1. Sam. 14.49.18.17.19 2. Sam. 21.8 Michaiah or Maacha sig the Lords pouertie or lowlinesse the Lords stripe who is the Lorde She was the daughter of Uriel or Abshalom the wife of Roboam mother of Abiiah king of Iuda called also Maacha as ye may reade in the story of Maacha 1.2 Chro. 13.2 Michal or Michol sig who is perfect who is all but you who is fully appoynted but you The very goodnesse or perfectnesse or forbidding of the waters al the water or of all She was the youngest daughter of king Saul whom because shee loued Dauid well her father gaue vnto Dauid to be his wife but yet with this diuelishe and hipocriticall intent that shee might be a snare to bring him into the handes of the Philistines to be destroyed as he before had promised to geue him her sister Merab vppon the like wicked practise But Michal loued Dauid her husband so faithfully that her father could not haue his wicked purpose that way to take effect For when after this marriage he had assayed to kill Dauid with his owne hand and could not And therefore sent men of purpose to watche his house and to stay him there in his owne bedde God so moueth the heart of Michal against the tyrant her father and to fauour her husbande that she knowing of that conspiracie went and tolde Dauid therof saying If thou saue not thy selfe this night to morow thou shalt be slaine wherefore to saue the life of Dauid her husband shee let him downe at a backe windowe that he escaped and layde an image in his bedde with a pillow vnder his head stuffed with Goates haire and couered it with a cloth And when her fathers blooddie messengers came into her house in the morning and asked for Dauid Michal said he was sicke the cruell messengers thinking to haue carried Dauid bedde and all to the king that he himselfe might slay him as he commaunded went into Dauids chamber and when they came there and founde nothing els in y e bed but a block they were ashamed to be so mocked so returned to Saul told him Then Michal being demanded of Saul wherfore she had so derided him and sent his enemy Dauid away made her excuse that if she had not let him goe he would haue killed her for hee so to doe had threatned her So Dauid by her meanes and pollicie escaped and fled frō Saule After this her father tooke her from Dauid and gaue her to one Phaltiel the sonne of Laish to wife with whom she remayned till the death of Saul And then Dauid beeing somewhat setled in his kingdome made truce with Abner the house of Saul vpon this condition that Abner woulde bring him his wife Michal with him when he came which condition being graunted Dauid sent messengers to Ishboseth Sauls sonne saying Deliuer mee my wife Mychal which I married for an hundred skinnes of the Philistines and for whose sake I put my life so desperately in daunger So Ishboseth as he that feared Dauid and durst doe none other tooke Michal away from her husbande Phaltiel sent her by Abner to Dauid And her husband Phaltiel so deerely loued her and was so loth to depart from her that he went with her and came weeping all y e waye behind her for sorrow til she came to a place called Bahurim there and then being commanded by Abner so to doe he forsooke her and returned home and Abner brought her to Dauid to Hebron there left her and went his way so was she restored againe vnto Dauid by Abners meanes Finally whē Dauid came dauncing before the Arke of God in his shirt or linnen Ephod to the citie of Dauid it chaunced Michal to looke out at a window beholding y e king her husband how he leaped daunced before the Arke she like a worldling not able to comprehend the motions of Gods spirite that moued him and zeale of Dauid the childe of God began to despise him in her heart and meeting him after all thinges were done comming home to blesse and pray for his owne house as he had done before for the people she interrupted him greatly and sayd O how glorious was the king of Israel this day which was vncouered to day or naked in the eyes of the maydens of his seruantes as a foole vncouereth himselfe But Dauid whom no worldlie affection caused so to doe but onely the zeale that he bare to Gods glorie rebuked Michal his wife saying It was before the Lorde which chose me rather then thy father and all his house and made me ruler of his people therefore did I play and daunce before the Lorde yea and I will yet be more vile then thus and will bee lowe in myne owne sight and of the verye same mayde seruauntes which thou hast spoken of shall I be had in honour And so for thus despising and mocking her husband Dauid the faithfull holy child zealous seruaunt of God the Lord plagued her with barrennes that she neuer had childe 1. Sam. 14.49.18.20 c. 19.11 c. 25.44 2. Sam. 3.13 c. 6.16 c. Miriam or Marie sig exalted or reaching or bitter as before in Marie She was the daughter of Amram and Iochebed and sister to Aaron and Moses who in her young Maydenly yeeres was called Aimia or Alima and being aboue x. yeeres old when her brother Moses was borne and laide in an Arke and cast into bulrushes by the riuer to bee drowned as Pharao had cruelly commaunded she stoode a farre of to wit what would become of him And seeing Pharaos daughter called Memphetica take him out of the water which was in the yeere of the world 2434. she ran to her and sayd shall I goe and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women to nurse the child and she said goe wherevpon she went and called her owne mother Iochebed who came and tooke Moses so by Gods prouidence she nursed her owne childe whō God thus maruellously had preserued to bee a notable member of his Churche And when her brother Moses had brought the children of Israel through y e red sea king Pharao their persecutor w t all his host was drowned therin she being a prophetesse took a timbrel in her hād with other womē following her in like sort begā ioyfully to daūce sing y e song y t Moses made which was this Sing ye vnto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously The horse and the rider hath hee ouerthrowen in the Sea as before in the firste Lampe pag. 1. After this she grudged against her brother Moses which had taken an Ethiopian or woman of Inde to his wife called Zipporah sayinge what hath the Lord spoken but onely by Moses hath he not spoken also by vs Which her murmuring Moses beeyng a very meeke gentle man gently bare but the Lord beyng therewith highly displeased and very angry did therefore smite Myriam with a
the vndefiled battels Wisdom 4,1,2 These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins These are they which followe the lambe whithersoeuer he goeth these were redéemed from men being the first fruits vnto God and to the lambe Reuel 14,4 The dutie of husbands towards their wiues These are the ordinances which the Lord hath commanded betweene a man and his wife The first institution of matrimonie in paradise WHen the Lord GOD formed all the creatures of heauen and earth he brought them to man that bée might giue them names who accordinglie gaue names to euerie creature But for Adam found hée not an helpe or mate méete for him among all the creatures vnder heauen therefore the Lord said It is not good that the man should be himselfe alone I will make an helpe or companion méet for him So the Lord caused an heauie sléepe to fall vpon the man and whilest he slept he tooke one of his ribs and closed vp the flesh in stéed thereof and of that rib which the Lord God had taken from the man made he a woman and brought hir to the man to be his mate or wife Signifieng thereby that mankind was now perfect when the woman was created which before was like an vnperfect building And as this first institution of matrimonie in paradise was by God so all lawfull mariages are now also made by the same God and therefore to be highlie had in honour Then the man said This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called woman bicause she was taken out of man Therefore shall man leaue his father and his mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they shall be one flesh Whereby we may sée that mariage requireth a greater dutie of men towards their wiues than otherwise they are bound to shew to their parents Gen. 2 18 c. And thus in the daie that God created Adam in his owne likenesse he created them male and female and blessed them and called their name Adam in the daie that they were created So that the husband and the wife are now as one man or one person flesh or bodie For by giuing them both one name he noteth the inseparable coniuction of man and wife Gen. 5 2. Of pluralitie of wiues BUT this lawfull institution of mariage by God which is that two should be one flesh was first corrupted and violated in the house of Cain by Lamech that cruell tyrant who tooke vnto him two wiues at once the one called Adah the other Zillah who greatlie feared his crueltie as appeareth in their stories Gen. 4 19. Afterward also Abraham Elkana Dauid and diuers other of the holie Patriarchs and fathers had two wiues at once but this priuiledge of hauing two wiues came in at the first with the promise of multiplication of séed to replenish the world as well with the heires of promise as of the flesh But this promise being now performed and ended in Christ the priuiledge ceaseth and Gods first lawe taketh place againe which ioineth two in one flesh and no more as before is said and will not haue vs breake wedlocke by pluralitie of wiues Reâ—d 1. Sam. 1 2. Againe King Salomon had seauen hundred wiues that were Queenes and thrée hundred Concubines for euerie daie thrée in the yéere We read also that Rehoboam Salomons sonne had eightéene wiues and thrée score Concubines 2. Chron. 11 21. And that Abiiah his sonne had fourtéene wiues 2. Chron. 13 21. Wherby note that God tollerated in his people the Israelites in those daies pluralitie of wiues as well for the increase of his people as also for a mysterier that he would include and hide therein For Hagar and Sara Abrahams two wiues as also Leah and Rahel Iacobs two wiues were figures of the synagogue and of the true Church of the children of reprobation and the children of election But Christ hath now in the time of the Gospell called vs to the first institution as it was made of God in paradise saieng They shall be two of one flesh 1. King 11 3. Matt. 16. Iudges 2. And did not he make one that is did not God make man and woman as one flesh and not maine â— Yet had he abundance of spirit and by his power and vertue he could haue made manie women for one man And wherfore one flesh Surelie bicause he sought a godlie séede euen such as should be borne in lawfull and moderate mariage wherin is no excesse of lusts Therefore kéepe your selues in your spirit that is conteine your selues within your bounds and be sober in mind and bridle your affections let none trespasse against the wife of his youth saith the Lord by his Prophet Malac. 2 15. A man ought to be the husband but of one wife For to haue more than one at once is a signe of incontinencie especiallie in a bishop or minister as appeareth by S. Paule 1. Tim. 3 2. The commendation of wedded life and godlie mariages THE Apostle S. Paule bicause mariage through mans corruption and not by Gods institution bringeth cares and troubles to the flesh and not so much to bind mens consciences to single life as to answere certaine questions of the Iewes saith It were good for a man not to touch a woman neuerthelesse to auoid fornication let euerie man in generall haue his owne wife and euerie woman hir owne husband Art thou bound vnto a wife Séeke not to be loosed Art thou loosed from a wife Séeke not a wife but if thou takest a wife thou sinnest not The vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord but he that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife And hereafter they that haue wiues shall be as though they had none For the fashion of this world goeth awaie c. Read more in virginitie 1. Cor. 7 2 c. Where no hedge is there the possession is spoiled and he that hath no wife wandereth to and fro mourning Eccles. 36 25. Two are better than one alone For if they fall the one will lift vp the other but wo vnto him that is alone For he falleth and there is not a companion to lift him vp Also if two sléepe togither then shall they haue heate but to one how should there be heate And a thréefold or twofold cord is not easilie broken Where note by this prouerbe how necessarie it is for a man to liue in matrimonie and mutuall societie to the intent they may be profitable one to another and that their things may increase and contrariwise how pernicious and hurtfull a thing it is be solitarie and alone without an helper and fellowe conforter Eccles. 4,9,10 The blessings of God vpon godlie mariages and his curses vpon the vngodlie espousals BLessed are they that feare the Lord and walke in his waies For thou shalt eate the labours of thine hands O well is thée and
before she was betrothed and therefore partlie bicause he would not reteine hir which by the lawe if it had béene true should haue béene maried to another and partlie for that by accusing hir he was loth to put hir to open shame for hir fact or to make hir a publike example to the world therefore he was minded to haue put the blessed virgin awaie secretlie vntill it pleased God to reueale the truth vnto him and to command him to take hir home vnto himselfe who did so and was verie louing tender and carefull ouer hir continuallie both for hir preseruation and hir blessed babes to the glorie of God and both his and our euerlasting ioie as you may read at large in the storie of the virgin Marie Matth. 1 c. Art thou bound to a wife Séeke not to be loosed 1. Cor. 7. Yea God to the end we should doo our best to conuert our wiues and cleaue inseparablie vnto them though they fall into follie and vncleannesse vpon hope of amendment sheweth by his prophet Hosea that he loueth his Church though it erre or fall into idolatrie which is spirituall whooredome and doth not withdrawe his loue from vs for all our sinnes if we abuse not his lenitie and patience too much but repent in time and beléeue his Gospell Hos. 3,1 Ezech. 24,16 See more in diuorcement Of Gods heauie iudgements against wedlocke breakers THou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife but be pure in hart word and déed Exo. 20 14 17. Thou husband drinke the water of thine owne well and the riuers that run of thine owne spring that is content thy selfe with thine owne wife so shall thy fountaine that is thy children which shall come of thée in great abundance be blessed For God blesseth mariage and curseth whooredome Reioice I saie and be glad with the wife of thy youth which thou didst marie of a virgin or when you were yoong let hir be as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe let hir brests alwaie satisfie thée and hold thée euer content with hir and delight thou in hir continuallie For why shouldest thou delight my sonne in a strange woman or imbrace the bosome of an harlot And knowe this that euerie mans waies are open in the sight of the Lord and he pondereth all their paths yea the wicked shall be taken in their owne iniquitie to their vtter confusion Thus we sée that except a man ioine to his wife both in hart and in outward conuersation that he shal not escape the iudgments of God Prou. 5 15. He that breaketh wedlocke and committeth adulterie shall find a wound and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer be put awaie For gelousie is the rage of a man therefore he will not spare in the daie of vengeance He can not beare the sight of anie ransome neither will he consent though thou augment the gift Whereby the holie Ghost sheweth that man by nature séeketh his owne death that hath abused his wife and God will vndoubtedlie punish him therefore Pro. 6,32 Take héed O thou husband that the Lord be not witnesse betwéene thée and the wife of thy youth against whom thou hast transgressed For she is thy companion or as the one halfe of thy selfe and the wife of thy couenant which was ioined to thée by a solemne promise and by the inuocation of Gods name before the congregation Therfore kéepe your selues in your spirit conteine your selues within your bounds and be sober in mind and bridle your affections and let none trespasse against the wife of his youth And if for hir faults thou hate hir yet hée that is godlie couereth the iniurie vnder his garment and thinketh it expedient for his owne honestie to kéepe his wife still and so as it were couereth hir fault saith the Lord by his Prophet Malac. 2 14 c. There is two sorts of men that abound in sinne and the third bringeth wrath and destruction A mind hot as fire that can not be quenched till it be consumed an adulterous man that giueth his bodie no rest till he haue haue kindeled a fire to lust and a man that breaketh wedlocke and thinketh thus in his hart Tush who séeth me I am compassed about with darknesse the wals couer me no bodie séeth me whom néed I to feare The most high will not remember my sinnes Such a man onelie feareth the eies of men and knoweth not that the eies of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the Sunne beholding all the waies of men and the ground of the déepe and looking euen to mens harts in the most secret places The same man shall be openlie punished in the stréets of the citie and shall be chased abroad like a yoong horse fole and when he thinketh least of it he shall be taken and openlie punished Thus shall the adulterous man that breaketh wedlocke be put to shame of euerie man bicause he would not vnderstand the feare of the Lord. And thus shall it go also with euerie wife that leaueth hir husband and getteth inheritance by a strange mariage Eccles. 23. Flie fornication and adulterie For doo ye not knowe that he which coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one bodie For two shall be one flesh 1. Cor. 6,16 Mariage is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled but whooremoongers and adulterers God will iudge Heb. 13 4. If mine hart said holie Iob hath béene deceiued by a woman or if I haue laid wait at the doore of my neighbour then let my wife grind vnto another man and be made a slaue and let other men bow downe vpon hir For this is wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned yea this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction and which shall roote out all mine increase Iob. 31 9. Finallie we haue manie notable examples how greatlie the breach of mariage displeaseth God and how in all ages men were persuaded that Gods vengeance should light vpon wedlock-breakers as it may appeare euen in the heathen kings Herod and Abimelech who tooke Sara and Rebecca the wiues of Abraham Isaac to be their wiues and had almost lien with them for which GOD plagued them with great plagues as appeareth Gen. 12 20,26 c. The dutie of wiues towards their husbands THe woman was created of man to the end she should be an helpe and comfort méet for him but bicause she first transgressed Gods commandement and intised hir husband to doo the same therefore vnto hir God inioined this punishment of sorowe and subiection saieng vnto Eue and in hir to all wiues I will greatlie increase thy sorowes and thy conceptions In sorowe shalt thou bring foorth children and thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall rule ouer thée Gen. 2,20,3,6,16 This difference was betwixt the wife and the concubine in the old time The wife was taken with certaine solemnities of mariage and hir children did inherit as lawfullie begotten but the concubine
vnrighteousnes fornication wickednes and not regarding to knowe God nor follow his lawes but commit al abhomination euen with gréedines shal worthily tast of death euerlasting Rom. 1.16.2 c. If a woman suspected of her husband to be an harlot bee tried by the law of ielousie to be poluted with other men and to haue trespassed against her husband then shall her belly swel and her thighs rot and she shal be an accursed creature among her people and beare her iniquitie as appeareth Num. 5.27 in wiues If a bond maide affianced to an husband not redéemed nor made free lie with an other man shee shall bée whipt and scourged for it but not die the death because shee is not made frée Leuit. 19. 20. And if a maide betrothed to one man be found lying with another then she shall be compelled to be his wife with whom she lay but if her father refuse to giue her vnto him then shall hee that lay with herâ— giue vnto her father 50. shekels of siluer according to the dowry of virgins as yée may reade in virgins Exod. 22. 16. Deut. 22. 18. If a woman put away from her husband and be married to another shee committeth adulterie and shall surely be plagued as an adultresse reade Mark 10. 12. in deuorce There shall bée no whore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be any whoremonger of the children of Israel Thou shalt neither bring the hyre of a whore nor the price of a dog into the house of the Lorde thy God for any vowe for euen both these are abhomination vnto the Lorde thy God Deut. 23.17 c. Euerie woman that is an harlot or an adultrous woman that forsaketh her husbande and lyeth with other men shall be troâ—en vnder foote as myre or dounge of euerie one that goeth by the way Eccle. 9.9 The women that sitte in the stréetes girded with cordes and burne strawe or brome and are drawen away and lie with suche as come by and after casteth her neighbour in the téeth because she was not so worthilie reputed nor her cord broken euen such shameles harlots are néere all reproofe and shame and shall bee confounded Baruc. 6.42 Thus shall it goe with euery wife that leaueth her husband and getteth inheritance by an other stranger whom she hath married after diuorce c. Shee shal be be brought out into the congregation and after examination made of her wickednesse shee shall bee punished in the stréetes of the citie and shall bee chased like a young marâ— fole When she thinketh not vpon it shee shal be taken and brought to punishment Thus shall shee be put to shame and open rebuke of euerie body yea examinatioÌ„ also shal be theÌ„ made of her childreÌ„ had in adulterie and they shall not take roote nor her branches bring foorth anie fruite A shamefull report shall shée leaue behinde her and her dishonour and reproch shal be not bee put out and that because shee woulde not vnderstande the feare of the Lorde but hath béene disobedient to the lawes of the highest trespassed against her owne husband and gotten children by playing the whore in adulterie by other men And they that remaine shall knowe by her example and punishment that there is nothing better thâ—n the â—eare of the Lord nor nothing swéeter then to take â—éede to the commandements of the Lord. Eccle. 23.17 c. reade more in diuorce If two men striue together fight the wife of y e one come put â—oorth her hande and take the other man by the priuities to pull hym from her husbande then shalt thou cut of her hande thine eye shall not spare her whiche lawe importeth that godlie shamefastnesse ought to bée preserued for it is an horrible thing to sée a woman manly and past shame Deutetonom 25.11 And Salomon saith that she that is impudent too bold shall be taken a way and made a publike example of great reproch Eccle. 19.3 If a woman put apart for her naturall disease vncouer her shame and open the fountaine of her blood by lying with a man shee shall die the death and bée cut off for her vncleannesse Leuit. 18. 19. â—0 18. The woman shall not weare that which perteineth to the man neither shall a man put on womens raiment for all that doe so are abhomination vnto the Lord God Deut. 22.4 If a maide or a wife vowe a vowe either by othe or solemne promise and thereby binde her selfe to mortification abstinence or otherwise then if the same vow bonde or promise bée afterward confirmed by the father or husband and shee notwithstanding brake it shée shall bee sure to beare her iniquitie for it is sinne in her and the Lorde will surely require it of her and will not forgiue it So also is it of a vowe made by a widowe or divorced woman without confirmation as yee may reade Numb 30. Deut. 22.21 in maydes wiues c. Furthermore thus saith the Lorde If thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lorde thy God to keepe his commaundementes and his ordinances which he commandeth thée This curse among many other shall come vpon thee and thy women pursue you and ouertake you The tender and daintie woman among you whiche neuer woulde venture to set the sole of her foote vpon the grounde for her softnenesse and tendernesse or nicenes shall bee gréeued at her husbande that lieth in her bozome and at her sonne and at her daughter and at her after birth that shall come out from betweene her feet and at her children which shée shall beare for when all thinges lacke shée shall eate them secretly during the siege and straightnesse wherewith the enemie shall besiege thée in thy Cities as came to passe in the dayes of Ioram king of Israell 2. King 6.29 And when the Romaines besieged Ierusalem when hunger so bit their women that they were readie to eate their owne children before they were borne and being borne did most vnnaturally deuoure them Deut. 28.45.56.57 Let the harlot and shee that of long time hath accustomed to play the whore adultresse take away her fornications out of her sight and her adulteries from betweene her brestes by earnest and spéedy repentaunce least if shée continue so still in her filthines I strip her starke naked as euer she was borne and slay her through beggerie and penurie Hosee 1.2.3 The harlot that forgetteth mee saith the Lorde and thus saith to her selfe I will goe after my louers that giue mee my bread and my water my wooll and my flaxe my oyle and my drinke that is my wealth aboundaunce euen her way will I stop with thornes and make an hedge that shee shall not finde her paths though she followe after her louers yet shall shée not come at all though shee séeke them yet shall shée not finde them for I will so punishe and plague her and bring her into such streigthes and afflictionsâ— that shée shall
meete him and to folow and go with him to y e wedding chamber of his celestiall paradise to do him perpetuall honor least if ye make no prouision in time for oyle to your lamps but suffer them to go out and be quenched for lacke thereof whiles ye go to buy oyle for your lampes the bridgrome come and finding you absent and vnreadie go his way and shut the gate of heauen against you and so you afterwarde bee fayne to seeke that which yée haue contemned and all too late to cry Lorde Lorde open to vs but then he will answer and say vnto you verily verily I know ye not neyther will I open vnto you because yee haue once giuen your selues to follow me but haue not continued but fayled in the mid-way Watch therefore I say and be your selues like vnto the wise virgins and seruants that waite for the bridgrome maister when he will come and returne from the wedding that when he commeth and knocketh yee may open vnto him immediatly For yée knowe neyther the day nor the houre when the sonne of man will come Math. 25. 1. c. Luk. 12.36 FINIS THE Seuenth Lampe of virginitie conteining the acts histories liues deaths of all maner of women good and bad mentioned in holy Scripture as well by name as without name set forth in alphabeticall order with the signification and interpretation of most of their names and in some part paraphrastically explaned and enlarged for the better vnderstanding of the story and benefite of the simple reader ¶ Wherevnto are added for the affinitie they haue with some part of the Scripture the liues and storyes of sundrie suche other women as are mentioned in the thirde booke of Macchabees and Iosephus A treatise very necessary pleasant and profitable for sundrie good vses and purposes especially to the true imitation of vertue and shunning of vice by example in all women kinde Newely collected and compiled to the glorie of God and benefite of his Church by the saide T. B. G. Prouer. 31.29.30.31 Many daughters through the feare of the Lord haue done vertuously and gotten thereby great renown giue them therefore of the fruit of their hands and let their own workes prayse them 1582. The seuenth Lampe of Virginitie Conteyning the names actes and hystories liues and deathes of all manner of women mencioned in holie Scripture as well by name as without with the interpretacion of euery of their names set foorth in Alphabeticall order A Abi or after some translation Abiiah signifieth by interpretation an â—ome time ready my Father the will of the Lorde c. SHe was the daughter of Zachariah the Sonne of Ierobam king of Israel or as Lyranus thinketh of Zacharie the Prophet whome Ioas the king of Ierusalem stoned to death and being after the wife of Ahaz the good king of Iuda she bare vnto him a vertuous sonne called Hezechiah which afterwarde also was a godlie and zealous king of Iuda as yee may reade at large 2. Kings 18.2 2. Chro. 29.1 Abia or Abiah signifieth my fathers plentie father Lorde the father was the will of the Lord. She was the daughter of Machir Prince of Giliad and wife of Hezron the sonne of Phares who married her when she was three-score yeere olde in the yeere of the worlde 2358. and she bare vnto him two sonnes the one named Segub in her husbands life time the other after his death called Ashur that was Prince of Tekoa at a Towne called Bethlehem or Caleb Ephratah belonging to the tribe of Iuda 1. Chro. 2.21.24 Abiahil or Abihail or Abiaiei signifieth Father of strength of the host or of riches a vaunt mure or forewall father Also father of griefe of light or of prayse She was the wife of Abishur and bare vnto him two sonnes called Ahban and Molid 1. Chro. 2.29 Abigail or Abigal or Abigael signifieth my fathers ioye reioâ—ing or gladnes or the father of reioysing She was the wife of the Churle Naball the Carmelite and a woman man not only beautifull but of a singuler wisedome withal For wheÌ„ her faithfull and diligent seruantes told her how her husband had rayled on Dauids messengers and currishly driuen them away without anie victuals or sustenance to relieue their master Dauid and his weary souldiers in their necessity And being counselled by her wise seruants to take heed therfore y t some mischiefe came not vnto her her familie through her negligence her husbaÌ„ds their masters wickednesse She then like a wise woman not contemning the iudgement of her vertuous seruauntes as Iob teacheth chap. 31.13 but following their aduice tending to so good purpose wisely considered the greate perill and daunger that might arise of the wilful occasion offered by her foolish husbands niggardship both to her selfe and all her familie and by and by made greate hast and loaded her Asses with sundry kinds both of good and fresh victuals and sent them foorth by her owne seruants to relieue Dauid and his men Which shee did vnawares to her husband because she knew his crooked nature to be such that he would rather haue perished then consented to that her wise godly and charitable enterprise Yea she her selfe also like a couragious and bold woman without any feare as she that doubted not but to pacifie the fuâ—ie of the Lyon rode after and followed her men with speede to appease the wrath of Dauid and as she was ryding a priuy way to shun the multitude the prouidence of God was so that she met Dauid and his men by the way vpon the side of an hill comming towardâ—s Carmell where her husband and she dwelt and full determined vtterly to haue destroyed her husband all that he had by the dawning of y e day following to haue left none to pisse against the wall as her seruants had foretold her Then she perceiuing the vnlawfull othe vniust fury of Dauid prouoked against her and hers for her husbands only offeÌ„ce lighted downe of her Asse and falling flat on y e ground before Dauid at his feete she with all reuerence to Dauids kingly personage wisely gaue apt remedies for y e sore mischiefe of her husbaÌ„d Nabal in recoÌ„peÌ„ce of her husbaÌ„ds nigardly denying victuals she first preseÌ„ted Dauid with abuÌ„dance of presents gifts of corporal food or sustenaÌ„ce and for her husbaÌ„ds rayling churlish laÌ„guage she gaue Dauid sweet pleasant words made this her learned oration huÌ„ble peticion or request vnto him and sayd O my Lord I haue coÌ„mmitted the iniquity I pray thee therfore let thine haÌ„dmayd speake vnto thee heare thou y e words of thine handmayden Let not my Lord I pray thee regard this wicked man Nabal who hath requited thee euill for good For as his name is so is he Nabal is his name and folly is with him But I thine handmayd saw not the young men of my Lord when thou sentest theÌ„ Now therefore my Lord as
also before the yeeres of famine shee bare two sonnes called Manasses and Ephraim Gene. 41.15.50 Atarah or Athara or Araia â—ign the Lordes anger or heate a Crowne She was one of the wiues of Ierathmeel and the mother of Onam 1. Chro. 2.26 Athalia signi tyme for the Lorde his time an houre c. Shee was the daughter of Omri or as some will of Ahab which was the sonne of Omri eyther for that shee was brought vp still with Achab or for that shee imitated his maners in all kinde of Idolatrie Shee was also the wife of Iehoram king of Iuda whome shee corrupted greatly with her Idolatrie and vnto whome in the yeere of the worlde 3217. shee bare a sonne called Ahaziah which was Iehorams youngest sonne who also all his elder brethren being before slain by the Philistines succeeded his father Iehoram in the kingdome His mother Athalia entised him also to all wickednesse insomuch that the Lorde caused him to bee slayne by Iehu Then Athalia perceiuing that her sonne was dead shee in the yeere of the worlde 3239. tooke vpon her the rule and gouernement and to the intent that there shoulde bee none of that lynage of Iehosophat to rayne or make title to the crowne and that shee onely might vsurpe the gouernement and raigne quietly shee most cruelly murdered and destroyed all the seede and posteritie of Iehosophat and Ioram to whom the kingdome appertayned saue one for so it pleased God to vse the tyrannie of this wicked woman to destroy the whole family of Ahab onely Ioas the sonne of Ahaziah was stolen away and hid from her by Iehosheba as appeareth in her storie And when wicked Athalia had ruled the lande most cruelly sixe yeeres and had broken vp the house of God and bestowed vpon Balam and Idoles all thinges that were dedicated therein to the Lorde In the seuenth yere Ioas was brought forth by Iehoida the priest and proclaymed king Shee hearing that ranne into the Temple of the Lorde and there beholding Ioas crowned king shee rent her clothes and cried out treason treason But at the commaundement of Iehoida the priest the captayne and souldiers tooke her and caried her out of the Temple and slue her by the way as they went to the kinges house in the yeere of the world 3245. and this was the ende of that wicked idolatresse booddy woman Athalia 2. Kin. 8.18.26.11.1.2.15 2. chro 21.6.22.2.3.10 c. 24.6 Atossa was first the wife of king Cambyses afterward maried to king Darius Histaspis and maried the mother of Xerxis in the yeere of the worlde 3620. reade more in Ester For as some thinke this Atossa was Ester who first was the wife of Aâ—huerus and after his death became wife to Darius Histaspis vnto whom shee bare Xerxes the father of Artaxerxes in the yeere of the worlde 3621. Azuba or Asuba sig left or forsaken his strength in her Shee was the daughter of Silhi and the wife of Aha king of Iuda vnto whom she bare a sonne called Iehoshaphat that was also king of Iuda after his father 1. King 22.42 2. Chro. 20.31 There was another woman of this name which was the wife of Caleb and bare him diuers sonnes as appeareth 1. Chronicles 2.18 19. B Baara or Bara or Baraa sig a workemanshippe a bed a fire in wicked mynde in ill a companion in ioyes in feedyng in buildyng c. Shee was one of the wiues of Shaharaim whom with her mate Hushim he put away from him and tooke other 1. chro 8.8 Bashemath or Basemath â—ig sweete smelling spices destruction of death in discomforting Shee was the daughter of Elon an Hittite and one of the wiues of Esawe who with her mate Iudith was a griefe of minde to her good father and mother in lawe Isaak and Rebecca through her continuall disobedience and great rebellion Gen. 26.34 Bernice signifieth a hurtlesse Sonne a heauie victorie the weight of vanquishing finely moued or with choyse Shee was the daughter of Herode Agrippa borne in the yeere of the worlde 4170. and the naturall sister of king Agrippa and wife to Herode king of Chalcida her Grandfather And being entertayned of king Agrippa in his house as his wife also she went with him to Cesaria to salute Festus and to welcome him into the Countrey who was then but newly entered into his office of presideÌ„tship in the roome of Felix And when Paules matter should be heard before Agrippa she went with him also into the common hall where she was receiued with great pompe and there sate with Agrippa and the other gouernours all day to heare the examination of Paul before Festus the new President and beyng almost conuerted with her husband Agrippa at the wordes of Paule she together with the rest of the Gouernours arose and in secret conference iustified Paule as altogether innocent and most vnwoorthy of death or imprisonment Actes 25.13 23.26.30 Bethsheba or Bethsabe Bethzabe Bathshua or Bersabe signifieth the seuenth daughter or the daughter of an othe The daughter of fulnes of noise or thâ— daughter of saluation or the honourable or noble daughter She was the daughter of Eliam called also Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel 1. Chro. 3.5 and the wife of Uriah the Hittite which was with Ioab in king Dauids warres against the Moabites at Rabbath And on a tyme in the yeere of the worlde 3086. as Bethsabe was washing her selfe in her priuie garden alone it chaunced king Dauid to looke out at a windowe in his pallace as hee walked on the top or roofe thereof in the afternoone and seeing her to bee a very fayre woman he was presently so rauished with her beautie that forthwith hee sent for Bethsabe and shee comming vnto him hee lay with her committed adulterie with her so sent her home againe to her owne house Then shortly after shee perceiuing her selfe to be with childe and fearing least for that fact shee should be stoned to death according to Gods lawe sent Dauid the king worde thereof secretely Whereupon the king partly to hyde his owne fault and partly to saue the woman from daunger of the lawe sent for Urias her husband to come home from warres that hee might colour and father the matter by lying with his wife But when Dauid sawe that Urias woulde by no meanes company with his wife Bethsabe as he desired he returned him back againe to Ioab with a letter the contentes whereof caused Urias quickly to bee dispatched out of his life by the enemie And when Bethsabe heard that her husbande Urias was dead shee mourned for her husband so when the mourning was done Dauid sent for Bethsabe and to make her amendes hee tooke her into his house and shee became his wife and in the yeere of the world 3086. she brought foorth the same childe conceyued in adulterie being a sonne which liued not long but being stricken by God with a sore sickenesse for Dauids Bethsabes sinnes and punishement it died
of the Deuil she was first deceiued and guilty of the transgression of Gods commaundement And so consequently the beginning of sin and first entraunce of death ouer all flesh into the world She gaue also of the same fruite vnto her husband Adam and so entised him also to sinne with her And he not so much to please his wife as moued by ambition at her perswasion did eate also of the forbidden fruit Whervpon immediatly the eyes of them both being opened they knew that they were naked and began to feele their miserie but yet starting froÌ„ God as those that had no grace to seeke to him for remedie they foolishly sewed figge leaues together and made themselues breeches thereof or things to gyrde about their loynes to hyde their priuities and so hauing sinfull consciences hid themselues for shame from the presence of the Lorde God as they thought emong the trees of the garden And this fall of Adam and Eue was as some thinke vpon the tenth day of May. But the Lord God walking in the mids of the garden in the coole of the day with a mighty voyce called first vnto the maÌ„ and sayd Adam where art thou Who aunsweared Lord I heard thy voyce and was afraid because I was naked and therefore hid I my selfe Wherein his hipocrisie appeared in that he hid from God the cause of his nakednes which was the transgression of Gods commandement And the Lord saide vnto Adam who told thee that thou wast naked hast thou eaten of the tree wherof I commanded that thou shouldest not eate in no case Then Adam said the woman which thou gauest to be with me she gaue me of the tree and I did eate Where note the wickednesse and lacke of true repentaunce in Adam in that he burdened God with his fault because he had geuen him a wife which entised him to offend Then the Lorde called the woman and saide vnto her why hast thou done this And the woman Heua also in stead of confessing her fault increased it by accusing the Serpent saying The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate Thus God hauing asked the reason of the man and the woman because he would bring them to some remorce and repentaunce for their sinne that he might haue mercie vpon them if they had had the grace to confesse their follies as like Hypocrites they posted it of from one to another woulde no longer stand reasoning or debating the matter so with the Serpent because he would shewe him no compassion at all but straight cursing andâ— condemning Sathan in the Serpent he saide vnto the Serpent because thou hast done this thou art cursed aboue all cattell and aboue euerye beast of the field vpon thy bellie shalt thou goe and as a vile and contemptible beast shalt thou eate dust and filth all the dayes of thy life I wil also put enmity betweene thee meaning Sathan by whose motion and craft the serpent deceiued the woman and the woman betweene thy seede and her seede He that is Christ shall breake thine head that is the power of sinne death And thou shalt bruse his heele that is Sathan shall sting Christ and his members but not ouercome them And to comfort Adam and Eue againe by the promise of the Gospell or the blessed seede as also to punish the body of woman for the sinne which the soule should haue smarted for that the spirite hauing conceyued hope of forgiuenesse might liue by faith in Christ therefore the Lorde sayde againe vnto Eua and in her to all women I will greatelie increase thy sorrowe and thy conceptions In sorrowe shalt thou bring foorth children and thy desire shal be subiect to thine husband and hee shall rule ouer thee Also to Adam GOD sayde because thou hast obeyed the voyce of thy wife and eaten of the forbidden fruite cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the daies of thy life Thornes also and thistles as vnnaturall fruites proceeding of the corruption of sinne shall it bring foorth vnto thee thou shalt eate the herbs of the field yea in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread til thou returne to the earth for out of it wast thou taken because thou art dust to dust shalt thou returne Thus the transgression of Gods commandemeÌ„ts in Adam and Eue was y e cause that both they all mankind in them together with all other creaturs were subiect to the curse of God And then GOD deriding as it were Adams miserie wherevnto hee was fallen by ambition to Adams greate reproche sayde beholde the man is become as one of vs to knowe good and euill And nowe least he should put foorth his hande and take also of the tree of life and eate and liue for euer therefore the Lorde God hauing first made coastes of skinnes to cloath both Adam and Eua or geuen them knowledge to make themselues garmentes to couer their nakednesse he sent them foorth and cast out man and woman from the garden of Eden to till the earth whence they were taken And at the East side of the garden of Eden hee sette an Angell or Cherubin with the blade of a swoorde shaken to keepe the way of the tree of life from Adam And thus Adam Eue nowe depriued of life soft also the signes thereof Afterward Adam chaÌ„ged his wiues name and called her name Heua because she was the mother of all liuing who before was called woman mannes or Adam And Heua conceiued and bare Adam her husband three sonnes Cayn Abell and Seth and two daughters Calmana and Delbora by whom the worlde was first replenished When her first sonne Cayn was borne she greatly reioyced praised God for him and promised to offer him vnto the Lord as the first fruits of her byrth saying I haue obtayned a sonne to or by the Lorde And when after the death of Abel she coÌ„ceyued and bare another sonne she called his name Seth and praysed God also saying God hath appoynted me another seede for Abel whom his brother Cayn hath â—layne Gen. 2.3.4 Hodesh or Hodes signifieth a moneth a newelty She was one of the wiues of Shaharaim whoÌ„ he tooke after he had put away his 2. other wiues Hushim Baara which Hodesh bare vnto him diuers soÌ„nes y t became great meÌ„ in y e world as appereth 1. Chr. 8.9 Hodia or Odaia the prayse or acknowledging of the Lord. She was the sister of Naham 1. Chro. 4.19 Hoglah or Hegla signifieth her holiday cheere or wherling about She was one of the 5. daughters of Zelophead the sonne of Hephar of the familie of Manasses who together with her sisters inherited al her fathers lands by partitioÌ„ as coheires or partners for want of heire male and who was afterward maried to one of her vncles sonnes of y e tribe of Manasses to the end their inheritaunce should remaine in that tribe for euer read Mahlah Num. 26.33.27.1.36 all
God gaue him after his fall vnto whome also with her sisters Keziah and Kerenhappuch hee gaue an inheritaunce among hir brethren Iob. 42.14 Ierushah or Ierusa sig Banishment or inheritaunce She was the daughter of Zadock the hie Priest and wife to Uzziah or Azariah king of Iuda to whom she bare a sonne called Iotham that after the death of his father was a good king of Iuda 2. King 15. 33. 2. Chro. 27.1 Iezabel or Iesabel or Isabell sig an Iland or habitation a dweller with a vaine flud an issue of blood or issuing blood where is the dunghil the Iland of the dwelling Woe to the dwelling the I le of the dunghill woe to the dunghill She was the daughter of Eth. baal king of the Sidonians wife to Ahab the sonne of Omri king of Israel to whom she bare 2. sonnes called Ahaziah and Iehoram afterwards kings of Israel also This Iezabel being a wicked woman and vile idolatresse not onely entised and pricked forward her husbande Ahab to all kinde of wickednesse strange idolatry and cruell persecution but also her selfe slue the prophetes of the Lord destroyed them and most ragingly persecuted Eliia the Lordes Prophet for destroying Baals priests whom she made so much of and sent a messenger vnto him with threatning words saying The Gods doe so to me quoth she and more also if I make not thy life Elia like one of their liues whom thou hast slayne by to morowe this time Wherevpon the good Prophet was fayne to flie away froÌ„ her into the wildernes where he remayned by her cruelty in great perplexitie sorow til the Lord comforted him Moreouer when shee perceiued the sullen sadnesse and inward fretting of Ahab her husband and vnderstood the cause thereof to be for nothing els but for that hee could not haue his inordinate appetite satisfied and Naboths vineyard graunted vnto him to make him a garden at his request she came to her husband lying languishing and fretting for anger vpon his bed sayd vnto him Why is thy spirite so sad that thou eatest no bread Doest thou now gouerne the kingdome of Israel Thou knowest not I perceiue what it is to reigne be a king for if thou didst thou wouldest coÌ„mand thy subiects not intreate them Up therfore eate bread be of good cheere for I will geue thee the vineyard of Naboth the Iezreâ—lite So in the yeere of the world 3224. shee wrote letters in Ahabs name and sealed them with his seale and sent the letters vnto the Elders and nobles of the citie the contents of which letters was this Proclaime a fast and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people and set two wicked men before him and let them witnesse against him saying Thou didst blaspheme God and the king then carrie him out and stone him that he may die Which letters when the Elders had receyued they like wicked worldlinges obeyed rather the wicked commaundementes of this wicked Princesse then the iust lawe of God who willeth not to consent to the shedding of innocent blood and did as Iezabell had written in the letters sent vnto them and hauing thus truelly without all equitie vnder colour of lawe put innocent Naboth and his sonnes to death they sent Iesabell worde therof who so soone as shee heard thereof went to her husband lying languishing on his bed and sayde vp now man and take possession of Naboths Uinyarde for nought which he before refused to giue thee for money for beholde he as a trangressor of the lawe is stoned to death and all his sonnes that should inherite it and resist thy purpose by clayming possessioÌ„s which she did that her husband might enioy it the more quietly With which newes Achab being reuiued straight wayes arose and went to take possession of Naboths vineyarde as his wife counselled him but as he was in the Uineyarde taking possession God sent his Prophete Elia vnto him whiche reprooued Achab and his wife with terrible threatninges of Gods iudgementes saying first to Ahab Hast thou killed and also gotten possession Ahab or doest thou thinke to haue any aduauntage by murthering of the innocent Uerilye thus sayeth the Lorde I haue seene yesterday the blood of Naboth â—nd the blood of his sonnes and I wil render it thee in this fielde therefore in the place where dogges licked the blood of Naboth euen there shall dogges licke euen thy bloud also because thou hast shed innocent blood and solde thy selfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde c. And also as concerning thy wife Iezabel thus sayeth the Lorde of her that forasmuch as she whose nature or kynd shoulde haue abhorred all tyrannie and ben moued and inclined to all pitie mercie and compassion hath contrariwise geuen and horrible example of most monstrous crueltie in womenkinde and not onlie geuen wicked counsell to her husband to become a vile Idolater and cruel murtherer but also ben as one that geueth her selfe wholly to serue all maner of sinne therfore the dogs shal eate her also in the field or by the wall of her pallace in Iezreel there shall be none to burie her With terrible words of the Prophet when Ahab heard he rent his clothes and repented his sinnes in dust ashes and sackcloth which caused the Lorde by and by to haue mercie vpon him and to turne the euill from him vnto his sonne Iorams dayes But as for Iezabel the holie Ghost maketh no mention that euer she blushed at the matter or once repented of her villanny but went on stil in her Idolatry and abhominable life during her husband Ahabs raigne the raigne of Ahaziah and Iehoram her two sonnes Insomuch as when her sonne Iehoram was sicke of wounds an hurt that the Aramites had geuen him God raysed vp Iehue to bee king who being made an instrument of God to execute his foresaide iudgements against the house of Ahab y e king to auenge the blood of his seruauntes the Prophetes and seruaunts shed by the hand of Iezabel He conspired against Ioram who meeting Iehue in the fielde of Naboth the Israelite demaunded of Iehue saying comest thou peaceably Iehue But Iehue being furiously bent to execute Gods vengeaunce against Ioram and his mother Iezabel aunsweared Ioram what hast thou to doe with peace the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabell and her witchcraftes are yet in greate number and with that Iehu shotte Ioram quite thorowe his hearte as he fled from him so that he fell downe dead in his chariot And after Iehu had caused the dead corpes of Ioram to be put and cast in the field of Naboth to fulfil the word of the Lord against Achab whiche was nowe first accomplished in his sonne Ioram after this iudgement of God I say executed vpon y e sonne for imitating the sinnes of his father Achab mother Iezabel Iehu went towards Iezreel to do y e like iudgement in reuenging of Gods cause vpon the mother Iezabel that lay
was in all my life and because my state is exalted nowe more thē euer it was since I was borne and with that shee called her maide Abra and tooke of her the victuals she brought and had prepared for her and did eate and drinke cheerefully with Olophernes Then Olophernes reioyced so greatly in Iudith because of her company that he drank much more wine at that time then euer he had drunk at anie one time before since he was borne Now when the euening was come and it was late in the night his seruants made hast euery man to depart to his lodging and Bagoas his Chamberlain shut the chamber dores and dismissed those that were present from the presence of his Lorde and they went all to their beds for they were all werie because the feast had beene long and ouerladen with wine So Iudith in the yeere of the worlde 3496. being left all alone in Olophernes tent and Olophernes himselfe lying stretched along vpon his bed all drunken and filled with wine of very drunkennesse falling fast a sleepe she commaunded her maide Abra to goe and stande without the tent dore and waite for her comming foorth and so euerie bodie being gone foorth of her presence and not one left in the chamber little or great but her selfe and Olophernes that was fast a sleepe she standing by his bed side fell downe on her knees there secretly in her heart her lips only a little mouing made her praiers with teares vnto God for his helpe that he would strengthen her in y t her enterprise as appeareth in the first Lamp Pag. 43. And her prayers ended she went tooke downe his sword or fauchin hung on the post at his beds head drew it then went and tooke hold of Olophernes by the haire of his head and beseeching God euen then in that houre to strengthen her shee smote twise vpon his necke with all her might cut of his head at two blowes quite from his bodie and rowled his dead body downe from the bed and pulled downe the Canopie frō the pillers And immediatly she gat her forth deliuered the head of Olophernes vnto her handmaid Abra and bad her put it in her scrip or wallet of meat so they twaine went foorth together as thogh they had gone after their accustomed maner to pray so passing by the host comming about through the valley neere vnto the gate of y e Citie of Bethulia She cried a far off to the watchmē vpon y e walles saying Open now the gates for God euen our God is with vs quoth she hath shewed his power yet in Israel his force against his enemies as he hath done euē this day Now when the mē of the citie heard her voice they called the elders together they all made hast to go downe to the gates ran all together both smal great young old to mee◠her for it was aboue their expectatiō y t she should come so soone again So they opened the gates receiued her yoūg old made a bone fire for a ioyful light stoode round about Iudith her maide But shee went vp into an high place caused silence to be proclaimed when euery man now held his peace Iudith said vnto thē with a loude voyce O praise ye the Lord giue thanks vnto our God for he hath not despised his people nor taken away his mercy frō the house of Israel nor forsaken them y t put their trust in him but in me his handmaidē he hath performed his mercy which he promised vnto the house of Israel Yea by mine hand this same night hath he slaine destroied y e enemie of his people with y t she tooke foorth the head of Olophernes out of y e wallet shewed it vnto thē saying Behold here the head of Olophernes y e chiefe captain of the army of y e Assyriās whō the Lorde hath slaine by me his minister and behold also the Canopie wherein he lay in his drūkennes where y e Lord hath smittē slaine him by the hands of mee a silie woman his minister But as y e Lord liueth his angel hath kept me in my way going thither remaining there cōming hither againe frō thence And the Lord who hath brought to passe y t my countenāce hath deceiued him to his destructiō hath not suffered me his handmaiden to be defiled neither hath he cōmitted sin with me by any pollutiō or villany But without any defiling of sin or reproch hath y e Lorde brought me his handmaidē againe vnto you and y t with great victory so y t I am escaped and you deliuered O therfore giue praise and thanks vnto our God euery one for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer Thē al the people were wonderfully astonished bowed thēselues praised y e Lord altogether said with one accord blessed be thou our god which hast this day brought to nought y e enemy of thy people And they highly cōmēded Iudith said vnto her the Lord hath blessed thee in his power for through thee he hath brought our enimie to confusiō Yea Ozias y e prince of Bethulia extolled her to the skies saying vnto her O daughter blessed art thou of the most hie God aboue al womē of y e earth blessed be y e Lord y e maker of heauē earth which hath guided directed thee aright to wound to smite of the head of the chiefe captaine of our enemies Surely this thine hope shal neuer depart out of the hearts of mē for they shall remēber the power of God for euer And God turne these things to thee thy name for a perpetuall prayse honor visite thee w t good things because thou hast not spared thine own life but put it in ieoperdie cōsidering the anguish affliction of our natiō people so hast helpt our ruin fall walking a straite way before God our Lorde and all the people said Amen Thē said Iudith vnto thē my brethrē heare me yet hang this head vpō y e highest place of your walles whē the Sun ariseth take you euery mā his weapō go forth like valiāt mē not as though ye would go beside thē but run vpō thē with violēce and when y e Assyriās spies your enemies see this they shal of necessity take vp their armour their pety Captaines shall goe into the Tent of their chiefe Captaine Olophernes to raise him vp to battell but when they shall there finde his dead bodie wrapped and imbrued in his owne blood fearefulnesse and trembling shall so fall vpon them that they shall be compelled euerie man to flie backward before your face so that you and all that inhabite the coastes of Israel shall pursue them without feare and ouerthrowe them as they flie for God hath deliuered them into your handes But before yee doe
y e people had giuen her and gaue the Canopie which she had taken from his bed for an oblation to the Lord. So the people reioyced as the vse is by reason of the victory for the space of three moneths and Iudith remained with them in Ierusalem by the Sanctuarie And after this euery one returned home to his owne house inheritance And Iudith went to Bethulia remained in her owne possession was for y e time right honorably taken in all the countrey land of Israel Unto her vertue also was chastitie ioyned so y t although many desired her yet she neuer knew man nor companied w t any all the dayes of her life after that Manasses her husband was dead and gathered to his people But on the high solemne feast dayes she went out with great worship increased more more in honor waxed old in her husbands house where when she had been a widow three yeeres foure moneths was become an 105. yeres old After that she had made her maide Abra free and distributed her goods to them y t were neerest of her kinred to her husband her she died in Bethulia there was most honorably buried beside her husband Whose death the Iewes or people of Israel lamented with mourning vii daies together euery yeere solemnized y e day wherin she got the victorie as a holy day to be kept for euer amōg their fastiuall daies And there was none y t made the childrē of Israel any more afraid in the dayes of Iudith nor along time after her death There was another woman called Iudith which was the daughter of Beeri an Hittite one of the wiues of Esau who with her mate Bashemath was a griefe of mind to Isaac Rebecca her father mother in lawe for her disobedience and rebellion towares them Gen. 26. 34.35 K Keren-happuch or Cornu-sibii signifieth the horne or childe of beautie She was the youngest of Iobs three daughters that he had after his fall and sister to Ieminah and Kezia a verie beautifull virgin as her sisters were vnto whom Iob her father gaue an inheritance amōgst his sonnes to her preferment and portion Iob. 42.14 Ketura or Cetura or Chethura signifieth smelling sweete like spices or perfuming or bound a good sauour Shee was the second wife or concubine of Abram whom he tooke as some think whiles Sara was yet aliue and who bare him vi sonnes as appeareth Gen. 25.1.2 Kezia or Cassiam signifieth as pleasant as Cassia or sweete spice Shee was the seconde daughter of Iob a most beautifull comely woman and virgin vnto whom also with her sisters Ieminah and Karen-happuch her father gaue an inheritance for her portion among their brethren Iob. 42.14 L Lea or Lia. signifieth painfull or weeried Shee was the eldest daughter of Laban the sonne of Nahor Abrahams brother and sister to Rahel but being bleare eyed or squint eyed shee was nothing so faire and beautifull as her sister Rahel was yet when her sister Rahel for whom Iacob serued seuen yeres should haue been giuen vnto him in marriage y e same night after the wedding feast kept by Rahel her father to prefer his eldest daughter in marriage before the yōgest especially being somwhat deformed couered his daughter Leahs face with a vaile in signe of chastitie shamefastnesse as the maner of virgins or young maried wiues then was so in the darke in steede of her sister Rahel brought her to bed to Iacob who lay with her and so she preuented her sister Rahel in marriage became Iacobs first wife this was in the yeere of the worlde 2252. And her father gaue his maid Zilpa to Leah to be her waiting maid seruant Which deceit in Laban caused Iacob to serue seuen yeres more for Rahel her sister But when the Lord saw that Lea was despised not so well beloued of her husband Iacob as her sister was shee in her affliction had recourse vnto God by prayer because children are a great cause of mutuall loue betweene man wife he heard her prayer and made deformed Lea fruitfull faire Rahel barren so y t the same yeere Leah conceiued bare a sonne called his name Ruben saying Because the Lord hath looked vpon my tribulation giuen me a childe now therefore my husband will loue me And the next yeere being the yere of the world 2253. she conceiued againe bare another sonne called his name Symeon saying because the Lord hath heard that I was hated therefore he hath giuen me this sonne also And in the yere 2254. shee conceiued againe the third time bare a sonne called his name Leuy saying Now at this time will my husband keepe mee commpanie because I haue borne him three sonnes Lastly in the yeere of the world 2255. she conceiued bare him another sonne called his name Iudah saying Now will I praise the Lord so she left bearing Afterward when she saw that for her fruitfulnes she was enuied of her barren sister Rahel that she her selfe also now had left bearing then shee gaue Zilpah her maid vnto her husband Iacob to wife who bare him a sonne Leah called his name Gad saying God doth increase me with a company or multitude of children Again Zilpah her maid conceiued and bare another sonne whose name Leah called Asshur saying Ah blessed am I for the daughters will blesse me After this in the yeere of the world 2256. it chanced that Ruben her eldest sonne in the time of wheat haruest went out into the field found certaine hearbes called Mandrakes whose roote hath a certaine likenes of the figure of a mā and brought them home vnto his mother Lea. And when Rahel her sister heard thereof she went to Lea her sister desired her to giue her of her sonnes Mandrakes but Lea vnwilling so to do answered said to her sister Rahel Is it not enough that thou hast taken away mine husband but wouldst take away my sonnes Mandrakes also Wel quoth Rahel let him sleepe with thee this night for thy sonnes Mandrakes And so Iacob cōming out of the field at euening Lea went out to meet him and said Come in vnto me lie with me this night for I haue bought paid for thee with my sonnes Mandrakes So Iacob did and God heard Leah and she conceiued by him that night bare vnto Iacob the fift sonne called his name Issachar saying God hath giuen me my reward because I gaue my maide to my husband In which wordes she offended because in steede of acknowledging her fault shee boasteth there as if God had rewarded her therfore After that in the yeere of the world 2257. Lea conceiued againe and bare Iacob the sixt sonne of her owne bodie called his name Zebulim praysing God and saying God hath indued me with a good dowry now will mine husband dwell with me because I haue borne him
sixe sonnes Last of all in the yeere of the world 2258. she conceaued brought foorth Iacob a daughter whose name she called Dinah Now when Iacob was to depart away from Laban with his wiues Leah Rahel such goods and cattell as God had blessed him with in his seruice for recompence of his true seruice Iacob perceiuing Labans children to murmure against Iacob as though he had inriched himselfe of their fathers substance to their impouerishment called his wife Leah and Rahel tolde them of that discourtesie and what the Lord had reueled vnto him concerning his departure froÌ„ Laban Leah Rahel said vnto Iacob their husbande Haue we any more portion in our fathers house doth not he count vs as strangers for he hath solde vs in that hee hath giuen vs vnto thee in recoÌ„pence of thy seruice which is a kinde of sale hath eaten vp and coÌ„sumed our portions money therfore all y e riches which God hath taken from our father is ours and our childrens Nowe then whatsoeuer God hath put in thy minde to doe doe it Whereuppon Iacob with his two wiues Leah and Rahel departed from their father Laban and returned towardes their owne countrie and hauing deuided his familie into order Leah his wife and her children were formost next the maides and their children And when they met his brother Esau comming against him to meete him Lea with her children came neere and made obeisance vnto him very reuerently And so passing on their iourney safely to Sechem a citie in the lande of Canaan there shee rested a while and gaue her daughter Dinah a little too much libertie to go abrode to gaze vpon the women of that Countrie by meanes whereof vnawares her faire daughter was violently taken rauished and deflowred and abused as a whore by Shechim the sonne of Hamor to his and his Countries destruction as appeareth in the storie of Dina. Gen. 29.30,31.33.34.1 Lydia signifieth natiuitie or generation birth begetting aforehande builded She was a cetaine woman and seller of purple of the Citie of Thiatyria who being a very deuout woman and a worshipper of God she came together with other women to the assemblie of the Apostles and Christians to the Common prayer and exercise of the worde then vsed by a riuers side without the Citie of Philippi where her heart was so by the Lorde opened at the Preaching of Paule that she gaue diligent eare and attendance to the thinges which Paul spake and was with all her housholde presently conuerted baptized to the christian faith After this she besought Paule and the other Disciples saying If yee haue iudged me to bee faithfull to the Lorde come into my house and abide there and so she constrained the Apostles to tarry with her who founde so much good faithfulnesse in the woman that afterward being cast into prison deliuered again they returned into her house to comfort the brethren which resorted thither Act. 16.14.40 Loys or Loyde signifieth better she that hath got profite Shee was a faithfull godly woman grandmother to Timothie who alwaies brought vp her children familie in the feare of God and faith knowledge of Christes doctrine as appeareth 2. Tim. 1.5 Loruhamah â—ign not obteining mercy She was the daughter of Hosea the Prophet whom Gomer y e daughter of Deblaim bare vnto him her brothers name was Loammi and when she was borne brought foorth into the worlde the Lord said vnto Hosea her father call her name Loâ—ruhama for shee is the childe of fornication of an adulterous woman and of one that of long time hath accustomed to plaie the harlot therefore I will no more haue pitie vpon the house of Israel but forget them put them cleane out of my remembrance reade this mistically Hosea 1.6 M Maacah or Maacha or Maakah or Michaiah signifieth a woman bruised or pressed Shee was the daughter of Tasmai king of Geshur and one of the wiues of king Dauid vnto whom shee bare a sonne called Absolom who afterward rebelled against his father to his owne destruction 2. Sam. 3.3.1 Chro. 3.2 There was another woman called Maachah or Michaiah which was the daughter of Abishalom Uriel or of Gibea or as it is in the second of the Chr. 11.20 of Absalom whom some think was Dauids sonne and one of the xviii wiues of y â— wicked licentious king RoboaÌ„ the sonne of SalomoÌ„ king of Iuda vnto whom she bare foure sonnes called Abiiam Atthai Ziza Shelomith And because her husband loued her best aboue all his xviii wiues and lx Concubines Therefore in his life time he made her eldest sonne Abi Abiiah or Abiiam y â— chiefe ruler amoÌ„g his brethren ordeined him to raigne as king after him for y e loue he bare to his mother as appeareth 2. Kin. 15.2.2 Chro. 11.20 21.22 13. 2. But after the death of her sonne Abiiam she was deposed by Asa her sonnes sonne froÌ„ her Regencie because she had made an idol in a groue was an idolatresse woman and Asa brake her idol stamped it into powder burnt it at the brooke Ridion And yet for all this Asa herein shewed y t he lacked zeale for whereas she ought to haue dyed both by the couenant y t he made with God to slay man woman childe also by the law of God Deut. 13.6 Yet hee gaue place to foolish pitie wold seeme after a sort to satisfie y t law 2. Chr. 15.16 There was also another womaÌ„ called Maachah which was one of the concubines of Caleb the sonne of Hur bare vnto him v. sonnes called Sheber Tirhanah Shaaph the father or prince of Madmannah and Sheua the father or prince of Machbena of Gibea and a daughter called Achsah or Axa 1. Chro. 2.48.49 Moreouer there was yet another woman called Maachah which was the daughter of Ir or Aher and sister to Huppim Shuppim after she became the wife of Machar the sonne of Manasses and bare vnto him two sonnes called Peresh and Sheresh 1. Chro. 7.12.15 16. Lastly there was yet a fift woman called Maacha which was the wife of Ieiel the father or Prince of Gibeon vnto whom she bare ten sonnes Abdon Zur Kish Baal Ner Nadab Gador Ahio zechariah Mikloth her sonne Ner begat Kish which Kish begat Saul who afterward was y e first king of y e Israelites so y t this Maacha was y e great grandmother of Saul and the first woman of whose rase and stock the first king that euer was ouer the people of God came 1. Chro. 8.29 9.35 Mahalath or Maheleth or Malath or Malaah signifieth a Queere or companie of singers a Harpe weaknesse pardon She was the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams eldest sonne the sister of Naabaioth and one of the wife 's of Esaw whoÌ„ he tooke for his third wife besides the rest of his two other Heathen wiues Iudith and Basmath thinking by marrying of her to
blessed and holy virgin and mother of Christ our Sauiour whose parents are not expressed in Scripture by name but as some thinke she was the daughter of Heli otherwise called Ioachim and of Anna his wife borne in the yeere of the world 3948. in the daies of Cambalinus and before the birth of Christ xv yeeres But whose daughter soeuer shee was certaine it is that both she and her husbande Ioseph came of the princely race and royall stocke or linage of king Dauid and that she was neere cosin to Elizabeth S. John Baptist his mother as shall appeare and Marie the wife of Cleophe was her sister also Nowe this blessed virgin being affianced or betrothed to a certaine good man of her owne stocke and tribe of Iuda named Ioseph So it was that before she came to dwell with him the Angel Gabriel in the yeere of the worlde 4142. being sent of God came and saluted her as she was in her house at Nazareth a Citie of Galilee saying Haile thou that art beloued orgladnesse be vnto thee which art highly receiued into fauour full of grace the Lorde is with thee blessed art thou among women The Virgin seeing the Angel was sore abashed and troubled at his wordes and mused much in her minde what maner of salutation that should be Then saide the Angel Feare nor Marie for thou hast found fauour with God for loe thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus he shal be great and shall be called the sonne of the most high And the Lorde God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shal be none end Then Marie because she woulde be resolued of all doubtes to the ende shee might the more surely imbrace the promise of God saide vnto the Angel How shall this be seeing I knowe no man The holy Ghoste quoth the Angell shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouershadowe thee and secretly woorke in thee aboue all naturall reason Therefore also that holy and pure thinge which shall bee borne of thee shal be called the sonne of GOD. And thy cosin Elizabeth she hath also conceiued a sonne in her old age and this is her sixt moneth which was called Barren For with God shall nothing be impossible Then saide Mary beholde the handmaide of the Lorde be it vnto me according to thy worde So the Angell being departed from her vpon this shee prepared her selfe with speede to goe and visite her cosin Elizabeth and comming to Hebron where her cosin dwelt shee entred into the house of Zacharias and saluted her cosin Elizabeth his wife who no sooner heard the salutation of Mary but the babe myraculously sprang in her belly beeing filled presently with the holy Ghoste she cryed with a loude voice and saide to Marie Blessed art thou amōg womē because y e fruite of thy wombe is blessed whence cōmeth this to me that the mother of my Lorde should come to mee c Then Mary beleeuing all these thinges to be performed which were tolde her by the message of the Angell with a ioyful heart and mind made a notable song in the praise of God for his mercy towardes her saying My soule doth magnifie the Lorde c. as in the first Lampe of Uirginitie Page 48. Which song being ended she remained with her cosin Elizabeth about three monethes and then returned home to her owne house againe to Nazareth a Citie of Galilee Where being found with childe of the holy Ghoste as the Angell had saide before her husband she came together that her husband had taken her home vnto him Then Ioseph her husband being a iust man vpright and fearing God and therefore suspecting y t she had cōmitted fornication before shee was betrothed vnto him and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away secretely and woulde neither retaine her which by the lawe shoulde be married to another nor by accusing her woulde put her to open shame for her fact But whiles he thought these thinges beholde the Angell of the Lord appeared to him in a dreame and by reuelation saide vnto him Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary for thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost and she shall bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes And all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet Esay 7.14 saying Behold a virgin shal be with childe shall beare a sonne and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is by interpretatiō God w t vs. Then Ioseph being raised from sleepe did as the Angell of the Lorde had inioyned him and tooke his wife Marie home vnto him But he knew her not till shee had brought forth her first borne sonne nor at any time euer after Shortly after it chaunced that Ioseph her husbande went vp from the citie of Nazareth to the lande of Iurie to a citie called Bethlem and shee also being great with childe went with him there to be taxed according to the Emperour Augustus commaundement because they were of the house and linage of Dauid And being forced to lie in the stable for lacke of roome in the Inne her houre came to bee deliuered there she being now about the age of xvi yeres as it is said brought forth Christ Iesus the sauiour of the worlde her first begotten sonne and wrapped him in swadling clothes and laide him in a cratch or manger because there was no other roome or conuenient place for them in the Inne whereby appeareth her pouertie at that time and their crueltie both towards her and her babe which woulde not pitie a woman in such a case Which strang or rather ioyful newes being by Gods angel reueiled vnto the shepheards in the field they ran with all hast to Bethlem and there first found both Marie and Ioseph and the babe laid in the cratch and when they had seene it they published it first abroad to the world and all that heard it wondred but Marie kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart And the Shepheards returned praysing God for all that they had heard seen of our sauiour Christ. And when y e eight day was come they circumcised her child his name was called Iesus as the angell had so named him before he was conceiued And when the dayes of her purification after the Law of Moses were come she went with her childe Iesus and her husband to Ierusalem to present him to the Lord and there according to her pouertie offred two yong pigions and a payre of turtle doues for an oblation according to the lawe for her manchilde that was holy vnto the Lord. And when she heard olde father
go in peace and presently there went out of her seuen diuelles or foule spirites to the admiration of all that sate at the table Then Marie feeling her self much bounde to Christ which had forgiuen her so many sinnes and cast out of her so many diuels fel in so great loue of Christ that al her whole meditation and studie euer after y t time was only vpon him Insomuch that to acknowledge y e great benefites which shee had receiued of him and to shew her perseuerance in thankfulnes and knowledge of Christ shee diligently followed Christ with Ioanna the wife of Chuza and Susanna and many other women whom Christ had healed together with her of their euil spirits and infirmities and ministred vnto Christ of her substance And when her sister Martha receiued Christe into her house to meate and was cumbred about muche seruing of Christ at the table Marie Magdalen chusing y e better part sate at Iesus feete all the while and heard his preaching Also when her brother Lazarus was dead and laide in the graue and Iesus was comming to her sisters Marthas house to rayse Lazarus agayne to life so soone as her sister Martha called her secretly and tolde her that her maister Christ was comming and asked for her shee to declare her affection and reuerence that shee bare to Christ arose with speede and went to meete him and when shee was come where Iesus was and sawe him shee fell downe at his feet wept saying vnto him Lord if thou hadst bin here my brother had not bin dead And when Iesus saw her weepe for very compassion as one y t felt our miseries suffered y e lik he groned in spirit was troubled in himselfe wept also together w t her for sorrow as ye may read more in the storie of her sister Martha Moreouer when Iesus suffered his passion this Marie Magdalen with Marie the virgine and mother of Christ and Marie the wife of Cleophas and with other women who had followed Iesus from Galilee to Ierusalem ministring vnto him first stood a farre off and behelde howe he was crucified and afterward came and stood by the crosse to see the ende and when hee was taken down by Ioseph Aremathea and wrapt in linnen clothes to be buried shee with Marie Ioses mother sate ouer against the sepulchre and behelde where he shoulde be layde and so returned home to buy and prepare odours and sweete oyntments to anoynt his body and rested the Sabboath day according to the commaundement And the morrowe after the Sabbath day when shee came with sweete oyntmentes very early in the morning before sunne rising to the sepulchre thinking to haue anointed and embalmed the body of Iesus in his graue and sawe the stone taken away from the tombe shee with feare and great ioy at the Angelles commaundement ranne to Peter and Iohn and tolde them saying they haue taken the Lord out of the sepulchre we knowe not where they haue laide him But Peter and Iohn not beleeuing her words ran both of them to the graue to trie the matter finding her wordes true they returned backe againe to their companies leauing Marie standing at the graue weeping for the loue she bare vnto Iesus And as she wept bowed her self to looke into y e graue again as one not satisfied w t seeking Iesus her Lord behold she saw two Angels sitting in white clothes who said vnto her woman why weepest thou Oh quoth shee they haue taken away my Lord and I knowe not where they haue laid him And turning her selfe about shee sawe Iesus standing but knew not y t it was he to whom he said Woman why wepest thou whom doest thou seeke she supposing it had bin the gardner said sir if thou hast borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him I will fet him Thē Iesus said vnto her Marie with y t she turned her selfe and saide vnto him Rabbony which is to say Maister and fell downe to the grounde to haue kissed his feete But to withdrawe her from beeing too much addicted to his corporall presence and to teache her to lift vp her minde by faith into heauen where onely after his ascention he remayneth Iesus said vnto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascēded to my father but go to my brethrē tel them that I ascende to my father to your father to my God your God Thus Iesus after his resurrection hauing appeared first to Marie Magdalē a sinfull woman out of whom he had cast seuen diuels Shee then went to the disciples told them that shee had now seene the Lord and what things hee had sayde vnto her to the better confirmation of their beliefe in his resurrection read Matthewe 26.7.27.56.28.1 Mark 14.3.15.40 47.16.1,9 Luk 7.37.8.2.10.39.23.55 Iohn 11.12.3.19.25.20 all Marie the mother of Iohn and Marke Shee was a godly and faithfull woman vnto whose house Peter came after the Angell of God had deliuered him out of pryson from the handes of Herod where many were gathered together in prayer beeyng let in after muche knockyng by her maide Rhode that kept the doore Act. 12.12 Marie the mother of Iames the lesse and of Ioses She was as some thinke the same Marie Cleopas before named which was the sister to the virgine Marie and was so called after her second husbands name which was Cleopas who being first married to one Alpheus had by him two sonnes the one Iames the lesse whoe was called the brother of Christ and the other Ioses And shee being a very godly deuout woman who with Marie Magdalen amōg other women followed Iesus from Galilee to Ierusalem ministred vnto him of her substaunce And when he was led to be crucified she folowed him also lamenting and bewailing him vnto whom Iesus saide Yee daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weepe for your selues for your children for behold the dayes will come when men shall say blessed are the barren the wombes that neuer bare the pappes w t neuer gaue sucke Then shall they begin to say to the mountaynes fall on vs to y e hils couer vs. For if they do these things to a greene tree that is if they thus handle me being an innocent what shal be done to the drie that is to the wicked man And when Christe was crucified she with Marie Magdalen among the rest of the women stood a far off beheld him suffer his passion to see what would become of him and after his death drewe nere stood euer against his sepulchre where hee should be buried afer went home to prepare odors came the morow after the Sabboth very early to embalme the bodie of Iesus but found him not there for he was risen gone so was a witnesse of his resurrection as ye may read in the story of Marie Magdelen Mat. 27.56 28.1 Mar. 15.40.47.16.1 Luk. 8.3.23.27 There was another woman called
Leaprosie as white as snowe in the yeere of the worlde 2516. Then Moses partly for pittie to see his sister in such a lothsome case and partly at the earnest request and intercession of Aaron his brother who saide to Moses Alas my Lorde I beseech thee lay not the sinne vpon vs which we haue foolishly committed and wherein we haue sinned Let her not I pray thee be as a childe dead of whom the fleshe is halfe consumed when hee commeth out of his mothers wombe hauing as it were but skinne bone Moses besought the Lorde for his sister saying O Lorde I beseeche thee heale her nowe but the Lord made him aunsweare saying if her father in his anger and displeasure had spit in her face shoulde she not haue beene ashamed seuen dayes Let her be shut out of the host seuen dayes and after she shal be receiued So Miriam was shut out of the host seuen dayes as the Lorde commaunded and the people remoued not till Miriam was restored and receiued in againe into the host Finally in the yeere of the worlde 1554. when she had liued 119. yeeres after the birth of Moses and when Moses and the children of Israel were come into the desert of Sinai to the citie Cades fortie yeere after the departure out of the land of Egypt Myriam there dyed and was buried when shee had liued aboue a 130. yeeres Exod. 2.4.7.6.20 15.20 c. Num. 12.1 20.1 1. Chro. 6.3 Milcha Milcah or Melcha or Melea sig a Queene his Queene or aduiser fulfilling She was the daughter of Haram Abrahams youngest brother the sister of Lot and as some thinke of Sarai the wife of Abraham and also was the wife of Nahor Abrahams second brother so that her husband and her father were naturall brothers the sonnes of Terah and she her selfe neere vnto her husband who was her vncle which kynde of marriage was after forbidden by the lawe after she bare vnto her husband Nahor eight sonnes to wit Uz Buz. Kemuel that was afterwarde Prince of the Assyrians Chesed Hazo Pildash Iidlaph and Bethuel which was the father of Rebecca that afterward became wife to Isaack so Milcha was Rebeccaes grādmother her mates name was Reumah Gen. 11.29.22.20 There was another woman called Milcah whiche was one of the fiue daughters and coheires of Zelohehad of the tribe of Manasses as yee may reade in Mahlah her sisters storie Number 26.33.27 1.36 Molecheth signifieth a Queene She was the sister of Gilead and daughter of Machir and bare vnto her husband three sonnes called Ishbod Abiezer and Mahalah 1. Chro. 7.18 N Naamah or Naama signifieth comlinesse fayre beautifull or greatly mouing affliction She was the daughter of Lamech and Zillah and the sister of Tubalkain the cunning brasier and smith Gen. 4.22 There was another woman called Naamah which was an Ammonitesse one of the wiues of king Salomon who bare vnto him a sonne called Rehoboam that after was king of Iuda 1. Kings 14. 21. Naarah or Naara or Naari signifieth a puzill a damosell striking of or walking She was one of the two wiues of Ashur the father or Prince of Tekoa her mates name was Heleah and she bare vnto her husbande foure sonnes called Ahuzam Hepher Temeni and Haashtari 1. Chro. 4.36 Naomi or Noemi or Mara sig fayre comely or prouoking much or greatly assuring Bitter She was the wife of a certaine man called Elimelech dwelling in the land of Iuda in a citie called Bethlem and for because of the present dearth which was ouer all the lande of Iuda in the time that the Iudges ruled She went with her husband and her two sonnes called Mahlon and Chilion into the countrey of Moab to soiourne where in processe of time her husband first died and her two sonnes w t whom she remained being married to two of the Moabitish damosels to wit Orphah Ruth died there also So that Naomi which had dwelt in the land of Moab ten yeeres was now left desolate both of her husband and of her sonnes Then Naomy hearing how the Lord had visited her countrie againe with plentie returned from Moab homewardes againe her two daughters in lawe Orpha and Ruth bringing her on y e way in her iourney And when shee sawe they had gone a good way with her and coueted not to returne from her shee saide vnto them Goe nowe my daughters and returne eche of you vnto your mothers house and the Lorde deale as kindly with you as yee haue dealt with the dead men my sonnes and with mee their sorowfull mother And the Lorde graunt that you may finde rest eyther of you in the house of her husband and so kissed them to haue bid them farewell But when she saw that they wept and would not depart from her she sayde vnto them agayne returne my daughters I pray you for what cause will yee goe with me Are there anie moe children within my wombe to bee your husbandes Turne againe therefore I say and goe your way for I am too olde to haue an husband And if I should say I had hope of children or if I had an husband this night or had already borne sonnes Woulde yee tarrie for them till they were growen of age and refrayne from taking of husbandes so long No not so my daughters it greeueth mee much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me Then they wept altogether and Orpha kissed her mother in lawe and tooke her leaue and returned into her owne lande of Moab agayne But because it was Gods woonderfull prouidence that Ruth shoulde become one of his housholde shee abode still with Naomy But Naomy did all that shee could to perswade her likewise to depart and returne with her sister saying beholde thy sister in law is gone backe vnto her people and vnto her Gods returne thou also after her But when Naomy saw that for no entreaty Ruth would depart from her but was stedfastly mynded to goe on with her she left speaking vnto her And so when they came to Bethlehem Iuda which was about the beginning of barley haruest or in April where when her cōming was noysed abroad the women of the citie which saw Naomy knowing her to come of a great familie and to haue been of great reputation when she dwelt among them said one to another is not this Naomy Naomy saide shee call me not Naomy that is beautifull but call me Mara that is bitter for the almighty hath geuen mee much bitternes I went out full and the Lorde hath brought me againe emptie Why then call yee me Naomy seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the almighty hath brought me vnto aduersitie And so Naomy remayned in Bethleem Iuda her daughter in law Ruth with her where shee liued poorely by the corne that Ruth gleamed for her sustenaunce in the fieldes of Booz her husbande Elimelechs kinsman and when Ruth brought home the corne and tolde her where shee had it she
a sonne called Booz who after tooke to wife Ruth the Moabitish woman another Gentile of whom came Obed Iesse Dauid and so lineally Christ and all to saue both Iewes and Gentiles Blessed bee his name therefore Iosua 2.6.7.22.25 Matth. 1.5 Heb. 11. 31. And Dauid maketh mention of Rahab an Egyptian saying I will make mention of Rahab and Babel c. Psal. 87. vers 4. Rahell or Rachel sig a sheepe seeing the beginning the sight of mischiefe beholding God Shee was the youngest daughter of Laban the sonne of Nahor and being a very fayre and beautifull mayden borne in Haran disdayned not to keepe her fathers sheepe And as she came with her fathers sheepe to water them at the well it was her chaunce there to meete with Iacob the sonne of Isaak and Rebecca and her fathers nephewe who after some curtesie shewed towards her in helping her to water her sheepe kissed Rahel and tooke acquayntaunce of her as his neere kinswoman wherevpon she ranne and tolde her father Labā who presently went out and fetcht Iacob home and there after intertaynment made retayned Iacob in his seruice where in processe Iacob fell in loue with Rahel and offered to serue her father seuen yeeres for her to be his wife vnto whom Laban made as willing a promise saying It is better that I geue her thee whiche art bone of my bones and flesh my flesh then that I shoulde geue her to another So Iacob serue◠seuen yeeres for Rahell they seemed vnto him but a few dayes because he loued her Howbeit when the time came that she should haue beene geuen vnto Iacob beholde her couetous father who esteemed more the profite that he had of Iacobs seruice then eyther his promise or the course of the countrey at night after the feast was done went and layde his eldest daughter Leah Rahels sister in her steede in Iacobs bed who thereby preuented Rahel became Iacobs first wife contrarie to his mynde For which his dissembling when he was rebuked by Iacob who serued for the younger and not for the elder he alleaged custome for his excuse saying It was not the manner of the countrey to geue the yunger daughter before the elder therfore if thou wilt serue me yet seuen yeeres more for the younger I wil also geue her vnto thee for thy seruice So Iacob being driuen for the great good will he bare to Rahell to serue her couetous father seuen yeeres more for her at the seuen yeeres end she also was geuen vnto Iacob with her mayd Bilha to be her seruaunt and became his wife together with hir sister Lea. But Rahel was euer better beloued of her husband then Lea Therefore when the Lord saw that he made Rahell barren and her sister fruitfull Now when Rahell saw that she bare Iacob no children she enuyed her sister Lea and sayd vnto Iacob her husband Geue me children or els I die Then Iacobs anger beyng with these wordes kindled against his wife Rahel he said vnto her Am I in Gods steed which hath withholden frō thee the fruit of thy womb as if he should say it is God only that maketh barrē fruitfull therfore I am not in y e fault Behold my mayd Bilha then quoth Rahel go into her she shal beare vpon my knees y t I may haue children by her I will receiue her children on my lapp as though they were mine own so Rahel gaue Iacob Bilha her mayd to wife who conceiued bare her a sonne whose name shee called Dan praysing God and saying God hath geuen sentence on my side and hath also hearde my voyce and hath geuen me a sonne Then Bilha her mayde conceiued agayne and bare Rahel the second sonne whose name she called Naptali then after shee had receiued this benefite of God to haue children borne vnto her such is the arrogancie of mans nature Rahel began to contemne her sister Lea more then before and saide with excellent wrestling haue I wrestled with my sister haue gotten the vpper hād Afterward when shee heard that Ruben her sisters sonne had brought home Mandrakes out of the field she could not be quiet till she had gotten those Mandrakes of her sister and therfore went vnto her and said geue me I pray thee of thy sonnes mandrakes and thou shalt sleepe with Iacob my husband this night So she solde her husband for the mandrakes And within a while after Rahel hauing bin long barren at the last that is in the yeere of the world 2259. God remembred her heard her and opened her wombe or made her fruitfull so that she conceiued and bare her first sonne whose name she called Ioseph praysing God and saying God hath taken away my rebuke the Lord will yet geue me another sonne And assoone as Rahel had borne Ioseph Iacob her husbande woulde no longer tarrye with her father Laban but hauing got his wages of Gods blessing not of Labās deliuering was ready to depart And when he heard how Labans children and his wiues brethren did murmure grudge at his wages or wealth wherewith God had blessed him in Labans seruice He called Rahel Lea to the field vnto his flocke there told them of their fathers discurtesy or rather crueltie towards him saying wiues I see your fathers countenance is not towards me as it was wount and y t he enuieth me because the God whom my father worshippeth hath blessed me And yee know that I haue serued your father faithfully with all my might but your father hath deceiued me changed my wages ten times howbeit God suffered him not to hurt me but hath takē away your fathers substance or cattell and geuen it me in recompence of my faithfull seruice done vnto him Now therefore forasmuch as yee know that the Lord hath appeared vnto me by his Angel in Bethel and willed me to depart out of this countrey and returne vnto my natiue countrey where I was borne I thinke it necessarie and conuenient for mee to doe so as the Lorde commaunded Then Rahel and Lea being very well content with that Iacob saide answeared Iacob and sayde Let vs depart hence for we haue no more portion and inheritaunce in our father Labans house Yea he doth rather count vs as straungers for he hath sold vs in that of a couetous mynd he hath geuen vs vnto thee in liew and recompence of thy seruice which is a kind of sale and hath eaten vp and consumed our money Therefore all the riches whiche God hath taken from our father is ours and our childrens Nowe therefore whatsoeuer God hath sayd vnto thee doe it So Iacob with his wiues Rahel and Lea vnknown to Laban went away and Rahel at her departing from Labā her father while he was gone to his sheepshering vnknowne to her husbande stole away her fathers Idols or Gods not to woorship them but to withdraw her father from Idolatrie Howbeit it proued not so for afterwardes these
the Diuel Asmodeus bound him sent him into the wildernes of the higher Egypt And after that they were both shut in Tobias rose out of the bed said vnto the virgin vp sister Sara arise let vs make our prayer vnto God that hee would haue pitie on vs to day to morrowe and the thirde day for these three nightes will wee ioyne or reconcile our selues to God and when the thirde holy night is past wee shall ioyne together in the duetie of marriage For wee are the children of holy men and wee may not come together as the Heathen that knowe not God Then shee arose and they stood vp both together and besought God earnestly that he would preserue them praying and saying as in the first Lampe of Uirginitie And after their prayer ended they went to bed and slept both together that night But Raguel Saraes father thinking Tobias was dead as the other seuen made a graue for him and purposing to haue buryed him secretly the same night that none shoulde haue knowen of it Hee sent his maide into the chamber to see whether hee were dead or aliue who comming into the chamber and finding them both safe and sounde fast a sleepe together brought good tidings again to Raguel and tolde him that Tobias was aliue which caused Raguell not a little to reioyce and prayse the Lorde because hee had mercye on them two which were the only begotten children of their fathers And after commaunding the graue to bee filled vp he made a greate wedding feast which hee kept for ioy 14. dayes and gaue halfe of his goods to Tobie towardes the marriage of his daughter Sarra assuring the rest vnto him her by writing after his and his wiues death So after the fourteene dayes expired in the which space Tobias begate his wife with childe When Raguel by no intreatie coulde persuade Tobie to carry any longer from his sorrowfull father mother that long expected his returne He deliuered his daughter Saâ—ra vnto him together with her portion and so sent her away from him with health and ioy and with his blessing saying The God of heauen make you my children to prosper before I die And with this exhortation giuen to Sarra his daughter saying Honor thy father and mother in lawe which are now thy parents that I may heare good report of thee Also see thou loue thine husband and rule well thine houshold keeping them in good order that thou mayest shewe thy selfe faultlesse and so kissed them and tooke his leaue of them And to Tobias her mother Edna gaue this charge concerning Sarra saying The Lorde of heauen restore thee my deare brother and graunt that I may see thy children of my daughter Sarra that I may reioyce before the Lorde Beholde now I commit to thee my daughter as a pledge doe not intreate her euill So shee imbraced her daughter kissed her let her goe So Sarra went with her husband to Niniuie there dwelt with her husbandes father olde Tobie and where after his her mother in lawes death she returned againe with her husband to Ecbatan to her owne father there dwelt with him while he and her mother liued and after their death which was in the yeere of the world 3456. she inherited al their substance there liued died with her husband before y e destructioÌ„ of Niniuie Tob. 3.7.6.10 c. 7.8.9.6.10.10 c. 11.1.14.13 Serah or Sarah or Sarai sig the same that Sarah doth She was the daughter of Asher the second sonne of Iacob begotten of Zilpa his concubine and the handmaid of Lea and sister to Beriah Isui Iesuah and Iimnah the sonnes of Asher her father Gen. 46.17 Num. 26 46. 1. Chro. 7.30 Sherah or Seera or Seerah or Sara sig the same also that Sara doth She was the daughter of Ephraim or as some thinke his Niece daughter of Manasses who being a noble woman and riche in possessions built to her perpetuall fame three great cities in Gezar in y e lande of Ephraim her father and gaue vnto them seuerall names the one being called Bethhoron the neather the second Bethhoron the vpper the third Uzzen Sheerah after her owne name 1. Chr. 7.24 Which cities being afterward taken spoyled by Pharo king of Egypt were giuen by him for a present vnto his daughter king Salomons wife and after repaired and fortified againe by Salomon as appeareth 1. King 9.16 2. Chro 8.5 Shelomith or Selomith Salomith sig a peacefull woman or perfect or recompensing She was the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan became wife to an Egyptian by whom she bare a sonne that afterward was the first y t euer was imprisoned and stoned to death for blaspheming of the Lord by swearing or despiting God in a fray or mutinie that hee made with another man of Israel vpon which occasion God among other made this lawe for euer to remaine against all blasphemers That whosoeuer curseth his God should be punished and beare his sinne and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord should bee put to death for it But this lawe being nowe out of vse the more is the pitie it woundeth the heartes of the godly to heare the blasphemers in euery place in this wicked age of the worlde without any publike reproofe or penall punishment inflicted by the Magistrate so crucifie Christe againe and rente his most precious members asunder one froÌ„ another by rapping out of infinite vgly and most horrible othes and execrable cursings to the great disglory of God the prophanation of his sacred law too too much offence of the godlie and zealous Christian. There was another woman called Shelomith or Salomith or Selomith which was the daughter of Zerubbabell the sonne of Pedaiah and nephew of Zalathiell which came of the stocke of Dauid of whose line or stock Christ came also she was sister to Meshullam Hananiah 1. Chr. 3. 19. Shimrath or Semath or Semaath sig hearing obeying She was an Ammotish woman and mother to Zabad who with his fellowe Ieho zabed traiterously killed his master king Ioash and was therefore iustly slaine and put to death by Amaziah the king after the death of his father whom they slue 2. Chr. 24.25.26.25.2 Shimrith or Simrith or Semarith sig shee is warned hard as a Diamond a thorne dregges Shee was a Moabitish woman and mother of Iehozabat the other traiterous seruaÌ„t of king Ioash who with his fellowe zabad the sonne of Shimrath before most vilanously conspired together and slue their master king Ioas as hee lay sicke in his bed but afterwarde for this his blooddie fact hee suffered the condigne punishment of shamefull death by the handes of Amaziah the king and sonne of Ioah as appeareth 2. Chr. 24.25.26 25.2 Shiphrah or Siphrah or Sephora sig faire fairenes pleasing a sparrowe his birde a Trumpet wel doing goodnes early a Goat She with her companion Puah were two of the most famous and
chiefest midwiues of the Hebrue women in the lande of Egypt vnto whom king Pharao in his cruel rage against the Israelites and the children of God gaue this commandement saying when yee doe the office of a midwife to the women of the Hebrues or Israelites and set them on their stooles or seates whereupon they satte in trauelling of childe If it be a sonne then ye shall kill him but if it be a daughter theÌ„ let her liue Notwithstanding these two midwiues feared God more then the king did not murther the infants of the women of Israel in y e birth as y t bloody butcher king Pharao had coÌ„maÌ„ded theÌ„ But coÌ„trariwise preserued y e meÌ„ children still aliue which wheÌ„ y t tyrant the king vnderstood he sent for these two good midwiues rebuked theÌ„ saying why haue ye preserued aliue y e meÌ„ childreÌ„ coÌ„trary to my coÌ„mandment But the Midwiues made their excuse and answered the king saying Because O king quoth they the Hebrue women are not like the women of Egypt for they are more strong and sturdie women and liuelie and quicklie deliuered yer the Midwiues come at them Which answere the tyrannous king well allowing of when he saw he could not preuaile by that craft he burst foorth to open rage against Gods people and commaunded all his people that they should cast euery man childe of the Hebrue women into the riuer but to reserue euery maidechilde aliue But as touching this act of Shiprah and her fellow Midwife as their disobedience heerein to the king was lawfull enough so their dissembling and lying in their excuse so vnto him was euill howbeit because the Midwiues feared God therefore God made them houses and prospered them that is God rewarded their constancie not their lying and blessed and increased the families both of the Midwiues and of the Israelites by their meanes so that the people of Israel multiplied and were very mightie Yea by their meanes that notable member of Gods Church and holy man of God Moses was preserued by whom God deliuered his people out of the oppression and slauery of that Tyrant Pharo to his vtter destruction in the redde Sea Exod. 1.15.16 c. Shuah or Sua or Suaa sig crying sauing mightie honorable regardful of the sauiour lowlinesse studie speech budding praier She was a Cananitish woman borne the daughter of one Suah or as some thinke of Hirah an Addulamite and became the wife of Iudah the sonne of Iacob which affinitie notwithstanding was condemned of God so shee bare vnto Iuda three sonnes Er Onan and Shelah at a place called Chezib But because her two eldest sonnes were both wicked men in the sight of the Lorde therefore the Lorde slue them both to her great griefe And in processe of time shee also died after whose death her husband Iudah committed horrible incest with her daughter in lawe Tamar the wife of Er her eldest sonne to the slander of the Church and offence of the godlie as ye may reade Gen. 28. 1. Chro. 2.3 There was another woman called Shuah which was the daughter of Hebar the sonne of Beriah the sonne of Ashur and who also was the sister of Iaphlet Shomer and Hotham 1. Chr. 7.32 Susanna or Suesâ—hanna sig a Lilly a Rose Mirth his Lilly grace or Lady her grace and good behauiour louely fauourable c. Shee was the daughter of Helchias of the tribe of Iuda and wife of Ioachim a very great riche man and of high reputation and honour among the Iewes in Babylon where hee dwelt Nowe shee beeing a very fayre woman well brought vp and instructed by her parentes in the law of Moses one y t feared God In the same first yere that she was married there were two Iudges made of y e Ancients of the people which resorted muche to her husbande Ioachims house because hee was the most honorable of all others and all they of the Iewes which had any thing to doe in the lawe came thither also vnto them to haue their matters hearde and decided These two Iudges beeing wicked men were so wounded with the loue of Susanna and burned so in lust towards her both at one time vnwitting one to the other that they wist not what to doe but neither durst tel the other his grief nor yet for shame vtter their inordinate dotage and lust vnto her And so on a day when they had sate long in Ioachims house about matters of the lawe and waited for to haue their purpose on Susanna and coulde not they brake vp and went home to dinner And at their returne againe togethers the one brake to y e other their whole minds appointed a time when they mighte take her alone And when they had espied out a conuenient time y t Susanna went into a faire garden that shee had adioyning vnto her house as her manner was there to walke euer about noone when her husbandes Clients were all gone home to dinner with two of her maidens onelie accompanying her there to walke wash herselfe in the heate of the day Behold these two olde lechers hid them selues in the garden against her comming And assoone as her maidens had shut the garden or orcharde dore and were gone for oyle and sope for their mistres as shee had commaunded them These two wicked Elders or lecherous Iudges who had lyen there priuilie hid vnknowen to Susanna and her maidens like two neighing horsses came vpon her now beeing all alone and saide Beholde the garden dores are nowe shut that no man can see vs and wee burne in loue with thee therefore consent vnto vs and lye with vs if thou willt not wee will beare wtinesse against thee that a young man was in the Orchard with thee and y t therefore thou sentest away thy maydens from thee because thou wouldest commit adultery with him And then Susanna sighed and saide Alas I am in trouble on euery side for if I followe your mindes and doe the thing it will bee my death And if on the other side I consent not vnto you nor doe it not yet can I not escape your handes Well it is better for mee to fall into your handes without the deede doing then to sinne in the sight of y e Lord by doing it And with that shee cryed out vpon them with a loude voice And the olde lechers cryed out as fast against her which clamour on both parties was so great that it was hard among her seruants without which ranne to the garden dore and burst it open for hast to see what the matter was And when the seruants had heard the elders false report of Susanna they beeing a little too hastie in beleeuyng so false a reporte of their mistres were greatly ashamed of her for there was neuer suche a report made of Susanna before So on the morrowe after these two wicked Iudges full of mischeuous imaginations againste Susanna came to Ioachim her husbandes house as the manner
was and there declared the matter but most falsly against her to her husbande and all by wrongfull accusation to bring her to death for spight that shee would not consent to their diuelishe desires And when shee was sent for to her fathers house where she then laye and came accompanied with her father and mother her children and all her kin to bee iudged and araygned before them for a breaker of wedlock and an adultresse according to the lawe of God shee beeing a very tender person and marueilous fayre of face stoode before the two wicked Iudges with her face couered But these lecherous dottards to the end they might at the least bee satisfied with her beautie commanded to take the vaile or cloth from her face that they might fully behold her haue a full sight of her beautie which thing being done to the griefe of her friends and many that stoode about her These two wicked Iudges stood vp them selues both to be her accusers and iudges and laying their handes vpon the head of Susanna who wept and looked vp to heauen for her heart trusted in the Lorde They said as we were walking alone in the garden this woman came in with her two maides whō shee sent away frō her making fast the orchard dores after them with y t a young felow which there lay hid in the garden start vp went vnto her lay with her then wee which stood in a corner of the garden seeing this wickednesse ranne vnto them and sawe them as they were together but wee coulde not holde the fellowe for hee was stronger then wee and got open the dore and leaped out And when wee had taken this woman wee demaunded of her what fellowe it was but shee woulde not tell vs. This is the matter that wee lay vnto her charge and wee be witnesses of the same Then the common sort beleeued them as those that were the Elders and chiefe Iudges of the people and so they condemned Susanna to death whereuppon her friends yea and all they that knewe her for sorrowe beganne to weepe and lament heartilie for her Yea and Susanna her selfe then cryed out with a loude voice and made her feruent prayer vnto God saying as before in the first Lampe Pag. 48. O euerlasting God thou searcher of heartes thou that knowest all thinges before they come to passe thou wotest that they haue borne false witnesse against mee and behold I must die whereas thou Lorde knowest I neuer intended or once so much as thought much lesse did any such thing as these men haue maliciously imagined or inuented against mee And the Lorde heard her prayer Therefore when shee was ledde to bee put to death according to her iudgement and as shee was going to the place of execution the Lorde of heauen which had commpassion of this innocent woman neuer forsaketh leaueth his but helpeth them euen then when all thinges seeme past hope of mercy to the great comfort of all oppressed Christians raised vp the spirite of a little young childe called Daniel who cryed with a loude voyce to the great admiration no doubt of all that heard him saying I am cleane from the blood of this woman And when the people heard that they stayed and turned them towardes the childe and demaunded of him what hee meant by his wordes O yee children of Israel saide hee are yee such fooles that without examination and knowledge of the trueth yee haue condemned a daughter of Israel Returne againe to iudgement for they haue borne false witnesse against her Then the people went backe againe in all hast And the Elders tooke Daniell and set him among them in iudgement who when he had commanded the two olde lecherous Iudges that were the false witnesses to be seuered one from another that hee might examine them seuerally a parte hee called the one of them said vnto him O thou old cankered carle that art old in a wicked life and hast vsed thy vncleannesse so long Now thy sinnes and vngracious deedes which thou hast committed afore time are come to light for thou hast born false witnes hast pronounced false erronious iudgemēt Thou hast condemned the innocent hast let the guiltie go free Albeit the Lord sayd the innocent and righteous shalt thou not slaye Now then if thou hast seene her commit this villanie tell mee vnder what tree of the orchard or garden thou sawest this woman and the young fellow company together He answered vnder a Mulbery or Lentiske tree Now verily quoth Daniell thou hast lyed against thine owne head For loe the Angell of God hath receiued the sentence of God to cut thee in two For thou art worthy of death in that thou hast oppressed the innocent woman contrary to the commaundement of God who sayd The innocent and righteous see thou slaye not neyther shalt thou beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and so he put him aside Then the childe called the other old dotard sayd likewise vnto him O thou seede of Canaan not of Iuda bewtie hath deceiued thee and lust hath subuerted thine heart Thus haue ye long dealt with y ◠daughters of Israell they for feare consēted vnto you and companyed with you but this woman being a daughter of Iuda would not abide your wickednesse Now tell me vnder what tree didst thou take them companying together He answered vnder a Pyne prune or Mirtle tree Uery well sayde Danyell Nowe verilye thou hast lyed also against thine owne lyfe or head therefore the Messenger or Angel of the Lord standeth waiting with the sworde to cut thee also in two and so to destroye you both And with that all the whole assemblye cryed with a loude voice and praysed God which so miraculouslye had preserued Susanna that daye and saued her that trusted in him And so fell vpon the two wicked Iudges who were conuict by their owne mouthes of falshoode and according to the law of Moses Deuter. 19.19 put them both to death for bearing false witnesse against their neighbour Thus the innocēt blood of Susanna was saued y e same day from being spilt in y e yeere of y e world 3518. Therfore Helchias her father mother praised God for their daughter Susanna with Ioachim her husband and all the kinred that there was no dishonestie founde in her Dan. 13. Susanna 1. There was an other woman called Susanna in y e time of Christ which being a godly woman folowed Christ his Apostles diligētly to heare their preaching ministred vnto them of her substance to relieue thē so much as laye in her power to her perpetuall prayse and the great shame of many both men and women now in the time of the same gospell who bee so far from relieuing the professors therof that they will not vouchsafe to follow them no nor so muche as to heare thē preach they neuer so well charme the charmar neuer so wisely but to theyr vtter
and their children and the recouery of their goods cleane contrary to their dueties and as it were in despite of Gods word which vtterly condemneth the same to the great perill of their bodies and soules goods lands and posteritie yea vtter destruction both of bodies and soules for euer in hell without speedie repentance and conuertion Woman in a vision Zachariah the Prophet among other his visions saith that he sawe a woman sitting in the middes of an Ephah or bushell couered with a talent of ledde ouer the mouth of it also that he saw two other women with winges like storkes bearing the same Ephah betweene theÌ„ in the ayre or skie flying away with it toward the laÌ„d of Shinaar there to set or place it which woman represented signified the iniquitie of y e vngodly which the Lord shutteth vp in a measure and keepeth it as it were in a prison y t he only can shut and open at his pleasure so y e Sathan caÌ„ haue no such power to teÌ„pt the godly therwith as he would faine haue And this vision of the 2. other women doth further signifie how that God caÌ„ eueÌ„ by such weake vessels and small meanes remoue iniquity with the weight of all afflictions that come thereby from the godly to their enimies if they repeÌ„t turne vnto him as I praye God we may haue al grace to doe that speedily Amen Zach. 5.6.7 c. The two harlots of Hierusalem In the yeere of the worldes creation 3112. there came two harlots or women victualers vnto king Salomon as he was at Hierusalem in the beginning of his raigne and stoode before him to pleade for a quick child the one woman began to accuse the other of murdering hir child and sayde O my Lorde I and this woman dwell both together in one house and I was first deliuered of a childe and within 3. dayes after that I was deliuered this womaÌ„ was deliuered also in the same house and so we lay both in childbed together no stranger being with vs in the house but wee twayne and this woman ouerlaye her child in the night and it dyed and to auoyde both the shame and the punishment due for so vnnaturall murder of her owne childe she arose at mydnight and stole away my quick child froÌ„ my side while thine handmayd slept and laid her dead child in my bosome in steed therof And when I rose in the morning to giue my child sucke behold he was dead And when I had looked vpon it wel considered it in the light I found it was not my sonne whom I had borne Then the other harlot replyed saying Nay it is not so as thou sayest but this is my sonne that liueth and thy sonne it is that is dead No quoth the other this is thy sonne that is dead and mine it is that is aliue Now Salomon the king hearing their contention how the one said the child that liueth is my sonne and the dead child is thy sonne and the other denyed it so stiffely saying that the dead was none of hers but the liuing and no witnesse nor proofe of eyther side brought to proue their assertions to the end therefore that the impudencie of the one trespasser should not ouerthrow the iust cause of the innocent woman he like a most iust iudge and wise Prince to try out the trothe presently deuised adiudged as followeth First he called for a sword which being brought vnto him now take y e liuing child quoth he to y e seruants and deuide it in twayne geue the one halfe to the one woman and the other halfe to the other with that the first woman that made the complaynt who was the mother of the liuing child indeede hauing now her motherly affection and tender compassion towardes her childe kindled â—ried out and as shee that had rather endure the rigour of the law then to see her child cruelly slayne before her face sayde vnto the king Oh my Lord geue her the liuing childe and slay him not But y e other harlot most impudently sayd nay let it be neither thine nor mine but deuide it Then the king wisely vnderstanding obseruing the vnnaturalnesse or rather crueltie of this harlot who had killed her childe gaue this righteous iudgement and sayd Giue her that complayned the liuing childe and slay him not for this is his mother By which example of Salomons wisedome tried in iudgemeÌ„t God made it plainely appeare to all the worlde that he kept true promise with him in graunting him wisedome at his desire yea it so terrified the heartes of all the hearers thereof that for euer after they feared the king as he in whom the very wisedome of God himselfe remained and as a figure of Christ. 1. King 3.16 c. Ieremy the Prophet in his Epistle to the captiue Iewes in Babylon maketh mention of certayne impudent and common harlots y t were in Babylon in his dayes saying Furthermore the women gyrdeâ— with cordes sit in y e streetes burne straw or branne if one of them be drawen away and lye with any such as come by she casteth her neighbour in the teeth because she was not so worthily reputed nor her cord broken Baruch 6.43 The description of an harlot by Salomon As I was in the window of my house saieth Salomon I looked through the lettice and saw considered among the fooles children a young man voyd of wit and destitute of vnderstanding who passed thorow the streets by the corner and went toward the house of an harlot in the twylight of the euening when the night began to be blacke and darke for there was almost none so impudent but they were afrayd to be seene and also their owne consciences did accuse them that they weÌ„t about wickednesse which caused them to seeke the darknesse of y e night to couer their filthines and sinne withall And beholde there mette him a woman with open tokens of an harlot both in her apparrell gesture and behauiour for she was ful of babling and lowde woordes and ready to dallie her feete cannot abyde in her house nowe she is without nowe in the streetes and lyeth in wayte at euery corner So this light woman caught this foolishe man and kissed him and with an impudent face and shamelesse countenance she â—ayde vnto him Come I haue peace offringes meate at home prepared to make good cheere with this day also haue I payd my vowes and made satisfaction for my sinnes so holy was this harlot as she would seeme outwardly vnder a cloke of hypocrisie the better to deceiue others and to allure them into her snares therefore came I foorth to meet the quoth she that I might seeke thy face and I am glad that I haue found thee come home now I say with me for I haue decked my bed with couerings and gay ornaments of tapistry and clothes of Egypt yea I haue perfumed my bed with myrrhe
wife And afterward at the time appoynted his wife bare a sonne and called his name Sampson and the Lord blessed him and the spirite of the Lorde so strengthened him that he grew became a mightie strong man in the house of Dan. And when he fell in loue with a woman one of the daughters of y e Philistines in Timnah he came told his father and his mother and asked their counsels first saying I haue seene a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines nowe therefore geue me her to wife but his father and mother not knowing that this was the secret worke of y e Lord in Samson did iustly reproue their sonne Samson sayd is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren and among all my people for thee to take but thou must goe to take a wife of these vncircumcised Philistines No said Sampson geue me her for she pleaseth me well then his father and mother went with him to Timnah where by the way he killed a young Lion that roared vpon him without any weapon neuer told his father and mother what he had done wheÌ„ his father mother were come to Timnah to coÌ„mune talke of y â— matter w t the frieÌ„ds of the womaÌ„ which was so beautiful in SaÌ„psons eyes SaÌ„pson their soÌ„ne weÌ„t vnto y e dead carcas of y e lyoÌ„ which he had slaine therein finding a swarm of bees honie in y e lyons body tooke therof in his haÌ„d came to his father mother gaue vnto theÌ„ to eate but told theÌ„ not where he had it so y e matter of mariage being bargained vpoÌ„ by his father mother y e womaÌ„s friends they married their soÌ„ne SaÌ„pson at his own liking choyse after y e wedding feast as y e maner is his father mother returned home to their own house in Zorah neere to Eshtaol Iud. 13.14 Michas mother Michas mother being an old Idolatresse and supersticious woman dwelling in mount Ephraim in the dayes of Othniel Iudge of Israel on a time was robbed by her own sonne Micha of a xi hundred shekles of siluer which amouÌ„teth in our monie to y e suÌ„me of lxxxi pouÌ„d xiii â— iiii â— or there about which she had laid vp of purpose to make an Idoll therwith And wheÌ„ she missed her siluer shee so cursed baÌ„ned y e theefe y t had takeÌ„ it away in y e hearing of Micha her soÌ„ne y t he could not choose for his mothers quietnesse sake but confesse the felony bewray himselfe vnto her that he was the theefe and therefore sayde vnto his mother The xi hundred shekles of siluer which were taken froÌ„ thee for the which thou curseâ—t and spakest so ill euen in my hearing behold the siluer is with me I tooke it and haue it yet in my possession Then his mother was glad to heare that newes and reioyced greatly saying vnto her sonne Blessed be thou my sonne of the Lord. And when he had restored the siluer againe vnto his mother shee saide vnto him I had dedicated this siluer to the Lorde of mine hand for thee my sonne to make a grauen molten Image thereof Now therefore I wil giue it thee again so coÌ„trary to y e coÌ„maÌ„dement of God true religioÌ„ she took 200. of y e shekles of siluer gaue theÌ„ to y e founder to make therof a graueÌ„ molteÌ„ image which being done she gaue it to y e idolater Micha her sonne with whom euer after it remayned to the offence destruction of many Israelits who therby forsooke the Lord his true worship fel to Idolatry Iudg. 17.1 Mourning witches There were among the Iewes at Ierusalem in old time certayne foolish womeÌ„ whoÌ„ of a superstition they especially appoynted hyred once a yeere yeerly to goe into y e teÌ„ple there in y e night with fayned teares to mourne and bewayle the death of one Tammuze y e great prophet of y e Idols long since dead and buried which superstitious women mourners by reasoÌ„ of y e custoÌ„e in processe of time made an art occupatioÌ„ of fained mourning insomuch as they wer not only hyred at eueri calamity y t happened amoÌ„g y e people to lameÌ„t for y e same but also they taught their daughters other meÌ„ womeÌ„ to weepe mourne w t fayned teares for y e dead other their miseriesâ— of w t superstitious Idolatrous womeÌ„ mourners y â— Lord by his prophet Ier. in deriding mocking reproching his people y â— Iewes who could not lameÌ„t their own sins speaketh thus Thus saith y t Lord of hosts take heede cal for y â— mourning womeÌ„ y t they may come send for skilful womeÌ„ y t they may come and let theÌ„ make haste take vp a lamentation for vs that our eyes may cast out teares and our eye liddes gushe out of water for a lamentable noyse is heard in Sion crying how are we destroyed and vtterlye confounded for we haue forsaken the land and our dwellings haue cast vs out as though they were weary of vs because of our iniquitie as they did in the last Earthquake 1580. wheÌ„ the neighbors on both sides of the streetes ran out of their houses for feare they woulde fall vppon them and met to gether in the middest of the streetes amazed at the terrible iudgementes of God then presently shaking the earth and driuing them out the which day and time I pray God giue vs grace alwayes to remeÌ„ber that with y e fiue wise virgins wee hauing bearing Lampes full of oyle in our hands we may so watch and expect the comming of the bridegroome that wee may bee readily prepared to meete him and be found worthy through his merites to returne with him vnto the wedding Therefore heare the woorde of the Lorde yee women and let your eares regard the wordes of his mouth and teach your daughters to mourne euerye one her neighbour to lament for death is come vp into our windowes is entred into our palaces to destroy the children without and the young men in the streetes c. Iere .9.17.18.20 Agayne the Prophet Ezechiel was shewed in a vision y e superstitioÌ„ abhomination of these Idolatrous women as they sate in y e temple of Ierusalem saying And y e Lord caused me to enter into the entry of the gate of y e Lords house which was toward y e North behold there sate a woman mourning for Tammuze Ezech. 8.14 Let mothers reade this after the death of their children especially newly married and be comforted Mourning mother As I lay in a traunce in the field saith Esdras I sawe in a vision a woman which mourned sore and lamented with a loude voyce and was grieued in heart and rent her cloathes and shee had ashes on her head Then I left my thoughts where I was occupied and turned me vnto her to
Marie which was a godly woman dwelling in Rome who best owed much hospitalitie and labour vpon S. Paule the Apostles while they were there at Rome to whō therfore S. Paule in his Epistle to y e Romans hath him specially commended by name among the rest saying greete Marie which bestowed much labour on vs c. Ro◠16.6 Of Marie Salome read in Salome Martha signi bitter egging or prouoking She was sister to Marie Magdalen Lazarus and dwelling in Bethynia called y e towne of Marie Martha almost two miles from Ierusalē On a time she inuited Iesus home to her house to dinner being cumbred about much seruing and seeing her sister Marie sit still at Iesus feete to heare his preaching she went to Iesus to cōplayne vnto him said Master doest thou not care y t my sister hath left me to serue alone bid her come helpe me And Iesus perceiuing y t she had smotten the principall which was to heare Gods word answered and sayd vnto her Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about manye things but verily one thing is needeful Mary hath chosen y e good or best part which shal not be takē away frō her as if he shold say it is not meete y t Mary should haue bin drawn frō so profitable a thing as y e hearing of gods word is wherūto she could not alwaies haue opportunity And whē her brother Lazarus fel sicke in Bethynia she and her sister Marie sent word therof vnto Iesus saying behold he whō thou louest is sick come therfore heale him And whē Iesus who loued Martha Marie her sister Lazarus their brother heard y t he said his sicknes was not vnto death but for y e glory of God therfore staid a while with his Disciples then when he knewe Lazarus was dead he said to his Disciples Our friend Lazarus sleepeth is dead but I goe to wake him vp to raise him to life for your sakes y t ye may beleeue in me So whē Martha heard that Iesus was cōming to Bethynia toward Marthas house whether many of y e Iewes were resorted after y e deth of Lazarus to cōfort Martha her sister Mary for their brother departed Martha went out to meete him but Mary sat stil in y e house And whē Martha met Iesus her faith being almost ouercōe by her afflictiō she said vnto him lord if thou haddest bin here my brother had not bin dead but now I know also y t whatsoeuer thou askest of God he wil giue it thee Thē said Iesus Thy brother shal rise again yea quoth Martha I knowe y t he shal rise againe in the resurrection at the laste day I am sayde Iesus the resurrection and the lyfe he that beleeueth in mee yea though he were dead yet shall he liue and whosoeuer lyueth and beleeueth in mee shall not dye Beleeuest thou this Yea Lord quoth Martha I beleeue that thou art Christ the sonn of God which shoulde come into the worlde And when shee had so saide shee went her way and called Marie her sister secretly saying The maister is come and calleth for thee whiche when Marie heard shee arose quickly and came vnto him vnto the place where Martha mette him The Iewes also that aboad behind with Marie in the house to comfort her when they sawe Marie rise vp so hastily went out and followed her thinking shee had gone vnto the graue to weepe and lament there ouer her dead brother But when they perceiued that Marie was come to meete Iesus they aboad with her who there presently so soone as shee sawe Iesus with all reuerence fell down at his feet saying Lord if thou hadst been here my brother had not been dead And Iesus seeing her and the Iewes that came with her all weepe and lament the death of Lazarus Hee also as one that presently felt their miserie and as though he suffered the like with great compassion and remorse wept also with them and groned greatly in spirite as one much troubled and disquieted in him selfe and sayde vnto them where haue yee layde him They sayde vnto him Lorde come and see and the Iewes perceiuing him to weepe for Lazarus sayde one to another beholde how he loued him Yea some of them blasphemed and sayde coulde not this man which hath opened the eyes of the blinde haue made also that this man Lazarus his friend should not haue died which their blasphemie so grieued Christ that he againe groned in spirit then comming to the graue of Lazarus he commanded the stone of the graue to be taken away Lord quoth Martha he stinketh already by this time for he hath bin dead foure dayes Saide not I vnto thee quoth Iesus that if thou diddest beleeue thou shouldest see the glory of God Then they tooke away the stone and Iesus through heartie praier raised Lazarus her brother from death who came forth bounde hande and foote and his face couered with a napkin which when Martha had loosed and taken away as Iesus commaunded he was let goe and reuiued so that shee sawe her brother Lazarus restored from death to life to the glory of God her great comforte and the conuersion of many of the Iewes that came and sawe this myracle to the faith of the Iesus whose name be therefore blessed and praysed for euer Amen Matred or Mathred signi a rod striking the sticke of the commaunder comming downe the falling downe of the bed soueraintie worke to wearinesse She was the daughter or Mezahab and the mother of Mehetabell that was wife to Hadad which women as appeareth by their names were of great fauour among the Edomites Gene. 36.39 1. chr 1.50 Mehetabel or Meetable or Meezable sig how good is God The well working God She was the daughter of Matred and wife of Hadad the 7. and last king of the Edomites that reigned before there were any kinges ouer the children of Israel euen vntill the lyne of Dauid who first conquered their countrey Gen. 36.39 1. Chro. 1.50 Merab or Merob sig fighting chyding or multiplying of the people Mastry She was the eldest daughter of king Saule and sister to Michall Dauids wife And when her wicked father coulde not by furie kill Dauid as he often attempted with his owne hand he deuised with himself to promise Dauid to geue him this his eldest daughter Merab to wife if he would goe to warre for him against y e Philistines thinking hereby no more to defile his owne handes vpon Dauid but that the Philistines shoulde kill him by fight of warres and so be made away But ere the time came that Dauid should inioye her Saule her dissembling Father had geuen her to another man to wife named Adriel by whom she conceiued and bare him fiue sonnes whiche were all put to death afterward by Dauid at the request of the Gibionites in reuenge of the iniury that Saul their Grandfather had done vnto them