said The woman which thou gauest me to be my felow companion gaue me of the tree and I did eate †And our Lord God said to the woman Why hast thou done this who answered The serpent deceiued me I did eate †And our Lord God said to the serpent Because thou hast done this thing accursed art thou among al catle beasts of the earth vpon thy brest shalt thou goe earth shalt thou eate al the dayes of thy life †I wil put enmyties betwen thee the woman and thy seed and the seed of her she shal bruise thy head in peeces thou shalt lye in waite of her heele †To the woman also he said I wil multiplie thy trauailes and thy child bearinges in trauaile shalt thou bring forth children and thou shalt be vnder thy husbands power and he shal haue dominion ouer thee †And to Adam he said Because thou hast heard the voice of thy wife and hast eaten of the tree whereof I coÌ„manded thee that thou shouldest not eate cursed is the earth in thy woorke with much toyling shalt thou eate thereof al the dayes of thy life †Thornes and thystles shal it bring forth to thee thou shalt eate the herbes of the earth †In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate bread til thou returne to earth of which thou wast taken because dust thou art and into dust thou shalt returne †And Adam called the name of his wife Eue for because she was mother of al the liuing †Our Lord God also made for Adam and his wife garments of skynnes and clothed them †And said Loe Adam is become as it were one of vs knowing good euil now therfore lest perhapes he reach forth his hand and take also of the tree of life eate and liue for euer †And our Lord God sent him out of the paradise of pleasure to worke the earth of which he was taken †And he cast out Adam and placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubins a flaming and a turning sworde for to keepe the way of the tree of life ANNOTATIONS CHAP. III 1 VVhy hath God Here we may see how sinne came first amongst men For the diuel enuying maÌ„s happie state tempted Eue the weaker person beginning with a question therby to allure her into conference and by such a question as might bring her into suspition of Gods affection towards man saying VVhy hath God commanded you that you should not eate of euerie tree of paradise insinuating by these words and withal internally suggesting that God dealt hardly with them abridging their libertie without cause And when he had got so much of her that she was displeased with the precept which she shewed by adding of her owne to make it seme more greuous that they were forbidden to touch the tree and againe by reporting the punishment as doubtful saying lest perhaps vve dye then the tempter auouched boldly and falsly that they should not dye and charged God to be enuious of the benefite they should get by eating of that tree saying their eyes should be opened and they should be as Goddes knowing good and euil Vpon which perswasion and liking also she had to the fruite she did take and eate and perswaded Adam also to eate And forthwith they saw that they would not haue seene knew euil which they had better not to haue knowen were ashamed and endeuored to couer and hide them selues Euen thus the diuel dealeth with men euer since assaulting the weaker persons and weaker part as the flesh and sensualitie and by them setteth vpon the stronger and superior part to get consent of freewil without which there is no sinne According to that famous saying of S. Augustin Peâ—atum adeo est voluntarium vt nullo modo sit peccatum si non voluntarium Sinne is so voluntarie that in no vvise it can be sinne if it be not voluntarie wherfore it was no sinne in Eue to be tempted by the serpent which she could not auoide nor in Adam to be tempted by Eue but they sinned when they consented to the euil suggestions And now in the regenerate though concupiscence remaine which is the effect of sinne past occasion of sinne in those that yeld againe to teÌ„tations yet is it not sinne but punishment of sinne and matter of exercise in the iust and if we resist of merite and therfore S. Paul exhorteth vs to vvalle in the spirite and the lusts of the flesh vve shal not accomplish And in an other place sheweth that he vvhich fighteth lavvfully shal be crovvned 15. She shal bruise Protestants wil not admitte this reading ipsa conteret she shal bruise lest our Blessed Ladie should be said anie way to bruise the serpents head And Kemnisius amongst others saith that al ancient Fathers read ipsum not ipsa But he is conuinced of lying by Claudius Marius Victor lib. 1. in Gen. Alcimus Auitus lib. 3. carm c. 6. S. Chrisostom bom 17. in Genes S. Ambrose lib de fuga saeculi cap. 7. S. Augustin lib. 2. de Genesi contra Manichaeos cap. 18 lib. 11. de Genesi ad literam cap. 26. S. Gregorie lib. 1. Moralium cap. 38. And after them S. Bede Eucherius Rabanus Rupertus Strabus and Lira vpon this place S. Bernard ser 2. super Misus est And manie others who read ipsa as the Latin text now hath But whether we read She shal bruise or her sede that is her sonne Christ shal bruise the serpents head we attribute no more nor no lesse to Christ nor to our Ladie by the one reading then by the other for by the text I vvil put â—nmitâ—es betvven thee and the vvoman betvven thy seede and her seede It is clere that this enmitie and battle pertained to the woman and her seede on the one partie and to this diuel that spake by the serpent and al the wicked on the other partie and that the victorie should happen to mankind VVhich being captiue by Adams sinne occasioned by a woman should be redeemed both sexes though in farre different sorte concurring therto And so it is most true that Christ by his owne proper powre and his blessed mother by her most immediate cooperating to his Incarnation and consequently to other Misteries did bruise the serpents head breake and vanquish his powre As manie ancient Fathers do excellently discourse namely S. Bernard writing vpon these wordes in the Apocalips cap. 12. A great signe appeared in heauen a vvoman clothed vvith the sunne Albeit saith he by one man and one woman we were greatly damaged yet God be thanked by one man and one woman al losses are repaired and that not without great increase of graces For the benefite doth farre excede the losse Our merciful father geuing vs for a terrestrial Adam Christ our Redemer for old Eue Gods owne mother Moreouer as the
a ribbe of his side to be his mate and vnseparable companion as man and wife ioyned in Mariage with Gods blessing for increase and multiplication As appeareth in the two first chapters of this booke But God hauing made man right he intangled him selfe â—â— holie Scripture speaketh with infinite questions For the diuel enuying mans felicitie inâ—â—gled our mother Eâ—e with questions and lies and then by her first seduced and deceiued allured also Adam to the transgression of Gods commandment And so they lost original iustice which Adam had receiued for him selfe and al mankind and al proceeding from them by natural propagation are borne the children of wrath in original sinne contracted from Adam slaues of the diuel not only subiect to temporal death but also are excluded for euer from heauenly blisse and glorie except by Christs redemption particularly applied they be restored to grace iustice in this life And touching Adam and Eue whose sinne was not original but actual directly committed by them selues Gods mercie so reclamed them by new grace that they despared not as Cain and some orhers did afterwards but with hope of remission were sorie and penitent and accordingly receiued penance and redemption For God brought Adam from his sinne as holie writte testifieth and the same is collected of Eue God shewing the like signes of his prouident mercie towards them both of which we shal by and by note some for example Now let vs see the more principal points of faith and Religion professed and obserued by the Church of God before Noes floud First they beleeued in one Eternal and Omnipotent God who made the whole world and al things therin of nothing which is easely confessed of al that are not plaine Atheists and may be proued against them by reason And therfore Adam and other Patriarches could not erre in this Article nor others be ignorant therof except they were very wicked The Mysterie also of the Blessed Trinitie three Diuine Persons in one God though farre aboue the reach of mans reason yet was beleued more expresly by somâ— more implied by others and conserued from age to age by tradition at least amongst the chiefe heades and leaders wherupon Moyses afterwardes insinuated the same great Mysterie by diuers wordes and phraseâ— writing of God and his workes The two wordes God created if they be rightly considered importe so much For the word Elohim God in the plural number signifyeth pluralitie of Persons for manie Gods it can not signifie seeing there is but one God and the verbe bara created in the singular number signifyeth one God in nature and substance albeit three Persons For whatsoeuer God doth in creatures is the worke of the whole Trinitie though holie Scriptures do oftentimes appropriate some worke to one Diuine Person some to another which also proueth distinction of Persons in God So the wordes God created heauen and earth signifie the Father to whom powre is attributed In the beginning signifie the Sonne to whom wisdome is appropriated and the words The Sprite of God moued ouer the waters signifie the Holie Ghost by whose bountiful goodnes the waters were made fruictful Likewise Gods owne wordes Let vs make man signifie the pluralitie of Persons and Image and likenes in the singular number signifie one God Men also knew by faith manie things perteyning to them selues As that the bodie was made of the slime of the earth the soule not produced of anie thing formerly existing but created immediatly of nothing and naturally immortal that the soule of Adam was indued with grace and iustice that he fel from that happie state by yelding to tentation and breaking Gods commandment of abstinence that for the same sinne Adam and Eue were cast forth of Paradise and al mankind subiect to death and other calamities For remedie against sinne restauration to grace they beleeued in Christ promised to be borne of the womans seede who by his death should conquer the wicked serpent deliuer man from captiuitie and restore him to spiritual life And this is the cause of the perpetual enmitie betwen the woman especially the most blessed Virgin Mother of whom Christ tooke flesh and the serpent and betwen her seede the spiritual children of Christ and the serpents seede the whole companie of the wicked Of this battle and conquest Targhum Hierosolimitanum thus speaketh There shal be remedie and health to the children of wemen but to thee o serpent there shal be no medicine yea they shal tread thee vnder their feete in the latter dayes by the powre of Christ their King Likewise Gods familiar conuersation with diuers men in mans shape Gen. 2. 3. 4. 6. and 7. was a signe of Christs incarnation And The Sacrifices immolated did prefigurate his death in respect wherof it is said in the Apocalips The Lambâ— was slaine from the beginniing of the world But more expresly S. Paul testifieth that Abel Enoch and Noe beleeued in Christ naming them for example of the first age and others of other times and in the end concludeth that manie more being approued by the same faith receiued not the promise to wit in their life time God prouiding that they without others of the new Law should not be consummate that is not admitted into heauenlie ioyes fruition of God vntil the way of eternal glorie were opened by our Lords Passion and Asâ—ension Neither did the true seruants of God in those first dayes only beleeue in hart but they also professed their saith Religion by external Rites namely in offering of Sacrifice the most special homage seruice to God which is clerly testified cha 4. as wel bloudie in figure of Christs Passion as vnbloudie in figure of the holie Eucharist Also the accepting of the one rightly offered by Abel reiecting the other not donne sincerly by Cair was declared by external signes which Cain disdayning and enuying his brothers good worke knowing his owne to be naught of mere malice killed his brother Besides Sacrifice they had also other Rites in publique Assemblies praying and inuocating the name of our Lord in more solemne maner from Enos time and so forvvard according to that is recorded of him in the end of the fourth chapter for douteles Adam Abel and Seth did also pray and call vpon God and therfore it was some addition or increase of solemnitie in the seruice of God which is referred to Enos They had moreouer other ceremonies of the seuenth day particularly blessed and sanctified by God kept holie by Adam and other Patriarches as Abben Ezra witnesseth in his commentaries vpon the tenne commandements Of abstayning from meates for it semeth the more godlie sorte did eate no flesh before the floud which was after permitted Obseruation of cleane and vncleane beastes for Sacrifice Of peculiar places dedicated to religious vses where people mette together to pray Likwise diuers
murder by death Exod. 21. v. 12. partly with alteration as by punishing theift in some countries with death but not adultrie which were contrarie in the old Testament Gen. 38. v. 24. 44. 17. Exod. 22. v. 1. Leuit. 20. v. 10 in like sorte the Church of Christ ordaineth lawes altereth vpon iust occasions dispenceth in al degrees of consanguinitie and affinitie not forbid by the law of nature CHAP. XIX Diuers Moral Ceremonial and Iudicial precepts are briefly recited OVR Lord spake to Moyses saying †Speake to al the assemblie of the children of Israel and thou shalt say to them Be ye holie because I the Lord your God am holie †Let euerie one feare his father and mother Keepe my Sabbathes I the Lord your God †Turne not your selues to idols neither make you to your selues molten goddes I the Lord your God †If ye immolate an hoste of pacifiques to the Lord that it may be placable †that day wherin it is immolated shal you eate it and the next day and whatsoeuer shal be left vntil the third day you shal burne with fire †if after two daies anie man eate therof he shal be profane and guiltie of impietie †and shal beare his iniquitie because he hath polluted the holie of the Lord and that soule shal perish out of his people †And when thou reapest the corne of thy lande thou shalt not sheare the face of the earth to the verie ground neither shalt thou gather the eares that remaine †Neither in thy vineyard shalt thou gather the clusters and grapes that fal downe but shalt leaue them to the poore and the strangers to take I the Lord your God †You shal not committe theft You shal not lie neither shal anie man deceaue his neighbour †Thou shalt not forsweare thy self in my name nor pollute the name of thy God I the Lord. †Thou shalt not calumniate thy neighbour nor oppresse him by violence The worke of thy hireling shal not abide with thee vntil morning †Thou shalt not speake euil of the deafe man nor put a stumbling blocke before the blinde but thou shalt feare the Lord thy God because I am the Lord. †Thou shalt not doe that which is vniust nor iudge vniustly Consider not the person of a poore man neither honour thou the countenance of him that is mightie Iudge iustly to thy neighbour †Thou shalt not be a criminatour nor a whisperer among the people Thou shalt not stand against the bloud of thy neighbour I the Lord. †Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy hart but controwle him openly lest thou incurre sinne through him †Seeke not reuenge nor be mindeful of the iniurie of thy citizens Thou shalâ— loue thy freind as thy self I the Lord. †Keepe ve my lawes Thou shalt not make thy cattel to gender with the beasts of an other kinde Thy field thou shalt not sowe with diuers seede A garment that is wouen of two sortes thou shalt not put on †If a man lie with a woman by carnal copulation that is a bondwoman also mariable and yet not redemed with a price nor made free both shal be beaten and they shal not die because she was not free †And for his offence he shal offer to the Lord at the dore of the tabernacle of testimonie a ramme †and the priest shal pray for him and for his sinne before the Lord and he shal become propitious to him againe and the sinne shal be forgeuen †When you shal be entred into the land and haue planted in it fruite trees you shal take away the prepuces of them the fruite that come forth shal be vncleane to you neither shal you eate of them †But in the fourth yeare al their fruite shal be sanctified laudable to the Lord. †And the fifth yeare you shal eate the fruites gathering the ofspring that they bring forth I the Lord your God †You shal not eate with bloud You shal not diuine nor obserue dreames †Neither shal you cut your heare roundwise nor shaue your beard †And for the dead you shal not cut your flesh neither shal you make in your selues any figures or markes I the Lord. †Make not thy daughter a common strumpet lest the land be contamined and filled with wickednesse †Keepe ye my Sabbathes and feare my Sanctuarie I the Lord. †Decline not to magicians neither aske any thing of soothsayers to be polluted by them I the Lord your God †Before the hoare head rise vp and honour the person of an old man and feare the Lord thy God I am the Lord. †If a stranger dwel in your land and abide among you doe not vpbraid him †but let him be among you as the same countrie man and you shal loue him as your selues for you also haue bene strangers in the Land of Aegypt I the Lord your God †Do not anie vniust thing in iudgement in rule in weight or measure †Let the balance be iust and the weightes equal the busheliust and the sextarie equal I the Lord your God that brought you out of the Land of Aegypt †Keepe al my preceptes and al my iudgements doe them I the Lord. CHAP. XX. VVhosoeuer geueth of his seede to Moloch must be stoned to death 6 Althat decline to Magicke 9. eurse their parents 10. commit adâ—ltriâ— certaine incest or bestialitie shal die 19. Other incest is depriued of children 22. The Israelites also shal be cast out of the Land if they committe such AND our Lord spake to Moyses saying †These thinges thou shalt speake to the children of Israel If anie man of the children of Israel and of the strangers that dwel in Israel geue of his seede to the idol Moloch dying let him die the people of the land shal stone him †And I wil set my face against him and wil cut him of from the middes of his people because he hath geuen of his seede to Moloch and hath contaminated my Sanctuarie and polluted my holy name †And if the people of the land neglecting and as it were litle esteming my commandement let alone the man that hath geuen of his seede to Moloch and wil not kil him †I wil sette my face vpon that man and his kinred and wil cut of both him and al that consented with him to committe fornication with Moloch out of the middes of their people †The soule that shal decline to Magitians and south sayers and shal committe fornication with them I wil sette my face against it and destroy it out of the middes of his people †Sanctifie your selues and be holie because I am the Lord your God †Keepe my precepts and doe them I the Lord that sanctifie you †He that curseth his father or mother dying let him die he hath cursed father and mother his bloud be vpon him †If any man commit adulterie with an other mans
other things in the first age were figures of Christs Sacraments the Spirite of God geuing powre to the waters as Tertullian S. Hierom and others expound it and the floud of Noe by S. Peters testimonie were figures of Baptisme Mariage instituted in Paradise is the very paterne of holie Matrimonie a Sacrament in the Church of Christ where one man and one wife are on lie lawful and not more at once in anie wise Christ reforming that which in Moyses law was tolerated for hardnes of mens hartes and for auoyding murther to put away one wife and take an other to this first institution as it was in the beginning two in one flesh not three nor more The repentance of Adam and Eue was a perfect and examplare figure of the Sacrament of Penance First they were ashamed couering their nakednes and hiding them selues which shewed their griefe and sorow for the sinne committed Secondly they confessed their fault and by what meanes it happened For God examining Adam he answered truly and simply saing The woman which thou gauest me to be my companion gaue me of the tree and I did eate Likwise Eue confessed sincerly saying The serpent deceiued me and I did eate Thirdly God gaue them penance besides death before threatned and other penalties annexed that Eue should in paine and trauel bring forth her children and Adam should eate his bread in the sweate of his face And withal cast them forth of Paradise But not forth of his fauoure as appeared by his making them garments of skinnes granting them and their posteritie the rest of the earth to liue and labour in especially to serue him and do penance with admonition to remember that of duct man was made and into dust he shal returne Al which were signes of loue and that finally he would bring them and manie more to eternal saluation The first borne and heades of families were Priests al the time of the law of nature vntil the law being changed God tooke Priests only of the stock of Aaron and the rest of the Leuites to assist them in that function Aaron his sonnes thou shalt appoint saith our Lord ouer the seruice of Priesthood for I haue taken the Leuites of the children of Israel for euerie first borne And ◠Paul teacheth that changing of Priesthood and changing of the law goe alwayes together shewing euidently that euerie lawful communitie or commonwealth vnder God hath external Priesthood So that if there had benne no distinct order of external Priesthood in the law of nature or now were none in the law of grace as Protestantes say there is not there were no law at al. See more of this point in the Annotations chap. 7. ad Hebre. Here we only obserue that Abel Seth Enos and other Patriarches were Priestes and exercised priestlie functions yea Cain also was a Priest though a bad one and offered Sacrifice But external offices or ministerie without a wel disposed mind and sincere vertues producing Good workes did neuer iustifie anie man And therfore Cains Sacrifice offered with a peruerse mind was not respected by God as Abels was wherupon he becoming worse and more malicious God sharply reproued his anger and enuie conceiued without iust cause saying If thou doest wel shalt thou not receiue againe but if thou doest il shal not thy sinne forwith be present at the dore clerly shewing that euerie one shal receiue according to his workes This place also euidently sheweth Freewil yea in a wicked man For this expostulation had neuer benne vttered by our most reasonable Lord and Maister if Cain had benne depriued of freewil For he might haue excused himselfe and must needes haue benne holden excused if he had benne forced to do as he did But God charged him as inexcusable and as one that knew or ought to know that he had freewil And doth further inculcate that he had and should haue powre and freewil ouer his concupiscence to correct the same if he would saying The lust therof shal be vnder thee and thou shalt haue domion ouer it So that no sinner be he neuer so wicked much lesse a iust man lacketh freewil yet Luther abhorreth the very word and Caluin wisheth it out of the world Temporal punishment is proued to be due for sinne remitted by that both death and other penalties are inflicted by Gods iustice vpon men after iustification and by the particular punishments laid vpon Adam and Eue confessing their faultes Purgatorie is also proued by the same iustice of God For when anie dieth penitent and yet haue not madeful satisfaction they must suffer for that remaineth after death and be purged before they can enter into rest which remnant of debt our B. Sauiour calleth The last farthing and saith it must be payed The lewes also at this day hold the doctrin of Purgatorie by tradition And consequently they Pray for soules departed not only to God but also to the ancient Patriarches which likewise sheweth Inuocation of Saincts in these wordes Yee fathers which sleepe in Hebron open to him the gates of Eden that is of Paradise which was planted in Eden And Hebron is the place where Adam was buried and his sepulcher religiously conserued in the time of Iosue aboue 1500 yeares after his death The same is the place which Abraham bought and there buried Sara where also him selfe and Isaac and Iacob were buried and to which finally the bodies of the twelue sonnes of Iacob were translated from Sichem As Iosephus writeth And sichem also was specially honored because such persons had benne buried there as S. Hierom witnesseth of his owne knowledge in his time Againe by religious care of burying the dead in this first age Enoch was more certainly knowen to be Translated aliue and not to be dead For the seuentie Interpreters and S. Paul say He was not found which importeth that they sought diligently for him and that his bodie could not be found for God translated him By al which we see mutual offices and communion of good workes amongst good men aliue and dead which is called Cōmunion of Saincts And herein Angels lacked not their offices For God set Cherubins to kepe the gate of Paradise that neither man should enter being iustly expelled for sinne nor diuels as S. Augustin noteth left they should take fruite of the tree of life and geuing it to men allure them to more sinne And now Saincts being exalted to Angels glorie haue like honorable offices towards other men as Angels haue Yea the bloud of Abel vniustly shed by Cain and iustly to be reuenged by God sheweth the peculiar honour which God bestoweth vpon his Saints for their vertues and merites in this life especially in their death For Precious in the sight of our Lord is the
he slept with her that night †And God heard her prayers and she conceaued and bare the fifth sonne †and said God hath geuen me a reward because I gaue my handmaid to my husband And she called his name Issachar †Againe Lia conceauing bare the sixt sonne †and said God hath endowed me with a good dowrie this turne also my husband wil be with me for because I haue borne him six sonnes and therfore she called his name Zabulon †After whom â—he bare a daughter named Dina. †Our Lord also remembring Rachel heard her and opened her wombe †Who conceaued and bare a sonne saying God hath taken away my reproch †And she called his name Ioseph saying Our Lord adde to me an other sonne †And when Ioseph was borne Iacob said to his father in lawe Dismisse me that I may returne into my countrie and to my land †Geue me my wiues and my children for whom I haue serued thee that I may depart thou knowest the seruice that I haue serued thee †Laban said to him Let me finde grace in thy sight I haue learned by experience that God hath blessed me for thy sake †appoint thee wages which I shal geue thee †But he answered Thou knowest how I haue serued thee and how great thy possession hath benne in my hands †Thou hadest a smal thing before I came to thee and now thou art made rich and our Lord hath blessed thee at my comming in It is reason therfore that once I prouide also for mine owne house †And Laban said What shal I geue thee But he said I wil nothing but if thou wilt doe that which I demande I wil fede and kepe thy sheepe again †Goe round about al thy flockes and separate al the shepe of diuers colours of speckled flyse and what soeuer shal be russet and spotted and of diuers colours aswel in the shepe as in the goates shal be my wages †And my iustice shal answer for me to morowe before thee when the time of the bargaine shal come and al that shal not be of diuers colours and spotted and russet aswel in the shepe as in the goates shal accuse me of theft †And Laban said I like wel that thou demandest †And he separated the same day the shee goates and the shepe and the he goates and the rammes of diuers colours and spotted and al the flocke of one coloure that is of white and blacke flyse he deliuered in the hand of his sonnes †And he put a space of three dayes iourney betwixt him and his sonne in lawe who fed the rest of his flocke †Iacob therfore taking grene roddes of the poplare and of the almond and of the plaine trees in part pilled them and when the barkes were taken of in the parts that were pilled there appeared whitnes but the parts that were whole remayned grene and by this meanes the colour was made diuers †And he put them in the troughes where the water was poured out that when the flockes should come to drinke they might haue the roddes before their eyes and in the sight of them conceaue †And it came to passe that in the verie heate of the ramming the shepe beheld the roddes and brought forth spotted and of diuers colours and speckled †And Iacob diuided the flocke and put the roddes in the troughes before the eyes of the rammes and al the white and the blacke were Labans and the rest Iacobs when the flockes were separated one from the other †Therfore when the ewes went to ramme in the prime time Iacob put the roddes in the troughes of water before the eyes of the rammes and of the ewes that in looking vpon them they might conceaue †but when the later comming was and the last conceauing he did not put them And those that were late warde became Labans and they of the prime time Iacobs †And the man was enriched beyond measure and he had manie flockes wemen seruantes and men seruants camels and asses CHAP. XXXI Iacob by Gods commandment parteth secretly with al he hath towards his father 21. Laban pursueth him 26. expostulating why he went in secrete maner 30. especially chargeth him with stelling his goddes 31. Iacob excuseth himselfe not knowing that Rachel had taken a way the Idols 34. and she deludeth his diligent searching for them 36. Then Iacob expostulateth with Laban for this vnkindnes 43. Finally they make a league and depart â—ch to his owne countrie AFTER he heard the wordes of Labans sonnes saying Iacob hath taken al that was our fathers and being enriched of his substance is become great †and perceauing also Labans countenance that it was not towards him as yesterday and the other day †especially our Lord saying to him Returne into the land of thy fathers and to thy kinred and I wil be with thee †He sent and called Rachel and Lia into the field where he fed the flockes †and said to them I see your fathers countenance that it is not towards me as yesterday and the other day and the God of my father hath bene with me †And your selues knowe that I haue serued your father to the vttermost of my power †Yea your father also hath circumâ—â—ented me and hath changed my wages tenne times and yet God hath not suâ—â—red him to hurt me †If at any time he said They of diuers colours shal be thy wages al the â—â—â—â—pe brought forth young of diuers colours but when he said contrarie Thou shalt take al the white ones for thy wages al the flockes brought forth white ones †And God 〈…〉 taken your fathers substance and geuen it to me †For after the time came of the ewes conceauing I lifted vp mine eyes and sawe in my sleepe the males ascending vpon the females of diuers colours and the spotted and the speckled †And the angel of God said to me in sleepe Iacob And I answered Here I am †Who said Lyft vp thine eyes and see al the males ascending vpon the females them of diuers colours the spotted and the speckled For I haue seene al things that Laban hath done to thee †I am the God of Bathel where thou didest annointe the stone and didest vowe the vowe vnto me Now therfore arise and goe out of this land returning into the land of thy natiuitie †And Rachel and Lia answered Haue we any thing left in the goods and heritage of our fathers house †Hath he not reputed vs as strangers and sould vs and eaten vp the price of vs †But God hath taken our fathers riches and deliuered them to vs and to our children wherfore do al things that God hath commanded thee †Iacob therfore rose vp and setting his children and wiues vpon camels went his way †And he tooke al his substance and flockes and whatsoeuer he had gotten in Mesopotamia and went forward to Isaac his father
when they iustly feared reuenge for so gteat and inhumane iniuries done vnto him chap. 50. v. 20. 35. Into hel mourning Protestants denying more places for soules after this life then Heauen for the iust and Hel for the wicked translate the hebrew word Sheol graue for hel Because if they should grant that Iacob or other holie fathers of the old Testament descended into hel they must confesse some other hel then where the damned are tormented whither no Christian wil say that those fathers went If they contended only about the sense and meaning of the text it were more tolerable for therin they speake according to their erronious opinion as they thinke But knowing as some of them doe that Hel is the true word of the text there is no sinceritie nor moral honestie in putting Graue in place therof And that they know it the second table of the Bible printed at London 1602. witnesseth noting for a common place that in the 37. chap. of Genesis v. 35. Hel is taken for graue therby confessing that the true English word of the holie Scripture in that place is Hel but that they would haue it to signifie graue VVherupon anie reasonable man would thinke to finde the word Hel in the text with some glosse to shew that graue were to be vnderstood But in al their Editions also in that which was printed the yeare next folowing 1603 wherto the same table is adioyned they reade graue and not hel in that place though in some other places they much disagree in translating the same word As for the sense it can not be that Iacob ment the graue for when he said he would goe to his sonne he supposed him to be deuoured by a wild beast and not buried in a graue And therfore must necessarily meane that he would goe where he thought the soule of his sonne to be VVhich was neither in heauen for then he would rather haue ascended thither ioyful then descended to anie place mourning neither did he meane the hel of the dammed for that had bene desperation but to a lowe place where the iust soules then remained in rest which was called Limbus Patrum or Abrahams bosome That is saith S. Augustin in his answere to Bishop Euodius Epist 99. secretae cuiusdam quiet is habitatio The habitation of a certaine secret rest CHAP. XXXVIII Iudas hauing three sonnes by a Chananite 6. marieth the first and after his death the second to Thamar 10. who also dying he delayeth to match the third with her 15. But him selfe begetteth of her taking her for a harlote two sonnes twinnes Phares and Zara. THE same time Iudas going downe from his brethren turned in to a man an Odollamite named Hiras †And he sawe there the daughter of a man of Chanaan called Sue and taking her to wife he did companie with her †Who conceaued and bare a sonne and called his name Her †And conceauing a childe againe she called her sonne after he was borne Onan †She bare also the third whom she called Sela after whose birth she ceased to beare any more †And Iudas gaue a wife to Her his first begotten named Thamar †Also Her the first begotten of Iudas was wicked in the fight of our Lord and was slaine of him †Iudas therfore said to Onan his sonne companie with thy brothers wife and be ioyned to her that thou mayest “ rayse seede to thy brother †He knowing that the children should not be borne to himselfe companying with his brothers wife shed his seede vpon the ground left children might be borne in his brothers name †And therfore our Lord stroke him because he did a detestable thing †For the which cause Iudas said to Thamar his daughter in lawe Be a widowe in thy fathers house til Sela my sonne growe vp for he feared lest he also might dye as his brethren Who went her way and dwelt in her fathers house †And after many dayes were come and gone the daughter of Sue the wife of Iudas died who after his mourning hauing receiued consolation went vp to the shearers of his sheepe himselfe and Hiras his shepheard of his flocke the Odolamite into Thamnas †And it was told Thamar that her father in law came vp into Thamnas to sheare his sheepe †Who putting of the garments of her widowhood tooke a veile and changing her habite sate in the crosse way that leadeth to Thamnas because Sela was growne and she had not taken him to her husband †Whom when Iudas had seene he supposed her to be an harlot for she had couered her face lest she should be knowen †And going vnto her he said Suffer me to lye with thee for he knew her not to be his daughter in law Who answering What wilt thou geue me that thou maiest enioy my companie †He said I wil send thee a kid out of the flockes And when she said againe I wil suffer that thou wilt if thou geue me a pledge til thou send that which thou doest promise †Iudas said What wilt thou to be geuen thee for a pledge She answered Thy ring and bracelet and staffe which thou holdest in thy hand The woman therfore by once companying conceaued †and rising she went her way and putting of the apparel which me had taken put on the garments of her widowhood †And Iudas sent a kid by his shephard the Odolamite that he might receiue the pledge againe which he had geuen to the woman who when he had not found her †he asked the men of that place Where is the woman that sate in the crosse way Al making answere There was no harlot in this place †He returned to Iudas and said to him I haue not found her yea the men also of that place said vnto me that there neuer sate harlot there †Iudas said Let her take it to her surely she can not charge vs with a lye I sent the kid which I promised and thou didest not find her †And behold after three moneths they told Iudas saying Thamar thy daughter in law hath played the harlot and her bellie semeth to swel And Iudas said Bring her forth that she may be burnt †Who when she was led to execution she sent to her father in law saying By that man whose these things are haue I conceaued looke whose the ring is and the bracelet and the staffe †Who acknowledging the giftes said She is iuster then I because I did not geue her to Sela my sonne But he knew her no more †And when she was readie to be brought to bed there appeared twinnes in her bellie and in the verie deliuerie of the infants one put forth the hand wherin the midwife tyed a skarlet string saying †This shal come forth the former †But he drawing backe his hand the other came forth and the woman said Why is the partition diuided
common maner of diuiding the first table into three precepts directing vs to God the second into seuen belonging to our neighbour approued for the better by S. Augustin q 71 in Exodum and generally receiued of al Catholiques grounded vpon this reason among others because to make or haue a picture or similitude of anie creature to the end to adore it as God were in dede to haue a strange God which is forbid in the first wordes and so al that foloweth to the comination and promise forbiddeth false goddes and appeareth to be but one precept in substance But the desire and internal consent to adultrie and to theift differ altogether as much as the external actes of the same sinnes and therfore seing adultrie and theift are forbidden to be committed by two distinct precepts the prohibition of the internal desire with mental consent to the same doth also require two precepts CHAP. XXI Iudicial precepts concerning bondmen and bondvvemen 12. Manslaughter and striking killing and cursing of parents 23. The lavv of like paine for a hurt 28. of an oxe striking vvith his horne THESE are the iudgements which thou shalt propose to them †If thou bye an Hebrew seruant six yeares shal be serue thee in the seuenth he shal goe out free gratis †With what rayment he entred in with the like let him go out if hauing a wise his wife also shal goe out with him †But if his lord geue him a wife and she beare sonnes daughters the woman and her children shal be her lordes but himselfe shal goe out with his rayment †And if the seruant say I loue my lord and wife children I wil not goe out free †his lord shal present him to the goddes and he shal be sette to the dore and the postes and he shal bore his eare through with an awle and he shal be his bondman for euer †If any man sel his daughter to be a seruant she shal not goe out as bondweman are wont to goe out †If she mislike the eyes of her maister to whom she was deliuered he shal dismisse her but he shal not haue authoritie to sel her vnto a strange people if he despise her †But if he despouse her to his sonne he shal doe to her after the maner of daughters †And if he take an other wife for him he shal prouide her a mariage and rayment and thē price of her chastitie he shal not denie †If he doe not these three thinges she shal goe out gratis without monie †He that striketh a man wilfully to kil him dying let him die †But he that did not lye in waite for him but God deliuered him into his handes I wil appoint thee a place whereunto he ought to flee †If a man of sette purpose kil his neighbour and by lying in waite for him thou shalt plucke him out from mine Altare that he may die †He that striketh his father or mother dying let him die †He that shal steale a man and sel him being conuicted of the trespasse dying let him die †He that curseth his father or mother dying let him die †If men fal at wordes and the one strike his neighbour with a stone or with his fist and he die not but lye in his bedde †if he rise and walke abrode vpon his stafe he that did strike shal be quitte yet so that he make restitution for his worke and for his expenses vpon the phisicians †He that striketh his man or mayde seruant with a rodde and they die in his handes he shal be guiltie of the crime †But if the partie remayne aliue a day or two he shal not be subiect to punishment because it is his money †If certaine fal at wordes and one strike a woman with child and she in deede aborte but her selfe liue he shal be subiect to so much damage as the womans husband shal require and as arbiters shal award †But if her death doe ensue thereupon he shal render life for life †eye for eye tooth for tooth hand for hand foote for foote †adustion for adustion wound for wound stripe for stripe †If any man strike the eye of his manseruant or maidseruant and leaue them but one eye he shal make them free for the eye which he put out †Also if he strike out a tooth of his manseruant or maydseruant he shal in like maner make them free †If an oxe with his horne strike a man or a woman and they die he shal be stoned and his flesh shal not be eaten the owner also of the oxe shal be quitte †But if the oxe were wont to strike from yesterday and the day before and they warned his maister neither did he shutte him vp and he kil a man or a woman both the oxe shal be stoned and they shal put to death his owner also †And if they sette a price vpon him he shal geue for his life whatsoeuer he is asked †Also if with his horne he strike a sonne or a daughter he shal be subiect to the like sentence †If he inuade abondman or bondwoman he shal geue thirtie sicles of siluer to their maister but the oxe shal be stoned †If a man open a cesterne and digge one and doe not couer it an oxe or an asse fal into it †the owner of the cesterne shal pay the price of the beastes and that which died shal be his owne †If one mans oxe gore an other mans oxe and he die they shal sel the oxe that liueth and shal diuide the price and the carcasse of that which died they shal parte betwen them †But if he knew that his oxe was wont to strike from yesterday and the day before and his maister did not keepe him in he shal render oxe for oxe and shal take the carcasse whole CHAP. XXII The punishment of theift 5. and other trespasses 7. if a thing committed to custodie or lent doth perish 16. of deflovvring a virgin 18. of inchanting bestialitie and idolatrie 21. of hurting strangers vvidovves and orphanes 25. The lavv of lending vvithout vsurie 26. of taking pleadge 28. of reuerence to superiors and of paying tithes IF any man steale an oxe or a sheepe and kil or sel it he shal restore fiue oxen for one oxe and foure sheepe for one sheepe †If the theefe be found breaking vp the house or vndermining it and taking a wound die the striker shal not be guiltie of bloud †But if he doe this when the sunne is risen he hath cōmitted manslaughter and himself shal die If he haue not wherwith to make restitution for the theft himselfe shal be sold †If that which he stole be found with him aliue either oxe or asse or sheepe he shal restore duble †If anie man hurt a field or a vineyard and let goe his beast to feede vpon that which
thy husband art polluted and hast lien with an other man †thou shalt be subiect to these maledictions Our Lord geue thee for a malediction and an example of al among his people make he thy thigh to rotte and bellie swelling burst asunder †the cursed water enter into thy bellie and thy wombe being swolne let thy thigh rotte And the woman shal answer Amen amen †And the priest shal write these curses in a booke and shal wash them out with the most bitter waters wherupon he heaped the curses †and he shal geue them her to drinke Which when she hath drunke vp †the priest shal take of her hand the sacrifice of ielousie and shal eleuate it before the Lord and shal put it vpon the altar yet so notwithstanding that first †he take a handful of the sacrifice of that which is offered burne it vpon the altar and so geue the most bitter waters to the woman to drinke †Which when she hath drunke if she be polluted and by contempt of her husband guiltie of adulterie the waters of malediction shal goe through her and her bellie being puft vp her thigh shal totte withal and the woman shal be for a malediction and an example to al the people †But if she be not polluted she shal be blamelesse and shal beare children †This is the law of ielousie If the woman decline from her husband and if she be polluted †and the husband stirred with the spirit of ielousie brought her in the sight of the Lord and the priest haue done to her according to al thinges that are written †the husband shal be without fault and she shal beare her iniquitie ANNOTATIONS CHAP. V. 7. Shal confesse their sinne General confession such as Protestantes make sufficed not here for purging sinnes but whosoeuer transgressed anie of Gods commandments were bound by this diuine positiue law to confesse expresly and distinctly their sinne which in particular they had committed Also to make restitution if wrong were donne to anie other with a fifth part aboue the principal And for further satisfaction to God they must offer sacrifice Al which did plainly prefigure foreshew the necessitie of particular confession of sinnes and satifaction in the Sacrament of Penance instituted by Christ Ioan. 20. CHAP. VI. Consecration 14. and oblation of Nazareites 22. Asette forme how the Priest shal blesse the people AND our Lord spake vnto Moyses saying †Speake to the children of Israel and thou shal say to them Man or woman when they shal make a vow to be sanctified and “ wil consecrate them selues to the Lord †they shal absteine from wine euerie thing that can make one drunke vineger of wine and of any other potion and whatsoeuer is pressed out of the grape they shal not drinke new grapes and drie they shal not eate †al the daies wherin they are by vow coÌ„secrated to the Lord whatsoeuer may be of the vineyard from the reisen to the kernel they shal not eate †Al the time of his separation a rasour shal not passe ouer his head vntil the day be expired that he is consecrated to the Lord. He shal be holie whiles the bush of haire on his head doth grow †Al the time of his consecration he shal not enter in to the dead †neither shal he be contaminated no not on his fathers and mothers and brothers and sisters corps because the consecration of his God is vpon his head †Al the daies of his separation he shal be holie to the Lord. †But if anie man die sodenly before him the head of his consecration shal be polluted which he shal shaue forthwith in the same day of his purgation and againe the seuenth day †and in the eight day he shal bring two turtles or two young pigeons to the priest in the entrie of the couenant of testimonie †and the priest shal offer one for sinne and the other for an holocaust and shal pray for him because he hath sinned by occasion of the dead and he shal sanctifie his head that day †and shal consecrate to the Lord the daies of his separation offering a lambe of a yeare old for sinne yet so that the former daies be made frustrate because his sanctification was polluted †This is the law of consecration When the daies that by vow he had determined shal be expired he shal bring him to the doore of the tabernacle of couenant †and shal offer his oblation to the Lord a male lambe of a yeare old without spotte for an holocaust and an ewe lambe of a yeare old without spotte for sinne and a ramme without spotte for a pacifique hoste †a basket also of vnleuened breades that are tempered with oile and wafers without leuen anointed with oile and the libamentes of euerie one †which the priest shal offer before the Lord and shal offer as wel for sinne as for an holocaust †But the â—amme he shal immolate for a pacifique hoste to the Lord offering withal the baskette of azymes and the libamentes that by custome are dew †Then shal the Nazareite be shauen before the dore of the tabernacle of couenant from the bush of the haire of his consecration and he shal take his haires and lay them vpon the fire that is put vnder the sacrifice of pacifiques †And a shoulder of the ramme boyled and one cake without leuen out of the baskette and one wafer vnleuened and he shal deliuer them into the handes of the Nazareite after that his head be shauen †And receiuing them againe from him he shal eleuate them in the sight of the Lord and being sanctified they shal be the priestes as the breast which was commanded to be separated and the shoulder after these thinges the Nazareite may drinke wine †This is the law of the Nazareite when he shal vow his oblation to the Lord in the time of his consecration besides those thinges which his hand shal find according to that which he had vowed in his minde so shal he do to the fulfilling of his sanctification †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Speake to Aaron and his sonnes Thus shal you blesse the children of Israel and you shal say to them †Our Lord blesse thee and keepe thee †Our Lord shew his face to thee and haue mercie vpon thee †Our Lord turne his countenance vnto thee and geue thee peace †And they shal inuocate my name vpon the children of Israel and I wil blesse them ANNOTATIONS CHAP. VI. 2. VVil consecrate themselues To such as of their owne accord would bind themselues by vow to certaine thinges not coÌ„manded God prescribeth a Rule containing three special obseruations not to drincke wine or anie thing that may make drunck not to cut their haire and not to touch a dead corps He appointeth likewise rites in making this profession and calleth the
thy possession †The third yeare thou shalt separate an other tenth of al thinges that growe to thee at that time and shalt lay it vp within thy gates †And the Leuite shal come that hath no other part nor possession with thee and the stranger and pupil and widow that are within thy gates and shal eate and be filled that our Lord thy God may blesse thee in al the workes of thy handes that thou shalt doe CHAP. XV. Remission of dibtes in the seuenth yeare to the israelites but not to strangers 4. Albeit there wil alwayes be some poore yet they must so lend to their needie bretheren that none be forced to begge 12. Abought seruant that is an hebrew must be set free in the seuenth yeare 16. except he desire to serue stil 19. The firstborne in al cattel must be consecrated to God without making priuate profite therof IN the seuenth yeare thou shalt make a remission †which shal be celebrated in this order He to whom any thing is owing of his freind or neighbour and brother can not aske it againe because it is the yeare of remission of our Lord. †Of the seiourner and stranger thou shalt exact of thy countrie man and neighbour thou shalt not haue power to require it †And needie person and begger there shal be none among you that our Lord thy God may blesse thee in the land which he wil geue thee in possession †Yet so if thou heare the voice of our Lord thy God and keepe al thinges that he hath bid and which I command thee this day he wil blesse thee as he hath promised †Thou shalt lend to manie nations and thy selfe shalt borrow of no man Thou shalt haue dominion ouer verie manie nations and no man shal haue dominion ouer thee †If one of thy brethren that abideth within the gates of thy citie in the land which our Lord thy God wil geue thee come to pouertie thou shalt not harden thy hart nor close thy hand †but shalt open it to the poore man and shalt lend him that which thou perceiuest he hath neede of †Beware lest perhaps an impious cogitation steale in vpon thee and thou say in thy hart The seuenth yeare of remission draweth nigh turne away thy eies from thy poore brother denying to lend him that which he asketh lest he crie against thee to our Lord and it become a sinne vnto thee †But thou shalt geue to him neither shalt thou doe any thing craftely in releuing his necessities that our Lord thy God may blesse thee at al times and in al thinges whereunto thou shalt put thy hand †There shal not want poore in the land of thy habitation therfore I command thee that thou open thy hand to thy needie and poore brother that liueth in the Land †When thy brother an Hebrew man or Hebrew woman is sold to thee and hath serued thee six yeares in the seuenth yeare thou shalt let him goe free †and to whom thou geuest freedom thou shalt in no case suffer him to depart emptie †but geue him his way fare of thy flockes and of thy barne floore and thy presse wherwith our Lord thy God shal blesse thee †Remember that thy self also didst serue in the Land of Aegypt and our Lord thy God made thee free and therfore doe I now command thee †But if he say I wil not depart because he loueth thee and thy house and feeleth that he is wel with thee †thou shalt take an awle and bore through his eare in the dore of thy house and he shal serue thee for euer to thy woman seruant also thou shalt doe in like maner †Turne not away thine eies from them when thou makest them free because he hath serued thee six yeares after the wages of an hireling that our Lord thy God may blesse thee in al the workes that thou doest †Of the first borne that come forth in thy heardes and sheepe whatsoeuer is of the male sexe thou shalt sanctifie to our Lord thy God Thou shalt not worke with the first borne of an oxe and thou shalt not sheare the first borne of thy sheepe †In the sight of our Lord thy God shalt thou eate them euerie yeare in the place that our Lord shal choose thou and thy house †But if it haue blemish and be either lame or blind or in any part diffigured or feeble it shal not be immolated to our Lord thy God †but within the gates of thy citie shalt thou eate it as wel the cleane as the vncleane in like maner shal eate them as the doa and the hart †This onlie shalt thou obserue that their bloud thou eate not but power it out on the earth as water CHAP. XVI Three more solemne feastes to be kept euerie yeare Pasch 9. Pentecost 13. and the feast of tabernacles 18. Iust Iudges to be appointed in euerie citie 21 Al occasions of Idolatrie to be auoyded OBSERVE the moneth of new corne and the first of the spring time that thou mayest make the Phase to our Lord thy God because in this moneth our Lord thy God brought thee out of Aegypt by night †And thou shalt immolate the Phase to our Lord thy God of sheepe and of oxen in the place which our Lord thy God shal choose that his name may dwel there †Thou shalt not eate in it leuened bread Seuen daies shalt thou eate without leuen the bread of affliction because in feare didst thou come out of Aegypt that thou mayest remember the day of thy comming out of Aegypt al the dayes of thy life †Leuened shal not appeare in al thy coastes for seuen daies and there shal not remayne of the flesh of that which was immolated at euen the first day vntil morning †Thou canst not immolate the Phase in euerie one of thy cities which our Lord thy God wil geue thee †but in the place which our Lord thy God shal choose that his name may dwel there thou shalt immolate the Phase at euen at the going downe of the sunne when thou camest out of Aegypt †And thou shalt boyle and eate is in the place which our Lord thy God shal choose and in the morning rysing vp thou shalt goe into thy tentes †Six daies shalt thou eate azymes and in the seuenth day because it is the collection of our Lord thy God thou shalt doe no worke †Seuen weekes shalt thou number thee from that day wherein thou didst put the sickle to the corne †and thou shalt celebrate the festiual day of weekes to our Lord thy God a voluntarie oblation of thy hand which thou shalt offer according to the blessing of our Lord thy God †and thou shalt feast before our Lord thy God thou thy sonne and thy daughter and thy man seruant and thy woman seruant and the Leuite that is within thy gates
it into three troupes setting ambushmentes in the fieldes And seeing that the people came out of the citie he arose set vpon them †with his owne troupe oppugning and besieging the citie and two troupes scattered through the field pursewed the aduersaries †Moreouer Abimelech al that day oppugned the citie which he tooke killed the inhabitantes therof and destroyed it so that he sowed salt in it †Which when they had heard that dwelt in the towre of Sichem they entered into the temple of their god Berith where they had made a couenant with him and therof the place had taken his name which was exceding wel fensed †Abimelech also hearing that the men of the towre of Sichem were gathered together †he went vp into mount Selmon with al his people and taking an axe he cut of the bough of a tree and laying it on his shoulder carying it he said to his companions That which you see me do doe ye out of hand †They therfore cutting of boughes from the trees euerie man as fast as he could folowed their captaine Who compassing the forte burnt it and so it came to passe that with the smoke and the fyre a thousand persons were slaine men and wemen together of the inhabitantes of the towre of Sichem †And Abimelech departing thence came to the towne of Thebes which compassing he besieged with his armie †And there was in the middes of the citie an high towre to the which were fled both men and wemen together and al the princes of the citie the gate being shut very strongly and they standing vpon the batlementes of the towre by the bulwarkes †And Abimelech coming nere the towre fought manfully and approching to the doore endeuoured to put fire vnder it †and behold one woman casting from aboue a peece of a milstone dashed it against the head of Abimelech and brake his brayne †Who called by and by his esquire and said to him Draw out thy sword and strike me lest perhaps it be said that I was slaine of a woman Who doing as he was commanded slew him †And when he was dead al that were with him of Israel returned into their seates †and God repayed the euil that Abimelech had done against his father killing his seuentie brethren †The Sichemites were also rewarded for that which they had wrought and the curse of Ioatham the sonne of Ierobaal came vpon them ANNOTATIONS CHAP. IX 8. The trees went to annoint a king According to the historie Ioatham Gedeons youngest sonne by a parable iustly expostulateth the iniurie donne by the Sichemites to his fathers house in preferring a base bound womans sonne and cruelly murdering the rest of his sonnes who with much trauel and manie dangers of his owne life had deliuered them from seruitude But in the spiritual sense which as the ancient fathers note is chiefly intended Idolaters and Heretikes are reproued who rather accept of vniust vsuâ—peâ—s that wil serue their licentious appetites and mantaine vice and wickednes then to be ruled by iust and lawful Superiors appointed by Gods ordinance indued with grace of the Holie Ghost signified by the oliue tree such as bring forth wholsome swete vertues signified by the sigge tree and are replenished with admirable fortitude signified by the vine tree and in their places set vp base ambitious crnel and crabbed spirites signified by the bramble or brere Thus Nemrod Abimelech Mahomet and innumerable other tyrantes haue benne aduanced especially Antichrist shal be extolled aboue al that is called God or is vvorshipped and shal most cruelly persecute al Chatholiques that wil not conforme them selues to his procedings But in fine as here is prefigured in Abimelech sire shal rise against this bramble Antichrist and shal denoure him and al his together S. Beda 99. in lib. Iudic. c. 6. CHAP. X. Thola ruleth in Israel twentie three yeares 3. lair twentie two 6. The people fal againe to idolatrie are afflicted by the Philisthimes and Ammonites 10. they crie to God for helpe who biddeth them cal for helpe to the goddes whom they haue serued 16. but crying stil to God and throwing away their idoles he hath compassion of them AFTER Abimelech there arose Ruler in Israel Thola the sonne of Phua the vncle of Abimelech a man of Issachar which dwelt in Samir of mount Ephraim †and iudged Israel three and twentie yeares and died and was buried in Samir †After him succeded Iair the Galaadite who iudged Israel for two and twentie yeares †hauing thirtie sonnes sitting vpon thirtie asse coltes princes of thirtie cities which of his name were called Hauoth Iair that is the townes of Iair vntil this present day in the Land of Galaad †And Iair died and was buried in the place which is called Camon †But the children of Israel ioyning new sinnes to their old did euil in the sight of our Lord serued the Idols Baalim and Astaroth the goddes of Syria and of Sidon and of Moab and of the children of Ammon and of the Philisthimes and they left our Lord and did not serue him †Against whom our Lord being wrath deliuered them into the handes of the Philisthijms and of the children of Ammon †And they were afflicted and sore opressed for eightene yeares al that dwelt beyond Iordan in the Land of the Amorrheite which is in Galaad †in so much that the children of Ammon passing ouer Iordan wasted Iudas and Beniamin and Ephraim and Israel was afflicted exceedingly †And crying to our Lord they said We haue sinned to thee because we haue forsaken our Lord God haue serued Baalim †To whom our Lord spake Haue not the Aegyptians and the Ammorrheites and the children of Ammon and the Philisthijms †the Sidonians also and Amalech and Chanaan oppressed you you cried to me and I deliuered you out of their hand †And yet you haue forsaken me and haue worshipped strange goddes therfore I wil not adde to deliuer you any more †goe and inuocate the goddes which you haue chosen let them deliuer you in the time of distresse †And the children of Israel said to our Lord We haue sinned render to vs whatsoeuer pleaseth thee only now deliuer vs. †In saying which thinges they threw away out of their coastes al the idols of strange goddes and serued our Lord God who sorowed for their miseries †Therfore the children of Ammon crying together pitcht their tentes in Galaad against whom the children of Israel being assembled camped in Maspha †And the princes of Galaad said euerie one to their neighbours Who of vs shal first beginne to fight against the children of Ammon shal be the duke of the people of Galaad CHAP. XI Iephte reiected by his brethrens is intreated by the ancientes of Galaad to returne and fight for them against the Ammonites 12. with whom he first pleadeth the cause of Israel
immediately told her countrie men †And they told it him the seuenth day before the going downe of the sunne What is sweeter then honie and what stronger then a lyon Who said to them If you had not ploughed with my hayfer you had not found out my proposition †The Spirit therfore of our Lord came vpon him and he went downe to Ascalon and stroke there thirtie men whose garmentes being taken away he gaue to them that had solued the probleme And being exceding wrath he went vp into his fathers house †but his wife tooke a husband one of his friendes and bridal companions CHAP. XV. Samson tying firebrandes to foxes tayles burneth the Philisthiâ—mâ— corne 6. they burne his wife and her father 8. he beateth them and hideth him selfe 10. His owne countrimen to get peace with the Philisthimes take and bind him so meaning to deliuer him 14. but he breaketh the cordes and with the iaw bone of an asse killeth a thousand of his enemies 18. Being exceding drie is refreshed with water from the tooth of the same iaw AND after a certaine time when the dayes of wheate haruest were at hand Samson came meaning to visite his wife and he brought her a kidde of goates And when he would enter into her chamber as he was wont her father prohibited him saying †I thought that thou hadst hated her and therfore I deliuered her to thy friend but she hath a sister which is yonger fayrer then she let this be thy wife in steade of her †To whom Samson answered From this day there shal be no fault in me against the Philisthimes for I wil doe you euils †And he went caught three hundred foxes and he coupled them tayle to tayle and tyed fyrebrandes in the middes †which kindling with fyre he let them goe that they might runne abroade hither and thither Who immediately went on into the corne of the Philisthimes which being sette on fire both the corne now caried together and that which yet stoode in the stalke was alburnt in so much that the flame consumed the vineyardes also and the oliuetes †And the Philisthijmes said Who hath done this thing To whom it was said Samson the sonne in law of the Thamnathate because he tooke his wife and gaue her to an other he hath wrought these thinges And the Philisthims went vp and burnt both the woman and her father †To whom Samson said Although you haue done these thinges notwithstanding yet wil I require reuenge of you and then I wil rest †And he stroke them with a great plague so that astonied they laid the calfe of the leg vpon the thigh And going downe he dwelt in the caue of the rocke Etam †Therfore the Philisthijms going vp into the Land of Iuda camped in the place which afterward was called Lechi that is the iaw bone where their armie was spred abrode †And they of the tribe of Iuda said to them Why are you come vp against vs Who answered That we may bind Samson we are come and may repay him the thinges that he hath wrought against vs. †There went downe therfore three thousand men of Iuda to the caue of the flint Etam and said to Samson knowest not thou that the Philisthijms reigne ouer vs Why wouldest thou doe this thing To whom he said As they did to me so haue I done to them †To bind thee quoth they we are come and to deliuer thee into the handes of the Philisthijms To whom Samson Sweare quoth he promise me that you kil me not †They said We wil not kil thee but wil deliuer the bound And they bound him with two new cordes and tooke him from the rocke Etam †Who when he was come to the place of the Iawe-bone and the Philisthijms shouting were come against him the Spirit of our Lord fel vpon him and as flax is wont to be consumed at the sauour of fyre so the bandes wherwith he was bound were dissipated and loosed †And finding a iawe bone to witte the iawe bone of an asse which lay there catching it he slewe therwith a thousand men †and said In the iawe bone of an asse in the iawe of the colt of she asses haue I destroyed them and haue strooke a thousand men †And when he had ended these wordes singing he threw the iaw bone out of his hand and called the name of that place Ramathlochi which is interpreted the lifting vp of the iaw bone †And being very thirstie he cried to our Lord and said Thou hast geuen in the hand of thy seruant this very great saluation and victorie and behold I die for thirst and shal fal into the handes of the vncircumcised †Our Lord therfore opened a great tooth in the iawe of the asse there issued out of it waters which being drunke he refreshed his spirit and receiued strength againe Therfore the name of that place was called The fountaine of him that inuocated from the iawbone vntil this present day †And he iudged Israel in the daies of the Philisthijms twentie yeares CHAP. XVI Samson enuironed in a citie taketh away the gates and carieth them on his shoulders into a mountaine 4. Is at last deceiued by Dalila 21. his eyes put out and scornfully abused 26. But finally God restoring his strength he striking two pillers the house falleth and with himself killeth three thousand Philisthiims HE went also into Gaza and saw there a woman that was an harlot and went in vnto her †Which when the Philisthiims had heard and it was bruted among them that Samson was entered into the citie they compassed him keepers being sette in the gate of the citie and there al the night wayting with silence that in the morning they might kil him going out †But Samson slept vntil midnight and then arising he tooke both the leaues of the gate with their postes and locke and laying them on his shoulders caried them to the toppe of the mountaine which looketh toward Hebron †After these thinges he loued a woman which dwelt in Valley Sorec and she was called Dalila †And the princes of the Philisthiims came to her and said Deceiue him and learne of him wherein he hath so great strength and how we may be able to ouercome him and being bound to afflict him which if thou shalt doe we wil geue thee euerie one a thousand and an hundred peeces of siluer †Dalila therfore spake to Samson Tel me I besech thee wherein thy greatest strength is and what it is wherewith being bound thou canst not breake forth †To whom Samson answered If I shal be bound with seuen cordes of sinewes not yet drie and moyste as yet I shal be weake as ot hermen †And the princes of the Philisthimesbrought vnto her seuen cordes as he had said with the which she bound him †ambushementes lying secretely in wayte neere her and in the chamber
Lord make this woman which entereth into thy house as Rachel and Lia which builded the house of Israel that she may be an example of vertue in Ephrata and may haue a famous name in Bethlehem †and that thy house may be as the house of Phares whom Thamar bare to Iudas of the seede which our Lord shal geue thee of this yong woman †Booz therfore tooke Ruth and had her to wife and went in vnto her and our Lord gaue her to conceiue and to beare a sonne †And the wemen said to Noemi Blessed be our Lord which hath not suffered that there should fayle a successor of thy familie that his name should be called in Israel †And thou shouldest haue one that may comfort thy soule and cherish thy old age For of thy daughter in law is he borne which wil loue thee and much better is she to thee then if thou hadst seuen sonnes †And Noemi taking the child put it in her bosome and did the office of a nource and of one that should carie him †And the women her neighbours congratulating her and saying There is a sonne borne to Noemi called his name Obed this is the father of Isai the father of Dauid †These are the generations of Phares Phares begat Esron †Esron begat Aram Aram begat Aminadab †Aminadab begat Nahasson Nahasson begat Salmon †Salmon begat Booz Booz begat Obed †Obed begat Isai Isai begat Dauid THE ARGVMENT OF THE BOOKES OF KINGES AND PARALIPPOMENON IN GENERAL AFTER the booke of Iudges wherunto Ruth is annexed rightly folow the bookes of Kinges signifying that after the general Iudgement cometh the euerlasting Kingdome As venerable Beda expoundeth this connexion of bookes wherin he also explicateth manie other Mysteries of Christ the Church praefigured in these histories Likewise S. Gregorie teacheth that besides the historical moral sense expressed in the simplicitie of the letter an other mystical vnderstanding is to be sought the height of the Allegorie In confirmation wherof he citeth S. Augustin and S. Hierom who say that Elcana his two wiues signified the Synagogue of the Iewes and the Church of Christ that the death of Heli Saul with translation of Priesthood to Samuel and Sadoch and of the Kingdome to Dauid and his Successors praefigured the new Priesthood and new Kingdome of Christ the old ceasing which were shadowes therof So these two great Doctors S. Gregorie and S. Beda insisting in the steppe of other lerned holie Fathers that had gone before them expound these histories not only historically but also mystically The historie first setteth forth the changing of the forme of gouernment from Iudges to Kinges and then at large what Kinges did reigne ouer the Hebrew people as wel in one intire Realme as ouer the same people diuided into two kingdomes their more principal Actes their good and euil behauiour also the prosperitie declinations and final captiuities of both the Kingdomes Al which is conteined in foure bookes of Kinges with other two partly repeting that was saied before but especially supplying thinges omitted in the whole sacred historie from the beginning of the world called Paralippomenon The two first are also called the Bookes of Samuel though he writ not one of them wholly for he died before the historie of the former ended but they goe both vnder his name because he annointed the two first Kinges and writ a great part of their Actes Wherto the rest was added either by Dauid and Salomon as some thinke or by Nathan and Gad as is probably gathered 1. Paralip 29. v. 29. The authors also of the third and fourth bookes of Kinges and of the two of Paralippomenon are vncertaine yet al haue euer bene receiued and held for Canonical Scripture THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST BOOKE OF KINGES THIS first booke may be diuided into foure partes First are recorded the gouernmeÌ„tes of Heli Samuel with the occasions of changing the state of that commonwealth into a Kingdome in the eight first Chapters Secondly the election and gouernment of Saul their first King from the 9. chap. to the 16. Thirdly Dauids annointing his vertues trubles and persecutions from the 16. chap. to the 28. Fourthly the ruine of Saul and exaltation of Dauid in the foure last Chapters THE FIRST BOOKE OF SAMVEL WHICH WE CAL THE FIRST OF KINGES CHAP. I. Elcana hauing two wiues the one called Anna is barren and for the same is reproâ—hed by the other called Phenenna 9. Anna voweth and prayeth for a man child 19. conceiueth and beareth a sonne calleth him Samuel 24. and presenteth him to the seruice of God in Silo. THERE was a man of Ramathaimsophim of mount Ephraim his name Elcana the sonne of Ieroham the sonne of Eliu the sonne of Thohu the sonne of Suph an Ephraite †and he had two wiues the name of one was Anna and the name of the second Phenenna Phenenna had children but Anna had not children †And that man went vp from his citie vpon ordinarie dayes to adore and sacrifice vnto the Lord of hostes in Silo. And there were the two sonnes of Heli Ophni and Phinees priestes of our Lord. †The day came therfore Elcana immolated and gaue to Phenenna his wife to al her sonnes and daughters partes †but to Anna he gaue one part with heauie cheere because he loued Anna. And our Lord had shut her matrice †Her aduersarie also afflicted her and vexed her sore in so much that she vp brayded her that our Lord had shut her matrice †and so did she euerie yeare when the time returned that they went vp to the temple of our Lord and so she prouoked her moreouer she wept and tooke not meat †Elcana therfore her husband said to her Anna why weepest thou and why doest thou not eate and wherfore doest thou afflict thy hart Am not I better to thee then tenne children †And Anna arose after she had eaten and drunke in Silo. And Heli the priest sitting vpon a Stoole before the postes of the house of our Lord †wheras Anna had a heauie hart she praied to our Lord weeping aboundantly †and she vowed a vowe saying O Lord of hostes if regarding thou wilt behold the affliction of thy seruant and wilt be mindeful of me and not forgette thy handmaide and wilt geue vnto thy seruant a man childe I wil geue him to our Lord al the daies of his life the rasour shal not come vpon his head †And it came to passe when she multiplied praiers before our Lord that Heli obserued her mouth †Moreouer Anna spake in her hart and onlie her lippes moued and voice there was not heard at al. Heli therfore thought her to be drunke †and sayd to her How long wilt thou be drunke digest a litle the wyne wherwith thou art wette †Anna answering Not so quoth she my lord for I am an exceding
her hath Amnon thy brother lyen with thee but now sister hold thy peace he is thy brother neither afflict thou thy hart for this thing Thamar therefore taryed pyning in the house of Absalom her brother †And when Dauid the king had heard these wordes he was greeued excedingly †Moreouer Absalom spake not to Amnon neitheir good nor euil for Absalom hated Amnon because he had rauished Thamar his sister †And it came to passe after the space of two yeares that the sheepe of Absalom were shorne in Baalhasor which is beside Ephraim and Absalom called al the kinges sonnes †and he came to the king and said to him Behold tâ—y seruantes sheepe are to be shorne Let the king I pray with his seruantes come to his seruant †And the king said to Absalom Doe not so my sonne request not that we come al charge thee And when he was earnest with him he would not goe he blessed him †And Absalom said If thou wilt not come at the least let Amnon my brother I besech thee come with vs. And the king said to him It is not necessary that he goe with thee †Absalom therefore was earnest with him and he let Amnon and al the kinges sonnes goe with him And Absalom made a feast as it were the feast of a king †And Absalom had commanded his seruantes saying Marke when Amnon shal be drunke with wine and I shal say to you Strike him and kil him feare not for it is I that command you take courage and play the valiant men †Therefore the seruantes of Absalom did against Amnon as Absalom had commanded them And al the kinges sonnes rysing gatte vp euery one vpon their mules and fled †And when they yet went on in their way a rumour came to Dauid saying Absalom hath stricken al the kinges sonnes and there is not leift of them so much as one †The king therfore rose vp and rent his garmentes and fel vpon the ground and al his seruantes that stood about him rent their garmentes †But Ionadab the sonne of Semmaa Dauids brother answering sayd Let not my lord the king thinke that al the kinges sonnes be slayne Amnon only is dead because he was put in the mouth of Absalom since the day that he rauished Thamar his sister †Now therefore let not my lord the king put this word vpon his hart saying Al the kinges sonnes are slayne because Amnon only is dead And Absalom fled and the seruant that was the scoutewatch lifted vp his eies and looked and behold much people came by a byway on the side of the mountayne †And Ionadab sayd to the king Loe the kinges sonnes be come according to the wordes of thy seruant so is it done †And when he had ceased to speake the kinges sonnes also appeared entring in they lifted vp their voice and wept yea the king also and al his seruantes bewailed with an exceding great weeping †Moreouer Absalom fleing went to Tholomai the sonne of Ammiud the king of Gessur Dauid therefore mourned for his sonne al daies †And Absalom when he was fled and come into Gessur was there three yeares †And king Dauid ceased to pursew Absalom because he was comforted vpon the death of Amnon CHAP. XIIII Ioab suborning a woman first to propose the suite by a parable 21. obtayneth pardon for Absalom 24. but so that he appeareth not in the kinges presence 25. He is exceding fayre hath three sonnes and one daughter 29. Ioab refusing to deale further for his free release Absalom burneth his corne 31. Then Ioab procureth his accesse to the king AND Ioab the sonne of Saruia vnderstanding that the kinges hart was turned to Absalom †he sent to Thecua and tooke thence a prudent woman and he sayd to her Feyn e that thou mournest and put on a mourning garment and be not annoynted with oyle that thou mayst be as a woman now along tyme mourning for one dead †And thou shalt goe in vnto the king and shalt speake to him these maner of wordes And Ioab put the wordes in her mouth †Therefore when the woman of Thecua was gone in to the king she fel before him vpon the ground and adored and said Saue me ô king †And the king sayd to her What matter hast thou Who answered Alas I am a widow woman for my husband is dead †And thy handmaide had two sonnes who fel at wordes against eche other in the field and there was none to stay them and the one stroke the other and slew him †And behold the whole kinred rysing against thy handmaide saith Deliuer him that hath striken his brother that we may kil him for the life of his brother whom he hath slayne and may cleane destroy the heire and they seeke to extingnish my sparkle which is leift that there may no name remaine to my husband nor reliques vpon the earth †And the king said to the woman Goe into thy house and I wil geue commandement for thee †And the woman of Thecua said to the king Vpon me my lord be the iniquitie and vpon the house of my father but be the king and his throne innocent †And the king said He that shal gaynesay thee bring him to me he shal adde no more to touch thee †Who sayd Let the king remember our Lord his God that the next of bloud be not multiplied to reuenge and that they kil not my sonne Who sayd Our Lord liueth there shal not fal of the heares of thy sonne vpon the earth †The woman therefore sayd Let thy handmayde speake to my lord the king a word †And he sayd Speake †And the woman sayd Why hast thou thought such a thing agaynst the people of God and why hath the king spoken this word that he would sinne and not bring againe his banished one †We doe al dye and as waters that returne not we fal downe on the earth neither wil God haue a soule to perish bur reuoketh meaning that he perish not altogether that is cast of †Now therefore I come that I may speake to my lord the king this word the people being present And thy handmayd sayd I wil speake to the king if by any meanes the king may doe the word of his handmaide †And the king hath heard to deliuer his handmaide out of the hand of al that would destroy me out of the inheritance of our Lord and my sonne together †Let thy handmaide therefore say that the word of my lord the king be made as a sacrifice For euen as an Angel of God so is my lord the king that he is moued neither with blessing nor cursing Wherefore our Lord also thy God is with thee †And the king answering sayd to the woman Hide not from me the thing that I aske thee And the woman sayd to him Speake my lord king †And the king sayd Is the hand of
And thou didst answere me The saying is good which I haue heard †Why then hast thou not kept the oath of our Lord and the precept that I commanded thee †And the king said to Semei Thou knowest al the euil wherof thy hart is priuy to thy selfe which thou dist to Dauid my father our Lord hath rendred thy malice vpon thy head †And king Salomon be blessed and the throne of Dauid shal be stable before our Lord for euer †The king therfore commanded Banaias the sonne of Ioiada who going out stroke him and he died CHAP. III. King Salomon marieth Ikaraos sister 3. offereth Victims in high places 5. admonished by God in his sleepe to demand what he wil he asketh wisdom to gouerne his people 10. which God granteth him with much richesse also and glorie 16. He decideth a controuersie betwen two wemen contending about a liuing child and a dead THE kingdom therfore was established in the hand of Salomon and he was ioyned in affinitie to Pharao the king of Aegypt for he tooke his daughter and brought her into the citie of Dauid vntil he accomplished building his owne house and the house of our Lord and the wal of Ierusalem round about †But yet the people immolated in the excelses for there was no temple built to the name of our Lord vntil that day †And Salomon loued our Lord walking in the preceptes of Dauid his father sauing that he immolated in the excelses and burnt incense †He went therfore into Gabaon to immolate there for that was a verie great excelse a thousand hostes for holocaust did Salomon offer vpon that altar in Gabaon †And our Lord appeared to Salomon in a dreame by night saying Aske what thou wilt that I may geue it thee †And Salomon said Thou hast done great mercie with thy seruant Dauid my father euen as he walked in thy fight in truth and iustice and a right hart with thee for thou hast kept thy great mercie and hast geuen him a sonne sitting vpon his throne as it is this day †And now Lord God thou hast made thy seruant to reigne for Dauid my father but I am a litle childe and ignorant of my going out and coming in †And thy seruant is in the middes of the people which thou hast chosen a people infinite which can not be numbred and counted for the multitude †Thou shalt therfore geue to thy seruant a docible hart that he may iudge the people discerne betwen good and euil For who shal be able to iudge this people this thy people great in number †The word therfore was liked before our Lord that Salomon had asked such a thing †And our Lord sayd to Salomon Because thou hast asked this thing and hast not desired for thy self manie dayes nor riches nor the liues of thine enemies but hast desired wisedom for thy self to discerne iudgement †behold I haue done vnto thee according to thy wordes haue geuen thee a wise hart and intelligent in so much that 〈◊〉 before thee hath beene like thee nor shal aâ—ise after thee †Yeâ— and these thinges which thou diâ—â—â— not aske I haue geuen thee to witte riches and glorie so that none hath beene like thee â—â—â—â—g the kinges al dayes hertofore †And if thou wilt wall 〈◊〉 my wayes and keepe my preceptes and my â—â—n mandâ—â—â—ntes as thy father waâ—kâ—â— I wil make thy dayeslong †Therfore Salomon awaked and perceiued that it was a dreame and when he was come to Ierusalem he stood before the arke of couenant of our Lord and offered holocaustes and made pacifique victimes and a great feast to al his seruantes †Then came there two wemen har lottes to the king and stood before him †of the which one said I besech thee my lord I and this woman dwelt in one house and I was deliuered of a childe beside her in the chamber †And the third day after that I was deliuered she also was deliuered and we were together and no other person with vs in the house except we two †And this womans childe died in the night For sleping she oppressed him †And rysing in the dead tyme of the night she tooke my childe from the side of me thy handmayd being aslepe and layed it in her bosome and her childe that was dead she put in my bosome †And when I was rysen in the morning to geue my childe milke he appeared dead whom more diligently beholding when it was cleere day I found that it was not mine which I bare †And the other woman answered It is not so as thou sayst but thy childe is dead and mine liueth On the contrarie part she sayd Thou liest for my childe liueth and thy childe is dead And in this maner they stroue before the king †Then sayd the king This woman saith My childe liueth and thy childe is dead And this hath answered No but thy childe is dead and mine liueth †The king therfore said Bring me a sword And when they had brought a sword before the King †Diuide quoth he the liuing child into two partes and geue the halfe part to one and halfe to the other †But the woman whose childe was aliue said to the king for her bowels were moued vpon her childe I besech thee my lord geue her the childe aliue and kil it not On the contrarie part she sayd be it neither mine nor thine but let it be diuided †The king answered and said Geue vnto this woman the infant aliue and let it not be killed for this is the mother therof †Al Israel therfore heard the iudgement that the king had iudged and they feared the king seing the wisedom of God to be in him to doe iudgement CHAP. IIII. Chiefe men of Salomons kingdom are recited by their names and offices 22. likewise the prouision of victuals for his house 26. the number of his horses 19. his wisedom excelleth al others 3â— he writte manie parables and verses and lernedly discoursed of al thinges AND king Salomon was reigning ouer al Israel †and these were the princes which he had Azarias the sonne of Sadoc the priest †Elihoreph and Ahia the sonnes of Sisa Scribes Iosaph at the sonne of Ahilud register †Banaias the sonne of Ioiada ouer the armie and Sadoc and Abiathar priestes †Azarias the sonne of Nathan ouer them that assisted the king Zabud the sonne of Nathan priest the kinges frend †and Ahizar gouernour of the house and Adoniâ—am the sonne of Abda ouer the tributes †And Salomon had twelue gouernours ouer al Israel which serued out victuals for the king and for his house for euerie one ministred necessaries eche man his moneth in the yeare †And these are their names Benhur in mount Ephraim †Bendecar in Macces and in Salebim and in Bethsames and in Elon and in Bethhanan †Benhesed in Aruboth his was Socho and al the land
might deliuer them into the handes of Moab †And Eliseus said to him The Lord of hostes liueth in whose sight I stand If I did not reuerence the face of Iosaphat the king of Iuda I would not certes haue harkened to thee nor looked on thee †But now bring me hither a plaier on instrumentes And when the player sang the hand of our Lord came vpon him and he said †Thus saith our Lord Make the chanel of this torrent diches and diches †For thus saith our Lord You shal not see winde nor raine and this chanel shal be filled with waters you shal drinke and your families your beastes †And this is a smal thing in the sight of our Lord moreouer he wil deliuer also Moab into your handes †And you shal strike euerie fensed citie and euerie principal citie and shal cut downe al fruiteful trees and shal stoppe vp al fountaines of waters and euerie goodlie field you shal couer with stones †It came to passe therfore in the morning when they vsed to offer the sacrifice and behold water came by the way of Edom and the ground was filled with waters †But al the Moabites hearing that the kinges were come vp to fight against them they called together al that were girded with a belt vpon them and they stoode in the borders †And rysing early in the morning and the sunne being now risen ouer against the waters the Moabites saw the waters ouer against them red as it were bloud †and said It is the bloud of the sword the kinges haue fought among them selues and are slaine one of an other now goe on forward to the pray Moab †And they went forward into the campe of Israel Moreouer Israel rysing vp stroke Moab but they fled before them They therfore that had ouercome came and stroke Moab †and destroyed the cities euerie principal field they filled euerie man casting stones and they stopt vp al the fountaines of waters and cut downe al trees that bare fruite so that there remained onlie brike walles and the citie was besette of the slingers and for a great part therof was strooken †Which when the king of Moab had seene to witte that the enemies had preuayled he tooke with him seuen hundred men that drew sword to breake in vpon the king of Edom and they could not †And taking his first begotten sonne that should haue reigned for him he offered him an holocaust vpon the wal and there was great indignation in Israel and forthwith they retyred from him and returned into their countrie CHAP. IIII. Eliseus so multiplieth a poore widowes oyle that she payeth her debtes and liueth of the rest 8. By his prayers a Sunamite Woman hath a sonne 18. which dying he rayseth to life 38. He taketh away the bitternes of coloquintida which by chance was put in the potte 42. and feedeth manie with few loaues AND a certayne woman of the wiues of the prophetes cried to Eliseus saying Thy seruant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy seruant was one that feared God behold the creditour is come to take away my two sonnes to serue him †To whom Eliseus sayd What wilt thou that I doe for thee Tel me what hast thou in thy house But she answered I thy handmaid haue nothing in my house but a litle oyle to anoynt me withal †To whom he sayd Goe borrow of al thy neighbours emptie vessels not a few †And goe in and shut thy doore when thou art within thou and thy sonnes and powre therof into al these vessels and when they shal be ful thou shalt take them away †The woman therfore went and shut the doore vpon her and vpon her sonnes they brought her vessels and she powred in †And when the vessels were ful she sayd to her sonne Bring me yet a vessel And he answered I haue none And the oile stood †And she came and told the man of God And he sayde Goe sel the oyle and pay thy creditour and thou and thy sonnes liue of the rest †And there came a certayne day and Eliseus passed by Sunam and there was there a great woman which held him to eate bread and when he passed often that way he turned in to her to eate bread †Who sayd to her husband I perceiue that this is a holie man of God which passeth by vs often †bet vs therfore make him a litle chamber and sette him a litle bed in it and a table and a stoole and a candlesticke that when he cometh to vs he may tarie there †There came therfore a certayne day and coming he turned in to the chamber and rested there †And he sayd to Giezi his seruant Call this Sunamite Who when he had called her and she stoode before him †he sayd to his seruant Speake to her Behold thou hast diligently ministred to vs in al thinges what wilt thou that I doe for thee hast thou any busines and wilt thou that I speake to the king or the general of the warrefare Who answered I dwel in the middes of myne owne people †And he sayd What wil she then that I doe for her And Giezi sayd Aske not for she hath no sonne and her husband is old †He therfore cōmanded him to cal her who when she was called and stoode before the doore †he sayd to her At this tyme this self same houre if life accompanie thou shalt haue a sonne in thy wombe But she answered Doe not I besech thee my lord man of God doe not lie to thy handmayd †And the woman conceiued and brought forth a sonne in that time and in the self same houre that Eliseus had sayd †And the childe grewe And vpon a certaine day when going forth he went to his father vnto the reapers †he sayd to his father My head aketh my head aketh But he said to his seruant take him and bring him to his mother †who when he had taken him and brought him to his mother she sette him vpon her knees vntil noone and he dyed †And she went vp and laid him vpon the bed of the man of God and shut the doore and going forth †called her husband and sayd Send with me I besech thee one of the seruantes and an asse that I may runne to the man of God and returne †Who sayd to her For what cause doest thou goe to him The Calendes be not to day nor the Sabbath Who answered I wil goe †And she sadled the asse and commanded her seruant driue and make hast make no stay in going And doe that which I command thee †She therfore went forward and came to the man of God into mount Carmel and when the man of God saw her ouer against him he said to Giezi his seruant Behold that Sunamite †Goe therfore to meete her and say to her Is al wel about thee
shew him he wil forth with restore it †But goe now and seeke thee out some faythful man that may goe with thee being sure of his hyre that thou mayst receiue it whiles I yet liue †Then Tobias going forth found a goodlie yongman standing girded and as it were readie to walke †And not knowing that it was an Angel of God he saluted him and sayd From whence haue we thee good yongman †But he answered Of the children of Israel And Tobias sayd to him Knowest thou the way that leadeth vnto the countrie of the Medes †To whom he answered I know it and al the wayes therof I haue often walked and I haue taried with Gabelus our brother who abydeth in Rages a citie of the Medes which is situate in the Mount Ecbatanis †To whom Tobias sayd Stay for me I beseech thee til I tel these same things to my father †Then Tobias going in told al these things to his father Whereupon his father marueiling requested that he would come in vnto him †Going in therfore he saluted him and sayd Ioy be to thee alwaies †And Tobias sayd What maner of ioy shal be to me which sitte in darkenes and see not the light of heauen †To whom the yong man sayd Be of good cheere it is very neere that thou mayst be cured of God †Tobias therfore sayd to him Canst thou bring my sonne to Gabelus into Rages a citie of the Medes and when thou shalt returne I wil pay thee thy hyre †And the Angel sayd to him I wil conduct him bring him to thee againe †To whom Tobias answered I pray thee tel me of what house or what tribe aâ—t thou †To whom Raphael the Angel sayd Seekest thou the kinred of an hyred seruant or an hyred seruant himselfe that may goe with thy sonne †But lest perhaps I make thee careful I am Azarias the sonne of Ananias the great †And Tobias answered Thou art of a great kinred But I pray the be not angrie that I would know thy kinred †And the Angel sayd to him I wil lead thy sonne safe and bring him to thee agayne safe †And Tobias answering sayd Wel may you walke aâ—â— God be in your iourney and his Angel accompanie you †Then al things being readie that were to be caried in the way Tobias bid his father and his mother fare wel and they walked both together †And when they were departed his mother began to weepe to say Thou hast taken the staffe of our old age and sent him away from vs. †I would the money had neuer bene for the which thou hast sent him †For our pouertie sufficed vs that we might account this thing riches that we saw our sonne †And Tobias sayd to her Weepe not our sonne shal come thither safe and shal returne safe to vs and thyne eies shal see him †For I beleue that the good Angel of God doth accompanie him doth wel dispose al things that are done about him so that he shal returne to vs with ioy †At this voyce his mother left weeping and held her peace CHAP. VI. By the Angels aduise yong Tobias apprehendeth a fish that assâ—ulteth him 5. reserueth the hart gal and liuer for meaicines 10. They lodge at the house of Raguel whose daughter Sara Tobias is to marie 14. A diuel hath heretofore slaine her seuen husbandes 16. but shal not hurt him AND Tobias went forward a dogge folowed him and he made his first abode by the riuer of Tigris †And he went out to wash his feete and behold an huge fish came forth to deuoure him †Of whom Tobias being afrayd cryed out with a loud voice saying Sir he inuadeth me †And the Angel said to him Take him by the gille draw him to thee Which when he had done he drew him on the drie land and he began to strugle before his feete †Then sayd the Angel to him Take out the entralles of this fishe and his hart and gal and liuer keepe to thee for these are necessarie and profitable for medecines †Which when he had done he rosted the flesh therof and they tooke it with them in the way the rest they salted which might suffise them til they came to Rages the citie of Medes †Then Tobias asked the Angel and sayd to him I besech thee brother Azarias tel me what remedies shal these things haue which thou hast bid me keepe of the fish †And the Angel answering sayd to him If thou put a litle peece of his hart vpon coales the smoke therof driueth out al kinde of diuels either from man or from woman so that it cometh no more vnto them †And the gall is auailable to annoynt the eies in which there shal be white blemish and they shal be healed †And Tobias sayd to him Where wilt thou that we tarie †And the Angel answering sayd Here is one named Raguel a nerekinsman of thy tribe and he hath a daughter named Sara and he hath neither man child nor anie woman child beside her †Al his substance is dewe to thee and thou mayst take her to wife †Aske her therfore of her father and he wil giue her thee to wife †Then Tobias answered and sayd I heare that she hath beene deliuered to seuen husbandes and they are dead yea and I haue heard that a diuel killed them †I am afrayd therfore lest these things may happen to me also whereas I am the onlie childe of my parentes I may bring downe their old age with sorow vnto hel †Then the Angel Raphael sayd to him Heare me and I wil shewe thee who they are on whom the diuel can preuaile †For they that so receiue matrimonie that they exclude God from them selues and from their mind and so geue them selues to their lust as horse and mule which haue not vnderstanding ouer them the diuel hath power †But thou when thou shalt take her entring into the chamber for three daies be continent from her and thou shalt geue thy self to nothing els but to prayers with her †And the same night the liuer of the fish sette on the fyre the diuel shal be driuen away †But the second night thou shalt be admitted in the copulation of the holie Patriarches †And the third night thou shalt obteyne a blessing that sound children may be procreated of you †And when the third night is past thou shalt take the virgin with the feare of our Lord moued rather for loue of childeren then for lust that in the feede of Abraham thou mayst obteyne blessing in children CHAP. VII They are kindly entertained by Raguel 10 Tobias demandeth Sara to wife which Raguel encoredged by the Angel granteth 15. and the mariage is made AND they went to Raguel and Raguel receiued them with ioy †And Raguel beholding Tobias sayd
wil not that you search my doing and til I bring you word let nothing els be done but pray for me to our Lord God †And Ozias the prince of Iuda said to her Goe in peace and our Lord be with thee to the reuenge of our enemies And returning they departed CHAP. IX Iudith in hearecloth ashes prayeth for the deliuerie of the people remembering like benefites of God 12. craueth powre to ouerthrow Holofernes VVHO going away Iudith went into her oratorie and clothing her self with hearecloth put ashes vpon her head and falling prostrate to our Lord she cried to our Lord saying †Lord God of may father Simeon who gauest him a sword for defenee against strangers which were rauishers in their coinquination and discouered the virgine vnto confusion †and gauest their wemen into praye and their daughters into captiuitie and al the praye to be diuided to thy seruantes which were zelous in thy zele helpe I bebesech thee oÌ„ lord God me a widow †For thou hast done the thinges heretofore and hast purposed one thing after an other and that hath bene done which thou wouldest †For al thy wayes are readie and thy iudgementes thou hast put in thy prouidence †Looke vpon the campe of the Assyrians now as thou didst voutsafe to see the campe of the Aegyptians when they ran armed after thy seruantes trusting in chariotes and in their horsemen and in a multitude of men of warre †But thou didst looke ouer their campe and darke nesse wearied them †The depth held their feete and the waters ouerwhelmed them †So let these also be made ô Lord which trust in their multitude and in their chariotes and in pikes and in shieldes and in their arrowes and glorie in their speares †and know not thy self art our God which destroyest warres from the beginning and Lord is thy name †Lift vp thyne arme as from the beginning and dash their power in thy power let their power fal in thy wrath which promise that they wil violate thy holie thinges and pollute the tabernacle of thy holie name with their sword throw downe the horne of thyne altar †Bring to passe Lord that his pride be cut of with his owne sword †let him be caught with the snares of his eies in me and thou shalt strike him from the lippes of my charitie †Geue me constancie in mind that I may contemne him and powre that I may ouerthrow him †For this shal be a memorial of thy name when the hand of a woman shal ouerthrow him †For not in multitude is thy power ô Lord neither in strength of horses is thy wil neither haue the proud pleased thee from the beginninge but the prayer of the humble and meeke hath alwayes pleased thee †God of the heauens creatour of the waters and Lord of euerie creature heare me wretch praying and presuming of thy mercie †Remember Lord thy testament and geue a word in my mouth and strengthen counsel in my hart that thy house may continew in thy sanctification †and al Nations may acknowledge that thou art God and there is no other besides thee CHAP. X. Iudith excellently adorned and very beautiful goeth with her handmaide towards the campe 11. is taken by the watch 16. and brought to Holofernes AND it came to passe when she had ceased to crie to our Lord she rose from the place wherein she lay prostrate to our Lord. †And she called her abra and going downe into her house she tooke from her the hearecloth and put of the garmentes of her widowhood †and washed her bodie and anoynted her self with ointement and plaited the heare of her head and put a crowne vpon her head and clothed her self with the garmentes of her ioyfulnes and put pantoâ—â—es on her feete and tooke braceletes and Lilies and â—areleâ—es and ringes and with al her ornamentes she adorned her self †To whom also our Lord gaue beautie because al this trimming did not depend of sensualitie but of vertue ther fore our Lord amplified this beautie on her that she might appeare to al mens eies of incomparable comlines †She therfore layd vpon her abra a bottel of wyne and a veÌ„ssel of oyle and polent and drie figges and bread and cheese and went foreward †And when they were come to the gate of the citie they found Ozias expecting and the ancientes of the citie †Who when they saw her being astonished maruailed at her beautie exceedingly †Yet asking her no question they let her passe saying The God of our fathers geue thee grace and strengthen al the counsel of thy hart with his powre that Ierusalem may glorie vpon thee and thy name may be in the number of the holie and iust †And they that were there said al with one voyce So be it so be it †But Iudith praying our Lord passed through the gates she and her Abra. †And it came to passe when she went downe the hil about breake of day the watchmen of the Assyrians mette her and held her saying whence comest thou or whither goest thou †Who answered I am a daughter of the Hebrews therfore am I fled from their face because I knew it should come to passe that they should be geuen you vnto spoyle because that contemning you they would not of their owne accord yeld themselues that they might find mercie in your sight †For this cause I thought with my self saying I wil goe to the presence of the prince Holofernes that I may tel him their secretes and shew him by what entrance he may winne them so that there shal not fal one man of his armie †And when those men had heard her wordes they considered her face and she was a wonder in their eies for they marueiled at her beautie excedingly †And they said to her Thou hast saued thy life in that thou hast found such counsel that thou wouldest come downe to our lord †And this know thou that when thou shalt stand in his sight he wil deale wel with thee and thou shalt be most gratious in his hart And they brought her to the tabernacle of Holofernes telling him of her †And when she was entered before his face forth with Holofernes was caught in his eies †And his guard said to him who can contemne the people of the Hebrewes which haue so beautiful wemeÌ„ that we should not worthely fight against them for these †Iudith therfore seeing Holofernes sitting in a canopie which was wouen of purple and gold and emerauld and pretious stones †and when she had looked in his face she adored him falling prostrate vpon the ground And the seruantes of Holofernes lifted her vp their lord commanding it CHAP. XI Holofernes demanding Iudith the cause of her coming 4 she deceiueth him with a probable narration THEN Holofernes said to her Be of good chere and
whom shal he be resembled †The feare of God is the beginning of his loue and the beginning of faith is to be fast ioyned vnto it †The heauines of the hart is al plague al malice the wickednes of a woman †And he wil see al plague and not the plague of the hart †al wickednes not the wickednes of a woman †and al obduction and not the obduction of them that hate him †and al reuenge and not the reuenge of the enemies †There is no head worse then the head of a serpent †and there is no anger aboue the anger of woman It shal be more pleasant to abide with a lyon and dragon then to dwel with a wicked woman †The wickednes of a woman changeth her face and darkeneth her countenace as a beare and wil shew it as a sacke In the middes of her neighbours †her husband groned and hearing he sighed a litle †Al malice is short to the malice of a woman the lot of sinners fal vpon her †As the goeing vp a grauelie way in the feete of the aged so a woman ful of tongue to a quiet man †Looke not vpon a womans beautie and desire not a woman for beautie †A womans anger and impudencie and confusion is great †A woman if she haue superioritie is contrarie to her husband †An humbled hart and heauie countenance and plague of hart is a wicked woman †Feeble handes and disiointed knees a woman that doth not make her husband happie †From woman came the beginning of sinne and by her we doe al die †Geue not issue to thy water no not a litle nor to a wicked woman leaue to goe forth †If she walke not at thine hand she wil confound thee in the sight of thyn enemies †Cut her of from thy flesh lest she alwaies abuse â—hee CHAP. XXVI The praises of a good woman 5. The betraying of a citie mutenie of people and falâ—e accusation are terrible but a ielous woman is more greuouâ— 10. Diuers il qualities of a bad woman 16. More commendations of a good woman 25. A doleful thing to see a valiant warier wanting liuelihood a wiseman not regarded and greatest griefe to see a iust man become wicked 28. A man ful of busines hardly careth for his soule and aâ—â— Inns keper often sinneth in wordes THE husband of a good wife is happie for the number of his yeares is duble †A strong woman delighteth her husband and shal accomplish the yeares of his life in peace †A good woman is a good portion in the good portion of them that feare God shal she be geuen to a man for good deedes †And the hart of rich and poore is good at al time their countenance is merie †Of three thinges my hart hath bene afraid and at the fourth my face hath trembled †The betraying of a citie and a gethering together of the people †false calumnie al more greuous then death †A ielous woman is the sorow and moorning of the hart †In a ielous woman is a scourge of the tongue communicating with al. †As a yoke of oxen that is moued so also a wicked woman he that holdeth her is as he that taketh hold of a scorpion †A woman geuen to drunkennes is great anger her contumelie and turpitude shal not be hid †The fornication of a woman shal be knowen in the lifting vp of her eies and in her eieliddes †On thy daughter that turneth not away her self set sure watche lest occasion found she abuse herself †Take heede of the impudencie of her eies and meruel not if she contemne thee †As a wayfaring man that thirsteth wil she open her mouth to the fountaine and wil drinke of euerie water that is next and wil sit against euerie hedge and open her quiuer against euerie arrow vntil she faile †The grace of a diligent woman shal delight her husband and shal farte his bones †Her discipline is the gift of God †A wise and stil woman there is no exchange for a soule instructed †A holie and shamefast woman is grace vpon grace †And al weight is not worthie a continent soule †As the sunne rysing to the world in the highest places of God so is the beautie of a good woman for an ornament of her house †A lampe shyning vpon the holie candlesticke the beautie of the face vpon stayed age †Pillars of gold vpon feete of siluer and stable feete vpon the soules of a stayed woman †Eternal fundations vpon a sound rocke and the commandments of God in the hart of a holie woman †At two thinges my hart is greeued and at the third anger is come vpon me †A man of warre decaying by pouertie and a wise man contemned †and he that transgresseth from iustice to sinne God hath prepared him to the sword †Two sortes haue appeared vnto me hard and dangerous a merchant is hardly rid of negligence and a viteler shal not be iustified from the sinnes of the lippes CHAP. XXVII For want and desire of riches manie committe sinne 4. from which the feare of God preserueth 6. Tentation proueth who is iust 12. constant and modest 17. Freindes are bond to secresie 25. and fidelitie THROVGH pouertie manie haue offended and he that seeketh to be made rich turneth away his eie †As a stake is fastened in the middes of stones compact together so also in the middes of selling and buying sinne shal be straytened †Sinne shal be destroyed with the sinner †If thou hold not thyselfinstantly in the feare of our Lord thy house shal quickly be subuerted †As in the shaking of a sieue the dust wil remaine so the perplexitie of a man in his cogitation †The fornace tryeth the potters vessels and the tentation of tribulation iust men †As the husbandrie about a tree sheweth the fruite thereof so a word out of the thought of the hart of man †Prayse not a man before ful discourse for this is the trial of men †If thou folow iustice thou shalt apprehend it and shalt put it on as a long to be of honour and thou shalt dwel with it and it shal protect thee for euer and in the day of knowleging thou shalt finde stedfastnes †The foules flocke together to their like and truth shal returne to them that worke it †The lion alwayes lyeth in wayte for a pray so sinnes for them that worke iniquities †A holie man continueth in wisdom as the sunne for a foole is changed as the moone †In the middes of the vnwise keepe the word til his time but in the middes of deepe considerers be continually †The narration of sinners is odious their laugther is in the deligthes of sinne †Speach that sweareth much shal make the heare of the head
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
hast made to thee let them arise and deliuer thee in the time of thine affliction for according to the number of thy cities were thy goddes ô Iuda †What wil you contend with me in iudgement you haue al forsaken me saith our Lord. †In vaine haue I striken your children they haue not receiued discipline your sworde hath deuoured your prophetes as a wasting lion is your generation †See yee the word of our Lord why am I become a wildernes to Israel or a lateward springing land why then hath my people said We haue reuolted we wil no more come to thee †Wil a virgin forget her ornament or a bride the stomacher of her brest but my people hath forgotten me innumerable daies †Why dost thou endeuour to shew thy way good to seeke loue which moreouer also hast taught thy malices to be thy wayes †And in thy winges is found the bloud of the soules of the poore and innocentes Not in diches haue I found them but in al places which before I haue mentioned †And thou hast said I am without sinne and innocent and therfore let thy furie be turned away from me Beholde I wil contend with thee in iudgement because thou hast said I haue not sinned †How vile art thou become exceedingly iterating thy wayes and thou shalt be confounded of Aegypt as thou art confounded of Assur †For from hence also thou shalt goe and thy handes shal be vpon thy head because the Lord hath destroyed thy confidence and thou shalt haue nothing prosperous therein CHAP. III. I dolaters and other sinners are inuited to repent with promise of remission 6. but neither the kingdome of Israel nor Iuda wil returne 14 God stil calling some Iewes and manie Gentiles come to Christ IT IS commonly said If a man put away his wife and she departing from him marie an other man wil he returne to her anie more shal not that woman be polluted and contaminated but thou hast committed fornication with manie louers neuertheles returne vnto me saith our Lord and I wil receiue thee †Lift vp thine eies direct and see where thou hast not bene polluted thou didest sitte in the waies expecting them as a robber in the wildernes and thou hast polluted the land in thy fornications and in thy malices †For which thing the droppes of rayne were kept back and there was no lateward shower thou haddest an harlots forehead thou wouldest not blush †Therefore at the least from henceforth cal me thou art my father the guide of my virginitie †Why wilt thou be angrie for euer or wilt thou perseuere vnto the end Loe thou hast spoken and hast done euils and hast preuailed †And our Lord said to me in the daies of Iosias the king Hast thou seene what thinges the reuolter Israel hath done she hath gone of herself vpon euerie high mountaine and vnder euerie thicke greene tree and hath fornicated there †And I said when she had done al these thinges Returne to me and she returned not And Iuda her transgressing sister saw †because the rebel Israel had plaied the harlot I had put her away and geuen her a bil of diuorce and Iuda her transgressing sister was not afrayd but went and plaid the harlot also herself †And with the facilitie of her fornication she contaminated the land and plaid the harlot with stone and wood †And in al these thinges Iuda her transgressing sister hath not returned to me in her whole hart but in falsehood saith our Lord. †And our Lord said to me The rebellious Israel hath iustified her soule in comparison of the transgressour Iuda †Goe and crie these wordes against the North and thou shalt say Returne ô rebellious Israel saith our Lord and I wil not returne away my face from you because I am holie saith our Lord and I wil not be angrie for euer †But yet know thou thine iniquitie that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God and thou hast dispersed thy waies to strangers vnder euerie thicke greene tree and hast not heard my voice saith our Lord. †Returne ô ye reuolting children saith our Lord because I am your husband and I wil take you one of a citie and two of a kinred and wil bring you into Sion †And I wil geue you pastours according to my hart and they shal feede you with knowlege and doctrine †And when you shal be multiplied and increase in the land in those daies saith our Lord they shal say no more The Arke of the testament of our Lord neither shal it ascend vpon their hart neither shal they be mindeful thereof neither shal it be visited neither shal that be done anie more †In that time Ierusalem shal be called the throne of our Lord and al Gentiles shal be gathered together to it in the name of our Lord into Ierusalem they shal not walke after the peruersitie of their most wicked hart †In those daies the house of Iuda shal goe to the house of Israel and they shal come together from the land of the North to the land which I gaue to your fathers †But I said How shal I make thee as children and geue thee a land worthie to be desired the goodlie inheritance of the hostes of the Gentiles And I said Thou shalt cal me father shalt not cease to walke after me †But as if a woman should contemne her louer so hath the house of Israel contemned me saith our Lord. †A voice was heard in the waies weeping howling of the children of Israel because they haue made their way vniust they haue forgotten our Lord their God †Returne ye reuolting children and I wil heale your reuoltinges Behold we come to thee for thou art the Lord our God †In verie deede the litle hilles were lyars and the multitude of the mountaines verily in the Lord our God is the saluation of Israel †Confusion hath eaten the labour of our fathers from our youth thei◠flockes and their heards their sonnes and their daughters †We shal sleepe in our confusion and our ignominie shal couer vs because we haue sinned to the Lord our God we and our fathers from our youth euen to this day and we haue not heard the voice of the Lord our God CHAP. IIII. An admonition to sincere repentance and circumcision of the hart 5. with threates of grieuous punishment to those that persist in sinne 19. Which the Prophet foreseing lamenteth the vastation of the land 27. yet mixt with consolation that it shal not be vtterly ruined IF thou wilt returne ô Israel saith our Lord returne to me if thou wilt take away thy stumbling blockes from my face thou shalt not be moued †And thou shalt sweare Our Lord liueth in truth in iudgement and in iustice and the Gentiles shal blesse him shal praise him †For thus saith
saith our Lord God Behold I wil deliuer thee into the handes of them whom thou hatest into their handes of whom thy soule is filled †And they shal deale with thee in hatred and they shal take away al thy labours and shal let thee goe naked and ful of ignominie and the ignominie of thy fornications shal be reueled thy wicked dede and thy fornications †They haue done these thinges to thee because thou hast fornicated after the Nations among which thou wast polluted in their idols †Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister and I wil geue her cuppe in thy hand †Thus saith our Lord God The cuppe of thy sister thou shalt drinke deepe and wide thou shalt be into derision and into scorne which is most capable †With drunckennes and sorow thou shalt be replenished with the cuppe of pensifenes and sadnes with the cuppe of thy sister Samaria †And thou shalt drinke it and shalt drinke it vp euen to the dregges and the fragments therof thou shalt deuoure thou shalt rent thy breastes because I haue spoken saith our Lord God Therfore thus saith our Lord God Because thou hast forgotten me and hast cast me of behind thy bodie thou also beare thy wickednes and thy fornications †And our Lord spake to me saying Sonne of man doest thou iudge Oolla and Ooliba and shewest thou them their wicked deedes †because they haue committed aduoutrie and bloud is in their handes and with their idols they haue fornicated moreouer also their children whom they begate for me they haue offered vnto them to be deuoured †Yea and they haue done this to me They polluted my sanctuarie in that day and profaned my sabbathes †And when they immolated their children to their idols and went into my sanctuarie in that day to pollute it these thinges also they did in the middes of my house †They sent to men comming from far to whom they had sent a messenger therfore loe they came to whom thou didst wash thyself and didst annoint thine eyes about with stibikestone and wast adorned with wemens ornaments †Thou satest in a very faire bed and a table was decked before thee mine incense and mine oyntment thou didst set vpon it †And the voice of a multitude reioycing was on it and on the men that were brought of the maltitude of men and came from the desert they did put bracelets on their handes and beautiful crownes on their heades †And I said to her that was worne in aduoutries Now wil this woman also fornicate in her fornication †And they went to her as to an harlot woman so went they vnto Oolla and Ooliba wicked wemen †They therfore are iust men these shal iudge them with the iudgement of adulteresses and with the iudgement of bloudshedders because they are adultresses and bloud is in their handes †For thus saith our Lord God Bring a multitude to them and deliuer them into tumult and into spoile †and let them be stoned with the stones of peoples and let them be thrust through with their swordes they shal kil their sonnes and daughters and their houses they shal burne with fire †And I wil take away the wickednes out of the land al wemen shal learne not to doe according to the wickednes of them †And they shal geue your wickednes vpon you and the sinnes of your idols you shal carie and you shal know that I am the Lord God CHAP. XXIIII Ierusalem manie wayes chasticed of God and not amended 11. shal at last be melted like a brasse potte 15. and shal not dare to mourne for the death of her dearest AND the word of our Lord was made to me in the ninth yeare in the tenth moneth the tenth day of the moneth saying †Sonne of man write thee the name of this day wherin the king of Babylon is confirmed against Ierusalem to day †And thou shalt speake by a prouerbe to the exasperating house a parable and shalt say to them Thus saith our Lord God Set thou a potte st it I say and put water into it †Heape together the peeces therof into it euerie good part the thigh and the shoulder the chosen thinges and ful of bones †Take the fattest beast and lay together pyles of bones also vnder it the seething therof is boyling hotte and the bones therof are throughly sodden in the middes therof †Therfore thus saith our Lord God Wo to the citie of bloud to the potte whose rustines is in it and the rustines therof is not gone out of it by her partes and by her partes cast her out there hath no lotte fallen vpon her †For her bloud is in the middes of her she hath shed it vpon the most cleare rocke she shed it not vpon the ground that it might be couered with dust †That I might bring mine indignation in vpon her and might reuenge with vengeance I gaue her bloud vpon the most clere rocke that it might not be couered †Therfore thus saith our Lord God Wo to the citie of bloud whose bonefire I wil make great †Heape together the bones which I wil burne with fire the flesh shal be consumed and al the composition shal be sod and the bones shal drie away †Set it also vpon hote burning coles emptie that the brasse therof may waxe hote and be melted and let the filth of it be melted in the middes therof let the rust therof be consumed †There hath bene sweating with much labour and the exceding rust therof is not gone out no not by fire †Thine vncleannes is exectable because I would clense thee and thou art not clensed from thy filthines yea neither shalt thou be clensed before I make myne indignation to cease in thee †I the Lord haue spoken It shal come and I wil doe it I wil not passe nor spare nor be pacified according to thy wayes and according to thine inuentions wil I iudge thee saith our Lord. †And the word of our Lord was made to me saying †Sonne of man behold I take from thee the thing that thine eyes desire in a plague and thou shalt not lament nor weepe neither shal thy teares runne †Sigh holding thy peace thou shalt not make the mourning of the dead let thy crowne be tyed round about thee and thy shoes shal be on thy feete neither shalt thou couer thy face with a cloth neither shalt thou eare the meates of mourners †I spake therfore to the people in the morning and my wife died at euen and I did in the morning as he had commanded me †And the people sayd to me Why doest thou not tel vs what these thinges signifie that thou doest †And I sayd to them The word of our Lord was made to me saying †Speake to the house of Israel Thus sayth our Lord God Behold I wil pollute my sanctuarie
our holie thinges are contaminated and the name that is inuocated vpon vs is almost prophaned and our children haue suffred contumelie and our Priestes are burnt our Leuites are gone into captiuitie our virgins are defloured and our wiues haue suffered rape and our iust men are violently taken and our litle ones are lost and our yong men are in bondage and our valiants are made impotent †and that which is greatest of al the seale of Sion because she is vnsealed of her glorie For she is also deliuered into the handes of them that hate vs. †Thou therfore shake of thy great heauines and lay away from thee the multitude of sorrowes that the Strong may be propicious to thee agayne and the Highest wil geue thee rest rest from thy labours †And it came to passe when I spake to her her face did shine suddenly and her shape and her visage was made glistering so that I was afrayde excedingly at her thought what this thing should be †And Behold suddenly she put forth a great sound of a voyce ful of feare that the earth was moued at the womans sound And I saw †and behold the woman did no more appeare vnto me but a citie was built a place was shewed of great fundations and I was afrayd crying with a loude voyce I sayd †Where is Vriel the Angel that from the beginning came to me for he made me come in multitude in excesse of this minde and my end is made into corruption my prayer into reproch †And when I was speaking these thinges behold he came to me and sawe me †And behold I was layd as dead my vnderstanding was alienated and he held my right hand and strengthned me set me vpon my feete sayd to me †What ayleth thee and why is thy vnderstanding and the sense of thy hart trubled why art thou trubled And I sayd †Because thou hast forsaken me and I in dede haue done according to thy wordes went out into the field behold I haue seene doe see that which I cannot vtter And he sayd to me †Stand like a man I wil moue thee And I sayd †Speake thou my Lord in me forsake me not that I die not in vaine †because I haue seene thinges that I knew not I doe heare thinges that I know not †Or is my sense deceiued doth my soule dreame †Now therfore I besech thee that thou shew vnto thy seruant concerning this trance And he answered me sayd †Heare me and I wil teach thee and wil tel thee of what thinges thou art afrayd because the Highest hath reuealed vnto thee manie mysteries †He hath seene thy right way that without intermission thou was sorrowful for thy people and didst mourne exceedingly for Sion †This therfore is the vnderstanding of the vision which appeared to thee a litle before †The woman whom thou sawest mourning thou beganst to comfort her †And now thou seest not the forme of the woman but there appeared to thee a citie to be built †And because she tolde thee of the fal of her sonne this is the interpretation †This woman which thou sawest she is Sion and wheras she told thee of her whom now also thou shalt see as a citie builded †And wheras she told thee that she was barren thirtie yeares for the which there were thirtie yeares when there was not yet oblation offered in it †And it came to passe after thirtie yeares Salomon built the citie and offered oblations then it was when the barren bare a childe †And that which she sayd vnto thee that she nourished him with labour this was the habitation in Ierusalem †And wheras she sayd to thee that my sonne comming into the bryde chamber dyed and that a fal chanced vnto him this was the ruine of Ierusalem that is made †And behold thou hast seene the similitude of her and because she lamented her sonne thou beganst to comfort her and of these thinges that haue chanced these were to be opened to thee †And now the Highest seeth that thou wast sorie from the hart and because with thy whole hart thou sufferest for her he hath shewed thee the clearnes of her glorie and the fayrenes of her beautie †For therfore did he say to thee that thou shoulest tarie in a field where house is not built †For I knew that the Highest beganne to shew thee these thinges †therfore I sayd vnto thee that thou shouldest goe into a field where is no fundation of building †For the worke of mans building could not be borne in the place where the citie of the Highest began to be shewed †Thou therfore feare not neither let thy hart dread but goe in and see the beautie and greatnes of the building as much as the sight of thyne eyes is capable to see †afterward thou shalt heare as much as the hearing of thyne eares is capable to heare †For thou art blessed aboue manie and art called with the Highest as few †And to morrow night thou shalt tarie here †and the Highest wil shew thee those visions of the thinges on high which the Highest wil doe to them that inhabite vpon the earth in the later dayes †And I slept that night and the other next as he had sayd to me CHAP. XI An eagle appeareth to Esdras coming forth of the sea with three heades and twelue winges sometimes one reigning in the world sometimes an other but euerie one vanisheth away 36. A lion also appeareth coming forth of the wo 〈…〉 suppresse the eagle AND I sawe a dreame behold an eagle came vp out of the sea which had twelue winges of fethers and three heades †And I saw and behold she spred her winges into al the earth and al the windes of heauen blew vpon her and were gathered together †And I saw and of her fethers sprang contrarie fethers and they became litle winges and smale †For her heades were at rest and the midle head was greater then the other heades but she rested with them †And I saw and behold the eagle flew with her winges and reigned ouer the earth and ouer them that dwel in it †And I saw that al thinges vnder heauen were subiect to her and no man gaynesayd her no not one of the creature that is vpon the earth †And I saw and behold the eagle rose vp vpon her talons and made a voice with her winges saying †Watch not al together sleepe euerie one in his place watch according to time †But let the heades be preserued to the last †And I saw and behold the voice came not out of her heades but from the middes of her bodie †And I numbered her contrarie winges and behold they were eight †And I saw and behold on the right side rose one wing and reigned
Leuiticum Mystically it signified that the fire of charitie being first kindled in mans hart by Gods grace must be continually nourished and kept burning from which al other good workes are deriued By slesh of penance is vnder stood fasting watchig hair-cloth teares prayers aâ—mes which whosoeuer duly toucheth shal be sanctified He sychâ—us Hierosol li. 2. in Leuit. c. 6. :: This text sheweth there is difference in the nature of a fault committed commonly called sinne of dutie omitted here called offence in latin peccatuÌ„ and delictum Yet both are alike offencife to God in matter of equal importance As appeareth for that the same sacrifice was offered for both S. Aâ—â— q. 20. in Leuit. :: Geuen or presented to our Lord not offered vpon the Altar for no leauen could be offered in sacrifice cap. 2. v. 15 The second part Of consecrating Priests and their vestmeÌ„ts with punishment of some that transgressed :: VVashing signified puritie required in Priests :: Precious vestiments their dignitie and holie oile their authoritie :: VVhen the high Priest at anie time put the Ephod to the Rationale God gaue answers to his demandes in matters of doctrine and veritie which king Dauid willed Abiathar to doe 1. Reg. 23. v. 9. Neuer could anie woman weue doctrin veritie but diuine vvisdom did make such garmeÌ„ts S. Cyril lib. 6. in Leuit. :: As wel by the function of coÌ„secrating Priests as of offering Sacrifice it appeareth that Moyses was a Priest Yea the chiefe and hieghest Priest saith S. Augustin for his more excellent ministerie and extraordinarie calling Aaron was hiegh priest for his Pontifical inuesture and ordinarie vocation which should continew in his successors q. 23. in Leuit. Particular calling and consecration necessarie to priestlie offices authoritie in spiritual causes Heb. 5. Psal 109. Ordering of Priestes was a Sacrament in the law of Moyses SeueÌ„ precious vestments for the high Priest signifiing 1. Puritie 2 Discretion 3. Good works of edification S. Hierom Epist ad Fabiol 4. Toleration of others infirmities 5. Knowledge and sinceritie 6. IntentioÌ„ directed to God 7. Contemplation of God his workes Other Priestes had also three ornamentes Aaron annointed high Priest His sonnes also consecrated Al three kindes of sacrifice offered at the consecration of Priests Num. â— Priestood and Law changed together The SacrameÌ„t of holie Orders prefigured and the new Law Heb. 7. :: The people before worshipped a calfe for God Exod 32. Now therfore they offer a calfe in sacrifice to God for their sinne and to kepe them from idolatrie S. Hieron in Hierem 7. :: God appeared in his worke by sending fire to burne the sacrifice without mans industrie v. 24. :: This did signifie that Christ in whoÌ„ al nations are blessed should be stretched on the Crosse where he redemed vs in memorie wher of we now make the signe of the Crosse :: The Priests were commaÌ„ded to nourish and kepe this fire petpetually that it should not be extinguished cha 6. v. 12. :: Such as receiued more at Gods hand are more seuerly punished if they transgresse S. Aug. q. 21. in Leuit. By this also al are warned to be content with the doctrine of the Holie Ghost to abhorre heresies the fautors wherof adde falsehood to Gods word preferre their owne wicked inuentions be fore the true sense of holie Scripture Theod. q 9. in Leuit. :: Abstinence from wine coÌ„manded to Priests when they serued in the tabernacle not at other times for they serued at certaine times by turnes Theod. q. 10 in Leuit. As for drunkennes it is forbid to al men and at al times :: Natural griâ—e of mind made Aaron both vnwilling to eate lesse apt to coâ—plete al the ceremonies so without sinne he omitted that pertained to his commoditie offering it to God The third part Of things cleane and vncleane with the maner of purifying other precepts moral iudicial :: Hitherto God reueled his Law to Moyses onlie and by him to the people Now also to Aaron after he was coÌ„secrated high Priest yet not alwayes for Moyses was stil superior chap. 12. 14. 16. 17. c. :: If in dede this vncleaÌ„nes were a sinne it should be clensed by contritioÌ„ and neither necessarily remaine til night nor theÌ„ be taken away without other meanes Gen. 7. 〈◊〉 8. Some things connted vncleane in the law of nature of Moyses Three causes of this obseruance 1. For instruction 2. For exercise of obedience 1. Tim. 4. Rom. 5. 2. Mach. 6. 7. 3. For signification The things holden for cleane signified vertues The vncleane signified vices Christians are not bound to the obseruances of the old law but to that which they signified The second third Lessons on Candlemas day :: The most pure virgin mother was not subiect to this law For she conceiued not by the seede of man yet obserued the custome of other wemen Luc. 2. as Christ also would be baptized by S. Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. to geue example of humilitie S. Cyril li. 8. in Leuit S Bernard Ser. 3. de Purific :: It pertained to the Priests to discerne of leprosie in figure of Priestes authoritie to bind and loose sinnes in the new Testament S. Chrysost li. 3. de Sacerdotio :: Leprosie making spottes in the skinne of an other colour signifieth heresie that mixeth falshood with truth â— Aug. li. 2. quest Euangel c. 4â— :: Sometimes that semeth leprosie or herelie which is not wherof the priest is to iudge Deut. 17. :: This gift sacrifice were commanded saith S. Augustin because the Sacrifice of Christs bodie was not yet ordained which now serueth for al other sacrifices lâ— 1. ca. 19. et 20. cont aduersar â—eg et prophet * of vvel or riuer not of a cesterne poole or marrâ—â—â— :: If natural infirmities brought vncleaÌ„nes much more lasciuiousnes of the mind Theod. q. 15. 20. in Leuit. :: To make offer and sacrifice an hosteâ—is al one :: S. Hierom. â—s cap. 5 ad 〈…〉 at vnderstandeth this place of the abominable sines that may not be named :: Only once in the yeare the high priest and no other entred into Sancl◠〈…〉 v. 34. signifying that heauen was not open to anie Sainct before Christs passion Heb. 9. v. 8. :: Praying that al their sinnes may be remitted :: Sinnes do so defile the soule that the very holiest of al places is accounnted as contaminate therby Theodo â— 22. in Leuit. 〈◊〉 sine :: God so remitteth sinnes to those that are truly peninitent as that which is caried into a wildernes and neuer returneth :: Besides particular sacrifices for euerie oues sinnes once in the yeare was instituted a general expiatioÌ„ of al. :: If anie killed for sacrifice he must offer it at the dore of the tabernacle that a priest might offer it on the Altar for no other man nor place was allowed without special dispensation of God And so Samuel offered sacrifice in an
vnpossible to finde true wisdom without Gods grace and by his grace it is easily â—ound Deut. 30. v. 1â— Mat. 11. v. 30. 1. Ioa. 5. v. 3. :: By this text most of the Fathers cited in the argument of this booke proue Christ to be God against Ievves Paganes and Heretikes :: VVisdom wherof he spake in the former chapter v. 12. is the lavv and commandment of God Deut. â—8 v. 49. Iere. â— v. 15. :: Ierusalem exhorteth her children to patience in their iust punishment assuring them of Gods mercie and relaxation :: Mercie is here called iustice in respect of Gods promise for although â—â— promise vvas of his only mercie yet the performance procedeth also from his iustice a Ieremie writte this Epistle before the common people were in Babylon but Baruch redde it vnto them in Babylon and so it was sent back to the rest which were yet in Ierusalem Iere 1â— v. 8. 9. c. b Tenne being the firstarticle number signifieth a general number and so seuen generations signifie seuen times tenne that is seuentie yeares Sometimes seuen â—â— signific a generalitie because this whole world is counted by seuen dayes sometimes 100. signifie the same as Gen. 15. v 16. 400. yeares are called four generations Isa 44. c The Angel which guided this people coming out of Aegypt Exo. 12. 33. protected them also in Babylon d The innumerable absurdities in forging and adoring false goddes here recited by the prophet shew how foolish sensles they are that serue idols or anie images for goddes :: Idolaters imagining that sensles idols had diuiue powre foolishly estemed them of great value price Is 46. v. â— Martyrol 10. Apri 1. Maij. Ezechiel and Ieremie like in manie respectes prophecied for most part the same thinges 4. Reg. 44. Ep. ad Paulin. Ch. 1. The contents diuided into fine partes The first part The prophets first vision mission to preach :: The coniunction And being the first word either ioyneth the context to the title or as S Gregorie expoundeth it the exterior wordes vttered to the interior reueled to the prophet in spirit :: Either the thirtith yeare of his age or the 30. since the captiuitie was prophecied in the reigne of Iosias 4. Reg. 22. v. 18. â—animahum :: They turned not about v. 12. but hauing faces on euery side were readie to goe euerie way :: S. Gregorie expounding this vision of the foure Euangelistes or of the whole new Testaments teacheth that the old new Testaments are each in the other both teaching the same thinges in diuers maners ho. 6. in Ezech. :: In this chapter the prophet descriheth foure partes of a vision which he saw at one time of a whirlewinde â— 4. of foure liuing creatures v 5 of foure vvheeles v 15. of a man sitting in a throne in the firmament v 16. For vnderstanding of al which lerned large commentaries do hardly suffice :: Our Sauiour of his great humilitie and his singular loue towards mankinde often calleth himself the Sonne of man but no other so called him Here the Angel most frequently calleth Ezechiel the Sonne of man as wel to distinguish betwen Angelical humane kind as in honour of Christ of whom this and other prophetes were figures but why Ezechiel and scarse anie other Dan. 8. v. 17. had this title is hard to explicate :: Lamentations perteine to the penitent :: Songue to the praises of God :: VVoe to the desperate damned :: By this Metaphor of eating a booke is signified that the prophet receiued reuelations from 〈…〉 as appeareth v. 10. c. :: By this place and the like Mat. 11. v. 21. it semeth that the same grace being offered to diuers persons some do accept it and some do not but the cause of difference is by more grace added to the former which was sufficient before and by this super addâ—dâ—tion is made effectual That God geueth this abundance to some is of his mercie and that he geueth it not to others is no iniurie Ro 9. :: I wil take away my grace from him in punishment of his reuolting from me :: A preachers office is as wel to warne the iust to perseuere in iustice as to admonish the wicked to repent returne to God The 2. part The destruction of Ierusalem and the Temple with the captiuitie of the people for their sinnes :: To make a banck a ditch is also made ordinarily aboue three foote depe so the earth cast vp towardes the towne besieged make couert passage about seuen foot in height by which trench men approch more safely towards the wal where they purpose to make batterie breach and assault It is very hard to explicate how the tenne tribes were 390. yeares in captiuitie :: And from what time the 40. yeares are counted seing it is certaine that the two tribes were in captiuitie 70. yeares See S. Ierom in Ezech. :: As a staffe aydeth the weake so bread sustaineth al men :: In other cities of Iuda nere Ierusalem :: Ieremie Lament 2 and Barâ—ch ch 2 prophecied of the same distresse by samine in the siege of Ierusalem :: Blasphemie is here taken improperly and signifieth that other nations shal not only reproch Ierusalem but also â—aâ—â—â— and scoffe at her miseries :: 〈…〉 was most especially committed in mountaines â—â—â—â—lles and therfore both idols and idolaters vvere destroyed in the same places :: Gods perpetual prouidence stil preserueth some reliques that serue him sincerely and before those depart from this vvorld :: others doe repent and returne to God :: By Israel is â—ere meant al the countrie of Iurie as appeareth by the generall peach folovving the foure quarters of the land :: In the yeare of Iubeley the landes vvhich vvere sold returned to the seller or to his heyres Leuit. 2â— but in the captiuitie there could be no such recouerie :: Adorning of idols with much gold was occasion that the Chaldees spoyled the citie more eageily * 〈…〉 :: This other like places signifie seaâ—sitâ—e of Priestes to teach the law in the captiuitie but not an vniuersal destruction or want of al. Ioâ— euen then also God conserued some reliques as appeareth Malach. 2. :: After that the prophet had ested in his house â—9â— dayes in which time when soeuer he sâ—â—pâ— he lay only on his left side 4â— dayes in like maner on his right side which was in al. 430. dayes which make one yeare two moneth and fiue dayes the next day he had this other vision before he went forth to preach â—â— 3. 7. â—â— :: VVicked men either do not beleue or litle consider Gods knovvlege and prouidence of al thinges and so fal into idolatrie :: Rabbi Dauid and Rabbi Salomon vvrite that the image of this idol being made of brasse had eyes of lead and vvhen the brasse was made hote by fire secretly put vnder the lead beginning to melt the image seemed to vvepe wherupon the vvemen