Abraham and his seed to give the land of Canaan and of the bondage of Israel in Egypt and his Covenant and sent him againe to Pharaoh to let the children of Israel goe out of his land but all this while the children of Israel did mightily murmur against Moses and Aaron Moses was then fourescore yeares old and Aaron fourescore and three And they went both unto Pharaoh againe and Aaron cast down his Rod before Pharaoh and it became a serpent and the sorcerers of Pharaoh did the like with their inchantments But Aarons Rod swallowed up all theirs And as God commanded Moses and Aaron in the morning they met Pharaoh at the water and at the Rivers side and desired that the people of Israel might goe and worship God in the wildernesse But he refused then he smote the waters in the sight of Pharaoh and they were turned into blood and the fish died and the river stanke yet Pharaohs heart was hardened this continued for seven dayes in which time they digged for water to drinke And the Lord commanded Moses to goe againe unto Pharaoh to let the people of Israel goe and still his heart was hardened and Aaron stretched forth his hand with the Rod over the ponds and caused frogs to come over the land of Egypt and the Magicians did thâ— like then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Intreat the Lord that he may take away the frogs from me and my people and I will let the people goe that they may doe service unto the Lord. And Moses said That thou mayst know that there is none like the Lord our God the frogs shall depart but onely they shall remaine in the rivers and the Lord did according to the word of Moses And the Lord commanded to say unto Aaron to stretch out his Rod and smite the dust of the land that it may be lice thorowout all Egypt and it was so and the Magicians attempted to doe the like but could not And they told the King it was the finger of God yet he hearkened not unto them Then the Lord commanded Moses to goe early in the morning unto Pharaoh as he came forth and speak to him that the people of Israel might goe to serve him and to tell him what plagues otherwise would follow but still his heart was hardened then there came a grievous swarme of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into all the land of Egypt and the land was corrupted by reason of the flies Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said Goe ye sacrifice to your God in the land But Moses said they desired to go three dayes journey for it was an abomination to the Egyptians to sacrifice in their land and Pharaoh let them goe desiring Moses to intreat the Lord for him the which he did and the flies departed out of the land of Egypt Yet againe Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let them goe then all the cattell of the land of Egypt died but of the cattell of the children of Israel died not one yet was Pharaohs heart hardened and would not let them goe Then as the Lord commanded Moses took ashes of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh and sprinkled it up towards heaven and there became boiles and blames upon man and beast and upon the Magicians And stil was the heart of Pharaoh hardened and would not let the children of Israel goe and Moses stretched forth his Rod and the Lord sent thunder and haile and the fire ran along upon the ground so there was fire and haile mingled together such as was not since the land of Egypt became a nation and it smote both man and beast and every herbe and brake downe the trees onely in the land of Goshen where the children of Israel were was none Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said unto them I have sinned the Lord is righteous I and my people are wicked Intreat the Lord for me and I will let ye goe And Moses went out of the city and spread his hands unto the Lord and the thunder and haile ceased yet neverthelesse Pharaohs heart was again hardened neither would he let the children of Israel goe And Moses and Aaron came againe unto Pharaoh and said thus unto him Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews How long wilt thou refuse to humble thy selfe before me let my people goe that they may serve me and his servants perswaded him to let them goe but he refused to heare them Then Moses stretcht forth his Rod over the land of Egypt and there came an East winde which brought in Locusts which went over the land of Egypt and the land was darkened and they left no greene thing upon the land Then Pharaoh called againe for Moses and Aaron in haste and said I have sinned against the Lord your God and you forgive my sinne and entreat the Lord for me The which Moses did and the Lord sent a mighty West winde which did drive the locusts into the Red Sea but yet would not Pharaoh let the children of Israel goe Then the Lord commanded Moses to stretch forth his hand towards heaven and there was a thick darknesse throughout the land of Egypt three dayes but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings Then Pharaoh called unto Moses and said to him Goe ye and serve the Lord onely let your flocks and herds stay here but Moses refused that and said they must have sacrifices for the Lord and all their cattell then Pharaoh would not let them goe but bid Moses to see his face no more And the Lord commanded Moses to speake to all the children of Israel upon the tenth day of the moneth to take every house a lambe a male lambe without blemish and to keep it untill the fourteenth day and then kill it in the evening and to take the blood with a bunch of hyssop and strike it on the two side posts and upon the upper post of the doore and that they shall eat the flesh that night rosted with unleavened bread and bitter herbs That they shall eat it with their loins girded shooes on their feet and staves in their hands and in haste for it is the Lords Passeover For the blood upon the posts shall be a token that the Lord would passe in mercy by them when the Egyptians should be destroyed And after the performance of many other ceremonies before the eating of the Passeover it came to passe that at midnight the Lord smote all the first-borne of Egypt and Pharaoh rose up in the night and all the Egyptians and there was a great cry then the children of Israel according as they were commanded departed taking their dough before it was levened and the kneading troughes upon their shoulders with great store of Jewels they had from the Egyptians And they journied towards Succoth being in number about six hundred thousand on foot besides children after they had beene
God and they stood at the bottome of it and the mountaine was altogether on a smoke for the Lord descended upon it in fire and the whole mount quaked greatly and the Lord called Moses unto him to the top of the mount and the Lord said unto Moses Goe downe charge the people lest they breake thorough to gaze and perish so Moses did as the Lord commanded and then God commanded Moses and Aaron to come up then was delivered unto them by word from God the Ten Commandements And the people being much afraid of the thundrings lightnings and sound of trumpet and smoking of the mountaine they removed and stood afarre off and they said unto Moses Speake thou unto us and we will heare but let not God speake with us lest we die And Moses said unto the people Feare not for God is come to prove you and that his feare may be before your faces that ye sinne not and the people stood afarre off and Moses drew neare unto the thick darknesse where God was and there the Lord taught unto Moses his lawes and ordinances to deliver to the people After this the Lord commanded Moses with Aaron Nadab and Abihu and seventy Elders of Israel to come up who were commanded to worship a farre off and Moses above came neare the Lord. And returning from the Lord Moses wrote all the words of the Lord and rose up early in the morning and built an Altar under the hill and twelve pillars according to the twelve Tribes of Israel And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the Lord and the Lord again said unto Moses Come up to me into the mount and I will give thee Tables of stone and the Law and Commandements which I have written that thou mayest teach them and Moses with Joshua his minister went up to the mount of God and said unto the Elders Tarry ye here for us untill we returne Aaron and Hur are with you If any man have any matters to doe let him come unto them Thē Moses went up into the mount and a cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord abode upon mount Sinai and the cloud covered it six dayes and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the middest of the cloud and the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of all the children of Israel And Moses was in the mount fourty dayes and fourty nights And after his returne he by Gods appointment set downe Lawes and Ordinances and Ceremonies for the people of Israel to keepe Now whilest Moses was in the mount the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said Make us gods to goe before us for as for this Moses that brought us out of Egypt we wot not what is become of him and Aaron to please them bade them breake off their eare-rings which they did and of them did make a Calfe and did worship it and the people sate downe to eate and to drinke and rose up to play And the Lord said unto Moses Goe get thee downe for the people thou broughtest out of Egypt have corrupted themselves and are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded they are a stiffe-necked people and the Lords wrath was growing hot against them to consume them But Moses besought the Lord his God to spare this people whom he had brought out of the land of Egypt with such power and might and to be mercifull unto them for Abraham Isaac and Jacobs sake and the Lord heard the prayers of Moses for them And Moses coming downe from the mount with the two Tables of the Law the worke and writings of God Joshuah hearing the noise of the people as they shouted he said unto Moses There is a noise of warre in the Campe but Moses said No it is the noise of them that sing and as hee came neare the Campe he saw the Calfe and the dancing and Moses anger waxed hot and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them beneath the mount and he took the Calfe which they had made and burnt it in the fire and ground it to powder and strewed it upon the water and made the children of Israel drinke of it And Moses said unto Aaron What did this people unto thee that thou hast brought so great a sinne upon them and Aaron answered Let not the anger of my lord waxe hott thou knowest the people that they are set on mischiefe Then Moses stood in the gate of the Campe and said Who is on the Lords side and goe in and out from gate to gate thorough the Campe and slay every man his brother and every man his companion and every man his neighbour and the children of Levi who were consecrated did according to the word of Moses and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men And on the morrow Moses said unto the people You have sinned a great sinne and now I will goe up unto the Lord peradventure I shall make an attonement for your sinne and Moses went up and prayed for the people and the Lord commanded Moses to leade the people forth and sent his Angel with him Then Moses tooke the Tabernacle and pitched it without the Campe a farre off and every one that sought the Lord went out unto the Tabernacle and when Moses went unto the Tabernacle the people rose up and stood at their tent doores looking after Moses untill he went into the Tabernacle and the cloudy pillar descended and stood at the doore of the Tabernacle whiles the Lord talked with Moses then every man rose up and worshipped in his tent doore The Lord commanded Moses to he we two Tables of stone like to the first and to be ready in the morning to come unto mount Sinai but not any man to come up with him neither any man to be seene thorowout all the mount neither that the flocks or herds should feed before the mount the which was done and Moses went up unto the Lord and it came to passe when Moses came down from the mount with the two Tables of the Testimony his face shone and and Aaron and the children of Israel were affraid to come near him but he put a vaile over his head and told them what the Lord had commanded Then the children of Israel mightily gave themselves to the adoring of the Tabernacle wherein was the Arke of the Covenant which being finished Moses reared up and put the Testimony into the Arke and put the Mercy-seat above upon the Arke and he set a Laver betweene the Tent of the Congregation and the Altar and Moses and Aaron and his sonnes washed their hands and their feete thereat when they came neare the Altar and the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle and the cloud of the Lord was upon
tooke Joshua and set him before Eleazar the Priest and the congregation and he laid his hands upon him and gave him a charge as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses After this the children of Israel warred against the Midianites and they slew the King of Midian and burnt their cities and their goodly castles and there Balaam was slaine they divided the spoyle of the Countrey And Moses growing old he called Joshuah unto him before the people giving him good counsell and bidding him to be valiant and encouraged the people and setteth forth a song of Gods mercies and vengeance After which the Lord spake unto Moses saying Get thee up into this mountain Abarim unto mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab that is over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession and dye in the mount whither thou goest up and be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered unto his people because ye trespassed against me among the children of Israel at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the wildernesse of Zin because ye sanctified me not in the midst of the children of Israel yet thou shalt see the land but thou shalt not goe thither and after Moses had blessed the twelve Tribes of Israel he went up from the plaines of Moab unto the mountaine of Nebo and the Lord shewed him the land of promise which was promised to Abraham Isaac and Jacob so Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the Lord and he buryed him in a valley in the land of Moab over against Beth Peor but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day he was 120. yeares old when he died his eye was not dim nor his naturall force abated and the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plaines of Moab thirty dayes and there arose not a Prophet since in Israel like unto Moses whom the Lord knew face to face In all the signes and wonders which the Lord sent him to doe in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh to all his servants and to all his land and in all that mighty hand and in all that great terrour which Moses shewed in the sight of Israel MEDITATIONS Upon some parts of the History of Moses O Lord direct my meditations and assist me humbly and truely to contemplate this thy great work of the deliverance of thy children of Israel out of Egypt by Moses after they had sojourned there foure hundred and thirty yeares after which time according to thy promise thou diddest deliver them and brought them to the land of promise This great deliverance O Lord is the true type of a great mercy that did follow which was by our Moses Jesus Christ who redeemed and brought us that were Gentiles and under the bondage and slavery of sinne to serve and follow him out of the darknesse wherein we were inthraled being far worse then the Egyptian yoke O Lord my God let it enter into my heart most humbly and seriously to consider of this inestimable mercy of my redemption and of thy wonderfull and unvaluable goodnesse towards me a sinner by sending into this Egypt of the world such a guide such a deliverer and such a Redeemer as all the Angels and powers in heaven doe adore even thy onely Sonne Let me be astonished O Lord with wonder at this thy so great mercy and be confounded in my selfe for offending thee so glorious and so gracious a God And let my sinfull soule be converted unto thee to serve thee with all humblenesse of heart O Lord how sutable in mischiefe were Pharaoh and Herod by giving way to Ambition and Jealousie and the reignes to commit cruelty to an unlimited height for the murdering of innocent Infants Pharaohs ambition was to destroy the Hebrew children amongst whom was Moses which thou O God preservedst to deliver the people of Israel out of Egypt and Herods designe to destroy the children in Jury amongst whom was that immaculate Lambe Christ Jesus even to destroy him who delivered the Gentiles and was after crucified to deliver and redeeme both Jew and Gentile O Lord how wonderfull are thy workes and all thy goodnesse for flesh and blood could not prevaile against thy providence for the cruelty of Pharaoh could not prevent thy goodnesse for thou diddest multiply and blesse thy children of Israel and preservedst Moses in a poore basket of bulrushes to doe thy great worke to deliver thy people out of the thraldome of Egypt And O wonder of wonders and mercy of mercies out of the manger at Bethlehem came our blessed Saviour who redeemed the world and how wonderfully O Lord hast thou preserved thy Church for whom he died and multiplied thy servants through the persecutions of this world As it was thy great mercy and blessing O Lord to preserve Noah and his family in that great Arke whereby mankind was preserved upon earth So it was thy mercy to preserve thy servant Moses in that little arke amongst the watery flags of danger to preserve and bring thy children of Israel descended from Noah out of Egypt to the land of promise from which stock so preserved came my Saviour Jesus Christ as these have beene thy mercies O God to preserve thy people of Israel by thy Prophet Moses the type of Christ and to redeeme the world by thy Sonne my Saviour Jesus So O Lord many have beene thy mercies unto me a sinner by thy manifold mercies and deliverances even since my infancie hitherto both by sea and land Good Lord in thy mercy take from over me this thick and mysty cloud of stupidity that so much darkens my understanding that I may discerne these thy mercies and feare love and serve thee with all the faculties of soule and body and good Lord grant that I may love my kinred and neighbours as Moses did love his Nation the Hebrews with kindnesse and affability to all men as he used to the daughters of Jethro Let the soule of thy servant know that in the places of peace quietnesse and retirednesse from the eye of this world so full of vanity and pleasures there art thou to be found for in the desart behinde the mountain and neare Horeb thou wast with Moses O Lord bring my soule from these worldly cares afflictions and temptations amongst which I live and lead me with thy saving grace toward thy holy mountaine with contemplations of holinesse and penitency for my sins and there let me rest in thee and be freed from the thorny and scorching passages of this world As thou O God didst wonderfully appeare unto Moses in the Bush by a flame of fire which did not burne nor consume it so I doe most humbly beseech thee enter into the heart of thy servant and enflame it with holy love and zeale towards thee and enlighten it O Lord that
blessings And good Lord give me grace to cover the infirmities of such fatherâ— and others of the world which I shall see to fall by weakenesse into these or the like offences charitably to judg of them and to judge of my own ways looking into my own actions with a single eye to judge my selfe before others then shall not I cast a stone at another but reflect the worst thought upon my selfe so shall the soule of thy servant O Lord avoid all active scandall and black reproach that curse which Cham received from Noah his father standing upon record for ever THE HISTORY of Abraham ABraham was the son of Terah who descended from Sem the eldest sonne of Noah and Abraham married Sarah who was barren and it came to pass that Terah brought Abraham with Sarah Lot and others from Ur in Caldea to goe into the Land of Canaan And they came to Haran where Terah dyed hee being then two hundred and five years old who being dead by Gods command Abraham departed from Haran being then 75. yeares old with Sarah his Wife and Lot his brothers son with their substance servants and took their journey towards Canaan In this his journey he came to Sheshem and to the Plain of Morah the Canaanites being then in the Land There the Lord appeared to him promising to give his seede that Land and in that place did Abraham build an Altar unto the Lord. From thence hee removed Eastward from Bethel where he likewise built an Altar unto the Lord and there called upon his Name Then hee after travailing further South a great Famine comming upon that Land he went into Aegypt there to sojourn and when hee drew neare that Land he began to be fearfull of himselfe by reason of the beauty of his Wife and desired her to say she was his Sister Now after his comming there the Aegyptians were much taken with her beauty the Princes of Pharoah's Court acquainted the King therewith So shee was brought into his Palace and for her sake Abraham was kindely used but the Lord plagued the house of Pharoah for detaining of her then was Pharoah angry with Abraham for not telling him she was his wife and so hee delivered her backe and sent him friendly away with good rewards Then departed Abraham out of Aegypt with Sarah and Lot his brother with great wealth both in treasure and Cattell and travail'd towards the South to Bethel where formerly he had been even to the Altar he had made and there he worshipped at that time Abraham's Cattell were so many as Lot and he could not live together and striving there was betweene their Heards-men even amongst the Canaanites their enemies So Abraham spake to Lot and desired there might be no strife between them they being brethren and and left it in Lots choise whether to goe and Lot looking for his conveniency hee observed the Plain of Jordane was every way watered for before Sodome and Gomorrah were destroyed it was as the Garden of the Lord and thither did Lot goe according to his owne choise and so they parted one from the other Abraham continuing in the land of Canaan Then it was that the Lord againe did promise that Land to the seed of Abraham After this Abraham removed his Tent and dwelt in the Plaine of Mamre which is Hebron and built there an Altar unto the Lord. And it came to passe in some warres betweene the Kings of Sodome Gomorrah and other Kings that Lot was prisoner and his Cattell taken of which a message being brought to Abraham hee presently brought forth of his house that were born brought up there three hundred and eighteen persons and pursued them to Dan and Damascus brought backe Lot and all his substance with the women and his people Then brought forth Melchisadech King of Salem bread and wine unto him who was a Priest of the most high God and blessed Abraham saying Blessed art hou Abraham of God possessor of Heaven and Earth who hath delivered thine enemies into thine hand and then Abraham paid him tithe After this the Word of the Lord came to him in a vision giving him much comfort saying how he would defend and reward him but at that time Abraham was much troubled hee being childlesse resolving to make his Steward his Heir but the Lord promised him his owne seed should inherit and that he would multiply his generation upon Earth and how they should goe into Aegypt and sojourn there 40â— yeares and be hardly used but that they should be delivered and returne with great plenty Now Sarah Abraham's Wife continuing barren shee had a maid-servant whose name was Hagar an Aegyptian whom she desired Abraham to receive wherby he might have Issue the which hee did this was ten yeares after he came to Canaan and she conceived with childe whereupon she despised Sarah her Mistrisse of which her pride Sarah complained unto Abraham who leaving her to Sarah shee dealt roughly with her and thereupon shee fled but in her flying comming to a fountaine of water in the Wildernesse an Angel appeared unto her enquiring from whence shee came and whether she intended who by her being told the reasons of her journey he perswaded her to return to Sarah her Dame and to humble her selfe unto her Moreover the Angel told her he would increase her seed and that it should multiply exceedingly and that in regard of her tribulation shee should call her sonne Ishmael So when she was deliver'd of this child Abraham called it Ishmael himselfe being then fourescore and sixe yeares old And after Abraham being ninety and nine yeares old the Lord appeared againe unto him promising many blessings unto him so he would obey him and how he would multiply his seede exceedingly and he fell upon his face Then the Lord called his name Abraham promising hee should be a Father of many Nations that Kings should proceed from them and that hee would give them the Land of Canaan for an everlasting possession and to be their God they keeping his Covenant Then the Lord appointed Abraham that every man-childe of eight dayes olde should be circumcised as well of his house as of strangers that were bought that his Covenant might be in their flesh as an everlasting Covenant and the uncircumcised should be cut off from the people Then hee commanded his Wife should no more be called Sarai but Sarah and how he would give her a son and shee should be a Mother of many Nations then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed thinking it strange hee being an hundred years old and Sarah ninety then hee desired the Lord that Ishmael might live in his sight but the Lord said againe Sarah shall bear a sonne and thou shalt call his name Isaac with whom I will establish my Covenant and thy prayer for Ishmael I have heard and him will I blesse and make fruitfull twelve Princes shall he beget
and he shall be a great Nation and that Sarah shall beare Isaac the next yeare Then Abraham tooke Ishmael his son with all the men-children that were borne in his house 15. and that were bought with money and circumcised them the selfe-same day God had commanded him himselfe being ninety nine years old when hee was circumcised and Ishmael thirteen Now againe the Lord appeared unto Abraham in the Plain of Mamre about the heat of the day as he sate at his Tent doore and looking loe three men stood by him whom he ran to meet bowing himselfe to the ground saying Lord if I have found favour in thy sight goe not I pray thee from thy servant but wash your feet under this tree and I will bring you some bread to comfort your hearts and after you may goe and they answered doe as thou hast said Then Abraham made hast unto Sarah and bade her make some cakes upon the Hearth as likewise hee made his servant kill a Calfe aâ—d so with some butter and milke hee set before them standing himselfe by under the tree whiles they did eate Then they asked for Sarah his Wife whom hee said was in the Tent and he said I will certainly come again unto thee according to the time of life for Sarah shall have a sonne Sarah heard this being at the Tent door and laughed within her selfe because she and Abraham being olde And the Lord said wherefore doth Sarah thus laugh shall any thing bee too hard for the Lord to doe at the time appointed will I returne unto thee even according to the time of life and Sarah shal have a sonne then Sarah was affraid So the men did rise and went towards Sodome but Abraham stood yet before the Lord and knowing of the Lords anger he pleaded for that City desiring the Righteous might not be destroyed with the wicked and desired that if fifty righteous were therein it might not be destroyed for said hee unto the Lord shall not the Judge of the world doe right but Abraham's suite continued from fifty to five and forty so from forty to thirty and so to twenty and at last to ten which not being in that City the Lord went from Abraham and Abraham returned to his place After this Abraham went toward the South and sojourned at Gerar and once more said Sarah was his sister and Abimilech the King sent for her whom God before he toucht her in a dream threatned death unto him for taking another man's Wife so with many circumstances in the feare of God very religiously hee delivered her backe to Abraham blaming him for saying she was his Sister the which he excused by saying hee thought them to have been a wicked people and was affraid of his life pretending she was his sister having both one father but not of one mother Then Abimilech gave them great store of Cattell treasure reproving of Sarah for her dissembling he gave them leave to live in his Countrey where they pleased and by the prayer of Abraham Abimilech was heal'd of his Infirmity with his Wife and women-servants who before were barren and now brought forth children before they being accused for Sarah's cause After this according to Gods promise in due season Sarah conceived and bare Isaac whom Abraham circumcised at 8. dayes old and Sarah rejoyced in the Lord and wondred at his mercies And when he was weaned they made a great feast but Sarah seeing Ishmael mocking she said unto Abraham cast out this bond-woman and her sonne for hee shall not be heire with my sonne Isaac at which Abraham was troubled but the Lord comâ—orted him by telling him the comfort he should have by Isaac so in the morning early hee sent away Hagar and Ishmael who went to the Wildernesse of Beersheba and God was mercifull to them in their journey After this there was great friendship between Abraham and Abimilech and all differences being reconciled Abraham giving him Beeves and sheep After this Abraham planted a Grove in Beersheba and called there upon the name of the Lord the everlasting God Then the Lord to prove Abraham's faith said unto him take now thine only son Isaac whom thou lovest and goe to the Land of Moreah and there offer him a burnt-offering upon one of the mountaines I shall shew thee so Abraham went early away with Isaac his sonne two servants his Asses with cloven wood for the sacrifice and the third day spying the place he commanded his servants to stay behind himselfe and Isaac going on to the mountaine to worship Isaac carrying the wood himselfe the knife and the fire Then said Isaac Father here is the fire and the wood but where is the Lamb for the burnt-offring then his father answered that God would provide it and comming to the place Abraham built there an altar and couched the wood on it and bound Isaac his son and laid him like-wise on the Altar upon the wood and Abraham stretched out his hand and tooke the knife to kill his sonne but an Angell from Heaven called unto him saying Abraham Abâ—aham who answered here am I then he said lay not thy hand upon the child nor doe any thing unto him for now I know thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne Then Abraham lifting up his eyes behold there was a Ramme behind him caught by the hornes in a bush the which hee tooke and offered him a burnt-offering in stead of his so and he called the place Jehovah Jireth as it is said this day in the Mount will the Lord be seene and upon this by an Angell from heaven the secoÌ„d time a great blessing was promised unto Abraham and his seede and that in them should all the Nations of the Earth be blessed Then turned Abraham againe to his servants and so went to Beersheba where he dwelt Now after this when Sarah was one hundred twenty and seven yeares old she dyed at Kiriartharba in the Land of Canaaâ— and Abraham mourned for her but hee arising from the sight of the Corps talked with the Hittites about a place for the burying of Sarah hee being there a Stranger and they proffered him to bury her in the chiefest of their Sepulchres but with much respect he desired them to speak for him unto Ephron to give him a Cave called Maeh Pelah at the end of a field for so much money it was worth for a burying place Then Ephroa in the hearing of all the people said No my Lord the field I give thee and the cave that is therein even in the presence of the fons of my people Then Abraham bowed himself before the people saying Seeing thou wilt give it meâ— I will give thee the price of the field and so hee gave him 400. filver sheckles for it after which Abraham buryed Sarah in that cave it being against Mamre the same is Hebron in Canaan Now Abraham being growne old tooke
and the cheerfulnesse of Rebecka to be going by the one to discharge the trust to my friend and by the other to gaine the love of my neighbour So O Lord in that which concerns thy service let me with resolution and alacrity come speedily vnto thee so shall not the Bethuel of self-love nor the Laban of worldly care hinder me from my due obedience service of thee Give mee grace in imitation of this Grand-fire of the holy Patriarks the pattern of obedience upon his Fathers Altar and in his constant serving of thee that with a contemplative heart and a penitent soule I may continually call unto thee both morning evening and at all times as he did in that evening he so happily met Rebecka so by thy mercie shall I obtaine thy heavenly Comfort as hee did in earthly respects by meeting of her and so be joyned unto thee for all Eternity Give me a tender care regard for the obsequies of my Parents and to joine in charity for the performance thereof though with my enemies and most jealous friends as it was done by Isaac and Ishmael to their father Abraham Grant me patience O Lord in the barrennesse of my dejected spirit give mee grace to persevere in my prayers unto thee as Isaac did in the barrenness of Rebecka so in due time thou wilt heare me as thou did'st Isaac and in thy good time shall I receive the fruit of thy consolation In the strivings between the flesh and the spirit as was in Rebecka's womb the which by reason of sin and my infirmities I am so subjected unto be mercifull unto me O God and grant that stil I may pray unto thee so by thy grace shall I bee delivered and know thy goodnesse and good pleasure as she did in her two twins And grant O Lord that the blessings of thy good grace may bear rule over this my rough and rude flesh to keepe it in subjection O Lord deliver and preserve me thy servant from the like hunger wearinesse in my soul as it was with Esau in his body that I may not endanger it for the lentill light vanities fading refreshments of fleshly desires thereby to lose my heavenly inheritance that blessed birth-right in heaven purchased for me by the birth and left me by the death of thou my blessed Saviour and Redeemer In much griefe of heart I must confesse O God with great shame and confusion to my self that I have done much evil in thy sight Esau was not more ready by that deare Bargain to eat those lentill potage than I have bin to swallow up sin offences against thee even for a lesse value my greedinesse to sin was such as even for a peice of bread have I finned against thee having been lead away by the meanest of temptations and therefore I have no other plea for my self but thy mercy O Lord and the merits of my blessed Saviour whose Sacrifice for sin upon the Crosse for us that were Gentiles was of far more effecacy then the blood of Buls or Goites were for the Israelites Deliver me O Lord from the power of my infirmities which still persues me to indanger my soule as it dealt with Isacc who fell into his father Abrahams error by calling his wife sister when he came to Gerer amongst the Philistims and give me the like Chastity and Charity as was in Abimeleck towards him and Rebekah Give me O Lord that increase of thy grace and mercy to sustaine my soule as thou diddest give unto Isacc in his corne to preserve his body and graunt that I may be that good ground mentioned in thy Gospel to bring forth the fruit of good works a hundred fold as it was in Isacc's graine Preserve me from the envy of the wicked anâ— from the suggestions to sin that the well-springs of thy grace may not be taken from me but raise up unto me the living well-spring of thy mercy that the stirrings of flesh and blood may have no power to take from me as the matteriall wells were taken from Isacc and bring me O Lord unto the spirituall Beersheba so appeare thou in mercy unto me there as knowing thy goodnes and believing thy promises I may build an Altar of praise and that thanksgiving unto thee In the passages of this world grant that I may alwayes preserve love and friendship both with my friends neighbours and even my enemies with firmnesse and integrity of heart as was between Isacc and Abimeleck And let me so obey my Parents in my courses carriages of this world that I may not prove a griefe of heart unto them as Easu was to Isacc and Rebekah by his marrying of Judeth the Hitite O Lord give me such obedience unto them as may cause and draw their blessings upon me both in their lives and at their deaths to be near unto them in duty obedience as Jacob was whome in mercy thou diddest looke upon and after gave such blessings unto by whose off-spring all the Nations of the world were made happy And still to continue obedient unto them as Jacob was unto his father in his marriage for this obedience to Parents is pleasing to thee O Lord and calls downe for thy blessings upon us the children of men let there alwayes continue in me a neare and pious regard for the interring of 〈◊〉 Parents with a conjunction of charity in the doing of it even with thy greatest emulaters as it was in the charitable performance of this solâ—mnetie between Jacob and Easu in the burying of Isacc their father So by this brotherly concord and charitable deportment wee shall be made partakers of that mercy thou O â—ord hast promised to them that doe the works of mercy to which happy to coâ—â—ition and the fruition of that haâ—pinesse bring me O Lord even 〈◊〉 his sake who was the true 〈◊〉 of patience amongst his enemieâ— and gave forgivenes even to his crucifiers THE HISTORY of JACOB AFter Isaac had blessed Jacob and in obedience to his Father and Mother departing from Beersheba taking his journey to Padan-Aram comming to a certaine place it being night hee took a stone and laying it under his head he fell asleepe and falling into a dreame there appeared unto him a ladder which reached from the earth to heaven Angels going up and down upon it and the Lord standing above it who said I am the Lord the God of Abraham and of Isaac thy Father the Land whereupon thou sleepest will I give unto thee and thy seede and they shall multiply exceedingly in them shall the families of the Earth be blessed and promising to preserve him in all his journeys and to bring him again to that Land Now Jacob awaking was affraid but did thinke the Lord was in that place saying to himselfe it was the house of God and that there was the gates of Heaven Then after hee had risen early in the morning he took that stone
in Egypt foure hundred and thirty yeares But they went not the nearest way by the land of the Philistines but about through the wildernesse of the Red Sea And Moses took the bones of Joseph along with him and they came from Succoth in Ethem in the edge of the wildernesse and there encamped and the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud and by night in a pillar of fire And when King Pharaoh heard they were gone he made ready six hundred chosen Chariots all the Chariots of Egypt and Captains over them and a great army and the children of Israel coming neare the Red Sea the Egyptians overtooke them and they were afraid and cryed unto the Lord and did murmur against Moses exceedingly thinking it better to have staid in Egypt but Moses comforted them then the Lord commanded them to march and Moses to lift up his Rod and to stretch out his hand over the Sea and the Angel and the pillar of the Cloud which went before removed and stood behinde them and the Lord caused the Sea to go back by a strong East winde and it was dry land and the waters were divided and the children of Israel went into the middest of it upon the dry ground and the waters were as a wal on every side and the Egyptians followed them but by Gods will when they were in the middle of the water their Chariot wheels fell off in the morning when all Israel was over Moses stretched forth his hand and the waters closed up and Pharaoh and all his Army were drowned and when Israel saw this great worke they feared the Lord and beleeved him and his servant Moses and Moses and the children of Israel sang praises unto the Lord. After which Moses brought the children of Israel three dayes into the wildernesse and found no water and when they came to Marah the water was bitter and the people murmured against Moses and hee prayed unto the Lord and the Lord shewed him a tree the which he cast into the water and they were made sweet And then they came to Elim where were twelve wells of water and seventy Palme trees and there incamped from thence they came to the wildernesse of Sin which is betweene Elim and Sinai being the fifteenth day of the second moneth there the people of Israel did murmur at Moses and Aaron repenting they came from the flesh pots of Egypt then Moses and Aaron said unto them At even ye shall know that the Lord hath brought you out from the land of Egypt and what are we that ye murmur thus against us And as Aaron was speaking to them they looking towards the wildernesse the glory of the Lord did appeare in the cloud and it came to passe that in the evening the Quailes came up and covered the Campe and in the morning the dew lay round about the host And after the dew was gone there lay a small round thing like the frost of the ground and they said one to another It is Manna And Moses said unto them This is the bread the Lord hath given you to eat gather thereof and he that gathered much had nothing over and he that gathered little had no want Moses commanded them to leave none untill the morning but some of them did not hearken to him but kept of it till morning and it bred wormes and stanke and this Manna was not to be found upon the seventh day It tasted like wafers made with hony And Moses spake unto Aaron to keep in a pot an Omer full of it therein and lay it before the Lord to be kept for their generations So Aaron laid it up before the Testimony to be kept the children of Israel did eat Manna fourty years untill they came to the borders of Canaan And the children of Israel journied from Sin and came to Rephidim and there was no water to drinke wherefore the people did chide with Moses and murmured against him And Moses cried unto the Lord saying What shall I doe with this people they be almost ready to stone me and the Lord commanded him to call the Elders of Israel and goe to the Rock in Horeb and smite the Rock and there shall come water out of it for the people to drink and Moses did so in the sight of the Elders of Israel Then Amalek came to fight with Israel and Moses bade Joshua goe and meet them with a chosen company and Joshua did so and fought with him and Moses stood upon an hill with Aaron and Hur and had his Rod in his hand and in the fight whiles he held up his hand the men of Israel prevailed but when he let it downe Amalek prevailed But Moses hands being heavy they took a stone and put it under him and he sate thereon and Aaron and Hur staid up his hands of each side and they were steady untill the going down of the Sunne and Joshua discomfited Amalek There Moses built an Altar and called it Joshua Nissi And Jethro father in law to Moses his wife with his two sonnes came unto Moses into the wildernesse where he encamped at the mount of God where they received one another with great love Moses telling him of all what God had done for Israel by delivering them from the hands of Pharaoh and Jethro sacrificed to the Lord and blessed the Lord God of Israel and Aaron came and all the Elders of Israel to eate bread with Jethro but Jethro seeing Moses sit in judgement amongst the people from morning to evening he perswaded Moses to take some helpers and not to weare himselfe out which counsell he followed onely when matters of great difficulty came to be heard Moses heard them and Jethro departed from Moses and went into his owne land After this the children of Israel removed and came to the desart of Sinai and encamped before the mount and Moses went up unto God who spake unto him and bad him tell the sonnes of Jacob what he had done for them and if they served him he would continue his mercies exceedingly unto them and Moses told the people what the Lord said and all the people answered together We will obey the Lord. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord then he commanded him to sanctifie the people unto the Lord and to be ready against the third day for then he would come down in the sight of all the people upon mount Sinai but commanded bounds to be set about the mountaine that the people should not come upon the Mount nor touch the borders of it lest they be destroyed onely Moses and Aaron were to goe up and Moses sanctiâ—ied the people and bid them be ready the third day and that day in the morning was thundering and lightning and a thick cloud upon the mount and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud so that all the people trembled And Moses brought forth the people to meet with
the Tabernacle by day and fire by night in the sight of Israel thorowout all their journies Then Moses consecrated Aaron and his sonnes and girded them with girdles clothed them with robes and put the Ephod upon them and the Brest-plate of Urim and the Thummim and put upon Aarons head the Mitre and the holy Crowne as the Lord commanded Moses and then sacrificed unto the Lord. And the Lord commanded Aaron and his sonnes not to drinke wine nor strong drinke when they shall come into the Tabernacle In the wildernesse of mount Sinai in the Tabernacle the Lord commanded Moses to take the number of the children of Israel their males by name every one by the poll from twenty yeares and upward fit for warre and the whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty besides the tribe of Levi who were appointed over the Tabernacle of the Testimony to bear the Tabernacle and the vessels thereof to minister unto it and encampe about it And Moses and Aaron did encampe before the Tabernacle towards the East and Moses numbred all the first borne among the children of Israel the males from a moneth old and upward and they were twenty two thousand two hundred threescore and thirteene And the Lord commanded Moses to make two silver Trumpets to call the people together and for their marches And the cloud being by God taken up from off the Tabernacle of the Testimony the children of Israel tooke their journeys out of the wildernesse of Sinai and the cloud rested in the wildernesse of Paran the Tribe of Judah marching first with their Standard and after them the Tribes in order And they departed from the mount of the Lord three dayes journey and the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord went before them to search out a resting place for them and when the Arke went forward then Moses said Rise up O Lord and let thine enemies be scattered and let them that hate thee flee before thee and when it â—ested he said Returne O Lord unto the many thousands of Israel After this the children of Israel did murmur and long after the flesh pots of Egypt And Moses heard the people weepe every man in the doore of his tent and the anger of the Lord was greatly kindled and Moses was much grieved by reason of the great burthen that was upon him of so great a people Then the Lord commanded seventy of the Elders of Israel to assist him upon whom was the Spirit of the Lord and the people still murmuring and Moses with the Elders came into the Campe and there went forth a winde from the Lord which brought Quailes from the Sea which fell by the Campe in very great plenty and the people gathered abundantly of them and whiles the flesh was betweene their teeth the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and smote them with a great plague And it came to passe that Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because he married an Ethiopian woman and the anger of the Lord was against them and Miriam became leprous Then Aaron said unto Moses Alas my lord I beseech thee lay not the sinne upon us wherein we have done foolishly And Moses cryed unto the Lord. Then Miriam was sent out of the Campe 7. dayes the people journeying not but after that time she returning the Campe removed and pitched in the wildernesse of Paran Then the Lord commanded Moses to send forth of every tribe one to search the land of Canaan and to know the strength and plenty thereof and they coming to the brook of Eshcoll cut off a cluster of grapes and they brought it upon a staffe by two men with some pomegarnets and figges and did give relation of the land and some of them spake very doubtfull of the land and put the people in feare Insomuch as the Congregation wept and murmured against Moses and Aaron and wished they had died in the land of Egypt or in the wildernesse and desired to returne into Egypt then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the Assembly of the Congregation of Israel and Joshua and Caleb who had searched the land rent their clothes and commended the land exceedingly to the people and advised them not to rebell against the Lord. But they bade stone them with stones and the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them But Moses prayed earnestly to the Lord for this people and he heard him and pardoned them But the Lord said Because all those men which have seene my glory and my miracles which I did in Egypt and in the wildernesse and have tempted me now these ten times and have not hearkened to my voice they shall not see the land but my servants Caleb and Joshua because they have followed me them will I bring into the land whereinto they went and their seed shall possesse it and the children of Israel and the people murmured exceedingly and contrary to the command of Moses got up into the top of the mountaine repenting and being ready to goe to the place the Lord had promised but the Arke of the Covenant staid behinde in the Campe then the Amalekites and the Canaanites came downe and discomfited them It came to passe afterwards Korah Dathan and Abiram with certaine of the children of Israel with two hundred and fifty of the Princes of the assembly men of fame and renoune gathered themselves against Moses and Aaron saying unto them Ye take too much upon you seeing all the congregation is holy wherefore then lift ye up your selves above the congregation of the Lord then Moses said unto them even to morrow the Lord will shew who are his and who are holy and Moses said unto Korah Heare I pray you ye sons of Levi. Seemeth it but a small thing unto you that the God of Israel hath brought you so neare himselfe to doe the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them and seeke ye the Priesthood also And Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram but they would not come up but murmured against Moses for bringing them out of the land of Egypt And Moses was much troubled and said unto Korah Be thou and all thy company before the Lord with Aaron to morrow and bring each of you your Censer putting Incense therein and they did so putting fire in them and stood in the doore of the Tabernacle of the congregation with Moses and Aaron and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them and the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment And they fell upon their faces and said O God of the spirits of all flesh shall one man sin and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation And God commanded Moses to bring the people from the Tabernacle of Korah Dathan and Abiram and
he did so And all the Elders of Israel followed him and he spake unto them saying Depart I pray you from the tents of these wicked men and touch nothing of theirs lest ye be consumed And so they departed and stood in the doores of their Tents their wives and their children and Moses said Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me to doe all those workes for I have not done them of my owne minde if these men die the common death of all men or if they be visited after the visitation of all men then the Lord hath not sent me but if the Lord make a new thing and the earth open her mouth and swallow them up with all that appertaine to them and they goe downe quicke into the pit then shall ye understand that these men have provoked the â—ord And it came to passe as he had made an end of speaking all these words that the ground clave asunder that was under them and swallowed them up their houses and their goods and the earth closed upon them and they perished from among the congregation and there came a fire out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense and as God commanded Eleazer the sonne of Aaron tooke the censers out of the fire and made of them broad plates to cover the Altar because they were formerly hallowed and to be a memoriall to all the children of Israel that no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron come neare to offer incense before the Lord that he be not as Korah and as his company But on the morrow after this great judgement fell upon Korah the congregation murmured against Moses and Aaron saying They had killed the people of the Lord. And they being gathered together Moses and Aaron looked towards the Tabernacle and the cloud covered it and the glory of the Lord appeared And Moses and Aaron came before the Tabernacle of the congregation and the Lord spake unto Moses saying Get you up from among this congregation that I may consume them in a moment and they fell upon their faces and Moses bade Aaron to take a Censer and put fire therein from of the Altar and put on incense and go quickly unto the congregation and make an attonement for them for that wrath was gone out from the Lord and the plague was begun and Aaron did as Moses commanded and ran into the middest of the congregation but the plague was begun among the people and then he put on incense and made an attonement for the people and stood betweene the dead and the living and the plague ceased Now they that died of the plague were foureteene thousand and seven hundred besides them that died about the matter of Korah and Aaron returned unto Moses to the doore of the Tabernacle and the plague stayed And the Lord commanded Moses to speake unto the children of Israel to bring twelve rods for every Tribe one and thereon to write their names and to write Aarons name upon the rod of Levi and to lay them up in the Tabernacle before the Testimony and the Lord said That the mans rod whom he shall chuse shall be the chiefe and shall blossome thereby to make the children of Israel cease from murmuring against Moses and Aaron and Moses did as the Lord commanded and every one of the Princes gave him a rod according to their fathers houses Aarons rod being amongst them and Moses laid the rods before the Lord in the Tabernacle of witnesse and going on the morrow into the Tabernacle the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded brought forth buds bloomed and yielded Almonds and Moses brought them forth and they tooke every man his rod but the Lord bade Moses to bring back Aarons rod before the Testimony to be kept for a token against the Rebels and take away their murmurings lest they die and Moses did so as God commanded and the children of Israel spake unto Moses saying Behold we dye we perish we all perish Shall we be consumed with dying And the Lord commanded the Tribe of Levi to be joyned unto Aaron to minister unto him and onely that Aaron and his sonnes should minister before the Tabernacle of the witnesse and that the Levites should keepe the charge of the Tabernacle but they should not come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary and the Altar lest Aaron and they should die and that no stranger should come near them and gave them many other Ordinances to observe Then came the children of Israel unto Zin and abode in Kadesh where Miriam died and was there buried and in that place was no water in so much as they gathered themselves together against Moses and Aaron and the people did chide with Moses and wished they had died with their brethren Then Moses and Aaron went from them unto the doore of the Tabernacle and fell upon their faces and the Lord bade Moses and Aaron take the Rod and assemble the people together and speake unto the Rock before them and it should give forth water and they gathered the congregation together before the Rock and Moses said unto them Heare now ye Rebels must we fetch you water out of this Rock Then Moses lift up his hand and with his Rod he smote the Rock twice and the water came out abundantly and the congregation dranke and their beasts also And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron Because ye beleeve me not to sanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Israel therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them After this Moses sent messengers to Kadesh to the King of Edom letting him know of all their passages in Egypt and of the wonders that God had done desiring to passe through his Countrey onely to goe by the Kings high way and pay for what they tooke but the King of Edom refused it wherefore Israel turned another way and came to mouÌ„t Hor where the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron saying Aaron shall be gathered to hâ— people for he shall not enter into the land which I have given unto the children of Israel because ye rebelled against my word at the water of Meribah take Aaron and his sonne Eleazar and bring them up unto mount Hor and Moses brought them up and as the Lord commanded Moses stripped Aaron of his garments and put them upon Eleazar his sonne and Aaron died there in the top of the mount and Moses and Eleazar came downe from thence and when the congregation of Israel saw that Aaron was dead even all the house of Israel mourned for him thirty dayes And they journied from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea and compassed the land of Edom but they were much discouraged because of the way and the people spake against God and Moses then the Lord sent fiery serpents amongst the people who bit them whereof many died
it may discerne thy wonderfull goodnesse and that I may have alwayes such a burning desire to serve thee as no overflowings of the waters of this world may quench it let me with Moses put off my shooes of worldly thoughts cares and sinfull imaginations when I shall presume to come before thee for the place where thou art is holy and places consecrated unto thee and thy service in the assembly of Saints are not to be prophaned by any kinde of unholy actions for we must worship towards thy holy temple and enter into it with reverence for so O Lord thou didst command all thy people in all nations of the world Give me grace to obey thy good inspirations as Moses did obey thee by going unto Pharaoh Lord let thy wonderfull works that thou hast done and that I daily see strengthen my faith and confidence in thee and not to distrust thy power and goodnesse but that I may resolutely goe on to serve thee with a blessed perseverance untill my soule shall be delivered out of this Egyptian bondage be freed from the taskmasters of afflictions and the fleshpots of the pleasures of this world Moses was slow in speech and doubtfull of himselfe yet God did worke mightily by him By his example let us master our fleshly opinions and know that God hath his owne work and not to judge of the defects of other men And good Lord teach me to looke into my selfe for if I have received that which others want it is thy meere mercy and goodnesse and as I ought alwayes to be thankfull for thy gifts yet let me not be proud of them for as thy goodnesse gives them so thou canst take them away as thou pleasest for the foot of pride brings downe thy wrath upon us the chiefe of men and though Moses had that defect yet by thy power he did greater matters then either Absolon or Achitophel could bring to passe for thou makest our speaking and hearing and all our senses to serve thy commands and my Reâ—eemer made the dumbe to speake and the lame to walke as by thy great mercy thou hast delivered me from the Egyptian plagues which the hardnes of my heart hath deserved so prepare me I do most humbly beseech thee and make me ready to goe out of this Egypt of the world and to be obedient unto my Leaders and Governours Moses and Aaron in the midst of all perversenesse and perverse men whomsoever In the darknesse of this world enlighten me and as thou diddest send a distinct light to the children of Israel in Goshen so enlighten O Lord my inward soule with the light of thy blessed spirit to discerne thy wonderfull mercies towards me and grant that I may praise thee for thy goodnesse and obey thee as a man separate from all the world prepare me O God to be ready for my passage to the Celestiall Countrey of eternitie as the Israelites were with my loines girt in câ—aritie my shooes on in mortification and my staffe in confidence sprinkle the posts and lintles of my heart with the hysope of thy grace and the precious bloud of thy salvation that I may be knowne to be thine and be received into thy mercy when thou shalt come to visit me and to bring me through the Red Sea of that dangerous passage to the heavenly Canaan of eternitie Keepe me at that time O Lord from distrust and diffidence strengthen me in the narrow passage betweene the two wals of that dangerous water of presumption and despaire that I be not drowned with the Egyptians of this world whose trust is in their chariots and not in thee and whose hardnesse of heart and contempt of thee brought them to destruction O Lord be mercifull to my thirsty soule and preserve me from murmuring against thee thou which diedst upon the tree of the Crosse take all bitternesse from my soule and quench my thirst with the holy water of thy grace and grant that I may cheerefully goe on towards the land of promise Without thy continuall helpe how fraile and perverse are we as the rebellious Israelites ever murmuring and repining against Moses and Aaron send therefore that heavenly Manna unto me that may strengthen my soule and preserve it unto thee in faith and obedience Thou knowest my frailty O God and how feeble I am as likewise my unruly and unbridled conditions my stubbornes and hardnesse of heart therefore I doe most humbly beseech thee for thy mercy sake in Jesus Christ with thy miraculous and mercifull Rod of grace to strike upon my stony heart that from that rock may ascend unto mine eyes a fountaine of teares with such a true and perfect contrition as may come before thee and by thy mercy my sinnes may be washed away and that I may thirst no more after vanity O Lord how weake is the arme of the strongest man without thy help for Moses could not hold up his hand with the Rod without assistance from thee where Amalek fought with Israel but Aaron and Hur assisted him I do most humbly beseech thee in the fight that I have against the Amalek of sin and impiety give me thy Rod of grace and strengthen me and make me able to hold up my hands heart unto thee and in my weaknesse and distresse send me O Lord spirituall comforters which may assist and strengthen my faith that I may hold out untill the sunne of my age be set and obtain victory over all my spirituall enemies With what wonderfull feare diddest thou O Lord deliver thy holy Commandements unto Moses and with what reverence and feare did the children of Israel stand without the bounds of Mount Sinai and onely Moses Aaron Nadab Abihu and seventy Elders of Israel went into the mountaine who worshipped a far off onely Moses came neare the Lord. Good Lord make me to feare and tremble to break these thy holy commandements which thou diddest deliver with such circumstances of glory and terrour and with thy children of Israel let me keepe without the bounds of mount Sinai as thou appointedst them and out of all humane curiosity humbly waite to receive thy lawes from the hands of Moses and the Prophets and Ministers of thy Church Keepe rash presumption from the soule of thy servant for though Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the seventy Elders were good and holy men yet they kept their distance in their worship towards thee O God and at the writing of the Law So good Lord give me lowlinesse to stand before thee without the bounds of Sinai with such as are humble of heart and there worship and waite thy leisure for what thou shalt command me by Moses my spirituall guide by whom I must be directed for I must not be my owne director Without this continuall helpe of thine O Lord and by thy Ministers and Shepherds thou appointest over us how dangerously doth that Wolfe the devil assault and prevaile against this britle and corrupt flesh of ours
for Moses being absent but for a few daies the people went a whoring after their owne inventions Into what extreme folly did they runne headlong even to worship a calfe and to give that which was most precious unto them to make an idol and their jewels to make a calfe O Lord Jesus looke upon me and helpe me in this time of danger to my soule how at this time doe the most of this world wherein I live go a whoring after their owne waies as though neither Moses nor any Prophet were amongst thē how have they consumed the land given their jewels to raise up the idol of arrogancy and pride and what doe we else but sit downe to eate and drink and rise up to play and no man mournes for the misery of the land O Lord Jesus strengthen my faith and beliefe in this dangerous Sea wherein are so many rocks and quicksands of Error and Innovations Be thou my Pilot and grant that I may steere a right course towards thee in this sea so covered with the mists and fogges of Heresie and Schisme that by a true faith I may arrive unto the harbour of my hoped for happinesse and with speed send some in the spirit of Moses to us againe and deliver us from the like punishment that fell upon the Israelites for that their sinne and that peace may be in our Land that thy Tabernacle O Lord may be raised up and that we may worship towards it every man with humilitie at the doore of his tent with the children of Israel so humbled and prostrate and that we may doe as they did give our selves to adorne the Ark of the Church wherein is the Arke of the Covenant and reare it up with Moses in the solemnitie of spirituall and divine worship for there is the glory of the Lord and of all God people O Lord let me know that Aarons worship before thee in his robes of holinesse the ornaments of honour the mitre and crowne upon his knees humbly before thy Altar in the Sanctuary being according unto thine owne holy order was more pleasing unto thee then the confusion of such who step up without order or ornament spirituall or corporall into the Church not so much as looking with reverence towards thy place of worship For doubtlesse O Lord thy Sonne and our Saviour the great example of humility did come into this world to teach us humilitie and that by his grace working in us humilitie lowlinesse and devotion should encrease and continue in this world Therefore let me not O Lord with the proud spirituall Pharisees of these times being blasted with boldnesse presume to step into thy house the place of worship but with reverence and in imitation of thy children of Israel who worshipped and wept at the doore of the Sanctuary O Lord the children of Israel though they provoked thee unto anger by their murmuring distrusts and iniquities in their journeys even ten times when I looke into my selfe O Lord I finde and must needs confesse to my owne shame and confusion that in this my pilgrimage I have exceeded them in impietie both in number and degree for indeed my sinnes are numberlesse having murmured exceedingly in my journeys at the crosses of this world as never considering from what hand they came nor how justly I have deserved them I have for most part of my time eaten drunk and rose up to play and thirsted after the flesh-pots and pleasures of this world I have neglected thy service and have not humbled my selfe before the doore of thy Sanctuarie to bewaile my sinnes as I ought to have done the due obedience that I owe to my Superiours and Pastours of thy Church have I neglected following mine owne inventions and opinions and have wandered like a sheepe out of the fold whereby I have fallen into by pathes and crooked waies leaving that good way thou hast appointed and thereby have drawne thy just displeasure upon me O Lord my God standing in this sad and dangerous condition give me grace truely to humble my selfe before thee and as thou didst heare the prayers of Moses thy servant who mediated for thy children of Israel and was mercifull unto them So I doe most humbly beseech thee by the merits of thy Sonne and my Saviour Jesus Christ my Mediatour for his sake be thou mercifull to me and deliver me from finall destruction denounced against me How endlesse O Lord are our impieties when we grow proud and stiffe-necked and how rebellious then doe we grow against thee and thy Ministers whom under thee we should obey O Lord deliver me thy servant from a rebellious spirit and teach me not to spurne against them that thou hast appointed over me with Korah Dathan and Abiram so spitefull against Moses and Aaron thy Ministers nor to cover my rebellious impietie with the specious cloake of holinesse as they did when nothing was in their heart but ambition and desire to rule and to bring that out of order which thou O Lord hadst established in Moses and Aaron How wonderfull are thy judgements O Lord and how unsearchable are thy wayes Let the example of these men and the just and terrible punishment that fell upon them make me feare to breake thy Ordinances or disobey my Governours that thou hast appointed for what are we O Lord in a headlesse government and what mischiefe shall not betide us O Lord preserve me from the fiery stings and punishments of that old serpent which mine iniquities deserve and in these afflictions that I may suffer for my sinnes give me grace to look up towards him that died for me upon the Crosse that by his merits I may be healed and praise thee for thy mercies and live to goe in my pilgrimage by a true obedience unto thee and that I may no more murmur against thee nor be weary of the Manna of thy blessings and O Lord as Moses saw the Land of promise before his death upon the top of the mountaine so good Lord raise up my thoughts before I dye from these earthly things to contemplate the eternity hereafter and give me a taste and faithfull apprehension of that heavenly Countrey which I doe expect that with joy of heart and comfort to my soule I may leave this earthly tabernacle and ascend unto that place of happinesse where Moses and other thy Prophets Apostles Saints and Martyrs sing praise unto thee that sits upon the throne for ever THE HISTORY of Joshua AFter the death of Moses God made choice of Joshua the son of Nun to be his Champion and to goe before the children of Israel and Joshua commanded the Officers to goe unto the Hoste amongst the people and command them to prepare victuals and provision within three dayes to passe over the river Jordane towards the land of Canaan and Joshua spake to the Reubenites and to the Gadites and to the halfe tribe of Manasseh saying You and yours are to possesse the land
altar Ed as a witnesse betweene the Lord and them and after that God gave rest unto Israel from their enemies round about And Joshua waxen old called for all Israel and for their Elders for their heads aâ—d for their Judges and told them of all things the Lord had done for them and what the Lord would doe if they served him counselling them to be valiant and couragious and to keepe the Law delivered by Moses and not to turne neither to the right hand nor to the left nor to leane to the gods of the heathens not to sweare by them or make mariages with them if they did so that they would be snares and traps unto them and thorns in their eyes untill they perished from off the good land the Lord had given them And he said I am going the way of all the earth and you know nothing hath failed you that the Lord promised you but if you transgresse the Covenant of the Lord your God and serve other gods and bow your selves to them then shall the anger of the Lord be kindled against you and ye shall perish from the land And Joshua againe gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shichem and called for all the Elders of Israel and they presented themselves before God and Joshua told them of all the good things that the Lord had done to the children of Israel from Abraham Isaac and Jacob to that time And the people said they would serve no other gods then the God that brought them and their fathers out the land of Egypt from the house of bondage and which did those great things in their sight and preserved them in all their waies and after much perswasions of Joshua unto the people to serve the Lord he made a covenant with them that day and set them a Statute and an Ordinance in Shechem Joshua wrote it in the book of the law of God and took a great stone and set it up there under an oke that was by the Sanctuary of the Lord so Joshua let the people depart every man to his inheritaece and after he departed to his fathers being one hundred and ten yeares old and they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnah-Serah which is in mount Ephraim MEDITATIONS upon the History of Joshua O Lord thou art gracious unto thine Inheritance for though thou diddest take thy servant Moses to his fathers yet thou diddest not leave thy children of Israel destitute and without a Leader to goe before them but sent them Joshua thy servant to be their captaine and defender This is thy goodnesse O Lord still from time to time to be a preserver of thy people whom thou hast chosen and this mercy of thy speciall providence and love extended it selfe O God not onely to thy children of Israel but to thy holy Church militant here upon earth and likewise to us most miserable sinners by thy continuall providence over us How often O Lord hast thou delivered me the sonne of thy handmaide from time to time and raised me helpers and preservers I have found these thy mercies and let the due consideration of them enter into the closet of my heart and there rest by a blessed remembrance of them never to be forgotten and grant that I may humble my selfe before thee with all due thankfulnesse and obedience to serve thee and thou O God which continuedst thy mercy unto thy servant Joshuah and the children of Israel continue thy good mercies unto me direct and guide me over this Jordan of danger that I be not drowned in sinne and grant that I may rightly and truly follow my guides and the Arke of thy holy Covenant by an humble and true distance directly to follow their feete lest I fall into the crooked by-pathes of my owne inventions and as thy children of Israel after their deliverance over Jordan did shew their thankfulnesse by picking up stones at Gilgall so fix and pitch in my heart O Lord some Sacred monuments of praise and thankesgiving for my redemption from the deep waters of pride and mischief and circumcise thou my corrupted heart and so cleanse and purge me that I may be made fit to fight against sinne and Satan and the Jericho of this inconstant world and grant that I may keepe a holy passeover here in the plaines of my pilgrimage before I approach before the wals of Jericho to conquer the lusts and vanities thereof let my soule know O Lord that the Princes of darknesse will rise up against me to destroy my soule as the Canaâ—nites and the Amorites did rise against Joshua and therefore arme me with thy shield of faith and strengthen me with the helmet of salvation and as the Reubenites the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasseh did goe before the children of Israel towards Jericho so let thy blessed Angels O Lord goe before me in this my passage of life and danger of sinne and let the enemies of my soule be astonished and in feare as they were before the children of Israel and as thy holy Army O Lord did goe by thy command seven times about Jericho with such solemnities as thou didst appoint and by thy wonderfull mercy the wals of Jericho fell downe and the city was destroyed by fire so give me thy servant grace to obey thee as thou commandest thought it please not my sense and to imitate thy holy Prophet David to worship thee seven times a day and to obey and serve thee in those things and in that way as thou by thy holy word and the Church of Christ commands me though it seeme contrary to mine owne unruly fancy conceit and opinion that by thy mercy and my obedience the stony wals of my wilfulnesse and iniquity may fall downe in me and thy divine fire may consume all the drosse of my inward and sinfull soule and as Rahab the harlot though a sinfull woman was the instrument of safety to the spies sent by Joshua to view Jericho and by her was discovered the fears of that countrey and people which charity and hospitality of hers proved afterwards the saving of her selfe her kinred and all that she had so by this example let me know O Lord that thou canst worke good out of evil for the good of thy servants and them that go forward to serve thee in the obedience of thy commands And good Lord by this let me know and discerne the great reward thou preparest for them that doe the workes of charity and what a buckler and defence it is unto them in the time of danger when the judgement and strength of man is feeble for O Lord it is thy promise to reward the works of mercy furthermore good Lord keepe covetousnesse pride and dissembling from the soule of thy servant let not the Babylonish garment of pride take hold on me nor let me encline to the wedge of gold to infatuate my understanding thereby to draw me from my obedience to
had no regard for which he was wroth and his countenance fell downe Then the Lord said unto him why art thou wrath and why is thy countenance cast down If thou dost well shalt not thou be accepted and if thou dost not well sinne lyeth at the door After this Cain spake to his brother and meeting him in the field did murther him Then the Lord said unto Cain where is Abel thy brother who answered I cannot tell am I my brothers keeper Again the Lord said what hast thou done the voyce of thy brothers blood cryeth unto me from the earth Therefore thou art now cursed from the Earth which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brothers blood from thine hand When thou shalt till the ground it shall not henceforth yeeld unto thee her strength a Vagabond and a Run-agate shalt thou be in the earth Then Cain said to the Lord my punishment is greater then I can beare behold thou hast cast me out this day from the Earth and from thy face shall I be hid and shall be a vagabond and whosoever findeth mee shall slay mee Then the Lord said unto him whosoever killeth thee he shall be punished seven fold and the Lord set a mark upon Cain lest any man finding of him should kill him Then hee went out of the presence of the Lord and dwelt in the Land of Nod toward the East fide of Eden and he knew his Wife who conceived and bare a sonne called Enoch and he built a City calling it by his name Enoch Meditations Prayers upon the Historie of Cain and Abel OThe miseries mischiefs that befall us when we have lost thy favour and the happinesse of thy guard and protection O LORD For so it fell out with Adam his generation after their falling from thee and losse of that happinesse safety the which in their innocency they enjoyed in Eden and lost by their disobedience unto thee How are our natures thus depraved when we have lost thy heavenly guidance being made weake and miserable by our own perverse wills as appeares but this so sudden and most unnaturall murther of Cain the first childe of Adam thus to kill Abel his most innocent brother O Lord be mercifull unto mee a sinner one of the sonnes of Adam and who stands in the same corrupted condition and under the lash of thy judgements for my manifold sins strengthen me with thy grace Let the teares my Saviour in obedience unto thee and shed for me in the garden of sorrow strengthen my soule and repaire the losse of thy favour O God which my first Parents lost by their disobedience in that Garden of pleasure in Paradise Let the vigour of thy blessed grace prevent all vice in me and so endew me with thy goodnesse as in stead of murthering I may doe all the workes of mercy to my brother Grant that the sacrifice of my prayers in humility may be presented unto thee with zeale and perfectnâ—â— of heart for as thou art of much mercy so thou art a jelous God therefore with Abel let me bring unto thee even the fatnesse of uprightness and innocency in the sincerity of my soule then with the piety and humility of Abel shall I be acceptable unto thee O Lord keep me harmlesse that I may die in the happiness of Abel and deliver me from the cruelty hardness of heart which was in Cain and from the marke of thy wrath for sin and iniquity O Lord deliver me from such despair as was in Cain for murthering this his innocent brother wherby he became a vagabond or to lose all hopes of thy mercy with Judas forbetraying his Master and my Saviour But make me sensible of thy bounty and my penury thy mercie and my miserie thy strength and my weakenesse And Lord let thy insinite goodnesse and power helpe and strenthen me in all the inevitable dangers so subject unto me by the fall of these my first Parents whose infirmities I carry thus about me But in Jesus Christ thy Son my Saviour looke in mercie upon mee whose innocence did exceede that of Abel's the sonne of Adam and whose sacrifice was of such incomparable value for hee sacrificed even himselfe for me a sinner It was not the fat of Lambs upon the Altar but this immaculate Lamb the Son of God he shed his most precious blood upon the Altar of the Crosse for my Redemption The sprinkling of whose blood speakes better things then that of Abel's for his cryed for vengeance to thy seate of Justice O God but tbis most precious blood did call for and procured mercie from thy seat of mercie And therefore with much comfort in my suite and most humble confidence of thy mercy I beseech thee with this most precious blood so shed for me to wash from me the foule blemishes and heal the putrifactions of my soule fallen upon me by that offence of my first Parents in Paradise which sore I have made worse by my owne loose and sinfull scratching But O my God let his sufferings patience and obedience satisfie for the vanity rashnesse and disobedience that reignes in mee Let the sufferings of him in whom there was no guile stand for me which am so full of guilt Let the blessing of that fruit of my redemption more sweet then Manna which came from that tree the Crosse in this vaile of misery to which we are allotted O Lord it being of such inestimable value let it take off the bitternesse of that curse which is so justly due unto me for that pleasant and banefull deceiving fruit of that tree in Paradise whereby we are made thus miserable and subject to such cruelties as was in Cain and all other infirmities and by thy grace so qualifie me with the gifts of innocencie and harmlesse living that by avoiding all the acts of cruelty and shunning that dangerous rocke of despair at last I may arrive to that happy habitation of Eternity prepared for the innocent and such as trust in thee and thy incomprehensible mercie it being that place of happinesse those Innocents enjoy who were the first most happy harmlesse Martyrs in their Infancy for thy sake O my Saviour THE HISTORY of Noah NOah was the sonne of Lamech who did prophesie concerning him of the comfort that should proceede from him because of the earth the Lord had cursed Lamech lived after hee begat Noah five hundred ninety and five yeares and begat sons and daughters And it came to pass when men began to multiply upon the face of the earth and great impiety did abound that Gods wrath was kindled against theÌ„ for their iniquities for God saw the wickedness of man was great on the earth that every thought and imagination of his heart was evill continually and the Lord said I will destroy man from the face of the earth both man and beast and the creeping things the fowls of the aire for it repenteth mee
care for a Wife for his sonne Isaac hee then calling for his Steward making him put his hand under his thigh and causing him to sweare by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth that his sonne should not take a Canaanitish woman to Wife but to goe into his owne Countrey and Kindred and there to take a Wife for him Then said his servant what if the Woman will not come with me into this Land shall I bring back thy sonne To whom Abraham answered beware that thou bring not back my sonne thither againe The Lord God of Heaven who tooke me from my fathers house even from the Land where I was born that spake and sware unto me saying unto thy seed will I give this Land he shal send his Angell before thee and thou shalt take a Wife unto my sonne from thence Neverthelesse if the Woman will not follow thee then shalt thou be discharged of thy oath only bring not my son thither againe and the servant swore unto Abraham so he tooke tenne of his Masters Camels who went his journey obtained Rebecka to be his wife as in the story of Isaac is more at large exprest Now after the death of Sarah Abraham took another Wife called Keturah which bare him divers children and Ahraham gave all his goods unto Isaac but unto the sonnes of his Concubines he gave them gifts and sent them away from Isaac his son this he did in his life-time And Abraham being one hundred seventy and five years old hee yeelded up his Spirit dying in a good age and was gathered to his people and his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the Cave with Sarah in the field Ephron PRAYERS upon the History of ABRAHAM GIve mee obedience O Lord to follow the steps of my Governors and to bee guided by my Parents as Abraham was by Terah his Father who brought him to Haran So likewise let mee be obedient to thy blessed Inspirations which may bring me to the heavenly Canaan And as Abraham carried with him in his journey his wife Lot his Brother with his servants and substance grant that all my nearest affections my flesh blood may cheerfully goe along with mee in this my pilgrimage to my â—eavenly happinesse with the servants substanâ—e of piety and good workes to attend me And in this progresse in Moreh and in the middle of the worldly Canaan let thy blessed grace appeare unto mee and grant that I may build an Altar of thanksgiving in my heart unto thee and call upon thy Name Preserve me in the famine necessity and miseries of this world as thou diddest Abraham But above all worldly helps keepe me from the famine of thy favour and grace that in thee my soule may be safe from the spirituall danger of faith and a good conscience By thy good guidance remove me from danger as Abraham was by his going into Aegypt Let not the feare and jealousie of worldly respects make mee to dissemble before thee O Lord who knows 't the secrets of my heart as Abraham did by his Wife for his earthly safety and deliver mee from such bad intions of fleshly desires as was in Pharaoh King of Aegypt by detaining of Sarah lest I partake of such punishments as befell unto him And for such offences against thee as wrongs and bad intentions done to any man or woman grant thaâ— I may not continue in them but timely to repent and by leaving such sinnes give satisfaction for wrongs done as Pharoah did to Abraham at his departure And still to praise thee for thy mercies O Lord as Abraham did at his return to Bethel Give unto me the like charitable love as was between Abraham Lot in their parting yea in the middle of such worldly fortunes as they had that most dangerous rocke of ambition pride and Emulation and let mee not bee too much in love with the pleasant Plains of this worldly Jordan of earthly and vaine delight with Lot in his choise for then shal I not be so neare the like dangerâ— as he was at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Good Lord give unto me continuall comforts and assurances unto my soule by thy mercies unto mee in the hope of that blessed eternity as thou diddest give unto Abraham his seede for their blessing in the earthly Canaan and in this Plain of Mamre the Hebron of this world still let me praise thee for all thy mercies with this father of the faithful Give unto me O my helper a helping hand unto my distressed Brethren and friends of this world as Abraham did to Lot in his captivity With such blessings and comforts as was given to Abraham by that King and Priest Melchisadech and not only to be humbly thankefull unto thee for the same but to pay that tithe of duty and obedience due unto thy Ministers as he did In the sadnesse of my dejected spirit and coldnesse of devotion towards thee be thou my strength and comfort as thou wast to Abraham in thy promise to his seede so shall not this my earthly Steward of vain and worldly suggestions possesse annoy and supplant my good thoughts intentions and hopes in thee but still I may be made happy by thy heavenly mercies In the barrennesse of my soule as it was in Sarah her body in such fruitfulnesse as was with Hagar let me not despair with the one nor presume with the other lest I be cast out of thy mercies but in my cries send mee thy good Inspirations to make me returne timely and humbly with Hagar and with leasure to receive thy promised blessing with Sarah So by the humiliation of Hagar and the hope of Sarah I shall by thy mercie with Abraham enjoy the Ishmael of worldly comfort here the Isaac of everlasting happinesse hereafter Grant O Lord that I may be courteous and charitable to all men as Abraham was to the three who came to his Tent doore with the like agility and alacrity to do good works as he did for their provision that aâ— hee in stead of men received Angelâ— so by thy promised mercie to wel doers shall I receive with Abraham thy comfort here and thy heavenly reward hereafter where the Angels waite at the doors of heaven to receive the righteous Take from me O Lord all distrusts of thy promises with Sarah's second doubt and with her wonder at thy mercies for by this faith and confidence in thee I shall by thy goodnesse and in good time with this hope and wel-doing enjoy the happinesse in heaven as she did after in earth in thy promise of Isaac O Lord keep me from the unrighteousnesse which was in Sodome lost by mine unworthinesse the mediations and prayers of the faithfull do not prevail for me before the Throne of mercy lest that for my sins I partake of their punishment from thy seate of justice O Lord how miserable and wretched are we even the best of us without thy continuall
and set it up as a pillar and powring oyle upon it called it Betheil Then Jacob made a vow that if God would preserve him in that journey by giving him bread to eate and cloaths to put on and to come in safety backe to his fathers house that then the stone which he had set up as a 〈◊〉 in that place should bee God house and he would serve him and pay the tenths Then Jacob travailed towards the East Countrey and in his journey he came to a Well in the field where sheep lay fast by to be watered and there was a great stone upon the Well's mouth and people being thereby he asked them from whence they were who answered they were from Haran then he asked them if they knew Laban the sonne of Nahor who answered yes then asking them how hee did they said in health And moreover saying here is comming his daughter Rachel to his sheepe then he told them is it not time to water the sheep and they answered they could not untill the flocks came together and till some came to roll away the stone from the Wels mouth Now whiles they were talking comes Rachel with her Father's sheep when Jacob saw he rowled the stone off from the Wel's mouth and watered her sheepe then Jacob kis'd Rachel and wept telling her he was Rebecka's son then presently shee ran and told her father the which when Laban heard in hast he came to him and kissed him bringing him to his house Then Jacob told him all the cause of his comming and continuing there a moneth with very much friendship and love then Laban pretended it was too much for him to serve him for nothing asking him what wages he would have Now Laban having two daughters Lea and Rachel Jacob told him he would serve him seven yeares for Rachel the younger daughter for Jacob loved her the which Laban agreed unto And Jacob having served the seven yeares which seemed unto him but as a few dayes in regard of his love to her Then Jacob demanded her of Laban according to the agreement upon which Laban called his neighbours together and made a feast but in the evening hee put Leah his other daughter into Jacob's bed who went in unto her but in the morning when Jacob spyed it hee asked Laban wherefore hee had so deceived him by giving him Leah in stead of Rachel then Laban answered it was not the manner of that place to give the younger before the elder So they came to a new agreement which was to serve seven years more for Rachel the which hee performed and then Laban gave Rachel unto him for his Wife yet Jacob loving Rachel better then Leah but when the Lord saw Leah was despised he made her fruitfull and Rachel was barren and Leah conceived and bare a sonne calling him Reuben and she again conceived and bare a sonne calling him Simeon a third time she conceived and bare a sonne and called his name Levi and conceiving the fourth time she bare a son and called him Iduah and praised the Lord then she left bearing But Rachel envyed this her Sister and said unto Jacob give me children or else I dye Then was Jacob angry with Rachel saying am I in Gods stead which hinders thee from fruit then she recommended her maid Bilhah unto him who went in unto her by whom he had a sonne who was called Dan and shee conceived a second time and bare a sonne who was called Nepthali and when Leah saw shee had left bearing shee gave her maid Zilpah unto Jacob who bare him a son whom they called Gâ—d and after she bare another calling him Ashur Now Reuben went into the fields in the time of wheate Harvest found Man-drakes bringing them to his mother Leah the which Rachel hearing of she desired her to give her some of her son's Man-drakes but shee refused her Then Jacob comming out of the field in the Evening Leah met him saying come in unto me for I have bought my son's Man drakes so hee slept with her that night and she conceiving brought forth a 5th son whose name was called Issachar And after this shee bare another sonne calling him Zebulon and likewise a daughter after that called Dinah Then God looked upon Rachel and she conceived and brought forth a son and she called his name Joseph Then Jacob was wondrous desirous to depart from Laban with his Wives and Children to goe back into his own countrey but Laban was loth to part with him in regard he had prospered so well by his company and service But Jacob was loth to stay with him then Laban offered him what wages hee would demand the which he refused but said he give me all the black-spotted and blacke sheep in thy flocke and I will serve thee and thus they were agreed so Jacob kept one part and Laban's sonnes kept the other being three dayes journey between Then Jacob tooke the rods of green Popler and Hazle chesnut tree pulling white streakes in them putting them in the watering Troughs when the sheep came to drinke and drinking there when they were hot which after made them bring forth spotted Lambs so he encreased exceedingly whereat Laban and his sonnes were not well pleased Then the Lord spake unto Jacob to goe into his owne Countrey upon which he sent for his two wives Rachel and Leah into the fields telling them of the bad countenance their father shewed him and how Gods pleasure was he should return to his own Land with many other circumstances of Gods wonders mercies to him and of the great commands from God he had to return to his own Land Then Jacob rose up and set his sons and his wives upon Camels and carried away al his flocks and substance he had gotten took his journey to Isaac his father into the Land of Canaan before which when Laban was gone to his sheep-shering Rachel tooke away his Idols so they going away towards Gilead then Laban with his brethren followed him seven days journey and overtook him at Mount-Gilead There God came to Laban in a dreame by night and bid him take heed hee spake any thing but good to Jacob so hee overtooke him and they pitched both their Tents neare one another Then Laban said to him thou hast stoln away mine heart meaning his Idols and carried away my daughters telling of him how hee intended to have sent them away with the mirth of Songs Timbrels Harps blaming him for his foolish doings and taxing him for stealing his gods withall letting him to know how he could be revenged on him but that the God of Jacob the night before had appeared unto him who bid him take heed that he spake any other but good nnto him More hee said because thou longest so much after thy father thou needest not so to haue gone away and to steal my gods But Jacob told him how he feared that hee would have taken his daughters
from him and for his Gods hee wisht him to make a search for them and with whom he found them that party should die but Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen them then Laban came and searched in Jacob's Leah's and the maids Tents out there could not finde them and so came to Rachels but she had put them in the Camels litter and sat doâ—ne upon them Laban after hee had searched the Tent after came into the Stable where Rachel was siting who said unto him my Lord be not angry that I cannot rise up before thee for the custome of women is upon me so after his search he could not finde his Idols Then Jacob was angry with Laban for persuing after him in that manner telling him of the hard service he had under him even for twenty yeares and of the increase of his wealth by his care withall how hardly he had far'd and what strict accompt he gave unto him that if the least by mis-chance were given he had made it good if they were stolen by day or by night he did the like how in the day he had been consumed with the heat and in the night with frost and was kept from sleep and how he had served fourteen yeares for his two Daughters and six yeares for his sheep and how hee had changed his wages ten times and but that the God of Abraham and the feare of Isacc had been with him hee had sent him empty telling of him that God seeing his tribulation and the labour of his hands had rebuked him the last night Then Laban became exceeding milde with many expressions of fatherly love to his wives and there children and desired to make a firm covenant of friendship with Jacob the which being agreed upon then there was a Pillar set up to be a token thereof and his brethren made a great 〈◊〉 of stones wherepon they 〈◊〉 all eate which heape was likewise to be a witnesse between them of their frienship and they called it Galeed both of them promising neither of them to come over that heapâ—â— one to the other for evil to whâ—â— both of them did sweare Laban swear by the God of Abraham and Nahor his father but Jacob by the feare of his father Isacc Then Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mounte calling his brethren to eate who did so and stayed upon the mounte all night and early in the morning Laban roase up kissed his sonnes and daughters blessing them departed and went to his place againe After this Jacob going on his journey the Angels of God met him whom he called the hoste of God But being in great feare of his brother Esau he sent messengers before unto him with messages of great respect and humiliation but they returning told him that Esau was coming against him with foure hundred men at which he was sore troubled and divided his people and cattell into companies thinking if the one were taken the other might escape and then Jacob prayed unto the Lord saying O God of my father Abraham and Isacc which said unto me returne unto thy countrey and to thy kindred I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies which thou hast shewed unto me for with my staffe came I over this Jordan I pray thee deliver me from the hands of my brother Esau c. So he tarried there that night and preparing a present for Esau of severall cattell sending his servants before with them in two droves himself following commanding them to say if Esau met them and inquired whose cattell they were there answer should be they were presents sent from Jacob to him and himself followed so they went before and he stayed that night with the company but in the night hee aroase taking his two wives his two maides and his eleven children sending them over the river Jabhek with all his goods Now after they were gone there was a man wrestled with him untill break of the day who seeing he could not prevaile hee touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh which was loossed but Jacob would not let him go without a blessing then he asked his name and he told him Jacob then said he thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel because thou hast had power with God thou shalt also prevaile with men and so blessed him and as he parted the Sun aroase and he halted upon his thigh therefore the children of Israel eat not the sinewe that shrank in the hollow of the thigh unto this day After this Jacob going on in his journey he espyed Esau coming towards him with his foure hundred men then hee divided his children to Rachel and Leah and to the two maides putting the maides and their children foremost Leah and her children next and Rachel and Joseph hinmost and he going before them meeting Esau bowed himselfe to the ground seven times untill he came neare him then Easu ran to him and did imbrace him and kisse him and they both wept and seeing the women and children Esau asked who they were who answered they were the children God hath given to thy servant and so in order the mothers and their children came towards him and bowed with great reverence then Esau asked him what he meant by all them drovs of cattell he met hee told him I have sent them to thee that I may finde favour in the sight of my Lord then Esau said I have enough my brother keep them to thy self but Jacob answered nay I pray thee if I have found grace in thy sight then receive my present for I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God because thou hast accepted me therefore take my blessing for God hath had mercy on me and so Esau tooke it then Esau said let us take our journey and I will goe before thee but Jacob said my Lord thou know'st the children are tender and the cattel with young and it were dangerous to go too fast but go my Lord before thy servant and I will drive softly untill I come to my Lord unto Sier and so they parted Esau going that day to Sier And Jacob going towards Succoth where coming he built a house and made provision for his cattell after he came to Sechem in the Land of Canaan and pitched before that Citie there he bought a parcell of Land of the sonnes of Hamor where hee set up an Altar and called it the mighty God of Israel And it came to passe that Dinah the daughter of Jacob by Leah going to see the daughters of that countrie Shechem whom the sonne of Hamor Lord of that country seeing took and defiled and after loved her exceedingly desiring his father to obtaine her for his wife who according to his sons desire went to speake unto Jacob about it but Jacob and his sonnes having heard of this wronge done to Dinah were much displeased thereat because he had wrought such villany in Israel Now Hamor coming to Jacob told
Poti-pherah Priest of On. Then was Joseph thirty years old And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh and went throughout all the land of Egypt and gathered provision in the seven years of plenty for the seven years of famine that was to follow and unto Joseph was borne two sonnes before the years of famine came and he called the name of the first Manasseh and the name of the second Ephraim After the famine was over the land of Egypt the people cryed to Pharaoh for bread and Pharaoh sent them to Joseph then Joseph opened all the store-houses and sold unto the Egyptians and all Countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corne because the famine was so sore in all lands Now when Jacob heard there was corne in the land of Egypt he said to his sonnes Get you thither and buy for us from thence that we may live and not die and Josephs ten brethren went downe to buy corne in Egypt but Benjamin staid at home with Jacob and the sonnes of Israel came into Egypt unto Joseph who sold the corne and bowed downe themselves before him with their faces to the earth and Joseph knew them to be his brethren but made himselfe strange unto them and spake roughly unto them and he said unto them Whence come ye they said From the land of Canaan to buy food then said Joseph unto them Ye are spies to see the nakednesse of the land you are come and they said unto him Nay my lord but to buy food are thy servants come we are all one mens sonnes we are true men thy servants are no spies and they said Thy servants are twelve brethren the sonnes of one man in the land of Canaan and behold the youngest is this day with our father and one is not living And Joseph said unto them Ye are spies hereby ye shall be proved By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not goe forth hence except your youngest brother come hither and he put them altogether three dayes into prison and Joseph said unto them the third day If ye be true men let one of your brethren stay here in prison and goe ye and carry corne for the provision of your houses and bring your youngest brother to me and they did so and they said one to another We are verily guilty concerning our brother Joseph in that we saw the anguish of his soul whē he besought us and we would not heare therefore is this distresse come upon us And Reuben answered them saying spake I not unto you saying do not sin against the childe and ye would not heare therefore behold all his blood is required and they knew not that Joseph understood them for he spake unto them by an Interpreter and he turned himself about from them and wept and returned to them again communing with them and tooke from them Simeon and bound him before their eyes so Joseph dispatched them away with their provisions and commanded their money to be put in their sacks and they laded their asses with corn departed thence and opening their sacks and there finding their money they were afraid saying one to another what is this that God hath done unto us And they came unto Jacob their father unto the land of Canaan and told him of that befell unto them but Jacob was troubled to part with Benjamin and said unto them me have ye bereaved of my children Joseph is not living and Simeon is not here and ye will take Benjamin away all these things are against me then Reuben spake unto his father saying kil my two sonnes if I bring him not to thee and he said my sonne shall not goe downe with you for his brother is dead if mischiefe befall him in the way then shall ye bring down my gray haires with sorrow to the grave But the famine continuing sore in the land and having spent that which they brought out of Egypt Jacob said unto his sonnes go againe and buy us some food in Egypt and Judah spake vnto him saying the man did solemnly protest unto us saying Ye shall not see my face except your brother be with you and Israel said Wherefore dealt you so ill with me as to tell the man that you had another brother And they said The man did aske us straight of our state and kindred and Judah said unto Israel his father Send the young man with me and we will arise and go that we may live and not die for want of food both we and thou and also our little ones and I will be surety for him of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not to thee then let me beare the blame for ever and then father Israel said unto them If it must be so Now then doe this Take of the best fruit of the land in your vessels and carry downe the man a present a little Balme and a little Honey Spices and Myrrhe Nuts and Almonds and take double money in your hand and the money that was brought againe in the mouth of your sacks carry it againe peradventure it was an oversight take also your brother and goe againe unto the man and God Almighty give you mercy before the man that he may send away your other brother and Benjamin If I be bereaved of my children I am bereaved And they took that present and Benjamin and went downe to Egypt and stood before Joseph and when Joseph saw Benjamin with them he said to the Ruler of his house Bring these men home kill provision and make ready for they shall dine with me and they were brought thither but were afraid by reason of the money they carried back in their sacks and they communed with the Steward and told him of it and he said Peace be to you feare not your God and the God of your fathers hath given you treasure in your sacks I had your money and he brought Simeon unto them and he bringing them into Josephs house gave them water to wash their feet and he gave their Asses provender And when Joseph came home they brought him the present bowing themselves to him to the earth and he asked them of their welfare and said Is your father well the old man of whom you spake is he yet alive and they answered They servant our father is in good health he is yet alive and they bowed downe their heads and made obeisance and he lift up his eyes and saw his brother Benjamin his mothers sonne and said Is this your younger brother of whom you spake unto me they said Yes and he said God be gracious to thee my sonne And Joseph made haste for his bowels did yerne upon his brother and he sought where to weepe and he entered into his chamber and wept there after he washed his face and came out and refrained himselfe and said set on bread and they set on for him by himselfe and for them by themselves and the Egyptians that did eat
with him by themselves because the Egyptians might not eate bread with the Hebrews and they sate in order according to their age and they sent messes unto them from before Joseph but Benjamins messe was five times as much as any of theirs and they dranke and were merry with him And Joseph commanded his servants to fill their sacks with food and to put in every sack their money and to put a cup of silver in the sack of the youngest with his corne money and betimes in the morning they were sent away they and their Asses And when they were gone a little way Joseph said unto his Steward Follow after the men and when thou dost overtake them say unto them Wherefore have ye rewarded evill for good and he overtooke them and he spake unto them as he was bidden and they said unto him Wherefore saith my Lord these words God forbid that thy servants should doe according to this thing Behold the money which we found in our sacks mouthes we brought againe unto thee out of the land of Canaan how then should we steale out of thy Lords house silver or gold with whomsoever of thy servants it be found both let him dye and we also will be my Lords bondmen Then they speedily tooke downe their sacks and opened every man his sack and he searched beginning at the eldest and left at the youngest and the Cup was found in Benjamins sack then they rent their clothes and laded every man his Asse and returned to the City And Judah and his brethren came to Josephs house and they fell before him to the ground then Joseph said unto them What deed is this that ye have done wot ye not that I can divine and Judah said What shall we say unto my Lord what shall we speake or how shall we cleare our selves God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants Behold we are my Lords servants both we and he also with whom the Cup is found and he said God forbid I should doe so but the man in whose hand the cup is found he shall be my servant and as for you get you up unto your father then Judah came neare unto him and said O my Lord let thy servant I pray thee speake a word in my Lords eares and let not thine anger burn against thy servant for thou art even as Pharaoh and Judah said our father was loath to part with Benjamin saying unto us Ye know that my wife bare me two sonnes the one is dead and surely he is torne in pieces for I saw him not since and if ye take this also from me and mischiefe befall him ye shall bring downe my gray haires with sorrow to my grave Now therefore when I come to thy servant my father and the young man our brother be not with us seeing that his life is bound up in the youths life that he will dye for thy servant became surety for the young man unto my father saying If I bring him not unto thee then I shall beare the blame to my father for ever Now therefore I pray thee let thy servant abide in stead of Benjamin a bondman to my Lord and let the young man goe up with his brethren for how shall I goe up to my father and this Benjamin be not with me lest peradventure I see the evill that shall come to my father Then Joseph could not refraine himselfe before all them that stood by him and he cryed Cause every man to goe out from me and there stood no man with him while he made himselfe knowne to his brethren and he wept aloud and he said unto his brethren I am Joseph doth my father yet live and his brethren could not answer him for they were troubled at his presence and Joseph said unto his brethren Come neare unto me I pray you and he said I am Joseph your Brother whom you sold into Egypt be not angry with your selves that ye sold me hither for God did send me before you to preserve life for there is and shall continue a great famine And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity upon earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance So it was not you that sent me hither but God he hath made me father to King Pharaoh and a Ruler in Egypt Haste you and goe up to my father and say unto him thus saith thy son Joseph Come downe to me and thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen thou and thy children and thy childrens children and thy flocks and thy herds and all that thou haste And you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt and of al that you have seene and ye shall haste and bring downe my father hither And he fell upon his brother Benjamins neck and wept and Benjamin wept upon him moreover he kissed all his brethren and wept upon them and after that his brethren talked with him and the fame thereof came to Pharaoh and it pleased him and his servants and Pharaoh said Joseph Bid your brethren load their beasts and goe into Canaan and bring your father and all his families and take wagons to bring them and all they have for they shall have the good of the land of Egypt and eat the fat thereof and Joseph gave them wagons according to the commandment of Pharaoh and provision for the way with changes of raiments But to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five changes of raiment and to his father he sent twenty Asses laden with good things of Egypt and provision for his journey into Egypt and they went up out of the land of Egypt unto the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father and told him saying Joseph is yet alive and he is Governour over all the land of Egypt and Jacobs heart fainted for he beleeved them not and they told him all the words of Joseph which he had said unto them and when he saw the wagons which Joseph sent to carry him the spirit of Jacob their father revived and Israel said It is enough Joseph my sonne is yet alive I will goe and see him before I die And Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba and offered sacrifices unto the God of his father Isaac and God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night and said Jacob Jacob I am God the God of thy father feare not to goe downe into Egypt for I will make thee a great Nation I will goe downe with thee into Egypt and I will also bring thee surely up again and Joseph shall put his hands upon thine eyes And Jacob departed from Beersheba with all his families with all their cattell and goods and came into Egypt Jacob and all his seed with him all the souls of the house of Jacob which came into Egypt were threescore and ten and he sent Judah before him to Joseph to direct his face to Goshen and they
requite us all the evill which we did to him and they sent a messenger unto Joseph saying Thy father did command before he died saying so shall ye say unto Joseph Forgive I pray thee now the trespasse of thy brethren and their sin for they did unto thee evil and now we pray thee forgive the trespasse of the servants of the God of thy father and Joseph wept when they spake unto him and his brethren also went and fell downe before his face and they said Behold we be thy servants and Joseph said unto them Feare not for I am in the place of God but as for you ye thought evill against me but God meant it unto good to bring to passe as it is this day to save much people alive Now therefore feare you not I will nourish you and your little ones and he comforted them And Joseph dwelt in Egypt he and his fathers house and lived one hundred and ten yeares and saw Ephraims children of the third generation and the children of Machir the sonne of Manasseh were brought up upon Josephs knees And Joseph said unto his brethren I die and God will surely visit you and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel saying God will surely visit you and ye shall carry up my bones from hence So Joseph died being one hundred and ten years old and they embalmed him and he was put in a coffin in Egypt and after in the time of Joshua when the children of Israel came over Jordan they brought his bones out of Egypt and buried them in Shechem in a parcell of ground Jacob bought of the sonnes of Hamer the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver and it became the inheritance of the sonnes of Joseph MEDITATIONS Upon the History of Joseph who was sold into Egypt by his brethren O Lord God everlasting which out of thy great mercy to mankind sentest thy onely begotten Sonne Jesus Christ into this world for the redemption of me a sinner and who for my sake was sold unto the Jewes by Judas one of his disciples was crucified for my sinnes and is gone before to the heavenly Canaan to be a Mediator at thy right hand for my sinfull and famishing soule for his sake be thou mercifull unto me that am a sofourner here in this Egypt of the world that the vaine temptations of the flesh may not have power over me but give me the like Chastity that Joseph had Neither let me grow in love with the flesh-pots of voluptuousnesse nor be blinded with the Egyptian darknesse of this world But grant I doe most humbly beseech for his sake my Jesus that was sold and died for my sinnes that I may happily passe this pilgrimage here in this land of Egypt and use my stewardship like blessed Joseph by dealing honestly and truly with all men and where I finde favour and friends as he did make me ever thankfull unto thee for thy mercies therein and to be religiously carefull to discharge that trust which shall be committed unto me like Joseph that it may be with me at my accounting day as it was with the wise steward to know what to doe For blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh shall finde so doing Good Lord give me charity towards my Christian brethren and as concerning them that have done me wrong as Joseph did Take revenge from the soule of thy servant O Lord I beseech thee and give me grace to doe good against evill and to forgive as I desire to be forgiven of thee And blessed Lord after aâ—â— thy blessings and mercies here in this Egypt that thou hast prepared as an earthly comfort for me a sinner make me ready and at thy call to take a happy passeover for my passage towards the celestiall Canaan and in the meane time give me grace to overcome all difficulties and to be obedient to my task-masters and superiours in this vale of triall where the enemies of my soule strive against my intended journey towards the Land of promise Good Lord keep me from hardnesse of heart and the Egyptian plagues and punishments my sinnes have so much deserved grant me O Lord a good and prosperous voyage thorough the Red sea of danger help my hungry and drooping soule feed and strengthen it with the Manna of thy blessed Spirit Good Lord give me grace to subject my selfe to follow and obey my Governours as the Israelites did submit to Moses and Aaron and not to follow mine owne devises and inventions But to obey them that thou hast appointed over me and not to be one of the murmuring Israelites neither Seditious and contentious against Order and Government with Corah Dathan and Abiram But in all things to submit my judgement in the way of my Pilgrimage to the Rules of Jesus Christ and the governors of his holy Church as thou O Lord hast commanded not following my owne fancies nor the suggestions of my spirituall enemy that cloaths himselfe like an Angel of light to deceive and fill my soule full of spirituall pride the sin that cast downe the Angels from heaven from which most dangerous rock O Lord deliver thy servant that puts his trust under the shadow of thy wings of mercy that at last I may come with humblenesse of heart and soule through the wildernesse of this world so full of cares troubles and temptations to the land of promise that heavenly Jerusalem which thou hast prepared for them that love and feare thee and fight a good fight through this desart of danger and diffidence let me not in this passage O Lord leane to the pleasures and plenty of Goshen but obey thy lawes delivered at Mount Sinai and chearfully goe on like a good Israelite in this my passage the which so much concerns my soule so that good Lord by a true faith and confidence in thee with a happy perseverance in the obedience of thy Commandements at last I may arrive amongst them that live and feare thee in that heavenly feast of tabernacles and receive the comfort of that blessed saying Come ye blessed of my Father and in that heavenly and eternal habitation where all teares shall be wiped away and all afflictions and temptations cease sing Halleluiah and praise and honour and glory and worship unto the Lambe that sits upon the throne for ever THE HISTORY of Moses AFter the death of Joseph the children of Israel did increase exceedingly in Egypt and grew very mightily and another King reigning after the death of Pharaoh he was jealous of their greatnesse and strength and therefore set task-masters over them to afflict them with their burdens and to keepe them under in so much as they made their lives bitter with hard bondage by work in morter and brick and all manner of service in the field with much rigour and the King in his jealousie
of them commanded the Midwives to kil the male children and to save the daughters that should be borne of the Israelites but the midwives feared God and would not doe his commands but excused it to the King And there was a man of the house of Levi that took to him a wife of his owne tribe who conceived and bare him a sonne being a goodly childe whom for fear she hid three moneths but when she could not longer hide him she made for him an arke of bulrushes daubing it with slime and pitch putting the childe therein and laid it amongst the flags by the rivers side And his sister stood a farre off to see what would become of the childe And Pharaohs daughter coming downe the river with her maides to wash her selfe found the arke and sent her maids to fetch it and opening of it found the childe who wept and she had compassion on him and said This is one of the Hebrews children and Pharaohs daughter commanded the sister that watcht the childe to call an Hebrew woman to nurse it and she went and called the childes mother and Pharaohs daughter said unto her Take this childe and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages and the woman tooke the childe and nursed it and the childe grew and she brought him to Pharaohs daughter who took him for her son and called his name Moses because she drew him out of the water Now after he grew to yeares when the Israelites had hard burthens upon them he went out amongst them and seeing an Egyptian strike an Hebrew one of his brethren who warily looking about him and seeing no body he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand And the second day going abroad he saw two Hebrews at strif and he said to him that had done the wrong Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow who answered Who made thee a Judge over us Intendest thou to kill me as thou didst the Egyptian then Moses was afraid and when Pharaoh heard of it he sought to kill Moses but he fled from Pharaoh and dwelt in the land of Midian and there sitting downe by a well came seven daughters of the Midian Priest who drew water into troughs to water their fathers flock but there came other shepherds and drave them away But Moses stood up and helped them and watered their flockâ— who returning to their father he asked the reason they came so soone back and they told him that a certaine Egyptian had helped them and he commanded to call him to his house to eate bread who came and dwelt with him and he gave Moses Zipporah his daughter to wife by whom he had a sonne called Gershom Now after this Pharaoh died and the children of Israel were exceedingly grieved by reason of their great bondage and they cryed unto the Lord who heard them and remembred his covenant with Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Now Moses keeping the flock of his father in law and leading them to the back side of the desert he came to Horeb the mountaine of God where appeared unto him an Angel of the Lord in a flame of fire in the middle of a bush and Moses turned towards it to see why the bush was not burnt then God called unto him out of the middest of the bush and said Moses Moses draw not nigh hither put off thy shooes from off thy feet for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground and told him I am the God of thy father the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Then Moses hid his face for he was afraid to looke upon God and God said unto him I have seene the afflictions of my people which are in Egypt and have heard their cry by reason of their task-masters and told Moses that he would send him to Pharaoh and to bring his people of Israel out of Egypt and Moses said unto God Who am I that I should goe unto Pharaoh and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt and God told him he would be with him and that for a token thereof after he had brought them out of Egypt they should serve God upon that mountaine and Moses said unto God When I come unto the children of Israel how shall they beleeve me then said the Lord Say unto them I am hath sent me unto you But Moses answered and said Behold they will not beleeve me nor hearken unto my voyce and Moses having a Rod in his hand the Lord commanded him to cast it upon the ground and it became a serpent and Moses went from it And the Lord said unto him Put forth thy hand and take it by the taile the which he did and it became a Rod againe And the Lord said more to him Put thy hand into thy bosome the which he did and when he tooke it out his hand was leprous as snow and he said put thy hand into thy bosome againe the which he did and it became as it was before yet neverthelesse Moses was very scrupulous to goe Excusing himselfe that he wanted eloquence and was slow of tongue and the Lord said unto him Who hath made mans mouth who maketh the dumbe or deafe the seeing or the blind but I the Lord and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and then he appointed Aaron to joyne with him and to assist him in this great worke for the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt And so Moses returned to Jethro his father in law to desire leave to go into Egypt to see his brethren who bid him goe in peace And Moses returned towards Egypt with his wife and children and the Rod in his hand with command from God to doe wonders before the King of Egypt And Aaron met Moses in the mount of God and kissed him Moses telling him all the words of the Lord who had sent him and all the signes he had commanded him And then they two gathered all the Elders of Israel together and did the signes in sight of all the people who beleeved them and worshipped God for his goodnesse After that they went to Pharaoh desiring they and the children of Israel might hold a Fast unto the Lord in the wildernesse But he would not obey the message and voice of the Lord. And they said againe The God of the Hebrews hath met with us let us go we pray thee three dayes journey into the Desert to sacrifice unto our God lest he lay his plagues upon us of pestilence and sword but Pharaohs heart was hardned and would not let them goe and added more to their work whereof they complained mightily to Pharaoh But he said Ye are now idle therefore ye say Let us goe and doe sacrifice to the Lord and the people murmured at Moses because their task was greater since his coming to them and Moses was much troubled thereat Then the Lord spake unto Moses and told him of all his promises unto
beyond Jordane but ye shall passe over before your brethren armed to helpe them until the Lord hath given your brethren rest as formerly he hath given you and they answered Joshua saying All that thou commandest us we will doe and obey thee as we have done Moses and whosoever shall not observe thy commands let him dye onely be thou valiant And Joshua sent out two men as Spies to view the land and they came unto Jericho and lodged in the house of Rahab the harlot which was told to the King of Jericho and he sent unto Rahab to bring forth the men but she hid them and answered they had been there but she knew not who they were And in the evening the King sent out Scouts to pursue them 〈◊〉 Rahab had hid them in the top of her house and covered them with the stalkes of flaxe after the Scouts were gone out she came unto the men and said unto them I know the Lord hath given you the land for terors are fallen upon us and the whole land are afraid of you for we have heard how the Lord dryed up the water of the red sea for you when you came out of Egypt and what you did to the two Kings of the Amorites Sihon and Og whom you vtterly destroyed and therefore your Lord is the true God of heaven therefore in regard of my kindnesse unto you shew kindnes unto my fathers house and give me a token to save alive my father and my mother and my brethren and sisters and all they have and they answered her giue ns safety and when the Lord gives vs this Land we will deale kindly and lovingly with thee and her house standing vpon the towne wall she let them down by a cord and bade them be gone to the mountaine and hide themselves three dayes vntill the scouts returne and then go their way they said vnto her that we may remember thy love and our promise when we come unto this place tye this scarlet cord thou letst us down withall vnto thy window and thou thy father thy mother brothers sisters and all they have shall be safe But if any goe out of thy house at that time let his bloud be vpon his owne head for all shall be safe within but if thou utter this to any we will be quit of our promise and oath and they departed and they did observe her counsell hiding themselves three dayes and after came to Joshua and told him the state of things and of the feare of the Inhabitants about Jericho And Joshua hastened and came to Jordan with the children of Israel and after three dayes the officers of the hoast commanded the people that when they see the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord remove the Priests and Levites bearing it they should remove and go after it and to keepe a distance from it to know the way they must goe and Joshua said unto the people sanctifie your selves for to morrow the â—ord will do wonders amongst you and Joshua spake vnto the Priests to take up the Arke and go before the people the which they did and the Lord said vnto Joshua this day will I begin to magnifie thee in the sight of Israel that they may know that as I was with Moses so will I be with thee Command the Preists that beare the Ark when they come to the brink of Iordan to stand still and he said to the children of Israel hereby ye shall know that the living God is amongst you to driue out the heathen before you behold the Arke of the Covenant even the Lord of all the earth passeth over before you into Iordan Then the people removed from their tents to passe over Iordan the Priests bearing the Ark of the covenant before them and when they dipped their feet in the river the water rose on a heap and the people passed over dry over against â—ericho and when all the people were over the Lord commanded Josua to take twelue men according to the tribes and command them to take out of the midst of Iordan where the Preists feet stood twelue stones and carry them ouer and leaue them where you shal lodge this night the which Joshua did accordingly and they brought theÌ„ upon their shoulders and left theÌ„ to be a sign to after ages that the water of Iordan was cut off before the Arke of the covenant of the Lord when it passed over and the Arke stayd in Jordan vntill the people were passed over and that Joshua had commanded twelve stones in the river of Jordan where the Priests had set their feet to be placed but the children of Reuben and Gad and halfe the tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the children of Israel unto the plaines of Jericho being about 40000. and the Priests that bare the Ark of the Covenant were come out of Jordan the water returned to his place and those stones which they tooke out of Jordan did Joshua pitch in Gilgal for a token unto their childrens children that they came on dry land over Jordan as he did the red sea that all the earth might know the power of God and feare him for ever And all the Kings of the Canaanites and the Amorites that dwelt thereabout when they heard of this wonderfull worke were astonished and their hearts failed them and the Lord commanded Joshua to make sharpe kniues to circumcise the Israelites the second time the which he did performe at the hill of foreskins now all the people that came first out of Egipt were circumcised but they that were borne by the way as they came out of Egipt them they had not circumcised vntill now and they continued in the campe untill they were whole and the children of Israel encamped in Gilgal and kept the Passeover in the evening in the plaines of Jericho and they did eate of the old corne of the land the morrow after the Passeover unleavened cakes and parched corne and the Manna ceased but they did eat of the fruit of the land of Canaan And Joshua coming towards Jericho there stood a man over against him with his sword drawne in his hand and Joshua went unto him and said Art thou for us or for our enemies and he said Nay but as a Captaine of the hoste of the Lord am I now come and Joshua fell on his face to the earth and did worship saying unto him What saith my Lord unto his servant and the Captaine of the Lords hoste said unto Joshua Loose thy shooe from off thy foot for the place whereon thou standest is holy and Joshua did so Now Joshua straightly besieged Jericho so that none could goe out or come in and the Lord commanded Joshua with his army and 7. Priests to bear before the Ark 7. trumpets of Rams hornes and the seventh day to compasse the city 7. times and the Priests to blow the trumpets and the people to shout with a great shout and Joshua commanded them
therefore five Kings and all the strength they could make came and encamped before Gibeon they of the City having made their peace with Joshua sent presently for aid unto him then presently Joshua marched with a mighty army from Gilgal toward Gibeon all night and falling suddenly upon them gave them a great defeate and flying before Israel the Lord cast great stones from heaven upon them and kil'd more of them then the sword and the Sunne and Moone stood still that day untill the people had destroyed their enemies and Joshua and all Israel returned to Gilgal but the five Kings fled and hid them in a cave afterwards Joshua commanded they should bee brought forth then Joshua called for all the men of Israel and said unto the Captaines Come neare and put your feet upon the necks of these Kings and they did so and after Joshua commanded them to be hanged upon five trees and there they did hang untill the evening and being taken down Joshua commanded they should be cast into the cave where they were found and laid great stones to the caves mouth and Joshua conquered all the Countrey and put them to the sword for the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel and Joshua returned and all Israel with him unto the campe to Gilgal After this Jabin King of Hazar Jahab King of Madon and all the Kings north of the mountaines gathered themselves together and raised a marvellous great host and pitched themselves together by the waters of Merom to fight against Israel and Joshua came and all his people of war with him and came suddenly upon them by the waters of Merom and put them to a very great slaughter and chased them unto great Zidon and Mizpeh houghing their horses and burning their chariots and Joshua returned and took Hazor and kill'd the King thereof and did all things as the Lord commanded Moses his servant so did Moses command Joshua and so did Joshua So Joshua took the whole land according to all that the Lord said unto Moses and Joshua gave it for an inheritance unto Israel according to their divisions by their tribes and the land rested from warre chap. 18. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there for the land was subdued before them And the Lord appointed them by Joshua Cities of refuge that he that killeth a man unawares and unwittingly may flee thither for refuge and coming to that Citie he shall stand at the entering of the gate of the Citie and declare his cause to the Elders of that Citie and they shall receive him in and if he be followed thither they shall not deliver him back because he did the act unwittingly and hated him not before time And they appointed Kedesh in Gallole in mount Nepthale and Shechem in mount Ephraim and Hebron in the mountaine of Judah and on the other side Jordan by Jericho Bezer in the wildernesse out of the tribe of Reuben and Ramoth in Gilead out of the tribe of Gad and Golon out of the tribe of Manasseh These were the Cities appointed for all the children of Israel and for the strangers that sojourned among them that whosoever killeth any person at unawares may flee thither and not die by the avenger of blood untill â—e stand before the congregation Now after the land was conquered and every tribe settled in their severall divisions Joshua called for the Reubenites the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasseh and commended them for their valour and obedience to the Commandment of their Lord and said unto them Now the Lord hath given rest unto your brethren returne you unto the land of your possession which Moses the servant of God gave you on the other side of Jordane but be carefull to doe the commandements and the Law which Moses gave you and love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and with all your soules so Joshua blessed them and sent them away and they departed from the children of Israel out of Shiloh to go unto Gilead the land of their possession formerly by the hand of Moses and when they came to the borders of Jordan there they built an altar by Jordan and when the children of Israel heard thereof they gathered themselves together at Shiloh to goe and warre against them and they sent unto them Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the Priest and with him ten Princes of each tribe of Israel one and coming unto the children of Reuben Gad and Manasseh unto Gilead and said unto them Thus saith the congregation of the Lord What trespasse is this that ye have committed against the God of Israel to turne away from following the Lord in that ye have built you an altar Is the iniquitie of Peor too little for us from which we are not cleansed untill this day although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord if the Land you possesse be uncleane then come over to us where the tabernacle dwelleth and take possessions amongst us but rebell not against the Lord nor rebell against us in building you an altar beside the Altar of the Lord our God Did not Achan commit a sinne in the accursed thing and wrath fel on all the congegation of Israel and that man perished not alone in his iniquitie then the children of Reuben Gad and Manasseh answered them The Lord God of gods The Lord God of gods and Israel shall know that this is no rebellion in building this altar being not intended to offer thereon burnt offerings or meat offerings or peace offerings thereon but onely our reason was to set up a monument for feare of the time to come that your children might speake to our children What have you to do with the Lord God of Israel because the river Jordan hath divided us and so your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord and therefore we raised that altar not for burnt-of-ferings but that it may be a witnesse betweene us and you and our generations after us that we may doe the service of the Lord before him with our burnt offerings and with our sacrifices and with our peace offerings that your children may not say to our children in time to come Ye have no part in the Lord and therefore this altar we have made is a witnesse unto you and to your children hereafter God forbid that we should have any altar but that Altar of the Lord our God that is before the tabernacle and when Phineas the Priest the Princes of the congregation and the Elders of Israel heard this from them Phineas said unto them This day we perceive that the Lord is among us because ye have not committed this trespasse against the Lord and they returned unto the land of Canaan unto the children of Israel and they all rejoyced and blessed God and the children of Reuben Gad and Manasseh called the
sinne give mee grace to call timely unto thee yea to câ—me unto thee thou supream Judge of Israel even thou which dwelâ—est between the Cherubims and sits'â— under the Palm-tree thy blessed seate of mercie Look upon my distresse and deliver me from this sinne and that punishment that I so justly deserve for mine iniquity and deliver me from the powerfull enemy of my soul who seekes to corrupt destroy me either from the truth or power of thy word like Barak whose confidence was more in a fraile woman Deborah by her presence then in thy promises who art omnipotent Bring mee with the strength of thy grace to the holy mountaine of thy power and saving health strengthen my faith and confidence in thee to fight against this proud Sisera of sin my capitall enemie and send thy might from this thy holy mountaine of Tabor that by thy power graâ—â— I may be made able to overthrow and defeat all the disturbers of my soules health who lies so strongly in wait to destroy me with such worldly advantages by their River of Kishon Dissipate all the designes O Lord of all my spirituall enemies let them flie before thy wrath as Sisera did to the Tent of Jael and there let them perish in the snares of their own intended mischiefs to the innocent Retaine in mee a harmlesse and a pure conscience so shall I lie downe with safety and rest under thy happy protection with security to my soule and escape the like judgement that fâ—ll upon Sisera which is the reward of presumptuous and unrepentant sinners And for thy mercies let me praise thee in the innocency of a sincere soule for ever to serve and obey thee untill I shall be freed from this spirituall warfare here and be made happy to rejoyce with thee in that happinesse and bliss of eternity hereafter And let me magnifie thy Name with Deborah and Barak saying with them Praise yee the Lord for the avenging of Israel heare O ye Kings give eare O ye Princes I even I will sing unto the Lord I will sing praise unto the Lord God of Israel The mountaines melted from before the Lord even that Sinai from before the Lord God of Israel My heart is towards the Governours of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people blesse ye the Lord. Awake awake Deborah awake awake utter a song Arise Barak and lead thy Captivity captive thou son of Abinoam The river of KishoÌ„ swept them way that ancient River that River of Kishon O my soule thou hast trodden down strength So let all thine enemies perish O Lord but let them that love him be as the Sun when he goeth forth in his might THE HISTORY OF RUTH IN the time that the Judges ruled in Israel there was a Dearth in the Land upon which Elimelech of Bethlehem Judah went to sojourn in the Countrie of Moah with his Wife Naomi with their two sonnes where continuing a while Elimelech died and she remained with her sonnes who tooke them Wives of the Moabites the one was named Orpah the other Ruth who lived thereabout ten yeares where both these sonnes died after whose death Naomi hearing the Lord had given them bread in her owne Countrie thither shee returned with her two Daughters in Law into the Land of Judah then Naomi perswaded these her two Daughters in Law to return to their own Motherâ— houses desiring the Lord would shew the like favour 〈◊〉 them as they had done to the Dead and to her wishing them comfort in the house of their husbands and when shee had kissed them they wept But they desired still to continue with her to whom shee answered turne again my daughters for I shall have no more sonnes to be your husbands and pleaded much with them to return so Orpâ—â— departed but Ruth staied with her but still Naomi perswaded Ruth to goe but Ruth told her whither she did goe she would goe and where she dwelt she would dwell saying moreover thy people shall be my people and thy God my God where thou diest I will die and there will I be buried the Lord doe so to me and more also if ought but death part thee and me So when Naomiâ—aw â—aw her love steadfastnesse she brought her along with her to Bethlehem and it was in the beginning of Barly Harvest where Naomies deceased husband had a Kinsman of great power whose name was Boaz. Now Ruth desired her Mother in Law that she might goe with others to gleane who giving of her leave she went and gleaned after the Reapers and it happened to be in the field of Boaz who coming from Bethlehem he said to the Reapers the Lord be with you and they bad the Lord blesse him and hee seeing Ruth he asked the servant that oversee the reapers who she was who told him she was the Moabitish Maide that came with Naomi and how shee desired to gleane there Then said Boaz unto Ruth my daughter goe not into any other field but abide by my Maides go after them I have charged the servants that they touch thee not when thou 〈◊〉 thirst drink such as the servants have then she fell on her face and bowed to the ground and said unto him how have I found favour in thine eyes that thou shouldest know me seeing I am a stranger But hee told heâ— he heard what shee was and what she had done for her Mother in Law having left her Father Mother and her Countrie to come amongst strangers so the Lord recompence thy worke and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel under whose wings thou art come to trust then she said let me finde favour in thy fight my Lord for thou hast comforted me Then Boaz bad her come at meal-times to eate bread and so shee sat by the Reapers and hee reached her parched Corne and she did eate and he commanded she should gleane amongst the sheaves and so returning in the Evening with plenty to her Mother in Law shee asked her with whome she did gleane who told her it was in the Field of Boaz then said Naomi blessed be the Lord for hee ceaseth not to doe good to the living and to the dead telling Ruth hee was of her husbaÌ„ds kindred did wish her not to gleane in any other place but with the Maides of Boaz. Now Naomi did love Ruth exceedingly she finding her goodnesse and constancy and said unto her shall not I seek rest for thee my Daughter that thou maiest prosper saying is not Boaz out Kinsman and this night hee winnoeth Barly wash and anoint thy selfe and put on thy Raiment and get thee down thither let him not know of thee untill hee have left eating and drinking and when he shall sleep mark where he lyeth downe and uncover the place of his feete lie thee down and hee shall tell thee what thou shalt doe And Ruth did according to her directions Now when Boaz
had eat drunk and cheared his heart he lay down by the heap of corn she came softly and uncovering his feet lay downe and he awaking about midnight and feeling one he was affraid Then he said who art thou she answered Ruth thy hand-maid spread therefore the wing of thy garment over me for thou art the Kinsman Then said hee Blessed be thou of the Lord my daughter thou hast shewed more goodnesse in the latter end then at the beginning inasmuch as thou followedst not young men were they poore or rich And now my daughter fear not I will doe what thou requirest for all the City of my people know thee that thou art a vertuous woman Telling her that true it was he was her kinsman but there was one nearer so bade her lye there all night and if in the morning hee would doe the duty of a Kinsman to marry her well and good but if he would not he would then doe the duty of a Kinsman himselfe So she lying at his feet untill the morning she arose early he desiring that none should know that any woman had been there so he calling for her sheet giving her fix measures of barley and returning to the Citie she came to her Mother in law and gave her the corne telling her all the passages betweene Boaz and her selfe So shee bade Ruth sit still untill shee heard further of the thing telling her how hee would not rest untill the thing were done Then without delay Boaz went up to the gate of the City to whom came this Kinsman named to Ruth Boaz desiring him to sit down likewise ten Elders of the City came and sate downe with them Then said Boaz to this Kinsman Naomi is come out of the country of Moab who will sell a parcell of land that was our brother Elemelicks and so proffered it unto him being of nearest in kindred to redeem it before them Elders If he would not that himselfe being the next he would Then he said he would redeem it Then said Boaz if thou buyest it of Naomi thou must also buy it of Ruth the Moabitis the wife of the dead to stirre up the name of the dead upon his inheritance the which this Kinsman refused saying if hee did so he should destroy his owne and so put off that his right to Boaz and to confirme it according to the custome then he put off his shooe and gave it to him which confirmed the agreement Then Boaz called them all to witnesse of this contract wherein he likewise did buy Ruth the Wife of Mahlon to be his Wife to stir up the name of the dead All which the Elders did witnes who prayed unto God that Ruth might be to him like Rachel and Leah which two did build the house of Israel and that he might be famous in Bethlehem and that by the seede of Ruth his house might be like Pharez whom Thamer bare unto Judah So Boaz took Ruth to his wife and the Lord gave her a son and the women said to Naomi blessed be the Lord which hath not lest thee this day without a kinsman And his name shall be continued in Israel and this shall bring thy life again and cherish thine old age for thy daughter in law which loveth thee hath born unto him she is better unto thee then seven sons And Naomi tooke the child and laid it in her lap and became nurse unto it and the women gave it a name calling it Obed which after was the father of Ishai the father of David the King PRAYERS UPON THE History of RUTH O Lord in the prosperities adversities of this world thou hast thy waies of mercie unto us as it befell unto the children of Israel even in their famines what blessings diddest thou give theÌ„ by their perigrinations into other Lands and how diddest thou from time to time not only provide for their bodily sustinance but likewise for their spirituall welfare both in Aegypt and other places And O Lord no less was thy extraordinary mercy unto Naomi by her journey in the time of famine unto Moab with her husband and children whom though by the course of nature death deprived her of theÌ„ yet thou diddest raise up unto her a most happy daughter in law even Ruth O Lord this is the generall current of thy continuall mercy unto us and nothing makes us so unhappy as the want of the fight consideration of that which daily befalls us through the course of our fraile life Therefore open thou mine eyes that I may see these thy mercies unto me for ever praise thee for thy goodness The constant resolution and charity of Ruth unto her Mother in law is for our imitation as the very true example of love and pitty it being the more full of goodness and rarity they being of two severall Nations and Religions O Lord give me such happy love and pitty as was in this thy servant Ruth with her resolution in the pursute of all good things which may tend to thy glory and worship let no worldly perswasions or reasons draw me from my way to Bethlehem in the land of thy promised happinesse but with the good and vertuous let me follow their steps as Ruth did Naomi that thou their God mayst be my God and that I may turne from my worldly and Moabitish affections attain to the happy serving of thee in Judah so shall I live and dye amongst the righteous by this thy mercie and help unto my weakenesse And as nothing but death could part Ruth from Naomi so good Lord let my soule so love and feare thee as to my last breath my hope comfort and confidence may rest in thee alone undividable O Lord furnish me with such happines as was in Ruth by her charity and humble deportment for which as thy blessing was upon this thy own gift of mercy unto her so she had the happinesse of a good esteem in the world shee being so full of modesty and vertue Give me O Lord such piety as may bee pleasing unto thee with such humility harmless courtesie as may gaine the love and good opinion of my neighbours O Lord grant unto mee such perfect frendship with my friend as was between Naomi Ruth with such loving and plain intentions so by thy goodnesse and mercie shall I enjoy such love comfort content as was between them to their dying daies O Lord all thy works are so full of wonder as wee cannot sufficiently admire them as it was by thy provideÌ„ce to bring Ruth unto Judah not only through so many stops by confirming her good purpose so now so strangely to bring her to glean in the field of Boaz whereby such a happiness did befall her not only for worldly respects â—ut likewise even in a heavenly happiness by the marriage and issue she had by Boaz. O Lord my God my ingratitude would cast me even into hell without recovery if I
King Eliakim and divers others and Rabshakeh said unto them Say ye unto Hezekiah Thus saith the great King of Assyria What confidence is this wherein thou trustest and spake other great words and blasphemed against the God of Israel and demanding pledges for his Master the King of Assyria Then said Eliakim unto him I pray thee speake unto thy servants in the Syrian tongue for we understand it and speake not to us in the Jewes language in the eares of the people that are upon the wall But Rabshakeh said Hath my Master sent me to thy Master and to thee to speake these words Hath not he sent me unto the men that sit upon the wall that they may eate their owne dung and drinke their owne pisse with you and he spake this with a loud voice in the Jewes language and said more Thus saith the King of Assyria Let not Hezekiah deceive you for he shall not be able to deliver you neither let him make you trust in the Lord or think he can deliver you hearken not to the King but come you out with a present and make your agreement that ye may eate under your owne vines and drink in your owne cisterns but the people held their peace answering him not a word for so the King commanded them then came Eliakim and the rest that were sent out to Hezekiah with their clothes rent and told him the words of Rabshakeh when the King heard it he rent his clothes and put on sackcloth and went into the hose of the Lord and he sent Eliakim and the Elders of the Priests covered with sackcloth unto Isaiah the Prophet the sonne of Amos. And they told him of the blasphemy and threatening of Rabshakeh and the Prophet answered them Thus shall you say unto your Master Thus saith the Lord Be not afraid of the words wherewith Rabshakeh hath blasphemed me Behold I will send a blast upon him and he shall heare a rumour and returne to his owne land and there he shall fall by the sword and the King of Assyria being gone from Lachish to fight with the King of Ethiopia he sent messengers to Hezekiah to say unto him Let not thy God in whom thou trustest deceive thee saying Jerusalem shall not be given into the hand of the King of Assyria as well as other lands and Hezekiah received the Letter from the hand of the messengers and after he had read it he went into the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord and prayed unto him saying O Lord of hosts God of Israel that dwellest betweene the Cherubins thou art the God even thou alone of all the kingdoms of the earth thou hast made heaven and earth encline thine eare O Lord and heare open thine eyes O Lord and see and heare all the words of Senacherib which hath sent to reproach the living God Now therefore O Lord our God save us from his hand that all the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou art the Lord even thou onely Then Isaiah the sonne of Amos sent unto Hezekiah saying Whereas he had prayed unto the Lord against Senacherib the Lord would neare him and put a hooke in â—is nose and a bridle in his lips and turne him backe by the way he came and that he should not come into the city of Jerusalem nor shoot an arrow there nor cast a banke or trench against it but would defend and preserve the city for his owne sake and for his servant Davids sake and the Angel of the Lord went forth and smote in the Camp of the Assyrians one hundred foure score and five thousand so Senacherib King of Assyria departed and returned and dwelt at Niniveh and after it came to passe as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god that Adramelech and Sharezar his sons smote him with the sword and they escaped into the land of Armenia and Esarhaddon his sonne reigned in his steed And in those dayes was Hezekiah King of Israel sick unto the death and Isaiah the Prophet came unto him and said Thus saith the Lord Set thine house in order for thou shalt die then Hezekiah turned his face towards the wall prayed unto the Lord Saying Remember now O Lord I doe beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and he wept exceedingly then came the word of the Lord to Isaiah saying Goe and say to Hezekiah Thus saith the Lord the God of David thy father I have heard thy prayer and have seene thy teares Behold I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares and I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the King of Assyria And this shall be a signe unto thee from the Lord I will bring againe the shadow of the degrees which is gone downe in the Sunne-dyall of Ahaz ten degrees backward and Hezekiah praised the Lord for his mercy saying The Lord was ready to save me therefore will I sing my song to the stringed instruments all the daies of my life in the house of the Lord and Isaiah gave order to apply unto him a lump of figs and lay it as a plaster upon his boyle which did heale him About that time Merodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan King of Babylon sent a letter and presents unto Hezekiah hearing he had been sicke and the King was glad of their coming and entertained them with great courtesie and shewed them all his precious things the silver gold spices and the precious ointments his armour and all that could be seene in his house or his dominions Then came Isaiah the Prophet unto King Hezekiah and said unto him What said these men and from whence came they and Hezekiah said They came even from Babylon then said he What have they seene in thine house and Hezekiah answered I have shewed them all in my treasures and nothing have I hid from them then said Isaiah unto him Heare the word of the Lord of hosts Behold the dayes will come that all that is within thine house and that which thy fathers have laid up in store untill this day shall be carried to Babylon nothing shall be left saith the Lord and of thy sonnes which shall issue from thee shall they take away and they shall be Eunuches in the palace of the King of Babylon And according to this prophesie many yeares after it came to passe Jeremiah living at that time when Nebuchadnezar came to besiege Jerusalem he told them what would befall but the Princes were wroth with him and put him in prison after he had beene there many dayes Zedekiah the King sent and tooke him out and the King asked him secretly Is there any word from the Lord and Jeremiah said There is for thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the King of Babylon therefore heare me O my lord the king let my sute come unto thee that I may not returne to prison where I
clothes rent and with earth upon his head and when he came Eli sate upon a seat by the way side watching for his heart trembled for the Ark of God and when it was told unto the city they all cryed out and the man came to Eli telling him hee came out of the Army then said Eli what is done there my sonne the messenger answered Israel is fled before the Philistines and there hath been a great slaughter thy two sonnes Hophni and Phineas are dead and the Ark of God is taken and when Eli heard mention of the Ark of God he fell backward from his seat by the side of the gate and brake his neck and died he was then 98 yeares old and blind and heavy of body and he had judged Israel forty yeares and his daughter in law the wife of Phineas being with child and near her time hearing the Ark of God was taken fell into travaile and being delivered of a sonne a little before her death they would have comforted her herewith but she did not regard it but she named the child Jehabod saying the glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken And the Philistines took the Ark of God and brought it to Ashdod and set it in the house of Dagon and set it by Dagon and when they came in the morning into the house they found Dagon fallen uppon his face to the earth before the Ark of the Lord and they set him up in his place again coming the next morning early Dagon was fallen upon his face againe to the ground before the Arke of the Lord and was broken upon the threshold onely the stumpe of Dagon was left for which the Priests of Dagon nor the people ever after did tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod but the hand of the Lord was heavy upon them of Ashdod and all the coastes thereabout and they were destroyed and smote with Emrods and when they saw the judgement upon them they said the Ark of the God Israel shall not abide with us for his hand is sore upon us and upon Dagon our God and they assembled themselves together and concluded to carry the Ark of the Lord unto Gath and they carried it about thither and that city was likewise smitten with the hand of God with a great destruction and they had Emrods in their secret parts therefore they sent the Ark of God to Ekron and they cryed out saying you have brought the Ark of the God of Israel to us to destroy us and our people and all the Lords people of the Philistines gathered together said send away the Ark of the God of Israel and let it goe again to his own place that we be not utterly destoyed for there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city and the men that died not were smitten with Emrods and the cry of the city went up to heaven and the Ark of the Lord was with the Philistines 7 months and they called their Priests and Divines together to conclude how they should send the Ark away and they said send it not empty but in any wise return unto the God of Israel a trespasse offering then yee shall be healed then said they what shall be the trespasse offering which we shall return to him they answered five golden Emrods and five golden mice according to the number of the Philistine Lords for one plague was on you all and on your Lords and you shall make Images of your Emrods and Images of the mice that hurt the land and give glory unto the God of Israel to take his hand off you your Gods and your land and doe not you harden your hearts as the Aegyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts when he wrought wonderfully among them did they not let the people goe and they departed Now therefore make a new cart and take two milch kine on which there hath come no yoke tye the kine to the cart and bring the claves home from them and take the Ark of the Lord and lay it upon the cart and put the jewels of gold which ye return for a trespasse offering in a coffer and tye by the side thereof and send it away and see if it goe by the way of his own coaste to Bethshemesh if so then he hath done us the great evill But if not and that it goe another way we will take it as a chance that happened to us and they did do what was commanded them and laid the Ark upon the cart and the coffer with the Jewels and the kine took the streight way of Bethshemesh and went lowing along the high way and turned not aside the Lords of the Philistines went after them and they of Bethshemesh were reaping their wheat and seeing the Ark they rejoyced to see it and the cart came into the field of Joshuah a Bethshemite and stood there where there was a great stone and they clave the wood of the cart and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the Lord and the Levites took downe the Ark of the Lord and the coffer with the Jewels and put them on a great stone and the men of Bethshemesh offered burnt offerings and sacrificed the same day unto the Lord. And when the Lords of the Philistines had seen those things they returned to Ekron and the stone whereon they set the Ark is called the great stone of Abell which is in the field of Joshuah the Bethshemite and the Lord smote the men of Bethshemesh because they had looked into the Ark of the Lord even fifty thousand men and the people lamented and they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim to fetch up the Ark unto them and they came and fetched the Ark of the Lord unto them and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hil and sanctified Eleazer his sonne to keep the Ark of the Lord and there it continued twenty yeares and all the house of Israel lamented after the Lord. And long after twenty yeares David gathered all the chosen men of Israel and went with them from Baal of Judah to bring up the Ark of the Lord of hosts that dwelleth between the Cherubins and they set the Ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab and Uzzah and Ahio the sonnes of Abinadab drove the cart and Ahio went before the Ark and David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of firre wood on Harps and Psalters Timbrels Cornets and Cimbals and when they came to Nachons threshing floore Uzzah put forth his hand to the Ark of God and took hold of it for the Oxen shook it and the anger of the Lord was kindled against Vzzah and God smote him there for his error and he died by the Ark of God and David was afraid of the Lord upon the death of Uzzah and would not remove the Ark of the Lord unto