adopted therefore to keepe the number of Twelue hee must leaue out some Simeon was the fittest seeing hee was without repentance Leui must be reckoned seeing his was a spirituall inheritance and the Lord promised to be his inheritance therefore Dan must be omitted And this may be the reason when the Children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan the Tribe of Dan causeth the first Idolatrie and therfore that Tribe was iustly plagued And in this Tribe Idolatrie continued vntill the remoouing of the Arke from Siloh But yet this wee must vnderstand that though Dan is not named yet in respect his tribe are Iacobs Sonnes the Tribe is comprehended in the generall blessing And Moses concludeth that seeing the eternall God is the refuge Israel the Fountaine of water shall dwell in safetie Isachar Was content to liue vnder tribute like to an Asse couching downe betweene two burthens rather than to seeke glorie by leading bands of men Reuben He looseth his prerogatiue because he went vp to his Fathers bed therefore hee is light as water hee shall not excell Reuben hath one of Dauids Captaines of his Tribe but it is presently added therewith Nine and Twentie better than he Reuben sheweth some compassion to Ioseph and would not haue him killed but cast him into some pit Iudah thought that might be too long ere he would be dispatched and therefore selleth him Simeon and Leui. Their wrath was fierce yet because Leui afterwardes repented and shewed tender affection to Ioseph and was zealous in destroying Idolatrers therefore he had a blessing in Moses will Simeon neuer shewed any tender affection to Ioseph and therefore when his brethren come into Egypt and Ioseph accuseth them for Spies he keepeth Simeon in prison till they come downe againe as a kinde of punishment for his former malice His sinne against the Sichemites was exceeding great and seeing he neuer shewed any signe of repentance hee was iustly cut off from the hope of a blessing By this wee may learne to reiect the authoritie of the booke of Iudith First because she sayd to be of the Tribe of Simeon If wee marke this well wee shall see how this booke cannot be scripture For wee must note that it is no small glorie to haue the spirite of God penne a booke of ones actions If there be but a sentence spoken in the commendation of any in the scripture it is a great weight of glorie Now if wee looke to Iacobs will and see that he hath a curse and not a blessing and in the course of Scripture afterward no mention of any repentance that Simeon and his Tribe shewed nor any zeale of religion expressed how can this stand with Iacobs prophecie nay it cleane crosseth it and maketh it frustrate For seeing Iacob as a Prophet telleth all his Sonnes what should befall them in the last dayes to euerie one and his tribe so long as the Kingdome of the Iewes and their policie stood and in his will maketh no mention of the booke of Iudith We must by admitting this booke accuse the spirite of God of ignorance Besides it is a Storie and yet the time thereof doth not fall out within the compasse of any time neither before the captiuitie neither after and therefore to be despised And for my opinion I make as much account of Ouids Metamorphosis as of Iudith for Plato sayth that in fables there is a truth reuealed secretly Thus we are to thinke likewise of the booke of Tobie Leui he repented when Amram of the tribe of Leui saued Moses Zabulon Was a Marchant and delighted in Shippes In Greeke Canaan is called Phenicia and the men of Canaan Phenices Aristotle a Thousand yeares after Moses makes mention of a Riuer Tartesus he meant the Sea Tharsis and the Phenices brought gold had such plenty that their anchors were thereof No doubt he had heard of Salomons time wherin gold and siluer was no more esteemed than stone This trauelling of Iacobs Sonnes into farre Countreys must needs make the heathen haue a tast of Religion And Moses he willed the heathen to resort to the Mountain where the Temple was built Aser Was a Farmer to prouide pleasures for a King You haue in the old Testament little spoken of him but because his tribe should not thinke themselues excluded the fauour of God you haue in the newe Testament Anna that is Grace a verie rare woman for godlynesse the daughter of Phanuel that is See God of the happie Tribe of Aser for Aser signifieth Happie Gad He shall lead an Host of men This was performed when Reuben Gad and halfe Manasses gaue a great ouerthrowe to the Hagarims about the time that Saul was annointed King Thus wee may see that whatsouer is requisite in policie for the maintenance of a common weale you shall finde expressed in the liues and behauiours of the Sonnes of Israel 2369. Ioseph died Gen. 50. being One hundred and ten yeares old By Faith Ioseph when hee died hee made mention of the departing of the Children of Israel out of Egypt and gaue commaundement of his bones Heb. 11. Now because many excellent things are to bee said of Ioseph before his death when hee was in Egypt and in the Sinay sight no yeares layd downe I will here handle them together God prospered him in Egypt in all his actions And euen as God blessed Laban for Iacobs sake so hee blessed Iosephs Master for Iosephs sake Ioseph was a goodly person and a well fauored which commendation in the same words is bestowed vpon Dauid 1. King 16. the same of Daniel and the same of Christ Ioseph would not bee defiled with the fornication of Egypt Daniel would not bee defiled with the vncleane diet of Babell Ioseph expoundeth Pharaohs dreame Daniel expoundeth Nebuchadnetzars dreame Ioseph was made Ruler ouer Egypt Daniel was made Ruler ouer Babell Ioseph being in prison found fauour with the Master of the prison Daniel found fauour with the Kings Chamberlaine Iosephs name was changed by Pharaoh Daniels name was changed by Nebuchadnetzer Ioseph was falsely accused Christ was falsely accused Ioseph was Thirtie yeares old when hee stood before Pharaoh Iesus is baptised beginning to be Thirtie yeares old Ioseph was in prison betweene two theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned Christ was crucified betweene Two theeues the one of them was saued the other condemned Yet notwithstanding all these blessings of God vpon Ioseph to shew that euen the best haue their infirmities his vertues were darkened verie much in that hee marrieth an Egyptian woman Gen. 41. which was altogether vnlawfull For Esau before doing the like is blamed and Rebecca hauing an especiall care ouer Iacob least he should commit the like wickednesse sendeth him to Laban to choose a wife of his owne kindred Abraham had the like care for Isaack and Moses afterwars forbids it by a law thereby confirming the vnlawfulnesse thereof Seuen hundred yeres after is this sinne punished in Israel
that married one of Iuda The story whereof hath beene mentioned before in the storie of Ismael the Egyptian The Iewes call themselues Hebrewes to keepe the storie of Heber in remembrance Concerning Moses education God so prouideth that hee is brought vp for the sonne of Pharaohs daughter He is instructed in all the learning of the Egyptians which was the Mathematicks and other humane arts The ouerflowing of Nilus compelled them to be skilfull in Astronomie His Arithmeticke and Geometrie is apparant in the Tabernacle and things therein appointed For though God gaue him instructions yet it could not be that hee should performe them without taking great delight in the proportions themselues which could not bee without great skill in the arte In the candlesticke the Iewes reckon fortie two peeces sixe seuens so you haue in this proportion the remembrance of the Creation and of the Sabbath and of those holy men who were speciall Seuens Basile in his Treatise vppon the Creation affirmeth that there was one to wit Moses the seuenth from Abraham vppon whom after a sort the Iewes should depend God giueth likewise to the heathen the knowledge of these things that thereby looking to the Creation they may admire his eternall wisedome and worship him as Creator And Moses himselfe so layeth them downe that a heathen by his skill in these arts may vnderstand the reason of them The summe of all is God saueth the world by Christ and vseth all humane knowledge as a seruant to teach the Redemption by Christ So Saint Paul speaketh in the acts that all his doctrine was nothing but Moses and the Prophets and their 's nothing but Christ In that sence likewise the Greeke tongue perteineth to Christ Moses knew that hee should bee a deliuerer and therefore seeing an Egyptian misvsing an Israelite hee killeth him Afterwards hee seeth two Hebrewes striuing together and hee commeth to them and telleth them they are brethren why then should they bee at variance They vpbraide him with the slaughter of the Egyptian Hee thought they would haue knowne him their deliuerer But hearing that this was knowne hee fleeth into the land of Madian Of this Saint Paul speaketh in the Epistle to Hebrewes cap. 11. By faith Moses refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter and chose rather to suffer affliction with his brethren than to enioy the pleasures of sinne which last but for a season Thus Moses at fortie yeeres old sheweth himselfe a true Christian Hee marrieth Zephora Marie shee despiseth her because shee was of Chush but indeed she was of Abraham by Keturah for Madian one of her sonnes ouerrunneth Chush and so inioyeth the blessing by being of Abraham that Cham should be a seruant of seruants to Sems posteritie Therefore Zephora not inferiour to Marie Maries sinne for despising her was very great yea though it were of ignorance But if shee knew her generation and then through malice contemned her her sinne was so much the greater But whether shee vsed her ill of malice or ignorance wee cannot tell this wee may be sure of her sinne was haynous in the sight of God therefore shee was a leaper Moses ordeined of God to feed Israel was now a shepheard and kept the sheepe of his father in lawe Iethro Duke of Madian where Christ appeared to him in a flame of fire in a bush of thornes who afterwardes in the dayes of his flesh hauing fulfilled Moses and conquered Satan is crowned whith a crowne of thornes euen with the same kinde of plant wherein hee appeared when hee called Moses Cle. Alexandrius Philo a Iewe is verie vsuall in the comparison betweene a shepheard and a King And Homer maketh King Agammenon the shepheard of the people For as sheepe will followe headlong through the gappe which the first brake though it bee euen to their perishing so is the rage of the people strengthned by errour and blindnesse of their nature Thus you see the plainesse and sweetnesse for pleasure of these fortie yeares Moses after this is sent by God to Pharaoh with an Ambassage which hee confirmeth by diuers miracles whereof Pharaohs Enchaunters did some the like This is applyed of Saint Paul against the Antichristian Heretickes as Iannes and Iambres resisted Moses so they resisted the truth but their madnesse shall bee made manifest to all men as theirs was 2. Tim. 3. Pharaoh is plagued with Ten seuerall Plagues The First plague The waters are turned into blood for Seuen dayes that they might bee punished for the death of the children which Pharaoh caused to be drowned in the Riuer that they might knowe that wherein one sinneth therein hee shall be punished The Second plague Frogges are ouer all the Land of Egipt The Antichrists haue spirits like Frogges The Third plague The dust bringeth Lice This the Magitians of Pharaoh could not doe here their madnesse is made knowne They cry that Moses wrought by the finger of God That Christ vseth against the Egyptia call pharisees Mat. 12. If I by the finger of God cast out Diuels c. The Fourth plague Sundrie Swarmes of diuers Vermine plague the Egiptians So Ap. 9. the Antichristian Idolatrers are likened to Scorpions are plagued with stinges of Scorpions The Fifth plague The Egiptians Beasts die of the Plague So Ap. 16. the Romane beast both causeth plague and is plagued The Sixt Plague Byles are vpon the Egyptians men and beasts So Ap. 16. sore and grieuous byles are vppon those that beare the name of the beast and worship his Image The Seuenth Plague Hayle and fire falleth vpon man and beast and on the grasse in the field So Ap. 18. In the rising of the Antichrist is haile and fire mixed with blood and in Ap. 16. great haile falleth vpon man so that men blaspheme God for the stroke of the haile The Eight Plague Locusts are ouer all Egypt So Ap. 9. out of the smoke of Papistrie went forth Locusts ouer all the earth The Ninth plague The Egiptians were Three dayes in darkenesse So Ap. 16. the Kingdome of the Beast is made darke and they bite their tongues for sorrow and blaspheme the God of heauen but doe not repent them of their workes The Tenth plague The Fourteenth day of Nisan in euerie house of the Egiptians some one is slaine So Ap. 19. a greater slaughter and more generall so that all the fowles of the ayre are called to take the Carkasses By Faith they ordayned the Passeouer and the effusion of blood least he that destroyed the first borne should touch them Heb. 11. Christ our Passeouer is offered for vs therefore let vs keepe the Feast 1. Cor. 5. Now follovveth the deliuerance out of Egipt Moses bringeth Israel out of Egipt Exod. 12. FOure hundred and thirty yeres after the promise giuen to Abraham as Exod. 12. when the foure hundred and thirtie yeares were expired euen the selfe-same day departed all the host of the Lord out of the Land of Egipt This foure
euer were in 3680. Seleucus Callinicus the fourth Horne HE slew his Step-mother Berenice and her young Sonne But out of the budde of her rootes as Dan. 11.7 shall one stand vp in his stead meaning that Ptolomeus Euergetes the fift Horne after the death of his Father Ptolomeus Philadelphus should succeede in the Kingdome being of the same stock that Berenice was and he shall come with an armie and shall enter into the fortresse of the King of the North meaning Seleucus Callinicus to reuenge Berenice his sisters death Wherfore Seleucus Callinicus Sons that is Seleucus Ceraunus and Antiochus the Great Dan. 11.10 shall bee stirred vp and shall assemble a mightie great armie Seleucus died whiles the warres were preparing but Antiochus the great prepared a wonderfull great armie hee had Sixe thousand horsemen and Threescore thousand footmen and grew to be verie great But the king of the North that is Ptolomeus Philopater the eight horne when he saw Antiochus the great take away so many of his Dominions in Syria and that hee was also readie to inuade Egypt he prepareth a great armie and withstandeth Antiochus the king of the North. But it did not preuaile for not onely Antiochus came against him but also Philip king of Macedon and they brought a great power with them as Dan. 11.14 And at that same time there shall many stand vp against the King of the South Also the rebellious children of thy people shall exalt themselues to establish the vision but they shall fall She here meaneth by the rebellious children certain Iewes which vnder the conduct of Onyas retyred with him into Egypt vppon the false alleadging of a place out of Esay 19.19 In that day shall the Altar of the Lord bee in the middest of the Land of Egypt and a pillar by the border thereof vnto the Lord c. And Dan. 11. So the King of the North shall come and cast vp a mount and take the stronge Citie and the armes of the South that is The power of the Egyptians shall not resist neither his chosen people neither shall there bee any strength to withstand But hee that is Antiochus the great shall come and doe vnto him that is Ptolomeus Epiphanes what hee list and none shall stand against him and hee shall stand in the pleasant Land which by his hand shall be consumed meaning that hee shall not onely afflict the Egyptians but the Iewes also the people of the pleasant Land Againe hee shall set his face to enter with the power of his whole Kingdome and his confederates with him and thus shall hee doe And hee that is Ptolomeus Epiphanes shall giue him a Daughter of women that is one Cleopatra the Daughter of Antiochus to destroy her but shee shall not stand on his side neither bee for him For hee shall turne his face toward the forts of his owne Land that is for feare of the Romans hee shall flye to his holds Then shall stand in his place in the glorie of the Kingdome one that shall rayse taxes that is Seleucus Philopater shall succeed his Father Antiochus but after fewe dayes he shall be destroyed neither in wrath nor in battell that is not by forraine enemies or battell but by treason and in his pâ—ace shall stand vp a vilde person that is Antiochus Epiphanes the little Horne of the fourth beast to whome shall not bee giuen the honour of the kingdome but hee shall come in peaceably that is pretending peace and obtaine the kingdome by flatteries according to the S. of Daniel And out of them that is out of the Hornes of the Goat Bucke there came forth a litte Horne which waxed verie great toward the south and toward the east and toward the pleasant Land meaning Antiochus who was of a seruile and flattering nature and by subtiltie depriueth three other that were betweene him and the Kingdome and is called the little Horne because hee should continue but a little while and in him was found neither princely conditions nor any other thing worthy to obtaine a kingdome Hee beganne his raigne in the One hundred thirtie and seuenth yeare of the Grecians 1. Mach. 1. and raigneth Twelue yeares He maketh Battels against Ptolomeus Philometor A prophane Schoole was erected in Ierusalem and in the One hundred fortie and three yeare of the Grecians he spoyleth the Temple of Ierusalem and burned all the bookes of Moses and put to death all persons with whom they were found and after two yeares hee sendeth Appolonius and placeth a garrison in Ierusalem on the Fifteenth of Cislen in the One hundred fortie and fiue yeare of the Grecians they builded an Altar vpon the holy Altar an abhomination of desolation and placeth an Idoll of Iouis Olympij in the holy Temple as Dan. 11.38 And in the 2. Thess 2. Saint Paul compareth the Antichrist with this Idoll Also Ap. 20. Saint Iohn compareth Gog and Magog with this historie speaking of the Antichrist as Saint Paul doth Antiochus by letters Patents graunteth the Iewes their owne religion after One thousand two hundred and ninetie dayes since the Temple was prophaned in their One hundred fortie and eight yeare the Fifteenth of their Month Xanticus which differeth from the Iewes account to whome the Fiue and twentie of Cislen or Nouember commeth before this time about One hundred eightie and fiue dayes and after two and fiftie dayes in the yeare One hundred fortie and nine Antiochus dyeth of a notorious strange sicknesse and acknowledgeth the hand of God to bee vpon him after the Temple was prophaned One thousand three hundred fortie and fiue dayes Dan. 12.7 It shall tarrie for a time two times and halfe a time and when hee shall haue accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people all these things that is all the troubles of the Iewes shall be finished Here it falleth out that was spoken Dan. 8.25 He shall resist the Prince of Princes and shall be broken without hands Here Iudas Machabeus recouereth the gouernment of Iudea from Antiochus Thus the legges of yron and clay nothing cleauing together by marriages are made weake not any more treading downe the Iewes but rather are beaten to dust by Christ the Stone The Fourth beast is cast into the fire by Christ his fierie iudgement the little Horne is broken the Saints that is the Iewes possesse their Kingdome Gog and Magog are ouerthrowne The rest of the Kings of Syria because they are not expressed in the Sinay sight and in Daniel nothing spoken of them I passe them ouer Wherefore Christ in the dayes of his flesh Ioh. 10.22 celebrateth the feast of this deliuerance After this time God shaked the kingdome of Syria by Ligranes King of Armenia vntill it came to the hands of the Romanes On the Fiue and twentie of Cisleu or Nouember in the One hundred fortie and eighth yeare of the Grecians the Altar was restored 1. Mac. 4.25 And Iudas
thus expresly So long O Serpent as the womans children keepe the law they kill thee and when they cease to doe so thou stingest them in the heele and hast power to hurt them much But whereas for their harme there is a sure remedie to heale it for thine there is none for in the last dayes they shall crush thee all to peeces with their heeles by means of Christ their King The particulars wherof Adam neglected not to examine And the woman likewise vnderstanding from thence duly marking embracing the same that God had a purpose to saue her gathereth from these words matter inough to saue her and all the world after her which receiue like comfort of the same promise For she rightly vnderstood that this seede must needs be Christ who must come and take Adams nature vppon him who should bee subiect to death that hee might ouercome him that had power of death For shee knew and so did Adam that if euer man being but onely man might work his owne redemption himselfe was likelyest to haue done it because hee was the chiefest of all the men that euer should be in the world but Adam being the goodlyest man and not able to doe it himselfe he knew it must needs be God who must appeare in the similitude of Adams nature and suffer death that hee might rise againe to sit at the right hand of his Father to make intercession for all the sonnes of Adam They both the man and the woman embracing this obtayned the fauour of God and Adam called his wife Euah that is Life to shew that whosoeuer beleeued as she beleeued should bee partakers of eternall life as it is written Rom. 10. Who so confesseth with his mouth and beleeueth with his heart that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of the liuing God he shall be saued But Adam and Euah were driuen out of Paradise Cherubins were set to keep the way of the tree of life they were clothed with skins as it shuld appeare with skins of beasts to shew their beastlines which God for them had slaine to offer for sacrifice to teach thē the vse thereof for no doubt God would not destroy beasts to haue them spoyled seeing that Adam was not to eat any And we see that Kaine and Abel offered sacrifices as being taught from Adam whose sacrifices were of two sorts Abel offred as appeareth in sinceritie of Religion the other for outward ceremonie voide of true Religion wherefore to Abel and his offring God had respect but to Kaine and his offring he had no regard Wherefore Kaine being possessed with the poyson of the Serpent enuied Abel because his workes were good and his owne euill and killed him and being asked of God why he had slaine his brother in stead of asking pardon of God he sayd that his fault was greater than that Gods mercie could forgiue it Against whom Saint Augustine cryeth vehemently that by how much lesse the mercie of God could be inferiour to the fault of Kaine seeing that to forgiue is a thing proper to God and to reuenge and punish is farre estranged from his nature by so much more great was the offence of Kaine in the words he sayd than in the murther he did seeing that by the stroke of the sword hee tooke away but the life of his brother but by the blasphemie of his tongue hee gaue death to his owne soule To kill his brother was euill done but to despaire in Gods mercie was euen a transgression of the Deuill For more doe we offend God to esteeme him without mercie than in any other sinne we commit against man For which God curseth him giuing him a marke of a guiltie conscience alwayes accusing him of sinne against God and inhumanitie against nature Whereupon he goeth vp and downe wandring as one finding no rest or peace like an excommunicate person from the place of true religion into the land of Nod which signifieth Fugitiue This Kaine was the eldest sonne of Adam whom he named Possession for so doth Kaine signifie as if he had gained a goodly possession But seeing what might be the comfort of such possession hee calleth his other sonne Abell that is Vanitie to shewe that if a man haue neuer so large kingdomes or possessions or bee neuer so noblie borne as Kaine was except the sonne of God it is all but vanitie and a vexation of mind It is not now to be vnderstood that Adam had now no more children but Kaine and Abell for doubtlesse Adam had many more as may appeare by Kaines story For it is sayd that Kaine departed into the land of Nod and knew his wife who must needes be Adams daughter and married before the murther for we are not to thinke that Adam would afterward haue bestowed his daughter vpon a reprobate The Holy Ghost nameth onely three of Adams sonnes Kaine Abel and Seth to make a proportionable number answerable to the number of the letters of the words of the holy tongue or the tongue of Adam for vpon three letters doth euery word in the tongue consist Kaine to represent the afflictors of such as in this life esteemed the world and the pleasures thereof Vanitie which is Abell and Seth whose name signifieth setled or foundation to shew the assurance of his faith in the promises of God to the confirming of our faith which was that from him must come that seede of the woman that should bruse the head of the Serpent This sentence they and we and all the world were and are bound to take notice of For this we ought to know and beleeue so assuredly that we might shew our selues setled vpon a sure foundation not vpon sands where sea and wind may ouerthrow vs but vpon the Rocke Christ Iesus That our building may remaine as the mount Sion and as the heauenly Ierusalem which is builded foure square of three foures of precious stones that howsoeuer we be tossed with afflictions of this life we may stand firme acknowledging Iehouah to be the one true and euerlasting God Father Sonne and Holy Spirit and that his mercy is like to eternall mountains that cannot be remoued wherewith hee loued vs vnto saluation before the foundation of the world Thus duly considering his power and wisedome in the particular actions of the creation Adams fall the promise of eternall life Adams faith and his sacrifices the shadowes of our Redemption The seuenth day and the vse thereof we shall spend our dayes in beholding our end and neuer doe amisse sorrowing with a godly sorrowe as Enosh whose name signifieth Sorow did for as in our dayes so in his men fell from the true Religion of Adam Seth and other godly men which were then aliue turning the grace of God into wantonnesse marrying wiues of Kaines poysoned seede respecting beauty and other outward guifts rather than vertue not remēbring their Grandmother Euah that for beholding the beauty of one forbidden fruit commending it to Adam
c. The title ouer Christ on the crosse was written in 3. tongues Hebrew Greeke Latine Although it may not bee vrged that all these Threes haue full relation to the Trinitie seeing they fall not out by chaunce wee are not to despise the pleasant harmonie and comfortable vse of them but to thinke that the wisedome of God hath contriued saluation into such a sweet Art that verie children may learne the same and therefore the Scripture is called verie fitly a shallow water and a deepe fountaine shallow that the Lambe may wade and deepe that the Elephant may swimme Foure Is a square number and vsuall Heber the Fourth after the floud Iuda the Fourth Sonne of Iacob Square signifieth true Religion The Lord came in the 4000. yeare of the world Moses Fourth Son in the 4. age was sacrificer to the tribe of Dan. Times 7 Iubiles the time of Christs death The forme of the heauenly Ierusalem Fiue The Letters of Iehouah The 5 Vowels the sinewes of all tongues Christ feedeth 5000. with 5 Loaues Six The day of Adams creation which number is oftentimes vsed in the scripture to put vs in mind of the Creation Hundreth Thousand fighting men came out of Egipt Hundreth yeares old was Noah at the floud Times 7 standings had the children of Israell in the Wildernesse Yeeres was the Land of Canaan in conquering Cities of refuge for one that killed a man by chaunce and not of malice had the Iewes to flie vnto Times did the children of Israell fall before Dauids time in the time of the Iudges Seuen The number of the Sabbath which number of 7. as it is famous for the creation so God continueth the same proportion throughout the Bible to the redemption For as God the Father made the world in six daies and rested the seuenth so God the Son hauing performed his Fathers will resteth the seuenth day in the graue Is a yeare of Grace Planets in the Firmament which Plato compareth to the number of Seuen Starres in Ap. 1. Yeares was the Land of Canaan plagued for that Ioseph the beloued of the Lord should haue been slaine by his brother Stones in the Temple Gods Seuen-fould wisedome or prouidence in all his actions Seuen eyes to looke vpon the building of euery stone in the Temple of Ierusalem Yeares the Land of Canaan was setled in rest Yeares the Temple was in building Yeares Nebucadnetzer was a beast for destroying it Gates in the Temple before you come to the Holy of holiest Braunches did the Candlesticke in the Temple stand vrpon which had 42. knobbes signifying the six dayes worke and the Seuenth day of rest in the creation Moneths was the Tabernacle in building Iubiles was the Arke in the house of Ioseph Trumpeters is a great number that doe alwaies sound Gods praise Henoch the seuenth from Adam Heber the seuenth from Henoch Isaack the seuenth from Heber Moses the seuenth from Abraham Iosua the seuenth from Ephraim Elias taken vp in the seuenth age from Samuel Ioram the seuenth from Dauid Salomons Temple was consecrated in the seuenth moneth answerable to the birth of the Fathers The ceremonie of the Feast of Tabernacles continued seuen dayes After the comming from Egipt it was seuen times seuen daies before the law was giuen Seuen times seuen daies after Christs resurrection descended the holy Ghost The stories of the Scripture goe by seuens From Moses till Christs death thus Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was in conquering Seuen fifties for the glorie of Iosephs house Seuen seuenties for the house of Iuda Seuen tennes for the captiuity From the captiuitie to the death of Christ seuen seuenties Moses ceremonies for the most part were in the seuenth moneth The Manna that was gathered on the sixt day serued for the seuenth The seuenth yeare the Iewes might not plowe sowe nor reape In the end of seuen seuens was the yeare of Iubilee In the seuenth seuen from Cyrus the walles of Ierusalem were built Seuen times seuen Thousand of the Iewes came from captiuitie Ioakim endeth the seuenth seuentie with affliction Seuen yeeres plenty Seuen yeeres dearth in the land of Egipt figured by seuen eares of corne and seuen kine Noah liued seuen Iubilees after the flood Seuen Thousand in the booke of Kings mentioned that neuer bowed their knees to Baal Kaines house cut off in the seuenth age How often shall I forgiue my brother till seuen times I say vntill seuen times seuenty times alluding vnto Daniels Seuens The number of the persons saued in the Arke The day of circumcision Ten is a full number and the highest of last of simple numbers All Nations after the number of Ten beginne againe for plaine teaching and plainenesse in reckoning Ten is the yeare of iudgement or accompt You haue Ten woordes for the creation of the world and Ten words for the gouernment of the whole world The Tenth is a holy number as in Tythes which is giuen to vs to acknowledge our duties In the Tenth moneth the waters of the floude abated Sem liued to see the Tenth age a great blessing Ten plagues were the Egiptians plagued with for afflicting Sems house Ten spyes in the Wildernes misbelieued Ten tribes fell away at Roboams time Daniels beast hath Ten hornes which doe represent Ten cruell Kings The beast in the Reuelation hath Ten hornes The Pope had Ten stately kingdomes to assist him Noah is the Tenth from Adam Abraham the Tenth from Noah Twelue signes in the Zodiacke Twelue monthes in the yeare Twelue Fathers from the floude to Iacob Twelue Sonnes of Iacob Twelue Fountaines in the Wildernesse Twelue stones in Iordan Twelue stones in Aarons breast Salomon had Twelue Stewards and Dauid Twelue valiant Captaines Salomon at Twelue yeares of age discided the controuersie betweene the women for the dead Childe Christ at Twelue yeares of age is founde disputing among the Doctors He likewise ordayneth Twelue Apostles and Twelue times did he appeare after his resurection and in the reuelation of euery Tribe is sealed Twelue thousand The heauēly Ierusalem is described to haue Twelue foundations of Twelue precious stones Twelue gates and Twelue Angels and the names written of the Twelue Apostles and through the Citie there runneth a pure riuer and on either side of the riuer the Tree of Life which beareth Twelue manner of fruites and beareth fruite euery moneth in the yeare and the leaues of the Tree doe serue to heale the Nations with NOw the reason why God in the beginning layd downe in close signification and such easy proportions the whole scope of his gouernment to the worlds end is to shew that his wisedome is infinite and that nothing in the Scriptures doe fall out by chaunce but by his fore-purpose according to the secret counsell of his own will to make vs still looke backe vnto the Creation 130. Seth borne ge 5. when Adam is 130. yeares old ADam was made in the Image of God but Seth is begotten in the
the Gentiles is vnderstood vnder these words And God will perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Sem. The Prophet Noah spake not at randome when he sayd Blessed be the God of Sem. But what is there spoken short in due time is drawne out longer and the not regarding the blessing of Sem doth make many things in the new Testament to be neglected And first for Cham. HIs name signifieth Hote or Cholericke and those Countreys did his Sons after the confusion of tongues possesse namely in Africa in the South Countrey C ham the Prince of Affricke the spreader of wickednesse inhabited the fourth part of the world with his families His house neuer got any victorie but for some especiall punishment to bee shewed vpon Sems house C ham had a curse in this world and doubtlesse in the world to come He had foure Sonnes the first Cush of whome came the Ethiopians or in our tongue Burnt faces the second Mitzraijm of whome the Egyptians come for Mitzraijm doth signifie Egypt The third Put of whome the Lybians and Blackamores come and the fourth Canaan of whome the Cananites come in whome the curse of Cham was pronounced notwithstanding it falleth out also in all his other Sonnes And as Canaan was a slaue of slaues so are they that are of the like infidelitie so that oftentimes for the horrible impietie of one man the whole Nation fareth the worse This Canaan had eleuen Sonnes and himselfe made the twelfe and his Countrey was called Canaan which once was Paradise And as Paradise to Adam resembled the state of heauen so did the land of Canaan to the Israelites and the Iewes for it was a land abounding with all good things In Paradise was the tree of life In Canaan Christ was borne the true Tree of life Adam neglecting the true seruice of God in Paradise was driuen from thence The Iewes neglecting their Sabbaths and finally the knowledge of Christ were likewise driuen out of Canaan But as notwithstanding Adams fall saluation in Paradise was promised to all the world so notwithstanding the sin of the Iewes Christ in Canaan wrought the full saluation of all the world These eleuen Sonnes of Canaan were setled in one soyle that is in Canaan which is about One Hundred and Sixtie miles from North to South and Sixtie miles from Eeast to West Their names are Zidon who built Tyrus the glorie of the world for traffique of Marchandize Heth Gebusi who after Sems death as it should appeare possessed Ierusalem Amori Girgashi of whome there were some left till Christs time as Mat. 8.28 Hiuits of whome Abraham bought his burying place of whose kindred also Esau tooke him wiues Arkite Siuite Aruadite Zemathite Hemathite It is supposed they had so many tongues as there were Nations but it was no otherwise than our Cornish and Northerne men differ in their tongues These were Lordes of the whole soyle to plant build and replenish it against time to come that the twelue Tribes of Israel might haue Vineyards that they neuer planted and houses that they neuer builded Wherevpon Moses sayth Deut. 32. When the most high God diuided to the Nations their inheritance hee appointed the borders of a people according to the number of the Sonnes of Israel And when God promiseth to Abram Genes 14. that hee will giue his seede a Land that shall flowe with Milke and Honie hee bordereth it from Egypt to the great Riuer the Riuer Euphrates within which borders are contained the seuerall Lordships of Canaan and his Sonnes namely the Kenites the Kenâ—sites the Cadmonites the Hethites the Pheresites the Gyaunts the Amorites the Cananites the Girgashites and the Gebusites Because C ham scorned his Father who was the restorer of all the world therefore his Countrey was to bee giuen to Sems House the Iewes and they were driuen out of their Land by the Sword of Ioshua except some fewe who were left in the Land to bee spurres in the sides and thornes in the eyes of the Israelites who were to possesse it that when through the aboundance of wealth they grewe to forget God they might bee chastened with his rodde of correction Thus Kaines curse is extended euen to Canaan his youngest Sonne and hee is made a Seruant of Seruants to Sem that the blessing to Sem might appeare and the open cursed should serue the open blessed although it bee Nine Hundred yeares after Noahs prophecie to shewe that although God suffer the wicked a while and doth deferre his punishments vntill the sinne of the Ammorites come to a full ripenesse that yet hee is a righteous Iudge and sitteth vpon a fierie throne from whose presence doth issue Riuers of fire to consume all such as will not learne to knowe the seede of the woman to bee able to breake the head of the Serpent nor desire to dwell in the Tents of Sem acknowledging the God of Abraham the God of Isaach and the God of Iacob to bee the true God that keepeth couenant with all whose garments were washed in wine and his mantle in the bloud of grapes Nor marke that Shiloh is that Emanuel God with vs who is that Stone that can grinde the mightiest Gyaunt in the Land of Canaan to powder who haue eyes and will not see how God with fire from heauen consumed their Cities turning Lots wife into a pillar of salt ouerthrewe their kinsmen Pharaoh in the Redde Sea and made the walles of Iericho to fall downe without violent handes Chams house was not plagued for building Babel onely but for falling from the Religion of Sem and his posteritie had a deadly minde against true Religion And as Cham and the rest are in Gehenna in darkenesse so in the Scripture they are left in darknesse For there is no time of any of them mentioned when they died but are left in darkenesse The wicked men of Canaan would neuer yeeld to the truth but praised Gods of gold brasse and stone Now followeth for Iaphet HIs name signifieth Perswaded He had seuen Sonnes Gomer Magog Madai of whome came the Meedes Iauan of whome the Grecians and the Romanes come and Tubal and Mesech of whom the Muscouites come And Tiras of whome the Thrasians come Of these were the Isles of the Gentiles diuided in their Lands Iaphet hee was partaker with Sem in the action of couering their Father but Sem had the prerogatiue of the promise concerning Christ notwithstanding Iaphet was the elder And if you marke through all the Bible you shall not find the first borne of any of Christs Auncestors to haue the promise pronounced to them in open termes because Christ the first begotten of his Father would not come according to the lust of the flesh or course of nature but by grace Sem in regard of that had the glorie of God preached in his Tents vntill the acceptable Child did come in whome all Nations should bee blessed And when the glorie of Sems house which were the
of the tower of Confusion 70 of Sems posteritie 600. yeeres after were forced to goe into the land of Cham and there compelled to be bricke-makers vnder Pharaoh King of Egypt because they despised the blessing of Sem and remembred not the story of the 70. Families that built the tower of Babell To shew that when in prosperitie men forget God turning his graces into wantonnesse and his blessings to foolish pleasures that hee will take his blessings of bread and wine and oyle from vs driue vs into forraine Nations amongst Egyptian dogges to seeke reliefe whose succour shal be yokes of heauy bondage to punish vs in the same pleasure wherein we offended All the Seuentie Families doe afflict Sem for this before he hath his full renowne and in scattering of Iocktanes Sons they are placed furthest off Ierusalem of any Peleg diuided Christ is Palmoni the secret Numberer that weigheth numbreth and diuideth Vnto the building of the Tower of Babel we haue Sem Name Arphachsad Heaâ—ing Sale Spoyling Heber Pilgrime Peleg Diuâ—ded Put these together and you haue a short sentence A good name like precious Oyle shall heale the spoyling of poore strangers for God will dâ—uâ—de to euerie one accordâ—ng to his workes 1787. Regu borne Euill 1819. Sarug borne Bough or Plant. 1849. Nachor borne Drie 1878. Terah borne Smelling AN euill Plant that hath lost his sappe and is become drie being not watered with the dew of heauenly grace can giue no good smell which appeareth in that Terah quite forgetting that euer God created and consumed the world and brought the deuises of the Sonnes of Noah his great Grandfather to open shame of eternall memorie scattering them vp and downe like Vagabonds ouer all the earth figuring the calamities of their later ages the punishment wherof chiefely to be perfourmed in his owne kindred became an Idolatrer as Ioshua 24. Your Fathers in old time worshipped strange Gods euen Terah the Father of Abraham c. But marke the euent For euen as the Sonnes of Sem for ioyning with the rest were scattered with the rest so the posteritie of Terah by Abram euen the best of them namely the Iewes were once scattered Vagabonds ouer all the earth for not embracing the couenant of Abraham Isaack and Iacob but in mercie gathered together againe to the Mountaine of grace to Iacobs Well that giueth euerliuing water to so many as would acknowledge Christ the Rocke to the Land that flowed with Milke and Honie to Bethel the house of Iehouah where they might see a Ladder reaching from heauen to earth with Angels ascending and descending to that fresh springing hill of Sion which is watered with the dew of Hermon from whence it runneth like the precious oyntment that ran downe from Aarons beard to wash away their former vncleanesse and to purge their filthy leaprousie that they might be a sweet smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord holy and acceptable before his Throne hauing an high sacrificer to enter into the Holy of Holyest to make intercession for them that they might be free from confusion and deliuered out of the bondage of the outward and spirituall Babel But euen as the dog that returneth to his vomite and the hogge to his wallowing in the mire so these Iewes of vncircumcised hands and hearts forgetting all those and many more benefits of God bestowed vpon them crucifying Christ the King of glorie the God of Sem and not remembring their former punishments are once againe so scattered ouer the face of the earth that while the world endureth they shall be Vagabonds and neuer gathered together againe To teach vs that if God spared not them nor suffered them to continue in their transgressions being his peculiar people that wee are to looke for no other recompence than they had if we despise the knowledge of Christ as they did Terah hath three Sons Haran Nachor Abraham as Adam and Noah had 1996. Peleg died being 229. yeeres old He had not halfe the yeares of his Father Heber the most aged man after the flood liued not to halfe Methushelahs yeres to shew the curse that came by the flood So euery man in the world hath part of Gods curse by the flood 1997. Nachor died being 148 yeares old  2006. Noah died being 950 yeares old He liued after the flood 350 yeares that is Seuen Fifties or Seuen Iubilees of yeres as many as were from conquering the Land of Canaan to the gouernment of Samuel Noahs whole life was a singing of saluation to the holy Lambe seeing all the world drowned and he onely saued When Noah dyeth Abram was borne So God stirres vp one good man after another oftentimes 2008. Abram Borne His name signifieth His Father being the Tenth from Noah another establisher of Religion as Noah the restorer or comforter was the Tenth from Adam And as in Noahs dayes hee being the Tenth from Adam Gods Iustice ouer all flesh was extended so in Abram he being the Tenth from Noah Gods mercie to all the world is pronounced When Terah is 130 yeares old he begat So old was Adam when he begat Seth a foundation of Religion Iacob a bringer of Religion into Egypt is 130 yeares old when he standeth before Pharaoh Iehoiada the high sacrificer saueth Ioas the Kings Sonne from the malice of Athalia which had destroyed all the rest of the Kings seede and dieth being 130 yeares old While he liued Ioas kept Religion and worshipped the God of his Father After his death he fell away and suffered incense to be offered in the groues to whome Zacharias the Sonne of Barachias sayd Is this the reward of all my Fathers paines that assoone as my Father is dead you forsake the true God and worship the Gods of the Nations For which cause Ioas caused him to be slaine between the Altar and the Temple So that as death is contrarie to life and as at the birth of Seth and Abraham the graces of God were manifested to the world so at Iehoiadahs death the Tribe of Iuda lost all Religion It is a question howe Terah being an Idolatrer could name Abram Hie Father for so doth the word signifie He might guesse like a worldly man that his Sonne Abram should be likely to be rich and mightie and so should haue many vnder him Howsoeuer it was this is certaine that God directed the tongue of this Idolatrer to set forth and preach his glorie though his life had no shew of vertue Here is another question to be discussed of the age of Terah when he begat Abram Of Terah his age when he begat Abram SOme will haue Abram to be borne at Terahs Seuentieth yeare because in Gen. 11. it is sayd Terah liued Seuentie yeares and begat Abram Nachor and Haran Whereupon they gather that Abraham was the first borne because hee is put in the first place and that hee was borne in that yeare of Terah to wit the Seuentie But they marke not that Terahs Sonnes are
reckoned not according to their age but according to their dignitie as Gen. 5. The Sonnes of Noah Sem Cham Iaphet are so rehearsed that in the first place there is mention made of Sem who for all that was not the first borne neither could be borne in the Fiue hundreth yeare of Noah sith two yeares after the flood in which yeare hee begat Arphachsad hee was but an Hundreth yeares old Now the first of this opinion whome I follow was Caluine that most famous Doctor of the Church of Geneua who in his Commentaries vpon Gen. 11.27 expresseth it in plaine words Him followed Beroaldus who did much in the illustrating of time and Mangoldus This demonstration is set downe Act. 7. Abraham is sayd to goe out of Haran after his Father Terah died Now Terah liued Two hundred and fiue yeares And Abram went out of Haran in the Seuentie and fiue yeare of his age which yeeres if you subtract from Terahs age there remaines One hundred and thirtie yeares in which Abrams natiuitie falleth The same may be confirmed by Sarahs age Abrams wife who is thought to be the Daughter of Abrams Brother Abram exceeded her no more but Ten yeeres wherevpon it followeth that hee was borne long after him that was both his brother and father in law Abram therefore was called and began his peregrination in the Two thousand Eightie and fourth yeare of the world the verie same day that his posteritie went out of Egypt namely the Fifteenth of Nisan as it is sayd in Exod. 12. The third ioynct of this first time which containeth the diuine couenant of Abraham endeth in the yeare when the law was giuen in which the Israelites by the goodnesse of God were brought forth and deliuered out of Egypt by many and strange miracles This containeth foure Hundred and Thirtie yeres which is confirmed by the testimonie of Saint Paul who expresly sayth Gal. 3.17 That the Law began foure Hundred and Thirtie yeares after the confirming of the couenant or testament And concerning the confirmation of which couenant he speaketh he expresseth in that which went before namely of that same which was made when being called of God he went out of Haran For in vers 8. he cyteth the same promise In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed which Gen. 12. is rehearsed in the narration of his calling Vers 3. Hetherto also it appertaineth which is written Exod. 12. Vers 40. The peregrination of the children of Israel as learnedly and truely translateth that worthy man Beroaldus which they dwelt in Egypt was Foure Hundred and Thirtie yeares Which surely the Seuentie Interpreters so translate that they account the peregrination of the Fathers made in the Land of Canaan in this dwelling Neither doth the place of Gen. 15. Vers 13. concerning the seed of Abram to be aflicted foure Hundred yeares hinder it For Abrahams peregrination is to be deriued from his calling and his seed began to be afflicted when Isaack the Sonne of promise borne fiue and twentie yeares after his calling being a childe peraduenture of fiue yeares old suffered the scoffings of Ismael borne of the hand mayd which surely the Apostle Gal. 4.29 expressely nameth persecution Adde hereunto the rest which Isaack and Iacob suffered amonge strangers Now that time wherein the Israelites abode in Egipt that it is farre wide of foure Hundred yeeres is cleerer than the light at noone day to them which consider that Kaath the Son of Leui went downe into Egipt and liued One Hundred Thirtie and Three yeares and that his Son Amram liued one hundred thirtie and seuen yeres Exod. 6. and that Moses his Sonne was Eightie yeares old when he went out of Egipt All which make but Three hundred and Fiftie yeares and if from these those yeares bee subduced which they liued after their Sonnes were borne the yeares remayning would be few But these things Doctor Berwildus and others haue learnedly set forth Those notable men Bullinger Phlinspachius Scaanger and others agree vnto it It is sayd that Terah being Seuentie yeares old begetteth Abram Haran and Nachor The Iewes say That Abraham was the eldest but thereby they bring notable absurdities for they agree that Sara was Harans Daughter she is but Ten yeres yonger than Abram and then Abram being elder than Haran and yet married his daughter but Ten yeares younger than her husband Haran must needes beget her at Nine yeares of age which is impossible Therefore it is certaine that Nachor and Haran were elder than Abram For if wee looke to Gen. 12. and consider that Abram being Seuentie and fiue yeares old receiued the promise and to Saint Stephens Oration Act 7. by which it appeareth that Terah was dead before Abram had the promise or else the promise might haue had a reference to Terah as well as to Abram we shall by good Arithmeticke cast Terah at the birth of Abram to be One hundred and thirtie yeares old for take Seuentie and fiue yeres out of two hundred and fiue which is the time that Terah liued and there remaineth One hundred and thirtie the age of Terah when he begat Abram To enlarge this further If Abram had beene the eldest Sem would not haue giuen him the blessing for then hee should haue died before Sem and men doe not giue their inheritance to their Sonnes which die in their life but hee would rather haue kept it for Isaack with whom he liued Fiftie yeres This may be made plaine by another of the same sort Rebecca being with child and they both striuing in her womb asketh counsell what should become of her The question is of whom Sem being dead it is manifest either of Heber or of Abraham Thus you may see that without the knowledge of the times wee could not auoid these errors 2018. Sara borne She is thought to bee Iiscah the daughter of Haran and so she is for Abraham calleth Lot brother which could not be but in respect of mariage For Lot was the Sonne of Haran and brother to Iiscah Therefore in that meaning Abram speaketh truely Sara is the same in signification that Iiscah is For Sarah signifieth Queene so doth Iiscah her name was afterwards called Sarai that is My Queene You haue a verie easie reckoning of the times if you beginne at Sarahs Fifteenth yeare of age when she was fit as it were to be a Tabernacle for Abraham These comparisons prooue the prouidence of God to be plaine and his counsels easie From Sarahs Fifteene yeares of age to the building of Moses Tabernacle 480 From thence to the Building of Salomons Temple 480 Third of Cyrus when the proclamation went forth for building the second Temple 480 Gouernement of Poncius Pilate in whose time Christ did build his spirituall Temple 480 The promise is giuen to Abraham That is Christ is promised to Abraham after the flesh Gen. 12. Foure hundred and thirtie yeres before the giuing â—f the law The promise to
he had no affliction in Canaan onelie hee was driuen to goe to Abimelech King of the Philistims and dwelt in Gerar where he was somewhat iniured Abraham praying for Ismael that God would blesse him he saith I will make of him a mightie nation but in Isaack shall thy seede be called It is written that Abraham had two sonnes one by a seruant and one by a free woman But he which was of the seruant was after the flesh and he which was of the free woman was by promise which things are spoken by an allegorie For these mothers are the two Testaments the one which is Hagar of mount Sinay For Hagar or mount Sinay is a mountaine in Arabia which gendreth vnto bondage and it answereth to Ierusalem which now is and shee is in bondage with her children But Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all for we are after the maner of Isaack children of the promise But as then he which was after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the spirit euen so is it now But what saith the scripture put out the seruant and her sonne for the sonne of the seruant shall not bee heire with the sonne of the free woman then wee are not children of the seruant but of the free woman Gal. 4. 2113 Ismael Hagar are expelled Abrahams house Gen. 16. It was sayd vnto Abraham that his seede should be afflicted in a land that is not theirs 400. yeeres and should serue them and they should intreat them euill Now if wee reckon the time of the abode of the children of Israel in Egypt wee shall finde it but 215. yeeres for Iacob goeth into Egypt 185. yeeres after the Promise of the 400. yerees So that they were not in Egypt full 400. yeeres but they were afflicted first and last 400. yeeres For Ismael the Egyptian flowteth Isaack and beginneth the 400. yeere And Pharaoh the Egyptian in the end of 400. yeere afflicteth the Seed of Isaack And as the Seede of Sem were afflicted by Cham 400. yeeres so afterwards about that time were they also afflicted by Iaphet It may be obiected How is Ismael an Egyptian seeing he is of Abraham He is by the mothers side an Egyptian for Hagar was of that countrey And by this exposition it falleth out to bee true Wee haue for to warrant this the like in the storie of the Kings where one being an Egyptian is called of the Kings seed because one of his ancestors married with a wife of Iuda This storie is mentioned in 1. Chro. 2. It is thus said Shesan had no sonnes but daughters and Shesan had a seruant an Egyptian named Iarchthange and Shesan gaue him his daughter to wife In 2. King 25. After that the King of Babell had ouerthrowne Ierusalem he left people in the land of Iuda to til the ground and to exercise manuell trades which were made tributaries and he set Godoliah ruler ouer them Then came Ismael the sonne of Nethaniah to Godoliah to Mizpah And Godoliah sware vnto them that they should not feare to serue the King for by that meanes it should bee well with them and they should dwell with them in the land But in the seuenth moneth Ismael the sonne of Nethaniah the sonne of Elishama of the Kings Seede came and slew Godoliah and he died Heere Ismael which was by his fathers side Iarchthange an Egyptian is called of the Kings seed sixteene ages after because his auncestor Iarchthange married one of Iuda And surely it is likelie by this that the Kings seede was wonderfully decayed when as one by an Egyptian his great Grandfather hauing onely married in Iuda should be called of the blood Royall And without question Shesan was very wicked in despising the glory of the tribe of Iuda which he openly shewed when hee married his daughter to an Egyptian His name in Hebrew answereth to Ismaels manners afterwards for the Hebrewes affirme that Iarchthange is so harsh and lothsome to be pronounced as no word of like tediousnesse in all the Hebrew tongue So likewise Ismaels manerâ— are as detestable as the earth can afford Thus you see how Ismael Abrahams son may rightly be called an Egyptian Sara reasoneth with Abraham concerning the sending away of Hagar and Ismael Shee might haue great cause to bee grieued at the flowting of Ismael For wee may imagine her to haue vsed such like speeches as these haue bin content to haue gone with you from Vr of the Chaldeans from my fathers house mine own kinred Besides the tediousnesse of trauell I haue susteined great vexation and disquietnesse by the feare which I might haue when you went to fight with the foure Kings For my behauiour towards you it hath alwayes bene pleasing My selfe being barren I gaue you my maide that yet by her I might haue children for this euen Hagar despiseth me It had bene better for me to let Eliazar of Damascus haue enioyed the blessing Now God hath sent me a sonne see how hee is flouted Surely if you doe mee right and that which appertaineth to iustice you must driue out this bondwoman and her sonne for this sonne of the bondwoman shall not bee heire with my sonne Isaack This dealing of Sara God approueth and willeth Abraham to heare her voyce though it seeme grieuous to him Heere we see by the mocking of Ismael that the wicked euer persecute the godlie Asa maketh a law that whosoeuer will not seeke the Lord God of Israel shal be slaine The wicked make as seuere lawes But heere is the difference the lawes of the godly are so reasonable that euery one may see presently the equitie of them on the contrarie it is enough in the lawes of the wicked that it is the Kings pleasure or that it satisfies their humors To returne we may gesse that Isaack was fiue yeeres old when Ismael mocked him for otherwise Isaack could not haue perceiued it Ismaels flowting might be after this sort Is this he that shall haue the promise in whom the Nations shall be blessed a goodlie one I warrant you what continuance or strength can there be in him seeing at the time of his birth his father and mother were very old and decayed in strength and yet when he is weaned there must be great feasting and iollie cheere If we consider what an offence it is esteemed if one being a subiect or otherwise inferiour should contumeliously and despightfully taunt and vpbraide the heire apparant to a kingdome we will thinke this an iniurie not sufferable If wee obserue the time when the children of Israel came out of Egypt which was about Easter and that this time of flowting and that time maketh 400. yeeres we shall find that this mocking was likewise about Easter 2126. Sale died Gen. 11. being 514. yeeres olde IOsephus thinketh that Isaack was appointed to be sacrificed at 35. yeeres Codomanus is of opinion that Isaack at this time was offered being now 32.
mother Mary and fleeth into Egypt Mat. 2. And properly putteth meat into the childs mouth 2280. Er and Onan died Gen. 38. ER and Onan hauing committed horrible sinne before God are slaine and no seed left vnto them Then according to the custome Thamar thought to haue had the third sonne Selah to haue raysed vppe seede But Iuda neglecting it shee attyred her selfe like a light woman and lay in the way as Iuda should goe to the sheepe shearing whom Iuda knew and at the time she bare two children Phares and Serah for which fact Iuda would haue burnt her Whereby we may know that before the law giuen by Moses they had the same equitie of iustice for punishing of sinne that they had afterwards In Moses Law a Magistrate might not be condemned vnder three witnesses Thamar condemneth Iuda by three witnesses his Seale Bracelet Staffe From this deede of Iuda we may vnderstand that the prerogatiue That his brethren should praise him could not be meant of himselfe but herein is manifest the gifts of God to be of grace and not of nature For if Iuda had bene rare for godlinesse the prerogatiue of nature might seeme to haue caused Christ to haue come of him 2288. Isaack died Gen. 35. being 180. yeeres old HEe is the longest liuer after Heber and liueth longer then Abraham To shew that he was a child of Promise For if Abraham begetting him when he was old he should haue died quickelie what rare blessing had it beene to Abraham And therefore that the power of God might be seene euen in the weakenesse of man Isaack hath a longer life than Abraham or any after him Heereuppon it may bee concluded the booke of Tobias to bee false because it maketh Tobies life so long and thereby seemeth to crosse Iacobs blessing Besides wee shall finde that in Nehemiahs time they which came out of captiuitie doe out-liue any in the Scriptures that come after and these men were accounted old The longest liuer of them commeth short of Isaacks age Ezrom borne of him nothing is spoken  2298. Iacob goeth into Egypt Gen. 47. Hee is nourished of Ioseph 17. yeeres NOw for this number of 215. how is that performed Genesis 17. where God saith to Abraham Thy seede shal be euill intreated in a land that is not theirs 400. yeeres Seeing they continue in Egypt but 215. yeeres they were afflicted by some of Egypt 400. yeeres For Ismael the Egyptian by Hagar mocketh Isaack in the beginning of the 400. yeeres and that mocking in the Scripture is called persecution and in the end of 400. yeeres they were afflicted vnto the comming out of Egypt so that they were not in Egypt 400. yeeres but they were afflicted first and last 400. yeeres Psal 105. Israel came into Egypt and Iacob was a stranger in the land of Cham to confirme the couenant that he made with Abraham and the oath that he sware vnto Isaack which he appointed to Iacob for a law to Israel for an euerlasting Testament saying Vnto thee will I giue the land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance When as yet there were but a few of them and they strangers in the land what time as they went from one Nation to another and from one kingdome to annother people hee suffered no man to doe them wrong but reprooued euen Kings for their sakes saying touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme Yet he called for a dearth vpon the land and destroyed all the prouision of bread But hee had sent a man before them Gen. 45. Euen Ioseph which was sold to be a bondseruant whose feet were hurt in the stocks and the yron entred into his soule vntill the time that his cause was knowne The word of the Lord tried him This famine ouer all the land of Canaan may appeare to be a punishment on Iacobs familie for selling Ioseph into Egypt IAcob goeth into Egypt and there telleth Pharaoh that he was 130. yeeres old Though Pharaoh in his demaund meant no more than a heathen man would to wit to know his yeeres and the age of his life Yet God so disposeth Iacobs answere that he signifieth vnto him that his comming into Egypt with seuentie soules is answerable in a contrarie degree to the first scattering of the seuentie families at the building of the tower of Babell In the 4◠yeeres there came three discents from Iacob Whereby it appeareth that Iuda and Pharez could not bee much elder when they begot children than Salomon was when hee begot Roboam which was about twelue yeeres of age By meanes of which speedie encrease there were of these seuentie in 215. yeeres sixe hundred thousand fighting men besides women and children godlie and of the household of faith to shew how God could performe his promise to Abraham that hee would make his seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand of the sea shoare Hereupon Abacuck saith that the counsels of God are eternall thereby teaching vs to marke diligently the time wherein God performeth his promises which may be made familiar by examples in this sort It is said Gen. 3. The seede of the woman shall breake the head of the serpent This was not performed till Christ tooke flesh of the Virgin and became man which was 4000. yeeres wanting but 70. after the promise made to Adam Satan to trie this tempteth Christ and is ouerthrowne Abraham goeth forth of his countrey to embrace the promise that God would giue him a land 430. yeeres before his seede should enioy it But the true performance was long after that is to say in Christ as Zacharias speaketh Luke 1. To performe the oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that would giue vs. God speaketh as though it should presently fall out but seeing one thousand yeres in his sight are as one day we must marke how his counsels are eternall It was spoken in King Achaz dayes by Esay 7.14 Beholde a Virgin shall conceaue a sonne He nor his seed sawe the performance thereof so was Isaack a figure of Christ and the Lambe kept it in memorie Daniel in his time prophesieth of 70. seuens or 490. yeeres before Christ the King should be killed to performe euerie vision and prophecie 2315. Iacob died in Egypt c. Gen. 49. HE is brought from Egypt to Canaan to bee buried in Hebron with Abraham and Isaack as a signe that he looked for the resurrection and enioying of the spirituall Canaan This place Caleb afterwards claimeth for an inheritance when he commeth into the lande for it was the first purchase and a signification of our pilgrimage in this life hauing here no abiding place Now let vs compare the iourneys of Abraham Iacob Iacobs sonnes and Christ together Abraham Iacob Iacobs sonnes Christ Was borne in Mesopotamia Hee goeth to Canaan Hee returneth to Egypt Hee dieth in Canaan Was borne in Canaan Hee goeth to Mesopotamia Hee returneth to Canaan Hee goeth into Egypt Hee is brought
hundred hath relation to the time that Ismael and Hagar were expelled Abrahams house for Ismaels flowting of Isaack Here is the performance of Gods promise to Abraham Gen. 15. Thy seede shall be in a strange Land foure hundred yeares but the people whome they shall be in bondage to will I iudge saith God Which was made plaine in the ten plagues of Egipt and in the ouerwhelming of Pharaoh and his Chariots in the red sea as Exod. 14. and Psal 78. Maruailous things did the lord in the sight of our Fathers in the land of Ham euen in the field of Zoan he diuided the Sea and let them go through he made the waters to stand on an heap and led forth his people like sheep and carried them in the wildernesse like a flocke And Psal 114. When Israel came out of Egipt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people Iudah was his Sanctuarie and Israel his Dominion The Sea sawe that and fledde Iordan was driuen back this was performed at the beginning of the Law The Mountaines skipped like Rams and the litle hils like yong sheep c. And Psal 105. Egipt was glad at their departure for they were affraid of them And Psa 106. He rebuked the Red Sea and it was dryed vp he led his people through the deepe as through a wildernesse As for those that troubled them the waters ouer-whelmed them and there was not one of them left Then the children of Israel beleeued his words and sange praise vnto him But within a while they forgat his workes and would not abide his counsell but lust came vpon them in the wildernesse and they tempted God in the desert And Psa 78. They forgat what he had wrought in Egipt and his wonders in the field of Zoan How he led them in the day with a cloud and all the night through with a pillar of fire Hee claue the hard Rockes in the wildernesse and gaue them drinke thereof hee brought waters out of the Stonie Rocke so that it gushed out like the Riuers But they prouoked the most highest in the wildernesse and tempted God in their harts saying Shall God prepare a table in the wildernesse He smote the stonie Rocke indeed and the streames flowed withall but can he giue bread also or prouide flesh for his people wherewith the Lord was wroth so hee rained downe Manna from heauen So man did eate Angels food for hee sent them meat ynough At their desire he brought quailes and hee filled them with the bread of heauen hee rayned flesh vppon them as thicke as dust and feathered fowles as the sands of the sea he let it fall amonge their tents euen round about their habitation so they did eat and were filled for hee gaue them their owne desire they were not disappointed of their lust but while the meat was in their mouths the heauie wrath of God came vppon them and slue the wealthiest of them and smote downe the chosen men that were in Israel But for all this they sinned yet more Againe psal 106. They angred Moses in their Tents and Aaron the Saint of the Lord. So the earth swallowed vp Dathan and couered the congregation of Abiram and the fire was kindled in their companie the flame burnt vp the vngodly They made a Calfe in Horeb and worshipped the moulten Image Thus they turned the glorie of God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay So he sayd he would haue destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stand before him in the gappe to turne away his wrathfull indignation yea they thought scorne of that pleasant Land and gaue no credence to his words but murmured in their Tents they ioyned themselues with Baal Peor and eat the offerings of the dead Thus still they prouoked God vnto anger with their inuentions and the plague was great amonge them But Phinees stoode vp and prayed and the plague ceased and that was counted to him for righteousnesse throughout all posterities for euer They angred him also at the waters of strife so that he punished Moses for their sakes because they prouoked his spirite so that he spake vnaduisedly with his lips Neuerthelesse he thought vpon his couenant and pitied them according to the multitude of his mercies as appeareth 2. Esdr 9 Thou camest downe vpon Sinay and spakest to them from heauen and gauest them right iudgements true Lawes good Commandements and Statutes and declaredst vnto them thy holy Sabbath and commaundedst them Precepts Ordinances and Lawes by the hand of Moses thy seruant and gauest them bread from heauen when they were hungry and broughtest forth water out of the Rocke for them when they were thirstie and promisedst them that they should goe in and take and possesse the Land but they were proude and became obstinate and heady but God forgaue them and was gracious and mercifull patient and of great goodnesse and forsook them not although they made a moulten Calfe and said These are our Gods that brought vs out of the Land of Egipt and did speake blasphemously yet hee forsooke them not in the wildernesse according to his great mercie Fortie yeares long made he prouision for them in the wildernesse so that they lacked nothing their clothes waxed not old and their feete swelled not In this Fortie yeares of their being in the wildernesse many things are to be vnderstood God chose these Forty that all the world might knowe of the Redemption by Christ It standeth of Foure Tens This time is made more famous by the Storie wherein a speciall thing is to be obserued that in all these Forty yeres you haue but three yeares storie and a halfe And thus it is cast One yeare is spent in the Tabernacle halfe a yeare after the Spies are sent to view the Land Vpon their Storie God sweares that they shall not enter into his rest From thence you haue no Storie till the two last yeares of the conquest of Ob and of Maries death This one would not thinke of if the bare Storie did not compell him For comparison with this three yeares and a halfe I will speake more hereafter You haue in the wildernesse the Lambe which represented Christ and Manna which Christ expounds in Ioh. 6. I am the true bread that came from heauen Your Fathers did eat Manna and are dead hee that eateth of this bread shall liue for euer The Rock signified Christ The lifting vp of the Serpent his death Balaam he prophecieth of Christ There shall come a Starre from Iacob and a Scepter shall rise from Israel Kittim and Assur shall afflict Heber but they also shall come to destruction at the last This prophecie begins in the sixt yeare of Ezechias THe time was in the Moneth Abib which Moneth containeth part of March and part of Aprill The Seuentie Interpreters call it Tanda the Moneth of greene blades for about this time of the yeare corne beginneth to shew it selfe aboue the ground Their yeare before
and goe through hard and bitter contentions and afflictions of this life And yet then we are not in rest for the next Station we come to is Sin Thorny There the people murmure against Moses for meat In the euening God fedde them with Quailes and they came to the place of Sepulches leanenesse entred into their soules In the morning they were fed with Manna to know that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euerie word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God Deut. 8. They did all eat of the same spirituall meat 1. Cor. 10. This Manna was to be gathered as euerie man had need of it If any were reserued till morning it brought foorth wormes Exod. 16.20 This Saint Paul applyeth to the vse of wealth 2. Cor. 8. Let it be of equality at this time that your aboundance fulfill their want that their aboundance may reach to your want that there may bee an equalitie as it is written He that gathered much had not ouer-much and hee that gathered little had not ouer-little The summe of these standings is this that the soyle being good and bad sheweth vs the manners of the men which liue on the earth and with whome wee liue at whose hands we must looke for badde dealing more than for good This Christ taught in the Gospell when hee willed that those who would embrace him should take vp his Crosse and follow him After they come to Rephidim where was no water for the people to drinke the people murmure against Moses the place is called Tentation according to that of Dauid Psal 95. Hebr. 3. To day if you will heare my voice harden not your hearts as is the prouocation in the day of Temptation in the wildernesse c. Moses striketh the Rocke and the Rocke was Christ 1. Cor. 10. They dranke all of the same spirituall drinke c. Iesus fighteth with Ameleck Moses erecteth an Altar and calleth it Iehouah my Banner Christ by death ouercame him that had the power of death and wee haue an Altar Iesus Christ the righteous Heb. 11. Then they come to Horeb which had the soyle verie drie But Sina on the toppe a hole where the winde made a fearefull noyse But Sion was a pleasant and fruitfull soyle full of springs to wash away the blood of the beasts that there were slaine The Land of Chush alwaies in seruitude So we if wee looke onely to haue our liues sauour of ciuilitie our soules not lightned with the knowledge by Christ we shall bee continually in seruitude And as these places come short of the glorie of Ierusalem so the Iewes not thinking on Christ haue their cogitations wandring not finding rest in their soules Saint Paul handleth these two Mountaines in this sort Galat. 4. By the which things another thing is meant saith he for these two hils are two Testaments the one Agar of Mount Sinay which gendreth vnto bondage being a Mountaine in Arabia and it answereth to Ierusalem which now is and shee is in bondage with her children but Ierusalem which is aboue is free the mother of vs all The Persians wonder at the statelinesse of Ierusalem being in glorie One Thousand yeares Saint Paul calleth this time to Christ the time of a childe vnder a Tutor The Sonne is Rom. 15. Whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning that wee through patience might haue hope Now saith Saint Paul These things are our examples to the end wee should not lust after euill things as some of them lusted and fell in one day three and twentie Thousand 1. Cor. 10. In this place Sinay where the Lawe was giuen many things are to be considered The Law was giuen that sinne might be knowne to abound It was giuen by Angels Deut. 33. By a Mediator Moses There is one Mediator of God and man the man Christ Iesus the Mediator of the new Testament Heb. 9. It was giuen on the Lords day in the morning the Lord arising and shining from Pharan with Thousands of his Angels with thunder lightnings and earth-quake Moses erecteth an Altar on Twelue pillars and hauing made a sacrifice doth read the Booke of the couenant and taking the blood of Oxen and Buls with water purple wooll and Isope doth sprinkle the Booke saying This is the blood of the Couenant which God hath commanded for you This is handled in the 9. to the Hebrewes If the blood of Oxen and Bulles doth sanctifie to cleanenesse of the flesh how much more shall the blood of Christ cleanse our conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing Lord Moses goeth vp to the Mountaine and fasteth Fortie dayes Exod. 32. Christ in the Wildernesse fasteth Fortie daies Luk. 4. The people turne the glorie of God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay Exod. 32.6 Be not Idolatrers as some of them were as it is written The people sat downe to eat and drinke and rose vp to play 1. Cor. 16. Moses breaketh the two Tables which hee receiued from God written with the finger of God The Leuites kill three thousand of Israel that had committed Idolatrie They regarded not Father mother brethren or sisters This Christ applyeth to all men Mat. 10. Hee that loueth Father or Mother more than me is not worthy of mee Moses goeth vp againe to the Mountaine with two Tables prepared of himselfe continueth Fortie dayes fasting writeth the words of the former tables in these This Paul handleth 2. Cor. 3. Yee are the Epistle of Christ ministred of vs written not with inkes but with the spirite not in Tables of stone but in the Tables of hearts of flesh The second yeare after their comming from Egypt the Tabernacle is erected out of which the Lord speaketh in a more manifest gracious sort than at any time before he had done to shew himselfe in a speciall sort mercifull Christ his humane nature is the Tabernacle The word became flesh and had his Tabernacle amonge vs Ioh. 1. In him all fulnesse dwelled bodily Col. 4 By grace all Christians are a Tabernacle Es 10. Ap. 21. A cloude ouer-shadowed the Tabernacle To the Virgine Marie Gabriel saith Luk. 1. The power of the highest shall ouer-shadow thee So Moses could not enter into the tabernacle of testimonie because the cloude abode therevpon and the glorie of the Lord filled the Tabernacle When Christ is glorified on the Mountaine and a bright cloude ouer-shadowed him Peter said Let vs make here three Tabernacles one for thee one for Moses and one for Elias Mat. 17. The Temple of the Tabernacle of witnesse was open and the temple was full of the smoke of the glorie of God and no man could enter into the Temple Ap. 15. Where the cloude remained they went forward with the Arke Christ hath a white cloude vnder him Ap. 14. Nadab and Abihu are consumed with fire for offering strange fire before the Lord. To be an example how God is a consuming fire against foolish zeale After this the children
Iacobs Sonnes By this wee may be perswaded that our life dependeth on the prouidence of God and that all our wayes are numbred There were in all Three hundred Twentie and Foure Townes wherein the Israelites inhabited and neither Bethlehem nor Nazareth in the tribe of Iuda named and yet they were of speciall vse for the reuealing of the birth of the Messias The reason may be thus rendred God would not in plaine termes manifest it to the end we should be more diligent and careful to know those things which so much concerne our saluation Micheas knew by Dauids birth in Bethleem a figure of Christ and by Beniamins that Christ should there bee borne And so the Doctors of the Lawe answere Herod cyting the testimonie of Micheas the Prophet Esay saith hee sawe a Nazarite a sprigge from the roote of Iessay The Iewes to crosse the certaintie of Christ to bee the Messias say there is no such Towne Yet God tooke such order that the heathen should beare witnesse againg them for it is mentioned in Plinie and other heathen writers The Leuites had allotted to them Fortie and Two Townes and sixe for refuge one of euerie Seuen thereby to signifie that we must obserue the like proportion if wee will haue Religion to flourish The rest of the Tribes had the lot of their inheritance appointed them so that euerie Tribe was distinct by himselfe and so obserued vntill the comming of Christ that the kindred of Christ might not be obscured but that he might be knowne to be the seede of Abraham the Lion of the Tribe of Iuda the blossome of the roote of Iessay Concerning their possessions Reuben was beyond Iordan and Gad Simeon and Leut scattered amonge the Tribes Iuda in the best soyle for he shall binde his Asse to the Vine and his Asses foale to the best Vine Beniamin next Ioseph next him the Sonnes of the hand maides Iesus Christ in the daies of his flesh in his pilgrimage goeth through all the Tribes as Iesus the Conqueror and Eleasar the high sacrificer had diuided them He is conceiued in the tribe of Zabulon at Nazareth He is borne in Bethleem of Iuda In Egypt hee goeth through the tribe of Simeon He teacheth in the Temple in the tribe of Beniamin He turned water into wine at the mariage of Cana in Galile in the Tribe of Aser At Sichem in the Tribe of Ephraim hee prooueth himselfe to bee the Messias At Naum in the Tribe of Nephtali hee rayseth Lazarus from the dead In going through the tenne Cities hee is in the Tribes of Reuben Gad and part of Manasses 2570. Iosua or Iesus dieth being One hundred and Ten yeares old answerable to Ioseph who died being One hundred and ten yeares old HE was the Seuenth from Ephraim in whom the blessing of Moses concerning Ioseph is sweetly performed who sayth His horne shall be like to the first borne Bullocke He therefore hath a Bullocke his scutchion to shew that hee is of Ioseph by Ephraim Some doe muze from whence we gather to giue them armes they may bee resolued if they search the antiquities of Gen. cap. 49. Thus much for Ioshua ⧠Now followeth the Storie of the Iudges THis is first generally to bee obserued That where it is sayd When Othoniel Aod or any of the rest had ouerthrowne Chusan Eglon or Sisera or any of the oppressors that the Land had rest Fortie or Eightie or Twentie yeares that the Land rested not so long for the plaine Storie crosseth it but the meaning is from Iosuas death or from Othoniels death or from Aods death after so many yeares the land had rest hauing been oppressed by such and such for the verie natiue translation is the things repeated in Eglons Storie and Aods are the actions of fourescore yeares if you adde to them Othoniels Fortie yeares In the Prophesie of Abacucke Cap. 3. There ye haue an abridgement of all the Stories of the Iudges and so continuing till Dauids death He beginneth at the 17. verse For Iniquitie I saw the Tents of Chusan and the curtaines of the land of Midian did tremble Was the Lord angrie with the Riuers or was thy wrath against the floods Meaning the ouerthrowe of Sisera whose host was discomfited at the Riuer Kyson and so proceedeth in the Chapter The meaning of the Prophet is to comfort the Iewes which now were afflicted by the neighbours about them and assureth them that they shall be deliuered For afore-time they had great deliuerances from the like oppressors and therefore namerh Chusan not that hee was that Chusan that is mentioned in the Iudges but being one of Chush his house and is a Chusan of double impietie for by this time Abrahams Sonnes by Keturah were mixed with Cham and those afflicters which bordered on the Iewes are here meant as Ismael and Nachors Sonnes and Edom and Cham c. Wee are likewise to vnderstand that these Iudges did not rule as Kings or Magistrates Fortie yeares or Twentie yeares but the Land being for their sinnes plagued from time to time by these oppressors the policie did choose some especiall man out of the Tribes to bee cheefe Captaine during the time of their affliction Amongst whom Iosephs house had the chiefest glorie but Iuda had the first prerogatiue They fell away sixe times in the time of these Iudges before Dauids time and that was the cause that these vngodly Nations had such a stroke ouer them Thus much for them in generall 2571. Othoniel of the tribe of Iuda is the First to shew that they should looke for their deliuerer which should end all the visions and prophesies and perfecteth all righteousnesse to bee of Iuda THe Three hundred thirtie and nine is the exact number of the whole time of the Iudges The Foure hundred and Fiftie sheweth the whole time of Iudges with the oppressors yeares The Lord stirred vp our Sauiour to the Children of Israel and hee saued them euen Othoniel the Sonne of Kenar Calebs younger brother and the spirite of the Lord came vpon him and hee iudged Israel and went out to war and the Lord deliuered Chusan Rishathaim King of Aram into his hand and his hand preuailed against him so the Land had rest Fortie yeares and Othoniel died Iudg. 3.9 2603. Chusan oppresseth Eight yeares HIs Country was Mesopotamia The Children of Israel did wickedly that is they dwelt amonge the vncleane Nations that were left in the Land and tooke their Daughters to bee their wiues and gaue their Daughters to their Sons and serued their Gods contrarie to the commaundement of Moses the man of God Deut. 7.3 When you shall come into the Land c. Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against Israel and he sould them into the hand of Chusan and they serued him Eight yeares Booz of Rahab Borne By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them which obeyed not when shee had receiued the Spies peaceably Heb. 11. Rahab was of
the Rulers which smote the people with a continuall plague and ruled the nations in wrath The whole world doth sing for ioy they that see thee shall looke vpon thee and consider thee saying Is this the man that made the earth to tremble and that did shake the kingdomes he made the world as a wildernesse and destroyed the cities thereof and opened not the house of his prisoners All the Kings of the nations sleepe in glory euery one in his owne house but thou art cast out of thy graue like an abhominable branch and like the rayment of those that are slaine thou shalt not be ioyned with them in the graue because thou hast destroyed thine owne land and slaine thy people for the seede of the wicked shall not be renowned for euer Prepare a slaughter for his children for the iniquitie of their fathers let them not rise vp and possesse the land nor fill the face of the world with enemies for I will rise vp against them saith the Lord of hostes and will cut off from Babel the name and the remnant and the sonne and the nephewe saith the Lord and I will make it a possession to the Hedg-hogge and pooles of water and I will sweepe it with the beesome of destruction saith the Lord of hostes For the Lord hath sworne saying like as I haue purposed so it shall come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand That I wil breake to peeces Ashur in my land and vpon my mountaines will I tread him vnderfoote so that his yoke shall depart from my people and his burden shall be taken from off their shoulder for the Lord will haue compassion on Iacob and will yet choose Israel and cause them to rest in their owne land and the stranger meaning the Gentiles shall ioyne himselfe vnto them and they shall cleaue vnto the house of Iacob and the people shal receiue them and bring them to their owne place and the house of Israel shall possesse them in the land of the Lord for seruants and hand-maides and they shall take them prisoners whose captiues they were and haue rule ouer their oppressors and the light of Israel shal be as a fire and the holy one thereof as a flame meaning that God is a light to comfort his people and a consuming fire to destroy his enemies and it shall burne and deuoure these thornes and briars in one day And at that day shall the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Iacob stay no more vpon him that smote them but shall stay vpon the Lord the holy one of Israel in truth the remnant shall returne euen the remnant of Iacob vnto the mightie God For though thy people O Israel be as the sand of the sea yet shal the remnant of them returne the consumption decreed shall ouerflowe with righteousnesse and there shall be a path to the remnant of his people which are left of Ashur like as it was vnto Israel in the day that he came out of the land of Egipt In that day also shall the great trumpe be blowne and they shall come which perished in the land of Ashur and they that were chased into the land of Egipt and they shal worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Ierusalem as it was promised Leuit. 26. Then will I remember my couenant with Iacob and my couenant with Isaack and my couenant also with Abraham will I remember the couenant of olde when I brought them out of Egipt in the sight of the heathen that I might be their God I am the Lord. And thou shalt say in that day O Lord I wil praise thee though thou wast angry with me thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my saluation I will trust and will not feare for the Lord God is my strength and song he also is become my saluation Therefore with ioy shall yee drawe waters out of the welles of saluation and yee shall say in that day Praise the Lord call vpon his name declare his works among the people make mention of them for his name is exalted Sing vnto the Lord for he hath done excellent things this is knowne in all the world Crie out and showte O inhabitant of Sion for great is the holy one of Israel in the middest of thee In that day also shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah We haue a strong citie Saluation shall God set for walles and bulwarkes Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfect peace because they trusted in thee Trust in the Lord for euer for in the Lord God there is strength for euermore for hee will bring downe them that dwell on hie the high citie will he abase euen to the ground will he cast it downe and bring it to dust The way of the iust is righteousnes thou wilt make equall the righteous path of the iust the wicked O Lord will not behold thy high hand but they shall see it and bâ— confounded But Lord vnto vs thou wilt ordaine peace for thou hast also wrought all our works for vs. O Lord our God other Lordes besides thee haue ruled vs but we will remember thee only and thy name Thus we see that God doth not vtterly forsake his elect though sometimes he leaueth them for the triall of their faith to their owne infirmities but for euer destroyeth the wicked and vngodly We haue the like storie of Gods iustice in the affliction of Abrahams seede in Egypt God tolde Abraham that his seede should bee euill intreated in a land that was not theirs foure hundred yeares but the people to whome they are in bondage too will I iudge saith the Lord Gen. 15. The afflicters both of Cham. The afflicted both of Abraham It is said in the 25. of Ieremies Prophecie that the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim King of Iuda was the first yeare of Nebucadnetzar King of Babel And in the first of Daniel it is said In the third yeare of Iehoiakim King of Iuda came Nebucadnetzar King of Babel vnto Ierusalem and besieged it The question is how these two places are reconciled the one to the other It is certaine that it is in the third yeare accomplished and in the beginning of the fourth for though Nebucadnetzar began to raigne in the third yeare of Iehoiakims raigne yet that yeare in Ieremie is not counted because it was almost expired but in Daniel it is laid down to make plaine the first yeare of the seauenty which they were to bee in captiuity In the second yeare after this captiuity Nebucadnetzar seeth a great Image whose head was of fine gold his brest and armes of siluer his belly and his thighes of brasse his legs of iron and his feete part of iron part of clay he beheld also till a stone was cut without hands which smote the image vpon his feete that were
of Israel come to Kadesbarnes Then there are Spies sent out to view the Land they are Fortie daies in viewing it They bring word and tell strange things of the goodnes and fatnesse of the Land but they discourage the people and feare them for they told them of huge and great Giants the Sonnes of Anak Iosua he answereth them Let vs goe vp and possesse the Land For if God shall be mercifull vnto vs he will giue vs the Land flowing with milke and honie Vpon this God sweares that they shall not enter into his rest They were for this Forty yeres in the Wildernes Forty daies in viewing the Land S. Paul repeateth this in the Acts 13. God suffered their manners in the Wildernesse they wandred to punish the hardnesse of their hearts for not beleeuing They went vp and downe that all the world might woonder at this dealing of God and thereby learne to feare him for euerie sinne fitteth the prouidence of God and serues for his glorie By this all the world might learne diuinitie For it is sayd of them that their sound was heard to the end of the world So that a man of England meeting with one that had beene about those parts might enquire When doe those people leaue their wandring They were brought out of Egypt strangely for the sea parted and suffered them to goe through and was a wall to them but drowned the Egyptians which followed after Did you euer heare that one striking a Rocke water should come forth Yet this is not all for they had meat from heauen Manna which in English signifieth What shall I call it Besides for their apparell it neuer weareth not so much as their shooes their apparell groweth with their bodies A Childe hath the same apparell being a man that hee had being a Child and the neighbours are in such feare of them as they dare not touch them Surely their God is wonderfull and exceedeth the Gods of other Nations Diodorus Siculus hee speaketh of Moses reuerently Strabo mentioneth these Standings but speaketh wickedly So doth Iustine Hereby is their condemnation iust and they made inexcusable 2554. Moses died Deut. 34. being One hundred and Twenty yeres old Shorter in life than his Father or Grandfather So that seeing long life a great blessing and he so excellent a man euen by the testimonie of the scripture it might be asked why his life was no longer Wee shall see that these his yeares are more glorious than if they had been longer For this comparison of One hundred and twentie yeares with the One hundred and twentie yeares of the building of Noahs Arke is of rare excellencie and euen in this comparison his face must so shine in their harts that they could not behold him without a vaile By this they must likewise remember the promise made to Abraham to be performed for the which he was raised vp And they must ascend higher to Melchisedech who blessed Abraham in whom also the heathen receiued a blessing Then they must goe further to the taking vp of Henoch Homer bringeth in the mother of Achilles telling her Sonne that there was decreed for him a double destinie If he would haue a long life it should then bee obscure If short famous This hee fayneth but yet in fables there is a colour of truth We are to consider further the words of Saint Iude vpon the death of Moses Yet Michael the Archangell when hee stroue with the Deuill and disputed about the body of Moses durst not giue rayling speeches but said The Lord rebuke thee It may be demanded where Saint Iude hath these words seeing they are not expressely laid down in Moses This obiection is thus answered Any Scholler may from a true ground frame a disputation and it is free to vse this kinde of amplification or any other The meaning of Saint Iude is that Iehouah the Eternall buried Moses In the Prophet Zacharias you haue the like in a vision Iehosua the high sacrificer standeth before the Angell of the Lord Sathan at his right hand to resist him and the Lord sayd vnto Sathan The Lord reprooue thee Sathan Here the second person Christ Iesus is called Michaell and here is the like kinde of speaking So that if wee will frame a speech we may thinke that at Moses death God might commaund Michael to go fetch vp the bodie of Moses Satan resisting he forbad him and added The Lord rebuke thee The meaning of Saint Iude is thus much Those which rayle on officers haue not marked Christs dealing who like a stately King in one word rebuketh them This exposition the Iewes in their Talmed agree vnto The end is to this purpose that seeing it is not written by Moses and the holy Ghost cyteth not the place from whence it is taken wee must diligently looke to the matter and searching the scripture for the like Stories we shall easily finde out the vse and order which the holy Ghost vseth in amplifications Moses was a figure of Christ MOses was cast into the flagges Marie the Daughter of Pharaoh saued him so as Marie saued Moses the deliuerer so the Virgine Marie saued Iesus Christ the Redeemer Moses was persecuted of Pharaoh Christ was persecuted of Herod a new Pharaoh Moses deliuered the people from the bondage and slauerie of Egypt so Iesus Christ hath deliuered vs from the spirituall bondage and Tyrannie of the spirituall Pharaoh Satan Moses when he died was buried by Christ Euen so Iesus Christ by his owne death buried all the Ceremonies of Moses 2555. Ioshua ruleth Seuenteene yeares His name was altered by Moses to Iesus because hee was to be a figure of Iesus Christ He with Caleb encouraged the people when the other ten Tribes misbeleeued when they were sent to spie the Land These Seuenteene yeares are not set downe expressely in the Scripture but are gathered from the circumstance of the Storie in this sort From the comming out of Egypt to the building of Salomons Temple are Foure hundred and Eightie yeares 1. King 6.8 All the particulars of this account are layd downe saue Ioshua his gouernment and they make foure hundred sixtie and three to which adde Seuenteene yeares the time that Ioshua ruled you haue full Foure hundred and eightie So you haue another Seuenteene for Iacob and Iosephs Seuenteene yeares Thus much for the time Now for his name Iesus HOseas the Sonne of Nun which was to take the gouernment from Moses hath his name altered and is called Iesus in the 72. Psalme You haue his name repeated Ganushemo 1 He shall increase The Hebrews in their Cabala say that this is the name of Christ they meane nothing else but to keepe in memorie euerie name wherby the glorie of the Kingdome of the Messias is expressed When the Iewes come from Babell you haue Iesus again the Sonne of Iehosadach In Ierem. 31. the Lord speaketh Behold the day commeth that I will raise vnto Dauid a righteous braunch and a King