his religion and deuotion The 2. part Prophetical visions of Christ and of Antichrist a In order of time these two visions vvere before the histories written in the two precedent chapters b Foure winds may signifie the great tumultes which happen in the beginning of monarchies by vvarres and bloudshed of much people c Foure beastes do signifie the foure Monarchies of the Chaldees Medes and Persians the Grecians and the Romanes as was also signified before in Nabuchodonosors dreame ch 2. d A lionesses crueltie and the pride of an eagle do resemble the Chaldees monarchie e A beare of rude shape vveake sight content vvith litle and base meate represented the Medes Persians f The leopard vvith vvinges and foure heades signified the speedie victories of the Grecians vnder Alexander in foure quarters of the vvorld after his death diuided into foure kingdomes g By the fourth beast without name is vnderstood the incomparable povvre of the Romanes gouerning first by kinglie auctoritie aftervvards by Consuls then ioyning to them Tribunes sometimes Dictators finally Emperial h The litle horne becoming so great and strong as to ouercome al the other signifieth Antichrist whose outragious furie shal continevv but a shorte time v. 25. n. ch 12. v. 7. 11. 12. Apoc. 11. v. 2. 3. Apoc. 12. v. 6. 14. Apoc. 13. v. 5. â— God the Father is called the Ancient of dayes not as though one Person of the Blessed Trinitie vvere more ancient then an other for euerie Person is eternal and al are one eternal God But in order of proceding one from an other the Father is the beginning of vvhom the Sonne is begotten and from vvhom as also from the Sonne the Holie Ghost procedeth k By multiplication of these cardinal numbers is signified the innumerable multitude of Angels vvho doe excede al corporal creatures in number as the celestial spheres excede terrestrial bodies in greatnes l And the hieghest Hierarchie vvho are Assitants do farre excede the other Hierarchies in multitude S. Dionys c. 14. Hierar caelest S. Tho p. 1. q. 112. a. 4 m Our Sauiour Christ is here clearly prophecied by vvhose povvre Antichrist shal be vtterly destroyed a He insinuateth that this vision vvas in explication of some part of the former vvhich he had tvvo yeares before ch 7. where foure monarchies are mentioned so here is foretold the great conflict betvven the Persians Greciaus about 220. yeares after or riuer b The ramme represeÌ„ted the king of Persians Medes c The goat signified Alexander the great d breaking the tvvo hornes that is conquering the tvvo nations of Persians Medes e King Alexander died when he vvas very yong strong not fully 33. yeares of age f Foure of his solovvers possessed euerie one a kingdome of his Monarchie g Antiochus Epiphanes persecuting the people of God destroyed the sacrifice polluted the temple setting vp the image of Iupiter Olimpius i 2300. euenings and mornings that is 2300. dayes vvhich make six years and vvel nere foure monethes the whole time from the beginning of Antiochus persecution vnto his death for he begane to persecute in the yeare 143. 1 Mâ—â— 1. v 21. he died an 149. 1. Mac 6. v 16. vvithin which time an 148 the temple was purged 1. Mac. 4. v 52. l Ezechiel is very often called by the name of sonne of man here also Daniel is so called by an Angel as vvel to distinguish Angelical and humane nature as in honour of mankind vvhich Christ would assume therfore calleth himself by the very same rule in the Gospel b One Angel demanded of an other to knovv a thing to come l Historically Antiochus mystically Antichrist as ch 12. Mat. 24. * obscure speaches m So much as perteyned to the prophanation of the temple was fulfilled aboue 300. yeares after this prophecie as the same is also a figure of Antichrist it shal happen towards the end of this world S Greg. li. 30. c. 12. Moral a Assuerus or achasuerus not a proper name signifieth a great prince or head of people b Darius had reigned in Persia before this time but this vvas the first yeare of his reigne ouer the Chaldees also the last neither did he reigne a ful yeare for Cyrus reigned some part of the seuentith yeare of the Ievves captiuitie in Babylon in vvhich also Baltassar vvas slaine Ier. 25. v. 12. Ier. 29. v. 10. 2 Par. 36. v. 22. c Daniel seing the seuentith yeare of captiuitie vvas comen in vvhich God promised to deliuer his people Ier. 29. v. 10 prayed vvith great zele confidence for their release Iere. 29. v. 10. Deut 17. v. 14. d This singular deuotion with austere works of penance zele of his countrie merited this commendable title to be called the man of desires e And vvheras the prayed particularly for the release of the Ievves from captiuitie of Babylon a farre greater thing is promised and reueled to him that within seuentie vvekes of yeares that is â—â— yeares the Messias Christ vvil come and redeme mankinde from captiuitie of finne and the diuel f These foure thinges v. 24 Forgeuenes of sinnes Infusion of iustice Fulfilling of prophecies Annoiated Holie of holies agree only to Christ g Hebdâ—mas or Septenarius signifying seuen vnderstood of dayes importeth a weeke of yeares as Leui. 25 seuen yeares so seuentie vveekes 490. yeares S Bed li. de rat temp c. 6. 7. 8. truble some 〈◊〉 â—â—at 24. a Pharao had a vision in slepe Gen. 41. Baltassar vvaking savv a hand writing in the vval Dan. 5. but neither of them vnderstood their visions therfore vvere not prophets Ioseph vnderstood the former Daniel this other and so they vvere prophets For as this text teacheth vnderstanding is required that a vision be prophetical â— â—â—o 2. 2. q 175 a. 2 4. b The Angel iepereth this honorable nevv title to encorege him being sore frighted prayers c The Angel guardian of Persia S. Ierom S. Theodoret. S. Gregorie d This Angel for his office sake not yet knowing Gods vvil in this particular prayed that the Iewes might remain among the Persians for their edification and spiritual good e Daniels proper Angel ioyned his prayers vvith him for the deliuerie of the Ievves from captiuitie f S. Michael the guardian Angel of the whole Church also prayed for the same purpose a