when it shined and the moone going cleerly †And my hart in secret reioysed and I kissed my hand with my mouth †Which is most great iniquitie and a denial against God the most high †If I haue beene glad of his fal that hated me haue reioysed that euil had found him †For I haue not geuen my throte to sinne that cursing I wished his soule †If the men of my tabernacle haue not sayd Who wil giue of his flesh that we may be filled †The stranger taried not without my doore was open to the wayfaring man †If as man I haue hid my sinne and haue concealed my iniquitie in my bosome †If I haue bene afrayd at a verie great multitude the contempt of kinâ—men hath terrified me and I haue not rather held my peace not gone out of the doore †Who wil grant me an hearer that the Omnipotent would heare my desire and that himself that iudgeth would write a booke †That I may carie it on my shoulder and put it about me as a crowne †At euerie steppe of mine I wil pronounce it and as to the prince I wil offer it †If my Land cry against me and with it the furrowes therof lament †If I haue eaten the fruites therof without money and haue afflicted the soule of the tillers therof †For wheate let the bryar grow to me and for batlie the thorne The wordes of Iob are ended CHAP. XXXII Eliu a young man being angrie that Iob persisted in his opinion and that his three freindes could not conuince him S. taketh vpon him to confute Iob which they could not do BVT these three men omitted to answer Iob for that he seemed iust to himself †And Eliu the sonne of Barachel a Buzite of the kinred of Ram was angrie and tooke indignation and he was angrie against Iob for that he sayd himself to be iust before God †Moreouer against his freindes he had indignation for that they had not found a reasonable answer but onlie had condemned Iob. †Therfore Eliu expected Iob speaking because they were his elders that spake †But when he saw that the three were not able to answer he was wrath excedingly †And Eliu the sonne of Barachel a Buzite answering sayd I am yonger in time and you more ancient therfore casting downe my head I was afrayd to shewe you my sentence †For I hoped that longer age would speake and that a multitude of yeares would teach wisdom †But as I see there is a Spirite in men and the inspiration of the Omnipotent geueth vnderstanding †They of many yeares are not the wise men neither doe the ancientes vnderstand iudgement †Therfore wil I speake Heare ye me I also wil shew you my wisedom †For I haue expected your wordes I haue heard your wisdom as long as you contended in wordes †And as long as I thought you said somewhat I considered but as I see here is none of you that can reproue Iob and answer to his wordes †Lest perhaps you may say We haue found wisedom God hath reiected him not man †He hath spoken nothing to me and I wil not answer him according to your wordes †They were afrayd and answered no more they haue taken away talke from themselues †Therfore because I haue expected and they spake not they stoode answered no more †I also wil answer my part and wil shew my knowledge †For I am ful of wordes and the spirit of my bellie streyneth me †Behold my bellie is as new wine without a vent which breaketh new vessels †I wil speake and take breath a litle I wil open my lippes and wil answer †I wil not accept the person of a man and I wil not make God equal to man †For I know not how long I shal continewe and whether after a while my maker wil take me away CHAP. XXXIII Eliu endeuoreth to proue by Iobs speach that he is vniust 13. arguing that God by afflicting him hath alreadly so iudged 23. but if by an Angels admonition he repent al shal be remitted HEERE therfore Iob my sayings and harken to al my wordes †Behold I haue opened my mouth let my tongue speake within my iawes †My wordes are of my simple hart and my lippes shal speake a pure sentence †The Spirit of God made me and the breath of the Omnipotent gaue me life †If thou canst answer me and stand against my face †Behold God hath made me also euen as thee and of the same clay I also was formed †But yet let not my miracle terrifie thee and let not my eloquence be burdenous to thee †Thou therfore hast sayd in my eares and I haue heard the voice of thy wordes †I am cleane and without sinne vnspotted and there is no iniquitie in me †Because he hath found quarrels in me therfore hath he thought me his enemy †He hath put my feete in the stockes he hath obserued al my waies †This therfore is it wherein thou art not iustified I wil answer thee that God is greater then man †Doest thou contend against him because he hath not answered thee to al wordes †God speaketh once repeateth not the self same the second time †By a dreame in a vision by night when heauie sleepe falleth vpon men and they sleepe in their bed †TheÌ„ doth he open the eares of men teaching instructeth them with discipline †That he may turne a man from these things which he doth may deliuer him from pride †Deliuering his soule from corruption and his life that it passe not vnto the sword †He rebuketh also by sorow in the bed and he maketh al his bones to wither †Bread is become abominable to him in his life and to his soule the meate before desired †His flesh shal consume and the bones that had beene couered shal be made naked †His soule hath approched to corruption and his life to things causing death †If there shal be an Angel speaking for him one of thousandes to declare mans equirie †He shal haue mercie on him and shal say deliuer him that he descend not into corruption I haue found wherein I may be propitious to him †His flesh is consumed with punishments let it returne to the daies of his youth †He shal beseche God and he wil be pacified towards him and he shal see his face in iubilation and he wil render to a man his iustice †He shal behold men and shal say I haue sinned and in deede I haue oftended and as I was worthie I haue not receiued †He hath deliuered his soule that it should not goe into death but liuing should see the light †Behold al these things doth God worke three times in euerie one †That he may reclame their soules from corruption and
that the earth was corrupted for al flesh had corrupted his way vpon the earth †he said to Noe The end of al flesh is come before me the earth is replenished with iniquitie from the face of them I wil destroy them with the earth †Make thee an arke of timber planke cabinets shalt thou make in the arke and shalt pitch it within and without with bitume †And thus shalt thou make it The length of the Arke shal be three hundred cubitts fiftie cubitts the breadth and thirtie cubitts the height of it †Thou shalt make a windowe in the arke and in a cubit finish the toppe of it and the dore of the arke thou shalt set at the side belowe middle chambers and third loftes shalt thou make in it †Behold I wil bring the waters of a great floud vpon the earth that I may destroy al flesh wherin there is breath of life vnder heauen Al thinges that are in the earth shal be consumed †and I wil establish my couenant with thee and thou shalt enter into the arke thou and thy sonnes and thy wife and the wiues of thy sonnes with thee †And of al liuing creatures of al flesh thou shalt bring payres into the arke that they may liue with thee of the male sexe and the female †Of foules according to their kind and of beastes in their kind of al that creepeth on the earth according to their kind payres of al sortes shal enter in with thee that they may liue †Thou shalt take therfore with thee of al meates that may be eaten and thou shalt lay them vp with thee and they shal be meate for thee and them †Noe therfore did al thinges which God commanded him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 2. Sonnes of God The progenie of Seth professing true faith Religion were called the sonnes of God and those of Cains issue and congregation folowing erronious and wicked opinions were called the sonnes of men VVhich were then the distinctiue termes of true and false Religion as afterwardes were the termes of Iewes and Gentiles after Christ Christians and Paganes and lastly true and false Christians are distinguished by the names of Catholiques and Heretikes As S. Augustin teacheth in his questions vpon Genesis other places VVhich is confirmed by the like iugement of S. Ciril Alexandrinus li. 9. aduers Iulianum S. Ambrose li. de Noe arca c. 4. S. Pacianus epist ad Symphorianum Theodoret. manie others vpon this place 3 An hundred and tvventie yeares Mans life was not here shortned to an hundred and twentie yeares as some haue misunderstood this place For after this diuers liued much longer as appeareth in the genealogie of Sem to Abram in the 11. chapter of Genesis And Abraham liued 175. yeares c. 25. Isaac 180. c. 35. Iacob 147. c. 47. and Ioiadas borne 1500. yeares after liued 130. yeares 2. Par. 24. But 120. yeares were granted before the floud for that generation to repent in as the Chaldee Edition expresseth more plainely Terminus dabitur ei centum viginti annorum si sorte conuertatur The tearme of an hundred and twentie yeares shal be geuen them if perhaps they may conuert And so S. Chrisostom S. Hierom. and S. Augustin expound this Scripture Yet whether God cut of 20. of these yeares and brought the floud after a 100 for Noe had his sonnes when he was 500. yeares old the floud came in the 600. yeare of his age or that this warning was geuen twentie yeares before anie of his soÌ„nes were borne is not so easely decided by the holie Doctors How easie soeuer Protestants say al Scriptures are Though vnder correction of better iudgement it semeth more probable that Moyses by anticipation ioyneth the birth of Noes sonnes when he was 500. yeares old to the rest of the geneologie of the first Patriarkes in the former chapter and then telleth of this admonition geuen 20. yeares before their birth And so God expected the peoples repentance the whole time of 120. yeares prescribed 4. Grants vvere vpon the earth Some haue thought that these giantes were not men nor begotten by men but that either diuels which fel at first from heauen or other Angels allured with concupiscence begate them of the daughters of Cain Philo Iudeus in his booke de Gigantibus writeth that those whom Moyses here called Augels the Philosophers called Genios Qui sunt animalia aëâ—ea vvhich are liuing creatures vvith ayrie bodies Iosephus li. 1. Antiq. saith that Angels begate these giants Tertullian also li. de habitu muliebri holdeth the same error and diuers more otherwise good authors But S. Ciril of Alexandria li. 9. aduer Iulian S. Chrisostom homil 22. in Gen S. Ambrose de Noe arca c. 4. S. Augustin li. 15. c. 23. de ciuit S. Hierom Tradit Hebraic and other most principal Doctors teach it to be vntrue yea vnpossible that these giants should haue bene begotten by anie other creatures then by men For that Angels and diuels are mere spirits without al natural bodies And if they had ayrie bodies as they haue not yet they could not haue such generation For the powre or force to engender belongeth to the vegatatiue soule whose proper operations are to tuine nutriment into the substance of the subiect wherin it is and to engender new issue or ofspring from the same as Aristotle sheweth li. 2. de anima textu 24. And in what bodies soeuer there is vegetatiue soule it must needes be that the same was engendred and must some times decay and die and so diuels should be mortal Moreouer if they could haue generation togeather with mankind then such issue should be a distinct species both from man and diuel as a mule differeth both from horse and asse Againe if spirits had abused wemen in assumpted bodies and shape of men yet they did not take them to wiues as the Scripture saith they did who begate these giants Finally the holie Scripture here expresly calleth the giants men These be the mightie ones famous men The modestie of Scripture terming them famous whom our common phrase would cal infamous being more monstrous in wickednes of mind then in hugenes of bodie For they were most insolent lasciuious couetous cruel and in al kinde of vices most impious 5. Al the coigtation bent to euel Luther in his 21. article condemned by Leo the tenth would proue by these wordes and the like folowing Al siesh had corrupted his vvay vpon earth that al workes of men are sinnes For saith he seeing the hartes of al men are bent alwaies to euil and al humane actions proceede from the hart it must needes be that the hart as the fountaine being corrupt the streames also issuing from the same must be corrupted Againe al flesh hauing corrupted his way vpon earth there is not any iust man saith he nor any man without sinne and
banket he remembred the maister of the cupbearers and the chiefe of the bakers †And he restored the one into his place to reach him the cuppe †the other he hanged on a gibbet that the truth of the interpreter might be approued †And yet notwithstanding the chiefe of the cupbearers prosperous thinges succeeding forgat his interpreter ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XL. 8. Doth not interpretation belong to God Dreames do come of diuers causes Some of natural complexion or disposition wherby Philosophers or Phisitions may probably iudge of the state of mans bodie Some are rather effects of things past then signes of anie thing to come Of which sorte the wise man saith Dreames do folovv manie cares Eccle 5. Some are suggested by euil spirites either to flatter worldlings with great pretenses or to terrifie weake mindes with dangers and afflictions or to vexe and truble those in sleepe whom they can not easely moue waking as S. Gregorie discourseth li. 8. Moral in cap 7. Iob Some dreames are of God as in Iacob Ioseph these Eunuches Pharao Nabuchodonosor and others both good and euil men But to discerne and assuredly to iudge of some dreames whether they be from God by holie Angels or illusions of euil spirites is a special gift of God as also the interpretation therof belongeth to God as Ioseph here testifieth VVhosoeuer therfore wil be secure must relie either vpon expresse Scripture or iudgement of the Church as in ominous speaches was noted before chap. 24. Otherwise the general rule is not to obserue dreames Deut. 18. CHAP. XLI Pharao dreaming of fat and leane kine 5. also of ful and thinne eares of corne 8. no other being able to interprete 9 Ioseph is remembred 25. who interpreting the same â—8 is made ruler ouer al Aegypt 50. marieth and hath two sonnes Manasses and Ephraim AFTER two yeares Pharao saw a dreame He thought he stood vpon a riuer †out of the which came vp seuen kine faire and fat exceedingly and they fed in marish places †Other seuen also came vp out of the riuer foule and caryan leane and they fed on the very banke of the riuer in grene places †and they deuoured them that had the merucylous beautie and good state of bodies Pharao after he waked †slept againe and saw an other dreame Seuen eares of corne grew forth vpon one stalke ful and faire †there sprang also other eares as many thinne and blasted with adustion †deuouring al the beautie of the former Pharao awaking vp after his rest †and when morning was come being frighted with feare he sent to al the interpreters of Aegypt and to al the wise men and they being called for told them his dreame neither was there anie that could interprete it †Then at length the maister of the cupbearers remembring himselfe said I confesse my sinne †The king being angrie with his seruantes commanded me and the chiefe of the bakers to be cast into the prison of the captaine of the souldiers †where in one night both of vs saw a dreame portending things to come †There was there a young man an hebrew seruant to the same captaine of the souldiers to whom telling our dreames †we heard whatsoeuer afterward the euent of the thing proued to be so for I was restored to my office and he was hanged vpon a gibbet †Forthwith at the kinges commandment Ioseph being brought out of the prison they polled him and changing his apparel brought him vnto him †To whom he said I haue seene dreames and there is not anie that can expound them which I haue heard thou doest most wisely interprete †Ioseph answered Without me God shal answere prosperous thinges to Pharao †Pharao therfore told that he had seene Me thought I stoode vpon the banke of the riuer †and seuen kine came vp out of the banke of the riuer exceeding faire and ful of flesh which grazed on greene places in a marish pasture †And behold there folowed these other seuen kine so passing il fauored and leane that I neuer saw the like in the land of Aegypt †which hauing deuoured and consumed the former †gaue no token of their fulnes but with the like leanenes and deformitie looked heauelie Awaking and fallen againe into a deepe sleepe †I sawe a dreame Seuen eares of corne grew forth vpon one stalke ful and verie faire †Other seuen also thinne and blasted with adustion sprang of the stalke †which deuoured the beautie of the former I told the dreame to the coniecturers and there is no man that can declare it †Ioseph answered The kinges dreame is one God hath shewed to Pharao the thinges that he wil doe †The seuen faire kine and the seuen “ ful eares be seuen yeres of plentifulnes and both conteine the selfe same meaning of the dreame †Also the seuen leane and thinne kine that came vp after them and the seuen thinne eares and blasted with the burning winde are seuen yeares of famine to come †Which shal be fulfilled in this order †Behold there shal come seuen yeares of great fertilitie in the whole Land of Aegypt †after which shal folowe other seuen yeares of so great sterilitie that al the abundance before shal be forgotten for the famine shal consume al the land †and the greatnes of the scarsitie shal destroy the greatnes of the plentie †And in that thou didest see the second time a dreame perteining to the same thing it is a token of the certeintie for that the worde of God shal come to passe and be fulfilled spedely †Now therfore let the king prouide a wise man and industrious and make him ruler ouer the Land of Aegypt †that he may appointe ouerseers ouer al countries and gether into barnes the fifth part of the fruites during the seuen yeares of the fertilitie †that now presently shal ensewe and let al the corne be laid vp vnder Pharaoes handes and let it be reserued in the cities †And let it be in a readines against the famine of seuen yeares to come which shal oppresse Aegypt and the land shal not be consumed with scarsitie †The counsel pleased Pharao and al his seruants †and he spake to them Can we find such an other man that is ful of the spirite of God †He said therfore to Ioseph Because God hath shewed thee al things that thou hast spoken can I find a wiser and one like vnto thee †Thou shalt be ouer my house and at the commandment of thy mouth al the people shal obey only in the throne of the kingdome I wil goe before thee †And againe Pharao said to Ioseph Behold I haue appointed thee ouer the whole land of Aegypt †And he tooke his ring from his owne hand and gaue it into his hand and he put vpon him a silke roabe and put a chaine of gold about his necke †And he
the long circuites of the way †who were al circumcised But the people that was borne in the desert †during the fourtie yeares of the iourney in the wide wildernes was incircumcised til they were consumed that had not heard the voice of our Lord and to whom he had sworne before that he would not shew them a land flowing with milke and honie †The children of these succeded in the place of the fathers and were circumcised of Iosue for they were in the prepuce euen as they were borne neither had any circumcised them in the way †And after that they were al circumcised they abode in the same place of the campe vntil they were whole †And our Lord said to Iosue This day haue I taken away the reproch of Aegypt from you And the name of that place was called Galgal vntil this present day †And the children of Israel abode in Galgal they made the Phase the fourtenth day of the moneth at euen in the champion of Iericho †and they did eate of the corne of the Land the next day azyme loaues and poleÌ„t of the same yeare †And Manna failed after they did eate of the corne of the Land neither did the children of Israel vse that meate any more but they did eate of the corne of the present Land of Chanaan †And when Iosue was in the field of the citie of Iericho he lifted vp his eies and saw a man standing against him holding a drawen sword and he went to him and said Art thou ours or our aduersaries †Who answered No but I am a prince of the host of our Lord and now I come †Iosue fel flatte on the ground And “ adoring he said What speaketh my Lord to his seruant †“ Loose sayth he thy shoe from thy feete for the place wherein thou dost stand is holie And Iosue did as it was commanded him ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 15. Adoring Iosue knowing that the person which appeared was an Angel and not God nor a man neither adored him with godlie honour for that had bene idolatrie nor with ciuil for that perteineth to wordlie and temporal excellencie and is not competent to sacred thinges especialy to immortal and glorious spirites and therfore the honour he did to this Angel was religious honour infinitly inferior to diuine and yet much greater then ciuil 16. Loose thy shoe The Angel did not only accept of the honour donne vnto him but also required more shewing that the verie place was holie for his presence being otherwise the common field of Iericho CHAP. VI. Some priestes carying the arke others sounding Iubilee trumpetes â—râ—ed mâ—â— going before and the rest of the people folowing goe euerie day once six dayes together and the seuenth day seuen times round about Iericho 16. at last al making a great shoote the walles fal downe and they entering 〈◊〉 kil and destroy al 22. sauing Rahab and her kinred The gold siluer brasse and iron are brought into the treasurie 26. And he is cursed that shal build the citie againe AND Iericho was shut and â—ensed for feare of the children of Israel and no man durst goe out or come in †And our Lord said to Iosue Behold I haue geuen into thy handes Iericho and the king therof and al the valiant men †Goe round about the citie al you that be men of warre once a day so shal you doe six daies †And the seuenth day the priestes shal take vp the seuen trumpettes which are vsed in the Iubilee and shal goe before the arke of the couenant and you shal goe about the citie seuen times and the priestes shal sound with trumpetes †And when the voice of the trumpet shal sound in length and with a broken tune and shal sound in your eares al the people shal crie together with a verie greate shoote and the walles of the citie shal fall to the ground and they shal enter in euerie one at the place against which they shal staÌ„d †Iosue therfore the sonne of Nun called the priestes and said to them Take vp the arke of the couenant and let seuen other priestes take vp the seuen truÌ„peâ—tes of the iubilees and march before the arke of our Lord. †To the people also he said Goe and coÌ„passe the citie the armed going before the arke of our Lord. †And when Iosue had ended his wordes and the seuen priestes sounded with seuen trumpettes before the arke of the couenant of ouâ— Lord †and al the armed hoste went before the rest of the commoÌ„ people folowed the arke and al places sounded with the trumpettes †But Iosue had commanded the people saying You shal not crie neither shal your voice be heard nor any word goe out of your mouth vntil the day come wherin I shal say to you Crie and shoote †Therfore the arke of our Lord went about the citie once a day and returning into the campe abode there †Iosue therfore rysing in the night the priestes tooke the arke of our Lord †and seuen of them seuen trumpettes which are vsed in the iubilee and they went before the arke of our Lord walking and sounding and the armed people went before them and the rest of the common people folowed the arke and they sounded with trumpettes †And they went round about the citie the second day once and returned into the campe So did they six daies †But the seuenth day rysing vp early they went about the citie as it was ordained seuen times †And when in the seuenth going about the priestes sounded with the trumpettes Iosue said to al Israel Make a shoote for our Lord hath deliuered to you the citie †and let this citie be anathema and al thinges that are in it to our Lord. onlie Rahab the harlot let her liue with al that be with her in the house for she hidde the messengers whom we sent †But you beware you touch not ought of those rhinges that are commanded and be guiltie of preuarication and al the campe of Israel be vnder sinne and be trubled †But whatsoeuer gold or siluer there shal be and of brasen vessels and yron let it be consecrated to our Lord layd vp in his treasures †Therfore al the people making a shoote and the trumpettes sounding after that the voice and the sound thundred in the eares of the multitude the walles forthwith fell and euerie man went vp by the place that was against him and they tooke the citie †and killed al thinges that were in it from man to woman from the infant to the old man The oxen also and sheepe and the asses they stroke in the edge of the sword †But to the two men that had bene sent for spies Iosue said Goe into the house of the woman the harlotte and bring her forth and al thinges that be hers as you assured her by oath †And the young men
ye and see that our Lord is sweete blessed is the man that hopeth in him †Feare ye our Lord al ye his sainctes because there is no lacke to them that feare him †The rich haue wanted and haue bene hungrie but they that seeke after our Lord shal not be diminished of any good †Come children heare me I wil teach you the feare of our Lord. †Who is the man that wil haue life loueth to see good daies †“ Stay thy tongue from euil and thy lippes that they speake not guile †Turne away from euil and do good seeke after peace and pursewe it †The eies of our Lord vpon the iust and his eares vnto their prayers †But the countenance of our Lord is vpon them that doe euil things to destroy their memorie out of the earth †The iust haue cried and our Lord hath heard them and out of al their tribulations he hath deliuered them †Our Lord is nigh to them that are of a contrite hart and the humble of spirit he wil saue †Manie are the tribulations of the iust and out of al these our Lord wil deliuer them Our Lord keepeth al their bones there shal not one of them be broken The death of sinners is verie il and they that hate the iust shal offend Our Lord wil redeme the soules of his seruantes and al that hope in him shal not offend ANNOTATIONS PSALME XXXIII 1. He changed his countenance S. Augustin by holie Dauids changing of his countenance and by changing the king of Geth his name who in the booke of kinges where the historie is recorded is called Achis and here Abimelech gethereth that here is an hidden and great Mysterie VVhich he explicateth partly by interpretation of the Hebrew names but more especially by Dauids changing of his countenance which prefigured Christ eternal God becoming also man and so making great changes in the world For as Dauid killed Goliath and for his good act gotte enuie so Christ killing the diuel and humilitie in Christs meÌ„bers killing pride are persecuted by the wicked For Christ was both to the ruine and Resurrection of manie He changed Sacrifice and Priesthood The Iewes had sacrifice according to the order of Aaron in victims of cattle and this was in mysterie For there was not then the Sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of our Lord which the faithful and those that haue read the Gospel do know which Sacrifice is now spread in al the round earth Aâ—litle after the Sacrifice of Aaron is taken away and the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech begane to be He therfore I knovv not vvho changed his countenance Let it not be I knovv not vvho for our Lord Iesus Christ is knowen He would haue our health to be in his bodie and bloud From whence did he commend his bodie and bloud from his humilitie For vnles he were humble he would neither be eaten nor druncke Behold his highnes In the beginning was the vvord and the vvord was with God and God the vvord Loe the euerlasting meate and Angels eate it supernal powres eate it celestial spirites eate it and they eate and are fatted and the thing remaineth whole which satiateth and reioyceth them How then hath the vvisdome of God fedde vs vvith the same bread the word was made flesh and dwelt in vs It were too long to recite this great Doctors vvhole discourse He further sheweth that Christ dismissed the Ievves and vvent from them to the Gentiles Thou seekest novv Christ saith he among the Ievves and findest him not because he hath changed his countenance For they sticking to the sacrifice according to the order of Aaron held not the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech and haue lost Christ and the Gentiles haue begunne to haue him Againe this holie father vvilleth vs to remember the Gospel VVhen our Lord Iesus Christ spake of his bodie he said Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shal not haue life in you because he had changed his countenance this semed as furie and madnes vnto them to geue his flesh to be eaten of men his bloud to be drunke therfore Dauid vvas reputed madde before Achis vvhen he said you haue brought this madde man vnto me Doth it not seme madnes Eate ye my flesh and drinke my bloud He semed to be madde thus S. Augustin Neuer imagining the figuratiue interpretation of our nevv Sacramentaries vvho say Christ gaue no more but a figure of his bodie bloud for then it had bene easily vnderstood by the Capharnaites and no such contradiction nor murmuring had happened Yet S. Augustin saith more plainly if more plaine may be Christ caried himselfe in his ovvne handes And hovv this can be done bretheren in man vvho can vnderstand For vvho is caried in his ovvne handes A man may be caried in the handes of others no man is caried in his ovvne handes VVe find not hovv it can be vnderstood in Dauid according to the letter but in Christ vve find it For Christ vvas caried in his ovvne handes vvhen geuing his verie bodie he said This is my bodie for he caried his bodie in his ovvne handes 14 15. â—tay thy tongue c. Both these verses and frequent other places in the Psalmes shevv plainly that iustice consisteth not only in faith but in abstayning from euil and doing good yet requiring and presupposing true faith vvithout which no workes are aualable to iustice nor to euerlasting life PSALME XXXIIII Dauid in figure of Christ prophetically by way of inuocating Gods helpe forsheweth his persecution and the iust reuenge vpon his persecutors 9. with praise to God 13. his charitie towards his cruel aduersaries 17. whom neuertheles God punisheth 20. for pretending peace in wordes and in fact persecuting 23. rendering to al as they deserue To Dauid himself IVDGE ô Lord them that hurt me ouerthrow them that impugne me †Take armour and shield and rise vp to helpe me †Bring forth the sword and shut vp against them that perfecute me say to my soule I am thy saluation †Let them be counfounded ashamed that seeke my soule Let them be turned backward and be confounded that thinke euil against me †Be they made as dust before the face of winde and the angel of our Lord straictning them †Let their way be made darkenesse and slippernes and the angel of our Lord pursewing them †Because they haue hid the destruction of their snare for me without cause in vaine haue they vpbrayded my soule †Let the snare which he knoweth not come on him and the net which he hath hid catch him and let him fal into the verie same snare †But my soule shal reioyce in our Lord and shal be delighted vpon his saluation †Al
geue ioy and gladnes and the bones humbled shal reioyce †Turne away thy face from my sinnes and wipe away al mine iniquities †Create a cleane hart in me ô God and renew a right spirit in my u bowels †Cast me not away from thy face and thy Holie spirit take not from me †Render vnto me the ioy of thy saluation and confirme me with the principal spirit †I Wil teach the vniust thy waies and the impious shal be conuerted to thee †Deliuer me from bloudes ô God the God of my saluation and my tongue shal exult for thy iustice †Lord thou 〈…〉 lt open my lippes my mouth shal shew forth thy prayse †Because if thou wouldest haue had sacrifice I had verily giuen it with holocaustes thou wilt not be delighted A “ sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contrite and humbled hait ô God thou wilt not despise Deale fauorably ô Lord in thy good wil with Sion that the walles of Ierusalem may be built vp Then shalt thou accept sacrifice of iustice oblations k holocaustes l then shal they lay calues vpon thyne altar ANNOTATIONS PSALME L. 2. VVhen Nathan came to Dauid As Nathan denouncing to Dauid that our Lord had vpon his repentance and confession taken away his sinne added neuertheles that because he had made the enimies of God to blaspheme his sonne should dye so Dauid knowing that more was required then only confession for that the bond of satisfaction remained after his sinnes were remitted persisted in penance praying lamenting and beseching God according to his great and mainfold mercies to take away his iniquitie albeit the prophet Nathan had now told him that our Lord had taken away his sinne because there yet remained temporal paine due for the same He prayeth also v. 4. that God wil vvash him more amply from his iniquitie and cleanse him from his sinne For albeit the guilt of mortal sinne be washed and taken away yet besides temporal punishment that is due the soule that was so polluted nedeth to be washed and cleansed from the euil habite or pronnes to fal againe gotten by the former custome or delectation in sinne 7. I VVas conceiued in iniquities An other reason why sinners after remission of al mortal sinnes neede to be washed and cleansed is because being borne in original sinne after remission therof there remaneth concupiscence that â—â—riueth against vertue and inclineth to sinne from which we must pray and labour to be more and more washed and cleansed 19 Sacrifice Holie Scriptures make often comparison betwen two kindes of sacrifices preferring internal before external as more gratful to God And of spiritual sacrifices this of a contrite spirite is first in order and maketh the way to the sacrifice of iustice because iustice presupposeth repentance and finally succedeth sacrifice of praise and thankesgeuing PSALME LI. Holie Dauid inueigheth against wicked Doeg a traitor 7. prophecieth his ruine 10. and his owne exaltation Vnto the end vnderstanding to Dauid †when Doeg the Idumeite came and told Saul Dauid is come into the house of Achimelech 1. Reg. 22. VVHY doest thou glorie in malice which art mightie in iniquitie †Al the day hath thy tongue thought iniustice as a sharp rasor thou hast done guile †Thou hast loued malice more then benignitie iniquitie rather then to speake equitie †Thou hast loued al wordes of precipitation a deceitful tongue †Therfore Wil God destroy thee for euer he wil plucke thee out remoue thee out of thy tabernacle thy roote out of the land of the liuing †The iust shal see and feare and shal laugh at him and they shal say Behold the man that hath not put God for his helper But hath hoped in the multitude of his riches and hath preualed in his vanitie †But I as a fruitful oliue tree in the house of God haue hoped in the mercie of God for euer and for euer and euer †I wil confesse to thee for euer because thou hast done it and I wil expect thy name because it is good in the sight of thy saints PSALME LII As in the thirtenth Psalme Christs Incarnation is prophecied after that sinne abunded in the world so here is foreshewed that after general wickednes 5. Christ wil come to iudge the bad 7. and deliuer the good Vnto the end for Maâ—leth vnderstandings of Dauid THE foole hath said in his hart There is no God †They are corrupte and become abominable in iniquities there is not that doth good †God hath looked forth from heauen vpon the children of men to see if there be that vnderstaÌ„deth or seeketh after God †Al haue declined they are become vnprofitable together there is not that doth good no there is not one Shal they not al know that worke iniquitie that deuoure my people as food of bread God they haue not inuocated there haue they trembled for feare where no feare was Because God hath dissipated the bones of them that please men they are confounded because God hath despised them Who wil geue out of Sion the saluation of Israel when God shal conuert the captiuitie of his people Iacob shal reioyce and Israel shal be glad PSALME LIII Dauid in distresse crieth to God for helpe 6. considently trusting therin 8. and promising sacrifice of thankesgeuing †Vnto the end in songs vnderstanding for Dauid †when the Zipheites were come and said to Saul Is not Dauid hid with vs 1. Reg. 1. 23. 26. O GOD saue me in thy name and in thy strength iudge me †O God heare my prayer with thine eares receiue the words of my mouth †Because straÌ„gers haue risen vp against me the strong haue sought my soule and they haue not set God before their eies †For behold God helpeth me and our Lord is the receiuer of my soule †Turne away the euils to mine enimies and in thy truth destroy them †I wil voluntarily sacrifice to thee and wil confesse to thy name ô Lord because it is good †Because thou hast deliuered me out of al tribulation and mine eie hath looked downe vpon mine enimies PSALME LIIII The prophet as wel in his owne as other iust mens person describeth great calamities suffered 10. prayeth against the wicked 13. lamenting especially that those which professe frendshipe are aduersaries 17. and declareth Gods prouidence in protecting the good and destroying the bad Vnto the end in songes vnderstanding to Dauid HEARE my prayer ô God despise not my petition †Attend to me and heare me †I am made sorowful in my exercise and am trubled at the voice of the enimie
the tribes of Iacob †Blessed are they that saw thee and were honored in thy freindshipe †For we liue by life only but after death our name shal not be such †Elias was in dede hid in the whirlewind his spirit was complete in Eliseus in his daies he feared not the prince and no man ouercame him by might †Neither did any word ouercome him and his bodie prophecied being dead †In his life he did wonders and in death he wrought meruelous thinges †In al these thinges the people repented not and they departed not from their sinnes til they were cast out of their land and were dispersed into al the earth †And there was leaft a verie smal nation and a prince in the house of Dauid †Some of them did that which pleased God but others committed manie sinnes †Ezechias fenced his citie and brough in water into the middes thereof and digged a rocke with yron and built a wel for water †In his daies came vp Sennacherib and sent Rabsaces and lifted vp his hand against them and put forth his hand vpon Sion and became proude by his mightines †Then were their harts and hands moued and they were in sorow as trauailing wemen †And they inuocated our merciful Lord and spredding their handes they lifted them vp to heauen and the holie Lord God quickly heard their voice †He was not mindful of their sinnes neither did he geue them to their enemies but purged them by the hand of Isaie the holie prophete †He ouerthrew the campe of the Assirians and the Angel of our Lord destroyed them †For Ezechias did that which pleased God and went strongly in the way of Dauid his father which Isaie commanded him the great prophet and faithful in the sight of God †In his daies the sunne returned backward added life to the king †By a great spirite he saw the last thinges and comforted the mourners in Sion †For euer he shewed the thinges to come secret thinges before they came to passe ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XLVIII 10 VVho art vvritten Amongst other quarels Protestantes except against the authentical auctoritie of this booke because the auctor saith that Enoch and Elias shal come againe to appease the wrath of our Lord to reconcile the father to the sonne and to restore the tribes of Iacob But that this is no iust exception is clere by other holie Scriptures where the same vniforme doctrin of the whole Church is no lesse euident then in this booke For God himself saith the same also by the mouth of his prophet Malachie Behold I wil send you Elias the prophet before the day of our Lord come the great and dreadful Christ also sayth Elias in deede shal come and restore al thinges VVherupon S. Chrysostom after he hath shewed how terrible Antichrist shal be by reason of his temporal powre crueltie and wicked lawes he addeth Feare thou not He shal only haue force in the reprobate that perish For then also Elias shal come to fortifie the faithful Likewise the wordes in the Apocalips I wil geue to my two witnesses they shal prophecie a thousand two hundred and three score dayes were euer inuariably vnderstood by tradition from the first preachers of Christ as the ancient writer Aretas testifieth that Enoch and Elias shal come admonish al not to geue credite to the deceiptful wonders of Antichrist and that they shal trauel in this testimonie the space of three yeares and a half For 1260. dayes come very nere to that space of time CHAP. XLIX Praises of Iosias who like to Dauid and Ezechias tooke away occasions of idolatrie 8. Praises of Ieremie 10. Ezechiel 12. and the twelue Prophetes 13. Also of Zorobabel Iesus the sonne of Iosedech Nehemias Enoch Ioseph Seth Sem and Adam THE memorie of Iosias is according to the confection of perfume made by the worke of an apothecarie †His remembrance shal be sweete as honie in euerie mouth and as musick in banket of wine †He was directed by God into the repentance of the nation and he tooke away the abominations of impietie †And he gouerned his hart toward our Lord and in the daies of sinners he strengthened pietie †Except Dauid and Ezechias and Iosias al committed sinne †For the kinges of Iuda forsooke the law of the Highest and contemned the feare of God †For they gaue their kingdom to others and their glorie to a strange nation †They burnt the chosen citie of holines and made the waies thereof desolate in the hand of Ieremie †For they euil intreated him who was consecrated a prophet from his mothers wombe to ouerthrow and pluck vp and destroy and to build againe and renewe †Ezechiel who saw the sight of glorie which he shewed him in the chariote of Cherubs †For he made mention of the enemies in rayne to doe good vnto them that haue shewed right waies †And the bones of the twelue prophets wel may they spring out of their place for they haue strengthened Iacob and haue redeemed themselues in the fidelitie of power †How may we magnifie Zorobabel for he also was as a signet on the right hand †and so Iesus the sonne of Iosedec who in their daies built the house and erected the holie temple to our Lord prepared to euerlasting glorie †And Nehemias in the memorie of much time who erected vs our walles ouerthrowen and set vp the gates and lockes who built our houses †No man hath bene borne in the earth like to Henoch for he also was taken vp from the earth †Neither as Ioseph who was a man borne prince of his bretheren the stay of the nation the ruler of his bretheren the stay of the people †and his bones were visited and after death they prophecied †Seth and Sem obteyned glorie with men and aboue euerie soule in the beginning Adam CHAP. L. Praises of Simon the High Priest 27. Detestation of certaine persecuting aduersaries 29. With conclusion that the obseruers of this doctrine shal be wise and happie SIMON the sonne of Onias the high priest who in his life held vp the house and in his daies strengthned the temple †The height also of the temple was founded by him the duble building and high walles of the temple †In his daies the welles of waters flowed out and they were filled as the sea aboue measure †Who had care of his nation and deliuered it from perdition †Who preuailed to amplifie the citie who obteyned glorie in conuersing with the nation and amplified the entrance of the house and the court †As the morning starre in the middes of a cloude and as the ful moone he shineth in his dayes †And as the sunne shining so did he shine in the temple of God †As the rainbow that shineth among
the way of thy steppes †Our Lord standeth to iudge and he standeth to iudge peoples †Our Lord shal come to iudgement with the ancients of his people and his princes for you haue deuoured the vineyard and the spoile of the poore is in your house †Why do you consume my people and grinde the faces of the poore sayth our Lord the God of hostes †And our Lord sayd for that the daughters of Sion are haughtie and haue walked with stretched out necke and went with twinglings of eies and clapped their handes walked on their feete and ietted in a set pace †Our Lord shal make balde the crowne of the daughters of Sion and our Lord shal discouer their haire †In that day shal our Lord take away the ornament of shoes and litle moones †And cheynes and ouches and bracelettes and bonnettes †And the sheading combes and sloppes and tablettes and sweete balles and earlets †And ringes and pearles hanging on the forehead †And changes of apparel and shorte clokes and the fine linen and nedles †and loking glasses and launes and headbands and bonegraces †And for swete sauour there shal be stinke and for a girdle a corde and for frisled haire baldnes and for stomacher hairecloth †Thy fayrest men also shal fal by the sworde and thy strong ones in battle †And her gates shal lament and moorne and she shal sit desolate on the ground CHAP. IIII. After the destruction of the Iewes manie wemen shal seeke to marie with one man 2. but the reliques repenting of their sinnes shal returne to God 5. and florish vnder his protection AND seuen wemen shal take hold of one man in that day saying We wil eate our owne bread and be couered with our garments only let thy name be called vpon vs take away our reproch †In that day the bud of our Lord shal be in magnificence and glorie and the fruite of the earth high and exultation to them that shal be saued of Israel †And it shal be Euerie one that shal be leaft in Sion and shal remaine in Ierusalem shal be called holie euerie one that is written in life in Ierusalem †If our Lord shal cleanse the filth of the daughters of Sion and shal wash the bloud of Ierusalem out of the middes thereof in the spirit of iudgement and spirit of heate †And our Lord shal create vpon euerie place of mount Sion and where he is inuocated a clowde by day and smoke and the brightnes of flaming fyre in the night for vpon al glorie protection †And there shal be a tabernacle for a place of shadow in the day from the heate and for securitie and couert from the whyrle wind and from rayne CHAP. V. Vnder the figure of a barren vineyard is prophecied the reiection of the Iewes 7. for their sinnes of auarice 11. intemperance other wickednes 18. one iniquitie drawing an other 20. iudging good to be euil and euil good 25. for which the Gentiles of diuers nations shal afflict them I wil sing to my beloued the canticle of my cosin concerning his vinyard A vineyard was made to my beloued in horne the sonne of oile †And he hedged it and chose stones out of it and planted it elect and built a towre in the middes thereof and set vp a presse therein and looked that it should yeld grapes and it yelded wilde grapes †Now therfore ye inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iuda iudge betwen me and my vineyard †What is there that I ought to doe more to my vineyard and haue not done to it Whether that I looked it should yeld grapes and it hath yelded wilde grapes †And now I wil shew you what I wil doe to my vineyard I wil take away the hedge therof and it shal be into spoile I wil throw downe the wal thereof and it shal be to be troden vpon †And I wil lay it waist it shal not be pruned and it shal not be digged and bryers and thornes shal ouergrowe it and I wil command the cloudes that they rayne no shower vpon it †For the vineyarde of the Lord of hostes is the house of Israel and the man of Iuda his delectable bud I looked that it should doe iudgement and behold iniquitie and iustice and behold clamour †Woe to you that ioyne house to house and lay filde to filde euen to the end of the place why shal you alone dwel in the middes of the earth †These thinges are in my eares sayth the Lord of hostes vnles manie great and fayre houses become desolate without an inhabiter †For ten acres of the vineyards shal yeld one litle flagon and thirtie busheles of seede shal yeld three busheles †Woe to you that rise vp earely to folow drunkennes and to drinke euen vntil euening that you may be inflamed with wine †Harpe and viole timbrel and shalme and wine in your feastes and the worke of our Lord you regard not nor consider the workes of his handes †Therfore is my people led away captiue because they had not knowlege and their nobles died with famine and the multitude thereof dried away with thirst †Therfore hath hel dilated his soule and opened his mouth without anie limite and their strong ones and their people and their high and glorious ones shal descend into it †And man shal be bowed and man shal be humbled and the eies of the loftie shal be brought law †And the Lord of hostes shal be exalted in iudgement and the holie God shal be sanctified in iustice †And the lambes shal feede according to their order and strangers shal eate the deserts turned into frutefulnes †Woe to you that draw iniquitie in cordes of vanitie sinne as the linke of a wayne †Which say let him make hast let his worke come quickly that we may see it let the counsel of the holie one of Israel come and we shal know it †Woe vnto you that cal euil good and good euil putting darknes light and light darknes putting bitter for swete swete for bitter †Woe to you that are wise in your owne eies and prudent before yourselues †Woe to you that are mightie to drinke wine stout men in drunkennes †Which iustifie the impious for giftes and take away the iustice of the iust from them †For this euen as the tongue of fire deuoureth stuble and the heate of the flame burneth it vp so shal their roote be as isles and their bud shal rise vp as dust for they haue cast away the law of the Lord of hostes and haue blasphemed the word of the holie one of Israel †Therfore is the furie of our Lord wrath against his people and he hath stretched out his hand vpon them and striken them and the mountaines were trubled and their carcasses were made as dung in the
princes nor by priestes and prophets of that time The same vve might deduce of innumerable other places of this other Prophetes but it is not our * purpose to explicate much in this Edition 1. Reigne in iustice and rule in iudgement Here also to auoide prolixitie vve may once note that these vvordes Iudgement and Iustice haue a saâ—â—e other higher and more excellent signification in holie Scriptures vvhere they most frequently occurre then in prophane vvritings and natural or moral philosophical discourses For Philosophers such as Plato and Aristotel could reach no further then to natural reason vvhich they called right iudgement and to moral equitie vvhich in general they named iustice But the Holie Ghost by these vvordes reueleth most high spiritual mysteries knovven by faith most comfortable to mens soules releeuing and refreshing the consciences of penitents in this life replenishing the iust vvith vnspeakable gladnes in eternal glorie Therfore in the sense vsual in holy Scripture Iudgement is the act of the mind or vnderstanding discerning what is right iust agreing to reason And Iustice is the rectitude of the vvil doing conformably to right direction of the mind or vnderstanding And so these wordes are applied to signifie both Gods and iust mens actions As that vvhich God mercifully decreed in eternitie and promised after the fal of man to do for mankind as conuenient for his Diuine Povvre VVisdom Iustice Mercie Goodnes vvith al the meanes vvhich he ordained for effecting the same is called his Iudgement and the performing and accomplishment therof so saâ—re as is of his part is called his Iustice Also that vvhich anie man discusseth discerneth and determineth in his vnderstanding as right or reasonable in supernatural thinges is called his spiritual iudgement and that vvhich he doth of his freevvil according to the same right iudgement is called his iustice So in this place the Prophet forshevveth that Christ our Kingvvil reigne in iustâ—â—â— that is performe and fulfil al that he as God vvith the Father the Holie Ghost decreed for Redemption Iustification and Salâ—ation of men And the princes his Apostles and other Pastors shal rule in iudgement that is discerne and iudge vvhat is right and good for themselues and the people in respect of their soules and eternal saluation CHAP. XXXIII Sennacherib beseeging and threatning Ierusalem shal be ouerthrowne by Angels 13. that both wicked arrogant infidels may feele the hand of God and faithful sinners repenting after great terror be comforted VVOE to thee that spoilest shalt not thy selfe also be spoiled and that despisest shalt not thy self also be despised when thou shalt haue ended spoyling thou shalt be spoyled when being wearied thou shalt cease to contemne thou shalt be contemned †O Lord haue mercie vpon vs for we haue expected thee be our arme in the morning and our saluation in the time of our tribulation †At the voice of the Angel the peoples fled and at thy exaltation the nations are dispersed †And you spoiles shal be gathered together as the locust is gathered as when the ditches shal be ful therof †Our Lord is magnified because he hath dwelt on high he hath filled Sion with iudgement and iustice †And there shal be fayth in thy times riches of saluation wisdom and knowlege the feare of our Lord that is his treasure †Behold they that see shal crie without the angels of peace shal weepe bitterly †The wayes are dissipated the passenger by the path hath ceased the couenant is made frustrate he hath reiected the cities he hath not estemed the men †The land hath moorned and languished Libanus is confounded and become foule and Saron is made as a desert and Basan is shaken Carmel †Now wil I rise vp sayth our Lord now wil I be exalted now wil I be lifted vp †You shal conceiue heate you shal bring forth stubble your spirit as fire shal deuoure you †And the peoples shal be as ashes of a great fyre thornes gathered together shal be burned with fyre †Heare ye that are far of what thinges I haue done and ye that are neere know my strength †The sinners are terrified in Sion trembling hath possessed the hypocrites Which of you can dwel with deuouring fyre which of you shal dwel with euerlasting heates †He that walketh in iustices and speaketh truth that casteth away auarice of oppression and shaketh his handes from al gift that stoppeth his eares lest he heare bloud and shutteth his eyes that he may see no euil †This man shal dwel on high the munitions of rockes shal be his highnes bread is geuen to him his waters are faithful †His eies shal see the king in his beautie they shal see the land farre of †Thy hart shal meditate feare where is the lerned where is he that pondereth the wordes of the law where the teacher of litle ones †The vnwise people thou shalt not see the people of profound speach so that thou canst not vnderstand the eloquence of his tongue in whom there is no wisdome †Looke vpon Sion the citie of our solemnitie thine eies shal see Ierusalem a rich habitation a tabernacle that can not be transferred neither shal the nailes therof be taken away for euer and al the cordes therof shal not be broken †because onlie there our Lord is magnifical a place of floudes riuers most brode and wide no shippe of rowers shal passe by it neither shal the great galley passe thereby †For the Lord is our iudge the Lord is our lawmaker the Lord is our king he wil saue vs †Thy cordes are loosed and they shal not preuaile thy mast shal be so that thou canst not spred the signe Then shal the spoiles of manie prayes be diuided the lame shal take the spoile †Neither shal the neighbour say I am feble The people that dwelleth therein iniquitie shal be taken away from them CHAP. XXXIIII A prophecie of the destruction of the whole world at the day of Iudgement 5. and in particular of I dumeâ— 9. Ierusalem as figures therof COME neere ye Gentiles and heare and ye peoples attend let the earth heare the fulnes therof the round world and euerie spring therof †Because the indignation of our Lord is vpon al Gentiles and furie vpon al their hostes he hath killed them geuen them into slaughter †Their slaine shal be cast forth and out of their carcasâ—es shal rise a stinche the mountaines shal melt with their bloud †And al the host of the heauens shal melt away and the heauens shal be folded together as a booke and al their host shal fal away as the leafe falleth from the vine and from the figge tree †Because my sword is inebriated in heauen behold it shal descend vpon Idumaea and vpon the peoples of my slaughter to iudgement †The sword of
of health 2. He sheweth them al his riches 5. for which I saie reprehendeth him and prophecieth that the Babylonians wil spoile Ierusalem AT THAT time Merodach Baladan the sonne of Baladan king of Babylon sent letters giftes to Ezechias for he had heard that he had bene sicke and was recouered †And Ezechias reioyced vpon them and he shewed them the storehouse of aromatical spices and of siluer and of gold and of sweete odours and of the best oyntment and al the store houses of his furniture and al thinges that were found in his treasures There was not anie thing which Ezechias shewed them not in his house and in al his dominion †But Isaie the prophet went in to Ezechias the king and said to him What sayd these men and from whence came they to thee And Ezechias sayd From a far countrie they came to me from Babylon †And he sayd What saw they in thy house And Ezechias sayd al thinges that are in my house haue they sene there was not anie thing which I haue not shewed them in my treasures †And Isaie sayd to Ezechias Heare the word of the Lord of hostes †Behold the daies shal come and al thinges that are in thy house and that thy fathers haue layd vp for treasure vntil this day shal be taken away into Babylon there shal not any thing be leaft sayth our Lord. †And of thy children which shal come forth of thee whom thou shalt beget they shal take away and they shal be eunuches in the palace of the king of Babylon †And Ezechias sayd to Isaie The word of our Lord which he hath spoken is good And he said Onlie be there peace and truth in my daies CHAP. XL. The prophet comforteth the people with Christs coming to remitte sinnes 3. Before whom S. Iohn Baptist shal preach penance 6. sheweth mans imbecilitie 9. Gods Maiestie 18. the vanitie of idols 27. and fal of them that feare not God BE comforted be comforted my people saith your God †Speake to the hart of Ierusalem and cal to her because her malice is accomplished her iniquitie is forgeuen she hath receiued of the hand of our Lord duble for al her sinnes †The voice of one crying in the desert Prepare the way of our Lord make streight the pathes of our God in the wildernes †Euerie valley shal be exalted and euerie mountaine and litle hil shal be humbled crooked thinges shal become streight and rought wayes playne †And the glorie of our Lord shal be reueled and al flesh together shal see that the mouth of our Lord hath spoken †The voice of one saying Crie And I sayd What shal I crie Al flesh is grasse and al the glorie therof as the floure of the filde †The grasse is withered and the floure is fallen because the spirit of our Lord hath blowen on it In deede the people is grasse †the grasse is withered and the floure is fallen but the word of our Lord abideth for euer †Vpon an high mountayne get thee vp thou that euangelizest to Sion exalt the voice in strength which euangelizest to Ierusalem exalt it feare not Say to the cities of Iuda Behold your God †behold our Lord God shal come in strength and his arme shal haue dominion behold his reward is with him and his worke before him †As a shepheard shal he feede his flocke in his arme shal he gather together the lambes and in his bosome shal he lift them vp and them with yong himself shal carie †Who hath measured the waters with his fist and poundered the heauens with a spanne who hath poysed with three fingers the huge greatnes of the earth and wayed the mountaines in weight and the litle hilles in balance †Who hath holpen the spirit of our Lord or who hath bene his counseler and shewed to him †With whom hath he taken counsel and who hath instructed him and taught him the path of iustice and taught him knowlege and shewed him the way of prudence †Behold the Gentiles are as a droppe of a bucket and are reputed as the moment of a balance behold the ilandes are as a litle dust †And Libanus shal not suffice to kindle the fyre and the beastes therof shal not be sufficient for holocaust †Al nations as if they were not so are they before him and they are reputed of him as nothing and a vaine thing †To whom then haue you made God like or what image wil you set to him †Hath the artificer cast a sculptil or hath the goldsmith figured it with gold or the siluersmith with plates of siluer †Strong wood and that which wil not putrifie hath he chosen the wise artificer seeketh how he may set vp a sculptile which may not be moued †Why doe you not know why haue you not heard why hath it not bene told you from the beginning Haue you not vnderstood the fundations of the earth †He that sitteth vpon the compasse of the earth and the inhabitants therof are as locustes he that stretcheth out the heauens as nothing spreddeth them as a tent to dwel in †He that maketh the searchers of secretes as if they were not that hath made the iudges of the earth as a vayne thing †and in deede their stocke was neither planted nor sowen nor rooted in the earth sodenly he hath blowen vpon them and they haue withered and a whirle wind shal take them away as stubble †And to whom haue ye likened me and made me equal saith the holie one †Lift vp your eies on high and see who hath created these thinges he that bringeth out the host of them in number and calleth them al by name by the multitude of his force and strength and power not one of them was missing †Why sayest thou Iacob and speakest thou Israel My way is hid from our Lord and my iudgement is passed ouer of my God †Why knowest thou not or hast thou not heard our Lord is God euerlasting which hath created the endes of the earth he shal not faile nor labour neither is there searching out of his wisdome †Which geueth strength to the wearie and to them that are not multiplieth force and strength †Children shal faynte and labour and yongmen shal fal by infirmitie †But they that hope in our Lord shal change their strength they shal take winges as eagles they shal runne not labour they shal walke and not fainte CHAP. XLI God pleading against idolaters sheweth his powre and goodnes by his benefites bestowed vpon the Iewes 17. With promise of perpetual protection 21. Wheras their vaine idols can no way profite them LET the ilands hold their peace before me and the Gentiles change their strength let them come neere and then speake let vs
conceiued labour and brought forth iniquitie †They haue broken the egges of aspes and haue wouen the spiders webbes he that shal eate of their egges shal die and that which is nourished shal be hatched into a cockatrice †Their webbes shal not be for clothing neither shal they be couered with their workes their workes are vnprofitable workes and the worke of iniquitie is in their handes †Their feete runne to euil hasten to shede innocent bloud their cogitations are vnprofitable cogitations waste and destruction are in their wayes †They haue not knowen the way of peace and there is no iudgement in their steppes their pathes are become croked to them euerie one that treadeth in them knoweth not peace †For this cause is iudgement far from vs iustice shal not apprehend vs. We expected light and behold darkenesse brightnes we haue walked in darkenes †We haue groped as blind men for the wal and as without eies haue feeled we haue stumbled at noone day as in darkenes in darke places as the dead †We al shal roare as beares and as mourning doues we shal lament We haue expected iudgement and there is none saluation and it is far from vs. †For our iniquities are multiplied before thee and our sinnes haue answered to vs because our wicked doings are with vs our iniquities we haue knowen †to sinne and lie against our Lord and we were turned away so that we went not after our God that we spake calumnie and trangression we conceiued and spake from the hart words of lying †And iudgement was turned backward and iustice stood far of because truth hath fallen downe in the streete and equitie could not enter in †And truth grew into obliuion and he that departed from euil lay open to the praye and our Lord saw and it appeared euil in his eies because there is no iudgement †And he saw that there is not a man and he was astoined because there is none to oppose himself and his owne arme saued to himself and his iustice it self confirmed him †He is clothed with iustice as with a brestplate and is an helmet of saluation on his head he is clothed with garments of reuenge and is couered as with a mantel of zele †As vnto reuenge as it were vnto retribution of indignation to his aduersaries and recompence to his enemies he wil repay the like to the ilandes †And they of the West shal feare the name of our Lord and they of the rysing of the sunne his glorie when he shal come as a violent streame which the spirit of our Lord driueth †and there shal come a redemer to Sion and to them that returne from iniquitie in Iacob sayth our Lord. †This is my couenant with them sayth our Lord My spirit that is in thee and my wordes that I haue put in thy mouth shal not depart out of thy mouth and out of the mouth of thy seede and out of the mouth of thy seedes seede sayth our Lord from this present and for euer CHAP. LX. In the Church of Christ shal shine the light of true faith and sincere charitie 8. which shal be spredde in al nations and continue al times 15. replenished with manie ioyful graces 18. and eternal glorie ARISE be illuminated Ierusalem because thy light is come the glorie of our Lord is risen vpon thee †Because loe darkenes shal couer the earth a mist the peoples but vpon thee shal our Lord arise and his glorie shal be seene vpon thee †And the Gentiles shal walke in thy light and kinges in the brightnes of thy rising †Lift vp thine eies round about and see al these are gathered together they are come to thee thy sonnes shal come from a farre thy daughters shal rise from the side †Then shalt thou see abound and thy hart shal meruel and be enlarged when the multitude of the sea shal be conuerted to thee the strength of Gentiles shal come to thee †The inundation of camels shal couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha al of Saba shal come bringing gold and frakincense and shewing forth prayse to our Lord. †Al the cattel of Cedar shal be gathered together vnto thee the rammes of Nabaioth shal minister to thee they shal be offered vpon my placable altar and I wil glorifie the house of my maiestie †Who are these that flie as cloudes and as doues to their windowes †For the ilandes expect me and the shippes of the sea in the begynning that I may bring thy sonnes from a farre their siluer their gold with them to the name of the Lord thy God and to the holie one of Israel because he hath glorified thee †And the children of strangers shal build thy walles and their kinges shal minister to thee for in mine indignation haue I stricken thee and in my reconciliation haue I had mercie vpon thee †And thy gates shal be open continually day and night they shal not be shut that the strength of the Gentiles may be brought to thee and their kinges may be brought †For the nation and the kingdome that shal not serue thee shal perish and the Gentiles shal be wasted with desolation †The glorie of Libanus shal come to thee the firretree and boxetree and pinetree together to adorne the place of my sanctification and the place of my feete I wil glorifie †And the children of them that humbled thee shal come crouching to thee and al that detracted from thee shal adore the steppes of thy feete and shal cal thee the citie of the Lord Sion of the holie one of Israel †For that thou wast forsaken and hated and there was none that passed by thee I wil make thee to be the pride of worldes a â—oy vnto generation and generation †and thou shalt sucke the milke of the Gentiles and thou shalt be nurced with the tette of kinges and thou shalt know that I am the Lord that saue thee and thy redemer the strong one of Iacob †For brasse I wil bring gold and for yron I wil bring siluer and for wood brasse and for stones yron and I wil make thy visitation peace and thine ouerseers iustice †Iniquitie shal no more be heard in thy land waste and destruction in thy borders and saluation shal occupie thy walles and prayse thy gates †Thou shalt haue the sunne no more to shine by day neither shal the brightnes of the moone lighten thee but the Lord shal be vnto thee for an euerlasting light and thy God for thy glorie †Thy sunne shal goe downe no more and thy moone shal not be diminished because the Lord shal be vnto thee for an euerlasting light and the daies of thy mourning shal be ended †And thy people al iust for euer shal inherite the land the bud
of my planting the worke of mine hand to glorifie †The least shal be into a thousand and the litle one into a most strong nation I the Lord in the time therof wil sodenly doe it CHAP. LXI Christ announceth himself to be sent from heauen to teach the truth to heale and pardon the penitent to comforte the desolate and streingthen the weake 4. whose Apostles shal constantly preach iustice in al the world 10. And his Church shal reioyce THE spirit of the Lord vpon me because the Lord hath annoynted me to preach to the milde he sent me that I should heale the contrite of hart and preach indulgence to the captiues and deliuerance to them that are shut vp †That I should preach the placable yeare to the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God that I might comfort al that mourne †that I might appoint to the mourners of Sion and geue them a crowne for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning a mantel of prayse for the spirit of sorrowfulnes and they shal be called in it the strong of iustice planting of the Lord to glorifie †And they shal build the desertes from the begynning of the world and shal erect the old ruines and shal repayre the desolate cities that were dissipated in generation and generation †And aliens shal stand and feede your cattel and the children shal be your husbandmen and dressers of the vines †And you shal be called the priestes of the Lord to you it shal be sayd The ministers of our God you shal eate the strength of the Gentiles and in their glorie you shal be proude †For your double confusion and shame they shal prayse their part for this cause shal they receiue duble in their land euerlasting ioy shal be to them †Because I am the Lord that loue iudgement hate robberie in holocaust and I wil geue their worke in truth and make a perpetual couenant with them †And they shal know their seede in the Gentiles and their bud in the middes of peoples al that shal see them shal know them that these are the seede which the Lord hath blessed †Reioycing I wil reioyce in our Lord and my soule shal be ioyful in my God because he hath clothed me with the garments of saluation and with the garment of iustice he hath compassed me as a bridgrome decked with a crowne and as a bride adorned with her iewels †For as the earth bringeth forth her spring and as the garden shooteth forth his seede so shal our Lord God make iustice to spring forth and prayse before al the Gentiles CHAP. LXII The prophet auoucheth that he wil not cease from preaching Christ 4. to whom al nations shal be conuerted 8. whos 's Church shal continew for euer FOR Sion I wil not hold my peace and for Ierusalem I wil not rest til her iust one come forth as brightnes her sauiour be kindled as a lampe †And the Gentiles shal see thy iust one and al kinges thy noble one and thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of our Lord shal name †And thou shalt be a crowne of glorie in the hand of our Lord and the diademe of a kingdome in the hand of thy God †Thou shalt no more be called Forsaken and thy land shal no more be called Desolate But thou shalt be called My wil in her and thy land inhabited because it hath wel pleased our Lord in thee and thy land shal be inhabited †For the yong man shal dwel with the virgin and thy children shal dwel in thee And the bridgrome shal reioyce vpon the birde thy God shal reioyce vpon thee †Vpon thy walles Ierusalem I haue appointed watchemen al the day and al the night for euer they shal not hold their peace You that remember our Lord hold not your peace †and geue not silence to him vntil he establish and vntil he make Ierusalem the prayse in the earth †Our Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the arme of his strength If I shal geue thy wheate any more to be meate for thine enemies and if the strange children shal drinke thy wine wherein thou hast laboured †Because they that shal gather it together shal eate it and shal prayse the Lord and they that carie it together shal drinke it in my holie courtes †Passe ye passe ye through the gates prepare a way for the people make the iourney plaine picke vp the stones and lift vp the signe to the peoples †Behold our Lord hath made heard in the ends of the earth tel the daughter of Sion Behold thy sauiour cometh behold his reward is with him and his worke before him †And they shal cal them The holie people the redemed of our Lord. But thou shalt be called a citie Sought for and not Forsaken CHAP. LXIII Christ is described as a vistorious conquerour ascending into heauen with triumph embrued with bloud 7. For al whose benefites the Prophet rendreth thankes 10. expostulating the peoples ingratitude that prouoked God to wrath VVHO is this that cometh from Edom with died garments from Bosra this beautiful one in his robe going in the multitude of his strength I that speake iustice and am a defender to saue †Why then is thy clothing red and thy garments as theirs that treade in the wine presse †I haue troden the presse alone and of the Gentiles there is not a man with me I haue troden them in my furie and haue troden them downe in my wrath and their bloud is sprinkled vpon my garments and I haue stayned al my rayment †For the day of reuenge is in my hart the yeare of my redemption is come †I looked about there was no helper I sought and there was none to ayde and myne arme hath saued and myne indignation itself hath holpen me †And I haue troden downe the peoples in my furie and haue inebriated them in mine indignation and haue drawen their strength downe to the ground †I wil remember the mercies of our Lord the prayse of our Lord for al thinges that our Lord hath rendred to vs and for the multitude of the good thinges to the house of Israel which he hath geuen them according to his iudulgence and according to the multitude of his mercies †And he sayd But yet is my people children that denie not and he is become their sauiour †In al their tribulation he was not trubled and the angel of his face saued them in his loue and in his indulgence he redemed them and bare them and lifted them vp al the daies of the world †But they prouoked to wrath and afflicted the spirit of his holie one and he was turned to be their enemie and he conquered them †And he remembred the dayes of the world of Moyses and of his people
voice Great art thou ô Bel and there is not any deceite with thee †And Daniel laughed and he held the king that he should not goe in and he sayd Behold the pauement marke whose steppes these are †And the king sayd I see the steppes of men wemen and of infantes And the king was angrie †Then apprehended he the priests their wiues their children and they shewed him secrete litle doores by which they came in consumed the thinges that were on the table †The king therfore them he deliuered Bel into the powre of Daniel who ouerthrewe him his temple †And there was a great dragon in that place the Babylonians worshipped him †And the king sayd to Daniel Loe now thou canst not say that this same is not a liuing god adore him therfore †And Daniel sayd The Lord my God I doe adore because he is the liuing God †but thou ô king geue me licence and I wil kil the Dragon without sword and clubbe And the king sayd I geue thee licence †Daniel therfore tooke pitch fatte and heares and sod them together he made lumpes and gaue into the Dragons mouth the Dragon burst in sunder And he sayd Loe whom you worshipped †Which when the Babylonians had heard they were wrath excedingly and being gathered together against the king they said The king is become a Iewe. Bel he hath destroyed the Dragon he hath killed he hath slaine the priests †And they sayd when they were come to the king Deliuer vs Daniel otherwise we wil kil thee thy house †The king therfore saw that they pressed vpon him vehemently and compelled by necessity he deliuered Daniel to them †Who cast him into the lake of lions and he was there six dayes †Moreouer in the lake were seuen lions there were geuen to them two bodies euerie day two sheepe and they were not geuen vnto them that they might deuoure Daniel †And there was d Habacuc a prophete in Iewrie he had boyled broth had broken bread in a bowle and he went into the field to carie it to the reapers †And the Angel of our Lord sayd to Habacuc Carie the dinner which thou hast into Babylon to Daniel who is in the lake of lions †And Habacuc sayd Lord Babylon I haue not sene and the lake I know not †And the Angel of our Lord tooke him by the toppe of his head and caried him by the heare of his head put him into Babylon ouer the lake in the force of his spirit †And Habacuc cried saying Daniel take the dinner that God hath sent to thee †And Daniel sayd Thou hast remembred me ô God and hast not forsaken them that loue thee †And Daniel rysing vp did eate Moreouer the Angel of our Lord restored Habacuc forth with in his place †The king therfore came the seuenth day to lament Daniel and he came to the lake and looked in and behold Daniel sitting in the middes of the lions †And the king cried out with a lowd voice saying Great art thou ô Lord the God of Daniel And he drew him out of the lake of lions †But those that had bene the cause of his perdition he cast into the lake and they were deuoured in a moment before him †Then the king sayd Let al inhabitants in the whole earth feare the God of Daniel because he is the Sauiour doing signes meruels in the earth who hath deliuered Daniel out of the lions denne THE ARGVMENT OF THE TWELVE LESSE PROPHECLES VVHY Isai Ieremie Ezechiel and Daniel are called the foure greater Prophetes and these twelue the lesse there semeth no other certaine and proper reason but because they writte more largely and these more brifely For otherwise without essential difference al the sixtene as also Baruch whose booke is inserted with Ieremies and Moyses Samuel the Royal Psalmist Dauid Nathan Elias Elizeus Esdras Nehemias and manie others some writing bookes some not were absolutly true Prophetes of God indued with the holie spirite of prophecie had the like reuelations with the same assurance of truth in great part of the same Mysteries as wel perteyning to the old Testament as to the New And so these twelue contracted into the straitnes of one volume sayth S. Ierom multò aliud quam sonant in litera praefigurant Prefigurate a farre other thing then they sound in the letter Sygnifying as he elswhere explicateth that they do foreshew manie important thinges not only perteyning no the Iewes and some other peoples of those former times but also of al nations to be conuerted to Christ They were not al at one time but O see Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas and Micheas prophecied before the captiuitie of the tenne Tribes Nahum Habacuc and Sophonias after that captiuitie and before the captiuitie of the two Tribes And the other three Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachie after the relaxation from captiuitie Neither did they al prophecie in the same places nor concerning the same people and so haue their particular arguments as we shal briefly note of euerie one as they folow in order Here vve may note for instruction of the vulgar reader that the Prophetes commonly vse one of these names when they direct their speach of the kingdom of two Tribes Iuda Beniamin Ierusalem or The house of Dauid Because Iuda vvas the chiefe and most vvorthie tribe Beniamin the other only tribe besides Leui that ioyned vvith Iuda Ierusalem the Metropolitan and Royal citie vvhere both the Temple and Kinges palace vvere situated The House of Dauid is the familie vvherof succeded al the kinges of that kingdom so long as it stood and of vvhich some remayned in more estimation then anie other euen to Christ Likevvise they vse some of these other names vvhen they speake of the kingdom of tenne Tribes Ephraim Ioseph Samaria Iezrahel Bethel or Bethauen For that their first king Ieroboam vvas of the tribe of Ephraim and so descended from Ioseph Samaria and Iezrahel vvere the chifest cities of that kingdom Bethel vvas one of the places Dan the other vvhere Ieroboam set vp the tvvo calues VVhich place vvas othervvise more truly called Bethauen the house of the idol or of vanitie or iniquitie The names also of Israel and Iacob were more commonly vsed for the tenne tribes who being more in number vsurped and appropriated to themselues the names of their general Progenitor and Patriarch Yet sometimes these names importe al the tvvelue tribes including also Leui. And sometimes especially after the captiuitie of the tenne tribes these names signifie the tvvo tribes only vvhich more imitated Iacobs steppes and vertues then the tenne THE PROPHECIE OF OSEE OSEE borne in Belomoth as writeth S. Epiphanius of the tribe of Issachar prophecied in the reigne of Ozias otherwise called Azarias Ioathan Achaz Ezechias kinges
your beds in the morning light they doe it because their hand is against God †And they haue couered fildes and violently taken and houses forcibly taken away and oppressed the man and his house the man and his inheritance †Therfore thus saith our Lord Behold I purpose euil vpon this familie whence you shal not take away your neckes and you shal not walke prowd because it is a very euil time †In that day a parable shal be taken vp vpon you and a songue shal be sung with sweetnes of them that say With depopulation we are wasted part of my people is changed how shal he depart from me wheras he returneth that wil diuide our regions †For this cause thou shalt haue none casting the cord of lot in the assemblie of our Lord. †Speake ye not speaking It shal not droppe vpon these confusion shal not apprehend them †The house of Iacob saith Way is the spirit of our Lord abridged or are his cogitations such Are not my wordes good with him that walketh rightly †And on the contrarie my people is risen vp as an aduersarie from aboue the cote you haue taken away the cloke them that passed simply you turned into battel †The wemen of my people you haue cast out of the house of their delicacies from their litle ones you haue taken my praise for euer †Arise and goe because you haue no rest here For the vncleannes therof it shal be corrupted with a sore putrefaction †Would God I were not a man hauing the spirit and that I did rather speake a lie I wil distil to thee into wine and into drunkennes and it shal be this people vpon whom it is distilled †Gathering I wil gather thee wholly together ô Iacob I wil bring together the remnant of Israel into one I wil put them together as a flocke in the fold as cattel in the middes of sheepcotes they shal make a tumult by reason of the multitude of men †For he shal ascend opening the way before them they shal diuide and passe through the gate and shal enter by it and their king shal passe before them and our Lord in the head of them CHAP. III. For the sinnes of the rich opressing the poore 5. of falfe prophets flatering for lucre 9. and of Iudges peruerting iustice 12. Ierusalem and the temple shal be destroyed AND I sayd Heare ye princes of Iacob ye dukes of the house of Israel Why is it not your part to know iudgement †which hate good and loue euil which violently take away their skinnes from them and their flesh from their bones †Which haue eaten the flesh of my people and haue stead their skinne from them and haue broken and cut their bones as in a kettle as it were flesh in the middes of a potte shal they crie to our Lord and he wil not heare them and he wil hide his face from them at that time as they haue done wickedly in their inuentions †Thus sayth our Lord vpon the prophets that seduce my people that bite with their teeth nnd preach peace and if a man geue not something in their mouth they sanctifie battel vpon him †Therfore there shal be nigt to you for vision and darkenes to you for diuination and the sunne shal goe downe vpon the prophets the day shal be darkened ouer them †And they shal be confounded that see visions and the diuiners shal be confounded and al shal couer their faces because there is no answer of God †But yet I am replenished with the strenght of the spirit of our Lord with iudgement and power to declare vnto Iacob his wickednes and to Israel his sinne †Heare this ye princes of the house of Iacob and ye iudges of the house of Israel which abhorre iudgement peruert al right thinges †Which build Sion in bloud and Ierusalem in iniquitie †Her princes iudged for gifts and her priests taught for wages and her prophets diuined for money they rested vpon our Lord saying Why is not our Lord in the middes of vs euils shal not come vpon vs. †For this because of you Sion shal be ploughed as a filde and Ierusalem shal be as an heape of stones and the mount of the temple as the high places of forests CHAP. IIII. Manie Gentiles shal beleue in Christ 6. and lastly the multitude of Iewes 8. In the meane time the two tribes shal be caried into captiuitie and be deliuered againe AND it shal be In the later end of dayes there shal be the mount of the house of our Lord prepared in the toppe of mountaines and high about the hilles and peoples shal flow to it †And manie nations shal hasten shal say Come let vs goe vp to the mountaine of our Lord to the house of the God of Iacob he wil teach vs of his wayes and we shal goe in this pathes because out of Sion shal the law goe forth and the word of our Lord out of Ierusalem †And he shal iudge betwen manie peoples and he shal rebuke strong nations vnto a far of and they shal cut their swordes into culters and their speares into spades nation shal not take sword against nation and they shal no more learne to make battel †And euerie man shal sitte vnder his vine vnder his figtree and there shal be none to make them afrayd because the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it †Because al peoples wil walke euerie one in the name of his God but we shal walke in the name of the Lord our God for euer and euer †In that day saith our Lord I wil gather her that halteth and her that I had cast out I wil gather vp her whom I had afflicted †And I wil make her that halted into a remnant and her that had laboured into a mightie nation and our Lord wil reigne ouer them in mount Sion from this time now and for euer †And thou the towre of flocke clowdie of the daughter of Sion shal come to thee and the first powre shal come the kingdom to the daughter of Ierusalem †Now why art thou drawne together with pensifnes why is there not a king to thee or is thy counselor perished because sorow hath apprehended thee as a woman in trauel †Sorow thou labour ô daughter of Sion as a woman in trauel because now shalt thou goe out of the citie and shalt dwel in the countrie and shalt come euen to Babylon there thou shalt be deliuered there our Lord wil redeme thee out of the hand of thine enemies †And now manie nations are gathered together vpon thee which say Let her be stoned and let our eye looke vpon Sion †But they haue not knowne the cogitations of our Lord and haue not vnderstood his counsel
also varied on me †And I sayd I wil not feede you that which dieth let it dye and that which is cut of be it cut of and let the rest deuoure euerie one his neighbours flesh †I tooke my rod that was called beautie and I cut it of to make voyd my couenant which I made with al peoples †And it was made voyd in that day and so the poore of the slocke that keepe for me vnderstood that it is the word of the Lord †And I sayd to them If it be good in your eyes bring hither my hyre and if not be quiet And they weighed my hyre thirtie peeces of siluer †And our Lord sayd to me cast it forth to the statuarie a goodlie price that I was priced at by them And I tooke the thirtie peeces of siluer I threw them into the house of our Lord to the statuarie †And I cut of my second rod that was called Corde that I might dissolue the brotherhood betwen Iuda and Israel †And our Lord sayd to me As yet take to thee the vessels of a foolish pastour †Because loe I wil rayse vp a pastour in the land which shal not visite thinges forsaken the thing dispersed he shal not seeke and the broken he shal not heale that which standeth he shal not nourish and he shal eate the flesh of the fat ones and their hoofes he shal dissolue †O pastour and idol leauing the flocke the sword vpon his arme vpon his right eye his arme shal be dried with withering and his right eye waxing darke shal be obscured CHAP. XII The Iewes persecuting Christ and his Church shal be sore afflicted 6. The Church stil prospering 11. the incredulous shal be condemned THE burden of the word of our Lord vpon Israel Sayth our Lord extending the heauen founding the earth forming the spirit of man in him †Behold I wil make Ierusalem a lintel of surfet to al peoples round about yea Iuda shal be in the siege against Ierusalem †And it shal be In that day I wil make Ierusalem a stone of burden to al peoples al that shal lift it shal be torne with tearing and al the kingdoms of the earth shal de gathered agaynst her †In that day sayth our Lord I wil strike euerie horse into astonishment and his rider into madnes and vpon the house of Iuda I wil open mine eyes and euerie horse of the peoples I wil strike with blindnes †And the dukes of Iuda shal say in their hart Let the inhabitants of Ierusalem be strengthened for me in the Lord of hosts their God †In that day I wil make the dukes of Iuda as a furnace of fyre amongst stickes and as a brand of fire in hay and they shal deuoure to the right hand to the left al people round about and Ierusalem shal be inhabited agayne in her place in Ierusalem †And our Lord shal saue the tabernacles of Iuda as in the begynning that the house of Dauid glorie not magnifically and the glorie of them that inhabite Ierusalem agaynst Iuda †In that day shal our Lord protect the inhabitants of Ierusalem and he that offended of them in that day shal be as Dauid and the house of Dauid as of God as an Angel of our Lord in their sight †And it shal be in that day I wil seeke to destroy al Nations that come against Ierusalem †And I wil powre out vpon the house of Dauid vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the spirit of grace and of prayers and they shal looke toward me whom they pearced and they shal lament him with lamentation as it were vpon an only begotten and they shal sorow vpon him as the maner is to be sorowful in the death of the first begotten †In that day shal be great lamentation in Ierusalem as the lamentation of Adadremmon in the filde of Mageddon †And the land shal lament families and families apart the families of the house of Dauid apart and their wemen apart †the families of the house of Nathan apart and their wemen apart the families of the house of Leui apart and their wemen apart the families of Semei apart and their wemen apart †Al the rest of the families families and families apart and their wemen apart CHAP. XIII In the Church of Christ al idolatrie shal be abolished 6. In his passion his Apostles shal be dispersed and they and others shal be proued by tribulations IN that day shal be a fountayne lying open to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for the ablution of the sinner and of the menstruous woman †And it shal be in that day sayth the Lord of hosts I wil destroy the names of idols our of the earth they shal be remembred no more and the false prophetes and the vncleane spirit I wil take away out of the earth †And it shal be when any man shal prophecie any more his father his mother that begot him shal say to him Thou shalt not liue because thou hast spoken a lie in the name of our Lord. And his father his mother his parents shal strike him when he shal prophecie †And it shal be in that day the prophets shal be confounded euerie one by his owne vision when he shal prophecie neither shal they be couered with cloke of sackcloth to lie †But he shal say I am no prophet an husbandman am I because Adam my example from my youth †And it shal be sayd to him What are these wounds in the middes of thy handes And he shal say With these was I wounded in the house of them that loued me †Sword be thou raysed vp vpon my pastour and vpon the man that cleaueth to me sayth the Lord of hosts Strike the pastour and the sheepe shal be dispersed and I wil turne my hand to the litle ones †And there shal be in al the earth sayth our Lord two parts in it shal be destroyed and shal fayle and the third part shal be left in it †And I wil bring the third part through fyre and wil burne them as siluer is burnt and I wil trie them as gold is tried They shal cal my name and I wil heare them I wil say Thou art my people and they shal say Our Lord my God CHAP. XIIII Ierusalem shal be destroyed manie Iewes slaine the rest made captiues 3. Christs Church shal florish 8. especially in the Gentils 12. Persecuters shal be finally punished 20. and the godlie procede in grace BEHOLD the dayes of our Lord shal come and thy spoyles shal be diuided in the middes of thee †And I wil gather together al nations to Ierusalem into battel and the citie shal be taken and the houses shal be wasted and the wemen shal be defiled
wombe Ch. 33. v. 14. Behold the dayes wil come sayth our Lord and I wil rayse vp the good word v. 15. I wil make the spring of iustice to bud forth vnto Dauid he shal do iudgement and iustice in the earth Ieremies Lamentations are in greatest part of Christ and his Church And some part can hardly be applied to anie other ch 3. v. 30. He shal geue the cheke to him that striketh him he shal be filled with reproches ch 4. v. 20. Christ our Lord is taken in our sinnes Baruch 2. v. 35. God promising to reduce the people from Babylon addeth And I wil establish vnto them an other testament euerlasting by Christ whose kingdom is for euer that I be their God and they shal be my people Ch. 3. v. 36. This is our God and there shal none other be esteemed against him v. 38. After these thinges he was sene vpon the earth and was conueâ—sant with men Ezechiel peculiarly called by an Angel the sonne of man was therin a special figure of our Sauiour who so calleth him self And the same prophet hath in plaine termes foreshewed the office of Christ the true Pastor of al pastors eh 34. v. 25. I wil sayth God by this prophet rayse vp ouer them one Pastor who shal feede them my seruant Dauid that is Christ prefigured by Dauid His admirable visions in the three first chapters and nine last perteyne properly and principally to the new Testament of Christ and his Church shewing the abundance of grace and glorie geuen by him to the elect Daniel 7. v. 13. With the cloudes of heauen there came in as it were the Sonne of man and he came euen to the ancient of dayes and in his sight they offered him He came euen to the ancient of dayes because in his Diuinitie he is equal to the Father and in his humanitie he is offered to God in Sacrifice v. 14 His powre is eternal and his kingdom shal not be corrupted ch 9. v. 24. Seuentie wekes of yeares are abridged that sinnes may be forgeuen grace be infused prophecies be fulfilled and the Holie one of holies be annointed Al which belong only to Christ. v. 26. After sixtie two wekes Christ shal be slaine Aggeus 2. v. 8. The desired of al nations shal come Zach. 3. v. 8. I wil bring my seruant the Orient ch 13. v. 7. Strike the Pastour and the shepe shal be dispersed fulfilled in Christs Passion Mat. 26. v. 21. Malaâ—h 3. v. 2. Forthwith shal come to his temple the Dominator whom you seke the Angel of the testament whom ye desire The booke of wisdom ch 2. v. 12. describeth the malice of the wicked against Christ Let vs say they circumuent the iust because he is vnprofitable to vs and he is contrarie to our workes and reprochfully obiecteth to vs the sinnes of the law v. 13. He boasteth that he hath the knowlege of God and nameth him self the Sonne of God Ecclesiasticus 24. v. 34. God appointed to Dauid his seruant to raise vp a king of him most strong and sitting in the throne of honour for euer Which eternal king proceeding from Dauid can be none but Christ our Sauiour And al the praises of Paâ—riarches and Prophetes in the last eight chapters consist in their fayth and expectation of Christ Likewise the Priestes and people 1. Mach. 14. v. 28. 35. and 49. shewed their fayth of Christ to come when they established Simon and his progenie in the gouernment and highpriesthood for euer til there rise the faithful Prophet to witte the Prophet of whom al the prophetes did speake Luc. 24 v. 27. Amongst the rest Ieremie ch 31. v. 23. and Ezechiel ch 44. v. 2. make also especial mention of some singular priuileges of the most excellent virgin Mother of God Of whom also Iudith and Esther were apparent figures who receiued special graces for the benefite of their nation and so did this singular Virgin receiue of God most eminent giftes aboue al other mere creatures for the benefite of the whole Church Of Angels the celestial spirites is frequent mention in the holie Scriptures of this age Their multitude is innumerable and therfore are insinuated to men by general termes Daniel 7. v. 10. Thousandes of thousandes ministered to him and tenne thousand hundred thousandes assisted him And their powre is most great and to men most profitable An Angel defended the three children in the fornace walking with them in the fire Daniel 3. v. 49 95. Another defended Daniel from the lions ch 6. v. 22. The same or an other caried Habacuc from Iurie into Babylon Dan. 14. v. 35. and restored him in his place againe v. 38. The Archangel Gabriel instructed Daniel ch 8. v. 16. 17. ch 9. v. 21. And ch 10. v. 13. 20. Other Angels the Patrones or Guardians of the Persians and Grecians prayed for those countries and S. Michael v. 21. for the Iewes An Angle spake in Zacharie ch 1. v. 9. An other Angel went to mete him ch 2. v. 3. And in respect of Angelical offices both S. Iohn Baptist and our Sauiour himself are figuratiuely called Angeles Malach. 3. v. 1 No meruel therfore that Iudas Machabeus and his armie 2. Machab. 11. v 6. prayed for the assistance of a good Angel which was granted them v. 8. And so they went promptly hauing an helper from heauen v. 10. Their like prayer had the same effect in an other battel 2. Machab. 15 v. 27. Contrarie to these glorious Angeles are other spirites at first created in grace which falling into pride and most obstinate malice are perpetual enimies to God their Creator and to al mankind continually calumniating the workes of God and of al his seruantes wherof they are called Diuels or calumniators They neuer cease tempting al they can to euil so to bring men to eternal death For by the enuie of the diuel Sap. 2. v. 7. death both of soule bodie came into this world The iust stipend of sinne Al sinnes offend God and please the diuels But more particularly they desire to be honored as God with Sacrifice Which therfore they require to themselues and their idols And for this sinne of Idolatrie aboue al others God is most prouoked to wrath for the same most especially punished his people as the Prophet Baruch chap. 4. v. 6. signifieth to the people saying You are sold to the Gentils c. You are deliuered to their aduersaries and geuing the reason why he addeth v. 7. For you haue exasperated him that made you the eternal God immolating to diuels And not to God The same al the Prophetes teach and withal that Sacrifice is the souereigne seruice due to God only and not to any creature how excellent soeuer But of Sacrifice there is so much written that it were ouer long and nedeles to recite the places It importeth more
waters be found and al frendes shal ouerthrow one an other and then shal witte be hid and vnderstanding shal be separated into his cellar †and it shal be sought of manie and shal not be found and iniustice shal be multiplied and incontinencie vpon the earth †And one countrie shal aske her neighbour and shal say Hath iustice doing iust passed through thee and she shal denie it †And it shal be in that time men shal hope and shal not obtaine they shal labour and their wayes shal not haue successe †These signes I am permitted to tel thee and if thou pray againe and weepe as also now and fast seuen dayes thou shalt heare againe greater thinges then these †And I awaked and my bodie did shiuer excedingly and my soule laboured that it fainted †and the Angel that came that spake in me held me and strengthened me and sette me vpon my feete †And it came to passe in the second night and Salathiel the prince of the people came to me and sayd to me Where wast thou and why is thy countenance heauie †Konwest thou not that Israel is committed to thee in the countrie of their transmigration †Rise vp therfore and taste bread and forsake vs not as the pastour his flocke in the hand of wicked wolues †And I sayd to him Goe from me approch not vnto me And he heard as I sayd and he departed from me †And I fasted seuen dayes howling weeping as Vriel the Angel commanded me †And it came to passe after seuen dayes and againe cogitations of my hart molested me very much †and my soule resumed the spirit of vnderstanding agayne I began to speake wordes before the Highest †and I sayd Lord Dominatour of euerie wood of the earth al the trees therof thou hast chosen one vineyard †of euerie land of the world thou hast chosen thee one ditch of al the flowers of the world thou hast chosen thee one lilie †and of al depthes of the sea thou hast filled thee one riuer and of al the builded cities thou hast sanctified vnto theyself Sion †and of al created soules thou hast named thee one doue and of al beastes that were made thou hast prouided thee one shepe †and of al multiplied peoples thou hast purchased thee one people and a law approued of al thou hast geuen to this people whom thou didst desire †And now Lord why hast thou deliuered one vnto manie And thou hast prepared vpon one roote others and hast dispersed thy onlie one in manie †and they haue troden vpon it which gainesayd thy couenants and which beleued not thy testamentes †And if hating thou hatest thy people it ought to be chastised with thy handes †And it came to passe when I had spoken the wordes and the Angel was sent to me that came to me before the night past †and he sayd to me Heare me and I wil instruct thee and harken to me and I wil adde before thee †And I sayd Speake my Lord. And he sayd to me Thou art become excedingly in excesse of minde for Israel hast thou loued it more then him that made it †And I sayd to him No Lord but for sorow I haue spoken for my veynes torment me euerie houre to apprehend the pathe of the Highest and to search part of his iudgement †And he sayd to me Thou canst not And I sayd Why Lord To what was I borne or why was not my mothers wombe my graue that I might not see the labour of Iacob the wearines of the stocke of Israel †And he sayd to me Number me the thinges that are not yet come and gather me the dispersed droppes and make me the withered flowers grene againe †and open me the shut cellars bring me forth the blastes inclosed in them shew me the image of a voice and then wil I shew thee the labour that thou desirest to see †And I sayd Lord Dominatour for who is there that can know these thinges but he that hath not his habitation with men †And I am vnwise and how can I speake of these thinges which thou hast asked me †And he sayd to me As thou canst not doe one of these thinges which haue bene sayd so canst thou not finde my iudgement or in the end the charitie which I haue promised to the people †And I sayd But behold Lord thou art nigh to them that are nere the end and what shal they doe that haue bene before me or we or they after vs †And he sayd to me I wil resemble my iudgement to a crowne As there shal not be slacknes of the last so neither swiftnes of the former †And I answered and sayd Couldst thou not make them that haue bene and that are and that shal be at once that thou mayst shew thy iudgement the quicker †And he answered me and sayd The creature can not hasten aboue the Creatour nor the world sustayne them that are to be created in it at once †And I sayd As thou didst say to thy seruant that quickening thou didst quicken the creature created by thee at once and the creature susteined it it may now also beare them present at once †And he sayd to me Aske the matrice of a woman thou shalt say to it And if thou bring forth children why by times Aske it therfore that it geue ten at once †And I sayd it can not verily but according to time †And he sayd to me And I haue geuen a matrice to the earth for them that are sowen vpon it by time †For as the infant bringeth not forth the thinges that perteyne to the aged so haue I disposed the world created of me †And I asked and sayd Wheras thou hast now geuen me a way I wil speake before thee for our mother of whom thou toldest me yet she is yong now draweth nigh to old age †And he answered me and sayd Aske her that beareth children and she wil tel thee †For thou shalt say to her Why are not they whom thou hast brought forth now like to them that were before thee but lesse of stature †And she also wil say vnto thee They that are borne in the youth of streingth are of one sort and they of an other that are borne about the time of old age when the matrice fayleth †Consider therfore thou also that you are of lesse stature then they that were before you †and they that are after you of lesser then you as it were creatures now waxing old and past the strength of youth †And I sayd I besech thee Lord if I haue found grace before thine eyes shew vnto thy seruant by whom thou doest visite thy creature CHAP. VI. God knowing al thinges before they were made created them 54. for man and considereth the endes of al. AND he sayd to me In the beginning
WITH THE PRAYER OF MANASSES folow after the MACHABEES Heretikes denie some scriptures because they coÌ„uince their errors Lib. de Praedest Sanct. c. 14. The Churches canon of more authority theÌ„ the Iewes A canon is an infallible rule of direction The Gospel is knowne by the Church Bookes doubted of beiore the Churches definition are not doubtful after Praefat. in Iudith De viris illustrib verbo â—acobus Other testimonies that this Booke is canonical chap. 1â— Toma 4. 〈◊〉 in â— Reg. 10. It was written in Chaldee The coÌ„tentes Diuided into three partes This booke is read at Mattins the third weke of September The first part Tobias his holie maner of life :: Not absolutly al but very manie for some of the same tribe and kinred did also feare God c. â— v. 2. :: Al the people of the tenne tribes did not serue Ieroboams golden calues but some feared God consequently refrayned from euil Prou. 3. at least from idolatrie Amos. 8. v. 10. :: True zele is not hindred from workes of mercie by feare of death because perfect charitie casteth out feare I Ioan 4. :: Both elder and yonger sorte of his kinred derided him not his proper parentes for he was depriued of father and mother when he was a child as it semeth c. 1. v. 4. :: In a prouince of the Medes wherof Rages was the head citie for when they came where Raguel dwelt Tobias stayed there and the Angel went to the citie of Rages where Gabelus dwelt c. 9. As one may say such a one dwelleth in Rome that dwelleth in anie part of Romania in Yorck Lincolne or Mum moth that dwelleth in one of those shires :: Asmodâ—os signifying Destroyer is a captaine or king of those diuels which specially destroy soules by the sinnes of the flesh afterward tormenteth both soules and bodies for the same sinnes :: Act. 10. An Angel shewed Cornelius that his prayers were heard Apoc. 5. prayers of the faithful are offered to God by Angels other Sainctes :: As Moyses to the people Deut. 33. and Dauid to Salomon 3. Reg. 2. So Tobias gaue holie admonitions to his sonne in al fourtene noted in the inner margin 1 2 3 :: The same doctrine of good workes and reward is taught Daniel 4. v. 24. 4 5 6 7 :: A notable rule agreable to the law of nature 8 :: VVorkes of mercie exteÌ„d also to the dead 9 10. 11 12 :: It perteyneth to good men amongst other thinges to geue notice and to dispose of their temporal goodes by their last wil. 13 14 The second part The iourney and affayres of yong Tobias assisted by the Angel Raphael :: The Angel Raphael appearing in forme of a man prefigured our Sauiour who indede became a verie man S. Beda :: Raphael signifying medâ—â—inâ— of God â— Greg. ho. 34 calleth himselfe Azarias whose shape and viâ—a â—e he tooke vpon him which name also signifieth the helpe of God :: S. Paul also calleth flesh of fish 1. Cor. 15. and Plinie lib. 9. c. 15. * and liuer v. 19. :: Diuels who exalted them selues as equal with God aâ—e iustly made subiect to corporal creatures God coÌ„curring with natural causes whose good pleasure is sometimes to vse instrumeÌ„ts naturally vnapt as when Christ gaue sight to the blinde by putting clay on his eyes Ioan. 9. sometimes more apt as when he fed manie with few loaues Ioan. 6. So the Angel by Gods appointment vsed this meanes to expel the diuel :: Into the place where good soules rested none then hauing accesse into heauen See Annotations â—en 37. * and hart v. 8. :: The second night he asked and obtayned this grace for he knew not his wife vntil the fourth night v. 22. :: A iust man sayth S. Ambrose lib 3. Off. c. 14. feared other mens harmes and would rather his daughter should not be maried then others should be in danger preferring honestie before profite :: See chap. 6. v. â— Mystically it signified Christs passion whereby the diuel was expelled out of mens hartes S. Aug ser 28. de Sanctis Prosper li. de promiss p. 2. c. 39. :: In the one familie there were no more children but one sonne in the other one onlie daughter :: The Angel went to the citie iâ— selfe called Rages Tobias remaining in the ter â—iâ—orie or prouince therof wâ—â— Raâ—â—eâ— which place is also called Rages c. v 7. :: Such of the Iewes as beleue in Christ hartely lament that he â—aâ—â—eth so loÌ„g from their nation Some more assuredly with old Tobias others more doubtfully with his wife expect his returne S. Beda â—n Tobiam Euen so the remnant of Catholiques in countries fallen to heresie haue great sadnes and continual sorovv in their hart Rom. 9. vvishing with what temporal losse soeuer the saluation of their brethren kinsmen and countriemen some hoping more confidently and comforting others that Christ wil againe illuminate our whole nation as sight was restored to old Tobias Instructions to maried persons out of the example of Tobias and Saras Mariage Ephes 5. Mat. 19. True Mariage alwayes a holie contract Now a Sacrament Proper instructions for man and wife part 2 de Matrim q. 22. 23. Three necessarie pointes in Matrimonie Exod. 34. Deu. 7. Leuit. 18. Nu. 36. v. 7. Tenne godly Rites obserued in the Mariage of Tobias and Sara 1. 2. 35 4. 5. * Apud Munstâ—rum Gen. 29. v. 27. Iudic. 14. v. 17. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. :: It nothing disgraceth the sacred historie that a smal matter being also true is recorded with the rest As not one letter nor one title of the lavv may be omitted Mat. 5 S. Beâ—â— also expoundeth it mystically of Gods preachers S. Ierom. doth the like in Isaiae 56 and S Augustin li 22. c 56. câ—â—t Faustum Manich. :: God vsed this gal of a fish in curing Tobias eyes in like sorte as the liuer in driuing away the diuel c. 6. v. 8. * 1 2. 3 4. 5 6 7 * 1 2. 3 4. 5 6 7 * 1 2. 3 4. 5 6 7 * 1 2. 3 4. 5 6 7 * 1 2. 3 4. 5 6 7 * 1 2. 3 4. 5 6 7 :: Gratful Tobias recounteth seuen benefites receiued by the companion of his iourney that they haue receiued not manie but al good things by him :: Fasting and almes are as two wingues with which prayer flyeth into heauen :: O how swete or excellent a thing is it saith S. Augustin ser 3. de Natiuit when Angeles guardianes of our life offer our vowes or resolution to flee vices and embrace vertues before the sight of Gods Maiesty Offices of Angels towardes men Readic to helpe al. Offer mens prayers and good workes Ayde the godlie Exhort to good Instruct Expel euil spirites Deliuer from euils and dangers Procure temporal commodities for the soules good Proue the good by tribâ—lations Comforte the patient and aâ— vertuous Angeles guardians haue special care of soules committed to their charge The third part
life we must desire more and more knowledge of true doctrin h from the first vse of reason at which time manie are careles i negligent to lerne how to serue God k As God is sweete in geuing good motions l so he is seuere to them that resist his grace m God mercifully p euenteth with his grace n and iustly rewardeth good workes o Gods law is his couenant with man p and testimon e of his wil. q sinne in respect of auersien from God is great nedeth â—e grace r He that feareth God which is the beginning of wisdome receiueth fiue spiritual commodities here mentioned 1 God iustructeth him by his law 2 bestoweth al necessaries vpon him 3 others shalimitate his good example 4 God wil protect him 5 According to Gods couenant he shal enioy the manifest sight of God for his eternal reward â—mans weaknes without Gods helpe t TribulatioÌ„s can not be aâ—oâ—deâ— but must necessarily be suffered therfore ô God gâ—ue vs grace to passe through them without sinne v myn affliction w take away the cause and affliction wil be mitigated Ioan. 15. x wicked men of â—â—ured do end â—our to draw others into sinne y Those that hope in God shal neuer be confounded z Al The letters of the Alphebet being complete in this Psalme this last verse beginneth with Pere Redeeme praying God to redeme and deliuer Israel that is the whole Church from tribulations Dauids prayer distressed in persecution The 8. key a This Psalme is also a counenient prayer for anie Christian in tribulation b Be thou ô God arbiter of the cause bet 〈…〉 Saul and me thou knowest myn innocencie in this behalfe though I am uniustly charged by Saul and his freindes c Lest perhaps I be not so innocent as I desire and as in respect of Saul I hope that I am do thou O God proue me as thou wilt by tribulations d Dauid in confidence of a good conscience and zele against the wicked alleageth his sincere proceding more then ordinarie men may do God so inspiring him extraordinarily e The rest of this Psalme euerie Priest reciteth in Masse before he offer the holie Sacrifice professing putting him selfe in memorie that he must only communicate with the innocent or of pure conscience f and so approch to the Altar prefigured Leuit. 16. v. 4. g Shutting the eares of my hart from euil and vaine thoughtes I wil attend to godlie inspirations h and so with mental prayer and external voice as the holie order of this sacred office requireth praise thee ô God in thy meruelous workes Epi. â—â—â— c. 11. i I can not but singularly loue the excellencie of this place dedicated to thy seruice where is true faith vnitie and charitie of thy people the guard of holie Angels the administratioÌ„ of sacred mysteries assistance of the Holie Ghost real presence of Christ our Lord al replenished with Diuine maiestie k This representeth vnto me the glorious heauenlie kingdom of God and al Sainctes l Suffer me not therfore to be contaminate by the wicked nor to be deuoured with them m They are stil readie to committe more and more iniquities n themselues being corrupted endeuour by giftes of wordly commodities to corrupt others o Euerie one ought so to purge his conscience that he may be innocent or free from great sinne p deliuer me from this necessitie of dwelling among the wicked q I intend to walke right r I desire â—â— praise thee amongst thy true faithful seruantes A singular great afflictioÌ„ to be hindered from Gods true seruice Christians must abhorre and abstaine from al conuenticles of Heretikes and other Infidels An other confident prayer of Dauid in tribulation The 3. Key a Before his second annointing as is probable 2. Reg. 2. b Against ignorance God illuminateth his seruantes c against infirmitie he geueth streingth d so he nedeth not to feare anic mans malice suteltie nor force Luc. 21. v. 15. e How special a benefite Dauid estemed it to be in the Catholique Church the only true house of God! f Albeit the spiritual or carnal enemie seke to ouerthrow me yet I am secure in the Catholique Church g God either suffereth not the enemie to find his seruant h or not to be able to hurt him spiritually i wheÌ„ a martyr or confessour dieth then he getteth the victorie against the perseâ—ntors k Diligently recounting al thy benefites I render thankes by sacrifice and praise l not only in hart but also singing with loud voice and instrument m In my inward sincere cogitation I desire and seeke that I may see thee n face to face 1. Cor. 13. v. 12. o In the meane time ô Lord grant me thy fauour p leaue me not though thou be angrie with me q He speaketh in the person of orphanes r Though car nal parentes forsake the iust man in tribulation yet God hath then most special care of him Å¿ Establish my hart in thy law t conserue me in the right way which thou hast already taught me and it is the more necessarie because myne enemies labour to peruert me v the willes vv false witnesses accused Dauid others accused Christ Mat. 26. others do stil accuse the iust Mat 5. x the wicked please themselues in lying but the chief hurt finally turneth vpon themselues y The prophet and al iust men are comforted by God and hope of reward in heauen z The iust exhorteth his owne soule to patience a fortitude b and longanimitie Psal 30. An other prayer of Dauid for deliuerie from euils The 8. key a Omitte not to comfort me b Suffer me not to be ouercome for God tempteth none to euil Iac 1. c The iust in zele of iustice pray that sinne may be punished d Ignorance doth not excuse when men may and wil not vnderstand e God saueth not without our cooperation with his grace f being comforted in spirite my bodie is as it were refreshed g freely and gladly h God protecteth and prospereth the kings good endeuoures for his people i As Psal 19. and often elswhere the subiectes pray for their Superior so mutually the superior prayeth for the subiectes The Church of Christ endowed with excellent mysteries The 6. key a 2. Reg. 6. v. 17. 1. Par. 16. v. 1. â—04 105. c Mysteries of the Catholique Church prophecied in this Psalme b Offer sacrifice of thankes for the singular benefites after recounted in this Psalme c Rammes were of the more principal thinges that were offered in the law of Moyses But the sonnes of rammes importe in mystical sense better hostes then rammes d The first thing in sacrifice is to glorifie honour and adore God in sinceritie of spirite e in his holie Catholique Chuâ—h f Here is a greater matter intimated then happened in the bringing of the Arke into a tabernacle prepared in Sion when Dauid danced and offered hostes for sacrifice others ioyning with
and tentations then those by vvhich the damned vvere ouercome Thirdly certaine more excellent Sainctes namely the Apostles and al those that forsaking proprietie of temporal In Psal 121. v. 5. li. 3. in Mat. 19. ho. in Nat. S. â—ened goodes geue that they haue to the poore as some religious Orders doe or into a Communitie as the Apostles and manie primitiue Christians did Mat. 4. v 20. cap. 19. v 27. Act. 4. v. 34. 1. Cor. 6. v. 3. shal sitte in iudgement seates assessorie iudges with Christ and iudge those that render account of wel or euil spending the temporal landes or goodes which they possessed in this vvorld So teach S. Augustin S. Ierom. S. Beda and others God most excellent and most laudable the first key a Al ye Angels and men that are in the holie and highest heauen praise our Lord. b Al ye creatures that are in and vnder the first moueable firmament praise our Lord. c And you especially Gods peculiar people amongst whom and for whom diuine miracles haue bene wrought praise our Lord d with al your possible endeuoure for though his infinite Excellencie excedeth the powre of al creatures to praise him sufficiently yet it resteth that you may infinitly extend your wil and desire to praise our Lord according to the multitude of his greatnes e Out of this your great and infinite desire let your tongues sound and sing diuine praises as wel vvith voice as musical instruments f VVherof six most vsual in the Tabernacle and Temple vvere these Trumpet Psalter Harpe Timbrel Organ and Cymbal g By the vvay the Psalmist interposeth agane tvvo especial thinges vvhich make perfect harmonie vvithout vvhich no instrument is gratful to God Vnitie amongst his seruants signified by the Quire of consonant voices h and mortification of passions signified by Stringes vvhich are made of dead beastes bovvels i Man created of corruptible bodie and immortal soule is finally admonished to praise our Lord ouer and aboue the praises of al other corporal creatures vvho also is more especially bond therto then Angels because God hath voutsaffed to make himselfe Man to redeme man that vvas lost by sinne and to endew him vvith nevv grace and so bring him to euerlasting glorie vvhere vvith holie Angels men also for euer euer shal praise our Lord vvith hart voice and iubilation of spirite singing as the Psalmist concludeth Alleluia The number of Psalmes signifieth the agrement of the old and nevv â— estament Three fifeties sign â—â—â— Pâ—naâ—ce Mercie vvith â—ustice and Praises of God 〈◊〉 ◠〈◊〉 An. Dâ— 380. Gloria Patri added by tradition The coherence of this part with the rest The contents of Sapiential bookes Preface before Iosue Why they are so called They are al Canonical Scripture Salomon is auctor of the three first Proem Annot. Prefac Tobiae Other bookes of Salomon not extant S. Iero in proem S. Aug. li. 17. c. 20. â—iuii A brief summe of these three Prologo galeato a Prouerbs b Ecclesiastes c Canticles VVhy this booke is called Prouerbes and Parables The contents Diuided into foure parts The first part An inuitation to seeke vvisdom vvith some general precepts a By these sentencious similitudes the studious may better conceiue and vnderstand true vvisdom and the vertues belonging therto b profound solide vvitte c Not only yongmen and inexperienced but also the vvise may lerne more vvisdom by these patables d shal be fitte to gouerne others e Feare of our Lord that is reuerence of his diuine Maiestie vvith desire duly to serue him and neuer to offend him is the first degree in ascending to perfect vvisdom vvhich consisteth not only in the vnderstanding but also in action g The second to resist euil suggestions h The proper remedie against such alurements is to be vvatchful and to â—ee from them Three kindes of vvisdom Diuine Attributes are not qualiries in God but his substance VVisdom increated is God himselfe VVisdom the gifte of Holie Ghost Humane vvisdom Four benefites of God Vocation Helpe Instruction Repreheasion Reward of workes a This frequent maner of proposing the vvay and meanes to vvisdom If thou vvilt receiue my vvordes c. shevveth most cuidently the povvre of mans free vvil b Not euerie desire or sleight seeking of vviâ—dom sufficieth but such laborious seeking is required as a couetous man sâ—ekerbâ—reâ—sure vvhich he knoweth to be hid in the ground Sap. 3. v. 32. 10. v. â— c A description of peruers sinners especially of heretikes Foure markes of an heretike 1. He forsaketh the knowen faith Isaiae 35. v. â— 2. He glorieth in his ovvne invention 3 Teacheth pleasing thinges Rom. 1â— v. 18. 4. Admitteth no iudge but himself â—it â— v. 11. a It auaileth litle to heare good instructions except we 〈…〉 them in memorie b not â—n books only but in the hart c and â—ut them in execution d knovv also that al thy streingth is in Goâ— in whom thâ—â— mâ—â—st 〈◊〉 â—â—ust not in thâ—â— o 〈…〉 〈…〉 e e 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 〈…〉 those that endeuour 〈◊〉 God is a 〈◊〉 of his sâ—uâ—ur tovvards them and therfore his other promises vvhich seme to be temporal are to be vnderstood of the next life f God revvardeth as it vvere vvith both handes promising eternal life g and competent meanes in this life h M 〈…〉 for the wordes of thy mouth i Almes in season 〈◊〉 vvorth to that vvhich is differred long :: As Salomon was instructed by his father king Dauid so he teacheth others the right order hovve to lerne vvisdom :: The first part of wisdom is to desire it For nothing hinde resâ— from being â—ust but that â—ustice is not desired S. Aug in Psal 118. v. 20. :: As the hart is the principal part of the bodie so the vvil is the chiefest powre of the soule from vvhich good or euil procedeth a To auoide al impietie it is first of al necessarie not to thinke speake nor heare vnlawful thinges b By woman is generally vnderstood concupiscence of vvhat sinne soeuer as ch 1. v. 10. ch 3. v. 33 chap 4. v. 14. c The vvorld the flesh and the diuel are strangers d And cruel enemies that render for revvard eternal damnation e Good doctrine is to be imperted to men of sincere intention f no to contemners and obstinate inâ—idels The vvisman doth not absolutly disvvade from al maner of suretishippe but from rashly or vnaduisedly ansvvering for others And especially exhorteth to vse al diligence in performing or causing others to performe that vvhich is promised or couenanted :: Euerie one that sinneth vvittingly and of malice refusing to obey God imployeth his mouth eyes feete handes and al partes vvith a vvicked hart and intention to peruerte others most proper to heretikes apostates from the faith :: The formeâ— six are al damnable but this seuenth is most detestable because it is opposite to the chief vertue charitie it breaketh vnitie is the proper sinne