shall be high Priestes Iudges and Scribes for in their mouthe shall the holie thinges be kept WheÌ„ I awooke I perceiued that this vision was like the other and I laied it vp in my harte and shewed it not to any man liuyng vpon yearth The firste twoo daies I and Iuda wente to our Grandfather Isaac and he blessed me according to all the saiynges of the visions that I had seen but he would not goe with vs vnto Bethel But when we came to Bethel my father Iacob sawe in a vision concerning me that I should bee their Prieste before the Lorde And he rose in the Mornyng and tithed all thynges to the lorde by me Then came we to Hebron to dwell there and by and by Isaac called me to expound the lawe of the lorde accordyng as Gods Aungell had shewed it me and he taught me the Lawe of Priesthoode Sacrifices Burnt offerynges Firstlynges Freewill offerynges and offerynges for health Euery daie he taught me vnderstaÌ„dyng and called vpoÌ„ me continually before the lord saiyng my sonne geue no eare to the spirite of fornication for he will folowe thee and defile the holie thynges by thy seede Therefore take thee a wife in thy youth suche a one as hath not any blemishe nor vncleannesse nor is of the kindred of the Allophites or of the Gentiles And before thou enter into the holies wash did likewise ere thou sacrificest and also wheÌ„ thou hast doen Offer vnto the lorde the fruites of the twelue trees that are euer grene as my father Abraham taught me to do and the fruite of all cleane beastes of cleane foules offer thou in Sacrifice Likewise offer vp the first borne of all thynges and the firste fruites of the vine and sprinckle all thy Sacrifices with salte Now therefore my sonnes keepe ye all the thynges that I commaunde you for â–ª whatsoeuer I haue heard of my fathers that haue I told vnto you I am cleare from al the wickednesse and synne whiche you shall commit to the ende of the worlde Ye shall woorke wickednesse againste the Sauiour of the worlde and ye shall seduce Israel stirring vp muche euill against him from the lorde and dealyng wickedly with hym so that Hierusalem shall not continue by reason of your naughtinesse The Ueile of the Temple shal be rente asunder to discouer â–ª your foulenesse and ye shall bee scattered as prisoners among the Heathen and bee scorned curssed and troden vnder foote Neuerthelesse the house whiche the lorde shall chuse shall bee called Hierusalem as the booke of Enoch the righteous conteineth Therefore when I was .xxviii. yeres olde I tooke a wife whose name was Melcha and she conceiued and bare me a Sonne and called his name Gershon because we were but strauÌ„gers in our lande For Gershon signified banishement Now I knewe of hym that he should not bee of the chief degree The seconde was Caath who was borne the xxxv yeare I sawe a vision Eastwarde how all the Congregation stoode vp a lofte and therefore I called his name Caath whiche signifieth the beginnyng of greatnesse and learnyng The third was Merari who was borne in the fiue and fifteth yeare of my life And because his mother was hardely deliuered of hym she called hym Merari whiche is as muche to say as my bitternesse And in the three score and fourth yeare of my life was my daughter Iochebed borne in Aegipt and so was I honorable among my brethren Also my soonne Gershon tooke a wife whiche bare him Libny and Schimi The sonnes of Caath were Amram Yshâ—ar Hebron and Vziel and the Soonnes of Merari were Mahaly and Mushi In the fower score and fowerteenth yeare of my life Amram tooke to wife my daughter Iochebed because that he and she were borne bothe on one day I was eight yere old when I entered into the land of Chanaan and eighteene yere olde when I entered the office of Priesthoode At eight and twentie yeres I tooke a wife and at fourtie yeres olde I entered into Egipt And beholde ye bee nowe my Childrens children in the thirde generation Ioseph died in the hundred and tenth yeare And now my Children I warne you feare the Lorde your GOD with all your harte and walke plainely in all thynges accordyng to his Lawe Moreouer bryng vp your children in learnyng that they maye haue vnderstandyng by readyng the lawe of God without ceasyng all their life loÌ„g For whosoeuer knoweth Gods lawe shal be honoured and goe wheresoeuer he wil he shall be no straunger Also he shall haue moe freindes then his forefathers hadde and many shall bee glad to serue hym and to heare the lawe at his mouthe My sonnes deale rightfully vpon yearth that ye maie finde heauen and sowe good thinges in your myndes that ye maye finde them in your life For if ye sowe euill thynges ye shall finde and reape all maner of combraunce and trouble Get ye wisedome in the feare of God For if captiuitie come and Cities and Countreis bee destroyed golde and siluer and al possessions perish but none can take awaie the wise mannes wisedome saue onely the blindnesse of vngodlinesse and synne For his wisedome shall become a shield to hym among his enemies and make a straunge countrey to bee as his owne home and cause hym to finde frendship in the middest of his foes If he teach and doe suche thynges he shal sitte with kynges as did our brother Ioseph And truely my children I knowe by the writynges of Enoch that in the ende ye shall doe wickedly laiyng your handes moste spitefully vpon the lorde through you your brethren shal be confounded and made a scornyng stocke to all Nations Howbeeit our Father Israell is cleare froÌ„ the wickednesse of the high Priestes whiche shall saye hande vpon the Sauior of the worlde The heaueÌ„ aboue the yearth is cleane you be the lightes of the Heathen as the SuÌ„ne and the Moone What shall al the HeatheÌ„ do if you be ouerdarckned with wickednesse and bryng cursednesse vpon your countrey folke for whose sakes the lighte of the worlde is put into you to inlighten al men withal this light of the worlde shall you wilfully steâ— and teache commaundementes coÌ„trary to the righteousnesse of god He shall purloine ynâ— Lordes offerynges and suche awaie peeces of it Before ye doe your Sacriâ—ices to the Lorde ye shall steale awaie the choiceste thynges and eate them disdainfullie with Harlottes teachyng Commaundementes of coueteousnesse Ye shall defile Maried women and enforce Maidens in Hierusalem Ye shall matche your selues with Whores and Harlottes ye shal take the Daughters of the Heathen to wife â–ª purifiyng them with vnrighteous purifiyng and youre minglyng shall bee as Sodome and Gomorrha and ye shall be swolne with wickednesse in the Priesthoode in so muche that ye shall disdainefully laughe the hâ—lie thynges to scorne not
as I bewrayed the secrets of God aud of my Father Iacob to Bethsue the Chananite whiche God hath forbiddeÌ„ to be disclosed Also wine is a cause of warre and seditioÌ„ Moreouer I charge you my sonnes that you loue not Money â—e looke vppon the beutie of women for money and womanly beauty made mee to ouershoote my selfe in Bethsue the Chananite And I am sure that these twoo thinges shall corrupt mine ofspryng and marre the wise men of my linage and hurt the kyngdome of Iuda whiche God hath geuen mee for obeyng my Father for I neuer repined at my Father Iacobs commaundement but did whatsoeuer hee bad mee And Abraham the Father of my Fathers blessed me to fight for Israel and so did Isaac blesse mee likewise and I know that the kingdome shall stand by me But I haue read in the bookes of Enoche the righteous that ye shall woorke wickedly in the latter daies therfore my children keepe your selues from lechery and couetousnes and geue eare to your father Iuda for those thinges withdraw men from Gods law and blynde the vnderstandyng of their mindes and teache them pryde neither suffer they any man to shewe mercy to his neighbour They bereue hys Soule of alt good thinges and hold it downe in paines and sorowes Also they disapoint hym of hys sleepe and eonsume his fleshe Finally they hinder Gods Sacrifices neglect his blessinges disobey the speakyng of hys Prophetes and are offended at the woorde of godlynesse for these two passions are contrary to the commaundementes of GOD. Hee that serueth them cannot obey GOD because they dazell mens mindes and walke abroad as well a nightes as of daies My children couetousnes leadeth men to idolatry For through dotyng vppon money it calleth them Gods which are not and compelleth the infected partye to growe most vilely out of kinde For moneyes sake I loste my children and had not the penaunce of my fleshe and the humblyng of my soule and the prayers of my father Iacob beene I had dyed as now without children But the God of my Fathers beyng mercifull and full of coÌ„passion knew that I sinned through ignoraunce For the Prince of errour had blynded me and I ouershot my selfe as a fleshely man and beyng corrupted with synne knewe not mine owne infirmitie but thought my selfe to be inuincible Know ye therefore my sonnes that two spirites do waite vpon a man that is to wit the Spirite of trueth and the Spirite of errour and in the middes betwene them is set the Spirite of vnderstandyng of the mynd whose propertie is to incline whiche waye it listeth The thynges that belong both to truth and vntruth are written in the brest of man and God knoweth euerye whit of it and none of al mens workes can be hidden at any tyme from hym because all the priuities of mens hartes are written before the Lord and the spirite of truth beareth witnesse of all thinges and accuseth all and he that sinneth hath a burnyng in his hart and can not lift vp his face to his iudge And now my children loue ye Leuy that ye may abyde and exalte not your selues aboue hym leaste ye perishe The Lorde hath geuen vnto me the kingdome and vnto hym the Priesthoode and hath put the kingdome vnder the Priesthood Unto Leuy is geuen the Priesthoode and vnto Iuda the kingdome and GOD hath put the kingdome vnder the Priesthoode Unto mee he hath geuen the thinges that are vpon the earth and vnto him the thinges that are in heauen As farre as the Heauen surmounteth the Earth so farre doth the Priesthoode surmount the kingdome that is vpon the earth For the Lord hath chosen hym aboue thee to approach vnto him and to eate of his Table and to take the firstlinges of the children of Israell and thou shalt bee as a Sea to hym For like as in the Sea both righteous and vnrighteous are in daunger and the one sorte are caught Prisoner's and the other sorte are inriched euen so shall all kinde of men be hazarded in thee some sinkyng in misery and other some flotyng in prosperitie For in thee shall raygne great Whales whiche shall swallowe vp men as fishes and bryng free mens Sonnes and Daughters into bondage They shall take awaye mens Houses Landes cattell and Money by force and wrongfully feede Rauens and other greedy fowles with many folkes fleshe and they shall prosper in naughtinesse and bee exalted through couetousnesse and there shall be false Prophetes like stormes which shall perfecute all righteous men But y Lord shall set them together by the eares amoÌ„g themselues and there shall bee continuall warres in Israell and my kingdome shall 〈…〉 vp in Straungers tyll the Sauiour of Israell come euen till the commyng of the God of righteousnesse that Iacob and all Nations may rest in peace and hee shall maintaine my kyngdome in peace for euer For the Lord hath sworne to me that the kingdome of me and of my seede shall neuer faile world without end But I am very sory my Children for the filthines and trechery and idolatry which ye shall worke against the kingdome by followyng Witches and Coniurers by vowyng your daughters to deceitfull deuils by makyng them inchaunters charmers and strumpets and by intermeâ—lyng your selues with the abominations of the heathen for the whiche thinges the Lord shall bring vpon you famine and pestileÌ„ce death and sworde wrathfull besiegement and. deuouryng dogs reproch of freinds and foes losse and. pain of eyes slaughter of your children rauishing of your Wiues spoyle of your goods the burning of your temple the desolation of your countrey and the. captiuitie of your selues amoÌ„g all nations whiche shall gelde some of you to make Eunukes for their Wiues But if ye retourne to the Lorde with hartie repentaunce and humanitie and walke in all the Commaundementes of God He will visite you with mercie and louyngly deliuer you from the bondage of your enemies After this shall rise among you a Starre out of Iacob and a manne shall spring out of my seede whiche shall walke as the daysunne of righteousnesse among the children of menne in peace and mekenesse and righteousnesse and no sinne shal bee founde in hym The heauens shall open vpon hym to poure out the spirite of blessednesse vppon hym from the Father and he shall sheade out the spirite of grace vpon you and you shall bee his children in truthe walkyng in his first and last Commaundementes This is the ofspryng of the moste high God and the welspryng of life to all fleshe Then shall the Scepter of my Kyngdome shine brighte and out of your roote shall spryng the vessell of plantyng in whom shall growe vp the rod of righteousnesse to the Gentiles to iudge and saue all suche as call vpon hym After
Eunuch should haue beene searched Beholde my sonnes what I haue sustained Loue one of you another with continuaunce cast out from among you deceitfull mindes for God deliteth in the concord of brethren and hath pleasure also in y loue choise of a proued harte For when my brethren came out of Egipt knew me I gaue theÌ„ again their money I neuer gaue reproch vnto them but comforted them And after y death of Iacob I loued them more aboundantly all that euer he commaunded me I did very gladly they marueâ—led because I suffered not them to bee troubled for a smale cause for all that was in my power I gaue to them Their children were reputed to me as mine own and mine owne children as their seruants Their life was my life and their sorow was my sorow all their infirmitie or disease was mine my lande was their land my counsell was y counsel of theÌ„ And I neuer exalted my selfe aboue theÌ„ in pride for mine owne worldly glory But was amongest them as one of y least Therefore my Sonnes if ye walke in the commaundementes of my Lorde the Lorde shall exalt you and blesse you in riches perpetuall And if any man will doe euill to you with meekenes looke that ye pray for hym and GOD shall deliuer you from all euill Nowe beholde and see that for my long sufferaunce the daughter of my Lord was geuen me to wife and there was geuen to mee with her an hundreth talentes of Gold. For God made them to serue me gaue mee beauty that I should be as a flower aboue them that were faire in Israell and he kept me vnto mine age both in strength and beauty because I was like to Iacob in al things And what dreames I haue seene my children nowe heare There were 12. Hartes feeding aâ—d 9. were deuided abroad in the earth Also I sawe howe that of Iuda was a virgin borne hauyng a white silkin Robe and of her came forthe an immaculate Lambe And on the left hand of the saide Lambe was as it were a Lyon and all beastes â–ª made against hym and the Lambe ouercame them and troad them vnder his feet and in hym ioyed the Angels the men and all the earth These thinges shall come to passe in their tyme that is to say in the later dayes Therfore my sonnes keepe the commaundement of the Lord and honour Iuda and Leuy For of them to you shall springe the lambe of God whiche by hys grace shall preserue all Gentiles and Israell The kingdome of hym is a kingdome eternall which shal neuer passe For my kingdome shall bee ended in yoâ— as the keepyng of an Orchard for after the haruest it shall appeare no more I knowe right well that after my death the Egiptians shall trouble you But God shall reuenge you and bryng you to the promised land whiche he sware to Abraham Isaac and Iacob But cary my bones with you for in so doing the Lord shal be in the light with you against the Egiptians Belial shall be in darknes with the Egiptians Also cary with you your mother Zilpha nigh vnto the valley nere vnto Rachell bury her When he had said these wordes he stretched forthe hys feete and slept the sleep of all y world Then they enbaumed him with spices putting hym in a chest in Egipt after he had liued 110. yeares who saw Ephraims Children vnto the 3. generatioÌ„ For vnto Machir the sonne of Manasses were children borne on Iosephes knees After this all they of Israell bewailed hym and all the Egiptians with great mournyng For he had compassion of Egypt as of hys owne proper members and assisted them bothe with his labour and counsell and did them good at all tymes and seasons ¶ The TestameÌ„t of Beniamin made to his Children at his death concernyng a clâ—â—ne mynde Lo what true faitfull loue doth meanâ— All you that louers be It is in hart and not in Lust As here you plainly see THe Copie of Bensamins wordes whiche he vttered to his children beyng of the age of a huÌ„dred and twentie yeares Hee kissed them and saied As Isaac was borne in the hundreth yeare of Abraham so was I in the hundreth yearâ— of Iacob and because Rachell died at my birth I sucked her bondwoman Billâ— For after that Rachell had borne Ioseph she was barren xii yeares And when she had praied to the Lord in those xii yeares she conceiued and bare me For my father loued Rachell excedingly and wished to see 2. sonnes by her and therefore I was called Beniamin that is to say the sonne of my daies or the sonne of my sorrow because my mother died in the birth of mee When I came first into Egypt and that my brother Ioseph knewe mee hee sayde to mee what saide they to my Father when they had solde mee I aunswered They staiâ—ed thy coate with bloud and bringyng it to hym sayde See if this bee thy sonnes coate or no. And my Brother also saide vnto mee Truely when the Ismalites tooke me one of theÌ„ stripping mee out of my coat gaue me a thinne shirt to put on and lashyng me with a Whyp bad mee runne And as hee went aside to hide my garment a Lyon met hym and slew him and so his partners being afraid sold mee to their fellowes You therefore my children loue the God of heauen and obey hys commaundementes followyng that good and hâ—lâ—e man Ioseph and let your mynde bee set vppon goodnes as ye know that mine hath beene He that hath a good mynde looketh rightly vppon all thinges Fâ—are God and loue your neighbours and then although the spirit of Belial tempt you to all naughtinesse to trouble you yet shall it not get the vpper hand of you no more then it did of my Brother Ioseph How many folke would haue killed hym and yet GOD deâ—ended hym For he that feareth God and loueth hys neighbour cannot be wounded of the ayry spirit Beliall and he that is shielded with the feare of the Lord is safe from harme both of man and beast and cannot be ouercome because hee is helped by the loue of God whiche he hath towardes hys neighbour For Ioseph be sought our father Iacob to pray for my Brethren to the Lorde that he would not lay to their charges â–ª the mischiefe that they had deuised againste hym Wherat Iacob cryed out O sonne Ioseph thou hast ouercome my hart And ther withall imbracyng him he kissed him twoo houres together and sayde In thee shall the prophesie of heauen be resembled to the full concernyng the lambe of God and Sauiour of the worlde that the vnspotted shall bee deliuered for the wicked doers and hee that is without sinne shall dye for the Sinners in the bloud of hys Testament to the saluation bothe of the Gentiles and of Israell and he shall dashe Beliall and his seruauntes My children looke vpon
the land in Charets horsemen buryed him in y place which Iacob had appointed ¶ The Testament of Ruben made to his Children at his death concerning the thinges that he had in his minde by the suggestion of the spirite of foreknowledg â–ª Behold the pot the heare the bed doe note the strength the lust Of Ruben and vnconstant head who therefore was accurst THys is the copye of Rubens Testament concerninge all the thynges whiche hee gaue in charge to hys children before hee dyed in the hundred fiue and twenty yeare of his life Two yeares after the decease of Ioseph his children childrens children came to visite him in his sicknes and he sayd vnto them My children I dye and goe the way of my fathers And saying there his brethren Iuda Gad and Aser he sayd vnto them Lift me vp my brethren that I may tell you and my children the thinges that I haue hidden in my hart for I am henceforth drawing to my long home TheÌ„ staÌ„ding vp he kissed theÌ„ and weeping sayde Harken my brethren and you my childreÌ„ geue care to the word of your father Ruben mark what I giue in charge to you Behold I coÌ„maund you this day before y God of heaueÌ„ that ye walke not in the ignoraunce of youthfulnesse and fornicatioÌ„ whereintâ— I ouershot my selfe and deâ—â—â—ed the bed of my father Iacob For I assure you that the Lord did therfore 〈◊〉 me with a sore plague in my flankes by the space of seuen monthes and ‡ I had perished if my father Iacob had not prayed to the Lorde for mâ—e because he was minded to haue slayne mee I was thirtye yeares old when I did this euill in the sight of the Lorde seuen monethes was I sick to y death and ‡ with a free hart did I seuen yeare penance before the Lord I dranke no wine nor stronge drinke no fleshe came within my mouth I tasted not any fine bred but I mourned for my sinne for it was great there shall none such be done in Israell And nowe my sonnes heare me that I may shewe you what I sawe concerninge the seuen spyrites of error in my repentaunce Belyall geueth seuen spirites agaynst a man whiche are the welspringes of youthfull workes and seuen spirites are géuen man in his creation whereby all hys works are done The first is the spirit of life wherewith is created hys béeing The second is the spirite of séeing wherwith cometh lusting The y spirite of hearing wherew t cometh learning The is y spirit of smelling wherw t cometh delight by drawing in of y ayre by breathing of it out agayn The is the spirit of speech wherwith knowledge is made The is y spirit of tascing wherof commeth y feedyng vpon thinges y are to be eaten drunke through them is ingendred strength because the substaunce of strength is in meate The seuenth is the spirit of séede and generation wherwith entreth sinne through y lust of pleasure For this cause it is the last of creation the first of youth because it is full of ignoraunce and ignoraunce leadeth the yonger sort as a blynd body into the ditch and as an Oxe to the stal AmoÌ„g all these is the eight spirit which is of sléep with whoÌ„ is created the wasting away of nature and the image of death With these spirites are mingled the spirites of error Wherof the first is the spirite of Lechery who lyeth within in the nature and senses of man. The second spirit vnsatiablenesse lyeth in the belly The third spirite of strife lyeth in the lyuer and in choler The fourth spirite is of brauery and galantnesse that the partie may seeme coâ—ly by excesse The fistbe is the spirte of pride which moueth a man to minde ouer great thinges or to thinke well of himselfe The â—rth is the spirit of Lying or vayne gloriousnes in boasting a mans selfe and in desire to â—ile his talke concerning his owne kinâ—ed and acquaintauÌ„ce The seuenth is the spirit oâ— vnrighteousnes whiche stirreth vp the affections that a man should performe the lustfull pleasures of his harte For vnrighteousnes worketh with all the other spirits by taking guile vnto him Unto all these spirites is matched the viiâ— spirit which is the spirite of sléepe or sluggishnes in error and imagination and so the soules of young folkes perishe because their mindes are darâ—kned from the truth and vnderstand not the law of the Lord neither obey the doctrine of their fathers as beâ—el to me in my youth But now my childreÌ„ loue the truth and that shall preserue you Harken to your father Ruben and let not your eyes runne gazing after women neither be ye alone with a woman that is maried neither seeke you about what women are a doing For if I had not sene Billa bathing of her selfe in a secret place I hadde not fallen into that great wickednes But my mind ran so vpon the naked woman that it suffered me not to sleepe till I had committed abhomination For while my father Iacob was away at his Father Isaackes I in Gader hard by Ephrata a house of Bethleem Billa fell drunken as shee lay a sleepe vncouered in her chamber I went in and seeyng her nakednes wrought wickednesse with her and leauing her a sléepe went my way By and by an Angell of God besâ—rayed my wickednes to my Father Iacob who comming home mourned for me touched not â–ª Billa any more Therefore looke not vppon the beâ—uâ—tye of women neyther muse you vpon theyr deâ—nges but walke ye with a single harte in the feare of the Lorde busiâ—nge your selues about some worke and keeping your selues occupyed either in 〈◊〉 â–ª or aboute your flockes till God geue you such wiues as he lifteth leaste 〈◊〉 suffer as I haue bone I durst not looke my father in the face to hys dying day nor speake to any of my brethren for shaine My conscience byteth meâ— eueÌ„ yet still for my sinne But my father comforted me and prayed for me to the Lorde that his wrath myght passe away from me as the Lorde himselfe shewed vnto me Therefore from that time forth I was kept from sinning any more And you my children likewise keepe ye all that I shall tell you and you shal not sinne For fornication is y destruction of the soule separating it from God 4 making iâ— to draw vnto Idols because it leadeth the minde and vnderstanding into error and bringth men to their graâ—e before their time For whorâ—â—om hath vndone many men And although a man be auncient or noble yet doth it shaâ—e him make hym a laughingstock both before Belial the sonnes of meÌ„ But Ioseph because he kept himselfe from all
the taile flung hym awaie by and by and hee 〈◊〉 asunder In the borders of Gare a wild Bull was feedyng in the fieldes and I tooke hym by the hornes and swinged hym about and finally killed hym There came twoo Kinges of the Chananites armed vppon our flocke and muche people with them and I alone runnyng to the flocke stept to king Sur and strikyng vp his legs ouerthrew hym and so flew hym Also I killed an other kyng named Thaphes sittyng on his horse and so scattered all their people I ouertooke king Achor a Giant on horsebacke shootyng forward and backewarde and throwyng a stone of threescore pound weight vpon his horse I ouerthrew him and killed hym and fightyng twoo houres with Achor at length I claâ—e his shield and maimed his feete and finally â—lew him As I was pullyng of his brâ—stpâ—â—â—â— beholde eight of his frendes aâ—â—ailed â—â—ee whereupon I filled my handes with stones flinging them at them with a fling flew fower of them and put the other fower to flight Also our Father Iacob slew the Giant Beelisa king of all the Kynges who was mightie and houge of the stature of twelue cubites By reason whereof feare fell vppon them and they lefte their fightyng against vs For thys cause my father was carefull of mee when I was in any battell with my Brethren He sawe in a vision concernyng mee that the Angell of strength followed me euery where to the intent I should not be ouercome The second handsell was a greater battell to vs than that whiche wee had at Sichem in so much that in fightyng valiantly with by Brethren I chased a thousand men and flewe of them two hundreth persons and fower of their Kynges and followyng after them scaled the Wall of their Citie and there slew two kings mâ— and so we deliuered Hebron and led them all away as prisoners The next daye wee went to a strong walled and vnapprocheable Citie called Areca whiche threatned to kill vs Therefore I and Gad went to the eastside of the Citie and Ruben and Leuy to the West and Southside They that stoode vppon the walles supposyng there had been no mo but Gad and I did set siâ—rcely vppon vs while in the meanâ— tyme my Brothers that lay in stale brake but vpon the other two sides and scalyng the wall with Ladders entred the Citie â—re our enemies wist it and so we wonne it by the sword and set fire vpoÌ„ the tower and burnt it vp with such as were fled vnto it As we returned the men of Thaffie lay in wait for our pray and tooke it with our children But wee followed them to Taffie and slew them and burned the Citie spoyling all that was in it And while I was at the Waters of Gureba wee fell vpon the men of Iobell that came against vs in battell and slewe and spoyled bothe them and also their complyees that came to their ayde from Selon so as wee gaue them no respit to returne again vpon vs The fifth day after there came men from Machir to fetch away our prisoners whoÌ„ wee met in battell notwithstandyng that they were a might it hoste and slewe them before they could get vp to the place that they came from And when wee came to their Citie their women tumbled downe stones vpon vs from the toppe of the Hill whereon their Citie stoode But I and Simâ—on coastyng to the backeside of the towne got to the higher places and destroyed the whole Citie The next daye it was told vs that the Cities of two kings came againste vs with a houge Hoste I therfore and Dan feigning our selues to be Amortheans and fellowes with them went into their Citie and takyng the enterances in the dead time of the night did set the Gates wide open to our Brethren that came after vs by meanes wherof we destroyed them and all that they had and when we had sacked the City one did caste downe the three Walles thereof Then went we to Thamua whiche was the refuge of all the Kinges for their Warres Where being angry for a hurt y I tooke I charged vppon those that stoode aboue me but they threwe downe stones out of â—linges vpon me and shot arrowes at me had killed me but that my brother Dan reskued me Therefore we came runnyng vpon them in a rage and put them all to flight and they passyng by an other waye went and sued humbly to my Father who made a couenaunt with them so as wee did them not any more harme but receaued them into league with vs and redeliuered them al their prisoners Then builded I Chamma and my Father builded Rambahel Twentie yeares olde was I when thys Warre was made and the Chananiâ—es were afraide of mee and my brethren I had muche cattel and my chief Herdman was Yran of Odellam in whose company I saw Barsa King of Odellam who made vs a feaste and with muche intreatance gaue me his daughter Bethsue to wife whiche brought mee forthe Er Anan and Sylon of which three GOD slewe two childlesse For Sylon lyued of whom some of you be the children My father and wee made eightene yeares peace with his brother Esau and hys Children When the eighteene yeares were past after our comming out of Mesopotamia in the forteth yeare of my life Esau our Fathers brother came vpon vs with a great and strong host and was slaine by the bow of Iacob and conueied awaye dead vnto mount Seir. We also followed vpon the children of Esau but his city was strong with high walles and gates of Yrâ—n and Brasse so as wee coulde not enter into it howbeit wee did shut them vp within it and besieged it Nowe when they shewed not themselues abroad in twentie dayes together I put my helmet vpon my head and in sight of them all set vp a ladder and scaling the wall slew fower of their noble men with a Stone of the weight of three talentes The next day Ruben and Gad went in and slewe three score other Then they offered peace and we by our fathers aduice receaued them to tribute And they gaue vs two hundred quarters of Corne fiue hundred Bates of Oyle and a thousande and fiue hundred measures of wine vntill we wente downe into Egipt After this my Sonne Her maried Thamar of Mesopotamia the Daughter of Aram. Nowe Her was a wicked I my and doubted of Thamar because she was not of the land of Chanaan Therefore the Angell of the Lorde slewe hym the third night after his mariage when he had not yet companied with her by reason of his mothers subtiltie and so dyed in his naughtinesse for she was loth that hee shoulde haue had any children by heâ— When Anan was mariageable I gaue Thamar vnto him and hee also of a spite companyed not with her notwithstandyng that hee liued a full yeare with her And when I threatned hym then hee companied with her but yet by hys mothers commaundement
he let his feed fall vpon the ground and so he also died in his wickednes I minded to haue geuen her vnto Silon also but my wyfe Bethsue would not suffer mee For she spited Thamar because she was not of the daughters of Canaan as her self was now I knewe that the ofspring of ChanaaÌ„ was mischieuous but yet did youthfull fancie blynde my hart and as I beheld her pouring out wine I was deceiued by dronkennes and fell in loue with her Upon a tyme whyle I was away she maried Silon to a Woman of Chanaan which her deede when I vnderstoode I cursed her in the bitternes of my soule â–ª and so she dyed in the wickednes of her soÌ„nes A two yeares after these things as I went to there my sheep Thamar deckyâ—g her selfe like a Bride sate her downe at a gate of the Citie For it was the custome of the Amorites that their Brides doe set them selues forth at the gates of their Cities by the space of seuen dayes together to be abused in fornication I therefore being dronken with the waters of Horâ—â— knew her not by reason of wine in so muche that her beautye together with the attire in decking of her selfe deceiued me and thereupon turnyng aside vnto her I sayd shall I come in vnto thee and she aunswered what wilt thou geue mee and I gaue her my Staffe and my Girdle and the Croune of my Kyngdome Upon my companiyng with her she conceiued afterward I not knowyng my selfe to haue bene the doer thereof would haue put her to death for it But she hauing kept my pledges in store shamed me with them and when I had heard myne owne wordes of her in secret which I had spoken to her when I laye with her in my dronkennesse I could not put her to death because it was of the Lordes doyng but I touched her not any more to my diyng day For when I had done thys abhomination â–ª Israell leste she might worke wiles with mee I sayde I would fetche my pledges againe of her But when I inquired for her the townsmen sayd there was no Bride in their Citie because she came from another place and had sit there but a little while and she deemed that no man knewe of my goyng in vnto her Afterwarde we came into Egypt to Ioseph because of the dearth Sir and fortie yeares old was I when we came hether and thre score and thirteene yeares haue I liued here And now my sonnes heare mee your Father in all thinges that I charge you withall and keepe ye all my saiynges in doyng all maner of righteousnes before the Lord and in obeiyng the commaundements of the Lord God and walke not after your owne lustes nor after the conceites of your owne mindes in the pride of your hartes nether glory you in the workes of the strength of your youth because it is sinfull in the sight of the lord For in asmuche as I gloried in my battels and vpbrayded my brother Ruben with Billaâ—my Fathers wife because no face of any beutifull woman had yet deceiued mee therefore the spirite of fondnes and fornication fell vpon mee so as I was ouertaken both in Bethsue the Chananite and in Thamar the wife of mine own sonnes And I saide to my father in lawe I haue made my father priuie to the matter and therefore I will take thy daughter to my wife Hereupon he shewed mee an infinite masse of Gold in his daughters behalfe for he was a king and decking her with Golde and Pearle willed her to pour out wine to vs at the Supper The beautie of the woman and the Wine together dazeled mine eyes and voluptuousnes did so darken myne vnderstandyng that I fell in loue with her and brake the commaundement of GOD and of my Fathers and tooke her to wife According to the intent of my hart the Lord payd me home for it for I had no ioy of the children that I had by her Now therefore my children be not dronken with Wine for Wine turneth a mans vnderstandyng away froÌ„ the truth and kindleth in hym the fire of luste leadyng his eyes into error in so muche that wine is a seruaunt to the spirite of lechery to further the sedyng of the mind with voluptuousnes and so those twain bereue a man of all power For â–ª if a man drinke wine till hee bee dronken he traineth hys mind into the filthy thoughtes of lecheric and kindleth the body to carnall copulation And if desired occasion serue sinne is wrought without shame Suche a thyng is wine my sonnes for a dronken man is ashamed of nothyng Beholde it made both me and Thamar to do amisse so as I blushed not at y multitude in the City but went aside vnto her in the fight of al men and committed a greate sinne in discoueryng the vncleane priuities of my owne sonnes Through drinking of wine I was not ashamed to breake Gods commaundement in takyng a woman of Chananie to Wife Wherefore my sonnes hee that drinketh wine had neede of discretion and the discrecioÌ„ that euery man ought to vse in drinking of wine is that he be ashamed to ouer drinke hym selfe For if hee passe that bonâ— he forgoeth his vnderstandyng and cleaueth to the spirite of error which causeth the dronken man to talke filthely and to doe wickedly and not to bee ashamed but to host of his lewdnes thinkyng it to be good He that committeth whoredome â–ª is berest of his libertie and becommeth a â—ondslaue of 〈◊〉 and cannot get out of it againe after the same maner that I was made naked For I gaue ouer my Staffe that is to saie the staye of my tribe and my girdle that is my power my crowne that is the glory of my kyngdome Howbeit repentyng these thinges I forbare all wine and flesh vnto mine old age I was vtterly vnacquainted with all â—â—rth And the Angell of GOD shewed me that women should from tyme to tyme ouermaster all menne as well Kynges as Kaitifes and bereaue greate men of their glory For the pouertie of a poore man is a greater fence to hym thaÌ„ is the strength of a mightie man. Therfore my children keepe measure in drinkyng for there are in it fower noysom spirits that is to wit of concupiscence of hartâ—â—rnyng of lechery and of filthy gaâ—â— â–ª If ye drinke wine merily in the fear of 〈◊〉 Lord with â—â—â—â—â—fastnes ye shal liue But if ye drinke without regard of shame and feare of GOD then turneth it to drankennesse and dishonestie stealethâ—in And if ye drinke none at all then shall ye noâ— sinne neithâ—â— in slaunderous wordes â–ª nor in quarelyng nor in railyng nor in breache of Gods Commaundementes neither shall ye perisho before your tynie For Wine discâ—â—seth the secretes of GOD and man vnto straâ—igers like
whose fruites come by painestakyng for our Father Iacob blessed me with the benefites of the yearth and the firstelynges of fruites Leuy and Iuda are glorified of the lorde among the children of Iacob For God hath planted hym self in them geuyng to the one the Priesthoode and to the other the kyngdome Therefore obey ye them and walke plainly as our Father Iacob did For vnto Gâ—d it is geuen to destroye the temptations of Israell My Children I knowe that in the laste daies your children shall forsake plainnesse and cleaue to coueteousnesse let goe innocencie and followe lewdnesse Leaue Gods commaundementes and sticke vnto Beliall geue ouer Housbandrie and gadde after wicked deuices and therefore shall they be scattered among the Heathen and become bondeslaues to their enemies Wherefore warne your children of it that if they synne they maie retourne quickly to the Lorde for he is mercifull and will deliuer them and bryng theÌ„ home againe into their owne lande I am now an hundreth and twoo and twentie yeares olde and I knowe not any deadly lynne vppon me I haue not knowen any woman but my wife neither haue I committed whordome in the luste of mâ—neeyes I haue not drâ—nke Wine vnto droukeunelie neither haue I coueted any pleasant thyng of my neighbours There hath been no guile in my hart nâ—ither hath there any liyng gon out of my lippes I haue been foriâ— with euery man that was in heauâ—nesse and giuen my bread to the poore I haue not â—aten my ineate alone nor remoued the bouÌ„des and buttels of landes I haue been pitifull all the daies of my life and deaâ—te truely in all cases I haue loued the lorde with all my strength and all men as myne owne children My sonnes if you also doe â— the like all the spirites of Belial will flie from you and nothyng that mischieuous menne can doe against you shall haue power ouer you You shall bryng all wilde beastes in subiection to you because yâ— haue the Lorde of heauen with you if yâ— walke with menne in singlenesse of harte And he willed them to carie his bodie into Hebron and to burie hym there in the Caue with his Fathers Thus he stretched out his feete and died in a good age hauyng all his limmes strong and founde and sâ—epte the sleep of all the worlde ¶ The Testament of ZabuloÌ„ made to his Children at his death concerning compassion and mercie The poore man at home Zabulon fed The straungers vnknowen also clothed When Ship did saile God did not faile But gaue his wit To gouerne it THe charge that Zabulon gaue to his children in the hundreth and fourteenth yere of his life twoo and thirtie yeares after the decease of Ioseph And he saied vnto them heare ye me ye Sonnes of Zabulon a good gifte to my Father and Mother For when I was begotten my Father was greatly encreased in Shepe and cattell by reason of the good lucke that he had through the straked roddes I wiste not my Children I wiste not that I synned in those daies For I considered not that I dealt wickedly through ignorance in Iosephes case and moreouer concealed it with my Brothers from our Father howbeeit that I wepte muche for it in secret for I was afraied of my Brothers because they had all conspired together to kill hym with the Sworde that should beâ—â—aie that secrete Neuerthelesse when they would haue killed hym I besought them moste earnestly with teares that they would not dooe suche wickednesse For Symeon and God came vpoÌ„ Ioseph to haue killed hym and Ioseph fallyng vpon his knees saied vnto them haue pitie vppon me my Brethren haue pitie vppon the bowelles of our Father Iacob Laye not your handes vppon me to shead innocente bloude for I haue not synned againste you If I haue doen amisse nurture me with chastisemente but laye not your handes vpon me for our Father Iacobs sake Upon his saiyng of these wordes I beyng moued with compassioÌ„ came and wepte and my harte melted within me and all the substaunce of my bowels were loosened vppon my soule Also Ioseph wepte and I with hym and my harte trembled and the ioyntes of my bodye quaked and I was not able to stande And when he sawe me weepyng with hym and them commyng towardes hym to kille hym he fledde behinde me and besoughte them to pitie hym Then Ruben stepping in saied My brethren lette vs not kille hym â—nt lette vs caste hym into the drye pitte that our fathers digged and founde no water in it For GOD suffred no water to spryng vp in it because it should bee a sauegarde for Ioseph And so God did til they sold him to the I smaelites Thus gaue I no consente to the synne againste Ioseph but Symeon Gâ—d and the other of my Brothers takyng money for Ioseph bought Shoes with it for them selues their Wiues and their Children â–ª saiyng Lette vs not eate it because it is the price of our Brothers bloud but lette vs treade it vnder our feete because he saied he should raigne ouer vâ— and wee shall see what his dâ—eames will come vnto Therefore in the Sâ—â—pter of Cnoches Lawe it is written of hym that would not raise vp â—eede to his brother I haue loosed Iosephes Shoâ—e For when wee came into Egipte the younge menne vnbuckeled Iosephes Shooes at the gate and so wee worshipped Ioseph as it had been Pharao and not onely worshipped hâ—m but also kneeled downe before hym with blushyng and so were putte to shame before the Egiptians fâ—r afterwarde the Egiptians heard of all the ill that wee had doen vnto Ioseph After the laiyng of him in the pit my Brothers sette meate vppon the Table to eate But I mournyng for Ioseph did 〈◊〉 no meate by the space of two daies and two nightes together neither would Iuâ—â— ente with them but had an eye to the Pitte because he feared leaste Symâ—on and Gad should step there and kille hym When they sawe that I eate nothyng they set me to keepe hym till he was sold. He was in the pitte three daies and three nightes without repast ere he was solde Ruben hearyng that he was solde in his absence rente his garmentes and wepte saiyng how shall I looke my Father Iacob in the face And therewith all takyng money he ran after the Marchauntmen but he could not finde them For they had left the kynges high waie and were gone awai eapace by bye Lanes and Ruben eate no meate that daie Dan therefore commyng vnto hym saied weepe not neither bee sad for the boye for I wote what wee maie saie to our Father Iacob Wee will kill a Kid and staine Iosephes coate with the bloud of it and saie to hym See if this be thy sonnes coate or no. For wheÌ„ they entended to sell Ioseph they stripped hym out of our fathers coate and put vppon hym an old coate of a bondseruaunte
that the Father of nations may receaue you For he was soothfast long suffering meeke lowly and aâ—â—â—â—her of Gods lawe by his owne woorkes Therefore depart from all vnrightâ—ousnes that ye may sticke to the righteousnâ—s of the Lordes law and bury ye mee by my Father In saiyng these thinges be kissed them and slept the sleepe of the world â–ª And his sonnes buried hym laiyng his bones by Abraham Issac and Iacob And like as Dan had prophesied to them that theâ— should one day neglect Gods lawâ— and estrange them selues from the offpryns and natiue countrey of Israell so came it to passe ¶ The Testament of Neptalim made to his Children at his death concernyng goodnes Runne Neptalims race but runne apace Embrace his goodnes and trustinesse If your state you see seruauntes to bee Then God will you blesse and geue successe THe Copie of Heptalims Testament concernyng the thynges which he discoursed at the ende of his tyme in the hundred and two and thirtie yeare of hys life At the commyng of hys children together in the seuenth moneth the forth daie of the moneth hee beyng yet in good health commaunded a sumptuous feaste and greate cheere to be prepared When we wooke in the mornyng from sleepe because hee was euen at deathes doore he praised the Lorde that had strengthned hym and began to speake to his children in this wife My Children geue eare to Neptalim barken to your Fathers wordes I was borne of Bilha and because Rachell dealt craftely in puttyng Bilha to Iacob in her owne steade and Bilha was deliuered of mee in Rachels lappe therefore was I called Neptalim And Rachell loued me because I was borne on her lappe and she kissed mee when I was a little one saiyng God let mee see a brother of thyne out of myne owne wombe after thee By reason whereof Ioseph was like mee in all things accordyng to Rachels request Now my Mother Billa was the daughter of Rotheus the Brother of Debora Rebeccas nurse and was borne the selfe-same day that Rachell was borne for Rotheus was a Caâ—dean of Abrahames kindred a worshipper of GOD free borne and a noble man Now bee it for asmuche as he was taken Prisoner Laban bought hym and maried hym to a bondwoman of hys called Eue who brought hym forth a Sonne whom he named Zeliphas after the name of the Castle wherein he was taken Afterwarde she bare Billa callyng her her newe hasty daughter because she was fond of the Dug as soone as she was borne And because I was as swift of foot as a Stagge my father Iacob appointed me to runne of all mesuages and errands and blessed me by the name of a Stagge For as the Potter knoweth what his bessell shall conteine and tempereth hys quanâ—itie of clay thereafter so the Lorde maketh a mans bodye proportionable to the spirite that he will put into it and â—â—â—teth the spirite to the abilitie of the bodie â—o as there is no inequalitie or oddes betwixt them for all the Lordes creatures are made in Weight Measure and Rule And as the Potter knoweth the vse of euery of them to what thynges thei be metest so the Lorde knoweth the bodie how farre for the it is fit for goodnesse and wheÌ„ it beginneth in euill for there is not any Creature reasonable nor vnreasonable whiche the lorde knoweth not for he hath created all menne after his owne Image And as mans strength is so is his workeas is his will so is his woorke as is his forecast â–ª so is his doyng as is his harte so is his mouth as is his eye so is his slepeand as is his minde so is his talke either of the lawe of the Lorde or of the lawe of Beliall And loâ—ke what diuersitie is betwene lighte and darckenesse or betwene sight and hearyng the same diuersitie is there in man and woman Neither is it to be saied that there is any betternesse in any thing either of the face or of other like thynges For God hath made all thynges good in their order or degree he hath sett the fiue wittes in the heade and knitte the head to the necke couered it with heare for his glorie Moreouer he hath assigned the harte to wisedome the bealie to the auoidaunce of the stomacke the breaste to healthe the liuer to anger the gall to bitternesse the spleene to laughter the kidneis to craftinesse the loynes to strength the ribbes to comelinesse the seede to lustinesse and so forthe So my children doe all thynges in order and in the feare of God neither doe ye any thyng disorderly in scorne or out of due season For thou caust not commaâ—ide the eye to heare neither caust thou doe the workes of light in darknesse Therefore hast ye not to marre your doynges through coueteousnesse or 〈◊〉 beguile your owne soules with fonde talke For by holdyng your peace with a cleane harte ye shal be able to kepe the wil of God and to caste awaie the wiâ—â— of the deuell The SuÌ„ne Moone and Starres breake not their order neither break you Gods lawe in the order of your doyâ—ges The GeÌ„tiles by goyng astray and by forsakyng the lorde haue chaunged their order and followed stockes and stones and spirites of errour But doe you not so my children knowe ye that your onely one God is lorde in the skies on the yearth in the Sea and of all creatures for he is the maker of them And be not like Sodome whiche altered y order of her nature likewise wise * the Watchers altered the order of their Nature and they whom God cursed in the floud makyng the yearth desolate and fruitlesse for their sakes My children I saie these thynges because I haue read in the holy writynges of Enoch that you also shall depart froÌ„ the Lorde and walke in all the wickednesse of Sodome and the lorde shall bring thraldome vpoÌ„ you so as ye shal serue your enemies and be pinched with all maner of tribulation and pain til God consume you euerichone And when ye bee made fewe and small ye shall turne again and knowe the lorde your God and he shall bryng you againe into your owne lande accordyng to his manifold mercie And it shall come to passe that when they shal be come into the countrey of their fathers they shall forget the Lorde againe and deale wickedly so as the Lorde shall scatter them all ouer the face of the whole earth til the mercy of the lorde come a maÌ„ that poureth out mercy and righteousnes vpon all men bothe farre and nere For in the xl yere of my life vpon mount Oliuet towardes the East side of IerusaleÌ„ I saw the Sunne moone stand stil behold Isaac my fathers father said vnto vs come hether apace and euery one of you take holde accordyng to his strengthe for the Sunne and Moone maie be caught And we came runnyng all together
and Leuy caughte holde of the Sunne and Iudas iumpyng vp caught holde of the Moone and were bothe of them lifted vp with theÌ„ And wheÌ„ as Leuy became as the Sunne a certain yong man deliuered hym twelue Boughes of Palme tree and Iuda shined as the Moone twelue beames or raies were vnder his feete And Leuy and Iuda runnyng together vphelde one an other And beholde there was a Bull vpoÌ„ yearth that had greate hornes and Eagles vinges vppon his backe and we would haue caught hym but wee could not for Ioseph steppyng before vs caught hym and mouÌ„ted alofte vppon hym And beholde there appeared-vnto vs an holie writyng saiyng the Assirians Medes Elamites Gelathites Caldes and Sirians shall holde the Scepter of Israell in thraldome And again a seuen monethes after I sawe our Father Iacob standyng in the sea of I amma and vs his sonnes with hym And beholde there came a ship sailyng by full of dried fleshe without Marriner or Pilote UpoÌ„ the ship was written Iacob and our father saied to vs let vs goe into our ship when wee were within it there rose a sore tempest and a mightie gale of winde and our Father who helde the sterne flewe awaie from vs and wee beyng tossed with the storme were caried into the Sea and our ship was filled with Water and weather beaten torne on all sides Then Ioseph fled out in the boate and we all were deuided vpoÌ„ twelue bordes and Leuy and Iuda were amoÌ„g vs so were we scattered on all costes and Leuy being clad in sackclothe praied to the Lorde for vs all As sone as the tempest was laied the Shippe came quietly to lande and behold our Father Iacob came and wee reioyced all together with one minde I told my Father these twoo dreames he saied to me these thynges muste bee fulfilled in their tyme and Israell muste endure many thynges Then said he further to me I beleue that Ioseph is aliue For I see that the Lorde doeth alwaies number hym with vs. And he saied thou liuest my sonne Ioseph but yet I se thee not neither seest thou Iacob that begat thee truly he made vs to wepe at these woordes of his and my bowelles glowed within me to bewraye to hym that Ioseph was solde but I was afraied of my brothers Beholde my Sonnes I haue shewed you the last times and all the thynges that shall be doen in Israell You therefore commaunde your children to be helpfull vnto Leuy and Iuda For by Iuda shall health and welfare spryng vp vnto Israell and in hym shall Iacob bee blessed For by his Sccpter shall God appeare and dwell among men vpon yearth to saue the stacke of Israel and to gather the righteous from among the Heathen My children if you doe well bothe menne and Angelles shall blesse you and GOD shall bee glorified by you among the Gentiles the Deuell shall slee from you thâ— beastes shall stande in awe of you and the Angelles shall receiue you For like as if a man bryng vp his childe well the childe endeuoureth alwaies to bee mindfull and thankfull So of good workes there is a good remembraunce with GOD. But as for hym that doeth not good hym shall meÌ„ and Angels curse and God shall be dishonored through hym among the Gentiles and the Deuell shall possesse hym as a peculiar vessell and instrument and all beastes shall ouermaster hym and the Lorde shall hate hym For the Commaundementes of the lawe are of twoo sortes and are fulfilled in woorke For there is a tyme for a man to companie with his wife and a tyme to forbeare her that he maye geue hymself to praier There are twoo Commaundementes whiche breede synne excepte they be doen in their due order And so is it in the rest of the commaundementes Therefore bee ye wise and skilfull in the Lorde knowyng the order of his commaundementes and the lawes of all thinges that God maie loue ye Hauyng commaunded them many other suche thinges he praied them to conueigh his bones to Hebron and to burie hym by his fathers And so eatyng and drinkyng with a mery harte he couered his face and died And Neptalims Children did all thynges accordyng as their Father had commaunded them Finis ¶ The Testamente of Gad made to his Children at his death concernyng hatred You that excell in marciall feates Loe Gad but God obeye Least in Gads wrathe you God offende And lose your hoped praie THe copie of Gads Testament and of y thynges that he spake to his Children in the C.vii. yere of his life saiyng I was Iacobs seuenth sonne and skilfull stroÌ„g in kepyng of sheepe I kept the flockes by night and when there came any Lion Libard Wolue Beare or other wilde beaste vpon our cattell I ran to it and killed it Ioseph also did feede shepe with vs about a thirtie daies who being tender fel sicke by reason of ouermuche heate and wente home to Hebron to his Fatherâ— whom he lodged by hym self because he loued hym And Ioseph told our father that y sonnes of Billa wasted his goods at Zelpha and made hauock of them without the knowledge of Iuda and Ruben For he kuewe that I had rescued a laÌ„be out of a Beares mouthe and killed the Beare and that because the Lambe could not liue whiche thyng greeued me we killed it also eate it He told our father of it our brothers were greatly disconteÌ„ted with his doyng euen to the daie that he was solde into Egipte and the spirite of hatred was in me in so muche that I could not finde in my harte to heare Ioseph speake or to se him because he had rebuked vs openly for eating the laâ—â—ibe without Iuda To beshore he made our Father beleue whatsoeuer he tolde hym But nowe I acknowledge my synne my Children that I was often in minde to haue killed hym for I hated him from my hart and I was vtterly without coÌ„passion towardes hym and the cause of this my great hatred towardes hym was his dreames Therefore I would haue deuoured him as an oxe eateth vp grasse froÌ„ the yearth And for that cause I and Iuda sold hym to the I smalites for 30. gildreÌ„s of the whith we kept awaisx priuely and showed the other xâ— to our brethren And so coueteonsnesse perswaded me to wishe his death But the God of our fathers deliuered hym out of my handes to the entent I should not do suche wickednesse in Israell And now my Children geue eare to the wordes of truthe that ye maie liue righteously kepe the law of the highest and not goe astraie through the spirite of hatred for what is euill in at a mannes doynges Whatsoeuer an other man doeth that doth the hater mislike and abhorre If one kepeâ— the lawe of the lorde he praiseth it not if one feare the lorde and deale rightcouslie hym he loueth not but dispraiseth the truthe