striuing for darknes we become children of darknes so lose the light of eternall life as the Iewes and Romanes did whose recompence hath followed The one depriued of their earthly glorie the other aduanced to glorie to be a staine of eternall damnation In the begining was the word c. Iohn 1.1 THese words In the beginning are the first wordes in the old Testament whose first word in the Hebrew is Bara which consisteth according to the Hebrew of three letters which closely conteine in them Father Sonne and Holie Ghost as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Ben which singnifieth Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Abba which is Father and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Ruach Hakodesh which is the Holy spirit Thus the Trinity is closely contained in the first word but in the first verse is expressed in open wordes In the beginning God made heauen and earth and the spirit of God mooued vpon the waters and God said Let there be light This is expounded Iohn 1.1 in these wordes In the beginning was the Word the Word was with God and that Word was God shewing that Word in this place is taken for the Sonne of God by whom he made the world as Iohn 1.3 By him were all things created And Heb. 1.2 God made all things by his Sonne who ruleth all things by his mightie power Wherefore Christ in the dayes of his flesh chose the trade of a Carpenter Iohn 6.42 Math. 13.55 And in Esay 43.10 It is sayd This record you must beare me your selues saith the Lord that I am God and euen he I am from the beginning I doe the worke who shall let it Thus saith the Lord the holy one our redeemer Wherein is distinctly expressed Father Sonne and Holy Ghost He was the Light and that Light was the life of man Iohn 1.4 LIfe and light is not here carnally meant but spiritually To which two thinges Aaarons Iewell of Vrim and Thummim had a full relation Vrim signifying Light of the minde Thummim Perfection of vertue which bringeth life to the soule As Iohn 1.9 Christ is the true light that lightneth euery man And hee that abideth in this light hath euerlasting life 1. Iohn 1.5 God is light and in him is no darknes at all If wee walke in light euen as he is light then haue we fellowship with him and the blood of Iesus Christ shall giue vs life and cleanse vs from our sinne We the gentiles were darknes but now are light in the Lord. Ephes 5.8 The vnderstanding of the stories of the Bible doth giue a great light to the mind of man and the practise giueth life vnto euery one that embraceth them as Deut. 8.3 and Mat. 4.4 Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God The despisers of religion continue in darknesse and light to them is death as 1. Iohn 2. 9. He that saith hee is in light and hateth his brother is in darknesse and walketh in darknesse and knoweth not whither he goeth because the darknesse hath blinded his eies 1. Iohn 5.11 But God hath giuen vs eternall life and that life is in his Sonne who layed downe his life for his Sheepe Iohn 10.15 Wherefore while wee haue light let vs walke beleeue in the light that we may be the children of the light Iohn 12.36 The first Adam was made of the Earth earthly c. The second was made a soule giuing life c. HEre before the comparison betweene Adam and Christ we are to consider the Creation wherein we are to vnderstand the Creation of the Heauen Earth and Sea all the hoast of them which doe consist of Wightes visible and inuisible Inuisible as Angels Visible as Sunne Moone Starres Fishes Fowles Plants Hearbs Grasse Beastes and such like which God created before he created Adam by Christ for Adams sake because he purposed not to take the nature of Angels or of any other creature but of Adam and that he might be knowne in his power and louing kindnesse to Adam by his workes For he fore-purposing to make Adam both King and Father of all the Earth would not haue his wittes entangled with cares for this life but to haue his affections setled on heauenly things that he might continue holy and blamelesse before him as Mat. 6.25 Take no care what you shall eate or what you shall drinke nor yet for your body what rayment you shall put on Behold the Fowles neither sow nor reape and your heauenly Father feedeth them Are yee not much better then they How much more then shall he doe the same for you For he knoweth yee haue need of all these thinges But first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Math 6.33 For no mans life standeth in the aboundance of thinges which he possesseth Now followeth Adams creation HEe was made the sixt day as it is gathered in September of the dust of the earth vpon Mount Moriah which is a Mountaine adioyning to the gates of the Garden of Eden into which Garden hee was put to dresse it about sixe of the clocke in the morning as we account when men commonly goe to labour as should appeare by the Psal 104.23 where it is said Adam goeth foorth in the morning to his labour This is not particularly meant of Adam but generally of all men no doubt alluding to the time of Adams creation Hee had dominion giuen him ouer all things and witte like to an Angell to giue names to all Beastes free libertie to eate of all the Trees in the Garden The Tree of knowledge of good and ill onely excepted As if God should haue said vnto him as Moses afterwardes sayd to the Children of Israel I set heere before you life and death eate of the one and liue and eate of the other and die eternally Yet could not he be content with this glorious estate but did eate of the forbidden Fruite by the perswasion of the Woman which God framed out of Adams Ribbe and ioyned to him to be an helpe for him before they had continued in Paradice one day as it is written Psal 49.20 Adam being in honour continueth not a night but is like to the Beastes that perish which Woman was deceiued by the subtiltie of a Serpent that is of the Deuill speaking in a Serpent which Beast was fittest to possesse to the deceiuing of her because he excelled all other Beastes in the Field in witte For if an Asse had sayd so much to her as did the Serpent it is very likely shee would haue examined the cause further But hee hauing once been an Angell of light but not keeping his first originall being throwne downe from Heauen continuing his knowledge though he lost his vertue was not to seeke either for meanes matter or oportunitie enuying their estates to bring his murtherous purpose to passe for so is he called the Serpent the old Deuill or Satan who was a
God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power knowen suffer with long patience the vessels of wrath appointed for destruction What art thou that disputest with God Esay 45.7 It is I that created the light and the darknes I make peace and trouble euen I the Lord doe all these thinges Woe be vnto him that striueth with his Maker the Pot-soerd with the Potter Sayth the Clay to the Potter What makest thou or thy worke serueth for nothing Woe be vnto him that sayth vnto his Father Why begattest thou and to his Mother Why barest thou Thus sayth the Lord euen the holy one and maker of Israel That their Sinne is the cause of their Condemnation and God not the author of it Prouerbs 29.6 The Sinne of the wicked is their owne snare Esay 50.1 For your Offences are you sold and because of your Transgression is your Mother forsaken Esay 59.2 Their Misdeedes haue separated them from their God and their Sinnes haue hid his face from them that he heareth them not They hope in vaine thinges imagining deceit and bringing foorth euill they breed Cockatrises egges and weaue the Spiders webbe who so eateth of their egges dieth but if one tread vpon them there commeth vp a Serpent Their deedes are the deedes of wickednes and the worke of robberie is in their handes Their feete runne to euill they make haste to shed innocent blood All their counsels are wicked harme and destruction are in their wayes but the way of peace they haue not knowen In their goinges there is no equitie their wayes are so crooked that whosoeuer goeth therein knoweth of no peace And this is the cause They looke for light and loe it is darknesse They grope like the blind vpon the wall euen as one that hath no eyes They roare like Beares and mourne like Doues looking for health but it is farre from them for their Offences are many and their Sinnes testifie against the Lord. They will not confesse and acknowledge their Sinnes but doe amisse transgresse and dissemble against the Lord and fall away from their God vsing presumptuous and traiterous imaginations in their hearts casting away equitie truth and righteousnesse but the Lord holdeth him selfe by his owne power and he susteineth him by his owne righteousnesse He putteth on wrath in stead of cloathing and taketh Ielousie about him for a cloake Like as when aman goeth forth wrathfully to recompence his enimies and to be auenged of his aduersaries But vnto Sion hee is a redeemer and of Iacob which turne from their wickednesse he is a sauiour and hee will giue them an euerlasting name that shall not perish Esay 57.15 Thus sayth the high and excellent euen hee that dwelleth in eternitie whose name is the Holy one I dwell high aboue and in the Sanctuarie and with him also that is of a contrite humble Spirit doe I pitch my habitation Psal 104.35 As for sinners they shall be consumed out of the earth and the vngodly shall come to an end Psal 59.12 For the sinne of their mouth and for the wordes of their lippes they shall be taken in their pride And why Their preaching is of cursing and lyes Psal 62.4 Their deuise is onely how to put him out whom God hath exalted their delight is in lyes they giue good wordes with their mouth but curse with their heart Psalm 69.26 For they persecute him whom the Lord hath smitten and they talke how they may vexe him whom hee hath wounded 2. Thes 2.11 Therefore shall the Lord send them strong delusions that all they might be damned which beleeued not the trueth but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes and obeyed not the Gospell of our Lord Iesus With euerlasting damnation shall they be punished from the presence of the Lord and from the presence of his power Psal 51.4 That he may be iustified in his sayinges and cleare when he iudgeth That in the fulnesse of time all should be brought vnder one head Ephes 1.10 FVlnesse of time is here taken for the time of Christs death whose death should accomplish the ceremony and oblation and breake downe the wall betweene the Iewe and the Gentile When men should looke no longer for saluation onely from Ierusalem but should praise God euerie where their hearts being assured that they were members of Christ the head The Heathen not taking notice of this could neuer come to saluation The blind Iewes not marking this ioyned with Chittem in the second degree which are the Romanes to crucifie Christ the King the most holy because hee testified of himselfe that he was that Day Starre which was to appeare That Scepter that should dash all the sons of Seth The Ladder by whom the Angels of God ascended and descended Shiloh Emmanuel the Lyon of the tribe of Iuda The Roote of Iessay The stone which the builders refused The true Manna That Spirituall Rocke that would giue wathers of Life The True Bread that came downe from heauen Hee vnto whom the crowne and Diademe did belong Michael who thought it no robbery to be equal with God The Stone that should punne Nebuchadnetzars Image to duste Palmonie the secrete Numberer Hee who wayeth numbreth and deuideth the Great Sheepheard of his sheepe The True Vine from whose sides doth proceede wine of euerlasting life Hee that came to do the will of his Father Iohn 4.10 Hee that met with the woman of Samaria at Iacobs well to whom he promised euerlasting water The Stumling blocke to the Iewes The Light to the Gentiles The Eye to the blind and an Helpe to the lame For that is his name God is my strength my righteousnes c. Wherfore he hath made them Vagabonds ouer the whole earth and hath brought that Abhomination of desolation vpon them whereby their Citie and Sanctuarie is destroyed And why because they would not know the Fulnesse of time the day of saluation The Crane the Swallow and the Turtle Doue doe know their time but my people will not know the time of my comming saith the Lord. Also our Sauiour Christ saith Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharises Hipocrites you can discerne the wind the weather but you know not the time of the comming of the sonne of man which they might haue knowen from Dan. 9.24 where the Angel Gabriel saith 70 Seauens or 490. yeeres are determined for the death of Christ the King the most holy to finish sinne to reconcile iniquitie to bring in Iustice to seale the vision prophet and to annoint the Most Holy By which we are constrained highly to esteeme of the knowledge of the times for they are of as great force to the vnderstanding of the Bible as the starres are in the heauens for giuing of light No part of the Bible but consisteth of time place or person If of time as one third part then the knowledge thereof is to be imbraced and in no respect to be despised as lightly regarding the vse thereof least
controuersie betweene the Women for the dead Child Christ at Twelue yeares of age is found disputing among the Doctors He likewise ordained Twelue Apostles and Twelue times did he appeare after his resurrection In the Reuelation of euery Tribe is sealed Twelue thousand The heauenly Ierusalem is described to haue Twelue Foundations of 12. precious Stones Twelue Gates and Twelue Angels and the Names written of the Twelue Apostles and through the Cittie there runneth a pure Riuer and on either side of the Riuer the Tree of Life which beareth Twelue manner of Fruites and beareth Fruite euery moneth in the yeare and the leaues of the Tree doe serue to heale the Nations with Now the reason why God in the beginning layde downe in close signification and such easie proportions the whole scope of his gouernment to the Worldes end is to shew that his Wisedome is infinite and that nothing in the Scriptures doth fall out by chaunce but by his forepurpose according to the secret counsel of his owne will to make vs still looke backe vnto the Creation Seth borne Gen. 5. when Adam is 130. yeares old ADam was make in the image of God Seth is begotten in the image of Adam to shew that whatsoeuer is borne of the flesh is flesh and whatsoeuer is borne of the spirit is spirit When Adam was 130. yeares old hee begetteth Seth being as may be gathered not one day more nor one day lesse And this rule serueth for all the Ten Fathers before the Flood The holy Ghost keeping an exact Chronicle of the times beginneth at Adam and so goeth forward laying downe the particular ages of the Fathers vnto the Flood saying When Adam is 130. yeares old Seth is borne Now if he had been one day more the number had not been perfect if one lesse it had not been exact We may better therefore conclud that all the ten Fathers were borne on the sixt day that is the day of Adams creation rather then on any other day seeing it can not well be denied and that it crosseth neither Storie nor rule of Religion Seth signifieth Setled or Foundation Hee knew the Creator and that the world should be founded vpon him Esay 58.11 The Wicked haue no sure foundation but are like to the Chaffe in a Summer floore But the Godly shall be like a fresh watred Garden and like the Fountaine of water that neuer leaueth running whose foundation is layde for many generations For as a Tree that hath sure rootes will beare many Branches so to be setled in Religion as Seth was many things will appeare to be of singular force Seth died being 912. yeares old Now compare him with Christ thus Seth His name signifieth Foundation He was begotten in the image of Adam Christ The Rocke and sure Foundation of his Church The very caracter of his Father Enosh borne when Seth is 105. yeares old In these numbers you haue 10. multiplyed by 10. and 5. which is the number of the letters of Iehouah HIs name signifieth Sorowfull Euery man is called sorowfull Enosh and the Hebrew tongue sometime calleth a man Enosh and sometimes Adam The Caldeans call a man Enosh but not Adam because they had not the antiquitie of the Creation of the world In Enosh his time Religion decayed in the house of God for which the Flood came and drowned the World This Sorrow is called a Godly sorrow to which the Lord hath added a Blessing as Mat. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourne for they shall receiue comfort And Ecclesiastes 7.5 Crauitie is better then laughter for when the countenaunce is heauie the heart is reformed And Christ in Luk. 6.21 sayth Blessed are yee that weepe now for yee shall laugh Christ being sorrowfull for the negligence of the Iewes knowing that they should be plagued for not embracing the Promise to Abraham Isaacke and Iacob weepeth ouer Ierusalem saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem O sight of peace O sight of peace If thou haddest knowen those thinges that belong to thy peace And so with griefe and sorrow of heart he leaueth off as not able to expresse the summe of his sorrow Againe with like sorrow he sayth How often would I haue gathered you togeather as a Henne gathereth her Chickens and you would not Enosh dyed being 905. yeares old Kenan borne when Enosh was 90. yeares old HIs name signifieth Contrite or small store Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen Esay 57.15 Thus sayth the High and Excellent euen hee that dwelleth in Eternitie whose name is the Holy one I dwell high aboue and in the Sanctuarie and with him also that is of a Contrite spirit doe I dwell that I may heale a troubled minde and a Contrite heart Psal 51.17 An humble and Contrite heart the Lord doth not despise Therefore shall euery godly man prayse the Lord without ceasing Kenan dyed being 910 yeares old Mahalaleel borne when Kenan was 70. yeares old You haue in this number ten seuens or seuen multiplyed by ten which is 70 which is the number of his natiuitie wherein you haue a sweete resemblance of the Creation of which number many excellent thinges are to be spoken which I will handle afterwardes THis name signifieth My prayse God Leah nameth her fourth sonne Iuda the Father of Shiloh Prayse God for so his name likewise signifieth The vse of this ought to be imbraced of all seeing it stretcheth to the saluation of all It appeareth hereby that the godly Fathers in auncient time had wonderfull regard in naming their Children For if you doe marke the whole Stories of the Bible you shall finde very few notable men whether they were godly or wicked but they containe rare matter in their names From Mahalaleel we are taught to Prayse God aright that is in sinceritie of spirit with sounde knowledge grounded vpon the trueth of his word David knowing that prayse giuing to God is not onely required at our hands but also at euery creatures in their kind biddeth the whole course of Nature Prayse the Lord. And in Psalm 47.6 hee sayth O sing prayses sing prayses vnto our God O sing prayses sing prayses vnto our King for the Lord is high and to be feared Hee is the great King vpon all the earth sing prayses therefore with vnderstanding Hee sheweth vs a reason in the 19. Psal 1. when he sayth The Heauens declare the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handie worke One day telleth another one night certifieth another c. Therefore let the wordes of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be alway acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Locke and my Redeemer Whereby we are taught that the true prayse of God consisteth not onely in outward acknowledging of his workes and his iudgementes for that the wicked are often times compelled to confesse as Pharaoh Nebucadnetzar and others but we must prayse God so as that all our
thanks and all our actions may tende to the acknowledging of the Redemption by Christ For so doth Dauid In this 19. Psalme hee beginneth with the Creation and endeth with the Redemption Let vs therefore with him also say Psal 103.1 Prayse the Lord O my soule and all that is within mee prayse his holy name which forgiueth all thy sinne and healeth all thine infirmities which saueth thy life from destruction and crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnesse And Psalm 105.1 O giue thankes vnto the Lord and call vpon his holy name tell the people what thinges hee hath done O let your songes be of him and prayse him and let your talking be of all his wondrous workes Reioyce in his holy name Let the heart of them reioyce that seeke the Lord. O seeke the Lord and his strength seeke his face euermore Mahalaleel died being 895. yeares old Iared borne when Mahalaleel was 65. yeares old For this number 65. it is the halfe of 130. HIs name signifieth Lowly or Meeke Hee was 162. yeares old before he marryed because at that time he had knowledge of the Flood that it should come therefore he consecrated his sonne to God How precious a vertue this Meekenesse is and how highly to be imbraced wee may know by open experience if wee examine how God from the beginning hath gouerned the World for God respecteth not the person of any man that he should feare him Hee ouerthrew the rebellious Nimrod and the rest of the Nephewes of Noah that would haue a Name and turned their speach into Babling Hee plagued that flouting Ismael and quayled that doughtie Esau Hee drowned stout Pharaoh in the red Sea and ouerthrew the iron Chariots of Sisera at the waters of Mageddon Hee smote diuers Nations and slew mightie Kinges Schon King of the Amorites and Ogg the King of Basan and all the Kingdomes of Canaan Hee foyled the proud Philistine and heawed the horne of Agag in peeces Hee made Iesabel a prey for Dogges and wicked Achab to be slaine in the vallie of Iesrael Hee made king Ioakim to be buried like an Asse and prophane Nebuchadnetzar to eate Grasse like an Oxe Hee made drunken Baltasar to tremble like a Leafe and Antiochus the vilde to be deuowred of Wormes to shew that he regardeth not proud lookes or feareth the Kinges displeasure For hee setteth vp Kinges and pulleth downe Kings as Luk. 1.48 Hee looked on the low degree of his Handmayde Hee hath shewed strength with his Arme Hee hath scattered the proud in the imaginations of their heartes Hee hath put downe the Mightie from their seates and hath exalted the Humble and Meeke As Ioseph out of the Dungeon Dauid from the Sheepcoates Daniel from the Lyons denne Peter and Iohn from mending their Nettes and made them Rulers ouer mightie Nations and Teachers to the Princes of the earth Matth. 5.5 Therefore blessed are the meeke for they shall receiue the inheritance of the earth Christ being meeke was led as a Sheepe vnto the slaughter not epening his mouth Iared died being 962. yeares old While hee liued there was no proclayming of the Flood but presently after there was 7. Henoch the seuenth borne when Iared was 162. yeares old HIs name signifieth Holy or Dedicated to God The name sheweth his fathers affection in giuing him vnto God answerable vnto Abraham in offering Isaacke Henoch of Kaine was contrarie in signification to this Henoch the one Dedicated to God the other to the Possessions of this World For Kaine after his curse wandring to the land of Nod buildeth a Citie and calleth it after the name of his sonne Henoch The other Henoch though indeed a rare man yet was 65. yeares without anie mention of his integritie And after that his holinesse is made manifest in this that he found fauour with God his calling was very glorious being made a Preacher to declare saluation to all that would beleeue in Christ and his owne actions of life to be performed in the highest degree of vertue Whereby we are taught to be holy and blamelesse before God not giuing our members subiectes vnto wantonnesse or pleasures of this life but esteeming the world as though it were not and possesse it as though we possest it not putting on the New man Christ Iesus that we may be holy euen as he is holy 7. You haue heere the number of Seuen to shew that Henoch is the seuenth from Adam for so he is called in the Epistle of Iude. Hee was no doubt a very rare man seeing that he is commended of the Holy Ghost to haue Walked with God to haue his yeares answerable to the dayes of the Sunne registred to be the seuenth from Adam a Sabaoth keeper for his yeares do agree with the number of the Sabaoth which number of Seuen or of the Sabaoth throughout the Bible doth still put vs in minde of the Creation and so of the true keeping of the Sabaoth For in the beginning God made the World in sixe dayes and rested the seuenth and hallowed and sactified the same and commaunded it to be kept Holy throughout all generations And to resemble the same in his Creation before there was a Sabaoth he made the seuen Starres in the Heauens which the Philosophers call Planets which haue force in the whole course of Nature which he in his wisedome placed there that the very Heathen and such as would not take notice of the Sabaoth might haue the name thereof in their mouthes although they made no vse therof in their heartes Henoch is taken vp being 365. yeares old His taking vp did shew what should be the state of the Godly Hee was taken vp in despight of the wicked and in recompence of his owne fayth Hee was taken vp 57. yeares after Adams death all the Fathers being then aliue And it may be the Fathers did see him taken vp as a figure of Christes ascension The wicked might then say Where is the appearance of the Flood for Adam is dead and Henoch is taken vp and all things continue as from the beginning In that God bestowed so short life vpon Henoch it sheweth that hee would bestow greater blessinges on him in an other kind His yeares are answerable to the dayes of the Sunne 365. yeares a yeare for a day And as the Sunne excelleth all other Starres in brightnesse so did his life excell all other men then aliue in the World for vertue Hee is also sayd to haue Walked with God to be a preacher of Righteousnesse to be taken vp These foure speciall commendations are of equall glorie and wee may be assured by these testimonies that his Godlynesse was verie rare The Grecians say that hee left a booke behind him of his preaching But thereby as much as in them lyeth they call into question the truth of the Scriptures For first by this opinion they derogate from the glorie of Moses that he should not be the first writer Secondly
kindes of Beasts in the Arke which came to the Arke at the appointment of God to the condemnation of all the world For it appeareth that the very bruite Beasts had more regard to themselues than the wicked mockers which despised the preaching of Noah and the making of the Arke who sayd where is the appearance of his comming Euer since the Fathers died all things continue in one state Winter Summer Spring Haruest c. And while they were thus saying the Flood comes and washeth away their foundations But saith S. Peter in this they are willingly ignorant for euen as before the Flood they married feasted builded goodlie houses c. euen to the day that Noah entred into the Arke and neuer thought the preaching of Noah true because all things continued still in the same sort they thought it vnpossible that the waters which were beneath the valleyes could couer the highest mountaines fifteene cubits and yet this they might haue knowen that as the waters in the Creation couered the earth till God commaunded them to goe to their Channell euen so againe at the commandement of God they could returne to couer it Saint Pteer therefore addeth that these men were willinglie ignorant The Arke rested vpon Mount Ararat which is a Mountaine in Armenia and signifieth Take away feare Whereby we are to note that Whosoeuer dwelleth vnder the defence of the most High and shall say vnto the Lord thou art my Hope my strong Hold and my GOD in whom I put my trust shall not be afrayde for any Terrour by night nor for the Arrow that flyeth by day for the Pestilence that walketh in darknesse nor the Sicknesse that destroyeth in the noone day For a thousand shall fall at their right hand and ten thousand at their left hand but they shall not be touched With their eyes shall they see the raward of the vngodly for the Lord is their hope and he hath set his house of defence very high With long life will hee satisfie them and through his louing kindnesse will hee shew them his saluation Let euery one therefore say The Lord is my Light and my Saluation whom then shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life whereof then should I be afraid for in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Tabernacle and set me vp vpon a Rocke of Stone Now compare Christ and the Arke togeather The Arke had a Dore by the which Noah and his houshold entred into it to the sauing of them Mount Ararat take away feare Christ Is the Dore by whom we enter into the Holy of Holiest to the sauing of our soules Is that Mount Ararat vpon whose shoulders if we rest we need not feare what man can doe vnto vs. The persons were Noah Iaphet Sem Cham and their Wiues Pas 30.3 The Lord hath brought my soule out of Hell kept my life from them that go downe to the pit By fayth Noah prepared the Arke to the sauing of his household Heb. 11.7 Noah Walked with God therefore it is certaine that the spirit of Christ preached by him For S. Peter giueth a rule The spirit of Christ spake in all the Prophets His calling was very glorious being made a Preacher to declare saluation to all which would beleeue in Christ How hee was receiued it is manifest seeing hee preuayled with a very few yet the word of God is not in vaine For seeing they refused the mercie of God offered in Christ it is certaine Noah would preach the Iudgements of God the other part of the Gospell which the Latines call Excommunication the Hebrewes The Lord commeth The Hebrewes and with them the Greeke Orators doe vse to feigne Prosopopeia which is a Conference or Communication when they meane to expresse thinges more at full So we may imagine Tubalkaine to say Surely Noah is an honest man and payeth well for his worke and hee hath with very great charges kept a great sort of Labourers these sixe score yeares What should hee meane by this Surely answereth Iubal I will tell you strange thinges Seuen of my best Rammes and seuen of my best Ewes ranne from my flocke right-foorth to the Arke there they went in And an other standing by replyeth I am sure I can tell sayth hee as great a maruell as this for comming by a Wood I saw a fearefull Lyon and a fierce Lyonesse and they went as gentlely by me as two Lambes not offering to doe me any hurt and came to the Arke and there were Plankes set and they went in Yea sayth an other I saw a huge Beare doe the like And so they might speake of the rest of the Beastes This might driue them to an amazednesse but this could not saue them And hereby it is apparant that it is not in our power to repent when we list for this is not repentance to be sorie for our sinnes there is no man so wicked but hath done so There must be also a turning to God which is neuer except we be lightned by his spirit The Lord vseth first to offer mercie which if it be contemned be hardeneth our heartes that thereby we may be made more fit for his iudgments C ham was saued in the Arke to be a scourge for all the rest And if you marke through the Bible you shall finde that God dealeth in the like seueritie For euery good Familie hath one of Chams impietie to persecute him ADAM had The Serpent to tempt him Abel had Kaine to kill him Isaack had Ismael to floute him Iacob had Esau to pursue him Ioseph had His owne brethren to sell him Iob had His Wife and Friends to reprooue him The Israelites had Pharaoh to afflict them Dauid had Saul and Absolon to persecute him The Iewes had The Babilonians The Medes Persians The Grecians The Syrogrecians to subdue them CHRIST had She Iewes and Romanes to Crucifie him The time of the continuance of the Flood is thus described IN the dayes of the Flood Moses teacheth two thinges the dayes of the Moneth and the dayes of the whole Yeare For he writeth that the Flood began the Seuenteenth day of the second Moneth that the Waters preuayled 150 dayes that the next day after 150. was the Seuenteenth day of the seuenth Moneth Sixe and fourty dayes had passed before the Flood for the Seuen and Fortie day I meane the Seuenteeth day of the Second moneth the Flood began Ioyne One Hundred and Fiftie with Sixe and Fortie they make plainely One hundred nintie and Sixe dayes which diuided by Thirite leaue Sixe exact moneths and the Seuenteenth dayes of the seuenth Moneth in which Moses writeth that the Arke rested Hereby it is most euident that in auncient time they had 30. dayes to a Moneth Moreouer a moderate expounder of Moses shall find 365. dayes in the yeare of the Flood thus The first day of the tenth Moneth 271. dayes from the beginning of the yeare the toppes of the
Election The last is true Holines That this Election or louing kindnes of God toward vs is of the will of God according to the counsell of his owne will and not drawne from him by force by helpe of Saintes or as being by workes meritorious of the same it may appeare Esay 63.16 Abraham knoweth vs not neither is Israel acquainted with vs but thou Lord art our Father and Redeemer and of very louing kindnes thou hast redeemed vs thy name is Euerlaistng Rom. 8.34 It is Christ onely that maketh intercession for vs. Esay 43.25 I am hee onely which for mine owne selfes sake doe away thine offences and forget thy sinnes for what hast thou to make thee righteous with Thy first Father offended sore and thy Rulers haue sinned against me Thou art like a thing of naught thy time passeth away like a shadow Ier. I loue thee with an euerlasting loue therefore by my mercie haue I drawne thee to mee And Iohn 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father draw him as it is written Esay 54.13 They shall be all taught of God Esay 26.12 Lord thou hast wrought all our workes Phil. 2.13 It is God that worketh in you both the will and also the deed euen of his good will 2. Cor. 3.5 Wee are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but if wee be able the same commeth of God which made vs able Esay 51.12 Yea I euen I am hee that in all thinges giueth you consolation Psal 130.7 For with the Lord there is mercy and with him is plentious redemption 1. Pet. 1.2 Wee are elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father through the sanctifying of the Spirit vnto obedience and sprinkling the blood of Iesus Christ Psal 90.2 Before the Mountaines were brought foorth or euer the Earth and the World were made thou art our God from euerlasting to euerlasting thou turnest man vnto dust and sayest returne ye sonnes of Adam Rom. 9.11 Before the Children were borne and when they had done neither good nor euill that the purpose of God might stand not by workes but by the Caller it was said The greater shall serue the lesser as it is written Mala. 1.2.3 Iacob haue I loued Esau haue I hated Iohn 13.18 I know whom I haue chosen Psal 135.6 Whatsoeuer the Lord pleased that did he in heauen and in earth and in the sea in all deepe places Rom. 11.5.6 There is a remnant left according to the election of grace If it be of grace then it is not now of workes for then grace is no more grace But if it be of workes then it is now no grace What then Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh but the Election hath obtained it 2. These 2.13 We are bound to giue thankes alwayes to God because that God hath from the beginning chosen vs to saluation through sanctifying of the spirit and through beleeuing of the truth to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 8.30 Moreouer whom he appointed before them also hee called And whom he hath called them also hee iustified and whom he iustified them hee also glorified Now followeth the effect of Election either in respect of the Elect or Reiect And first for the Elect. THE Elect whom God in his mercie hath saued for his righteousnesse sake and not for their desertes he guideth by the grace of his holy Spirit as Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God Esay 43.7 All those that are called by my name I haue created fashioned and made for my honour Yet he leaueth them sometimes vnto themselues that they may acknowledge the weakenes of their owne nature as Noah Lot Iacob Dauid Salomon Peter and others but neuer suffereth them to fall quite away as appeareth Esay 54.8 A little while haue I forsaken thee but with great mercy will I take thee vp vnto mee When I was angry with thee I hid my face from thee for a little season but through euerlasting mercy haue I redeemed thee sayth the Lord thy Redeemer The Mountaines shall mooue and the Hilles shall fall downe but my Louing kindnesse shall not mooue and the bond of my peace shall not fall downe from thee sayth the Lord thy mercifull louer Psalm 37.23 The Lord ordereth a good mans going and maketh his way acceptable vnto himselfe Though he fall he shall not be cast away for the Lord vpholdeth him with his hand Psal 103.10 He dealeth not with them after their sinnes nor rewardeth them according to their wickednes but looke how the Heauen is in comparison of the Earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him for he knoweth whereof they be made and he remembreth that they are but dust He saueth their life from destruction and crowneth them with mercy and louing kindnesse Esay 54.17 Loe this is the heritage of the Lords Seruants and their righteousnes commeth of mee sayth the Lord. The Reiect hee leaueth to their owne selues hardning their owne heartes that hee may haue occasion of iudgement against them Esay 57.20 They are like to the raging Sea that can not rest whose water fometh with the myre and grauell for they haue no peace with God The Winde shall blow them foorth and Vanitie shall take them all away they are like to Dust before the Winde and like to the Chaffe in a Sommer floore Psal 73.4 The Lord suffereth them to come in no perill of death but they are lusty and strong they come in no danger like other folke neither are they plagued like other men And this is the cause that they be so holden with pride and overwhelmed with crueltie their eyes swell with fatnesse and they doe euen what they lust They corrupt others and speake wicked blasphemie their talking is against the most highest Tush say they how shall God perceiue it is there knowledge in the most highest Loe these are the vngodly and these haue riches in possession Such were Kaine the wicked mockers before the floode Cham the builders of Babel the vncleane Citties Ismael Esau Pharaoh Moab Ammon The wicked oppressers Saul Absalon the Kings of Israel and the Kings of Babel Antiochus the vild Herod Pilate and Iudas the traytour and many others who brought vpon themselues iust cause of eternall condemnation Psa 73.18 The Lord hath set them in slipperie places and casteth them downe and destroyeth them Oh how suddenly doe they consume and perish and come to a fearefull end Yea euen like as a dreame doth hee make their image to vanish Some folishly dispute Why God hath not saued all things seeing he made all they are answered Ier. 12.1 The Lord is more righteous then that he should be disputed with Ier. 18.6 They are in the hand of the Lord as the clay in the hand of the potter Rom. 9.21 God maketh of one lumpe of clay one vessell to honour another to dishonour What if
his will what we ought to doe to please him and then induceth vs thereunto not onely by hope of eternall life but promiseth vs in this life long and happy dayes as in the eternall Law is expressed Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee c. Henoch therefore being assured of the infinite mercies of God towards him and his seed by fayth still beholding as in a glasse the Redemption by the Sonne of God the summe of all saluation nameth his sonne Methushelah Long life or Speare-death For euen as the poynt of a Speare keepeth off that which would otherwise destroy euen so Methushelah kept away the Flood a long time from drowning the World But because men should not thinke that any liueth without calamities least outward happines should make men to forget God Methushelah hauing heard his fathers and himselfe also being a Prophet preach of the destruction of the World by the Flood calleth his sonne Lamech that is Stroken or Heart-wounded which is to be vnderstood that in respect that he being neere those times of dangers many of his posteritie were like to be drowned not onely in the flood but eternally tormented for ioyning with the wicked mockers which despised the preaching of the Fathers But although God throweth mens consciences downe for a while with griefe of other mens iust punishment yet he rayseth them vp againe giuing them hope of his assured Promises and a sweete comfort of eternall life Lamech being thus strengthened with the fayth of his Fathers ayming still to the sentence of Saluation pronounced in Paradise calleth his sonne Noah Restorer or Comforter saying This Sonne shall comfort vs concerning the sorrow of our hands and concerning the earth which the Lord hath cursed Wherein he sheweth that he both looked backward to the Creation formard to the Redemption by Christ The Seed of the Woman that should bruse the head of the Serpent Thus much for the vse of the names of the ten Fathers before the Food in generll Now followeth the liues and deaths of the Fathers in particular and first of Adam There is a great doubt made of the time of the yeare of Adams Creation and of the day of his fall and is refused as a thing vnprofitable to be knowne and Vnpossible to be prooued First for the time of his Creation IT is certaine hee was created in September at the time that Fruits be ripe which is at the fall of the Leafe And that was the fittest time seeing in the course of Nature there was no fitter time to expresse the nature of Adams fall And as the fall of Adam was answerable to the fall of the Leafe because by his fall death was brought vpon all So the death of Christ beeing contrary to Adams fall because it brought life to all the fittest time to resemble this life in the course of Nature was the Spring Therefore Christ dyed at the Spring to deliuer vs out of the spirituall Prison when as all thinges shew them-selues to be deliuered out of this earthly Iayle Now for the day of Adams fall IT was on Fryday the sixt day the day of Adams creation at the time of eating For we doe not read that euer Adam did eate before he did eate of the forbidden fruite Therefore when by the storie the time of eating cannot be seperated in time reason sheweth vs to ioyne them in time For Satan was a murderer from the beginning and wee must bring it from the beginning as neare as can be not crossing any Scripture The searching of this matter is not of small importance For from the true vnderstanding of the Creation we see the clearenes of the Redemption and not marking the Creation aright is the cause of much folly and they that misse of the lawes of Creation are sure to misse of the lawes of Redemption and Moses making mention of many Times hee would not haue omitted the time of the Fall except it had been done presently after the Creation therefore Adams fall must needs be layd as neere the beginning as may be not crossing the Storie The bare Narration sheweth that no famous action went betweene the Commandement and the Fall And the shortnesse of the time doth shew the force of the Aduersarie Besides it is a great sinne to say that any man except Christ could fulfill perfectly any one poynt of the Law for thereby we darken the glory of Christ and prooue him not to haue performed the whole Law If Adam had continued vntill the Sabaoth in his innocencie no doubt he would haue kept a perfect Sabaoth And if he had kept a perfect Sabaoth he had performed some part of the Law and thereby been partaker with Christ in the worke of our Redemption Againe if Adam had continued in the image of God which is in righteousnesse and true holinesse vntill the Sabaoth he would haue performed the ordinances of the Sabaoth which was to eate of the Tree of life for God after his fall setteth Cherubins to keepe the way of the Tree of life least Adam eating should liue for euer Whereby it appeareth that if he had eaten thereof before he had not fallen Therefore it cannot be that Adam continued perfect vnto the Sabaoth And further it is written Psal 49.20 Adam beeing in honour continueth not one night but is like to the Beastes that perish Cedrenus a Greeke writer sayth That Adam fell the sixt day of the first weeke Saint Augustine sayth The Woman straight way after her creation before she accompanied with Adam became into the transgression otherwise Kaine had been conceaued without sinne Theophilact vpon Matthew sayth That as Man was formed the sixt day and did eate of the Tree the sixt houre so Christ reforming Man and healing the fall was fastned to the Tree the sixt day and the sixt houre And in the storie of the Creation in Genesis presently after the fall Moses speaketh of the Redemption And without we compare the Creation with the Redemption we misse of all For Adam to be compared with Christ is the summe of all And wherefore should all the actions of the Redemption be accomplished in such rarenesse except to be answerable both to the fall and to the time of the fall Wherefore it is needfull we should know our thraldome if we will receiue comfort by the Redeemer thus First Christ the Restorer was borne of a Virgin Why Because by a Virgin destruction came to the world Chrysostome compareth Eue and Marie togeather thus Eue being a Virgin hearing the wordes of the Serpent and beleeuing them brought foorth Death The Virgin Marie hearing the wordes of the Angel Gabriel and beleeuing them brought foorth Life Againe why should Christ die on the sixt day rather then on the fifth or fourth And why was there darkenesse vntill the coole of the day rather then till the Sunne setting But to make the
or middlemost but in Gods free election standeth our eternall happines Three Angels appeared to Abraham in his Tent. Three foures of precious Stones were set in Aarons brest Three thinges reserued in the Arke The Booke of the Law The Potte of Manna Aarons Rodde that did alwayes florish Three taken vp in the Old Testament and three in the New Three partes was Ierusalem deuided into Three Letters the roote of euery word in the Hebrew tongue Three Captiuities of the Iewes Three times was the Temple grosly polluted by the Babylonians Antiochi Romanes Three times a yeare were the Iewes bound to come to Ierusalem to giue accompt of their Religion Three dayes nightes was Ionas in the Whales belly Three nightes and dayes was Christ in the Graue Three Iohns viz. Iohn Baptist Luke 1.60 Iohn Euangelist Mat. 4.21 Iohn Marke Act. 12.25 Job saued three Eliphaz Sophar Bildad Daniel saued three Ananias Azarias Mishael Noah saued three Sem. Cham. Japhet In the third seauenth Iubilee the Iewes fell away and then Ieremie said O Earth heare the worde of the Lord c. The Title ouer Christ on the Crosse was written in Three tongues Hebrew Greeke Latin Although it may not bee vrged that all these Threes haue full relation to the Trinitie seeing they fall not out by chaunce yet wee are not to despise the pleasant harmonie and comfortable vse of them but to thinke that the wisedome of God hath contriued saluation into such a sweet Art that verie children may learne the same and therefore the Scripture is called verie fitly a shallow water and a deepe fountaine shallow that the Lambe may wade and deepe that the Elephant may swimme FOVRE Foure Is a square number and vsuall Heber the fourth after the Flood Iuda the fourth sonne of Iacob Foure square signifieth true Religion Moses fourth sonne in the fourth age was Sacrificer to the Tribe of Dan. Foure times seuen Iubilees the time of Christes death Foure The forme of the heauenly Ierusalem FIVE Fiue the letters of Iehouah The fiue Vowels the sinewes of all Tongues Christ seedeth 5000. with Fiue Loaues SIXE Sixe The day of Adams creation which number is often times vsed in the Scripture to put vs in minde of the Creation Sixe hundred thousand fighting men came out of Egipt Sixe hundred yeares old was Noah at the flood Sixe times seuen Standinges had the Children of Israel in the Wildernes Sixe yeares was the land of Canaan in conquering Sixe Cities of refuge for one that killed a man by chance and not of malice had the Iewes to flie vnto Sixe times did the Children of Israel fall before Diuids time in the time of the Iudges SEVEN Seuen the number of the Sabaoth which number of Seuen as it is famous for the Creation so God comtinueth the same proportion throughout the Bible to the Redemption For as God the Father made the World in sixe dayes and rested the seuenth so God the Sonne hauing performed his Fathers will resteth the seuenth day in the Graue Seuen is a yeare of Grace Seuen Planets in the Firmament which Plato compareth to the number of seuen Starres in Apo. 1.16 Seuen yeares was the land of Canaan plagued for that Ioseph the beloued of the Lord should haue been slaine by his Brethren Seuen Stones in the Temple Gods seuenfold Wisedome or Prouidence in all his actions Seuen eyes to looke vpon the Building of euery Stone in in the Temple of Ierusalem Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was setling in rest Seuen yeares the Temple was in building Seuen yeares Nebuchadnetzar was a Beast for destroying the Temple Seuen Gates in the Temple before you come to the Holy of Holiest Seuen Branches did the Candlesticke in the Temple stand vpon which had 24. Knobbes signifying the sixe dayes worke the seuenth day of rest in the Creation Seuen Moneths was the Tabernacle in building Seuen Iubilees was the Arke in the house of Ioseph Seuen Trumpeters is a great number that doe alwayes sound Gods prayse Henoch the seuenth from Adam Heber the seuenth from Henoch Isaach the seuenth from Heber Moses the seuenth from Abraham Iosua the seuenth from Ephraim Elias taken vp in the seuenth age from Samuel Ioram the seuenth from Dauid Salomons Temple was consecrated in the seuenth moneth answerable to the birth of the Fathers The ceremonie of the Feast of Tabernacles continued seuen dayes After the comming from Egipt it was seuen times seuen dayes before the Law was giuen Seuen times seuen dayes after Christes resurrection descended the holy Ghost The stories of the Scriptures goe by seuens from Moses till Christs death thus Seuen yeares the land of Canaan was in conquering Seuen fifties for the glorie of Iosephs house Seuen seuenties for the house of Iudah Seuen tennes for the Captiuity From the Captiuitie to the death of Christ seuen seuenties Moses Ceremonies for the most part were in the seuenth Moneth The Manna that was gathered on the sixt day serued for the seuenth The seuenth yeare the Iewes might not plough sow nor reape In the end of the seuen seuens was the yeare of Iubilee In the seuenth seuen from Cyrus the Walles of Ierusalem were built Seuen times 7000. of the Iewes came from Captiuitie Ioakim endeth the seuenth seuentie with affliction Seuen yeares plenty seuen yeares dearth in the land of Egipt figured by seuen eares of Corne seuen Kyne Noah liued seuen Iubilees after the flood Seuen thousand in the booke of Kings mencioned that neuer bowed their knees vnto Ball. Kaines house cut off in the seuenth age How often shall I forgiue my Brother till seuen times I say vntill seuen times seuentie times alluding vnto Daniels seuens EIGHT Eight The number of the persons saued in the Arke Eight The day of circumcision TEN Tenne Is a full number and the highest or last of simple numbers All Nations after the number of 10. begin againe for plaine teaching and plainnesse in reckoning Ten is the yeare of Iudgement or accompt You haue Ten words for the creation of the World And Ten wordes for the gouernment of the world The Tenth is a holy number as in Tythes which is giuen to vs to acknowledge our dueties In the Tenth moneth the Waters of the Flood abated Sem liued to see the Tenth age a great blessing Tenne Plagues were the Egyptians plagued with for afflicting Sems house Tenne Spies in the Wildernesse misbeleeued Tenne Tribes fell away at Roboams time Daniels Beast hath Tenne Hornes which doe represent Ten cruell Kinges The Beast in the Reuelation hath Tenne Hornes The Pope hath Tenne stately Kingdomes to assist him Noah is the Tenth from Adam Abraham the tenth from Noah TWELVE Twelue Signes in the Zodiacke Twelue Moneths in the yeare Twelue Fathers from the Flood to Iacob Twelue Sonnes of Iacob Twelue Fountaines in the Wildernesse Twelue Stones in Iordan Twelue Stones in Aarons brest Salomon had Twelue Stewards and Dauid Twelue valiant Captaines Salomon at Twelue yeares of age discided the
will serue for an exposition Eliphaz resoneth with Iob thus Hast thou O Iob marked the way of the world wherein wicked men haue walked which were cut off by time and whose foundation was couered with waters which said vnto God depart from vs And yet what could he doe more for them he filled their houses with good thinges yet they refused the way of the Almightie So S. Peter speaketh that the spirit of God went in like manner as he is said to come downe at the ouerthrow of Babell by confounding their tongues and when he destroyed Sodome and Gomorrah preached in Noah to weete the time while the Arke was in making To whom to the Spirits now in prison Why because they sayd to God Depart from vs we will none of thy wayes Thus we see the wordes of S. Peter made plaine This time of 120. yeares Saint Peter calleth The patience and long suffering of God The Iewes in a Booke called Zoar expound S. Peters wordes in this sort The Lord commeth to plague the Wicked for their vnbeliefe sixe monethes with Water sixe monethes with Fire hotte and cold and sent them all to Gehenna which is Hell not that they meant so the storie of the word by plaine eye-sight controlling it but that the anger of God was as grieuous to their soules as the Waters of the flood which wrinckled their bodyes Christ in the Gospell compareth the Flood with the end of the World for in the dayes of Noah they had rich Iubal to feast them and cunning Tubalkain to delight them in building or such like deuises and faire Nahamah that they might marrie according as their eyes lusted till the Waters of the flood ouerwhelmed them so shall it be in the end of the World Eliphaz counselleth Iob that considering the end of these men hee should be at peace with God before our substance be cut off and the fire consumed the rest of them Iaphet borne when Noah was 500. yeares old HIs name signifieth Perswaded Hee was the eldest Sonne of Noah whereof many seeme to doubt which being examined by Scripture will appeare most certaine In Gen. 5.32 it is sayd Noah being 500. yeares old hee begetteth Sem Cham and Iapheth Now it is certaine they were not borne all at once for the plaine Storie crosseth that In Gen. 7.6 Noah is said to be Sixe hundreth yeares old and the Flood commeth Then hee must needes haue a Sonne that is 100. yeares old It could not be Sem for he was but an hundreth yeare old two yeare after the Flood Gen. 11.10 Neither was it Cham for hee was younger then Sem for Noah said Hee knew what his youngest Sonne had done The reason of this doubt ariseth because Sem is named first in Gen. 5.32 whom Moses penning the Storie long after placed first to shew that Sem was the most worthie and had the prerogatiue of first borne because Christ was to come from him according to the Promise made to Euah in Paradise The seede of the Woman shall breake the head of the Serpent Sem borne when Noah was 502. yeare old HIs name signifieth Name or Renowne Whereby we are to vnderstand that Noah had a wonderfull assurance of the Promise in Christ in calling him Sem or as we say Name And withall we are to seeke by the like fayth to be renowned that our Names may be written in the Booke of Life For Salomon sayth Pro. 22.1 Eccle. 7.3 A good Name is more worth then a precious Oyntment But God will put out their Names from vnder Heauen that flatter themselues in their wickednesse and whose roote beareth Gall and Wormewood as he commaunded Deut. 25.19 Put out the Name of Amalecke from vnder Heauen hee is the beginning of Nations but his latter end shall perish vtterly These numbers are the summe of the yeares from the Creation to the Flood which are gathered by the particular Natiuities of the ten Fathers before the Flood Adam 130. Seth. 105. Enosh 90. Kenan 70. Mahalaleel 65. Iared 162. Henoch 65. Methushelah 187. Lamech 182. Noah 600. These particulers being added they make the yeares of the world at the Flood 1656. ½ This halfe sheweth that at the Flood the dayes of man were shortned halfe in halfe as Psal 89.45 The Lord hath shortened the dayes of youth The Flood is brought vpon the old World c. THe Flood is a resemblance of the destruction of the world and was the greatest iudgement of the world till the world shal be consumed with fire Therefore the story of the Flood doth cause vs to consider of things past and to haue iudgement of things to come For in the Flood are rare examples concerning waighing numbring and diuiding It was 40. dayes in rayning the like time in abating God hath numbred waighed and diuided The second day of the seuenth moneth The times do shew that God doth waigh and number wonderfully all the affaires of men but men did not then know what God would doe because he had hardned their hearts and scorning Noah all his life time they were ashamed then to fly vnto him but the Flood came for the sinnes of man for the blood of Abell came the Flood and washt them all away Yea the very waters that were vnder the earth aduanced themselues aboue men Further in this storie of the Flood these three thinges are chiefely to be considered The Arke Persons that were saued Time of the continuance of the Flood And first for the Arke THe Arke was made about Mount Libanon where the Cedars for Salomons Temple were had and it was sixe score yeares in making Which time in S. Peter is called The long suffering of God The fourtie yeares in the Wildernesse was a famous thing but the making of the Arke was more famous and the time thrise so long Not any thing so famous as the Arke except the Lords death The proportion of height depth breadth are described Gen. 6.15 The height is the tenth part of the length The Beastes were in the middlemost place the fodder aboue the dung beneath And God bids vs marke the quantitie of all the Beastes of the earth by the bulke of the Arke There is much speach taken from the Arke to the Church but the consequent of the one followeth not in the other In the Arke were Beastes cleane and vncleane Some in the Arke did perish They that were out of the Arke did perish The Waters did hold vp the Arke In the Church are faythfull and vnfaythfull Some in the Church doe perish So the Turke being out of the Church doth perish The Waters doth wash them cleane away that are without The tossing vpon the waters doth represent the troubles which the Church of God is to endure in this life Againe no man of modestie but may know that it was no pleasant life for Noah all his familie to dwell a whole yeere vpon the waters and to abide the noysomnesse of all
speaking in the person of God sayth I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau So Saint Paul sayth to the Romanes Ere they were borne it was sayd the elder shall serue the younger as it is written Esau haue I hated and Iacob haue I loued Rom. 9.13 Esaus description is thus layde downe in the Scriptures First that he was Hayrie that he was of great courage and at his birth Iacob holdeth him by the heele God thereby shewing at their birth what should be the course of their liues afterwards Homer maketh mention that Vlâ—sses ouerthrew Aiax by striking him on the Leg. The Greeke translators handle it so and call him Thermistes that is to say a Heeler Esau was a Hunter liuing like the Ruffians and Roysters of our time Hee selleth his Birth-right for a messe of Pottage for Iacob would not giue it vnto him except Esau would first sweare to sell him his Birth-right Sayth Esau I am contented for it will be so long ere it will be enioyed that I and my Sonnes Sonne shall be dead first So with an Oath he sold Iacob his Birth-right therefore he was called Edom Redde Pottage No doubt Jsaacks men knew this to be a rare Blessing and seeing he had despised it they must needes when soeuer they called him Edom keepe his wickednesse in memorie for by this sale he despised Noah Som Heber and Abraham and all his victories in the fayth of which Blessing Abraham ouercame so gloriously This is the first combat by which Iacob a Heeler supplanteth Esau The whole posteritie of Esau bare the name of this infidelitie hee thought it a long time to the performance of a Promise to be accomplished almost 400. yeares after ayming like a prophane worldling at the outward Inheritance of the Land of Canaan and not respecting the Blessing of the spirituall Salem Hee was the eldest and extreame wicked notwithstanding he was the Sonne of a righteous Father to shew that the sinceerest nature of the godliest men is extreame wicked Hee was to Iacob as Kain to Abel and as Ismael to Isaacke And as in his owne person hee persecuted and sought the death of his brother Iacob so his posteritie were continuall enemies to the seed of Iacob Ameleck of Esau lay in waite for the children of Israel when they went out of Egipt to destroy them but God commaunded them to put out his name from vnder Heauen Wicked Haman would at once haue destroyed all the Jewes but hee and his ten Sonnes were hanged Haman was of Agag the Amalekite of Esau In him is performed a Prophecie in Numb 24.20 Amaleck is the beginning of Nations but his latter ende shall perish vtterly Herod of Edom likwise seeketh to put Christ the true Israel to death wherein you may see the malice of Esau to continue euen till Christ Esau was hated of God before he was borne therefore whatsoeuer he did it turned still into a curse vnto him Hee prepareth Venison for his Father and the whiles loseth the blessing of eternall Life Hee would please his Father by marrying into Abrahams stocke and marryeth Ismaels Daughter Hee wept for the Blessing but found no place of repentance though hee sought the Blessing with teares In like sort is the repentance of euery wicked man when hee is touched with the conscience for sinne hee will then acknowledge his sinne and with teares shew foorth sorrow for his transgressions but through the hardnesse of his heart which can not repent hee returneth like to Esau to his vomite againe And further we are to note in this Storie how Esau by haste not willing to stay for the Promise till the time appoynted felt the heauie iudgement of God wee haue the like example of this haste the like punishment in Saul Samuel annoynted Saul King and willed him to goe before him to Gilgal and to stay for him seauen dayes till hee come Saul tarryeth seauen dayes according to the time appoynted but Samuel came not therefore the people were scattered Saul seeing the peoples mindes seuered that he might vnite them againe offered a burnt Offering Then came Samuel and rebuked him saying Thou hast done foolishly thy Kingdome shall not continue the Lord hath sought him a man after his owne heart Thus haue you the like example both for storie and prophecie IAcobs Storie will appeare the better by declaring Esaus euen as contraries are set togeather that thereby euery one may shew the clearer His name signifieth Supplanter or Heeler and all his life sheweth him to be contrary to Esau The one an image of al Impietie the other a mirrour of al Godlinesse The one a Persecutor the other persecuted The one a despiser of Grace the other an imbracer of Vertue You haue from the Creation to Iacob two and twentie Fathers answerable to the two and twentie Letters in the Hebrew tongue So Epiphanius in Ankorato handleth them Thus by comparisons God maketh his dealinges easie to be kept in memorie Iacob though the two and twenty from Adam yet the third Seuenth of those that were borne after Adams creation Now the Chronicle is ended for particular liues for after Iacobs Storie the Scripture containes whole Stories of whole States and Kingdomes Noah is the tenth from Adam Abraham the tenth from Noah Iacob the twelfe so you haue the two and twentie The Hebrewes admire the patience of God that ten whole ages God gaue them to repent and yet Esay sayth That the Lord looked about and saw that there was none good vpon the earth The seuentie Interpreters translating the old Testament into Greeke thrust in one Kenan whose name is not in the Hebrew If the reason be demaunded why they did so this may be answered The 70. Interpreters knew that a great deale of wisedome was contained in the comparison betweene the two Twentie Letters of the Hebrew tongue and the two and Twentie Fathers Now because they enuied the Egiptians and were loth they should gaine any wisedome by them of purpose they adde Kenan to disturbe this proportion and so they make Iacob the twentie three S. Luke setting downe the Genealogie of Christ alleadgeth Kenan following the Genealogie penned by the Seuentie Interpretors for S. Luke was to take it as he found it he knew that all the Iewes were well acquainted with the reason why Kenan was added Therfore there could no danger grow in his time though Kenan were kept still in the Genealogie Beza translating the new Testament leaueth him out for the which the Iesuites accuse him Now Beza to the end ignorant men should not stagger by finding him in Luke which is not in Moses leaueth him out and this may Beza do wel enough for any one may know that S. Luke neuer meant that Arphaxad begat Kenan seeing that hee addeth being as men supposed the sonne of Arphaxad to wit of those men that knew not the meaning of the Translators Besides Epiphanius being a Grecian and being acquainted with the Greeke Translation yet