shall be high Priestes Iudges and Scribes for in their mouthe shall the holie thinges be kept WheÌ„ I awooke I perceiued that this vision was like the other and I laied it vp in my harte and shewed it not to any man liuyng vpon yearth The firste twoo daies I and Iuda wente to our Grandfather Isaac and he blessed me according to all the saiynges of the visions that I had seen but he would not goe with vs vnto Bethel But when we came to Bethel my father Iacob sawe in a vision concerning me that I should bee their Prieste before the Lorde And he rose in the Mornyng and tithed all thynges to the lorde by me Then came we to Hebron to dwell there and by and by Isaac called me to expound the lawe of the lorde accordyng as Gods Aungell had shewed it me and he taught me the Lawe of Priesthoode Sacrifices Burnt offerynges Firstlynges Freewill offerynges and offerynges for health Euery daie he taught me vnderstaÌ„dyng and called vpoÌ„ me continually before the lord saiyng my sonne geue no eare to the spirite of fornication for he will folowe thee and defile the holie thynges by thy seede Therefore take thee a wife in thy youth suche a one as hath not any blemishe nor vncleannesse nor is of the kindred of the Allophites or of the Gentiles And before thou enter into the holies wash did likewise ere thou sacrificest and also wheÌ„ thou hast doen Offer vnto the lorde the fruites of the twelue trees that are euer grene as my father Abraham taught me to do and the fruite of all cleane beastes of cleane foules offer thou in Sacrifice Likewise offer vp the first borne of all thynges and the firste fruites of the vine and sprinckle all thy Sacrifices with salte Now therefore my sonnes keepe ye all the thynges that I commaunde you for â–ª whatsoeuer I haue heard of my fathers that haue I told vnto you I am cleare from al the wickednesse and synne whiche you shall commit to the ende of the worlde Ye shall woorke wickednesse againste the Sauiour of the worlde and ye shall seduce Israel stirring vp muche euill against him from the lorde and dealyng wickedly with hym so that Hierusalem shall not continue by reason of your naughtinesse The Ueile of the Temple shal be rente asunder to discouer â–ª your foulenesse and ye shall bee scattered as prisoners among the Heathen and bee scorned curssed and troden vnder foote Neuerthelesse the house whiche the lorde shall chuse shall bee called Hierusalem as the booke of Enoch the righteous conteineth Therefore when I was .xxviii. yeres olde I tooke a wife whose name was Melcha and she conceiued and bare me a Sonne and called his name Gershon because we were but strauÌ„gers in our lande For Gershon signified banishement Now I knewe of hym that he should not bee of the chief degree The seconde was Caath who was borne the xxxv yeare I sawe a vision Eastwarde how all the Congregation stoode vp a lofte and therefore I called his name Caath whiche signifieth the beginnyng of greatnesse and learnyng The third was Merari who was borne in the fiue and fifteth yeare of my life And because his mother was hardely deliuered of hym she called hym Merari whiche is as muche to say as my bitternesse And in the three score and fourth yeare of my life was my daughter Iochebed borne in Aegipt and so was I honorable among my brethren Also my soonne Gershon tooke a wife whiche bare him Libny and Schimi The sonnes of Caath were Amram Yshâ—ar Hebron and Vziel and the Soonnes of Merari were Mahaly and Mushi In the fower score and fowerteenth yeare of my life Amram tooke to wife my daughter Iochebed because that he and she were borne bothe on one day I was eight yere old when I entered into the land of Chanaan and eighteene yere olde when I entered the office of Priesthoode At eight and twentie yeres I tooke a wife and at fourtie yeres olde I entered into Egipt And beholde ye bee nowe my Childrens children in the thirde generation Ioseph died in the hundred and tenth yeare And now my Children I warne you feare the Lorde your GOD with all your harte and walke plainely in all thynges accordyng to his Lawe Moreouer bryng vp your children in learnyng that they maye haue vnderstandyng by readyng the lawe of God without ceasyng all their life loÌ„g For whosoeuer knoweth Gods lawe shal be honoured and goe wheresoeuer he wil he shall be no straunger Also he shall haue moe freindes then his forefathers hadde and many shall bee glad to serue hym and to heare the lawe at his mouthe My sonnes deale rightfully vpon yearth that ye maie finde heauen and sowe good thinges in your myndes that ye maye finde them in your life For if ye sowe euill thynges ye shall finde and reape all maner of combraunce and trouble Get ye wisedome in the feare of God For if captiuitie come and Cities and Countreis bee destroyed golde and siluer and al possessions perish but none can take awaie the wise mannes wisedome saue onely the blindnesse of vngodlinesse and synne For his wisedome shall become a shield to hym among his enemies and make a straunge countrey to bee as his owne home and cause hym to finde frendship in the middest of his foes If he teach and doe suche thynges he shal sitte with kynges as did our brother Ioseph And truely my children I knowe by the writynges of Enoch that in the ende ye shall doe wickedly laiyng your handes moste spitefully vpon the lorde through you your brethren shal be confounded and made a scornyng stocke to all Nations Howbeeit our Father Israell is cleare froÌ„ the wickednesse of the high Priestes whiche shall saye hande vpon the Sauior of the worlde The heaueÌ„ aboue the yearth is cleane you be the lightes of the Heathen as the SuÌ„ne and the Moone What shall al the HeatheÌ„ do if you be ouerdarckned with wickednesse and bryng cursednesse vpon your countrey folke for whose sakes the lighte of the worlde is put into you to inlighten al men withal this light of the worlde shall you wilfully steâ— and teache commaundementes coÌ„trary to the righteousnesse of god He shall purloine ynâ— Lordes offerynges and suche awaie peeces of it Before ye doe your Sacriâ—ices to the Lorde ye shall steale awaie the choiceste thynges and eate them disdainfullie with Harlottes teachyng Commaundementes of coueteousnesse Ye shall defile Maried women and enforce Maidens in Hierusalem Ye shall matche your selues with Whores and Harlottes ye shal take the Daughters of the Heathen to wife â–ª purifiyng them with vnrighteous purifiyng and youre minglyng shall bee as Sodome and Gomorrha and ye shall be swolne with wickednesse in the Priesthoode in so muche that ye shall disdainefully laughe the hâ—lie thynges to scorne not
the ende of that good man and follow his mercifulnes with a good mind that you also may haue a crowne of glory vpon your heades A good man hath not a darcke eye for he is mercifull to all men yea though they bee sinners and haue deuised mischiefe agaynst hym and he that doth good ouercommeth euill by the defence of goodnesse and loueth the righteous as his owne Soule If another man bee honoured hee enuieth it not if a man be enriched it greeueth hym not If a man be strong or valiaunt he praiseth hym and beleuyng him also to be chaste he defendeth hym that hath the feare of god He worketh together with hym that â—oueth God and if a man forsake the almightie hee warneth hym to returne againe Whosoeuer hath the grace of the good spirite him doth he loue as his owne life He pitieth the poore succoureth the weake and praiseth and honoureth God. My children if ye haue a good minde euill men shall stande in awe of you and vnthriftes shall for very shame be conuerted to goodnesse So that couetous men shall not only depart from their nigardlines but also geue of their aboundaunce to the needy If ye be good doers both vncleane spirites shall flee from you and shrewd beastes shall shun for feare of you For where the regard of good works is in the minde there darkenesse flyeth away For if hee doe wrong to any holye man hee is sorye for it and if a holy man receiue wronge he pittieth the doer and putteth it vp with silence And if any man betray a righteous soule and the righteous pray for his betrayer the betrayer is not a little disgraced and the righteous becommeth muche more notable afterwarde as did my Brother Ioseph The guilefull spirite of Beliall hath no power ouer a good mans minde For the Angell of peace guideth his soule He looketh not affectionatly vppon corruptible thinges ne raketh together riches in the desire of voluptuousnesse Hee is not delighted with pleasures Hee greeueth not hys neighbour hee stuffeth not hymselfe with meate neither wandreth he in the pryde of hys eyes for the Lorde is his portion He taketh no glory for geuyng good couÌ„sell hee passeth not how men dishonoure hym neither can he skill of anye guile vntrueth strife or slaunderousnes For the Lorde dwelleth in hym and inlighteneth hys mynde and hee reioyceth before all men in a good tyme A good mynde hath not twoo tongues one to blesse with and another to curse with one to slaunder with and another to honour with one of soâ—row and an other of â—oy one of quietnes an other of trouble one of diâ—â—â—mulation an other of truth one of pouerty an other of riches but it hath one onely disposition pure vncorrupt towards all It hath no doble sight nor doble hearyng For in all thinges that he doth speaketh or seeth he knoweth that the Lorde beholdeth his hart and therfore he clenseth hys mynde that hee may not bee â—ound faultie before God and man But all the workes of Beliall are double and vtterly voyde of simplicitie Wherefore my children shun the naughtinesse of Beliall for at the first he delighteth those that obey hym but in the ende he is a sworde and the Father of seuen mischiefes For when the mynde hath once coÌ„ceiued by Beliall it bringeth forthe firste enuy secondly desperatnesse thirdly sorrowe fourthly bondage fiftly needinesse sixty troublesomnesse and seuenthly desolation and for that cause was Cain tormented with seuen punishments by God for in seuen yeare together God brought euery yeare a new plague vppon Caâ—â— Twoo hundred yeares hee suffered and in the nine hundreth yeare the earth was made desolate with the floud for hys righteous brother Abels sake In seuen hundred yeares is Cain iudged and Lamech in seuentie tymes seuen for they that are like Cain in spitefulnes and hatred towardes their brethren shal be punished with the same punishment for euer as he was You therfore my ChildreÌ„ eschew malice enuy hatred towardes your brethreÌ„ cleue to goodness louingnes He y hath a minde cleane in loue looketh not vpoÌ„ a womaÌ„ in way of lechery For he hath no desyling in his hart because y spirit of y Lord resteth in him For as the Sunne is not defiled by shyning vpon a puddle or dunghill but doth rather dry vp and driue away the stinch euen so a pure mind stryueth agaynst y vncleanesse of the earth and ouercoÌ„meth it but is not defiled it selfe And I perceiue by the sayings of the righteous Enoch that there shal be euill deedes amoÌ„g you For ye shal defile your selues with the fornication of Sodonie and perishe all saue a few and multiply mordâ—nate lustes in women and the reigne of the Lord shall not be among you for he shal take it away sodenly Neuerthelesse the Lordes temples shal be made in our portion it shal be glorious among you For the Lord himselfe shal take the kingdome vpon him and the twelue tribes shal be gathered together there and all nations shall â–ª resort thether vntill the 〈◊〉 highest send his saluation in the visitation of his onely 〈◊〉 And he shal 〈◊〉 into the first temple and there the Lord shall suffer wrong and he despised and be 〈…〉 vp vpon a peece of timber And the veyle of the temple shall be rent 〈◊〉 and the spirit of the Lord shall come downe vpon the Gentiles poured out as fire And rising vp froÌ„ the grane he shall ascend from earth to 〈◊〉 He shall remeÌ„ber how 〈…〉 hath bin vpon earth and â—ow glorious he is in heauen When Ioseph was in Egipt I longed to see his person and the formâ— of his couÌ„tenaunce And through the prayers of my Father Iacob I sawe him awake in the daye of his full and perfecte shape Nowe therefore my Children knowe ye that I shall dye Wherefore deale euery of you truely and rightfully with his neighbour worke ye iustly faithfully and kéepe ye the lawe and commaundementes of the Lord for that do I teach you in stead of al inheritauÌ„ce And gâ—ue you the same to your ChildreÌ„ for an euerlasting possession For so dyd Abraham Isaac and Iacob they gaue vs all these thinges for an inheritaunce saying kéepe the Lordes commaundementes til he reueale his sauing health to all nations Then shall ye see Enoch Noe Sem Abraham Isaac and Iacob rising at his right hande with ioyfulnesse Then shal we rise also euery of vs to his owne scepter worshipping the king of heauen which appeared on earth in the base shape of maÌ„ As many as beleue in him shall reioice with him at that time And all these shall rise agayne to glorye and the residue 〈…〉 And the Lord shall first of all iudge Israel for the vnrighteousnes 〈◊〉 agaynst him because they beleued
as well as theresidue of my brethren Therefore my children keepe your selues from all spite and enuie and walke in singlenesse of mynde and good conscience after the example of your fathers brother that God may giue you grace glorie and blessednesse vppon your heades as you see in hym Of all the daies of his life he did neuer caste vs in the tâ—th with it but loued vs as his owne soule and more then his owne Children honoryng vs and geuyng vs riches Cattell and Corne aboundantly You therefore my childreÌ„ loue ye one an other with a good harte and put from you the spirite of Enuie for it maketh a mannes soule to growe sauage marreth his bodye bredeth wrathe and warre in his thoughtes setteth his bloud on fire driueth hym out of his wittes and suffereth not reasoÌ„ to beare any swaie Moreouer it taketh awaie his slepe disquieteth his mynd and maketh his body to tremble For euen in slepe some spice of imagined malice guaweth hym combryng his soule with Spirites of mischief makyng his bodie gastly and his mynde afrighted with trouble and appearyng vnto men as it were with a pernicious spirite and pouryng out of poyson Therefore was Ioseph faire of face beautifull and comely to beholde because no wicked thyng dwelte in hym For he had a count enance cleare from comberaunce of mynde And now my childreÌ„ let your hartes be meke before the lorde and walke right before maÌ„ so shall ye finde fauor bothe with God and man and beware that ye fal not to whoredome For whoredome is the mother of all naughtinesse separatyng a man from God sending him to Beliall For I haue seen in Enockes writynges that you and your childreÌ„ shal be corrupted with whoredome and do Leuy wrong by the sworde But thei shal not preuaile againste Leuy because he shall â—ight the lordes battailes take all your tentes and verie fewe shall bee deuided in Leuy and Iuda for he shall be your Capitaiâ—e and my father Iacob prophesied in his blessinges Behold I tell you al thinges aforehande that I maie be cleare froÌ„ the synne of your soules Now if you put from you all enuiousnesse and all stifneckednesse all my bones shall florishe as a Rose in Israel and my fleshe as a Lillie in Iacob my sauor shal be as the sent of Libanus my holy ones shal bee multiplied as the Ceders for euer their boughes shall spreade out in length for euermore Then shall thee seede of Chanaan perishe together with the remenaunte of Amalecke All the Capadocians shall perishe and all the Schithians shall be destroied Then shall the lande of Cham faile and al the people go to wrecke Then shall al the â—â—earth rest from trouble and all men vnder Heauen from warre Then shall Sem bee glorified when the greate Lorde God of Israel appeareth vpoÌ„ yearth as a man to saue Adam in hym Then shall the spirites of errour be troden vnder foote and men shal raigne ouer hurtfull sieÌ„des TheÌ„ shall I rise againe in ioye and blesse the highest in his woÌ„derfull workes for God takyng a body vpon him and eatyng with men shall saue men And now my children obey Leuâ—â—nd you shall bee deliuered by Iudaâ— and â—â—uauce not your selues aboue thesâ— twoo Tribes for of them twoo shall the sauyng health of God spring vnto vs. For the Lorde shall sette vp of Leuy the Prince of Priestes and of Iuda the kyng of kynges God and man So shall he saue all the Gentiles the offpryng of Israel For these thynges sakes I charge you to commaunde your children to keepe these thynges throughout al their generatioÌ„s And Simeon making an ende of these his saiynges and commaundementes to his children slept with his Fathers wheÌ„ he was of the age of a hundred and twentie yeares And they laide hym in a Coffin of woodde that rotteth not that they might carry his bones againe into Hebron and they conueied him priuily in the warre of the Egiptians For the Egiptians kept the bones of Ioseph in the Kynges treasury For their Iâ—chaâ—ters tolde them that whensoeuer Iosephes bones were caried awaye there should be suche a plague of miste and darkenes among the Egiptians as one Brother should not know an other no not euen by torch light And Symeons Children bewayled their Father accordyng to the Lawe of mournyng and continued in Egipt till the day of their departyng thence vnder the hand of Moyses ¶ The Testament of Leuy◠〈…〉 hys Children at hys death conceâ—nyng Priesthoode The sinne be iust rage not geue lyght Ye Preachers of Gods worde For what thing els sheweth Sun and Moone Dame Venus Wolfe and sword THe Copye of Leuyes wordes namely which he spake to his childreÌ„ coÌ„cerning all the thinges which they should doe and whiche should happen to them vnto the day of iudgement He was in health when he called theÌ„ vnto hym for he knew before â–ª when he should dye Therfore wheÌ„ they were come together he said vnto theÌ„ I Leuy was bred and borne in Carram and afterwarde came with my father into Sichem I was at y time but yong about xx yeares olde when I helped my brother SimeoÌ„ to reueÌ„ge our sister Dina against Hemor Now as wee were feedyng of our flocks in Abeâ—â—naul the spirit of y vnderstanding of the Lord came vpon me and I sawe all menne vnderminyng their owne waies how vnrighteousnes had builded her selfe a fortresse and wickednesse sat vpon the towers thereof And I was sorye for mankind besought the Lord to saue them Then fell there a sleepe vpon mee and I saw a high mountaine It was the mountaine of Aspis in Abelmaull And behold the heauens opened and the Angell of God sayd vnto mee Leuy comâ— hether and I went from the first heauen to the second and there sawe the water hanging betwene the one and the other And I saw the third heauen much brighter theÌ„ them both â—or â–ª the height therof was infinite And I sayd to the Angell what meaneth this And the Angell aunswered me maruell not at these things for thou shalt see fower heauens yet brighter and without comparison when thou commest vp to them For thou shalt stand by the Lord and be his minister and vtter his secrets vnto men and preach of the deliuerer of Israel which is to come By thee and by Iuda the Lord will appeare to men to saue al mankinde in them Thy life shall depend vpon the Lorde by hym shalt thou haue thy fieldes vineyardes fruites gold and siluer Therefore harken as touching the seuen Heauens The lowest is most lowring because it is nerest to al the vnrighteousnes of men The second hath fire Snow and I se prepared by the Lords appointment against the daye of Gods rightfull iudgemeÌ„t In it are al the spirites of veÌ„geance for the punishyng of the wicked In
the third are the powers of hostes ordeined against the day of iudgement to take vengeance vppon the spirites of error and of Belial In the fourth aboue these are the Saints for in the higher places dwelleth great glory in the holy of all holyes aboue all holinesse In the nexte vnto this are the Angels that doe seruice in Gods pâ—esence and seeke his fauour in all the igâ—oraunces of the righteous They offer vnto the Lord the swete fauour of reasoâ—able seruice a Sacrifice without bloud In the other that is vnder this are the Angells that bring aunsweres from the Angels in Gods presence In that which is aboue it are the Thrones and Potestates wherein is coÌ„tinuall offeryng vp of Hymnes vnto god Therefore whensoeuer the Lord loketh vpon vs all of vs are mouth â–ª yâ—a and â—uch heauen earth the bottomles deepe are moued at the sight of his greatnesse â–ª but the Children of men beyng witlesse shall synne and prouoke the highest vnto wrath Now therfore vnderstand that the Lorde will execute iudgement vppon the children of men Because that men will coÌ„tinue in vnbelefe and vnrighteousnesse euen when the stones shal cleaue a sunder the Sunne be darkened the waters dried vp the fire quake and al creatures bâ—â—roâ—bled at the faintyng of the inuisible Spirites and at the spoiling of hell in the passion of the Highest therefore shall they be condemned to punishement The highest then hath hearde thy prayer to separate thâ—e from vnrighteousnesse and to make thee his sonne and seruaunt and a Minister in his presence a Lanterne of knowledge to lighten Iacob throughly and to be as a day Sunne among the children of Israell and vnto thee and thy seede shall â—he power of blessyng bee geuen till God visite al nations in the bowels of the mercye of his sonne for euer Neuerthelesse thy Sonnes shall lay their handes vppon hym to crucifie hym and for this cause is wisedome and vnderstandyng geuen thee to giue thy children knowledge of hym because that if they blesse hym they shal be blessed and they that cursse hym shall perishe in his sight And the Angell opened me the gates of heauen and I saw the holie temple and the highest sittyng on the throne of glory and he saied to mee Leuy I haue geuen thee the blessynges of the priesthoode till I come my selfe to dwell in the middes of Israell Then the Angel brought me downe to the earth and gaue mee a shield and a sworde saiyng execute vengeaunce in Sichem for Dina I wil be with thee for God hath sent me And at that tyme I slewe the Sonnes of Hemor as it is written in the tables of Heauen And I said vnto hym lord I pray thee tell me thy name that I may call vpon thee in the tyme of my trouble And he answered I am an * Angell which excuseth Israell that he might not bee striken for euer because all wicked spirites lye in waite for hym Afterward beyng waked as it were out of sleepe I blessed the most highest and the Angell that excuseth the ofspring of Israell and all righteous men And when I came to my Father I â—ounde an Asp of brasse whereupon the hill tooke the name of Asps whiche is harde by Gebat on the right side of Abyla And I layd vp these saiynges in my hart I counselled my father and my Brother Ruben to perswade the sonns of Hemor to be circumcised because I was zelously greued for the abhomination whiche they had wrought in Israell For first of al I killed Sichem and then Simeon killed Hemor and after vs came our brethren who smote the Citie the edge of the sworde When my Father heard of it â–ª he was angry because they had receiued circumcision and were killed afterward and therefore he delt otherwise with vs in blessing For we â—â—nned in doyng it against his wil and he fell sicke the same day But I knewe that the Lorde intended euil vnto the Sychemites because thei had heretofore purposed to haue done the like vnto Sara as they did to our sister Dina. But GOD letted them And they persecuted our father Abraham as then a straunger and caried away his cattell and furdermore did beat Ieblae verie sore who was borne in his house After the same maner delte they with all other strangers taking away their wiues froÌ„ them by force and driuyng the men themselues out of their countrye For whiche cause the wrath of the lord came vpoÌ„ them in the end And I said to my Father Syâ— be not offended for GOD will bring the Chananites to nothyng before thee and geue their land vnto thee vnto thy holy one after thee For froÌ„ heÌ„ceforth Sichem shall be called the Citie of fooles because that as men doe scorne fooles so haue we scorned them for their workyng of foly in Israelâ— in takyng awaie our sister to defile her Then came we into Bethell and there when I had Sacrificed three score and ten daies together I sawe â—he thyng again as I had seen it before Aâ—d I sawe â—euen menne in white raiment saiyng vnto me Up putte on the Stole of Priestehoode the Crowne of righteousnesse the Reasonall of vnderstandyng the Robe of truth the Breastplate of faithe the Mitre of holinesse and the Ephod of Prophesie And so euery of theÌ„ bryngyng somethyng with hym did put them vpon me saiyng Be thou henceforthe the Lordes Prieste thou and thy seede for euermore The â—irste annointed me with holie Oyle and gaue me the Scepter of iudgement The seconde washed me with cleane water and â—edde me with breade and wine that is to wit with the holye of holies and clothed me with a holie and glorious Robe doune to the grounde The third did put vpoÌ„ me a Silken garmente like an Ephod The fourth girded me with a girdâ—e like to purple The fifth gaue me an oliue bough full of fatnesse The sixth did set the Mitre of Priesthode vpon my head The seuenth filled my handes with Incense to the entent I should execute the office of Prieste vnto the Lorde And he saied vnto me Leuy vnto three principall thynges is thy seede appointed of GOD namely to be a signe of the glorious lord that is to come â–ª and he that beleueth shal be the firste The greate lot shall not fall vpon hym The seconde shal be in priesthoode And the third shal haue a newe name because a king shal rise vp in Iuda and renâ—e my Priesthood accordyng to the figure of the Gentiles among all nations But the commyng of hym is vnvtterable as who shall bee the Pâ—ophet of the highest borne of the seede of our Father Abraham All the pleasant thynges of Israell shall be geuen to thee and to thy seede and ye shall eate all that is faâ—re to see to and thy seede shall distribute the Lordes Table and of them
onely vauntyng your selues againste menne but also beeyng puffed vp with Pride againste the Commaundementes of GOD. For this causâ— shall the Temple whiche the Lorde shall haue chosen â–ª be vndoubtedly lefte desolate in vnâ—leannesse and you your selues become captiues to all Nations and bee lothed and abhoâ—red â–ª among them and receiue endelesse shame and confusion through Godâ— rightfull iudgement and all that see you shall shunne you And were it not for our fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob there should not one of my seede bee left vppon earth Furdermore I know by the booke of Enoch that you shall goe astray by the space of threescore and tenne weâ—kes and defile the Priesthoode staynâ— the sacrifices destroie the Law despise the saiynges of the Prophetes frowardlie persecute righteous folke hate the godly abhorre the saiynges of soothfaâ—e men call hym Hereticke that goeth about to reâ—ue the Lawe by the power of the Highest and in the ende ye shall kill * hym out of 〈◊〉 as you thinke not knowyng that he shall rise againe and so shall ye receaue his inâ—ocent bloud wilfullye vppon your owne heades For his sake shall your holy places be left desolate whiche you shall haâ—â— defiled euen by vtter forswearyng â–ª and your dwelling shall not be cleaâ—e â–ª but you shalbâ—e accursed among the Heathen and despaire shall vexe you till he visite you 〈◊〉 and mercifully receaue you thâ—â—â—gh faith water And forasmuche as yâ— haue â—earde of the three score and ten weekes â—eare ye also of the Priesthoode For in eâ—ery Iubiley shall be Priesthood In the first Iubiley the firste annointed intoâ—the Priesthoode shall bee greate and talke to God as to his father and his Priesthoode shall be full of the feare of the Lord and in the daye of hys gladnesse hee shall ryse vp to the saluation of the worlde In the seconde Iubiley the annointed shall be conceiued in the heauinesse of the beloued sorte and his Priesthoode shall bee honourable and he shall bee glorified among all men The thirde Priest shall bee taken vp in sorrowe and the fourth shall bee in griefe because the multitude of iniquities shall be layd vpon hym and throughout all Israell euerye man shall hate hys neighboure The fifth shall bee helde faste in darkenesse and likewise the sixth and the seauenth And in the seauenth shall bee suche abhomination before God and man as I cannot expresse howbeit that the doers thereof shall be knowne For thys cause shall they bee in captiuitie and corruption and their Lande and Substaunce shall 〈◊〉 destroyed but in the fifth weeke they shal returne into their desolate countrey and renue the Lordes house In the seauenth weeke shall come Idolatrous Priestes coueitous warriours vnrighteous Scribes and filthy abusers of men children and beastes After that the Lorde hath sent vengeaunce vppon them in the priesthoode then will God raise vp a new priest to whom all the Lordes worde shal be opened and he shall execute true iudgemente vppon earth manye daies and hys starre shall rise in heauen As a kyng shall he shead forthe the light of knowledge in the open sunshine of the daye and hee shal be magnified ouer all the worlde and bee receaued and shine as the sunne vppon the earth and driue awaye all darkenesse and there shall be peace vpon all the earth In his dayes the heauens shall reioyce the earth shall be glad the cloudes shal be merie the knowledge of the Lorde shall bee poured out vpon the earth as the waters of the Seas and the Angels of glory that are in the Lordes presence shall reioice in hym The heauens shal be opened and out of the temple of glorie shall sanctification come vpon him with the fathers voice as from Abraham the Father of Isaac and the glory of the highest shall be spread out vpon hym and the Spirite of vnderstanding and sanctification shal rest vpon him whereof hee shall geue aboundantlye and mightely to hys childreÌ„ in truth for euermore and there shall none succeede hym from generation to generation worlde without end In his Priesthoode all sinne shall come to ende and the vnrighteous shal cease from their naughtinesse but the righteous shall reste in hym and hee shall vpon the gates of Paradise and staye the threatnyng sworde againste Adam and feede the Lambes with the fruite of life and the spirite of holines shall be in them Hee shall bynde vp Beliall and geue his owne children power to tread down hurtfull spirites and the Lorde shall reioice in his children and accept them as his beloued for euermore Then shall Abraham Isaac and Iacob bee glad and then shall I and all Saintes reiâ—yce How my children ye haue heard all Therefore chuse vnto you either light or darkenes either the law of the Lord or the workes of Beliall and wee aunswered our Father saying We will walke before the Lorde accordyng to his law And our father sayde the Lorde is witnesse and his Angels are witâ—â—sses and I am a witnesse and you your selues are witnesses of the woordes of my mouth And when wee had aunswered wer will her witnesses Leuy rested with this charge geuen vnto his Children And he stretched out his feete and was put to his Fathers when hee had liued â— hundreth and seuen and thirty yeares anâ— they layd hym in a Coffin and buried hym afterwarde in Hebron besides Abraham Isaac and Iacob Finis ¶ The Testament of Iuda made to his children at his death concernyng valiauntnesse couetousnes and foâ—nication Loe here the blessed Princely state Of Iuda â–ª suffering not hys mate The Seepter Lyon Pursse and Crowne Betoken glory and renowne THe copy of al the saiynges of Iuda whiche he spake to his childreÌ„ at the tyme of his death when they were come together before hym he said vnto them I was my fathers fourth sonne and my mother called mee Iuda saiyng I thanke thee Lorde for that hee hath geuen mee a fourth soâ—nne I was swifte of foote and painfull in my youth and obeied my Father in all thinges and blessed my mother and my mothers sisters And when I came to mans estate my Father Iacob prayed ouer mee saying thou shalt be a Kyng and prosperous in all thinges Beholde God gaue mee grace in all my workes both abroad and at home Upon a tyme I sawe a â—inde and ran after her and caught her and made meate of her for my Father Also I â—utran the Roes and ouertooke all thinges that were in the fields in so much that I caught a wilde Mare and tamed her I plucked a Kid out of the mouth of a Beare and takyng hym by the paw ouerthrewe hym and rente asunder all wilde beastes that turned vpon me as if I had been a dogge I encountred with a wil be Boare and ouerrunning hym tare hym in peeces In Hebron a Bastardlyon leapte vpon a dogge and I catchyng him by
as I bewrayed the secrets of God aud of my Father Iacob to Bethsue the Chananite whiche God hath forbiddeÌ„ to be disclosed Also wine is a cause of warre and seditioÌ„ Moreouer I charge you my sonnes that you loue not Money â—e looke vppon the beutie of women for money and womanly beauty made mee to ouershoote my selfe in Bethsue the Chananite And I am sure that these twoo thinges shall corrupt mine ofspryng and marre the wise men of my linage and hurt the kyngdome of Iuda whiche God hath geuen mee for obeyng my Father for I neuer repined at my Father Iacobs commaundement but did whatsoeuer hee bad mee And Abraham the Father of my Fathers blessed me to fight for Israel and so did Isaac blesse mee likewise and I know that the kingdome shall stand by me But I haue read in the bookes of Enoche the righteous that ye shall woorke wickedly in the latter daies therfore my children keepe your selues from lechery and couetousnes and geue eare to your father Iuda for those thinges withdraw men from Gods law and blynde the vnderstandyng of their mindes and teache them pryde neither suffer they any man to shewe mercy to his neighbour They bereue hys Soule of alt good thinges and hold it downe in paines and sorowes Also they disapoint hym of hys sleepe and eonsume his fleshe Finally they hinder Gods Sacrifices neglect his blessinges disobey the speakyng of hys Prophetes and are offended at the woorde of godlynesse for these two passions are contrary to the commaundementes of GOD. Hee that serueth them cannot obey GOD because they dazell mens mindes and walke abroad as well a nightes as of daies My children couetousnes leadeth men to idolatry For through dotyng vppon money it calleth them Gods which are not and compelleth the infected partye to growe most vilely out of kinde For moneyes sake I loste my children and had not the penaunce of my fleshe and the humblyng of my soule and the prayers of my father Iacob beene I had dyed as now without children But the God of my Fathers beyng mercifull and full of coÌ„passion knew that I sinned through ignoraunce For the Prince of errour had blynded me and I ouershot my selfe as a fleshely man and beyng corrupted with synne knewe not mine owne infirmitie but thought my selfe to be inuincible Know ye therefore my sonnes that two spirites do waite vpon a man that is to wit the Spirite of trueth and the Spirite of errour and in the middes betwene them is set the Spirite of vnderstandyng of the mynd whose propertie is to incline whiche waye it listeth The thynges that belong both to truth and vntruth are written in the brest of man and God knoweth euerye whit of it and none of al mens workes can be hidden at any tyme from hym because all the priuities of mens hartes are written before the Lord and the spirite of truth beareth witnesse of all thinges and accuseth all and he that sinneth hath a burnyng in his hart and can not lift vp his face to his iudge And now my children loue ye Leuy that ye may abyde and exalte not your selues aboue hym leaste ye perishe The Lorde hath geuen vnto me the kingdome and vnto hym the Priesthoode and hath put the kingdome vnder the Priesthood Unto Leuy is geuen the Priesthoode and vnto Iuda the kingdome and GOD hath put the kingdome vnder the Priesthoode Unto mee he hath geuen the thinges that are vpon the earth and vnto him the thinges that are in heauen As farre as the Heauen surmounteth the Earth so farre doth the Priesthoode surmount the kingdome that is vpon the earth For the Lord hath chosen hym aboue thee to approach vnto him and to eate of his Table and to take the firstlinges of the children of Israell and thou shalt bee as a Sea to hym For like as in the Sea both righteous and vnrighteous are in daunger and the one sorte are caught Prisoner's and the other sorte are inriched euen so shall all kinde of men be hazarded in thee some sinkyng in misery and other some flotyng in prosperitie For in thee shall raygne great Whales whiche shall swallowe vp men as fishes and bryng free mens Sonnes and Daughters into bondage They shall take awaye mens Houses Landes cattell and Money by force and wrongfully feede Rauens and other greedy fowles with many folkes fleshe and they shall prosper in naughtinesse and bee exalted through couetousnesse and there shall be false Prophetes like stormes which shall perfecute all righteous men But y Lord shall set them together by the eares amoÌ„g themselues and there shall bee continuall warres in Israell and my kingdome shall 〈…〉 vp in Straungers tyll the Sauiour of Israell come euen till the commyng of the God of righteousnesse that Iacob and all Nations may rest in peace and hee shall maintaine my kyngdome in peace for euer For the Lord hath sworne to me that the kingdome of me and of my seede shall neuer faile world without end But I am very sory my Children for the filthines and trechery and idolatry which ye shall worke against the kingdome by followyng Witches and Coniurers by vowyng your daughters to deceitfull deuils by makyng them inchaunters charmers and strumpets and by intermeâ—lyng your selues with the abominations of the heathen for the whiche thinges the Lord shall bring vpon you famine and pestileÌ„ce death and sworde wrathfull besiegement and. deuouryng dogs reproch of freinds and foes losse and. pain of eyes slaughter of your children rauishing of your Wiues spoyle of your goods the burning of your temple the desolation of your countrey and the. captiuitie of your selues amoÌ„g all nations whiche shall gelde some of you to make Eunukes for their Wiues But if ye retourne to the Lorde with hartie repentaunce and humanitie and walke in all the Commaundementes of God He will visite you with mercie and louyngly deliuer you from the bondage of your enemies After this shall rise among you a Starre out of Iacob and a manne shall spring out of my seede whiche shall walke as the daysunne of righteousnesse among the children of menne in peace and mekenesse and righteousnesse and no sinne shal bee founde in hym The heauens shall open vpon hym to poure out the spirite of blessednesse vppon hym from the Father and he shall sheade out the spirite of grace vpon you and you shall bee his children in truthe walkyng in his first and last Commaundementes This is the ofspryng of the moste high God and the welspryng of life to all fleshe Then shall the Scepter of my Kyngdome shine brighte and out of your roote shall spryng the vessell of plantyng in whom shall growe vp the rod of righteousnesse to the Gentiles to iudge and saue all suche as call vpon hym After
this shall Abraham Isaac and Iacob rise vp againe to life and I and the Princes my brethren shall be your Sâ—â—pter in Israell Leuy firste I next Ioseph the third Beniamin the fourth Symeon the fifth Isachar the sixth and so all the reste And the Lorde hath blessed vs Leuy shall bee the Messenger of my presence Symeon the Power of my glorie Ruben Heauen Isachar the Hearth ZabuloÌ„ the Sea Ioseph the Mountaines Beniamin the Tabernacle Dan the lightes Heptalim the 〈◊〉 God the Daysunne and After an Oliue tree And there shall be one people of the lorde and one tongue and there shall bee no more the false Spiritie of Beâ—â—â—â— â–ª because he shall bee cast into endlesse fire They that are buried in sorrowe shal 〈…〉 and they that were poore for the Lordes sake shall be made riche Thei that suffered penurie shall haue plentie and they that were weake shall bee made strong They that died for the lordes sake shall wake vp vnto life and runne in Iacob yea they shall runne skipping and leapyng and they shal flie as Eagles for iov But the vngodlie shall be sorrowfull and the synners shall mourne and all the people shall glorifie the Lorde for euer Therefore my children keepe all the lawe of the Lorde for there is hope for all suche as walke aright A hundreth and nineteene yeares olde doe I dye in your fight Lette none of you burie me costly clothes nor rippe my beallie for so will Rulers doe But cary me backe into Hebron with you With these woordes Iuda died and his children doyng in all thynges as he commaunded them buried hym with his fathers in Hebron Finis ¶ The Testament of Isachar made to his Children at his death conceâ—nyng a single harte Lâ—â—râ—e here a simple life Not voide of paine but strife The Sythe the Spade the Asse Sâ—â— forthe what man he was THe copie of Isachars woordes He callyng his children about hym saied vnto them Ye childreÌ„ of Isachar heare your Father and harken to the woordes of the beloued of the Lorde I am Iacobs fifth sonne in the reward of Mandrake For Iacob broughte Mandrakes out of the fielde and Rachell meetyng hym tooke them of hym Thereat Ruben wept and at his noise my mother Lea came out Now the Mandrakes were sweete sented apples whiche the lande of Aran bryngeth forthe in high countreis by the waterualleis And Rachell saied I will not geue thee these Apples because they shal helpe me to children Now there were twoo of these Apples And Lea said doth it not suffice thee that thou hast gotten awaie the housbande of virginitie but that thou wilte haue this also She aunswered let Iacob lye with thee to night for thy sonnes Mandragoras Lea saied vnto her do not boste nor brag for Iacob is myne and I am the wife of his youth And Rachell aunswered howe so was he not first handfasted vnto me and serued he not our Father fowerteene yeres for me What shall I doe to thee For many are the wiles and policies of menne and gile goes forward vpon yearth If it had been otherwise thou shouldest not haue sen Iacob in the face at this daie For thou arte not his wife but werte guilfully putte to hym in my steade My father deceiued me and conueiyng me awaie that nighte suffered me not to see hym For had I been there this had not come to passe Wherefore take thee one Mandrake and in lewe of the other I graunte thee hym for one nighte And Iacob knewe Lea who conceiuyng bare me and called my name Isachar because of the hire Then an Angell of the lorde appeared vnto Iacob and said that Rachel should beare but two sonnes because she had forsaken the companie of her housebande and chosen continencie And if my mother Lea had not geuen thee twoo Apples for his companie she should haue borne eighte children whereas by reason of that she bare but sixe and Rachell twoo because GOD visited her in the Mandrakes For he knewe that she desired to company with Iacob for issues sake and not for luste of pleasure For she â—â—ned vp the Mandrake and deliuered it to Iacob the next daie and therefore God heard Rachell in the Mandrakes because that although she had a mynde to them yet she eate them not but offered them to the Prieste of the moste highest whiche was in those daies and laied them vp in the Lordes house Therefore my children when I came to mannes state I walked with an vprighe harte and became Bayliffâ— of Housebandrie to my Fathers and broughte them the fruites of their Landes in their due seasons and my Father blessed me when he sawe howâ— I walked plainly and â—mplie I was no busie bodie in my dooynges I was not hurtfull nor spitefull to my neighbour I raiâ—ed not vpon any manne neither dispraised I the life of any that walked in singlenesse of mynde By reason hereof when I was thirtie yeres olde â–ª I tooke a wife beâ—ause labour had coÌ„sumed my strength I neuer knewe the pleasure of a woman through wantonnesse but my laboure made me to sleepe soundlie and my Father did alwaies reioice of my simplicity For whatsoeuer paines I tooke first of al I offered al the first fruites and the first ingendered cattle to the Lorde by the Priest and then gaue my Father the reste and the Lorde doubled his benefites in my handes Yea and Iacob hym self perceiued well that GOD wrought with my plain dealyng For vnto euery poore man and to euery man in aduersitie gaue I of the frutes of the yearth with a single harte And nowe my children harken and walke in singlenesse of mynde for I knowe that the lorde is verie well pleased with it The single-harted manne coueteth not golde vndermineth not his neighbour lusteth not after diuersitie of meates destreth not shifte of apparell nor behighteth hym self long tyme but onely hath an eye to Gods will and the spirites of error can doe nothyng against hym For he can no skill to entertaine a faire woman least he should destie his owne mynde wrathe ouermaistereth not his witte enuie melteth not his soule neither doeth his mynde run coueteously vpon gain For he leadeth an vpright life and beholdeth all thynges with a single eye excludyng all hurtfulnesse of worldly errour leaste he should ouersee any of the Commaundementes of God Therefore my children keepe Gods Lawe and holde faste plainnesse walke on in â—â—nocencie and bee not to inquisitiue in Gods secretes or of your neighbours doynges but loue God and your neighboure pitie the poore and weake bowe doune your backs to Housbandrie and labour in tillyng of the yearth in all maner of Housbandrie offering presentes to the lorde with thankesgeuyng who blesseth the yearth with encrease and newe spryng of fruites as he blessed all holy men from Abell to this daie for there is none other portion geueÌ„ thee then of the fatnesse of the yearth â–ª
Eunuch should haue beene searched Beholde my sonnes what I haue sustained Loue one of you another with continuaunce cast out from among you deceitfull mindes for God deliteth in the concord of brethren and hath pleasure also in y loue choise of a proued harte For when my brethren came out of Egipt knew me I gaue theÌ„ again their money I neuer gaue reproch vnto them but comforted them And after y death of Iacob I loued them more aboundantly all that euer he commaunded me I did very gladly they marueâ—led because I suffered not them to bee troubled for a smale cause for all that was in my power I gaue to them Their children were reputed to me as mine own and mine owne children as their seruants Their life was my life and their sorow was my sorow all their infirmitie or disease was mine my lande was their land my counsell was y counsel of theÌ„ And I neuer exalted my selfe aboue theÌ„ in pride for mine owne worldly glory But was amongest them as one of y least Therefore my Sonnes if ye walke in the commaundementes of my Lorde the Lorde shall exalt you and blesse you in riches perpetuall And if any man will doe euill to you with meekenes looke that ye pray for hym and GOD shall deliuer you from all euill Nowe beholde and see that for my long sufferaunce the daughter of my Lord was geuen me to wife and there was geuen to mee with her an hundreth talentes of Gold. For God made them to serue me gaue mee beauty that I should be as a flower aboue them that were faire in Israell and he kept me vnto mine age both in strength and beauty because I was like to Iacob in al things And what dreames I haue seene my children nowe heare There were 12. Hartes feeding aâ—d 9. were deuided abroad in the earth Also I sawe howe that of Iuda was a virgin borne hauyng a white silkin Robe and of her came forthe an immaculate Lambe And on the left hand of the saide Lambe was as it were a Lyon and all beastes â–ª made against hym and the Lambe ouercame them and troad them vnder his feet and in hym ioyed the Angels the men and all the earth These thinges shall come to passe in their tyme that is to say in the later dayes Therfore my sonnes keepe the commaundement of the Lord and honour Iuda and Leuy For of them to you shall springe the lambe of God whiche by hys grace shall preserue all Gentiles and Israell The kingdome of hym is a kingdome eternall which shal neuer passe For my kingdome shall bee ended in yoâ— as the keepyng of an Orchard for after the haruest it shall appeare no more I knowe right well that after my death the Egiptians shall trouble you But God shall reuenge you and bryng you to the promised land whiche he sware to Abraham Isaac and Iacob But cary my bones with you for in so doing the Lord shal be in the light with you against the Egiptians Belial shall be in darknes with the Egiptians Also cary with you your mother Zilpha nigh vnto the valley nere vnto Rachell bury her When he had said these wordes he stretched forthe hys feete and slept the sleep of all y world Then they enbaumed him with spices putting hym in a chest in Egipt after he had liued 110. yeares who saw Ephraims Children vnto the 3. generatioÌ„ For vnto Machir the sonne of Manasses were children borne on Iosephes knees After this all they of Israell bewailed hym and all the Egiptians with great mournyng For he had compassion of Egypt as of hys owne proper members and assisted them bothe with his labour and counsell and did them good at all tymes and seasons ¶ The TestameÌ„t of Beniamin made to his Children at his death concernyng a clâ—â—ne mynde Lo what true faitfull loue doth meanâ— All you that louers be It is in hart and not in Lust As here you plainly see THe Copie of Bensamins wordes whiche he vttered to his children beyng of the age of a huÌ„dred and twentie yeares Hee kissed them and saied As Isaac was borne in the hundreth yeare of Abraham so was I in the hundreth yearâ— of Iacob and because Rachell died at my birth I sucked her bondwoman Billâ— For after that Rachell had borne Ioseph she was barren xii yeares And when she had praied to the Lord in those xii yeares she conceiued and bare me For my father loued Rachell excedingly and wished to see 2. sonnes by her and therefore I was called Beniamin that is to say the sonne of my daies or the sonne of my sorrow because my mother died in the birth of mee When I came first into Egypt and that my brother Ioseph knewe mee hee sayde to mee what saide they to my Father when they had solde mee I aunswered They staiâ—ed thy coate with bloud and bringyng it to hym sayde See if this bee thy sonnes coate or no. And my Brother also saide vnto mee Truely when the Ismalites tooke me one of theÌ„ stripping mee out of my coat gaue me a thinne shirt to put on and lashyng me with a Whyp bad mee runne And as hee went aside to hide my garment a Lyon met hym and slew him and so his partners being afraid sold mee to their fellowes You therefore my children loue the God of heauen and obey hys commaundementes followyng that good and hâ—lâ—e man Ioseph and let your mynde bee set vppon goodnes as ye know that mine hath beene He that hath a good mynde looketh rightly vppon all thinges Fâ—are God and loue your neighbours and then although the spirit of Belial tempt you to all naughtinesse to trouble you yet shall it not get the vpper hand of you no more then it did of my Brother Ioseph How many folke would haue killed hym and yet GOD deâ—ended hym For he that feareth God and loueth hys neighbour cannot be wounded of the ayry spirit Beliall and he that is shielded with the feare of the Lord is safe from harme both of man and beast and cannot be ouercome because hee is helped by the loue of God whiche he hath towardes hys neighbour For Ioseph be sought our father Iacob to pray for my Brethren to the Lorde that he would not lay to their charges â–ª the mischiefe that they had deuised againste hym Wherat Iacob cryed out O sonne Ioseph thou hast ouercome my hart And ther withall imbracyng him he kissed him twoo houres together and sayde In thee shall the prophesie of heauen be resembled to the full concernyng the lambe of God and Sauiour of the worlde that the vnspotted shall bee deliuered for the wicked doers and hee that is without sinne shall dye for the Sinners in the bloud of hys Testament to the saluation bothe of the Gentiles and of Israell and he shall dashe Beliall and his seruauntes My children looke vpon
Let not the spirite of Dan possesse your minde Suffer not the wrath of Gad to settle in your hart for such work with â— perilous instruments bitter speach trechery and violent hands yelding fruit not much vnlyke as you may read as you may see Wylt thou be taught the ready 〈◊〉 to that that thou doost seeke two wayes ther◠〈◊〉 sayth Aser Vice the one the other Vertuâ— Neptalims race â–ª Embrace the latter eschew the former But he that walketh in them both blyndeth men becemeth himselfe and mocketh God whose double faced dealyng shal be double punished Such are the coâ—etous such are they y are merciful in naughtines such are they sayth Aser that fast from meates but not froÌ„ fornication Haue therfore a simple hart with simple righteous Ioseph the blessed of the Lord the right figure of Iesus Christ for hatred he shewed loue beyng cursed he blessed beyng shot throâ—gh he did not so much as bend hys bow albeit his brethren would haue slaine hym albeit they cast him into a wel though they solde hym as a bond slaâ—e y to strauÌ„gers such as hated shepheards to y death of whom he was whipped tormented yet he when they stoode in feare gaue them coÌ„fort when they were well nye famished gaue them foode when by his authoritye myght destroy by his authoritie did preserue beyng their Lord vsing them as his betters being their Brother acceptyng them as his Children their vnkindnes not spoken of their conspiracies forgotten theyr cruel dealing most louingly most mercifully forgeuen You haue heard his loue toward his neighbour harken his obedience toward god When he was miserably afflicted did he rage and swell When he was made a bondâ—â—â—ue of a free mans sonne did he cry out of heauen beyng almost vtterly forsaken did he vnpatiently accuse Gods iustice no expectans Expectauit Dominum And at the last the Lord whiche hid his face did shew his countenaunce of a caitiâ—e in respect makyng him free of a freeman wealthy of a wealthy subiect an honorable personage Lord President of Pharaos land Whom the Egyptians being alyue loued beyng dead loued beyng â—otten loued Whom â—yuing neyther wealth nor woe coulde make to swell neither promise or threats of the Egyptian strumpet could make slyde and therfore beyng dead neither world Deuil nor mans pollicy could make forgotten O that our mortall race might thus begynne thus perseuere might thus thus O Lord most happely finishe The spirit is willing but the flesh is weake Learne therefore of Beniamin to inflame thy hart that thou maist be ready both in body soule Let vs â—ayth Ecclesiasticus coÌ„mende and so say I Let vs behold the noble famous men and the generation of our fore elders For many glorious actes hath the Lord done in them and snewed his great power euer since the begynnyng Upon the consideration wherof and especially for that I would haue nothyng waÌ„ting in this booke that might serue thy conteâ—tation I thought if as well pertinent to deale with the righteous Father as with the godly childreÌ„ For to shadow a face onely without a body hath his deserued commendation but who so painteth a legge without a body or a bodye without a head it shall not be amisse as I suppose as well to terme him a foolishe painter as to iudge the thing vâ—discreetely paynted Wherefore as well to see the head as the legge and to heare the Father as the childreÌ„ I haue faythfully drawne out of scripture not according to my fancy fashioned the death and Testament of Iacob that blessed right happy Father added to this auncient monument of the children Therfore to recompence my payâ—es reade them but read them diligently neither read onely but coÌ„teÌ„d to follow For the imitation of good and godly men is the direct way course to godlines So may we accompt of Iacobs blessing so may we throughly chalendge to be his Children I meane not by fleshe but spirite The lord which made heaueÌ„ earth y Lord which gaue his sonne to shed his hart bloud for vs god which disposeth thinges to his pleasure preserue our Queene encrease our fayth â–ª and make vs thankeful for his beneâ—ites Amen Richard Daye FINIS ¶ The Testament of Iacob that he made at his death to his xij Sonnes the Patriarches concerning what should beâ—ide them in the last dayes gathered out of Genesis .48 .49 and added to this booke Comâ— harke my Sonnes two thinges I geue my blessing and my ban The first to them that godly lyue the last to wicked man. IAcob the sonne of Isaac borne of Rebecca the yeare of the world 2108. his Father being three score yeares of age was a perfect man righteous dwelling †in tentes not geuen to pleasure hunting as hys elder brother elder by nature not by grace for the elder shal serue the younger sayth the Lord. Why not for that Iacob had so deserued but because God had so appointed Wherefore wheÌ„ he thus by the determinate will of God and heauenly disposition which ordereth thinges whatsoeuer had got hys Brothers byrthright and his Fathers blessing his Parentes consâ—dering that the slippery dayes of carnall copulation did approach and warely fearing his brother Esaw for y †he conceaued murder in his hart and instituted a byrth day of his deuilishe purpose sent hym from Berseba to Mesopotamia to Laban his mothers brother there honestly to take a wyfe and â—uietly to liue For Matrimony without consent of Parentes and due consideration of either partie coÌ„tracted as it breedeth their disquietnesse so it prouoketh Gods displeasure Iacob therefore after long trauile being placed with his Uncle Laban and seruing hym xiiii yeares in labour payue albeit he was the childe of promise the blessed of the Lord Borne of a free woman and y which is more his Vncles bone flesh and Lord of ChanaaÌ„ not arguing with hymselfe as the worldly childreÌ„ of this earth saying shall I which am a free and wealthy mâ—ns sonne be made a seruaunt shall I be a drudge in my kinsmans house beyng sent to marry not to serue had †geuen him by Laban to wife for his good seruice by whiche God blessed that little that Laban had before his two daughters Lea first then Rachell with their handmaydes Bilha and Zilpha of whome according to the promise made vnto hym of God in Bethell that his seede shouâ—â— be multiplyed he begat xii sonnes .xii. godly Fathers of the earth Ruben Simeon Leui. Iuda Dan. Neptalin Gad. Aser Isachar Zabulon Ioseph BeÌ„iamin Thus he bâ—yâ—g blessed of the Lord as well in Children as in substauÌ„ce returned agayne to his natiue countrye he and his ChildreÌ„ there to lyue there to dy But beholde the diuine prouidence of god After three thirty yeares expired he was remoued froÌ„ Chanaan to Gosen in Egipt by
whose fruites come by painestakyng for our Father Iacob blessed me with the benefites of the yearth and the firstelynges of fruites Leuy and Iuda are glorified of the lorde among the children of Iacob For God hath planted hym self in them geuyng to the one the Priesthoode and to the other the kyngdome Therefore obey ye them and walke plainly as our Father Iacob did For vnto Gâ—d it is geuen to destroye the temptations of Israell My Children I knowe that in the laste daies your children shall forsake plainnesse and cleaue to coueteousnesse let goe innocencie and followe lewdnesse Leaue Gods commaundementes and sticke vnto Beliall geue ouer Housbandrie and gadde after wicked deuices and therefore shall they be scattered among the Heathen and become bondeslaues to their enemies Wherefore warne your children of it that if they synne they maie retourne quickly to the Lorde for he is mercifull and will deliuer them and bryng theÌ„ home againe into their owne lande I am now an hundreth and twoo and twentie yeares olde and I knowe not any deadly lynne vppon me I haue not knowen any woman but my wife neither haue I committed whordome in the luste of mâ—neeyes I haue not drâ—nke Wine vnto droukeunelie neither haue I coueted any pleasant thyng of my neighbours There hath been no guile in my hart nâ—ither hath there any liyng gon out of my lippes I haue been foriâ— with euery man that was in heauâ—nesse and giuen my bread to the poore I haue not â—aten my ineate alone nor remoued the bouÌ„des and buttels of landes I haue been pitifull all the daies of my life and deaâ—te truely in all cases I haue loued the lorde with all my strength and all men as myne owne children My sonnes if you also doe â— the like all the spirites of Belial will flie from you and nothyng that mischieuous menne can doe against you shall haue power ouer you You shall bryng all wilde beastes in subiection to you because yâ— haue the Lorde of heauen with you if yâ— walke with menne in singlenesse of harte And he willed them to carie his bodie into Hebron and to burie hym there in the Caue with his Fathers Thus he stretched out his feete and died in a good age hauyng all his limmes strong and founde and sâ—epte the sleep of all the worlde ¶ The Testament of ZabuloÌ„ made to his Children at his death concerning compassion and mercie The poore man at home Zabulon fed The straungers vnknowen also clothed When Ship did saile God did not faile But gaue his wit To gouerne it THe charge that Zabulon gaue to his children in the hundreth and fourteenth yere of his life twoo and thirtie yeares after the decease of Ioseph And he saied vnto them heare ye me ye Sonnes of Zabulon a good gifte to my Father and Mother For when I was begotten my Father was greatly encreased in Shepe and cattell by reason of the good lucke that he had through the straked roddes I wiste not my Children I wiste not that I synned in those daies For I considered not that I dealt wickedly through ignorance in Iosephes case and moreouer concealed it with my Brothers from our Father howbeeit that I wepte muche for it in secret for I was afraied of my Brothers because they had all conspired together to kill hym with the Sworde that should beâ—â—aie that secrete Neuerthelesse when they would haue killed hym I besought them moste earnestly with teares that they would not dooe suche wickednesse For Symeon and God came vpoÌ„ Ioseph to haue killed hym and Ioseph fallyng vpon his knees saied vnto them haue pitie vppon me my Brethren haue pitie vppon the bowelles of our Father Iacob Laye not your handes vppon me to shead innocente bloude for I haue not synned againste you If I haue doen amisse nurture me with chastisemente but laye not your handes vpon me for our Father Iacobs sake Upon his saiyng of these wordes I beyng moued with compassioÌ„ came and wepte and my harte melted within me and all the substaunce of my bowels were loosened vppon my soule Also Ioseph wepte and I with hym and my harte trembled and the ioyntes of my bodye quaked and I was not able to stande And when he sawe me weepyng with hym and them commyng towardes hym to kille hym he fledde behinde me and besoughte them to pitie hym Then Ruben stepping in saied My brethren lette vs not kille hym â—nt lette vs caste hym into the drye pitte that our fathers digged and founde no water in it For GOD suffred no water to spryng vp in it because it should bee a sauegarde for Ioseph And so God did til they sold him to the I smaelites Thus gaue I no consente to the synne againste Ioseph but Symeon Gâ—d and the other of my Brothers takyng money for Ioseph bought Shoes with it for them selues their Wiues and their Children â–ª saiyng Lette vs not eate it because it is the price of our Brothers bloud but lette vs treade it vnder our feete because he saied he should raigne ouer vâ— and wee shall see what his dâ—eames will come vnto Therefore in the Sâ—â—pter of Cnoches Lawe it is written of hym that would not raise vp â—eede to his brother I haue loosed Iosephes Shoâ—e For when wee came into Egipte the younge menne vnbuckeled Iosephes Shooes at the gate and so wee worshipped Ioseph as it had been Pharao and not onely worshipped hâ—m but also kneeled downe before hym with blushyng and so were putte to shame before the Egiptians fâ—r afterwarde the Egiptians heard of all the ill that wee had doen vnto Ioseph After the laiyng of him in the pit my Brothers sette meate vppon the Table to eate But I mournyng for Ioseph did 〈◊〉 no meate by the space of two daies and two nightes together neither would Iuâ—â— ente with them but had an eye to the Pitte because he feared leaste Symâ—on and Gad should step there and kille hym When they sawe that I eate nothyng they set me to keepe hym till he was sold. He was in the pitte three daies and three nightes without repast ere he was solde Ruben hearyng that he was solde in his absence rente his garmentes and wepte saiyng how shall I looke my Father Iacob in the face And therewith all takyng money he ran after the Marchauntmen but he could not finde them For they had left the kynges high waie and were gone awai eapace by bye Lanes and Ruben eate no meate that daie Dan therefore commyng vnto hym saied weepe not neither bee sad for the boye for I wote what wee maie saie to our Father Iacob Wee will kill a Kid and staine Iosephes coate with the bloud of it and saie to hym See if this be thy sonnes coate or no. For wheÌ„ they entended to sell Ioseph they stripped hym out of our fathers coate and put vppon hym an old coate of a bondseruaunte
that the Father of nations may receaue you For he was soothfast long suffering meeke lowly and aâ—â—â—â—her of Gods lawe by his owne woorkes Therefore depart from all vnrightâ—ousnes that ye may sticke to the righteousnâ—s of the Lordes law and bury ye mee by my Father In saiyng these thinges be kissed them and slept the sleepe of the world â–ª And his sonnes buried hym laiyng his bones by Abraham Issac and Iacob And like as Dan had prophesied to them that theâ— should one day neglect Gods lawâ— and estrange them selues from the offpryns and natiue countrey of Israell so came it to passe ¶ The Testament of Neptalim made to his Children at his death concernyng goodnes Runne Neptalims race but runne apace Embrace his goodnes and trustinesse If your state you see seruauntes to bee Then God will you blesse and geue successe THe Copie of Heptalims Testament concernyng the thynges which he discoursed at the ende of his tyme in the hundred and two and thirtie yeare of hys life At the commyng of hys children together in the seuenth moneth the forth daie of the moneth hee beyng yet in good health commaunded a sumptuous feaste and greate cheere to be prepared When we wooke in the mornyng from sleepe because hee was euen at deathes doore he praised the Lorde that had strengthned hym and began to speake to his children in this wife My Children geue eare to Neptalim barken to your Fathers wordes I was borne of Bilha and because Rachell dealt craftely in puttyng Bilha to Iacob in her owne steade and Bilha was deliuered of mee in Rachels lappe therefore was I called Neptalim And Rachell loued me because I was borne on her lappe and she kissed mee when I was a little one saiyng God let mee see a brother of thyne out of myne owne wombe after thee By reason whereof Ioseph was like mee in all things accordyng to Rachels request Now my Mother Billa was the daughter of Rotheus the Brother of Debora Rebeccas nurse and was borne the selfe-same day that Rachell was borne for Rotheus was a Caâ—dean of Abrahames kindred a worshipper of GOD free borne and a noble man Now bee it for asmuche as he was taken Prisoner Laban bought hym and maried hym to a bondwoman of hys called Eue who brought hym forth a Sonne whom he named Zeliphas after the name of the Castle wherein he was taken Afterwarde she bare Billa callyng her her newe hasty daughter because she was fond of the Dug as soone as she was borne And because I was as swift of foot as a Stagge my father Iacob appointed me to runne of all mesuages and errands and blessed me by the name of a Stagge For as the Potter knoweth what his bessell shall conteine and tempereth hys quanâ—itie of clay thereafter so the Lorde maketh a mans bodye proportionable to the spirite that he will put into it and â—â—â—teth the spirite to the abilitie of the bodie â—o as there is no inequalitie or oddes betwixt them for all the Lordes creatures are made in Weight Measure and Rule And as the Potter knoweth the vse of euery of them to what thynges thei be metest so the Lorde knoweth the bodie how farre for the it is fit for goodnesse and wheÌ„ it beginneth in euill for there is not any Creature reasonable nor vnreasonable whiche the lorde knoweth not for he hath created all menne after his owne Image And as mans strength is so is his workeas is his will so is his woorke as is his forecast â–ª so is his doyng as is his harte so is his mouth as is his eye so is his slepeand as is his minde so is his talke either of the lawe of the Lorde or of the lawe of Beliall And loâ—ke what diuersitie is betwene lighte and darckenesse or betwene sight and hearyng the same diuersitie is there in man and woman Neither is it to be saied that there is any betternesse in any thing either of the face or of other like thynges For God hath made all thynges good in their order or degree he hath sett the fiue wittes in the heade and knitte the head to the necke couered it with heare for his glorie Moreouer he hath assigned the harte to wisedome the bealie to the auoidaunce of the stomacke the breaste to healthe the liuer to anger the gall to bitternesse the spleene to laughter the kidneis to craftinesse the loynes to strength the ribbes to comelinesse the seede to lustinesse and so forthe So my children doe all thynges in order and in the feare of God neither doe ye any thyng disorderly in scorne or out of due season For thou caust not commaâ—ide the eye to heare neither caust thou doe the workes of light in darknesse Therefore hast ye not to marre your doynges through coueteousnesse or 〈◊〉 beguile your owne soules with fonde talke For by holdyng your peace with a cleane harte ye shal be able to kepe the wil of God and to caste awaie the wiâ—â— of the deuell The SuÌ„ne Moone and Starres breake not their order neither break you Gods lawe in the order of your doyâ—ges The GeÌ„tiles by goyng astray and by forsakyng the lorde haue chaunged their order and followed stockes and stones and spirites of errour But doe you not so my children knowe ye that your onely one God is lorde in the skies on the yearth in the Sea and of all creatures for he is the maker of them And be not like Sodome whiche altered y order of her nature likewise wise * the Watchers altered the order of their Nature and they whom God cursed in the floud makyng the yearth desolate and fruitlesse for their sakes My children I saie these thynges because I haue read in the holy writynges of Enoch that you also shall depart froÌ„ the Lorde and walke in all the wickednesse of Sodome and the lorde shall bring thraldome vpoÌ„ you so as ye shal serue your enemies and be pinched with all maner of tribulation and pain til God consume you euerichone And when ye bee made fewe and small ye shall turne again and knowe the lorde your God and he shall bryng you againe into your owne lande accordyng to his manifold mercie And it shall come to passe that when they shal be come into the countrey of their fathers they shall forget the Lorde againe and deale wickedly so as the Lorde shall scatter them all ouer the face of the whole earth til the mercy of the lorde come a maÌ„ that poureth out mercy and righteousnes vpon all men bothe farre and nere For in the xl yere of my life vpon mount Oliuet towardes the East side of IerusaleÌ„ I saw the Sunne moone stand stil behold Isaac my fathers father said vnto vs come hether apace and euery one of you take holde accordyng to his strengthe for the Sunne and Moone maie be caught And we came runnyng all together
by he repenteth him for in as muche as his minde is bent vnto righteousnesse he putteth awaie naughtinesse and out of hande amendeth his missâ—deedes and correcteth the corruptnesse of his mynde But if his mynde encline to euill all his doynges tende to naughtines â–ª in somuche that he thrusteth awaye the good and taketh to hym the bad because he is vnder the dominion of Beliall and if he dooe any good thing he tourneth the same vnto euill For if he beginne to dooe any good he bringeth the ende of his dooynges to an euill worke because the treasure of his harte is infected with the venime of a deuellishe and mischeuous Spirite and therfore the euill ouermastereth the goâ—d in his mynde and bryngeth the ende of the thyng to naughtinesse Some man sheweth compassion vppon hym that serueth his tourne in naughtinesse that manne hath twoo faces and that deede of his is starke lewdenesse An other man loueth vngratiousnesse and he is leude likewise and althoughe he could finde in his harte to dye for the compassyng of his euill yet it is maniâ—este that he is double-faced and his doyng is altogether starke naught For his loue beyng but leudnesse dooeth as it were cloke his euill with a good name whereas the dâ—ist of his doynges tendeth to a wicked ende An other stealeth doeth open wroÌ„g pilleth and polleth is coueteous pitieth not the poore He also hath a double face and all this is starke naughte for in bâ—yng nigardly towardes his neightbor he prouoketh gods wrathe and denieth the highest in not pitiyng the poore He despiseth and spiteth the Lorde whiche is the commaunder of the lawe he suffereth not the poore to rest he defileth his owne soule to make his bodie gaie he killeth many and pitieth few this is the part of a double faced persone Another committeth whoredome and fornication or vexeth many menne piteously with his power and riches and yet absteineth from meates His faste is naught for he doeth the commaundementes with an euil conscience and that is a double faced dealyng whiche is all together naughte Suche maner of folke are like swine and Hares for they seeme to bee halfe cleane but in very deede they be vtterly vnclean You therefore my childreÌ„ become not like them neither beare ye in one hoode twoo faces the one of goodnesse and the other of naughtinesse but sticke alonely vnto goodnes For in goodnes doeth God rest and men like well of it ShuÌ„ naughtines and kill the deuell in your good workes for they y are double faced serue not god but their owne lustes because they seeke to please Belial and suche as are like theÌ„ selues Now although plaindealing men and suche as pretende but one face are taken for offenders at the handes of suche as beare twoo faces yet are they righteous before god For many in killyng wicked persones dooe twoo woorkes at once namely good by euill but in deede the whole worke is good because that he whiche hath rooted out the euill hath destroyed it Some man hatyng his neighbour mercifully blameth hym for his aduoutrie or thefte suche a one is double faced but yet is the whole woorke good because he followeth the Lordes example not respectyng what seemeth good when it is euill in deede An other wil not make merrie with riotters leaste he should bee stained by them and deâ—ile his owne soule This manne also is double faced but yet is al his doyng good and he is like a Roâ— or a Stagge whiche in common wilde herde some to bee vncleane and yet are altogether cleane because he walked in the zeale of the Lorde shunnyng and hatyng those â–ª whom God willeth to bee shunned in his commaundementes and so killeth he euill with weldoyng Se therefore my Sonnes how there are twoo in all thynges one against the other and the one hidden vnder the other Death succedeth to â—fe shame to glorie night to daie and darkenesse to lighte All righteous thynges are vnder light and life therefore doeth eternall life ouermaister death It is not to be â—aied that truthe is vntruth righteousnesse vnrighteousnesse or right wroÌ„g because that as al thinges are vnder God so all truthe is vnder light I haue practized all these thynges in my life and not straied from the truthe of the Lorde but sought out the commaundementes of the highest to the vttermost of my power and walked with one face in goodnesse Take heede therefore my Children to the Lordes Commaundementes and followe the truthe with one face in goodnesse Take heede therefore my Children to the Lordes Commaundementes and followe the truthe with one single face For they that are double faced shall be double punished The spirite of errour hateth the man that sighteth against it Keepe the lawe of the Lorde and regarde not euill that seemeth good but haue an eye to the thyng that is good in deede and keepe the same retournyng to the lorde in all his Commaundementes and restyng vpon hym for the endes where at menne doe ame dooe shewe their righteousnesse And knowe the Angelles of the Lorde from the Angelles of Sathan For if ye cleaue to wicked spirites your soules shall bee tormented of the wicked spirite whom ye serue in wicked lustes and woorkes But if ye quietly and cherefully acquainte your selues with the Aungell of peace he shall comforte you in your life tyme My Children become not like the Sodomites whiche knewe not the Aungell and perished for euer For I am sure that you shall synne and bee deliuered into the handes of youre enemies your â—ande shall bee laied waste and your selues shal be scattered into the fower corners of the yearth and bee despised as vnprofitable Water in youre dispersyng abroade vntill â—he highest dooe visite the yearth eatyng and drinkyng as a manne with menne and breakyng the Serpentes head in peeces without noice He shall saue Israel and all the Heathen by water â—eyng GOD hidden in manne Therefore tell your children these thynges that they neglecte not Gods Lawe written in the Tables of heauen For the tyme will come that thei shall geue no credite to the Lawe of the Lorde And you fallyng to naughtinesse shall deale wickedly against GOD geuing no heede to his Lawe but to mennes commaundementes For this cause shall ye bee scattered abroade as my brothers Gad and Dan whiche were not acquainted with their owne Countrey tribe and tongue Neuerthelesse the lorde shall gather you together again in * faith for the hope of his mercie for Abraham Isaac and Iacobs sake When he had so saied he commaunded them to burie hym in Hebron And he died slepyng a good slepe and afterward his sonnes doyng as he had willed them caried hym backe and buried hym with his fathers ¶ The Testamente of Ioseph made to his brethren children at his death concernyng chastiâ—â—e and pacience Let Ioseph teache thee â–ª Loâ—â—e and Chasâ—itie So shalte thou haue A blessed long life Voyde of all