because they thought scorne to yeelde them selues vnto you that they might finde mercie in your sight Therefore haue I deuised by my selfe after this maner I will go before the prince Olophernes the chiefe captayne of your armie and tell him all their secretes will shew him y e way how hee may come by them and winne their citie without the losse of body or life of any one of his men Nowe when the men had pondered her woordes and considered well her beawtie her couÌ„tenaÌ„ce fayre face they were astonied wondering greatly at her excelleÌ„t beauty they put her in good coÌ„fort of her life saying Thou hast saued thy life by finding out this deuice and making hast to come before our Lord. Now therefore come with vs to his tent and some of vs shall conduct thee till they haue deliuered thee into his hande And when thou standest before him bee not afrayde in thine heart but showe vnto him what thou hast to say and be thou sure hee will intreat thee well So they set her and her mayde in a chariotte and beeing accompanied with an hundered men brought her to Holophernes cent where by reason her comming was bruted among the pauilions or tentes of his souldiers there was such a running too and fro to see her that they came and stoode rounde about her as shee stoode without Olophernes tent merueiling at her beawtie and wondred at the children of Israel because of her feature comely and goodly personage insomuch as euery one being immediatly ouercome taken with her beawtie sayde one to another who woulde dispise this people of the Iewes that haue amonge them such goodly and fayre women Should we not by reason fight agaynst them for these women if for nothing els surely it is not good that one man of these bee lefte for if they shoulde remayne they might deceiue the whole earth So when Olephernes was aduertised of her comming and that shee stood without his tent wayting to speake with him hee sent his garde and seruauntes for her who brought her neere vnto his tent doore where he lay very stately vpon his bed vnder a canopie whiche was wouen with purple and golde and emeraldes and precious stones and when his menne wente in and tolde him that Iudith was come Olophernes came forth vnto the entrey of his tent lighted with Lampes of siluer because it was in the night carried before him to meete her and welcome her And when Iudith was come before him he no sooner saw her but immediatly he was ouercome and rauished with her beawtie for both he and his seruants marueiled all thereat So Iudith looking wishly vpon him and being somewhat abashed at the first with his maiestie shee fell downe vppon the earth as one almost dead for feare and being reuiued agayne did reuerence vnto Olofernes and his seruants tooke her vp agayne at his commaundement Then saide Olofernes vnto her woman bee of good cheere and feare not in thine heart for I neuer hurt any that woulde serue Nabuchadnezer y e king of al the earth As for thy people if they had not despised mee I would not haue lift vp my speare against them but they haue procured these thinges vnto themselues But tell mee now what is the cause that thou art fledde from them And wherefore thou art come vnto vs For if thou be come for safegarde and succour then bee of good comfort thou shalt liue from this night and hereafter for none shal hurt thee but intreat thee well as they do the seruants of king Nabuchadnezer my Lord. To whom Iudith made answere on this wise saying Sir quoth Iudith if thou wilt receiue the words of thy handmaid suffer thine handmaid to speake in thy presence I will declare no lye vnto my Lord this night And if thou wilt followe do after the wordes of thine handmaide God will bring the thing perfectly to passe by thee and my Lord shall not fayle of his purpose As Nabuchadnezer king of all the earth liueth and as his power is of force who hath senâ— thee to reforme and punishe all persons that goe wrong not onely men shall bee made subiect to him by thee but also the beastes of the field and the cattell and the foules of the heauen shall liue by thy power vnder Nebuchadnezer and all his house For wee heard of thy wisedome of thy prudent spirit and actiuitie doe all people speake yea it is declared bruted through the whole earth that thou onely art good excellent and mightie in all the kingdome and of a wonderfull knowledge in the feates of warre For as concerning the matter which Achâ—or whom thou banished thine armie did speake in thy presence and gaue counsell vnto my Lorde to make search whether the people of the Iewes had sinned against their God or no. It is manifest and true and wee haue heard of his words for the men of Bethulia did take him and hee declared vnto them all that hee had spoken vnto thee concerning vs and the people of Israel Nowe thrrefore least my Lorde should bee frustrate and voyde of his purpose and that death may fall vppon them and that they may bee taken in their sinne whiles they prouoke their God to anger which is so oft times as they doe that which is not beseeming Yea this is playne of a suretie that our God is so wroth with vs by reason of our sinnes that he hath she'wed by his Prophetes vnto the people how that far their sins he wil deliuer them ouer vnto y e enemie And for as much as the childreÌ„ of Israel know that they haue so displeased their God they are sore affrayde of thee yea and suffer great hunger also at this present For want of drinke they are in a maner as dead men for because their victualles fayle aud their water is wasted they haue in their extremitie determined to slay their cattel that they may drinke the blood of theÌ„ are purposed to consume all things y t God hath forbiddeÌ„ theÌ„ to eate by his lawes Yea they haue purposed to speÌ„d y e holy things of their God which he hath forbiddeÌ„ theÌ„ to touch as the first fruits of y e wheat the tithes of the wine of the oyle which they had reserued sanctified for the priests that serue in Ierusalem before the face of our God the which thing it is not lawfull for any of the people to touch with their handes Moreouer they haue sent to IerusaleÌ„ because they also that dwel there haue done the like such as shoulde bring theÌ„ licence froÌ„ the Senate and wheÌ„ they shal bring theÌ„ word theÌ„ they wil do it they shal be giuen thee therfore to be destroyed the same day For if they do these things it is a playne case that they must needs be destroyed Wherefore I thine handmaid knowing all this am fled froÌ„ theÌ„ to shew thee these things for God hath sent me to
the vndefiled battels Wisdom 4,1,2 These are they which were not defiled with women for they are virgins These are they which followe the lambe whithersoeuer he goeth these were redéemed from men being the first fruits vnto God and to the lambe Reuel 14,4 The dutie of husbands towards their wiues These are the ordinances which the Lord hath commanded betweene a man and his wife The first institution of matrimonie in paradise WHen the Lord GOD formed all the creatures of heauen and earth he brought them to man that bée might giue them names who accordinglie gaue names to euerie creature But for Adam found hée not an helpe or mate méete for him among all the creatures vnder heauen therefore the Lord said It is not good that the man should be himselfe alone I will make an helpe or companion méet for him So the Lord caused an heauie sléepe to fall vpon the man and whilest he slept he tooke one of his ribs and closed vp the flesh in stéed thereof and of that rib which the Lord God had taken from the man made he a woman and brought hir to the man to be his mate or wife Signifieng thereby that mankind was now perfect when the woman was created which before was like an vnperfect building And as this first institution of matrimonie in paradise was by God so all lawfull mariages are now also made by the same God and therefore to be highlie had in honour Then the man said This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh she shall be called woman bicause she was taken out of man Therefore shall man leaue his father and his mother and shall cleaue to his wife and they shall be one flesh Whereby we may sée that mariage requireth a greater dutie of men towards their wiues than otherwise they are bound to shew to their parents Gen. 2 18 c. And thus in the daie that God created Adam in his owne likenesse he created them male and female and blessed them and called their name Adam in the daie that they were created So that the husband and the wife are now as one man or one person flesh or bodie For by giuing them both one name he noteth the inseparable coniuction of man and wife Gen. 5 2. Of pluralitie of wiues BUT this lawfull institution of mariage by God which is that two should be one flesh was first corrupted and violated in the house of Cain by Lamech that cruell tyrant who tooke vnto him two wiues at once the one called Adah the other Zillah who greatlie feared his crueltie as appeareth in their stories Gen. 4 19. Afterward also Abraham Elkana Dauid and diuers other of the holie Patriarchs and fathers had two wiues at once but this priuiledge of hauing two wiues came in at the first with the promise of multiplication of séed to replenish the world as well with the heires of promise as of the flesh But this promise being now performed and ended in Christ the priuiledge ceaseth and Gods first lawe taketh place againe which ioineth two in one flesh and no more as before is said and will not haue vs breake wedlocke by pluralitie of wiues Reâ—d 1. Sam. 1 2. Againe King Salomon had seauen hundred wiues that were Queenes and thrée hundred Concubines for euerie daie thrée in the yéere We read also that Rehoboam Salomons sonne had eightéene wiues and thrée score Concubines 2. Chron. 11 21. And that Abiiah his sonne had fourtéene wiues 2. Chron. 13 21. Wherby note that God tollerated in his people the Israelites in those daies pluralitie of wiues as well for the increase of his people as also for a mysterier that he would include and hide therein For Hagar and Sara Abrahams two wiues as also Leah and Rahel Iacobs two wiues were figures of the synagogue and of the true Church of the children of reprobation and the children of election But Christ hath now in the time of the Gospell called vs to the first institution as it was made of God in paradise saieng They shall be two of one flesh 1. King 11 3. Matt. 16. Iudges 2. And did not he make one that is did not God make man and woman as one flesh and not maine â— Yet had he abundance of spirit and by his power and vertue he could haue made manie women for one man And wherfore one flesh Surelie bicause he sought a godlie séede euen such as should be borne in lawfull and moderate mariage wherin is no excesse of lusts Therefore kéepe your selues in your spirit that is conteine your selues within your bounds and be sober in mind and bridle your affections let none trespasse against the wife of his youth saith the Lord by his Prophet Malac. 2 15. A man ought to be the husband but of one wife For to haue more than one at once is a signe of incontinencie especiallie in a bishop or minister as appeareth by S. Paule 1. Tim. 3 2. The commendation of wedded life and godlie mariages THE Apostle S. Paule bicause mariage through mans corruption and not by Gods institution bringeth cares and troubles to the flesh and not so much to bind mens consciences to single life as to answere certaine questions of the Iewes saith It were good for a man not to touch a woman neuerthelesse to auoid fornication let euerie man in generall haue his owne wife and euerie woman hir owne husband Art thou bound vnto a wife Séeke not to be loosed Art thou loosed from a wife Séeke not a wife but if thou takest a wife thou sinnest not The vnmaried careth for the things of the Lord how he may please the Lord but he that is maried careth for the things of the world how he may please his wife And hereafter they that haue wiues shall be as though they had none For the fashion of this world goeth awaie c. Read more in virginitie 1. Cor. 7 2 c. Where no hedge is there the possession is spoiled and he that hath no wife wandereth to and fro mourning Eccles. 36 25. Two are better than one alone For if they fall the one will lift vp the other but wo vnto him that is alone For he falleth and there is not a companion to lift him vp Also if two sléepe togither then shall they haue heate but to one how should there be heate And a thréefold or twofold cord is not easilie broken Where note by this prouerbe how necessarie it is for a man to liue in matrimonie and mutuall societie to the intent they may be profitable one to another and that their things may increase and contrariwise how pernicious and hurtfull a thing it is be solitarie and alone without an helper and fellowe conforter Eccles. 4,9,10 The blessings of God vpon godlie mariages and his curses vpon the vngodlie espousals BLessed are they that feare the Lord and walke in his waies For thou shalt eate the labours of thine hands O well is thée and
then the Princes of the Philistines came vp to her and brought their money in their handes which they had promised her And Dalila then so dallied with Sampson that she made him lie a sleepe vpon her knees and whilest he lay downe his head in her lappe and was a sleepe she caused a man that she had readie for the purpose to come and shaue off the seuen lockes of the haire of his head whereby she began to vexe his soule and his strength was quite gone from him not so much for the losse of his haire but for the contempt of the ordinaunce of God whiche was the cause that God departed from him Then hauing wrought her feate she after her accustomed maner cryed vnto him and saide The Philistines are vpon thee Sampson the Philistines are vpon thee And with that hee awoke out of his sleepe and thinking to escape them nowe as hee had done before he shooke himselfe But knowing not that the Lord was departed from him he had no power or strength left to flie away and therefore the Princes of the Philistines then tooke him and bound him hand and foote nowe at the last and put out his eyes and carried him away bounde in fetters to Azzah where they made him a slaue to grinde in the prison house And thus Sampsons inordinate affection towards a wicked woman caused him to loose Gods excellent giftes and became a slaue vnto them whom hee should haue ruled Where wee see howe dangerous a thing it is for any man or woman to giue place too much to our affections for if we doe without doubt we shall be sure to be destroyed as Sampson was by Dalila who thus by wicked daliance betraid him to the Philistines for money Iudg. 16.4 c. Diana signi the Moone hauing name of the day for that it giues a light counterfeiting the day lyght She was a great Goddesse of the Ephesians whose magnificence not onelye the Cytizens of Ephesus but all Asia yea and all the world worshipped as their Goddesse insomuch that when anye man went about to impeach her honour or speake against her or her Temple to bring her in little estimation among the Christians as Paule and others did then the people of Ephesus woulde bee full of wrath and cry out continually great is Diana of the Ephesians A great maynteiner of this Goddesse and her Temple was that enimie of godlinesse and superstitious fellow Demetrius the siluer smith who got great gaines and much wealth by making shrines and siluer temples for Dianas temple and who vnder her pretence raysed great sedition in the Citie and trouble to Paule and the true Christians as ye may read Acts. 19.24 c. Dinah signifieth iudgement or doome iudging or deeming She was the onely Daughter of Iacob borne in the yeare of the worlde 2258. whom Lea bare vnto him whilest hee serued Laban her father and his vncle And when her father soiourned in Sechem going towardes Egypt she being but fifteene yeares of age and taking a little too much libertie went out alone from her father and brethren to see the daughters or women of that countrey but lost her virginitie before she returned For when Sechem the sonne of Hamor the hittite and Lord of that countrey saw her among the dauncing damosels he tooke her and lay with her and deflowred her by force shee being not past fifteene yeares of age as I sayd And afterward Sichems hart stil cleauing vnto her he requested his father saying go get me this maide to be my wife And his father comming to Iacob to begge Dinah her breâ—hren hearing thereof talked first priuilye among them selues how to reuenge this villany done to their sister graunted to Hamors request if so be he with his sonne and all his people would become circumcised Christians as she and they were And they being glad to doe any thing that they myght obtayne so fayre a Damosell as shee was were all circumcised but then her brethren hauing that they would two of them to witte Symeon an Leuy tooke ech of them his sword and went boldly into the Citie and slew Sechem with his father and all their male kinde whyle they were sore and not able to resiste in full reuenge of that villany offered to their sister and when they had done they tooke their sister Dinah out of Sechems house and went their wayes with the spoyle that they had gotten of all their goodes wiues and children that were in the Citie which when her father Iacob heard he reproued his two sonnes greatly as one sorye for so great a murther so rashly commytted but they aunswered him againe saying shoulde hee abuse our sister as a whoore Gene. 34. all Dorcas or Tabitha â—ignifieth a do a Robucke a pricket or a â—allow deere readâ— of her in Tabitha Drusilla signifieth bedewed or sprinckled with deweof a quiet kinâ—ed She was the daughter of Herod Agrippa and a Iew borne in the yeare of the world 4179. who being first marryed to Azizo forsooke him and became afterwarde in the yeare of the world 4193. wife to Felix by whose counsayle he called for Paule and heard him intreate or preach of the fayth of Christ. Acts. 24. 25. E Edna or Anna sig pleasure time She was the wife of Raguell mother of Sara the wife of young Tobie Who at Tobies first coÌ„ming to her house to wooe her daughter verie courteouslie entertained him when shee vnderstoode whose sonne hee was and that hee was indeede her neere kinsman And when she heard that olde Tobie her cosin was blinde she was verie sorowfull and wept for his trouble Afterwarde hauing giuen her consent to her husband that Sara her daughter should be maried to Tobie she was present at the contract making and solemnization of the marriage betweene them and when night came and the feastes were done she prepared another faire chamber for her daughter to lie in as her husbande Raguell had commanded her and seeing her daughter fall a weeping when she should goe to bed for feare least the euill spirite Astrodias woulde come againe and slaie Tobias that night as hee had done her other seuen husbandes before Edna like a tender hearted mother wiped away her daughters teares and comforted her saying bee of good cheere my daughter the Lorde of heauen and earth shall giue thee ioye for this thy sorrowe Bee of good comfort my daughter weep not so her daughter being well comforted went to bed And in the morning Edna sent her maide to see whether Tobie were aliue or not who finding them both a sleepe and aliue went and tolde her master and dame and they for ioye praysed God together And when the dayes of feasting were ended and her daughter was to goe her way with her husbande to his friendes and countrie Edna blessed her daughter and gaue her ghostly instruction like a godly mother saying first to her The God of heauen blesse thee my daughter and make thy children to
prosper before I die Honour thy father and thy mother in lawe which are now thy parents that I may heare good report of thee and with that kissed her and tooke her leaue of her and then turning her to Tobias her sonne in lawe she also most wisely and carefully saide vnto him The Lorde of heauen restore thee my deare brother and graunt that I may see thy children of my daughter Sara that I may reioyce before the Lorde Beholde nowe I commit to thee my daughter as a pledge doe not intreat her euill So Tobias praysing God that he had giuen him so good a wife blessed Raguell and Edna his wife and went away to Niniuie to his owne father and mother whom when he had honourablie buried then he returned with his wife to Ecbatan to Raguell and Edna his father and mother in lawe whome also hee there buried honorablie and possessed their â—oods Tobi. 7.8.10.11.11.1.14.13 Eglah or Heglah sig a cow calfe a wagon a winde about a turning winde or his feasting She was one of the wiues of Dauid in Hebron and who bare vnto him a sonne called Ithream 2. Sam. 3.5 1. Chro. 3.3 Elisabeth or Elizabeth or Elisheba signifieth the oth of God or the fulnesse of my God or the seuenth of my God she is of God Or the name thus deuided written Eli-sabeth signifieth My God going vpwarde or getting vp By Ely and sabeth signifieth rest or a stay the staffe of Maiestie Or written with a z as thus zabeth sig the dowrie or great portion of the Lorde Shee was of the house and came of the daughters of Aaron the Lordes high Priest by her fathers side and by her mothers line shee was of the house and linage of king Dauid and neere cosin vnto the virgin Marie and being the wife of Zacharias the high Priest shee like a godly woman liued iustly before God and walked in all the commaundementes and ordinances of the Lorde without reproofe And being long barren and very olde it pleased God at the last euen in the yeere of the worlde .4141 to remember her and sent his Angell Gabriel vnto her husband as hee was making his praiers vnto God in the Temple who signified vnto him that his prayers were hearde and that his wife Elizabeth shoulde beare him a sonne and that he shoulde call his name Iohn which signifieth the grace of God of which childe he shoulde haue great ioye and many shoulde reioyce at his birth c. After hee went home and his wife Elizabeth conceiued by him as the Angell had saide and shee perceiuing her selfe with childe hid her selfe fiue monethes praising God most ioyfully and saying Thus hath the Lorde dealte with mee in the dayes wherein hee looked on mee to take from me my rebuke among men for the barren women enioyed not the promise which God made to them that were married to haue issue but principally they were depriued of that promise which God made to Abraham that hee woulde increase his seede which promise could not bee performed nor accomplished without issue And nowe being sixe monethes gone with childe so it happened that Mary the wife of Ioseph which also had conceiued by the holy ghost came to Hebron to visite Elizabeth her cosin who had no soner hearde the salutation of Mary but by and by the babe sprang in Elizabeths belly and she was presently filled with the holy ghost and cried out with a loud voice saying blessed art thou cosin Mary among women because the fruite of thy wombe is blessed whence commeth this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to visite me For behold as soone as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine eare the bakesprang in my belly for ioy and blessed is she that beleeued for those things shal be performed which were tolde her of the Angel Gabriell from the Lorde But Mary saying nothing vnto her as one rapâ— with ioye also fell to magnifie God and after abode with Elizabeth her cosin about three monethes and then returned to her owne house And nowe when the time was come that Elizabeth shoulde bee deliuered shee brought foorth a sonne to the greate reioycing of her selfe and all her neighbours and cosins who therefore together with her praised the Lorde for his greate mercie shewed vnto her And when on the eight day her childe was to bee circumcysed and the women her cosins and neighbours woulde haue named him Zacharie after his fathers name Elizabeth his mother saide no not so he shall bee called Iohn which was according to the wordes of the Angell before Then although the women said vnto her that there was none of her kinred named with that name yet they caused his dombe father Zacharie her husbaÌ„d to write him in his tables by y â— name of Iohn which being don Zacharies mouth was presently opened and to the great admiration of all that stoode by he being filled with the holy ghost spake and prophesied of his childe and praysed God as ye may reade Lu. 1. Elisheba signifieth as before in Elizabeth the God of othe shee is of God c. Shee was the daughter of Aminadab who was a prince of Iuda and her sister Nahashon the wife of Aaron the brother of Moses vnto whome shee bare foure sonnes Nadab Abihu Eleazer and Ithamar Exod. 6.23 Ephah signifieth without measure vnbrideled werie flying plighted foldeâ— vp Shee was one of the Concubines of Caleb and bare him three sonnes Haran Moza and Gazez 1. Chro. 2.46 Ephrath sig plentie dustie leaden fruitfull comming out of ashes a fawne Shee was one of the wiues of Caleb which hee tooke after the death of Azuba and who bare vnto him a sonne called Hur. 1. Chro. 2.19.50 of her also the Citie Ephrata or Caleb Ephrata or Bethlem Ephrata first tooke the name as 1. Chro. 2.24 Gen. 35.48 c. Ester or hester or Esther otherwise called Hadashah or Atassa signifieth close hidden plucking downe the working or beholding of the medicine the Turtles medine Shee was the daughter of Abihail a Iewe borne and being a very faire virgin and beautifull young damosel after the death of her father and mother shee was nourished and brought vp in the house of Mardocheus her cosin Germane who tooke her as his owne daughter after his vncle her father was dead During whiche time it chaunced that Uasti the Queene of Persia for her disobedience to Assuerus the king her husbande was deposed from her princely state and deuorced from her husband And then the king being counsayled to take an other in her roome sent one Hege his Eunuch the keeper of women with his commission abroad to take vp Uirgins Maydens as y â— manner was by vertue whereof certaine faire young Damosels beautifull Uirgins among whom Ester was one were taken and brought to the court then being at Shushan and there in certaine houses appoynted for the Uirgins somwhat distant from the houses of Concubines Wiues they
worke a thing w t thee whereof all the earth shall wonder whosoeuer shal heare thereof For I thy handmaid feare God worship the God of heauen day and night And nowe I pray thee let me remaine with thee my Lord let thy haÌ„dmaid go out in the night into the valley I wil there pray vnto God that he may reueile vnto mee wheÌ„ they shall commit their sinnes and when he wil reward them with punishment for their iniquities and that I may shew it there vnto thee then maist thou go forth w t all thine armie for there shal be none of theÌ„ y t shal resist thee And I will lead thee through the mids of Iudea safly vntil thou come before Ierusalem I will set thy throne in the mids thereof and thou shalt driue them as sheepe that haue no shepheard and there shal not so much as a dogge barke against thee For these things haue bin spoken and declared vnto me according to my foreknowledge by the prouidence of God And for so much as God is displeased with them he hath sent me to tell the same These her wordes so greatly pleased Olophernes all his seruants that they marueiled much at hir wisedom said one to another There is not such a womaÌ„ in all y e world both for beauty of face fauour in couÌ„tenance wisdome of words And Olophernes being far in loue w t her beautie said vnto Iudith God hath done well in this to send thee before the people y t thou maiest giue them into our hands bring destruction vpon theÌ„ y t despise my L. Nebuchadnezer neyther can I chuse but commend thee Iudith for thou art both beautiful in thy colours witty in thy speech And now forasmuch as thy promise is good if therfore thou do as thou hast spoken thy God performe it vnto me surely thy God shal be my God also thou shalt be excelleÌ„t great in the court of Nabuchadnezer my L. where thou shalt dwel thy name shal bee renowmed spoken of throughout the whole earth And w t y t he coÌ„maÌ„ded his meÌ„ to bring her in lodge her in the tent where his treasure was laid and charged them that they should prepare appoint her diet of y e same meates and wines from his owne table But notwithstanding Iudeth tolde the king I may not as nowe eate of thy meates and drinkes quoth she least there shoulde bee an offence founde to be committed by mee and so I displease my God therefore giue no charge concerning my dyet for I can suffice my selfe with the thinges that I haue heere brought with mee in my scrippe and bottelles Yea quoth Olophernes but what if these thinges w t thou hast brought shoulde fayle thee howe shoulde wee giue thee the like for there iâ— none with vs of thy nation O my Lorde quoth Iudith take you no thought for my victualles For as thy soule liueth my Lorde thine handemaide shall not spend all those things that I haue before the Lord woorke by mine hande the thing that I haue determined and deuised Then his seruauntes brought her into the tent whereas he had appoynted her And as shee was gone in shee desired of Olophernes that shee might haue leaue to goe forth by night and before day to praye and to make intercession vnto the Lorde And being licenced of Olophernes so to doe who commaunded his chaumberlaines and garde that shee shoulde goe out and in at her pleasure to pray vnto God and that they shoulde not stay her Shee went into the tent and there slept with her maide vntill midnight and then arose at the morning watch and went in the night season foorth of the campe into the valley of Bethulia and there washed her selfe in a fountayne euen in the water by the campe and when shee came out shee prayed vnto the Lorde God of Israel that he woulde direct her way and prosper her enterprise to the exaltation and deliuerance of her brethren his people And so shee returned and remained pure fasting all day in her tent vntill she eate her meat in the euening And thus did Iudith remayne pure and cleane in the campe and vsed in the night season to go out and in to wash her selfe and to pray for the space of three nightes together and in the fourth day it came to passe that Olophernes by Gods prouidence made a great feast or supper to his owne seruaunts onely that attended about his person but called none of them to the banquet that had the affayres of warres in hand And sayde to Bagoas his Eunuch or chamberlaine goe thy wayes by counsel perswade this Hebrewes woman Iudith which is with thee that shee bee willing to come and eate and drinke with vs and to consent to keepe companie with vs For it were a shame for vs to let such a woman aloâ—e not talke with her and if wee doe not allure her she will mocke vs and laugh vs to scorne that shee were come from vs vnmedled withall Then went Bagoas vnto Iudith and saide let not this faire maid and good daughter bee afraide or make difficultie to goe in to my Lorde Olophernes that shee may bee honoured in his presence and to drinke wine with him ioyfully and bee meerie with him and to bee intreated as one of the daughters of the children of Assur which remaine in the house of Nabuchadnezar Then Iudith being right glad of that oportunitie perceiuing in her heart that the Lorde by his mightie prouidence had wrought this as a meane for her the better to bring her deuice to passe to his glorie and her peoples deliuerance and to the enemies ouerthrow answered Bagoas said Who am I that I should now gainesay my Lord Surely whatsoeuer pleaseth him and seemeth best vnto him I will doe it speedilie yea it shall bee my ioye vnto the day of my death and I shall thinke it well doone as long as I liue to gratifie him in any thing I may So Iudith arose and tyred her selfe with her gay apparrell and with the ornaments of women and her maide Abra went and spred the skinnes which shee had receiued of Bagoas for her daylie vse to sitte and eate vpon all along on the grounde ouer against Olophernes Tent and for her mistres to goe vpon Nowe when the messenger had brought Iudith to Olophernes and she sate downe before him his heart was presently rauished with her and his spirite by and by was moued and rauished with her beautie insomuch that he brent in desire towardes her and coueted her companie greatlie for hee had waited for the time to deceiue her from the first day that euer he had seene her and hee saide vnto her drinke nowe and sitte downe and be merie with vs for thou hast founde fauour before me My Lord quoth Iudith I will drinke nowe and reioyce for my minde is merier to day then euer it
was in all my life and because my state is exalted nowe more thē euer it was since I was borne and with that shee called her maide Abra and tooke of her the victuals she brought and had prepared for her and did eate and drinke cheerefully with Olophernes Then Olophernes reioyced so greatly in Iudith because of her company that he drank much more wine at that time then euer he had drunk at anie one time before since he was borne Now when the euening was come and it was late in the night his seruants made hast euery man to depart to his lodging and Bagoas his Chamberlain shut the chamber dores and dismissed those that were present from the presence of his Lorde and they went all to their beds for they were all werie because the feast had beene long and ouerladen with wine So Iudith in the yeere of the worlde 3496. being left all alone in Olophernes tent and Olophernes himselfe lying stretched along vpon his bed all drunken and filled with wine of very drunkennesse falling fast a sleepe she commaunded her maide Abra to goe and stande without the tent dore and waite for her comming foorth and so euerie bodie being gone foorth of her presence and not one left in the chamber little or great but her selfe and Olophernes that was fast a sleepe she standing by his bed side fell downe on her knees there secretly in her heart her lips only a little mouing made her praiers with teares vnto God for his helpe that he would strengthen her in y t her enterprise as appeareth in the first Lamp Pag. 43. And her prayers ended she went tooke downe his sword or fauchin hung on the post at his beds head drew it then went and tooke hold of Olophernes by the haire of his head and beseeching God euen then in that houre to strengthen her shee smote twise vpon his necke with all her might cut of his head at two blowes quite from his bodie and rowled his dead body downe from the bed and pulled downe the Canopie frō the pillers And immediatly she gat her forth deliuered the head of Olophernes vnto her handmaid Abra and bad her put it in her scrip or wallet of meat so they twaine went foorth together as thogh they had gone after their accustomed maner to pray so passing by the host comming about through the valley neere vnto the gate of y e Citie of Bethulia She cried a far off to the watchmē vpon y e walles saying Open now the gates for God euen our God is with vs quoth she hath shewed his power yet in Israel his force against his enemies as he hath done euē this day Now when the mē of the citie heard her voice they called the elders together they all made hast to go downe to the gates ran all together both smal great young old to mee◠her for it was aboue their expectatiō y t she should come so soone again So they opened the gates receiued her yoūg old made a bone fire for a ioyful light stoode round about Iudith her maide But shee went vp into an high place caused silence to be proclaimed when euery man now held his peace Iudith said vnto thē with a loude voyce O praise ye the Lord giue thanks vnto our God for he hath not despised his people nor taken away his mercy frō the house of Israel nor forsaken them y t put their trust in him but in me his handmaidē he hath performed his mercy which he promised vnto the house of Israel Yea by mine hand this same night hath he slaine destroied y e enemie of his people with y t she tooke foorth the head of Olophernes out of y e wallet shewed it vnto thē saying Behold here the head of Olophernes y e chiefe captain of the army of y e Assyriās whō the Lorde hath slaine by me his minister and behold also the Canopie wherein he lay in his drūkennes where y e Lord hath smittē slaine him by the hands of mee a silie woman his minister But as y e Lord liueth his angel hath kept me in my way going thither remaining there cōming hither againe frō thence And the Lord who hath brought to passe y t my countenāce hath deceiued him to his destructiō hath not suffered me his handmaiden to be defiled neither hath he cōmitted sin with me by any pollutiō or villany But without any defiling of sin or reproch hath y e Lorde brought me his handmaidē againe vnto you and y t with great victory so y t I am escaped and you deliuered O therfore giue praise and thanks vnto our God euery one for he is gracious and his mercy endureth for euer Thē al the people were wonderfully astonished bowed thēselues praised y e Lord altogether said with one accord blessed be thou our god which hast this day brought to nought y e enemy of thy people And they highly cōmēded Iudith said vnto her the Lord hath blessed thee in his power for through thee he hath brought our enimie to confusiō Yea Ozias y e prince of Bethulia extolled her to the skies saying vnto her O daughter blessed art thou of the most hie God aboue al womē of y e earth blessed be y e Lord y e maker of heauē earth which hath guided directed thee aright to wound to smite of the head of the chiefe captaine of our enemies Surely this thine hope shal neuer depart out of the hearts of mē for they shall remēber the power of God for euer And God turne these things to thee thy name for a perpetuall prayse honor visite thee w t good things because thou hast not spared thine own life but put it in ieoperdie cōsidering the anguish affliction of our natiō people so hast helpt our ruin fall walking a straite way before God our Lorde and all the people said Amen Thē said Iudith vnto thē my brethrē heare me yet hang this head vpō y e highest place of your walles whē the Sun ariseth take you euery mā his weapō go forth like valiāt mē not as though ye would go beside thē but run vpō thē with violēce and when y e Assyriās spies your enemies see this they shal of necessity take vp their armour their pety Captaines shall goe into the Tent of their chiefe Captaine Olophernes to raise him vp to battell but when they shall there finde his dead bodie wrapped and imbrued in his owne blood fearefulnesse and trembling shall so fall vpon them that they shall be compelled euerie man to flie backward before your face so that you and all that inhabite the coastes of Israel shall pursue them without feare and ouerthrowe them as they flie for God hath deliuered them into your handes But before yee doe
the Diuel Asmodeus bound him sent him into the wildernes of the higher Egypt And after that they were both shut in Tobias rose out of the bed said vnto the virgin vp sister Sara arise let vs make our prayer vnto God that hee would haue pitie on vs to day to morrowe and the thirde day for these three nightes will wee ioyne or reconcile our selues to God and when the thirde holy night is past wee shall ioyne together in the duetie of marriage For wee are the children of holy men and wee may not come together as the Heathen that knowe not God Then shee arose and they stood vp both together and besought God earnestly that he would preserue them praying and saying as in the first Lampe of Uirginitie And after their prayer ended they went to bed and slept both together that night But Raguel Saraes father thinking Tobias was dead as the other seuen made a graue for him and purposing to haue buryed him secretly the same night that none shoulde haue knowen of it Hee sent his maide into the chamber to see whether hee were dead or aliue who comming into the chamber and finding them both safe and sounde fast a sleepe together brought good tidings again to Raguel and tolde him that Tobias was aliue which caused Raguell not a little to reioyce and prayse the Lorde because hee had mercye on them two which were the only begotten children of their fathers And after commaunding the graue to bee filled vp he made a greate wedding feast which hee kept for ioy 14. dayes and gaue halfe of his goods to Tobie towardes the marriage of his daughter Sarra assuring the rest vnto him her by writing after his and his wiues death So after the fourteene dayes expired in the which space Tobias begate his wife with childe When Raguel by no intreatie coulde persuade Tobie to carry any longer from his sorrowfull father mother that long expected his returne He deliuered his daughter Saâ—ra vnto him together with her portion and so sent her away from him with health and ioy and with his blessing saying The God of heauen make you my children to prosper before I die And with this exhortation giuen to Sarra his daughter saying Honor thy father and mother in lawe which are now thy parents that I may heare good report of thee Also see thou loue thine husband and rule well thine houshold keeping them in good order that thou mayest shewe thy selfe faultlesse and so kissed them and tooke his leaue of them And to Tobias her mother Edna gaue this charge concerning Sarra saying The Lorde of heauen restore thee my deare brother and graunt that I may see thy children of my daughter Sarra that I may reioyce before the Lorde Beholde now I commit to thee my daughter as a pledge doe not intreate her euill So shee imbraced her daughter kissed her let her goe So Sarra went with her husband to Niniuie there dwelt with her husbandes father olde Tobie and where after his her mother in lawes death she returned againe with her husband to Ecbatan to her owne father there dwelt with him while he and her mother liued and after their death which was in the yeere of the world 3456. she inherited al their substance there liued died with her husband before y e destructioÌ„ of Niniuie Tob. 3.7.6.10 c. 7.8.9.6.10.10 c. 11.1.14.13 Serah or Sarah or Sarai sig the same that Sarah doth She was the daughter of Asher the second sonne of Iacob begotten of Zilpa his concubine and the handmaid of Lea and sister to Beriah Isui Iesuah and Iimnah the sonnes of Asher her father Gen. 46.17 Num. 26 46. 1. Chro. 7.30 Sherah or Seera or Seerah or Sara sig the same also that Sara doth She was the daughter of Ephraim or as some thinke his Niece daughter of Manasses who being a noble woman and riche in possessions built to her perpetuall fame three great cities in Gezar in y e lande of Ephraim her father and gaue vnto them seuerall names the one being called Bethhoron the neather the second Bethhoron the vpper the third Uzzen Sheerah after her owne name 1. Chr. 7.24 Which cities being afterward taken spoyled by Pharo king of Egypt were giuen by him for a present vnto his daughter king Salomons wife and after repaired and fortified againe by Salomon as appeareth 1. King 9.16 2. Chro 8.5 Shelomith or Selomith Salomith sig a peacefull woman or perfect or recompensing She was the daughter of Dibri of the tribe of Dan became wife to an Egyptian by whom she bare a sonne that afterward was the first y t euer was imprisoned and stoned to death for blaspheming of the Lord by swearing or despiting God in a fray or mutinie that hee made with another man of Israel vpon which occasion God among other made this lawe for euer to remaine against all blasphemers That whosoeuer curseth his God should be punished and beare his sinne and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord should bee put to death for it But this lawe being nowe out of vse the more is the pitie it woundeth the heartes of the godly to heare the blasphemers in euery place in this wicked age of the worlde without any publike reproofe or penall punishment inflicted by the Magistrate so crucifie Christe againe and rente his most precious members asunder one froÌ„ another by rapping out of infinite vgly and most horrible othes and execrable cursings to the great disglory of God the prophanation of his sacred law too too much offence of the godlie and zealous Christian. There was another woman called Shelomith or Salomith or Selomith which was the daughter of Zerubbabell the sonne of Pedaiah and nephew of Zalathiell which came of the stocke of Dauid of whose line or stock Christ came also she was sister to Meshullam Hananiah 1. Chr. 3. 19. Shimrath or Semath or Semaath sig hearing obeying She was an Ammotish woman and mother to Zabad who with his fellowe Ieho zabed traiterously killed his master king Ioash and was therefore iustly slaine and put to death by Amaziah the king after the death of his father whom they slue 2. Chr. 24.25.26.25.2 Shimrith or Simrith or Semarith sig shee is warned hard as a Diamond a thorne dregges Shee was a Moabitish woman and mother of Iehozabat the other traiterous seruaÌ„t of king Ioash who with his fellowe zabad the sonne of Shimrath before most vilanously conspired together and slue their master king Ioas as hee lay sicke in his bed but afterwarde for this his blooddie fact hee suffered the condigne punishment of shamefull death by the handes of Amaziah the king and sonne of Ioah as appeareth 2. Chr. 24.25.26 25.2 Shiphrah or Siphrah or Sephora sig faire fairenes pleasing a sparrowe his birde a Trumpet wel doing goodnes early a Goat She with her companion Puah were two of the most famous and
the Lambes wife or Church of Christ persecuted by that dragon Antichrist not vnprofitable to be read of women in trauell to their comfort and edification as a lesson in prayer THere appeared in heauen a great woonder saith S. Iohn a womā cloathed with y e sunne the moone was vnder her feete vpō her head a crowne of xii starres she was with childe cryed trauelling in byrth and was pained readye to be deliuered And beholde a great redde dragon with seuen heades ten hornes and a long tayle that reached vp to heauen stoode before the woman which was ready to be deliuered to deuour her child when shee had brought it foorth So shee brought foorth a man child which should rule all nations with a rod of yron and her sonne was taken vp to God and to his throne And the woman fled into the wildernesse where shee hath a place prepared of God that they should feede hir 1260. dayes Then this great Dragon that old Serpent called the Diuel and Satan which deceiueth al the worlde with his Angels was cast out of heauen vnto the earth for euer by Michael his Angels that waged battel with him And whē he saw that he persecuted the woman which had brought forth the man childe But to the woman were geuen two winges of a great Eagle that she migh◠flie vnto the wildernesse into her place where shee is nourished for a tune and times and halfe a time from the presence of the serpent And the serpent seeing the woman flye away cast out of his mouth water after her like a flood that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood but the earth holpe the woman for it opened and swallowed vp the flood which the Dragon cast out of his mouth Then the Dragon was more wroth with the woman and went and made warre with the remnant of her seede which kept the commaundements of God haue the testimony of Iesus Christ. Reuel 12. See more chap. 19. 7.21,9 Leuites wife There was in the time of Iudges a certaine woman of Bethleem Iuda who being the Concubyne or wife of a certeine Leuit dwelling in mount Ephraim there played the whore with other men and when shee had done she added one euil to an other for feare of punishment ranne a waye from her husbande and went and dwelt with her owne father in Bethleem Iuda from whence shee came And by that tyme shee had continued the space of foure monethes it chaunced at the last that her husband riding after her and vnderstanding where shee was come thither to her fathers house with horse and man to fetche her away home to his owne house in mount Ephraim where after much intreatie and faire promises and sweete woordes vsed by him vnto her to come away home agayne with him vpon the Asse that he had brouht for her to ryde on Shee first brought him into her fathers house who very courteously entertayned him for her sake fiue or sixe dayes before he would suffer her to depart afterwarde she being willing to come away with her husband tooke her leaue of her father and friends and so departed with her husband homewards And comming somewhat late in y e night into Gibeath a place so called in Beniamin where the wicked men of Iemeny dwelt they were fayne to sit in the streete because they could get no lodging in the Innes vntill it fortuned that an old labouring man came late from his work who espying her and a man sitting like wayfaring folke so late in the streetes went vnto them and after he vnderstood of them what they were and from whēce they came and whither they were going of very courtesy compassion he tooke them both home with him to his house and gaue them lodging and intertaynement the best hee coulde But as they were at Supper making merrie beholde certayne Beniamites that is wicked men of the Citie came and like night walkers besette the house rounde about and smote at the doore to the intent they might breake in and commaunded the olde man that was maister of the house saying Bring foorth the man that came into thine house that wee may knowe him whereuppon the olde man went out of his house to pacifie them and sayde Naye my brethren doe not so wickedly I praye you seeyng that this man is come into my house committe not suche vilanie against him Beholde rather then yee shall so doe loe heere is my daughter whiche is a Uirgin and his Concubine them will I bring out nowe and humble them and abuse them and doe with them what seemeth you good but to this manne doe not this villanie but the wicked men woulde not bee intreated therefore the olde man tooke the Leuites wife or Concubine and brought her out vnto them and they forced her and knewe her carnally and abused her bodie moste villainously all the night vntill the morning and in the breake of the daye lette her goe So the woman came in the dawing of the daye and fell downe starke dead at the thresholde or doore of the olde mans house where her husbande was and there laye till day light And in the morning when her husbande arose and opened the doores of the house thinking to haue gone his waye beholde hee sawe his wife lye at the doore with both her handes lying vppon the threshold and supposing her to haue beene fast a sleepe called vnto her and sayde vp let vs goe but shee answered not Then hee stouped to take her vp and perceiuing her to be stark dead through the rapin force villany of these wicked Beiamites he layd her vppon his Asse and carried her home to his house at mounte Ephraim And as soone as he was come home he tooke a knife and cut his dead Concubine in peeces and deuided her bones and all into twelue partes and so sent her all to bee mangled vnto the twelue trybes that is to euery tribe a parte of her to signifie vnto them the horryble murder committed by those wicked Beniamites against the lawe that they might reuenge it by executing due punishment vppon the offendors And al that hard thereof considered the matter and consulting of the manner gaue this sentence that that sinne was like to the sinne of Sodome and Gomorrhe for whiche God rayned downe fire and brimstone from heauen For there was neuer the like thing done or heard of since the deliuery of the people of Israell out of Egipt And afterwarde the twelue tribes as soone as they vnderstoode the matter consulted together and sente for the Leuit the womans husbande whoe came and declared the whole circumstance and troth of the matter vnto them whereupon they determined to sende to the gouernours of the tribe of Beniamin that they should finde out the offendors and deliuer thē vp to the rulars of the tenne tribes to be punished with death according to iustice but the children of Beniamin vtterly refused so