S. Ierom. VVhose discourse vve haue here cited at large for a taste of his profound exposition of this vvhole booke that such as haue apportunitie may read the rest in the auctor himself To. 7. CHAP. XI Workes of mercie are necessarie whiles we haue time 3. because after death none can merite 4. neither must we differ to beginne nor cease from good dedes 8. but stil be mindful of death and iudgement 10. auoiding wrath and malice CAST thy bread vpon the passing waters because after much time thou shalt finde it †Geue a portion to seuen and also to eight because thou knowest not what euil shal be vpon the earth †If the cloudes be ful they wil powre out raine vpon the earth If the tree shal fal to the South or to the North in what place soeuer it shal fal there shal it be †He that obserueth the winde soweth not and he that considereth the cloudes shal neuer reape †As thou art ignorant which is the way of the spirite how the bones are framed together in the wombe of her that conceiueth childe so thou knowest not the workes of God who is the maker of al. †In the morning sow thy seede and in the euening let not thy hand cease for thou knowest not which may rather spring this or that and if both together it shal be the better †The light is sweete and it is delectable for the eyes to see the sunne †If a man shal liue manie yeares and shal haue reioyced in them al he must remember the darkesome time and manie dayes which when they shal come the thinges past shal be reproued of vanitie †Reioyce therfore yongman in thy youth and let thy hart be in good in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy hart and in the sight of thyne eyes and know that for al these God wil bring thee into iudgement †Take away anger from thy hart and remoue malice from thy flesh For youth and pleasure are vaine CHAP. XII In youth is fittest time and most meritorious to serue God In age the same is more and more necessarie but harder then to beginne and lesse gratful 8. In this booke the preacher hath shewed that al worldlie thinges are vanitie 13. and that true felicitie is only procured by wisdom which consteth in the feare of God and obseruation of his commandments REMEMBER thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth before the time of affliction come the yeares approch of which thou maist say They please me not †before the sunne and light and moone and starres be darke and the cloudes returne after the raine †when the kepers of the house shal be moued and the strongest men shal stagger and the grinders shal be idle in a smal number and they shal waxe darke that looke through the holes †and they shal shut the doores in the streate at the basenes of the grinders voice and they shal rise vp at the voice of the birde and al the daughters of song shal be deafe †The high thinges also shal feare and they shal be afrayd in the way the almondtree shal florish the locust shal be fatted and the capertree shal be destroyed because man shal goe into the house of his eternitie and the mourners shal goe round about in the streate †Before the siluer coard be broken and the golden headband recurre and the water pot be broken vpon the fountaine and the wheele be broken vpon the cesterne †and the dust returne into his earth from whence it was and the spirite returne to God who gaue it †Vanitie of vanities sayd Ecclesiastes and al thinges vanitie †And wheras Ecclesiastes was most wise he taught the people and declared the thinges that he had done and searching forth made manie parables †He sought profitable wordes and wrote wordes most right and ful of truth †The wordes of wisemen are as prickes and as nailes deepely stricken in which by the counself of maisters are geuen of one pastour †More then these my sonne require not Of making manie bookes there is no end and often meditation is affliction of the flesh †Let vs al heare together the end of speaking Feare God and obserue his commandments for this is euerie man †and al thinges that are done God wil bring into iudgement for euerie errour whether it be good or euil THE ARGVMENT OF THE CANTICLE OF CANTICLES SALOMON called also Ecclesiastes and Idida according to these three names as S. Ierom noteth writte three bookes of three particular arguments directed to three degrees of people with three distinct titles al tending to one end the true seruice of God which bringeth to eternal felicitie In the first he teacheth the principles of good life to flee from vices and folow vertues belonging to such as beginne to obserue Gods law wherin true wisdom consisteth and this booke is called the Prouerbes or Parables that is to say Pithie brief sentencious precepts of Salomon which signifieth Pacificus Peaceable or Pacifier the sonne of Dauid King of Israel In the second he exhorteth to contemne this world shewing that true felicitie consisteth not in anie worldlie or temporal thinges but in the eternal fruition of God which is obtayned by keping his commandments And this booke he intitleth The wordes of Ecclesiastes which is Concionator Preacher Sonne of Dauid King of Ierusalem because he there exhorteth such as haue made some progresse in vertues called Proficientes signified by the inhabitants of the Metropolitan citie Ierusalem whereas in the former he stiled himself king of Israel proposing precepts mete for al the twelue tribes and al vulgar men desirous and beginning to serue God In both bookes for more auctoritie sake making mention of his godlie renowmed father the Royal Prophet Dauid with his owne title also of king But in this third booke he only expresseth his proper name Salomon whom God singularly loued wherof he was called Idida Because this alone without mention of father or king was most conuenient for the Perfect who not as seruants or yong scholars are moued by feare of auctoritie but as children are swetly drawne by loue And this he writte in verse intitling it not simply a Canticle but The Canticle of Canticles as preeminent aboue other Canticles The bridal songue for the Mariage to be solemnized betwen God himself and his glorious spouse For though al holie Scriptures are the spiritual bread and food of the faithful yet al are not meate for al at al seasons Some parts are not for sinners nor for beginners nor for such as are yet in the way towards perfection but only for the perfect According to the Apostles doctrine Milke is for children that are yet vnskilful of the word of iustice But strong meate is for the perfect them that by custom haue their senses
hundred †But Timothee fled into Gazara a strong hold wherof Chaereas was the captaine †And Machabeus and they that were with him ioyfully besieged the hold foure dayes †But they that were within trusting to the place blasphemed aboue measure cast forth abominable wordes †But when the fifth day appeared twentie yong men of them that were with Machabeus incensed in their mindes because of the blasphemie went manfully to the wal and with fierce conrege going on they scaled to the top †Yea and the others also mounting vp attempted to set the towres and the gates on fire and to burne the blasphemers themselues aliue †And the hold being sacked for two dayes together they slewe Timothee that was found hyding himself in a certaine place and his brother Chaereas and Apollophanes they killed †Which thinges being done they blessed our Lord in hymnes and confessions who did great thinges in Israel and gaue them the victorie ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 8. They decreed Beza in his Annotations in Ioan. 10. v. 22. set forth in English in the yeare 1603. confesseth that the feast vvhich our Sauiour obserued vvas instituted by Iudas Machabius and his bretheren after the restoring of Gods true religion by easting out Antiochus his garrison It is also cleare that this feast vvas in vvinter ibidem agreable to the text in the moneth of Casleu which is Nouember vvheras the feast of tabernacles vvas in September before vvinter and the feast of restauration of the temple after the captiuitie of Babylon vvas in Adar 1. Esd 6. vvhich is Februarie betwen vvhich time and middes of March vvas not competent space for those thinges vvhich Christ did after this feast before his Passion And therfore it is very strange that Beza or other Protestantes vvil denie these bookes to be Canonical vvhich haue so excellent a testimonie by the Euangelist of our Sauiours ovvne fact CHAP. XI Lysias supposing with his armie of fourescore thousand footemen a great band of horsemen to subdue Ierusalem 6. Iudas with his few praying God and going to fight an Angel in forme of an horsemen goeth before them 10. so they setting vpon the enemies kil manie the rest flee 13. Lysias perceiuing Gods powre offereth to procure peace 22. Wherto the king agreeth writting to him 27. and to the Iewes 34. The Romanes also write to the Iewes BVT a litle after Lysias the kings procuratour and cosin and chiefe ouer the affayers being greatly offended with these thinges that had hapened †hauing gathered foure score thousand and al the horsemen came against the Iewes thincking that taking the citie he should make it an habitation for the Gentiles †and he should haue the temple to make gayne of money as the rest of the temples of the Gentiles and euerie yeare the priesthood to be sold †neuer recounting the powre of God but furious in minde he trusted in the multitude of foote men and thousandes of horsemen and in foure score elephants †And he entred into Iurie and approching to Bethsura which was in a narrow place from Ierusalem the space of fiue furlongs he expugned that hold †But as Machabeus and they that were with him vnderstood that the holdes were ex pugned they besought our Lord with weeping and teares and al the multitude together that he would send a good Angel to the sauing of Israel †And Machabeus him self first taking weapons exhorted the rest together with him to aduenture and to geue ayde to their bretheren †And when they went forth together with prompt corege at Ierusalem there appeared going before them an horseman in white clothing with armour of gold shaking a speare †Then al they together blessed our merciful Lord and tooke great corege being readie to penetrate not only men but also most fierce beastes and walles of yron †They went therfore promptly hauing an helper from heauen and our Lord hauing pitie vpon them †And like lyons running violently vpon the enimies they ouerthrew of them eleuen thousand footmen and of horsemen a thousand six hundred †and they put to flight al very many of them being wounded scaped a way naked Yea and Lysias him selfe shamefully fleeing escaped †And because he was not senselesse recounting with him selfe the diminution made on his side and vnderstanding the Hebrewes to be inuincible because they rested vpon the help of the almightie God he sent vnto them †and promised that he would consent to al thinges that are iust and that he would force the king to be their freind †And Machabeus granted to Lysias requestes in al things hauing respect to the commonwealth and whatsoeuer Machabeus wrote to Lysias concerning the Iewes the king granted it †For there were epistles written to the Iewes from Lysias conteyning this tenure LYSIAS to the people of the Iewes health †Iohn and Absalom that were sent from you deliuering the wrytings requested that I would accomplishe those thinges which by them were signified †Therfore whatsoeuer might be brought to the king I declared vnto him and that which the matters permitted I granted †If therfore you kepe fideletie in the affayres hence forward also wil endeuour to be a cause of doing you good †And concerning the rest word for word I haue geuen commandement both to theise and to them that are sent of me to commune with you †Fare ye wel In the yeare an hundred fourtie eight of the moneth Dioscorus the foure twenteth day †But the kings epistle conteyned these thinges King Antiochus to Lysias his brother health †Our father being translated amongst the goddes we being willing that they that are in our kingdome should liue without truble and employ diligence to their owne matters †we haue heard that the Iewes consented not to my father to turne to the rite of the Greekes but that they would keepe their owne institution and therfore that they request vs their rites to be granted them †Being therfore desirouse that this nation also be quiet oradyning we haue decreed that the temple be restored vnto them that they might doe according to the custome of their ancestours †Thou shalt do wel therfore if thou send to them geue the right hand that our pleasure being knowen they may be of good cheere looke to their owne commodities †But to the Iewes the kings epistle was in this manner KING Antiochus to the senate of the Iewes and to the rest of the Iewes health †If you fare wel you are so as we would yea our selues also fare wel †Menelaus came to vs saying that you would come downe to your countrie men that are with vs. †To them therfore that come and goe vntil the thirtith day of the month Xanthicus we geue the right handes of securitie †that the Iewes may vse their owne meates and their owne lawes as also before and that none of them by any meanes
manie whose minde was stirred vp with many vowes †And Cyrus the king brought forth the sacred vessels of our Lord which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon transported out of Ierusalem and consecrated them to his Idol †And Cyrus the king of Persians bringing them forth deliuered them to Mithridatus who was ouer his treasures †And by him they were deliuered to Salmanasar president of Iurie †And of these this was the number Cuppes for libamentes of siluer two thousand foure hundred basens of siluer thirtie phials of gold thirtie also of siluer two thousand foure hundred and other vessels a thousand †and al the vessels of gold and siluer were fiue thousand eight hundred sixtie †And they were numbered to Salmanasar together with them that came out of the captiuite of Babylon into Ierusalem †But in the times of Artaxerxes king of the Persians there wrote to him of them that dwelt in Iurie and Ierusalem Balsamus and Mithridatus and Sabellius and Rathimus Balthemus Sabellius scribe and the rest dweling in Samaria and other places the epistle folowing to king Artaxerxes †SIR thy seruantes Rathimus ouer occurrentes and Sabellius the scribe and the other iudges of thy court in Caelesyria and Phenice †And now be it knowen to our Lord the king that Iewes came vp from you to vs coming into Ierusalem a rebellious very naughty citie do build the fornaces thereof and set vp the walles and rayse the temple †And if this citie and the walles shal be finished they wil not onlie not abyde to pay tributes but also wil resist the kinges †And because that is in doing about the temple we thought it should doe wel not to neglect this same thing †but to make it knowen to our Lord the king that if it shal seme good ô king it may be sought in the bookes of thy fathers †and thou shalt find in the recordes thinges writen of these and thou shalt know that this citie hath bene rebellious and trubling kinges and cities †and the Iewes rebelles making battels in it from time out of mind for the which cause this citie was made desolate †Now therfore we doe thee to vnderstand Lord king that if this citie shal be built and the walles therof shal be erected there wil be no comming downe for thee into Caelesyria Phenice †Then wrote the king to Rathimus the writer of the occurrentes and to Balthemus and to Sabellius the scribe and to the rest ioyned with them and to the dwellers in Syria and Phenice as foloweth †I haue read the epistle that you sent me I commanded therfore search to be made it was found that the same citie is from the beginning rebellious to kinges †and the men rebelles and making battels in it there were most valient kinges ruling in Ierusalem and exacting tributes in Caelesyria Phenice †Now therfore I haue geuen commandment to forbid those men to build the citie and to stay them that nothing be done more then is †and that they proceede not farder wherof are euils so that there may be truble brought vpon the kinges †Then these things being read which were writen of king Artaxerxes Rathimus and Sabellius the scribe and they that were apointed with them ioyning together in hast came to Ierusalem with a troupe of horsemen and multitude companie †and they begane to forbid the builders and they ceased from building of the temple in Ierusalem til in the second yeare of the reigne of Darius king of the Persians CHAP. III. After a solemne supper made to al the court and chief princes king Darius sleeping 4. three esquires of the bodie keeping watch proposed the question 10. Whether wine or a King or wemen or the truth doth excel 17. The first prayseth wine KING Darius made a great supper to al his domestical seruantes and to al the magistrates of Media and Persia †and to al that were purple and to the praetors and consuls and liuetenantes vnder him from India vnto Aethiopia an hundred twentie seuen prouinces †And when they had eaten and drunken and returned ful then Darius went vp into his chamber and slept and awaked †Then those three youngmen kepers of his bodie which garded the kings bodie sayd one to an other †Let euerie one of vs say a word that may excel whose word soeuer shal appeare wiser then the others to him wil king Darius geue great giftes †to be couered with purple to drinke in gold and to sleepe vpon gold a chariote with a bridle of gold a bonet of silke and a cheyne about his necke †and he shal sit in the second place next Darius for his wisdome And he shal be called the cosin of Darius †Then euerie one writing his word signed it and they put it vnder the pillow of Darius the king †and they sayd When the king shal rise we wil geue him our writinges and which soeuer of the three the king shal iudge and the magistrates of Persia that his word is the wiser to him shal the victorie be geuen as is writen †One wrote Wine is strong †An other wrote a King is stronger †The third wrote Wemen are more strong but aboue al thinges truth ouercometh †And when the king was risen they tooke their writinges and gaue him and he read †And sending he called al the Magistrates of the Persians and the Medes and them that weare purple and the pretors and the ouerseers †and they sate in the councel and the writinges were read before them †And he sayd Cal the youngmen and they shal declare their owne wordes And they were called and went in †And he sayd to them Declare vnto vs concerning these thinges which are writen And the first began he that had spoken of the strength of wine †and sayd O ye men how doth wine preuaile ouer al men that drinke it seduceth the minde †And also the mind of king and orphane it maketh vaine Also of the bondman and the free of the rich man and the poore †and euerie mind it turneth into securitie and pleasantnes and it remembreth not any sorow and dewtie †and al hartes it maketh honest and it remembreth not king nor magistrate and it maketh a man speake al thinges by talentes †And when they haue drunke they remember not frendship nor brotherhood yea and not long after they take swordes †And when they are recouered and risen from the wine they remember not what they haue done †O ye men doth not wine excel who thinketh to doe so And hauing sayd this he held his peace CHAP. IIII. The second prayseth the excellencie of a king 13. The third which is Zorobabel commendeth wemen 33. but preferreth truth aboue al 41. which is so approued and he is rewarded 42. The king moreouer at his request restoreth the holie vessels of the
Assirians toward them to strengthen their handes to the workes of our Lord the God of Israel CHAP. VIII Esdras going from Babylon to Ierusalem 9. carieth king Artaxerxes fauourable letters 14. nâ—t licence to takâ— gold siluer and al thinges necessarie at their pleasure 31. The chief mâ—n that goe with him are recited 51. He voweth a fast praying for good successe in their iorney 56. weigheth the gold and siluer which he deliuereth to the Priestes and Leuites 69. And seuerely admonisheth the people to repentance for their mariages made with infideles AND after him when Artaxerxes king of the Persians reigned came Esdras the sonne of Azarias the sonne of Helcias the sonne of Salome †the sonne of Sadoc the sonne of Achitob the sonne of Ameri the sonne of Azahel the sonne of Bocci the sonne of Abisue the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the first priest †This Esdras came vp from Babylon being scribe wise in the law of Moyses which was geuen of our Lord the God of Israel to teach and to doe †And the king gaue him glorie because he had found grace in al dignitie and desire in his sight †And there went vp with him of the children of Israel and the Priestes and the Leuites and the sacred singers of the temple and the porters and the seruantes of the temple into Ierusalem †In the seuenth yeare when Artaxerxes reigned in the fifth moneth this is the seuenth yeare of his reigne going forth of Babylon in the newmoone of the fifth moneth †they came to Ierusalem according to his commandment according to the prosperitie of their iourney which their Lord gaue them †For in these Esdras had great knowlege that he would not pretermitte anie of those thinges which were according to the law and the preceptes of our Lord and in teaching al Israel al iustice and iudgement †And they that wrote the writinges of Artaxerxes the king coming deliuered the writing which was granted of Artaxerxes the king to Esdras the Priest the reader of the law of our Lord the copie wherof here foloweth †KING Artaxerxes to Esdras the Priest and reader of the law of the Lord greeting †I of curtesie esteming it among benifites haue commanded them that of their owne accord are desirous of the nation of the Iewes and of the Priestes and Leuites which are in my kingdom to goe with thee into Ierusalem †If anie therfore desire to goe with thee let them come together and set forward as it hath pleased me and my seuen freindes my counselers †that they may visite those thinges which are done touching Iurie and Ierusalem obseruing as thou hast in the law of the Lord. †And let them carie the giftes to the Lord the God of Israel which I haue vowed and my freindes to Ierusalem and al the gold and siluer that shal be found in the countrie of Babylon to the Lord in Ierusalem with that †which is geuen for the nation it self vnto the temple of their Lord which is in Ierusalem that this gold and siluer be gathered for oxen and rammes and lambes and kiddes and for the thinges that are agreable to these †that they may offer hostes to the Lord vpon the altar of their Lord which is in Ierusalem †And al thinges whatsoeuer thou with thy brethren wilt doe with gold and siluer doe it at thy pleasure according to the precept of the Lord thy God †And the sacred vessels which are geuen thee to the workes of the house of the Lord thy God which is in Ierusalem †And other thinges whatsoeuer shal helpe thee to the workes of the temple of thy God thou shalt geue it out of the kings treasure †When thou with thy brethren wilt doe ought with gold and siluer doe according to the wil of the Lord. †And I king Artaxerxes haue geuen commandment to the keepers of the treasure of Syria and Phaenice that what thinges soeuer Esdras the Priest and reader of the law of the Lord shal write for they geue him vnto an hundred talentes of siluer likewise also of gold †And vnto an hundred measures of corne an hundred vessels of wine and other thinges whatsoeuer abound without taxing †Let al thinges be done to the most high God according to the law of God lest perhaps there arise wrath in the reigne of the king and of his sonne and his sonnes †And to you it is sayd that vpon al the Priestes and Leuites and sacred singers and seruantes of the temple scribes of this temple †no tribute nor any other taxe be sette and that no man haue auctoritie to obiect any thing to them †But thou Esdras according to the wisedom of God appoynt iudges and arbitrers in al Syria and Phaenice and teach al them that know no the law of thy God †that whosoeuer shal transgresse the law they be diligently punished either with death or with torment or els with a forfeite of money or with banishment †And Esdras the scribe sayd Blessed be the God of our fathers which hath geuen this wil into the kings hart to glorifie his house which is in Ierusalem †And hath honoured me in the sight of the king and of his counselers and freindes and them that weare purple †And I was made constant in minde according to the ayde of our Lord my God and gathered together of Israel men that should goe vp together with me †And these are the princes according to their kindredes and seueral principalities of them that came vp from Babylon the kingdom of Artaxerxes †Of the children of Phares Gersomus and of the children of Siemarith Amenus of the children of Dauid Acchus the sonne of Scecilia †Of the children of Phares Zacharias and with him returned an hundred fiftie men †Of the children of leader Moabilion Zaraei and with him two hundred fiftie men †Of the children of Zachues Iechonias of Zechoel and with him two hundred fiftie men †of the children of Sala Maasias of Gotholia with him seuentie men †of the children of Saphatia Zarias of Michel and with him eightie men †of the children of Iob Abdias of Iehel and with him two hundred twelue men †of the children of Bania Salimoth the sonne of Iosaphia and with him an hundred sixtie men †of the children of Beer Zacharias Bebei and with him two hundred eight men †of the children of Ezead Ioannes of Eccetan and with him an hundred ten men †of the children of Adonicam which were last and these are their names Eliphalam the sonne of Gebel and Semeias and with him seuentie men †And I gathered them together to the riuer that is called Thia and we camped there three dayes and vewed them againe †And of the children of the Priestes and Leuites I found not there †And I sent to Eleazarus and Eccelon and Masman and
Babylon :: Sion in behalfe of al the Iewes sheweth that the Chaldees are iustly plaged for their crueltie against Gods people :: This Saraias was a principal Leuite to whom it perteyned to read and publish the wordes and writinges of prophetes :: Thus much Ieremie prophecied against Babylon This whole historie is written more largely in the two last chapters of the fourth booke of kinges and in the last of Paralip pomenon 3. Reg. 7. It is probable that the Lamentations were written before his other prophecies 2 Paral. 35. v. 25. Doleful speaches are commonly vttered without connexion of sentences These Lamentations are artificially composed And besides the historical sense contene hidden mysteries These wordes are not Ieremies but added by the 70. or other Interpreter as a Preface to his Lamentations The miserable change in Ierusalem made the beholders astonied Aliph Beth. :: Some Iewes seing their bretheren ledde captiues into Babylon went into Aegypt but there also were in miserie Ghimel Daleth :: It is a desolate miserie when enimies obtaine dominion He. â—au :: Fleing from place to place to seeke relife Zain Heth. :: Idolatrie which is spiritual adultrie Teth. Iod. Caph. Lamed :: First Nabuchodonosor tooke away much treasure 4 Reg 24 afterwards his capitaine Nabuzardan spoyled al 4 Reg. 25. Mem. Nun. Samech Aiâ— Phe. Sade :: Aegypt wherin the Iewes trusted to sinde ayde could not or at least did not helpe them Iere 2. v. 18. 37. v. 4. 6. Coph Res. :: At home iâ— famine Sin Thaâ— :: Punishment permitted by God is truly ascribed to him as his fact Aleph Beth. :: Streingth and forces are called hornes so euerie horne signifieth al their strength Gâ—imel Daleth Hâ— Van. :: Suffered his Sanctuarie to be polluted Zain â—â—th Teâ—â— Iod. Caph. Lamed Meâ— :: As the sea exceedeth al other waters so the affliction of Ierusalem surpasseth other afflictions which is spoken by hyperbole to signifie the grenousnes therof Nuâ— Samech Phe. Aiâ— Sade Coph Res. :: This happened before in Samaria 4. Reg 6 and in the siege of Ierusalem by Titus and Ves pasian Ioseph lib 7. 8. de bello Iudaico Siâ— :: More seuerely then thou art accustomed Thaâ— :: Ieremie him self felt his part of this affliction Aleph Aleph Aleph Beth. Beth. :: Ierusalem was ransaked by Nabuchodonosor :: and worse by Nabuzardan Beth. Ghimel Ghimel Ghimel Daleiâ—â— Daleth Daleth He. He. He. :: He describeth his greuous paines as if his teeth were broken one by one Vaâ— Vaâ— :: The end of my life is come Vaâ— Zain Zain Zain Heth. :: Gods mercies are euerie day renewed Heth. Heth. Teth. :: VVhich God wil geue Teth. Teth. Iod. Iod. :: Especially vnderstood of Christ Mat. 26. Iod. Caph. Caph. :: God punisheth his seruantes not to hurâ— them but for their good Caph. Lamed Lamed Lamed Mem. Mem. :: The speach of such as denie Gods prouidence Mem. Nun. Nun. Nun. Samech Samech Samech Phe. :: Preaching of false prophets hath brought these euils vpon vs Phe. Phe. Ain Ain Ain Sade Sade Sade Coph Coph Coph Res. :: Iudge thou that which they haue iudged vniustly Res. Res. Sin Sin Sin Thaâ— :: Geue them the paine of hartie sorow :: VVherwith thou afflictest the wicked Thaâ— Thaâ— :: VVheras the Temple before gliâ—tered with gold now there appeared burnt smokie walles pittiful ruines Alâ—pâ—â— Beth :: Lamia hath a face like a woman a body as other bruâ—â—â—h beastes is cruel to others yet kind to her owne broode but wâ—men of Ierusalem in extreme disstresse were cruel to their owne children Gâ—imâ—â— :: as the ostrich forsaking her egges Dalâ—th Hâ— Vaâ— Zâ—â—â— :: One could not know an other though they were acquanted before â—â—â—â— â—â—â—â— :: VVemen being by nature pitiful were cruel to their owne children Ioâ— :: In the siege of Ierusalem :: In Hebrew phrase cities are called the daughters of the countrie Caph. Lamed :: False prophetes were called by the name of prophetes as they semed in the world to be â—â—m Nun. Saâ—ech Phe. Ain Sade Coph :: This perteineth either to king Iosias â—â—â—ne by the Aeâ—â—pâ—iâ—ns 2. Par. 35 or to Sedecias taken by the Chaldees Mystically of Christ our Sauiour Iâ— 53. v. 5. â— Aug. li. 18. c 33 〈…〉 Res. Sin Thâ—â— a The prophet foreseing in spirite their future state as if it had bene preseÌ„t prayed in the same maner as the whole people should pray when they were in such calamitie b Manie were orphanes with out fathers al were depriued of their king who was as a father of al the people c VVe haue put ourselues to worke and trauel in strange countries to gette bread to eate * in danger of thy svvord d They were made to grind â—â—nked in the â—ille e And beaten with staues f They lost the glorie of a kingdom and were subiect to strange and barbarous nations g As Iere 31. v. 18. and S. Augustin li de Gratia lib. arb c. 2. 4. c. h Hauing so seuerly punished vs we beseech thee now to cease from more This prophecie is supposed by many to be Ieremies By others accounted Baruchs By al holden to be Canonical Scripture VVhy S. Ierom vrgeth it not against the Iewes The contents Prâ—fat Ierem. :: The whole time of taking Ieru alem indured eleuen yeares before it was burned In the fifth yeare of which space this boke was written For as yet there were Priestes in Ierusalem v. 7. some holie vessels v. 8. the Altar v 10 and the temple v. 1â— * or manah sacrifice :: Seing it was Gods wil they should be in captiuity they desired rather to be vnder the Chaldees then anie other foreine nation corrupted in iudgement :: That this happened in the siege of Ierusalem is noted before â—â—nent 2. v. 20. â—â— ch â— v. 10. Deut. 28. v. 43. :: Gods commandments are commonly called iustices Psa 118. and manie other places because by obseruing or not obseruing the commandments men are made iust or vniust Iere. 2. v. 8. The tempiâ— was not as yet destroyed but the prophet speaketh of it as he saw it should come to passe Deut. 28. v. 62. 32. v. 20. :: The law of Moyses ceased after Christ but Christs law continueth to the end of the world Iâ— 31. v. 3â— c. :: Men in sinnes miserie are as if they were dead v. 11. yet by Gods mercie may receiue new grace of spiritual life :: The Church readeth this prophecie as other diuine Scriptures in the Eues of Easter and Pentecost according to the most ancient Romane vse :: Shal they not finde the fruite of their workes :: â—abulatores those that did frame or explicate moral examples for instruction of maners were worthely estemed in al ages not such as seaned false and ridiculous goddes with their filthie wicked actes of which S. Augustine writeth against Varro l 6. c. 5 6. 7. deciuit :: It is
banket he remembred the maister of the cupbearers and the chiefe of the bakers †And he restored the one into his place to reach him the cuppe †the other he hanged on a gibbet that the truth of the interpreter might be approued †And yet notwithstanding the chiefe of the cupbearers prosperous thinges succeeding forgat his interpreter ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XL. 8. Doth not interpretation belong to God Dreames do come of diuers causes Some of natural complexion or disposition wherby Philosophers or Phisitions may probably iudge of the state of mans bodie Some are rather effects of things past then signes of anie thing to come Of which sorte the wise man saith Dreames do folovv manie cares Eccle 5. Some are suggested by euil spirites either to flatter worldlings with great pretenses or to terrifie weake mindes with dangers and afflictions or to vexe and truble those in sleepe whom they can not easely moue waking as S. Gregorie discourseth li. 8. Moral in cap 7. Iob Some dreames are of God as in Iacob Ioseph these Eunuches Pharao Nabuchodonosor and others both good and euil men But to discerne and assuredly to iudge of some dreames whether they be from God by holie Angels or illusions of euil spirites is a special gift of God as also the interpretation therof belongeth to God as Ioseph here testifieth VVhosoeuer therfore wil be secure must relie either vpon expresse Scripture or iudgement of the Church as in ominous speaches was noted before chap. 24. Otherwise the general rule is not to obserue dreames Deut. 18. CHAP. XLI Pharao dreaming of fat and leane kine 5. also of ful and thinne eares of corne 8. no other being able to interprete 9 Ioseph is remembred 25. who interpreting the same â—8 is made ruler ouer al Aegypt 50. marieth and hath two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim AFTER two yeares Pharao saw a dreame He thought he stood vpon a riuer †out of the which came vp seuen kine faire and fat exceedingly and they fed in marish places †Other seuen also came vp out of the riuer foule and caryan leane and they fed on the very banke of the riuer in grene places †and they deuoured them that had the merucylous beautie and good state of bodies Pharao after he waked †slept againe and saw an other dreame Seuen eares of corne grew forth vpon one stalke ful and faire †there sprang also other eares as many thinne and blasted with adustion †deuouring al the beautie of the former Pharao awaking vp after his rest †and when morning was come being frighted with feare he sent to al the interpreters of Aegypt and to al the wise men and they being called for told them his dreame neither was there anie that could interprete it †Then at length the maister of the cupbearers remembring himselfe said I confesse my sinne †The king being angrie with his seruantes commanded me and the chiefe of the bakers to be cast into the prison of the captaine of the souldiers †where in one night both of vs saw a dreame portending things to come †There was there a young man an hebrew seruant to the same captaine of the souldiers to whom telling our dreames †we heard whatsoeuer afterward the euent of the thing proued to be so for I was restored to my office and he was hanged vpon a gibbet †Forthwith at the kinges commandment Ioseph being brought out of the prison they polled him and changing his apparel brought him vnto him †To whom he said I haue seene dreames and there is not anie that can expound them which I haue heard thou doest most wisely interprete †Ioseph answered Without me God shal answere prosperous thinges to Pharao †Pharao therfore told that he had seene Me thought I stoode vpon the banke of the riuer †and seuen kine came vp out of the banke of the riuer exceeding faire and ful of flesh which grazed on greene places in a marish pasture †And behold there folowed these other seuen kine so passing il fauored and leane that I neuer saw the like in the land of Aegypt †which hauing deuoured and consumed the former †gaue no token of their fulnes but with the like leanenes and deformitie looked heauelie Awaking and fallen againe into a deepe sleepe †I sawe a dreame Seuen eares of corne grew forth vpon one stalke ful and verie faire †Other seuen also thinne and blasted with adustion sprang of the stalke †which deuoured the beautie of the former I told the dreame to the coniecturers and there is no man that can declare it †Ioseph answered The kinges dreame is one God hath shewed to Pharao the thinges that he wil doe †The seuen faire kine and the seuen “ ful eares be seuen yeres of plentifulnes and both conteine the selfe same meaning of the dreame †Also the seuen leane and thinne kine that came vp after them and the seuen thinne eares and blasted with the burning winde are seuen yeares of famine to come †Which shal be fulfilled in this order †Behold there shal come seuen yeares of great fertilitie in the whole Land of Aegypt †after which shal folowe other seuen yeares of so great sterilitie that al the abundance before shal be forgotten for the famine shal consume al the land †and the greatnes of the scarsitie shal destroy the greatnes of the plentie †And in that thou didest see the second time a dreame perteining to the same thing it is a token of the certeintie for that the worde of God shal come to passe and be fulfilled spedely †Now therfore let the king prouide a wise man and industrious and make him ruler ouer the Land of Aegypt †that he may appointe ouerseers ouer al countries and gether into barnes the fifth part of the fruites during the seuen yeares of the fertilitie †that now presently shal ensewe and let al the corne be laid vp vnder Pharaoes handes and let it be reserued in the cities †And let it be in a readines against the famine of seuen yeares to come which shal oppresse Aegypt and the land shal not be consumed with scarsitie †The counsel pleased Pharao and al his seruants †and he spake to them Can we find such an other man that is ful of the spirite of God †He said therfore to Ioseph Because God hath shewed thee al things that thou hast spoken can I find a wiser and one like vnto thee †Thou shalt be ouer my house and at the commandment of thy mouth al the people shal obey only in the throne of the kingdome I wil goe before thee †And againe Pharao said to Ioseph Behold I haue appointed thee ouer the whole land of Aegypt †And he tooke his ring from his owne hand and gaue it into his hand and he put vpon him a silke roabe and put a chaine of gold about his necke †And he
Israel †And the children of Israel did euil in the sight of our Lord and serued Baalim †And they left our Lord the God of their fathers that had brought them out of the Land of Aegypt and folowed strange goddes and the goddes of the peoples that dwelt round about them and adored them and they prouoked our Lord to anger †leauing him and seruing Baal and Astaroth †And our Lord being wrath against Israel deliuered them into the handes of ransackers who tooke them and sold them to the enemies that dwelt round about neither could they resist their aduersaries †but whither soeuer they had meant to goe the hand of our Lord was vpon them as he spake and sware to them and they were vehemently afflicted †And our Lord raysed vp Iudges that should deliuer them from the handes of the wasters but neither would they heare them †fornicating with strange goddes and adoring them They did quickly forsake the way in the which their fathers had gone and hearing the commandementes of our Lord they did al thinges contrarie †And when our Lord raysed vp Iudges in their daies he was moued with mercie and heard the groninges of the afflicted and deliuered them from the slaughter of the wasters †But after the Iudge was dead they returned and did much worse things then their fathers had done folowing strange goddes seruing them and adoring them They left not their inuentions and the verie hard way by which they were accustomed to walke †And the furie of our Lord was angrie against Israel said Because this nation hath made my couenāt frustrate which I had made with their fathers hath cōtemned my voice †I also wil not destroy the nations which Iosue did let alone and died †that in them I may trie Israel whether they wil keepe the way of the Lord and walke in it as their fathers kept it or no. †Our Lord therfore left al these nations and would not quickly ouerthrow them neither deliuered them into the handes of Iosue CHAP. III. The people associating them selues with Gentiles against whom they ought to fight 8. are inuaded by forraine kinges 9. but repenting are deliuered by Othoniel 12. Falling againe afflicted and repenting 15. are deliuered by Aod 21. secretely killing Eglon their enemie 31. After him Samgar defendeth Israel against the Philisthimes THESE are the Nations which our Lord left that in them he might instruct Israel and al that had not knowen the warres of the Chananeites †that afterward their children might lerne to fight with their enemies and to be accustomed to warre †the fiue princes of the Philisthimes and the Chananeite and Sidonian and Heueite that dwelt in mount Libanus from mount Baal Hermon to the entring into Emath †And he left them that in them he might trie Israel whether they would heare the commandementes of our Lord which he had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moyses or not †Therfore the children of Israel dwelt in the middes of the Chananeite and Hetheite and Amorrheite and Pherezeite and Heueite and Iebuseite †and they tooke their daughters to wiues and them selues gaue their owne daughters to their sonnes serued their goddes †And they did euil in the sight of our Lord and forgat their God seruing Baalim and Astaroth †And our Lord being wrath against Israel deliuered them into the handes of Chusan Rasathaim the king of Mesopotamia and they serued him eight yeares †And they cried to our Lord who raysed them vp a sauiour and deliuered them to witte Othoniel the sonne of Cenez the yonger brother of Caleb †and the Spirit of our Lord was in him and he iudged Israel And he went forth to fight and our Lord deliuered into his handes Chusan Rasathaim the king of Syria and oppressed him †And the land rested fourtie yeares and Othoniel the sonne of Cenez died †And the children of Israel added to doe euil in the sight of our Lord who strengthned against them Eglon the king of Moab because they did euil in his sight †And he ioyned to him the children of Ammon and Amalec and he went and stroke Israel and possessed the Citie of palmes †And the children of Israel serued Eglon the king of Moab eightene yeares †and afterward they cried to our Lord who raysed vp vnto them a sauiour called Aod the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini who vsed both handes for the right And the children of Israel sent by him presentes to Eglon the king of Moab †Who made him self a two edged sword hauing in the middes a hafte in length the palme of a hand and was girded therwith vnder his cassocke on the right thigh †And he presented the giftes to Eglon the king of Moab And Eglon was exceeding grosse †And when he had presented the giftes vnto him he brought his felowes on the way that came with him †And returning from Galgal where the Idols were he said to the King I haue a secrete message to thee ô king And he commanded silence and al being gone forth that were about him †Aod went in to him and he sate in a sommer chamber alone and he said A word from God I haue to thee Who forthwith rose out of his throne †And Aod put forth his left hand and tooke the dagger from his right thigh and fastened it into his bellie †so mightely that the haft folowed the blade in the wound and was closed vp fast with the most fatte grease Neither did he plucke out the dagger but as he had striken so leift it in the bodie and forthwith by the secrete partes of nature the ordure of the bellie came forth †But Aod shutting the doores of the chamber very diligently and locking them sure †went out by a posterne doore And the kinges seruantes going in saw the doores of the chamber shut and they said Peraduenture he purgeth his bellie in the sommer chamber †And expecting long til they were ashamed and seeing that no man did open they tooke a key and opening they found their lord on the earth lying dead †But Aod whiles they were trubled escaped and passed by the Place of Idols whence he had returned And he came into Seirath †and forthwith the trumpet sounded in the mount of Ephraim and the children of Israel went downe with him him self going in the front †Who said to them Folow me for our Lord hath deliuered our enemies the Moabites into our handes And they went downe after him and occupied the fordes of Iordan which bring ouer into Moab and they suffered no man to passe †but they stroke the Moabites at that time about ten thousand al stoute and strong men none of them could escape †And Moab was humbled that day vnder the hand of Israel and the Land rested eightie yeares †After him was Samgar the sonne of Anath who stroke of the
it into three troupes setting ambushmentes in the fieldes And seeing that the people came out of the citie he arose set vpon them †with his owne troupe oppugning and besieging the citie and two troupes scattered through the field pursewed the aduersaries †Moreouer Abimelech al that day oppugned the citie which he tooke killed the inhabitantes therof and destroyed it so that he sowed salt in it †Which when they had heard that dwelt in the towre of Sichem they entered into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a couenant with him and therof the place had taken his name which was exceding wel fensed †Abimelech also hearing that the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered together †he went vp into mount Selmon with al his people and taking an axe he cut of the bough of a tree and laying it on his shoulder carying it he said to his companions That which you see me do doe ye out of hand †They therfore cutting of boughes from the trees euerie man as fast as he could folowed their captaine Who compassing the forte burnt it and so it came to passe that with the smoke and the fyre a thousand persons were slaine men and wemen together of the inhabitantes of the towre of Sichem †And Abimelech departing thence came to the towne of Thebes which compassing he besieged with his armie †And there was in the middes of the citie an high towre to the which were fled both men and wemen together and al the princes of the citie the gate being shut very strongly and they standing vpon the batlementes of the towre by the bulwarkes †And Abimelech coming nere the towre fought manfully and approching to the doore endeuoured to put fire vnder it †and behold one woman casting from aboue a peece of a milstone dashed it against the head of Abimelech and brake his brayne †Who called by and by his esquire and said to him Draw out thy sword and strike me lest perhaps it be said that I was slaine of a woman Who doing as he was commanded slew him †And when he was dead al that were with him of Israel returned into their seates †and God repayed the euil that Abimelech had done against his father killing his seuentie brethren †The Sichemites were also rewarded for that which they had wrought and the curse of Ioatham the sonne of Ierobaal came vpon them ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 8. The trees went to annoint a king According to the historie Ioatham Gedeons youngest sonne by a parable iustly expostulateth the iniurie donne by the Sichemites to his fathers house in preferring a base bound womans sonne and cruelly murdering the rest of his sonnes who with much trauel and manie dangers of his owne life had deliuered them from seruitude But in the spiritual sense which as the ancient fathers note is chiefly intended Idolaters and Heretikes are reproued who rather accept of vniust vsuâ—peâ—s that wil serue their licentious appetites and mantaine vice and wickednes then to be ruled by iust and lawful Superiors appointed by Gods ordinance indued with grace of the Holie Ghost signified by the oliue tree such as bring forth wholsome swete vertues signified by the sigge tree and are replenished with admirable fortitude signified by the vine tree and in their places set vp base ambitious crnel and crabbed spirites signified by the bramble or brere Thus Nemrod Abimelech Mahomet and innumerable other tyrantes haue benne aduanced especially Antichrist shal be extolled aboue al that is called God or is vvorshipped and shal most cruelly persecute al Chatholiques that wil not conforme them selues to his procedings But in fine as here is prefigured in Abimelech sire shal rise against this bramble Antichrist and shal denoure him and al his together S. Beda 99. in lib. Iudic. c. 6. CHAP. X. Thola ruleth in Israel twentie three yeares 3. lair twentie two 6. The people fal againe to idolatrie are afflicted by the Philisthimes and Ammonites 10. they crie to God for helpe who biddeth them cal for helpe to the goddes whom they haue serued 16. but crying stil to God and throwing away their idoles he hath compassion of them AFTER Abimelech there arose Ruler in Israel Thola the sonne of Phua the vncle of Abimelech a man of Issachar which dwelt in Samir of mount Ephraim †and iudged Israel three and twentie yeares and died and was buried in Samir †After him succeded Iair the Galaadite who iudged Israel for two and twentie yeares †hauing thirtie sonnes sitting vpon thirtie asse coltes princes of thirtie cities which of his name were called Hauoth Iair that is the townes of Iair vntil this present day in the Land of Galaad †And Iair died and was buried in the place which is called Camon †But the children of Israel ioyning new sinnes to their old did euil in the sight of our Lord serued the Idols Baalim and Astaroth the goddes of Syria and of Sidon and of Moab and of the children of Ammon and of the Philisthimes and they left our Lord and did not serue him †Against whom our Lord being wrath deliuered them into the handes of the Philisthijms and of the children of Ammon †And they were afflicted and sore opressed for eightene yeares al that dwelt beyond Iordan in the Land of the Amorrheite which is in Galaad †in so much that the children of Ammon passing ouer Iordan wasted Iudas and Beniamin and Ephraim and Israel was afflicted exceedingly †And crying to our Lord they said We haue sinned to thee because we haue forsaken our Lord God haue serued Baalim †To whom our Lord spake Haue not the Aegyptians and the Ammorrheites and the children of Ammon and the Philisthijms †the Sidonians also and Amalech and Chanaan oppressed you you cried to me and I deliuered you out of their hand †And yet you haue forsaken me and haue worshipped strange goddes therfore I wil not adde to deliuer you any more †goe and inuocate the goddes which you haue chosen let them deliuer you in the time of distresse †And the children of Israel said to our Lord We haue sinned render to vs whatsoeuer pleaseth thee only now deliuer vs. †In saying which thinges they threw away out of their coastes al the idols of strange goddes and serued our Lord God who sorowed for their miseries †Therfore the children of Ammon crying together pitcht their tentes in Galaad against whom the children of Israel being assembled camped in Maspha †And the princes of Galaad said euerie one to their neighbours Who of vs shal first beginne to fight against the children of Ammon shal be the duke of the people of Galaad CHAP. XI Iephte reiected by his brethrens is intreated by the ancientes of Galaad to returne and fight for them against the Ammonites 12. with whom he first pleadeth the cause of Israel
which hath vpbraided the armies of the liuing God †And the people reported vnto him the self same worde saying These thinges shal be geuen to the man that shal strike him †Which when Eliab his eldest brother had heard when he spake with others he was angrie against Dauid and sayd Wherefore cauâ—cst thou and why hast thou left those few sheepe in the desert I know thy pride and the wickednes of thy hart that to see the battel thou art come downe †And Dauid sayd What haue I done is there not cause to speake †And he went a litle aside from him to an other and sayd the sel same word And the people answered him as before †And the wordes which Dauid spake were heard and told in the sight of Saul †To whom when he was brought he spake vnto him Let not any mans hart be discouraged in him I thy seruant wil goe and wil fight against the Philistian †And Saul sayd to Dauid Thou art not able to resist this Philistian nor to fight against him because thou art a childe but he is a man of warre from his youth †And Dauid sayd to Saul Thy seruant did fecde his fathers slock and there came a lyon or a beare and tooke a ramme out of the middes of the flocke †and I pursued them and stroke them and plucked them out of their mouth and they arose vp against me and I caught their chinne and I strangled and slew them †For both the lyon and the beare did I thy seruant kil therefore this vncircumcised Philistian also shal be as it were one of them Now wil I goe and take away the reproch of the people for who is this vncircumcised Philistian which hath beene so hardie to curse the host of the liuing God †And Dauid sayd Our Lord which hath deliuered me from the hand of the lion and of the beare he wil deliuer me from the hand of this Philistian And Saul sayd to Dauid Goe and our Lord be with thee †And Saul clothed Dauid with his rayments and put an helmet of brasse vpon his head and vested him with a coate of maile †Dauid therefore being girded with his sword ouer his rayment beganne to proue if he could goe armed for he was not accustomed And Dauid sayd to Saul I can not goe so because I am not vsed and he layd them of †And he tooke his staffe which he had alwaies in his handes he chose him fiue most bright stones out of the torrent and cast them into the shepherds skrippe which he had with him and he tooke a sling in his hand and went forth against the Philistian †And the Philistian went going and approching against Dauid and his esquier before him †And when the Philistian had seene and beheld Dauid he despised him And he was a yong man redde and beautiful to behold †And the Philistian sayd to Dauid Why am I a dogge that thou comest to me with a staffe And the Philistian cursed Dauid in his goddes †and sayd to Dauid Come to me and I wil geue thy flesh to the foules of the ayre and the beastes of the earth †And Dauid sayd to the Philistian Thou comest to me with a sword and speare and sheeld but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts the God of the bandes of Israel whom thou hast defied †this day and our Lord shal geue thee in my hand and I shal strike thee and take away thy head from thee and I shal geue the carcasses of the campe of the Philistijms this day to the fowles of the ayre and to the beastes of the earth that al the earth may knowe that there is a God in Israel †And al this assemblie shal know that not in sword nor in speare doth our Lord saue for it is his battel and he wil deliuer you into our handes †When the Philistian therefore was risen vp and came and approched against Dauid Dauid made hast ranne to the battel against the Philistian †And he put his hand into his skrippe and tooke one stone and cast it with the sling and fetching it about stroke the Philistian in the forehead and he fel on his face vpon the earth †And Dauid preuailed agaynst the Philistian with sling and stone and he stroke and slew the Philistian And whereas Dauid had no sword in his hand †he ranne and stood vpon the Philistian and tooke his sword and drew it out of the scabard and slew him and cut of his head And the Philistijms seing that the strongest of them was dead did flee †And the men of Israel and Iuda rising vp shouted and pursued the Philistians til they came into a valley to the gates of Accaron and there fel wounded of the Philistijms in the way of Saraim as farre as Geth as farre as Accaron †And the children of Israel returning after they had pursued the Philistians inuaded their campe †And Dauid taking the head of the Philistian brought it into Ierusalem but his armour he layd in his tabernacle †And at the same time that Saul saw Dauid going forth against the Philistian he sayd to Abuer the prince of the armie Of what stocke is this yong man descended Abner And Abner sayd Thy soule liueth ô king if I know †And the king sayd Aske thou whose sonne this yong man is †And when Dauid was returned after the Philisthian was slaine Abner tooke him and brought him in before Saul hauing the head of the Philistian in his hand †And Saul sayd to him O yong man of what progenie art thou And Dauid sayd I am the sonne of thy seruant Isai the Bethlemite CHAP. XVIII Dauid and Ionathas enter league of frendship 6. Saul hearing Dauid praised aboue himself is offended 10. and vexed with an euil spirit attempteth twise to kil him 17. premiseth to geue him his eldest daughter in mariage but geueth her to an other 20. and geueth him the yonger thereby to one throw him 25. putting him also in more danger by requiring of him an hundred prepuces of Philistijms 27. Dauid bringeth him two hundred and his fame encreaseth AND it came to passe when he had finished to speake vnto Saul the soule of Ionathas was ioyned fast to the soule of Dauid Ionathas loued him as his soule †And Saul tooke him in that day and did not grant vnto him to returne into his fathers house †And Dauid and Ionathas entered a league for he loued him as his soule †For Ionathas stripped himself of the cote wher with he was clothed and gaue it to Dauid and the rest of his garments vnto his sword bowe vnto his belt †Dauid also went forth to al thinges wheretosoeuer Saul sent him he behaued himself wisely and Saul placed him ouer the men of warre and he was accepted in the eies of al the people
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€
the prophetes †And this by the word of our Lord was done against Iuda to take it away before him for al the sinnes of Manasses which he did †and for the innocent bloud that he had shed filled Ierusalem with the bloud of innocentes for this thing God would not be made propitious †But the rest of the wordes of Ioakim and al that he did are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda And Ioakim slept with his fathers †and Ioachin his sonne reigned for him †And the king of Aegypt added no more to come out of his countrie for the king of Babylon had taken al that had beene the kinges of Aegypt from the riuer of Aegypt vnto the riuer Euphrates †Eightene yeares old was Ioachin when he began to reigne and he reigned three monethes in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Nohesta the daughter of Elnathan of Ierusalem †And he did euil before our Lord according to al thinges which his father had done †At that time came vp the seruantes of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon into Ierusalem and the citie was compassed with fortes †And Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon came to the citie with his seruantes to assault it †And Ioachin the king of Iuda went forth to the king of Babylon he and his mother and his seruantes and his nobles and his eunuches and the king of Babylon receiued him the eight yeare of his reigne †And he brought forth from thence al the treasures of the house of our Lord and the treasures of the kinges house and he cut in peces al the golden vessel which Salomon the king of Israel had made in the temple of our Lord according to the word of our Lord. †And he transported al Ierusalem and al the princes and al the strong men of the armie ten thousand into captiuitie and euerie artificer and incloser and nothing was left sauing the poore sorte of the people of the land †He transported also Ioachin into Babylon and the kinges mother and the kinges wiues and his eunuches and the iudges of the land he led into captiuitie from Ierusalem into Babylon †And al the strong men seuen thousand and the artificers and inclosers a thousand al valiant men and warries and the king of Babylon led them captiues into Babylon †And he appointed Matthanias his vncle for him and called his name Sedecias †One and twentie yeares old was Sedecias when he began to reigne and he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Amital the daughter of Ieremie of Lobna †And he did euil before our Lord according to al thinges which Ioakim had done †For our Lord was wrath against Ierusalem and against Iuda til he cast them away from his sace and Sedecias reuolted from the king of Babylon CHAP. XXV Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon beseiging Ierusalem two yeares the souldiars pressed with famine flee away King Sedecias also fleeth 5. is taken and brought before Nabuchodonosor 7. Al his sonnes are slaine in his sight his eyes are put out and he is caried into Babylon the Temple the kinges palace and other houses burned the walles destroyed the people caried captiue 12. except poore husbandmen 13. Al vessel of brasse siluer and gold broken and transported 18. Saraias high priest and other principal men are slaine 22. Godolias made gouernernour 25. is slaine by Ismael 27. Ioachin is deliuered from prison and exalted by a new king of Babylon AND it came to passe in the ninthe yeare of his reigne the tenth moneth the tenth day of the moneth came Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon himselfe and al his armie vnto Ierusalem and they besette it and built rampires rond about it †And the citie was shut vp trenched about vntil the eleuenth yeare of king Sedecias †the ninth day of the moneth and there was a sore famine in the citie neither was there bread for the people of the land †And a breach was made into the citie and al the men of warre fled in the night by the way of the gate which is betwen the duble wal toward the kinges garden moreouer the Chaldees besieged the citie round about Sedecias therfore fled by the way that leadeth to the champayne of the wildernes †And the armie of the Chaldees pursewed the king and ouertooke him in the plaine of Iericho and al the warriers that were with him were dispersed and forsooke him †They therfore hauing taken the king brought him to the king of Babylon into Reblatha who spake iudgement with him †And he slewe the sonnes of Sedecias before his face and he put out his eies and bound him with cheynes and brought him into Babylon †The fifth moneth the seuenth day of the moneth that is the ninetenth yeare of the king of Babylon came Nabuzardan the General of the armie the seruant of the king of Babylon into Ierusalem †And he burnt the house of our Lord the kings house and the houses of Ierusalem euerie house he burnt with fyre †And al the armie of the Chaldees which was with the General of the souldiars destroyed the walles of Ierusalem round about †And Nabuzardan the General of the armie transported the remnant of the people that remained in the citie and the fugitiues that were fled to the king of Babylon and the rest of the comon people †And of the poore of the land he leift dressers of vineyardes and husbandmen †And the brasen pillers that were in the temple of our Lord and the feete and the sea of brasse which was in the house of our Lord the Chaldees brake and transported al the brasse into Babylon †The pottes also of brasse and masars and forkes with three teeth and cuppes and litle mortars and al the vessel of brasse in the which they ministred they tooke away †Moreouer also the censars and phials those that were of gold and that were of siluer the General of the warfare tooke †that is two pillers one sea and the feete which Salomon had made in the temple of our Lord there was no weight of the brasse of al the vessels †One piller had eightene cubites in height and the litle head of brasse vpon it was three cubites in height and the nette and the pomegranates vpon the litle head of the piller al of brasse the second also had the like adorning †Also the general of the armie tooke Saraias the chiefe priest and Sophonias the second priest and three porters †And of the citie one Eunuch which was captayne ouer the men of warre and fiue men of them that wayted before the king whom he found in the citie and Sopher the captaine of the armie who proued the yong souldiars of the people of the land and threescore men of the common people which were found in the citie â€
one house which was ouer the rest Eleazars and an other house which had the rest vnder it Ithamars †And the first lot came forth to Ioiarib the second to Iedei †the third to Harim the fourth to Seorim †the fifth to Melchia the sixt to Maiman †the seuenth to Accos the eight to Abia †the ninth to Iesua the tenth to Sechenia †the eleuenth to Eliasib the twelfth to Iaeim †the thirtenth to Hoppha the fourtenth to Isbaab †the fiftenth to Belga the sixtenth to Emmer †the seuententh to Hezir the eightenth to Aphses †the ninetenth to Pheteia the twenteth to Hezechiel †the one and twenteth to Iachin the two and twenteth to Gamul †the three and twenteth to Dalaiau the foure and twenteth to Maaziau †These be their courses according to their ministeries to enter into the house of our Lord and according to their rite vnder the hand of Aaron their father as our Lord the God of Israel had commanded †Moreouer of the children of Leui which were remayning there was Subael of the children of Amram and of the children of Subael Iehedeia †Also of the children of Rohobia the prince of Iesias †And the sonne of Isaari Salemoth and the sonne of Salemoth Iahath †and his sonne Ieriau the first Amarias the second Iahaziel the third Iecmaan the fourth †The sonne of Oziel Micha the sonne of Micha Samir †The brother of Micha Iesia and the sonne of Iesia Zacharias †The sonnes of Merari Moholi and Musi The sonne of Oziau Benno †The sonne also of Merari Oziau and Soam and Zacchur and Hebri †Moreouer the sonne of Moholi Eleazar who had no children †And the sonne of Cis Ieramael †The sonnes of Musi Moholi Eder and Ierimoth These be the sonnes of of Leui according to the houses of their families †And they also did cast lottes agaynst their brethren the sonnes of Aaron before Dauid the king and Sadoc and Ahimelech and the princes of the Priestlie and Leuitical families as wel the elder as the yonger Lotte diuided al equally CHAP. XXV Foure sonnes of Asaph six of Idithun and fourtene of Heman chiefe musicians 7. with their brethren in â—lâ—wo hundred and fourscore 8. are distributed by Lottes in foure and twentie companies to serue in the temple THERFORE Dauid and the officers of the hoste seperated for the ministerie the sonnes of Asaph and Heman and Idithun which should prophecie on harpes psalteries cymbals according to their number seruing the office dedicated to them †Of the sonnes of Asaph Zacchur and Ioseph and Nathania Asarela the sonnes of Asaph vnder the hand of Asaph prophecying neere the king †Moreouer Idithun the sonnes of Idithun Godolias Sori Ieseias and Hasabias and Mathathias six vnder the hand of their father Idithun who prophecied on harpe ouer them that confessed and praysed our Lord. †Of Heman also the sonnes of Heman Bocciau Mathaniaâ— Oziel Subuel and Ierimoth Hananias Hanani Eliatha Geddelthi and Romemthiezer and Iesbacassa Mellothi Othir Mahazioth †al these the sonnes of Heman the Seer of the king in the wordes of God that he might exalt the horne God gaue to Heman fourtene sonnes and three daughters †Al vnder their fathers were distributed to sing in the temple of our Lord on cymbals and psalteries and harpes for the ministeries of the house of our Lord neere the king to witte Asaph and Idithun and Heman †And the number of them with their brethren that taught the songue of our Lord al the teachers two hundred eightie eight †And they did cast lottes by their courses equally as wel the elder as the yonger the learned and the vnlearned together †And the first lotte came forth to Ioseph which was of Asaph The second to Godolias to him and his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The third to Zachur to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The fourth to Isari to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The fifth to Nathanias to his sonnes his brethren twelue †The sixth to Bocciau to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The seueth to Isreela to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The eight to Iesaia to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The ninth to Mathanias to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The tenth to Semeias to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The eleuenth to Azareel to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The twelfth to Hasabia to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The thirtenth to Subacl to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The fourtenth to Mathathias to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The fiftenth to Ierimoth to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The sixtenth to Hananias to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The seuententh to Iesbacassa to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The eightenth to Hanani to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The ninetenth to Mellothi to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The twenteth to Eliatha to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The one and twenteth to Othir to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The two and twenteth to Geddelthi to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The three and twenteth to Mahazioth to his sonnes and his brethren twelue †The foure and twenteth to Romemthiezer to his sonnes and his brethren twelue CHAP. XXVI Porters are designed by lottes to watch at foure gates of the temple 20. others made kepers of the holie treasure and vissel 30. Officers also appointed in the two tribes and half ouer Iordan for Gods seruice and the kinges AND the diuisions of the porters of the Corites Meselemia the sonnes of Core of the sonnes of Asaph †The sonnes of Meselemia Zacharias the first begotten ladihel the second Zabadias the third Iathanael the fourth †Aelam the fifth Iohanan the sixth Elioenai the seuenth †And the sonnes of Obededom Semeias the first begotten Iozabad the second Ioaha the third Sachar the fourth Nathanael the fiifth †Ammiel the sixth Issachar the seuenth Phollathi the eight because our Lord blessed him †And to Semias his sonne were borne sonnes the chiefe of their families for they were most valiant men †the sonnes then of Semeias Oâ—hni and Raphael and Obed Elizabad and his brethren most valiant men Eliu also and Samachias †Al these of the sonnes of Obededom they and their sonnes and their brethren most able to minister sixtie two of Obed-edom †Moreouer the sonnes of Meselemia and their brethren most strong eightene †And of Hosa that is of the sonnes of Merari Semri the prince for he had not a first-begotten and therfore his father made him chief †Helcias the second Tabelias the third Zacharias the fourth al these the sonnes and brethren to Hosa thirtene †These were diuided into porters that the princes also of the watches euen as their brethren might minister in
his mother was Azuba the daughter of Selahi †And he walked in the way of his father Asa neither declined he from it doing the thinges that were pleasing before our Lord. †But yet the excelses he tooke not away and as yet the people had not directed their hart to our Lord the God of their fathers †But the rest of the actes of Iosaphat the first and the last are writen in the wordes of Iehu the sonne of Hanani which he disposed into the Bookes of the kinges of Israel †After these thinges Iosaphat the king of Iuda entered frendshipe with Ochozias the king of Israel whose workes were most impious †And he was partaker to make shippes which should goe into Tharsis and they made a nauie in Asiongaber †And Eliezer the sonne of Dodau of Maresa prophecied to Iosaphat saying Because thou hast had a league with Ochozias our Lord hath strooken thy workes and the shippes are broken neither could they goe into Tharsis CHAP XXI Iosaphat dieth and Ioram succeding killeth his owne brethren and some other chiefe men 6. reigneth wickedly 8. Edom and Lobua reuolt from him 12. Elias by letters forwarneth him of plagues 16. which falling vpon him he dieth after two yeares languishing and horrible disease AND Iosaphat slept with his fathers was buried with them in the Citie of Dauid and Ioram his sonne reigned for him †Who had brethren the sonnes of Iosaphat Azarias and Iahiel and Zacharias and Azarias and Michael and Saphatias al these were the sonnes of Iosaphat the king of Iuda †And their father gaue them manie giftes of siluer and of gold and pensions with the most fensed cities in Iuda but the kingdom he deliuered to Ioram because he was the first begotten †And Ioram rose ouer the kingdom of his father and when he had established himself he slew al his brethren with the sword and certain of the princes of Israel †Two and thirtie yeare old was Ioram when he began to reigne and he reigned eight yeares in Ierusalem †And he walked in the waies of the kinges of Israel as the house of Achab had done for Achabs daughter was his wife and he did euil in the sight of our Lord. †But our Lord would not destroy the house of Dauid for the couenant which he had made with him and because he had promised that he would geue him a lampe and to his sonnes for euer †In those daies Edom rebelled from being subiect to Iuda and made them selues a king †And when Ioram had passed with his princes and al the horsemen that were with him he rose in the night and stroke Edom which had compassed him and al the captaynes of his horsemen †But yet Edom rebelled from being vnder the dominion of Iuda vntil this day at that time Lobna also reuolted from being vnder his hand For he had forsaken our Lord the God of their fathers †moreouer he built also excelses in the cities of Iuda and he made the inhabitantes of Ierusalem to fornicate and Iuda to transgresse †And there were letters brought him from Elias the prophete in which was Writen Thus sayth our Lord the God of Dauid thy father Because thou hast not walked in the waies of Iosaphat thy father in the waies of Asa the king of Iuda †but hast gone by the waies of the kinges of Israel and hast made Iuda to fornicate and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem hauing imitated the fornication of the house of Achab moreouer also hast killed thy brethren the house of thy father better men then thou †behold our Lord wil strike thee with a great plague with al thy people and children and thy wiues and al thy substance †And thou shalt be sicke of a very sore disease of thy bealie til thy vital partes come forth by litle and litle euerie day †Our Lord therfore raised vp agaynst Ioram the spirit of the Philisthianes and of the Arabians which are borderers to the Aethiopians †and they went vp into the Land of Iuda and wasted it and they spoyled al the substance that was found in the kinges house moreouer also his sonnes and wiues neither was there a sonne left him but Ioachaz who was the yongest †And beside al these thinges our Lord stroke him with an incurable disease of the bealie †And when day succeded day and the spaces of times passed about the circuite of two yeares was complete and soe being wasted with a long comsumption soe that he voyded euen his very bowels he was ridde of the disease and of his life together And he died in an exceding vile infirmitie the people made him not exequies according to the maner of burning as they had done to his anceters †He was two and thirtie yeares old when he began to reigne and he reigned eight yeares in Ierusalem And he walked not rightly and they buried him in the Citie of Dauid but yet not in the sepulchre of the kinges CHAP. XXII Ochozias reigning one yeare 3. is slaine together with Ioram king of Israel by king Iehu 10. Athalia killeth the kinges children onlie Ioas being saued by his aunt and vsurpeth the kingdom six yeares AND the inhabitantes of Ierusalem made Ochozias his least sonne king for him for al the elders that had bene before him the rouers of the Arabians had slayne which inuaded the campe and Ochozias the sonne of Ioram the king of Iuda reigned †Two and fourtie yeares old was Ocohzias when he began to reigne and he reigned one yeare in Ierusalem and the name of his mother was Athalia the daughter of Amri †But he also went by the waies of the house of Achab for his mother forced him to doe impiously †He therfore did euil in the sight of our Lord as the house of Achab for they were his counselers after the death of his father to his destruction †And he walked in their counfels And he went forth with Ioram the sonne of Achab king of Israel into battel agaynst Hazael king of Syria into Ramoth Galaad and the Syrians wounded Ioram †Who returned to be cured into Iezrael for he had taken manie woundes in the foresayd battel Therfore Ochozias the sonne of Ioram king of Iuda went downe te visit Ioram the sonne of Achab in Iezrael being sicke †For it was the wil of God agaynst Ochozias that he should come to Ioram and when he was come he should goe out also against Iehu the sonne of Namsi whom our Lord anoynted to destroy the house of Achab. †When Iehu therfore ouerthrew the house of Achab he found the princes of Iuda and the sonne of the brethren of Ochozias which serued him and he slewe them †Searching also for Ochozias himself he tooke him lying hid in Samatia and being brought vnto him he killed him and they buried him because he was the sonne of Iosaphat who had sought our Lord in
our Lord and put them in his temple †But the rest of the wordes of Ioakim and of his abominations which he wrought and the thinges that were found in him are contayned in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel And Ioachin his sonne reigned for him †Eight yeares old was Ioachin when he began to reigne and he reigned three monethes and ten dayes in Ierusalem and he did euil in the sight of our Lord. †And when the compasse of a yeare was come about Nabuchodonosor the king sent some that brought him in to Babylon the most precious vessels of the house of our Lord being caried away withal But he made Sedecias his vncle king ouer Iuda and Ierusalem †One twentie yeares old was Sedecias when he began to reigne he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem †And he did euil in the eies of our Lord his God neither did he reuerence the face of Ieremie the prophet speaking to him from the mouth of our Lord †He reuolted also from king Nabuchodonosor who had adiured him by God he hardened his necke his hart that he would not returne to our Lord the God of Israel †Yea al the chiefe of the Priestes and the people transgresled vnlawfully according to al the abominations of the Gentiles and they polluted the house of our Lord which he had sanctified to him in Ierusalem †And our Lord the God of their fathers sent to them by the hand of his messengers rysing by night and daily admonishing them for that he spared his people and his habitation †But they mocked the messengers of God and litle estemed his wordes and scorned the prophetes vntil the furie of our Lord ascended vpon his people and there was no amendment †For he brought vpon them the king of the Chaldees and slewe their yong men with the sword in the house of his sanctuarie he pitied not yong man and virgin and old man no neither him that stouped for age but he deliuered al into his handes †And al the vessels of the house of our Lord as wel greater as lesser and the treasures of the temple and of the king and the princes he transported into Babylon †The enemies set fyre on the house of God and destroyed the wal of Ierusalem al the towres they burnt and what soeuer was pretious they destroyed †If anie man escaped the sword being led into Babylon he serued the king and his sonnes til the king of the Persians reigned †That the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie might be accomplished and the land might celebrate their Sabbathes for al the daies of the desolation she kept a Sabbath til the seuentie yeares were expyred †But in the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persians to fulfil the word of our Lord which he had spoken by the mouth of Ieremie our Lord raysed vp the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians who commanded to be proclaymed in al his kingdom yea by writing saying †Thus sayth Cyrus king of the Persians Al kingdomes of the earth hath the Lord the God of heauen geuen me and he hath commanded me that I should build him a house in Ierusalem which is in Iewrie who of you is there in al his people The Lord his God be with him and let him goe vp THE CONTINVANCE OF THE CHVRCH AND RELIGION IN THE FIFTH AGE From the fundation of the Temple to the captiuitie in Babylon The space of 430. yeares ALBEIT there were greater Schismes Heresies and more reuoltes from Gods law and seruice in this fifth age then in the former Yet the true Church and Religion continued stil and were no lesse conspicuous then before VVhich being clere and euident touching manie principal Articles we wil here only remitte the reader to some special places for confirmation therof neither wil we be prolixe in declaring other pointes denied or called into controuersie at this time by the impugners of Catholique Religion Beleefe in one God appeareth plainly in building adorning dedicating the Temple with so great solemnitie of the Priestes Leuites and al the Tribes and particularly by king Salomons prayer 3. Reg. 7. 8. 2. Paral. 2. c. Also Prouerb 8. Eccle. 12. Isaie 41. 44. 45. The Mysterie of the B. Trinitie Prouer. 12. Isaiae 6. 48. 49. Ose 11. Ioel. 2. Of Christ our Redemer Isaie 7. 8. 9. 11. 28. 53. Ierem. 23. 30. 33. Ezech. 17. 34. 37. Dan. 7. 9. Osee 6. 11. 14. Ioel. 2. Sophon 2. Aggoei 2. Zachar. 2. c. Sacrifices Sacramentes other Rites the same as before But more frequent Prophecies that they should be changed into better and perfecter by Christ Prou. 9. Isai 12. 52. 55. 61. In the meane time for more signification of the singular vertue of Christs Sacramentes the effect of penitential workes is often recorded For example wicked Achab by hairecloth fasting and other humiliation escaped part of his deserued punishment 3. Reg. 21. Manasses recouered Gods fauoure and his temporal kingdom 2. Par. 33. VVho yet was punished in his posteritie 4. Reg. 23. And the Niniuites by such penance auoided destruction Ione 3. Yea nothing is more frequent in the Prophetes then preaching of penance Isa 1. 2. 3. 30. Iere. 3. 18. c. and others al ascribing the cause of plagues and afflictions to the want of repentance And false Prophetes condemned of errour and false doctrine for promising the people peace and securitie in their sinnes Ierem. 14. Lamen 2. Besides abstinence from diuers sortes of meates counted vncleane Isaiae 66. and ordinarie fastes according to the law other fastes were appointed sometimes vpon occasions requiring not only to subdue and mortifie the flesh but also to obtaine mercie at Gods handes in special distresses 2. Par. 20. Ioel. 1. 2. Ione 3. Elias fasting fourtie dayes 3. Reg. 19. prefigured Christs fast VVhich the Church imitateth in Lent of fourtie daies according to humane habilitie for the fastes of Christ Elias and Moyses were miraculous To the Feastes instituted before was added the Dedication of the Temple 3. Reg. 7. 2 Par. 3. Which was built in Mount Moria 2. Par. 3. the special place designed long before for this purpose when Abraham was directed thither by God was there readie to sacrifice his sonne Isaac Gen. 22. where Dauid also offered sacrifice 2. Reg. 24. 1. Par. 21. This being the onlie ordinarie place for Sacrifice there were for other vses of daylie prayer reading preaching and hearing the word of God other Synagogues built as it were Parish churches in great number in Ierusalem it self foure hundred and foure score and manie more in the whole kingdom as the Hebrew Traditions testifie Of al which places especially of the Temple there was venerable respect had For which cause when Ioiada the High Priest gaue order to kil Athalia he suffered it not to be donne in
TOBIAS CHAP. I. Tobias of the tribe of Nephthali neuer communicateth in Ierobams scisme 9. teacheth his sonne to feare God and flee sinne 11. Being in captiuitie cateth not forbidden meates as others do 13 Amongst other workes of mercie he lendeth tenne talentes of siluer to Gabelus 2◠Is persecuted and spoyled 24. Shorty the king being slaine he recouereth libertie and his goodes TOBIAS of the tribe and cirie of Nepthali which is in the vpper partes of Galilee aboue Naaslon beyond the way that leadeth to the weast hauing on the right hand the citie Sephet †when he was captiue in the daies of Salmanasar the king of the Aslyrians yet being in captiuitie he forsooke not the way of truth †so that he imparted al things that he could make dayly to his brethren captiues with him which were of his kinred †And whereas he was yonger then al the tribe of Nephthali yet did he no childish thing in his worke †Finally when al went to the golden calues which Ieroboam the king of Israel had made he alone fled the companies of al †and went into Ierusalem to the temple of our Lord and there adored our Lord God of Israel offering faithfully al his first fruites and his tithes †so that in the third yeare he ministred al the tithing to the proselytes and strangers †These thinges and the like to these did he obserue being a childe according to the law of God †But when he was a man he tooke to wife Anna of his owne tribe and he begat a sonne of her geuing him his owne name †whom from his infancie he taught to feare God and to abstayne from al sinne †Therfore when by the captiuitie he was come with his wife and sonne into the citie of Niniue with al his tribe †when al did eate of the meates of the Gentiles he kept his soule and neuer was contaminated in their meates †And because he was mindful of our Lord in al his hart God gaue him grace in the sight of Salmanasar the king †and he gaue him leaue to goe whithersoeuer he would hauing libertie to doe what thinges soeuer he would †He therfore went to al that were in the captiuitie and gaue them holesome admonitions †And when he was come into Rages a citie of the Medes and had ten talentes of siluer of these wherwith he had beene honoured of the king †and when in a great multitude of his kinred he saw Gabelus stand in nede who was of his tribe vnder a bil of his hand he gaue him the sayd weight of siluer †But after much time Salmanasar the king being dead when Sennacherib his sonne reigned for him and estemed the children of Israel odious in his sight †Tobias dayly went through al his kinred and conforted them and diuided to euerie one as he was able of his goods †the hungrie he nourished and to the naked he gaue clothes and the dead and them that were slayne he buryed carefully †Finally when king Sennacherib was returned fleing from Iewrie the shaughter that God had made about him for his blasphemie and being angrie slewe manie of the children of Israel Tobias buryed their bodies †But when it was told the king he commanded him to be slayne and tooke al his substance †But Tobias fleing with his sonne and with his wife nakedly lay hid because manie loued him †But after fourtie fiue dayes the king was slayne of his owne sonnes †and Tobias returned into his house and al his substance was restored to him CHAP. II. Tobias to burie an Israelite that is slaine in the streete leaueth his dinner and ghestes 10. Is made blind by Gods permission for manifestation of his patience 19. His Wife getteth her liuing by worke 22. and for a scrupulous Word reprocheth his sinceritie BVT after these thinges when there was a festiual day of our Lord and a good dinner was made in Tobias house †he sayd to his sonne Goe and bring some of our tribe that feare God to make merie with vs. †And when he had gone returning he tolde him that one of the children of Israel lay slayne in the streate And he forth with leaping vp from his place at the table leauing his dinner came fasting to the bodie †and taking it vp caried it to his house secretely that when the sunne should be downe he might warely burie him †And whē he had hid the bodie he eate bread with mourning and trēbling †remembring that word which our Lord sayd by Amos the Prophet Your festiual dayes shal be turned into lamentation and mourning †But when the sunne was downe he went and buried him †And al his neighbours rebuked him saying Euen now thou wast commanded to be slayne because of this matter and thou didest scarce escape the commandment of death and doest thou burie the dead agayne †But Tobias more fearing God then the king in hast tooke the bodies of them that were slayne and hid them in his house and at midnight buried them †And it happened that on a certayne day being wearied with burying coming into his house he had cast himself downe by the wal and slept †and as he was sleeping hote dung out of the swallowes nest fel vpon his eyes and he was made blinde †And this tentation therfore our Lord permitted to chance vnto him that an example might be geuen to posteritie of his patience also of holie Iob. †For whereas he feated God alwaies from his infancie and kept his commandmentes he grudged not agaynst God for that the plague of blindnes had chanced to him †but continewed immoueable in the feare of God geuing thankes to God al the dayes of his life †For as the kinges insulted against blessed Iob so his parentes and cosins derided his life saying †Where is thy hope for the which thou didest bestowe almes and burials †But Tobias rebuked them saying Speake not so †because we are the children of holie ones and looke for that life which God wil geue to them that neuer change their faith from him †But Anna his wife went dayly to weauing worke and she brought the gaines of her handie labour which she could get †Whereby it came to passe that she receiuing a kid of goates had brought it home †the voice whereof bleating when her husband had heard he sayd Take heed lest perhaps it be stollen restore ye it to his owners because it is not lawful for vs either to eate anie thing of theft or to touch it †To these wordes his wife being angrie answered Thy hope is become vayne manifestly and thine almes now haue appeared †And with these and other such like wordes she vpbrayded him CHAP. III. The prayer of Tobias 7. and Sara in their seueral afflictions 24. are heard by God and the Angel Raphael is sent to releeue them THEN Tobias lamented
I was the father of the poore and the cause which I knew not I searched most diligently †I brake the iawes of the wicked man and out of his teeth I tooke away the praye †And I said I wil die in my litle nest as a palme-tree wil multiplie daies †My roote is opened beside the waters and dewe shal continue in my haruest †My glorie shal alwaies be renewed and my bow in my hand shal be repayred †They that heard me expected sentence and attent held their peace at my counsel †To my wordes they durst adde nothing and my speach distilled vpon them †They expected me as rayne and they opened their mouth as it were to a lateward shower †If at anie time I laughed on them they beleued not and the light of my countenance fel not on the earth †If I would haue gone to them I sate first and when I sate as a king with his armie standing about him yet was I a conforter of them that mourned CHAP. XXX Holie Iob sheweth the great change of his temporal estate from welfare into great calamitie BVT now they of yonger time scorne me whose fathers I vouchsafed not to put with the dogs of my flocke †The force of whose handes was to me as nothing and they were thought vnworthie of life it self †Barren with pouertie and famine who gnawed in the wildernes il fauoured by calamitie and miserie †And they did eate grasse and the barkes of trees and the roote of iunipers was their meat †Who taking these thinges violently out of the valles when they had found euerie thing they ranne to them with a crie †They dwelt in the deserts of torrentes and in caues of the earth or vpon grauel †Who reioysed among these kind of thinges and counted it delicacies to be vnder the briars †The children of foolish and base men and in the earth not appearing at al. †Now am I turned into their song and become a prouerb with them †They abhorre me and flee far from me and are not a frayd to spit in my face †For he hath opened his quiuer and hath afflicted me and hath put a bridle into my mouth †At the right hand of me rising my calamities forthwith arose they haue ouerthrowen my feete and as with waues haue oppressed with their pathes †They haue dissipated my waies they haue lyen in wayte against me and they haue preuailed and there was not that would helpe †As when a wal is broken and the gate opened they haue broken violently vpon me and are come trambling downe to my miseries †I brought to nothing as a wind he hath taken away my desire mand my prosperitie hath passed away as a clowde †And now my soule withereth in my self and the daies of affliction possesse me †In the night my bone is pearsed with sorrowes and they that eate me sleepe not †In the multitude of them my garment is consumed and they haue girded me about as it were with the coler of a wate †I am compared to durt and am resembled to imbers and ashes †I crie to thee and thou hearest me not I stand and thou doest not respect me †Thou art changed to be cruel toward me and in the hardenesse of thy hand thou art against me †Thou didst lift me vp and setting me as it were vpon the wind thou hast mightely dashed me †I know that thou wilt deliuer me to death where a house is appointed for euery one that liueth †But yet not to my consumption doest thou send forth thy hand and if they shal fal thou wilt saue †I wept sometime vpon him that was afflicted and my soul had compassion on the poore †I expect good thinges and euils are come vpon me I taried for light and darknesse brake forth †My inner partes haue boyled without anie rest the dayes of affliction haue preuented me †I went mourning without furie rising vp I cried in the multitude †I was the brother of dragons and felow of Ostriches †My skinne is made blacke vpon me and my bones are dried with heate †My harpe is turned into mourning and my instrument into the voice of weepers CHAP. XXXI Holie Iob reciteth sincerly his owne vertues shewing therby that he is not punished so gricuously for his sinnes but by Gods prouidence for some other cause I HAâ—â— made a couenant with mine eyes that I would 〈…〉 as thinke of a virgin †For what part should Gâ—◠〈…〉 haue in me inheritance the Omnipotent from on higâ—◠†Is there not perdition to the wicked man and alienation to them that worke iniustice †Doth not he consider my waies and number al my steppes †If I haue walked in vanitie and my foote hath hastened in guile †Let him wey me in a iust balance and let God know my simplicitie †If my steppe haue declined out of the way and if mine eie hath folowed my hart and if sporte hath cleaued to my handes †Let me sawe and let an other eate it and let my progenie be plucked vp by the rootes †If my hart hath bene deceiued vpon a woman and if I haue lyene in waite at my freinds doore †Let my wife be the harlot of an other man and let other men lye with her †For this is a hainous thing and most great iniquitie †It is a fire deuoring euen to perdition and rooting vp al thinges that spring †If I hane contemned to abide iudgement with my man seruant and my mayd seruant when they had anie controuersie against me †For what shal I doe when God shal rise to iudge and when he shal aske what shal I answer him †Did not he make me in the wombe that made him also and did not one forme me in the matrice †If I haue denied to the poore that which they would and haue made the eyes of the widow to expect †If I haue eaten my morsel alone and the pulpil hath not eaten therof with me †Because from mine infancie mercy hath growen with me and from my mothers wombe it came forth with me †If I haue dispised him that perisheth for that he had not clothing and the poore man without wherwithal to couer him †If his sides haue not blessed me he was not warmed with the flises of my sheepe †If I haue lifted vp my hand ouer the pupil yea when I saw my self in the gaâ—e the superior †Let my shoulder fal from his iuncture and let my arme with his bones be broken †For I haue alwaies feared God as waues swelling vpon me and his weight I could not beare †If I haue thought gold my strength and haue said to fine gold My confidence †If I haue reioysed vpon my great riches and because my hand found manie thinges †If I saw the sunne
Say ye to God How terrible are thy workes ô Lord in the multitude of thy strength thine enimies shal lie to thee †Let al the earth adore thee and sing to thee let it sing a psalme to thy name †Come ye and see the workes of God terrible in counsels ouer the chidren of men †Who turneth the sea into drie land in the riuer they shal passe on foote there we shal reioyce in him †Who ruleth in his strength for euer his eyes looke vpon the gentiles they that exasperate him let them not be exalted in themselues †Ye Gentiles blesse our God and make the voice of his prayse hearde †Who hath put my soule in life and hath not geuen my feete to be moued †Because thou hast proued vs ô God by fire thou hast tried vs as siluer is tried †Thou hast brought vs into a snare thou hast laide tribulations on our backe thou hast set men vpon our heades †We haue passed through fire and water and thou hast brought vs out into refreshing †I wil goe into thy house with holocaustes I wil render thee my vowes †which my lippes haue distinguished And my mouth hath spoken in my tribulation †Holocaustes with marrow wil I offer to thee with incense of rammes I wil offer to thee oxen with bucke goates †Come ye heare and I wil tel al ye that feare God what great things he hath done for my soule †To him haue I cried with my mouth and haue exulted vnder my tongue †If I haue beheld iniquitie in my hart our Lord wil not heare †Therfore hath God heard and hath attended to the voice of my petition †Blessed be God who hath not remoued my prayer and his mercie from me PSALME LXVI The prophet prayeth for and withal foreshoweth the propagation of the Church of Christ Vnto the end in hymes a Psalme of Canticle to Dauid GOd haue mercie vpon vs and blesse vs illuminate his countenance vpon vs and haue mercie on vs. †That we may know thy way vpon earth in al nations thy saluation †Let peoples ô God confesse to thee let al peoples confesse to thee †Let nations be glad reioice because thou iudgest peoples in equitie and the nations in earth thou doest direct †Let peoples ô God confesse to thee let al peoples confesse to thee †the earth hath yelded her fruite God our God blesse vs †God blesse vs and let al the endes of the earth feare him PSALME LXVII Notwithstanding great persecutions the Church prospereth 10. Especially in the new testament by Apostolical function 18. ministerie of Angels Christs Ascension coming of the Holie Ghost 31. confirming the faithful repressing the insolent and conuerting manie 35. For al which the prophet inuiteth al men to praise God Vnto the end a Psalme of Canticle to Dauid himself LEt God arise and let his enimies be dispersed and let them that hate him flee from his face †As smoke vanisheth let them vanish away as waxe melteth at the presence of fire so let sinners perish at the presence of God †And let the iust make merrie and reioyce in the sight of God and let them be delighted in mirth †Sing to God say a Psalme to his name make way to him who mounteth vpon the west Lord is his name Reioyce ye in his syght they shal be trubled at the presence of him †the father of orphanes and iudge of widowes God in his holie place †God that maketh men to inhabite of one manner in a house That bringeth forth them that be bound in strengh likewise them that exasperate that dwel in sepulchers †O God when thou wentest forth in the sight of thy people when thou didst passe through the desert †The earth was moued and the heauens also distilled at the presence of the God of Sina at the face of the God of Israel †Voluntarie rayne shalt thou seperat ô God to thine inheritance and it was weakned but thou hast persited it †Thy liuing creatures shal dwel in it thou hast prepared in thy swetnes for the poore ô God †Our Lord shal geue the word to them that euanglize with great powre †The king of hoastes the beloued of the beloued and to the beautie of the house to diuide the spoyles †If ye sleepe among the middest of the lottes the winges of a doue layde ouer with siluer and the hinder parts of her backe in the palenes of gold †Whiles the heauenlie discerneth kings ouer her with snow they shal be made white in Selmon †“ The mountane of God a fat mountane A mountane crudded as cheese a fatte mountane †“ why suppose you crudded mountanes A mountane in which it hath wel pleased God to dwel therin for in dede our Lord wil dwel euen to the end †The chariote of God is ten thousand folde thousands of them that reioyce our Lord in them in Sina in the holie place †Thou art ascended on hygh thou hast taken captiuitie thou hast receiued gifts in men for euen those that do not beleue our Lord God to inhabite †Blessed be our Lord day by day the God of our saluations wil make vs a prosperous iourney †Our God is the God of sauing and the issues of death are of our Lord our Lord. †But yet God stil breake the heads of his enimies the hearie croune of them that walke in their sinnes Our Lord Said Out of Basan I wil conuert I wil conuert into the depth of the sea †That thy foote may be dipped in bloude the tongue of thy dogges made redde with * the same bloud of the enimies †They haue seene thy entringes in ô God the entrings of my God of my King Who is in the holie place †Princes came before ioyned with them that sang in the middes of young wemen plaing on tymbrels †In churches blesse ye God our Lord of the fountains of Israel †There Beniamin a youngman in excesse of minde The Princes of Iuda their leaders the Princes of Zabulon the Princes of Nephthali †Command thy strength ô God confirme this ô God which thou hast wrought in vs. †From thy temple in Ierusalem kinges shal offer giftes to thee †Rebuke the wilde beasts of the reede the congregation of bulles in the kine of thy peoples that they may exclude them which are tried with siluer Dissipate the nations that wil warres †Legates shal come out of Aegypt Aethiopia shal prevent his handes
rather by them that may be supplied vvhich the Hebrevv vvanteth PSALME CXLV The Psalmist exciteth himself and al others to praise God for his singular regard and prouidence of al that trust in him 3. shewing that neither princes nor other men are able to helpe 5. but God can and doth continually releue al sortes of necessities Alleluia of Aggaeus and Zacharie MY soule prayse thou our Lord I wil praise our Lord in my â—te I wil sing to my God as long as I shal be Put not confidence in princes †in the sonnes of men in whom there is no saluation †His spirit shal goeforth and he shal returne into his earth in that day al their cogitations shal perish †Blessed is he whose helper is the God of Iacob his hope in our Lord his God †who made heauen and earth the sea and al thinges that are in them †Which keepeth truth for euer doth iudgement for them that suffer wrong geueth foode to the hungrie Our Lord looseth the fettered †our Lord illuminateth the blind Our Lord lifteth vp the bruised our Lord loueth the iust †Our Lord keepeth strangers the pupil and widow he wil receiue and the wayes of sinners he wil destroy †Our Lord wil reigne for euer thy God ô Sion in generation and generation PSALME CXLVI God is also to be praised by his peculiar people for particular benefites 4. for his omnipotent powre wisdom goodnes in creating and gouerning this whole world 11. and most special benignitie towards those that trust in him Alleluia PRAYSE ye our Lord because Psalme is good to our God let there be pleasant and comelie praise †Our Lord building vp Ierusalem wil gather together the dispersions of Israel †Who healeth the contrite of hart and bindeth vp their sores †Who numbereth the multitude of starres and geueth names to them al. †Great is our Lord and great is his strength and of his wisdom there is no number †Our Lord receiuing the meeke humbling sinners euen to the ground †Sing ye to our Lord in confession sing ye to our God on harpe †Who couereth the heauen with cloudes and prepareth rayne for the earth Who bringeth forth grasse in the mountaines and herbe for the seruice of men †Who geueth to beastes their foode and to the young rauens that cal vpon him †He shal not haue pleasure in the strength of an horse nor in the legges of a man shal he be wel pleased †Our Lord is wel pleased toward them that feare him and in them that hope vpon his mercie PSALME CXLVII Againe God is to be praised for his goodnes towards his peculiar people 4. yea towards al the world 7. but most abundantly towards his Church Alleluia O Ierusalem praise our Lord praise thy God ô Sion †Because he hath strengthened the lockes of thy gates he hath blessed thy children in thee †Who hath set thy borders peace and filleth thee with the fatte of corne †Who sendeth forth his speach to the earth his word runneth swiftly †Who geueth snow as wool scatereth mist as ashes †He casteth his crystal as morseles before the face of his cold l who shal endure †He shal sendforth his word and shal melt them his spirit shal blowe and waters shal flowe †Who declareth his word to Iacob his iustices and iudgements to Israel †He hath not done in like maner to anie nation and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them Allelu-ia PSALME CXLVIIII Al creatures spiritual and corporal are inuited to praise God their Creator and Conseruer 13. as incomparably excellent Alleluia PRAYSE ye our Lord from the heauens praise ye him in the high places †Prayse ye him al his Angels prayse ye him al his hostes †Prayse ye him sunne and moone prayse him al ye starres and light †Prayse him ye heauens of heauens and the waters that are aboue the heauens †let them praise the name of our Lord. Because he sayd and they were made he commanded and they were created †He established them for euer and for euer and euer he put a precept and it shal not passe †Prayse our Lord from the earth ye dragons and al depthes †Fyre haile snow yse spirit of stormes which doe his worde †Mountaines and al litle hilles trees that beare fruite and al ceders †Beastes and al cattel serpentes and fethered fowles †Kinges of the earth and al peoples princes and al iudges of the earth †Yongmen and virgins old with yong let them prayse the name of our Lord †because the name of him alone is exalted †The confession of him aboue heauen and earth and he hath exalted the horne of his people An hymne to al his sainctes to the children of Israel a people approching vnto him Alleluia PSALME CXLIX The Church is most singularly bond to praise God 4. for the grace sanctitie victorie glorie 7. and iudicial powre which he geueth to his Sainctes Alleluia SING ye to our Lord a new song let his prayse be in the Church of sainctes †Let Israel be ioyful in him that made him and let the children of Sion reioyce in their king †Let them praise his name in quite on tymbrel and psalter let them sing to him †Because our Lord is wel pleased in his people and he wil exalt the meeke vnto saluation †The sainctes shal reioyce in glorie they shal be ioyful in their beddes †The exaltations of God in their throte and two edged swordes in their handes †To doe reuenge in the nations chastisements among the peoples †To binde their kinges in fetters and their nobles in yron manicles †That they may doe in them the iudgement that is written this glorie is to al his sainctes Alleluia PSALME CL. God absolutly most excellent is to be praised 3. with al sortes of instruments and by al other meanes Alleluia PRAYSE ye our Lord in his holies prayse ye him in the firmament of his strength †Prayse ye him in his powers prayse ye him according to the multitude of his greatnes †Prayse ye him in the sound of trumpet prayse ye him on psalter and harpe †Prayse ye him on timbrel and quire prayse ye him on stringes and organ †Prayse ye him on wel sounding cymbals prayse ye him on cymbales of iubilation †let euerie spirit prayse our Lord. Alleluia ANNOTATIONS PSALME CL. S. Augustin in the conclusion of his Enarrations or Sermons vpon the Psalmes explicateth a mysterie in the number of an hundred and fieftie signifying the concord of the two Testaments For in the old testament they kept
hingdom against kingdom †And the spirit of Aegypt shal be broken in the bowels therof and I wil ouerthrow their counsel headlong and they shal aske their idols and their diuiners and Pythons and Southsayers †And I wil deliuer Aegypt into the hand of cruel masters and a strong king shal rule ouer them sayth our Lord the God of hostes †And the water of the sea shal be dried vp and the riuer shal be made desolate and drie †And the riuers shal faile the riuers of the ramppiers shal be diminished dried vp The reede and bulrush shal wither †the chanel of the riuer shal be spoiled of his fountayne and al sowne corne filde that is watered shal be dried vp it shal wither and shal not be †And the fishers shal lament and al that cast angle into the riuer shal moorne and they that sprede net vpon the face of the water shal pine away †They shal be confounded that wrought twisting flaxe kombing and weauing fine thinges †And the watred places therof shal be drie al they that made pooles to take fishes †The princes of Tanis are fooles the wise counselers of Pharao haue geuen vnwise counsel how say ye vnto Pharao I am the sonne of the wise the sonne of the ancient kinges †Where are now thy wise men let them tel thee and shew what the Lord of hostes hath thought concerning Aegypt †The princes of Tanis are become fooles the princes of Nemphis are withered away they haue deceiued Aegypt the corner of the peoples therof †Our Lord hath mingled in the middes therof the spirit of gladnes and they haue made Aegypt to erre in euerie worke therof as he erreth that is drunke and vomiteth †And Aegypt shal haue no worke to make the head and the taile the peruerter and restrayner †In that day Aegypt shal be as wemen and they shal be astonied and shal be afrayd at the face of the mouing of the hand of the Lord of hostes which he shal moue ouer it †And the land of Iuda shal be a feare to Aegypt euerie one that shal remember it shal quake at the face of the counsel of the Lord of hostes which he hath thought concerning it †In that day there shal be fiue cities in the land of Aegypt speakingtongue the of Chanaan and swearing by the Lord of hostes one shal be called the citie of the sunne †In that day there shal be an altar of our Lord in the middes of the land of Aegypt and a title of our Lord by the border therof †it shal be for a signe and for a testimonie to the Lord of hostes in the land of Aegypt For they shal crie to our Lord at the presence of the afflicter and he shal send them a sauiour and defendet to deliuer them †And our Lord shal be knowen of Aegypt and the Aegyptians shal knowe our Lord in that day and shal worshipe him in hostes and in giftes and they shal vow vowes to our Lord and pay them †And our Lord shal smite Aegypt with a strooke and heale it and they shal returne to our Lord and he shal be pacified towards them and heale them †In that day there shal be a way from Aegypt to the Assirians and the Assirian shal enter into Aegypt and the Aegyptians to the Assirians and the Aegyptians shal serue Assur †In that day shal Israel be a third to the Aegyptian and the Assirian a blessing in the middes of the earth †which the Lord of hostes hath blessed saying Blessed be my people of Aegypt and the worke of my hands to the Assirian but Israel is mine inheritance CHAP. XX. The ignominious captiuitie of Aegyptians and Aethiopians is againe foreshewed by the Prophet going naked 5. wherat the Iewes are astonied and afeard seing their coâ—federaies so confounded IN the yeare that Tharthan entred into Azotus when Sargon the king of the Assyrians had sent him and he had fought against Azotus and had taken it †at that time our Lord spake in the hand of Isaie the sonne of Amos saying Goe and loose the sackcloth from of thy loynes and take of thy shooes from thy feete And he did so going naked and barefoote †And our Lord said As my seruant Isaie hath walked naked barefoote it shal be a signe a wonder of three heres vpon Aeghpt and vpon Aethiopia †so shal the king of the Assyrians leade the captiuitie of Aegypt and the transmigration of Aethiopia yong and old naked and vnshod their buttockes vncouered to the ignominie of Aegypt †And they shal feare be ashamed of Aethiopia their hope and of Aegypt their glorie †And the inhabitant of this I le shal say in that day “ Loe this was our hope to whom we fled for helpe that they should deliuer vs from the face of the king of the Assyrians and how shal we be able to escape ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XX. 6. Loe this vvas our hope God to shew the vanitie of al hope that is reposed in men or in wordlie thinges layeth the meruelous and miserable mutations of temporal great kingdoms before the eyes of his people That we may see and admire his merciful prouidence and our owne follie when we trust in the helpe of our selues or of other men who can not defend them selues from ruine and ignominie and much lesse can they saue vs or we our selues As these examples make manifest The kingdom of Israel or tenne tribes trusted in Damaseus which could not defend it self but was ouerthrowne The kingdom of Iuda or two tribes trusted in Aegypt The Aegyptians trusted in the Ethiopians and both were ouerthrowne by the Assirians The Assirians glorying in their victories and triumphes attributing al to their owne streingth were ouercome by the Babylonians The Babylonians likewise insolent and proud were oppressed by the Medes and Persians The Medes and Persians were subdued by Alexander the great VVho was shortly taken away in his youth by poyson and his great Monarchie diuided amongst his seruantes And so other peoples and kingdomes much more particular persons and families are turned like a whole And therfore our only refuge must be to God in whom is al true hope helpe safetie and happines temporal and eternal CHAP. XXI The destruction of Babylon by the Medes and Persians is againe prophecied 11. The like of the Idumeans 13. and of Arabians THE burden of the desert sea As whirlewinds come from the South it cometh from the desert from an horrible land †A sore vision was told me he that is incredulous doth vnfaithfully he that is a spoiler wasteth Come vp Aelam besiege ô Mede I haue made al the moorning therof to cease †Therfore are my loines filled with sorow anguish hath possessed me as the anguish of a woman that trauaileth I fel downe when I heard it I was trubled when I saw it †Mine hart fayled
they had taken the king they brought him to the king of Babylon into Reblatha which is in the land of Emath and to him iudgements †And the king of Babylon killed the sonnes of Sedecias before his eies yea and al the princes of Iuda he slew in Reblatha †And he plucked out the eies of Sedecias and bound him with fetters and the king of Babylon brought him into Babylon and he put him in the prison house euen to the day of his death †And in the fifth moneth the tenth of the moneth the same is the ninetenth yeare of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon came Nabuzardan the prince of the warfare who stood before the king of Babylon in Ierusalem †And he burnt the house of our Lord and the kings house and al the houses of Ierusalem and euerie great house he burnt with fire †And al the host of the Chaldees that was with the prince of the warfare destroyed al the wall of Ierusalem round about †But of the poore of the people and of the rest of the vulgar sorte which remayned in the citie and of the fugitiues that were fled to the king of Babylon and the rest of the multitude Nabuzardan the prince of the warfare transported †But of the poore of the land Nabuzardan the prince of the warfare left some to be dressers of vineyards and husbandmen †The brasen pillers also that were in the house of our Lord and the feete and the sea of brasse that was in the house of our Lord the Chaldees brake and they tooke al the brasse of them into Babylon †And the kettles and the fleshhookes and the psalteries and the phials and the litle mortars and al the brasen vessels that had bene in the ministrie they tooke †and the water pottes and the censars and the pitchers and the basins and the candlestickes and the mortars the gobblets as manie as of gold of gold and as manie as of siluer of siluer did the prince of the warfare take †and two pillars and one sea twelue oxen of brasse that were vnder the feete which king Salomon had made in the house of our Lord there was no weight of the brasse of al these vessels †And concerning the pillars there were eightene cubits of height in one pillar and a corde of twelue cubits did compasse it about moreouer the thicknes thereof of foure fingers and within it was holow †And the litle heads of brasse vpon both the height of one litle head of fiue cubits and the litle nettes and the pomegranates vpon the crowne round about al of brasse Likewise of the second piller and the pomegranates †And there were nintie six pomegranates hanging downe and al the pomegranates an hundred were compassed with litle nettes †And the master of the warefare tooke Saraias the chiefe priest and Sophonias the second priest and the three kepers of the entrie †And of the citie he tooke one eunuch that was chiefe ouer the men of warre and seuen men of them that saw the kings face that were found in the citie and a scribe the captayne of the souldiars who tryed the yong souldiars and three score of the people of the land that were found in the middes of the citie †And Nabuzardan the prince of the warfare tooke them and he brought them to the king of Babylon into Reblatha †And the king of Babylon stroke them and he killed them in Reblatha in the land of Emath and Iuda was transported from his land †This is the people which Nabuchodonosor transported In the seuenth yeare Iewes three thousand and twentie three †In the eightenth yeare of Nabuchodonosor from Ierusalem soules eight hundred thirtie two †In the three and twentith yeare of Nabuchodonosor Nabuzardan the prince of the warefare transported of the Iewes seuen hundred fourtie fiue soules al the soules therfore were foure thousand six hundred †And it came to passe in the seuen and thirtith yeare of the transmigration of Ioachin the king of Iuda the twelfth moneth the fiue and twentith of the moneth Euilmerodach the king of Babylon lifted vp in the very yeare of his reigne the head of Ioachin the king of Iuda and he brought him out of the prison house †And he spake with him good thinges and he sette his throne aboue the thrones of the kinges that were after himself in Babylon †And he changed his prison garments and he did eate bread before him alwaies al the daies of his life †And his allowance of meate a continual prouision of meate was geuen him by the king of Babylon euerie day a certaine euen vnto the day of his death al the daies of his life THE ARGVMENT OF IEREMIES LAMENTATIONS THESE Lamentations in Greeke called Threni and by the Hebrew Rabhins intituled Cinoth were written by Ieremie before the greatest part of his oâ—her prophecies as semeth most probable to S. Ierom and were first songue at the death of Iosias king of Iuda Againe when king Sedecias with manie others were taken captiues manie also slaine and the Temple and citie of Ierusalem destroyed But most especially he prophecieth the Iewes miserable estate and iust cause of Lamentation after Christs coming and their reiecting him And therfore his Church singeth the same in the Aniuersarie or Commemoration of his Passion and Death and most piously inuiteth al sinners both Iewes and Gentiles to returne vnto Christ our Redemer saying Ierusalem IERVSALEM conuertere ad Dominum Deum tuum In this litle booke the diligent reader wil easely obserue manie doleful patheticalspeaches powred out from a pensiue hart as in great calamities it commonly happeneth with litle connexion of sentences but otherwise foure whole chapters are very artificially compiled in verse not by number of times with measure of long and short syllables as the Grekes and Latines vse but after the Hebrew maner obseruing number of syllables and beginning euerie verse with a distinct letter from the first to the last in order with some smal varietie of the Hebrew Alphabet Doubtles with great mysteries as S. Ierom iudgeth and therfore explicateth the significations and certains connexions of the two and twentie Hebrew letters as we haue noted vpon the 118. Psalme but aboue the capacitie of our vnderstanding In the last chapter the Prophet omitting the obseruation of Initial letters in twentie two verses prayeth lamentably as the whole people shal pray in captiuitie THE THRENES that is to say THE LAMENTATIONS OF IEREMIE THE PROPHET And it came to passe after that Israel was brought into captiuitie and Ierusalem was desolate Ieremie the prophete sate weeping and he mourned with this lamentation vpon Ierusalem and with a pensiue mind sighing and wayling he sayd CHAP. I. HOW doeth the citie ful of people sitte solitarie how is the ladie of the Gentiles become as a widow the princesse of prouinces is made tributarie Weeping she
†and the men of strength approched and he assaulted that citie al the day and al the night and the citie was deliuered into his hand and they slew euerie male in the edge of the sword and he rooted it vp and tooke the spoiles therof and passed through al the citie vpon the slaine †And they pâ—ssed ouer Iordan in the great playne against the face of Bethsan †And Iudas gathered together the hin most and he exhorted the people throughout al the way til they came into the land of Iuda †and they went vp into mount Sion with ioy and gladnes offered holocausts because none of them was fallen til they returned in peace †And in the dayes that Iudas and Ionathas were in the land of Galaad and Simon his brother in Galilee against the face of Prolomais †Ioseph the sonne of Zacharie heard and Azarias the princes of the band the thinges wel atcheiued and the battels that were made †and he sayd Let vs also make vs a name and let vs goe fight against the heathen that are round about vs. †And he commanded them that were in his armie and they went to Iamnia †And Gorgias went forth out of the citie and his men to meete them into battel †And Ioseph and Azarias were chased in flight euen vnto the borders of Iurie and there fel that day of the people of Israel about two thousand men and there was made a great tumult in the people †because they heard not Iudas and his bretheren thinking that they should doe manfully †But they were not of the seede of those men by whom saluation was made in Israel †And the men of Iuda were magnified excedingly in the sight of al Israel and of al nations where their name was heard †And they came together vnto them with acclamations for their good successe †And Iudas went out and his bretheren and they expugned the children of Esau in the land that is toward the South and they stroke Chebron and her daughters and the walles therof and the towres he burnt with fyre round about †And he remoued the campe to goe into the land of the aliens and he walked through Samaria †In that day fel the priests in battel whiles they wil doe manfully whiles they goe forth without counsel into battel †And Iudas declined to Azotus into the land of the aliens and he threw downe their altars and the sculptils of their goddes he burnt with fyre and he tooke the spoiles of the cities and returned into the land of Iuda CHAP. VI. Antiochus repulsed from Elimais 5. and hearing of the ouerthrow of his armie in lurie falleth vehemently sick 11. and acknowleging his calamities to haue happened for he hath done against the Iewes dyeth 17. His young sonne Antiochus Eupator succedeth 18. Iudas besiegeth the Macedonians fortresse 21. Relapsed Iewes solicite the king 28. and he cometh with a terrible huge armie 32. Iudas therfore leauing the siege meeteth the enemie 43. Eleazar going vnder an elephant killeth him and so himselfe is also slaine 47. The king taketh Bethsura by composition 51. and bendeth his forces against Ierusalem 55. By Lysias aduice the king maketh peace with the Iewes 62. but breaking his othe destroyeth the wal of Sion 63. and returning recouereth Antioch from Philippe AND king Antiochus walked through the higher countries and he heard that there was a citie Elymais in Persis most noble and plentiful in siluer and gold †and a temple therin exceding rich and couerings thereof gold and brigantines and shildes which Alexander philips sonne the king of Macedonia that reigned first in Grece left there †And he came and sought to take the citie and to spoile it and he could not because the word was knowen to them that were in the citie †And they rose vp into battel and he fled from thence and departed with great sorow and returned into Babylonia †And there came one that told him in Persis that the campes that were in the land of Iuda were put to flight †and that Lysias went with great powre with the first and was put to flight before the face of the Iewes and they grew strong with armour and force and manie spoiles which they tooke out of the campes which they destroyed †and that they threw downe the abomination which they had builded vpon the altar that was in Ierusalem and the sanctification they compassed about as before with high walles yea and Bethsura his citie †And it came to passe as the king heard these wordes he was sore afrayd and was moued excedingly and he lay downe vpon his bed and fel into sicknes for sorow because it was not chanced to him as he thought †And he was there for manie dayes because there was renewed in him great sorowfulnes and he made account to dye †And he called al his freindes and sayd to them Sleepe is departed from mine eyes and I am fallen away my hart is gone for pensifenes †and I sayd in my hart Into how great tribulation am I come into what waues of sorow wherin now I am who was pleasant and beloued in my powre †But now I remember the euils that I haue done in Ierusalem from whence also I tooke away al the spoiles of gold and of siluer that were in it and I sent to take away the inhabitants of Iewrie without cause †I know therfore that for this cause haue these euils found me and loe I perish with great sorow in a strange countrie †And he called philip one of his frendes and he made him chiefe ouer al his kingdom †And he gaue him the crowne and his robe and ring that he should bring Antiochus his sonne should bring him vp to reigne †And Antiochus the king died there in the yeare an hundreth fourtie nine †And Lysias vnderstood that the king was dead and he appoynted Antiochus his sonne to reigne whom he brought vp a young man and he called his name Eupator †And they that were in the castel had inclosed Israel round about the holie places and they sought them euils alwayes and the strengthning of the Gentils †And Iudas thought to destroy them and he called together al the people to besiege them †And they came together and besieged them in the yeare an hundredth fiftie and they made balists and engins †And certaine of them that were besieged went forth some impious men of Israel ioyned them selues vnto them †and they went to the king and sayd How long doest thou not iudgements and reuengest our bretheren †We decreed to serue thy father and to walke in his precepts and obey his edicts †and the children of our people for this alienated them selues from vs and whosoeuer were found of vs they were slayne and our inheritances were spoiled †And not to vs only
killeth Ionathas and his sonnes 25 Simon erecteth a memorie to his parentes and bretheren 31. Tryphon murthereth his young king 33. Simon fortifieth the countrie obteyneth peace and liberties of Demetrius 42. subdueth the citie Gaza and the rebellious castle within Ierusalem AND Simon heard that Tryphon gathered a very great armie to come into the land of Iuda and to destroy it †Seing that the people was in dread and in feare he went vp to Iurusalem and assembled the people †and exhorting he sayd You know what great battels I and my bretheren and the house of my father haue made for the lawes the holies and the distresses that we haue sene †by reason of these are al my bretheren perished for Israel and I onlie am left †And now let it not fal to me to spate my life in al time of tribulation for I am not better then my bretheren †I wil auenge therfore my nation and the holies our children also wiues because al the heathen are gathered together to destroy vs of emnitie †And the spirit of the people was kindled as soone as they heard these wordes †and they answered with a lowd voice saying Thou art our captayne in the place of Iudas and Ionathas thy brother †fight thou our battel we wil doe al thinges whatsoeuer thou shalt say to vs. †And gathering together al the men of warre he hastened to finish al the walles of Ierusalem and fortified it round about †And he sent Ionathas the sonne of Absalom with him a new armie into Ioppe and they that were in the castel being cast out he remayned there †And Tryphon remoued from Prolemais with a great armie to come into the land of Iuda Ionathas with him in ward †But Simon pitched in Addus against the face of the playne †And a Tryphon vnderstood that Simon was risen in the place of his brother Ionathas and that he would ioyne battel with him he sent legats to him †saying For the siluer that thy brother Ionathas owed in the kings account for the affayres which he had we haue stayed him †And now send an hundred talents of siluer and his two sonnes for hostages that being dismissed he flee not from vs and we wil release him †And Simon knew that with guile he spake with him neuertheles he commanded the siluer and the children to be geuen lest he should get great emnitie with the people of Israel saying †Because he sent not the siluer the children therfore is he perished †And he sent the children and the hundred talents and helyed and dismissed not Ionathas †And after these thinges came Tryphon within the countrie to destroy it and they compassed by the way that leadeth to Addar Simon and his campe marched into euerie place whither soeuer they went †And they that were in the castel sent legates to Tryphon that he should hasten to come through the desert and should send them victuals †And Tryphon prepared al the horsemen to come that night but there was an exceding great snow and he came not into the countrie of Galaad †And when he had approched to Bascama he slew Ionathas and his sonnes there †And Tryphon returned went into his countrie †And Simon sent and tooke the bones of Ionathas his brother and buried them in Modin the citie of his fathers †And al Israel lamented him with great lamentation they mourned for him manie dayes †And Simon built ouer the sepulcher of his father and of his bretheren a building high to behold of stone polished behind and before †and he erected seuen spyres one against one to his father and mother and to his foure bretheren †and about these he set great pillers and vpon the pillers armour for an eternal memorie and by the armour shippes grauen which might be sene of al that sayled the sea †This is the sepulcher that he made in Modin euen vntil this day †But Tryphon whē he iourneyed with Antiochus the king being but a yong man by guile he slew him †And he reigned in his place and put the crowne of Asia vpon him self and made a great plague in the land †And Simon built the fortresses of Iurie fortifying them with high towres and great walles and gates and lockes and he put victuals in the fortresses †And Simon chose men sent to Demetrius the king that he would make a release to the countrie because al Tryphons actes had bene done by spoile †And Demetrius the king according to these wordes answered him and wrote an epistle in this maner †KING demetrius to Simon the high priest and the freind of kinges and to the ancients and to the nation of the Iewes greeting †The crowne of gold and the bahem which you sent we haue receiued and we are readie to make with you great peace and to write to the kings chiefe officers to release you the thinges that we haue released †For what soeuer thinges we haue decreed vnto you stand in force The holdes that you haue built let them be to you †We remitte also the ignorances and offences euen vntil this day and the crowne which you owed and if any other thing was tributarie in Ierusalem now let it not be tributarie †And if anie of you be fitte to be inrolled among ours let them be inrolled and let there be peace betwen vs. †In the yeare an hundreth seuentie was the yoke of the Gentils taken away from Israel †And the people of Israel began to write in the tables and publique instruments The first yeare vnder Simon the high priest the great duke and the prince of the Iewes †in these dayes Simon approched to Gaza and compassed it with campes and he made engins set them to the citie and he stroke one towre and tooke it †And they that were within the engin brake out into the citie and there was made a great sturre in the citie †And they that were in the citie went vp with their wiues children vpon the wal their coates rent and they cried with a lowd voice desyring of Simon that the right handes might be geuen them †and they sayd Requite vs not according to our malices but occording to thy mercies †And Simon yelding destroyed them not but yet he cast them out of the citie and clensed the houses wherein there had bene idols and then he entered into it with hymes blessing our Lord †and al filthines being cast out of it he placed in it men that should doe the law and he fortified it and made it his habitation †But they that were in the castel of Ierusalem were prohibited to goe out and to come in to the countrie to bye and sel and they were exceding hungrie and manie of them perished for famine †and they cried to Simon to
†For there was a certaine pensiuenes powred about the man and horrour of the bodie wherby the sorow of his hart was made manifest to them that beheld him †Others also came flocking together out of their houses praying with publicke supplication for that the place was to come into contempt †And the wemen hauing their breast girded with heareclothes came together through the stretes Yea and the virgins that were shut vp came forth to Onias and some to the walles but some looked through the windowes †and al stretching forth their handes vnto heauen prayed †For the expectation of the confuse multitude and of the grand priest being in an agonie was miserable †And these certes inuocated almightie God that the thinges committed to them might be performed with al integritie for them that had committed the same of trust †But Heliodorus exercised that which he had decreed in the same place himself present with his gard about the treasurie †But the spirit of almightie God made great euidence of his appearing so that al which had presumed to obey him falling by the vertue of God were turned into dissolution and feare †For there appeared to them a certaine horse hauing a terrible rider adorned with very rich harnesse and he with feircenes stroke Heliodorus with his forefoote and he that sate vpon him seemed to haue armour of gold †There appeared also two other yong men comely for strength excellent of glorie and beautiful in attyre which stood about him and on both sides whipped him beating him with manie stripes without intermission †And Heliodorus sodenly fel on the ground they tooke him being couered round about with much darkenes and being set in a seate portatiue they thrust him forth †And he that with manie currers and men of his garde entered into the foresayde treasurie was caried no man geuing him succourse the manifest powre of God being knowne †And he in deede by the powre of God lay dumbe and depriued of al hope and health †But they blessed our Lord because he magnified his place and the temple that a little before was ful of feare and tumult almightie God appearing was filled with ioy and gladnes †And then certaine of the freindes of Heliodorus forth with desired Onias that he would inuocate the highest to geue him life who was at the very last gaspe †And the high priest considering least perhaps the king might suspect some malice on the Iewes part downe aboute Heliodorus offered for the health of the man an healthful host †And when the high priest by prayer obteyned the selfe same yong men clothed with the same garments standing by Heliodorus sayd Geue thankes to Onias the priest for him hath our Lord geuen thee life †But thou being scourged of God declare vnto al men the great workes and the powre of God And these thinges being sayd they appeared no more †And Heliodorus hauing offered an host to God and hauing promised great vowes to him that granted him to liue and geuing thankes to Onias taking his armie againe returned to the king †And he testified to al men those workes of the great God which he had seene before his owne eyes †And when the king had asked Heliodorus who was meete to be sent yet once more to Ierusalem he sayd †If thou haue anie enemie or traytour to thy kingdome send him thither and thou shalt receiue him againe scourged if yet he escape because there is vndoubtedly in the place a certaine powre of God †For he that hath his dwelling in the heauens is the visiter and helper of that place them that come to doe euil he striketh and destroyeth †Therefore concerning Heliodorus and the keping of the treasurie so the matter standeth CHAP. IIII. Onias defamed molested by Simon repayreth to the king to procure peace 7. Seleucus dying Antiochus reigning lason by promising money to the king getteth the office of highpriest from his brother Onias 10. and peruerteth religion 12. setteth vp a wicked schoole wherby manie are corrupted 8. sendeth money for sacrifice to be offered to Hercules which is imployed in making gallees 21. Antiochus is receiued with great pompe into Ierusalem 23. Menelaus by promise of more money getteth the high priesthood from Iason 29. He also is deposed and his brother Lisimachus put in the place 32. Andronicus trayterously murdereth Onias 36. and for the same is slaine by the kings commandment 39. and Lysimachus by the people 43. Menelaus iustly accused escapeth by bribing and the innocent are slaine BVR Simon the foresayde betrayer of the money and of his countrie spake il of Onias as though he had stirred vp Heliodorus to these thinges and had bene the mouer of the euils †and the prouider for the citie and defender of his nation and the emulatour of the law of God he presumed to cala secret betrayer of the kingdom †But when the emnities proceeded so far that murders also were committed by certaine of Simons familiars †Onias considering the peril of the contention and that Appollonius being gouernour of Caelesyria and Phaenicia was outragious which encreased the malice of Simon went to the king †not as an accuser of the citizens but considering with himself the common profite of the whole multitude †For he saw that without the kings prouidence it was vnpossible that peace should be made in those matters that Simon would not cease from his follie †But after Seleucus departure out of life when Antiochus that was called the Noble had taken the kingdom vpon him Iason the brother of Onias ambiciously sought the highpricsthood †going to the king promising him three hundred three score talents of siluer and of other reuenewes foure score talents †aboue this he promised also an hundred fiftie more if leaue might be granted him to make a schole and a place for youth and to intitle them that were at Ierusalem Antiochians †Which when the king had granted and he had obteyned the princedom forth with he began to transport his countrie men to the heathen rite †And these thinges being taken away which of fauoure had bene decreed by kinges vnto the Iewes and through Iohn the father of the Eupolemus who was embassadour with the Romans concerning amitie and societie he disanulling the lawful rites of the citizens made wicked ordinances †For he presumed vnder the verie castle to set vp a schoole and to put al the goodliest youthes in brothel houses †And this was not the beginning but a certaine increase and going forward of the heathen and strange conuersation through the abhominable neuer heard before of Iason the impious and not a priest †So that the priestes were not now occupied about the offices of the altar but the temple being contemned the sacrifices neglected they hastened to be pertakers of the gamme of wrastling and of the
length he may punish vs. †For which cause he neuer certes remoueth away his mercie from vs but chastening his people by aduersitie he forsaketh them not †But let these thinges be sayd of vs in few wordes for an admonition of the readers And now we must come to the storie †Therfore Eleazarus one of the chief of the Scribes a man striken in age and comely of countenance with open mouth gaping was compelled to eate swines flesh †But he embracing rather a most glorious death then an hateful life went before voluntarily to the punishment †And considering how he ought to come patiently susteyning he determined not to committe vnalwful thinges for loue of life †But they that stood by moued with vnlawful pitie for the old frendshipe of the man taking him in secrete desired that flesh might be brought which it was lawful for him to eate that he might feyne to haue eaten as the king had commanded of the flesh of the sacrifice †that by this fact he might be deliuered from death and for the old freindshipe of the man they did him this courtesie †But he begane to thinke vpon the worthie preeminence of his age and ancientnes and the houre heares of natural nobilitie his doinges from a childe of very good conuersation and according to the ordinances and the holie law made of God he answered quickly saying that he would rather be sent vnto hel †For it is not meete quoth he for our age to feyne that manie young men thinking that Eleazarus of foure score yeare tenne is passed to the life of Aliens †they also through my dissimulation and for a litle time of corruptible life may be deceiued and hereby I may purchase a stayne and a curse to mine old age †For although at this present time I be deliuered from the punishments of men yet neither aliue nor dead shal I escape the hand of the Almightie †Wherfore in departing manfully out of this life I shal appeare worthie of mine old age †and to yong men I shal leaue a constant example if with readie mind and stoutly I suffer an honest death for the most graue and most holie lawes These thinges being spoken forthwith he was drawen to execution †And they that led him and had bene a litle before more milde were turned into wrath for the wordes spoken of him which they thought were vttered through arrogancie †But when he was now in killing with the strokes he groned and sayd O Lord which hast the holie knowlege thou knowest manifestly that wheras I might be deliuered from death I doe susteyne sore paines of the bodie but according to the soule for thy feare I doe willingly suffer these thinges †And this man certes in this maner departed this life leauing not only to yong men but also to the whole nation the memorie of his death for an example of vertue and fortitude CHAP. VII The noble Martyrdome of seuen refusing to eate swines flesh and boldly admonishing king Antiochus of his damnable state 41. Lastly the mother hauing encoreged her sonnes likewise dyeth gloriously AND it came to passe that seuen brethren together with their mother being apprehended to be compelled by the king to eate against the law swines flesh were tormented with whippes and scourges †But one of them which was the first sayd thus What seekest thou and what wilt thou lerne of vs we are readie to dye rather then to transgresse the lawes of God coming from our fathers †The king therfore being wrath commanded frying pannes and brasen pottes to be heated †the which forth with being heated he commanded his tongue that had spoken first to be cut out and the skinne of his head being drawen of the endes also of his handes and feete to be chopped of the rest of his bretheren and his mother looking on †And when he was now made in al partes vnprofitable he commanded fire to be put vnto him and that breathing as yet he should be fried in the frying panne wherin when he was long tormented the rest together with the mother exhorted one an other to dye manfully †saying Our Lord God wil behold the truth and wil take pleasure in vs as Moyses declared in the profession of the Canticle And in his seruants he wil take pleasure †That first therfore being dead in this maner they brought the next to make him a mocking stocke the skinne of his head with the heares being drawen of they asked if he would eare before that he were punished throughout the whole bodie in euerie member †But he answering in his countrie speach said I wil not doe it Wherfore this also in the next place receiued the torments of the first †and being at the verie last gaspe thus he said Thou in dede ô most wicked man in this present life destroyest vs but the king of the world wil raise vs vp which dye for his lawes in the resurrection of eternal life †After him the third is had in derision and being demanded his tongue he quickly put it forth and constantly stretched out his handes †and with confidence he said From heauen doe I possesse these but for the lawes of God now doe I contemne these selfe same because I hope that I shal receiue them againe of him †So that the king and they that were with him merueled at the yong mans courege because he estemed the torments as nothing †And this being thus dead the fourth they vexed in like maner tormenting him †And when he was now euen to dye thus he said It is better for them that are put to death by men to exspect hope of God that they shal be raysed vp againe by him For to thee there shal not be resurrection vnto life †And when they had brought the fifth they tormented him But he looking vpon him †sayd Thou hauing power among men wheras thou art corruptible doest what thou wilt but thinke not that our stock is forsaken of God †And doe thou patiently abide and thou shalt see his great power in what sort he wil torment thee and thy seede †After him they brought the sixth and he beginning to dye sayd thus Be not deceiued vainely for we suffer this for our owne sakes sinning against our God and thinges worthie of admiration are done in vs †but doe not thinke that thou shalt escape vnpunished for that thou hast attempted to fight against God †But the mother aboue measure meruelous and worthie of good mens memorie which beholding her seuen sonnes perishing in one dayes space bare it with a good hart for the hope that she had in God †exhorted euerie one of them in their countrie language manfully being replenished with wisedome and ioyning a mans hart to a womans cogitation †she sayd to them I know not how you appeared in my wombe for neither did I
geue you spirit and soule and life and the members of euerie one I my selfe framed not †But in deede the Creator of the world that hath formed the natiuitie of man and that inuented the origine of al he wil restore againe with mercie vnto you spirit and life as now you despise your selues for his lawes †But Antiochus thinking himselfe contemned and withal despising the voice of the vpbrayder when the yonger was yet aliue he did not only exhort with wordes but also with oth he affirmed that he would make him rich happie and being turned from the lawes of his fathers he would account him a freind and geue him thinges necessarie †But when the yong man was not inclined to these thinges the king called the mother and counselled her to deale with the yong man to saue his life †And when he had exhorted her in manie wordes she promised that she would counsel her sonne †Therfore bending towards him mocking the cruel tyrant she sayd in her countrie language My sonne haue pitie on me which haue borne thee in my wombe nine moneths and gaue thee milke for three yeares and nourished thee and brought thee vnto this age †I beseech thee my sonne that thou looke to heauen and earth and to al thinges that are in them and vnderstand that God of nothing made them and mankinde †so shal it come to passe that thou wilt not feare this tormenter but being made a worthie partaker with thy bretheren take thou death that in that mercie I may receiue thee againe with thy bretheren †When she as yet was saying these thinges the yong man sayd For whom stay you I obey not the commandement of the king but the commandement of the law which was geuen vs by Moyses †But thou that art become the inuenter of al malice against the Hebrewes shal not escape the hand of God †For we for our sinnes doe suffer these thinges †And if the Lord our God hath bene angrie with vs a litle for rebuke correction yet he wil be reconciled againe to his seruants †But thou ô wicked and of al men most flagicious be not in vaine extolled with vaine hopes inflamed against his seruantes †For thou hast not yet escaped the iudgement of the almightie God and him that beholdeth al thinges †For my bretheren hauing now susteyned short payne are become vnder the testament of eternal life but thou by the iudgement of God shalt receiue iust punishment for thy pride †And I as also my brethren doe yeld my life and my bodie for the lawes of our fathets inuocating God to be propicious to our nation quickly and that thou with torments and stripes maist confesse that he onlie is God †But in me and in my brethren shal the wrath of the Almightie cease which hath iustly bene brought vpon al our stocke †Then the king incensed with anger raged against him more cruelly aboue al the rest taking it grieuously that he was mocked †And this same therfore died vnspotted wholy trusting in our Lord. †And last of al after the sonnes the mother also was consumed †Therfore of the sacrifices and of the exceeding cruelties there is ynough sayd CHAP. VIII Iudas Machabeus with six thousand men commendîng their cause to God 6. prospereth in battel 8. Philippe soliciting for more helpe Nicanor and Gorgias are sent with twentie thousand men against Iudas 12. whose men beginning to feare and some flying he encoregeth the rest 19. reciting manie examples of Gods assistance 22. disposeth his armie and prâ—uayleth 30. killing manie of Timothees and Bacchideâ— men 34. The principal hardly escaping by flight acknowlege that God protecteth the lewes BVT Iudas Machabeus and they that were with him went in secretely into the townes and calling together their kinsemen and taking vnto them those that continewed in Iudaisme they brought out to them six thousand men †And they inuocated our Lord that he would haue respect vnto his people that was troden of al and would haue mercie on the temple that was cotaminated of the impious †he would haue pitie also vpon the destruction of the citie which was forth with to be made flat with the ground and would heare the voice of the bloud crying to him †he would remember also the most vniust deathes of innocent children and the blasphemies done to his name and would take indignation for them †But Machabeus hauing gathered a multitude became intolerable to the heathen for the wrath of our Lord was turned into mercie †And coming vpon the castels and cities vnlooked for he burnt them taking commodious places he made not few slaughters of the enemies †and especially in the nightes he was caried to such excursions and the fame of his manlines was spred abrode euerie where †But Philip seing the man to come forward by litle and litle and that thinges for the more part succeeded with him prosperously wrote to Ptolomee the gouernour of Coelesyria and Phoenicia to geue ayde to the kinges affaires †And he with spede sent Nicanor the sonne of Patroclus of the principals of his freindes geuing him of the nations mingled together no lesse then twentie thousand armed men to destroy vtterly al the stocke of the Iewes adioyning also vnto him Gorgias a man of warre and in martial affayres of very great experience †And Nicanor appointed that he would supplie vnto the king the tribute that was to be geuen to the Romanes two thousand talents out of the captiuitie of the Iewes †and forthwith he sent to the cities by the sea side calling men together to the buying of the Iewish slaues promising that he would sel ninetie slaues for a talent not looking to the vengeance which was to folow him from the Almightie †But Iudas when he vnderstood it shewed to those Iewes that were with him the coming of Nicanor †Of whom certaine fearing and not crediting the iustice of God fled away †and others if they had any thing left sold it withal be sought our Lord that he would deliuer them from the impious Nicanor who had sold them before he came neere them †and if not for them yet for the testament that was with their fathers and for the inuocation of his holie magnifical name vpon them †But Machabeus calling together seuen thousand that were with him desired that they would not be reconciled to the enemies nor feare the multitude of the enemies coming against them vniustly but would fight manfully †hauing before their eyes the contume lie that was vniustly done by them to the holie place and moreouer the iniurie also of the citie being made a laughing stocke besides also the ordinances of the ancesters broken †For they in dede trust to their weapons sayd he and to their boldnes also but we trust in the Almightie Lord who can vtterly destroy
expedient that one man dye for the people and the whole nation perish not vvhich the holie Euangelist ascribeth to his office being highpriest of that yeare he prophecied that IESVS should dye for the nation and not only for the nation but togather into one the children of God that were dispersed IESVS REDEMER correct in vs our errors gather the dispersed conserue them that are and shal be gathered make al one flocke in one fould vnder one Pastour thy selfe IESVS CHRIST To whom with the Father and the Holie Ghost be al thankes praise honour and glorie now and for euer and euer AMEN The prayer of Manasses vvith the second third Bookes of Esdras extant in most Latin and vulgare Bibles are here placed after al the Canonical bookes of the old Testament because they are not receiued into the Canon of Diuine Scriptures by the Catholique Church THE PRAYER OF MANASSES KING OF IVDA WHEN HE WAS HELD CAPTIVE IN BABYLON LORD omnipotent God of our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of their iust sede which didst make heauen and earth with al the ornamentes of them which hast bound the sea with the word of thy precept which hast shut vp the depth and sealed it with thy terrible and laudable name whom al thinges dread tremble at the countinance of thy powre because the magnificence of thy glorie is importable the wrath of thy threatning vpon sinners is intollerable but the mercie of thy promise is infinite and vnsearchable because thou art our Lord most high benigne long suffering and very merciful and penitent vpon the wickednes of men Thou Lord according to the multitude of thy goodnes hast promised penance and remission to them that haue sinned to thee and by the multitude of thy mercies thou hast decreed penance to sinners vnto saluation Thou therfore Lord God of the iust hast not appointed penance to the iust Abraham Isaac and Iacob them that haue not sinned to thee but hast appointed penance for me a sinner because I haue sinned aboue the number of the sand of the sea Myne iniquities Lord be multiplied mine iniquities be multiplied and I am not worthie to behold looke vpon the height of heauen for the multitude of mine iniquities I am made crooked with manie a band of yron that I can not lift vp my head and I haue not respiration because I haue stirred vp thy wrath and haue done euil before thee I haue not done thy wil and thy commandmentes I haue not kept I haue set vp abominations and multiplied offenses And now I bowe the knee of my hart beseeching goodnes of thee I haue sinned Lord I haue sinned I acknowlege myne iniquities Wherefore I beseech disiring thee forgeue me Lord forgeue me and destroy me not together with myne iniquities neither reserue thou for euer being angrie euils for me neither damme me into the lowest places of the earth because thou art God God I say of the penitent in me thou shalt shew al thy goodnes because thou shalt saue me vnworthie according to thy great mercie and I wil prayse thee alwayes al the dayes of my life because al the power of the heauens prayseth thee and to thee is glorie for euer and euer Amen THE THIRD BOOKE OF ESDRAS For helpe of the readers especially such as haue not leysure to read al vve haue gathered the contentes of the chapters but made no Annotations because the text it self is but as a Commentarie to the Canonical bookes and therfore we haue only added the concordance of other Scriptures in the margin CHAP. I. Iosias king of Iuda maketh a great Pasch 7. geuing manie hostes to such as wanted for sacrifice 14. the Priestes and Leuites performing their functions therin 22. in the eightenth yeare of his reigne 25. He is slayne in battel by the king of Aegypt 32. and much lamented by the Iewes 34. His sonne Ieconias succedeth 37. After him Ioacim 40. who is deposed by the king of Babylon 43. Ioachin reigneth three monethes and is caried into Babylon 46. Sedecias reigneth eleuen yeares wickedly 52. and he with his people is caried captiue into Babylon the citie and temple are destroyed 57. so remayned til the Monarchie of the Persians AND Iosias made a Pasch in Ierusalem to our Lord immolated the Phase the fourtenth moone of the moneth †appointing the Priestes by courses of dayes clothed with stoles in the temple of our Lord. †And he spake to the Leuites the sacred seruantes of Israel that they should sanctifie them selues to our Lord in the placing of the holie arke of our Lord in the house which king Salomon sonne of Dauid built †It shal not be for you to take it vpon your shoulders And now serue your Lord and take the care of that nation Israel in part according to your villages and tribes †according to the writing of Dauid king of Israel and according to the magnificence of Salomon his sonne al in the temple and according to your fathers portion of principalitie among them that stand in the sight of your brethren the children of Israel †Immolate the Pasch and prepare the sacrifices for your bretheren and doe according to the precept of our Lord which was geuen to Moyses †And Iosias gaue vnto the people that was found of sheepe lambes and kiddes and goates thirtie thousand calues three thousand †These thinges were geuen to the people of the kinges goodes according to promisse and to the priestes for the Phase sheepe in number two thousand and calues an hundred †And Iechonias and Semeias and Nathanael bretheren and Hasabias and Oziel and Coraba for the Phase sheepe fiue thousand calues fiue hundred †And when these thinges were done in good order the Priestes and the Leuites stood hauing azymes by tribes †And according to the portions of their fathers principalitie in the sight of the people they did offer to our Lord according to those thinges which were written in the booke of Moyses †and rosted the Phase with fire as it ought and the hostes they boyled in cauldrons and in pottes with beneuolence †and they brought to al that were of the people and afterward they prepared for them selues and the priestes †For the Priestes offered the fatte vntil the houre was ended and the Leuites prepared for them selues and their brethren the children of Aaron †And the sacred singing men the children of Asaph were by order according to the precept of Dauid and Asaph and Zacharias and Ieddimus which was from the king †And the porters at euerie gate so that none transgressed his owne for their brethren prepared for them †And the thinges were consummate that perteyned to the sacrifice of our Lord. †In that day they celebrated the Phase and offered hostes vpon the sacrifice of our Lord according to the precept of king Iosias †And the children of Israel that were found at that time
celebrated the Phase and the festiual day of Azymes for seuen dayes †and there was not celebrated such a Phase in Israel from the times of Samuel the prophet †and al the kinges of Israel did not celebrate such a Phase as Iosias did and the Priestes and the Leuites and the Iewes and al Israel that were found in their abode at Ierusalem †In the eightenth yeare Iosias reigning was the Phase celebrated †And the workes of Iosias were directed in the sight of his Lord in a hart ful of feare †and the thinges concerning him are writen in the ancient times touching them that sinned and were irreligious against our Lord aboue al nations and that sought not the wordes of our Lord vpon Israel †And after al this fact of Iosias came vp Pharao the king of Aegypt comming in Charcamis from the way vpon Euphrates and Iosias went forth to meete him †And the king of Aegypt sent to Iosias saying What is there betwen me thee king of Iuda †I was not sent of the Lord to fight against thee for my battel is vpon Euphrates goe downe in hast †And Iosias did not returne vpon his chariote but endeuoured to ouerthrow him not attending the word of the prophet from the mouth of our Lord †but he made battel against him in the field of Mageddo And princes went downe to king Iosias †And the king said to his seruantes Remoue me from the battel for I am weakned excedingly And forth with his seruantes remoued him out of the battel †And he went vp into his second chariote comming to Ierusalem dyed and was buried in his fathers se pulchre †And in al Iurie they mourned for Iosias the rulers with their wiues lamented him vntil this day And this was geuen out to be done alwayes vnto al the stocke of Israel †But these thinges were writen before in the booke of the histories of the kinges of Iuda and al the actes of the doing of Iosias and his glorie and his vnderstanding in the law of our Lord and the thinges that were done by him and that are not writen in the booke of the kinges of Israel and Iuda †And they that were of the nation taking Iechonias the sonne of Iosias made him king for Iosias his father when he was three and twentie yeares old †And he reigned ouer Israel three monethes And the king of Aegypt remoued him that he should not reigne in Ierusalem †and he put a taxe vpon the nation of siluer an hundred talentes and of gold one talent †And the king of Aegypt made Ioacim his brother king of Iuda and Ierusalem †and he bound the magistrates of Ioacim and Zaracel his brother and taking them brought them backe into Aegypt †Ioacim was fiue and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne in the land of Iuda and Ierusalem and he did euil in the sight of our Lord. †And after this man came vp Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and binding him with a bande of brasse brought him into Babylon †And Nabuchodonosor tooke the sacred vessels of our Lord and carried away and consecrated them in his temple in Babylon †For his vncleanes and lacke of religion is written in the booke of the times of the kinges †And Ioachin his sonne reigned for him And when he was made king he was eightene yeares old †And reigned three monethes and ten dayes in Ierusalem and did euil in the sight of our Lord †and after a yeare Nabuchodonosor sending transported him into Babylon together with the sacred vessels of our Lord. †And he made Sedecias king of Iuda and Ierusalem when he was one and twentie yeares old and he reigned eleuen yeares †And he did euil in the sight of our Lord and was not afraid of the wordes which were spoken by Ieremie the prophet from the mouth of our Lord †and being sworne of king Nabuchodonosor forsworne he did reuolt and his necke being hardened his hart he transgressed the ordinances of our Lord the God of Israel †And the princes of the people of our Lord did manie thinges wickedly and they did impiously aboue al the vncleannes of the nations and they polluted the temple of our Lord that was holie in Ierusalem †And the God of their fathers sent by his messenger to reclame them for that he would spare them and his tabernacle †But they scorned at his messengers and in the day that our Lord spake to them they were mocking his prophetes †Who was moued euen vnto wrath vpon his nation for their impietie and commanded the kinges of the Chaldees to come vp †These slewe their yong men with the sword round about their holie temple and spared not yong man and old man and virgin and youth †but al were deliuered into their handes taking al the sacred vessels of our Lord and the kinges treasures they caried them into Babylon †and burnt the house of our Lord and threwe downe the walles of Ierusalem and the towres therof they burnt with fire †and consumed al their honorable thinges and brought them to naught and those that were left of the sword they led into Babylon †And they were his seruants vntil the Persians reigned in the fulfilling of the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie †as long as the land quietly kept her sabbathes al the time of her desolation she sabbathized in the application of seuentie yeares CHAP. II. Cyrus king of Persia permitteth the Iewes to returne into their countrie 10. and deliuereth to them the holie vessels which Nabuchodonosor had taken from the temple 16. Certaine aduersaries writing to king Artaxerxes hinder those that would repayre the ruines of Ierusalem CYRVS king of the Persians reigning for the accomplishment of the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie †our Lord raysed vp the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians and he proclaymed in al his kingdomes and that by writing †saying Thus sayth Cyrus king of the Persians The Lord of Israel the high Lord hath made me king ouer the whole earth †and hath signified to me to build him a house in Ierusalem which is in Iurie †If there be any of your kinred his Lord goe vp with him into Ierusalem †Whosoeuer therefore dwel about the places let them helpe them that are in the same place in gold and siluer †in giftes with horses and beastes and with other thinges which by vowes are added into the temple of our Lord which is in Ierusalem †And the princes of the tribes of the villages and of Iurie of the tribe of Beniamin the Priestes and the Leuites standing vp whom our Lord moued to goe vp and to build the house of our Lord which is in Ierusalem and they that were round about them †did helpe them with al their gold and siluer and beastes and
theâ— dedicated most solemnly with exceding deuotion of the king and al the people with abuÌ„dance of sacrifices And afterwardes the same king Salomon writte three sapiential bookes The Prouerbes Ecclesiastes the CaÌ„â—icle of Canticles But in his old age fel from God and it is vncertaine whether he dyed penitent or no. He reigned fourtie yeares 3. Reg. 11. Ieroboam the first king of the tenne tribes made a wicked schisme setting vp two golden calues in Bethâ—l and Dan which most of the people serued as their goddes  h 3000. Achimaas Roboam h King Roboam leauing the aduise of ancientes and folowing young counselers â—ffended the people and â—s seruant Ieroboam was made king of tenne tribes only Iuda Benâ—amin remayning to him He reigned seuentene yeares 3. Reg. 14. v. 21. He reâ—â—ned 22. yeares 3. Reg. 12 After him were these kinges of diuerse families of the same tenne tribes The Prouerbes Ecclesiâ—st s. Canticle of Canticles i 3017.  Abias i His sonne Abias reigned wickedly three yeares 3. Reg. 15. v. 2. Nadab sonne of Ieroboam reigned two yeares 3. Reg. 14. Basa of the tribe of Issachar reigned 24 yeares 3. Reg. 15. Ela two yeares 3. Reg. 16.  k 3020. Azarias Asa k Asa a good king destroyed idolatrie and reigned 41. yeares 3. Reg. 15. v. 10. Zambri but seuen dayes 3. Reg. 16. v. 15. Amri 12. yeares wherof The bni reigned in ciuil warre against him three yeares v. 22. Achab maried Iezabel a Sidonian and serued Baal reigning 21. yeares 3. Reg. 10. c.  l 3061.  Iosaphat l Iosaphat gouerned the kingdom wel 25. yeares 3. Reg. 22. v. 42. 43. sauing that he ioyned affinitie with Achab king of Israel and with Iezabel 2. Paral. 18. v. 1.    Iohanam     m 3086.  Ioram m Ioram reigned wickedly eight yeares 4. Reg. 8. v. 17. 18. 2. Paral. 21. v. 5. 6. The three next are omitted by S. Mathew Ochozias reigned two yeares 3. Reg. 22. v 52. Elias Elizeus and diuers other Prophetes preached did manie miracles in the kingodm of Iuda and Israel not writing any particular bookes n 3094. Ioiada * Ochozias n By the euil counsel of his mother Athalia Ochozias gouerned wickedly one yeare was slaine by Iehu together with Ioram king of Israel 4. Reg. 8. v. 27. ch 9. v. 27. 2. Paral. 22. v 3. 9. Ioram twelue yeares 4. Reg. 3. Iehu killed Ioram and Iezabel destroying the whole house of Achab reigned 8. yeares 4. Reg. 9. 10.  o 3095.   o Quene Athalia murthering the children of her owne sonne the late king vsurped the kingdom six yeares 4. Reg. 11. v. 1. Ioachaz reigned 17. yeares 4. Reg. 13.  p 3101.  * Ioas. p The youngest sonne of Ochozias called Ioas being saued from the slaughter was made king by meanes of Ioiada Highpriest and Athalia slaine 4. Reg. 11. v. 4. Ioas reigned sixtene yeares 4. Reg. 13. v. 10. Ieroboam 41. yeares 4. Reg. 14. v. 23.   Zacharias  He gouerned wel during the life of Ioiada But afterwards fel to idolatrie caused Zacharias the High-priest and sonne of Ioiada to be slaine 2. Paral. 24. v. Zacharias reigned but six monethes 4. Reg. 15. v. 8.   Sadoc or Ioathan  22. And shortly after the sameking was trecherously slaine when he had reigned 41. yeares 4. Reg. 12. v. 20. 2. Paral. 24. v. 25. Sellum but one moneth 4. Reg. 15. v. 15.  q 3142. Sellum * Amasias q Amasias beginning wel did some good thinges 4. Manahem reigned 10. yeares 4. Reg. 15. v. 17. Phaceia two yeares 4. Reg. 15. v. 23.  Helcias  Reg. 14. v. 3. But after the spoile of the Idumeans he worshipped their idols 2. Paral. 25. v. 14. And reigned 29. yeares ibidem Phacee reigned 20. yeares 4. Reg. 15. v. 27.  r 3171.  Ozias or Asarias r Ozias sometime reigned wel 4. Reg. 15. v. 3. but afterwards presuming to offer incense on the altar was repelled by the Highpriest presently strooken with leprosie and cast out of the temple and citie He liued after that he was king 52. yeares 2. Par. 26. v. 16. Osee reigned nine yeares 4. Reg. 17.   Azarias  s Ioathan a godlie king gouerned a great part of his fathers time and after his death sixtene yeares 4. Reg. 15. 2. Par. 27. The kingdom of Israel hauing stood aboue two hundred and fifetie yeares was subdued by the Assitians much people caried captiue into Assyria 4. Reg. 17. v. 6. In the dayes of king Ozias was Isaias the Prophet Likewise Osee Ioel Amos Abdias and Ionas s 3223.  Ioathan t Achaz a wicked king after manie benefits receiued from God fel to idolatrie reigning sixtene yeares destroyed holie thinges shut vp the temple and peruerted manie of the people 4. Reg. 16. 2. Paral. 28. The Grecians euerie fourth yeare set forth enter Iudes in honour of Iuppiter Olimpius wherof begane the count of Olimpias about the yeare of the world 3247. Micheas prophecied in the reigne of Ioathan the former prophetes yet liuing  Vrias  v Ezechias a most godlie king aduanced true religioÌ„ which was much decayed He recouered health being mortally sicke which was confirmed by miracle in the sunne returning backe and made a Canticle of praise with thankes to God and reigned 29. yeares 4. Reg. 18. 2. Paral. 29. 30. 31. 32. And after six Olimpiades that is 24. yeares Rome was built  t 3239.  Achaz  New inhabitantes being sent from Assiria into Iurie mixed their paganisme with the Israelites religion made manie wicked and detestable Sectes 4. Reg. 17. v. 29. Nahum and Habacuc prophecied after the captiuitie of the tenne tribes v 3255.  Ezechias    w 3284.  Manasses w Manasses for his great sinnes was caried captiue into Babylon where he repented and was restored to his kingdom he reigned liued in captiuirie 55. yeares 4. Reg. 21. â— Par. 33.  About this time happened the historie of To bie who liued in al 102. yeares Tob. 14. v. 2. x 3339.  Amon. x Amon reigned euil two yeares 4. Reg. 21. 2. Par. â—3  Sophonias prophecied in the reigne of Iosias king of Iuda y 3341.  Iosias y Iosias a very good king purged the Church of idolatrie repayred the temple celebrated a most solemne Pasch was slaine in battel by the king of Aegypt which al the people much lamented especially Ieremie the prophet when he had reigned 31. yeares 4. Reg. 22. 23. 2. Par. 34 35. In the time of Numa the second king of the Romanes Pithagoras taught transmigratioÌ„ of soules from one bodie to an other Ieremie also begane to prophecie beiÌ„g a child in the dayes of Iosias continued in the captiuity of the two tribes Baruch was his Scribe and also a Prophet z â—372  Ioachaz or Iechonias z Ioachaz otherwise
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
Ierusalem according to Salomons prayer 3. Reg. 8. v. 47. 48. he obserued the same custome stil and vvas not senne publiquely of manie but his enimies searching curiously v. 11. found him praying accused him of breaking the kings Edict :: To this miracle wrought by the powre of God in defence and for the merites of this holie prophet S. Paul alludeth Heb. 11. v. 33. :: The law of like-punishment is so agreable to the law of nature that this Pagane king punished Daniels accusers when it appeared to him that Daniel had not committed treason but only vsed his religion and deuotion The 2. part Prophetical visions of Christ and of Antichrist a In order of time these two visions vvere before the histories written in the two precedent chapters b Foure winds may signifie the great tumultes which happen in the beginning of monarchies by vvarres and bloudshed of much people c Foure beastes do signifie the foure Monarchies of the Chaldees Medes and Persians the Grecians and the Romanes as was also signified before in Nabuchodonosors dreame ch 2. d A lionesses crueltie and the pride of an eagle do resemble the Chaldees monarchie e A beare of rude shape vveake sight content vvith litle and base meate represented the Medes Persians f The leopard vvith vvinges and foure heades signified the speedie victories of the Grecians vnder Alexander in foure quarters of the vvorld after his death diuided into foure kingdomes g By the fourth beast without name is vnderstood the incomparable povvre of the Romanes gouerning first by kinglie auctoritie aftervvards by Consuls then ioyning to them Tribunes sometimes Dictators finally Emperial h The litle horne becoming so great and strong as to ouercome al the other signifieth Antichrist whose outragious furie shal continevv but a shorte time v. 25. n. ch 12. v. 7. 11. 12. Apoc. 11. v. 2. 3. Apoc. 12. v. 6. 14. Apoc. 13. v. 5. â— God the Father is called the Ancient of dayes not as though one Person of the Blessed Trinitie vvere more ancient then an other for euerie Person is eternal and al are one eternal God But in order of proceding one from an other the Father is the beginning of vvhom the Sonne is begotten and from vvhom as also from the Sonne the Holie Ghost procedeth k By multiplication of these cardinal numbers is signified the innumerable multitude of Angels vvho doe excede al corporal creatures in number as the celestial spheres excede terrestrial bodies in greatnes l And the hieghest Hierarchie vvho are Assitants do farre excede the other Hierarchies in multitude S. Dionys c. 14. Hierar caelest S. Tho p. 1. q. 112. a. 4 m Our Sauiour Christ is here clearly prophecied by vvhose povvre Antichrist shal be vtterly destroyed a He insinuateth that this vision vvas in explication of some part of the former vvhich he had tvvo yeares before ch 7. where foure monarchies are mentioned so here is foretold the great conflict betvven the Persians Greciaus about 220. yeares after or riuer b The ramme represeÌ„ted the king of Persians Medes c The goat signified Alexander the great d breaking the tvvo hornes that is conquering the tvvo nations of Persians Medes e King Alexander died when he vvas very yong strong not fully 33. yeares of age f Foure of his solovvers possessed euerie one a kingdome of his Monarchie g Antiochus Epiphanes persecuting the people of God destroyed the sacrifice polluted the temple setting vp the image of Iupiter Olimpius i 2300. euenings and mornings that is 2300. dayes vvhich make six years and vvel nere foure monethes the whole time from the beginning of Antiochus persecution vnto his death for he begane to persecute in the yeare 143. 1 Mâ—â— 1. v 21. he died an 149. 1. Mac 6. v 16. vvithin which time an 148 the temple was purged 1. Mac. 4. v 52. l Ezechiel is very often called by the name of sonne of man here also Daniel is so called by an Angel as vvel to distinguish Angelical and humane nature as in honour of mankind vvhich Christ would assume therfore calleth himself by the very same rule in the Gospel b One Angel demanded of an other to knovv a thing to come l Historically Antiochus mystically Antichrist as ch 12. Mat. 24. * obscure speaches m So much as perteyned to the prophanation of the temple was fulfilled aboue 300. yeares after this prophecie as the same is also a figure of Antichrist it shal happen towards the end of this world S Greg. li. 30. c. 12. Moral a Assuerus or achasuerus not a proper name signifieth a great prince or head of people b Darius had reigned in Persia before this time but this vvas the first yeare of his reigne ouer the Chaldees also the last neither did he reigne a ful yeare for Cyrus reigned some part of the seuentith yeare of the Ievves captiuitie in Babylon in vvhich also Baltassar vvas slaine Ier. 25. v. 12. Ier. 29. v. 10. 2 Par. 36. v. 22. c Daniel seing the seuentith yeare of captiuitie vvas comen in vvhich God promised to deliuer his people Ier. 29. v. 10 prayed vvith great zele confidence for their release Iere. 29. v. 10. Deut 17. v. 14. d This singular deuotion with austere works of penance zele of his countrie merited this commendable title to be called the man of desires e And vvheras the prayed particularly for the release of the Ievves from captiuitie of Babylon a farre greater thing is promised and reueled to him that within seuentie vvekes of yeares that is â—â— yeares the Messias Christ vvil come and redeme mankinde from captiuitie of finne and the diuel f These foure thinges v. 24 Forgeuenes of sinnes Infusion of iustice Fulfilling of prophecies Annoiated Holie of holies agree only to Christ g Hebdâ—mas or Septenarius signifying seuen vnderstood of dayes importeth a weeke of yeares as Leui. 25 seuen yeares so seuentie vveekes 490. yeares S Bed li. de rat temp c. 6. 7. 8. truble some 〈◊〉 â—â—at 24. a Pharao had a vision in slepe Gen. 41. Baltassar vvaking savv a hand writing in the vval Dan. 5. but neither of them vnderstood their visions therfore vvere not prophets Ioseph vnderstood the former Daniel this other and so they vvere prophets For as this text teacheth vnderstanding is required that a vision be prophetical â— â—â—o 2. 2. q 175 a. 2 4. b The Angel iepereth this honorable nevv title to encorege him being sore frighted prayers c The Angel guardian of Persia S. Ierom S. Theodoret. S. Gregorie d This Angel for his office sake not yet knowing Gods vvil in this particular prayed that the Iewes might remain among the Persians for their edification and spiritual good e Daniels proper Angel ioyned his prayers vvith him for the deliuerie of the Ievves from captiuitie f S. Michael the guardian Angel of the whole Church also prayed for the same purpose a
high priest but an vsurper nor that he liued after Iudas vvho vvas slaine a yeare before this time v. 3 18. VVherby and by manie other such errors vve see that Iosephus is rather to be corrected by this booke then to disalovv this booke because it differeth from Iosephus or other like auctors :: Euil counsel hovv soeuer it happeneth to them that folovv it is euer hurtful to them that geue it :: He falsely auovvched that he vvas the sonne of Antiochus Epiphanes for he was in dede of very meane birth Iustinus li. 35. :: It vvas not in the kinges povvre to make Ionathaâ— high priest but he being so before the â—ing from this time did so account him :: This king Demetrius to gette his desired purpose sticked not to vvrite a plainelye for he had heard that the Ievves had refused him and made league vvith his enimie Alexander v 22 23. :: Notwithstanding the great offers of euil disposed men Ionathas and al prudent men considering their former vvicked dedes do not geue credite to glorious vvordes ch 7. v. 11. :: This Ptolomeus Philometor decided a controuersie that the Iewes had the true temple in Ierusalem and that the Samaritanes temple in Garizim vvas schismatical vvhich he iudged because albeit both pleaded antiquitie yet only the Iewes proued by continual succession of high priestes from Aaron and shewed that the other departed from them first in the time of Ieroboam and aftervvardes built that temple in Garizim vvhen some were returned from captiuitie vvherof Iosephus vvriteth li. 13. c. 6. Antiquit Our Sauiour also iudged that the cause of the Ievves vvas better Ioan. 4. v. 22. :: VVhen caluminators see that the innocent is iustified and honored they faile in their hart to procede against him :: Ionathas set his armie in that maner as on euerie side his men stood in front readie to resist the force of the enemie coming towards them al their backes so turned vvithin their ovvne squadron that the enemie could no vvay enter without present resistance and so those of the embushment could only cast dartes but could not breake the aray of Ionathas campe not make anie entrance with out their owne present death :: By this hyperbolical description very frequent in holie scripture is signified that Ptolomeus armie vvas exceding great yea greater then can be easily conceiued therfore is described by excessiue termes :: VVhen pastors endeuour to extirpate siâ—ne out of the mindes of the people those that hate godlines suggest to temporal princes that such spiritual preaching is dangerous to their state :: But zelous men cease not from so necessarie a worke because Gods vvord is not â—yed 2. Tim. 2. :: And vvise kinges vvil most esteme of such men knovving that their fidelitie tovvards God is an assurance that they vvil also be faithful to princes :: The king had before adioyned principal places to Iudea vvhich were called â—opaâ—chiâ— that is places of principalitie or principal gouernments novv he granted also immunities to them as to al Iudea and Samaria :: Three thousand faithful encoâ—â—â—â—ing vvith an hundred twentie thousand infidels killed of them in one day an hundred thousand :: As to vveare purple and to bare a crowne so to drinke in gold cuppes and to vveare a gold cheyne vvas proper to kinges and to vvhom they gaue license :: It is an ancient ceremonie in al uations often mentioned in these bookes to confirme peace by geuing ech other the right hand :: Only tvvo captaines remained and vvith them some souldiars as Iosephus vvriteth about 50 for it is not to be thought that Ionathas vvould haue returned to battel v 72. being but three men in al to beginne a new assault :: Sparta the chief citie of Lacedemonia called also Lacedemon and Theramne :: Spartians otherwise called Lacedemonians by Iosephus and other vvriters descended from Abraham v. 21. and vvere in great league vvith the Ievves :: The Spartianes had written this epistle before Onias vvritte to theÌ„ though it be here placed after :: There remained vvith the Spartiates old vvrites of genealogies as Iosephus supposeth li. 12. c. 5. li. 13. c. 9. :: Morally in Tryphon is noted the practise of the diuel vvho intending to ouerthrovv a king or a kingdom first seeketh to deceiue the pastores and to destroy them especially by error or other sinne For as S. Gregorie teacheth ho. 38. if the pastors life be corrupted his doctrine vvil be contemned :: Simon the fourth general captaine of the Machabees high-priest excelled his bretheren in vvisdome by the restimonie of his father c. 2. v 65. :: He vndertooke by al his endeuour to defend and deliuer his nation from danger and to restore their former libertie :: Simon being vvise choise the lesse euil and lesse danger For if he had not sent that vvas demanded it was very like and almost cettaine that Ionathas should be slaine and it vvould haue bene imputed to Simon that he had not taken iust care of his brothers life vvherby the people vvould haue bene alienated from him and perhaps haue reuolted from him and also from religion S. Tho. in hunc locum :: This vvas not vaine glory but true glorie to kepe memorie of so great vertue therby to stur vp others to imitation He that loueth honour saith S. Augustin li. cont Secundin c. 17. imitateth God But humble soules desire houour in God proud men vvil be honoured more then God or vvithout God O hovv manie Epitaphes are of vvicked men nothing els but perpetual monuments of their ambition vanitie iniustice crucltie other vices but those that are of true vertues are to Gods more honour the auctor of al vertues * a precious chaine :: By hovv much more that mercie is admixed vvith iustice so that iustice be not destroyed and that religion be aduanced the better it pleaseth God and edifieth the vvel disposed :: This Iohn Hyreanus defended the countrie against inuaders ch 16. :: Simon had novv gouerned the people two yeares beginning with great difficulties but hence forth enioyed peace til Antiochus Sedetes brake the league inuaded Iurie ch 15. v. 27. 39. :: He reduced manie Ievves from captiuitie :: Sparta being the chief citie of Lacedemonia had manie cities subiect depending as vpon their Metropolitane :: Vvhen peace was estabished in al Iurie and friendshippe confirmed vvith the Romanes Lacedemonians the vvhole nation of the Ievves in gratitude tovvards Simon vvho onlie novv remained of Mathathias sonnes confirmed him in the office of high-priest perpetually or for euer v. 41 that is during his life to his progenie v. 49 :: The hieghpriesthood continevved in this familie of the Machabees vntil Herod tooke it from them selling it for money and then shortly came Christ the faith ful Prophet :: This Antiochus Sedetes sonne of Demetrius Soter vvas brother to Demetrius the second who was now captiue in Per â—â—a ch 14.
v. 3. :: This legate vvas sent almost two yeares before to Rome ch 14. v. 24. and now brought letters not only to the Ievves but also to sundrie kinges and peoples in their behalf :: Simon subdued these tvvo tovvnes because they anoyed the Ievves but because they othervvise perteyned not to Iurie he payed for them an hundred talentes :: By the riuer of Cedron ouer which Dauid passed 2. Reg â—â— v. 23. and our Sauiour Ioa. 18. a citie vvas novv built or rather repared being decayed before :: After Simons death his eldest sonne Iohn surnamed Hyrcanus succeeded him in gouernment spiritual and temporal v. 24. :: He beginning to gouerne in the yeare 170. ch 13. v. 41. 42. had difficulties the first last yeares in the rest they had peace To be inebriated signifieth no more but to be repâ—enished vvith drinke competently or abundantly vvithout excesse As Psal 64. v. 10 the earth inebriated and v. 11. riuers inebriated That is abundantly replenished vvithout excesse S. August q. 144. in Gen. :: Out of the booke here mentioned some thinke the fourth booke of Machabees vvas translated See Sixâ—us Seâ—en li. 1. Biblioth pag. â—â— * li. 2. â— â— v. â— This Appendix coÌ„cerning tvvo epistles of the Ievves vvas added to the historie of the first booke by him that vvritte this second e :: As they had vvritten before in their afflictions so novv they exhorte their bretheren to be thankful to God and amongst other meanes to shevv their gratful minde by celebrating the feast of dedication of the nevv altar li 2. â— 4. v. 7. :: It semeth that either this Iudas vvas the first sonne of Iohn Hyrâ—amus othervvise called Aristobolus or rather Iudas Essenus of vvhom ch 2. v. 14. and of vvhom Iosephus vvriteth li. 13. â— 19. :: Chaldea being nere to Persis is sometimes comprehended vnder the same name so Mamertinus in Panagerâ—ca ad Iulia reciteth Tigris and Euphrates amongst the riuers of Persi S. Chrysostom ho. 6. in Math. saith the Ievves vvere deliuered from captiuitie of Perâ—â—s meaning Babylon :: In this fire vvere foure miracles First it vvas not changed into ayre but into vvater v. 20. :: Secondly this vvater being cast on the hostes of sacrifice vvas kindled as fire v. 22. :: Thirdly it burned also being cast vpon stones v. 32. :: Fourth it vvas extinguished by the light that came from the altar v. 32. :: Nephthar signifieth deliuerie vvhich is the effect of purification for the temple other holie thinges being purified were deliuered from prophane vse :: S. Ambrose li 3. c. 14. Offic. vvriteth at large of this miracle Epis Iere. Baruc. 6. :: Neither the tabernacle nor the arke vvere caried avvay by Nabuchodonosor but vvere preserued by some meanes and most like besides the auctoritie of this scripture by Ieremie the propher vvho had spocial fauour of the Babylonians vvhen Ierusalem vvas taken Iere. 39. v. 11. Exâ— 40. 3. Râ—g 8. â—euit 9. 7. 24. :: This semeth to be the same Iudas Essenus vvho vvith others vvritte this epistle ch â— v. 10. * li. 2. c. 15. v. 38. :: After the auctor had written this Appendix to the former booke he resolued also to adde an abridgement of the vvhole historie vvherunto he maketh this Preface signifying the matter vvherof he vvil vvrite v. 20. in vvhat maner v. 24. and why v 25. auouching his diligence v. 26. vvith breuitie v. 29. A :: God assisting the vvtiâ—ers of diuine histories doth not alvvayes deliuer them from labour in seeking to knovv the same of sueh as knew particular thinges So S Luke vvritte the Gospel hauing diligently attained to al thinges Luc. 1. v. 3. * exact declaration * li. 1. c. 1. v. 1. The first part The persecution of the Church by Antiochus :: Three thinges make a coÌ„monwealth to be in good state C 1 Good agreement of principal men amongst themselues with the commonaltie 2 Exact obseruation of good lavves 3 And eminent vertue of the supreme gouernour vvith exercise of pietie and hate of sinnes Other three thinges do truble the state Obstinacie in offenders not content to be corrected 2 Inueterate malice seking reuenge against iust Superiors 3. and auarice of princes to robbe the holie or common treasure :: These virgins remained in places nere to the temple brought vp in exercises of pietie fasting and praying til they were despoused 1. Reg. 2. v. 22. S. Amb. li. 1. de virgine S. Greg. Nissen Orat. de Christ Natiuit S. Damas li. 4. c. 13. :: 4. Reg. 2. v. 11. A firie chariotte and firie horses caried Elias from Elizeus 4. Reg. 6. v. 17. And the mountaine appeared ful of horses and of firie chariots round about Elizeus no lesse strange then this vision See S. Ambrose li. 2. c 29. offic discoursing vpon this historie :: It is the common practise of al traytors to calumniate and defame good gouerners And the best remedie a gainst such seducers is by auctoritie of Superior povvre not by the people vvho are commonly more prone to fauour faction then iustice * li. 1. c. 1. v. 11. E :: VVhere true Religion is abolished most men neglect al shew of religion and rather applie themselues to vanities or woise sinnes * li. 1. c. 1. v. 17. G :: This king falsly pretended to restore his kinsman his sisters sonne to the kingdom being depriued by his younger brother Liuius li. 44 but the true cause of his sending Apolonius into Aegypt was to subdue that kingdom to himself 1. Mach. 1. v. 17. :: Menelaus brother of Simon v. 23 of the tribe of Beniamin ch 3. v. 4. vvas not by the law capable of the priesthood which only perteined to the progenie of Aaron of the tribe of Leui So in this trublesome time the right succession of high priestes was intermitted and restored in Mathathias li. 1. c. 2. :: True and solide vertue moued the common people to compassion the King himself to teares the Tyrians to honour the bodies of the innocent with costlie burial v. 49. :: Strange thinges aboue the ordinarie course of nature doe euer signifie Gods vvrath for mens transgression and are admonitions to turne from sinne vvith spede that vve may escape the heauie hand of Gods iustice So the Emperour Charles the Great interpreted the apparition of a great Comete as vvitnesseth Fasciculus temporum Lacedemonians othervvise called Spartians descended from the stocke of Abraham li. 1. c. 12. v. 2. * li. 1. c. 1. v. 21. I ch 3. v. 23. 27. :: Al rites of religion vvith temples and other holie thinges are ordayned to the Seruice of God and for mens spiritual good and therfore vvhen men cease to serue God as holie thinges are destroyed or taken avvay :: Iudas vvas the tenth lawful highpriest from the Monarchie of the Grecians :: Sanaballat in the time of Alexander the great procured a temple to be built in Garizim like to that in Ierusalem An other was
expecting the end of the thing and she cried to him The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson Who brake the bandes as if a man should breake a thread of to◠twyned with spittle when it hath taken the sauor of fyre and it was not knowen wherein his strength was †And Dalila said to him Behold thou hast deluded me and hast spoken false now at the least tel me wherwith thou mayest be bound †To whom he answered If I shal be bound with new cordes that were neuer occupied I shal be weake and like to other men †With the which Dalila againe bound him and cried The Philisthijmes vpon thee Samson ambushementes being prepared in the chamber Who did so breake the bandes as threades of linnen cloth †And Dalila said to him againe How long deceiuest thou me and speakest false Shew wherewith thou mayest be bound To whom Samson answered If thou platte seuen heares of my head with a heare lase and fasten a nayle tyed round about them in the ground I shal be weake †Which when Dalila had done she said to him The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson Who rysing vp from sleepe drew out the nayle with the heares and the heare lase †And Dalila said to him How doest thou say that thou louest me whereas thy mind is not with me These three times thou hast lied to me wouldest not tel wherein thy greatest strength is †And when she molested him and continually hong vpon him for many daies not geuing him space to rest his soule faynted and was wearied euen vnto death †Then opening the truth of the thing he said to her There neuer came yron vpon my head because I am a Nazareite that is to say consecrated to God from my mothers wombe if my head shal be shauen my strength shal depart from me and I shal fayle and shal be as other men †And she seing that he had confessed to her al his minde sent to the princes of the Philisthijms and willed them Come vp yet once more for now he hath opened his hart to me Who went vp taking with them the money which they had promised †But she made him to sleepe vpon her knees and to lay his head in her bosome And she called a barber and shaued his seuen heares and beganne to driue him away and thrust him from her for immediately the streingth departed from him †and she said The Philisthijms vpon thee Samson Who arysing from sleepe said in his mind I wil goe forth as I did before and wil shake my self not knowing that our Lord was departed from him †Whom when the Philisthijmes had apprehended forthwith they plucked forth his eies and led him to Gaza bound with chaynes and being shut vp in prison they made him grinde †And now his heares had begone to grow againe †and the princes of the Philisthijms assembled in one that they might immolate magnifical hostes to Dagon their god and might feast saying Our God hath deliuered our enemie Samson into our handes †Which thing the people also seing praysed their god and said the same thinges Our God hath deliuered our aduersarie into our handes who destroyed our countrie and killed verie manie †And reioysing through out their bankettes when they had now taken their good cheere they commanded that Samson should be called and should play before them Who being brought out of prison played before them and they made him to stand betwen two pillers †Who said to the seruant that gouerned his steppes Suffer me to touch the pillers on which al the house stayeth and let me leane vpon them and rest a litle †And the house was ful of men and wemen and there were al the princes of the Philisthijms also from the roofe and higher part about three thousand of both sexe beholding Samson playing †But he inuocating our Lord said Lord God remember me restore now to me myne old strength my God that I may reuenge me of myne enemies and for the losse of two eies may receiue one reuenge †And taking both the pillers on which the house rested and holding the one in his right hand and the other in his left †he said “ Let me die with the Philisthijms And the pillers being strongly shaken the house fel vpon al the princes and the rest of the multitude that was there and he killed manie moe dying then before he had killed liuing †And his brethren going downe and al his kindred they tooke his bodie and buried it betwixt Saraa and Esthaol in the sepulchre of his father Manue and he iudged Israel twentie yeares ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 30. Let me die vvith the Philisthiims Manie thinges do iustifie Samsons fact in killing himself with the Philisthiims First it appeareth by the miracle that God directly and extraordinarily concurred by restoring in that moment his admirable streingth that he could pull downe two such pillers And conformably we may gather that God inspired his mind to attempt this fact and so he erred not but obeyed God herein as S. Augustin noteth li. 1. c. 21. 26. de ciuit Dei Secondly he was moued with zele of Gods honour hearing the Idolaters praise their false god Dagon Thirdly he had a good and pure intention to reuenge him selfe for Gods more glorie praying to him for restauration of streingth Fourthy he did not directly desire to kil himselfe but to kil the Philisthims though himselfe must also die with them And in this act especially he was a figure of Christ who chiefly by his death conquered his enemies CHAP. XVII Michas and his mother cause a grauen and a molten idol to be made of siluer 5. He maketh one of his sonnes priest for the idol 10. and for the same purpose hyreth also a Leuite THERE was at that time a certaine man of mount Ephraim named Michas †who said to his mother The thousand and hundred siluer peeces which thou hadst separated to thy selfe and concerning the which thou didst sweare in my hearing behold I haue and they are with me To whom she said Blessed be my sonne to the Lord. †He therfore rendred them to his mother who had said to him I haue consecrated and vowed this siluer to the Lord that my sonne may receiue it of my hand and make a grauen and a molten god and now I deliuer that to thee †He rendred them therfore to his mother who tooke two hundred siluer peeces and gaue them to the siluersmith that he might make of them a grauen and a molten god which was in the house of Michas †Who separated also therein a litle house to the God and made an Ephod and Theraphim that is to say a priestlie vestiment and idoles and he filled the hand of one of his sonnes and he became his priest †In those daies there was not a king in Israel but euerie one did that which semed right to him self
†There was also an other yong man of Bethelem Iuda of the kinred therof and he was a Leuite and dwelt there †And going forth out of the citie of Bethelehem he would seiourne wheresoeuer he should find it comodious for him And when he was come into mount Ephraim making his iourney and had turned aside a little into the house of Michas †he was demanded of him whence he came Who answered I am a Leuite of Bethlehem Iuda and I goe to dwel where I shal be able and shal perceiue it to be profitable for me †And Michas said Abide with me and be to me a father and a priest and I wil geue thee euerie yeare tenne siluer peeces and duble liuerie and the thinges that be necessarie for victual †He was content and abode with the man and was vnto him as one of his sonnes †And Michas filled his hand and had the yong man for a priest with him saying †Now I know that God wil do me good hauing a priest of the Leuitical kinde CHAP. XVIII First sending spie to discouer 11 six hundred armed men of the tribe of Dan goe to seeke possessions 14. By the way they take the idol and idolatrical priest from Michas 27. surprise the towne of Lais 30. and there set vp idolatrie IN those dayes there was not a king in Israel and the tribe of Dan sought possession for it selfe that it might dwel therein for vntil that day it had not receiued a lotte among the other tribes †Therfore the children of Dan sent fiue men of their stocke and familie most valiant from Saraa and Esthaol that they might view the land and diligently behold it and they said to them Goe and consider the land Who going forward when they were come into mount Ephraim and had entered into the house of Michas they rested there †and knowing the voice of the yong man the Leuite and vsing his lodging they said to him Who brought thee hither What doest thou here For what cause wouldest thou come hither †Who answered them These and these thinges hath Michas done to me hath hyred me for wages to be his priest †And they desired him that he would consult the Lord that they might know whether they should goe on a prosperous iourney and the thing should haue effect †Who answered them Goe in peace The Lord regardeth your way and the iourney that you goe †The fiue men therfore going came to Lais they saw the people dwelling in it without any feare according to the custome of the Sidonians secure and quiet no man at al resisting them of greate riches and separated farre from Sidon and from al men †And returning to their brethren in Saraa and Estaol and asking what they had done they answered them †Arise and let vs goe vp to them for we haue seene the Land exceding rich and plentiful neglect not slacke not let vs goe and possesse it it wil be no labour †We shal enter vnto them being secure into a most large countrie and our Lord wil deliuer to vs the place wherein is penurie of nothing of those thinges that grow on the earth †There departed therfore from the kinred of Dan that is to say from Saraa and Esthaol six hundred men furnished with warlike armour †and going vp they taried in Cariathiarim of Iuda which place from that time tooke the name of the Tentes of Dan and it is at the backe of Cariathiarim †Thence they passed into mount Ephraim And when they were come to the house of Michas †the fiue men that before had been sent to view the Land of Lais said to the rest of their brethren You know that in these houses there is an Ephod and Theraphim and a grauen and molten god See what pleaseth you †And when they had turned a litle aside they entred into the house of the yong man the Leuite which was in the house of Michas and saluted him with peaceable wordes †And the six hundred men so as they were armed stoode before the doore †But they that were entred the house of the yong man endeuoured to take away the grauen the Ephod and the idols and molten god and thepriest stoode before the doore the six hundred most valiant men expecting not farre of †They therfore that were entred tooke the grauen the Ephod the theraphim and molten god To whom the priest said What doe you †To whom they answered Hold thy peace and put thy finger vpon thy mouth and come with vs that we may haue thee for a father and a priest Whether is better for thee that thou be a priest in the house of one man or in one tribe and familie in Israel †Which when he had heard he agreed to their wordes and tooke the Ephod and idols and grauen god and departed with them †Who when they went forward and had made the children and the cattel to goe before them and al that was percious †and were now farre from the house of Michas the men that dwelt in the house of Michas crying out together folowed †and at their backe began to shoute Who looking backe said to Michas What meanest thou Why doest thou crie †Who answered My Goddes which I made me you haue taken away and the priest and al that I haue and doe you say What aileth thee †And the children of Dan said to him Beware thou speake no more vnto vs and there come vnto thee men prouoked in mind and thou with al thy house perish †And so they went on their iourney begone But Michas seing that they were stronger then he returned into his house †And the six hundred men tooke the priest and the thinges which we spake of before and came into Lais to a people that was quiet and secure and stroke them in the edge of the sword and the citie they deliuered to fyre †no man at al bringing them succour for that they dwelt farre from Sidon and had with no men anie societie and affayres And the citie was situated in the countrie of Rohob which building agayne they dwelt in it †calling the name of the citie Dan according to the name of their father whom Israel had begotten which before was called Lais. †And they sette vp to them selues the grauen idol and Ionathan the sonne of Gerson the sonne of Moyses and his sonnes priestes in the tribe of Dan vntil the day of their captiuitie †And the idol of Michas remayned with them al the time that the house of God was in Silo. In those daies there was not a king in Israel CHAP. XIX A Leuite bringing homeward his reconciled wife 15. at Gabaa in the tribe of Beniamin hardly getteth lodging 25. his wife is there vilanously abused by wicked men and in the morning found dead 29. whereupon her husband cutteth her bodie and sendeth peeces to euerie
middes of the streates In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but yet is his hand stretched forth †And he shal lift vp a signe in the nations a farre and shal whistle to him of the ends of the earth and behold he shal come in hast spedely †There is none that faynteth nor that laboreth in them he wil not slumber nor sleepe neither shal the girdle of his reines be loosed neither shal the latchet of his shoe be broken †His arrowes sharpe and al his bowes bent The hoofes of his horses as the flint his wheeles as the violence of a tempest †His roaring as a lions he shal roare as lions whelpes and he wil gnash and hold the praye and claspe it and there shal be none to plucke it away †And it shal sound vpon him in that day as the sound of the sea we shal looke towards the earth and behold darkenes of tribulation and the light is darkened in the mist therof CHAP. VI. The prophet after a glorious vision 5. lamenteth his former silence 6. his lippes being purified by an Angel with a hote coal 8. he is willingly sent so prophecieth that the peoples hart wil be hardned their cities shal be destroyed but good reliques shal be conserued IN the yeare that king Ozias died I saw our Lord sitting vpon an high throne and eleuated and those thinges that were vnder him filled the temple †Seraphims stoode vpon the same six winges to one and six winges to the other with two they couered his face and with two they couered his feete and with two they flewe †And they cried one to an other and sayd Holie holie holie the Lord God of hostes al the earth is ful of his glorie †And the lintels of the dores were moued at the voice of him that cried and the house was filled with smoke †And I said Woe is me because I haue held my peace because I am a man of polluted lippes and I dwel in the middes of a people that hath polluted lippes and the king the Lord of hostes I haue sene with mine eies †And one of the Seraphims flewe to me and in his hand an hote cole which he had taken with tonges from the altar †And he touched my mouth and said Behold this hath touched thy lippes and thine iniquitie shal be taken away thy sinne shal be cleansed †And I heard the voice of our Lord saying Whom shal I send and who shal goe for vs And I sayd Loe I am here send me †And he sayd Goe and thou shalt say to this people Heare ye that heare and vnderstand not and see vision and knowe it not †Blinde the hart of this people and make their eares heauie and shut their eies lest perhaps they may see with their eies and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hart and be conuerted and I heale them †And I said How long Lord And he said Vntil the cities be made desolate without inhabiter and the houses without man and the land shal be leaâ—t desert †And our Lord shal make men goe farre of and he shal be multiplied that was leaft in the middes of the earth †And yet there shal be tithing in it and she shal be conuerted and shal be to the shew as a terebinth and as an oke that spreadeth his boughes that which shal stand in it shal be an holie seede CHAP. VII Ierusalem being beseeged 3. the prophet telleth the king that the enemies shal not preuaile 8. but the kingdome of Israel shal be destroyed 10. geueth for a signe that a Virgin shal conceiue and bare a Sonne 17. prophecieth also the captiuitie and desolation of the kingdom of Iuda AND it came to passe in the dayes of Achaz the sonne of Ioathan the sonne of Ozias king of Iuda there came vp Rasin the king of Syria and Phacee the sonne of Romelia the king of Israel to Ierusalem to fight against it and they could not ouercome it †And they told the house of Dauid saying Syria hath rested vpon Ephraim his hart was moued and the hart of his people as the trees of the wooddes are moued at the face of the winde †And our Lord sayd to Isaie Goe forth to meete Achaz thou and Iasub thy sonne that is leaft to the conduite of the vpper poole in the way of the Fullers filde †And thou shalt say to him See thou be stil feare not and let not thine hart be afrayd of the two tailes of these smoking fyrebrands in the wrath of the furie of Rasin the king of Syria and of the sonne of Romelia †For that Syria hath taken counsel against thee vnto the euil of Ephraim and the sonne of Romelia saying †Let vs goe vp to Iuda and rayse it vp and plucke it a way to vs and make the sonne of Tabeel king in the middes therof †Thus sayth our Lord God It shal not stand this shal not be †But the head of Syria Damascus the head of Damascus Rasin and yet threescore and fiue yeares and Ephraim shal cease to be a people †And the head of Ephraim Samaria and the head of Samaria the sonne of Romelia If you wil not beleue you shal not be permanent †And our Lord added to speake to Achaz saying †Aske a signe for thee of the Lord thy God vnto the depth of hel or vnto the height aboue †And Achaz said I wil not aske and I wil not tempte our Lord. †And he said Heare ye therfore ô house of Dauid Is it a smal thing for you to be greuous to men that you are greuous to my God also †Therfore shal our Lord himselfe geue you a signe Behold a virgin shal conceiue and beare a sonne his name shal be called Emmanuel †He shal eate butter and honie that he may know to refuse euil and choose the good †For before the childe know to refuse euil and choose good the land which thou doest detest shal be forsaken of the face of her two kinges †Our Lord wil bring vpon thee vpon thy people and vpon the house of thy father daies that came not since the daies of the separation of Ephraim from Iuda with the king of the Assirians †And it shal be in that day our Lord shal hisse to the flie that is in the vtter most part of the riuers of Aegypt and to the bee that is in the land of Assur †And they shal come and shal rest al in the torrentes of valleis and in the caues of rockes and in al shrubbe places and in al holes †In that day our Lord shal shaue with a raser hyred by them that are beyond the riuer by the king of the Assirians the head and the haires of the feete and the whole beard †And it shal be in that
day a man shal nourish a young cowe and two ewes †And for the abundance of milke he shal eate butter for butter and honie shal euerie one eate that shal be leaft in the middes of the land †And it shal be in that day euerie place where there shal be a thousand vines for a thousand peeces of siluer they shal be into thornes and bryers †With arrowes and bow they shal goe in thither for bryers and thornes shal be in al the land †And al mountaines that shal be weeded with a weeding hooke the terrour of thornes and bryers shal not come thither and it shal be for the oxe to feede on and cattle to treade vpon CHAP. VIII Vnder the figure of a new name Christs birth of a virgin is againe prophecied 4. but first the kingdomes of Syria and Israel shal be destroyed and Iuda sore afflicted 8. yet conserued with losse of manie 16. which is a mysterie hidden from the Iowes 21. Great euils hang ouer them that depart from the law AND our Lord sayd to me Take thee a great booke write in it with the pen of man Take away the spoiles spedely quickly take prayes †And I tooke to me faithful witnesses Vrias the priest Zacharias the sonne of Barachias †And I went to the prophetesse and she conceiued and bare a sonne And our Lord sayd to me Cal his name Hasten to take away the spoiles make hast to take prayes †For before the childe know to cal his father and his mother the strength of Damascus shal be taken away and the spoiles of Samaria before the king of the Assirians †And our Lord added yet to speake vnto me saying †For that this people hath cast away the waters of Siloé that runne with silence and rather taken Rasin and the sonne of Romelia †for this cause behold our Lord wil bring vpon them the waters of the riuer strong and manie the king of the Assirians and al his glorie and he wil ascend ouer al their riuers and wil flowe ouer al their bankes †And wil goe through Iuda ouerflowing and passing through shal come euen to the necke And the stretching out of his winges shal fil the bredth of thy land ô Emmanuel †Gather ye together ô peoples and be ouercome and heare al ye landes far of Take courege and be ouercome gird yourselues be ouercome †Take counsel and it shal be defeated speake a word and it shal not be done because God is with vs. †For thus sayth our Lord to me As in a strong arme he hath taught me that I should not walke in the way of this people saying †Say not Conspiracie for al thinges that this people speaketh is conspiracie and feare ye not their feare neither dread ye †The Lord of hostes him sanctifie ye be he your dread and he your terrour †And he shal be a sanctification to you But for a stone of offence and for a rocke of scandal to the two houses of Israel for a snare and a ruine to the inhabitants of Ierusalem †And verie manie of them shal stumble and fal and shal be broken in peeces and shal be snared and taken †Binde the testimonie seale the law in my disciples †And I wil expect our Lord who hath hid his face from the house of Iacob and I wil wayte for him †Behold I and my children whom our Lord hath geuen me for a signe and for a wonder in Israel from the Lord of hostes which dwelleth in mount Sion †And when they shal say to you Aske of Pythones and of diuiners which whisper in their inchantments shal not the people aske vision of their God for the liuing of the dead †To the law rather and to the testimonie And if they speake not according to this word they shal not haue the morning light †And he shal passe by it shal fal and be hungrie and when he shal be hungrie he wil be angrie and curse his king and his God and wil looke vpwards †And he wil looke to the earth and behold tribulation and darknes dissolution and distresse and mist persecuting and he can not flie away from his distresse CHAP. IX Theglath Phalasar carieth some Israelites captiue and Salman asar manie more in figure of a few disciples conuerted to Christ in Gallilee and al Iewrie but manie more in the whole world 7. Whose Impyre shal be great and durable 8. but the Iewes glorie especially of the tenne tribes shal be obscured for their pride hypochrisie and other sinnes AT the first time was the land of Zabulon alleuiated and the land of Nepthali and at the last was aggrauated the way of the sea beyond Iordan of Galilee of the Gentiles †The people that walked in darknes hath sene great light to them that dwelt in the countrie of the shadow of death light is risen †Thou hast multiplied the nation and not magnified the ioy They shal reioyce before thee as they that reioyce in haruest as conquerors reioyce after a pray is taken when they diuide the spoiles †For the yoke of their burden and the rod of their shoulder and the scepter of their exactour thou hast ouercome as in the day of Madian †Because al violent taking of pray with tumult and garment mingled with bloud shal be to be burnt and foode for the fyre †For A LITLE CHILD IS BORNE TO VS and a sonne is geuen to vs and principalitie is made vpon his shoulder and his name shal be called Meruelous Counseler God Strong Father of the world to come the Prince of peace †His empire shal be multiplied and there shal be no end of peace he shal sit vpon the throne of Dauid and vpon his kingdom that he may confirme it and strengthen it in iudgement and iustice from this time for euer the zeale of the Lord of hostes shal doe this †Our Lord hath sent a word into Iacob and it is fallen in Israel †And al the people of Ephraim shal know the inhabitans of Samaria saying in pride greatnes of hart †Brickes are fallen but we wil build with square stones they haue cut downe sycomores but we wil change them into ceders †And our Lord shal lifte vp the enemies of Rasin ouer him and shal turne his enemies into tumult †Syria from the East and the Philisthims from the West and they shal deuoure Israel with ful mouth In al these thinges his furie is not turned away but his hand is yet stretched forth †And the people is not returned to him who hath strooken them and haue not sought after the Lord of hostes †And our Lord shal destroy from Israel the head the tayle the peruerter and restrayner in one day †The aged and honorable he is the head the prophet that teacheth a lie he is the