latter parte is shewed how the Kinges of the Israelites and Iewes wounded and killed eche other how to their great cost and charge theie hiered the Egiptianes and Assyrians to aide theim and thereby gaue occasione to inuade the Kingdome of Israel as it is declared in the fowerth booke Where also you maie see a litle before their captiuitie how greate miserie thei were in vnder Ieconias in the yere after the making of the worlde three thousande fower hundred and thirtie For the Historie of Samuel comprehendeth an hundred euen the twentie latter yeres of Heli. Fowertie of Samuel and Saul as it is in the Actes and fowertie of Dauid The two bookes of the Kinges vnto the Captiuitie haue fower hundred twentie and sixe yeres and sixe Monethes To whiche if you put the yeres of the Historie of Moyses and Iudges you shall finde thre thousand fower hundred and thirtie yeres Adde hereunto the seuenty of the Captiuitie in Babilone and you shall haue from the twentie of HELI fower hundred ninetie and thre yeres and sixe monethes But into the numbre of seuentie yeres you muste put the litle booke of Hester It seemeth Hester those thinges written of her to haue been dooen vnder Astiages vnto whome the myghtie Monarche Euilmerodach sōne to the most victorious Nabuchodonozer peraduēter had geuē rule vpon those people whom the first chap. of Hester speketh of The same mā as far as wee can gesse by the ninthe of Daniel by likelihod was called Assuerus a worde of Regall dignitie his proper name being Astiages euen the very same that by the mothers side was graundfather to Darius not Darius the sonne of Histaspis but of that auncient Median surnamed of Zenophon Cyaparis which caried awaie Daniel with him into Medea euē thē also possessing ii.c.xx great Lordships For .vii whiche his father Assuerus as it is said in the firste Chapiter of Hester possessed were come vnto the Persians vnto whom at the last the remnaunt also were subiect after the death of Darius the Mede whose Daughter Cyrus hadde maried beyng Victour Lorde and Kinge of Babilon Mede and Persia But howsoeuer it be in this booke is described the courtlie life foolishe madde and pernicious There all thinges are gaie and gallaunt menne liue at pleasure and by riotous excesse lose al thei haue Many heauie chaunces great pensifenesse perill and heinous treason is there also The proude and rebellious quene Vasthi is compared with the lowelie and obedient Hester Aman is a paterne of an ambicious vniust and cruell tiraunte from base lowe degre enhaunsed into the toppe of highe dignitie and foorthwith caste downe headlong ending his life on the gallowes an example to vs of vnstable fortune and what thei shall come to that geue cruell counsail But Mardocheus representeth a vertuous lord standing on a sure ground through his wisedome sauing himselfe and his people and by his prudente counsail doing moche good to other foreine Princes As the litle Volume of Ruth so this also taketh his name of the chiefe persone Now folowe the Bookes whiche Esdras declare what happened to the people of GOD after their deliuerance Esdras euen at the firste preacheth the trueth of Goddes promise In captiuitie thei crie to the Lorde and be heard Seuentie yeres expired by fauour of king Cyrus thei retourne into Iewrie with Golde and riche giftes to be put in the Temple being made vp again Thei set vp an altare and hast them to building but the worke was let two and fowertie yeres At last vnder Darius the yōger the Temple was finished Then came Esdras renewed the Lawes corrected the faultes of the people and prelates After him came Nehemias Nehemias and walled the Citie eased the people from hard Exactions burdennes and vsuries by witte and Wisedome holpe the Citizeines and amended that was amisse The Souldioures of Antichriste and their Craftes whereby the buildinge might not go forwardes is here plainly set out and how ware men should be to ouercome thenemies of the people of GOD. This Historie conteineth thre score and tenne yeres From the first of Cyrus vnto the twentie of Darius are coumpted eight and fiftie yeres From thence vnto the two and thirtie are .xij in whiche the walles were made vp There remaineth the Chronicles whiche the Grekes and Latines diuide into two bookes called Paralipomenon Chronicles For some thinges passed ouer in the former Historie of the Kinges bee here rehearsed and spoken of more largelie Yet sure it is that these be not the Chronicles of Iuda and Israel whiche many times bee mentioned in the Bookes of Kinges Doubtlesse those wer most copious commentaries of the actes of the kinges of Iuda and Israel now being lost through wastful time Some thinke these to be a briefe of this excellente historie namely of the Kinges of Iuda Thei profite moste to the exposition of the Prophetes Thus hitherto haue we rehearsed all the bokes of the diuine historie whiche from the beginning of the worlde vnto the building vp againe of the Citie of Ierusalē that is to the two and thirtie yere of Darius is thre M. iiii C. lxxxviij yeres and vi monethes So many shal he finde whosoeuer wil diligently reade ouer the holie Historie for we made this accoumpte by the yeres of the Patriarches iudges Dukes and Kinges Neither maketh it any matier that Iosephus Eusebius and many other folowe an other accoumpt We haue folowed the holy writers yea and the trueth it self Now to the other bokes of holie Scripture Iob teacheth to beare paciently the crosse of aduersitie Iob and that not by triflyng preceptes of Philosophie but by wonderful consideration of Goddes prouidence First of al is the historie it self how there was a certeine good and iust man broughte to greate aduersitie and what shoulde bee the merueilous meaning of God in this case After the mater is discussed by a gret disputatiō last of all foloweth the croune triumph of the victour And in this boke is shewed more syncere philosophie then in al the bokes that euer al the philosophers wrote of the which none hath tought any thīg purely in this matier The Epicures cal vs frō the crosse to delectacion pleasure The Peripatetiques counte sickenesse pouertie reproche and disworshippe emong the greatest eiuilles that can be Certeine Stoiqnes doe counsaile men that be in daūgier either to breake their owne neckes either to hang or kil them selues or by some other violente death to shift frō their peine And other teache other thinges more foolishe The booke of Psalmes is an heauenly worke Psalmes treating diuers matiers and is both profitable and pleasaunte It pleased God whiche touched briefly al Sciences to speake a litle of Musique also and handle it purely if perchaunce thereby men might be driuen from vncleane and wanton songes So whatsoeuer cunning and holie sōges Dauid and of his nacion other wisemen Poetes prestes haue writtē of diuerse matiers at diuerse
their sinnes and calleth them to repentāce He inueieth against false prophetes He prophecieth of redemption by Christ of his kingdome and of the calling of the Gentiles He teacheth euidently that Saluation cometh through Christ to theim that beleue and that the right worshipping of God is true vertue Nahum Nahum also flourished vnder Ezechias and taught after Ionas He preached againste the Kingdome of the Assirians and against Niniue their chief Citie He maketh as though letters of defiance had been written by God sent vnto the Assirians wherein Warre is proclaimed that it is shewed who how mightie a God thenemy of the Niniuites is for what causes he purposed to destroie that great citie most auncient kingdom he setteth out the maner and facion how he would destroie it By whiche thinges he sheweth a merueilous but a fearfull example vnto al ancient mightie bloudie kingdomes and again a great coumfort vnto those whiche are oppressed by tyrannie It is likely that Abacuk was in the time of Manasses Abacuck after Niniue was takē about the beginning of the monarchie of Babylon But vnder this ciuill and vngracious King all true religion was quite gone mischief and supersticion bare the bragge Many were slain innocent bloud was shead all goodnesse was banished Some thoughte that god was faste in slepe wherefore good men were not pleased but spake somewhat sharply Thē came foorth this prophete to comforte the sorie discourage the tyraunt and lift vp the weake declaring that God would come shortly to reuēge good mennes quereles by power of the Chaldees whiche waxing proude beyonde measure should be also destroied and the Iewes sent home againe And that then in deede should be perfourmed whiche was spoken touching the comming of Messias vnder whom shoulde be the golden worlde Sophonias prophecied vnder Iosias Sophonias he and Ieremie together After the king by due reformation had set vp true religiō againe there were not a few emong the heddes and the people which deliting rather in supersticion loked and longed for a newe daie and to se religion ouerthrowen and cleane put awaie Wherfore he blameth their wickednes moueth theim to repentaunce shewing aforehande that thei should be punished by the Babiloniās and that yet he neither had so great cause to be proude seing at length there shoulde come moche sorow and mischief to him also In the ende he saieth that Sion should be made vp againe and prophecieth the comming of Christ Hagge Haggeus vnder Darius Histaspis blameth the vnthankefulnesse of the people sent home again their sluggishnes in building vp the temple He biddeth thē hast forwardes the worke not to leaue of for feare of any enemies In th ēde he prophecieth plainly of Christ and the Churche Zacharie flourished with Hagge entreated of all one matier Zacharie exhorting the people and specially the rulers to builde vp the temple This man sawe the peculiar destenies of the people of Israel and writeth many thinges as Daniel dooeth He biddeth theim liue verteouslie writing many plaine Prophecies of Christe and his Churche wherein he is marueilous gospellike He speaketh also of the times whiche folowed after Christes ascention Malachie last of all Malachie whether he be the same zacharias or Esdras as Hierome thinketh or any other excellent writer chideth the priestes bitterlie rebukyng their vnsaciable couetousnesse slougthfull lecherie and filthinesse He blameth also the people and certaine light persōs which murmured against God Last of all he speaketh somewhat of Christes time and the daie of iudgement in whiche euerie man shall be rewarded after his studies and woorkes This Prophete also semeth to haue taught vnder Darius Howbeit from the .xxxii. A supputatiō of times vntil the commyng of Christe yere of Darius whiche fil in the thirde yere of the lxxii Olympiade we haue nothing of auncient and Canonicall Scripture vntil Christes time saue those thinges whiche the Prophete Daniel with zacharie haue darkelie spoken of how the Empire should be translated from the Persiās vnto the Macedons againe from theim vnto that foule beast Rome Rome the destroier of many kingdomes and to the Princes of the same vnder whō shoulde be borne the Lorde Christe to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the worlde to bring euerlastyng righteousnesse and ioignyng the Gentiles vnto him would forsake the Nacion of the Iewes their temple and citie vtterlie destroied by the Romaines And the Prophet makyng an accompt of these wonderfull thinges to come Daniel .ix. saieth Numbre from after the buildyng vp again of the citie or the .xxxii. yere of Darius .lxix. seuens whiche make cccc.lxxxiii yeres For .lxix. multiplied by the numbre of seuen amounteth to so many and thou shalt haue the time of Christes incarnacion With this accompt agree also the Olympiades of the Gentiles One Olympias maketh .iiij. yeares So the xxxij yeare of Darius fell in the thirde yere of the .lxxij. Olympias And the xlij yeare of Octauius Augustus in the whiche Christe was borne was in the thirde yeare of the .cxciiii. Olympias Now if ye take awaie from .cxciiij thother .lxxij. yeres there shal remaine rxxij Olympiades whiche if you will multiplie by the nūbre of .iiij. you shall haue cccclxxxviij yeres which is the time of .lxix. seuēs only .v. yeres ouer For I saied .lxix. seuens did make cccc.lxxxiij yeres But this little nūbre of .v. dooeth not darkē so great light Thus we haue in our Bibles a sure cōtinual historie frō the beginnyng of the worlde vnto Christ Nota. And doubtlesse the wisedome of God would haue geuē vnto his church moe writers had not these fewe notes of Daniel been thought sufficient And what auayled to rehearse the Actes of those times being in dede bothe troublous nought Those thinges whiche Iosephus in his bookes De Antiquitatibus hath added to the Bible doe profit the readers nothing at al. For the most part be of the deceites lies falshode murthers shamefull dedes saiynges of the Iewyshe bishops of Herode which in al kinde of mischiefe bare the bel Wherfore by the very prouisiō of god thactes of that most corrupt abominable time seme not to haue ben throughly writtē but onely touched briefely of Daniel zacharie For so was it necessarie profitable to vs Thus moch haue we spokē touchyng the Canonicall Bookes of the olde testament peraduenture somewhat largelie but not without profite We will to these ioigne the matiers of the bookes of the newe testament Euangel Emong the writers therof the Euangelistes be first those be that write the historie of the Gospel Euangel is a newe woorde of this signification geuē to a new thing For the olde writers called Euangelies rewardes that were geuen to menne that brought good tidynges Cicero writyng to his frende Atticus saieth O swete letters for the whiche I confesse my selfe bounde to geue an Euangel But we vse it not for the
v.c.lxx yeres Genesis The first booke declareth the beginnyng and causes of all thinges speciallie the creation of man how it was frō the beginnyng how he fell and was restored again how all men came of one and being dispersed through the world by enormeous faultes angred God and caused the fludde to come vpon them Againe how thei that were saued in the same gaue the beginnyng to all kingdomes last of Abraham Isaac and Iacob holie Prophetes whiche liued before the lawe written in tables the liues condicions maners religion notable dedes and saiynges be discribed and how thei descended out of the lande of Chanaan into Egipt For these and other good men this first boke of Moses was called of some The booke of iuste men Yet with vs and our elders hath their naming preuailed whiche called it Genesis doubtlesse of the generation and beginnyng of al thinges at which Moses beginneth his booke The seconde boke declareth how the Israelites oppressed in Egipt by Pharao Exodus deliuered by their capitain Moses were ledde into desert through the redde sea how thei fought against the Amalechites were fedde with breade that rained downe from heauen how at the commaundemēt of God thei did create a Magistrate and at the last receiued lawes also describyng settyng out and commaundyng true religion holie maners rites ceremonies and finallie al due and good ordre in the cōmune wealthe Here also is touched a little their shamefull offence that thei did in worshippyng the golden calfe And of their commyng out of Egipte whereof it principallie treateth this booke is called Exodus Leuiticus Vnto this ioigneth Leuiticus so called of the Leuitical ministeries which it teacheth It sheweth sundry kindes of sacrifices vowes pollucions infections general clēsyng of sinnes lawful vnlawful mariages like other It speaketh a little of ciuill Gouernaunce but speciallie of holie rites or customes and as we might saie the bishoppes or canon lawes Here maie we see how vertuous and learned priestes ought to be All the misteries of the gospel the priesthode sacrifice of Christ his vertue power yea and our whole redēptiō couertlie wrapped in figures is here throughlie conteined ¶ The fourth booke is called Numeri peraduēture of this Numeri that in it the people of Israel are nūbred It declareth the actes from the second yere of their going out of Egipt euē vnto the death of Moses In it be many notable exāples of sondrie cōmocions rufflinges emōg rebellious people There is shewed what euill ende sedicious persones come vnto what maruellous chaunces happen to the rulers them selues Moses of all menne moste constant and pacient suffred vntollerable thinges dooen to him bothe by his owne people and other foreins to and yet he him selfe is not fautlesse neither Many thinges are in this boke which perteine to religion and ciuil gouernaūce speciallie this That bishoppes ought not to flie from intermedlyng wyth matiers of the cōmon weale nor a ciuil officer to passe little vpon religion Almost at the ende be described great battailes and certaine lawes are declared at large in the great plaine of Moab The fift and last booke is called Deuteronomium Deuterono or seconde lawe and as you woulde saie The lawe expouned now the second time This is added of Moses vnto the other afore as a briefe of all heauenlie Philosophie In it is conteined all that euer serueth to liue wel and vertuouslie The briefenesse thereof is moche commended and set by and is a plaine commentarie of the ten commaundementes This Booke the Lorde woulde haue still in the handes of his people wherin he hath so ordred all matiers as to all degrees and ages thei maie be moste mete and conuenient Iosue The booke of Iosue declareth principallie the trueth of Goddes promise How after the death of Moses the people of Israel by the leadyng of Iosue of whom the booke hath his name as of the chiefe persone were brought into the lande of promise the princes and people of the Cananites vainquished destroied in punishment for their great sinnes It hath a goodlie description of the holie Lande and sheweth vnto vs an example of a verie good Prince and obedient people It conteineth the historie of .xxvi. yeres or therabout Iudges The Booke of Iudges taketh his name of the Iudges of Israel whose actes and gouernaunce it declareth And countyng Iosue him selfe there were emong the people thirtene Iudges not as Kinges and Monarches but pastours presidentes and consuls of free people Here is set out a fre state with many chaunges victories slaughters Oppressions Deliueries iudgementes and commocions Also the mutabilitie of the commons alwaies ready to the worst diuerse heauie chaūces the fight betwixt religion and supersticion is here declared It is a mirrour of that weale publique where is no head officer but euerie man foloweth what liketh him best it sheweth what euil end that to moche libertie cometh vnto Thē ensueth ciuill battail and destruction within theim selues The historie is of .cccxxxvi. yeares accountyng hereunto the time of Iosue and .xxiiij. yeres out of the ministration of Helie Ruthe The little booke of Ruth toke the name of the chiefe person It treateth of no high matier but sheweth how after harde happes and greuous tēptations cometh a merie ende and that vertue is rewarded if we cōtinue stil in goodnesse and refuse not honest labour It hath a rehearsall of Dauids or rather of Messias kinred very profitable for that that foloweth and the vnderstandyng of the promise of God This historie perteineth to the times of the Iudges After this folowe .ij. bokes of Samuel Samuel and Kinges and .ii. bookes of kinges a woorke of many and sondrie matiers very profitable and full of learnyng By moste notable examples in them be declared and confirmed the lawes and promises of GOD. Out of theim also are made the Psalmes and homelies of the Prophetes To be shorte emong the best goodliest cunningest and moste necessarie bookes of the Scripture these be not the laste The booke of Iudges sheweth a state of gouernaunce where the people or rather the chiefe emong them dooe beare rule The Historie of Samuel of the Kinges setteth out in his colours a Monarchie or one highe gouernour describing not onely what a King is but the facions also of al his Courte and Kingdome bee it good or eiuell Here maie you finde how lawes be chaunged religion kept or neglected notable examples also of Vertue and vice of trueth falshod prudence iustice of princes and priestes bothe good and badde But who is hable in fewe woordes to comprehēde the great varietie profite of matiers in these bokes The first chieflie describeth the gouernaunce of Samuel and Saul The seconde of Dauid the third painteth out the glorie of Solomō how mightie kingdomes decaie except thei be mainteined by feruent loue of Godlinesse religiō vertue and concorde So in the
times all those woulde the most holie God shewe to the worlde at ones in this boke The psalmes conteine the praises of god and godlinesse many exaumples also of calling vpon him of praiyng complaining thankes geuing and earneste repenting Other bokes there be written of dedes and saiynges bothe good and badde and of sondry duties that men should dooe But in this you maie learne all facions of all kindes of life and how the seruauntes of God ought to behaue them selues whatsoeuer chaūceth vnto thē This woord Psalme signifieth a song and this title The booke of Psalmes is to saie The bokes of songes Touchyng Solomon Solomon thou readest in the thirde booke of kinges fourth chapter Solomon spake .iii. M. Prouerbes and his songes were M.v. But all those we haue not He hadde in his court to his familiars holie and learned menne whiche through the prouidence of God gathered of al thinges the beste and asmoche as was mete for vs haue written the same in .iij. bookes The first is called Prouerbes Prouerbes or sētences short in dede but wittie swete seruyng generallie to many thinges and many men In these he sheweth good and euil trueth fashode what is to be desired and what to be eschued addyng here and there diuerse godlie exhortatiōs Some emong the Grecians haue defined a Prouerbe to be a briefe darke saiyng profitable to mans life or worthie to be marked for some propre noueltie therin as saieth Erasmus Ecclesiastes The seconde boke is called Ecclesiastes Ecclesia is a Greke woorde and signifieth people called out to heare matiers of the common wealth Ecclesiastes is he that speaketh or reasoneth openly before them So in this booke is imagined a great multitude of people to stande together contendyng emong thē selues of the Highest good thing and Solomon the preacher to come forthe and condemne all their sentences saiyng Vanitie of vanities and all thinges vanitie For in the firste part of the Booke he entreateth that famous questiō Summum bonum Vvhat is that highest good thing whiche in dede is to be ioigned with God and to haue the fruition of him for euer Wherfore he replieth against them whiche saie it is in knowledge of many thinges in pleasure in glorie in excellencie or richesse Where also he sheweth how these thinges may be well vsed In the later chapiters he teacheth how we may iudge of good euil of thinges to be desired and eschued that by soche sentences as he had before in the Prouerbes The thirde is the booke of Canticles Canticles whiche is altogether allegorical For in figuratiue speache it teacheth what how good a thing it is to becoupled with God the highest good thing god is imagined to be the husband and the faiethfull soulle the spouse Moche rehearsal is of loue embracing kissyng wel fauorednesse and beaultie Wherby is drawen out the nature pleasure and strength of loue and ioignyng together with God For it pleased his goodnesse thus pretely to talke and attemper him selfe to our affection seing to man nothing is more swete nor of greater strēgth then Loue. Let no man therfore conceiue with him selfe any foule wanton or filthie thing All that is here is holie chaste and honest It is called The song of songes and as you woulde saie the moste excellente Songe for that is the signification and strengthe of the Hebrues doublyng So thei saie The holie of Holiest that is the holiest of all Prophetes Now folowe the bokes oracions sermons Homelies or declarations of the Prophetes These were diuine Poets and oratours holie preachers priestes chosen men masters of liuyng and vertuous maners euē soche as in holinesse of life in feruentnesse of spirite in constaunce of minde finally in most Godlie and effectuous eloquēce were aboue all other moste excellent and marueilous And in that time or middle age many to haue florished it is plaine emong whom were Samuel Helias Nathan Heliseus Micheas the sonne of Iemla whose sermons we haue not wholie but so farre foorth as their saiynges and doinges are described in the holie historie yet as moche as is necessarie and enoughe for vs we haue receiued as it were by hande from one to another that is .xvi. orations of those that were moste excellent All thei direct all their saiynges and dooynges to the cōmon marke of the Bible Partlie thei write histories partlie oratiōs Entēte of the Prophetes In histories thei shewe examples of liuing faith and vertue of the might of God his trueth and goodnesse In their orations thei teache what is the nature disposition of God what his will is what thinges he is pleased withal how we shoulde serue him in faieth veritie iustice holinesse and charitie Thei exhort dehorte and coumfort Thei greuously rebuke sinne especiallie breaking of leagues idolatrie falshode murther periurie guile deceipt vsurie oppression iniurie fornication riot adulterie and soche other enormities Thei call vs by all meanes to repentaunce Thei set before vs the promises and benefites of God thei threaten his anger greuous punishmēt Again of Christ the sede of Abraham verie God and man of his blessynges redemptiō iustification kingdome and all the misterie therof of the callyng also of the Gentiles puttyng awaie of the Iewes holinesse and glorie of the Churche thei talke and commune so plainlie that a man woulde thinke thei wrote an Euangelical historie of thinges that were past and not of thinges to come And this is the common entent of all these holie prophetes of whose bookes seuerallie I will now speake a little Esaie Esaie one brought vp in the liberall sciences did prophecie at the least .lxx. yeres For he florished vnder Osea Iothan Achas Ezechia and Manasses Howbeit though we take nothyng of the kingdome of Osea and Manasses the Empire of the other kinges lasted lxi yeres In the .v. first chapters he blameth the corrupt state of his time calling them to repentaunce Then telleth he a Vision that was shewed vnto him in the time of Iothā After that he setteth the Orations whiche he made in the time of Achas He sheweth also to other forein nacions what should happen to them Moreouer he diligentlie describeth the notable battail of the Assyrians a very great battail wonderfull in dede and what sermons he made before the king and the people or euer this battaile beganne And from the .xl. Chapter he prophecieth deliueraunce by king Cyrus from the captiuitie of Babilon comfortyng the people of God in their affliction defending alwaies true religion and improuyng false At the last from the .xlix. chapter vnto the ende of the booke he prophecieth of Christ and the church so plainelie that Hierome thought him rather to be called an Euangelist then a Prophet For saieth he so euidentlie dothe he set out all the misteries of Christe and the churche that a mā woulde thinke him to prophecie not of thinges to come but to write an historie of thinges
paste The same Hierome in the preface of his first boke vpon the cōmentaries of Esai saith thus Let no mā thinke that I can briefely prehende the argument of this volume touchyng all the holie misteries of the Lorde as well howe Emanuel borne of a Virgine did noble woorkes and miracles as that being dead and buried he rose againe to saue all nacions of the worlde What should I speake of his Logike or of his Philosophie natural and moral What soeuer is of holie Scripture what soeuer the tongue of man is hable to vtter and witte to comprehende in this booke it is included These be the wordes of S. Hierome Ieremie The Prophete Ieremie in his writyng is not so faire and pleasaunt as Esaie but more homelie and nere the capacitie of the common people yet in sentence as good He was borne in a little strete called Anathoi .iii. miles frō the Citie him selfe a Priest and of the kinred of priestes sāctified in his mothers wombe He prophecieth being yet a verie yong man as he saith him self he began in the .xiii. yere of Iosias and ceassed not by the space of .xl. yeares after the citie was destroyed Yea for his plaine preachyng and free mouthe he was stoned to death and so gaue vp his spirite to the Lord. He rebuked the sinnes vsed in his time idolatrie falsehode couetousnesse fraude crueltie riote He moued them to repentaunce and amendment He taught diligentlie faieth in God and shewed theim how to liue He spake also of their captiuitie and comforted the sorie shewyng aforehande the destruction that should come to the nacions borderers He wrote also a lamentation wherin he bewaileth the ouerthrowe of that noble citie and royall kingdome Yeat in that kinde of writing appeare merueilous tokens of the iustice and goodnesse of God Ezechiel Ezechiel he also coming of Priestes was taken prisoner with Ieconias and caried into Babilon Where he taught the same thinges that holie Ieremie did in Iudea Euery where after the office of a prophete he putteth in his writinges common places of Christe He also prophecieth against Tire and other nacions threatning vnto theim the iudgement iust punishment of God He stādeth moche in declaring the building vp again of the tēple newe citie Doubtlesse propouning vnto vs the Misteries of the churche wrapped vp in couerture Daniel being yeat but a very young man was led awaie into Babilon with Ieconias Daniel This man described vnto vs very elegātly certein profitable goodly histories of his time the fight of true false wisedome of religion also supersticiō He liued vntil the time of Cyrus King of Persia being then .lxxx. yeres olde He was a man of so great wisedome that of him rose this Prouerbe Wiser then Daniel whiche Ezechiel vsed in his .xxviij. Chapiter Of al wisemen he was called Polyhistor that is one that knewe many thinges For like as he rehearseth vp the fatall chaunces of all kingdomes so in a brief historie or prophecie rather in fewe woordes he comprehendeth and finisheth that whiche the cōning and curious writers of the Gentiles coulde not telle in many bookes how to beginne Onely he openeth vnto vs truely the matiers of the Babylonians Persians Macedonians and Romaines and declareth of Christ the euerlasting kingdome How Antichriste also shall rise vp what mischief he shall woorke before at last he be destroied He sheweth the destruction both of the Citie and of the whole worlde the daie of iudgement the rising againe of the bodies and life euerlasting The lesser prophetes After folow the .xij. prophetes whom we cal the lesser not for the smalnesse of the matier woorke or learning but for their breuitie and because in gretnesse length and copie thei bee vnlike to the other .iiii. whom thei call the greater Oseas standeth firste sine of wit Oseas and vtterance but somewhat brief and therfore obscure He prophecieth most against the tenne Tribes or Kingdome of Israel Sometime he toucheth a litle the Tribe of Iuda He rebuketh the faultes of the priestes princes and people sinne and Idolatrie vpholding religiō and goodnesse He warneth them to repent least thei all perishe and sheweth that all nacions shal be called Ioel semeth to haue prophecied in the time of Ezechias he Esaie together Ioel after the destruction of the tenne tribes He moueth the kingdom of Iuda to repentaunce He setteth out the horrible daie of the Lorde and their miserie to come whiche yeat might be auoided by amending their liues Yeat after he saieth it shal be better with theim and sheweth the signes of loue in the churche of whiche Peter is an interpreter in chactes Amos neither a Prophete nor the sonne of a Prophete not brought vp in any the liberall sciences Amos was but a rude homely vnlerned mā yet in few sharp wordes he preached to the tenne tribes still calling vpon repentaunce as the other Prophetes did And against the nacions that were borderers he spake very grauely touching their sinnes and the iust punishment of GOD. He was sore greued against the religious of the Ieroboams and the wanton liuing of the priestes He prophecied also of the calling of the Gentiles He liued and taughte when the younger Ieroboam reigned in Israel and King Osias in Iuda or Ierusalem Abdias reasoneth against Idumea in the time of Achas King of Israel Abdias and though he bee the shortest of all the prophetes yeat dooeth he comprehende in a summe al the chief pointes of true religion namely that god is to be worshipped and that in loue and charitie dooyng to our brother no wrong at all For the lorde will reuenge it He declareth saluation to be in Sion euen in Christe and his faithful churche He telleth the Idumeans aforehande that thei shoulde be destroied with the causes why and that nothing maie deliuer theim from the harmes hanging ouer their heddes Ionas beareth the figure of Christ diyng and rising again Ionas Wherof the lord himself maketh menciō in Math. He hath set out in a pure and fine Historie the propretie nature and disposicion of god how mightie how good iust he is being god of the gentiles also how vain the counsailes of men be which are taken against the lord what true repentaunce is how weake man is and that the proude fleshe reasone and deuise of man woulde kepe her estimation and be highly set by yea though it wer to the great hurt of other He liued vnder Ieroboam king of Israel being bothe a prophete an Apostle of the Gentiles Yet prophecied he to his owne nacion also as it is written in the fowerth boke of Kinges Micheas semeth to haue been the folower of Esaie Micheas verely thei liued both at one time and had bothe al one supporter euen Ezechias a right verteous king He cried out principallie against the .ij. tribes and then against the .x. He thretneth vnto theim vtter destructiō for
and Cicero Thei be reported to haue moued the mindes of the hearers and enforced theim to what thei woulde If this bee so praise worthie what saie you to our Paule which with bolde and chereful countenaunce though he stode in irons before the mightie and learned King Agrippa before the Princes of Syria and before Festus himself presidente of Iurie so learnedlie and plainlie pleaded his owne cause and that in a matier of deth and for a religion hated of all men that King Agrippa himselfe rauished in his wittes cried out saiyng Thou hast almoste made me a Christian man Actes xxvi And Festus himself ouercome with his most pure and clere oration saied with a loude voice Paule thou arte besides thy selfe moche Learning hath made the madde Yeat was this Festus neither vneloquent nor yet vnlearned nor one that hated the studie of philosophie I praie you in soche an audiēce in such hate of al mē and so heinous complaintes of false accusers besides this in a matier of death also yea in irons to what woulde Cicero your prince of Eloquence haue doen Cicero Without doubt his spirite stopped vp for feare scarce sobbingly could he haue brought furth one word For vpō a time as Plutarche reherseth neither bounde nor led in chaines but borne into the court hall in a softe chariot to pleade not his owne matier nor a matier of death but for Milo when he sawe Pompeies armed menne standing rounde about in bright harnesse he was amased and confounded at last trembling scarse bringing out one worde he began fearfully not to speake but to sobbe Besides this we haue wisedome couered also in goodly Allegories as figuratiue ceremonies parables canticles wher you shal find more misteries bothe honest and profitable than in all the vngodlie verses whiche al the minstrelles and Harpers haue song in the praise and honour of their wine God Bacchus In dede thei trimme vp their fables with alluring woordes and yeat geue you a swearde laied ouer with honie Most part of their writinges be of deflouring virgines adulterie lecherie deceipte crueltie murther vainglorie thinges not to be spoken of But our Poeme is pure cleane and honest with out all ieopardie Who euer spake or wrote more finely and wisely then our Solomon Of whome we reade in the thirde boke of Kinges the fowerth chapiter And GOD gaue Sapience and vnderstanding to SOLOMON aboue measure and a breadth of harte as the sande of the Sea And his wisedome excelled al the wisedome of the children of the East and of Egypte For of all mortalle menne he was the wisest And there came of all Nacions and Regions of the Worlde to heare his wisedome that was so moche spoken of Yea the Quene of SABA in Riche apparaile and of wonderful wisedome came also and when she had communed with him of al matiers and perceiued how he gouerned his Citie and Housholde shee saied The fame that I hearde in my lande of thine Eloquence and Wisedome is true but I woulde not beleue it till I came my selfe and see with mine yies And yet lo no not the one haulfe of thy matiers is tolde me thou so excelleste in Wisedome and passest all that is spoken of the. These most surest praises of our wisedome no man merueileth at and yeat we wonder at certeine fables and vaine thinges whiche very vain liers haue writtē of vain Philosophers Namely of Appolonius how he wente into Persia and so ouer the Mounteine Caucasus through the Albanes Scythians Massagetes those riche Kingdomes of Iude and passing ouer the greate Riuer PHYSON at laste came to the Brachmans all to heare Iarchas sittyng in his golden throne and drinkyng of the fountaine Tantalus and disputyng emong a fewe persones of the nature and properties of natural thinges We rather wonder at the great desires of Pythagoras and Plato of whiche that one is reported to haue gone to Egypt that other to the Prophetes of Mēphis by a painefull waie ieopardeous iourney Stād stil here a little I praie you and learne to be madde and wise together You thinke theim praise worthie and moche to be made of which toke a farre iourney to certaine wise men I wotte not who to learne of them I wot not what but these our men you neglect and despise yet of them to be taught all the whole worlde made haste to come because thei knew that the high God had there set vp his throne chaire of most excellent and perfecte wisedome And why folow not you their exāples whō you so greatlie praise and moche marueile at Now as touching an historie is there any like ours so auncient so sure so graue so profitable Cicero in his booke De oratore saieth An historie is the witnesse of time the light of truth Historie the life of remembraunce the maistresse of liuyng the messenger of Antiquitie And if this be so I maie saie trulie that none haue an historie but christien men As touchyng certaintie of time you haue nothing before the Olympiades were founde and thei began but in the time of Esaie vnder king Iothan Olympiades when thei first began So these your writers confound many thinges together and laie them in heapes all out of ordre breaking of their matier with vaine folishe fables the Grecians especiallie which studied not trueth but rather to lie and therfore are condemned of Cicero Quintilian and Iuuenal Lodouicus viues speakyng plainelie saieth some for feare of reproche to lie the more safelie leauyng the Grecians matiers fette their compasse a farre of from the Persians Egiptians and Chaldees as did Herodotus the father of lies and Diodorus Siculus a triflyng Grecian Your aucthours also write of light matiers neither pleasaunt nor profitable and sette out their bablyng with vaine descriptions no goodnesse at all But our moste profitable historie truelie declareth the ordre of times seuering the kingdomes one frō another speaketh of nothing without a good reason It maie best also be called the messenger of antiquitie For beginnyng at the creation of the worlde it holdeth on to the Monarchie of the Persians euen vnto Xerxes Iosephus writyng against Appion of Alexandria saieth thus The Greke historiens as Acusilaus and those that folowed him aboute the time of Cadmus Milesius were but a little before the warres of the Persians as witnesseth Hellanicus So the Greke historians there began where ours left of The Latines be moche later Now then it is plaine whether our historie or theirs mai rather be called the messenger of Antiquitie Finallie as the holie writers in learnyng and varietie farre passe the prophane so in glorie and renoume through al kingdomes frō the beginning of the world thei excel all other so that to saie that Philosophie is therfore most commendable because it hath alwaies bene had in moste price is a thing to no purpose The kingdomes of Egypt and Assyria were of all the world most auncient In how great estimation Ioseph Moses were in that one it is well knowen In the other how shone our Philosophie Esai xxxviii when as Esaie Prophecied in one night about the walles of Hierusalem were slaine an hundred foure score and v. M. men To speake nothing of the high aucthoritie of Samuel Iosue and Dauid Dooe we not reade of king Solomon how he was magnified aboue all the kinges of th earth as well in riches as wisedome And as in the monarchie of Babilō dominiō was geuen to our Daniel so did Mardocheus rule the whole kingdome of the Medes By the mightiest kinges of Persia Cyrus and Darius great Priuilegies were graunted to our Philosophers This is euident in Iosua Esdras and Nehemias whiche by fauoure of the princes of Persia built vp againe both temple citie In thempire of the Macedoniens at the request of Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of Egipt whiche sent also giftes of incomperable value to the temple of Hierusalem our lawe was translated into the Greke tonge But in the monarchie of the Romains the Bible now dispersed through the whole worlde so willinglie was receiued of all men that al whiche had witte and knowlege moste gladlie badde your deceiptful Philosophie farewell Why then go you now about to call it vp againe being ones dead and buried Or what remaineth els then all lies quite forsaken to geue our selues wholie to be instructed in the moste auncient certaine and moste holesome Philosophie of the Bible FINIS Londini in aedibus Richardi Graftoni Reginae a typographia excusum Anno Domini M.D.LIII. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum VERSVTVS CELAT SCIENTIAM PRO. 12. GRAM MVSIC ASTRO LOG GEoMET RETHOR ARITHM