Sonne from the malice of Athalia which had destroyed all the rest of the Kings seede and dieth being 130 yeares old While he liued Joas kept Religion and Worshipped the God of his Father After his death he fell away and suffered incense to be offered in the groues to whom Zacharias the Sonne of Barachias said Is this the reward of all my Fathers paines that as soone as my Father is dead you forsake the true God and worship the Gods of the Nations For which cause Ioas caused him to be slaine betweene the Alter and the Temple So that as death is contrarie to life and as at the birth of Seth and Abraham the graces of God were manifested to the world so at Iehoiadahs death the Tribe of Iuda lost all Religion It is a question how Torah being an Idolater could name Abram Hie Father son so doth the word signifie Hee might guesse like a worldly man that his Sonne Abram should be likely to be Rich and Mightie and so should haue many vnder him Howsoeuer it was this is certaine that God directed the tongue of this Idolater to set foorth and preach his glory though his life had no shew of vertue Here is an other question to be discussed of the age of Terah when he begat Abram Of Terah his age when he begat Abram SOme will haue Abram to be borne at Terahs Seuentieth yeare because in Gen. 11.26 it is sayd Terah liued seuentie yeares and begat Abram Nachor and Haran Wherevpon they gather that Abraham was the first borne because hee is put in the first place and that hee was borne in that yeare of Terah to wit the Seuentie But they marke not that Terahs Sonnes are reckoned not according to their age but according to their dignitie as Gen. 5. The sonnes of Noah Sem Cham and Iaphet are so rehearsed that in the first place there is mention made of Sem who for all that was not the first borne neither could be borne in the Fiue hundreth yeare of Noah fith two yeares after the Flood in which yeare he begat Arphaxad hee was but an hundreth yeares old Now the first of this opinon whom I follow was Caluine that famous Doctor of the Church of Geneua who in his Commentaries vpon Gen. 11.27 expresseth it in plaine wordes Him followed Beroaldus who did much in the illustrating of time and Mangoldus This demonstration is set downe Act. 7. Abraham is said to goe out of Haran after his father Terah died Now Terah liued 205. yeares And Abraham went out of Haran in the 75. yeare of his age which yeares if you subtract from Terahs age there remaine 130. yeares in which Abrams natiuitie falleth The same may be confirmed by Sarahs age Abrams wife who is thought to be the Daughter of Abrams brother Abram exceeded her no more but ten yeares whereupon it followeth that hee was borne long after him that was both his Brother and Father in law Abram therefore was called and began his Peregrination in the 2084. yeare of the world the very same day that his posteritie went out of Egipt namely the 15. of Nisan as it is sayd in Exod. 12. The third ioynct of this first time which containeth the diuine couenant of Abraham endeth in the yeare when the Law was giuen in which the Israelites by the goodnesse of God were brought foorth and deliuered out of Egipt by many and strange Miracles This containeth 430. yeares which is confirmed by the testimonie of S. Paul who expresly sayth Gal. 3.17 That the Law began 430. yeares after the confirming of the Couenant or Testament And concerning the confirmation of which Couenant he speaketh he expresseth in that which went before namely of that same which was made when being called of God he went out of Haran For in vers 8. hee cyteth the same Promise In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Which Gen. 12. is rehearsed in the narration of his calling vers 3. Hitherto also it appertaineth which is written Exod. 12. vers 40. The Peregrination of the Children of Israel as learnedly and truely translateth that worthy man Beroaldus which they dwelt in Egipt was Foure hundred and thirtie yeares Which surely the Seuenty Interpreters so translate that they account the Peregrination of the Fathers made in the Land of Canaan in this dwelling Neither doth the place of Gen. 15. vers 13. concerning the Seede of Abrham to be afflicted 400. yeares hinder it For Abrahams Peregrination is to be deriued frō his Calling and his Seed began to be afflicted when Isaacke the Sonne of Promise borne 25. yeares after his Calling being a Child peraduenture of fiue yeares old suffered the scoffinges of Ismael borne of the Hand-mayde which surely the Apostle Gal. 4.29 expressely nameth Persecution Adde hereunto the rest which Isaacke and Iacob suffered among Strangers Now that time wherein the Israelites abode in Egipt that it is farre wide of 400. yeares is clearer then the light at noone day to them which consider that Koath the Sonne of Leui went downe into Egipt and liued 133. yeares and that his Sonne Amram liued 137. yeares Exod. 6. and that Moses his Sonne was 80. yeares old when he went out of Egipt All which make but 350. yeares and if from these those yeares be subduced which they liued after their Sonnes were borne the yeares remayning would be few But these thinges Doctor Beroaldus and others haue learnedly set foorth Those notable men Bullinger Phlinspachius Scalinger and others agree vnto it It is said that Terah being 70. yeares old begetteth Abram Haran Nachor The Iewes say That Abraham was the eldest but thereby they bring notable absurdities for they agree that Sara was Harans Daughter she is but Ten yeeres younger than Abram and then Abram being elder than Haran and yet married his daughter but Ten yeares younger then her Husband Haran must needes beget her at Nine yeares of age which is impossible Therefore it is certaine that Nachor and Haran were elder then Abram For if wee looke to Gen. 12. and consider that Abram being Seuentie and fiue yeares old receiued the promise and to Saint Stephens Oration Act. 7.2 by which it appereth that Terah was dead before Abram had the promise or else the promise might haue had reference to Terah as well as to Abram we shall by good Arithmetique cast Terah at the birth of Abram to be 130. yeares for take 75. yeares out of 205. which is the time that Tenah liued and there remaineth 130 the age of Terah when he begat Abram To inlarge this further If Abram had beene the eldest Sem would not haue giuen him the blessing for then he should haue died before Sem and men doe not giue their inheritance to their sonnes which die in their life but he would rather haue kept it for Isaack with whom he liued 50. yeares this may be made plaine by another of the same sort Rebecca being with child and they
for the building of the Temple Hester of Beniamin saued all Iuda from the practise of Haman Paul of Beniamin was one of the last Builders of the spirituall Temple DAN Moses in his blessing in numbring the Tribes leaues out Simeon And in the Reuelation when the Tribes are sealed Dan is left out Therevpon the Grecians thinke that Antichrist shall come of the Tribe of Dan. That is not so but Moses being of Leui in blessing the Tribes putteth in Leui and speaketh largely of his spirituall blessinges Iosephs Sonnes are not to be left out because they were adopted therefore to keepe the number of Twelue he must leaue out some Simeon was the fittest because he was without repentance Leui must be reckoned seeing his was a spirituall inheritance and the Lord promised to be his inheritance therefore Dan must be omitted And this may be the reason When the children of Israel came into the land of Canaan the Tribe of Dan causeth the first Idolatrie and therefore that Tribe was iustly plagued And in this Tribe Idolatrie continued till the remoouing of the Arke from Siloh But yet this wee must vnderstand that though Dan is not named yet in respect his Tribe are Iacobs Sonnes the Tribe is comprehended in the generall Blessing And Moses concludeth that seeing that the eternall God is his refuge Israel the Fountaine of water shall dwell in safetie ISACHAR Was content to liue vnder tribute or labour like a Merchaunt or like to an Asse couching downe betweene two Burdens rather then to seeke glorie by leading Bandes of men REVBEN Hee lost his prerogatiue because hee Went vp to his Fathers bedde therefore hee is light as Water hee shall not excell Reuben hath one of Dauids Captaines of his Tribe but it is presently added therewith Thirtie better then hee Reuben sheweth some compassion to Ioseph and would not haue him killed but cast him into some Pitte Iuda thought that might be too long ere hee would be pispatched and therefore selleth him SIMEON and LEVI Their wrath was fierce yet because Leui afterwardes repented and shewed tender affection to Ioseph and was zelous in destroying Idolaters therefore he had a Blessing in Moses Will. Simeon neuer shewed any tender affection to Ioseph and therefore when his Brethreh come into Egipt and Ioseph accuseth them for spies he keepeth Simeon in prison till they come downe againe as a kind of punishment for his former malice His sinne against the Sichemites was exceeding great and seeing hee neuer shewed any signe of repentance hee was iustly cut off from the hope of a Blessing By this wee may learne to reiect the authoritie of the Booke of Iudith First because shee is sayd to be of the Tribe of Simeon If wee marke this well wee shall see how this Booke can not be Scripture for wee must note that it is no small glory to haue the spirit of God penne a Booke of ones actions If there be but a sentence spoken in the commendation of any in the Scripture it is a great weght of glory Now if we looke to Iacobs Will and see that hee hath a Curse and not a Blessing and in the course of Scripture afterward no mention of any repentance that Simeon and his Tribe shewed nor any zeale of Religion expressed how can this stand with Iacobs Prophecie nay it cleane crosseth it and maketh it frustrate For seeing Jacob as a Prophet telleth all his Sonnes what should befall them in the last dayes to euery one and his Tribe so long as the Kingdome of the Iewes and their pollicie stood and in his Will maketh no mention of the Booke of Iudith Wee must by admitting this Booke accuse the spirit of God of ignorance Besides it is a Storie and yet the time thereof doth not fall out within the compasse of any time neither before the Captiuitie neither after and therefore to be reiected And for my opinion I make as much account of Ouid Metamorphosis as of Iudith for Plato sayth That in Fables there a Truth reuealed secretly Thus we are to thinke likewise of the booke of Tobie LEVI Hee repented when Amram of the Tribe of Leui saued Moses ZABVLON Was a Merchaunt and Delighted in Shippes In Greeke Canaan is called Phenicea and the men of Canaan Phenices Aristotle a thousand yeares after Moses maketh mention of a Riuer Tartesus he meant the Sea Tharsis and the Phenices brought Gold and had such plentie that their Ankers were thereof No doubt he had heard of Salomons time wherein Gold and Siluer was no more esteemed then Stone This trauayling of Iacobs Sonnes into farre Countries must needes make the Heathen haue a taste of Religion And Moses hee willed the Heathen to resort to the Mountaine where the Temple was built ASER Was a Farmour To prouide pleasures for a King You haue in the old Testament little spoken of him but because his Tribe should not thinke themselues excluded the fauour of God you haue in the new Testament Anna that is Grace a very rare Woman for godlinesse the daughter of Phanuell that is see God of the happie Tribe of Aser for Aser signifieth Happie GAD Hee shall Lead an Host of men This was performed when Reuben Gad and halfe of Manasses gaue a great ouer throw to the Haggarines about the time that Saul was annoynted King Thus we may see that whatsoeuer is requisite in palicie for the maintenance of a Common-weale you shall finde expressed in the liues and behauiour of the Sonnes of Israel Ioseph died Gen. 50.26 being 110. yeares old BY Fayth Ioseph when hee died made mention of the departing of the Children of Israel out of Egipt and gaue commandement of his bones Heb. 11.22 Now because many excellent thinges are to be said of Ioseph before his death when he was in Egipt in the Sinay sight no yeares layde downe I will heere handle them togeather God prospered him in Egipt in all his actions And euen as God blessed Lahan for Jacobs sake so he blessed Iosephs Maister for Iosephs sake Ioseph was a goodly person and well fauoured which commendation in the same wordes is bestowed vpon Dauid Sam. 16 â—3 the same of Daniel and the same of Christ Ioseph would not bee defiled with the fornication of Egipt Daniel would not be defiled with the vncleane diet of Babel Ioseph expoundeth Pharaohs Dreame Daniel expoundeth Nebuchadnetzars Dreame Ioseph was made Ruler ouer Egipt Daniel was made Ruler ouer Babel Ioseph being in Prison found fauour with the Maister of the Prison Daniel found fauour with the Kings Chamberlaine Iosephs name was changed by Pharaoh Daniels name was changed by Nebuchadnetzar Ioseph was falsely accused Christ was falsely accused Ioseph was thirtie yeares old when he stood before Pharaoh Iesus is baptized beginning to be thirtie yeares old Ioseph was in Prison betweene two Theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned Christ was crucified betweene two Theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned
from the wisedome of God which tooke order to lay downe the liues of the fathers in so short Arithmatique and would thereby haue his wisedome wonderfull to those which should come after which had been to small purpose if Henoch had left a booke of his preaching But the Grecians thus being answered it followeth that Henochs prophecie was against the wordes of the wicked and against the contempt of religion which wicked men shewed in not beleeuing the preaching of the flood Saint Iude in his Epistle from the circumstances of the men and manners of the People to whom Henoch preached gathered what might be the summe of Henochs preaching in this sort Behold the Lord commeth how as at the giuing of the Law With thousands of his Angels to giue iudgment against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all their wicked deeds which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him Vpon which words the Grecians not knowing the course of the Hebrewes in their fained speeches say that Henoch left a booke of his preaching behind him Now compare him with Christ Henoch Was a Prophet for hee prophecied of the destruction of the World by the Flood Walked with God His dayes were as the dayes of the Sunne Was taken vp being the seuenth from Adam Christ Was a Prophet prophecied of the destruction of the world did the will of his father Is the bright Sonne of Iustice whose dayes in the Psalmes are likoned to the dayes of the Sun In the Scriptures is the seuenth that ascended To weete 1. The sonne of the Widow of Sarepta 1. King 17.22 2. The Shunamites sonne whom Eliseus brought againe to life 2. Kings 4.35 3. The Souldier buried by Elizeus corps 2. kin 13.21 4. Iairus daughter Math. 9.25 5. The Widowes sonne Luke 7.15 6. Lazarus Iohn 11.44 7. CHRIST That is 3. in the Old Testament New Testament and the Lord was the seuenth Methushelah borne when Henoch was 65. yeares old His name signifieth Long life or Speare death Methushelah died being 969. yeares old Sem being 98. the seuenth that died after Adam as his father Henoch was the seuenth that was borne after Adam He died but a few daies before the Flood to shew that hee being a iust man kept away the Flood and lacked but 31. yeares of 1000. Now it is not to be vnderstoode that he liued full 969. yeares for hee liued but a few dayes of his last yeare For if his yeares be cast you shall see he dieth in the yeare of the Flood The Flood came not in the first month because Methushelah theÌ„ liued The tenth day of the second month the Flood came Methushelah was dead before that time His dayes were the exact rule of the Flood for so long as he liued the waters could not ouerflow the earth hee beeing dead the waters might aske God whether they should now worke vengeance to the wicked No saith God Noah shall mourne him a month as the children of Israel mourned Iacobs death afterwardes this month of sorrow beeing ended then they demaund of God againe whether now the wicked should bee ouerwhelmed with waters God answered no for Noah shall haue a Sabaoth of preparation This being finished the Flood couereth the face of the earth Methushelah spoyle death or Speare death Christ Died and rose againe and reâ—iâ—ed that he might be Lord of quicke and dead Suffered death that by his death he might ouercome him that had the power of death Lamech borne when Methushela was 187. yeares old HIs name signifieth Striken or Heart-wounded Hee is called so in respect of some inward griefes that hee should beare for the afflictions of the world You haue an other Lamech of Kaines house but of contrary nature to this Lamech Lamech of Kaine was a striker Lamech of Seth striken the one a Preacher of destruction to the world the other an example of impietie to the world and being 1600. yeares after Kaine knew Kaines storie Hee had two Wiues it was not so from the beginning Some hold that he was the first that had two Wiues but doubtlesse many others had the like but God in one doth shew the manners of the rest He saith to his Wiues I will kill a man c. So that as the world began with killing so it continued in wickednesse and violence The other Lamech doth make a confession full of contrition and in naming his Sonne Comforter 600. yeares before the Flood sheweth that he was a Prophet of very liuely skill Lamech died fiue yeares before the Flood being 777. yeare old and Sem 93. His age runneth vpon seuens for what he wanted in long life hee had it in casting a sweete account If Lamech had had the age of his Fathers he might haue seene the Flood Compare him with Christ Christ is both outwardly stricken and inwardly wounded Outwardly when in the open Hall he was buffeted scourged spitted at and vpon the Crosse pierced both handes feete and sides Inwardly when he was reuiled with blasphemous speaches at his death and when in stead of Drinke to comfort him they gaue him Gall and Myrre mingled togeather but most especially when his gyltlesse soule did suffer vnconceaueable torments to redeeme our gyltie soules and bodyes from the thrall of Satan as may appeare when from his sides issued Water and Blood Noah borne when Lamech was 182. yeares old HIs name signifieth Comforter or Restorer The fayth of Lamech no doubt was cleare concerning saluation by the seede of the woman in that hee named his sonne Comforter or Restorer As if he had said though for inpiety all the world be destroyed yet I am assured that the Promise made to Adam must of necessitie be performed or else no flesh can be saued In this fayth Adam after hee had transgressed by eating of the forbidden Fruite was saued In this fayth Abel offered vp a greater Sacrifice then Kaine In this fayth Henoch walked with God and was no more seene for he was taken vp In this fayth all the Fathers obtained eternall life In this fayth Noah became a Preacher of Righteousnesse and an executor of true Iudgement and prepared the Arke to the sauing of his houshold c. Heb. 11. 10. This ten is to shew that Noah is the tenth from Adam Multiply Henoch by Noah that is the number of the Sabaoth by the full number 10. you haue the number 70. which throughout the Bible is famous and of great force for light in the Sorie In this tenth age Gods iustice ouer all flesh was extended Compare him with Carist Noah Was a preacher of righteosnesse Found grace before God Christ Was the true preacher of righteousnesse Dan. 9.24 Grew in fauour with God and man Luke 2.52 Noah was a King Prophet Sacrificer Christ was a King Prophet Sacrificer In Noahs 480. Cxx. Yeares begin Gen. 6. WHerein Noah made the Arke
is the difference the Lawes of the godly are so reasonable that euery one may see presently the equitie of them on the contrarie it is enough in the Lawes of the wicked That it is the Kinges pleasure or that it satisfies their Humors To returne wee may gesse that Isaacke was fiue yeares old when Ismael mocked him for otherwise Isaacke could not haue perceiued it Ismaels flouting might be after this sort Is this hee that shall haue the Promise in whom the Nations shall be blessed a goodly one I warrant you What continuance or strength can there be in him seeing at the time of his birth his father and mother were very old and decayed in strength and yet when hee is weaned there must be great Festing and iolly cheare If we consider what an offence it is esteemed if one being a Subiect or otherwise inferiour should contumeliously and despightfully taunt and vpbraide the Heire apparant to a Kingdome wee will thinke this an iniurie not sufferable If we obserue the time when the Children of Israel came out of Egipt which was about Easter and that this time of flouting that time maketh 400. yeares we shall find that this mocking was likewise about Easter Selah died Cen. 11.14.15 being 514. yeares old Iosephus thinketh that Jsaacke was appoynted to be sacrificed at 35. yeares Codomanus is of opinion that Isaacke at this time was offered being now 32. yeares old and three quarters answerable to the death of Christ at his death seeing his death was a figure of the death of Christ There is nothing precisely determined by the Scriptures and therefore it is left for vs to follow which we will This Isaacke in respect of the commandement of God that he should be offered vp and the obedience of Abraham in offering him was dead and was restored to Abraham as if he had been risen from the dead He was offered on Mount Moriab a part of the Mountaine of Sion called afterwardes Ierusalem Of this Christ speaketh O Ierusalem Ierusalem thou that sawest those thinges that concerne thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes therefore thou art Iebus that is troden downe God altereth the name Moriah to Ierusalem because he would haue kept in memorie Abrahams Obedience Sems Religion and therefore giueth it a name comprehending both for in respect of Abraham he calleth it Iirie Abraham giuing it the name Iehouah Iirie that is In the Mount will the Lord be seene In respect of Sem he keepeth the name of Salem still and so it is called Iirie Salem The sight of Peace From this Storie the Iewes might haue knowne the death of Christ seeing Christ compareth them togeather and yet by putting Christ to death haue saued the world though not heaped condemnation on their owne heads for as it was prophecied that one man must die for all the people so they might haue thus reasoned we know this is the Messias and that he must die for the sinnes of the people Isaacke being a figure and this time wherein hee now is on the earth agreeth with Daniels seauens Therfore as Abraham offered vp Isaacke so let the high Sacrificer according to the law put him to death but then as Saint Peter speaketh if they had knowne this they would not haue crucified the Lord of glorie But as the windows of Salomons Temple bee narrow without wide within so Christ speaketh of parables that they are therefore spoken that in hearing they should not heare and in seeing they should not see least they should repent and be saued The author to the Hebrewes sayth By Fayth Abraham offered vp Isaacke and hee that receiued the promise offered his onelie begotten Sonne to whom it was sayd In Isaacke shall thy seede bee called for hee considered that GOD was able to raise him vp euen from the dead from whence he receiued him also after a sort Christ in the Gospell affirmeth that Abraham saw my dayes That is in Isaacke and reioyced God speaketh from heauen to Abraham in this sort By my selfe haue I sworne because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onlie Sonne therfore will I surely blesse thee In Rom. 8.32 Saint Paul speaketh thus What shal we then say to these things if God be on our side who can be against vs who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him to death for vs How shall hee not with him giue vs all thinges also Compare Isaacke with Christ Was not Abraham our Father iustified by Workes when he offered his Sonne Isaacke vpō the Altar Iam. 2. Isaacke was bound Isaacke after three daies was offered vp to death and after a sort reuiued to life God spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death Christ was bound Christ hauing suffered death riseth vp againe the third day to life Sara died being 127. yeayes old She was buried in Canaan in the Fielde of Machpelah which Abraham hought of the Hittits This place they would haue giuen Abraham freelie for they confessed that he was a Prince of God amongst them but he would buy it because they should not say that they had made Abraham rich wherefore we must know if we will be godly that all our life is but a Pilgrimage and that wee are but Strangers and that all our Inheritance is nothing else but a place for Buriall The Hebrewes expound Sarahs death a mortification and dying vnto sinne Rebecca is married to Isaacke Gen. 24.47 when he is 40. yeares old SHee is the Daughter of Bethuel the Sonne of Nachor the Sonne of Terah and Brother of Abraham her Grandfather Nachor was an Idolater but her Grandmother Milka is thought to be of a good Religion in that two of her Sonnes Bethuel and Kemuel haue El the mighty God in their names Isaacke goeth to Mesopotamia for a Wife of his owne kindred for in Canaan there were none of his owne kindred and of the women of the Land he might not marrie Iacob his Sonne likewise goeth to Mesopotamia to Laban the brother of Rebecca and there taketh him Wiues of the same kindred SEM died Gen. 11.10 being 600. yeares old borne 98. yeares before the Flood and was taught by Methushelah and Lamech who saw Adam many yeares THis Sem was a great King and liued sixe hundred yeares as Noah before the Flood He is called Melchisedech the King of Peace He dwelt at Salem where his name continued 65. ages halfe one hundred and thirtie answerable to Seth till that the Apostles receiued the holy Ghost after the ascention of Christ Hee is resembled to the Sonne of God Sems house beleeued that Christ should come till hee came and when he came they denied him and were cut off Esau Iacob borne Gen. 25.25 their grandfather Abraham bing 160 and their father Isaacke 60. yeares old THe first matter in this Storie to be considered is how the two Twinnes in Rebeckahs wombe are called two Nations Malachi
Yet notwithstanding all these Blessinges of God vpon Ioseph to shew that euen the best haue their infirmities his Vertues were darkened very much in that he marrieth an Egiptian woman Gen. 41.50 Which was altogeather vnlawfull For Esau before doing the like is blamed and Rebecca hauing an speciall care ouer Iacob least hee should commit the like wickednesse sendeth him to Laban to choose a Wife of his owne kindred Abraham had the like care for Isaacke And Moses afterwards forbids it by a Law thereby confirming the vnlawfulnesse thereof Seauen hundred yeares after is this sinne punished in Israel for Ieroboam receiued Religion of Egipt and maketh two Calues whereby all Israel became Ipolaters FINIS The Table Page IEhouah The signification and efficacie Page 1. The Wisedome Power and eternitie of God Page 1.2 Our God Page 2. The Trinitie described Page 3. Of Election Page 4.5 The effect of Election Page 6.7 In the fulnesse of time all shall be brought vnder one head Page 9.10 In the beginning was the word c. expounded Page 11. Hee was the Light c. what is meant by it Page 12. The Creation of the World Page 13. Adams creation the day the houre and place with the time and continuance in Paradise c. Page 14.15 What is meant by the Seede of the Woman c. Page 17. Adam and Eue driuen out of Paradise Page 18. Of Kaine and Abels offeringes with the signification of their names agreeing with their conditions Page 18.19 Also the interpretation vse of the names of the Fathers from Adam to Noah Page 19.20.21.22 The time of the yeare and day of Adams creation Page 23.24.25 Adams death and the place where Page 26.27 Christ compared with Adam Page 28.29 Of the number one Page 29. Of three Page 30. Of foure Page 31. Of fiue Page 32. Of sixe Page 32. Of seuen Page 32.33.34 Of eight Page 34. Of ten Page 34.35 Of twelue Page 35. Of Seth borne and what vse of him Page 36. Seth compared with Christ Page 37. Of Enoâ—h and what of him Page 37. Of Kenan Page 38. Of Mahalaleel Page 38.39 Of Jared Page 40.41 Of Henoch Page 41.42.43 Of Henoch compared with Christ Page 44. Of Methuâ—helah Page 45. Of Lamech Page 46. Of Noah Page 47. Of Noah compared with Christ Page 47 48. When Noah began the Arke the place and how long in building Page 48. Of Japhet and the signification of his name Page 52. 67. Of Sem and his name Page 53. 68. Of the Flood and the thinges to be considered thereby Page 54.55.56 Christ and the Arke compared togeather Page 57. The time of the continuance of the Flood Page 59. Adam and Noah compared togeather Page 62. Of Cham and his issue Page 64.65.66 Of Heber and his name with the rare vse of his Storie Page 69.70.71 Of Peleg and the rare vse of him Page 72.73.74 Of the birth of Abraham and his name Page 77. A question discussed about Terabs age when he begat Abraham Page 78.79 Of Sarah and the signification of her name Page 81. The Promise giuen to Abraham Page 82. Melchisedech shewed to be Sem. Page 84.85 Of Ismael and his Storie Page 87.88 Of Jsaacks birth and name Page 89. Of Jsaacks age when Jsmael flouted him Page 92. Of Jsaacks age when he was to be sacrificed answerable to Christs death Page 93. Jsaacks compared with Christ Page 95. Esau and Jacob borne with their stories depending Page 96.97 c. Jsaacks blindnesse a great blessing to the children of God Page 100.101 Jacob goeth to Laban Page 103. Jacob in his iourney seeth a Ladder the interpretation thereof Page 104. Jacobs Wiues and Children with the interpretation of their names Page 105.106 Jacobs departure from Laban and his wrestling with God Page 106.107 Josephs Dreame and his selling into Egypt Page 108. Iacobs iourney into Egypt Page 110.111 Iacob dieth in Egypt Page 112. The Iournies of Abraham Iacob Iocobs sonnes and Christ compared togeather Page 113. Of the place where Jacob died Page 114. Of Iacobs Will the blessing of his Children according to the worthinesse of their tribes and posteritie to come Page 115.116.117 118.119.120 Of Iosephs death and of his excellent worthinesse Page 120.121 The Figures in the margent are the yeares of the world FINIS Apoc. 12.11 Iohn 8. 44. 930. 130. 1042. 235. 1140. 325. 1235. 395. 1290. 460. 1422. 622. 987· 687. 1656. 874. 1651. 1056. 1535. 1536. 1556. 1558. 1656. 1658. 1693. 1723. 1757. 1996. 1997. 2006. 2008. 20 2026. 2049. 2083. 430. 2090. 2094. 2096. 2108. 1. Chro. 2.35 Ier. 41.2 2126. 2140. 2145. 2148. 2158. 2168. 2183. 2188. 2231. 2245. 20. 2260. 2255. 2264. 2276.17 2280. 2288. 2298.17 215. 1298. 2315. 2369
his will what we ought to doe to please him and then induceth vs thereunto not onely by hope of eternall life but promiseth vs in this life long and happy dayes as in the eternall Law is expressed Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee c. Henoch therefore being assured of the infinite mercies of God towards him and his seed by fayth still beholding as in a glasse the Redemption by the Sonne of God the summe of all saluation nameth his sonne Methushelah Long life or Speare-death For euen as the poynt of a Speare keepeth off that which would otherwise destroy euen so Methushelah kept away the Flood a long time from drowning the World But because men should not thinke that any liueth without calamities least outward happines should make men to forget God Methushelah hauing heard his fathers and himselfe also being a Prophet preach of the destruction of the World by the Flood calleth his sonne Lamech that is Stroken or Heart-wounded which is to be vnderstood that in respect that he being neere those times of dangers many of his posteritie were like to be drowned not onely in the flood but eternally tormented for ioyning with the wicked mockers which despised the preaching of the Fathers But although God throweth mens consciences downe for a while with griefe of other mens iust punishment yet he rayseth them vp againe giuing them hope of his assured Promises and a sweete comfort of eternall life Lamech being thus strengthened with the fayth of his Fathers ayming still to the sentence of Saluation pronounced in Paradise calleth his sonne Noah Restorer or Comforter saying This Sonne shall comfort vs concerning the sorrow of our hands and concerning the earth which the Lord hath cursed Wherein he sheweth that he both looked backward to the Creation formard to the Redemption by Christ The Seed of the Woman that should bruse the head of the Serpent Thus much for the vse of the names of the ten Fathers before the Food in generll Now followeth the liues and deaths of the Fathers in particular and first of Adam There is a great doubt made of the time of the yeare of Adams Creation and of the day of his fall and is refused as a thing vnprofitable to be knowne and Vnpossible to be prooued First for the time of his Creation IT is certaine hee was created in September at the time that Fruits be ripe which is at the fall of the Leafe And that was the fittest time seeing in the course of Nature there was no fitter time to expresse the nature of Adams fall And as the fall of Adam was answerable to the fall of the Leafe because by his fall death was brought vpon all So the death of Christ beeing contrary to Adams fall because it brought life to all the fittest time to resemble this life in the course of Nature was the Spring Therefore Christ dyed at the Spring to deliuer vs out of the spirituall Prison when as all thinges shew them-selues to be deliuered out of this earthly Iayle Now for the day of Adams fall IT was on Fryday the sixt day the day of Adams creation at the time of eating For we doe not read that euer Adam did eate before he did eate of the forbidden fruite Therefore when by the storie the time of eating cannot be seperated in time reason sheweth vs to ioyne them in time For Satan was a murderer from the beginning and wee must bring it from the beginning as neare as can be not crossing any Scripture The searching of this matter is not of small importance For from the true vnderstanding of the Creation we see the clearenes of the Redemption and not marking the Creation aright is the cause of much folly and they that misse of the lawes of Creation are sure to misse of the lawes of Redemption and Moses making mention of many Times hee would not haue omitted the time of the Fall except it had been done presently after the Creation therefore Adams fall must needs be layd as neere the beginning as may be not crossing the Storie The bare Narration sheweth that no famous action went betweene the Commandement and the Fall And the shortnesse of the time doth shew the force of the Aduersarie Besides it is a great sinne to say that any man except Christ could fulfill perfectly any one poynt of the Law for thereby we darken the glory of Christ and prooue him not to haue performed the whole Law If Adam had continued vntill the Sabaoth in his innocencie no doubt he would haue kept a perfect Sabaoth And if he had kept a perfect Sabaoth he had performed some part of the Law and thereby been partaker with Christ in the worke of our Redemption Againe if Adam had continued in the image of God which is in righteousnesse and true holinesse vntill the Sabaoth he would haue performed the ordinances of the Sabaoth which was to eate of the Tree of life for God after his fall setteth Cherubins to keepe the way of the Tree of life least Adam eating should liue for euer Whereby it appeareth that if he had eaten thereof before he had not fallen Therefore it cannot be that Adam continued perfect vnto the Sabaoth And further it is written Psal 49.20 Adam beeing in honour continueth not one night but is like to the Beastes that perish Cedrenus a Greeke writer sayth That Adam fell the sixt day of the first weeke Saint Augustine sayth The Woman straight way after her creation before she accompanied with Adam became into the transgression otherwise Kaine had been conceaued without sinne Theophilact vpon Matthew sayth That as Man was formed the sixt day and did eate of the Tree the sixt houre so Christ reforming Man and healing the fall was fastned to the Tree the sixt day and the sixt houre And in the storie of the Creation in Genesis presently after the fall Moses speaketh of the Redemption And without we compare the Creation with the Redemption we misse of all For Adam to be compared with Christ is the summe of all And wherefore should all the actions of the Redemption be accomplished in such rarenesse except to be answerable both to the fall and to the time of the fall Wherefore it is needfull we should know our thraldome if we will receiue comfort by the Redeemer thus First Christ the Restorer was borne of a Virgin Why Because by a Virgin destruction came to the world Chrysostome compareth Eue and Marie togeather thus Eue being a Virgin hearing the wordes of the Serpent and beleeuing them brought foorth Death The Virgin Marie hearing the wordes of the Angel Gabriel and beleeuing them brought foorth Life Againe why should Christ die on the sixt day rather then on the fifth or fourth And why was there darkenesse vntill the coole of the day rather then till the Sunne setting But to make the
Redemption answerable to euerie part of the Fall because God according to the secret counsell of his owne will before the foundations of the earth were layd would make the art of Saluation so easie and the harmonie of the Bible so tunable that no musicke in the world can be more pleasant to the eare then the meditation of the loue of God towardes vs in Christ is comfortable to the heart of man Therefore the meditation of Adams fall and the victorie of Christ ought to be continually in our mindes Adam dieth THe Hebrewes descant very strangely vpon the Arithmeticke of Adams yeares which he liued which were 930. vpon a sentence in the 24. of Iob where it is sayd All the dayes of man vpon earth are but a shadow as if hee should say All the dayes of Adam are but Abel for Adam in Hebrew signifieth Earth and Abell signifieth shadow or vanitie Whereby we are taught that from the Earth we came and to the Earth we must returne againe according to Gen. 3.19 Wee are also to vnderstand from hence that although God deferre his punishmentes yet hee is mindfull of his promises for not one tittle or iod of his Word shall passe as appeareth in Adams death which God before had promised and was accomplished though it were 930. yeares after Wherefore howsoeuer we be setled on the pleasures of this life or be aduanced to thrones of Maiestie as Adam was we are to know that it is but a Steward-ship bestowed vpon vs for a season and that in this world we are to looke for no abiding place for we are but Grasse we are consumed as Smoake our dayes come to an end A thousand yeares in Gods sight is as yesterday He turneth Adam to dust and sayth Returne to dust yee sonnes of Adam He bringeth our yeares to an end as it were a tale that is told Wherefore let vs pray to God with Moses To teach vs to number our dayes aright that we may apply our heartes vnto Wisedome Adam commeth short of 1000. yeares so much as is the dayes of mans life Iared Methushelah and Noah ouer-reached Adam in long life because of the power of the word of God Hee died about Mount Moriah where he was made He liued till he saw many Kings he himselfe the greatest and vntill he had erected a stately gouernement taught them humane artes who was fittest to doe it being a King to commaund whom he would and what he would and hauing witt excelling all the men in the world And as in a Princes court it is requisite to haue Noble men some higher and some lower and men of all degrees so Adam liued till he might haue a stately Court Now if a King should commaunde a Diuine to make Adams Will from his Storie he would make it in this sort O my Sonnes gather you togeather and harken vnto the wordes of your Father Adam the last that euer he shall speake vnto you I was voyde of saluation and enioyed not happinesse by disobeying which disobedience I then practised when I harkened to the perswasion of Heua and did eate the forbidden Fruite I then felt the heauie iudgementes of God against sinne and saw my nakednesse whereof I was ashamed Thereby I brought death vpon all my posteritie which Curse had continued if the Mercie of God had not remooued it by offering a Blessing in the Seede of the Woman I haue ruled you all the dayes of my life as a Father that you may learne to choose Gouernours which resemble Fathers in behauiour I haue instructed you to loue obey their gouernment you must know that as my saluation resteth vpon beliefe in the Seede of the Woman so must yours But the house of Kaine despising this and killing Abel a figure of him who by dying shall ouercome the power of the Serpent will cause the Flood to destroy the earth Few shall embrace this Doctrine for though eight be saued by the Arke yet seuen onely shall keepe sinceerely the beliefe in this Promise of the Seed of the Woman My dayes haue been long with the rest of your Fathers but the end of all flesh is come vpon mee for out of the Earth I came and to the Earth I must returne Now compare Christ with Adam The first Adam was made a soule hauing life of earth earthly therfore by the earthly one came Disobedience Sinne. Iudgement Condemnation Death The second Adam was wade a spirit giuing life from heauen heauenly Therefore by the heauenly one came Obedience Grace Forgiuenesse Iustification Life Adam was created on the sixt day did eate of the tree the sixt houre Was made a man without a Father made not inferior to the Angelles â— lost all Was tempted lost saluation at the time of eating Was made Ruler of the world and did not hold it Did fall in the Garden His soule was in darknes from the sixt houre vntill the ninth houre Christ Reforming man and healing the fall is fastened to the tree the sixt day and sixt houre Was made a man without a Father Made lower then the Angels is crowned with glory all the Angels worship him being man whereby we may know the world was made subiect to man Was tempted Brought saluation to all at the time of eating Was made Ruler of the World and did hold it went into a garden to recouer Adams fall in the garden when he suffered caused darknesse to couer the whole earth from the sixt houre till the ninth houre Adam By breaking one Commandement lost all Was called to accompt the ninth houre Was debarred of the Tree of life Was driuen out of Paradise Was the head of his Wife was a King Prophet Sacrificer Liued 1000. yeares wanting 70. Christ By fulfilling all the Commandementes brought life to all At the ninth houre yeeldeth vp the ghost goeth to giue accompt to his Father Is the true Tree of life on that day openeth Paradise to the poore Theefe The Head of the Church was a King Prophet Sacrificer Was borne 70. yeares before 4000. Because these two Tables consist onely of Numbers and that Numbers in the Scriptures are great helpes for the vnderstanding of the same before we come to speake of Seth it is not amisse to lay downe what Numbers are of most vse in the Bible namely 1.3.4.5.6.7.8.10.12 ONE One Expressing the vnion of the God-head and from thence the vnitie of all Godly as being members of one head Christ Iesus which is made plaine Psal 133.1 Behold how good and comely a thing it is for Breathren to dwell togeather in vnitie THREE Three Expressing the distinguished Trinitie within which number many excellent things fall out still to put vs in minde of the vndeuidable coeternity of Father Sonne and Holy Spirit Adam Kaine Of Adam the eldest extreame wicked Abel Seth Noah Iaphet Sem Cham Of Noah the youngest wicked Terah Haran Nachor Of Terah the middlemost was wicked Abram To shew that neither in eldest youngest
or middlemost but in Gods free election standeth our eternall happines Three Angels appeared to Abraham in his Tent. Three foures of precious Stones were set in Aarons brest Three thinges reserued in the Arke The Booke of the Law The Potte of Manna Aarons Rodde that did alwayes florish Three taken vp in the Old Testament and three in the New Three partes was Ierusalem deuided into Three Letters the roote of euery word in the Hebrew tongue Three Captiuities of the Iewes Three times was the Temple grosly polluted by the Babylonians Antiochi Romanes Three times a yeare were the Iewes bound to come to Ierusalem to giue accompt of their Religion Three dayes nightes was Ionas in the Whales belly Three nightes and dayes was Christ in the Graue Three Iohns viz. Iohn Baptist Luke 1.60 Iohn Euangelist Mat. 4.21 Iohn Marke Act. 12.25 Job saued three Eliphaz Sophar Bildad Daniel saued three Ananias Azarias Mishael Noah saued three Sem. Cham. Japhet In the third seauenth Iubilee the Iewes fell away and then Ieremie said O Earth heare the worde of the Lord c. The Title ouer Christ on the Crosse was written in Three tongues Hebrew Greeke Latin Although it may not bee vrged that all these Threes haue full relation to the Trinitie seeing they fall not out by chaunce yet wee are not to despise the pleasant harmonie and comfortable vse of them but to thinke that the wisedome of God hath contriued saluation into such a sweet Art that verie children may learne the same and therefore the Scripture is called verie fitly a shallow water and a deepe fountaine shallow that the Lambe may wade and deepe that the Elephant may swimme FOVRE Foure Is a square number and vsuall Heber the fourth after the Flood Iuda the fourth sonne of Iacob Foure square signifieth true Religion Moses fourth sonne in the fourth age was Sacrificer to the Tribe of Dan. Foure times seuen Iubilees the time of Christes death Foure The forme of the heauenly Ierusalem FIVE Fiue the letters of Iehouah The fiue Vowels the sinewes of all Tongues Christ seedeth 5000. with Fiue Loaues SIXE Sixe The day of Adams creation which number is often times vsed in the Scripture to put vs in minde of the Creation Sixe hundred thousand fighting men came out of Egipt Sixe hundred yeares old was Noah at the flood Sixe times seuen Standinges had the Children of Israel in the Wildernes Sixe yeares was the land of Canaan in conquering Sixe Cities of refuge for one that killed a man by chance and not of malice had the Iewes to flie vnto Sixe times did the Children of Israel fall before Diuids time in the time of the Iudges SEVEN Seuen the number of the Sabaoth which number of Seuen as it is famous for the Creation so God comtinueth the same proportion throughout the Bible to the Redemption For as God the Father made the World in sixe dayes and rested the seuenth so God the Sonne hauing performed his Fathers will resteth the seuenth day in the Graue Seuen is a yeare of Grace Seuen Planets in the Firmament which Plato compareth to the number of seuen Starres in Apo. 1.16 Seuen yeares was the land of Canaan plagued for that Ioseph the beloued of the Lord should haue been slaine by his Brethren Seuen Stones in the Temple Gods seuenfold Wisedome or Prouidence in all his actions Seuen eyes to looke vpon the Building of euery Stone in in the Temple of Ierusalem Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was setling in rest Seuen yeares the Temple was in building Seuen yeares Nebuchadnetzar was a Beast for destroying the Temple Seuen Gates in the Temple before you come to the Holy of Holiest Seuen Branches did the Candlesticke in the Temple stand vpon which had 24. Knobbes signifying the sixe dayes worke the seuenth day of rest in the Creation Seuen Moneths was the Tabernacle in building Seuen Iubilees was the Arke in the house of Ioseph Seuen Trumpeters is a great number that doe alwayes sound Gods prayse Henoch the seuenth from Adam Heber the seuenth from Henoch Isaach the seuenth from Heber Moses the seuenth from Abraham Iosua the seuenth from Ephraim Elias taken vp in the seuenth age from Samuel Ioram the seuenth from Dauid Salomons Temple was consecrated in the seuenth moneth answerable to the birth of the Fathers The ceremonie of the Feast of Tabernacles continued seuen dayes After the comming from Egipt it was seuen times seuen dayes before the Law was giuen Seuen times seuen dayes after Christes resurrection descended the holy Ghost The stories of the Scriptures goe by seuens from Moses till Christs death thus Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was in conquering Seuen fifties for the glorie of Iosephs house Seuen seuenties for the house of Iudah Seuen tennes for the Captiuity From the Captiuitie to the death of Christ seuen seuenties Moses Ceremonies for the most part were in the seuenth Moneth The Manna that was gathered on the sixt day serued for the seuenth The seuenth yeare the Iewes might not plough sow nor reape In the end of the seuen seuens was the yeare of Iubilee In the seuenth seuen from Cyrus the Walles of Ierusalem were built Seuen times 7000. of the Iewes came from Captiuitie Ioakim endeth the seuenth seuentie with affliction Seuen yeares plenty seuen yeares dearth in the land of Egipt figured by seuen eares of Corne seuen Kyne Noah liued seuen Iubilees after the flood Seuen thousand in the booke of Kings mencioned that neuer bowed their knees vnto Ball. Kaines house cut off in the seuenth age How often shall I forgiue my Brother till seuen times I say vntill seuen times seuentie times alluding vnto Daniels seuens EIGHT Eight The number of the persons saued in the Arke Eight The day of circumcision TEN Tenne Is a full number and the highest or last of simple numbers All Nations after the number of 10. begin againe for plaine teaching and plainnesse in reckoning Ten is the yeare of Iudgement or accompt You haue Ten words for the creation of the World And Ten wordes for the gouernment of the world The Tenth is a holy number as in Tythes which is giuen to vs to acknowledge our dueties In the Tenth moneth the Waters of the Flood abated Sem liued to see the Tenth age a great blessing Tenne Plagues were the Egyptians plagued with for afflicting Sems house Tenne Spies in the Wildernesse misbeleeued Tenne Tribes fell away at Roboams time Daniels Beast hath Tenne Hornes which doe represent Ten cruell Kinges The Beast in the Reuelation hath Tenne Hornes The Pope hath Tenne stately Kingdomes to assist him Noah is the Tenth from Adam Abraham the tenth from Noah TWELVE Twelue Signes in the Zodiacke Twelue Moneths in the yeare Twelue Fathers from the Flood to Iacob Twelue Sonnes of Iacob Twelue Fountaines in the Wildernesse Twelue Stones in Iordan Twelue Stones in Aarons brest Salomon had Twelue Stewards and Dauid Twelue valiant Captaines Salomon at Twelue yeares of age discided the
for so long was hee in making it not because hee could not haue made it sooner for God could haue commanded it to be made with a word as well as he made all the world but to shew the patience and long suffring of God in sparing his iudgementes that they who would not heare the preaching of Noah might iustly be condemned Many thinges fall out in the Bible whose number are answerable to this of 120. yeares 120. Nations payde tribute to bring the Iewes home from Captiuitie The gouernment of the Persians was about 120. yeares 120. Seuerall Nations that is some of euery Nation were at Ierusalem after Christes Resurrection The Hebrewes descant very strangely with the letters of Iehouah and the 120. yeares wherein the Arke was in making thus Multiply 120. by the letter which is 5. then you haue 600. which is Noahs age at the Flood with the letter which is 10. then you haue 6000. The end of the world This is the consent of all the Hebrewes Heere is a doubt to be discussed concerning the wordes spoken in Gen. 6. The occasion of the doubt ariseth thus God sayth in Gen. 6.3 My spirit shall not alwayes striue with man his dayes shall be an hundred and twentie yeares In Gen. 5.32 Noahs age is reckoned and hee is then said to be Fiue hundred yeares old and begetteth Shem Cham and Iapheth When his age is reckoned againe at the Flood the summe is but Sixe hundreth yeares So that if the sixt Chapter be in time after the fifth and in the fifth Noah is 500. yeares old and that afterwards God saith The daies of all flesh shal be an hundreth tweentie yeares then Noah at the flood must be 620. yeares for put 120. to 500 and you haue 620. but his age at the Flood is but 600. Therfore some thinke that either the Chronicle is false or else the 20. yeares were shortened like as it was in Ierusalems straytes least no flesh should be saued To answere this doubt we must obserue that it is no reason in diuinitie that because a matter commeth or is made mention of in a Chapter afterwards that the time therefore of that storie or action followeth the Chapters or actions going before for this is but a circumstance of methode For Moses in penning the Scriptures vsed this order He layeth downe things of like nature together as Genealogies together such like though they differ in time because else he should make often repetion of the same thinges The obseruation of this caused the Hebrewes to set downe this Rule that Moses in penning his Storie doth not regard the circumstance of first latter To weete hee doth not set downe that in the first place which is first in time and so that which is latter in time afterwardes but sometimes that which is latter in the first place and that which is first in time in the last as the necessitie of the narration giueth occasion This being thus made plaine the doubt is easily discussed for neither is Noah 620. yeares old at the Flood neither are the yeares of the Flood any thing shortned but the Chronicle is altogeather true For if we referre the 120. yeares of the Flood 20. yeares before that Chapter in which it was sayd Noah was 500. yeares old and begot Sem Cham and Iaphet then doe we make all thinges agree without crossing one another and this of necessitie wee must needes doe For seeing God hath layde downe the generals in proper and plaine termes we must so cast the particulars that they may make the generall true and no way alter it Besides we haue a like example for although all the liues and deathes of the Fathers before the Flood are reckoned and summed vp togeather in one Chapter wee must not thinke that all their liues are precedent to the Chapters following For the Chronicles sheweth that Lamech liued 5. yeares before the Flood and Methushelahs death and the beginning of the Flood are very neare Euen so heere this sentence of the 120. yeares is to be counted before the fifth Chapter wherein Noahs age is reckoned and for the shortning of the dayes in Ierusalems besiedging the holy Ghost sayth it shall be so but for the shortning of the dayes at the Flood we haue no such warrant in Moses Therefore we are not to beleeue it Cxx. yeares begin Gen. 6. In which the spirit of Christ preached while the Arke was in making VPon this sentence there dependeth a great question whether Christ descended into Hell in his humane soule The cause why this question is necessarie to be handled is because diuers of the auncient Fathers hold opinion of Christes discent into Hell in his humane soule Whose opinions hauing been so superstitiously receiued haue drawen others of latter time into the like errours But if men would follow the plainnes laide downe in the Bible and with humilitie search it auoyding curiositie they need not trouble themselues with the errours of the Fathers The wordes of the text 1. Pet. 3.18 are these Christ was dead concerning the flesh but was quickned by the Spirit By the which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison which in times past disobeyed when once the long suffering of God abode in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was in making Now the words whereupon this error is grounded are these Christ being dead as concerning the flesh went and preached to the spirits in prison Vpon this they gather that the spirits mentioned there are meant those in Hell and went and preached that is after hee was dead But if wee compare these words with the residue and consider the time when this preaching was we shall see Saint Peter meaneth nothing lesse than the descending of Christs soule into hell For first the text saith Hee went and preached by the same spirit by which he was quickned This spirit is of necessitie the Godhead For what spirit was there that could loosen the sorrowes of death that they should not hold him and raise Christ from the dead but the Godhead of Christ Then the soules of all men Godly or vngodly being immortall cannot die and therefore this quickning cannot be meant of his humane soule for it needed none Besides we must consider to whom Saint Peter wrote to wit to the Iewes Now seeing Christ taught nothing but Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles nothing but what they learned of Christ with what conscience could Saint Peter write a storie to the Iewes of the seueere iustice of God which was neuer in Moses for Moses neuer mentioneth Christs descent into Hel there to cause the wicked to be more tormented Therefore seeing this old opinion gathered out of the workes of the fathers and bred by them maintaineth manifest absurdities we must seeke for another exposition If we consider the old Testament we shall find that Eliphaz in the booke of Iob. preacheth the same doctrine that S. Peter doth and therefore
all the world so notwithstanding the sinne of the Iewes Christ in Canaan wrought the full saluation of all the world These eleuen sonnes of Canaan were setled in one soyle that is in Canaan which is about 160. myles from North to South and 60. myles from East to West Their names are Zidon who built Tyrus the glory of the world for trafique of Marchandize Heth Gebusi who after Sems death as it should appeare possessed Ierusalem Amori Girgashi of whom there were some left till Christes time as Matt. 8. 28 Hiuits of whom Abraham bought his burying place of whose kindred also Esau tooke him Wiues Arkite Siuite Aruadite Zemathite Hemathite It is supposed there were so many Tongues as there were Nations but it was no otherwise then our Cornish and Northerne men differ in their tongues These were Lordes of the whole soyle to plant buyld and replenish it against time to come that the twelue Trybes of Israel might haue Vineyardes that they neuer planted and Houses they neuer builded Whereupon Moses sayth Deut. 32.8 When the most high God deuided to the Nations their Inheritance hee appoynted the borders of a people according to the number of the Sonnes of Israel And when God promiseth to Abraham Gen. 15.18 that he will giue his seed a Land that shall flow with Mylke and Hony hee bordereth it from Egipt to the great Riuer Euphrates within which borders are contained the seuerall Lordships of Canaan and his Sonnes namely the Kenites the Kenesites the Cadmonites the Hithites the Pheresites the Gyaunts the Amorites the Cananites the Girgashites and the Gebusites Because C ham scorned his father who was the restorer of all the world therefore his Countrie was to be giuen to Sems House the Iewes and they were driuen out of their Land by the Sword of Ioshua except some few who were left in the Land to be Spurres in the sides and Thornes in the eyes of the Israelites who were to possesse it that when through the aboundance of wealth they grew to forget God they might be chastened with his rod of correction Thus Shams curse is extended euen vnto Canaan his youngest sonne and he is made a Seruant of seruantes to Sem that the blessing of Sem might appeare and the open cursed should serue the open blessed although it be nine hundred yeares after Noahs Prophecie to shew that although God suffer the wicked a while and doth deferre his punishmentes vntill the sinne of the Amorites come to a full ripenesse that yet he is a righteous Iudge and sitteth vpon a firie Throne from whose presence doth issue Ryuers of fire to consume all such as will not learne to know The Seed of the Woman to be able to breake the head of the Serpent nor desire to dwell in the Tentes of Sem acknowledging the God of Abraham the God of Isaacke and the God of Iacob to be the true GOD that keepeth couenant with all whose Garments were washed in Wine and his Mantell in the blood of Grapes nor marke that Shiloh is that Emmanuel God with Vs who is that Stone that can grind the mightiest Gyant in the land of Canaan to powder Who haue eyes and will not see how God with fire from Heauen consumed their Cities turned Lots wise into a Piller of Salt ouerthew their kinsmen Pharaoh in the read Sea and made the Walles of Iericho to fall downe without violent handes Chams House was not plagued for building Babel onely but for falling from the Religion of Sem and his posteritie had a deadly minde against true Religion And as Cham the rest are in Gehenna in darknesse so in Scripture they are left in darknesse for there is no time of any mentioned when they died but are left in darknesse The wicked men of Canaan would neuer yeeld to the trueth but praysed Gods of Gold Brasse and Stone Now followeth for Iaphet HIs name signifieth Perswaded He had seuen Sonnes Gomer Magog Madai of whom came the Meedes Jauan of whom the Grecians and Romanes come And Tubal and Mesech of whom the Muscouites come And Tiras of whom the Thracians come Of these were the Isles of the Gentiles diuided in their Landes Iaphet hee was pertaker with Sem in the action of couering thier Father but Sem had the prerogatiue of the Promise concerning Christ notwithstanding Iaphet was the elder And if you marke through al the Bible you shal not finde the first borne of any of Christes auncestors to haue the Promise pronounced to them in open tearmes because Christ the first begotten of his Father would not come according to the lust of the flesh or course of nature but by grace Sem in regard of that had the glory of God preached in his Tentes vntill the acceptable Child did come in whom all Nations should be blessed And when the glory of Sems house which were the Iewes was extinct Iohn was banished into Patmos is commanded to write to the seuen Congregations in Asia the lesser where Iaphets sonnes were first setled to so many Congregations as Iaphet had sonnes Grace and peace from him that was and is and which is to come and from the seuen Spirites expressed in Esay 11.7 which are before his throne from Iesus Christ which is a faythfull witnes and first begotten of the dead Alpha and Omega the first and the last who was dead but is aliue and behold he liues for euer euer and hath the keyes of Hell and of Death giueth light life to Iaphet the Gentile who was in darknes and in the shadow of death perswading him to dwell in the tentes of Sem to be a dweller in the spirituall Canaan and a Citizen in the heauenly Salem where there is no earthly Temple For God almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it Now for SEM. SEM being an hundred yeares old begetteth Arphaxad two yeares after the Flood So old was Abraham when he begat Isaacke He is in vertue equall with any before the Flood This Sem was a King Prophet Sacrificer He signifieth a Name to teach them that they should looke to him in whom Sem and the whole world should be blessed He had fiue Sonnes Elam Ashur Arphaxad Lud. Aram. Elam of whom the Persians Ashur of whom the Assirians Arphaxad of whom CHRIST Aram of whom the Aramites Lud of whom the Lidians There be diuers which condemne Genealogies warranted thereby as they say by Saint Paules Councell to Thimothie Neither that they giue heed to Fables and Genealogies Endlesse which breede rather questions then godly edifying by Fayth Indeed seeing Genealogies are of great consequence to the prouing of Christ to be the Messias the Iewes to crosse this faine diuers of their owne which S. Paul calleth Endlesse therefore to be auoided as also tales inuented by them whereby they corrupted the story of the Scriptures But this condemneth not the Genealogies which the Holy Ghost penneth but rather approueth them And
story whensoeuer they heare any man speake in an other tongue which they vnderstand not For entring into the consideration thereof they are driuen presently to examine the storie of the Gen. â—0 in which they may see the iust and seuere dealing of God to such as enuie the blessing of their brother for going from sinne to sinne they had their tongues diuided and their dwellings scattered It appeareth by this story that the dealinges of Cham and his sonnes were in the same kinde that Kaines were Kaine after his Curse wandring like a Vagabond from the place of true Religion into the land of Nod which signifieth Fugitiue buildeth a Citie and calleth it after the name of his Sonne Henoch C ham after his curse goeth wandring about from the place that Noah liued and Sem sacrificed at vnto the land of Shinear which signifieth Shake off and there hee built a Cittie of Confusion From which story also we may obserue the iudgments of God that wherein a man offendeth hee or his seede is commonly punished for it is certaine that all the actions of wicked are a harmony with Gods dealings though in respect of the wicked they agree not with vertue The sonnes of Sem for ioyning with rebellious Nimrod of Cham as it were flouting their Fathers blessing to furnish vp the number of 70. made Bricke for the buylding of the Tower of Confusion 70. of Sems posteritie 600. yeares after were forced to goe into the land of Cham and there compelled to be Brickmakers vnder Pharaoh King of Egipt because they despised the blessing of Sem and remembred not the storie of the 70. Families that buylt the Tower of Babel To shew that when in prosperie men forget God turning his Graces into Wantonnes and his Blessinges into folish Pleasures that he will take his blessinges of Bread and Wine and Oyle from vs and driue vs into forraine Nations amongst Egiptian Dogges to seeke reliefe Whose succour shall be yokes of heauie bondage to punish vs in the same pleasure wherein we offended All the 70. Families doe afflict Sem for this before hee hath his ful renowne and in scattering of Iocktanes sonnes they are placed farthest off Ierusalem of any Peleg Diuided Christ is Palmoni the secret numberer that weghieth numbreth and diuideth Vnto the building of the Tower of Babel we haue Sem Name Arphaxad Healing Sale Spoyling Heber Pilgrime Peleg Diuided Put these togeather and you haue a short senteÌ„ce A good Name like precious Oyntment to heale bind vp the ruined branches of poore Pilgrimes walking in out here on earth like strangers as hauing no abyding place for God will diuide to euery one according to his workes 1787. Regu borne A breaking a sunder or euill 1819. Serug borne Bough Plant or principal Vine 1849. Nachor borne Dry. 1878. Terah borne Smelling These like a principall Vine moystned with good sap and healed by grace gaue a good smell though Terah falling to Idolatrie had almost extinguished the heate thereof AN euill Plant that hath lost his sappe and is become dry being not watered with the deaw of Heauenly grace can giue no good smell which appeareth in that Terah quite forgetting that euer God created and consumed the world and brought the deuises of the sonnes of Noah his great Graundfather to open shame of eternall memorie scattering them vp and downelike vagabonds ouer all the earth figuring the calamities of their latter ages the punishment whereof chiefly was to be performed in his owne kinred became an Idolater as Ioshua 24.15 Your Fathers in old time worshiped strange Gods euen Terah the father of Abraham c. But marke the euent For euen as the sonnes of Sem for ioyning with the rest were scattered with the rest so the posteritie of Terah by Abram euen the best of them namely the Iewes were once scattered Vagabondes ouer all the earth for not imbracing the couenant of Abraham Isaacke and Iacob But in mercie gathered togeather againe to the Mountaine of grace to Iacobs Well that giueth euer-liuing Water to so many as would acknowledge Christ the Rocke to the Land that flowed with Milke and Hony To Bethel the house of Iehouah where they might see a Lather reaching from Heauen to Earth with Angels ascending and descending To that fresh springing hill of Sion which is watered with the deaw of Hermon from whence it runneth like the precious Oyntment that ran downe from Aarons beard to wash away their former vncleannes and so purge their filthy leprosie that they might be a sweete smelling Sacrifice vnto the Lord holy and acceptable before his Throne hauing an high Sacrificer to enter into the Holy of Holyest to make intercession for them that they might be free from Confusion and deliuered out of the bondage of the outward spirituall Babel But euen as the Dogge returneth to his vomit and the Hogge to his wallowing in the Mire so these Iewes of vncircumcised handes and heartes forgetting all those and many more benefites of God bestowed vpon them crucifying Christ the King of glory the God of Sem and not remembring their former punishmentes are once againe so scattered ouer the face of the earth that while the world endureth they shall be vagabondes and neuer gathered togeather againe to teach vs that if God spared not them nor suffered them to continue in their transgressions beeing his peculiar people that wee are to looke for no other recompence then they had if we despise the knowledge of Christ as they did Terah hath three Sonnes Haran Nachor Abraham as Adam and Noah had Peleg died being 229. yeares old Hee had not halfe the yeares of his father Heber the most aged man after the Flood liued not to halfe Methushelahs yeares to shew the Curse that came by the Flood so euery man in the world hath part of Gods Curse by the Flood Nachor died being 148. yeares old NOAH died being 950. yeares old Hee liued after the Flood 350. yeares that is 7. Fifties or 7. Iubilees of yeares as many as were from conquering the Land of Canaan to the gouernment of Samuel Noahs whole life was a singing of Saluation to the holy Lambe seeing all the world drowned and hee onely saued Noah died two yeares after Abram was borne So God stirs vp one good man after another oftentimes ABRAM borne 352 yeares after the Flood HIs name signifieth Hie father being the tenth from Noah An other establisher of Religion as Noah the Restorer or Comforter was the tenth from Adam And as in Noahs dayes hee being the tenth from Adam Gods iustice ouer all flesh was extended So in Abrams hee being the tenth from Noah Gods mercie to all the world is pronounced When Terah is 130. yeares old Abram is borne So old was Adam when he begat Seth a foundation of Religion Iacob a bringer of Religion into Egipt is 130. yeares old when he standeth before Pharoh Iehoiada the high sacrificer saueth Ioas the Kings