of his is stark lewdnesse Another man loveth ungraciousnesse and he is lewd likewise and although he could finde in his heart to die for the compassing of his evill yet it is manifest that he is double faced and his doing is altogether starke naught For his love being but lewdnesse doth as it were cloak his evill with a good Name whereas the drift of his doings tendeth unto a wicked end Another healeth doth open wrong pilleth and polleth is covetous and pitieth not the poor He also hath a double face and all this is stark naught for in being niggardly towards his neighbour he provoketh Gods wrath and denyeth the highest in not pitying the poor He despiseth and spiteth the Lord which is the commander of the law he suffereth not the poor to rest he defileth his own sent to make his body gay he killeth many and pâ—â—ieth few this is the part of a double faced person Another committeth whoredome and fornication or vexeth many men piteously with his power and riches and yet abstaineth from meats his fast is naught for he doth the commandements with an evil conscience and that is a double faced dealing which is altogether naught Such manner of folke are right Swine and Hares for they seem to be half clean but in very deed they be utterly unclean You therefore my children become not like them neither beare you in one hood two faces the one of goodnesse and the other of naughtiness but stick all only unto goodness for in goodnesse doth God rest and men like wel of it Shun naughtiness and kill the Divel in your good works for they that are double faced serve not God but their own lusts because they seeke to please Belial and such as are like themselves Now though plain dealing men and such as pretend but one face are taken for offenders at the hands of such as beare two faces yet are they righteous before GOD Fâ—r many in killing wicked persons doe two works at once namely good by evill but indeed the whole worke is good because that he which hath rooted out the evil hath destroyed it Some man hating his neighbour mercifully blameth him for his advoutry or theft such a one is double faced but yet is the whole work good because he followeth the Lords example not respecting what seemeth good when it is evill in deed Another will not make merry with Rioters lest he should be stained by them and defile his own soul This man also is double faced but yet is all his doings good and he is like a Roe or a Stagge which in a common wilde berd seem to be unclean and yet are altogether clean because he walked in the zeale of the Lord shunning and hating those whom God willeth to be shunned in his Commandements and so killeth be evil with weldoing See therefore my Sonnes how there are two in all things one against the other and the one hiddeâ— under the other Death succeedeth to life shame to glory night to day and darkenesse unto light All righteous things are under light and life therefore doth eternall life overmaster death It is not to be said that truth is untruth righteousness unrighteousness or right wrong because that as all things are under God so all truth is under light I have practised all these things in my life and not strayed from the truth of the Lord but sought out the Commandements of the Highest to the uttermost of my power and walked with one face in goodness Take heed therefore my Children to the Lords Commandements and foâ—low the truth with one single face For they that are double faced shall be double punished The spirit of errour hateth the man that fighteth against it Keep the law of the Lord and regard not evill that seemeth good but have an eye to the thing that is good indeed and keep the same returning to the Lord in all his Commandements and resting upon him for the ends whereat men doe aym doe shew their righteâ—usnesse And know the Angels of the Lord from the Angels of Sathan For if ye cleave to wicked spirits your souls shall be tormented of the wicked Spirit whom ye serve in wicked lusts and worke But if ye quietly and cheerfully acquaint your selves with the Angel of Peace he shall comfort you in your life time My children become not like the Sodomites which knew not the Angel and perished for ever For I am sure that you shall sinne and be delivered into the hands of your enemies your land shal be laid waste and your selves shal be scattered into the four corners of the earth and be despised as unprofitable water in your dispersing abroad untill the Highest do visit the earth eatâ—ng and drinking as a man with men and breaking the Serpents head in pieces without noise He shall save Israel and all the Heathen by water being GOD hidden in man Therefore tell your children these things that they neglect not Gods Law written in the Tables of heaven For the time will come that they shall give no credit to the Law of the Lord And you falling unto naughtiness shall deal wickedly against God giving no heed to his Law but unto mens commandments For this cause shall ye be scattered abroad as my Brothers Gad and Dan which were not acquainted with their own countrey tribe and tongue Neverthelesse the Lord shall gather you together again in faith for the hope of his mercy for Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake When he had so said he commanded them to bury him in Hebron And he died sleeping a good sleep and afterward his sonnes doing as he had willed them carryed him back and buryed him with his Fathers The Testament of JOSEPH made to his Children at his death concerning Chastity and Patience Let Joseph teach thee Love and Chastity So shalt thou have A long blessed life Void of all strife Even to thy grave The Testament of Ioseph MY sons and my brethren hear ye Joseph the well-beloved of Israel My children hear your Father I hâ—ve known in my life Envy and Death with the which my brethren would have destroyed me For they hated me and God loved me they would have killed me and the God of my Fathers kept me they put me into a pit and the most high brought me out again I was sold as a bondman and the Lord made me free and his strong hand helped me I was kept in hunger and the Lord himself nourished me I was left alone and the Lord comforted me I was sick and the Lord visited me I was in prison and the Saviour made me glad I was fastned in Chaines and the Lord unbound me He pleaded my cause in the accusations of the Egyptians and not only delivered me from Envy and Deceit but also exalted me insomuch that Putiphar chief Steward of Pharaohs house did lend me ladging where I was in jeopardy of my life by reason of a
great-man in the land of Canaan and thy father sorroweth for thee in sackcloth Then I could fain have wept yet I refrained my selfe for shaming of my brethren and said I know if not for I am a bondman Then they took counsell amongst themselves whither or to whom they might sell me lest I should be found in their hands for they feared Jacob lest he should be revenged of them for they had heard that he was mighty both to God and man Then said the Merchant to them Redeem him now from the judgement of Putiphar they hearing this went and asked for me saying that they had bought me for mony he delivered me Memphitica spake unto her husband to buy me for she said I hear say they would sell him And they sent an Eunuch to the Ismaelites desired to buy me and when he could not bargain with them his returned shewed his Lady that they asked a great price for the childe she sent again another Eunuch saying Although they aske two besaunces of gold see that thou spare not for money but buy the childe and bring him to me He paid 80 golden Crowns for me said to his Lady that he paid 100 and I perceiving this held my peace lest the Eunuch should have been searched Behold my sonnes what I have sustained love one of you another and with continuance cast out from among you deceitfull minds for God delighteth in the concord of brethren hath pleasure also in the love choice of a proved heart For when my brothers came out of Egypt and knew me I gave them their money and never gave reproach unto them but comforted them after the death of Jacob I loved them more aboundantly and all that ever he commanded me I did very gladly and they marvelled because I suffered not them to be troubled for a small cause for all that was in my power I gave them Their children were reputed to me as mine own and mine own children as their servants Their life was my life and their sorrow was my sorrow and all their infirmity or disease was mine my Land was their land my counsel was the counsel of them and I never exalled my self above them in pride for mine own worldly glory but was amongst them as one of the least Tâ—erefore my sons if ye walk in the Commandements of the Lord the Lord shall exalt you and blesse you in ricâ—â—s pâ—rpetual And if any man will do evâ—ll to you with meeknesse look that ye pray for him and God shall deliver you from all evill For behold and see that for my long sufferance the Daughter of my Lord was given me to wife and there was given to me with her an hundred talents of Gold for God made them to serve me and gave me beauty that I should be as a flower above them that were faire in Israel and he kept me unto mine age both in strength and beauty because I was like to Jacob in all things And what dreams I have seen my children now heare There were xii Harts feeding and nine were divided abroad in the earth also I saw how that of Juda was a Virgin born having a white silken robe and of her came forth an immaculate Lamb And on the left hand of the said Lamb was as it were a Lyon and all Beasts made against him and the Lamb overcame them and trod them under his feet and in him joyed the Angels the men and all the earth These things shall come to passe in their time that is to say in the latter dayes Therefore my Sons keepe the commandement of the Lord and honour Juda and Levi For of them to you shall spring the Lamb of God which by his grace shall preserve all Gentiles and Israel The Kingdome of him is a Kingdome eternall which shal never passe For my Kingdome shall be ended in you aâ— the keeping of an Orchard for after the harvest it shall appear no more I know right well that after my death the Egyptians shall trouble you but God shall revenge you and bring you to the promised land which he share to Abraham Isaac and Jacob But carry my bones with you for in so doing the Lord shal be in the light with you against the Egyptians and Belial shal be in darknesse with the Egyptians Also carry wiâ—h you your Mother Zilphâ— and â—igh unto the valley neer unto Rachel bury her When he had said these words he stretched forth his feet and slept the sleep of all the World Then they imbalmed him with spices putting him in a Chest in Egypt after he had lived 110. years who saw Ephraims Children unto the third generation For unto Machir the sonne of Manasseâ— were children born on Josephs knees After this all 〈◊〉 of Israel bewailed him and all the Egyptians with a great mourning For he had compassion of Egypt as of his own proper members and assisted them both with his labour and counsell and did them good at all times and seasons The Testament of BENIAMIN made to his Children at his death concerning a clean minde Lo what true faithfull love doth mean All you that Lovers be It is in heart and not in lust As here you plainly seâ— The Testament of Benjamin THe Copy of Benjaminâ— words which he uttered to his Children being of the age of an hundred and twenty years He kissed them and said As Isaac was born in the hundreth year of Abraham so was I in the hundreth year of Jacob and because Rachel dyed at my birth I sucked her Bond-woman Bilha For after that Rachel had born Joseph she was barren twelve years And when she had prayed to the Lord in those twelve years she conceived and bare me for my father loved Rachel exceedingly and wished to see two Sonnes by her and therefore I was called Benjamin that is to say the sonne of my dayes or the sonne of my sorrow because my Mother dyed in the birth of me When I came first into Egypt and that my brother Joseph knew me he said to me What sayd they to me Father when they had sold me I answered They stained thy Coat with bloud and bringing it to him said See if this be thy Sons coat or no And my Brother also sayd unto me Truly when the Ismaelites took me one of them stripping me out of my coat gave me a thin shirt to put on and lashing me with a wâ—ip bade the run And as he went aside to hide my garment a Lion met him and flew him and his partners being afraid sold me is their fellowes You therefore my Children love the God of Heaven and obey his commandements following that good and holy man Joseph and let your mind be set upon goodnesse as ye know that mine hath been He that hath a good minde looketh rightly upon all things Feare God and love your neighbours and then although the spirit
THE Testament of the twelve Patriarchs the sons of Iacob translated out of Greek into Latin by Robert Grosthead sometime Bishop of Lincolne and out of his Copie into French and Dutch by others and now Englished To the credit whereof an ancient Greeke Copie written in parchment is kept in the Vniversity Librarie of Cambridge London Printed by E C for the Companie of Stationers 1658. To the Christian Reader ALbeit these our happy dayes in some respect good Christian have and enjoy divers â—nd sundry workes tending â—o the subversion of Belial and the erection of godlinesse yet considering that as earthly so we spirituall souldiers seldome run to the watch without allarme I thought it convenient to call upon you with this grave and godly booke of long time hid in Hebrew now come to light in English The malice of the Jewish people in concealing it by reason of Christ the righteous so often prefigured was intolerable but the singular providence of God in preserving it unspeakable and now at last though chargâ—able yet fruitfull is the expressing and printing in our naturall language of this so worthy so golden a writ being of it selfe without the accessary painting of eloquent speech a Mirrour for Princes a Preacher for all Christians a beautifull glasse for women for children servants and such like a wise plausible and most ready schoolemaster for to apply to every particular estate his peculiar property Art thou a Prince a Magistrate a Rule let Iuda rule thee If thou thinkest upon manly courage hee teacheth valiantnesse if thou seeke to governe a right hee willeth thee to flye tyranny if thou thirst after manners of life hee foundeth it out that vaine-glory fornication and discord blemish weaken at length utterly consume nobility Let mee proceed farther aske a question Art thou a Bishop a Minister a preacher of Christs birth life and death behold Levi as a Lanterne Thou canst teach thy selfe but he can teach thee better thou speakest to others hearken to him that talketh to thee of thy office how holy it is how honourable the contemners thereof how miserable by whom begun continued and confirmed of thy state of life what how it should be Nunquam sine Sale sine Sole to be short of thy blessednesse if thou art godly wise learned of thine and their plagues where thou livest if wicked and ignorant What should I say more Looke upon Iacob O you Parents peruse the 12 godly Fathers in time and order learne of him his to pray to God in Christ his name for your children have regard to their instruction the want of the former your children shal misse the neglect of the latter you your selves shall bewail For the hearty prayer of a Father to the almighty for his children is a right singular benefit but he that for foolish pity giveth them the bridle is before God accounted a guilty partaker of their sinfull race View this book therefore hearken how to teach your selves and your children You have already handled a Sicke mans Salve enjoy now at length a Sicke mans tongue to instruct them when you leave them and what to leave them when you die else their end will be lamentation but yours lamentable misery And come you hither you children of the earth read see and say that old father Ruben with his good brethren readily and rightly describe the blessed path of righteousnesse and the forlorne way of Belial the one to flye the other to follow Wilt thou begin with the eldest for that old age seemeth wisest stop not then the eares of thy heart body to so wise sweet a charmer O the number O the uglisome portraiture of those deadly spirits that he hath so orderly numbred and cunningly coloured Lechery Envy Gluttony Bravery Pride Vaine-glory Vnrighteousnesse Wilfull ignorance All these as they seem are indeed pernicious but the former is most detestable the end whereof is consumption of this earthly body destruction of the soule Which welspring puddle of evil if thou wilt have dryed up cease from drunkennes if not see it have not a narrow and greedy eye upon a beautifull face if not drink yet stoppe thy mouth from busie questions with women to conclude if not therein be ducked and drowned use labour tame youthfulnesse For in this I overshooting my selfe saith Ruben to his Children defiled my Fathers bed Therefore looke not upon the beauty of women muse not upon their doings but keepe your selves occupied either in learning or some worke charge your wives and daughters that they trim not their heads will them to chasten their looks for every woman that deales deceitfully in those things is reserved to the punishment of the world to come Which trade of life to eschew seeing it is difficult without the fulfilling of the law and the law partly consisteth in mutuall love strive with Simeon the second brother to avoid strife which blindeth the mind pineth the body provoketh murder The remedy whereof is both forgiving and forgetting Take to thee Iosephs cheerefull countenance a perfect platform of a quiet mind yet set before thine eyes Simeons withered hand a right plague for such a sin All which disquietness and mischief safely to set a side let not Iuda be set a part Gather by him experience that for a man to glory in his own works is sinfull hee which upbraideth another mans vice standeth slippery Iuda choked Ruben his eldest brother with his fornication mark who sinned immediatly but envious rayling Iuda Did he not offend after the flesh in the Canaanites house did he not take a wife without consent of his Parents two great sins and alas in these our dayes too much used yet punished the one with want or at least small joy of children saith father Iuda the Patriarch but the other with intolerable danger of body and soule saith S. Paul Wherefore abstraine from wine abhor drunkennesse for such a one slandereth not rehearseth not another mans sins breedeth no sedition but embraceth love and charity in a single heart as good Father Isachar who never railed nor was hurtfull and spitefull to his neighbour never ate his meat alone but gave part to the poore never removed the bounds and markes of other mens ground but loved all men as his naturall children O that as we read this so we might expresse the same in life and conversation Mercy and Love is a precious Jewell the maintainers whereof being jointly connexed prosper once dissevered come to nought For the waters saith Zabulon wash away the sand when the stones and timber are dissolved whose mercy and singular compassion was rewarded singularly Sift his testament resemble his rare charity in cloathing the naked and feeding the hungry knowne unknown as well strangers as his countrimen Let not the spirit of Dan possesse your minde Suffer not the wrath of Gad to settle in your heart for such work
with 3 sore instruments bitter speech treachery and violent hands yeelding fruit not much unlike as you may reade as you may see Wilt thou be taught the ready path to that that thou dost seek Two wayes there be saith Aser Vice the one the other Vertue Neptalims race Embrace the latter eschew the former But hee that walketh in them both blindeth men deceiveth himselfe and mocketh GOD whose double faced dealing shall bee double punished Such are the covetous such are they that are mercifull in evilnesse such are they saith Aser that fast from meats but not from fornication Have therfore a simple heart with righteous Ioseph the blessed of the Lord that right figure of Iesus Christ for hatred hee shewed love being cursed hee blessed being shot through he did not so much as bend his bow albeit his brethren would have slain him albeit they cast him into a Well though they sold him as a bond-slave and that to strangers and such as hated shepheards to the death of whom hee was whipped and tormented yet he when they stood in feare gave them comfort when they were well-nigh famished gave them food when by his authority he might destroy he by his authority did preserve being their Lord using them as his betters being their brother accepting them as his children their unkindnesse not spoken of their conspiracies forgotten their cruell dealing most lovingly most mercifully forgiven You have heard his love towards his neighbour hearken his obedience toward God when he was miserably afflicted did hee rage swell when he was made a bond-slave of a free mans sonne did he cry out on heaven being utterly forsaken did he impatiently accuse Gods justice no Expectans expectavit Dominum And at the last the Lord which hid his face did shew his countenance of a caitife in respect making him free of a freeman wealthy of a wealthy subject an honourable personage Lord President of Pharo's land whom the Egyptians being alive loved being dead lâ—ved being rotten loved whom living neither wealth nor woe could mâ—ke to swell neither promise or threats of the Egyptian strumpet could make slide and therefore being dead neither world devill nor mans policy could make forgotten O that our mortall race might thus begin thus persevere might thus thus O Lord most happily finish The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak Learne therefore of Benjamin to enflame thy heart that thou maist be ready both in body and soule Let us saith Ecclesiast commend and so say I let us behold the noble famous men and the generation of our fore-elders For many glorious acts hath the Lord done in them shewed his great power ever since the beginning Upon the consideration whereof and especially for that I would have nothing wanting in this book that might serve thy contentation I thought it as well pertinent to deal with the righteous Father as with the godly children For to shadow a face only without a body hath his deserved commendation but who so painteth a leg without a body or a body without a head it shall not be amisse as I suppose aswell to tearme him a foolish painter as to judge the thing undiscreetly painted Wherefore as wel to see the head as the leg to hear the Father as the children I have faithfully drawn out of Scripture and not according to my fancy fashioned the death testament of Iacob that blessed and right happy Father added to this ancient monument of the Children Therefore to recompense my pains read them but read them diligently neither read only but be content to follow For the imitation of good and godly men is the direct way course to godlinesse So may we account of Iacobs blessing So may we throughly challenge to be his children Children I meane not by flesh but spirit The Lord which made heaven and earth the Lord which gave his Sonne to shed his heart-blood for us GOD which disposeth all things to his pleasure preserve our King increase our faith and make us thankfull for his benefits Amen Richard Day The Testament of Iacob made at his death to his twelve sons the Patriarchs concerning what should betide them in the last dayes gathered out of Genesis 48 49. and added unto this book Come hearken my Sonnes two things I give my blessing and my ban The first to them that godly live the last to wicked man The Testament of Iacob IAcob the sonne of Isaac borne of Rebecca in the yeare of the world 2108. his Father being threescore yeares of age was a perfect man and rigâ—â—eous dwelling in Lents not given to plâ—aâ—ure and hunting as his elder brother elder by nature not by grace For the elder shall serve the younger saith the Lord Why not for that Iacob had so deserved but GOD had so appoâ—nted Wherefore when he thus by the determinate will of God and heavenly disposition which ordereth all things whatsoever had got his brothers birth-right and his Fathers blessing his parents considering that the slippery dayes of carnall copulation did approach and warily fearing his Brother Esau for that he conceived murder in his heart instituted a birth-day for his divelish purpose sent him from Bersaba to Mesopotamia to Laban his mothers brother there honestly to take a wife and quietly to live For matrimony without consent of Parents and due consideration of either partie contracted as it breedeth their disquietness so it provoketh Gods displeasure Iacob therefore after long travell being placed with his Vncle Laban and serving him foureteene yeeres in labour and paine albeit bee was the Childe of promise the Blessed of the Lord borne of a Free woman and that which is more his Vncles bone and flesh and Lord of Canaan not arguing with himselfe as the worldly Children of this earth saying Shall I which am a free and wealthie mans sonne bee made a servant Shall I be a drudge in my kinsmans house being sent to marry and not to serve had given him by Laban to Wife for his good service by which GOD blessed that little that Laban had before his two daughters Lea first then Rachel with their handmaids Bilha and Zilpha of whom according to the promise made to him in Bethel that his seed should be multiplied hee begat twelve sonnes twelve godly Fathers of the earth Ruben Simeon Levi. Juda. Dan. Neptalim Gad. Aser Isachar Zabulon Joseph Benjamin Thus he being blessed of the Lord as well in Children as in substance returned againe to his native Countrey hee and his Children there to live and there to die But behold the divine providence of God! after three and thirty yeeres expired he was removed from Canaan to Gosen in Egypt by meanes of his sonne Joseph chiefe Steward of Pharaohs land whom his brethren heretofore had sold Where when he had lived 17. yeeres and seene his family encreased exceedingly to his great
cause the God of our fathers delivered him from all death both seen and unseen For if fornication over-rule not your minde neither shall Belial prevaile against you Women are hurtfull things my sonnes because that when they want power and strength against a man they worke guilefully to draw him to them by traines whom they cannot overmatch in strength him they overcome by deceit For the Angel of the Lord which taught me told me of them that they be overmastered by the spirit of fornication more than men be and that they be ever practising in their hearts against men first making their mindes to erre by decking of themselves then shedding their poison into them by sight and finally catching them prisoners by their doings for a woman is notable to enforce a man Therefore my sons flie fornication charge your wives and daughters that they trim not their heads and will them to chasten their lookes for every woman that dealeth deceitfully in these things is reserved to the punishment of the world to come For by such means were the watchers deceived before the floud as soone as they saw them they fell in love one with another conceived a working in their minde and turned themselves into the shape of men and appeared to them in their companying with their husband and the woman by conceiving the desire of them in the imagination of their minde brought forth Giants For the Watches appeared to them of height unto heaven Therefore keepe your selves from fornication and if yee intend to have a cleare minde keepe your selves from all Women and forbid them likewise the company of men that they may have also cleane minds For although continuall companyings do not alwaies worke wickednesse yet breede they incurable stings to them and to us everlasting shame before Belial because that fornication hath neither understanding nor godlinesse in it and all enviousnes dwelleth in the desire thereof and for that cause shalt yee envie the Children of Levi and seeke to be exalted above them but ye shall not be able to compasse it for God will avenger them and you shall die a dangerous death for unto Levi and Iuda hath the Lord given the soveraignty and unto mee and Dan and Joseph hath hee granted to be Princes with them Wherfore I charge you heare Levi for he shall know the law of the Lord deale forth judgement and offer sacrifices for all Israel till the full time of Christ the chiefâ— priest because the Lord hath spoken it I charge you by the God of heaven that every of you do deale faithfully with his neighbour and flicke unto Levi in humblenesse of heart that ye may receive blessing at his mouth for he shall blesse Israel and Juda. God hath chosen Juda to bee the King of all people wherefore worship you his seed for he shall die for you in battels both visible and invisible and shall raigne over you world without end Ruben having given his Children the foresaid charge and blessed them dyed Then they put him in a coffin carrying him out of Egypt buried him at Hebron in the double Cave where his Fathers slept The Testament of SIMEON made to his Children at his death concerning Envie The heart in womans mouth the face the sword the wolfe the cap All these paint out the envious race That run to their mishap The Testament of Simeon THe copy of Simeons words which hee spake unto his sons at his death in the hundreth twentieth yeare of his life in the which Joseph died For they came to visit him upon his death-bed and he sitting up kissed them saying Hearken my Children heare me your father Simeon whatsoever I have in my heart I am my father Jacobs second son and my mother Lea named me Simeon because the Lord heard her prayer I became very mighty I went through with my doings and was not affraid of any thing For my heart was stout my mind unmoveable and my stomack undiscourageable for hardiness is given of the highest into mens soules and bodies In those daies I envied Joseph because my father loved him I hardened my heart against him to kill him because the prince of errour sending forth the spirit of envie so blinded my mind that I could not take heed to spare my father Jacob But his God the God of his fathers sending his angell did rid him out of my hands For while I went into Sichem to carrie fare for our flockes and Ruben into Dotaim where all our necessaries were laid up in store our brother Juda sold him unto the Ismaelites therefore when my brother was come againe he was sorry for he intended to have conveied him selfe againe to our father But I was angry with Juda for letting him goe alive and bare him grudge five moneths after howbeit God letted me and restrained the working of my hands for my right hand was halfe withered up for vii dayes together Then did I perceive my sonnes that that befell me for Josephs sake whereupon I repented soon after and besought the Lord to restore my hand and I would abstain from all rancor envie and folly For I knew I had conceived a wicked thought against the Lord and against my Father Jacob for my brother Josephs sake whom I envied Now therefore my children keep your selves from the spirits of error and envy For envie overruleth the a mind of everie Man suffering b him not to eate or drink in rest or so do any good thing and is alwaies egging him to c slay the party whom he envieth and d pining away at his prosperitie Two yeares together I punished my soul with fasting in the fear of the Lord For I knew that the way to deliver me from envie was the feare of the Lord If a man flie unto the Lord the wicked Spirit flieth from him so as his minde becommeth meeke and of spitefull he becommeth pitifull bearing no grudge towards such as love him and so his envie ceaseth And because my father saw me sad he asked me the cause of it In whom I lied saying I have a pain in my stomach for I was sorâ—iest of all my brothers for that I had been the cause of Josephs selling into Egypt And when I came into Egypt and was put inward by him as a sâ—te then perceived I that I was justly punished and I was not sorry for it But Joseph being a good man and having Gods spirit in hâ—m and being full of pitie and mercy minded not to doe mee any harm but loved me as well as the residue of my brethren Therefore my children keep your selves from all spite and envie and walke in singlenesse of minde and good conscience after the example of your fathers brother that God may give you grace glory and blessedness upon your heads as you see in him Of all
Gad the Day-sunne and Aser an Olive-tree And there shall be one people of the Lord and one tongue and there shall be no more the false spirit of Belial because he shall be cast into endlesse fire They that are buryed in sorrow shal rise in joy and they that were poor for the Lords sake shall be made rich They that suffered penury shall have plenty and they that were weak shall be made strong they that died for the Lords sake shall wake up unto life and run in Jacob yea they shall run skipping and leaping and they shal flie as Eagles for joy But the ungodly shall be sorrowfull and the sinners shall mourn and all people shall glorifie the Lord for ever Therefore my children keep all the law of the Lord for there is hope for all such as walk aright A hundred and nineteen years old doe die in your sight Let none of you bury me in costly Cloaths nor rip my belly for so will Rulers doe but carry me back into Hebron with you With these words Juda dyed and his Children doing in all things as he commanded them buried him with his Fathers in Hebron The Testament of ISACHAR made to his Children at his death concerning a single heart Learn here a simple life Not void of pain but strife The Sythe the Spade the Asse Set forth what man he was The Testament of Isachar THE Copie of Isachars words He calling his children about him said unto them Ye children of Isachar hear your Father and hearken to the words of the beloved of the LORD I am Jacobs fift son in the reward of mandrake For Ruben brought Mandrakes out of the field Rachel meeting him took them of him Thereat Ruben wept and at his noise my mother Lea came out Now the Mandrakes were sweet sented Apples which the Land of Aram bringeth forth in high countries by the water vallies And Rachel said I wil not give thee these apples because they shall help me to children Now there were two of these apples and Lea said doth it not suffice thee that thou hast gotten away the husband of my virginity but that thou wilt have this alâ—o She answered Let Jacob lie with thee to night for thy sons Mandragoras Lea said unto her Doe not boast nor brag for Jacob is mine and I am the wife of his youth And Rachel answered How so was he not first handfasted unto me and served he not our Father fourteen years for me What shal I do to thee For many are the wiles and policies of men and guile goes forward upon earth If it had been otherwise thou shouldest not have seen Jacob in the face at this day For thou art not his wife but wert guilefully put to him in my stead My father deceived me and conveying me away that night suffered me not to see him For had I been there this had not come to passe Wherefore take the one Mandrake and in lieu of the other I grant thee him for one night and Jacob knew Lea who conceiving bare me and called my name Issachar because of the hire Then an Angel of the Lord appeared unto Jacob and said that Rachel should bear but two sonnes because she had forsaken the company of her husband and chosen continency and if my mother Lea had not given the two Apples for his company she should have born eight children whereas by reason of that she bare but six Rachel two and because God visited her in the Mandrakes For he knew that she greatly desired to company with Jacob for Issues sake and not for lust of pleasure for she layed up the Mandrake and delivered it unto Jacob the next day and therefore God heard Rachel in the Mandrakes because that although she had a mindâ— unto them yet she ate them not but offered them to the Priest of the most High which was in those dayes and laid them up in the Lords House Therefore my Children when I came unto mans state I walked with an upright heart and became Bayliff of Husbandry unto my fathers and brought them the fruits of their Lands in their due seasons and my father blessed me when he saw how I walked plainly and simply I was no busie body in my doings I was not hurtfull nor spitefull to my neighbour I rayled not upon any man neither dispraysed I the life of any that walked in singlenesse of minde By reason hereof when I was thirty years old I took a Wife because labour had consumed my strength I never knew the pleasures of a woman through wantonnesse but my labour made me to sleep soundly and my father did alwayes rejoyce of my simplicity For whatsoever pains I took first of all I offered all the first fruits and the first ingendred cattel unto the Lord by the Priest and then gave my Father the rest and the Lord doubled his benefits in my hands Yea and Jacob himself perceived well that God wrought with my plain dealing For unto every poor man and to every man in adversity gave I of the fruits of the earth with a single heart And now my children hearken and walk in singlenesse of minde for I know that the Lord is very well pleased with it The single-hearted man coveteth not gold undermineth not his neighbour lusteth not after diversity of meats desireth not shift of apparel nor behighteth himself long time but only hath an eye to Gods will and the spirits of errour can doe nothing against him For he cannot skill to entertain a fair woman lest he should defile his own minde wrath overmastereth not his wit envie melteth not his soul neither doth his minde run covetously upon gain For he leadeth an upright life and beholdeth all things with a single eye excluding all hurtfulnesse of worldly errour lest he should oversee any of the Commandements of God Therefore my Children keep Gods Law and hold fast plainnesse walk on in innocency and be not too inquisitive into Gods secrets or of your neighbours doings but love God and your neighbour pitty the poor and weak bow down your back to Husbandry and labour in rilling of the Earth in all manner of Husbandry offering presents to the Lord with thanksgiving who blessed the earth with encrease and a new spring of fruits as he blessed all holy men from Abel to this day for there is none other portion given thee than of the fatnesse of the Earth whose fruits come by pains taking for our Father Jacob blessed me with the benefits of the Earth and the firstlings of fruits Levi and Juda are glorified of the Lord among the Children of Jacob For God hath planted himself in them giving to the one the Priesthood and to the other the Kingdom Therefore obey ye them and walk plainly as our Father Jacob did For unto Gad it is given to destroy the temptations of Israel My Children I know that in the last dayes
I warn you keep the Lords commandements be mercifull to your neighbours and have inward compassion towards all not only men but also beasts For in that respect the Lord blessed me insomuch that when all my brothers were sick I escaped without sickness For God knoweth every mans intent Therefore my children have compassion in your bowels because that as any man dealeth with his neighbour so wil God deal with him For the children of my brothers fell sick also and died for Josephs sake because their fathers pitied him not but my children were preserved without sickness as you know And while I was upon the Sea-coast of Canaan I fell to fishing for my father Jacob and whereas many others were drowned in the Sea I abode unbuâ—t I was the first that made a Fisher-boat to float on the sea for God gave me understanding and wisdom therein so that I did set up a masâ— in the boat and fastned a sail to the midst of the wood and coasing along the shore in it I fished for my fathers houshold till we came into Egypt and for pity sake I gave of my fishing to every stranger that I met with if there were any foreiner born or any sicke body or any aged person I boiled my fish and dressed it well according to every mans need and carried it to them comforting them and having compassion with them And therefore God made me to catch much fish in the sea For hee that giveth his neighbor receiveth the things multiplied of the Lord Five yeares did I fish giving to every man â—hat I saw and serving all my Fathers house sufficiently in harvest time I fished and in winter time I fed sheep with my brothers Now will I tell you what I did I â—aw a miserable man in the deep of winter and having compassion upon him I stole a garment privily out of my house and gave it the naked man You therefore my Children take pity indifferently of all men and shew mercy with the things which the Lord giveth you and deale them abroad to all men with a good heart And if ye have not wherewith to succour the needy out of hand yet have compassion on him with inward mercy I know that my hand forslowed not to give to him that wanted and to spend the time with him insomuch that I have walked above vii furlongs with such a one weepiâ—g and my heart yerned upon him for compassion You therefore my children have earnest and inward mercy towards all that are in mâ—sery that God having pitty upon you may be mercifull to you likewise For in the last daies God will send his mercy upon the earth and wheresoever he findeth inward and hearty mercy there will he dwel For looke how much mercy man sheweth to his neighbour so much wâ—ll God shew to him againe Now when we came down inâ—o Egypt Joseph minded not our evill dealing with him but when he saw me it made his heart yerne whom look ye upon my children and learne to forget the harm that is done to you Love ye one another and do not one of you thinke upon anothers ill dealing for that breaketh unity and displeaseth all kiâ—dred and troubleth the minde For he that is mindfull of harm past hath not the bowels of mercy Marke the water and see how it washeth away the sand when the stones and timber are removed asunder And if a brook be drawn into many streams the earth sucketh it up and it cometh to nothing and so shall you if you be divided among your selves Therefore divide not your selves into 2. heads for all things that God hath created have but one head apiece He hath given a man two shoulders two hands and two feet but yet do all the members obey one head I know by the writings of my fathers that in the last dayes ye shal depart from the Lord and be divided in Israel following two Kings working all abomination and worshipping all manner of Idols and your enemies shall take you prisoners and you shall sit among the heathen in all misery tribulation and sorrow of mind and afterward you shall remember the Lord and repent and he shall turn you again for he is mercifull and full of compassion and thinketh not upon the lewdnesse of the children of men because they be flesh and the spirits of errour beguile them in all their doings After this shall God himselfe raise up unto you the light of righteousness and wholesomeness mercy are in his punishments He shall redeem all men from the bondage of Belial and all the spirits of errour shall be trodden down and he shall turn all nations to the following of him and ye shal see God in the shape of man for God hath chosen Jerusalem and God is his Name neverthelesse by the wickednesse of your words you shal provoke him to wrath and ye shall be cast off till the time of full finishing And now my children be not sad for my death neither be ye out of heart because I leave you For I shall rise up again among you as a Captain in the middest of my Tribe among as many as have kept the law of the Lord and the commandements of their father Zâ—bulon But as for the wicked God shall bring everlasting fire upon them and destroy them for ever I return to my rest as my fathers have done now fear you the Lord your God with all your strength all the dayes of your life As he had spoken these words he fell asleep to his singular benefit and his sonnes laid him in a Coffin and carrying him back again unto Hebron buried him there with his fathers The Testament of Dan made to His children at his death concerning anger and lying The Serpent with weapon and Dan declare The intent of those men that wrathfull are The Testament of Dan. THe copy of Dan his words which he spake unto them in his last daies in the hundred five and twentieth yeare of his life he called his tribe unto him and said Yee Children of Dan heare my sayings and give heed to the wordes of your Fathers mouth I lâ—ked in mine heart and shewed in my whole life the thing that is good for truth joyned with right dealing pleaseth God well I have hated hurtfull things as lying and anger because they teâ—câ— a man all manner of naughtinesse I confesse unto you my Children this day that I was glad in my heart at the death of Joseph that true and good man and rejoyced of the selling of him because our Father loved him more then us For the spirit of spitefullnes and pride said unto me Thou art his son â—eo as wel as he And one of the spirits of Belial wrought with me saying Take this sword and slay Joseph with it and when he is dead thy father shall love thee This was that spirit of
saying the Assyrians Medes Elamites Galathites Caldees and Syrians shall hold the Scepter of Israel in thraldome And again a seven moneths after I saw our father Jacob standing in the sea of Jamma and us his Sonnes with him And behold there came a ship sayling by full of 〈◊〉 flesh without Mariner or Pilate Vpon the ship was written Jacob and our Father said to us Let us go to our ship When we were within it there rose a sore tempest and a mighty gale of winde and our father who held the stern flew away from us and then we being tossed with the storm were carried into the sea and our ship was filled with water and weather-â—eatâ—n and torn on all sides Then Joseph fled out in the boat and we all were divided upon twelve boards and Levi and Juda was among us so were we scattered on all coasts and Levi being clad in sackcâ—oth prayed unto the Lord for us all As soon as the tempest was allayed the ship came quickly to land and behold our Father Jacob came and we rejoyced all together with one minde I told my father these two dreams and he said to me these things must be fulfilled in their time and Israel must indure many things Then said he further to me I believe that Joseph is alive for I see that the Lord doth alwayes number him with us And he said thou livest my sonne Joseph but yet I see thee not neither seest thou Jacob that begat thee truly he made us to weep at these words of his and my vowels glowed within me to bewray unto him that Joseph was sold but I was afraid of my brothers Behold my sons I have shewed you the last times and all things that shall be done in Israel You therefore command your children to be helpfull unto Levi and Juda. For by Juda shall health and welfare spring up unto Israel and in him shall Jacob be blessed For by his Scepter shall God appeare and dwell among men upon earth to save the flock of Israel and to gather the righteous from amongst the Heathen My children if you do well both men and angels shall praise and blesse you and God shall be glorified by you among the Gentiles the Divell shall flâ—e from you the beasts shall stand in awe of you and the Angels shall receive you For like as if a man bring up his children well the child giveth and endeavoureth alwayes to be mindefull and thankfull So of good works there is a good remembrance with God But as for him that doth not good him shall men and Angels curse and God shall be dishonoured through him among the Gentiles and the Divel shall possesse him as a peculiar vessell and instrument and all beasts shall overmasâ—er him and the Lord shall hate him For the commandments of the law are of two sorts and are fulfilled in work For there is a time for a man to company with his wife and a time to forbear her that he may give himselfe to prayer There are two commandements which breed sinne except they be done in their due order and so it is in the rest of the commandments Therefore be you wise and skilfull in the Lord knowing the order of his commandements and the laws of all things that God may love ye Having commanded them many other such things he prayed them to conveigh his bones to Hebron and to bury him by his Fathers And so eating and drinking with a merry heart he covered his face and died And Neptalims children did all things according as their Father had commanded them The Testament of GAD made to his Children at his death concerning Hatred You that excell in Martiall feats Loe Gad but GOD obey Lest in Gads wrath you GOD offend And lose your hoped prey The Testament of Gad. THe Copy of Gads Testament and of the things that he spake to his Children in the hundred and seventh year of his life saying I was Jacobs seventh son and skilfull and strong in keeping of sheep I kept the flocks by night and when there came any Lion Leopard Wolf Beare or other wilde Beast upon our Caâ—tel I ran to it and killed it Joseph also did feed sheep with us about a thirty dayes who being tender fell sick by reason of overmuch heat and went home to Hebron to his father whom he lodged by himselfe because he loved him And Joseph told our father tâ—at the sons of Bilha wasted his goods at Zâ—lpha and made havock of them without the knowledge of Juda and Ruben For he knew that I had rescued a lamb out of a Bears mouth and killed the Bear and that because the lamb could not live which thing grieved me we killed it also and ate it He told our father of it and our brothers were greatly discontentâ—d with his doing even to the day that he was sold into Egypt and the spirit of hatred was in me insomuch as I could not finde in my heart to hear Joseph speak or to see him because he had rebuked us openly for eating the lamb without Juda. To be shorâ— he made our father believe whatsoever he told him But now I acknowledge my sinne my children that I was often in minde to have killed him for I hated him from my heart and I was utterly without compassion towards him and the cause of this my great hatred towards him was his dreams Therefore I would have devoured him as an Oxe eateth up grasse from the earth And for that cause I and Juda sold him to the Ismaelites for 30 gildernes of the which we kept away ten privily and shewed the other xx to our brethren And so covetousnesse perswaded me to wish his death But the God of our Fathers delivered him out of my hands to the intent I should not do such wickedness in Israel and now my children give eare to the words of truth that ye may live righteously and keep the law of the highest and not go astray through the Spirit of hatred for that is evill in all mens doings Whatsoever another man doe hâ— that doth the hater mislike and abhorre If one keep the law of the Lord he praiseth it not if one feare the Lord and deal righteously him he loveth not but dispraiseth the truth he envieth him that ordereth his wayes aright he embraceth backbiting he loveth scornfulnesse and because that hatred hath blinded his minde he doth to his neighbours as we did to Joseph therefore my Children keep your selves from hatred because it committeth wickednesse even against the Lord for it will not hear the words of Gods commandement concerning the loving of a mans neighbour but sinneth spitefully against God If a brother offend by and by it blazeth him abroad and is hastie to have him condemned and killed or punished for his offence And if the offender be a servant or bondman it accuseth him to his master and deviseth all means that may be to persecute
him and to put him to death if it be possible for hatred worketh with spitefulnesse and is alway sorry to hear or see men go forward or prosper in well-doing For like as love beareth good will then to the dead and wisheth them alive and would if it were possible stay them from death which are condemned to die So hatred seeketh to stay the living and deemeth them unworthy of life which have offended never so lightly For the spirit of hatred doth through cankred frowardnesse of heart work joyntly with Sathan in all things even to the death and destruction of men But the spirit of love doth through long sufferance worke with Gods Law to the welfare of men Hatred is evil because it abideth with lying speaking continually against the truth making a great adoe of small matters overshadowing the lâ—ght with darknesse counting sweet to be sowre teaching slanderousnesse war wrong and aboundance of all mischief and finally filling the heart with divellish poison My children I speak these tâ—ings upon experience to the intent you should eschew hatred and stick to godly love Righteousnesse driveth out hatred and lowlinesse killeth it for a righteous and lowly person is ashamed to doe wrong not for feare of rebuke but for conscience sake because God seeth his intent He backbiteth no man because the feare of the highest overcommeth hatred for the feare of the Lord offendeth not neither wil do any man wrong no not even in thought At length I came to the knowledge of these things when I had repented the of my dealings toward Joseph For the true Repentance that is according to Gods will mortifieth a man to obedience chaseth away darknesse inlightneth the eyes giveth knowledge to the minde and leadeth the soul to salvation And whatsoever men know not of themselves that doth repentance teach them For it brought upon me the pain of the heart and if my father Jacobs prayers had not beene surely I had died out of hand For loâ—k wherein a man sinneth by the same he is punished Forasmuch therefore as my heart was mercilesse toward Joseph I suffered Gods rigorous justice in my heart by the space of xi moneths that the time of my punishment might fall out even with the time that I urged the selling of Joseph Now therefore my children each of you love his brothers and put away hatred from your hearts loving one another in deed word and tâ—ought of minde For before my fathers face I spake mildly of Joseph but behinde his backe the spirit of hatred darkened my understanding and tempted my minde to kill him Wherefore love ye one another heartily and if any of you offend other tell him of it gently driving out the poyson of hatred and fostering no deceit in heart And if the offender confesse it and be sorry for it give it him and if he deny it strive not with him lest he fall to swearing and so sinne double Let no stranger hear you uttering one anothers secrets in variance lest he turn to be your ill-willer and worke some great mischief against you For he will talke guilefully with thee and undermine thee to do thee a shrewd turn taking his poyson at thine own hand Therefore if he deny it and he ashamed of it and hold his peace when he is rebuked draw him not out for in denying he repenteth him so as he will no more offend thee but honour thee and fear thee and be in quiet But if he be unshamefac't and abide by his naughtiness then refer the revengement of it to God with all thy heart If another man prosper more then thou be not grieved at it but pray for him that he may have perfect prosperity For peradventure it may be to your own benefit And if he be exalted more and more envy him not but remember that all flesh shall die and praise God for it who giveth good and profitable things to all men Seek the Lords judgements and so thy mind shal let him alone and be in quiet Now if a man be enriched by evill means as Esau my Fathers brother was envy him not for in so doing ye controll the Lord who either taketh away his benefits from the wicked or leaveth them still to the repentant or else reserveth them in the unrepentant to their endlesse punishment For the poore man having sufficient of all things giveth thanks unto the Lord and is enriched of all men because men wish him no harm Therefore my children away with hatred out of your hearts and love one another with a right meaning minde Also will you your children to honour Levi and Juda for out of them shall the Lord make the Saviours of Israel to come I know that in the end your children shall depart from them and walke in all manner of mischief naughtinesse and corruption before the Lord And after a little pausing he said again My sonnes hear me your Father bury me by my fathers And so plucking up his feet he slept in peace and after five years they carryed him thence and laid him with his Fathers in Hebron The Testament of ASER made to his Children at his death concerning two Faces of Vice and Vertue Two wayes saith Aser are prepar'd for men the one for joy The last for death 〈…〉 The Testament of ASER. THe Copy of Aser his Testament and of the things that he spake to his Children in the 120. year of his life Being still in health he said unto them Ye children of Aser hearken unto your father and I will shew you all things that are right before the Lord The Lord hath given two wayes unto the Sons of men two mindes two doings two places and two ends and therefore all wayes may be one yea though they be contraries as are the wayes of good and evill Also there are two mindes in our breasts which doe move us either to honesty or dishonesty Therefore if a man be led to goodnesse all his doings are occupied about righteousnesse and if that be doe any thing amisse by and by he repenteth him for in as much as his minde is bent unto righteousnesse he putteth away naughtinesse and out of hand amendeth his misdeeds and correcteth the corruptions of his mind But if his minde incline unto evill all his doings tend unto naughtinesse in so much that he thrusteth away the good and taketh unto him the bad because he is under the dominion of Belial and if he doe any good thing he turneth the same unto evill For if he begin to do any good he bringeth the end of his doings to an evil work because the treasure of his heart is infected with the venome of a divelâ—sh and mischievous Spirit and therefore the evill overmastereth the good in his minde and bringeth the end of the thing to naughtinesse Some man sheweth compassion upon him that serveth his turn in naughtinesse that man hath two faces and that deed
good thing in the passion wherein he is overcome he draweth the same to his pernicious or filthy desire I say unto you my Sonnes that it was about six of the clocke when she went from me and I fell upon my knees praying to God all that day with the night following And about the break of the day I arose weeping that I might once be deâ—ivered from this Egyptian woman Finally she caught me fast by the garment drawing me to have gone to bed with her Then perceiving that she waxed mad and that violently and with strength she held my clothes I let my clothes slip from me and fled away Then shâ— complained to her husband of me which put me in prison in the Kings house The day following after I was sore beaten and cast in prison And when I lay bound in fetters this Egyptian Woman waxed sick for sorrow and harkened how I lauded GOD being in a House of Darknesse For I rejoycing with a glad voice glorified my God onely that by such occasion I was delivered from the Egyptian woman Yet she left not to stand hearkening said Have done and take the offer which I put unto thee and fulfill my desire and I will deliver thee from thy Bond and bring thee out from the darkness but all that could perswade me nothing insomuch that in thought I was not inclined to any desire of her For God loveth him better which fasteth in chastitâ— being in a prison of darknesse then him which taketh his pleasure with voluptuousnesse in a chamber of honour riches For if a man live in chastity and desire glory if God perceive it to be expedient for him he giveth it unto him as he hath done unto me Many times as though she had been sicke she descended unto me unlooked for and heard the voice of my praying and stood the more still But when I heard her sigh I held my peace for in her house she stripped her self naked breasts legges and arms whereby she might have kindled me into the love of her For she was very fair and gloriously adorned to have deceived me but God kept me from her works Therefore my Sonnes behold what sufferance with prayer and fasting doth And therefore if you love Soberness and Chastity in Sufferance and Humility of the heart the Lord shall dwell in you for he loveth sobriety and when the most High doeth dwell in a man although he chance to fall into envy or into bondage or slander the Lord which dwelleth in him will for his chastity not only deliver him but also exalt him and glorifie him as he hath done me for he is alwayes with him in word in deed and thought My Children ye know well how my Father did love me and yet I was never the prouder thereof in my heart For though I was a childe I had ever the fear of God in my minde When I grew unto age I moderated my selfe and honoured my brethren whom I feared I held my peace when I was sold because I would not have the Ismaelites to know my flock and kindred how I was the son of Jacob a man of great strength and power Therefore have you in your deeds the feare of God and honour your Brethren for all men that observe the Law of God are loved of him Then I came with the Ismaelites to a certain place called Indoclep and they demanded of me what I was and I said because I would not reprove my brethren that I was one of their houshold Slaves Then said the chief of them thou art no slave for thy countenance doth shew thee what thou art And he threatned me unto the death yet for all that I said againe I was their slave But when we came into Egypt they began to strive who should have me for the money that was paid and they agreed that I should abide in Egypt with a Merchant of their faculty untill such time as they had made their Merchandise and returned again and God gave me in the fight of the Merchant that he gave me the charge of his house and the Lord blessed him by my hand for the Lord gave him plenty of Gold and Silver and I was with him three moneths and five dayes In this time passed by Memphitica the wife of Putiphar in great glory and she cast her eyes upon me for the Eunuches had shewed her of 〈◊〉 she shewed her husband of the Merchant whiâ—h was made rich in the hand of a young man being an Hebrew and she sayd they had 〈◊〉 â—im out of the land of Chanaan therefore do now judgement upon him and that the young man to be your steward and tâ—e God of the Hebrewes shal blesse you for grace from heaven is in him Putiphar her husband perswaded with these words caused the Merchant to be sent for and said unto him what do I beare of thee that stealest souls out of the Land of the Hebrewes in selling of Children The Merchant fell down upon his knees and prayed him saying I beseech thee Lord shew me for I know not what thou sayst He answered againe Where gatesâ— thou this Hebrew childe and he said the Ismaelites left him with me untill they came this way again When he had said so Putiphar said bring the young man hither and I being brought in did reverence to the Prince of the Eunuches for he was the third man in dignity with Pharaoh and Prince of all the Eunuches and he had wife children and concubines And when he had taken me apart he said Art thou â—ond or art thou free I answered bond And he said unto me whose bondman art thou I answered him the Ismaelites And he said again unto me how came it to passe that thou â—ast made their bondman And I said for they bought me in the land of Chanaan yet he did not believe me saying truly thou â—iest and commanded me to be beaten Memphitica his Wife spied me â—eaten at a window and sent unto her Husband saying Thy judgement is unjust for thou doest punish wrongfully the young man that is stolen But because I changed not my word yet again was I beaten and commanded to be kept at his commandement till such time as my masters came And his wife said unto him Wherefore do ye keep in captivity the noble Childe it were more almes to let him goe and to beat you She would fain have spied me in desire of sin and I knew nothing of this He said again to Memphitica it is not honest among the Egyptians to take away another mans goods before he shew him of it He said that of the Merchant and of me when I should be imprisoned After that xxiiii dayes the Ismaelites came and they hearing that Jacob my father was heavy for me faâ—â— unto me wherefore is it that thou saidst thou wast a bondman and now we â—now that thou art the sonne of a
done but it shall be open A godly caveat Labour a preservative from fornication A guilty conscience is a great burden The fruit of fornication 1. Destruction of the soule 2. Idolatry 3. Shortnes of life 4 Ignominious shame Josephs chastity rewarded Properties of unchast women A note for garish attire and wanton lookes An example of this mischiefe Gen. 6. Teachers infectious company corrupteth the minde Envie accoÌ„panieth fornication shame followeth Gen 4.9 He prophecieth of Christ Faithful dealing with neighbours Gen. 5.49 Gen. 29. Hardiness of whom it is Gen. 37. Man purposeth God disposeth Envie descâ—ibed a Blindeth the mind b hindreth â—â—stenance c Provoketh murder d Pineth aâ— mens prosperity A remedy against envie Gen. 42. Joseph mercifull to his brethren Gen. 50. A sure token of good Properties of Envie 1 Corruption of life 2 Distemperature of body 3 Small sleep Gen. 39. A token of a quiet minde Effects of whoredome Gen. 49. Parents teaching not their Children are guilty Commodities of concord Exod. 17. Ioh. 1. The fruite of obedience Gen. 49. A note for Parents Levi hâ—s birth and countâ—ey Gen. 34. Christ Christ A minister what hee should be of himself not righteous Mat. 5. End of the priesthood prophesied Christ his passion prophesied Christ Gen. 34. Christ our redeemer The zeale of a Minister Gen. 34. Gen. 34. Gen. 49. The manner not the doing rebuked The sin of the Sichemites Raped Dina Persecuted strangers Gen. 12. Ravished their wives Gen. 35. The ministerie described Exod. 28. Levit. 8. The three blessings of the family of Levi Christ prophecied A distributing excludeth the sole receiving of the Sacrament Exod. 29 Levi. 1.2 3. An exhortation for Ministers A minister may be married Levit. 21. He must come with a pure mind to exâ—cute his office Levit. 1.2 3 4 A comfort for godly parents Prophecy of the destruction of Israel The Realm plagued whose Ministery is wicked Gen. 36. Levi his progenie Exod. 6. Levi made Priest at 18 years Married at 28. A note for Parents Blessings of the learned Minister Wisedome a precious jewell Sin blindeth wisedome Commodities of wisedome Christ his death and spitefulnes of the Jews prophesied Mat. 27. Ministers what they are The wicked Priesthood and their misery described 1 Sam. 2. A Prophecy of their destruction A prophecy of Christs persecution Mark the right portraiture of the Shaveling generation Christ and his members Ergo faith the holy Ghost justifieth and not merits Christ his true mnistery described Christ lighneth the world Baptisme of Christ prophecied No Priesthood shall succeed Christ Priesthood of Christ how beneficial Christ our propitiator Christ giveth power to his to tread down spirits Juda his exhortation The duty of children Valiantnes of Juda the gift of God The manhood of Juda. The valiantnes of Jacob Er Anan slaine for not using the benefit of lawfull mariage FornicatioÌ„ a fruit of drunkennes Gen. 38. An intolerable custome of the Amorites Apparell Beauty wine provoketh whoredome FornicatioÌ„ is chargeable Happy are they that can cease from doing ill It is sinful to any man to glory in his felicity See what it is to upbraid men their vice Children that marry without consent of parents plagued Discommodities of wine 1. Blindeth understanding 2. Servant of lechery Fruite of drunkennes A drunken man is shamelesse Example Who ought to drinke wine Properties of a drunken man is filthy talk wicked deeds Discommoditie of whoredome Four noisome Spirits follow drunkeÌ„nes 1. Concupiscence 2. Heart burning 3. Lechery 4. Covetousnes Astibnenc from wine what commodity it hath 2. It slandreth not 2. It quarreleth not nor raileth 3 It breaketh not the commandements 4. It perisheth not before the time Obedience to parents how profitable The discommodites of covetousnesse a Fill of Pride b Merciles c Disquiets the soule d Consumes the body e Contemnes Gods holy word The covetous lecherous cannot feare God Idolatry the fruit of covetousnesse Two Spirits waite upon a man a In respect that heavenly things are better then earthly not in externall rule government b Ergo iure divino the Pope can challenge no earthly power c Not in power and rule but in the excelâ—eÌ„cy of the office appertaining to God Tyrants wicked men described and prophesied Mutuall discord is a plague for tyrants Christ prophesied Note this ye that seeke after witches for lost goods The misery of Jerusalem a Famine b Pestilence c Death Sword d Besiegement e Devouring dogs f Daily reproche g Losse paine of eyes h Slaughter of children i Ravishing of Wives k Burning of the Temple l Desolation of the country m Captivity A remedy for these First Repentance Obedience The most heavenly benefit of Christ his second coming A sweet comfort for the godly Christian Matth. 5. Note The blessed estate of the elect after death The exhortation Gen. 30. The godly life of Issachar his true dealing An example for godly children A pattern of a vertuous life With a plain dealing man the Lord is pleased A single-hearted man described who and what he is Learn you children of the earth Obedience and plain dealing commended A Plague for disobedience The innocency of Issachar A godly pattern to follow Hearken you Land-Lords Learn you wealthy of the earth His exhortation when it was given Gen. 30. The love of Zabulon towarâ— Joseph A good conscience refuseth no triall Love between brethren is as a precious ointment Mutuall love is mutuall safety A figure of the trechery and covetousnesse of Judas read Matth. 27. Juda carefull for his Brother Reuben his love toward Joseph Mark the wicked policy of the ungodly Zabulon his exhortation Compassion is to be shewed as well to beasts as men The unmercifull punished both they and their children Fishers Boats fiâ—st invented by Zabulon but God gave the wisdome Gen. 49. The singular compassion of Zabulon Note Zabulon his mercy in giving food A mercyfull deede to clothe the naked Inward compassion wanting ability serveth A rare example of a mercifull heart God dwelleth â—n a mercifuâ—l heart Joseph rewarded good for evill He that is mindful of injuries is not mercâ—full Apt similitudes An exhortation to concord The end of discord is misery The state of the wicked at the latter day Heart and outward profession must be consociate Lies anger school-masters of evill life Selfe-love thinketh himself as good as other Desire of prerogative entiseth to murther Man purposeth but God disposeth A wrathfull man lively described a He accounteth his Parents as enemies b He knoweth not his brother c He obeyeth not the Minister d He regardeth not the righteous e He considereth not his friend The properties of wrath A wrathfull man worketh three wayes 1 By servants 2 By riches 3 By himself Two instruments of wrath bitter speech violent hands Remedy against wrath is forbearing of words The effect of impatience He prophesieth their wickednes A note for covetousnes Repentance obtaineth mercy A prophecy of Christ his humanity Christ lively described Christ our mediator Christ assisteth us in all temptations His birth Why he was called Neptalim Why Joseph was like Neptalim his family The swiftnesse of Neptalim Gen. 49. God his wisdome in creating us lively set forth All things must be done in time and order The reason Neptalim prophesieth the misery of his children A Vision Remorse of conscience moveth open confession By doing well God is glorified men blessâ—d the divel vâ—nquished Gad a good and valiant shepheard Gad hated Joseph for his complaining to his father 2. For his dreams A comparison The property of hatred A righteous man described Love consisteth in deed in word and minde Envy no mans prosperity It may be perchance your profit A poor man how he is rich A prophecy of Christ Two wayes for a man to walk in Two mindes in a man of good of evil Diverse sorts of double faces The covetous mans wickedness described God abideth with the plain dealer The preposterous judgement of the world makes not good or bad Other kindes of double faced men Aser his righteous living Double faced double punished A prophecy of Câ—rist his humanity Josephs afflictions God helpeth in distresse God never forsaketh his Joseph constant in temptations Sufferance what it is A present medicine in temptation Not from meat but from wanton fare A crafty practise of a woman Flattery the Divels sweet bait A token of a zealous heart Hypocrites are of all religions for luere Double faced men GOD abhorreth Note the fruit of lust Joseph did first admonish not proclame The Name of God fear of infamy pricketh the conscieece Note this A remedy against teÌ„ptation Note a subtile woman Josephs singular chastity A property of a Harlot The commodity of praier and sufferance Josephs lowlinesse in prosperity An amiable countenance a token of a liberall mind A covetous heart like Achaâ— A token of mercy if it were not for an ill end Note a flattering woman A good nature Thus the Righteous be bought and sold Concord between brethren pleaseth God Josephs mercifull heart declared A promise for them that pray for their enemies God provideth for his Elect. Josephs dreams Christ prophesied Benjamin what it signifieth Josephs distress revenged by God Temptation shaâ— not overcome them that fear the Lord Joseph aright figure of Jesus Christ A good man 1 OvercoÌ„meth evil 2 Loveth the righteous 3 Envieth not 4 Praiseth the valiant 5 Defendeth him that feareth God 6 Admonisheth the Sinner 7 Pitieth the poore The example of a godly man converteth Sinners The properties of a righteous man Disobedience the father of seven mischiefs 1 Envy 1 Desperation 3 Sorrow 4 BoÌ„dage 5 Needinesse 6 Trouble 7 Desolation An example of Cain An apt similitude to a mind resisting sinnes A prophecy of the nativity of Christ Of his passion Matth. 27. Of the comming of the holy Spirit Of his ascension A prophecy of the last comming of Christ The resurrection judgement described A prophecy of the nativity of Christ Christ described Christ wipeth away our sins