of oath †And Abimelech arose and Phicol the general of his armie and they returned to the land of the Palestines But Abraham planted a groue in Bersabee and called therupon the name of our Lord God eternal †And he was a seiorner in the land of the Palestines manie dayes ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXI 12. Let it not It semed so hard inhumaine and vniust to cast Agar and Ismael out of the house that Abraham would not haue done it onles God had commanded him in this to heare the voice of Sara But when he knew Gods wil therin not respecting flesh and bloud nor disputing further of the lawfulnes of the fact sent them both away commending them to Gods protection and so by this separation the familie was made quiet It represented also a notable Mysterie of the Synagog of the Iewes Church of Christ As S. Augustin doth excellently expound the same according to S. Paul Gal. 4. That Ismaels playing with Isaac was persecution because it tended to peruert him shewing it to be a greater iniurie to delude and deceiue anie in drawing them to new and particular companies then corporally to persecute them and that the Church and Catholique Princes punish heretikes for their good to make them returne to the truth or finally to cease from seducing others Ecce libera afflixit ancillam non illam vocat persecutionem Apostolus ludit seruus cum domino persecutionem vocat Afflictio ista non vocatur persecutio lusi◠illa vocatur persecutio Behold the freewoman afflicted the handmaide and the Apostle calleth it not persecution the seruant playeth with the maister and he calleth it persecution This affliction is not called persecution and that play is called persecution Againe he sayeth of Sara Illusionem vidit in illo lusu animaduertit serui superbiam displicuit illi eiecit soras She saw foule play in that play she noted the seruants pride it displeased her she cast him forth of the dores S. Hierom also teacheth that the spiritual neuer persecuteth the carnal but spareth him as his rustical brother knowing that he may in time be profitable CHAP. XXII The faith and obedience of Abraham is proued in his redines to sacrifice his sonne Isaac 11. He is stayed from the act by an Angel 16. Former promises are renewed to him 20. And his brother Nachor hath also much issue VVHICH things being done God “ tempted Abraham and said to him Abraham Abraham But he answered Here I am †He said to him Take thy only begotten sonne whom thou louest Isaac and goe into the Land of vision and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust vpon one of the mountaines which I wil shew thee †Therfore Abraham rising vp in the night sadled his asse taking with him two young men and Isaac his sonne and when he had cut wood for the holocaust he went his way to the place which God had commanded him †And the third day lifting vp his eyes he sawe the place afarre of †and he said to his young men Tarie you here with the asse I and the boy going with spede as farre as yonder after we haue adored wil returne to you †He tooke also the wood of the holocaust and laid it vpon Isaac his sonne and him selfe caried in his hands fire and a sword And as they went on together †Isaac said to his father My father And he answered What wilt thou sonne Behold saith he fire and wood where is the victime of the holocaust †And Abraham said God wil prouide vnto him selfe the victime of the holocaust my sonne They went on therfore together †and they came to the place which God had shewed him wherin he builed an altar and laid the wood in order vpon it and when he had bound Isaac his sonne he laid him on the altar vpon the pile of wood †And he stretched forth his hand and caught the sword for to sacrifice his sonne †And behold an angel of our Lord from heauen cried saying Abraham Abraham Who answered Here I am †And he said to him Stretch not forth thy hand vpon the boy neither doe thou any thing to him now haue I knowen that thou fearest God and hast not spared thine onlie begotten sonne for my sake †Abraham lifted vp his eyes and saw behind his backe a ramme amongst the briers sticking fast by the hornes which he tooke and offered an holocaust in stede of his sonne †And he called the name of that place Our Lord seeth Wherupon euen to this day it is said In the mountaine our Lord wil see †And the angel of our Lord called Abraham the second time from heauen saying †By my owne selfe haue I sworne saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thine onlie begotten sonne for my sake †I wil blesse thee and I wil multiplie thy sede as the starres of heauen and as the sand that is by the sea shore thy sede shal possesse the gates of his enemies †and in thy sede SHAL BE BLESSED al the nations of the earth because thou hast obeyed my voice †Abraham returned to his young men and they went to Bersabee together and he dwelt there †These things so being done it was told Abraham that Melca also had borne children to Nachor his brother †Hus the first be gotten Buz his brother and Camuel the father of the Sirians †and Cased and Azau. Pheldas also Iedlaph †and Bathuel of whom was borne Rebecca these eight did Melcha beare to Nachor Abrahams brother †And his concubine named Roma bare Tabee and Gaham and Tahas and Maacha ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXII 1. Tempted God tempteth none to euil as S. Iames teacheth but by trial and experiment maketh men knowen to the world as here Abrahams faith and singular obedience were manifested when he doubted not To offer his only begotten in Sacrifice accounting that God is able to raise vp euen from the dead VVherupon he receiued his sonne againe in parable that is in figure and mysterie of Christ dead and aliue againe Isaac also in this action signified the diuinitie of Christ which suffered not and the ramme among the briers figured his humanitie that should be offered in Sacrifice to God CHAP. XXIII Sara dying Abraham solemnizeth her funeral 4. byeth a field with a duble caue of Ephron 15. for four hundreth sicles 19. and there burieth her AND Sara liued an hundred twentie seuen yeares †And she died in the citie of Arbee which is Hebron in the land of Chanaan And Abraham came to mourne and weepe for her †And after that he was risen vp from the funeral obsequies he spake to the children of Heth saying †I am a stranger and pilgrime among you geue me the right of a sepulchre with you that I may burie my dead †The
the gaine and increase that riseth therof c. For whatsoeuer you bestow vpon Gods priests he accounteth it as bestowed on himself And he that so bestoweth shal not only receiue like retrbution but manifold greater our merciful God alwayes of the abundance of his mercie exceeding the things which are done by vs. Let vs not therfore be worse then infidels who for the error of idols gaue so much to their seruants for how much error and truth do differ so much difference is there betwen theirs and Gods Priests Thus much and something more writeth S. Chrisostom vpon this place 22. Priests The Hebrew word Cohenim is here vniuersally translated Priests in al languages and Editions which chap. 40. v. 45. some translate Prince and more probably 2. Reg. 8. v. vlt. where Dauids sonnes are called Cohenim who were in dede Princes and not properly Priests But in this present place it signifieth those to whom Pharao alowed particular prouision in the time of dearth which al vnderstand of Priests and not of Princes 30. I vvil sleepe vvith my fathers Albeit neither the lack of burial nor anie crueltie nor contumelie vsed against dead bodies can annoy the iust for those that kil mens bodies can aftervvards doe them noe more harme yet it is both a lawful natural desire and a spiritual comfort and profit to be buried in special places where their owne frends or holie persons are buried or where God is more specialy serued Sacrifice and other prayers offered And so both Iaeob and Ioseph desired to rest in the land of Chanaan where their parents were buried and where Christ should be borne and redeeme mākind But wordlie pompe and honour of funerals are rather the cōfort of the liuing then the reliefe of the departed as S. Augustin teacheth in Psal 115. For in the sight of men the troupe of seruants saith the same S. Augustin lib. 1. c. 13. de ciuit made solemne and glorious exequies to the rich glutton that was cloathed in silk and fared delicately in his life but in the sight of God the Angels ministerie made far more excellent to poore Lazarus though they caried not his bodie into a marble tombe but his soule into Abrahams bosome 31. To the beds head S. Paul alleaging this place saith Iacob adored the top of Ioseph his rod folowing the Septuagint who for the same Hebrew word being without points that is without vowels in this place say rod and in the next chapter v. 2. interpret bed For Matteh signifieth a rod and Mittah a bed The Latin rherfore translating bed as the Hebrew is pointed and the Septuagint and S. Paule reading rod both are true and both together expresse the whole action that Iacob taking Iosephs rod into his hand and turning to the beds head leaned on the top of the rod and adored not only God the Lord and geuer of al good but also his sonne Ioseph now the chiefe ruler and Prince of Aegypt as S. Augustin expoundeth q 162. in Gen. And herein saith S. Chrisostom ho 66 Iosephs dreame was fulfilled that the sunne and moone should adore him The like saith Theodoret q. 108 in Gen And Procopius addeth that Iacob adoring Iosephs rod adored also Christs kingdome prefigured by the same rod. But how adoration of creatures redoundeth to the honour of God more is noted vpon the said place of S. Paul Heb. 11. CHAP. XLVIII Ioseph visiteth his father being sick 5. Who adopteth his two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim 13. and blesseth them preferring the younger before the elder contrarie to Iosephs mind 22. And geueth a portion of land to Ioseph aboue his brethren THESE things beīng so done it was told Ioseph that his father was sicke who taking his two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim went forward †And it was told the old man Behold thy sonne Ioseph cometh to thee Who being strengthned sate on his bed †And Ioseph being entred in to him he said God almightie appeared to me in Luza which is in the Land of Chanaan and he blessed me †and sayd I wil increase and multiplie thee and make thee into multitudes of peoples and I wil geue thee this land and to thy sede after thee for an euerlasting possession †Thy two sonnes therfore which were borne to thee in the Land of Aegypt before I came hither to thee shal be myne Ephraim and Manasses as Ruben and Simeon shal be reputed to me †But the rest begotten of thee after them shal be thyne and shal be called by the name of their brethren in their possessions †For vnto me when I came out of Mesopotamia Rachel dyed in the land of Chanaan in the very iourney and it was spring time and I entered into Ephrata and buried her by the way side to Ephrata which by an other name is called Bethleem †And seeing his sonnes he said to him Who are theise †He answered They are my sonnes whom God hath geuen me in this place Bring them quoth he to me that I may blesse them †For Israels eyes were dymme by reason of very great age and he could not see clearly And when they were set beside him kissing and embracing them †he said to his sonne I am not defrauded of thy sight moreouer God hath shewed me thy sede †And when Ioseph had taken them from his fathers lappe he adored prostrate vnto the ground †And he set Ephraim on his right hand that is on the left hand of Israel but Manasses on his owne left hand to wit on his fathers right hand and put them nere to him †Who “ stretching forth his right hand put it vpon the head of Ephraim the younger brother and the left vpon the head of Manasses that was the elder “ changing handes †And Iacob blessed the sonnes of Ioseph and said God in whose sight my fathers Abraham and Isaac haue walked God that feedeth me from my youth vntil this present day †“ The Angel that deliuereth me from al euils blesse these children and be my name called vpon them the names also of my fathers Abraham and Isaac and grow they into a multitude vpon the earth †And Ioseph seing that his father had put his right hand vpon the head of Ephraim tooke it heauily and taking his fathers hand he went about to lift it from Ephraims head and to remoue it vpon the head of Manasses †And he said to his father It is not conuenient father so to be because this is the first begotten put thy right hand vpon his head †Who refusing said I know my sonne I know and this same in dede shal be into peoples and shal be multiplied but his younger brother shal be greater then he and his sede shal growe into nations †And he blessed them at that time saying In thee shal Israel be blessed and it shal be said God do vnto thee as vnto Ephraim and as vnto Manasses And
Idumea †Wil t not thou ô God which hast repelled vs and wilt not thou goeforth ô God in our hoastes †Geue vs helpe out of tribulation because mans saluation is vayne †In God we shal doe strength and he wil bring our enemies to nothing PSALME CVIII Christ by the mouth of Dauid requesteth of God to be iustly declared innocent and his enimies punished 6. particularly describing Iudas the traitors malice 21. and his owne temporal afflictions 26. prayeth 30. and praiseth God for his deliuerie †Vnto the end a Psalme of Dauid O God conceale not my prayse because the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man is open vpon me †They haue spoken against me with deceitful tongue and with wordes of hatred they haue compassed me and they haue impugned me without cause †For that they should loue me they backbited me but I prayed †And they set against me euil thinges for good and hatred for my loue Appoint a sinner ouer him and let the diuel stand on his righthand †When he is iudged let him comeforth condemned and let his prayer be turned into sinne †Let his dayes be made fewe and let an other take his bishopricke †Let his children be made orphans and his wife a widow †Let his children be transported wandering and let them begge and let them be cast out of their habitations †Let the vsurer search al his substance and let strangers spoile his labours †Let there be none to helpe him neither let there be anie to haue pittie on his pupilles †Let his children come to destruction in one generation let his name be cleane put out †Let the iniquitie of his fathers returne to memorie in the sight of our Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be blotted out †Let them be before our Lord alwayes and let the memorie of them perish out of the earth †For that he remembred not to doe mercie †And he persecuted the poore and needie man and the compunct in hart to kil him †And he loued cursing and it shal come to him and he would not blessing and it shal be far from him And he put on cursing as a garment and it entred as water into his inner partes and as oile in his bones †Be it to him as a garment wherwith he is couered and as a girdle wherwith he is alwayes girded †This is the worke of them that detract from me before our Lord and that speake euils against my soule †And thou Lord Lord doe with me for thy names sake because thy mercie is swete Deliuer me †because I am needie and poore and my hart is trubled within me †As a shadow when it declineth am I taken away and I am shaken as locustes †My knees are weakened with fasting and my flesh is changed by reason of oile †And I am made a reproch to them they saw me and wagged their heades †Helpe me ô Lord my God saue me according to thy mercie †And let them know that this is thy hand and thou ô Lord hast done it †They wil curse and thou shalt blesse let them that rise vp against me be confounded but thy seruant shal reioyce †Let them that detract from me be clothed with shame and let them be couered with their confusion as with a duble patched cloke †I wil confesse to our Lord excedingly with my mouth and in the middes of manie I wil prayse him †Because he hath stood on the righthand of the poore that he might saue my soule from the persecutors PSALME CIX Christ rising and ascending into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God 2. beginning in Ierusalem reigneth in the Church of the whole earth 4. vseth the Priesthood of Melchisedechs order to the end of the world 6. and shal iudge the world †A psalme of Dauid OVR Lord sayd to my Lord Sitte on my right hand til I make thine enemies thy footestoole of thy feete †Our Lord wil sendforth the rod of thy strength from Sion rule thou in the middes of thine enemies †With thee the beginning in the day of thy strength in the brightnes of holie thinges from the wombe before the day starre I begat thee †Our Lord sware and it shal not repent him Thou art “ a Priest for euer “ according to the order of Melchisedech †Our Lord on thy righthand hath broken kinges in the day of his wrath †He shal iudge in nations he shal fil ruines he shal crush the heads in the land of manie †Of the torrent in the way he shal drinke therfore shal he exalt the head ANNOTATIONS CIX 4. A Priest for euer In two respectes Christ is a Priest for euer in that from the first instant of his incarnation he was and remaneth a Priest now also in heauen and al other Priestes are his ministerial vicares not successors So that al priestlie functions which they doe he by them doth the same as the principal Priest VVherupon saith S. Paul 1. Cor 4. So let a man thincke of vs as of the ministers of Christ and dispensers of the mysteries of God Secondly Christ dayly offering Sacrifice by the handes of his Priestes doth continually pacifie Gods wrath in behalf of those sinners for whom it is duly applied euen to the end of the world VVheras the Priesthood of Aaron and of al others in the old Testament ceassed by their deathes both in the office and in the effect 4 According to the order of Melchisedech As Melchisedech king of peace and iustice without father mother or genealogie expressed in holie Scriptures or otherwise knowen to the world was Priest or the Hieghest offered bread and wine an vnbloudie sacrifice communicating with both Chananeites and Hebrewes blessed Abraham and tooke tithes of him and his subiectes so Christ the true King of peace iustice without father of his humanity without mother of his Diuinitie the Sonne of God of ineffable genealogie borne of a virgin in his humanitie the Priest of God offereth Sacrifice not only bloudie on the Crosse but also vnbloudie in the formes of bread and wine continueth the same by the ministerie of other Priestes maketh al nations partakers therof blesseth them and receiueth of them al dutiful and rellgious seruice as of his subiectes PSALME CX Praise of God for benefites 4. especially for the B. Sacrament of the Eucharist 6 with other graces imperted to the Catholique Church Alleluia I Wil confesse to thee ô Lord with al my hart in the counsel of the iust and b the congregation †The workes of our Lord are great exquisite according to al his willes †Confession and magnificence his worke
bring her to me to liue together knowing that she wil communicate vnto me of good thinges and wil be a comfort of my cogitation tediousnes †I shal haue for her sake glorie with the multitudes and honour with the ancient being yong †and I shâ—â— be â—â—â—nd sharpe in iudgement and in the sight of the mightie I shal be meruelous and the faces of princes wil meruel at me †Holding my peace they shal expect me and whiles I speake manie wordes they shallay their hands on their mouth †Moreouer by her I shal haue immortalitie and I shal leaue an eternal memorie to them that shal be after me †I shal dispose peoples and nations shal be subiect to me †Horrible kings hearing shal feare me in the multitude I shal seme good and in battel strong †Entring into my house I shal rest with her for her conuersation hath no bitternes nor her companie tediousnes but ioy and gladnesse †Thinking these thinges with myselfe and recording in my hart that immortalitie is in the kindred of wisedom †and good delectation in her frendship and in the workes of her handes honestie without defect and wisdom in the disputation of her talke and glorie in the communication of her wordes I went about seeking that I might take her to me †And I was a wittie childe and had gotten a good soule †And wheras I was more good I came to a bodie vndefield †And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent vnlesse God gaue it this verie thing also was wisdom to know whose this gift was I went to our Lord and besought him and said from my whole hart CHAP. IX A prayer made by Salomon for wisdom 9. wherby Superiors are able to gouerne 13. Which by only humane wisdom they can not rightly performe GOD of my fathers and Lord of mercie which madest al thinges with thy word †and by thy wisdom didst appoint man that he should haue dominion of the creature that was made by thee †that he should dispose the round-world in equitie and iustice and execute iudgement in direction of hart †geue me wisdom the assistant of thy seates and repel me not from thy children †because I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaide a weake man and of smal time and lesse to the vnderstanding of iudgement and lawes †And if one be perfect among the children of men and thy wisdom be absent from him he shal be counted for nothing †Thou hast chosen me king to thy people and iudge of thy sonnes and daughters †and badst me build a temple in thy holie mount and an altar in the citie of thy habitation a similitude of thy holie tabernacle which thou didst prepare from the beginning †and thy wisdom with thee which knew thy workes which then also was present when thou madest the roundworld and knew what was pleasing to thyne eyes and what was direct in thy precepts †Send her from thy holy heauens and from the seate of thy greatnes that she may be with me and may labour with me that I may know what is acceptable with thee †for she knoweth al thinges vnderstandeth and shal conduct me in my workes soberly shal keepe me with her might †And my workes shal be acceptable and I shal gouerne thy people iustly and shal be worthie of the seates of my father †For who of men is able to know the counsel of God or who can thinke what God wil †For the cogitations of mortal men be fearful and our prouidences vncertaine †For the bodie that is corrupted burdeneth the soule and the earthlie habitation presseth downe the vnderstanding that thinketh manie thinges †And we doe hardly coniecture the thinges that are in the earth and the thinges that are in sight we finde with labour But the thinges that are in the heauens who shal search out †And thy sense who shal know vnles thou geue wisdom and send thy holie spirit from on high †and so the pathes of them that are on the earth may be corrected and men lerne the thinges that please thee †For by wisdom they were healed whoseouer haue pleased thee ô Lord from the begynning CHAP. X. The benefites of wisdom are declared by examples in Adam 4. Noe 5. Abraham 6. Lot 10. Iacob 13. Ioseph 15. And the people of Israel SHE kept him that was first made of God father of the world when he was created alone †and she brought him out of his sinne and gaue him powre to conteyne al thinges †After the vniust departed in his anger from her by the furie of brothers man slaughter perished †For whose cause when water destroyed the earth wisdom healed it againe gouerning the iust by contemptible wood †She euen in the consent of wickednes when the nations had confederated themselues knewe the iust and preserued him without blame to God and in his sonnes mercie kept the strong †She deliuered the iust fleing from the impious that perished when the fyre came downe vpon Pentapolis †to whom for a witnes of their wickednes the desert land standeth smoking and trees hauing fruites at vncertain season and the memorie of an incredulous soule a standing piller of salt †For pretermitting wisdom they did not only slippe in this that they were ignorant of good thinges but they left also vnto men a memorie of their foolishnes that in those thinges in which they sinned in they could not be hid neither †But wisdom hath deliuered them that obserue her from sorowes †And the iust fleing his brothers wrath she conducted by the right wayes and shewed him the kingdom of God and gaue him the knowlege of the holie did honest him in labours and accomplised his labours †In the fraude of the circumuenters of him she was present with him and made him honorable †She kept him from the enemies and from seducers she defended him and from seducers she defended him and gaue him a strong fight thas he might ouercome and know that wisdom is mightier then al. †She forsooke not the iust being sold but deliuered him from sinners and she went downe with him into the pitte †and in bands leaft him not til she brought him the scepter of a kingdome and might against them that oppressed him and shewed them to be lyers that spotted him and gaue him eternal glorie †The iust people and seede without blame she deliuered from the nations that oppressed them †She entered into the soule of the seruant of God and stood against dreadful kinges in wonders and signes †And she rendred to the iust the hope of their labours and conducted them in a meruelous way and she was vnto them for a couerr in the day and for the
where is he that brought them out of the sea with the pastours of his flocke Where is he that put in the middes of him the spirit of his holie one †He that brought out Moyses to the right hand by the arme of his maiestie that diuided the waters before them that he might make to himself an euerlasting name †He that brought them out through the depthes as an horse in the desert that stumbled not †As the beast that goeth downe in the plaine filde the spirit of our Lord was their conductor so didst thou bring thy people that thou mightest make thee a name of glorie †Attend from heauen and looke from thy holie habitation of thy glorie where is thy zele and thy strength the multitude of thy bowels and of thy mercies they haue held backe them selues toward me †For thou art our father and “ Abraham hath not knowen vs and Israel hath bene ignorant of vs thou ô Lord art our father our redemer from the begynning is thy name †Why hast thou made vs erre ô Lord from thy waies hast thou hardned our hart that we feared not thee Returne for thy seruants the tribes of thine inheritance †As nothing haue they possessed thy holie people our enemies haue troden downe thy sanctification †We are become as in the begynning when thou didst not rule ouer vs neither was thy name inuocated vpon vs. ANNOTATIONS CHAP. LXIII 16. Abraham hath not knovvne vs. The faithful people considering their ovvne great frequent inueterate sinnes vvith the extreme calamities wherinto they vvere fallen for the same supposed that their progenitor Abraham vvhom God had particularly called out of his countrie Iacob of vvhose tvvelue sonnes the vvhole nation vvas propagated did no longer acknowlege them for their children because they had so greuously offended God vvere not vvorthie of anie fauour Al vvhich notwithstanding yet they hoped in Gods incomparable mercie that his diuine goodnes being Creator of al who had elected them for his peculiar people brought them out of Aegypt and often deliuered them from sundrie afflictions vvould againe reduce them from captiâ—itie and as their merciful father remitte their sinnes and releue their miseries though Abraham Iacob and other Patriarches had iustly reiected them as lost children This being the proper literal sense of this place according to S. Ieroms and other ancient Doctors explication it maketh nothing at al for the old and new heresie of Vigilantius Luther denying that Sainctes in an other life do knovv vvhat is donne in this vvorld For albeit the Patriarches in zele of iustice did not acknovvlege their carnal posteritie because of their great sinnes for their children yet they knevv their state as S. Augustin li. de cura pro mortuis interpreting this and other places of holie Scripture teacheth partly by relation of such as passed from hence to them partly by holie Angels and especially by diuine inspirations As it is clere that Abraham knevv the state of poore Lazarus of the rich glutton describing vvhat ech of them had deserued and consequently receiued Much more both the old Patriarches and al other Sainctes in eternal glorie knovv â—â—h other though neuer sene nor knovvne before in this vvorld as S. Gregorie teacheth li 4 c. 33. Dialogi The glorified Sainctes see also in God that vvhich perteyneth to their clientes that pray vnto them in earth so farre as God doth ordaine more clerly by light of glorie then prophetes see by light of prophecie as S. Augustin teacheth But touching the maner he saith it exceeded the reach of his vnderstanding hovv Martyrs do helpe those vvho it is certaine are holpen by them So discoursing at large of the vncertaine maner shevveth that there is no doubt at al of the thing it selfe that Sainctes in heauen do knovv mortal mens necessities heaâ—e their prayers and helpe them by their intercession and merites vvhich he confirmeth also li. 20. c. 21. cont Faust Tract 8. in Ioan. Ser. 5. de Sanctis Likevvise S. Ierom against Vigilanâ—ius S. Gregorie li. 3. Epist ep â—0 li. 7. ep 126. li. 9. ep 38 and others in manie places CHAP. LXIIII. The Iewes in captiuitie pray to God for release 4. acknowleging his former great benefites and their owne sinnes fleing now to his mercie VVOVLD God thou wouldest breake the heauens in sunder and wouldst descend at thy presence the mountaines should melt away †As the burning of fyre would they melt the waters would burne with fyre that thy name might be made knowen to thine enemies at thy presence the nations should be trubled †When thou shalt doe meruelous thinges we shal not sustayne thou art descended and at thy presence the mountaines are melted †From the begynning of the world they haue not heard nor receiued with the eares the eie hath not seene ô God beside thee what thinges thou hast prepared for them that expect thee †Thou hast mette him that reioyceth and doth iustice in thy waies they shal remember thee behold thou art angrie and we haue sinned we haue bene alwayes in them and we shal be saued †And al we are become as one vncleane and al our iustices as the cloth of a menstrued woman and we haue al fallen as a leafe and our iniquities as the winde haue taken vs away †There is none that inuocateth thy name that ryseth vp and holdeth thee thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast dashed vs in the hand of our iniquitie †And now Lord thou art our father and we clay and thou art our maker and al we the workes of thy handes †Be not angrie ô Lord ynough and remember no more our iniquitie loe regard al we are thy people †The citie of thy holie one is made desert Sion is made desert Ierusalem is become desolate †The house of our sanctification and of our glorie where our fathers praysed thee is turned into the burning of fyre and al our thinges worthie to be desired are turned into ruines †Wilâ— thou vpon these thinges conteyne thyself ô Lord wilt thou hold thy peace and afflict vs vehemently CHAP. LXV The gentiles shal seeke and finde Christ 2. Whom the Iewes wil persecute and shal be reiected only a few reliques reserued 13. So the Church shal multiplie and abound in graces THEY haue sought me that before asked not they haue found that sought me not I said Behold me behold me to a Gentilitie that did not inuocate my name †I haue spred foâ—th mine handes al the day to an incredulous people which goeth in a way not good after their owne cogitations †A people that prouoke me to anger before my face alwayes that immolate in gardens and sacrifice vpon brickes †That dwel in sepulchers and sleepe in temples of idols that eate swines flesh and profane potage in their vessels †That say
the middes of the slaine by the sword they shal fal the sword is geuen they haue drawen her and al her peoples †The most mightie of the strong shal speake to him from the middes of hel which went downe with his helpers and slept vncircumcised slame by the sword †There Assur and al his multitude round about him their graues al the slaine and they that fel by the sword †Whose graues were made in the lowest lakes and his multitude was made round about his graue al the slaine and they that fel by the sword which sometime had geuen feare in the land of the liuing †There Aelam and al the multitude therof round about her graue al these slaine and falling by the sword that went downe vncircumcised to the lowest earth which did put their terrour in the land of the liuing and they haue borne their ignominie with them that goe downe into the lake †In the middes of their slaine they haue set her couche among al her peoples round about him their graâ—e al these vncircumcised and slaine by the sword for they gaue their terrour in the land of the liuing and haue borne their ignominie with them that descend into the lake they are layde in the middes of the slaine †There Mosoch and Thubal and al their multitude round about him their graues al these vncircumcised and slaine and falling by the sword because they gaue their feare in the land of the liuing †And they shal not sleepe with the valients and them that fel and the vncircumcised that went downe to hel with their weapons and put their swordes vnder their heades and their iniquities were in their bones because they were made the terrour of the valients in the land of the liuing †And thou therfore shalt be destroyed in the middes of the vncircumcised and shalt sleepe with the slaine by the sword †There Idumea and her kinges al her princes which were geuen with their host with the slaine by the sword and which slept with the vncircumcised and with them that goe downe into the lake †There al the princes of the North and al the hunters which were brought downe with the slaine fearing and in their strength confounded which slept vncircumcised with the slaine by the sword and haue borne their ignominie with them that goe downe into the lake †Pharao saw them and he was comforted vpon al his multitude which was slaine by the sword Pharao and al his host saith our Lord God †because I gaue his terrour in the land of the liuing he slept in the middes of the vncircumcised with the slaine by the sword Pharao and al his multitude saith our Lord God CHAP. XXXIII By example of a watchman 7. God chargeth the prophet to declare whatsoeuer dangers he seeth imminent to the people 10. Sinners repenting shal be saued and if the iust leaue their iustice they shal be damned 21. The promise made to Abraham maketh not the Iewes secure 23. but for their enormious sinnes they shal be caried out captiues 33. Then they shal know that the prophet said the truth AND the word of our Lord was made to me saying †Sonne of man speake to the children of thy people and thou shalt say to them The land when I shal bring the sword in vpon it and the people of the land take a man one of their meanest make him a watchman ouer them †and he shal see the sword coming vpon the land and sound with the trumpet tel the people †and he that heareth the sound of the trumpet whosoeuer he be and doth not looke to himselfe and the sword come and take him his bloud shal be vpon his head †He heard the sound of the trumpet and did not looke to himself his bloud shal be on himself but if he shal looke to himself he shal saue his life †And if the watchman see the sword coming and sound not with the trumpet and the people looke not to them selues and the sword come and take a soule from among them he certes is caught in his iniquitie but his bloud I wil require of the hand of the watchman †And thou sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman to the house of Israel hearing therfore the word from my mouth thou shalt tel them from me †If when I say to the impious O thou impious dying thou shalt dye thou speake not that the impious may keepe himself from his way the impious himself shal dye in his iniquitie but his bloud I wil require at thy hand But if thou telling the impious that he conuert from his wayes he conuert not from his way he shal dye in his iniquitie but thou hast deliuered thy soule †Thou therfore ô sonne of man say to the house of Israel Thus you haue spoken saying Our iniquities and our sinnes are vpon vs in them we fade away how then can we liue †Say to them Liue I sayeth our Lord God I wil not the death of the impious but that the impious conuert from his way and liue Conuert conuert ye from your most euil wayes and why wil you dye ô house of Israel †Thou therfore sonne of man say to the children of thy people The iustice of the iust shal not deliuer him in what day soeuer he shal sinne and the impietie of the impious shal not hurt him in what day soeuer he shal conuert from his impietie and the iust can not liue in his iustice in what day soeuer he shal sinne †Yea if I shal say to the iust that liuing he shal liue and he trusting in his iustice doe iniquitie al his iustices shal be forgotten and in his iniquitie which he hath wrought in the same shal he dye †And if I shal say to the impious Dying thou shalt dye and he do penance from his sinne do iudgement and iustice †and the same impious restore pledge and render robberie walke in the commandments of life and doe not anie vniust thing liuing he shal liue shal not dye †Al his sinnes which he hath sinned shal not be imputed to him he hath done iudgement and iustice liuing he shal liue †And the children of thy people haue said The way of our Lord is nor of equal weight their owne way is vniust †For when the iust shal depart froÌ„ his iustice and doe iniquities he shal dye in them †And when the impious shal depart from his impictie and shal doe iudgements and iustice he shal liue in them †And you say The way of our Lord is not right euery one according to his wayes wil I iudge of you ô house of Israel †And it came to passe in the twelfth yeare in the tenth moneth in the fifth of the moneth of our transmigration there came to me one that was fled from Ierusalem saying The citie is made waste
other things in the first age were figures of Christs Sacraments the Spirite of God geuing powre to the waters as Tertullian S. Hierom and others expound it and the floud of Noe by S. Peters testimonie were figures of Baptisme Mariage instituted in Paradise is the very paterne of holie Matrimonie a Sacrament in the Church of Christ where one man and one wife are on lie lawful and not more at once in anie wise Christ reforming that which in Moyses law was tolerated for hardnes of mens hartes and for auoyding murther to put away one wife and take an other to this first institution as it was in the beginning two in one flesh not three nor more The repentance of Adam and Eue was a perfect and examplare figure of the Sacrament of Penance First they were ashamed couering their nakednes and hiding them selues which shewed their griefe and sorow for the sinne committed Secondly they confessed their fault and by what meanes it happened For God examining Adam he answered truly and simply saing The woman which thou gauest me to be my companion gaue me of the tree and I did eate Likwise Eue confessed sincerly saying The serpent deceiued me and I did eate Thirdly God gaue them penance besides death before threatned and other penalties annexed that Eue should in paine and trauel bring forth her children and Adam should eate his bread in the sweate of his face And withal cast them forth of Paradise But not forth of his fauoure as appeared by his making them garments of skinnes granting them and their posteritie the rest of the earth to liue and labour in especially to serue him and do penance with admonition to remember that of duct man was made and into dust he shal returne Al which were signes of loue and that finally he would bring them and manie more to eternal saluation The first borne and heades of families were Priests al the time of the law of nature vntil the law being changed God tooke Priests only of the stock of Aaron and the rest of the Leuites to assist them in that function Aaron his sonnes thou shalt appoint saith our Lord ouer the seruice of Priesthood for I haue taken the Leuites of the children of Israel for euerie first borne And ◠Paul teacheth that changing of Priesthood and changing of the law goe alwayes together shewing euidently that euerie lawful communitie or commonwealth vnder God hath external Priesthood So that if there had benne no distinct order of external Priesthood in the law of nature or now were none in the law of grace as Protestantes say there is not there were no law at al. See more of this point in the Annotations chap. 7. ad Hebre. Here we only obserue that Abel Seth Enos and other Patriarches were Priestes and exercised priestlie functions yea Cain also was a Priest though a bad one and offered Sacrifice But external offices or ministerie without a wel disposed mind and sincere vertues producing Good workes did neuer iustifie anie man And therfore Cains Sacrifice offered with a peruerse mind was not respected by God as Abels was wherupon he becoming worse and more malicious God sharply reproued his anger and enuie conceiued without iust cause saying If thou doest wel shalt thou not receiue againe but if thou doest il shal not thy sinne forwith be present at the dore clerly shewing that euerie one shal receiue according to his workes This place also euidently sheweth Freewil yea in a wicked man For this expostulation had neuer benne vttered by our most reasonable Lord and Maister if Cain had benne depriued of freewil For he might haue excused himselfe and must needes haue benne holden excused if he had benne forced to do as he did But God charged him as inexcusable and as one that knew or ought to know that he had freewil And doth further inculcate that he had and should haue powre and freewil ouer his concupiscence to correct the same if he would saying The lust therof shal be vnder thee and thou shalt haue domion ouer it So that no sinner be he neuer so wicked much lesse a iust man lacketh freewil yet Luther abhorreth the very word and Caluin wisheth it out of the world Temporal punishment is proued to be due for sinne remitted by that both death and other penalties are inflicted by Gods iustice vpon men after iustification and by the particular punishments laid vpon Adam and Eue confessing their faultes Purgatorie is also proued by the same iustice of God For when anie dieth penitent and yet haue not madeful satisfaction they must suffer for that remaineth after death and be purged before they can enter into rest which remnant of debt our B. Sauiour calleth The last farthing and saith it must be payed The lewes also at this day hold the doctrin of Purgatorie by tradition And consequently they Pray for soules departed not only to God but also to the ancient Patriarches which likewise sheweth Inuocation of Saincts in these wordes Yee fathers which sleepe in Hebron open to him the gates of Eden that is of Paradise which was planted in Eden And Hebron is the place where Adam was buried and his sepulcher religiously conserued in the time of Iosue aboue 1500 yeares after his death The same is the place which Abraham bought and there buried Sara where also him selfe and Isaac and Iacob were buried and to which finally the bodies of the twelue sonnes of Iacob were translated from Sichem As Iosephus writeth And sichem also was specially honored because such persons had benne buried there as S. Hierom witnesseth of his owne knowledge in his time Againe by religious care of burying the dead in this first age Enoch was more certainly knowen to be Translated aliue and not to be dead For the seuentie Interpreters and S. Paul say He was not found which importeth that they sought diligently for him and that his bodie could not be found for God translated him By al which we see mutual offices and communion of good workes amongst good men aliue and dead which is called Cōmunion of Saincts And herein Angels lacked not their offices For God set Cherubins to kepe the gate of Paradise that neither man should enter being iustly expelled for sinne nor diuels as S. Augustin noteth left they should take fruite of the tree of life and geuing it to men allure them to more sinne And now Saincts being exalted to Angels glorie haue like honorable offices towards other men as Angels haue Yea the bloud of Abel vniustly shed by Cain and iustly to be reuenged by God sheweth the peculiar honour which God bestoweth vpon his Saints for their vertues and merites in this life especially in their death For Precious in the sight of our Lord is the
Iare †and Aduram and Vzal and Decla †and Ebal and Abimael Saba †and Ophir and Heuila and Iobab al these were the children of Iectan †And their dwelling was from Messa as we goe on as far as Sephar a mountaine in the east †These are the children of Sem according to their kinred and tongues and countries in their nations †These are the families of Noe according to their peoples nations Of these were 〈◊〉 the nations diuided on the earth after the floud ANNOTATIONS CHAP. X. 8. Nemrod To this Nemrod the sonne of Chus first builder and king of Babylon Iosephus S. Epiphanius S. Hierom S. Augustin and generally al ancient writers ascribe the first tyrannie and first setting vp of an earthlie citie opposite to the Citie of God after the floud He was a Valiant or rather a Violâ—nt hunter a giant hunter saith S. Augustin according to the seuentie Interpreters who by falshood and force brought manie vnder his dominion For he sturred vp pride saith Iosephus and contempt of God in men auoching that they were not beholding to God for present felicitie but to their owne vertue and so supposing men would fal from God to him if he offered him selfe a leader and helper against a new floud by litle and litle drew al to tyrannie He was otherwise called Saturnus and was at length amongst others accounted a god After him his sonne Belus Iupiter as most authors affirme raigned 65 yeares And then succeded Ninus the first king of the Assirians 11. Assur builded Niniue Here is great difficultie and much dispute amongst writers who this Assuris Briefly we may either say with Iosephus and S. Augustin that Assur the sonne of Sem built a citie which afterwards Ninus of Chams race enlarged enriched and changing the name called it Ninum or els that this word Assur here signifieth as 4. Reg. 15. Psal 82. Esaiae 10. 31. the king of Assirians to wit Ninus the sonne of Belus who as al histories greeke and barbarous reporte saith S Hierom was the first that raigned ouer al Asia among the Assirians built Ninum a citie of his owne name which the Hebrewes cal Niniue He set vp the Monarchie of the Assirians called the golden kingdom which stood 1240. yeares And made his father Belus to be honored for a god To whom the Babilonians as Plinie testifieth first erected statuas altares temples Of this Belus or Bel of Babylon were also deriued other false goddes as Belial the god of Libertines or without yoke Beelphegor god of the Moabites Beelzebub of the Acharonites Baal in Samaria Baalim amongst the Philistims and the like in other nations 32. The Nations How manie Nations and tongues were in the world immediatly after the towre of Babylon is more coÌ„monly supposed then clerly shewed by old or late writers Only it semeth certaine and euident that there were iust as manie tongues as Nations But to finde precisly as the common opinion holdeth 72 is hard For in this chapter where they would count this number are not mentioned so manie Neuertheles if we adde certaine that begane distinct Nations afterwards til Iacob with his children went into Aegypt in whom only the Hebrew Nation and Tongue continued to Christs time the number wil come right Of Iapheth were borne 7. sonnes chiefe of Nations Againe of Gomer besides his supposed successor who can not be counted beginner of an other distinct nation came 2. other heades Likwise of Iauan besides his first sonne rose 3. more nations Of Cham by his first sonne Chus were 6. nephewes princes of nations Againe of Regma besides his successor came one more And Nemrod besides his kingdom of Babylon raysed vp other 6. By his second sonne Mesraim came 8. nations Chams third sonne Phut made ouly one nation And Chanaan his sonnes made 11. more Of Sem last mentioned for better connecting the maine Historie and succession of the Church came the chife and principal Nation the Hebrewes descending from him by Arphaxad Sale Heber and so directly to Iacob Of Sem also were borne 4. other sonnes beginners of â—ations Againe of Aram besides his first sonne were 3. fathers of nations Likwise of Heber besides the Hebrewes descending by Phaleg were borne to his other sonne Iectan 13. heades of nations These are al that are named in this place to wit of Iapheth 12. of Cham 33. and of Sem 21. which make in al 66. wherunto if we adioyne Nachor Abrahams brother Moab and Ammon Lots sonnes also Ismael Abrahams eldest sonne and his issue by Cetura and finally Esau Iacobs brother who made 6. more distinct nations the whole number is 72. This probable collection with the rest we submit to better iudgement CHAP. XI God hindereth the vaine purpose of building a hiegh towre 7. by confounding mens tongues 9. wherof it is called Babel 10. The genealogie of Sem to Abram AND the earth was of one tongue and al one speach †And when they remoued from the east they found a plaine in the land of Sennaar and dwelt in it †And eech one said to his neighboure Come let vs make bricke and bake them with fire And they had bricke in steed of stone and bitume in steed of morter †and they said Come “ let vs make vs a citie and a towre the toppe wherof may reach to heauen and let vs renowne our name before we be dispersed into al lands †And our Lord descended to see the citie and the towre which the children of Adam builded †and he said Behold it is one people and one tongue is to al and they haue begunne to doe this neyther wil they leaue of from their determinations til they accomplish them indede †Come ye therfore “ let vs goe downe and there confound their tongue that none may heare is neighbours voice †And so our Lord dispersed them from that place into al lands and they ceased to build the citie †And therfore the name therof was called Babel because there the tongue of the whole earth was confounded and from thence our Lord dispersed them vpon the face of al countries †These are the generations of Sem Sem was an hundred yeares old when he begat Arphaxad two years after the floud †And Sem liued after he begat Arphaxad fiue hundred yeares and begat sonnes and daughters †Moreouer Arphaxad liued thirtie fiue yeares and “ begat Sale †And Arphaxad liued after he begat Sale three hundred three yeares and begat sonnes and daughters †Sale also liued thirtie yeares and begat Heber †And Sale liued after he begat Heber foure hundred three yeares and begat sonnes and daughters †And Heber liued thirtie foure yeares and begat Phaleg †And Heber liued after he begat Phaleg foure hundred thirtie yeares and begat sonnes and daughters †Phaleg also liued thirtie yeares and begat Reu. †And Phaleg liued
and for dulnes of wit being striken with great admirrtion I can not throughly scan seeing in the Hebrew veritie are founed only tenne generations from the floud vnto Abraham by what meanes S. Luke who the Holie Ghost gouerning his penne could in no sorte write false would rather set downe eleuen generations in the Gospel Cainan adioyned according to the seuentie Interpreters Thus writeth S. Beda reuerently admiring that he could not vnderstand For being assured that the Holie Ghost gouerned the pennes both of Moyses and S. Luke and that he is not contrarie to him selfe it must nedes be true which ech of them writeth though other learned men can not reach the profoundnes of some difficulties that occure And therfore Beza was extreme saucie to dash Cainan out of S. Lukes Gospel and that wittingly and most impudently saying in his Annotations Non dubitauimus expungere VVe doubted not to put it out The former English Editions otherwise corrupt in manie places haue Cainan in the text of S. Lukes Gospel but their latter translaters are in this point pure Bezites The end of the second age THE CONTINVANCE OF THE CHVRCH AND RELIGION IN THE SECOND AGE OF THE WORLD From Noes floud to Abrahams going forth of his countrie The space of 368. yeares NO MAN can wel doubt nor wil denie that the same Church continued al the second age which was in the first considering that Noe liued aboue 50. yeares after the birth of Abraham and sem 150. more and that these three and some others of that time are renowmed in holie scripture for sincere professors of true Religion But for more manifestation of their faith and that the Church was then very conspicuous we shal repete certaine principal pointes of Religion professed and practised al that time by a continual knowne visible companie vnited in one mystical bodie though in the meane while the wicked sprong and grew in number and worldlie force much oppressing yet neuer suppressing the good First iust Noe coming forth of the arke with his familie professed his religious mind to One God almightie supreme Lord of al by Offering external voluntarie speedie pure solemne and bountiful Sacrifice of Holocaustes as a Priest vpon an Altar After which most gratful office God making a couenant with him and his seede neuer againe to destroy the world by water confirmed the same by the signe of the rainbow which represented the second Person of the B. Trinitie the Sonne of God Christ our Lord to be borne The Sōne of man extended vpon the Crosse in whom Noe beleeuing was instituted heyre of the iustice which is by faith in our Redemer VVe haue here againe Gods operatiue blessing with the effect of increase and multiplication the issue of Noe by his three sonnes in short time making manie Nations By the way also we haue an example of Fathers solemne Blessing and Cursing their children The effectes wherof succeded afterwardes accordingly Likwise in this age was geuen a particular precept Not to eate bloud And Noe obserued distinction of Cleane beastes offering Sacrifice in them only as before the floud he was commanded to take moe of them into the arke then of the Vncleane In that so ample mention is made of sinne and wickednes there is no doubt but Noe the preacher of iustice admonished and exhorted sinners to Repentance yea he Punished Cham Chanaan by his curse in their posteritie And God him selfe Threatned to exacte the bloud of man vniustly shed In the meane time Inflicted also some punishment vpon the builders of Babel by confounding their tongues And that by the Ministerie of Angels Which punishment in part and threates of more importe a General Resurrection and Iudgement where al things shal be exactly discussed and Iudged And then wil folow Eternal life to the good and Euerlasting paine to the damned Al these points of Religion and others mentioned in the former age and no doubt taught by Noe his sonnes shew clerly a Visible Church consisting of good and bad Noe remaning the same man as before the floud Sem and Iapheth are commended and blessed for wel doing C ham blamed cursed in his posteritie yet neither he nor anie of his sonnes or daughters fel into heresie or other infidelitie for anie thing that appeareth in Scripture or other authentical testimonie Heber also and his familie are particularly commended by Moyses as the right folowers and the spiritual children of Sem who had innumerable other carnal children as those that were innocent touching the presumptuous building of others who for the same fault lost their old tongue which the familie of Heber kept As S. Chrisostom and S. Augustin do proue Againe diuers of this familie falling afterwards by litle and litle to other nations the Familie of Thare saith the same S. Augustin li. 16. c. 12. albeit not al or not alwayes yet euer some of them and Abraham continually with Sem Heber Phaleg manie others not mentioned by Moyses in his briefe description as S. Gregorie doubteth not to suppose were iust and kept the true faith and vndefiled Religion But Nemrod Chams nephew and sonne of Chus described for a valiant hunter a violent giant and tyrant was an Archheretike a deuiser and teacher of false doctrin against God and true faith By sutletie and tyrannie he induced manie of liking or of feare to folow him and so in schisme he maintained heresie That men were not beholding to God but to them selues for temporal prosperitie VVherof begane a new cruel confederacie against the Citie of God the second great Sect of Infidels For Barbarisme being the first begun by Cain and ended by the floud The second mother of al Sectes beginning after the floud as S. Epiphanius writeth was Scythisme so called of the Scythians a most cruel people Who according to Nemrods heresie not thincking themselues beholding to God for temporal happines but to their owne forces tyrannized ouer the weaker and manie wicked banning together extremly oppressed the more peacable especially the Church and true seruants of God And this was one special cause of building Babylon besides their ambicious desire of perpetual fame and their bearing the simple in hand of a defence against a new floud to make it in dede a strong hold for tyrants to offend others and to defend themselues Wherfore God who before destroyed al Infidels by the floud confounded these builders by diuiding their tongues and so forced them to breake and part into manie countries Thus mankind being diuided vpon the earth opinions also were multiplied concerning Religion For shortly the perswation of mens trusting in themselues and in other mortal men appeared absurde euen the strongest feeling aduersities or fayling sometimes of their purposes saw there was neede of supernal helpe and that
the Cananite was at that time in the countrie †And our Lord appeared to Abram and said to him To thy seed wil I giue this land Who builded there an altar to our Lord that had appeared to him †And marching on from thence to a mountaine that was on the east side of Bethel there he pitched his tent hauing Bethel on the west and Hay on the east he builded there also an altar to our Lord and called vpon his name †And Abram went forward going and proceding on to the south †And there came a famine in the countrie and Abram descended into Aegypt to be as a pilgrime there for the famine was very sore in the land †And when he was nere to enter into Aegypt he said to Sarai his wife I know that thou art a fayre woman †and that when the Aegyptians shal see thee they wil say She is his wife and they wil til me and reserue thee †Say therfore I pray thee that thou art my sister that I may be wel vsed for thee and that my soule may liue for thy sake †When Abram therfore was entred into Aegypt the Aegiptians sawe the woman that she was passing beautiful †And the princes told Pharao and praised her to him and the woman was taken into the house of Pharao †And they vsed Abram wel for her sake And he had sheepe and oxen and he asses and men seruants and maid seruants and shee asses and Cammels †But our Lord scourged Pharao with very sore plagues and his house for Sarai Abrams wife †And Pharao called Abram and said to him What is this that thou hast done to me Why didst thou not tel me that she was thy wife †For what cause didst thou say she was thy sister that I might take her to my wife Now therfore there is thy wife take her and goe thy ways †And Pharao gaue certaine men commandment in the behalfe of Abram and they conducted him and his wife and al that he had ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XII 13. Say therfore Abraham concealed that Sarai was his wife and lyed not in saying she was his sister as he also called Lot his brother being his brothers sonne and she his brothers daughter VVherby he preuented danger of his owne life vsing such lawful meanes as lay in him committing his wiues chastitie to Gods protection which him self could not prouide for In which case if he had not donne his owne endeuour he had rather tempted God saith S Augustin then trusted in God And so God preserued her though she was in Pharao his house v. 17. CHAP. XIII Abram Lot returne from Aegypt into Chanaan 6. and being rich separate themselues 10 Lot choosing the countrie about Iordain Abram dwelleth in Chanaan 14. where againe God promiseth him that land and multiplication of his seede 18. And he erected an other Altar to God ABRAM therfore ascended out of Aegypt he and his wife and al that he had and Lot with him to the south coast †And he was very rich in possession of gold and siluer †And he returned by the way that he came from the south vnto Bethel euen to the place where before he had pitched a tabernacle betwen Bethel and Hay †in the place of the altar which he had made before and there he called vpon the name of our Lord. †But Lot also that was with Abram had flocks of sâ—eepe and heards of beasts and tents †Neyther was the land able to receiue them for to dwel togeather for their substance was much and they could not dwel togeather †Wherupon also there arose strife amongst the heardsmen of Abram and of Lot And that time the Chananite and the Pherisite dwelled in that countrie †Abram therfore said to Lot Let there be no brawle I beseech thee betwen me and thee and betwen my heardsmen and thy heardsmen for we be brethren †Behold the whole land is before thee goe aparte from me I pray thee if thou wilt goe to the left hand I wil take the right if thou choose the right hand I wil passe to the left †Lot therfore lifting vp his eyes sawe al the countrie about Iordaine which was watered through out before that our Lord subuerted Sodome and Gomorre as the paradise of our Lord and like as Aegypt as men come vnto Segor †And Lot chose vnto him the countrie about Iordaine and he departed from the East and they were seperated either brother from the other †Abram dwelt in the land of Chanaan and Lot abode in the townes that were about Iordaine and dwelt in Sodome †And the men of Sodome were verie wicked and sinners before the face of our Lord out of measure †And our Lord said to Abram after that Lot was seperated from him Lyft vp thyn eyes and looke from the place wherin thou now art to the north and south to the east and west †Al the land which thou seest wil I geue to thee to thy seed for euer †And I wil make thy seede as the dust of the earth if any man be able to number the dust of the earth thy seede also shal he be able to number †Arise and walke through the land in the length and in the breath therof for I wil geue it to thee †Abram therfore remouing his tent came and dwelt beside the vale of Mambre which is in Hebron and he builded there an altar to our Lord. CHAP. XIIII The king of Sodom with other foure kings are ouercome in battle by foure others 12. where Lot is taken 14. but Abram with 318. persons prosecuting and ouercoming the victorers 16. rescued Lot with al the captiues and pray 18. Melchisedech King and Priest blessed Abram 20. Abram payed tithes to him 21. and rendered the spoile to the king of Sodom AND it came to passe in that time that Amraphel the king of Sennaar and Arioch the king of Pontus and Chodorlahomor king of the Elamyts and Thadal the king of nacions †made warre against Barra the king of Sodome and against Bersa the king of Gomorra and against Sennaab the king of Adama and against Semebar the king of Seboim and against the king of Bala the same is Segor †Al these came together into the Woodland vale which now is the salt sea †For they had serued Chodorlamor twelue yeares and the thirtenth yeare they reuolted from him †Therfore in the fourtenth yeare came Chodorlahomor and the king that were with him and they stroke Raphaim in Astaroth-carnaim and Susim with them and Emim in Sauee of Cariathaim †and the Corrheans in the mountains of Seir euen to the Champion countrie of Pharan which is in the wildernes †And they returned and came as farre as the fountaine of Misphat the same is Cades and they stroke al the countrie of the Ameleichites and of the Amorheans that dwel in Assasonthamar â€
And they went forth the king of Sodome and the king of Gomorra and the king of Adama and the king of Seboim moreouer also the king of Bala which is Segor and they set themselues against them in battaile aray in the Woodland vale †to wit against Chodorlahomor king of the Elamites and Chadal king of nacions and Amraphel king of Sennaar and Arioch king of Pontus foure kings against fiue †But the Woodland vale had many pitts of bitume Therfore the king of Sodome and of Gomorra turned their backes and were ouerthrowne there and they that remained fled to the mountaine †And they tooke al the substance of the Sodomites and Gomorrheans and tooke al kind of victuales and went their way †and Lot also and his substance the sonne of Abrams brother who dwelled in Sodom †And behold one that had escaped told Abram the Hebrew that dwelt in the vale of Mambre the Amorrean brother of Eschol and the brother of Aner for these had made a league with Abram †Which when Abram had heard to witt that his brother Lot was taken he numbred of the seruantes borne in his house wel appointed three hundred and eightene and pursued them vnto Dan. †And diuiding his companie he ranne vpon them in the night and stroke them and pursued them vnto Hoba which is on the left hand of Damascus †And he brought backe al the substance and Lot his brother with his substance the wemen also and the people †And the king of Sodom went forth to meete them after he returned from the slaughter of Chodorlahomor and of the kinges that were with him in the vale Sauee which is the kings vale †But “ Melchesidech the king of Salem “ bringing forth bread and wine for he was the Priest of God most highe †“ blessed him and said Blessed be Abram to God the highest which created heauen and earth †and blessed be God the highest by whose protection the enemyes are in thy hands And “ he gaue him the tythes of al. †And the king of Sodom said to Abram Geue me the soules and the rest take to thee †Who answered him I lift vp my hand to my Lord God most hiegh possessor of heauen and earth †that from the very woofe-thread vnto the shoe latchet I wil not take of al that are thine lest thou say I haue enriched Abram †except such thinges as the young men haue eaten and the shares of the men that came with me Aner Eschol and Mambre these shal take their shares ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XIIII 18. Melchisedech S. Hierom being earnestly requested by Euagrius to geue his iudgement touching Melchisedech whom a nameles author had endeuored to proue to be the Holie Ghost plainly confuteth that error as also an other error of Origen and Didymus saying he was an Angel Likewise S. Epiphanius heresi 55. 76 relateth and condemneth a third error of some that thought him to be the Sonne of God These two Fathers and S. Augustin li. de heresibus her 34. and diuers others whom S. Hierom alleageth proue euidently that he was a very man a Priest and a king yea the hiegh Priest at least of that countric Superior to Abraham and a figure of Christ Besides these heresies the same S. Hierom relateth two probable opinions The Iewes Rabins generally hold that Melchisedech was Sem the sonne of Noe from whom Abraham and al the Hebrewes descended VVhich they seme rather to affirme as loath to confesse that anie man of other nation then their owne should haue bene greater and more excellent then Abraham in spiritual causes then for anie reason they do or can alleage Yet manie especially latter writers as Liranus Tostatus Genebrardus and others do embrace this opinion as most probable Though S. Hierom semeth only to haue added the Hebrewes opinion as he saith because he would intimate al to his freind when he had first cited grauer authores S. S. Ireneus Hypolitus Eusebius Cesariensis Eusebius Emissenus Apolinarius and Eustathius al agreably affirming that Melchisedech was a Chananite king of Salem which was afterwards called Ierusalem To this opinion agreeth Philo Iudaeus continually speaking of him as of a stranger to the Iewes nation Iosephus also a Iew writeth plainly li. 7. de bello Iudaico c. 18. that he was of Chanaan and Prince of the Chananites Also S. Dionysius Ariopagita Caelest Hier. c. 9. S. Epiphanius her 55. 67 Theoderetus q. 63. in Gen. and Suidas are of the same mind and manie other christitian Doctors VVho confirme their assertion by that S. Paul saith to the Hebrewes He vvhose generation is not numbred among them tooke tithes of Abraham For what els can S. Paul meane but that Melchisedechs kinred and people was diuers from the kinred and people of the Iewes which he could not say of Sem from whom Abraham al Iewes descended as it can not be said that Adam and Noe are of diuers genetation from anie people that now liueth because we al come of them Of this difficultie not pettaining to anie controuersie of our time the studious may see more in F. Pererius his commentaries vpon this 14. chap. of Genesis disp 3. 18. Bringing forth Seing the Royal Prophet Dauid and S. Paul say Christ is a Priest for euer according to the order of Melchisedech we demand of Protestants if Christ fulfilled not Melchisedechs figuratiue Sacrifice offered in bread and wine by offering his owne bodie and bloud at his last supper in formes of bread wine and by instituting the same to be offered by his Priests til the end of the world what other figuratiue sacrifice of Melchisedech they can find performed by Christ by which it may appeare that he is a Priest for euer according to that order Caluin li. 4. Instit c. 18. para 2. Kemnisius par 2. exam pag. 740. 747 Peter martyr in 1. Cor. 5. and most English Protestants grant that Melchisedech was a Priest and that the peculiar function of a Priest is to offer Sacrifice wherfore they hauing no sacrifice wil haue only ministers and no Priests but they denie that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread and wine VVherupon we ioyne issue with them to proue that he did and that by this place amongst others of holie Scripture Kemnisius complayneth that the Latin text hath Obtulit for Protulit Offered for Brought forth And to disproue the same he alleageth the Hebrew Chaldee Greke and S. Cyprian But Catholiques more iustly complaine of him for lying For al Latin Editions haue Proferens bringing forth The question therfore in controuersie is to what end and vse Melchisedech brought forth bread and wine Caluin and Kemnisius say it was only to refresh or feede Abraham and his men and not for sacrifice which their bare saying is without reason for that there was store of victuals in the pray v. 11. and they had
if it haue not workes is dead in it self c. 2. v. 17 And by workes Abrahams faith was consummat v 22. And concludeth thus Do yee see that by workes a man is iustified and not by faith only v. 24. CHAP. XVI Sarai geueth her handmaid Agar as a wife to Abram 4. who conceiuing despiseth her mystresse is therfore afflicted flyeth away 7. But is warned by an Angel to returne and humble herselfe 15. which she doth and beareth Ismael SARAI therfore the wife of Abram had brought forth no children but hauing an handmaid an Aegyptian named Agar †she said to her husband Behold our Lord hath closed me that I might not beare Goe in vnto my handmaid if happely of her at the least I may haue children And when he agreed to her in this request †she toke Agar the Aegyptian her handmaid tenne yeares after that they first dwelled in the land of Chanaan and gaue her vnto her husband “ to wife †Who did companie with her but she perceauing that she was with childe despised her mistresse †And Sarai said to Abram Thou doest vniustly against me I gaue my handmaid into thy bosome who perceauing herself to be with child despiseth me Our Lord iudge betwen me and thee †To whom Abram making answere Behold saith he thy hādmaid is in thine owne hand vse her as it pleaseth thee When Sarai therfore did afflict her she ranne away †And an angel of our Lord hauing found her beside a fountaine of water in the wildernesse which is in the way to Sur in the desert †he said to her Agar the handmaid of Sarai whence comest thou and whither goest thou who answered From the face of Sarai my mistresse doe I flye †And the angel of our Lord said to her Returne to thy mistresse and humble thy selfe vnder her hand †And again Multiplying sayth he wil I multiplie thy seed and it shal not be numbred for the multitude therof †And againe after that Behold saith he thou art with child and thou shalt bring forth a sonne and thou shalt cal his name Ismael because the Lord hath heard thin affliction †He shal be a wild man his hand shal be against al men and al mens hands against him and ouer against al his bretheren shal he pitch his tents †And she called the name of our Lord that spake vnto her Thou the God which hast sene me For she said verily here haue I sene the backe partes of him that hath sene me †Therfore she called that wel the Wel of him that liueth and seeth me The same is betwen Cadesse and Barad †And Agar brought forth a sonne to Abram who called his name Ismael †Eightie and sixe yeares old was Abram when Agar brought him forth Ismael ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XVI 3. To vvife The Manichees did calumniat holie Abraham and other Patriarches triarches for hauing manie wiues condemning them of incontinencie and adulterie for the same Luther in the contrarie extreme held it not vnlawful but indifferent now in the law of grace for a man to haue more wiues then one at once And some English Protestants hold that for adulterie the innocent partie may marie an other the first liuing But the Catholique doctrin distinguishing times and causes sheweth how pluralitie of wiues was lawful sometimes and at other times especially since Christ altogether vnlawful and vndispensable The summe of which veritie is this By the first institution of Mariage in the state of innocencie and law of nature and by the law of Christ it is vnlawful for anie man to haue more wiues and for anie woman to haue more husbands then one In the one part of which Law notwithstanding God sometimes dispensed For there be two kindes of preceptes pertaining to the law of nature One sorte are as first principles of the law of nature in which God neuer dispēseth much lesse anie man As that one woman may not haue more husbands then one because the same would rather hinder procreation and so were directly against the fruict of mariage The other sorte are as conclusions drowne from the first principles in which God sometimes dispenseth but neuer anie man As in this present example seeing it is against natural procreation that one woman should haue manie husbands it is conuenient also there being ordinarily as manie men as wemen in the world that euerie man likwise should be restrained to one wife for so procreation may rather be increased then if some men haue manie wiues and others by that occasion haue none at al except in some special case As after the floud when there was searsetie of people God dispensed with such men as indeede were like to make greatter procreation by pluralitie of wiues VVhich appeareth sufficiently by that Sarai perswaded her owne husband to marie an other wife and he a true seruant of God agreed therto not as a new thing but as a lawful practise of those times And Moyses here and in other places stil speaketh of it as of a custome knowne to the people for lawful If a man saith he haue tvvo vviues one beloued and the other hated and they haue children by him and the sonne of the hated be first borne he can not preferre the sonne of the beloued wherby is clere that two wiues were then lawful and the children of both legitimate and that the first borne must be preferred without respect of first or last mariage Yet this dispensation either ceased before Christs time the cause ceasing when the world was replenished or at least our Sauiour tooke it away restoring Matrimonie to the first institution of two in one flesh who pleaseth to see the Doctors that vnderstand and expound the Scriptures to this effect may read S. Augustin li. 22. c. 30. 47. con Faust Manich. li. 16. c. 25. 38. ciuit li. 1 de adulter coniugijs S. Christom ho. 56. in Gen. S. Amb. li. de Abraham c. 4. Also S. Chrisost S. Hierom. and S. Bede in 19. Mathei CHAP. XVII God renewing his promises to Abram 5. changeth his name 10. and commandeth Circuncision 15. changeth also his wiues name promiseth a sonne of her 20. Likewise that Ismael shal prosper 23. and the same day Abraham circuncised himselfe and Ismael and al the men of his house ANd after that he beganne to be nyntie and nyne yeares old our Lord appeared vnto him and said vnto him I am the God almightie walke before me and be perfect †And I wil make my couenant betwen me and thee and I wil multiplie thee exceadingly †Abram fel flat on his face †And God said to him I am and my couenant is with thee thou shalt be a father of manie nations †Neyther shal thy name be called any more Abram but thou shalt be called Abraham because a father of “ many nations I haue made thee †And I wil make thee encrease
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
Hebrew and Greke may be translated The male that doth not circumcise the flesh of his prepuce which can not be ment of an infant of eight dayes old This exposition is likewise confirmed by example Exodi 4. where Moyses was in danger to be slaine by an Angel because his sonne was not circumcised Neuertheles S. Augustin li. 3. c. 18. cont Inlian li. 16. c. 27. ciuit and in other places proueth that this commination pertained also to infants whose iudgement is confirmed by the 70. Interpreters adding for explication these wordes the eight day which necessarily include infants as subiect to this punishment not for that they could transgresse this precept or commit a new sinne but for lack of circumcision The reason wherof is for that God now determined this only remedie for original sinne in the male sex of Abrahams seede in place of sacrifice or other profession of faith vsed before and that in case it could conueniently be applied for otherwise the former remedies were stil aualable Concerning the other difficultie manie ancient fathers expound these wordes shal be destroyed out of his people of only temporal punishment either death as the like phrase signifieth Exodi 12. VVhosoeuer shal eate leuened bread his soul shal perish out of Israel or temporal separation from the people of God as Num. 19. Euerie one that toucheth the dead corse shal perish out of Israel But S. Augustin li. 3. c. 18. cont Iulian. li 5. hypog alibi S. Gregorie li. 4. Moral c. 2. 3. S. Prosper li. de promiss Dei p. 1. c. 14. S. Beda li. 2. in Lucam c. 8 and S. Bernard ser 3. de circum vnderstand this threatning not only of temporal punishment but also of eternal separation from God and the societie of Saints And that also infants are so secluded only for lack of this remedie as now children which dye without Baptisme cōmitting no new fault are depriued of the vision of God for their original sinne not remitted VVherupon is geathered that albeit Circumcision was principally instituted to distinguish the people of God which should come of Abrahams seede from other nations yet it was also for remission of original sinne not in al but in those to whom God appointed this particular remedie CHAP. XVIII Angels intertained as ghests by Abraham 10. tel when Sara shal beare a sonne wherat she laughing they cōfirme that they had said 16. They also fortel the destruction of Sodom 22. for which Abraham prayed six times ANd God appeared to him in the vale of mambre as he sat in the dore of his tent in the verie heat of the day †And when he had lifted vp his eyes there appeared to him three men standing nere vnto him whom after he had sene he ranne to meete them from the dore of his tent and adored to the ground †And He said Lord if I haue found grace in thy sight goe not past thy seruant †but I wil fetch a little water and wash ye your feete and rest ye vnder the tree †And I wil fet a morsel of bread and strengthen your hart afterward you shal passe for therfore are you come aside to your seruāt Who said Do as thou hast spoken †Abraham made hast into the tent to Sara and said to her Make hast temper togeather three measures of floure and make harth cakes †But him selfe ranne to the heard and tooke from thence a calfe verie tender and verie good and gaue it to a young man who made hast and boiled it †He tooke also butter and mylke and the calfe which he had boyled and set before them but him selfe did stand beside them vnder the tree †And when they had eaten they said to him Where is Sara thy wife He answered Loe she is in the tent †To whom he said Returning I wil come to thee at this time life accompaning and Sara thy wife shal haue a sonne Which when Sara heard she laughed behind the dore of the tent †And they were both aged and farre entred in yeares and it ceased to be with Sara after the maner of wemen †Who laughed secreatly saying After I am waxen old my Lord is an old one shal I geue my selfe to pleasure †And our Lord said to Abraham Why did Sara laugh saying Shal I an old woman beare a child in deed †Is there any thing hard to God According to appointment I wil returne to thee this verie selfe same time life accompaynig and Sara shal haue a sonne †Sara denied saying I laughed not being much afraid But our Lord It is not so saith he but thou didst laugh †When the men therfore were risen vp from thence they turned their eyes against Sodome and Abraham did goe with them bringing them on the way †And our Lord said Can I conceale from Abraham the things which I wil doe †wheras he shal be into a nation great and verie strong and in him are TO BE BLESSED al the nations of the earth †For I know that he wil commande his children and his house after him that they kepe the way of the Lord and doe iudgement and iustice that for Abrahams sake the Lord may bring to effect al the things that he hath spoken vnto him Therfore said our Lord. †The crye of Sodome and Gomorre is multiplied and their sinne is aggrauated excedingly †I wil descend and see whether they haue in acte accomplished the crye that is come to me or whether it be not so that I may know †And they turned them selues from thence and went their way to Sodome but Abraham as yet stood before our Lord. †And approching he said what wilt thou destroy the iust with the wicked †If there shal be fiftie iust persons in the citie shal they perish withal and wilt thou spare that place for fiftie iust if they be therin †Be it farre from thee that thou doe this thing and that thou kil the iust with the wicked and that the iust be in like case as the wicked this is not beseeming thee which iudgest al the earth no thou wilt not do this iudgement †And our Lord said to him If I shal find in Sodome fiftie iust persons within the citie I wil spare the whole place for their sake †And Abraham answered and said Because I haue once begunne I wil speake to my Lord wheras I am dust and ashes †What if there shal be fiue lesse then fiftie iust persons wilt thou for fortie fiue destroy the whole citie And he said I wil not destroy it if I shal finde fiue and fourtie †And againe he said vnto him But if fourtie shal be found there what wilt thou doe He said I wil not strike it for fourties sake †Lord saith he be not angrie I besech thee if I speake what if thirtie shal be founde there He answered I wil not doe it if I shal
restored vntouched 14. with great giftes 17. and Abraham praying Abimelechs house is cured ABRAHAM remoued from thence into the south countrie and dwelt betwene Cades and Sur and he liued as a pilgrime in Gerara †And he said of Sara his wife She is my sister Abimelech therfore the king of Gerara sent and tooke her †And God came to Abimelech in a dreame by night and said to him Loe thou shalt dye for the woman that thou hast taken for she hath a husband †But Abimelech had not touched her and he said Lord wilt thou kil a nation that is ignorant and iust †Did not he say to me She is my sister and she say He is my brother in simplicitie of my hart and cleanenes of my hands haue I done this †And God said to him And I do know that thou didest it with a sincere hart and therfore I kept thee that thou shouldest not sinne against me and I permitted not that thou shouldest touch her †Now therfore restore the wife to her husband because he is a prophet and he shal pray for thee and thou shalt liue but if thou wilt not restore her know thou that dying thou shalt dye thou and al things that are thine †And Abimelech forth with rising vp in the night called al his seruantes and he spake al these words to their eares and al the men were sore afraid †And Abimelech called also for Abraham and said to him What hast thou done to vs what haue we offended against thee that thou hast brought vpon me and vpon my kingdom a great sinne that which thou oughtest not to doe thou hast done to vs. †And again expostulating he said What sawest thou that thou didest this †Abraham answered I thought with my selfe saying Perhaps there is not the feare of God in this place and they wil kil me for my wife †howbeit otherwise also in verie deed she is my sister the daughter of my father and not the daughter of my mother and I tooke her to wife †And after that God brought me out of my fathers house I said to her This mercie thou shalt doe with me In euerie place which we shal come vnto thou shalt say that I am thy brother †Therfore Abimelech tooke shepe oxen and seruants and handmayds and gaue to Abraham and restored to him Sara his wife †and said The land is before you dwel whersoeuer it shal please thee †And to Sara he said Behold I haue geuen thy brother a thousand peeces of siluer this shal serue thee for a veile of thine eyes to al that are with thee and whither soeuer thou shalt goe remenber also thou wast taken †And Abraham praying God healed Abimelech and his wife and his handmaids and they bare children for our Lord had closed vp euerie matrice of the house of Abimelech for Sara Abrahams wife CHAP. XXI Isaac is borne 4. circumcised 8. and weaned 9. Agar and Ismael are put forth of Abrahams house 15. but after desolation are nourished and prosper in the desert 22. King Abimelech and Abraham make a league confirming it with oath AND our Lord visited Sara as he had promised and fulfilled the things which he spake †And she conceaued and bare a sonne in her old age at the time that God had foretold her †And Abraham called the name of his sonne which Sara bare him Isaac †and he circumcised him the eight day as God had commanded him †when he was an hundred yeares old for at this age of his father was Isaac borne †And Sara said Laughter God hath made to me whosoeuer shal heare of it wil laugh with me †And again she said Who that shal heare of it would beleue Abraham that Sara gaue sucke to a sonne which she bare him now being an old man †The child therfore grewe and was weined and Abraham made a great feast in the day of his weining †And when Sara had senne the sonne of Agar the Aegyptian playing with Isaac her sonne she said to Abraham †Cast out this handmaid and her sonne for the sonne of the handmaid shal not be heire with my sonne Isaac †Abraham tooke this greuously for his sonne †To whom God said Let it not sâ—me greuous to thee for the boy and for thy handmaid al things that Sara shal say to thee heare her voice because in Isaac shal seed de called to thee †But the sonne also of the handmaid I wil make into a great nation because he is thy seede †Abraham therfore rose vp in the morning and taking bread and a bottle of water put it vpon her shoulder and deliuered the boy and dismist her Who went away and wandred in the wildernesse of Bersabee †And when the water in the bottle was spent she cast the boy vnder one of the trees that were there †And she went her way and sate ouer against a great way of as farre as a bowe can cast for she said I wil no see the child dying and sitting ouer against she lifted vp her voice and wept †And God heard the voice of the boy and an angel of God called Agar from heauen saying What doest thou Agar feare not for God hath heard the voice of the boy from the place wherin he is †Arise take vp the boy and hold his hand for into a great nation wil I make him †And God opened her eyes who seing a wel of water went and filled the bottle and gaue the boy to drinke †And God was with him who grew and abode in the wildernes and became a young man archer †And he dwelt in the wildernes of Pharan and his mother tooke a wife for him out of the land of Aegypt †The same time said Abimelech and Phicol the general of his armie to Abraham God is with thee in al things which thou doest †Sweare therfore by God not to hurt me and my posteritie and my stocke but according to the mercie that I haue done thee thou shalt doe to me and to the land wherin thou hast liued a stranger †And Abraham said I wil sweare †And he rebuked Abimelech for the wel of water which his seruants had taken away by force †And Abimelech answered I knew not who did this thing yea and thy selfe didest not tel me and I heard not of it but to day †Abraham therfore tooke sheepe and oxen and gaue to Abimelech and both of them made a league †And Abraham set seuen ewe lambes of the flocke apart †To whom Abimelech said What meane these seuen ewe lambes which thou hast made to stand apart †But he said Seuen ewe lambes shalt thou take at my hand that they may be a testimonie for me that I digged this wel †Therfor was that place called Bersabee because there both did sweare †And they made a league for the wel
children of Heth answered saying †My lord heare vs thou art a prince of God among vs in our principal sepulchres burie thou thy dead and no man can let thee but that in his owne monument thou mayest burie thy dead †Abraham rose vp and adored the people of the land towit the children of Heth †and he said to them If it please your soule that I burie my dead heare me and be intercessors for me to Ephron the sonne of Seor †that he geue me the duble caue which he hath in the vttermost part of his field for money to the worth therof let him deliuer it to me before you for possession of a sepulchre †And Ephron dwelt in the middest of the children of Heth. And Ephron made answer to Abraham in the hearing of al that went in at the gate of the citie saying †No it shal not be so my lord but thou rather harken to that which I doe say The field I deliuer to thee and the caue that is therin in the presence of the children of my people burie thy dead †Abraham adored before the people of the land †And he spoke to Ephron his people standing round about I beseech thee to heare me I wil geue money for the field take it and so I wil burie my dead in it †And Ephron answered †My lord heare me The ground which thou desirest is worth foure hundred sicles of siluer this is the price between me and thee but how much is this burie thy dead †Which when Abraham had heard he weyed the money that Ephron had asked in the hearing of the children of Heth foure hundred sicles of siluer of common currant money †And the field that before time was Ephrons wherin was the duble caue looking towards Mambre aswel it as the caue and al the trees therof in al the lymits therof round about †was made sure to Abraham for a possession in the sight of the children of Heth and of al that went in at the gate of his citie †And so Abraham buried Sara his wife in the duble caue of the field that looked towards Mambre this is Hebron in the land of Chanaan †And the field was made sure to Abraham and the caue that was in it for a possession to burie in of the Children of Heth. CHAP. XXIIII Abrahams seruant adiured and sent by him into Mesopotamia to seke a wife for Isaac 12. prayeth to God for a signe findeth Rebecca 34. and demanding her for this purpose 50. with her parents 58. and her owne consent she goeth with him 67. is maried to Isaac who therby is comforted for the death of his mother AND Abraham was old and of manie dayes and our Lord had blessed him in al things †And he said to the elder seruant of his house which was ruler ouer al that he had Put thy hand vnder my thighe †that I may adiure thee by our Lord God of heauen and earth that thou take not a wife for my sonne of the daughters of the Cananites among whom I dwel †but that thou goe vnto myne owne countrie and kindred and thence take a wife for my sonne Isaac †The seruant answered If the woman wil not come with me into this land whether must I bring thy sonne backe againe to the place from whence thou didest come forth †And Abraham said Beware thou neuer bring my sonne backe againe thither †Our Lord God of heauen which tooke me out of my fathers house and out of my natiue countrie which spake to me and sware to me saying To thy sede wil I geue this land he shal send his angel before thee and thou shalt take from thence a wife for my sonne †but if the woman wil not folow thee thou shalt not be bound by the oath only bring not my sonne thither againe †The seruant therfore put his hand vnder the thigh of Abraham his lord and sware to him vpon this worde †And he tooke tenne camels of his lords heard and departed of al his goods carying something with him and setting forward went on into Mesopotamia to the citie of Nachor †And when he had made the camels lye downe without the towne beside a wel of water at euen at the time when wemen are wont to come forth to drawe water he said †O Lord God of my lord Abraham mete me to day I beseech thee and doe mercifully with my maister Abraham †Behold I stand nigh to the fountaine of water and the daughters of the inhabiters of this citie wil come forth to drawe water †Therfore “ the maid to whom I shal say Bowe downe thy tankard that I may drinke and she shal answere Drinke yea to thy camels also wil I geue drinke she it is whom thou hast prouided for thy seruant Isaac and by this I shal vnderstand that thou hast delt mercifully with my maister †Neyther had he yet ended these wordes within him selfe behold Rebecca came forth the daughter of Bathuel the sonne of Melcha wife to Nachor the brother of Abraham hauing a tankard on her shoulder †a passing comely maide most beautiful virgin not knowen to man and she was gone downe to the fountaine and had filled her tankard and came backe †And the seruant ranne to mete her and said Geue me a little water to drinke of thy tankard †Who answered Drinke my lord And quickly she let downe the tankard vpon her arme and gaue him drinke †And when he had druncke she added but for thy camels also I wil drawe water til al doe drinke †And powring out the tankard into the troughes she ranne backe to the wel to drawe water and being drawen gaue it to al the camels †But he musing beheld her with silence desirous to know whether our Lord had made his iourney prosperous or not †And after that the camels had drunck the man plucked forth golden earelettes weying two sicles and as manie braceletts of tenne sicles weight †And he said to her whose daughter art thou shew me is there anie place in thy fathers house to lodge †Who answered I am the daughter of Bathuel the sonne of Melcha whom she bare to Nachor †And she added saying Of strawe also and hay we haue good store and a large place to lodge in †The man bowed him selfe and adored our Lord †saying Blessed be the Lord God of my lord Abraham that hath not taken away his mercie truth from my lord and hath brought me the streight way into the house of my lords brother †The maide therfore ranne and reported into her mothers house al things that she had heard And Rebecca had a brother named Laban who in al haist went forth to the man where the fountaine was †And when he had seene the eareletts and braceletts in his sisters hands and had heard al her words reporting These words spake
the man vnto me he came to the man which stoode beside the camels and nighe to the fountaine of water †and said to him Come in thou blessed of our Lord Why standest thou without I haue prepared the house and a place for the camels †And he brought him in into his lodging and he vnharnessed the camels and gaue strawe and hay and water to wash his feet and of the men that were come with him †And bread was set before him Who said I wil not eate til I speake my message He answered him Speake †And he said I am the seruant of Abraham †and our Lord hath blessed my lord wonderfully and he is magnified and he hath geuen him sheepe and oxen siluer and gold men seruants and wemen seruants camels and asses †And Sara my lordes wife hath borne my lord a sonne in her old age and he hath â—euen him al things that he had †And my lord adiured me saying Thou shalt not take a wife for my sonne of the Chananites in whose land I dwel †but thou shalt goe to my fathers house and of mine owne kinred shalt thou take a wife for my sonne †but I answered my Lord What if the woman wil not come with me †Our Lord saith he in whose sight I walke wil send his angel with thee and wil direct thy way and thou shalt take a wife for my sonne of myne owne kinred and of my fathers house †Thou shalt be innocent from my curse when thou shalt come to my kinne and they wil not geue her thee †I came therfore to day to the wel of water and said O Lord God of my lord Abraham if thou hast directed my way wherin I now walke †behold I stand besides the wel of water and the virgin that shal come forth to drawe water when she shal heare me say Geue me a litle water to drinke of thy tankard †and she shal say to me Drinke both thou and for thy camels I wil drawe also that is the woman which our Lord hath prepared for my maisters sonne †And whilest I pondered these things secretly with my selfe Rebecca appeared comming with a tankard which she caried vpon her shoulder and she went downe to the fountaine drew water And I said to her Geue me a litle to drinke †Who spedelie let downe the tankard from her shoulder and said to me Drinke both thou and to thy camels I wil geue drinke I dranke and she watered the cammels †And I asked her and said Whose daughter art thou who answered I am the daughter of Bathuel the sonne of Nachor whom Melcha bare him I hoong therfore earelettes to adorne her face and I put braceletts vpon her hands †And prostrate I adored our Lord blessing the Lord God of my lord Abraham who hath brought me the straight way to take the daughter of my lords brother for his sonne †Wherfore if you doe according to mercie and truth with my lord shew me but if it please you otherwise that also tel me that I may goe to the right hand or to the left †And Laban and Bathuel answered From our Lord the word hath proceded we can not speake any other thing with thee besides his pleasure †Behold Rebecca is before thee take her and goe thy waies and let her be the wife of thy lords sonne as our Lord hath spoken †Which when Abrahams seruant heard falling downe he adored our Lord to the grounde †And taking forth vessel of siluer and gold and garments gaue them to Rebecca for a present To her brothers also and to her mother he offred giftes †A banket was made and eating and drinking togeather they lodged there And in the morning the seruant arose and said Dismisse me that I may goe to my lord †And her brother and mother answered Let the maide tarie at the least tenne days with vs and after she shal depart †Stay me not said he because our Lord hath directed my way dismisse me that I may goe on to my lord †And they said Let vs cal the maid and aske her wil. †And being called when she was come they asked Wilt thou goe with this man who said I wil goe †They dismissed her therfore and her nurce and Abrahams seruant and his companie †wishing prosperitie to their sister and saying Thou art our sister encrease thou into thousand thousands and thy seed possesse the gates of their enemies †Therfore Rebecca and her maides being set vpon camels folowed the man who with speed returned vnto his lord and †the same time Isaac walked along the way that leadeth to the wel of the Liuing and the seing so called for he dwelt in the south countrie †and he was gone forth to meditate in the field the day nowe being wel spent and when he had cast vp his eyes he saw camels coming a farre of †Rebecca also when she saw Isaac lighted of the camel †and said to the seruant Who is that man which cometh towards vs along the field And he said to her The same is my lord But she quickly taking her cloake couered her selfe †And the seruant told Isaac al things that he hed done †Who brought her into the tent of Sara his mother and tooke her to wife and he loued her so much that it did moderate the sorrowe which was chanced of his mothers death ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXIIII 14. The maide to vvhom I shal say Obseruation of speaches called ominous which are interpreted to signifie good or euil luck are sometimes supersticious suggested by euil spirites who now then telling or insinuating some truth get credite and so allure men to attend to such vaine vncertaine and vnlawful signes as S. Augustin testifieth li. 2. de Gen. ad lit c. 17. li. 12. c. 22. Neuertheles such signes are sometimes lawfully obserued desired from God as the same Doctor disputeth li. quest super Gen q. 53 and S. Chrisostome teacheth more clerly ho. 45. in Gen likewise S. Theodoret q. 73. in Gen But whosoeuer wil not erre in particular cases must folow either expresse Scripture or the iudgement of the Church which is alwayes directed by the spirite of truth And touching this prayer of Abrahams seruant and his desire of this determinate signe to know the maide whom God had prouided to be Isaachs wife the fathers generally hold that it was religious deuout and discrete For he being careful of his masters busines and not trusting his owne iudgement but relying vpon that Abraham had said Our Lord shal send his Angel before thee commended so weightie a cause to God by prayer the Angel suggesting both to him to desire and to the maide to performe as the euent sheweth such qualities and vertues in her as were most agreable to the great charitie and hospitalitie dayly practised in Abrahams house most conuenient
and necessarie as he discretly considered for that familie and good of manie The like obseruations were approued in Gedeon and Ionathas And to pray for such signes in some case or for manifest miracles is also approued by the Apostles example praying God To shevv by lote vvhich of the tvvo he had chosen to the Apostleship in place of Iudas And that he would extend his hand to cures signes wonders to be done by the name of his holie sonne IESVS CHAP. XXV Abraham hauing manie children by his wife Cetura died at the age of 175. yeares 12. Ismael also hauing twelue sonnes dukes died 19. Isaac praying for his barren wife she hath Esau and Iacob twinnes 30. Esau selleth his first birth right to Iacob for a messe of potage AND Abraham maried an other wife named Cethura †which bare him Zamran and Iecsan and Madan and Madian and Iesboc and Sue †Iecsan also begat Saba and Dadan The Children of Dadan were Assurim and Latusim and Loomim †But also of Madian was borne Epha and Opher and Henoch and Abida and Eldaa al these were the children of Cetura †And Abraham gaue al his possessions to Isaac †and to the children of his concubines he gaue gifts and separated them from Isaac his sonne whilest himselfe yet liued to the east countrie †And the days of Abrahams life were a hundred seuentie and fiue yeares †And decaying dyed in a good old age and hauing liued a great time and being ful of days and was gethered to his people †And there buried him Isaac and Ismael his sonnes in the duble caue which was situated in the field of Ephron the sonne of Seor the Hethite ouer against Mambre †which he had bought of the children of Heth there was he buried and Sara his wife †And after his death God blessed Isaac his sonne who dwelled beside the wel of the Liuing and seing so named †These are the generations of Ismael the sonne of Abraham whom Agar the Aegyptian bare him Saraes seruant and †these are the names of his children according to their calling and generations The first begotten of Ismael Nabaioth then Cedar and Adbeel and Mabsam †Masma also and Duma and Massa †Hadar and Thema and Iethur and Naphis and Cedma. †These are the sonnes of Ismael and these are their names by their castles and townes twelue princes of their tribes †And the yeares of Ismaels life came to an hundred thirtie seauen and decaying died and was put vnto his people †And he dwelt from Heuila euen to Sur which looketh towards Aegypt as they enter to the Assirians before the face of al his bretheren died he †These also are the generations of Isaac the sonne of Abraham Abraham begat Isaac †who when he was fortie yeares old tooke to wife Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia sister to Laban †And Isaac besought our Lord for his wife because she was barren who heard him and made Rebecca to conceaue †But the little ones strugled in her wombe who said If it should be so with me what nede was there to conceaue And she went to consult our Lord. †Who answering said Two nations are in thy wombe and two peoples shal be diuided out of thy wombe and one people shal ouercome the other and “ the elder shal serue the younger †Now her time was come to be deliuered and behold twinnes were found in her wombe †He that came forth first was read and al hearie in manner of a skinne and his name was called Esau Immediatly the other coming forth held his brothers plant in his hand and therfore he called him Iacob †Threescore yeares old was Isaac when the litle ones were borne vnto him †Who being growne vp Esau became a man cunning in hunting and a husband man but Iacob a plaine man dwelled in tents †Isaac loued Esau because he did eate of his hunting and Rebecca loued Iacob †And Iacob boyled broth to whom Esau being come faynt out of the field †said Geue me of this read broth because I am exceding faint For which cause his name was called Edom. †To whom Iacob said “ Sel me thy first-birth-right †He answered Loe I dye what wil the first birth right auaile me †Iacob said Sweare therfore to me Esau sware to him and sould his first-birth-right †And so taking bread and the rice broth did eate and drinke and went his way little esteeming that he had sold his first birth right ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXV 6. To the children of his concubines S. Augustin li. 16. c. 34. de ciuit sheweth that both Agar and Cetura being Abrahams lawful wiues for so they are called in holie Scripture are also called concubines because they had not like priuileges to Sara whose sonne was sole heyre to his father and the children of the others had only giftes or mouable goods not attayning to the promised kingdom And al this for mysterie sake For Ismael signified the carnal people before Christ the children of Cetura prefigured Heretikes who suppose themselues to pertaine to the new Testament but are separated no lesse then the Iewes from Christs Kingdom And albeit there was also an other particular reason why Agar was called concubine because she was a second wife the first then liuing yet this lerned father saith he did not see why Cetura being maried after the death of Sara should be called concubine but only for this Mysterie 21. Heard him Notwithstanding Gods assured promise that Isaach should haue issue Gen. 21. v. 12 yet he prayeth instantly for the same And Moyses here attributeth Rebeccas conceiuing to Isaachs prayer wherby we see that Gods sorseing predestinating and promising exclude not but in dede include secondarie causes and ordinarie meanes by which his eternal wil and pleasure is fulfilled For as God did sorsee that Rebecca should haue children so he did forsee that Isaac should pray for it and obtayne it and the one was as sure to come to passe as the other And the same consequence is true concerning eternal life as S. Gregorie teacheth li. 1. c. 8. Dialog 23. The elder shal serue the younger As before c. 17. v. 21. c 21. v. 12. the couenant and great promises made to Abrahams sede are declared to pertaine only to Isaac and not to Ismael nor to the other brothers so the same belong not to Esau the elder but only to Iacob the younger sonne of Isaac the Holie Ghost saying The elder shal serue the younger And withal signifieth saith S. Augustin that the elder people of the Iewes shal serue the younger Christian people For although it may be vnderstood literally to be fulfilled in that the Idumeans coming of Esau were subdued by King Dauid coming of Iacob yet it is more conueniently beleeued that this prophecie tended to a greater thing And what is this but that which is
sonnes in one day †And Rebecca said to Isaac I am wearie of my life for the daughters of Heth if Iacob take a wife of the stocke of this land I list not liue ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXVII 19. I am thy first begotten Esau Iacob was not by nature the first begotten but by Gods ordinance by couenant made with Esau had right to the preeminence and priuilegies belonging to the first borne So he did not lie but spake a truth meaning that he was that sonne to whom by diuine election the first-birth-right was dew which his father supposed to pertaine to Esau But because some scorners of Christian doctrin like to the old Manichees vse to say that Catholique Doctors and Schoolmen excuse and condemne whom they list by such glosses let such reprouers vnderstand that both moderne and ancient Catholique writers auow this defence of the holie Patriarch Iacob not by priuate spirite but by the most true and proper sense of holie Scripture itselfe VVhere it may appeare if they wil axamine the text that Iacob in al this procurement of his fathers blessing neither did anie thing vniustly nor said anie thing falsly First it was reueled to his mother chap. 25. v. 23. That the elder of her twinnes should serue the younger Secondly holie Scripture testifieth in the same chapter v. 27. That Iacob vvas a plaine or sincere Man void of vniust dealing Thirdly for more quiet enioying that right which God had ordained for him he procured his brothers consent and confirmation v. 33 Fourtly though he was secure in conscience that the blessing was dew to him yet he feared v. 12. lest he might geue occasion of offence to his father to whom this mysterie was not yet reueled Fiftly Isaac perceiuing at last Gods wil that Iacob should be preferred was neither offended with him nor reuoked his blessing as vnlawfully surprised but condescending therto ratified that he had done saying v. 33. I haue blessed him and he shal be blessed Sixtly God himselfe from this time forwards often appeared to Iacob and with great promises and manie temporal and spiritual benefites declared his singular loue to him Seuently these three Patriarches Abraham Isaac and Iacob are special renowmed Sainctes of the old Testament yea the Lord and Creator of al would peculiarly be called Exodi 3. the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Moyses praying instantly for Gods mercie and clemencie towards the people Exodi 32. besought him to remember Abraham Isaac and Iacob his seruants and so in both old and new Testament these three are often mentioned as chiefe Princes in the Kingdom of Heauen Al which shewe the great vertues and holines of them al. And touching this fact of Iacob where if euer aniewhere might seme to be some great sinne S. Augustin at large proueth that he did not herein sinne at al That vvhich Iacob did saith he li. cont mendacium c. 10. By his mothers instruction to deceiue his father if it be diligently considered vvas no lie but a mysterie and therfore for the samiliar counsail of the Holie Ghost vvhich his mother had receiued he is excused from sinne The same he confirmeth q. 74. in Gen. li. 16. c. 37. de ciuit li. 22. c. 34 cont Faust The same also teach S. Chrisostom ho. 53 in Gen. S. Hierom Epist 125. S. Theodoret. q. 79. 80. in Gen. S. Gregorie ho. 6. in Ezechielem S. Bede Isidorus Innocentius 3 Rupertus and others vpon this place al agreing absolutly that euerie lie is a sinne declare that Iacob lied not but stil spake the truth confirming their exposition by other like places of Scripture As when our Sauiour said of S. Iehu Baptist Math. 11. He is Elias meaning that he was Elias in spirite not in person So Iacob said truly that he was Esau not meaning in person but in right of the first borne by Gods ordinance Esau also hauing condescended therto by couenant and oath In that also he deceiued his father was no sinne For it was a lawful and good deceipt such a one saith S. Chrisostom as Hieremie speaketh of Lord thou hast deceiued me and I am deceiued so Isaac was deceiued not as we commonly cal deceipt but to his owne and others good by Gods disposition 23. Knevv him not S. Damasus demanding of S. Hierom what might be the reason why God would suffer his holie seruant Isaac not to know Iacob but to be deceiued and through ignorance to blesse whom he would not declareth that it happened not only to Iacob but also to manie other like holie men to be ignorant of manie things and to be deceived in error of opinion and that this error was profitable to Isaac and his house For if he had geuen this blessing which was a spiritual Iurisdiction to Esau as he purposed he had committed a noxious error in dede by preferring a bloudie man one that was readie if he could to haue killed his brother v. 41. omitting him that was sincere and very vertuous and had done his owne wil not Gods wil therin But why would not God reuel his wil to Isaac as he had commanded a farre greater thing to Abraham to sacrifice the same Isaac that he might wittingly haue blessed Iacob by Gods commandment The Fathers do probably alleage this for one reason that if Esau being a fierce and cruel man had perceiued that his father had willingly preferred Iacob he would haue bene incensed against his father conceiued and attempted euil against him An other reason S. Chrisostom and Theodoret do yeld that by this strange maner of imparting this blessing it might more manifestly appeare to be Gods wil and ordinance and not to procede from mans affection that Iacob should be preferred CHAP. XXVIII Iacob with his fathers blessing and admonition not to take a wife of Chanaan but of the daughters of his vncle Laban goeth into Mesopotamia 6. Esau in the meane time marieth a third wife his vncle Ismaels daughter 11. Iacob seeth in slepe a ladder reaching to heauen Angels ascending and descending and our Lord leyning theron renewed the promises made to Abraham and Isaac 16. And be away king maketh a vow ISAAC therfore called Iacob and blessed him and commanded him saying Take not a wife of the stocke of Chanaan †but goe and make a iourney into Mesopotamia of Syria to the house of Bathuel thy mothers father and take thee a wife thence of the daughters of Laban thin vncle †And God almightie blesse thee and make thee encrease and multiplie thee that thou maiest be into multitudes of peoples †And geue he thee the blessings of Abraham and to thy seed after thee that thou mayest possesse the land of thy perigrination which he promised to thy grandfather †And when Isaac had dismist him taking his iourney he came to Mesopotamia of Syria to Laban the sonne of Bathuel the Syrian brother to
Rebecca his mother †And Esau seing that his father had blessed Iacob and had sent him into Mesopotamia of Syria to marry a wife thence and that after the blessing he had commanded him saying Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Chanaan †and that Iacob obeying his parents was gone into Syria †hauing tryal also that his father did not willingly see the daughters of Canaan †he went to Ismael and tooke to wife besides them which he had before Maheleth the daughter of Ismael Abrahams sonne sister to Nabaioth †Therfore Iacob being departed from Bersabee went on to Haran †And when he was come to a certaine place and would rest in it after sunne set he “ tooke one of the stones that lay there and putting it vnder his head slept in the same place †And he saw in his sleepe “ a ladder standing vpon the earth and the top therof tooching heauen the angels also of God ascending and descending by it †and our Lord leyning vpon the ladder saying to him I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac the Land wherin thou sleepest I wil geue to thee and to thy seed †And thy seed shal be as the dust of the earth thou shalt be dilated to the West and to the East to the North and to the South and IN THEE and thy seed al the tribes of the earth SHAL BE BLESSED †And I wil be thy keeper whither so euer thou goest and wil bring thee backe into this land neither wil I leaue thee til I shal haue accomplished al things which I haue said †And when Iacob was awaked out of sleepe he said In dede our Lord is in this place and I wist not †And trembling he said How terrible is this place this is none other but the house of God and the gate of heauen †And Iacob arising in the morning tooke the stone which he had laid vnder his head and “ erected it for a title powring oyle vpon the toppe †And he called the name of the citie Bethel which before was called Luza †And he “ vowed a vowe saying If God shal be with me and shal keepe me in the way by the which I walke and shal geue me bread to eate and rayment to put on †and I shal be returned prosperously to my fathers house the Lord shal be my God †and this stone which I haue erected for a title shal be called the House of God and of al things that thou shalt geue to me I wil offer tithes to thee ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXVIII 11. Tooke of the stones Iacob traueling into a strange countrie went in such poore state the better to hide his departure from Esau who otherwise might haue killed him by the way It was also thus disposed by God that Iacobs faith and confidence might to his greatter merite be exercised and that Gods prouidence might more manifestly appeare as it did in his returne after twentie yeares when with most gratful mind he recounted Gods benefites saying Gen. 32 VVith my staffe I passed ouer this Iordan and now with two troupes I do returne 12. A ladder He that was in temporal distresse was maruelously comforted spiritually by seing a ladder that reached from the earth to heauen Angels passing vp and downe the same and the Sonne of God leaning vpon it as he that reigneth both in heauen and earth who in particular promised him and his sede that whole land that he and his sede should be blessed yea that in His Sede al nations should be blessed and that he would kepe and protect him where soeuer he went How al this was performed is briefly rehersed in the booke of wisdom chap. 10. 18. Erected it povvring oyle To erect a stone and powre oyle vpon it was nowise supersticious in Iacob Neither did he lerne it of Idolaters for he abhorred and detested al idolatrical obseruances But as S. Iustinus Martyr S. Clement of Alexandria Origen Eusebius and others testifie idololatrical superstition did rather imitate true religious ceremonies For the diuel alwayes affecting that honour which he seeth done to God perswaded those whom he seduced and blinded with errors to serue him in such maner of external rires as God was serued that therby he might either haue like worship with God as it happened among Painim Idolaters or els depriue God of this kind of honour as now we see Protestants reiect and pul downe consecrated Altares pretending them to be supersticious VVherin they shew most grosse ignorance if in dede they so iudge of ignorance and not of mere malice For who is so simple but he may see that the chiefe difference betwen Religion and Superstition in external things consisteth in the persons to whom they are done in the intētion of the doers by the same difference of persons ciuil honour is also distinguished from both religious and supersticious As he that kneeleth to God religiously honoreth God Kneeling to the sunne moone or other false Gods supersticiously honoreth the diuel kneeling to the King ciuilly honoreth the King Iacob without doubt did al to Gods onlie honour And that which he did in this place is now vsed in the Catholique Church For so Rabanus a diligent obseruer and writer of Ecclesiastical Rites Ceremonies and Customes touching the vse of holie oyle witnesseth li. 1. c. 45. Institut cleric that the Altar being first sprinkled with water is annointed with Chrisme to the example of the Patriarch Iacob who after that dreadful vision erected a stone for a title or monument powring oyle theron and calling that place The house of God S Cyprian also writing of Chrisme mentioneth the two sortes of holie oyle vsed in the Church one of simple oyle consecrated by a Bishop which is vsed for Catechumes before Baptisme persons possessed and the sick the other is made of oyle and balme also consecrated by a Bishop and this is vsed in Baptisme Confirmation and in consecrating Altares Kings and Priests 20. Vovved It can not be vnderstood that Iacob here vowed or promised only to serue God as the Soueraigne Lord of al creatures for to that he was bond whether he should prosper temporally or no but that he vowed particular godlie workes to which he was not otherwise obliged As here he expresseth two things Presupposing before al that the Lord Omnipotent shal be his God he addeth first And this stone vvhich I haue erected for a title shal be called the house of God wherby he promised the building of a Church performed at his returne chap. 35. Secondly he added And of al things vvhich thou shalt geue me I vvil offer tubes to thee And this Likwise was of free deuotion For tithes also in the law of nature were dew to Priests and by inferior Priests to the chiefe Priest as Abraham gaue tithes to Melchisedech And so al his tithes were dew
one people †And they al assented and circumcised al the man sex †And behold the third day when the griefe of the woundes is most paineful Iacobs two sonnes Simeon and Leui the brothers of Dina taking their swordes entred into the citie boldly and killing al the man sex †murdred withal Hemor and Sichem taking away Dina their sister out of Sichems house †When they were gone forth the other sonnes of Iacob ranne in vpon them that were slaine and spoiled the citie in reuenge of the rape †And wasting al things that were in their houses and fildes their sheepe and heardes and asses †their little ones also and their wiues they led away captiue †Which things when they had boldly atcheiued Iacob said to Simeon and Leui You haue trubled me and made me odious to the Chananites and Pherezites the inhabiters of this land we are few they being gethered together wil strike me and I and my house shal be destroyed †They answered What should they abuse our sister as a strumpet CHAP. XXXV Iacob purging his whole familie of idols goeth by Gods commandment into Bethel 7. There buildeth an Altar 8. Debora dieth 9. God appearing againe to Iacob blesseth him and changeth his name into Israel 16. Rachel bearing Beniamin dieth and is buried in Bethleem 22. Ruben lyeth with Bala 23. Israels twelue sonnes are recited 28. Isaac dieth at the age of 180. yeares and his sonnes Esau and Iacob burie him IN THE meane time God spake to Iacob Arise and goe vp to Bethel and dwel there and make an altar to God that appeared to thee when thou diddest flie from Esau thy brother †And Iacob hauing called together al his house said “ Cast away the strange goddes that are among you and be clensed and change your garments †Arise and let vs goe vp into Bethel that we may make there an altar vnto God who heard me in the day of my tribulation and accompained me in my iourney †They gaue to him therfore al the strange goddes that they had and the earelets which were in their eares but he buried them vnder the terebinth that is behind the citie of Sichem †And when they were departed the terror of God inuaded al the cities rounde about and they durst not pursew them going away †And Iacob came to Luza which is in the land of Chanaan surnamed Bethel he and al the people that was with him †And he builded there an altar and called the name of that place The house of God for there God appeared to him when he fled from his brother †The same time died Debora the nurse of Rebecca and was buried at the foote of Bethel vnder an oke and the name of that place was called The oke of weeping †And God appeared again to Iacob after he returned from Mesopotamia of Siria and he blessed him †saying Thou shalt not be called any more Iacob but Israel shal be thy name And he “ called him Israel †and said to him I am God almightie encrease thou and multiplie Of thee shal be nations and peoples of nations kinges shal come forth of thy loynes †And the land which I gaue to Abraham and Isaac I wil geue to thee and to thy seede after thee †And he departed from him †But he erected a title of stone in the place where God had spoken vnto him offering vpon it liquide offeringes and powring oile on it †and calling the name of that place Bethel †And being gone forth from thence he came in the spring time to the land which leadeth to Ephrata wherin when Rachel was in trauaile †because of difficultie in her trauaile she beganne to be in danger and the midwife said vnto her Feare not for thou shalt haue also this a sonne †And her soule departing for paine and death now at hand she called the name of her sonne Benoni that is the sonne of my paine but his father called him Beniamin that is the sonne of the right hand †Rachel therfore died and was buried in the hye way that leadeth to Ephrata this same is Bethleem †And Iacob erected a title ouer her sepulchre This is the litle of Rachels monument vntil this present day †Departing thence he pitched his tent beyond the Flocke tower †And when he dwelt in that countrie Ruben went and slept with Bala his fathers concubine which thing he was not ignorant of And the sonnes of Iacob were twelue †The sonnes of Lia Ruben the first begotten and Simeon and Leui and Iudas and Issachar and Zabulon †The sonnes of Rachel Ioseph and Beniamin †The sonnes of Bala Rachels handmaid Dan and Nepthali †The sonnes of Zelpha Lias handmaid Gad and Aser these are the sonnes of Iacob that were borne to him in Mesopotamia of Siria †He came also to Isaac his father in Mambre the citie of Arbee this is Hebron wherin Abraham and Isaac soiourned †And the dayes of Isaac were complete an hundred eyghtie yeares †And spent With age he died and was put to his people being old and ful of dayes and Esau and Iacob his sonnes buryed him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XXXV 2. Cast avvay the strange goddes Iacob preparing to performe his vow of building a house altar to God first extirpateth al Idolatrie from amongst his people and then by Sacrifice appeaseth Gods wrath prouoked how soeuer and specially by Simeon and Leui killing the Sichemites Duly considering that what people or person desireth Gods protection blessings must first be pure in Religion and clensed from sinnes Quia eâ— nulla noâ—ebit aduersitas si nulla eâ— dominetur iniquitas because no aduersitie shal hurt him if no iniquitie haue dominion ouer him orat fer 6. post cineres 10. Called him Israel As the Patriarch now performeth his vow to God so God fulfilleth his promise geuing him a new name For Iacob a supplanter signifying too smal force praise for such a champion God therfore honored him with the name of Israel That is One that seeth and contemplateth God as most ancient writers expound it Also A prince or valient vvith God as S. Hierom sheweth Tradit Heb. For Isra in Hebrew signifieth To dominier or rule ouer and El signifieth God And so this name geuen to him testifieth that he by Gods gift and grace was valient euen against an Angel representing God much more against men and other aduersaries Others interprete it The right one of God as witnesseth the same S. Hierom both here and in his commentaries in 44. Isaie Al do importe a great excellencie in this Patriarch And the successe of things confirmeth the same Particularly in that not onlie some one of his sonnes as in the issue of Abraham and Isaac the rest being excluded but his whole progenie of twelue sonnes making twelue Tribes were participant of the peculiar blessings in their ofspring possessing the promised
when they iustly feared reuenge for so gteat and inhumane iniuries done vnto him chap. 50. v. 20. 35. Into hel mourning Protestants denying more places for soules after this life then Heauen for the iust and Hel for the wicked translate the hebrew word Sheol graue for hel Because if they should grant that Iacob or other holie fathers of the old Testament descended into hel they must confesse some other hel then where the damned are tormented whither no Christian wil say that those fathers went If they contended only about the sense and meaning of the text it were more tolerable for therin they speake according to their erronious opinion as they thinke But knowing as some of them doe that Hel is the true word of the text there is no sinceritie nor moral honestie in putting Graue in place therof And that they know it the second table of the Bible printed at London 1602. witnesseth noting for a common place that in the 37. chap. of Genesis v. 35. Hel is taken for graue therby confessing that the true English word of the holie Scripture in that place is Hel but that they would haue it to signifie graue VVherupon anie reasonable man would thinke to finde the word Hel in the text with some glosse to shew that graue were to be vnderstood But in al their Editions also in that which was printed the yeare next folowing 1603 wherto the same table is adioyned they reade graue and not hel in that place though in some other places they much disagree in translating the same word As for the sense it can not be that Iacob ment the graue for when he said he would goe to his sonne he supposed him to be deuoured by a wild beast and not buried in a graue And therfore must necessarily meane that he would goe where he thought the soule of his sonne to be VVhich was neither in heauen for then he would rather haue ascended thither ioyful then descended to anie place mourning neither did he meane the hel of the dammed for that had bene desperation but to a lowe place where the iust soules then remained in rest which was called Limbus Patrum or Abrahams bosome That is saith S. Augustin in his answere to Bishop Euodius Epist 99. secretae cuiusdam quiet is habitatio The habitation of a certaine secret rest CHAP. XXXVIII Iudas hauing three sonnes by a Chananite 6. marieth the first and after his death the second to Thamar 10. who also dying he delayeth to match the third with her 15. But him selfe begetteth of her taking her for a harlote two sonnes twinnes Phares and Zara. THE same time Iudas going downe from his brethren turned in to a man an Odollamite named Hiras †And he sawe there the daughter of a man of Chanaan called Sue and taking her to wife he did companie with her †Who conceaued and bare a sonne and called his name Her †And conceauing a childe againe she called her sonne after he was borne Onan †She bare also the third whom she called Sela after whose birth she ceased to beare any more †And Iudas gaue a wife to Her his first begotten named Thamar †Also Her the first begotten of Iudas was wicked in the fight of our Lord and was slaine of him †Iudas therfore said to Onan his sonne companie with thy brothers wife and be ioyned to her that thou mayest “ rayse seede to thy brother †He knowing that the children should not be borne to himselfe companying with his brothers wife shed his seede vpon the ground left children might be borne in his brothers name †And therfore our Lord stroke him because he did a detestable thing †For the which cause Iudas said to Thamar his daughter in lawe Be a widowe in thy fathers house til Sela my sonne growe vp for he feared lest he also might dye as his brethren Who went her way and dwelt in her fathers house †And after many dayes were come and gone the daughter of Sue the wife of Iudas died who after his mourning hauing receiued consolation went vp to the shearers of his sheepe himselfe and Hiras his shepheard of his flocke the Odolamite into Thamnas †And it was told Thamar that her father in law came vp into Thamnas to sheare his sheepe †Who putting of the garments of her widowhood tooke a veile and changing her habite sate in the crosse way that leadeth to Thamnas because Sela was growne and she had not taken him to her husband †Whom when Iudas had seene he supposed her to be an harlot for she had couered her face lest she should be knowen †And going vnto her he said Suffer me to lye with thee for he knew her not to be his daughter in law Who answering What wilt thou geue me that thou maiest enioy my companie †He said I wil send thee a kid out of the flockes And when she said againe I wil suffer that thou wilt if thou geue me a pledge til thou send that which thou doest promise †Iudas said What wilt thou to be geuen thee for a pledge She answered Thy ring and bracelet and staffe which thou holdest in thy hand The woman therfore by once companying conceaued †and rising she went her way and putting of the apparel which me had taken put on the garments of her widowhood †And Iudas sent a kid by his shephard the Odolamite that he might receiue the pledge againe which he had geuen to the woman who when he had not found her †he asked the men of that place Where is the woman that sate in the crosse way Al making answere There was no harlot in this place †He returned to Iudas and said to him I haue not found her yea the men also of that place said vnto me that there neuer sate harlot there †Iudas said Let her take it to her surely she can not charge vs with a lye I sent the kid which I promised and thou didest not find her †And behold after three moneths they told Iudas saying Thamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot and her bellie semeth to swel And Iudas said Bring her forth that she may be burnt †Who when she was led to execution she sent to her father in law saying By that man whose these things are haue I conceaued looke whose the ring is and the bracelet and the staffe †Who acknowledging the giftes said She is iuster then I because I did not geue her to Sela my sonne But he knew her no more †And when she was readie to be brought to bed there appeared twinnes in her bellie and in the verie deliuerie of the infants one put forth the hand wherin the midwife tyed a skarlet string saying †This shal come forth the former †But he drawing backe his hand the other came forth and the woman said Why is the partition diuided
he sette Ephraim before Manasses †And he said to Ioseph his sonne Behold I dye and God wil be with you and wil bring you backe into the land of your fathers †I doe geue thee one portion aboue thy brethren which I tooke out of the hand of the Amorrhean with my sword and bowe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLVIII 14. Streatching forth his right hand As nature hath made the right hand readier to moue stronger to worke and resist and apter to frame and fashion anie thing so generally we vse it more then the left And when we vse both handes at once we ordinarily applie the right hand to the greater and more excellent effect both in spiritual and corporal things As in confirmation of fidelitie or freindship in blessing writing fieghting playing and in most others things we vse the right hand either only or chiefly So the Patriarch Iacob laide his right hand vpon Ephraim knowing by prophetical spirite that he should be preferred before his elder brother Manasses Literally fulfilled in Iosue Ieroboam and other chief Princes of Ephraims issue And mystically in the Gentils being later called of God and yet preferred before the Iewes S. Cypri li. 1. c. 21. aduer Iudeos S. Amb. li. de Benedict Patriarch c. 1. S. Aug. li. 16. c. 42. de ciuit c. 14. Changing handes The mysterie of the Gentils excelling the Iewes in time of grace often prefigured by preferring the younger brother before the elder Abel before Cain Abraham before Nachor Isaac before Ismael Iacob himself before Esau and now Ephraim before Manasses is here further represented by Iacobs forming of a crosse with his armes laied one ouer the other when he blessed his two nephewes who otherwise might haue laied his right hand first vpon one and then vpon the other or haue caused them to change places but he wittingly crossed his armes and changed his handes or according to the Hebrew made his handes vnderstand that is by his handes made it to be vnderstood not only that the younger should be in place of the elder Ephraim before Manasses and much more the Gentiles before the Iewes but also that this greater Mysterie should be effected by Christ dying on a Crosse For what els could the verie crossing of his armes so wittingly and purposly done signifie but the forme and figure of Christs Crosse As els where the wood which young Isaac caried on his back vnto the mountaine prefigured the mattet or substance of the same Crosse Al accomplished when Christ was crucified wherby the Iewes were scandalized and the Gentiles called and saued Our Sauiour himselfe for telling that he being exalted to wit vpon the Crosse vvould dravv al vnto himself And S. Paul teaching that Christ sastned the hand vvriting that vvas against vs vpon the Crosse 16. The Angel that deliuereth me It is euident by this plaine text that Iacob was deliuered from euiles by an Angel and that he inuocated the same Angel to blesse his nephewes S. Basil li. 3. cont Eunom in initio sheweth by this place amongst others that an Angel is present with euerie one as a pedagogue and pastour directing his life S. Chrysostom also ho. 7. in land S. Pauli citeth this place in testimonie that proper Angels are deputed to protect men Yet Protestants say that this Angel must be vnderstood of Christ remitting their glosse to the. 31. ca. v. 13. and 32. v. 1. of Genesis where it can not be proued But the ancient Fathers teach the patronage Iuuocation of Angels grounded in holie Scripture Namely in this place and manie other places in the old Testament Also Mat 18. Act. 12. 1. Cor. 11. the like For example S. Iustinus Martyr in explic qq necess q. 30. affirming it for a knowen truth declareth that those Angels which receiue the charge of guardiÌ„g men coÌ„tinew the same office either to both soule and bodie or to the soule after it is parted from the bodie S. Cyril of Alexandria lib. 4. cont Iulian. prope init shewing how God vseth the ministerie of holie Angels for mens saluation saith Hi noxias a nobis abigunt feras c. These Angels driue away noysome wildbeasts from vs and reskew those that are caught from their crueltie and teach what soeuer is laudable to make our passage free and not pestered when with vs they glorifie one soueraigne God S. Chrysostom ho. 60 in Math 18 S. Hierome vpon the same place S. Ambrose in Psal 38. S. Augustin li. 83. qq q. 79. li. Soliloq c 27. S Gregorie li. 4. c. 31. in 3 Iob S. Bernard ser 5. Dedicat. Eccles ser 12. in Psal 90. others so vniuersally teach the same that Caluin li. Instit c. 14. sect 38. dare not denie it and yet wil nedes doubt of it 16. Be my name called vpon them This place hath two good literal senses For first it importeth that Ephraim and Manasses were made participant among the Tribes of the blessings of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Secondly that God would blesse them for Abraham Isaac and Iacobs sake so Moyses praying for the whole people Exodi 32. besought God to remember Abraham Isaac and Israel and God was therwith pacified CHAP. XLIX Iacob replenished with the spirite of prophecie a litle before his death fortelleth his sonnes manie things that shal happen to their posteritie Chargeth some of them with faultes past blesseth euerie one 29. Appointeth where to burie him 32. and dyeth AND Iacob called his sonnes and said to them Come together that I may shew you the things that shal come to you in the last dayes †Come together and heare you sonnes of Iacob heare ye Israel your father †Ruben my first begotten thou art my strength and the begining of my sorow former in giftes greater in empyre †Thou art poured out as water encrease thou not “ because thou diddest ascend thy fathers bed and diddest defile his coutch †Simeon and Leui brethren “ vessels of iniquitie warring †Into their counsel come not my soule and in their congregation be not my glorie because in their furie they slew a man and in their wilfulnes they vndermined a wall †Cursed be their furie because it is stubborne and their indignation because it is hard I wil diuide them in Iacob and wil disperse them in Israel †Iudas thee thy brethren shal praise thy hand shal be in the neck of thyne enemies thy fathers children shal adore thee †A lions whelp Iudas to the pray my sonne thou didst ascend taking thy rest thou didst lye as a lion and as it were a lyonesse who shal raise him vp †“ The scepter shal not BE TAKEN away from Iudas and a duke out of his thigh til he doe come that is to be sent and the same shal be the expectation of the gentiles †Tying to the vineyard his colt and to the vine o my sonne his â—he asse “ He shal
wash his stole in wine and in the bloud of the grape his cloke †His eyes are more beautiful then wine and his teeth whiter then milke †Zabulon shal dwel in the shore of the sea and in the road of shippes reaching as farre as Sidon †Issachar a strong asse lying at rest betwen the borders †He saw rest that it was good and the earth that it was very good and he put vnder his shoulder to cary and became seruing vnder tributes †Dan shal iudge his owne people as also an other tribe in Israel †Be Dan “ a snake in the way a serpent in the path byting the hoosses of the horse that his ryder may fal backward †I wil expect THY SALVATION O Lord. †Gad the gyrded shal fight before him and himself shal be gyrded backward †Aser his bread is sat and he shal geue daynties to kinges †Nepthali a â—art let forth geuing speaches of beautie †Ioseph a child encreasing encreasing and comelie to behold the daughters coursed to and for vpon the wall †But the dart men did exasperate him brawled and enuied him †His bowe sate vpon the strong the bands of his armes and his handes were dissolued by the handes of the mightie of Iacob thence came forth a pastour the stone of Israel †The God of thy father shal be thy helper the Almightie shal blesse thee with the blessinges of heauen from aboue with the blessinges of the deapth that lieth beneath with the blessings of the pappes and of the wombe †The blessinges of thy father were strengthned with the blessings of his fathers vntil the desire of the eternal hilles came be they vpon the head of Ioseph vpon the crowne of the Nazarite among his brethren †Beniamin a rauening woolfe in the morning shal eate the pray and in the euening shal diuide the spoile †Al these in the tribes of Israel twelue these things spake their father to them and he blessed euerie one with their proper blessings †And he commanded them saying I am geathered vnto my people burie you me with my fathers in the duble caue which is in the field of Ephron the Hethite †against Mambre in the Land of Chanaan which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hethite for a possession to burie in †There they buried him Sara his wife there was Isaac buried with Rebecca his wife there also Lia doth lie buried †And when he had finished the precepts wherwith he instructed his sonnes he plucked vp his feet vpon the bed and died he was put vnto his people ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLIX 4. Because thou didest ascend thy fathers bed For this crime of incest Ruben was depriued of his first birth-right VVho being by order of birth former in guiltes wherby he should haue had duble portion and greater in Empire wherby he should haue bene Prince or Lord ouer his bretheren the former prerogatiue was geuen to Ioseph whose two sonnes were heades of two Tribes the other was geuen to the Tribe of Iuda in Dauid and his posteritie He was also depriued of his prerogatiue in Priesthood which was after annexed to the Tribe of Leui wherupon the Chaldee paraphrasis speaketh thus to Ruben It belonged to thee to haue receaued three better lettes then thy brethren Priesthood Best portion and the Kingdome But because thou hast sinned the duble portion is geuen to Ioseph the Kingdome to Iudas and Priesthood to Leui. 5. Veselles of iniquitie Albeit Simeon and Leui were moued with iust zeale to punish the soule crime committed by Sichem against their sister and whole familie yet in their maner of reuenging were manie sinnes worthely condemned by Iacob both immediatly after the fact and here at his death For before the slaughter they committed there greate sinnes in that they rashly did it vnknowne to their father therby putting him themselues in extreme danger if God had not maruelously protected them in falsly pretending agreement and league with the Sichamites which they ment not to performe and in sacrilegiously abusing the Sacrament of Circumcision making it a cloke to deceiue their ennemies In the fact also they committed other foure grosse crimes cruelly killing those that offered other abundant satisfaction murthering others that were altogether innocent sacking and destroying the citie and carying away wemen and children captiue Mystically S. Ambrose Ruffinus Isidorus and others vnderstand this prophecie of the Scribes and the Priestes descending of Simeon and Leui who were most eagre against our Sauiour as himself more plainely fortold saing The sonne of man balbe betrayed to the chiefe Priestes and to the Scribes and they shal condemne him to death Their furic was cursed aboue al surie Because as Iacob here saith it vvas stubborne or obstinate for they did not only condemne Christ to death in their wicked councel but also vrged and pressed Pilat endeuoringe to saue him sturred vp the people to crye Take him avvay Crucisie him Yea their indignation was so hard that they preferred Barabbas before Christ 10. The scepter shal not be taken avvay Here the Patriarch Iacob fortelleth the time when the promised Messias should come into the world by this signe that the scepter should not be taken from Iuda til the same Redeemer of mankind were at hand Not that the regal scepter should remaine in the Tribe of Iuda from Iacobs death â—il Christes comming for that Kingdome beganne first in Dauid aboue six hundred yeares after Iacobs death and after the captiuitie of Babylon the highe Priests of the Tribe of Leui did gouerne also the state not only the Church other six hundred yeares But the sense is that of the Tribe of Iuda should rise most gloriouse Kinges whose crowne and Kingdome should remaine with the Iewish Nation vntil their expected Messias should drawe nere and then be taken from them by the Gentiles VVhich was downe by Herod whose father was an Idumean his mother an Arabique Thus the Ancient fathers with one accorde vnderstood this prophecie S. Iustinus Martyr Ser. cum Triphone Eusebius Cesarien lib Hist Eccles. cap 6. S. Athanasius lib. de Incarnat S. Ambrose lib de Benedict Patriarch c. 4. S. Chrysostom Ilo 67. in Gen. S. Augustin lib. 18. c. 45. de ciuit Theodoretus q. vlt. in Gen. 11. He shal vvash hisstole in vvyne By wine and bloud of the grape what other thing is shewed saith S. Cyprian Epist ad Coecil 63 but the wine of the Chalice of our Lordes bloud Likwise Tertullian lib 4. contra Marcionem expoundeth the stole to signifie Christs flesh and the wine his bloud In al which booke his drift is to shewe that Christ did not destroy the olde Testament but fulfilled the figures and prophecie therof And not that Christ gaue his bodie in figure only as our aduersaries alleadge him 17. Be Dan a snake in the vvay This prophecie most
as to one Lord if I haue found grace in thy sight goe not past thy seruant and by and by as to manie VVash yee your feete In like maner Moyses sometimes speaketh plurally as of manie There appeared to him three men they saied VVhere is Sara sometimes singularly He said I wil come So Lot Gen. 19. spake to two Angels representing the Sonne of God and the Holie Ghost one God with the Father first as to manie I besech you my Lordes turne into the house of your seruant after as to one I besech thee my Lord because thy seruant hath found grace before thee VVho likewise answered as one only I haue heard thy prayer Againe Moyses sheweth distinction of Persons in God saying v. 24. Our Lord rained from our Lord. Ioâ— also who liued in this age and his frendes professed and serued the same one God auouching him to be the onlie God and Lord that geueth and taketh away Chap. 1. 2. He the maker and peculiar Keeper of men He that taketh away sinne and iniquitie c. 7. He that doth great things incomprehensible and meruelous wherof there is no number c. 9. And that with termes appropriated to the three diuine Persons c. 26. In his strength sodainly the seas are gathered togeather and with his wisedom he stroke the proud man His Spirite hath adorned the heauens The same Mysterie of pluralitie of Persons in one God is more clere by the Hebrevv text chap. 30. v. 11. and 35. v. 10. where the same actions are ascribed to God as to one and as to manie But most euident are the promises figures and prophecies of Christ our Redemer For besides present abundance of riches promise of great progenie and that the same should possesse the fruitful Lâ—ad of Chanaan three special blessings of the old Testament God promised Abraham a farre greater thing Gen. 12. that in his seede al nations and kindreds of the earth should be blessed In confirmation whereof God also changed his name Abram high or noble father into Abraham Father of manie nations Gen. 17. And so he was natural father of foure great Kingdomes Ismaelites Madianites Idumeans and Israelites but spiritual father of manie more to wit of al that beleue in Christ Iewes and Gentiles from that time to the worlds end The same promises of possessing Chaanan and of Christ vvere renevved and confirmed to Isaac Gen. 26. in like sorte to Iacob 28. for they pertained not to Ismael nor to the other sonnes of Abraham nor to Esau Moreouer Christ our Redemer and deliuerer from sinne and captiuitie of the diuel was prefigured by Abraham at last deliuering those from captiuitie who otherwise endeuoring to shake of the yoke of Cordorlahomor fel further into subiection and bondage Gen. 14. Also Melchisedech King and Priest of vnknowen generation extraordinarie vocation without predecessor or successor prefigured Christ King and Priest for euer who not by successors but by Priests his vicars perpetually exerciseth al Priestlie functions Likewise Isaac borne aboue the common course of nature Gen. 21 singularly beloued of his father carying wood on his back for the sacrificing of himselfe 22. Iacob flying his brother Esau 27. hardly treated by Laban 31. yet alwayes inuincible against his aduersaries 32. Ioseph hated of his brethren sold and deliuered to Gentiles 37. By them also persecuted 39. but afterwardes aduanced and called the Sauiour of the world 41. Iust Iob vehemently afflicted Moyses hidden for a while then exposed to danger and thence deliuered afterwards manifesting him selfe to his brethren by them reiected bewrayed and flying from Pharao Exo. 2. returning againe Exod. 3. 4. c. and at last deliuering the Israelites from bondage of Aegypt Exo 14 And manie other things as the ramme sacrificed in place of Isaac Gen. 22. the ladder of Iacob Gen 28. Iosephs scepter 47. Aarons rodde Exo. 7. Paschal lambe 12. prefigured Christ borne of a Virgin the onlie Sonne of God sometimes hidden other times conuersant with men hated persecuted sold betraied who caried his ovvne crosse was sacrificed vanquished al his enimies aduanced and acknowledged the true Sauiour of the world Redemer and deliuerer of mankind from seruitude slauerie thraldome and bondage of sinne death and the diuel Againe Abraham prophecied that of his seede Christ our Sauiour should be borne when he saied to his seruant Gen. 24. Put thy hand vnder my thigh that I may adiure thee by our Lord God of heauen earth that is by Christ who should come of his loynes as S. Hierom Tradit Heb. in Gen. et explic Psal 44. S. Ambrose li. 1. c. 9. de Abraham and S. Augustin q. 62. in Gen. et li. 16. c. 33. ciuit expound it More euidently Iacob Gen. 49. The scepter shal not be taken away from Iudas and a duke of his thigh til he do come that is to be sent and the same shal be the expectation of the Gentiles Iob as planely I know that my redemer liueth Moyses foreknowing that Christ the true Redemer and chiefe Lawgiuer should be sent praied God to hasten his mission saying I besech thee Lord send whom thou wilt send Exod. 4. External Sacrifice was frequent and solemne as the soueraigne homage to God And manie Altares erected by Abraham for that purpose Gen. 12. 13. 15. 22. Vnbloudie in bread and wine by Melchisdech Gen. 14. other liquide sacrifices Gen. 35. v. 14 offered by Iacob with dedication of the place called Bethel the house of God which he also before hand promised by vow Gen 28. Diuers other Sacrifices offered by Isaac and Iacob Gen 26. 31. 33. 36. By Iob and his frends Iob. 1. 42. by Moyses Aaron and other ancients of Israel Exod. 12. Al which consequently shew Priesthood whose proper office is to offer Sacrifice though amongst al the aboue named onlie Melchisedech was called a Priest And among the gentiles we finde that Putiphar Gen. 41. and Iethro Ex. 3. whose daughters Ioseph and Moyses maried were called Priests or as the word Cohenim doth also signifie Princes for they were great and eminent men in their countries At least those that by special priuilege were exempted from selling their landes to Pharao and had not withstanding prouision of mantenance in time of dearth Gen. 47. were properly called Priests for such function as they had in seruing their idols For where vvas true and right Sacrifice there vvere also right Priests and vvhere Idololatrical sacrifice there were like Priests and vvhere no external sacrifice at al as amongst Protestants there are no Priests but ministers only In this age also long before Moyses the Sacrament of Circumcision vvas giuen to Abraham for distinction of Gods selected and peculiar people and for remedy of original sinne in the male sexe of Abrahams seede and others of his communitie In the other sexe and other generations former remedies of sacrifice or other
profession of faith were auailable For other sinnes not only internal repentance was necessarie which vvas euer principally required therfore Ioseph dealt so seuerly vvith his brethren til they had hartis sorow and contrition for their sinnes but also certaine external purifications as vvashing and changing garments vvere ordained Gen. 35. Mariage though not then a Sacrament yet was religiously regarded with special care of faith and religion in the choise of persons Gen. 24. 27 v. 46. c. 28. v. 1. and of certaine degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie Adulterie was punishable by death Gen. 38. and in no wise counted lawful no not among the heathen Gen. 12. 20. 24. 26. 29. 34. 39. Pluralitie of vviues in some persons and cases lawful in the lavv of nature Gen. 16. 25. 29. as also afterwards in the lavv of Moyses not in the law of grace nor euer pluralitie of husbands Spiritual blessing a preeminence of greater persons so Melchisedech blessed Abraham Gen. 14. Isaac blessed Iacob c. 27. and Iacob his sonnes c. 49. and the sonnes of Ioseph with imposition of handes and framing the forme of a crosse 48. Other Ceremonies of oyle and wine Gen. 28. 35. sprinkling the bloud of the Paschal lambe eating the lambe standing with their loynes gyrded shooes on their feete staues in their handes and with speede Exo. 12 Musical instruments in Diuine seruice Exod. 15. Christes Baptisme prefigured by Circumcision Gen. 17. for Christians are circuÌ„cised saith S. Paul in the Circumcision of Christ buried with him in Baptisme Also by the cloude vvhich stoode betwene the Aegyptians and Israelites lightning the night on the one side tovvards Gods people dark on the other tovvards their enemies and by the redde sea vvhich saued the children of Israel and drovvned the Aegyptians Exo. 14. Al were baptised in the cloude and in the sea So the bread and vvine offered by Melchisedech the Paschal lambe and vnleauened bread prefigured the B. Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christs bodie and bloud in formes of bread and wine Iacob also prophecied of this most excellent Mysterie Gen. 49. He shal wash his stole in wine and his cloke in the bloud of the grape In like sorte Melchisedechs Priesthood was a plaine figure of Christs Priesthood who first by himself consecrated and offered his ovvne bodie and bloud and stil doth the same by his Priests handes of the new Testament Diuers other Rites were knovven and obserued by Tradition So Abraham paied Tythes to his spiritual Superior Gen. 1â— taught his children and familie to keepe the way of our Lord. and doe iudgement and iustice Gen. 18. v. 19. Isaac and Iacob kept and taught the Ordinances Preceptes and Ceremonies of their ancesters vvithout Lavves or precepts vvritten Gen. 26. Iudas commanded his second sonne to take the widovv of his brother deceased without children Gen. 38. The children of Israel abstained from eating the sinevv of the thigh in remembrance that the sinew of Iacobs thigh was shrunke Gen. 32. Freewil in men proued by that Iosephs brethren in selling him thought euil not moued nor inclined therto by God who had no part in their euil thought but turned it to good Gen. 50. by Gods threatning Pharao Exo. 8 If thou wilt not dismisse Israel VVhich were vniust if Pharao could not doe otherwise Likewise by that Pharao often changed his mind sometimes promising to dismisse the Hebrewes and againe refusing to doe it which sheweth saieth Theodoret freewil of the mind and by Gods preuention of rentations leading the Israelites not the neerest way but by the desert lest perhaps it would repent them and they would returne into Aegypt Exod. 13 Mans consent therfore is free notwithstanding Gods wil direction and commaundement And so his industry is required in his dailie affaires and then to relie on Gods prouidence otherwise only to expect Gods wil operation or protection man himself endeuoring nothing is to tempt God Therfore Abraham Gen. 12. Isaac c. 26. Iacob ca. 32. and the parents of Moyses Exo. 2 being in feare and distresse vsed al prudence to auoid imminent dangers albeit they had special reuelations of safetie and happie successe Neither doth God euer tempt anie man to sinne but proueth his seruants and maketh them knowen to the world for example of others and their owne merit Gen. 22. Iob. 1. 2. c. Onlie faith doth not iustifie nor workes without saith but both together do iustifie and are meritorious so Abraham beleued God because he is omnipotent and truth it selfe and it was reputed to him vnto iustice Gen. 15. but this faith was not sole for it had hope loue obedience and other vertues adioyned and so his beleuing was an act of iustice In like maner Abraham was iustified by workes offering Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Gen. 22. but this worke presupposed faith that God is able to raise euen from the dead So by workes faith is consummate By hospitalitie Abraham and Lâ—t vnawares receiued Angels to harbour Gen. 18. 19. Abraham was perfect according to perfection of this life Gen. 17. most highly commended for foure more notorious actes proceding of two special vertues faith and obedience The first was his promot obedience in leauing his countrie and kindred going he knew not whither nor how farâ—â— simply and cherfully expecting Gods further direction when to goe and where to abide Gen. 12. The second was his excellent faith presently beleeuing Gods promise which by al humane reason semed vnpossible that he should haue innumerable progenie Gen. 15. The third was that he did not only most sincerly and religiously serue God but also taught his posteritie so to do as God himself testifieth of him saying I know that he wil command his children and his house after him that they kepe the way of the Lord and do iudgement and iustice Gen. 18. The fourth was that most heroical act of obedience admirable to al ages being readie to kil and sacrifice his owne most dearly beloued sonne Isaac For which God sware by himself that he would manie waies blesse him because sateth God thou hast obeyed my voice Gen. 22. He prayed for Sodom and had preuailed if tenne iust persons had benne found in that citie Gen. 18. And Lot was deliuered from thence for Abrahams sake Gen. 19. Isaac was also of most sincere mind deuout to God exercised himself in meditation or mental prayer Gen. 24. obtained by prayer his desire of issue Gen. 25. Likewise Iacob is described in the holie text a plaine or sincere and innocent man Gen. 25. v. 27. patient and constant in tribulations Gen. 29. 31. 32. 33. He lawfully purchased Esaus consent of the firstbirthright Gen 25. v. 31. He neither lied nor otherwise sinned when he answered his father that he was Esau his first begotten sonne Gen. 27. but spake truth in mystical sense agreable to
him as alwaies vndefiled and a true seruant of God though his father Thare and his brother Nachor sometimes serued strange goddes Iosue 24. but were reclamed and the whole familie as S. Augustin proueth lib. 16. c. 13. de ciuit was persecuted by the Chaldees VVherupon Thare leauing Chaldea brought Abraham Lot and Sarai so farre as Haran in Mesopotamia Gen. 11. whither also Nachor repaired afterwards and there made his habitation as appeareth Gen. 24. But Abraham vvas sooner and more specially persecuted in Chaldea as Iosephus testifieth li. 1. Antiq. for his clere and publique profession of one God Creator of al things and that by his only goodnes and not by mens ovvne povver happines is attained Further Suidas vocab Abraham vvriteth that at the age of 14. yeares he admonished his father not for lucre sake to seduce men by vvorshipping images of false goddes auouching that there is no other but the celestical God maker of the whole world In vvhich sincere profession hovv he alvvaies perseuered is often testified and needles here to be repeted Also Sem Sale and Heber his proper ancesters the ninth seuenth and sixth in right line before him were al holie men and liued al Abrahams time much of Isaachs and part of Iacobs dayes Likevvise Melchisedech King and Priest a distinct person of an other lineage as vve suppose from Sem liued in the beginning of this age Al which being renowmed men had great troupes or rather countries which with them serued the only true God VVherof we haue example in that Abraham being but a stranger in Chanaan vpon a suddaine exploite Gen. 14. made readie of the seruants borne in his house three hundreth and eighteene wel appointed men of armes al of the same religion for shortly after they were al circumcised Gen. 17. yet was king Melchisedech of more power and authority then he And the other here mentioned except his elder brother Nachor and his nephevv Lot vvere his ovvne direct progenitors and by likelihood more potent Againe from Abraham the succession held on right to Aaron and Moyses and the vvhole people of Israel vvhich vvith them passed out of Aegypt through the redde sea But in the meane time diuers also of Abrahams kindred and seede brake of from this communitie and fel to idolatrie For albeit Lot his brothers sonne perseuered in the true seruice of God yet Lots sonnes Moab and Ammon at least the Moabites and Ammonites two nations that came of them Gen. 19. were infidels and idolaters Likewise though Nachor and Bathuel Nachors sonne continued henceforth in true faith and religion yet Laban the same Bathuels sonne had false goddes vvhich Rachel tooke away Gen 31 But true religion being not wholly extinguished in these families both Isaachs wife Rebecca and Iacobs wiues Lia and Rachel with their handmaides Bala and Zelpha either beleued rightly or were more easily brought to true beleefe and seruice of God Ismael Abrahams first sonne was in his youth euel disposed Gen. 21. and for endeuoring to corrupt Isaac vvhich S. Paul calleth persecution was together with his mother Agar cast out of Abrahams house yet prospered in the desert had twelue sonnes dukes sometimes visited his father and together with Isaac buried him Gen. 25. And at the age of 137. yeares died and was put to his people that is to others like himself good or euil Abraham also separated his other sonnes begotten of Cetura v. 6. from Isaac to whom only and not to any other the promised land of Chanaan and other more special blessings pertained Of these last sonnes came the people of Madianites who kept some resemblance with the people of God in religion and therin prefigured heretikes that descend from Catholique race but falling to schisme heresie doe not participate eternal enheritance with the spiritual children of God as S. Augustin teaceth q. 70. in Gen. In like sorte of the two sonnes of Isaac onlie Iacob had the spiritual blessing and enheritance therto belonging Gen. 27. Esau though prophane in maners selling his birthright Gen. 25. v. 32 which waâ— aspâ—ritual turisdiction wherin he was a figure of the reprobate yet it semeth he kept the true faith Gen. 35. v. vlt. But whether he did or no sure it is Iob who is probably thought to be of his race Gen. 36. was a most holie man and a rare example of vertue But the posterities of them both and al the progentes of Ismael and of Abrahams other sonnes by Cetura sooner or later â—â—l to infidelitie and idolatrie In other nations of the world stil new goddes and goddeses were multiplied vpon euerie occasion As S. Augustin li. 18. de ciuit recounteth diuers Al which notwithstanding the true Church and citie of God continued most visible and notorious yea with meruelous increase especially after they were more hated and afflicted in Aegypt Exo. 1. VVhither they were brought by the strange and special prouidence of God more strangely preserued and most miraculously deliuered from thence Much more the Church of Christ wherof this was a shadow and figure hath benne and shal be euer most visible from the first foundation therof to the worlds end For besides the promises and predictions in the new Testament al the Scriptures also of the old which fortel Christ do withal forshew his Church Totum quod annunciatur de Christo saieth S. Augustin de vnitate Eccles c. 2. caput corpus est Al that is spoken of Christ is of the head and the bodie The head is the onlie begotten Iesus Christ the Sonne of the liuing God he the Sauiour of the bodie His bodie the Church Againe c. 4. Totus Christus caput corpus est VVhole Christ is the head and the bodie The head the onlie begotten Sonne of God and the bodie his Church the bridgrome and bride tvvo in one flesh Yea for no other cause saieth he li. de catech rud c. 3. were al those things written before the coming of our Lord which we read in holie Scriptures but that his coming might be commended and the future Church prefigured that is the people of God through out al nations which is his bodie The same doth S. Paul teach vs not only saying Gal. 3. The law was our pedagogue or conductor to Christ but also 1. Cor. 12. that as the natural bodie is one and hath manie members and al the members of the bodie wheras they be manie yet are one bodie so also Christ And Coloss 1. that Christs bodie is the Church As therfore the great blessing of redemption and saluation was promised in Christ Gen. 12. c. so it was withal expressed that al nations and kindreds of the earth should be partakers therof yea so innumerable as the dust of the earth the starres of heauen and sandes of the sea VVhich S. Paule saieth Rom. 9. is not ment of Abrahams natural children but
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
seruantes the same in possession and make vs not passe ouer Iordan †To whom Moyses answered Why shal your brethren goe to sight and wil you sitte here †Why subuert you the mindes of the children of Israel that they may not be bold to passe into the place which our Lord wil geue them †Did not your fathers so when I sent from Cadesbarne to view the Land †And when they were come as farre as the Valley of cluster hauing viewed al the countrie they subuerted the hart of the children of Israel that they should not enter the coastes which our Lord gaue them †Who being wrath sware saying †If these men that came vp out of Aegypt from twentie yeares and vpward shal see the land which vnder othe I promised to Abraham Isaac and Iacob and they would not folow me †except Caleb the sonne of Iephone the Cenezeite and Iosue the sonne of Nun these haue fulfilled my wil. †And our Lord being wrath agaynst Israel led him about through the desert fourtie yeares vntil the whole generation was consumed that had done euil in his sight †And behold quoth he you are risen vp in steed of your fathers the ofspring and disciples of sinful men to augment the furie of our Lord agaynst Israel †But if you wil not folow him he wil leaue the people in the wildernesse and you shal be the cause of the death of al. †But they coming nere said We wil make shepcottes and stalles for our cattel for our litle ones also fensed cities †and we our selues armed and girded wil march on to battle before the children of Israel vntil we bring them in vnto their places Our litle ones and whatsoeuer we can haue shal be in walled cities because of the lying of wayte of the inhabitantes †We wil not returne into our houses vntil the children of Israel possesse their inheritance †neither wil we seeke any thing beyound Iordan because already we haue our possession on the east side therof †To whom Moyses said If you doe that you promisse march on wel appointed before our Lord to fight †and let euerie man of warre passe ouer Iordan vntil our Lord subuert his enemies †and al the Land be subdued to him then shal you be blamelesse before our Lord and before Israel and you shal obteyne the countries that you would in the sight of our Lord. †But if you doe not that which you say no man can doubt but you sinne against God and know ye that your sinne shal apprehend you †Build therfore cities for your litle ones and sheepecotes and stalles for your sheepe and cattel and accomplish that which you haue promised †And the children of Gad and Ruben said to Moyses We are thy seruantes we wil do that which our lord commandeth †We wil leaue our litle ones and our wiues and sheepe and cattel in the cities of Galaad †and we thy seruantes al wel appoynted wil march on to the warre as thou my lord speakest †Moyses therfore commanded Eleazar the priest and Iosue the sonne of Nun and the princes of the families by the tribes of Israel and he said to them †If the children of Gad and the children of Ruben passe with you ouer Iordan al armed to the warre before our Lord and the Land be subdued to you geue them Galaad in possession †But if they wil not passe armed with you into the Land of Chanaan let them take places to dwel in among you †And the children of Gad and the children of Ruben answered As our lord hath spoken to his seruantes so Wil we doe †our selues atmed wil march before our Lord into the Land of Chanaan and we confesse that we haue already receiued our possession beyond Iordan †Moyses therfore gaue to the children of Gad and Ruben and to the halfe tribe of Manasses the sonne of Ioseph the kingdome of Sehon king of the Amorrheite and the kingdome of Og king of Basan and their land and the cities therof round about †Therfore the sonnes of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer †and Etroth and Sophan and Iazar and Iegbaa †and Bethnemra and Betharan cities fensed aud sheepecotes for their sheepe †But the children of Ruben builded Hesebon and Eleale and Cariathaim †and Nabo and Baalmeon changing their names Sabama also geuing names to the cities which they had built †Moreouer the children of Machir the sonne of Manasses went into Galaad and wasted it killing the Amorrheite the inhabiter therof †Moyses therfore gaue the land of Galaad to Machir the sonne of Manasses who dwelt in it †And Iair the sonne of Manasses went and tooke the villages therof which he called Hauoth Iair that is tho say the Villages of Iair †Nobe also went and tooke Canath with the villages therof and he called it by his owne name Nobe CHAP. XXXIII The 42. mansions of The children of Israel betwen Aegype and the Land of promise are recited 50. they are commanded to kil al the inhabitents to purge the land of idolatrie and diuide it among them THESE are the mansions of the children of Israel that went out of Aegypt by their troupes in the hand of “ Moyses and Aaron †which Moyses described according to the places of the campe which by our Lords commandement they changed †They children of Israel therfore departing from Ramesses the first moneth the fiftenth day of the first moneth the morow after they made the Phase in a mightie hand al the Aegyptians seeing them †and burying their first borne which our Lord had strooken yea and on their goddes also he had exercised vengeance †they camped in Soccoth †And from Soccoth they came into Etham which is in the vttermost borders of the wildernesse †Departing thence they came ouer against Phihahiroth which looketh toward Beelsephon and camped before Magdal †And departing from Phihahiroth they passed through the middes of the sea into the wildernesse and walking three dayes through the deserr Etham they camped in Mara †And departing from Mara they came into Elim where there were the twelue fountaines of waters and the seuentie palme trees and there they camped †But departing thence also they pitched their tentes vpon the Redde sea And departing from the Redde sea †they camped in the defert Sin †From whence departing they came into Daphca †And departing from Daphca they camped in Alus †And departing from Alus they pitched their tentes in Raphidim where the people wanted water to drinke †And departing from Raphidim they camped in the desert of Sinai †But departing also from the desert Sinai they came to the Sepulchres of concupiscence †And departing from the Sepulchres of concupiscence they camped in Haseroth †And from Haseroth they came into Rethma †And departing from Rethma they camped in Remmonphares †Whence departing they came into Lebna â€
that thou shalt perish vtterly †As the Nations which our Lord destroyed at thyne entrie so shal you also perish if you be disobedient to the voice of the Lord your God CHAP. IX Lest they should impute the victories which they shal haue to them selues 6. they are put in mind of their often prouoking Gods wrath 12. by idolatrie 22. by murmuring by concupiscence by contempt and other sinnes 25 for which they should haue bene destroyed but God spared them for his prouâ—â—se made to Abraham Isaeac and Iacob HEARE Israel Thou shalt goe ouer Iordan this day to possesse verie greate nations and stronger then thy selfe huge cities and walled euen vnto heauen †a great people and tal the sonnes of the Enacims whom thou hast seene and heard against whom no man is able to resist †Thou shalt know therfore this day that the Lord thy God him selfe wil passe ouer before thee a deuouring and consuming fyre who shal destroy and abolish and bring them to nothing before thy face quickly as he hath spoken to thee †Say not in thy hart when the Lord thy God shal haue destroyed them in thy sight For my iustice hath our Lord brought me in to possesse this land wheras these nations were destroyed for their impieties †For not because of thy iustices and equitie of thy hart doest thou enter in to possesse their landes but because they haue done impiously at thy entring in they are destroyed and that our Lord might accomplish his word which by oath he promised to thy fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob †Know therfore that not for thy iustices hath the Lord thy God geuen thee this excellent land in possession wheras thou art a verie stiffe necked people †Remember and forget not how thou didst prouoke the Lord thy God to wrath in the wildernesse From the same day that thou camest out of Aegypt vnto this place thou hast alwayes contended against our Lord. †For in Horeb also thou didst prouoke him and being wrath he would haue destroyed thee †when I went vp into the mounte to receiue the tables of stone of the couenant which our Lord made with you and I continewed in the mounte fourtie daies and nightes not eating bread nor drinking water †And our Lord gaue me two tables of stone written with the singer of God and conteyning al the wordes that he spake to you in the mounte from the middes of the fyre when the assemblie of the people was gathered †And when fourtie dayes were passed and as manie nightes our Lord gaue me the two tables of stone the tables of couenant †and he said to me Arise and goe downe from hence quickly for thy people which thou didst bring out of Aegypt haue quickly forsaken the way that thou hast shewed them and haue made them a molten idol †And againe our Lord said to me I see that this people is stiffe necked †suffer me that I may destroy them and abolish their name from vnder heauen and may set thee ouer a Nation that is greater and stronger then this †And when I came downe from the burning mounte and held the two tables of couenant with both handes †and saw that you had sinned to the Lord your God and had made you a molten calfe and had quickly forsaken his way which he had shewed you †I cast the tables out of my handes and brake them in your sight †And I fel downe before our Lord as before fourtie dayes and nightes not eating bread not drinking water for al your sinnes which you committed against our Lord and prouoked him to wrath †for I feared his indignation and anger wherwith being moued agaynst you he would haue destroyed you And our Lord heard me this time also †Against Aaron also being exceeding angrie he would haue destroyed him and for him in like maner did I pray †And your sinne that you had committed that is the calfe I tooke and burnt it with fyre and breaking it into peeces and bringing it wholy into dust I threw it into the torrent that deâ—cendeth from the mount †In the burning also and in the tentation and in the Sepulchres of concupiscence you prouoked our Lord †and when he sent you from Cadesbarne saying Goe vp and possesse the Land that I haue geuen you and you contemned the commandement of your Lord God and did not beleue him neither would you heare his voice †but were alwaies rebellious from the day that I beganne to know you †And I lay before our Lord fourtie dayes and nightes in the which I humbly besought him that he would not destroy you as he had threatened †and praying I said Lord God destroy not thy people and thyne inheritance which thou hast redemed in thy greatnes whom thou didst bring out of Aegypt in a strong hand †Remember thy seruantes Abraham Isaac and Iacob regard not the stubbournes of this people and his impietie and sinne †lest perhappes the inhabitantes of the land out of which thou hast brought vs say The Lord could not bring them in vnto the Land that he promised them and he hated them therfore did he bring them forth that he might kil them in the wildernes †Which are thy people and thyne inheritance whom thou didst bring forth in thy great strength and in thy stretched out arme CHAP. X. Moyses receiuing the second tables of the tenne commandments and making an arke put them therin 6. with mention of certaine places where the children of Israel had camped of Aarons death and to the Leuites offices and possesstons 12. be inculcateth the feare and loue of God and the keping of his precepts 16. namely to circumcise the hart 19. to loue strangers 20. and not to serue nor sweare by false goddes AT that time our Lord said to me Hewe thee two tables of stone as the former were and come vp to me into the mounte and thou shalt make an arke of wood †and I wil write in the tables the wordes that were in them which before thou didst breake and thou shalt put them in the arke †I made therfore an arke of the wood Settim And when I had hewed two tables of stone like to the former I went vp into the mount hauing them in my handes †And he wrote in the tables according as he had written before the ten wordes which our Lord spake to you in the mount from the middes of the fyre when the people was gathered and he gaue them to me †And returning from the mount I came downe and put the tables into the arke that I had made which are there til this present as our Lord commanded me †And the children of Israel remoued their campe from Beroth of the children of Iacan into Mosera where Aaron died and was buried for whom Eleazar his soone did the function of priesthood †Thence they came into Gadgad from the which place departing
garder therof †And Eliseus sayd to him fetch a bow and arrowes And when he had brought him a bow and arrowes †he sayd to the king of Israel Put thy hand vpon the bow And when he had put his hand Eliseus put his handes ouer the kinges handes †and sayd Open the east window And when he had opened it Eliseus sayd Shote an arrow And he shot And Eliseus sayd The arrow of the saluation of our Lord and the arrow of saluation agaynst Syria and thou shalt strike Syria in Aphec til thou consume it †And he sayd Take vp the arrowes Who when he had taken them agayne he sayd to him Strike the earth with a iauelin And when he had striken three times and stood stil †the man of God was angrie with him sayd If thou hadst striken fiue or six or seuen times thou hadst striken Syria euen to destruction but now three times shalt thou strike it †Eliseus therfore died and they buried him And the rouers of Moab came into the land the same yeare †And certayne persons burying a man saw the rouers and threw the bodie in the sepulchre of Eliseus Which when it had touched the bones of Eliseus the man reuiued and stood vpon his feete †Hazael therfore the king of Syria afflicted Israel al the daies of Ioachaz †and our Lord had mercie on them and returned to them for his couenant which he had with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and he would not destroy them nor vtterly cast them away vntil this present time †And Hazael the king of Syria died and Benadad his sonne reigned for him †Moreouer Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz tooke the cities out of the hand of Benadad the sonne of Hazael which he had taken out of the hand of Ioachaz his father by the right of warre three times did Ioas strike him and he deliuered the cities to Israel CHAP. XIIII Amasias king of Iudakilleth those that had slaine his father 7. and striketh Edom. 8. Prouoking Ioas king of Israel to warre receiueth a contemtible answer 11. prouoking againe is beaten in battle and Ierusalem is ransact 15. Ioas dieth and his sonne Ieroboam foloweth the bad steppes of the first Ieroboam yet recouereth manie places lost before and dying his sonne Zacharias reigneth IN the second yeare of Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel reigned Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda †Fiue and twentie yeares old was he when he began to reigne and nine and twentie yeares he reigned in Ierusalem the name of his mother was Ioadan of Ierusalem †And he did right before our Lord but yet not as Dauid his father He did according to al thinges which Ioas his father did †but this onlie that he tooke not away the excelses for yet the people immolated and burnt incense in the excelses †And when he obtayned the kingdom he smote his seruantes which had slaine the king his father †but their children that killed him he did not put to death according to that which is written in the booke of the law of Moyses as our Lord commanded saying The fathers shal not die for the children neither shal the children die for the fathers but euerie one shal die in his owne sinne †He smote Edom in the Vail of Salt pittes ten thousand and tooke the rocke in battel and called the name therof Iectehel vntil this present daye †Then Amasias sent messengers to Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the sonne of Iehu the king of Israel saying Come let vs see one an other †And Ioas the king of Israel sent agayne to Amasias the king of Iuda saying A thistle of Libanus sent to a cedar tree which is in Libanus saying Geue thy daughter to my sonne to wife And the beastes of the forest that are in Libanus passed and trode the thistle †Thou striking hast preuayled ouer Edom and thy hart hath puffed thee vp be content with the glorie and sit in thy house Why prouokest thou euil that thou mayst fal and Iuda with thee †And Amasias agreed not And Ioas the king of Israel went vp and they saw eche other he and Amasias the king of Iuda in Bethsames a towne of Iuda †And Iuda was strooken before Israel and euerie man fled into their tabernacles †But Ioas the king of Israel did take Amasias the king of Iuda the sonne of Ioas the sonne of Ochozias in Bethsames and brought him into Ierusalem and he brake downe the wal of Ierusalem from the gate of Ephraim vnto the gate of the corner fowre hundred cubites †And he tooke al the gold and siluer and al the vessel that were found in the house of our Lord and in the kinges treasures and hostages and returned into Samaria †But the rest of the wordes of Ioas which he did and his strength wherwith he fought against Amasias the king of Iuda are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel †And Ioas slept with his fathers and was buried in Samaria with the kinges of Israel Ieroboam his sonne reigned for him †And Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda liued after that Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz the king of Israel was dead fifetene yeares †But the rest of the wordes of Amasias are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda †And there was a conspiracie made against him in Ierusalem but he fled into Lachis And they sent after him into Lachis and killed him there †And they caried him away vpon horses and he was buried in Ierusalem with his fathers in the Citie of Dauid †And al the people of Iuda tooke Azarias sixtene yeares old and made him king for his father Amasias †He built Aelath and restored it to Iuda after that the king slept with his fathers †In the fiftenth yeare of Amasias the sonne of Ioas the king of Iuda reigned Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas the king of Israel in Samaria one and fourtie yeares †and he did that which is euil before our Lord. He departed not from al the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat who made Israel to sinne †He restored the borders of Israel from the entrance of Emath vnto the Sea of the wildernesse according to the word of our Lord the God of Israel which he spake by his seruaÌ„t Ionas the sonne of Amathi the prophete who was of Geth which is in Opher †For our Lord saw the afliction of Israel exceding bitter and that they were consumed vnto the imprisoned meanest persons and that there was none to helpe Israel †Neither did our Lord determine that he would destroy the name of Israel from vnder heauen but he sâ—ued them in the hand of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas. †But the rest of the wordes of Ieroboam and al that
into him a spirit and he shal here a message and shal returne into his country and I wil ouerthrow him with the sword in his country †Rabsaces therfore returned and found the king of Assyrians expugning Lobna for he heard that he was departed from Lachis †And when he had heard of Tharaca the king of Aethiopia saying Behold he is come forth to fight agaynst thee and went agaynst him he sent messengers to Ezechias saying †Say this to Ezechias the king of Iuda Let not thy God seduce thee in whom thou hast confidence neither say thou Ierusalem shal not be deliuered into the handes of the king of the Assyrians †For thou thy self hast heard what the kinges of the Assyrians haue done to al the countries how they haue spoyled them canst thou therfore onlie be deliuered †Why haue the goddes of the Nations deliuered al those whom my fathers haue destroyed to witte Gozan Haran and Reseph and the children of Eden which were in Thelassar †Where is the king of Emath and the king of Arphad and the king of the citie of Sepharuaim of Ana and Aua †Therfore when Ezechias had receiued the letters of the hand of messengers had read them he went vp into the house of our Lord layd them open before our Lord †prayd in his sight saying Lord God of Israel which sittest vpon the cherubins thou art the only God of al the kinges of the earth thou madest heauen and earth †Incline thine eare and heare open Lord thine eies and see and heare al the wordes of Sennacherib who hath sent to vpbrayd vnto vs the liuing God †In verie deede Lord the kinges of the Assyrians haue destroyed Nations and the countries of al. †And they haue cast their goddes into fire for they were not goddes but the workes of mens handes of wood and stone and they destroyed them †Now therfore O Lord our God saue vs from his hand that al the kingdomes of the earth may know that thou art the Lord the onlie God †And Isaie the sonne of Amos sent to Ezechias saying Thus saith our Lord the God of Israel That which thou hast besought me concerning Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians I haue heard †This is the word that our Lord hath spoken of him The virgine daughter of Sion hath dispised thee and scorned thee Behinde thy backe hath the daughter of Ierusalem wagged her head †Whom hast thou vpbrayded and whom hast thou blasphemed against whom hast thou exalted thy voice and lifted vp thine eies in high against the holie one of Israel †By the hand of thy seruantes thou hast vpbrayded our Lord and hast sayd In the multitude of my chariotes haue I climed the height of mouutaynes in the toppe of Libanus and haue cut downe high cedars therof and the chosen â—irretrees of it And I haue entered into the borders therof the forrest of the carmel therof †haue I cut downe And I haue drunke strange waters and haue dried vp with the steppes of my feete al the waters in closed †Why hast thou not heard what I haue done from the begining From ancient daies I haue made that thing and now I haue brought it to effect and fensed cities shal be into ruine of litle hilles bickering together †And they that sitte in them weake of hand they haue trembled and are confounded they became as the grasse of the field and the greene herbe of the roofes of houses which withered before it came to ripenesse †Thy habitation and thy going out and thy coming in and thy waye I haue knowen before thy surie against me †Thou hast bene madde against me thy pride hath ascended into myn eares I therfore wil put a ring in thy nostrels and a bitte in thy lippes and wil bring thee back into the way by the which thou camest †And to thee Ezechias this shal be a signe Eate this yeare what thou shalt finde in the second yeare the things that growe of themselues moreouer in the third yeare sawe ye and reape plant ye vineyardes and eate the fruite of them †And whatsoeuer shal be leaft of the house of Iuda shal take roote downeward and beare fruit vpward †For out of Ierusalem there shal remmantes goe forth and that which is to be saued from the mounte of Sion the zeale of the Lord of hostes shal doe this †Wherfore thus sayth our Lord of the king of the Assyrians He shal not enter into this citie nor shoote arrowe into it neither shal shield occupie it nor munition compasse it †By the way that he came he shal returne and into this citie he shal nos enter sayth our Lord †And I wil protect this citie and wil saue it for my self and for Dauid my seruant †It came to passe therfore in that night an Angel of our Lord came and stroke in the campe of the Assyrians an hundred eightie fiue thousand And when he was risen early he sawe al the bodies of the dead †and Sennacherib the king of the Assyrians departing went away and taried in Niniue †And when he adored in the temple of Nesroch his god Adramelech and Sarasar his sonnes stroke him with the sword and they fled into the land of the Armenians and Asarhaddon his sonne reigned for him CHAP. XX. Ezechias being sick is told by Isaias that he shal die but praying to God obtayneth fiftenne yeares longer life 8. and in confirmation therof receiueth a signe in Achaz dial returning back tenne lines 12. To the Aâ—yrians bringing him presents he sheweth al his treasures 16. which Isaias reprouing prophecieth the captiuitie of Iuda 20. Ezechias dieth and his sonne Manasses reigneth IN those dayes Ezechias was sick euen to death and Isaie the sonne of Amos the prophete came and sayd to him Thus sayth our Lord God Take order with thy house for thou shalt die and shalt not liue †Who turned his face to the wal and prayed our Lord saying †I besech thee Lord remember I pray thee how I haue walked before thee in truth and in a perfect hart and haue done that which is liked before thee Ezechias therfore wept with great weeping †And before Isaie was gone out of the middes of the court the word of our Lord came to him saying †Returne and tel Ezechias the prince of my people Thus sayth our Lord the God of Dauid thy father I haue heard thy prayer and seene thy teares and behold I haue healed thee the third day thou shalt goe vp to the temple of the Lord. †And I wil adde to thy daies fiftene yeares yea out of the hand of the king of Assyrians I wil deliuer thee and this citie I wil protect this citie for my sake and for Dauid my seruant †And Isaie said Fetch me a bunch of figges Which when they had brought and had layd it vpon
Whom Nabuzardan the General of the armie taking brought them to the king of Babylon into Reblatha †And the king of Babylon stroke them and â—lew them in Reblatha in the land of Emath and Iuda was transported out of their land †And he made Godolias the sonne of Ahicam the sonne of Saphan Gouernour ouer the people that was leift in the land of Iuda which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had leift †Which when al the captaynes of the souldiars had heard they and the men that were with them to witte that the king of Babylon had appoynted Godolias there came to Godolias into Masp a 〈◊〉 the sonne of Mathanias and Iohanan the sonne of Câ—ée and the Saraia the sonne of Thanehumeth a Netophathiâ—e and Iezonias the sonne of Maachathi they and their felowes †And Godolias sware to them and to their companions saying Be not afrayd to serue the Caldees tarie in the countrie and serue the king of Babylon and it shal be wel with you †But it came to passe in the seuenth moneth there came Ismahel the sonne of Nathanias the sonne of Elisama of the kinges seede and ten men with him and stroke Godolias who also died yea the Iewes also the Chaldees that were with him in Maspha †And al the people rysing vp from litle to great the captaynes of the souldiars came into Aegypt fearing the Caldees †But it came to passe in the seuen and thirteth yeare of the Transmigration of Ioachin the king of Iuda in the twelfth moneth the seuen and twenteth day of the moneth Euilmerodach the king of Babylon in the yeare that he began to reigne lifted vp the head of Ioachin the king of Iuda out of prison †And he spake vnto him courteously and he sette his throne aboue the throne of the kinges that were with him in Babylon †And he changed his garmentes which he had in the prison and he did eate bread alwayes in his sight al the dayes of his life †A certayne prouision also he appointed for him without intermission which was also geuen him of the king day by day al the daies of his life THE ARGVMENT OF PARALIPOMENON PARALIPOMENON that is A supplement of thinges ommitted called by the Hebrewes Dibre haiamim The wordes of the dayes or Chronicle is an Abridgement briefly shewing besides diuers other genealogies from the beginning of the world the faith and religion both of the progenitors and ofspiring of the Patriarch Iacob whose progenie God chose and made his peculiar people and in that nation more particularly recounting the Actes of king Dauid and other kinges of his line til they were led captiue into Babylon A booke of such and so great importance sayeth S. Hierom. as whosoeuer without it arrogateth the knowledge of Scriptures may mocke himselfe The author is vncertaine but probably it semeth to be gathered by Esdras out of other bookes and traditions for the perfecting of the old Testament and is vndoubtedly canonical Scripture In hebrew it is al one booke but being large is with the Greekes and Latines parted into two And the first booke may be diuided into three principal partes The first nine chapters conteyne diuers genealogies first by the only right line from Adam to Noe then by diuers lines of Noes progenie but most specially of Iacobs twelue sonnes In the tenth chapter the reiection and death of king Saul is repeted The other ninetene chapters are al of Dauid to wit of his election to be king and inunction his vertues his faultes also and his special actes concerning Gods seruice gouernment of the people and prouision made for building Gods Temple THE FIRST BOOKE OF PARALIPOMENON IN HEBREW DIBRE HAIAMIM CHAP. I. The genealogie of Adam in the right line to Noe and his three sonnes Sem Cham and Iaphet 5. The generations of Iaphet 8. of Cham 17. and of Sem. 24. The right line of Sem to Abraham 26. Abrahams generations by the line of Ismael 32. by the sonnes of Cetura 34. and by the line of Isaac and his sonne Esau 43. with their kinges 51. and dukes ADAM Seth Enos †Cainan Malaleel lared †Henoch Mathusale Lamech †Noe Sem Cham and Iapheth †The sonnes of Iapheth Gomer and Magog Madai and Iauan Thubal Mosoch Thrias †Moreouer the sonnes of Gomer Ascenez and Riphath and Thogorma †And the sonnes of Iauan Elisa and Tharsis Cethim and Dodanim †The sonnes of Cham Chus and Mesraim and Phut Chanaan †And the sonnes of Chus Saba and Heuila Sabatha Regma and Sabathaca Moreouer the sonnes of Regma Saba and Dadan †And Chus begat Nemrod this begane to be mightie in the earth †But Mesraim begat Ludim and Anamim and Laabim Nephtuim †Phetrusim also and Casluim from whom came Philisthijm Caphthorim †But Chanaan begat Sidon his first-borne the Hetheite also †and the Iebuseite and the Amorrheite the Gergeseite †the Heueite and the Araceite and the Sineite †The Aradium also and the Samareite and the Hamatheite †The sonnes of Sem Aelam and Assur and Arphaxad Lud and Aram and Hus and Hul and Gether and Mosoch †And Arphaxad begat Sale who also begat Heber †Moreouer to Heber were borne two sonnes the name of one was Phaleg because in his daies the earth was diuided and the name of his brother Iectan †And Iectan begat Elmodad and Saleph Asarmoth and Iare †Adoram also and Vsal and Decla †Hebal also and Abimael and Saba moreouer †also Ophir and Heuila and Iobab Al these are the sonnes of Iactan †Sem Arphaxad Sale †Heber Phaleg Ragau †Serug Nachor Thare †Abram this is Abraham †And the sonnes of Abraham Isaac Ismael †And these are the generations of them The firstbegoten of Ismael Nabaioth and Cedar and Adbeel and Mabsam †and Masma and Duma Massa Hadad and Thema †Ietur Naphis Cedma. these are the sonnes of Ismahel †And the sonnes of Cetura Abrahams concubine which she bare Zamran Iecsan Madan Madian Iesboc and Sue Moreouer the sonnes of Iecsan Saba and Dadan And the sonnes of Dadan Assurim and Latussim and Laomim †And the sonnes of Madian Epha and Epher and Henoch and Abida and Eldaa Al these the sonnes of Cetura †And Abraham begat Isaac whose sonnes were Esau Israel †The sonnes of Esau Eliphaz Rahuel Iehus Ihelom and Core †The sonnes of Eliphaz Theman Omar Sephi Gathan Cenez Thamna Amalec †The sonnes of Rahuel Nahath Zara Samma Meza †The sonnes of Seir Lotan Sobal Sebeon Ana Dison Eser Disan †The sonnes of Lotan Hori Homam And the sister of Lotan was Thamna †The sonnes of Sobal Alian and Manahath and Ebal Sephi Onam The sonnes of Sebeon Ais Ana. The sonnes of Ana Dison †The sonnes of Dison Hamram and Eseban and Iethran and Charan †The sonnes of Eser Balaan
ouer the loaues of proposition to prepare alwaies new euerie Sabbath †These are the chief of the singing men by the families of the Leuites which abode in the chambers that they might day and night continually serue in their ministerie †The heades of the Leuites princes in their families taried in Ierusalem †And in Gabaon abode Iehiel the father of Gabaon and the name of his wise Maacha †His first begotten sonne Abdon and Sur and Cis and Baal and Ner and Nadab †Gedor also and Ahio and Zacharias and Macelloth †Moreouer Macelloth begat Samaan these dwelt ouer agaynst their brethren in Ierusalem with their brethren †And Ner bagat Cis and Cis begat Saul end Saul begat Ionathas and Melchisua and Abinadab and Esbaal. †And the sonne of Ionathas Meribbaal and Meribbaal begat Micha †Moreouer the sonnes of Micha Phithon and Molech and Tharaa and Ahaz †And Ahaz begat Iara and Iara begat Alamath and Azmoth and Zamri And Zamri begat Mosa †And Mosa begat Banaa whose sonne Raphaia bepat Elasa of whom was borne Asel †Moreouer Asel had six sonnes of these names Ezricam Bochru Ismael Saria â—bdiâ— Hanan these are the sonnes of Asel CHAP. X. King Saul with his three sonnes are slaine by the Philistians 8. who spoiâ—e the armie and carie 〈◊〉 ay Souls head 11. The men of Iabes Galaad â—â—rie his bodie and his sonnes fasting for them seuen daies And the kingdom is translated to Dauid AMD the Philistijms fought agaynst Israel and the men of Israel fled from the Palesthines and they fel wounded in mount Gelboe †And when the Philisthians were come nere pursewing Saul and his sonnes they stroke Ionathas and Abinadab and Melchisua the sonnes of Saul †And the battel grewc sore agaynst Saul and the archers found him and wounded him with arrowes †And Saul sayd to his esquyer Draw thy swoord and kil me lest perhaps these vncircumcised come and deride me But his harnes bearer would not being frighted with feare Saul therfore caught his sword and fel vpon it †Which when his harnes bearer had seene to witte that Saul was dead him self also fel vpon his sword and died †Saul therfore died and his three sonnes and al his house fel together †Which when the men of Israel had sene that dwelt in the châ—inpayne they fled and Saul and his sonnes being dead they forsooke their cities and were dispersed hither and thither and the Philisthijms came and dwelt in them †The next day therfore the Philisthijms taking away the spoiles of them that were stayne found Saul and his sonnes lying on mount Gelboe †And when they had spoyled him and cut of his head and stripped him of his armour they sent into their land that it should be caried about and should be shewed in the temples of the Idols and to the people †and his armour they dedicated in the temple of their god and the head they nailed vp in the temple of Dagon †When the men of Iabes Galaad had heard this to witte al thinges that the Philistijms had done vpon Saul †euerie one of the valiant men arose and tooke the bodies of Saul and of his sonnes and brought them into Iabes and buried their bones vnder an oke that was in Iabes and they fasted seuen daies †Saul therfore died for his iniquities for that he transgressed the commandement of our Lord which he had commanded and kept it not yea and besides also consulted the Pythonesse †and trusted not in our Lord for the which he slewe him and transferred his kingdome to Dauid the sonne of Isai CHAP. XI Dauid is elected and annointed king 5. He ouerthroweth the Iebusites taking the towre of Sion in Ierusalem and prospereth 10. His valiant men and their heroical actes are recited 17. He desiring water from the cisterne of Bethleem wil not drink it but offereth it in sacrifice because it is brought with danger of his valiant mens liues 20. Other valiant men of the second order are likewise recited AL Israel therfore was gathered together to Dauid in Hebron saying We are thy bone and thy flesh †Yesterday also and the day before when Saul as yet reigned thou wast he that didst leade out and leade in Israel for to thee our Lord thy God sayd Thou shalt feede my people Israel and thou shalt be prince ouer it †Al the ancientes therfore of Israel came to the king into Hebron and Dauid entred into a league with them before our Lord and they annoynted him king ouer Israel according to the word of our Lord which he spake in the hand of Samuel †Dauid also went and al Israel into Ierusalem this is Iebus where the Iebuseites were the inhabiters of the land †And they that dwelt in Iebus sayd to Dauid Thou shalt not come in here Moreouer Dauid tooke the towre of Sion which is the Citie of Dauid †and he sayd Euerie one that shal among the first strike the Iebuseite shal be the prince and chiefe captayne Ioab therfore the sonne of Saruia went vp first and was made the prince †And Dauid dwelt in the towre and therfore it was called the Citie of Dauid †And he built the citie round about from Mello vnto a round compasse and Ioab built the rest of the citie †And dauid ptospered going and increasing and the Lord of hostes was with him †These are the princes of the valiant men of Dauid which holpe him to be made king ouer al Israel according to the word of our Lord which he spake to Israel †And this is the number of dauids strong ones Iesbaam the sonne of Hachamoni prince among thirtie this man lifted vp his speare vpon three hundred wounded at one time †And after him Eleazar his vncles sonne an Ahohite who was among the three mighties †This was with Dauid in Phesdomim when the Philisthijms were gathered to that place into battel and the field of that countrie was ful of barley and the people was fled from the face of the Philisthimes †These stood in the middes of the fielde and defended him and when they had striken the Philistheans our Lord gaue great health to his people †And there went downe three of the thirtie princes to a rocke wherin Dauid was to the caue of Odollam when the Philisthijms had camped in the Vale raphaim †Moreouer dauid was in a hold and the ward of the Phelisthimes in Bethlehem †Dauid therfore desired and sayd O that some man would giue me water of the cesterne of Bethlehem which is in the gate †These three therfore went forward through the middes of the campe of the Philisthimes and drewe water of the cesterne of Bethlehem which was in the gate and brought it to Dauid to drinke who would not but tather offered it to our Lord †saying God forbid that in the sight of my God I should doe this and should
his hand to day and offer what he wil to our Lord. †The princes therfore of the families promised and the nobles of the tribes of Israel the tribunes also and the centurions and the princes of the kinges possessions †And they gaue vnto the workes of the house of our Lord of gold fiue thousand talentes and ten thousand solidos of siluer ten thousand talentes and of brasse eightene thousand talentes of yron also an hundred thousand talentes †And with whomsoeuer were found stones they gaue them into the treasures of the house of our Lord by the hand of Iahiel the Gersonite †And the people reioysed when they promised vowes of their owne accord because they did offer them to our Lord with al their hart yea and Dauid the king reioysed with great ioy †And he blessed our Lord before al the multitude and he sayd Blessed art thou ô Lord the God of Israel our father from eternitie vnto eternitie †Thine ô Lord is the magnificence and might and glorie and victorie to thee is the prayse for al thinges that be in heauen and in the earth are thine thine ô Lord is the kingdom and thou art ouer al princes †Thine are riches and thine is glorie thou hast dominion ouer al in thy hand is power might in thy hand greatenesse and the empire of al thinges †Now therfore our God we confesse to thee and we prayse thy glorious name †Who am I and what is my people that we can promisse thee al these thinges al are thine and thinges that we receiued of thy hand we haue geuen thee †For we are pilgrimes before thee and strangers as al our fathers Our daies are as a shadow vpon the earth and there is noe abyding †Lord our God al this plentie which we haue prepared that a house might be built to thy holie name is of thy hand and al thinges are thine †I know my God that thou prouest the hartes and louest simplicitie wherfore I also in the simplicitie of my hart gladly haue offered al these thinges and thy people which is here found I haue sene with great ioy offer thee donaries †Lord God of Abraham and Isaac and Israel our fathers keepe for euer this wil of their hart and let this mind reinayne al waies to the honour of thee †To Salomon also my sonne geue a perfect hart that he keepe thy commandementes thy testimonies and thy ceremonies and doe al thinges and build the house the expenses whereof I haue prepared †And Dauid commanded the whole assemblie Blesse ye our Lord God And al the assemblie blessed our Lord the God of their fathers and they bowed themselues and adored God and then the king †And they immolated victime to our Lord and they offered holocaustes the day folowing oxen a thousand rammes a thousand lambes a thousand with their libamentes with al rite most abundantly for al Israel †And they did eate and drinke before our Lord in that day with great ioy And they anoynted the second time Salomon the sonne of Dauid And they anoynted him to our Lord for the prince and Sadoc for the high priest †And Salomon sate vpon the throne of our Lord as king for Dauid his father and he pleased al al Israel obeyed him †Yea and al the princes and men of might and al the sonnes of king Dauid gaue their hand and were subiect to Salomon the king †Our Lord therfore magnified Salomon ouer al Israel and gaue him the glorie of akingdom such as no king of Israel had before him †Dauid therfore the sonne of Isai reigned ouer al Israel †And the daies that he reigned ouer Israel were fourtie yeares in Hebron he reigned seuen yeares and in Ierusalem three and thirtie yeares †And he died in a good age ful of daies and riches and glorie And Salomon his sonne reigned for him †But the actes of king Dauid the first and the last are writen in the Booke of Samuel the Seer in the Booke of Nathan the prophete in the Volume of Gad the Seer †and of al his kingdom and strength and of the times that passed vnder him either in Israel or in al the kingdomes of the earth THE ARGVMENT OF THE SECOND BOOKE OF PARALIPOMENON AS the former booke sheweth how after manie generations from the beginning of the world God selecting one special nation for his peculiar people and the same being afterwardes made a kingdome the Scepter therof both by Gods and the peoples election came to Dauid and his sonne Salomon See this booke declareth that first Salomon reigned peaccably ouer the whole kingdom in the nine first chapters Then in the other twentie seuen chapters relateth how the same kingdom was diuided tenne tribes being taken away the historie wherof is but here briefly touched and two only with the title of the kingdom of Iuda were possessed by succession of ninetenne kinges al of Dauids and Salomons issue in royal estate til the captiuitie in Babylon THE SECOND BOOKE OF PARALIPOMENON IN HEBREW DIBRE HAIAMIM CHAP. I. Salomon establiâ—hed in the throne offereth a thousand hostes of sacrifice 7. asking wisdome 12. it is geuen him with richesse and temporal glorie which he asked not 14. He prouideth manie chariottes and horsemen SALOMON therfore the sonne of Dauid was strengthened in his kingdom and our Lord was with him and magnified him on high †And Salomon commanded al Israel the tribunes and the centurious and the dukes and iudges of al Israel and the princes of the families †and he went with al the multitude into the Excelse of Gabaon where was the tabernacle of the couenant of our Lord which Moyses the seruant of God made in the wildernesse †For Dauid had brought the Arke of God from Cariathiarim into the place which he had prepared for it and where he had pitcht a tabernacle for it that is in Ierusalem †The altar also of brasse which Beseleel the sonne of Vri the sonne of Hur had made was there before the tabernacle of our Lord which also Salomon sought and al the assemblie †And Salomon went vp to the altar of brasse before the tabernacle of the couenant of our Lord and offered on it a thousand hostes †And behold in that verie night God appeared to him saying Aske what thou wilt that I may geue it thee †And Salomon sayd to God Thou hast done great mercie with my father Dauid and hast made me king for him †Now therfore Lord God be thy word fulfilled which thou hast promised to Dauid my father for thou hast made me king ouer thy people great in number which is so innumerable as the dust of the earth †Geue me wisdom and intelligence that I may come in goe out before thy people for who can worthely iudge this thy people which is so great †And
our Lord and put them in his temple †But the rest of the wordes of Ioakim and of his abominations which he wrought and the thinges that were found in him are contayned in the Booke of the kinges of Iuda and Israel And Ioachin his sonne reigned for him †Eight yeares old was Ioachin when he began to reigne and he reigned three monethes and ten dayes in Ierusalem and he did euil in the sight of our Lord. †And when the compasse of a yeare was come about Nabuchodonosor the king sent some that brought him in to Babylon the most precious vessels of the house of our Lord being caried away withal But he made Sedecias his vncle king ouer Iuda and Ierusalem †One twentie yeares old was Sedecias when he began to reigne he reigned eleuen yeares in Ierusalem †And he did euil in the eies of our Lord his God neither did he reuerence the face of Ieremie the prophet speaking to him from the mouth of our Lord †He reuolted also from king Nabuchodonosor who had adiured him by God he hardened his necke his hart that he would not returne to our Lord the God of Israel †Yea al the chiefe of the Priestes and the people transgresled vnlawfully according to al the abominations of the Gentiles and they polluted the house of our Lord which he had sanctified to him in Ierusalem †And our Lord the God of their fathers sent to them by the hand of his messengers rysing by night and daily admonishing them for that he spared his people and his habitation †But they mocked the messengers of God and litle estemed his wordes and scorned the prophetes vntil the furie of our Lord ascended vpon his people and there was no amendment †For he brought vpon them the king of the Chaldees and slewe their yong men with the sword in the house of his sanctuarie he pitied not yong man and virgin and old man no neither him that stouped for age but he deliuered al into his handes †And al the vessels of the house of our Lord as wel greater as lesser and the treasures of the temple and of the king and the princes he transported into Babylon †The enemies set fyre on the house of God and destroyed the wal of Ierusalem al the towres they burnt and what soeuer was pretious they destroyed †If anie man escaped the sword being led into Babylon he serued the king and his sonnes til the king of the Persians reigned †That the word of our Lord by the mouth of Ieremie might be accomplished and the land might celebrate their Sabbathes for al the daies of the desolation she kept a Sabbath til the seuentie yeares were expyred †But in the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persians to fulfil the word of our Lord which he had spoken by the mouth of Ieremie our Lord raysed vp the spirit of Cyrus king of the Persians who commanded to be proclaymed in al his kingdom yea by writing saying †Thus sayth Cyrus king of the Persians Al kingdomes of the earth hath the Lord the God of heauen geuen me and he hath commanded me that I should build him a house in Ierusalem which is in Iewrie who of you is there in al his people The Lord his God be with him and let him goe vp THE CONTINVANCE OF THE CHVRCH AND RELIGION IN THE FIFTH AGE From the fundation of the Temple to the captiuitie in Babylon The space of 430. yeares ALBEIT there were greater Schismes Heresies and more reuoltes from Gods law and seruice in this fifth age then in the former Yet the true Church and Religion continued stil and were no lesse conspicuous then before VVhich being clere and euident touching manie principal Articles we wil here only remitte the reader to some special places for confirmation therof neither wil we be prolixe in declaring other pointes denied or called into controuersie at this time by the impugners of Catholique Religion Beleefe in one God appeareth plainly in building adorning dedicating the Temple with so great solemnitie of the Priestes Leuites and al the Tribes and particularly by king Salomons prayer 3. Reg. 7. 8. 2. Paral. 2. c. Also Prouerb 8. Eccle. 12. Isaie 41. 44. 45. The Mysterie of the B. Trinitie Prouer. 12. Isaiae 6. 48. 49. Ose 11. Ioel. 2. Of Christ our Redemer Isaie 7. 8. 9. 11. 28. 53. Ierem. 23. 30. 33. Ezech. 17. 34. 37. Dan. 7. 9. Osee 6. 11. 14. Ioel. 2. Sophon 2. Aggoei 2. Zachar. 2. c. Sacrifices Sacramentes other Rites the same as before But more frequent Prophecies that they should be changed into better and perfecter by Christ Prou. 9. Isai 12. 52. 55. 61. In the meane time for more signification of the singular vertue of Christs Sacramentes the effect of penitential workes is often recorded For example wicked Achab by hairecloth fasting and other humiliation escaped part of his deserued punishment 3. Reg. 21. Manasses recouered Gods fauoure and his temporal kingdom 2. Par. 33. VVho yet was punished in his posteritie 4. Reg. 23. And the Niniuites by such penance auoided destruction Ione 3. Yea nothing is more frequent in the Prophetes then preaching of penance Isa 1. 2. 3. 30. Iere. 3. 18. c. and others al ascribing the cause of plagues and afflictions to the want of repentance And false Prophetes condemned of errour and false doctrine for promising the people peace and securitie in their sinnes Ierem. 14. Lamen 2. Besides abstinence from diuers sortes of meates counted vncleane Isaiae 66. and ordinarie fastes according to the law other fastes were appointed sometimes vpon occasions requiring not only to subdue and mortifie the flesh but also to obtaine mercie at Gods handes in special distresses 2. Par. 20. Ioel. 1. 2. Ione 3. Elias fasting fourtie dayes 3. Reg. 19. prefigured Christs fast VVhich the Church imitateth in Lent of fourtie daies according to humane habilitie for the fastes of Christ Elias and Moyses were miraculous To the Feastes instituted before was added the Dedication of the Temple 3. Reg. 7. 2 Par. 3. Which was built in Mount Moria 2. Par. 3. the special place designed long before for this purpose when Abraham was directed thither by God was there readie to sacrifice his sonne Isaac Gen. 22. where Dauid also offered sacrifice 2. Reg. 24. 1. Par. 21. This being the onlie ordinarie place for Sacrifice there were for other vses of daylie prayer reading preaching and hearing the word of God other Synagogues built as it were Parish churches in great number in Ierusalem it self foure hundred and foure score and manie more in the whole kingdom as the Hebrew Traditions testifie Of al which places especially of the Temple there was venerable respect had For which cause when Ioiada the High Priest gaue order to kil Athalia he suffered it not to be donne in
alwaies corporally with vs Could anie of them tarie here til this time could they tarie to the time yet to come But vvas therfore the Church leaft desolate by their departure God forbid For thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee VVhat is this for thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee The Apostles were sent fathers in place of the Apostles sonnes are borne to thee Byshops are appointed For whence were the Bishops borne that are at this day through the vvorld the Church herselfe calleth them fathers â—he begate them and appointed them in the seates of the fathers Do not therfore thinke thy self desolate o christian Church because thou seest not Peter seest not Paul for thou seest not them by vvhom thou wast borne but of thyne issue fatherhood is sprong to thee For thy fathers sonnes are borne to thee thou shalt make them princes ouer al the earth This is the Catholique Church Her children are made princes ouer al the earth her sonnes are constituted for fathers Let them acknowlege this that are cut of let them come to the vnitie be they brought into the temple of the king Thus S. Augustin PSALME XLV The Church in persecution acknowledgeth Gods perpetual defence 5. making her therby more glorious 10. sometimes granting rest 11. God himself ckecking the persecuters and euer protecting her †Vnto the end to the sonnes of Core for the secretes OVR God is a refuge and strength an helper in tribulations which haue found vs excedingly †Therfore wil we not feare when the earth shal be trubled and mountaines transported into the hart of the sea †Their waters haue sounded and were trubled the mountaines were trubled in his strength †The violence of the riuer maketh the citie of God ioyful the Highest hath sanctified his tabernacle †God is in the middes therof it shal not be moued God wil helpe it in the morning early †Nations are trubled and kingdomes are inclined he gaue his voice the earth was moued †The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defender †Come ye and see the workes of our Lord what wonders he hath put vpon the earth †taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth He shal destroy bow breake weapons and shields he shal burne with fire †Be quiet and see that I am God I shal be exalted among the gentiles and I shal be exalted in the earth †The Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our defender PSALME XLVI Gentiles are called and inuited to praise God for his magnificence 6. for Christs Ascension and powre †Vnto the end for the sonnes of Core ALYE Nations clappe handes make iubilation to God in the voyce of exultation †Because our Lord is high terrible a great king ouer al the earth †He hath made peoples subiect to vs gentiles vnder our feete †He hath chosen his inheritance in vs the beautie of Iacob which he loued †God is ascended in iubilation and our Lord in the voice of trumpet †Sing ye to our God sing ye Sing ye to our king sing ye †Because God is king of al the earth sing ye wisely †God shal reigne ouer the gentiles God sitteth vpon his holie seate †Princes of peoples are gathered together with the God of Abraham because the strong goddes of the earth are excedingly aduanced PSALME XLVII God most and euerie where laudable is especially praised in the Church of Christ prefigured by Sion and there begunne 9. Al thinges being fulfilled in the Church euen as they were prophecied and promised 12. the faithful are exhorted to consider and congratulate the same A Psalme of Canticle to the sonnes of Core the second of the Sabbath GREAT is our Lord and to be praysed excedingly in the citie of our God in his holie mount †Mount Sion is founded with the exultation of the whole earth the sides of the North the citie of the great king †God shal be knowen in the houses therof when he shal receiue it †For behold the kings of the earth were gathered together they assembled in one †They seing it so were in admiration were trubled were moued †trembling tooke them Their sorowes as a woman traueling †In a vehement spirit thou shalt breake the shippes of Tharsis †As we haue heard so haue we seene in the citie of the Lord of hostes in the citie of our God God hath founded it for euer †We haue receiued thy mercie ô God in the middes of thy temple †According to thy name ô God so also is thy prayse vnto the endes of the earth thy right hand is ful of iustice †Let mount Sion be glad and the daughters of Iuda reioyce because of thy iudgementes ô Lord †Compasse Sion and embrace ye her tel ye in her towers †Set your hartes on her strength and distribute ye her houses that you may declare it in an other generation †Because this is God our God for euer and for euer and euer he shal rule vs euermore PSALME XLVIII The royal prophet inuiting al states and sortes of men to heare him attentiuely 6 sheweth that al ought to feare eternal damnation that liue wickedly 9. vainly and foolishly seeking 13. euen like brute beastes carnal pleasures which they can not long enioy nor long escape hel 16. confidently animating him selfe and al good men that trust not in this world †Vnto the end to the sonnes of Core a Psalme HEARE these thinges al ye Gentiles receiue with your eares al ye that inhabite the earth †Al ye earthly persons and children of men together in one the rich and the poore †My mouth shal speake wisedom and the meditation of my hart prudence †I wil incline mine eare vnto a parable I wil open my proposition on a Psalter †Why shal I feare in the euil day the iniquitie of my heele shal compasse me †They that trust in their strength and glorie in the multitude of their riches †A brother doth not redeme man shal redeme he shal not geue vnto God his reconciliation †And the price of the redemption of his owne soule and he shal labour for euer †and shal liue yet vnto the end †He shal not see death when he shal see the wise dying the vnwise and the foole shal perish together And they shal leaue their riches to strangers †and their sepulchers their houses for euer Their Tabernacles in generation and generation they haue renowmed their names in their landes †And man when he was
of his owne wineyard and euerie man of his owne figtree and drinke ye euerie man the water of his owne cesterne †til I come and take you away to a land that is as your owne a land of corne and of wine a land of bread and vineyards †Neither let Ezechias truble you saying Our Lord wil deliuer vs. Why haue the goddes of the nations deliuered euerie one their land out of the hand of the king of Assyrians †Where is the god of Emath and Arphad where is the god of Sepharuaim haue they deliuered Samaria out of my hand †Who is there of al the goddes of these landes which hath deliuered their land out of my hand that the Lord can deliuer Ierusalem out of any hand †And they held their peace and answered him not a word For the king had commanded saying Answer him not †And Eliacim the sonne of Helcias that was ouer the house and Sobna the scribe and Ioahe the sonne of Asaph the commenter went in to Ezechias their garments rent and told him the wordes of Rabsaces CHAP. XXXVII King Ezechias requesteth the prayers of Isaie the prophet 6. who assureth the king of Gods helpe 8. In the meane time the enimies threatening and blaspheming 14. King Ezechias prayeth 21. God promiseth to protect Ierusalem 36 and by an Angel killeth in one night an hundred eigtiefiue thousand Assirians 37. Their king returneth to Niâ—â—ue and is slaine by his owne sonnes AND it came to passe when king Ezechias had heard it he rent his garments and was wrapped in sackcloth entred into the house of our Lord. †And he sent Eliacim which was ouer the house and Sobna the scribe and the ancients of the priestes couered with sackclothes to Isaie the sonne of Amos the prophete †and they sayd to him Thus sayth Ezechias This day is a day of tribulation and of rebuke and of blasphemie because the children are come euen to the birth and there is not strength to bring forth †If by any meanes our Lord thy God wil heare the wordes of Rabsaces whom the king of Assyrians his Lord hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God to vpbraide with words which our Lord thy God hath heard lift vp prayer therfore for the remnant that are left †And the seruaÌ„ts of Ezechias came to Isaie †And Isaie sayd to them Thus shal you say to your master Thus saith our Lord Feare not at the face of the wordes which thou hast heard where with the seruants of the king of the Assyrians haue blasphemed me †Behold I wil geue him a spirit and he shal heare a message and shal returne to his countrie and I wil make him fal by the sword in his owne countrie †And Rabsaces returned and found the king of Assyrians fighting agaynst Lobna For he heard that he was departed from Lachis †and he heard of Tharaca the king of Aethiopia them that sayd He is come forth to fight agaynst thee Which when he had heard he sent messengers to Ezechias saying †Thus shal you say to Ezechaias the king of Iuda speaking Let not thy God deceiue thee in whom thou hast confidence saying Ierusalen shal not be geuen into the hand of the king of the Assyrians †Loe thou hast heard al thinges the kinges of the Assyrians haue done to al countries which they haue subuerted and canst thou be deliuered †Why haue the goddes of the nations deliuered them whom my fathers haue subuerted Gozam and Haram and Reseph and the children of Eden that were in Thalassar †Where is the king of Emath and the king of Arphad and the king of the citie of Sepharuaim of Ana Aua †And Ezechias tooke the letters of the hand of the messengers and read them and went vp into the house of our Lord and Ezchias layd them open before our Lord †And Ezchias prayed to our Lord saying †O Lord of hostes God of Israel which sittest vpon the Cherubs thou art the onlie God of al the kingdomes of the earth thou hast made heauen and earth †Incline ô Lord thine eare and heare open ô Lord thine eies and see and heare al the wordes of Sennacherib which he hath sent to blaspheme the liuing God †For in verie deede ô Lord the kinges of the Assyrians haue made landes desolate and the countries of the same †And they haue geuen their goddes to fyre for they were not goddes but the workes of mens handes wood stone they brake them in peeces †And now ô Lord our God saue vs out of his hand and let al the kingdomes of the earth knowe that thou onlie art the Lord. †And Isaie the sonne of Amos sent to Ezechias saying Thus sayth our Lord the God of Israel For the thinges that thou praied me concerning Sennacherib the king of Assyrians †this is the word which our Lord hath spoken vpon him The virgin daughter of Sion hath despised thee and scorned thee the daughter of Ierusalem hath wagged the head after thee †Whom hast thou vpbrayded and whom hast thou blasphemed and vpon whom hast thou exalted voice and lifted vp the height of thine eies To the holie one of Israel †By the hand of thy seruants thou hast vpbrayded our Lord and hast sayd In the multitude of my chariotes haue I climed the height of mountaynes the toppes of Libanus and I wil cut downe the high cedres therof the chosen firre trees therof and wil enter to the toppe of the height therof to the forest of his Carmel †I haue digged and drunken the water and haue dried vp with the steppe of my foote al the riuers of the rampiers †Why hast thou not heard what I haue done to him of old from ancient daies haue I formed it and now I haue brought it to effect and it is made to the rooting out of litle hilles bickering together and of sensed cities †The inhabitants of them with shortened hand haue trembled and are confounded they are become as hay of the field and grasse of the pasture ground and herbe of the house toppes which hath withered before it was ripe †I haue knowen thy habitation and thy going out and thy coming in and thy madnes agaynst me †When thou didstrage agaynst me thy pride ascended into mine eares therfore I wil put a ring in thy nosthrels and a bitte in thy lippes wil bring thee backe into the way by which thou camest †But to thâ—e this shal be a signe eate this yeare the thinges that grow of themselues and in the second yeare eate fruites but in the third yeare sow and reape plant vineyards and eate the fruite of them †And that which shal be saued of the house of Iuda and which is leaft shal take roote downeward and shal beare fruite vpward †because out of Ierusalem there shal a remnant goe forth and saluation from mount
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
faithful 17. and one most excellent thing aboue the rest THE burden of the word of our Lord in the land of Hadrach Damascus his rest because our Lord is the eye of man and of al the tribes of Israel †Emath also in the borders therof and Tyre and Sidon for they haue taken to themselues wisedom excedingly †And Tyre hath built her munition and heaped together siluer as earth and gold as the myre of the streets †Behold our Lord shal possesse her and shal strike her strength in the sea and she shal be deuoured with fyre †Ascalon shal see and shal feare and Gaza and shal be sorie excedingly Accaron because her hope is confounded and the king shal perish out of Gaza Ascalon shal not be inhabited †And the seperatour shal sit in Azotus and I wil destroy the pride of the Philisthims †And I wil take away his bloud out of his mouth and his abominations out of the middes of his teeth and he also shal be left to our God and he shal be as a duke in Iuda and Accaron as a Iebuseite †And I wil enuiron my house of them that serue me in warfayre going and returning and the exactour shal no more passe ouer them because now I haue sene with myne eyes †Reioyce greatly ô daughter of Sion make iubilation ô daughter of Ierusalem BEHOLD THY KING wil come to thee the iust and sauiour himself poore and ryding vpon an asse and vpon a colt the fole of an asse †And I wil destroy chariot out of Ephraim and horse out of Ierusalem and the bow of warre shal be dissipated and he shal speake peace to the Gentils and his power from sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth †Thou also in the bloud of thy testament hast let forth thy prisoners out of the lake wherin is no water †Conuert to the munition ye prisoners of hope to day also declaring I wil render thee duble †Because I haue bent Iuda for me as a bow I haue filled Ephraim and I wil rayse vp thy sonnes ô Sion vpon thy sonnes ô Greece I wil make thee as the sword of the strong †And our Lord God shal be seene ouer them and his dart shal goe forth as lightning our Lord God wil sound with trumpet and wil goe in the whirle wind of the South †The Lord of hosts wil protect them and they shal deuoure and subdew with the stones of the sling and drinking they shal be drunke as it were of wine they shal be filled as phials and as the hornes of the altar †And our Lord their God wil saue them in that day as the flocke of his people because holie stones shal be eleuated ouer his land †For what is his good thing and what is his beautiful thing but the corne of the elect and wine springing virgins CHAP. X. The Iewes are exhorted to aske good thinges of God 4. of their nation cometh the Redemer of al men 5. and of the same are the Apostles spiritual masters of the whole world 6. The whole nation shal at last be conuerted ASKE of our Lord rayne in the lateward time and our Lord wil make snowes and wil geue them rayne of showers to euerie one grasse in the filde †Because the idols spake that which was vnprofitable and the deuiners saw a lie the dreamers spake in vayne they comforted vaynely therfore are they led away as a flock they shal be afflicted because they haue no pastour †Vpon the pastours my furie is wrath and vpon the buckgoates I wil visite because the Lord of hosts hath visited his flocke the house of Iuda and hath made them as the horse of his glorie in the battel †Of him the corner of him the pinne of him the bow of battel of him shal come forth euerie exactour together †And they shal be as valients treading the myre of the wayes in battel and they shal fight because our Lord is with them and the riders of horses shal be confounded †And I wil strengthen the house of Iuda and the house of Ioseph I wil saue and I wil conuert them because I wil haue mercie on them and they shal be as they were when I had not cast them of for I am the Lord their God and wil heare them †And they shal be as the valients of Ephraim their hart shal reioyce as it were of wine and their children shal see and shal reioyce their hart shal be ioyful in our Lord. †I wil hisse to them and wil gather them together because I haue redemed them and I wil multiplie them as they were multiplied before †And I wil saw them among peoples and from a far they shal remember me and they shal liue with their children and shal returne †And I wil bring them backe out of the Land of Aegypt and out of the Assyrians I wil gather them and to the Land of Galaad Libanus I wil bring them and there shal not be found place for them †And he shal passe ouer in the strayte of the sea and shal strike the waues in the sea and al the depths of the riuer shal be confounded and the pride of Assur shal be humbled and the scepter of Aegypt shal depart †I wil strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they shal walke sayth our Lord. CHAP. XI Ierusalem shal be againe most miserably destroyed 4. the Iewish nation reiected and dispersed 12. because Christ was sold by them to the Gentils for thirtie pence 16. They wil receiue Antichrist who shal be finally destroyed OPEN thy gates ô Libanus and let fyre deuoure thy ceders †Howle thou firre tree because the ceder is fallen because the magnifical are wasted howle ye okes of Basan because the fensed forrest is cut downe †The voice of the howling of pastours because their magnificence is wasted the voice of the roaring of lions because the pride of Iordan is wasted †Thus sayth our Lord my God Feede thou the cattel of slaughter †which they that possessed slew and were not sorie and they sold them saying Blessed be our Lord we are become rich and their pastours spared them not †And I wil spare no more vpon the inhabitants of the earth sayth our Lord behold I wil deliuer men euerie one in his neighbours hand and in the hand of his king and they shal cut the land in peeces and I wil not deliuer it out of their hand †And I wil feede the cattel of slaughter for this ô ye poore of the flocke and I tooke vnto me two roddes one I called Beautie and the other I called c Corde and I fed the flocke †And I cut of three pastours in one moneth and my soule shrunke together at them for their soule
our holie thinges are contaminated and the name that is inuocated vpon vs is almost prophaned and our children haue suffred contumelie and our Priestes are burnt our Leuites are gone into captiuitie our virgins are defloured and our wiues haue suffered rape and our iust men are violently taken and our litle ones are lost and our yong men are in bondage and our valiants are made impotent †and that which is greatest of al the seale of Sion because she is vnsealed of her glorie For she is also deliuered into the handes of them that hate vs. †Thou therfore shake of thy great heauines and lay away from thee the multitude of sorrowes that the Strong may be propicious to thee agayne and the Highest wil geue thee rest rest from thy labours †And it came to passe when I spake to her her face did shine suddenly and her shape and her visage was made glistering so that I was afrayde excedingly at her thought what this thing should be †And Behold suddenly she put forth a great sound of a voyce ful of feare that the earth was moued at the womans sound And I saw †and behold the woman did no more appeare vnto me but a citie was built a place was shewed of great fundations and I was afrayd crying with a loude voyce I sayd †Where is Vriel the Angel that from the beginning came to me for he made me come in multitude in excesse of this minde and my end is made into corruption my prayer into reproch †And when I was speaking these thinges behold he came to me and sawe me †And behold I was layd as dead my vnderstanding was alienated and he held my right hand and strengthned me set me vpon my feete sayd to me †What ayleth thee and why is thy vnderstanding and the sense of thy hart trubled why art thou trubled And I sayd †Because thou hast forsaken me and I in dede haue done according to thy wordes went out into the field behold I haue seene doe see that which I cannot vtter And he sayd to me †Stand like a man I wil moue thee And I sayd †Speake thou my Lord in me forsake me not that I die not in vaine †because I haue seene thinges that I knew not I doe heare thinges that I know not †Or is my sense deceiued doth my soule dreame †Now therfore I besech thee that thou shew vnto thy seruant concerning this trance And he answered me sayd †Heare me and I wil teach thee and wil tel thee of what thinges thou art afrayd because the Highest hath reuealed vnto thee manie mysteries †He hath seene thy right way that without intermission thou was sorrowful for thy people and didst mourne exceedingly for Sion †This therfore is the vnderstanding of the vision which appeared to thee a litle before †The woman whom thou sawest mourning thou beganst to comfort her †And now thou seest not the forme of the woman but there appeared to thee a citie to be built †And because she tolde thee of the fal of her sonne this is the interpretation †This woman which thou sawest she is Sion and wheras she told thee of her whom now also thou shalt see as a citie builded †And wheras she told thee that she was barren thirtie yeares for the which there were thirtie yeares when there was not yet oblation offered in it †And it came to passe after thirtie yeares Salomon built the citie and offered oblations then it was when the barren bare a childe †And that which she sayd vnto thee that she nourished him with labour this was the habitation in Ierusalem †And wheras she sayd to thee that my sonne comming into the bryde chamber dyed and that a fal chanced vnto him this was the ruine of Ierusalem that is made †And behold thou hast seene the similitude of her and because she lamented her sonne thou beganst to comfort her and of these thinges that haue chanced these were to be opened to thee †And now the Highest seeth that thou wast sorie from the hart and because with thy whole hart thou sufferest for her he hath shewed thee the clearnes of her glorie and the fayrenes of her beautie †For therfore did he say to thee that thou shoulest tarie in a field where house is not built †For I knew that the Highest beganne to shew thee these thinges †therfore I sayd vnto thee that thou shouldest goe into a field where is no fundation of building †For the worke of mans building could not be borne in the place where the citie of the Highest began to be shewed †Thou therfore feare not neither let thy hart dread but goe in and see the beautie and greatnes of the building as much as the sight of thyne eyes is capable to see †afterward thou shalt heare as much as the hearing of thyne eares is capable to heare †For thou art blessed aboue manie and art called with the Highest as few †And to morrow night thou shalt tarie here †and the Highest wil shew thee those visions of the thinges on high which the Highest wil doe to them that inhabite vpon the earth in the later dayes †And I slept that night and the other next as he had sayd to me CHAP. XI An eagle appeareth to Esdras coming forth of the sea with three heades and twelue winges sometimes one reigning in the world sometimes an other but euerie one vanisheth away 36. A lion also appeareth coming forth of the wo 〈…〉 suppresse the eagle AND I sawe a dreame behold an eagle came vp out of the sea which had twelue winges of fethers and three heades †And I saw and behold she spred her winges into al the earth and al the windes of heauen blew vpon her and were gathered together †And I saw and of her fethers sprang contrarie fethers and they became litle winges and smale †For her heades were at rest and the midle head was greater then the other heades but she rested with them †And I saw and behold the eagle flew with her winges and reigned ouer the earth and ouer them that dwel in it †And I saw that al thinges vnder heauen were subiect to her and no man gaynesayd her no not one of the creature that is vpon the earth †And I saw and behold the eagle rose vp vpon her talons and made a voice with her winges saying †Watch not al together sleepe euerie one in his place watch according to time †But let the heades be preserued to the last †And I saw and behold the voice came not out of her heades but from the middes of her bodie †And I numbered her contrarie winges and behold they were eight †And I saw and behold on the right side rose one wing and reigned
sacrifice Which God accepting blessed them for new increase Gen. 8. 9.   z 1693. Cainan * c Heber consented not to the building of Babel And therfore his familie kept stil their former language which thenceforth for distinction sake was called the Hebrew tongue He liued to see Abrahams father And Noe Sem Arphaxad Phaleg and other most godlie men liued some part of Abrahams time who was neuer corrupted in fayth nor religion   a 1723. Sale   * Not affirming but supposing that Cainan was the sonne of Arphaxad we place him here and Sale 30. yeares after b 1753. Heber    c 1787. Phaleg  Nemrod the sonne of Chus and nephew to Cham about three score yeares after the floud by force and sutteltie drawing manie folowers begane a new sect of infidels And afterwardes was the principal auctor of building the towre of Babel Where the tongues of the builders were confounded so they were separated into manie nations about 130. yeares after the floud Gen. 10. v. 25. After Nemrod his sonne Belus reigned in Babylon about the yeare of the world 1871. which was 215. yeares after the floud  d 1817. Reu.    e 1850. Sarug    f 1879. Nachor    g 1908. Thare   h 1979. Abraham borne i By Gods commandment Abraham at the age 75. yeares hauing bene much persecuted for religioÌ„ went forth of his countrie Chaldea Wherupon his father Thare went as farre as Haran in the confines of Mesopotamia And Lot went further with him into Chanaan Which countrie God then promised to geue him and to multiplie his seede and therin to blesse al nations Gen. 11. v. 31. 12. v. 1. 7. And after him his sonne Ninus beginning to reigne about the yeare 1936. set vp idolatrie causing his father to be honored as the great God called Belus Iuppiter his grandfather Nemrod otherwise called Saturnus or Sator deorum the father of goddes i 2054.    THE END OF THE SECOND AGE AND BEGINNING OF THE THIRD k 2055.  k By occasion of famine in Chanaan Abraham went into Aegypt with his wife and Lot Gen. 12. v. 10.   l 2056.  l They returned into Chanaan became very rich and God renewed his great promises to Abraham Gen. 13. m Lot amongst others being taken captiue Abraham with three hundred and eightene men rescued them al. Wherupon Melchisedech offered sacrifice in bread wine blessed Abraham receiued tithes of him Gen. 14.   n 2064.  n Sara long barren perswaded Abraham to take her handmaid Agar to wife o Agar conceiued brought forth a sonne who was named Ismael Gen. 16.  o 2065.  p Circumcision was instituted that Abraham and his sonnes al the men of his familie might be distinguished from others Gen. 17. Sodom and Gomortha with other cities were burnt with brimstone From whence Lot was deliuered by Angeles Gen. 19. Ismael attempting to corrupt Isaac in maners which S. Paul calleth persecution Gal. 4. was cast out of AbrahaÌ„s house together with his mother Gen 21. v. 29. And neuertheles had twelue sonnes al dukes before Isaac had anie issue Which S. Paul noteth 1. Cor. 15. v. 46 First that is natural afterward that which is spiritual  p 2078.  q Sara conceiued and bare a sonne called Isaac Gen. 21.   q 2079. Isaac borne r Abraham by Gods commandement was readie to offer Isaac in sacrifice but was stayed by an Angel And former promises were renewed Gen. 22.   r 2104.  s After the death of Sara Abraham maried Cetura by whom he had six sonnes Gen. 25.   s 2116.  t Isaac maried Rebecca the daughter of Bathuel sonne of Nachor Abrahams brother Gen. 24.   t 2119. Iacob Esau borne w Abraham dyed at the age of 175. yeares Gen. 25.   v 2139.     w 2154.     x 2216.  x Isaac blessed Iacob thincking him to be Esau Gen 27. Esau also had much issue and prospered in the world But his progenie as also Ismaels al Abrahams of spring by his last wife Cetura were excluded from the promised enheritance other blessinges Gen. 25. v. 5. 6. ch 28. v. 4. 14.  y 2217.  y Iacob going into Mesopotamia to flye the danger of his brothers threates saw in sleepe a ladder reaching from the earth to heauen Ge. 28. And being there he serued his vncle Laban seuen yeares for his younger daughter Rachael receiued Lia the elder and serued other seuen for Rachael And six more for certaine fruict of the flockes Gen. 29. 30. Apis king of Argiues of â—up piters race going into Aegypt taught the people to plant vines and make wine to plow with oxen and to sow reapecorne was made their king and after his death honored in the forme of an oxe for their great god S. Aug. li. 18. c. 5. de ciuit  z 2224. Ruben Simeon Leui Iudas Dan. li. Nephtha Gad. Aser Issachar Zabulon Ioseph b. e Iacob returning from Mesopotamia wrestled with an Angel was called Israel Gen. 32. 35. v. 10.   a 2225. Beniamin bor f Rachael dyed and was buried in Bethleem Gen. 35. v. 18. 19.   b 2226.  g Ioseph was sold and caried into Aegypt shortly after cast into prison where he interpreted the dreames of two Eunuches Gen. 37. 39. 40.   c 2227.  h Isaac dyed at the age of 180. yeares   d 2230.  i Ioseph interpreting king Pharao his dreames and geuing wise counsel to prouide for the scarsitie to come was made ruler of Aegypt He then maried had two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim in the seuen yeares of plentie Gen. 41. k Iacob sent his tenne soÌ„nes into Aegypt to bye corne Where they were threatned as suspected spies and one was kept in prison til they should bring their brother Beniamin Gen. 42.   e 2236.     f 2246.     g 2247.     h 2259.     i 2260.     Caath Phares l They returning into Aegypt with Beniamin in their companie Ioseph first terrified them afterwards manifested himself vnto them And sending for his father and whole kinred they al went into Aegypt Gen. 43. 44. 45. 46. As people increased so idolatrie was multiplied and innumerable goddes feaned and serued with supersticious rites in al heathen nations Amongst which first the Assirians and at last the Romanes held the principality others in respect of them were of lesse powre or of shorter time as it were dependentes of them as S. Augustin obserueth li. 18. c. 2. de â—â—uit  l 2269.   m Iacob blessed and adopted the two sonnes of Ioseph preferring Ephraim the younger before Manasses Gen. 48.
Elias had before a 763. His particular miracles a 940. Enchanters are sometimes suffered to doe meruelous thinges but not true miracles nor al they desire a 176. 177. 180. They sometimes confesse the power of God 178. 371. Enoch yet liueth a 19. b 437. Epicures beleue not eternal punishment nor reward b 346. Equiuocation is sometimes lawful a 52. 71. 89. 91. 777. 1026. b 964. Esther most humble and prudent a 10â—7 b 998 a figure of our B. Ladie and of the Church a 1051. The whole booke of Esther is Canonical Scripture a 1035. 1036. 1052. Eucharist a Sacrament and Sacrifice a 190. b 885. Prefigured by bloud a 228. by the loaues of proposition a 229. by al old sacrifices a 239. 264. 288. b 609. Christs real presence in the Eucharist a 150. 188. 210. b 50. 69. 181. See Paschal lambe and Manna Transubstantiation coÌ„fessed by Hebrew Rabbins b 993. Euangelistes signified by foure liuing creatures and by foure wheles b 676. 690. Eue was not borne but built of Adams ribbe a 7. She was a figure of the B. virgin a 11. Example in gouerners is of great importance b 387. 848. Examples ought to moue b 628. 818. Excommunication prefigured a 332. Exequies for the dead a 77. 202. 637. 711. 931. 936. b 978. Ezechias mortally sicke recouered miraculously a 805. b 504. Ezechiel a Priest a Prophet and a Martyr b 674. He prophecied in Chaldea b 998. the beginning and end of his prophecie is very hard 674. 711. He is often called the sonne of man b 677. His last vision perteyneth in some part to the Iewes but more principally to the Church of Christ b 749. 763. It can not be expouÌ„ded of the Iewes and their Temple b 753. 765. 767. F. Faith is aboue reason a 775. without faith none can be saued b 289. 348. Faith is the grouÌ„d of al true vertues a 60. b 411. there is no true faith but the Catholique faith of the whole Church b 536. Faith alone doth not iustifie a 61. 900. b. 70. Faith and good workes gaine heauen a 393. 410. b 34. 338. Fastes instituted and obserued a 382. 706. 899. 934. 957. 1006. 1029. 1045. b 534. 615. 795. 825. 827. 874. 895. 994 It is an act of religion b 514 great effectes therof ibidem Fathers and the holie Doctors doe build adorne the Church b 537. Faultes must be reueled or concealed with discretion b 400. 402. Feare of God is the first degree of wisdom b 269. It is the seede of al other vertues and of eternal glorie b 375. Feare of Superiors because they are Gods ministers is necessarie a 594. b 412. Feare not men commanding contraie to God b 313. Feare of God with the obseruation of his commandments is the summe of al godlie doctrine b 333. Feastes instituted and obserued a 7. 225. 307. 380. 430. 707. 934. 1050. 1059. b 153. 947. 972. 994. Fire sent miraculously a 15. 279. 528. 748. 761. 855. b 948. Fire perpetually kept in the tabernacle a 271. 279. Fire shal burne the world immediatly before the general iudgement b 97. 545. Foure miracles in the fire which Ieremie hidde b 948. 949. FirmameÌ„t signifieth the space from the highest starres to the earth a 1. Flaterie is ful of guile b 401. Fortitude consisteth more in suffering patiently then in repelling forces a 88. Fortitude contemneth imagined feare b 301. Fortitude required in Iudges b 383. Free consent is required in euerie couenant a 214. and in mans iustification b 323. Freewil is in man a 13. 15. 33. 191. 200. 207. 458. 459. 596. 703. 978. b 177. 217. 271. 323. 349. 418. 466. 526. 543. 567. 821. No sinne can be coÌ„mitted without consent of freewil a 11. 32. Luther abhorred the name of freewil Caluin disliked it a 16. Freindshipe is a strong band a 609. b 405 426 False freindshipe fayleth in aduersitie a 1046. G Gard of the outward senses a 972. Gedeon was confirmed by miracles a 528. encoraged by a dreame a 530. By a stratageme with a few he ouerthrew manie a 531. Genealogies are recited from Adam to Noe. a 18. 818. From Noe to Abraham a 44. 50. 819. From Abraham by Isaac and Iacob to Dauid a 821. From Dauid to Iosias a 823. and to his sonnes a 939. Also from his sonne Iechonias to Christ b 1004. Genealogies of Leui to Aaron and Moyses a 168. 828. 939. b 1004. Gentiles shal be conuerted to Christ a 51. 85. 146. 453. 463. 529. 681. 716. b 16. 119. 425. 484. 498. 521. 543. 544. 558. 636. 702. 743. 812. 813. 839. 872. Giantes before Noes floud a 22. 1033. 1090. others after the floud a 402. Gloria Patri c. added after euerie Psalme by Eclesiastical tradition b 266. Glorie eternal a 35. 712. b 34. 83. 156. 492. God is one in substance a 30. 47. 160. 196. 702. 934. b 41. 182. 362. 988. Knowne by his workes a 162. 178. 464. 1105. b 435. 436. 508. Onlie God knoweth al thinges a 1103 b 251. God calleth the whole world his Beautie and his peculiar people his Corde b 879. He would haue al to be saued b 706. 714. 735. 816. 822. 835. 847. His threates are conditional b 579. 844. He rewardeth al that kepe his law and punisheth the transgressors a 216. 401. 451. 1101. b 21. 22. 830. 831. Gods especial protection in distresses a 804. 924. 1019. 1044. 1051. 1090. 1107. b 27. 30. 37. 51. 56. 57. 61. 67. 255. 262. 487. 512. God figheth for his seruantes three wayes a 512. God tempteth not to euil a 76. He is neuer the cause of sinne a 153. 535. 666. 684. 758. 1024. 1061. b 23. 192. 541. 612. 822. His permission is sometimes called his fact b 653. 654. He made man right a 5. b 327. 550. He is ielous a 216. 1018. b 726. He speaketh by his Priestes Prophetes and Preachers a 194. b 861. God vseth his creatures to supernatural effectes a 163. 764. 998. 1005. And suspendeth their natural operation at his wil. b 781. Gods foreknowlege what wil happen or may happen doth not preiudice mans freewil b 349. Gog and Magog signifie Antichrist and his adherentes b 746. Goliath prouoking the Israelites was slaine by Dauid a 605. 608. Gospel is kowen by the Church a 989. Grace is necessarie otherwise none can merite a 245. b 65. 217. 293. 405. 512. 513. 520. 549. 667. 995. It requireth mans cooperation a 401. 422. 463. 603. 704. 892. b 33. 43. 217. 323. 394. 408. 528. 536. 603. 811. 869. 995. Grace is also necessarie to perseuere a 422. b 129. 293. 679. Grace sufficient is geuen to euery one effectual of Gods especial mercie to some b 678. Al grace is from the fulnes of Christ b 538. 881. It enableth man to kepe the commandments a 458. 704. b 584. 742. 865. Gradual Psalmes are prayers and prophecies b 234. Gratitude acknowlegeth benefites receiued b 447. H Habacuc prophecied before the captiuitie of Iuda b 857. An other Habacuc
the ministerie of Priests The ancient fathers proue that Melchisedech offered Sacrifice in bread wine in figure of Christ and of other Priests of the new Testament Caluin coÌ„temneth al the ancient fathers in ca. 9. Heb. Bible 1579. Heretical translation Heb. 7 Iosue 8. 22. 3 Reg. 8. The greatter blesseth the lesse Paying of tithes in the law of nature Ro. 4. Gal. 3. Iac. 2. :: These three kindes of beastes and two of birdes signifie that the Israelites should be three generations in a strange land the fourth in the desert the fifth in possession of Chanaan Theod. q. 65. in Gen. Act. 17. :: Abraham and his seed werein strange land 400 and odde yeares but in seruitude and affliction about 140. Exo. 12. :: God deferreth to punish either that the wicked may amend or the good be exercised by them S Aug. Psal 54. or because the iniquity is not come to that great measure which his wisdome forâ—eeth and wil punish in the end to his owne more glorie and more good of others S. Greg. ho. 11. in 3. Ezech. To beleue Gods word without staggering is an act of iustice Not workes before faith but ioyned with faith are meritorious Onlie faith doth not iustifie :: Some obey whilest they are rude or in low state but hauiÌ„g got a litle knowlege or aduancement disdaine their aduancers S. Gregorie li. 21. in 1. Reg. 3. Manichees condemned pluralitie of wiues in the Patriarches Luther alloweth it in Christians Other Protestants in some case S. Aug. li. 22. c. 47. cont Faust Luther propsit 62. 65. et 66. S. Aug. de bono coniugali ca. 17. Two sortes of preceptsin the law of nature Pluralitie of wiues sometimes allowed Deut. 21. By the law of Christ in no case lawful Math. 19. Gen. 2. :: He is perfect in this life that sincerly diligently tendeth towards perfection of the next life And this God here commanded to Abraham Christ to al Christians Math. 5. S. Aug. li. de perfect cont Caelest See Gen. 6. v. 9 :: Circumcision and name receiued the eight day signified the association of Saints in heauen after the seuen dayes trauel of this world Ser. de circum apud S. Cyprian :: Abraham laughed not doubting but reioycing S. Ambro. li. de Abraham c. 4. S. Aug. li. 16 c. 26. de ciuit :: Temporal blessings were common to Ismael but spiritual pertained properly to Isaac and Israel their successessors :: Conformitie in Religion conserueth peace in euery familie Tho. Anglus in hunc locum Changing of names is mystical S. Aug. li. 16 c. 28 39. ciuit S. Hierom Tradit Hebraicis Gal. 4. Isa 54. Abraham natural father of foure nations spiritual father of al that do beleue in Christ Rom. 4 11. The Church of Christ euer consisteth of many nations Circumcision a figure of Baptisme Baptisme excelleth Circumcision Two difficulties To whom the punishment pertained wheÌ„ circumcision was omitted what punishment was threatned Circumcision instituted to distinguish the people of God and for remedie of original sinne in some persons but not in al. :: Abraham saw three and adored one professing three diuine persons and one God S. Aug. li. 16. c. 29. ciuit Heb. 13. Rom. 9. :: Abraham laughing with admiration for ioy was not reprehended but Sara laughing of diffidence was reprehended by him that seeth the hart S. Aug. q. 36. in Gen. li. 16. c. 31 ciuit :: what a wall are iust men to their countrie their faith saueth vs their iustice defendeth vs from destruction S. Amb. li. 1. de Abraham c. 6. :: Abraham Lot by hospitalitie metâ—ted to receiue Angels in steed of meÌ„ Heb. 1â— :: This sinne crieth to heauen for reuenge a litle one :: Lots wife turned into salt admonisheth the seruants of God to procede in vertue not to looke back to vice Luc. 17. S. Aug. li. 16. c. 30. ciuit :: Lot neither perfect nor very wicked was deliuered for Abrahams â—â—â—e S. Aug. â— 45 in Gen. :: Moabites Ammonites were two distinct nations perhaps of the 72. See p. 43. :: See pag. 52. :: Not his fathers owne daughter but of his progenie S. Aug. li. 22. cont Faust c. 35. li. 16. c. 19. 30. de ciuit :: Kinges of the earth esteming the Church only for a laudable people of God seeke to subiect her to them selues but knowing her to be the inuiolable spouse of Christ subiect them selues to her and offer to her most honorable giftes S. Aug. il 22. cont Faust c. 38. The sixt part of this booke Of the progenie other blessings of Abraham Isaac and Iacob :: Abraham Sara laughed he admiring she doubting at the ioyful promise of a sonne therfore he is called Isaac which signifieth laughter S. Aug li. 16. c. 31. ciuit :: See chap. 17. v. 21. Rom. 9. Heb. 11. * vvel of oath Separation to be made in families when iust cause requireth Mystical sense li. 15. c. 2. ciuit The true Church doth not persecute but iustly punisheth offenders Heretikes and other infidels do persecute when either by word or sword they impugne the truth Epist 48. 50. Tract 11. in Ioan. Tract 〈◊〉 in 4. Gal. The third prophecie in the office before Masse on Easter eue And the first on whitsuneue Iudith 8. Heb. 112. :: This historie is clere and a most notorious example of perfect obedience :: It is a gratful and religious thing by naming of places to coÌ„serue the memorie of Gods benefites that posteritie may know them S. Chrisost ho. 48. in Gen. :: Nachors progenie is here mentioned to shew whence Rebecca came whom Isaac maried God tempteth not to euil but by experience maketh knowen what vertue is in men Isaac figured Chists diuinitie the RaÌ„me his humanitie Iac. 1. 13. Heb. 11 19. S. Aug. li. 16. c. 32. ciuit Theod. q. 72. in Gen. :: A cleare example of religious office in burying the dead See 2. Reg. 1. and 2. Paral. 35. :: Adoration vsed for reuerence done to men See also c. 27. v. 29. c 33. v 37 and S. Aug. q. 6â— in Gen. :: In choosing a wife a vertuous stock and familie especially true faith and religion are before al other things to be considered preferred S. Amb. li. 1. c. 9. de Abrah S. Chrisost ho. 48. in Gen. :: Her father hauing perhaps manie wiues and euerie one a seueral house she went to her mother house :: As children ought not to mary without their parents good liking so the parties owne consent is most necessarie S. Amb. Epist 43. :: Suach signifieth to speake consideratly with hart or mouth Here S. Ambrose li. 1. c. 1. de Isaac and S. Aug. q. 69. in Gen vnderstand it of mental prayeâ— Ominous speaches sometimes supersticious Some times lawful Holie scripture and the Church are iudges of doubtful obseruations Ioan. 14. Eliezers prayer for a particular signe was lawful deuout and discrete Iudic. 7. 1. Reg. 14 Act. 1.
:: Either his first sonne was dead or was not fitte to be chief ouer the rest :: Thinges are sanctified by designation to holie vse :: King Dauid hauing hereto fore offended in commanding to number the whole people 2. Reg. 24. would not now attempt to number al which were in deede innumerable but only those that were to be disposed of in specialseruices 3. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 7. :: So Iacob prophecied that the royal scepter should come to the tribe of Iuda and therein remaine til Christ Gen. 49. :: It is here euident that Salomon was some time the true seruant and childe of God keeping his preceptes and as certaine that he fel into great sinnes and lost Gods grace and finally it is doubtful in what state he died 3. Reg. 11. wherby is conuinced their vaine phancie that thinck he who is once the child of God can neuer fal nor become a wicked man * a kind of sinne white stone :: That which he had already vowed and prepared he counted not his owne and now goueth more to the building and 〈…〉 thing of the Temple :: As Abraham Isaac Iacob and others were straÌ„gers in respect of Chanaan so both they and also Dauid Salomon and al men in this world are pilgrimes in respect of heauen Heb. 13. :: Albeit they did the same exterior act of honour to God and the king yet in their mind intention they gaue diuine honour to God and ciuil to the king See Exod. 20. â— Reg. 1. v. 34. :: Either Nathan and Gad writ the later part of the first booke and the second booke of kinges or els their bookes are not now extant 1. Par. 1. The connexion of this booke with the former 11. 28. The contentes diuided into two partes The first part Salomons reigne in the whole kingdome 1. Palaâ— 13. :: It is the maner of holie scripture to expresse thinges exceding vulgar capacitie by the figure Hyperbole â— Reg. 5. :: It is probable that this man had instructed the king of Tyre in true religion of one God whom he confesseth v. 11. 12. and that therfore the king called him his father :: This mount Moria signifying vision was so named by Abraham who was there readie to sacrifice his sonne Isaac Gen. 22. :: And Dauid by the appointment of an Angel offered there sacrifice â— Reg. 24. â— Par. 21. 2 Reg. 24 3. Reg. 6. 3. Reg. 7. :: As wel the Temple as the Altars and other appertinances were made after the forme of Moyses Tabernacle altares of sacrifice incense and the rest but greater in quantitie of more precious matter and more excellent workmanship :: A great brasen vessel and some other thinges that were not before 3. Reg. 7. :: Also a greatter number of candlestickes and other the like * or pommels 3. Reg. 7. :: An other Arke was not made because that was most holie most excellent which Moyses made Likewise other holie thinges of the tabernacle were brought into the Temple with great solemnitie :: God shewed his presence by the darke cloud which replenished the Temple * Basilicae :: Kneeling :: Lifting vp handes stretching forth armes and the like external gestures do much helpe internal attention in prayer and also sturre vp others to godlie imitation and therfore hath bene much practised by deuout persons both in the old and new Testament :: In this chapter and often els where it is euident that places dedicated to Gods seruice are more acceptable to him then other places :: As the Temple was the special place of prayer chosen by God v. 12 so special Hymmâ—s Psalmes and other set formes of blessing are more gratful to God and more effectual to his seruantes :: Salomon was yet so farre from communicating with Infidels that he suffered not his wife an infidel to be present where the Arke of God had bene placed 1. Par. 15. 3. 〈◊〉 10 :: They are called kinges of God which reigne by his grace and according to his wil. VVherevpon they vse this stile By the grace of God K. of England Ierusalem c. :: His fall to luxurie and idolatrie is recorded 3. Reg. 11. 3. Reg. 12. The second part Diuision of the kingdom Dauids issue reigning only in two tribes which also are caried captiue into Babylon :: A worthie example to suffer temporal damage rather then to conforme them selues to the practise of false religion 3. Reg. 15 :: A firme and perpetual couenant Num. 18. v. 19. :: It perteyned properly to the king to destroy the exterior practise of idolatrie but to the Priestes prophetes to informe the interior mind consciences of euerie one :: Cooperation with Gods grace meriâ—eth increase of grace :: King Asa destroyed the places where Idoles were serued chap. 14. v. 2. but tollerated the places where some offered sacrifice to God beside the proper altar in Ierusalem because this was dispensable and not the other 3. Reg. 15. Iust punishment with paine of his feete for iniuriously putting Gods prophet in fetters v. 10. So God punished him temporally for that and other passionate sinnes and he died in good state for his hart was perfect al his dayes Chap 15. v 17. that is most part of his life especially in his last dayes :: Good workes approued by new benefices from God as a reward ther of do geue more hope confidence to procede from vertue to vertue 5. Tho. li. deregiminâ— Regâ—mâ—i :: For this he was iustly reprehended but his simple intention diminished his fault and so he was more easily pardoned for his good workes otherwise donne in Gods seruice ch 19. 3. :: See Annotation 3. Reg. 〈◊〉 v. 15. :: Precisian Doâ—aâ—â—stes holding it vnâ—â—â—ful to conuerse with sinners amongst other Scriptures alleaged 〈…〉 reprehention of Iosaâ—â—â— for his societie with Achab. To whom S. Augustin answereth that he was not blamed for other conuersation with Achab but for ayding him and ioyning with him in the act of sinne when he contemning Micheas the true prophete of God and beleuing false prophetes went to battel wherin both kinges offended but with difference so one was saâ—â—e though he semed to be secure the other was saued in great danger and repenting was pardoned li. 2. c. 1◠〈◊〉 opist Parmeâ— :: A most plame distinction of spiritual and temporal authoritie and offices not instituted by Iosaphat nor anie other king but by God himself Deut. 17. Num. 27. :: They fasted not only to sub due the flesh to the spirite but also for other necessities :: Example of pilgremage to holie places because it pleaseth God to heare the prayers of good people rather in one place then in an other ch 6. 7. c. :: Faith is the fundation of al good workes Heb. 11. but not sufficient to saluation without other vertues and therefore they not only beleued but also fasted and prayed and where nede required fought with weapons though at this time it pleased God
of the Israelites t from the mediterranean sea of Palestin v to the riuer Euphrates Exo. 23. v. 31. Beut 11. v. 24. vv eruel enimies more like to most cruel beastes then to men x yea so cruel as none els in the world are like vnto them y The Prophet now prayeth for the coming of Christ which he saw in spirite z The Church of the old testament in her best state wanted the perfection which the Church of Christ hath a Christ our Messias most commonly calleth by this title The Sonne of man b So thy vinyard can not indure if it be stil afflicted and trodden downe c Christ working by Gods powre redresseth almiseries d The same is the 8. and the 15. verse with litle alteration and here repeted the third time In which we also pray for three thinges first to be purged and conuerted from sinne second to be illuminated by Christ the Image of God Thirdly to be sanctified and saued in eternal glorie to haue the fruition of the most blessed Trinitie Inuitation to celebrate festiual dayes deuoutly the 7. key a This Psalme perteyneth not only to the old testament but also to the new b Gods seruants oppressed with tribulations c to be songue by Asaph a chief master of musike d Make readie al these musical instruments e In the Calendes or first day of euerie moneth in remembrance of Gods prouidence and perpetual gouernment of al creatures :: The feast of Neomenia f and most especial solemnitie in the first day of the seuenth moneth in memorie of Isaac conserued from death in whom God promised Abraham to multiplie his seede and to blesle al nations Gen. 17 v. 21. c 21. v 12. c 22. v. 18. :: Feast of trumpetes g The people of Israel signified by Ioseph as Psal 79. v. 2. :: In memorie of this benefite Pasch was instituted h God deliuered the same people from their vntolerable bondage of carying burdens in baskettes from geathering straw making brickes and other seruitude Exo 1. v. 14 c. 5. v. 7. i The admonition of God to the people k yet after so great benefites thou didst murmure and contradict me Exo. 17. Num. 20. l Seriously admonish thee m Man by free wil may choose whether he wil obey or no. :: The feast of Pentecost in memorie of the lawe n This was an other great benefite to geue an expresse law for their instruction o Obseruing my commandments aske what thou wilt and I wil geue it thee Pom. 1. ◠24. p Very easely q of my freewil and liberalitie without necessitie or obligation r The wicked that promise to serue God and do it not shal be in eternal torments In the meane time God bestowed these benefites vpon them for the iusts sake Admonition to Magistrates the. 7. key a The wordes of the prophet admonishing al magistrates that when they sitte in iudgement or determine anie cause God who is there and euerie where present b attendeth their processe and therfore it behoneth them to be aduised what they doe euen as if they heard God speaking as here foloweth c The wordes of God though not vttered sensibly yet in effect intimated by his law according wherto he wil procede in iudgement against vniust Iudges d Such iudges procede in grosse ignorance not caring to vnderstand but content to walke in darknes e Ye are so euil disposed that you would turne al vpside downe instifying the wicked and condemning the iust f For your office which you participate of me you are certaine goddes vpon earth g But when you die you shal find that you are men subiect to Gods iudgement h yea your punishment wil be greuous and importable for the mightie shal mightely suffer torments Sap. ◠i Againe the wordes of the prophet praying God k that eing he is Lord of al he wil iudge al. Persecuters of the Church confounded or conuerted the 6 key a Seing none is like to thee ô God b shew thy powre and maiestie c be not silent d The cruel persecuters are most insolent e and proud f That there be no more anie faithful people g anie Catholiques leift aliue h The progenie of Esau i the seede of Ismael k descending from the elder sonne of Lot l the issue of Abraham by Agar who falsly cal them selues Sarascens as if they were of Sara m People of Gebal a citie of Syria n of the other sonne of Lot o those that first oppugned the Israelites after they were parted from Aegypt Exo. 17. p The Philistians q and Tyrians al nere neighboures and some of them nere akine to the Israelites were their great enimies r Others also coming further of ioyned against Gods people in figure that al heretikes and other infidels conspire together against Catholiques ſ The Psalmist therfore prayeth and withal prophecieth that God wil at last destroy them as he did Madian Num 31. Iudic. 6. 7. t Sisara captaine general v for Iabin king of Asor nere Cisson Iudic. 4. v. 7. 23. w Within the territorie of Manasses Ios 17. which they inuaded x slaine and not buried y These foure princes of the Madianites were slaine by Gedeons forces Iudic. 7. 8. z By foure similitudes the prophet describeth the punishment that shal fal vpon persecuters :: By foure similitudes the prophet describeth the punishment that shal fal vpon persecuters 1. 2. 3. 4. a God by punishing seeketh the conuersion of sinners not their eternal death b But such as be stil obstinate and finally impenitent do perish for euer c God only the creator of heauen and earth is properly called LORD VVhose essential and incommunicable name is VVHICH IS Exo. 3. v. 14. 6. v. 3. Eternal glorie the 10. key a For men afflicted in this vale of miserie b By the children of Core not being musitians but porters in the temple 1. Par. 26. S. Augustin here and in other titles of Psalmes vnderstandeth the faithful children of Christ c The glorious mansions in heauen which God hath prepared for the iust d Vehement desires do sometimes depriue vs of external sense e The mind reioycing in hope the bodie is also recreated releeued and reuiued which before was dulle and heauie f As sparowes by natural instinct seeking habitations finde houses to dwel in g and turtles haue nestes wherin to lay their young ones so faithful soules seeke to dwel in heauen and in the meane time to lay vp good workes within the Catholique Church out of which sayth S. Augustin in this place how good soeuer workes do seme as when paganes and heretikes feede the hungrie cloth the naked receiue strangers into their houses visite the sicke comforte prisoners being not laid in the nest conculcabuntur conterentur non seruabuntur non custodientur they shal be trodde vnder foote they shal be bruised in peeces they shal not be conserued they shal not be kept but