blessings And good Lord give me grace to cover the infirmities of such fatherâ— and others of the world which I shall see to fall by weakenesse into these or the like offences charitably to judg of them and to judge of my own ways looking into my own actions with a single eye to judge my selfe before others then shall not I cast a stone at another but reflect the worst thought upon my selfe so shall the soule of thy servant O Lord avoid all active scandall and black reproach that curse which Cham received from Noah his father standing upon record for ever THE HISTORY of Abraham ABraham was the son of Terah who descended from Sem the eldest sonne of Noah and Abraham married Sarah who was barren and it came to pass that Terah brought Abraham with Sarah Lot and others from Ur in Caldea to goe into the Land of Canaan And they came to Haran where Terah dyed hee being then two hundred and five years old who being dead by Gods command Abraham departed from Haran being then 75. yeares old with Sarah his Wife and Lot his brothers son with their substance servants and took their journey towards Canaan In this his journey he came to Sheshem and to the Plain of Morah the Canaanites being then in the Land There the Lord appeared to him promising to give his seede that Land and in that place did Abraham build an Altar unto the Lord. From thence hee removed Eastward from Bethel where he likewise built an Altar unto the Lord and there called upon his Name Then hee after travailing further South a great Famine comming upon that Land he went into Aegypt there to sojourn and when hee drew neare that Land he began to be fearfull of himselfe by reason of the beauty of his Wife and desired her to say she was his Sister Now after his comming there the Aegyptians were much taken with her beauty the Princes of Pharoah's Court acquainted the King therewith So shee was brought into his Palace and for her sake Abraham was kindely used but the Lord plagued the house of Pharoah for detaining of her then was Pharoah angry with Abraham for not telling him she was his wife and so hee delivered her backe and sent him friendly away with good rewards Then departed Abraham out of Aegypt with Sarah and Lot his brother with great wealth both in treasure and Cattell and travail'd towards the South to Bethel where formerly he had been even to the Altar he had made and there he worshipped at that time Abraham's Cattell were so many as Lot and he could not live together and striving there was betweene their Heards-men even amongst the Canaanites their enemies So Abraham spake to Lot and desired there might be no strife between them they being brethren and and left it in Lots choise whether to goe and Lot looking for his conveniency hee observed the Plain of Jordane was every way watered for before Sodome and Gomorrah were destroyed it was as the Garden of the Lord and thither did Lot goe according to his owne choise and so they parted one from the other Abraham continuing in the land of Canaan Then it was that the Lord againe did promise that Land to the seed of Abraham After this Abraham removed his Tent and dwelt in the Plaine of Mamre which is Hebron and built there an Altar unto the Lord. And it came to passe in some warres betweene the Kings of Sodome Gomorrah and other Kings that Lot was prisoner and his Cattell taken of which a message being brought to Abraham hee presently brought forth of his house that were born brought up there three hundred and eighteen persons and pursued them to Dan and Damascus brought backe Lot and all his substance with the women and his people Then brought forth Melchisadech King of Salem bread and wine unto him who was a Priest of the most high God and blessed Abraham saying Blessed art hou Abraham of God possessor of Heaven and Earth who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand and then Abraham paid him tithe After this the Word of the Lord came to him in a vision giving him much comfort saying how he would defend and reward him but at that time Abraham was much troubled hee being childlesse resolving to make his Steward his Heir but the Lord promised him his owne seed should inherit and that he would multiply his generation upon Earth and how they should goe into Aegypt and sojourn there 40â— yeares and be hardly used but that they should be delivered and returne with great plenty Now Sarah Abraham's Wife continuing barren shee had a maid-servant whose name was Hagar an Aegyptian whom she desired Abraham to receive wherby he might have Issue the which hee did this was ten yeares after he came to Canaan and she conceived with childe whereupon she despised Sarah her Mistrisse of which her pride Sarah complained unto Abraham who leaving her to Sarah shee dealt roughly with her and thereupon shee fled but in her flying comming to a fountaine of water in the Wildernesse an Angel appeared unto her enquiring from whence shee came and whether she intended who by her being told the reasons of her journey he perswaded her to return to Sarah her Dame and to humble her selfe unto her Moreover the Angel told her he would increase her seed and that it should multiply exceedingly and that in regard of her tribulation shee should call her sonne Ishmael So when she was deliver'd of this child Abraham called it Ishmael himselfe being then fourescore and sixe yeares old And after Abraham being ninety and nine yeares old the Lord appeared againe unto him promising many blessings unto him so he would obey him and how he would multiply his seede exceedingly and he fell upon his face Then the Lord called his name Abraham promising hee should be a Father of many Nations that Kings should proceed from them and that hee would give them the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and to be their God they keeping his Covenant Then the Lord appointed Abraham that every man-childe of eight dayes olde should be circumcised as well of his house as of strangers that were bought that his Covenant might be in their flesh as an everlasting Covenant and the uncircumcised should be cut off from the people Then hee commanded his Wife should no more be called Sarai but Sarah and how he would give her a son and shee should be a Mother of many Nations then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed thinking it strange hee being an hundred years old and Sarah ninety then hee desired the Lord that Ishmael might live in his sight but the Lord said againe Sarah shall bear a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isaac with whom I will establish my Covenant and thy prayer for Ishmael I have heard and him will I blesse and make fruitfull twelve Princes shall he beget
my dulnesse and fleshly vanity dispossesse me of a happy resolution to serve thee But as thou hast begunne in me by thy good motions so continue them and thy mercies unto me that by the strength of thy grace and good Inspirations I may persevere in all good purposes to pay my vowes and upon the Altar of my heart to sacrifice most humble thankes and praise unto thee even for ever Here beginneth the History of Joseph THE HISTORY of Joseph JAcob loved Joseph more then all his children because he was the sonne of his old age and he made him a coat of many colours and Joseph dreamed certain dreames the interpretation whereof much displeased his brethren and they hated him and conspired to slay him But Reuben his brother heard it and delivered him out of their hands But it came to passe afterwards that they stript him and took and cast him into a pit where was no water and they sitting downe to eat bread a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their Camels bearing spicery balme and myrrhe going into Egypt And Judah did perswade his brethren not to kill Joseph that his blood might not be upon them but to sell him to these Ishmaelites and they sold him to a Midianite Merchant for twenty pieces of silver and he carried Joseph into Egypt And his brethren took Josephs coat and killed a kid and dipped the coat in the blood and brought it to their father who knew it and said It is my sonnes coat and some beast hath devoured him and Jacob rent his clothes and mourned for him many dayes And all his sonnes and daughters rose up to comfort him but he refused to be comforted after the Midianites sold Joseph into Egypt unto Potiphar an officer of King Pharaohs who was Captaine of his guard Now the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man and found favour in the sight of Potiphar who made him overseer of his house and all that he had he put into his hand and the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for his sake and Joseph was a goodly person and well favoured It came to passe that Potiphars wife grew in love with him tempting him to lye with her but he refused and said unto her My Master hath beene kinde unto me and committed all to my charge and how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God But she daily solicited Joseph and one day coming into the house she caught him by the garment saying lye with me and he left his garment and fled then she called aloud unto the men of her house and said An Hebrew is brought unto us to mock us he came and urged to lye with me and I cryed with a loud voice and when he heard me cry he left his garment and fled and when her lord came home she told him of this passage and his wrath was kindled against Joseph and put him into prison But the Lord was with Joseph and shewed him mercy giving him favour with the keeper of the prison And it came to passe that Pharaoh King of Egypt was wroth with his principall Butler and Baker and they were committed to the prison where Joseph was and they dreamed dreams both of them one night Joseph coming unto them in the morning they were sad and he said unto them Wherefore looke you so sadly and they told him their dreames the which he interpreted that the Butler within three dayes should be released and in King Pharaohs favour and deliver the cup into his hand as he formerly did and Joseph desired him to remember him with Pharaoh when he was thus advanced And Joseph interpreted the Bakers dreame that within three dayes he should be hanged on a tree and it came to passe the third day was Pharaohs birth-day that he made a feast to all his servants and he restored the chiefe Butler to his place and he gave the cup into Pharaohs hand but he hanged the Baker yet did not the Butler remember Joseph but forgat him And it came to passe after two yeares that Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the river and there came out of the river seven well favoured kine fat and they fed in a medow and seven other kine came out of the river ill favoured and leane and stood by the other kine and did eat them up and he dreamed a second dream that seven ears of corn came up upon one stalke rank and good and seven thin ears and blasted with the East winde sprung up after them and the seven thin ears devoured the seven ranke and full ears Pharaoh being troubled at these dreams sent for the Magicians of Egypt but none of them could interpret these dreams Then spake the cheife Butler unto Pharaoh saying I do Remember my faults this day thou wast wroth with me and thy chief Baker and put us in prison and we dreamed both in one night and there was in the prison with us a young man an Hebrew that did interpret our dreames and according to his interpretation I was restored to favour and the Baker hanged Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph out of the dungeon and he shaved himselfe and changed his raiment and came in unto Pharaoh and Pharaoh said unto Joseph I have dreamed a dreame and no man can interpret it and Joseph answered Pharaoh saying It is not in me God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace Then Pharaoh related his dream and Joseph answered The dreame of Pharaoh is one the seven good kine are seven years and the seven good ears are seven years and the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years and the seven empty ears blasted with the East winde shall be seven years of famine this is the thing that God is about to doe Behold there shall come seven years of great plenty thoroughout all the land of Egypt and there shall be seven years of famine and the famine shall consume the land Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the land of Egypt to provide in the seven years of plenty for the famine that shall follow and the counsell was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants And Pharaoh said unto Joseph for as much as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so discreet and wise as thou art therefore thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne will I be greater then thou and Pharaoh set him over the land of Egypt and took off his Ring from off his hand and put it upon Josephs hand and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen and put a gold chaine about his neck And he made him ride in the second Chariot which he had and they cryed before him Bow the knee he made him Ruler over all the land of Egypt and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of
Poti-pherah Priest of On. Then was Joseph thirty years old And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt and gathered provision in the seven years of plenty for the seven years of famine that was to follow and unto Joseph was borne two sonnes before the years of famine came and he called the name of the first Manasseh and the name of the second Ephraim After the famine was over the land of Egypt the people cryed to Pharaoh for bread and Pharaoh sent them to Joseph then Joseph opened all the store-houses and sold unto the Egyptians and all Countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corne because the famine was so sore in all lands Now when Jacob heard there was corne in the land of Egypt he said to his sonnes Get you thither and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die and Josephs ten brethren went downe to buy corne in Egypt but Benjamin staid at home with Jacob and the sonnes of Israel came into Egypt unto Joseph who sold the corne and bowed downe themselves before him with their faces to the earth and Joseph knew them to be his brethren but made himselfe strange unto them and spake roughly unto them and he said unto them Whence come ye they said From the land of Canaan to buy food then said Joseph unto them Ye are spies to see the nakednesse of the land you are come and they said unto him Nay my lord but to buy food are thy servants come we are all one mens sonnes we are true men thy servants are no spies and they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sonnes of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one is not living And Joseph said unto them Ye are spies hereby ye shall be proved By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not goe forth hence except your youngest brother come hither and he put them altogether three dayes into prison and Joseph said unto them the third day If ye be true men let one of your brethren stay here in prison and goe ye and carry corne for the provision of your houses and bring your youngest brother to me and they did so and they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our brother Joseph in that we saw the anguish of his soul whē he besought us and we would not heare therefore is this distresse come upon us And Reuben answered them saying spake I not unto you saying do not sin against the childe and ye would not heare therefore behold all his blood is required and they knew not that Joseph understood them for he spake unto them by an Interpreter and he turned himself about from them and wept and returned to them again communing with them and tooke from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes so Joseph dispatched them away with their provisions and commanded their money to be put in their sacks and they laded their asses with corn departed thence and opening their sacks and there finding their money they were afraid saying one to another what is this that God hath done unto us And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan and told him of that befell unto them but Jacob was troubled to part with Benjamin and said unto them me have ye bereaved of my children Joseph is not living and Simeon is not here and ye will take Benjamin away all these things are against me then Reuben spake unto his father saying kil my two sonnes if I bring him not to thee and he said my sonne shall not goe downe with you for his brother is dead if mischiefe befall him in the way then shall ye bring down my gray haires with sorrow to the grave But the famine continuing sore in the land and having spent that which they brought out of Egypt Jacob said unto his sonnes go againe and buy us some food in Egypt and Judah spake vnto him saying the man did solemnly protest unto us saying Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you and Israel said Wherefore dealt you so ill with me as to tell the man that you had another brother And they said The man did aske us straight of our state and kindred and Judah said unto Israel his father Send the young man with me and we will arise and go that we may live and not die for want of food both we and thou and also our little ones and I will be surety for him of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not to thee then let me beare the blame for ever and then father Israel said unto them If it must be so Now then doe this Take of the best fruit of the land in your vessels and carry downe the man a present a little Balme and a little Honey Spices and Myrrhe Nuts and Almonds and take double money in your hand and the money that was brought againe in the mouth of your sacks carry it againe peradventure it was an oversight take also your brother and goe againe unto the man and God Almighty give you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin If I be bereaved of my children I am bereaved And they took that present and Benjamin and went downe to Egypt and stood before Joseph and when Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the Ruler of his house Bring these men home kill provision and make ready for they shall dine with me and they were brought thither but were afraid by reason of the money they carried back in their sacks and they communed with the Steward and told him of it and he said Peace be to you feare not your God and the God of your fathers hath given you treasure in your sacks I had your money and he brought Simeon unto them and he bringing them into Josephs house gave them water to wash their feet and he gave their Asses provender And when Joseph came home they brought him the present bowing themselves to him to the earth and he asked them of their welfare and said Is your father well the old man of whom you spake is he yet alive and they answered They servant our father is in good health he is yet alive and they bowed downe their heads and made obeisance and he lift up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin his mothers sonne and said Is this your younger brother of whom you spake unto me they said Yes and he said God be gracious to thee my sonne And Joseph made haste for his bowels did yerne upon his brother and he sought where to weepe and he entered into his chamber and wept there after he washed his face and came out and refrained himselfe and said set on bread and they set on for him by himselfe and for them by themselves and the Egyptians that did eat
with him by themselves because the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrews and they sate in order according to their age and they sent messes unto them from before Joseph but Benjamins messe was five times as much as any of theirs and they dranke and were merry with him And Joseph commanded his servants to fill their sacks with food and to put in every sack their money and to put a cup of silver in the sack of the youngest with his corne money and betimes in the morning they were sent away they and their Asses And when they were gone a little way Joseph said unto his Steward Follow after the men and when thou dost overtake them say unto them Wherefore have ye rewarded evill for good and he overtooke them and he spake unto them as he was bidden and they said unto him Wherefore saith my Lord these words God forbid that thy servants should doe according to this thing Behold the money which we found in our sacks mouthes we brought againe unto thee out of the land of Canaan how then should we steale out of thy Lords house silver or gold with whomsoever of thy servants it be found both let him dye and we also will be my Lords bondmen Then they speedily tooke downe their sacks and opened every man his sack and he searched beginning at the eldest and left at the youngest and the Cup was found in Benjamins sack then they rent their clothes and laded every man his Asse and returned to the City And Judah and his brethren came to Josephs house and they fell before him to the ground then Joseph said unto them What deed is this that ye have done wot ye not that I can divine and Judah said What shall we say unto my Lord what shall we speake or how shall we cleare our selves God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants Behold we are my Lords servants both we and he also with whom the Cup is found and he said God forbid I should doe so but the man in whose hand the cup is found he shall be my servant and as for you get you up unto your father then Judah came neare unto him and said O my Lord let thy servant I pray thee speake a word in my Lords eares and let not thine anger burn against thy servant for thou art even as Pharaoh and Judah said our father was loath to part with Benjamin saying unto us Ye know that my wife bare me two sonnes the one is dead and surely he is torne in pieces for I saw him not since and if ye take this also from me and mischiefe befall him ye shall bring downe my gray haires with sorrow to my grave Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father and the young man our brother be not with us seeing that his life is bound up in the youths life that he will dye for thy servant became surety for the young man unto my father saying If I bring him not unto thee then I shall beare the blame to my father for ever Now therefore I pray thee let thy servant abide in stead of Benjamin a bondman to my Lord and let the young man goe up with his brethren for how shall I goe up to my father and this Benjamin be not with me lest peradventure I see the evill that shall come to my father Then Joseph could not refraine himselfe before all them that stood by him and he cryed Cause every man to goe out from me and there stood no man with him while he made himselfe knowne to his brethren and he wept aloud and he said unto his brethren I am Joseph doth my father yet live and his brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence and Joseph said unto his brethren Come neare unto me I pray you and he said I am Joseph your Brother whom you sold into Egypt be not angry with your selves that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life for there is and shall continue a great famine And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity upon earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance So it was not you that sent me hither but God he hath made me father to King Pharaoh and a Ruler in Egypt Haste you and goe up to my father and say unto him thus saith thy son Joseph Come downe to me and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen thou and thy children and thy childrens children and thy flocks and thy herds and all that thou haste And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of al that you have seene and ye shall haste and bring downe my father hither And he fell upon his brother Benjamins neck and wept and Benjamin wept upon him moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him and the fame thereof came to Pharaoh and it pleased him and his servants and Pharaoh said Joseph Bid your brethren load their beasts and goe into Canaan and bring your father and all his families and take wagons to bring them and all they have for they shall have the good of the land of Egypt and eat the fat thereof and Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and provision for the way with changes of raiments But to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment and to his father he sent twenty Asses laden with good things of Egypt and provision for his journey into Egypt and they went up out of the land of Egypt unto the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father and told him saying Joseph is yet alive and he is Governour over all the land of Egypt and Jacobs heart fainted for he beleeved them not and they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them and when he saw the wagons which Joseph sent to carry him the spirit of Jacob their father revived and Israel said It is enough Joseph my sonne is yet alive I will goe and see him before I die And Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac and God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night and said Jacob Jacob I am God the God of thy father feare not to goe downe into Egypt for I will make thee a great Nation I will goe downe with thee into Egypt and I will also bring thee surely up again and Joseph shall put his hands upon thine eyes And Jacob departed from Beersheba with all his families with all their cattell and goods and came into Egypt Jacob and all his seed with him all the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten and he sent Judah before him to Joseph to direct his face to Goshen and they
came to the land of Goshen and Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father and presented himselfe unto him and he fell on his neck and wept and Israel said unto Joseph Now let me die since I have seene thy face And Joseph said unto his brethren and to his fathers house I will goe up unto Pharaoh and tell him my father and you are come hither and when Pharaoh shall aske you What is your occupation Ye shall say Thy servants trade hath beene about cattell that ye may dwell in the land of Goshen for every Shepherd is an abomination unto the Egyptians Then Joseph told Pharaoh of his fathers coming into Egypt and presented five of his brethren unto him and Pharaoh said unto his brethren What is your occupation and they said Thy servants are Shepherds both we and also our fathers and they said moreover The famine is great in Canaan now therefore we pray thee let thy servants dwel in the land of Goshen And Pharaoh spake to Joseph saying Thy father and thy brethren are come unto thee in the land of Goshen let them dwell and if thou knowest any man of activity amongst them then make them rulers over my cattell And Joseph brought in Jacob his father and set him before Pharaoh and Jacob blessed Pharaoh and Pharaoh said unto Jacob How old art thou and Jacob said unto Pharaoh The yeares of my pilgrimage arâ— one hundred and thirty years few and evill have the dayes of the yeares of my life beene And Jacob went out from before Pharaoh and Joseph placed his father and his brethren in the best of the land as Pharaoh had commanded and Joseph nourished his father and his brethren and all his fathers houshold according to their families And Israel did grow and multiply exceedingly in Goshen and Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeene yeares so the whole age of Jacob was one hundred fourty and seven yeares and the time drew nigh that Israel must die and he called his sonne Joseph and said unto him If now I have found grace in thy sight put I pray thee thy hand under my thigh and deale kindly and truly with me Bury me not I pray thee in Egypt But I will lye with my fathers and thou shalt cary me out of Egypt and bury me in their burying place and he said I will doe as thou hast said and he said Sweare unto me and he sware unto him and Israel bowed himselfe upon the beds head And Jacob being sick Joseph brought his two sonnes Manasseh and Ephraim with him and Jacob was told of their coming and he strengthened himselfe and fate upon the bed Israel after he had blessed Joseph called for his two sonnes to blesse them Now the eyes of Israel were dim for age so that he could not see and Joseph brought them neare unto him and he kissed them and imbraced them and Israel said unto Joseph I had not thought to see thy face and loe God hath shewed me also thy seed and Joseph brought them out from between his knees and he bowed himselfe with his face to the earth and Joseph tooke them both Ephraim in his right hand towards Israels left hand and Manasseth in his left hand towards Israels right hand and brought them neare unto him and Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it upon Ephraims head who was the younger and his left hand upon Manassehs head guiding his hands wittingly and he blessed Joseph and said God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walke the God which fed me all my life long unto this day the Angel which redeemed me from all evill blesse the lads and let my name be named on them and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth And when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim it displeased him and he held up his fathers hand to remove it from Ephraims head unto Manassâ—hs head and Joseph said unto his father Not so my father for this is the first borne put thy right hand upon his head and his father refused and said I know it my sonne I know it he also shall become a people and he also shall be great but truly his younger brother shall be greater then he and his seede shall become a multitude of Nations and he blessed them that day saying in thee shall Israel blesse saying God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh and Israel said unto Joseph Behold I die But God shall be with you and bring you again unto the land of your fathers Moreover I have given to thee one portion above thy brethren which I tooke out of the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bowe And Jacob called all his sonnes and said gather your selves together that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last dayes gather your selves together and heare ye sons of Jacob and hearken unto Israel your father and he blessed them and he charged them and said I am to be gathered unto my people bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittit in the land of Canaan which Abraham bought for a possession of a burying place there they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife there they buried Isaac and Rebeckah his wife and there I buried Leah and when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sonnes he gathered his feet into the bed and yielded up the ghost and was gathered unto his people And Joseph fell upon his fathers face and wept upon him and kissed him And Joseph commanded his servants the Physicians to embalme Israel and fourty dayes were fulfilled for him for so are fulfilled the dayes of those which are embalmed and the Egyptians mourned for him threescore and tenne daies and when the dayes of mourning were past Pharaoh said unto Joseph Goe up and bury thy father as he made thee sweare and Joseph went up to bury his father and with him went up all the servants of Pharaoh the elders of his house and all the elders of the land of Egypt and all the house of Joseph and his brethren and his fathers house onely their little ones they left in the land of Goshen and there went up with him both Charets and Horsemen and it was a very great company and they came to the threshing floore of Arad which is beyond Jordan and there they mourned with a great and sore lamentation and he made a mourning for his father seven dayes and his sons did unto him according as he commanded them and carried him into the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave as he appointed And Joseph returned into Egypt he and his brethren and all that went up with him and when Josephs brethren saw their father was dead they said Peradventure Joseph will hate us and will certainly
Abraham and his seed to give the land of Canaan and of the bondage of Israel in Egypt and his Covenant and sent him againe to Pharaoh to let the children of Israel goe out of his land but all this while the children of Israel did mightily murmur against Moses and Aaron Moses was then fourescore yeares old and Aaron fourescore and three And they went both unto Pharaoh againe and Aaron cast down his Rod before Pharaoh and it became a serpent and the sorcerers of Pharaoh did the like with their inchantments But Aarons Rod swallowed up all theirs And as God commanded Moses and Aaron in the morning they met Pharaoh at the water and at the Rivers side and desired that the people of Israel might goe and worship God in the wildernesse But he refused then he smote the waters in the sight of Pharaoh and they were turned into blood and the fish died and the river stanke yet Pharaohs heart was hardened this continued for seven dayes in which time they digged for water to drinke And the Lord commanded Moses to goe againe unto Pharaoh to let the people of Israel goe and still his heart was hardened and Aaron stretched forth his hand with the Rod over the ponds and caused frogs to come over the land of Egypt and the Magicians did thâ— like then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me and my people and I will let the people goe that they may doe service unto the Lord. And Moses said That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God the frogs shall depart but onely they shall remaine in the rivers and the Lord did according to the word of Moses And the Lord commanded to say unto Aaron to stretch out his Rod and smite the dust of the land that it may be lice thorowout all Egypt and it was so and the Magicians attempted to doe the like but could not And they told the King it was the finger of God yet he hearkened not unto them Then the Lord commanded Moses to goe early in the morning unto Pharaoh as he came forth and speak to him that the people of Israel might goe to serve him and to tell him what plagues otherwise would follow but still his heart was hardened then there came a grievous swarme of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into all the land of Egypt and the land was corrupted by reason of the flies Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Goe ye sacrifice to your God in the land But Moses said they desired to go three dayes journey for it was an abomination to the Egyptians to sacrifice in their land and Pharaoh let them goe desiring Moses to intreat the Lord for him the which he did and the flies departed out of the land of Egypt Yet againe Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let them goe then all the cattell of the land of Egypt died but of the cattell of the children of Israel died not one yet was Pharaohs heart hardened and would not let them goe Then as the Lord commanded Moses took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and sprinkled it up towards heaven and there became boiles and blames upon man and beast and upon the Magicians And stil was the heart of Pharaoh hardened and would not let the children of Israel goe and Moses stretched forth his Rod and the Lord sent thunder and haile and the fire ran along upon the ground so there was fire and haile mingled together such as was not since the land of Egypt became a nation and it smote both man and beast and every herbe and brake downe the trees onely in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was none Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned the Lord is righteous I and my people are wicked Intreat the Lord for me and I will let ye goe And Moses went out of the city and spread his hands unto the Lord and the thunder and haile ceased yet neverthelesse Pharaohs heart was again hardened neither would he let the children of Israel goe And Moses and Aaron came againe unto Pharaoh and said thus unto him Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me let my people goe that they may serve me and his servants perswaded him to let them goe but he refused to heare them Then Moses stretcht forth his Rod over the land of Egypt and there came an East winde which brought in Locusts which went over the land of Egypt and the land was darkened and they left no greene thing upon the land Then Pharaoh called againe for Moses and Aaron in haste and said I have sinned against the Lord your God and you forgive my sinne and entreat the Lord for me The which Moses did and the Lord sent a mighty West winde which did drive the locusts into the Red Sea but yet would not Pharaoh let the children of Israel goe Then the Lord commanded Moses to stretch forth his hand towards heaven and there was a thick darknesse throughout the land of Egypt three dayes but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings Then Pharaoh called unto Moses and said to him Goe ye and serve the Lord onely let your flocks and herds stay here but Moses refused that and said they must have sacrifices for the Lord and all their cattell then Pharaoh would not let them goe but bid Moses to see his face no more And the Lord commanded Moses to speake to all the children of Israel upon the tenth day of the moneth to take every house a lambe a male lambe without blemish and to keep it untill the fourteenth day and then kill it in the evening and to take the blood with a bunch of hyssop and strike it on the two side posts and upon the upper post of the doore and that they shall eat the flesh that night rosted with unleavened bread and bitter herbs That they shall eat it with their loins girded shooes on their feet and staves in their hands and in haste for it is the Lords Passeover For the blood upon the posts shall be a token that the Lord would passe in mercy by them when the Egyptians should be destroyed And after the performance of many other ceremonies before the eating of the Passeover it came to passe that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-borne of Egypt and Pharaoh rose up in the night and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry then the children of Israel according as they were commanded departed taking their dough before it was levened and the kneading troughes upon their shoulders with great store of Jewels they had from the Egyptians And they journied towards Succoth being in number about six hundred thousand on foot besides children after they had beene
tooke Joshua and set him before Eleazar the Priest and the congregation and he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses After this the children of Israel warred against the Midianites and they slew the King of Midian and burnt their cities and their goodly castles and there Balaam was slaine they divided the spoyle of the Countrey And Moses growing old he called Joshuah unto him before the people giving him good counsell and bidding him to be valiant and encouraged the people and setteth forth a song of Gods mercies and vengeance After which the Lord spake unto Moses saying Get thee up into this mountain Abarim unto mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab that is over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession and dye in the mount whither thou goest up and be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered unto his people because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel yet thou shalt see the land but thou shalt not goe thither and after Moses had blessed the twelve Tribes of Israel he went up from the plaines of Moab unto the mountaine of Nebo and the Lord shewed him the land of promise which was promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob so Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord and he buryed him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day he was 120. yeares old when he died his eye was not dim nor his naturall force abated and the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plaines of Moab thirty dayes and there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face In all the signes and wonders which the Lord sent him to doe in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh to all his servants and to all his land and in all that mighty hand and in all that great terrour which Moses shewed in the sight of Israel MEDITATIONS Upon some parts of the History of Moses O Lord direct my meditations and assist me humbly and truely to contemplate this thy great work of the deliverance of thy children of Israel out of Egypt by Moses after they had sojourned there foure hundred and thirty yeares after which time according to thy promise thou diddest deliver them and brought them to the land of promise This great deliverance O Lord is the true type of a great mercy that did follow which was by our Moses Jesus Christ who redeemed and brought us that were Gentiles and under the bondage and slavery of sinne to serve and follow him out of the darknesse wherein we were inthraled being far worse then the Egyptian yoke O Lord my God let it enter into my heart most humbly and seriously to consider of this inestimable mercy of my redemption and of thy wonderfull and unvaluable goodnesse towards me a sinner by sending into this Egypt of the world such a guide such a deliverer and such a Redeemer as all the Angels and powers in heaven doe adore even thy onely Sonne Let me be astonished O Lord with wonder at this thy so great mercy and be confounded in my selfe for offending thee so glorious and so gracious a God And let my sinfull soule be converted unto thee to serve thee with all humblenesse of heart O Lord how sutable in mischiefe were Pharaoh and Herod by giving way to Ambition and Jealousie and the reignes to commit cruelty to an unlimited height for the murdering of innocent Infants Pharaohs ambition was to destroy the Hebrew children amongst whom was Moses which thou O God preservedst to deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt and Herods designe to destroy the children in Jury amongst whom was that immaculate Lambe Christ Jesus even to destroy him who delivered the Gentiles and was after crucified to deliver and redeeme both Jew and Gentile O Lord how wonderfull are thy workes and all thy goodnesse for flesh and blood could not prevaile against thy providence for the cruelty of Pharaoh could not prevent thy goodnesse for thou diddest multiply and blesse thy children of Israel and preservedst Moses in a poore basket of bulrushes to doe thy great worke to deliver thy people out of the thraldome of Egypt And O wonder of wonders and mercy of mercies out of the manger at Bethlehem came our blessed Saviour who redeemed the world and how wonderfully O Lord hast thou preserved thy Church for whom he died and multiplied thy servants through the persecutions of this world As it was thy great mercy and blessing O Lord to preserve Noah and his family in that great Arke whereby mankind was preserved upon earth So it was thy mercy to preserve thy servant Moses in that little arke amongst the watery flags of danger to preserve and bring thy children of Israel descended from Noah out of Egypt to the land of promise from which stock so preserved came my Saviour Jesus Christ as these have beene thy mercies O God to preserve thy people of Israel by thy Prophet Moses the type of Christ and to redeeme the world by thy Sonne my Saviour Jesus So O Lord many have beene thy mercies unto me a sinner by thy manifold mercies and deliverances even since my infancie hitherto both by sea and land Good Lord in thy mercy take from over me this thick and mysty cloud of stupidity that so much darkens my understanding that I may discerne these thy mercies and feare love and serve thee with all the faculties of soule and body and good Lord grant that I may love my kinred and neighbours as Moses did love his Nation the Hebrews with kindnesse and affability to all men as he used to the daughters of Jethro Let the soule of thy servant know that in the places of peace quietnesse and retirednesse from the eye of this world so full of vanity and pleasures there art thou to be found for in the desart behinde the mountain and neare Horeb thou wast with Moses O Lord bring my soule from these worldly cares afflictions and temptations amongst which I live and lead me with thy saving grace toward thy holy mountaine with contemplations of holinesse and penitency for my sins and there let me rest in thee and be freed from the thorny and scorching passages of this world As thou O God didst wonderfully appeare unto Moses in the Bush by a flame of fire which did not burne nor consume it so I doe most humbly beseech thee enter into the heart of thy servant and enflame it with holy love and zeale towards thee and enlighten it O Lord that
him how the soule of his sonne loved Dinah and desired she might be his wife and how by that there should be a continuall freindship betweene them their children and people with great expressions of what love happines this would produce now they seem'd to likewel of those Propositions only they would not marry with an uncircumcised people but if they would be circumcised they would approve thereof all which Hamor and his son Shechem liked well of consenting there unto and Shechem deferred not the doing of it his love was such to Dinah so the father and the sonne acquainted the Citie therewith who considering of the conveniencie and neighbour-hood that hereby might come so they consented and all the men children were circumcised even as they went out at the gate of the City But on the third day after when they were sore two sonnes of Jacob Simeon and Levi took each of them a sword and going boldly into the Citie killed every male as likewise Hamor and Shechem taking Dinah out of Shechem's house and so went away and the other sons of Jacob came up and spoiled the City taking all their goods because of this wrong done to their sister Dinah But Jacob was troubled at this act of Simeon and Levi saying they had made him stinck among the Inhabitants After this God commanded him to arise and goe to Bethel and there to make an Altar unto him the which he did before commanding all his house-hold to put away their false Gods whose counsell they observed giving him all their Gods or Idols and there eare-rings and buryed them under an Oake So they went towards Bethel and there built an Altar and after many promises there of God unto him and his seed with his worship and testimonies of thanksgiving unto God for all his mercies he departed from Bethel and in their journey Rachel travel'd in child-birth and was in danger but the Midwife did comfort her telling her shee should have a son and in her extreamity before she died being delivered called the child Benjamine and so gave up the Ghost was buried at Bethlehem Jacob comaÌ„nding a Pillar to be set upon her grave Then Jacob went on his journey and came to Isaac his Father to Mamre where Isaac died After this Jacob lived in the Land of Canaan where after his other sonnes sold Joseph into Egypt unto which Land in the time of famine by Gods great Providence Jacob and all his sons did repaire All which and the rest of the life and acts of Jacob and his sonnes with Jacobs Death and Buryall are at large exprest in the ensuing History of Joseph PRAYERS upon the History of JACOB O Lord as Jacob by his obedience vnto his Parents obtained the blessing from them in his journey to Padan-Aram thou diddest mercifully preserve him So blesse mee O Lord in what I goe about and give me true obedience towards thee that thou maist give me the blessings of thy holy grace to protect mee through the manifold dangers of my soule in the pilgrimage of this world and that thy blessed inspirations may abide with me In the distresses so subject unto me for my sinnes be thou mercifull unto me as thou wast unto Jacob when his lodging was the earth and his pillow a stone If the Father of the Patriarks and descended from the Father of the faithfull was well contented with such thine appointment and did praise thee for thy mercies Let me O Lord a most miserable sinner and who have been most disobedient unto thee reflect into my self with sincerity of soule by looking into my bad deservings so see them as with compassion to my selfe I may bewaile my manifold sinnes and by the remembrance of them fall down upon this earth and think my selfe so unworthy as to esteeme all the sufferings and hâ—rd passages of this world not punishments sufficient to expiate my câ—ying offences but sâ—ill to bewaile my sins and to lie downe with my head upon this sâ—one of Contrition with patience and thankfulnesse to submit to thy blessed will And in these my streights and most just sufferings thou who sittest in heaven and then stood upon the toppe of that ladder which reached downe to the earth â—here Jacob was Looke downe from thence O Lord and speak mercifully unto me and let thy blessed Angels descend downe upon this ladder and steps of thy favour to assist and comfort mee in all my troubles O Lord awaken thou my drousie spirit that by thy grace casting off all feares I may apprehend thy goodnesse and discern the gates of heavenly mercie for which let me rise early and by taking up stedfast thoughts and good resolutions I may raise up a pillar of praise powring thereon the oyle of chearefull thankefulnesse for all thy mercies as Jacob did upon that stone he stept on and for all thy preservations let me pay my vowes unto thee Lord keepe mee thy servant from voluptuousnesse and curiosity the great distempers of these times and by the example of Jacob thy servant and the Predecessor of Kings who desired but bread raiment give me grace to mortifie all my vain affections surfeitnig pleasures of this world and most willingly to be contented with thy good pleasure Continue thy good providence towards me as thou diddest unto Jacob in his journey when hee came to that Well where he so happily met with Rachel Let mee alwayes admire thy wonderfull wayes and meanes whereby thou bringst thy mercies and blessings unto us And let me O Lord well consider and see how many times in the course of my life thou hast shewed mee thy works of mercie by preventing me in things whereby my owne weak judgement and intentions destructions of soule and bodie had been the issâ—e And likewise how by wayes and meanes of thy speciall providence thou hast protected and directed me into the wayes of safety and therefore as Jacob after thy good guidance was brought unto that Well from which he rowled the stone to doe the office of courtesie So good Lord in imitation of him for thy goodnesse let me remove by thy mercie all sad and heavy thoughts from over those good inspirations which thou hast infused into the dry well of my heart springing from thy grace And that I may abundantly distribute this holy water to the rich by friendship and courtesie and to the poor by love charity And as Jacob in the fulnesse of joy in his heart by meeting of Rachel wept so good Lord when I shall finde at any time the blessed comfort of thy grace and good inspirations let mee embrace them with true thankfulnesse and rejoycing in thee for thy mercies and in fear for thy judgements weep for my offences against thee In the manifold uncertainties unconstancies of the friendships of this world and worldly men give me such honest care and patience as Jacob had by Laban's hard servitude unto him Still to discharge the trust committed
unto me never to distrust thy mercies and deliverance And though things fall not according to my will and choise as it fell out with him about Rachels let me O 〈◊〉 with Jacob's other seven yeares â—â—tiently waite thy liesure and 〈◊〉 time So for thy heavenly mercies in 〈◊〉 drynesse and coldnesse of my resolâ—â—â—ons and devotions towards thee let mee with patience and prayer waite for that good time when thou shalt enlarge and deliver my soule from this thraldome and bondage of selfe-love and the snares of worldly slavery whereby I may be fitted for my journey to the heavenly Canaan there with joy to meete Isaac and all that rest in the happinesse to see thy presence O God Remove from mee all distrusts of thy promises and providence that common and dangerous rock whereupon this weake Vessell we saile in is so subject to fall upon by the crosse windes and troubled Seas of our unfaithfull constitutions for so it was with Rachel when in the bitterness of her anguish shee said to Jacob give me children or else I dye But O Lord so instruct my heart with such firme hope in thee as all doubts may depart from my weak and stupid sences and open thou the eyes of my understanding clearly to discerne how much thy mercy and goodnesse are unto me beyond my deservings and so by this pious patience I shall in thy good time enjoy the fruit of my hopes as Rachel after did by her issue in Joseph that happie sonne of so good a father the very comfort and preserver of the seed of Israel Good Lord let it enter into my heart to see with admiratioÌ„ wonder how thou diddest performe thy promises unto Abraham by this numerous generation of Jacob. After so many doubts by fleshly weakenesse barrennesse of constitutions and the great difficulties and dangers in the sâ—verall stations journeys perigrinatioÌ„s of Abraham and Isaac and the great opppession of the seed of Jacob in Aegypt and their long and dangerous perigrination to that land of promise how from them to come our Saviour O mercie beyond mans apprehension or deserving whereof they did only hope for and the which wee the sons of the bond-woman now see and so happily enjoy and by the enjoyment of which promise both the seed of Jacob and the Gentiles receive such an unvaluable blessing being such as all the hopes promises to Abraham Isaac and Jacob were but types and the tempoall plenty of the Patriarks in their land of milke and honey and all their deliverances were but shadowes in comparison of the fruits of this hope and the super-aboundant mercy of our redemption from sin and the fulnesse of heavenly grace bestowed upon us by this promised Messias in whom they in hope did rejoyce by whom they and we are made so happy in the enjoyment and fruition Oh the hidden treasure of happiness now so transparent glorious inlighten my soule O Lord that by this blessed enlightning I may see thy wonderfull mercy and my owne misery to put off all worldly love and vaine delight and make sale of all my earthly merchandise to purchase this jewell even the love of thee my Saviour farre more precious then that manna was to to the children of Israel for no earthly love is like in perfect happinesse to this of thine O thou Saviour of the world Good Lord let me continually obey blessed command and holy inspirations and as Jacob by thine appointment returned into Canaan and with expedition tooke his journey with his wives children family and goods So Lord let me breake from the love of this world wherein I am made a slave to sin and so subjected to uncertainties as Jacob was for twenty years with so many changes of his wages And let not the allurements and vain promises of this world detaine mee either for the enjoying the fading profits therein or to stay in the vanities thereof with such hopelesse and helplesse promises as Laban did intend to him But let me with resolution and sincerily follow thy good directions break from such things as may offend thee to the hurt of my soule Deliver me O Lord from the fears and jealousies so subject to the infirmities of flesh and blood from the danger of my enemies as thou did'st Jacob from his brother Esau let thy protection be with me and thy holy Angels to guard me And as Jacob sent his wives children servants and goods in order and came before him with such Presents and directions as might appease the fury of his brother Esau. So O Lord in my progres towards thee by a true faith and humble confidence give me a holy care prudence to send unto thee before-hand my heart and good intentions with my goods of piety and good workes that in mercy thou maist receive me so shall I escape thy judgements so justly due to me for my sins O Lord keep me from a wandring spirit and a loose condition so shall I avoid evill and all occasions of evill Let me not doe like Dinah who went a gadding to see the daughters of Shechem whereby she was entrap'd and brought to solly so shall I avoid sin to my selfe and the punishment of others as it befell to that unhappy Prince and Citie of Shechem And O Lord preserve mee from the like cruelty that was in Simeon and Levi whose revenge was implacable and transcendent being odious in the eyes of their Father and to all good people yet by this terrible judgement teach mee to know thy displeasure against sinne and leave such severe punishments to thy unsearchable judgements O thou my Creator Redeemer Preserver or wonderfull in my creation infinitely good in my redemption and most mercifull in my preservation the great strength guide and directer of Abraham Isaac Jacob in all their passages through the Desarts and Labyrinths of this crooked world which mercies of thine O Lord have beene most bountifully and mercifully extended unto me a most miserable sinner Therefore as they at all times and upon all occasions in their severall stations for thy mercies deliverances unto them did build Altars and offer Sacrifices of thankesgiving unto thee for thy goodnesse and Jacob according to his vow at the beginning of his perigrination where he set up that stone did now at his returne in that very place pay his vows even at Bethel with much solempnity and piety So O Lord let it enter into my heart duly to consider of thy great mercies unto me from time to time let me not cast them behind mee but call them to minde and as Jacob by finding thy mercies did not forget them when he came backe to Bethel but there did performe his duty and promise unto thee so let me alwayes remember thy deliverances unto me and how in my severall distresses I have so seen and found them as they having moved good thoughts and purposes in mee of better living good Lord let not
in Egypt foure hundred and thirty yeares But they went not the nearest way by the land of the Philistines but about through the wildernesse of the Red Sea And Moses took the bones of Joseph along with him and they came from Succoth in Ethem in the edge of the wildernesse and there encamped and the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire And when King Pharaoh heard they were gone he made ready six hundred chosen Chariots all the Chariots of Egypt and Captains over them and a great army and the children of Israel coming neare the Red Sea the Egyptians overtooke them and they were afraid and cryed unto the Lord and did murmur against Moses exceedingly thinking it better to have staid in Egypt but Moses comforted them then the Lord commanded them to march and Moses to lift up his Rod and to stretch out his hand over the Sea and the Angel and the pillar of the Cloud which went before removed and stood behinde them and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East winde and it was dry land and the waters were divided and the children of Israel went into the middest of it upon the dry ground and the waters were as a wal on every side and the Egyptians followed them but by Gods will when they were in the middle of the water their Chariot wheels fell off in the morning when all Israel was over Moses stretched forth his hand and the waters closed up and Pharaoh and all his Army were drowned and when Israel saw this great worke they feared the Lord and beleeved him and his servant Moses and Moses and the children of Israel sang praises unto the Lord. After which Moses brought the children of Israel three dayes into the wildernesse and found no water and when they came to Marah the water was bitter and the people murmured against Moses and hee prayed unto the Lord and the Lord shewed him a tree the which he cast into the water and they were made sweet And then they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water and seventy Palme trees and there incamped from thence they came to the wildernesse of Sin which is betweene Elim and Sinai being the fifteenth day of the second moneth there the people of Israel did murmur at Moses and Aaron repenting they came from the flesh pots of Egypt then Moses and Aaron said unto them At even ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt and what are we that ye murmur thus against us And as Aaron was speaking to them they looking towards the wildernesse the glory of the Lord did appeare in the cloud and it came to passe that in the evening the Quailes came up and covered the Campe and in the morning the dew lay round about the host And after the dew was gone there lay a small round thing like the frost of the ground and they said one to another It is Manna And Moses said unto them This is the bread the Lord hath given you to eat gather thereof and he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no want Moses commanded them to leave none untill the morning but some of them did not hearken to him but kept of it till morning and it bred wormes and stanke and this Manna was not to be found upon the seventh day It tasted like wafers made with hony And Moses spake unto Aaron to keep in a pot an Omer full of it therein and lay it before the Lord to be kept for their generations So Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept the children of Israel did eat Manna fourty years untill they came to the borders of Canaan And the children of Israel journied from Sin and came to Rephidim and there was no water to drinke wherefore the people did chide with Moses and murmured against him And Moses cried unto the Lord saying What shall I doe with this people they be almost ready to stone me and the Lord commanded him to call the Elders of Israel and goe to the Rock in Horeb and smite the Rock and there shall come water out of it for the people to drink and Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel Then Amalek came to fight with Israel and Moses bade Joshua goe and meet them with a chosen company and Joshua did so and fought with him and Moses stood upon an hill with Aaron and Hur and had his Rod in his hand and in the fight whiles he held up his hand the men of Israel prevailed but when he let it downe Amalek prevailed But Moses hands being heavy they took a stone and put it under him and he sate thereon and Aaron and Hur staid up his hands of each side and they were steady untill the going down of the Sunne and Joshua discomfited Amalek There Moses built an Altar and called it Joshua Nissi And Jethro father in law to Moses his wife with his two sonnes came unto Moses into the wildernesse where he encamped at the mount of God where they received one another with great love Moses telling him of all what God had done for Israel by delivering them from the hands of Pharaoh and Jethro sacrificed to the Lord and blessed the Lord God of Israel and Aaron came and all the Elders of Israel to eate bread with Jethro but Jethro seeing Moses sit in judgement amongst the people from morning to evening he perswaded Moses to take some helpers and not to weare himselfe out which counsell he followed onely when matters of great difficulty came to be heard Moses heard them and Jethro departed from Moses and went into his owne land After this the children of Israel removed and came to the desart of Sinai and encamped before the mount and Moses went up unto God who spake unto him and bad him tell the sonnes of Jacob what he had done for them and if they served him he would continue his mercies exceedingly unto them and Moses told the people what the Lord said and all the people answered together We will obey the Lord. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord then he commanded him to sanctifie the people unto the Lord and to be ready against the third day for then he would come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai but commanded bounds to be set about the mountaine that the people should not come upon the Mount nor touch the borders of it lest they be destroyed onely Moses and Aaron were to goe up and Moses sanctiâ—ied the people and bid them be ready the third day and that day in the morning was thundering and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people trembled And Moses brought forth the people to meet with
God and they stood at the bottome of it and the mountaine was altogether on a smoke for the Lord descended upon it in fire and the whole mount quaked greatly and the Lord called Moses unto him to the top of the mount and the Lord said unto Moses Goe downe charge the people lest they breake thorough to gaze and perish so Moses did as the Lord commanded and then God commanded Moses and Aaron to come up then was delivered unto them by word from God the Ten Commandements And the people being much afraid of the thundrings lightnings and sound of trumpet and smoking of the mountaine they removed and stood afarre off and they said unto Moses Speake thou unto us and we will heare but let not God speake with us lest we die And Moses said unto the people Feare not for God is come to prove you and that his feare may be before your faces that ye sinne not and the people stood afarre off and Moses drew neare unto the thick darknesse where God was and there the Lord taught unto Moses his lawes and ordinances to deliver to the people After this the Lord commanded Moses with Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy Elders of Israel to come up who were commanded to worship a farre off and Moses above came neare the Lord. And returning from the Lord Moses wrote all the words of the Lord and rose up early in the morning and built an Altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve Tribes of Israel And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord and the Lord again said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and I will give thee Tables of stone and the Law and Commandements which I have written that thou mayest teach them and Moses with Joshua his minister went up to the mount of God and said unto the Elders Tarry ye here for us untill we returne Aaron and Hur are with you If any man have any matters to doe let him come unto them Thē Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six dayes and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the middest of the cloud and the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of all the children of Israel And Moses was in the mount fourty dayes and fourty nights And after his returne he by Gods appointment set downe Lawes and Ordinances and Ceremonies for the people of Israel to keepe Now whilest Moses was in the mount the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said Make us gods to goe before us for as for this Moses that brought us out of Egypt we wot not what is become of him and Aaron to please them bade them breake off their eare-rings which they did and of them did make a Calfe and did worship it and the people sate downe to eate and to drinke and rose up to play And the Lord said unto Moses Goe get thee downe for the people thou broughtest out of Egypt have corrupted themselves and are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded they are a stiffe-necked people and the Lords wrath was growing hot against them to consume them But Moses besought the Lord his God to spare this people whom he had brought out of the land of Egypt with such power and might and to be mercifull unto them for Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake and the Lord heard the prayers of Moses for them And Moses coming downe from the mount with the two Tables of the Law the worke and writings of God Joshuah hearing the noise of the people as they shouted he said unto Moses There is a noise of warre in the Campe but Moses said No it is the noise of them that sing and as hee came neare the Campe he saw the Calfe and the dancing and Moses anger waxed hot and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them beneath the mount and he took the Calfe which they had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder and strewed it upon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it And Moses said unto Aaron What did this people unto thee that thou hast brought so great a sinne upon them and Aaron answered Let not the anger of my lord waxe hott thou knowest the people that they are set on mischiefe Then Moses stood in the gate of the Campe and said Who is on the Lords side and goe in and out from gate to gate thorough the Campe and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour and the children of Levi who were consecrated did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men And on the morrow Moses said unto the people You have sinned a great sinne and now I will goe up unto the Lord peradventure I shall make an attonement for your sinne and Moses went up and prayed for the people and the Lord commanded Moses to leade the people forth and sent his Angel with him Then Moses tooke the Tabernacle and pitched it without the Campe a farre off and every one that sought the Lord went out unto the Tabernacle and when Moses went unto the Tabernacle the people rose up and stood at their tent doores looking after Moses untill he went into the Tabernacle and the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the doore of the Tabernacle whiles the Lord talked with Moses then every man rose up and worshipped in his tent doore The Lord commanded Moses to he we two Tables of stone like to the first and to be ready in the morning to come unto mount Sinai but not any man to come up with him neither any man to be seene thorowout all the mount neither that the flocks or herds should feed before the mount the which was done and Moses went up unto the Lord and it came to passe when Moses came down from the mount with the two Tables of the Testimony his face shone and and Aaron and the children of Israel were affraid to come near him but he put a vaile over his head and told them what the Lord had commanded Then the children of Israel mightily gave themselves to the adoring of the Tabernacle wherein was the Arke of the Covenant which being finished Moses reared up and put the Testimony into the Arke and put the Mercy-seat above upon the Arke and he set a Laver betweene the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar and Moses and Aaron and his sonnes washed their hands and their feete thereat when they came neare the Altar and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and the cloud of the Lord was upon
the Tabernacle by day and fire by night in the sight of Israel thorowout all their journies Then Moses consecrated Aaron and his sonnes and girded them with girdles clothed them with robes and put the Ephod upon them and the Brest-plate of Urim and the Thummim and put upon Aarons head the Mitre and the holy Crowne as the Lord commanded Moses and then sacrificed unto the Lord. And the Lord commanded Aaron and his sonnes not to drinke wine nor strong drinke when they shall come into the Tabernacle In the wildernesse of mount Sinai in the Tabernacle the Lord commanded Moses to take the number of the children of Israel their males by name every one by the poll from twenty yeares and upward fit for warre and the whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty besides the tribe of Levi who were appointed over the Tabernacle of the Testimony to bear the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof to minister unto it and encampe about it And Moses and Aaron did encampe before the Tabernacle towards the East and Moses numbred all the first borne among the children of Israel the males from a moneth old and upward and they were twenty two thousand two hundred threescore and thirteene And the Lord commanded Moses to make two silver Trumpets to call the people together and for their marches And the cloud being by God taken up from off the Tabernacle of the Testimony the children of Israel tooke their journeys out of the wildernesse of Sinai and the cloud rested in the wildernesse of Paran the Tribe of Judah marching first with their Standard and after them the Tribes in order And they departed from the mount of the Lord three dayes journey and the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord went before them to search out a resting place for them and when the Arke went forward then Moses said Rise up O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it â—ested he said Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel After this the children of Israel did murmur and long after the flesh pots of Egypt And Moses heard the people weepe every man in the doore of his tent and the anger of the Lord was greatly kindled and Moses was much grieved by reason of the great burthen that was upon him of so great a people Then the Lord commanded seventy of the Elders of Israel to assist him upon whom was the Spirit of the Lord and the people still murmuring and Moses with the Elders came into the Campe and there went forth a winde from the Lord which brought Quailes from the Sea which fell by the Campe in very great plenty and the people gathered abundantly of them and whiles the flesh was betweene their teeth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and smote them with a great plague And it came to passe that Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because he married an Ethiopian woman and the anger of the Lord was against them and Miriam became leprous Then Aaron said unto Moses Alas my lord I beseech thee lay not the sinne upon us wherein we have done foolishly And Moses cryed unto the Lord. Then Miriam was sent out of the Campe 7. dayes the people journeying not but after that time she returning the Campe removed and pitched in the wildernesse of Paran Then the Lord commanded Moses to send forth of every tribe one to search the land of Canaan and to know the strength and plenty thereof and they coming to the brook of Eshcoll cut off a cluster of grapes and they brought it upon a staffe by two men with some pomegarnets and figges and did give relation of the land and some of them spake very doubtfull of the land and put the people in feare Insomuch as the Congregation wept and murmured against Moses and Aaron and wished they had died in the land of Egypt or in the wildernesse and desired to returne into Egypt then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Assembly of the Congregation of Israel and Joshua and Caleb who had searched the land rent their clothes and commended the land exceedingly to the people and advised them not to rebell against the Lord. But they bade stone them with stones and the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them But Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord for this people and he heard him and pardoned them But the Lord said Because all those men which have seene my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wildernesse and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice they shall not see the land but my servants Caleb and Joshua because they have followed me them will I bring into the land whereinto they went and their seed shall possesse it and the children of Israel and the people murmured exceedingly and contrary to the command of Moses got up into the top of the mountaine repenting and being ready to goe to the place the Lord had promised but the Arke of the Covenant staid behinde in the Campe then the Amalekites and the Canaanites came downe and discomfited them It came to passe afterwards Korah Dathan and Abiram with certaine of the children of Israel with two hundred and fifty of the Princes of the assembly men of fame and renoune gathered themselves against Moses and Aaron saying unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the congregation of the Lord then Moses said unto them even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his and who are holy and Moses said unto Korah Heare I pray you ye sons of Levi. Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath brought you so neare himselfe to doe the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them and seeke ye the Priesthood also And Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram but they would not come up but murmured against Moses for bringing them out of the land of Egypt And Moses was much troubled and said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the Lord with Aaron to morrow and bring each of you your Censer putting Incense therein and they did so putting fire in them and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them and the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment And they fell upon their faces and said O God of the spirits of all flesh shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation And God commanded Moses to bring the people from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram and
beyond Jordane but ye shall passe over before your brethren armed to helpe them until the Lord hath given your brethren rest as formerly he hath given you and they answered Joshua saying All that thou commandest us we will doe and obey thee as we have done Moses and whosoever shall not observe thy commands let him dye onely be thou valiant And Joshua sent out two men as Spies to view the land and they came unto Jericho and lodged in the house of Rahab the harlot which was told to the King of Jericho and he sent unto Rahab to bring forth the men but she hid them and answered they had been there but she knew not who they were And in the evening the King sent out Scouts to pursue them 〈◊〉 Rahab had hid them in the top of her house and covered them with the stalkes of flaxe after the Scouts were gone out she came unto the men and said unto them I know the Lord hath given you the land for terors are fallen upon us and the whole land are afraid of you for we have heard how the Lord dryed up the water of the red sea for you when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two Kings of the Amorites Sihon and Og whom you vtterly destroyed and therefore your Lord is the true God of heaven therefore in regard of my kindnesse unto you shew kindnes unto my fathers house and give me a token to save alive my father and my mother and my brethren and sisters and all they have and they answered her giue ns safety and when the Lord gives vs this Land we will deale kindly and lovingly with thee and her house standing vpon the towne wall she let them down by a cord and bade them be gone to the mountaine and hide themselves three dayes vntill the scouts returne and then go their way they said vnto her that we may remember thy love and our promise when we come unto this place tye this scarlet cord thou letst us down withall vnto thy window and thou thy father thy mother brothers sisters and all they have shall be safe But if any goe out of thy house at that time let his bloud be vpon his owne head for all shall be safe within but if thou utter this to any we will be quit of our promise and oath and they departed and they did observe her counsell hiding themselves three dayes and after came to Joshua and told him the state of things and of the feare of the Inhabitants about Jericho And Joshua hastened and came to Jordan with the children of Israel and after three dayes the officers of the hoast commanded the people that when they see the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord remove the Priests and Levites bearing it they should remove and go after it and to keepe a distance from it to know the way they must goe and Joshua said unto the people sanctifie your selves for to morrow the â—ord will do wonders amongst you and Joshua spake vnto the Priests to take up the Arke and go before the people the which they did and the Lord said vnto Joshua this day will I begin to magnifie thee in the sight of Israel that they may know that as I was with Moses so will I be with thee Command the Preists that beare the Ark when they come to the brink of Iordan to stand still and he said to the children of Israel hereby ye shall know that the living God is amongst you to driue out the heathen before you behold the Arke of the Covenant even the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Iordan Then the people removed from their tents to passe over Iordan the Priests bearing the Ark of the covenant before them and when they dipped their feet in the river the water rose on a heap and the people passed over dry over against â—ericho and when all the people were over the Lord commanded Josua to take twelue men according to the tribes and command them to take out of the midst of Iordan where the Preists feet stood twelue stones and carry them ouer and leaue them where you shal lodge this night the which Joshua did accordingly and they brought theÌ„ upon their shoulders and left theÌ„ to be a sign to after ages that the water of Iordan was cut off before the Arke of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over and the Arke stayd in Jordan vntill the people were passed over and that Joshua had commanded twelve stones in the river of Jordan where the Priests had set their feet to be placed but the children of Reuben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the children of Israel unto the plaines of Jericho being about 40000. and the Priests that bare the Ark of the Covenant were come out of Jordan the water returned to his place and those stones which they tooke out of Jordan did Joshua pitch in Gilgal for a token unto their childrens children that they came on dry land over Jordan as he did the red sea that all the earth might know the power of God and feare him for ever And all the Kings of the Canaanites and the Amorites that dwelt thereabout when they heard of this wonderfull worke were astonished and their hearts failed them and the Lord commanded Joshua to make sharpe kniues to circumcise the Israelites the second time the which he did performe at the hill of foreskins now all the people that came first out of Egipt were circumcised but they that were borne by the way as they came out of Egipt them they had not circumcised vntill now and they continued in the campe untill they were whole and the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passeover in the evening in the plaines of Jericho and they did eate of the old corne of the land the morrow after the Passeover unleavened cakes and parched corne and the Manna ceased but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan And Joshua coming towards Jericho there stood a man over against him with his sword drawne in his hand and Joshua went unto him and said Art thou for us or for our enemies and he said Nay but as a Captaine of the hoste of the Lord am I now come and Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship saying unto him What saith my Lord unto his servant and the Captaine of the Lords hoste said unto Joshua Loose thy shooe from off thy foot for the place whereon thou standest is holy and Joshua did so Now Joshua straightly besieged Jericho so that none could goe out or come in and the Lord commanded Joshua with his army and 7. Priests to bear before the Ark 7. trumpets of Rams hornes and the seventh day to compasse the city 7. times and the Priests to blow the trumpets and the people to shout with a great shout and Joshua commanded them
clothes rent and with earth upon his head and when he came Eli sate upon a seat by the way side watching for his heart trembled for the Ark of God and when it was told unto the city they all cryed out and the man came to Eli telling him hee came out of the Army then said Eli what is done there my sonne the messenger answered Israel is fled before the Philistines and there hath been a great slaughter thy two sonnes Hophni and Phineas are dead and the Ark of God is taken and when Eli heard mention of the Ark of God he fell backward from his seat by the side of the gate and brake his neck and died he was then 98 yeares old and blind and heavy of body and he had judged Israel forty yeares and his daughter in law the wife of Phineas being with child and near her time hearing the Ark of God was taken fell into travaile and being delivered of a sonne a little before her death they would have comforted her herewith but she did not regard it but she named the child Jehabod saying the glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken And the Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it to Ashdod and set it in the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon and when they came in the morning into the house they found Dagon fallen uppon his face to the earth before the Ark of the Lord and they set him up in his place again coming the next morning early Dagon was fallen upon his face againe to the ground before the Arke of the Lord and was broken upon the threshold onely the stumpe of Dagon was left for which the Priests of Dagon nor the people ever after did tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod but the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod and all the coastes thereabout and they were destroyed and smote with Emrods and when they saw the judgement upon them they said the Ark of the God Israel shall not abide with us for his hand is sore upon us and upon Dagon our God and they assembled themselves together and concluded to carry the Ark of the Lord unto Gath and they carried it about thither and that city was likewise smitten with the hand of God with a great destruction and they had Emrods in their secret parts therefore they sent the Ark of God to Ekron and they cryed out saying you have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to destroy us and our people and all the Lords people of the Philistines gathered together said send away the Ark of the God of Israel and let it goe again to his own place that we be not utterly destoyed for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city and the men that died not were smitten with Emrods and the cry of the city went up to heaven and the Ark of the Lord was with the Philistines 7 months and they called their Priests and Divines together to conclude how they should send the Ark away and they said send it not empty but in any wise return unto the God of Israel a trespasse offering then yee shall be healed then said they what shall be the trespasse offering which we shall return to him they answered five golden Emrods and five golden mice according to the number of the Philistine Lords for one plague was on you all and on your Lords and you shall make Images of your Emrods and Images of the mice that hurt the land and give glory unto the God of Israel to take his hand off you your Gods and your land and doe not you harden your hearts as the Aegyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts when he wrought wonderfully among them did they not let the people goe and they departed Now therefore make a new cart and take two milch kine on which there hath come no yoke tye the kine to the cart and bring the claves home from them and take the Ark of the Lord and lay it upon the cart and put the jewels of gold which ye return for a trespasse offering in a coffer and tye by the side thereof and send it away and see if it goe by the way of his own coaste to Bethshemesh if so then he hath done us the great evill But if not and that it goe another way we will take it as a chance that happened to us and they did do what was commanded them and laid the Ark upon the cart and the coffer with the Jewels and the kine took the streight way of Bethshemesh and went lowing along the high way and turned not aside the Lords of the Philistines went after them and they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat and seeing the Ark they rejoyced to see it and the cart came into the field of Joshuah a Bethshemite and stood there where there was a great stone and they clave the wood of the cart and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord and the Levites took downe the Ark of the Lord and the coffer with the Jewels and put them on a great stone and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed the same day unto the Lord. And when the Lords of the Philistines had seen those things they returned to Ekron and the stone whereon they set the Ark is called the great stone of Abell which is in the field of Joshuah the Bethshemite and the Lord smote the men of Bethshemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord even fifty thousand men and the people lamented and they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim to fetch up the Ark unto them and they came and fetched the Ark of the Lord unto them and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hil and sanctified Eleazer his sonne to keep the Ark of the Lord and there it continued twenty yeares and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. And long after twenty yeares David gathered all the chosen men of Israel and went with them from Baal of Judah to bring up the Ark of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the Cherubins and they set the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab and Uzzah and Ahio the sonnes of Abinadab drove the cart and Ahio went before the Ark and David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of firre wood on Harps and Psalters Timbrels Cornets and Cimbals and when they came to Nachons threshing floore Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his error and he died by the Ark of God and David was afraid of the Lord upon the death of Uzzah and would not remove the Ark of the Lord unto