or middlemost but in Gods free election standeth our eternall happines Three Angels appeared to Abraham in his Tent. Three foures of precious Stones were set in Aarons brest Three thinges reserued in the Arke The Booke of the Law The Potte of Manna Aarons Rodde that did alwayes florish Three taken vp in the Old Testament and three in the New Three partes was Ierusalem deuided into Three Letters the roote of euery word in the Hebrew tongue Three Captiuities of the Iewes Three times was the Temple grosly polluted by the Babylonians Antiochi Romanes Three times a yeare were the Iewes bound to come to Ierusalem to giue accompt of their Religion Three dayes nightes was Ionas in the Whales belly Three nightes and dayes was Christ in the Graue Three Iohns viz. Iohn Baptist Luke 1.60 Iohn Euangelist Mat. 4.21 Iohn Marke Act. 12.25 Job saued three Eliphaz Sophar Bildad Daniel saued three Ananias Azarias Mishael Noah saued three Sem. Cham. Japhet In the third seauenth Iubilee the Iewes fell away and then Ieremie said O Earth heare the worde of the Lord c. The Title ouer Christ on the Crosse was written in Three tongues Hebrew Greeke Latin Although it may not bee vrged that all these Threes haue full relation to the Trinitie seeing they fall not out by chaunce yet wee are not to despise the pleasant harmonie and comfortable vse of them but to thinke that the wisedome of God hath contriued saluation into such a sweet Art that verie children may learne the same and therefore the Scripture is called verie fitly a shallow water and a deepe fountaine shallow that the Lambe may wade and deepe that the Elephant may swimme FOVRE Foure Is a square number and vsuall Heber the fourth after the Flood Iuda the fourth sonne of Iacob Foure square signifieth true Religion Moses fourth sonne in the fourth age was Sacrificer to the Tribe of Dan. Foure times seuen Iubilees the time of Christes death Foure The forme of the heauenly Ierusalem FIVE Fiue the letters of Iehouah The fiue Vowels the sinewes of all Tongues Christ seedeth 5000. with Fiue Loaues SIXE Sixe The day of Adams creation which number is often times vsed in the Scripture to put vs in minde of the Creation Sixe hundred thousand fighting men came out of Egipt Sixe hundred yeares old was Noah at the flood Sixe times seuen Standinges had the Children of Israel in the Wildernes Sixe yeares was the land of Canaan in conquering Sixe Cities of refuge for one that killed a man by chance and not of malice had the Iewes to flie vnto Sixe times did the Children of Israel fall before Diuids time in the time of the Iudges SEVEN Seuen the number of the Sabaoth which number of Seuen as it is famous for the Creation so God comtinueth the same proportion throughout the Bible to the Redemption For as God the Father made the World in sixe dayes and rested the seuenth so God the Sonne hauing performed his Fathers will resteth the seuenth day in the Graue Seuen is a yeare of Grace Seuen Planets in the Firmament which Plato compareth to the number of seuen Starres in Apo. 1.16 Seuen yeares was the land of Canaan plagued for that Ioseph the beloued of the Lord should haue been slaine by his Brethren Seuen Stones in the Temple Gods seuenfold Wisedome or Prouidence in all his actions Seuen eyes to looke vpon the Building of euery Stone in in the Temple of Ierusalem Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was setling in rest Seuen yeares the Temple was in building Seuen yeares Nebuchadnetzar was a Beast for destroying the Temple Seuen Gates in the Temple before you come to the Holy of Holiest Seuen Branches did the Candlesticke in the Temple stand vpon which had 24. Knobbes signifying the sixe dayes worke the seuenth day of rest in the Creation Seuen Moneths was the Tabernacle in building Seuen Iubilees was the Arke in the house of Ioseph Seuen Trumpeters is a great number that doe alwayes sound Gods prayse Henoch the seuenth from Adam Heber the seuenth from Henoch Isaach the seuenth from Heber Moses the seuenth from Abraham Iosua the seuenth from Ephraim Elias taken vp in the seuenth age from Samuel Ioram the seuenth from Dauid Salomons Temple was consecrated in the seuenth moneth answerable to the birth of the Fathers The ceremonie of the Feast of Tabernacles continued seuen dayes After the comming from Egipt it was seuen times seuen dayes before the Law was giuen Seuen times seuen dayes after Christes resurrection descended the holy Ghost The stories of the Scriptures goe by seuens from Moses till Christs death thus Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was in conquering Seuen fifties for the glorie of Iosephs house Seuen seuenties for the house of Iudah Seuen tennes for the Captiuity From the Captiuitie to the death of Christ seuen seuenties Moses Ceremonies for the most part were in the seuenth Moneth The Manna that was gathered on the sixt day serued for the seuenth The seuenth yeare the Iewes might not plough sow nor reape In the end of the seuen seuens was the yeare of Iubilee In the seuenth seuen from Cyrus the Walles of Ierusalem were built Seuen times 7000. of the Iewes came from Captiuitie Ioakim endeth the seuenth seuentie with affliction Seuen yeares plenty seuen yeares dearth in the land of Egipt figured by seuen eares of Corne seuen Kyne Noah liued seuen Iubilees after the flood Seuen thousand in the booke of Kings mencioned that neuer bowed their knees vnto Ball. Kaines house cut off in the seuenth age How often shall I forgiue my Brother till seuen times I say vntill seuen times seuentie times alluding vnto Daniels seuens EIGHT Eight The number of the persons saued in the Arke Eight The day of circumcision TEN Tenne Is a full number and the highest or last of simple numbers All Nations after the number of 10. begin againe for plaine teaching and plainnesse in reckoning Ten is the yeare of Iudgement or accompt You haue Ten words for the creation of the World And Ten wordes for the gouernment of the world The Tenth is a holy number as in Tythes which is giuen to vs to acknowledge our dueties In the Tenth moneth the Waters of the Flood abated Sem liued to see the Tenth age a great blessing Tenne Plagues were the Egyptians plagued with for afflicting Sems house Tenne Spies in the Wildernesse misbeleeued Tenne Tribes fell away at Roboams time Daniels Beast hath Tenne Hornes which doe represent Ten cruell Kinges The Beast in the Reuelation hath Tenne Hornes The Pope hath Tenne stately Kingdomes to assist him Noah is the Tenth from Adam Abraham the tenth from Noah TWELVE Twelue Signes in the Zodiacke Twelue Moneths in the yeare Twelue Fathers from the Flood to Iacob Twelue Sonnes of Iacob Twelue Fountaines in the Wildernesse Twelue Stones in Iordan Twelue Stones in Aarons brest Salomon had Twelue Stewards and Dauid Twelue valiant Captaines Salomon at Twelue yeares of age discided the
sold his Brethren sprinkleth the blood of a Kidde vpon his partie coloured Coate and brought it home to their Father and said a wilde Beast had slaine him Jacob was 20. yeares from his father Isaacke and did not see his face Ioseph was 20 yeares from his father Iacob before he seeth his face To shew that wherein a man offendeth therein he shall be punished Joseph the sonne of Jacob fedde Israel in Egipt as putting meat into the mouth of a Child Joseth the sonne of Jacoh taketh the child Jesus and his Mother Mary fleeth into Egipt Mat. 2.14 and properly putteth meate into the Childes mouth Er and Onan died Gen. 38.7 ER and Onan hauing committed a horrible sinne before God are slaine and no seed left vnto them Then according to the custome Thamar thought to haue had the third sonne Selah to haue raysed vp seed but Iuda neglecting it shee attyred her selfe like a light woman and lay in the way as Iuda should goe to the Sheepshearing Whom Iuda knew and at the time shee bare two Children Phares and Serah For which fact Iuda would haue burt her Whereby we may know that before the Law giuen by Moses they had the same equitie of Iustice for punishing of sinne that they had afterwards In Moses Law a Magistrate might not be condemned vnder three witnesses Thamar condemneth Iuda by three witnesses his Seale Bracelet Staffe From this deed of Iuda wee may vnderstand the prerogatiue that his Brethren should prayse him could not be meant of himselfe but herein is manifest the giftes of God to be of Grace and not of Nature for if Iuda had been rare of godlinesse the prerogatiue of Nature might seeme to haue caused Christ to haue come of him Isaacke died Gen. 35.29 being 180. yeares old HEe is the longest liuer after Heber and liueth longer then Abraham to shew that he was a Child of Promise for if Abraham begetting him when he was old he should haue died quickly what rare blessing had it been to Abraham And therefore that the power of God might be seene euen in the weaknesse of man Isaacke hath a longer life then Abraham or any after him Herevpon it may be concluded the Booke of Tobias to be false because it maketh Tobias life so long and thereby seemeth to crosse Iacobs Blessing Besides wee shall finde that in Nehemias time they which came out of Captiuitie do out-liue any in the Scriptures that come after and these men were accounted old The longest liuer of them commeth short of Isaackes age Ezrom borne of him nothing is spoken Iacob goeth into Egipt Gen. 47.5 Hee is nourished of Ioseph 17. yeares NOw for this number of 215. how is that performed Gen. 15.13 where God sayth to Abraham Thy seed shall be euill intreated in a Land that is not theirs 400. yeares seeing they continue in Egipt but 215. yeares They were afflicted by some of Egipt 400. yeares for Ismael the Egiptian by Hagar mocketh Isaacke in the beginning of the 400. yeares and that Mocking in the Scripture is called Persecution And in the end of the 400. yeares they were afflicted vnto the comming out of Egipt so that they were not in Egipt 400. yeares but they were afflicted first and last 400. yeares Psal 105.23 Israel came into Egypt and Iacob was a Stranger in the land of Cham to confirme the couenant that hee made with Abraham and the oath that he sware vnto Isaacke which he appoynted to Iacob for a Law and to Israel for an euerlasting Testament saying Vnto thee will I giue the Land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance when as yet there were but a few of them and they Strangers in the Land what time as they went from one Nation to another and from one Kingdome to another people Hee suffered no man to doe them wrong but reprooued euen Kinges for their sakes saying Touch not mine Annoynted and doe my Prophets no harme Yet hee called for a Dearth vpon the Land and destroyed all the prouision of Bread But hee had sent a man before them Gen. 39.1 euen Ioseph which was sold to be a Bond-seruant whose feete were hurt in the Stockes and the Iron entered into his soule vntill the time that his cause was knowne The word of the Lord tryed him This Famine ouer all the land of Canaan may appeare to be a punishment on Iacobs samilie for selling Ioseph into Egipt IAcob goeth into Egipt and there telleth Pharaoh that hee was 130. yeares old though Pharaoh in his demaunde meant no more then a Heathen man would to wit to know his yeares and the age of his life yeâ— God so disposeth Jacobs answere that he signifieth vnto him that his comming into Egipt with Seauentie soules is answerable in a contrarie degree to the first scattering of the Seauentie Families at the building of the Tower of Babel In fourtie eight yeares there came three discentes from Iacob Whereby it appeareth that Iuda and Pharez could not be much elder when they begot children then Salomon was when he begot Roboam which was about twelue yeares of age By meanes of which speedy increase there were of these Seauentie in two hundred and fifteene yeares Six hundred thousand fighting Men besides Women and Children godly and of the household of fayth to shew how God could performe his Promise to Abraham that Hee would make his seede as the Starres of Heauen and as the Sand of the Sea-shore Heereupon Abacucke sayth that the Councels of God are eternall thereby teaching vs to marke diligently the time wherein God performeth his Promises which may be made familiar by examples in this sort It is sayd Gen. 3.15 The Seede of the Woman shall breake the head of the Serpent This was not performed till Christ tooke flesh of the Virgin and became Man which was 4000. yeares wanting but 70. after the Promise made to Adam Satan to try this tempteth Christ and is ouerthrowne Abraham goeth foorth of his Countrey to imbrace the Promise that God would giue him a Land 430. yeares before his Seede should enioy it But the true performance was long after that is to say in Christ as Zacharias speaketh Luk. 1. To performe the oath which he sware to our forefather Abraham that he would giue vs. God speaketh as though presently it should fall out but seeing one thousand yeares in his sight aâ—â—â—â— one day we must marke how his Counsels are eternall It was spoken in King Achaz daies by Esay 7.14 Behold a Virgine shall conceaue a Sonne Hee nor his seede saw the performance thereof So was Isaacke a figure of Christ and the Lambe kept it in memorie Daniel in his time prophesieth of 70. Seauens or 490. yeares before Christ the King should be killed to performe euery Vision and Prophecie Iacob died in Egipt c. Gen. 49.33 HEe is brought from Egipt to Canaan to be buried in Hebron with Abraham and Isaacke as a signe that hee
all the world so notwithstanding the sinne of the Iewes Christ in Canaan wrought the full saluation of all the world These eleuen sonnes of Canaan were setled in one soyle that is in Canaan which is about 160. myles from North to South and 60. myles from East to West Their names are Zidon who built Tyrus the glory of the world for trafique of Marchandize Heth Gebusi who after Sems death as it should appeare possessed Ierusalem Amori Girgashi of whom there were some left till Christes time as Matt. 8. 28 Hiuits of whom Abraham bought his burying place of whose kindred also Esau tooke him Wiues Arkite Siuite Aruadite Zemathite Hemathite It is supposed there were so many Tongues as there were Nations but it was no otherwise then our Cornish and Northerne men differ in their tongues These were Lordes of the whole soyle to plant buyld and replenish it against time to come that the twelue Trybes of Israel might haue Vineyardes that they neuer planted and Houses they neuer builded Whereupon Moses sayth Deut. 32.8 When the most high God deuided to the Nations their Inheritance hee appoynted the borders of a people according to the number of the Sonnes of Israel And when God promiseth to Abraham Gen. 15.18 that he will giue his seed a Land that shall flow with Mylke and Hony hee bordereth it from Egipt to the great Riuer Euphrates within which borders are contained the seuerall Lordships of Canaan and his Sonnes namely the Kenites the Kenesites the Cadmonites the Hithites the Pheresites the Gyaunts the Amorites the Cananites the Girgashites and the Gebusites Because C ham scorned his father who was the restorer of all the world therefore his Countrie was to be giuen to Sems House the Iewes and they were driuen out of their Land by the Sword of Ioshua except some few who were left in the Land to be Spurres in the sides and Thornes in the eyes of the Israelites who were to possesse it that when through the aboundance of wealth they grew to forget God they might be chastened with his rod of correction Thus Shams curse is extended euen vnto Canaan his youngest sonne and he is made a Seruant of seruantes to Sem that the blessing of Sem might appeare and the open cursed should serue the open blessed although it be nine hundred yeares after Noahs Prophecie to shew that although God suffer the wicked a while and doth deferre his punishmentes vntill the sinne of the Amorites come to a full ripenesse that yet he is a righteous Iudge and sitteth vpon a firie Throne from whose presence doth issue Ryuers of fire to consume all such as will not learne to know The Seed of the Woman to be able to breake the head of the Serpent nor desire to dwell in the Tentes of Sem acknowledging the God of Abraham the God of Isaacke and the God of Iacob to be the true GOD that keepeth couenant with all whose Garments were washed in Wine and his Mantell in the blood of Grapes nor marke that Shiloh is that Emmanuel God with Vs who is that Stone that can grind the mightiest Gyant in the land of Canaan to powder Who haue eyes and will not see how God with fire from Heauen consumed their Cities turned Lots wise into a Piller of Salt ouerthew their kinsmen Pharaoh in the read Sea and made the Walles of Iericho to fall downe without violent handes Chams House was not plagued for building Babel onely but for falling from the Religion of Sem and his posteritie had a deadly minde against true Religion And as Cham the rest are in Gehenna in darknesse so in Scripture they are left in darknesse for there is no time of any mentioned when they died but are left in darknesse The wicked men of Canaan would neuer yeeld to the trueth but praysed Gods of Gold Brasse and Stone Now followeth for Iaphet HIs name signifieth Perswaded He had seuen Sonnes Gomer Magog Madai of whom came the Meedes Jauan of whom the Grecians and Romanes come And Tubal and Mesech of whom the Muscouites come And Tiras of whom the Thracians come Of these were the Isles of the Gentiles diuided in their Landes Iaphet hee was pertaker with Sem in the action of couering thier Father but Sem had the prerogatiue of the Promise concerning Christ notwithstanding Iaphet was the elder And if you marke through al the Bible you shal not finde the first borne of any of Christes auncestors to haue the Promise pronounced to them in open tearmes because Christ the first begotten of his Father would not come according to the lust of the flesh or course of nature but by grace Sem in regard of that had the glory of God preached in his Tentes vntill the acceptable Child did come in whom all Nations should be blessed And when the glory of Sems house which were the Iewes was extinct Iohn was banished into Patmos is commanded to write to the seuen Congregations in Asia the lesser where Iaphets sonnes were first setled to so many Congregations as Iaphet had sonnes Grace and peace from him that was and is and which is to come and from the seuen Spirites expressed in Esay 11.7 which are before his throne from Iesus Christ which is a faythfull witnes and first begotten of the dead Alpha and Omega the first and the last who was dead but is aliue and behold he liues for euer euer and hath the keyes of Hell and of Death giueth light life to Iaphet the Gentile who was in darknes and in the shadow of death perswading him to dwell in the tentes of Sem to be a dweller in the spirituall Canaan and a Citizen in the heauenly Salem where there is no earthly Temple For God almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it Now for SEM. SEM being an hundred yeares old begetteth Arphaxad two yeares after the Flood So old was Abraham when he begat Isaacke He is in vertue equall with any before the Flood This Sem was a King Prophet Sacrificer He signifieth a Name to teach them that they should looke to him in whom Sem and the whole world should be blessed He had fiue Sonnes Elam Ashur Arphaxad Lud. Aram. Elam of whom the Persians Ashur of whom the Assirians Arphaxad of whom CHRIST Aram of whom the Aramites Lud of whom the Lidians There be diuers which condemne Genealogies warranted thereby as they say by Saint Paules Councell to Thimothie Neither that they giue heed to Fables and Genealogies Endlesse which breede rather questions then godly edifying by Fayth Indeed seeing Genealogies are of great consequence to the prouing of Christ to be the Messias the Iewes to crosse this faine diuers of their owne which S. Paul calleth Endlesse therefore to be auoided as also tales inuented by them whereby they corrupted the story of the Scriptures But this condemneth not the Genealogies which the Holy Ghost penneth but rather approueth them And
story whensoeuer they heare any man speake in an other tongue which they vnderstand not For entring into the consideration thereof they are driuen presently to examine the storie of the Gen. â—0 in which they may see the iust and seuere dealing of God to such as enuie the blessing of their brother for going from sinne to sinne they had their tongues diuided and their dwellings scattered It appeareth by this story that the dealinges of Cham and his sonnes were in the same kinde that Kaines were Kaine after his Curse wandring like a Vagabond from the place of true Religion into the land of Nod which signifieth Fugitiue buildeth a Citie and calleth it after the name of his Sonne Henoch C ham after his curse goeth wandring about from the place that Noah liued and Sem sacrificed at vnto the land of Shinear which signifieth Shake off and there hee built a Cittie of Confusion From which story also we may obserue the iudgments of God that wherein a man offendeth hee or his seede is commonly punished for it is certaine that all the actions of wicked are a harmony with Gods dealings though in respect of the wicked they agree not with vertue The sonnes of Sem for ioyning with rebellious Nimrod of Cham as it were flouting their Fathers blessing to furnish vp the number of 70. made Bricke for the buylding of the Tower of Confusion 70. of Sems posteritie 600. yeares after were forced to goe into the land of Cham and there compelled to be Brickmakers vnder Pharaoh King of Egipt because they despised the blessing of Sem and remembred not the storie of the 70. Families that buylt the Tower of Babel To shew that when in prosperie men forget God turning his Graces into Wantonnes and his Blessinges into folish Pleasures that he will take his blessinges of Bread and Wine and Oyle from vs and driue vs into forraine Nations amongst Egiptian Dogges to seeke reliefe Whose succour shall be yokes of heauie bondage to punish vs in the same pleasure wherein we offended All the 70. Families doe afflict Sem for this before hee hath his ful renowne and in scattering of Iocktanes sonnes they are placed farthest off Ierusalem of any Peleg Diuided Christ is Palmoni the secret numberer that weghieth numbreth and diuideth Vnto the building of the Tower of Babel we haue Sem Name Arphaxad Healing Sale Spoyling Heber Pilgrime Peleg Diuided Put these togeather and you haue a short senteÌ„ce A good Name like precious Oyntment to heale bind vp the ruined branches of poore Pilgrimes walking in out here on earth like strangers as hauing no abyding place for God will diuide to euery one according to his workes 1787. Regu borne A breaking a sunder or euill 1819. Serug borne Bough Plant or principal Vine 1849. Nachor borne Dry. 1878. Terah borne Smelling These like a principall Vine moystned with good sap and healed by grace gaue a good smell though Terah falling to Idolatrie had almost extinguished the heate thereof AN euill Plant that hath lost his sappe and is become dry being not watered with the deaw of Heauenly grace can giue no good smell which appeareth in that Terah quite forgetting that euer God created and consumed the world and brought the deuises of the sonnes of Noah his great Graundfather to open shame of eternall memorie scattering them vp and downelike vagabonds ouer all the earth figuring the calamities of their latter ages the punishment whereof chiefly was to be performed in his owne kinred became an Idolater as Ioshua 24.15 Your Fathers in old time worshiped strange Gods euen Terah the father of Abraham c. But marke the euent For euen as the sonnes of Sem for ioyning with the rest were scattered with the rest so the posteritie of Terah by Abram euen the best of them namely the Iewes were once scattered Vagabondes ouer all the earth for not imbracing the couenant of Abraham Isaacke and Iacob But in mercie gathered togeather againe to the Mountaine of grace to Iacobs Well that giueth euer-liuing Water to so many as would acknowledge Christ the Rocke to the Land that flowed with Milke and Hony To Bethel the house of Iehouah where they might see a Lather reaching from Heauen to Earth with Angels ascending and descending To that fresh springing hill of Sion which is watered with the deaw of Hermon from whence it runneth like the precious Oyntment that ran downe from Aarons beard to wash away their former vncleannes and so purge their filthy leprosie that they might be a sweete smelling Sacrifice vnto the Lord holy and acceptable before his Throne hauing an high Sacrificer to enter into the Holy of Holyest to make intercession for them that they might be free from Confusion and deliuered out of the bondage of the outward spirituall Babel But euen as the Dogge returneth to his vomit and the Hogge to his wallowing in the Mire so these Iewes of vncircumcised handes and heartes forgetting all those and many more benefites of God bestowed vpon them crucifying Christ the King of glory the God of Sem and not remembring their former punishmentes are once againe so scattered ouer the face of the earth that while the world endureth they shall be vagabondes and neuer gathered togeather againe to teach vs that if God spared not them nor suffered them to continue in their transgressions beeing his peculiar people that wee are to looke for no other recompence then they had if we despise the knowledge of Christ as they did Terah hath three Sonnes Haran Nachor Abraham as Adam and Noah had Peleg died being 229. yeares old Hee had not halfe the yeares of his father Heber the most aged man after the Flood liued not to halfe Methushelahs yeares to shew the Curse that came by the Flood so euery man in the world hath part of Gods Curse by the Flood Nachor died being 148. yeares old NOAH died being 950. yeares old Hee liued after the Flood 350. yeares that is 7. Fifties or 7. Iubilees of yeares as many as were from conquering the Land of Canaan to the gouernment of Samuel Noahs whole life was a singing of Saluation to the holy Lambe seeing all the world drowned and hee onely saued Noah died two yeares after Abram was borne So God stirs vp one good man after another oftentimes ABRAM borne 352 yeares after the Flood HIs name signifieth Hie father being the tenth from Noah An other establisher of Religion as Noah the Restorer or Comforter was the tenth from Adam And as in Noahs dayes hee being the tenth from Adam Gods iustice ouer all flesh was extended So in Abrams hee being the tenth from Noah Gods mercie to all the world is pronounced When Terah is 130. yeares old Abram is borne So old was Adam when he begat Seth a foundation of Religion Iacob a bringer of Religion into Egipt is 130. yeares old when he standeth before Pharoh Iehoiada the high sacrificer saueth Ioas the Kings
Sonne from the malice of Athalia which had destroyed all the rest of the Kings seede and dieth being 130 yeares old While he liued Joas kept Religion and Worshipped the God of his Father After his death he fell away and suffered incense to be offered in the groues to whom Zacharias the Sonne of Barachias said Is this the reward of all my Fathers paines that as soone as my Father is dead you forsake the true God and worship the Gods of the Nations For which cause Ioas caused him to be slaine betweene the Alter and the Temple So that as death is contrarie to life and as at the birth of Seth and Abraham the graces of God were manifested to the world so at Iehoiadahs death the Tribe of Iuda lost all Religion It is a question how Torah being an Idolater could name Abram Hie Father son so doth the word signifie Hee might guesse like a worldly man that his Sonne Abram should be likely to be Rich and Mightie and so should haue many vnder him Howsoeuer it was this is certaine that God directed the tongue of this Idolater to set foorth and preach his glory though his life had no shew of vertue Here is an other question to be discussed of the age of Terah when he begat Abram Of Terah his age when he begat Abram SOme will haue Abram to be borne at Terahs Seuentieth yeare because in Gen. 11.26 it is sayd Terah liued seuentie yeares and begat Abram Nachor and Haran Wherevpon they gather that Abraham was the first borne because hee is put in the first place and that hee was borne in that yeare of Terah to wit the Seuentie But they marke not that Terahs Sonnes are reckoned not according to their age but according to their dignitie as Gen. 5. The sonnes of Noah Sem Cham and Iaphet are so rehearsed that in the first place there is mention made of Sem who for all that was not the first borne neither could be borne in the Fiue hundreth yeare of Noah fith two yeares after the Flood in which yeare he begat Arphaxad hee was but an hundreth yeares old Now the first of this opinon whom I follow was Caluine that famous Doctor of the Church of Geneua who in his Commentaries vpon Gen. 11.27 expresseth it in plaine wordes Him followed Beroaldus who did much in the illustrating of time and Mangoldus This demonstration is set downe Act. 7. Abraham is said to goe out of Haran after his father Terah died Now Terah liued 205. yeares And Abraham went out of Haran in the 75. yeare of his age which yeares if you subtract from Terahs age there remaine 130. yeares in which Abrams natiuitie falleth The same may be confirmed by Sarahs age Abrams wife who is thought to be the Daughter of Abrams brother Abram exceeded her no more but ten yeares whereupon it followeth that hee was borne long after him that was both his Brother and Father in law Abram therefore was called and began his Peregrination in the 2084. yeare of the world the very same day that his posteritie went out of Egipt namely the 15. of Nisan as it is sayd in Exod. 12. The third ioynct of this first time which containeth the diuine couenant of Abraham endeth in the yeare when the Law was giuen in which the Israelites by the goodnesse of God were brought foorth and deliuered out of Egipt by many and strange Miracles This containeth 430. yeares which is confirmed by the testimonie of S. Paul who expresly sayth Gal. 3.17 That the Law began 430. yeares after the confirming of the Couenant or Testament And concerning the confirmation of which Couenant he speaketh he expresseth in that which went before namely of that same which was made when being called of God he went out of Haran For in vers 8. hee cyteth the same Promise In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed Which Gen. 12. is rehearsed in the narration of his calling vers 3. Hitherto also it appertaineth which is written Exod. 12. vers 40. The Peregrination of the Children of Israel as learnedly and truely translateth that worthy man Beroaldus which they dwelt in Egipt was Foure hundred and thirtie yeares Which surely the Seuenty Interpreters so translate that they account the Peregrination of the Fathers made in the Land of Canaan in this dwelling Neither doth the place of Gen. 15. vers 13. concerning the Seede of Abrham to be afflicted 400. yeares hinder it For Abrahams Peregrination is to be deriued frō his Calling and his Seed began to be afflicted when Isaacke the Sonne of Promise borne 25. yeares after his Calling being a Child peraduenture of fiue yeares old suffered the scoffinges of Ismael borne of the Hand-mayde which surely the Apostle Gal. 4.29 expressely nameth Persecution Adde hereunto the rest which Isaacke and Iacob suffered among Strangers Now that time wherein the Israelites abode in Egipt that it is farre wide of 400. yeares is clearer then the light at noone day to them which consider that Koath the Sonne of Leui went downe into Egipt and liued 133. yeares and that his Sonne Amram liued 137. yeares Exod. 6. and that Moses his Sonne was 80. yeares old when he went out of Egipt All which make but 350. yeares and if from these those yeares be subduced which they liued after their Sonnes were borne the yeares remayning would be few But these thinges Doctor Beroaldus and others haue learnedly set foorth Those notable men Bullinger Phlinspachius Scalinger and others agree vnto it It is said that Terah being 70. yeares old begetteth Abram Haran Nachor The Iewes say That Abraham was the eldest but thereby they bring notable absurdities for they agree that Sara was Harans Daughter she is but Ten yeeres younger than Abram and then Abram being elder than Haran and yet married his daughter but Ten yeares younger then her Husband Haran must needes beget her at Nine yeares of age which is impossible Therefore it is certaine that Nachor and Haran were elder then Abram For if wee looke to Gen. 12. and consider that Abram being Seuentie and fiue yeares old receiued the promise and to Saint Stephens Oration Act. 7.2 by which it appereth that Terah was dead before Abram had the promise or else the promise might haue had reference to Terah as well as to Abram we shall by good Arithmetique cast Terah at the birth of Abram to be 130. yeares for take 75. yeares out of 205. which is the time that Tenah liued and there remaineth 130 the age of Terah when he begat Abram To inlarge this further If Abram had beene the eldest Sem would not haue giuen him the blessing for then he should haue died before Sem and men doe not giue their inheritance to their sonnes which die in their life but he would rather haue kept it for Isaack with whom he liued 50. yeares this may be made plaine by another of the same sort Rebecca being with child and they
ascending and descending vpon the Sonne of man In this vision of the Ladder we see the whole Mediation of Christ is shewed to Jacob And if we duely consider it there could not be a fitter Similitude in the whole course of Nature to represent the Mediation then the Ladder for euen as in a Ladder if two or three Steppes be broken the Ladder is to no vse seeing we can neither ascend nor goe downe by it euen so the whole Mediation is so vnited knit togeather that by despising any one part wee bereaue our selues of the benefite of the whole After that Iacob was come to Haran hee serued Seauen yeares for Rachel Laban giueth him Leah and deceiueth him and vseth this excuse That it was not the vse of the Countrie that the younger should be serued before the elder Leah is sayd to be Contrite Heere we may see what it is to enioy the truth of Gods Religion and to worship him truely Leah committeth a great sinne and though God make her fruitfull yet this euent excuseth not the fault before committed Shee knew very well that she could not enioy saluation by staying with her Father and we are to make the best collection of the actions of the best Women and therefore no doubt the zeale that she had to know God made her to venture so farre No doubt this was a great sinne and yet a farre greater to haue been marryed to an vnfaythfull Husband for thereby there was no hope left for saluation And wee see that Christ chooseth to come of Leah by Iuda rather then of Rachel God himselfe onely knoweth how farre he will pardon so great offences Then hee serueth Seauen yeares for Rachel Leah is fruitfull shee hath Reuben and saith The Lord hath Looked on my tribulation Then she conceiued and bare Simeon and saith Because the Lord Heard that I was hated therefore he hath giuen me this Sonne Shee conceiued againe and bare Leui and sayth Now my Husband will be Ioyned vnto mee therefore she named him Leui Ioyned Then she bare Iuda and sayd Now will I Prayse the Lord. The Heathen by the light of Nature will confesse that the Lord looketh on their tribulation and helpeth them that he heareth their hatred and reuengeth it But they cannot for all these benefites prayse the Lord Therefore she as a Prophet knowing that Christ should come of Iuda Pray seth God for so glorious a blessing Then shee left bearing for a time Rachel giueth Bilha to Jacob she beareth Dan Iudgement and sayth God hath giuen Sentence on my side Afterwardes Nepthali Wraftling Leah doth the like and giueth Iacob Zilpha who beareth Gad a Companie and Asher Happy Leah after beareth Isachar Wages or Reward then Zebulon God hath giuen me a goodly Dowrie and last Dina a Daughter Iudgement So God shewed iudgements to the Sichemites for rauishing of her Fourteene yeares after Ioseph Encrease is borne A rare man and we commonly see that rare men haue great expectation before their birth After this Iacob like a good Philosopher enricheth himselfe by vsing Roddes of diuers colours Ioseph in Egipt vseth a kind of pollicie to take away the Landes from the people and to bring them to the King These actions at the first might seeme vnlawfull because the cause is hid from vs though afterwardes the purpose of God appearing they are approoued Iuda borne his father Iacob being 87. yeares old HEe was the fourth Sonne of Iacob his mother nameth him Prayse God Whereby it appeareth that she looked for Redemption by Christ respecting the Promise concerning the Seed of the Woman to be accomplished in him It could not so haue appeared by naming Ruben Simeon or Leui for a wise Philosopher might haue giuen those names But Iuda contayning a name of heauenly comfort sheweth a spirit gouerned by the holy Ghost Iacob goeth from Laban Gen. 31.17 WHere he had bin twentie yeares two seuens a sixe in which number is contained the Creation and the Sabaoth And as any one may gather closely expressed seuen yeares plentie and seuen yeares dearth As he returned from Laban he feared his brother Esau But the Angell of God met him to comfort him therefore he calleth the name of the place Mahanaim that is Gods Hoste This Campe of Angels is repeated in the Song of Songes and applyed to Christ as the companie of an Armie So Dauid likewise affirmeth that the Angels of God doe pitch their Tentes about them that feare him When Absolom is destroyed Dauid and his Campe were at Mahanaim the place where the Angel mette Iacob Wherein we are to learne that God so disposeth the actions of his elect that hee regardeth their goinges out and their commings in and marketh all their Paths that whether they be at home with their Father or abroad among Strangers they are shadowed vnder the defence of the most High whose dwelling is in eternitie After this he wrastleth with the Sonne of God that is in likenesse of the same nature which he afterward tooke vpon him vntill the breake of the day and would not let him goe till he had blessed him Therefore hee called him Israel a Conquerour This is expounded in Oseas By his strength he had power with God To shew that as he had power with God so he should preuaile with men Then hee erected an Altar there and called it Penuel for sayth hee I haue seene Ged face to face This storie of Iacob is repeated in Iohn 1.47 where Christ sayth to Nathaniel Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile Nathaniel is called the true Israelite in that hee acknowledged Christ to be the Sonne of God which hee might know by casting Daniels Seauens Afterwardes hee is reconciled to his brother Esau and beyond Iordan hee dwelt neere Sichem where Dina is deflowred Er Onan Selah borne Er Onan were married to Thamar committed grieuous sins before God and therfore he destroyeth them Ioseph is sode into Egipt when he is 17. yeares old so long was he nourished at home of Iacob IOseph Dreameth that the Sunne Moone and eleuen Starres worshiped him Gen. 37.9 meaning his Father Mother and his eleuen Brethren of whom in the creation the twelue Signes in the Zodiacke had a full reference shewing thereby that God in his Counsell at the Creation had a great regard to the number of the Sonnes of Iacob which were to be borne more then two thousand yeares after He hath the like regard at the confusion of Tongues in setling Canaan and his eleuen Sonnes in a soyle which Iacobs sonnes should afterwards possesse For declaring this Dreame the poyson of the Serpent possessing his Brethrens heartes they were mooued with enuie and sold Joseph into Egipt Iuda caused him to be sold to saue his life but Iudas Iscariot that is which falleth away for reward sold Christ to loose his life Math. 26.15 Iacob deceiued his father Isaacke with a Kidd Gen. 37.31 When Ioseph is
looked for the Resurrection and inioying of the spiriturll Canaan This place Caleb afterwardes claymeth for an Inheritance when he commeth into the Land for it was the first Purchase and a signification of our Pilgrimage in this life hauing heere no abiding place Now let vs compare the Iourneyes of Abraham Iacob Iacobs sonnes and Christ together Abraham Was borne in Mesopotamia He goeth to Canaan He returneth to Egipt He dieth in Canaan Iacob Was borne in Canaan He goeth to Mesopotamia He returneth to Canaan He goeth into Egipt He is brought to Canaan Iacobs sonnes Are borne in Mesopotamia They dwell in Canaan They multiply in Egipt They returne to Canaan and after that are carried into Babel an other Egipt CHRIST Is borne in Canaan He goeth to Egipt He returneth to Canaan and there he dieth and bringeth a new Babel or Egipt the Romanes on the Iewes to destroy them Rambam an old Hebrew maketh another comparison in the euents thus Iacob himselfe was vsed well in Egipt but his posteritie was plagued by the Kings which liued after him in Egipt In Babylon those that went into captiuitie were plagued as Sidrack Misack Abednago but their posteritie found reliefe in Cirus and Darius conquering the Babilonians Now it is necessarie to speake of the place where Iacob died This place was Egipt Chams Countrie long agoe accursed Where it is spoken in the Prophets that in Egipt men spake with the tongue of Canaan The meaning of it is thus much That when Christ shall come to preach his teaching shall be of such power that it shall conuert in all Countries as well Egipt as Grecia Barbaria and all other the Countries of the Gentiles which knew not God soules vnto God which being conuerted shall speake the tongue of Canaan that is their tongues shall prayse God for their Redemption by Christ which is the tongue of Canaan This continueth yet true for there it no Countrie nor Nation where God hath not had or hath those which vnfaignedly beleeue the Gospell Yet if it be obiected that the tongue of Canaan was Hebrew how then shall a simple Ploughman vnderstand it This obiection is thus taken away It is not necessarie for a simple Ploughman or trades-man to be a skilfull Hebrecian for hee may be saued without the knowledge of the tongue seeing by the Bible translated hee may learne the Religion of Canaan and that learning will teach him the tongue of Canaan If they reply further that the Papistes say the Translations be corrupted and therefore it is necessarie he should be cunning in the originall For answere to this reply made from the Papistes argument If any doubt of the trueth of the Translations he may resort to learned Preachers which can easily resolue him And for the Papistes if the controuersie be betweene them and vs the originall must determine it It is sayd that Iacobs sonnes were of Cham. It is not meant his twelue Sonnes for they were borne before hee came into Egipt but that place of Scripture hath speciall referrence to the two sonnes of Ioseph Ephraim and Manasses who are recconed to be Iacobs Children For Ioseph marrying an Egiptian by whom he had them they by the Mothers side are of Cham and so Iacobs Children in this sense are of Cham. Thus much for the place Now followeth his Will Gen. 49.2 HEare yee Sonnes of Iacob and hearken to Israel your Father Heere hee repeateth his owne name Israel that is Mightie with God The occomplishment of this strength was fulfilled when they came from Egipt As there is no Common-wealth but standes of those that be Wanton of men ouerreached with Choller of Iudges of Husbandmen of Merchants of men of Trade of Warriours to defende from forraine inuasion so are Iacobs twelue Sonnes of all degrees in life In placing them heere thus their Dignitie is regarded and not their prerogatiue of Birth for then Reuben should be first IVD A hath the prerogatiue that His Brethren shall prayse him Yet if wee looke into his life this could not be meant of him for who looser then hee who lay with his daughter Thamar But herein is manifest the giftes of God to be of Grace and not of Nature For if Iuda had been rare for godlinesse then the prerogatiue of Nature might seeme to haue caused Christ to haue come of him Iuda his Storie of Prayse God is repeated by S. Paul Rom. 2.25 where he sayth Whose prayse is not of men but of God So euery man that knoweth the birth of Christ and imbraceth the truth thereof with constancie not turning for the loue of reward his prayse is of God though the world hate him JOSEPH hee Exceedes in vertue and therefore hath woonderfull blessinges for among the thirteene Iudges sixe are of his Tribe By which glory his posteritie began to despise the Tribe of Iuda for at Roboams time they say 1 Kin. 12. What haue we to doe with the house of Iessai What haue we to doe with the house of Dauid to your Tentes O Israel to your Tentes But the Lord plagued them with a Plague euer to be kept in memorie as the Prophet Ieremie sayth Ier. 7.12 Marke what I haue done to Siloh which was a Citie in the Tribe of Ephraim And in Psal 78.67 He forsooke the Tabernacle of Siloh euen the Tent that hee had pitched among them He refused the Tabernacle of Ioseph and choose not the Tribe of Ephraim but choose the Tribe of Iuda euen the hill of Sion which he loued Concerning the prosperitie of Iosephs house Nazeanzenus noteth that hee himselfe was more afrayde of the subtleties of Satan in his prosperitie then in his aduersities NEPHTALI Of him this onely is spoked Gen 49. Hee is a Hinde let goe giuing goodly wordes Which was performed when Barack of Nephtali and Debora of Ephraim sang for the ouerthrow of Sisera at the waters of Mageddon Iudg. 5.1 c. Now whereas you haue Abacuck to bring a messe of Pottage to Daniel in the Lions denne some Iew that made that neuer meant so but from that place of Abacuck The iust shall liue by his Fayth Abac. 2. fayneth a comparison that as Pottage preserueth this naturall life from perishing so the meditating by Fayth on the Promises of God in Christ kept our soules from wauering by distrust and by that confidence Daniel was saued from the mouth of the Lions BENIAMIN A child very vertuous Rachel calleth him Ben-oni Sonne of my sorrow but Israel calleth him Beniamin Sonne of my right hand Moses in Deut. 33.12 in his blessing sayth The beloued of the Lord shall dwell in safetie by him and God shall dwell betweene his shoulders And so he did for the Temple was afterwardes built in the Tribe of Beniamin His Tribe hath the first King though he be the meanest of the Tribes Beniamin continueth till the euening When the other Tribes fell away hee onely with Iuda at Roboams time hee onely with Iuda in Cyrus time ioyned