death and hee laye no more with her And afterwarde when the tyme came that shee shoulde bee deliuered behold there were two twinnes in her wombe And in her trauell the one put out his hande and the midwife tooke and bound a red thred about his hand saying this is come out first but when hee plucked his hande backe agayne loe his brother came firste out And the midwife sayde how hast thou broken the breach vppon thee or the separation betweene thee and thy brother and his name was called Phares that is a parting And afterwarde came out his brother that had y e red thread about his had annd his name was called zarah y t is vpsproonge or rysing by whose monstrous byrth the haynous sinne of incestuous adulterie in the father and mother God would should be signified to all men Genesis 38. all Notwithstanding it pleased God afterwarde that of this Phares her sonne Christ Iesus our Sauiour should bee borne according to the fleshe as from the stocke and line of Dauid by Iuda which shame our Sauiour Christ did take vppon him to set forth his great humilitie who made himselfe of no reputation in this worlde but became a seruaunte for our sakes yea a worme and no man the reproch of men and contempte of the people and at length suffered the most shameful accursed death of the crosse to him therefore of all his creatures both in heauen and earth be rendred and giuen all glory prayse and thankes for euer and euer Amen Mat. 1.3 Thamar or Tamar the Daughter of King Dauid borne vnto him in Ierusalem about the eighte yeere of his reigne ther and in the yeere of the worlde 3077. was so bewtifull a young woman that Amnon her halfe brother fell greatly in loue with her insomuch that because it was hard for him to doe any thing to her and that he coulde not haue such accesse vnto her as he would by reason that she being a virgin was so straightly kept in her fathers house as virgins were accustomed in those dayes he therfore was so sore vexed that he fell sicke for loue of her and wist not what to doe vntill he brake his minde vnto his friende Ionadab who being a subtill fellowe and vnderstanding that he languished and pyned away for loue of his sister Tamar hee gaue Ammon his friend this counsayl saying lye down in thy bed make thy selfe sicke and when thy father shall come to see thee say vnto him I praye thee let my sister Tamar come and giue mee meate and let her dresse meate in my sight that I may see it and eat it of her hand where wee see y t there is no enterpryse so wicked that can lacke counsayle to further it So Amnon redilye followed this lewde counsayle of his friende and wente and layde him downe vpon his bed and made himselfe very sicke which when king Dauid his father heard he came to visit him vnto whome Amnon then sayd I pray thee O king let Tamar my sister come and make me a couple of cakes euen some delicate or daintie dish of meate in my sight that I may receiue meate at her hand Then Dauid mistrusting nothing sent home to Thamar and willed her to go to her brother AmmoÌ„s house to dresse him meat So Thamar went and visited her brother Ammon at her fathers commaundement and dressed him certeine deintie and delicate meate in his sight and brought it him to eate but he refused it And because he like a wicked man was ashamed to doe that before men which he was not affrayd to coÌ„mit in the sight of God he sayd cause ye euery man to goe from me So when euery body was gone out from him he sayd to Thamar now bring me thy meate into my chamber and I will eate it at thy hande Now when Thamar brought him his meate and sette it before him to eate Ammon tooke her and beeganne to force her to lye with him saying come lye with mee my sister Then shee seeing that sayde Naye my brother doe not force mee for no such thing ought to bee done in Israel commit not that follye against the lawe which saieth thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy sister the daughter of thy father Leuit. 18.9 For if thou doe alas quoth shee howe shall I put awaye my shame or whether shall I bee able to goe to couer my reproch As for thy selfe thou shalt bee counted as one of the fooles or as a lewde and wicked person in Israell Nowe therefore I praye thee speake rather to the king my father for hee will not denye mee vnto thee Howbeit Ammon burned so filthely in luste towardes her that hee would not harken to her vertuous wordes and good counsayle but being stronger in wickednesse then shee hee forced her and violently rauished and laye with her against her will shee being but fourteene yeares of age And then the flame of his hotte loue was quenched and the fyre of his malyce so kindled against her that the hatred wherewith he nowe hated her was greater then the loue wherewith hee before loued her And in a rage hee thrust her from him and with currishe speeche sayde vnto her vppe gette thee hence out of my sight Well quoth Thamar thou hast no cause thus to inâ—reate mee for this euil to put mee away is greater then the other that thou didst vnto mee Neuerthelesse hee would not heare her and there was no remedie but out of his house shee must needes goe therfore he called his seruaunts and commaunded theÌ„ saying put this woman now out from mee and locke the doore after her So Thamar beeing shutte out of his house and for shame wiste not whether to goe put ashes vppon her head and rente her gaye garmente of diuers colours and peeces such as the kings daughters that were Uirgines did vse to weare and was had in greatest estimation in those dayes And so went shee crying home to her owne brother Absoloms house but when her father king Dauid heard all these thinges hee was verye wroth with Ammon And Absolon when he vnderstoode the matter and cause of her complaynte by and by hee conceiuing sodeine vengeance in his heart against his brother Ammon for defiling thus his sister yet dissembling the matter a while tyll occasion serued in the meane while hee comforted his sister Thamar saying Hath Ammon thy brother bin with thee Now yet bee still my sister hee is thy brother let not these thinges greeue thine heart So Tamar remayned desolate in her brother Absoloms house who two yeere after tooke occasion to bee reuenged on Ammon for this villanie offred to his sister Tamar and at a banket made of purpose hee caused his men to kil him as hee satte at the table with the reste of his brethren And this was the ende of that wicked man Ammon by Gods iust iudgement for deflouring so pure and godly a Uirgin but espâ—ciallye for committing inceste
and slept with me had not I lift vp my voyce and cryed as loude as I could but when he hearde me so crie then for haste he left his garment behinde with me fled away and is gone out So shee layde vp Iosephs garment by her vntill her Lord and husband Potiphar came home And then at his returne shee vp and tolde him also the same false tale of Ioseph saying The Ebrewe seruant which thou hast brought vnto vs came into mee in thine absence to mocke me and do me vilanie and shame But as sone as I lift vp my voyce and cryed he left his garment with me and fled out with speede When Potiphar heard his wife thus report of Ioseph his seruant whom he so much loued and trusted hee being too light of credence so sone without further and better tryall to beleeue the false and slaunderous reporte of his wife beganne to waxe wroth with Ioseph and nowe causlesse turned his good opinion of Ioseph into ielosie his loue into hatred and his trust into tyrannie For presently vpon his wiues suggestion he apprehended Ioseph and for the harlot his wiues sake he cast poore innocent Ioseph in the prison where hee lay fettered with yrons in the stockes and was very euil intreated for the space of three yeeres vntill by Gods prouidence hee was deliuered by Pharao king of Egypt Gen. 39.7 c. Q Queene of Saba Queene of Saba or of Ethiopia dwelling in the South partes of the worlde farre from Ierusalem when shee heard of the great fame of king Salomon that went farre and neere ouer all the worlde concerning the name of the Lorde his wisedome and high fauour that he was in with the Lorde Shee came in the yeere of the worlde 3137. with a very great traine from the vttermost partes of the earth to Ierusalem to proue Salomon with harde questions and to knowe whether his wisedome were so great as the reporte was and hauing brought with her great and many presentes to giue him as namely much golde precious stons and sweete odours shee came to Salomon and communed with him of all that was in her heart vnto whom Salomon declared al her hard questions neyther was there any question so hard propounded by her but Salomon did resolue and expounde it vnto her Now when shee sawe his wisedome his stately buildings and the whole trade and goodly order of his house in euery thing shee was greatly astonished and saide vnto the king It was a true reporte that I heard in mine owne lande of thy sayings actes and wisedome Howebeit I beleeued not this report till I came and mine eyes haue seene it and nowe beholde I must needes confesse that the one halfe of thy great wisedome and prosperitie was not tolde mee For thou farre exceedest the fame that I heard of thee and hast more wisedome and prosperitie then was reported Happie are thy men and happie are these thy seruantes whiche stande before thee alwaye and heare thy wisedome Blessed bee the Lorde thy God which loued thee to set thee on his throne of Israel as king in stead of the Lorde thy God because the Lorde thy God loueth Israel for euer to establishe it therefore hath hee made thee king ouer them to execute iudgement and iustice and to do equitie and righteousnes Then shee gaue the king sixescore talents of gold and all her precious stones and sweete odours that shee had brought neither was there such sweete odors since as the Queene of Sheba gaue vnto the king And Salomon the king beside that which of his kingly liberalitie for recompence of that treasure which she brought gaue vnto the Queene of Sheba euery pleasant thing that shee asked and so shee returned and went with all her seruauntes home to her owne countrey 1. King 10. 1. 2. Chron. 9.1 Whose fact and not whose person our Sauiour Christ him selfe commendeth and recited to condemne and rebuke the vnfaithfull Iewes that woulde not beleeue him without signes and tokens saying The Queene of the South shall rise in iudgement with this generation and shall condemne it For shee came from the vttermost partes of the earth to heare the wisedome of Salomon and beholde a greater then Salomon is here Math. 12.42 Luke 11.31 And it came to passe as Iesus saide these thinges a certayne woman of the company lift vp her voyce and sayde vnto him Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the pappes which thou hast sucked but Christ perceiuing that shee omitted the chiefe prayse which was due vnto him gaue her a priuie taunt and said Yea rather blessed are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it For they are blessed in deede to whome hee communicateth him selfe by his woorde Luke 11,27 S Samaritesse IN Samaria a Citie of Syria adioyning to Iudea and the chiefest Citie of the tenne tribes There was a certayne poore widowe whiche had been sometime wife to one of the sonnes of the Prophetes who in his life time being fallen in debt not by vnthriftinesse but by the hande of God died and left her verye poore and not able to paye his creditors who neuerthelesse being very cruell towardes her and coueting to haue her children serue it out as slaues vnto them when shee heard that Elisha the Prophet was come into the Citie Samaria shee came crying and making great mone vnto him and sayde Thy seruaunt mine husbande is dead and thou knowest that thy seruaunt did feare the Lorde and the creditor is come to take my two sonnes to bee his bondemen Then Elisha being mooued to pitie her miserie demaunded of her and said What shall I doe for thee tell mee What hast thou at home Thine handmaide quoth shee hath nothing at home saue a pitcher of oyleâ— Goe thy way sayde Elisha and borrowe as many emptie vesselles among thy neyghbours as thou canst gette and when thou commest home hast shut thy dore vpon thee powre out the oyle that is in thy pitcher into all those emptie vesselles till they bee all full and then set them aside So the poore widowe departed and did as Elisha bad her And when the emptie vesselles were all full shee saide vnto her sonnes bring mee yet an other vessell There is no more quoth they and with that the oyle in her picther ceased to augment and increase in the vesselles After this shee went and tolde Elisha the man of God that shee had done as hee bad her Nowe goe sayde Elisha and sell the oyle in the vesselles and with the money that aryseth thereof pay thy husbandes creditors and them that thou art in debt vnto and liue thou and thy children on the rest 2. King 4.1 c. By which story the holy Ghost doeth giue vs to vnderstande that God neuer fayleth to prouide for his seruauntes their wiues and children if they trust in him that his doctrine and profession shoulde be kept without slaunder And that he suffereth his children many tymes to bee
If a man take a wife and when he hath lien with hir hate hir and laie slanderous things vnto hir charge and bring vp an euill name vpon hir and saie I tooke this wife and when I came to hir I found hir not a maid then shall the father of the maid and hir mother take and bring foorth the signes and tokens of the maids virginitie vnto the elders of the citie in the gate And the damsels father shall saie vnto the elders I gaue my daughter vnto this man to wife and he hateth hir and lo he laieth slanderous things vnto hir charge saieng I found not thy daughter a maid and yet lo these are the tokens of my daughters virginitie and they shall spread the vesture or shéet before the elders Then the elders of the citie shall take that man and chastise him and condemne him in an hundred sicles of siluer and giue them vnto the father of the maid bicause he hath brought vp an euill name vpon a maid in Israel and bicause the shame of the fact should haue lighted vpon the father therefore the recompense shall be made vnto him that is faultlesse and she shall be his wife still that complained and he may not put hir awaie all hir life time But if this thing be true that the maid be not found a virgin then they shall bring foorth the maid to the doore of hir fathers house and the men of the citie shall stone hir with stones to death bicause she hath wrought follie in Israel by plaieng the whoore in hir fathers house and loosing hir virginitie so thou shalt put euill awaie from among you Deut. 22 verse 15 c. If a maid damsell or virgin betrothed vnto an husband be found lieng with an other man in the towne they both shall be stoned to death the maid bicause she cried not being in the citie where she might haue had rescue But if a man find a betrothed maid in the field and force hir and lie with hir then the man onelie shall die and not the maid bicause there is in the maid no cause of death For as when a man riseth against his neighbour and woundeth him to death so is this matter For he found hir in the fields where though she cried yet was there no man to resist helpe or succour hir against the violence and force Therefore the innocent can not be punished Deut. 22 23 c. The woman shall not weare that which perteineth vnto the man neither shall a man put on womans raiment For that were to alter the order of nature and to despite God therefore All that doo so are abhomination vnto the Lord thy God Deut. 22 5. A maid that in hir virginitie is defiled or gotten with child in hir fathers house or otherwise is vnshamefast bold licentions and vseth much libertie shall bring both hir selfe and hir friends to publike infamie and open reproch of all Eccles. 42 10,11 A faire maid without discretion or good maners is like a ring of gold in a swines snout Prou. 16 22. Maidens damsels or women that are singers and dansers are not to be harkened vnto or kept companie withall Eccles. 9 4. Saie not thou O yoong woman after the maner of the wicked which desperatelie boast and saie Come let vs enioie the pleasures that are present and let vs chéerfullie vse the creatures as in youth Let vs fill our selues with costlie wine and ointments and let not the flower of youth passe by vs. Let vs crowne our selues with rose buds afore they be withered Let vs all be partakers of our wantonnesse Let vs leaue some tokens of our pleasures in euerie place For it is our portion and this is our lot O be not thou my daughter of this number I saie For they that imagine such things go astraie and their owne wickednesse hath blinded them â—o their sudden destruction which they shall vndoubtedlie féele and prooue but too late to repent of Wisd. 2 6. Ye maids damsels and virgins vse not the companie of them that are singers dansers and riotous men neither harken vnto them least you be snared and taken by their craftie allurements Eccl. 9,4 c. Gaze not on the beautie of anie man least thou fall by that which is pretious in him Cast not thy mind vpon ruffians in anie maner of thing least thou destroie both thy selfe and thine heritage Go not about gazing in the stréets of the citie neither wander thou in the secret corners or places thereof Turne awaie thine eies from a beautifull man and looke not vpon their comlie personages and feature of bodie For manie haue perished by such gazing and through it loue is kindled as a fire Euerie woman that is an harlot shall be troden vnder foot as doong of euerie one that goeth by the waie Sit not at all with another womans husband neither lie with him vpon the bed nor banket with him least thine hart incline vnto him and so through his inordinate desire of lust thou fall into destruction with him Delight not thou in the things that the vngodlie haue pleasure in but remember that they shall not be found iust vnto their graue Remember I saie that thou goest in the midst of snares that thou walkest vpon the towers of the citie in the view of euerie one Eccles. 9 verse 14. He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with it and she that is familiar with the proud and vngodlie shall be like vnto them Eccl. 13,1 A shamelesse maid is compared to a dog but she that is shamefast reuerenceth the Lord. Eccles. 26 26. Let the yoonger women therefore be sober minded discréet chaste kéeping at home good and subiect vnto their superiors that the word of God be not euill spoken of Titus 2 4. Flie also from the lusts of youth and followe after righteousnesse faith loue and peace with them that call on the Lord with a pure hart For if anie woman separate hir selfe from the wicked and purge hir naturall corruption by Gods spirit she shall be a vessell vnto honour sanctified and méete for the Lord and prepared to euerie good worke 2. Tim. 2 22. A well nourtured and manerlie maid is as a polished stone of a palace yea she is the beautie of the citie and the honour of hir fathers house as appeareth by Dauids opinion in his Psalme 144 12. Bicause youth is most giuen to licentiousnesse and vaine pleasure and wanton delights of the world therefore the holie Prophet King Dauid chieflie warneth them to frame their liues béetimes to Gods word saieng Wherewithall shall a yoong maiden redresse hir waies Euen by taking héed and ruling hir selfe according to Gods word Psal. 119 9. Loue wisedome and séeke hir from thy youth For by hir shalt thou get glorie among the multitude and honor among the nations though thou be yet but yoong Yea by hir thou shalt obtaine immortalitie and leaue an euerlasting memoriall among them that come after thée
hir possession and of y e importunate widow of Samaria of Rispa that built a tent ouer the dead carkasses of hir sonnes c. whose stories are both worth the diligent reading and often imitating of all the godly Againe that women are to be greatly lauded and of all imitated for their curtesie hospitalitie liberalitie almes déedes good workes Yee may reade in the liues of Abigail Dorcas Ioanna Iudith Lydea Marie the mother of Iames Marie Magdalen Martha Marie the mother of Iohn Marke Phebe Priscilla Rahab Rebecca the virgin Marie the poore widowes the woman of Bahurim Saphiâ—a Sarepta Shunamitesse Susanna Triphona and Triphosa Taliâ—ha widowe of Ierusalem c. whos 's good workes as they all procéeded of a liuely faith the had in God so are they to be commended imitated continually of all the true faythfull children of God to his glory and the benefite of his Church and congregation Furthermore that women are to be praysed for their fidelitie loue reuerence good counsell obedience towards their husbandes it may appeare in the stories of Adah Abigail Bethsheba Drusilla Hester Michol Phinees wife Rahell Rebecca Sara Zillah Pilates wife the virgin Marie Elizabeth As also for their motherly care naturall loue and vertuous education of their chlidren it is euident in Anna the woman of Canaan Edna Hanna Hagar Iehosheba Loyis Ladie commended of S. Iohn Marie the virgin Naomy Ieroboams wife Rizpa Rebecca Samsons mother the mourning mother as in Esdras mother of the seuen brethren the widowe of Sarepta and of Nahum And for their curtesie and kindenesse towards their alience kinred and acquaintaunce yee may reade in the liues of Bethsheba Elizabeth Ester Iehosheba Marie the virgin Marie MagdaleÌ„ Rahel and sundrie others Besides for their obedience and good behauiour towardes their parentes gouernours and betters yée may sée in the story of Ester Iepthas daughter Ruth Orpah Sara Abra Hagar Moreouer such women as were praysed for their nobilitie royall parentage great riches estimation in the worlde were Elizabeth Naomy Marie the virgine Lady commended by S. Iohn Shunamitesse Sara the wife of AbrahaÌ„ the woman of Abell Iudith Debora and many others Such as were poore and godly were Anna Marie the virgine Naomy Sarepta Shunamitesse Such as were commended for their beautie chastitie modesty virginity were Abigail Abisage Bethsabe Dinah Ester Heua Iephtas daughter Ieminah and all Iobes daughters Iudith Kezia Rerenhapha Marie the virgin Rebecca Rahell Sara Susanna Thamar the daughter of Dauid Uasti c. Ruth Anna. Such as are praysed for their womanly pitie and compassion to shed innocent blood are Puah Shiphrah the two godly midwiues of Egypt Rahab the wife of Bahurim the mother of the quicke child before Salomon Hester the virgin Marie Pharaos daughter y e preserued Moses Ihosheba that saued Ioas hir brother from the blooddy handes of Athalia and Pilates wife who counselled hir husbande in no wise to conseÌ„t to shed the innocent blood of our sauiour Christ c. Such as are woorthily commended for their Industrie sore labour and paynes taking for their liuing and sustenance are Anna Heua Lydea Naomy Ruth Dorcas c. as may appeare in their liues and stories more at large in the 7. Lampe Sucâ—e as are to bee praysed for their patience in aduersitie and humilitie vnder the crosse are Hanna Hagar Iepthas daughter Leah Marie the virgin SusaÌ„na Sara the wife of Tobie and many other Finally such as are for their obedience to God more then man for their constancie in the trueth chose rather to suffer persecution yea violent death martyredome then to offend god are most highly to be extolled and had in admiration and remembraunce to all posteritie are these godly vertuous zealous women Puah Shiphrah Rahab Iepthas daughter Hanna Hagar Leah Marie the Uirgin Sara the wife of Tobit Susanna the woman of the Machabites the mother of the seuen sonnes of the Machabits the lambes wife our vertuous soueraigne Queene Elizabeth c. as to their perpetuall renowne and all faithfull Christians godly example may doth appeare to y e deligeÌ„t reader in the seueral liues of these holy women set forth in the 7. Lampe The disprayse of wicked and foolishe women A Wicked woman is giuen as a rewarde to a wicked man Eccleâ— 26.24 I finde more bitter then death the woman whose heart is as nettes and snares and her hands as bandes he that is good before God shall be deliuered from hir but the sinner shall be taken by hir Eccle. 7.28 A shamelesse woman contemneth shame and is compared to a dogge Eccle. 26â—25 Shée that dispiseth hir husbande shall be blased for hir pryde Ecâ—le 26.27 Shée that maketh hir husbande ashamed or behaueth hir selfe dishonestly is a corruption in his bones Prou. 12.4 A fayre woman without discreete maners is like a ring of gold in a swines snowt Prou. 12.22 A foolishe daughter shall be litle regarded and shee that liueth dishonestly is hir fathers heauinesse Eccle. 22.3 Shée that is bolde and past shame dishonoureth both hir father and hir husband the vngodly shall regarde hir because shee is not inferiour vnto them in wickednesse but both hir father and hir husbande shall dispise hir for hir folly and wickednesse Eccle. 22.4 A dronken woman and such a one as can not bée tamed is a great plague for shee can not couer hir owne shame Eccle. 26.8 The wickednesse of the man is better then the good intreatie of a woman to witte of a woman that is in shame and reproche for it is better to bée with an ill man then with a friendely woman that putteth one to shame and rebuke Eccle. 42. 14. Yée adulterers and women that breake matrimonie knowe yée not that the friendship of the worlde is enmitie with God Iam. 44. There are some simple women laden with sinnes and led with diâ—ers lustes which are euer learning yet are neuer able to come to the knowledge of the trueth 2. Timo. 3.6 Pryde was not created in men neyther wrath in the generation of women Eccle. 10.19 The greatest heauinesse is the heauinesse of the heart and the greatest malice is the malice of a woman Eccle. 25.14 Giue mee any plague saue onely the plague of the heart and any malice saue the malice of a woman for all wickednesse is nothing to the wickednesse of a woman 25.15 Giue mée any assault saue the assault of the heart or any vengeance saue the vengeance of the enemie or woman 16. There is not a more wicked head then the head of a serpent and there is no wrath aboue the wrath of a woman Eccle. 25.17 All wickednesse is but litle to the wickednesse of a woman thâ— portion of the vngodly shall fall vpon hir Eccle. 25.21 I had rather dwell with a Lion and Dragon then to kéepe housâ— with a wicked wife Eccle. 25.18 It is better to dwell in a corner of the house toppe then with a brawling or