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
and serue them faithfully it doth appeare by Iosua that godlie seruaunt of Moses who béeyng brought vp euer vnder so holie a Prophet of God was by that meanes and the prouidence of God made méet for the high calling of gouernourship after the death of his Master Moses ouer all the people of Israel as yée may reade Iosua 1.1 A good seruant will both honor feare his master as the child doth his father saith the Prophet Malach. 1.6 He that hath knowledge will not grudge when he is reformed or corrected for his faults the ignorant and retchlesse seruant shall not câ—me to honour Eccle. 10.26 A soft answeare mild word geuen by the seruant putteth away the wrath of an angry master but gréeuous reprochful words with â—aunt for taunt stirreth vp strife more more to their further punishment and Gods displeasure Prou. 15.1 A foolish seruant despiseth his masters instruction but hee y t regardeth correction and will amend for it is prudent Prou. 15.5 A scorner loueth not that master that rebuketh him for his faults neither will he tarrie with the wise Prou. 15.12 He y t refuseth instruction despiseth his owne soule but he that obeyeth correction getteth vnderstanding Prou. 15.32 A seruant that is of a seruile rebellious nature will not be chastened with wordes though hee vnderstande and know what to doe yet he will not regard the pacience of his master nor séeke to please him by doing his duetie Prou. 19.19 Hée that hateth to be reformed his life shal be shortened and that seruant that abhorreth babling repeating of words quencheth wickednesse He that refraineth his tongue may liue with a troublesome man and he that hateth babling murmuring shall haue lesse euill done vnto him Eccle. 19.5.6 Declare not thy masters or mistres secrets or maners neither to friend nor foe If thou knowest ought amisse by them let it dye with thée reueale it not for anie opportunitie so shalt thou be sure to find fauour both before God man Eccle. 19.7.8 It was a great griefe shame to Susannas seruants to heare their mistres slandred or reproched with any dishonestie or incontinencie of life as appeareth Susâ—n 1.27 If a seruant say stubbornely vnto his master I will not doe as it pleaseth thée though afterward he doe it yet shall hee displease him that nourisheth him Eccle. 19.21 That seruant that knoweth his masters will and doth it not accordingly shal be beateÌ„ with many stripes but he y t knoweth it not yet doth â—ommit faultes worthie of stripes shal be beaten but with a fewe strokes Luke 12.47 It is much better to reprooue theÌ„ to beare euill will and he that acknowledgeth his fault shal be preserued from further hurt O how good a thing is it wheÌ„ thou art reprooued to shew repeÌ„tance and humilitie and to promise amendement and obedience for so shalt thou escape wilfull sinne Eccle. 20.2.4 Who so hateth to be reformed is in the way of sinners but he that feareth y e Lord coÌ„uerteth y e heart abhorreth stubbornes Eccle. 21,6 A foolish seruant will not suffer himselfe to be taught and there bée some too wittie to encrease bitternesse Eccle. 21.12 For a seruant that is oft punished cannot be without some scarre no more then he that nameth and sweareth by God continually caÌ„ be faultlesse Eccle. 23.10 A murmuring and grudging seruant y t is enuious at his masters liberalitie towardes his fellow seruants deserueth due reprehension rebuke as appeareth in the parable Math. 20.11.13 Yea it is vile impudencie and malapert arrogancie a thing vtterly to be abhorred of all maides and seruants to reproch their masters children with their faultes to their faces and to checke or taunt them with vnséemely termes as Raguels maydes did his daughter Sara much more impudencie is it for the maide to vse reprochfull wordes to hir mistres hir selfe reade the storie of Sara Tobit 3.9 Séeke not excuses when thou shouldest doe thy worke neither be ashamed thereof through pride in the time of aduersitie for better is he that laboureth and hath plentie of all thinges then he that goeth gorgeously séekes his dinner or wanteth bread Eccle. 10.27 He that is slouthfull in his worke is euen the brother of him that is a great waster Prou. 18.9 Solomon deriding them that inuent vaine excuses because they would not doe their duetie saith The slouthful seruant saith O there is a Lion without I dare not goe for feare least I bee slaine in the stréete Prou. 22.13.26.13 As the doore turneth vpon the hookes or hinges so doth the slouthfull seruant vpon his bedde and is lâ—th to rise early to goe about his businesse Prou. 26.14 A slouthfull hyreling hideth his hand in his bosome and it gréeueth him to put it out againe to his mouth Prou. 26.15 The sluggard is wiser in his owne conceite then seuen men that can render a reason Prou. 26.16 As Uineger is to the téeth and as smoke is hurtful to the eyes so is the slouthfull seruant to them that he serueth for he is but a trouble and gréefe vnto his master or mistresse that setteth him about any businesse Prou. 10.26 It is a shame for the seruaÌ„t to be idle liue at pleasure in delights when hee séeth his master worke and take paines such an honest seruant was Urias who vtterly refused to liue at ease in Dauids court so long as his captaine Ioab trauelled in warfare reade 2. Sam. 11.11 The diligent and faithfull seruant that truelie dischargeth the trust that his master hath put him in shall bée well rewarded but the idle and sluggish seruant that neglecteth his duetie and is voyde of all care to doe his businesse faithfully is without all excuse and shal be iudged of his owne euill déedes as appeareth in Luke 17. 17.22 Seruants be coÌ„tent with your wages accuse not your fellowes falsely or vniustly Luke 3.14 For the vnmercifull brawling and currish natured seruant that hath no pitie on his fellowes but most cruelly despitefully vseth and intreateth theÌ„ both within without his masters house shall surely be cast out a doores and put in prison where hee shall become slaue to the gaylor till his crueltie be wel reuenged as appeareth in the parable Math. 18.28 Wicked seruantes doe manie euils vnknowen to their masters as did the seruants of Abimelech that stopped Abrahams welles of water vnwitting to their Lord master whereby grew great strife contention as appeareth Gen. 21.26 The seruant that through vile couetous bribery lying slandereth the word of God and profession of his Gospel shall surely bee plagued as was Gehezi that lied vnto his master Elisha c. as appeareth 2. Kig 5.21 A théefe is better then a seruant accustomed to lye but they both shall haue destruction to heritage Eccle. 20.24 The conditions of a lying seruant are euer vnhonest their shamâ— is euer with them Eccle. 20.25 That seruant which either
anger my wrath shall be poured vpon this place vpon man vpon beast vpon the trée of the fielde vpon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched And thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie or prayer for them neither intreate me for I wil not heare thée but wil surely punish their wickednes which remaine in their obstinacie against me and wil not obey my worde and worship mee according to the same Ierem. 7.17 c. Moreouer Ieremiah saide vnto al the people to al the women Heare the word of the Lord all Iudah that are in the land of Egipt thus speaketh the Lord of hosts the God of Israel saying Ye your wiues haue both spoken with your mothers and fulfilled with your hand saying we will performe our vowes y â— we haue vowed to burn incense to y e quéene of heauen to poure out drink offering to her c. as verses 16.17.18.19 ye may reade more at large in y e liues stories Ye wil performe your vowes do the things y t ye haue vowed wherinye haue coÌ„mitted double euil in making wicked vowes in performing the same after your owne vaine fancies Therefore c. Behold I haue sworn by my great name saith the Lord y t my name shal no more be called vpon by the mouth of any man of Iuda in all the land of Egipt saying the Lord liueth And beholde I will watch ouer theÌ„ for euill not for good all men of Iuda shal be consumed by the sworde and famine vntill they be vtterly destroied which declareth an horrible plague towards Idolaters séeing that God will not vouchsafe to haue his name once mencioned by such as haue poluted it and that their wiues shal be made widowes children fatherlesse c. Reade the whole chapter at large Iere. 44.25 c. The womeÌ„ that lay vp the things offered vnto Idols that bring gifts to the gods of siluer gold wood and cloath theÌ„selues with the garments of those images and y e meÌ„struous womeÌ„ or they in child-bed y t touch their sacrifice offered to these idols of gold siluer or stone Al such womeÌ„ that worship images I say for their idolatrie coÌ„mitted are full of reproofe and shal be vtterly confounded as yee may reade in Baruc. 6.27.28.29.32 If thy brother or thy sonne or thy daughter or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soule entice thée secretly saying Let vs goe and serue other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen c. Thou shalt not consent vnto him or her nor heare her neither shal thine eie pitie her nor shew her mercy nor kéepe her secrete but thou shalt kil her thine hand shal be first vpon her to put her to death then the hands of all the people and thou shalt stone her with stones that she die that al Israel may feare do no more such wickednes to go about to thrust thée away from the Lord thy God to worship him only Deut. 13.6 If there be found among you in any of your cities maÌ„ or woman y t hath wrought wickednes in the sight of y e Lord thy god in traÌ„sgressing his couenant hath gone serued other gods worshipped theÌ„ as the Sun or the Moone or any of the hoast of heauen which I haue not commanded and it bee told vnto thée that art the magistrate then shalt thou enquire diligently and if it be true and certaine that such abhominatioÌ„ is wrought in Israel Then shalt thou bring forth y â— man or that woman which haue coÌ„mitted that wicked thing vnto thy gates whether it be man or woman shalt stone them with stones till they die c. Deut. 17.2 The great whore of BabyloÌ„ y e mother of spiritual whoredoms idolatrie abhominatioÌ„s of the earth which womaÌ„ is drunkeÌ„ with the blood of the Saints Martyrs of Iesus Christ eueu she which is become the habitation of Diuels and the holde of al foule spirits a cage of euery vncleane hateful bird with whoÌ„ the kings of the earth haue coÌ„mitted spirituall fornication by idolatrie of whose golden cup ful of the wine of superstition wrath filthy pleasures al nations of y e earth haue drunkeÌ„ very déepe Finally she y t so proudly glorifieth herselfe liueth in pleasures She I say y t boasteth so gloriously arrogantly like a strumpet saith in her heart I â—itt being a quéene am no widow neither shal I sée any mourning EueÌ„ that proud whore of BabiloÌ„ I say shal sodenly fall downe to the ground be rewarded douâ—â— according to her idolatrous works be tormeÌ„ted with sorowe griefe yea therfore shall all her plagues come at once in one day euen death torment sorowe vexation and faâ—mine And all nations shall hate this idolatrous whore and make her desolate and strippe her naked and shall â—ate her fleshe to the bone and burne her vp altogether with fire For strong is the Lorde God which will condemne her And all her merchantes and louers the whole route of idolatrous men and women shall cast dust on their heades and make great lamentation for her fall howling roaring crying wéeping and wailing saying Alas alas the great citie Babylon the mightie Citie y t faire bewtifull woman alas how in one minute of an houre is thy iudgement come from the Lorde and she made desolate and confounded But O heauen reioyce at her destruction and O yée holy Apostles Prophetes and blessed Martyres of God whose blood hath béen cruelly shed by her in her triumph yée in her ouer throw and confusion for God hath giuen your iudgement on her and reuenged your cause in thus plaging and punishing her for her abhominations idolatrie and persecution Reuela 17.18 The women y e waxe wanton against Christ forgetting their vocation and breaking their first faith that is which leaue their charge and forsake their religion whiche they professe breake their faith and promise made to God and their husbandes to the great slaunder of the Church and dishonour of God and others euill example and that gad abrode idlie from house to house euermore learning and neuer learned like pratlers and busie bodies speaking thinges that are not comelie nor womaÌ„lie eueÌ„ such womeÌ„ I say which thus are turned backe after Satan irreligion and are waxen wanton against Christ haue the greaâ—er damnation and shall therefore bée iustly punished with euerlasting death 1. Tim. 5.11 c. Hast thou not seene this O sonne of man saith the Lord to Ezechiel how the women sitte in the temple mourning for TaÌ„muze the Prophete of the idols all the night long and worship the Sun with their faces towardes the East Hast thou séene this abhomination O thou sonne of man and is it a small thing to the house of Iuda to commit 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
father nor mother nor countrie He laboureth and trauelleth and giueth and bringeth all home to his wife wherefore a man loueth his owne wife more than father or mother 1. Esdras 20 21,25 A man ought to loue his wife for thrée causes especiall first bicause they lead their liues togither in mutuall societie secondlie for that she is the weaker vessell and therefore to be cherished and borne with but chieflie and lastlie bicause that God hath made them as it were fellowe-heires togither of life euerlasting as you may read before in the 1. Pet. 3. Husbands loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church or congregation and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word that hée might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot nor wrinkle or anie such thing but that it should be holie and without blame euen so ought men to loue their wiues as their owne bodies He that loueth his wife loueth himselfe For no man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord dooth the Church For we are members of his bodie and of his flesh and of his bones For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife and they twaine shall be one flesh For this is a great mysterie but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church saith S. Paule Therefore euerie one of you husbands doo ye euen so let euerie one loue his wife euen as himselfe Ephes. 5 25. Neuerthelesse by the parable of the great supper where one refused to come therto being called alledging it for a lawful excuse bicause he had maried a wife it doth appéere that we ought not to loue our wiues more than God For there Christ saith If anie man come to me and hate not father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he can not be my disciple Matth. 14. Againe he saith Whosoeuer shall forsake house and land wife and child for my name sake he shall receiue an hundred fold more and inherit euerlasting life Matth. 19,29 Where we learne to cast off all naturall affection and desires euen to our déerest friends which drawe vs from comming to Christ and to folowe and obey his will before all things When to abstaine or forbeare to accompanie our wiues BE readie on the third daie and come not at your wiues but sanctifie your bodies and giue your selues to praieer and abstinence that you may at this time of the publishing of the lawe and Sacraments be holie and attend onelie vpon the Lord and his seruice said Moses to the people Exo. 19,15 Thou shalt not go vnto a woman to vncouer hir shame as long as she is put a part for hir disease or whilest she hath hir flowers Leuit. 18 19. Sée more Cap. 20,18.12,2 and 15,24 Where we sée that the husband might not for that time that his wife was either in child-bed or put apart for hir vncleannesse by the old lawe resort vnto hir to lie with hir Abimelech the priest would not giue of the halowed shew-bread of the temple vnto Dauid and his seruants at the first asking but said If the yoong men haue kept themselues at least from women and haue not companied with their wiues and when Dauid answered saieng Certeinlie women haue béene separate from vs these two or thrée daies and the vessels or bodies of the yoong men are holie though the waie were prophane and how much more then shall euerie one bée sanctified this daie in his vessell or shall be more carefull to kéepe his vessell holie when he shall haue eaten of this holie food With this answere of Dauid I saie Abimelech being pleased gaue vnto Dauid and his men of the shew-bread to eate as you may read 1. Sam. 21,4,5 There is a time to loue and a time to hate a time to imbrace and a time to be far from imbracing Eccles. 8 5. Let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence that is all duties pertaining to mariage The wife hath not the power of hir owne bodie but the husband and likewise also the husband hath not the power of his owne bodie but the wife Defraud not one another therefore by long abstinence except it be with consent for a time that yée may the better giue your selues to fasting and praier and againe come togither that Sathan tempt you not for your incontinencie but I speake this by permission not by commandement saith the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 7 5. When and wherefore the husband may lawfullie put awaie his wife and where not see in title diuorce MOses as it may séeme sent his wife Zeppora backe againe vnto hir fathers house for hir impatiencie by the waie or in the iournie that they went least she should be a let to his vocation which then was so dangerous read Exo. 18,2 As the Apostles also who though it were lawfull for them to lead about a wife being a sister that is a faithfull Christian woman as the brethren of the Lord yet it may séeme that in time of persecution and planting of the Gospell they forsooke their wiues and left them with their friends as Moses did 1. Chron. 9 5. It was lawfull for the Israelites that had maried strange wiues to put them awaie euerie man his wife bicause it was to auoid Gods plagues that therefore were hanging ouer their heads bicause they contrarie to his commandements had maried strange idolatrous heathen women as you may read in 1. Esdr. 9. Neh. 9. He that putteth awaie a good woman putteth awaie a good thing but he that kéepeth an harlot is a foole and vnwise Prou. 18 22. Depart not from a wise discréet and godlie woman that is fallen vnto thée for thy portion in the feare of the Lord. For hir grace and gift of hir honestie is aboue gold If thou haue a wife after thy mind forsake hir not but commit not thy selfe to the hatefull woman Eccles. 7 19,26 Giue the water no passage nor a wicked woman hir will and if she walke not in thine obedience cut hir off then from thy flesh Giue hir a bill of diuorcement and forsake hir that she doo not alwaie abuse thée For it is better to dwell with a lion and a dragon than to kéepe house with a wicked wife Eccles. 25. So did Ashuerus put awaie Uasti his wife bicause she was disobedient to his commandement as appeareth in the storie of Quéene Hester 1. If thou hate thy wife put hir awaie saith the Lord God of Israel not that he doth alow diuorcement but of the two faults he sheweth which is the lesse as you may read more at large described Mal. 2 16. Ioseph being a wise man and one that feared God when he perceiued his espoused wife the virgin Marie great with child before they came togither he suspected that she had committed fornication
6.27 The child may make a vowe to God to humble her soule by abstinence but the father hath authoritie to breake and anull it Num. 30.4 A wise child maketh a glad father but a foolishe and vndiscreete daughter is an heauines vnto her mother Prou. 1.10 My daughter heare thy fathers instruction and forsake not thy mothers teaching Prou. 1.8 Heare O yée children the instructioÌ„ of your fathers geue eare to learne vnderstaÌ„ding wheÌ„ he doth teach you good doctrine in the way of wisedome and leade you in the pathes of righteousnes so shall yée walke at libertie without offence Prou. 4.1.11 A wise childe reioyceth the father but a foolishe daughter despiseth hir mother and is the calamitie of her parentes Prou. 5.2 13.19 Heare your fathers iudgement O children and doe thereafter For God will haue the father honoured of the children and hath confirmed the authoritie of the mother ouer the childreÌ„ looke what a mother commaundeth hir children to doe the Lord will haue it done and kept Eccle. 3.2 c. Who so honoureth hir parents hir sinnes shal be forgeueÌ„ hir shée shal abstaine froÌ„ theÌ„ shall haue hir dailie desires And she that honoreth hir mother is like one that gathereth treasures Shée that honoureth hir father shall haue ioye of hir own childreÌ„ and when shée maketh hir prayers it shal be heard She that honoreth hir father shall haue long life shée that is obedient to the Lord shall comfort and cherish hir mother Shée that feareth the Lord honoreth hir parents doth seruice vnto them as vnto Lords Ladies So did Rachel call hir father LabaÌ„ Lord in great reuerence Gen. 31. 35. Honour thy father and mother in déede and in worde and in all pacience that thou maiest haue Gods blessing that his benediction may abide with thée in the end For y e blessing of the Father establisheth the houses of the children and the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations thereof as appeareth in Ham whoÌ„ his father Noah cursed but blessed his brother Sem and Iaphet c. Gen. 9.22 Reioyce not at the dishonour of thy father or mother wheÌ„ they are reprooued For it is no honour vnto thée but shame séeing y t the childs owne glorie coÌ„meth by his fathers honor and the reproch of the mother is dishonour to the children My daughter make much of thy father in his old age and gréene him not as long as he liueth and if his vnderstanding faile haue pacience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full streÌ„gth and lustie youth For the good intreatie of thy father and the good déed that thou shewest vnto him shall not be forgotten but it shall be a fortresse for thée against sinnes and when thou thy selfe wantest it shall be rewarded thée And for thy mothers offence thou shalt be recompensed with good yea it shall bée founded for thée in righteousnes and in the day of trouble thou shalt be remeÌ„bred thy sinnes also shall melt away as the yce in the faire weather But shée that forsaketh hir father shall come to shame and shée that angreth or defieth hir mother is cursed of God Honour thy father from thy whole heart and forgette not the sorowfull trauayle that thy mother had with thee Remember I saie that thou wast borne of them and howe canst thou recompence them the things that they haue done for thee Eccle. 7.27 An euill or misnurtured child is the dishonor of the father and a foolishe dâ—ughter shall be little regarded 22.3 A wise daughter is an inheritage vnto her husbande but shee that liueth dishonestly bringeth her father and mother to sorow and care A daughter that is bold impudent or past shame dishonoreth both hir father hir husband and is not in fauour to the vngodly who shall regarde hir but they both that is the father and husband also shall despise and abhorre hir Eccle. 22.5 If children be proude with hawtinesse foolishnes they blot out and defile the nobilitie of their kindred 9.1 If Miriams father had spit in hir face in his displeasure should shée not haue béene ashamed seuen dayes yea shée might not presume to come in his presence till he were reconciled Num. 12.14 RemeÌ„ber thy father and mother wheÌ„ thou sittest among great meÌ„ least God forget thée in their sight least thou doting in thy custome become a foole and suffer rebuke wish y t thou hadst not béen borne and so curse the day of thy natiuitie Eccle. 23.14 The children that boast of their riches and nobilitie seeme but to reproche their father who was base borne and of lowe condition Hosea 12. L. An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton childe will be wilfull Eccle. 30.8 Be ashamed of whoredome before father or mother 41.17 Honor thy father thy mother in law which are now thy pareÌ„ts that thou maist get thy selfe a good report of all Tob. 10.12 So was Sara the wife of Tobie Ruth Rachel c. My daughter heare the words of thy father laie them vp in thine heart as a foundation Despise not thy mother but honour her all the dayes of thy life and doe that which shal please her and anger her not Remember my daughter how many daungers shée susteyned when thou wast in her wombe when thy parents dye close theÌ„ their eies and bury them together honestly My daughter set thou our Lorde God alwaies before thine eies let not thy wil be set to sinne or to transgresse the commaundements of God Tob. 4.6 But kéepe thou the lawe and commaundementes of the Lord and shew thy selfe mercifull pitiful and iust and loue the Lorde thy God in trueth and iustice so shalt thou reioyce and all things goe wel with thee Tob. 14.9 Doe vprightly I say all thy life long and follow not the way of vnrighteousnes For if thou deale truely thy doinges shall prosperously succéede to thée and to all them which liue iustly Bee liberall to the iust and giue almes of thy substance chéerefully when thou giuest almes let not thine eyes be enuious neither turne thy face from anie poore man least that God turne his face also from thee c. Beware of whoredome adultery and al vncleannesse take thée an husband in the feare of the Lord that thou maist be blessed in thy children and thy séede inherite the lande Also loue thy brethren and sisters kinred and friendes and despise not in thine heart the sonnes of thy people in not taking an husband of them For in pride and disdaine is destruction and much trouble in fiercenes is scarcitie and great pouertie For fiercenesse or vprofitablenes is the mother of famine Serue God diligently day and night be circumspect in all things thou doest and be well instructed in all thy conuersation Doe that to no man which thou hatest Drinke not wine to make shée drunke neither let drunkennesse goe with thee in thy iourney Aske counsell alway
diuorcement iudiciall and voluntarie separation and for what cause a woman may or ought to be diuorced and for what◠not by Gods worde WHen a man taketh a wife and marrieth hir if so be shée finde no fauour in his eyes because he hath espied some filthinesse in hir then let him write hir a bill of diuorcement and put it in hir hand and sēd hir out of his house whereby God approoueth not that light diuorcement but permitteth it to auoyde further incōuenience mischiefe as appeareth afterward in Math. 5. And when shée is departed out of his house and gone hir way and marrie with an other mā and if the latter husband hate her also write hir a letter of diuorcement and put it in hir hand and send hir away out of his house or if the latter man dye which tooke her to wife then hir first husband may not take hir againe to be his wife after y ◠she is defiled and séeing that by dimitting hir he iudged hir to bée vncleane and polluted For that is abhomination in the sight of y e Lord and thou shalt not cause the land to sinne which God hath geuen thée to inherite Deut. 24.1 c. They say according as it is written Deut. 24.4 before If a mā put away his wife shée goe frō him and become another mās wife shall he returne againe vnto hir shall not that lande be polluted if h◠take such one to wife againe but thou hast playd the harlot with manie louers yet turne againe to me saith the Lord c. Iere. 3.1 It hath béene saide Deut. 24. before whosoeuer shall put away his wife let him geue her a testimoniall of diuorcement but I saie vnto you whosoeuer shall put away his wife except it bee for fornication causeth her to committe adulterie in that hee giueth her leaue to marrie another by the testimoniall And whosoeuer shall marrie hir that is diuorced committeth adulterie Math. 5.31 The Pharasies came and asked Christ if it were lawfull for a man to put away his wife and tempted him and hee aunsweared and saide to them what did Moses Deut. 24. commaunde you And they saide Moses suffered to write a bill of diuorcement and to put hir away then Iesus replied and saide For the hardnesse of your hearte he wrote this precept vnto you but at the beginning of the creation it was not so For in the beginning GOD made them male and female saying for this cause shal man leaue his father and mother cleaue to his wife and they twayne shal be one fleshe so that they are no more twayne but one fleshe Therefore what GOD hath coupled together let not man separate Marke 10. 2 c Againe in the house his Disciples asked him of this matter of diuorce and he saide vnto them whosoeuer shall put away his wife and marriage another committeth adulterie against hir for the secōd is not his wife but his harlot And if a woman put away her husbande and bée married to another shée committeth adulterie against him Mark 10.12 For the second is not her husband The woman is in subiection to the man and bond vnto him by the law vnto him so long as he liueth So that if while the man liueth she take an other man shée shal be called an adulteresse Rom. 7.2.3 Unto the married I commaunde not I but the Lorde let not the wife depart from hir husband But and if shée depart for hatred dissention anger or anie such light occasion let hir remaine vnmarried or bée reconciled vnto hir husband and let not the husband put away his wife But to the remnaunt I speake and not the Lorde if anie brother haue a wife that beléeueth not if shée be content to dwell with him let him not forsake hir and the woman which hath an husband that beleeueth not if he be content to dwell with hir let hir not forsake him For the vnbeleeuing husband is sanctified by the beléeuing wife and the vnbeléeuing wife is sanctified by the husband else were your children vncleane but nowe are they holy But if the vnbeleeuing depart let him depart a brother or a sister is not in subiection in such things done without cause for God hath called vs in peace For what knowest thou O wife whither thou shalt saue thine husbande Or what knowest thou O man whither thou shalt saue thy wife c. But as God hath distributed to all and called euery one so let him walke for so ordaine I in all churches 1. Cor. 7.10 A woman ought to bée the wife but of one husbande at once and therefore being iustly diuorced from hir first husbande shée ought not to marrie againe for that were to the slander of the Church as appeareth in widowes 1. Tim. 5.9 Thou saith God speaking to priestes shalt not take to wife an whore or one polluted or haue an euill name or are defamed neyther shalt thou marrie a woman diuorced from hir husbande because thou art holy vnto God c. Leuit. 21.7.14 Ezech. 44.22 Euery vowe of hir that is diuorced shall stande in effect with hir because shee is not vnder the authoritie of man Numb 30.10 Sée more in the dutie of husbandes Of Widowes and seconde Marriage SHée that is left alone and to be counted in the number of true widowes in déede trusteth in God and continueth in supplication and prayers night day 1. Timo. 5.5 For so did Anna the prophetesse as ye◠may reade Luke 2.36 and Iudith the wydowe of Manasses Iudith 16. Furthermore if any widowe haue children or nephewes or kinsfolkes that are able to relieue and comfort hir shee ought not to put the Churche to any charge but to seeke comfort at hir childrens or kinsfolkes handes who as nature bindeth them ought to nourishe their mother and to recompence their kindred For that is an honest thing acceptable before God for the children kinsfolke to shew godlinesse and liberalitie towards their owne house and familie 1. Tim. 5.4 Also a widowe sayth Saint Paul ought not to be taken into the number of true widowes in déede vnder threescore yeeres olde and that hath béen the wife but of one husbande and well reported of for good workes and vnlesse shee haue nourished her children and lodged strangers washed the Saintes féete ministred vnto them that are in aduersitie and except shee haue bin continually giuen to euerie good worke For such things are commanded vnto widows that they may bée blamelesse and worthy the name But the younger widowes which begin to waxe wanton against Christ and will marrie to liue in pleasure and delites or which being ydle learne to go about from house to house to prattle like busiebodies and speake things which are not comely Such wanton and ydle widowes I say saith S. Paul are dead being aliue because they are altogether vnprofitable Yea they haue all readie damnation because they haue broken their first faith that is they shall bée punished with
daughter Such as were strong in wickednes to ouercome men were Salomons concubines Samsons wife Dalila Caiphas maydens Mat. 26.69 Salomen and Appam of whom by whose impudencie boldenesse with Darius the King Zorobabell one of his gard tooke occasion to put forth this wise sentence on commendation of womeÌ„s strength and to prooue that they were stronger then eyther the king or wine saying as followeth O yée men neyther the mightie king nor many men nor wine is strongest who then ruleth them or hath dominion ouer them are they not women women haue borne the king and all the people which beare rule by sea and by lande euen of them were they borne and they nourished them which planted the vines of which the wine is made They also make mens garments and make men honourable neyther can men bée without women And if they haue gathered together golde and siluer or any goodly thing do they not loue a fayre and beawtifull woman doe they not leaue all those thinges and giue them selues wholly vnto her and gape and gaze vpon her all men desire her more then golde or siluer or any precious thing A man leaueth his owne father which hath nourished him and his owne countrey is ioyned with his wife for the woman he regardeth not his life and neyther remembreth father nor mother nor countrey Therefore by this yée may knowe that the women bare rule ouer you doe yée not labour and trauell and giue and bring all to the women Yea man taketh his sworde and goeth forth to kyll and to steale and to sayle vpon the sea and vpon riuers and hée séeth a Lyon and goeth in darkenes and when hée hath stollen rauished and spoyled hée bringeth it to his loue Wherefore a man loueth his owne wife more then father or mother Yea many haue runne madde for women and haue béen seruants for them Many also haue perished and haue erred and sinned for women Nowe therefore doe yee not beléeue mée Is not the king Darius great in power insomuch that all regions feare to touch him Yet saw I him AppaÌ„ his concubine sitting on his right hande and taking his crowne off his head and putting it vpon her owne and stroke the king with her left hand whiles the king in the meane season did nothing but gape and gase vpon her and if sheeâ— laughed at him then he laughed but if shée were angry w t him then was he fame to flatter her y t he might be reconciled with her Nowe then Dye men doth not this myne example proue vnto you that women are stronger then men séeing they doe this to so mightie a king 1. Esdr. 4.14 c. Suche as through abhominable pride paynting their faces and decking their bodies with superfluous attyre were therefore miserably ouerthrowen were Iesabell Tamar the wife Ouan and Er Uasti the whore of Babylon but Iudith and Ester vsed that to another ende read Isa. 3. Such as were deformed in body was Leahi Such as were a griefe of minde to their parentes through disobedience and rebellion were Bethshemath and Iudith her sister to Isaak and Rebecca their father mother in Lawe Michol â—o Saule Rahel and Lea that vntruely disclaymed in her fathers right or heritage Such as dispised their dames and disobeyed their mistresse were Hagar the maides of Sara Tobits wife and all concubines Such as delt roughly hardly with their handmaids were Sara the wife of Abraham and Sara the wife of Tobit Such as murmured grudged and repined at their kinred and others prosperitie or welfare were Myriam Martha Sara Lea Rahell Such as are dispraysed and noted for their couetous mindes are Heua Aâ—sah Iesabel Athalia Hester the mother of Zebedées sonnes the importunate widowe Such as gaue wicked counsel and sinester perswatioÌ„ to their husbandes others to their ouerthrow were Athalia Herodias Heua Iesabell Rebecca Zeresh Such as gaue their handmaids to their husbandes for concubines and procreation because they themselues were barren where they distrusted Gods prouidence or otherwise coueted or desired children vnlawfully were Sara Leah Rahell Lots daughters the woman of the dead childe before Salomonâ— c. Such wiues as were rebellious contemners vnfaithâ—ull and disobedient to their husbandes were Abigail that called her husband Naball foole Ahinoam that was rebellious to Saul Anna that said to Tobâ— when he was struck blind where are now thy almes good déedes becomeâ— c. Hold thy peace deceine me not c. Iesabel who said to Achab thou knowest not what it is to raigne Commande and intreate not Iobes wife who was an instrument of Satan tempted her husband in his affliction saying doest thou continue yet in thy vprightnes curse God die c. Lots wife who looked back weÌ„t not forward w t her husband as god coÌ„maÌ„ded Michol who derided Dauid for dancing before y e arke called him foole for his zeale in Gods seruice Rahell who reproched her husbande of vnfruitfullnes saying giue me children or els I die Rebecca y e dissembled w t her blind husband Isaak to disinherite her eldest sonne for her yongest Sara that chid her husband saying thou doest me wrong c. the Lord iudge between me thée SaÌ„sons first wife y t by importancie vnderstanding his riddle reueiled it to her countreymen against her husbands profit yea to his great hinderÌ„ace hurt Putiphars wife y t would haue defiled her husbands bed lien w t her man Ioseph Uastie y t vtterly refused to come to her husband wheÌ„ he sent so often for her Zipporah y t reproched her sick husbaÌ„d Moses saiyng Oh blooddy husband thou art in deede a blooddy husband to mee c. Such as were negligent in the good education and bringing vp of their children and otherwise were vnnaturall pitilesse towardes them were Hagar Rebecca the mother of the dead childe Such as are noted for their foolish words spéeches are Hena Saraâ— Rahel Samsons wife Dalila Michol Anna Tobits wise y t haÌ„d-maids of Sara Raguels daughter the mother of the dead childe the wife of Haman Iobs wife the mother of Zebidées sonnes the maid that made Peter forsweare himself Mat. 26. the womaÌ„ of Samaria Such as ran away and forsooke their owne husbands or became wiues to other men leauing their first husbandes were Cliopatra Michol Leuites wife Samsons first wife Such as were deuorced and put away by their husbands for their vices were Baara Uasti Finally such as by Gods secret iust iudgement for their horrible and sinnefull wicked liues came to a violent death and shamefull end were Athalia who was slayn Cozby that was thrust quite thorowe with a swords playing the harlot Iesabel that was throwen out of her windowe and eaten with dogges Maacha that was deposed by her own sonne from her reigne Saphira that was struck with suddayne death at the Apostles feete Leuites wife that fell downe starke dead at the doore Samsons first
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
the Lord liueth and as my soule liueth the Lord I say that hath kept the innocent and cleane and withholden thee from comming to shedde bloud and caused that thine hand shoulde not saue thee nor thou reuenge thy self vpon thine enimy my husband so now thine enemies shal be as Nabal they that intend to doe my Lord euill And now receiue this present I pray thee which I thine handmayde haue brought and let it be giuen vnto the young men that followe my Lorde And I pray thee forgiue the trespasse of thine handmayde for the Lorde will make my Lorde a sure house and confirme his kingdome to his posterity because my Lorde fighteth the battels of the Lorde and none euil hath beene founde in thee in all thy life And albeit that man Saule hath risen vp to persecute thee and to seeke thy soule yet the soule of my Lorde shal bee bounde in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God who shall preserue thee by his protection long in his seruice from all daungers but the soule of thine enemies shall God cast out as foorth of the myddle of a sling and vtterly destroy thē And when the Lord shall haue done to my Lorde all the good that hee hath promised thee and shall haue made thee king and ruler ouer Israel then shal it be no griefe vnto thee nor offence of mynde vnto my Lorde that thou hast not shedde causelesse nor that my Lorde hath not preserued or auenged himselfe which thinges woulde haue tormented his conscience And when the Lorde shal haue dealt well with my Lorde then thinke on thine handmayde and remember my wordes Which pithy petition of hers being done ended it not onely pacified his wrath and stayed his handes from shedding of blood that day but also gaue Dauid greate cause both to prayse GOD for sending her to be the occasion therof and also highly to commend Abigail for her wise counsell and good aduice therein And so Dauid being greatly moued with her wisedome godly perswasiōs gētly receyued her present that she had brought did cleerely remit the churlish behauiour of Nabal her husband for her wisedome and vertues sake saying Abigal blessed be the Lord God of Israel that sent thee this daye to meete me and blessed be thy good counsell and blessed be thou which hast kept me this day from shedding blood c. Now therefore goe in peace to thy house for behold I haue heard thy voyce doe graunt thy petition Which being graunted she tooke her leaue returned againe to Carmell But when she came home and found Naball her Husband so farre ouercharged with wyne that his wittes were gone through drunkennesse and belly cheere she thought it conuenient to follow the wise mans counsell Eccle. 31. Not to rebuke him in his wine nor to say any thing vnto him good or bad at that time but to let the matter rest till the drinke were all out of his brayne and his memory freshe for as then hee had no reason to consider the daunger hee was in or to geue thankes for this great benefite of deliuerance wrought by his wife if shee had tolde him And so on the nexte morrowe shee declared to Naball the greate and perillous danger he was in for his churlishnesse and vnkyndnesse shewed to Dauid and his seruauntes Whiche when hee hearde did smyte him so sore to the hearte that hee was colde as a stone for feare thereof and neuer enioyed it but dyed within tenne dayes after for verie sorowe Of whose death Dauid beeyng aduertised after a certayne time hee remembred Abigail as shee in her petition before had requested him and hauing had good experience of her greate godlinesse wisedome and humilitie hee sent messengers to Carmel to commune with Abigael concerning marriage and to signifie vnto her that hee was willing to take her to his wife And Abigail after great and curteous entertaynment of Dauids Embassadours or seruauntes that did the message or errand in most humble manner sayde vnto them Beholde let thy handmayde bee a seruant to washe the feete of the seruauntes of my Lorde as though she woulde saye I am more fitte to be wife vnto one of his seruauntes And with great gladnesse and good wil she made haste to make her self ready to go with thē so with her fiue maides following her she tooke horse and went with the messengers of Dauid and became his wife 1. Sam. 25. 3. c. al. And when he dwelt in Ziklag among the Philistines whiles he went with Achis the king to warre Abigal his wife and her mate Ahinoam were both taken prisoners by the Amalechites and led away captiue vntill such time as they were rescued by Dauid their husband as appeareth 1. Sam. 30.5.18 And in processe this woman Abigail bare vnto Dauid a sonne called Chiliab which in the 1. Chro. 3.1 is called Daniel 2. Sam. 3. 3.1 Chro. 3. 1. There was an other woman called Abigal or Abigael which was the daughter of Nahash or Ishai and sister to Dauid Zeruiah Ioabs mother and wife to Iether an Ishmalite vnto whom she bare a sonne called Amasa 2. Sam. 17.25.1 Chro. 2.16.17 Abihail or Abiahil sig the father of light or of prayse as before in Abiahil She was the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Ishai and one of the xviii wiues of Rehoboam king of Israel which bare vnto him iii. sonnes as 2. Chro. 11.18.19 Abishag or Abisag signifieth the Fathers ignorance or mistaking The father catching touching or encreasing c. She was a goodly fayre young damosel or virgin of the Tribe of Isacar brought vp in the Citie Shunem And for her exceeding beautie and good manners she was chosen afore all other women to lye in the bozome of king Dauid and to keepe and nourish him with her heate in his extreame olde age And she cherished the king and ministred vnto him but the king knew her not After whose death shee being still a pure virgin and mayde was greatly desired of Adoniah king Salomons halfe brother to be his wife◠and for a meanes to beg and obtaine her the sooner he vsed the helpe and mediation of Bethsheba Dauids widowe and Salomons mother to whom hee thought Salomon woulde not say nay in a greater request But this request of his mother to giue Abishag to Adoniah his brother to wife so displeased king Salomon that he did not onely say his mother nay and refused to giue him Abisag to wife but also for this presumption of Adoniah in asking Abishag to wife he tooke occasion straight waies to put Adoniah to death so that he died for it as appeareth 1. King 1.3 2.17.22 Abital or Abithal signifieth the father of dewe or shadowe She was one of the wiues of king Dauid who bare him a sonne in Hebron named Shephatiah 2. Sam. 3.4 1. Chro. 3.3 Abra signifieth awayting mayde a handmayde or seruant She was the faithfull and trustie handmaide of Iudith that had the
his daughter to be her handmayde and seruaunt And afterwarde when Rahel perceiuing shee was barren and could beare Iacob no children she gaue Bilha her mayde vnto her husband to be his wife who conceiued by Iacob and brought him forth two sonnes The first called Dan the second called Nepthali Afterwarde Bilha and her mate zilpha went with Iacob to meete Esau and was placed formost with her children in the company and meeting Esau did him first reuerence and obeysaunce Then at the commaundment of Iacob she reformed her selfe of her Idolatrie and resigned vp vnto him her earinges Idols worshipped God aright with him and all the rest of his housholde yet after this that is in the yeare of the world 2275. Ruben the eldest Sonne of Iacob went and lay with this Bisha his fathers Concubine and caused her to commit adulterie to her shame and his curse giuen of his father vnto whose eares the vile fact came as appeareth Gene. 29.29.30.3 c. 33.2.6.35.4.22 46.25.49.3 1. Chro. 7. 13. Bithiahâ— or Bethia signi the Daughter or measure of the Lord. She was the daughter of Pharaoh and wife of Mered or after some â—he first wife of Ezrah and the mother of Mered. Read 1. Chro. 4.18 C Calmana signi a nourishing gift or present She was one of the two daughters of Adam and Eue sister to Delbora and wife to Rayn her owne brother by whom the worlde was first replenished as appeareth in Graftons Chronicle fol. 27. Candaces signi chaunged hauing breach of minde a cleane or the purest hauing in vse it is a common name to all the Queenes of Ethiopia Shee was the Queene of Ethiopia who sending her Eunuch or chiefe gouernour that had the rule of all her treasure to Ierusalem as hee rode in his charyot reading Esaye the Prophet was by the waye met with of Philip who baptised and instructed him in the true vnderstanding of the scripture he read and conuerted him to the Christian fayth by preaching vnto him Iesus so that he worshipped God aright at Ierusalem Acts. 8.27 Cleopatra signi the flourishing glory or ioy of the countrey or of the Father Shee was the daughter of Philometor king of Egipt who in the yeare of the world 3981. being first giuen in maryage by her father vpon good lyking to Alexander the sonne of noble Antiochus Epiphanes king of Syria and royally maryed with great glory after the manner of Kinges at the Citie of Ptolomays afterward vpon displeasure causeleâ—se taken by her father against her husbande she was taken away from him againe and giuen by her vnnaturall father to Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius and so became his wife also hauing now two husbands alyue as appe 1. Ma. 10.75 11.12 The Prophet Daniel also prophecyeth also of the faythfulnesse constancie of one Cleopatra a bewtiful Woman that was the daughter of Antiochus the great king of Syria wife to Ptolomeus Eptphanes king of Egypt saying in this wise Hee that is Antiochus shall set his face to enter with the power of his whole kingdome and his confederates with him agaynst Ptolomeus thus shall hee doe and hee shal giue him the daughter of women to destroy hym But she shall not stand on his side neyther before him meaning that Antiochus should giue his daughter Cleopatra to Ptolomeus to destroye him with her bewtie betray him to her father after his aduice or if that serued not he woulde destroy him together with his daughter by that marriage vnder pretence of friendship for hee lyke a moâ—t couetous and cruel wretch regarded not the lyfe of his daughter in respect of the kingdome of Egypt which hee chiefly shotte at yet for all that Daniell prophecied that she shoulde not agree to her fathers wicked counsayle but shoulde loue her husband as her duetie required and not seeke his destruction for her fathers pleasure or any friend in the world beside Read Dani. 11.17 Cozbi signi a Lyer leauing off as flowing as a fludde Shee was the Daughter of zur Prince of Midian who playing the harlot with zimry the Israelite and sonne of Salu and being taken in the verye committing and doing of the filthy facte of adulterie was by zealous Phinees the sonne of Eleazar Gods execucioner of his iust wrath thrust quite through her belly and slayne as she laye together with zimry her adulterous mate Which zealous fact of Phinies so pleased God that therefore the Lorde not onely turned awaye his wrath and caused the plague to cease which hee had sent vppon the Israelites for committing both corporall and spirituall whooredome with the woman of Moab and following their idolatry but also God made the couenant of priesthood to remaine with him and his for euer as appeareth Numb 25.6.7 D Damaris signi a little or a prety wile a still heed She was a certaine godly and deuout woman dwelling at the Citie of Athens who with Denis Areopagita and others beleeued the Gospell preached by S. Paule and was conuerted to the Christian fayth Acts. 17.34 Deborah or Debbora signi a word a Bee good vtteraunce a babler speecâ—e Shee was the wife of one Lapidoth and a Prophetesse who after the death of Ehud and Shamgar was the fourth Iudge and gouernesse of the people of Israell and iudged them by the spyrite of prophecy in resoluing of controuersies and doubtes declaring vnto theÌ„ y e wil of God And in the yeare of the world 2766. when y e childreÌ„ of Israel were giuen by the Lorde for their sinnes into the handes of Iabyn King of Canaan and inuaded by Sisara his captaine and a great hoste of enymyes They went to Deborah vnto her house that dwelte vnder a Palme tree betweene Ramah and Bethel in Mounte Ephraim and in great sorrowe and lamentation asked her aduise who vnderstanding the matter sente presently for Barack who being come she sayde vnto him hath not the Lorde GOD of Israel reuealed vnto mee by the spirite of prophecie and commaunded thee saying goe to Mounte Tabor with ten thousand men And I saieth the Lord wil drawe vnto thee to the riuer Kison Sisera with all his huge hoste and delyuer him into thy hande But Barak seeing his owne weakenesse and his enemies power desired Deborah the Prophetesse to goe with him to assure him of Gods will from tyme to tyme saying If thou wilt goe with me I will goe But if thou wilt not goe with me I will not goe Then sayd Deborah I will surely go with thee as thou desirest but for thy distrust and doubtfull minde knowe thou this that this iourney which thou takest shall not therefore be for thine honour for the Lorde shall sel Sisera into the handes of a woman So Deborah arose and went with Barak and all his host to Kedesh And when she saw Sisera and his army come ready to wage battell with Barak she still incouraged him to the enterprise by assuring him of Gods fauour and ayd saying vp
prosper before I die Honour thy father and thy mother in lawe which are now thy parents that I may heare good report of thee and with that kissed her and tooke her leaue of her and then turning her to Tobias her sonne in lawe she also most wisely and carefully saide vnto him The Lorde of heauen restore thee my deare brother and graunt that I may see thy children of my daughter Sara that I may reioyce before the Lorde Beholde nowe I commit to thee my daughter as a pledge doe not intreat her euill So Tobias praysing God that he had giuen him so good a wife blessed Raguell and Edna his wife and went away to Niniuie to his owne father and mother whom when he had honourablie buried then he returned with his wife to Ecbatan to Raguell and Edna his father and mother in lawe whome also hee there buried honorablie and possessed their â—oods Tobi. 7.8.10.11.11.1.14.13 Eglah or Heglah sig a cow calfe a wagon a winde about a turning winde or his feasting She was one of the wiues of Dauid in Hebron and who bare vnto him a sonne called Ithream 2. Sam. 3.5 1. Chro. 3.3 Elisabeth or Elizabeth or Elisheba signifieth the oth of God or the fulnesse of my God or the seuenth of my God she is of God Or the name thus deuided written Eli-sabeth signifieth My God going vpwarde or getting vp By Ely and sabeth signifieth rest or a stay the staffe of Maiestie Or written with a z as thus zabeth sig the dowrie or great portion of the Lorde Shee was of the house and came of the daughters of Aaron the Lordes high Priest by her fathers side and by her mothers line shee was of the house and linage of king Dauid and neere cosin vnto the virgin Marie and being the wife of Zacharias the high Priest shee like a godly woman liued iustly before God and walked in all the commaundementes and ordinances of the Lorde without reproofe And being long barren and very olde it pleased God at the last euen in the yeere of the worlde .4141 to remember her and sent his Angell Gabriel vnto her husband as hee was making his praiers vnto God in the Temple who signified vnto him that his prayers were hearde and that his wife Elizabeth shoulde beare him a sonne and that he shoulde call his name Iohn which signifieth the grace of God of which childe he shoulde haue great ioye and many shoulde reioyce at his birth c. After hee went home and his wife Elizabeth conceiued by him as the Angell had saide and shee perceiuing her selfe with childe hid her selfe fiue monethes praising God most ioyfully and saying Thus hath the Lorde dealte with mee in the dayes wherein hee looked on mee to take from me my rebuke among men for the barren women enioyed not the promise which God made to them that were married to haue issue but principally they were depriued of that promise which God made to Abraham that hee woulde increase his seede which promise could not bee performed nor accomplished without issue And nowe being sixe monethes gone with childe so it happened that Mary the wife of Ioseph which also had conceiued by the holy ghost came to Hebron to visite Elizabeth her cosin who had no soner hearde the salutation of Mary but by and by the babe sprang in Elizabeths belly and she was presently filled with the holy ghost and cried out with a loud voice saying blessed art thou cosin Mary among women because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to visite me For behold as soone as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine eare the bakesprang in my belly for ioy and blessed is she that beleeued for those things shal be performed which were tolde her of the Angel Gabriell from the Lorde But Mary saying nothing vnto her as one rapâ— with ioye also fell to magnifie God and after abode with Elizabeth her cosin about three monethes and then returned to her owne house And nowe when the time was come that Elizabeth shoulde bee deliuered shee brought foorth a sonne to the greate reioycing of her selfe and all her neighbours and cosins who therefore together with her praised the Lorde for his greate mercie shewed vnto her And when on the eight day her childe was to bee circumcysed and the women her cosins and neighbours woulde haue named him Zacharie after his fathers name Elizabeth his mother saide no not so he shall bee called Iohn which was according to the wordes of the Angell before Then although the women said vnto her that there was none of her kinred named with that name yet they caused his dombe father Zacharie her husbaÌ„d to write him in his tables by y â— name of Iohn which being don Zacharies mouth was presently opened and to the great admiration of all that stoode by he being filled with the holy ghost spake and prophesied of his childe and praysed God as ye may reade Lu. 1. Elisheba signifieth as before in Elizabeth the God of othe shee is of God c. Shee was the daughter of Aminadab who was a prince of Iuda and her sister Nahashon the wife of Aaron the brother of Moses vnto whome shee bare foure sonnes Nadab Abihu Eleazer and Ithamar Exod. 6.23 Ephah signifieth without measure vnbrideled werie flying plighted foldeâ— vp Shee was one of the Concubines of Caleb and bare him three sonnes Haran Moza and Gazez 1. Chro. 2.46 Ephrath sig plentie dustie leaden fruitfull comming out of ashes a fawne Shee was one of the wiues of Caleb which hee tooke after the death of Azuba and who bare vnto him a sonne called Hur. 1. Chro. 2.19.50 of her also the Citie Ephrata or Caleb Ephrata or Bethlem Ephrata first tooke the name as 1. Chro. 2.24 Gen. 35.48 c. Ester or hester or Esther otherwise called Hadashah or Atassa signifieth close hidden plucking downe the working or beholding of the medicine the Turtles medine Shee was the daughter of Abihail a Iewe borne and being a very faire virgin and beautifull young damosel after the death of her father and mother shee was nourished and brought vp in the house of Mardocheus her cosin Germane who tooke her as his owne daughter after his vncle her father was dead During whiche time it chaunced that Uasti the Queene of Persia for her disobedience to Assuerus the king her husbande was deposed from her princely state and deuorced from her husband And then the king being counsayled to take an other in her roome sent one Hege his Eunuch the keeper of women with his commission abroad to take vp Uirgins Maydens as y â— manner was by vertue whereof certaine faire young Damosels beautifull Uirgins among whom Ester was one were taken and brought to the court then being at Shushan and there in certaine houses appoynted for the Uirgins somwhat distant from the houses of Concubines Wiues they
out this bond womaÌ„ her sonne for the sonne of the bond woman shal not be heire with my soÌ„ne Isaak which thing though it were grieuous vnto Abraham to do because hee tenderly loued Hagars sonne Ishmael yet being coÌ„manded by God to followe his wife Saras counsel therin y t rather for y t the promised seed should be counted from Isaak not from Ishmael also being coÌ„forted by God y t he would blesse Ismael also to a mightie people because he was of Abrahams seede Abraham obeyed the voyce of his wife Sara the next morning early sent Hagar her son away with bag bottel good prouision of victuals vpoÌ„ her back to shift for her selfe her child So Hagar being thus departed from Abraham with her young childe Ishmael in her armes gate her vnto the wildernesse of Beersheba where shee wandered so long vp and downe till all her prouision of meate and drinke was spent gone And wheÌ„ she saw no remedy but y t both she and the child must needs perish for lacke of sustenaunce shee in this great perplexitie renounced all naturall affection and distrusting in Gods prouidence notwithstanding that she had had good experience therof before time went and cast her childe Ishmael vnder a certayne tree behinde a bushe and went her selfe away from it and sate ouer agaynst it a farre off about a bowe shoote weeping and saying thus with her selfe I will not see the death of the childe but as shee sate thus a farre off mourning and lamenting for her sonne Behold God for his promise sake made before to Abraham and not because eyther shee then prayed for the childe as shee ought to haue done or that the childe it selfe had the capacitie and witte to pray for it selfe being so young sent his angell agayne euen from heauen which comforted her in this her miserie and wofull plight saying what ayleth thee Hagar feare not for God hath heard the voyce of the childe where hee lyeth Aryse take vp thy childe and holde him in thine armes and I will make of him a great people as I haue promised vnto Abraham So where as before shee coulde neyther see nor vse the meanes whiche was euen before her eyes God at this instant opening her eyes and Hagar nowe arose and sawe a wel of water wherevnto shee went and refreshed her selfe and filled her bottell with water and then ran to the boy and gaue it drinke thereof by which good prouidence of God both shee and her sonne were relieued and liued together a long time after to her great ioy and comfort And when her sonne came to mans state she then dwelling in y e wildernes of Paraâ— tooke him a wife out of the lande of Egypt Gene. 16.17.21 Haggith or Aggite signi holidayes yeerely feastes turning about merrie Shee was one of the vi wiues of Dauid that hee had in Hebron who there bare vnto him a sonne called Adoniah that afterwarde was put to death by his brother king Salomon for treason as appeareth in the storie of Abishag 2. Sam. 3.3 1. King 1.5 1. Chron. 3.3 Hannoch or Anna â—igni gâ—acions or mercifull his grace or fauour gracious Lady fauourable freely giuing resâ—ng c. She was the wife of Elkana an Ephrathiâ—e who beeing coupled with a mate called Penennah or Fenenna that was very fruitful she her selfe long barren without child yet because HaÌ„na was better beloued of her husband then her mate Penenna was although Penenna had more porcions and giftes giuen vnto her of her husbande when hee wente abroade and vnto her sonnes and daughters then Hannah had Therefore her aduersary mate Penenna did dayly vexe her sore by â—â—brayding her casting her in the teeth w t her barreÌ„nes yea as oft as went vp to the house of the Lorde to sacrifice and serue God her companion would so vexe her herewith to her great reproch that she would sitte and weepe and lament greatly in fasting and prayer in her house before she went out adores which when her husband perceiued he to comfort her said vnto her Hannah why weepest thou and why eatest thou not And why is thy heart thus troubled am not I thy louing husband better to thee then ten sonnes Let this suffice thee that I tenderly loue thee no lesse then if thou hadst manye children So Hanna to satisfie her husbands mynd did eate and drinke a little but yet beeing full of heauinesse that God had made her such a rayling stocke that she could not quietly eate nor drinke nor serue GOD as shee ought shee arose and went to the Temple of the Lorde in Siloe where the Arke then was to woorshippe GOD. And there beeyng tormented and troubled in minde shee made her heartie prayers vnto GOD with teares to geue her a sonne or manchild the forme of which prayer or vowe appeareth in the first Lampe of Uirginitie pag. 6. And as she continued praying very earnestly in the Temple before the Lorde it fortuned that Eli the high Priest as he sate there also marked her mouth and perceiuing her lippes onely to moue a little no voyce heard for she prayed mentally and secretly in her heart he thought she had bin dronken and said vnto her Thou woman how long wilt thou be dronken put away thy dronkennes from thee Then Hannah being further vexed in mind to see her selfe thus interrupted in her prayers and more slaundered by the rash iudgement of so graue a man could no lesse but make him this aunsweare in her excuse and sayd Nay my Lord I am not dronke neyther haue I drunken eyther wyne or strong drinke But I beyng a woman troubled in minde dexed in spirite I doe here powre out my sorowfull soule before the Lorde in mentall or secret prayer therefore doe not so rashly count thy handmayde to be the daughter of Beliall or a wicked woman for out of the abundance of the heauinesse and griefe of my heart haue I spoken hitherto Then goe in peace sayde Eli and the GOD of Israel graunt thy petitioÌ„ that thou hast asked And she knowing that y e prayers of others would be of force with God towardes her desired Ely to pray for her saying O let thine handmayden find grace in thy sight and be remembred in thy prayers offered vnto God And so reposing her selfe to the mercie of God and commending her self to Elyes prayers she departed cheerefully home to her house where she ate and dranke merrily and looked no more sad And shortly after God remembred her according to her petition so that in processe of time she conceyued by Elkana her husband and bare him a sonne in the yeere of the world 3000. or therabouts whose name she called Samuel because she begged him of God And when she had geuen her child sucke and brought him vp and weaned it she like a vertuous mother prepared a sacrifice and went to the temple of the Lord in Sylo with her
young sonne and there presented before the Lord both her offering and childe to Ely the high Priest whom she then put in remembrance thereof saying oh my Lord as certainly as thy soule liueth my Lorde I am the woman that stoode with thee here of late praying vnto the Lorde for this child and because my Lorde hath geuen me my desire which I asked of him therefore also I now according to my vowe and promise made in my prayer am come to dedicate him vnto y e Lord vnto whom I haue geuen him while he liueth And so after a notable song of praise and thankes giuing made by her vnto God for her childe as appeareth in the first Lampe pag. 6. She departed with her husband home and lefte her child Samuel with Ely the Priest to minister in the temple of God in all that Ely commanded him So Samuel her child beyng but young ministred before the Lorde gyrded with a linnen Ephod And euery yeere after did Hannah his mother make a little coate for Samuel her sonne and bring it vp to him when she came with her husband to offer the yeerely sacrifice as the custome then was once euerie yeere to appeare before the Lord with their families And when she came into the house of God Ely the Priest blessed her husband her saying The Lord geue thee seed of this woman for the petitions that she asked of y e Lord. And so departed they home againe vnto their place in mount Ephraim where they dwelt And thus God tooke away her rebuke of barrennes and visited her and blessed her with moe children so that after Samuel she conceiued and bare three sonnes moe and two daughters to her great comfort and the reioycing of her husband 1. Sam. 1.2 Hazleleponi or Asalelphuni or Asalephum signifieth the shadow or drownings of the countenance the sound of tinking in the face She was the daughter of Etam and sister to Izreel Ishma and Idbash that were of the tribe of Iuda 1. Chro. 4.3 Heleah or Helaa signifieth rust weakenesse She was one of the wiues of Ashur who bare vnto him iii. sonnes Zereth Iezohar and Ethnan 1. Chro. 4.5.7 Herodias signifieth the glory of the skin or the boasting or glorying in skinnesâ— proude of his furres the hill of pride or of presumption the fierie Dragon c. She was the wife of Phillip Herode the Tetrarches brother to whom she brought foorth a daughter whose name as Iosephus reporteth was called Salomen This woman beyng very licentious and more familier with her brother in lawe Herod then honestie required grew into such fauour with him that he contrarie to the law of Moses married her his brother beyng yet aliue Against which vnlawfull marriage that holy man of God Iohn Baptist spake very much to Herods reproofe saying that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Then she fearing least that Saint Iohn woulde make Herode breake of the incestuous marriage first caused Herode to take Saynt Iohn and binde him and put him in prison for her sake and would haue put Iohn to death openly but that he feared the multitude who counted him a Prophet of the Lordes But this wicked woman Herodias not being herewith satisfied counselled her daughter Salomen at the feast of Herodes byrthdaye when shee daunced before him to aske of him the head of Iohn Baptist in a platter who did so and it was graunted her and geuen her in a platter and shee carried it to her mother And so by the wicked deuise of this vnchaste woman Saynt Iohn Baptist lost his head to the greate trouble of the Churche and griefe of Christ Iesus and his Disciples Matth. 14.1 Heuah or Eua signifieth quicke liuing or serpent woe alas life a woman the mother of all mankinde She was the last reasonable creature that God made in Paradise and the first woman that euer was For when all creatures and Adam were made Adam hauing now geuen names to all creatures and God seyng that among theÌ„ all he could not find one helper meet for AdaÌ„s society said It is not good y t man should be himself alone I will make him an help meet for him so y e Lord vpoÌ„ y e 6. day of the worlds creatioÌ„ caused an heauy sleep to fal vpoÌ„ AdaÌ„ whilest he slept he took one of his ribbes closed vp the flesh in steede therof And of the ribbe which the Lord God had taken out from the man made he the woman to finishe and make perfect the woorkemanshippe of mankinde by the womans creation whiche before was like an vnperfect buylding And the woman being thus created the Lorde brought her to the man to see how he would name her and to make her his mate who assoone as he saw her sayd thus of her This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shal be called woman or mannes because she was taken out of man Thus Adam and the woman being coupled together as man wife by the Lord in paradise to shew y t marriage requireth a greater duetie towards our wiues and likewise the wife to the husband then otherwise we are bound to our PareÌ„tsâ— therfore said God shal man leaue his father mother and shal cleaue to his wife and they shal be one flesh Now Adam and Eue beyng both naked were not ashamed because they were yet in their state of innocency for before sinne entred all things were comely and honest And being both put in y e gardeÌ„ of pleasure called Eden or Paradise Sathan enuying their felicity as he can change himselfe into an Angel of light so did he now â—irst abuse the wisedome and subtilty of the serpent the subtilest beast in the field and making the serpent his instrument he went and spake in the serpent vnto the woman and sayd yea hath God indeed sayd ye shall not eate of euery tree of the garden And the woman aunsweared the serpent saying We eate of the trees of the garden but of the fruit of y e tree which is in the midst of the garden God hath sayd yee shal not eate of it neyther shall ye touch it least ye die Then the serpent or Sathan whose chief subtilty was to cause Heua not to feare gods threatnings sayâ— vnto the woman ye shall not dye at all But GOD doth know that when ye shall eate thereof your eyes shal be opened and ye shall be as Gods knowing good and euill as though he should say God doth not forbid ye to eate of the fruite saue that he knoweth if you should eate therof yee shall be like to him So the woman Heua doubting of Gods threatning yeelded to Sathan and seyng that y e tree was good for meate and that it was pleasant to the eye and a tree to be desired to get knowledge she tooke of the fruite therof and did eate And beyng thus beguiled through the subtiltie of the serpent by whoÌ„ through enuy
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
Huldah or Holdai holda or Olda signifieth the world or a weasell ruâ—f She was the wife of one Shallum the sonne of Tikuah the sonne of Harhas keeper of king Iosias wardrop And being a Prophetesse dwelling in Hierusalem in the colledge or place called the house of doctrine which was neere to the temple and where the learned assembled to intreate of the scriptures the doctrine of the Prophetes Iosua the king of Iuda vpon a time that is in y e yeere of the 3498. finding the booke of the law in the temple at the reformation thereof sent Helkiah the priest and Shaphane the Chaunceller with other noble meÌ„ of his counsell vnto this womaÌ„ Hulda the Prophetesse to coÌ„mune with her and enquire of the Lorde for him and his people concerning the booke of the law so found in the temple and read before him what shoulde be done therwith And when the messengers had done their errand the Prophetesse aunsweared them saying goe tell the man that sent you to me thus saieth the Lorde God of Israel beholde I will bring euill vppon this place and vppon the inhabiters thereof euen all the words of the booke which the king of Iudah read because they haue forsaken me and haue burnt incense vnto other Gods to anger me with all the workes of their handes and mens inuentions contrary to the worde of God my wrath also shal be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched for their abhominations But to the king of Iuda who sent you to enquire of the Lord so shal yee say vnto him Thus saith the Lorde God of Israel the wordes that thou hast heard read in that booke shall come to passe but because thine heart did melt and thou hast repented and humbled thy selfe before the Lorde when thou heardest what I spake against this place against the inhabitaÌ„ts of the same how they should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I haue also heard it saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather thee vnto thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shal not see all the euil that I wil bring vpon this place And so the messengers departed froÌ„ the propheâ—esse told the king what she said 2. King 22.14 Hushim or Husim signifieth hasting holding peace geuen to pleasuâ—e She was one of the wiues of Shaharaim of the tribe of Beniamine who bare him two sonnes called Ahitub and Elpaal and afterwarde with her mate Baare was put away from her husband 1. Chro. 8.8 11. I Iael or Iahel signifieth a Do or ascending or going vpward a smal Deare a Roe a Hynde the match of hart and hynd beginning She was the wife of one Hebar a Kenite which was of the children of Hobab Moses father in law and being a stranger yet worshipped the true God and ioyned with Israel in all things And when Iael in the yeere of the world 2766. had heard of the great ouerthrow of Sisera and how he fled and was comming towards her tent for succour she went out and met him saying Turne in my Lord turne into me and feare not so he being come into her tent or house asked her a litle water to quench his thirst and she brought him a bottell full of mylke And when he had well drunke thereof he laide him downe to sleepe and as she was couering him with mantles and clothes he prayed her to goe and â—tand at the dore of her tent and whosoeuer doth come and aske for any manâ— say I pray thee quoth he there is no man here And so when Sisara was fast a sleepe Iael beeing thereto prouoked by Gods spirite to take reuenge vpon the enemie of his people went softly vnto him with a nayle in the one hande and a hammer in the other and smote the nayle thorow the temples of his head and nayled him fast to the ground which done she went and stoode at her tent dore and seeing Baracke pursue Sisara she went and met him saying Come goe in with me I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest and so he folowed Iael who brought him into her tent where Sisara lay dead and the nayle in his temples And then he saw that a woman had the honour and not he and knew that the prophecie of Debora was truely fulfilled which she prophesied vnto him when she sayd Baracke this iourney that thou takest vpon thee now shal not be for thy honour for the Lord shal sel Sisara into the hand of a woman who shal take away the honor of the victory froÌ„ thee as it came to passe indeed Iudg. 4.17 18. c. For which valiant act of Iaels Deborah in her song of praise highly commended praised her saying Blessed shal Iael the wife of Heber be aboue other women dwelling in tents blessed shal she be aboue other women c. as you may read in the song at large in the first Lampe pag. 3. Iudg. 5.24 Iecholiah or Iecolia Iechelia Iecelia si the profiting or pâ—wer of the Lord. She was the wife of Amaziah king of Iuda and the mother of Uzziah called also Azanah king of Iuda 2. King 15.2 2. Chro. 26.3 Iehoaddan or Ioadan or Ioiadan sig the Lordes delight the Lords pleaâ—ure the Lords good season She was the wife of Ioash king of Iuda and mother to Amaziah king of Iuda 2. King 14.2.2 Chro. 25.1 Iehoshabeath or Iehosheba or Iehosabeth Iosabeth or Iosaba sig the fulnes of the Lord the Lordes othe or the seuenth of the Lord endewed She was the daughter of king Ioram or Iehora king of Israel sister to Ahaziah wife to Iehoiada y e high Priest or Bishop of y e Iewes And when Athalia her Grandmother went about cruelly to destroy the king her brothers seed by murder God for his promise sake made to the house of Dauid moued the heart of Iehosheba to preserue some â—eÌ„nant of that stocke whervpon she went and tooke Ioash the youngest sonne of Ahaziah her brother and stole away her young nephewe froÌ„ among the kings soÌ„nes that were appoynted to bee slayne hid both â—im and his nurse in her owne bedchamber with her husbands counsel and kept him from slaughter in the chamber where the Priests did lye neere the house of the Lorde the space of sixe yeeres so that he perished not with the rest of his brethren but after became king of the land and deposed his grandmother Athalia as appeareth in the life of Athalia 2. King 11.2.2 Chro. 22.10 Iehudiiah or Iudaia Iudea or Iudaea sig praysing graunting or acknowledging the Lorde She was the second wife of Ezrah and bare vnto him three sonnes Geret the father or Prince of Gedor Hebar the Prince of Socho the 3. Iekuthiel the Prince of Zanoah 1. Chro 4.18 Iemimah or Diem sig beautifull as the day or of long life Shee was one of the three beautifull daughters of Iob which
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
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
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
doe mee Whereupon Isaak called Iacob and blessed him and sente him awaye with a great charge to take a wife of the Daughters of Laban Rebeccas brother And thus by the counsaile and perswasion of Rebecca Iacob escaped the daunger of Esaw and was sent to Laban his mothers brother where in processe hee gat him a wife and purchased the loue of Esaw againe Afterward Rebeccaes nurse called Debora died and was buryed in Bethel vnder an Oke Gen. 22.23 24.5.25.26.34.27.35.8 Reuma or Ruma or Roma signi a hie stately or loftie dame thunder outcast Shee was the Concubine of Nahor Abrahams brother Milchas mate who bare vnto Nahor foure sonnes called Tabath GahaÌ„ Thahash and Maachah Gene. 22.24 Rhode signi seeing strong a fight a disascenting a rose She was the faithful mayde of Marie the mother of Iohn Mark who hearing Peter knocke at the doore knewe his voice but did not at the first open the doore and let him in for ioye and gladnesse of his comming but ranne in and tolde her mistris and the companie of the faithful then assembled praying for him that Peter stoode at the doore And they not beleeuing her reporte to bee true sayde vnto her thou art madde Yet shee affyrmed it constantly that it was so then sayde they it is his Aungell So Peter continuing still knocking at the last shee went and opened the doore and when they saw Peter so miraculously deliuered they were all astonished Act. 12. 13. Rizpha or Respha signi a hurt with a sâ—one Shee was the daughter of Ahyah and after became king Sauls Concubine by whome she had two sonnes the one named Armony and the other Miphiboseth And after the death of Saule shee played the naughtypacke with Abner the chiefe Captaine of Sauls hoste who being therefore reprooued by Ishbosith Saules sonne Abner like a wicked man coulde not abyde to heare of his faulte with this woman herby tooke occasion in his wrath conceiued against Ishbosith to betray the kingdome of Saule to transfer it first to Dauid who afterwarde deliuered her two sonnes aboue named together with the fiue sonnes of Merob Sauls eldest daughter to the Gibeonites who for the offence of Saule hanged them vp together vpon an hill before the Lord. Then Rizpha perceiuing their carcases to remayne vpon the gibbet longer then the law required made prouision to saue theyr bodies that neyther birdes should fall vpon them by day nor beastes by night Also in the time of the great famine that then was by reason of the drought shee made her self a tent of sackcloath and place it vppoÌ„ a rock wherin she coÌ„tinued praying froÌ„ y e beginning of haruest vntil water dropped vpon y e people from heauen And when it was told Dauid what Rizpha Saules Concubine had done to pacifie the wrath of the Lorde Hee caused the bones of her sonnes with the bones of Saule and Ionathas to bee carryed into the countrey of Beniamin and there buried in the Sepulchre of Cis Saules father 2. Sam. 3. 7.21.8 c. Ruth signi watred or filled seeing hasting falling enspiring glutted dronken Shee was the sister in lawe of Orpha a very fayre Damosel borne in the countrey of Moab where by chaunce shee became the wife of Mahlon the sonne of Elimelech and Naomy a straunger of the Israelites that came out of the lande of Iuda there to soiourne And when her husbande was dead and her sister in lawes also shee and her sister went to bring her olde mother Naomy then a widdowe also on her waye trauailing home to her owne countrey of Iuda And when she had gone a good way with her mother and her sister Orpha with much intreatie of her mother in lawe was returned backe to her house in Moab Ruth for no intreatie nor perswasion that her mother in law coulde vse vnto her woulde in anye wise forsake her or departe from her for when her mother Naomy sayde vnto her Oh see my daughter thy sister in lawe Orpha is gone home againe to her people and to her godes return thou also go after her she being by Gods wonderfull prouidence appoynted to be one of his housholde coulde by no perswasion bee turned backe from God that had chosen her to bee his but answered Naomy her mother in law thus Intreate mee not to leaue thee nor to departe from thee for whether thou goest I will goe and where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall bee my people and thy God my God Looke where thou diest there will I dye also and there will I bee buryed The Lorde doe so and so vnto me if ought but death onelye departe thee and me asunder so forsaking father and mother and her owne countrey where shee was borne shee went forwarde with her mother in lawe till she came to Bethlem Iuda which was in the moneth Aprill or in the beginning of barley haruest Whither when she came to declare her great affection that shee bare towardes her mother in lawe shee was verye diligent and willing to spare no paynefull diligence to gette both her owne and her poore mother in lawes lyuing and humbly sayde vnto Naomy I praye thee let mee goe to the fielde and gleane eares of corne together after him in whose sight God shall make mee finde fauour And so as Ruth went out one day a leasing among the harueste folke shee happened by the prouidence of God vppon the fieldes perteining to Boaz who shewed her such kindnesse that shee neyther lacked meate nor drinke neyther yet corne so long as haruest lasted which she caryed home stil to her mother in lawe to relieue her And when al haruest was done her mother in law Naomy gaue her this counsaile saying This man Booz in whose fielde thou hast leased all this while is our neere kinsman therefore do now by my counsaile This night he wynnoweth barley in the barne wash thy selfe therefore and annoyt thee and put thy rayment vpon thee and get thee to the barne and keepe thy selfe close vntill he haue left eating and drinking and when hee goeth to sleepe marke the place where he layeth him downe And when he is a sleepe goe and lyft vp the cloathes softly at his feete and lay thee downe and he shall tell thee what thou shalt doe So when Ruth had done all thinges according to her mother in lawes teaching Boaz about midnight awaked out of his sleepe and feeling one lye at his feete was afrayde and groping with his hande hee asked who it was I am Ruth quoth shee thine handmaide spreade therefore the wing of thy garment ouer thine handmaiden for thou art next of my kinne Now blessed art thou quoth Booz for thou haste shewed more goodnesse at the latter end then at the beginning in asmuch as thou folowest not young men were they poore or rich And now my daughter feare not I will doe vnto thee all that thou requirest for thou art well knowne to bee a woman of vertue Howbeit
beeing come into Pharaos court in Egypt the Princes and Courtiers of the Egyptians behelde her beautie and commended her vnto Pharao to be a very faire woman Whereupon Sara was straight way caught vp and taken into Pharaos house to be his wife who intreated Abraham well for her sake and inriched him greatly with sheepe Beeues Asses Camels and men seruants and maide seruantes But the Lorde tooke the defence of the poore stranger against a mightie king and as hee is euer carefull ouer his so did hee preserue Sara cleane and vndefiled and from beeing defloured by the king or his princes but plagued Pharao and al his house with great plagues that could not be cured but by the prayers of Abraham and that because hee had violently taken Sara Abrahams wife from him to defloure her Which when Pharao felt and sawe then hee called Abraham and saide why hast thou done this vnto mee and why didst thou not tell mee plainely that shee was thy wife But callest her sister which made me take her to bee my wife Nowe therefore beholde thy wife take her and goe thy way So when shee was restored home to Abraham againe honest pure and vnpolluted to the intente none shoulde hurt either Sarai or Abraham her husbande gaue his men charge and commandement to conduct them safe out of his countrie with all that they had After this Sara nowe being come into the land of Canaan and hauing been long barren and perceiuing that the Lord had restrained her from bearing of children as she that had respect to Gods couenant and promise made before vnto her husband that one which should come out of his owne loynes should bee his heire according to his request in earnest prayer that his seede should be as the starres in the skie for number c. She gaue her husband Abrahā leaue to take Hagar her Egyptian maide to wife saying Behold now the Lorde hath restrained mee from childe bearing I pray thee go in vnto my maide it may be that I shall receiue a childe by her Wherein note that Sarai offended God in binding his power to the common order of nature by giuing her young maide Hagar to her husband to wife as though God could not giue her children in her olde age So Abraham did as shee bad him and her maide Hagar conceiued with childe brought foorth a sonne called Ismael But when Sara saw herselfe despised of her maid that had conceiued which punishment God suffered to fall vpon Sara to declare what they gaine that attempt any thing against the worde of God Then she made her complaint vnto Abraham said Thou doest me wrong I haue giuen my maid into thy bozome and she seeth that she hath conceiued and I am despised in her eyes the Lorde iudge betweene thee and me Behold quoth Abraham thy maid is in thy hande and power doe with her as it pleaseth thee Then Sara dealt roughly with Hagar her maid was so quick sharpe with her that she made her run away Neuerthelesse at the humble submission of Hagar Sara receiued her againe After this it pleased God to renewe his promise and couenant made with Abraham her husband concerning the issue that he should haue of the body of Sarai his wife whose name God then changed with her husbands and called Sarah that before was Sarai And to that ende when God sent his three Angels to renew the same promise to Sarah herselfe in the plaine of Mamre shee courteously entertained those three Angels and made them a feast in her tent and as she stood behind the tent dore and heard the Angels say vnto her husband Abraham Lo Sarah thy wife shall haue a soone Shee rather hauing respect to the order of nature because she being well stricken in age and very olde euen fourescore and tenne yeere olde insomuch that it ceased to be with her after the maner of women that is past childe bearing Then beleeuing the promise of God so often made and repeated and thinking it impossible for her to haue a childe she I say then laughed within her selfe said Is it of a suretie y t I shall haue a sonne Shal I now giue my selfe to lust being old my Lord is old also 1. Pet. 3.6 And when she had talked thus with her selfe the Angel of the Lord seeing the distrust of Sara at the first saide vnto her husband Abraham wherefore did Sarah thus laugh as though quoth he it were a hard thing for the Lord to performe his promise Then she being asked the question reproued for her incredulitie of the Angell denied it saying I laughed not for shee was afraide but the Angell said it is not so for thou laughedst Afterward Sara going frō Mamre soiourning in y e land of Gerar among the Philistines It chanced y t Abimelech y e king of Gerar hearing of her wonderful beautie sent tooke Sara away frō her hushusband of purpose to haue lyen w t her But God whoeuer most greatly detesteth y e breach of marriage by dreame or vision in y e same night before y t euer he had come neere her or touched her reuealed vnto Abime Behold thou art but dead because of the womā which thou hast taken for shee is a mans wife whereunto Abimelech as one failing by ignorance and not doing euill of purpose nor thinking to doe any man harme made his excuse to God againe and said for himselfe thus Lord wilt thou slay euen the righteous nation saide not hee that is Abrahā vnto me Shee is my sister yea and shee herselfe saide hee is my brother which fault she had now twise fallen into such is mans frailtie with an vpright minde and innocent handes haue I done this I knowe it saide God that thou didst so but yet I kept thee also that thou shouldest not sinne against mee therefore suffered I not thee to touch her now therefore deliuer the man his wife againe For he meaning Abraham her husband is a Prophet and he shal pray for thee that thou maiest liue but if thou deliuer her not againe be sure that thou shalt die the death and all that thou hast Then Abimelech in all hast very early in the morning called for Abraham and said vnto him what hast thou done vnto vs and wherein haue I haue offended thee that thou hast brought on me my kingdom this great sin Thou hast done this vnto mee by calling thy wife sister that ought not to bee done Because quoth Abraham I thought this with my selfe surely the feare of God is not in this place and they will slay mee for my wiues sake therefore did I call her sister yet in very deede shee is my sister that is my cosin germane for shee is the daughter of my father that is of my fathers brother But not the daughter of my mother and she is my wife And that shee calleth mee brother is but of a couenant of kindnesse that
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
alloes and cynamom Come I saye let vs therefore lye together and take our fill of loue and let vs solace our selues and take our pleasure in daliance for my husbande is not at home hee is gone a iourney farre of and hath taken with him a great bagge of money and will not returne home againe of a long time vntill the day appoynted Thus this impudent harlot with her great subtilty and craft ioyned with sweete woordes and flattering speeches ouercame so the silly young man that she caused him to yeeld and with her dissembling lippes she so entised and bewitched him as it were that he silly foole followed her straight wayes home to her house as an Oxe ledde to the slaughter which thinking he goeth to the pasture willingly goeth to his owne death and destruction And as a natural idiot and foole that laugheth when he goeth to the stockes to be punished and as a byrde y t hasteth to the snare not knowing what danger and perill his life is in Euen so I say went this besotted young man after her so long till shee had wounded his languishing liuer with the dart of her filthy luste brought him home into her house of hell and chamber of death destruction and there placed him as her gheste in the deepe pitte of hel Prou. 7. The description of the great whore or harlot of Babilon By S. Iohn the Euangelist Whore of Babylon I sawe sayeth Saint Iohn a woman sitte vppon a scarlet coloured beast full of names of blasphemie which had seuen heads and tenne hornes and the woman sate vppon many waters and was arrayed all in purple and scarlet and gilded with gold and precious stones pearles had a cup of gold in her hand ful of abhominatioÌ„s filthines of her fornications And in her forehead was this name writteÌ„ A misterie great Babilon the mother of whoredomes and abhominations of the earth And I saw this woman dronken with the blood of Saintes and with the blood of the Martyrs of Iesus And I heard this strumpet glorifie her selfe and boast gloriously of her prosperitie saying in her heart I sitte and lyue in pleasure being a queene and am no widdow and shall see no mourning Yea I saw the kings of the earth commit fornication with this whore and the inhabitantes of the earth drinke til they were dronken with the wine of her fornication and the marchantes of the earth traffike with her and buye her ware to make them selues rich thereby of the aboundaunce of her pleasures euen her ware of gold and siluer precious stones pearles of fine linnen purple silke scarlette and all manner of Thymwood vessels of Iuory and of pretious wood of brasse yron and marble her wares also of synamom sweete odours oyntmentes frankinsence wyne oyle fine flower and wheate of beastes and sheepe horses and charyots seruants and soules of men And when I sawe her saieth S. Iohu I wondred with great maruell But the Angell of the Lorde after that hee had shewde me the misterie of the woman and of the beast that bare her told mee that this whore or harlot Babilon for her sinnes and abhominations committed which were all ascended and come vp to heauen shall haue a great fall and be sore plagued and tormented in one day all at once euen with death sorrowe and famyne and that shee shoulde bee rewarded double according to her workes and drinke the dreegges of her own cuppe and bee burnt with fire for strong is the Lord which will condempne her yea that they that hate the whore shall with one consente make her desolate and naked and shall eate her fleshe and burne her with fire as God hath put in their heartes to fulfill his will vppon her That the kinges of the earth which liued in pleasure with her also shall bewayle and lament her when they shall see the smoake of her burning And standing a farre off for feare of her torment shall saye Alas alas the great Citie Babylon the mightie Citie howe is thy iudgement come euen in one houre The inhabitants and people of the world also shall runne out of her and crye out mightelye with a loude voice and saye Alas alas it is fallen it is fallen Babylon the great citie is fallen and is become the inhabitation of diuels and the holde of all foule spirites and the cage of euery vnclean and hateful byrde Finally y e marchants of her trash which made them selues rich therby for sorrowe and wante of their filthy gaine shall stand a farre off from her for feare of her tormente and erye out and dispayre weeping and wayling and saye Alas alas the greate Citie that was cloathed in fine linnen purple and scarlet and gilded with golde and pretious stone and pearle howe in one houre are so great riches come to desolation And all shipmen and trauaylers by sea shall flye vp to the toppe of their mastes to see her destruction and shall crye out when they see the smoake of her burning and cast dust vppon their heades and saye alas alas what Citie in all the world was like vnto this great Citie wherein all that had shippes on the sea were made rich by her costlynesse howe in one houre is shee made desolate But contrariwyse the Angelles tolde mee that the Saintes and Martyrs whome shee hadde slayne shoulde greatlye reioyce in her destruction and saye O heauen reioyce of her desolation and yee holye Apostles and Prophets tryumph in her ouerthrow for GOD hath giuen your iudgement on her c. And with that the Angell cast a greate myghtye mylstone into the sea saying With suche violence shall that great Citie Babylon bee caste downe so that shee shall bee founde no more Reuela 17. 18. see more 19.1.2.3 I Of the Virgins of Iabes Gilead read in Syloe Ieptahs daughter Ieptahs daughter being a very fayre virgin vnknowne of manne â—he onelye childe and heire of her father went out of her fathers house in Myspheh accompanyed with diuers damoselles to meete her father with Tymbrelles daunces and songes as the manner and custome of women then was after anye great victorie to welcome him home from warre and to praise God for the victory giuen him against the Ammonites but alas to her destruction and her fathers infamy For her father hauing before made a rash vow to God that if hee gat the victory came home in peace he would dedicate offer vp in sacrifice vnto God the thing that first came out of his house to meete him as wickedly performed the same rash vow And so soone as he saw his daughter come out to meete him being nowe ouercome with blinde zeale little considering whether his vowe were lawful or no hee rente his cloathes and sayde alas my daughter thou haste brought mee lowe and arte one of them that trouble mee for I haue opened my mouth and made a vow vnto the Lorde to sacrifice vnto him the first thing that meeteth mee
it more greeuously that their mother had so often mocked him so he caused her youÌ„gest sonne to be most cruelly handled put to death then any of his brethreÌ„ And last of all after her sonnes were this all slayne and martyred She also their mother suffered death martyrdome paciently constantly holily dyed in the same opinion and religion for mainteining of the law of God 2. Mach. 7. Ioseph fol. 202. Machabites There were also before these two other women of the Machabites who because they had circumcised their sonnes according to Gods law contrary to the commandement of this cruell tyrant Antiochus were brought forth with the babes haÌ„ging at their breasts and after they had ledde them rounde about the Citie for example to others they were cruelly â—ast downe headlong ouer the walles with their children sucking at their breasts so both mothers and babes perished and were most butcherly slayne martyred for the lawes of their God 1. Mach. â— 63â—2 Mach. 6.10 N Widowe of Nahim In the Citie of Nahim a Towne of Galilie in the tribe of Isachar hard by Tyberias there was a certayne widowe who hauing but one onely sonne left her to comfort her after the death of her husband it pleased God that it fell sicke and dyed And as she was following the corse out of the gates of the Citie to the buriall so it was that Iesus by Gods prouidence came and met her and when the Lorde saw her mourne and take her sonnes death so heauily as she had great cause he had compassion on her and sayde vnto her Woman weepe not and commaunding them that bare the corse to stand stil hee went and touched y e coffin sayde vnto her dead sonne Young man I say vnto thee arise with y t onely word of Christ her dead sonne sate vpright in y â— coffin and began to speake Then Iesus delâ—uered him to his mother to her great comfort and his euerlasting glory Luke 7.11.12.13 P Pathroitesse In Pathros a Citie of Egypt there were certaine superstitious and Idolatrous women of the Iewes who when they heard the Prophete Ieremy from the mouth of the Lord preach vnto them there reproue theÌ„ for their Idolatry with many threatnings of Gods plagues to light vpon them vnlesse they did turne and repent in time These wicked women standing by set light by the threatninges of the Lorde vttered by his Prophet and most impudently answered Ieremias saying The worde that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde we will not heare it of thee But we will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offeringes vnto her as we haue done both we and our fathers our kings and our Princes in the citie of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were wel and felt no euill But since we left of to burn incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue been consumed by the sworde by famine And when we burne incense to the Querne of heauen and powred out drinke offerings vnto her did we make hâ—r cakes to make her glad and powre out drinke offeringes vnto her without our husbandes consent as if they shoulde say no wee did it by their sufferance where we may learne howe great daunger it is for the husbands to permitte their wiues to doe anye thing whereof they bee not assured by Gods woorde for if they doe their wiues thereby will take occasion to iustifie their doinges as these supersticious women here did for which folly wickednesse in the wife the husband shal assuredly giue an account before God who wil not onelie punish the women but their husbands also which haue suffered this superstition and errour in their wiues without reprehension Then the Prophet Ieremy perceiuing these Idolatrous women to esteeme religion by their bellie and so greatly to dishonour God by attributing his woorkes to their Idolles and seeyng their extreeme madnesse and impudencie that they were fallen into by declyning froÌ„ GOD to followe their owne fancies euen to iustifie their idolatry and wickednesse in woorshipping the sunne moone and starres against GOD and his Prophetes The Prophete I say spake againe vnto the women and their husbandes gaue them this aunsweare and sayde Heare the woorde of the Lorde yee women thus saieth the Lorde Forasmuch as yee and your wiues haue committed double euill in making wicked vowes in performing the same spoken with your mouthes and fulfilled them with your handes saying We will performe the vowes that we haue vowed to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her Therfore beholde I haue sworne saith the Lord by my great name that my name shall bee no more called vppon by the mouth of any man or woman in Iudah in the land of Egypt as to say the Lorde liueth yea beholde I will watche ouer them for euill and not for good and all the men women children of Iuda y t are in Egypt shal be consumed by y e sword famine til they be vtterly destroyed c. Iere. 44. Also Ier. saieth y t in Babylon there were certaine superstitious Idolatrous women and the menstruous women and they that lay in childbed came and brought giftes to the Idols of siluer gold and wood touched the sacrifices offered to Idolles whiche giftes so offered the Priests gaue vnto their wiues to cloath them and their children and to lay vp to vse at their pleasure but vnto the poore and sicke they gaue nothing Baruc. 6.27.28.29.32 Pharaos daughter Pharaos daughter after that her father the king of Egypt had moste cruelly caused the Hebrewe women to cast their men children into the water to be drowned vpon a tyme went downe to washe her selfe in the same Riuer whereinto their children were throwen and as she walked by the Riuer side she espied an Arke or Cradell of wickar lying among the bulrushes and sent one of her maydes that were there with her to fetch it and draw it out of the water and wheÌ„ they brought it vnto her shee opened it and when shee sawe therein a fayre young babe and a man childe and heard it crie and make pitious mone for the mother and sustenance shee had compassion on it and saide surely this is one of the Hebrues children Then the childs sister Miriam standing a farre off to watche what woulde become of the childe seeing it so taken vp by women ran vnto them and not reuealing vnto them whose childe it was saide to Pharaos daughter shal I goe and call vnto thee a nurse of the Hebrewe women to nurse the childe yea quoth Pharaos daughter goe So the mayde went and called Iochebed hers and the childes mother to whom Pharaos daughter sayde Take this childe away
and slept with me had not I lift vp my voyce and cryed as loude as I could but when he hearde me so crie then for haste he left his garment behinde with me fled away and is gone out So shee layde vp Iosephs garment by her vntill her Lord and husband Potiphar came home And then at his returne shee vp and tolde him also the same false tale of Ioseph saying The Ebrewe seruant which thou hast brought vnto vs came into mee in thine absence to mocke me and do me vilanie and shame But as sone as I lift vp my voyce and cryed he left his garment with me and fled out with speede When Potiphar heard his wife thus report of Ioseph his seruant whom he so much loued and trusted hee being too light of credence so sone without further and better tryall to beleeue the false and slaunderous reporte of his wife beganne to waxe wroth with Ioseph and nowe causlesse turned his good opinion of Ioseph into ielosie his loue into hatred and his trust into tyrannie For presently vpon his wiues suggestion he apprehended Ioseph and for the harlot his wiues sake he cast poore innocent Ioseph in the prison where hee lay fettered with yrons in the stockes and was very euil intreated for the space of three yeeres vntill by Gods prouidence hee was deliuered by Pharao king of Egypt Gen. 39.7 c. Q Queene of Saba Queene of Saba or of Ethiopia dwelling in the South partes of the worlde farre from Ierusalem when shee heard of the great fame of king Salomon that went farre and neere ouer all the worlde concerning the name of the Lorde his wisedome and high fauour that he was in with the Lorde Shee came in the yeere of the worlde 3137. with a very great traine from the vttermost partes of the earth to Ierusalem to proue Salomon with harde questions and to knowe whether his wisedome were so great as the reporte was and hauing brought with her great and many presentes to giue him as namely much golde precious stons and sweete odours shee came to Salomon and communed with him of all that was in her heart vnto whom Salomon declared al her hard questions neyther was there any question so hard propounded by her but Salomon did resolue and expounde it vnto her Now when shee sawe his wisedome his stately buildings and the whole trade and goodly order of his house in euery thing shee was greatly astonished and saide vnto the king It was a true reporte that I heard in mine owne lande of thy sayings actes and wisedome Howebeit I beleeued not this report till I came and mine eyes haue seene it and nowe beholde I must needes confesse that the one halfe of thy great wisedome and prosperitie was not tolde mee For thou farre exceedest the fame that I heard of thee and hast more wisedome and prosperitie then was reported Happie are thy men and happie are these thy seruantes whiche stande before thee alwaye and heare thy wisedome Blessed bee the Lorde thy God which loued thee to set thee on his throne of Israel as king in stead of the Lorde thy God because the Lorde thy God loueth Israel for euer to establishe it therefore hath hee made thee king ouer them to execute iudgement and iustice and to do equitie and righteousnes Then shee gaue the king sixescore talents of gold and all her precious stones and sweete odours that shee had brought neither was there such sweete odors since as the Queene of Sheba gaue vnto the king And Salomon the king beside that which of his kingly liberalitie for recompence of that treasure which she brought gaue vnto the Queene of Sheba euery pleasant thing that shee asked and so shee returned and went with all her seruauntes home to her owne countrey 1. King 10. 1. 2. Chron. 9.1 Whose fact and not whose person our Sauiour Christ him selfe commendeth and recited to condemne and rebuke the vnfaithfull Iewes that woulde not beleeue him without signes and tokens saying The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it For shee came from the vttermost partes of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater then Salomon is here Math. 12.42 Luke 11.31 And it came to passe as Iesus saide these thinges a certayne woman of the company lift vp her voyce and sayde vnto him Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked but Christ perceiuing that shee omitted the chiefe prayse which was due vnto him gaue her a priuie taunt and said Yea rather blessed are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it For they are blessed in deede to whome hee communicateth him selfe by his woorde Luke 11,27 S Samaritesse IN Samaria a Citie of Syria adioyning to Iudea and the chiefest Citie of the tenne tribes There was a certayne poore widowe whiche had been sometime wife to one of the sonnes of the Prophetes who in his life time being fallen in debt not by vnthriftinesse but by the hande of God died and left her verye poore and not able to paye his creditors who neuerthelesse being very cruell towardes her and coueting to haue her children serue it out as slaues vnto them when shee heard that Elisha the Prophet was come into the Citie Samaria shee came crying and making great mone vnto him and sayde Thy seruaunt mine husbande is dead and thou knowest that thy seruaunt did feare the Lorde and the creditor is come to take my two sonnes to bee his bondemen Then Elisha being mooued to pitie her miserie demaunded of her and said What shall I doe for thee tell mee What hast thou at home Thine handmaide quoth shee hath nothing at home saue a pitcher of oyleâ— Goe thy way sayde Elisha and borrowe as many emptie vesselles among thy neyghbours as thou canst gette and when thou commest home hast shut thy dore vpon thee powre out the oyle that is in thy pitcher into all those emptie vesselles till they bee all full and then set them aside So the poore widowe departed and did as Elisha bad her And when the emptie vesselles were all full shee saide vnto her sonnes bring mee yet an other vessell There is no more quoth they and with that the oyle in her picther ceased to augment and increase in the vesselles After this shee went and tolde Elisha the man of God that shee had done as hee bad her Nowe goe sayde Elisha and sell the oyle in the vesselles and with the money that aryseth thereof pay thy husbandes creditors and them that thou art in debt vnto and liue thou and thy children on the rest 2. King 4.1 c. By which story the holy Ghost doeth giue vs to vnderstande that God neuer fayleth to prouide for his seruauntes their wiues and children if they trust in him that his doctrine and profession shoulde be kept without slaunder And that he suffereth his children many tymes to bee
The king thinking her request but reasonable most graciously by and by saide vnto her woman goe home to thy house and take no thought for thy sonnes life for I will giue a charge concerning him that none shall hurt thee nor him Yet the woman to be further satisfied said vnto the king O my Lord O king this trespasse as touching the breach of the law whiche punisheth blood with blood let it bee on mee and on my fathers house I onely will beare the blame but let the king and his throne be guiltlesse I warrant thee quoth the king if any man touch thee or thy sonne bring him to mee for if he doeth but speake against thee he shall neither speake nor touch thee any more Yet the woman subtilâ—y purposing to vrge the king to bynd his promise with an oth for more assurance sayde againe vnto the king O but I pray thee let the king remember sweare by y e Lord thy God that thou wilt not suffer many reuengers of blood to destroy least they slay my soÌ„ne And with y t the king to put her out of al doubt sware vnto her saying as the Lord liueth womaÌ„ there shal not one haire of thy sonnes head fall to the earth nor perish Then the woman hauing thus farre preuayled with the king was bold vpon this aduauntage gotten in playne speeche to open her meaning vttered in that parrable and sayd I pray thee O king nowe let thy handmaid speake a word to my Lord the king say on quoth he O wherefore then quoth she hast thou thought suche a thing against the people of God Or why doth the king as one y t is faultie speake this thing giue contrary sentence against thy sonne Absolom that thou wilt not be reconciled and bring him agayne that is banished froÌ„ thee For as thou knowest we must all dye and we are as water spilt vppon the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe neyther doth GOD spare any person yet doth he appoynt meanes not to cast out froÌ„ him the man that is expelled but hath prouided wayes as Sanctuaries to saue them oft tymes whom man iudgeth worthy death Now because the people haue made me afrayd and that I thought they woulde haue killed myne heire therfore I thine handmayd deuised this with my self Now will I goe and speake vnto the king for the life of my sonne It may be that the king wil haue pittie vpon a widowe performe the request of his handmayde for the king verely thought I is mercifull wil heare the humble sute of a widowe and deliuer his handmayde out of the hand of many reuengers of blood and of the man that woulde destroy mee together with my sonne from the inheritaunce of GOD left by his father Therefore I thine handmayde I say presuming greatly vppon thy clemencie am come to speake of these thinges vnto my Lorde the king beseeching thee that the worde of my Lord y e king may now be comfortable vnto thine handmayd giue rest vnto me for I know my Lord the king is euen as an Angell of God in hearing of good bad of great wisedome to discerne right from wrong therfore the Lord thy God be with thee The king now perceyuing her drift that it was done by the subtiltie and deuise of Ioab demanded further of the woman this question saying woman hyde not from me I pray thee the thing that I shall aske thee Is not the hand of Ioab with thee in all this And hast thou not done it by his counsell and aduise As thy soule liueth my Lorde y e king quoth she I will not turne to the right hand nor to the lefâ— from ought that my Lorde the king hath spoken or demanded for euen thy seruant Ioab indeed bad me say as I haue sayde and hath put all these wordes in the mouth of thine handmayde yea and to the intent that I should change the forme of speech by speaking rather in a parable then plainely It was thy seruaunt Ioabs onely instruction and deuise that hath done this thing but my Lord the king is wise euen according to y e wisedome of an Angel of God to vnderstand al things y t are on y e earth neither caÌ„ any hide ought froÌ„ thee So y â— king graunted the woman of Tekoah hir request caused Ioab by by to sende for Absolom from banishmeÌ„t home to his own house but partly to couer herby his fatherly affectioÌ„ partly to shew some part of iustice towards his soÌ„ne AbsoloÌ„ to please y e people he yet coÌ„manded AbsoloÌ„ to keep his house not to come to y e court for a space this was he by this womaÌ„s meanes recoÌ„ciled into his fathers fauour agayn as ye may read at large 2. SaÌ„ 14. Thebitesse In Thebez a city in Canany there was a certayn womaÌ„ who when Abimelech y â— vsurper blooddy king besieged the citye and tooke it went vp together with other men women into a stronge towre within the same citie there to saue themselues as long as they might And when Abimelech himselfe fiercely came to batter downe this Towre as he stoode harde by the doore of the same to haue set it on fire purposing to haue burnte all the people therein This woman beeing more couragious then the rest tooke vp a peece of a mylstone cast it downe from the top of the Towre which by Gods iust iudgement fell directly vpoÌ„ Abimelechs head brake his brayn pan al to peeces wherupon Abimelech perceiuing himselfe to be wouÌ„ded to death by y e haÌ„d of a silly womaÌ„ in a great furie of mynd desperate rage called hastily to his page that bare his harnesse and sayde Draw thy sword slay me y e men say not hereafter of me to my reproch behold a woman siue Abimelech And wih that his page as desperately drue out his sworde and thrust his maister quite thorow so that he presently died This God by a miserable death tooke vengeance on this tyrant euen in this life y t by the feeble hands of a weake womaÌ„ to the preseruation of his people the terrour of al tyrants that oppresse them Glory be to his immortal name therefore for euer Iudg. 9.50.53 2. Sam. 11.21 V The ten Virgins Our Sauiour Christ to teach vs that it is not sufficient for vs to haue once geuen our selues to follow him but that we must continue perseuere vnto y e end without faynting or fayling in the mydway to the end he might warne euery man to make prouision in time to watch for his sodayn comming to iudgement put forth this similitude of x. virgins in the Gospel after S. Mathew saying The kingdome of heauen shal be likened vnto x. virgins which tooke their lampes and went to meete the bridgrome to doe him honour as the manner then was And fiue of these were wise and fiue foolishe The foolishe tooke their
Lampes but tooke no oyle with them but the wise tooke oyle in their vessels with their Lampes nowe whiles the bridegroome tarried long all slumbered and slept at midnight there was a crye made saying behold the bridegrome commeth goe out to meete him Then al these virgins arose and trimmed their Lampes the foolish sayd to y e wise giue vs of your oyle for our Lampes are out quēched but the wise aunswered saying we feare least there will not bee ynough for vs and you too but goe you rather to them that sell and buy for your selues And whiles they went to buy beholde the bridegroome came in the meane while and they that were ready went with him to y e wedding and the gate was shut Afterwarde came also the other Uirgins saying Lord Lord open to vs but he answered and sayd verily I say vnto you I know you not watch therefore and let your loynes be girt about and your Lampes burning yea take heed watch praye for ye know neither the yeere day time nor houre when the sonne of man wil come to iudgement watch therefore I say watch pray Mat. 25.1 c. Luke 12.34 The names liues and actes of certaine other women not mencioned in Scripture but gathered out of the third booke of Machabees and Iosephus and other autentical Authors worthy to be read of all godly men and women for the affinitie they haue with some part of the Scripture ALexandra called also Cassandra was the daughter of Priamus and the wife of Alexāder king of the Iewes who in the 27. yeere of his raigne which was the third of his sicknes made an expedition into the land of Moab against a certaine citie called Ragaba to get it by force At which time because he was very sick weake his wife Alexandra the Queene like an honest and louing wife went with him fearing least he should dye by the way And as hee encamped himselfe against the citie and vrged it sore with assaultes his sicknesse increased vpon him more and more Wherfore his wife perceiuing y t he was like to die wept bitterly before him and sayde To whom shal I be so bold as to shew my face when thou art once dead seeyng thou hast wrought such mischiefe against the Pharisies whom all the lande fauoureth and following their traditions obey their institutions If they shal be disposed to wreek thēselues vpon me thy young children for that you in your merrie mood did hang vpon the gallous 800. of y e chiefe Pharisies in Ierusalem they shall haue ayde of all that dwell in the land The king answered weepe not nor shew any resemblance of pensiuenesse I will tell thee what thou shalt doe and if thou wilt followe my councell thou shalt prosper and raigne thou and thy children as thou wouldest desire Be it that I die there is no man in the worlde need knowe thereof tell thou euery man therefore that aske for mee that I am sicke and will not that any man come at me In the meane while annoynt season me with balmes fight with a courage against this citie till thou winne it and then returne to Ierusalem with ioye and beware thou put on no mourning apparrell nor weepe but bring bring me into Ierusalem and lay me vppon a bedde like a sicke man and after call together the chiefe of y e Pharisies bring thē where I am speake vnto them gently in this sort Alexander hath been euer your enemy I know it very well wherefore take him if ye list cast him into the fire or to the dogges or burie him it shal be at your choyse I know well they are pitiful men so ful of mercie that they will burie me honourably and shall appoynt some one of my sonnes whom they like best to be king The Queene did therefore as she was instructed of the king And when she had wonne Ragaba shee ioyfully returned to Ierusalem after that gathered togeather the elders of the Pharisies and spake to thē as the king had aduised her The Pharisies hearing that the king was dead and that his bodie was in their handes to doe withall what they list they aunsweared the Queene God forbid wee shoulde doe this vnto our Lorde the annoynted of GOD. Hee was the king and high Priest what though he were a sinner yet his death shal be an expiatiō for him of all his iniquities Therfore we will bewayle him mourne for him yea we will carrie his coffin our selues vppon our neckes burie him as it becommeth a kings Maiesty and so they did The time that he raigned was xxvii yeeres After him raigned his wife Alexandra in his steede for the Pharisies after they had finished the seuenth day of the mourning they committed the kingdome vnto her Shee had two sonnes by the king the elder was called Hircanus the other Aristobulus Hircanus was a iust man and a righteous but Aristobulus was the warriar and a man of prowesse Besides that of a familier and louing countenaunce hee fauoured also the learned men and followed their instruction But Hircanus his elder brother loued the Pharisies On a tyme therefore when the Queene sate in the throne of her kingdome shee called the Auncientes of the Pharisies before her honoured them and commaunded to release and sette at libertie all suche Pharisies as the king her husbande and her father in lawe had cast in prison and taking the Pharisies by the handes shee commaunded all Israell to obey their ordinaunces Then made shee Hircanus her sonne high Priest and Aristobulus Liefetenaunt of the warres She sent also to all the landes that her husbande and father in lawe Hircanus had subdued and demaunded the noble mens sonnes for the pledges whiche shee kept in Ierusalem So the Lorde gaue vnto the Queene quietnesse from all that were vnder hir subiection shee gaue also the Pharisies authoritye ouer the learned sorte putting them into their handes to order at their pleasure Whereuppon straight wayes they founde one Dogrus a greate manne amongest the learned sorte whome they slewe and muche people besides of the Auncientes of that sect so that the Sectaryes were in greate distresse They gathered themselues together therefore and came to Aristobulus the Liefetenaunt of the warres and with him they came to the Queene saying vnto her Thou knowest the enmitye that is betweene vs and the Pharisies whiche hate thy husbande and father in lawe yea and thy children also Wee were his men of warre that went with him in all his affayres and ayded him nowe thou hast geuen vs into their handes to bee murdered and banished out of the lande What will Hartam king of Arabia doe when hee heareth this that wee shall forsake thee Hee will come and reuenge him of all the battell that thy husbande fought against him Yea the Pharisies will take his parte and deliuer thee and thy children into his handes that there shall not bee left vnto
his face that he was the murtherer of her husbande and her father and now last of all of her sonne to whoÌ„ the king aunsweared neither good nor bad From that day forewardes there was perpetuall hatred betweene Alexandra and Marimy and Riparim the mother of Herode and Salumith her sister that came of base and seruile blood After this Salulumith on a time perceiuing that the king detested Marimy tooke occasion to accuse Marimy of treason and that shee woulde poyson the king her husband which the king too lightly beleeuing to bee true at her false report commaunded Marimy to be brought foorth and to be beheaded in the citie And as she was brought foorth vnto the market place of the citie all the women of the citie followed her Alexandra her mother also cursed and rated at her saying come out thou y t hast abhorred conspired against the Lord. Alexandra wept also as though it had byn for the wickednes that her daughter had committed thinking surely to please the king by that meanes and to bleare his eyes if peraduenture he might suffer her to liue til she might haue opportunity to poyson him but all would not helpe for Marimy for all this was guiltlesse beheadded and put to death by the king her husband as you may reade more in her history Then the king repenting him of her death for loue of her he fel sick and being at deaths doore Alexandra his mother in law sought meanes how to poyson him which being vttered to the king he commanded to apprehend her to kil her which was done accordingly So was Alexandra also beheaded and put to death as appeareth in Iosephus fo 35.38.40.41.42.45.46.56 Anna of this name there haue bin many noble women one was a Iewe wife of Elcana and mother of Samuel as yee may reade in the Scripture another was an old widow prophetesse in Ierusalem in Christes time c. y e 3. was daughter to Isachar of y e tribe of Leui or as Damascen saith of y e tribe of Iuda was married to Ioachim of y e same tribe which being long barren at last brought foorth y e blessed virgin Mary after the death of Ioachim she was married to Cleophas and after his death to Solome Cooper in his dictionary Damascen Aristobulus wife the Queene vpon a false report geuen out against her good brother in lawe Antigonus commaunded him to be cruelly put to death in prison without knowledge of the king her husbands and his brothers mynd which cruell murder blooddy fact of hers hastened her husbands death speedily for being very sick before now for thought died Ioseph fol. 17. Afterward when her sonne Alexander fled to Alexandria and there was narrowly besieged pursued by Gabinius a Romain with a stroÌ„g army she like a good mother went forth to Gabinius weeping and besought him y t he would not destroy her sonne so for her sake Gabinius spared her sonne Alexander did him no harme Ioseph fol. 30. Arsinoe was the daughter of Ptolome sister to Philopater who going to warres against Antiochus w t her brother Philopater as they fought fiercely together Arsinoe weÌ„t diligeÌ„tly about her meÌ„ weeping pitifully with her haire about her shoulders desired theÌ„ y t they woulde helpe her fight valiaÌ„tly promising to giue vnto euery of their wiues childreÌ„ if she had the victory 2. pounds of gold Thus by her meanes it came to passe y t their enimies were ouerthrowen her brother Philopater got y e victory ouer Antiochus as yee may reade more at large in the 3. booke of the Machabees fol. 1.2 3. Beronice who was sister vnto king Agrippa wheÌ„ she came by chance to Ierusalem of deuotion to visite the holie place sawe one Florus president aâ—d captayne of the Romaines most greeuously and violently to oppresse the people of the Iewes and for payment of exactions and tollage to slaye manye of them euen at the entraunce of the Temple Shee came foorth weeping vnto Florus that furious wretche and besought him to bee fauourable and spare the people for shee pitied them very greatly but Florus relented nothing But when she was departed from him he flouted and mocked her although she wâ—re the kings sister and that in the temple of the Lord to her great discomfort Afterward Eliasar the seditious people hauing gotten y e rule of the citie Ierusalem not only furiously set a fire the king Agrippas house and all therin but Beronices house also the kings sister they burnt to the ground deuided the spoyle amoÌ„gst them as yee may reade in Iosephus fol. 64.68 Cleopatra Queene of Egypt wife vnto Marcus Antonius a noble man of Rome hauing receyued letters of ayde from Alexandra made this comfortable aunsweare agayne in another letter If thou canst finde the meanes to come to me secretly thou shalt perceyue what I will doe for thee After this Marcus Antonius her husband being made next vnto the Emperour Augustus and sent by him to warre vpon the kings of the West countries as hee that raigned in Egypt nowe by his wiues Cleopatras prouocation hee rebelled against Octauian Augustus his maister and made warre with him both by Sea and by land and ioyned in league with Herode king of the Iewes But at the last her husband being slain and dead by Octauians host comming by ship to the Isle of Rhodes Herode escaped hauing reconciled him selfe to Octauian Then they went both together towards Egypt to be reuenged vpon Cleopatra as she that was the only cause of her husbands conspiracie and rebellion by inciting him therevnto But saith Iosepus that wicked woman when she saw her city to be ouercome put out her most precious apparrel sitting vpoÌ„ y e throne of her kingdome commaunded a Uiper to be brought vnto her which assoone as she had suffered to sting her brest she died As Octauian Augustus came to the place saw her sit there he reioyced that he might be reuenged of her coÌ„manded to thrust her from her throne but wheÌ„ they came to her found her dead it displeased Octauian the Emperor and grieued him very sore Iosph 40.44 Deboras saith Iosephus a prophitesse by her prayer brought to passe great health in Israell so did diuers other iust and godly women which by their prayers obteyned many thinges at Gods hand Iosephus fol. 184. Hyrcanus wife the Queene being a widowe was banished from Ierusalem by her owne sonne Aristobulus together with Alexander her youngest sonne Ioseph fol. 17. Hasmonais maide being very well beloued of one Herod the seruant also of the said Hasmonai that killed her maister and the whole familie saue this maide whom he loued and vsurped the kingdome ouer Israel When shee sawe that her maister and all his familie were dead and shee onely left aliue shee distrusting Herodès crueltie went and clymed vp to the toppe of an house saying There is no body left aliue of my