name of God which essentially is proper only to the three Diuine Persons of the B. Trinitie and incommunicable to anie creature Sap. 14. is neuertheles by similitude attributed in holie Scripture to other persons As Exod. 22. v. 8. Iudges or princes are called goddes for the eminent authoritie and powre which they haue from God So Moyses was constituted the Iudge and God of Pharao not only to punish him for his obstinacie and finally to compel him to dismisse the Israelites out of Aegypt but also to terrifie him so in the meane time that he being otherwise a mightie King and extremly and often afflicted by Moyses yet durst neuer lay violent handes vpon him left himsefe and al his nation should presently haue bene destroyed As S. Hilarie lib. 7. de Trinitate S. Gregorie ho. 8. in EZech. note vpon this place Likwise Priests are called goddes Exod 22. v. 28. for their sacred function pertaining to Religion and Seruice of God Prophetes also are called Videntes Seers 1. Reg. 9. because by participation of diuine knowledge they see sometimes the secretes of other mens hartes things supernatural and future contingent though properly and naturally onlie God almightie is Scrutator cordis the searcher of the hart and knoweth al things Sap. 1. Againe S. Peter saieth 2. Epist c. 1. that iust men are made partakers of diuine nature VVhich is rather more then to participate in name Al which titles rightly perteined to Moyses being in life Holie in knowledge a Prophete in function a Priest and in powre a Prince In the same sense of participation Saintes are called our Mediators Aduocates Redemers Deliuerers and the like 3. I vvil indurate According to our purpose mentioned in the Annotations vpon the 9. chap. to the Romanes we shal here recite the summe of S. Augustins doctrine Ser. 88. de tempore touching the hard question How God did indurate Pharaoes hart And withal we shal briefly explicate according to the doctrine of the same other most learned Fathers of the Church the true sense of this and like places by which Zuinglius Caluin Beza and other Sectaries would proue that God not only permitteth but also commandeth inclineth inforceth and compelleth men to do that which is sinne yea that God is the author internal mouer inforcer that man transgresseth though they denie thâ—t God sinneth or is cause of the malice of sinne For exaÌ„ple Zuinglius Ser. de prouidentia Dei ca. 5 saieth Numen ipsum auctor est eius quod nobis est iniustitia illi vero nullatenus est The diuine povvre it selfe is author of that thing vvhich to vs is iniustice but to him in no vvise is And alitle after Cum igitur Angelum transgressorem â—acit hominem ipse tamen transgressor non coÌ„stituitur VVhen therfore God maketh Angel and man transgressor yet himself is not made a transgressor Cha. 6. Vnum igitur atque idem sacinus puta adulterium aut homicidium quantum Dei est auctoris motoris impulsoris opus est crimen non est quantum hominis est crimen acscelus est Therfore the self same act as adulterie or manslaughter as it is of God the author mouer inforcer is a worke is not a crime but as it is of man is a crime a wicked act Caluin li 8. Instit c. 17. para 11. affirmeth that the diuel the whole band of the wicked can not conceiue nor endeuoure nor doe anie mischief nisi quantum Deus permiâ—erit imo â—isi quantum ille mandarit but so farre as God permitteth which al Catholiques firmly beleue nay â—ut so far as he coÌ„mandeth which al Catholiques abhorre and detest Likewise li. 2. c. 4. para 4 alleaging Gods wordes saying he had aggrauated and hardned Pharaoes hart affirmeth that which God did more besides not mollifying his hart was quod obstinatione pectus eius obâ—irmandum Satanae mandauit that he committed his hart to Satan to be obdurated vvith obstinacie making God the author and Satan only the minister of hardning Pharaos hart Beza folowing this race in Respon ad Castallionem Aphorismo 22. saieth God so vvorketh by euel instruments that he doth not only suffer them to worke nor only moderateth the euent sed etiam vt excitet impellat moueat regat atque adeo quod omniuÌ„ est maximum etiam creet vt per illa agat quod constituit but also sturreth them vp driueth them forward moueth them ruleth them and which is most of al euen createth them that by them he may vvorke that which he appointed Al vvhich saith he God doth rightly and vvithout anie iniustice So in dede these men say when they are pressed with the blasphemous absurditie that they make God author and cause of sinne which necessarily and euidently foloweth of their doctrin For by the very light of nature it is clere that the commander or inforcer is author of that euil which an other doth by his coÌ„mandement or inforcement and by al law of nature and nations diuiue and humane is condemned as culpable and guiltie of the fault which the other coÌ„mitteth but these ministers say in the places aboue cited God câ—mandeth inforceth and vvorketh al that a sinner doth Ergo God by this doctrin must be author culpable and guiltie of sinne VVhich is so blasphemous and horrible to Christian eares that they dare not say it in expresse termes Seing then God is said to haue indurated Pharaoes hart and al confesse that induration of hart is a most greuous sinne the controuersie is VVhether God commanded inforced and wrought the induration in Pharaoes hart or only permitted it or what els God did to Pharao wherby his hart was indurate and finally by whom it was properly indurate by God or by Pharao him selfe Al which S. Augustin explicateth laying first this ground which euerie one is faithfully and firmly to beleue that God neuer forsaketh any man before he be first forsaken by the same man yea God also long expecteth that a sinner which much and often offendeth conuert and liue But when the sinner abideth long in his wickednes of the multitude of sinnes riseth desperation of desperation is ingendred obduration For vvhen the impious is comon to the depth of sinnes he contemneth Obduration therfore cometh not of Gods powre compelling but is ingendred by Gods remisnes or indulgence and so not diuine powre but diuine patience did harden Pharaoes hart How often soeuer therfore our Lord saieth I vvil indurate the hart of Pharao he would nothing els to be vnderstood but I wil suspend my plagues and punishments wherby I wil permit him through mine indulgence to be obdurate against me Perhaps some wil aske why did God by sparing him let him be indurate why did God take from him his wholsome punishment I answer securely this was done because Pharao for the huge heape of his sinnes deserued not as
the tabernacle he drew before it the veile to fulfil the commandement of our Lord. †He sette the table also in the tabernacle of testimonie at the north side without the veile †ordering the bread of proposition before it as our Lord had commanded Moyses †He sette the candlesticke also in the tabernacle of testimonie ouer against the table on the south side †placing the lampes in order according to the precept of our Lord. †He set also the altar of gold vnder the roofe of testimonie against the veile †and burned vpon it the incense of spices as our Lord had commanded Moyses †He put also the hanging in the entrie of the tabernacle of testimonie †and the altar of holocauste in the entrie of the testimonie offering on it the holocauste and the sacrifices as our Lord had commanded †The lauer also he set betwen the tabernacle of testimonie and the altar filling it with water †And Moyses and Aaron and his sonnes washed their handes and feete †when they entred the roofe of couenant and went to the altar as our Lord had commanded Moyses †He erected also the court round about the tabernacle and the altar drawing the hanging in the entrie therof After al thinges were perfited †the cloude couered the tabernacle of testimonie and the glorie of our Lord filled it †Neither could Moyses enter the roofe of couenant the cloude couering al thinges and the maiestie of our Lord shining because the cloude had couered al thinges †If at anie time the cloud did leaue the tabernacle the children of Israel went forward by their troupes †If it hong ouer they remained in the same place †For the cloude of our Lord honge ouer the tabernacle by day and a sire by night in the sight of al the children of Israel throughout al their mansions THE ARGVMENT OF LEVITICVS VVHEN the Tabernacle was erected nere to Mount Sinai the first day of the second yeare after the children of Israel parted from Aegypt and was so replenished with Gods Maiestie that none no not Moyses him self could enter in our Lord speaking from thence called Moyses and declared to him the offices of the Leuites whom only and no others he deputed for the administration and charge of sacred things wherof this booke wherin they are written is called Leuiticus In which saith S. Hierom al and euerie Sacrifice yea almost euerie sillable and Aarons vestments and the whole Leuical order breath forth heauenlie sacraments or mysteries For first God here prescribeth what sacrifices he wil haue in what manner and to what purposes Then what partes and qualities he requireth in Priests how they shal be vested and consecrated seuerly punishing some that transgressed with commandment neither to offer in sacrifice nor to eate things reputed vncleane and the maner of purifying such things and persons as by diuers occasions were polluted Interposing also some moral and iudicial precepts appointeth certaine solemne feastes times of rest and Iubilie yeare Finally promiseth rewardes and threatneth puâ—ishments to those that kepe or breake his commandments with particular admonition touching vowes and tithes So this booke may be diuided into fiue special partes The first of diuers sortes of Sacrifices in the seuen first chapters The second of consecrating Priests and their vâ—stments with punishment for offering strange fire in the three next chapters The third of distinction betwen cleane and vncleane with the maner of purifying certaine legal vncleanes and other precepts moral and iudicial from the 11. chap. to the 23. The fourth of feasts times of rest and Iubilie with priuiledges rewardes and punishments from the 23. chap. to the 27. The fifth of vowes and tithes in the last chapter THE BOOKE LEVITICVS IN HEBREW VAICRA CHAP. I. Diuers rites in offering holocaustes as wel of cattle 14. as of birdes AND OVR LORD called Moyses and spake to him out of the tabernacle of testimony saying †Speake to the children of Israel thou shalt say to them “ The man of you that shal offer an hoste to our Lord of beastes that is of oxen sheepe offering victimes †if his oblation be “ an holocauste and of the heard he shal offer a male without spotte at the dore of the tabernacle of testimonie to propitiate our Lord vnto him †and he shal put his handes vpon the heade of the hoste and it shal be acceptable and profitable to his expiation †And he shal immolate the calfe before our Lord and the children of Aaron the priestes shal offer the bloud therof powring it in the circuite of the altar which is before the dore of the tabernacle †And the skinne of the hoste being plucked of the ioyntes they shal cut into peeces †and shal put fire vnderneth in the altar hauing before laid a pyle of wood in order †and the ioyntes that are cut out laying in order thereupon to wit the head al thinges that cleane to the liuer †the entralles and feete being washed with water and the priest shal burne them vpon the altar for an holocauste and “ sweete sauoure to our Lord. †And if the oblation be of flockes an holocauste of sheepe or of goates a lambe of a yeare old without spot shal he offer †and he shal immolate it at the side of the altar that looketh to the North before our Lord but the bloud therof the sonnes of Aaron shal poure vpon the altar round about †and they shal diuide the ioyntes the head and al that cleane to the lyuer and shal lay them vpon the wood vnder which the fire is to be put †but the entrales and the â—eâ—te they shal wash with water And the whole the priest shal offer and burne vpon the altar for an holocaust and most sweete sauoure to our Lord. †But if the oblation of holocaust to our Lord be of birdes of turtles and young pigions †the priest shal offer it at the altar and writhing the head to the necke and breaking the place of the wound he shal make the bloud to runne downe vpon the brimme of the altar †but the croppe of the throate and the fethers he shal cast nigh to the altar at the east side in the place where the ashes are wount to be powred out †and he shal breake the pinnions therof and shal not cut nor diuide it with a knife and shal burne it vpon the altar putting fire vnder the wood It is an holocaust and oblation of most sweete sauoure to our Lord. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. I. 2. The man that shal offer Sacrifice being the most special external seruice wherby man acknowledgeth the supreme dominion of God and his owne subiection and homage to his diuine Maiestie was so wel knowen to be necessarie as being in most frequent vse in the law of nature and in al nations that here neded not anie new precept in general
wife thou shalt not reueale because it is the turpitude of thy brother †The turpitude of thy wife and her daughter thou shalt not reueale Her sonnes daughter and her daughters daughter thou shalt not take to reueale her ignominie because they are her flesh and such copulation is incest †Thou shalt not take thy wiues sister for an harlote to vexe her withal neither shalt thou reueale her turpitude whiles she is yet liuing †To a woman hauing her flowers thou shalt not approch neither shalt thou reueale her turpitude †With thy neighbours wife thou shalt not companie nor be polluted with commixtion of seede †Of thy seede thou shalt not geue to be consecrated to the idol Moloch nor pollute the name of thy God I the Lord. †Companie not with mankind as with womankind because it is abomination †With no beast shalt thou companie neither shalt thou be polluted with it A woman shal not lie downe to a beast nor companie with it because it is an hainous fact †Neither be ye polluted in anie of the thinges wherwith al the nations haue bene contaminated which I wil cast out before your sight †and wherwith the land is polluted whose abominations I wil visite that it vomite out the inhabitants therof †Keepe my ordinances and iudgements and doe not any of these abominations as wel the same countrieman as the stranger that seiourneth with you †For al these execrable thinges did the inhabitants of the land that haue bene before you and haue polluted it †Beware therfore lest in like maner it vomite out you also when you shal doe the like thinges as it vomited out the nation that was before you †Euerie soule that shal doe anie of these abominations shal perish from the middes of his people †Keepe my commandements Doe not the thinges which they haue done that haue bene before you and be not polluted in them I the Lord your God ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVIII 6 Next of his bloud Mariage is forbid first and most strictly by the law of nature in al degrees in the right line ascending and decending both in consanguinitie and affinitie S. Paul testifying that among the heat hen no man could haue his fathers vvise And in the right line God him selfe who onlie can neuer dispensed Secondarily the first collateral degree in consanguinitie that is betwen brother and sister by one parent or by both is also vnlawful by the law of nature except in the beginning of the world when Adams children must nedes marie together God so ordayning that al mankind should be propagated by one man for of him also the first woman was made but after this beginning it was neuer allowed nor perhaps can be dispensed withal at least neuer was by anie man Though Beza li. de repudijs diuoâ—tijs and some English Bezites charge Pope Martin the fifth to haue dispensed with one that had maried his owne natural sister which is a false reporte For it was with one who hauing committed fornication with one sister afterwardes maried the other from whom he could not be separated without great scandal the pretended mariage being publike and the impediment secrete as S. Antoninus writeth par 3. sum Theol. tit 1. c. 11. But besides the right line and the first collateral degree in consanguinitie no other collateral degrees are prohibited by the law of nature but by positiue only So this present law written by Moyses forbade to marie in the first collateral degree of affinitie but the same law commanded Deut. 25. that in case a maried man died without issue his brother should marie the widow VVherby is clere that this degree and others more remote were not prohibited by the law of nature For then God would not haue made a contrarie general law in anie case for the whole nation of the Iewes his people and that vnder penaltie to be obserued which is contrarie to the qualitie of indulgence or dispensation and no such necessitie as in the beginning of the world VVherfore al protestants that say the whole law written by Moyses concerning degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie is the law of nature and so pertaineth to Christians must necessarily say also that if now a maried man die without issue his brother must marie his wife VVhich specially they denie It is also proued that this and some other degrees expressed in this place were not against the law of nature which is common to al nations commonly or easely knowne to al men by discourse of reason because no common wealth among the Gentiles did punish nor modest men forbeare or reprehend such mariages as appeareth by Laban who after he had deceiued Iacob by geuing him one sister for an other offered him also the former promised whom without difficultie of conscience he accepted Gen. 29. neither did that holie Patriareh thinke it vnlauful to keepe them both And when Iudas matched his second sonne and promised the third to the wife of his first sonne he did it according to the custome of that place time Gen. 38. And Noemi spoke according to the same custome Ruth 1. v. 11. Againe where this law forbiddeth a man to marie or companie with his wiues sister it addeth vvhiles she is liuing not prohibiting mariage when his first wife is dead Yet his wiues sister is as nere in affinitie as his brothers wife Likewise the diuersitie of punishments chap. 20. for transgression of this law either in the right line or in the first collateral degree of consanguinitie who were punished by death and for transgressing in the first collateral degree of affinitie or in the second either of consanguinitie or affinitie who had lesse punishments sheweth that the former degrees are prohibited by the law of nature and not the other for then the violation should be like sinne and punished alike Finally it is euident that certaine of these degrees are not against the law of nature by the example of holie Abraham who in and according to the law of nature maried his brothers daughter called Sarai otherwise Iescha Gen. 11. which mariage God approued by manie blessings Also Iacob maried two sisters together Two sonnes of Iudas maried the same woman successiuely And Amram Moyses father maried his aunt his fathers sister Exod. 6. v. 20. Num. 26. v. 59. VVherfore seing neither the first collateral degree in affinitie nor the second collateral in consanguinitie or affinitie is forbid by the law of nature but by positiue only and that both ceremonial and iudicial lawes of the old Testament ceassed in the New and are abrogated by Christ it resteth proued that the same bind not Christians but as they are renewed and established by the Church or Christian commonwelthes And as this is donne in temporal causes by temporal States partly by renewing and establishing the same which was in the law of Moyses as by punishing wilful
him for the same THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKE OF GENESIS THIS first Booke of holie Sripture called Genesis which signifieth birth or beginning was written by Moyses when he was designed by God to instruct rule the children of Israel As also the other foure bookes folowing The Author and authoritie of al which fiue bookes were euer acknowledged by the faithful both of the old and new Testament and so accounted and estemed by tradition til Christ and his Apostles who also confirmed them by their testimonies and allegations of the same as of holie Scriptures From the creation vntil Moyses writ which was aboue two thousand and foure hundred yeares the Church exercised Religion by Reuelations made to certaine Patriarches and by Traditions from man to man without anie Scriptures or Law written But the peculiar people of God being more visibly separated from other nations manie errors abunding in the world God would for correction confutation therof haue his wil made fuâ—â—her knowen to his children and so remaine amongst them in written record by his faithful seruant and Prophet Moyses VVho therfore declareth the Author and beginning of al thinges that is How al creatures were made by God and of him haue their being and by him only are conserued He teacheth expresly that there is one onlie God against those that imagined and brought into the phantasies of men manie goddes That the whole or vniuersal substance of heauen and earth with their ornaments and accidents were made in time against those that thought the first fundation therof had euer benne That God doth gouerne the same against those that say al is ruled by dâ—stenie or by the starres and not by the continual prouidence of God That God is a rewarder of the good and a punisher of euil which sinners seme either not to know or grosly to forgete And that God created al for mans vse and benefite which should make vs grateful VVherfore holie Moyses more particularly describeth the beginning of man what he was at first how he fel how al mankind is come of one man deducing the Genealogie of Adam especially to Noe. Then how men being more and more defiled vpon the earth with wicked especially carnal sinnes were by Gods iust wrath drowned with an vniuersal floud Againe how a few reserued persons multiplied the world a new But this of spring also falling into manie sinnes especially Idolatrie and spiritual fornication as those of the first age did to carnal offences God stil conserued some faithful true seruants Of which Moyses specially pursueth the line of Noe by Sem his first begotten sonne Then describeth the particular vocations liues maners notable sayings and noble factes with sincere religion of Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph other holie Patriarches who liued before the written lavv Likevvise vpon vvhat occasion in vvhat maneâ— Iacob otherwise called Israel with al his progenie descended from the Land of Canaan into Aegypt and were there entertayned So this booke contayneth the historie of two thousand three hundred odde yeares And it may be diuided into eight partes The first contayneth the Creation of Heauen and Earth other Creatures and lastly of Man chap. 1. 2. The second part is of the trangression fal of man his casting out of Paradise of multiplication of mâ—n and of sinne though stil some were iust of the general floud that drowned al except eight persons few other liuing creatures of the earth from the third chap. to the 8. The third part is of the new increase multiplication of the same from the 8. chap. to the 11. The fourth of the confusion of tongues the diuision of nations in the 11. chap. The fift relateth Abrahams going forth of his countrie Gods promise that in his seede al Nations should be blessed the commandment of Circumcision from the 12. chap. to the 21. The sixth part recounteth the progenie and other blessings especially the great vertues of Abraham Isaac and Iaâ—ob from the 21. chap. to the 37. The seuenth part reporteth the felling of Ioseph into Aegypt and his aduancement there from the 37. chap. to the 46. The eight and last part is of Iacob and his progenies going into Aegypt their intertainment there and of Iacobs and finally of Iosephs death in the fiue last cahpters The signification of the markes here vsed for direction of the reader The numbers in the argumentes of chapters point to the verse where the matter mentioned beginneth This forme of crosse †in the text sheweth the beginning of euerie verse The numbers in the inner margent ouer against the crosse shew the number of verses in the same chapter This marke signifieth that there foloweth an Annotation after the chapter vpon the word or wordes wherto it is adioyned The number also of the same verse is prefixed to the Annotation These foure prickes shew that there is an Annotation in the margent vpon that place And when manie occurre the first answereth to the first marcke the second to the second and so forth In like maner the citations of places in the inner margent are applied to the authores alleaged But when there be more such marginal annotations then may easely be applied we vse the letters of the Alphabete for direction This forme of a starre * in the text or annotations pointeth to the explication of some word or wordes in the margent Sometimes we put the Concordance of other Scriptures in the inner margent of the text VVe haue also noted in the margent when the Bookes of holie Scripture or partes thereof are read in the Churches Seruice For their sakes that desire to reâ—d the same in order of the Ecclesiastical Office THE BOOKE OF GENESIS IN HEBREW BERESITH CHAP. 1. God createth heauen and earth and al things therin distinguishing and bevvtyfying the same 26. last of al the sixth day he createth man to vvhom he subiecteth al corporal things of this inferior vvorld N THE beginning GOD created heauen and earth †And the earth was voide vacant and darkenes was vpon the face of the deapth and the Spirite of God moued ouer the waters †And God said Be light made And light was made †And God saw the light that it was good he diuided the light from the darkenes †And he called the light Day and the darkenes Night and there was euening morning that made one day †God also said Be a firmament made amidst the waters and let it diuide betwene waters waters †And God made a firmament and diuided the waters that were vnder the firmament from those that were aboue the firmament And it was so done †And God called the firmament Heauen and there was euening morning that made the second day †God also said Let the waters that are vnder the heauen be gathered together into one
excedingly and I wil make thee into nations and kinges shal come forth of thee †And I wil establish my couenant betwen me and thee and betwen thy seede after thee in their generations by a perpetual couenant to be thy God and thy sedes after thee †And I wil geue to thee and to thy seed the land of thy peregrination al the land of Chanaan for a perpetual possession and I wil be their God †Againe God said to Abraham And thou therfore shalt keepe my couenant and thy seed after thee in their generations †This is my couenant which you shal obserue betwen me and you and thy seede after thee Al the malekind of you shal be circumcised †and you shal circumcise the flesh of your prepuce that it may be for a signe of the couenant betwen me and you †An infant of eight daies shal be circumcised among you al malekind in your generations aswel the homebred shal be circumcised as the bought seruant of whosoeuer he is not of your stocke †and my couenant shal be in your flesh for a perpetual couenant †The male whose flesh of his prepuce shal not be circumcised that soule shal be destroied out of his people because he hath broken my couenant †God said also to Abraham Sarai thy wife thou shalt not cal Sarai but Sara †And I wil blesse her and of her I wil giue thee a sonne whom I wil blesse and he shal be into nations and kings of peoples shal spring of him †Abraham fel vpon his face laughed saying in his hart Shal trowest thou to him that is an hundred yeare old a sonne be borne and Sara that is nyntie yeares old shal she beare †And he said to God I would that Ismael may liue before thee †And God said to Abraham Sara thy wife shal beare thee a sonne and thou shalt cal his name Isaac and I wil establish my couenant to him for a perpetual couenant and to his seed after him †Concerning Ismael also I haue heard thee behold I wil blesse him and encrease and multiplie him exceadingly twelue dukes shal he beget and I wil make him into a great nation †But my couenant I wil establish with Isaac whom Sara shal bring forth to thee at this time an other yeare †And when he had leaft of speaking with him God ascended from Abraham †And Abraham tooke Ismael his sonne and al the homebred of his house and al whom he had bought al the males of al the men of his house and he circumcised the flesh of their prepuce forth with the very same day as God had commanded him †Abraham was nyntie and nyne yeares old when he circumcised the flesh of his prepuce †And Ismael his sonne was ful thirtene yeares old at the time of his circumcision †The selfsame day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his sonne †And al the men of his house as wel the home bred as the bought seruantes and strangers were circumcised togeather ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVII 5. Manie nations Abram signifying Hiegh or Noble father changed into Abraham which signifieth Father of manie nations and Sarai signifying My Princes changed into Sara which absolutly signifieth Princesse importe great Mysteries intended by God For by this changing of names was declared and confirmed that Abraham by the issue that he should haue of Sara should be the father of manie nations which S. Paul expresly applieth to his spiritual children those especially that should beleue in Christ of the Gentiles prefigured by Isaac borne of the freevvoman by the promise as the Iewes were prefigured by Ismael borne of the bondvvoman according to the flesh concluding with the prophet Esai that Manie are the children of the desolate that before vvas barren For albeit Abraham was natural father of foure nations The Ismaelites Madianites Idumeans and the Israelites yet he was spiritual father of manie more to wit of al nations that beleue in Christ from his owne time to the â—d of the world of which some are Iewes but the greatest part Gentiles as the same Apostle sheweth Rom. 4. Gal. 4. Ephes 3. Collos 1. and in other places wherby is clere that the Church of Christ doth alwayes consist of manie nations not as Donatistes and Protestants absurdly say sometimes of few inuisible or vnknowen persons for so Abraham should sometimes be father of few or no nations which dâ—rogateth either from Gods omnipotencie if he could not or from his fidelitie if he should not maintaine his promise made to Abraham for euer 10. shal be circumscised The Sacrament of Circumcision here first instituted about 400. yeares before the Law of Moyses is a perfect figure of Baptisme resembling it in foure things First by both these Sacraments the faithful are distinguished from infidels Secondly proffession of faith is made in them both either by those that receiue the same if they be of discretion or by others for them if they be infants Thirdly by both these Sacraments entrance is made into the Church and to the participation of other Sacraments and spiritual rites Fourrhly both these Sacraments induce subiection to the iurisdiction and lawes of the Church But Baptisme doth farie excel Circumcision in that it is more easie or lesse painful more vniuersal for it pertaineth to al nations and both sexes and especially in vertue and efficacie for Baptisme as an instrumental cause remitteth sinne and iustifieth Circumcision was only a signe that grace was geuen sinne remitted Againe Baptisme imprinteth a character in the soule the other leaueth a marck only in the flesh Finally Baptisme openeth the gate of heauen in vertue of Christs passion now past which circumcision could not before Christ suffered death Of which both resemblance and difference S. Augustin treateth in manie places especially li. 3. de doct christ c. 9. Epist 118. and Ianuarium li 19. c. 13. cont Faust in Psal 73. where he also maketh like comparison betwen other Sacraments of the old and new Testament 14. Shal be destroyed Here occurre two difficulties about the true sense of this hard place First whether this punishment belonged to them only by whose fault circumcision was omitted or to infants also that should be circumcised and were not Secondly whether temporal punishment or eternal was here threatned sor transgression of this precept Touching the first doubt it semeth probable that this punishment pertained only to those by whose negligence themselues or others of their charge were not circumcised for that the reason why such a one is punished is aleaged Because he hath broken Gods couenant VVhich is only in their powre to kepe or breake that are of discretion and not in the powre of infants The indifferencie also of the Hebrew and Greeke text fauoreth this sense for where according to the Latin we read The male vvhose flesh of prepuce is not circumcised The
take the honour to himself but he that is called of God as Aaron So Christ also did not glorifie himself that he might be made a Hiegh Priest but he that spake to him Thou art a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech Aarons sonnes were also called but to lower offices dignitie and authoritie And both he and they were ordained and consecrated by a peculiar Sacrament to wit by certaine determinate external ceremonies and rites signifying grace geuen them by God for the due performing of their function For first they were taken from the common state of men wherby is designed their ordinarie vocation then purified by certaine washings and sacrifice for sinne signifying special puritie required in them afterwardes inuested with holie and precious garmentes which signified their sacred function and great dignitie excelling al temporal dominion and principalitie finally consecrated in solemne maner with holie ointment and bloud of pacifique sacrifice offered for this purpose other sacrifice of holocaust also offered in the same solemnitie 7. Reuested The hiegh Priest had seuen special ornaments in his vesture First a straict linnen vvhite garment signifying puritie of life most specially required in Priestes Secondly a girdle or Bavvdrike of twisted silke and gold embrodered worke in coloures yelow blew purple and scarlet signifying discrete moderation of his actes to the spiritual profite of al sortes of people Thirdly a Tunike or long robe downe to the foote of hyacinth or blew silke at the skirt therof like pomegranates wrought of twisted silke blew purple and scarlet and litle belles of purest yelow gold interposed one by the other rownd about of ech sorte seuentie two signifying heauenlie conuersation vpon earth also vnion and concord in faith and maners with edification by good workes Fourthly an ornament vpon his shoulders called an Ephod of gold and twisted silke embrodered of the former coloures reaching before to the girdle with two precious Onyx stones closed in gold one hauing engrauen six names of the tribes of Israel set on one shoulder the other hauing the other six names on the other shoulder for a remembrance that he must supporte and meekly beare the infirmities of the people Fiftly a breast plate called Rationale of the same precious matter the measure of a palme foure square embrodered with the same foure coloures with foure rewes of twelue precious stones and therin engrauen the names of the twelue tribes Besides which were engrauen also VRIM and THVMMIM Illuminations and Perfections or Doctrin and Veritie because the hiegh Priest must haue knowledge of the truth and sincere intention Likwise in the Ephod and Rationale were ringes hookes and chaines of purest gold to ioyne them fast together Al signifying the perpetual solicitude and care which he ought to haue in his hart to know and teach the truth that the people may truly serue God to his honour and their owne saluation Sixtly a Mitre of twisted silke with little crownes embrodered worke set on his head to signifie that he must direct al his actions to Gods glorie that sitteth aboue al. Seuenthly A plate of sacred veneration made of the finest gold with the most holie name of God engrauen set on his forhead to put him stil in remembrance to contemplate God and his workes 13. His sonnes The other Priests had three special ornaments a linnen vvhite garment a Bavvdrike and a Mitre for glorie and bewtie to signifie the qualities aboue mentioned puritie discretion and direct intention also required in them 10. Tooke oile A third thing that Moyses was bid to take besides the men and vestiments was the holie oile of vnction which he poured only vpon the hiegh Priests head not on other Priests to signifie that powre descended from him to the rest But both he and they and their holie vestiments were sprinkled with this oile and with bloud taken from the altar their right eares also were touched with the bloud of a ramme sacrificed and their right thumbes and great toes of their right handes and feete to signifie prompt obedience and right intention in offering sacrifice according to Gods ordinance and not after the maner of infidels or humane inuention nor to anie sinister intent or purpose 14. He offered the calfe Other thinges which Moyses was here commanded to take at the consecration of Priests were a calfe to be offered in sacrifice for sinne two rammes the one in holocaust the other in pacifique sacrifice for the consecration of Priests and a basket of vnleuened bread to be offered with the two rammes Al for the greater solemnitie of this Sacrament of Orders By which Aaron and his sonnes were made the lawful and ordinarie Priests of the law newly deliuered by Moyses And so Priesthood was changed from the first borne of euerie familie and established only in Aaron and his sonnes and their issue male to be in like sorte consecrated And the rest of the Leuites to assist them By this also was prefigured the Sacrament of holie Orders in the Church of Christ with an other change of Priesthood from the familie order of Aaron to Priestes of the new Testament of what familie or nation soeuer And withal an other change of the law For the Priesthood being translated it is necessarie saith S. Paul that a translation of the Lavv be also made And this Sacrament in dede geueth grace as by the other it was only signified to those that are rightly ordered As the same Apostle testifieth willing Timothie to resuscitate the grace geuen him by imposition of handes 2. Timot. 1. S Ambrose in 1. Timot. 4. S. August lib. de bono coniugals c. 24. lib 2. contra Epsti Parmen Theodoret. q. 48. in lib. Num. CHAP. IX Sacrifices for sinne 12. and of holocauste 18. and pacifiques are offered 22. and Aaron stretching forth his hand blesseth the people AND when the eight day was come Moyses called Aaron and his sonnes and the ancients of Israel and said to Aaron †Take of the heard a calfe for sinne and a ramme for an holoucast both without spot and offer them before our Lord. †And to the children of Israel thou shalt speake Takeye a bucke goate for sinne and a calfe and a lambe of a yeare old without spot for an holoucast †an oxe and a ramme for pacifiques and immolate them before our Lord offering in the sacrifice of euerie one flowre tempered with oile for to day our Lord wil appeare to you †They tooke therfore al thinges that Moyses had cōmanded before the dore of the tabernacle where when al the multitude stood †Moyses said This is the word which our Lord hath commanded doe it and his glorie wil appeare to you †And he said to Aaron Approch to the altar immolate for thy sinne offer the holocaust and pray for thy self and for the people and when thou hast
wife and commit aduontrie with his neighbours wife dying let them die both the adulterer and the aduoutresse †He that lieth with his stepmother and reuealeth the ignominie of his father dying let both die their bloud be vpon them †If anie man lie with his daughter in law let both die because they haue done an heinous fact their bloud be vpon them †He that lieth with man as if he should companie with woman both haue committed abomination dying let them die their bloud be vpon them †He that besides his wife the daughter marieth her mother hath done wickednes he shal burne aliue with them neither shal there so great abomination remaine in the middes of you †He that shal companie with beast and cattel dying let him die the beast also doe ye kil †The woman that shal lie vnder anie beast shal be killed together with the same their bloud be vpon them †He that taketh his sister the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother and seeth her turpitude and she beholdeth her brothers ignominie they haue committed a shameful thing they shal be slaine in the sight of their people because they haue reuealed one an others turpitude and they shal beare their iniquitie †He rhat compaineth with a woman in her menstrual fluxe and reuealeth her turpitude and she openeth the fountaine of her bloud both shal be destroyed out of the middes of their people †The turpitude of thy aunt by thy mother and of thy aunt by thy father thou shalt not discouer he that doeth this hath disclosed the ignominie of his flesh both shal beare their iniquitie †He that compaineth with the wife of his vncle by the father or of his vncle by the mother and reuealeth the ignominie of his kinted both shal beare their sinne without children they shal die †He that marieth his brothers wife doth an vnlawful thing he hath reuealed his brothers turpitude they shal be without children †Keepe my lawes and iudgementes and doe them lest the land which you shal enter into and inhabite vomite out you also †Walke not in the ordinances of the nations which I wil expel before you For al these thinges haue they done and I haue abhorred them †But to you I speake Possesse their land which I wil geue you for an inheritance a land flowing with milke and honie I the Lord your God that haue seperated you from other peoples †Therfore doe you also seperate the cleane beast from the vncleane and the cleane foule from the vncleane pollute not your soules in beastes and birdes and al thinges that moue on the earth and which I haue shewed vnto you to be polluted †You shal be holie vnto me because I the Lord am holie and I haue separated you from other peoples that you should be mine †Man or woman in whom is a pithonical or diuining spirite dying let them die they shal stone them their bloud be vpon them CHAP. XXI At what funerals Priests may not be present 7. VVhat wemen they may not marie 9. a priests daughter committing fornication must be burned 10. The high Priest shal not vncouer his head nor rent his garment nor be present at anie funeral nor at al goe forth of the holie place 13. when he marieth he must take a virgin 16. None that hath a blemish in his bodie though he be of Aarons stock shal minister in the Sanctuarie nor approch to the Altar OVR Lord said also to Moyses Speake to the priestes the sonnes of Aaron and thou shalt say to them Let not a priest be contaminated in the deathes of his citizens †but onlie in his kinne and nigh of bloud that is to say vpon his father and mother and sonne and daughter brother also †and sister being a virgin which hath not bene maried to a husband †but neither in the prince of his people shal he be contaminated †Neither shal they shaue their head nor beard nor make incisions in their flesh †They shal be holie to their God and shal not pollute his name for the burnt sacrifice of the Lord and breades of their God doe they offer and therfore they shal be holie †A whore and a vile strumpette he shal not take to wife nor her that is put away from her husband because they are coÌ„secrated to their God †and offer the breades of proposition Be they holie therfore because I also am holie the Lord that sanctifie them †The daughter of a priest if she be taken in whordome dishonour the name of hir father shal be burnt with fire †The grand bishoppe that is to say the priest that is greatest among his brethren vpon whose head hath bene poured the oyle of vnction and whose handes were consecrated in priesthood and who was reuested with the holie vestimentes shal not vncouer his head he shal not rent his garments †and to no dead person shal he enter in at al. vpon his father also and mother shal he not be contaninated †Neither shal he goe forth out of the holie places lest he pollute the SaÌ„ctuarie of the Lord because the oyle of the holie vnction of his God is vpon him I the Lord. †He shal take a virgin vnto his wife †but a widow and her that is put away and a filth and a whore he shal not take but a maide of his owne people †that he mingle not the stocke of his kinred with the common people of his nation because I am the Lord that sanctifie him †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Speake to Aaron The man of thy seede throughout their families that hath a blemish shal not offer breades to his God †neither shal he approch to his ministerie If he be blinde if lame if he haue a litle or a great or a crooked nose †if his foote be broken if his hand †if he be crooke backed or blere eyed or haue a pearle in his eye or a continual scabbe or drie scurffe in his bodie or be burnt †Euerie one that hath a blemish of the seede of Aaron the priest shal not approch to offer the hostes to the Lord nor the breades to his God †He shal eate notwithstanding of the breades that are offered in the Sanctuarie †yet so that he enter not within the vâ—ilen or approch to the altar because he hath a blemish and he must not contaninate my Sanctuarie I the Lord that sanctifie them †Moyses therfore spake to Aaron and to his sonnes and to al Israel al thinges that had bene commanded him CHAP. XXII VVho may eate of sanctified things 17. And what things may be offered OVR Lord also spake to Moyses saying †Speake to Aaron and to his sonnes that they beware of those that are the consecrated thinges of the children of Israel and contaninate not the name of the thinges sanctified to me which
together one of them die without children the wife of the deceased shal not marie to an oother but his brother shal take her and rayse vp the seede of his brother †and the first borne sonne of her he shal cal by his name that his name be not abolished out of Israel †But if he wil not take his brothers wife that by law is dew to him the woman shal goe to the gate of the citie and cal vpon the ancientes and say My husbandes brother wil not rayse vp his brothers seede in Israel nor take me to his wise †And sorthwith they shal cause him to be sent for and shal aske him If he answer I wil not take her to wife †the woman shal come to him before the ancientes and shal take of his shoe from his foote and spitte in his face and say So shal it be done to the man that buildeth not his brothers house †And his name shal be called in Israel The house of the vnshodde †If two men fal at wordes betwixt them selues and one beginne to brawle against the other and the wife of the one willing to deliuer her husband out of the hand of the stronget put forth her hand and take his priuities †thou shalt cutte of her hand neither shalt thou be moued with any pitie vpon her †Thou shalt not haue diuerse weightes in thy bagge a greater and a lesse †neither shal there be in thy house a greater bushel and a lesse †Thou shalt haue a weight iust and true and thy bushel shal be equal and true that thou mayest liue a long time vpon the Land which our Lord thy God shal geue thee †For thy Lord abhorreth him that doth these thinges and detesteth al iniustice †Remember what Amalec did to thee in the way when thou camest out of Aegypt †how he mette thee stroke the hindemost of thy armie which being wearie rested them selues when thou wast spent with famine and labour and he feared not God †Therfore when our Lord thy God shal geue thee rest and subdewe al nations round about in the Land which he hath promised thee thou shalt destroy his name vnder heauen Beware thou forget it not ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXV 5. His brother shal take her This proueth euidently that the prohibition not to marie the brothers wife Leuit. 18. was a positiue law binding only when the first brother dying left issue For dying without issue his brother was bound by this law to marie the widow In default of the brother the next of kinne was to marie her and for default of neerer the more remote so Booz maried Ruth Neither was it contrarie but agreable to the law of nature to marie the brothers wife when he was dead without issue as is before noted Gen. 38. CHAP. XXVI First fruites must be offered in special place assigned to Gods seruice professing of gratitude for the land possessed according to Gods promise 12. Likewise tithes of the third yeare 16. with conclusion that the people promise to obserue al the preceptes of God and so doing he wil protect and prosper them AND when thou art entred into the Land which our Lord thy God wil geue thee to possesse and hast obteyned it and dwellest in it †thou shalt take first of al thy fruites and put them in a maunde and shalt goe to the place which our Lord thy God shal choose that his name may be inuocated there †and thou shalt goe to the priest that shal be in those daies and say to him I professe this day before our Lord thy God that I am entred into the Land for the which he sware to our fathers that he would geue it vs. †and the priest taking the maund at his hand shal sette it before the altar of our Lord thy God †and thou shalt speake in the sight of our Lord God The Syrian persecuted my father who descended into Aegypt and seiourned there in a verie smale number and grew into a nation greate and strong and of an infinite multitude †And the Aegyptians afflicted vs and persecuted vs laying on most grieuous burdens †and we cried to our Lord the God of our fathers who heard vs and respected our affliction and labour and distresse †and brought vs out of Aegypt in a strong hand a stretched out arme in great terrour in signes and wonders †and brought vs into this place and deliuered to vs this Land flowing with milke and honie †And therfore now I offer first fruites of the Land which our Lord hath geuen me And thou shalt leaue them in the sight of our Lord thy God adoring our Lord thy God †And thou shalt feast in al the good thinges which our Lord thy God hath geuen to thee and thy house thou and the Leuite and the stranger that is with thee †When thou hast finished the tithe of al thy fruites in the third yeare of tithes thou shalt geue to the Leuite and the stranger and the pupil and the widow that they may eate within thy gates and be filled †and thou shalt speake in the sight of our Lord thy God I haue brought that which is sanctified out of my house and haue geuen it to the Leuite and the stranger and the pupil and the widow as thou hast commanded me I haue not transgressed thy commandements nor forgotten thy preceptes †I haue not eaten of them in my mourning nor separated them in any vncleannes nor spent of them any thing in funerals I haue obeyed the voice of our Lord my God and haue done al thinges as thou didst command me †Looke from thy sanctuarie and thy high habitation of heauen and blesse thy people Israel and the Land which thou hast geuen vs as thou swarest to our fathers a land flowing with milke and honie †This day our Lord thy God hath commanded thee to doe these commandmentes and iudgementes that thou keepe and fulfil them with al thy hart and with al thy soule †Thou hast chosen our Lord this day to be thy God and to walke in his waies and keepe his ceremonies and preceptes and iudgementes and obey his commandement †And our Lord hath chosen thee this day that thou shouldest be his peculiar people as he hath spoken to thee and thou shouldest keepe al his commandementes †and make thee higher then al nations which he created to his prayse and name and glorie that thou mayest be a holie people of our Lord thy God as he hath spoken CHAP. XXVII Gods commandmentes must be written in plastred stones An Altar erected and Sacrifices offered 12. Obseruers of the commandments must be blessed and transgressors cursed 14. with the forme of cursing idolaters and diuers other enormious sinners AND Moyses and the ancientes of Israel commanded the people saying Keepe euerie commandment that I command you this day â€
the men of warre with him to goe vp into Hai and thirtie thousand chosen valiant men he sent in the night †and commanded them saying Lay ambushmentes behinde the citie neither retyre you farre of and you shal al be readie †But I and the rest of the multitude which is with me wil goe vp on the contrarie side against the citie And when they shal issue out against vs as we did before we wil flee and turne our backes †til pursewing they be drawen forward farre from the citie for they wil thinck that we flee as before †We therfore fleeing and they pursewing you shal rise out of the ambushmentes and shal waist the citie and our Lord your God wil deliuer it into your handes †And when you shal take it burne it and you shal doe al thinges so as I haue commanded †And he dismissed them away and they went on to the place of the ambushment and sate betwen Bethel and Hai at the West side of the citie of Hai. But Iosue that night stayed in the middes of the people †and rysing early he mustered his soldiars and went vp with the ancientes in the fronte of the hoste enuironed with the ayde of the fighting men †And when they were come and were gone vp directly against the citie they stoode on the North side of the citie betwen which and them was a valley in the middes †And fiue thousand men had he chosen and sette in the embushmentes betwen Bethel and Hai on the West side of the same citie †but al the rest of the hoste went in battel aray on the North side so that the last of the multitude did reach to the West side of the citie Iosue therfore went that night and stoode in the middes of the valley †Which when the King of Hai had seene he made hast in the mourning and issued forth with al the host of the citie and bent his armie toward the desert being ignorant that there lay embushmentes secretly behind his backe †But Iosue and al Israel gaue backe feyning feare and fleeing by the way of the wildernes †But they cried alowde together and encouraging one an other pursewed them And when they were gone from the citie †and not one remained in the citie of Hai and Bethel that pursewed not Israel euen as they had rushed out leauing the townes open †our Lord said to Iosue Lift vp the shield that is in thy hand against the citie of Hai for I wil deliuer it to thee †And when he had lifted vp his shield against the citie the embushementes that lay hidde rose vp immediately and going to the citie tooke and burnt it †And the men of the citie that pursewed Iosue looking backe and seeing the smoke of the citie rise vp euen to heauen they could no more flee hither and thiâ—her especially whereas they that had feyned running away and went toward the wildernes most valiantly resisted against the purseweâ—s †And Iosue and al Israel seeing that the citie was taken and the smoke of the citie rose vp returning he stroke the men of Hai. †For they also that had taken and burnt the citie issuing out of the citie against their owne men beganne to strike the enemies in the middes of them When the aduersaries therfore were slaine on both sides so that none of so great a multitude was saued †they tooke the King of the citie of Hai aliue and presented him to Iosue †Therfore al being slaine that had pursewed Israel fleeing to the desertes and falling by the sword in the same place the children of Israel returning stoke the citie †And there were that fel that same day from man vnto woman twelue thousand men al of the citie of Hai. †But Iosue plucked not in his hand which he had strethched forth on high holding the shield til al the inhabitantes of Hai were slaine †And the cattel and the praye of the citie the children of Israel diuided among them as our Lord had commanded Iosue †Who burnt the citie and made it a heape for euer †the king also therof he hong on a gibbet vntil euening and the going downe of the sunne And he commanded and they tooke downe his corps from the gibbet and threw it in the verie entring of the citie heaping vpon it a great heape of stones which remaineth vntil this present day †Then Iosue built an altar to our Lord the God of Israel in mount Hebal †as Moyses the seruant of our Lord had commanded the children of Israel and it is written in the volume of the law of Moyses an Altar of vnhewed stones which yron hath not touched and he offered vpon it holocaustes to our Lord and immolated pacifique victimes †And he wrote vpon stones the Deuterenomie of the law of Moyses which he had ordered before the children of Israel †And al the people and the ancientes and the princes and iudges stoode on both sides of the arke in the sight of the priestes that caried the arke of the couenant of our Lord as wel the stranger as also the man of the same countrie the half part of them beside mount Garizim and halfe beside mount Hebal as Moyses the seruant of our Lord had commanded And first in deede he blessed the people of Israel †After this he reade al the wordes of the blessing the cursing and al thinges that were written in the volume of the law †Nothing of those thinges which Moyses had commanded did he leaue vntouched but he repeated al thinges before al the multitude of Israel the wemen and children and strangers that dwelt among them CHAP. IX Other nations fearing Israel ioyne their forces to fight against them 3. but the Gabaonites send embassadors feyning craftily to come farre of 14. with whom Iosue and the ancientes of Israel make league binding it by oath 16. within three dayes they are detected to be nere inhabitantes VVherupon the people murmur against their princes VVho yet for their oath let the Gabaonites liue 20. only making them and their progenie perpetual seruantes to cutte wood and carie water VVHICH thinges being heard al the kinges beyond Iordan that dwelt in the mountaines and champion countries in the places by the sea side and the shore of the great sea they also that dwelt beside Libanus the Hetheite and Amorreite the Chananeite the Pherezeite and the Heueite and the Iebus eite †were gathered to fight against Iosue and Israel with one minde and one sentence †But they that dwelt in Gabaon hearing al thinges that Iosue had done to Iericho and Hai †subtelly deuising tooke prouision for them selues laying old sackes vpon their asses and bottels of wine rent and sowed againe †and shoes very old which for a shew of oldenesse were clouted with speckes putting on them old garmentes the loaues also which they caried for prouision by the way
holie persecution then bringing them forth of the fornace of Egypt in his strong hand as is recorded in the former age at last his Diuine Maiestie deliuered to them his perfect and eternal Law conteyned in two tables distributed into tenne preceptes teaching them their proper duties first towards himselfe their God and Lord then towards ech other Adding moreouer for the practise and execution therof other particular precepts of two sortes to witte Ceremonial prescribing certaine determinate maners and rites in obseruing the commandements of the first table pertaining to God and Iudicial lawes directing in particular how to fulfil the commandements of the second table concerning our duties towards our neighbours So we see the whole law is nothing els but to loue God aboue al and our neighboures as our selues The maner of performing al is to beleue and hope in one onlie Lord God honour and serue him alone who made al of nothing conserueth al wil iudge al and render to al men as they deserue and therfore fully to confirme this point he beginneth his commandements with expresse prohibition of al false and imaginarie goddes saying Exod. 20. v 3. Thou shalt not haue strange goddes after threates to the transgressours and recital of the other nine commandementes he concludeth v. 23. with repetition of the first saying You shal not make goddes of siluer nor goddes of gold shal you make to you 〈…〉 iâ— repeted and explaned Deut. 5. And in the next chapter Moyses 〈…〉 the people saith Heare Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And God himselfe speaking againe sayth Exod. 23. See ye that I am onlie and there is no other God besides me The royal prophet Dauid 2 Reg. 22. and Psalm 17. who is God but our God and in sundrie other places the seneâ— doctrine of one God is grounded confirmed and established The Misterie of the B. Trinitie or of three Diuine Persons is no lesse true and certaine then that there is but one God though not so manifest to reason noâ— so expressly taught in the old Testament yet beleued then also and often in inuaded where God is expressed by names of the plural number as Elobim Elim Elahâ— Saddai Adonai Tsebaoth which import pluralitie of Persons in God who is bâ—â—e one nature and substance Distinction also of Persons in God 〈…〉 ced Exod. 33. God saying I wil cal in the name of the Lord That is as S. Augustin and other fathers expound it the second Person by his grace maketh his seruants to cal vpon God More distinctly Psalm 2. The Lord said to me Thou art my Sonne I this day haue begotten thee Psalm 109. The Lord said to my Lord that is God the Father to God the Sonne who according to his diuinitie is the Lord of Dauid according to his humanitie the sonne of Dauid The same king Dauid maketh mention also of the third Person the Holie Ghost praying Psalm 50. Thy holie Spirit take not from me In the forme of blessing the people Num. 6. al three Persons some to be vnderstood in the name of our Lord thrise repeted our Lord the Father blesse thee and keepe thee Our Lord the Sonne shew his face to thee and haue mercie vpon thee Our Lord the Holie Ghost turne his countenance vnto thee and geue thee peace Of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God we haue in this age manie prophecies and figures Moyses euidently Deut. 18 forsheweth that after other prophets Christ the Sonne of God should come in flesh and redeme mankind as S. Peter teacheth Act. 3. Likewise in his Canticle and Blessing of the tribes Deut. 32 33 he speaketh more expresly of Christ and his Church then of the Iewes and thier Synagogue The starre prophecied by Balaam Num. 24. forshewed both to Iewes and Gentiles that Christ should subdue al nations Iosuâ— both in name and office was a manifest figure of IESVS Christ Also the Iudge and Kinges some in one thing some in an other most especially king Dauid and king Salomon were figures of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ The brasen serpent Num. 21. sign fied Christ to be crucified as him selfe expenndeth it Ioan. 3. Bri fly the whole Law was a pedagogue or conductor to bring men to Christ Galat. 3. and by him to know God and them selues to wit God omnipotent al perfect Creator of al our Father Redemer and Sanctifier and man his chief earthlie creature though of himselfe wâ—â—kâ— and impotent yea through sinne miserable yet in nature of free condition indued wish vnderstanding to conceiue and discourse and with freewil to choose or refuse what liketh or displeaseth him For God appointing al creatures their offices ingraffed in al other thinges inuariable inclination to performe the same so that they could neither by vertue nor sinne make their state better not worse then it was created but ordaining Angels and men to a higher end of eternal felicitie left their wils free to agree vnto or to resist his precepts and counsels VVherupon Angels cooperating with Gods grace were confirmed in glorie and some reuoking were eternally damned Man also offending fel into damnable state but through penance may be saued if he cooperate with new grace of our Redemer which is in his choise to doe or omitte As when God gaue his people meate in the desert Exod. 16. he so instructed them how to receiue it and vse it without force or compulsion that he might proue them as himself speaketh whether they would walke in his law or no. And after making couenant with them Exod. 19. Deut. 26. required and accepted their voluntarie consent entring into formal contract or bargaine betwen him self and them he promising on the one partie to make them his peculiar people a priestlie kingdome and a holie nation they on the other partie promising loyaltie obedience and obseruation of his commandements saying Al thinges that our Lord hath spoken we wil doe For which cause Gods promises are conditional Deut. 7. if thou kepe his iudgements God wil keepe his couenant to thee Againe most plainly Deut. 11. Behold I sette before your sight this day benediction and malediction and Deut. 30. I cal for witnesses this day heauen and earth that I haue proposed to you life and death blessing and cursing Choose therfore life that thou mayest liue In al which it is certaine that Gods promise being firme mans wil is variable and so the euent not necessarie which made Caleb hoping of victorie to say Iosue 14. if perhaps our Lord be with me Neither doth Gods foreknowledge make the euent necessarie for he seeth the effect in the cause as it is voluntarie or casual yea God knoweth al before and some times fortelleth thinges vvhich conditionally vvould happen and in deed the condition fayling come not to passe as 1. Reg. 23. God answered that the men of Ceila would betray Dauid meaning if he staied there vvhich
and fasting for them 2. Reg. 1. Al which were to no purpose if soules departed could not be releiued by such meanes It moreouer appeareth that the same royal prophet beleued diuers places to be in hel when he said Psal 85. Thou hast deliuered my soule from the lower hel signifiyng plainly that there is a lower and a higher hel which higher the Church calleth Purgatorie where soules suffer that paine in satisfaction for their sinnes which remaineth not satisfied before death is due after the guilt of sinne is remitted the law prescribing that besides restitution of damage sacrifice should also be offered Leuit. 5. 6. 16. And Dauid was punished by the death of his child 2. Reg. 12. by the plague sent amongst his people 2. Reg. 24. after his sinnes were remitted He feared also punishment in the other world yea two sortes and therfore prayed to be deliuered from both saying Psal 6. Lord rebuke me not in thy furie nor chastice me in thy wrath That is saith S. Gregorie Strike me not with the reprobate nor aflict me with those that are purged by the punishing flames And most expresly signifieth also a higher place called hel saying Psal 15. in the person of Christ to his Father Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hel From vvhence Christ deliuered the holie Patriarches Prophetes and other perfect soules resting vvithout sensible paine brought them into heauen vvhither before him none could enter VVhich vvas also signified by the cities of refuge whence none might depart to their proper countrie til the death of the high priest Num. 35. by Moyses dying in the desert and not entring into the promised land ouer Iordan Deut. 4. 31. 34. Presupposing the general Resurrection of al men as a truth knovven by former traditions king Dauid shevveth the difference of the vvicked and godlie in that time saying Psal 1. The impious shal not rise againe in iudgement nor sinners in the councel of the iust That is the vvicked shal not rise to ioy glorie as the iust godlie shal doe Of general iudgement is more plainly prophecied 1. Reg. 2. That our Lord shal iudge the endes of the earth not that Dauid nor Salomon but Christ should raigne in his mâ—litant Church euen to the endes of the earth and in fine iudge the vvhole vvorld The same is confirmed Psal 49. God wil come manifestly our God and he wil not kepe silence Fire shal burne forth in his sight Psal 95. He shal iudge the round world in equitie and the peoples in his truth Psal 96. Fire shal goe before him and shal inflame his enemies round about Againe the same royal prophete Psalm 48. describeth the future and eternal state of the damned saying as sheepe creatures vnable to helpe themselues they are put in hel death shal feede vpon them Of the blessed he addeth And the iust shal rule ouer them in the morning that is in the resurrection and Psal 149. The Sainctes shal reioyse in glorie they shal be ioyful in their beddes in eternal rest The exaltations praâ—ses of God in their throate and two edged swordes in their handes to doe reuenge in the nations punishments among the peoples To bind their kinges in fetters and their nobles in yron manicles That they may doe in them the iudgement that is written This glorie is to al his Sainctes And much greater glorie belongeth to Sainctes for this is but accidental vttered according to vulgar capacitie The essential and perfect glorie which no eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hart can cone iuâ— consisteth in seeing God Among accidental glorious giftes the foure dowries of glorified bodies are especially prefigured Impassibilitie by the wood Setim wherof the Arke was made Exod. 25. Agilitie and Penetrabilitie in some sorte by Dauids quicknes against Gâ—liath and his conuering of him self into Sauls campe and forth againe 1. Reg. 17. and 26. but a more plaine figure of Claritie was in Moyses face Exod. 34. which by his conuersation with God became more glorious then mortal eyes were able to behold glistering and shining as most splendent lâ—ght through christal described as if his skinne had benne a clere horne aâ—â—earing and spreading beamâ— like the sunnâ— proceding from the beautie of his soule so thâ—â— none of al the people could looke directly vpon him except he couered his face Thus much concerning particular pointes of faith and religion And it is no lesse euident that the vniuersal Church and Citie of God stil continued yea was more visible and conspicuous to the whole world then before First by Gods maruelous protection therof in the desert and famous victories and conquestes of the land of Chanaan And by the excellent lawes geuen to this people which al nations admired and none had the like Deut. 4. For in this fourth age besides other lavves and preceptes the spiritual and temporal States were more distinguished and the Ecclesiastical Hierarchie especially disposed in subordination of one supreme head with inferiour gouerners ech in their place and office for edification of the whole bodie For Moyses being chief ruler and conductâ—r of the Israelites out of Aegypt receiued and deliuered to them the written Law Exod. 20. And for obseruation and conseruation therof by Gods expresse appointment Leuit. 8. consecrated Aaron the ordinarie High priest himself remayning stil extraordinarie Superiour also aboue Aaron And after Aaron he consecrated in like maner his sonne Eleazar high priest and successour to his father Num. 20. To whom succeded others in this order 1. Paralip 6. Phinees Abisuë Bocci Ozi Zacharias otherwise 1. Reg. 1. called Heli Meraioth Amarias otherwise Achimelec whom Saul slew 1. Reg. 22. Achitob othervvise Abiathar vvho vvas deposed 3. Reg. 2. and Sadoc in vvhose time the Temple vvas founded To these vvere adioyned other Priestes also consecrated in a praescript forme Leuit. 8. and Leuites ordayned to assist in lower and distinct offices Num. 3. 4. In the first degree the Caathites whose office was to carrie the Sanctuarie and vessel therof vvrapped vp by the priestes but vvere forbid in paine of death to touch them or to see them In the second degree the Gersonites vvho carried the cortines and couers of the Tabernacle and vessel of the Altar In the third degree the Merarites vvho carried the bordes barres and pillers vvith their feete pinnes cordes and other implementes of the tabernacle euerie one according to their office and burdens Num. 4. v. vlt. But in the temporal state and gouernment Iosue of the tribe of Ephraim succeeded to Moyses Num. 27. Deut. 3. 34. And after Iosue were diuers interruptions of succession with gouerners of diuers tribes and change of gouernment from Dukes to Iudges and from Iudges to Kinges For after Iosues death the people being sore afflicted by inuasions of Infidels God raised certaine special men with title of Iudges to
deliuer and saue them First Othoniel of the tribe of Iuda then Aod of Beniamin after him Samgar the Scripture not signifying of what tribe then Barach with Debora of Ephraim Gedeon of Manasses Abimelech his basâ— sonne an vsurper Thola of Issachar Iair and Iephte of Manasses Abesan of Iuda Aialon of Zabulon Abdon of Ephraim Sampson of Dan and Heli who was also high priest of Aarons stocke otherwise called Zaraias 1. Paralip 6. and Samuel also of the tribe of Leut a Prophet In his time the people demanding and vrging to haue a King Saul of the tribe of Beniamin was annointed 1. Reg. 10. But for transgressing Gods commandments especially for exercising spiritual function without warrant 1. Reg. 13. and not destroying idolaters 1. Reg. 15. was deposed and Dauid of the tribe of Iuda was annointed King who after manie great trubles possessed the whole kingdome and died in peace leauing his sonne Salomon inuested and annointed king in his throne The Church being thus established in distinct states and orders albeit there were manie imperfections in al sortes of persons and great sinnes committed yet God so punished offenders and chastised the whole people that he stil conserued the greatest or chiefe part in true faith and religion For whiles they were in the desert they murmured very often against God and his Ministers their Superiours Exod. 17. Num. 11. 14 20. 21. Manie fel to idolatrie Exod. 32. Aaron not free from cooperating in the peoples sinne Nadab and Abiu Aarons sonnes and consecrated priestes offered strange fire Leuit. 10 Core Dathan and Abiron with their complices made a great schisme Num. 16. Manie committed carnal fornication with Infidels and were therby drawen to spiritual Num. 25. Of which and other like â—innes the Psalmist speaketh Psal 94. exhorting his people not to harden their hartes as in the desert their fathers had tempted God Fourtie yeares was I offended sayth God with that generation and sayd They alwayes erre in hart And therfore he sware in his wrath that the same generation should not enter into the promised land of Chanaan but their children entred and possessed it Num. 14. Iesue 3. A 〈…〉 the people falling to idolatrie and other sinnes were afflicted and sore pressâ—d by forraine enemies but repenting were deliuered and saued by certain capitaines called Iudges and Sauiours as appeareth in the booke of iudges They had also tribulations by some of their owne nation for among the Iudge one called Abimelee was a tyrannical vsurper Iudic. 9. Saul their first King falling from God vniustly persecuted Dauid 1. Reg. 18. â— Ambitious Absolom rebelled against the King his father 2. Reg. 15. and Seba of the tribe of Beniamin raised an other rebellion 2. Reg. 20. â—â—â—â—wise Adonias assisted by Abiathar the high priest and by Ioab general of the armie pretended to reigne his father Dauid yet liuing to preuent S 〈…〉 n of the kingdom 3. Reg. 1. So God both shewed his iustice in suffering suâ—â— afflictions to happen for punishment of sinne and his mercie in sauing hiâ— Church from ruine Moreouer for preseruatioÌ„ of the Church there were diuers diuine Ordinances prouided by the law For first al were strictly commanded not to coÌ„municate with Infidels in their idolatrie Ex. 23. nor with Schismatikes in their schisme Nu. 16. but to destroy al Idolaters Num. 33. and shunne al nouelties in religion as a sure marke of idolatrie or false doctrine Deut. 13. Further to conserue vnitie there was but one Tabernacle and one Altar for Sacrifice in the whole people of Israel VVherupon when the two tribes and halfe on the other side Iordan had made a seueral altar al the tribes that dwelt in Chanaan suspecting it was for sacrifice sent presently to admonish them and prepared to make warre against them except they destroyed their new altar but being aduertised that it was only an altar of monument and not for sacrifice were therwith satisfied Iosue 22. Afterwards the tribe of Dan setting vp idolatrie and the other tribes not correcting it they were al punished VVhich happened by occasion of an other enormous sinne committed and not corrected in the tribe of Beniamin For the other eleuen tribes making warre against them for this iust cause yea by Gods direction and warrant yet had the worse susteyning great slaughter of men in two conflictes and in the third Beniamin was almost destroyed Iudic. 20. Finally for decision of al controuersies and ending of strife the High Priest was expresly ordayned supreme Iudge Deut. 17. And al were commanded in paine of death to submitte their opinions and obey his sentence with promise of Gods assistance wherby his definitions were certaine and infallible For in consultations of doubtes and difficult cases God inspired him with doctrine of veritie Exod. 28. 29. Leuit. 8. Num. 3. 7. 9. 1. Reg. 23 30. VVhich iudgement Seate Christ admonished the Iewes to repayre vnto and folow Math. 23. though the Iudges themselues did not the thinges which they taught In so much that Caiphas through this assistance of Gods spirite being otherwise a wicked man yet pronounced the truth That one must die for the people VVhich therfore S. Iohn the Euangelist ascribeth to his Chayre and office because he was High priest that yeare Ioan. 11. Seing then Gods prouidence and continual assistance was so clere and assured in the Church of the old Testament much more is the Church of christ builded vpon a sure rocke assured of his perpetual assistance and always preserued from erring in Faith or in general practise of Religion And that by Gods like assured ordinance of one supreme head and Iudge S. Peter his Successour for vvhom our Sauiour prayed that his faith should not faile Further commanding him that he should confirme his brethren Al vvhich vvse see is performed in the Successours of S. Peter vvheras the successours of the other Apostles are al failed long since The same most assured stabilitie of the Church of Christ is further confirmed by the whole Lavv and Prophetes Namely Deut. 32. and 33. vvhere Moyses fortelleth more povver and grace in the Church to be collected in the Gentiles of al natioÌ„s then euer vvas in that of the Israelites or Iews Likewise 1. Reg. 2. The same vvas both prefigured and prophecied by holie Anna The hungrie those that desire Gods grace and glorie are filled vntil the barren woman the Church of the Gentiles bare verie manie she that had manie children was weakned Shewing that the Church of the Iewes had manie vntil the plenitude of Gentiles much more abounded Wherfore the Psalmist inuiteth al nations to praise God saying Psal 116. Praise our Lord al ye Gentiles praise him al ye peoples Also 2. Reg. 7. God promised Dauid saying Thy Kingdome for euer before thy face and thy throne shal be firme continually which was not verified in Dauids temporal kingdome For it was
his sore he was cured †And Ezechias had sayd to Isaie What signe shal there be that our Lord wil heale me and that I shal goe vp the third day to the temple of our Lord †To whom Isaie sayd This shal be the signe from our Lord that our lord wil doe the word which he hath spoken Wilt thou that the shadow goe forward ten lines or that it goe backe soe many degrees †And Ezechias sayd It is an easie matter for the shadow to goe forward ten lines neither wil I that this be done but that it returne back ten degrees †Isaie therfore the prophet inuocated our Lord and brought backe the shadow by the lines by the which it was now gone downe in the dial of Achaz backward ten degrees †In that time Berodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan the king of the Babilonians sent letters and giftes to Ezechias for he had heard that Ezechias had bene sicke †And Ezechias reioysed in their coming and he shewed them the house of aromatical spices and gold and siluer and diuerse precious odours oyntementes also and the house of his vessels and al that he had in his treasures There was not any thing which Ezechias shewed them not in his house and in al his powere †And Isaie the prophete came to king Ezechias and sayd to him What sayd these men or from whence came they to thee To whom Ezechias said From a far countrie they came to me out of Babylon †But he answered What saw they in thy house Ezechias sayd They saw al things whatsoeuer are in my house there is nothing that I haue not shewed them in my treasures †Isaie therfore said to Ezechias heare the word of our Lord †Behold the daies shal come al things shal be taken away that are in thy house and that thy fathers haue layd vp vntil this day into Babylon there shal not anie thing remayne sayth our Lord. †Yea of the children also that come forth of thee whom thou shalt beget shal be taken away and they shal be eunuches in the palace of the king of Babylon †Ezechias said to Isaie The word of our Lord which thou hast spoken is good be there peace and truth in my daies †But the rest of the wordes of Ezechias and al his strength and how he made a poole and a conduite and brought waters in to the citie are not these things writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda †And Ezechias slept with his fathers and Manasses his sonne reigned for him CHAP. XXI For the enormious impietie of Manasses 10. God threatneth destruction of the kingdom 16. He spilleth innocent bloud 18. dieth and his senne Amon reigneth also wickedly 23. is slaine by his seruantes and his sonne Iosias reigneth TWELVE yeares old was Manasses when he began to reigne he reigned fiue and fiftie yeares in Ierusalem the name of his mother was haphsiba †And he did euil in the sight of our Lord acording to the idols of the Nations which our Lord destroyed from the face of the children of Israel †And he was turned and built the excelses which Ezechias his father had destroyed and he sette vp altars to Baal and made groues as Achab the king of Israel had done and he adored al the host of heauen and worshipped it †And he built altars in the house of our Lord of the which our Lord sayd In Ierusalem I wil put my name †And he built altars to al the host of heauen in the two courtes of the temple of our Lord. †And he made his sonne pasâ—e through fyre and he vsed sooth saying and obserued diuinations and made pithones and multiplied inchanters to doe euil before our Lord and to prouoke him †He sette also the idol of the groue which he had made in the temple of our Lord concerning the which our Lord spake to Dauid and to Salomon his sonne In this temple and in Ierusalem which I haue chosen out of al the tribes of Israel I wil put my name for euer †And I wil noe more make the foote of Israel to be moued out of the land which I gaue to their fathers yet so if in worke they shal keepe al things that I haue commanded them al the law which my seruantes Moyses commanded them †But they heard not but were seduced by Manasses to doe euil aboue the Nations which our Lord destroyed before the face of the children of Israel †And our Lord spake in the hand of his seruantes the prophetes saying †Because Manasses the king of Iuda hath done these most wicked abominations passing al thinges that the Amorrheites did before him and hath made Iuda also to sinne in his filthes †therfore thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel Behold I wil bring in euils vpon Ierusalem and Iuda that whosoeuer shal heare it both his eares shal tingle †And I wil stretch out vpon Ierusalem the corde of Samaria and the weight of the house of Achab and I wil wipe out Ierusalem as tables are wont to be wiped out and wyping out I wil turne it and draw often the pencil vpon the face therof †But I wil leaue remnantes of mine inheritance and wil deliuer them into the handes of their enemies and they shal be vnto waste and vnto spoile to al their aduersaries †because they haue done euil before me and haue continewed prouoking me from the day that their fathers came out of Aegypt vntil this day †Moreouer Manasses shed also innocent bloud exceding much til he filled Ierusalem euen to the mouth beside his sinnes wherin he made Iuda to sinne to doe euil before our Lord. †But the rest of the wordes of Manasses and al that he did and his sinne which he sinned are not these thinges written in the Booke of the wordes of the dayes of the kinges of Iuda †And Manasses slept with his fathers and was buried in the garden of his house in the garden of Oza and Amon his sonne reigned for him †Two and twentie yeares old was Amon when he began to reigne two yeares also he reigned in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Messalemeth the daughter of Ieteba †And he did euil in the sight of our Lord as Manasses his father had done †And he walked in al the way by the which his father had walked and he serued the filthes which his father had serued and he adored them †and forsooke our Lord the God of his fathers and walked not in the way of our Lord. †And his seruantes lay in wayte agaynst him and slewe the king in his house †But the people of the land stroke al them that had conspired agaynst king Amon and made Iosias his sonne their king for him †But the rest of the wordes of Amon which he did are not these writen in the Booke of the
that sate on the walles of Ierusalem that he might terrifie them and take the citie †And he spake agaynst the God of Ierusalem as agaynst the goddes of the peoples of the earth the workes of mens handes †Ezechias therfore the king and Isaias the prophet the sonne of Amos prayed agaynst this blasphemie and cried out euen to heauen †And our Lord sent an Angel which stroke euerie strong man and warryer and prince of the armie of the king of the Assyrians and he returned with ignominie into his countrie And when he was entered into the house of his God his sonnes that were come forth of his wombe slewe him with the sword †And our Lord saued Ezechias and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem out of the hand of Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians and out of the hand of al gaue them rest round about †Manie also brought hostes and sacrifices to our Lord into Ierusalem and giftes to Ezechias the king of Iuda who was exalted after these thinges before al nations †In those daies Ezechias was sick euen to death and he prayed our Lord and he heard him and gaue him a signe †But not according to the benefites which he receiued did he recompense because his hart was eleuated and wrath came agaynst him and agaynst Iuda and Ierusalem †And he was humbled afterward because his hart had bene exalted both he and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem and therfore the wrath of our Lord came not vpon them in the daies of Ezechias †And Ezechias was rich and glorious excedingly and gathered to himself great treasures of siluer and of gold and of pretious stone of spices and of armour of al kinde and of vessels of great price †Storehouses also of corne of wyne and of oyle and stalles of al beastes and foldes of cattel †and six cities he built to him self for he had flockes of sheepe and of heardes innumerable because our Lord had geuen him substance exceding much †The same is Ezechias that stopped the vpper fountaine of the waters of Gihon and turned them away vnderneth toward the West of the Citie of Dauid in al his workes he did prosperously what he would †But yet in the embassie of the princes of Babylon that were sent to him to aske of the wonder that had chanced vpon the earth God leift him that he might be tempted and al thinges might be made knowen that were in his hart †But the rest of the wordes of Ezechias and of his mercies are writen in the vision of Isaias the sonne of Amos the prophete and in the booke of the kinges of Iuda Israel †And Ezechias slept with his fathers and they buried him in the chiefe sepulchres of the children of Dauid and al Iuda celebrated his funeralles al the inhabitantes of Ierusalem and Manasses his sonne reigned for him CHAP. XXXIII Manasses for his manifold wickednes is led captiue into Babylon 12. repenteth in prison is restored to his kingdom and destroyeth idolatrie 18. dieth 21. Amon succeding 24. is slayne by his seruantes and Iosias reigneth TWELVE yeares old was Manasses when he began to reigne and he reigned fiftie fiue yeares in Ierusalem †And he did euil before our Lord according to al the abominations of the nations which our Lord ouerthrew before the children of Israel †and being turned he reedified the excelses which Ezechias his father had destroyed and he built altars to Baalim and made groues and he adored al the host of heauen and worshipped it †He built also altars in the house of our Lord wherof our Lord had sayd In Ierusalem shal my name be for euer †And he built them to al the host of heauen in the two courtes of the house of our Lord. †And he made his sonnes to passe through fyre to the Valebenennom he obserued dreames folowed southsayings gaue him self to magike artes he had with him magicians inchaunters and he wrought manie euils before our Lord to prouoke him †Also a grauen and a molten signe he put in the house of God wherof our Lord spake to Dauid and to Salomon his sonne saying In this house and in Ierusalem which I haue chosen al the tribes of Israel Wil I put my name for euer †And I wil not make the foote of Israel to moue out of the land which I haue deliuered to their fathers yet so if they shal obserue to doe that I haue commanded them and al the law and the ceremonies and iudgementes by the hand of Moyses †Manasses therfore seduced Iuda and the inhabitantes of Ierusalem that they did euil aboue al the nations which our Lord had ouerthrowen before the face of the children of Israel †And our Lord spake to him and to his people and they would not attend †Therfore he brought vpon them the princes of the host of the king of the Assyrians and they tooke Manasses led him bound with chaynes and fetters into Babylon †Who after that he was in distresse prayed our Lord his God and did penance excedingly before the God of his fathers †And he desired him and besought him earnestly and he heard his prayer and brought him agayne to Ierusalem into his kingdom and Manasses knew that our Lord he was God †After these thinges he built a wal without the citie of Dauid on the west of Gihon in the valley from the entrance of the fish gate round about vnto Ophel and raysed it excedingly and he appoynted princes of the host in al the fensed cities of Iuda †and he tooke away strange goddes and the idol out of the house of our Lord the altars also which he had made in the mount of the house of our Lord and in Ierusalem and he threw al without the citie †Moreouer he reedified the altar of our Lord and immolated vpon it victimes and pacifiques and prayse and he commanded Iuda to serue our Lord the God of Israel †Neuerthelesse as yet the people immolated in the excelses to our Lord their God †But the rest of the actes of Manasses and his obsecration to his God the wordes also of the Seers that spake to him in the name of our Lord the God of Israel are conteyned in the wordes of the kinges of Israel †His prayer also and his obtayning and al his sinnes and contempt the places also wherein he built excelses and made groues and statues before he did penance are writen in the wordes of Hozai †Manasses therfore slept with his fathers and they buried him in his house his sonne Amon reigned for him †Ammon was two and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne and he reigned two yeares in Ierusalem †And he did euil in the fight of our Lord as Manasses his father had done and he immolated to al the idols which Manasses his father had made and serued them †And he did not reuerence
heauen to burne his sacrifice thereby confounding foure hundred and fifty false prophets of Baal 6. By prayer procured rayne 3. Reg. 18. 7. Fasted vvithout eating or drincking fourtie daies and nightes together 3. Reg. 19. 8. Procured fire from heauen which deuoured two insolent captaines and their hundred men 4. Reg. 1. 9. Diuided the riuer of Iordan vvith his cloke that himselfe and Elisens passed ouer the drie chanel 10. VV as assumpted in a firie chariote into some place vvhere he yet liueth And parting a vvay Obtained of God the like duble spirit of prophecie and miracles to Eliseus In like maner Eliseus 1. diuided Iordan againe by Elias cloke and so returned to his disciples 2. Amended the bitternes of certaine waters by casting in salte 3. Boies being cursed by him for deriding him were forth vvith torne by beares 4. Reg. 2. 4. He procured water without rayne for three kinges in the campe 4. Reg. 3. 5. Multiplied a poore vvidovves Oile 6. By his prayers barren woman became frutefull 7. He raised her sonne from death 8. Made the bitter broth of his disciples sweete 9. Fedde maine with few loaues 4. Reg. 4. 10. Cured Naaman of leprosie 11. Stroke Giezi with the same 4. Reg. 5. 12. Naaman of leprosie 11. Stroke Giezi with the same 4. Reg. 5. 12. Made yron to swimme 13. Knewe the secret counsels of the Syrian king 14. Made one see horsemen and firie chariotes which to others were inuisible 15. Made the Syrianes blinde that vvere sent to apprehend him and so ledde them into samaria 16. For shewed vnexpected plentie of corne the next day VVith the death of a great man that would not beleue it 4. Reg. 7. 17. And after his death an other mans dead bodie touching his bones reuiued 4. Reg. 13. Other Prophets vvrought also miracles but these for example may suffice to she vve that God preserued religion also in the kingdome of Israel VVhich himselfe further testified euen in most desolate times vvhen Elias lamented that he vvas leift alone 3. Reg. 19. For God ansvvered that seuen thousand meaning therby a great multitude had not bowed their knees to Baal not so much as in out vvard she vve conformed themselues to infidelitie or idolatrie Iehu in his time destroyed all the worshippers of Baal 4. Reg. 10. But none at anie time could wholy destroy true Israelites For God would not suffer it 4. Reg. 14. v. 27. Yea not vvithstanding diuers notorious heresies vvere preached folovved in that kingdome of the Tenne tribes yet ab did not fall nor embrace them Iecoboam not onlie made and set vp golden calues but also taught that they vvere Gods saying Behold thy goddes O Israel which brought thee out of the land of Aegypt 3. Reg. 12. making temples altars and imaginarie priestes which were not of the children of Leui. Also a feast the fiftenth day of the moneth after the similitude of the solemnitie that was celebrated in Iuda Al which the holie Scripture saith He fourged of his owne hart The very propertie of Archeretickes But the true Priestes Leuites and manic others that had geuen their hart to seke our Lord went into Ierusalem to immolate theire victimes before our Lord the God of their fathers 2 Par. 11. Yea Naaman a stranger of Syria and a Neophite in religion taught by his example that none may yeld conformitie nor otherwise communicate with Infideles then Gods Priests or Prophetes approue for lawful 4. Reg. 5. Vnto this heresie of leroboam Achab by Iezabels perswasion added the worshipping of Baal as God 3. Reg. 16. making both temple and altar to him in Samaria Ieroboams priests seruing fitly this purpose Though al the former heretikes no more agreed to this new heresie then Iutherans now admitte of Caluinisme For Iehua Ieroboamite destroyed al Iezabilits that he could by a stratageme gette together 4. Reg. 10. v. 28. 29. Muchlesse did al Israel serue Baal Againe after that Salmanazar king of Assyria had taken Samaria and placed there a new people 4. Reg. 17. they learning the rites of the Israelits religion mixed their Paganisme there with and made a new heresie or rather manie new heresies For being diuers nations they had in seueral conuentieles their particular goddes and so manie diuers Sects The Babylonians Cutheites Emathites Heueites and Sapharuaimites 4. Reg. 17. But as the Priestes which taught them rites of true religion allowed not of this mixture so doubtles some people harkened to their admonitions and kept religion simply and sincerely And at this very time of the Tenne tribes captiuitie holie Tobias who was carried captiue with the rest neither before nor after the captiuitie leift the law of God But went to Ierusalem when others serued leroboams golden calues to the Temple of our Lord and there adored the Lord God of Israel And in captiuitie bestowed himselfe in workes of mercie towardes the liuing and dead of his nation Tob. 1. As for the kingdom of Iuda it was more free from heresies For very few or none of those kinges that fell to other grosse enormities yea to manifest idolatrie became heretikes as is probablie collected by that Isaias the Prophet being sent to Achaz admonished him conuersed and dealt with him as with one that beleued wholly and solely true religion assuring him that God would protect Ierusalem bidding him not to feare the two smoking firebrandes in the wrath of Rasin king of Syria and of Phacce king of Israel Isa 7. Further bidding him aske a singe of God he answered though frovvardliâ— yet not as an infidel I wil not aske and I wil not tempt our Lord. Yea though Vrias the High Priest by commandment of the same king 4 Reg. 16. made a new altar in place of Gods Altar yet he erred not in faith nor in doctrine as teaching in Moyses chayre but in fact onclie and of frailtie for feare of the king aâ— the king offended in his externall act to slatter the king of Syria And in this case God sent Isaiâ—â— to admonish the king which Vrias neglected or durst not do Likwise Ioram 4. Reg. 8 2. Par. 21. Ochozias 2. Par. 22. Ioas in the latter part of his life 2. Par. 24. Manasses in the former part of his reigne 4. Reg. 2. 2. Par 33. and sowe other kinges of Iuda committing idolatrie and making others to fall with them either were not wholie peruerted or at least drew not al with them For not onlie Prophets in whose hand or ministerie God spake and reproued these sinnes but manie others kept their Zele of true religion as appeared in their promptnes to serue God when by good kinges Asa Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias and others they were exhorted or admitted so to do 4. Reg. 18. 23. 2. Par. 15. 17. 29. 30. 31. 33. 34. c. Finally wheras diuers good princes disposed thinges belonging to Diuine seruice in the temple correcting faultes and
Goe ye forth into the mount and fetch branches of the oliue tree and branches of the most fayre tree branches of the mirtle tree and boughes of the palme trees and branches of the thicke leaued tree that tabernacles may be made as it is written †And the people went forth and brought And they made themselues tabernacles euery man in his house toppe and in his courtes and in the courtes of the house of God and in the streate of the water gate and in the streate of the gate of Ephraim †Therefore al the church of them that were returned from the captiuitie made tabernacles and dwelt in tabernacles For from the daies of Iosue the sonne of Nun the children of Israel had not done it in such sort vntil that day and there was exceeding great ioy †And he reade in the booke of the law of God day by day from the first day til the last and they made the solemnitie seuen dayes in the eight day a collect according to the rite CHAP. IX The people repenting in fasting and sakcloth put away their wiues of strange nations 5. Esdras confesseth Gods benefites and the peoples ingratitude 32. prayeth for them and maketh league with God AND in the foure and twenteth day of the moneth the children of Israel came together in fasting and sackeclothes and carth vpon them †And the seede of the children of Israel was seperated from euerie strange childe and they stood and confessed their sinnes and the iniquities of their fathers †And they rose vp to stand and they read in the volume of the law of our Lord their God foure times in a day and four times they confessed and adored our Lord their God †And there arose vpon the steppe of the Leuites Iosue and Bani Cedminel Sabania Bonni Sarebias Bani and Chanani and they cried with a lowde voice to our Lord their God †And the Leuites Iosue and Cedmihel Bonni Hasebnia Serebia Odaia Sebnia and Phathahia said Arise Blesse our Lord your God from eternitie to eternitie and let them blesse the high name of thy glorie in al blessing praise †Thou the same o Lord alone thou hast made heauen al the host therof the earth al thinges that are in it the seas and al thinges that are therin and thou dost giue life to al these thinges and the host of heaueÌ„ adoreth thee †Thou the same o Lord God which didst choose Abram broughtest him out of the fire of the Chaldees and gauest him the name Abraham †And thou didst finde his hart faithful before thee and thou madest a couenante with him that thou wouldest geue him the land of the Chananite of the Hetheite and of the Amorrheite and of the Pherezeire and of the Iebuseite of the Gergeseite to geue vnto his seede and thou hast fulfilled thy wordes because thou art iust †And thou sawest the afflicton of our fathers in Aegypt their crie thou didst hearâ— vpon the Read sea †And thou gauest signes wonders in Pharao and in al his seruants and in al the people of his land for thou didst know that they had done proudly against them and thou madest thyself a name as also at this day †And thou didst diuide the sea before them and they passed througth the midst of the sea in drie land but their persecutors thou threwest into the depth as a stone into the rough waters †And in a piller of a cloude thou wast their leader by day and in a piller of fire by night that the way might appeare to them by the which they went †To mount Sinai also thou didst descend and spakest with them from heauen and thou gauest them right iudgements and the law of truth ceremonies and good preceptes †Thy sanctified Sabbath thou didst shew them and the commandements and ceremonies and the law thou didst command them in the hand of Moyses thy seruant †Bread also from heauen thou gauest them in their hunger and water out of the rocke thou didst bring forth to them thirsting and thou saidest to them that they should enter in and possesse the land vpon which thou didst lift vp thy hand to diliuer it them †But they and our fathers did proudly and hardned their neckes and heard not thy coÌ„mandements †And they would not heare and they remembred not thy merueylous workes which thou hast done to them And they hardned their neckes and gaue the head to returne to their seruitude as it were by contention But thou a propitious God and gratious and merciful long suffering and of much compassion didst not forsake them †Yea and when they had made to them selues a molten calfe and had said This is thy God which brought thee out of Aegypt and they did great blasphemies †But thou in thy manie mercies didst not leaue them in the desert the piller of the cloude departed not from them by day to lead them into the way and the piller of fire by night to shew them the way by which they should goe †And thou gauest them thy good spirite which should teach them and thy Manna thou didst not withhold from their mouth and thou gauest them water in thirst †Fourtie yeares didst thou feede them in the desert and nothing was wanting to them their garmentes waxed not old and their feete not worne †And thou gauest them kingdomes and peoples and didst part lottes vnto them and they possessed the land of Sehon and the land of the king Hesebon and the land of Og the king of Basan †And thou didst multiplie their children as the starres of heauen brought them to the land wherof thou hadst said to their fathers that they should enter and possesse it †And the children came and possessed the land and thou didst humble before them the inhabiters of the land the Chananâ—ites and gauest them into their hand and their kinges and the peoples of the land that they might doe to them as it pleased them †They therfore tooke the fensed cities and fatte ground and possessed houses ful of al goodes cesternes made by others vineyardes and oliuetes manie trees that bare fruite and they did eate and were filled and became fatte and abounded with delicious thinges in thy great goodnes †But they prouoked thee to wrath departed from thee and threw thy law behind their backes they killed thy prophetes which admonished them ernestly to returne to thee and they did great blasphemies †And thou gauest them into the handes of their enemies and they afflicted them And in the time of their tribulation they cried to thee thou from heauen didst heare and according to thy manie coÌ„passions gauest them sauiours that should saue them from the hand of their enemies †And when they had rested they returned to do euil in thysight thou didst leaue them in the hand of their enemies and they possessed them And they
after them went Osaias and the halfe part of the princes of Iuda †and Azarias Esdras and Mosollam Iudas and Beiamin and Semeia and Ieremias †And of the childeren of the Priestes with trumpetes Zacharias the sonne of Ionathan the sonne of Semeia the sonne of Nathania the sonne of michaia the sonne Zechur the sonne Asaph †and his bretheren Semeia and Azareel Malalai Galalai Maai Nathanael and Iudas and Hanani with the instrumentes of the songe of Dauid the man of God and Esdras the scribe before them in the gate of the fountayne †And against them there went vp in the stayers of the citie of Dauid in the rising of the wal aboue the house of Dauid and vnto the gate of waters to ward the East †And the second quyer of thankes geuers went on the contrarie side and I after it and the halfe part of the people vpon the wal and aboue the tower of the fornaces vnto the brodest wal †and aboue the gate of Ephraim and aboue the old gate and aboue the gate of fishes and the towre of Hananeel aud the towre of Emath and vnto the gate of the flocke and they stood in the gate of the watch †and there stood two quyers of them that praysed in the house of God and I and the halfe part of the magistrates with me †And the Priestes Eliachim Maasia Miamin Michea Elioenai Zacharia Hanania with trumpettes †Maasia and Semeia and Eleazar and Azzi and Iohanan and Melchia and Aelam and Ezer And the singing men sang alowd and Iezraia the ouerseer †and they immolated in that day great victimes and reioyced for God had made them ioyful with great ioy yea their wiues also and childeren reioyced and the ioy of Ierusalem was heard far of †They numbered also in that day men ouer the storehouses of the treasure for the libamentes and for the first fruites and for the tythes that the princes of the citie might bring in by them in the honour of thankesgiuing Priestes and Leuites because Iuda was made ioyful in the Priestes Leuites standing by †And they kept the watch of their God and the obseruance of expiation and the singing men and the porters according to the precept of Dauid and of Salomon his sonne †because in the daies of Dauid and Asaph from the beginning there were princes appoynted of the singing men in song praysing and confessing to God †And al Israel in the daies of Zorobabel and in the daies of Nehemias gaue portions to the singing men and to the porters day by day and they sanctified the Leuites and the Leuites sanctified the children of Aaron CHAP. XIII The law is read 3. strange wemen are dismissed 5. Faultes in distribution of the treasure are amended 10. and due portions gueen to the Leuites 15. Breakers of the Sabbath are corrected 23. and those which maried wemen of strange nations AND in that day there was read in the volume of Moyses the people hearing it and there was found written in it that the Ammonites and the Moabires should not enter into the Church of God for euer †for that they mette not the children of Israel with bread and water and they hyred against them Balaam to curse them and our God turned the cursing into blessing †And it came to passe when they had heard the law they seperated euerie stranger from Israel †And ouer this thing was Eliasib the Priest who had bene made ouerseer in the treasurie of the house of our God and neere akinne to Tobias †He therfore made to himselfe a great treasurie and they were there before him laying vp giftes and frankincense and vesseles and the tythe of corne of wine and of oyle the portions of the Leuites and of the singing men and of the porters and the first fruites of the Priestes †But in al these things I was not in Ierusalem because in the two and thirteth yeare of Artaxerxes the king of Babylon I came to the king and in the end of certaine dayes I desired the king †And I came to Ierusalem and I vnderstood the euil that Eliasib had done to Tobias to make him a treasure in the entrances of the house of God †And it semed to me exceding euil And I threw forth the vessels of the house of Tobias out of the treasurie †and I commanded and they clensed the treasurie and I brought thither againe the vessels of the house of God the sacrifice and the frankincense †And I knew that the portion of the Leuites had not bene geuen and that euerie man was fled into his countrie of the Leuites and the singing men and of them that ministred †and I pleaded the matter against the magistrates and said Why haue we forsaken the heuse of God And I assembled them and I made them to stand in their standings †And al Iuda caried the tythe of the corne wine and oyle into the store houses †And we appoynted ouer the store-houses Selermas Priest and Sadoc scribe and Phadaia of the Leuites and next to them Hanan the sonne of Zachur the sonne of Mathania because they were approued faithful and to them were committed the portions of tâ—e bretheren †Remember me my God for this thing and wipe not out my mercies which I haue done in the house of my God and in his ceremonies †In those daies I saw them in Iuda treading the presses on the Sabbath carying heapes and loding vpon asses wine and grapes and figges and al maner of burthen and bringing it into Ierusalem on the Sabbath day And I charged them that they should sel on a day that it was lawful to sâ—lin †And the Tyrians owelt in it bringing fishes and al thinges to sel and they sold on the Sabbathes to the children of Iuda in Ierusalem †And I rebuked the Princes of Iuda and said to them What is this euil thing that you doe and prophane the day of the Sabbath †Why did not our fathers these thinges and our God brought vpon vs al this euil and vpon this citie And you adde wrath vpon Israel in violating the Sabbath †And it came to passe when the gates of Ierusalem had rested on the Sabbath day I spake and they shut the gates and I commanded them that they should not open them til after the Sabbath and of my seruantes I appoynted ouer the gates that none should bring in burdens in the Sabbath day †And the merchantes and they that sold al merchandise taried without Ierusalem once and againe †And I charged them and I said to them Why tarie you ouer against the wal if you shal doe so the second time I wil lay my hand vpon you Therfore from that time they came not on the Sabbath †I spake also to the Leuites that they should be cleansed and should come to keepe the gates and to sanctifie the day of the Sabbath
be accomplished one that excelled the rest in wisedom and fidelitie and was second after the king Aman by name †told me that there was a people dispersed through the whole world which vsed new lawes and doing against the customes of al Nations contemned the coÌ„mandmentes of kings and brake the concord of al nations by their dissention †Which when we had learned seing one nation rebellious against al kind of men to vse peruerse lawes and to goe against our commandmentes and to disturbe the peace and concord of the prouinces subiect to vs †we haue commanded that whomsoeuer Aman shal shew who is chiefe ouer al the prouinces and second after the king and whom we honour in steed of a father they with their wiues and children be destroyed of their enemies and that none haue pitie on them the fourtenth day of the twelfth moneth Adar of this present yeare †that the wicked men going downe to hel in one day may restore the peace to our empire which they had disturbed Hitherto the copie of the letter That which foloweth I found written after that place where it is read And Mardocheus going forth did al thinges that Esther had commanded him yet it is neither in the Hebrew nor extant with any of the interpreters †But Mardocheus besought our Lord mindeful of al his workes †and said Lord Lord king omnipotent for in thy dominion are al thinges set and there is none that can resist thy wil if thou determine to saue Israel †Thou madst heauen and earth and whatsoeuer is conteyned in the compasse of heauen †Thou art Lord of al neither is there that can resist thy maiestie †Thou vnderstandest al things and knowest that I haue not done this for pride and contumelie and any desire of glorie that I adored not the proud Aman †for gladly would I be readie for the saluation of Israel to kisse euen the steppes of his feete †but I feared lest I should transferre the honour of my God to a man and lest I should adore any except my God †And now ô Lord king the God of Abraham haue mercie vpon thy poople because our enemies wil destroy vs and extinguish thyne inheritance †Despise not thy portion which thou hast redemed to thyself out of Aegypt †Heare my prayer and be propitious to thy lot and corde and turne our mourning into ioy that liuing we may prayse thy name ô Lord and doe not shut the mouthes of them that sing to thee †Al Israel also with like mind and supplication cried to our Lord because certayne death did hang ouer them CHAP. XIIII Esther prayeth in humilitie of spirite that God wil deliuer the people from the crueltie of Aman. ESTHER also the queene fled to our Lord fearing the peril that was at hand †And when she had laid of her royal garmentes she tooke clothes meete for weeping and mourning and for diuers oyntmentes filled her head with ashes and dung and her bodie she humbled with fastes and al the places in which before she was accustomed to reioyse she filled with tearing of her heares †And she besought our Lord the God of Israel saying My Lord which onlie art our king helpe me solitarie woman and which haue no other helper beside thee †My peril is in my handes †I haue heard of my father that thou Lord didst take Israel out from al Gentiles and our fathers out of al their predecessours before that thou mightst possesse an euerlasting inheritance and thou hast done to them as thou hast spoken †We haue sinned in thy sight and therfore thou hast deliuered vs into the handes of our enemies †for we haue worshiped their goddes Thou art iust ô Lord. †And now it suffiseth them not that they oppresse vs with most hard seruitude but imputing the force of their handes to the might of their idols †they wil change thy promisses and destroy thine inheritance and shut the mouthes of them that prayse thee and extinguish the glorie of thy temple and altar †that they may open the mouthes of Gentiles and prayse the strength of idols and magnifie a carnal king for euer †Deliuer not ô Lord thy scepter to them that are not lest they laugh at our ruine but turne their counsel vpon them and destroy him that hath begune to do cruelly against vs. †Remember ô Lord and shew thy self to vs in the time of our tribulation and geue me confidence Lord king of goddes and of al power †geue me speach wel framed in my mouth in the presence of the lion and turne his hart into the hatred of our enemie that both him self may perish and the rest that consent vnto him †But deliuer vs in thy hand and helpe me hauing no other helpe but thee ô Lord which hast the knowlege of al things †and knowest that I hate the glorie of the wicked and detest the bed of the vncircumcised and of euerie stranger †Thou knowest my necessitie that I abhorre the signe of my pride and glorie which is vpon my head in the daies of my ostentation and detest it as the cloth of a woman in her monthlie floores and weare it not in the daies of my silence †and that I haue not eaten at Amans table neither the kings banket hath pleased me and that I haue not drunke the wine of libamentes †and that thy handmayde did neuer reioyse since I was transported hither vnto this day but in thee ô Lord the God of Abraham †O God strong aboue al heare the voyce of them that haue no other hope and deliuer vs from the hand of the wicked and deliuer me from my feare CHAP. XV. Mardocheus causeth Esther to goe to the king and intreate for the people 10. She is terrified by this countenance but God turneth his hart and he calleth her curteously to him This also I found added in the common edition AND he commanded her no doubt but Mardocheus commanded Esther that she should goe vnto the king and make petition for her people and for her countrie †Remember quoth he the daies of thy humilitie how thou wast brought vp in my hand because Aman the second after the king hath spoken against vs vnto death †and doe thou inuocate our Lord and speake to the king for vs deliuer vs from death Moreouer this also which foloweth I found in the common Greke †And in the third day she layd away the garmentes which she ware was clothed in her glorie †And when she glistered in royal apparel and had inuocated God the ruler and sauiour of al she tooke two wayting maydes †and vpon the one in deede she leaned as it were for dilicatnes and verie much tendernes not able to beare vp her bodie †but the other of the maydes folowed her ladie bearing vp her garmentes trayling on the ground â€
loosed him the prince of the people and released him †He appointed him lord of his house and prince of al his possession †That he might instruct his princes as himselfe and might teach his ancientes wisedom †And Israel entered into Aegypt and Iacob was a seiourner in the land of Cham. †And he increased his people excedingly and strengthned them ouer their enemies †He turned their hart that they hated his people and to worke guile toward his seruantes †He sent Moyses his seruant Aaron him selfe whom he chose †He did put in them the wordes of his signes and of his wonders in the Land of Cham. †He sent darkenes and obscured and did not exasperate his wordes †He turned their waters into bloud and killed their fishes †Their land broughtforth frogges in the inner chambers of their kinges †He sayd and the caenomyia came and the cinifes in al their coastes †He made theyr raynes haile fire burning in their land †And he stroke their vines and their figtrees and he destroyed the wood of their coastes †He said the locust came and the bruchus wherof there was no number †And it did eate al the grasse in their land and it did eate al the fruicte of their land †And he stroke euerie first begotten in their land the first fruictes of al their labour †And he brought themforth with gold and siluer and there was not in their tribes a feeble person †Aegypt was glad at their departure because the feare of them lay vpon them †He spred a cloude for their protection and fire to shine vnto them by night †They made petition and the quaile came and he filled them with the bread of heauen †He diuided the rocke and waters flowed riuers ranne in the drie ground †Because he was mindful of his holie word which he had vttered to Abraham his seruant †And he broughtforth his people in exultation and his elect in ioy †And he gaue them the countries of the Nations and they possessed the labours of peoples †That they might keepe his iustifications and seeke after his lawe PSALME CV The prophet exhorteth the people to render thankes and praises to God 6. for remitting their manifold sinnes in the desert 34. and in the conquered land 38. foreshewing like sinnes to come Gods wrath and punishment for the same 44. and that he wil geue grace of repentance to some 47. for which he prayeth and praiseth God Allelu ia CONFESSE ye to our Lord because he is good because his mercie is for euer †Who shal speake the powers of our Lord shal make al his prayses to be heard †Blessed are they that keepe iudgement and doe iustice at al time †Remember vs ô Lord in the good pleasure of thy people visite vs in thy saluation †To see in the goodnes of thyne elect to reioyce in the ioy of thy nation that thou maist be praysed with thine inheritance †We haue sinned with our fathers we haue dealt vniustly we haue done iniquitie †Our father 's in Aegypt did not vnderstand thy meruelous workes they were not mindeful of the multitude of thy mercie And they prouoked thee to wrath going vp vnto the sea the Read sea †And he saued them for his name sake that he might make his power knowen †And he rebuked the Read sea and it was made drie and he led them in the depths as in a desert †And he saued them from the hand of them that hated them and “ he redemed them out of the hand of the enemie †And water ouerwhelmed those that afflicted them there did not one of them remaine †And they beleued his wordes and they sang his praise †They had quickly donne they forgot his workes and they expected not his counsel †And they coueted concupiscence in the desert and tempted God in the place without water †He gaue them their petition and sent saturitie into their soules †And they prouoked Moyses in the campe Aaron the holie of our Lord. †The earth was opened and swalowed Dathan and ouerwhelmed the congregation of Abiron †And a fire flamed vp in their sinagogue the flame burnt the sinners †And they made a calfe in Horeb and they adored the sculptil †And they changed their glorie into the similitude of a calfe that eateth grasse †They forgat God which saued them which did great thinges in Aegypt †meruelous thinges in the land of Cham terrible thinges in the Read sea †And he sayd to destroy them if Moyses his elect had not stood in the way before him To turne away his wrath that he should not destroy them †and they estemed for naught the land that was to be desired They did not beleue his word †and they murmured in their tabernacles they heard not the voice of our Lord. †And he lifted vp his hand ouer them to ouerthrowe them in the desert †And to cast doune their seede among the Nations and to disperse them in the countries †And they were professed to Beelphegor and they did eate the sacrifices of the dead †And they prouoked him in their inuentions and ruine was multiplied on them †And Phinees stood and pacified and the slaughter ceased †And it was reputed to him vnto iustice in generation and generation euen for euer †And they prouoked him at the waters of contradiction and Moyses was vexed for them †because they exasperated his spirit And he playnely affirmed in his lippes †they destroyed not the nations of which our Lord spake to them †And they were mingled among the nations and learned their workes †and they serued their sculptils and it became a scandal to them †And they immolated their sonnes and their daugheters to diuels †And they shed innocent bloud the bloud of their sonnes and of their daughters which they sacrificed to the sculptils of Chanaan And the land was infected with bloud †and was contaminated in their workes and they did fornicat in their inuentions †And our Lord was wrath with â—urie vpon his people and he abhorred his inheritance †And he deliuered them into the handes of the nations and they that hated them had the dominion of them †And their enimies afflicted them and they were humbled vnder their handes †he did often deliuer them But they exasperated him in their counsel and they were humbled in their iniquities †And he saw when they were afflicted and he heard their prayer †And he was mindeful of his testament and it repented him according to the multitude of his mercie
they shal not inhabite nor walke therein and they shal not leape high into the congregation †Vpon the iudges seate they shal not sitte and the ordinance of iudgement they shal not vnderstand neither shal they declare discipline and iudgement and in parables they shal not be found †but they shal confirme the creature of the world and their prayer shal be in the worke of their art applying their soule searching in the law of the Highest CHAP. XXXIX Goldie knowlege 16. puritie of soule 20. humble conceipt of our selues 27. and consideration of eternal reward are good dispositions to spiritual contemplation THE wise man wil search out the wisdom of al the ancientes and wil be occupied in the prophetes †He wil keepe the narration of famous men and wil enter withal into the subtilities of parables †He wil search out the hidden senses of prouerbes and wil conuerse in the secretes of parables †In the middes of great men he wil minister and in the sight of the president he shal appeare †He shal passe into the land of strange nations for he shal trie good and euil in men †He wil geue his hart to watch early vnto our Lord that made him and he wil pray in the sight of the Highest †He Wil open his mouth in prayer and wil entreate for his sinnes †For if it shal please our great Lord he wil fil him with the spirit of vnderstanding †and he wil power forth the wordes of his wisdom as showres and in prayer wil confesse to our Lord. †And he wil direct his counsel and discipline and in his secretes he wil consult †He wil open the discipline of his doctrine and wil glorie in the law of the testament of our Lord. †Manie wil praise his wisdom and it shal not be abolished for euer †The memorie of him shal not depart and his name shal be required from generation to generation †Nations shal declare his wisdom and the church wil shew forth his praise †If he continew he shal leaue a name more then a thousand and if he rest it shal profite him †I wil yet consult that I may declare For as with furie I am replenished †In voice he saith Heare me ye diuine fruites and as the rose planted vpon the riuers of waters fructifie ye †As Libanus haue ye the odours of sweetnes †Florish ye flowres as the lilie and geue forth an odour and bring forth leaues in grace and praise with songue and blesse our Lord in his workes †Geue magnificence to his name and confesse vnto him in the voice of your lippes and in songues of the lippes and harpes thus shal ye say in confession †Al the workes of our Lord are exceeding good †At this word the water stood as an heape and at the word of his mouth as it were receptacles of waters †because in his commandment placabilitie is made and there is no diminishing of his saluation †The workes of al flesh are before him and there is nothing hid from his eyes †From world to world he beholdeth and nothing is meruelous in his sight †It is not to be saied What is this or what is that for al thinges shal be sought in their time †His blessing hath ouerflowed as a streame †And as a flood hath watered the drie land so his wrath shal inherite the nations that haue not sought him †euen as he turned waters into drught and the earth was made drie and his waies are direct to the waies of them so to sinners stumbling blockes in his wrath †Good thinges were created for the good from the beginning so for the wicked good thinges and euil †The beginning of the thing necessarie for the life of men water fire and yron salt milke and bread of flower and honie and the cluster of grape and oyle clothing †Al these shal be conuerted to saintes into good so also to the impious and to sinners into euil †There are spirites that were created for vengeance and in their furie they haue confirmed their tormentes †in the time of consummation they shal power our strength and they shal accomplish the furie of him that made them †Fire haile famine and death al these were created for vengeance †the teeth of beastes and scorpions and serpentes and sword reuenging the impious vnto destruction †In his commandmentes they shal make merrie and on the earth they shal be prepared when nede is and in their times they shal not pretermitte a word †Therefore from the beginning I was confirmed and I haue consulted and thought and leaft written †Al the workes of our Lord are good he wil geue euerie worke in his houre †It is not to be said This is worse then that for al shal be approued in their time †And now with al hart and mouth praise ye and blesse the name of our Lord. CHAP. XL. The first matter of spiritual meditation may be mans miserie contracted by original sinne 4. and increased by actual 17. reliued by God grace 22. which geueth manie benefites 27. man adding his voluntarie cooperation GREAT trauel is created to al men and an heauie yoke vpon the children of Adam from the day of their coming forth of their mothers wombe vntil the day of their burying into the mother of al. †Their cogitations and feares of the hart imagination of thinges to come and the day of their ending †from him that sitteth vpon the glorious seate vnto him that is humbled in earth ashes †From him that weareth hyacinth and beareth the crowne euen to him that is couered with rude linen furie enuie tumult wauering and the feare of death anger perseuering and contention †and in the time of repose in bed the sleepe of night changeth his knowlege †A litle is as nothing in rest and afterward in sleepe as in the day of watch◠†He is trubled in the vision of his hart as he that hath escaped in the day of battel In the time of his safetie he rose vp and merueleth at noe feare †With al flesh from man euen to beast and vpon sinners seuenfold †Beside these thinges death bloud contention and sword oppressions famine and contrition and scourges †for the wicked al these were created and for them the floud was made †Al thinges that are of the earth shal turne into the earth and al waters shal returne into the sea †Al bribing and iniquitie shal be cleane taken away and fidelitie shal stand for euer †The riches of the vniust shal be dried vp as a riuer and they shal sound as great thunder in rayne †In opening his handes he shal reioyce so transgressors shal pine away in consumption †The nephewes of the impious shal not multiplie boughes nor vncleane
testamentes †and their children because of them abide for euer their seede and their glorie shal not be forsaken †Their bodies are buried in peace and their name liueth vnto generation and generation †Let peoples tel their wisdom and the Church declare their praise †Henoch pleased God and was translated into paradise that he may geue repentance to the nations †Noe was found perfect iust and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation †Therefore was there a remnant least to the earth when the flood was made †The testaments of the world were made with him that al flesh should no more be destroyed with the flood †Abraham the great father of the multitude of the nations and there was not found the like to him in glorie who kept the law of the Highest and was in couenant with him †In his flesh he made the couenant to stand and in tentation he was found faithful †Therefore by an oath he gaue him glorie in his nation that he should encrease as an heape of earth †and that he would exalt his seede as the starres and they should inherite from sea to sea and from the riuer to the endes of the earth †And he did in like manner in Isaac for Abraham his father †Our Lord gaue him the blessing of al nations and confirmed his couenant vpon the head of Iacob †He knew him in his blessinges and gaue him an inheritance diuided him his portion in twelue tribes †And he preserued vnto him men of mercie and found grace in the eies of al flesh CHAP. XLV Praises of Moyses 7. Aaron 16. and his priestlie progenie 22. Against whom Chore with his complices rebelling were destroyed MOYSES beloued of God and men whose memorie is in benediction †He made him like in the glorie of saintes and magnified him in the feare of his enemies And with his wordes he appeased monsters †He glorified him in the sight of kinges and gaue him commandment before his people shewed him his glorie †In his faith and meekenes he made him holie and chose him of al flesh †For he heard him and his voice and brought him into a cloude †And he gaue him precepts face to face and a law of life and discipline to teach Iacob his testament and Israel his iudgements †He exalted Aaron his brother high and like to himself of the tribe of Leui. †He established vnto him an euerlasting testament and gaue him the priesthood of the nation and made him blessed in glorie †and he girded him about with a girdle and put vpon him a robe of glorie and crowned him in furniture of power †Garments to the feete and breches and an Ephod he put vpon him and compassed him with litle belles of gold very manie round about †to geue a sound in his going to make sound heard in the temple for a memorie to the children of his nation †An holie robe of gold and hyacinthe and purple a wouen worke of a wiseman indued with iudgement and truth †Of twisted scarlet the worke of an artificer with precious stones figured in the closure of gold and grauen by the worke of a lapidarie for a memorial according to the number of the tribes of Israel †A crowne of gold vpon his miter grauen with a seale of holines and the glorie of honour a worke of power and the adorned desires of the eies †There were none such so faire before him euen from the beginning †No stranger was clothed with them but only his children alone and his nephewes for euer †His sacrifices were consumed with fire euerie day †Moyses filled his handes anoynted him with holie oile †It was made vnto him for an euerlasting testament and to his seede as the daies of heauen to doe the function of priesthood and to haue praise and to glorifie his people in his name †He chose him of al that liued to offer sacrifice to God incense and good odour for a memorial to pacifie for his people †and he gaue them power in his preceptes in the testaments of his iudgementes to teach Iacob his testimonies and in his law to geue light to Israel †Because strangers stood against him and for enuie men compassed him about in the desert they that were with Dathan and Abiron and the congregation of Core in anger †Our Lord God saw and it pleased him not and they were consumed in the violence of wrath †He did prodigious thinges vnto them and consumed them in flame of fire †And he added glorie to Aaron and gaue him an inheritance and diuided vnto him the first fruites of the increase of the earth †He prepared them bread in the first vnto satietie for the sacrifices also of our Lord they shal eate which he gaue to him and to his seede †But he shal not inherite the nations in the land and he hath no part in the nation for himself is his portion inheritance †Phinees the sonne of Eleazar is the third in glorie in imitating him in the feare of our Lord †and to stand in the reuerence of the nation in the goodnes and alacritie of his soule he pacified God for Israel †Therefore did he establish vnto him a couenant of peace to be the prince of the holies and of his nation that the dignitie of priesthood should be to him and to his seede for euer †And the testament to Dauid king the sonne of Iesse of the tribe of Iuda and inheritance to him and to his seede that he might geue wisdom into our hart to iudge his nation in iustice that their good thinges might not be abolished their glorie in their nation he made euerlasting CHAP. XLVI Praises of Iosue 9. Caleb 13. the Iudges of Israel 16. Namely of Samuel Iudge and Prophet STRONG in battel was Iesus the sonne of Naue successour of Moyses among the prophets who was great according to his name †most great in the saluation of Gods elect to ouerthrow the enemies rising vp that he might get the inheritanâ— of Israel †What glorie obteyned he in lifting vp his handes and casting swordes against the cities †Who before him did so resist â—or our Lord himself brought the enemies †Whether was not the sunne hindered in his anger and one day was made as two †He inuocated the mightie soueraine in assaulting of the enemies on euerie side and the great and holie God heard him in haile stones of exceeding great force †He made violent assault against the nation of his enemies and in the goeing downe he destroyed the aduersaries †that the nations might know his might that it is not easie to fight against God And he folowed at the back of the mightie †And in the daies of Moyses did mercie and Caleb the
the tribes of Iacob †Blessed are they that saw thee and were honored in thy freindshipe †For we liue by life only but after death our name shal not be such †Elias was in dede hid in the whirlewind his spirit was complete in Eliseus in his daies he feared not the prince and no man ouercame him by might †Neither did any word ouercome him and his bodie prophecied being dead †In his life he did wonders and in death he wrought meruelous thinges †In al these thinges the people repented not and they departed not from their sinnes til they were cast out of their land and were dispersed into al the earth †And there was leaft a verie smal nation and a prince in the house of Dauid †Some of them did that which pleased God but others committed manie sinnes †Ezechias fenced his citie and brough in water into the middes thereof and digged a rocke with yron and built a wel for water †In his daies came vp Sennacherib and sent Rabsaces and lifted vp his hand against them and put forth his hand vpon Sion and became proude by his mightines †Then were their harts and hands moued and they were in sorow as trauailing wemen †And they inuocated our merciful Lord and spredding their handes they lifted them vp to heauen and the holie Lord God quickly heard their voice †He was not mindful of their sinnes neither did he geue them to their enemies but purged them by the hand of Isaie the holie prophete †He ouerthrew the campe of the Assirians and the Angel of our Lord destroyed them †For Ezechias did that which pleased God and went strongly in the way of Dauid his father which Isaie commanded him the great prophet and faithful in the sight of God †In his daies the sunne returned backward added life to the king †By a great spirite he saw the last thinges and comforted the mourners in Sion †For euer he shewed the thinges to come secret thinges before they came to passe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLVIII 10 VVho art vvritten Amongst other quarels Protestantes except against the authentical auctoritie of this booke because the auctor saith that Enoch and Elias shal come againe to appease the wrath of our Lord to reconcile the father to the sonne and to restore the tribes of Iacob But that this is no iust exception is clere by other holie Scriptures where the same vniforme doctrin of the whole Church is no lesse euident then in this booke For God himself saith the same also by the mouth of his prophet Malachie Behold I wil send you Elias the prophet before the day of our Lord come the great and dreadful Christ also sayth Elias in deede shal come and restore al thinges VVherupon S. Chrysostom after he hath shewed how terrible Antichrist shal be by reason of his temporal powre crueltie and wicked lawes he addeth Feare thou not He shal only haue force in the reprobate that perish For then also Elias shal come to fortifie the faithful Likewise the wordes in the Apocalips I wil geue to my two witnesses they shal prophecie a thousand two hundred and three score dayes were euer inuariably vnderstood by tradition from the first preachers of Christ as the ancient writer Aretas testifieth that Enoch and Elias shal come admonish al not to geue credite to the deceiptful wonders of Antichrist and that they shal trauel in this testimonie the space of three yeares and a half For 1260. dayes come very nere to that space of time CHAP. XLIX Praises of Iosias who like to Dauid and Ezechias tooke away occasions of idolatrie 8. Praises of Ieremie 10. Ezechiel 12. and the twelue Prophetes 13. Also of Zorobabel Iesus the sonne of Iosedech Nehemias Enoch Ioseph Seth Sem and Adam THE memorie of Iosias is according to the confection of perfume made by the worke of an apothecarie †His remembrance shal be sweete as honie in euerie mouth and as musick in banket of wine †He was directed by God into the repentance of the nation and he tooke away the abominations of impietie †And he gouerned his hart toward our Lord and in the daies of sinners he strengthened pietie †Except Dauid and Ezechias and Iosias al committed sinne †For the kinges of Iuda forsooke the law of the Highest and contemned the feare of God †For they gaue their kingdom to others and their glorie to a strange nation †They burnt the chosen citie of holines and made the waies thereof desolate in the hand of Ieremie †For they euil intreated him who was consecrated a prophet from his mothers wombe to ouerthrow and pluck vp and destroy and to build againe and renewe †Ezechiel who saw the sight of glorie which he shewed him in the chariote of Cherubs †For he made mention of the enemies in rayne to doe good vnto them that haue shewed right waies †And the bones of the twelue prophets wel may they spring out of their place for they haue strengthened Iacob and haue redeemed themselues in the fidelitie of power †How may we magnifie Zorobabel for he also was as a signet on the right hand †and so Iesus the sonne of Iosedec who in their daies built the house and erected the holie temple to our Lord prepared to euerlasting glorie †And Nehemias in the memorie of much time who erected vs our walles ouerthrowen and set vp the gates and lockes who built our houses †No man hath bene borne in the earth like to Henoch for he also was taken vp from the earth †Neither as Ioseph who was a man borne prince of his bretheren the stay of the nation the ruler of his bretheren the stay of the people †and his bones were visited and after death they prophecied †Seth and Sem obteyned glorie with men and aboue euerie soule in the beginning Adam CHAP. L. Praises of Simon the High Priest 27. Detestation of certaine persecuting aduersaries 29. With conclusion that the obseruers of this doctrine shal be wise and happie SIMON the sonne of Onias the high priest who in his life held vp the house and in his daies strengthned the temple †The height also of the temple was founded by him the duble building and high walles of the temple †In his daies the welles of waters flowed out and they were filled as the sea aboue measure †Who had care of his nation and deliuered it from perdition †Who preuailed to amplifie the citie who obteyned glorie in conuersing with the nation and amplified the entrance of the house and the court †As the morning starre in the middes of a cloude and as the ful moone he shineth in his dayes †And as the sunne shining so did he shine in the temple of God †As the rainbow that shineth among
of the earth †But if you wil not and wil prouoke me to wrath the sword shal deuoure you because the mouth of our Lord hath spoken †How is the faythful citie ful of iudgement become an harlot iustice hath dwelled in it but now mankillers †Thy siluer is turned into drosse thy wine is mingled with water †Thy princes are vnfaithful companions of theues al loue giftes folow rewardes They iudge not for the pupil and the widowes cause goeth not in to them †For this cause sayth our Lord the God of hostes the mightie one of Israel Alas I wil comfort myselfe vpon mine aduersaries and wil be reuenged of mine enemies †And I wil turne mine hand to thee and I wil boyle out thy drosse til it be pure wil take away al thy tinne †And I wil restore thy iudges as they haue beene before and thy counselers as of old After these thinges thou shalt be called the iust a faithful citie †Sion shal be redemed in iudgement and they shal bring her backe in iustice †And he shal destroy the wicked and the sinners together and they that haue forsaken our Lord shal be consumed †For they shal be confounded for the idols to which they haue sacrificed and you shal be ashamed of the gardens which you chose †When you shal be as an oke the leaues falling of and as a garden without water †And your strength shal be as the isles of to we and your worke as a sparke and both shal be set on fire together and there shal be none to quench it CHAP. II. Al nations shal come to the Church of Christ which shal beginne in Ierusalem 6. And the Iewes shal be reiected for their idolatrie auarice and other sinnes 11. Proud men shal be humbled Gods glorie shal increase 18. Idolatrie shal be destroyed THE word that Isaie the sonne of Amos saw vpon Iuda and Ierusalem †And in the later dayes the montaine of the house of our Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of montaines and it shal be eleuated aboue the little hilles and al nations shal flowe vnto it †And manie peoples shal goe shal say come and let vs goe vp to the mount of our Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he wil teach vs his wayes and we shal walke in his pathes because the law shal come forth from Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem †And he shal iudge the Gentiles and rebuke manie peoples and they shal turne their swordes into culters and their speares into siethes nation shal not lift vp sword against nation neither shal they be exercised any more to battel †House of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in the light of our Lord. †For thou hast reiected thy people the house of Iacob because they are filled as in times past and haue had southsayers as the Philisthijms and haue stucke fast to strange children †The land is replenished with siluer and gold and there is no end of their treasures †And their land is replenished with horses and their chariotes are innumerable And their land is ful of idoles they haue adored the worke of their handes which their fingers made †And man bowed himself and man was humbled therfore forgeue them not †Enter thou into the rocke and be hid in a pitte in the ground from the face of the feare of our Lord from the glorie of his maiestie †The loftie eies of man are humbled and the height of men shal be made to stoupe our Lord onlie shal be exalted in that day †Because the day of the Lord of hostes shal be vpon al the proude and loftie and vpon euerie one that is arrogant and he shal be humbled †And vpon al the ceders of Libanus high eleuated vpon al the okes of Basan †And vpon al the high mountaines and vpon al little hilles eleuated †And vpon euerie high towre and euerie fensed wal †And vpon al the shippes of Tharsis and vpon al that is fayre to behold †And the loftines of men shal be bowed and the height of men shal be humbled and our Lord onlie shal be exaited in that day †And idols shal vtterly be destroyed †And they shal enter into the caues of rockes and into the pittes of the earth from the face of the feare of our Lord and from the glorie of his maiestie when he shal rise vp to strike the earth †In that day shal a man castaway the idols of his siluer and the idols of his gold which he had made him to adore mowles and battes †And he shal goe into the clefts of rockes and into the caues of stones from the face of the feare of our Lord and from the glorie of his maiestie when he shal rise vp to strike the earth †Cease therfore from the man whose spirit is in his nosthrels because he is reputed high CHAP. III. The Iewes shal be depriued of wise men 4. and be subiect to childish and effeminate gouerners 8. for their greuous sinnes 16. The proud curious and lasciuious attyre of their wemen 24. shal be turned into ignominie and sorow FOR behold the dominatour the Lord of hostes shal take away from Ierusalem and from Iuda the valiant and the strong al strength of bread and al strength of water †The strong and the man of warre the iudge and the prophete and southsayer and the ancient †The prince ouer fiftie and the honorable of countenance and the counseler and the wise of workemasters and the skilful of mystical speach †And I wil geue children to be their princes and the effeminate shal rule ouer them †And the people shal rush violently man against man and euerie one against his neighbour the childe shal make tumult against the ancient and the base against the noble †For a man shal take hold of his brother one of the house of his father Thou hast a garment be thou our prince and let this ruine be vnder thy hand †He shal answer in that day saying I am no physicion in my house there is no bread nor garment do not appoint me prince of the people †For Ierusalem is gone to ruine and Iuda is fallen because their tongue their inuentions were against our Lord to prouoke the eyes of his maiestie †The knowlege of their face hath answered them and they haue proclaimed their sinne as Sodom neither haue they hid it woe to their soule because euils are rendered to them †Say to the iust that it is wel because he shal eate the fruite of his inuentions †Woe to the impious vnto euil for the reward of his handes shal be made to him †My people their exactours haue spoyled wemen haue ruled ouer them My people they that cal thee blessed the same deceiue thee and dissipate
his Church 31. with a new couenant 36. that it shal be large and perpetual AT THAT time saith our Lord I wil be the God of al the kindredes of Israel and they shal be my people †Thus saith our Lord The people that remayned from the sword found grace in the desert Israel shal goe to his rest †Our Lord hath appeared to me of long time And in euerlasting charitie haue I loued thee therefore haue I drawen thee taking compassion †And I wil build thee againe and thou shalt be builded ô virgin Israel thou shalt yet be adorned with thy timbrels shal goe forth in the quyre of them that play †Thou shalt yet plant vinyards in the mountaines of Samaria the planters shal plant and til the time come they shal not make vintage †because there shal be a day wherein the watchmen on mount Ephraim shal crie Arise and let vs goe vp vnto Sion to the Lord our God †Because thus saith our Lord Reioyce in gladnes ô Iacob and neye against the head of the Gentiles sound ye and sing and say Saue ô Lord thy people the remnant of Israel †Behold I wil bring them out of the land of the North and wil gather them from the endes of the earth among whom shal be the blinde and the lame the woman with childe and she that beareth childe together a great companie of them that returne hither †They shal come in weepeing and in mercie I wil reduce them and I wil bring them through the torrents of waters in a right way and they shal not stumble in it because I am become a father to Israel and Ephraim is my firstbegotten †Heare the word of our Lord ye Nations shew forth in the ilands that are farre of and say He that dispersed Israel wil gather him and he wil keepe him as the pastour his flocke †For our Lord hath redeemed Iacob and he wil deliuer him out of the hand of the mightier †And they shal come and shal praise in mount Sion and they shal runne together to the good thinges of our Lord for the corne and wine and oile and the increase of cattel and heardes and their soule shal be as a watered garden they shal be hungrie no more †Then shal the virgin reioyce in the quyre the youngmen and old men together and I wil turne their mourning into ioy and wil comfort them and make them ioyful from their sorow †And I wil replenish the soule of the priestes with fatnes and my people shal be filled with my good thinges saith our Lord. †Thus saith our Lord A voice of lamentation is heard on high of the mourning and weeping of Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted for them because they are not †Thus saith our Lord Let thy voice cease from weeping and thine eies from teares because there is a reward for thy worke saith our Lord and they shal returne out of the land of the enemie †And there is hope to thy last endes saith our Lord and the children shal returne to their borders †Hearing I heard Ephraim going into trāsmigration Thou hast chastised me and I am taught as a young bullocke not tamed Conuert me and I shal be conuerted because thou art the Lord my God †For after thou didst conuert me I did penance and after thou didst shew vnto me I stroke my thigh I am confounded and ashamed because I haue sustayned the reproch of my youth †Certes Ephraim is an honorable sonne to me certes a delicate childe because since I spake of him as yet wil I remember him Therefore are my bowels trubled vpon him pitying I wil pitie him saith our Lord. †Sette thee a watch tower make vnto thee bitternes direct thy hart into the right way wherein thou hast walked returne ô virgin Israel returne to these thy cities †How long wilt thou be dissolute in deliciousnes ô wandring daughter because our Lord hath created a new thing vpon the earth A WOMAN SHAL COMPASSE A MAN †Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel As yet shal they say this word in the land of Iuda and in the cities thereof when I shal conuert their captiuitie Our Lord blesse thee the beauty of iustice the holie mountaine †and Iudas and al his cities shal dwel in it together the husbandmen and they that driue the flockes †Because I haue inebriated the wearie soule and euerie hungrie soule I haue filled †Therefore I was raised vp as out of a sleepe and I saw and my sleepe was sweete to me †Behold the daies come saith our Lord and I wil sow the house of Israel and the house of Iuda with the seede of men and with the seede of beastes †And as I haue watched vpon them to plucke vp and deface and dissipate destroy and afflict so wil I watch ouer them to build and to plant them saith our Lord. †In those daies they shal say no more The fathers did eate the bitter grape and the teeth of the children are set on edge †But euerie one shal dye in his owne iniquitie euerie man that shal eate the sowre grape his teeth shal be on edge †Behold the daies shal come saith our Lord and I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel and the house of Iuda †not according to the couenant which I made with their fathers in the day that I tooke their hand to bring them out of the Land of Aegypt the couenāt which they made voide and I had the dominion of them saith our Lord. †But this shal be the couenant that I wil make with the house of Israel after those daies saith our Lord I wil geue my law in their bowels and in their hart I wil write it and I wil be their God and they shal be my people †And a man shal no more teach his neighbour and a man his brother saying Know our Lord for al shal know me from the least of them euen to the greatest saith our Lord because I wil be propicious to their iniquitie and their sinne I wil remember no more †Thus saith our Lord that geueth the sunne for the light of the day the order of the moone and of the starres for the light of the night that trubleth the sea and the waues thereof doe sound the Lord of hostes is his name †If these lawes shal faile before me saith our Lord thee also the seede of Israel shal faile that it be not a nation before me for euer †Thus saith our Lord If the heauens aboue shal be able to be measured and the foundations of the earth beneth to be searched out I also wil cast away al the seede of Israel for al thinges that they haue done saith our Lord. †Behold the daies come saith our Lord
Israel in the dayes of Ozias the king of Iuda and in the dayes af Iereboam the sonne of Ioas the king of Israel two yeares before the earthquake †And he sayd Our Lord wil roare out of Sion and out of Ierusalem he wil geue his voice the beautiful places of the pastours haue mourned and the toppe of Carmel is withered †Thus sayth our Lord Vpon three wickednesses of Damascus and vpon foure I wil not conuert it because they haue threshed Galaad with yron waynes †And I wil send fyre into the house of Azael and it shal deuoure the houses of Benadad †And I wil breake the barre of Damascus and I wil destroy the inhabitant out of the idol and him that holdeth the scepter out of the house of pleasure and the people of Syria shal be transported to Cyrene saith our Lord. †Thus saith our Lord Vpon three wickednesses of Gaza vpon foure I wil not conuert it because they haue transported a perfect captiuitie to shut it vp in Idumea †And I wil send â—yre on the wal of Gaza and it shal deuoure the houses therof †And I wil destroy the inhabitant out of Azotus and him that holdeth the scepter out of Ascalon and I wil turne my hand vpon Accaron and the rest of the Philisthims shal perish sayth our Lord God †Thus saith our Lord Vpon the three wickednesses of Tyre and vpon foure I wil not conuert it because they haue shut vp a perfect captiuite in Idumea and haue not remembred the league of brethren †And I wil send fyre vpon the wal of Tyre it shal deuoure the houses therof †Thus sayth our Lord Vpon three wickednesses of Edom and vpon foure I wil not conuert him because he hath persecuted his brother with the sword and hath violated his mercie and hath held his furie longer and hath kept his indignation euen to the end †I wil send fyre into The man and it shal deuoure the houses of Bosra †Thus sayth our Lord Vpon three wickednesses of the children of Ammon and vpon foure I wil not conuert him because he hath cut in sunder the wemen with childe of Galaad to dilate his limite †And I wil kindle a fyre in the wal of Rabba it shal deuoure the houses therof with howling in the day of battel and with a whirlewind in the day of commotion †And Melchom shal goe into captiuitie himself and his princes together sayth our Lord. CHAP. II. God also threatneth Moab 4. Iuda 6. and Israel 9. that for ingratitude 12. and other sinnes they shal be brought into captiuitie THVS sayth our Lord Vpon three wickednesses of Moab and vpon foure I wil not conuert him because he hath burnt the bones of Idumea euen to ashes †And I wil send fyre into Moab and it shal deuoure the houses of Carioth and Moab shal dye in the sound in the noyse of the trumpet †and I wil destroy the iudge out of the middes of him and al his princes I wil kil with him saith our Lord. †Thus saith our Lord Vpon three wickednesses of Iuda vpon foure I wil not conuert him because he hath cast away the law of our Lord and not kept his commandments for their idols haue deceiued them after which their fathers went †And I wil send fire into Iuda and it shal deuoure the houses of Ierusalem †Thus saith our Lord Vpon three wickednesses of Israel and vpon foure I wil not conuert him because he hath sold the iust for siluer and the poore for shoes †Which bruise the heades of the poore vpon the dust of the earth and decline the way of the humble and the sonne and his father haue gone to a young woman that they might violate my holie name †And vpon garments layd to pledge they did lye beside euerie altar the wine of the condemned they dranke in the house of their God †But I did cast out the Ammorrheit before their face whose height the height of Cedars he strong as an oke and I destroyed his fruite from aboue his rootes beneath †It is I that made you come vp out of the Land of Aegypt I ledde you in the desert fourtie yeares that you might possesse the Land of the Amorrheite †And I raysed vp of your sonnes to be prophets of your yongmen Nazareites is it not so ô children of Israel saith our Lord †And you dranke wine to the Nazareites and the prophets you commanded saying Prophecie not †Behold I wil screake vnder you as a wayne screaketh loden with hay †And flight shal perish from the swift and the valient shal not obteyne his strength and the strong shal not saue his life †And he that holdeth the bow shal not stand and the swift of his feete shal not be saued and the rider of the horse shal not saue his life †and the stoute of hart among the valients shal flee naked in that day sayth our Lord. CHAP. III. For their manifold sinnes al the twelue tribes shal be sore plaged 11. and made captiues HEARE the word that our Lord hath spoken vpon you ye children of Israel vpon al the kindred that I brought forth out of the Land of Aegypt saying †Onlie you haue I knowen of al the kindreds of the earth therfore wil I visite vpon you al your iniquities †Why shal two walke together vnles they be agreed †Wil the lion roare in the forrest vnles he haue a praye wil the lions whelpe geue voice out of his denne vnles he hath caught somewhat †wil the bird fal into the snare of the earth without the sowler Shal the snare be taken away from the earth before it hath taken somewhat †Shal the trumpet sound in the citie and wil not the people be afrayd Shal there be euil in the citie which our Lord hath not done †Because our Lord God wil not doe a word vnles he haue reueled his secret to his seruants the prophers †The lion shal roare who wil not feare Our Lord God hath spoken who shal not prophecie †Make it heard in the houses of Azotus and in the houses of the Land of Aegypt and say Gather ye together vpon the mountaines of Samaria and see the manie madnesses in the midddes therof and them that suffer calumnie in the inner parts therof †And they haue not knowne to doe right sayth our Lord treasuring vp iniquitie and robberies in their houses †Therfore thus sayth our Lord God The land shal be in tribulation compassed about and thy strength shal be plucked away from thee and thy houses shal be spoyled †Thus sayth our Lord As if a pastour should get out of the lions mouth two legges or the tippe of the eare so shal the children of Israel that dwel in Samaria be deliuered in the plague of
your beds in the morning light they doe it because their hand is against God †And they haue couered fildes and violently taken and houses forcibly taken away and oppressed the man and his house the man and his inheritance †Therfore thus saith our Lord Behold I purpose euil vpon this familie whence you shal not take away your neckes and you shal not walke prowd because it is a very euil time †In that day a parable shal be taken vp vpon you and a songue shal be sung with sweetnes of them that say With depopulation we are wasted part of my people is changed how shal he depart from me wheras he returneth that wil diuide our regions †For this cause thou shalt haue none casting the cord of lot in the assemblie of our Lord. †Speake ye not speaking It shal not droppe vpon these confusion shal not apprehend them †The house of Iacob saith Way is the spirit of our Lord abridged or are his cogitations such Are not my wordes good with him that walketh rightly †And on the contrarie my people is risen vp as an aduersarie from aboue the cote you haue taken away the cloke them that passed simply you turned into battel †The wemen of my people you haue cast out of the house of their delicacies from their litle ones you haue taken my praise for euer †Arise and goe because you haue no rest here For the vncleannes therof it shal be corrupted with a sore putrefaction †Would God I were not a man hauing the spirit and that I did rather speake a lie I wil distil to thee into wine and into drunkennes and it shal be this people vpon whom it is distilled †Gathering I wil gather thee wholly together ô Iacob I wil bring together the remnant of Israel into one I wil put them together as a flocke in the fold as cattel in the middes of sheepcotes they shal make a tumult by reason of the multitude of men †For he shal ascend opening the way before them they shal diuide and passe through the gate and shal enter by it and their king shal passe before them and our Lord in the head of them CHAP. III. For the sinnes of the rich opressing the poore 5. of falfe prophets flatering for lucre 9. and of Iudges peruerting iustice 12. Ierusalem and the temple shal be destroyed AND I sayd Heare ye princes of Iacob ye dukes of the house of Israel Why is it not your part to know iudgement †which hate good and loue euil which violently take away their skinnes from them and their flesh from their bones †Which haue eaten the flesh of my people and haue stead their skinne from them and haue broken and cut their bones as in a kettle as it were flesh in the middes of a potte shal they crie to our Lord and he wil not heare them and he wil hide his face from them at that time as they haue done wickedly in their inuentions †Thus sayth our Lord vpon the prophets that seduce my people that bite with their teeth nnd preach peace and if a man geue not something in their mouth they sanctifie battel vpon him †Therfore there shal be nigt to you for vision and darkenes to you for diuination and the sunne shal goe downe vpon the prophets the day shal be darkened ouer them †And they shal be confounded that see visions and the diuiners shal be confounded and al shal couer their faces because there is no answer of God †But yet I am replenished with the strenght of the spirit of our Lord with iudgement and power to declare vnto Iacob his wickednes and to Israel his sinne †Heare this ye princes of the house of Iacob and ye iudges of the house of Israel which abhorre iudgement peruert al right thinges †Which build Sion in bloud and Ierusalem in iniquitie †Her princes iudged for gifts and her priests taught for wages and her prophets diuined for money they rested vpon our Lord saying Why is not our Lord in the middes of vs euils shal not come vpon vs. †For this because of you Sion shal be ploughed as a filde and Ierusalem shal be as an heape of stones and the mount of the temple as the high places of forests CHAP. IIII. Manie Gentiles shal beleue in Christ 6. and lastly the multitude of Iewes 8. In the meane time the two tribes shal be caried into captiuitie and be deliuered againe AND it shal be In the later end of dayes there shal be the mount of the house of our Lord prepared in the toppe of mountaines and high about the hilles and peoples shal flow to it †And manie nations shal hasten shal say Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of our Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he wil teach vs of his wayes and we shal goe in this pathes because out of Sion shal the law goe forth and the word of our Lord out of Ierusalem †And he shal iudge betwen manie peoples and he shal rebuke strong nations vnto a far of and they shal cut their swordes into culters and their speares into spades nation shal not take sword against nation and they shal no more learne to make battel †And euerie man shal sitte vnder his vine vnder his figtree and there shal be none to make them afrayd because the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it †Because al peoples wil walke euerie one in the name of his God but we shal walke in the name of the Lord our God for euer and euer †In that day saith our Lord I wil gather her that halteth and her that I had cast out I wil gather vp her whom I had afflicted †And I wil make her that halted into a remnant and her that had laboured into a mightie nation and our Lord wil reigne ouer them in mount Sion from this time now and for euer †And thou the towre of flocke clowdie of the daughter of Sion shal come to thee and the first powre shal come the kingdom to the daughter of Ierusalem †Now why art thou drawne together with pensifnes why is there not a king to thee or is thy counselor perished because sorow hath apprehended thee as a woman in trauel †Sorow thou labour ô daughter of Sion as a woman in trauel because now shalt thou goe out of the citie and shalt dwel in the countrie and shalt come euen to Babylon there thou shalt be deliuered there our Lord wil redeme thee out of the hand of thine enemies †And now manie nations are gathered together vpon thee which say Let her be stoned and let our eye looke vpon Sion †But they haue not knowne the cogitations of our Lord and haue not vnderstood his counsel
buckler of his valiants fyrie the men of the armie in scarlets the raynes of the chariot fyrie in the day of his preparation and the driuers are brought asleepe †In the wayes they are trubled the chariots strooke one agaynstan other in the streetes their appearance are as it were lampes as it were lightning running to and fro †He wil remember his valiants they shal fal in their wayes they shal quickly scale the walles therof and a bowre shal be prepared †The gates of the riuers are opened and the temple throwen downe to the ground †And the souldiar is led away captiue and her handmayds were led away mourning as doues murmuring in their hartes †And Niniue her waters as it were a fishpoole of waters but themselues are fled Stand stand there is none that wil returne †Spoile the siluer spoile the gold and there is no end of the riches of al vessels that are to be desired †She is dissipated and rent and torne and pyning hart and dissolution of the knees and defect in al reynes and the faces of them al as the blacknes of a pot †VVhere is the habitation of lions the pasture of lions welps to which the lion went to goe in thither the lions whelpe and is there none to make them afrayd †The lion hath caught sufficiently for his welpes and hath killed for his lionesses and he hath filled his dennes with praye and his couch with rauening †Behold I to thee saith the Lord of hosts and I wil burne thy chariots euen to smoke and the sword shal eate thy litle lions and I wil destroy thy praye out of the land and the voice of thy messengers shal be heard no more CHAP. III. A description of Niniues ruine 5. made ignominious to al nations 17. forraine souldiars fleing away and al their owne terrified VVO to thee ô citie of blouds al of lying ful of tearing spoile shal not depart from thee †The voice of the whippe and the voice of the violence of the wheele of the neighing horse and of the feruent chariot and of the horsman mounting †And of the glistering sword and of the glittering speare and of a multitude slaine and of a greuous ruine neither is there an end of corses and they shal fal on their bodies †Because of the multitude of the fornications of the harlot beautiful grateful and hauing sorceries which hath sold nations in her fornications families in her sorceries †Behold I to thee sayth the Lord of hosts and I wil discouer thy priuie parts in thy face and wil shew to the Gentils thy nakednes to kingdoms thine ignominie †And I wil throw vpon thee abominations and wil vse thee contumeliously and wil put thee for an example †And it shal be euerie one that shal see thee shal leape backe from thee and shal say Niniue is wasted who shal shake the head vpon thee whence shal I seeke a cōforter for thee †Why art thou better then Alexandria ful of peoples which dwelleth in the riuers waters round about it whose riches the sea waters the walles therof †Aethiopia the strength of it and Aegypt there is no end Afrike and the Libyans haue bene in thine ayde †But she also in transmigration was led into captiuitie her litle ones were dashed in the head of al wayes and vpon her noble ones they haue cast lot and al her great men were made fast in fetters †Thou also therfore shalt be made drunke and shal be despised and thou shalt seeke helpe of the enemie †Al thy munitions as figtrees with their grene figges if they be shaken they wil fal into the mouth of the eater †Behold thy people wemen in the middes of thee to thine enimies the gates of thy land with opening shal be opened fyre shal deuoure thy barres †Draw thee water for the siege build thy munitions enter into the clay and tread making morter hold the bricke †There the fyre shal eate thee thou shalt perish by the sword as a bruke it shal deuoure thee be gathered together as the bruke be multiplied as the locust †Thou hast made thy merchandises more then are the starres of heauen the bruke was spred flew away †Thy kepers as the locusts thy litle ones as it were the locusts of locusts which swarme on the hedges in the day of could the sunne arose they flew away and their place was not knowen where they were †Thy pastours slumbred ô King of Assur thy princes shal be buried thy people lay hid in the mountaynes and there is none to gather them together †Thy destruction is not obscure thy plague is very sore al that haue heard the fame of thee haue clapped the hand vpon thee for vpon whom hath not thy malice passed alwayes THE PROPHECIE OF HABACVC HABACVC borne in Bezochar prophecied the same time with Nahum foreshewing the victories of the Chaldees subdewing manie nations namely the kingdom of Iuda destroying Ierusalem and the temple and carying the people captiue into Babylon and afterwards the ruine of the same Chaldees and relaxation of the Iewes at last the coming of Christ with diuers particular Mysteries described in a Canticle from his Incarnation to the general Iudgement and eternitie of the next world CHAP. I. The prophet lamenteth the imminent ruine of the people by the insolent crueltie of the Chaldees 12. especially for that the holie citie shal be ransacked by idolaters and most wicked men THE burden that Habacuc the prophete saw †How long ô Lord shal I crie and thou wilt not heare shal I crie out to thee suffering violence and thou wilt not saue †Why hast thou shewed me iniquitie and labour to see praye and iniustice against me and iudgement is made contradiction more mightie †For this cause is the law torne iudgement came not to the end because the impious preuaileth agaynst the iust therfore doth there come forth peruerse iudgement †Behold ye in the nations and see meruel and be astonied because a worke is done in your dayes which no man wil beleue when it shal be told †Because loe I wil rayse vp the Chaldees a bitter swift nation walking vpon the latitude of the earth to possesse tabernacles not their owne †It is horrible and terrible out of it self shal the iudgement and the burden therof procede †His horses lighter then leopards and swifter then euening wolues and his horsemen shal be spred abrode for his horsemen shal come from a far they shal flie as an eagle hastening to eate †Al shal come to the praye their faces a burning winde he shal gather together as the sand captiuitie †And he shal triumph ouer kinges tyrants shal be his laughing flocke and he shal laugh vpon euerie munition and shal cast vp a mount and shal
that had bene at Rome an hostage and he reigned in the hundreth and seuen and thirteth yeare of the kingdom of the Greekes †In those dayes there went forth of Israel wicked children perswaded manie saying Let vs goe and make a couenant with the Gentils that are about vs because since we departed from them manie euils haue found vs. †And the talke semed good in their eyes †And some of the people determined and went to the king and he gaue them leaue to doe the iustice of the Gentils †And they built a schoole in Ierusalem according to the lawes of the Nations †and they made to them selues prepuces and reuolted from the holie testament and were ioyned to the Nations and were solde to doe euil †And the kingdom was prepared in the sight of Antiochus he begane to reigne in the land of Egypt that he might reigne ouer two kingdoms †And he entered into Aegypt with great multitude with chariots and elephants and horsemen and a copious multitude of shippes †And he made warre agaynst Ptolomee the king of Egypt and Ptolomee was afrayd at his presence and fled and manie fel wounded †And he tooke the fensed cities in the land of Aegypt and he tooke the spoiles of the land of Aegypt †And Antiochus turned after he strooke Aegypt in the hundreth and three and fourtith yeare and he went vp to Israel †and went vp to Ierusalem with a great multitude †And he entered into the sanctification with pride tooke the golden altar and the candlesticke of light and al the vessels therof and the table of proposition and the libatories and the phials and the litle morrers of gold and the vele and the crownes and the golden ornament that was in the face of the temple and he brake al into pâ—eces †And he tooke the siluer and gold and the desiderable vessels and he tooke the hidden treasures which he found and carying away he departed into his owne land †And he made a slaughter of men and spake in great pride †And great lamentation was made in Israel and in euerie place of theirs †and the princes and the ancients mourned and the youngmen and the virgins were weakned and the beautifulnes of the wemen was changed †Euerie husband tooke lamentation and the wemen that sate in the mariage bed mourned †and the land was moued vpon the inhabitants therein al the house of Iacob did put on confusion †And after two yeares of dayes the king sent a prince of tributes into the cities of Iuda he came to Ierusalem with a great multitude †And he spake vnto them peaceable wordes in guile and they beleued him †And he fel vpon the citie sodenly and stroke it with a great plague and destroyed much people in Israel †And he tooke the spoiles of the citie and burnt it with fyre and destroyed the houses therof and the walles therof round about †and they led the wemen captiue and the children and the cattel they possessed †And they built the citie of Dauid with a great wal and a strong and with firme towers and it was made a castel for them †and they placed there a sinful nation wicked men and they waxed strong therein And they layd armour and victuals and gathered together the spoiles of Ierusalem †and layd them vp there and they became a great snare †And this was made for an embushment of the sanctification and to be an il deuil in Israel †And they shed innocent bloud round about the sanctification and contaminated the sanctification †And the inhabitants of Ierusalem fled by reason of them and it became the habitation of strangers and she became stranger to her owne seede and her children forsooke her †Her sanctification was desolate as a wildernes her festiual dayes were turned into mourning her sabbaths into reproche her honours into naught †According to her glorie was her ignominie multiplied and her highnes was turned into mourning †And king Antiochus wrote to al his kingdom that al the people should be one and euerie one should leaue his owne law †And al Nations consented according to the word of king Antiochus †and manie of Israel consented to his seruice and they sacrificed to idols and defiled the sabbath †And the king sent bookes by the handes of messengers into Ierusalem into al the cities of Iuda that they should folow the law of the Nations of the earth †and should prohibite holocausts and sacrifices placations to be made in the temple of God †and should prohibite the sabbath to be celebrated and the solemne dayes †And he commanded the holie places to be defiled and the holie people of Israel †And he commanded altars to be built and temples and idols and swines flesh to be immolated and common beasts †and to leaue their children vncircumcised and their soules to be contaminated in al vncleannesses and abominations so that they should forget the law and should change al the iustifications of God †And whosoeuer had not done acording to the word of king Antiochus they should dye †According to al these words wrote he to al his kingdom and he appoynted princes ouer the people that should force these thinges to be done †And they commanded the cities of Iuda to sacrifice †And manie of the people were gathered to them they that had forsaken the law of our Lord and they did euils vpon the land †and they chased forth the people of Israel in hidden corners and in the secret places of fugitiues †The fiftenth day of the moneth Casleu the hundreth fiue and fourtith yeare king Antiochus built the abominable idol of desolation vpon the altar of God and through out al the cities of Iuda round about they builded altars †and before the gates of houses and in the stretes they burnt frankincense sacrificed †and the bookes of the law of God they burnt with fyre cutting them †and with whomsoeuer were found the bookes of the testament of our Lord and whosoeuer obserued the law of our Lord they murdered him according to the edict of the king †In their powre did they these thinges to the people of Israel that was found in euerie moneth and moneth in the cities †And the fiue and twentith day of the moneth they sacrificed vpon the altar that was agaynst the altar †And the wemen that circumcided their children were murdered according to the commandment of king Antiochus †and they hang vp the children by the necks through out al their houses and those that had circumcided them they murdered †And manie of the people of Israel determined with themselues that they would not eate the vncleane thinges they chose rather to dye then to be defiled with vncleane meates †they would not breake the
holie law of God they were murdered †and there was made great wrath vpon the people excedingly CHAP. II. Mathathias with his fiue sonnes lamenteth the calamities of the people 8. and prophanation of holie thinges 15. resisteth the kings wicked decrees 23. killeth an idolater and the kings commissioner so flyeth into the mountaines with others 31. Manie are slaine not resisting in battel on the sabbath dayes 40. Vpon further consideration the rest defend themselues in the sabbath 45. kil their enimies and destroy idolatrie 49. Mathathias dying exhorteth his sonnes to be zelous in the law 65. appoynting Simon their counseler and Iudas their capitaine IN those dayes arose Mathathias the sonne of Iohn the sonne of Simeon priest of the sonnes of Ioarib from Ierusalem and he sate in the mountayne of Modin †and he had fiue sonnes Iohn who was surnamed Gaddis †and Simon who was surnamed Thasi †and Iudas who was called Machabeus †and Eleazar who was surnamed Abaron and Ionathan who was surnamed Apphus †These saw the euils that were done in the people of Iuda and in Ierusalem †And Mathathias sayd Wo is me wherfore was I borne to see the affliction of my people and the affliction of the holie citie and to sitte there when it is geuen in the handes of the enemies †The holie places are come into the hand of strangers the temple therof as an ignoble man †The vessels of her glorie are caried away captiue her old men are murdered in the streets and her youngmen are fallen by the sword of the enemies †What nation hath not inherited her kingdom and hath not obteyned her spoiles †Al her beautie is taken away She that was free is made a seruant †And loe our holies and out beautie and our glorie is desolate and the Nations haue defiled them †Whereto then is it for vs yet to liue †And Mathathias rent his garments his sonnes and they couered themselues with heareclothes and lamented excedingly †And there came thither they that were sent from king Antiochus to compel them that were fled into the citie of Modin to immolate and to burne frankincense and to depart from the law of God †And manie of the people of Israel consenting came to them but Mathathias and his sonnes stood constantly †And they that were sent from Antiochus answering sayd to Mathathias Thou art the prince and most honorable and great in this citie and adorned with sonnes and bretheren †Therfore come thou first and doe the kings commandement as al Nations haue done and the men of Iuda and they that are remayning in Ierusalem thou shalt be and thy sonnes among the kings frends amplified with gold and siluer and manie giftes †And Mathathias answered sayd with a lowde voice Although al Nations obey king Antiochus that euerie man reuolt from the seruice of the law of his fathers and consent to his commandements †I and my sonnes and my bretheren wil obey the law of our fathers †God be merciful vnto vs it is not profitable for vs to forsake the law and the iustices of God †we wil not heare the wordes of king Antiochus neither wil we sacrifice transgressing the commandments of our law to go an other way †And as he ceased to speake these words there came a certayne lewe in the eyes of al to sacrifice to the idols vpon the altar in the citie of Modin according to the kings commandment †And Mathathias saw and was sorie and his reynes trembled and his furie was kindled according to the iudgement of the law and flying vpon him he slew him vpon the altar †yea and the man whom king Antiochus had sent which compelled them to immolate he slewe in that verie time and destroyed the altar †and zeled the law as did Phinees to Zamri the sonne of Salomi †And Mathathias cried out with a lowde voice in the citie saying Euerie one that hath zele of the law establishing his testament let him comeforth after me †And he fled himself and his sonnes into the mountaynes and left al thinges whatsoeuer they had in the citie †Then came downe manie seeking iudgement and iustice into the desert †and they sate there them selues and their children and their wiues and their cattel because the euils ouerflowed vpon them †And it was reported to the kings men and to the armie that was in Ierusalem in the citie of Dauid that certayne men which dissipated the kings commandment were departed into secrete places in the desert and manie were gone after them †And forthwith they went forwards towards them and set battel against them in the day of the Sabbaths †and they sayd to them Doe you resist now also as yet comeforth and doe accordidg to the word of king Antiochus and you shal liue †And they sayd We wil not come forth neither wil we doe the kings word to pollute the day of the Sabbaths †And they hastened battel against them †And they answered them not neither did they cast a stone at them nor stopped the secrete places †saying Let vs dye al in our simplicitie and heauen and earth shal be witnesses vpon vs that you vniustly destroy vs. †And they gaue them battel on the Sabbaths and there died they their wiues their children and their cattel euen to a thousand soules of men †And Mathathias vnderstood it and his freinds and they had lamentation vpon them excedingly †And euerie man sayd to his neighbour If we shal al doe as our bretheren haue done and shal not fight against the heathen for our liues and our iustifications now wil they quickly destroy vs from the earth †And they thought in that day saying Euerie man whosoeuer shal come vnto vs in battel on the day of the Sabbaths let vs fight against him and we wil not al dye as our bretheren died in secrete places †Then was there gathered to them the synagoge of the Asside ans strong of force out of Israel euerie voluntarie in the law †and al that fled from the euils were added to them were made a strength to them †And they gathered an armie and stroke the sinners in their wrath and the wicked men in their indignation and the rest fled to the nations to escape †And Mathathias went round about and his freindes and they destroyed the altars †and they circumcided the vncircumcised children as manie as they found in the costs of Israel and in strength †And they persecuted the children of pride and the worke prospered in their handes †and they obteyned the law out of the handes of the nations and out of the handes of the kinges they gaue not the horne to the sinner †And the dayes of Mathathias approched to dye he sayd to his sonnes Now is pride strengthned and chastisement and the time of
riuer Euphrates euen to the riuer of Aegypt †and that he should bring vp Antiochus his sonne til he returned †And he deliuered to him half the armie and Elephants and he gaue him in commandment concerning al thinges that he would concerning the inhabitants of Iurie and Ierusalem †and that he should send an armie to them to destroy and roote out the powre of Israel and the remnant of Ierusalem and to take away the memorie of them out of the place †and that he should appoynt inhabitants in al their costs children strangers should by lot distribute their land †And the king tooke the part of the armie that remayned and went forth from Antioch the citie of his kingdom in the yeare an hundreth and seuen and fourtie and he passed ouer the riuer Euphrates walked through the higher countries †And Lysias chose Ptolomee the sonne of Doryminus and Nicanor and Gorgias mightie men of the kings freindes †And he sent with them fourtie thousand men and seuen thousand horsemen that they should come into the land of Iuda and should destroy it according to the word of the king †And they went forth with al their power and came and ioyned nere to Enimaum in the champaine countrie †And the merchants of the countries heard the name of them and they tooke siluer and gold exceding much and seruants and they came into the campe to take the children of Israel for slaues and there were added to them the armie of Syria and of the land of the strangers †And Iudas saw and his bretheren that the euils were multiplied and the armies approched to their borders and they knew the kings words which he commanded to doe to the people vnto destruction and consummation †and they sayd euerie one to his neighbour Let vs set vp the abasing of our people and let vs fight for our people and our holies †And an assemblie was gathered that they should be readie vnto battel and that they should pray and desire mercie and miserations †And Ierusalem was not inhabited but was as a desert there was none that came in and went out of her children and the holie place was conculcated and the children of strangers were in the castel there was the inhabitation of the Gentils and pleasure was taken away from Iacob and there failed their pipe and harpe †And they gathered together and came into Maspha against Ierusalem because the place of prayer in Israel was in Maspha before †And they fasted that day and clothed themselues with heareclothes and put ashes on their head and they rent their garments †and they layd open the bookes of the law out of which the Gentils searched the similitude of their idols †and they brought the ornaments of priests and first fruites and tithes and raysed vp Nazareits that had fulfilled their dayes †and they cried with a lowd voice to heauen saying What shal we doe with these whither shal we carie them †And thy holies are conculcated and they are contaminated and thy priests are brought into mourning and into humiliation †And behold the Nations are come together against vs to destroy vs thou knowest what thinges they intend against vs. †How shal we be able to stand before their face vnles thou ô God doe helpe vs †And with trumpets they cried out with a lowd voice †And after these thinges Iudas appointed captaynes of the people tribunes and centurions and a seargents and decurions †And he sayd to them that built houses and despoused wiues and planted vyneyards and to the fearful that euerie one should returne into his house according to the law †And they remoued the campe and pitched at the South of Emmaum †And Iudas sayd Gird vp your selues and be mightie sonnes and be readie agaynst the morning that you may fight against these nations which are assembled against vs to destroy vs and our holies †because it is better for vs to dye in battel then to see the euils of our nation and of the holies †but as it shal be the wil in heauen so be it done CHAP. IIII. Gorgias with six thousand souldiars wel appointed intending sudenly to destroy the Israelites armie of three thousand not wel armed 8. is defeated halfe of his men slaine the rest running away 16. Iudas staying his men from spoyling til the enemies were out of sight then they take rich prayes and render thankes to God 28. The next yeare Lysias with three score thousand foote and six thousand horsemen inuading Iurie Iudas with tenne thousand making his prayer to God killeth fiue thousand 35. the rest flying Lysias gathereth more souldiars 36. Iudas with his bretheren and others clense the temple and renew holie thinges 55. Offer Sacrifice 58. and institute a feast of the dedication of a new Altar AND Gorgias tooke fiue thousand chosen horsemen they remoued the campe by night †that they might approch to the campe of the Iewes and might strike them sodenly and the children that were of the castel were their guides †And Iudas heard and arose he and the mighties to strike the powre of the kings armie that were in Emmaum †For as yet the armie was dispersed from the campe †And Gorgias came into the campe of Iudas by night and found no man and he sought them in the mountaynes because he sayd These flee from vs. †And when the day was come Iudas appeared in the filde with three thousand men onlie which had not harnes and swords as they would †and they saw the campe of the Gentils strong and the men in brigantines and horsemen round about them and these were skilful to battel †And Iudas sayd to the men that were with him Feare not the multitude of them of their assault be not afrayd †Remember in what sort our fathers were saued in the redsea when Pharao with a great armie folowed them †And now let vs crie towards heauen and our Lord wil haue mercie on vs and wil be mindful of the testament of our fathers wil destroy this armie before our face this day †and al Nations shal know that there is one that redemeth and deliuereth Israel †And the aliens lifted vp their eyes and saw them coming against them †And they went out of the campe into battel and these that were with Iudas sounded with the trumpet †And they mette together and the Gentils were discomfited and fled into the playne †but al the hi◠most fel by the sword and they pursewed them as far as Gezeron and euen to the playnes of Idumea and of Azotus and of Iamnia and there fel of them euen to three thousand men †And Iudas returned and his armie folowing him †And he sayd to the people Couet not the spoiles because there is battel against vs †and Gorgias and his
receiue the right handes and he gaue it them and he cast them out from thence and clensed the castel from the contaminations †and they entered into it the three and twentith day of the second moneth the yeare an hundreth seuentie one with prayse and boughes of palme trees and harpes and cymbals nables and hymnes and canticles because the great enemie was destroyed out of Israel †And he ordayned that euerie yeare these dayes should be kept with gladnes †And he fortified the mount of the temple that was by the castel and he dwelt there him self and they that were with him †And Simon saw Iohn his sonne that he was a valient man of warre he made him captayne of al the hosts and he dwelt in Gazara CHAP. XIIII Demetrius inuading Media is taken captiue 4. and Iurie is in peace 14. Simon cherisheth the godlie and punisheth the wicked 16. receiueth freindlie letters from the Romanes and Spartiates 20. vvherof the copie is recited 24. sendeth a legate to Rome with a present 25. And is established highpriest and gouernour by publique consent IN THE yeare an hundreth seuentie two king Demetrius gathered his armie and went into Media to get him aydes to expugne Tryphon †And Arsaces the king of Persia and Media heard that Demetrius was entered his confines and he sent one of his princes to take him aliue †And he went and stroke the campe of Demetrius and tooke him and brought him to Arsaces and he put him into ward †And al the land of Iuda was at rest al the dayes of Simon and he sought good to his nation and his powre and his glorie pleased them al dayes †And with al his glorie he tooke Ioppe for an hauen and made it an entrance vnto the iles of the sea †And he enlarged the borders of his nation and obteyned the countrie †And he gathered a great captiuitie and had the dominion of Gazara and of Bethsura and of the castle and tooke away the vncleanes out of it and there was none that resisted him †And euerie man tilled his land with peace the land of Iuda yelded her fruites and the trees of the fildes their fruit †The ancients sate al in the streetes and treated of the good thinges of the land the yongmen did on them glorie and the stoles of warre †And he gaue victuals to the cities and he appointed them that they should be vessels of munition til the name of his glorie was renowmed euen to the end of the earth †He made peace vpon the land Israel reioyced with great ioy †And euerie man sate vnder his vine and vnder his fig-tree and there was none to make them asrayd †There was none left that impugned them vpon the earth kinges were discomfited in those dayes †And he confirmed al the humble of his people and sought the law and tooke away euerie wicked and euil man †he glorified the holies and multiplied the vessels of the holie places †And it was heard at Rome that Ionathas was dead and euen vnto the Spartiats and they were very sorie †But as they heard that Simon his brother was made the high priest in his place and he obteyned al the countrie and the cities therein †they wrote to him in brasen tables to renew the amities and societie which they had made with Iudas with Ionathas his bretheren †And they were read in the sight of the church in Ierusalem And this is a copie of the epistles that the Spartiates sent †THE PRINCES and the cities of the Spartians to Simon the grand priest and to the ancients and the priests and the rest of the people of the Iewes their bretheren greeting †The legates that were sent to our people haue told vs of your glorie and honour and ioy and we reioyced at their entrance †And we wrote that which was sayd of them in the counsels of the people thus Numenius the sonne of Antiochus and Antipater the sonne of Iason legates of the Iewes came to vs renewing with vs old amitie †And it pleased the people to receiue the men gloriously and to put a copie of their wordes in the seuered booke of the people to be for a memorie to the people of the Spartiats And a copie of these we haue writen to Simon the grand priest †And after these thinges Simon sent Numenius to Rome hauing a great buckler of gold of the weight of thousand poundes to establish amitie with them But when the people of Rome had heard †these wordes they sayd What thankes geuing shal we render to Simon and his children †For he hath restored his bretheren and hath expugned the enemies of Israel from them they decreed him libertie and registred it in tables of brasse and put it in titles in mount Sion †And this is a copie of the wriring THE EIGHTENTH day of the moneth Elul in the yeare an hundreth seuentie two the third yeare vnder Simon the grand priest in Asaramel †in a great assemblie of the priests of the people and the princes of the nation and the ancients of the countrie these thinges were notified that there haue often bene battels made in our countrie †But Simon the sonne of Mathathias of the children of Iarib and his bretheren put themselues in danger and resisted the aduersaries of their nation that their holies and law might stand with great glorie haue they glorified their nation †And Ionathas gathered together his nation and was made their grand priest and he was layd to his people †And their enemies would conculcate and destroy their countrie and extend their handes against the holies †Then Simon resisted and fought for his nation and bestowed much money and armed the valient men of his nation gaue them wages †and he fortified the cities of Iurie and Bethsura that was in the borders of Iurie where the armour of the enimies was before and he placed there Iewes for a garrison †And he fortified Ioppe which was by the sea and Gazara which is in the borders of Azotus wherin the enemies dwelt before and he placed Iewes there and whatsoeuer was fitte for their correption he put in them †And the people saw the fact of Simon and the glorie that he meant to doe to his nation they made him their duke and grand priest for that he had done al thes◠thinges and for the iustice and fayth which he kept to his nation for that he sought by al meanes to aduance his people †And in his dayes it prospered in his hands so that the heathen were taken away out of their countrie and they that were in the citie of of Dauid in Ierusalem in the castel out of which they came forth and contaminated al thinges that were round about the holies they brought great plague vpon chastitie †he placed in it
geue you spirit and soule and life and the members of euerie one I my selfe framed not †But in deede the Creator of the world that hath formed the natiuitie of man and that inuented the origine of al he wil restore againe with mercie vnto you spirit and life as now you despise your selues for his lawes †But Antiochus thinking himselfe contemned and withal despising the voice of the vpbrayder when the yonger was yet aliue he did not only exhort with wordes but also with oth he affirmed that he would make him rich happie and being turned from the lawes of his fathers he would account him a freind and geue him thinges necessarie †But when the yong man was not inclined to these thinges the king called the mother and counselled her to deale with the yong man to saue his life †And when he had exhorted her in manie wordes she promised that she would counsel her sonne †Therfore bending towards him mocking the cruel tyrant she sayd in her countrie language My sonne haue pitie on me which haue borne thee in my wombe nine moneths and gaue thee milke for three yeares and nourished thee and brought thee vnto this age †I beseech thee my sonne that thou looke to heauen and earth and to al thinges that are in them and vnderstand that God of nothing made them and mankinde †so shal it come to passe that thou wilt not feare this tormenter but being made a worthie partaker with thy bretheren take thou death that in that mercie I may receiue thee againe with thy bretheren †When she as yet was saying these thinges the yong man sayd For whom stay you I obey not the commandement of the king but the commandement of the law which was geuen vs by Moyses †But thou that art become the inuenter of al malice against the Hebrewes shal not escape the hand of God †For we for our sinnes doe suffer these thinges †And if the Lord our God hath bene angrie with vs a litle for rebuke correction yet he wil be reconciled againe to his seruants †But thou ô wicked and of al men most flagicious be not in vaine extolled with vaine hopes inflamed against his seruantes †For thou hast not yet escaped the iudgement of the almightie God and him that beholdeth al thinges †For my bretheren hauing now susteyned short payne are become vnder the testament of eternal life but thou by the iudgement of God shalt receiue iust punishment for thy pride †And I as also my brethren doe yeld my life and my bodie for the lawes of our fathets inuocating God to be propicious to our nation quickly and that thou with torments and stripes maist confesse that he onlie is God †But in me and in my brethren shal the wrath of the Almightie cease which hath iustly bene brought vpon al our stocke †Then the king incensed with anger raged against him more cruelly aboue al the rest taking it grieuously that he was mocked †And this same therfore died vnspotted wholy trusting in our Lord. †And last of al after the sonnes the mother also was consumed †Therfore of the sacrifices and of the exceeding cruelties there is ynough sayd CHAP. VIII Iudas Machabeus with six thousand men commendîng their cause to God 6. prospereth in battel 8. Philippe soliciting for more helpe Nicanor and Gorgias are sent with twentie thousand men against Iudas 12. whose men beginning to feare and some flying he encoregeth the rest 19. reciting manie examples of Gods assistance 22. disposeth his armie and prâ—uayleth 30. killing manie of Timothees and Bacchideâ— men 34. The principal hardly escaping by flight acknowlege that God protecteth the lewes BVT Iudas Machabeus and they that were with him went in secretely into the townes and calling together their kinsemen and taking vnto them those that continewed in Iudaisme they brought out to them six thousand men †And they inuocated our Lord that he would haue respect vnto his people that was troden of al and would haue mercie on the temple that was cotaminated of the impious †he would haue pitie also vpon the destruction of the citie which was forth with to be made flat with the ground and would heare the voice of the bloud crying to him †he would remember also the most vniust deathes of innocent children and the blasphemies done to his name and would take indignation for them †But Machabeus hauing gathered a multitude became intolerable to the heathen for the wrath of our Lord was turned into mercie †And coming vpon the castels and cities vnlooked for he burnt them taking commodious places he made not few slaughters of the enemies †and especially in the nightes he was caried to such excursions and the fame of his manlines was spred abrode euerie where †But Philip seing the man to come forward by litle and litle and that thinges for the more part succeeded with him prosperously wrote to Ptolomee the gouernour of Coelesyria and Phoenicia to geue ayde to the kinges affaires †And he with spede sent Nicanor the sonne of Patroclus of the principals of his freindes geuing him of the nations mingled together no lesse then twentie thousand armed men to destroy vtterly al the stocke of the Iewes adioyning also vnto him Gorgias a man of warre and in martial affayres of very great experience †And Nicanor appointed that he would supplie vnto the king the tribute that was to be geuen to the Romanes two thousand talents out of the captiuitie of the Iewes †and forthwith he sent to the cities by the sea side calling men together to the buying of the Iewish slaues promising that he would sel ninetie slaues for a talent not looking to the vengeance which was to folow him from the Almightie †But Iudas when he vnderstood it shewed to those Iewes that were with him the coming of Nicanor †Of whom certaine fearing and not crediting the iustice of God fled away †and others if they had any thing left sold it withal be sought our Lord that he would deliuer them from the impious Nicanor who had sold them before he came neere them †and if not for them yet for the testament that was with their fathers and for the inuocation of his holie magnifical name vpon them †But Machabeus calling together seuen thousand that were with him desired that they would not be reconciled to the enemies nor feare the multitude of the enemies coming against them vniustly but would fight manfully †hauing before their eyes the contume lie that was vniustly done by them to the holie place and moreouer the iniurie also of the citie being made a laughing stocke besides also the ordinances of the ancesters broken †For they in dede trust to their weapons sayd he and to their boldnes also but we trust in the Almightie Lord who can vtterly destroy
himself worse to the Iewes then his father †Which thinges when Iudas vnderstood he coÌ„manded the people that day and night they should inuocate our Lord that as alwayes now also he would helpe them †as who were afrayed to be depriued of the law their countrie the holie temple and that he would not suffer the people that had of late taken breath a litle while to be againe subdued to the blasphemous nations †Al therfore doing it together and crauing mercie of our Lord with weeping fastinges being prostrate for three dayes continually Iudas exhorted them to prepare them selues †But he with the ancients consulted before the king should bring his armie to Iurie and winne the citie to goe out and to committe the euent of the thing to the iudgement of our Lord. †Committing therfore the power and charge of al to God the creatour of the world and hauing exhorted his companie to fight manfully and to stand euen to death for the lawes the temple the citie their countrie and citizens he placed his armie about Modin †And hauing geuen a signe to his companie of the victorie of God with most valient yong men piked out by night setting vpon the kings court in the campe he slew foure thousand men and the greatest of the elephants with them that had bene placed thereupon †and he filled the campe of the enemies with exceeding feare and perturbation and the thinges being prosperously atcheiued they departed †And this was done when the day appeared the protection of our Lord helping him †But the king hauing taken a taste of the hardines of the Iewes attempted the difficultie of the places by policie †and he moued his campe to Bethsura which was a strong hold of the Iewes but he was put to flight he fel he was diminished †And to them that were within Iudas sent necessaries †But one Rhodocus of the Iewes armie vttered the secretes to the enemies who being sought for was apprehended and shut vp †Againe the king had talke with them that were in Bethsura he gaue the right hand he tooke it he went away †He ioyned battel with Iudas he was ouercome And as he vnderstood that Phillippe rebelled at Antioch who was left ouer the affayres dismayed in mynde intreating the Iewes and yelding vnto them he sweareth concerning al thinges that seemed reason being reconciled he offered sacrifice honoured the temple and gaue hosts †He embraced Machabeus made him gouernor prince from Ptolemais euen to the Gerrenians †But after as he came to Ptolemais the Ptolemaians tooke greuously the couenant of amitie being offended lest perhaps they would breake their league †Then Lysias went vp to the iudgement seate and declared the reason and appeased the people and returned to Antioch and in this maner the kinges iorney and returne proceded CHAP. XIIII Demetrius hauing taken certaine holdes from Antiochus 3. Alcimus lately deposed from the office of high priest 6. accuseth good men of disloyaltie 11. others also incense Demetrius 12. Wherupon Nicanor being sent into Iurie maketh Alcimus againe highpriest 18. hath peace with Iudas conuersing with him most familiarly 26. But by Alcimus suggestion seeketh to deliuer him into the king â—andes 30. otherwise threatneth to prophane the temple 34. The priestes pray God to protect them 37. Razias being accused and pursued 41. in extreme distresse killeth himself with meruelous corege of spirite BVT after the space of three yeares Iudas vnderstood and they that were with him that Demetrius the sonne of Seleucus with a strong multitude and with shippes was come vp by the port of Tripolis to commodious places †and held the countries against Antiochus and his gouernor Lysias †And one Alcimus that had bene highpriest but voluntarily was contaminated in the time of the confusion considering that there was saftie for him by no means nor accesse to the altar †came to king Demetrius in the yeare an hundred fiftie offering him a crowne of gold a palme besides these Talloes which seemed to be of the temple And that same day in deede he held his peace †But hauing gotten a commodious time for his madnes being called of Demetrius to counsel and asked on what thing and counsels the Iewes rested he answered †They of the Iewes that are called Assidians of whom Iudas Machabeus is captaine nourish battels and moue seditions neither doe they suffer the realme to be quiet †For I also being defrawded of my ancestours glorie I meane of the high priesthood am come hither †principally in deede keping fidelitie to the kings commodities but secondly also prouiding for my citizens forby their naughtines al our stocke is not a little vexed †But al these thinges being knowen ô king prouide I pray thee both for the countrie for our stocke according to thy humanitie published to al men †For as long as Iudas is aliue it is vnpossible that there be peace to the affayres †And such thinges being sayed of him the other freinds also behauing themselues as enemies against Iudas incensed Demetrius †Who forthwith sent Nicanor chiefe ouer the elephants captaine into Iurie †geuing him commission that he should take Iudas himselfe but them that were with him he should disperse make Alcimus the high priest of the greatest temple †Then the nations which had fled from Iudas out of Iurie ioyned them selues by troupes with Nicanor esteming the miseries and calamities of the Iewes the prosperities of their owne affayres †The Iewes therfore hauing heard of Nicanors coming the assemblie of the nations being sprinkled with earth besought him that ordayned his people to kepe them for euer and that protecteth his portion by euident signes †And the captaine commanding forthwith they remoued from thence and they came together to the castel of Dessau †And Simon the brother of Iudas had ioyned battel with Nicanor but he was made afrayd with the sodaine coming of the aduersaries †Neuertheles Nicanor hearing the manlines of Iudas companions and greatnes of courege that they had for the conflicts of their countrie was afrayde to make tryall by bloud †Wherfore he sent Posidonius and Theodotius Mathias before to geue and take the right handes †And when there was long consultation of these thinges and the captaine himself had moued it to the multitude there was one sentence of them al to accord vnto amitie †Therfore they appointed a day wherin they might secretly deale among them selues and seates were brought forth and sette for euery one †But Iudas commanded armed men to be in places conuenient lest perhaps some mischefe might sodainly arise from the enemies they made agreable communication †Nicanor abode at Ierusalem and did nothing vniustly and the flockes of the multitudes that had bene gathered together he diminished †And he esteemed Iudas alwayes deare from the
celebrated the Phase and the festiual day of Azymes for seuen dayes †and there was not celebrated such a Phase in Israel from the times of Samuel the prophet †and al the kinges of Israel did not celebrate such a Phase as Iosias did and the Priestes and the Leuites and the Iewes and al Israel that were found in their abode at Ierusalem †In the eightenth yeare Iosias reigning was the Phase celebrated †And the workes of Iosias were directed in the sight of his Lord in a hart ful of feare †and the thinges concerning him are writen in the ancient times touching them that sinned and were irreligious against our Lord aboue al nations and that sought not the wordes of our Lord vpon Israel †And after al this fact of Iosias came vp Pharao the king of Aegypt comming in Charcamis from the way vpon Euphrates and Iosias went forth to meete him †And the king of Aegypt sent to Iosias saying What is there betwen me thee king of Iuda †I was not sent of the Lord to fight against thee for my battel is vpon Euphrates goe downe in hast †And Iosias did not returne vpon his chariote but endeuoured to ouerthrow him not attending the word of the prophet from the mouth of our Lord †but he made battel against him in the field of Mageddo And princes went downe to king Iosias †And the king said to his seruantes Remoue me from the battel for I am weakned excedingly And forth with his seruantes remoued him out of the battel †And he went vp into his second chariote comming to Ierusalem dyed and was buried in his fathers se pulchre †And in al Iurie they mourned for Iosias the rulers with their wiues lamented him vntil this day And this was geuen out to be done alwayes vnto al the stocke of Israel †But these thinges were writen before in the booke of the histories of the kinges of Iuda and al the actes of the doing of Iosias and his glorie and his vnderstanding in the law of our Lord and the thinges that were done by him and that are not writen in the booke of the kinges of Israel and Iuda †And they that were of the nation taking Iechonias the sonne of Iosias made him king for Iosias his father when he was three and twentie yeares old †And he reigned ouer Israel three monethes And the king of Aegypt remoued him that he should not reigne in Ierusalem †and he put a taxe vpon the nation of siluer an hundred talentes and of gold one talent †And the king of Aegypt made Ioacim his brother king of Iuda and Ierusalem †and he bound the magistrates of Ioacim and Zaracel his brother and taking them brought them backe into Aegypt †Ioacim was fiue and twentie yeares old when he began to reigne in the land of Iuda and Ierusalem and he did euil in the sight of our Lord. †And after this man came vp Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and binding him with a bande of brasse brought him into Babylon †And Nabuchodonosor tooke the sacred vessels of our Lord and carried away and consecrated them in his temple in Babylon †For his vncleanes and lacke of religion is written in the booke of the times of the kinges †And Ioachin his sonne reigned for him And when he was made king he was eightene yeares old †And reigned three monethes and ten dayes in Ierusalem and did euil in the sight of our Lord †and after a yeare Nabuchodonosor sending transported him into Babylon together with the sacred vessels of our Lord. †And he made Sedecias king of Iuda and Ierusalem when he was one and twentie yeares old and he reigned eleuen yeares †And he did euil in the sight of our Lord and was not afraid of the wordes which were spoken by Ieremie the prophet from the mouth of our Lord †and being sworne of king Nabuchodonosor forsworne he did reuolt and his necke being hardened his hart he transgressed the ordinances of our Lord the God of Israel †And the princes of the people of our Lord did manie thinges wickedly and they did impiously aboue al the vncleannes of the nations and they polluted the temple of our Lord that was holie in Ierusalem †And the God of their fathers sent by his messenger to reclame them for that he would spare them and his tabernacle †But they scorned at his messengers and in the day that our Lord spake to them they were mocking his prophetes †Who was moued euen vnto wrath vpon his nation for their impietie and commanded the kinges of the Chaldees to come vp †These slewe their yong men with the sword round about their holie temple and spared not yong man and old man and virgin and youth †but al were deliuered into their handes taking al the sacred vessels of our Lord and the kinges treasures they caried them into Babylon †and burnt the house of our Lord and threwe downe the walles of Ierusalem and the towres therof they burnt with fire †and consumed al their honorable thinges and brought them to naught and those that were left of the sword they led into Babylon †And they were his seruants vntil the Persians reigned in the fulfilling of the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie †as long as the land quietly kept her sabbathes al the time of her desolation she sabbathized in the application of seuentie yeares CHAP. II. Cyrus king of Persia permitteth the Iewes to returne into their countrie 10. and deliuereth to them the holie vessels which Nabuchodonosor had taken from the temple 16. Certaine aduersaries writing to king Artaxerxes hinder those that would repayre the ruines of Ierusalem CYRVS king of the Persians reigning for the accomplishment of the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie †our Lord raysed vp the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians and he proclaymed in al his kingdomes and that by writing †saying Thus sayth Cyrus king of the Persians The Lord of Israel the high Lord hath made me king ouer the whole earth †and hath signified to me to build him a house in Ierusalem which is in Iurie †If there be any of your kinred his Lord goe vp with him into Ierusalem †Whosoeuer therefore dwel about the places let them helpe them that are in the same place in gold and siluer †in giftes with horses and beastes and with other thinges which by vowes are added into the temple of our Lord which is in Ierusalem †And the princes of the tribes of the villages and of Iurie of the tribe of Beniamin the Priestes and the Leuites standing vp whom our Lord moued to goe vp and to build the house of our Lord which is in Ierusalem and they that were round about them †did helpe them with al their gold and siluer and beastes and
Assirians toward them to strengthen their handes to the workes of our Lord the God of Israel CHAP. VIII Esdras going from Babylon to Ierusalem 9. carieth king Artaxerxes fauourable letters 14. nâ—t licence to takâ— gold siluer and al thinges necessarie at their pleasure 31. The chief mâ—n that goe with him are recited 51. He voweth a fast praying for good successe in their iorney 56. weigheth the gold and siluer which he deliuereth to the Priestes and Leuites 69. And seuerely admonisheth the people to repentance for their mariages made with infideles AND after him when Artaxerxes king of the Persians reigned came Esdras the sonne of Azarias the sonne of Helcias the sonne of Salome †the sonne of Sadoc the sonne of Achitob the sonne of Ameri the sonne of Azahel the sonne of Bocci the sonne of Abisue the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the first priest †This Esdras came vp from Babylon being scribe wise in the law of Moyses which was geuen of our Lord the God of Israel to teach and to doe †And the king gaue him glorie because he had found grace in al dignitie and desire in his sight †And there went vp with him of the children of Israel and the Priestes and the Leuites and the sacred singers of the temple and the porters and the seruantes of the temple into Ierusalem †In the seuenth yeare when Artaxerxes reigned in the fifth moneth this is the seuenth yeare of his reigne going forth of Babylon in the newmoone of the fifth moneth †they came to Ierusalem according to his commandment according to the prosperitie of their iourney which their Lord gaue them †For in these Esdras had great knowlege that he would not pretermitte anie of those thinges which were according to the law and the preceptes of our Lord and in teaching al Israel al iustice and iudgement †And they that wrote the writinges of Artaxerxes the king coming deliuered the writing which was granted of Artaxerxes the king to Esdras the Priest the reader of the law of our Lord the copie wherof here foloweth †KING Artaxerxes to Esdras the Priest and reader of the law of the Lord greeting †I of curtesie esteming it among benifites haue commanded them that of their owne accord are desirous of the nation of the Iewes and of the Priestes and Leuites which are in my kingdom to goe with thee into Ierusalem †If anie therfore desire to goe with thee let them come together and set forward as it hath pleased me and my seuen freindes my counselers †that they may visite those thinges which are done touching Iurie and Ierusalem obseruing as thou hast in the law of the Lord. †And let them carie the giftes to the Lord the God of Israel which I haue vowed and my freindes to Ierusalem and al the gold and siluer that shal be found in the countrie of Babylon to the Lord in Ierusalem with that †which is geuen for the nation it self vnto the temple of their Lord which is in Ierusalem that this gold and siluer be gathered for oxen and rammes and lambes and kiddes and for the thinges that are agreable to these †that they may offer hostes to the Lord vpon the altar of their Lord which is in Ierusalem †And al thinges whatsoeuer thou with thy brethren wilt doe with gold and siluer doe it at thy pleasure according to the precept of the Lord thy God †And the sacred vessels which are geuen thee to the workes of the house of the Lord thy God which is in Ierusalem †And other thinges whatsoeuer shal helpe thee to the workes of the temple of thy God thou shalt geue it out of the kings treasure †When thou with thy brethren wilt doe ought with gold and siluer doe according to the wil of the Lord. †And I king Artaxerxes haue geuen commandment to the keepers of the treasure of Syria and Phaenice that what thinges soeuer Esdras the Priest and reader of the law of the Lord shal write for they geue him vnto an hundred talentes of siluer likewise also of gold †And vnto an hundred measures of corne an hundred vessels of wine and other thinges whatsoeuer abound without taxing †Let al thinges be done to the most high God according to the law of God lest perhaps there arise wrath in the reigne of the king and of his sonne and his sonnes †And to you it is sayd that vpon al the Priestes and Leuites and sacred singers and seruantes of the temple scribes of this temple †no tribute nor any other taxe be sette and that no man haue auctoritie to obiect any thing to them †But thou Esdras according to the wisedom of God appoynt iudges and arbitrers in al Syria and Phaenice and teach al them that know no the law of thy God †that whosoeuer shal transgresse the law they be diligently punished either with death or with torment or els with a forfeite of money or with banishment †And Esdras the scribe sayd Blessed be the God of our fathers which hath geuen this wil into the kings hart to glorifie his house which is in Ierusalem †And hath honoured me in the sight of the king and of his counselers and freindes and them that weare purple †And I was made constant in minde according to the ayde of our Lord my God and gathered together of Israel men that should goe vp together with me †And these are the princes according to their kindredes and seueral principalities of them that came vp from Babylon the kingdom of Artaxerxes †Of the children of Phares Gersomus and of the children of Siemarith Amenus of the children of Dauid Acchus the sonne of Scecilia †Of the children of Phares Zacharias and with him returned an hundred fiftie men †Of the children of leader Moabilion Zaraei and with him two hundred fiftie men †Of the children of Zachues Iechonias of Zechoel and with him two hundred fiftie men †of the children of Sala Maasias of Gotholia with him seuentie men †of the children of Saphatia Zarias of Michel and with him eightie men †of the children of Iob Abdias of Iehel and with him two hundred twelue men †of the children of Bania Salimoth the sonne of Iosaphia and with him an hundred sixtie men †of the children of Beer Zacharias Bebei and with him two hundred eight men †of the children of Ezead Ioannes of Eccetan and with him an hundred ten men †of the children of Adonicam which were last and these are their names Eliphalam the sonne of Gebel and Semeias and with him seuentie men †And I gathered them together to the riuer that is called Thia and we camped there three dayes and vewed them againe †And of the children of the Priestes and Leuites I found not there †And I sent to Eleazarus and Eccelon and Masman and
hand †and on the left Faldeus Misael Malachias Ambusthas Sabus Nabadias and Zacharias †And Esdras tooke the booke before al the multitude for he was chiefe in glorie in the sight of al. †And when he had ended the law they stood al vpright and Esdras blessed our Lord the most high God the God of Sabaoth omnipotent †And al the people answered Amen And lifting vp their handes falling on the ground they adored our Lord. †Iesus and Banaeus and Sarebias and Iaddimus and Accubus and Sabbathaeus and Calithes Azarias and Ioradus and Ananias and Philias Leuites †who taught the law of our Lord and read the same in the multitude euerie one preferred them that vnderstood the lesson †And Atharathes sayd to Esdras the high priest and the reader and to the Leuites that taught the multitude †saying This day is sanctified to our Lord. And they al wept when they had heard the law †And Esdras sayd departing therfore eate ye al the fattest thinges drinke al most swete things and send giftes to them that haue not †For this is the holy day of our Lord be not sad For our Lord wil glorifie you †And the Leuites denounced openly to al saying This day is holie be not sad †And they went al to eate and drinke and make merie and to geue giftes to them that had not that they might make merie for they were excedingly exalted with the wordes that they were taught †And they were al gathered in Ierusalem to celebrate the ioy according to the testament of our Lord the God of Israel THE FOVRTH BOOKE OF ESDRAS CHAP. I. Esdras is sent to expostulate with the vngratful Iewes for neglecting Gods manie great benefites THE second booke of Esdras the prophet the sonne of Sarei the sonne of Azarei the sonne of Helcias the sonne of Sadanias the sonne of Sadoch the sonne of Achitob †the sonne of Achias the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Heli the sonne of Amerias the sonne of Asiel the sonne of Marimoth the sonne of Arna the sonne of Ozias the sonne of Borith the sonne of Abisei the sonne of Phinees the sonne of Eleazar †the sonne of Aaron of the tribe of Leui who was captiue in the countrie of the Medes in the reigne of Artaxerxes king of the Persians †And the word of our Lord came to me saying †Goe and tel my people their wicked deedes and their children the iniquities that they haue done against me that they may tel their childrens children †because the sinnes of their parentes are increased in them for they being forgetful of me haue sacrified to strange goddes †Did not I bring them out of the land of Aegypt from the house of bondange But they haue prouoked me haue despised my counsels †But doe thou shake of the heare of thy head and throw al euils vpon them because they haue not obeyed my law And it is a people without discipline †How long shal I beare with them on whom I haue bestowed so great benefittes †I haue ouerthrowen manie kinges from them I haue stroke Pharao with his seruantes and al his hoste †Al nations did I destroy before their face in the East I dissipated the peoples of two prouinces Tyre and Sidon and I slew al their aduersaries †But speake thou to them saying Thus sayth our Lord †I made you passe through the sea and gaue you fensed streates from the beginning I gaue you Moyses for your gouernour and Aaron for the Priest †I gaue you light by the piller of fire did manie meruelous things among you but you haue forgotten me sayth our Lord. †Thus sayth our Lord omnipotent The quayle was a signe to you I gaue you a campe for defense and there you murmured †And you triumphed not in my name for the destruction of your enemies but yet vntil now you haue murmured †Where are the benefites that I haue geuen you Did you not crie out to me when you were hungrie in the desert †saying Why hast thou brought vs into this desert to kil vs it had bene better for vs to serue the Aegyptians then to dye in this desert †I was sorie for your mournings gaue you manna to eate You did eate bread of Angels †When you thirsted did not I cleaue the rocke waters flowed in abundance for the heates I couered you with the leaues of trees †I deliuered vnto you fatte landes The Chananeites and Pherezeites and Philistheans I threw out from your face what shal I yet doe to you sayth our Lord †Thus sayth our Lord omnipotent In the desert when you were thirstie in the riuer of the Amorrheites and blaspheming my name †I gaue you not fire for blasphemies but casting wood into the water I made the riuer swete †What shal I doe to thee Iacob Thou wouldest not obey ô Iuda I wil transferre my self to other nations and wil geue them my name that they may keepe my ordinances †Because you haue forsaken me I also forsake you when you aske mercie of me I wil not haue mercie †When you shal inuocate me I wil not heare you For you haue defiled your handes with bloud and your fete are quicke to commit murders †Not as though you haue forsaken me but yourselues sayth our Lord. †Thus saith our Lord omnipotent haue not I desired you as a father his sonnes and a mother her daughters and as a nurce her litle ones †that you would be my people and I your God and to me for children and I to you for a father †So haue I gathered you as the henne her chickenes vnder her winges But now what shal I doe to you I wil throw you from my face †When you shal bring me oblation I wil turne away my face from you For I haue refused your festiual dayes new moones and circumcisions †I sent my seruantes the prophetes to you whom being taken you slew and mangled their bodies whose bloud I wil require sayth our Lord. †Thus sayth our Lord omnipotent your house is made desolate I wil throw you away as the winde doth stubble †and your children shal not haue issue because they haue neglected my commandment and haue done that which is euil before me †I wil deliuer your houses to a people comming who not hearing me do beleue to whom I haue not shewed signes they wil do the thinges that I haue commanded †The prophetes they haue not sene and they wil be mindful of their iniquities †I cal to witnes the grace of the people comming whose litle ones reioyce with ioy not seing me with their carnal eyes but in spirit beleuing the thinges that I haue sayd †And now brother behold what glorie and see people comming from the cast †to whom I wil geue the conduction of Abraham
promised land S. Hierom. de Mans 42. to 3. :: They were retained in the ayre til the earth broken vnder them was closed againe :: Amram maried his aunt which sheweth that the second degree in consanguinitie is not forbid by the law of nature though it was after prohibited by a positiue law Leuit 18. :: For the general murmuring wherof al the people were guiltie cha 14. â— 29. :: Temporal Princes are also pastors or shepheards of the people but this made not Iosue supreme in spiritual causes For it is clere in the next lines that he had but part of Moyses his glorie or office and that was to be temporal prince Eleazar being chief in causes spiritual before vvhom and the multitude he was ordained Duke but Eleazar consulted God for him and directed his principal actions called here his going out and going in :: Varietie of Sacrifices for diuers times :: Euerie day twise 1. 2. :: On the Sabbath day 3. :: The Neomenia or new moone :: Pasch or Phase 4. 5. :: Pentecost 6. :: Feast of Trumpets 7. :: Feast of Expiation :: For remissioÌ„ of sinnes the penitents did cooperate by penal workes of fasting and abstinence from euen vntil euen Leuit. 23. 〈◊〉 â—2 S. Aug. q. 57. in Num. Theod. q. 32. in Leuit. :: Feast of Tabernacles 8. 9. :: Feast of Assemblie and Collection :: He that voweth abstinence from a thing lawful maketh it vnlawful to him selfe by his vow S. Aug. q. 56. in Num. :: In this case God wil not impute it to her for a siÌ„ne S. Aug. q. 58. :: By afflicting of the souleâ— here vnderstood restraining sensual delectation S. Aug. q. 57. in Num. :: The husbaÌ„d reuoking his consent once geuen by word or by silence to his wiues vow sinned but the wife was bound to obey him and so was excused Vowes of things not commanded S. Aug q. 57. in Num. :: VVith whoÌ„ he sinned with them he was also iustly punished :: These wemen bringing imagies of Beelphogot caused the Israelites to offer sacrifice to him before they should committe fornication with them :: In more detestation of the parents sinne God coÌ„manded to kil these children so they were preuented from committing the like crimes But ordinarily wemen children ought not to be slaine after the victorie Deut. 20. v. 14. :: A right figure of those that would possesse heauen without labour or danger But none shal be crovvned vnles he striue lavvfully 2. Tim. 2. :: These remonings and camping places signifie by what degrees christians leauing sinnes and folowing Christ our guide may come to perfect pietie S. Hierom. de mans 42. ad Fahiol :: Danger to those that destroy not infidelitie and al enormious sinnes which dwelt in their soules before their conuersion Two handes which worke saluation :: Otherwise called the dead sea where Sodom and Gomort had stood :: A mountaine so called of the multitude of scorpions which were in it :: Mediterraneal sea called great in respect of the lakes in the holie Land :: Mount of Libanus :: Yet not before sentencâ— of death â— 12. 24. S. Aug. q. 65. in Num. :: Mystically this signified that the way to true life was not open before Christs death Theodor. q. 51. in Num. S. Grig ho. 6. in Ezechielem :: Al were not bound by this law to marie but al that would marrie must contract within their owne tribe Restrant in Mariages also for a temporal cause â—â—◠◠◠〈◊〉 Tradition Christ a King and a Priest This booke is a repetition explication and suplement of the Law S. Aug. q. 49. in Deuteroâ— It presigured the Gospel et princ Leutero Mans vlt. Conteineth fiue partes Chap. 1. 4. 12. 27. 31. 34. The first part A repetition of Gods benefites the peoples ingratitude and punishment :: God so helpeth his seruantes that they also must cooperate S. Aug. q. 1. in Deut. :: Difference of sinnes :: God is also angrie with his good seruantes and punisheth theÌ„ temporally for smal sinnes S. Aug. q. 1. in Iosue :: These were men of very great stature but not equal to the giantes before the sâ—ould :: By this we are instructed to fight agaâ—st inâ—ideles but not without special cause against christians signified by the childreÌ„ of Lot and Esau :: The I dumeans once denied them passage Num. 20. v. 20. but afterwards granted therto :: God permitted him for his former sinnes to indurate him selfe See Exod. 7. v. 3. :: Longer sorte of cubites are a foote and 9 inches so this bed was 15. foote and nine inches long and 7. foote brode Vitruuius Agricola :: Esdras adding these wordes and often times the like did not against the law because such additions are agreable and not contrarie to that which was written before :: See Num. 〈◊〉 â— 12. The second part A repetition explication of the law :: To kepe Gods coÌ„mandments is counted by al nations the most excellent wisdome :: Here and in other places it is manifest that the commandments called the Decalogue are iust tenne :: Venial and least sinnes passe not with out temporal punishment :: This was also a Mysterie that the old law signified by Moyses could not bring to heauen the true land of promise but the law of Christ signified by Iosue Theodoret q. 43. in Deut. :: Conuersion of the Iewes in the end of the world As other Scriptures are included in the law so also TraditioÌ„s are conteined in the Scriptures Brentius KeÌ„nisius Caluin The Church commended by Scriptures approueth Traditions :: It is not ynough to beleue only or to know the commandments but necessarie also to fulfil them in â—vorâ—e :: The title of mediator lawfully ascribed to Gods lieuâ—enant in â—â—rth :: Coueting as other mans wife and coueting his goodes differ as much as the exterior actes of adultry and of theft And so these two commandments are as distinct as the former two Images of Idols forbid but not of other things :: Some adoration agreeth to creatures but seruice of Latria to God onlie S. Aug. q 61. in Gen. Not withstanding this commination God ofrentimes differreth punishment expecting the sinners repentance :: Gods promises coÌ„ditional if his people serue him :: God is able to make foode of what he plesse or to sustaine men without â—â—cate :: A serpent lesse then a scorpion making those whom he byteth to die of thirst Solâ—â—us in polyhist cap. de Africa :: Holie Scripture vseth the figure Hyperbola folowing the vulgar maner of speakiÌ„g as wel to helpe the vnderstanding as to moue affectioÌ„ in great and extraordinarie things :: The similitude of a calfe and called it their god Exed 32. :: This Mosera where Aaron died is more commonly called Hor. Num. 20. 33. :: VVhen iust cause requireth an oath it must be made in the name of God not of false goddes :: Raine after seeding and before haruest signifieth Gods grace first stirring
but by the mightie hand of God :: Manie are held guiltie of sinne and are iustly punished for the fact of one or few either because they coÌ„sented or concealed or neglected to punish the offenders or els they suffer temporal affliction for their warning to abhorre sinne for increase of their merite â— Aug. q. 8. 9. in Iosue :: Hiâ—l fel into this curse for reparing Iericho 3. Reg. 16. v. 34. :: So God tempered his punishment that but few were slaine and afterwards gaue the towne to the Israelites without losse of any of their men :: Prayer wil not auaile til iustice be first donne :: Deceiptes â— stratagemes are lawful in iust warre but not falshood nor breach of promise â— Aug. q. 10. 〈◊〉 Iosue :: These fiue thousaÌ„d were of the thirtie thousand which were first sent v. 3. The other 25000 ioyned with Iosues troupe entered into the citie :: Not one fitte to beare armes was left :: He life his shield vpon a long pike or lance that it might be sene fitte of Deut. 27. :: Al superiors may blesse their subiectes Princes their people and parentes their children :: In such a case they ought to haue consulted God to wirte the high Priest putting on the Ephod Rationale should haue prayed at the dore of the tabernacle where our Lord appointed to speake vnto him Exo. 29 v. 42 It was also ordained Num. 27. v. 21. that Eleazar should coÌ„sult our Lord when anie thing was to be donne by Iosue which omittiÌ„g to do they were deceiued by these Gabaonites :: In these Gabaonites of Chanaans race was fulfilled Noes prophecie Geu 9. that Chanaan should be a seruant to his brethren :: Iosue did thinke if the moone moued the sunne also must necessarily moue so he obtained the stay of both :: Til after the time this booke was written :: God condescending to worke so great a miracle at the instance of his seruant :: God so disposed that they should not coÌ„quer al in one yeare lest the land had benne brought into a vvildernes and beastes increased against them Exod. 23. v. 29 Morally it signifieth that the children of God must be exercised in tribulations and mortification lest vices grow in them Procop. in Exod. :: These warres coÌ„tinued nere seuen yeares as appeareth chap. 14. v. 10. :: For their enormious sinnes God left them in their owne reprobate sense not imposing necessitie of sinning but permitting them to indurate their owne hartes See An not Exod. 7. :: Hence forth they had not general warres but diuers tribes had particular as appeareth chap. 15. c. Num. 21. Deut. 3. :: Moyses slew two kinges Iosue thirtie one The third part PartitioÌ„ of the land among nine tribes a half :: These partes are designed though not yet conquered :: This part the Amorreites had taken and possessed otherwise the Israelits were prohibited to take anie thiÌ„g from the Ammonites Deut 2. :: The Leuites hauing their portions in other maner yet there were twelue tribes to receiue portioÌ„s by reason that Iacob adopted Iosephs two sonnes Gen. 48. :: After the viewing of the land Num. 1â— the Israelites remained in the desert 38. yeares so they were nere seuen yeares in warres :: Gods promise is euer sure on his part but because it is conditional if we serue him sincerly oâ—â— wil being fâ—ee he saith â—f perhaps our lord be vvith me :: Onlie the countrie of Hebron was geuen to Caleb for the citie it self and suburbes belonged to the Priestes chap. 21â— v. 11. c See beâ—ore Chap. 11. v. 23. :: Though it was prohibited that the nephew should marie his â—unt yet the vncle was not expresly forbid to marie his neece by Moyses law Leuit. 18. And albeit there is the same degree of consanguinitie yet not the same incoÌ„uenience by reason the same person remaineth subiect that was inferior before mariage Because ordinarily the south part of the world is more drie and barren then other partes a barren place is called a south land in respect of more settile ground :: The Iebuseites kept a strong castle in Ierusalem til king Dauid tooke it from them 2. Reg. 5. :: Ruben for the sinne of incest losing the priuelegies of birth-right Gen. 49 Priesthood was geuen to Leui the kingdome to Iuda and duble portioÌ„ to Ioseph Paraphr Chald. :: The land or territorie of Taphua fallig to the lotte of Manasses yet Taphua that is the citie it selfe was the childrens of Ephraim :: The Chananeite remained in the Land of Manasses for a time :: Not equal buâ— proportionable partes were assigned for so it was commanded Num. 26. v. 54. To the greater number to geue a greater portion and to the fewer a lesse :: After the portions were appointed by mens industrie discretion God confirmed the same by lotte to take away al occasioÌ„ of discontentment :: Of modestie Iosue would not assigne to him self anie place but the whole people freely granted his request :: At first entering it sufficed to allege in general his innocencie but after he must be tried in particular :: God gaue al the Land in due time but not al at once for the causes expressed Exo. 23. v. 29. Deut. 7. v. 22. The fourth part Two tribes a halfe returne to their possessions Iosues godly admonitions his and Eleazars death :: It perteineth to al magistrates and other superiors to admonish their subiectes of their dutie towardes God before al other thinges :: Al superiorâ— may impert blessing to their subiectes :: So it behoueth al the seruantes of God to see in time that no schisme be made and therfore orderly to inquire of euerie show of euil 1. Thes 5. :: Sinnes past are imputed to such as fal againe as a grauating their new sinnes by reason of more ingratitude :: As before chap. 7. so if these had bene culpable al Israel might feare to be punished except iustice were donne vpon the offenders chap. 7. :: In the law of Moyses was one onlie altar for sacrifice for the whole people of God to auoide schisme and idolatrie Now in the Church being in al nations are manie altares but one onlie Sacrifice prefigured by al the former as S. Augustin teacheth li 17. c. 20 de â—iuit S. â—â—o Se◠◠〈◊〉 Pâ—ssione :: God fought for the Isiachtes three maâ— of wayes sometimes alone they not fighting at al as when the Aegyptians were drowned in the read sea sometimes they doing his coÌ„mandmentes he apparently assisted them as in the siege of Iericho the walles miraculously fel downe c. 6 haile stones killed their enimies chap. 10. but most times inuâ—sibly as wel by geuing them courege as by striking their enimies with terrour And al these wayes God also fighteth for his seruantes in spiritual warres against the diuel the flesh the world :: The Israelites descended also of Nachor by Rebecca his sonnes daughter the wife of Isaac
persons Tit. â— The thinges demanded differ much D. â—â—istous Motiuo 23. Personal presence at heretical seruice in England a distinctiue signe of conformity to heresie A case very like to ours 2. Machab â— 7. :: His grief was gâ—â— it because he haâ— not meanes to recompence the losse to the owneâ— :: A husband man in yorkshire called Ketle had the gift to see euil spirites wherby he often detected 〈…〉 red their â—ad purposes â—â—â— brig li. â— c. 〈◊〉 Rer. Anglic. :: By bread and water is vnderstood ordinarie meate and drinck v. 2â— :: Discourse of mans reason can not reach to the powre of God who can do al that he wil and wil doe al that he saith therfore the incredulous are iustly punished v. 20. :: This was true in some sense sicknes ending when death came :: Athalia v. 26. is called the daughter of Amri VVherfore it semeth that either she was the adopted daughter of her brother Achab or is there called the daughter of her grandfather VVhen Naboth was falsly accused vniustly stoned to death as if he had blaâ—phe med God and cursed the king for his pretended crimes his sonnes were also slaine and his landes and goodes conâ—â—â—â—ate which appeaâ—eth by the kings present going to posieâ—â—e the vinyard 3. Regâ— 21. :: This Ionadab instituted a peculiar rule of religious abstinence which his posterity duly ob serued Iâ—â—â—m 35. :: Iehu sinned in feaning and causing others to sacrifice to Baal his zele wanting both diseretion and equitie for euil must not be done that good may come therof Rom. 3. :: â—oral good vvorkes done in state of mortal sinne not meriting eternal life aâ—e often rewarded temporally S. Aug. cont â—enâ— c. 2. :: Ambition cause of much crueltie :: Our Sauiour calleth this high priest Zacharias which signifieth blessed of our Lord for the iustice which he did towards Athalia and Ioas. S. â—â—â—rom li. 4. in Math. c. 23. :: Great respect is to be had of holie places VVherof cometh the priuilege of Sanctuaries :: That is the ordinarie ob lation for ech particular person Exod. 30. * a chest or almâ—s boxâ— :: Dedicated to helie vse :: He was buried in the citie but not in the sepulcher of the kinges 2 Paral. 24. for his impietie in the latter part of his life :: It was reueiled to the prophet that so often as the king should strike the earth so often he should haue victories against the Syrians but not how often he would strike on the earth Deut. 〈◊〉 :: Amongst kinges being at variance Seing one an other importeth as much as to fight a battle â—â—â—â— 1. :: Otherwise called Ozias 2. Paral. 26. Mat. 1. :: This punishment was inflicted vpon him for his presumption to offer inceÌ„se on the altar 2. Paralip 26. :: He was buried honorably in the citie of Dauid that is nere to the walles but in the filde because he was a leper euen to his death 2. Paral. 26. :: Some men of Ruben Gad Manasses and Nepthali were caried captiues into Assyria :: Otherwise called Azarias â— 1. * the great vessel * the place vvhere the king offered :: That is consequently they did prouoke him as 3. Râ—g 14. v. 9. :: Not truly worshipped but made shew to worshippe For true worship of God admitteth not worship of anie false god â— 34. The second part Actes of other kinges til the captiuitie of Iuda :: This image of a serpent not only when it wrought miraculous health but also long after was worthely reserued in memorie of the benefite but when the people offered sacrifice vnto it which is proper to God only good Ezechias did laudably breake it And to shew that there was no deitie in it called it Nohestan that is a peece of brasse And so in the Catholique Church when anie holie Relique or Image is abused it is taken away or theerrour otherwise corrected See S. Aug. li. 10. â— 8. ciuit Ser. 4 de verb. Apost 101. de temp * a peece of brasse * or recorder :: He sasly addeth of his owne that he should destroy it For Isaias prophecied the contrarie that the Assyrians campe should be destroyed Isaâ—e 37. and so it came to passe ch 19. v. 35. 2. Pharal 32. :: Paganes and Heretikes are foolish impudent to compare their false goddes and phancies with God almightie and Cathelique Religion :: Before the Arke Propitiatorie being the special place of prayer :: Though manie in the kingdom of Iuda sel to ido lattie yet in respect of the rest publikly professing true faith and religion the Church is stil called a virgin and despiceth and idolaters blasphemers and false goddes :: A pleasant hill in the forrest :: If these tenne lines importe so manie houses then the dial going forwardes againe by like degrees this day was increased by twentie houres and soe was longer then that in which Iosue procured stay of the sunne the space of one day to witte of twelue houres Iosue 10. as S. Dyonise thinketh Epist ad Polâ—carp See Glossa erd in Iosue :: the Iewes sinned more greuously reuolting from the Law of God and contemning the admonitions of holie prophetes then the nations that had neither law nor prophetes to instruct them :: God stil preserued some in true religion though they also suffered tribulations with the wicked for the general sinnes of the king and people Psâ—l 88. v. 35. Yea this king Manasses in captiuitie became vertuous and recouered his kingdom 2 Pacalip 33. :: VVithin the second wall the citie hauing three wals 3. Reg. 3. :: Because they had offered sacrific to false goddes and in vnlawful places they were suspended from offering anie more sacrifice at al. â— Reg. 〈◊〉 3. Reg 13. :: Iosephus writeth that this godlie king gaue thirtie thousand lambes and kiddes to the poore people for their Pasch three thousand oxen for Holocaustes The priestes also Leuites added more of their owne li. 10. Antiq. c. 5. :: Albeit Manasses repented and was restored to Gods fauour to his kingdome 2. Paral 3. Yet his sinnes were temporally punished both in himself and his posteritie :: Not dying in peace for he was slaine by Nabuchodonosor Iosephus li. 10. c. 8. Ant. And his bodie was cast out of the citie according as Ieremie prophecied c. 22. vvith the burial of an asse shal he be buried c. :: In this he greuosly offended hauing sworne to serue him And therfore Ezechiel c. 1â— fortelleth the miserie that wil fal vpon him shal he that broke couenant escape c. :: Certaine falsprophetes perswaded the king and the people not to beleue the prophetes which forwarned them of these calamites because sayd they they contradicte one an other Ieremie saying â—h 32. 34. the eyes of Sedecias should see the eyes of Nabuchodonosor and should be led into Babylon and Ezechiel saying c. 12. v. 13. that he should not see Babylon :: Both saying most
al other nations to erre for their sinnes in their fond phantesies of false goddes reserued the Israelites for his Church e establishing the principalitie therof in Sion f For obtaining and conseruing of Sion from wicked Infidels God ouerthrewe al sortes of contrarie forces g God not only gaue his people temporal victories ouer their enimies but also illuminated their mindes with knowlege of true religion h others are often trubled in mind hearing the truth but are not conuerted through their obstinate follie i VVorldlie men in supine carlesnes as in a sleepe passe ouer this life and afterwards find themselues excluded from heauen for lacke of merites and good workes with the foolish virgins k God vndertaking the defence of his people and threatning the aduerse part l they failed in courage as men ouercome with drowsines of sleepe m Euen from the first notice of thy wil the aduersaries were deiected fearing thy poâ—eâ—â— wrath n Terrible signes from the firmament appearing before the day of iudgement :: The Prophetes â—â— often speake in the pretertence for the assurance of the thinges to come o persecuters and others being terrified shal be astonied and silent p God vvil come to iudge the vvorld more especially for the iusts sake q Men that shal seriously thinke and meditate vpon these thinges vvil praise and thanke God for them r and the effect and svvere repast of such meditation shal make as it vvere a great festiual day in the deuout soule spiritually ioyned vvith God Å¿ The soule thus inflamed with Gods loue is then apt of gratitude for his goodnes tovvardes man to make vovves of thinges vvherto vve are not obliged t but most necessarie it is to be maturely aduised and not rashly nor lightly to vovv for being once vovved vve are strictly bound to vvhatsoeuer vve haue lavvfully promised And it is great sinne to vâ—vv vndiscretly v Remembring that for vovves and al other vvorkes vve must ansvver to God vvho is a terrible iudge readie to punish in bodie and soule sparing none for their greatnes not princes nor kinges nor vulgar sorte for al are to him alike Gods special protection of the Ievves the. 4. key a For Idithun to sing or to make tune for it b For the faithful congregation to consider Gods benefites c Hauing heretofore prayed Psal 14â— d I haue obtayned e Especially being in tribulation and praying vvith hart and handes lifted vp as vvel in the night as day f I vvas not frustrate of my prayer g I vvas sometimes in such anguish that nothing semed comfortable h but I 〈…〉 d vpon God so firmly i that my spirite came inâ—o an exâ—asie oâ—â—â—aunce k I arose early before the ordinarie time of avvay king l my hart being attentiue invvardly I vttered nothing vvith my tongue m I diligently examined my conscience n Assuredly God vvil not reiect for euer but he vvil be pleased with his Church o VVhiles I thus thought I erred greatly novv I see and confesse that God suffereth al calamities for the good of his seruantes p and this I knevv not by my selfe but by the inspiration of God making this change in me by his gracious hand q The progenie of Iacob receiued and nourished in Aegypt for Iosephs sake as his adopted children r The read sea and Iordan felt thy diuine powre and obeyed thy wil. Å¿ Noise of vvaters meeting after the Israelites vvere passed thunders and lightninges also hapened to the terror of the persecutors though not mentioned in Exodus Exâ— 14 By the ministerie of Moyses and Aaron Gods great Benefites bestovved vpon the levves and their ingratitude the 4 key a Commended to Asaph a chiefe musitian that the people might vnderstand and consider Gods benefites b Neither the lavv not the people vvas Dauids but presenting Gods perso n he speaketh in his name or authoritie vvith vvhose inspitation he vvas replenished S. Greg. Prefat in Iob. c. 2. Mat. â—â— 5. 35. c Albeit the prophet reciteth historically thinges donne yet the same vvere parables similitudes and figures of other thinges d yea of secret hidden Mysteries obscurly signified in the old Testament and reueled in the nevv e which partly we know by written holie Sriptures f partly by Traditions g God of his mercie without precedent merite raised vp a peculiar people of Abraham Isaac and Iacob h and gaue them a particular law first of Circuncision more largely by Moyses i So Abraham instructed his children and his house after him Gen. 18. k in like sorte others taught their children l For three causes God gaue his law that his people may haue confidence in him he shewing his care to instruct and gouerne them m that they remember his benefites n and kepe his commandmentes o The Iewish nation very often and in great numbers murmured rebelled and committed other great sinnes and therfore Dauid exhorted the people of his time not to do the like And this exhortation perteyneth more especially to Charistianes as S. Paul teacheth 1. Cor. 10. p They first trusting in their owne strength without Gods commandment Num. 14. went forth to batle and were ouerthrowne 1. Par 7 v. 21 â— Par. 7. â—â—â— q Tanis the principal citie in Aegypt nere the riuer Nilus where Moyses wrought his great miracles 〈◊〉 14. This cloude shadowed them from the heate of the sunne in the day and the fire shined in the night al the time that they were in the desert Å¿ In mount Horeb and there was continual water in al the campe which occupied nere foure miles in length and breadth t Which naturally wanted water but by miracle had abundance v Not content with Manna they demanded to haue flesh vv Stil incredulous not beleuing Gods omnipotencie they thought that albeit he had geuen them manna and water yet he could not geue them flesh x By bread in general is vnderstood al competent meate vsual for a table y For this incredulitie murmuring and other sinnes God kept the children of Israel fourtie yares in the desert tâ—l al hat were of age when they came from Aegypt were dead except only Iosue and Caleb z In the meane time amongst other punishments manie mutmurers woâ—c burnâ—â—o death with strange fire Num. 11. a Manna made by Angels b God so changed the wind that it brought abundance of quailes and other birdes into their campe Exo. 16. Nu. 11. c Immediately after a moneth for so long they had abundance of these birdes ibid. v. 20. they were striken with a plague and manie died for their concupiscence d The most fresh strong men died and so were hindered from possessing the promised land of Chana an e In fourtie yeares aboue six hundred thousand died f They offered morning sacrifice g But were not sincere in their hartes h Howsoeuer multitudes of people committe great sinnes and are seuerely punished yet Gods mercie preferueth some by his effectual grace and neuer suffereth the
certaine that Salomon was sometime innocent and holie but was peruerted by wemen 3. Reg. 11. 3 Reg. 3. v 9. 12. :: Here againe it is euident that the Auctor reporteth Salomons speaches 1. Paral. 28. v. 5. 2. Par. 1. v. 9. :: VVisdom increated is with God yea is God him selfe Prou. 8. v. 22. :: VVisdom vvhich is geuen to men procedeth from God as a gift created :: Mans wisdom vvithout special wisdom from God is not sufficient to gouerne ourselues much lesse others The 3. part The excellent effectes of wisdom iustice :: Adam Gen. 1. v. 27. :: By this it is certaine that our first pareÌ„t Adam truly repented and had remission of his sinne Gen. 4. v. 8. Gen. 6. :: Noe. :: Abraham Gen. 19. :: Lot :: In al trees about Sodom there is only shew of fruite which when it is touched falleth into dust :: Lots wife an example of inconstancie :: Iacob Gen. 28. Gen. 37. :: Ioseph Gen. 41. :: Gods peculiar people Exo. 1. Exo. 3. Exo. 14. Exo. 12. Exo. 15. :: Moyses Exo. 16. Exo. 27. :: The Amalachites Exo. 17. Num 20. :: VVhen the Israelites wanted water God gaue them abundance out of rockes :: But turned the Aegyptians waters into blood :: After affliction the benefite of peace is more gratful :: Moyses was reiected when he iudged betwen his bretheren Exo. 2. :: 14. but was afterwards the deliuer of the whole people Act. 7. v. 45. Leuit. 26. v. 22. Iere. 8. v. 17. â— Aegyptians seruing beasts for goddes were plaged by frogges stuiphes flees and locustes :: God made no creature euil as the Manichees foolishly imagined neither is there any God but one who alone created al thinges :: From the land of Iurie called sacred because God was there tightly serued in the old testament and mans redemption vvas wrought there by Christ Exo. 23. Deut. 7. :: By custom malice became as it were natural after that nature was corrupted :: Gods powre being almightie is only limited by his vvil Rom. 1. v. 23. :: Serpents battes moles like beastes which seme not only super fluous in the world but also hurtful yet were estemed as goddes :: Knowing him to be the only true God by vvhom they saw their false goddes destroyed yet they did not serue him as God :: Gods most proper name is HE WHICH 1â— Exo. 3. v. 14. Rom. 1. Deut. 4. :: Seing no creature how excellent soeuer is or may be estemed a god it is more foolish to thinke an Image or statua or anie thing framed by mans handes can be God Isa 4. Iere. 10. God is the beginning of al thinges absolute and independing :: Great madnes to inuocate a wodden idol more base commonly more corruptible then the wood of a shippe :: As the Israelites went through the redsea :: The auctor prophetically alludeth to the wood of the Crosse on which our Sauiour redemed mankind :: From whole death procedeth mans iustification :: Inuention of Idols brought men to spiritual fornications corruption of maners :: This first idolatrie was only prâ—uâ—tly exercised by the father and his seruants at their masters coÌ„mandment by which occasion publique idolatrie came into the world wicked custom in time preuailing :: The name GOD in the proper signification can not be geuen to anie creature Manie enormious crimes procede from dolatrie :: Two sort es of periurie swearing by false goddes and swearing vntruthes Caluin falsly chargeth this booke vvith â—râ—or Gen. 31. Images of false goddes are rightly called idols Idolatrie begane by vvorshipping images of dead men vvith diuine honour Priuate idolatrie was before publique :: Of the diueâ—s sortes of idols and â—dolaters see our brife Annotion vpon the 113. Psal :: Idolaters hauing forsaken and forgot the onlie true God become as Atheists making their temporal gaine of false goddes :: And so waxing insolent contemte and persecute the seruants of God :: Some idolaters worshipped brute beastes for goddes as being better then sensles images but al are abominable :: The Aegyptians were plagued for their idolatrie :: And that by beastes because they worshipped beastes for goddes and by death of their first begotten for their crueltie against Gods people :: God punished his owne people as a father for their amendment :: The brasen serpent not by anie vertue inherent but as a signe of Gods fauoure vvas the meanes of curing the people Num. 21. :: VVith the plague of haile there vvas also fire mixed Exo. 9. v. 24. VVhich destroyed the profitable cattle :: But burnt not other beastes that plagued the Aegyptians :: Haile did not extinguish the fire by Gods povvre aboue nature :: See the miracles of Manna Annoe Exod 16. :: He speaketh againe of Manna :: The vaine imagination of the vvicked that himself shal be saued vvil faile him Exo. â— 10. :: Literally the 〈…〉 s â—â—â—â—a knes thâ—er dayes together Exo 10. v. 22. Morally they other gâ—nâ— les vvere in darknes vvithout faith in God til Christs Resurrection the third day :: A trubled conscience is a great torment :: This signified the conuersion of al nations to Christ :: The Church is called holie because it professeth holines and hath alwayes some holie men without the Church there is no sanctitie :: VVhen the Aegyptians drowned the Hebrews children Moyses was saued and reserued to guide the Israelites when the Aegyptians were drowned :: A prophecie of Christ comming into this world when there was temporal peace but extreme darkenes of â—gnorance :: An other example of difference in Gods punishing his people for their â—mendment and of the obstinate vnto their â—uine Exo 14. â— â—8 Num. 16. â— 46. Num 10 :: God foreseing the Aegyptians malice permitted them to persecute his people but was no way the cause nor auctor of their sinne Exo. 14. Exo. 16. :: The Amorrheites refused to grant them passage Num 21. v. 21. The Aegyptians brought them into seruitude Exo. 1. God changing the natural properties of elementes by them wrought iustice on sinners S. Greg. â—â— 35. in Euang. Exo. 9. v. 24. Exo. 16. v. 2â— Particular testimonies that this booke is holie Scripture It was written in Hebrew translated into Greke Difference betwen Ecclesiasticus and Ecclesiastes Panaretos The contents diuided into two partes By reason of a more perfect law the people of Israel were more renowmed then anie other nation in the world Deut. 4. :: Translations into other languages hardly expresse the seâ—se of the original tongue The 1. part Praises and preceptes of vvisdom :: Mans vvisdom is not able to comprehend the vvorkes of God :: Eternal glorie is the fruicte of the feare of our Lord not that this one vertue sufficeth but it is the beginning grounded in true faith and bringeth forth other vertues diuine giftes vvith the fruites of the Holie Ghost a ioyful crowne in the end Prou. 1. 9. :: Men drowned in
Pharises made deuising wicked traditions contrarie to Gods commandments Mat. 15. v. 5. :: The Iewes are called a deceiptful nation because they broke their promise made to God that they would serue him and kepe his commandments Exo. 19. v. 8. 4 Reg. â—â— :: Senacharib not by his owne powre but as Gods instrument minister afflicted the Israelites Neuertheles he persecuted them of his owne free wil which God vsed for the punishment of his people In general therfore euil men are like to instruments without sense but differ in that mens actions are voluntarie vnreasonable and sensles creatures haue no wil at al but only natural apâ—nes and inclination Iudi. 7. :: By these places Senacherib passed with his armie from Aegypt to Ierusalem :: The blessed virgin Act. 13. :: Christ our Sauiour replenished with the seuen giftes of the Holie Ghost of whose infinite plenitude his seruantes participate as it pleaseth his diuine spirite to impert 2. Thes 2. Rom. 15. :: Christ after his death which to the vvorld was ignominious vvould be gloriously buried by very honorable persons Ioseph and Nicodemus with abundance of most precious spices vvrapped in finne linnen and laide in a nevv monument to shew that the glorie of the iust beginneth from their death where the glorie of the vvicked endeth Christs sepulchre stil also remaineth glorious honored euen by the Turkes much more by Catholique Christians Exâ— 15. Psal 117. The 2 part Tenne prophetical comminations against so manie people 's The 1. against Babylon :: The Iewes gaue thankes for their deliuerie from captiuitie of Babylon much more the Church of Christ rendereth thankes for her deliuerie from al sinnes :: Nemrod began the kingdom of Babylon Gen. 10. his sonne Belus did much augment it and his sonne Ninus brought it to be a very great Empire Monarchie But at last after 1240. yeares it was ouercome by Cyrus king of Persia Ezech. 32. Ioel. 3. Mat. 24. Mar. 13. â—uc 2â— :: Medes and Persians were called sanctified in that they were the ministers of Gods iustice in the ruine of Babylon which the Prophet foretelling calleth it The burden of Babylon :: After the slaughter there shal be so few Babylonians or Chaldeans left aliue that one man shal be more rare and precious then much fine gold Psal 1â—6 Gen. 1â— :: An other citie was built by the same name but much lesse in an other place of Chaldea :: Isaie prophecied the destruction of Babylon aboue 100. yeares before the Iewes were caried thither captiue and their captiuitie indured 70. yeares VVhich was released by Cyrus after he had ouercome the Babylonians Yet this space of nere 200. yeares is counted a short time in respect of so great a Monarchie as this was which had now continued aboue a thousand yeares from the time of Ninus yea was begunne by Nemrod Gen. 10. v. v. :: As Lucifer the greatest diuel so Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon fel through pride into extreme miserie :: The miraculous destruction of the Assiriansarmie beseging Ierusalem is recorded 4. Reg. 19. :: The second commination is against the Philistians 4 Reg 1â— :: Though Achaz was dead whom the Philistims feared yet Ezechias a better king did afflict them more then the other had done 4. Reg. 18. v 8. Much more Ozias 2. Par. 26 :: From Ierusalem which is situated on the north of Philistea :: The third commination was against the Moabites :: Destruction made in the night preuented that they feared not the imminent danger but so much the more they were afflicted being sodainly oppressed vvith extreme myserie Iere. 4â— EEâ—ch 7. :: Miscrie euen of â—â—miâ—s moueth a charitable hart to compassion So the Prophet lamenteth the Moabites afflictioÌ„ :: In the great miserie of he Moabites the Prophet saw one special cause of consolation that Christ the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world should be borne of their lineage by one of thâ—er progenie :: Of Ruth a Moabite who was maried to Booz and so was Dauids great grandmother Ruth 4. See the argument of Ruth :: The vvarres against Moab continued three yeares :: In vvhich it was brought into seruitude The fourth prophetical commination vvas against the Syrians Iosue 10. 11. c. :: After that the Assirians had afflicted the Israelites and their confederates them selues were also afflicted The fift was against the Aethiopians and Aegyptians * Or paper boates :: The Aegyptians bid their messengers goe swiftly tel the Iewes that they shal haue present helpe according as they require expect :: But the prophet shevveth that the Aegyptians them selues shal be ouerthrowne by the Assirians :: VVhen our B. Sauiour was caried in his infancie by his mother into Aegypt the idoles of that countrie lost their powre And the inhabitantes vvere specially blessed afterwards very manie beleued in Christ and sincerely serued him :: Both Iewes and Christians vnderstand this prophecie of the conuersion of the Aegyptians to Christ But the Ievves expect it as yet to come vve know that it is already fulfilled At least in part For there vvere sometimes manie Christians in that countrie yea manie most excellent Sainctes S. Paul S. Antonie S. Hilarion and innumerable others :: The holie prophet of noble bloud vvas not disobedient nor ashamed to goe naked because nothing is more honest then to obey Gods commandment S. Ierom. in â—unâ— locum Gods prouidence in punishing al that trust in men not in him Examples of mutations in kingdomes The sixt commination was against the Assirians specially the Babylonians :: Cyrus king of the Persians a people of smal powre of the Medes of great streingth Iere. 51. Apoc. 14. :: The seuenth prophetical commination was against the Idumeans :: The eight against the Ismaelites Arabiam :: The ninth against the cheefe rulers of Ierusalem :: Sion situated on a hil and often called a montaine is here called a vale for the afflicted state wherin it was in the captiuitie :: This Sobna had some of fiâ—e about the Temple but by craftie intrusion and vniust vsurpation rather then by lawful induction was very couetous ambicious so by Gods iudgement fel into miserie The tenth commination was against the Tyrians :: Tyrus was an iland as Ezechiel also describeth it ch 27. in the entrance yea situated in the hart of the sea but not farre distant for king Alexander filled vp that passage of water and made it continent :: The Tyrians reioyced in the Iewes captiuitie therfore God punished them with like captiuitie of 70. yeares The third part Prophecies perteyning to the whole world Osee 4. :: Diuersitie of states which is now in the world shal cease at the general iudgement and al men shal receiue according to their delertes :: Nere the end of the world manie forgetting the law of God nature wil rage in extreme furie against others persecuting murthering one an
other especially the wicked afflicting the good which our Sauiour describeth Mat. 24 saying Nation shal rise against nation You shal be odious to al nations for my sake Iniquitie shal abound c. :: This ioyful propagation of Gods glorie and name is either vnderstood to be prophecied of the Church in general which is as an iland of the whole world or properly and particularly amongst other gentiles of â—laâ—des conuerted to Christ as great Britannie others Iere. 48. :: The prophet and faithful people confessing Gods benefites and perfect performance of whatsoeuer he promiseth or determineth conforming their desires to his pleasure say Amen as wel in prosperitie when he deliuereth and blesseth them as in aduersitie when he punisheth by the destruction of Ierusalem which is here prophecied and the like :: After the reiection of the Iewes al Gentiles shal be conuerted to Christ Apoc. 7. â—1 :: In the time of grace geuen by Christ his whole Church singeth this and other like canticles of praises :: Other peoples haue their peculiar proper cities Babylon Damascus Tyrus Sidon c. but al Christians haue one citie the Catholique Church signified by Sion :: Fensed vvith vval and bul vvorke of faith good vvorkes S. Ierom here noteth that the sense of this Canticle is hard by reason of often and sudaine inter locutions of diuers persons consisting in questions and ansvvers To vvhose lerned commentaries vve remitte the studious readers :: A prophecie of the general resurrection of al men :: Some in glorie :: Some in miserie Mich. 1 Iob. 40. :: Tyrants are called serpents for their suttle poysenful malice and barres because they hold men fast inclosed in bondage And for the same reasons the diuel is called a serpent and a barre The fourt part Prophetical admonitions to both the kingdomes of Israel and Iuda :: By Ephraim is vnderstood the kingdom of Israel whose first king Ieroboam was of that tribe :: After that the tenne tribes were caried captiues 4 Reg. 17. God deliuered the two tribes out of imminent danger 4. Reg 18. 19 :: geuing peace to their people :: spirite of iudgement to king Ezechias :: and victorie to the souldiars :: Because Isaias other holie prophetes often and much vrged not only the people but also priestes vvhich had rule ouer the people to kepe Gods commandments and to expect his mercie and goodnes they scornfully repete the same wordes deriding such exhortations desperatly geuing themselues to al wickednes as if they neither feared death nor hel v. 15. Mat. 21. v 42. Act. 4. 1. Pet. 2. Rom. 9. 2. Reg. 5. 1. Par. 14 Iosue 10 :: As husbanmen dispose their workes in order so God sometimes worketh miracles sometimes geueth benefites sometimes sendeth afflictions and greater to some then to others :: But none are continually afflicted without intermission :: Ari signifieth a lion El God So Ierusalem called the lion of God to witte a strong citie is threatned with destruction which happened first by the Babylonians 4. Reg. 25 againe more miserably by Titus Vespasian 40. yeares after Christs death 2. Reg. 5. 1 Par. 11 Luc. 19. :: Scribes and Pharises pretending knowlege of Scriptures can not read Christ in the Prophets because these bookes are sealed or loeked and they haue not the key Apoc. 3. :: The Gentiles could not read Christ in these bookes because they knew not letters of the holie Scriptures S. Ierom Praemio in Isaiam Mat. 15. Mar. 7. 1. Cor. â—â— Eccli 29. :: You that trust in your owne counsels and forces or in other mens and not in God shal finde the miserable euent of your follie as is before noted chap. 2â— * Apostatae or denyers :: Either Isaias was commanded to write this which should be fulfilled manie yeares after or els he speaketh prophetically to Ieremie nere 200. yeares before he prophecied signifying that he should hen write it as in dede he did Iere. 41 c. Psal â—3 :: This claritie in sunne and moone shal be after the general resurrection :: Christ wil exercise his seuere iustice in the general iudgement when he shal bid the damned goe into euerlasting fire Mat. 25. :: If often happeareth that when eâ—il men seme most secure they â—al into sodaine calamities * Hel. Iere. 42. :: Both this Prophet and afterwards â—ereâ—â—e admonished the Iewes not to trust in the Aegyptians but they contemning this admonition shewed in their deedes that they distrusted God not be leuing nor obeying his prophetes for the same were at last punished :: In the meane time God destroyed the armie of Sennacaâ—â—b be seging Ierusalem 4 Reg. 19. But they forgote this and manie other examples of Gods powre and loue Isai 2. The fift part Of the captiuitie and relaxation of the kingdom of Iuda with other afflictions and comfortes but especially of Christ and his Church :: Albeit manie thinges in this and other places perteyne first and literally to the old testament yet al are in figure and some thinges haue no other literal sense but of the new testament As this prophecie of maffling or vnperfect tongues to speake readily is fulfilled in the Church of Christ plainly and distinctly confessing al Mysteries of Catholique faith and religion and the like which can not be verified in the Iewish people * Noble cities of Iuda This manie other prophecies perteyne to the old testament as in figure alluding to the historie but principally to Christ and his Church Pref. of prophetical bookes VVhat the wordes Iudgement and Iustice signifie Definition of Iudgement and Iustice as they are vsed in the holie Scriptures Both applied to Gods and mens actions Explication of the text :: Sennacarib spoyled al the kingdom of Israel and al Iuda sauing Ierusalem which he also beseged reproching and despising God but himself was therfore spoyled and despised :: Fidelitie in performing promises of good thinges temporal and spiritual :: Messengers sent to procure peace shal mourne because they can not obtaine it Psal 14 1. Cor 1. :: Both prophecies histories testifie that terrene Ierusalem was subiect to destruction and was destroyed and therfore this is necessarily to be vnderstood of the Church of Christ against vvhich heâ— gates shal neuer preuaile :: God willeth as vvel the gentiles that were farre of to come neere :: As Iso the Iewes that were his pecular people al to attend that he wil destroy this whole world before the general Iudgement :: No defence of strong places signified by Bosra shal saue anie men from destruction in the day of Iudgement :: In the meane time as a figure therof Sion shal be destroyed and therfore the metaphorical destruction folovving rather perteyneth to the state of the damned in the next vvorld then to the afflicted in this life :: An euident prophecie of the conuersion of Gentiles In whom the Church shal continually spring florish :: Christ leaning al logical