hostes of sacrifices in the solemne feastes 14. disposeth the Priestes and Leuites in their offices as Dauid had ordained 17. and sendeth shippes to fetch gold from Ophir AND twentie yeares being complete after that Salomon built the house of our Lord and his owne house †he built the cities which Hiram had geuen to Salomon and made the children of Israel dwel there †He went also into Emath Suba and obteyned it †And he built Palmira in the desert and he built other cities very wel fensed in Emath †And he built Beth horon the vpper and Beth horon the nether walled cities hauing gates and barrigates and lockes †Balaath also and al the strongest cities that were Salomons and al the cities of the chariotes and the cities of the horsemen Al thinges whatsoeuer Salomon would disposed he built in Ierusalem and in Libanus and in al the land of his dominion †Al the people that was leaft of the Hetheites and Amorrheites and Pherezeites and Heueites and Iebuseites which were not of the stocke of Israel †of their children and of the posteritie which the children of Israel had not slaine Salomon subdewed to be tributaries vntil this day †Moreouer of the children of Israel he sette not to serue the kinges workes for they were men of warre and the chiefe captaines and princes of his chariotes and horsemen †And al the princes of king Salomons armie were two hundred fiftie which taught the people †But the daughter of Pharao he remoued from the citie of Dauid into the house which he had built for her For the king sayd My wife shal not dwel in the house of Dauid the king of Israel because it is sanctified because the Arke of our Lord is entered into it †Then Salomon offered holocaustes to our Lord vpon the altar of our Lord which he had built before the porch †that euerie day there might be offering on it according to the precept of Moyses in the Sabbathes and in the Calendes and in the festiual daies thrise a yere that is to say in the Solemnitie of Azymes and in the Solemnitie of weekes and in the Solemnitie of tabernacles †And he appoynted according to the disposition of Dauid his father the offices of the Priestes in their ministeries the Leuites in their order that they should prayse and minister before the Priestes according to the rite of euerie day the porters in their diuisions by gate and gate for so Dauid the man of God had commanded †Neither did they trangresse of the kinges commandementes as wel the Priestes as the Leuites touching al thinges that he had commanded and in the custodies of the treasures †Salomon had al expenses prepared from the day that he founded the house of our Lord vntil the day wherein he perfitted it †Then went Salomon into Asiongaber and into Ailath to the coast of the Red sea which is in the Land of Edom. †And Hiram sent vnto him by the handes of his seruantes shippes and cunning mariners and they went with Salomons seruantes into Ophir and they tooke from thence foure hundred fiftie talentes of gold and brought it to king Salomon CHAP. IX The Queene of Saba admireth Salomons wisdom 9. giueth and receiueth presents 13. Of the great store of treasure which is yearely brought in 13. king Salomon maketh pretious armour 17. a throne 20. and plate 24. Other kinges send him giftes so he abundeth in glorie and riches 29. After fourtie yeares reigne he dieth and his sonne Roboam succedeth THE queene of Saba also when she had heard the fame of Salomon came to proue him in hard propositions in Ierusalem with great riches and camels which caried spices and very much gold and pretious stones And when she was come to Salomon she spake to him what thinges soeuer were in her hart †And Salomon expounded to her al thinges that she propounded neither was there anie thing that he made not playne vnto her †Who after she saw to witte the wisedom of Salomon and the house which he had built †moreouer also the meates of his table and the habitations of his seruantes and the offices of his ministers and their garmentes the cupbearers also and their garmentes and the victimes which he immolated in the house of our Lord there was no spirit in her anie longer she was soe astonied †And she sayd to the king The word is true which I heard in my countrie of thy vertues and wisdom †I did not beleue them that told it vntil my self was come and mine eies had seene and I had proued scarce the half part of thy wisedom to haue beene told me thou hast passed the fame with thy vertues †Blessed are thy men and blessed are thy seruantes which assist before thee at al time and heare thy wisedom †Be the Lord thy God blessed who would ordayne thee ouer his throne king of the Lord thy God Because God loueth Israel and wil preserue it for euer therfore hath he sette thee king ouer it to doe iudgementes and iustice †And she gaue to the king an hundred twentie talentes of gold and spices exceding much and most pretious stones there were not such spices as these which the Queene of Saba gaue to King Salomon †But the seruantes of Hiram also with the seruantes of Salomon brought gold from Ophir and Thymtrees and most pretious stones †wherof the king made to witte of the Thymtrees stayers in the house of our Lord and in the kinges house harpes also and psalteries for the singing men neuer were there seene such trees in the Land of Iuda †And king Salomon gaue to the Queene of Saba al thinges that she would and that she asked and manie moe thinges then she brought to him who returning went into her countrie with her seruantes †And the weight of the gold that was brought to Salomon euerie yeare was six hundred sixtie six talentes of gold †beside that summe which the legates of diuers nations and the merchantes were accustomed to bring and al the kinges of Arabia and the Dukes of the landes which brought gold and siluer to Salomon †King Salomon therfore made two hundred golden speares of the summe of six hundred peces of gold which were spent in euerie speare †also three hundred golden shieldes of three hundred peces of gold with which euerie shield was couered and the king put them in the armarie which was besette with a wood †The king also made a great throne of iâ—orie and couered it with most fyne gold †Six steppes also wherwith the going vp was to the throne and a foote stoole of gold and two litle armes on either side and two lions standing by the litle armes †yea and other twelue litle lions standing vpon the steppes on both sides there was not such a throne in al kingdomes †Al the vessels also of the kinges table were of gold
the children of Herem Eliezer Iosue Melchias Semeias Simeon †Beniamin Maloch Samarias †And of the children of Hasom Mathanai Mathatha Zabad Eliphelet Iermai Manasse Semei †Of the children of Bani Maaddi Amram and Vel †Baneas and Badaias Chelia◠†Vania Marimuth and Eliasib †Mathanias Mathanai and Iasi †and Bani and Bennui Semei †and Salmias and Nathan and Adaias †and Mechnedebai Sisai Sarai †Ezrel and Selemiau Semeria †Sellum Amaria Ioseph †Of the children of Nebo Iehiel Mathathias Zabad Zabina Ieddu and Ioel. and Banaia †Al these had taken strangers to wife and there were of them that had borne children THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKE OF NEHEMIAS THIS booke beareth Title both of the author Nehemias who writ it and of the second booke of Esdras who in the former writ the historie of the Israelites after theyr relaxation from captiuitie to the building againe of the Temple with other thinges done the same time VVhereunto Nehemias ioyneth thinges succeding especially the new erection of walles and towers about the citie of Ierusalem And it may be diuided into three partes In the two first chapters he sheweth his compassion of his countries misserie and his coÌ„ming to assist them In the tenne folowing he reciteth the good effectes in repayring and strengthning the citie with wallâ—s and people In the last chapter the correction of errors euil maners which he found amongst them THE BOOKE OF NEHEMIAS which also is called THE SECOND OF ESDRAS CHAP. I. Nehemias hearing the miserable state of his countrie men in Iurie 4. lamenteth fasteth and prayeth God for their relief THE wordes of Nehemias the sonne of Helchias And it came to passe in the moneth of Casleu the twenteth yeare and I was in Susis the castel †And Hanani one of my brethren came him selse and men of Iuda and I asked them of the Iewes that remayned and were left aliue of the captiuitie and of Ierusalem †And they sayd to me They that remayned and are left of the captiuitie there in the prouince are in great affliction and in reproche and the wal of Ierusalem is broken downe and the gates therof are burnt with fire †And when I had heard these maner of wordes I sate and wept and mourned many dayes and fasted and prayed before the face of the God of heauen †And I sayd I besech thee Lord God of heauen strong great and terrible which keepest couenant mercie with them that loue thee and keepe thy coÌ„mandmentes †let thine eares be harkning and thine eyes open to heare the prayer of thy seruant which I pray before thee this day night day for the children of Israel thy seruantes and I confesse for the sinnes of the children of Israel in which they haue sinned to thee I my fathers house haue sinned †we haue bene seduced with vanitie and haue not kept thy commandments and cerimonies and iudgement which thou hast commanded to Moyses thy seruant †Remember the word that thou didst command vnto Moyses thy seruant saying When you shal transgresse I will depresse you into peoples †and if you returne to me and keepe my precepts and doe them although you shal be led away to the vttermost partes of heauen thence wil I gather you and bring you backe into the place which I haue chosen that my name should dwel there †And they are thy seruantes and thy people whom thou hast redemed in thy great strength and in thy mighty hand †I besech thee Lord let thine eare be attent to the prayer of thy seruant and to the prayer of thy seruants which will feare thy name and direct thy seruant this day and giue him mercy before this man for I was the kings cupbearer CHAP. II. Nehemias obtaining commission from king Artaxerxes cometh to Ierusalem 11. secretty vieweth the broken walles and ruines of the citie 17. and exhorteth al the Iewes to the reedifying therof AND it came to passe in the moneth of Nisan the twentith yeare of Artaxerxes the king and there was wine before him and I lifted vp the wine and gaue to the king and I was as it were languishing before his face †And the king sayd to me Why is thy countenance sad whereas I doe not see thee sicke this is not without cause but some euil I know not what is in thy hart And I was very much and excedingly afrayd †and I sayd to the king O king for euer mayst thou liue why should not my countenance be heauie because the citie of the house of the sepulchres of my fathers is desolate and the gates therof are burnt with fire †And the king sayd to me For what thing makest thou request And I prayed the God of heauen †and I sayd to the king If it seme good to the king and if thy seruant do please before thy face thou send me into Iewrie to the citie of the sepulchre of my father and I wil build it †And the king sayd to me and the Queene that â—ate by him Vnto what time wil thy iourney be and when wilt thou returne And it pleased before the king and he sent me and I appoynted him a time †And I sayd to the king If it seme good to the king let him geue me letters to the gouernours of the country beyond the Riuer that they conduct me til I come into Iewrie †and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the kings forest to geue me timber that I may couer the gates of the towre of the house and the walles of the citie and the house that I shal enter into And the king gaue according to the good hand of my God with me †And I came to the dukes of the countrie beyond the Riuer and gaue them the kings letters And the king had sent with me captaynes of soldiers and horsemen †And Sanaballat an Horonite and Tobias a seruant an Ammonite heard it and were greiued with great affliction that a man was come which sought the prosperitie of the children of Israel †And I came to Ierusalem and was there three dayes †and I arose in the night I and a few men with me and I told not anie man what God had put in my hart to doe in Ierusalem and there was no beast with me but the beast wheron I sate †And I went out by the gate of the valley by night and before the fountayne of the dragon and to the gate of the dung and I viewed the wal of Ierusalem broken downe and the gates therof consumed with fire †And I passed to the gate of the fountayne and to the kinges conduite and there was no place for the beast where on I sat to passe †And I went vp by the torrent in the night and viewed the wal and going backe I came to the gate of the valley and returned †But the magistrastes knew
wilt now hold thy peace the Iewes shal be deliuered by an other occasion and thou and thy fathers house shal perish And who knoweth whether thou camest to the kingdom therfore that in such a time thou mightst be readie †And agayne Esther sent to Mardocheus in these wordes †Goe and gather together al the Iewes whom thou shalt find in Susan and pray ye for me Eate ye not and drinke not in three dayes and three nightes and I with my handmaydes in like maner wil fast and then wil I goe in to the king doing agaynst the law not called and deliuering my self to death and to peril †Mardocheus therfore went and did al things that Esther had commmanded him CHAP. V. Esther standing in the kings sight he calleth her 4. she requesteth that he and Aman wil dine with her 7. Againe she inuiteth them 9. Aman is more incensed against Mardocheus prepareth high gallowes to hang him on AND the third day Esther put on royal garmentes and stood in the court of the kings house which was the inner agaynst the kings hal but he sate vpon his throne in the consistorie of the palace against the doore of the house †And when he had seene Esther the queene standing she pleased his eies and he put forth toward her the golden rod which he held in his hand who going neere kissed the top of his rod. †And the king said to her What wilt thou queene Esther what is thy request yea if thou wilt aske the halfe part of the kingdom it shal be geuen thee †But she answered If it please the king I beseech thee that thou come to me this day and Aman with thee to a banket which I haue prepared †And the king forthwith cal ye Aman quoth he quickly that he may obey Esthers wil. The king therfore and Aman came to the banket which the queene had prepared for them †And the king said to her after that he had drunke wine aboundantly What doest thou desire to be geuen thee and for what thing askest thou although thou aske the half part of my kingdom thou shalt obteyne †To whom Esther answered My petition and requestes are these †If I haue found grace in the kings sight and if it please the king to geue that which I aske and to fulfil my petition let the king and Aman come to the banket which I haue prepared them and to morrow I wil open my wil to the king †Aman therfore went forth that day ioyful and merie And when he had seene Mardocheus sitting before the doores of the palace and not onlie not to haue risen vp to him but not so much as to haue moued from the place where he sate he was wrath excedingly †and dissembling his anger and returning into his house he called together vnto him his freindes and Zares his wife †and he declared to them the greatnesse of his riches and the multitude of his children and with how great glorie the king had aduanced him aboue al his princes and seruantes †And after these things he said Queene Esther also hath called none other to the banket with the king but me with whom to morow also I shal dine with the king †And wheras I haue al these things I thinke I haue nothing so long as I shal see Mardocheus the Iew sitting before the kings doores †And Zares his wife the rest of his frendes answered him Cōmand a great beame to be prepared hauing fiftie cubites in height and speake in the morning to the king that Mardocheus may be hanged vpon it and so thou shalt goe ioyful with the king to the banket The counsel pleased him and he commanded an high gallowes to be prepared CHAP. VI. The king hearing the good seruice of Mardocheus in detecting traitors read in the chronicle for which he had yet no rewarde 4. commandeth Aman to honour him next to the king 11. which he performeth THAT night the king passed without sleepe and he commanded the histories and chronicles of former times to be brought him Which when they were read in his presence †they came to that place where it was written how Mardocheus had vttered the treason of Bagathan and Thares the eunuches coueting to kil king Assuerus †Which when the king had heard he sayd What honour and reward hath Mardocheus receiued for this fidelitie His seruantes and ministers said to him He hath receiued no reward at al. †And the king by and by who is quoth he in the court For Aman had entered the inner court of the kings house that he might suggest to the king and he might command Mardocheus to be hanged fast on the gibbet which was prepared for him †The seruantes answered Aman standeth in the court And the king said Let him come in †And when he was come in he said to him What ought to be done to the man whom the king is desirous to honour But Aman thinking in his hart and supposing that the king would honour no other but him self †answered The man whom the king desireth to honour †ought to be clothed with the kings garmentes and to be set vpon the horse that is for the kings saddle and to take the kings crowne vpon his head †and let the chiefe of the kings princes and nobles hold his horse and going throuh the streat of the citie crie and say So shal he be honoured whomsoeuer the king wil honour †And the king said to him Make hast and taking a robe and a horse do that thou hast spoken to Mardocheus the Iewe which sitteth before the doores of the palace Beware thou pretermitte nothing of those things which thou hast spoken †Aman therfore tooke a robe and a horse and putting it on Mardocheus and setting him on the horse in the streat of the citie went before him and cried This honour is he worthie of whom soeuer the king is willing to honour †And Mardocheus returned to the palace gate and Aman made hast to goe into his house mourning and his head couered †and he told Zares his wife and his frendes al things that had chaunced him To whom the wise men whom he had in counsel and his wife answered If Mardocheus be of the Iewes seede before whom thou hast begune to fal thou canst not resist him but thou shalt fal in his sight †As they were yet speaking the kings eunuches came and compelled him to goe quickly to the banket which the queene had prepared CHAP. VII Esther entertayning the king and Aman againe at a feast is promised to obtaine whatsoeuer she wil aske 3. she demandeth saftie for her self and al the people against Amans crueltie 6. and Aman is hanged on the gallowes which he had prepared for Mardocheus THE king therfore and Aman went in to drinke with the queene †And the king said to her also the
second day after he was warme with wine What is thy petition Esther that it may be geuen thee and what wilt thou haue done although thou shalt aske the half part of my kingdome thou shalt obteyne †To whom she answered If I haue found grace in thyne eies ô king and if it please thee geue me my life for the which I make request and my people for the which I besech †For we are deliuered I and my people to be destroyed murdered and to perish And would God we were sold for bondmen and bondwemen it were a tolerable euil and mourning I would hold my peace but now it is our enemie whose crueltie redoundeth vpon the king †And king Assuetus answering said Who is this and of what might that he dare doe these things †And Esther said It is this Aman out aduersarie and most wicked enemie Which he hearing forthwith was astonished not enduring to beare the countenance of the king and of the queene †But the king being wrath rose vp and from the place of the banket went into the garden set with trees Aman also rose vp to intreate Esther the queene for his life for he vnderstood that there was euil prepared him of the king †Who when he was returned out of the garden set with trees and had entered into the place of the banket he found Aman to haue fallen vpon the bed wherin Esther lay and he said The queene also he wil force in my presence in my house Neither was the word yet passed from the kings mouth and immediatly they couered his face †And Harbona one of the eunuches which stood wayting on the king sayd Behold the gibbet which he had prepared for Mardocheus that spake for the king standeth in Amans house hauing in height fiftie cubites To whom the king said Hang him vpon it †Aman therfore was hanged on the gibbet which he had prepared for Mardocheus and the kings wrath ceased CHAP. VIII Esther informeth the king that Mardocheus is her vncle he is aduanced in authoritie 3. and contrarie letters are sent that the Iewes be saued 11. and their enemies slayne 15. Mardocheus is in high honour and his whole nation is estemed and feared by other people THAT day king Assuerus gaue vnto Esther the queene the house of Aman the Iewes aduersarie and Mardocheus went in before the kings presence For Esther confessed to him that he was her vncle †And the king tooke the ring which he had commanded to be taken agayne from Aman and deliuered it to Mardocheus And Esther appointed Mardocheus also ouer her house †Neither content with these things she fel downe at the kings feete and she wept and speaking to him prayed him that he would command that the malice of Aman the Agagite and his most wicked deuises which he had inuented agaynst the Iewes should be of none effect †But he after the maner put forth the golden scepter with his hand by the which the signe of clemencie was shewed and she rysing vp stood before him †and said If it please the king and if I haue found grace in his eies and my request seme not contrarie to him I besech thee that the old letters of Aman the traytour and enemie of the Iewes wherein he commanded that in al the kings prouinces they should perish may by new letters be corrected †For how can I abide the murder and slaughter of my people †And king Assuerus answered Esther the queene and Mardocheus the Iewe Amans house I haue geuen to Esther and him self I haue commanded to be hanged on the gallowes because he durst lay handes on the Iewes †Write ye therfore to the Iewes as pleaseth you in the kings name signing the letters with my ring For this was the custome that no man durst speake against the lettes which were sent in the kings name and were signed with his ring †And the kings scribes and secretaries being cald for and it was the time of the third moneth which is called Siban the three and twenteth day therof letters were written as Mardocheus would to the Iewes and to the princes and the lieuftenantes and iudges which were rulers ouer the hundred and seuen and twentie prouinces from India euen to Aethiopia to prouince and prouince to people and people according to their languages and characters and to the Iewes according as they could read and heare †And the said letters which were sent in the kings name were signed with his ring and sent by ryding postes which running through al the prouinces should preuent the old letters with the new messages †To whom the king gaue commandment that they should speake to the Iewes in euerie citie and should command them to be gathered together in one that they might stand for their liues and might kil and destroy al their enemies with their wiues and children and al their houses and to take the spoyle of them †And there was appointed through al the prouinces one day of reuenge that is the thirtenth of the twelfth moneth Adar †And this was the content of the letter that in al landes and peoples which were subiect to the empire of king Assuerus it should be notified ' the Iewes to be readie to be reuenged of their enemies †And there went forth swift postes cariyng the massages and the kinges edict hong in Susan †But Mardocheus going forth out of the palace and from the kinges presence shining in royal garmentes to wit hyathinthine and skie colour bearing a golden crowne on his head and clothed with a silke and purple cloke And the citie reioysed and was glad †But to the Iewes there semed a new light to rise ioye honour and dauncing †With al peoples cities and prouinces whither soeuer the kinges commandmentes came meruelous reioysing feastes and banketes and holie day in so much that manie of the other nation and sect were ioyned to their religion and ceremonies For great terrour of the name of the Iewes had inuaded them al. CHAP. IX The Iewes kil their enemies which would haue killed them 6. namely the tenne sonns of Aman are hanged on gallowes 13. more slaine the next day 17. the day folowing is made holie and so to be kept euerie yeare THERFORE in the thirtenth day of the twelth moneth which we haue said now before to be called Adar when slaughter was prepared for al the Iewes and their enemies gaped after their bloud “ the case being changed to the contrarie the Iewes began to be superiours and to reuenge them selues of their aduersaries †And they were gathered together in euerie citie and towne and place to extend their hand against their enemies and their persecutors And none durst resist because the feare of their greatnes did penetrate al peoples †For both the iudges of the prouinces and captaynes and lieutenantes and euerie dignitie that was chiefe ouer euerie place and worke
honoring it 2. Reg. 6. VVho further considering that himself dvvelt in a house of cedar and the Arke of God remained in the tabernacle couered vvith skinnes intended to build a more excellent house for God 2. Reg. 7. But his godlie purpose vvas differred by Gods appointment and his sonne king Salomon builded the famous Temple in Hierusalem 3. Reg. 6. VVhich succeding in place of the Tabernacle ech of them one after the other was the only ordinarie place of Sacrifice The law commanding Leuit. 17. If anie man of the house of Israel kil an oxe or a sheepe or a goate towit for Sacrifice as S. Augustin and other fathers expound it and offer it not at the dore of the tabernacle afterwards at the dore of the Temple he shal be guiltie of bloud as if he had shed bloud and so shal he perish out of the middes of his people Neuertheles vpon occasions and by special reuelation sacrifice was lawfully offered in other places For so in the time of the tabernacle Samuel the prophet offered Sacrifice in Masphath 1 Reg. 7. And the prophet Elias offered Sacrifice without the Temple vvhen he conuinced the false prophetes of Baal 3 Reg. 18. whose fact as S. Augustin noteth the miracle sufficiently shewed to be donne by Gods dispensation And as pecultar places were dedicated so also special times were sanctified and diuers feastes and festiuities partly ordained before as the Sabbath Gen. 2. and Pasch Exod. 12. were confirmed by the Law Exod. 20. 23. and others likevvise instituted Exod. 23. Leuit. 23. Num. 28. 29. and Deut. 16. with proper sacrifices for euerie sort First and most general was the dailie sacrifice of a lambe euerie day twise at morning and euening Exod. 29. which was not properly a feast but a sacred perpetual office in the tabernacle and after in the temple At the rest were festiual dayes in which it was not lawful ordinarily to do seruile worke The first of these was the Sabbath that is the seuenth and last day of euerie weke which is our saturday Kept stil solemnly by the Iewes euen at this time in al places vvhere they dvvel but not by Christians because the old Lavv is abrogaeed and vve kepe the next day which is Sunday holie by institution and tradition of the Church The second Neomenia or new moone in which day they alwaies beganne the moneth and twelue such monethes made a yeare by the course of the moone for by the course of the sunne the yeare conteineth eleuen dayes more which in three yeares make aboue a moneth And so euerie third yeare and sometimes the second for it happened seuen times in nintene yeares had thirtene monethes and was called Annus embolismalis being increased by meanes of those eleuen dayes The third feast was Pasch or Phase first instituted at the parting of the children of Israel out of Aegypt in the ful moone of the first moneth in the spring in which the Paschal lambe was eaten as is prescribed Exod. 12. The fourth feast was Pentecost or first fruites the fiftith day after Pasch when Moyses receiued the Lavv in mount Synai The fifth the feast of Trumpets the first day of the seuenth moneth in grateful memorie that a ramme sticking by the hornes vvas offered in sacrifice by Abraham in place of Isaac The sixth vvas the feast of Expiation the tenth day of the seuenth moneth vvherein solemne fast vvas also prescribed from euening of the ninth day to euening of the tenth for remission of sinnes in general besides particular sacrifices and satisfaction for euerie sinne wherof anie man found himself guiltie The seuenth vvas the feast of Tabernacles seuen dayes together beginning the fiftenth of the seuenth moneth in memorie of Gods special protection vvhen they remained in â—abirnacles fourtie yeares in the desert The eight feast vvas of Assemblie and Collection the next day after the forsaid seuen in commemoration of vnion in the people and peaceable possession in the promised land In this day general collection vvas made for necessarie expences in the publique seruice of God Moreouer the seuenth yeare vvas as a Sabbath of rest Leuit. 25. in vvhich no land vvas plowed no vines pruined nor those fruites gathered that sprong vvithout mans industrie of the earth Againe the fiftith yeare vvas peculiarly made holie and called the Iubiley or ioyful yeare In it al bondmen vvere sette free al inheritances amongst the Israelites being for the time sold or otherwise alienated returned to the former ovvners Besides Sacrifices Sacramentes holie places holie times and manie other sacred things belonging therto there were yet more ceremonial Obseruances commanded by Moyses law as vvel perteyning to the seruice of God in that time as signifying christian life and maners So certaine beastes birdes and fishes were reputed vncleane Leuit. 11. and Gods people forbid to eate them as also that they should not eate anie bloud at al nor fatte Leui. 3. The reason of al which vvas not as though anie creature were il in nature but partly to auoide idolatrie partly to exercise them in obedience and temperance partly for that the same thinges signified vices and corruptions from which Christians especiâ—lly ought to resraine Likewise Leuit. 19 they were commanded not to sovv their fieldes vvith tvvo sortes of seede nor to vveare garmentes wouen of tvvo sortes of stuffe that they might be more distinguished from Infidels by external signes and not only by Circumcision but especially to teach christians to practise simple innocencie to auoid duble deciptful dealing Aâ— vvhich and other preceptes as wel moral as ceremonial and iudicial vvere most strictly coÌ„manded the obseruers blessed rewarded transgressours seuerly threatned vvith great curses Leuit. 20. 26. Deut. 4. 27. 28. and diuers actually punished Exod. 32. three thousand slaine for committing idolatrie Manie swallovved vp in the earth Num. 16. descending quicke into hel manie more burned vvith fire from heauen for making and fauoring Schisme Yea by one meanes other al that vvere aboue twentie yeares of age coming forth of Aegypt except tvvo onlie Iosue Caleb died in the desert for the general murmur of the people Num. 11. 14. 25. 26. Al Israel beaten in battle til one malefactor Achan was discouered punished Ios 7. Al the tribes were punished for suffering publique idolatrie in Dan and Beniamin almost extirpate for not punishing certaine malefactours Iudic. 20. And the vvhole people verie often inuaded sore afflicted for their sinnes as appeareth in the booke of Iudges In particular also diuers were aduanced prospered for their vertues as Iosue Caleb Phinees Samuel Dauid and others Contrariwise Nadab and Abiu priests were miraculously burnt for offering strange â—â—re Leuit 10. One stoned to death for gathering stickes on the sabbath day Num. 15. King Saul deposed for presuming to offer sacrifice not destroying Infidels 1. Reg. 13.
shalt geue mercie before them that shal haue them captiues that they may haue compassion on them †For they are thy people and thine inheritance whom thou hast brought out of the Land of Aegypt from the middes of the yron fornace †That thy eies be open to the petition of thy seruant and of thy people Israel thou heare them in al thinges for which they shal inuocate thee †For thou hast separated them to thee for an inheritance from al the peoples of the earth as thou hast spoken by Moyses thy seruant when thou didst bring our fathers out of Aegypt Lord God †And it came to passe when Salomon had accomplished praying to our Lord al this prayer and petition he rose from the sight of the altar of our Lord for he had fastened both knees on the ground and had spred his handes toward heauen †He stood therfore and blessed al the assemblie of Israel with a lowde voyce saying †Blessed be our Lord which hath geuen rest to his people Israel according to al thinges that he hath spoken there hath not fayled so much as one word of al the good thinges that he spake by Moyses this seruant †Be our Lord God with vs as he hath beene with our fathers not forsaking nor reiecting vs. †But incline he our hartes to him that we may walke in al his waies and keepe his commandementes and his ceremonies and iudgementes whatsoeuer he commanded our fathers †And be these my wordes wherewith I haue prayed before our Lord approching to our Lord God day and night that he may doe iudgement for his seruant and for his people Israel day by day †that al the peoples of the earth may knowe that our Lord he is God and there is none other besides him †Let our hart also be perfect with our Lord God that we walke in his decrees and keepe his coÌ„mandementes as also this day †Therfore the king and al Israel with him did immolate victimes besore our Lord. †And Salomon killed pacisâ—que hostes which he immolated to our Lord of oxen two and twentie thousand and of sheepe an hundred twentie thousand and they dedicated the temple of our Lord the king and the children of Israel †In that day the king sanctified the middes of the court that was before the house of our Lord for he made the holocaust there and sacrifice and fatte of the pacifiques because the brasen altar that was before our Lord was too litle and could not take the holocaust and sacrifice and fatte of the pacifiques †Salomon therfore made in that time a solemne festiuitie and al Israel with him a great multitude from the entrance of Emath vnto the Ryuer of Aegypt before our Lord God seuen daies and seuen daies that is fourtene daies †And in the eight day he dismissed the people Who blessing the king went into their tabernacles reioysing and with a ioysul hart for al the good thinges that our Lord had done to Dauid his seruant and to Israel his people CHAP. IX Our Lord appearing againe to Salomon 4. admonisheth him and his people to keepe the precepts 6. threatning punishment if they do not 10. The king of Tyre receiueth tvventie cities of Salomon but liketh them not 14. Salomon buildeth more cities and tovvnes 20. Maketh diuers nations tributarie 24. The Quene repayreth to her house 25. The king offereth victimes thrise euerie yeare 26. and fetcheth gold from Ophir AND it came to passe when Salomon had perfected the building of the house of our Lord the kinges house and al that he wished and would haue done †our Lord appeared to him the second time as he had appeared to him in Gabaon †And our Lord said to him I haue heard thy prayer thy petition which thou hast prayed before me I haue sanctified this house which thou hast built that I might put my name there for euer and myne eies and my hart shal be there alwaies †Thou also if thou wilt walke before me as thy father walked in simplicitie of hart and in equitie and wilt doe al thinges which I haue commanded thee and wilt keepe my ordinances and my iudgementes †I wil sette the throne of thy kingdom ouer Israel for euer as I haue spoken to Dauid thy father saying There shal not be taken away a man of thy stocke from the throne of Israel †But if by reuolting you and your children shal turne away not folowing me nor keeping my commandementes and my ceremonies which I haue proposed to you but shal goe and worshippe strange goddes and adore them †I wil take away Israel from the face of the land which I haue geuen them and the temple which I haue sanctified to my name I wil cast away from my sight and Israel shal be for a prouerbe and for a fable to al peoples †And this house shal be for an example euerie one that shal passe by it shal wonder and hisse and say Why hath the Lord done thus to this land and to this house †And they shal answere Because they haue forsaken the Lord their God which brought their fathers out of the Land of Aegypt and haue folowed strange goddes adored them and worshipped them therfore hath the Lord brought vpon them al this euil †And twentie yeares being complete after that Salomon had built the two houses that is the house of our Lord and the house of the king †Hiram the king of Tyre ministring to Salomon ceder trees firre trees and gold according to al that he had neede then Salomon gaue to Hiram twentie townes in the Land of Galilee †And Hiram went from Tyre to see the townes which Salomon had geuen him and they pleased him not †and he sayd Are these the cities which thou hast geuen me brother And he called them the land Chabul vntil this day †Hiram also sent to king Salomon an hundred and twentie talentes of gold †This is the summe of the expences which king Salomon offered to build the house of our Lord and his owne house and Mello and the wal of Ierusalem and Heser and Mageddo and Gazer †Pharao the king of Aegypt came vp and rooke Gazer and burnt it with fire And the Chananite that dwelt in the citie he slewe and gaue it for a dowrie to his daughter the wife of Salomon †Salomon therfore built Gazer and Bethhoron the lower †and Baalath and Palmiâ—a in the Land of the wildernes †And al the villages that perteyned to him and were without wal he fensed and the cities of the chariotes and the cities of the horsemen and whatsoeuer pleased him to build in Ierusalem and in Libanus and in al the land of his dominion †Al the people that was remayning of the Amorrheites and Hetheites and Pherezeites and Heueites and Iebuseites that are not of the children of Israel †their children that were remayning in the
land to witte those whom the children of Israel could not abolish Salomon made tributaries vntil this day †But of the children of Israel Salomon appoynted not any man to serue but they were men of warre and his seruantes and princes and captaynes and ouerseers of the chariotes and horses †And there were princes ouer al the workes of Salomon made ouerseers fiue hundred fiftie which had the people subiect and commanded ouer their appoynted workes †And the daughter of Pharao went vp out of the citie of Dauid into her house which Salomon had built her then did he build Mello †Salomon also offered three tymes euerie yeare holocaustes and pacifique victimes vpon the altar which he had built to our Lord and he burnt incense before our Lord and the temple was perfected †King Salomon also made a name in Asiongaber which is beside Ailath in the shore of the Readsea in the Land of Idumea †And Hiram sent in that nauie his men that were mariners skilful of the sea with the seruantes of Salomon †Who when they were come into Ophir the gold taken thence of foure hundred and twentie talentes they brought to king Salomon CHAP. X. The quene of Saba coming to king Salomon admireth his vvisdom magnificence and order of gouernment 10. She geueth and receiueth giftes 14. Salomon receiueth much gold diuers vvayes 16. maketh golden targâ—â—tes â—8 a magnificent throne 21. and much golden vessel 25. Manie bring him presentes 26. He hath manie chariottes horsemen 27. abundance of siluer 28. Marchantes of diuers kingdomes sel him horses BVT the Queene of Saba also hauing heard the fame of Salomon in the name of our Lord came to proue him in hard propositions †And entring into Ierusalem with a great trayne and riches and camels carying spices and gold exceding infinite and pretious stones she came to king Salomon and spake to him al thinges that she had in her hart †And Salomon interpreted to her al the wordes that she proposed there was not a word that the king could be ignorant of and could not answer her †And the queene of Saba a seing al the wisedom of Salomon and the house which he had built †and the meates of his table and the habitations of his seruantes and the orders of them that serued and their garmentes cupbearers and the holocaustes which he offered in the house of our Lord she had no longer spirit †and she said to the king The report is true which I haue heard in my countrie †concerning thy wordes and concerning thy wisedom and I did not beleue them that told me til my selfe came and sawe with myne eies and haue proued that the half not been told me greater is thy wisdom and thy workes then the rumour which I haue heard †Blessed are thy men and blessed are thy seruantes which stand before thee alwaies and heare thy wisedom †Be the Lord thy God blessed whom thou hast pleased and that hath serte thee vpon the throne of Israel for that the Lord hath loued Israel for euer and hath appointed thee king to do iudgement and iustice †She therfore gaue to the king an hundred and twentie talentes of gold and spices exceding much and pretious stones There was no more brought so much spice as that which the Quene of Saba gaue to king Salomon †But the naue also of Hiram which caried gold our of Ophir brought from Ophir thyine trees exceding manie and pretious stones †And the king made of the thyine trees the porches of the house of our Lord and of the kinges house and harpes vials for the singers there were not such thyine trees brought nor seen vntil this present daye †And king Salomon gaue to the queene of Saba al that she would and asked of him beside those thinges which of him selfe he offered her for a royal gift Who returned and went into her countrie with her seruantes †And the weight of the gold that was brought to Salomon euerie yeare was of six hundred sixtie six talentes of gold †beside that which the men brought that were ouer the tributes and merchantes and al that sold light wares and al the kinges of Arabia and the dukes of the land †Salomon also made two hundred shieldes of most pure gold six hundred sicles of gold did he allow for the plates of one shield †And three hundred tergattes of tried gold and three hundred poundes of gold garnished one terget and the king put them in the house of the forest of Libanus †King Salomon also made a great throne of yuorie and couered it with gold exceding yellow †which had sixe steppes and the toppe of the throne was round in the hinder part and the two handes on either side holding the seate and two lyons stood at euery hand †And twelue litle lyons standing vpon the sixe steppes on either side there was not such a worke made in al kingdomes †Yea and al the vessels out of the which the king Salomon drunke were of gold and al the furniture of the house of the forest of Libanus of most pure gold there was no siluer neither was it thought of any price in the daies of Salomon †because the kinges nauie once in three yeares went with the nauie of Hiram on the sea into Tharsis bringing thence gold and siluer and the teeth of elephantes and apes and pecockes †King Salomon therfore was magnified aboue al the kinges of the earth in riches and wisedom †And al the earth desired to see Salomons face that they might heare his wisedom which God had geuen in his hart †And euerie one presented him giftes vessel of siluer and gold garmentes and instrumentes for warre spices also and horses and mules euerie yeare †And Salomon gathered together the chariotes and horsemen and there amounted to him a thousand foure hundred chariotes and twelue thousand horsemen and he disposed them in fensed cities and with the king in Ierusalem †And he made that there was as great abundance of siluer In Ierusalem as of stones and of ceder trees he caused such a multitude as if it were sycomore trees which grow in the playnes †And there were horses brought for Salomon out of Aegypt and Coa for the kinges merchantes brought them out of Coa and brought them at a sette price †And a chariote of foure horses came out of Aegypt for sixe hundred sicles of siluer and one horse for an hundred and fiftie And after this maner did al the kinges of the Hetheites and of Syria sel horses CHAP. XI Salomon louing and marying manie wemen of diuers nations is drawen by them to idolatrie 9. God therfore offended suffereth Adad an Idumean 23. Razon king of Damascus 26. and Hieroboam his owne seruant to make warre against him 29. Ahias the prophet fortelleth Hieroboam that he shal reigne ouer tenne tribes leauing but tvvo to Salomons heyres
38. VVith promise to prosper if he serue God 42. Salomon dieth AND king Salomon loued manie wemen strangers the daughter also of Pharao and Moabites and Ammonites Idumeians and Sidonians and Hetheians †of the nations wherof our Lord sayd to the children of Israel You shal not goe in vnto them neither shal anie of them come in vnto yours for they wil most certainly turne away your hartes to folow their goddes To these therfore was Salomon copled in most seruent loue †And he had wiues as it were queenes seuen hundred and concubines three hundred and the wemen turned away his hart †And when he was now old his hart was depraued by wemen that he folowed strange goddes neither was his hart perfect with our Lord his God as the hart of Dauid his father †But Salomon worshipped Astarthee the goddesse of the Sidonians and Moloch the idol of the Ammonites †And Salomon did that which was not liked before our Lord and he accomplished not to folow our Lord as Dauid his father †Then built Salomon a temple to Camos the idol of Moab in the mount that is agaynst Ierusalem and to Moloch the idol of the children of Ammon †And in this maner did he to al his wiues that were strangers which burnt frankencense and immolated to their goddes †Therfore our Lord was wrath with Salomon because his minde was turned away from our Lord the God of Israel who had appeared vnto him the second tyme †and had commanded him concerning this word that he should not folow strange goddes he kept not the thinges which our Lord commanded him †Our Lord therfore sayd to Salomon Because thou hast done this and hast not kept my couenant and my preceptes which I haue commanded thee breaking I wil rent asunder thy kingdom and wil geue it to thy seruant †Neuerthelesse in thy dayes I wil not doe it because of Dauid thy father out of the hand of thy sonne I wil rent it †neither wil I take away the whole kingdom but one tribe I wil geue to thy sonne for Dauid my seruant and Ierusalem Which I haue chosen †And our Lord raysed vp an aduersarie to Salomon Adad an Idumeite of the kinges seede who was in Edom. †For when Dauid was in Idumea and Ioab the general of the warfare was gone vp to burie them that were slayne and had slayne al malekind in Idumea †for Ioab taried there six monethes and al Israel til he slew al malekind in Idumea †Adad him self fled and men of Idumea of his fathers seruantes with him to goe into Aegypt and Adad was a litle boy †And when they rose out of Madian they came into Pharan and they tooke with them men of Pharan and entered into Aegypt to Pharao the king of Aegypt who gaue him a house and appoynted him meates and assigued him land †And Adad found grace before Pharao excedingly in so much that he gaue him to wife the germane sister of his wife Taphnes the queene †And the sister of Taphnes bare him a sonne Genubath and Taphnes brought him vp in the house of Pharao and Genubath was dwelling at Pharaoes house with his children †And when Adad in Aegypt had heard that Dauid slept with his fathers and that Ioab the general of the warefare was dead he sayd to Pharao Dismisse me that I may goe into my countrie †And Pharao sayd to him For what lackest thou with me that thou seekest to goe into thyne owne countrie But he answered Nothing yet I besech thee that thou dismisse me †God also raysed vp to him an aduersarie Razon the sonne of Eliada who had fled Adarezer the king of Soba his lord †and he gathered men agaynst him and he became the captayne of theues when Dauid killed them and they went to Damascus and dwelt there and they made him king in Damascus †and he was an aduersarie to Israel al the dayes of Salomon and this is the euil of Adad and hatred agaynst Israel and he reigned in Syria †Ieroboam also the sonne of Nabath an Ephratheite of Sareda the seruant of Salomon whose mother was called Serua a woman widow lifted vp his hand agaynst the king †And this is the cause of his rebellion agaynst him because Salomon built Mello and filled vp the breache of the citie of Dauid his father †And Ieroboam was a strong man and mightie and Salomon seing the youngman of a good witte industrious had made him chief ouer the tributes of al the house of Ioseph †It came to passe therfore at that tyme that Ieroboam went out of Ierusalem and the prophete Ahias the Silonite found him in the way couered with a new cloke and they two onlie were in the field †And Ahias taking his new cloke wherwith he was couered cut it into twelue partes †And he sayd to Ieroboam Take vnto thee ten pieces for thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel Behold I wil rent the kingdom out of the hand of Salomon and wil geue thee ten tribes †But one tribe shal remayne to him for my seruant Dauid and Ierusalem the citie which I haue chosen of al the tribes of Israel †because he hath forsaken me and hath adored Astarthee the goddesse of the Sidonians Chamos the god of Moab and Moloch the god of the children of Ammon and hath not walked in my waies to doe iustice before me and my preceptes and iudgementes as Dauid his father †Neither wil I take away al the kingdom out of his hand but I wil make him prince al the daies of his life for Dauid my seruant whom I chose who kept my commandmentes and my preceptes †But I wil take away the kingdom out of his sonnes hand and wil geue thee ten tribes †and to his sonne I wil geue one tribe that there may remayne a lampe to Dauid my seruant at al times before me in Ierusalem the citie which I haue chosen that my name might be there †And thee wil I take and thou shalt reigne ouer al thinges that thy soule desireth and thou shalt be king ouer Israel †If therfore thou wilt heare al thinges that I shal command thee and wilt walke in my waies and doe that which is right before me keeping my commandmentes and my preceptes as Dauid my seruant did I wil be with thee and wil build thee a faythful house as I built a house to Dauid and I wil deliuer Israel to thee †and I wil afflict the seede of Dauid vpon this but yet not alwaies †Salomon therfore would haue killed Ieroboam who arose and fled into Aegypt to Sesac the king of Aegypt and was in Aegypt vntil the death of Salomon †And the rest of the wordes of Salomon and al that he did and his wisedom behold they are al written in the Booke of the wordes of the
goe out of thy hand a man worthie to die thy life shal be for his life and thy people for his people †The king of Israel therfore returned into his house contemning to heare raging came into Samaria CHAP. XXI Naboth for denying his vineyard to King Achab is by quene Iezabels commandment falsly accused and stoned to death 10. Achab hastening to possesse the vineyard Elias the prophet threatneth him manie euiles 23. and no lesse to Iezabel both being obstinate in sinne 27. Yet Achab for feare of punishment doth external workes of penance and therby escapeth part of the temporal plagues AND after these wordes at that tyme Naboth the Iezrahelite had a vineyard which was in Iezrahel beside the palace of Achab the king of Samaria †Achab therfore spake to Naboth saying Geue me thy vineyard that I may make me a garden of herbes because it is nigh and ioyning to my house and I wil geue thee for it a better vineyard or if thou thinke it more commodious for thee the price of siluer so much as it is worth †To whom Naboth answered Our Lord be merciful to me that I geue not the inheritance of my fathers to thee †Achab therfore came into his house with indignation and fretting vpon the word that Naboth the Iezrahelite had spoken to him saying I wil not geue thee the inheritance of my fathers And casting him self vpon his bed he turned away his face to the wal and did not eate bread †And Iezabel his wife went in vnto him and sayd to him What is this matter whereupon thy soule is greued and why eatest thou not bread †Who answered her I spake to Naboth the Iezrahelite and sayd to him Geue me thy vineyard taking money for it or if it please thee I wil geue thee a better vineyard for it And he sayd I wil not geue thee my vineyard †Iezabel therfore his wife sayd to him Thou art of great authoritie and doest wel gouerne the kingdome of Israel Arise and eate bread and be of good cheere I wil geue thee the vineyard of Naboth the Iezrahelite †She therfore wrote letters in the name of Achab and signed them with his ring and sent to the ancientes and the chiefe men that were in his citie and dwelt with Naboth †And this was the tenor of the letters Proclame a fast and make Naboth sitte among the chiefe of the people †and suborne two men the children of Belial agaynst him and let them beare false testimony that he hath blessed God and the king and bring him forth and stone him and so let him die †His citizens therfore the ancientes and chiefe men that dwelt with him in the citie did as Iezabel had commanded them and as it was written in the letters which she sent to them †they proclamed a fast and made Naboth sitte among the chiefe of the people †And two men the children of the diuel being brought forth they made them sitte agaynst him but they as deuelish men gaue testimonie agaynst him before the multitude Naboth hath blessed God and the king for the which thing they brought him forth without the citie and killed him with stones †And they sent to Iezabel saying Naboth is stoned and is dead †And it came to passe when Iezabel had heard that Naboth was stoned and dead she spake to Achab Arise and possesse the vineyard of Naboth the Iezrahelite who would not agree vnto thee and geue it taking money for Naboth liueth not but is dead †Which when Achab had heard to witte that Naboth was dead he arose went downe into the vineyard of Naboth the Iezrahelite to possesse it †The word of our Lord therfore came to Elias the Thesbite saying †Arise and goe downe to meete Achab the king of Israel who is in Samaria behold he goeth downe to the vineyard of Naboth to possesse it †and thou shalt speake to him saying Thus sayth our Lord Thou hast slayne moreouer also thou hast possest And after these wordes thou shalt adde Thus sayth our Lord In this place wherein the dogges haue licked the bloud of Naboth they shal licke thy bloud also †And Achab sayd to Elias Hast thou found me thyne enemie Who sayd I haue found thee for that thou art sold to doe euil in the sight of our Lord. †Behold I wil bring euil vpon thee and wil cut downe thy posteritie and wil kil of Achab him that pisseth agaynst the wal and the inclosed and the last in Israel †And I wil make thy house as the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat and as the house of Baasa the sonne of Ahias because thou hast done to prouoke me to anger and hast made Israel to sinne †But of Iezabel also our Lord spake saying The dogges shal eate Iezabel in the field of Iezrahel †If Achab die in the citie the dogges shal eate him but if he die in the field the foules of the ayre shal eate him †Therfore there was not such an other as Achab who was sold to doe euil in the sight of our Lord for his wife Iezabel sette him on †and he became abominable in so much that he folowed the idols which the Amorrheites had made whom our Lord consumed before the face of the children of Israel †Therfore when Achab had heard these wordes he rent his garmentes and couered his flesh with haercloth and fasted and slept in sackcloth and walked casting downe his head †And the word of our Lord came to Elias the Thesbite saying †Hast thou not seene Achab humbled before me therfore because he hath humbled him self for my sake I wil not bring in the euil in his dayes but in his sonnes daies wil I bring the euil vpon his house CHAP. XXII Achab King of Israel consulting and beleuing false prophetes rather then Micheas a true prophet accompanied with Iosaphat king of Iuda resolueth to fight against the Syrians for Ramoth Galaad 26. Committeth Micheas to prison 29. procedeth to the warre 34. is slaine and Ochozias saccedeth 41. Iosaphat refuseth to traffike longer with Ochozias dieth and his sonne Ioram reigneth 52. Ochozias foloweth the euil steppes of his parents THERE passed therfore three yeares without warre betwen Syria aud Israel †And in the third yeare Iosaphat the king of Iuda went downe to the king of Israel †And the king of Israel sayd to his seruantes are you ignorant that Ramoth Galaad is ours and we neglect to take it out of the hand of the king of Syria †And he sayd to Iosaphat Wilt thou come with me to sight into Ramoth Galaad †And Iosaphat sayd to the king of Israel As I am so thou also my people and thy people are one and my horsemen thy horsmen And Iosaphat sayd to the king of Israal Aske I besech thee this day the word of our Lord. †The king of Israel therfore assembled the
and thyne arme and the illumination of thy countenance because thou wast pleased in them †Thou art the same my king and my God which commandest the saluations of Iacob †In thee we shal turne out our enemies with the horne in thy name we shal contemne them that ryse vp against vs. †For I wil not hope in my bowe and my sword wil not saue me †For thou hast saued vs from them that afflict vs and them that hate vs thou hast confounded †In God we shal be praysed al the day and in thy name we wil confesse for euer †But now thou hast repelled and confounded vs and thou wilt not goe forth ô God in our hostes †Thou hast turned vs backe behind our enemies and they that hated vs spoyled for themselues †Thou hast geuen vs as sheepe that are to be eaten and thou hast dispersed vs among the nations †Thou hast sold thy people without price and there was no multitude in the exchanges of them †Thou hast made vs a reproche to our neighbours a scorne and mocking stocke to them that are round about vs. †Thou hast made vs for a parable to the Gentiles a wagging of the head among the peoples †Al the day my shame is against me and the confusion of my face hath couered me †At the voyce of the vpbrayder and the reprocher at the face of the enemie and persecutor †Al these thinges haue come vpon vs neither haue we forgotten thee and we haue not done wickedly in thy testament †And our hart hath not reuolted backward and thou hast declined our pathes from thy way †Because thou hast humbled vs in the place of affliction and the shadow of death hath couered vs. †If we haue forgotten the name of our God and if we haue spred forth our handes to a strange God †Wil not God enquire of these thinges For he knoweth the secretes of the hart Because for thee we are killed al the day we are estemed as sheepe of slaughter †Arise why sleepest thou ô Lord Arise and expel vs not to the end †Why dost thou turne away thy face forgettest our pouertie and our tribulation †Because our soule is humbled in the dust our bellie is glâ—wed in the earth †Arise Lord helpe vs and redeme vs for thy name PSALME XLIIII Dauid singularly moued in hart and tongue 3. prophecieth Christs excellencie indowing his Church with most worthie dowries 11. by way of exhortation forshewing her internal and external beautie 17. with perpetual succession of Pastors feeding the flock euen to the worlds end †Vnto the end for them that shal be changed to the sonnes of Core for vnderstanding a Canticle for the beloued MY hart hath vttered a good word I tel my workes to the king My tongue is the penne of a scribe that writeth swiftly †Goodly of beautie aboue the sonnes of men grace is powred abrode in thy lippes therfore hath God blessed thee for euer †Be girded with thy sword vpon thy thigh ô most mightie †With thy beautie and fayrnesse intend procede prosperousely and reigne Because of truth and mildenesse and iustice and thy right hand shal conduct thee meruelously Thy sharpe arrowes the peoples vnderneth thee shal fal into the hartes of the kings enemies †“ Thy seate ô God for euer and euer a rod of direction the rod of thy kingdom Thou hast loued iustice and hast hated iniquitie therfore God thy God hath annoynted thee with the oile of gladnes aboue thy felowes †Myrâ—he and Aloes and Cassia from thy garmentes from houses of yuorie out of the which †the daughter of kinges haue delighted thee in thy honour The Queene stood on thy right hand in golden rayment compassed with varietie Heare daughter and see and incline thyne eare and forget thy people and the house of thy father †And the king wil couet thy beautie because he is the Lord thy God and they shal adore him †And the daughters of Tyre with giftes al the rich of the people shal besech thy countenance †Al the glorie of that daughter of the king is within in borders of gold †clothed round about with varieties Virgins shal be brought to the king after her her neighbours shal be brought to thee †They shal be brought in ioy and exultation “ they shal be brought into the temple of the king †“ For thy fathers there are borne sonnes to thee thou shalt make them princes ouer al the earth †They shal be mindeful of thy name in al generation and generation Therfore shal peoples confesse to thee for euer and for euer and euer ANNOTATIONS PSALME XLIIII 7. Thy seate Ô God for euer and euer Seing S. Paul Heb. 1. v. 8. affirmeth expresly that these wordes are spoken of the Sonne of God Christ our Sauiour and therby proueth his excellencie aboue Angels Iohn Caluin is wonderful bold to auouch that in the simple proper sense Dauid spake of his sonne Salomon and the daughter of Pharao as if that were the literal sense and S. Paul only expounded it mystically But first the solemne preface in the two first verses importeth farre greater thinges then agree to anie terrestrial king Secondly this excellent beautie described v. 3. aboue the sonnes of men can not be verified of Salomon for Absalom 2. Reg. 14. v 25. and Adonias were also very beautiful 3. Reg. 1. v. 6. As for Salomons wisdom or other vertues he perseuered not therin and so he was not blessed for euer Thirdly the prophet here calleth the person of whom and to whom he speaketh God v. 7. 12. Fourtly not only the ancient Fathers and Doctors of the Church but also the Hebrew Rabbins and the Chaldee paraphrasis expound this Psalme literally of the promised Messias and his kingdom the Church 16. They shal be brought into the temple of the king The temple of the king saith S. Augustin is the Church the temple of the king is in vnity the temple of the king is not ruinous not cut insunder not diuided the ioyning of liuing stones is charitie Nothing is more euidenr Attend now the verie temple of the king for from thence he speaketh because of the vnitie spread in the round earth For those that vvould be virgins faithful soules vnles they be brought into the temple of the king the Catholique Church they can not please the bridgrome 17. For thy fathers there are borne sonnes to thee The Apostles begotte thee ô Christian Church they were sent they preached they are the fathers But could they be
that the vessels of gold siluer should be brought which Nabuchodonosor his father had caried away out of the temple that was in Ierusalem that the king and his Nobles might drinke in them and his wiues and concubines †Then were the golden and siluer vessels brought which he had caried away out of the temple that was in Ierusalem and the king and his nobles dranke in them his wiues and concubines †They dranke wine and praysed their goddes of gold and of siluer of brasse of yron and of wood and of stone †In the very same houre there appeared fingers as it were of the hand of a man writing ouer against the candlesticke in the vtter part of the wal of the kings palace and the king beheld the ioynts of the hand that wrote †Then was the kings face changed and his cogitations trubled him and the iunctures of his reynes were loosed and his knees were striken one against the other †The king therfore cried out mightely that they should bring in the magicians Chaldees and southsayers And the king speaking sayd to the wisemen of Babylon Whosoeuer shal read this writing and shal make the interpretation therof manifest vnto me shal be clothed with purple and shal haue a golden chayne on his necke shal be the third in my kingdom †Then al the kings wisemen going in could not neither read the writing nor declare the interpretation to the king †Wherewith king Baltassar was much trubled and his countenance was changed yea and his nobles were trubled †And the queene for the thing that had happened to the king and his Nobles entered into the house of the feast and speaking she sayd King for euer liue let not thy cogitations truble thee neither let thy face be changed †There is a man in thy kingdom that hath the spirit of the holie goddes in him and in the dayes of thy father knowlege and wisedom were found in him for king Nabuchodonosor also thy father appoynted him prince of the magicians inchanters Chaldees and southsayers thy father I say ô king †Because more ample spirit and prudence and vnderstanding interpretation of Dreames and shewing of secrets and solution of thinge bound were found in him that is in Daniel to whom the king gaue the name Baltassar Now therfore let Daniel be called and he wil tel the interpretation †Daniel therfore was brought in before the king To whom the king speaking said Art thou Daniel of the children of the captiuitie of Iuda whom my father the king brought out of Iewrie †I haue heard of thee that thou hast the spirit of the goddes and more ample knowlege and vnderstanding and wisedom are found in thee †And now there haue come in into my sight the wise magicians that they might read this writing and might shew me the interpretation therof and they could not declare me the sense of this word †Moreouer I haue heard of thee that thou canst interpret obscure thinges and resolue thinges bound if therfore thou be able to reade the writing to shew me the interpretation therof thou shalt be clothed with purple and shalt haue a cheyne of gold about thy necke shalt be the third prince in my kingdom †To which thinges Daniel answering sayd before the king Thy rewardes be they vnto thee and the giftes of thy house geue to an other but the writing wil I read thee ô king and the interpretation therof wil I shew to thee †O king God the most high gaue to Nabuchodonosor thy father kingdom and magnificence glorie and honour †And for the magnificence which he gaue to him al peoples tribes and tongues trembled and feared him whom he would he killed and whom he would he stroke and whom he would he exalted and whom he would he humbled †But when his hart was eleuated and his spirit obstinatly set to pride he was deposed from the throne of his kingdom and his glorie was taken away †And he was cast out from the sonnes of men yea and his hart was set with the beasts and with the wild asses was his habitation grasse also he did eate as an oxe and with the dew of heauen his bodie was embrewed til he knew that the Highest had powre in the kingdom of men and whomsoeuer it shal please him he wil raise vp ouer it †Thou also his sonne Baltassar hast not humbled thy hart wheras thou knowest al these thinges †but against the dominatour of heauen thou wast eleuated and the vessels of his house haue bene brought before thee and thou and thy nobles and thy wiues and thy concubins haue drunke wine in them the goddes also of siluer and of gold and of brasse of yron and of wood and of stone that see not nor heare nor feele thou hast praysed moreouer the God that hath thy breath in his hand and al thy wayes thou hast not glorified †Therfore from him is the ioynt of the hand sent which hath written this that is drawen †And this is the writing which is ordered MANE THECEL PHARES †And this the interpretation of the word MANE God hath numbred thy kingdom and hath finished it †THECEL thou art weighed in the balance and art found hauing lesse †PHARES thy kingdom is diuided and is geuen to the Medes and Persians †Then the king commanding Daniel was clothed with purple and a cheyne of gold was put about his necke it was proclamed of him that he had powre the third in the kingdom †The same night was Baltassar the king of Chaldee slaine †And Darius the Mede succeded into the kingdom being three score and two yeares old CHAP. VI. King Darius making Daniel one of the three chief rulers of his kingdom 4. and intending also to aduance him higher other princes accuse him for praying to God contrarie to the kings edict 16. wherupon he is cast into the lions denne 21. but is conserued without anie hurt 24. his accusers are deuoured by the lions and commandment is geuen that al men shal feare the God of Daniel IT pleased Darius and he appoynted ouer the kingdom Gouerners an hundred twentie to be in al his kingdom †And ouer them three princes of whom Daniel was one that the gouerners might render account to them the king might susteyne no truble †Daniel therfore passed al the princes and gouerners because there was the spirit of God more ample in him †Moreouer the king thought to appoynt him ouer al the kingdom wherupon the princes the gouerners sought to finde occasion against Daniel on the behalfe of the king and they could finde no cause nor suspicion because he was faithful and no fault nor suspicion was found in him †Those men therfore said We shal not finde against this same Daniel any occasion vnles perhaps in the law of his God †Then the princes and the
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
true faith and religion Especially Christian Princes of whom Esai propheciced chap. 49. that Kinges should be softer fathers and Queenes the nources of the Church Conformably wherto S Augustin teacheth li. 3 c. 51. cont Crescon that Kinges in that they are Kinges serue God by commanding good thinges and forbidding euel not only perteining to humaine societie but also belonging to Gods religion To this effect Constantin the great did manie religious actes yea euen those thinges which our aduersaries wrest to their owne sense shew euidently his due submission to his spiritual pastors As when vrged by the Donatistes peruerse importunitie and being desirous as S. Augustin testifieth Epist 166. to bridle so great impudencie he heard and iudged Bishop Cecilians cause after other Bishops sentence for him against the heretikes where he both gaue iudgement agreable to the Bishops and yet pleading parden excused himself for this fact VVhich had not neded if he had bene the ordinarie or competent iudge Optatus also writeth li. 1. cont Parmen that the same Emperour Constantin exclamed against the appellantes in these wordes O raâ—ida furoris audacia sicut in causis Gentilium sâ—â—ri solet appellationem interposuerunt O outragious boldnes of furie like as in causes of Gentiles is wont they haue interposed an appeal The like good offices did Iustinian and Charles the great and manie other Christian Emperours and Kinges for which they are much renowmed in the whole Church and some haue benne honoured for their religious zele with glorious titles geuen to them and their successors To the Kinges of Spaine from the time of Alâ—onsus King of Castil aboue eight hundred yeares agone for expelling the Arians was geuen the title of Cathoque as Michael Ritins a Neapolitâ—n writeth To the French Kinges the title of most Christian from the time of Philip the Emperour about 400. yeares since for expelling the Albigenses as recordeth Nicholaus Gillius To our King Henrie the eight of England for his booke of the Sacramentes against Luther Pope Leo the tenth gaue the title Defender of the saith CHAP. IIII. In memorie of their miraculous passage twelue chief men of the twelue tribes â—uke so manie great stones from the middes of Iordan 9. and put other twelue where the priestes stood with the arke 18. The waters returne to their former course And the twelue stones are erected for a monument VVHo being passed ouer our Lord said to Iosue †Choose twelue men one in euerie tribe †and command them that they take vp out of the middes of the chanel of IordaÌ„ where the feete of the priestes stoode twelue most hard stones which you shal put in the place of the campe where you shal pitch tentes this night †And Iosue called twelue men whom he had chosen out of the children of Israel one of euerie tribe †and he said to them Goe before the arke of our Lord your God to the middes of Iordan and carrie from thence euerie man a stone on your shoulders according to the number of the children of Israel †that it may be a signe among you and when your children shal aske you to morrow saying What meane these stones †You shal answer them The waters of Iordan decayed before the arke of the couenant of our Lord when it passed ouer the same therfore were these stones sette for a monument of the children of Israel for euer †The children of Israel therfore did as Iosue commanded them carying out of the chanel of Iordan twelue stones as our Lord had commanded him according to the number of the children of Israel vnto the place wherein they camped and there they sette them †Other twelue stones also Iosue put in the middes of the chanel of Iordan where the priestes stoode that caried the arke of the couenant and they be there vntil this present day †But the priestes that caried the arke stoode in the middes of Iordan til al thinges were accomplished which our Lord had commanded Iosue to speake to the people and Moyses had said to him And the people made hast and passed ouer †And when they had al passed ouer the arke also of our Lord passed ouer the priestes also went before the people †The children of Ruben also and Gad and the half tribe of Manasses went armed before the children of Israel as Moyses had commanded them †and fourtie thousand fighting men by troupes and bandes marched through the plaine and champion countrie of the citie of Iericho †In that day our Lord magnified Iosue before al Israel that they should feare him as they had feared Moyses whiles he yet liued †And he said to him †Command the priestes that carie the arke of the couenant that they comme vp out of Iordan †Who commanded them saying Come ye vp out of Iordan †And when they that caried the arke of the couenant of our Lord were come vp and began to treade on the drie ground the waters returned into their chanel and ranne as they were wont before †And the people came vp out of Iordan the tenth day of the first moneth and camped in Galgal against the East side of the citie of Iericho †the twelue stones also which they had taken out of the chanel of Iordan Iosue sette in Galgal †and said to the children of Israel When your children shal aske their fathers to morrow and shal say to them What meane these stones †You shal teach them and say By the drie chanel did Israel passe ouer this Iordan †your Lord God drying the waters therof in your sight vntil you passed ouer †as he had done before in the readsea which he dried til we passed throuh †that al the people of the earth may learne the most strong hand of our Lord that you also may feare our Lord your God CHAP. V. The kinges of Chanaan are sore frighted with the newes of Israels passage ouer Iordan 2. Circumcision is againe commanded and obserued which had bene ommitted in the desert fourtie yeares 10 They make their Pasch 12. Manna ceaseth 13. And an Angel appeareth to Iosue THERFORE after that al the kinges of the Ammorrheites which dwelt beyond Iordan at the west side and al the kinges of Chanaan which possessed the places nigh to the great sea had heard that our Lord had dried the streames of Iordan before the children of Israel til they passed ouer their hart failed and there remained no spirit in them fearing the entring of the children of Israel †At that time our Lord said to Iosue Make thee kniues of stone and circumcise the second time the children of Israel †He did that which our Lord had commanded and he circumcised the children of Israel in the hil of the prepuces †And this is the cause of the second circumcision Al the people that came out of Aegypt of the malekinde al the fighting men died in the desert by
were manie moe whom the forest had consumed of the people then they whom the sword deuoured in that day †And it chanced that Absalom mette the seruantes of Dauid sitting on a mule and when the mule was gone in vnder a thicke oke and a great his head stucke to the oke and he hanging betwen heauen and earth the mule that he rode vpon passed through †And one sawe this told Ioab saying I saw Absolom hang vpon an oke †And Ioab sayd to the man that told him If thou sawest him why didst thou not nayle him to the earth and I had geuen thee ten sicles of siluer and one belt †Who sayd to Ioab If thou wouldest pay downe in my handes a thousand peeces of siluer I would not lay my handes vpon the kinges sonne for in our hearing the king commanded thee and Abisai and Ethai saying Keepe me the child Absalom †Yea and if I had done agaynst my life boldly this could not haue beene hid from the king and thou wouldest haue stand agaynst it †And Ioab sayd Not as thou wilt but I wil set vpon him before thee He tooke therefore three lances in his hand and thrust them in the hart of Absalom and when as yet he panted for life sticking on the oke †there ranne ten yong men the squyers of Ioab and striking they killed him †And Ioab sounded the trumpet and stayed the people that they should not pursew Israel fleeing willing to spare the multitude †And they tooke Absalom and cast him in the forrest into a great pitte and they heaped vpon him an exceding great heape of stones but al Israel fled into their tabernacles †Moreouer Absalom had erected to himself whiles he yet liued a title which is in the kinges Valley for he said I haue no sonne and this shal be a monument of my name And he called the title by his name and it is called The hand of Absalom vntil this present day †And Achimaas the sonne of Sadoc said I wil runne and tel the king that our Lord hath done him iudgement of the hand of his enemies †To whom Ioab said Thou shalt not be messenger this day but thou shalt carie the message an other day to day I wil not haue thee carie the message for the kinges sonne is dead †And Ioab said to Chusai Goe and tel the king what thou hast seene Chusai adored Ioab and ranne †And againe Achimaas the sonne of Sadoc said to Ioab What letteth if I also runne after Chusai And Ioab sayd to him Why wilt thou runne my sonne thou shalt not be caryer of good tydinges †Who answered But what if I runne And he said to him Runne Achimaas therfore running a nere way out went Chusai †And Dauid sate betwen the two gates and the watchman that was in the toope of the gate vpon the wal lifting vp his eies saw a man running alone †And crying out he told the king and the king said If he be alone there are good tydinges in his mouth And he making hast and coming neerer †the watchman saw an other man running and crying alowde in the toppe he said There appeareth vnto me an other man running alone And the king said And this is a good messenger †And the watchman I behold said he the running of the former as it were the running of Achimaas the sonne of Sadoc And the king said He is a good man and cometh bringing good newes †And Achimaas crying sayd to the king God saue thee ô king And adoring the king before him flatte to the earth he said Blessed be our Lord thy God who hath shut vp the men that haue lifted vp their handes against my lord the king †And the king said Is the child Absalom safe And Achimaas sayd I saw a great tumult when thy seruant Ioab sent ô king me thy seruant other thing I know not †To whom the king Passe sayd he and stand here †And when he had passed and stood †Chusai appeared and coming he sayd I bring good tydinges my lord king for our Lord hath iudged for thee this day of the hand of al that haue rysen against thee †And the king sayd to Chusai Is the child Absalom safe To whom Chusai answering sayd Let the enemies of my lord the king become as the child and al that ryse against him vnto euil †The king therfore being made sorie went vp into the high chamber of the gate and wept And thus he spake going My sonne Absalom Absalom my sonne who would graunt me that I might die for thee Absalom my sonne my sonne Absalom CHAP. XIX Dauid moued by Ioabs admonition 8. ceaseth mourning for Absalom and reconcileth the rebels 19. Semei is pardoned 24. Mipbiboseth clereth him self of his seruantes false accusation yet recouereth not his whole right 32. Berzellai is courteously intreated 40. The other tribes contend with Iuda for their affection to the king AND it was told Ioab that the king wept and mourned for his sonne †And the victorie was turned into mourning that day to al the people for the people heard it sayd in that day The king soroweth vpon his sonne †And the people shunned that day to enter into the citie as a people turned fleing out of battel is wont to shrinke aside †Moreouer the king couered his head and cried with a lowd voice O my sonne Absalom o Absalō my sonne o my sonne †Ioab therfore entring in to the king into his house sayd Thou hast cōfounded this day the countenances of al thy seruantes that haue saued thy life and the life of thy sonnes and thy daughters and the life of thy wiues and the life of thy concubines †Thou louest them that hate thee and thou hatest them that loue thee and thou hast shewed this day that thou carest not for thy nobles and for thy seruantes and in deede I knowe now that if Absalom liued and al we had beene slayne then it would please thee †Now therfore arise and come forth and speaking vnto them satisfie thy seruantes for I sweare to thee by our Lord that if thou wilt not goe forth not one verely wil remayne with thee this night and this shal be worse for thee then al the euils which haue come vpon thee from thy youth vntil this present †The king therfore arose and sate in the gate and it was told al the people that the king sate in the gate and al the multitude came forth before the king but Israel fled into their tabernacles †Al the people also stroue in al the tribes of Israel saying The king hath deliuered vs out of the hand of our enemies he hath saued vs from the head of the Philistianes and now he fled out of the land for Absalom †But Absalom whom we annoynted ouer vs is dead in the battel how long are you stil and reduce not the king †But
the number of the description of the people to the king and there were found of Israel eight hundred thousand strong men that could drawe sword and of Iuda fiue hundred thousand fighting men †But Dauids hart strooke him after the people was numbred and Dauid sayd to our Lord I haue sinned very much in this fact but I pray thee Lord to transferre the iniquitie of thy seruant because I haue done exceding folishly †Dauid therfore arose in the morning and the word of our Lord was made to Gad the prophete and Seer of Dauid saying †Goe and speake to Dauid Thus sayth our Lord Choyse is geuen thee of three thinges choose one of them which thou wilt that I may do it to thee †And when Gad was come to Dauid he told him saying Either famine shal come to thee seuen yeares in thy land or three monethes thou shalt flee thy aduersaries and they shal pursew thee or certes three dayes the pestilence shal be in thy land Now therfore deliberate and see what word I shal answer to him that sent me †And Dauid sayd to Gad I am distressed excedingly but it is better that I fal into the handes of our Lord for his mercies be manie then into the handes of men †And our Lord sent the pestilence in Israel from morning vnto the time appoynted and there died of the people from Dan to Bersabee seuentie thousand men †And when the Angel of Our Lord had stretched forth his hand ouer Ierusalem to destroy it our Lord had pitie vpon the affliction and sayd to the Angel that stroke the people It is sufficient now hold thy hand and the Angel of our Lord was beside the floore of Areuna the Iebuseite †And Dauid sayd to our Lord when he saw the Angel striking the people I am he that haue sinned I haue done wickedly these that are the sheepe what haue they done let thy hand I beseche thee be turned agaynst me and agaynst my fathers house †And Gad came to Dauid in that day and sayd to him Goe vp and build an altar to our Lord in the â—â—oore of Areuna the Iebuseite †And Dauid went vp according to the word of Gad which our Lord had coÌ„manded him †And Areuna looking perceiued the king and his seruantes to come towards him †And going forth he adored the king with his face bowing to the earth and sayd What is the cause that my lord the king cometh to his seruant To whom Dauid sayd That I may bye of thee the floore and build an altar to our Lord and the slaughter may cease which rageth among the people †And Areuna sayd to Dauid Let my lord the king take and offer as it pleaseth him thou hast the oxen for holocauste and the wayne and the yokes of the oxen for prouision of wood †Areuna gaue al thinges to the king and Areuna sayd to the king The Lord thy God receiue thy vowe †To whom the king answering sayd Not so as thou wilt but I wil bye it of thee at a price and I wil not offer to our Lord my God holocaustes geuen gratis Dauid therfore bought the floore and the oxen for fiftie sicles of siluer †and Dauid built there an altar to our Lord offered holocaustes and pacifiques and our Lord became merciful to the land and the plague was stayed from Israel THE ARGVMENT OF THE THIRD BOOKE OF KINGES VVITH commemoration of king Dauids old age of his appointing a successour and of his death in the first and part of the second chapters this booke conteyneth two other principal partes the former is of king Salomon of his entrance to the kingdom his deuotion wisdom magnificence richesse great familie building of the Temple and other sumptuous palaces of his fal also into luxurie and idolatrie in the rest of the second chapter to the end of the eleuenth The other part sheweth the diuision of the kingdom onlie two tribes remayning to Roboam Salomons sonne with title of king of Iuda and tenne passing to Ieroboam his seruant called king of Israel So folow the seueral reignes of Abias Asa and Iosaphat kinges of Iuda and of Madab Baasa Ela Zambri Amri Achab with Iezabel and Ochosias kinges of Israel with the preaching miracles and other actes of Abias Elias Eliseus and other prophetes in the other eleuen chapters THE THIRD BOOKE OF KINGES ACCORDING TO THE HEBREWES THE FIRST OF MALACHIM CHAP. I. King Dauid waxing old Abisag a Sunamite is brought to him 5. Adonias pretending to reigne 11. Nathan and Bethâ—abee obtaine 28. that Salomon is declared and annointed King 41. VVherupon Adonias his folowers parting to their houses 50. fleeth to the altar in the tabernacle but vpon promise of safeâ—â—â— doth homage to Salomon AND king Dauid was old and had manie daies of age and when he was couered with clothes he was not warmed †His seruantes therfore sayd to him Let vs seeke for our lord the king a yong woman a virgin and let her stand before the king and cherishe him and sleepe in his bosome and warme our lord the king †They sought therfore a beautiful yong woman in al the costes of Israel and they found Abisag a Sunamite and brought her to the king †And the damsel was exceding beautiful and she slept with the king and serued him but the king did not know her †And Adonias the sonne of Haggith was eleuated saying I wil reigne And he made him self chariotes and horsemen and fiftie men that should runne before him †Neither did his father controwle him at any time saying Why didst thou this And he also was very beautiful the second borne after Absalom †And he had talke with Ioab the sonne of Saruia with Abiathar the priest who furthered Adonias side †But Sadoc the priest and Banaias the sonne of Ioiada and Nathan the prophet and Semei and Rei and the strength of Dauids armie was not with Adonias †Adonias therfore hauing immolated rammes and calues and al satte beastes beside the Stone zoheleth which was nigh to the Fountaine Rogel called al his brethren the sonnes of the king and al the men of Iuda the seruantes of the king †But Nathan the prophet and Banaias and al the strong ones and Salomon his brother he called not †Nathan therfore sayd to Bethsabee the mother of Salomon Hast thou not heard that Adonias the sonne of Haggith hath reigned and our lord Dauid is ignorant therof †Now therfore come take counsel of me and saue thy life and thy sonne Salomons †Goe and enter in to king Dauid and say to him Didst not thou my lord king sweare to me thy handmayd saying Salomon thy sonne shal reigne after me and he shal sitte in my throne Why then reigneth Adonias †And whiles thou art yet speaking there with the king I wil come after thee and make vp thy wordes â€
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
compassed it ten cubites going about the lauatorie there were two rewes of chamfered forowed grauinges cast †And it stood vpon twelue oxen of which three looked to the North and three to the West and three to the South and three to the East and the sea was ouer them whose hinder parâ—â—â— were al â—id inward †And the thickenes of the lauatorie wâ—â— of â—lrâ—â— câ—â—â—â—s and the brimme therof as it were the brimme of a chalice and the leafe of crisped lilie it contayned two thousand bates †And he made ten brasen seete of foure cubites in length euerie foote and foure cubites in bredth and three cubites in height †And the verie worke it selfe of the feete was entergrauen and enterg 〈…〉 betwen the ioyntures †And betwen the litle crownes and the playtes lions and oxen and cherubs and in the ioyntures likewise aboue and vnder the lions and oxen as it were â—â—â—des of brasse hanging downe †And foure wheeles at euerie foote and axeltrees of brasse and at foure â—ides as it were litle shoulders vnder the lauatorie cast looking one against an other †The mouth also of the lauatorie was inward in the toppe of the head and that which appeared outward was of one cubite al round and together it had one cubite a halfe and in the corners of the pillers were diuers engrauinges and the middle enterpillers square not round †The foure wheeles also which were at the foure corners of a foote ioyned one to an other vnder the foote one wheele had in height a cubite and a halfe †And they were such wheeles as are accustomed to be made in a chariote and their axeltrees and spokes and strakes and naues al cast †For those foure litle shoulders also at euerie corner of one foote were cast out of the foote and ioyned together †And in the toppe of the foote was a certayne roundnes of halfe a cubite so wrought that the lauatorie might be put thereon haâ—â— the engrauinges therof and diuerse caruinges of it self 〈…〉 graued also in those fielinges which were of brasse and in the corners cherubs and lions and palmetrees as it wâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the similitude of a man standing that they semed not to be engrauen but put to round about †After this maner made he ten feete of one casting and measure like grauing 〈…〉 made also ten lauatories of brasse one lauatorie conteyned fourtie bates and it was of foure cubites also at euerie foote that is ten he put so manie lauatories †And he sette the ten feete fiue on the right side of the temple and fiue on the leaft and the sea â—e put on the right side of the temple against the East toward the South †Hiram therfore made cauldrons and thoueles and litle pottes and perfected al the worke of king Salomon in the temple of our Lord. †Two pyllers and two cordes of the litle heades vpon the litle heades of the pyllers and two litle nettes to couer the two cordes that were ouer the heades of the pyllers †And foure hundred pomegranates in the two nettes two rewes of pomegramates in euerie nette to couer the cordes of the litle heades which were vpon the heades of the pyllers †And tenne feete and tenne lauatories vpon the feete †And one sea and twelue oxen vnder the sea †And cauldrons and shouels and litle pottes Al the vessels that Hiram made to king Salomon in the house of our Lord were of bright latten †In the champayne countrie of Iordan did the king cast those thinges in a clay ground betwen Sacoth and Sarthan †And Salomon placed al the vessel but for the exceding great multitude the brasse could not be weyed †And Salomon made al the vessels in the house of our Lord an altar of gold and a table wherupon the loaues of proposition should be put of gold †and candlestickes of gold fiue on the right hand and fiue on the leaft against the oracle of pure gold and as it were lilie floures and lampes aboue of gold and golden snuffers †and water pottes and fleshehookes and phiales and morters and censars of most pure gold and the â—ndges of doores of the inner Sanctum sanctorum and of the doores of the house of the temple were of gold †And Salomon perfected al the worke that he did in the house of our Lord and brought in the thinges that Dauid his father had sanctified siluer and gold and the vessel and layed them in the treasures of the house of our Lord. CHAP. VIII The arke is brought in and the temple dedicated 10. a glorious cloyvde replenisheth it 14. Salomon prayeth long to God 55. blesseth the people 62. and manie victimes are offered in this solemne festiuitie THEN were gathered together al the ancientes of Israel with the princes of the tribes and the heades of the families of the children of Israel to king Salomon into Ierusalem that they might carrie the Arke of the couenant of our Lord out of the citie of Dauid that is out of Sion †And al Israel assembled to king Salomon in the moneth of Ethanim on a solemne day that is the seuenth moneth †And al the ancientes of Israel came and the priestes tooke the arke †and caried the arke of our Lord and the tabernacle of couenant and al the vessels of the Sanctuarie that were in the tabernacle and the Priestes and the Leuites caried them †And king Salomon and al the multitude of Israel which was assembled vnto him went with him before the arke and they immolated sheepe and oxen without estimation number †And the priestes brought in the arke of the couenant of our Lord into his place into the oracle of the temple into Sanctum sanctorum vnder the winges of the cherubs †For the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place of the arke and couered the arke and the barres therof aboue †And whereas the barres stood out and the endes of them appeared without in the Sanctuarie before the oracle they appeared no farder outward which also were there vntil this present day †And in the arke there was nothing els but two tables of stone which Moyses put in it in Horeb when our Lord made the couenant with the children of Israel when they came out of the Land of Aegypt †And it came to passe when the priestes were gone out of the Sanctuarie a clowde filled the house of our Lord †and the priestes could not stand and minister for the clowde for the glorie of our Lord had filled the house of our Lord. †Then sayd Salomon Our Lord sayd that he would dwel in a clowde †Building I haue built a house for thy habitation thy most firme throne for euer †And the king turned his face and blessed al the church of Israel for al the church if Israel stood †And Salomon sayd Blessed be our Lord the God of Israel who spake
might deliuer them into the handes of Moab †And Eliseus said to him The Lord of hostes liueth in whose sight I stand If I did not reuerence the face of Iosaphat the king of Iuda I would not certes haue harkened to thee nor looked on thee †But now bring me hither a plaier on instrumentes And when the player sang the hand of our Lord came vpon him and he said †Thus saith our Lord Make the chanel of this torrent diches and diches †For thus saith our Lord You shal not see winde nor raine and this chanel shal be filled with waters you shal drinke and your families your beastes †And this is a smal thing in the sight of our Lord moreouer he wil deliuer also Moab into your handes †And you shal strike euerie fensed citie and euerie principal citie and shal cut downe al fruiteful trees and shal stoppe vp al fountaines of waters and euerie goodlie field you shal couer with stones †It came to passe therfore in the morning when they vsed to offer the sacrifice and behold water came by the way of Edom and the ground was filled with waters †But al the Moabites hearing that the kinges were come vp to fight against them they called together al that were girded with a belt vpon them and they stoode in the borders †And rysing early in the morning and the sunne being now risen ouer against the waters the Moabites saw the waters ouer against them red as it were bloud †and said It is the bloud of the sword the kinges haue fought among them selues and are slaine one of an other now goe on forward to the pray Moab †And they went forward into the campe of Israel Moreouer Israel rysing vp stroke Moab but they fled before them They therfore that had ouercome came and stroke Moab †and destroyed the cities euerie principal field they filled euerie man casting stones and they stopt vp al the fountaines of waters and cut downe al trees that bare fruite so that there remained onlie brike walles and the citie was besette of the slingers and for a great part therof was strooken †Which when the king of Moab had seene to witte that the enemies had preuayled he tooke with him seuen hundred men that drew sword to breake in vpon the king of Edom and they could not †And taking his first begotten sonne that should haue reigned for him he offered him an holocaust vpon the wal and there was great indignation in Israel and forthwith they retyred from him and returned into their countrie CHAP. IIII. Eliseus so multiplieth a poore widowes oyle that she payeth her debtes and liueth of the rest 8. By his prayers a Sunamite Woman hath a sonne 18. which dying he rayseth to life 38. He taketh away the bitternes of coloquintida which by chance was put in the potte 42. and feedeth manie with few loaues AND a certayne woman of the wiues of the prophetes cried to Eliseus saying Thy seruant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy seruant was one that feared God behold the creditour is come to take away my two sonnes to serue him †To whom Eliseus sayd What wilt thou that I doe for thee Tel me what hast thou in thy house But she answered I thy handmaid haue nothing in my house but a litle oyle to anoynt me withal †To whom he sayd Goe borrow of al thy neighbours emptie vessels not a few †And goe in and shut thy doore when thou art within thou and thy sonnes and powre therof into al these vessels and when they shal be ful thou shalt take them away †The woman therfore went and shut the doore vpon her and vpon her sonnes they brought her vessels and she powred in †And when the vessels were ful she sayd to her sonne Bring me yet a vessel And he answered I haue none And the oile stood †And she came and told the man of God And he sayde Goe sel the oyle and pay thy creditour and thou and thy sonnes liue of the rest †And there came a certayne day and Eliseus passed by Sunam and there was there a great woman which held him to eate bread and when he passed often that way he turned in to her to eate bread †Who sayd to her husband I perceiue that this is a holie man of God which passeth by vs often †bet vs therfore make him a litle chamber and sette him a litle bed in it and a table and a stoole and a candlesticke that when he cometh to vs he may tarie there †There came therfore a certayne day and coming he turned in to the chamber and rested there †And he sayd to Giezi his seruant Call this Sunamite Who when he had called her and she stoode before him †he sayd to his seruant Speake to her Behold thou hast diligently ministred to vs in al thinges what wilt thou that I doe for thee hast thou any busines and wilt thou that I speake to the king or the general of the warrefare Who answered I dwel in the middes of myne owne people †And he sayd What wil she then that I doe for her And Giezi sayd Aske not for she hath no sonne and her husband is old †He therfore cōmanded him to cal her who when she was called and stoode before the doore †he sayd to her At this tyme this self same houre if life accompanie thou shalt haue a sonne in thy wombe But she answered Doe not I besech thee my lord man of God doe not lie to thy handmayd †And the woman conceiued and brought forth a sonne in that time and in the self same houre that Eliseus had sayd †And the childe grewe And vpon a certaine day when going forth he went to his father vnto the reapers †he sayd to his father My head aketh my head aketh But he said to his seruant take him and bring him to his mother †who when he had taken him and brought him to his mother she sette him vpon her knees vntil noone and he dyed †And she went vp and laid him vpon the bed of the man of God and shut the doore and going forth †called her husband and sayd Send with me I besech thee one of the seruantes and an asse that I may runne to the man of God and returne †Who sayd to her For what cause doest thou goe to him The Calendes be not to day nor the Sabbath Who answered I wil goe †And she sadled the asse and commanded her seruant driue and make hast make no stay in going And doe that which I command thee †She therfore went forward and came to the man of God into mount Carmel and when the man of God saw her ouer against him he said to Giezi his seruant Behold that Sunamite †Goe therfore to meete her and say to her Is al wel about thee
euerie naile weighed fiftie sicles a peece the vpper chambers also he couered with gold †He made also in the house of Sanctum sanctorum two Cherubs of statuarie worke and he couered them with gold †The winges of the cherubs were extended twentie cubites so that one wing had fiue cubites and touched the wal of the house and the other hauing fiue cubites touched the wing of the other cherub †In like maner the wing of the other cherub had fiue cubites and touched the wal and his other wing of fiue cubites touched the wing of the other Cherub †Therfore the winges of both the cherubs were spred forth and were extended twentie cubites and they stoode vpright on their feete and their faces were turned to the vtter house †He made also a vele of hyacinth purple scarlet and silke woue in it cherubs †Before the doores also of the temple two pillers which had fiue and thirtie cubites in height moreouer their heades of fiue cubites †Moreouer also as it were litle chaynes in the oracle he put them to the heades of the pillers pomegranates also an hundred which he put betwen the litle chaynes †The pillers also them selues he put in the entrance of the temple one on the right hand and the other on the left that which was on the right hand he called Iachin and that on the left hand Boz CHAP. IIII. The formes of the brasen altar 2. of the lauatorie or Sea with figures of twelue oxen 6. of other tenne smal lauatories 7. tenne candlestickes 8. tenne tables and an hundred bassens a great hal for the Priestes 10. and other vessel and ornamentes of the Temple are described HE made also an altar of brasse of twentie cubites in length and of twentie cubites in bredth and of ten cubites in height †A Sea also cast ten cubites from brimme to brimme round in compasse it had fiue cubites in height and a corde of thirtie cubires did compasse it round about †There was also vnder it the similitude of oxen and certaine engrauinges of ten cubites on the outside compassed the bealie of the Sea as it were with two rewes †And the oxen were cast and the Sea it self was sette vpon the twelue oxen of the which three looked toward the North and other three to the West moreouer other three to the South and the three that remayned to the East hauing the Sea put vpon them and the hinder partes of the oxen were inward vnder the sea †Moreouer the thicknesse therof had the measure of a palme and the brimme therof was as it were the brimme of a chalice or of a crisped lilie and it held three thousand metretes †He made also ten lauatories and set fiue on the right hand and fiue on the left that they might wash in them al thinges that they would offer for holocaust moreouer in the Sea the priestes were washed †And he made also ten golden candlestickes according to the fashion which they were commanded to be made by and he set them in the temple fiue on the right hand fiue on the left †Moreouer also ten tables and he set them in the temple fiue on the right hand and fiue on the left Phials also of gold an hundred †He made also the court of the priestes and a great hal and doores in the hal which he couered with brasse †Moreouer he set the Sea on the right side agaynst the East toward the South †And Hiram made cauldrons and flesh hookes and phials and accomplished al the kinges worke in the house of God †that is to say two pillers and the chapiters and the heades and asit were certayne litle nettes which should couer the heades ouer the chapiters †Pomegranates also foure hundred and two litle nettes soe that two rewes of the pomegranates were ioyned to ech litle nette which couered the pommels and the heades of the pillers †He made feete also and lauatories which he put vpon the feete †one sea also twelue oxen vnder the sea †And the cauldrons and flesh hookes and phials Al the vessels did Hiram his father make for Salomon in the house of our Lord of most pure brasse †In the countrie of Iordan did the king cast them in a clay ground bewen Socot and Saredatha †And the multitude of vessels was innumerable so that the weight of the brasse was not knowen †And Salomon made al the vessels of the house of God and the golden altar and the tables vpon them the loaues of proposition †the candlestickes also with their lampes to giue light before the oracle according to the rite of most pure gold †and certayne florishing thinges and lampes and golden tonges al were made of most fine gold †The vessels also of persume and censars and phials and litle mortars of most pure gold And he graued the doores of the inner temple that is in Sancta sanctorum and the doores of the temple without of gold And so al the worke was finishd which Salomon made in the house of our Lord. CHAP. V. Manie giftes are offered 4. The Arke is brought with great solennitie into the Temple 6. Innumerable hostes are offered 11. with excellent musick the Temple is replenished with the glorie of God SALOMON therfore brought in al the thinges that Dauid his father had vowed the siluer and gold and al the vessels he put in the treasures of the house of God †After which thinges he gathered together al the ancientes of Israel and al the princes of the tribes and the heades of families of the children of Israel into Ierusalem to bring the Arke of the couenant of our Lord from the Citie of Dauid which is Sion †There came therfore vnto the king al the men of Israel in the solemne day of the seuenth moneth †And when al the ancientes of Israel were come the Leuites caried the Arke †and brought it in and al the furniture of the tabernacle Moreouer the Priestes with the Leuites did carrie the vessels of the Sanctuarie which were in the tabernacle †And king Salomon and al the assemblie of Israel and al that were gathered before the Arke immolated rammes and oxen without anie number for so great was the multitude of victimes †And the priestes brought in the Arke of the couenant of our Lord into his place that is to the oracle of the temple into Sancta sanctorum vnder the winges of the cherubs †so that the cherubs spred their winges ouer the place wherin the Arke was set and couered the Arke it selfe with his barres †And the heades of the barres wherwith the Arke was caried because they were a litle longer appeared before the oracle but if a man had beene a litle outward he could not see them The Arke therfore was there vntil this present day †And there was nothing in the
not whither I went or what I did yea and to the Iewes and the Priestes and the nobles and the magistrates and the rest that did the worke vntil then I had shewed nothing †And I sayd to them You know the affliction wherin we are because Ierusalem is made desolate and the gates thereof are consumed with fire Come and let vs build the walles of Ierusalem and let vs be no longer a reproch †And I shewed them the hand of my God that it was good with me and the kings wordes which he had spoken to me and I sayd Let vs rise and let vs build And their handes were incouraged in good †But Sanaballat the Horonite and Tobias the seruant an Ammanite and Gosem an Arabian heard of it and they scorned vs and despysed vs and sayd What is this thing that you doe Why do you rebel against the king †And I answered them and sayd to them The God of heauen he helpeth vs and we are his seruants let vs rise and build but you haue no part nor iustice nor memorie in Ierusalem CHAP. III. The High Priest and others beginne to repaire Ierusalem streingthning it with an vttermost 19. middle 28. and innermost wall with towres and gates AND Eliasib the high Priest arose and his bretheren the Priestes and they built the gate of the flocke they sanctified it and set the doores therof and vnto the towre of an hundred cubites they sanctified it vnto the towre of Hananeel †And besides him did the men of Iericho build and besides him built Zachur the sonne of Amri †But the fishgate the children of Asnaa did builde they couered it and set vp the doores therof and the lockes and barres And besides them built Marimuth the sonne of Vrias the sonne of Accas †And besides him built Mosollam the sonne of Bazachias the sonne of Merezebel and besides them built Sadoc the sonne of Baana †And beside them builded the Thecuenes but their great men did not put vnder their neckes in the worke of their Lord. †And Ioiada the sonne of Phasea and Mosollam the sonne of Besodia built the old-gate couered it and set vp the doores therof and the lockes and barres †And beside them built Meltias a Gabaonite and Iadon a Meronathite men of Gabaon and Maspha for the duke that was in the country beyond the Riuer †And beside him built Ezrel the sonne of Araia a goldsmith and beside him built Ananias the sonne of a Pigmentarie and they leift Ierusalem vnto the wal of the broder streate †And beside him built Raphaia the sonne of Hur prince of the streate of Ierusalem †And beside them Iedaia the sonne of Haromaph against his house and beside him built Hattus the sonne of Hasebomia †The halfe part of the streate built Melchias the sonne of Herem and Hasub the sonne of Phahath Moab and the towre of the fornaces †And beside him built Sellum the sonne of Alohes prince of the halfe part of the streate of Ierusalem he and his daughters †And the gate of the valley built Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoe they built it and sette vp the dores therof and the lockes and barres and a thousand cubires in the wal vnto the gate of the dunghil †And the gate of the dunghil built Melchias the sonne of Rechab the prince of the streate of Bethacaram he built it and sette vp the dores therof and the lockes and barres †And the gate of the fountayne Sellum builded the sonne of Colhoza prince of the village of Maspha he built it and couered it and set vp the doores therof the lockes barres and the walles of the poole of Siloe vnto the kings gardē and vnto the steppes that goe downe from the citie of Dauid †After him built Nehemias the sonne of Azboc prince of the halfe part of the streate of Bethsur as far as ouer against the sepulchre of Dauid and vnto the poole that is built with great worke and vnto the house of the valiants †After him the Leuites builded Rehum the sonne of Benni After him built Hasebias prince of the halfe part of the streate of Ceila in his streate †After him built their bretheren Bauai the sonne of Enadad prince of the halfe part of Ceila †And beside him built Azer the sonne of Iosue the prince of Maspha the second measure against the visiting of the most sure corner †After him in the mount built Baruch the sonne of Zachai the second measure from the corner vnto the gate of the house of Eliasib the high Priest †After him built Merimuth the sonne of Vrias the sonne of Haccus the secōd measure from the gate of the house of Eliasib as far as the house of Eliasib extended †And after him built the Priests men of the champayne of Iordan †After him built Beniamin Hasub against their house after him built Azarias the sonne of Masias the sonne of Ananias against his house †After him built Bennui the sonne of Hanadad the second measure from the house of Azarias vnto the bending and vnto the corner †Phalel the sonne of Ozi against the bending and the towre which appeareth from out of the kings high house that is in the court of the prison after him Phadaia the sonne of Pharos †And the Nathineites dwelt in Ophel as far as ouer against the gate of waters toward the East and the towre that stoode out †After him the Thecuenes builded the second measure ouer against from the great and eminent towre vnto the wall of the temple †And vpward to the gate of horses the Priestes built euery man against his house †After them built Sadoc the sonne of Emmer against his house And after him built Semaia the sonne of Sechenias keeper of the East gate †After him built Hanania the sonne of Selemia and Hanun the sonne of Seleph the sixth the second measure after him built Mosollam the sonne of Barachias against his treasurie After him Melchias a goldsmith sonne vnto the house of the Natheneites and of them that sold old stuffe against the iudgement gate and vnto the vpper chamber of the corner †And within the vpper chamber of the corner in the gate of the flocke the goldsmithes and marchants builded CHAP. IIII. Notwithstanding the enimies rage and oppose against the building of walles 4. the Iewes build with one hand and hold their swordes in the other Nehemias encorageth them and the worke proceedeth AND it came to passe when Sanaballat had heard that we builded the wal he was very angrie and being moued excedingly he scorned the Iewes †and sayd before his bretheren and the multitude of the Samaritanes What doe the sillie Iewes Wil the gentiles let them alone Shal they sacrifice and accomplish in one day Why are they able to build vp the stones out of the heapes of dust that are burnt †Yea Tobias also
And she abode in her husbands house an hundred fiue yeares and dismist her abra free and she died and was buried with her husband in Bethulia †And al the people mourned for her seuen dayes †And in al the space of her life there was not that trubled Israel and after her death manie yeares †But the day of the festiuitie of this victorie is receiued of the Hebrewes in the number of holie daies and is worshiped of the Iewes from that time vntil this present day ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 26. After that her husband vvas dead As yong Toblas and Sara were notable patterns to maried persons so Iudith is a like good example to deuout widowes excelling most partin manie respectes For first she professed this holie state of life in the old Testament when it was most rare the law prouiding that the brother or next kinsman should marie the widow of him that died without children as it semeth she had none the Greke text affirming that she gaue al her goodes before her death to other kinred ch 16. v. 24. Secondly she was only once maried ch 15. v. 13. ch 16. v. 26. wheras it is also commendable after twise or oftenner mariage at last to abstaine Thirdly she was yong about 36. yeares for three yeares and a half after that her husband was dead she was called a yong maide ch 12. v. 12. Fourtly she was of excellent beautie ch 8 v. 7. Fiftly exceeding rich ibidem Sixtly very noble especially after the deliuerie of the people from such distresse ch 15. v. 10. Seuently for this renowmed fact and for her other great vertue ch 8. v. 8 manie principal men desired to marie her ch 16. v. 22 Eightly al the people wished much issue of so noble a stock ch 16. v. 25. Nintly she liued long in the state of widowhood about threescore and nine yeares from 36. to 105 ch 16. v. 28. Tently there was great and long peace in al Israel after that she had releeued Bethulia ch 16. v. 30. Al which might easely haue inuited an other to haue maried but her great deuotion and feruent desire to serue God in a retired austere life fasting praying ch 8. v. 6. cutte of al incitements to mariage and made her before the Gospel to embrace Euangelical counsel not commanded but for better attaining to perfecton counseled by our Sauior and S. Paul Mat. 19. 1. Cor. 7. THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKE OF ESTHER OF the authoritie of this booke only two or three ancient writers doubted before the councels of Laodicea and Carthage declared it to be Canonical Al the rest did euer esteme it as diuine Scripture For albeit S. Ierom in his time found not certaine partes therof in the Hebrew and therfore transposed the same to the end of the booke as now we haue them yet in the Greeke he found al these sixtenne chapters conteyned in tenne And it is not vnprobable that these parcels were sometimes in the Hebrew as were diuers whole bookes which are now lost But whether they were at anie time in the Hebrew or no the Church of Christ accounteth the whole Booke of infallible authoritie reading as wel these partes as the rest in her publique office And the councel of Trent sess 4. For more expresse declaration defiueth that al the bookes recited in the same Decree amongst which is Esther with al the partes therof as they are accustomed to be read in the Catholique Church and be conteyned in the old vulgare latin Edition are sacred and Canonical Scripture It conteyneth a particular great danger of the people of Israel hapening as is probable shortly after their general relaxation returne of some from the captiuitie of Babylon and their deliuere from it through the godlie Zele and other vertues of Quene Esther directed herein by Mardocheus who being also in imminent danger was deliuered aduanced and finally writ the historie which may be diuided into foure partes not by order of the chapters as hey are here transposed but in order of time first the author reporteth some thinges going before the peoples danger in the 11. 1. 2. 12. chapters and part of the 3. Secondly their danger and distresse in the rest of the 3. and part of 13. chapters Thirdly their deliuerie from the 4. chapter to the middes of the. 9. and rest of the 13. and in the 14. 15. and 16. Fourtly the thinges that ensued hereupon in the other half of the ninth chapter the 10. chapter and first verse of the eleuenth VVho soeuer vvil please to read this historie in order of the time as the thinges happened adioyning the latter chapters vvhich are in the Greke and not in the Hebrevv may folovve the letters of the Alphabet as here vve haue placed them in the margent beginning at the second verse of the 11. chapter vvhere he findeth the letter A. and vvhen he cometh to B. returne vvhere the same letter is noted ch 1. And so in the rest folovv the same direction THE BOOKE OF ESTHER CHAP. I. King Assuerus celebrateth a great banket to shew his glorie 10. calleth quene Vasthi therto who refusing to come is by aduise of his counsel deposed IN the daies of Assuerus who reigned from India vnto Aethiopia ouer an hundred twentie seuen prouinces †when he sate in the throne of his kingdō the citie Susá was in the begynning of his kingdom †In the third yeare therfore of his empyre he made a great feast to al the princes and to his seruantes to the most valiant of the Persians and the nobles of the Medes and the rulers of the prouinces in his sight †that he might shew the riches of the glorie of his kingdom and the greatnes vaunting of his might a great time to witte an hundred foure score dayes †And when the daies of the feast were accomplished he inuited al people that was found in Susan from the greatest to the least and commanded seuen daies a feast to be prepared in the entrance of the garden and of the wood which was planted with royal garnishing and with hand †And there hong on euerie side hangings of skie colour and grene and hyacinthine colour held vp with cordes of silke and of purple which were put into rings of yuorie and were held vp with marble pillers Beddes also of gold and siluer were placed in order vpon the floore paued with the emerauld and the touch stone which paynting adorned with meruelous varietie †And they that were inuited dranke in golden cuppes and the meates were brought in change of vessels Wine also plenteous and the best was set downe as was worthie of a kings magnificence †Neither was there that compelled them to drinke that would not but as the king had appointed making ech of his princes ouerseer of euerie table that euerie man might take what he would †Vasthi also the
queene made a feast for the wemen in the palace where king Assuerus had accustomed to remayne †Therfore the seuenth day when the king was merier and after very much drinking was wel warmed with wine he commanded Mâ—umam and Bazatha and Harbona and Bagatha and Abgatha and Zethar and Charchas the seuen eunuches that ministred in his sight †that they should bring in queene Vasthi before the king the crowne set vpon her head that he might shew her beautie to al the peoples and princes for she was exceding beautiful †Who refused and contemned to come at the kings commandment which he had commanded by the eunuches Wherupon the king being wrath and chaffed with exceding furie †asked the wisemen which after the manner of a king were alwayes present with him and he did al thinges by their counsel which knew the lawes and rightes of the elders †and the chiefe and nearest him were Charsena and Sethar and Admatha and Tharsis and Mares and Marsana and Mamuchan seuen dukes of the Persians and of the Medes which saw the face of the king and were wont to sitt first after him †to what sentence Vasthi the queene should be subiect that would not do Assuerus the kings commandment which he had commanded by â—he eunuches †And Mamuchan answered the king hearing and the princes Queene Vasthi hath not only hurt the king but also al peoples and princes that are in al the prouinces of king Assuerus †For the word of the queene wil goe forth to al wemen that they wil contemne their husbands and wil say King Assuerus commanded that the queene Vasthi should come in to him and she would not †And by this example al the wiues of the princes of the Persians and the Medes wil little esteeme the commandmentes of their husbandes wherfore the kings indignation is iust †If it please thee let an edict goe forth from thy face and let it be written according to the law of the Persians and of Medes which is not lawful to be transgressed that Vasthi come in no more to the king but an other that is better then she take her kingdome †And let this be published into al the empire of thy prouinces which is most large and let al the wiues as wel of the greater as of the lesser geue honour to their husbandes †His counsel pleased the king and the princes and the king did according to the counsel of Mamuchan †and he sent letters to al the prouinces of his kingdome as euerie nation could heare and reade in diuers languages and characters that the husbandes should be princes and maisters in their houses and that this should be published through al peoples CHAP. II. Inquirie being made of the best and fairest virgines 5. Esther the vnknowe neece of Mardocheus a â—ew is preferred 18. and made Queene in place of Vasthi a mariage feast made and presentes geuen 21 Mardocheus detecteth traitors and his seruice is recorded in the regester THESE thinges so done after the indignation of king Assuerus was asswaged he remembred Vasthi and what she had done or what she had suffered †and the kings seruantes and his ministers said Let there be maydens sought for the king virgins and beautiful †and let there be sent that may viewe through al prouinces beautiful maydens and virgins and let them bring them to the citie of Susan and deliuer them into the house of wemen vnder the hand of Egeus the eunuch who is ouerseer of the kings wemen and let them receiue wemens ornamentes and other things necessarie to be vsed †And which so euer among al shal please the kings eies let her reigne for Vasthi The word pleased the king and so as they had suggested he commanded to be done †There was a man in the citie of Susan a Iew named Mardocheus the sonne of Iair the sonne of Semei the sonne of Cis of the stocke of Iemini †who had beene transported from Ierusalem the same time that Nabucodonosor the king of Babylon transported Iechonias the king of Iuda †who was the foster father of his brothers daughter Edissa which by an other name was called Esther and she had lost both her parentes exceeding beautiful and of comely face And her father and mother being dead Mardocheus adopted her for his daughter †And when the kings commandment was bruited abrode and according to his commandement many fayre virgins were brought to Susan and were deliuered to Fgeus the eunuch Esther also among the rest of the maydens was deliuered to him that she might be kept in the number of the wemen †Who pleased him and found grace in his sight And he commanded the eunuch that he should hasten the wemens ornamentes and should deliuer her her partes seuen the most beautiful maydens of the kings house and should adorne and decke both her and her wayting maydes †Who would not tel him her people and countrie For Mardocheus had commanded her that of this thing she should altogether keepe silence †who walked daily before the entrance of the house wherin the chosen virgins were kept taking care of Esthers welfare and desirous to know what should chance vnto her †And when the time of euerie virgin in order was come that they should goe in to the king al things accomplished that perteyned to wemens ornamentes it was the twelfth moneth yet so that for six monethes they were anoynted with oyle of myrtle and other six monethes they vsed certayne payntings and sweete spices †And going in to the king what soeuer they asked that perteyned to adorning they receiued and being trimmed as it pleased them they passed from the chamber of the wemen to the kings chamber †And she that went in at euening came out in the morning and from thence she was brought to the second house that was vnder the hand of Susagazus the cunuch who was chiefe ouer the kings concubines neither had she power to returne any more to the king vnlesse the king had willed and had commanded her to come by name †And the time by order coming about the day was at hand that Esther the daughter of Abihail the brother of Mardocheus whom he had adopted for his daughter should goe in to the king Who sought not wemens ornamentes but whatsoeuer Egeus the eunuch the keper of the virgins would those things he gaue her to her adorning For she was exceding fayre and of incredible beautie she semed to al mens eies gratious and amiable †She therfore was brought to the chamber of king Assuerus the tenth moneth which is called Tebeth in the seuenth yeare of his reigne †And the king loued her more then al the wemen and she had grace and mercie before him aboue al the wemen and he put the crowne of the kingdom on her head and made her reigne in steede of Vasthi †And he commanded a verie magnifical feast to be prepared to
al the princes and to his seruantes for the coniunction and mariage of Esther And he gaue rest to al the prouinces and bestowed giftes according to princely magnificence †And when virgins were sought the second time and gathered together Mardocheus taried at the kings gate †neither had Esther as yet vttered her countrie people according to his coÌ„mandment For what soeuer he commanded Esther obserued and she did al thinges so as she was wont at that time when he nourished her a litle one †At that time therfore when Mardocheus abode at the kings gate Bagathan and Thares were angrie two of the kings eunuches that were porters and were chiefe in the first entrie of the palace and they would make insurrection against the king and kil him †Wherof Mardocheus gotte notice and immediatly he told it to queene Esther and she to the king in the name of Mardocheus who had reported the thing vnto her †It was examined and found and they were both hanged on a gibbet And it was put in the histories and registred in the cronicles before the king CHAP. III. Aman aduanced by the king is much offended that Mardocheus doth not adore him 6. and therfore procureth the kings decree to destroy the whole nation of Iewes AFTER these things king Assuerus aduanced Aman the sonne of Amadathi which was of the stocke of Agag he put his throne aboue al the princes which he had †And al the kings seruantes that were in the doores of his pallace bowed their knees and adored Aman for so the emperour had commanded them onlie Mardocheus did not bowe his knee nor adore him †To whom the kings seruantes that were chiefe at the doores of the pallace said Why doest thou aboue the rest not obserue the kings commandment †And when they said this often and he would not heare they told Aman desirous to know whether he would perseuere in his sentence for he had told them that he was a Iew. †Which when Aman had heard and had proued by experience that Mardocheus bowed not his knee vnto him nor adored him he was angrie excedingly †And he counted it a matter of nothing to lay his handes vpon Mardocheus alone for he had heard that he was of the nation of the Iewes and he would rather destroy al the nation of the Iewes that were in the kingdom of Assuerus †The first moneth which is called Nisan in the twelfth yeare of the reigne of Assuerus the lot was cast into a potte which in Hebrew is called Phur before Aman in what day and what moneth the nation of the Iewes should be slayne and there came forth the twelfth moneth which is called Adar †And Aman said to king Assuerus There is a people dispersed through al the prouinces of thy kingdom and separated one from an other vsing new lawes and ceremonies moreouer also contemning the kings ordinances And thou knowest very wel that it is not expedient for thy kingdom that they waxe insolent by libertie †If it please thee decree that they may perish and I wil pay ten thousand talentes to the cofferers of thy treasure †The king therfore tooke the ring that he vsed from his hand and gaue it to Aman the sonne of Amadathi of the progenie of Agag the enemie of the Iewes †and he said to him The siluer which thou doest promise be it thine but concerning the people doe that which pleaseth thee †And the kings scribes were called in the first moneth Nisan the thirtenth day of the same moneth and there was written as Aman had commanded to al the kings lieuftenantes and iudges of the prouinces and of diuers nations as euerie nation could read and heare according to the varietie of languages in the name of king Assuerus and the letters signed with his ring †were sent by the kings postes to al prouinces that they should kil and destroy al the Iewes from boy vnto old man children and wemen in one day that is in the thirtenth of the twelth monerh which is called Adar and should spoyle them of their goodes †And the content of the letters was this that al prouinces might know prepare them selues against the day aforesayd †The postes that were sent made hast to fulfil the kings coÌ„mandment And immediatly the edict hong in Susan the king and Aman feasting and al the Iewes that were in the citie weeping CHAP. IIII. Al the Iewes lament their imminent danger 5. Mardocheus willeth Esther to intreate the king for their â—afiie 11. She fearing to goe to the king contrarie to his law vncalled 15. yet they al fasting and praying for her she doth it VVHICH things when Mardocheus had heard he rent his garmentes and was clothed with sackcloth sprinkling ashes on his head and in the streat of the middes of the citie he cried with a lowed voyce shewing the anguish of his mind †and with this wayling going euen to the doores of the pallace for it was not lawful for one clothed with sackcloth to enter the kings court †In al prouinces also townes and places to which the kings cruel decree was come there was great mourning with the Iewes fasting howling and weeping manie vsing sackcloth and ashes for their couch †And Esthers maides and the eunuches went in and told her Which she hearing was astonyed and she sent a garment that the sackcloth being taken away they should put it on him which he would not take †And calling for Athach the eunuch whom the king had geuen her for a seruant to Mardocheus commanded him to goe and to learne of him why he did this †And Athach going forth went to Mardocheus standing in the streate of the citie before the palace doore †who told him al thinges that had chanced how Aman had promised that he would bring siluer into the kings treasures for the slaughter of the Iewes †He gaue him also a copie of the edict which hong in Susan that he should shew it to the queene and should admonish her to enter in to the king and to intreate him for her people †Athach returning told Ester al things that Mardocheus had sayd †Who answered him and bad that he should say to Mardocheus †Al the kings seruantes and al the prouinces that are vnder his dominion know that whether man or woman not called shal enter in to the kings inner court he must immediatly be slayne without al delay vulesse perhaps the king stretch forth a golden rod vnto him for a signe of clemencie and so he may liue I therfore how can I enter in to the king which now these thirtie daies haue not bene called vnto him †Which when Mardocheus had heard †he sent word to Esther agayne saying Thincke not that thou mayst deliuer thy owne life only because thou art in the kings house aboue al the Iewes †for if thou
extolled the Iewes for feare of Mardocheus †whom they knew to be prince of the palace and to be able to doe very much the fame also of his name increased dayly and flew abroad through al mens mouthes †Therfore the Iewes stroke their enemies with a great slaughter and slew them repaying them that which they had prepared to doe to them †in so much that in Susan also they killed fiue hundred men besides the tenne sonnes of Aman the Agagite the enemie of the Iewes whose names be these †Pharsandatha and Delphon and Esphatha †and Phoratha and Adalia and Aridatha †and Phormesta and Arisai and Aridai and Iezatha †Whom when they had slaine they would not take prayes of their goodes †And by and by the number of them that were killed in Susan was brought to the king †Who said to the queene In the citie of Susan the Iewes haue killed fiue hundred men besides the ten sonnes of Aman how great a slaughter thinkest thou doe they make in al the prouinces what askest thou more what wilt thou that I coÌ„mand to be done †To whom she answered If it please the king let there authoritie be geuen to the Iewes that as they haue done to day in Susan so also they may doe to morow and that the tenne sonnes of Aman be hanged on gibbettes †And the king commanded that it should be so done And forth with the edict hong in Susan and the tenne sonnes of Aman were hanged †The fourthtenth day of the moneth Adar the Iewes being gathered together there were killed in Susan three hundred men neither was their substance spoyled by them †Yea and through al prouinces which were subiect to the kings dominion the Iewes stood for their liues their enemies and persecutors being slayne in so much that there was fully seuentie fiue thousand of them that were killed and no man tooke any of their goodes †And the thirtenth day of the moneth Adar was the first day with them al of the slaughter the fourtenth day they ceased to kil Which they ordayned to be solemne so that in it at al times afterward they gaue them selues to good chere mirth bankets †But they that made the slaughter in the citie of Susan were occupied in the slaughter the thirtenth and fourtenth day of the same moneth and in the fiftenth day they ceased to kil And therfore they ordayned the same a solemne day of good cheere and ioyfulnes †But those Iewes that abode in townes not walled and villages ordayned the fourtenth day of the moneth Adar for bankettes and ioy so that they reioyse in it and send one an other portions of bankets and meates †Mardocheus therfore wrote al these things and being comprised in letters sent them to the Iewes that abode in al the kings prouinees as wel those that lay neere as far of †that they should take the fourtenth and fiftenth day of the moneth Adar for feastes and the yeare alwayes returning should celebrate them with solemne honour †because in the same dayes the Iewes reuenged them selues of their enemies and mourning and sorrow were turned into mirth and ioy and that these should be dayes of good cheere and gladnesse and they should send one to an other portions of meates and should geue giftes to the poore †And the Iewes receiued into a solemne rite al things which they had begune to doe at that time and which Mardocheus by letters had commanded to be done †For Aman the sonne of Amadathi of the stocke of Agag the enemie and aduersarie of the Iewes purposed euil against them to kil them and destroy them and he cast Phur which in our language is turned a lot †And afterward Esther went in to the king beseching that his endeuours might by the kings letters be made voyde the euil that he had intended against the Iewes might returne vpon his owne head Finally they hong both him and his sonnes vpon the gallowes †and since that time these dayes are called Phurim that is of Lottes because Phur that is a lot was cast into the pot And al things that were done are contayned in the volume of this epistle that is of this booke †and the thinges that they susteyned and that were afterward changed the Iewes tooke vpon them selues and their seede and vpon al that would be ioyned to theyr religion that it should be lawful for none to passe without solemnitie these dayes which the writing testifieth and certaine times require as yeares continually succede one an other †These are daies which no obliuion shal euer put out and al prouinces in al the world shal celebrate through out al generations neither is there any citie wherein the daies of Phurim that is of lottes must not be obserued of the Iewes and of their progenie which is bound to these ceremonies †And Esther the queene the daughter of Abihail and Mardocheus the Iew wrote also the second epistle that with al diligence this day should be established solemne for the time to come †and they sent to al the Iewes that were in the hundred and seuen and twentie prouinces of king Assuerus that they should haue peace and receiue truth †obseruing the Daies of lottes and in their time should celebrate them with ioy as Mardocheus and Esther had appoynted and they tooke vpon them to be obserued of them selues and of their seede fastes and cries and the daies of Lottes †and al thinges which are conteyned in the historie of this booke which is called Esther ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 1. The case being changed In this whole historie as in manie other passages of holie scripture we see the meruelous change of the right hand of the highest First in the verie instant of extreme danger the kinges face with burning eyes shewing the furie of his breast ch 15. v. 10. was turned into mildnes towardes Esther v. 11. Secondly proud Aman being aduanced in honour office aboue al princes of the kinges court ch 3. v. 1. was sodainly forced publikely to lead Mardocheus his horse whom he most hated ch 6 v. 10. Thirdly he was constrayned with loud voice to proclame his honour whom he most despised and threatned Fourtly the same Aman before called the father as it were the onlie gouernour of the king ch 1â— v. 6 ch 16. v. 11. was forthwith condemned for a traitor ch 7. v. 8. ch 16. v. 18. Fifthly He that could not abide to see Mardocheus ch 5. v. 13. afterward durst not looke vpon the king not could endure his countenance ch 7 v 6. Sixtly He was hanged on the same gallowes which he had prepared for Mardocheus ch 7. v. 9. Seuently VVheras he was not content with the death of Mardocheus alone but procuâ—ed the kings decree to destroy the whole nation ch 3. v 6 and so feasted with the king when the Iewes mourned v 15.
shortly after the king sent new letters for the Iewes saftie geuing them leaue to kil whom soeuer they would of their enemies ch 8. v. â— 11 Eightly the same day which was designed for destruction was made the day of ioy and exultation to the children of God ch 9. v. 1. 17 ch 16. v. 21. c. By which literal sense Gods meruelous prouidence is manifestly shewed neuer suffering his church to perish It hath moreouer two special mystical senses First as saftie of temporal life was procured to one nation by Esthers intercession to king Assuerus so general saluation is procured to al mankind by mediation of the blessed virgin Marie crushing the serpents head and the sentence of death is changed by new letters granting euerlasting life and glorie to al Gods true seruantes Esther also as likewise Iudith in figure of the Church saith S. Ierom Prologo in Sophon killed the aduersaries and deliuered Israel from danger of perishing CHAP. X. Assuerus subdueth manie countries 4. Mardocheus vnderstandeth and declareth his dreame 9. God separateth his people from other nations by a better lotte BVT king Assuerus made al the earth and al the ilandes of the sea tributaries †Whose strength and empire and the dignitie and highnesse wherewith he exalted Mardocheus are written in the bookes of the Medes and of the Persians †and how Mardocheus of the Iewes kinred was second after king Assuerus and great with the Iewes and acceptable to the people of his bretheren seking good to his people and speaking those things which pertayned to the good of his seede That which is in the Hebrew I haue expressed most faithfully And these things that folow I found written in the common edition which are conteyned in the greeke tongue and leetters and in the meane time this chapter was extant after the end of the booke which according to our custome we haue marked with an Obelus before it that is to say a broch †And Mardocheus said These things are done of God †I remember the dreame that I saw signifying these verie things neither was any of them frustrate †The litle fountayne which grew into a riuer and was turned into light and into the sunne and abounded into manie waters is Esther whom the king tooke to wife and made her to be queene †But the two dragons I am and Aman. †The nations that were assembled are they that endeuoured to destroy the name of the Iewes †And my nation is Israel which cried to our Lord and our Lord hath saued his people and he hath deliuered vs from al euils and hath done great signes and wonders among the nations †and he commanded that there should be two lottes one of the people of God and the other of al Nations †And both lottes are come to the day appointed euen now from that time before God to al nations †and our Lord hath remembred his people and hath had mercie on his inheritance †And these daies shal be obserued in the moneth of Adar the fourtenth and fistenth day of the same moneth with al diligence and ioy of the people gathered into one assemblie through out al the generations hereafter of the people of Israel CHAP. XI An Appendix and conclusion of this historie 2. The dreame of Mardocheus IN the fourth yeare when Ptolomee and Cleopatra reigned Dositheus which named himself a Priest and of the Leuitical kinred and Ptolomee his sonne brought this epistle of Phurim which they sayd Lysimachus the sonne of Ptolomee did interprete in Ierusalem This beginning was in the common edition which is neither extant in Hebrew nor with any of the interpreters †In the second yeare when Artaxerxes the greatest reigned in the first day of the moneth Nisan Mardocheus the sonne of Iairi the sonne of Semei the sonne of Cis of the tribe of Beniamin †A Iew which dwelt in the citie of Susan a great man and among the first of the kings court saw a dreame †And he was of that number of captiues whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had transported from Ierusalem with Ieconias the king of Iuda †and this was his dreame Theâ—e appeared voices and tumultes and thunders and earth quakes and pertuibation vpon the earth †and behold two great dragons prepared one against an other into battel †At whose crie al nations were raysed vppe to fight against the nation of the iust †And that was a day of darkenesse and danger of tribulation and distresse and great feare vpon the earth †And the nation of the iust fearing their euils was trubled and prepared to death †And they cried to God and they crying a litle fountayne grew into a verie great riuer and abounded into verie manie waters †Light and sunne arose and the humble were exalted and they deuoured the glorious †Which when Mardocheus had seene and risen out of his bed he mused what God would doe and he had it fixed in his mind desirous to know what the dreame should signifie CHAP. XII The conspiracie of two eunuches detected by Mardocheus is repeted 6. and Amans malice against him for the same AND he abode that time in the kings court with Bagatha and Thara the kings eunuches which were porters of the palace †And when he vnderstood their cogitations and had throughly seene their cares he learned that they went about to lay hands on king Artaxerxes and he told the king therof †Who hauing them both in examination when they had confesssd he commanded them to be led to death †But the king wrote that which was done in the comentaries and Mardocheus also committed the memorie of the thing to wriring †And the king commanded him that he should abide in the court of the palace geuing him giftes for the delation †But Aman the sonne of Amadathi the Bugeite was most glorious before the king and would hurt Mardocheus and his people for the two eunuches of the king which were put to death Hitherto the proeme That which foloweth was set in that place where it is written in the volum And should spoyle their goodes VVhich we found in the common edition only CHAP. XIII Acopie of the epistle which Aman sent to al prouinces to destroy the Iewâ—â— 8. And Mardocheus his prayer for the people AND this was the copie of the letter The most great king Artaxerxes from India vnto Aethiopia to the princes of an hundred and seuen and twentie prouinces and to the captaynes that are subiect to his empire greeting †Wheras I reigned ouer manie nations and had subdewed al the world to my dominion I would noâ— abuse the greatnes of my might but with clemencie and lenitie gouerne my subiectes that passing their life quietly without any terrour they might enioy peace wished of al men †But when I demanded of my counselers how this might
But her self in al her countenance of colour like the rose also with gratious and shining eies hid her mind ful of sorow and exceding feare †She therfore entring through al the doores in order stood before the king where he sate vpon the throne of his kingdom clothed with royal garmentes and glittering in gold and pretious stones and he was terrible to behold †And when he had lifted vp his face and with burning eies had shewed the furie of his breast the Queene fel downe and her colour being changed into palenes she rested her wearie head vpon her handmayde †And God turned the kings spirit in to mildnes and in hast and fearing he lept out of the throne and holding her vp in his armes til she came to her self spake her fayre with these wordes †What ayleth thee Esther I am thy brother feare not †Thou shalt not die for this law is not made for thee but for the common sorte †Come neere therfore and touch the scepter †And when she held her peace he tooke the golden rod put it vpon her necke and kissed her and sayd Why speakest thou not to me †Who answered I saw thee my Lord as an angel of God and my hart was trubled for the feare of thy glorie †For thou my lord art exceding maruelous and thy face is ful of graces †And when she spake she fel downe agayne and was almost in a sowne †But the king was trubled and al his seruantes did comfort her CHAP. XVI Acopie of king Artaxerxes letters which he sent for the saftie of the â—ewes 10. declaring the insolencie of Aman and dutiful seruice of Mardocheus and Esther 20. commanding al his princes to assist the Iewes and with them to celebrate the day which is changed from sorow to ioy The copie of king Artaxerxes letter which he sent for the Iewes to al the prouinces of his kingdom the which also is not found in the Hebrew volume THE great king Artaxerxes from India to Aethiopia to the dukes and princes of an hundred twentie seuen prouinces which obey our commandment sendeth greeting †Manie haue abused vnto pride the goodnes of princes and the honour that hath beene bestowed vpon them †and they do not only endeuour to oppresse the kings subiectes but not bearing the glorie that is geuen them they worke treason against them that gaue it †Neither are they content not to geue thankes for the benefittes and to violate in them selues the lawes of humanitie but they thincke they can escape the sentence of God also who seeth al things †And they haue burst forth into so great madnes that such as obserue diligently the offices committed vnto them and do al thinges so that they are worthie of al mens prayse them they endeuour to ouerthrow by subtil meanes of lies †whiles with craftie fraude they deceiue the simple eares of princes and esteming others bâ— their owne nature †Which thing is proued both out of old histories and by these thinges which are done daily how the enterprises of kinges are depraued by the euil suggestions of certaine men †Wherfore we must prouide for the peace of al prouinces †Neither must you thincke if we command diuers things that it cometh of the lightnesse of our mind but that we geue sentence according to the qualitie necessitie of times as the profite of the common wealth requireth †And that you may more plainly vnderstand that which we say Aman the sonne of Amadathi both in mind and countrie a Macedonian and an aliene from the Persians bloud and with his crueltie stayning our pietie was receiued of vs a stranger †and found our humanitie so great towardes him that he was called our father and was adored of al second after the king †who was puft vp with so great swelling of arrogancie that he went about to depriue vs of kingdom and life †For by certaine new deuises and not heard of before he hath sought to kil Mardocheus by whose fidelitie and benefittes we liue and Esther the felow of our kingdom with al their nation †thincking this that they being slayne he might worke treason to our solitarines and might transferre the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians †But we haue found the Iewes which were by that most wicked of men oppoynted to be slayne in no fault at al but conâ—rariwise vsing iust lawes †and the children of the highest and the greatest and alwayes louing God by whose benefite the kingdom was geuen both to our fathers and to vs and is kept vnto this day †Wherfore know ye those letters which he directed in our name to be of none effect †For the which heinous fact before the gates of this citie that is of Susan both him self that deuised it and al his kinred hang on gibbettes not we but God repaying him that which he hath deserued †But this edict which we now send let it be set forth in al cities that it be lawful for the Iewes to vse their owne lawes †Whom you must helpe that those which had prepared them selues to their slaughter they may kil the thirtenth day of the twelfth moneth which is called Adar †For God omnipotent hath turned this day of sadnes and mourning into ioy to them †Wherfore count you also this day among other festiual daies and celebrate it with al ioy that hereafter also it may be knowne †that al which faythfully obey the Persians receiue worthie reward for their fidelitie and they that lie in wayte against their kingdom perish for their wicked fact †And euerie prouince and citie that wil not be partaker of this solemnitie let it perish by sword and fyre and let it so be destroyed that not onlie men but also beastes haue no accesse therto for euer for an example of contempt and disobedience THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKE OF IOB HOlie Iob otherwise called Iobab Gen. 36. as S. Augustin S. Chrisostom S. Ambrose S. Gregorie and other fathers teach the sonne of Zara the sonne of Rahuel the sonne of Esau was king or absolute prince of the land of Hus. who being perfect in religion sincere in life rich in wealth and blessed with children for an admirable example of patience and to shew that a mortal man through Gods grace may resist al the diuels tentations by Gods permission sudainly lost al his goodes and children was striken with horrible sores in al his bodie reuiled by his wife and in steed of comforth which his special freindes pretemted towards him was iniuriously charged by them with impatience arrogancie blasphemie and other crimes for which they falsly supposed he was so afflicted affirming and by diuers sophistical argumentes grounded as they pretended vpon Gods iustice wisdome powre mercie and goodnes would proue that God suffereth none but wicked men to be so afflicted But Iob constantly
that neither running is of the swift nor warre of the strong nor bread of the wise nor riches of the lerned nor grace of the artificers but time and chance in al. †Man knoweth not his owne end but as fishes are taken with the hooke and as birdes are caught with the snare so men are taken in the euil time when it shal sudenly come vpon them †This wisdom also I haue sene vnder the sunne and haue proued it to be very great †A litle citie and few men in it there came against it a great king and compassed it and builded fortes round about and the siege was perfired †And there was found in it a man poore and wise and he deliuered the citie by his wisdom and no man afterward remembred that pooreman †And I sayd that wisdom is better then streingth how then was the wisdom of the pooreman contemned his wordes were not heard †The wordes of the wise are heard in silence more then the crie of a prince among fooles †Better is wisdom then weapons of warre and he that shal offend in one point shal lose manie good thinges CHAP. X. Considering the great difference betwen wisdom and follie 4. it behoueth to resist vehement tentations diligently 5. As when euil ignorant men haue auctoritie ouer the wise 8. The wicked often fal into their owne snares 10. are hard yet not vnpossible to be corrected 11. Detracters are like serpents 12. wise graue princes are profitable childish are hurtful to the commonwealth 18. which by their negligence tendeth to ruine 20. yet subiectes ought not to iudge euil of them FLIES dying marre the sweetnes of ointment Wisdom and glorie is more precious then a litle and temporal follie †The hart of a wiseman is in his righthand and the hart of a foole is in his lefthand †Yea and the foole walking in the way wheras himself is vnwise estemeth al men fooles †If the spirite of him that hath powre ascend vpon thee leaue not thy place because carefulnes wil make the greatest sinnes to cease †There is an euil that I haue sene vnder the sunne as it were by errour proceding from the face of the prince †a foole set in high dignitie and the rich to sitte beneth †I haue sene seruants vpon horses and princes walking on the ground as seruants †He that diggeth a pitte shal fal into it and he that breaketh the hedge a serpent shal bite him †He that remoueth stones shal be afflicted in them and he that cutteth trees shal be wounded of them †If the iron shal be blunt and that not as before but shal be made blunt it shal be sharpened by great labour and after industrie shal wisdom solow †If a serpent bite in silence nothing lesse then it hath he that detracteth seoâ—etly †The wordes of the mouth of a wiseman grace and the lippes of the vnwise shal throw him downe headlong †The beginning of his wordes is follie and the later end of his mouth is most wicked errour †A foole multiplieth wordes A man is ignorant what hath bene before him and what shal be after him who can tel him †The labour of fooles shal afflict them that know not to goe into the cittie †“ Woe to thee ô land whose king is a childe and whose princes eate in the morning †Blessed is the land whose king is noble whose princes eate in their time to refection and not to riotousnes †In slouthfulnes the roofe of the house shal goe to ruine in the infirmitie of the handes the house shal droppe through †They make bread for laughter and wine that liuing they may make merie and to money al thinges obey †In thy cogitation detract not from the king and in the secret of thy chamber curse not the richman because euen the birdes of the ayre wil carie thy voice and he that hath winges wil declare the sentence ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 16 VVoe to thee o land vvhose king is a childe S. Ierom as in most part of his commentaries vpon this booke expoundeth this passage in two senses simply according to the first apparance of the letter and mystically concerning the Church The wiseman semeth in dede sayth he to reproue the principalitie of yongmen and to condemne luxurious iudges for that in the one by want of age is infirme wisdom in the other mature age is weakened by delicacies And contrary wise he approueth a prince of good partes liberal education commendeth those Iudges which do not preferre voluptuousnes before publique affayres but after great labour and administration of the commonwealth are constrained as by necessitie to take meate Yet to me saith this great Doctor something more sacred semeth to lye hidde in the letter that in Scripture they are called yongmen who forsake old auctoritie and contemne ancient precepts of forefathers who neglecting Gods commandment desire to establish traditions of men Touching which points our Lord threatneth Israel by Isaias for that this people hath refused the water of Siloe that runneth with silence and hath turned away the old fishpond choosing the streames of Samaria and gulfes of Damascus I wil geue yongmen to be their princes and deluders shal rule ouer them Read Daniel Thou shalt finde God ancient of dayes Read the Apocalips of S. Iosu Thou shalt finde the head of our Sauiour white as snow and as white wool Ieremie also because he was wise and grauitie was reputed in his wisdom was forbid to cal himself a childe VVoe therfore to the land whose king is the diuel who alwayes couering nouelties rebelled in Absalom against the father VVoe to that land whose Iudges and Princes loue the pleasures of this vvorld VVho vntil the day of death come say Let vs eate and drinke for to morow we shal dye Contrarivvise blessed is the land of the Church vvhose King is Christ the Sonne of the freeborne descending from Abraham Isaac and Iacob the stock of Prophetes and of al Saintes ouer vvhom sinne ruled not and for that cause they vvere truly free of vvhom vvas borne the holie Virgin Marie more free hauing no shrubbe nor branch out of the side but her vvhole fruite sprungforth into a floure saying in the Canticles I am the floure of the filde the lillie of the valles The princes also of this land are the Apostles and al sainctes vvho haue their king the sonne of the freeborne the sonne of the freevvoman not of the bondvvoman Agar but borne of the freedom of Sara Neither do they eate in the morning nor quickly For they seke not pleasure in this present vvorld but shal eate in their due time vvhen the time of revvard shal come and they shal eate in fortitude and not in confusion Al the good of this present vvorld is confusion but of the future vvorld is perpetual fortitude Thus farre
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
conceiued labour and brought forth iniquitie †They haue broken the egges of aspes and haue wouen the spiders webbes he that shal eate of their egges shal die and that which is nourished shal be hatched into a cockatrice †Their webbes shal not be for clothing neither shal they be couered with their workes their workes are vnprofitable workes and the worke of iniquitie is in their handes †Their feete runne to euil hasten to shede innocent bloud their cogitations are vnprofitable cogitations waste and destruction are in their wayes †They haue not knowen the way of peace and there is no iudgement in their steppes their pathes are become croked to them euerie one that treadeth in them knoweth not peace †For this cause is iudgement far from vs iustice shal not apprehend vs. We expected light and behold darkenesse brightnes we haue walked in darkenes †We haue groped as blind men for the wal and as without eies haue feeled we haue stumbled at noone day as in darkenes in darke places as the dead †We al shal roare as beares and as mourning doues we shal lament We haue expected iudgement and there is none saluation and it is far from vs. †For our iniquities are multiplied before thee and our sinnes haue answered to vs because our wicked doings are with vs our iniquities we haue knowen †to sinne and lie against our Lord and we were turned away so that we went not after our God that we spake calumnie and trangression we conceiued and spake from the hart words of lying †And iudgement was turned backward and iustice stood far of because truth hath fallen downe in the streete and equitie could not enter in †And truth grew into obliuion and he that departed from euil lay open to the praye and our Lord saw and it appeared euil in his eies because there is no iudgement †And he saw that there is not a man and he was astoined because there is none to oppose himself and his owne arme saued to himself and his iustice it self confirmed him †He is clothed with iustice as with a brestplate and is an helmet of saluation on his head he is clothed with garments of reuenge and is couered as with a mantel of zele †As vnto reuenge as it were vnto retribution of indignation to his aduersaries and recompence to his enemies he wil repay the like to the ilandes †And they of the West shal feare the name of our Lord and they of the rysing of the sunne his glorie when he shal come as a violent streame which the spirit of our Lord driueth †and there shal come a redemer to Sion and to them that returne from iniquitie in Iacob sayth our Lord. †This is my couenant with them sayth our Lord My spirit that is in thee and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seede and out of the mouth of thy seedes seede sayth our Lord from this present and for euer CHAP. LX. In the Church of Christ shal shine the light of true faith and sincere charitie 8. which shal be spredde in al nations and continue al times 15. replenished with manie ioyful graces 18. and eternal glorie ARISE be illuminated Ierusalem because thy light is come the glorie of our Lord is risen vpon thee †Because loe darkenes shal couer the earth a mist the peoples but vpon thee shal our Lord arise and his glorie shal be seene vpon thee †And the Gentiles shal walke in thy light and kinges in the brightnes of thy rising †Lift vp thine eies round about and see al these are gathered together they are come to thee thy sonnes shal come from a farre thy daughters shal rise from the side †Then shalt thou see abound and thy hart shal meruel and be enlarged when the multitude of the sea shal be conuerted to thee the strength of Gentiles shal come to thee †The inundation of camels shal couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha al of Saba shal come bringing gold and frakincense and shewing forth prayse to our Lord. †Al the cattel of Cedar shal be gathered together vnto thee the rammes of Nabaioth shal minister to thee they shal be offered vpon my placable altar and I wil glorifie the house of my maiestie †Who are these that flie as cloudes and as doues to their windowes †For the ilandes expect me and the shippes of the sea in the begynning that I may bring thy sonnes from a farre their siluer their gold with them to the name of the Lord thy God and to the holie one of Israel because he hath glorified thee †And the children of strangers shal build thy walles and their kinges shal minister to thee for in mine indignation haue I stricken thee and in my reconciliation haue I had mercie vpon thee †And thy gates shal be open continually day and night they shal not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee and their kinges may be brought †For the nation and the kingdome that shal not serue thee shal perish and the Gentiles shal be wasted with desolation †The glorie of Libanus shal come to thee the firretree and boxetree and pinetree together to adorne the place of my sanctification and the place of my feete I wil glorifie †And the children of them that humbled thee shal come crouching to thee and al that detracted from thee shal adore the steppes of thy feete and shal cal thee the citie of the Lord Sion of the holie one of Israel †For that thou wast forsaken and hated and there was none that passed by thee I wil make thee to be the pride of worldes a â—oy vnto generation and generation †and thou shalt sucke the milke of the Gentiles and thou shalt be nurced with the tette of kinges and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that saue thee and thy redemer the strong one of Iacob †For brasse I wil bring gold and for yron I wil bring siluer and for wood brasse and for stones yron and I wil make thy visitation peace and thine ouerseers iustice †Iniquitie shal no more be heard in thy land waste and destruction in thy borders and saluation shal occupie thy walles and prayse thy gates †Thou shalt haue the sunne no more to shine by day neither shal the brightnes of the moone lighten thee but the Lord shal be vnto thee for an euerlasting light and thy God for thy glorie †Thy sunne shal goe downe no more and thy moone shal not be diminished because the Lord shal be vnto thee for an euerlasting light and the daies of thy mourning shal be ended †And thy people al iust for euer shal inherite the land the bud
But I eremie againe prophecieth the contrarie 16. that Hananias shal dye the same yeare AND it came to passe in that yeare in the beginning of the kingdom of Sedecias king of Iuda in the fourth yeare in the fifth moneth Hananias the sonne of Azur the prophet of Gabaon spake to me in the house of our Lord before the priestes and al the people saying †Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel I haue broken the yoke of the king of Babylon †As yet two yeares of dayes and I wil make al the vessels of the house of our Lord to be brought backe into this place which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon tooke out of this place and transported them into Babylon †And Iechonias the sonne of Iaokim the king of Iuda and al the transmigration of Iuda that are entered into Babylon I wil make to returne to this place saith our Lord for I wil breake the yoke of the king of Babylon †And Ieremie the prophet said to Hananias the prophet in the presence of the priestes and in the presence of al the people that stoode in the house of our Lord †And Ieremie the prophet said Amen Our Lord so doe our Lord raise vp thy wordes which thou hast prophecied that the vessels may be brought againe into the house of our Lord and al the transmigration out of Babylon to this place †But yet heare this word that I speake in thine eares and in the eares of al the people †The prophets that haue bene before me and before thee from the beginning and haue prophecied concerning manie countries and concerning great kingedomes of warre and of affliction and of famine †The prophet that hath prophecied peace when his word shal come to passe the prophet shal be knowen whom our Lord hath sent in truth †And Hananias the prophet tooke the chaine from the necke of Ieremie the prophet and brake it †And Hananias spake in the sight of al the people saying Thus saith our Lord So wil I breake the yoke of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon after two yeares of dayes from the necke of al nations †And Ieremie the prophet went his way And the word of our Lord was made to Ieremie after that Hananias the prophet brake the chayne from the necke of Ieremie the prophet saying †Goe and thou shalt tel Hananias Thus saith our Lord Thou hast broken chaynes of wood and thou shalt make for them chaynes of yron †Because thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel An yron yoke haue I put vpon the necke of al these Nations to serue Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and they shal serue him moreouer also the beastes of the earth I haue geuen him †And Ieremie the prophet said to Hananias the prophet Heare Hananias Our Lord sent thee not thou hast made this people to trust in a lie †Therefore thus saith our Lord Behold I wil send thee from of the face of the earth this yeare shalt thou dye for thou hast spoken against our Lord. †And Hananias the prophet died in that yeare the seuenth moneth CHAP. XXIX Ieremie writeth to the captiues in Babylon exhorting them to liue in peace 8. and not harking to falseprophetes 10. For they must remaine there seuentie yeares and then shal be deliuered 16. And those that remaine in Ierusalem shal suffer sword famine and pestilence 21. And Achab Sedecias 24. and Someias false prophetes shal dye miserably AND these are the wordes of the booke which Ieremie the prophet sent from Ierusalem to the remnant of the ancientes of the transmigration and to the priestes and to the prophetes and to al the people which Nabuchodonosor had transported from Ierusalem into Babylon †after that Iechonias the king was gone forth and the queene and the Eunuches and the princes of Iuda and of Ierusalem and the craftes man and the incloser our of Ierusalem †by the hand of Elasa the sonne of Saphan and Gamarias the sonne of Helcias whom Sedecias the king of Iuda sent to Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon into Babylon saying †Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel to al the transmigration which I haue transported from Ierusalem into Babylon †Build ye houses and inhabite them and plant orchardes and eate the fruite of them †Take wiues and beget sonnes and daughters geue wiues to your sonnes geue your daughters to husbands let them beare sonnes and daughters and be ye multiplied there and be not few in number †And seeke the peace of the citie to which I haue transported you pray for it to our Lord because in the peace thereof there shal be peace to you †For thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Let not your prophetes that are in the middes of you and your diuiners seduce you and attend not to your dreames which you dreame †because they doe falsely prophecie to you in my name and I sent them not saith our Lord. †Because thus saith our Lord When the seuentie yeares shal beginne to be expired in Babylon I wil visite you and I wil raise vp vpon you my good word to bring you againe to this place †For I know the cogitations that entend vpon you saith our Lord cogitations of peace and not of affliction to geue you an end and patience †And you shal inuocate me and goe and you shal pray me and I wil heare you †You shal seeke me and shal finde when you shal seeke me with al your hart †And I wil be found of you saith our Lord and I wil bring backe your captiuitie and I wil gather you out of al nations and from al places to the which I haue expelled you saith our Lord and I wil make you to returne from the place to the which I haue transported you †Because you haue said Our Lord hath raised vp prophetes to vs in Babylon †for thus saith our Lord to the king that sitteth vpon the throne of Dauid and to al the people the inhabiter of this citie to your bretheren that are not gone forth with vou into the transmigration †Thus saith the Lord of hostes Behold I wil send vpon them the sword and famine and the pestilence I wil make them as naughtie figges that can not be eaten because they are very naught †And I wil persecute them with the sword with famine with pestilence and I wil geue them into vexation to al the kingdomes of the earth into malediction into astonishment and into hyssing into reproch to al the Nations to which I haue cast them out †because they haue not heard my wordes saith our Lord which I sent to them by my seruantes the prophetes in the night rysing and sending and you heard not saith our Lord. †You therefore heare the word of our Lord al
the prophetes in the night rysing sending and saying Doe not the word of this manner of abomination which I hated †And they heard not nor inclined their eare to returne from their euils and not to sacrifice to strange goddes †And myne indignation and my furie is powred out it is kindled in the cities of Iuda in the streetes of Ierusalem they are turned into desolation and waste according to this day †And now thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Why doe you this great euil against your owne soules that there should dye of you man and woman child and suckling out of the middes of Iuda and nothing be left remayning vnto you †prouoking me in the workes of your handes in sacrificing to strange goddes in the Land of Aegypt into which you are entred to inhabite there and that you should perish and be a malediction and a reproch to al the nations of the earth †Why haue you forgotten the euils of your fathers and the euils of the kinges of Iuda and the euils of the wiues and your euils and the euiles of your wiues that they haue done in the Land of Iuda and in the countries of Ierusalem †They are not clensed euen to this day and they haue not feared and they haue not walked in the lawe of the Lord and in my precepts which I haue geuen before you and your fathers †Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel Behold I wil set my face vpon you to euil and I wil destroy al Iuda †And I wil take the remnant of Iuda which haue set their face to goe into the Land of Aegypt and to dwel there and they shal be al consumed in the Land of Aegypt they shal fal by the sword and by famine and they shal be consumed from the least euen to the greatest by the sword and by famine shal they dye and they shal be for an othe and for a miracle and into malediction and into reproch †And I wil visite the inhabitants of the Land of Aegypt as I haue visited vpon Ierusalem in sword and famine and pestilence †And there shal be none that shal escape and be remayning of the remnant of the Iewes that goe to seiourne in the Land of Aegypt that shal returne into the Land of Iuda to the which they eleuate their soules for to returne and dwel there there shal none returne but they that shal flee †But al the men that knew that their wiues sacrificied to strange goddes and al the wemen of whom there stood a great multitude and al the people of the inhabitants in the Land of Aegypt in Phatures answered Ieremie saying †The word which thou hast spoken to vs in the name of our Lord we wil not heare of thee †but doing we wil doe euerie word that shal procede out of our owne mouth to sacrifice vnto the queene of heauen and to offer libaments vnto her as we and our fathers haue done our kinges our princes in the cities of Iuda and in the stretes of Ierusalem and we were filled with bread and it was wel with vs and we saw no euil †But from that time since we ceassed to sacrifice to the queene of heauen and to offer libaments vnto her we lacke al thinges we are consumed with sword and famine †And if we sacrifice to the queene of heauen and offer libamentes to her why haue we without our husbandes made her cakes to worshipe her and to offer libamentes to her †And Ieremie said to al the people against the men and against the wemen and against al the people that had answered him the word saying †Why the sacrifice that you haue sacrificed in the cities of Iuda and in the streetes of Ierusalem you and your fathers your kinges and your princes and the people of the land is not our Lord mindful of them and hath it not ascended vpon his hart †And our Lord would beare no longer for the malice of your studies and for the abominations which you haue done and your land is brought into desolation and into astonishment and into malediction for that there is not an inhabiter as is this day †Because you haue sacrificed to idols and haue sinned to our Lord and haue not heard the voice of our Lord and haue not walked in his law and in his precepts and in his testimonies therefore are these euils fallen to you as is this day †And Ieremie said to al the people and to al the wemen Heare you the word of our Lord al Iuda which are in the Land of Aegypt †Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel saying You and your wiues haue spoken with your mouth and haue accomplished with your handes saying Let vs performe our vowes which we haue vowed to sacrifice to the queene of heauen and to offer libaments to her you haue fulfilled your vowes and haue done them in worke †Therefore heare ye the word of our Lord al Iuda which dwel in the Land of Aegypt Behold I haue sworne by my great name saith our Lord that my name shal no more be called by the mouth of euerie man of Iuda saying Our Lord God liueth in al the Land of Aegypt †Behold I wil watch vpon them to euil and not to good and al the men of Iuda that are in the Land of Aegypt shal be consumed with sword and famine til they be vtterly consumed †And they that shal escape the sword shal returne out of the Land of Aegypt into the Land of Iuda a few men and al the remnant of Iuda that goe into the Land of Aegypt to dwel there shal know whose word is accomplished mine or theirs †And this shal be a signe for you saith our Lord that I visite vpon you in this place that you may know that my wordes shal be accomplished in deede against you to euil †Thus saith our Lord Behold I wil deliuer Pharao Ephree the king of Aegypt into the hand of his enemies and into the hand of them that seeke his life as I haue deliuered Sedecias the king of Iuda into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon his enemie and that seeketh his life CHAP. XLV Ieremie reprehendeth Baruch for lamenting in affliction THE word that Ieremie spake to Baruch the sonne of Nerias when he had written these wordes in a booke from the mouth of Ieremie in the fourth yeare of Ioakim the sonne of Iosias king of Iuda saying †Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel to thee Baruch †Thou hast said Woe is me wretch because our Lord hath added sorow to my sorow I haue laboured in my mourning and haue not found rest †Thus saith our Lord Thus shalt thou say to him Behold them whom I haue builded I doe destroy and whom I haue planted I doe pluck vp and al this
require †They deliuer not a man from death nor saue the weake from the mightier †The blind man they restore not to his sight they shal not deliuer a man out of necessitie †They shal not pitie the widow nor doe good to the fatherlesse †Like vnto the stones of the mountaine are their goddes of wood and of stone and of gold and of siluer they that worship them shal be confounded †How then is it to be supposed or to be sayd that they are goddes †Moreouer the Châ—dees themselues not honoring them who when they heare that the dumme can not speake they offer it to Bel requesting of him that it may speake †As though they could feele that haue no motion and they when they shal vnderstand wil leaue them for their goddes them selues haue no sense †And wemen compassed with cordes sit in the waies burning the bones of oliues †And when one of them being drawen of some passenger shal lie with him she vpbraydeth her neighbour that she is not counted worthie as her self neither is her cord broken †But al thinges that are done about them are false how is it then to be thought or to be sayd that they be goddes And they are made by craftesmen by goldsmithes They shal be nothing els but that which the priestes wil haue them to be †For the artificers themselues that make them are of no long time Why can those thinges then that are made by them be goddes †But they haue left forged things reproch to them that shal come after †For when battel commeth vpon them and euils the priestes deuise with them selues where they may hide them selues with them †How then may they be thought that they are goddes which neither deliuer them selues from battel nor saue them selues from euils †For seing they be of wood layd ouer with gold and with siluer it shal be knowne afterwards that they are false thinges of al the Gentiles and kinges Which are manifest that they are no goddes but the workes of mens handes and no worke of God is with them †Whence then is it knowne that they are not goddes but the workes of mens handes no worke of God is in them †A king to the countrie they raise not vp neither shal they geue rayne to men †Iudgement also they shal not decerne neither shal they deliuer countries from iniurie because they can not do nothing as choughes betwen the heauen and the earth †For when fire shal fal into the house of the woodden and siluer and golden goddes their priestes in dede shal flee and be deliuered but themselues as beames shal be burnt in the middes †And king and battel they shal not resist How is it then to be supposed or to be receiued that they are goddes †Not from theeues nor from robbers shal the goddes of wood and of stone and layd ouer with gold and with siluer deliuer them selues stronger then which are the wicked men †The gold and siluer and the garment where with they are couered they shal take from them and shal depart neither shal they helpe themselues Therfore it is better to be a king shewing his strength or a profitable vessel in the house wherin he wil glorie that possesseth it or a doore in the house which kepeth the thinges that are therin then false goddes †The sunne certes and the moone and the starres wheras they are bright and sent forth for profitable vses obey †Likewise also the lightning when it shal appeare is perspicuous and the winde also bloweth the self same in euerie countrie †And the clowdes which when God shal command to walke throughout the whole world they doe that which is commanded them †The fyre also being sent from aboue to consume mountaines and woodes doeth that which is commanded it But these neither in shapes nor in vertues are like to one of them †Wherfore neither is it to be thought nor to be said that they be goddes wheras they can neither iudge iudgment nor doe anie thing for men †Knowing therfore that they are not goddes then feare them not †For neither shal they curse kinges nor blesse them †Signes also in the heauen to the Gentiles they shew not neither shal they shine as the sunne nor geue light as the moone †Beastes are better then they which can flie vnder the roofe and profite themselues †By no meanes therfore is it manifest vnto vs that they are goddes for which cause feare them not †For as in a garden of cucumbers a scarcrow keepeth nothing so are their goddes of wood and of siluer and layd ouer with gold †After the same sorte also in a garden the white thorne vpon the which euerie bird sirteth In like manner also their goddes of wood and layd ouer with gold and with siluer are like to a dead bodie cast forth in the darke †By the purple also and the murex colour layde vpon them which fadeth you shal know that they are not goddes At the last also they are consumed and shal be a reproch in the countrie †Better is therfore the iust man that hath not Idols for he shal be farre from reproches THE ARGVMENT OF EZECHIELS PROPHECIE EZECHIEL a Priest and a Prophet and at last a 〈…〉 as likewise Ieremie was nere of the same age prophecied for the most part the same thinges but Ieremie beganne to prophecie a childe in Ierusalem and finally in Aegypt Ezechiel when he was about thirtie yeares old in Babylon where he was in captiuitie with King lechonias and others The beginning and end of his Prophecie are so obscure that amongst the Hebrewes saith S. Ierom none may reade these partes nor the beginning of Genesis before the age of thirtie yeares The three first chapters conteyne a wonderful vision wherin the Prophet saw God as sitting in a glorious throne resting as it were vpon foure liuing creatures drawing strangely foure wheeles Secondly in one and twentie chapters folowing he prophecieth the destruction of Ierusalem and the Temple with the captiuitie of the people for their enormous sinnes Thirdly in eleuen more chapters he prophecieth the like of diuers other nations Fourtly in foure other chapters he foresheweth the reduction of the Iewes from captiuitie but more especially the Redemption of mankinde by Christ and the glorious state of his Church Finally in the other nine chapters he describeth but meruelous obscurely his last vision of the restauration of the Temple Sacrifices Priestes and other religious thinges perteyning therto but principally concerning the Church of Christ both militant and triumphant THE PROPHECIE OF EZECHIEL CHAP. I. By the riuer of Chobar nere Babylon Ezechiel seeth in vision a tempestious whirlewinde 5. and strange shapes 10. of a man a lion an oxe and an eagle 15. of foure wheeles 22. and of a man sitting gloriously on a
holie law of God they were murdered †and there was made great wrath vpon the people excedingly CHAP. II. Mathathias with his fiue sonnes lamenteth the calamities of the people 8. and prophanation of holie thinges 15. resisteth the kings wicked decrees 23. killeth an idolater and the kings commissioner so flyeth into the mountaines with others 31. Manie are slaine not resisting in battel on the sabbath dayes 40. Vpon further consideration the rest defend themselues in the sabbath 45. kil their enimies and destroy idolatrie 49. Mathathias dying exhorteth his sonnes to be zelous in the law 65. appoynting Simon their counseler and Iudas their capitaine IN those dayes arose Mathathias the sonne of Iohn the sonne of Simeon priest of the sonnes of Ioarib from Ierusalem and he sate in the mountayne of Modin †and he had fiue sonnes Iohn who was surnamed Gaddis †and Simon who was surnamed Thasi †and Iudas who was called Machabeus †and Eleazar who was surnamed Abaron and Ionathan who was surnamed Apphus †These saw the euils that were done in the people of Iuda and in Ierusalem †And Mathathias sayd Wo is me wherfore was I borne to see the affliction of my people and the affliction of the holie citie and to sitte there when it is geuen in the handes of the enemies †The holie places are come into the hand of strangers the temple therof as an ignoble man †The vessels of her glorie are caried away captiue her old men are murdered in the streets and her youngmen are fallen by the sword of the enemies †What nation hath not inherited her kingdom and hath not obteyned her spoiles †Al her beautie is taken away She that was free is made a seruant †And loe our holies and out beautie and our glorie is desolate and the Nations haue defiled them †Whereto then is it for vs yet to liue †And Mathathias rent his garments his sonnes and they couered themselues with heareclothes and lamented excedingly †And there came thither they that were sent from king Antiochus to compel them that were fled into the citie of Modin to immolate and to burne frankincense and to depart from the law of God †And manie of the people of Israel consenting came to them but Mathathias and his sonnes stood constantly †And they that were sent from Antiochus answering sayd to Mathathias Thou art the prince and most honorable and great in this citie and adorned with sonnes and bretheren †Therfore come thou first and doe the kings commandement as al Nations haue done and the men of Iuda and they that are remayning in Ierusalem thou shalt be and thy sonnes among the kings frends amplified with gold and siluer and manie giftes †And Mathathias answered sayd with a lowde voice Although al Nations obey king Antiochus that euerie man reuolt from the seruice of the law of his fathers and consent to his commandements †I and my sonnes and my bretheren wil obey the law of our fathers †God be merciful vnto vs it is not profitable for vs to forsake the law and the iustices of God †we wil not heare the wordes of king Antiochus neither wil we sacrifice transgressing the commandments of our law to go an other way †And as he ceased to speake these words there came a certayne lewe in the eyes of al to sacrifice to the idols vpon the altar in the citie of Modin according to the kings commandment †And Mathathias saw and was sorie and his reynes trembled and his furie was kindled according to the iudgement of the law and flying vpon him he slew him vpon the altar †yea and the man whom king Antiochus had sent which compelled them to immolate he slewe in that verie time and destroyed the altar †and zeled the law as did Phinees to Zamri the sonne of Salomi †And Mathathias cried out with a lowde voice in the citie saying Euerie one that hath zele of the law establishing his testament let him comeforth after me †And he fled himself and his sonnes into the mountaynes and left al thinges whatsoeuer they had in the citie †Then came downe manie seeking iudgement and iustice into the desert †and they sate there them selues and their children and their wiues and their cattel because the euils ouerflowed vpon them †And it was reported to the kings men and to the armie that was in Ierusalem in the citie of Dauid that certayne men which dissipated the kings commandment were departed into secrete places in the desert and manie were gone after them †And forthwith they went forwards towards them and set battel against them in the day of the Sabbaths †and they sayd to them Doe you resist now also as yet comeforth and doe accordidg to the word of king Antiochus and you shal liue †And they sayd We wil not come forth neither wil we doe the kings word to pollute the day of the Sabbaths †And they hastened battel against them †And they answered them not neither did they cast a stone at them nor stopped the secrete places †saying Let vs dye al in our simplicitie and heauen and earth shal be witnesses vpon vs that you vniustly destroy vs. †And they gaue them battel on the Sabbaths and there died they their wiues their children and their cattel euen to a thousand soules of men †And Mathathias vnderstood it and his freinds and they had lamentation vpon them excedingly †And euerie man sayd to his neighbour If we shal al doe as our bretheren haue done and shal not fight against the heathen for our liues and our iustifications now wil they quickly destroy vs from the earth †And they thought in that day saying Euerie man whosoeuer shal come vnto vs in battel on the day of the Sabbaths let vs fight against him and we wil not al dye as our bretheren died in secrete places †Then was there gathered to them the synagoge of the Asside ans strong of force out of Israel euerie voluntarie in the law †and al that fled from the euils were added to them were made a strength to them †And they gathered an armie and stroke the sinners in their wrath and the wicked men in their indignation and the rest fled to the nations to escape †And Mathathias went round about and his freindes and they destroyed the altars †and they circumcided the vncircumcised children as manie as they found in the costs of Israel and in strength †And they persecuted the children of pride and the worke prospered in their handes †and they obteyned the law out of the handes of the nations and out of the handes of the kinges they gaue not the horne to the sinner †And the dayes of Mathathias approched to dye he sayd to his sonnes Now is pride strengthned and chastisement and the time of
captiue from the land of Iuda in al my kingdom I dismisse free for nothing that al may be discharged also from tributes of their cattel †And al the solemne dayes and the sabbaths and the new moones and the dayes appointed and three dayes before the solemne day and three dayes after the solemne day let them al be of immunitie and remission to al the Iewes that are in my kingdom †and no man shal haue powre to do any thing and to make businesses against any of them in any cause †And let there be inrolled of the Iewes in the kinges armie to the number of thirtie thousand men and allowance shal be geuen them as behoueth to al the kings bands and of them there shal be ordayned certaine that shal be in the fortresses of the great king †and of these there shal be appoynted ouer the affayres of the kingdom that are done of trust and let there be princes of them and let them walke in their owne lawes as the king hath commanded in the land of Iuda †And the three cities that are added to Iurie of the countrie of Samaria let them be accounted with Iurie that they may be vnder one and obey no other powre but the high priestes †Prolomais and the confines therof which I haue geuen for a gift to the holies that are in Ierusalem to the necessarie charges of the holie thinges †And I geue euerie yeare fiftene thousand sicles of siluer of the kings accounts that belong to me †and al that is aboue which they had not rendred that were ouer the affayres the yeares before from this time they shal geue it to the workes of the house †And beside these fiue thousand sicles of siluer which they receiued of the account of the holies euerie yeare and let these perteyne to the priests that execute the ministerie †And whosoeuer flee into the temple that is in Ierusalem in al the coasts therof in the kings danger for matter let them be dismissed al thinges that they haue in my kingdom let them haue it free †And to build or repayre the workes of the holie places the charges shal be geuen of the kings account †and to build the walles in Ierusalem and to fortifie them round about the charges shal be geuen of the kings account and to build the walles in Iurie †But as Ionathas and the people heard these wordes they beleued them not nor receiued them because they remembred the great mischife that he had done in Israel and had afflicted them excedingly †And their liking was toward Alexander because he had bene the first mouer of the wordes of peace vnto them and him they ayded al dayes †And king Alexander gathered a great armie and moued the campe nere to Demetrius †And the two kinges ioyned battel and the armie of Demetrius fled and Alexander pursewed him and vrged them sore †And the battel grew very sore til the sunne went downe and Demetrius was slaine in that day †And Alexander sent legates to Ptolomee king of Aegypt according to these wordes saying †BECAVSE I am returned into my kingdom and am set in the seate of my fathers and haue obteyned the princedom and haue destroyed Demetrius and possessed our countrie †and haue ioyned battel with him and he is destroyed him self his campe by vs and we sit in the seate of his kingdom †and now let vs make amitie one with an other and geue me thy daughter to wife and I wil be thy sonne in law and I wil geue thee gifts and to her dignitie †And king Ptolomee answered saying HAPPIE is the day wherin thou art returned to the land of thy fathers and art set in the seate of their kingdom †And now I wil doe to thee that which thou hast writen but meete me at Ptolemais that we may see one an other and I may despouse her to thee as thou hast sayd †And Ptolomee went out of Aegypt he and Cleopatra his daughter and he came to Ptolomais in the yeare an hundred threescore and two †And Alexander the king mette him and he gaue him Cleopatra his daughter and he made her mariage at Ptolomais as kinges in great glorie †And king Alexander wrote to Ionathas that he should come to meete him †And he went with glorie to Ptolomais and he mette there the two kinges and he gaue them much siluer and gold and gifts and he found grace in their sight †And there assembled against him pestilent men of Israel wicked men soliciting against him and the king attended not to them †And he commanded Ionathas to be changed of his garments and that he should be clothed with purple and so they did And the king placed him to sit with him self †And he sayd to his princes Goe ye out with him into the middes of the citie proclame that no man solicite against him for any matter and that no man be trublesome vnto him for any cause †And it came to passe as they that solicited saw his glorie that was published him couered with purple they al fled †and the king magnified him and wrote him amongst his chiefe freindes and made him Duke and partaker of the princedom †And Ionathas returned into Ierusalem with peace and ioy †In the yeare an hundreth sixtie fiue came Demetrius the sonne of Denetrius from Crete into the land of his fathers †And Alexander the king heard it and he was verie sorie and returned to Antioche †And Demetrius the king made Apollonius general who was ruler of Coelesiria he gathered a great armie came to Iamnia and he sent to Ionathas the high priest †saying Thou onlie resistest vs and I am brought into derision and into reproch because thou doest exercise powre against vs in the mountains †Now therfore if thou trust in thy forces come downe to vs into the plaine let vs compare there one with an other because with me is the force of battels †Aske and learne who I am and the rest that ayde me who also say that your foote can not stand before our face because twise haue thy fathers bene put to flight in their owne land †and now how wilt thou be able to abide the horsemen so great an armie in the plaine where is no stone nor rocke nor place to flee †But as Ionathas heard the wordes of Apollonius he was moued in minde and he chose tenne thousand men and went forth from Ierusalem Simon his brother mette him to ayde him †And they moued the campe to Ioppe and it shut him out of the citie because the garison of Apollonius was in Ioppe and he assaulted it †And they that were in the citie being put in great feare opened to him and Ionathas obteyned Ioppe †And Apollonius heard it he tooke three thousand horsemen and a great armie †And
called Iechonias reigning but three monethes was caried into Aegypt where afterwards he dyed 4. Reg. 23. v. 34. and Eliakim otherwise called Ioakim his brother was made king Who in the third yeare of his reigne was caried into Babylon 4. Reg. 23. v. 34. 2. Par. 36. v. 4. 5. and with him Daniel and the other three children Dan. 1.  Daniel begane to prophecie also verie young in Babylon and continued after  Zaraias  Shortly after which time happened the historie of Susanna Dan. 13.  the relaxation from captiuitie    And the same Ioakim after his reigne of three yeares liued other eight yeares in captiuitie 4. Reg. 24. v. 1. 2. Par. 36. v. 4. 5. A certaine captaine picking a quarel apprehended Ieremie and by consent of principal men cast him into a dungeon the king not knowing therof 4. Reg. 25. Iere. 37. 38. Ezechiel prophecied also in the captiuitie in the countrie nere to Babylon a 3383.  Ioachin otherwise Iechonias a Ioachin called also Iechonias sonne of the former Iechonias or Ioachaz reigned but three monethes was caried into Babylon with him Ezechiel the Prophet and others And his vncle Matthanias otherwise named Sedecias was made king who reigned eleuen yeares 4. Reg. 24. 2. Paral. 36. Ismael killed Godolias the gouernour and others 4. Reg. 25. Iere. 41.  b 3394. Iosedech  b In the eleuenth yeare of Sedecias when king Iechonias the younger was prisoner in Babylon Ierusalem was taken the Temple destroyed and the people caried captiue into Babylon 4 Reg. 25. 2. Paral. 36. In the meane time Daniel was in singular great estimatiō both with the faithful people and Paganes and was aduanced to auctoritie as also by his meanes the other children for which they were enuied and persecuted but were miraculously protected Dan. 1. ad 7. 13. 14. Manie Iewes fled into Aegypt and fel to idolatrie resisting contemning Ieremies admonitions to the contrarie Iere. 42. 43. 44.  THE END OF THE FIFTH AGE THE BEGINNING OF THE SIXTH AGE Anni mūdi High-priests The line of Dauid The sacred historie Schismes and infidelitie Scriptures c 3418. Iesus sonne of Iosedech From the captiuitie the Iewes had no kinges but the line of Dauid continued in these persons from Iechonias to Christ c In the captiuitie by diligence of the prophetes manie Iewes had great zele in true religion And about the 24. yeare of the captiuitie Assuerus otherwise called Astiages made Esther Quene and wicked Aman seeking to destroy al the Iewes in those partes was himself hanged on the gallowes which he had prepared for Mardocheus Esther 7. c. When the Monarchie came to the Chaldees by the powre of Nabuchodo nosor king of Babylon there was greatest confusion of manie goddes and of al kindes of idolatrie The historie of Esther Mardocheus and Aman written in the booke of Esther in the captiuitie d3420  Salathiel d Euilmerodach deliuered Iechonias or Ioachin from prison and enterteyned him as a prince 4. Reg. 25. v. 27.   e3464   e Baltazar being slaine Darius king of Medes Persians possessed Babylon Cyrus succeding Darius released the Iewes from captiuitie and gaue licence to Zorobabel Iesus to reduce the people into Iurie     Zorobabel 2. Paral. 36. v. 22. 1. Esd 1. And great dissention among the more lerned Grecians For the Pithagorians put their chief happines or Summum bonum in the immortalitie of the soule The Stoiks in moral vertues The Achademikes cōceiued much of pure spirites as Angels but could affirme nothing The Peripatetikes placed the consummation of al in the aggregation of spiritual corporal and worldlie prosperitie  f3465   f The Iewes being returned into Ierusalem sette vp an altar and offered sacrifice 1. Esd 3. v. 2.  Esdras write the relaxation of the Iewes from captiuitie And Nehemias the reparation of Ierusalem g3466   g The next yeare they begane to build the temple 1. Esd 3. v. 8.   h3469 Ioachin  h Attaxerxes otherwise called Cambyses also Assuerus forbade to perfect the temple And Iesus the Highpriest returned into Babylon 1. Esd 4. v. 7.     Abiud    i3470   i Daniel vnderstood by vision that Christ should come within seuentie wekes which make 490. yeares from the perfecting of the temple the walles of Ierusalem Dan. 9. v. 25. The schismatical Samaritanes opposed against the building of the temple 1. Esd 4.  k3490 Eliasib  k Aggeus Zacharias the prophets exhorted to build the temple 1. Esd 5. The Saduces acknowleging only the fiue bookes of Moyses reiected al other Scriptures and denied the resurrection Aggeus Zacharias l3500   l Iudith killed Holofernes either about this time or in the dayes of Manasses before the captiuitie Praefat. Iudith The Scribes expounded holie Scriptures sophistically Iudith either here or before the captiuitie m3502  Eliacim m The temple being perfected Malachias who is supposed to be Esdras exhorted to offer sacrifice with sinceritie Mal. 1. 2. The Pharises were precise in the letter corrupting the sense making large hemmes of their garments often washing themselues and the like Malachias n3508   n And Nehemias brought the kings Edict for the reparation of Ierusalem 2. Esd 2.   o3509   o Esdras Nehemlas and others labored in repayring Ierusalem but were often interrupted 2. Esd 3.   p3530  Azor. p About this time the citie was wel repayred with three walles 2. Esd 3. 7. And so by the iudgemēt of some expositers the count of seuentie wekes begane according to the prophecie of Daniel ch 9. v. 26.    Ioiada     q 3504. Ionathan  q Nehemias returning from Persia or Chaldea into Iurie found thicke water for the fire which Ieremie had hid in a deepe caue 2. Mach. 1. v. 20. 23.    Iaddus Sadoc r Alexander the great honored Iaddus the Highpriest Ioseph li. 11. c. 8. Antiq.   r 3644.   s Onias a most zelous godlie Highpriest 2. Mach. 4. was persecuted by Simon a church warden slaine by Andronicus a courtly minion v. 34. And after his death prayed for al the people ch 15. v. 12.   s 3689. Onias Achim t Iesus the sonne of Sirach writte the booke of Ecclesiasticus in the time of this Simon Highpriest as semeth ch 50. v. 24. 25.    Simon Priscus  v The seuentie two Interpreters being sent by Eleazarus Highpriest to Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of Aegypt translated the Hebrew Scriptures into Greke Sanaballat a Grecian obtayned licence for his sonnein law Manasses the Apostata high-priest to build a temple in Garizim Ioseph li. 11. c. 8. Antiq.  t 3700.   w An other Iesus Nephew of the former translated Ecclesiasticus into Greke Prolog Eccli Ananias an other false
answer :: Euil wordes for curteous vsage heret o sore and for late gentil intreating by messengers :: Things tyeâ— in bundels are stronger and more secure then single and loose :: Dauid is resolute and often repeteth that it is not lawful for priuate subiectes to kil their prince no although him selfe was annointed to succede :: Gods prouidence sent this extraordinary sleepe and inspired Dauid to doe this fact for more iustification of his innocencie :: These countries were neither subiect to the Philistijms not to the Israelites and were also of those nations whom God had coÌ„manded to destâ—roy dwelling within the land of Chanaan Deut 25. The fourth part Of the ruine of Saul and exaltation of Dauid :: Not manie but one excellent person an old man come lie in apparel Saul adored not Samuel with diuine honour but with dulia reuerencedue to a blessed soule * â—iadagâ— cognouit Luevv :: In state of the dead in an other world not in the same particular state S. Augustin opinion whether Samuele soule appeared or no. More probable that his verie soule appeared not compelled by the euil spirite but obeying Gods secrete ordinance First proose 2 3 4 â— to â— pag. 210. Soules sometimes appeare after death loco 〈◊〉 tatâ— :: He speaketh by amplification to make his fact seme more reasonable whereas the time of Dauids abode with him was but foute monethes ch 27. v. 7. :: Consuit out Lord for me so Dauid by the priests mediation was instructed what to do :: It is not against Gods coÌ„mandment Deut. 4. 12. to make new lawes so they be conformable not contrarie to Gods former lawes Saul killing himself after that he was wounded 〈◊〉 his enimies signifieth those that being ouercome by tentations desperatly persist wilfully die in their sinne S. Greg. â—â—o 10 :: These men are coÌ„mendable for gratitude towards Saul who had deliuered them ch 11. for a vvorke of mercie in burying the dead for pietie towards their king and princes and for fortitude in atchiuing so heroical an act This booke is wholly of Dauid His succession to the kingdom His vertues Faultes Thankes and Prophecie :: He fained al this thincking to get fauoure for Saul killed himself li. 1. ch 31. but Dauid punished him as such a crime desetued v. 15. :: Exequies of Saul obserued with mourning weeping and fasting :: The Philisthijms were strong cunning archers therefore Dauid commanded that his subiectes should lerne and exercise the same maner of fight :: This second annointing as also the third ch â— was in confirmation and to put him in possession of the first mâ—â—â— long before 1. Reg. 16. :: He reigned two yeares before he beganne much to decline but in al seuen yeares and a half for so long Dauid reigned only in Iuda v. 11. :: Hence perhaps cometh the phraise that one armie playeth vpon an other vvith smal and great arâ—â—lane that is strike and kil their enimies with al sortes of gunnes Iosephus li. 7. c. 1. Antiq. :: Am I coâ—temptible in thy sight and yet head of them that oppose against Dauid I that haue donne so much for thee wil not indure to be reprehended for a smal fault So God suffereth the maintainers of an euiâ— quarel to fal out among them selues wherby the right cause is aduanced :: weake being newly receiued king and not able to punish strong offenders But Ioab others were afterwardes punished 3. Reg. 2. :: They annoint him againe in confirmation of their consent as Iuda had donne chap. 2 acknowledging Gods ordinance 1. Reg. 16. :: King Dauid now atcheued that the tribe of Iuda could not in the time of Iosue Iosue 15. :: Idoles that haue eyes and can not see feete and can not goe shal not enter into the Church of Christ * â—câ—lp â—â—lia :: 〈…〉 there 〈…〉 〈…〉 that 〈…〉 as he 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 S. 〈…〉 S. 〈…〉 :: To dance before the arke is to dance before our Lord. :: The tabernacle made by Moyses was a goodlie thing but being couered with skinnes and in manie respectes insufficient for Gods seruice Dauid desired to build a glorious Temple But was not permitted to do it for mysterie sake to signifie that Christ the true Salomon should build his Church that farre excelleth the Synagogue of the Iewes and old Testament S. Augustin li. 17. c. 8. deciuit a He that supposeth this great promise to be fulfilled in Salomon erreth much sayeth S. Augustin ibidem b S. Paul expoundeth this of Christ Heb. 1. v 5. c This can not be saied of Christ but of Salomon and of anie christian so this place hath manie literal senses d The Sea Apostolique priestly powre in the church of christ is this perpetual kingdom S. Epiphanius Heresi 29. e Here and in manie other places the Hebrew word is of the plural number Elohim Goddes signifying more diuine Persons f The worke of mans Redemption is appropriated to God the Sonne :: For 〈◊〉 â—â—pâ—â—â—â— Dauid compâ—ssing then with cordes as 〈…〉 are eâ—â—iâ—â—â—â—d cast them on the around and by lotte killed some and spared some aliue :: Sette 〈◊〉 an Arch in memorie of triumph * â—rchaâ—â—â—lâ—r :: These were archers and sling throwers of the guard Pharaâ—â—rasis â—hâ—ll :: Or priestes oâ— chief rulers See the annotation Gen 47. v. 22. 1. Paâ—â—l 18. v. 17. :: The partiâ—â—lar inhereâ—â—â—â— that perâ—â—ined to Sauls familie :: Not siâ—â—e 〈◊〉 table with the king but haue his diet of the kinges prouision besides the forsaide inheritance :: This Naas king of Ammon curtously intertained Dauids freindes which escaped from the king of Moab killing most of them that were coÌ„mended to him because Dauid had leift his countrie and was returned into Iuda 1. Reg. 22. Histor Eccles :: Then do sius the Eâ—â—rerour pretenâ—ing to be excused from punishment for his sinnes because king Dauid also was an adulter â— and a manslaver S. Ambrose replied saying Thou that hast solovveding Dauid evving folovv him â—epenting After which admonâ—tion the Emperour most humbly did publique penance inioyned him by the Bishop in vâ—â—a Theodâ—sij :: Now then some of thy seede shal be violently slaine so were slaine three of his owne sonnes Ammon chap. 13. Absalom chap. 18. Adonias 3. Reg. 2. six sonnes of Iosaphat and al Iorams sonnes saue one â— paralip 21. also Ochozias Amasias Iosias 2. Par. 24 25. 35. and the sonnes of Sedechias himselfe hauing his eyes put out and so brought into Babylon 4. Reg. 25. :: Praised and thanked the king :: These children died before him as appeareth cha 18. :: Concubines were lawfully maried but had not al priuilegies as other wiues See 〈◊〉 25. Iudiâ— 19. :: He couered his head that he might not be seene to weepe lest he should discorege the people neuertheles the people also wept and likewise couered their heades :: King Dauid was here abused by false information to which he ought not so easely to
Ser 1. de S. Andrea S. Beda 〈◊〉 4. S. Aug. cont Faust S. Greg. in li. 1. Reg. et in Iob. Inuocation of Patriarches S. Hiere Ep. 12. ad Gauden Obiections answered by holie Scriptuâ—es Iob. 4â— How Sainctes knâ—w mens prayers Titles geuen to men in office and to Sainctes lib. de mortalitate Angels adâ—â—ed Reliqués Images Exequies fâ—â— the dead Purgatorie To. 2. in sept Psal paeuitent Limbus pattâ— No entrance into heauen before Christ Resurrection Iudgement Eternal paine of the damned and glorie of the blessed 1. Co◠◠〈◊〉 dowries of glorified bodies presigured 1 Cor. 〈◊〉 Cathâ— câ—â—s Rom p. 1. c 12. q 9. The Church more knowen to other nations then before The Ecclesiastical and temporal states more distinguished Succession of High Priestes Distinction of offices in Priestes Leuites Succession of temporal princes interrupted Dukes Iudges Kinges M 〈…〉 Church Murmure Idolatrie 〈…〉 e. 〈…〉 〈…〉 * Iudic. 3. Ordinarie meanes of conseruing the Church No participation with infiâ—els No 〈…〉 But one Tabernacle One Altar 〈◊〉 〈…〉 8. Chris orat 1. aduers Iudeos One supreme Iudge of controuersies Al bound to obey him His sentence infallible The Church of Christ preserued from â—â—â—ing in Religion Math. 16. 28. Luc. 22. Ioan 14. 16. Eph. 4. â— Tâ—m 3. Not anie temporal but Christs kingdom is in al nations and perpetual S. Aug. li. 17. â—â— de â—â—uit S. â—â—pipâ—â— here 's 2â— The Church of Christ vniuersal Act. 4. in hunc Psalm The Iewes wil not see Christ 2. Cor. 3. And Heretikes wil not see the Church which yet is alwayes visible S. Aug. in Psal 30. câ—nâ— 2. Collat. Carthag at cont Donatist Ibidem The beginning of the fifth age * Firmnes * in strength :: A vessel so 〈…〉 for the 〈…〉 being 〈…〉 :: â—atus contayned 〈…〉 :: Had designed and dedicated to holie vses :: There was no more with in the arke Deut. 10. but on the outside was the rodde of Aaron Nu. 17. Heb. 9. the golden potte with Manna Exod 16 Heb 9. and the booke of the law repeted by Moyses Deut. 31. :: Prices blesse their people parentes their children :: Salomon knew wel Gods conditional promise but perseuered not in keping his coÌ„mandments and therfore a great part of the kingdom was takeÌ„ from his children yet the right of the kingdom of Iuda remayned to his seede euen to Christ our Sauiour :: Reward of good workes :: External workes of penance except they proceede from the hart suffice not for remission of sinne :: External worship is not acceptable to God except it procede from internal sinceritie and dâ—â—odon VVherfore S. Augustin sayth God is worshipped in faith hope and charitie Enchirid c. â— :: Salomon did not â—el these cities for he could not alienate them but let the king of Tyre haue the vse and reuenewes in payment for timber for the gold which he sent * dirtie or disples sing :: a monument :: Part of Arabia is called Saba nere to Iurie but this Saba is beyond Arabia as S. Hierom testifieth in Esaiae 60 li. 17 it semeth to be in Aethiopia for our Sauiour saith Mat. 12. The quene of the South came froÌ„ the endes of the earth to heare the vvisdom of Salomon :: As this quene had no spirite when she saw Salomons wisdom so the Church gathered of gentiles knowing Christs grace finding the masters of Euangelical doctrin casting away the spirite of pride and laying of al hautinesse of mind lerned to distrust in her self and to trust in the great mercie of her king S. Greg in Psal 7. paâ—â—ten to 2. * A wonderful thing that a Quene vpon fame of a mans wisdom traueled so farre to heare him speake and to see his gouernment but it was Gods inspiration to signifie by this figure that the Church of Christ should be gathered of the Gentiles in al nations Kiges Quenes noâ— potent Princes also submitting themselues to Christ Isaae c. 49. :: Though pluralitie of wiues was then alowed yet it was forbid to multiplie manie Deut. :: The tribe of Iuda :: By Ierusalem is vnderstood the tribe of Beniamin wherin it stood so there remained two tribes to Salomons heyres 2. Reg. â— â—â— Reg. 10. :: From the time that Salomon fel to idolatrie he was more impugned by three perpetual aduersaries Adad Razon and Hieroboam mystically signifying the flesh the world and the diuel :: This fact coÌ„firmed his wordes that he spoke seriously fained not :: VVhether he repented and was saued or no is vncertaine The third part The diuision of the Kingdom Seueral reigues of certaine kinges and preaching of special prophetes :: This pharaise noteth the sequel not the final cause As chap. 14. â— â— :: A diuelish policie to make a religion conformable to the temperal state :: For such a religion such priestes were fittest :: Places on hilles where they sacrificed calues and other thinges to the images of calues :: This foreshewing long before the name of a childe that should be borne importeth that he should do great thinges See 4. Reg. 2â— :: This man of Bethel was indeede a prophet of God but in this lied wickedly and so deceiuing the other prophet made him to breake Gods commandment for which he was slaine VVhervpon Hieroboam swhom the wiked prophet sought to please was lesse afeard to procede in idolatrie :: Not only the deceiuer but also he that is deceiued is guiltie and punishable for breakiÌ„g Gods coÌ„mandment :: By this it appeareth to be Gods worke and punishment :: Ieroboam did not wittingly and of purpose set vp false goddes to the end he might prouoke God to anger for his intention only was to kepe the people froÌ„ going to Ierusalem left by that occasion they should returne to Roboam their Lord king of Iuda ch 12. v. 27. But by settiÌ„g vp idols he did prouoke God consequently to anger So here and in other places this phrase that he might prouoke that it might be fulfilled and the like signifieth not the final cause but the sequele of other factes without direct intention :: Dauids postetitie conserued for his sake :: Those altares which Salomon had made for his wiues that were idolaters Asa destroved not but al which RoboaÌ„ and Abias had made or suffered to be made for their owne people he pulled downe Iosias afterward destroyed also those which Salomon had made 2. â—â—â—â—l 34. :: The aâ—â—â—ouâ— of schisme punished in his posteritie :: Al those that were in the campe chose their general to be their king and preuailed therin though an other half of Israel chose and folowed an other for a time :: Thebni being then dead he reigned peaceably for he began his reigne the 27. yeare of Asa â— 15. 16. and reigned in al 12. yeares :: VVhen Hiel began to build Iericho his eldest sonne died so the rest successiuely that the last died when he finished the building because God by the mouth of
ment only of those that persist impenitent and obstinate The fourt part The prayses of Iudith who with al the people praise God :: Iudith was a special figure of the B. Virgine Marie to whom these praises perteyne in more eminent sorte then to anic other creature S. 〈◊〉 bertâ—s Carneteâ—sis :: S. Ephreâ—â— ser de 2. A â—â—ontu citeth this place as holie scripture so testifying this booke to be canonicaâ— :: Such giantes as were before Noes floud Gen. 6. :: Nor such as were after Num. 1â— Deut. â— :: Euerlasting torments of fire wormes perteyne to the damned bodies S. Aug. li. 21. c. 4. ets â—â—uit and greater paines to the damned soules especially the losse of Gods vision :: In the Greke â— 11. Manie deâ—red her to mariage :: Liuing in al 105. yeares she was widow about sixtie nine for when she slew Holofernes she was about fourtie yeares old ch 10. v. 18 and her husband was then dead three yeares and a halfe before â—h 8. v. 4. Iudith an example of holie widowhood Manie incitementes concurring to the contrarie made her widowhood more excellent Deu. 25. v 5. Ruth 3. v. 12. widowhood an Euangelical counsell Melite S. Atha S. Greg. Nazian Origen apud Euseb lib 6. c. 25. hist This whole booke is canonical The contentes VVritten by Mardocheus Diuided into â—â—ure partes This booke is read at mattins the last weeke of September The first part beginneth in the 11. ch A B :: Modestie and temperance amongst heathen people condemneth Christianes that vrge men to drinke immoderatly and so cause them to be drunke S. Au. Ser. 231. â—32 de tempore The end of immoderate feasting is commonly browling Here the king became furious and the queene was diuorsed from him :: Brentius approueth the sentence of this parasice but Iosephus li. 11 c 6. Macrobius li 7. c. 1. Saturn S. Ierom ad Rustic and S. Ambrose l. de â—â—hâ— c. 14 iudge the queenes refusal lawful and agreable to the Persians lawes which prohibited maried weâ—â— to come in sight of other men in great assemblies neither had the king iust cause to break that law for pleasing his phansie in his drunken humour v. 10. Luther also wresteth this example in fanoure of adulterie par 2. de diuortio folio 177. Editionis â—â—itenber 〈◊〉 1553. 4 Reg. 24. :: Deut. â— v. 3. Israelites are forbid to marie with Gentiles yet when there was no danger to be peruerted and great hope of good Esther by Mardocheus counsel consented to marie king Assuerus though otherwise she detested the bed of the incircumcised and of euerie stranger â—h 14. v. 15. K. Dauid also maried the kings daughter of Gessuâ— 2. Reg. 3. v. 3. :: Mardocheus hearing suspicious wordes and obseruing their actions sawe that they intended euel and informed the King wherby their â—â—eson was disouered Rab. â—alom Iosep * C ch 12. v. 1. D :: Aman exacted such honour as heathen people gaue to their lesse goddes which was also idolatrie for Mardocheus was willing to giue him ciuiâ— honour euen to kisse the steppes of his feete but feared and refused â—o geue Godlie honour to him ch 13. v. 13. 14. S. Thâ— 2. 2. q. 84. a. 1. :: Such is the preposterous â—nrie of rancour to appoint the day of executing his malice before he had got the kings decree The second part The Iewes danger to be massacred * E ch 13. v. 1. :: The letter at large is in the seuen first verses of the 13 ch of which this is the summe F The third part The deliuerie of the Iewes from danger :: The first and best remedie in distresse is to do workes of penance for sinnes coÌ„mitted 1. Cor. 11. 〈…〉 :: Great confidence in Gods helpe when mans helpe fayleth and in dede this meanes by mouing the kings haâ—t to grant Esthers petition was Gods special worke * G ch 1. v. 1. H * I ch 15. v. 4. K :: This prudence in delaying to propose her petition increased the kings desire to know it moued him to promise more assuredly so bond him the more to accomplish it :: Gods eye which neuer slepeth saw whath Aman intended and for execution of his owne diuiue iustice vsed this meanes bâ—y subtracting slepe that time from the king and inspiring his mind to heare the histories read and to reward good seruice donne Ioseph :: Ambicious men are most bâ—â—nde in conceite of their owne deserts and fortunes :: Either they had read Gods promise to the Iewes Gen 13 15. c. or coniectured this by humaine prudence :: After three-dayes fast of al the Iewes with prayers and other workes of penance Esther asked and obtained the saftie of the whole people more precious to her then halfe of the kingdom :: Horrour of a guiltie conscience is commonly the first torment of a sinner S. Chrissocons 4. de Lagaro :: VVhat litle trust in false freindshipe when bad men once fal into disgrace :: Such honour is due to kinges yea though they be Infideles because they haue terrestrial maiestie and authoritie from God And the contrarie opinion and behauiour of heretikes vvhich despice Dominion and blaspheme Maiestie is condemned by S. Iude in his Epistle v. 8. * Lch. 16. v. 1. M :: VVhere no more danger remaineth remission of iniuries is more commendable then reuenge but where malice continueth and new danger may probably ensue iustice is necessarie and afterwards peace may be made more securely S. Bernad ser 2. dâ— verb. Apost :: In the â—iâ—a slaughter Amans tenne sonnes were slayne and afterwards also hanged v. 14. The fourth parth Other thinges folowing their deliuerie from danger :: The Iewes in Susan kept the fiftenth day holie v. 18 those that dwelt in other places kept the fourtenth day :: A feast instituted by Mardocheus was accepted and obserued by al the Iewes as a constitution agreable and not contratie to the law Deut. 4. v. 2 12. v. 32. Psal 76. Great and maruelous changes by the power of God D. Tho. prologo in Epist Canonic Esther a figure of our B ladie And of the Church :: S. Ierome here aduertiseth the reader that he found al hitherto in the Hebrew And the parcels which folow only in the Septuaginta Greke Edition which either they translated out of the Hebrew or added by inspiration of the Holie Ghost * The Greke of the 72. Interpreters A :: Except the 72. The first part The presage and occasion of Esthers aduancement and Amans persecuting the Iewes :: Mardocheus had this dreame before Amans aduancement or his owne and the peoples danger 4. Reg. 24. :: Mardocheus was a good dragon and Aman a bad one :: Esther by her fountaine of teares and humble supplication quenched a great flame of Gentiles against the Iewes ch 10. * B chap. 1. v. 1. C :: Here it appeareth that Aman was a fauourer of traitors of perhaps of the same conspiracie * D ch 3.
that Asa made this lake when he built Maspha 3 Râ—g 15. v. 22. :: This Iohanan and his felowes rose vp against Ismahel lest otherwise they might haue bene iudged to haue bene of the same conspiracie against Godolias being fugitiues as Ismael was :: This consultation was piously begune seeking to know Gods wil by his prophet but the same people erred greuously in not folowing his direction as he forsaw they would not v. 21 And he further recordeth that they rebelliously opposed against him ch 43. v. 2. * the thing :: VVhether it seme to bring prosperitie or aduersitie :: An othe of execration as Isa 65. v. 15. :: It was a dul le fault in that they neither obeyed God speaking by his prophet not stood to their owne promise v. 5. :: Sinful people are easily changed to worse and worse from their good motions For this insolent calumniation is farre from their promise ch 42. v. 5. 6. :: The obstinate people forced also Ieremie and Baruch to goe vvith them into Aegypt :: Vvhere both by wordes and other signes he prophecieth that the king of Babylon wil build his palace in the chief citie of Aegypt and in signe therof layeth great stones as the fundation of the same As els where he prophecied by factes ch 19. v. 10 c. 27. v. 2. c. 32 v. 7. :: It is a very couenient motiue ought to be effectual vnto sinful natio â—s to see their neighboures fallen into Heresie Turâ—isme or Paganisme for their obstinacie in other sinnes Amos 9. :: Not al absolutely but the greatest part and wel nere al for some shal flee from thence v 14. 28. Ch. 42. v 18. :: They reputed the moone as queene and the sunne as king of the starres more peculiarly men did sacrifice to the sunne and wemen to the moone but so that al did cooperate in both For the children gathered stickes the fathers kindled the fire and the vvemen tempered the dough and made cakes vnto the queene of heauen ch 7. v. 18. 4. Reg. 23. v. 5. :: Baruch seing the people much afflicted and vnderstanding by Ieremies prophecie that they should yet be more punished lamented the same :: God granted not his prayer for the people but for himself only :: As partly before so more especially in the chapters folowing the prophet foresheweth the punishment of diuers gentils which were the chiefest enimies to the Iewes :: It is the common maner of Prophetes to speake in the pretertence of thinges to come for the infallible certaintie therof :: Aegypt accounted itself inuincible and so the prophet ironiously calleth it the virgin daughter as in this whole passage he speaketh by the same figure ironia willing them to doe those thinges which should nothing helpe nor profite them as appea reth by the next wordes Thou doest in vaine multiplie medicines or remedies and v. 5. 10. 16. * as â—h 25. v. 38. :: Seing God wil reduce the Aegyptians from captiuitie much lesse nede the Israelites to feare Gods promise that he wil restore them being his owne peculiar people Iâ—a 43. 44. Iere 30. Isa 14. 21. :: Babylon which is northward from Palestina Isa 15. 16. :: Nabo a chief citie of Moab as also Medaba Isa 15. and Cariathaim Hesebon Oronaim and the rest v. 18 c. shal be destroyed Iere. â—â— :: A great idol of the Moabites Num 21. v. 29. 3. Reg. 11. v. 7 33 44. Reg. 23. v. 13. shal be ouerthrowne to shew the vanitie in trusting to false goddes :: The kingdom of the tenne tribes trusted as vainly in their calf sette vp by Ieroboam in Bethel 3. Reg. 12. :: Moabites descending from Lot Abrahams nephew derided their kinred in miseries and are therfore more seuerely punished :: Men that bragge of more strength then they haue are resembled to an earthen wall v. 36. Isa 16. Isa 15. Ezech. 7. :: Amongst the Iewes and others in those partes cutting of their heare was a signe of mourning but with the Romanes contrariewise mourners suffered their heare grow long Cicero Orat. pro Pub-Sestio pro On. Plancio Isa 34. Num. 21 :: Al Nations shal be conuerted to the Church of Christ For other conuersion of Moab Ammon Aelam or the like is not recorded in holie scripture nor other historie :: VVhen the tenne tribes were caried into captiuitie the Ammo â—ites possessed the inheritance of Gad by intrusion as next neighboures and of their kinred as though al the Israelires had bene vtterly destroyed :: And therfore God expostulateth this iniurie and absurditie that the people of Melchom the idol of the Ammonites 4. Reg. 23. should inuade the inheritance of his owne people :: The Idumeans were worldly wise but became foolish in the way of serning God Abdiâ— v. 1. Abd. v. 4. :: As excessiue merueling at strange and vnexpected euents maketh men to be astonied so if the same do please them they hisse therat signifiying contempt Termes often vsed by this prophet Gen. 19. Iere. 50. Iob. 41. :: This prophecie perteineth to Syria whereof Damascus is the chief citie Isa 7. v. 8. :: Cedar was one of Ismaels sonnes and Aâ—or the chief citie of the Agarens to whom this prophecie perteineth :: The Aelamites inhabiting in a part of Persia did assist the Chaldees against the Iewes and therfore were punished :: This and the like prophecies are vnderstood of the conuersion of the Gentiles to Christ begune to be fulfilled when the Holie Ghost descended Act 2 v. 7. :: Babylonians and other Chaldees the greatest enimies of the Iewes were at last ouerthrowne by the Medes and Persians Isa 13. 21. :: Bel and Merodoch greatest idols of the Chaldees could neither saue their â—henâ—s nor them selues :: The Iewes Returning from captiuirie wept for ioy as Ioseph did seing his bretheren Gen. 42. 43. 45. :: The Medes and Persians dwelling on the North to Babylon ouerthrew al Chaldea :: The whole countrie of Chaldea is made a praye to the spoylers :: God resembled to a doue in meeknes is seuere when he punisheth enormious sinners ch 25. v 38 46. v. 16. Or the king of Babylon is resembled to a doue for his swiftnes :: The Assirians ledde the tenne tribes into captiuitie 4. Reg. 18. and the Chaldees the two tribes 4. Reg. 25. :: Al the Iewes of both kingdomes being holden captiues in strong handes :: VVere redemed by a stronger arme by God him self Gen. 19. :: As the king of Babylon like a lion destroyed and deuoured others so at last others destroyed him and al his forces coÌ„ming sodenly vpon him :: As when â—oâ—dâ—â— swelling ouerfloweth the land Iob. 4â— Apoc. 16. :: In al this chapter the prophet amplifieth the same he writte in the chapter precedent of the vtter destruction of Babylon * a coate of male 2. Cor. 6. Isa 21. Apoc. 14. Amos. 6. :: Cal together al nations by publique proclamation to fight against
Ieremie prophecied ch 24. v. 9. I vvil geue them into reproch to be a parable and a prouerb c. :: Iewes by their sinnes prouoking God to punish them with captiuitie gaue occasion that other nations said God could not defend his people blaspheming against his powre when he exercised iustice :: Rabbi Dauid the Chaldee Paraphrasis expound this place of remission of sinne And al Christian Doctors vnderstand it of Baptisme which in dede is in water clensing sinnes Ephes 5. v. 26. â—it 3. v 5. :: An euident text that by Gods grace some men do kepe the commandments :: A duble prophecie of two great benefits the reduction of the Iewes from captiuitie and of the Gentiles from idolatrie to Christ wherein also is included the mysterie of resurrection a One cause of distrust that the people of Israel should not be restored from captiuitie was because they were like to drie bones b Secondly they had al generally lost their hope of restitution c Thirdly they semed like to trees or plantes cut of at the very root d Yet God by his powre and goodnes restored them e Before Christ ioyned the Gentils to his Church he first vnited the two kingdoms of Iuda Israel signifying that Catholiques which labour for conuersion of heretikes as now in England must first agree amongst themselues then shal their endeuoures be more effectual For so al shal sooner be made one fold vnder one shepheard :: Fulfilled by Christ the good Pastor who bringeth al nations into one folde vnder one pastor Ioan. 10. v. 16. :: Gog signifying hid or couered was the common surname of the Scithian kinges :: Mâ—gog out of the hid were the people and adherents of Gog persecuting the faithful :: Alluding to those that endeuoured to spoyle and oppresse the Iewes after their relaxation from captiuitie he prophecieth of Antichrist and al heretikes that seeke to peruert or to suppresse Catholique Christians who are deliuered rom the bondage of the diuel by Baptisme and other Sacraments of Christ :: Antichrist signified by Gog shal persecute the Church nere the end of the vvorld :: In euerie part of the vniuersal Church God wil at last destroy Antichrists powre confounding him and al his adherentes Gog and Magog the king and kingdom of Scithia Gâ—â— 10. Signifying al persecuters of the Church especially Antichrist Psal â— Isa 11. Dan. 1â— VVho shal be destroyed :: Antichrist persecuting the Church in al partes of the world shal be resisted by some in euerie place and at last vanquished :: Not vvith material fire but with zele and â—eruour Catholiques shal resist him and finally ouercome him :: Gods people vvere not made captiues by the povvre of their enimies as if God could not defend them but by his permission for punishment of their sinnes Foure expositions of this vision 1. Of the temple and citie reedified after the captiuitie 2. That Messias shal build a material temple and citie 3. That this prophetical vision was conditional ch 18 v. 23. ch 33. v. â—1 4. That it cannot al be expounded according to the historie but only mystically The fift part Restauration of the temple vvith thinges perteyning therto more especially the glorie of the Church militant triumphant :: Into the destroyed citie of Ierusalem :: Mount Sion :: called exceding heigh mystically in that it signifieth the Church of Christ for historically Sion vvas not so exceding hiegh :: In the Hebrevv text in the Chaldee Paraphrasis in the 70. Interpreters it is thus of six cubites in a cubite and a palme to signifie that these cubites vsed in measuring sacred thinges conteyned six palmes vvheras the ordinarie cubite conteineth but fiue palmes See ch 43. v. 13. :: Larger within then without to spread the light within the place to auoide the danger of hurt from abrode as the windowes of Salomons temple 3. Reg. 6. as also in casties and towres is commonly vsed In explicating this vision by reason of the obscuritie is great varietie amongst the expositors but al agree that God here reueled to the prophet that he vvil reward the good tevvitte in the old Testament temporally in the nevv spiritually first vvith grace in this life and with eternal glorie in life euerlasting :: To the gates of the vtter vval vvas ascent of seuen steppes but of the inner vval v. 32. of eight steppes to signifie that mâ—â—e perfection is required in the new Testament then was in the old for vvhich more grace is geuen and better revvard S. Greg. :: For that the pillers are not measured it semeth they were of the same height and bignes as the former vvere built by Salomon 3. Reg. 7. v. 1â— :: This description of the temple order of priesthood vvith the partition and fertilitie of the land is much more excellent then was in Salomons time the new temple reedified by Zorobabel was much meaner then Salomons and therfore this prophecie as likevvise the prophecies of Aggeus Zacharias cannot be vnderstood of the temple in Ierusalem but of the Church of Christ S. Ierom in ch 40 Ezec. S. Aug. li 18. c. 45. ciuit :: In the vval of the temple vvere interchangeably painted a Cherub signifying knovvlege a palmetree signifying victorie representing to men that they must be instructed in diuine knowlege â—o sight for victorie :: Signifying our Sauiour vvho in his humanitie suffered miseries but as a lion ouercame al enimies S. Ierom finding the Hebrevv text and the 70. interpreters and others to differ not only in vvordes but also in the sense explicating as semed to him most probable auoucheth vvithal that saying of Socrates Sciâ— quodnescio I knovv that I do not â—novv anie thing perfectly For it is a part of knovvlege saith he to â—novv that thou art ignorant :: Al the world is lightned by the preaching of Christs Apostles and their successors and the triumphant Church shal perfectly shine vvhen that vvhich is so vvne iâ— corruption â—hal â—â—â—e in incorruption â—â— c. 1. Cor. 1â— S. Ierom. S. Thomas also exponndeth this place of the â— virgin conceiuing the Sonne of God p 3. q 27. a 3. ch 9. ch 1. :: God hath left the house of the Ievves desolate â—aâ— 23. v. 38 but remaineth vvith the Church of Christ al dayes to the end of the vvorld Mat 28 v. 2â— And the perfect impolluted Church vvithout spoâ— or vvâ—â—ncle Eph 5 v. 27. is only the 〈…〉 hant Church :: The sacred cubite or cubite vsed in sacred thinges was longer then the common cubite by one palme :: The altar is called Ariel the lion of God because fire sometimes descending from God vpon the altar consumed the sacrifice as a lion consumeth his praye S. Ierom. S. Ierom expoundeth this of the hardnes of scripture which no man vnderstaÌ„ndeth fully but the sonne of God Mat. 11. v. 27. Likevvise of of our B. Ladie a perpeâ—ual virgin also