of oath †And Abimelech arose and Phicol the general of his armie and they returned to the land of the Palestines But Abraham planted a groue in Bersabee and called therupon the name of our Lord God eternal †And he was a seiorner in the land of the Palestines manie dayes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXI 12. Let it not It semed so hard inhumaine and vniust to cast Agar and Ismael out of the house that Abraham would not haue done it onles God had commanded him in this to heare the voice of Sara But when he knew Gods wil therin not respecting flesh and bloud nor disputing further of the lawfulnes of the fact sent them both away commending them to Gods protection and so by this separation the familie was made quiet It represented also a notable Mysterie of the Synagog of the Iewes Church of Christ As S. Augustin doth excellently expound the same according to S. Paul Gal. 4. That Ismaels playing with Isaac was persecution because it tended to peruert him shewing it to be a greater iniurie to delude and deceiue anie in drawing them to new and particular companies then corporally to persecute them and that the Church and Catholique Princes punish heretikes for their good to make them returne to the truth or finally to cease from seducing others Ecce libera afflixit ancillam non illam vocat persecutionem Apostolus ludit seruus cum domino persecutionem vocat Afflictio ista non vocatur persecutio lusi◠illa vocatur persecutio Behold the freewoman afflicted the handmaide and the Apostle calleth it not persecution the seruant playeth with the maister and he calleth it persecution This affliction is not called persecution and that play is called persecution Againe he sayeth of Sara Illusionem vidit in illo lusu animaduertit serui superbiam displicuit illi eiecit soras She saw foule play in that play she noted the seruants pride it displeased her she cast him forth of the dores S. Hierom also teacheth that the spiritual neuer persecuteth the carnal but spareth him as his rustical brother knowing that he may in time be profitable CHAP. XXII The faith and obedience of Abraham is proued in his redines to sacrifice his sonne Isaac 11. He is stayed from the act by an Angel 16. Former promises are renewed to him 20. And his brother Nachor hath also much issue VVHICH things being done God “ tempted Abraham and said to him Abraham Abraham But he answered Here I am †He said to him Take thy only begotten sonne whom thou louest Isaac and goe into the Land of vision and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust vpon one of the mountaines which I wil shew thee †Therfore Abraham rising vp in the night sadled his asse taking with him two young men and Isaac his sonne and when he had cut wood for the holocaust he went his way to the place which God had commanded him †And the third day lifting vp his eyes he sawe the place afarre of †and he said to his young men Tarie you here with the asse I and the boy going with spede as farre as yonder after we haue adored wil returne to you †He tooke also the wood of the holocaust and laid it vpon Isaac his sonne and him selfe caried in his hands fire and a sword And as they went on together †Isaac said to his father My father And he answered What wilt thou sonne Behold saith he fire and wood where is the victime of the holocaust †And Abraham said God wil prouide vnto him selfe the victime of the holocaust my sonne They went on therfore together †and they came to the place which God had shewed him wherin he builed an altar and laid the wood in order vpon it and when he had bound Isaac his sonne he laid him on the altar vpon the pile of wood †And he stretched forth his hand and caught the sword for to sacrifice his sonne †And behold an angel of our Lord from heauen cried saying Abraham Abraham Who answered Here I am †And he said to him Stretch not forth thy hand vpon the boy neither doe thou any thing to him now haue I knowen that thou fearest God and hast not spared thine onlie begotten sonne for my sake †Abraham lifted vp his eyes and saw behind his backe a ramme amongst the briers sticking fast by the hornes which he tooke and offered an holocaust in stede of his sonne †And he called the name of that place Our Lord seeth Wherupon euen to this day it is said In the mountaine our Lord wil see †And the angel of our Lord called Abraham the second time from heauen saying †By my owne selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onlie begotten sonne for my sake †I wil blesse thee and I wil multiplie thy sede as the starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore thy sede shal possesse the gates of his enemies †and in thy sede SHAL BE BLESSED al the nations of the earth because thou hast obeyed my voice †Abraham returned to his young men and they went to Bersabee together and he dwelt there †These things so being done it was told Abraham that Melca also had borne children to Nachor his brother †Hus the first be gotten Buz his brother and Camuel the father of the Sirians †and Cased and Azau. Pheldas also Iedlaph †and Bathuel of whom was borne Rebecca these eight did Melcha beare to Nachor Abrahams brother †And his concubine named Roma bare Tabee and Gaham and Tahas and Maacha ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXII 1. Tempted God tempteth none to euil as S. Iames teacheth but by trial and experiment maketh men knowen to the world as here Abrahams faith and singular obedience were manifested when he doubted not To offer his only begotten in Sacrifice accounting that God is able to raise vp euen from the dead VVherupon he receiued his sonne againe in parable that is in figure and mysterie of Christ dead and aliue againe Isaac also in this action signified the diuinitie of Christ which suffered not and the ramme among the briers figured his humanitie that should be offered in Sacrifice to God CHAP. XXIII Sara dying Abraham solemnizeth her funeral 4. byeth a field with a duble caue of Ephron 15. for four hundreth sicles 19. and there burieth her AND Sara liued an hundred twentie seuen yeares †And she died in the citie of Arbee which is Hebron in the land of Chanaan And Abraham came to mourne and weepe for her †And after that he was risen vp from the funeral obsequies he spake to the children of Heth saying †I am a stranger and pilgrime among you geue me the right of a sepulchre with you that I may burie my dead †The
children of Heth answered saying †My lord heare vs thou art a prince of God among vs in our principal sepulchres burie thou thy dead and no man can let thee but that in his owne monument thou mayest burie thy dead †Abraham rose vp and adored the people of the land towit the children of Heth †and he said to them If it please your soule that I burie my dead heare me and be intercessors for me to Ephron the sonne of Seor †that he geue me the duble caue which he hath in the vttermost part of his field for money to the worth therof let him deliuer it to me before you for possession of a sepulchre †And Ephron dwelt in the middest of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of al that went in at the gate of the citie saying †No it shal not be so my lord but thou rather harken to that which I doe say The field I deliuer to thee and the caue that is therin in the presence of the children of my people burie thy dead †Abraham adored before the people of the land †And he spoke to Ephron his people standing round about I beseech thee to heare me I wil geue money for the field take it and so I wil burie my dead in it †And Ephron answered †My lord heare me The ground which thou desirest is worth foure hundred sicles of siluer this is the price between me and thee but how much is this burie thy dead †Which when Abraham had heard he weyed the money that Ephron had asked in the hearing of the children of Heth foure hundred sicles of siluer of common currant money †And the field that before time was Ephrons wherin was the duble caue looking towards Mambre aswel it as the caue and al the trees therof in al the lymits therof round about †was made sure to Abraham for a possession in the sight of the children of Heth and of al that went in at the gate of his citie †And so Abraham buried Sara his wife in the duble caue of the field that looked towards Mambre this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan †And the field was made sure to Abraham and the caue that was in it for a possession to burie in of the Children of Heth. CHAP. XXIIII Abrahams seruant adiured and sent by him into Mesopotamia to seke a wife for Isaac 12. prayeth to God for a signe findeth Rebecca 34. and demanding her for this purpose 50. with her parents 58. and her owne consent she goeth with him 67. is maried to Isaac who therby is comforted for the death of his mother AND Abraham was old and of manie dayes and our Lord had blessed him in al things †And he said to the elder seruant of his house which was ruler ouer al that he had Put thy hand vnder my thighe †that I may adiure thee by our Lord God of heauen and earth that thou take not a wife for my sonne of the daughters of the Cananites among whom I dwel †but that thou goe vnto myne owne countrie and kindred and thence take a wife for my sonne Isaac †The seruant answered If the woman wil not come with me into this land whether must I bring thy sonne backe againe to the place from whence thou didest come forth †And Abraham said Beware thou neuer bring my sonne backe againe thither †Our Lord God of heauen which tooke me out of my fathers house and out of my natiue countrie which spake to me and sware to me saying To thy sede wil I geue this land he shal send his angel before thee and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my sonne †but if the woman wil not folow thee thou shalt not be bound by the oath only bring not my sonne thither againe †The seruant therfore put his hand vnder the thigh of Abraham his lord and sware to him vpon this worde †And he tooke tenne camels of his lords heard and departed of al his goods carying something with him and setting forward went on into Mesopotamia to the citie of Nachor †And when he had made the camels lye downe without the towne beside a wel of water at euen at the time when wemen are wont to come forth to drawe water he said †O Lord God of my lord Abraham mete me to day I beseech thee and doe mercifully with my maister Abraham †Behold I stand nigh to the fountaine of water and the daughters of the inhabiters of this citie wil come forth to drawe water †Therfore “ the maid to whom I shal say Bowe downe thy tankard that I may drinke and she shal answere Drinke yea to thy camels also wil I geue drinke she it is whom thou hast prouided for thy seruant Isaac and by this I shal vnderstand that thou hast delt mercifully with my maister †Neyther had he yet ended these wordes within him selfe behold Rebecca came forth the daughter of Bathuel the sonne of Melcha wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham hauing a tankard on her shoulder †a passing comely maide most beautiful virgin not knowen to man and she was gone downe to the fountaine and had filled her tankard and came backe †And the seruant ranne to mete her and said Geue me a little water to drinke of thy tankard †Who answered Drinke my lord And quickly she let downe the tankard vpon her arme and gaue him drinke †And when he had druncke she added but for thy camels also I wil drawe water til al doe drinke †And powring out the tankard into the troughes she ranne backe to the wel to drawe water and being drawen gaue it to al the camels †But he musing beheld her with silence desirous to know whether our Lord had made his iourney prosperous or not †And after that the camels had drunck the man plucked forth golden earelettes weying two sicles and as manie braceletts of tenne sicles weight †And he said to her whose daughter art thou shew me is there anie place in thy fathers house to lodge †Who answered I am the daughter of Bathuel the sonne of Melcha whom she bare to Nachor †And she added saying Of strawe also and hay we haue good store and a large place to lodge in †The man bowed him selfe and adored our Lord †saying Blessed be the Lord God of my lord Abraham that hath not taken away his mercie truth from my lord and hath brought me the streight way into the house of my lords brother †The maide therfore ranne and reported into her mothers house al things that she had heard And Rebecca had a brother named Laban who in al haist went forth to the man where the fountaine was †And when he had seene the eareletts and braceletts in his sisters hands and had heard al her words reporting These words spake
the man vnto me he came to the man which stoode beside the camels and nighe to the fountaine of water †and said to him Come in thou blessed of our Lord Why standest thou without I haue prepared the house and a place for the camels †And he brought him in into his lodging and he vnharnessed the camels and gaue strawe and hay and water to wash his feet and of the men that were come with him †And bread was set before him Who said I wil not eate til I speake my message He answered him Speake †And he said I am the seruant of Abraham †and our Lord hath blessed my lord wonderfully and he is magnified and he hath geuen him sheepe and oxen siluer and gold men seruants and wemen seruants camels and asses †And Sara my lordes wife hath borne my lord a sonne in her old age and he hath â—euen him al things that he had †And my lord adiured me saying Thou shalt not take a wife for my sonne of the Chananites in whose land I dwel †but thou shalt goe to my fathers house and of mine owne kinred shalt thou take a wife for my sonne †but I answered my Lord What if the woman wil not come with me †Our Lord saith he in whose sight I walke wil send his angel with thee and wil direct thy way and thou shalt take a wife for my sonne of myne owne kinred and of my fathers house †Thou shalt be innocent from my curse when thou shalt come to my kinne and they wil not geue her thee †I came therfore to day to the wel of water and said O Lord God of my lord Abraham if thou hast directed my way wherin I now walke †behold I stand besides the wel of water and the virgin that shal come forth to drawe water when she shal heare me say Geue me a litle water to drinke of thy tankard †and she shal say to me Drinke both thou and for thy camels I wil drawe also that is the woman which our Lord hath prepared for my maisters sonne †And whilest I pondered these things secretly with my selfe Rebecca appeared comming with a tankard which she caried vpon her shoulder and she went downe to the fountaine drew water And I said to her Geue me a litle to drinke †Who spedelie let downe the tankard from her shoulder and said to me Drinke both thou and to thy camels I wil geue drinke I dranke and she watered the cammels †And I asked her and said Whose daughter art thou who answered I am the daughter of Bathuel the sonne of Nachor whom Melcha bare him I hoong therfore earelettes to adorne her face and I put braceletts vpon her hands †And prostrate I adored our Lord blessing the Lord God of my lord Abraham who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my lords brother for his sonne †Wherfore if you doe according to mercie and truth with my lord shew me but if it please you otherwise that also tel me that I may goe to the right hand or to the left †And Laban and Bathuel answered From our Lord the word hath proceded we can not speake any other thing with thee besides his pleasure †Behold Rebecca is before thee take her and goe thy waies and let her be the wife of thy lords sonne as our Lord hath spoken †Which when Abrahams seruant heard falling downe he adored our Lord to the grounde †And taking forth vessel of siluer and gold and garments gaue them to Rebecca for a present To her brothers also and to her mother he offred giftes †A banket was made and eating and drinking togeather they lodged there And in the morning the seruant arose and said Dismisse me that I may goe to my lord †And her brother and mother answered Let the maide tarie at the least tenne days with vs and after she shal depart †Stay me not said he because our Lord hath directed my way dismisse me that I may goe on to my lord †And they said Let vs cal the maid and aske her wil. †And being called when she was come they asked Wilt thou goe with this man who said I wil goe †They dismissed her therfore and her nurce and Abrahams seruant and his companie †wishing prosperitie to their sister and saying Thou art our sister encrease thou into thousand thousands and thy seed possesse the gates of their enemies †Therfore Rebecca and her maides being set vpon camels folowed the man who with speed returned vnto his lord and †the same time Isaac walked along the way that leadeth to the wel of the Liuing and the seing so called for he dwelt in the south countrie †and he was gone forth to meditate in the field the day nowe being wel spent and when he had cast vp his eyes he saw camels coming a farre of †Rebecca also when she saw Isaac lighted of the camel †and said to the seruant Who is that man which cometh towards vs along the field And he said to her The same is my lord But she quickly taking her cloake couered her selfe †And the seruant told Isaac al things that he hed done †Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother and tooke her to wife and he loued her so much that it did moderate the sorrowe which was chanced of his mothers death ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXIIII 14. The maide to vvhom I shal say Obseruation of speaches called ominous which are interpreted to signifie good or euil luck are sometimes supersticious suggested by euil spirites who now then telling or insinuating some truth get credite and so allure men to attend to such vaine vncertaine and vnlawful signes as S. Augustin testifieth li. 2. de Gen. ad lit c. 17. li. 12. c. 22. Neuertheles such signes are sometimes lawfully obserued desired from God as the same Doctor disputeth li. quest super Gen q. 53 and S. Chrisostome teacheth more clerly ho. 45. in Gen likewise S. Theodoret q. 73. in Gen But whosoeuer wil not erre in particular cases must folow either expresse Scripture or the iudgement of the Church which is alwayes directed by the spirite of truth And touching this prayer of Abrahams seruant and his desire of this determinate signe to know the maide whom God had prouided to be Isaachs wife the fathers generally hold that it was religious deuout and discrete For he being careful of his masters busines and not trusting his owne iudgement but relying vpon that Abraham had said Our Lord shal send his Angel before thee commended so weightie a cause to God by prayer the Angel suggesting both to him to desire and to the maide to performe as the euent sheweth such qualities and vertues in her as were most agreable to the great charitie and hospitalitie dayly practised in Abrahams house most conuenient
Hierom. li. 3. comment in Mat. 18. 14. I am vvhich am Al other things besides God once were not and being are limited in nature neither could persist vnles God conserued them mame things also haue lost or shal lose their propet essence and being and whiles they remaine haue continual alterations Onlie God eternally is without beginning ending limitation dependence or mutation coÌ„sisting only of himselfe and al other things arâ— of him Therfore this name QVI EST HE WHICH IS is most proper to God not determining anie maner but indeterminatly signifying al maners of being for so it importeth the very infinite immensitie of Gods substance S. Damascen li. 1. c. 12. Orthodoxae sidei S. Tho. p. 1. q. 13. a. 11. CHAP. IIII. Moyses receiuing power to vvorke miracles in confirmation of his mission 14. and his brother Aaron being designed to assist him 20. goeth vvith vvife and children towards Aegypt 25. is in danger to be slaine for not sooner circumcising his sonne 27. Aaron meeteth him 29. so they goe together and declare to the people that God wil deliuer them MOYSES answering said “ They wil not beleue me nor heare my voice but they wil say Our Lord hath not appeared to thee †Therfore he sayd to him What is that thou holdest in thy hand He answered A rodde †And our Lord sayd Cast it vpon the ground He did cast it and it was turned into a serpent so that Moyses fled †And our Lord sayd Sretch thy hand and catch the tayle therof He stretched it forth tooke hold of it and it was turned into a rodde †That they may beleue quoth he that the Lord God of their fathers hath appeared to thee the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob †And our Lord sayd agayne Put thy hand into thy bosome Which when he had put into his bosome he brought it forth ful of leprosie like snow †Draw backe quoth he thy hand into thy bosome He drew it backe and brought it forth agayne it was like the other flesh †If they wil not beleue thee quoth he nor heare the word of the former signe they wil beleue the word of the signe folowing †And if so be they wil beleue neither of these two signes nor heare thy voice take water of the riuer powre it out vpon the drie land and whatsoeuer thou drawest of the riuer shal be turned into bloud †Moyses sayd I beseech thee Lord I am not eloquent from yesterday and the day before and since thou hast spoken to thy seruant I haue more impediment slownes of tongue †Our Lord sayd to him Who made the mouth of man or who framed the dumme and deafe the seeing and the blinde did not I †Goe on therfore and I wil be in thy mouth wil teach thee what thou shalt speake †But he sayd I besech thee Lord send whom thou wilt send †Our Lord being angrie at Moyses sayd Aaron thy brother the leuite I know that he is eloqueÌ„t behold he cometh forth to meete thee seeing thee shal be glad at the hart †Speake to him and put my wordes in his mouth I wil be in thy mouth and in his mouth and wil shew you what yee must doe †He shal speake in thy steed to the people and shal be thy mouth but thou shalt be to him in those thinges that perteine to God †This rodde also take in thy hand wherwith thou shalt doe the signes †Moyses went his way returned to Iethro his father in law and sayd to him I wil goe and returne to my brethren into Aegypt that I may see if they be yet aliue To whom Iethro sayd Goe in peace †Therfore our Lord sayd to Moyses in Madian Goe and returne into Aegypt for they are al dead that sought thy life †Moyses therfore tooke his wife his children and set them vpon an asse and returned into Aegypt carying the rodde of God in his hand †And our Lord said to him returning into Aegypt See that thou doe al the wonders which I haue put in thy hand before Pharao I wil indurate his hart and he wil not dismisse the people †And thou shalt say to him This sayth the Lord My first begotten sonne is Israel †I sayd to thee dismisse my sonne that he may serue me thou wouldest not dismisse him behold I wil kil thy first-begotten-sonne †And when he was in his iourney in the Inne our Lord mette him and would haue killed him †Sephora by by tooke a very sharp stone and circuncided the prepuce of her sonne touched his feete and sayd A blouddie spouse thou art to me †And he let him goe after she had said A blouddie spouse thou art to me because of the circumcision †And our Lord said to Aaron Goe to Moyses into the desert Who went forth to mete him vnto the Mountaine of God and kissed him †And Moyses told Aaron al the wordes of our Lord by which he had sent him the signes that he had commanded †And they came together and gathered together al the ancientes of the children of Israel †And Aaron spake al the wordes which our Lord had said to Moyses and he wrought the signes before the people †and the people beleued And they heard that our Lord had visited the children of Israel and that he had looked vpon their affliction they adored prostrate ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IIII. â— They vvil not beleue me Moyses wisely considering that the children of Israel much lesse Pharao would hardly beleue his bare woord affirming that he was sent to them by God proposed this difficultie before he tooke the Embacie vpon him For without good proofe both the Israelites and Aegyptians might haue reiected him as seming to come of his owne priuate spirite being no ordinarie superior neither of the whole people nor of his owne tribe nor first of his familie for Aaron was his elder brother Therfore God gaue him powre of working miracles to proue his extraordinarie mission true and lawful VVhich sufficed to make euen Pharao him selfe to know that he was sent from God almightie though it mollified not his stubborne hart to obey Gods commandement and it fully satisfied the children of Israel touching al things which he denounced beleuing him that God mercifully looked vpon their affliction would deliuer them VVherupon they adored prostrate as the last wordes of this chapter testifie VVhere we see both the necessitie and sufficiencie of miracles to proue the extraordinarie vocation of such as preach otherwise then was taught before For this cause our Sauioâ—â— himselfe confirming his doctrin by miracles saied to the Iewes If you vvil not beleue me beleue by vvorkes Againe he said of them If I had not done among them vvorkes that no other man hath done they should not haue sinne And coÌ„formably sending
our Lord was accomplished †And Ezechias reioysed and al the people because the ministerie of our Lord was accomplished For it pleased them that the thing should be done of a soden CHAP. XXX Ezechias by messengers and letters exhorteth the people both of Iuda and Israel to make Paesch in Ierusalem 11. which some of Israel and al Iuda performe 18. the fourtenth day of the second moneth though al could not be purified according to the law 23. they make an other feast of Azimes seuen dayes more the king aend princes geuing hostes to the people EZECHIAS also sent to al Israel and Iuda and he wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasses that they should come to the house of our Lord in Ierusalem and should make a Phase to our Lord the God of Israel †Counsel therfore being taken of the king and the princes and of al the assemblie of Ierusalem they decreed to make the Phase the second moneth †For they could not make it in his time because the Priestes that might suffise had not bene sanctified and the people had not as yet bene gathered into Ierusalem †And the word pleased the king and al the multitude †And they decreed to send messengers into al Israel from Bersabee vnto dan that they should come and make the Phase to our Lord the God of Israel in Ierusalem for manie had not made it as is prescribed by the law †And the postes went forth with letters of commandement from the king and his princes into al Israel and Iuda according to that which the king had commanded proclaming Children of Israel returne ye to our Lord the God of Abraham and Isaac and Israel and he wil returne to the remnant that hath escaped the hand of the king of the Assyrians †Become not as your fathers and brethren which haue reuolted from our Lord the God of their fathers who hath deliuered them into destruction as your selues see †Harden not your neckes as your fathers geue handes to our Lord and come to his Sanctuarie which he hath sanctified for ouer serue our Lord the God of your fathers and the wrath of his furie shal be turned away from you †For if you shal returne to our Lord your brethren and children shal haue mercie before their Lordes that haue led them captiue and they shal returne into this land for our Lord your God is merciful and wil not turne away his face from you if you shal returne to him †Therfore the postes went forward spedely from citie to citie through the land of Ephraim and of Manasses as farre as Zabulon they mocking and skorning them †Neuerthelesse certayne men of Aser and Manasses and Zabulon condescending to the counsel came to Ierusalem †But the hand of God was in Iuda to geue them one hart to doe the word of our Lord according to the precept of the king and of the princes †And much people was gathered into Ierusalem to make the solemnitie of Azimes in the second moneth †And rising they destroyed the altars that were in Ierusalem and ouerthrowing al thinges wherin incense was burnt to idols they threw it into the Torrent cedron †And they immolated the Phase the fourtenth day of the second moneth The Priestes also and the Leuites at length being sanctified offered holocaustes in the house of our Lord. And they stoode in their order according to the disposition law of Moyses the man of God but the Priestes receiued the bloud to be powred out of the handes of the Leuites †because a great multitude Was not sanctified therfore the Leuites immolated the Phase for them that came not in time to be sanctified to our Lord. †For a great part of the people of Ephraim and Manasses and Issachar and Zabulon that had not bene sanctified did eate the Phase not according to that which is writen and Ezechias prayed for them saying Our good Lord wil be merciful †to al them that in al their hart secke our Lord the God of their fathers and wil not impute it to them that they are not sanctified †Whom our Lord heard and was pacified to the people †And the children of Israel that were found in Ierusalem made the solemnitie of Azimes seuen daies in great ioy praysing our Lord euerie day The Leuites also and the Priestes by instrumentes that agreed to their office †And Ezechias spake to the hart of al the Leuites that had good vnderstanding concerning our Lord and they did eate during the seuen daies of the solemnitie immolating victimes of pacifiques and praysing our Lord the God of their fathers †And it pleased the whole multitude to celebrate it other seuen daies which also they did with great ioy †For Ezechias the king of Iuda had geuen the multitude a thousand oxen and seuen thousand sheepe but the princes had geuen the people oxen a thousand sheepe ten thousand there was sanctified therfore a verie great multitude of Priestes †And al the multitude of Iuda was ful of mirth as wel of the Priestes and Leuites as of al the assemblie that came out of Israel of the proselites also of the land of Israel and them that dwelt in Iuda †And there was made a great solemnitie in Ierusalem such as had not bene in that citie from the dayes of Salomon the sonne of Dauid the king of Israel †And the Priestes the Leuites rose vp blessing the people their voice was heard and their prayer came into the holie habitation of heauen CHAP. XXXI Idoles being destroyed in al Iuda and part of Israel Priestes and Leuites freely execute their functions 4 Tithes and first fruictes are payed in such abundance 15. that they are put in store houses and distributed by officers AND when these thinges had bene ritely celebrated al Israel that was found in the cities of Iuda went forth and they brake the idols and cut downe the groucs ouerthrew the excelses and destroyed the altars not onlie out of al Iuda and Beniamin but out of Ephraim also and Manasses til they vtterly destroyed them and al the children of Israel returned into their possessions and cities †And Ezechias appoynted companies of Priestes and of Leuites by their diuisions euerie man in his owne office to witte as wel of the Priestes as of the Leuites for the holocaustes and pacifiques that they should minister and confesse and sing in the gates of the campe of our Lord. †And the kinges part was that of his proper substance holocaust should be offered morning alwaies and euening in the Sabbathes also and the Calendes and in other solennites as it is writen in the law of Moyses †He commanded also the people that dwelt in Ierusaiem to geue portions to the Priestes and the Leuites that they might attend the law of our Lord. †Which when it was noysed in the eares of the multitude the children of Israel offered very manie
face they blessed God and rysing vp they told al his maruelous workes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 12. I offered thy prayer to our Lord. Here the Angel Raphael reporteth certaine good offices which he had done for Tobias He did other like for his sonne and for Raguel and his daughter which are likewise recorded in this booke And the whole world especially Gods seruantos receiue continual great benefites by holie Angeles as partly may be gathered in this holie historie and more els where For first the office of Angeles is to assist or be alwayes readie as most diligent seruitoures of God expecting what his diuine goodnes wil appoint them whither to goe and what to doe for the benefite of men as holie Raphael was sent when yong Tobias wanted a guide Secondly Angels offer the prayers of the faithful or as the Greke text â—eadeth v. 15 Angels present the prayers of Sainctes that is of godlie men and wemen to God so Raphael testifieth here him self that he offered Tobias prayers to our Lord. Thirdly Angeles ayde and assist those that loue puritie of life sincere seruice of God hate vice embrace vertue do workes of mercie so Raphael assisted Tobias when he traueled to butie the dead fleing from the kings furie and hiding himself ch â— v. 21. 23. Fourthly Angels exhort to good workes as in this 12. chapter v. 6 8 9 10 18 Fiftly they sâ—â—gest â—â—d instruct what to do ch 6. v. 4. 5. Raphâ—â—â—â—â—â—ght yong Tobias to â—ake the fiâ—h vâ—b wel him reserue partes therof 〈…〉 〈◊〉 aâ—â—ised him to lodge at Raguels house to demand Sâ—ra to wife and v. 16. 17. iâ—structed him against whom diuels haue powre Sixthly they expel diuels from persons and places ch 8. v. 3. Raphael tooke and bound the diuel Asmodeus in the desert of hiegher Egypt Seuenthly they deliuer men from dangers and euiles c. 6. v. 3 as when the great fish assaulted Tobias and Sara from molestation and slaunder and old Tobias from blindnes chap. 3 v. 10. ch 11. v. 8. ch 12. v. 14. Eightly VVhen it redoundeth to the honour and more seruice of God and good of the soule Angeles procure riches and worldly commodities ch 12. v. 3. Yong Tobias gratfully confessed the great benefites receiued by his guide concluding generally by him vve are replenished sayth he vvith al good thinges Ninthly Good Angels also proue men for their more merite so the Angel witnesseth ch 12. v. 13. Because thou vvast acceptable to God it vvas necessarie that tentation should proue thee Tenthly and finally for we remite the reader to larger documentes of others after proofe of patience fortitude and other vertues holie Angeles comforte good men so Raphael encoraged old Tobias saying ch 5. v. 13. his blindenes should shortly be cured ch 12. v. 12. shewed him how gratful his prayers with teares and woorkes of mercie were in Gods fight He comforted Raguel and his familie by bringing yong Tobias to their house ch 7. v. â— Much more ch 8. v. 16. both them and al Tobias his familie by driuing away the diuel and lastly by reuealing himselfe vnto them So holie Angeles especially the proper gardian patrones of euerie one are alwayes readie to helpe men guard them exhort them to good do instruct them do expel euil spirites and deliuer men from many euils dangers do procure them temporal commodities proue their vertues offer their prayers and good workes assist them al their liues and at their deathes then also bring their soules to the Iudgement seate and if they die in good state to eternal ioy and glorie wherof the ancient fathers writinges are ful S. Gregorie the great in his Dialogue li. 4. c. 58 S. Athanasius li. de communi essentia S. Chrisostom ho. 3. in Epist. ad Colloss li. 6. de Sacerdotio Gregorius Turonen li. de gloria Martyrum Confessorum S. Augustin Epist ad probam c. 9. Epist 68. ad fratres in eremo li. 11. c. 31. ciuit octoginta trium qq q. 79. Our Sauiour himself testifieth that Angels reioyce at the conuersion of a sinner Luc. 15. and therfore they know and haue care of mens states in this life and finally Angeles caried the soule of poore Lazarus into Abrahams bosome Luc. 16. CHAP. XIII Tobias the father prayseth God exhorting al Israel to do the same 11. prophecieth the restauration and better state of Ierusalem AND Tobias the elder opening his mouth blessed our Lord and sayd Thou art great Lord for euer and thy kingdom world without end †because thou scourgest and sauest leadest downe to hel and bringest backe agayne and there is none that may escape thy hand †CoÌ„fesse to our Lord ye children of Israel and in the sight of the Gentiles prayse him †because he hath therfore dispersed you among the gentiles which know not him that you may declare his maruelous workes and make them know that there is no other God omnipotent besides him †He hath chastised vs for our iniquities and he wil saue vs for his mercie †Behold therfore what he hath done with vs and with feare and trembling confesse ye to him and extol the king of the worldes in your workes †And I in the land of my captiuitie wil confesse to him because he hath shewed his maiestie toward a sinful nation †Conuert therfore ye sinners do iustice before God beleuing that he wil doe his mercie with you †And I and my soule wil reioyce in him †Blesse ye our Lord al his elect celebrate daies of gladnes and confesse to him †Ierusalem the citie of God our Lord hath chastised thee in the workes of thy handes †Confesse to our Lord in thy good thinges and blesse the God of the worldes that he may reedefie his tabernacle in thee and may cal backe al the captiues to thee thou mayst reioyce for euer and euer †Thou shalt shine with a glorious light and al the coastes of the earth shal adore thee †Nations from far shal come to thee and bringing giftes they shal adore our Lord in thee and shal esteeme thy land for sanctification †For they shal inuocate the great name in thee †Cursed shal they be that shal contemne thee and damned shal they be that shal blaspheme thee and blessed shal they be that shal build thee †And thou shalt reioyce in thy children because they shal al be blessed shal be gathered together to our Lord. †Blessed are al that loue thee and that reioyce vpon thy peace †My soule blesse thou our Lord because he hath deliuered Ierusalem his citie from al her tribulations the Lord our God †Blessed shal I be if there shal remayne of my seede to see the glorie of Ierusalem †The gates of Ierusalem shal be built of Saphire and the Emerauld and al the compasse of the walles therof of pretious stone †With white
be accomplished one that excelled the rest in wisedom and fidelitie and was second after the king Aman by name †told me that there was a people dispersed through the whole world which vsed new lawes and doing against the customes of al Nations contemned the coÌ„mandmentes of kings and brake the concord of al nations by their dissention †Which when we had learned seing one nation rebellious against al kind of men to vse peruerse lawes and to goe against our commandmentes and to disturbe the peace and concord of the prouinces subiect to vs †we haue commanded that whomsoeuer Aman shal shew who is chiefe ouer al the prouinces and second after the king and whom we honour in steed of a father they with their wiues and children be destroyed of their enemies and that none haue pitie on them the fourtenth day of the twelfth moneth Adar of this present yeare †that the wicked men going downe to hel in one day may restore the peace to our empire which they had disturbed Hitherto the copie of the letter That which foloweth I found written after that place where it is read And Mardocheus going forth did al thinges that Esther had commanded him yet it is neither in the Hebrew nor extant with any of the interpreters †But Mardocheus besought our Lord mindeful of al his workes †and said Lord Lord king omnipotent for in thy dominion are al thinges set and there is none that can resist thy wil if thou determine to saue Israel †Thou madst heauen and earth and whatsoeuer is conteyned in the compasse of heauen †Thou art Lord of al neither is there that can resist thy maiestie †Thou vnderstandest al things and knowest that I haue not done this for pride and contumelie and any desire of glorie that I adored not the proud Aman †for gladly would I be readie for the saluation of Israel to kisse euen the steppes of his feete †but I feared lest I should transferre the honour of my God to a man and lest I should adore any except my God †And now ô Lord king the God of Abraham haue mercie vpon thy poople because our enemies wil destroy vs and extinguish thyne inheritance †Despise not thy portion which thou hast redemed to thyself out of Aegypt †Heare my prayer and be propitious to thy lot and corde and turne our mourning into ioy that liuing we may prayse thy name ô Lord and doe not shut the mouthes of them that sing to thee †Al Israel also with like mind and supplication cried to our Lord because certayne death did hang ouer them CHAP. XIIII Esther prayeth in humilitie of spirite that God wil deliuer the people from the crueltie of Aman. ESTHER also the queene fled to our Lord fearing the peril that was at hand †And when she had laid of her royal garmentes she tooke clothes meete for weeping and mourning and for diuers oyntmentes filled her head with ashes and dung and her bodie she humbled with fastes and al the places in which before she was accustomed to reioyse she filled with tearing of her heares †And she besought our Lord the God of Israel saying My Lord which onlie art our king helpe me solitarie woman and which haue no other helper beside thee †My peril is in my handes †I haue heard of my father that thou Lord didst take Israel out from al Gentiles and our fathers out of al their predecessours before that thou mightst possesse an euerlasting inheritance and thou hast done to them as thou hast spoken †We haue sinned in thy sight and therfore thou hast deliuered vs into the handes of our enemies †for we haue worshiped their goddes Thou art iust ô Lord. †And now it suffiseth them not that they oppresse vs with most hard seruitude but imputing the force of their handes to the might of their idols †they wil change thy promisses and destroy thine inheritance and shut the mouthes of them that prayse thee and extinguish the glorie of thy temple and altar †that they may open the mouthes of Gentiles and prayse the strength of idols and magnifie a carnal king for euer †Deliuer not ô Lord thy scepter to them that are not lest they laugh at our ruine but turne their counsel vpon them and destroy him that hath begune to do cruelly against vs. †Remember ô Lord and shew thy self to vs in the time of our tribulation and geue me confidence Lord king of goddes and of al power †geue me speach wel framed in my mouth in the presence of the lion and turne his hart into the hatred of our enemie that both him self may perish and the rest that consent vnto him †But deliuer vs in thy hand and helpe me hauing no other helpe but thee ô Lord which hast the knowlege of al things †and knowest that I hate the glorie of the wicked and detest the bed of the vncircumcised and of euerie stranger †Thou knowest my necessitie that I abhorre the signe of my pride and glorie which is vpon my head in the daies of my ostentation and detest it as the cloth of a woman in her monthlie floores and weare it not in the daies of my silence †and that I haue not eaten at Amans table neither the kings banket hath pleased me and that I haue not drunke the wine of libamentes †and that thy handmayde did neuer reioyse since I was transported hither vnto this day but in thee ô Lord the God of Abraham †O God strong aboue al heare the voyce of them that haue no other hope and deliuer vs from the hand of the wicked and deliuer me from my feare CHAP. XV. Mardocheus causeth Esther to goe to the king and intreate for the people 10. She is terrified by this countenance but God turneth his hart and he calleth her curteously to him This also I found added in the common edition AND he commanded her no doubt but Mardocheus commanded Esther that she should goe vnto the king and make petition for her people and for her countrie †Remember quoth he the daies of thy humilitie how thou wast brought vp in my hand because Aman the second after the king hath spoken against vs vnto death †and doe thou inuocate our Lord and speake to the king for vs deliuer vs from death Moreouer this also which foloweth I found in the common Greke †And in the third day she layd away the garmentes which she ware was clothed in her glorie †And when she glistered in royal apparel and had inuocated God the ruler and sauiour of al she tooke two wayting maydes †and vpon the one in deede she leaned as it were for dilicatnes and verie much tendernes not able to beare vp her bodie †but the other of the maydes folowed her ladie bearing vp her garmentes trayling on the ground â€
alwaies corporally with vs Could anie of them tarie here til this time could they tarie to the time yet to come But vvas therfore the Church leaft desolate by their departure God forbid For thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee VVhat is this for thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee The Apostles were sent fathers in place of the Apostles sonnes are borne to thee Byshops are appointed For whence were the Bishops borne that are at this day through the vvorld the Church herselfe calleth them fathers â—he begate them and appointed them in the seates of the fathers Do not therfore thinke thy self desolate o christian Church because thou seest not Peter seest not Paul for thou seest not them by vvhom thou wast borne but of thyne issue fatherhood is sprong to thee For thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee thou shalt make them princes ouer al the earth This is the Catholique Church Her children are made princes ouer al the earth her sonnes are constituted for fathers Let them acknowlege this that are cut of let them come to the vnitie be they brought into the temple of the king Thus S. Augustin PSALME XLV The Church in persecution acknowledgeth Gods perpetual defence 5. making her therby more glorious 10. sometimes granting rest 11. God himself ckecking the persecuters and euer protecting her †Vnto the end to the sonnes of Core for the secretes OVR God is a refuge and strength an helper in tribulations which haue found vs excedingly †Therfore wil we not feare when the earth shal be trubled and mountaines transported into the hart of the sea †Their waters haue sounded and were trubled the mountaines were trubled in his strength †The violence of the riuer maketh the citie of God ioyful the Highest hath sanctified his tabernacle †God is in the middes therof it shal not be moued God wil helpe it in the morning early †Nations are trubled and kingdomes are inclined he gaue his voice the earth was moued †The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defender †Come ye and see the workes of our Lord what wonders he hath put vpon the earth †taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth He shal destroy bow breake weapons and shields he shal burne with fire †Be quiet and see that I am God I shal be exalted among the gentiles and I shal be exalted in the earth †The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defender PSALME XLVI Gentiles are called and inuited to praise God for his magnificence 6. for Christs Ascension and powre †Vnto the end for the sonnes of Core ALYE Nations clappe handes make iubilation to God in the voyce of exultation †Because our Lord is high terrible a great king ouer al the earth †He hath made peoples subiect to vs gentiles vnder our feete †He hath chosen his inheritance in vs the beautie of Iacob which he loued †God is ascended in iubilation and our Lord in the voice of trumpet †Sing ye to our God sing ye Sing ye to our king sing ye †Because God is king of al the earth sing ye wisely †God shal reigne ouer the gentiles God sitteth vpon his holie seate †Princes of peoples are gathered together with the God of Abraham because the strong goddes of the earth are excedingly aduanced PSALME XLVII God most and euerie where laudable is especially praised in the Church of Christ prefigured by Sion and there begunne 9. Al thinges being fulfilled in the Church euen as they were prophecied and promised 12. the faithful are exhorted to consider and congratulate the same A Psalme of Canticle to the sonnes of Core the second of the Sabbath GREAT is our Lord and to be praysed excedingly in the citie of our God in his holie mount †Mount Sion is founded with the exultation of the whole earth the sides of the North the citie of the great king †God shal be knowen in the houses therof when he shal receiue it †For behold the kings of the earth were gathered together they assembled in one †They seing it so were in admiration were trubled were moued †trembling tooke them Their sorowes as a woman traueling †In a vehement spirit thou shalt breake the shippes of Tharsis †As we haue heard so haue we seene in the citie of the Lord of hostes in the citie of our God God hath founded it for euer †We haue receiued thy mercie ô God in the middes of thy temple †According to thy name ô God so also is thy prayse vnto the endes of the earth thy right hand is ful of iustice †Let mount Sion be glad and the daughters of Iuda reioyce because of thy iudgementes ô Lord †Compasse Sion and embrace ye her tel ye in her towers †Set your hartes on her strength and distribute ye her houses that you may declare it in an other generation †Because this is God our God for euer and for euer and euer he shal rule vs euermore PSALME XLVIII The royal prophet inuiting al states and sortes of men to heare him attentiuely 6 sheweth that al ought to feare eternal damnation that liue wickedly 9. vainly and foolishly seeking 13. euen like brute beastes carnal pleasures which they can not long enioy nor long escape hel 16. confidently animating him selfe and al good men that trust not in this world †Vnto the end to the sonnes of Core a Psalme HEARE these thinges al ye Gentiles receiue with your eares al ye that inhabite the earth †Al ye earthly persons and children of men together in one the rich and the poore †My mouth shal speake wisedom and the meditation of my hart prudence †I wil incline mine eare vnto a parable I wil open my proposition on a Psalter †Why shal I feare in the euil day the iniquitie of my heele shal compasse me †They that trust in their strength and glorie in the multitude of their riches †A brother doth not redeme man shal redeme he shal not geue vnto God his reconciliation †And the price of the redemption of his owne soule and he shal labour for euer †and shal liue yet vnto the end †He shal not see death when he shal see the wise dying the vnwise and the foole shal perish together And they shal leaue their riches to strangers †and their sepulchers their houses for euer Their Tabernacles in generation and generation they haue renowmed their names in their landes †And man when he was
Idumea †Wil t not thou ô God which hast repelled vs and wilt not thou goeforth ô God in our hoastes †Geue vs helpe out of tribulation because mans saluation is vayne †In God we shal doe strength and he wil bring our enemies to nothing PSALME CVIII Christ by the mouth of Dauid requesteth of God to be iustly declared innocent and his enimies punished 6. particularly describing Iudas the traitors malice 21. and his owne temporal afflictions 26. prayeth 30. and praiseth God for his deliuerie †Vnto the end a Psalme of Dauid O God conceale not my prayse because the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man is open vpon me †They haue spoken against me with deceitful tongue and with wordes of hatred they haue compassed me and they haue impugned me without cause †For that they should loue me they backbited me but I prayed †And they set against me euil thinges for good and hatred for my loue Appoint a sinner ouer him and let the diuel stand on his righthand †When he is iudged let him comeforth condemned and let his prayer be turned into sinne †Let his dayes be made fewe and let an other take his bishopricke †Let his children be made orphans and his wife a widow †Let his children be transported wandering and let them begge and let them be cast out of their habitations †Let the vsurer search al his substance and let strangers spoile his labours †Let there be none to helpe him neither let there be anie to haue pittie on his pupilles †Let his children come to destruction in one generation let his name be cleane put out †Let the iniquitie of his fathers returne to memorie in the sight of our Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be blotted out †Let them be before our Lord alwayes and let the memorie of them perish out of the earth †For that he remembred not to doe mercie †And he persecuted the poore and needie man and the compunct in hart to kil him †And he loued cursing and it shal come to him and he would not blessing and it shal be far from him And he put on cursing as a garment and it entred as water into his inner partes and as oile in his bones †Be it to him as a garment wherwith he is couered and as a girdle wherwith he is alwayes girded †This is the worke of them that detract from me before our Lord and that speake euils against my soule †And thou Lord Lord doe with me for thy names sake because thy mercie is swete Deliuer me †because I am needie and poore and my hart is trubled within me †As a shadow when it declineth am I taken away and I am shaken as locustes †My knees are weakened with fasting and my flesh is changed by reason of oile †And I am made a reproch to them they saw me and wagged their heades †Helpe me ô Lord my God saue me according to thy mercie †And let them know that this is thy hand and thou ô Lord hast done it †They wil curse and thou shalt blesse let them that rise vp against me be confounded but thy seruant shal reioyce †Let them that detract from me be clothed with shame and let them be couered with their confusion as with a duble patched cloke †I wil confesse to our Lord excedingly with my mouth and in the middes of manie I wil prayse him †Because he hath stood on the righthand of the poore that he might saue my soule from the persecutors PSALME CIX Christ rising and ascending into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God 2. beginning in Ierusalem reigneth in the Church of the whole earth 4. vseth the Priesthood of Melchisedechs order to the end of the world 6. and shal iudge the world †A psalme of Dauid OVR Lord sayd to my Lord Sitte on my right hand til I make thine enemies thy footestoole of thy feete †Our Lord wil sendforth the rod of thy strength from Sion rule thou in the middes of thine enemies †With thee the beginning in the day of thy strength in the brightnes of holie thinges from the wombe before the day starre I begat thee †Our Lord sware and it shal not repent him Thou art “ a Priest for euer “ according to the order of Melchisedech †Our Lord on thy righthand hath broken kinges in the day of his wrath †He shal iudge in nations he shal fil ruines he shal crush the heads in the land of manie †Of the torrent in the way he shal drinke therfore shal he exalt the head ANNOTATIONS CIX 4. A Priest for euer In two respectes Christ is a Priest for euer in that from the first instant of his incarnation he was and remaneth a Priest now also in heauen and al other Priestes are his ministerial vicares not successors So that al priestlie functions which they doe he by them doth the same as the principal Priest VVherupon saith S. Paul 1. Cor 4. So let a man thincke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God Secondly Christ dayly offering Sacrifice by the handes of his Priestes doth continually pacifie Gods wrath in behalf of those sinners for whom it is duly applied euen to the end of the world VVheras the Priesthood of Aaron and of al others in the old Testament ceassed by their deathes both in the office and in the effect 4 According to the order of Melchisedech As Melchisedech king of peace and iustice without father mother or genealogie expressed in holie Scriptures or otherwise knowen to the world was Priest or the Hieghest offered bread and wine an vnbloudie sacrifice communicating with both Chananeites and Hebrewes blessed Abraham and tooke tithes of him and his subiectes so Christ the true King of peace iustice without father of his humanity without mother of his Diuinitie the Sonne of God of ineffable genealogie borne of a virgin in his humanitie the Priest of God offereth Sacrifice not only bloudie on the Crosse but also vnbloudie in the formes of bread and wine continueth the same by the ministerie of other Priestes maketh al nations partakers therof blesseth them and receiueth of them al dutiful and rellgious seruice as of his subiectes PSALME CX Praise of God for benefites 4. especially for the B. Sacrament of the Eucharist 6 with other graces imperted to the Catholique Church Alleluia I Wil confesse to thee ô Lord with al my hart in the counsel of the iust and b the congregation †The workes of our Lord are great exquisite according to al his willes †Confession and magnificence his worke
backe they haue prolonged their iniquitie †Our iust Lord wil cut the neckes of sinners †let them al be confounded and turned backward that hate Sion †Let them be made as grasse in the toppes of houses which is withered before it be plucked vp †Wherof the reaper hath not filled his hand and he that gathereth the sheaues his bosome †And they sayd not that passed by The blessing of our Lord be vpon you we haue blessed you in the name of our Lord. PSALME CXXIX The Iewes or other people in tribulation for sinne or temporal captiuitie crie to God to be deliuered 4. trusting and encoreging ech other in Gods accustomed mercie assuredly hoping that he wil redeme deliuer them A gradual Canticle FROM the depthes I haue cried to thee ô Lord †Lord heare my voice Let thine eares be intent to the voice of my petition †If thou shalt obserue iniquities ô Lord Lord who shal susteyne it †Because with thee there is propiciation and for thy law I haue expected thee ô Lord. My soule hath expected in his word †my soule hath hoped in our Lord. †From the morning watch euen vntil night let Israel hope in our Lord. †Because with our Lord there is mercie and with him plenteous redemption †And he shal redeme Israel from al his iniquities PSALME CXXX Anie iust soule in humble confidence offereth his innocencie as a spiritual and gratful sacrifice to God 3. exhorting al Gods seruants euer to hope in him A gradual Canticle of Dauid LORD my hart is not exalted neither are mine eies loftie Neither haue I walked in great matters nor in meruelous thinges aboue me †If I was not humbly mynded but exalted my soule As the weaned childe is toward his mother so retribution in my soule †Let Israel hope in our Lord from henceforth now and for euer PSALME CXXXI The Psalmist earnestly prayeth God to geue him leaue to shew him where to build a Temple But more especially prayeth for and prophecieth the coming of Christ the promised Sonne of Dauid 14. signifying Gods promise therof and of establishing his Church A gradual Canticle REMEMBER Dauid ô Lord and al his meekenes †As he sware to our Lord vowed a vowe to the God of Iacob †If I shal enter into the tabernacle of my house if I shal ascend into the bed of my couch †If I shal geue sleepe to mine eies and slumbering to mine eie liddes †And rest to my temples vntil I finde a place for our Lord a tabernacle for the God of Iacob †Behold we haue heard of it in Ephrata we haue found it in the fildes of the wood †We wil enter into his tabernacle we wil adore in the place where his feete stood †Arise Lord into thy rest thou and the arke of thy sanctification †Let thy Priestes be clothed with iustice let thy sainctes reioyce †For Dauid thy seruants sake turne not away the face of thy Christ †Our Lord hath sworne truth to Dauid and he wil not disapoint it Of the fruite of thy wombe I wil set vpon thy seate †If thy children shal keepe my testament and these my testimonies which I wil teach them Their children also euen for euer shal sit vpon thy seate †Because our Lord hath chosen Sion he hath chosen it for an habitation to himself †This is my rest for euer and euer here wil I dwel because I haue chosen it †Blessing I wil blesse her widow her poore I wil fil with breades †Her Priestes I wil clothe with saluation and her sainctes shal reioyce with ioyfulnes †Thither wil I bring forth a horne to Dauid I haue prepared a lampe to my Christ †His enemies I wil clothe with confusion but vpon him shal my sanctification florish PSALME CXXXII Fraternal concord is commended to al in the Church as necessarie and delectable in it self and blessed of God A gradual Canticle of Dauid BEHOLD how good and how pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwel in one †As oyntement on the head which ranne downe vpon the beard the beard of Aaron which ranne downe vnto the hemme of his garment †As the dew of Hermon which runneth downe vpon mount Sion Because there hath our Lord commanded blessing and life euen for euer PSALME CXXXIII Al and especially clergie men that serue the Church are inuited to prayse God by day and by night so shal they be blessed of God A gradual Canticle LOE now blesse our Lord al ye the seruantes of our Lord Which stand in the house of our Lord in the courtes of the house of our God †In the nightes lift vp your handes vnto the holie places and blesse ye our Lord. Our Lord out of Sion blesse thee who made heauen and earth PSALME CXXXIIII God who only is omnipotent and fountaine of algoodnes is of al to be praised 8. He is the special protector of his elected people 15. Contrariwise false goddes are impotent vaine and can not helpe those that serue them 19. Only the Church doth rightly praise him Alleluia PRAYSE ye the name of our Lord ye seruantes prayse our Lord. †Ye that stand in the house of our Lord in the courtes of the house of our God †Prayse ye our Lord because our Lord is good sing ye to his name because it is sweete †Because our Lord hath chosen Iacob to himself Israel for his owne possession †Because I haue knowne that our Lord is great and our God aboue al goddes †Al thinges whatsoeuer our Lord would he hath done in heauen in earth in the sea and in al the depthes †Bringing forth clowdes from the vttermost of the earth lightenings he hath turned into rayne Who bringeth forth the windes out of his treasures †who stroke the first begotten of Aegypt from man euen to beast †He sent â—orth signes and wonders in the middes of thee ô Aegypt vpon Pharao and vpon al his seruantes †Who stroke manie nations and slew strong kinges †Sehon the king of the Amorrheites Og the king of Basan and al the kingdomes of Chanaan †And he gaue their land for inheritance for an inheritance to Israel his people †Lord thy name is for euer Lord thy memorial is vnto generation and generation †Because our Lord shal iudge his people and wil be intreated toward his seruantes †The idoles of the Gentiles are siluer and gold the workes of mens handes †They haue mouth and shal not speake they haue eies and shal not see †They haue eares and shal
the tribes of Iacob †Blessed are they that saw thee and were honored in thy freindshipe †For we liue by life only but after death our name shal not be such †Elias was in dede hid in the whirlewind his spirit was complete in Eliseus in his daies he feared not the prince and no man ouercame him by might †Neither did any word ouercome him and his bodie prophecied being dead †In his life he did wonders and in death he wrought meruelous thinges †In al these thinges the people repented not and they departed not from their sinnes til they were cast out of their land and were dispersed into al the earth †And there was leaft a verie smal nation and a prince in the house of Dauid †Some of them did that which pleased God but others committed manie sinnes †Ezechias fenced his citie and brough in water into the middes thereof and digged a rocke with yron and built a wel for water †In his daies came vp Sennacherib and sent Rabsaces and lifted vp his hand against them and put forth his hand vpon Sion and became proude by his mightines †Then were their harts and hands moued and they were in sorow as trauailing wemen †And they inuocated our merciful Lord and spredding their handes they lifted them vp to heauen and the holie Lord God quickly heard their voice †He was not mindful of their sinnes neither did he geue them to their enemies but purged them by the hand of Isaie the holie prophete †He ouerthrew the campe of the Assirians and the Angel of our Lord destroyed them †For Ezechias did that which pleased God and went strongly in the way of Dauid his father which Isaie commanded him the great prophet and faithful in the sight of God †In his daies the sunne returned backward added life to the king †By a great spirite he saw the last thinges and comforted the mourners in Sion †For euer he shewed the thinges to come secret thinges before they came to passe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLVIII 10 VVho art vvritten Amongst other quarels Protestantes except against the authentical auctoritie of this booke because the auctor saith that Enoch and Elias shal come againe to appease the wrath of our Lord to reconcile the father to the sonne and to restore the tribes of Iacob But that this is no iust exception is clere by other holie Scriptures where the same vniforme doctrin of the whole Church is no lesse euident then in this booke For God himself saith the same also by the mouth of his prophet Malachie Behold I wil send you Elias the prophet before the day of our Lord come the great and dreadful Christ also sayth Elias in deede shal come and restore al thinges VVherupon S. Chrysostom after he hath shewed how terrible Antichrist shal be by reason of his temporal powre crueltie and wicked lawes he addeth Feare thou not He shal only haue force in the reprobate that perish For then also Elias shal come to fortifie the faithful Likewise the wordes in the Apocalips I wil geue to my two witnesses they shal prophecie a thousand two hundred and three score dayes were euer inuariably vnderstood by tradition from the first preachers of Christ as the ancient writer Aretas testifieth that Enoch and Elias shal come admonish al not to geue credite to the deceiptful wonders of Antichrist and that they shal trauel in this testimonie the space of three yeares and a half For 1260. dayes come very nere to that space of time CHAP. XLIX Praises of Iosias who like to Dauid and Ezechias tooke away occasions of idolatrie 8. Praises of Ieremie 10. Ezechiel 12. and the twelue Prophetes 13. Also of Zorobabel Iesus the sonne of Iosedech Nehemias Enoch Ioseph Seth Sem and Adam THE memorie of Iosias is according to the confection of perfume made by the worke of an apothecarie †His remembrance shal be sweete as honie in euerie mouth and as musick in banket of wine †He was directed by God into the repentance of the nation and he tooke away the abominations of impietie †And he gouerned his hart toward our Lord and in the daies of sinners he strengthened pietie †Except Dauid and Ezechias and Iosias al committed sinne †For the kinges of Iuda forsooke the law of the Highest and contemned the feare of God †For they gaue their kingdom to others and their glorie to a strange nation †They burnt the chosen citie of holines and made the waies thereof desolate in the hand of Ieremie †For they euil intreated him who was consecrated a prophet from his mothers wombe to ouerthrow and pluck vp and destroy and to build againe and renewe †Ezechiel who saw the sight of glorie which he shewed him in the chariote of Cherubs †For he made mention of the enemies in rayne to doe good vnto them that haue shewed right waies †And the bones of the twelue prophets wel may they spring out of their place for they haue strengthened Iacob and haue redeemed themselues in the fidelitie of power †How may we magnifie Zorobabel for he also was as a signet on the right hand †and so Iesus the sonne of Iosedec who in their daies built the house and erected the holie temple to our Lord prepared to euerlasting glorie †And Nehemias in the memorie of much time who erected vs our walles ouerthrowen and set vp the gates and lockes who built our houses †No man hath bene borne in the earth like to Henoch for he also was taken vp from the earth †Neither as Ioseph who was a man borne prince of his bretheren the stay of the nation the ruler of his bretheren the stay of the people †and his bones were visited and after death they prophecied †Seth and Sem obteyned glorie with men and aboue euerie soule in the beginning Adam CHAP. L. Praises of Simon the High Priest 27. Detestation of certaine persecuting aduersaries 29. With conclusion that the obseruers of this doctrine shal be wise and happie SIMON the sonne of Onias the high priest who in his life held vp the house and in his daies strengthned the temple †The height also of the temple was founded by him the duble building and high walles of the temple †In his daies the welles of waters flowed out and they were filled as the sea aboue measure †Who had care of his nation and deliuered it from perdition †Who preuailed to amplifie the citie who obteyned glorie in conuersing with the nation and amplified the entrance of the house and the court †As the morning starre in the middes of a cloude and as the ful moone he shineth in his dayes †And as the sunne shining so did he shine in the temple of God †As the rainbow that shineth among
the way of thy steppes †Our Lord standeth to iudge and he standeth to iudge peoples †Our Lord shal come to iudgement with the ancients of his people and his princes for you haue deuoured the vineyard and the spoile of the poore is in your house †Why do you consume my people and grinde the faces of the poore sayth our Lord the God of hostes †And our Lord sayd for that the daughters of Sion are haughtie and haue walked with stretched out necke and went with twinglings of eies and clapped their handes walked on their feete and ietted in a set pace †Our Lord shal make balde the crowne of the daughters of Sion and our Lord shal discouer their haire †In that day shal our Lord take away the ornament of shoes and litle moones †And cheynes and ouches and bracelettes and bonnettes †And the sheading combes and sloppes and tablettes and sweete balles and earlets †And ringes and pearles hanging on the forehead †And changes of apparel and shorte clokes and the fine linen and nedles †and loking glasses and launes and headbands and bonegraces †And for swete sauour there shal be stinke and for a girdle a corde and for frisled haire baldnes and for stomacher hairecloth †Thy fayrest men also shal fal by the sworde and thy strong ones in battle †And her gates shal lament and moorne and she shal sit desolate on the ground CHAP. IIII. After the destruction of the Iewes manie wemen shal seeke to marie with one man 2. but the reliques repenting of their sinnes shal returne to God 5. and florish vnder his protection AND seuen wemen shal take hold of one man in that day saying We wil eate our owne bread and be couered with our garments only let thy name be called vpon vs take away our reproch †In that day the bud of our Lord shal be in magnificence and glorie and the fruite of the earth high and exultation to them that shal be saued of Israel †And it shal be Euerie one that shal be leaft in Sion and shal remaine in Ierusalem shal be called holie euerie one that is written in life in Ierusalem †If our Lord shal cleanse the filth of the daughters of Sion and shal wash the bloud of Ierusalem out of the middes thereof in the spirit of iudgement and spirit of heate †And our Lord shal create vpon euerie place of mount Sion and where he is inuocated a clowde by day and smoke and the brightnes of flaming fyre in the night for vpon al glorie protection †And there shal be a tabernacle for a place of shadow in the day from the heate and for securitie and couert from the whyrle wind and from rayne CHAP. V. Vnder the figure of a barren vineyard is prophecied the reiection of the Iewes 7. for their sinnes of auarice 11. intemperance other wickednes 18. one iniquitie drawing an other 20. iudging good to be euil and euil good 25. for which the Gentiles of diuers nations shal afflict them I wil sing to my beloued the canticle of my cosin concerning his vinyard A vineyard was made to my beloued in horne the sonne of oile †And he hedged it and chose stones out of it and planted it elect and built a towre in the middes thereof and set vp a presse therein and looked that it should yeld grapes and it yelded wilde grapes †Now therfore ye inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iuda iudge betwen me and my vineyard †What is there that I ought to doe more to my vineyard and haue not done to it Whether that I looked it should yeld grapes and it hath yelded wilde grapes †And now I wil shew you what I wil doe to my vineyard I wil take away the hedge therof and it shal be into spoile I wil throw downe the wal thereof and it shal be to be troden vpon †And I wil lay it waist it shal not be pruned and it shal not be digged and bryers and thornes shal ouergrowe it and I wil command the cloudes that they rayne no shower vpon it †For the vineyarde of the Lord of hostes is the house of Israel and the man of Iuda his delectable bud I looked that it should doe iudgement and behold iniquitie and iustice and behold clamour †Woe to you that ioyne house to house and lay filde to filde euen to the end of the place why shal you alone dwel in the middes of the earth †These thinges are in my eares sayth the Lord of hostes vnles manie great and fayre houses become desolate without an inhabiter †For ten acres of the vineyards shal yeld one litle flagon and thirtie busheles of seede shal yeld three busheles †Woe to you that rise vp earely to folow drunkennes and to drinke euen vntil euening that you may be inflamed with wine †Harpe and viole timbrel and shalme and wine in your feastes and the worke of our Lord you regard not nor consider the workes of his handes †Therfore is my people led away captiue because they had not knowlege and their nobles died with famine and the multitude thereof dried away with thirst †Therfore hath hel dilated his soule and opened his mouth without anie limite and their strong ones and their people and their high and glorious ones shal descend into it †And man shal be bowed and man shal be humbled and the eies of the loftie shal be brought law †And the Lord of hostes shal be exalted in iudgement and the holie God shal be sanctified in iustice †And the lambes shal feede according to their order and strangers shal eate the deserts turned into frutefulnes †Woe to you that draw iniquitie in cordes of vanitie sinne as the linke of a wayne †Which say let him make hast let his worke come quickly that we may see it let the counsel of the holie one of Israel come and we shal know it †Woe vnto you that cal euil good and good euil putting darknes light and light darknes putting bitter for swete swete for bitter †Woe to you that are wise in your owne eies and prudent before yourselues †Woe to you that are mightie to drinke wine stout men in drunkennes †Which iustifie the impious for giftes and take away the iustice of the iust from them †For this euen as the tongue of fire deuoureth stuble and the heate of the flame burneth it vp so shal their roote be as isles and their bud shal rise vp as dust for they haue cast away the law of the Lord of hostes and haue blasphemed the word of the holie one of Israel †Therfore is the furie of our Lord wrath against his people and he hath stretched out his hand vpon them and striken them and the mountaines were trubled and their carcasses were made as dung in the
tayle †And they that cal this people blessed seducing them and that are called blessed shal be throwen headlong †For this cause our Lord shal not reioyce vpon their yong men and on their pupilles and widowes he shal not haue mercie because euerie one is an hypocrite wicked and euerie mouth hath spoken follie In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but his hand is yet stretched forth †For impietie is kindled as a fyre it shal deuoure bryer and thorne and it shal be kindled in the thicket of the forest and it shal be wrapped vp together in the pride of smoke †In the wrath of the Lord of hostes the earth is trubled and the people shal be foode for the fyre man shal not spare his brother †And he shal decline to the right hand and shal be hungrie and shal eate on the left hand and shal not be filled euerie one shal eate the flesh of his arme Manasses Ephraim and Ephraim Manasses they together against Iuda †In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but his hand is yet stretched forth CHAP. X. Makers of wicked lawes are cursed 3. For which the Israelites shal be afflicted by the Assirians 5. The Assirians ouerthrowne by extraordinarie meanes sent from God 21. and the Iewes deliuered from imminent danger with diuers mysteries of Christ intermixed VVOE to them that make wicked lawes and writing haue written iniustice †That they might oppresse the poore in iudgement doe violence to the cause of the humble of my people that widowes might be their praye and they might spoile pupilles †What wil you doe in the day of visitation and of calamitie coming from farre to whose helpe wil ye flee and where wil ye leaue your glorie †That you be not bowed vnder the bond and fal with the slaine In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but his hand is yet stretched forth †Woe to Assur he is the rod of my furie and the staffe myne indignation is in their handes †I wil send him to a deceitful nation I wil geue him commandment against the people of my furie that he take away spoiles and catche the praye and put them to be troden vpon as the mire of the streates †But he shal not so thinke and his hart shal not esteme it so but his hart shal be set to destroy and to the destruction of no few nations †For he shal say †Are not my princes with al kinges Is not as Charcamis so Calano and as Arphad so Emath Is not as Damascus so Samaria †Euen as my hand hath found the kingdomes of the idol so also their idols of Ierusalem of Samaria †Shal I not as I haue done to Samaria and her idols so do to Ierusalem and her idols †And it shal be when the Lord shal haue accomplished al his workes in mount Sion and in Ierusalem I wil visite ouer the fruite of the magnifical hart of the king of Assur and ouer the glorie of the hautines of his eyes †For he hath said In the strength of mine owne hand haue I done it and in mine owne wisdome haue I vnderstood and I haue taken away the borders of peoples and haue spoiled their princes and haue pulled downe as a mightie man them that sate on high †And my hand hath found the strength of peoples as a nest and as egges be gathered that are leaft so haue I gathered together al the earth and there was none that moued wing and opened mouth and once muttered †Shal the axe glorie against him that cutteth with it or shal the saw exalt itselfe against him by whom it is drawen As if a rod should lift vp itself agaynst him that lifteth it vp and a staffe exalt itself which is certes but wood †For this cause the Dominatour the Lord of hostes shal send leannes in his fat ones and vnder his glorie shal burne as it were the burning of fyre kindled †And the light of Israel shal be in fyre and the Holie one therof in flame and his thorne shal be kindled and be deuoured and the briars in one day †And the glorie of his forest and of his carmelus shal be consumed from the soule euen to the flesh and he shal be a fugitiue for feare †And the remaynes of the woode of his forest for the fewnes shal be numbred and a child shal write them †And it shal be in that day the residue of Israel and they that shal escape of the house of Iacob shal not adde to leane vpon him that striketh them but they shal leane vpon our Lord the holie one of Israel in truth †The remnant shal be conuerted the remnant I say of Iacob to the strong God †For if thy people ô Israel shal be as the sand of the sea the remnant therof shal be conuerted consumnation abbridged shal make iustice ouerflow †For our Lord the God of hostes shal make consummation and abbridgement in the middes of al the earth †For this cause thus sayth our Lord the God of hostes O my people inhatiter of Sion be not afrayd of Assur he shal strike thee with his rod and shal lift vp his staffe ouer thee in the way of Aegypt †For yet a litle and a very litle and mine indignation and furie vpon their wickednes shal be consummate †And the Lord of hostes shal rayse vp a scourge vpon him according to the plague of Madian in the Rocke Oreb and his rod vpon the sea and he shal lift it vp in the way of Aegypt †And it shal be in that day his burden shal be taken away from of thy shoulder and his yoke from of thy necke and the yoke shal putrifie at the face of oile †He shal come into Aiath he shal passe into Magron at Machmas he shal commend his vessels †They haue passed in hast Gaba is our seate Rama was astonied Gabaath of Saul fled †Neay with thy voice ô daughter of Gallim attend Laisa seelie poore Anathoth †Medemena is remoued ye inhabitants of Gabin take courege †Yet there is day to stand in Nobe he shal shake his hand ouer the mountaine of the daughter of Sion the litle hil of Ierusalem †Behold the dominatour the Lord of hostes shal breake the litle flagon in terrour and the high of stature shal be cut downe and the loftie shal be humbled †And the thicke places of the forest shal be ouerthrowen with iron and Libanus with the high ones shal fal CHAP. XI Christ borne of the stock of Iesse replenished with seuen giftes of the Holie Ghost 4. shal haue a spiritual kindom most iust and potent 10. wherto al nations wil repayre AND a rod shal come forth of the roote of Iesse and a flowre shal rise vp out of his roote †And the Spirite
shal perish from their wise men and the vnderstanding of their prudent shal be hid †Woe vnto you that are deepe of hart to hide your counsel from our Lord whose workes are in darkenes and they say Who seeth vs and who knoweth vs †This your cogitation is peruerse as if the clay should thinke against the potter and the worke should say to the maker therof Thou madest me not or the thing formed should say to the fashioner therof Thou vnderstandest not †Shal not yet within a litle while and in a short time Libanus be turned into Charmel Charmel reputed for a forest †And in that day the deafe shal heare the wordes of the booke and out of the darkenes and mist the eies of the blinde shal see †And the meeke shal adde ioyfulnesse in our Lord and the poore men shal reioyce in the holie one of Israel †Because he hath fayled that did preuaile the scorner is consumed and they are al cut downe that watched vpon iniquitie †that made men sinne in word and supplanted him that reproued them in the gate and declined in vayne from the iust †For this cause thus sayth our Lord to the house of Iacob he that redemed Abraham Iacob shal not now be confounded neither shal now his countenance be ashamed †but when he shal see his children the workes of mine handes in the middes of him sanctifying my name and they shal sanctifie the holie one of Iacob and shal preach the God of Israel †and they that erre in spirit shal know vnderstanding and the mutteters shal learne the law CHAP. XXX The Iewes are blamed for seeking counsel and helpe of the Aegyptians 18. but if they repent they shal find releefe and spiritual riches of the soule 27. Gods iudgement wil be strict 33. and hel is most horrible VVOE vnto renegate children sayth our Lord that you would take counsel and not of me would beginne a webbe and not by my spirite that you might adde sinne vpon sinne †which walke to goe downe into Aegypt haue not asked my mouth hoping for helpe in the strength of Pharao and hauing confidence in the shadow of Aegypt †And the strength of Pharao shal be a confusion to you and the confidence of the shadow of Aegypt an ignominie †For thy princes were in Tanis and thy messengers came euen to Hanes †Al were confounded vpon the people that could not profite them they were no helpe nor to any profite but to confusion and to reproch †The burden of the beastes of the South In a land of tribulation and distresse the lionesse and the lion of them the viper the flying basiliscus carying their riches vpon the shoulders of beasts and their treasures vpon the bunch of camels to a people that can not be able to profite them †For Aegypt shal helpe in vaine and to no purpose therfore haue I cried vpon this It is pride onlie cease †Now therfore going in write to her vpon boxe and drawe it diligently in a booke and it shal be in the latter day for a testimonie for euer †For it is a people prouoking to wrath and lying children children that wil not heare the law of God †Which say to the seers See not and to them that behold Behold vs not those thinges that are right Speake vnto vs pleasant thinges see errours vnto vs. †Take from me the way turne away the path from me let the holie one of Israel cease from our face †Therfore thus sayth the holie one of Israel For that you haue reiected this word haue hoped in calumnie and tumult and haue leaned therevpon †therfore shal this iniquitie be vnto you as a breach that falleth and is found lacking in an high wal because sodenly whiles it is not hoped shal come the destruction therof †And it shal be broken smal as the potters vessel is broken with mightie breaking there shal not a shread be found of the fragments therof wherein a litle fyre may be caried from the burning or a litle water be drawen out of the pitte †Because thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel If you returne and be quiet you shal be saued in silence and in hope shal your strength be And you would not †and you haue sayd No but we wil flee to horses therfore shal you flee And we wil mount vpon swift ones therfore shal they be fwifter that shal persecute you †A thousand men at the face of the terrour of one and at the face of the terrour of fiue shal you flee til you be leaft as the mast of a shippe in the toppe of a mountaine and as a signe vpon a litle hil †Therfore our Lord expecteth that he may haue mercie on you and therfore shal he be exalted sparing you because our Lord is the God of iudgment blessed are al they that expect him †For the people of Sion shal dwel in Ierusalem weeping thou shalt not weepe pitying he wil pitie thee at the voice of thy crie as soone as he shal heare he wil answer thee †And our Lord wil geue you straite bread and short water and wil not make thy doctor to flee away from thee any more and thine eies shal see thy master †And thine eares shal heare the word of him that behinde thy backe admonisheth thee This is the way walke in it and decline ye not neither to the right hand nor to the left †And thou shalt contaminate the plates of the sculptils of thy siluer and the garment of the molten of thy gold and shalt scatter them as the vncleannes of a menstruous woman Thou shalt say to it Get thee hence †And rayne shal be geuen to thy seede wheresoeuer thou shalt sow in the land and the bread of the corne of the land shal be most plentiful and fatte The lambe in that day shal feede at large in thy possession †and thyne oxen as the asse coltes that til the ground shal eate mingled prouender as it was fanned in the floore †And there shal be vpon euerie high mountayne and vpon euerie litle hil eleuated riuers of running waters in the day of the killing of manie when the towres shal fal †And the light of the moone shal be as the light of the sunne and the light of the sunne shal be seuenfold as the light of seuen daies in the day when our Lord shal bind vp the wound of his people shal heale the stroke of their wound †Behold the name of our Lord commeth from farre his burning furie and heauie to beare his lippes are filled with indignation and his tongue as a deuouring fire †His spirite as a torrent ouerflowing euen to the middes of the necke to destroy the nations to nothing and the bridle of errour that was in the iawes of peoples †There shal be a song vnto
and these who hath brought vp I destitute and alone these where were they †Thus sayth our Lord God Behold I wil lift vp my hand to the Gentiles to the peoples I wil exalt my signe And shal carie thy sonnes in their armes and thy daughters vpon their shoulders †And kinges shal be thy nourcing fathers queenes thy nources with countenance cast downe toward the ground they shal adore thee they shal licke vp the dust of thy feete And thou shalt know that I am the Lord vpon whom they shal not be confounded that expect him †Shal a praye be taken from the strong or can that which was caught of the mightie be saued †Because thus sayth our Lord Yea verely euen the captiuitie shal be taken away from the strong and that which was taken by the mightie shal be saued But those that haue iudged thee wil I iudge and thy children I wil saue †And I wil feede thine enemies with their owne flesh and as with new wine so shal they be embrewed with their owne bloud and al flesh shal know that I am the Lord that saue thee and thy redemer the mightie one of Iacob CHAP. L. The Sinagogue shal be diuorced for her iniquities 4. Christ wil omite no ordinarie meanes but for her sake wil indure ignominious afflictions 10. Al which she contemning shal perish THVS sayth our Lord What is this bill of the diuorce of our mother wherwith I haue dismissed her or who is my creditour to whom I sold you Loe you are solde for your wicked deedes I haue dismist your mother †Because I came and there was not a man I called and there was none that would heare Why is myne hand abridged and made a litle one that I can not redeme or is there no strength in me to deliuer Behold in my rebuke I wil make the sea desert I wil turne the floodes into drie land the fishes shal rot without water and shal dye for thirst †I wil clothe the heauens with darknes and wil make sackcloth their couering †The Lord hath geuen me a learned tongue that I may know to stay him vp that is wearie with a word he stirreth vp in the morning in the morning he stirreth vp mine eare that I may heare him as a master †The Lord God hath opened mine eare and I doe not gaynsay I am not gone backward †I haue geuen my bodie to the strikers my cheekes to the pluckers I haue not turned away my face from the rebukers spitters †The Lord God is mine helper therfore am I not confounded therfore haue I set my face as a most hard rocke and I know that I shal not be confounded †He is neere that iustifieth me who shal gaynesay me let vs stand together who is myne aduersarie let him come to me †Behold the Lord God my helper who is he that shal condemne me Loe they shal al be destroyed as a garment the mothe shal eate them †Which of you feareth our Lord heareth the voice of his seruant who hath walked in darkenes and hath no light let him hope in the name of our Lord and leane vpon his God †Loe al you doe kindle a fyre are compassed with flames walke in the light of your fyre and in the flames which you haue kindled of my hand is this done to you you shal sleepe in sorrowes CHAP. LI. God encoregeth Sion to trust in his promised comfort◠by example of Abraham 3. For the spiritual Sion the Church of Christ shal receiue much grace by his Euangelical law 12. and her children shal not feare persecution nor be ouercome 23. but her enemies shal faile HEARE me ye that folow that which is iust and that seeke our Lord attend to the rocke whence you are hewen out to the caue of the lake from the which you are cut out †Attend to Abraham your father and to Sara that bare you because I called him alone and blessed him multiplied him †Our Lord therfore wil comfort Sion and wil comfort al the ruines therof and he wil make her desert as delicacies and her wildernes as the garden of our Lord. Ioy and gladnes shal be found in it geuing of thankes and voice of prayse †Attend vnto me ô my people and my tribe heare ye me because a law shal proceede from me and my iudgement shal rest to be a light of the peoples †My iust one is nigh at hand my sauiour is gone forth and mine armes shal iudge peoples the ilands shal expect me and shal patiently wayte for mine arme †Lift vp your eies into heauen and looke downe to the earth beneath because the heauens shal melt as smoke and the earth shal be worne away as a garment and like to these thinges shal the inhabitants therof perish but my saluation shal be for euer and my iustice shal not faile †Heare me ye that know that which is iust my people which haue my law in their hart feare ye not the reproch of men and be not afrayd of their blasphemies †For as a garment so shal the worme eate them and as wool so shal the moth deuoure them but my saluation shal be for euer and my iustice vnto generations of generations †Arise arise put on strength ô arme of our Lord arise as in the old dayes in the generations of worldes Hast not thou striken the proude wounded the dragon †Hast not thou dried the sea the water of the vehement which madest the depth of the sea a way that the deliuered might passe †And now they that are redemed of our Lord shal returne and shal come into Sion praysing and ioy euerlasting vpon their heades they shal possesse ioy and gladnes sorrow and mourning shal flee away †I euen I my self wil comfort you who art thou that thou shouldest be afrayd of a mortal man and of the sonne of man which as grasse so shal wither †And thou hast forgotten our Lord thy maker which stretched out the heauens and founded the earth and thou hast bene afrayd continually al the day at the face of his furie which afflicted thee and had prepared to destroy where is now the furie of the affliction †He shal quickly come going to open and he shal not kil vnto vtter destruction neither shal his bread faile †But I am the Lord thy God which truble the sea and the waues therof doe swel the Lord of hostes is my name †I haue put my wordes in thy mouth and in the shadow of my hand I haue protected thee that thou mightest plant the heauens and found the earth mightest say to Sion Thou art my people †Be lifted vp be lifted vp arise Ierusalem which hast drunken of the hand of our Lord the cuppe of his wrath euen to the botome of the cuppe of drousines hast thou
where is he that brought them out of the sea with the pastours of his flocke Where is he that put in the middes of him the spirit of his holie one †He that brought out Moyses to the right hand by the arme of his maiestie that diuided the waters before them that he might make to himself an euerlasting name †He that brought them out through the depthes as an horse in the desert that stumbled not †As the beast that goeth downe in the plaine filde the spirit of our Lord was their conductor so didst thou bring thy people that thou mightest make thee a name of glorie †Attend from heauen and looke from thy holie habitation of thy glorie where is thy zele and thy strength the multitude of thy bowels and of thy mercies they haue held backe them selues toward me †For thou art our father and “ Abraham hath not knowen vs and Israel hath bene ignorant of vs thou ô Lord art our father our redemer from the begynning is thy name †Why hast thou made vs erre ô Lord from thy waies hast thou hardned our hart that we feared not thee Returne for thy seruants the tribes of thine inheritance †As nothing haue they possessed thy holie people our enemies haue troden downe thy sanctification †We are become as in the begynning when thou didst not rule ouer vs neither was thy name inuocated vpon vs. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. LXIII 16. Abraham hath not knovvne vs. The faithful people considering their ovvne great frequent inueterate sinnes vvith the extreme calamities wherinto they vvere fallen for the same supposed that their progenitor Abraham vvhom God had particularly called out of his countrie Iacob of vvhose tvvelue sonnes the vvhole nation vvas propagated did no longer acknowlege them for their children because they had so greuously offended God vvere not vvorthie of anie fauour Al vvhich notwithstanding yet they hoped in Gods incomparable mercie that his diuine goodnes being Creator of al who had elected them for his peculiar people brought them out of Aegypt and often deliuered them from sundrie afflictions vvould againe reduce them from captiâ—itie and as their merciful father remitte their sinnes and releue their miseries though Abraham Iacob and other Patriarches had iustly reiected them as lost children This being the proper literal sense of this place according to S. Ieroms and other ancient Doctors explication it maketh nothing at al for the old and new heresie of Vigilantius Luther denying that Sainctes in an other life do knovv vvhat is donne in this vvorld For albeit the Patriarches in zele of iustice did not acknovvlege their carnal posteritie because of their great sinnes for their children yet they knevv their state as S. Augustin li. de cura pro mortuis interpreting this and other places of holie Scripture teacheth partly by relation of such as passed from hence to them partly by holie Angels and especially by diuine inspirations As it is clere that Abraham knevv the state of poore Lazarus of the rich glutton describing vvhat ech of them had deserued and consequently receiued Much more both the old Patriarches and al other Sainctes in eternal glorie knovv â—â—h other though neuer sene nor knovvne before in this vvorld as S. Gregorie teacheth li 4 c. 33. Dialogi The glorified Sainctes see also in God that vvhich perteyneth to their clientes that pray vnto them in earth so farre as God doth ordaine more clerly by light of glorie then prophetes see by light of prophecie as S. Augustin teacheth But touching the maner he saith it exceeded the reach of his vnderstanding hovv Martyrs do helpe those vvho it is certaine are holpen by them So discoursing at large of the vncertaine maner shevveth that there is no doubt at al of the thing it selfe that Sainctes in heauen do knovv mortal mens necessities heaâ—e their prayers and helpe them by their intercession and merites vvhich he confirmeth also li. 20. c. 21. cont Faust Tract 8. in Ioan. Ser. 5. de Sanctis Likevvise S. Ierom against Vigilanâ—ius S. Gregorie li. 3. Epist ep â—0 li. 7. ep 126. li. 9. ep 38 and others in manie places CHAP. LXIIII. The Iewes in captiuitie pray to God for release 4. acknowleging his former great benefites and their owne sinnes fleing now to his mercie VVOVLD God thou wouldest breake the heauens in sunder and wouldst descend at thy presence the mountaines should melt away †As the burning of fyre would they melt the waters would burne with fyre that thy name might be made knowen to thine enemies at thy presence the nations should be trubled †When thou shalt doe meruelous thinges we shal not sustayne thou art descended and at thy presence the mountaines are melted †From the begynning of the world they haue not heard nor receiued with the eares the eie hath not seene ô God beside thee what thinges thou hast prepared for them that expect thee †Thou hast mette him that reioyceth and doth iustice in thy waies they shal remember thee behold thou art angrie and we haue sinned we haue bene alwayes in them and we shal be saued †And al we are become as one vncleane and al our iustices as the cloth of a menstrued woman and we haue al fallen as a leafe and our iniquities as the winde haue taken vs away †There is none that inuocateth thy name that ryseth vp and holdeth thee thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast dashed vs in the hand of our iniquitie †And now Lord thou art our father and we clay and thou art our maker and al we the workes of thy handes †Be not angrie ô Lord ynough and remember no more our iniquitie loe regard al we are thy people †The citie of thy holie one is made desert Sion is made desert Ierusalem is become desolate †The house of our sanctification and of our glorie where our fathers praysed thee is turned into the burning of fyre and al our thinges worthie to be desired are turned into ruines †Wilâ— thou vpon these thinges conteyne thyself ô Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict vs vehemently CHAP. LXV The gentiles shal seeke and finde Christ 2. Whom the Iewes wil persecute and shal be reiected only a few reliques reserued 13. So the Church shal multiplie and abound in graces THEY haue sought me that before asked not they haue found that sought me not I said Behold me behold me to a Gentilitie that did not inuocate my name †I haue spred foâ—th mine handes al the day to an incredulous people which goeth in a way not good after their owne cogitations †A people that prouoke me to anger before my face alwayes that immolate in gardens and sacrifice vpon brickes †That dwel in sepulchers and sleepe in temples of idols that eate swines flesh and profane potage in their vessels †That say
his Church 31. with a new couenant 36. that it shal be large and perpetual AT THAT time saith our Lord I wil be the God of al the kindredes of Israel and they shal be my people †Thus saith our Lord The people that remayned from the sword found grace in the desert Israel shal goe to his rest †Our Lord hath appeared to me of long time And in euerlasting charitie haue I loued thee therefore haue I drawen thee taking compassion †And I wil build thee againe and thou shalt be builded ô virgin Israel thou shalt yet be adorned with thy timbrels shal goe forth in the quyre of them that play †Thou shalt yet plant vinyards in the mountaines of Samaria the planters shal plant and til the time come they shal not make vintage †because there shal be a day wherein the watchmen on mount Ephraim shal crie Arise and let vs goe vp vnto Sion to the Lord our God †Because thus saith our Lord Reioyce in gladnes ô Iacob and neye against the head of the Gentiles sound ye and sing and say Saue ô Lord thy people the remnant of Israel †Behold I wil bring them out of the land of the North and wil gather them from the endes of the earth among whom shal be the blinde and the lame the woman with childe and she that beareth childe together a great companie of them that returne hither †They shal come in weepeing and in mercie I wil reduce them and I wil bring them through the torrents of waters in a right way and they shal not stumble in it because I am become a father to Israel and Ephraim is my firstbegotten †Heare the word of our Lord ye Nations shew forth in the ilands that are farre of and say He that dispersed Israel wil gather him and he wil keepe him as the pastour his flocke †For our Lord hath redeemed Iacob and he wil deliuer him out of the hand of the mightier †And they shal come and shal praise in mount Sion and they shal runne together to the good thinges of our Lord for the corne and wine and oile and the increase of cattel and heardes and their soule shal be as a watered garden they shal be hungrie no more †Then shal the virgin reioyce in the quyre the youngmen and old men together and I wil turne their mourning into ioy and wil comfort them and make them ioyful from their sorow †And I wil replenish the soule of the priestes with fatnes and my people shal be filled with my good thinges saith our Lord. †Thus saith our Lord A voice of lamentation is heard on high of the mourning and weeping of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted for them because they are not †Thus saith our Lord Let thy voice cease from weeping and thine eies from teares because there is a reward for thy worke saith our Lord and they shal returne out of the land of the enemie †And there is hope to thy last endes saith our Lord and the children shal returne to their borders †Hearing I heard Ephraim going into trāsmigration Thou hast chastised me and I am taught as a young bullocke not tamed Conuert me and I shal be conuerted because thou art the Lord my God †For after thou didst conuert me I did penance and after thou didst shew vnto me I stroke my thigh I am confounded and ashamed because I haue sustayned the reproch of my youth †Certes Ephraim is an honorable sonne to me certes a delicate childe because since I spake of him as yet wil I remember him Therefore are my bowels trubled vpon him pitying I wil pitie him saith our Lord. †Sette thee a watch tower make vnto thee bitternes direct thy hart into the right way wherein thou hast walked returne ô virgin Israel returne to these thy cities †How long wilt thou be dissolute in deliciousnes ô wandring daughter because our Lord hath created a new thing vpon the earth A WOMAN SHAL COMPASSE A MAN †Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel As yet shal they say this word in the land of Iuda and in the cities thereof when I shal conuert their captiuitie Our Lord blesse thee the beauty of iustice the holie mountaine †and Iudas and al his cities shal dwel in it together the husbandmen and they that driue the flockes †Because I haue inebriated the wearie soule and euerie hungrie soule I haue filled †Therefore I was raised vp as out of a sleepe and I saw and my sleepe was sweete to me †Behold the daies come saith our Lord and I wil sow the house of Israel and the house of Iuda with the seede of men and with the seede of beastes †And as I haue watched vpon them to plucke vp and deface and dissipate destroy and afflict so wil I watch ouer them to build and to plant them saith our Lord. †In those daies they shal say no more The fathers did eate the bitter grape and the teeth of the children are set on edge †But euerie one shal dye in his owne iniquitie euerie man that shal eate the sowre grape his teeth shal be on edge †Behold the daies shal come saith our Lord and I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iuda †not according to the couenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I tooke their hand to bring them out of the Land of Aegypt the couenāt which they made voide and I had the dominion of them saith our Lord. †But this shal be the couenant that I wil make with the house of Israel after those daies saith our Lord I wil geue my law in their bowels and in their hart I wil write it and I wil be their God and they shal be my people †And a man shal no more teach his neighbour and a man his brother saying Know our Lord for al shal know me from the least of them euen to the greatest saith our Lord because I wil be propicious to their iniquitie and their sinne I wil remember no more †Thus saith our Lord that geueth the sunne for the light of the day the order of the moone and of the starres for the light of the night that trubleth the sea and the waues thereof doe sound the Lord of hostes is his name †If these lawes shal faile before me saith our Lord thee also the seede of Israel shal faile that it be not a nation before me for euer †Thus saith our Lord If the heauens aboue shal be able to be measured and the foundations of the earth beneth to be searched out I also wil cast away al the seede of Israel for al thinges that they haue done saith our Lord. †Behold the daies come saith our Lord
hath wept in the night and her teares are on her cheekes there is none to comfort her of al her deare ones al her freindes haue despised her and are become her enimies Iudas is gone into transmigration because of affliction and the multitude of bondage she hath dwelt among the Gentiles neither hath she found rest al her persecuters haue apprehended her within the straites The waies of Sion mourne because there are none that come to the solemnitie al her gates are destroyed her priestes sighing her virgins lothsome and herself is oppressed with bitternes Her aduersaries are made in the head her enemies are enriched because our Lord hath spoken vpon her for the multitude of her iniquities her litle ones are led into captiuitie before the face of the afflicter And from the daughter of Sion al her beautie is departed her princes are become as rammes not fynding pastures and they are gone without strength before the face of the pursewer Ierusalem hath remembred the dayes of her affliction and preuarication of al her thinges worthie to be desyred which she had from the daies of old when her people fel in the enimies hand and there was no helper the enemies haue sene her and haue scorned her sabbathes Ierusalem hath sinned a sinne therfore is she made vnstable al that did glorifie her haue despised her because they haue sene her ignominie but she sighing is turned backward Her filthines is on her feete neither hath she remembred her end she is pulled downe excedingly not hauing a comforter see ô Lord mine affliction because the enemie is exalted The enimie hath thrust his hand to al her thinges worthie to be desyred because she hath sene the Gentiles enter into her sanctuarie of whom thou gauest commandment that they should not enter into thy church Al her people sighing and seeking bread they haue geuen al precious thinges for meate to refresh the soule see ô Lord and consider because I am become vyle O al ye that passe by the way attend and see if there be sorow like to my sorow because he hath made vintage of me as our Lord hath spoken in the day of the wrath of his furie From on high he hath cast a fyre in my bones and hath taught me he hath spred a net for my feete he hath turned me backward he hath made me desolate al the day consumed with sorow The yoke of mine iniquities hath watched they are folded together in his hand and put vpon my necke my strength is weakened our Lord hath geuen me into the hand from which I can not rise Our Lord hath taken away al my magnifical ones out of the middes of me he hath called a time against me to destroy mine elect our Lord hath troden the winepresse to the virgin the daughter of Iuda Therfore am I weeping and mine eye shedding teares because a comforter is made far from me conuerting my soule my children are become desolate because the enemie hath preuayled Sion hath spred forth her handes there is none to comfort her our Lord hath commanded against Iacob round about him are his enemies Ierusalem is become as a woman polluted with menstrous floores among them Our Lord is iust because I haue prouoked his mouth to wrath heare I beseech al ye peoples and see my sorow my virgins and my pong men are gone into captiuitie I haue called my freindes they haue deceiued me my priestes and my ancientes are consumed in the citie because they haue sought meat for themselues to refresh their soule See ô Lord that I am in tribulation my bellie is trubled my hart is ouerturned in myself because I am ful of bitternes the sword killeth abrode and at home it is lyke death They haue heard that I doe sigh and there is none to comfort me al mine enimies haue heard mine euil they haue reioyced because thou hast done it thou hast brought a day of consolation and they shal be made lyke to me Let al their euil enter in before thee and vintage them as thou hast vintaged me for al mine iniquities for my sighings are manie and my hart is sorowful CHAP. II. HOW hath our Lord in his furie couered the daughter of Sion with darknes cast forth the noble one of Israel from heauen to the earth and hath not remembred the footestoole of his feete in the day of his furie Our Lord hath cast downe headlong and hath not spared al the beautiful thinges of Iacob he hath destroyed in his furie the munitions of the virgin of Iuda and cast it downe to the ground he hath polluted the kingdom and the princes therof He hath broken euerie horne of Israel in the wrath of furie he hath turned away his right hand backward from the face of the enemie and he hath kinled in Iacob as it were the â—yre of a flame deuouring round about He hath bent his bow as an enemie he hath fastned his right hand as an aduersarie and he hath killed al that was fayre to behold in the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion he hath powred out his indignation as fyre Our Lord is become as an enemie he hath cast downe Israel headlong he hath cast downe headlong al her walles he hath destroyed the munitions therof and hath replenished in the daughter of Iuda the humbled man and humbled woman And he hath destroyed his tent as a garden he hath throwen downe his tabernacle our Lord hath brought festiuitie and sabbath in Sion to obliuion and king and priest into reproch and into the indignation of his furie Our Lord hath reiected he hath cursed his sanctification he hath deliuered the walles of the towers therof into the hand of the enemie they haue made a noyse in the house of our Lord as in a solemne day Our Lord hath meant to destroy the wal of the daughter of Sion he hath streched out his corde and hath not turned away his hand from destruction and the forewal hath mourned and the wal is destroyed together Her gates are fastned in the ground he hath destroyed and broken ber barres her king and her princes in the Gentiles there is no law and her prophets haue not found vision from our Lord. The ancients of the daughter of Sion haue sitten on the ground they haue held their peace they haue sprinkled their heades with dust they are girded with heare clothes the virgins of Ierusalem haue cast downe their heades to the ground Myne eies haue fayled for teares my bowels are trubled my liuer is powred out on the earth for the destruction of the daughter of my people when the litle one and the sucking faynted in the streetes of the towne They sayd to their mothers Where is wheate and wyne when they faynted
of my life Thou hast seene ô Lord their iniquitie against me iudge my iudgement Thou hast seene al their furie al their cogitations against me Thou hast heard their reproch ô Lord al their cogitations against me The lippes of them that rise vp against me and their cogitations against me al the day See their sitting downe and their rysing vp I am their psalme Thou shalt render them a recompence ô Lord according to the workes of their handes Thou shalt geue them a shild of hart thy labour Thou shalt persecute in furie and shalt destroy them from vnder the heauens ô Lord. CHAP. IIII. HOW is the gold darkned the best colour changed the stones of the sanctuarie dispersed in the head of al streetes The noble children of Sion they that were clothed with the principal gold how are they reputed as earthen vessels the worke of the potters handes Yea euen the lamiaes haue opened their breast they haue geuen sucke to their yong the daughter of my people is cruel as the ostrich in the desert The tongue of the suckling hath clouen to the roofe of his mouth for thirst the litle ones haue asked bread and there was none that brake it vnto them They that fed volâ—ptuously haue dyed in the wayes they that were brought vp in scarlet haue imbraced the dung And the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is become greater then the sinne of Sodom which was ouerthrowen in a moment and handes tooke nothing in her Her Nazareites whiter then snow purer then milke â—uâ—dier then the old yuorie fayrer then the sapphire Their face is made blacker then coales and they are not knowne in the streetes their skinne hath clouen to their bones it is withered and is made as wood It was better with them that were slaine with the sword then with them that were killed by famine because these pyned away consumed by the barrennes of the countrie The handes of pitiful wemen haue sodden their owne children they were made their meate in the destruction of the daughter of my people Our Lord hath accomplished his furie he hath powred out the wrath of his indignation and he hath kindled a fyre in Sion and it hath deuoured the fundations therof The kinges of the earth and al the inhabitants of the world did not beleue that the aduersarie and the enemie should enter in by the gates of Ierusalem For the sinnes of her prophets and the iniquities of her priestes which haue shed the bloud of iust men in the middes of her The blind wandered in the streetes they were polluted with bloud and when they could not they held their skirtes Depart ye polluted they cryed to them depart get ye hence touch not for they brawled were moued they said among the Gentiles He wil adde no more to dwel among theÌ„ The face of our Lord hath diuided them he wil not adde to respect them they haue not reuerenced the faces of the priests neither had they pitie on the ancients Whiles we yet stood our eyes fayled towards our vaine helpe when we looked attentiue to a nation that was not able to saue Our steppes slipped in the way of our streetes our end draweth nere our dayes are accomplished because our end is come Our persecuters were swifter then the eagles of the heauen vpon the mountaines they pursued vs in the desert they lay in waite against vs. The spirit of our mouth Christ our Lord is taken in our sinnes to whom we haue said In thy shadow shal we liue among the Gentiles Reioyce and be glad ô daughter of Edom which dwellest in the Land of Hus to thee also shal the cuppe come thou shalt be made drunken and naked Thine iniquitie is accomplished ô daughter of Sion he wil adde no more to transport thee he hath visited thine iniquitie ô daughter of Edom he hath discouered thy sinnes CHAP. V. The prayer of Ieremie the Prophet REmember ô Lord what is fallen to vs behold and regard our reproch †Our inheritance is turned to aliens our houses to strangers †We are made pupils without father our mothers are as it were widowes †Our water we haue drunke for money our wood we haue bought for a price †We were led by our neckes no rest was geuen to the wearie †We haue geuen our hand to Aegypt and to the Assyrians that we might be filled with bread †Our fathers haue sinned and they are not we haue borne their iniquities †Seruantes haue ruled ouer vs there was none that would redeme vs out of their hand †In peril of our liues did we fetch vs bread at the face of the sword in the desert †Our skinne was burnt as an ouen by reason of the tempests of famine †They humbled the wemen in Sion and the virgins in the cities of Iuda †The princes were hanged vp by the hand they did not reuerence the faces of the ancients †Yongmen they abused vnchastly and the children fel in wood †The ancients decayed out of the gates the yongmen out of the quier of the singers †The ioy of our hart hath fayled our quyre is turned into mourning †The crowne of our head is fallen wo to vs because we haue sinned †Therfore is our hart made sorowful therfore are our eyes darkned †For mount Sion because it is perished foxes haue walked on it †But thou ô Lord shalt remaine for euer thy throne in generation and to generation †Why wilt thou for euer be forgetful of vs wilt thou forsake vs in length of daies †Conuert vs ô Lord to thee and we shal be conuerted renew our dayes as from the beginning †But reiecting thou hast reiected vs thou art angrie against vs excedingly THE ARGVMENT OF BARVCHS PROPHECIE MANIE ancient Fathers supposed this Prophecie to be Ieremies though none doubted but Baruch his scribe was the writer therof So S. Xistus Epist ad omnes fideles S. Ireneus li. 5. c. 35. S. Clement of Alexandria li. 1. c. 10. li. 2. c. 3. Pedag. S. Cyprian li. 2. c. 5. 6. contra Iudaeos Eusebius Coesariensis li. de Propheticorum libor appellationibus Cap. de Ieromia li. 6. c. 19. Demonst Euangel Lactantius li. 4. c. 13. Diuin Instit The first Councel of Nice li. 2. fol. 105. 109. S. Hilarie li. 5. de Trinit sub finem S. Cyril of Ierusalem Catechesi 4. 11. de Concursu Domini S. Basil li. 4. cont Eunomium S. Ambrose li. de fide c. 7. cont Arianos li. de Paenit c. 8. li. 3. Examer c. 14. S. Gregorie Nazianzen Orat. 49. deside Epist. 2. ad Cledâ—nium S. Epiphanius cont
to haue in length on the north quarter foure thousand fiue hundred reedes vvith the same length on the vvest quarter and consequently on the east and south that is nine thousand passes or nine myles on euerie side in al the circuite thirtie six myles Of vvhich greatnes it is certaine the temple and citie neuer were No not after the temple vvas augmented by Herod Ascoloâ—ites vvherof Iosephus writeth li. 15. c. 14. Antiq. Iudâ—icarum Neither vvere there anie such waters issuing from the material temple nor such trees on the bankes therof bringing forth fruites euerie moneth as are described ch 47. v. 1. 12. Al vvhich vvith other like dissonances considered the later Iewes confessing that this prophecie is not hitherto fulfilled say that their Messias whom they expect shal builde such a terrestrial citie and temple with al the appertinances as are shewed in this vision Reiecting therfore these Iewish errors and ridiculous imaginations Richardus de Sancto Victore Hugo Cardinalis Nicolaus Lyranus and some other Christian Doctors suppose that God in dede conditionally according to his antecedent wil promised al these thinges euen as the letter soundeth to the Iewes if after their deliuerie from captiuitie they should sincerely serue him vvalke rightly in his wayes and perfectly kepe his commandmentes And that besides this supposed literal sense al the same should more excellently be performed in the mystical temple and citie of God our Sauiour Christ and his Church But for so much say these Doctors as the Iewes performed not that which vvas required of their part in perfect life and due seruice of God this vision was not fulfilled but only in some part according to the vertues and merites of the better sorte of that people by the restauration of the citie temple and other thinges as in the bookes of Esdras that lastly for their general reuolt from Christ persecuting him to death their temple and citie were againe destroyed the people slaine dispersed reiected except only the few reliques conuerted to Christ In vvhom with the multitude of Gentiles the vvhole vision hath ful effect This opinion albeit grounded in probabilitie yet semeth not so certaine nor in dede so probable as the iudgement of S. Ierom S. Theodoret in their commentaries as also of S. Gregorie in his homiles vpon Ezechiel and of manie others both ancient and late writers VVho not finding hovv to applie this vision in al partes to the state of the old testament neither that promise of such a huge great temple and citie with the rest vvere agreable to Gods vvisdome do only expound this vision to perteine in some partes to the Iewes reduced from temporal captiuitie as in figure of al mankind redemed by Christ and of his Church gathered of al nations enriched and adorned vvith al spiritual graces vertues and powre Neither yet expounding al of the militant Church but some part of the triumphant only as surpassing the perfectest state of this transitorie life Vve therfore out of their large discourses shal abridge a fevv and brief marginal notes for some light of vnderstanding the text and entrance into the spiritual sense principally intended by the Holie Ghost CHAP. XL. In a vision the prophet seeth the reedisication of Ierusalem 5. with the measures of diuers partes therof 47. and of the court and entrie of the temple IN the fiue and twentith yeare of our transmigration in the beginning of the yeare the tenth of the moneth the fourtenth yeare after the citie was strooken in this self same day the hand of our Lord was made vpon me and he brought me thither †In the visions of God he brought me into the Land of Israel and left me vpon a mountaine exceding high vpon which there was as it were the building of a citie bending toward the south †And he brought me in thither and behold a man whose forme was as the forme of brasse and a linen corde in his hand and a reede of measure in his hand he stood in the gate †And the same man spake to me Sonne of man see with thine eyes and heare with thine eares and set thy hart on al thinges which I wil shew thee for thou art brought hither that they may be shewed to thee declare al thinges that thou seest to the house of Israel †And behold a wal on the out side round about the house and in the mans hand a reede of measure of six cubits a palme he measured the breadth of the building with one reede the height also with one reede †And he came to the gate that looked to the way of the east he ascended by the steppes therof he measured the threshold of the gate with one reede the bredth that is one threshold with one reede in bredth †and a chamber with one reede in length and one reede in bredth and betwen the chambers fiue cubites †and the threshold of the gate by entrie of the gate within with one reede †And he measured the entrie of the gate of eight cubites and the front therof of two cubites and the entrie of the gate was within †Moreouer the chambers of the gate to the way of the East three on this side and three on that side one measure of the three and one measure of the fronts on both partes †And he measured the bredth of the threshold of the gate of tenne cubits and the length of the gate of thirtene cubits †and the border before the chambers of one cubite and one cubite the end on both sides and the chambers were of six cubites on this side and that side †And he measured the gate from the roofe of the chamber euen to the roofe therof the bredth of fiue and twentie cubits doore against doore †And he made fronts by sixtie cubits to the front the court of the gate on euerie side round about †And before the face of the gate which raught euen to the face of the entrie of the inner gate fiftie cubits †And oblique windowes in the chambers and in their fronts which were within the gate on euerie side round about and in like maner there were also in the entries windowes round about within and before the fronts the picture of palme trees grauen †And he brought me out to the vtter court and behold celles and the pauement paued with stone in the court round about thirtie celles in the compas of the pauement †And the pauement in the front of the gates according to the length of the gates was beneath †And he measured the bredth from the face of the lower gate euen to the front of the inner court without an hundred cubits to the East and to the North. †The gate also that looked to the way of the North of the vtter court he measured as wel in length as in bredth â€
your beds in the morning light they doe it because their hand is against God †And they haue couered fildes and violently taken and houses forcibly taken away and oppressed the man and his house the man and his inheritance †Therfore thus saith our Lord Behold I purpose euil vpon this familie whence you shal not take away your neckes and you shal not walke prowd because it is a very euil time †In that day a parable shal be taken vp vpon you and a songue shal be sung with sweetnes of them that say With depopulation we are wasted part of my people is changed how shal he depart from me wheras he returneth that wil diuide our regions †For this cause thou shalt haue none casting the cord of lot in the assemblie of our Lord. †Speake ye not speaking It shal not droppe vpon these confusion shal not apprehend them †The house of Iacob saith Way is the spirit of our Lord abridged or are his cogitations such Are not my wordes good with him that walketh rightly †And on the contrarie my people is risen vp as an aduersarie from aboue the cote you haue taken away the cloke them that passed simply you turned into battel †The wemen of my people you haue cast out of the house of their delicacies from their litle ones you haue taken my praise for euer †Arise and goe because you haue no rest here For the vncleannes therof it shal be corrupted with a sore putrefaction †Would God I were not a man hauing the spirit and that I did rather speake a lie I wil distil to thee into wine and into drunkennes and it shal be this people vpon whom it is distilled †Gathering I wil gather thee wholly together ô Iacob I wil bring together the remnant of Israel into one I wil put them together as a flocke in the fold as cattel in the middes of sheepcotes they shal make a tumult by reason of the multitude of men †For he shal ascend opening the way before them they shal diuide and passe through the gate and shal enter by it and their king shal passe before them and our Lord in the head of them CHAP. III. For the sinnes of the rich opressing the poore 5. of falfe prophets flatering for lucre 9. and of Iudges peruerting iustice 12. Ierusalem and the temple shal be destroyed AND I sayd Heare ye princes of Iacob ye dukes of the house of Israel Why is it not your part to know iudgement †which hate good and loue euil which violently take away their skinnes from them and their flesh from their bones †Which haue eaten the flesh of my people and haue stead their skinne from them and haue broken and cut their bones as in a kettle as it were flesh in the middes of a potte shal they crie to our Lord and he wil not heare them and he wil hide his face from them at that time as they haue done wickedly in their inuentions †Thus sayth our Lord vpon the prophets that seduce my people that bite with their teeth nnd preach peace and if a man geue not something in their mouth they sanctifie battel vpon him †Therfore there shal be nigt to you for vision and darkenes to you for diuination and the sunne shal goe downe vpon the prophets the day shal be darkened ouer them †And they shal be confounded that see visions and the diuiners shal be confounded and al shal couer their faces because there is no answer of God †But yet I am replenished with the strenght of the spirit of our Lord with iudgement and power to declare vnto Iacob his wickednes and to Israel his sinne †Heare this ye princes of the house of Iacob and ye iudges of the house of Israel which abhorre iudgement peruert al right thinges †Which build Sion in bloud and Ierusalem in iniquitie †Her princes iudged for gifts and her priests taught for wages and her prophets diuined for money they rested vpon our Lord saying Why is not our Lord in the middes of vs euils shal not come vpon vs. †For this because of you Sion shal be ploughed as a filde and Ierusalem shal be as an heape of stones and the mount of the temple as the high places of forests CHAP. IIII. Manie Gentiles shal beleue in Christ 6. and lastly the multitude of Iewes 8. In the meane time the two tribes shal be caried into captiuitie and be deliuered againe AND it shal be In the later end of dayes there shal be the mount of the house of our Lord prepared in the toppe of mountaines and high about the hilles and peoples shal flow to it †And manie nations shal hasten shal say Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of our Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he wil teach vs of his wayes and we shal goe in this pathes because out of Sion shal the law goe forth and the word of our Lord out of Ierusalem †And he shal iudge betwen manie peoples and he shal rebuke strong nations vnto a far of and they shal cut their swordes into culters and their speares into spades nation shal not take sword against nation and they shal no more learne to make battel †And euerie man shal sitte vnder his vine vnder his figtree and there shal be none to make them afrayd because the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it †Because al peoples wil walke euerie one in the name of his God but we shal walke in the name of the Lord our God for euer and euer †In that day saith our Lord I wil gather her that halteth and her that I had cast out I wil gather vp her whom I had afflicted †And I wil make her that halted into a remnant and her that had laboured into a mightie nation and our Lord wil reigne ouer them in mount Sion from this time now and for euer †And thou the towre of flocke clowdie of the daughter of Sion shal come to thee and the first powre shal come the kingdom to the daughter of Ierusalem †Now why art thou drawne together with pensifnes why is there not a king to thee or is thy counselor perished because sorow hath apprehended thee as a woman in trauel †Sorow thou labour ô daughter of Sion as a woman in trauel because now shalt thou goe out of the citie and shalt dwel in the countrie and shalt come euen to Babylon there thou shalt be deliuered there our Lord wil redeme thee out of the hand of thine enemies †And now manie nations are gathered together vpon thee which say Let her be stoned and let our eye looke vpon Sion †But they haue not knowne the cogitations of our Lord and haue not vnderstood his counsel
colored horses he prophecieth bitter times 18. confirming the same by an other vision of foure hornes IN THE eight moneth in the second yeare of king Darius the word of our Lord was made to Zacharie the sonne of Barachias the sonne of Addo the prophet saying Our Lord hath bene wrath vpon your fathers with wrath †And thou shalt say to them Thus saith the Lord of hosts Conuert to me sayth the Lord of hosts and I wil conuert to you sayth the Lord of hosts †Be not as your fathers to whom the former prophets cried saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts Conuert from your euil wayes from your most wicked thoughts and they heard not neither attended to me sayth our Lord. †Your fathers where are they and the prophets shal they liue for euer †But yet my wordes mine ordinances which I gaue in commandment to my seruants the prophets did they not take hold of your fathers and they conuerted sayd As the Lord of hosts thought to do to vs according to our wayes according to our inuentions he hath done to vs. †In the foure twentith day of the eleuenth moneth Sabath in the second yeare of Darius the word of our Lord was made to Zacharie the sonne of Barachias the sonne of Addo the prophet saying †I saw by night and behold a man mounting vpon a red horse he stood among the myrtletrees that were in the botome and after him horses red speckled and white †And I sayd What are these my Lord and the Angel that spake in me sayd to me I wil shew thee what these thinges are †And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered sayd These are they whom our Lord sent to walke through the earth †And they answered to the Angel of our Lord which stood among the mirtle trees sayd We haue walked through the earth and loe al the earth is inhabited and at rest †And the Angel of our Lord answered and sayd ô Lord of hosts how long wilt thou not haue mercie on Ierusalem and on the cities of Iuda with which thou hast bene angrie this now is c the seuentith yeare †And our Lord answered the Angel that spake in me good wordes comfortable wordes †And the Angel that spake in me sayd to me Crie saying Thus sayth the Lord of hosts I haue bene zelous for Ierusalem and Sion with great zele †And with great anger am I angrie vpon the welthie nations because I was angrie a litle but they helped toward the euil †Therfore thus saith our Lord I wil returne to Ierusalem in mercies my house shal be built in it saith the Lord of hosts the plumme line shal be stretched forth vpon Ierusalem †As yet crie thou saying Thus saith the Lord of hosts As yet shal my cities flow with good thinges and the Lord wil yet comfort Sion and he wil yet choose Ierusalem †And I lifted vp mine eyes and saw and behold foure hornes †And I sayd to the Angel that spake in me What are these And he sayd to me These are the hornes that haue scattered Iuda and Israel and Ierusalem †And our Lord shewed me foure artificers †And I sayd What come these to doe Who spake saying These are the hornes that scattered Iuda euerie man a part none of them lifted his head and these are come to fray them to cast downe the hornes of the nations that haue lifted the horne vpon the land of Iuda to scatter it CHAP. II. Vnder the name of Ierusalem he prophecieth the progresse of the Church of Christ 6. by the conuersion of some Iewes 8. and manie Gentiles AND I lifted vp mine eyes and saw and loe a man and in his hand a corde of measurers †And I sayd Whither goest thou And he sayd to me To measure Ierusalem and to see how great the breadth therof is and how great the length therof †And behold the Angel that spake in me came forth and an other Angel went out to meete him †And he sayd to him Runne speake to this yongman saying Without wal shal Ierusalem be inhabited for the multitude of men and of beasts in the middes therof †And I wil be to it sayth our Lord a wal of fire round about and I wil be in glorie in the middes therof †O b flee ye out of the land of the North saith our Lord because into the foure windes of heauen haue I dispersed you sayth our Lord. †O c Sion flee thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon †because thus sayth the Lord of hosts After glorie he sent me to the nations that haue spoiled you for he that shal touch you toucheth the apple of myne eye †because loe I lift vp my hand vpon them and they shal be a praye to those that serued them and you shal know that the Lord of hosts sent me †Prayse and reioyce ô daughter of Sion because loe I come and wil dwel in the middes of thee sayth our Lord. †And manie nations shal be ioyned to our Lord in that day and they shal be my people and I wil dwel in the middes of thee and thou shal know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me to thee †And our Lord wil possesse Iuda his portion in the sanctified land and he wil yet choose Ierusalem †Let al flesh be silent at the presence of our Lord because he is risen vp out of his holie habitation CHAP. III. In a vision the diuel appeareth accusing the hiegh Priest 4. He is clensed from his sinnes 8. Christ is promised and great fruite of his passion AND our Lord shewed me Iesus the grand priest standing before the Angel of our Lord and Satan stood on his right hand to be his aduersarie †And our Lord sayd to Satan The Lord geue rebuke on thee Satan and the Lord that chose Ierusalem geue rebuke on thee Why is not this a firebrand taken out of the fire †And Iesus was clothed with filthie garments and he stood before the face of the Angel †Who answered and sayd to them that stood before him saying Take away the filthie garments from him And he sayd to him Behold I haue taken away thine iniquitie and haue clothed thee with change of garments †And he said Put a cleane mitre vpon his head they put a cleane mitre vpon his head and clothed him with garments and the Angel of our Lord stood †And the Angel of our Lord contested Iesus saying †Thus saith the Lord of hosts If you wil walke in my wayes and keepe my watch thou also shalt iudge my house and shalt keepe my courts and I wil geue thee walkers of them that now assist here †Heare ô Iesus thou grand priest thou and thy frendes that dwel before thee because they are portending men for behold
restored vntouched 14. with great giftes 17. and Abraham praying Abimelechs house is cured ABRAHAM remoued from thence into the south countrie and dwelt betwene Cades and Sur and he liued as a pilgrime in Gerara †And he said of Sara his wife She is my sister Abimelech therfore the king of Gerara sent and tooke her †And God came to Abimelech in a dreame by night and said to him Loe thou shalt dye for the woman that thou hast taken for she hath a husband †But Abimelech had not touched her and he said Lord wilt thou kil a nation that is ignorant and iust †Did not he say to me She is my sister and she say He is my brother in simplicitie of my hart and cleanenes of my hands haue I done this †And God said to him And I do know that thou didest it with a sincere hart and therfore I kept thee that thou shouldest not sinne against me and I permitted not that thou shouldest touch her †Now therfore restore the wife to her husband because he is a prophet and he shal pray for thee and thou shalt liue but if thou wilt not restore her know thou that dying thou shalt dye thou and al things that are thine †And Abimelech forth with rising vp in the night called al his seruantes and he spake al these words to their eares and al the men were sore afraid †And Abimelech called also for Abraham and said to him What hast thou done to vs what haue we offended against thee that thou hast brought vpon me and vpon my kingdom a great sinne that which thou oughtest not to doe thou hast done to vs. †And again expostulating he said What sawest thou that thou didest this †Abraham answered I thought with my selfe saying Perhaps there is not the feare of God in this place and they wil kil me for my wife †howbeit otherwise also in verie deed she is my sister the daughter of my father and not the daughter of my mother and I tooke her to wife †And after that God brought me out of my fathers house I said to her This mercie thou shalt doe with me In euerie place which we shal come vnto thou shalt say that I am thy brother †Therfore Abimelech tooke shepe oxen and seruants and handmayds and gaue to Abraham and restored to him Sara his wife †and said The land is before you dwel whersoeuer it shal please thee †And to Sara he said Behold I haue geuen thy brother a thousand peeces of siluer this shal serue thee for a veile of thine eyes to al that are with thee and whither soeuer thou shalt goe remenber also thou wast taken †And Abraham praying God healed Abimelech and his wife and his handmaids and they bare children for our Lord had closed vp euerie matrice of the house of Abimelech for Sara Abrahams wife CHAP. XXI Isaac is borne 4. circumcised 8. and weaned 9. Agar and Ismael are put forth of Abrahams house 15. but after desolation are nourished and prosper in the desert 22. King Abimelech and Abraham make a league confirming it with oath AND our Lord visited Sara as he had promised and fulfilled the things which he spake †And she conceaued and bare a sonne in her old age at the time that God had foretold her †And Abraham called the name of his sonne which Sara bare him Isaac †and he circumcised him the eight day as God had commanded him †when he was an hundred yeares old for at this age of his father was Isaac borne †And Sara said Laughter God hath made to me whosoeuer shal heare of it wil laugh with me †And again she said Who that shal heare of it would beleue Abraham that Sara gaue sucke to a sonne which she bare him now being an old man †The child therfore grewe and was weined and Abraham made a great feast in the day of his weining †And when Sara had senne the sonne of Agar the Aegyptian playing with Isaac her sonne she said to Abraham †Cast out this handmaid and her sonne for the sonne of the handmaid shal not be heire with my sonne Isaac †Abraham tooke this greuously for his sonne †To whom God said Let it not sâ—me greuous to thee for the boy and for thy handmaid al things that Sara shal say to thee heare her voice because in Isaac shal seed de called to thee †But the sonne also of the handmaid I wil make into a great nation because he is thy seede †Abraham therfore rose vp in the morning and taking bread and a bottle of water put it vpon her shoulder and deliuered the boy and dismist her Who went away and wandred in the wildernesse of Bersabee †And when the water in the bottle was spent she cast the boy vnder one of the trees that were there †And she went her way and sate ouer against a great way of as farre as a bowe can cast for she said I wil no see the child dying and sitting ouer against she lifted vp her voice and wept †And God heard the voice of the boy and an angel of God called Agar from heauen saying What doest thou Agar feare not for God hath heard the voice of the boy from the place wherin he is †Arise take vp the boy and hold his hand for into a great nation wil I make him †And God opened her eyes who seing a wel of water went and filled the bottle and gaue the boy to drinke †And God was with him who grew and abode in the wildernes and became a young man archer †And he dwelt in the wildernes of Pharan and his mother tooke a wife for him out of the land of Aegypt †The same time said Abimelech and Phicol the general of his armie to Abraham God is with thee in al things which thou doest †Sweare therfore by God not to hurt me and my posteritie and my stocke but according to the mercie that I haue done thee thou shalt doe to me and to the land wherin thou hast liued a stranger †And Abraham said I wil sweare †And he rebuked Abimelech for the wel of water which his seruants had taken away by force †And Abimelech answered I knew not who did this thing yea and thy selfe didest not tel me and I heard not of it but to day †Abraham therfore tooke sheepe and oxen and gaue to Abimelech and both of them made a league †And Abraham set seuen ewe lambes of the flocke apart †To whom Abimelech said What meane these seuen ewe lambes which thou hast made to stand apart †But he said Seuen ewe lambes shalt thou take at my hand that they may be a testimonie for me that I digged this wel †Therfor was that place called Bersabee because there both did sweare †And they made a league for the wel
into the land of Chanaan †At that time Laban was gone to sheare his sheepe and Rachel â—â—ole the “ idols of her father †And Iacob would not confesse to his father in lawe that he fled †And when he was gone as wel him selfe as al things that were his right and hauing passed the riuer was marching on to Mount Galaad †it was told Laban the third day that Iacob fled †Who taking his brethren vnto him pursued him seuen dayes and he ouertoke him in the Mount Galaad †And he saw in his sleepe God saying vnto him Take hede thou speake not roughly anie thing against Iacob †And Iacob had now pitched his tent in the mountaine and when he with his brethren had ouertaken him he pitched his tent in the same Mount Galaad †And he said to Iacob Why didest thou so that vnwitting to me thou wouldest carie away my daughters as captiues with the sword †Why wouldest thou flee without my knowledge and not tel me that I might haue brought thee on the way with ioy and songues and timbrels and eithernes †Thou hast not suffred me to kisse my sonnes and daughters thou hast donne foolishly now also in dede †my hand is able to requite thee euil but the God of your father said vnto me yesterday Take hede thou speake not any thing against Iacob roughly †Suppose thou diddest desire to goe to thy freinds and hadest a longing to thy fathers house why didest thou steale my goods †Iacob answered In that I departed vnwitting to thee I feared lest thou wouldest take away thy daughters by force †But wheras thou chargest me with theft with whom soeuer thou shalt find thy goddes let him be slaine before our brethen search what soeuer of thy things thou shalt finde with me and take away Saying this he knew not that Rachel had stollen the idols †Laban therfore hauing gone into the tent of Iacob and of Lia and of both the hand-maides found them not And when he was entred into Rachels tent †she in hast hid the idols vnder the camels litter and satte therupon and when he had sought al the tent and found nothing †she said Let not my lord be angrie that I can not rise vp before thee because according to the custome of wemen it is now chanced to me so his carefulnes in seeking was deluded †And Iacob being angrie said in chiding maner For what fault of myne and for what offence of my part hast thou so chaffed after me †and searched al my houshould stuffe What hast thou found of al the sabstance of thy house lay it here before my brethren and thy brethren and let them iudge betwen me thee †Haue I therfore bene with thee twentie yeares thy ewes and goates were not barren the wethers of thy flocke I did not eate †neyther that which the beast had caught did I shew to thee I made good al the damage whatsoeuer perished by theft thou didest exact it of me †day and night was I parched with heate and with frost and sleepe did flye from myne eyes †And in this sorte haue I serued thee in thy house twentie yeares fourtene for thy daughters and six for thy flockes thou hast changed also my wages tenne times †Vnles the God of my father Abraham and the feare of Isaac had holpe me peraduenture now thou hâ—â—â—â—st sent me away naked God beheld my aâ—â—â—iction and the laboure of my hands and rebuked thee yesterday †Laban answered him The daughters are mine and the children and thy flockes and al things that thou seest are mine what can I do to my daughters and nephews †Come therfore let vs enter in league that it may be for a testimonie betwen me and thee †Iacob therfore tooke a stone and erected it for a title †and he said to his brethren Being hither stones Who gethering them 〈…〉 mâ—â—e a heape and they did eate vpon it †Which Laban called The witnesse heape and Iacob called The hillock of testimonie either of them according to the proprietie of his language †And Laban said This heape shal be a witnes betwen me and thee this day and therfore the name therof was called Galaad that is The witnes heape †Our Lord behold and iudge betwen vs when we shal be departed one from the other †if thou shalt afflict my daughters and if thou bring in other wiues ouer them none is witnes of our talke but God who is present and beholdeth †And he said againe to Iacob Behold this heape and the stone which I haue erected betwen me and thee †shal be a witnes this heape I say and the stone be they for a testimonie if either I shal passe beyond it going towards thee or thou shalt passe beyond it thinking harme to me †The God of Abraham and the God of Nachor iudge betwen vs the God of their father Iacob therfore sware by the feare of his father Isaac †and after he had offred victimes in the mountaine he called his brethren to eate bread Who when they had eaten lodged there †but Laban arising in the night kissed his sonnes and daughters and blessed them and returned vnto his place ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXXI 19. Idâ—ls Images of false goddes as these were are most properly called idols And so the hebrew word Teraphim is here rightly translated idols which in other places signifieth other things As The statua which Michol put in Dauids bed couering the head therof with a hearie goates skinne to deceiue Saules seriants who sought Dauids death is called Teraphim and may there be translated a statua image or similitude but not an idol Againe Osee the Prophet fortelling the lamentable state of the Israelites sayeth they shal be long without King prince sacrifice altar ephod and Teraphim which last word in the Protestants English Bibles remaineth vntranslated VVhere if they had translated Images as here they doe it would proue that some images pertaine to true religion the want wherof is lamented among other principal things These idol Rachel stole from her father to withdraw him from idolatrie as S. Basil in lib. Prouerb S. Gregorie Nazianzen orat de Paschaâ—e and Theodoret q. 89. in Gen. expound it And in this saith Theodoret she was a right figure of the Catholique Church which depriueth idolaters of their idols It is probable also by her base vsing of them that she held them not for goddes when she put them vnder the camels litter and sate vpon them Finally that she reserued them and did not cast them away nor burne nor burie them argueth that they were perhaps of precious mettal or other matter which she might turne to profite and that lawfully in part of recompence that she and her sister had no other dowrie but rather were sold toâ—acob VVho also had suffered much iniurie at their fathers handes CHAP. XXXII Angels mete Iacob by
the gaine and increase that riseth therof c. For whatsoeuer you bestow vpon Gods priests he accounteth it as bestowed on himself And he that so bestoweth shal not only receiue like retrbution but manifold greater our merciful God alwayes of the abundance of his mercie exceeding the things which are done by vs. Let vs not therfore be worse then infidels who for the error of idols gaue so much to their seruants for how much error and truth do differ so much difference is there betwen theirs and Gods Priests Thus much and something more writeth S. Chrisostom vpon this place 22. Priests The Hebrew word Cohenim is here vniuersally translated Priests in al languages and Editions which chap. 40. v. 45. some translate Prince and more probably 2. Reg. 8. v. vlt. where Dauids sonnes are called Cohenim who were in dede Princes and not properly Priests But in this present place it signifieth those to whom Pharao alowed particular prouision in the time of dearth which al vnderstand of Priests and not of Princes 30. I vvil sleepe vvith my fathers Albeit neither the lack of burial nor anie crueltie nor contumelie vsed against dead bodies can annoy the iust for those that kil mens bodies can aftervvards doe them noe more harme yet it is both a lawful natural desire and a spiritual comfort and profit to be buried in special places where their owne frends or holie persons are buried or where God is more specialy serued Sacrifice and other prayers offered And so both Iaeob and Ioseph desired to rest in the land of Chanaan where their parents were buried and where Christ should be borne and redeeme mākind But wordlie pompe and honour of funerals are rather the cōfort of the liuing then the reliefe of the departed as S. Augustin teacheth in Psal 115. For in the sight of men the troupe of seruants saith the same S. Augustin lib. 1. c. 13. de ciuit made solemne and glorious exequies to the rich glutton that was cloathed in silk and fared delicately in his life but in the sight of God the Angels ministerie made far more excellent to poore Lazarus though they caried not his bodie into a marble tombe but his soule into Abrahams bosome 31. To the beds head S. Paul alleaging this place saith Iacob adored the top of Ioseph his rod folowing the Septuagint who for the same Hebrew word being without points that is without vowels in this place say rod and in the next chapter v. 2. interpret bed For Matteh signifieth a rod and Mittah a bed The Latin rherfore translating bed as the Hebrew is pointed and the Septuagint and S. Paule reading rod both are true and both together expresse the whole action that Iacob taking Iosephs rod into his hand and turning to the beds head leaned on the top of the rod and adored not only God the Lord and geuer of al good but also his sonne Ioseph now the chiefe ruler and Prince of Aegypt as S. Augustin expoundeth q 162. in Gen. And herein saith S. Chrisostom ho 66 Iosephs dreame was fulfilled that the sunne and moone should adore him The like saith Theodoret q. 108 in Gen And Procopius addeth that Iacob adoring Iosephs rod adored also Christs kingdome prefigured by the same rod. But how adoration of creatures redoundeth to the honour of God more is noted vpon the said place of S. Paul Heb. 11. CHAP. XLVIII Ioseph visiteth his father being sick 5. Who adopteth his two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim 13. and blesseth them preferring the younger before the elder contrarie to Iosephs mind 22. And geueth a portion of land to Ioseph aboue his brethren THESE things beīng so done it was told Ioseph that his father was sicke who taking his two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim went forward †And it was told the old man Behold thy sonne Ioseph cometh to thee Who being strengthned sate on his bed †And Ioseph being entred in to him he said God almightie appeared to me in Luza which is in the Land of Chanaan and he blessed me †and sayd I wil increase and multiplie thee and make thee into multitudes of peoples and I wil geue thee this land and to thy sede after thee for an euerlasting possession †Thy two sonnes therfore which were borne to thee in the Land of Aegypt before I came hither to thee shal be myne Ephraim and Manasses as Ruben and Simeon shal be reputed to me †But the rest begotten of thee after them shal be thyne and shal be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions †For vnto me when I came out of Mesopotamia Rachel dyed in the land of Chanaan in the very iourney and it was spring time and I entered into Ephrata and buried her by the way side to Ephrata which by an other name is called Bethleem †And seeing his sonnes he said to him Who are theise †He answered They are my sonnes whom God hath geuen me in this place Bring them quoth he to me that I may blesse them †For Israels eyes were dymme by reason of very great age and he could not see clearly And when they were set beside him kissing and embracing them †he said to his sonne I am not defrauded of thy sight moreouer God hath shewed me thy sede †And when Ioseph had taken them from his fathers lappe he adored prostrate vnto the ground †And he set Ephraim on his right hand that is on the left hand of Israel but Manasses on his owne left hand to wit on his fathers right hand and put them nere to him †Who “ stretching forth his right hand put it vpon the head of Ephraim the younger brother and the left vpon the head of Manasses that was the elder “ changing handes †And Iacob blessed the sonnes of Ioseph and said God in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac haue walked God that feedeth me from my youth vntil this present day †“ The Angel that deliuereth me from al euils blesse these children and be my name called vpon them the names also of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and grow they into a multitude vpon the earth †And Ioseph seing that his father had put his right hand vpon the head of Ephraim tooke it heauily and taking his fathers hand he went about to lift it from Ephraims head and to remoue it vpon the head of Manasses †And he said to his father It is not conuenient father so to be because this is the first begotten put thy right hand vpon his head †Who refusing said I know my sonne I know and this same in dede shal be into peoples and shal be multiplied but his younger brother shal be greater then he and his sede shal growe into nations †And he blessed them at that time saying In thee shal Israel be blessed and it shal be said God do vnto thee as vnto Ephraim and as vnto Manasses And
he sette Ephraim before Manasses †And he said to Ioseph his sonne Behold I dye and God wil be with you and wil bring you backe into the land of your fathers †I doe geue thee one portion aboue thy brethren which I tooke out of the hand of the Amorrhean with my sword and bowe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLVIII 14. Streatching forth his right hand As nature hath made the right hand readier to moue stronger to worke and resist and apter to frame and fashion anie thing so generally we vse it more then the left And when we vse both handes at once we ordinarily applie the right hand to the greater and more excellent effect both in spiritual and corporal things As in confirmation of fidelitie or freindship in blessing writing fieghting playing and in most others things we vse the right hand either only or chiefly So the Patriarch Iacob laide his right hand vpon Ephraim knowing by prophetical spirite that he should be preferred before his elder brother Manasses Literally fulfilled in Iosue Ieroboam and other chief Princes of Ephraims issue And mystically in the Gentils being later called of God and yet preferred before the Iewes S. Cypri li. 1. c. 21. aduer Iudeos S. Amb. li. de Benedict Patriarch c. 1. S. Aug. li. 16. c. 42. de ciuit c. 14. Changing handes The mysterie of the Gentils excelling the Iewes in time of grace often prefigured by preferring the younger brother before the elder Abel before Cain Abraham before Nachor Isaac before Ismael Iacob himself before Esau and now Ephraim before Manasses is here further represented by Iacobs forming of a crosse with his armes laied one ouer the other when he blessed his two nephewes who otherwise might haue laied his right hand first vpon one and then vpon the other or haue caused them to change places but he wittingly crossed his armes and changed his handes or according to the Hebrew made his handes vnderstand that is by his handes made it to be vnderstood not only that the younger should be in place of the elder Ephraim before Manasses and much more the Gentiles before the Iewes but also that this greater Mysterie should be effected by Christ dying on a Crosse For what els could the verie crossing of his armes so wittingly and purposly done signifie but the forme and figure of Christs Crosse As els where the wood which young Isaac caried on his back vnto the mountaine prefigured the mattet or substance of the same Crosse Al accomplished when Christ was crucified wherby the Iewes were scandalized and the Gentiles called and saued Our Sauiour himselfe for telling that he being exalted to wit vpon the Crosse vvould dravv al vnto himself And S. Paul teaching that Christ sastned the hand vvriting that vvas against vs vpon the Crosse 16. The Angel that deliuereth me It is euident by this plaine text that Iacob was deliuered from euiles by an Angel and that he inuocated the same Angel to blesse his nephewes S. Basil li. 3. cont Eunom in initio sheweth by this place amongst others that an Angel is present with euerie one as a pedagogue and pastour directing his life S. Chrysostom also ho. 7. in land S. Pauli citeth this place in testimonie that proper Angels are deputed to protect men Yet Protestants say that this Angel must be vnderstood of Christ remitting their glosse to the. 31. ca. v. 13. and 32. v. 1. of Genesis where it can not be proued But the ancient Fathers teach the patronage Iuuocation of Angels grounded in holie Scripture Namely in this place and manie other places in the old Testament Also Mat 18. Act. 12. 1. Cor. 11. the like For example S. Iustinus Martyr in explic qq necess q. 30. affirming it for a knowen truth declareth that those Angels which receiue the charge of guardiÌ„g men coÌ„tinew the same office either to both soule and bodie or to the soule after it is parted from the bodie S. Cyril of Alexandria lib. 4. cont Iulian. prope init shewing how God vseth the ministerie of holie Angels for mens saluation saith Hi noxias a nobis abigunt feras c. These Angels driue away noysome wildbeasts from vs and reskew those that are caught from their crueltie and teach what soeuer is laudable to make our passage free and not pestered when with vs they glorifie one soueraigne God S. Chrysostom ho. 60 in Math 18 S. Hierome vpon the same place S. Ambrose in Psal 38. S. Augustin li. 83. qq q. 79. li. Soliloq c 27. S Gregorie li. 4. c. 31. in 3 Iob S. Bernard ser 5. Dedicat. Eccles ser 12. in Psal 90. others so vniuersally teach the same that Caluin li. Instit c. 14. sect 38. dare not denie it and yet wil nedes doubt of it 16. Be my name called vpon them This place hath two good literal senses For first it importeth that Ephraim and Manasses were made participant among the Tribes of the blessings of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Secondly that God would blesse them for Abraham Isaac and Iacobs sake so Moyses praying for the whole people Exodi 32. besought God to remember Abraham Isaac and Israel and God was therwith pacified CHAP. XLIX Iacob replenished with the spirite of prophecie a litle before his death fortelleth his sonnes manie things that shal happen to their posteritie Chargeth some of them with faultes past blesseth euerie one 29. Appointeth where to burie him 32. and dyeth AND Iacob called his sonnes and said to them Come together that I may shew you the things that shal come to you in the last dayes †Come together and heare you sonnes of Iacob heare ye Israel your father †Ruben my first begotten thou art my strength and the begining of my sorow former in giftes greater in empyre †Thou art poured out as water encrease thou not “ because thou diddest ascend thy fathers bed and diddest defile his coutch †Simeon and Leui brethren “ vessels of iniquitie warring †Into their counsel come not my soule and in their congregation be not my glorie because in their furie they slew a man and in their wilfulnes they vndermined a wall †Cursed be their furie because it is stubborne and their indignation because it is hard I wil diuide them in Iacob and wil disperse them in Israel †Iudas thee thy brethren shal praise thy hand shal be in the neck of thyne enemies thy fathers children shal adore thee †A lions whelp Iudas to the pray my sonne thou didst ascend taking thy rest thou didst lye as a lion and as it were a lyonesse who shal raise him vp †“ The scepter shal not BE TAKEN away from Iudas and a duke out of his thigh til he doe come that is to be sent and the same shal be the expectation of the gentiles †Tying to the vineyard his colt and to the vine o my sonne his â—he asse “ He shal
as to one Lord if I haue found grace in thy sight goe not past thy seruant and by and by as to manie VVash yee your feete In like maner Moyses sometimes speaketh plurally as of manie There appeared to him three men they saied VVhere is Sara sometimes singularly He said I wil come So Lot Gen. 19. spake to two Angels representing the Sonne of God and the Holie Ghost one God with the Father first as to manie I besech you my Lordes turne into the house of your seruant after as to one I besech thee my Lord because thy seruant hath found grace before thee VVho likewise answered as one only I haue heard thy prayer Againe Moyses sheweth distinction of Persons in God saying v. 24. Our Lord rained from our Lord. Ioâ— also who liued in this age and his frendes professed and serued the same one God auouching him to be the onlie God and Lord that geueth and taketh away Chap. 1. 2. He the maker and peculiar Keeper of men He that taketh away sinne and iniquitie c. 7. He that doth great things incomprehensible and meruelous wherof there is no number c. 9. And that with termes appropriated to the three diuine Persons c. 26. In his strength sodainly the seas are gathered togeather and with his wisedom he stroke the proud man His Spirite hath adorned the heauens The same Mysterie of pluralitie of Persons in one God is more clere by the Hebrevv text chap. 30. v. 11. and 35. v. 10. where the same actions are ascribed to God as to one and as to manie But most euident are the promises figures and prophecies of Christ our Redemer For besides present abundance of riches promise of great progenie and that the same should possesse the fruitful Lâ—ad of Chanaan three special blessings of the old Testament God promised Abraham a farre greater thing Gen. 12. that in his seede al nations and kindreds of the earth should be blessed In confirmation whereof God also changed his name Abram high or noble father into Abraham Father of manie nations Gen. 17. And so he was natural father of foure great Kingdomes Ismaelites Madianites Idumeans and Israelites but spiritual father of manie more to wit of al that beleue in Christ Iewes and Gentiles from that time to the worlds end The same promises of possessing Chaanan and of Christ vvere renevved and confirmed to Isaac Gen. 26. in like sorte to Iacob 28. for they pertained not to Ismael nor to the other sonnes of Abraham nor to Esau Moreouer Christ our Redemer and deliuerer from sinne and captiuitie of the diuel was prefigured by Abraham at last deliuering those from captiuitie who otherwise endeuoring to shake of the yoke of Cordorlahomor fel further into subiection and bondage Gen. 14. Also Melchisedech King and Priest of vnknowen generation extraordinarie vocation without predecessor or successor prefigured Christ King and Priest for euer who not by successors but by Priests his vicars perpetually exerciseth al Priestlie functions Likewise Isaac borne aboue the common course of nature Gen. 21 singularly beloued of his father carying wood on his back for the sacrificing of himselfe 22. Iacob flying his brother Esau 27. hardly treated by Laban 31. yet alwayes inuincible against his aduersaries 32. Ioseph hated of his brethren sold and deliuered to Gentiles 37. By them also persecuted 39. but afterwardes aduanced and called the Sauiour of the world 41. Iust Iob vehemently afflicted Moyses hidden for a while then exposed to danger and thence deliuered afterwards manifesting him selfe to his brethren by them reiected bewrayed and flying from Pharao Exo. 2. returning againe Exod. 3. 4. c. and at last deliuering the Israelites from bondage of Aegypt Exo 14 And manie other things as the ramme sacrificed in place of Isaac Gen. 22. the ladder of Iacob Gen 28. Iosephs scepter 47. Aarons rodde Exo. 7. Paschal lambe 12. prefigured Christ borne of a Virgin the onlie Sonne of God sometimes hidden other times conuersant with men hated persecuted sold betraied who caried his ovvne crosse was sacrificed vanquished al his enimies aduanced and acknowledged the true Sauiour of the world Redemer and deliuerer of mankind from seruitude slauerie thraldome and bondage of sinne death and the diuel Againe Abraham prophecied that of his seede Christ our Sauiour should be borne when he saied to his seruant Gen. 24. Put thy hand vnder my thigh that I may adiure thee by our Lord God of heauen earth that is by Christ who should come of his loynes as S. Hierom Tradit Heb. in Gen. et explic Psal 44. S. Ambrose li. 1. c. 9. de Abraham and S. Augustin q. 62. in Gen. et li. 16. c. 33. ciuit expound it More euidently Iacob Gen. 49. The scepter shal not be taken away from Iudas and a duke of his thigh til he do come that is to be sent and the same shal be the expectation of the Gentiles Iob as planely I know that my redemer liueth Moyses foreknowing that Christ the true Redemer and chiefe Lawgiuer should be sent praied God to hasten his mission saying I besech thee Lord send whom thou wilt send Exod. 4. External Sacrifice was frequent and solemne as the soueraigne homage to God And manie Altares erected by Abraham for that purpose Gen. 12. 13. 15. 22. Vnbloudie in bread and wine by Melchisdech Gen. 14. other liquide sacrifices Gen. 35. v. 14 offered by Iacob with dedication of the place called Bethel the house of God which he also before hand promised by vow Gen 28. Diuers other Sacrifices offered by Isaac and Iacob Gen 26. 31. 33. 36. By Iob and his frends Iob. 1. 42. by Moyses Aaron and other ancients of Israel Exod. 12. Al which consequently shew Priesthood whose proper office is to offer Sacrifice though amongst al the aboue named onlie Melchisedech was called a Priest And among the gentiles we finde that Putiphar Gen. 41. and Iethro Ex. 3. whose daughters Ioseph and Moyses maried were called Priests or as the word Cohenim doth also signifie Princes for they were great and eminent men in their countries At least those that by special priuilege were exempted from selling their landes to Pharao and had not withstanding prouision of mantenance in time of dearth Gen. 47. were properly called Priests for such function as they had in seruing their idols For where vvas true and right Sacrifice there vvere also right Priests and vvhere Idololatrical sacrifice there were like Priests and vvhere no external sacrifice at al as amongst Protestants there are no Priests but ministers only In this age also long before Moyses the Sacrament of Circumcision vvas giuen to Abraham for distinction of Gods selected and peculiar people and for remedy of original sinne in the male sexe of Abrahams seede and others of his communitie In the other sexe and other generations former remedies of sacrifice or other
profession of faith were auailable For other sinnes not only internal repentance was necessarie which vvas euer principally required therfore Ioseph dealt so seuerly vvith his brethren til they had hartis sorow and contrition for their sinnes but also certaine external purifications as vvashing and changing garments vvere ordained Gen. 35. Mariage though not then a Sacrament yet was religiously regarded with special care of faith and religion in the choise of persons Gen. 24. 27 v. 46. c. 28. v. 1. and of certaine degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie Adulterie was punishable by death Gen. 38. and in no wise counted lawful no not among the heathen Gen. 12. 20. 24. 26. 29. 34. 39. Pluralitie of vviues in some persons and cases lawful in the lavv of nature Gen. 16. 25. 29. as also afterwards in the lavv of Moyses not in the law of grace nor euer pluralitie of husbands Spiritual blessing a preeminence of greater persons so Melchisedech blessed Abraham Gen. 14. Isaac blessed Iacob c. 27. and Iacob his sonnes c. 49. and the sonnes of Ioseph with imposition of handes and framing the forme of a crosse 48. Other Ceremonies of oyle and wine Gen. 28. 35. sprinkling the bloud of the Paschal lambe eating the lambe standing with their loynes gyrded shooes on their feete staues in their handes and with speede Exo. 12 Musical instruments in Diuine seruice Exod. 15. Christes Baptisme prefigured by Circumcision Gen. 17. for Christians are circuÌ„cised saith S. Paul in the Circumcision of Christ buried with him in Baptisme Also by the cloude vvhich stoode betwene the Aegyptians and Israelites lightning the night on the one side tovvards Gods people dark on the other tovvards their enemies and by the redde sea vvhich saued the children of Israel and drovvned the Aegyptians Exo. 14. Al were baptised in the cloude and in the sea So the bread and vvine offered by Melchisedech the Paschal lambe and vnleauened bread prefigured the B. Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christs bodie and bloud in formes of bread and wine Iacob also prophecied of this most excellent Mysterie Gen. 49. He shal wash his stole in wine and his cloke in the bloud of the grape In like sorte Melchisedechs Priesthood was a plaine figure of Christs Priesthood who first by himself consecrated and offered his ovvne bodie and bloud and stil doth the same by his Priests handes of the new Testament Diuers other Rites were knovven and obserued by Tradition So Abraham paied Tythes to his spiritual Superior Gen. 1â— taught his children and familie to keepe the way of our Lord. and doe iudgement and iustice Gen. 18. v. 19. Isaac and Iacob kept and taught the Ordinances Preceptes and Ceremonies of their ancesters vvithout Lavves or precepts vvritten Gen. 26. Iudas commanded his second sonne to take the widovv of his brother deceased without children Gen. 38. The children of Israel abstained from eating the sinevv of the thigh in remembrance that the sinew of Iacobs thigh was shrunke Gen. 32. Freewil in men proued by that Iosephs brethren in selling him thought euil not moued nor inclined therto by God who had no part in their euil thought but turned it to good Gen. 50. by Gods threatning Pharao Exo. 8 If thou wilt not dismisse Israel VVhich were vniust if Pharao could not doe otherwise Likewise by that Pharao often changed his mind sometimes promising to dismisse the Hebrewes and againe refusing to doe it which sheweth saieth Theodoret freewil of the mind and by Gods preuention of rentations leading the Israelites not the neerest way but by the desert lest perhaps it would repent them and they would returne into Aegypt Exod. 13 Mans consent therfore is free notwithstanding Gods wil direction and commaundement And so his industry is required in his dailie affaires and then to relie on Gods prouidence otherwise only to expect Gods wil operation or protection man himself endeuoring nothing is to tempt God Therfore Abraham Gen. 12. Isaac c. 26. Iacob ca. 32. and the parents of Moyses Exo. 2 being in feare and distresse vsed al prudence to auoid imminent dangers albeit they had special reuelations of safetie and happie successe Neither doth God euer tempt anie man to sinne but proueth his seruants and maketh them knowen to the world for example of others and their owne merit Gen. 22. Iob. 1. 2. c. Onlie faith doth not iustifie nor workes without saith but both together do iustifie and are meritorious so Abraham beleued God because he is omnipotent and truth it selfe and it was reputed to him vnto iustice Gen. 15. but this faith was not sole for it had hope loue obedience and other vertues adioyned and so his beleuing was an act of iustice In like maner Abraham was iustified by workes offering Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Gen. 22. but this worke presupposed faith that God is able to raise euen from the dead So by workes faith is consummate By hospitalitie Abraham and Lâ—t vnawares receiued Angels to harbour Gen. 18. 19. Abraham was perfect according to perfection of this life Gen. 17. most highly commended for foure more notorious actes proceding of two special vertues faith and obedience The first was his promot obedience in leauing his countrie and kindred going he knew not whither nor how farâ—â— simply and cherfully expecting Gods further direction when to goe and where to abide Gen. 12. The second was his excellent faith presently beleeuing Gods promise which by al humane reason semed vnpossible that he should haue innumerable progenie Gen. 15. The third was that he did not only most sincerly and religiously serue God but also taught his posteritie so to do as God himself testifieth of him saying I know that he wil command his children and his house after him that they kepe the way of the Lord and do iudgement and iustice Gen. 18. The fourth was that most heroical act of obedience admirable to al ages being readie to kil and sacrifice his owne most dearly beloued sonne Isaac For which God sware by himself that he would manie waies blesse him because sateth God thou hast obeyed my voice Gen. 22. He prayed for Sodom and had preuailed if tenne iust persons had benne found in that citie Gen. 18. And Lot was deliuered from thence for Abrahams sake Gen. 19. Isaac was also of most sincere mind deuout to God exercised himself in meditation or mental prayer Gen. 24. obtained by prayer his desire of issue Gen. 25. Likewise Iacob is described in the holie text a plaine or sincere and innocent man Gen. 25. v. 27. patient and constant in tribulations Gen. 29. 31. 32. 33. He lawfully purchased Esaus consent of the firstbirthright Gen 25. v. 31. He neither lied nor otherwise sinned when he answered his father that he was Esau his first begotten sonne Gen. 27. but spake truth in mystical sense agreable to
Abner the sonne of Ner came to the king and he dismissed him and he departed in peace †And Ioab went in to the king and said What hast thou done Behold Abner came to thee why didst thou dismisse him and he is gone and departed †knowest thou not Abner the sonne of Ner that to this end he came to thee that he might deceiue thee and might know thy going out and thy coming in and vnderstand al things that thou doest †Ioab therfore being gone from Dauid sent messengers after Abner and brought him backe from the cesterne Sira Dauid being ignorant therof †And when Abner was returned into Heborn Ioab brought him aside to the middes of the gate to spake vnto him in guile and stroke him there in the priuie partes and he died in reuenge of the bloud of Asael his brother †Which when Dauid had heard that the thing was now done he said I am innocent and my kingdom before God for euer from the bloud of Abner the sonne of Ner †and come it vpon the head of Ioab and vpon al his fathers house neither let there fayle of the house of Ioab one hauing a fluxe of seede and a leper and houlding the distaffe and falling by the sword lacking bread †Ioab therefore and Abisai his brother slewe Abner because he had killed Asael their brother in Gabaon in the battel †And Dauid said to Ioab and to al the people that were with him Rent your garmentes and be girded with sacke clothes and mourne before the funeral of Abner Moreouer king Dauid folowed the beere †And when they had buried Abner in Hebron king Dauid lifted vp his voice and wept vpon the graue of Abner and al the people also wept †And the king mourning and lamenting Abner sayd Not as cowardes are wont to die hath Abner died †Thy handes were not bound and thy feete were not loden with fetters but as men are wont to fal before the children of iniquitie so art thou fallen And al the people dubling it wept vpon him †And when al the multitude was come to take meate with Dauid when it was yet cleere day Dauid sware saying These thinges do God to me and these adde he if before sunne set I shal tast bread or any thing els †And al the people heard and al thinges pleased them which the king did in the sight of al the people †And al the people knewe and al Israel in that day that it was not the kinges doing that Abner the sonne of Ner was slayne †The king also said to his seruantes Are you ignorant that a prince and the greatest is slayne this day in Israel †But I as yet delicate and annointed king moreouer the the sonnes of Saruia are hard to me our Lord reward him that doth euil according to his malice CHAP. IIII. Baana and Rechab secretly kil Ioboseth 8. bring his head to Dauid 9. who condemning their fact putteth them to death AND Isboseth the sonne of Saul heard that Abner was slaine in Hebron and his handes were weakened and al Israel was trubled †And the sonne of Saul had two men captaynes of robbers the name of one Baana and the name of the other Rechab the sonnes of Rhemmon the Berothite of the sonnes of Beniamin for Beroth also was accounted in Beniamin †And the Berothites fled into Gethaim and were there strangers vntil that time †And Ionathas the sonne of Saul had a sonne lame in his feete for he was fiue yeares old when the tydinges came of Saul and Ionathas from Iezrahel his nurse therefore taking him fled and when she made hast to flee he fel and was made lame and he was called Miphiboseth †Therefore the sonnes of Rhemmon the Berothite Rachab and Baana coming entered into the house of Isboseth in the heat of the day who slept vpon his bed at noone †And they entered into the house secretely taking eares of corne and Rechab and Baana his brother stroke him in priuy partes and fled †And when they were entred into the house he slept vpon his bed in a parler and striking they killed him and taking away his head they went by the way of the desert al night †And brought the head of Isboseth to Dauid into Hebron and they said to the king Behold the head of Isboseth the sonne of Saul thine enemie who sought thy life and our Lord hath geuen my lord the king this day reuenge of Saul and of his seede †But Dauid answering Rechab and Baana his brother the sonnes of Rhemmon the Berothite and sayd to them our Lord liueth which hath deliuered my soule out of al distresse †for so much as him that told me and said Saul is dead who thought that he told prosperous thinges I apprehended and slewe him in Siceleg to whom I should haue geuen a reward for his tydinges †How much more now when wicked men haue slaine an innocent man in his owne house vpon his bed shal I not require his bloud of your hand and take you away from the earth †Dauid therefore commanded his seruantes and they slew them and cutting of their hands and feete hanged them ouer the poole in Hebron but the head of Isboseth they tooke and buried in the sepulcher of Abner in Hebron CHAP. V. VVith general consent Dauid is annointed king of al Israel 7. He taketh the towre of Sion in Ierusalem destroying the Iebuseites 9. buildeth there a new house 13 marieth more wiues and hath more children 17. The Philiflym rising against him are ouerthrowen 22. also the second time AND al the tribes of Israel came to Dauid in Hebron saying Behold we are thy bone and thy flesh †Yea and yesterday also and the day before when Saul was king ouer vs thou wast he that didst leade vs forth and bring backe Israel and our Lord sayd to thee Thou shalt feede my people Israel and thou shalt be prince ouer Israel †The ancientes also of Israel came to the king into Hebron and king Dauid made a league with them in Hebron before our Lord and they annointed Dauid to be king ouer Israel †Thirtie yeares old was Dauid when he began to reigne and he reigned fourtie yeares †In Hebron he reigned ouer Iuda seuen yeares and six monethes and in Ierusalem he reigned three and thirtie yeares ouer al Israel Iuda †And the king went al the men that were with him into Ierusalem to the Iebuseite the inhabiter of the land they said to Dauid Thou shalt not come in hither vnlesse thou take away the blind and the lame saying Dauid shal not come in hither †But Dauid tooke the towre of Sion this is the citie of Dauid †For Dauid had proposed in that day a reward to whosoeuer should strike the Iebuseite and touch the gutters of the house toppes and take away the blind and the lame that hated the soule of Dauid
quickly diuided after Salomons death and a smal part left to his sonne Roboam And after the captiuitie in Babilon his seede bad onlie title and right without possession of royal throne Againe 2. Reg. 22. The same royal prophet in his Canticle of thankes geuing and last prophetical wordes chap. 23. much preferreth the spiritual kingdome of Christ before the earthlie kingdome of the Iewes But most specially and plainly in the Psalmes Psal 2. Why did the Gentiles rage peoples meditate vaine thinges Signifying that the furie of al aduersaries rageth in vaine against Christ and his Church For I am appointed by him King sayth Christ to his Father ouer Sion his holie hil I wil geue thee sayth God to his Sonne the Gentiles for thine inheritance and thy possession the endes of the earth Psal 17. A people which I knew not hath serued me Psal 44. The Queene the Church stood on thy right hand in golden rayment compassed with varietie of vertues and diuers sortes of holie professions Psal 47. Mount Sion is founded with the exultation of the whole earth For euer and euer he Christ shal rule vs euermore Psal 86. Glorious thinges are sayd of thee ô citie of God But omitting innumerable other such textes the 88. Psalme conteyneth a large prophecie of Christ and his Church where S. Augustin geueth vs this brief admonition Christiani estis Christum agnoscite You are Christians agnize Christ I wil put joyth God his hand in the sea Christs dominion in the Gentiles and his right hand in the riuers al sortes shal serue him He shal be high aboue the kinges of the earth Of the Church he addeth I wil put his seede for euer and euer and his throne as the dayes of heauen Neither do sinnes frustrate this promise of God therfore it foloweth But if his children shal forsake my law and wil not walke in my iudgements If they shal profane my iustices and not keepe my commandements VVhat then wil Christ for al this abandon his Church as he did the old Synagogue of which God sayth Deut. 32. They haue prouoked me in that which was no God and I wil prouoke them in that which is no people Not so How then I wil visite sayth our Lord their iniquities with a rodde and their sinnes with stripes But my mercie I wil not take away from him This is a strong Firmament sayth S. Augustin God promiseth yea sweareth and vvil not lie to Dauid that his seede shal continew for euer His throne as the Sunne in Gods sight and the Moone perfected for euer So this great Doctor â—heweth by holie Scriptures against the Donatistes and in them against Protestantes that the militant Church of Christ hath benne stil and shal be visible during this transitorie world CHAP. VII Salomons palace 2. his house in the forrest 8. and the quenes house is built 13. Two great brasen pillers 23. asea or lauer 27. tenne brasen ferte 38. tenne lesse lauatorics and other vessels and implementes pertaining to the Temple adorned vvith images of Angels and other creatures are further described AND his owne house Salomon built in thirtene yeares and brough it to perfection †He built also the house of the forest of Libanus of an hundred cubites in length and fiftie cubites in bredth and thirtie cubites in height and foure score galleries betwen pillers of ceder for he had cut ceder trees into pillers †And he decked the whole vaut with bordes of ceder which was held vp with fiue and fourtie pillers And one order had fiften pillers †set one against an other †and looked one ouer against an other with equal space betwen the pillers and ouer the pillers square beames in al equal †And the porche of the pillers he made of fiftie cubites in length and thirtie cubites in bredth and an other porche before the greater porche and pillers and toppes vpon the pillers †He made also the porche of the throne wherein the seate of iudgement is and couered it with ceder wood from the pauement vnto the toppe †And the litle house where they sate in iudgement was in the middes of the porche of like worke He made also a house for the daughter of Pharao which Salomon had taken to wife of such worke as also this porche †Al of chosen stones which were sawed by a certain rule measure both within without from the fundation to the toppe of the walles without vnto the greater courte †And the fundations of chosen stones great stones of ten or eight cubites †And aboue there were hewed chosen stones of equal measure and in like maner of ceder †And the greater court round with three rewes of hewed stones and one rew of planed ceder moreouer also in the inner court of the house of our Lord and in the porche of the house †King Salomon also sent and tooke Hiram from Tyre †the sonne of a widow woman of the tribe of Nepthali his father a Tyrian an artificer in brasse and ful of wisdom and intelligence and skil to make al worke of brasse Who when he was come to king Salomon made al his worke †And he cast two brasen pillers of eightene cubites in height one piller and a line of twelue cubites compassed both pillers †He made also two litle heades which should be put vpon the heades of the pillers cast of brasse fiue cubites high one litle head and fiue cubites the other litle head †and as it were in maner of a nette and of cheynes knitte one to the other with maruelous worke Both litle heades of the pillers were cast seuen rewes of litle nettes in one litle head seuen litle nettes in the other litle head †And finished the pillers and two rewes round about euerie nette that they might couer the litle heades which were ouer the toppe of the pomegranates in like maner did he also to the second litle head †And the litle heades that were vpon the heades of the pillers were made as it were with lilie worke in the porche of foure cubites †And againe other litle heades in the toppe of the pillers about according to the measure of the piller against the litle nettes and of the pomegranates were two hundred rewes round about the second litle head †And he sette two pillers in the porche of the temple and when he had erected the piller on the right hand he called the name therof Iachin in like maner he erected the second piller and called the name therof Booz †And vpon the heades of the pillers he put a worke in maner of a lilie and the worke of the pyllers was perfected †He made also a sea of founders worke of ten cubites from brimme to brimme round in coÌ„passe the height therof was of fiue cubites and a corde of thirtie cubites did compasse it round about †And the grauing vnder the briÌ„me
garder therof †And Eliseus sayd to him fetch a bow and arrowes And when he had brought him a bow and arrowes †he sayd to the king of Israel Put thy hand vpon the bow And when he had put his hand Eliseus put his handes ouer the kinges handes †and sayd Open the east window And when he had opened it Eliseus sayd Shote an arrow And he shot And Eliseus sayd The arrow of the saluation of our Lord and the arrow of saluation agaynst Syria and thou shalt strike Syria in Aphec til thou consume it †And he sayd Take vp the arrowes Who when he had taken them agayne he sayd to him Strike the earth with a iauelin And when he had striken three times and stood stil †the man of God was angrie with him sayd If thou hadst striken fiue or six or seuen times thou hadst striken Syria euen to destruction but now three times shalt thou strike it †Eliseus therfore died and they buried him And the rouers of Moab came into the land the same yeare †And certayne persons burying a man saw the rouers and threw the bodie in the sepulchre of Eliseus Which when it had touched the bones of Eliseus the man reuiued and stood vpon his feete †Hazael therfore the king of Syria afflicted Israel al the daies of Ioachaz †and our Lord had mercie on them and returned to them for his couenant which he had with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and he would not destroy them nor vtterly cast them away vntil this present time †And Hazael the king of Syria died and Benadad his sonne reigned for him †Moreouer Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz tooke the cities out of the hand of Benadad the sonne of Hazael which he had taken out of the hand of Ioachaz his father by the right of warre three times did Ioas strike him and he deliuered the cities to Israel CHAP. XIIII Amasias king of Iudakilleth those that had slaine his father 7. and striketh Edom. 8. Prouoking Ioas king of Israel to warre receiueth a contemtible answer 11. prouoking againe is beaten in battle and Ierusalem is ransact 15. Ioas dieth and his sonne Ieroboam foloweth the bad steppes of the first Ieroboam yet recouereth manie places lost before and dying his sonne Zacharias reigneth IN the second yeare of Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel reigned Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda †Fiue and twentie yeares old was he when he began to reigne and nine and twentie yeares he reigned in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Ioadan of Ierusalem †And he did right before our Lord but yet not as Dauid his father He did according to al thinges which Ioas his father did †but this onlie that he tooke not away the excelses for yet the people immolated and burnt incense in the excelses †And when he obtayned the kingdom he smote his seruantes which had slaine the king his father †but their children that killed him he did not put to death according to that which is written in the booke of the law of Moyses as our Lord commanded saying The fathers shal not die for the children neither shal the children die for the fathers but euerie one shal die in his owne sinne †He smote Edom in the Vail of Salt pittes ten thousand and tooke the rocke in battel and called the name therof Iectehel vntil this present daye †Then Amasias sent messengers to Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the sonne of Iehu the king of Israel saying Come let vs see one an other †And Ioas the king of Israel sent agayne to Amasias the king of Iuda saying A thistle of Libanus sent to a cedar tree which is in Libanus saying Geue thy daughter to my sonne to wife And the beastes of the forest that are in Libanus passed and trode the thistle †Thou striking hast preuayled ouer Edom and thy hart hath puffed thee vp be content with the glorie and sit in thy house Why prouokest thou euil that thou mayst fal and Iuda with thee †And Amasias agreed not And Ioas the king of Israel went vp and they saw eche other he and Amasias the king of Iuda in Bethsames a towne of Iuda †And Iuda was strooken before Israel and euerie man fled into their tabernacles †But Ioas the king of Israel did take Amasias the king of Iuda the sonne of Ioas the sonne of Ochozias in Bethsames and brought him into Ierusalem and he brake downe the wal of Ierusalem from the gate of Ephraim vnto the gate of the corner fowre hundred cubites †And he tooke al the gold and siluer and al the vessel that were found in the house of our Lord and in the kinges treasures and hostages and returned into Samaria †But the rest of the wordes of Ioas which he did and his strength wherwith he fought against Amasias the king of Iuda are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel †And Ioas slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kinges of Israel Ieroboam his sonne reigned for him †And Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda liued after that Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel was dead fifetene yeares †But the rest of the wordes of Amasias are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda †And there was a conspiracie made against him in Ierusalem but he fled into Lachis And they sent after him into Lachis and killed him there †And they caried him away vpon horses and he was buried in Ierusalem with his fathers in the Citie of Dauid †And al the people of Iuda tooke Azarias sixtene yeares old and made him king for his father Amasias †He built Aelath and restored it to Iuda after that the king slept with his fathers †In the fiftenth yeare of Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda reigned Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas the king of Israel in Samaria one and fourtie yeares †and he did that which is euil before our Lord. He departed not from al the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat who made Israel to sinne †He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath vnto the Sea of the wildernesse according to the word of our Lord the God of Israel which he spake by his seruaÌ„t Ionas the sonne of Amathi the prophete who was of Geth which is in Opher †For our Lord saw the afliction of Israel exceding bitter and that they were consumed vnto the imprisoned meanest persons and that there was none to helpe Israel †Neither did our Lord determine that he would destroy the name of Israel from vnder heauen but he sâ—ued them in the hand of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas. †But the rest of the wordes of Ieroboam and al that
ouer the loaues of proposition to prepare alwaies new euerie Sabbath †These are the chief of the singing men by the families of the Leuites which abode in the chambers that they might day and night continually serue in their ministerie †The heades of the Leuites princes in their families taried in Ierusalem †And in Gabaon abode Iehiel the father of Gabaon and the name of his wise Maacha †His first begotten sonne Abdon and Sur and Cis and Baal and Ner and Nadab †Gedor also and Ahio and Zacharias and Macelloth †Moreouer Macelloth begat Samaan these dwelt ouer agaynst their brethren in Ierusalem with their brethren †And Ner bagat Cis and Cis begat Saul end Saul begat Ionathas and Melchisua and Abinadab and Esbaal. †And the sonne of Ionathas Meribbaal and Meribbaal begat Micha †Moreouer the sonnes of Micha Phithon and Molech and Tharaa and Ahaz †And Ahaz begat Iara and Iara begat Alamath and Azmoth and Zamri And Zamri begat Mosa †And Mosa begat Banaa whose sonne Raphaia bepat Elasa of whom was borne Asel †Moreouer Asel had six sonnes of these names Ezricam Bochru Ismael Saria â—bdiâ— Hanan these are the sonnes of Asel CHAP. X. King Saul with his three sonnes are slaine by the Philistians 8. who spoiâ—e the armie and carie 〈◊〉 ay Souls head 11. The men of Iabes Galaad â—â—rie his bodie and his sonnes fasting for them seuen daies And the kingdom is translated to Dauid AMD the Philistijms fought agaynst Israel and the men of Israel fled from the Palesthines and they fel wounded in mount Gelboe †And when the Philisthians were come nere pursewing Saul and his sonnes they stroke Ionathas and Abinadab and Melchisua the sonnes of Saul †And the battel grewc sore agaynst Saul and the archers found him and wounded him with arrowes †And Saul sayd to his esquyer Draw thy swoord and kil me lest perhaps these vncircumcised come and deride me But his harnes bearer would not being frighted with feare Saul therfore caught his sword and fel vpon it †Which when his harnes bearer had seene to witte that Saul was dead him self also fel vpon his sword and died †Saul therfore died and his three sonnes and al his house fel together †Which when the men of Israel had sene that dwelt in the châ—inpayne they fled and Saul and his sonnes being dead they forsooke their cities and were dispersed hither and thither and the Philisthijms came and dwelt in them †The next day therfore the Philisthijms taking away the spoiles of them that were stayne found Saul and his sonnes lying on mount Gelboe †And when they had spoyled him and cut of his head and stripped him of his armour they sent into their land that it should be caried about and should be shewed in the temples of the Idols and to the people †and his armour they dedicated in the temple of their god and the head they nailed vp in the temple of Dagon †When the men of Iabes Galaad had heard this to witte al thinges that the Philistijms had done vpon Saul †euerie one of the valiant men arose and tooke the bodies of Saul and of his sonnes and brought them into Iabes and buried their bones vnder an oke that was in Iabes and they fasted seuen daies †Saul therfore died for his iniquities for that he transgressed the commandement of our Lord which he had commanded and kept it not yea and besides also consulted the Pythonesse †and trusted not in our Lord for the which he slewe him and transferred his kingdome to Dauid the sonne of Isai CHAP. XI Dauid is elected and annointed king 5. He ouerthroweth the Iebusites taking the towre of Sion in Ierusalem and prospereth 10. His valiant men and their heroical actes are recited 17. He desiring water from the cisterne of Bethleem wil not drink it but offereth it in sacrifice because it is brought with danger of his valiant mens liues 20. Other valiant men of the second order are likewise recited AL Israel therfore was gathered together to Dauid in Hebron saying We are thy bone and thy flesh †Yesterday also and the day before when Saul as yet reigned thou wast he that didst leade out and leade in Israel for to thee our Lord thy God sayd Thou shalt feede my people Israel and thou shalt be prince ouer it †Al the ancientes therfore of Israel came to the king into Hebron and Dauid entred into a league with them before our Lord and they annoynted him king ouer Israel according to the word of our Lord which he spake in the hand of Samuel †Dauid also went and al Israel into Ierusalem this is Iebus where the Iebuseites were the inhabiters of the land †And they that dwelt in Iebus sayd to Dauid Thou shalt not come in here Moreouer Dauid tooke the towre of Sion which is the Citie of Dauid †and he sayd Euerie one that shal among the first strike the Iebuseite shal be the prince and chiefe captayne Ioab therfore the sonne of Saruia went vp first and was made the prince †And Dauid dwelt in the towre and therfore it was called the Citie of Dauid †And he built the citie round about from Mello vnto a round compasse and Ioab built the rest of the citie †And dauid ptospered going and increasing and the Lord of hostes was with him †These are the princes of the valiant men of Dauid which holpe him to be made king ouer al Israel according to the word of our Lord which he spake to Israel †And this is the number of dauids strong ones Iesbaam the sonne of Hachamoni prince among thirtie this man lifted vp his speare vpon three hundred wounded at one time †And after him Eleazar his vncles sonne an Ahohite who was among the three mighties †This was with Dauid in Phesdomim when the Philisthijms were gathered to that place into battel and the field of that countrie was ful of barley and the people was fled from the face of the Philisthimes †These stood in the middes of the fielde and defended him and when they had striken the Philistheans our Lord gaue great health to his people †And there went downe three of the thirtie princes to a rocke wherin Dauid was to the caue of Odollam when the Philisthijms had camped in the Vale raphaim †Moreouer dauid was in a hold and the ward of the Phelisthimes in Bethlehem †Dauid therfore desired and sayd O that some man would giue me water of the cesterne of Bethlehem which is in the gate †These three therfore went forward through the middes of the campe of the Philisthimes and drewe water of the cesterne of Bethlehem which was in the gate and brought it to Dauid to drinke who would not but tather offered it to our Lord †saying God forbid that in the sight of my God I should doe this and should
drunke euen to the dregges †There is none that can vphold her of al the children that she hath borne and there is none that taketh her by the hand of al the children that she hath brought vp †There are two thinges which haue happened to thee who shal be sorie for thee Spoile and destruction and famine and the sword who shal comfort thee †Thy children are throwen forth they haue slept in the head of alwayes as the orix that is snared ful of the indignation of our Lord of the rebuke of thy God †Therefore heare this poore little one and drunken not of wine †Thus sayth thy dominatour our Lord and thy God who hath fought for his people Behold I haue taken out of thy hand the cuppe of drousines the botome of the cuppe of mine indignation thou shalt not adde to drinke it any more †And I wil put it in their hand that haue humbled thee and haue sayd to thy soule Bow downe that we may passe ouer and thou hast layd thy bodie as the ground and as a way to them that passe ouer CHAP. LII The prophet alluding to the deliuerie of Sion and Ierusalem from Babylonical captiuitie sturreth vp the Church of Christ to reioyce for the deliuerie from sinne 7. which Christs Apostles preached 10. with great fruite in al nations ARISE arise put on thy strength ô Sion put on the garments of thy glorie ô Ierusalem the citie of the holie one because the vncircumcised and vncleane shal adde no more to passe by thee †Be shaken out of the dust arise sit vp Ierusalem loose the bonds of thy necke ô captiue daughter of Sion †Because thus sayth our Lord You were sold for nought and without siluer you shal be redemed †Because thus sayth our Lord God My people went downe into Aegypt at the beginning to be a seiourner there and Assur without any cause did oppresse them †And now what haue I here sayth our Lord because my people is taken away for nought Their rulers doe vniustly sayth our Lord and continually al the day my name is blasphemed †For this cause shal my people know my name in that day because I myself that spake loe am present †How beautiful vpon the mountaines are the feete of him that euangelizeth preacheth peace of him that telleth good preaching health that sayeth to Sion Thy God shal reigne †The voice of thy watchemen they haue lifted vp their voice they shal prayse together because eie to eie they shal see when our Lord shal conuert Sion †Reioyce prayse together ye deserts of Ierusalem because our Lord hath comforted his people he hath redemed Ierusalem †Our Lord hath prepared his holie arme in the sight of al the Gentiles and al the endes of the earth shal see the saluation of our God †Depart depart goe ye out from thence touch not a polluted thing goe out of the middes of her be cleansed ye that carie the vesseles of our Lord. †Because you shal not goe out in tumult neither with flight shal you make hast for our Lord wil goe before you and the God of Israel wil gather you together †Behold my seruant shal vnderstand he shal be exalted and shal be lifted vp and shal be exceding high †As manie haue bene astoined vpon thee so shal his looke among men be inglorious and his forme among the sonnes of men †He shal sprinkle manie nations kinges shal shut their mouthe vpon him because they to whom it was not told of him haue sene and they that heard not haue beheld CHAP. LIII Al wil not beleue Christs Gospel to whom it shal be preached 2. as the mysterie of his ignominious death for al mens sinnes 7. which he wil suffer most mekely 10. for which his name shal be glorified in al places VVHO hath beleued our hearing and the arme of our Lord to whom is it reueled †And he shal come vp as a yong spring before him and as a roote from a thirstie ground there is no beautie in him nor comelinesse and we haue sene him and there was no sightlines and we were desirous of him †Despised and most abiect of men a man of sorowes and knowing infirmitie and his looke as it were hid and despised whereupon neither haue we estemed him †He surely hath borne our infirmities and our sorowes he hath caried and we haue thought him as it were a leper and striken of God and humbled †But he was wounded for our iniquities he was broken for our sinnes the discipline of our peace vpon him and with the waile of his stripe we are healed †Al we haue strayed as sheepe euerie one hath declined into his owne way and our Lord hath put vpon him the iniquitie of al vs. †He was offered because him self would and opened not his mouth as a sheepe to slaughter shal he be led and as a lambe before his shearer he shal be dumme and shal not open his mouth †from distresse and from iudgement he was taken vp who shal declare his generation because he is cut out of the land of the liuing for the wickednes of my people haue I striken him †And he shal geue the impious for his burial and the riche for his death because he hath not done iniquitie neither was there guile in his mouth †And our Lord would breake him in infirmitie if he shal put away his soule for sinne he shal see seede of long age and the wil of our Lord shal be directed in his hand †For that his soule hath laboured he shal see and be filled in his knowlege the same my iust seruant shal iustifie manie and he shal beare their iniquities †Therefore wil I distribute vnto him verie manie and he shal diuide the spoiles of the strong for that he hath deliuered his soule vnto death and was reputed with the wicked and he hath borne the sinnes of manie and hath prayed for the transgressours CHAP. LIIII Gentiles who were barren shal multiplie in the Church of Christ 10. from which Gods mercie shal neuer be separated PRAISE ô barren woman which bearest not sing prayse and make ioyful noyse which didst not beare because manie are the children of the desolate more then of her that hath a husband saith our Lord. †Enlarge the place of thy tent and stretch out the skinnes of thy tabernacles spare not make long thy coardes and fasten thy nailes †For thou shalt penetrate to the right hand and to the left and thy seede shal inherite the Gentiles and shal inhabite the desolate cities †Feare not because thou shalt not be confounded nor blush for thou shalt not be ashamed because thou shalt forget the confusion of thy youth and the reproch of thy widowhood thou shalt remenber no more †Because he shal rule ouer thee that made thee the
Babylon and was trubled lying in my chamber and my cogitations came vp ouer my hart †because I saw the desolation of Sion and the abundance of them that dwelt in Babylon †And my spirit was tossed excedingly and I began to speake to the highest timorous wordes †and sayd O Lord dominatour thou spakest from the beginning when thou didst plant the earth and that alone and didst rule ouer the people †and gauest Adam a dead bodie but that also was the worke of thy handes didst breath into him the spirit of life and he was made to liue before thee †and thou broughst him into paradise which thy right hand had planted before the earth came †And him thou didst command to loue thy way and he transgressed it forth with thou didst institute death in him and in his posteritie and there were borne nations and tribes and peoples and kinreds wherof there is no number †And euerie nation walked in their owne wil they did meruelous thinges before thee and despised thy preceptes †And agane in time thou broughst in the floud vpon inhabitantes of the world and didst destroy them †And there was made in euery one of them as vnto Adam to dye so to them the floud †But thou didst leaue one of them Noe with his house and of him were al the iust †And it came to passe when they began to be multiplied that dwelt vpon the earth multiplied children and peoples and manie nations and they begane againe to doe impietie more then the former †And it came to passe when they did iniquitie before thee thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham †And thou didst loue him and to him on lie thou didst shew thy wil. †And thou didst dispose vnto him an euerlasting testament and toldst him that thou wouldst neuer forsake his seede And thou gauest him Isaac and to Isaac thou gauest Iacob and Esau †And Iacob thou didst seuer to thy selfe but Esau thou didst separate And Iacob grewe to a great multitude †And it came to passe when thou didst bring forth his sede out of Aegypt thou broughst it vpon mount Sinai †And thou didst bowe the heauens and fasten the earth and didst shake the world and madest the depthes to tremble and trubledst the world †and thy glorie passed foure gates of fire and of earthquake and winde and frost that thou mightst geue a law to the seede of Iacob and to the generation of Israel diligence †And thou didst not take away from them a malignant hart that thy law might bring forth fruite in them †For Adam the first bearing a viâ—ious hart transgressed and was ouercome yea and al that were borne of him †And it was made a permanent infirmitie and the law with the hart of the people with the wickednes of the roote and that which is good departed and the wicked remayned †And the times passed the yeares were ended and thou didst raise vp vnto thee a seruant named Dauid †and spakest vnto him to build a citie of thy name and to offer vnto thee in it frankencense and oblations †And this was done manie yeares and they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee †in al things as Adam and al his generations For they also vsed a wicked hart †And thou didst deliuer thy citie into the hands of thyne enimies †Why doe they better thinges that inhabite Babylon And for this shal she rule ouer Sion †It came to passe when I was come hither and had sene the impieties that can not be numbred and my soul saw manie offending this thirteth yeare my hart was astonied †because I saw how thou bearest with their sinne and didst spare them that did impiously and didst destroy thine owne people and preserue thine enimies and didst not signifie it †I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken doth Babylon better thinges then Sion †Or hath anie nation knowen thee beside Israel or what tribes haue beleued thy testamentes as Iacob †Whose reward hath not appeared nor their labour fructified For passing through I passed among the nations and I saw them abound and not mindeful of thy commandmentes †Now therfore wey our iniquities in a ballance and theirs that dwel in the world thy name shal not be found but in Israel †Or when haue not they sinned in thy sight that inhabite the earth or what nation hath so obserued thy commandmentes †These cettes by their names thou shalt finde to haue kept thy commandmentes but the nations thou shalt not finde CHAP. IIII. Mans witte and reason is not able to vnderstand the counsel and iudgement of God 22. why his people are afflicted by wicked nations 33. nor of times and thinges to come AND the Angel answered me that was sent to me whose name was Vriel †and sayd to me Thy hart exceding hath exceded in this world thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest †And I sayd It is so my Lord. And he answered me sayd I am sent to shew thee three wayes to propose to thee three similitudes †Of the which if thou shalt declare to me one of them I also wil shew thee the way which thou desirest to see and wil teach thee whence a wicked hart is †And I sayd Speake my Lord. And he sayd to me Goe wey me the weight of the fire or measure me the blast of the winde or cal me backe the day that is past †And I answered and sayd what man borne can doe it that thou askest me of these thinges †And he sayd to me If I should aske thee saying How great habitations are there in the hart of the sea or how great vaines be there in the beginning of the depth or how great vaines be there aboue the firmament and what are the issues of paradise †thou wouldest perhaps say to me I haue not descended into the depth nor into hel as yet neither haue I ascended at anie time into heauen †But now I haue not asked thee sauing of the fire and the winde and the day by the which thou hast passed and from the which thou canst not be separated and thou hast not answered me of them †And he sayd to me Thou canst not know the thinges that are thine which grow together with thee †and how can thy vessel comprehend the way of the Highest and now the world being outwardly corrupted vnderstand the corruption euident in my sight †I sayd to him Better were it for vs not to be then yet liuing to liue in impieties and to suffer and not to vnderstand for what thing †And he answered me said Going forth I went forward to a wood of trees in the filde and they deuised a deuise †and sayd Come and let vs goe and make watre against the sea that it
of the earthlie world and before the endes of the world stood and before the congregation of the windes did blow †and before the voyces of thunders sounded before the flashinges of lightenings shined and before the fundations of paradise were confirmed †and before beautiful flowers were sene and before the moued powers were established and before the innumerable hostes of Angels were gathered †and before the heightes of the ayre were aduanced and before the measures of the firmamentes were named and before the chymneies were hote in Sion †and before the present yeares were searched out and before their inuentions that now sinne were put away and they signed that made fayth their treasure †then I thought and they were made by me only and not by any other and the end by me and not by any other †And I answered and sayd What separation of times shal there be and when shal the end of the former be and the begynning of that which foloweth †And he sayd to me from Abraham vnto Isaac when Iacob and Esau were borne of him the hand of Iacob held from the bigynning the heele of Esau †for the end of this world is Esau and the begynning of the next Iacob †The hand of a man betwen the heele and the hand Aske no other thing Esdras †And I answered and sayd O Lord dominatour if I haue found grace before thyne eyes †I pray thee shew thy seruant the end of thy signes wherof thou didst shew me part the night before †And he answered and sayd to me Arise vpon thy feete and heare a voice most ful of sound †And it shal be as it were a commotion neither shal the place be moued wherin thou standest †Therfore when it speaketh be not thou afrayd because of the end is the word and the fundation of the earth vnderstood †for concerning them the word trembleth and is moued for it knoweth that their end must be changed †And it came to passe when I had heard I rose vpon my feete and I heard and behold a voice speaking and the sound therof as the sound of manie waters †and it sayd Behold the dayes come and the time shal be when I wil begyne to approch that I may visite the inhabitantes vpon the earth †And when I wil begin to enquire of them that vniustly haue hurt with their iniustice and when the humilitie of Sion shal be accomplished †And when the world shal be ouersigned that shal beginne to passe I wil doe these signes Bookes shal be opened before the face of the firmament and al shal see together †and infantes of one yeare shal speake with their voices wemen with child shal bring forth vntimely infantes not ripe of three or foure monethes and shal liue and shal be raysed vp †And sodenly shal appeare sowen places not sowen ful cellers shal sodenly be found emptie †and a trumpet shal sound which when al shal heare they wil sodenly be afrayd †And it shal be in that time freindes as enimies shal ouerthrow freindes and the earth shal be afrayd with them the vaynes of fountaynes shal stand and shal not runne in three howres †and it shal be euerie one that shal be leaft of al these of whom I haue foretold thee he shal be saued and shal see my saluation the end of your world †And the men that are receiued shal see they that tasted not death from their natiuitie and the hart of the inhabitantes shal be turned into an other sense †For euil shal be put out and deceite shal be extinguished †but fayth shal florish and corruption shal be ouercome and truth shal be shewed which was without fruite so manie dayes †And it came to passe when he spake to me I loe by litle litle looked on him before whom I stood †and he sayd to me these wordes I am come to shew thee the time of the night to come †If therfore thou pray agayne and fast agayne seuen dayes agayne I wil tel thee greater thinges by the day which I haue heard †For thy voice is heard before the Highest For the strong hath sene thy direction and hath fore sene the ehastitie which thon hast had from thy youth †and for this cause he hath sent me to shew thee al these thinges and to say to thee haue confidence and feare not †and hasten not with the former times to thinke vayne thinges that thou hasten not from the last times †And it came to passe after these thinges and I wept againe and in like maner I fasted seuen dayes to accomplish the three weekes that were told me †And it came to passe in the eight night and my hart was trubled againe in me and I began to speake before the Highest †For my spirit was inflamed excedingly and my soul was distressed †And I sayd O Lord speaking thou didst speake from the beginning of creature from the first day saying Let heauen be made and earth and thy word was a perfect worke †And then there was spirit and darknesse was caried about and silence the sound of the voyce of man was not yet from thee †Then thou didst command the lighsome light to be brought forth of thy treasures wherby thy worke might appeare †And in the second day thou didst create the spirit of the firmament and commandest it to diuide and to make a diuision betwen the waters that a certayn part should depart vpward and part should remaine beneth †And in the third day thou didst command the waters to be gathered together in the seueneth part of the earth but sixe partes thou didst drie and preserue that of them might be seruing before thee thinges sowen of God and tilled †For thy word proceded and the worke forth with was made †For sodenly came forth fruite of multitude infinite and diuerse tastes of concupiscence and flowers of vnchangeable colour and odours of vnsearcheable smel and in the third day these thinges were made †And in the fourth day thou didst command to be made the brightnesse of the sunne the light of the moone the disposition of the starres †and didst command them that they should serue man that should be made †And in the fifth day thou saydst to the seuenth part where the water was gathered together that it should bring forth beastes and foules and fishes and so was it done †the dumme water and without life the thinges that by Gods appointement were commanded made beastes that therby the nations may declare thy meruelous workes †And then thou didst preserue two soules the name of one thou didst cal Henoch and the name of the second thou didst cal Leuiathan †and thou didst separate them from eche other For the seuenth part where the water was gathered together could not hold them †And thou gauest to Henoch one part
kil the soules that consent vnto their tentation but can not restore spirituall fe againe e God is omnipotent and in dede the only true liuing God diuels who are honored in idols ca do no more then God permitteth and so they can kil the soules that consent vnto their tentation but can not restore spirituall fe againe f The soule being iustified and stil assaulted with new tentations desireth to be with God g I haue had no other refection but to leâ—ifie my sorow with weping h The wicked exprobate the iust as though God would neuer helpe them because he suffereth them to be sometimes long in tribulation i King Dauid was not permitted to build the temple much lesse did he enter into anie such meruelous tabernacle in his mortal life but must nedes be vnderstood to speake here of the heauenlie tabernacle prepared by Christ for his seruants k The prophet conforteth him selfe or anie iust soule in the hope of euerlasting ioy l render thankes and praises m Al this life is like to the smal straict place betwene Iordan and a litle hil called Hermoniim but from this straictnes the hope of the iust is to be placed in heauen n One tentation stâ—l succedeth an other o and the same so great as if God opened the gates and suffered them to ouerflow like floudes of water p But God helpeth in opportunitie not suffering his seruantes to be tempted aboue their streingth geuing them fruit with tentations q yea in the greatest tribulation he geueth ordinarily most comfort making them sing spiritually in hart if not also in voice r one special meanes to procure diuine consolation is prayer in distresse Å¿ Stil the iust soule taketh comforth in assured hope of saluation the eternal vision of God One God thâ— B Trinitie The 1. key a Holie Dauid often prefiguring Christ here representeth euerie faithful seruant of God and particularly when they beginne a great and holie worke as when Priestes celebrate the diuine Sacrifice they with their assistantes recive by interchangeable verses this Psalme b After that we haue examined and prepared our selues to the most holie Sacrifice and Sacrament according to S Paules admonition let a man proue himselfe and so eate this bread and drinke this chalâ—ce 1 Cor 11 we pray God to iudge betwen our true sincere intention and the vniust deceipful endeuoures of our enimie c and so to deliuer and protect vs from sutle malice d VVith thee I can do anie thing without thee nothing e thou semest sometimes not to regard â—e f whiles tentations are more sensible then thy grace g As thou hast sent Christ the light and truth into this world grâ—nt vs the same now in particular h These two giftes of God the light of knowing our duties and truth with sincere intention to performe the same haue brought vs into thy Church and vnto thy Altar i Accompanied with light of truth and sincere intention we confidently approch to thyâ— Altar ô God k vvho changest our old corruption into newnes of liâ—e l But to this purpose we praise God on the harpe mortisying our affections m The former word is of the plural number in hebrevv Eloim the other of the singular signifying the Blessed Trinitie one God n The former word is of the plural number in hebrevv Eloim the other of the singular signifying the Blessed Trinitie one God o Thou needest not therfore my soule be pensiue or desolate p But trust in God q praise him r vvhom I hope to see face to face Å¿ the true eternal God The state of the Ievves The 4. key a Though this Psalme doth first and literally pertayne to the people of Israel yet al thinges happening to them vvere in figure of the Christian Catholique Church vvhich begane vvith difficulties aftervvards prospered and againe suffereth much persecution b Core signifieth caluus bauld also caluarâ—a a scul or place of sculles the name of the place vvhere our Sauiour vvas crucified so the children of Core signifie the children of Christ S. Aug. c The particular calling of Abraham out of Chaldea protection of him and Isaac and Iacob the deliuerie of al Israel out of Aegypt and establishing them in the promised land of Chanaan with innumerable great and strange thinges donne for them d The Israelites conquered not by ordinarie povvre but by the miraculous hand of God See Iosue 2â— e Not that this people deserued of themselues but of Gods free election al the vvorld being vvicked he gaue peculiar grace to Abraham Isaac Iacob and some others and then for their â—akes protected the vvhole people in them conseruing a visible Church f As in former examples so in Dauids time not mans streingth but Gods hand gaue them great victories g As an oxe vvith his horne casteth a smal thing into the vvind Ios 24. â— Râ— 17. 2. Reg. 8. h The prophet forâ—eileâ—h that after prosperitie God vvould suffer the Ievves to saâ—â—e into captiuitie manie afflictions which also sign fied allegorically diuers states of Christs Church i The Iewes are now meruelously dispersed and depressed k In the destruction of Ierusalem the remnant of the people were sold for smal as it wree for no price They had sold Christ for thirtie pence l and now no multitude nor number of money at al was geuen for them but thirtie of them were sold for one pennie Iosephus de bello Iudaico m Vntil Christs passion the Jewish people did not wholly fal from God and true religion And of them were chosen the Apostles and manie others that founded and propagated the Church of Christ n The negatiue particle is here vnderstood by zeugma according to the hebrew thus our hart hath not reuolted backward neither hast thou suffered our pathes to decline froÌ„ thy way o An other hebrew phraise If we haue for we haue not p The Prophetes and others persecuted partly before Christ much more the Apostles and other Christians in the new Testament Rom. â— q A prayer in affliction r We are at death dore readie to become dust Å¿ lying as groueling sorowing on the earth t til thou deliuer vs from these tribulations Christ most excellently indowing his Church The 6. key a Perteyning to the new Testament b Gentiles conuerted from paganisme to Christianitie c and al others returning from schisme or other sinnes d for their instruction e this Psalme is a mariage songue of the beloued bridgrome and bride Christ and his Church f I haue receiued by diuine inspiraâ—ion in my hart and cogitation g a most high Mysterie h To the honour therfore and glorie of this king vvhom I secretly see in my hart I vtter and referre al my vvorkes and this particular Caâ—tâ—cle i From the abundance of my hart my tongue also speaketh k that presently without delay l Description of Christ most excellent in al internal and external giftes m The prophet seing in
excelses of Baal which are in the valley of the sonne of Ennom that they might consecrate their sonnes and their daughters to Moloch which I commanded them not neither hath it ascended into my hart that they should doe this abomination and bring Iuda into sinne †And now for these thinges thus saith our Lord the God of Israel to this citie whereof you say that it is deliuered into the handes of the king of Babylon in sword and in famine in pestilence †Behold I wil gather them together out of al landes to which I haue cast them out in my furie and in my wrath and in my great indignation and I wil bring them againe into this place and wil make them dwel confidently †And they shal be my people and I wil be their God †And I wil geue them one hart and one way that they may feare me al daies and it may be wel with them and with their children after them †And I wil make an euerlasting couenant with them and wil not cease to doe them good and I wil geue my feare in their hart that they reuolt not from me †And I wil reioyce vpon them when I shal doe them good and I wil plant them in this land in truth in my whole hart and in al my soule †Because thus saith our Lord As I haue brought vpon this people al this great euil so wil I bring vpon them al the good that I speake to them †And the fieldes shal be possessed in this land whereof you say that it is desolate because there is remayning no man nor beast and it is geuen into the handes of the Chaldees †The fieldes shal be bought for money and shal be written in a booke and the signe shal be stamped on and a witnes shal be taken in the land of Beniamin and round about Ierusalem in the cities of Iuda and in the cities on the mountaines and in the champaine cities and in the cities that are toward the South because I wil conuert their captiuitie saith our Lord. CHAP. XXXIII God promiseth remission of sinnes 10. reduction from captiuitie manie other benefites 14. He wil geue iudgement and iustice in Dauid Christ whose throne the Church 19. shal be glorious 24. and permanent AND the word of our Lord was made to Ieremie the second time when as yet he was shut vp in the court of the prison saying †Thus saith our Lord that wil doe and wil forme it and prepare it the Lord is his name †Crie vnto me and I wil heare thee and I wil tel thee great thinges and and firme thinges which thou knowest not †Because thus saith our Lord the God of Israel to the houses of this citie and to the houses of king of Iuda which are destroyed and to the munitions and to the sword †of them that come to fight with the Chaldees and to fil them with the carcasses of the men whom I haue striken in my furie and in myne indignation hiding my face from this citie because of al their malice †Behold I wil bring to them a scarre and health and wil cure them and I wil reuele vnto them the prayer of peace and truth †And I wil conuert the conuersion of Iuda the conuersion of Ierusalem wil build them as from the beginning †And I wil cleanse them from al their iniquitie wherein they haue sinned to me I wil be propicious to al their iniquities wherein they haue sinned to me despised me †And it shal be to me a name a ioy and a praise and an exultation to al the nations of the earth that shal heare al the good thinges which I wil doe to them and they shal feare and be trubled in al the good thinges in al the peace that I wil make to them †Thus saith our Lord Yet there shal be heard in this place which you say is desolate because there is neither man nor beast in the cities of Iuda and without Ierusalem which are desolate without man and without inhabiter and without beast †the voice of ioy and the voice of gladnes the voice of the bridegroome and the voice of the bride the voice of them that say Confesse ye to the Lord of hostes because our Lord is good because his mercie is for euer and of them that carie vowes into the house of our Lord. For I wil bring backe the conuersion of the land as from the beginning saith our Lord. †Thus saith the Lord of hostes Yet there shal be in this desolate place without man and without beast and in al the cities thereof an habitation of pastours of the resting flockes †In the cities on the mountaines and in the champaine cities and in the cities that are toward the South and in the land of Beniamin and round about Ierusalem and in the cities of Iuda there shal yet passe flockes at the hand of him that numbreth them saith our Lord. †Behold the daies shal come saith our Lord and I wil raise vp the good word that I haue spoken to the house of Israel and to the house of Iuda †In those daies and in that time I wil make the spring of iustice to bud forth vnto Dauid and he shal doe iudgement and iustice in the earth †In those daies shal Iuda be saued and Ierusalem shal dwel confidently this is the name that they shal cal him The Lord of our iust one †Because thus saith our Lord There shal not faile of Dauid a man to sitte vpon the throne of the house of Israel †And of the Priestes and Leuites there shal not faile from before my face a man to offer holocaustes and to burne sacrifice and to kil victimes al daies †And the word of our Lord was made to Ieremie saying †Thus saith our Lord If my couenant with the day can be made voide and my couenant with the night that there be not day and night in their time †also my couenant may be made voide with Dauid my seruant that there be not of him a sonne to reigne in his throne and Leuites and Priestes my ministers †Euen as the starres of heauen can not be numbred and the sand of the sea be measured so wil I multiplie the seede of Dauid my seruant and the Leuites my ministers †And the word of our Lord was made to Ieremie saying †Hast thou not seene what this people hath spoken saying The two kinreds which our Lord had chosen are cast of and they haue despised my people because it is no more a Nation before them †Thus saith our Lord If I haue not set my couenant betwen day and night and lawes to heauen and earth †surely I wil also cast of the seede of Iacob and of Dauid my seruant that I take not of his seede princes of the seede of Abraham
Isaac and Iacob For I wil bring backe their conuersion and wil haue mercie on them CHAP. XXXIIII King Sedecias shal fal into the handes of Nabuchodonosor and Ierusalem shal be burned 8. because he hath broken the couenant of releasing Iewes from bondage 14. in the seuenth yeare and contrarie to particular promise of obseruing that law THE word that was made to Ieremie from our Lord when Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and al his armie and al the kingdoms of the earth that were vnder the power of his hand al the people 's made warre against Ierusalem against al the cities thereof saying †Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel Goe speake to Sedecias the king of Iuda thou shalt say to him Thus saith our Lord Behold I wil deliuer this citie into the handes of the king of Babylon he shal burne it with fire †And thou shalt not escape out of his hand but by taking thou shalt be taken thoushalt be deliuered into his hand and thine eies shal see the eyes of the king of Babylon and his mouth shal speake with thy mouth and thou shalt enter into Babylon †But yet heare the word of our Lord ô Sedecias king of Iuda Thus saith our Lord to thee Thou shalt not dye by the sword †but thou shalt dye in peace and according to the burninges of thy fathers the former kinges that haue bene before thee so shal they burne thee and Alas Lord shal they mourne for thee because I haue spoken the word saith our Lord. †And Ieremie the prophet spake al these wordes to Sedecias the king of Iuda in Ierusalem †And the armie of the king of Babylon fought against Ierusalem and against al the cities of Iuda that were remayning against Lachis and against Azecha for these remained of the cities of Iuda fensed cities †The word that was made to Ieremie from our Lord after that king Sedecias made a couenant with al the people in Ierusalem proclayming †That euerie one should dismisse his seruant euerie one his handmayd the Hebrew man and the Hebrew woman free and that they should not haue dominion ouer them that is on a Iewe and his brother †Al the princes therefore heard and al the people which had made the couenant that euerie man should dismisse his seruant and euerie man his handmaide free and should no more haue dominion ouer them they heard therefore and dismissed them †And they turned afterwards and drew their seruants and their handmaids back againe whom they had dismist free and brought them into subiection as men seruants and wemen seruantes †And the word of our Lord was made to Ieremie from our Lord saying †Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel I made a couenant with your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the Land of Aegypt from the house of bondage saying †When seuen yeares shal be accomplished let euerie man dismisse his brother an Hebrew that was sold to him and he shal serue thee six yeares and thou shalt dismisse him free from thee and your fathers haue not heard me nor inclined their eare †And you were conuerted this day did that which is right in myne eies that you proclaymed libertie euerie one to his freind and you made a couenant in my sight in the house wherein my name is inuocated vpon it †And you are returned and haue defiled my name and you haue brought backe againe euerie man his seruant and euerie man his handmayde whom you had dismist to be free and of their owne iurisdiction and you haue brought them into subiection to be your seruants and handmaydes †Therefore thus saith our Lord You haue not heard me to proclaime libertie euerie man to his brother and euerie one to his freind behold I proclaime vnto you libertie saith our Lord to the sword to the pestilence and to famine and I wil geue you into commotion to al the kingdoms of the earth †And I wil geue the men that transgresse my couenant and haue not obserued the wordes of the couenant wherevnto they consented in my sight the calfe which they did cut into two partes and passed betwen the diuisions thereof †The princes of Iuda and the princes of Ierusalem the eunuches and the priestes and al the people of the land that passed betwene the diuisions of the calfe †And I wil geue them into the handes of their enemies and into the handes of them that seeke their life their carcasse shal be for meate to the foules of the ayre and to the beastes of the earth †And Sedecias the king of Iuda and his princes I wil geue into the handes of their enemies into the handes of them that seeke their liues and into the handes of the armies of the king of Babylon which are retired from you †Behold I command saith our Lord and I wil bring them againe into this citie and they shal fight against it and take it and burne it with fire and the cities of Iuda I wil geue into desolation because there is not an inhabiter CHAP. XXXV By example of the Rechabites voluntarily keeping their fathers rule 12. God expostulateth with the people that kepe not his praeceptes 17. denouncing that they shal be punished and the Rechabites rewarded THE word that was made to Ieremie from our Lord in the dayes of Ioakim the sonne of Iosias the king of Iuda saying †Goe to “ the house of the Rechabites and speake to them thou shalt bring them into the house of our Lord into one chamber of the treasuries and thou shalt geue them wine to drinke †And I tooke Iezonias the sonne of Ieremias the sonne of Habsamias and his bretheren and al his sonnes and the whole house of the Rechabites †And I brought them into the house of our Lord to the treasure house of the sonnes of Hanan the sonne of Iegedelias the man of God which was by the treasure house of the princes aboue the treasure of Maasias the sonne of Sellum who was keeper of the entrie †And I set before the sonnes of the house of the Rechabites goblets ful of wine and cuppes and I said to them Drinke ye wine †Who answered We wil not drinke wine because Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father commanded vs saying You shal not drinke wine you and your children for euer †And you shal not build house and you shal not sow seede and you shal not plant vineyardes nor haue anie but you shal dwel in tabernacles al your daies that you may liue manie daies vpon the face of the land wherin you are strangers †We therefore haue obeyed the voice of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father in al thinges that he commanded vs so that we dranke not anie wine al our daies we and our wiues our sonnes our daughters †And we