cals his armie and there was another companie of Angels which he cals the Armie of God These are the two Armies that gaue name to Mahanaim two armies one heauenly and the other earthly and from this I take it Salomon compares the Church to the companie of Mahanaim for so the Church consisteth of two Armies one heauenly like these Angels which is the Church triumphant and the other trauailing on earth like Iacobs armie which is the Church militant CAP. XLIIII The booke of Psalmes THe Psalmes are diuided into fiue bookes according to the fiue bookes of Moses and if they bee so diuided there be seuentie bookes in the Bible the vnskilfull may finde where any one of these fiue bookes end by looking where a Psalme ends with Amen there also ends the booke As at Psal. 41.72.89.106 and from thence to the end These may euen in their verie beginnings be harmonized to the books of the Law Genesis The first booke of Moses telleth how happinesse was lost euen by Adams walking in wicked counsel of the Serpent and the woman Psal. 1. The first booke of Psalmes tels how happines may be regained if a man do not walke in wicked counsell as of the serpent woman the diuell and the flesh This allusion of the first booke Arnobius makes Exodus The second book of Moses tels of groaning affliction in Egypt Leuiti The third booke of Moses is of giuing the law Numbers The fourth booke of Moses is about numbring Deutero The last booke of Moses is a rehearsall of all Psal. 42. The second booke of Psalmes begins in groaning affliction Psal. 42 43. Psal. 73. The third booke of Psalmes tels in the beginning how good God is for giuing this law This allusion Rab. Tanch makes very neere Ps. 90. The fourth booke begins with numbring of the best Arithmetick numbring Gods mercie Psal. 90.1 and our owne dayes ver 12. Psa. 107. So is the last booke of the Psalmes from Psa. 107. to the end In the Iewes diuision of the Scripture this peece of the Psalmes and the bookes of the like nature are set last not because they be of least dignitie but because they be of least dependance with other bookes as some of them being no storie at all and some stories and bookes of lesser bulke and so set in a fourme by themselues The old Testament books the Iewes acrostically doe write thus in three letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euerie letter standing for a word and euerie word for a part of the Bible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Aorajetha or Torah the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Nebhijm the Prophets 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Cethubhim or bookes of holy writ this diuiâ—ion is so old that our Sauiour himselfe vseth it in the last of Luke and ver 44. All things written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and the Psalmes By the Psalmes meaning that part of Cethubhim in which the Psalmes are set first CAP. XLV Of the Creation TWo waies we come to the knowledge of God by his workes and by his word By his works we come to know there is a God and by his word wee come to know what God is His workes teach vs to spell his word teacheth vs to read The first are as it were his backe parts by which we behold him a farre off The latter shewes him to vs face to face The world is as a booke consisting of three leaues and euerie leafe printed with many letters and euery letter a lecture The leaues heauen the aire and earth with the water The letters in heauen euery Angel Star and Planet In the aire euery meteor and foule In the earth and waters euerie man beast plant fish and minerall all these set together spell to vs that there is a God and the Apostle saith no lesse though in lesse space Rom. 1 20. For the inuisible things of him that is his eternall power and Godhead are seene by the creation of the world being considered in his workes And so Dauid Psal. 19.1 It is not for nothing that God hath set the Cabinet of the vniuerse open but it is because he hath giuen vs eyes to behold his treasure Neither is it for nothing that he hath giuen vs eyes to behold his treasure but because he hath giuen vs hearts to admire vpon our beholding If wee marke not the workes of God we are like stones that haue no eyes wherewith to behold If wee wonder not at the workes of God when wee marke them we are like beasts that haue no hearts wherewith to admire And if wee praise not God for his workes when we admire them we are like deuils that haue no tongues wherewith to giue thankes Remarkeable is the storie of the poore old man whom a Bishop found most bitterly weeping ouer an vgly toad being asked the reason of his teares his answer was I weepe because that whereas God might haue made mee as vgly and filthy a creature as this toad and hath not I haue yet neuer in all my life beene thankefull to him for it If the works of the creation would but lead vs to this one lecture our labour of obseruing them were well bestowed How much more when they lead vs farre further CAP. XLVI The time and manner of the Creation MOSES in the first verse of the Bible refutes three heathen opinions namely theirs that thought the world was eternall for he saith in the beginning c. Secondly theirs that thought there was no God for he saith Elohim created Thirdly theirs that thought there were many gods for he saith Elohim he created heauen and earth The first word in the beginning may draw our mindes and thoughts to the last thing the latter end and this thought must draw our affections from too much loue of the world for it must haue an end as it had a beginning I will not stand to comment vpon the word Bereshith in the beginning for then I know not when to come to an end To treat how the diuerse expositors labour about the beginning of the world is a world of labour How the Ierus Targ. translates it In wisdome and is followed by Rabbi Tanchum and many Iewes How Targ. Ionath vseth an Arabian word Min Awwala a primo Onkelos in primis or in principio Iarchi in principio creationis creauit How Basil the great Saint Ambrose and hundreds others do interpret this is a worke endlesse to examine Satisfied am I with this that the world and all things had their beginning from God that in the beginning created heauen and earth Some of the Iewes do inuert the word Bereshith and make it Betisri that is in the moneth Tisri was the world created This month is about our September and that the world was created in this moneth to let other reasons alone this satisfies me that the feast of Tabernacles which was
in this moneth is called the end of the yeare Exod. 23.16 And this I take to bee the reason why the Iewes began to reade the Bible in their Synagogues at the feast of Tabernacles viz. that they might begin the lecture of the Creation in Gen. 1. at that time of the yeare that the world was created The manner of the Creation shewes the workeman powerfull and wise The making of the Angells concealed by Moses lest men should like those hereticks in Epiph. thinke they helped God in the Creation For if their day of their Creation which was in most likelihood the first had beene named wicked men would haue bene ready to haue taken them for actors in this worke which were onely spectators Therefore as God hides Moses after his death so Moses hides the Creation of them least they should be deified and the honour due to the Creator giuen to the creature God in framing the world begins aboue and workes downeward and in three dayes hee layes the parts of the world and in the three other dayes he adornes those parts The first day hee makes all the heauens the matter of the earth and comes downe so low as the light The second lower and makes the firmament or aire The third lowest of all and makes distinction of earth and water Thus in three dayes the parts or body of the world is laid in three dayes more and in the same order they are furnished For on The fourth day the Heauens which were made the first day are deckt with starrs The fifth day the Firmament which was made the second day is filled with birds The sixth day the Earth which was laid fit the third day is replenished with beasts and lastly man Thus God in the sixe dayes finished all his worke of Creation For the ten things that the Chaldee Paraphrast saith God created on the euening of the Sabbath after the world was finished I referre them to their Authors to beleeue them R. Iarchi on Gen. 2. obserues that God created one day superior things and another day inferior his words are to this purpose On the first day he created heauē aboue earth beneath On the second day the firmament aboue On the third let the dry land appeare beneath On the fourth day lights aboue On the fifth day let the waters bring foorth beneath On the sixt hee must create both Superior and Inferior as he had done on the first least there should bee confusion in his worke therefore he made man of both his soule from aboue and his body from beneath R. Tancuman shewes how the making of the Tabernacle harmonizeth with the making of the world The light of the first day answered by the candlesticke for light the first worke and the spreading of the Firmament like a curtaine answered by the curtaines the second worke and so of the rest Euery one knowes the old conceit of the worlds lasting sixe thousand yeares because it was made in sixe dayes and of Elias Prophesie among the Iewes of the world ending at the end of sixe thousand which Prophesie of his is flat against the words of Christ Many beleeue these opinions yet few prepare for the end which they thinke is so neere God hath taught vs by the course of the Creation of the old world what our proceedings must be that wee may become a new creation or new heauens a new earth renewed both in soule and bodie On the first day he made the light so the first thing in the new man must be light of knowledge so saith S. Paul Heb. 11. He that commeth to God must know that he is 2. On the second day he made the Firmament so called because of its surenesse so the second step in mans new creation must be firmamentum fidei the sure foundation of faith 3. On the third day the seas and trees bearing fruit So the third step in the new man is that he become waters of repentant teares and that hee bring foorth fruit worthy of these teares Bring foorth fruit worthy of repentance saith the Baptist Mat. 3. 4. On the fourth day God created the Sunne that whereas on the first day there was light but without heat now on the fourth day there is light and heate ioyned together So the fourth step in the new creation of a new man is that he ioyne the heate of zeale with the light of his knowledge as in the sacrifices fire and salt were euer ioyned 5. The fifth dayes work was of fishes to play in the seas and the foules to flie toward heauen So the fifth step in a new creature is to liue and reioyce in a sea of troubles and to flie by prayer and contemplation to heauen 6. On the sixth day God makes man and all these things performed man is a new creature To reckō them altogether then as S. Peter does his golden chaine of vertues 2. Pet. 1. Adde to your light of knowledge the firmament of faith to your faith seas of repentant teares to your teares the fruitfull trees of good workes to your good workes the hot Sunshine of zeale to your Zeale the winged foules of prayer and contemplation Et ecce omnia facta sunt noua Behold you are become a new creature As the Bible begins so it ends with a new creation of a new heauen and a new earth and a new paradise and a new tree of life Apoc. 21. vnto all which O thou whom my soule loueth say come CAP. XLVII Of the fall of Adam THe fall of Adam was the death of himselfe the death of vs and the death of Christ. At his fall were three offenders three offences persons offended Three offenders Satan Adam Eue three offences Ignorance weakenesse and malice three persons offended Father Sonne and holy Ghost Eue sinned of Ignorance and so sinned against the Sonne the God of knowledge and she was forgiuen and so S. Paul sinned and was forgiuen 1. Tim. 1.13 Adam sinned of weakenesse and so sinned against the Father the God of power and he was pardoned and so S. Peter sinned and he was pardoned Mat. 26. But Satan sinned of set malice and so sinned against the holy Ghost the God of loue and he was not forgiuen For he that speaketh against the holy Ghost shall neuer bee forgiuen Marke 3.29 And in Gods censuring of these three Gen. 3. He questioneth Adam Euah before he sentenceth because he had mercie for them nay more he promiseth Christ before hee inflict punishment but for the Serpent hee neuer questioned because hee would shew him no mercie God left Adam to his owne freewil and suffered him to fall quia sciebat se c. because hee knew how to turne that fall of his to his saluation When Lazarus died Christ was not there that the raysing of Lazarus by Christ might be the more glorious So when Adam fel as I may say so God would not be there for he left Adam
the skillfull amongst them say Signifying the Lord which containeth heauen and earth For Iesu according to the old Hebrew signifieth heauen and the Earth is called Sura vsser Thus that father in his second booke against Heretickes Cap. 41. on which words I can criticke onely with deepe silence Onely for his two letters and ½ I take his meaning to bee according to the Iewes writing of the name Iesu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who denie him the last letter of his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they deny him for a Sauiour So the Dutch Iew Elias Leuitae saith in expresse words The Christians say that their Messias was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the commandement of the Angell Gabriel because he should saue all the world from Gehinnom but because the Iewes doe not confesse that hee is a Sauiour therefore they will not call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ieshuang but they leaue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last letter out and call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iesu. After this kind of writing as Irenaeus saith the word consisteth of two letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and halfe a letter that is which may be so called because it is so little The Chaldee writes the name of God with two Iods aboue and a vowell vnder thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From hence some haue picked an expression of the Trinity In the two letters the Father and the Sonne and in the vowell the Holy Ghost proceeding from both And from the aequidistance of the letters and vowell they gather the distinction of the Persons and by the neerenesse of all the vnity of Essence Such another conceit hath Bonfinius in his Hungarian Historie When the Heresie of Arrius saith he had got head almost ouer all the world and was dilated as well by persecution as by disputation a towne in Gaule was besieged because it held the Orthodox faith of the Sons coequalitie with the Father God to confirme this their faith shewed this miracle As the Priest was at high Masse at the Altar behold three drops of blood fell from heauen vpon the Altar lying a while in an equall distance one from another to shew the distinction of the three Persons at last in sight of all the People they met together to shew the vnity of Essence so the story But we haue a more sure word of Prophecie That there are three that beare record in Heauen the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one The Chaldee sometimes vseth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dehhila and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dahhalah feare or terror for God because of the feare that is due to him So Iacob comming from Syria and being to sweare to a Syrian sweares according to this Syrian or Chaldee Phrase By the feare of his father Isaac Gen. 31.53 or by the God that Isaac feared as Onkelos and Ionathan render it CAP. III. Of the Phrase The Sonnes of God Gen. 6. and Iob. 1. ALL take this Phrase in Iob to meane the Angells and truely in which sense while they haue taken it in the sixt of Genesis they spoile all For hence they think that Angels lay with women and begat children So can Iarchi almost find in his heart to think and so Tertullian Lactantius and others Some tell what euill Arts these Angells taught women and how they begat mighty children of them How farre this conceit is from true Philosophie let Aristotle censure Merlin in Geffry Monmouth is recorded to be such another hatch beleeue it who list His veine of Prophecying can make Alanus de Insulis thinke it is so but I must needs confesse it comes not into my Creed As some conceit that the fallen Angels or Deuills here begat children of women so the Iewes most wickedly fable that Adam begat children of Deuills Those hundred and thirtie yeares say they that Adam was separated from Eue Deuills came to him and he ingendred with them and begat Deuills and spirits and fiends And againe Foure women are the mothers of Shedhim or Deuills Lilith Naamah Ogereth and Mahlath I beleeue both these alike for I beleeue that neither is likely Both the Chaldees Onkelos and Ionathan render the sonnes of Elohim the sonnes of the Potentates or Iudges taking the word Elohim in the same sense that it is taken in the middlemost verse of the booke of Exodus Cap. 22.28 Thou shalt not curse Elohim or the Iudges This opinion is farre better then the former but Christians haue a better then this That the house and progenie of holy Seth are the sonnes of God or the Church and the brood of Cains females were the Daughters of men Cypriano di valera in his Spanish translation of Gen. 4. and the last verse translates it thus Entonces commenciaron llamarse Then begun men to be called by the name of God or by the name of the Lord And in the margin hee explanes himselfe thus that then the men of Seths house began to bee a publike Church and to be distinguished from Cains family and to be called the sons of God Gen. 6.2 CAP. IIII. Of the Phrase Sonnes of Man THis Phrase is frequent in Scripture and Rabbin Hebrew but most frequent in Chaldee and Syrian Bene Anasha Bar nosho In the latter of which the Syrian vsually writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but leaueth out the first letter as that tongue doth frequently in other words vse the like ecclipsis writing not as they reade as it is said of the French Ezekiel in his Prophecie in Scripture Hebrew is frequently called sonne of man Why so often he and no other Prophet should be so stiled reasons are giuen by diuerse To mee though farre inferiour to all them the groundworke seemeth to bee because his Prophecie was written in Chaldean captiuitie hee vseth the Chaldean Phrase Sonne of man that is O man The same Phrase Daniel vseth in Chaldaea Dan. 10.16 CAP. V. Of Iaphets plantation by his sonne Iauan IAuan is generally held to be Greece And the Greeke tongue is by all Hebrewes called the speech of Iauan The Arabians do so stile the same language The Syrian in Romans the first chapter verse 16. calls the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon what reason I cannot imagine Iauan the sonne of Iaphet is held to haue planted or peopled this country in memorie of whose name the Iones are famous monuments Moses saith hee had foure sonnes Elisha Tarshish Cittim Dodonim which it is likely planted all the country of Greece as farre as into Italie Elisha and Dodonim dwelt at first neere together and so did Tarshish and Cittim but their posteritie scattered farre and neere The Ierusalem and Babilon Targums doe almost resolued vs of these foure mens plantation For Ionathan reades the fourth verse of the tenth of Genesis thus And the sonnes of Iauan Elisha Elis Tarsus Acacia and Dardania Ieruselamy thus And the sonnes of Iauan Elisha and the names of their
out of that tongue out of which that that we haue is interpreted It is apparent by most of the Fathers both Greeke and Latine how they followed the Greeke though I thinke not so much for affectation as for meere necessity few of them being able to reade the Bible in Hebrew I will conclude with Clemens Alex. his reason why God would haue the Bible turned into Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strom. 1. Pag. 124. That is For this were the Scriptures interpreted in the Grecians tongue that they might haue no excuse for their ignorance being able to vnderstand ours scriptures if they would CAP. XXIIII Phrases taken from Iewes in the New Testament THese Phrases are by the great Broughton called Talmudicke Greeke when Iewish and Talmudicall Phrases are vsed in holy writ Such is Gehenna frequent in all Rabbins Maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22 the bitter excommunication The world to come so often vsed in the Gospell and nothing more often among the Iewes and Chaldees Raka Mat. 5.22 of which see Cap. 19. Iannes and Iambres 2. Tim. 3.8 whose names I find in the Chaldee Paraphrast with very little difference and a goodly legend of them As in Exod. 1.15 Pharaoh slept and saw in his dreame and behold all the land of Egypt was put in one scale and a young lambe in the other scale and the lambe waighed downe the scales of himselfe out of hand he sends and calls all the sorcerers of Egypt and tells them his dreame Out of hand Ianis Iimbres chief of the sorcerers opened their mouthes and said vnto Pharaoh there is a child to be borne of some of the congregation of Israel by whose hands all the land of Egypt shal be wasted therfore the King consulted with the Iewish midwiues c. And in Exo. 7.11 He cals them Ianis and Iambres And that you might the better vnderstand who these two were the Hebrew comment vpon the Chaldee text saith they were schollers for their art of enchanting to the noble wizard Balaam and so he fetches Zophar for authority to maintaine them And to proue Ianis and Iambreâ— â—her very constant enemies and opposers to Moses or else very good dutifull schollers to Balaam the Chaldee saith that these two were the two seruants that went with Balaam Num. 22.22 when he went to curse Israel Beelzebub or as the New Testament Greeke calls it Beelzebul is a wicked phrase vsed by the Iewes of Christ Mar. 3.22 and elsewhere Now whether this change of the last letter were among the Iewes accidentall or of set purpose I cannot determine Such ordinary variation of letters without any other reason euen vse of euery country affoords So Reuben is in the Syrian called Rubil Apoc. 7.5 So the Greeke and Latine Paulus is in the Syrian Phaulus in Arabian Baulus But some giue a witty reason of l in Beelzebul that the Iewes in derision of the Ekronites god Baalzebub which was a name bad enough the god of a flie gaue him a worse Baalzebul the god of a Sir-Reuerence for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Chaldean To omit any more Iewish Phrases honoured by the New Testament vsing them this very thing does shew the care is to be had for the right reading of the Greeke since so many idiomes and so many kinds of stile are vsed by it CAP. XXV Niniuehs conuersion Ionah 3. THe booke of Ionah is wholly composed of wonders Some hold Ionah to be wonderfull in his birth As that he should be the sonne of the Sarepta widow whom Eliah raised to life And because the mother of the child said Now I know that the word of God in thy mouth is true therefore he is called Ben Amittai the sonne of my truth whether the story may be called Ben Amittai or a true storie let the reader censure by the two townes of Sarepta and Gath-hepher Howsoeuer Ionah was wondrous in his birth I am sure he was wondrous in his life A Prophet and a runnagate before his shipwracke a man drowned and yet aliue in his shipwracke and a Preacher of repentance and yet a Repiner at Repentance after The least wonder in the booke is not the conuersion of Niniueh It was a great wonder as D. Kimchi saies that Ionah was in the belly of the fish three daies and three nights and yet liued And it was another wonder that he was not stupid but continued in his senses and intellectuals and prayed And do but well consider it and it will appeare almost as great a wonder that Niniueh so great a town so long wicked in so short time should be conuerted To say as Rabbi Ioshuah doth that the men of the ship were got to Niniueh and had told all the occurrence about Ionah how they had throwen him ouer hatches and yet he it was that was among them and therefore they beleeued the sooner as it is without Authority so doth it lessen the wonder of the townes conuersion Ionah an vnknowne man of a forraigne people to come into so great a City with a Fourty dayes and Niniueh shall be destroyed was strange But for the King vpon so short a time to send a cryer to proclaime repentance is as strange if not stranger Ionah proclaimes the towne shall bee destroyed the King in a manner proclaimes the towne shall not bee destroyed by proclaiming the meanes how to saue it Repentance To say as Aben Ezra does that because the City is called Gnir gedholah leelohim a great citie of God that therfore they feared God in old time but now in Ionahs time began to do euill is still to lessen the wonder about their conuersion a stranger repentance then which the world neuer saw The old world had a time of warning of yeares for Niniuehs houres and yet eat and drunke till the flood came and then in the flouds of many waters Repentance and Prayers would not come neere God Psal. 32. Faire warning had Sodome by the preaching of Lot whose righteous soule they vexed and would not repent till their Hell as it were began from heauen and fire and brimstone brought them to the lake of fire and brimstone and when the wicked seed of him that derided his fathers nakednesse perished for their naked beastlinesse and their flames of lust brought them to flames on earth and in hell The men of Niniueh shall rise vp in iudgement against the generation of the Iewes and condemne them because these at the preaching of Ionah repented and they not for the preaching of a greater then Ionah that was among them When the Master of the vineyard sent his seruants nay his owne sonne they put him to death In the conuersion and deliuerie of Niniueh I cannot but admire a double mercy of God who to vse a fathers words sic dedit penitentibus veniam qui sic dedit peccantibus penitentiam who was so ready vpon their repentance to grant them pardon who was so ready
Aegypt is strucke with death of the first borne and the Aegyptians are now punished with death of their Children for murthering Israels children This night was ill to them but the night in the Red Sea was worse At the death of a lambe Aegypt is destroyed Israel deliuered So by the death of a lamb Hell is destroyed Mankinde deliuered When Israel comes out of Egypt they bring vp with them Iosephs bones and so as hee brought them downe thither so they bring him vp thence So when Christ comes vp out of his graue hee brings dead bones with him by raising some out of their graues I cannot thinke it idle that the Passeouer was at night and that S. Paul saith the Israelites were baptized in the sea which was also by night and in the cloud but to shew that these sacraments of Israel looked for a dawning when the true light which they foresignified should appeare The Iewes do find thirteene precepts negatiue and affirmatiue about the keeping of the Passeouer 1. The slaying of it Exod. 12.6 2. The eating of it 8. 3. Not to eate it raw or boiled 9. 4. Not to leaue ought of it 10. 5. The putting away of leauen 15. 6. The eating of vnleauened bread 18. 7. That leauen be not found with them 19. 8. Not to eate ought mixt with leauen 20. 9. An Apostata Iew not to eate it 43. 10. A stranger not to eat it 45. 11. Not to bring forth the flesh of it 46. 12. Not to breake a bone of it 46. 13. No vncircumcised to eate of it 48. How variously they comment vpon these as they doe vpon all things and how ouercurious they be in obseruing these as they doe all things their writings do witnesse Their folding of their bitter hearbes their three vnleauened cakes their water and salt their searching for leauen their casting forth of leauen and their cursing of leauen their graces ouer their tables their prayers ouer their hands as they wash them their words ouer their vnleauened bread their remembring how they liued in Aegypt and came out their words ouer their bitter hearbes their Passeouer Psalmes the 113. and 114. all these and their other Ceremonies are set downe accurately in their Common prayer booke which I would not haue denied to the reader in English both for his recreation satisfaction and some instruction but that I know not whether I should actum agere doe that which some one hath done before And besides I write these things not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not set studies but stolne houres employing my idle houres to the writing of these studies that I may witnesse to some that my whole time is not idle But it may be I may seeme more idle in thus writing then if I had beene idle indeed to them that thinke thus I can onely answer It is youth Age may doe better CAP. XXVIII Of the Confusion of Tongues THat the world from Babel was scattered into diuerse tongues we need not other proofe then as Diogenes proued that there is motion by walking so we may see the confusion of languages by our confused speaking Once all the Earth was of one tongue one speech and one consent for they all spake in the holy tongue wherein the world was created in the beginning to vse the very words of the Chaldee Paraphrast and Targ. Ierusal vpon Gen. 11.1 But pro peccato disâ—entionis humanae as saith Saint Austen for the sin of men disagreeing not onely different dispositions but also different languages came into the world They came to Babel with a disagreeing agreement they come away punished with a speechles speech They disagree among themselues cum quisque principatum ad se rapit while euery one striues for dominion as the same Austen They agree against God in their Nagnauad lan Siguda c. We will make our selues a Rendevouz for Idolatrie as the same Ieruselamy But they come away speaking each to other but not vnderstood of each other and so speake to no more purpose then if they spake not at all This punishment of theirs at Babel is like Adams corruption hereditary to vs for we neuer come vnder the rod at Grammar schoole but we smart for our Ancestors rebellion at Babel Into how many countries and tongues those Shinaar rebells were scattered is no lesse confused worke to find out then was theirs at the tower So diuerse is the speech of men about the diuersitie of speech that it makes the confusion more confused Euphorus and many other Historians say that the nations and tongues are 75. listening to the voice of Moses which saith all the soules that came into Egypt out of Iacob were 75. But in truth the naturall Dialects of speech appeare to be 72. as our Scriptures haue deliuered Thus saith Clemens Alexandrinus of whose conceit herein I must for my part say as Saint Ambrose saith of Aaron about the golden calfe Tantum Sacerdotem c. So great a scholler as Clemens I dare not censure though I dare not beleeue him The Iewes with one consent maintaine that there are iust 70. nations so many tongues So confident they are of this that they dare say that the 70. soules that went with Iacob into Egypt were as much as all the 70. nations of the world Ierusalems schooles rang with this Doctrine and the children learned to high-prize themselues from their fathers A stately claime was this to Israel but the keeping of it dangerous Men of the 70. nations would not be so vnderualued by one people Therefore when Israel wanted strength to keepe this challenge they do it by sleight And so it is the thrice-learned Master Broughtons opinion that the Septuagint when they were to translate the Bible and were to speake of the seuenty soules of Iacobs house they durst not put downe the iust number of seuenty least tales should haue beene told out of their schooles concerning their scornefull doctrine and when the rumour and the number should both come to the King of Egypt the meet number might maintaine the truth of the rumour and by both they might incurre danger therefore they added fiue more to spoile the roundnesse of the summe and Saint Steuen followes their translation Then Ioseph sent and called his father Iacob to him and all his kinred euen 75. soules Act. 7.14 As the Iewes seeke to retaine this their assumed dignity ouer the seuenty nations by this sleight so doe they maintaine their tenent of iust seuenty nations by a double reason First they count polls in the plaine of Shinaar as Moses did in the wildernesse and they find in the tenth of Genesis iust seuenty men and therefore by necessarie consequence iust seuenty nations The Chaldee vpon these words of God Gen. 11.5 Come let vs go downe looses the sweet mysterie of the Trinitie but finds I know not how many strange fancies for thus he descants The Lord said vnto the
beleeued him not 4. Hee kept not the rest and estate wherein God had set him 5. He dishonoured his father which was in heauen therefore his dayes were not long in that land which the Lord his God had giuen him 6. Hee massacred himselfe and all his posteritie 7. From Eue he was a Virgin but in eyes and minde he committed spirituall fornication 8. Hee stole that like Achan which God had set aside not to bee medled with this his stealth is that which troubles all Israel the whole world 9. Hee bare witnesse against God when he beleeued the witnesse of the Deuill aboue him 10. Hee coueted an ill coueteousnesse like Amnon which cost him his life and all his progeny What a nest of euills here were committed at one blow The pride of heart and desire of more knowledge like Hamans ambition ouerthrew vs. This sinne was hatched in heauen by the wicked Angels but throwne out with them and neuer will come in there againe Hence is this sinne so lofty because it affects its first nest It is not for nothing that Blessed are the poore in spirit are the first words in Christs Sermon Mat. 5.3 but because the proud in spirit were the first sinners CAP. LVII Of the Law giuen at Sinai WHen Israel is got from the hard seruice of Egypt God bindes them apprentise to a new Master himselfe Their Indentures he drawes vpon mount Sinai a place where Moses before had kept a flocke of sheepe now he keepes a troupe of men In the Deliuerie of the Law there if you will stand with Israel in your place you may consider many passages CAP. LVIII Why the Law was published then and not before AT Sinai was deliuered no new thing the Law in some kinde was knowne before Sacrifice was vsed by Adam in the garden when the body of the beasts went for an offering for his soule and the skinnes for a couering for his body Cain and Abel learne this part of worship from their father The diuision of cleane and vncleane beasts is knowne to Noah when they come to him for their liues as they had done to Adam for their names Abraham when God made a couenant with him Genesis 15. Diuides and diuides not his beasts and fowles iust as God commands Leu. 1.6.17 and so of the rest Fathers could teach their children these things as they themselues had learned them of their fathers But when men began to multiplie and multitude to be more wicked then would they not be so easily bridled by a Law whose author they knew no more of but their fathers And when men liued but a short time in comparison of the first men and so could not see the full setling of the Law in their houses And when God had fetched him a people out of Egypt and laid the foundation of a glorious Church with signes and wonders then hee thought it fit for their restriction as also for their distinction from the Heathen to giue the Law from his owne mouth the more to procure reuerence to him For heauen and earth must needs hearken when the Lord speaketh Isa. 1.2 And thus did the Heathen faine they receiued their lawes from a Deity that was neuer seene and yet their lawes were the better obserued for that reason CAP. LIX Of the place where it was giuen and manner GOD gaue the Law in Arabia so wicked Mahomet gaue his law in Arabia A worse and a better thing no one countrey euer affoorded God gaue his Law in Sinai a bushy place as it seemes by the name agreeable to the giuing of so perplexing a matter Carry along with thee gentle Reader as thou readest the Scripture thus much care at my request as to marke that the Law of Moses was giuen in two places Sâ—nai and the Tabernacle as also to consider that some part of this Law did onely concerne the Iewes and some part did also concerne all the world The Ceremoniall Law that concerned onely the Iewes it was giuen to Moses in priuate in the Tabernacle and fell with the Tabernacle when the vaile rent in twaine The Morall Law concernes the whole world and it was guien in sight of the whole world on the top of a mountaine and must endure as long as any mountaine standeth The Iudiciall Law which is more indifferent and may stand or fall as seemes best for the good of a common wealth was giuen neither to publike as the one nor so priuate as the other but in a meane betweene both The Law on Sinai was with fire and trumpets so shall Christ come with fire and trumpet at the latter day to take an account how men haue kept this fiery Law as it is called Deut. 33.2 Fiery because giuen out of the fire as the Ierusalem and Babilonian Targums hold though I think there is more meant by the words then so for it is Esh dath which may bee rendred the fire of a Law CAP. LX. Of the effects of the Law THe letter of the Law is death but the spirit giueth life The Iewes stand vpon the letter and thinke to gaine life by the works of it but them the Apostle frequently confuteth And I take the aime of Christs Parable Mat. 20. about the penny to extend to no lesse Some came into the vineyard at the Dawning of the Day or the Age before the flood and some at the third houre or in the time before the Law and some at the sixth and ninth houre or vnder the heat and burden of the Iewish Law and some at the last vnder the Gospell Those vnder the Law plead for merit we haue borne the heat and burden of the day that is costly sacrifices sore ceremonies c. To whom the Master answers that his penny is his owne and if he giue it it is not for their merit but his good will S. Paul calls the law a Schoole-master and so it is indeed and such a Schoolemaster as that that Liuy and Florus speake of in Italy who brought forth his children that were trusted with him to Hannibal who if he had not beene more mercyfull then otherwise they had all perished So they that rely vpon the works of the Law are in fine constrained by the Law to come to Christ who more mercifull then the Law does deliuers them And if you well weigh it you shall find that as the whole Law so euery part from one to another brings vs to Christ. The Morall Law shewes vs what wee should do and with the same sight we find that we cannot do it This makes vs to seeke to the Ceremoniall for some sacrifice or ceremonie to answer for our not doing it There wee see that burning a dead beast is but poore satisfaction for the sinnes of men liuing and that outward purifyings of mens selues can auaile but little to the cleansing of a soiled soule this then deliuers vs to the Iudiciall Law and by it we see what we