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
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
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
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
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
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
that I have made them But Noah found grace in the eys of the Lord for he was a just man and perfect in his generations Noah had three sons Sem Ham and Japhet and the earth was corrupt before God and filled with violeÌ„ce And God said unto Noah The end of all flesh is come before me for the world is filled with iniquity violence Behold I wil destroy them with the Earth Make thee an Arke with roomes in it and pitch it within and without and fashion it as I direct thee a window and a doore shalt thou make in it make it with a lower a second and a third story For behold I wil bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh and every thing that is in the earth shall die But with thee will I establish my covenant thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy sons and thy wife thy sons wives with thee And of every living thing of all flesh male female shalt thou bring into the Ark to keep them alive with thee and take in with thee food of all sorts for thee and for them And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him and when the Ark was finished the Lord said unto him Come thou and all thy house into the Arke for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation And bring into the Arke of every clean beast by sevens and of unclean by 2. male and female and of fowls by seven to keepe â—eede alive upon the face of the earth for after seven days I will cause it to raine upon the earth 40. days 40. nightsâ—and Noah did as the Lord commaÌ„ded him He was 600. years old when the flood was upon the earth and after he and his family were entered into the Arke and all other living creatures as 't was commanded the flood came upon the earth and the Ark was born above the waters and went upon the face of it and the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth and all the high hils that were under heaven were covered and all flesh dyed that moved upon the earth and the waters prevailed one hundred and fifty dayes upon the earth but after God made a winde to pass over the earth and the waters asswaged And after the hundred and fifty dayes the waters were abated and the Ark rested upon the mountaines of Ararat and after forty dayes Noah opened the window of the Ark and sent out a Raven which went forth too and fro untill the waters were dryed up from off the earth also he sent forth a Dove to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground but the Dove found no rest for the sole of her feet but returned to the Ark. But after seven days more he sent forth the Dove again the Dove came in to him in the evening and in her mouth was an Olive leafe so by that Noah knew the waters were abated upon the earth After that hee staid seven dayes more and sent the Dove out againe which returned no more unto him then Noah removed the covering of the Ark and looked behold the face of the earth was dry and God commanded Noah to come out of the Arke and all that was within it the which he did and after he built an Altar unto the Lord offered burnt offerings on the Altar which was pleasing to the Lord and the Lord blessed the earth again and promised never to destroy it by water any more and set the Rainbow as a signe thereof And the Lord blessed Noah and his sons and Noah began to be a Husbandman and he planted a Vineyard and he drank of the wine and was drunke and was uncovered within his tent And Ham the father of Canaan saw the nakednesse of his father and told his two brethren without then Sem and Japhet took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders and went backwards and covered the nakedness of their father and would not look upon his nakednesâ— but when Noah did awake and knew what his younger son bad done he said Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty yeares and all the dayes of Noah were nine hundred and fifty yeares and he dyed MEDITATIONS upon Noah O Lord make me sensible of the grievousnesse of sin aâ—d of the punishments that follow such transgressions let this example of the old world in the time of Noah teach me to looke into my selfe that I may see mine owne iniquities and the corruptions of my heart and give me O Lord true repentance and contrition that I be not drowned in the deluge of my sinfulness but receive me with thy servant Noah into the Ark of thy saving mercy and good Lord let me not be like those secure sinfull persons that built the Ark ' and they themselves perished to give instructions to others and my selfe to fall into impiety to be left out of thy holy Ark of thy saving grace or out of the blessings of thy holy Church and so come at last to perish in my sinnes O Lord whiles I am in this ark of materiall safety and refuge keep me thy servant safe from the danger of shipwrack and leaking in the faith and unity of the â—hurch not to distrust thy providence in this Ark though I live and subsist among the bruit beasts wild creatures of this world who be as the Psalmist speaketh like the horse mule that have no understaÌ„ding Send the Dove of thy holy spirit with the olive branch of thy strength and comfort unto me that may bring joyfull tidings unto my soul of that happinesse which I may expect when I shall be enlarged out of this flesh Bring thy Arke thy Church O Lord out of the troublesome waters of affliction persecution that now so grievously tosse and disturb that poor modell that it may rest upon the safe mountaines of Ararat in the full power of thy mercifull redemption In thy due time take from over my understanding the covering of the ark that I may discerne the pleasure of that heavenly habitation which thou hast prepared for my soule and that I may with a particular evidence of faith and piety passe out of this Ark thy Church militant to thy Church triumphant in heaven and let mee build here an altar of thanksgiving with the incense of zeale burning in my heart to praise thee for all thy mercies and goodness towards me And good Lord whiles I live here the small remainder of my dayes let me not he overcome with intemperate desires or sin in the wrong use of these thy creatures that thou hast ordained for my miserable life but to use them soberly without drunkennesse or any excesse that thereby I may be the better enabled by the comforts of them to serve thee in the moderate use thereof and all other thy
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
helpe as it befell once more unto Abraham in Gerer by calling his Wife sister O Lord keep me thy servant from relapsing into deadly sinnes yea in the least offence against thee as he did by this his infirmity And in my wicked intentions and thy just punishments for them deale with mee as thou diddest with Abimilech to repent and leave off before sin fully passes me Keepe me O Lord from a scoffing and mocking condition as was in Ishmael lest I be made a scorne amongst my friends and bee thrust from the society of the discreet Let me O Lord admire and imitate the great faith and resolution of this thy servant Abraham the father of the faithfull give me grace cheerefully and faithfully to goe towards that holy Morah and there to sacrifice my soule and what is most neare and deare unto me to thee to carry that soveraine wood to inkindle 〈◊〉 zeale in mee and the sacred and sharp kniâ—e to cut off the branches of my iâ—bred corruptions and fleshly love and let the two servants the World the Devill stay behind that they may not hinder my good purpose and obedience to thy commands and so by this blessed resolution and sincerity I shall receive thy mercie and a timely offering from thee as Abraham had the Ram with the comfort of thy heavenly grace and blessings still more more to â—â—nforme and strengthen me in a holy progresse towards thee O Lord. Great was this faith in Abraham the Father and perfect was the obedience of Isaac his sonne But oh the incomprehensible goodnesse and mercy of our God and heavenly Father and his sonne my Saviour by that his humiliation and obedience This omnipotent God brought this his only begotten Son unto Mount-Calvary where neither Ramme nor Bullocke was sufficient for that Sacriâ—ice which was for our Redemption but that Lamb of God who tooke away the sinnes of the world he humbled himselfe and was offered as a sacrifice for our sins upon the Crosse whose blood was far more precious theÌ„ that of Rams for this most precious holy and unvaluable blood is the cure of our corrupttd soules by washing away the foule spots of sin Oh was ever the like obedience or ever any love like to this O Lord as the two servants whom Abraham left below the mountaine might wonder at the resolution of their Master his son's obedience so let my soul and body that desires to serve thee in imitation of these two servants with much humility waiting in the bottome and valley where thou hast appointed us to stay with wonder aâ—mire thy goodnesse mercie for this thy fatherly mercie unto us and thy Son's goodnesse and obedience for us for this is mercie beyond measure to us most miserable sinners O Lord it is far beyond the apprehension of sinful man to comprehend this thy so infinite goodnesse and mercie therefore let mee for ever with admiration looke up to heaven from whence thou descendedst to do this so unspeakable a work of pitty mercie and looke downe into my self who was the cause of this severe suffering and see my owne unworthinesse so by seeing this thy incomprehensible goodnesse and my own vilenesse in the humblenesse of my heart mith admiration of thy goodnesse that I may magnifie thy Name for ever O Lord and let sorrow compuÌ„ction for my sins be my companions for ever Let mee O God see the foulness of sin and shun it with perfect hatred it being of that danger to mee and such an offence against thee O Lord even of such a dangerous consequence as nothing could sufficiently satisfie for it but that all-sufficient and great sacrifice upon the Crosse even by such a holy oblation as thy selfe O rightâ—ous God for sinfull man Therefore let the consideration of the shame and pain thou sufferedst upon that Tree make me be ashamed to offend thee Crucifie all the wicked and vaine affections that reigne in my corrupted flesh and bring me in true obedience unto thee O thou Redeemer and Saviour of the world give me patience and moderate sorrow for the loss of near friends as Abraham was for Sarah his wife and to have a charitable venerable regard unto them as Abraham had by the decent burying of Sarah O Lord with Abraham make me carefull for the lawfull and discreet disposing of my children as he did for Isaac And grant that thy good Angel may goe before me in such actions and thy good inspirations so to guide me not only for the earthly marriage of my sonne but likewise that I may so use and enjoy these earthly comforts here as that at last I may bee brought to that blessed marriage in heaven which happinesse there Abraham Isaac and Jacob with the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs and Professors of the true faith enjoy for all Eternity THE HISTORY of ISAAC THE servant of Abraham having taken his journey according to the direction of Abraham his Master for the obtaining of a Wife for Isaac and said he began his journey having in his charge ten Camels with such goods delivered unto him by Abraham as were fit for his journey who journeyed came to a City called Nahur where comming he there made his Camels to lie downe without the City by a well of water being eventide the time that women used to come for water and then he said O Lord God of my Master Abraham I beseech thee send me good speed this day shew thy mercy to him Loe I stand by the well of water whiles the daughters of the City come hither grant that the Maid to whoÌ„ I say bow downe thy pitcher I pray thee that I may drinke If she say drink and I will give thy Camels drink also let her be she that thou hast ordained for thy servant Isaac and thereby shall I know that thou hast shewed mercy on my Master Now while hee was speaking Rebeckah the daughter of Bethuel came out with her pitcher upon her shoulder who was very fair and a Virgin and going downe into the Well and filling her pitcher and comming up the servant ran and met her saying let me drinke I pray thee a little water of thy pitcher Then she hastily put the pitcher to her hand and gave him to drink saying moreover I will draw likewise some water for thy Camels that they may drinke and then she ran againe to the Well and drew water for the Camels So the man wondred at her but held his peace to know whether the Lord had made his journey prosperous or not And when the Camels had left drinking the man took a golden Abilloment and two bracelets with ten sheckles of gold and gave them her and he asked her whose daughter she was saying I pray thee tell mee as likewise if there be any roome in thy Fathers house to lodge in she answered I am the daughter of Bethuel whom she bare to Nahor Moreover she said we have litter
and provender enough room to lodge in and the man bowed himselfe and worshipped the Lord saying blessed be the Lord God of my Master Abraham which hath not with-drawne his mercie and his truth from him for when I was in the way the Lord hath brought mee to my masters brothers house She then hearing this ran straight home and told her brother Laban therof who came presently to the man and said unto him come in thou blessed of the Lord wherefore standest thou without seeing I have prepared the roome for thy selfe and thy Camels so he unsadled the Camels giving them litter and provender Then hee and the men that came with him washed their feet and meat was set before him but he would not eate untill he had delivered his message Then hee related how hee was servant to Abraham and how God had blessed him exceedingly in goods money servants and how he had a sonne by Sarah in her old age to whom his Master had given all his estate with all such Circumstances as Abraham had commanded him as aforesaid with such passages as was between Rebecka and him at the Well and how he then gave her the Abiloments and Bracelets Then hee said further unto them if you will deale mercifully and truly with my Master tell me if not tell me that I may turn me to the right hand or to the left Then answered Laban ct Bethuel that this thing is provided of the Lord wee cannot therefore say unto thee neither evill or good Behold she is before thee take her and goe that she may be thy Masters sons wife as the Lord hath said Then hee bowed himself towards the earth unto the Lord and gave unto Rebecka jewels of gold and Raiments as likewise gifts unto her Mother and her Brother and then did eate tarrying there all night Now in the morning when he was ready to depart they desired Rebecka might stay only ten days with them but he said in regard God had prospered his journey hee desired forth-with to goe to his Master Then they desired to know Rebecka's minde and have her consent whose answer was she would goe and so when they had blessed her they let her goe and her Nurse likewise So this servant with Rebecka and her maid-servants tooke their journey riding upon the Camels Now Isaac being walking abroad in the fields to pray in the evening and looking about him see these Camels comming toward him and so soon as Rebecka see him she lighted from her Camell and asking the servant who it was that was comming toward them he said it was his Master so she tooke a vaile and covered her selfe Then the servant telling him what he had Isaac took her to his Mother Sarah's Tent and she was his Wife whom he loved After this Abraham dying Isaac and Ishmael buryed him with Sarah his wife after whose death Isaac dwelt in Beerlahai Roy and Ishmael dying at the age of one hundred thirty and seven years was gathered unto his people Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebecka who continued for a while barren but hee prayed to the Lord who heard him and she conceived and at the time of birth being with child of two they did strive in her womb and she prayed unto the Lord. And the Lord said unto her two Nations are in thy wombe and two manner of people shall bee divided out of thy bowels one people shal be mightier then the other and the elder shall serve the younger So at the time of the delivery the first that came out was red and all over rough him they called Esau and after came the other whose hand held Esau by the heele who was called Jacob and then was Isaac threescore years old Now these two growing into yeares Esau became a cunning Hunter and lived in the fields but Jacob was a plaine man and lived in Tents And Isaac loved Esau for Venison was his meate but Rebecka loved Jacob. Now Esau comming one day very hungry weary out of the fields Jacob had made some pottage of which Esau desired to eate for which Jacob desired Esau's birth-right who answered loe I am almost dead what is then this birth-right to mee so hee sware unto Jacob to give it him and contemning of it hee sold it then gave Jacob unto him some bread and Lentill Pottage and so went away And alter it came to pass that there was a Famine in the land and by the appointment of God Isaac he went to Gerar and there the Lord appeared unto him confirming his promise to Abraham his Father and to the seede of Isaac And being at Gerar Rebecka being very beautifull the men thereabouts did much look after her insomuch as Isaac being affraid he said she was his sister And it came to passe one day Isaac being sporting with her Abimilech King of the Philistines looking out of a window did espy it and called to Isaac said to him surely she is thy Wife and why dost thou say she is thy Sister to whom hee answered that he was affraid of his life Then said the King why hast thou done this If any one of my people had lyen with her thou shouldst have brought sin upon us Then Abimilech charged all his people saying he that toucheth this man or his Wife shall dye the death After this Isaac living in this Land and sowing Corne the encrease was a hundred fold and his Cattell did encrease exceedingly So having a mighty houshold and growing so great the Philistines did envy him insomuch as they filled up the wels which were digged in his Father Abraham's time And being grown so rich and potent Abimilech bade him be gone saying Thou art mightier then wee a great deal Therefore Isaac departed and pitched his Tent in the valley at Gerar and there dwelt and opened the Wells again that the Philistines had stopped calling them by the names that Abraham his Father had given them and his servants digging in the valley found there a Well of living water for which there was strife betweene them and the Herdmen of Gerer they saying it was theirs After this they digged another Well and there was strife for that likewise After this they digged another for which there was no strife So from thence hee went to Beersheba where the Lord appeared unto him the same night and confirmed unto him the blessings and promise to Abraham his Father and his seede and there he built an Altar calling upon the name of the Lord. Then came unto him Abimilech with his friend and a Captaine of his Army to whom Isaac said why come ye to me seeing you put mee out from you who answered him wee saw the Lord was with thee and we used thee kindly and sent thee away in peace and therefore let there be now a Covenant betweene us and let it be done the blessed of the Lord doe this Then hee feasted them and they arose betimes in the
morning and sware one to another departing in peace and amity Now when Esau was forty yeares old hee took to wife Judeth a Hittite and Beshemath another Hittite likewise who were a griefe of minde to Isaac and Rebecka Now Isaac growing old and his sight failing of him he called for Esau his eldest sonne who came unto him to whom he said I am now old and know not the day of my death wherefore I pray thee take thy bow and goe into the field and kill mee some Venison and make me some savory meate and bring it me that I may blesse thee before I dye the which accordingly Esau went about to doe Now Rebecka hearing what Isaac had said after Esau was gone into the field she told Jacob what Isaac had said and pointed Esau to doe and how he intended to blesse him before his death So she commanded him saying goe to the flocke and from thence bring two Goat-kids to make pleasant meate for thy Father that hee may blesse thee then said Jacob to his Mother that his brother Esau was rough and himselfe smooth by which if his Father should feel he should seeme to mock him so should he bring a curse upon himselfe in stead of a blessing but shee said let the curse be upon me So he went and brought them to his Mother who made pleasant meat thereof such as Isaac loved then she put upon him furre cloath's of Esau's which were in the house and covered his hands and the smooth of his necke with the skins of the Kids and so putting the meat bread into his hands he comming to his Father said my Father who answered I am here who art thou my sonne and Jacob said I am Esau thy first borne I have done as thou bid'st mee arise I pray thee sit up and eate of my Venison that thy soul may blesse mee to whom Isaac said how hast thou found it so quickly my sonne who answered because the Lord thy God brought it to my hand Then said Isaac unto him come neare that I may feele thee my sonne whether thou be my sonne Esau or not then Jacob came near him who felt him and said the voyce is Jacob's but the hands Esau's wherefore he blessed him Then he again asked him if he were Esau who answered him hee was then hee called for the Venison to eate that he might blesse him the which was brought by Jacob who did eat as likewise he drank wine After which hee called Jacob unto him to kisse him who did so then he smelled the savour of his garment and blessed him saying the smell of my sonne is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed and when Isaac had made an end of blessing Jacob hee departed from his Father After which Esau comming from hunting came to his Father who asking whom hee was told him it was Esau his first borne sonne whereat Isaac was struck with great feare then hee told Esau of what had been done and how hee had blessed his brother that brought meat unto him and that hee should be blessed then Esau hearing this cryed bitterly Then Isaac 〈…〉 behold I have made 〈◊〉 Lord and all his Brethren 〈◊〉 made his servants Also 〈◊〉 wheat wine have I furnished him and unto thee now 〈◊〉 what shall I doe Then 〈◊〉 said unto him hast thou 〈◊〉 blessing my father blesse 〈◊〉 me also my Father and 〈◊〉 lift up his voice and wept 〈◊〉 Isaac said unto him that 〈…〉 of the land should be his â—welling place and to have the 〈◊〉 of heaven from above and 〈◊〉 time hee should break off 〈◊〉 others yoak from off his 〈◊〉 After this Esau hated Jacob intended afterwards to kill him of which â—â—â—becka hearing did forewaâ—â— Jacob and wished him to flye 〈◊〉 Haran to her brother 〈◊〉 for safety untill Esau's 〈◊〉 was over After this Isaac called for Jaâ—â—◠〈◊〉 when he had blessed him gave him a châ—â—ge not to marry any of the daughters of Canaan but presently 〈◊〉 to the house of Bethuel his â—â—â—hers Father and take to 〈◊〉 of the daughters of Laban 〈◊〉 others brother and so after he had blessed him with a 〈…〉 blessing he sent him 〈…〉 Laban Many yeares after this Jacob came unto his â—ather Isaac who was at Mamre which is Hebron where in the hundred and fourescore yeare of his 〈◊〉 he gave up the Ghost and was gathered unto to his people his sons Esau and Jacob burying him PRAYERS upon the History of ISAAC O Lord in thy mercy direct assist and prepare for mee through the passages of this world and in all my journeyes as thou diddest for that faithfull servant and Steward of Abraham's Make me carefull discreet and honest in all my actions and deportments as this good Steward was unto Abraham in his undertakings So concerning my soule and that so certaine a passage to eternity prepare me O Lord and let my care therein transcend all thought of earthly cares in this journey which so nearely concernes eternall happinesse or woe Guide me in what I goe about grant O God that I may take nothing in hand but what may please thee and give unto me O Lord thy blessing in the prosecution with a thankefull heart unto thee for thy goodnesse with this good servant whose prayers and praises thou did'st heare Oh let me admire thy providence and power in this thy worke at the Well to this servant and by it let mee consider how mercifully and strangely thou bringst things to pass even amongst us though not so pointed out by thy holy immediate finger as this particular O bring mee to thy happy Wel-spring of thy happinesse O Lord the comfort of thy holy grace to refresh direct me even that which so farre exceeds all transitory consolations And if this Steward did so much pray for his Master and praise thee O God for thy goodnesse to him how ought I who am thy humble but most unworthy servant even to exceede him in many degrees both in my humiliation for my sins and thankesgiving for all thy manifold mercies for infinite have they been to me beyond desert and expectation Therefore open thou mine eyes which are so dull and raise up my heart which is so dead that the one may see thy goodnesse and the other may praise thee that this my heart may mourne for my sins my eyes may flow into a fountain of tears for my offences With this servant make mee to be carefull in what I shall undertake for others as he was who would eate no meate till hee had delivered his message so O Lord in things which concerne thy service Let me neither eate nor sleepe untill I have paid my vowes and devoted my selfe unto thee for to be continued confirmed in thy feare and favour is happinesse indeed for beyond all earthly hopes whose budd is barrennesse and fruit strife Give me this good Stewards care to be gone
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
my dulnesse and fleshly vanity dispossesse me of a happy resolution to serve thee But as thou hast begunne in me by thy good motions so continue them and thy mercies unto me that by the strength of thy grace and good Inspirations I may persevere in all good purposes to pay my vowes and upon the Altar of my heart to sacrifice most humble thankes and praise unto thee even for ever Here beginneth the History of Joseph THE HISTORY of Joseph JAcob loved Joseph more then all his children because he was the sonne of his old age and he made him a coat of many colours and Joseph dreamed certain dreames the interpretation whereof much displeased his brethren and they hated him and conspired to slay him But Reuben his brother heard it and delivered him out of their hands But it came to passe afterwards that they stript him and took and cast him into a pit where was no water and they sitting downe to eat bread a company of Ishmaelites came from Gilead with their Camels bearing spicery balme and myrrhe going into Egypt And Judah did perswade his brethren not to kill Joseph that his blood might not be upon them but to sell him to these Ishmaelites and they sold him to a Midianite Merchant for twenty pieces of silver and he carried Joseph into Egypt And his brethren took Josephs coat and killed a kid and dipped the coat in the blood and brought it to their father who knew it and said It is my sonnes coat and some beast hath devoured him and Jacob rent his clothes and mourned for him many dayes And all his sonnes and daughters rose up to comfort him but he refused to be comforted after the Midianites sold Joseph into Egypt unto Potiphar an officer of King Pharaohs who was Captaine of his guard Now the Lord was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man and found favour in the sight of Potiphar who made him overseer of his house and all that he had he put into his hand and the Lord blessed the Egyptians house for his sake and Joseph was a goodly person and well favoured It came to passe that Potiphars wife grew in love with him tempting him to lye with her but he refused and said unto her My Master hath beene kinde unto me and committed all to my charge and how then can I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God But she daily solicited Joseph and one day coming into the house she caught him by the garment saying lye with me and he left his garment and fled then she called aloud unto the men of her house and said An Hebrew is brought unto us to mock us he came and urged to lye with me and I cryed with a loud voice and when he heard me cry he left his garment and fled and when her lord came home she told him of this passage and his wrath was kindled against Joseph and put him into prison But the Lord was with Joseph and shewed him mercy giving him favour with the keeper of the prison And it came to passe that Pharaoh King of Egypt was wroth with his principall Butler and Baker and they were committed to the prison where Joseph was and they dreamed dreams both of them one night Joseph coming unto them in the morning they were sad and he said unto them Wherefore looke you so sadly and they told him their dreames the which he interpreted that the Butler within three dayes should be released and in King Pharaohs favour and deliver the cup into his hand as he formerly did and Joseph desired him to remember him with Pharaoh when he was thus advanced And Joseph interpreted the Bakers dreame that within three dayes he should be hanged on a tree and it came to passe the third day was Pharaohs birth-day that he made a feast to all his servants and he restored the chiefe Butler to his place and he gave the cup into Pharaohs hand but he hanged the Baker yet did not the Butler remember Joseph but forgat him And it came to passe after two yeares that Pharaoh dreamed that he stood by the river and there came out of the river seven well favoured kine fat and they fed in a medow and seven other kine came out of the river ill favoured and leane and stood by the other kine and did eat them up and he dreamed a second dream that seven ears of corn came up upon one stalke rank and good and seven thin ears and blasted with the East winde sprung up after them and the seven thin ears devoured the seven ranke and full ears Pharaoh being troubled at these dreams sent for the Magicians of Egypt but none of them could interpret these dreams Then spake the cheife Butler unto Pharaoh saying I do Remember my faults this day thou wast wroth with me and thy chief Baker and put us in prison and we dreamed both in one night and there was in the prison with us a young man an Hebrew that did interpret our dreames and according to his interpretation I was restored to favour and the Baker hanged Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph out of the dungeon and he shaved himselfe and changed his raiment and came in unto Pharaoh and Pharaoh said unto Joseph I have dreamed a dreame and no man can interpret it and Joseph answered Pharaoh saying It is not in me God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace Then Pharaoh related his dream and Joseph answered The dreame of Pharaoh is one the seven good kine are seven years and the seven good ears are seven years and the seven thin and ill favoured kine that came up after them are seven years and the seven empty ears blasted with the East winde shall be seven years of famine this is the thing that God is about to doe Behold there shall come seven years of great plenty thoroughout all the land of Egypt and there shall be seven years of famine and the famine shall consume the land Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise and set him over the land of Egypt to provide in the seven years of plenty for the famine that shall follow and the counsell was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and his servants And Pharaoh said unto Joseph for as much as God hath shewed thee all this there is none so discreet and wise as thou art therefore thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled only in the throne will I be greater then thou and Pharaoh set him over the land of Egypt and took off his Ring from off his hand and put it upon Josephs hand and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen and put a gold chaine about his neck And he made him ride in the second Chariot which he had and they cryed before him Bow the knee he made him Ruler over all the land of Egypt and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of
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
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
so to doe and they did accordingly and the seventh day they rose up early and compassed the City seven times and at the seventh time when the Priests blew the trumpet Joshua commanded the people to shout for the Lord hath given you the City and it shall be accursed even it and all that is therein onely Rahab the harlot shall live she and all that are with her because she hid our messengers but let all the gold and silver and vessels of brasse and iron be consecrated to the Lord they shall come into the treasury of the Lord. So when the Priests sounded the trumpets the people shouted and the wals of Jericho fell flat downe and they tooke the City and they utterly destroyed the City and put them to the sword man and woman young and old oxe sheepe and asse but Joshua sent the two spies unto Rahabs house those men whom she had entertained and they brought her safe forth of her house with her father and mother her brethren and all she had and her kinred and left them in safety without the Campe of Israel and they burnt the City and Rahab lived long after amongst the Israelites and Joshua cursed the man that should build Jericho againe and Joshua was famous throughout the land But the children of Israel committed a trespasse in the accursed thing even Achan one of the tribe of Judah for which the anger of the Lord was kindled And Joshua sent spies from Jericho to Ai to view the Countrey and they viewed Ai and they returned to Joshua and told him that in Ai were but few people Joshua upon their report sent thither about three thousand men and they fled before the men of Ai being mightily discomfited the which did much dishearten the people of Israel and Joshua rent his clothes and fell to the earth upon his face before the Arke of the Lord untill the evening he and all the Elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads and they did grieve exceedingly And the Lord said unto Joshua Get thee up wherefore lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned and transgressed my Covenant for they have taken of the accursed thing they have stollen and dissembled therefore could not the children of Israel stand before their enemies neither will I be with you any more except ye destroy the accursed from you And the Lord commanded them to sanctifie the people against the next day that the accursed thing may be taken from amongst them and in the morning Joshua rose up early and brought Israel by their tribes and the tribe of Judah was taken by lot and every houshold of that tribe was examined and Achan was found to have stolne the accursed thing and Joshua coming to Achan said unto him Achan my sonne give I pray thee glory unto the Lord God of Israel and make confession unto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from me And Achan confessed the fact saying I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel for when I saw amongst the spoiles a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight I tooke and hid them in my tent and Joshua presently sent for them and being brought unto him and before the children of Israel he laid them before the Lord and Joshua and all Israel with him brought Achan the silver and the gold and the Babylonish garment his sonnes and daughters his oxen and his asses his sheepe and his tent and all that he had unto the valley of Achor and all Israel stoned him with stones and after burnt them and raised over him a heape of stones so the Lord turned from his fierce anger And the Lord commanded Joshua to go a second time to Ai with a great army and he chose thirty thousand of the most valiant men giving them directions what to doe and sent them away by night commanding them to lye in ambush neare the City of Ai and they lay before Bethel and Ai and Joshua rose early in the morning and with all the Elders of Israel and a great strength he marched towards Ai and drew near the City and when the King of Ai saw it hastily came forth with his whole strength to give battell to Israel but he knew not of the ambush and Joshua and all Israel seemed to fly before them and the whole strength of Ai and Bethel pursued them towards the wildernesse then they which were in ambush speedily made towards the City and took it and instantly set it on fire The men of Ai looking back and seeing their City on fire they were astonished and disheartened and being scattered and in disorder Joshua and his army fell upon them one way and they that tooke Ai issued out another way and so cut them off every man and they took the King of Ai alive and brought him to Joshua and the Israelites returning to Ai put all within it to the sword so there fell that day of men and women twelve thousand And Joshua burnt Ai downe to the ground and the King of Ai he hanged upon a tree and after the Sunne was down commanded to take him downe and his carkasse to be cast at the entry of the gate of the City and raised thereon a great heape of stones And Joshua built an Altar unto the Lord God of Israel in mount Eball as Moses had commanded and there they offered sacrifice and writ the Law of Moses upon the stones and there the Arke of the covenant being brought all Israel and the Elders Officers and Judges stood before it and before the Priests and Levites that bare it and the whole Law was read unto them And when all the Kings on this side Jordane heard of these things they joyned together to fight with Joshua but the Gibeonites had heard what they had done to Jericho and Ai they cunningly came unto Joshua in poore habite and great humiliation unto the campe at Gilgal and there made their peace with Joshua and the Princes of the Congregation who sware unto them But after the Princes finding they had deceived them for their oath sake they would not destroy them and Joshua called them before him and said Wherefore have you beguiled us saying you dwelt a farre off when ye dwell among us for this deceit ye shall be bondmen and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God and they said It was told us that Moses commanded we should be wholly destroyed therefore we were afraid and did this thing and doe with us as thou pleasest and Joshua saved their lives and made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the Lord and so they did continue to doe Now the King of Jerusalem and the other Kings understanding that the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel and Gibeon being a great City they feared greatly
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
that which thou commandest then shall I avoid the punishment due unto disobedience the hurt danger which may redound unto thy Israel my brethren good Lord when I shall fall raise me up with true repentance and let me lie in wait by all prudent and carefull wayes in an holy ambush to destroy and entrap these men of Ai the enemies of my soule and after thy deliverance of me and the forgivenesse of my former offences build in my heart an altar of thankesgiving to sacrifice my soule unto thee and praise thee in the presence of the Ark of thy Covenant before all the Elders of thy Church and if in this my spirituall progresse I shall meete with any people of bad deservings give me grace to beare with their infirmities and to keep my Covenant and promise with them and to helpe them in their distresse as Joshua did deliver the Gibeonites because of his oath that he sware unto them and good Lord helpe and assist me in the continuall conflicts of this world of so much danger and trouble to my soule helpe me at the waters of Merom from the conflicts that there I may suffer by the grand opposers of my hoped for happinesse and for my deliverance I may give thankes unto thee and serve thee in that thy tabernacle of Shiloh which is the house of God Lord by thy mercy give me the benefit and comfort of thy Cities of refuge that by my sinnes of ignorance and weakenesse I may not fall into thy hands of Justice but may be received unto mercy and give me grace O Lord to be thankfull and well contented with that portion of livelihood which thou hast appointed for me amongst the tribes thy servants in this Israel wherein I live give me grace to follow and obey the counsels of my spirituall governours and have a venerable regard to their commands as the good Israelites had to the last counsels of Joshuah and so good Lord living in the true obedience of thee I may depart this transitory life in thy blessed feare and favour even for Jesus Christ his sake my onely hope my captain and deliverer Amen THE HISTORY of DEBORAH NOw after the death of Joshâ—â—h and Ehud the children of Israel did that which was evill in the fight of the Lord for which their sins the Lord sold them into the hands of Jabin King of 〈◊〉 the Captaine of whose host was Sisera who oppressed them exceedingly even for tâ—â—eaty yeares At which time Deborah the Prophetesse Wife unto Lapidoth judged Israel who then dwelt under a Palme-tree between Ramah and Bethel in Mâ—â—nt-Ephraim to whom the people came up for judgement who in their distresse cryed unto the Lord and the people comming thus unto her she 〈…〉 Barak the sonne of Abinoâ—â— out of Kâ—desh-Nepthali who comming to her shee told how the Lord had commanded he should take with him ten thousand men of the children of Nepthali and Zebulon and goe towards mount-Tâ—bor saying to him likewise how the Lord would bring Softra with all his Army to the River Kishon and deliver them into his hands but he answered that except she would goe with him her self he would not goe to whom shee replyed I will surely goe with thee but the journey thou takest shall not bee to thire honour for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a Woman So she arose and went with Barak to Kaâ—esh they having with them ten thousand men of Zâ—â—â—lon and Nepthali who after 〈◊〉 to Mount 〈◊〉 Now it was that Heber the Kenite the father in law of Moses had sever'd himselfe from the Kenites and pitched his Tent neare Kadesh And they shewed Sisera how Barak was gone up to Mount-Tabor whereupon hee gathered all his strength together even nine hundred chariots of Iron and great store of people gathered from Harosheth unto the River Kishon of which Deborah hearing shee bade Barak to rise and goe against Sisera saying that the Lord was gone before and how Sisera should be destroyed So Barak marched down from Mount-tabor with the ten thousand men and by the help of the Lord hee discomfited Sisera and all his host pursuing and killing them leaving not a man at which time Sisera leaving his Chariot fled on his feete and came to the Tent of Iâ—â—l the Wife of Heber the Kenite for there was peace then between Jabin the house of Heber Now Sisera comming towards the Tent Jael came out to meete him who said unto him turn in my Lord turne in to me feare not So hee went in and she covered him with a mantle but he being athirst desired of her a little water but she having a bottle of milk gave him that to drink And then he said to her stand at the doore and if any enquire if any man be here say no so he lay down to sleep she covering of him Now whiles he was sleeping and weary she took a naile of the Tent and a hammer and comming softly unto him smote the naile into his Temples fastning of him to the ground and so he dyed At which instant Barak pursuing of Sisera and comming towards the Tent Jael came out to meet him saying come in and I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest so hee came in and found Sisera dead the naile being in his Temples So God subdued on that day Jabin King of Canaan before the children of Israel PRAYERS upon the History of DEBORAH HOw unhappy are wee by our inbred corruption like these the children of Israel who still was relapsing from the service of their Creator and Preserver even before in and since their fourty yeares journey towards that land of Promise And now at this very time being growne so high in iniquity as for their due punishment the Lord sold them to the King of Canaan who pesecuted them for twenty yeares such is the reward of sin and so just is the Lord in his judgment against sinners O Lord let me to know that when we do wickedly that thy justice lies at our doors and how thy wrath will break in upon us And if with Judas we betray the sincerity of plainnesse in our heart towards thee with the deceitfull kisse of hypocrisie and sell thee and in thee our selves to commit wickednesse in thy sight Most justly maist thou deale with us as thou diddest with Israel when they were sold by the King of CanaaÌ„ Therefore O Lord deliver me from this most dangerous merchandizing with sin lest I become Bankrupt by mine iniquity and so come short of paying my duty and service unto thee thereby to be cast into the gaole of thy displeasure and by the losse of thy favour and grace be sold as a slave to sin partake with the punishment so due for such a dismall debt not only for twenty years with Israel but even for Eternity with such who have not known thee O Lord in the most dangerous distresse of my soule by reason of
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
unto Hezekiah to comfort him in his sicknesse and who administred unto him help both for soule and body so be thou mercifull unto me a sinner and at the hour of distresse and danger send unto mee thy servant spirituall comforts to assist my feeble soule towards thee and good Lord let the lengthening of my dayes here upon earth and my health be sanctified unto me that thereby I may be strengthened to serve thee better and more carefully for thy goodnes and mercy and let me know and continually consider that the eternall life hereafter is the only true happinesse and let me so run my course here O Lord that at last I may attaine and come to that safe haven of felicity the only hope of my soules health and the hope of all them that put their trust in thee O Lord thou seest and knowest the great we aknesse and frailty of flesh and blood and that without thy continuall help we cannot stand but stil are subject to stumblings and falls by the traps of the old serpent and watchfull enemy when it shall please thee O Lord to hear my prayer and to deliver me thy servant from all those dangers and evils as thou didst Hezekiah and the which I have so humbly desired of thee Let me not fall I doe most humbly beseech thee into that great impiety and danger to forget thy mercies to grow proud and confident of my selfe and of my wealth and power and to expose my vanity to the Babilonian messengers and intelligencers the enemies of my soule But let me alwayes be watchfull over my selfe to avoid the danger of all wicked suggestions and still to humble my selfe before thee and truly to know and seriously consider that all things upon earth beauty wealth or whatsoever else that is most pleasing to our fond and unbridled fancy are as but dung even glistring and fading vanities and so shall they servant O Lord by avoiding these vanities continue in thy favour and befreed from the bondage and yoake of Babilon and all the just punishments of sin and be safe within the walls of Jerusalem and worship thee in thy holy Temple for ever MEDITATIONS Vpon the taking of Zedekiah and the captivity of the children of Israel O Lord when we are captived unto sin and drunk in our iniquities how blind doe we run head-strong to destruction neither Zedekiah nor his Princes would follow the counsels of the Prophet Jeremiah for the king was besotted and the Princes were infatuated in their understandings so destruction came upon them O Lord make my soule to know the great danger of sin and what effect it works where presumption fears no danger and hardnesse of heart shuts the gates of mercy Therefore O Lord remove from me thy servant this hardnesse of heart and presumptuous sining against the least I run by my corruption into this dangerous way of blindnesse and wilfulnesse to perdition make me capable and willing to receive good counsell and to obey the instructions and directions of my spirituall guides and not to follow my own dark obstinate mind and opinion that will lead me by a back way and a bad way towards Jericho where my spirituall enemy will entrap overthrow and triumph over me then shall I be captive to a mercilesse enemy and never see again the beauty of Jerusalem but live in chaines and Babilonish blindnesse with Zedekiah But open thou mine eyes O Lord that I may see the mysteries of thy lawes and obey them then shall I behold the beauty of thy holinesse for ever THE WICKEDNESSE Of the sonnes of Eli and the taking of the Ark of the Lord by the Philistines THE sins of the sons of Eli was very great before the Lord for by their bad carriage men abhorred the offering of the Lord and they lay with the women that assembled at the door of the Tabernacle of the congregation Eli then being old and hearing all that his sonnes had done in Israel with too much mildnesse he said unto them why doe you such things I hear of your evill dealings by all the people it is no good report I hear of you my sonnes ye make the Lords people to transgresse but they hearkened not to the voice of their father and there came a man of God unto Eli and told him of all the mereies that God had done unto his house to sacrifice and wear an Ephod before him telling him of his too much adhering to his sonnes and threatned the judgement of God upon his house and that Hophni and Phineas his two sonnes should dye both in one day and that God would raise up another faithfull Priest to sacrifice before him and that the remainder of Elies house should come and crouch to him for a morsell of bread and shall say put me I pray thee into one of the Priests offices that I may eat a piece of bread And the Lord said to Samuel the Prophet I will doe a thing in Israel at which both the eares of every one that heareth it shall tingle for what I shall doe against Eli when I begin I will also make an end for his iniquity which he knoweth because his sonnes were wicked and he restreined them not Samuel feared to shew Eli that vision but Eli called Samuel and said my sonne what is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee I pray thee hide it not from me and Samuel told him every whit hiding nothing from him Now the Israelites went out against the Philistines to battell and pitched by Eben-ezer and the Philistines met them and they joyned in battell and Israel was smitten and 4000 of them was slain And the Elders of Israel coming into the Camp they said let us fetch the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord out of Shiloh unto us that when it cometh among us it may save us out of the hands of our enemies so the people sent to Shiloh to bring from thence the Ark of the Lord of hosts which dwelleth between the Cherubins and the two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phineas were there with the Ark of God and when it was brought unto the Camp all Israel shouted with a great shout so that the earth rang againe When the Philistines heard thereof and that the Ark was come into the Camp they were afraid saying God is come into the Camp of Israel and woe unto us who shall deliver us from this mighty God this is the God that smote the Aegyptians with all the plagues but they neverthelesse encouraged one another to quit themselves like men that they might not be servants to the Hebrewes and after fighting with Israel they overthrew them and they fled every man to his own tent and there fell of Israel that day thirty thousand and the Ark of God was taken and the two sonnes of Eli Hophni and Phineas were slain and there ran a man of Benjamin out of the Army and came to Shilo the same day with his