THE HOLY HISTORY WRITTEN In FRENCH by Nicolas Talon S. J. And Translated Into ENGLISH by the Marquess of WINCHESTER LONDON Printed by Y.W. for J. Crook and J. Baker and are to be sold at the Ship in St. Pauls Church-yard 1653. The Holy History Per Speculum in Aenigmate omnia in figuris Fide Moyses Invisibilem tamquam Videns Sustinuit WHollar LONDON Printed for Iohn Crook Iohn Baker at the Ship in S â— Pauls Churchyard THE AUTHORS DEDICATION TO THE KING OF FRANCE SIR I Should fear to prophane the Holy History if I did not place it in the Sacred hands of your Majesty It is the Book of God which deserves the Eye of a King It is the Testament of a Father which cannot be denyed the Eldest Son of his House And it is the Table of all Divine and Human Lawes which ought to appear under the Canopy of a most Just and most Christian Monarch I know that heretofore this Magnifick pledge was never seen but on the Altar and within the Tabernacle but now I believe I shall not far remove it thence by demanding a place for it in your Majesties Cabinet which without Flattery may be tearmed the Sanctuary of the Louure and Court For my part I would not have been so bold as to touch these pretious Reliques of the increated Wisdome and these illustrious Pourtraicts of so many Princes to make an offering of them to your Majesty If I did not perswade my self that you would rather fix on the Original than the Copy And would have less regard to the hand which presents them than to the passion which renders me Your Majesties Most humble most faithfull and most obedient Subject and Servant NICHOLAS TALON Table of Chapters FIRST BOOK God the Creator CHAPTER 1. GOds first sally out of himself in the birth of the Universe CHAPTER 2. The work of the six dayes CHAPTER 3. The Creation of Adam CHAPTER 4. The terrestriall Paradise CHAPTER 5. The disasters and Banishment of Adam and Eve CHAPTER 6. The murther of Abel and despair of Cain CHAPTER 7. The desolations and spoyles of Envy CHAPTER 8. Remedies against Envy CHAPTER 9. The building of the Ark and the Deluge CHAPTER 10. Noa 's descent out of the Ark and his Sacrifice on the hills of Armenia CHAPTER 11. The Rainbow in the Heavens CHAPTER 12. The unhappy effects of Wine CHAPTER 13. The Tower of Babel BOOK SECOND Ahraham and Isaack CHAP. 1. ABrahams departure out of the Territories and his entrie into the fields of Moreth where he erected an Altar and where God appeared to him the second time CHAP. 2. The voyages of Abraham and Sara into the Land of Egypt CHAP. 3. The agreement of Abraham and Lot upon the Controversie between their Shepheards CHAP. 4. The Victories of Abraham and the assurances God gave him of a most flourishing Posterity CHAP. 5. The assurances God gave unto Abraham of a most flourishing Posterity CHAP. 6 The Continuation of the favours which God conferred on Abraham CHAP. 7. The Charity of Abraham towards Pilgrims and the tendernesse of God towards him CHAP. 8. The firing of Sodome and the deliverance of Lot CHAP. 9. The birth of Isaac the banishment of Lot Ismael CHAP. 10. The Sacrifice of Abraham and the artifices of God to try his constancy and fidelity CHAP. 11. The Master-piece of obedience and the triumph of Love in the Sacrifice of Abraham CHAP. 12. The death of Sara CHAP. 13. The Mariage of Isaack with Rebecca and the death of Abraham BOOK THIRD Jacob and Esau CHAP. 1. THeir Birth CHAP. 2. The Education of Esau and Jacob and the shamefull sale he made of his right of primogeniture CHAP. 3. The dexterity of Rebecca to procure for Jacob the blessing of Isaack CHAP. 4. Gods design in preferring Jacob. CHAP. 5. Jacobs Ladder CHAP. 6. The constancy of Jacob in the quest of Rachel CHAP. 7. The reward Jacob received for his services and his departure out of Mesopotamia CHAP. 8. Jacobs wrastling with the Angel and his return into Canaan BOOK FOURTH Joseph and his Brethren CHAP. 1. JOseph sold by his Brethren CHAP. 2. The Combats of Joseph for defence of his Chastity CHAP. 3. The Predictions of Joseph CHAP. 4. The releasment of Joseph CHAP. 5. The government of Joseph in Egypt CHAP. 6. The voyages of Jacobs Children into Egypt and thâ— entertainment they there received from Joseph CHAP. 7. Jacob resolves to send Benjamin into Egypt CHAP. 8. Joseph known by his Brethren CHAP. 9. Jacobs going down into Egypt and the honourable entertainment he received there from Pharaoh CHAP. 10. The last words of Jacob. CHAP. 11. The last Will and Testament of Jacob containing the Benedictions given to the twelve Patriarks CHAP. 12. The lamentations of Joseph for the death of Jacob. BOOK FIFT Moses CHAP. 1. HIs Birth and Education CHAP. 2. The zeal of Moses and his mariage with the Daughter of the Prince of Madian CHAP. 3. The flaming Bush CHAP. 4. The Commission of Moses touching the deliverance of the people of Israel CHAP. 5. The assured marks of Moses power CHAP. 6. The Embassie of Moses and Aaron into Egypt CHAP. 7. The obduration of Pharaoh 's heart CHAP. 8. The plagues of Egypt CHAP. 9. The Waters of Egypt turn'd into bloud CHAP. 10. The Frogs of Egypt CHAP. 11. The Flyes of Egypt CHAP. 12. The Plague and Ulcers CHAP. 13. The Hail-storms Lightnings and Thunders CHAP. 14. The Grashoppers of Egypt CHAP. 15. The Darkness of Egypt CHAP. 16. The Death of the first born of Egypt CHAP. 17. The Pascal Lamb and the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt CHAP. 18. Pharaoh swallow'd up in the Red Sea CHAP. 19. The Canticle of Moses after the death of Pharaoh CHAP. 20. The Manna of the Desart CHAP. 21. The fountain of Horeb. CHAP. 22. The defeat of the Amalekites by the prayers of Moses CHAP. 23. Moses is visited in the Desart where he Creates Judges and Magistrates CHAP. 24. The Sanctification of the people to receive the Law of God upon Mount Sina CHAP. 25. The promulgation of the Law upon Mount Sina CHAP. 26. The subversion of Idols CHAP. 27. An Edict against Blasphemers CHAP. 28. The Sanctification of the Sabbath CHAP. 29. The duty of Children toward their Parents CHAP. 30. A Sentence of death against Murtherers CHAP. 31. The triumph of Chastity CHAP. 32. Against the unjust usurpation of other mens goods CHAP. 33. Condemnation of False witnesses and Lyers CHAP. 34. The Tomb of Concupiscence CHAP. 35. An abridgement of the Law CHAP. 36. The Antient Policy CHAP. 37. The Adoration of the golden Calf CHAP. 38. The There-establishment of the Lawes and Ceremonies of the old Testament CHAP. 39. Of the Ornaments and other utensils ordained for the Sanctuary which were usefull in the Ceremonies of the Law of Moses CHAP. 40. The Ark of the Old Testament CHAP. 41. The Tabernacle CHAP. 42. The Altar of Holocausts CHAP. 43.
Subjects But these Flies were so troublesome and furious and they fed with so much eagerness on Pharaoh Aben. Sir and the Egyptians that the Hebrews made a Proverb of them calling all those who lived in the World on blood and slaughter The Flies of Egypt They entred saith Philo even into their Noses into their Eyes into their Mouths and it seemed as if Hell had vomited them forth as so many Devils Nevertheless Digitus Dei hic est Exod. 8. v. 19. Feceruntque similiter malefici incantationibus suis ut educerent sciniphes non potuerunt Exod. 8. v. 18. it was an effect of the right hand of the Omnipotent and even in the sight of the Magicians of Egypt It was the Finger of God which had created them All the effects also of their magick could not produce the like nor shoot such Arrows and Darts as Heaven did at Pharach O God! How insensible then is this King and must this Army increase to heighten his disaster This was but the third Plague which I would fold up under the same title with the fourth The fourth Plague not knowing how to finde tearms or names peculiar enough and which may clearly distinguish the one from the other It is sufficient to know that God first assaulted Pharaoh by Rivers of Blood Secondly With Frogs thirdly and fourthly with Armies of Flies But the first which appeared were as some have believed of a particular Species and of which none like them had been ever seen till that time Albertus Magnus 〈◊〉 lib. 16. de animalibus It a describit sciniphes Albertus the Great affirms That these kinde of Creatures had Wings and Heads like Flies and Bodies like little Worms with a sting in their mouths which they darted like a Javelin chiefly into the softest and the most humid parts of the Nose to draw and suck thence the most subtile and pure Spirits of the Head Whatever may be said thereof surely these were Flies of a miraculous kinde which as Philo and Origen say were most offensive and cruel yet their stings did not pierce deep enough into the heart of Pharaoh but it was further requisit to assail him with new Battalians to see whether he would yield It is true That God might have raised Bears Leopards and Panthers against him as well as Flies and Frogs But it is for men to require great forces to supply their own weakness whereas he that can do all of himself hath need of nothing and the most vile and meanest Creatures in the World are able to do all things with him Pharaoh having again then refused to permit the people of Israel to depart Induratumque est cor Pharaonis non audivit eos sicut praeceper at Dominus Exod. 8. v. 19. Ecce ego immittam in te omne genus muscarum Exod. 8. v. 21. Faciamque mirabilem in die illa terram Gessen in qua populas meu◠est ut non sint ibi muscae Exod. 8. v. 22. Vocavitque Pharao Moisen Aaren ait eis Ite sacrificate Deo vestro in terra hac Exod. 8. v. 25. Et ait Moises non potest ita fieri Abominationes enim Aegyptiorum immolarimus Domino Ded nostro Quod si mactaverimus ea quae colunt Aegyptii coram eis lapidibus nos obruent Exod. 8. v. 26. God besieged him the fourth time with all sorts of Flies so that Egypt was full of them except the Land of Gessen where those Hebrews lived who were exempted by a particular privilege from God who would distinguish his people from the Egyptians and evidence unto them both that their good and bad estate proceeded from him Whereupon Pharaoh commanded Aaron and Moses to come before him and permitted them to Sacrifice upon his Territories That they might appease the wrath of him who so prodigiously afflicted him and by such admirable chastisements but they answered him That they could not accept of this offer by reason this were to expose the Hebrews to the hazard of their lives and to be stoned by the Egyptians who abhorred the Sacrifices of Beasts which were nevertheless the Victims whereof the people of Israel ordinarily made use Nevertheless the fury of these little Soldiers which wasted Egypt without relaxation Dixitque Pharao ego dimitiam vos ut sacrificetis Domino Deo vestro in deserto Exod 8. v. 28. Et ait Moises Egressus à te orabo Dominum recedet musca à Pharaone à servis suis Verumtamen nols ultra sullere utnon dimittas populum sacrificare Domino Exod. 8. v. 29. Et ingravatum est cor Pharaonis ita ut nec hac quidem vice dimitteret populum Exod. 8. v. 32. and chiefly Pharaoh seeing himself assaulted and assassinated by them on all sides was at last inforced to give way to Moses going into the Wilderness there to pay the duties of his Religion and earnestly to invoke the goodness of God on his behalf To which Moses consented promising him that this Cloud of Enemies which persecuted him should be quickly dispersed upon condition notwithstanding he would no more deceive him and retain his people But the truce which followed and the favor which was shewn by the Prayers of Moses was no other than a new occasion this detestable King took to abuse the Patience of God CHAP. XII The Plague and Ulcers THe Plague is a fatal poyson The fift Plague and pernicious to all Nature which is ingendred in the Body by the disorder of Humors and by the mixture of the Air with certain putrified and infected Atoms which we draw in and swallow in breathing and so go directly to the Heart which is the Fountain of life and as the Hearth on which the natural heat is nourished which this poyson extinguisheth and consumes Whence I conclude Marciline Ficinus in Epidem with one of the most learned Physicians and most subtile Philosophers which hath ever been That the particular causes of this disease are commonly either the Defections of the Planets and especially of the Sun and Moon or their Conjunctions as of Saturn and Mars or the Malignant Impressions of Comets and certain Meteors which pervert the qualities of the Air and which by the sequel of some over hot and moist Winds or else by immoderate Rains or from some other effects of which they are the Origin raise Seeds of Putrifaction and horrid Vapors which impoyson the Elements and all other Bodies into which they insinuate themselves Moreover this Contagion may grow from too violent and too immoderate excesses in sleep or watchings in repose or exercise feasting or abstinence but chiefly from disorder which begets in the Humors of the Body the Passions of the Minde amongst which Love is a Wilde-fire and Brand of Hell which inkindles a thousand Inflammations a thousand Coals and a thousand Plagues In fine Particular causes of the Plague There are many particular causes of the Plague and
139 Hail plague of Egypt 286 Wretched Harvest of worldly men 152 Hail-storm in Constantinople 268 Hardness of Pharaohs heart 269 Hardness of heart a woful estate 271 Grashoppers of Egypt 289 I. Jacob and Esau 121 Figure of the Christian and Jewish people 116 Jacob Esau 's elder brother and how 137 His agreement with his father-in-law Laban 155 Jacob resolves to send Benjamin into Egypt 207 His descent into Egypt to see his son Joseph 223 The answer he made to Pharaoh concerning his age 229 His death and last words 231 Idols and their subversion 344 Detestable Idolatry of amorous persons 39 Jethro the counsel he gave to Moses to establish Judges for deciding differences between the people of Israel 337 Atheistical ignorance 85 Images of Jesus Christ anciently painted in Temples and Houses in the form of a Lamb 27 Image of a generous courage 69 Image of Gods judgement 86 Image of the lives of men 126 Image of the life and death of Jesus Christ 145 Image of Chastity 184 Image of the World 198 Imagination the effects and properties thereof 156 Unnatural impudence of Cham 48 Inconstancy of created things 113 Dreadful incertainty 135 Incarnation its draught and picture 144 Innocence secured 170 Innocence victorious 179 Inhumanity more than brutish 220 Joseph born of Rachel 154 Joseph sold by his brethren 165 Joseph known by his brethren 214 His lamentations for the death of his Father Jacob 242 Joshua his victories over the Amalekites 332 Isaac his birth 93 The discourse he held with his father asking him where was the victim of his Sacrifice 108 His submission and obedience 109 His mariage with Rebecca 116 Most exact Justice 83 Judges a fair example for them ibid. Judas the brother of Joseph made a speech to him in the name of his brethren 216 Judgements of God incomprehensible 290 Prodigious increase of the people of Israel 247 Jacobs Ladder 141 Jacobs wrestling with the Angel 159 K. Kings of France true successors of Abraham 80 L. Laban is grieved for the barrenness of his flocks 156 His agreement with Jacob and his return unto Mesopotamia 157 Lesson to husbands and wives 17 Leah considerable for her fruitfulness 154 Dangerous liberty 29 Liberality cannot be without freedom 79 Liberality portraict of the Divinity ibid. Liberty of holy Souls 80 Liberty of Esau cause of his misfortune 128 Laws their excellency 357 Their establishment 368 Lot delivered out of the hands of his enemies by the means of Abraham 70 Luxury destruction of souls and canker of body 64 Love its effects and properties 3 Love architect of the world ibid. Gods love never idle 73 Incredulous love 224 Ladder of divine providence 146 Lots wife transformed into a pillar of Salt 89 Irreparable loss 184 Life of man a war without truce 159 Life and death inseparable companions 231 M. Magicians of Pharaoh and their enchantments 270 Admirable magnificence of God 58 Malediction of parents dangerous 132 Malediction of God on the Serpent 23 Malediction of Noah on his son 48 Malice of an eloquent woman 20 Manna of the desart 320 The time when it was to be gathered 323 Mariages subject to many disasters 123 Mariage of Isaac with Rebecca 116 Assured marks of our disposition 126 Martyrdom of love 103 Mixture of fortune 166 Excellent meditation 298 Pleasing Metamorphosis 63 Murther of Abel 27 Michael the Emperor quits his Empire to enter into a religious life 58 Mirror of Essences the motto thereof 29 World error of some Philosophers touching the beginning thereof 8 Monarchy of Adam and Eve over the Univers 19 The world is a Theatre 116 Extreme mortification 145 Motives which induced God to create the world 1 Motives of Conscience 140 Powerful motives to divert the brethren of Joseph from wicked designs 172 Moses 246 His birth and education ibid. His learning 252 His zeal and mariage with the daughter of the Prince of Madian 253 His fear at the sight of the flaming Bush 257 His Commission concerning the deliverance of the people of Israel 260 The certain marks of his power 263 He excuseth himself for accepting the Commission which God gave him 265 The threats God used to him 266 His Embassie into Egypt 267 He is visited in the desart where he creates Judges and Magistrates 334 His last Actions 385 His Testament 386 His last Canticle 402 Mysteries hidden under the Paschal Lamb 300 Man necessary for the world 9 Men eloquent when it concerns their own praise excellent conceptions upon this subject 10 Man the sport of the gods 148 Honest man what he is 163 N. Nature of God beneficent 320 Nature her power limited 269 Nembrod cheif contriver of the Tower of Babel his spirit and disposition 49 Noah his obedience to the command of God 41 His going out of the Ark and his sacrifice on the Hills of Armenia 44 Names Chariots of Essences 74 O. Obligation of fathers and mothers 128 Dreadful obstinacy 271 Oeconomy of the humane body 12 Opinion of Hesiod touching the Creation of the World 8 Original sin 15 Ornaments of the Sanctuary 369 P. Peace and Purity inseparable companions 65 Terrestrial Paradise 16 Paradise first habitation of man 16 Passions their different nature 181 Patience very awful 84 Persecution of modesty 184 Perfidiousness of the world 206 Plague of Egypt 284 Natural causes of the plague 285 Pharaoh King of Egypt makes Joseph his Lieutenant by reason of the truth of his predictions 196 Command of Pharaoh concerning the murther of all the male-children of the Hebrews 248 Pharaoh swallowed up in the Red Sea 304 Plagues of Egypt 275 Antient Policy 356 Portraict of the Justice of God 86 Predictions of Joseph 192 Efficacious prayers 122 Prevision of merits 137 Proclaming of Joseph by his Brethren 172 Promulgation of the Law on Mount Sina 343 Paternal Prudence 169 Punishment of Adam 14 Shameful pusillanimity 69 Putipher his over-great credulity 186 The impudence of his wife and her attempt upon the chastity of Joseph 178 Paschal Lamb 299 Planets the beginning of their courses 5 Pillar of Fire and Clouds 379 Picture of Hell 91 Picture of Fortune 194 Pains of women in child-bearing 23 Prayer the power and effects thereof 122 R. Rachel and her sterility 154 Radegond a despiseth France to become religious 59 Ramerus King of Aragon follows the same destiny ibid. Amiable resemblance between Joseph and Jesus Christ 222 The recompence of Jacob for his services 155 Pitiful reliques of sin 26 Remorse of Conscience 32 Remedies against Envy 35 Reproaches of God to Cain 28 Very just resentments 77 Rosignation of Abraham 101 Angelical resolution of Joseph 181 Rock and its motto 102 Ruben his affection towards his brother Joseph 173 Rivers their bounds and limits 5 River of Charity 80 S. Sacrifices very different of Abel and Cain 28 Sacrifices of Aaron consumed by fire from Heaven 376 Sanctification of the Sabhath 346 Sarah her death 113 How long she lived 115 Scamander i'ts properties effects
156 Secret to become master of hearts 162 Lamentable separation 141 Sephora the command which was given her to circumcise her son 266 Diabolical Serpent which deceived Eve in the Terrestrial Paradise 20 Brazen Serpent which God commanded Moses to make and set up in the Wilderness 381 Sigibertus leaves England to become religious 58 Signs of the day of Judgement 89 Simeon and Levi their fury and cruelties upon the Sichemites 163 Pleasing spectacle 120 Two-edged swords 136 Stratagem of the Angel Raphael 137 Stratagem of Abraham 61 Statue of Justice amongst the antient 86 Soul of a just man is the throne of God 186 Interessed souls 66 Soul source of beauty and operations 14 Slavery of love 150 Spirit of peace becomes furious when it is irritated 69 T. Tabernacle of the Old Testament 372 Time of mans creation 12 Dreadful tempest 275 Temptations their natures and diversities 97 Temptation exercise of Faith ibid. Furious temptations 183 Discreet tenderness 211 Testament of Jacob 236 Thales his opinion of God 262 Theodosius leaves the Empire of Greece to become a religious man 58 The thanksgiving he rendred unto God for one of his vanquished enemies 333 Tomb of concupiscence 352 Thunders plagues of Egypt 286 Tower of Babel 49 Trajan a gallant answer made by him to the Emperor Valens 333 Warlike tranquillity 68 Triumph of love on the sacrifice of Abraham 96 Tryal of love 97 Things difficult to comprehend in the World 166 Tears quench the ardors of our souls 242 Delicious tears 120 V. Vengeance and its degrees 297 Vanity of worldly men in buildings 50 Veremond King of Castile becomes a religious man 58 Verity makes a breach every where 199 Vesuvia the firing of it 275 Vicissitudes of life 168 Union of the souls 145 Vocation of holy soul 57 Voice of God in silence 143 Voyage of Abraham and Sarah into the Land of Egypt 59 His victories and the assurances which God gave him of a flourishing posterity 68 Voyage of the children of Jacob into Egypt 199 Vestments of the High Priest 374 W. Waters of Jordan respectful to the Priests who carried the Ark of the Testament 186 Waters of Egypt converted into blood 277 Constant women 106 Weakness worthy of compassion 46 Weakness of courage 152 Eternal war between the Woman and the Serpent 23 Works of uncreated wisdom 148 Works of the six days 4 Wisdom resembling the Sun 141 Wine its unhappy effects 48 Z. Zeal the excellency and source of it 238 Zeal of the Ranters of the world 254 Indiscreet zeal ibid. True zeal 255 FINIS The Printer to the Reader HIs Lordship 's being out of Town hath occasioned some Errors in the Print which the Reader may thus Correct PAg. 3. line 33. read liveless p. 5. l. 16. r. ardors p. 9. l. 16. r. to his love p. 44. l. 8. adde while p. 55. l. 5. r. Heaven p. 60. l. 28. r. Castles for Dungeons p. 74. l. 30. r. Covenant p. 98. l. 37. r. love was content p. 100. l. 3. r. Benedictions p. 102. l. 15. r. Clarities p. 108. l. 12. r. Isaac 's cost p. 129. l. 4. r. avail me p. 142. l. 13. r. now time l. 14. r. not for needs p. 173. l. 9. dele much p. 204. l. 15. r. poudered p. 207. l. 1. r. Laws p. 217. l. 22. r. even ready p. 255. l. 2. r. specious titles p. 269. l. 3. r. amazed himself p. 295. l. 6. r. was seen cleathed p. 300. l. 1. r. were obliged p. 301. l. 30. r. by it p. 307. l. 1. dele to p. 343. l. 29. dele nevertheless p. 379. l. 9. r. he imployes With other faults of lesser importance besides these in the Text and Marginal Notes