11. Joseph's Brethren were punished by Famine and Distress Josephs Brethren who persecuted their righteous Brother Joseph in that they hated him and sold him for twenty pieces of Silver to the Ishmaelites as is confest and acknowledged by themselves to be justly come upon them for that thing We are very guilty say they one to another concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us and Ruben answered them saying Spake I not unto you saying Do not sin against the Child and ye would not hear therefore behold also his blood is required Gen. 37.4.28 King Pharaoh and the Aegyptians the great Persecutors of the Children of Israel Pharaoh and the Aegyptians who kept them long in Captivity in Aegypt the House of Boundage who by all the Wisdom they had studdied how to Vex and Torment them by Task-Masters to Afflict them by Burthens and make them serve with Rigour and thereby made their Lives most bitter unto them with heard Bondage in Mortar and Brick to be made without Straw and yet exacting upon them the full tail of Bricks as when they had Straw and beating of them if they did not fulfil the number of their wonted daily Task and lastly by commanding all their Male-Children to be slain and killed and would not let them go to do Sacrifice unto the Lord their God but for all this they did not go unpunished but the Lord most justly and most severelly punisned them for all their Cruelty and Wicked Persecution For First their Water was all turned into Blood insomuch that their Fish died and they themselves could not drink of it Secondly They were plagued with Frogs in their Houses and in their Chambers in their Beds in their Ovens and in their kneeding-troughs and upon himself and his People Thirdly Their Dust was turned into Lice and they were upon Man and Beast and in their Houses and they covered the Ground Fourthly They were plagued with swarms of Flies in like manner Fifthly With the Murrain among their Beasts Sixthly With Blaines and Boyles upon man and Beast Seventhly With grievous Hail mingled with Fire killing men and Beast that it fell upon and every Herb of the Field throughout the Land and every Tree Eighthly With grievous Locusts which went over all the Land covering the Face of the whole Earth so that the Land was Darkened and they did eat every Herb of the Land and all the Fruit of the Trees which the Hail had left Ninthly With thick Darkness over all the Land even darkness that may be felt for three dayes together so that they saw not one the other neither rose any from his place for three dayes but the Children of Israel had light in their dwellings all the while Tenthly The Lord did out off all the First-born in the Land from the First-born of Pharaoh that sits upon the Throne to the First-born of the Maid-Servant that was behind the Mill and all the First-born of Beasts Then Lastly the Lord drowned them all in the midst of the Red-Sea even Pharaoh and all the Aegyptians with all their Chariots and Horse-men and all his Host so as there remained not one of them Thus was the Judgment of God executed upon cruel Persecuting Pharaoh and all the Aegyptians The Wicked King Ahab who sold himself to work Wickedness a great Persecutor and Hater of good Micah a true Prophet of the Lord King Ahab who for speaking the truth in the Name of the Lord when commanded by the King so to do though it were against the King himself was for that by him commanded to be put in Prison and fed with Bread and Water of Affliction and suffered him to be smitten on the Face by Zedekiah in his presence without reproof was at last met with by the hand of Justice and true Judgment according to the Word of the Lord spoken by the said Prophet for he was slain in Battel by a Dart snot out of a Bow at venter which smote him the King of Israel between the joynts of the harness whilst he was in his Chariot and was fain to be carried out of the Battel and at Evening about Sun-set he died 2 Chron. 18.7 26 33 34. Jezabel that cursed Woman and great Persecutor of the Saints who slew and cut off many of the Prophets of the Lord Jezabel Queen who caused Naboth to be accused falsly of Blasphemy that so he might be Stoned to Death as he was so that King Ahab her Husband who thristed for poor Naboths Vineyard might take possession thereof as he did She threatned the man of God and Prophet of the Lord Elijah in Swearing by her Gods She would cause him to be slain by to morrow this time and make his life as the life of one of the Prophets of Baal which he had slain was most justly rewarded at the Hand of the Lord according as the Prophet of the Lord Elijah had aforetold who said the Dogs should eat Jezabel by the Wall of Jezreel which was the very Wall of Naboth's Vineyard which she caused to be taken most wickedly from him as aforesaid for when she reckoned with her self to set out her self in the most sumptions manner she could to the liking of the King by triming and decking her self by painting her Face and tiring her Head to look out of the Window upon the King then did King Jehu command her to be thrown down out of the Window and so they threw her down out of the Window and shed her blood and trampled her under their Feet and when he would have buried this cursed Woman as he called her because she was a Kings Daughter they found that the Dogs had lickt up her Blood and had eaten her Flesh so that there remained only her Skull her Feet and the Palmes of her Hands Then said the King when he heard of it This makes good the Word of the Lord which he spake by his Servant Elijahâ— the Tishbite saying In the Portion of Jezreel shall Dogs eat the Flesh of Jezabel and the Carkass of Jezabel shall be as Dung upon the Face of the Fields in the Portion of Jezreel so that they shall not say this is Jezabel 1 King 18.4 13. 1 Kings 21.8 16 21 23. 2 Kings 9.33 36 37. King Joash when he began to Reign Ruled well King Joash and so continued while he had good Councellors about him but when he began to hearken unto evil Councellors viz. The Princes of Judah his chief good Councellor Jehoida the Priest being dead and took their evil Council they drew away his Heart and inclined it to Idolatry and to Persecution so that when Zachariah the Son of Jehoida came to him from the Lord being filled with the Spirit to bear Testimony against him and their Idolatry and against his and their Transgressions and to reprove him and them for it they conspired
David Lamenteth the death-of Saul and Jonathan he much lamented the Death of Saul and Jonathan saying Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the Streets of Askelon lest the Daughters of the Philistines rejoyce left the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph and further he said I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me thy Love to me was wonderful passing the love of Women David having now built him an House of Cedar and living in a full and perfect peace imparted unto Nathan the Prophet year of the world 2960 Davids purpose to build a House for God but put by it and why the purpose he had of building an House for God but was answered from God that this was a work which should be done not by him because he was a man of Blood but by his Son Solomon a man of Peace which should be born unto him Now David subdued the Philistines the Edomites the Amalekites the Moabites the Ammonites and the Syrians and the Bounds of Israel were stretched out to the outmost part of all that Land which had been formerly promised to the Seed of Abraham but never before possessed so fully by any of them as by David and Solomon his Son year of the world 2969 David's great sin At the end of this year whilest David took his ease at Jerusalem he there defiled by Adultery Bathsheba the Wife of Uriah the Hittite who was then in the Army and in consequence thereof procured the Husband to be slain by the hands of the Ammonites â—eing convinced of his evil by the Prophet repented when the Child so gotten in Adultery was born David being convinced by Nathan the Prophet of his evil acknowledged his Transgression saying My sin is ever before me and repented of his sin as may be seen at large in Psalm 51. yet the new born Babe was taken away by death year of the world 2971 Bathsheba being now his Wfe bare David a Son unto whom Solomon born as to one who should prove a man of Peace God gave the name of Solomon as to one beloved of God the Name of Jedidia year of the world 2987 The Lord was angery with David and why David for numbring the People kindled the Wrath of God against the Israelites wherefore Gad the Prophet told David thus saith the Lord Chuse one of them that I may do unto thee viz. whether Famine Sword or Pestilence and David said I am in great streight and his Heart smote him David chose to fall into the hands of God for he saw the evil he had done in Numbering the People and said Let us now fall into the Hands of the Lord for his Mercies are great and let me not fall into the hands of men So the Lord sent the Pestilence upon Israel and there died seventy thousand men in one day David being now seventy years of age year of the world 2989 and broken with continually Cares and Wars David grown old grew weak and feeble and Adonias his Son seeing his Father thus declining by the counsel and advice of Joah and Abiathar the high Priest Adonias his Son strives for the Kingdom David causeth Solomon to be anointed King made himself King whereof when David was advertized by Bathsheba and Nathan he presently caused his Son Solomon to be anointed King by Zadock the Priest and Nathan the Prophet and Benajah the Son of Jehojada in Gihon which so soon as Adonias heard he presently fled and afterwards laying hold on the Horns of the Altar was pardoned by the favour of Solomon and set at liberty Whereupon Adonias flies and now David assembling all the Governours and chief of Israel together with his Sons and Servants exhorted them all to fear and worship God David departed this life year of the world 2990 having reigned in Hebron seven years and and six Moneths David dies and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel Solomon loved the Lord year of the world 2991 and walked in the Statutes of David his Father Solomons Uprightness to walk before the Lord. and in Gibeon the Lord appeared to him in a Dream and bid him ask and chuse what he would and it should be given him and Solomon said Thou hast shewed unto thy Servant David my Father great mercy according as he walked before thee in Truth and Righteousness and now O Lord my God thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father and I am but a little Child I know not how to go out or come in He asketh Wisdom and he asked Wisdom and an Understanding Heart to be given him of God and the Speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing God therefore gave him Wisdom from above Wherefore God gave him Wisdom beyond any before or after The first experience of Solomons Wisdom exceeding any that was before him or should come after him and of his Wisdom the first Experiment was made in deciding the Controversie between the two Women about the Child which first gave him an esteem among the People when they saw the Wisdom of God was in him to do Judgment Solomon having according to his Fathers direction in whose heart it was to build an House for the Name of the Lord God of Israel built the Temple year of the world 2012 which was seven years and a half in building How long the Temple was building in the building of which there was neither Hammer nor Ax nor any Tool of Iron heard in the House whilst it was in building and now Solomon having built the Temple he placed there the Ark wherein was the Covenant of the Lord which he made with the Children of Israel when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt and Solomon stood before the Altar of the Lord and in the Presence of the People said Lord God of Israel there is no God like thee in Heaven above or in Earth beneath who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants that walk before thee with all their heart and he made a long prayer for the Preservation of the People desir'd the Lord would be with them Solomons Prayer for he People as he was with their Fathers and not leave them nor forsake them and that he would incline their Hearts unto him to walk in all his Wayes and to keep his Statutes and Judgments which he commanded their Fathers Thus was Solomons beginning Solomons heart drawn away from the Lord. but it was not long after until he was drawn away by many strange Women who towards his latter dayes drew away his Heart into Idolatry and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the Heart of David his Father for he went after the Abominations of the Amonites and he did evil in the sight of the Lord The Lord angry with Solomon and went not fully after the Lord as
might be glorified and they shall build the old wastes they shall raise up the former Desolations and they shall repair the Waste Cities the Desolations of many Generations And thus the Reader may see the many glorious Dispensations and manifestations of Gods Love unto mankind to the holy Patriarchs and Prophets in all Generations and now we are come according to what the Prophets foretold to the day of the Appearance of that great Saviour of the World whose Dispensation far exceeded all others in Glory being that eternal Substance which ended all Types Shaddows and Figures And thus these Jews who had been the true Worshippers being apostatized and degenerated from their primitive glory and institutions and their Worship becoming meerly outside for it s said they drew neer to God with their Mouthes and honoured him with their Lips but their Hearts were far from him the Prophets were raised up and sent from the Lord to Cry against them and to foretel the Desolation and distruction that was to come upon them which accordingly came to pass as will be seen anon and in this condition did Christ at his coming find these Antient people the Jews to whom God had formerly committed his Laws and Commands and given his Oracles but they were wholy apostatized from them as will appear by their fruits in the following Discourse The Continuation of the Discourse from the Birth of Christ The year of Christ AFter the Jews had Apostatized according as the Prophets had foretold and that the Messiah and Deliverer should come so in the fulness of time Christ Jesus the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary whom she roled in Swadling-Cloaths and layed in a Manger because there was no room for him in the Inn Christ is born the Birth of Christ was revealed by an Angel of the Lord to Shepherds keeping their Flock by night in the Fields and suddainly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the heavenly Host praising God and saying Glory to God in the Highest and on Earth Peace and Good-will to men The great rejoycing at his Birth The Shepherds making haste to Bethlehem found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the Manger and they published that which was told them concerning the Child and they returned Praising and Glorifying God but Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her Heart The Child was called Jesus which signifies a Saviour which was so declared by the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb. He is called Jesus The Wise men from the East the Star being their Guide coming to Herod to Jerusalem and there being taught that the Birth-place of Christ was at Bethlehem of Judea they went thither and entering into the House which was shewed them by the Star which stood over it they found the little Child and Mary his Mother and falling down worshipped him and having opened their Treasures they offered unto him Gold Frankinseence and Myrhe Then being warned of God in a Dream that they should not return unto Herod they departed into their own Country another way And when the Child was brought by his Parents to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord there came into the Temple one Simeon a just and devout man who had waited for the Consolation of Israel and the holy Ghost was upon him and it was revealed unto him by the holy Ghost That he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ he came by the Spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought the Child to do for him after the custom of the Law then took he him up in his Arms Simeons Testimony concerning that and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou they Servant depart in Peace according to thy Word for mine Eyes hath seen thy Salvation which thou hast ppreared before the Face of all People a Light to Lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel and Joseph and his Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him and Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his Mother Behold this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign which shall be spoken against In the same moment came Anna a Prophetess the Daughter of Phanuel she also openly acknowledged the Lord and speak of him to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem When Joseph and Mary had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord they returned into Galilee unto their own City Nazareth The Angel of the Lord appearing unto Joseph in a Dream sheweth him that he should flee into Egypt that he might provide for the life of the Child and escape the Devices of Herod Herods Cruelty and Subtil endeavours to kill the Child Jesus who being awakened took the Young Child and his Mother by night and departed into Aegypt where he remained until the death of Herod Herod thinking the Young Child had been still at Bethlehem that he might Destroy him among the rest killed all the Children that were in Bethlehem and in all the Coast thereof from two years old and under according to the time of the Star first seen in the East that he had enquired of the Wise-men Herod shortly after dyed Miserably being dead the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a Dream in Egypt and commanded that he should return with the young Child and his Mother into the Land of Israel but when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Juda in the room of his Father Herod he feared to go thither and being warned of God in a dream he departed into the parts of Galilee and there dwelt in the City Nazareth from whence Jesus took the Name of Nazarene and the Christians of Nazarenes In the year of the World 4010. it being the Passover year of Christ 12 Christ in the Twelfth year of his Age was brought by Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem his Parents returning home he stayed behind His Mouth was first opeâ—ed to oppose the Doctors at twelve years old they not knowing where he was sought him three dayes and found him in the Temple sitting in the midest of the Doctors hearing them and asking them Questions and all that heard him were astonished at his Understanding and Answers and he went down with his Parents to Nazareth and was obedient unto them and followed his Fathers Trade of a Carpenter In the year of the World 4030. and in the thirtieth year of Christ year of Christ 30 John came forth in his Ministry Crying with a loud Voice in the Wilderness Prepare ye the way of the Lord make his Pathes streight Iohn Ministry what it was and opening the acceptable year of the Lord or the time of his divine pleasure preaching Repentance and Remission of Sins being cloathed with a Garment of Camels Hair and a girdle of Skins about his Loyns and his food was Locus and wild Hony And now Jesus being
Rebshaketh boasting and threatning what he would do unto Jerusalem and unto the men in it viz. he would make them eat their own Dung and drink their own Piss was by the just Judgment of God in the midst of his Pride disappointed of his wicked purpose for the Lord sent his Angel into the Camp of Assyria and slew in one night of his men one hundred fourscore and five thousand so that when they arose early in the Morning behold they were all dead Corpses and the King himself though returning to Nineveh not long after as he was worshipping of his God in the house of Nisroch two of his Sons named Adramelech and Sharezer smote him with the Sword that he died 2 Kings 18 c. The Assyrian punished The Assyrian who was the great and stout hearted Persecutor and Oppressor of the Saints who removed the Bounds of the People and robbed them of their Treasures and destroyed and cut off many Nations and took them for a prey and divided the spoil thereof and trod them down like mire in the Streets and then boasted of it when he had done saying all this have I done by the strength of mine own hand and by mine own wisdom I have put down the Inhabitants like a valiant man and I have found out the riches of the People as a Nest and gathered it as men gather Eggs that are left boasting how there was none that moved the Wing or opened the Mouth or peeped when as indeed in all this he was but the Rod of Gods anger and the Lords Indignation was the staff in his hand he being sent of him to an hypocritical Nation as the People of Israel then was to the end that they might repent and be amended and had it therefore given him in charge so to do howbeit in all this in regard he did what he did upon no such account as the Rod of Gods anger nor unto no such end as their purging and purifying neither did he mean so nor yet was it in his heart to think so but he did what he did out of a murderous and persecuting nature it being in his heart to destroy and cut off Nations not a few therefore see how the just Vengeance of God is threatned against him for it wherefore it shall come to pass saith the Lord that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon Mount Sion and on Jerusalem that I will saith the Lord punish the fruit of the stout heart of the King of Assyria and the glory of his high looks and mine anger shall cease in his destruction and the Pride of Assyria shall be brought down the Lord of Hosts hath sworn saying surely as I have thought so shall it come to pass and as I have purposed so shall it stand that I will break the Assyrian in my Land and upon my Mountains tread him under foot Isa 14.24 25. who had before trod down his People under his feet and this is the purpose which the Lord of Hosts hath purposed concerning the Assyrian and who shall dissanul it and his hand is stretched out and who shall turn it back It is very remarkable also to see and consider all along the Scriptures how exceeding jealous the Lord hath ever been over his People and Children for good and how very wathful and tender he hath been over them lest any should wrong them or any way hurt them and how ready he hath alwayes been to revenge the least injury done unto them either by word or dead yea the Lord hath kept them as Mâ—ses confessed as the Apple of his own Eye and hath at certain times rebuked all their Enemies for them before their faces so saith the Psalmist he suffered no man saith he to do them wrong yea he reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine Anointed do my Prophets no harm for he that toucheth them toucheth the very Apple of his Eye Zeph. 3.8 The Truth of which this tract hath plentifully proved and now there remaineth to shew from Scripture as well as from History how ready the Lord hath ever been and still is to revenge upon whole Kingdoms and Nations as well as upon particuler Persons all Injuries done unto his Servants and Children as for Example The Amonites The Amonites for saying Aha because they did but say Aha against the Sanctuary of the Lord when it was prophaned and against the People of Israel and their Land when it was dessolate and against the House of Judah when they went into Captivity see in what manner the Judgments of the Lord were threatned against them behold therefore saith the Lord I will deliver thee to the men of the East for a Possession and they shall set their places in thee and make their dwellings in thee they shall eat thy Fruit they shall drink thy Milk and I will make Rabbah which was the Royal City and Seat of the King where his great Iron Bed-stead stood Deut. 3.11 2 Sam. 12.26 30. called the City of Waters for pleasantness a Stable for Camels and the Amonites a couching place for Flocks and ye shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25.3 4 5. Again the Amonites because they clapped their Hands and stamped with their Feet and rejoyced in their Heart with all their despite against the Land and People of Israel therefore thus saith the Lord Because thou hast done so behold therefore I will stretch out my hand upon thee and will deliver thee for a spoile to the Heathen and I will cut thee off from the People and will cause thee to perish out of the Countries I will destroy thee and thou shalt know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25. 6 7. Moab and Seir because they did but say Behold the House the House of Judah is like unto all the Heathen therefore behold saith the Lord I will open the side of Moab from the Cities from his Cities which are in his Frontiers the Glory of the Country Bethjeshimoth Baalmeon and Kiriathain unto the men of the East with the Amonites and will give them in Possession that the Amonites may not be remembred among the Nations and I will execute Judgment upon Moab and they shall know that I am the Lord Ezek. 25.8 9. Edom for revenging themselves against Judah therefore thus saith the Lord Because that Edom hath dealt against the House of Judah by taking Vengeance and hath greatly offended and revenged himself upon them therefore thus saith the Lord God I will also stretch out mine hands upon Edom and will cut off Man and Beast from it and will make it desolate from Teman and they of Dedan shall fall by the Sword I will lay my Vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my People Israel and they shall do in Edom according to mine Anger and according to my Fury and they shall know my Vengeance saith the Lord God Tyrus for saying but Aha against Jerusalem I shall be replenished now she is laid
took them Wives of all that they chose this displeased the Lord so that he said My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man for that he also is Flesh and his dayes were shortned to one Hundred and Twenty Years who before lived many Hundred Years The Spirit of he Lord grieved with the corrupt among men And God saw that the Wickedness of man was great in the Earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually and it repented the Lord that he had made man and it grieved him at his Heart and the Earth was corrupt and filled with violence and God looked upon the Earth and behold it was corrupt for all Flesh had corrupted his Way upon the Earth He raised up Noah to testify against them and commanded him to build an Ark. And God said unto Noah The end of all Flesh is come up before me for the Earth is filled with violence through them and behold I will Destroy them with the Earth and he commanded Noah to make an Ark and behold I bring a Flood upon the Earth to Destroy all Flesh wherein is the Breath of Life and every thing that is in the Earth shall die but with thee will I establish my Covenant and thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy Sons and thy Wife and thy Sons Wives for thee have I seen righteous before me in this Generation But before the Lord brought the deluge of Waters upon the World of the Wicked year of the world 1536 he sent this just man Noah a Preacher of Righteousness unto them giving them one Hundred and Twenty Years space to repent them of their evil wayes The long suffering of God before he brought the deluge upon man and Noah having provided an Ark at the Commandment of God he was appointed when he should enter into the Ark whilst the World in the mean time void of all fear sate eating and drinking and marrying and giving in marriage in the six hundredth Year of the life of Noah upon the seventh day of the second Moneth when he with his Children were entered into the Ark God sent a Rain upon the Earth forty dayes and forty nights and the Waters continued upon the Earth a hundred and fifty dayes the Waters abating upon the seventeenth day of the seventh Moneth the Ark rested upon one of the Mountains of Ararat the Waters still falling upon the first day of the tenth Moneth the top of the Mountains appeared above the waters and after forty dayes Noah opened the Window of the Ark and sent forth a Raven and seven dayes after sent forth a Dove and she returning after seven dayes more he sent her forth again and about the Evening she returned bringing the Leaf of an Olive-Tree in her Mouth and then staying yet seven dayes more sent the same Dove out again which returned no more unto him In the six hundred and first Year of the life of Noah when the surface of the Earth was now all dry year of the world 1657 Noah took off the Covering of the Ark Noah goes forth of the Ark and offers unto the Lord for his Preservation and went forth with all that were with him in the Ark being gone forth he offered unto God for his Preservation an Offering and the Lord smelled a sweet-Savour and the Lord said in his Heart I will not again Curse the Ground any more for mans sake for the imagination of his Heart is evil from his Youth And God spake unto Noah and to his Sons saying I will establish my Covenant with you and with your Seed after you neither shall all Flesh be cut off any more by the Waters of a Flood to destroy the Earth and gave the Rain-bow-for a sign of the Covenant which he then made with man And now Noah made a division of Land among his Grand-Children and that done year of the world 1757 that they went from those Eastern-parts whither they first repaired from the Mountains of Ararat unto the Valley of Shinar where the People impiously laid their heads together to hinder the dispersion of them commanded by God and begun by Noah they went in hand to build the City and Tower of Babylon The beginning of the confusion of Babel whose top might reach to Heaven least they should be scattered abroad upon the Face of the Earth which purpose of theirs being frustrated by the confusion of Languages sent among them from whence they took the name of Babel the dispersion of Nations followed and now one Language was lost which the whole Earth was of until this Attempt And now the next of the righteous Stock that succeeded was Abram the second Son of Terah year of the world 2008 he was born in the year 2008. and ten years after was Sarai born daughter of Haran Abrams Brother who was afterwards Abrams Wife some Writers say that Abram was educated in the Idolatry of his Fathers House who they say was a maker of Statues and Images and the Jews relate of Abram's going into the Shop in the absence of his Father his breaking the Images and jeering those that came to buy or worship them Schalch Hakk. p. 8. Citante Hotnig Smeg Orient C. 8. p. 291. Confer Maimon Mar. Neroch Part 3. C 29. p. 4 1. of his Fathers carrying him to Nimrod to be punished his witty answers and miraculous escapes thus the Jews write of him but however these things may be credited we have a sure record in the Scriptures that the Lord had a great regard to the sincerity of Abram and had a purpose to make use of him to be an Instrument in his work and service and that appears by his calling him from his Kindred year of the world 2083 and from his Fathers House and promising a Blessing to him and to his Seed and now Abram Abram called from his Fathers House who had chosen the Lord for his delight above all earthly things consulted not but departed as the Lord had commanded him and he took Sarai his Wife and Lot his Brothers son and travelled to the Land of Canaan where God promised to Abram that to his Seed he would give that Land but afterwards Abram compelled by a Famine went from thence down into Egypt where Sarai his Wife who to eschew a danger went for his Sister was taken into Pharaoh's House being fair and beautiful but was not long after sent back unto him untouched Then Abram Abram goes into Egypt because of the Famine being accompanied with Lot accompanied with just Lot returned into Canaan where when the Country which they pitched upon was not sufficient to feed both their Herds of Cattle Strife arose between the Herd-men and Abram loving Peace said to Lot Let there be no strife I pray thee between me and thee and between my Herdsmen and thine for we be Brethren They parted to avoid strife and they parted and Lot went into
years service Jacob asking leave of Laban to return into his own Country he was held there six years more upon another bargain made between him and his Father-in-law Laban for a certain part of his Flock Jacob perceiving the heart burning of Laban and his Sons malice towards him was warned of God to return into his own Country year of the world 2265 which having communicated to his Wives whilst Laban was sheering his Sheep at the latter end of the Spring after his twenty years service getting away unknown to Laban with all his Substance Jacob gets away from Laban unknown to him Wives and Family passed over the River Euphrates Laban three dayes after hearing that his Son-in-law was gone took some of his Friends and Kindred along with him and persued after him seven dayes Journey and at last overtook him at mount Gilead which took its name from this their Meeting there for after many and divers Expostulations which passed there between them making all fair at last Laban following after him and overtaking him came to agreement with him for a Testimony and Monument of their Covenant there made Jacob erected a Pillar with an heap of Stones which Laban the Syrian called Jegar-Sahadutha but Jacob the Hebrew called Gilead that is the heap of a Testimony or Witness between them two Jacob being sent away in peace by Laban He is affrighted with the news of Esau approach but affrighted with the news of his Brother Esau's approach with four hundred men divided his Company into two saying If he smite one then the other Company which is left shall escape and calls upon God saying O God of my Father Abraham Isaac c. which saidest unto me return into thy Country and to thy Kindred and I will deal well with thee deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother Esau Esau having entertained his Brother courteously after much intreaty accepts of his Presents Jacob then went on to Suâ—â—oth and there he built him an House and afterwards passing over Jordan he came into Canaan and pitched his Tent in Salem and there he built an Altar He presents Esau with Presents which he called by the name of El-Elohe-Israel or of the mighty God the God of Israel to wit in the self same place where Abraham had heretofore built his first Altar and where Jacob's Well was I am now come to write of Joseph who being Seventeen Years of Age year of the world 2276 when his Brethren saw that their Father loved him more then all his Brethren they hated him and could not speak peaceably to him The cause why Ioseph's Brethren hated him and Joseph declaring his Dream to them the Lord having shewed him that he should be set above his Brethren and be the chief of his Fathers Family they hated him yet the more and first they conspired his death They conspired his Death at last sold him and at length agreed to sell him away for a Bond slave unto a far Country so drawing him out of the Pit whereinto they had cast him they sold him to the Merchants for twenty pieces of Silver and was by them carried into Aegypt and there sold for a Slave to Potipher Captain of the Guard to Pharaoh He is sold to Captain of the Pharaoh's Guard where he was tempted by Potiphers Wife to Uncleanness and because he refused to do such Evil she by her Lyes instigated Potipher her Husband against him who put him in Prison but the Lord was with Joseph and shewed him mercy and gave him favour in the sight of the Keeper of the Prison and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper Two of the Officers of Pharaoh's Court year of the world 2287 being Imprisoned in the same Prison with Joseph having both of them Dreamed Joseph interpreted their Dreams unto them which came to pass according to his interpretation and saith Joseph to one of them When thou art restored into thy place after thy former manner think on me when it shall be well with thee and shew kindness I pray thee unto me and make mention of me unto Pharaoh and bring me out of this House for indeed I was stolen away out of the Land of the Hebrews and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the Dungeon But when this Officer was restored again into Pharaohs Court he remembered not Joseph Ioseph expert in interpreting the Dreams Two Years after Pharaoh Dreamed two Dreams which seeing he could not get expounded by his own Wise men but hearing of Josephs expertness to enterpret Dreams sent for him being then thirty Years Old who having opened to the King his Dreams first that of the Seven Years of Plenty He interpreeted the Kings Dream then the Seven Years of Famine He added moreover as his councel and advice how to provide out of the store of the first Years of Plenty against the Famine of the other Seven Years of Scarcity Pharaoh advanced Ioseph which were to follow whereupon by the general consent of his Nobles he made him Governor of the Kingdom Seven Year Plenty From the Harvest of this Year being to be counted Seven Years of Plenty wherein Joseph laid up an infinite Treasure of Corn. The Seven Years of the Famine began from the Harvest of this Year year of the world 2296 wherein the forecast and wisdom of Joseph did not only sustain Egypt Seven years of Famine but was a help and relief to other Countries Jacob dispatched away ten of his Sons into Aegypt to buy Corn year of the world 2297 to whom Joseph seeming not to know caused to be taken for Spies and being laid hold on he spake roughly unto them and said Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn and they are taken for Spies Whence came ye and they said From the Land of Canaan to buy Food And Joseph knew his Brethren but they knew not him and he said They were come as Spies to see the Nakedness of the Land they said They were true men and thy Servants are twelve Brethren the Sons of one man in the Land of Canaan and behold the Youngest is this day with our Father and one is not and Joseph said Ye are Spies Ioseph sends all of them away with Corn but one whom he kept Prisoner till they brought their Youngest Brother hereby shall it be proved if ye be true men let one of your Brethren be bound in Prison go ye carry Corn for the Famine of your Houses but bring your Youngest Brother unto me so shall your words be verified and you shall not die and they did so And they said one to the other We are verily guilty concerning our Brother in that we saw the anguish of his Soul when he besought us and we would not hear therefore is this Distress come upon us and Ruben answered them saying speak not I unto you saying Do not
also bereft of his Children and at last tormented with grievous Botches and Sores in his Body he could yet never be drawn through impatience to sin in any sort whereof having first received a Testimony from Gods own mouth he was afterwards restored to his former health and had cast into his Bossom double of whatever he possessed before Joseph being dead and Pharaoh And now when Joseph was dead and all his Brethren and that Generation and the Children of Israel were fruitfull and increased aboundantly and muliplied and waxed exceeding mighty and the Land was filled with them A new King rose up that afflicted the Israelites Now there arose up a new King over Egypt which knew not Joseph and he began to afflict them but the more they were afflicted the more they multiplyed and grew and the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with Rigor and they made their lives bitter with hard Bondage and kept them under with great severity Aaron was born three years before his Brother Moses year of the world 2430 eighty three years before the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt The Ungodly King of Egypt year of the world 2431 when he could not prevail with the Midwives of the Hebrew Women privily to make away the Male-Children of them set forth a barbarous Edict to destroy them all The King made an Edict to destroy the Male-Children by drowning them in the River About this time Moses the Son of Amram of the House of Levi was born and when his Mother saw he was a goodly Child being willing to preserve him year of the world 2433 she hid him three Moneths and when she could no longer hide him Moses born she took for him an Ark of Bulrushes and daubed it with slime and with pitch and put the Child therein and she laid it in the Flags by the Rivers brink his Sister standing aloof off from the place to see what would become of him and Pharaohs daughter finding him there caused her maids to fetch it His wonderful fetchfetch and when she had opened it she saw the Child and behold it wept and she had compassion on him and said this is one of the Hebrews Children then said his Sister to Pharaohs Daughter Shall I go and call a Nurse to thee of the Hebrew Women that she may nurse the Child for thee and Pharaohs Daughter said go and the maid went and called the Childs Mother and she nursed him and Pharaohs Daughter called his Name Moses because she drew him out of the Water and she caused him to be brought up as her Son and caused him to be instructed in the Science and Learning of the Egyptians And thus did the Lord wonderfully preserve him which noteth no less then that he intended to make him an Instrument in some great Work as indeed it so came to pass for as he grew in years the Lord put it in his heart to slight the honours of Pharaohs Court for he refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter year of the world 2513 choosing rather to suffer Affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures in Egypt for he had respect to the Recompence of Reward And now the Lord having chosen him into his work and service he indued him with such a Spirit of Meekness that none was like him upon the Earth and being thus fitted he had often tryals and exercises of his patience by the People he was to govern who were often murmuring and repining against him And the Lord appeared unto him whilest he was keeping his Father-in-law Jethros Sheep in the Mountain of Horeb and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of Fire out of the midest of a Bush and behold the Bush burned with Fire and the Bush was not Consumed and the Lord said unto him I am the God of thy Father the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob and Moses hid his Face for he was afraid to look upon God and the Lord said I have surely seen the Affliction of my People which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their Tusk-masters for I know their sorrow and am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians And he chose Moses as an Instrument to go unto Pharaoh and to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt to whom as an Assistant in this work Aaron was added Moses and Aron declare their Message to Pharaoh Moses and Aaron having declared unto Pharaoh the Message in which they were sent unto him from God were sent away with many bad words and many more grievous labours were inflicted upon the Israelites then were before They go again to Pharaoh Moses being now eighty and Aaron eighty three Years of Age being moved by the Lord returned again to Pharaoh where the Magitians immitating the Miracles of Aarons Rod God plagued Pharaoh made Pharaoh harden his heart so that he would not let the Children of Israel go wherefore the Lord sent divers Plagues upon Pharaoh before they would let the Children of Israel go and when the last Plague was brought upon them When they were departed Pharaoh and his Host followed them then Pharaoh and his Servants made haste to send away the Israelites with all their Substance being six hundred thousand men besides Children and now being departed Pharaoh with his Host over-took them here Moses divided the Waters with his Rod whom Pharaoh and his Army would needs follow The Children of Israel sung a Song a Song to the Lord for their deliverance they were all overwhelmed of the Waters coming together again when the Israelites were thus freed from the Bondage of the Egyptians they forth-with song a Song of Praise and Thanks-giving unto God for their deliverance which is called the Song of Moses After their encamping in the desert of Sinai Moses went up into the Mount and the Lord said unto him Thus shalt thou say to the House of Jacob and tell the Children of Israel Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians and how I bear you on Eagles Wings and brought you unto my self now therefore if you will obey my Voice indeed and keep my Covenant then ye shall be a Peculiar Treasure unto me above all People for all the Earth is mine and ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation and Moses told the People what the Lord had Commanded him all the People answered together and said All that the Lord hath spoken we will do But the Reader may see how ready and apt these People were to forget the tender dealings of the Lord towards them for Moses and Aaron and several of the Elders of Israel went up into the Mount and there beheld the Glory of God and the
the History of the two thousand five hundred fifty two years and a half and the Children of Israel mourned for Moses as they had done for Aaron thirty dayes in the Land of Moab The Lord was with Ioshua And now Joshua succeeding Moses the Lord Promised Joshua to be with him and to Assist him and the Lord was with him until he had Conquered all the Enemies of the Israelites and now when God was about to give the Israelites rest round about them so that they might dwell there securely it was requisite also that a place should be appointed which himself should chuse to place his Name there wherefore coming together at Shilo they there fixed the Tabernacle of the Congregation after the whole Land was subdued unto them Now Shilo both by the signification of the Name and also by the situation of the place seemeth to be the same with Salem both which words signifieth Peace or Rest Joshua built the City of Timnah-Sera in Mount Ephraim year of the world 2561 in which he dwelt many years after God had given rest to Israel and having lived a hundred and ten Years he there died and was buried After the decease of Joshua and the Elders who out lived him year of the world 2591 the Wonders which God had wrote for the Children of Israel Joshua being dead the Israelites began to backslide from the time of their first bringing out of Egypt began to be forgotten by the Young men every man now doing what seemed good in his own Eyes all those disorders were committed which are reported in the five last Chapters of the Book of Judges to wit the Idolatry of Micah and the Children of Dan and the War of the Benjaminites and the cause thereof and there succeeded a Generation of men which forgot God And Idolarty crept in and mingled themselves with the Canaanites by marriage and worshipped their Idols and God hereby was provoked to Wrath and gave them up to Cushan King of Mesapotania They were brought into Bondage which first calamity of theirs held them eighty years until Othoniel Son-in-law to Joshua being stirred up by God as a Judge and Avenger of his People defeated Cushan Delivered by Othoniel and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage and the Land had rest forty years after the rest which Joshua procured them After the decease of Othoniel year of the world 2661 the Israelites falling again to sin against God Brought into Bondage again were again given over into the hands of Eglon King of Moab who joyning with the Ammonites and Amalekites overthrew the Israelites and took Jerico and this second Oppression of theirs continued for the space of eighteen years Instrumentally delivered by Ehud Then the Lord raised up Ehud to be an Avenger of his People who slew Eglon and ten thousand of the Valiant men of Moah and then the Land of Israel had rest forty years But when Ehud was dead they returned to their old Sin They return again to sin and are brought into Bondage wherefore they were brought again into Thraldom for twenty years until Jabins Army was routed and Sisera Captain of his Army was killed by Jael the Wife of Heber in her own Tent with a Nail struck into the Temples of his Head whereupon Debora Are delivered again a Prophetess who at that time judged Israel made a Song thereof for a memorial of that Victory and the Land rested forty years The Israelites sinning again and doing evil in the sight of the Lord year of the world 2752 the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years They sin again the Israelites falling into this fourth Thraldom cryed unto the Lord for help A Prophet sent of God to reprove them and the Lord sent a Prophet unto them who reproved them and shewed them what great things the Lord had done for them and encouraged them that they should not fear the Gods of the Amorites and the Lord raised up Gideon Gideon raised up to deliver them again being stirred up by an Angel sent from God to deliver them and first by Command from God he overturned the Altar of Baal and burnt his Grove and now the Midianites and Amorites pitching their Camp against him the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon and out of thirty two thousand men he chose only three hundred according to Gods Commandment to fight against them By a small number which he chose and why That so the Victory of Salvation might appear to be of the Arm of the Lord that Israel might not Vaunt themselves against him After he had obtained the Victory when the Israelites offered to settle the Kingdom on his Posterity he refused it saying The Lord shall rule over you but receiving their Golden Earings he made thereof an Ephad whereof they afterward took an occasion to fall into Idolatry but the Midianites being vanquished the Land had rest forty years They fall into Idolatry again So soon as Gideon was dead the Israelites falling back to Idolatry worshipped Baal-Berith for their God and Abimelech the Son of Gideon begotten upon a Concubine purpossing to get unto himself the Kingdom which his Father had refused slew seventy of his Brethren all upon one Stone when Abimelech had goten the Kingdom and had reigned three years Gaal a man of Sichem conspired against him which being discovered to Abimelech the City of Sichem was utterly Destroyed and the Inhabitants put to the Sword and from thence Abimelech going to besiege Thebez was knocked on the head with a piece of a Milstone cast upon him by a Woman and then killed out-right by his own Armour-Bearer Now the Israelites forsaking again the true God and falling to Worship the Gods of several Nations year 2799 were given up into the hands of the Philistines Were delivered into Bondage Sampson the Nazarite was born at Zora who avenged the Israelites twenty years in the time of the Philistines who slew a thousand of of them at one time with the Jawbone of an Ass in which place called Lehi from that Jawbone God at the prayer of Sampson clave an hollow place that was in the Jaw and there came water there-out Sampson avenged their cause and when he had drunk he was revived wherefore he called the name thereof Enâ—hackore that is The Fountain of him which called upon God Sampson betrayed by Dalila with what followed Sampson being betrayed by Dalila and spoiled of the Hair of his Nazariteship is delivered to the Philistines who plucking out his Eyes carried him away Prisoner to Gaza and put him there in Prison fast bound in Chains where his strength renewing again he pulled down the Temple of the great Dagon killing the Princes of the Philistines with a very great multitude of People which were therein more men being killed at the fall thereof with himself for Company then he had slain in all his life
reft returning Moses with his Servant Joshua abode there still and waited there six dayes and upon the seventh day God speak unto him Moses received the Law upon the Mount and there he continued forty dayes and forty nights eating no meat all that while nor drinking water where he received Gods Command and the Law written in Tables of Stone with Gods own Finger God biding him withal to get him down for that the People had already made themselves a Molten-Calf to worship it Whilst he was in the Mount the People were run into Idolarty Moses seeing this brake the Tables at the Foot of the Mount and having burnt and defaced the Idol many of the people were put to death by the hands of the Levites The next day Moses returned again into the Mount and there again intreated the Lord for the People and having drawn the People out of a deep Sence of the Wrath of God to repent them of their sin by his prayer he obtained that God himself should be their Leader in their way He prayeth for the People God Commanded Moses to frame New Tables of Stone and the next day to bring them with him into the Mount Moses staying again forty dayes and forty nights in the Mount without Meat or Drink prayed there for the People God was then pleased to renew his Covenant with the People and gave his Laws a new and bids Moses commit them to writing Moses after forty dayes returns from the Mount with the Tables in his Hand and covering his Face with a Vail because it shone he published the Laws of God to the People enjoyning the observation of them and commanded a Freewill-offering to be made Nadab and Abibue struck dead and why toward the building of the Tabernacle according to Gods Order Nadab and Abibue the two Eldest Sons of Aaron which going with their Father up into the Mount Sinai had there seen the Glory of God going into the Sanctuary with strange or common Fire were struck dead in the place by Fire sent from Heaven The Priests for bidden Wine and for them the Priests were forbid to make Lamentation moreover for some particular mens neglect of duty all the Priests were charged to forbear Wine and strong Drink before they were to go into the Tabernacle Moses finding the Goverment of the Israelites to be weighty complained to the Lord of the burden thereof saying I am not able to bear all this People alone because it is too heavy for me and to ease him the Lord said Gather seventy men of the Elders of Israel whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People To ease Moses in the Government seventy Elders were chosen and Officers over them and bring them to the Tabernacle of the Congregation that they may stand there with thee and Moses gathered the seventy Elders and the Lord gave of the same Spirit that was on Moses unto them and it rested upon them and they Prophesied and Eldad and Medad remained in the Camp and Prophesied and when it was told Moses that they prophesied Moses being pleased therewith said Would God that all the Lords People were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them The Israelites lusting after Flesh and loathing the Food that God gave them Israel murmer again the Lord was Wrath with them the Lord was Wrath with them and brought Quales from the Sea and let them fall by the Camp and the People gathered them but whilst the Flesh was yet between their Teeth ere it was chewed the Wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People and the Lord smote the people with a very great Plague and thus God punished them again for their murmering And now twelve Spies were sent one for every Tribe to discover and spy out the Land of Canaan Spies sent out â—o veiw the Land of Canaan After forty dayes spent in searching out the Land the Spies returned to Kadesh in the Wilderness of Pearan bringing with them one Branch of a Vine with a Cluster of Grapes upon it gathered in the Valley of Eshcol ten of the twelve Spies by speaking ill of the Country and the barrenness thereof and withal magnifying the Cities for their strength and the Giantly stature of the men therein Some of the Spies bring an ill report of the Land so that the People were disheartned disheartned the People from marching any further toward it whilest Caleb did all he could to perswade the people to go on and now the People began to murmer again against Moses and Aaron and would needs go back again into Aegypt and were ready to Stone Caleb and Joshua for saying the Land was an exceeding good Land and that it flowed with Milk and Hony and because of the Peoples complaining the Lord threatens them with suddain Destruction but through Moses's intercession and Prayer the Lord spared them yet so For the Peoples complaining the Lord was again Angry that withal he denounced to them that all of them which were then twenty years old and upwards should dye in the Wilderness and never see the Land which was promised unto them and that they should wander in that Wilderness forty years but my Servant Caleb because he hath another Spirit and hath followed me fully him will I bring into the Land and his Seed shall Possess it Upon this Calamity and the continual dropping away of the Israelites in the Wilderness Moses prayed unto the Lord and thereupon it is supposed he writ the ninetieth Psalm Mans Age again shortned in which he sheweth that the ordinary Age of Men was reduced to seventy or eighty years at the utmost so that now the age of man was again contracted and cut shorter And now again the People for lack of Water murmer against Moses and Aaron year 2552 whom when God Commanded to call Water out of the hard Rock The People murmer again only by speaking to it Moses being moved in his mind said Hear now ye Rebels must we fetch you Water out of the Rock and with the Rod he smote the Rock twice and the Water came forth aboundantly Moses and Aaron for their unbelieve here shewed in executing the Command of God were debarred from entering into the Land of Canaan and the Waters were called Meribah or Waters of Strife Aaron diâ—â— And now in the fortieth year after the coming of the Children of Isarel out of Egypt Aaron died and shortly after God signified to Moses that he should die and Moses desired the Lord to set a man over the People which might go in and out before them and that might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd Ioshua succeed ed Moses and the Lord chose Joshua a man in whom was the Spirit of God and Moses layed his hands on him and gave him a charge as the Lord had commanded him and here ends the matter of the five Books of Moses containing