Let not the spirite of Dan possesse your minde Suffer not the wrath of Gad to settle in your hart for such work with â— perilous instruments bitter speach trechery and violent hands yelding fruit not much vnlyke as you may read as you may see Wylt thou be taught the ready 〈◊〉 to that that thou doost seeke two wayes ther◠〈◊〉 sayth Aser Vice the one the other Vertuâ— Neptalims race â–ª Embrace the latter eschew the former But he that walketh in them both blyndeth men becemeth himselfe and mocketh God whose double faced dealyng shal be double punished Such are the coâ—etous such are they y are merciful in naughtines such are they sayth Aser that fast from meates but not froÌ„ fornication Haue therfore a simple hart with simple righteous Ioseph the blessed of the Lord the right figure of Iesus Christ for hatred he shewed loue beyng cursed he blessed beyng shot throâ—gh he did not so much as bend hys bow albeit his brethren would haue slaine hym albeit they cast him into a wel though they solde hym as a bond slaâ—e y to strauÌ„gers such as hated shepheards to y death of whom he was whipped tormented yet he when they stoode in feare gaue them coÌ„fort when they were well nye famished gaue them foode when by his authoritye myght destroy by his authoritie did preserue beyng their Lord vsing them as his betters being their Brother acceptyng them as his Children their vnkindnes not spoken of their conspiracies forgotten theyr cruel dealing most louingly most mercifully forgeuen You haue heard his loue toward his neighbour harken his obedience toward god When he was miserably afflicted did he rage and swell When he was made a bondâ—â—â—ue of a free mans sonne did he cry out of heauen beyng almost vtterly forsaken did he vnpatiently accuse Gods iustice no expectans Expectauit Dominum And at the last the Lord whiche hid his face did shew his countenaunce of a caitiâ—e in respect makyng him free of a freeman wealthy of a wealthy subiect an honorable personage Lord President of Pharaos land Whom the Egyptians being alyue loued beyng dead loued beyng â—otten loued Whom â—yuing neyther wealth nor woe coulde make to swell neither promise or threats of the Egyptian strumpet could make slyde and therfore beyng dead neither world Deuil nor mans pollicy could make forgotten O that our mortall race might thus begynne thus perseuere might thus thus O Lord most happely finishe The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Learne therefore of Beniamin to inflame thy hart that thou maist be ready both in body soule Let vs â—ayth Ecclesiasticus coÌ„mende and so say I Let vs behold the noble famous men and the generation of our fore elders For many glorious actes hath the Lord done in them and snewed his great power euer since the begynnyng Upon the consideration wherof and especially for that I would haue nothyng waÌ„ting in this booke that might serue thy conteâ—tation I thought if as well pertinent to deale with the righteous Father as with the godly childreÌ„ For to shadow a face onely without a body hath his deserued commendation but who so painteth a legge without a body or a bodye without a head it shall not be amisse as I suppose as well to terme him a foolishe painter as to iudge the thing vâ—discreetely paynted Wherefore as well to see the head as the legge and to heare the Father as the childreÌ„ I haue faythfully drawne out of scripture not according to my fancy fashioned the death and Testament of Iacob that blessed right happy Father added to this auncient monument of the children Therfore to recompence my payâ—es reade them but read them diligently neither read onely but coÌ„teÌ„d to follow For the imitation of good and godly men is the direct way course to godlines So may we accompt of Iacobs blessing so may we throughly chalendge to be his Children I meane not by fleshe but spirite The lord which made heaueÌ„ earth y Lord which gaue his sonne to shed his hart bloud for vs god which disposeth thinges to his pleasure preserue our Queene encrease our fayth â–ª and make vs thankeful for his beneâ—ites Amen Richard Daye FINIS ¶ The Testament of Iacob that he made at his death to his xij Sonnes the Patriarches concerning what should beâ—ide them in the last dayes gathered out of Genesis .48 .49 and added to this booke Comâ— harke my Sonnes two thinges I geue my blessing and my ban The first to them that godly lyue the last to wicked man. IAcob the sonne of Isaac borne of Rebecca the yeare of the world 2108. his Father being three score yeares of age was a perfect man righteous dwelling †in tentes not geuen to pleasure hunting as hys elder brother elder by nature not by grace for the elder shal serue the younger sayth the Lord. Why not for that Iacob had so deserued but because God had so appointed Wherefore wheÌ„ he thus by the determinate will of God and heauenly disposition which ordereth thinges whatsoeuer had got hys Brothers byrthright and his Fathers blessing his Parentes consâ—dering that the slippery dayes of carnall copulation did approach and warely fearing his brother Esaw for y †he conceaued murder in his hart and instituted a byrth day of his deuilishe purpose sent hym from Berseba to Mesopotamia to Laban his mothers brother there honestly to take a wyfe and â—uietly to liue For Matrimony without consent of Parentes and due consideration of either partie coÌ„tracted as it breedeth their disquietnesse so it prouoketh Gods displeasure Iacob therefore after long trauile being placed with his Uncle Laban and seruing hym xiiii yeares in labour payue albeit he was the childe of promise the blessed of the Lord Borne of a free woman and y which is more his Vncles bone flesh and Lord of ChanaaÌ„ not arguing with hymselfe as the worldly childreÌ„ of this earth saying shall I which am a free and wealthy mâ—ns sonne be made a seruaunt shall I be a drudge in my kinsmans house beyng sent to marry not to serue had †geuen him by Laban to wife for his good seruice by whiche God blessed that little that Laban had before his two daughters Lea first then Rachell with their handmaydes Bilha and Zilpha of whome according to the promise made vnto hym of God in Bethell that his seede shouâ—â— be multiplyed he begat xii sonnes .xii. godly Fathers of the earth Ruben Simeon Leui. Iuda Dan. Neptalin Gad. Aser Isachar Zabulon Ioseph BeÌ„iamin Thus he bâ—yâ—g blessed of the Lord as well in Children as in substauÌ„ce returned agayne to his natiue countrye he and his ChildreÌ„ there to lyue there to dy But beholde the diuine prouidence of god After three thirty yeares expired he was remoued froÌ„ Chanaan to Gosen in Egipt by
he let his feed fall vpon the ground and so he also died in his wickednes I minded to haue geuen her vnto Silon also but my wyfe Bethsue would not suffer mee For she spited Thamar because she was not of the daughters of Canaan as her self was now I knewe that the ofspring of ChanaaÌ„ was mischieuous but yet did youthfull fancie blynde my hart and as I beheld her pouring out wine I was deceiued by dronkennes and fell in loue with her Upon a tyme whyle I was away she maried Silon to a Woman of Chanaan which her deede when I vnderstoode I cursed her in the bitternes of my soule â–ª and so she dyed in the wickednes of her soÌ„nes A two yeares after these things as I went to there my sheep Thamar deckyâ—g her selfe like a Bride sate her downe at a gate of the Citie For it was the custome of the Amorites that their Brides doe set them selues forth at the gates of their Cities by the space of seuen dayes together to be abused in fornication I therefore being dronken with the waters of Horâ—â— knew her not by reason of wine in so muche that her beautye together with the attire in decking of her selfe deceiued me and thereupon turnyng aside vnto her I sayd shall I come in vnto thee and she aunswered what wilt thou geue mee and I gaue her my Staffe and my Girdle and the Croune of my Kyngdome Upon my companiyng with her she conceiued afterward I not knowyng my selfe to haue bene the doer thereof would haue put her to death for it But she hauing kept my pledges in store shamed me with them and when I had heard myne owne wordes of her in secret which I had spoken to her when I laye with her in my dronkennesse I could not put her to death because it was of the Lordes doyng but I touched her not any more to my diyng day For when I had done thys abhomination â–ª Israell leste she might worke wiles with mee I sayde I would fetche my pledges againe of her But when I inquired for her the townsmen sayd there was no Bride in their Citie because she came from another place and had sit there but a little while and she deemed that no man knewe of my goyng in vnto her Afterwarde we came into Egypt to Ioseph because of the dearth Sir and fortie yeares old was I when we came hether and thre score and thirteene yeares haue I liued here And now my sonnes heare mee your Father in all thinges that I charge you withall and keepe ye all my saiynges in doyng all maner of righteousnes before the Lord and in obeiyng the commaundements of the Lord God and walke not after your owne lustes nor after the conceites of your owne mindes in the pride of your hartes nether glory you in the workes of the strength of your youth because it is sinfull in the sight of the lord For in asmuche as I gloried in my battels and vpbrayded my brother Ruben with Billaâ—my Fathers wife because no face of any beutifull woman had yet deceiued mee therefore the spirite of fondnes and fornication fell vpon mee so as I was ouertaken both in Bethsue the Chananite and in Thamar the wife of mine own sonnes And I saide to my father in lawe I haue made my father priuie to the matter and therefore I will take thy daughter to my wife Hereupon he shewed mee an infinite masse of Gold in his daughters behalfe for he was a king and decking her with Golde and Pearle willed her to pour out wine to vs at the Supper The beautie of the woman and the Wine together dazeled mine eyes and voluptuousnes did so darken myne vnderstandyng that I fell in loue with her and brake the commaundement of GOD and of my Fathers and tooke her to wife According to the intent of my hart the Lord payd me home for it for I had no ioy of the children that I had by her Now therefore my children be not dronken with Wine for Wine turneth a mans vnderstandyng away froÌ„ the truth and kindleth in hym the fire of luste leadyng his eyes into error in so muche that wine is a seruaunt to the spirite of lechery to further the sedyng of the mind with voluptuousnes and so those twain bereue a man of all power For â–ª if a man drinke wine till hee bee dronken he traineth hys mind into the filthy thoughtes of lecheric and kindleth the body to carnall copulation And if desired occasion serue sinne is wrought without shame Suche a thyng is wine my sonnes for a dronken man is ashamed of nothyng Beholde it made both me and Thamar to do amisse so as I blushed not at y multitude in the City but went aside vnto her in the fight of al men and committed a greate sinne in discoueryng the vncleane priuities of my owne sonnes Through drinking of wine I was not ashamed to breake Gods commaundement in takyng a woman of Chananie to Wife Wherefore my sonnes hee that drinketh wine had neede of discretion and the discrecioÌ„ that euery man ought to vse in drinking of wine is that he be ashamed to ouer drinke hym selfe For if hee passe that bonâ— he forgoeth his vnderstandyng and cleaueth to the spirite of error which causeth the dronken man to talke filthely and to doe wickedly and not to bee ashamed but to host of his lewdnes thinkyng it to be good He that committeth whoredome â–ª is berest of his libertie and becommeth a â—ondslaue of 〈◊〉 and cannot get out of it againe after the same maner that I was made naked For I gaue ouer my Staffe that is to saie the staye of my tribe and my girdle that is my power my crowne that is the glory of my kyngdome Howbeit repentyng these thinges I forbare all wine and flesh vnto mine old age I was vtterly vnacquainted with all â—â—rth And the Angell of GOD shewed me that women should from tyme to tyme ouermaster all menne as well Kynges as Kaitifes and bereaue greate men of their glory For the pouertie of a poore man is a greater fence to hym thaÌ„ is the strength of a mightie man. Therfore my children keepe measure in drinkyng for there are in it fower noysom spirits that is to wit of concupiscence of hartâ—â—rnyng of lechery and of filthy gaâ—â— â–ª If ye drinke wine merily in the fear of 〈◊〉 Lord with â—â—â—â—â—fastnes ye shal liue But if ye drinke without regard of shame and feare of GOD then turneth it to drankennesse and dishonestie stealethâ—in And if ye drinke none at all then shall ye noâ— sinne neithâ—â— in slaunderous wordes â–ª nor in quarelyng nor in railyng nor in breache of Gods Commaundementes neither shall ye perisho before your tynie For Wine discâ—â—seth the secretes of GOD and man vnto straâ—igers like
man all maner of naughtinesse I confesse vnto you my children thys day that I was glad in my hart at the death of Ioseph that true and good man and reioyced at the sellyng of hym because our Father loued hym more than vs. For the spirite of spitefulnes and pryde said vnto me Thou art his Soune too as well as he And one of the spirites of Belial wrought with me saiyng Take this sworde and slea Ioseph with it and when he is dead thy father shall loue thee This was the spirit of spitefulnes which counseled nice to deuour Ioseph as the Leopard deuoureth a Ryd But the God of our Father Iacob did not put hym into my handes nor suffer me to find him alone that I might dispatch twoo Scepters in Israell by committyng that wickednesse And now my childreÌ„ I tell you of a truth that vnlesse ye keepe your selues froÌ„ this spirite of lying and wrath and loue truth and long sufferance ye shal perish Wrath is blynde my Children and no wrathfull man looketh truth in the face because that although they were his Father and Mother yet doth he beholde them as his enemies Though he be hys brother â–ª yet he knoweth hym not though he be the Lords Prophet yet obeieth he him not though he bee a. righteous man yet he regardeth hym not and though hee bee his frcinde yet he considereth it not For the spirite of wrathe besetteth hym with the Snares of errour blindyng hys naturall eyes and dimmyng the eyes of his mynde by falsehoode and geuyng to hym a sight of hys owne makyng And wherein bleareth he his eyes In hatred of hart For he geueth hym a self willed hart against hys Brother to spite hym and enuy hym My Sounes wrath is mischevous for it becommeth a soule to the soule and subdueth the body to it selfe by ouer masteryng the soule and geueth power to the bodye to worke all wickednes And when the soule hath wrought it iustifieth the thyng done because it seeth not Therefore he that is wrathfull if he be a man of might hath treble power in hys anger One through the healpe and furtheraunce of his seruauntes Another of hys riches wherethrough he perswadeth and ouercommeth in vnrighteousnes and third of the nature of his own body which of it self worketh euil And though he that is angry bee a poore man yet hath he his naturall power doubled For the said spirite doth alwayes further his wickednes by causing his deedes to be matched with liyng Wherefore consider the power of wrath how vaine it is Fo hee is bitter in speeche and walketh at Sathans right hand that his deedes may be wrought in vntrustinesse and liyng for Sathan doth first of all styng hym by speeche and when he hath once pricked hym forewarde hee strengthneth hym by dedes and troubleth his vnderstanding with bitter nippes and losses and so prouoketh his mynde to excessiue wrath Therefore when any man speaketh against you be not moued to anger and if he praise ye as good men bee not puffed vp nor chaunged into voluptuousues and sternnesse of countenaunce For when a man heareth a thing that misliketh hym first it ticleth him and stingeth his minde so that he thinkes he hath iuste cause to be angry Now therfore my children if ye fall into any losse hinderance be not out of patience for the spirit of impatience maketh men to lust for the thyng that is forgone to be angry for the want of it Beare you losses willingly and bee not out of quiet for it for vnquietnes ingendreth anger and vntrueth and it is euill to haue a double face Anger and vntruth talke one to another to trouble the vnderstandyng And when the mynde is combred with disdeine the Lorde departeth from it and Belial getteth the dominion of it Therefore my Children keepe the Lords commaundementes and lawes eschew vntruth and hate it that the Lord may dwel in you and Belial flee from you Speake euerie of you the trueth to hys neighbour that ye fall not willingly into incomberaunce and so shall ye be in quiet and ye shal haue the God of peace warxe shall not preuaile against you Loue the Lord all your life long and loue ye one another with a sothfast hart For I am sure that in the latter daies ye shall depart froÌ„ the Lord walke in all naughtines working the abhominations of the Gentiles and huntyng wicked women in all leudnes through the workyng of deceitfull spirits in you For I haue read in Enoch that Sathan is your prince and that all y spirites of fornication and pride shall plie themselues in laiyng snares for the Children of Dan to make them sinne before the lord But my children sticke ye vnto Leuy and looke vpon hym in all thinges The children of Iuda shall snatch away other mens goods like Lyons through couetousnesse For this cause shall ye be led away with them into captiuitie and there receiue all the plagues of Egipt and all the malice of the Heathen whereupon ye shall returne to the Lord obteine mercy and he shall bring you into his holy place and proclaime peace to you The Lordes sauing health shall spring vp vnto you out of the Tribes of Iuda and Leuy He shall make warre against Belial and geue our young men the victorye in reuengement Hee shall deliuer the imprisoned soules of the saincâ—es from Beliall and turne your vnbeleuyng hartes to the Lorde and geue euerlastyng peace to suche as call vppon hym The Sainctes shall rest in hym and the righteous shall reioyce in the newe Hierusalem whiche shall glorifie God for euer Hiernsalem shall no more be wasted nor Israell led into captiuitie because the Lord shal be conuersant among men in the middest of it and the holy one of Israell shall reigne ouer them in lowlinesse and pouertie and he that beleueth in him shall certainly reigne in heauen Now my children feare the Lord and beware of Satan and hys spirites And drawe neare vnto God and to the angell that excuseth you for he is the mediator betweene God and man to set peace in Israell He shall stand against the kingdome of the enemie and therefore will the enemie labour to ouerthrow all that call vpon the Lords for he knoweth that whensoeuer Israell decayeth â–ª then shall his enemies kingdome come to an end But the said angell shall strengthen Israell that hee come not to an euill end At that tyme shall Israel depart from iniquitie and the Lorde shall visite suche as do his will. In all places of Israel and among the heathen his name shall bee the sauiour Therfore my children keepe your selues from all noâ—â—ome dealings and put from you wrathe and all vntruthe Loue truth and mildnes and looke what you haue heard of your Father deliuer it ouer to your Children
women and cleansed hys thoughtes from all fornication found fauour both before the Lord and men The Egiptian woman did much to him by vsing the helpe of witches and by offering him slaversawees but the purpose of his minde admitted no noysome desire For this cause the God of my fatherâ— deliuered him from al death bâ—tâ— séene and vnséene for if fornicatioÌ„ ouerrule not your minde neyther shall Belial preuayle against you women are hurtfull thinges my sonnes because that when they waÌ„t power and strength against a man they worke guilfully to draw him to them by traines whom they cannot ouermatch in streÌ„gth hym they ouercome by deceit For the Angel of the Lord which taught me folde meâ—e of them that they be ouermaistred by the spirit of fornicatioÌ„ more then men be and that they be euer practising in their harts agaynst meÌ„ first making their mindes to erre by decking of them selues theÌ„ sheadyng their poison in to them by sight finally catching them prisoners by their doynges for a woman is not able to inforce a man. Therfore my sonnes flee fornication charge your wiues and daughters that they trim not their heades will them to chasten their lookes for euery woman that dealeth deceitfullye in these things is reserued to y punishmeÌ„t of the world to come For by such meanes were y Watchers deceiued before the floud as soone as they saw theÌ„ they fell in loue one with another conceiued a workâ—ng in their mindes and turned them selues into the shape of meÌ„ and appeared to them in their companying with their husbandes and the womeÌ„ by conceiuing the desire of them in the imagination of their mynd brought forth Giants For the â— Watâ—here appeared to them of heigth vnto heauen Therefore keepe your selues from fornication if ye intend to haue a cleane mynde keepe your senses from all women and forbid them likewise the company of men that they may haue also cleane mindes For although coÌ„tinuall companyings do not alwâ—res worke wickednesse yet breede they incurâ—ble stinges to them and to vs euerlasting shame before Belial because that fornication hath neither vnderstandyng nor godlynes in it and all enuiousnes dwelleth in the desire therof and for that cause shall ye enuy the childreÌ„ of Leâ—y and seeke to be exalted aboue theÌ„ but ye shall not be able to compasse it for god will â—duenge them and you shall dye a daungerfull death for vnto I cuy Iâ—da hatl the Lord geuen the souereinty and vnto me and Dan and Ioseph hath he graunted to be princes with theÌ„ Wherfore I charge you heare Leuy for he shal know the law of the lord and deal forth â—udgement and offer sacrifices for all Israel til the full time of Christ the chief priest because the Lorde hath spoken it I charge you by the GOD of heauen that euery of you deale faithefully with his neighbour and sticke vnto Leuy in humblenesse of hart that ye maie receiue blessyng at his mouthe for he shall blesse Israell and Iuda God hath chosen Iuda to be the kyng of all people wherefore worship you his seede for he shall dye for you in battailes bothe visible and inuisible and shall raigne ouer you worlde without ende Ruben hauyng geuen his children the foresaied charge and blessed them died Then thei put him in a coffin and caried him out of Egipte buried hym at Hebron in the double caue where his fathers slepte Finis ¶ The Testament of Simeon made to his Children at his death concernyng 〈◊〉 The harte in womâ—ns mouthe the face the sworde the Wolfe the cap All these paint out the cauious race that runne to their mishap THe copie of Simeons wordes whiche he spake to his Sonnes at his death in the hundred and twenteth yere of his life in the whiche Ioseph died For they came to visite hym vpon his death bed and he sittyng vp kissed them saiyng Harken my children heare me your father Simeon whatsoeuer I haue in my hart I am my father Iacobs second soÌ„ne and my Mother Lea named me Simeon because the Lorde heard her praier I became very mightie I went through with my doynges and was not afraied of any thyng For my harte was stout my minde vnmoueable and my stomack discourageable for hardinesse is giuen of the highest inâ—o mennes soules and bodies In those daies I enuied Ioseph because my father loued hym I hardened my harte againste hym to kill hym because the Prince of errour sendyng forthe the spirite of enuie blynded my mynde that I could not take heede to spare my Father Iacob But his God the God of his fathers seÌ„dyng his Angel did rid hym out of my handes For while I weÌ„t into Sychem to crary tarre for our flockes and Ruben into Dotaiâ—â— where all our necessaries were laied vp in store our brother Iuda solde hym to the Ismalits and therefore when my brother was come againe he was sorie for he intended to haue conueyed hym safe againe to our father But I was angrie with Iuda for lettyng hym go aliue and bare him grudge fiue monthes after howbeit God â—etted me and restrained the woorkyng of my handes for my right hande was halfe withered vp for vii daies together Then did I perceiue my Sonnes that that befell me for Iosephes sake whereupon I repented sone after and besought the lord to restore my hande and I would abstaine from all rancour enuie and follye For I knewe I had conceiued a wicked thought against the Lorde and against my Father Iacob for my brother Iosephes sake whoÌ„ I enuied Now therefore my children kepe your selues froÌ„ the spirites of error and enuie For enuie ouerruleth the. mynde of euery manâ—â—e sufferyng hâ—m not to eate or drinke in rest â–ª or to doe any good thyng is alwaies eggyng him to slaie the partie whom he enuieth and â—inyng away at his prosperitie Twoo yeres together I punished my soule with fastyng in the feare of the Lorde For I knewe that the waie to deliuer me from enuie was the feare of the lorde If a maÌ„ flee to the lorde the wicked spirit fleeth froÌ„ hym so as his mynde becommeth meke and of spitefull he becoÌ„meth pitifull bearyng no grudge towardes suche as loue hym so his enuie ceaseth And because my father sawe me sadde he asked me the cause of it To whom I lied saiyng I haue a paine in my stomacke for I was foriest of all my brothers for that I had been the cause of Iosephes sellyng into Egipte And when I came into Egipt and was put in ward by hym as a spie Then perceiued I that I was iustly punished and I was not sorie for it But Ioseph beyng a good man and hauyng Gods spirite in hym beyng ful of pitie and mercie mynded not to doe me any harme but loued me
he enuieth hym that ordereth his waies aright he embraceth backbityng he loueth scornefulnesse and because y hatred hath blinded his mynde he doeth to his neighbor as he did to Ioseph therefore my children kepe your selues froÌ„ hatred bicause it committeth wickednesse euen against the lorde for it will not heare the wordes of Gods commaundement concerning the louyng of a mans neighbour but synneth spitfully againste god If a brother offende by by it blaseth hym abroad and is hastie to haue him condemned and killed or punished for his offence And if the offender be a seruaunt or a bondman it accuseth hym to his maister and deuiseth all meanes that maie be to persecute hym and to put hym to death if it be possible for hatred woorketh with spitfulnesse and is alwaies forie to heare or see men goe forward or prosper in well doyng For like as loue beareth good wil euen to the deade and wisheth them aliue and would if it were â—ossible staye them from death whiche are condemned to die So hatred seeketh to flea the liuyng and demeth theÌ„ vnworthie of life whiche haue offended neuer so lightly â–ª For the spirite of hatred doeth through cankred frowardnes of harte worke iointly with Sathan in all thynges euen to the death and destruction of men But the spirite of loue doth through long sufferance worke with Gods lawe to the welfare of men Hatred is euil because it abideth with liyng speakyng continually against the truthe makyng a great adoe of small matters ouershadowing the light with darknes comptyng swete to be sower teachyng slaunderousnesse warre wrong and aboundance of all mischief and finally filling the harte with deuelishe poison My children I â–ª speake these thynges vpon experience to the entent ye should eschew hatred and sticke to godly loue Righteousnes driueth out hatred and lowlinesse killeth it for a righteous and a lowly persons is ashamed to doe 1. wronge not for feare of rebuke but for conscience sake because God feeth his entent He backbiteth no man because the feare of the highest ouercommeth hatred â–ª for the feare of the lorde offeÌ„deth not neither will do any man wroÌ„g no not euen in thought At length I came to the knowledge of these thynges when I had repented me of my dealinges towardes Ioseph For the true repentaunce that is accordyng to Gods will mortifâ—eth a man to obedience chaseth awaie darknesse enlighteneth the eyes geueth knowledge to the minde and leadeth the soule to saluation And whatsoeuer men knowe not of themselues that doeth repentance teache theÌ„ For it brought vppon me the paine of the hart and if my father Iacobs praiers had not been surely I had died out of hande For looke wherein a man synneth by the same is he punished For as muche therefore as my hart was mercilesse towardes Ioseph I suffered Gods rigorous iustice in my harte by the space of a .xi. monethes that the tyme of my punishemente might fall out euen with the tyme that I vrged the â—ellyng of Ioseph Now therefore my childreÌ„ eche of you loue his brothers and put awaie hatred froÌ„ your hartes louyng one an other in deede worde and thought of mynde For before my Fathers face I spake mildely of Ioseph but behinde his backe the spirite of hatred darckened my vnderstandyng and tempted my mynde to kill hym Wherefore loue ye one an other hartely and if any of you offende other â–ª tel him of it gently driuyng out the poison of hatred and fosteryng no deceipt in harte And if the offender confesse it and be sorie for it forgeue it hym if he deny it striue not with hym least he fal to swearyng and so synne double Lette no straunger heare you vtteryng one an others secretes in variaunce least he turne to be your ilwiller worke some greate mischief against you For he will talke gilefully with thee and vndermine thee to doe thee a shrewde tourne takyng his poison at thyne owne hande Therfore if he deny it and be ashamed of it and hold his peace wheÌ„ he is rebuked drawe hym not out for in deniyng he repenteth him so as he will no more offende thee but honour thee and feare thee and be in quiet But if he be vnshamefaste and abide by his naughtinesse then refer the reuengement of it to God with all thy harte If an other man prosper more then you bee not agreeued at it but praye for hym that he maie haue perfecte prosperitie For peraduenture it maie be to your owne benefite And if he bee exalted more and more enuie hym not but remember that all fleshe shall dyeâ— and praise God for it who geueth good and profitable thy ages to all men Seeke the Lordes iudgementes and so thy mynde shall let hym alone and be in quiet Now if a man be enriched by euill meanes as Csau my Fathers brother was enuie him not for in so doyng ye controll the Lorde who either taketh awaie his benefites from the wicked or leaueth them still to the repentant or els reserueth theÌ„ in the vnrepentant to their endlesse punishement For the pooreâ—man hauyng sufficient of all thynges geueth thankes vnto the Lorde and is enriched of all men because men wishe him no harme Therefore my childreÌ„ away with hatred out of your harts and loue one an other with a right meanyng mynde Also will you your children to honor Leuy and Iuda for out of them shall the lorde make the Sauiour of Israel to come I knowe that in the ende your children shall depart from them and walke in all manner of mischief naughtinesse and corruption before the lorde And after a litle pausyng he said againe my sonnes heare me your father â–ª burie me by my fathers And so pluckyng vp his fete he slept in peace and after â—iue yeres they caried him thence and laied hym with his Fathers in Hebron ¶ The Testament of Aser made to his children at his death concernyng twoo faces of Vice and Veâ—tue Twoo waies saieth Aser are preparde For men the one for ioye The laste for death the firste is beste But this breedeth sore annoye THe copie of Aser his Testamente and of the thynges that he spake to his childreÌ„ In the hundred and twentie yere of his life beyng still in healthe he saied vnto them Ye children of Aser harken to your Father and I will shewe you all thynges that are righte before the Lorde The Lorde hath geuen twoo waies to the sonnes of menne twoo myndes twoo doynges twoo places and twoo endes and therfore all twooes may bee one â–ª yea though they bee contraries as are the waies of good and euill Also there are twoo myndes in oure breastes â–ª whiche moue vs either to honestie or dishonestie Therefore if a manne bee ledde to goodnesse all his doinges are occupied about righteousnesse and if he dooe any thyng amisse by and
as well as theresidue of my brethren Therefore my children keepe your selues from all spite and enuie and walke in singlenesse of mynde and good conscience after the example of your fathers brother that God may giue you grace glorie and blessednesse vppon your heades as you see in hym Of all the daies of his life he did neuer caste vs in the tâ—th with it but loued vs as his owne soule and more then his owne Children honoryng vs and geuyng vs riches Cattell and Corne aboundantly You therefore my childreÌ„ loue ye one an other with a good harte and put from you the spirite of Enuie for it maketh a mannes soule to growe sauage marreth his bodye bredeth wrathe and warre in his thoughtes setteth his bloud on fire driueth hym out of his wittes and suffereth not reasoÌ„ to beare any swaie Moreouer it taketh awaie his slepe disquieteth his mynd and maketh his body to tremble For euen in slepe some spice of imagined malice guaweth hym combryng his soule with Spirites of mischief makyng his bodie gastly and his mynde afrighted with trouble and appearyng vnto men as it were with a pernicious spirite and pouryng out of poyson Therefore was Ioseph faire of face beautifull and comely to beholde because no wicked thyng dwelte in hym For he had a count enance cleare from comberaunce of mynde And now my childreÌ„ let your hartes be meke before the lorde and walke right before maÌ„ so shall ye finde fauor bothe with God and man and beware that ye fal not to whoredome For whoredome is the mother of all naughtinesse separatyng a man from God sending him to Beliall For I haue seen in Enockes writynges that you and your childreÌ„ shal be corrupted with whoredome and do Leuy wrong by the sworde But thei shal not preuaile againste Leuy because he shall â—ight the lordes battailes take all your tentes and verie fewe shall bee deuided in Leuy and Iuda for he shall be your Capitaiâ—e and my father Iacob prophesied in his blessinges Behold I tell you al thinges aforehande that I maie be cleare froÌ„ the synne of your soules Now if you put from you all enuiousnesse and all stifneckednesse all my bones shall florishe as a Rose in Israel and my fleshe as a Lillie in Iacob my sauor shal be as the sent of Libanus my holy ones shal bee multiplied as the Ceders for euer their boughes shall spreade out in length for euermore Then shall thee seede of Chanaan perishe together with the remenaunte of Amalecke All the Capadocians shall perishe and all the Schithians shall be destroied Then shall the lande of Cham faile and al the people go to wrecke Then shall al the â—earth rest from trouble and all men vnder Heauen from warre Then shall Sem bee glorified when the greate Lorde God of Israel appeareth vpoÌ„ yearth as a man to saue Adam in hym Then shall the spirites of errour be troden vnder foote and men shal raigne ouer hurtfull sieÌ„des TheÌ„ shall I rise againe in ioye and blesse the highest in his woÌ„derfull workes for God takyng a body vpon him and eatyng with men shall saue men And now my children obey Leuâ—â—nd you shall bee deliuered by Iudaâ— and â—â—uauce not your selues aboue thesâ— twoo Tribes for of them twoo shall the sauyng health of God spring vnto vs. For the Lorde shall sette vp of Leuy the Prince of Priestes and of Iuda the kyng of kynges God and man So shall he saue all the Gentiles the offpryng of Israel For these thynges sakes I charge you to commaunde your children to keepe these thynges throughout al their generatioÌ„s And Simeon making an ende of these his saiynges and commaundementes to his children slept with his Fathers wheÌ„ he was of the age of a hundred and twentie yeares And they laide hym in a Coffin of woodde that rotteth not that they might carry his bones againe into Hebron and they conueied him priuily in the warre of the Egiptians For the Egiptians kept the bones of Ioseph in the Kynges treasury For their Iâ—chaâ—ters tolde them that whensoeuer Iosephes bones were caried awaye there should be suche a plague of miste and darkenes among the Egiptians as one Brother should not know an other no not euen by torch light And Symeons Children bewayled their Father accordyng to the Lawe of mournyng and continued in Egipt till the day of their departyng thence vnder the hand of Moyses ¶ The Testament of Leuy◠〈…〉 hys Children at hys death conceâ—nyng Priesthoode The sinne be iust rage not geue lyght Ye Preachers of Gods worde For what thing els sheweth Sun and Moone Dame Venus Wolfe and sword THe Copye of Leuyes wordes namely which he spake to his childreÌ„ coÌ„cerning all the thinges which they should doe and whiche should happen to them vnto the day of iudgement He was in health when he called theÌ„ vnto hym for he knew before â–ª when he should dye Therfore wheÌ„ they were come together he said vnto theÌ„ I Leuy was bred and borne in Carram and afterwarde came with my father into Sichem I was at y time but yong about xx yeares olde when I helped my brother SimeoÌ„ to reueÌ„ge our sister Dina against Hemor Now as wee were feedyng of our flocks in Abeâ—â—naul the spirit of y vnderstanding of the Lord came vpon me and I sawe all menne vnderminyng their owne waies how vnrighteousnes had builded her selfe a fortresse and wickednesse sat vpon the towers thereof And I was sorye for mankind besought the Lord to saue them Then fell there a sleepe vpon mee and I saw a high mountaine It was the mountaine of Aspis in Abelmaull And behold the heauens opened and the Angell of God sayd vnto mee Leuy comâ— hether and I went from the first heauen to the second and there sawe the water hanging betwene the one and the other And I saw the third heauen much brighter theÌ„ them both â—or â–ª the height therof was infinite And I sayd to the Angell what meaneth this And the Angell aunswered me maruell not at these things for thou shalt see fower heauens yet brighter and without comparison when thou commest vp to them For thou shalt stand by the Lord and be his minister and vtter his secrets vnto men and preach of the deliuerer of Israel which is to come By thee and by Iuda the Lord will appeare to men to saue al mankinde in them Thy life shall depend vpon the Lorde by hym shalt thou haue thy fieldes vineyardes fruites gold and siluer Therefore harken as touching the seuen Heauens The lowest is most lowring because it is nerest to al the vnrighteousnes of men The second hath fire Snow and I se prepared by the Lords appointment against the daye of Gods rightfull iudgemeÌ„t In it are al the spirites of veÌ„geance for the punishyng of the wicked In
the third are the powers of hostes ordeined against the day of iudgement to take vengeance vppon the spirites of error and of Belial In the fourth aboue these are the Saints for in the higher places dwelleth great glory in the holy of all holyes aboue all holinesse In the nexte vnto this are the Angels that doe seruice in Gods pâ—esence and seeke his fauour in all the igâ—oraunces of the righteous They offer vnto the Lord the swete fauour of reasoâ—able seruice a Sacrifice without bloud In the other that is vnder this are the Angells that bring aunsweres from the Angels in Gods presence In that which is aboue it are the Thrones and Potestates wherein is coÌ„tinuall offeryng vp of Hymnes vnto god Therefore whensoeuer the Lord loketh vpon vs all of vs are mouth â–ª yâ—a and â—uch heauen earth the bottomles deepe are moued at the sight of his greatnesse â–ª but the Children of men beyng witlesse shall synne and prouoke the highest vnto wrath Now therfore vnderstand that the Lorde will execute iudgement vppon the children of men Because that men will coÌ„tinue in vnbelefe and vnrighteousnesse euen when the stones shal cleaue a sunder the Sunne be darkened the waters dried vp the fire quake and al creatures bâ—â—roâ—bled at the faintyng of the inuisible Spirites and at the spoiling of hell in the passion of the Highest therefore shall they be condemned to punishement The highest then hath hearde thy prayer to separate thâ—e from vnrighteousnesse and to make thee his sonne and seruaunt and a Minister in his presence a Lanterne of knowledge to lighten Iacob throughly and to be as a day Sunne among the children of Israell and vnto thee and thy seede shall â—he power of blessyng bee geuen till God visite al nations in the bowels of the mercye of his sonne for euer Neuerthelesse thy Sonnes shall lay their handes vppon hym to crucifie hym and for this cause is wisedome and vnderstandyng geuen thee to giue thy children knowledge of hym because that if they blesse hym they shal be blessed and they that cursse hym shall perishe in his sight And the Angell opened me the gates of heauen and I saw the holie temple and the highest sittyng on the throne of glory and he saied to mee Leuy I haue geuen thee the blessynges of the priesthoode till I come my selfe to dwell in the middes of Israell Then the Angel brought me downe to the earth and gaue mee a shield and a sworde saiyng execute vengeaunce in Sichem for Dina I wil be with thee for God hath sent me And at that tyme I slewe the Sonnes of Hemor as it is written in the tables of Heauen And I said vnto hym lord I pray thee tell me thy name that I may call vpon thee in the tyme of my trouble And he answered I am an * Angell which excuseth Israell that he might not bee striken for euer because all wicked spirites lye in waite for hym Afterward beyng waked as it were out of sleepe I blessed the most highest and the Angell that excuseth the ofspring of Israell and all righteous men And when I came to my Father I â—ounde an Asp of brasse whereupon the hill tooke the name of Asps whiche is harde by Gebat on the right side of Abyla And I layd vp these saiynges in my hart I counselled my father and my Brother Ruben to perswade the sonns of Hemor to be circumcised because I was zelously greued for the abhomination whiche they had wrought in Israell For first of al I killed Sichem and then Simeon killed Hemor and after vs came our brethren who smote the Citie the edge of the sworde When my Father heard of it â–ª he was angry because they had receiued circumcision and were killed afterward and therefore he delt otherwise with vs in blessing For we â—â—nned in doyng it against his wil and he fell sicke the same day But I knewe that the Lorde intended euil vnto the Sychemites because thei had heretofore purposed to haue done the like vnto Sara as they did to our sister Dina. But GOD letted them And they persecuted our father Abraham as then a straunger and caried away his cattell and furdermore did beat Ieblae verie sore who was borne in his house After the same maner delte they with all other strangers taking away their wiues froÌ„ them by force and driuyng the men themselues out of their countrye For whiche cause the wrath of the lord came vpoÌ„ them in the end And I said to my Father Syâ— be not offended for GOD will bring the Chananites to nothyng before thee and geue their land vnto thee vnto thy holy one after thee For froÌ„ heÌ„ceforth Sichem shall be called the Citie of fooles because that as men doe scorne fooles so haue we scorned them for their workyng of foly in Israelâ— in takyng awaie our sister to defile her Then came we into Bethell and there when I had Sacrificed three score and ten daies together I sawe â—he thyng again as I had seen it before Aâ—d I sawe â—euen menne in white raiment saiyng vnto me Up putte on the Stole of Priestehoode the Crowne of righteousnesse the Reasonall of vnderstandyng the Robe of truth the Breastplate of faithe the Mitre of holinesse and the Ephod of Prophesie And so euery of theÌ„ bryngyng somethyng with hym did put them vpon me saiyng Be thou henceforthe the Lordes Prieste thou and thy seede for euermore The â—irste annointed me with holie Oyle and gaue me the Scepter of iudgement The seconde washed me with cleane water and â—edde me with breade and wine that is to wit with the holye of holies and clothed me with a holie and glorious Robe doune to the grounde The third did put vpoÌ„ me a Silken garmente like an Ephod The fourth girded me with a girdâ—e like to purple The fifth gaue me an oliue bough full of fatnesse The sixth did set the Mitre of Priesthode vpon my head The seuenth filled my handes with Incense to the entent I should execute the office of Prieste vnto the Lorde And he saied vnto me Leuy vnto three principall thynges is thy seede appointed of GOD namely to be a signe of the glorious lord that is to come â–ª and he that beleueth shal be the firste The greate lot shall not fall vpon hym The seconde shal be in priesthoode And the third shal haue a newe name because a king shal rise vp in Iuda and renâ—e my Priesthood accordyng to the figure of the Gentiles among all nations But the commyng of hym is vnvtterable as who shall bee the Pâ—ophet of the highest borne of the seede of our Father Abraham All the pleasant thynges of Israell shall be geuen to thee and to thy seede and ye shall eate all that is faâ—re to see to and thy seede shall distribute the Lordes Table and of them
onely vauntyng your selues againste menne but also beeyng puffed vp with Pride againste the Commaundementes of GOD. For this causâ— shall the Temple whiche the Lorde shall haue chosen â–ª be vndoubtedly lefte desolate in vnâ—leannesse and you your selues become captiues to all Nations and bee lothed and abhoâ—red â–ª among them and receiue endelesse shame and confusion through Godâ— rightfull iudgement and all that see you shall shunne you And were it not for our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob there should not one of my seede bee left vppon earth Furdermore I know by the booke of Enoch that you shall goe astray by the space of threescore and tenne weâ—kes and defile the Priesthoode staynâ— the sacrifices destroie the Law despise the saiynges of the Prophetes frowardlie persecute righteous folke hate the godly abhorre the saiynges of soothfaâ—e men call hym Hereticke that goeth about to reâ—ue the Lawe by the power of the Highest and in the ende ye shall kill * hym out of 〈◊〉 as you thinke not knowyng that he shall rise againe and so shall ye receaue his inâ—ocent bloud wilfullye vppon your owne heades For his sake shall your holy places be left desolate whiche you shall haâ—â— defiled euen by vtter forswearyng â–ª and your dwelling shall not be cleaâ—e â–ª but you shalbâ—e accursed among the Heathen and despaire shall vexe you till he visite you 〈◊〉 and mercifully receaue you thâ—â—â—gh faith water And forasmuche as yâ— haue â—earde of the three score and ten weekes â—eare ye also of the Priesthoode For in eâ—ery Iubiley shall be Priesthood In the first Iubiley the firste annointed intoâ—the Priesthoode shall bee greate and talke to God as to his father and his Priesthoode shall be full of the feare of the Lord and in the daye of hys gladnesse hee shall ryse vp to the saluation of the worlde In the seconde Iubiley the annointed shall be conceiued in the heauinesse of the beloued sorte and his Priesthoode shall bee honourable and he shall bee glorified among all men The thirde Priest shall bee taken vp in sorrowe and the fourth shall bee in griefe because the multitude of iniquities shall be layd vpon hym and throughout all Israell euerye man shall hate hys neighboure The fifth shall bee helde faste in darkenesse and likewise the sixth and the seauenth And in the seauenth shall bee suche abhomination before God and man as I cannot expresse howbeit that the doers thereof shall be knowne For thys cause shall they bee in captiuitie and corruption and their Lande and Substaunce shall 〈◊〉 destroyed but in the fifth weeke they shal returne into their desolate countrey and renue the Lordes house In the seauenth weeke shall come Idolatrous Priestes coueitous warriours vnrighteous Scribes and filthy abusers of men children and beastes After that the Lorde hath sent vengeaunce vppon them in the priesthoode then will God raise vp a new priest to whom all the Lordes worde shal be opened and he shall execute true iudgemente vppon earth manye daies and hys starre shall rise in heauen As a kyng shall he shead forthe the light of knowledge in the open sunshine of the daye and hee shal be magnified ouer all the worlde and bee receaued and shine as the sunne vppon the earth and driue awaye all darkenesse and there shall be peace vpon all the earth In his dayes the heauens shall reioyce the earth shall be glad the cloudes shal be merie the knowledge of the Lorde shall bee poured out vpon the earth as the waters of the Seas and the Angels of glory that are in the Lordes presence shall reioice in hym The heauens shal be opened and out of the temple of glorie shall sanctification come vpon him with the fathers voice as from Abraham the Father of Isaac and the glory of the highest shall be spread out vpon hym and the Spirite of vnderstanding and sanctification shal rest vpon him whereof hee shall geue aboundantlye and mightely to hys childreÌ„ in truth for euermore and there shall none succeede hym from generation to generation worlde without end In his Priesthoode all sinne shall come to ende and the vnrighteous shal cease from their naughtinesse but the righteous shall reste in hym and hee shall vpon the gates of Paradise and staye the threatnyng sworde againste Adam and feede the Lambes with the fruite of life and the spirite of holines shall be in them Hee shall bynde vp Beliall and geue his owne children power to tread down hurtfull spirites and the Lorde shall reioice in his children and accept them as his beloued for euermore Then shall Abraham Isaac and Iacob bee glad and then shall I and all Saintes reiâ—yce How my children ye haue heard all Therefore chuse vnto you either light or darkenes either the law of the Lord or the workes of Beliall and wee aunswered our Father saying We will walke before the Lorde accordyng to his law And our father sayde the Lorde is witnesse and his Angels are witâ—â—sses and I am a witnesse and you your selues are witnesses of the woordes of my mouth And when wee had aunswered wer will her witnesses Leuy rested with this charge geuen vnto his Children And he stretched out his feete and was put to his Fathers when hee had liued â— hundreth and seuen and thirty yeares anâ— they layd hym in a Coffin and buried hym afterwarde in Hebron besides Abraham Isaac and Iacob Finis ¶ The Testament of Iuda made to his children at his death concernyng valiauntnesse couetousnes and foâ—nication Loe here the blessed Princely state Of Iuda â–ª suffering not hys mate The Seepter Lyon Pursse and Crowne Betoken glory and renowne THe copy of al the saiynges of Iuda whiche he spake to his childreÌ„ at the tyme of his death when they were come together before hym he said vnto them I was my fathers fourth sonne and my mother called mee Iuda saiyng I thanke thee Lorde for that hee hath geuen mee a fourth soâ—nne I was swifte of foote and painfull in my youth and obeied my Father in all thinges and blessed my mother and my mothers sisters And when I came to mans estate my Father Iacob prayed ouer mee saying thou shalt be a Kyng and prosperous in all thinges Beholde God gaue mee grace in all my workes both abroad and at home Upon a tyme I sawe a â—inde and ran after her and caught her and made meate of her for my Father Also I â—utran the Roes and ouertooke all thinges that were in the fields in so much that I caught a wilde Mare and tamed her I plucked a Kid out of the mouth of a Beare and takyng hym by the paw ouerthrewe hym and rente asunder all wilde beastes that turned vpon me as if I had been a dogge I encountred with a wil be Boare and ouerrunning hym tare hym in peeces In Hebron a Bastardlyon leapte vpon a dogge and I catchyng him by
as I bewrayed the secrets of God aud of my Father Iacob to Bethsue the Chananite whiche God hath forbiddeÌ„ to be disclosed Also wine is a cause of warre and seditioÌ„ Moreouer I charge you my sonnes that you loue not Money â—e looke vppon the beutie of women for money and womanly beauty made mee to ouershoote my selfe in Bethsue the Chananite And I am sure that these twoo thinges shall corrupt mine ofspryng and marre the wise men of my linage and hurt the kyngdome of Iuda whiche God hath geuen mee for obeyng my Father for I neuer repined at my Father Iacobs commaundement but did whatsoeuer hee bad mee And Abraham the Father of my Fathers blessed me to fight for Israel and so did Isaac blesse mee likewise and I know that the kingdome shall stand by me But I haue read in the bookes of Enoche the righteous that ye shall woorke wickedly in the latter daies therfore my children keepe your selues from lechery and couetousnes and geue eare to your father Iuda for those thinges withdraw men from Gods law and blynde the vnderstandyng of their mindes and teache them pryde neither suffer they any man to shewe mercy to his neighbour They bereue hys Soule of alt good thinges and hold it downe in paines and sorowes Also they disapoint hym of hys sleepe and eonsume his fleshe Finally they hinder Gods Sacrifices neglect his blessinges disobey the speakyng of hys Prophetes and are offended at the woorde of godlynesse for these two passions are contrary to the commaundementes of GOD. Hee that serueth them cannot obey GOD because they dazell mens mindes and walke abroad as well a nightes as of daies My children couetousnes leadeth men to idolatry For through dotyng vppon money it calleth them Gods which are not and compelleth the infected partye to growe most vilely out of kinde For moneyes sake I loste my children and had not the penaunce of my fleshe and the humblyng of my soule and the prayers of my father Iacob beene I had dyed as now without children But the God of my Fathers beyng mercifull and full of coÌ„passion knew that I sinned through ignoraunce For the Prince of errour had blynded me and I ouershot my selfe as a fleshely man and beyng corrupted with synne knewe not mine owne infirmitie but thought my selfe to be inuincible Know ye therefore my sonnes that two spirites do waite vpon a man that is to wit the Spirite of trueth and the Spirite of errour and in the middes betwene them is set the Spirite of vnderstandyng of the mynd whose propertie is to incline whiche waye it listeth The thynges that belong both to truth and vntruth are written in the brest of man and God knoweth euerye whit of it and none of al mens workes can be hidden at any tyme from hym because all the priuities of mens hartes are written before the Lord and the spirite of truth beareth witnesse of all thinges and accuseth all and he that sinneth hath a burnyng in his hart and can not lift vp his face to his iudge And now my children loue ye Leuy that ye may abyde and exalte not your selues aboue hym leaste ye perishe The Lorde hath geuen vnto me the kingdome and vnto hym the Priesthoode and hath put the kingdome vnder the Priesthood Unto Leuy is geuen the Priesthoode and vnto Iuda the kingdome and GOD hath put the kingdome vnder the Priesthoode Unto mee he hath geuen the thinges that are vpon the earth and vnto him the thinges that are in heauen As farre as the Heauen surmounteth the Earth so farre doth the Priesthoode surmount the kingdome that is vpon the earth For the Lord hath chosen hym aboue thee to approach vnto him and to eate of his Table and to take the firstlinges of the children of Israell and thou shalt bee as a Sea to hym For like as in the Sea both righteous and vnrighteous are in daunger and the one sorte are caught Prisoner's and the other sorte are inriched euen so shall all kinde of men be hazarded in thee some sinkyng in misery and other some flotyng in prosperitie For in thee shall raygne great Whales whiche shall swallowe vp men as fishes and bryng free mens Sonnes and Daughters into bondage They shall take awaye mens Houses Landes cattell and Money by force and wrongfully feede Rauens and other greedy fowles with many folkes fleshe and they shall prosper in naughtinesse and bee exalted through couetousnesse and there shall be false Prophetes like stormes which shall perfecute all righteous men But y Lord shall set them together by the eares amoÌ„g themselues and there shall bee continuall warres in Israell and my kingdome shall 〈…〉 vp in Straungers tyll the Sauiour of Israell come euen till the commyng of the God of righteousnesse that Iacob and all Nations may rest in peace and hee shall maintaine my kyngdome in peace for euer For the Lord hath sworne to me that the kingdome of me and of my seede shall neuer faile world without end But I am very sory my Children for the filthines and trechery and idolatry which ye shall worke against the kingdome by followyng Witches and Coniurers by vowyng your daughters to deceitfull deuils by makyng them inchaunters charmers and strumpets and by intermeâ—lyng your selues with the abominations of the heathen for the whiche thinges the Lord shall bring vpon you famine and pestileÌ„ce death and sworde wrathfull besiegement and. deuouryng dogs reproch of freinds and foes losse and. pain of eyes slaughter of your children rauishing of your Wiues spoyle of your goods the burning of your temple the desolation of your countrey and the. captiuitie of your selues amoÌ„g all nations whiche shall gelde some of you to make Eunukes for their Wiues But if ye retourne to the Lorde with hartie repentaunce and humanitie and walke in all the Commaundementes of God He will visite you with mercie and louyngly deliuer you from the bondage of your enemies After this shall rise among you a Starre out of Iacob and a manne shall spring out of my seede whiche shall walke as the daysunne of righteousnesse among the children of menne in peace and mekenesse and righteousnesse and no sinne shal bee founde in hym The heauens shall open vpon hym to poure out the spirite of blessednesse vppon hym from the Father and he shall sheade out the spirite of grace vpon you and you shall bee his children in truthe walkyng in his first and last Commaundementes This is the ofspryng of the moste high God and the welspryng of life to all fleshe Then shall the Scepter of my Kyngdome shine brighte and out of your roote shall spryng the vessell of plantyng in whom shall growe vp the rod of righteousnesse to the Gentiles to iudge and saue all suche as call vpon hym After
that the Father of nations may receaue you For he was soothfast long suffering meeke lowly and aâ—â—â—â—her of Gods lawe by his owne woorkes Therefore depart from all vnrightâ—ousnes that ye may sticke to the righteousnâ—s of the Lordes law and bury ye mee by my Father In saiyng these thinges be kissed them and slept the sleepe of the world â–ª And his sonnes buried hym laiyng his bones by Abraham Issac and Iacob And like as Dan had prophesied to them that theâ— should one day neglect Gods lawâ— and estrange them selues from the offpryns and natiue countrey of Israell so came it to passe ¶ The Testament of Neptalim made to his Children at his death concernyng goodnes Runne Neptalims race but runne apace Embrace his goodnes and trustinesse If your state you see seruauntes to bee Then God will you blesse and geue successe THe Copie of Heptalims Testament concernyng the thynges which he discoursed at the ende of his tyme in the hundred and two and thirtie yeare of hys life At the commyng of hys children together in the seuenth moneth the forth daie of the moneth hee beyng yet in good health commaunded a sumptuous feaste and greate cheere to be prepared When we wooke in the mornyng from sleepe because hee was euen at deathes doore he praised the Lorde that had strengthned hym and began to speake to his children in this wife My Children geue eare to Neptalim barken to your Fathers wordes I was borne of Bilha and because Rachell dealt craftely in puttyng Bilha to Iacob in her owne steade and Bilha was deliuered of mee in Rachels lappe therefore was I called Neptalim And Rachell loued me because I was borne on her lappe and she kissed mee when I was a little one saiyng God let mee see a brother of thyne out of myne owne wombe after thee By reason whereof Ioseph was like mee in all things accordyng to Rachels request Now my Mother Billa was the daughter of Rotheus the Brother of Debora Rebeccas nurse and was borne the selfe-same day that Rachell was borne for Rotheus was a Caâ—dean of Abrahames kindred a worshipper of GOD free borne and a noble man Now bee it for asmuche as he was taken Prisoner Laban bought hym and maried hym to a bondwoman of hys called Eue who brought hym forth a Sonne whom he named Zeliphas after the name of the Castle wherein he was taken Afterwarde she bare Billa callyng her her newe hasty daughter because she was fond of the Dug as soone as she was borne And because I was as swift of foot as a Stagge my father Iacob appointed me to runne of all mesuages and errands and blessed me by the name of a Stagge For as the Potter knoweth what his bessell shall conteine and tempereth hys quanâ—itie of clay thereafter so the Lorde maketh a mans bodye proportionable to the spirite that he will put into it and â—â—â—teth the spirite to the abilitie of the bodie â—o as there is no inequalitie or oddes betwixt them for all the Lordes creatures are made in Weight Measure and Rule And as the Potter knoweth the vse of euery of them to what thynges thei be metest so the Lorde knoweth the bodie how farre for the it is fit for goodnesse and wheÌ„ it beginneth in euill for there is not any Creature reasonable nor vnreasonable whiche the lorde knoweth not for he hath created all menne after his owne Image And as mans strength is so is his workeas is his will so is his woorke as is his forecast â–ª so is his doyng as is his harte so is his mouth as is his eye so is his slepeand as is his minde so is his talke either of the lawe of the Lorde or of the lawe of Beliall And loâ—ke what diuersitie is betwene lighte and darckenesse or betwene sight and hearyng the same diuersitie is there in man and woman Neither is it to be saied that there is any betternesse in any thing either of the face or of other like thynges For God hath made all thynges good in their order or degree he hath sett the fiue wittes in the heade and knitte the head to the necke couered it with heare for his glorie Moreouer he hath assigned the harte to wisedome the bealie to the auoidaunce of the stomacke the breaste to healthe the liuer to anger the gall to bitternesse the spleene to laughter the kidneis to craftinesse the loynes to strength the ribbes to comelinesse the seede to lustinesse and so forthe So my children doe all thynges in order and in the feare of God neither doe ye any thyng disorderly in scorne or out of due season For thou caust not commaâ—ide the eye to heare neither caust thou doe the workes of light in darknesse Therefore hast ye not to marre your doynges through coueteousnesse or 〈◊〉 beguile your owne soules with fonde talke For by holdyng your peace with a cleane harte ye shal be able to kepe the wil of God and to caste awaie the wiâ—â— of the deuell The SuÌ„ne Moone and Starres breake not their order neither break you Gods lawe in the order of your doyâ—ges The GeÌ„tiles by goyng astray and by forsakyng the lorde haue chaunged their order and followed stockes and stones and spirites of errour But doe you not so my children knowe ye that your onely one God is lorde in the skies on the yearth in the Sea and of all creatures for he is the maker of them And be not like Sodome whiche altered y order of her nature likewise wise * the Watchers altered the order of their Nature and they whom God cursed in the floud makyng the yearth desolate and fruitlesse for their sakes My children I saie these thynges because I haue read in the holy writynges of Enoch that you also shall depart froÌ„ the Lorde and walke in all the wickednesse of Sodome and the lorde shall bring thraldome vpoÌ„ you so as ye shal serue your enemies and be pinched with all maner of tribulation and pain til God consume you euerichone And when ye bee made fewe and small ye shall turne again and knowe the lorde your God and he shall bryng you againe into your owne lande accordyng to his manifold mercie And it shall come to passe that when they shal be come into the countrey of their fathers they shall forget the Lorde againe and deale wickedly so as the Lorde shall scatter them all ouer the face of the whole earth til the mercy of the lorde come a maÌ„ that poureth out mercy and righteousnes vpon all men bothe farre and nere For in the xl yere of my life vpon mount Oliuet towardes the East side of IerusaleÌ„ I saw the Sunne moone stand stil behold Isaac my fathers father said vnto vs come hether apace and euery one of you take holde accordyng to his strengthe for the Sunne and Moone maie be caught And we came runnyng all together
and Leuy caughte holde of the Sunne and Iudas iumpyng vp caught holde of the Moone and were bothe of them lifted vp with theÌ„ And wheÌ„ as Leuy became as the Sunne a certain yong man deliuered hym twelue Boughes of Palme tree and Iuda shined as the Moone twelue beames or raies were vnder his feete And Leuy and Iuda runnyng together vphelde one an other And beholde there was a Bull vpoÌ„ yearth that had greate hornes and Eagles vinges vppon his backe and we would haue caught hym but wee could not for Ioseph steppyng before vs caught hym and mouÌ„ted alofte vppon hym And beholde there appeared-vnto vs an holie writyng saiyng the Assirians Medes Elamites Gelathites Caldes and Sirians shall holde the Scepter of Israell in thraldome And again a seuen monethes after I sawe our Father Iacob standyng in the sea of I amma and vs his sonnes with hym And beholde there came a ship sailyng by full of dried fleshe without Marriner or Pilote UpoÌ„ the ship was written Iacob and our father saied to vs let vs goe into our ship when wee were within it there rose a sore tempest and a mightie gale of winde and our Father who helde the sterne flewe awaie from vs and wee beyng tossed with the storme were caried into the Sea and our ship was filled with Water and weather beaten torne on all sides Then Ioseph fled out in the boate and we all were deuided vpoÌ„ twelue bordes and Leuy and Iuda were amoÌ„g vs so were we scattered on all costes and Leuy being clad in sackclothe praied to the Lorde for vs all As sone as the tempest was laied the Shippe came quietly to lande and behold our Father Iacob came and wee reioyced all together with one minde I told my Father these twoo dreames he saied to me these thynges muste bee fulfilled in their tyme and Israell muste endure many thynges Then said he further to me I beleue that Ioseph is aliue For I see that the Lorde doeth alwaies number hym with vs. And he saied thou liuest my sonne Ioseph but yet I se thee not neither seest thou Iacob that begat thee truly he made vs to wepe at these woordes of his and my bowelles glowed within me to bewraye to hym that Ioseph was solde but I was afraied of my brothers Beholde my Sonnes I haue shewed you the last times and all the thynges that shall be doen in Israell You therefore commaunde your children to be helpfull vnto Leuy and Iuda For by Iuda shall health and welfare spryng vp vnto Israell and in hym shall Iacob bee blessed For by his Sccpter shall God appeare and dwell among men vpon yearth to saue the stacke of Israel and to gather the righteous from among the Heathen My children if you doe well bothe menne and Angelles shall blesse you and GOD shall bee glorified by you among the Gentiles the Deuell shall slee from you thâ— beastes shall stande in awe of you and the Angelles shall receiue you For like as if a man bryng vp his childe well the childe endeuoureth alwaies to bee mindfull and thankfull So of good workes there is a good remembraunce with GOD. But as for hym that doeth not good hym shall meÌ„ and Angels curse and God shall be dishonored through hym among the Gentiles and the Deuell shall possesse hym as a peculiar vessell and instrument and all beastes shall ouermaster hym and the Lorde shall hate hym For the Commaundementes of the lawe are of twoo sortes and are fulfilled in woorke For there is a tyme for a man to companie with his wife and a tyme to forbeare her that he maye geue hymself to praier There are twoo Commaundementes whiche breede synne excepte they be doen in their due order And so is it in the rest of the commaundementes Therefore bee ye wise and skilfull in the Lorde knowyng the order of his commaundementes and the lawes of all thinges that God maie loue ye Hauyng commaunded them many other suche thinges he praied them to conueigh his bones to Hebron and to burie hym by his fathers And so eatyng and drinkyng with a mery harte he couered his face and died And Neptalims Children did all thynges accordyng as their Father had commaunded them Finis ¶ The Testamente of Gad made to his Children at his death concernyng hatred You that excell in marciall feates Loe Gad but God obeye Least in Gads wrathe you God offende And lose your hoped praie THe copie of Gads Testament and of y thynges that he spake to his Children in the C.vii. yere of his life saiyng I was Iacobs seuenth sonne and skilfull stroÌ„g in kepyng of sheepe I kept the flockes by night and when there came any Lion Libard Wolue Beare or other wilde beaste vpon our cattell I ran to it and killed it Ioseph also did feede shepe with vs about a thirtie daies who being tender fel sicke by reason of ouermuche heate and wente home to Hebron to his Fatherâ— whom he lodged by hym self because he loued hym And Ioseph told our father that y sonnes of Billa wasted his goods at Zelpha and made hauock of them without the knowledge of Iuda and Ruben For he kuewe that I had rescued a laÌ„be out of a Beares mouthe and killed the Beare and that because the Lambe could not liue whiche thyng greeued me we killed it also eate it He told our father of it our brothers were greatly disconteÌ„ted with his doyng euen to the daie that he was solde into Egipte and the spirite of hatred was in me in so muche that I could not finde in my harte to heare Ioseph speake or to se him because he had rebuked vs openly for eating the laâ—â—ibe without Iuda To beshore he made our Father beleue whatsoeuer he tolde hym But nowe I acknowledge my synne my Children that I was often in minde to haue killed hym for I hated him from my hart and I was vtterly without coÌ„passion towardes hym and the cause of this my great hatred towardes hym was his dreames Therefore I would haue deuoured him as an oxe eateth vp grasse froÌ„ the yearth And for that cause I and Iuda sold hym to the I smalites for 30. gildreÌ„s of the whith we kept awaisx priuely and showed the other xâ— to our brethren And so coueteonsnesse perswaded me to wishe his death But the God of our fathers deliuered hym out of my handes to the entent I should not do suche wickednesse in Israell And now my Children geue eare to the wordes of truthe that ye maie liue righteously kepe the law of the highest and not goe astraie through the spirite of hatred for what is euill in at a mannes doynges Whatsoeuer an other man doeth that doth the hater mislike and abhorre If one kepeâ— the lawe of the lorde he praiseth it not if one feare the lorde and deale rightcouslie hym he loueth not but dispraiseth the truthe
Simeon had gotten his coate and would not deliuer it vs but was mynded to haue cutte it in peeces with his sworde and he was angry that he was yet aliue and that be had not slain hym Then all my brethreÌ„ risyng vp together saied vnto hym why shouldest thou not geue it vs seeyng that thou onely art the worker of this mischief in Israell Hereupon he gaue it them and they did as Dan had counselled And now my children I warne you kepe the Lords Commaundementes be mercifull to your neighbours and haue inward compassion towardes all not onely men but also beastes For in that respect the Lorde blessed me insomuche that when all my brothers were sicke I scaped without sicknes For God knoweth euery mans intent Therefore my children haue compassion in your bowels because that as any man dealeth with his neighbor so will God deale with hym For the children of my brothers fell sicke also and dyed for Iosephes sake beecause their fathers pitied hym not but my children were preserued without sicknes as you know And while I was vpon the Sea coast of Chanaan I fell to fishing for my Father Iacob and whereas many others were drowned in the Sea I abode vnhurt I was the firste that made a fisher boate to float on the sea for God gaue me vnderstandyng and wisedome therein so that I did set vp a Mast in the boate and fastned a sayle to the middes of the wood and castyng along the shore in it I fished for my fathers houshold till we came into Egypt and for pities sake I gaue of my fishyng to euery stranger that I met with If there were any forrner borne or any sicke bodie or anie aged person I boyled my fish and dressed it well accordyng to euery mans neede and caried it to them comfortyng them and hauing compassion with them And therfore God made me to catch muche fishe in the Sea. For he that geueth his neighbour receiueth the thinges multiplied of the Lorde Fiue yeares did I fish geuing to euery man that I saw and seruing all my fathers house sufficieÌ„tly In haruest time I fished and in wintertyâ—â—e I fed sheep with my brothers Now will I tell you what I did I saw a miserable man in the depe of winter and hauyng compassion vppon hym I stale a garment priuily out of my House and gaue it the naked man You therefore my Children take pity indiffereÌ„tly of all men and shew mercy with the thinges whiche the Lorde geueth you and deale them abroad to all men with a good hart Aud if ye haue not wherewith to succour the needie out of hand yet haue compassion on him with inward mercy I know that my hand forâ—lowed not to geue to hym that wanted and to speÌ„d that time with him insomuch that I haue walked aboue seuen furloÌ„gs with such a one weeping and my hart yirned vpon hym for compassion You therfore my children haue earnest and inwarde mercy towardes all that are in misery that God hauyng pitie vppon you may be mercifull to you likewise For in the last dayes God will sende his mercy vppon the earth and wheresoeuer he findeth inward and hartie mercy there will he dwell For looke how muche mercie man sheweth to hys neighbour so much wil God shew to him again Now when wee came downe into Egipt Ioseph minded not our euill dealing with him but when he saw me it made hys hart yirne Whom looke ye vpou my children and learne to forget y harme that is done to you Loue ye one another doe not one of you thinke vppon anothers ill dealyng for that breaketh vnitie and displaceth all kinred and troubleth the mynde For hee that is mindful of harme past hath not the bowells of mercie Marke the water and see how it washeth away the Sande when the stones and timber are remoued asunder And if a brooke be drawâ—e into many streames the earth sucketh it vp and it commeth to nothyng and so shall you if you be deuided among your selues Therfore deuide not your selues into two heades for all thinges that God hath created haue but one head a peece He hath geuen a man two shoulders two handes and two feete but yet do all the members obey one head I know by the writinges of my Fathers that in the last dayes ye shall depart from the Lord and be deuided in Israell folowyng two kynges workyng all abhomination and worshippyng all maner of Idols and your enemies shall take you prisoners and you shall fit among the heathen in all misery tribulation and sorowe of mynd And afterward you shall remember the Lord and repent and he shal turne you againe for he is mercifull and full of compassion and thinketh not vppon the â—ewdnes of the Children of men because they be flesh and the spirites of errour beguile them in all their doyngs After this shall GOD himself ryse vp vnto you the light of righteousnes and holsonnes and mercy are in his punishments He shall redeeme all men from the bondage of Beliall and all the spirites of error shal be troden downe and he shall turne all nations to the folowyng of hym ye shall see God in the shape of man for God hath chosen Ierusalem and God is his name Neuerthelesse by the wickednes of your words you shall prouoke hym to wrathe and ye shall be caste of till the tyme of full finishing And now my children bee not sad for my death neither be ye out of hart because I leaue you For I shall rise vp againe among you as a captaiue in the middes of his childreÌ„ And I shal reioyce in the middest of my tribe among as many as haue kept the lawe of the Lorde aud the commaundementes of their Father Zabulon But as for the wicked God shall bring euerlastyng fire vpoÌ„ them and destroy them for euer I returne to my reste as my Fathers haue don now feare you the Lorde your GOD with al your strength all the dayes of your life As he had spoken these wordes he fell a sleepe to hys singular beneâ—ite and his sonnes said hym in a coffin and cariyng hym backe againe vnto Hebron buryed hym there with his Fathers ¶ The Testament of Dan made to his Children at his death concernyng anger and liyng The Serpent With weapon And Dan declare The intent Of those men That wrathfull are THe Copy of Dan hys words which he spake to them in hys laste dayes In the hundred and fiue and twenteth yeare of his life he called hys Tribe vnto hym and sayd Ye children of Dan heare my saiynges and geue heede to the words of your Fathers mouth I lyked in my hart and shewed in my whole lyfe the thing that is good for truth iâ—yned with right dealyng pleaseth God well I haue hated hurtfull thinges as liyng and anger because they teache a