and his iustice contineweth for euer and euer †He hath made a memorie of his meruelous workes a merciful and pittiful Lord †he hath geuen meate to them that feare him He wil be mindful for euer of his testament †the force of his workes he wil shewforth to his people †To geue them the inheritance of the gentiles the workes of his handes truth and iudgement †Al his commandmentes are faithful confirmed for euer and euer made in truth and equitie †He sent redemption to his people he commanded his testament for euer Holie and terrible is his name †the feare of our Lord is the beginning of wisedom Vnderstanding is good to al that doe it his prayse remaineth for euer and euer PSALME CXI True happines consisteth in fearing God keping his commandments 5. and in doing workes of mercie 10. The contrarie bringeth to miserie Alleluia Of the returne of Aggeus and Zacharie BLESSED is the man that feareth our Lord he shal haue great delight in his commandmentes †His seede shal be mightie in the earth the generation of the righteous shal be blessed †Glorie and riches in his house and his iustice abideth for euer and euer †Light is risen vp in darkenes to the righteous he is merciful and pitiful and iust †Acceptable is the man that is merciful and lendeth that shal dispose his wordes in iudgement †Because he shal not be moued for euer †The iust shal be in eternal memorie he shal not feare at the hearing of euil †His hart is readie to hope in our Lord his hart is confirmed †he shal not be moued til he looke ouer his enemies †He distributed he gaue to the poore his iustice remaineth for euer and euer his horne shal be exalted in glorie †The sinner shal see and wil be angrie he shal gnash his teeth and pine away the desire of sinners shal perish PSALME CXII God is to be praised who being hiegh regardeth and prouideth for the needie in this world Allelu ia PRAYSE our Lord ye children praise ye the name of our Lord. †Be the name of our Lord blessed from henceforth now and for euer †From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe the name of our Lord is laudable †Our Lord is high aboue al nations and his glorie aboue the heauens †Who is as the Lord our God that dwelleth on high †and beholdeth the low thinges in heauen and in earth †Raising vp the needie from the earth and lifting vp the poore out of the dung †To place him with princes with the princes of his people †Who maketh the d barren woman to dwel in a house a ioyful mother of children PSALME CXIII For the meruelous passage of I srael out of Aegypt 3. the red sea the riuer Iordan 7. and the hilles geuing them place 8. the rockes yelding them water 9. God not themselues is to be praised 12. Idoles and Idolaters are vaine and shal be confounded 17. the faithful trust in God 20. are blessed and for euer praise God Allelu ia IN the comming forth of Israel out of Aegypt of the house of Iacob from the barbarous people †Iewrie was made his sanctification Israel his dominion †The sea saw and fled Iordan was turned backeward †The mountaines leaped as rammes and the litle hilles as the lambes os sheepe †What ayleth thee ô sea that thou didst flee and thou ô Iordan that thou wast turned backeward †Ye mountaines leaped as rammes and ye litle hilles as the lambes of shepe †At the face of our Lord was the earth moued at the face of the God of Iacob †Who turned the rocke into pooles of waters and stonie hil into fountaines of waters †NOT TO VS O LORD NOT TO VS but to thy name geue the glorie †For thy mercie and thy truth lest at any time the Gentiles say Where is their God †But our God is in heauen he hath done al thinges what soeuer he would †“ The idols of the gentiles are siluer and gold the workes of mens handes †They haue mouth and shal not speake they haue eies and shal not see †They haue eares and shal not heare they haue nosthrels and shal not smel †They haue handes and shal not handle they haue feete and shal not walke they shal not crie in their throte †Let them that make them become like to them and al that haue confidence in them †The house of Israel hath hoped in our Lord he is their helper and their protector †The house of Aaron hath hoped in our Lord he is their helper and their protector †They that feare our Lord haue hoped in our Lord he is their helper and their protector †Our Lord hath beene mindful of vs and hath blessed vs He hath blessed the house of Israel he hath blessed the house of Aaron †He hath blessed al that feare our Lord the litle with the great †Our Lord adde vpon you vpon you vpon your children †Blessed be you of our Lord which made heauen and earth †The heauen of heauen is to our Lord but the earth he hath geuen to the children of men †The dead shal not prayse thee ô Lord nor al they that goe downe into hel But we that liue doe blesse our Lord from this time and for euer ANNOTATIONS PSALME CXIII 12. The Idols of the Gentiles are siluer and gold Al Catholique Diuines agree in this authentical definition of Idolattie that it is diuine honour geuen to anie creature as to a god Of the diuers so tâ—s also of Idolatrie the ancient lerned Doctors haue vvritten much Namely Iustinus Martyr in his Orations against the Gen iles Tertullian in Apologetico Arnobius Orat. ad Gentes Lactantius li. 2. c 17. Diuinar Instit and manie others But most copiously and profoundly S Augustin especially in his tenne first bookes de Câ—uitate Dei Into vvhich error crime the Platonistes sel holding that spiritual inuisible createdsubstances to vvitte Angels good and euil vvhom they called Intelligentias separatas had diuine povvre so gaue to them diuine honour O hers honour dead men and some before their death as goddes for their notable actes atchiued in this life as Saturne â—uppiter Hercules and the like Some yeld diuine honour to mere corporal creatures liuing or vvithout life as to beastes and serpentes the sunne the moone fire vvater earth the vvhole machin of the vvoâ—ld as if it vvere animate and that vvith diuine spirite or soule Againe al these haue bene vvorshipped as gods not only in them selues but also in their imagees But to omite other diuersities the most grosse
transgressed Morally ancient Fathers here note that albeit the life of the Patriarkes seemeth long to vs yet if we coÌ„pare the same to eternitie it is nothing Neither by the iudgement of Philosophers may aniething be counted long that hath an end as Tullie bringing Cato wisely disputing sheweth the longest life to be but a short moment VVhereby againe we may see what losse we sustaine by sinne seeing if sinne had not benne we should al haue benne translated from earth to heauen and neuer haue dyed 24. VVas seene no more That Enoch and Elias are yet aliue is a constant knowne truth in the hartes and mouthes of the faithful saith S. Augustin in his first booke de peccat merit remiss c. 3. and confirmeth the same in diuers other places And it is testified by very many both Greeke and Latin Doctors S. Ireneus li. 5. S. Iustinus Martyr q. 85. ad Orthodoxos S. Hippolitus li. de Antichristo S. Damascen li. 4. de Orthodoxafide S. Hierom. epist 61. ad Pamach c. 11. S. Ambrose in Psalm 45. S. Chrysostom ho. 21. in Gen. ho. 58. in Mat. ho. 4. in epist 2. ad Thess ho. 22. in ep ad Heb. S. Greg. li. 14. Moral c. 11 ho. 12. in Ezech. S. Prosp li. vlt. de promis S. Bede in c. 9. Marc. Theophilact and Oâ—cumenius in cap. 17. Mat. and others innumerable Touching Elias it is manifest in Scriptures that he shal come preach be slaine with an other witnes of Christ before the terrible day of Iudgement Of Enoch Moyses here maketh the matter more then probable saying of euerie one of the rest he dyed onlie of Enoch saith not so but that he appeared or vvas seene no more For which the seuentie two interpreters say And he vvas not found for God translated him VVhich can not signifie death but transporting or remouing to an other place VVhereto agreeth the author of Ecclesiasticus saying Enoch pleased God and vvas translated But most clearly S. Paul saith Enoch vvas translated that he should not see death and he vvas not found for God translated him VVith what plainer wordes can any man declare that a special person were not dead then to say He vvas translated or coÌ„ueyed away that he should not see death Neither is it a reasonable euasion to interprete this of spiritual death For so Adam being eternally saued as S. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 34. Epiphan con haeresim 46. S. Aguâ—â—in epist 99. ad Euodium and others teach and the whole Church beleeueth was preserued from that death and so vndoubtedly were Seth and Enos being most holie and the rest here recounted as is most probable Neuertheles for further confutation of the contrarie opinion of Protestants the reader may also obserue the iudgement of S. Chrisostom who affirmeth that Though it be not a matter of faith vvhether Enoch be novv in Paradise from vvhence Adam and Eue vvere expelled or in some other pleasant place Dicunt tamen sacrae Scriprurae quod Deus transtulit eum quod viuentem transtulit eum quod mortem ipse non sit expertus The holie Scriptures say that God translated him and that he translated him aliue that he felt not or hath not experienced death And S. Augustin as expresly saith Non mortuus sed viuus translatus est He to vvit Enoch is translated not dead but aliue Yea he teacheth how his life is sustayned thus many thousand yeares vpon earth And sheweth moreouer that both Enoch and Elias shal dye For seing Enoch and Elias saith he are dead in Adam and carying the ofspring of death in their flesh to pay that debt are to returne to this life of common conuersation and to pay this debt vvhich so long is deferred Diuers reasons are also alleaged why God would reserue these two aliue First to shew by example that as their mortal bodies are long conserued from corrupting or decaying in like sorte Adam and Eue and al others not sinning should haue bene conserued and according to Gods promise neuer haue died but after some good time translated to heauen and indued with immortalitie Secondly to giue vs an argument of immortalitie which is promised after the general Resurrection For seing God doth preserue some mortal so long from al infirmitie we may assuredly beleue that he wil geue immortal eternal life of bobie and soule to his Sainctes after they haue payed the debt of death and are risen againe Thirdly these two one of the law of nature the other of the law of Moyses are preserued aliue to come amongst men againe towards the end of the world to teach testifie and defend the true faith and doctrin of Christ against Antichrist when he shal most violently oppugne persecute the Church Of Enoch it is said in the booke of Ecclesiasticus that he was translated vt det gentibus poenitenntiam that he geue repentance to the nations by his preaching reducing the deceiued from Antichrist And of Elias Malachie prophicieth that he shal come before the great and terrible day of our Lord and shal turne the hart of the fathers that is the people of the Iewes to the sonnes the Christians and of the sonnes the deceiued Christians to the fathers the ancient true Catholiques CHAP. VI. Mans sinnes cause of the deluge 4. Giants vvere then vpon the earth 8. Noe being iust vvas commanded to build the Arke 18. vvherin he vvith seuen persons more and the seede of other liuing things vvere saued AND after that men began to be multiplied vpon the earth had procreation of daughters †The sonnes of God seing the daughters of men that they were faire tooke to them selues wiues out of al which they had chosen And God said My spirit shal not remaine in man for euer because he is flesh his dayes shal be an huÌ„dred twentie yeares †And Giants were vpon the earth in those dayes For after the sonnes of God did companie with the daughters of men and they brought forth children these be the mightie of the olde world famous men †And God seing the malice of men was much on the earth and that al the cogitation of their hart was bent to euil at al times †it repented him that he had made man on the earth And touched inwardly with sorrowe of hart †I wil saith he cleane take away man whom I haue created from the face of the earth from man euen to beastes from that which creepeth euen vnto the foules of the ayre for it repenteth me that I haue made them †But Noe found grace before our Lord †These are the generations of Noe Noe was a iust and perfect man in his generations he did walke with God †And he begat three sonnes Sem Cham Iapheth †And the earth was corrupted before God and was replenished with iniquitie †And when God had perceiued
and manie others testifie to flie into the ayer as though he would haue ascended into heauen but S Peter praying to God the magician notwithstanding his wings wherwith he presumed to flie fel downe and broke his legges that he could not goe To omitte manie examples Gregorius Turonensis li. 2. hist Franc. c. 3. witnesseth that one Cyrola an Arian Patriarch pretending to obtaine of God sight to a man that feaned him selfe blind the man was presently blind in deede and exclaming cryed Take here thy money which thou gauest me to deceiue the world restore me my sight which I had euen now and by thy perswasion and for this money I feaned to want It happened worse to one Bruley a poore man in Geneua whom Caluin with wordes and money perswaded to feane him selfe dead and so pretending to raise him to life the man was found dead in dede and not he but his wife hauing consented to the deuise lamented in earnest enuehing against that false Apostle calling him a secrete these and a wicked murderer that had killed her husband So writeth M. Ierom Bolseck in vita Caluini And besides the womans vnexpected outcrie and asseueâ—ation that her husband was not dead before but that through Caluins perswasions and promises to releue them with almes they so feaned al Geneua did knowe that Caluin endeuoured to raise the man and could not These and manie others haue attempted and could do nothing but against them selues Al the danger is when in dede wonders are done that may seme to be miracles Against such therfore Gods prouidence more particularly assisteth his seruantes diuers wayes First he warneth al to stand fast when such tentations happen Deut. 13. If there rise among you a prophet or one that saieth he hath sene a dreame and fortelleth a signe and a wonder and it cometh to passe which he spake and he say to thee Let vs goe folow strange goddes whom thou knowest not and let vs serue them thou shalt not heare the wordes of that prophet or dreamer In like maner our Sauiour foretelling that false christes false-prophetes shal by great signes wonders seduce many warneth al saying Loe I haue fortold you If therfore they shal say vnto you He is in the desert goe not out Behold in the closets beleue it not Secondly God suffered not the Enchanters of Aegypt nor Simon Magus long and for the elect the dayes of Antichrists dangerous persecution shal be shortned Thirdly holy Scripture so describeth Antichrist and his actes as when he cometh he may be sooner knowne Our Sauiour saieth The Iewes wil receiue him S. Paul calleth him the man of sinne importing one singular man and the same replete with al wickednes extolled aboue al that is called God or is vvorshipped Neither worshipping true God nor other false God aboue him selfe He shal be deadly wonded and cured Not only he shal shew strange wonders but also one of his prophetes shal bring fire from the firmament his image shal speake Fourtly as our Lord gaue powre and authoritie to his great Prophet Moyses against the Aegyptian Enchanters in the end of the law of nature before the written law and to his first chief vicar S. Peter in the beginning of the law of grace to control confound Simon Magus so he wil send his two reserued great Prophetes Enoch and Elias nere the end of the world to resist Antichrist and to teach testifie and confirme with their bloud the doctrin of Christ For they shal be slaine and rise againe after three dayes and ascend into heauen Then Antichrist holding him selfe most secure shal sudainly be destroyed 2. Thes 2. CHAP. VIII The second plague is of frogges 7. the enchanters make the like 8. Pharao promiseth to let the Israelites goe and sacrifice so the frogges be taken away 13 which being donne he breaketh promise 16. The third plague is of sciniphes 18. which the enchanters can not make 21. The fourth is of flies 29. Pharao againe promiseth to dismisse the people of God but doth it not OVR Lord also said to Moyses Goe in to Pharo and thou shalt say vnto him This saith the Lord Dismisse my people for to sacrifice vnto me †but if thou wilt not dismisse them behold I wil strike al thy coastes with frogges †And the riuer shal bubble with frogges which shal come vp and enter into thy house and thy bed chamber and vpon thy bedde and into the houses of thy seruantes and vnto thy people and into thy ouens and into the remaines of thy meates †and vnto thee to thy people and to al thy seruantes shal the frogges enter †And our Lord said to Moyses Say vnto Aaron Stretch forth thy hand vpon the floudes and vpon the riuers and the pooles and bring forth frogges vpon the Land of Aegypt †And Aaron stretched forth his hand vpon the waters of Aegypt and the frogges came vp and couered the Land of Aegypt †And the enchanters also by their enchantments did in like maner and they brought forth frogges vpon the Land of Aegypt †And Pharao called Moyses Aaron and said to them Pray ye to the Lord to take away the frogges from me from my people and I wil dismisse the people to sacrifice vnto the Lord. †And Moyses said to Pharao Appoint me when I shal pray for thee and for thy seruantes and for thy people that the frogges may be driuen away from thee and from thy house and from thy seruantes and from thy people and may remaine only in the riuer †Who answered To morow But he said According to thy word wil I doe that thou maist know that there is not the like to the Lord our God †And the frogges shal depart from thee and from thy house and from thy seruantes and from thy people and shal remaine only in the riuer †And Moyses and Aaron went â—orth from Pharao and Moyses cried to our Lord for the promise concerning the frogges which he had agreed to Pharao †And our Lord did according to the word of Moyses and the frogges dyed out of the houses and out of the villages and out of the fieldes †and they gathered them together into huge heapes and the earth did rotte †And Pharao seing that rest was geuen he hardned his owne hart and heard them not as our Lord had commanded †And our Lord said to Moyses Speake to Aaron Stretch forth thy rodde and strike the dust of the earth and be there Sciniphes in the whole Lord of Aegypt †And they did so And Aaron streched forth his hand holding the rodde and he stroke the dust of the earth and there were made sciniphes on men and on beastes al the dust of the earth was turned into sciniphes through the whole Land of Aegypt †And the enchaunters with their enchauntmentes practised in like maner to bring forth sciniphes
Gods wil and ordinance who so transposed Isaacs blessing from Esau to Iacob VVhich Isaac at length vnderstanding conformed him self therto and confirmed the same v. 33. ch 28. giuing Esau such contentment as he could of temporal blessings Ioseph is renowmed for al vertues euen from his youth to his death Gen. 37. 39. 50. Iob Was simple and right fearing God and departing from euil a iust and innocent man both before and in his tribulations not sinning with his lippes neither spake he anie foolish thing against God ch 1. yea more afflicted retained innocencie ch 2. and finally God receiued his prayer for others and restored al his losses duble ch 42. Moyses a most special selected Prophet the meekest man on the earth of singular Zeale seuerly punished sinne but withal most charitably prayed God to forgiue the people and conserue his Church God of his mere mercie electeth al those whom he wil iustifie and saue offering al sufficient grace iustly leaueth some obstinate sinners in state of damnation Gen. 25. Exo. 7. His predestination foreknowledge and promise do not exclude but include the meanes wherby his wil is done in the iust Gen. 25. 37. 45 50. Neither is Gods reprobation the cause of anie mans damnation but mans owne sinne the proper cause both of reprobation damnation For example Pharao his people enuying vainly fearing and for their religion hating and persecuting the children of Israel by oppressing them with vnsupportable laboures by commanding secretly to kil their infants and that not succeding by a new decree to drowne them Exo. 1. were mercifully after long conniuence admonished by Gods legates in his name quietly to permit his people to serue him but they wilfully contemned this gentle admonition Pharao proudly and insolently answering Who is the Lord that I should heare his voice and dismisse Israel I know not the Lord and Israel I wil not dismisse Exo. 5. So they hardned their owne hartes and more greuously afflicted the faithful God permitting the wicked to liue and prosper for a time in this world not punishing them so much as they deserued nor mollifying their hartes not illuminating their vnderstanding vnto effectual conuersion but iustly permitting them to persist in obstinacie Ex. 7. 8. 9. 10. c. Protection of Angels inuocation is proued Gen. 24. 32. 48. Patriarches names also inuocated c. 48. v. 16. Isaac was blessed prospered for Abrahams sak◠because Abraham obeyed Gods voice kept his precepts cōmandements obserued his ceremonies his lawes Gen. 26. Iosephs rodde adored by Iacob Gen. 47. Moyses commanded to put of his shooes because the place was holie Exod. 3. Swearing by creatures lawful and some times more conuenient then immediatly by God him selfe Gen. 42. Likewise Ominous speach Gen. 24. and Dreames Gen 37. 40 41 are sometimes lawfully obserued and are from God Idols alwaies vnlawful but not al Images Gen. 31. 35. Reliques to be reuerently vsed as Iosephs bodie conserued in a coffin in Aegypt Gen vlt. translated by Moyses Exo. 13. and so brought into Chanaan and layed with other Patriarches in Sichem Going bare foote to holie places an act of religious reuerence and deuotion Ex. 3. The signe of the crosse vsed by Iacob Gen 48. a figure of Christs crosse The wood cast by Moyses into the bitter water and making it sweete Exo. 15. an other figure therof Funeral obsequies were obserued by Abraham for his wife Sara Gen. 23. with mourning and weeping for her according to the qualitie of so holie a person who it is like needed not other satisfactorie workes as Saul and Ionathas and others slaine in battel for whom Dauid and his court did not only mourne and weepe but also fasted til euen He also bought a field with a duble caue where he buried her dedicating it for this peculiar vse and both himself and Isaac Iacob Rebecca and Lia were there buried Gen. 49. v. 31. Ioseph with al his brethren mourned for their father Iacob first fourtie dayes in Aegypt then carying him into Chanaan celebrated the exequies other seuen dayes Gen. 50. His particular digging of his owne graue v. 5. and both his and Iosephs special charge to be buried amongst their ancesters and the translation of al the twelue sonnes of Iacob into Sichem confirme the desire of burial in one place rather then in an other to be agreable to nature and holie Scriptures Touching the soules departed euen the most perfect went into the lower partes generally called Hel. But some were in rest others in paines according to their desertes none in heauen before Christ As S. Hierom comment in Osee 13. et Eccles 3. proueth by Iacobs vvordes Gen. 37. I wil descend vnto my sonne into hel by Iobs lamentation ch 7. et 17. that al good and bad were retained in hel saying If I shal expect hel is my house and in darknes I haue made my bed VVhich place or receptacle of such Saintes as Iacob and Iob vvas doubtles farre distant from hel of the damned for betvven Lazarus in Abrahams bosome and the glutton intorments is a great chaos or large space and yet the highest of these places is called hel In respect of Resurrection the same Iacob called his life in this vvorld a pilgrimage Gen. 47. and Iob ch 7. a warfare vpon earth professing expressly ch 19. In the last day I shal rise out of the earth And I shal be compassed againe with my skinne and in my flesh I shal see God Our B. Sauiour also proueth the Resurrection because the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob Exo. 3. is God of them not as they are dead but as they are liuing and to returne againe to life in bodie and soule together Of general Iudgement Iob saieth ch 31. What shal I doe when God shal rise to iudge and when he shal aske what shal I answere him And Eliu ch 34. saieth The omnipotent wil render a man his worke and according to the waies of euerie one he wil reeompence them Sodom and Gomorra Gen. 19. were example saith S. Peter and S. Iude of eternal punishment in hel fire Of eternal life Iacob professed his hope Gen. 49. saying I wil expect thy saluation ô Lord. And Moyses as S. Paul testifieth denied him selfe to be the sonne of Pharaoes daughter esteming the reproch of Christ greater riches then the treasure of the Aegyptians For he looked vnto the reward Thus much touching particular pointes of Religion It resteth to see the visible knowen members of the Church with the heades and gouernors therof succeding without interruption in the same age notwithstanding some brake and departed from them and other innumerable Sectes of Infidels stil multiplied in the world To beginne therfore with Abraham before the former age was ended at which time he was 75. yeares old holie Scriptures stil speake of
which the Lord thy God wil geue thee †Thou shalt not murder †Thou shalt not committe aduoâ—â—rie †Thou shalt not steale †Thou shalt not speake against thy neighbour â—â—lfe testimonie †Thou shalt not couet thy neigbours house neither shalt thou desire his wife nor seruant nor handmaide nor oxe nor asse nor any hing that is his †And al the people saw the voices and the â—â—ames and the sound of the trumper and the mount smoking and being â—â—ighted and stroken with feare they stoode a farre of †saying to Moyses Speake thou to vs and we wil heare let not our Lord speake to vs lest perhappes we die †And Moyses said to the people Feare not for God came to proue you and that his tâ—rrour might be in you and you should not sinne †And the people stoode a faâ—re of But Moyses went â—nto the darke cloud wherein God was †Our Lord said moreouer to Moyses This shalt thou say to the children of Israel You haue seene that from heauen I haue spoken to you †You shal not make goddes of siluer nor goddes of gold shal you make to you †An Altar of earth you shal make to me and you shal offer vpon it vour holocastes and pacifiques your sheepe and oxen in euerie place where the memorie of my name shal be I wil come to thee and wil blesse thee †And if thou make an Altar of stone vnto me thou shalt not build it of hewed stones for if thou lift vp thy knife ouer it it shal be polluted †Thou shalt not goe vp by grieses vnto myne Altar lest thy turpitude be discouered ANNOTATIONS CHAP. XX. 3. Strange goddes Protestants pretend here to proue that al Catholiques are Idolaters for honoring Sainctes and their Reliques and Images And they haue so defamed Catholique Religion in this behalfe that the vulgar sorte of deceiued people otherwise knowing Catholiques to be ordinarily of moderate conuersation in life of iust dealing towardes their neighboures addicted to prayer fasting almes and manie good woorkes more wanting among them selues yet supposing them notwitstanding these laudable qualities to be Idolaters are therby auerted from Catholique Religion And surely it were a iust cause if it were true As wel therfore to purge our selues of so haynous an imputed crime as to remoue this dangerous block of erronious conceipt we shal here note some of the Protestants egregious lies against the whole Church militant and blasphemous reproches against the the glorious Sainctes then briefly declare the true and sincere doctrine and practise of the Catholike Church in this point Luther in his posul vpon the Gospel of our Lordes Incarnation sayth Papistâ— Virginem Mariam Deum constituunt Omnipotentiam â—i in caelo in terra tribuunt The Papists saith he make the Virgin Marie God they attribute to her omnipotencie in heauen and in earth In Papistrie al expected more fauour and grace from her then from Christ himself His scholar Melancton in locis commâ—â—â— postilling the first Precept saith Papistes inuocate Sainctes and worship Images in heathnish maner Caluin li. de necess refor Eccles saith those of the Emperours religion meaning al Catholiques so diuide Gods offices among Sainctes that they ioyne them to the Soueraigne God as collegues in which multitude God lieth hidden Against the most glorious virgin mother the same Luther ser de natali virg Mar. feared not to say that he estemed no more of the prayer of S Marie then of anie one of the people And his reason is worse then his wicked assertion for that saith he al that beleue in Christ are as iust and as holie as the virgin Marâ—e or anie other Sainct how great soeuer The Magdeburgian Centuriators li. 1. Cent. 1. affirme that the virgin Marie sinned greuously yea compare her imagined faultes with the sinne of Eue in paradise li. 2. They charge S. Peter and S Paul also after their conuersions with diuers great crimes Caluin li. 3. Inst c 2. parag 31. condemneth Sara and Rebecca of great sinnes c. 4. reprehendeth Iudas Machabeus for superstitious and preposterous zeale in causing Sacrifice to be offered for the dead In his commentarie in 32. Exodi he accuseth most holie and meke Moyses of arrogancie and pride And li. 3 Instit c. 20. pa. 27. he scuruely scoffeth at al Sainctes in general saying If they heare mortal mens prayers they must haue eares so long as from heauen to earth And calleth them not only homines mortuos dead men which S. Hierom reproued in Vigilantius but also vmbras laruas colluuiem shadovves night goblins stincking silth yet more li. de vera refor Eccles rat he calleth them Monstra carnifices bestias monsters hangmen beastes These and like blasphemies modest men can not but abhore and detest Their lies also are conuinced by S. Hierom handling this matter of purpose against Vigilantius by S. Augustin touching it by occasion li. 20. c. 21. against Faustus the Manachey Thomas VValdensis To. 3. tit 13 de Sacramentalibus against wiclif by al Catechismes and Christian Instructions teaching nothing like but quite contrarie to these mens reportes In summe they al teach that Sainctes are to be honored with religious honour which is greater then ciuil but infinitly inferiour to diuine as the excellencie of God surmounteth al excellencie created For better declaration wherof it is to be considered that seing by the law of God and nature honour is due to excellencie there must be so manie distinct kindes of honour as there be general kindes of excellencie which are three The first of God infinite and incomparably aboue al the second is supernatural but created as of grace and glorie the third is humane or natural consisting in natural giftes or worldlie powre and dignitie al three as distinct as God heauen and earth To these three general kindes of excellencie perteine therfore other three as distinct kindes of honour to wit Diuine due to God only called by vse and appropriation of a greeke world Latria the second Dulia belonging to Sainctes and other holie things eleuated by God aboue the course of nature in diuers degrees but within the ranck of creatures the third is ciuil honour due to humane and worldlie excellencie according to diuers states and qualities of men The first of these which is diuine may in no case be geuen to anie creature how excellent soeuer The third which is ciuil as both Catholiques and Protestants hold for certaine is not competent nor agreable to Sainctes but to mortal worldlie men in respect of temporal excellencie Al the controuersie therfore is about the second VVhich Caluin li. 1. Instit c 11. 12. and al protestant writers denie reiect and so would haue no honour at al geuen to Sainctes Obiecting as old heretikes did that Catholiques do al the same external actes as standing bare head bowing kneeling praying and the like to Sainctes as to God himself VVe
slaine the peoples hoste pray for them as our Lord hath coÌ„manded †And forthwith Aaron approching to the altar immolated the calfe for his sinne †the bloud wherof his sonnes brought to him wherin dipping his finger he touched the hotnes of the altar and poured the rest at the foote therof †And the fatte and the litle kidneis and the caule of the liuer which are for sinne he burnt vpon the altar as our Lord had commanded Moyses †but the flesh and skinne therof he burnt with fire without the campe †He immolated also the victime of holocaust and his sonnes brought him the bloud therof which he poured in the circuite of the altar †The hoste also it selfe being cut into peeces they brought with the head and euerie member Al which he burnt with fire vpon the altar †hauing first washed the entralles and the feete with water †And offering for the sinne of the people he slew the bucke goat and expâ—ating the altar †he made the holocaust †adding in the sacrifice the libaments which are offered withal and burning them vpon the altar be side the ceremonies of the morning holocaust †He immolated also the oxe and the ramme the pacifique hostes of the people and his sonnes brought him the bloud which he poured vpon the altar round about †The fatte also of the oxe and the rump of the ramme and the two little kindneis with their fatte and the caule of the liuer †they put vpon the brests and after the fatte was burnt vpon the altar †their brests and the right shoulders Aaron did seperate eleuating them before our Lord as Moyses had commanded †And stretching forth his hand to the people he blessed them And so the hostes for sinne and the holocaustes and the pacifiques being finished he descended †And Moyses and Aaron going into the tabernacle of testimonie and afterward comming forth blessed the people And the glorie of our Lord appeared to al the multitude †and behold a fire coming forth from our Lord deuoured the holocaust and the fatte that was vpon the altar Which thing when the multitude had senne they praised our Lord falling on their faces CHAP. X. Nadab and Abiu the sonnes of Aaron for offering strange fire are burnt to death and cast out of the campe 6. for whom the people mourne but not the Priests 8. Priests are forbid to drinke wine when they enter into the tabernacle 12. and are commanded to eate the residew of oblations in the holie place 16. which this timein part they omitted and are excused being sorowful for that vvhich happened to Nadab and Abiu AND Nadab and Abiu the sonnes of Aaron catching censors did put in fire and incense therupon offering before our Lord strange fire which was not commanded them †And fire comming forth from our Lord deuoured them and they dyed before our Lord. †And Moyses said to Aaron This is it which our Lord hath spoken I wil be sanctified in them that approch to me and in tbe sight of al the people I wil be glorified Which Aaron hearing held his peace †And Moyses calling Misael and Elisaphan the sonnes of Oziel the vncle of Aaron said to them Goe and take away your bretheren from the sight of the Sanctuarie and carie them without the campe †And going forthwith they tooke them as they lay reuested with linnen tunikes did cast them forth as it had bene commanded them †And Moyses spake to Aaron to Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes Vncouer not your heades and rent not your vestiments lest perhaps you die and indignation come vpon al the assemblie Let your brethren and al the house of Israel lament the burning that our Lord hath raised †and your selues shal not goe out of the dore of the tabernacle otherwise you shal perish for the oyle of holie vnction is vpon you Who did al thinges according to the precept of Moyses †Our Lord also said to Aaron †Wine and anie thing that may make drunke you shal not drinke thou and thy sonnes when you enter into the tabernacle of testimonie lest you die because it is an euerlasting precept through your generations †And that you may haue knowledge to discerne betwen the holie and prophane betwen the polluted and cleane †and may teach the children of Israel al my ordinances which the Lord hath spoken to them by the hand of Moyses †And Moyses spake to Aaron and to Eleazar and Ithamar his sonnes that were left Take the sacrifice that is remayning of the oblation of our Lord and eate it without leauen beside the altar because it is Holie of holies †And you shal eate it in a holie place which is giuen to thee and thy sonnes of the oblations of our Lord as it hath bene commanded me †The brest also that is offered and the shoulder that is seperated you shal eate in a most cleane place thou and thy sonnes and thy daughters with thee For they are laid apart for thee and thy children of the healthful hostes of the children of Israel †because the shoulder and the the brest and the fatte that is burnt on the altar they haue eleuated before our Lord and they pertaine to thee and to thy sonues by a perpetual lawe as our Lord hath commanded †Among these thinges when Moyses sought for the bucke goate that had bene offered for sinne he found it burnt and being angrie against Eleazar and Ithamar the sonnes of Aaron that remained he said †Why did you not eate the hoste for sinne in a holie place which is most Holie and geuen to you that you may beare the iniquitie of the multitude and may pray for it in the sight of our Lord †especially wheras of the bloud therof there hath not bene caried within the holie places and you ought to haue eaten it in the Sanctuarie as it was commanded me †Aaron answered This day hath bene offered the victime for sinne and the holocaust before our Lord and to me that is chanced which thou seest how could I eate it or please our Lord in ceremonies hauing a sorowful hart †Which when Moyses had heard he was satisfied with his answere CHAP. XI The distinction of cleane and vncleane in beastes fish birdes and other things 43. With commandment to be holie and impolluted AND our Lord spake to Moyses and Aaron saying †Say to the children of Israel These are the beasts which you ought to eate of al the liuing things of the earth †Euerie one that hath the hoofe diuided and cheweth the cudde among the cattel you shal eate †But whatsoeuer in dede cheweth the cudde and hath an hoofe but diuideth it not as the camel and others that you shal not eate and among the vncleane you shal repute it †Cherogril which cheweth the cudde and diuideth not the hoofe is vncleane †The hare also for that also cheweth
might be your God CHAP. XVI Core and his complices making schisme against Moyses and Aaron 31. some are swalowed in the earth with their families and substance 35. other two hundred and fiftie offering incense 41. and fourtene thousand seuen hundred of the common people murmuring in behalfe of the sedicious are consumed with fire from heauen AND behold Core the sonne of Isaar the sonne of Caath the sonne of Leui and Dathan and Abiron the sonnes of Eliab Hon also the sonne of Pheleth of the children of Ruben †“ rose against Moyses and other of the children of Israel two hundred fiftie men princes of the synagogue and which in the time of assemblie were called by name †And when they had stoode vp against Moyses and Aaron they said Let it suffice you that al the multitude consisteth of holie ones and our Lord is among them Why lift you vp your selues aboue the people of our Lord †Which when Moyses had heard he fel flatte on his face †and speaking to Core and al the multitude he said In the morning our Lord wil make it knowne who pertaine to him and the holie the wil ioyne to him selfe and whom he shal choose they shal approch to him †This do therfore Take euerie man their censars thou Core and al thy councel †and taking fire in them to morrow put vpon it incense before our Lord and whom soeuer he shal choose the same shal be holie you do much exalt your selues ye sonnes of Leui. †And he said againe to Core Heare ye sonnes of Leui †Is it a smal thing vnto you that the God of Israel hath separated you from al the people and ioyned you to him selfe that you should serue him in the seruice of the tabernacle and should stand before the ful assemblie of the people and should minister to him †did he therfore make thee and al thy brethren the sonnes of Leui to approch vnto him that you should chalenge vnto you the priesthood also †and al thy companie should stand against our Lord for what is Aaron that you murmur against him †Moyses therfore sent to cal Dathan and Abiron the sonnes of Eliab Who answered We come not †Why is it a smal matter to thee that thou hast brought vs out of a land that folowed with milke and honie to kil vs in the desert vnles thou rule also like a lord ouer vs †In deede hast thou brought vs into a land that floweth with riuers of milke and honie hast thou geuen vs possessions of fieldes vineyardes What wilt thou plucke out our eies also We come not †Moyses therfore being very wrath said to our Lord Respect not their sacrifices thou knowest that I haue not taken of them so much as a little asse at anie time neither haue afflicted anie of them †And he said to Core Thou and al thy congregation stand ye apart before our Lord and Aaron to morrow apart †Take euerie one your censars and put incense vpon them offering to our Lord two hundred fiftie censars Let Aaron also hold his censar †Which when they had done Moyses and Aaron standing †and had heaped together al the multitude against them to the dore of the tabernacle the glorie of our Lord appeared to them al. †And our Lord speaking to Moyses and Aaron said †Separate your selues from the middes of this congregation that I may sodenly destroy them †Who felilatte on their face and said Most mightie God of the spirites of al flesh when one sinneth shal thy wrath rage against al †And our Lord said to Moyses †Command the whole people that they separate them selues from the tabernacles of Core and Dathan and Abiron †And Moyses arose and went to Dathan and Abiron and the ancientes of Israel folowing him †he said to the multitude Depart from the tabernacles of the impious men and touch not the thinges that pertaine to them lest you be wrapped in their sinnes †And when they were departed from their tentes round about Dathan and Abiron coming forth stood in the entrie of their pauilions with their wiues and children and al the multitude †And Moyses said In this you shal know that our Lord hath sent me to do al thinges that you see and that I haue not forged them of my owne mind †If they die the accustomed death of men and if the plague wherwith others also are wont to be visited do visite them out Lord did not send me †but if our Lord do a new thing that the earth opening her mouth swallow them downe al thinges that pertaine to them and they descend quicke into hel you shal know that they haue blasphemed our Lord. †Immediatly therfore as he ceased to speake the earth brake insunder vnder their feete †and opening her mouth deuoured them with their tabernacles al their substance †and they went downe into hel quicke couered with the ground and perished out of the middes of the multitude †But al Israel that stoode round about fled at the cric of them that perished saying Lest perhappes the earth swallow vs also †But a fire also coming forth from our Lord slew the two hundred fiftie men that offered the incense †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Command Elâ—zar the sonne of Aaron the priest that he take vp the censars that lie in the burning fire and that he sprinkle the fire hither and thither because they be sanctified †in the deathes of the sinners and let him beate them into plates and fasten them to the altar because there hath bene offered incense in them to the Lord and they are sanctified that the children of Israel may see them for a signe and a monument †Eleazar therfore the priest tooke the brasen censars wherin they had offered whom the burning fire deuoured and bette them into plates fastening them to the altar †that the children of Israel afterward might haue wherwith to be admonished that no stranger approch and he that is not of the seede of Aaron to offer incense to our Lord lest he suffer as Core hath suffered and al his congregation according as our Lord spake to Moyses †And al the multitude of the children of Israel murmured the day folowing against Moyses and Aaron saying You haue killed the people of our Lord. †And when there rose a sedition and the tumult grew farder †Moyses and Aaron fled to the tabernacle of couenant Which after they were entred the cloude couered it and the glorie of our Lord appeared †And our Lord said to Moyses †Depart from the middes of this multitude euen now wil I destroy them And as they lay vpon the ground †Moyses said to Aaron Take the censar and drawing fire from the altar put incense vpon it going quickly to the people to pray for them for euen now is the wrath come forth
the ceremonies therof A stranger shal not ioyne with you †Watch in the custodie of the Sanctuarie and in the ministerie of the altar lest indignation rise vpon the children of Israel †I haue geuen you your brethren the Leuites out of the middes of the children of Israel and haue deliuered them a gifte to the Lord to serue in the ministeries of his tabernacle †And thou and thy sonnes looke to your priesthood and al thinges that perteyne to the seruice of the altar and that are within the vele shal be executed by the priestes if anie stranger approch he shal be slaine †And our Lord spake to Aaron behold I haue geuen thee the custodie of my first fruites Al thinges that are sanctified of the children of Israel haue I deliuered to thee and to thy sonnes for the priestlie office as euerlasting ordinances †These thinges therfore shalt thou take of those that are sanctified and are offered to the Lord. Al oblation and sacrifice and whatsoeuer is rendred to me for sinne and offence becometh Holie of holies shal be thine and thy sonnes †In the Sanctuarie shalt thou eate it males onlie shal eate therof because it is to thee a cōsecrated thing †But the first fruites which the children of Israel shal vow and offer I haue geuen thee and thy sonnes and thy daughters for a perpetual right he that is cleane in thy house shal eate them †Al the best of oile and wine and corne whatsoeuer first fruites they offer to the Lord I haue geuen them to thee †Of fruites al the first that the ground bringeth forth and are brought to the Lord shal turne to thy vses he that is cleane in thy house shal eate them †Euerie thing that the children of Israel render by vow shal be thine †Whatsoeuer first breaketh forth from the matrice of al flesh which they offer to the Lord whether it be of men or of beastes shal be thy right yet so that for the first borne of man thou take a price and euerie beast that is vncleane thou cause to be redemed †whose redemption shal be after one moneth for fiue sicles of siluer by the weight of the Sanctuarie A sicle hath twentie oboles †But the first borne of beefe and sheepe and goate thou shalt not cause to be redemed because they are sanctified to the Lord. onlie the bloud of them thou shalt powre vpon the altar and the fatte thou shalt burne for a most sweete odour to the Lord. †But the flesh shal turne to thy vse as the consecrated brest and the right shoulder shal be thine †Al the first fruites of the Sanctuarie which the children of Israel offer to the Lord haue I geuen thee and thy sonnes and daughters for a perpetual right A couenant of salt is it for euer before the Lord to thee and to thy sonnes †And our Lord said to Aaron In their land you shal possesse nothing neither shal you haue a portion among them I am thy portion and inheritance in the middes of the children of Israel †And to the sonnes of Leui I haue geuen al the tithes of Israel in possession for the ministerie wherwith they serue me in the tabernacle of couenant †that the children of Israel approch not any more to the tabernacle nor committe deadlie sinne †onlie the sonnes of Leui seruing me in the tabernacle and bearing the sinnes of the people it shal be an euerlasting ordinance in your generations No other thing shal they possesse †being content with the oblation of tithes which I haue separated for their vses and necessaries †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Command the Leuites and denounce vnto them When you shal receiue of the children of Israel the tithes which I haue geuen you offer first fruites of them to the Lord that is to say the tenth part of the tenth †that it may be reputed to you for an oblation of first fruites as wel of the barne floores as of the presses †and of al thinges wherof you receiue tithes the first fruites offer to the Lord and geue them to Aaron the priest †Al thinges that you shal offer of the tithes and shal separate for the giftes of the Lord they shal be the best and chosen thinges †And thou shalt say to them If you offer al the goodlie and the better thinges of the tithes it shal be reputed to you as if you had geuen first fruites of the barne floore and the presse †and you shal eate them in al your places as wel you as your families because it is the reward for the ministerie wherwith you serue in the tabernacle of testimonie †And you shal not sinne in this point reseruing the principal and fatte thinges to your selues lest you pollute the oblations of the children of Israel and die CHAP. XIX A redde cow is offered in burnt victime for sinne 9. whose ashes are mingled in water for expiation of diuers legal vncleanes 11. as by touching the dead 14. by entring into the tent of the dead also the vessel that is therin and the vessel that lacketh a couer 22. and whatsoeuer the vncleane toucheth AND our Lord spake to Moyses and Aaron saying †This is the religion of the victime which the Lord hath appointed Command the children of Israel that they bring vnto thee a redde cow of ful age wherin is no blemish and that hath not caried yoke †and you shal deliuer her to Eleazar the priest who bringing her forth without the campe shal immolate her in the sight of al †and dipping his finger in her bloud shal sprinkle it against the doores of the tabernacle seuen times †and shal burne her in the sight of al committing aswel her skinne and the flesh as the bloud and the dong to the fire †Wood also of the cedar and hyssope and scarlet twise died shal the priest cast into the flame that wasteth the cow †And then at length washing his garmentes and his bodie he shal enter into the campe and shal be polluted vntil euen †But he also that burneth her shal wash his garmentes and his bodie and shal be vncleane vntil euen †And a man that is cleane shal gather the ashes of the cow and shal powre them out without the campe in a most cleane place that they may be reserued for the multitude of the children of Israel and for water of aspersion because the cowe was burnt for sinne †And when he that caried the ashes of the cow hath washed his garmentes he shal be vncleane vntil euen The children of Israel and the strangers that dwel among them shal haue this for a holie thing by a perpetual ordinance †He that toucheth the dead corps of a man and is vncleane therfore seuen daies †shal be sprinkled of
Kil euerie man his neighbours that are professed to Beelphegor †And behold one of the children of Israel entred in before the face of his brethren to a whore a Madianite in the sight of Moyses and of al the multitude of the children of Israel who wept before the doores of the tabernacle †Which thing when Phinees had sene the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest he arose out of the middes of the multitude and catching a dagger †went in after the man of Israel into the brothel house and thrust them through both together to witte the man and the woman in the genitalles And the plague ceased from the children of Israel †and there were slaine fowre and twentie thowsand men †And our Lord said to Moyses †Phinees the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest hath auerted my wrath from the children of Israel because he was moued with my zele against them that my self might not destroy the children of Israel in mine owne zele †Therfore speake to him Behold I geue him the peace of my couenant †and there shal be as wel to him as to his seede the couenant of priesthood for euer because he hath bene zelous for his God and hath expiated the wicked fact of the children of Israel †And the name of the man of Israel that was slaine with the woman of Madian was Zambri the sonne of Salu a prince of the kinred and tribe of Simeon †Moreouer the Madianesse that was slaine with him was called Cozbi the daughter of Sur a most noble prince of the Madianites †And our Lord spake to Moyses saying †Let the Madianites finde you their enemies and strike you them †Because they also haue done like enemies against you and haue guilfully deceiued you by the Idol Phogor and Cozbi the daughter of the duke of Madian their sister who was strooken in the day of the plague for the sacrilege of Phogor CHAP. XXVI Al the men of twelue tribes being againe numbered from the age of twentie yeares and vpward are found to be six hundred one thousand seuen hundred and thirtie 57. Of the tribe of Leui also numbered of the male sex from the age of one moneth and vpward are found twentie three thousand 64. al being dead in the desert which were numbered before except Caleb and Iosue AFTER the bloud of the offenders was shed our Lord said to Moyses and Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the priest †Number the whole summe of the children of Israel from twentie yeares and vpward by their houses and kinredes al that can goe forth to warres †Moyses therfore and Eleazar the priest spake in the champion countrie of Moab vpon Iordan against Iericho to them that were †from twentie yeares and vpward as our Lord had commanded of whom this is the number †Ruben the first borne of Israel his sonne Henoch of whom is the familie of the Henochites and Phallu of whom is the familie of the Phalluites †and Hesron of whom is the familie of the Hesronites and Charmi of whom is the familie of the Charmites †These are the families of the stocke of Ruben whose number was found fourtie three thousand and seuen hundred thirtie †The sonne of Phallu Eliab †his sonnes Namuel and Dathan and Abiron These are Dathan and Abiron the princes of the people that rose against Moyses and Aaron in the sedition of Core when they rebelled against our Lord †and the earth opening her mouth deuoured Core verie manie dying when the fire burnt two hundred fiftie men And there was a great miracle done †that Core perishing his sonnes perished not †The sonnes of Simeon by their kinredes Namuel of him is the familie of the Namuelites Iamin of him is the familie of the Iaminites Iachin of him is the familie of Iachinites †Zare of him is the familie of the Zareites Saul of him is the familie of the Saulites †these are the families of the stocke of Simeon of which the whole number was two and twentie thousand two hundred †The sonnes of Gad by their kinredes Sephon of him is the familie of the Sephonites Aggi of him is the familie of the Aggites Suni of him is the familie of the Sunites †Ozni of him is the famile of the Oznites Her of him is the familie of the Herites †Arod of him is the familie of the Arodites Ariel of him is the familie of the Arielites †these are the families of Gad of which the whole number was fourtie thousand fiue hundred †The sonnes of Iudas Her and Onan who died both in the land of Chanaan †And the sonnes of Iudas by their kinredes were Sela of whom is the familie of the Selaites Phares of whom is the familie of the Pharesites Zare of whom is the familie of the Zareites †Moreouer the sonnes of Phares Hesron of whom is the familie of the Hesronites and hamul of whom is the familie of the Hamulites †these are the families of Iudas of which the whole number was seuentie six thousand fiue hundred †The sonnes of Issachar by their kinredes Thola of whom is the familie of the Tholaites Phua of whom is the familie of the Phuaites †Iasub of whom is the familie of the Iasubites Semran of whom is the familie of the Semranites †these are the kinredes of Issachar whose number sixtie fowre thousand three hundred †The sonnes of Zabulon by their kinredes Sared of whom is the familie of the Saredites Elon of whom is the familie of the Elonites Ialel of whom is the familie of Ialelites †These are the kinredes of Zabulon whose number was sixtie thousand fiue hundred †The sonnes of Ioseph by their kinredes Manasses and Ephraim †Of Manasses was borne Machir of whom is the familie of the Machirites Machir begat Galaad of whom is the familie of the Galaadites †Galaad had sonnes Iezer of whom is the familie of the Iezerites and Helec of whom is the familie of the Helecites †and Asriel of whom is the familie of the Asrielites and Sechem of whom is the familie of the Sechemites †and Semida of whom is the familie of the Semidaites and Hepher of whom is the familie of the Hepherites †And Hepher was the father of Salphaad who had no sonnes but onlie daughters whose names are these Maala and Noa and Hegla and Melcha and Tersa †these are the families of Manasses and the number of them is fiftie two thousand seuen hundred †And the sonnes of Ephraim by their kinredes were these Suthala of whom is the familie of the Suthalaites Becher of whom is the familie of the Becherites Thehen of whom is the familie of the Thehenites †Moreouer the sonne of Suthala was Heran of whom is the familie of the Heranites †these are the kinredes of the sonnes of Ephraim whose number was thirtie two thousand fiue hundred †These are the
Israel †And the children of Israel did euil in the sight of our Lord and serued Baalim †And they left our Lord the God of their fathers that had brought them out of the Land of Aegypt and folowed strange goddes and the goddes of the peoples that dwelt round about them and adored them and they prouoked our Lord to anger †leauing him and seruing Baal and Astaroth †And our Lord being wrath against Israel deliuered them into the handes of ransackers who tooke them and sold them to the enemies that dwelt round about neither could they resist their aduersaries †but whither soeuer they had meant to goe the hand of our Lord was vpon them as he spake and sware to them and they were vehemently afflicted †And our Lord raysed vp Iudges that should deliuer them from the handes of the wasters but neither would they heare them †fornicating with strange goddes and adoring them They did quickly forsake the way in the which their fathers had gone and hearing the commandementes of our Lord they did al thinges contrarie †And when our Lord raysed vp Iudges in their daies he was moued with mercie and heard the groninges of the afflicted and deliuered them from the slaughter of the wasters †But after the Iudge was dead they returned and did much worse things then their fathers had done folowing strange goddes seruing them and adoring them They left not their inuentions and the verie hard way by which they were accustomed to walke †And the furie of our Lord was angrie against Israel said Because this nation hath made my couenāt frustrate which I had made with their fathers hath cōtemned my voice †I also wil not destroy the nations which Iosue did let alone and died †that in them I may trie Israel whether they wil keepe the way of the Lord and walke in it as their fathers kept it or no. †Our Lord therfore left al these nations and would not quickly ouerthrow them neither deliuered them into the handes of Iosue CHAP. III. The people associating them selues with Gentiles against whom they ought to fight 8. are inuaded by forraine kinges 9. but repenting are deliuered by Othoniel 12. Falling againe afflicted and repenting 15. are deliuered by Aod 21. secretely killing Eglon their enemie 31. After him Samgar defendeth Israel against the Philisthimes THESE are the Nations which our Lord left that in them he might instruct Israel and al that had not knowen the warres of the Chananeites †that afterward their children might lerne to fight with their enemies and to be accustomed to warre †the fiue princes of the Philisthimes and the Chananeite and Sidonian and Heueite that dwelt in mount Libanus from mount Baal Hermon to the entring into Emath †And he left them that in them he might trie Israel whether they would heare the commandementes of our Lord which he had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moyses or not †Therfore the children of Israel dwelt in the middes of the Chananeite and Hetheite and Amorrheite and Pherezeite and Heueite and Iebuseite †and they tooke their daughters to wiues and them selues gaue their owne daughters to their sonnes serued their goddes †And they did euil in the sight of our Lord and forgat their God seruing Baalim and Astaroth †And our Lord being wrath against Israel deliuered them into the handes of Chusan Rasathaim the king of Mesopotamia and they serued him eight yeares †And they cried to our Lord who raysed them vp a sauiour and deliuered them to witte Othoniel the sonne of Cenez the yonger brother of Caleb †and the Spirit of our Lord was in him and he iudged Israel And he went forth to fight and our Lord deliuered into his handes Chusan Rasathaim the king of Syria and oppressed him †And the land rested fourtie yeares and Othoniel the sonne of Cenez died †And the children of Israel added to doe euil in the sight of our Lord who strengthned against them Eglon the king of Moab because they did euil in his sight †And he ioyned to him the children of Ammon and Amalec and he went and stroke Israel and possessed the Citie of palmes †And the children of Israel serued Eglon the king of Moab eightene yeares †and afterward they cried to our Lord who raysed vp vnto them a sauiour called Aod the sonne of Gera the sonne of Iemini who vsed both handes for the right And the children of Israel sent by him presentes to Eglon the king of Moab †Who made him self a two edged sword hauing in the middes a hafte in length the palme of a hand and was girded therwith vnder his cassocke on the right thigh †And he presented the giftes to Eglon the king of Moab And Eglon was exceeding grosse †And when he had presented the giftes vnto him he brought his felowes on the way that came with him †And returning from Galgal where the Idols were he said to the King I haue a secrete message to thee ô king And he commanded silence and al being gone forth that were about him †Aod went in to him and he sate in a sommer chamber alone and he said A word from God I haue to thee Who forthwith rose out of his throne †And Aod put forth his left hand and tooke the dagger from his right thigh and fastened it into his bellie †so mightely that the haft folowed the blade in the wound and was closed vp fast with the most fatte grease Neither did he plucke out the dagger but as he had striken so leift it in the bodie and forthwith by the secrete partes of nature the ordure of the bellie came forth †But Aod shutting the doores of the chamber very diligently and locking them sure †went out by a posterne doore And the kinges seruantes going in saw the doores of the chamber shut and they said Peraduenture he purgeth his bellie in the sommer chamber †And expecting long til they were ashamed and seeing that no man did open they tooke a key and opening they found their lord on the earth lying dead †But Aod whiles they were trubled escaped and passed by the Place of Idols whence he had returned And he came into Seirath †and forthwith the trumpet sounded in the mount of Ephraim and the children of Israel went downe with him him self going in the front †Who said to them Folow me for our Lord hath deliuered our enemies the Moabites into our handes And they went downe after him and occupied the fordes of Iordan which bring ouer into Moab and they suffered no man to passe †but they stroke the Moabites at that time about ten thousand al stoute and strong men none of them could escape †And Moab was humbled that day vnder the hand of Israel and the Land rested eightie yeares †After him was Samgar the sonne of Anath who stroke of the
traitarously slaine by his seruantes and his sonne Amasias reigneth IN the seuenth yeare of Iehu reigned Ioas and he reigned fourtie yeares in Ierusalem The name of his mother was Sebia of Bersabee †And Ioas did right before our Lord al the daies that Ioiada the priest taught him †But yet the excelses he tooke not away for the people immolated burnt incense in the excelses †And Ioas sayd to the priestes Al the money of the sanctified thinges which is brought into the temple of our Lord by the passengers which is offered for the price of a soule and which of their owne accord and of their owne free hart they bring into the temple of our Lord †let the priestes take it according to their order and maynteine reparations of the house if they shal see any thing that needeth reparation †Therfore vntil the three and twenteth yeare of king Ioas the priestes did not make reparations of the temple †And king Ioas called Ioiada the high priest and the priestes saying to them Why make you not the reparations of the temple Take you therfore money no more according to your order but render it to the reparation of the temple †And the priestes were prohibited to take money anie more of the people and to make the reparations of the temple †And Ioiada the high priest tooke a treasurie and opened a hole in the toppe and sette it by the altar at the right hand of them that goe into the house of our Lord and the priestes that kept the doores did cast into it al the money that was brought to the temple of our Lord. †And when they saw that there was very much money in the treasurie the kinges scribe and the high priest went vp and powred it out and counted the money that was found in the house of our Lord †and they gaue it according to number and measure into their hand which did ouersee the masons of the house of our Lord who bestowed it on carpenters and on masons such as wrought in the house of our Lord †and made reparations and on them that hewed stones and that they should bye trees and stones that were hewed so that the reparation of the house of our Lord was accomplished in al thinges which had neede of cost to vphold the house †But yet there were not made of the same money the watter pottes of the temple of our Lord and the fleshhookes and censars and trumpets and euerie vessel of gold and siluer of the money that was brought into the temple of our Lord. †For it was geuen them that did the worke that the temple of our Lord might be repayred †and there was no account made with those men that receiued the money to distribute it to the craftes men but vpon their fidelitie they bestowed it †But the money for offence the money for sinnes they brought not into the temple of our Lord because it was the priestes †Then Hazael the king of Syria went vp and fought agaynst Geth and tooke it and directed his face to goe vp to Ierusalem †For which cause Ioas the king of Iuda tooke al the sanctified thinges which Iosaphat and Ioram and Ochozias his fathers the kinges of Iuda had consecrated and which him self had offered and al the siluer that could be found in the treasures of the temple of our Lord and in the kinges palace and sent it to Hazael the king of Syria and he retyred from Ierusalem †But the rest of the wordes of Ioas and al that he did are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Iuda †And his seruantes arose and conspired among them selues and stroke Ioas in the house of Mello in the descent of Sella †For Iosachar the sonne of Semaath and Iozabad the sonne of Somer his seruantes stroke him and he died and they buried him with his fathers in the citie of Dauid and Amasias his sonne reigned for him CHAP. XIII Ioachaz King of Israel is afflicted by the Syrians 4. and deliuered 6. Yet destroyeth not idolatrie 8. dieth and his sonne Ioas foloweth his euil steppes â—4 Eliseus being sicke willeth the king to shoote 18. and to strike the earth who striking thrise is told that he shal thrise strike the Syrians 20. Eliseus dieth and a dead men is reuiued touching his bones 22. Ioas recouereth that which the Syrians â—ad taken from Israel IN the three and twenteth yeare of Ioas the sonne of Ochozias the king of Iuda reigned Ioachaz the sonne of Iehu ouer Israel in Samaria seuentene yeares †And he did euil before our Lord and folowed the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat who made Israel to sinne and declined not from them †And the furie of our Lord was wrath agaynst Israel and he deliuered them into the hand of Hazael the king of Syria and into the hand of Benadad the sonne of Hazael alwaies †But Ioachaz besought the face of our Lord and our Lord heard him for he saw the distresse of Israel that the king of Syria had broken them †and our Lord gaue a sauiour to Israel and they were deliuered out of the hand of the king of Syria and the children of Israel dwelt in their tabernacles as yesterday and the day before †But yet they departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam who made Israel to sinne but they walked in them for the grone also remayned in Samaria †And there were leaft to Ioachaz of the people but fiftie horsemen and ten chariotes and ten thousand footmen for the king of Syria had slaine them and had brought them as dust by threshing in the barne floore †But the rest of the wordes of Ioachaz and al that he did and his strength are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the daies of the kinges of Israel †And Ioachaz slept with his fathers they buried him in Samaria and Ioas his sonne reigned for him †In the seuen and thirteth yeare of Ioas the king of Iuda reigned Ioas the sonne of Ioachaz ouer Israel in Samaria sixtene yeares †and he did that which is euil in the sight of our Lord he declined not from al the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat who made Israel to sinne but he walked in them †But the rest of the wordes of Ioas and al that he did and his strength how he fought agaynst Amasias the king of Iuda are not these thinges writen in the Booke of the wordes of the dayes of the kinges of Israel †And Ioas slept with his fathers but Ieroboam sate vpon his throne Moreouer Ioas was buried in Samaria with the kinges of Israel †And Eliseus was sicke of an infirmitie wherof also he died and Ioas the king of Israel went downe to him and wept before him and sayd My father my father the chariote of Israel and the
whosoeuer had geuen their hart to seeke our Lord the God of Israel came into Ierusalem to immolate their victims before our Lord the God of their fathers †And they strenghened the kingdom of Iuda and established Roboam the sonne of Salomon for three yeares for they walked in the waies of Dauid and Salomon onlie three yeares †And Roboam tooke to wife Mahalath the daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid Abiâ—ail also the daughter of Eliab the sonne of Isai †who bare him sonnes Iehus and Somorias and Zoom †After this woman also he tooke Maacha the daughter of Absalom who bare him Abia and Ethai and Ziza and Salomith †And Roboam loued Maacha the daughter of Absalom aboue al his wiues and concubines for he had maried eightene wiues and threescore concubines and he begat eight and twentie sonnes and threescore daughters †But he appoynted for head Abias the sonne of Maacha duke ouer al his brethren for he meant to make him king †because he was wiser and mightier aboue al his sonnes and in al the costes of Iuda and of Beniamin and in al the walled cities and he gaue them much meate and he disired manie wiues CHAP. XII For the sinnes of Roboam and the people manie strong cities also Ierusalem are taken and spoyled by the king of Aegypt 8. They repent and the Aegyptians depart 9. but carie away the treasures 13. Roboam dieth and his sonne Abias reigneth AND when the kingdom of Roboam was strengthened and fortified he forsooke the law of our Lord and al Israel with him †And in the fifth yeare of the kingdom of Roboam came vp Sesac the king of Aegypt into Ierusalem because they had sinned to our Lord †with a thousand two hundred chariotes and threescore thousand horsemen neither was anie number of the common people that came with him out of Aegypt to witte Lybians and Troglodytes and Aethiopians †And he tooke the most fensed cities in Iuda and came ouer vnto Ierusalem †And Semeias the prophete went to Roboam and to the princes of Iuda that were gathered togetherin Ierusalem fleing from Sasac and he sayd to them Thus sayth our Lord You haue leaft me and I haue leaft you in the hand of Sesac †And the princes of Israel and the king being astonied sayd Our Lord is iust †And when our Lord had seene that they were humbled the word of our Lord came to Semeias saying Because they are humbled I wil not destroy them and I wil geue them a litle ayde and my furie shal not droppe vpon Ierusalem by the hand of Sesac †But yet they shal serue him that they may know the distance of my seruice and of the seruice of the kingdom of the earth †Therfore Sesac the king of Aepypt retyred from Ierusalem taking away the treasures of the house of our Lord and of the kinges house and he tooke al thinges with him and the golden shieldes that Salomon had made †for the which the king made brasen ones and deliuered them to the princes of the shieldbearers which kept the entrance of the palace †And when the king entred into the house of our Lord the shieldbearers came and tooke them brought them backe agayne to their armorie †But yet because they were humbled the wrath of our Lord was turned away from them neither were they vtterly destroyed for in Iuda there were found good workes †King Roboam therfore was strengthened in Ierusalem reigned one and fourtie yeares old was he when he beganne to reigne and he reigned seuentene yeares in Ierusalem the citie which our Lord chose to confirme his name there out of al the tribes of Israel and the name of his mother was Naama an Ammonite †And he did euil and prepared not his hart to seke our Lord. †But the workes of Roboam the first and the last are writen in the Bookes of Semeias the Prophete and of Addo the Seer and diligently expounded and Roboam and Ietoboam fought one agaynst the other al their daies †And Roboam slept with his fathers and was buried in the citie of Dauid And Abias his sonne reigned for him CHAP. XIII Abias maketh warre agaynst Ieroboam 4. exhorteth the people of Israel for iustice and religions sake to returne to him 13. In the meane time Ieroboam inuironeth him with forces but by Gods assistance Abias preuaileth 21. and reigneth securely IN the eightenth yeare of king Ieroboam reigned Abias ouer Iuda †Three yeares reigned he in Ierusalem and his mothers name was Michaia the daughter of Vriel of Gabaa there was warre betwen Abias and Ieroboam †And when Abias had begun battel and had most warlike men of chosen ones four hundreth thousand Ieroboam put his armie in aray on the contrarie side eight hundreth thousand men who them selues also were chosen men and most valiant to battels †Abias therfore stood vpon mount Semeron which was in Ephraim and sayd Heare Ieroboam and al Israel †Are you ignorant that our Lord the God of Israel gaue the kingdom to Dauid ouer Israel for euer to him and his children as a couenant of salt †And there rose vp Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat the seruant of Salomon the sonne of Dauid and rebelled agaynst his lord †And there were gathered to him al the most vayne men and the children of Belial and they preuayled agaynst Roboam the sonne of Salomon moreouer Roboam was rude and of a fearful hart and could not resist them †Now therfore you say that you are able to resist the kingdom of our Lord which he possesseth by the children of Dauid and you haue a great multitude of people and golden calues which Ieroboam hath made you for goddes †And you haue cast out the Priestes of of our Lord the children of Aaron and the Leuites and you haue made you priestes as al the peoples of the earth who soeuer shal come consecrate his hand in a bullock of oxen and in seuen rammes is made the priest of them that are not goddes †But our Lord is God whom we forsake not and the Priestes do minister to our Lord of the children of Aaron and the Leuites are in their order †Holocaustes also they do offer to our Lord euerie day morning and euening and incense made according to the preceptes of the law and the loaues are set forth on a most cleane table and there is with vs the golden condlesticke and the lampes therof that they may be lighted alwaies at euening for we keepe the preceptes of the Lord our God whom you haue forsaken †Therfore in our host God is the prince and his Priestes which sound with trumpettes and resound agaynst you children of Israel sight not agaynst our Lord the God of your fathers because it is not expedient for you †He speaking these thinges Ieroboam endeuoured to entrappe him behind And when he stood ouer agaynst the enemies
and girdeth their reines with a corde †He leadeth away Priestes without glorie and supplanteth the great men †Changing the lippe of the true and taking away the doctrine of the ancientes †He powreth out contempt vpon princes releeuing them that had bene oppressed †Who reueleth profound things out of darkenesse and bringeth forth the shadow of death into light †Who multiplieth nations and destroyeth them and restoreth the destroyed whole agayne †Who changeth the hart of the princes of the people of the earth and deceiueth them that they may goe in vayne where is no passage †They shal grope as in the darke and not in the light and he shal make them goe amis as druncken men CHAP. XIII Of their owne wordes Iob confuteth his aduersaries that they haue spoken that which they know not 13. defendeth his owne innocencie 22. desiring of God if he be afflicted for secrete sinnes that he may know them BEHOLD mine eie hath seene al these thinges and mine eare hath heard I haue vnderstood euerie thing †According to your knowledge I also do know neither am I inferiour to you †But yet I wil speake to the Omnipotent and I couet to dispute with God †First shewing you to be forgers of lying and mainteyners of peruerse opinions †And would God ye would hold your peace that you might be thought to be wise men †Heare ye therfore my correptions and attend the iudgement of my lippes †Hath God neede of your lye that for him you speake guiles †Doe you take his person and doe you endeuour to iudge for God †Or shal it please him from whom nothing can be concealed or shal he be deceiued as a man with your fraudulent dealings †He shal reproue you because in secrete you take his person †Forth with as he shal moue himself he shal truble you and his terrour shal come violently vpon you †Your memorie shal be compared to ashes and your neckes shal be brought into clay †Hold your peace a litle while that I may speake what soeuer my minde shal prompt me †Why doe I teare my flesh with my teeth carie my soule in my handes †Although he shal kil me I wil trust in him but yet I wil reproue my waies in his sight †And he shal be my sauiour for no hypocrite shal come in his sight †Heare ye my word and receiue the obscure sayings with your eares †If I shal be iudged I know that I shal be found iust †What is he that wil be iudged with me let him come why am I consumed holding my peace †Two things only do not to me and then shal I not be hid from thy face †Make thy hand far from me and let not thy feare terrifie me †Cal me and I wil answer thee or els I wil speake and doe thou answer me †How great iniquites and sinnes I haue my wicked deedes and my offences shewe thou me †Why hidest thou thy face and thinkest me thine enemy †Against the leafe that is violently taken with the wind thou shewest thy might and persecutest drie stuble †For thou writest bitternes against me and wilt consume me with the sinnes of my youth †Thou hast put my feete in the stockes and hast obserued al my pathes and hast considered the steppes of my feete †Who as rottenes am to be consumed and as a garment that is eaten of the moth CHAP. XIIII Againe Iob describeth the miseries of mans life 3. Neuertheles Gods great prouidence towards him 7. professeth his beleefe of the Resurrection MAN borne of woman liuing a short time is replenished with many mseiries †Who as a flowre cometh forth and is destroyed fleeth as a shadow neuer abideth in the same state †And doest thou counte it a worthy thing to open thine eies vpon such an one and to bring him with thee into iudgement †Who can make cleane him that is conceiued of vncleane seede is it not thou which onlie art †The daies of man are short the number of his monethes is with thee thou hast appointed his limittes which can not be passed †Depart a litle from him that he may rest vntil his day wished for come euen as the hyred man †A tree hath hope if it be cut it waxeth greene agâ—iâ—e and the boughes thereof spring †If his roote be old in the earth and the truncke therof be dead in the dust †At the sent of water it shal spring and bring forth leaues as when it was first planted †But when man shal be dead and naked and consumed where is he I pray †As if the waters should deparr out of the sea and a riuer made emptie should be dried vp †So man when he is a sleepe shal not rise agayne til heauen perish he shal not awake nor rise vp out of his sleepe †Who wil grant me this that in hel thou protect me and hide me til thy furie passe and appoynt me a time wherin thou wilt remember me †Shal man that is dead thinkest thou liue agayne al the daies in which I am now in warfare I expect vntil my change do come †Thou shalt cal me and I shal answer thee to the worke of thy handes thou shalt reach thy right hand †Thou in dede hast numbred my steppes but thou wilt spare my sinnes †Thou hast sealed my offences as it were in a bag but hast cured mine iniquitie †A mountaine falling slideth downe and a rock is remoued out of his place †Waters make stones holow and with inundation the earth by litle and litle is consumed and men therfore thou shalt destroy in like maner †Thou hast strengthened him a litle that he might passe away foreuer thou shalt chaÌ„ge his face and shalt send him forth †Whether his children shal be noble or vnnoble he shal not vnderstand †But yet his flesh whiles he shal liue shal haue sorow his soule shal mourne vpon himself CHAP XV. Eliphaz againe chargeth Iob to haue spoken presumptuously blasphemously 14. auoucheth that no man is innocent nor iust 20. describing the malediction of impious and hypochrites BVT Eliphaz the Themanite answering sayd †Wil a wise man answer as it were speaking into the wind and fil his stomacke with burning †Thou reprouest him in wordes that is not equal to thee and speakest that which is not expedient for thee †As much as is in thee thou hast euacuated feare and hast taken away prayers before God †For thine iniquitie hath taught thy mouth and thou doest imitate the tongue of blasphemers †Thine owne mouth shal condemne thee and not I and thy lippes shal answer thee †Wast thou the first man borne and formed before the litle hilles †Hast thou heard Gods counsel and shal his wisedome be inferiour to thee †What doest
ye and see that our Lord is sweete blessed is the man that hopeth in him †Feare ye our Lord al ye his sainctes because there is no lacke to them that feare him †The rich haue wanted and haue bene hungrie but they that seeke after our Lord shal not be diminished of any good †Come children heare me I wil teach you the feare of our Lord. †Who is the man that wil haue life loueth to see good daies †“ Stay thy tongue from euil and thy lippes that they speake not guile †Turne away from euil and do good seeke after peace and pursewe it †The eies of our Lord vpon the iust and his eares vnto their prayers †But the countenance of our Lord is vpon them that doe euil things to destroy their memorie out of the earth †The iust haue cried and our Lord hath heard them and out of al their tribulations he hath deliuered them †Our Lord is nigh to them that are of a contrite hart and the humble of spirit he wil saue †Manie are the tribulations of the iust and out of al these our Lord wil deliuer them Our Lord keepeth al their bones there shal not one of them be broken The death of sinners is verie il and they that hate the iust shal offend Our Lord wil redeme the soules of his seruantes and al that hope in him shal not offend ANNOTATIONS PSALME XXXIII 1. He changed his countenance S. Augustin by holie Dauids changing of his countenance and by changing the king of Geth his name who in the booke of kinges where the historie is recorded is called Achis and here Abimelech gethereth that here is an hidden and great Mysterie VVhich he explicateth partly by interpretation of the Hebrew names but more especially by Dauids changing of his countenance which prefigured Christ eternal God becoming also man and so making great changes in the world For as Dauid killed Goliath and for his good act gotte enuie so Christ killing the diuel and humilitie in Christs meÌ„bers killing pride are persecuted by the wicked For Christ was both to the ruine and Resurrection of manie He changed Sacrifice and Priesthood The Iewes had sacrifice according to the order of Aaron in victims of cattle and this was in mysterie For there was not then the Sacrifice of the bodie and bloud of our Lord which the faithful and those that haue read the Gospel do know which Sacrifice is now spread in al the round earth Aâ—litle after the Sacrifice of Aaron is taken away and the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech begane to be He therfore I knovv not vvho changed his countenance Let it not be I knovv not vvho for our Lord Iesus Christ is knowen He would haue our health to be in his bodie and bloud From whence did he commend his bodie and bloud from his humilitie For vnles he were humble he would neither be eaten nor druncke Behold his highnes In the beginning was the vvord and the vvord was with God and God the vvord Loe the euerlasting meate and Angels eate it supernal powres eate it celestial spirites eate it and they eate and are fatted and the thing remaineth whole which satiateth and reioyceth them How then hath the vvisdome of God fedde vs vvith the same bread the word was made flesh and dwelt in vs It were too long to recite this great Doctors vvhole discourse He further sheweth that Christ dismissed the Ievves and vvent from them to the Gentiles Thou seekest novv Christ saith he among the Ievves and findest him not because he hath changed his countenance For they sticking to the sacrifice according to the order of Aaron held not the Sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedech and haue lost Christ and the Gentiles haue begunne to haue him Againe this holie father vvilleth vs to remember the Gospel VVhen our Lord Iesus Christ spake of his bodie he said Vnles you eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloud you shal not haue life in you because he had changed his countenance this semed as furie and madnes vnto them to geue his flesh to be eaten of men his bloud to be drunke therfore Dauid vvas reputed madde before Achis vvhen he said you haue brought this madde man vnto me Doth it not seme madnes Eate ye my flesh and drinke my bloud He semed to be madde thus S. Augustin Neuer imagining the figuratiue interpretation of our nevv Sacramentaries vvho say Christ gaue no more but a figure of his bodie bloud for then it had bene easily vnderstood by the Capharnaites and no such contradiction nor murmuring had happened Yet S. Augustin saith more plainly if more plaine may be Christ caried himselfe in his ovvne handes And hovv this can be done bretheren in man vvho can vnderstand For vvho is caried in his ovvne handes A man may be caried in the handes of others no man is caried in his ovvne handes VVe find not hovv it can be vnderstood in Dauid according to the letter but in Christ vve find it For Christ vvas caried in his ovvne handes vvhen geuing his verie bodie he said This is my bodie for he caried his bodie in his ovvne handes 14 15. â—tay thy tongue c. Both these verses and frequent other places in the Psalmes shevv plainly that iustice consisteth not only in faith but in abstayning from euil and doing good yet requiring and presupposing true faith vvithout which no workes are aualable to iustice nor to euerlasting life PSALME XXXIIII Dauid in figure of Christ prophetically by way of inuocating Gods helpe forsheweth his persecution and the iust reuenge vpon his persecutors 9. with praise to God 13. his charitie towards his cruel aduersaries 17. whom neuertheles God punisheth 20. for pretending peace in wordes and in fact persecuting 23. rendering to al as they deserue To Dauid himself IVDGE ô Lord them that hurt me ouerthrow them that impugne me †Take armour and shield and rise vp to helpe me †Bring forth the sword and shut vp against them that perfecute me say to my soule I am thy saluation †Let them be counfounded ashamed that seeke my soule Let them be turned backward and be confounded that thinke euil against me †Be they made as dust before the face of winde and the angel of our Lord straictning them †Let their way be made darkenesse and slippernes and the angel of our Lord pursewing them †Because they haue hid the destruction of their snare for me without cause in vaine haue they vpbrayded my soule †Let the snare which he knoweth not come on him and the net which he hath hid catch him and let him fal into the verie same snare †But my soule shal reioyce in our Lord and shal be delighted vpon his saluation †Al
loosed him the prince of the people and released him †He appointed him lord of his house and prince of al his possession †That he might instruct his princes as himselfe and might teach his ancientes wisedom †And Israel entered into Aegypt and Iacob was a seiourner in the land of Cham. †And he increased his people excedingly and strengthned them ouer their enemies †He turned their hart that they hated his people and to worke guile toward his seruantes †He sent Moyses his seruant Aaron him selfe whom he chose †He did put in them the wordes of his signes and of his wonders in the Land of Cham. †He sent darkenes and obscured and did not exasperate his wordes †He turned their waters into bloud and killed their fishes †Their land broughtforth frogges in the inner chambers of their kinges †He sayd and the caenomyia came and the cinifes in al their coastes †He made theyr raynes haile fire burning in their land †And he stroke their vines and their figtrees and he destroyed the wood of their coastes †He said the locust came and the bruchus wherof there was no number †And it did eate al the grasse in their land and it did eate al the fruicte of their land †And he stroke euerie first begotten in their land the first fruictes of al their labour †And he brought themforth with gold and siluer and there was not in their tribes a feeble person †Aegypt was glad at their departure because the feare of them lay vpon them †He spred a cloude for their protection and fire to shine vnto them by night †They made petition and the quaile came and he filled them with the bread of heauen †He diuided the rocke and waters flowed riuers ranne in the drie ground †Because he was mindful of his holie word which he had vttered to Abraham his seruant †And he broughtforth his people in exultation and his elect in ioy †And he gaue them the countries of the Nations and they possessed the labours of peoples †That they might keepe his iustifications and seeke after his lawe PSALME CV The prophet exhorteth the people to render thankes and praises to God 6. for remitting their manifold sinnes in the desert 34. and in the conquered land 38. foreshewing like sinnes to come Gods wrath and punishment for the same 44. and that he wil geue grace of repentance to some 47. for which he prayeth and praiseth God Allelu ia CONFESSE ye to our Lord because he is good because his mercie is for euer †Who shal speake the powers of our Lord shal make al his prayses to be heard †Blessed are they that keepe iudgement and doe iustice at al time †Remember vs ô Lord in the good pleasure of thy people visite vs in thy saluation †To see in the goodnes of thyne elect to reioyce in the ioy of thy nation that thou maist be praysed with thine inheritance †We haue sinned with our fathers we haue dealt vniustly we haue done iniquitie †Our father 's in Aegypt did not vnderstand thy meruelous workes they were not mindeful of the multitude of thy mercie And they prouoked thee to wrath going vp vnto the sea the Read sea †And he saued them for his name sake that he might make his power knowen †And he rebuked the Read sea and it was made drie and he led them in the depths as in a desert †And he saued them from the hand of them that hated them and “ he redemed them out of the hand of the enemie †And water ouerwhelmed those that afflicted them there did not one of them remaine †And they beleued his wordes and they sang his praise †They had quickly donne they forgot his workes and they expected not his counsel †And they coueted concupiscence in the desert and tempted God in the place without water †He gaue them their petition and sent saturitie into their soules †And they prouoked Moyses in the campe Aaron the holie of our Lord. †The earth was opened and swalowed Dathan and ouerwhelmed the congregation of Abiron †And a fire flamed vp in their sinagogue the flame burnt the sinners †And they made a calfe in Horeb and they adored the sculptil †And they changed their glorie into the similitude of a calfe that eateth grasse †They forgat God which saued them which did great thinges in Aegypt †meruelous thinges in the land of Cham terrible thinges in the Read sea †And he sayd to destroy them if Moyses his elect had not stood in the way before him To turne away his wrath that he should not destroy them †and they estemed for naught the land that was to be desired They did not beleue his word †and they murmured in their tabernacles they heard not the voice of our Lord. †And he lifted vp his hand ouer them to ouerthrowe them in the desert †And to cast doune their seede among the Nations and to disperse them in the countries †And they were professed to Beelphegor and they did eate the sacrifices of the dead †And they prouoked him in their inuentions and ruine was multiplied on them †And Phinees stood and pacified and the slaughter ceased †And it was reputed to him vnto iustice in generation and generation euen for euer †And they prouoked him at the waters of contradiction and Moyses was vexed for them †because they exasperated his spirit And he playnely affirmed in his lippes †they destroyed not the nations of which our Lord spake to them †And they were mingled among the nations and learned their workes †and they serued their sculptils and it became a scandal to them †And they immolated their sonnes and their daugheters to diuels †And they shed innocent bloud the bloud of their sonnes and of their daughters which they sacrificed to the sculptils of Chanaan And the land was infected with bloud †and was contaminated in their workes and they did fornicat in their inuentions †And our Lord was wrath with â—urie vpon his people and he abhorred his inheritance †And he deliuered them into the handes of the nations and they that hated them had the dominion of them †And their enimies afflicted them and they were humbled vnder their handes †he did often deliuer them But they exasperated him in their counsel and they were humbled in their iniquities †And he saw when they were afflicted and he heard their prayer †And he was mindeful of his testament and it repented him according to the multitude of his mercie
my soule he hath humbled my life in the earth He hath set me in obscure places as the dead of the world †and my spirit is in anguish vpon me within me my hart is trubled †I was mindful of old dayes I haue meditated in al thy workes in the factes of thy handes did I meditate †I haue stretched forth my handes to thee my soule is as earth without water vnto thee †Heare me quickly ô Lord my spirite hath faynted Turne not away thy face from me and I shal be like to them that descend into the lake †Make me heare thy mercie in the morning because I haue hoped in thee Make the way knowen to me wherein I may walke because I haue lifted vp my soule to thee †Deliuer me from mine enemies ô Lord to thee I haue fled †teach me to doe thy wil because thou art my God Thy good spirite wil conduct me into the right way †for thy name sake ô Lord thou wilt quicken me in thine equitie Thou wilt bring forth my soule our of tribulation †and in thy mercie thou wilt destroy mine enemies And thou wilt destroy al that afflict my soule because I am thy seruant PSALME CXLIII The royal Prophet thanketh God for al his victories and possession of the kingdom 3. Admiring Gods benignitie towards man 5. prayeth to be stil defended from al enimies 9. promiseth a new songue of prayse 11. describeth the vanitie of worldlie men 15. concluding that true felicitie is in seruing God A Psalme of Dauid against Goliath BLESSED be our Lord my God who teacheth my handes to battel and my fingers to warre †My mercie and my refuge my defender and my deliuerer My protectour and I haue hoped in him who subdeweth my people vnder me †Lord what is man that thou art made knowne to him or the sonne of man that thou estemest him †Man is made like to vanitie his dayes passe as a shadow †Lord incline thy heauens and descend touch the mountaynes and they wil smoke †Lighten lightening and thou shalt disperse them shoote out thine arrowes and thou shalt destroy them †Send forth thy hand from on high take me out and deliuer me from manie waters from the hand of children strangers †Whose mouth hath spoken vanitie and their right hand is the right hand of iniquitie †O God I wil sing to thee a new song in the psalter of ten stringes I wil sing to thee †Who geuest saluation to kinges who hast redemed Dauid thy seruant from the malignant sword †deliuer me And rescue me out of the hand of children strangers whose mouth hath spoken vanitie and their right hand is the right hand of iniquitie †Whose sonnes are as new plantes in their youth Their daughters comly trimmed decked about after the similitude of a temple †Their storehouses ful flowing out of this into that Their ewes ful of yong abunding in their going forth †their oxen are fatte There is no ruine of wal nor passage nor crie in their streates †They haue said that it is a happie people which hath these things blessed is the people whose God is our Lord. PSALME CXLIIII God is and for euer ought to be praised 3. for his immensiue infinite glorious Maiestie meruelous workes merciful benefites for his powre wisdom iustice 19. who wil reward the good and destroy the wicked Praysing to Dauid himselfe I “ Wil exalt thee my God the king and I wil blesse thy name for euer and for euer and euer †Euerie day wil I blesse thee and wil praise thy name for euer and for euer and euer †Great is our Lord and exceding laudable and of his greatnes there is no end †Generation and generation shal praise thy workes and they shal pronounce thy powre †They shal speake the magnificence of the glorie of thy holines and shal tel thy meruelous workes †And they shal tel the force of thy terrible thinges and shal declare thy greatnes †They shal vtter the memorie of the abundance of thy swetnes and in thy iustice they shal reioyce †Our Lord is pitiful and merciful patient and very merciful †Our Lord is sweete to al and his commiserations are ouer al his workes †Let al thy workes ô Lord confesse to thee and let thy sainctes blesse thee †They shal tel the glorie of thy kingdom and shal speake thy might †That they may make thy might knowne to the children of men and the glorie of the magnificence of thy kingdom †Thy kingdom is a kingdom of al worldes and thy dominion in al generation and generation †“ Our Lord is faithful in al his wordes and holie in al his workes †Our Lord lifteth vp al that fal and setteth vp al that are bruised †The eies of al hope in thee ô Lord and thou geuest their meate in time conuenient †Thou openest thy hand and fillest euerie liuing creature with blessing †Our Lord is iust in al his wayes and holie in al his workes †Our Lord is neere to al that inuocate him to al that inuocate him in truth †He wil doe the wil of them that feare him and wil heare their prayer and saue them †Our Lord keepeth al that loue him and he wil destroy al sinners †My mouth shal speake the prayse of our Lord and let al flesh blesse his holie name for euer and for euer and euer ANNOTATIONS PSALME CXLIIII I vvil exalt thee As this Psalme is the first of the seuen vvhich conteyne more particular instruction of perpetually praising God so it is the seuenth of those vvhich are composed in order of the Alphabet tovvitte the 24 33. â—â— 110. 111. 118. and this 144 Of vvhich the three former vvant some letters signifying as Cassiodorus interpreteth such in Gods Church as sing his praises but vvith some imperfections the other foure haue the perfect Alphabet signifying those that sing Gods praises vvith perfect deuotion VVhich only foure S. Ierom calleth Alphabetical Psalmes Epist ad Paulam Vrbiâ—am Proâ—m in Lament Ierem. 1â— Our Lord is faithful This verse is not novv in the ordinarie Hebrevv texâ— and therfore either the same is defectiue or els this Psalme should senâ—e noâ— to be composed vvith a perfect Alphabet in the fountaine tongue For here it vvanteth the letter Nun. But seing S. Ierom counteth this one of the foure Alphabetical Psalmes omitting the other three vvhich consist of vnperfect Alphabets it is very probable that this verse vvas once in the Hebrevv text as it is both in Greke Latin VVherby amongst other places appeareth that there is no certaintie to correct the Greke or Latin Bible by the Hebrâ—â—â— vvhich is novvextant but
the law multiplieth oblation †It is an holsome sacrifice to attend to the commandments and to depart from al iniquitie †To depart from iniquitie is a thing that pleaseth our Lord wel and to depart from iniustice is an intreating for sinnes †Thou shalt not appeare before the sight of our Lord emptie †For al these thinges are done because of the commandment of God †The oblation of the iust maketh a fatte altar and is an odour of sweetenes in the sight of the Highest †The sacrifice of the iust is acceptable and our Lord wil not forget the memorie thereof †Render glorie to God with a good minde and diminish not the first fruites of thine handes †In euerie gift make thy countenance chereful and in ioyfulnes sanctifie thy tithes †Geue to the Highest according to his gift and with a good eie doe according to the abilitie of thine handes †because our Lord is a rewarder and wil repay thee seuen times so much †Offer not wicked giftes for he wil not receiue them †And looke not vpon an vniust sacrifice because our Lord is iudge and there is not with him the glorie of person †Our Lord wil not accept person against the poore and he wil heare the prayer of him that is hurt †He wil not despise the prayers of the pupil nor the widow if she power out speach of mourning †Do not the widows teares runne downe to the cheeke her exclamation vpon him that causeth them to runne †For from the cheeke they goe vp euen to heauen and our Lord the hearer wil not be delighted in them †He that adoreth God in delectation shal be receiued his petition shal approch euen to the cloudes †The prayer of him that humbleth himself shal penetrate the cloudes and til it approch he wil not be comforted and he wil not depart til the Highest behold †And our Lord wil not be long but wil iudge the iust and wil do iudgement and the strongest wil not haue patience in them that he may crush their backe †and he wil repay vengeance to the Gentiles til he take away the multitude of the proude breake the scepters of the vniust †til he reward men according to their doings and according to the workes of man and according to his presumption †til he iudge the iudgement of his people and shal delight the iust with his mercie †The mercie of God is beautiful in the time of tribulation as a cloude of raine in the time of drught CHAP. XXXVI A prayer for conuersion of al nations 14. and for conseruation of the Israelites 20. Discretion is necessarie in al actions and desires HAVE mercie vpon vs ô God of al and respect vs and shew vs the light of thy mercies †and send in thy feare vpon the nations that haue not sought after thee that they may know that there is no God but thou and that they may shewforth thy glorious thinges †Lift vp thy hand ouer the strange Nations that they may see thy might †For as in their sight thou art sanctified in vs so in our sight thou shalt be magnified in them †that they may know thee as we also haue knowen that there is no God beside thee ô Lord. †Renewe signes and change meruels †Glorifie thy hand and thy right arme †Raise vp furie and power out wrath †Take away the aduersarie and afflict the enemie †Hasten the time and remember the end that they may declare thy meruels †Let him that is saued be deuoured in the wrath of flame and let them that euil intreate thy people finde perdition †Breake the head of princes of the enemies that saie There is none other beside vs. †Gather together al the tribes of Iacob and let them know that there is no God but thou that they may declare thy great workes thou shalt inherite them as from the beginning †Haue mercie on thy people vpon which thy name is inuocated and vpon Israel whom thou hast made equal to thy first begotten †Haue mercie on the citie of thy sanctification Ierusalem the citie of thy rest †Replenish Sion with thy wordes that can not be vttered thy people with thy glorie †Geue the testimonie to them that are thy creatures from the beginning and raise vp the prophecies which the former prophets spake in thy name †Geue reward to them that patiently expect thee that thy prophets may be found faithful and heare the prayers of thy seruants †according to Aarons benediction of thy people and direct vs into the way of iustice and let al knowe that inhabite the earth that thou art God the beholder of the worldes †The bellie wil eate al meate and one meate is better then an other meate †The iawes taist venison the wise hart lying wordes †A peruerse hart wil geue sorow and a cunning man wil resist it †Some woman wil receiue euerie man and one daughter is better then an other daughter †The beautie of a woman chereth the face of her husband and increaseth the desire aboue al mans concupiscence †If there be a tongue of curing there is also of mitigating and of mercie her husband is not according to the sonnes of men †He that possesseth a good woman beginneth riches she is an helpe like vnto him a piller as rest †Where there is no hedge the possession shal be spoiled and where there is no wife he mourneth wanting Who doth credite him that hath no nest and turning aside wheresoeuer it waxeth darke as a robber girded leaping from citie to citie CHAP. XXXVII Beware of a feaned loue à sure freind 7. consult with the wise trustie 15. and vertuous 19. especially relying vpon God 21. The tongue is cause of much good or much euil 30. Be temperate in diet EVERIE freind wil say I also haue ioyned freindshipe but there is a freind in name only a freind Doth there not sorow remaine euen to death †But a companion and freind wil be turned to enmitie †O most wicked presumption whence wast thou created to couer the drie land with malice and with the deceitfulnes thereof †A companion is pleasant with his freind in delectations and in the time of tribulation he wil be an aduersarie †A companion is sorie with his freind for his bellies sake and he wil take a shield against the enemie †Forgete not thy freind in thy minde and be not vnmindeful of him in thy riches †Consult not with him which betraieth and hide thy counsel from them that enuie thee †Euerie counseler vttereth counsel but there is a counseler in him selfe †From such a counseler keepe thy soule First know what his necessitie is for he wil deuise to his owne minde †lest perhaps he thrust a sharpe
testamentes †and their children because of them abide for euer their seede and their glorie shal not be forsaken †Their bodies are buried in peace and their name liueth vnto generation and generation †Let peoples tel their wisdom and the Church declare their praise †Henoch pleased God and was translated into paradise that he may geue repentance to the nations †Noe was found perfect iust and in the time of wrath he was made a reconciliation †Therefore was there a remnant least to the earth when the flood was made †The testaments of the world were made with him that al flesh should no more be destroyed with the flood †Abraham the great father of the multitude of the nations and there was not found the like to him in glorie who kept the law of the Highest and was in couenant with him †In his flesh he made the couenant to stand and in tentation he was found faithful †Therefore by an oath he gaue him glorie in his nation that he should encrease as an heape of earth †and that he would exalt his seede as the starres and they should inherite from sea to sea and from the riuer to the endes of the earth †And he did in like manner in Isaac for Abraham his father †Our Lord gaue him the blessing of al nations and confirmed his couenant vpon the head of Iacob †He knew him in his blessinges and gaue him an inheritance diuided him his portion in twelue tribes †And he preserued vnto him men of mercie and found grace in the eies of al flesh CHAP. XLV Praises of Moyses 7. Aaron 16. and his priestlie progenie 22. Against whom Chore with his complices rebelling were destroyed MOYSES beloued of God and men whose memorie is in benediction †He made him like in the glorie of saintes and magnified him in the feare of his enemies And with his wordes he appeased monsters †He glorified him in the sight of kinges and gaue him commandment before his people shewed him his glorie †In his faith and meekenes he made him holie and chose him of al flesh †For he heard him and his voice and brought him into a cloude †And he gaue him precepts face to face and a law of life and discipline to teach Iacob his testament and Israel his iudgements †He exalted Aaron his brother high and like to himself of the tribe of Leui. †He established vnto him an euerlasting testament and gaue him the priesthood of the nation and made him blessed in glorie †and he girded him about with a girdle and put vpon him a robe of glorie and crowned him in furniture of power †Garments to the feete and breches and an Ephod he put vpon him and compassed him with litle belles of gold very manie round about †to geue a sound in his going to make sound heard in the temple for a memorie to the children of his nation †An holie robe of gold and hyacinthe and purple a wouen worke of a wiseman indued with iudgement and truth †Of twisted scarlet the worke of an artificer with precious stones figured in the closure of gold and grauen by the worke of a lapidarie for a memorial according to the number of the tribes of Israel †A crowne of gold vpon his miter grauen with a seale of holines and the glorie of honour a worke of power and the adorned desires of the eies †There were none such so faire before him euen from the beginning †No stranger was clothed with them but only his children alone and his nephewes for euer †His sacrifices were consumed with fire euerie day †Moyses filled his handes anoynted him with holie oile †It was made vnto him for an euerlasting testament and to his seede as the daies of heauen to doe the function of priesthood and to haue praise and to glorifie his people in his name †He chose him of al that liued to offer sacrifice to God incense and good odour for a memorial to pacifie for his people †and he gaue them power in his preceptes in the testaments of his iudgementes to teach Iacob his testimonies and in his law to geue light to Israel †Because strangers stood against him and for enuie men compassed him about in the desert they that were with Dathan and Abiron and the congregation of Core in anger †Our Lord God saw and it pleased him not and they were consumed in the violence of wrath †He did prodigious thinges vnto them and consumed them in flame of fire †And he added glorie to Aaron and gaue him an inheritance and diuided vnto him the first fruites of the increase of the earth †He prepared them bread in the first vnto satietie for the sacrifices also of our Lord they shal eate which he gaue to him and to his seede †But he shal not inherite the nations in the land and he hath no part in the nation for himself is his portion inheritance †Phinees the sonne of Eleazar is the third in glorie in imitating him in the feare of our Lord †and to stand in the reuerence of the nation in the goodnes and alacritie of his soule he pacified God for Israel †Therefore did he establish vnto him a couenant of peace to be the prince of the holies and of his nation that the dignitie of priesthood should be to him and to his seede for euer †And the testament to Dauid king the sonne of Iesse of the tribe of Iuda and inheritance to him and to his seede that he might geue wisdom into our hart to iudge his nation in iustice that their good thinges might not be abolished their glorie in their nation he made euerlasting CHAP. XLVI Praises of Iosue 9. Caleb 13. the Iudges of Israel 16. Namely of Samuel Iudge and Prophet STRONG in battel was Iesus the sonne of Naue successour of Moyses among the prophets who was great according to his name †most great in the saluation of Gods elect to ouerthrow the enemies rising vp that he might get the inheritanâ— of Israel †What glorie obteyned he in lifting vp his handes and casting swordes against the cities †Who before him did so resist â—or our Lord himself brought the enemies †Whether was not the sunne hindered in his anger and one day was made as two †He inuocated the mightie soueraine in assaulting of the enemies on euerie side and the great and holie God heard him in haile stones of exceeding great force †He made violent assault against the nation of his enemies and in the goeing downe he destroyed the aduersaries †that the nations might know his might that it is not easie to fight against God And he folowed at the back of the mightie †And in the daies of Moyses did mercie and Caleb the
the cloudes of glorie and as a flower of roses in the daies of the spring and as the lilies that are in the passage of water and as frankensence smelling in summer daies †As fire glistering and frankensence burning in the fire †As a massie vessel of gold adorned with euerie precious stone †As an oliue tree budding and a cypresse tree aduancing it self on high when he tooke the robe of glorie and was reuested to the consummation of strength †In going vp to the holie altar he made the vesture of holines glorie †And in receiuing the portions out of the hand of the priestes himself also standing by the altar About him was the ring of his bretheren and as the ceder plant in mount Libanus †so stoode they about him as boughes of the palme tree al the children of Aaron in their glorie †And the oblation of our Lord in their handes before al the synagogue of Israel and executing the consummation on the altar to amplifie the oblation of the high king †he stretched forth his hand in oblation of moist sacrifice and offered of the blood of the grape †He powred out on the fundation of the altar a diuine odour to the high prince †Then cried out the children of Aaron they sounded with beaten trumpets and made a great voice to be heard for a remembrance before God †Then al the people together made hast and fel on their face vpon the earth to adore our Lord their God and to make prayers to God omnipotent the Highest †And the singers amplified in their voices and in the great house the sound was encreased ful of sweetenes †And the people in prayer desired our Lord the Highest vntil the honour of our Lord was perfected and they finished their office †Then coming downe he lifted vp his handes ouer al the congregation of the children of Israel to geue glorie to God from his lippes and to glorie in his name †and he repeated his prayer willing to shew the power of God †And now pray ye the God of al who hath done great thinges in al the land who hath encreased our daies from our mothers wombe and hath done with vs according to his mercie †geue he vnto vs ioyfulnes of euerlasting †that Israel may beleue that the mercie of God is with vs to deliuer vs in his dayes †Two nations my soule hateth and the third is no nation which I hate †they that sitte in mount Seit and the Philisthijms and the foolish people that dwel in Sichem †Iesus the sonne of Sirach a man of Ierusalem wrote the doctrine of wisdom and discipline in this booke who renewed wisdom from his hart †Blessed is he that conuerseth in these good thinges and he that layeth them in his hart shal be wise always †For if he doe them he shal be able to doe al thinges because his steppes are in the light of God CHAP. LI. The auctor rendereth praises and thankes to God 18. and inuiteth others to do the same by his owne example 31. and by earnest exhortation THE prayer of Iesus the sonne of Sirach I wil confesse to thee ô Lord king and wil praise thee God my sauiour †I wil confesse to thy name because thou art become my helper and protectour †and hast deliuered my bodie from perdition from the snare of an vniust tongue and from the lippes of them that worke lying and in the sight of them that stoode vp thou art become my helper †And thou hast deliuered me according to the multitude of the mercie of thy name from them that did roare prepared to deuoure †out of the handes of them that seeke my soule and from the gates of tribulations which haue compassed me †from the oppression of the flame which hath compassed me and in the middes of fire I was not burnt †From the depth of the bellie of hel and from a defiled tongue and from the word of lying from a wicked king and from an vniust tongue †my soule shal praise our Lord euen to death †and my life was approching to hel beneth †They haue compassed me on euerie side there was none that would helpe I looked toward the helpe of men there was none †I remembred thy mercie ô Lord and thy operation which are from the beginning of the world †Because thou deliuerest them that patiently expect thee ô Lord and sauest them out of the handes of the nations †Thou hast exalted my habitation vpon the earth and I haue prayed for death to passe away †I haue inuocated our Lord the father of my Lord that he leaue me not in the day of my tribulation and in the time of the proude without helpe †I wil praise thy name continually and wil collaude it in confession and my prayer was heard †And thou hast deliuered me from perdition and hast rescued me from the wicked time †Therfore wil I confesse say praise to thee and blesse the name of our Lord. †When I was yet young before I erred I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer †Before the temple I prayed for it and vnto the later end I wil seâ—ke after it and it shal flourish as the grape timely ripe †my hart hath reioyced in it my foote hath walked the right way from my youth I searched after it †I bowed mine eare a litle and receiued it †I found much wisdom in myself I haue much profited therein †To him that geueth me wisdom wil I geue glorie †For I haue consulted to doe it I haue had a zele to good and shal not be confounded †My soule hath wrestled in it and in doing it I was confirmed †I stretched forth my handes on high I lamented foolishnes †I directed my soule to wisdom and in knowlege I found it †I possessed with it an hart from the beginning for this cause I shal not be forsaken †My bellie was trubled in seeking it therefore shal I possesse a good possession †Our Lord hath geuen me a tongue for my reward and with the same I wil praise him †Approch vnto me ye vnlerned and gather yourselues together into the house of discipline †Why slacke ye yet and what say you herein your soules are exceeding thirstie †I haue opened my mouth and haue spoken Bye it for you without siluer †and submit your necke to the yoke and let your soule receiue discipline for it is very neere to finde it †See with your eyes that I haue laboured a litle and haue found much rest to myself †Take ye discipline in a great summe of siluer and possesse abundance of gold in it †Let your soule reioyce in his mercie and you shal not be confounded in praise †Worke your worke before the time and he wil geue you your reward in
spoken it †And he shal say in that day Loe this is our God we haue expected him and he wil saue vs this is our Lord we haue patiently wayted for him we shal reioyce and be ioyful in his saluation †Because the hand of our Lord shal rest in this mount and Moab shal be treshed vnder him as straw is broken with the wayne †And he shal stretch forth his handes vnder him as he that swimmeth stretcheth forth to swimme and he shal humble his glorie with dashing of his handes †And the munitions of thy high walles shal fal and be humbled shal be plucked downe to the grownd euen to the dust CHAP. XXVI A Canticle of thankes for changing the old Synagogue into the Church of Christ Which hath more light of true faith 12. and more patience in tribulations 19. Which in the general resurrection shal be made manifest IN THAT day shal this song be sung in the land of Iuda Sion the citie of our strength a Sauiour therin shal be put a wal and bulworke †Open ye the gates and let the iust nation enter in that keepeth truth †The old errour is gone thou wilt keepe peace peace because we haue hoped in thee †You haue hoped in our Lord in worldes euerlasting in our Lord God strong for euer †Because he wil bowe downe them that dwel on high the high citie he wil abase He wil abase it euen to the ground he wil plucke it downe euen to the dust The foote shal treade it downe the feete of the poore the steppes of the needie †The path of the iust is right the path of the iust is right to walke in †And in the path of thy iudgements ô Lord we haue patiently expected thee thy name and thy memorial are in the desire of the soule †My soule hath desired thee in the night yea and with my spirit in my hart I wil watch to thee in the morning When thou shalt doe thy iudgments in the earth the inhabitants of the world shal learne iustice †Let vs haue mercie on the impious and he wil not learne iustice in the land of the holie he hath done wicked thinges and he shal not see the glorie of our Lord. †Lord thy hand be exalted and let them not see let the enuious people see and be confounded and let fyre deuoure thine enimies †Lord thou wilt geue peace to vs for al our workes thou hast wrought to vs. †O Lord our God there haue lordes besides thee possessed vs onlie in thee let vs remember thy name †Let not the dead liue let not the giants rise againe therfore hast thou visited and destroyed them hast destroyed al their memorie †Thou hast bene fauorable to the nation ô Lord thou hast bene fauourable to the nation wast thou glorified thou hast made al the endes of the earth far of †Lord in distresse they haue sought after thee in tribulation of murmur thy doctrine was to them †As she that conceiueth when she draweth neere to be deliuered being sorowful crieth in her paines so are we become at thy presence ô Lord. †We haue conceiued and as it were traueled and brought forth the spirit saluations we haue not done in the earth therfore the inhabitants of the earth haue not fallen †Thy dead shal liue my slaine shal rise againe awake and prayse ye that dwel in the dust because the dew of the light is thy dew the land of the giants thou shalt plucke downe into ruine †Goe my people enter into thy chambers shut thy doores vpon thee be hid a litle for a moment til the indignation passe †For behold our Lord wil come out of his place to visite the iniquitie of the inhabitant of the earth against him and the earth shal reuele her bloud and shal couer her slaine no more CHAP. XXVII God comforteth the faithful promising to destroy the wicked 3. Christs coming is againe prophecied with propagation of his Gospel and conuersion of al nations IN that day our Lord wil visite with his sore and great and strong sword vpon Leuiathan the serpent the barre and vpon Leuiathan the crooked serpent and shal kil the whale that is in the sea †In that day the vineyard of pure wine shal sing to it †I the Lord that keepe it I wil sodenly drinke to it lest perhaps there be visitation agaynst it night and day I kepe it †There is no indignation in me who wil geue me to be thorne and bryer in battel to goe vpon it to set it on fyre together †Or rather shal he hold my strength shal he make peace with me shal he make peace with me †They that goe in with violence to Iacob Israel shal florish and spring and they shal fil the face of the world with seede †Hath he striken him according to his stroke that stroke him or as he killed his slaine is he killed †In measure against measure when it shal be cast of thou shalt iudge it He hath meditated in his hard spirite during the day of heate †Therfore vpon this shal the iniquitie be forgeuen to the house of Iacob and this is al the fruite that the sinne therof be taken away when he shal haue layd al the stones of the altar as stones of ashes broken the groues temples shal not stand †For the defensed citie shal be desolate the beautiful citie shal be forsaken and shal be left as a desert there shal the calfe feede and there he shal lie and shal consume the toppes therof †The haruests therof shal be destroyed in drught wemen coming and teaching it for it is not a wise people therfore shal not he that made it haue mercie on it and he that formed it shal not spare it †And it shal be in that day our Lord wil strike from the chanel of the riuer euen to the torrent of Aegypt and you shal be gathered together one and one ô children of Israel †And it shal be in that day a sound shal be made with a great trompet and they that were lost shal come from the land of the Assirians and that were cast out from the land of Aegypt and shal adore our Lord in the holie mount in Ierusalem CHAP. XXVIII Tribulations are threatned to the tenne tribes of Israel for their pride and voluptuosnes 5. God stil protecting some who serue him sincerely 7 and for contempt of Religion 16. But God wil lay a sure fundation in Sion 20. Wil punish the wicked 24. and comforth the good VVOE to the crowne of pride to the drunkards of Ephraim and to the flowre falling downe from the glorie of his exultation which were in the toppe of the most fatte valley erring by wine †Behold our Lord is valiant and strong as the violence of hayle a whirle wind breaking the
desolation among al peoples into which our Lord hath dispersed vs. †And we are made vnderneath and not aboue because we haue sinned to the Lord our God in not obeying his voice †To the Lord our God iustice but to vs and to our fathers confusion of face as is this day †Because our Lord hath spoken vpon vs al these euils that are come vpon vs †and we haue not besought the face of the Lord our God to returne euerie one of vs from our most wicked waies †And our Lord hath watched in euils and hath brought them vpon vs because our Lord is iust in al his workes which he hath commanded vs †and we haue not heard his voice to walke in the precepts of our Lord which he hath geuen before our face †And now ô Lord God of Israel which brought out thy people out of the Land of Aegypt in a strong hand and in signes and in wonders and in thy great strength and in a mightie arme and madest thee a name as is this day †we haue sinned we haue done impiously we haue dealt vniustly ô Lord our God in al thy iustices †Let thy wrath be turned away from vs because we are left a few among the nations where thou hast dispersed vs. †Heare ô Lord our prayers and our petitions and bring vs our for thine owne sake and grant vs to fynde grace before their face that haue led vs away †that al the earth may know that thou art the Lord our God and that thy name is inuocated vpon Israel and vpon his stocke †Looke ô Lord from thy holie house vpon vs and incline thine eare and heare vs. †Open thine eies see because the dead that are in hel whose spirite is taken from their bowels shal not geue honour and iustification to our Lord †but the soule that is sorowful for the greatnes of euil and goeth crooked and weake and the eyes fayling and the hungrie soule geueth glorie and iustice to thee their Lord. †For not according to the iustices of our fathers doe we powre out prayers and aske mercie before thy sight ô Lord our God †but because thou hast sent thy wrath and thy furie vpon vs as thou hast spoken by the hande of thy seruants the prophets saying †Thus sayth our Lord Bowe downe your shoulder your necke and doe workes for the king of Babylon and you shal sitte in the land which I haue geuen to your fathers †But if you wil not heare the voice of the Lord your God to worke for the king of Babylon I wil make you to faile out of the cities of Iuda and from without Ierusalem †and I wil take from you the voice of mirth and the voice of ioy and the voice of the bridegrome and the voice of the bride and al the land shal be without foote steppe that inhabite it †And they heard not thy voice to worke for the king of Babylon and thou hast established thy wordes which thou spakest by the handes of thy seruants the prophets that the bones of our kinges and of our fathers should be transported out of their place †and behold they are cast forth in the heare of the sunne and in the frost of the night and they are dead in verie sore paines in famine and by sword and by casting forth †And hast made the temple in which thy name was there inuocated as it is this day for the iniquitie of the house of Israel and of the house of Iuda †And thou hast done in vs ô Lord our God according to al thy goodnes and according to al that thy great compassion †as thou spakest by the hand of thy seruant Moyses in the day that thou didst command him to write thy law before the children of Israel †saying If you wil not heare my voice this great multitude shal be turned into a verie litle one among the Gentiles whither I wil disperse them †because I know that the people wil not heare me for it is a people of a stiffe necke and they shal be conuerted to their hart in the land of their captiuitie †and they shal knowe that I am the Lord their God and I wil geue them a hart and they shal vnderstand and eares and they shal heare †And they shal praise me in the land of their captiuitie and shal be mindful of my name †And they shal turne away them selues from their hard backe and from their malignant workes because they shal remember the way of their fathers that sinned against me †And I wil recal them backe into the land which I sware to their fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob and they shal haue the dominion therof and I wil multiplie them and they shal not be lesned †And I wil establish vnto them an other testament euerlasting that I be their God and they shal be my people and I wil no more moue my people the children of Israel from the land that I haue geuen them CHAP. III. VVith further confession of their sinnes 8. they acknowledge their iust captiuitie 12. because they haue left true wisdome 16. which was geuen to their fathers 23. not to rich men or mightie giants 29. but to those that serue God 34. whom the starres obey 36. with a cleare prophecie of Christ. AND now ô Lord omnipotent God of Israel the soule in distresses the pensiue spirite cryeth to thee †heare Lord and haue mercie because thou art a merciful God and haue mercie vpon vs because we haue sinned before thee †Because thou sittest for euer and shal we perish euerlastingly †O Lord omnipotent God of Israel heare now the prayer of the dead of Israel and of their children that haue sinned before thee and haue not heard the voice of the Lord their God and euils haue stoocke fast to vs. †Remember not the iniquities of our fathers but remember thy hand and thy name in this time †because thou art the Lord our God and we wil praise thee ô Lord †because for this end thou hast geuen thy feare in our hartes and that we may inuocate thy name and may praise thee in our captiuitie because we are conuerted from the iniquitie of our fathers which haue sinned before thee †And behold we are in our captiuitie this day wherby thou hast dispersed vs into reproch and into malediction and into sinne according to al the iniquities of our fathers which haue reuolted from thee ô Lord our God †Heare Israel the commandments of life harken with your eares that you may know prudence †What is the matter Israel that thou art in the land of the enemies †Thou art waxen old in a strange land thou art defiled with the dead thou art reputed with them that goe downe into hel †Thou hast forsaken the fountaine of wisdom †for if thou
receiue the right handes and he gaue it them and he cast them out from thence and clensed the castel from the contaminations †and they entered into it the three and twentith day of the second moneth the yeare an hundreth seuentie one with prayse and boughes of palme trees and harpes and cymbals nables and hymnes and canticles because the great enemie was destroyed out of Israel †And he ordayned that euerie yeare these dayes should be kept with gladnes †And he fortified the mount of the temple that was by the castel and he dwelt there him self and they that were with him †And Simon saw Iohn his sonne that he was a valient man of warre he made him captayne of al the hosts and he dwelt in Gazara CHAP. XIIII Demetrius inuading Media is taken captiue 4. and Iurie is in peace 14. Simon cherisheth the godlie and punisheth the wicked 16. receiueth freindlie letters from the Romanes and Spartiates 20. vvherof the copie is recited 24. sendeth a legate to Rome with a present 25. And is established highpriest and gouernour by publique consent IN THE yeare an hundreth seuentie two king Demetrius gathered his armie and went into Media to get him aydes to expugne Tryphon †And Arsaces the king of Persia and Media heard that Demetrius was entered his confines and he sent one of his princes to take him aliue †And he went and stroke the campe of Demetrius and tooke him and brought him to Arsaces and he put him into ward †And al the land of Iuda was at rest al the dayes of Simon and he sought good to his nation and his powre and his glorie pleased them al dayes †And with al his glorie he tooke Ioppe for an hauen and made it an entrance vnto the iles of the sea †And he enlarged the borders of his nation and obteyned the countrie †And he gathered a great captiuitie and had the dominion of Gazara and of Bethsura and of the castle and tooke away the vncleanes out of it and there was none that resisted him †And euerie man tilled his land with peace the land of Iuda yelded her fruites and the trees of the fildes their fruit †The ancients sate al in the streetes and treated of the good thinges of the land the yongmen did on them glorie and the stoles of warre †And he gaue victuals to the cities and he appointed them that they should be vessels of munition til the name of his glorie was renowmed euen to the end of the earth †He made peace vpon the land Israel reioyced with great ioy †And euerie man sate vnder his vine and vnder his fig-tree and there was none to make them asrayd †There was none left that impugned them vpon the earth kinges were discomfited in those dayes †And he confirmed al the humble of his people and sought the law and tooke away euerie wicked and euil man †he glorified the holies and multiplied the vessels of the holie places †And it was heard at Rome that Ionathas was dead and euen vnto the Spartiats and they were very sorie †But as they heard that Simon his brother was made the high priest in his place and he obteyned al the countrie and the cities therein †they wrote to him in brasen tables to renew the amities and societie which they had made with Iudas with Ionathas his bretheren †And they were read in the sight of the church in Ierusalem And this is a copie of the epistles that the Spartiates sent †THE PRINCES and the cities of the Spartians to Simon the grand priest and to the ancients and the priests and the rest of the people of the Iewes their bretheren greeting †The legates that were sent to our people haue told vs of your glorie and honour and ioy and we reioyced at their entrance †And we wrote that which was sayd of them in the counsels of the people thus Numenius the sonne of Antiochus and Antipater the sonne of Iason legates of the Iewes came to vs renewing with vs old amitie †And it pleased the people to receiue the men gloriously and to put a copie of their wordes in the seuered booke of the people to be for a memorie to the people of the Spartiats And a copie of these we haue writen to Simon the grand priest †And after these thinges Simon sent Numenius to Rome hauing a great buckler of gold of the weight of thousand poundes to establish amitie with them But when the people of Rome had heard †these wordes they sayd What thankes geuing shal we render to Simon and his children †For he hath restored his bretheren and hath expugned the enemies of Israel from them they decreed him libertie and registred it in tables of brasse and put it in titles in mount Sion †And this is a copie of the wriring THE EIGHTENTH day of the moneth Elul in the yeare an hundreth seuentie two the third yeare vnder Simon the grand priest in Asaramel †in a great assemblie of the priests of the people and the princes of the nation and the ancients of the countrie these thinges were notified that there haue often bene battels made in our countrie †But Simon the sonne of Mathathias of the children of Iarib and his bretheren put themselues in danger and resisted the aduersaries of their nation that their holies and law might stand with great glorie haue they glorified their nation †And Ionathas gathered together his nation and was made their grand priest and he was layd to his people †And their enemies would conculcate and destroy their countrie and extend their handes against the holies †Then Simon resisted and fought for his nation and bestowed much money and armed the valient men of his nation gaue them wages †and he fortified the cities of Iurie and Bethsura that was in the borders of Iurie where the armour of the enimies was before and he placed there Iewes for a garrison †And he fortified Ioppe which was by the sea and Gazara which is in the borders of Azotus wherin the enemies dwelt before and he placed Iewes there and whatsoeuer was fitte for their correption he put in them †And the people saw the fact of Simon and the glorie that he meant to doe to his nation they made him their duke and grand priest for that he had done al thes◠thinges and for the iustice and fayth which he kept to his nation for that he sought by al meanes to aduance his people †And in his dayes it prospered in his hands so that the heathen were taken away out of their countrie and they that were in the citie of of Dauid in Ierusalem in the castel out of which they came forth and contaminated al thinges that were round about the holies they brought great plague vpon chastitie †he placed in it
Isaac and Iacob and of Osee and Amos and of Ioel and Abdias and Ionas and Michaeas †and Naum and Habacuc of Sophonias Aggaeus Zacharias and Malachias who also is called the Angel of our Lord. CHAP. II. The Synagogue expostulateth with her children for their ingratitude 10. shewing that they shal be forsaken and the gentiles called THVS saith our Lord I brought this people out of bondage to whom I gaue commandment by my seruantes the Prophetes whom they would not heare but made my counsel frustrate †Their mother that bare them sayth to them Goe children because I am a wydow and forsaken †I brought you vp with ioy haue lost you with mourning sorow because you haue sinned before our Lord your God haue done that which is euil before him †But now what shal I doe to you I am a wydow and desolate goe my children aske mercie of our Lord. †And I cal thee ô father a witnes vpon the mother of the children that would not keepe my testament †that thou geue them confusion their mother into spoile that there be no generation of them †Let their names be dispersed into the Gentiles let them be destroyed out of the land because they haue despised my sacrament †Woe be to thee Assur which hidest the wicked with thee Thou naughtie nation remember what I did to Sodom Gomorrha †whose land lieth in cloddes of pitch heapes of ashes so wil I make them that haue not heard me saith our Lord omnipotent †Thus saith our Lord to Esdras Tel my people that I wil geue them the kingdom of Ierusalem which I ment to geue to Israel †And I wil take to me the glorie of them and wil geue them eternal tabernacles which I had prepared for them †The wood of life shal be to them for an odour of oyntment and they shal not labour nor be wearied †Goe you shal receiue Aske for your selues a few dayes that they may abide Now the kingdom is prepared for you watch ye †Cal thou heauen and earth to witnes for I haue destroyed euil and haue created good because I liue sayth our Lord. †Mother embrace thy children bring them vp with ioy As a doue confirme their feete because I haue chosen thee sayth our Lord. †And I wil raise agalâ—e the dead out of their places and out of the monumentes I wil bring them forth because I haue knowen my name in Israel †Feare not ô mother of the children because I haue chosen tâ—ee faith our Lord. †I wil send thee ayde my seruantes I saie and Ieremie at whose counsel I haue sanctified and prepared for thee twelue trees loden with diuerse fruites †and as manie fountaines flowing milke and honie and seuen huge mountaines hauing the rose and the lilie in the which I wil fil thy children with ioy †Iustifie thou the widow iudge for the pupil geue to the needie defend the orphane cloth the naked †cure the broken feeble mocke not the lame defend the maimed and admitte the blind to the vision of my glorie †The old man the yong keepe with in thy walles where thou shalt finde the dead committe them to the graue signing it I wil geue thee the first seate in my resurrection †Pause and rest my people because thy rest shal come †As a good nurce nourish thy children confirme their feete †The seruantes that I haue geuen thee none of them shal perish For I wil require them of thy number †Be not wearied For when the day of affliction and distresse shal come others shal weepe and be sad but thou shalt be merie and plenteous †The gentiles shal enuie and shal be able to doe nothing against thee sayth our Lord. †My handes shal couer thee that thy children see not hel †Be pleasant thou mother with thy children because I wil deliuer thee sayth our Lord. †Remember thy children that sleepe for I wil bring them out of the sides of the earth wil doe mercie with them because I am merciful sayth our Lord omnipotent †Embrace thy children til I come shew them mercie because my fountaines runne ouer and my grace shal not faile †I Esdras receiued commandment of our Lord in mount Oreb that I should goe to Israel to whom when I came they refused me and reiected commandement of our Lord. †And therfore I say vnto you gentiles which heare and vnderstand Looke for your pastor he wil geue you the rest of eternitie because he is at hand that shal come in the end of the world †Be ye readie for the rewardes of the kingdom because perpetual light shal shine to you for time euerlasting †Flee from the shadow of this world receiue ye the pleasantnes of your glorie I openly cal to witnes my sauiour †Receiue the commended gift and be pleasant geuing thankes to him that called you to the heauenlie kingdomes †Arise stand see the number of them that are signed in the feast of our Lord. †They that haue transferred them selues from the shadow of the world haue receiued glorious garmentes of our Lord. †Receiue ô Sion thy number and shut vp thyne made white which haue accomplished the law of our Lord. †The number of thy children which thou didst wish is ful Desire the powre of our Lord that thy people may be sanctified which was called from the beginning †I Esdras saw in mount Sion a great multitude which I could not number and they did al prayse our Lord with songes †And in the middes of them was a young man high of stature appearing aboue ouer them al he put crownes vpon euerie one of their heades and he was more exalted And I was astonied at the miracle †Then asked I an Angel and sayd Who are these Lord †Who answering sayd to me These are they that haue laid of the mortal garment and taken an immortal and haue confessed the name of God Now they are crowned and receiue palmes †And I sayd to the Angel That yongman what is he which putteth the crownes vpon them and geueth palmes into their handes †And answering he sayd to me The same is the Sonne of God whom they did confesse in the world I begane to magnifie them that stood strongly for the name of our Lord †Then sayd the Angel to me Goe tel my people what maner of meruelous thinges and how great thou hast sene of the Lord God CHAP. III. The workes of God are wonderful from the beginning 7. and men vngratful 13. In Abraham God chose to himself a peculiar people who neuertheles were froward and obstinate 23. He also chose Dauid but stil the people were sinful 28. the Babylonians also by whom they are afflicted are no lesse but rather greater sinners IN the thirteth yeare of the ruine of the citie I was in
Babylon and was trubled lying in my chamber and my cogitations came vp ouer my hart †because I saw the desolation of Sion and the abundance of them that dwelt in Babylon †And my spirit was tossed excedingly and I began to speake to the highest timorous wordes †and sayd O Lord dominatour thou spakest from the beginning when thou didst plant the earth and that alone and didst rule ouer the people †and gauest Adam a dead bodie but that also was the worke of thy handes didst breath into him the spirit of life and he was made to liue before thee †and thou broughst him into paradise which thy right hand had planted before the earth came †And him thou didst command to loue thy way and he transgressed it forth with thou didst institute death in him and in his posteritie and there were borne nations and tribes and peoples and kinreds wherof there is no number †And euerie nation walked in their owne wil they did meruelous thinges before thee and despised thy preceptes †And agane in time thou broughst in the floud vpon inhabitantes of the world and didst destroy them †And there was made in euery one of them as vnto Adam to dye so to them the floud †But thou didst leaue one of them Noe with his house and of him were al the iust †And it came to passe when they began to be multiplied that dwelt vpon the earth multiplied children and peoples and manie nations and they begane againe to doe impietie more then the former †And it came to passe when they did iniquitie before thee thou didst choose thee a man of them whose name was Abraham †And thou didst loue him and to him on lie thou didst shew thy wil. †And thou didst dispose vnto him an euerlasting testament and toldst him that thou wouldst neuer forsake his seede And thou gauest him Isaac and to Isaac thou gauest Iacob and Esau †And Iacob thou didst seuer to thy selfe but Esau thou didst separate And Iacob grewe to a great multitude †And it came to passe when thou didst bring forth his sede out of Aegypt thou broughst it vpon mount Sinai †And thou didst bowe the heauens and fasten the earth and didst shake the world and madest the depthes to tremble and trubledst the world †and thy glorie passed foure gates of fire and of earthquake and winde and frost that thou mightst geue a law to the seede of Iacob and to the generation of Israel diligence †And thou didst not take away from them a malignant hart that thy law might bring forth fruite in them †For Adam the first bearing a viâ—ious hart transgressed and was ouercome yea and al that were borne of him †And it was made a permanent infirmitie and the law with the hart of the people with the wickednes of the roote and that which is good departed and the wicked remayned †And the times passed the yeares were ended and thou didst raise vp vnto thee a seruant named Dauid †and spakest vnto him to build a citie of thy name and to offer vnto thee in it frankencense and oblations †And this was done manie yeares and they that inhabited the citie forsooke thee †in al things as Adam and al his generations For they also vsed a wicked hart †And thou didst deliuer thy citie into the hands of thyne enimies †Why doe they better thinges that inhabite Babylon And for this shal she rule ouer Sion †It came to passe when I was come hither and had sene the impieties that can not be numbred and my soul saw manie offending this thirteth yeare my hart was astonied †because I saw how thou bearest with their sinne and didst spare them that did impiously and didst destroy thine owne people and preserue thine enimies and didst not signifie it †I nothing remember how this way should be forsaken doth Babylon better thinges then Sion †Or hath anie nation knowen thee beside Israel or what tribes haue beleued thy testamentes as Iacob †Whose reward hath not appeared nor their labour fructified For passing through I passed among the nations and I saw them abound and not mindeful of thy commandmentes †Now therfore wey our iniquities in a ballance and theirs that dwel in the world thy name shal not be found but in Israel †Or when haue not they sinned in thy sight that inhabite the earth or what nation hath so obserued thy commandmentes †These cettes by their names thou shalt finde to haue kept thy commandmentes but the nations thou shalt not finde CHAP. IIII. Mans witte and reason is not able to vnderstand the counsel and iudgement of God 22. why his people are afflicted by wicked nations 33. nor of times and thinges to come AND the Angel answered me that was sent to me whose name was Vriel †and sayd to me Thy hart exceding hath exceded in this world thou thinkest to comprehend the way of the Highest †And I sayd It is so my Lord. And he answered me sayd I am sent to shew thee three wayes to propose to thee three similitudes †Of the which if thou shalt declare to me one of them I also wil shew thee the way which thou desirest to see and wil teach thee whence a wicked hart is †And I sayd Speake my Lord. And he sayd to me Goe wey me the weight of the fire or measure me the blast of the winde or cal me backe the day that is past †And I answered and sayd what man borne can doe it that thou askest me of these thinges †And he sayd to me If I should aske thee saying How great habitations are there in the hart of the sea or how great vaines be there in the beginning of the depth or how great vaines be there aboue the firmament and what are the issues of paradise †thou wouldest perhaps say to me I haue not descended into the depth nor into hel as yet neither haue I ascended at anie time into heauen †But now I haue not asked thee sauing of the fire and the winde and the day by the which thou hast passed and from the which thou canst not be separated and thou hast not answered me of them †And he sayd to me Thou canst not know the thinges that are thine which grow together with thee †and how can thy vessel comprehend the way of the Highest and now the world being outwardly corrupted vnderstand the corruption euident in my sight †I sayd to him Better were it for vs not to be then yet liuing to liue in impieties and to suffer and not to vnderstand for what thing †And he answered me said Going forth I went forward to a wood of trees in the filde and they deuised a deuise †and sayd Come and let vs goe and make watre against the sea that it
the immortalitie to come wherein corruption is past †intemperance is dissolued incredulitie is cut of and iustice hath increased truth is sprong †For then no man can saue him that hath perished nor drowne him that hath ouercome And I answered †and sayd This is my word the first and the last that it had bene better not to geue the earth to Adam or when he had now geuen it to restraine him that he should not sinne †For what doth it profit men presently to liue in sorow and being dead to hope for punishment †O what hast thou done Adam For if thou didst sinne it was not made thy fal only but ours also which came of thee †For what doth it profit vs if immortal time be promised to vs but we haue done mortal workes †And that euerlasting hope is foretold vs but we most wicked are become vayne †And that habitations of health and securitie are reserued for vs but we haue conuerst naughtely †And that the glorie of the Highest is reserued to protect them that haue slowly conuerst but we haue walked in most wicked wayes †And that paradise shal be shewed whose fruite continueth incorrupted wherin is securitie and remedie †but we shal not enter in for we haue conuerst in vnlawful places †And their faces which haue had abstinence shal shyne aboue the starres but our faces blacke aboue darkenes †For we did not thinke liuing when we did iniquitie that we shal beginne after death to suffer †And he answered and sayd This is the cogitation of the battel which man shal fight who is borne vpon the earth †that if he shal be ouercome he suffer that which thou hast sayd but if he ouercome he shal receiue that which I say †for this is the life which Moyses spake of when he liued to the people saying Choose vnto thee life that thou mayst liue †But they beleued him not no nor the Prophetes after him no nor me which haue spoken to them †Because there should not be sorow vnto their perdition as there shal be ioy vpon them to whom saluation is perswaded †And I answered and sayd I know Lord that the Highest is called merciful in that that he hath mercie on them which are not yet come into the world †and that he hath mercie on them which conuerse in his law †and he is long suffering because he sheweth long sufferance to them that haue sinned as it were with their owne workes †and he is bountiful because he wil geue according to exigentes †and of great mercie because he multiplieth more mercies to them that are present and that are past and that are to come †For if he shal not multiplie his mercies the world shal not be made aliue with them that did inherite it †And he geueth for if he shal not geue of his bountie that they may be releeued which haue done iniquitie the tenth thousand part of men can not be quickned from their iniquities †And the iudge if he shal not forgeue them that are cured with his word and wype away a multitude of contentions there should not perhaps be leaft in an innumerable multitude but very few CHAP. VIII God is merciful in this world yet fewe are saued 6. Gods workes and disposition of his creatures are meruelous 15 Esdras prayeth for the people of Israel 37. and saluation is promised to the iust and punishment threatned to the wicked AND he answered me sayd This world the Highest made for manie but that to come for few †And I wil speake a similitude Esdras before thee For as thou shalt aske the earth and it wil tel thee that it wil geue much more earth wherof earthen worke may be made but a liâ—le dust wherof gold is made so also is the act of this present world †Manie in deede are created but few shal be saued †And I answered and sayd Then ô soul swallow vp the sense and deuoure that which is wise †For thou art agred to obey and willing to prophecie For there is no space geuen thee but only to liue †O Lord if thou wilt not permitte thy seruant that we pray before thee and thou geue vs seede to the hart and tillage to the vnderstanding wherof may the fruite be made wherby euerie corrupt person may liue that shal beare the place of a man †For thou art alone and we are one workmanshippe of thy handes as thou hast spoken †and as now the bodie made in the matrice and thou doest geue the meÌ„bers thy creature is preserued in fire water and nine monethes thy workemanship doth suffer thy creature that is created in it †and it self that keepeth and that which is kept both shal be preserued and the matrice being preserued rendreth agayne at some time the thinges that are growen in it †For thou hast commanded of the members that is the brestes to geue milke vnto the fruite of the brestes †that the thing which is made may be nourished til a certayne time and afterward thou mayst dispose him to thy mercie †For thou hast brought him vp in thy iustice and hast instructed him in thy law and hast corrected him in thy vnderstanding †and thou shalt mortifie him as thy creature and shalt geue him life as thy worke †If then thou wilt destroy him that is made with so great labours it is easie by thy commandment to be ordayned that also which was made might be preserued †And now Lord I wil speake of euerie man thou rather knowest but concerning thy people for which I am sorowful †and concerning thine inheritance for which I mourne and for Israel for whom I am pensiue and concerning Iacob for whom I am sorowful †Therfore wil I begin to pray before thee for me for them because I see our defaultes that inhabite the earth †But I haue heard of the celeritie of the iudge that shal be †Therfore heare my voyce and vnderstand my word and I wil speake before thee †The beginning of the wordes of Esdras before he was assumpted and I sayd Lord which inhabitest the world whose eyes are eleuated vnto thinges on high and in the ayre †and whose throne is inestimable and glorie incomprehensible by whom standeth an host of Angels with trembling †whose keping is turned in wynde and fire thou whose word is true and sayings permanent †whose commandment is strong and disposition terribe whose looke dryeth vp the depthes and indignation maketh the mountaynes to melt and truth doth testifie †Heare the prayer of thy seruant with thine eares receiue the petition of thy creature †For whiles I liue I wil speake and whiles I vnderstand I wil answere †Neither doe thou respect the sinnes of thy people but them that serue thee in truth †Neither doe thou attend the impious endeuours of the nations but them
depth and the floudes of it shal be destroyed and the fishes thereof at the face of our Lord and at the glorie of his powre †because his right hand is strong which bendeth the bow his arrowes be sharpe that are shot of him they shal not misse when they shal begine to be shot into the endes of the earth †Behold euiles are sent and they shal not returne til they come vpon the earth †The fire is kindled and it shal not be quenched til it consume the fundations of the earth †For as the arrow shot of a strong archer returneth not so shal not the euils returne backe that shal be sent vpon the earth †Woe is me woe is me who shal deliuer me in those dayes †The beginning of sorrowes and much mourning the beginning of famine and much destruction The beginning of warres and the potestates shal feare the beginning of euiles and al shal tremble †In these what shal I doe when the euiles shal come †Behold famine and plague and tribulation and distresse are sent al as scourges for amendment †and in al these they wil not conuert themselues from their iniquities neither wil they be alwayes mindful of the scourges †Behold there shal be good cheape victuals vpon the earth so that they may thinke that peace is directly coming toward them and then shal euiles spring vpon the earth sword famine and great confusion †For by famine manie that inhabit the earth shal dye and the sword shal destroy the rest that remained aliue of the famine †and the dead shal be cast forth as dung and there shal be none to comfort them For the earth shal be left desert and the cities therof shal be throwen downe †There shal not be left a man to til the ground and to sow it †The trees shal yeeld fruites and who shal gather them †The grape shal become ripe who shal tread it For there shal be great desolation to places †For a man shal desire to see a man or to heare his voyce †For there shal be leaft ten of a citie and two of the filde that haue hid themselues in thicke woodes and cliffes of rockes †As there are left in the oliuet and on euerie tree three or foure oliues †Or as in a vinyeard when it is gathered there are grapes left by them that diligently search the vineyard so shal there be left in those dayes three or foure by them that search their houses in the sword †And the earth shal be left desolate and the fildes thereof shal waxe old the wayes thereof and al the pathes thereof shal bringforth thornes because no man shal passe by it †Virgins shal mourne hauing no bridegromes wemen shal mourne hauing no husbandes their daughters shal mourne hauing no helpe †their bridegromes shal be consumed in battel and their husbandes be destroyed in famine †But heare these thinges and know them ye seruantes of our Lord. †Behold the word of our Lord receiue it beleue not the goddes of whom our Lord speaketh †Behold the euiles approch and slacke not †As a woman with childe when shee bringeth forth her child in the ninth moneth the houre of her deliuerance approching two or three howres before paines come about her wombe and the infants coming out of her wombe they wil not tarrie one moment †So the euiles shal not slacke to come forth vpon the earth and the world shal lament and sorowes shal hold it round about †Heare the word my people prepare yourselues vnto the fight in the euiles so be ye as strangers of the earth †He that selleth as if he should flee and he that byeth as he that should lose it †He that playeth the marchant as he that should take no fruite and he that buildeth as he that should not inhabite †He that soweth as he that shal not teape so he also that pruneth a vinyeard as if he should not haue the vintage †They that marie so as if they should not get children they that marie not so as it were widowes †Wherfore they that labour labour without cause †â—or soreners shal reape their fruites shal violently take their goodes and ouerthrow their houses and lead theire children captiue because in captiuitie and famine they beget their children †And they that play the marchantes by robrie the longer they adorne their cities and houses and their possessions and persons †so much the more wil I be zealous toward them vpon their sinnes sayth our Lord. †As a whore enuieth an honest very good woman †so shal iustice hate impietie when she adorneth herselfe and accuseth her to her face when he shal come that may defend him that searcheth out al vpon the earth †Therefore be not made like to her nor to her workes †For yet a little whyle iniquitie shal be taken away from the earth iustice shal reigne ouer you †Let not the sinner say he hath not sinned because he shal burne coales of fire vpon his head that sayth I haue not sinned before our Lord God and his glorie †Behold our Lord shal know al the workes of men and their inuentions their cogitations and their hartes †For he sayd Let the earth be made and it was made let the heauen be made it was made †And by his worde the starrs were made he knoweth the number of the starres †Who searcheth the depth and the treasures therof who hath measured the sea capacitie therof †Who hath shut vp the sea in the midest of waters hath hanged the earth vpon the waters with his word †Who hath spred heaueÌ„ as it were a vault ouer the waters he hath fouÌ„ded it †Who hath put fountaines of waters in the desert and lakes vpon the toppes of mountaines to sendforth riuers from the high rocke to watter the earth †Who made man put his hart in the midds of the bodie and gaue him spirit life and vnderstanding †And the inspiration of God omnipotent that made al thinges and searcheth al hid thinges in the secretes of the earth †He knoweth your inuention and what you thinke in your hartes sinning and willing to hide your sinnes †Wherfore our Lord in searching hath searched al your workes and he wil put you al to open shame †and you shal be confounded when your sinnes shal come forth before men and the iniquities shal be they that shal stand accusers in â—hat day †What wil you doe or how shal you hide your sinnes before God and his Angels †Behold God is the Iudge feare him Cease from your sinnes and now forget your iniquities to doe them anie more God wil bring you out and deliuer you from al tribulation †For behold the heate of a great multitude is kindled ouer you and they shal take certaine
prophecied of al his twelue sonnes and in Iudas of Christ Gen. 49. v. 10. And then dyed  Iob either of the progenie of Nachor or as semeth more probable of Esau liued the same time in which the children of Israel were pressed with seruitude in Aegypt Himselfe writte the historie of his affliction in the Arabian tongue which Moyses translated into Hebrew m 2286. Amrā Esron n Ioseph buried his father in Chanaan and nourished his bretheren with their families as their patron superior Gen. 50. v. 18.   o 2340.   o He dyed at the age of 110. yeares Gen. 50. After his death the Superioritie of the children of Israel descended not to his sonnes but to his bretheren and rested in Leui the third brother liuing longest of al the twelue to the age of 137. yeares Exodi 6. v. 16. whose genealogie is there declared to shew the descent of Aaron and Moyses About this time was Atlas the great Astronomer brother of Prometheus grandfather to Mercurius the elder whose nephew Mercurius otherwise called Tris megistus the master of moral philosophie must nedes be a good while after Moyses S. Aug. li. 18. c. 39. de ciuit Also Cecrops the first king and builder of Athens was in Moyses time after him Cadmus built Thebes and the first that brought letters into Grece more ancient then manie Pammes goddes S. Aug. li. 18. c. 8. c. The booke of Exodus conteyneth the affliction and deliuerie of the children of Israel precepts of Gods law p 2401. Aaron borne Aram. r Moyses an infant of three monethes was put in a basket on the water taken thence by Pharaos daughter nurced by his owne mother and brought vp in Pharaos court Exod. 2.   q 2404. Moyses borne  s At the age of fourty yeares he went to his bretheren to comfort them Where killing an Aegyptian that oppressed an Israelite he was forced to flee into Madian Exod. 2.   s 2244.   t After other fourtie yeares God appeared to Moyses in a bush burning not wasting Sent him into Aegypt with powre to worke miracles to bring the children of Israel out of that bondage   t 2484.  Aminadab v Pharao and the Aegyptians resisting were plaged with tenne sundrie afflictions At last the Israelites were deliuered and Pharao with al his armie drowned Exo. 3. to 15.   THE END OF THE THIRD AGE THE BEGINNING OF THE FOVRTH AGE Anni mūdi High-priests The line of Iudas The sacred historie Schismes and infidelitie Scriptures    w The law was geuen in Mount Sina the fifteth day after their going out of Aegypt Exod. 19. 20. In the absence of Moyses the people forcing Aaron to consent made adored a golden calfe for God Exod. 32.   x 2485.   x The tabernacle with al thinges perteyning therto was prepared in the first yeare and erected the first day of the second yeare of their abode in the desert Exod. 40.     Aaron  y In the same second yeare Aaron was consecrated Highpriest and his sonnes Priestes for an ordinarie succession Moyses remayning Superior extraordinarie during his life Leuit. 8. Nadab Abiu offered strange fire in sacrifice and were burnt to death Leuit. 10. Leuiticus conteyneth the Rites of Sacrifices Priestes Feastes Fastes and Vowes Numeri so called because in it are numbered the men of twelue tribes able to beare armes also the Leuites deputed to Gods seruice about the tabernacle and the mansions of the people in the desert with other thinges happening in the 40. yeares of their abode there     z Balaam a sorcerer hyred by Balac king of Moab to curse the Israelites was forced by Gods powre to prophecy good things of them Num. 22. 23. 24. Chore Dathan Abiron with manie others murmuring rebellīg against Moyses Aaron were partly swalowed aliue into the earth others burnt with fire from heauen Num. 16.      a Moyses and Aaron doubting that God would not geue water out of a rock to the murmuring people were foretold that they should dye in the desert and not enter into the promised land Num. 20.    b 2523. Eleazar  b Aaron dyed in the mount Hor and his sonne Eleazar was made Highpriest Num. 20.    c 2524.   c Moyses repeted the law commending it earnestly to the people Then dyed and was secretly buried by Angels in the valley of Moab Deut. 34.      To whom Iosue succeded in temporal gouernment his spiritual remayning in the Highpriest Nu. 27. v 20. d Al the children of Israel that came forth of Aegypt aboue the age of twentie yeares dyed in the desert except two Iosue Caleb Num. 26. v. 64. 65. Al nations generally besides the Iewes seruing many false goddes those thought themselues most religious that were most supersticious studious of art Magike Nigromancy the like And euerie countrie yea almost euerie towne village had their peculiar imagined goddes as S. Athanasius discourseth Orat contra idola Deuteronomie is an abridgement and repetition of the law conteyned more largely in the former bookes    e Presently after Moyses death Iosue brought the people ouer Iordan into Chanaan Iosue ◠And in the space of seuen yeares conquered the land Iosue 6. c.   f 2531   f And diuided the same amongst the tribes Iosue 13.   g 2533.   g The tribes of Ruben Gad and half Manasses hauing receiued enheritance on the other side of Iordan Num. 32. v. 33. and now returning thither made an altar by the riuer side which the other tribes suspecting to be for sacrifice and so to make a schisme prepared to fight against them but they answering that it was only for a monument al were satisfied Iosue 22.  The booke of Iosue is the first of those which are properly called Historical declaring how the Israelits conquered possessed the land of Chanaan it conteyneth the historie of 32. yeares   Naasson  The Romanes otherwise most prudent accoūted al inuenters of artes conqueroures of countries al archiuers of great explores at least after their deathes to be goddes And not only men but also manie other thinges were held for goddes  h 2556. h Iosue at the age of 110. yeares dyed Iosue 24. v. 29. had no proper successor     i 2556.   i Eleazarus the Highpriest dyed the same yeare Iosue 24. v. 33. And his sonne Phinees succeded    Phinees  k After the death of Iosue the people were afflicted by forreine nations God so permitting for their sinnes but repenting he raised vp certaine captaines who were called Iudges of diuers tribes without ordinarie succession to deliuer defend the countrie from inuasions These were in al fourtenne