mee vinegar to drinke they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talke how they may vexe him whome thou hast wounded Thou hast layd me in the lowest pit in a place of darkenesse and in the deepe This text the Iewes haue striuen with great malice to corrupt for in stead of Caru that is to say they pierced the Iewes will needs read Caari that is as a Lion but the Massorets who registred the number of the words and letters in the Bible doe testifie that in all good copies it is written Caru they pierce Also the Seuentie Interpreters haue translated into greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. They pierced my hands c. Also the Prophet Zacharie sayth I will powre out the spirite of grace and mercie vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem and they shall looke vnto me whome they pierced Christ suffered at Easter to end the ceremony of the paschall Lambe For now the true Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world is offered vp for vs. As of the paschall Lambe no bone was broken so of Christ the immaculate Lambe no bone was broken As the redde Cowe in Moses accompanied with all the people was conuayed out of the host and burned with the campe so also was Iesus ledde out of the Citie accompanied by the people and crucified without the Citie He went ouer the brooke Kedron the way that Dauid fled from Absalom He went into a garden to pray to recouer Adams fall in the garden He suffered on friday being the Iewes sixt day the day wherein Adam was created He suffered at noone the time when Adam disobeyed He suffered on the crosse to take the curse vpon him He openeth Paradise to the poore theefe out of which Adam that day was driuen Two theeues were crucified with him and hee was reckoned amonge the wicked as Esay forespake Esay 53. Generall darknesse at his death was ouer all the world from the sixt houre vntill the ninth houre Adams soule was in darknesse hiding himselfe from the presence of God from the sixt houre vntill the ninth houre At the ninth houre he called on God whose voice Adam could not abide As Ioseph buried his Father Iacob so now Ioseph burieth Christ the true Iacob After three dayes and three nights hee riseth againe as Ionas after three dayes and three nights was deliuered out of the Whales belly After his resurrection hee appeareth twelue times as Iosua sent twelue to view the Land of Canaan He walked on the earth fortie dayes as Iosua viewed the Land fortie dayes On the Fiftieth day hee sendeth the holy Ghost vpon the Apostles so after eating the Lambe on the Fiftie day the Law was giuen Now Christ the couragious white horse shineth and his Kingdome is established and Satan is bound for a thousand yeares For the preaching of Christ and his Apostles hath opened the eyes of some of all the Gentiles in the world whereby the power of Sathan is weakned and the rage of the cruell Hornes of the beast of Rome that is the tyrannie of the persecuting Emperors Nero Domitian and the rest plagued by the hand of God Plagues of blood famine and pestilence resembled by horses red blacke and leane the great beast also hauing one head cut off lyeth dead vntill the end of the thousand yeares and the gracious Gospell of Christ flourishing in Iaphets borders these be the ends of the earth Sems house not regarding the peace of Ierusalē Iaphets Sons are perswaded to come to his tents to fetch precious stones from Sion to lay the foundation of the spirituall Salem to perfourme the blessing of Noah Gen. 10. And God will perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem. The earthly Ierusalem is now destroyed by the Romanes vnder whome Christ was crucified called in Dan. 9. the abhomination of desolation whose Citie in respect of their impieties is called Ap. 11. a spirituall Sodome Egipt and therfore vnto Iohn figured by one monstrous beast hauing seuen heads and ten hornes answearable to the number of the heads and hornes of Daniels foure beasts one of whose heads Constantine the great cutteth off by remoouing the imperiall seat of the Romane Empire to Constantinople which he called new Rome so that the beast lay wounded about three hundred yeres one while being ouercome by Vandals another while by Lumbards another while by Germanes one while by one and another while by another and withall such plagues lighted vpon the afflicters of the Church of God that they in effect desired the mountaines to fall vpon and couer them Thus it was of no glorie vntill the end of the thousand yeares then Satan is let loose and suffered to goe roaring about to deceiue the hearts of the people seeking like a ramping and a roaring Lion whome hee might deuoure and hee putteth life into this dead beast hauing power giuen him from God Reuel 13. And hee spake as did the Dragon and hee did all that the first beast could doe in his presence and hee caused the earth with them that dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed and he did great wonders so that hee made fire to come downe from heauen in the sight of men and deceiued them that dwelt on the earth by the meanes of those signes which hee had power to doe in the sight of the beast saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image vnto the beast which had the wound of a sword and did liue And hee had power to giue a spirite vnto the image of the beast and that the image of the beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should bee killed And hee caused all both small and great rich and poore free and bond to receiue a marke in their right hand or in their foreheads or the number of his name Here is wit let him that hath wisedome count the number of the beast for it is the number of a man and his number is sixe hundred threescore and sixe When Gregorie the seuenth forbiddeth mariages who taketh vpon him not the forme of the former beast and hornes but the shape of a Lambe with two hornes pretending all holynesse of whome Christ forbad long before to take heed saying Mat. 7. Take heed of such as come in sheeps clothing and say here is Christ and there is Christ and to colour this Religion to be good they strengthen the throne of Sathan they erect houses for deuout persons patternes as they say of chastitie good life and all vertue sequestring themselues from the glorie of the world whome the holy Ghost compareth in Ap. 8. to Locusts that is monstrous Serpents sprung frō the seed of that old serpent Sathan the Deuill and are described to haue faces like men to shew that they should bee but priuate men haire like women signifying that they should
c. The title ouer Christ on the crosse was written in 3. tongues Hebrew Greeke Latine Although it may not bee vrged that all these Threes haue full relation to the Trinitie seeing they fall not out by chaunce wee are not to despise the pleasant harmonie and comfortable vse of them but to thinke that the wisedome of God hath contriued saluation into such a sweet Art that verie children may learne the same and therefore the Scripture is called verie fitly a shallow water and a deepe fountaine shallow that the Lambe may wade and deepe that the Elephant may swimme Foure Is a square number and vsuall Heber the Fourth after the floud Iuda the Fourth Sonne of Iacob Square signifieth true Religion The Lord came in the 4000. yeare of the world Moses Fourth Son in the 4. age was sacrificer to the tribe of Dan. Times 7 Iubiles the time of Christs death The forme of the heauenly Ierusalem Fiue The Letters of Iehouah The 5 Vowels the sinewes of all tongues Christ feedeth 5000. with 5 Loaues Six The day of Adams creation which number is oftentimes vsed in the scripture to put vs in mind of the Creation Hundreth Thousand fighting men came out of Egipt Hundreth yeares old was Noah at the floud Times 7 standings had the children of Israell in the Wildernesse Yeeres was the Land of Canaan in conquering Cities of refuge for one that killed a man by chaunce and not of malice had the Iewes to flie vnto Times did the children of Israell fall before Dauids time in the time of the Iudges Seuen The number of the Sabbath which number of 7. as it is famous for the creation so God continueth the same proportion throughout the Bible to the redemption For as God the Father made the world in six daies and rested the seuenth so God the Son hauing performed his Fathers will resteth the seuenth day in the graue Is a yeare of Grace Planets in the Firmament which Plato compareth to the number of Seuen Starres in Ap. 1. Yeares was the Land of Canaan plagued for that Ioseph the beloued of the Lord should haue been slaine by his brother Stones in the Temple Gods Seuen-fould wisedome or prouidence in all his actions Seuen eyes to looke vpon the building of euery stone in the Temple of Ierusalem Yeares the Land of Canaan was setled in rest Yeares the Temple was in building Yeares Nebucadnetzer was a beast for destroying it Gates in the Temple before you come to the Holy of holiest Braunches did the Candlesticke in the Temple stand vrpon which had 42. knobbes signifying the six dayes worke and the Seuenth day of rest in the creation Moneths was the Tabernacle in building Iubiles was the Arke in the house of Ioseph Trumpeters is a great number that doe alwaies sound Gods praise Henoch the seuenth from Adam Heber the seuenth from Henoch Isaack the seuenth from Heber Moses the seuenth from Abraham Iosua the seuenth from Ephraim Elias taken vp in the seuenth age from Samuel Ioram the seuenth from Dauid Salomons Temple was consecrated in the seuenth moneth answerable to the birth of the Fathers The ceremonie of the Feast of Tabernacles continued seuen dayes After the comming from Egipt it was seuen times seuen daies before the law was giuen Seuen times seuen daies after Christs resurrection descended the holy Ghost The stories of the Scripture goe by seuens From Moses till Christs death thus Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was in conquering Seuen fifties for the glorie of Iosephs house Seuen seuenties for the house of Iuda Seuen tennes for the captiuity From the captiuitie to the death of Christ seuen seuenties Moses ceremonies for the most part were in the seuenth moneth The Manna that was gathered on the sixt day serued for the seuenth The seuenth yeare the Iewes might not plowe sowe nor reape In the end of seuen seuens was the yeare of Iubilee In the seuenth seuen from Cyrus the walles of Ierusalem were built Seuen times seuen Thousand of the Iewes came from captiuitie Ioakim endeth the seuenth seuentie with affliction Seuen yeeres plenty Seuen yeeres dearth in the land of Egipt figured by seuen eares of corne and seuen kine Noah liued seuen Iubilees after the flood Seuen Thousand in the booke of Kings mentioned that neuer bowed their knees to Baal Kaines house cut off in the seuenth age How often shall I forgiue my brother till seuen times I say vntill seuen times seuenty times alluding vnto Daniels Seuens The number of the persons saued in the Arke The day of circumcision Ten is a full number and the highest of last of simple numbers All Nations after the number of Ten beginne againe for plaine teaching and plainenesse in reckoning Ten is the yeare of iudgement or accompt You haue Ten woordes for the creation of the world and Ten words for the gouernment of the whole world The Tenth is a holy number as in Tythes which is giuen to vs to acknowledge our duties In the Tenth moneth the waters of the floude abated Sem liued to see the Tenth age a great blessing Ten plagues were the Egiptians plagued with for afflicting Sems house Ten spyes in the Wildernes misbelieued Ten tribes fell away at Roboams time Daniels beast hath Ten hornes which doe represent Ten cruell Kings The beast in the Reuelation hath Ten hornes The Pope had Ten stately kingdomes to assist him Noah is the Tenth from Adam Abraham the Tenth from Noah Twelue signes in the Zodiacke Twelue monthes in the yeare Twelue Fathers from the floude to Iacob Twelue Sonnes of Iacob Twelue Fountaines in the Wildernesse Twelue stones in Iordan Twelue stones in Aarons breast Salomon had Twelue Stewards and Dauid Twelue valiant Captaines Salomon at Twelue yeares of age discided the controuersie betweene the women for the dead Childe Christ at Twelue yeares of age is founde disputing among the Doctors He likewise ordayneth Twelue Apostles and Twelue times did he appeare after his resurection and in the reuelation of euery Tribe is sealed Twelue thousand The heauēly Ierusalem is described to haue Twelue foundations of Twelue precious stones Twelue gates and Twelue Angels and the names written of the Twelue Apostles and through the Citie there runneth a pure riuer and on either side of the riuer the Tree of Life which beareth Twelue manner of fruites and beareth fruite euery moneth in the yeare and the leaues of the Tree doe serue to heale the Nations with NOw the reason why God in the beginning layd downe in close signification and such easy proportions the whole scope of his gouernment to the worlds end is to shew that his wisedome is infinite and that nothing in the Scriptures doe fall out by chaunce but by his fore-purpose according to the secret counsell of his own will to make vs still looke backe vnto the Creation 130. Seth borne ge 5. when Adam is 130. yeares old ADam was made in the Image of God but Seth is begotten in the
mother Mary and fleeth into Egypt Mat. 2. And properly putteth meat into the childs mouth 2280. Er and Onan died Gen. 38. ER and Onan hauing committed horrible sinne before God are slaine and no seed left vnto them Then according to the custome Thamar thought to haue had the third sonne Selah to haue raysed vppe seede But Iuda neglecting it shee attyred her selfe like a light woman and lay in the way as Iuda should goe to the sheepe shearing whom Iuda knew and at the time she bare two children Phares and Serah for which fact Iuda would haue burnt her Whereby we may know that before the law giuen by Moses they had the same equitie of iustice for punishing of sinne that they had afterwards In Moses Law a Magistrate might not be condemned vnder three witnesses Thamar condemneth Iuda by three witnesses his Seale Bracelet Staffe From this deede of Iuda we may vnderstand that the prerogatiue That his brethren should praise him could not be meant of himselfe but herein is manifest the gifts of God to be of grace and not of nature For if Iuda had bene rare for godlinesse the prerogatiue of nature might seeme to haue caused Christ to haue come of him 2288. Isaack died Gen. 35. being 180. yeeres old HEe is the longest liuer after Heber and liueth longer then Abraham To shew that he was a child of Promise For if Abraham begetting him when he was old he should haue died quickelie what rare blessing had it beene to Abraham And therefore that the power of God might be seene euen in the weakenesse of man Isaack hath a longer life than Abraham or any after him Heereuppon it may bee concluded the booke of Tobias to bee false because it maketh Tobies life so long and thereby seemeth to crosse Iacobs blessing Besides wee shall finde that in Nehemiahs time they which came out of captiuitie doe out-liue any in the Scriptures that come after and these men were accounted old The longest liuer of them commeth short of Isaacks age Ezrom borne of him nothing is spoken  2298. Iacob goeth into Egypt Gen. 47. Hee is nourished of Ioseph 17. yeeres NOw for this number of 215. how is that performed Genesis 17. where God saith to Abraham Thy seede shal be euill intreated in a land that is not theirs 400. yeeres Seeing they continue in Egypt but 215. yeeres they were afflicted by some of Egypt 400. yeeres For Ismael the Egyptian by Hagar mocketh Isaack in the beginning of the 400. yeeres and that mocking in the Scripture is called persecution and in the end of 400. yeeres they were afflicted vnto the comming out of Egypt so that they were not in Egypt 400. yeeres but they were afflicted first and last 400. yeeres Psal 105. Israel came into Egypt and Iacob was a stranger in the land of Cham to confirme the couenant that he made with Abraham and the oath that he sware vnto Isaack which he appointed to Iacob for a law to Israel for an euerlasting Testament saying Vnto thee will I giue the land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance When as yet there were but a few of them and they strangers in the land what time as they went from one Nation to another and from one kingdome to annother people hee suffered no man to doe them wrong but reprooued euen Kings for their sakes saying touch not mine anointed and doe my Prophets no harme Yet he called for a dearth vpon the land and destroyed all the prouision of bread But hee had sent a man before them Gen. 45. Euen Ioseph which was sold to be a bondseruant whose feet were hurt in the stocks and the yron entred into his soule vntill the time that his cause was knowne The word of the Lord tried him This famine ouer all the land of Canaan may appeare to be a punishment on Iacobs familie for selling Ioseph into Egypt IAcob goeth into Egypt and there telleth Pharaoh that he was 130. yeeres old Though Pharaoh in his demaund meant no more than a heathen man would to wit to know his yeeres and the age of his life Yet God so disposeth Iacobs answere that he signifieth vnto him that his comming into Egypt with seuentie soules is answerable in a contrarie degree to the first scattering of the seuentie families at the building of the tower of Babell In the 4◠yeeres there came three discents from Iacob Whereby it appeareth that Iuda and Pharez could not bee much elder when they begot children than Salomon was when hee begot Roboam which was about twelue yeeres of age By meanes of which speedie encrease there were of these seuentie in 215. yeeres sixe hundred thousand fighting men besides women and children godlie and of the household of faith to shew how God could performe his promise to Abraham that hee would make his seede as the starres of heauen and as the sand of the sea shoare Hereupon Abacuck saith that the counsels of God are eternall thereby teaching vs to marke diligently the time wherein God performeth his promises which may be made familiar by examples in this sort It is said Gen. 3. The seede of the woman shall breake the head of the serpent This was not performed till Christ tooke flesh of the Virgin and became man which was 4000. yeeres wanting but 70. after the promise made to Adam Satan to trie this tempteth Christ and is ouerthrowne Abraham goeth forth of his countrey to embrace the promise that God would giue him a land 430. yeeres before his seede should enioy it But the true performance was long after that is to say in Christ as Zacharias speaketh Luke 1. To performe the oath which he sware to our Father Abraham that would giue vs. God speaketh as though it should presently fall out but seeing one thousand yeres in his sight are as one day we must marke how his counsels are eternall It was spoken in King Achaz dayes by Esay 7.14 Beholde a Virgin shall conceaue a sonne He nor his seed sawe the performance thereof so was Isaack a figure of Christ and the Lambe kept it in memorie Daniel in his time prophesieth of 70. seuens or 490. yeeres before Christ the King should be killed to performe euerie vision and prophecie 2315. Iacob died in Egypt c. Gen. 49. HE is brought from Egypt to Canaan to bee buried in Hebron with Abraham and Isaack as a signe that he looked for the resurrection and enioying of the spirituall Canaan This place Caleb afterwards claimeth for an inheritance when he commeth into the lande for it was the first purchase and a signification of our pilgrimage in this life hauing here no abiding place Now let vs compare the iourneys of Abraham Iacob Iacobs sonnes and Christ together Abraham Iacob Iacobs sonnes Christ Was borne in Mesopotamia Hee goeth to Canaan Hee returneth to Egypt Hee dieth in Canaan Was borne in Canaan Hee goeth to Mesopotamia Hee returneth to Canaan Hee goeth into Egypt Hee is brought
though he speaketh good things of him and knewe he should succeed him in the Kingdome yet hee persecuteth him This is to runne headlong against the light of Gods truth So the Deuill tempted Christ though he knew thereby he encreased his damnation Sauls punishment was verie great for he is slaine at Easter by himselfe then vndertaking battailes when he should haue celebrated the Lords feasts That it was at Easter it may be gathered by the Witch preparing him vnleauened bread Ionathan the Sonne of Saul loued Dauid as his soule therefore it may be concluded he was saued for hee loued Dauid the beloued of the Lord and therefore beleeued in Christ of whome Dauid was a figure This may be prooued by the new Testament for in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Chap. 11. the Battailes of Gedeon Baracke Sampson and of others are rehearsed of whome this is added that they all by faith subdued Kingdomes and receiued the promise and in these Ionathan is included This testimonie of the holy spirite is of no small glorie Saul goeth to a Witch called Ob which had a Hobgoblin Herein he sinned greatly against the gouernment of God layd downe in Moses The hid things for God those reuealed for you and your children to doe them He fell to this wickednesse because hee killed those which ware the Ephod and therefore God answered him not by Vrim and Thummim God suffereth him to take reuenge of himselfe for being a King hee was the highest Magistrate and not to be put to death by his inferiours His posteritie was likewise plagued because they kept not the Couenant with the Gibeonites which Iosua had made Thus much for Saul Dauid borne in Bethlehem Which the Prophet Micheas Cap. 5. calleth Little because it was a little Village and little in quantitie The Euangelist Math. 2. calleth it not little because it was famous in that Christ and Dauid were borne there His name signifieth The beloued of God so is Christ called in Hoseas and Ezechiel by this name and oftentimes in the song of songs So that after the heart of God and this name Dauid is all one Bethlehem is as much to say as the House of Bread there Dauid the Shepheard the feeder of Israel was borne as a figure and token that Christ the great Shepheard and true bread of life should bee borne there Dauid raigneth Forty yeres Seuen yeares and a halfe in Hebron and Thirtie two yeares and a halfe in Ierusalem HErein is a comparison with Christ for as Dauid was King proclaimed at Easter ouer Iuda so Christ by his resurrection at Easter was prooued King ouer the whole world Dauid after the death of Saul asketh God whether hee shall goe God answereth To Hebron This is not without speciall obseruation that God should commaund him to goe thether The monuments of places are of great force to bring Stories into remembrance For in Hebron Sara was buried being the first purchase which Abraham made Isaacke and Rebecka were buried there Iacob and Leah there there Caleb challenged his inheritance So that Dauid being King there is ioyned in a kind of purchase with these Fathers and their glorie herein matched So the Hebrewes apply it Hebron is called Consociation The Seuen yeares King is a comparison with the Seuen yeares of conquering the Land so that looke what glorie is reaped in the conquest thereof the same you may gather in the time of Dauids gouernement in Hebron Further it was requisite there should be proofe of the sufficiencie of his gouernment by gouerning Hebron before hee should rule so stately a kingdome as Ierusalem was His Two and thirtie yeares and sixe Moneths haue a comparison with Christs liuing on earth He began his gouernment there exactly One thousand yeares before Christ was baptized at the verie same time that Christ began so you see all Gods dealings cast in a fine and sweet proportion Dauid commeth of Iessai in this respect Christ is called the roote of Iessai The ages of Dauids Auncestors calleth in minde Abrahams yeares at the birth of Isaacke and so remembreth his Storie About Seuen yeares before he was King he fights with Goliah the Philistine who came of Mitzraijm which filled Egypt the cursed Nation of Cham. Dauid is hereunto encouraged by a miracle being made Victor ouer a Lion and a Beare and thereupon hee concludeth This vncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them Goliah challengeth all Israel and defieth them Dauid trusting in the strength of the Lord vnarmed onely with stones in his bagge and his sling slayeth the Philistine He was about this time Three and Twentie yeares old This is the vse Looke what this Goliah and the Philistines were to the state of Israel so is the Deuill and his Angels to the children of God And as Dauid the beloued by trusting in the beloued Sonne of God ouercame so shall we if we beleeue as he did putting on the armor of God The summe in regard of the Iewes is this that as he being of Iuda subdued this Philistine so likewise in all other battailes they should couragiously follow him seeing he of Iuda should come after the flesh which fought for them from heauen Saul giueth Dauid his Daughter to wife it hath been a receiued opinion that the Iewes might not marrie out of their Tribes This is onely to be vnderstood of the heires because inheritance might not goe from one Tribe to another but if they were not heires they might As we see Dauid of Iuda marrieth one of Beniamin Now for his Victories THe 60. and 108. Psalme speaketh shortly of them in this sort Giliad is mine Manasses is mine Ephraim the strength of my head Iuda is my Law-giuer Moab is my Washpot ouer Edom will I cast out my shooe vppon the Philistines will I triumph The meaning of it is Christ will come and subdue all Nations vnto himselfe and erect his kingdome for euer And yet as all these Nations Moab and Ammon and Edom striue against Dauid so will the Gentiles against Christ And yet why doe the Gentiles rage and the people imagine a vaine thing The Kings of the earth stand vp and the Rulers counsell together against the Lord and against his annointed and yet all in vaine for hee will bruse them with a rodde of yron for hee hath giuen him the ends of the world for his Dominion therefore are the heathen fooles In the Reuelation you haue the like striuing by the Emperours against Christ but the Mountaine is cast into the fire In the Acts of the Apostles Pontius Pilate and the rest did that which the Lord decreed In these battailes of Dauid Saint Paules rule taketh place the sound of them was heard to the ends of the world For Dauids victories being gained not in one but being fortie yeares allotted to the accomplishment of them no doubt were an astonishment vnto the nations and by them to be greatly obserued Here wee haue the like comparison of the Fortie yeares
Noah that would haue a name and turned their speech into babling He plagued that flouting Ismael and quailed that doughtie Esay Hee drowned stout Pharaoh in the red sea and ouerthrew the iron charets of Sisera at the waters of Mageddon He smote diuers nations and slue mightie Kings Sehon King of the Ammorites and Ogg the King of Basan and all the kingdomes of Canaan he foiled that proud Philistine and hewed the horne of Agag in peeces He made Iesabel a pray for dogges and wicked Achab to be slaine in the valley of Iesreel He made King Ioakim to be buried like an asse and prophane Nebucadnetzar to eat grasse like an oxe He made drunken Baltasar to tremble like a leafe and Antiochus the vild to be deuoured of wormes to shew that he regardeth not proud lookes or feareth the Kings displeasure for he setteth vp Kings and putteth downe Kings as Luke 1. He looked on the low degree of his handmaid he hath shewed strength with his arme he hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their hearts he hath put downe the mightie from their seats and hath exalted the humble and meeke As Ioseph out of the dungeon Dauid from the sheepecoats Daniel from the Lyons denne Peter and Iohn from mending their nets and made them rulers ouer mightie Nations teachers to the Princes of the earth Matth. 5. Therefore blessed are the meeke for they shall receiue the inheritance of the earth Christ being meeke was ledde as a sheepe vnto the slaughter not opening his mouth 162. Henoch borne HIs name signifieth Holy or Dedicated to God The name sheweth his fathers affection in giuing him vnto God answerable to Abraham in offering Isaack Henoch of Kaine was contrarie in signification to this Henoch the one dedicated to God the other to the possessions of this world For Kaine after his curse wandring to the land of Nod buildeth a Citie and calleth it after the name of his sonne Henoch The other Henoch though indeed a rare man yet was 65. yeres without any mention of his integritie and after that his holinesse is made manifest in this that he found fauour with God His calling was very glorious being made a preacher to declare salvation to all that would beleeue in Christ and his owne actions of life to be performed in the highest degree of vertue Whereby we are taught to bee holie and blamelesse before God not giuing our members subiects vnto wantonnesse or pleasures of this life but esteeming the world as though it were not and possesse it as though wee possest it not putting on the new man Christ Iesus that we may be holy euen as he is holy 7. You haue heere the number of seuen to shew that Henoch is the seuenth from Adam for so is he called in the Epistle of Iude. He was no doubt a very rare man seeing that hee is commended of the holy Ghost to haue walked with God to haue his yeeres answerable to the dayes of the sunne and registred to be the seuenth from Adam a Sabbath keeper for his yeeres doe agree with the number of the Sabbath Which number of seuen or of the Sabbath throughout the Bible doth still put vs in mind of the Creation and so of the true keeping of the Sabbath For in the beginning God made the world in sixe dayes and rested the seuenth and hallowed and sanctified the same and commaunded it to be kept holie throughout all generations and to resemble the same in his Creation before there was a Sabbath He made seuen starres in the heauens which Philosophers call planets which haue force in the whole course of nature which he in his wisedome placed there that the very heathen and such as would not take notice of the Sabbath might haue the name thereof in their mouthes although they made no vse thereof in their hearts 65. Methushelah borne His name signifieth Long life or Speare death 187. Lamech borne HIs name signifieth Striken or heart-wounded He is called so in respect of some inward griefes that he should beare for the afflictions of the world You haue an other Lamech of Kaines house but of contrarie nature to this Lamech Lamech of Kaine was a striker Lamech of Seth striken the one a Preacher of destruction to the world the other an example of impietie to the world and being 1600. yeeres after Kaine knew Kaines storie He had two wiues it was not so from the beginning Some hold that he was the first that had two wiues but doubtlesse many others had the like but God in one doth shew the manners of the rest Hee saith to his wiues I will kill a man c. So that as the world began with killing so it continueth in wickednesse and violence The other Lamech doth make a confession full of contrition and in naming his sonne Comforter 600. yeeres before the flood sheweth that he was a Prophet of verie liuely skill Compare him with Christ CHrist is both outwardly striken and inwardly wounded Outwardly when in the open hall he was buffetted scourged and spitted at and vpon the crosse pierced both handes feete and sides Inwardly when hee was reuiled with blasphemous speeches at his death and when in stead of drinke to comfort him they gaue him gall and mirhe mingled together but most especially when his guiltlesse soule did suffer the torments of hell to redeeme our guiltie soules and bodies from the thrall of Satan as may appeare when from his sides issued water and blood 56. Adam dieth THe Hebrewes descant very straungely vpon the Arithmeticke of Adams yeares which hee liued which were 930. Vpon a sentence in the 24 of Iob. where it is sayd All the daies of man vpon earth are but a shadow As if he should say all the dayes of Adam are but Abell for Adam in Hebrew signifieth earth and Abell signifieth shadow or vanitie whereby we are taught that from the earth we came and to the earth we must returne according to Ge. 3. We are also to vnderstand from hence that although God deferre his punishments yet he is mindfull of his promises for not one tittle or iot of his word shall passe as appeareth in Adams death which God before had promised and was accomplished though it were 930. yeares after Wherefore howsoeuer we be setled on the pleasures of this life or bee aduaunced to thrones of Maiestie as Adam was we are to know that it is but a Steward shippe bestowed vpon vs for a season and that in this world wee are to looke for no abiding place for we are but grasse wee are consumed as smoke our daies come to an end A Thousand yeares in Gods sight is as yesterday He turneth Adam to dust and saith Returne ye sonnes of Adam He bringeth our yeares to an end as it were a tale that is tould Wherefore let vs pray to God with Moses to teach vs to number our daies aright that wee may apply our harts vnto wisedome Adam cometh
the Gentiles is vnderstood vnder these words And God will perswade Iapheth to dwell in the Tents of Sem. The Prophet Noah spake not at randome when he sayd Blessed be the God of Sem. But what is there spoken short in due time is drawne out longer and the not regarding the blessing of Sem doth make many things in the new Testament to be neglected And first for Cham. HIs name signifieth Hote or Cholericke and those Countreys did his Sons after the confusion of tongues possesse namely in Africa in the South Countrey C ham the Prince of Affricke the spreader of wickednesse inhabited the fourth part of the world with his families His house neuer got any victorie but for some especiall punishment to bee shewed vpon Sems house C ham had a curse in this world and doubtlesse in the world to come He had foure Sonnes the first Cush of whome came the Ethiopians or in our tongue Burnt faces the second Mitzraijm of whome the Egyptians come for Mitzraijm doth signifie Egypt The third Put of whome the Lybians and Blackamores come and the fourth Canaan of whome the Cananites come in whome the curse of Cham was pronounced notwithstanding it falleth out also in all his other Sonnes And as Canaan was a slaue of slaues so are they that are of the like infidelitie so that oftentimes for the horrible impietie of one man the whole Nation fareth the worse This Canaan had eleuen Sonnes and himselfe made the twelfe and his Countrey was called Canaan which once was Paradise And as Paradise to Adam resembled the state of heauen so did the land of Canaan to the Israelites and the Iewes for it was a land abounding with all good things In Paradise was the tree of life In Canaan Christ was borne the true Tree of life Adam neglecting the true seruice of God in Paradise was driuen from thence The Iewes neglecting their Sabbaths and finally the knowledge of Christ were likewise driuen out of Canaan But as notwithstanding Adams fall saluation in Paradise was promised to all the world so notwithstanding the sin of the Iewes Christ in Canaan wrought the full saluation of all the world These eleuen Sonnes of Canaan were setled in one soyle that is in Canaan which is about One Hundred and Sixtie miles from North to South and Sixtie miles from Eeast to West Their names are Zidon who built Tyrus the glorie of the world for traffique of Marchandize Heth Gebusi who after Sems death as it should appeare possessed Ierusalem Amori Girgashi of whome there were some left till Christs time as Mat. 8.28 Hiuits of whome Abraham bought his burying place of whose kindred also Esau tooke him wiues Arkite Siuite Aruadite Zemathite Hemathite It is supposed they had so many tongues as there were Nations but it was no otherwise than our Cornish and Northerne men differ in their tongues These were Lordes of the whole soyle to plant build and replenish it against time to come that the twelue Tribes of Israel might haue Vineyards that they neuer planted and houses that they neuer builded Wherevpon Moses sayth Deut. 32. When the most high God diuided to the Nations their inheritance hee appointed the borders of a people according to the number of the Sonnes of Israel And when God promiseth to Abram Genes 14. that hee will giue his seede a Land that shall flowe with Milke and Honie hee bordereth it from Egypt to the great Riuer the Riuer Euphrates within which borders are contained the seuerall Lordships of Canaan and his Sonnes namely the Kenites the Kenâ—sites the Cadmonites the Hethites the Pheresites the Gyaunts the Amorites the Cananites the Girgashites and the Gebusites Because C ham scorned his Father who was the restorer of all the world therefore his Countrey was to bee giuen to Sems House the Iewes and they were driuen out of their Land by the Sword of Ioshua except some fewe who were left in the Land to bee spurres in the sides and thornes in the eyes of the Israelites who were to possesse it that when through the aboundance of wealth they grewe to forget God they might bee chastened with his rodde of correction Thus Kaines curse is extended euen to Canaan his youngest Sonne and hee is made a Seruant of Seruants to Sem that the blessing to Sem might appeare and the open cursed should serue the open blessed although it bee Nine Hundred yeares after Noahs prophecie to shewe that although God suffer the wicked a while and doth deferre his punishments vntill the sinne of the Ammorites come to a full ripenesse that yet hee is a righteous Iudge and sitteth vpon a fierie throne from whose presence doth issue Riuers of fire to consume all such as will not learne to knowe the seede of the woman to bee able to breake the head of the Serpent nor desire to dwell in the Tents of Sem acknowledging the God of Abraham the God of Isaach and the God of Iacob to bee the true God that keepeth couenant with all whose garments were washed in wine and his mantle in the bloud of grapes Nor marke that Shiloh is that Emanuel God with vs who is that Stone that can grinde the mightiest Gyaunt in the Land of Canaan to powder who haue eyes and will not see how God with fire from heauen consumed their Cities turning Lots wife into a pillar of salt ouerthrewe their kinsmen Pharaoh in the Redde Sea and made the walles of Iericho to fall downe without violent handes Chams house was not plagued for building Babel onely but for falling from the Religion of Sem and his posteritie had a deadly minde against true Religion And as Cham and the rest are in Gehenna in darkenesse so in the Scripture they are left in darknesse For there is no time of any of them mentioned when they died but are left in darkenesse The wicked men of Canaan would neuer yeeld to the truth but praised Gods of gold brasse and stone Now followeth for Iaphet HIs name signifieth Perswaded He had seuen Sonnes Gomer Magog Madai of whome came the Meedes Iauan of whome the Grecians and the Romanes come and Tubal and Mesech of whom the Muscouites come And Tiras of whome the Thrasians come Of these were the Isles of the Gentiles diuided in their Lands Iaphet hee was partaker with Sem in the action of couering their Father but Sem had the prerogatiue of the promise concerning Christ notwithstanding Iaphet was the elder And if you marke through all the Bible you shall not find the first borne of any of Christs Auncestors to haue the promise pronounced to them in open termes because Christ the first begotten of his Father would not come according to the lust of the flesh or course of nature but by grace Sem in regard of that had the glorie of God preached in his Tents vntill the acceptable Child did come in whome all Nations should bee blessed And when the glorie of Sems house which were the
reckoned not according to their age but according to their dignitie as Gen. 5. The Sonnes of Noah Sem Cham Iaphet are so rehearsed that in the first place there is mention made of Sem who for all that was not the first borne neither could be borne in the Fiue hundreth yeare of Noah sith two yeares after the flood in which yeare hee begat Arphachsad hee was but an Hundreth yeares old Now the first of this opinion whome I follow was Caluine that most famous Doctor of the Church of Geneua who in his Commentaries vpon Gen. 11.27 expresseth it in plaine words Him followed Beroaldus who did much in the illustrating of time and Mangoldus This demonstration is set downe Act. 7. Abraham is sayd to goe out of Haran after his Father Terah died Now Terah liued Two hundred and fiue yeares And Abram went out of Haran in the Seuentie and fiue yeare of his age which yeeres if you subtract from Terahs age there remaines One hundred and thirtie yeares in which Abrams natiuitie falleth The same may be confirmed by Sarahs age Abrams wife who is thought to be the Daughter of Abrams Brother Abram exceeded her no more but Ten yeeres wherevpon it followeth that hee was borne long after him that was both his brother and father in law Abram therefore was called and began his peregrination in the Two thousand Eightie and fourth yeare of the world the verie same day that his posteritie went out of Egypt namely the Fifteenth of Nisan as it is sayd in Exod. 12. The third ioynct of this first time which containeth the diuine couenant of Abraham endeth in the yeare when the law was giuen in which the Israelites by the goodnesse of God were brought forth and deliuered out of Egypt by many and strange miracles This containeth foure Hundred and Thirtie yeres which is confirmed by the testimonie of Saint Paul who expresly sayth Gal. 3.17 That the Law began foure Hundred and Thirtie yeares after the confirming of the couenant or testament And concerning the confirmation of which couenant he speaketh he expresseth in that which went before namely of that same which was made when being called of God he went out of Haran For in vers 8. he cyteth the same promise In thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed which Gen. 12. is rehearsed in the narration of his calling Vers 3. Hetherto also it appertaineth which is written Exod. 12. Vers 40. The peregrination of the children of Israel as learnedly and truely translateth that worthy man Beroaldus which they dwelt in Egypt was Foure Hundred and Thirtie yeares Which surely the Seuentie Interpreters so translate that they account the peregrination of the Fathers made in the Land of Canaan in this dwelling Neither doth the place of Gen. 15. Vers 13. concerning the seed of Abram to be aflicted foure Hundred yeares hinder it For Abrahams peregrination is to be deriued from his calling and his seed began to be afflicted when Isaack the Sonne of promise borne fiue and twentie yeares after his calling being a childe peraduenture of fiue yeares old suffered the scoffings of Ismael borne of the hand mayd which surely the Apostle Gal. 4.29 expressely nameth persecution Adde hereunto the rest which Isaack and Iacob suffered amonge strangers Now that time wherein the Israelites abode in Egipt that it is farre wide of foure Hundred yeeres is cleerer than the light at noone day to them which consider that Kaath the Son of Leui went downe into Egipt and liued One Hundred Thirtie and Three yeares and that his Son Amram liued one hundred thirtie and seuen yeres Exod. 6. and that Moses his Sonne was Eightie yeares old when he went out of Egipt All which make but Three hundred and Fiftie yeares and if from these those yeares bee subduced which they liued after their Sonnes were borne the yeares remayning would be few But these things Doctor Berwildus and others haue learnedly set forth Those notable men Bullinger Phlinspachius Scaanger and others agree vnto it It is sayd that Terah being Seuentie yeares old begetteth Abram Haran and Nachor The Iewes say That Abraham was the eldest but thereby they bring notable absurdities for they agree that Sara was Harans Daughter she is but Ten yeres yonger than Abram and then Abram being elder than Haran and yet married his daughter but Ten yeares younger than her husband Haran must needes beget her at Nine yeares of age which is impossible Therefore it is certaine that Nachor and Haran were elder than Abram For if wee looke to Gen. 12. and consider that Abram being Seuentie and fiue yeares old receiued the promise and to Saint Stephens Oration Act 7. by which it appeareth that Terah was dead before Abram had the promise or else the promise might haue had a reference to Terah as well as to Abram we shall by good Arithmeticke cast Terah at the birth of Abram to be One hundred and thirtie yeares old for take Seuentie and fiue yeres out of two hundred and fiue which is the time that Terah liued and there remaineth One hundred and thirtie the age of Terah when he begat Abram To enlarge this further If Abram had beene the eldest Sem would not haue giuen him the blessing for then hee should haue died before Sem and men doe not giue their inheritance to their Sonnes which die in their life but hee would rather haue kept it for Isaack with whom he liued Fiftie yeres This may be made plaine by another of the same sort Rebecca being with child and they both striuing in her womb asketh counsell what should become of her The question is of whom Sem being dead it is manifest either of Heber or of Abraham Thus you may see that without the knowledge of the times wee could not auoid these errors 2018. Sara borne She is thought to bee Iiscah the daughter of Haran and so she is for Abraham calleth Lot brother which could not be but in respect of mariage For Lot was the Sonne of Haran and brother to Iiscah Therefore in that meaning Abram speaketh truely Sara is the same in signification that Iiscah is For Sarah signifieth Queene so doth Iiscah her name was afterwards called Sarai that is My Queene You haue a verie easie reckoning of the times if you beginne at Sarahs Fifteenth yeare of age when she was fit as it were to be a Tabernacle for Abraham These comparisons prooue the prouidence of God to be plaine and his counsels easie From Sarahs Fifteene yeares of age to the building of Moses Tabernacle 480 From thence to the Building of Salomons Temple 480 Third of Cyrus when the proclamation went forth for building the second Temple 480 Gouernement of Poncius Pilate in whose time Christ did build his spirituall Temple 480 The promise is giuen to Abraham That is Christ is promised to Abraham after the flesh Gen. 12. Foure hundred and thirtie yeres before the giuing â—f the law The promise to
Adam in Paradise and to Sem after the flood is here renewed to Abraham when he is Seuentie and fiue yeares old So many yeares old as there be Fathers of Christ from Adam to Ioseph Saint Matthew beginning at Abraham reckoneth them but Forty and two that is three Fourteenes or six Seuens but Saint Luke reckoning them bringeth them him from Adam and sheweth their number to bee 75. Saint Mathews meaning was to prooue him King of the Iewes and Saint Lukes to shew that he is the Seede of the woman Seuentie fiue hath in it Ten Seuens and Fiue the number of the letters of Iehouah God changeth Abrams name from Abram to Abraham of Haman a Multitude because in him all the Nations and multitude of the earth should bee blessed like vnto Noah a new Comforter Hee left his Countrey and his Fathers house and went to a Land which God would shew him so that Saint Paul teacheth by faith AbrahaÌ„ when he was called obeyed God to goe into a place which he should aâ—ter receiue for an inheritance and he went out not knowing whether he went In this faith Moses a high Sonne refused to be called the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter Saint Luke testifieth of him Act. 7. That the God of glorie appeared to our Father Abraham when hee was in Mesopotamia before he dwelt in Charran and sayd vnto him Get thee out of thy Country and from thy kindred and come into a Land that I shall shew thee Then came he out of the Land of Chaldea and dwelt in Charran and from thence when his Father was dead hee brought him into the Land of Canaan but hee had no inheritance in it no not the breadth of a foote Yet God promised that hee would giue it him to possesse and to his seede after him when as yet hee had no Childe Wherefore beleeuing in God it was counted to him for righteousnesse For the promise to Abraham that hee should bee the heire of the world was not giuen him or his seede through the lawe but through the righteousnesse of faith Rom. 4. In 2. Esdras 0. You haue there in the prayer of Nehemiah an abridgement of all this Storie how the Lord chose Abram and brought him out of Vr of the Chaldees and called him Abraham and found his heart faithfull and made a couenant with him to giue his seed the Land c. Saint Paul Act. 17. reasoneth with the men of Athens thus You Grecians you say that you are of Iapheth and that your Countrey is Ionia and yee are the Sonnes of the earth Be it knowne vnto you that God at the first made all mankind of one blood to dwell on all the face of the earth and assigned the seasons which were ordained before and the bonds of their habitations for hee diuided vnto them the Land according to the number of the Sonnes of Israel Now yee heathen your owne Poets say ye are the generation of God And we may obserue that in all the ceremonies of Moses there is a great priuiledge layd downe for the heathen And besides Melchisedech being a heathen and greater than Abraham and a resembler of the Sonne of God is a manifest argument that God would saue the Gentiles in Christ And it is added by Saint Paul God which iustifieth the wicked euen Abram being an Idolatrer The Gentiles are no worse therefore they haue no cause to despaire And where it is sayd in this Storie of Abraham that he forsooke his Father and his Fathers house Saint Stephen Act. 7. sheweth that it was at the time his Father was dead for otherwise it had beene an hard example and Gods actions must bee so wisely disposed that the verie heathen must acknowledge them to be iust which they would not haue done if hee had left his Father he being aliue It is further added that Abraham was rich He was of behauior quiet for to auoide strife and contention betwixt his shepheards and the shepheards of Lot hee willed him to choose whether he would take to the right hand or to the left Lot chooseth the best for eye-sight though by the close counsell of God ordering his choise it prooued farre contrarie Abraham was politique for he had Three hundred and Eighteen souldiers of his owne familie which he himselfe had instructed And thereby we may gather that hee vsed recreation and in curiositie did not contemne it for otherwise hee could not haue made his men so expert Warriours And surely there is nothing disturbeth Religion more than curiositie He was a stately man and couragious and had authoritie of life and death else hee could not haue kept so many in good order His moderation appeareth also in that hee suffered Sara to rule at home He was politique in choosing the night to set on his enemies for seeing he was in the fauour of God hee was sure hee could not walke in darkenesse and it was the fittest time to make his enemies affraid 2090. Melchisedech King of Salem A figure of the Sonne of God meeteth Abraham IT is a question who this Melchisedech should be It is most certaine it is Sem the Sonne of Noah Which may be gathered from the circumstance of the Storie being modestly expounded Heb. 7. This Melchisedech King of Salem who met Abraham as he returned from the slaughter of the Kings to whome also Abraham gaue tythes of all things first is called by interpretation King of righteousnesse and after that King of Salem that is to say King of Peace without Father without mother without kindred and hath neither beginning of dayeâ— nor end of life but is likened to the Sonne of God He was without Father without Mother when Abraham met him Fiue last ages aboue Abraham being dead hee was vnknowen of his owne kindred He had no end of life in the olde world for he liued through the flood and no beginning of dayes in the newe world Christ in respect of his Godhead had no mother and in regard of his Manhead he had no father Surely our men be very vnaduised that because Caluin and a fewe Grecians doe stacker in this opinion whether Sem should be Melchisedech therefore they will not admit the truth hereof as though they should bee a rule of truth vnto them But to answere them First the consent of all the Iewes is that Sem is Melchisedech and if he be not then let vs see what inconueniences will follow First he must be a godlier man than Sem that crosseth Sems blessing Blessed be the God of Sem. Besides it standes not with Religion that any man should be rare in the highest degree no prophecie going before it to warrant his rarenesse But this is the cause why men bee deceiued The Grecians erre in this and are the cause why others haue erred It was not possible for them to know the truth thereof for the Iewes appointed by Ptolomeus Philodelphus to translate the Bible seeing there was such difference at the birth
hundred hath relation to the time that Ismael and Hagar were expelled Abrahams house for Ismaels flowting of Isaack Here is the performance of Gods promise to Abraham Gen. 15. Thy seede shall be in a strange Land foure hundred yeares but the people whome they shall be in bondage to will I iudge saith God Which was made plaine in the ten plagues of Egipt and in the ouerwhelming of Pharaoh and his Chariots in the red sea as Exod. 14. and Psal 78. Maruailous things did the lord in the sight of our Fathers in the land of Ham euen in the field of Zoan he diuided the Sea and let them go through he made the waters to stand on an heap and led forth his people like sheep and carried them in the wildernesse like a flocke And Psal 114. When Israel came out of Egipt and the house of Iacob from among the strange people Iudah was his Sanctuarie and Israel his Dominion The Sea sawe that and fledde Iordan was driuen back this was performed at the beginning of the Law The Mountaines skipped like Rams and the litle hils like yong sheep c. And Psal 105. Egipt was glad at their departure for they were affraid of them And Psa 106. He rebuked the Red Sea and it was dryed vp he led his people through the deepe as through a wildernesse As for those that troubled them the waters ouer-whelmed them and there was not one of them left Then the children of Israel beleeued his words and sange praise vnto him But within a while they forgat his workes and would not abide his counsell but lust came vpon them in the wildernesse and they tempted God in the desert And Psa 78. They forgat what he had wrought in Egipt and his wonders in the field of Zoan How he led them in the day with a cloud and all the night through with a pillar of fire Hee claue the hard Rockes in the wildernesse and gaue them drinke thereof hee brought waters out of the Stonie Rocke so that it gushed out like the Riuers But they prouoked the most highest in the wildernesse and tempted God in their harts saying Shall God prepare a table in the wildernesse He smote the stonie Rocke indeed and the streames flowed withall but can he giue bread also or prouide flesh for his people wherewith the Lord was wroth so hee rained downe Manna from heauen So man did eate Angels food for hee sent them meat ynough At their desire he brought quailes and hee filled them with the bread of heauen hee rayned flesh vppon them as thicke as dust and feathered fowles as the sands of the sea he let it fall amonge their tents euen round about their habitation so they did eat and were filled for hee gaue them their owne desire they were not disappointed of their lust but while the meat was in their mouths the heauie wrath of God came vppon them and slue the wealthiest of them and smote downe the chosen men that were in Israel But for all this they sinned yet more Againe psal 106. They angred Moses in their Tents and Aaron the Saint of the Lord. So the earth swallowed vp Dathan and couered the congregation of Abiram and the fire was kindled in their companie the flame burnt vp the vngodly They made a Calfe in Horeb and worshipped the moulten Image Thus they turned the glorie of God into the similitude of a Calfe that eateth hay So he sayd he would haue destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stand before him in the gappe to turne away his wrathfull indignation yea they thought scorne of that pleasant Land and gaue no credence to his words but murmured in their Tents they ioyned themselues with Baal Peor and eat the offerings of the dead Thus still they prouoked God vnto anger with their inuentions and the plague was great amonge them But Phinees stoode vp and prayed and the plague ceased and that was counted to him for righteousnesse throughout all posterities for euer They angred him also at the waters of strife so that he punished Moses for their sakes because they prouoked his spirite so that he spake vnaduisedly with his lips Neuerthelesse he thought vpon his couenant and pitied them according to the multitude of his mercies as appeareth 2. Esdr 9 Thou camest downe vpon Sinay and spakest to them from heauen and gauest them right iudgements true Lawes good Commandements and Statutes and declaredst vnto them thy holy Sabbath and commaundedst them Precepts Ordinances and Lawes by the hand of Moses thy seruant and gauest them bread from heauen when they were hungry and broughtest forth water out of the Rocke for them when they were thirstie and promisedst them that they should goe in and take and possesse the Land but they were proude and became obstinate and heady but God forgaue them and was gracious and mercifull patient and of great goodnesse and forsook them not although they made a moulten Calfe and said These are our Gods that brought vs out of the Land of Egipt and did speake blasphemously yet hee forsooke them not in the wildernesse according to his great mercie Fortie yeares long made he prouision for them in the wildernesse so that they lacked nothing their clothes waxed not old and their feete swelled not In this Fortie yeares of their being in the wildernesse many things are to be vnderstood God chose these Forty that all the world might knowe of the Redemption by Christ It standeth of Foure Tens This time is made more famous by the Storie wherein a speciall thing is to be obserued that in all these Forty yeres you haue but three yeares storie and a halfe And thus it is cast One yeare is spent in the Tabernacle halfe a yeare after the Spies are sent to view the Land Vpon their Storie God sweares that they shall not enter into his rest From thence you haue no Storie till the two last yeares of the conquest of Ob and of Maries death This one would not thinke of if the bare Storie did not compell him For comparison with this three yeares and a halfe I will speake more hereafter You haue in the wildernesse the Lambe which represented Christ and Manna which Christ expounds in Ioh. 6. I am the true bread that came from heauen Your Fathers did eat Manna and are dead hee that eateth of this bread shall liue for euer The Rock signified Christ The lifting vp of the Serpent his death Balaam he prophecieth of Christ There shall come a Starre from Iacob and a Scepter shall rise from Israel Kittim and Assur shall afflict Heber but they also shall come to destruction at the last This prophecie begins in the sixt yeare of Ezechias THe time was in the Moneth Abib which Moneth containeth part of March and part of Aprill The Seuentie Interpreters call it Tanda the Moneth of greene blades for about this time of the yeare corne beginneth to shew it selfe aboue the ground Their yeare before
shall raigne and prosper In his dayes Iuda shall bee saued and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse In the 110. Psalme the Lord sware and will not repent thou art a King for euer after the order of Melchisedech the King of righteousnesse In the first Epistle of Saint Iohn it is thus expounded If any man sinne wee haue an Aduocate with the Father Iesus Christ the righteous The Seuentie Interpreters translating the place of Ieremie And this is his name The Lord our righteousnesse because they knew the Egyptians could neuer vnderstand the meaning of the Lord our righteousnesse they translate it thus And he shall be called the Sonne of Iehosadach which is in signification Ichouah Tzedek The Lord our righteousnesse but thereby the Grecians thought hee was the Sonne of Iehosadach Where Saint Paul speaketh Philip. 2. That at the name of Iesus euerie knee should bow both in heauen and in earth We thinke that the meaning is the outward bowing of our knees and of an externall worship to be giuen at the sound of this word Iesus That is not so but this is the meaning That his Maiesty is so omnipotent that all the creatures both in heauen and earth must be subiect to him And this Christ himselfe prooued by his miracles when the fishes obeyed when the Deuils resisted not when the water bare him vp and the winde was calme at his word Wherefore if wee admit the first exposition wee commit a grosse errour for so soone as wee heare Iesus pronounced we begin to worship by bending our knees though that name be not meant of Christ As in the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is sayd If Iesus had setled the people in rest c. Here is meant Iesus the Sonne of Nun and yet this Iesus shall haue bowing of knees Now compare Iesus with Iesus As Iesus the Son of Nun receiued the gouernment and law from Moses before Iesus Iordan opened Iesus caused the Sunne to stay in the firmament So Iesus Christ fulfilled all the same before Iesus Christ when he was baptised at Iordan the heauens opened Iesus Christ caused the sun to be darkened in the firmament If Iesus had setled the people in rest c. IEsus which signifieth Sauiour with Eleasar who is surnamed Aaron which signifieth Christ Annointed setled the Israelites in an earthly rest in the outward Canaan Iesus with Eleasar brought the Iewes out of the captiuitie of Babell and set them in their Land againe Iesus Christ the Annointed Sauiour hauing in halfe a Seuen conquered Hell and Sathan hath setled our mindes and set vs in an heauenly rest in the spirituall Canaan So the holy Ghost speaketh for if Iesus had setled the people in rest then would not Dauid after this haue spoken of another rest Moses giueth instruction to Iesus for the Conquest of the Land and goeth not thither himselfe So Moses vnprofitable except Christ had come and performed it THis Fiftie sheweth that the reckoning of the yeare of Iubilee here beginneth The Seuen sheweth that the people of Israel were sixe yeres in conquering the Land of Canaan and the Seuenth yeare setled in rest as the world was six dayes in making and the Seuenth day appointed for rest The Fiue and Fortie will approoue this true in the Fourteenth of Iosua Caleb saith Fortie yeares old was I when Moses sent mee to spie the Lands Now the people of Israel were Two yeares in the Wildernesse before the Spies were sent When the Land is fully conquered hee sayth I am this day fiue and Fortie yeres old since Moses sent me from Cadesbarnes to view the Land From which fiue and Fortie if you take away Seuen there remaineth Thirtie and Eight to which if you adde the other two in which they were in the Wildernes before the Spies were sent you haue Fortie so long they were in the Wilnernesse and the other Seuen they were in conquering the Land For comparison with this Seuen you haue Seuen Fifties for the house of Ioseph so Hoseas the Prophet speaketh while Ioseph spake there was great terrour Then Seuen Seuenties to the Captiuitie Ten Seuens the Captiuity and Seuen Seuenties to the death of Christ The proofe of this is layd downe in the 25. of Leuit. where they are cōmanded vpon their setling in the Land to number vnto them sixe yeares for tilling and plowing their ground and the Seuenth to be a Sabbath that is holy vnto the Lord. And Seuen Sabbaths of yeares thou shalt likewise number then thou shalt cause to blowe the Trumpet of the Iubilee and that was the next yeare after the seuenth Seuen Theodoretus saith Moses prophecied that Iesus should be Seuen yeares in conquering the Land and thereby likewise expresseth the Iubilee and thereby sheweth the Fiftie yeares after they should ouerthrow Chusan So the first Iubilee hath a wonderfull victorie God had an especiall purpose in his prouidence that the land should not bee conquered in one day which he could haue performed because from obseruing the wonderfull order of Iesus victories the nations farre and neere might bee stirred vp to enquire after their God and if they would not yet hereby to bee made vnexcusable Suidas noteth that hee came into a Countrey where hee found certaine blacke pillars erected wherein this was engrauen Iesus the spoyler droue vs out of Canaan Cadmus builds Thebes while the Grecians flourished and there was continuall enmitie betweene the Athenians and the Thebanes and if you cast the ages to Dauids time you shall find that Iesus draue him out likewise Now followeth the diuiding of the Land which is particularly handled in Ioshua 15 16 17 18 19. NOw the curse is performed Gen. 10. Cursed be Canaan a seruant of seruants shall he be For his posteritie the most part of them are driuen out of their Land being replenished with all good things and Sem doth raigne our him Seuen Nations onely were driuen out the rest God would not as yet vtterly roote out but reserued them to bee spurres in the sides and thornes in the eyes of the Israelites if they should at any time bee stout and forget God This conquest of Sems house vppon Canaan God purposed when hee first setled them in the Land at the scattering of Nations as Moses testifieth Deut. 32. When the most high God diuided to the Nations their inheritance he appointed the borders of a people according to the number of the Sonnes of Israel Our translation is faultie in that place and thereby obscureth the meaning of the place For we say When the most high diuided to the Nations their inheritance hee appointed the borders of the people according to the number of the children of Israel which any man knoweth to be infinite and therfore not proper for the vnderstanding of the text For looke what Countreys Iacob gaue in his will and described Iesus and Eleasar performed in possession to
must cast to end iust with the death of Christ or else howe doth Christ according to Daniel the 9. end the ceremonie oblation and the wisedom of God hath taken such order that where the Scripture seemeth to leaue off to reckon there the heathen keepe a iust account nothing at all crossing Daniels Seuens For the Iubilee which the Iewes and Romanes obserue there is no colour of Religion in it nor warrant in Moses for them Therefore we leaue them to obloquie as not worth the handling amongst the rest of their grosse errours which they against Scripture foolishly maintaine 2611. Aod Eightie yeares HE was of the Tribe of Beniamin The Children of Israel committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and the Lord strengthned Eglon King of Moab against Israel But when they cryed vnto the Lord hee stirred them vp a Sauiour Aod the Sonne of Gera the Sonne of Beniamin a man lame of his right hand and the Children of Israel sent a present by him vnto Eglon King of Moab and Aod made a sharpe Dagger and carried it priuily and when he had deliuered the Present he thrust it into him and killed him and they slue the same day ten Thousand Moabites so Moab was subdued vnder the hand of Israel and the Land had rest Fourescore yeares Iudg. 3. 2671. Eglon oppresseth Eighteen yeares Iudg. 3.  2691. Baracke and Deborah Fortie yeares Baracke was of Nephtali and Deborah of Ephraim THe Children of Israel began againe to doe wickedly in the the sight of the Lord when Aod was dead and the Lord sold them into the hand of Iabin King of Canaan whose cheefe Captaine was called Sisera Then they cryed vnto the Lord For Sisera had Nine hundred yron Chariots and Twentie yeares hee had vexed them And at that time Deborah a Prophetesse the wife of Lapidoth iudged Israel And shee called vnto her Baracke the Sonne of Abinoam and she went with Baracke to Kedesh against Sisera and the Lord destroyed Sisera and all his Chariots at the waters of Maggeddon in the Reuelation the ouerthrow of Antichrist is compared to the ouerthrow of Sisera at Mageddon Then sange Deborah and Barack the same day saying Praise ye the Lord for auenging of Israel c. to the last verse of the Chapter So let thine enemies perish O Lord but they that loue him shall be as the Sunne when he riseth in his might and the Land had rest Fortie yeares Here is perfourmed Gen. 49. Where Iacob blessing Nephtali saith Hee shall bee a Hinde let goe giuing goodly words Hee was in the pursute of Sisera as swift as a Hinde and gaue goodly words with Deborah Iudg. 5. 2711. Sisera oppresseth Twentie yeares Obed of Ruth IN the time that the Iudges ruled there was a dearth in the Land and a man of Bethelem in Iuda went for to soiourne in the Country of Moab The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife was Naomi and his two Sonnes Mahlon and Chilion Ephrathites of Bethlehem and they came into the Countrey of Moab and continued there and they tooke wiues of the Moabites the name of the one was Ophrath and the name of the other Ruth and so read through the first and second Chapters of the Booke of Ruth We haue the like commendation of Ruth that is spoken of Abraham That she left her Father and Mother and the Land where she was borne and came into a people whome shee knewe not in times past And withall she is blessed in these words The Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward be giuen thee of the Lord God of Israel vnder whose winges thou art come to trust Ruth 2. So Booz tooke Ruth and she was his wife and the Lord gaue that she conceiued a Sonne and called his name Obed the same was the Father of Iessay the Father of Dauid Ruth 4. In that Christ chooseth to come of Rahab of Cham of Ruth of Moab he purposed not to come into the world by the prerogatiue of nature or as the Iewes looked he should come in most tryumphant sort but by grace offering grace to Cham recompencing the loue of Lot to Abraham and opening the eyes of all the Gentiles in the world and causing the dumbe Nations that knewe not that the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head to speake the prayses of God in their owne tongue Againe if his Parents had been from time to time of vertuous life vnspotted as many of them were the woonderfull graces of Christ would haue been attributed vnto the generalitie of his Fathers But hee preuented euerie obiection that the peeuish vnbeleeuing Pharisees might imagine by comming of such as the Iewes held as vncleane before God 2731. Gedeon Fortie yeares Gedeon Baracke Sampson Iephte Dauid Samuel and the Prophets obtained promises but receiued not the promise Heb. 11. AGaine the Children of Israel committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and the Lord gaue them into the hands of Madian Seuen yeares so Israel was exceedingly impouerished by the Madianites Therefore they cryed vnto the Lord and when they cryed the Lord sent a Prophet vnto them who sayd vnto them Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I haue brought you vp from Egipt and haue brought you out of the house of bondage and I said vnto you feare not the Gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell but you haue not obeyed my voice And Gedeon of the Tribe of Ephraim was threshing of wheat to hide it from the Madianites Then the Angell of the Lord appeared vnto him and sayd The Lord is with thee thou valiant man And the Lord looked vpon him and sayd vnto him Goe in this thy might and and thou shalt saue Israel out of the handes of the Madianites Haue not I sent thee The multitude of the Madianites and the Amalekites and all they of the East lay in the valley like Grashoppers and there Camels were without number as the sand by the sea-shore But Gedeon with three Hundred destroyed the Madianites To shew that victorie consisteth not in strength of men or multitude of Camels but in God who giueth the Victorie For at the sounding of Gedeons Trumpet the enemies ranne and cryed and fledde and the Lord caused them to kil one another Thus was Midian brought lowe before the Children of Israel so that they lift vp their heads no more and the Countrey was in quietnesse fortie yeares in the dayes of Gedeon This Gedeon had Seuentie Sonnes begotten of his bodie for hee had many wiues and he had a Sonne by a Concubine whose name was Abimelech So Gedeon died in a good age and was buried in the Sepulchre of Ioash his Father in Ophrath Read the 6 7 and 8 Chapters of Iudges Madian oppresseth Seuen yeares  2771. Abimelech Three yeares the Sonne of Gedeon of the Tribe of Ephraim When Gedeon was dead the children of Israel turned away and went a whoring after Baalim
their Fathers as Saint Paul prooueth in the Acts. This is a Meditation of great comfort if it be applyed to euerie ones conscience Now let vs consider the purpose of Samuel in erecting the Kingdome THis will appeare the plainer if wee looke a little backe vnto Moses actions Moses speaketh glorious things of Iuda yet hee himselfe giueth not the Land to Iuda but leaueth it to him in a Prophecie Iesus of Ephraim diuideth the Land and giueth the pleasant soyle to Iuda Samuel giueth to Iuda by annointing Dauid king so we see how his purpose and practise fulfilleth Moses prophesie concerning the kingdome of Iuda All these things in the Scripture haue their end to the strengthning of Christs kingdome If one of Iuda had diuided the Land and taken the best soyle to himselfe the heathen herein would haue thought it great partialitie therefore one of Ioseph diuideth the Land and refuseth to plant himselfe in the best soyle but giueth that glorie to Iuda Now we haue diuers comparisons between Samuel and Moses FIrst in their births their Mothers being verie old Moses name signifieth Drawne out of the waters and so strangely preserued Samuels name is asked of God and so strangely giuen Moses was brought vp in all the learning of the Egiptians Samuel brought vp in all spirituall learning Moses did rule and left not the kingdome to his posteritie but gaue it to Ioseph that so hee might giue it to Iuda So Samuel giueth it not to his Sonnes but annointeth Dauid of the Tribe of Iuda And so ought Leui to rule to teach others how to rule well but not to leaue a kingdome to his children They were both Kings so Moses testifieth of himselfe when there was no King in Israel They both made warres and were Conquerours and both ruled Fortie yeares The Iewes say hee ruled but thirteene yeares but by this they labor to disturbe the plainenesse of the Scriptures which will neuer be easie without the true vnderstanding of the Chronicle Samuel bringeth the Kingdome to Iuda by teaching the religion of god and maketh Schooles of Diuinitie and instructeth them to search Moses This continued in Esdras time and vnder the Antiochi so that as Moses recorded by writing Iudahs gouernment and continuance so Samuel taught it by expounding Moses and thereby established it Here I am to shew a speciall thing When Elias is to be taken vp one telleth Elizeus 2. King 2. Doest not thou knowe that thy Master shall be taken vp from thee If it bee demaunded how hee knewe this it may be thought he knew this from comparison of the ages For as Henoch the Seuenth was taken vp and Moses the Seuenth was buried by God no place remaining of his buriall so nowe in this Seuenth age they were to looke for some rare euent which was performed when Elias was taken vp There bee that thinke that by this kinde of teaching the Ceremonies of Moses are reuiued But they must know that the next way to abolish them is to know what they are and to what vse they serue If wee demaund the reason why God giueth not the gouernment to Iuda we shall see that it was because all Israel followed strange Gods not regarding the glorie of Shiloh And when as the Oxen which carried the Arke were released they went of their owne accord lowing to Iuda and Ieremie saith Marke what I haue done vnto Silo. Therefore to bring in the true worship of God it was necessarie to erect the kingdome in Samuel of Leui Whose gouernment continued Fortie yeares thereby to teach vs that till Religion bee well taught it is not easie to establish a good gouernment and this will bee long in learning Now followeth Sauls Storie SAVL His name signifieth Desired thereby shewing that he was desired of the people casting off the gouernment of God Hee was of the Tribe of Beniamin The prerogatiue that Beniamin hath the first King of his Tribe in that he was the leaft of the Tribes is no doubt an especiall fauour If it be demaunded why hee was of Beniamin before any of the rest of the Tribes this may bee the reason thereof Reuben had defiled his Fathers bed therefore it was no reason that hee should beare sway in the common wealth Simeon neuer shewed any signe of repentance but continued in malice therefore his crueltie must needs hinder him Leui was not to gouerne but to confirme others in the gouernment He must not be of Iuda because God did not choose him but the people for if God had chosen him his kingdome must haue beene established because the gifts of God are without repentance For Isachar and Zabulon the yonger must not bee preferred before the elder Then the Sonnes of the hand-maides to wit Dan and Nephtali by Bilha Gad and Aser by Zilpa must not be first preferred Iosephs pride cast him off for that glorie which he had in the time of the Iudges caused him to despise Iuda and therefore God saith Marke what I haue done to Silo so that of necessitie he must be of Beniamin Concerning Saul he was goodly and faire as any of the Children of Israel Thus the world regardeth onely outward respects but the Lord careth onely for them that feare him and iudgeth not as man iudgeth It is sayd of him 2. Sam. 1. His speare came neuer emptie home We haue a comparison betwixt him and Saul the Apostle for both were of the Tribe of Beniamin both persecuted Dauid the beloued the one for the kingdome the other for profession of the religion of Christ the true king of Dauids Kingdome both end the glorie of their Tribe When Saul is made King the tribe of Reuben might say vnto God O Lord how are wee despised for of all the Tribes we haue no glorie Wilt thou alwaies remember iustice God therefore to comfort them giueth them a conquest ouer the Hagarims by the slaughter of whom they enrich themselues Aser likewise might mourne and reason with God why he neuer looked on them in mercie God therefore giueth them this comfort Anna that is Grace the Daughter of Panuel See God of the happie Tribe of Aser prophecieth at the birth of Christ And surely if we sincerely embrace Christ Iesus wee shall haue the spirite of grace to shew vs the loue of God layd vp in Christ that thereby we may enioy all happines by this you may see the tribe of Aser had a great blessing In the Acts of the Apostles Chap. 4. one Ioses a Leuite of Cyprus selleth his possession and layeth his money at the Apostles feet and he is called the Son of Consolation for the Leuites were scattered in the Land and the Lord the God of Consolation was their inheritance Thus much for those things wherein Saul might seeme glorious Now for his Faults HIs fault was in that he disobeyed the commandement of God insparing Agag and reseruing the best of the spoyle vnto himselfe And in that he was enuious against Dauid and
shall come and carrie away captiue these excellent things and thy Sonnes shall bee courtiers in the court of the king of Babell He hath Fifteen yeares longer allowed for the time of his life in this world and hath this warranted by the course of the Sun going fifteen degrees backward He knew the end and period of his life and thereby no doubt had a wonderfull glorie This is certaine that none can tell by outward blessings how farre he is in the fauour or disfauor of God Ezechias dieth to the end hee should not see the euill dayes 3311. Manasses his Sonne raigneth 55. yeres being wonderfull wicked HEre the long patience of God appeared calling men to repentance as in the dayes of Noah while the Arke was in preparing 3366. Amon his Sonne raigned Two yeares HE committed euill in the sight of the Lord as did Manasses his Father For Ammon sacrificed to all the Images which Manasses his Father had made and serued them and he humbled not himselfe before the Lord as Manasses his Father had humbled himselfe but this Ammon trespassed more and more and his Seruants conspired against him and slue him in his owne house And the people of the Land made Iosias King and hee raigned One and Thirtie yeares and hee did vprightly in the sight of the Lord and walked in the wayes of Dauid his Father and bowed neither to the right hand nor to the left He taketh vp the Prophets bones and burneth them vppon their Altars and purged Iudah and Ierusalem So hee fulfilleth that prophecie Read the 3. King 23.16 He was verie godly at Sixteen yeares of age at Eighteen the Booke of the Lawe is found It is a great question what Booke of the Law it was It is certaine that the prophets had the law to studie as Esay Amos and Ezechiel Therefore the meaning cannot be that before this finding they had no copies of Moses but the truth is Now was found the verie originall which Moses wrote for wicked Manasses was the occasion of hiding thereof Vpon this finding and reading thereof God saith 2. Chron. 34. Because thy heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord therfore thou shalt be gathered vnto thy fathers and shalt be put into thy graue with peace He was slaine by Pharaoh Neco at Megiddo for the Lord turned not from his fierce wrath wherewith he was angrie against Iudah because of the prouocations of Manasses therefore hee determined to put Iudah out of his sight Vpon this Ieremie writes the Lamentations of his death In his dayes Ieremie and Sophony prophecied 3399. Ioakim Eleauen yeares HE would not beleeue the iudgments of God against Iudah and Ierusalem pronounced by Ieremie 22. Thus saith the Lord against Ioakim they shall not lament him saying Ah my Brother or ah Sister neither shall they mourne for him saying ah Lord or ah this glorie he shall be buried as an Asse is buried euen drawne and cast forth without the gates of Ierusalem And then began Nebuchadnetzar to besiege Ierusalem and Ioakim cuts Ieremies Lamentations in peeces Therefore he was buried like an Asse and here the succession ended Gregorie Martin herevpon keepes a stirre as if the Scriptures were not true because Saint Mathew saith that Ioakim begat Ieconias and his brethren whereas in truth Ioakim died childlesse The Scripture is true for this word Sonne is taken for any kinsman and so vsed in the scripture He was his Vncle in proper sence and Sonne by succession Here is now the saying fulfilled Ierem. 22. O earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord write Iehoiakim voide of Children Nathaniel he saith of Christ Ioh. 1. Thou art the King of Israel The purpose of God in this Kingdome was this that Christ should bee King for euer whose gouernment they in some sort shadowed and yet seeing they could not performe ciuile Iustice for this life how shall wee if wee trust in our owne righteousnesse appeare in the sight of God The next in order of time to be handled is Nebuchadnetzar and the Storie of the Captiuitie but because before I could not conueniently handle the Kings of Israel before I come to the captiuitie I will heere handle their Stories in generall termes TIll Ieroboams time Iuda ruled ouer all the Tribes but when Salomon was dead and Roboam succeedeth the Ten tribes fall away from Iuda and then those Tribes make another Kingdome by their diuision and frō this time Israel is a kingdom diuided the ten Tribes bearing the name of Israel and the other Tribes Iuda and Beniamin the Kingdome of Iudah This diuision continueth vnto Ezechias time and there endeth the ten Tribes being carried captiue by Salmanasar The Prophet Oseas expresseth their state in this sort Cap. 1. GOe take vnto thee a wife of Fornications and hee tooke Gomer which signifieth a whole bodie or multitude the Daughter of Diblaim which signifieth Barrennesse which was a name of one of the standings in the wildernesse And she conceiued and bare a Sonne and called him Isreel So God calleth the whole state of Israel a whole bodie as barren as the wildernes She conceiued againe and bare a daughter and called her Loruhamah not pitied She bare againe another Sonne and called his name Lognamj that is not my people The meaning is thus much Goe to the multitude of Israel whose Fathers pitched their Tents in the wildernesse of Diblaim and because they fall to Idolatrie worshipping molten Calues as their fathers did in the wildernesse not regarding the glorie of Shiloh tell them that their state shall be as Israel that is like the slaughter of Iehu vpon Achab in the valley of Isreel and they shall be so vnpitied that they shall be as though they were no people vntill they know I am the Lord. Of these calamities Oseas preacheth vnto them in Ieroboams time telleth them vnder these termes of three alterations the one by Iehu which he expresseth by his first Sonne Isreel because a little while and I will visite the blood of Isreel vppon the house of Iehu and will make the gouernment of the house of Israel to cease and at that day will I also breake the bowe of Israel in the valley of Iesrell The Second by his Daughter Loruhamah without mercie For I wil no more haue pitie vpon the house of Israel but I will vtterly take them away which was performed in Tighath Pelesars daies without mercie The Third Lognammi no people for yee are not my people therefore will I not be yours This was performed when Salmanasar caried them cleane away It is not expressed of what Tribes the Kings of Israel were because the Lord keepeth not the wicked in remembrance If any be mentioned it is for some speciall vse in the Storie as Iehu may be supposed to be of Gad because there is mention made that he came from a Towne in that Tribe Ieroboam is of Ioseph and is a plague to Israel when hee erected
the two Calues in Dan and Bethel This punishment Ioseph drew vpon the Children of Israel by matching with the Egiptians and his sinne is now plagued It is sayd of Ieroboam that he made all the Kings of Israel to sinne sauing of Sallum and Hoseas Hereby we may gather that Kings being no Prophets esteeme no more of religion than Calues and if they make Lawes for the establishing of religion it is but only for a colour to keepe the Kingdome sure and in peace The Iewes conclude that all the Kings of Israel went to destruction to Gehenna Oh but some say we must not iudge least wee thereby become vncharitable This is certaine that the holy spirite testifieth that they continued in the sinnes of Ieroboam and there is no mention of their repentance which is not likely the holy spirit of God would haue left vntouched if there had been any Therefore seeing there is no saluation but through beleefe in Christ in whome they neuer trusted why should wee hope better of them than the scripture warrants The cause of this falling away was the pride of Iosephs house despising the glorie of Iuda There is one onely good of Israel Abia the Sonne of Ieroboam who being sicke by the counsell of Ieroboam his mother enquires of Ahijah the Prophet whether he should liue or die If shee had had faith she would neuer haue entred the house and then the child should haue liued the ordinarie course of life In Iesabels Story we are to note that wicked heretiques in the Reuelation are called by the name of Iesabel Israel became Iesabels that is Scattered of God when they were caried into captiuitie sauing a scattered remnant as corne in the field left standing after the mower here and there an Eare. Iosaphat lost his ships and Ioram was plagued because they ioyned in affinitie with Achab. Micheas telleth them that they made Statutes for Omri Mich. 6. This rule is eternall God plagueth those which ioyne with Infidels Heere againe was repeated Ochosias Storie being the Childe of the two and Fortie yeares Wee may further obserue that in the Seuenth King of Israel the Kingdome of Iuda almost lost all their state Iehu he did a verie good worke in ouerthrowing Achab Rechab of Abrahams house giuing him counsell and therefore hee hath a promise that the kingdome shall continue in his house for foure discents This was a speciall glorie the Kings before him not continuing halfe so long though this ouerthrowe was not done by faith The fourth man of Iehus house was Twentie yeres without the kingdome and then ruled but sixe Moneths Now in Hoseas time this prophecie is fulfilled Iehu shall be afflicted like Achab not because his actions were so wicked but because he himselfe not sincerely godly did them not in faith and stood in feare of the neighbours about In that the Kings of Israel haue so short continuance we may know that God caring not for them they were not to looke for any quietnesse in this life Saint Paul handleth the state of Israel as Hoseas did in the case of the Gentiles where he saith which sometimes were vnpipitied and sometimes no people For this wee may likewise conclude that they goe to destruction which beleeue not in Christ The Kings of Israel in respect of the kingdome sometimes vnpitied as in Tiglahpelesar sometimes no people as in Salmanasar in respect of their soules alwaies vnpitied alwayes no people In Elias Storie we haue a speciall obseruation 1. King 19. Elias was Fortie dayes and Fortie nights in mount Horeb where the Law was giuen as was Moses and first there comes a wind but God was not in the wind and then a fire and God was not in the fire and then a soft voice God was in the voice And then God and he reasoneth together for Israel regarded not Gods wrath neither in the wind of Iehu which ouerthrew Achabs house nor in the fire of the Assirians onely seuen Thousand which neuer bowed their knees to Baal heard the voice of the Lord and feared In the sixt of Ezechiel the Lord sheweth his wonderfull tendernesse in that he is so vnwilling to plague them if so be he could by any meanes spare them Now though Ieroboam had a prophecie that he should be King yet it stretched not to his Sonnes nor further than himselfe and therefore after his death they should haue yeelded the Kingdome to Iuda for which because they did not they were so notably plagued This foure Hundred and ninetie sheweth the time from Samuels gouernement vnto this time which are Seuentie Seuens of yeares or foure Hundred and ninetie yeares The Seuentie sheweth the generall time of their being in Babylon which was prophecied in Ierem. 25. That so it should come to passe because they would not keepe their Sabbaths the Land should rest Seuentie yeares vntill it had fulfilled it owne Sabbaths Vpon this number of Seuentie wee haue exceeding many things to be noted First it is a sweet proportion to the sweetnesse of mans life Iosua sendeth Twelue to spie and view the goodnesse of the Land of Canaan Tenne of those doe not beleeue and are the discouraging of the people so that they likewise perish through vnbeleefe Vpon this Moses maketh the Foure-score and tenth psalme and sets downe as a decree the wrath of God shortning mans life and saith The dayes of man are Threescore yeares and Ten and if one come to Foure-score then are his dayes nothing but sorrow so soone passe wee away and are gone Another comparison wee haue with Adam He liued nine Hundred and thirtie yeares one Thousand yeares wanting but Seuentie The Iewes delighting to descant say that Adam as a Prophet saw that Dauid should liue but Seuentie yeares to make vp Adams Thousand For vs not one of many Thousands come to Dauids yeares so heauie is the wrath of God vppon sinners Solon being demaunded who were happie tels a Storie of two who in loue and affection to their Parents drew their Mothers chariots to the Temple And the God for recompence caused them to die presently Cressus going further asked him whether he thought him happie he answered There be in a yeare three Hundred sixtie and fiue daies and in euerie day houres and minutes wherein our life is subiect to change and alteration and therefore till all this be ended I cannot tell whome to account blessed This number of Seuentie depends of Seuen and Ten thereby we may still remember the creation and the Fathers before the flood Vppon this there depends a prophecie Leuit. 26. If you will not keepe my lawes nor obserue my Statutes yee shall be in your enemies land till the land hath payd her Sabbaths which was fulfilled in ten Sabbaths The state of the people of the Iewes in Babylon Ezechiel compareth to dead bones For as it may seem to euerie man that dead bones shall not be reuided so should they neuer bee deliuered Yet hee comforteth them by
the Rulers which smote the people with a continuall plague and ruled the nations in wrath The whole world doth sing for ioy they that see thee shall looke vpon thee and consider thee saying Is this the man that made the earth to tremble and that did shake the kingdomes he made the world as a wildernesse and destroyed the cities thereof and opened not the house of his prisoners All the Kings of the nations sleepe in glory euery one in his owne house but thou art cast out of thy graue like an abhominable branch and like the rayment of those that are slaine thou shalt not be ioyned with them in the graue because thou hast destroyed thine owne land and slaine thy people for the seede of the wicked shall not be renowned for euer Prepare a slaughter for his children for the iniquitie of their fathers let them not rise vp and possesse the land nor fill the face of the world with enemies for I will rise vp against them saith the Lord of hostes and will cut off from Babel the name and the remnant and the sonne and the nephewe saith the Lord and I will make it a possession to the Hedg-hogge and pooles of water and I will sweepe it with the beesome of destruction saith the Lord of hostes For the Lord hath sworne saying like as I haue purposed so it shall come to passe and as I haue consulted it shall stand That I wil breake to peeces Ashur in my land and vpon my mountaines will I tread him vnderfoote so that his yoke shall depart from my people and his burden shall be taken from off their shoulder for the Lord will haue compassion on Iacob and will yet choose Israel and cause them to rest in their owne land and the stranger meaning the Gentiles shall ioyne himselfe vnto them and they shall cleaue vnto the house of Iacob and the people shal receiue them and bring them to their owne place and the house of Israel shall possesse them in the land of the Lord for seruants and hand-maides and they shall take them prisoners whose captiues they were and haue rule ouer their oppressors and the light of Israel shal be as a fire and the holy one thereof as a flame meaning that God is a light to comfort his people and a consuming fire to destroy his enemies and it shall burne and deuoure these thornes and briars in one day And at that day shall the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Iacob stay no more vpon him that smote them but shall stay vpon the Lord the holy one of Israel in truth the remnant shall returne euen the remnant of Iacob vnto the mightie God For though thy people O Israel be as the sand of the sea yet shal the remnant of them returne the consumption decreed shall ouerflowe with righteousnesse and there shall be a path to the remnant of his people which are left of Ashur like as it was vnto Israel in the day that he came out of the land of Egipt In that day also shall the great trumpe be blowne and they shall come which perished in the land of Ashur and they that were chased into the land of Egipt and they shal worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Ierusalem as it was promised Leuit. 26. Then will I remember my couenant with Iacob and my couenant with Isaack and my couenant also with Abraham will I remember the couenant of olde when I brought them out of Egipt in the sight of the heathen that I might be their God I am the Lord. And thou shalt say in that day O Lord I wil praise thee though thou wast angry with me thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my saluation I will trust and will not feare for the Lord God is my strength and song he also is become my saluation Therefore with ioy shall yee drawe waters out of the welles of saluation and yee shall say in that day Praise the Lord call vpon his name declare his works among the people make mention of them for his name is exalted Sing vnto the Lord for he hath done excellent things this is knowne in all the world Crie out and showte O inhabitant of Sion for great is the holy one of Israel in the middest of thee In that day also shall this song be sung in the land of Iudah We haue a strong citie Saluation shall God set for walles and bulwarkes Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter in By an assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfect peace because they trusted in thee Trust in the Lord for euer for in the Lord God there is strength for euermore for hee will bring downe them that dwell on hie the high citie will he abase euen to the ground will he cast it downe and bring it to dust The way of the iust is righteousnes thou wilt make equall the righteous path of the iust the wicked O Lord will not behold thy high hand but they shall see it and bâ— confounded But Lord vnto vs thou wilt ordaine peace for thou hast also wrought all our works for vs. O Lord our God other Lordes besides thee haue ruled vs but we will remember thee only and thy name Thus we see that God doth not vtterly forsake his elect though sometimes he leaueth them for the triall of their faith to their owne infirmities but for euer destroyeth the wicked and vngodly We haue the like storie of Gods iustice in the affliction of Abrahams seede in Egypt God tolde Abraham that his seede should bee euill intreated in a land that was not theirs foure hundred yeares but the people to whome they are in bondage too will I iudge saith the Lord Gen. 15. The afflicters both of Cham. The afflicted both of Abraham It is said in the 25. of Ieremies Prophecie that the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim King of Iuda was the first yeare of Nebucadnetzar King of Babel And in the first of Daniel it is said In the third yeare of Iehoiakim King of Iuda came Nebucadnetzar King of Babel vnto Ierusalem and besieged it The question is how these two places are reconciled the one to the other It is certaine that it is in the third yeare accomplished and in the beginning of the fourth for though Nebucadnetzar began to raigne in the third yeare of Iehoiakims raigne yet that yeare in Ieremie is not counted because it was almost expired but in Daniel it is laid down to make plaine the first yeare of the seauenty which they were to bee in captiuity In the second yeare after this captiuity Nebucadnetzar seeth a great Image whose head was of fine gold his brest and armes of siluer his belly and his thighes of brasse his legs of iron and his feete part of iron part of clay he beheld also till a stone was cut without hands which smote the image vpon his feete that were
the godlie endure many harde thinges in the frowarde generations This Heber is from the Creation the fourteenth two seuens a double Henoch He is the fourth after the flood as Iuda is the fourth sonne of Iacob of whom Christ came He is the seuenth from Henoch a man for rare blessings to be compared with Henoch and is the same in force that Henoch is although you would thinke them cleane contrary and so they are in signification but in effect of diuinitie all one For Henoch signifieth Dedicated to God and Heber Pilgrime or Stranger and he that is a stranger vpon earth despising the state of worldly pompe is a Citizen with God therefore whosoeuer will be a true Henoch must also be a true Heber And if we will be holy before God and acceptable vessels for the vse of his Temple we must beare palme boughes in our hands singing Hosanna to the highest and be estraunged from the vaine conuersation of this earthly Paradise so shall our names continue famous through many generations as Hebers did we shall speake the praises of God in our owne tongue for we will not consent with Nimrod to the building of our owne confusion whereby we might be shaken of from the fauour of God as he and his adherents were Hebers glory is further enlarged in that the Hebrew tongue taketh the name from him The Iewes kept this sincerely till they went into captiuitie into Babylon but when they came from thence they began to stammer for there they learned the tongue of the Babilonians Malachie endeth the old Testament and the Hebrew tongue for though schollers write Hebrew yet vpon the first sight it is apparant to be the writing of man so far it diffreth from the stile of the holy spirit There be one thousand seuen hundreth fifty and eight roots in the Hebrew tongue And this is a wonderfull thing that the bare actions of the creatures should expresse Hebrew words as a horse running vpon a causey the sound of his feet is much expressing this noyse Ratsat which in Hebrew is to run The noyse which birdes make by clapping their wings when they flie is of this sound Gnoth which in Hebrew signifieth a fowle The Grecians cannot find out the rootes of their tongue The Lord tooke such order in penning of the olde Testament that one skilfull in the Hebrew tongue will easily know if there be a sentence or a word put in nay if there be but a letter added so that they are very vnwise that perswade others or beleeue themselues that the bookes of Iudith and Tobie are Canonicall Scriptures For they are not Hebrew neither were they receiued at any time by the auncient Hebrewes who were so perfect and ready in the text of the olde Testament that they could tell how many times the letter Alpha was vsed in the Bible so that to beleeue these bookes to be Scripture is to crosse the testimonie of the Iewes for their owne story and if they knew our opinions herein they would condemne vs for missing of Religion This Heber was a very happie man and his happinesse made manifest in that none which liued after him came to his dayes For he being a Prophet knew how heauy the curse of God would be vppon the sonnes of men for building the tower of Babell therefore he nameth his sonne Peleg Diuided The Hebrew name is halfe the abridgement of the story as it falleth out for the most part He had also great cause of sorrow and heauinesse in that thirteene families of Iocktains sonnes to whom Heber was Grandfather went quite away and were farre from Ierusalem and being out of the fauour of God were bereaued of saluation So that Chams house might seeme to haue greater blessings For they dwelt neere to Ierusalem and Iacobs sonnes in Egypt married with Chams daughters Iacob sons called themselues Hebrewes because the story of Heber is the most famous of all the auncient fathers Heber a pilgrime or stranger The Foxes haue holes and the birds of the aire haue nests but the Son of man hath not where to hide himselfe 1757. Peleg borne HIs name signifieth Diuision In his dayes the tongues of those that built the Tower of Babell were confounded In the consideration of which Story Time are to be vnderstood Time at or a little before Pelegs birth Place are to be vnderstood Place a plaine in the land of Shinear Persons are to be vnderstood Persons 70. of Sem. 27. Iaphet 14. Cham. 29. These 70. spake one language the tongue of Heber and going from the East they found a plaine in the land of Shinear where they abode and made bricke in stead of stone and slime in stead of morter and ioyning with Nimrod sayd Let vs make vs a Sem that is a name euen in despight of the blessing of Noah bestowed vpon Sem. But God scattered them from that place into the vpper face of all the earth and they left off to build the Citie therefore the name of it is called Ba-bell that is Come confusion because there the Lord confounded the language of all the earth Babell is Babling both in Hebrew and in English As at the confusion of tongues there was great falling out about words because one could not vnderstand another so hitherto all the world is at variance for the vnderstanding of the words And as the builders of Babell fell to babling so the despisers of Diuinitie shall fall to babling Therefore it were to be wished that euery man in the world vnderstood the Hebrew tongue All Nations in the earth are compelled to take notice of this 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 story of the tenth of Genesis in which they may see the iust and seuere dealing of God to such as enuy the blessing of their brother for going from sinne to sinne they had their tongues deuided and their dwellings scattered It appeareth by this storie that the dealings of Cham and his sonnes were in the same kind 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 son 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 of and there hee built a Citie of Confusion From which story also we may obserue the iudgements of God that wherein a man offendeth he or his seed is commonly punished for it is certaine that all the actions of wicked are a harmonie 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 building
of the tower of Confusion 70 of Sems posteritie 600. yeeres after were forced to goe into the land of Cham and there compelled to be bricke-makers vnder Pharaoh King of Egypt because they despised the blessing of Sem and remembred not the story of the 70. Families that built the tower of Babell To shew that when in prosperitie men forget God turning his graces into wantonnesse and his blessings to foolish pleasures that hee will take his blessings of bread and wine and oyle from vs driue vs into forraine Nations amongst Egyptian dogges to seeke reliefe whose succour shal be yokes of heauy bondage to punish vs in the same pleasure wherein we offended All the Seuentie Families doe afflict Sem for this before he hath his full renowne and in scattering of Iocktanes Sons they are placed furthest off Ierusalem of any Peleg diuided Christ is Palmoni the secret Numberer that weigheth numbreth and diuideth Vnto the building of the Tower of Babel we haue Sem Name Arphachsad Heaâ—ing Sale Spoyling Heber Pilgrime Peleg Diuâ—ded Put these together and you haue a short sentence A good name like precious Oyle shall heale the spoyling of poore strangers for God will dâ—uâ—de to euerie one accordâ—ng to his workes 1787. Regu borne Euill 1819. Sarug borne Bough or Plant. 1849. Nachor borne Drie 1878. Terah borne Smelling AN euill Plant that hath lost his sappe and is become drie being not watered with the dew of heauenly grace can giue no good smell which appeareth in that Terah quite forgetting that euer God created and consumed the world and brought the deuises of the Sonnes of Noah his great Grandfather to open shame of eternall memorie scattering them vp and downe like Vagabonds ouer all the earth figuring the calamities of their later ages the punishment wherof chiefely to be perfourmed in his owne kindred became an Idolatrer as Ioshua 24. Your Fathers in old time worshipped strange Gods euen Terah the Father of Abraham c. But marke the euent For euen as the Sonnes of Sem for ioyning with the rest were scattered with the rest so the posteritie of Terah by Abram euen the best of them namely the Iewes were once scattered Vagabonds ouer all the earth for not embracing the couenant of Abraham Isaack and Iacob but in mercie gathered together againe to the Mountaine of grace to Iacobs Well that giueth euerliuing water to so many as would acknowledge Christ the Rocke to the Land that flowed with Milke and Honie to Bethel the house of Iehouah where they might see a Ladder reaching from heauen to earth with Angels ascending and descending to that fresh springing hill of Sion which is watered with the dew of Hermon from whence it runneth like the precious oyntment that ran downe from Aarons beard to wash away their former vncleanesse and to purge their filthy leaprousie that they might be a sweet smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord holy and acceptable before his Throne hauing an high sacrificer to enter into the Holy of Holyest to make intercession for them that they might be free from confusion and deliuered out of the bondage of the outward and spirituall Babel But euen as the dog that returneth to his vomite and the hogge to his wallowing in the mire so these Iewes of vncircumcised hands and hearts forgetting all those and many more benefits of God bestowed vpon them crucifying Christ the King of glorie the God of Sem and not remembring their former punishments are once againe so scattered ouer the face of the earth that while the world endureth they shall be Vagabonds and neuer gathered together againe To teach vs that if God spared not them nor suffered them to continue in their transgressions being his peculiar people that wee are to looke for no other recompence than they had if we despise the knowledge of Christ as they did Terah hath three Sons Haran Nachor Abraham as Adam and Noah had 1996. Peleg died being 229. yeeres old He had not halfe the yeares of his Father Heber the most aged man after the flood liued not to halfe Methushelahs yeres to shew the curse that came by the flood So euery man in the world hath part of Gods curse by the flood 1997. Nachor died being 148 yeares old  2006. Noah died being 950 yeares old He liued after the flood 350 yeares that is Seuen Fifties or Seuen Iubilees of yeres as many as were from conquering the Land of Canaan to the gouernment of Samuel Noahs whole life was a singing of saluation to the holy Lambe seeing all the world drowned and he onely saued When Noah dyeth Abram was borne So God stirres vp one good man after another oftentimes 2008. Abram Borne His name signifieth His Father being the Tenth from Noah another establisher of Religion as Noah the restorer or comforter was the Tenth from Adam And as in Noahs dayes hee being the Tenth from Adam Gods Iustice ouer all flesh was extended so in Abram he being the Tenth from Noah Gods mercie to all the world is pronounced When Terah is 130 yeares old he begat So old was Adam when he begat Seth a foundation of Religion Iacob a bringer of Religion into Egypt is 130 yeares old when he standeth before Pharaoh Iehoiada the high sacrificer saueth Ioas the Kings Sonne from the malice of Athalia which had destroyed all the rest of the Kings seede and dieth being 130 yeares old While he liued Ioas kept Religion and worshipped the God of his Father After his death he fell away and suffered incense to be offered in the groues to whome Zacharias the Sonne of Barachias sayd Is this the reward of all my Fathers paines that assoone as my Father is dead you forsake the true God and worship the Gods of the Nations For which cause Ioas caused him to be slaine between the Altar and the Temple So that as death is contrarie to life and as at the birth of Seth and Abraham the graces of God were manifested to the world so at Iehoiadahs death the Tribe of Iuda lost all Religion It is a question howe Terah being an Idolatrer could name Abram Hie Father for so doth the word signifie He might guesse like a worldly man that his Sonne Abram should be likely to be rich and mightie and so should haue many vnder him Howsoeuer it was this is certaine that God directed the tongue of this Idolatrer to set forth and preach his glorie though his life had no shew of vertue Here is another question to be discussed of the age of Terah when he begat Abram Of Terah his age when he begat Abram SOme will haue Abram to be borne at Terahs Seuentieth yeare because in Gen. 11. it is sayd Terah liued Seuentie yeares and begat Abram Nachor and Haran Whereupon they gather that Abraham was the first borne because hee is put in the first place and that hee was borne in that yeare of Terah to wit the Seuentie But they marke not that Terahs Sonnes are