done yet for because this was an extraordinarie and particular act in hir therefore it is no generall example for another to followe or for anie other woman to baptise hir children Read Exo. 4,24,25 1. Macc. 1 verse 63. The mother may giue the name to hir child that is to be christened as well as the father For so did Elizabeth the wife of Zacharie and mother to Iohn Baptist. Luk. 1,60 And manie other women in scripture as Hanna who named hir sonne Samuel 1. Sam. 1 20. Rahel and Leah Gen. 30,6,8 c. It is the mothers dutie especiallie to nurse hir owne children after the good example of old mother Sara Gen. 21â—7 Of Hanna 1. Sam. 1 23. Of the virgin Marie Luke 2,7,16 11,27 And when thâ— daies of hir purification are accomplished by the old lawe she was to bring hir child to the Church there to present it to the Lorde by prayer and to offer hir oblation of thankesgiuing and prayse vnto God for it that it may be holy vnto him So did Hanna the virgin Marie c. Luke 2.22 The tender heart that the mother shoulde beare vnto hir litle childe or infant ought not to sée it to perish vnder hir hande for want of sustinaÌ„ce as Hagar did GeÌ„ 21.14.15 read Iochabds storie Exo. 2.3 Yet the mother ought so farre forth to tender and loue hir child that in benefiting it shée vse not any vnlawful meanes to tempt God as did Rebecca Gen. 27.9 It is the parents duetie to pray heartily and often for their children both in sickenesse and in health and also to praise and laude God for them as his giftes For so did Eua Gen. 4.1 Abraham for Ismael Gen. 17.18 Sara Gen. 21.6 Manoah Iudg. 13.8 Dauid Hanna 1. Sam. 2. all Zacharie Luk. 16 8â— the virgin Mary Luk. 1.46 and diuers other both men and women in the old newe TestameÌ„t Math. 15.22 Mark 7.14 It is the duetie of parents to blesse their children and wish them al good a paterne whereof they haue in Gene. cap. 48.15.20 Iacob Numb 6.24 It is the mothers office as well as the fathers to instruct hir children with preceptes good doctrine so did Bethshiba teach her sonne Salomon Prouer. 31.1 as you may reade in hir story The mother that hath a diseased or sicke childe ought first with the woman of Canaan and Dauid the Shunamatesse c. to carrie it to Christ to be cured Math. 15.22 1. Sam. 12.16.2 King 4.18 The mother ought not to aske preheminence at Gods hande for hir children as did the mother of Zebedyes sonnes Math. 20.20 No small sorowes gréeues crosses and aduersities doe peerce the heartes and accompany the bodies and mindes of a naturall louing mother for their children as may appeare in the blessed virgin Mary Hagar c. Iocabed Exod. 2.3 Luke 2.35.41 Gen. 21.16,17 c read after Eccle. 42. The mother ought to comfort hir sorowfull childe with swéete words and to wipe their teares off from the eyes of their daughters that are afflicted so did Edna to hir daughter Sara Tob. 7.17 The parents of Susanna c. Can a mother forget hir chylde that she bare and not haue compassion on the sonne of hir wombe Esai 49.15 No Rachel can not chuse but weepe and take on for hir children neither can shée be comforted if they be not aliue Iere. 31.15 Math. 2. 18. Wretched is the state of that mother that is forced to curse complaine and findeth fault with her owne children as appeareth in 2. Esdra 2.2 Thou shalt not discouer the shame of thy daughter in lawe nor of thy sonnes wife nor of thy soÌ„nes daughter nor of thy daughters daughter For the man that doth so they both shall die the death because they haue wrought wickednesse and abhomination in Israel their blood shall bee vpon them Leuit. 18.10.20,12 Shée that lieth with her sonne in law shal be burnt to death with fire Leuit. 20.14 Thou shalt not make thy daughter common to cause her to bée a whore least the lande also fall to whoredome and be full of wickednesse abomination as did the Cyprians Locrenses Leu. 19.29 Thou shalt not giue thy children vnto Molech or any kinde of Idoll For whosoeuer hee bee that offereth his children to Molech and bringeth them vp in superstition and idolatrie he shall die the death and I will set my face against that father or mother and cut him off from among my people because he defileth my Sanctuarie and polluteth my name in so doyng Leuit. 20.2 If thy sonne or thy daughter entise thée secretely to commit Idolatrie thou shalt not consent vnto him or hir nor heare them neyther shall thine eye pitie them nor shewe mercy nor keepe their secretes but thou shalt euen kill that Idolatrous child thyne hande I say shall bée first vpon him to cast the first stone at him to put him to death because he hath gone about to thrust thee a way from the lord thy God c. Thus we sée that all naturall affection must giue place to Gods honour For God is honoured in destroying them that rob him of his honour Deut. 13.6 And he that loueth sonne or daughter more then me saith Christ is not worthy of mee Math. 10.37 And whosoeuer shall forsake house and lande wiâ—e and childe for my names sake he shall receiue an hundred folde more and shall inherite euerlasting life Math. 19,29 Yea the father ought not to spare the child nor the child the father in Gods matters as we haue example in Leuy who preferring Gods glory to all naturall affection spared not his owne children and kindred that committed Idolatrie but shewe them at Moses commaundement Exod. 32.30 And in Asa who put downe Macha his owne mother the Queene from hir Royall estate and dignitie because shee had made an Idole in a groue and worshipped it contrarie to Gods lawes 1. King 15. 12. It is abhomination before God for parentes to make their sonnes priests of purpose to worship idols and commit idolatrie in their own houses as that idolatrous woman Michas mother did Iudg. 17. Thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruant nor thy maide seruant nor thy beast nor thy straÌ„ger that is within thy gates shal do any worke vpon the Saboth day but shalt remember to kéep it holy to the Lordâ— Exo. 20.10 Read Deut. 4. all 6. all 12. all 16. all Exod 10. all Howe the parents shall first instruct then chasten and lastly complaine to haue an euill child taken away by death according to iustice Read in Children Deut. 21.18 Fathers mothers ought both to know Gods iudgemeÌ„ts laws to declare theÌ„ to their childreÌ„ after the example of Abraham of whom God thus sayde I knowe him that he wil commande his sonnes and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde to doe righteousnes iudgemeÌ„t y t the Lord may bring vpoÌ„ him that blessing that he hath promised
abhominations which they doe héere in the Lords houseâ— c. Therefore will I execute my wrath vpon them mine eye shall not spare them neither will I haue pitie and though they crie in mine eares with a loude crie yet will I not heare them saith the Lorde Eze. 8.14 15. c. Reade in the stâ—â—â—s of women more Yea because ther were certain supersticious womeÌ„ which made an art of mourning and taught their daughters and other women to mourne and wéepe with feined teares for the dead Therfore the Lorde by his Prophets Ieremie derideth the superstition of these women and threateneth them saying Heare the word of the Lord O yée women and let your eares regard the wordes of his mouth teach your daughters to mourne and euerie one her neigbour to lament for death is come vp into your windowes and is entred into your palaces to destroy the children without and the young men in the stréetes and there is no meanes to deliuer you nor any of y e wicked from my iudgements that shall fall vpon you Ierem. 9. 20. c. 17. And when the Lord woulde deride the prophets lacke of repenâ—tance and hardnesse of heart that coulde not lament for their ownâ— sinnes hee willed them by his Prophete Ieremie in the same chapter to call for thoâ—e foolish women whom of a superstition they had to lament for the dead that they by their fained teares might prouoke them to some sorow and remorce saying Thus saith the Lord take héede and call for the mourning women among you that they may come and sende for skifull women that they may come and let them make hast and let them take vp a lamentation for you that your eies may cast foorth teares and your eye liddes gush out of water For a lamentable noise is hearde in Sion saying Howe are wee destroyed and vtterly confounded c. Iere. 9.17 If a woman haue a spirite of diuination or soothsaying in her shee shall bee stoned to death as a sorceresse or witche Leuit. 20â— 27. Thou shalt not suffer a witch to liue Exodus 22. 18. Deut. 18â—10 And woe bée vnto the women that sowe pillowes vnder all mens arme holes and make vailes vppon the head of euerie one that standeth vp to hurt soules Will yée hurt the soules of my people and will yée giue life to the soules that come vnto you will yée pollutâ— me among my people for an handful of Barley for a péece of bread to â—laie the soules of them that shoulde not die and to giue life to the soules that shoulde not liue in lying to my people that heare your lies Wherefore thus saith the Lorde God Beholde I will haue to do with your pillowes wherwith ye hurt the soules of my people to make them flee and cause them to perish depart from the bodieâ— and I will teare them from your armes and will let the soules goe whom ye hunt to make them flie or depart from the bodie Your vailes also will I teare in péeces and deliuer my people out of your handes they shal be no more in your hands to be abused or hunted to death and ye shall know that I am the Lord. Because that with your lyes threatnings ye haue made the hart of the righteous foolishy resorting vnto you sad whoÌ„ I haue not made sad because ye haue contrariwise strengthened y e hands of the wicked stil running vnto you that he should not returne froÌ„ his wickednes euil waies by promising him life vnto whom I haue threatned death for haunting your houses coÌ„mitting abhominations in Israel Therefore ye shal sée no more vanitie nor diuine diuinations for I will deliuer my people out of your handes ye shall know that I am the Lorde Ezech. 13.18 c. Thus doth the Lord threaten a curse and woefull destruction vnto all those supersticious women coÌ„monly called Calkâ—rs or wise women but indéede witches who for lucre sake do prophesie or take vpon them to tell euerie man his fortune or who stole his goods and where they are become which women in old time vsed to giue to those that came vnto them pillowes to leane vpon kerchifs to couer their heads to the intent they might the more allure bewitch theÌ„ which sorceresses also to make the word of god blasphemously to serue their bellie made the people beleeue that they could preserue life or destroy it at their pleasures and that it should come to euerie one according as they diuined or prophesied If any turne after such as worke with spirites after wise women or soothsayers to go a whoring after theÌ„ then wil I set my face against that person be it man or woman wil cut him or her off froÌ„ among my people saith the Lord. Leui. 20.6 Deut. 18.10 That the daughter or childe which is stubborn rebellious riotous and disobedient to her fathers or mothers instruction correction or infected with such like notorious vice ought by Gods law to be stoned to death yée may reade in the chapter of the daughters dutie to her parents Deut. 21 2â— If a womans father spit in her face in his displeasure conceiued against her for her disobedience she should by the law be shut out froÌ„ his sight and be ashamed for seuen daies together before shee were reconciled as appeareth Num. 12.14 in the storie of Miriam If there be any woman that curseth her father or mother she shal die the death Leuit. 20.9 reade more in the childes dutie The wife that committeth adultrie with an other man beside her husbande shall die the death saith the Lorde Leuit. 20.10 Deut. 22.22 The mother that lyeth with her sonne or sonne in lawe shall die the death She that lyeth with her owne natural brother or brother in law or with her father in lawe shall die the death And if a woman come to anie beast and lie with it she shal die the death and be burnt with fire her blood shall be vpon her for all that commit such villanie and abhomination are execrable and detestable before God and shal be cut off by violent death as appeareth Leu. 11. 12.17 c. She that lieth with her nephew or cosin germane her brother or sisters sonne c. shall die the death and their children counted as bastardes Leui. 20.29 The maide or virgin that playeth the harlot in her fathers house ought to be stoned to death as appeareth in virginitie and daughters Deut. 22.20 The maid betrothed to an husband that lieth w t an other man in the citie or towne before marriage ought also to bee stoned to death as yée may reade at large in virginitie Deut. 22.25.28 If a Priestes daughter fall to play the whore shee polluteth her fathers house therefore shall shée bée burnt with fire Leuit. 21.9 The women that are giuen vp into vile affections doe change the naturall vse into that which is against nature beeing full of
sixe sonnes Last of all in the yeere of the world 2258. she conceaued brought foorth Iacob a daughter whose name she called Dinah Now when Iacob was to depart away from Laban with his wiues Leah Rahel such goods and cattell as God had blessed him with in his seruice for recompence of his true seruice Iacob perceiuing Labans children to murmure against Iacob as though he had inriched himselfe of their fathers substance to their impouerishment called his wife Leah and Rahel tolde them of that discourtesie and what the Lord had reueled vnto him concerning his departure froÌ„ Laban Leah Rahel said vnto Iacob their husbande Haue we any more portion in our fathers house doth not he count vs as strangers for he hath solde vs in that hee hath giuen vs vnto thee in recoÌ„pence of thy seruice which is a kinde of sale hath eaten vp and coÌ„sumed our portions money therfore all y e riches which God hath taken from our father is ours and our childrens Nowe then whatsoeuer God hath put in thy minde to doe doe it Whereuppon Iacob with his two wiues Leah and Rahel departed from their father Laban and returned towardes their owne countrie and hauing deuided his familie into order Leah his wife and her children were formost next the maides and their children And when they met his brother Esau comming against him to meete him Lea with her children came neere and made obeisance vnto him very reuerently And so passing on their iourney safely to Sechem a citie in the lande of Canaan there shee rested a while and gaue her daughter Dinah a little too much libertie to go abrode to gaze vpon the women of that Countrie by meanes whereof vnawares her faire daughter was violently taken rauished and deflowred and abused as a whore by Shechim the sonne of Hamor to his and his Countries destruction as appeareth in the storie of Dina. Gen. 29.30,31.33.34.1 Lydia signifieth natiuitie or generation birth begetting aforehande builded She was a cetaine woman and seller of purple of the Citie of Thiatyria who being a very deuout woman and a worshipper of God she came together with other women to the assemblie of the Apostles and Christians to the Common prayer and exercise of the worde then vsed by a riuers side without the Citie of Philippi where her heart was so by the Lorde opened at the Preaching of Paule that she gaue diligent eare and attendance to the thinges which Paul spake and was with all her housholde presently conuerted baptized to the christian faith After this she besought Paule and the other Disciples saying If yee haue iudged me to bee faithfull to the Lorde come into my house and abide there and so she constrained the Apostles to tarry with her who founde so much good faithfulnesse in the woman that afterward being cast into prison deliuered again they returned into her house to comfort the brethren which resorted thither Act. 16.14.40 Loys or Loyde signifieth better she that hath got profite Shee was a faithfull godly woman grandmother to Timothie who alwaies brought vp her children familie in the feare of God and faith knowledge of Christes doctrine as appeareth 2. Tim. 1.5 Loruhamah â—ign not obteining mercy She was the daughter of Hosea the Prophet whom Gomer y e daughter of Deblaim bare vnto him her brothers name was Loammi and when she was borne brought foorth into the worlde the Lord said vnto Hosea her father call her name Loâ—ruhama for shee is the childe of fornication of an adulterous woman and of one that of long time hath accustomed to plaie the harlot therefore I will no more haue pitie vpon the house of Israel but forget them put them cleane out of my remembrance reade this mistically Hosea 1.6 M Maacah or Maacha or Maakah or Michaiah signifieth a woman bruised or pressed Shee was the daughter of Tasmai king of Geshur and one of the wiues of king Dauid vnto whom shee bare a sonne called Absolom who afterward rebelled against his father to his owne destruction 2. Sam. 3.3.1 Chro. 3.2 There was another woman called Maachah or Michaiah which was the daughter of Abishalom Uriel or of Gibea or as it is in the second of the Chr. 11.20 of Absalom whom some think was Dauids sonne and one of the xviii wiues of y â— wicked licentious king RoboaÌ„ the sonne of SalomoÌ„ king of Iuda vnto whom she bare foure sonnes called Abiiam Atthai Ziza Shelomith And because her husband loued her best aboue all his xviii wiues and lx Concubines Therefore in his life time he made her eldest sonne Abi Abiiah or Abiiam y â— chiefe ruler amoÌ„g his brethren ordeined him to raigne as king after him for y e loue he bare to his mother as appeareth 2. Kin. 15.2.2 Chro. 11.20 21.22 13. 2. But after the death of her sonne Abiiam she was deposed by Asa her sonnes sonne froÌ„ her Regencie because she had made an idol in a groue was an idolatresse woman and Asa brake her idol stamped it into powder burnt it at the brooke Ridion And yet for all this Asa herein shewed y t he lacked zeale for whereas she ought to haue dyed both by the couenant y t he made with God to slay man woman childe also by the law of God Deut. 13.6 Yet hee gaue place to foolish pitie wold seeme after a sort to satisfie y t law 2. Chr. 15.16 There was also another womaÌ„ called Maachah which was one of the concubines of Caleb the sonne of Hur bare vnto him v. sonnes called Sheber Tirhanah Shaaph the father or prince of Madmannah and Sheua the father or prince of Machbena of Gibea and a daughter called Achsah or Axa 1. Chro. 2.48.49 Moreouer there was yet another woman called Maachah which was the daughter of Ir or Aher and sister to Huppim Shuppim after she became the wife of Machar the sonne of Manasses and bare vnto him two sonnes called Peresh and Sheresh 1. Chro. 7.12.15 16. Lastly there was yet a fift woman called Maacha which was the wife of Ieiel the father or Prince of Gibeon vnto whom she bare ten sonnes Abdon Zur Kish Baal Ner Nadab Gador Ahio zechariah Mikloth her sonne Ner begat Kish which Kish begat Saul who afterward was y e first king of y e Israelites so y t this Maacha was y e great grandmother of Saul and the first woman of whose rase and stock the first king that euer was ouer the people of God came 1. Chro. 8.29 9.35 Mahalath or Maheleth or Malath or Malaah signifieth a Queere or companie of singers a Harpe weaknesse pardon She was the daughter of Ishmael Abrahams eldest sonne the sister of Naabaioth and one of the wife 's of Esaw whoÌ„ he tooke for his third wife besides the rest of his two other Heathen wiues Iudith and Basmath thinking by marrying of her to
haue reconciled himselfe to his father Isaac y t was displeased with him for marrying so many strange women of the Heathen Cananites coÌ„trarie to gods coÌ„mandement but all in vaine for he tooke not away the cause of y â— euill that is he shoulde â—irst haue put away all his vplandish wiues and then haue married this Mahalath or other woman of his owne kinred so might he easily haue bin reconciled to his father by marrying of this woman Gen. 28,9 There was another woman called Mahalath which was y e daughter of Ierimoth the sonne of Dauid one of the first of the xviii wiues that the liceÌ„tious man Roboam Salomons sonne king of Iuda tooke to wife together with her mates Abihail Maalah 2. Chr. 11.18 Mahlah or Malhah Maala Maalon sign as before in Mahalath that is a queere of Musitians strength weaknesse remission c. Shee was the eldest of the fiue daughters and coheires of Zelophehad the sonne of Hephar her sisters names were Noah Heglah Milcha and Tirzah who perceiuing that the house name tribe and familie of Manasses their grandfather was like to decay by reason their father died without issue male if they shoulde haue no portion of his lande and possession to inherite among the other tribes These fiue daughters went all together before Moses to the Tabernacle of the congregation and there in the presence of Eleazar the Priest and Iosua the sonne of Nun and before the Princes and all the assembly spake for them selues and saide Our father dyed in the wildernesse and was not among the assembly of those wicked men that were assembled against the Lorde in the company and rebellion of Korah Dathan and Abiram but dyed in his sinne according as all men die for as much as they are sinners and had no sonnes but vs his fiue daughters Wherefore that the name of our father bee not taken away from among his familie because hee hath no sonne giue vs a possession among the brethren of our father Then Moses perceiuing their request reasonable and yet hard for him to decide for as yet there had not hapned any such matter brought their cause before the Lord to be iudged and to know what hee should determine thereof as he did hard matters And the Lorde commanded Moses saying The daughters of Zilophehad speake right Thou shalt therefore giue them a possession to inherite emong their fathers brethren and shalt turne the inheritance of their father and suffer it to descende vnto them Also thou shalt make this law of discentes from hencefoorth among the children of Israel that if a man die haue no sonne then shal he turne his inheritance to his daughter And if hee haue no daughter yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren and if he haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren and if his father haue no brethren yee shall giue his inheritance vnto his next kinsman of his family and he shall possesse it And this shal be vnto the children of Israel a law of iudgement or an ordinance finall decree or presidence to all posteritie to iudge by in like case of the discents of inheritance lineall or colateral to issue male or female for euer as I haue commanded thee Num. 26.33 27.1 c. Which lawe of the heritage being thus by God made for Malilah her sisters the daughters of Zolophehad whereby they were entituled to inherite the lot or inheritance of their father in the land of Canaan An order also for their marriage and succession of this their inheritance was afterward made by Moses at the request of the sonnes of Ioseph who perceiuing that other tribes to contend nowe who might marry these daughters to haue their inheritance proposed the matter to Moses saying The Lorde commanded thee my Lorde to giue the lande to inherite by lot to the children of Israel and amongest them thou my Lord wast commanded to giue the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother vnto his daughters but now if they be married to any of the sonnes of the other tribes then shall their inhâ—ritance be takeÌ„ away from our tribe of Manasses our father and bee put or fall vnto the inheritance of the tribes whereof their husbands shal be so shall our fathers inheritance be lost and his tribe decay c. Then Moses perceiuing in deede that the tribe of Manasses could not haue continued if the inheritance which was the maintenance thereof should haue beene abalienated by the marriage of these daughters to other tribes said vnto the ten tribes or the children of Israel thus The tribe of the sonnes of Ioseph haue said well and moued a good doubt This therefore is the thing that the Lorde hath yet further commanded concerning the daughters of Zelophehads marriage inheritance They shal be widdowes to whom they think best onely to the family of the tribe of their father shall they marry so shall not the inheritance of the children of Israel remoue from tribe to tribe for euery one of the children of Israel shall ioyne himself to the inheritance of the tribe of his fathers And euery daughter that possesseth any inheritance for lacke of issue male of the tribe of the children of Israel shal be wife vnto one of the familie of the tribe of her father that the children of Israel may inioy euery man the inheritance of their fathers Neither shall the inheritance goe about from tribe to tribe but euery one of the tribes of the children of Israel shall sticke to his owne inheritance And as the Lorde commanded Moses so did Mahlah and her sisters for they were all married vnto their fathers brothers sonnes and became wiues to certaine of the families of the sonnes of Manasses the sonne of Ioseph so that their inheritance remained in the tribe of the familie of their father Num. 36. After when Moses was dead and Iosua being appointed gouerner came into the land of Canaan and there allotted euery tribe his portion of inheritance This Mahlah or Malhah with her other sisters came againe before Eleazar the Priest and before Iosua and the other princes of the ten tribes to put them in minde of Gods commaundemente and lawe made to Moses before concerning them and their portioÌ„s saying The Lorde commanded Moses to giue vs an inheritance among our brethren of our tribe Therefore according to the commaundement of God Iosua gaue them an inheritaÌ„ce in the land of Canaan among the brethren of their father And there fell to them fiue portioÌ„s and other fiue to the males so they did inherit among their brethren as appeareth Iosua 17.3.4.5 c. Mary Maria Maara or MiryaÌ„ signifieth my lightner or lightning them Lightâ—ing lightned the Citie or starre of the Sea the Ladie of the Sea the Sea of bitternesse a bitter Sea a bitter one reised vp The mirh of the Land the mirhe of the Sea the teacher or mistres of the Sea c. Shee was the
blessed and holy virgin and mother of Christ our Sauiour whose parents are not expressed in Scripture by name but as some thinke she was the daughter of Heli otherwise called Ioachim and of Anna his wife borne in the yeere of the world 3948. in the daies of Cambalinus and before the birth of Christ xv yeeres But whose daughter soeuer shee was certaine it is that both she and her husbande Ioseph came of the princely race and royall stocke or linage of king Dauid and that she was neere cosin to Elizabeth S. John Baptist his mother as shall appeare and Marie the wife of Cleophe was her sister also Nowe this blessed virgin being affianced or betrothed to a certaine good man of her owne stocke and tribe of Iuda named Ioseph So it was that before she came to dwell with him the Angel Gabriel in the yeere of the worlde 4142. being sent of God came and saluted her as she was in her house at Nazareth a Citie of Galilee saying Haile thou that art beloued orgladnesse be vnto thee which art highly receiued into fauour full of grace the Lorde is with thee blessed art thou among women The Virgin seeing the Angel was sore abashed and troubled at his wordes and mused much in her minde what maner of salutation that should be Then saide the Angel Feare nor Marie for thou hast found fauour with God for loe thou shalt conceiue in thy wombe beare a sonne and shalt call his name Iesus he shal be great and shall be called the sonne of the most high And the Lorde God shall giue vnto him the throne of his father Dauid and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome shal be none end Then Marie because she woulde be resolued of all doubtes to the ende shee might the more surely imbrace the promise of God saide vnto the Angel How shall this be seeing I knowe no man The holy Ghoste quoth the Angell shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouershadowe thee and secretly woorke in thee aboue all naturall reason Therefore also that holy and pure thinge which shall bee borne of thee shal be called the sonne of GOD. And thy cosin Elizabeth she hath also conceiued a sonne in her old age and this is her sixt moneth which was called Barren For with God shall nothing be impossible Then saide Mary beholde the handmaide of the Lorde be it vnto me according to thy worde So the Angell being departed from her vpon this shee prepared her selfe with speede to goe and visite her cosin Elizabeth and comming to Hebron where her cosin dwelt shee entred into the house of Zacharias and saluted her cosin Elizabeth his wife who no sooner heard the salutation of Mary but the babe myraculously sprang in her belly beeing filled presently with the holy Ghoste she cryed with a loude voice and saide to Marie Blessed art thou amōg womē because y e fruite of thy wombe is blessed whence cōmeth this to me that the mother of my Lorde should come to mee c Then Mary beleeuing all these thinges to be performed which were tolde her by the message of the Angell with a ioyful heart and mind made a notable song in the praise of God for his mercy towardes her saying My soule doth magnifie the Lorde c. as in the first Lampe of Uirginitie Page 48. Which song being ended she remained with her cosin Elizabeth about three monethes and then returned home to her owne house againe to Nazareth a Citie of Galilee Where being found with childe of the holy Ghoste as the Angell had saide before her husband she came together that her husband had taken her home vnto him Then Ioseph her husband being a iust man vpright and fearing God and therefore suspecting y t she had cōmitted fornication before shee was betrothed vnto him and not willing to make her a publike example was minded to put her away secretely and woulde neither retaine her which by the lawe shoulde be married to another nor by accusing her woulde put her to open shame for her fact But whiles he thought these thinges beholde the Angell of the Lord appeared to him in a dreame and by reuelation saide vnto him Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary for thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy Ghost and she shall bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes And all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet Esay 7.14 saying Behold a virgin shal be with childe shall beare a sonne and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is by interpretatiō God w t vs. Then Ioseph being raised from sleepe did as the Angell of the Lorde had inioyned him and tooke his wife Marie home vnto him But he knew her not till shee had brought forth her first borne sonne nor at any time euer after Shortly after it chaunced that Ioseph her husbande went vp from the citie of Nazareth to the lande of Iurie to a citie called Bethlem and shee also being great with childe went with him there to be taxed according to the Emperour Augustus commaundement because they were of the house and linage of Dauid And being forced to lie in the stable for lacke of roome in the Inne her houre came to bee deliuered there she being now about the age of xvi yeres as it is said brought forth Christ Iesus the sauiour of the worlde her first begotten sonne and wrapped him in swadling clothes and laide him in a cratch or manger because there was no other roome or conuenient place for them in the Inne whereby appeareth her pouertie at that time and their crueltie both towards her and her babe which woulde not pitie a woman in such a case Which strang or rather ioyful newes being by Gods angel reueiled vnto the shepheards in the field they ran with all hast to Bethlem and there first found both Marie and Ioseph and the babe laid in the cratch and when they had seene it they published it first abroad to the world and all that heard it wondred but Marie kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart And the Shepheards returned praysing God for all that they had heard seen of our sauiour Christ. And when y e eight day was come they circumcised her child his name was called Iesus as the angell had so named him before he was conceiued And when the dayes of her purification after the Law of Moses were come she went with her childe Iesus and her husband to Ierusalem to present him to the Lord and there according to her pouertie offred two yong pigions and a payre of turtle doues for an oblation according to the lawe for her manchilde that was holy vnto the Lord. And when she heard olde father
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
condemnation in the day of iudgement Luke 8.3 Tabitha is by interpretation Dorcas that is a doe a deere a robucke or fawne Shee was a certeine godlye woman and a disciple of Christe dwelling at Ioppa who in her lyfe tyme hadde beene vertuouslye occupyed and especiallye in the workes of mercie relieuing the poore and needie And while Peter was preaching and dooing his office at Lydda which was a Citie not farre from Ioppa it was her chaunce to fall sicke and dye And when her friendes after their custome hadde doone with washing her dead corpes and layde it forth in an vpper chamber to bee annoynted readye to the buryal they sente for Peter to come vnto them who beeing come they hadde him vppe to the chamber where the dead corse lay and where the widdowes came aboute him weeping and laying forth the coates and other garmentes which Tabitha had prepared in her lyfe tyme for the poore before him Then Peter put them all forth of the chamber and being alone kneeled downe and prayed and turning him to the dead body sayde Tabitha arise at the which wordes she arose and looked vpon Peter who then gaue her his hand and lift her vp and called the Saintes and widowes and restored Tabitha vnto them aliue which he did not for her own sake but for their sakes that were alyue to the intent they might hereby haue occasion to beleeue and glorifie God the authour of that myracle wrought by Peter And this was done in the yeere of the world 4179. Acts. 9.36 c. Tahpnes or Taphnes or Taphnes signi a priuy temptation a flight a couered banner Shee was a Queene and the wife of Pharao that was king of Egipt in the dayes of Solamon aâ—d sister to the wife of Hadad the Edomite that first rebelled against king Salomon whose sonne her nephew called Genubath shee weaned and brought vppe in her husbande Pharaos house amoÌ„g y e sons of Pharao as one of her own 1. Ki. 11.19 Talitha signi mayden She was the little daughter of Iarus one of y e rulars of the sinagogue who being of the age of 12. yeeres fel sick died was restored again afterward at y e earnest request of her father to life by Iesus speaking onely these two wordes Tabitha cumi which is by interpretation Mayden arise and straight wayes she arose and walked which myracle greatlye confirmed the fayth of her father and all that heard therof Mark 5.22.41 Tamar or Thamar signi a palme tree or a date tree a date a chaung or exchaunge bitternesse a sharpning to displeasure She was first the wife of that wicked man Er the eldest sonne of Iudah the fourth sonne of Iacob Leah after the death of Er whoÌ„ the Lord slewe for his wickednesse she was giuen by her father in lawe Iudah to Onan his second sonne to wife and so she became wife to two natural brothers to the end there should be seede raysed vp by one brother to an other brother if the firste died without issue which order was then vsed in the olde lawe for the preseruation of the stocke that the childe begotten by the second brother should haue the name and inheritaunce of the first and this is now in the new testament vtterly abolyshed But Onan her husbande knowing that the seede shoulde not be his refused to lye with Thamar his wife for which his wickednes the Lord slewe him also as hee had done his brother Er. Now Thamar being a widdowe againe and Iudah fearing to marry his thirde sonne vnto her least he should die also sayd to his daughter in law Thamar Thamar remayne a widdowe in thy fathers house til Selah my youngest sonne growe vp to mans state So Thamar for as much as shee could not marry in any other family so long as Iudah would reteine her in his wente and dwelte a widdowe in her fathers house during which time Suah Iudahs wife also dyed so that he became a widdower And when it was told Thamar that Iudah her father in law was a widdower and that he had left mourning and was gone to a place called Timnah with his friend Hyra to see his sheepeshearers she perceiuing that Selah was not giuen to her in marryage caste off her widdowes garments from her and couered her with a vayle and wrapped her selfe and so went disguised like a common harlot and satte downe in an open place by the hye way side going to Thimnah And as Iudah her father in law passed that way and saw one sit muffled with her face couered like a whore and being wonderfully blinded by God that he could not know her by her talke to bee his daughter in lawe hee wente vnto her and sayde Come I praye thee lette mee lye with thee What wilte thou giue mee then quoth shee I will quoth hee sende thee a kidde from the flocke Then leaue me a pledge quoth she till thou send it What pledge shal I leaue thee quoth Iuda thy signet quoth she vpon thy finger thy cloake and thy staffe He did so and lay with her and she was begotten with childe by him at the same time which was in the yere of the world 2283. And then she arose and went and put her vayle from her and put on her widdowes rayment againe Afterward Iudah comming to his flocke according to his promise sent her a kydde by his friend Hyra to the ende no other might know of his wickednesse and gaue him charg to bring with him his ring cloake and staffe that hee had left with her in pledge Who comming to the place and finding not the woman there hee asked of the men there aboute where the whore was that sat in the hye way as they came They made answere againe there was no whore there Then Hyra returned to Iuda and told him he could not finde her Well sayd Iuda who feared man more then God as it appeareth let her take it to her least we be ashamed Now was Tamar coÌ„ceiued with childe and when she had gon three monethes the thing was espyed and one came and told Iuda that his daughter in law Tamar had played the whore and was with childe Then bring her forth quoth hee and let her bee burnte Whereby wee see that the lawe which was written in mans heart taught them that whordome shoulde be punished with death Albeit as yet no lawe was giuen And as shee was lead forth to the fire to be burnt to death she sente the pledges to Iudah her father in lawe saying by the same man to whome these thinges doe pertaine am I with chylde Then Iudah knowing his pledges that is his ring his cloake and staffe and hauing the horror of the sinne condemning him sayde she is more righteous then I yea shee ought rather to accuse mee then I her for shee hath done this deede through my defaulte and negligence because I gaue her not to Sela my sonne as I promised So was Tamar saued from
and nurse it for mee and I will rewarde thee So the woman tooke her owne childe and nursed it and when the childe was growen shee brought him vnto Pharaos daughter who called his name Moses because sayd she I drewe him out of the water and euer after she tooke him as her sonne so by Gods prouidence she contrary to her fathers cruel coÌ„mandement preserued him who afterward became the destroyer of her father preseruer of Gods people Exod. 2.5.6.7 c. There was another Pharaos daughter which was wife vnto SalomoÌ„ for whoÌ„ he made a very stately princely house like vnto y e forest of Libanon or Salomons porch into y e which also in y e yeere y e worlde 3131. she came from the citie of Dauid there dwelt after y e SalomoÌ„ her husband had finished all his building as ye may reade 1. King 7. 8â— 9.24 Philips daughters Philip the Euaugelist which was one of the vii Deacons dwelt in Cesaria had iiii daughters virgins which did prophecie Acts 21.9 And were buried with him in Hierapolis a citie of Phrigia as saith Iâ—idorus and Fox pag. 53. cul 1.2 Edit Mayde of Philippi In the Citie of Philippi a towne in Macedonia there was a certaine Mayden dwelling with her mistresse which mayden had a spirit of diuination and could gesse afore hand and foredeeme of thinges past present and to come which knowledge in many thinges God permitted to the Diuell by meanes whereof this mayde gate her mistresse much vauntage with diuining And when on a time Paule and Sylas were come into that Citie to preach Christ and went to pray she by chance met with them and folowed them crying and saying These men are the seruants of the most high God which shew vnto vs the way of saluation And thus did she many dayes but Paule at last being offended with her and grieued at the subtiltie of Satan in her least by her confession it might seeme that Satan and the spirite of God taught bothe one doctrine he turned about vnto y e mayd sayde vnto the euill spirite within her I commaund thee in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ that thou come out of her and forthwith the spirite of diuination came out of her in the same houre Nowe when her mistresse sawe that the hope of their gayne was gone they for very anger caught Paule Sylas and drew them before the rulers and there accused them as Iewes and troublers of the Citie preaching ordinaunces not lawful for them to obserue By meanes of the false and slaunderous report of this mayds maistresse and other that holy men Paule and Silas were condemned for sedicious men beaten with roddes and put in the stockes in prison where they lay fast locked in stockes and yrons till God deliuered them Act. 16.16 c. Phineas wife Phineas wife being great with child and neere her trauell when she heard the report that the Arke of God was taken and that her father in law Ely the high Priest of the Lord and her husbande his sonne were both sodainly dead she bowed or setled her selfe towardes her labour and trauelled with child her paynes with that fright and feare came so sore vpon her and about the time of her death as she through sore labour was a departing this life the mydwiues and women that stoode about her comforted her saying feare not for thou hast borne a sonne But she answered not nor regarded it but to declare her great sorow and feeling of Gods iudgementes to light vppon his people she named the child Iochebed saying and repeating twise together these woordes The glory is departed from Iesrael The glory is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken and this shee spake because the Arke of God was taken and her father in lawe and her husbande dead And so shee gaue vp the ghost and died in childe bedde 1. Sam. 4.19 Pilates wife Pilates wife being moued by God to defende Christes innocencie sent vnto her husbande so soone as he was set vpon the iudgement seat to examine adiudge and condemne Christ saying Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man for I haue suffered many thinges this day in a dreame by reason of him Howebeit for all this her good counsayle giuen vnto her husbande he like a wretch cleane contrary to his owne conscience proceeded against Christ in iudgement and condemned him to death to his great condemnation Math. 27.19 Potiphars wife Potiphars wife called after some Memphetica being a very incontinent woman cast her eyes vpon Ioseph and being incensed with inordinate lust and loue towardes him because he wâ—s a very fayre man and welfauourd person shee flattered him long and at the last contrary to all womanly shamefastnesse shee desired his company vnlawfully and sayd Ioseph come and lie with mee But Ioseph fearing God refused to satisfie her request or to offer his maister that vilanie and said vnto her beholde my maister knoweth not what hee hath in the house with mee but hath committed all that hee hath into mine hande There is no man greater in his house then I neyther hath hee kept any thing from mee but oneâ—â— thee because thou art his wife howe then can I do this great wickednesse and so sinne against God Neuerthelesse his mistresse continually tempted and allured him day by day to incoÌ„tineÌ„cy But yet Ioseph being euer preserued by y e feare of God against her continuall assaultes and flattering promises woulde in no wise consent to ly with her No nor bee so much as in her coÌ„panie because he would as much as in him lay auoid y e occasion of euill Now when his mistres sawe shee coulde not preuaile with him by flatterie and fayre speach shee fell to open force and violence and from thence to tyrannie and oppression For when on a certaine day Ioseph entred into the house euery bodie being from home saue shee and went into a secrete place to doe his easement shee lurking in a corner watched his comming and as hee passed by her shee reached after him and caught him by the cloake pulled him nill he will he vnto her saying Sleepe with mee But Ioseph being stronger then shee wounde away from her and leauing his cloake in her hande hee fled and got him out from her as fast as he coulde Nowe when shee sawe that he was fled and gone and that her folly wickednes would be bewrayed by his cloake thâ—t he had left behinde him in her custodie Shee subtillie deuised with her selfe that it was best for her to bewray him first to saue her honestie and so ioyning extreme impudencie and craft to her incontinencie and licencious life shee cryed out and called for her men in the house and tolde them saying Beholde my husbande hath brought an Ebrew man into our seruice to mocke vs and to do vs villanie and shame who came into mee here beeing all alone and would haue lien
Gen. 18.19 Ye parents prouoke not your children to anger by austeritieâ— or too much rigour or straight keeping least they be discouraged but bryng them vp not in wantonnesse or idlenes but in the feare instruction and information of the Lord. Ephe. 6.4 Colos. 3.21 Ye parents teach your children to knowe the holy scriptures from their childehood For they are able to make them wise to saluation through faith in Christ Iesus 2. Timo. 3.15 S. Iohn highly commendeth a certaine Lady in his epistle for that shée so vertuously brought vp her children in the trueth of Gods word 2. Iohn 1.1.4 A Matron of maydens ought to be one that can rule her owne house well hauing children vnder obedience with all honestie such as are faithfull which are not slandered of ryot neither are found disobedient 1. Timo. 3.4 Titus 1.6 Chastise thy childe betimes while there is hope let not thy soule spare for his murmuring or cryes Prou. 19.18 For hée that spareth the rod hateth his childe but hee that loueth him chasteneth him by times Prou. 13.24 The rod and correction giueth wisedome and deliuereth the soule from destruction but a childe set at libertie and left to his owne will bringeth his mother to shame Prou. 29.15 Shee that delicately bringeth vp hir childe from his youth shall make him hir master at the length Prou. 29.21 Foolishnes is bounde in the hart of a childe for he is naturally giâ—en vnto folly but the rod of correction shall driue it away from him Prou. 22.15 Withholde not correction from thy childe For if thou beatest him with the rodde hee shall not die thereof Thou shalt smite him with the rodde and shalt deliuer his soule from hell and destruction Prou. 23.13 If thou haue sonnes instructe them bryng them vp in nourture and learnyng and holde their neckes in awe from their youth vp If thou haue daughters kéepe their bodyes and shewe not thy selfe cherefull towardâ—s themâ— Mary thy daughter so shalt thou performe a waightie matter but giue hir to a man of vnderstanding Ecclesi 7.23 c. A man after his death shal be knowen by his children Eccle. 11. 28. And as is the mother so is hir daughter Ezech. 16.44 An euill nourtured sonne is the dishonour of the father and the daughter is least to be esteemed Eccle. 22.3 If children liue honestlyâ— and haue wherew t they shall put away the shame of their parents but if children be brought vp proudly with hautinesse and foolishnes they will defile the nobilitie of their parents and kindred Eccle. 22.3.8 If thy daughter be not shamefast holde hir straightly least shée abuse hir selfe thorowe too much libertie Take heed of her that hath an vnshamefast eye and maruaile not if shee trespasse against thée Eccle. 26.10 The mother that flattereth or cockleth hir children byndeth vp their wounds and hir heart is grieued at euery crie An vntamed Horse will bée stubborne and a wanton childe wil be wilfull If thou bring vp thy childe delicately hee shall make thee afrayde and it thou play with thâ—m they shall bring thee to heauinâ—sse Laugh not vpon them least thou wéepe and be sory also with them and least thou gnashe thy teeth in the ende Giue the childe no liberty in his youth and winke not at his folly Bowe downe his necke while hée is yong and beaâ—e him on the sides while he is a childe least he waxe stubborne and be disobedient vnto thee and so bring sorrowe to thine heaâ—t Chastice thy childe and be diligent therein least his shame gréeue thée Eccle. 30.7 Beware of thine owne children and take héede of them that bée of thine owne housholdeâ— Eccle. 32.22 The daughter maketh the father and mother to watche secretely and the carefulnesse that the parentes haue for her taketh away their sleepe least in her youth shée shoulde paâ—â—e â—he slower of her age when shée hath an husband least â—hee should bee hated In her virginitie least shee should be defiled or gotten with childe in her fathers house And when shée is marryed least shée misbehaue her selfe towardes her husbande or continue vnfruitefull Eccle. 42.9 So there is no ende of the parents care ouer a daughter If thy daughter bée vnshamefaste kéepe her straitely least shée cause thine enemies to laugh thée to scorne and make thée a common talke in the citie and defame thée among the people and bring thée to publike shame Eccle. 42.10 It is the mothers duety as well as the fathers to prouide a godly husbande for her daughter or a vertuous wife for her sonne For so did Hagar for her sonne Ishmael when he was grown to mans state and diuers other godly women in scripture Gen. 21.21 The mother ought to haue great care in the marrying and bestowing of her children to the children of God and such as be of a good religion and therein to yéelde her consent to the ordinaunce of GOD as diuers holie men and women haue done Gen. 24.4,50,57,27,46 26,1,29.21,38,6 Deut. 7.3 Ezra 9.12 Exod. 34.16 What authoritie the father or mother hath ouer their daughter concerning the breache of virginitie and marrying her to a man of vnderstanding Reade tit virg at large â— Cor. 7.36 If thy daughter vnbetrothed be defloured by a man that hath entised hir and thou refuse to giue hir vnto him in marriage to be his wife then thou shalt take of him money according to the dowrie of virgins Exod. 21.16 Deut. 22.28 Howe the parentes are to trie and prooue the honestie and chastitie of their daughter that is married and accused of adulterie and howe the father shall be recompenced if his daughter be found faultlesse by tryall read in the chapter of virginitie or maydes Deut. 22. 19. That parentes haue not authoritie to marrie their chyldren of a couetous intent for their owne gaine whiche in déede is to sell them for seruice to their seruantes as Laban did his two daughters Rahel and Leah to Iacob Gen. 29.19 or as Shesham did his daughter to his seruant Iarha 1. Chron. 2.35 moe of a diuelish purpose to séeke reuenge by hypocrisie as Saule who gaue his daughter Mychal to Dauid to betray him 1. Sam. Nor yet lastly without the consent of the parties themselues it is manifest by the example of the godly especiall of the mother and brother of Rebecha where they sayd wée will call y e maide aske her consent Gen. 24.57 And as Raguel did Sara his daughter Tob. 7.13 Yea so soone as the parentes perceiue that it is the ordinance and worke of God that their childe should bee besâ—owed they ought forthwith to yéelde and giue their consentes to auoyde further inconueniences and to commit the matter to God as the parents of the said Rebecha did Gen. 24.50 And howe dangerous a thing it is for parentes to be negligent and carelesse in bestowing their daughters in marriage it may well appeare by the story of Tamar that was defloured by her father in law Iuda
Gen. 38.26 If a woman vowe a vowe vnto the Lorde in hir fathers house in the time of hir youth and hir father heare hir vowe and hold his peace concerning hir then all hir vowes shall stande and hir bonde be good because hir father hath approued hir vowe and bonde by holdyng his peace but if her father by not approuing or consentyng to her vowe disalowe hir the same daye that hée heareth of hir vowe or bonde then they shall not bée of value and the Lords will forgiue hir because her father disaloweth hir vowe so made to huâ—â—ble hir soule and to mortifie it by abstinence or other bodyly exercise Whereby we sée howe the father hath authoritie to breake the vowes of his children made euen to God so long as they are single vnder his tuition but being married he hath no such authoritie For then the husband is to approoue or disproue the same as appeareth Leuit. 30.4 Giue not thy sonne thy wife thy brother nor friend power ouer thée while thou liuest and giue not away thy substaunce and goods to any other in thy life time least it repent it and thou be fayne to aske the same of them againe as long as thou liuest I say and haste breath giue not thy selfe ouer to any person For better it is that thy chyldren shoulde praye vnto thée then that thou shouldâ—st bée faine to looke vp to the handes of thy children At the time when thou shalt end thy dayes and finishe thy lyfe distribute thine heritance Eccle. 33.18 c. reade Gene. 25.5 Tob. 8. 21. If a man die and haue no sonnes then hée shall leaue his inheritaunce vnto his daughters and for default of daughters to his brethreÌ„ for lack of brethren to his fathers brethren c. Leuit. 27.8 read more Deut. 21.15 Galat. 4.36 The fathers vse to lay vp and prouide for the childreÌ„ and not the children for the fathers 2. Cor. 12.14 That parents may modestly mourne for the losse death or calamitie of their children so farre forth as they preferre not naturall affection to gods will it may appeare by many examples in holy scripture namely in Iacob Gen. 37.3.43,36 Aaron Leuit. 10.19 in Dauid 2. Sam. 19. in the Shunamyt 2. King 4.18 In Iob. 15,20 before Iere. 31.16 in Rachel The father being a Priest might not mourne for his daughter if she were married For being married she seemed to be cut off froÌ„ his familie but béeing a virgin and so dying hée might by Gods lawe mourne and lament for her death as appeareth Leuit. 21.3 Finally it is the duetie of all godly parentes as in their life to instructe and teache them Gods lawe so likewise when they lye in their death beddes to call their chyldren before them and to blesse them and to giue them ghostly admonitions and godly lessons to the glory of God and the amendement of their liues after the example of Iacob GeÌ„ 48. 49. of Dauid 1. King 2.2 of Iob. 15. of Tob. 4.2.5.16 of Mathathias 1. Mac. 2.49 of Antiochus 1. Mac. 6.14 The mother of the seuen brethrâ—n c. 2. Mac 7.20 and many moe The Daughters and childes duetie to her Parentes HOnour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the land which the Lord thy God giueth thee Deut. 5.16 Exod. 20.12 Shee that smiteth her father or mother shall die the death and be slaine for it Exod. 21.15 Shée that curseth her father or mother shall bee put to death for it Exod. 21,17 Leuit. 20.9 If a priestes daughter fall to playe the whore shée polluteth her father thereâ—ore shall shee be burnt with fire Leuit. 21.9 The daughter that woorketh follie in Israel by playing the harlot or whore in her fathers house and is not founde a virgin shall bee brought forth to the doore of her fathers house and the men of the Citie shall stone her with stones to death Reade tit virg Deut. 22.21 Shée that mocketh her father or mother bringeth the cursse of God vpon her selfe as did Cam. Gen. 27.12 Thou shalt not vncouer the shame of thy father by lying with him the childe that so doth shall die the death her blood shall bée vpon her Leuit. 18.7 20,11 Lottes two daughters did so of whom came the wicked cursed generation of the Moabites Benammyts Gen. 19. Cursed is shée that lyeth with her father in lawe and committeth such villanie Deut. 27.23 so did Tamar Gen. 38.9 Cursed is shée that curseth or contemneth her father or her mother Deut. 27.16 Ye shall feare euery child your father and your mother Leuit. 19.3 If a man haue a daughter that is stubborne and disobedient which will not hearken vnto the voyce of her father and mother and they haue instructed her and chastened her and shée will not obey them nor be ruled by them then shall her father and mother take this their stubborne daughter and bring her out to the elders of the citie and vnto the gates of the place where shée dwelleth and shall say vnto the elders of her citie This our daughter is stubborne insolent and disobedient and shee will not obey our admonitions shée is a riotour and a drunkard a gadder abroade and of a shamelesse behauiour Then all the men of the citie shall stone her with stones vnto death in token that to disobey the parents is most horrible so thou shalt take away euill from among you that all Israel may heare and feare my iudgements or lawes Deut. 21.18.19 c. Woe bee to that childe that disobeyeth and rebelleth against father or mother refusing to bée corrected for amendement Esay 45.10 Woe bée to that daughter that riseth vp or rebelleth against her owne father Gen 30.14 And woe also bée to that daughter in lawe that striueth with her mother in law Mich. 7.6 Such were Iudith Bashmath the two daughters in lawe of Isaack and Rebecca Gen. 26.35 The child that robbeth father or mother saith it is no sinne thâ— same child is y e companion of a murderer or destroyer Prou. 28.24 So did Rachael steale away her fathers Idols Gen. 31.19 The child that robbeth the father or shutteth out the mother is a lewde and an vnworthy shamefull child Prou. 19.26 Pouerty shame is to that child that refuseth instructioÌ„ will not abide correction but that childe that regardeth discipline and geueth eare to the information of the parents shal come to honour Pro. 13. â— 18 Who so laugheth their father to scorne and set their mothers commandement at nought the rauens of the valley plucke out their eyes and deuoured bée that childe of the young Eagles Prouerbs 30.17 Shée that curseth her father or mother her light shal be put out in the depth of obscure darknesse Prou. 11.20 Shée that is a companion of riotous men and vseth banqueting with gluttons shameth her father Prou. 7.28 so did Dinah Gen. 34. 4. and Lots two daughters Gen. 19 32. Solomen Mark
6.27 The child may make a vowe to God to humble her soule by abstinence but the father hath authoritie to breake and anull it Num. 30.4 A wise child maketh a glad father but a foolishe and vndiscreete daughter is an heauines vnto her mother Prou. 1.10 My daughter heare thy fathers instruction and forsake not thy mothers teaching Prou. 1.8 Heare O yée children the instructioÌ„ of your fathers geue eare to learne vnderstaÌ„ding wheÌ„ he doth teach you good doctrine in the way of wisedome and leade you in the pathes of righteousnes so shall yée walke at libertie without offence Prou. 4.1.11 A wise childe reioyceth the father but a foolishe daughter despiseth hir mother and is the calamitie of her parentes Prou. 5.2 13.19 Heare your fathers iudgement O children and doe thereafter For God will haue the father honoured of the children and hath confirmed the authoritie of the mother ouer the childreÌ„ looke what a mother commaundeth hir children to doe the Lord will haue it done and kept Eccle. 3.2 c. Who so honoureth hir parents hir sinnes shal be forgeueÌ„ hir shée shal abstaine froÌ„ theÌ„ shall haue hir dailie desires And she that honoreth hir mother is like one that gathereth treasures Shée that honoureth hir father shall haue ioye of hir own childreÌ„ and when shée maketh hir prayers it shal be heard She that honoreth hir father shall haue long life shée that is obedient to the Lord shall comfort and cherish hir mother Shée that feareth the Lord honoreth hir parents doth seruice vnto them as vnto Lords Ladies So did Rachel call hir father LabaÌ„ Lord in great reuerence Gen. 31. 35. Honour thy father and mother in déede and in worde and in all pacience that thou maiest haue Gods blessing that his benediction may abide with thée in the end For y e blessing of the Father establisheth the houses of the children and the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations thereof as appeareth in Ham whoÌ„ his father Noah cursed but blessed his brother Sem and Iaphet c. Gen. 9.22 Reioyce not at the dishonour of thy father or mother wheÌ„ they are reprooued For it is no honour vnto thée but shame séeing y t the childs owne glorie coÌ„meth by his fathers honor and the reproch of the mother is dishonour to the children My daughter make much of thy father in his old age and gréene him not as long as he liueth and if his vnderstanding faile haue pacience with him and despise him not when thou art in thy full streÌ„gth and lustie youth For the good intreatie of thy father and the good déed that thou shewest vnto him shall not be forgotten but it shall be a fortresse for thée against sinnes and when thou thy selfe wantest it shall be rewarded thée And for thy mothers offence thou shalt be recompensed with good yea it shall bée founded for thée in righteousnes and in the day of trouble thou shalt be remeÌ„bred thy sinnes also shall melt away as the yce in the faire weather But shée that forsaketh hir father shall come to shame and shée that angreth or defieth hir mother is cursed of God Honour thy father from thy whole heart and forgette not the sorowfull trauayle that thy mother had with thee Remember I saie that thou wast borne of them and howe canst thou recompence them the things that they haue done for thee Eccle. 7.27 An euill or misnurtured child is the dishonor of the father and a foolishe dâ—ughter shall be little regarded 22.3 A wise daughter is an inheritage vnto her husbande but shee that liueth dishonestly bringeth her father and mother to sorow and care A daughter that is bold impudent or past shame dishonoreth both hir father hir husband and is not in fauour to the vngodly who shall regarde hir but they both that is the father and husband also shall despise and abhorre hir Eccle. 22.5 If children be proude with hawtinesse foolishnes they blot out and defile the nobilitie of their kindred 9.1 If Miriams father had spit in hir face in his displeasure should shée not haue béene ashamed seuen dayes yea shée might not presume to come in his presence till he were reconciled Num. 12.14 RemeÌ„ber thy father and mother wheÌ„ thou sittest among great meÌ„ least God forget thée in their sight least thou doting in thy custome become a foole and suffer rebuke wish y t thou hadst not béen borne and so curse the day of thy natiuitie Eccle. 23.14 The children that boast of their riches and nobilitie seeme but to reproche their father who was base borne and of lowe condition Hosea 12. L. An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton childe will be wilfull Eccle. 30.8 Be ashamed of whoredome before father or mother 41.17 Honor thy father thy mother in law which are now thy pareÌ„ts that thou maist get thy selfe a good report of all Tob. 10.12 So was Sara the wife of Tobie Ruth Rachel c. My daughter heare the words of thy father laie them vp in thine heart as a foundation Despise not thy mother but honour her all the dayes of thy life and doe that which shal please her and anger her not Remember my daughter how many daungers shée susteyned when thou wast in her wombe when thy parents dye close theÌ„ their eies and bury them together honestly My daughter set thou our Lorde God alwaies before thine eies let not thy wil be set to sinne or to transgresse the commaundements of God Tob. 4.6 But kéepe thou the lawe and commaundementes of the Lord and shew thy selfe mercifull pitiful and iust and loue the Lorde thy God in trueth and iustice so shalt thou reioyce and all things goe wel with thee Tob. 14.9 Doe vprightly I say all thy life long and follow not the way of vnrighteousnes For if thou deale truely thy doinges shall prosperously succéede to thée and to all them which liue iustly Bee liberall to the iust and giue almes of thy substance chéerefully when thou giuest almes let not thine eyes be enuious neither turne thy face from anie poore man least that God turne his face also from thee c. Beware of whoredome adultery and al vncleannesse take thée an husband in the feare of the Lord that thou maist be blessed in thy children and thy séede inherite the lande Also loue thy brethren and sisters kinred and friendes and despise not in thine heart the sonnes of thy people in not taking an husband of them For in pride and disdaine is destruction and much trouble in fiercenes is scarcitie and great pouertie For fiercenesse or vprofitablenes is the mother of famine Serue God diligently day and night be circumspect in all things thou doest and be well instructed in all thy conuersation Doe that to no man which thou hatest Drinke not wine to make shée drunke neither let drunkennesse goe with thee in thy iourney Aske counsell alway
also before the yeeres of famine shee bare two sonnes called Manasses and Ephraim Gene. 41.15.50 Atarah or Athara or Araia â—ign the Lordes anger or heate a Crowne She was one of the wiues of Ierathmeel and the mother of Onam 1. Chro. 2.26 Athalia signi tyme for the Lorde his time an houre c. Shee was the daughter of Omri or as some will of Ahab which was the sonne of Omri eyther for that shee was brought vp still with Achab or for that shee imitated his maners in all kinde of Idolatrie Shee was also the wife of Iehoram king of Iuda whome shee corrupted greatly with her Idolatrie and vnto whome in the yeere of the worlde 3217. shee bare a sonne called Ahaziah which was Iehorams youngest sonne who also all his elder brethren being before slain by the Philistines succeeded his father Iehoram in the kingdome His mother Athalia entised him also to all wickednesse insomuch that the Lorde caused him to bee slayne by Iehu Then Athalia perceiuing that her sonne was dead shee in the yeere of the worlde 3239. tooke vpon her the rule and gouernement and to the intent that there shoulde bee none of that lynage of Iehosophat to rayne or make title to the crowne and that shee onely might vsurpe the gouernement and raigne quietly shee most cruelly murdered and destroyed all the seede and posteritie of Iehosophat and Ioram to whom the kingdome appertayned saue one for so it pleased God to vse the tyrannie of this wicked woman to destroy the whole family of Ahab onely Ioas the sonne of Ahaziah was stolen away and hid from her by Iehosheba as appeareth in her storie And when wicked Athalia had ruled the lande most cruelly sixe yeeres and had broken vp the house of God and bestowed vpon Balam and Idoles all thinges that were dedicated therein to the Lorde In the seuenth yere Ioas was brought forth by Iehoida the priest and proclaymed king Shee hearing that ranne into the Temple of the Lorde and there beholding Ioas crowned king shee rent her clothes and cried out treason treason But at the commaundement of Iehoida the priest the captayne and souldiers tooke her and caried her out of the Temple and slue her by the way as they went to the kinges house in the yeere of the world 3245. and this was the ende of that wicked idolatresse booddy woman Athalia 2. Kin. 8.18.26.11.1.2.15 2. chro 21.6.22.2.3.10 c. 24.6 Atossa was first the wife of king Cambyses afterward maried to king Darius Histaspis and maried the mother of Xerxis in the yeere of the worlde 3620. reade more in Ester For as some thinke this Atossa was Ester who first was the wife of Aâ—huerus and after his death became wife to Darius Histaspis vnto whom shee bare Xerxes the father of Artaxerxes in the yeere of the worlde 3621. Azuba or Asuba sig left or forsaken his strength in her Shee was the daughter of Silhi and the wife of Aha king of Iuda vnto whom she bare a sonne called Iehoshaphat that was also king of Iuda after his father 1. King 22.42 2. Chro. 20.31 There was another woman of this name which was the wife of Caleb and bare him diuers sonnes as appeareth 1. Chronicles 2.18 19. B Baara or Bara or Baraa sig a workemanshippe a bed a fire in wicked mynde in ill a companion in ioyes in feedyng in buildyng c. Shee was one of the wiues of Shaharaim whom with her mate Hushim he put away from him and tooke other 1. chro 8.8 Bashemath or Basemath â—ig sweete smelling spices destruction of death in discomforting Shee was the daughter of Elon an Hittite and one of the wiues of Esawe who with her mate Iudith was a griefe of minde to her good father and mother in lawe Isaak and Rebecca through her continuall disobedience and great rebellion Gen. 26.34 Bernice signifieth a hurtlesse Sonne a heauie victorie the weight of vanquishing finely moued or with choyse Shee was the daughter of Herode Agrippa borne in the yeere of the worlde 4170. and the naturall sister of king Agrippa and wife to Herode king of Chalcida her Grandfather And being entertayned of king Agrippa in his house as his wife also she went with him to Cesaria to salute Festus and to welcome him into the Countrey who was then but newly entered into his office of presideÌ„tship in the roome of Felix And when Paules matter should be heard before Agrippa she went with him also into the common hall where she was receiued with great pompe and there sate with Agrippa and the other gouernours all day to heare the examination of Paul before Festus the new President and beyng almost conuerted with her husband Agrippa at the wordes of Paule she together with the rest of the Gouernours arose and in secret conference iustified Paule as altogether innocent and most vnwoorthy of death or imprisonment Actes 25.13 23.26.30 Bethsheba or Bethsabe Bethzabe Bathshua or Bersabe signifieth the seuenth daughter or the daughter of an othe The daughter of fulnes of noise or thâ— daughter of saluation or the honourable or noble daughter She was the daughter of Eliam called also Bathshua the daughter of Ammiel 1. Chro. 3.5 and the wife of Uriah the Hittite which was with Ioab in king Dauids warres against the Moabites at Rabbath And on a tyme in the yeere of the worlde 3086. as Bethsabe was washing her selfe in her priuie garden alone it chaunced king Dauid to looke out at a windowe in his pallace as hee walked on the top or roofe thereof in the afternoone and seeing her to bee a very fayre woman he was presently so rauished with her beautie that forthwith hee sent for Bethsabe and shee comming vnto him hee lay with her committed adulterie with her so sent her home againe to her owne house Then shortly after shee perceiuing her selfe to be with childe and fearing least for that fact shee should be stoned to death according to Gods lawe sent Dauid the king worde thereof secretely Whereupon the king partly to hyde his owne fault and partly to saue the woman from daunger of the lawe sent for Urias her husband to come home from warres that hee might colour and father the matter by lying with his wife But when Dauid sawe that Urias woulde by no meanes company with his wife Bethsabe as he desired he returned him back againe to Ioab with a letter the contentes whereof caused Urias quickly to bee dispatched out of his life by the enemie And when Bethsabe heard that her husbande Urias was dead shee mourned for her husband so when the mourning was done Dauid sent for Bethsabe and to make her amendes hee tooke her into his house and shee became his wife and in the yeere of the world 3086. she brought foorth the same childe conceyued in adulterie being a sonne which liued not long but being stricken by God with a sore sickenesse for Dauids Bethsabes sinnes and punishement it died
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
prouinces nowe therefore Hester if this content thee not for a sufficient reuenge of that villanie that they offered thy people then what doest thou require yet further of mee aske and I will giue it thee Tell mee thy request I say yet further and I will surely perfourme it vnto thee Then Ester not so much for desire of vengeaÌ„ce as moued w t a zealous desire to see Gods iustiudgements executed against his enemies sayde vnto the king if it please y e king let it be granted also to y e Iewes y â— are in ShushaÌ„ by decree y t it may be lawfull for them to hang vp the dead corpes or bodies of Hamans ten sonnes vpon y e selfe same gallowes or tree with their father which her request the king also not so willingly graÌ„ted but it was as diligeÌ„tly executed accordingly by y e Iewes who for ioy of that victory of their happy deliuerance kept y e same xiiii and xv dayes of March in the which they should haue all been slayne in the which they did kill their enemies and were preserued high and holy dayes to y e Lord calling theÌ„ the dayes of Purim or casting of lots by the speciall comaundement of Mordecay and the Q. Ester who her selfe wrote with all authoritie to confirme those letters of Purim sent by Mordecay her cosin vnto the people commaunding them by her decree also to keepe those dayes holy and obserue them as feast with fasting and earnest prayer and thankesgiuing vnto God for their deliueraunce wrought by her which her noble and valiant actes are registred in the booke of the Chronicles of the Kinges of the Meedes and Persians to the glory of GOD and her and her cosin Mordecayes perpetuall memory fame and renowne to all posteritie Ester 2.3.4 5.7.8.9.10.13.14.15 Eunice signi decking a good victory or conquest Shee was the daughter of Loyis the mother of Timothie whiche women both the mother and daughter are highly commended of saint Paul for their sinceritie of fayth which he desired Timothy earnestly to followe 2. Tim. 1.5 Gomer signi consuming fayling Shee was the daughter of Diblaim and a verie wicked woman who hauing long accustomed to play y e harlot at the last became y e wife of Hosea the Prophete and bare vnto him three wicked adulterous children like her selfe to wit a sonne called by God Iezreel then a daughter called also by God Loruhamah and when shee had wayned her daughter shee conceiued and bare Hosea another sonne called by God also Loammi after the Lorde threatned to plague her and her children greatly for her whoredome and adulterie except shee repented in time Reade this mistically in Hosea 1.3.2.1 H Haddasha see Ester Hagar or Agar signi a stranger a newecome chewing cudde fearing ouerthwaâ—â— turned turning dwelling wayfaring delay c. She was an Egyptian woman and the handemaide of Sara Abrahams wife who being olde long barren and childelesse when shee had dwelt in the land of Canaan by y e space of 10. yeres in the yere of of y e world 2094. she gaue this Hagar her handmayd vnto Abraham to be his wife whiles he dwelt in the lande of Canaan And shee conceiued feeling her selfe with childe began then to dispise her old barren mistresse Sara whereat Sara being grieued went and complayned thereof vnto Abraham her husbande who giuing her power to correct the maide at her pleasure shee began to deale so roughly with Hagar that in no wise shee woulde abyde it but ranne away from her dame fled into the wildernes and sitting there beside a fountayne called Berlaheroy or the well of y e liuing seeing mee not knowing whether to goe the Lorde whiche reiecteth no estate of people in their miserie sent his good Angell euen Christe Iesu to comfort her who appearing vnto her in the shape of an Angell sayde vnto her Hagar from whence commest thou and whether intendest thou to goe I flie quoth shee from Sara my dame whiche fareth so foule with mee that I am euen weary of my life Well sayde the Angell returne to thy dame agayne and submitte thy selfe humblye vnder her handes for I euen I the Lorde will so greatly increase thy seede that it shall not bee numbred for multitude Loe thou art with child and shalt beare a sonne whose name thou shalt call Ishmaell Then Hagar rebuking her dulnesse acknowledged Gods graces ' who was with her euery where and gaue him hartie thankes for this his consolation in her trouble saying Thou O God lookest on mee and haue not I also here in this place looked after him that seeth mee in miserie which being ended shee returned home agayne to Sara her mistres and submitted her self vnto her as the Angel gaue her counsel And after in processe of time that is in the yeere of the worlde 2094. shee brought forth vnto AbrahaÌ„ being theÌ„ 86. yeres old his first begotten sonne called Ishmael as the angell had before saide of which Ishmaell came the peculier people of the Ishmaelites as of Hagar came the Hagarians 1. chro 5. 10. And thus was Hagar the bondewoman the mother of the Ishmalites and children of the fleshe and not of the promise but Sara she was the mother of the true Israelites and heires of promise as shall appeare For when it pleased God to make his promise first to Abraham that Sara though olde and barren shoulde haue a sonne by him called Isaak hee thinking that impossible besought God for Hagars sonnes saying Oh let Ishmael liue in thy sight and it shal suffice Whereunto God answered him saying I haue hard thy praier for Ishmael Hagars sonne lo I wil blesse him with temporal blessings c. As of whoÌ„ shal come all the children of the flesh but mine euerlasting couenant will I make and establishe with Isaak the sonne of Sara of whom shall come y e children of the spirite for Hagar or Sinai saith S. Paul to the Gal. 4.24 is a mountain in Arabia bearing y e name of Hagar and signifieth the olde Testament and the Law and Ismael her sonne signifieth the Iewesh sinagogue but Sara or Ierusalem which is aboue and is the mother of vs all signifieth the Gospell and Isaak her sonne signifieth the Church of Christ. So that we now are all children of the promise in the Church of Christ which is our mother not children of y e fleshe nor of y e Sinagog which is a seruaÌ„t vnto the law So wheÌ„ y e time came that it pleased God according to his promise to visite Sara she conceiued and brought forth a sonne called Isaak after whose birth a new coÌ„tention arose between Sara and Hagar her maide about their children for Sara perceiuing Ishmael Hagars sonne to be a mocker despiser of her son Isaak w t the apostle Paul to the gal 4.29 calleth persecutioÌ„ would not suffer Ismael to keepe coÌ„pany w t her sonne Isaak but made her coÌ„plaint vnto AbrahaÌ„ saying cast
Huldah or Holdai holda or Olda signifieth the world or a weasell ruâ—f She was the wife of one Shallum the sonne of Tikuah the sonne of Harhas keeper of king Iosias wardrop And being a Prophetesse dwelling in Hierusalem in the colledge or place called the house of doctrine which was neere to the temple and where the learned assembled to intreate of the scriptures the doctrine of the Prophetes Iosua the king of Iuda vpon a time that is in y e yeere of the 3498. finding the booke of the law in the temple at the reformation thereof sent Helkiah the priest and Shaphane the Chaunceller with other noble meÌ„ of his counsell vnto this womaÌ„ Hulda the Prophetesse to coÌ„mune with her and enquire of the Lorde for him and his people concerning the booke of the law so found in the temple and read before him what shoulde be done therwith And when the messengers had done their errand the Prophetesse aunsweared them saying goe tell the man that sent you to me thus saieth the Lorde God of Israel beholde I will bring euill vppon this place and vppon the inhabiters thereof euen all the words of the booke which the king of Iudah read because they haue forsaken me and haue burnt incense vnto other Gods to anger me with all the workes of their handes and mens inuentions contrary to the worde of God my wrath also shal be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched for their abhominations But to the king of Iuda who sent you to enquire of the Lord so shal yee say vnto him Thus saith the Lorde God of Israel the wordes that thou hast heard read in that booke shall come to passe but because thine heart did melt and thou hast repented and humbled thy selfe before the Lorde when thou heardest what I spake against this place against the inhabitaÌ„ts of the same how they should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I haue also heard it saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather thee vnto thy fathers and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace and thine eyes shal not see all the euil that I wil bring vpon this place And so the messengers departed froÌ„ the propheâ—esse told the king what she said 2. King 22.14 Hushim or Husim signifieth hasting holding peace geuen to pleasuâ—e She was one of the wiues of Shaharaim of the tribe of Beniamine who bare him two sonnes called Ahitub and Elpaal and afterwarde with her mate Baare was put away from her husband 1. Chro. 8.8 11. I Iael or Iahel signifieth a Do or ascending or going vpward a smal Deare a Roe a Hynde the match of hart and hynd beginning She was the wife of one Hebar a Kenite which was of the children of Hobab Moses father in law and being a stranger yet worshipped the true God and ioyned with Israel in all things And when Iael in the yeere of the world 2766. had heard of the great ouerthrow of Sisera and how he fled and was comming towards her tent for succour she went out and met him saying Turne in my Lord turne into me and feare not so he being come into her tent or house asked her a litle water to quench his thirst and she brought him a bottell full of mylke And when he had well drunke thereof he laide him downe to sleepe and as she was couering him with mantles and clothes he prayed her to goe and â—tand at the dore of her tent and whosoeuer doth come and aske for any manâ— say I pray thee quoth he there is no man here And so when Sisara was fast a sleepe Iael beeing thereto prouoked by Gods spirite to take reuenge vpon the enemie of his people went softly vnto him with a nayle in the one hande and a hammer in the other and smote the nayle thorow the temples of his head and nayled him fast to the ground which done she went and stoode at her tent dore and seeing Baracke pursue Sisara she went and met him saying Come goe in with me I will shew thee the man whom thou seekest and so he folowed Iael who brought him into her tent where Sisara lay dead and the nayle in his temples And then he saw that a woman had the honour and not he and knew that the prophecie of Debora was truely fulfilled which she prophesied vnto him when she sayd Baracke this iourney that thou takest vpon thee now shal not be for thy honour for the Lord shal sel Sisara into the hand of a woman who shal take away the honor of the victory froÌ„ thee as it came to passe indeed Iudg. 4.17 18. c. For which valiant act of Iaels Deborah in her song of praise highly commended praised her saying Blessed shal Iael the wife of Heber be aboue other women dwelling in tents blessed shal she be aboue other women c. as you may read in the song at large in the first Lampe pag. 3. Iudg. 5.24 Iecholiah or Iecolia Iechelia Iecelia si the profiting or pâ—wer of the Lord. She was the wife of Amaziah king of Iuda and the mother of Uzziah called also Azanah king of Iuda 2. King 15.2 2. Chro. 26.3 Iehoaddan or Ioadan or Ioiadan sig the Lordes delight the Lords pleaâ—ure the Lords good season She was the wife of Ioash king of Iuda and mother to Amaziah king of Iuda 2. King 14.2.2 Chro. 25.1 Iehoshabeath or Iehosheba or Iehosabeth Iosabeth or Iosaba sig the fulnes of the Lord the Lordes othe or the seuenth of the Lord endewed She was the daughter of king Ioram or Iehora king of Israel sister to Ahaziah wife to Iehoiada y e high Priest or Bishop of y e Iewes And when Athalia her Grandmother went about cruelly to destroy the king her brothers seed by murder God for his promise sake made to the house of Dauid moued the heart of Iehosheba to preserue some â—eÌ„nant of that stocke whervpon she went and tooke Ioash the youngest sonne of Ahaziah her brother and stole away her young nephewe froÌ„ among the kings soÌ„nes that were appoynted to bee slayne hid both â—im and his nurse in her owne bedchamber with her husbands counsel and kept him from slaughter in the chamber where the Priests did lye neere the house of the Lorde the space of sixe yeeres so that he perished not with the rest of his brethren but after became king of the land and deposed his grandmother Athalia as appeareth in the life of Athalia 2. King 11.2.2 Chro. 22.10 Iehudiiah or Iudaia Iudea or Iudaea sig praysing graunting or acknowledging the Lorde She was the second wife of Ezrah and bare vnto him three sonnes Geret the father or Prince of Gedor Hebar the Prince of Socho the 3. Iekuthiel the Prince of Zanoah 1. Chro 4.18 Iemimah or Diem sig beautifull as the day or of long life Shee was one of the three beautifull daughters of Iob which
Leaprosie as white as snowe in the yeere of the worlde 2516. Then Moses partly for pittie to see his sister in such a lothsome case and partly at the earnest request and intercession of Aaron his brother who saide to Moses Alas my Lorde I beseech thee lay not the sinne vpon vs which we haue foolishly committed and wherein we haue sinned Let her not I pray thee be as a childe dead of whom the fleshe is halfe consumed when hee commeth out of his mothers wombe hauing as it were but skinne bone Moses besought the Lorde for his sister saying O Lorde I beseeche thee heale her nowe but the Lord made him aunsweare saying if her father in his anger and displeasure had spit in her face shoulde she not haue beene ashamed seuen dayes Let her be shut out of the host seuen dayes and after she shal be receiued So Miriam was shut out of the host seuen dayes as the Lorde commaunded and the people remoued not till Miriam was restored and receiued in againe into the host Finally in the yeere of the worlde 1554. when she had liued 119. yeeres after the birth of Moses and when Moses and the children of Israel were come into the desert of Sinai to the citie Cades fortie yeere after the departure out of the land of Egypt Myriam there dyed and was buried when shee had liued aboue a 130. yeeres Exod. 2.4.7.6.20 15.20 c. Num. 12.1 20.1 1. Chro. 6.3 Milcha Milcah or Melcha or Melea sig a Queene his Queene or aduiser fulfilling She was the daughter of Haram Abrahams youngest brother the sister of Lot and as some thinke of Sarai the wife of Abraham and also was the wife of Nahor Abrahams second brother so that her husband and her father were naturall brothers the sonnes of Terah and she her selfe neere vnto her husband who was her vncle which kynde of marriage was after forbidden by the lawe after she bare vnto her husband Nahor eight sonnes to wit Uz Buz. Kemuel that was afterwarde Prince of the Assyrians Chesed Hazo Pildash Iidlaph and Bethuel which was the father of Rebecca that afterward became wife to Isaack so Milcha was Rebeccaes grādmother her mates name was Reumah Gen. 11.29.22.20 There was another woman called Milcah whiche was one of the fiue daughters and coheires of Zelohehad of the tribe of Manasses as yee may reade in Mahlah her sisters storie Number 26.33.27 1.36 Molecheth signifieth a Queene She was the sister of Gilead and daughter of Machir and bare vnto her husband three sonnes called Ishbod Abiezer and Mahalah 1. Chro. 7.18 N Naamah or Naama signifieth comlinesse fayre beautifull or greatly mouing affliction She was the daughter of Lamech and Zillah and the sister of Tubalkain the cunning brasier and smith Gen. 4.22 There was another woman called Naamah which was an Ammonitesse one of the wiues of king Salomon who bare vnto him a sonne called Rehoboam that after was king of Iuda 1. Kings 14. 21. Naarah or Naara or Naari signifieth a puzill a damosell striking of or walking She was one of the two wiues of Ashur the father or Prince of Tekoa her mates name was Heleah and she bare vnto her husbande foure sonnes called Ahuzam Hepher Temeni and Haashtari 1. Chro. 4.36 Naomi or Noemi or Mara sig fayre comely or prouoking much or greatly assuring Bitter She was the wife of a certaine man called Elimelech dwelling in the land of Iuda in a citie called Bethlem and for because of the present dearth which was ouer all the lande of Iuda in the time that the Iudges ruled She went with her husband and her two sonnes called Mahlon and Chilion into the countrey of Moab to soiourne where in processe of time her husband first died and her two sonnes w t whom she remained being married to two of the Moabitish damosels to wit Orphah Ruth died there also So that Naomi which had dwelt in the land of Moab ten yeeres was now left desolate both of her husband and of her sonnes Then Naomy hearing how the Lord had visited her countrie againe with plentie returned from Moab homewardes againe her two daughters in lawe Orpha and Ruth bringing her on y e way in her iourney And when shee sawe they had gone a good way with her and coueted not to returne from her shee saide vnto them Goe nowe my daughters and returne eche of you vnto your mothers house and the Lorde deale as kindly with you as yee haue dealt with the dead men my sonnes and with mee their sorowfull mother And the Lorde graunt that you may finde rest eyther of you in the house of her husband and so kissed them to haue bid them farewell But when she saw that they wept and would not depart from her she sayde vnto them agayne returne my daughters I pray you for what cause will yee goe with me Are there anie moe children within my wombe to bee your husbandes Turne againe therefore I say and goe your way for I am too olde to haue an husband And if I should say I had hope of children or if I had an husband this night or had already borne sonnes Woulde yee tarrie for them till they were growen of age and refrayne from taking of husbandes so long No not so my daughters it greeueth mee much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me Then they wept altogether and Orpha kissed her mother in lawe and tooke her leaue and returned into her owne lande of Moab agayne But because it was Gods woonderfull prouidence that Ruth shoulde become one of his housholde shee abode still with Naomy But Naomy did all that shee could to perswade her likewise to depart and returne with her sister saying beholde thy sister in law is gone backe vnto her people and vnto her Gods returne thou also after her But when Naomy saw that for no entreaty Ruth would depart from her but was stedfastly mynded to goe on with her she left speaking vnto her And so when they came to Bethlehem Iuda which was about the beginning of barley haruest or in April where when her cōming was noysed abroad the women of the citie which saw Naomy knowing her to come of a great familie and to haue been of great reputation when she dwelt among them said one to another is not this Naomy Naomy saide shee call me not Naomy that is beautifull but call me Mara that is bitter for the almighty hath geuen mee much bitternes I went out full and the Lorde hath brought me againe emptie Why then call yee me Naomy seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the almighty hath brought me vnto aduersitie And so Naomy remayned in Bethleem Iuda her daughter in law Ruth with her where shee liued poorely by the corne that Ruth gleamed for her sustenaunce in the fieldes of Booz her husbande Elimelechs kinsman and when Ruth brought home the corne and tolde her where shee had it she
was and there declared the matter but most falsly against her to her husbande and all by wrongfull accusation to bring her to death for spight that shee would not consent to their diuelishe desires And when shee was sent for to her fathers house where she then laye and came accompanied with her father and mother her children and all her kin to bee iudged and araygned before them for a breaker of wedlock and an adultresse according to the lawe of God shee beeing a very tender person and marueilous fayre of face stoode before the two wicked Iudges with her face couered But these lecherous dottards to the end they might at the least bee satisfied with her beautie commanded to take the vaile or cloth from her face that they might fully behold her haue a full sight of her beautie which thing being done to the griefe of her friends and many that stoode about her These two wicked Iudges stood vp them selues both to be her accusers and iudges and laying their handes vpon the head of Susanna who wept and looked vp to heauen for her heart trusted in the Lorde They said as we were walking alone in the garden this woman came in with her two maides whō shee sent away frō her making fast the orchard dores after them with y t a young felow which there lay hid in the garden start vp went vnto her lay with her then wee which stood in a corner of the garden seeing this wickednesse ranne vnto them and sawe them as they were together but wee coulde not holde the fellowe for hee was stronger then wee and got open the dore and leaped out And when wee had taken this woman wee demaunded of her what fellowe it was but shee woulde not tell vs. This is the matter that wee lay vnto her charge and wee be witnesses of the same Then the common sort beleeued them as those that were the Elders and chiefe Iudges of the people and so they condemned Susanna to death whereuppon her friends yea and all they that knewe her for sorrowe beganne to weepe and lament heartilie for her Yea and Susanna her selfe then cryed out with a loude voice and made her feruent prayer vnto God saying as before in the first Lampe Pag. 48. O euerlasting God thou searcher of heartes thou that knowest all thinges before they come to passe thou wotest that they haue borne false witnesse against mee and behold I must die whereas thou Lorde knowest I neuer intended or once so much as thought much lesse did any such thing as these men haue maliciously imagined or inuented against mee And the Lorde heard her prayer Therefore when shee was ledde to bee put to death according to her iudgement and as shee was going to the place of execution the Lorde of heauen which had commpassion of this innocent woman neuer forsaketh leaueth his but helpeth them euen then when all thinges seeme past hope of mercy to the great comfort of all oppressed Christians raised vp the spirite of a little young childe called Daniel who cryed with a loude voyce to the great admiration no doubt of all that heard him saying I am cleane from the blood of this woman And when the people heard that they stayed and turned them towardes the childe and demaunded of him what hee meant by his wordes O yee children of Israel saide hee are yee such fooles that without examination and knowledge of the trueth yee haue condemned a daughter of Israel Returne againe to iudgement for they haue borne false witnesse against her Then the people went backe againe in all hast And the Elders tooke Daniell and set him among them in iudgement who when he had commanded the two olde lecherous Iudges that were the false witnesses to be seuered one from another that hee might examine them seuerally a parte hee called the one of them said vnto him O thou old cankered carle that art old in a wicked life and hast vsed thy vncleannesse so long Now thy sinnes and vngracious deedes which thou hast committed afore time are come to light for thou hast born false witnes hast pronounced false erronious iudgemēt Thou hast condemned the innocent hast let the guiltie go free Albeit the Lord sayd the innocent and righteous shalt thou not slaye Now then if thou hast seene her commit this villanie tell mee vnder what tree of the orchard or garden thou sawest this woman and the young fellow company together He answered vnder a Mulbery or Lentiske tree Now verily quoth Daniell thou hast lyed against thine owne head For loe the Angell of God hath receiued the sentence of God to cut thee in two For thou art worthy of death in that thou hast oppressed the innocent woman contrary to the commaundement of God who sayd The innocent and righteous see thou slaye not neyther shalt thou beare false witnesse against thy neighbour and so he put him aside Then the childe called the other old dotard sayd likewise vnto him O thou seede of Canaan not of Iuda bewtie hath deceiued thee and lust hath subuerted thine heart Thus haue ye long dealt with y ◠daughters of Israell they for feare consēted vnto you and companyed with you but this woman being a daughter of Iuda would not abide your wickednesse Now tell me vnder what tree didst thou take them companying together He answered vnder a Pyne prune or Mirtle tree Uery well sayde Danyell Nowe verilye thou hast lyed also against thine owne lyfe or head therefore the Messenger or Angel of the Lord standeth waiting with the sworde to cut thee also in two and so to destroye you both And with that all the whole assemblye cryed with a loude voice and praysed God which so miraculouslye had preserued Susanna that daye and saued her that trusted in him And so fell vpon the two wicked Iudges who were conuict by their owne mouthes of falshoode and according to the law of Moses Deuter. 19.19 put them both to death for bearing false witnesse against their neighbour Thus the innocēt blood of Susanna was saued y e same day from being spilt in y e yeere of y e world 3518. Therfore Helchias her father mother praised God for their daughter Susanna with Ioachim her husband and all the kinred that there was no dishonestie founde in her Dan. 13. Susanna 1. There was an other woman called Susanna in y e time of Christ which being a godly woman folowed Christ his Apostles diligētly to heare their preaching ministred vnto them of her substance to relieue thē so much as laye in her power to her perpetuall prayse and the great shame of many both men and women now in the time of the same gospell who bee so far from relieuing the professors therof that they will not vouchsafe to follow them no nor so muche as to heare thē preach they neuer so well charme the charmar neuer so wisely but to theyr vtter
it more greeuously that their mother had so often mocked him so he caused her youÌ„gest sonne to be most cruelly handled put to death then any of his brethreÌ„ And last of all after her sonnes were this all slayne and martyred She also their mother suffered death martyrdome paciently constantly holily dyed in the same opinion and religion for mainteining of the law of God 2. Mach. 7. Ioseph fol. 202. Machabites There were also before these two other women of the Machabites who because they had circumcised their sonnes according to Gods law contrary to the commandement of this cruell tyrant Antiochus were brought forth with the babes haÌ„ging at their breasts and after they had ledde them rounde about the Citie for example to others they were cruelly â—ast downe headlong ouer the walles with their children sucking at their breasts so both mothers and babes perished and were most butcherly slayne martyred for the lawes of their God 1. Mach. â— 63â—2 Mach. 6.10 N Widowe of Nahim In the Citie of Nahim a Towne of Galilie in the tribe of Isachar hard by Tyberias there was a certayne widowe who hauing but one onely sonne left her to comfort her after the death of her husband it pleased God that it fell sicke and dyed And as she was following the corse out of the gates of the Citie to the buriall so it was that Iesus by Gods prouidence came and met her and when the Lorde saw her mourne and take her sonnes death so heauily as she had great cause he had compassion on her and sayde vnto her Woman weepe not and commaunding them that bare the corse to stand stil hee went and touched y e coffin sayde vnto her dead sonne Young man I say vnto thee arise with y t onely word of Christ her dead sonne sate vpright in y â— coffin and began to speake Then Iesus delâ—uered him to his mother to her great comfort and his euerlasting glory Luke 7.11.12.13 P Pathroitesse In Pathros a Citie of Egypt there were certaine superstitious and Idolatrous women of the Iewes who when they heard the Prophete Ieremy from the mouth of the Lord preach vnto them there reproue theÌ„ for their Idolatry with many threatnings of Gods plagues to light vpon them vnlesse they did turne and repent in time These wicked women standing by set light by the threatninges of the Lorde vttered by his Prophet and most impudently answered Ieremias saying The worde that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde we will not heare it of thee But we will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offeringes vnto her as we haue done both we and our fathers our kings and our Princes in the citie of Iudah and in the streetes of Ierusalem for then had we plenty of victuals and were wel and felt no euill But since we left of to burn incense to the Queene of heauen and to poure out drinke offerings vnto her we haue had scarcenes of all things and haue been consumed by the sworde by famine And when we burne incense to the Querne of heauen and powred out drinke offerings vnto her did we make hâ—r cakes to make her glad and powre out drinke offeringes vnto her without our husbandes consent as if they shoulde say no wee did it by their sufferance where we may learne howe great daunger it is for the husbands to permitte their wiues to doe anye thing whereof they bee not assured by Gods woorde for if they doe their wiues thereby will take occasion to iustifie their doinges as these supersticious women here did for which folly wickednesse in the wife the husband shal assuredly giue an account before God who wil not onelie punish the women but their husbands also which haue suffered this superstition and errour in their wiues without reprehension Then the Prophet Ieremy perceiuing these Idolatrous women to esteeme religion by their bellie and so greatly to dishonour God by attributing his woorkes to their Idolles and seeyng their extreeme madnesse and impudencie that they were fallen into by declyning froÌ„ GOD to followe their owne fancies euen to iustifie their idolatry and wickednesse in woorshipping the sunne moone and starres against GOD and his Prophetes The Prophete I say spake againe vnto the women and their husbandes gaue them this aunsweare and sayde Heare the woorde of the Lorde yee women thus saieth the Lorde Forasmuch as yee and your wiues haue committed double euill in making wicked vowes in performing the same spoken with your mouthes and fulfilled them with your handes saying We will performe the vowes that we haue vowed to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to powre out drinke offerings vnto her Therfore beholde I haue sworne saith the Lord by my great name that my name shall bee no more called vppon by the mouth of any man or woman in Iudah in the land of Egypt as to say the Lorde liueth yea beholde I will watche ouer them for euill and not for good and all the men women children of Iuda y t are in Egypt shal be consumed by y e sword famine til they be vtterly destroyed c. Iere. 44. Also Ier. saieth y t in Babylon there were certaine superstitious Idolatrous women and the menstruous women and they that lay in childbed came and brought giftes to the Idols of siluer gold and wood touched the sacrifices offered to Idolles whiche giftes so offered the Priests gaue vnto their wiues to cloath them and their children and to lay vp to vse at their pleasure but vnto the poore and sicke they gaue nothing Baruc. 6.27.28.29.32 Pharaos daughter Pharaos daughter after that her father the king of Egypt had moste cruelly caused the Hebrewe women to cast their men children into the water to be drowned vpon a tyme went downe to washe her selfe in the same Riuer whereinto their children were throwen and as she walked by the Riuer side she espied an Arke or Cradell of wickar lying among the bulrushes and sent one of her maydes that were there with her to fetch it and draw it out of the water and wheÌ„ they brought it vnto her shee opened it and when shee sawe therein a fayre young babe and a man childe and heard it crie and make pitious mone for the mother and sustenance shee had compassion on it and saide surely this is one of the Hebrues children Then the childs sister Miriam standing a farre off to watche what woulde become of the childe seeing it so taken vp by women ran vnto them and not reuealing vnto them whose childe it was saide to Pharaos daughter shal I goe and call vnto thee a nurse of the Hebrewe women to nurse the childe yea quoth Pharaos daughter goe So the mayde went and called Iochebed hers and the childes mother to whom Pharaos daughter sayde Take this childe away
The king thinking her request but reasonable most graciously by and by saide vnto her woman goe home to thy house and take no thought for thy sonnes life for I will giue a charge concerning him that none shall hurt thee nor him Yet the woman to be further satisfied said vnto the king O my Lord O king this trespasse as touching the breach of the law whiche punisheth blood with blood let it bee on mee and on my fathers house I onely will beare the blame but let the king and his throne be guiltlesse I warrant thee quoth the king if any man touch thee or thy sonne bring him to mee for if he doeth but speake against thee he shall neither speake nor touch thee any more Yet the woman subtilâ—y purposing to vrge the king to bynd his promise with an oth for more assurance sayde againe vnto the king O but I pray thee let the king remember sweare by y e Lord thy God that thou wilt not suffer many reuengers of blood to destroy least they slay my soÌ„ne And with y t the king to put her out of al doubt sware vnto her saying as the Lord liueth womaÌ„ there shal not one haire of thy sonnes head fall to the earth nor perish Then the woman hauing thus farre preuayled with the king was bold vpon this aduauntage gotten in playne speeche to open her meaning vttered in that parrable and sayd I pray thee O king nowe let thy handmaid speake a word to my Lord the king say on quoth he O wherefore then quoth she hast thou thought suche a thing against the people of God Or why doth the king as one y t is faultie speake this thing giue contrary sentence against thy sonne Absolom that thou wilt not be reconciled and bring him agayne that is banished froÌ„ thee For as thou knowest we must all dye and we are as water spilt vppon the ground which cannot be gathered vp againe neyther doth GOD spare any person yet doth he appoynt meanes not to cast out froÌ„ him the man that is expelled but hath prouided wayes as Sanctuaries to saue them oft tymes whom man iudgeth worthy death Now because the people haue made me afrayd and that I thought they woulde haue killed myne heire therfore I thine handmayd deuised this with my self Now will I goe and speake vnto the king for the life of my sonne It may be that the king wil haue pittie vpon a widowe performe the request of his handmayde for the king verely thought I is mercifull wil heare the humble sute of a widowe and deliuer his handmayde out of the hand of many reuengers of blood and of the man that woulde destroy mee together with my sonne from the inheritaunce of GOD left by his father Therefore I thine handmayde I say presuming greatly vppon thy clemencie am come to speake of these thinges vnto my Lorde the king beseeching thee that the worde of my Lord y e king may now be comfortable vnto thine handmayd giue rest vnto me for I know my Lord the king is euen as an Angell of God in hearing of good bad of great wisedome to discerne right from wrong therfore the Lord thy God be with thee The king now perceyuing her drift that it was done by the subtiltie and deuise of Ioab demanded further of the woman this question saying woman hyde not from me I pray thee the thing that I shall aske thee Is not the hand of Ioab with thee in all this And hast thou not done it by his counsell and aduise As thy soule liueth my Lorde y e king quoth she I will not turne to the right hand nor to the lefâ— from ought that my Lorde the king hath spoken or demanded for euen thy seruant Ioab indeed bad me say as I haue sayde and hath put all these wordes in the mouth of thine handmayde yea and to the intent that I should change the forme of speech by speaking rather in a parable then plainely It was thy seruaunt Ioabs onely instruction and deuise that hath done this thing but my Lord the king is wise euen according to y e wisedome of an Angel of God to vnderstand al things y t are on y e earth neither caÌ„ any hide ought froÌ„ thee So y â— king graunted the woman of Tekoah hir request caused Ioab by by to sende for Absolom from banishmeÌ„t home to his own house but partly to couer herby his fatherly affectioÌ„ partly to shew some part of iustice towards his soÌ„ne AbsoloÌ„ to please y e people he yet coÌ„manded AbsoloÌ„ to keep his house not to come to y e court for a space this was he by this womaÌ„s meanes recoÌ„ciled into his fathers fauour agayn as ye may read at large 2. SaÌ„ 14. Thebitesse In Thebez a city in Canany there was a certayn womaÌ„ who when Abimelech y â— vsurper blooddy king besieged the citye and tooke it went vp together with other men women into a stronge towre within the same citie there to saue themselues as long as they might And when Abimelech himselfe fiercely came to batter downe this Towre as he stoode harde by the doore of the same to haue set it on fire purposing to haue burnte all the people therein This woman beeing more couragious then the rest tooke vp a peece of a mylstone cast it downe from the top of the Towre which by Gods iust iudgement fell directly vpoÌ„ Abimelechs head brake his brayn pan al to peeces wherupon Abimelech perceiuing himselfe to be wouÌ„ded to death by y e haÌ„d of a silly womaÌ„ in a great furie of mynd desperate rage called hastily to his page that bare his harnesse and sayde Draw thy sword slay me y e men say not hereafter of me to my reproch behold a woman siue Abimelech And wih that his page as desperately drue out his sworde and thrust his maister quite thorow so that he presently died This God by a miserable death tooke vengeance on this tyrant euen in this life y t by the feeble hands of a weake womaÌ„ to the preseruation of his people the terrour of al tyrants that oppresse them Glory be to his immortal name therefore for euer Iudg. 9.50.53 2. Sam. 11.21 V The ten Virgins Our Sauiour Christ to teach vs that it is not sufficient for vs to haue once geuen our selues to follow him but that we must continue perseuere vnto y e end without faynting or fayling in the mydway to the end he might warne euery man to make prouision in time to watch for his sodayn comming to iudgement put forth this similitude of x. virgins in the Gospel after S. Mathew saying The kingdome of heauen shal be likened vnto x. virgins which tooke their lampes and went to meete the bridgrome to doe him honour as the manner then was And fiue of these were wise and fiue foolishe The foolishe tooke their
Lampes but tooke no oyle with them but the wise tooke oyle in their vessels with their Lampes nowe whiles the bridegroome tarried long all slumbered and slept at midnight there was a crye made saying behold the bridegrome commeth goe out to meete him Then al these virgins arose and trimmed their Lampes the foolish sayd to y e wise giue vs of your oyle for our Lampes are out quēched but the wise aunswered saying we feare least there will not bee ynough for vs and you too but goe you rather to them that sell and buy for your selues And whiles they went to buy beholde the bridegroome came in the meane while and they that were ready went with him to y e wedding and the gate was shut Afterwarde came also the other Uirgins saying Lord Lord open to vs but he answered and sayd verily I say vnto you I know you not watch therefore and let your loynes be girt about and your Lampes burning yea take heed watch praye for ye know neither the yeere day time nor houre when the sonne of man wil come to iudgement watch therefore I say watch pray Mat. 25.1 c. Luke 12.34 The names liues and actes of certaine other women not mencioned in Scripture but gathered out of the third booke of Machabees and Iosephus and other autentical Authors worthy to be read of all godly men and women for the affinitie they haue with some part of the Scripture ALexandra called also Cassandra was the daughter of Priamus and the wife of Alexāder king of the Iewes who in the 27. yeere of his raigne which was the third of his sicknes made an expedition into the land of Moab against a certaine citie called Ragaba to get it by force At which time because he was very sick weake his wife Alexandra the Queene like an honest and louing wife went with him fearing least he should dye by the way And as hee encamped himselfe against the citie and vrged it sore with assaultes his sicknesse increased vpon him more and more Wherfore his wife perceiuing y t he was like to die wept bitterly before him and sayde To whom shal I be so bold as to shew my face when thou art once dead seeyng thou hast wrought such mischiefe against the Pharisies whom all the lande fauoureth and following their traditions obey their institutions If they shal be disposed to wreek thēselues vpon me thy young children for that you in your merrie mood did hang vpon the gallous 800. of y e chiefe Pharisies in Ierusalem they shall haue ayde of all that dwell in the land The king answered weepe not nor shew any resemblance of pensiuenesse I will tell thee what thou shalt doe and if thou wilt followe my councell thou shalt prosper and raigne thou and thy children as thou wouldest desire Be it that I die there is no man in the worlde need knowe thereof tell thou euery man therefore that aske for mee that I am sicke and will not that any man come at me In the meane while annoynt season me with balmes fight with a courage against this citie till thou winne it and then returne to Ierusalem with ioye and beware thou put on no mourning apparrell nor weepe but bring bring me into Ierusalem and lay me vppon a bedde like a sicke man and after call together the chiefe of y e Pharisies bring thē where I am speake vnto them gently in this sort Alexander hath been euer your enemy I know it very well wherefore take him if ye list cast him into the fire or to the dogges or burie him it shal be at your choyse I know well they are pitiful men so ful of mercie that they will burie me honourably and shall appoynt some one of my sonnes whom they like best to be king The Queene did therefore as she was instructed of the king And when she had wonne Ragaba shee ioyfully returned to Ierusalem after that gathered togeather the elders of the Pharisies and spake to thē as the king had aduised her The Pharisies hearing that the king was dead and that his bodie was in their handes to doe withall what they list they aunsweared the Queene God forbid wee shoulde doe this vnto our Lorde the annoynted of GOD. Hee was the king and high Priest what though he were a sinner yet his death shal be an expiatiō for him of all his iniquities Therfore we will bewayle him mourne for him yea we will carrie his coffin our selues vppon our neckes burie him as it becommeth a kings Maiesty and so they did The time that he raigned was xxvii yeeres After him raigned his wife Alexandra in his steede for the Pharisies after they had finished the seuenth day of the mourning they committed the kingdome vnto her Shee had two sonnes by the king the elder was called Hircanus the other Aristobulus Hircanus was a iust man and a righteous but Aristobulus was the warriar and a man of prowesse Besides that of a familier and louing countenaunce hee fauoured also the learned men and followed their instruction But Hircanus his elder brother loued the Pharisies On a tyme therefore when the Queene sate in the throne of her kingdome shee called the Auncientes of the Pharisies before her honoured them and commaunded to release and sette at libertie all suche Pharisies as the king her husbande and her father in lawe had cast in prison and taking the Pharisies by the handes shee commaunded all Israell to obey their ordinaunces Then made shee Hircanus her sonne high Priest and Aristobulus Liefetenaunt of the warres She sent also to all the landes that her husbande and father in lawe Hircanus had subdued and demaunded the noble mens sonnes for the pledges whiche shee kept in Ierusalem So the Lorde gaue vnto the Queene quietnesse from all that were vnder hir subiection shee gaue also the Pharisies authoritye ouer the learned sorte putting them into their handes to order at their pleasure Whereuppon straight wayes they founde one Dogrus a greate manne amongest the learned sorte whome they slewe and muche people besides of the Auncientes of that sect so that the Sectaryes were in greate distresse They gathered themselues together therefore and came to Aristobulus the Liefetenaunt of the warres and with him they came to the Queene saying vnto her Thou knowest the enmitye that is betweene vs and the Pharisies whiche hate thy husbande and father in lawe yea and thy children also Wee were his men of warre that went with him in all his affayres and ayded him nowe thou hast geuen vs into their handes to bee murdered and banished out of the lande What will Hartam king of Arabia doe when hee heareth this that wee shall forsake thee Hee will come and reuenge him of all the battell that thy husbande fought against him Yea the Pharisies will take his parte and deliuer thee and thy children into his handes that there shall not bee left vnto
THE SIXT LAMPE OF VIRGINITIE Conteining a Mirrour for Maidens and Matrons OR The seuerall Duties and office of all sorts of women in their vocation out of Gods word with their due praise and dispraise by the same togither with the names liues and stories of all women mentioned in holie Scriptures either good or bad verie necessarie pleasant and profitable for all women to read and vse both for instruction and imitation Newlie collected and compiled to the glorie of God by T. B. Gentleman Ecclesiasticus 26 19. Perpetuall are the foundations that are laid vpon a strong rocke so are the commandements and precepts of God in the hart of an holie woman 1582 THE SIXT LAMPE OF VIRGINITIE ¶ Of Virginitie and the state of single life together with the dutie of Virgins of Maids or single Women NOw concerning virgins or the state of Uirginitie I saith S. Paule haue no commandement of the Lord yet giue I mine aduise counsell as one that hath obteined mercie of the Lord to be faithfull or beléeued I suppose therfore that the single life is good for the present necessitie in these afflictions and persecutions of the Church I meane that it is good for a man so to be single or a woman to be a virgin Art thou bound vnto a wife Séeke not to be loosed Art thou loosed from a wife Séeke not a wife but if thou marie and takest a wife thou sinnest not And if a virgin marie she sinneth not neuerthelesse such shall haue trouble in the flesh as worldlie cares of their children and familie but I spare you in wishing that you men could liue without wiues and you virgins without husbands And this I saie bicause the time is short the fashion of this world goeth awaie and I would haue you without care For 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 onelie apperteining to this present life how he may please his wife There is difference also betwéene a virgin and a wife the virgin or vnmaried woman careth for the things of the Lord that she may be holie both in bodie and in spirit and attaine vnto it sooner than the maried wife bicause she is without cares but she that is maried careth for the things of the world how she may please hir husband And this I speake for your owne commoditie or profit not to intangle you in a snare not to bind your conscience to single life For that were presumption but for comlinesse sake that ye might folowe that which is honest and that ye may cleaue fast vnto the Lord without separation But if anie man thinke that it is vncomlie for his virgin if she passe the flower of hir age or time of mariage then and néed so require that she should marie to auoid fornication let him doo what he will he sinneth not let them be maried Neuerthelesse he that standeth firme in his hart and is fullie persuaded that he hath no néed but hath power ouer his owne will and hath so decréed in his hart that he will kéepe his virgin he doth well For the fathers will dependeth on his childrens will in this point of mariage insomuch as he is bound to haue respect to their infirmitie neither can he iustlie require of them singlenesse of life if they haue not the gift of God so to liue So then he that giueth his virgin to mariage doth well but he that giueth hir not to mariage doth better and more commodious for his children in preseruing them from cares The wife is bound by the lawe of matrimonie as long as hir husband liueth but if hir husband be dead she is at libertie to marie with whom she will onelie in the Lord but she is more blessed if she so abide in my iudgement and I thinke that I haue also the spirit of God 1. Cor. 7 25,26 c. Where note that S. Paule doth not here prefer single life as a thing more holie than mariage but in respect and by reason of the incommodities which mariage hath more than the other neither doth hée bind mens or womens consciences to single life or widowhood as to that which God hath left frée and therfore it were presumption in anie other to doo it But shewing what is most agréeable to Gods will according to the circumstance of the time place and persons as appeareth in that the Church was now when he wrote this in great persecution he would insinuate hereby that to heape one trouble or care vpon another by mariage was not so profitable for men and women to go on towards godlinesse as behooued during such afflictions If a virgin or maid vow a vow vnto the Lord of virginitie and bind hir selfe by a bond to liue chast being in hir fathers house in the time of hir youth hir father hearing of this hir vow and bond wherewith she hath bound hir selfe hold his peace and doo not gaine-saie but by silence approoue it then all hir vowes of virginitie shall stand and euerie bond wherewith she hath bound hir selfe shall remaine of force against hir but if hir father disalow of this hir vow and bond the same daie that he heareth thereof and doo not approoue or consent to the vow or bond wherewith she hath bound hir selfe then shall not that vow or bond be of value And the Lord will forgiue hir bicause hir father who hath authoritie ouer hir disalowed hir Numb 30,4,5 c. Now therefore slaie all the males among the children and kill all the women that haue knowne man by carnall copulation but all the virgins and women children that haue not knowne carnall copulation kéepe aliue for your selues to marie Note héere the prerogatiue of virginitie in the old lawe of armes Numb 31 16,17 Also when thou shalt go to war against thine enimie and the Lord thy God shall deliuer them into thine hands and thou shalt take them captiues and shalt sée among the captiues a beautifull woman and hast a desire vnto hir wouldest take hir to thy wife then thou shalt bring hir home to thine house and to signifie that hir former life must be changed before she be ioined to the people of God she shall shaue hir head and pare hir nailes and put off the garment that she was taken in and so shall she remaine in thy house and as she that hath renounced parents and countrie she shall bewaile hir father and hir mother a moneth long and after that shalt thou go in vnto hir marie hir and she shall be thy wife And if thou haue no fauour vnto hir then thou maist let hir go whither she will but thou shalt not sell hir for monie nor make merchandize of hir bicause thou hast humbled hir Note that this onlie was permitted in the warres otherwise the Israelites and people of God could not marie strangers Deut. 21 10,11 c.
of the wise and despise not any counsell that is profitable Blesse thy Lorde God alway and desire of him that thy way may be made streight and that all thy purposes and counselles may prosper Feare not my daughter if thou be poore For the Lorde giueth all good thinges and he humbleth whom he will and as he will Content thy selfe I saie with thy poore estate For thou hast many thinges if thou feare God and flie from sinne and doe the thing which is acceptable vnto him Now therfore my daughter remēber these cōmaundements precepts neither let thē at any time depart out of thy mind Tob. 4. all A vertuous child shal haue rule vnder her mother gouerne by hir authoritie so did Sara Raguels daughter rule and guide hir fathers house as mistresse and correct and beate his maides for their faultes Tob. 3.9 She that loueth father or mother more then me saith Christ is not worthie of me Mat. 10.37 Whosoeuer shall forsake house and lande father or mother husbande and children for my names sake saith Christ shee shall receiue a hundered folde more and shall inherite euerlasting life Math. 19.29 Woe be to those children that fulfill the measure of their fathers iniquitie Mat. 23.32 God hath commaunded saying Honour thy father and mother And he that curseth father and mother let him die the death Mat. 15.4 Geue to all men their dutie feare to whom feare is due honor to whom yee owe honour Rom. 13.7 Saint Paule reckoneth those children that are without all naturall affection and disobedient to their Parentes among the wicked ones and reprobate that know not God whom God hath deliuered vp vnto a reprobate minde to commit all maner of sinne and wickednesse Rom. 1.30 Know this y t the law is geuen vnto y e lawlesse disobedient to the vngodly to murderers of fathers mothers to whoremongers harlots liers c. to take vēgeance on al such woorkers of wickednes cōtrarie to wholesome doctrine and admonition 1. Tim. 19. This knowe that in the last daies shall come perillous times for men shall bée disobedient to parentes without naturall affection 2. Tim. 3.1 The sonne shall be at variance against the father and the daughter against the mother the daughter in law against the mother in law and a mans enemies shall be they of his owne houshold Math. 10.34 What childe is it whō the father chasteneth not if then ye be not vnder correction then are yee bastardes and not children Geue therefore due reuerence vnto those your naturall parentes of your bodies which haue begotten you despise not their chastisement which correct you chasten you a few daies euē after their owne pleasures for your profite Heb. 12.5 Yée children obey your parentes in all things which are in the Lord. For this is well pleasing vnto the Lorde and right Col. 3.20 Honour thy father and mother which is the first commandement with promise that it may be well with thée and that thou maiest belong on earth Ephe. 6.1 That the childe ought not to marie or make priuate contracts without the consent and knowledge of the parentes it is manifest by manie examples in holie Scripture as in Rebecca Gen 24. 49. Sara the wife of Tobit Tob 6.12 c. in Dinah Gen. 34.4 Thamar Gen. 38.9 It is the duetie of that childe whom the father or mother dearelie loueth as most déere vnto him or chiefe of the kindred to laie his or hir hande vpon hir fathers or mothers or kinsmans eies in their departure and to shut or close them vp when he dieth for so did Ioseph as it was prophesied vppon his father Iacob Gen. 46.4 So did also Tobit close the eyes of his father and mother in lawe Tob. 14.15 The office and duetie of Maisters and Maistresses or Dames towardes their seruantes and maides IF thy brother an Hebrwe or an Hebruesse or euen Christian sell or hire himselfe to thee and serue thee sixe yeeres euen in the seuenth yéere thou shalt let him or hir goe out free from thee paying nothing for their freedome or libertie if he came himselfe alone not hauing wife nor children hee shall goe himselfe alone if hee were maried then his wife shall goe out with him free if thou his maister haue geuen him a wife and shee hath borne him sonnes and daughters the wife and her children shall bée thine till hir time of seruitude bée expired which is till the seuenth yeere or the fiftieth yeere beeing the yeere of Iubilie but her husbande thy seruaunt hee shall goe out himselfe alone if hee will But if the seruaunt say this I loue my maister or mistresse my wife and my children I will not goe out free alone then thou his maister shalt bring him vnto the Iudges and set him to the doore or to the postes where the iudges sitte and shalt bore his eare through with a naule in tokē that he shall serue thée vntill the yéere of Iubilie that is for the terme of 50. yéeres And vnto the mayde seruant thou shalt doe likewise Exod. 21.2 Deut. 15.12 Likewise if a man constrayned eyther by pouertie or els to the ende that the master shoulde mary her sell his daughter to be a seruant shée shall not goe out as the men seruantes doe For if shee please not hir master who hath betrothed hir to himselfe then shall he cause another man to buy hir of him by geuing him money so to doe For he shall haue no power to sell hir to a strange people séeing he dispised or defloured hir But if he haue betrothed hir vnto his sonne he shall deale with hir according to the custome of the daughters and geue hir dowry and if afterward he take for his sonne another wife yet shall he not diminish hir foode hir rayment and recompence of hir virginitie but if he doe none of these thrée that is neyther mary hir himselfe nor geue another money to buy hir nor bestow hir vpon his sonne then shall shée goe out frée paying no money Exod. 21.7.8 c. If thy brother also that dwelleth by thée bée impouerished and be solde vnto thee thou shalt not compell him to serue as a bond seruant but as an hyred seruant and as a soiourner hee shall bee with thee hee shall serue thee vnto the yéere of Iubilie that is 50. yéeres then shall he depart from thée both him and his children with him shal returne vnto his famelie possessiō of his fathers For they are my seruants whom I brought out of the lande of Egypt they shal not bee solde vnto perpetuall slauery as bondmen are sold neither shalt thou rule ouer them cruelly but shalt feare thy God Leuit. 25.39 Thy bond seruant also and thy bondmayd which thou shalt haue shall be of the heathen and strangers y t are rounde about thée of them shall yée buy seruants maids to be bōdmen or bondwomē not of thine owne people or natiō Moreouer
God gaue him after his fall vnto whome also with her sisters Keziah and Kerenhappuch hee gaue an inheritaunce among hir brethren Iob. 42.14 Ierushah or Ierusa sig Banishment or inheritaunce She was the daughter of Zadock the hie Priest and wife to Uzziah or Azariah king of Iuda to whom she bare a sonne called Iotham that after the death of his father was a good king of Iuda 2. King 15. 33. 2. Chro. 27.1 Iezabel or Iesabel or Isabell sig an Iland or habitation a dweller with a vaine flud an issue of blood or issuing blood where is the dunghil the Iland of the dwelling Woe to the dwelling the I le of the dunghill woe to the dunghill She was the daughter of Eth. baal king of the Sidonians wife to Ahab the sonne of Omri king of Israel to whom she bare 2. sonnes called Ahaziah and Iehoram afterwards kings of Israel also This Iezabel being a wicked woman and vile idolatresse not onely entised and pricked forward her husbande Ahab to all kinde of wickednesse strange idolatry and cruell persecution but also her selfe slue the prophetes of the Lord destroyed them and most ragingly persecuted Eliia the Lordes Prophet for destroying Baals priests whom she made so much of and sent a messenger vnto him with threatning words saying The Gods doe so to me quoth she and more also if I make not thy life Elia like one of their liues whom thou hast slayne by to morowe this time Wherevpon the good Prophet was fayne to flie away froÌ„ her into the wildernes where he remayned by her cruelty in great perplexitie sorow til the Lord comforted him Moreouer when shee perceiued the sullen sadnesse and inward fretting of Ahab her husband and vnderstood the cause thereof to be for nothing els but for that hee could not haue his inordinate appetite satisfied and Naboths vineyard graunted vnto him to make him a garden at his request she came to her husband lying languishing and fretting for anger vpon his bed sayd vnto him Why is thy spirite so sad that thou eatest no bread Doest thou now gouerne the kingdome of Israel Thou knowest not I perceiue what it is to reigne be a king for if thou didst thou wouldest coÌ„mand thy subiects not intreate them Up therfore eate bread be of good cheere for I will geue thee the vineyard of Naboth the Iezreâ—lite So in the yeere of the world 3224. shee wrote letters in Ahabs name and sealed them with his seale and sent the letters vnto the Elders and nobles of the citie the contents of which letters was this Proclaime a fast and set Naboth among the chiefe of the people and set two wicked men before him and let them witnesse against him saying Thou didst blaspheme God and the king then carrie him out and stone him that he may die Which letters when the Elders had receyued they like wicked worldlinges obeyed rather the wicked commaundementes of this wicked Princesse then the iust lawe of God who willeth not to consent to the shedding of innocent blood and did as Iezabell had written in the letters sent vnto them and hauing thus truelly without all equitie vnder colour of lawe put innocent Naboth and his sonnes to death they sent Iesabell worde therof who so soone as shee heard thereof went to her husband lying languishing on his bed and sayde vp now man and take possession of Naboths Uinyarde for nought which he before refused to giue thee for money for beholde he as a trangressor of the lawe is stoned to death and all his sonnes that should inherite it and resist thy purpose by clayming possessioÌ„s which she did that her husband might enioy it the more quietly With which newes Achab being reuiued straight wayes arose and went to take possession of Naboths vineyarde as his wife counselled him but as he was in the Uineyarde taking possession God sent his Prophete Elia vnto him whiche reprooued Achab and his wife with terrible threatninges of Gods iudgementes saying first to Ahab Hast thou killed and also gotten possession Ahab or doest thou thinke to haue any aduauntage by murthering of the innocent Uerilye thus sayeth the Lorde I haue seene yesterday the blood of Naboth â—nd the blood of his sonnes and I wil render it thee in this fielde therefore in the place where dogges licked the blood of Naboth euen there shall dogges licke euen thy bloud also because thou hast shed innocent blood and solde thy selfe to worke wickednesse in the sight of the Lorde c. And also as concerning thy wife Iezabel thus sayeth the Lorde of her that forasmuch as she whose nature or kynd shoulde haue abhorred all tyrannie and ben moued and inclined to all pitie mercie and compassion hath contrariwise geuen and horrible example of most monstrous crueltie in womenkinde and not onlie geuen wicked counsell to her husband to become a vile Idolater and cruel murtherer but also ben as one that geueth her selfe wholly to serue all maner of sinne therfore the dogs shal eate her also in the field or by the wall of her pallace in Iezreel there shall be none to burie her With terrible words of the Prophet when Ahab heard he rent his clothes and repented his sinnes in dust ashes and sackcloth which caused the Lorde by and by to haue mercie vpon him and to turne the euill from him vnto his sonne Iorams dayes But as for Iezabel the holie Ghost maketh no mention that euer she blushed at the matter or once repented of her villanny but went on stil in her Idolatry and abhominable life during her husband Ahabs raigne the raigne of Ahaziah and Iehoram her two sonnes Insomuch as when her sonne Iehoram was sicke of wounds an hurt that the Aramites had geuen him God raysed vp Iehue to bee king who being made an instrument of God to execute his foresaide iudgements against the house of Ahab y e king to auenge the blood of his seruauntes the Prophetes and seruaunts shed by the hand of Iezabel He conspired against Ioram who meeting Iehue in the fielde of Naboth the Israelite demaunded of Iehue saying comest thou peaceably Iehue But Iehue being furiously bent to execute Gods vengeaunce against Ioram and his mother Iezabel aunsweared Ioram what hast thou to doe with peace the whoredomes of thy mother Iezabell and her witchcraftes are yet in greate number and with that Iehu shotte Ioram quite thorowe his hearte as he fled from him so that he fell downe dead in his chariot And after Iehu had caused the dead corpes of Ioram to be put and cast in the field of Naboth to fulfil the word of the Lord against Achab whiche was nowe first accomplished in his sonne Ioram after this iudgement of God I say executed vpon y e sonne for imitating the sinnes of his father Achab mother Iezabel Iehu went towards Iezreel to do y e like iudgement in reuenging of Gods cause vpon the mother Iezabel that lay
Simeon and mother Anna the prophetesse prophesie strange thinges of Christ her sonne and confesse him openly to be the Sauiour of the worlde shee marueyled greatly at those thingâ—s which wâ—re spoken touching him Especially when Simeon blessed her and her babe and sayde vnto her beholde this thy chylde is appoynted for the fall of the reprobate and raysing agayne of many of the elect in Israel and for a signe which shall bee spoken agaynst Yea and a swoorde that is sorrowes shall pearce through thy soule or heart that the thoughtes of many heartes by the triall of the crosse may bee opened And when shee had performed all thinges at Ierusalem according to the lawe shee returned with Ioseph her husbande home to the Citie of Nazareth agayne And being accustomed yeerely she and her husband to goe vp at the feast of Ester to Ierusalem shee chaunced on a tyme to forget her Sonne Iesus behind her and supposing that he had beene in the company went a dayes iourney and sought him among her kinsfolke and acquaintance But when she could not finde him she tourned backe to Ierusalem and there sought him for the space of three dayes ere she could finde him At the last she found him out in the temple sitting in the middes of the doctours hearing and apposing them with questions and sayd vnto him Sonne why haste thou thus delt with vs thy father and I haue sought thee with heauy heartes but he preferring his duetie to God before father or mother sayd how is it that ye sought me Knowe yee not that I must goe about my fathers businesse but they vnderstood him not So hee came and went home to Nazareth with her and was subiecte vnto his mother who kept all these his sayinges in her heart Another time as she was with her sonne at a marriage feast in Cana a towne in Galilee when the wine fayled at the feast she tolde her Sonne that they lacked wine and receiuing his answere meekely she bad the ministers or seruantes to doe whatsoeuer hee commaunded them Fynallye when shee with her sister Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalen stoode by the crosse whereon her Sonne Iesus houng crucified and shedde his blood as well for her as for all other Christians sorow then pearced her heart like a sword according as Simeon had prophecied and foretolde her And when Iesus sawe her and the Disciple Saint Iohn standing by her whome hee loued Hee sayde vnto his mother woman beholde thy Sonne Then sayde hee also to the Disciple beholde thy mother and from that houre the Disciple tooke her home vnto him and comforted her To conclude after Christes ascention vp into heauen she kept companye with the Apostles and together with the other women and all the Apostles continued in one accorde in prayer and supplication in Ierusalem Luke 1. Math. 1â—2 Luke 2. Iohn 2.3.19.25.26 Act. 1. 14. Marye the wife of Cleophas or Clophas was sister to Marie the Uirgin mother of our Sauiour Christ stoode with her by y e crosse wheroÌ„ Christ dyed to behold with teares sorowe of heart his pacient suffring guiltles passion for them and all Christians Iohn 19.25 Mary Magdalen which word Magdalen signi magnified or exalted Shee was the sister of Martha and Lazarus whome Christ raysed from death being a very sinful woman dwelling in Bethynia it pleased God for the comfort of al sinners to call her so to repentaunce remorce for her former foule wicked life y t when she knew Iesus to sit at meate in one of the Pharises houses called Symon the Leaper she went with a boxe of very costly and sweete oyntment called Spiknard or Nardus in her hande the which boxe after she had broken it and powred the Oyle vpon Christes head as he sat so that it ran downe along vpon his bodye she then fell downe also at his feete behynd him and wept so abundantly for her sinnes that she washed his feete with her teares and did wipe them with the hayres of her head and also kissed them and annoynted them with that sweete oyntment so that the house was filled with the sweete sauour and odour thereof Which her godly facte was verye offensiue both to Iudas his Apostle the dissembling traytour and also to Symon the ignoraunt Pharisie and maister of the feast Insomuch as Iudas hereby tooke occasion to betraye Christe For hauing indignation against it not for y t he cared for the poore because he was a theefe and bare the bag of money that was giuen to the poore he murmured and disdayned in himselfe sayd why was not this oyntment solde for three hundred pence giuen vnto the poore But Iesus to excuse or rather approue and commend Maries fact said vnto him Let her alone why trouble ye her she hath wrought a good worke on me done that she could comming before hand to annoynt my body to y e burying to honour my buryal withal The poore ye haue with you alwayes and when yee wil yee may doe them good but me ye shal not haue alwaies Therfore verily I say vnto you whersoeuer this Ghospel shal be preached thorowe out al the world this fact which she hath done shal be spoken of in her worthy remeÌ„brance perpetual memorial Also when Symon the Pharisie which bad Christ to the feast saw what Mary had done he likewise murmured grudged within himself began to doubt of Christ to iustify himselfe to condemne Mary saying if this man were a Prophet he would surely haue known who what maÌ„ner of womaÌ„ this is which toucheth him for she is a sinner or coÌ„mon harlot but Iesus seeing y e great faith of y e woman knowing his hypocritical thoughts preseÌ„tly put foorth this parable said to him SimoÌ„ I haue soÌ„what to say to thee say on master quoth he There was said Christ a certein creditor had 2. debtors y e one ought him 5. hundred pence the other fifty wheÌ„ they had nought to pay he them both which of them therefore thinkest thou wil loue him most tel me I suppose quoth Simon that he to whoÌ„ he forgaue most will loue him most Thou hast iudged truely said Christ and with that turned him to the woman said to Simon Seest thou this woman I entred into thine house and thou gauest me no water to my feete but shee hath washed my feet with teares and wiped them with the haire of her head Thou gauest mee no kisse but shee since the time that I came in hath not ceassed to kisse my feet My head with oyle thou diddest not anoint but shee hath anointed both my head and feete with oyntmente Wherefore I say vnto thee many sinnes are forgiuen her for she loued much To whom a litle is forgiuen he doth loue a litle And then he turned him to Marie Magdalen and sayde vnto her woman thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and thy fayth hath saued thee
praysed God and said blessed bee hee that knew thee and blessed be the Lord for hee ceaseth not to doe good to vs that are nowe liuing and to our husband and children when they were aliue and are now dead The man Booz is neere kinne vnto vs and of our affinitie therefore this now is my counsell vnto thee my daughter whose rest I ought to seeke by prouiding thee an husbande with whom thou mayest liue quietly that thou mayest prosper Behold he winnoweth Barley this night in his barne floore wash thy selfe therefore and annoynt thee and put thy rayment hansomely vpon thee and get the◠downe to his barne and there hyde thy selfe priuilie and let not Booz nor any other know of thee vntill he haue left eating and drinking And when he shall sleepe marke the place where he layeth him down and when he is fast a sleepe goe priuily and vncouer his feete and laye thee downe at his feete and he shall tell thee what thou shalt doe So Ruth departed followed her counsel did in euery thing as Naomy had her but whē Ruth came home againe in the morning Naomy perceiued y e Booz had not taken Ruth to his wife as she hoped shee was somewhat astonied said Who art thou my daughter Ruth when Ruth tolde her what entertainment she had Naomy said sit still my daughter vntill thou know how the thing will fall out for the man will not be in rest vntill he haue finished y e matter with thee this day And as she said so it came to passe for y e very same day Booz took Ruth to be his wife by whom God gaue vnto Naomy a sonne at whose birth y t women said vnto Naomy Blessed be the Lorde which hath not lefte thee this day without a kinsman to haue a name in Israel to leaue a continuall posterity y t shal bring thy life againe cherish thine old age for thy daughter in law which loueth thee hath borne vnto him she is better vnto thee then seuen or many sonnes And Naomy tooke the child laid it in her lap became dry nurse vnto it being glad y t a sonne was borne vnto her in her olde dayes Ruth 1.2.3.4 Noah or Noa sig stirring or moued She was one of the 5. daughters coheires of Zelophead as ye may read in Mahlas story Num. 26.33.27.1 O Orpah or Orpha signifieth a necke lifting vp or bari◠of the face She was a Damosell of the countrie of Moab which was married to a stranger of Israel called Chilion the sonne of Elimelech and Naomy and became sister in lawe to Ruth her countrie woman of her reade more in the storie of Namony at large Ruth 1.2 P Penennah or Phenenna sig a gem or a face She was one of the wiues of Elkanah and mate of Hannah the mother of Samuel and because Penennah had children and Hannah had none Therefore Penennah vexed Hanna sore and vpbrayded her continually with her barrennesse especially when Hanna went vp to Hierusalem to the house of the Lorde to serue and woorship him And when Elchana sacrificed hee gaue to Penennah his wife and to all her sonnes and daughters portions But vnto Hanna hee gaue a portion with a heauy cheere read the story of Hanna 1. Sam. 1.2.3 c. Persis or Persida sig breaking or deuiding a little nayle She was a woman singularly beloued of S. Paule as to whom especially with Phebe Marie Priscilla Triphon Triphosa and other women by name he hath commended himselfe in his Epistle to the Romaines for her diligence in setting foorth the Gospel as doth appeare by his wordes saying Salute the welbeloued Persis whiche woman hath laboured much in the Lord. Rom. 16. Phebe sig bright cleere or pure She was a certayne godlie widowe which serued in the congregation of Cenchrea by whom Saint Paule sent his Epistle written to the Romaynes wherein he saieth in her prayse and commendation on this wise I commend vnto you Phebe our sister which is a seruant of the Church of Cenehrea that yee receiue her in the Lorde as it becommeth Sayntes and that yee assist her in whatsoeuer businesse she needeth of your ayde for she hath geuen hospitality vnto many and to me also Rom. 16.1.2 Priscilla signifieth somewhat auncient knowing She was the wife of Aquila the Iewe of Ponthus the tentmaker who with her husband came from Rome to Corinth there dwelt into whose house Paul being of y e same occupatiō came lodged whiles he abode there wrought at his arte so became Pauls mistresse in y e yeere of y e worlds creatiō 4019. afterward she went with her husbād and Paul to Ephesus there remayned behynd Paul who went on his iourney to Hierusalem And when Apollos y t eloquent man came to Ephesus and preached Christ as wel as he could Priscilla and her husband heard his preaching and perceiuing him not to be as yet fully instructed in y e knowledge of Christ tooke him home with her seuerally taught him more perfectly the mysteries of the Gospel And hee being a very eloquēt great learned mā disdayned not to be taught of these poore crafts mā womā Acts 18. Finally she was a woman so deerly beloued of S. Paul y t in most of his Epistles he made special remembrance of them as worthy members of Christs Church As namely in his epistle to y e Romans recōmended himself vnto her her husbād specially by name among other woorthy godly men women saying Greet Priscilla and Aquila my fellow helpers in Christ Iesus which haue for my life layd downe their owne neck vnto whom not I onelye geue thankes but also all the Churches of the Gentiles Rom. 16. 3.4 Also in his epistle to the Corinthians he saith the churches of Asia salute you Aquila Priscilla with the church that is in their house salute you greatly in the Lord. 1. Cor. 16. 19. Lastly in his epistle to Timothy he saith salute Prisca or Priscilla Aquila and the houshold of Onisiphorus 2. Tim. 4.19 Puah or Phua or Fua sig a redde headed man a shamefast woman groning a mouth howling She was one of the two fauourers or chiefest mydwiues of Egypt in the tyme of Pharao that tyrant who with her companion Shiphrah so greatly feared God that they did not murther the male children of y e Hebrues as the king had commaunded them but preserued them aliue made their excuse vnto the king to his contentment for which their fact God increased them with his blessings Exod. 1.15 R Rahab or Rachab sig famine a thirst breadth broade enlarged a street a proud dame strong making a ruffle or tumult She was a Gentile borne and a harlot victualer dwelling vpon the towne wall of Iericho where she kept a tauerne or common Inne or hostage for wayfaring men and others And when it chaunced that the two men of Israel whom Iosua had sent
doe mee Whereupon Isaak called Iacob and blessed him and sente him awaye with a great charge to take a wife of the Daughters of Laban Rebeccas brother And thus by the counsaile and perswasion of Rebecca Iacob escaped the daunger of Esaw and was sent to Laban his mothers brother where in processe hee gat him a wife and purchased the loue of Esaw againe Afterward Rebeccaes nurse called Debora died and was buryed in Bethel vnder an Oke Gen. 22.23 24.5.25.26.34.27.35.8 Reuma or Ruma or Roma signi a hie stately or loftie dame thunder outcast Shee was the Concubine of Nahor Abrahams brother Milchas mate who bare vnto Nahor foure sonnes called Tabath GahaÌ„ Thahash and Maachah Gene. 22.24 Rhode signi seeing strong a fight a disascenting a rose She was the faithful mayde of Marie the mother of Iohn Mark who hearing Peter knocke at the doore knewe his voice but did not at the first open the doore and let him in for ioye and gladnesse of his comming but ranne in and tolde her mistris and the companie of the faithful then assembled praying for him that Peter stoode at the doore And they not beleeuing her reporte to bee true sayde vnto her thou art madde Yet shee affyrmed it constantly that it was so then sayde they it is his Aungell So Peter continuing still knocking at the last shee went and opened the doore and when they saw Peter so miraculously deliuered they were all astonished Act. 12. 13. Rizpha or Respha signi a hurt with a sâ—one Shee was the daughter of Ahyah and after became king Sauls Concubine by whome she had two sonnes the one named Armony and the other Miphiboseth And after the death of Saule shee played the naughtypacke with Abner the chiefe Captaine of Sauls hoste who being therefore reprooued by Ishbosith Saules sonne Abner like a wicked man coulde not abyde to heare of his faulte with this woman herby tooke occasion in his wrath conceiued against Ishbosith to betray the kingdome of Saule to transfer it first to Dauid who afterwarde deliuered her two sonnes aboue named together with the fiue sonnes of Merob Sauls eldest daughter to the Gibeonites who for the offence of Saule hanged them vp together vpon an hill before the Lord. Then Rizpha perceiuing their carcases to remayne vpon the gibbet longer then the law required made prouision to saue theyr bodies that neyther birdes should fall vpon them by day nor beastes by night Also in the time of the great famine that then was by reason of the drought shee made her self a tent of sackcloath and place it vppoÌ„ a rock wherin she coÌ„tinued praying froÌ„ y e beginning of haruest vntil water dropped vpon y e people from heauen And when it was told Dauid what Rizpha Saules Concubine had done to pacifie the wrath of the Lorde Hee caused the bones of her sonnes with the bones of Saule and Ionathas to bee carryed into the countrey of Beniamin and there buried in the Sepulchre of Cis Saules father 2. Sam. 3. 7.21.8 c. Ruth signi watred or filled seeing hasting falling enspiring glutted dronken Shee was the sister in lawe of Orpha a very fayre Damosel borne in the countrey of Moab where by chaunce shee became the wife of Mahlon the sonne of Elimelech and Naomy a straunger of the Israelites that came out of the lande of Iuda there to soiourne And when her husbande was dead and her sister in lawes also shee and her sister went to bring her olde mother Naomy then a widdowe also on her waye trauailing home to her owne countrey of Iuda And when she had gone a good way with her mother and her sister Orpha with much intreatie of her mother in lawe was returned backe to her house in Moab Ruth for no intreatie nor perswasion that her mother in law coulde vse vnto her woulde in anye wise forsake her or departe from her for when her mother Naomy sayde vnto her Oh see my daughter thy sister in lawe Orpha is gone home againe to her people and to her godes return thou also go after her she being by Gods wonderfull prouidence appoynted to be one of his housholde coulde by no perswasion bee turned backe from God that had chosen her to bee his but answered Naomy her mother in law thus Intreate mee not to leaue thee nor to departe from thee for whether thou goest I will goe and where thou dwellest I will dwell thy people shall bee my people and thy God my God Looke where thou diest there will I dye also and there will I bee buryed The Lorde doe so and so vnto me if ought but death onelye departe thee and me asunder so forsaking father and mother and her owne countrey where shee was borne shee went forwarde with her mother in lawe till she came to Bethlem Iuda which was in the moneth Aprill or in the beginning of barley haruest Whither when she came to declare her great affection that shee bare towardes her mother in lawe shee was verye diligent and willing to spare no paynefull diligence to gette both her owne and her poore mother in lawes lyuing and humbly sayde vnto Naomy I praye thee let mee goe to the fielde and gleane eares of corne together after him in whose sight God shall make mee finde fauour And so as Ruth went out one day a leasing among the harueste folke shee happened by the prouidence of God vppon the fieldes perteining to Boaz who shewed her such kindnesse that shee neyther lacked meate nor drinke neyther yet corne so long as haruest lasted which she caryed home stil to her mother in lawe to relieue her And when al haruest was done her mother in law Naomy gaue her this counsaile saying This man Booz in whose fielde thou hast leased all this while is our neere kinsman therefore do now by my counsaile This night he wynnoweth barley in the barne wash thy selfe therefore and annoyt thee and put thy rayment vpon thee and get thee to the barne and keepe thy selfe close vntill he haue left eating and drinking and when hee goeth to sleepe marke the place where he layeth him downe And when he is a sleepe goe and lyft vp the cloathes softly at his feete and lay thee downe and he shall tell thee what thou shalt doe So when Ruth had done all thinges according to her mother in lawes teaching Boaz about midnight awaked out of his sleepe and feeling one lye at his feete was afrayde and groping with his hande hee asked who it was I am Ruth quoth shee thine handmaide spreade therefore the wing of thy garment ouer thine handmaiden for thou art next of my kinne Now blessed art thou quoth Booz for thou haste shewed more goodnesse at the latter end then at the beginning in asmuch as thou folowest not young men were they poore or rich And now my daughter feare not I will doe vnto thee all that thou requirest for thou art well knowne to bee a woman of vertue Howbeit
chiefest midwiues of the Hebrue women in the lande of Egypt vnto whom king Pharao in his cruel rage against the Israelites and the children of God gaue this commandement saying when yee doe the office of a midwife to the women of the Hebrues or Israelites and set them on their stooles or seates whereupon they satte in trauelling of childe If it be a sonne then ye shall kill him but if it be a daughter theÌ„ let her liue Notwithstanding these two midwiues feared God more then the king did not murther the infants of the women of Israel in y e birth as y t bloody butcher king Pharao had coÌ„maÌ„ded theÌ„ But coÌ„trariwise preserued y e meÌ„ children still aliue which wheÌ„ y t tyrant the king vnderstood he sent for these two good midwiues rebuked theÌ„ saying why haue ye preserued aliue y e meÌ„ childreÌ„ coÌ„trary to my coÌ„mandment But the Midwiues made their excuse and answered the king saying Because O king quoth they the Hebrue women are not like the women of Egypt for they are more strong and sturdie women and liuelie and quicklie deliuered yer the Midwiues come at them Which answere the tyrannous king well allowing of when he saw he could not preuaile by that craft he burst foorth to open rage against Gods people and commaunded all his people that they should cast euery man childe of the Hebrue women into the riuer but to reserue euery maidechilde aliue But as touching this act of Shiprah and her fellow Midwife as their disobedience heerein to the king was lawfull enough so their dissembling and lying in their excuse so vnto him was euill howbeit because the Midwiues feared God therefore God made them houses and prospered them that is God rewarded their constancie not their lying and blessed and increased the families both of the Midwiues and of the Israelites by their meanes so that the people of Israel multiplied and were very mightie Yea by their meanes that notable member of Gods Church and holy man of God Moses was preserued by whom God deliuered his people out of the oppression and slauery of that Tyrant Pharo to his vtter destruction in the redde Sea Exod. 1.15.16 c. Shuah or Sua or Suaa sig crying sauing mightie honorable regardful of the sauiour lowlinesse studie speech budding praier She was a Cananitish woman borne the daughter of one Suah or as some thinke of Hirah an Addulamite and became the wife of Iudah the sonne of Iacob which affinitie notwithstanding was condemned of God so shee bare vnto Iuda three sonnes Er Onan and Shelah at a place called Chezib But because her two eldest sonnes were both wicked men in the sight of the Lorde therefore the Lorde slue them both to her great griefe And in processe of time shee also died after whose death her husband Iudah committed horrible incest with her daughter in lawe Tamar the wife of Er her eldest sonne to the slander of the Church and offence of the godlie as ye may reade Gen. 28. 1. Chro. 2.3 There was another woman called Shuah which was the daughter of Hebar the sonne of Beriah the sonne of Ashur and who also was the sister of Iaphlet Shomer and Hotham 1. Chr. 7.32 Susanna or Suesâ—hanna sig a Lilly a Rose Mirth his Lilly grace or Lady her grace and good behauiour louely fauourable c. Shee was the daughter of Helchias of the tribe of Iuda and wife of Ioachim a very great riche man and of high reputation and honour among the Iewes in Babylon where hee dwelt Nowe shee beeing a very fayre woman well brought vp and instructed by her parentes in the law of Moses one y t feared God In the same first yere that she was married there were two Iudges made of y e Ancients of the people which resorted muche to her husbande Ioachims house because hee was the most honorable of all others and all they of the Iewes which had any thing to doe in the lawe came thither also vnto them to haue their matters hearde and decided These two Iudges beeing wicked men were so wounded with the loue of Susanna and burned so in lust towards her both at one time vnwitting one to the other that they wist not what to doe but neither durst tel the other his grief nor yet for shame vtter their inordinate dotage and lust vnto her And so on a day when they had sate long in Ioachims house about matters of the lawe and waited for to haue their purpose on Susanna and coulde not they brake vp and went home to dinner And at their returne againe togethers the one brake to y e other their whole minds appointed a time when they mighte take her alone And when they had espied out a conuenient time y t Susanna went into a faire garden that shee had adioyning vnto her house as her manner was there to walke euer about noone when her husbandes Clients were all gone home to dinner with two of her maidens onelie accompanying her there to walke wash herselfe in the heate of the day Behold these two olde lechers hid them selues in the garden against her comming And assoone as her maidens had shut the garden or orcharde dore and were gone for oyle and sope for their mistres as shee had commaunded them These two wicked Elders or lecherous Iudges who had lyen there priuilie hid vnknowen to Susanna and her maidens like two neighing horsses came vpon her now beeing all alone and saide Beholde the garden dores are nowe shut that no man can see vs and wee burne in loue with thee therefore consent vnto vs and lye with vs if thou willt not wee will beare wtinesse against thee that a young man was in the Orchard with thee and y t therefore thou sentest away thy maydens from thee because thou wouldest commit adultery with him And then Susanna sighed and saide Alas I am in trouble on euery side for if I followe your mindes and doe the thing it will bee my death And if on the other side I consent not vnto you nor doe it not yet can I not escape your handes Well it is better for mee to fall into your handes without the deede doing then to sinne in the sight of y e Lord by doing it And with that shee cryed out vpon them with a loude voice And the olde lechers cryed out as fast against her which clamour on both parties was so great that it was hard among her seruants without which ranne to the garden dore and burst it open for hast to see what the matter was And when the seruants had heard the elders false report of Susanna they beeing a little too hastie in beleeuyng so false a reporte of their mistres were greatly ashamed of her for there was neuer suche a report made of Susanna before So on the morrowe after these two wicked Iudges full of mischeuous imaginations againste Susanna came to Ioachim her husbandes house as the manner
malice he possibly coulde against him And after that he was inuited with the king to Hesters feast he for ioy that he was so highly in her fauour also as he thought went home and called for zeresh his wife and all his friendes and told them all howe the king had preferred him to honour aboue other and especially how that Hester the Queene had byd no man to her banquet but the king saue him onely but sayeth he to his wife all this doeth nothing auayle me nor doe me any good so long as I see y t malepart Iew Mordicay sit stil at the kings gate doe me no reuerence as I passe by Then zeresh his wife being a wicked woman gaue him as wicked counsel against Mordicay and sayd Let them make a Gibet or a payre of gallous fiftie cubites high and to morow speake vnto the king that Mordecay may be hanged theron Then shalt thou goe ioyfully w t the king vnto the Queenes banquet which wicked aduise counsel was no sooner geuen but Haman her husband as speedily put it in practise caused a most huge paire of gallous to be made set vp for Mordicay But whē he came to y e king thinking to haue begged Mordicay to be hanged God in y e meane time had so wrought in y e kings heart to promote Mordicay that Hamā cōtrary to his expectatiō was cōmanded by y e king to doe Mordicay al y e honor he might as vnto y e kings chiefest friend But whē he had done y e thing went so neere his heart that he hasted home again very sorowful sad told zeresh his wife his friēds al y t had befallen him quite cōtrary to his hope thē said his wife zeresh vnto him if Mordicay thine enemy be of y e seed of y e Iewes before whō thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not preuayle against him but shalte surely fall before him And as God put in the mouth of this wicked woman to speake euen so indeed y e Lords decree came to passe against her husband For afterward he was hanged vpō the same gallous that shee caused him to make for Mordicay together with her 7. sōnes also at one time she her selfe turned out of house home all that euer shee had confiscate geuē to Q. Hester as appeareth in the storie of Esther at large Esther 5.10.14.6.13 Zeruah or Serua sig a woman Leaper or hornet She was y e wife of one Nabat an Ephrathite of zerida bare vnto him a sonne called Ieroboā whē her husband was dead she a widow because her sonne was a mā of strēgth and courage she preferred her sōn into y e seruice of king Salomon where in proces for his wisedome and valiantnes he became surueyour of the kinges workes for y e tribe of Ephraim Manasses but at the last for the great offences of y e king God among other enemies raysed vp this hir sonne Ieroboam to rebel against the king his maister and after his death aduaunced him to the kingdome of Israel 1. King 11.26 Zeruiah or zaruia or zeruah or Serua or Seruiah with an S. si bound griefe distresse or trouble of the Lord binding vp framing shaping c. She was the daughter of Ishai or Nahash Dauids father sister to Dauid Abigail mother of Abishai Ioab and Asael 3. valiant captaynes worthy men of the tribe of Iuda 1. Chro. 2.16 2. Sam. 17.25 Zibiah or zibia or Sebia sig a prickette fayre chiefe standing to the Lord willing She was a woman of Beersheba and wife of Ahaziah king of Iuda mother to Ioash the good king of Iuda who repayred the temple of the Lord which Athalia and her childrē had broken downe spoyled and restored the true religion that Athalia had defaced and set vp Idolatry 2. Chro. 24.1.6 2. King 12.1 Zilla or Sella sig a shadow a rosting a scorching a tingling a setting vp a treading downe a comparing a wicker basket She was one of the two wiues of Lamech the sonne of Methushael the mother of Tubalkain the cūning smith brasier of his sister Naamah her mates name was Adah who seeing that all men hated their husbande for his crueltie were afrayd least at one time or other he should be killed Gen. 4.19.22.23 Zilpah or zelpah zelphan sig the rewme nought worth the despising of the mouth a slauering mouth She was the maid seruaunt or handmayde of Laban whom he gaue to Lea his youngest daughter the wife of Iacob to be her handmayd and when Lea had left bearing of children she gaue her mayde zilpha vnto her husband Iacob to wife who bare vnto her 2. sonnes called Gad and Assur which afterward were two of the ten tribes of Israell Gen. 29.24.30.9 c. Zipporah or Sephora sig his bird fayrenes pleasing a sparrow a trumpet wel doing goodnes fayre early a Goate She was one of the seuen daughters of Reuel or Iethro or Hobab Prince of Midian or Ethiopia who comming with her sisters to draw water at a well and fill the troughes for to water their fathers sheepe were resisted by Shepheardes that droue them away Howbeit beyng rescued by Moses that sate there at the wel as a banished man driuen out of Egypt who rose vp and defended them they drew water enough and watered their sheep they returned home againe their father there seeing them come sooner then they were woont to doe asked of them how chaunce they had done so quickly A man of Egypt quoth they deliuered vs from the hands of the Shepheards and also drewe water ynough and watred our sheepe Thē their father to declare his thankfull mynde was desirous to recompence the benefite and good turne done by Moses vnto his daughters and saide vnto them where is he Why haue yee so left the man call him that he may eate and drinke with vs. So they went and called Moses who agreed to dwell with their father And at the last their father gaue this his daughter zipporah vnto Moses to wife vnto whom she bare 2. sonnes the one called Gershon the other named Elezer And when it pleased God to call Moses from keeping his father in lawes sheepe out of Ethiopia of Midian to goe into his owne countrie Egypt to deliuer his people from the tyranny of Pharao he tooke his wife zipporah and her two sonnes with him and returned towards Egypt And as he was by the way in a common Inne God punished Moses so with a sore sicknesse for neglecting his sacrifice of circumcision for he had not as yet circumcised his sonne as God had appointed that he had almost killed him with death Then zipporah his wif◠seeing that her husbande for sicknesse coulde not and GOD euen then required it to be done as an extraordinary acte of a woman not to bee followed of anye other women in baptising their owne children tooke a sharpe knife and
and their children and the recouery of their goods cleane contrary to their dueties and as it were in despite of Gods word which vtterly condemneth the same to the great perill of their bodies and soules goods lands and posteritie yea vtter destruction both of bodies and soules for euer in hell without speedie repentance and conuertion Woman in a vision Zachariah the Prophet among other his visions saith that he sawe a woman sitting in the middes of an Ephah or bushell couered with a talent of ledde ouer the mouth of it also that he saw two other women with winges like storkes bearing the same Ephah betweene theÌ„ in the ayre or skie flying away with it toward the laÌ„d of Shinaar there to set or place it which woman represented signified the iniquitie of y e vngodly which the Lord shutteth vp in a measure and keepeth it as it were in a prison y t he only can shut and open at his pleasure so y e Sathan caÌ„ haue no such power to teÌ„pt the godly therwith as he would faine haue And this vision of the 2. other women doth further signifie how that God caÌ„ eueÌ„ by such weake vessels and small meanes remoue iniquity with the weight of all afflictions that come thereby from the godly to their enimies if they repeÌ„t turne vnto him as I praye God we may haue al grace to doe that speedily Amen Zach. 5.6.7 c. The two harlots of Hierusalem In the yeere of the worldes creation 3112. there came two harlots or women victualers vnto king Salomon as he was at Hierusalem in the beginning of his raigne and stoode before him to pleade for a quick child the one woman began to accuse the other of murdering hir child and sayde O my Lorde I and this woman dwell both together in one house and I was first deliuered of a childe and within 3. dayes after that I was deliuered this womaÌ„ was deliuered also in the same house and so we lay both in childbed together no stranger being with vs in the house but wee twayne and this woman ouerlaye her child in the night and it dyed and to auoyde both the shame and the punishment due for so vnnaturall murder of her owne childe she arose at mydnight and stole away my quick child froÌ„ my side while thine handmayd slept and laid her dead child in my bosome in steed therof And when I rose in the morning to giue my child sucke behold he was dead And when I had looked vpon it wel considered it in the light I found it was not my sonne whom I had borne Then the other harlot replyed saying Nay it is not so as thou sayest but this is my sonne that liueth and thy sonne it is that is dead No quoth the other this is thy sonne that is dead and mine it is that is aliue Now Salomon the king hearing their contention how the one said the child that liueth is my sonne and the dead child is thy sonne and the other denyed it so stiffely saying that the dead was none of hers but the liuing and no witnesse nor proofe of eyther side brought to proue their assertions to the end therefore that the impudencie of the one trespasser should not ouerthrow the iust cause of the innocent woman he like a most iust iudge and wise Prince to try out the trothe presently deuised adiudged as followeth First he called for a sword which being brought vnto him now take y e liuing child quoth he to y e seruants and deuide it in twayne geue the one halfe to the one woman and the other halfe to the other with that the first woman that made the complaynt who was the mother of the liuing child indeede hauing now her motherly affection and tender compassion towardes her childe kindled â—ried out and as shee that had rather endure the rigour of the law then to see her child cruelly slayne before her face sayde vnto the king Oh my Lord geue her the liuing childe and slay him not But y e other harlot most impudently sayd nay let it be neither thine nor mine but deuide it Then the king wisely vnderstanding obseruing the vnnaturalnesse or rather crueltie of this harlot who had killed her childe gaue this righteous iudgement and sayd Giue her that complayned the liuing childe and slay him not for this is his mother By which example of Salomons wisedome tried in iudgemeÌ„t God made it plainely appeare to all the worlde that he kept true promise with him in graunting him wisedome at his desire yea it so terrified the heartes of all the hearers thereof that for euer after they feared the king as he in whom the very wisedome of God himselfe remained and as a figure of Christ. 1. King 3.16 c. Ieremy the Prophet in his Epistle to the captiue Iewes in Babylon maketh mention of certayne impudent and common harlots y t were in Babylon in his dayes saying Furthermore the women gyrdeâ— with cordes sit in y e streetes burne straw or branne if one of them be drawen away and lye with any such as come by she casteth her neighbour in the teeth because she was not so worthily reputed nor her cord broken Baruch 6.43 The description of an harlot by Salomon As I was in the window of my house saieth Salomon I looked through the lettice and saw considered among the fooles children a young man voyd of wit and destitute of vnderstanding who passed thorow the streets by the corner and went toward the house of an harlot in the twylight of the euening when the night began to be blacke and darke for there was almost none so impudent but they were afrayd to be seene and also their owne consciences did accuse them that they weÌ„t about wickednesse which caused them to seeke the darknesse of y e night to couer their filthines and sinne withall And beholde there mette him a woman with open tokens of an harlot both in her apparrell gesture and behauiour for she was ful of babling and lowde woordes and ready to dallie her feete cannot abyde in her house nowe she is without nowe in the streetes and lyeth in wayte at euery corner So this light woman caught this foolishe man and kissed him and with an impudent face and shamelesse countenance she â—ayde vnto him Come I haue peace offringes meate at home prepared to make good cheere with this day also haue I payd my vowes and made satisfaction for my sinnes so holy was this harlot as she would seeme outwardly vnder a cloke of hypocrisie the better to deceiue others and to allure them into her snares therefore came I foorth to meet the quoth she that I might seeke thy face and I am glad that I haue found thee come home now I say with me for I haue decked my bed with couerings and gay ornaments of tapistry and clothes of Egypt yea I haue perfumed my bed with myrrhe
to doe and beganne to take vp armes against the children of the Israelites as maintainers of their brethrens cruell facte but therefore they were all by Gods iust iudgement iustly plagued for the other tribes of the children of Israell ioyning with them in battayle vppon that occasion offered And after the losse of two and twentie thousand men of Israell that were slayne at the first conflicte and eighteene thousand men of Israell at the seconde battayle and threescore men of Israel at the thirde and fifth encounter in all fortie thousand and 60. men of the one side the Israelites then at Gibea slewe of the Beniamites in one daye fiue and twentie thousand and an hundred chosen men of warre at another conflict 18. thousand and at the last battell fiue and twenty thousand men in all threescore and eight thousand and an hundred men of the Beniamites all chosen and valiant souldiers and stoute men of warre on the other side and went and burnt their cities and destroyed man and woman beast cattell with the sworde and fire so that this harlots death cost the liues of an hundred and eight thousand one hundred and threescore valiant men of warre besides an infinite number of women and children And after this great slaughter the children of Israel of the other tribes made an othe and sware within themselues by consent soleÌ„ne decree as it were that none of them should euer after geue their daughters or women vnto the Beniamites to wiues saying cursed be he that geueth a wife to Beniamine so greatly did they then detest abhorre that wicked fact committed by the children of Beniamine against this Leuites wife or concubine Iud. 19.20 Lots wife Lots wife being drawen by God out of Sodome and commaunded to escape for her life and to flye from his plagues ready to be powred vpon that citie for the abhominable sinnes thereof and not to looke behind her nor to be sory to depart thence for any riches or vanitie that she had or knew in the citie countrie yet for all this as she went behind her husband to Zoare in the playne she looked backe agayne vnto Sodome and behelde it howe it burnt with fire and brimstone lamenting no doubt for the losse of so godly a citie and her wealth possessions which she had left therein behynd her Wherefore presently by Gods iust iudgement for a notable monument of Gods vengeance vpoÌ„ Sodome and all carnall or fleshly Sodomites as touching her bodie onely she was turned into a piller of salt and so in sauing her life she lost it through disobedience and mistrust Gen. 19.17.26 Whose example our Sauiour Christ speaking of the latter dayes setteth before our eyes saying In that day let him that is in the field not turne backe to that he left behind but let him remember Lots wife for whosoeuer shal seek to saue his soule shal loose it whosoeuer shall loose his corporal life shall get life euerlasting Luke 17.31.32.33 M. Manoahs wife Manoahs wife the mother of Sampson dwelt in a place called Zorah in the tribe of Dan and hauing been long barren and without any child the Angell of the Lorde appeared vnto her and sayde behold thou art barren and bearest not but thou shalt conceaue and beare a â—onne And now therfore beware that thou drinke no wine nor stroÌ„g drinke neyther eate any vncleane thing for loe thou shalt conceaue and bare a sonne and no rasor shall come on his head for the childe shal be a Nazarite that is one separate from the worlde and dedicate vnto God from his birth and he shall begin to saue Israel out of the hands of the Philistines Then the wife came and told her husbande saying A man of God came vnto me and the fashion of him was like the fashion of the Angel of God exceeding fearefull for flesh and blood to behold but I asked him not whence he was neyther tolde he me his name But he sayde vnto me Behold thou shalt conceaue beare a sonne and nowe thou shalt drinke no wine nor strong drinke neither eate any vncleane thing for the childe shall be a Nazarite to God from the birth to the day of his death Then her husband and she shewing them selues readie to obey Gods will and desiring to know further prayed vnto the Lorde and sayde I pray thee my Lord let the man of God whom thou sentest come agayne now vnto vs and teach vs what we shall do vnto y e child when he is borne And God heard their voyce and the Angell of God came vnto the wife as she sate in the field alone without her husbande then shee ranne home in all haste to shewe her husbande and sayde vnto him beholde the man of God hath appeared vnto me againe that came vnto me to day With that her husbande arose and went with his wife vnto the man and sayde vnto him Art thou the man that spakest vnto this woman Yea quoth the Angel Nowe then said Manoah let thy saying come to passe but how shall we order the childe and doe vnto him when he is borne The woman thy wife quoth the Angel must be ware of all that I sayd vnto her shee may eate nothing that commeth of the vine tree she shal not drinke wine nor strong drinke nor eate any vncleane thing forbidden by the lawe Let her obserue all that I haue commaunded her The Manoah intreated y e man of God to tarrie and eate with him but the Angel refused saying though thou make me abide with thee I will not eate of thy bread but if thou wilt make a burnt offering to God offer it vnto the Lorde TheÌ„ what is thy name quoth Manoah y t when thy saying is come to passe we may honour thee Why askest thou after my name said the Angel which is secret or maruellous Then Manoah offered his burnt offering vnto the Lorde and the Angel did wonderously whiles Manoah and his wife looked on for God sent fire from heauen to consume their sacrifice to confirme their faith in his promise and wheÌ„ the flame went vp towardes heauen from the alter the Angel of the Lord ascended vp in the flame which when Manoah and hâ—s wife beheld they fel on their faces vnto the ground and woorshipped God for then they knewe that it was an Angel of the Lord that so appeared vnto them And Manoah sayde vnto his wife we shall surely dye because wee haue seene God but his wife sayd vnto him if the Lord would kill vs hee woulde not haue receiued a burnt offering and a meate offering at our handes neither would he haue shewed vs all these thinges nor woulde haue tolde vs any such as if she would haue said these graces that we haue receiued of God and his accepting of our obedience are sure tokens of his loue towards vs so that nothing can hurt vs. So the Angel of y e Lord did no more appeare vnto Manoah and his
commune with her and sayde Wherefore weepest thou why art thou so sory in mynde O sir quoth she let me alone that I may bewayle my selfe and increase sorow for I am sore vexed in my mynd brought very low what ayleth thee quoth Esdras tell me I â—hy seruant quoth she hauing an husband haue been barren and haue had no childe this thirtie yeeres and euery houre and euery day these thirtie yeeres I pray to the most high God day and night for a childe And after thirtie yeeres God heard me thine handmayden and looked vpon my misery considered my trouble and gaue me a sonne and I was glad of him so was myne husband also and al they of my countrie and we gaue great honour vnto the almighty And I nourished him with great trauell so when hee grew vp and came to take a wife I made a feast but when my sonne went into his chamber he fell downe and dyed Then we all ouerthrew the lightes and all my neighbours rose vp to comfort me so I rested till the second day at night when they had al left of to coÌ„fort me that I should be quiet theâ— I rose vp by night and fled and am come into this fielde as thou seest from whence I am not purposed to returne agayne into the citie but to remayne here and neither to eate nor drinke but continually to mourne and fast vntill I die Then Esdras seeing the womans great folly and desperate mynd began to comfort her and very â—ngâ—rly spake vnto her and sayd thou foolishe woman aboue all other art thou so sory for one sonne What if thou haue lost the fruite of thy wombe which thou hast brought forth with heauinesse and bare with sorowes wilt thou thus wast and consume thy selfe with excessiue mourninâ— for that whiche thou canst not help striue against y e almighty who hath caused thy sonne to returne into the earth from whence he came Oh doe not so foolishly but withholde thy sorowe in thy selfe and beare constantly that whiche commeth vnto thee for if thou allowest Gods purpose receiuest his counsel in time thou shalt be coÌ„mended therein leaue thy mourning therefore arise goe thy way now into the citie to thine husband I wil not quoth she I will not goe into the citie but here will I die Then Esdras seeing her desperate miserie was y e more earnest to coÌ„fort her and continued his speech more and more vnto her and sayde O doe not so woman but be counselled Shake off thy great heauinesse and put away the multitude of sorowes and be of good comfort that the almighty may be merciful vnto thee and y â— the most highe may giue thee rest and ease from thy labour and sorow which thou endurest But while I was thus talking with her comforting her sayth Esdras behold her face and beauty shined suddainly and her countenance became so bright that I was afrayd of her and musing what it mighâ— â—e immediately she cast foorth a great voyce and very fearefull so that the very earth shoke at the noyse of the woman And I looked but beholde the woman vanished away and appeared no more but in her place there appeared a citie builded then being more afraide I called for the Angel Uriel to vnderstand this vision who presently came vnto him and tolde him the solution and meaning thereof namely that the woman was Syon wherein there was no offering offered for 30. yeeres space but after 30. yeeres it was built vp by Salomon who offered offeringes so the barren citie bare a sonne The inhabiting of Ierusalem was signified by her nourishing of her sonne And the fall y t came to Ierusalem is the death of her sonne in his wedding chamber her mourning representeth the lamentation of y e people for the destruction of Gods temple and citie and Esdras comforting her declarâ—d his sorowe griefe and sufferinges for her misery for whiche cause God shewed him the cleerenesse of her glorie the fairenesse of her beautie euen the restauration of the temple citie of God into a better forme c. 2. Esd. 9.38.10 c. Machabitesse In the yeere of the worlds creation 3964. there was among y e Machabites or Iewes a righteous godly woman whose name was Hanna as Iosephus saith fol. 4. a And who with her 7. sonnes were all taken and compelled by the cruel tyrant Antâ—ochus and vncircumcised king of the MacedoniaÌ„s against Gods law to cast swines flesh and were tormented with scourges and whippes Which woman their mother was marueilous aboue all other worthy of honourable memory For when she saw her seuen sonnes slayne within the space of one day she suffered it with a good will because of the hope that she had in y e Lord yea she exhorted euery one of them in her owne language and being ful of courage wisedome stirred vp her womanly affection w t a manly stomake said vnto them I cannot tel how yee came into my wombe for I neither gaue you breath nor life it is not I that set in order the members of your body but doubtlesse the creatour of the world which formed the birth of man found out the beginning of al things will also of his owne mercie giue you breath life againe as yee now regard not your owne selues for his lawes sake With which her woordes and oration made vnto her children the king being displeased and thinking himselfe greately abused and iniuried thereby in that contrary to his expectation shee rather enâ—ouraged them to death then dissuaded them as he looked after many terrible threatninges and faire promises made vnto her youngest sonne to conuert eate when he saw it would not be for any thing he coulde doe he called his mother and with many words and faire promises exhorted her that she would counsell the young man to saue his life So she promising the king that she would giue her sonne the best counsell she could turned her selfe vnto him laughing the cruell tyraunt to scorne and spake in her owne language vnto her sonne and sayde O my sonne haue pittie vpon me thy mother that bare thee ix monethes in my wombe and gaue thee sucke three yeeres and nourished thee tooke care for thee vnto this age and brought thee vp I beseech thee my sonne looke vpon the heauen and the earth and all that is therein and consider that God made them of things that were not and so was mankind made likewise feare not this hangman but shewe thy selfe worthy such brethreÌ„ by suffering death as they haue done before thee y t I may receiue thee in mercy with thy brethren when shee had spoken these wordes her sonne by and by called for the Executor and offered him selfe body and life to die for the lawes of his God as his brethren had done c. Then the king being kindled with anger raged more cruelly against him then the other and tooke
brought to extreeme necessitie and pouertie as he did this poore man and woman before he succoured them to the intent that afterward being helped and restored by him againe they might haue the more ample cause to prayse his mercie When Benhadad king of Aram had besieged Samaria so long vntill the famine was wonderfull great and that an Asses head was soulde for fourescore peeces of siluer to eate for want of victualles and the fourth parte of a kab of Doues dung was soulde for fiue peeces of siluer to burne for lacke of wood Beholde as Iehoram the vngodly king of Israel was going vpon the wals of the Citie to looke vnto his affayres there cryed a certaine woman of the Citie vnto him and said Helpe my Lorde O King whose voyce being heard the king began to waxe angrie and in stead of comfortable wordes he being moued gaue her reprochfull speeches thinking in deede she had called vnto him for that which he had not namely for sustenance and victuals whiche as then was very hard for him to giue because they were all spent sayd vnto her Seeing the Lorde doth not succour thee howe shoulde I helpe thee with corne or wine or any other victual for as thou knowest there is no such thinges left among vs. Then the woman answered my Lorde O king I aske of thee neither victualles nor sustenaunce therefore the king sayd vnto her againe Woman then what ayleth thee and what wouldest thou haue O king quoth shee there is a controuersie betweene mee and another woman one of my neighbours about a bargayne or couenant For wee made this contract or couenant betweene vs that wee woulde eate our children one one day and another another day so I in good faith stoode to my promise and killed my sonne and sodde him and we haue eaten him together but this woman nowe when the day came that we shoulde eate her sonne shee hath craftily conueyed him away and hid him from mee eyther to spare his life for compassion and natural affection or for to satisfie her own hunger and to eate him alone without mee and so shee hath broken her couenant and is departed from her promise whereby I am like to perishe for hunger vnlesse thou O king giue sentence and iudge my But y e king abhorring so vnnaturall wicked a contract or bargaine could in no wise ratifie y e same nor alow therof For what is more horrible theÌ„ to receiue into y e belly again y e childreÌ„ once brought vp to bury their bowels euen in their owne bowels thereby making that their graue which was their nourishment Therefore when the king heard these vnnaturall wordes and cruell contract of the women hee feeling the iudgementes of God fallen vpon him and his people for his wicked life rent his clothes and put on sackcloth in signe of sorrow and lamentation For nowe was the curse of God against the contemners and despisers of his lawe perfourmed which he threatned Leuit. 26. where he sayth Yee shall eate the fleshe of your owne sonnes and the fleshe of your daughters shall ye deuoure Nowe I say was fulfilled that heauie indignation and wrath of God against the idolaters and wicked people foreshewed by God in Deut. 28. where it is sayde that the enemie shal besiege thee in al thy cities vntil thine high stroÌ„g walles fal downe c. And thou shalt eate the fruite of thy body euen the fleshe of thy sonnes and thy daughters which the Lorde thy God hath giuen thee during the siege and streightnesse wherein thine enemie shall inclose thee So that the man that is tender and exceeding dayntie among you shal be grieued at his brother and at his wife that lyeth in his bosome and at the remnant of his children which he hath yet left for feare of giuing vnto any of them of the flesh of his childreÌ„ whom he shal eate because he hath nothing left him in y e siege streightnesse wherew t the enimie shall besiege thee in all thy Cities Yea and the tender and daintie woman among you which neuer woulde venture to set the sole of her foote vpon the grounde for her softnesse and tendernesse shall bee grieued at her husbande that lyeth in her bosome and at her sonne and at her daughter and at her after byrth that shal come out from between her feete and at her children which shee shall beare for when all things lacke shee shall eate them secretly during the siege and streightnesse wherewith thine enemies shall besiege thee in thy cities 2. King 6. Samaritesse In y e same citie of Samaria called SicheÌ„ there was a certayn womaÌ„ ytâ—ame about noone to draw water at Iocobs wel where shee met Iesus sitting all alone vppon the welles mouth to rest him whiles his disciples were gone into the Towne to buy victualles And when shee had drawen her water and filled her pitcher Iesus sayde vnto her woman giue mee drinke Howe is it quoth shee that thou being a Iewe askest drinke of mee which am a woman of Samaria For the Iewes meddle not with the Samaritanes yea they esteeme the Samaritanes as wicked and prophane Then Iesus speaking of him selfe whom his father had sent to conuert this woman among other sayde vnto her if thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that sayth to thee Giue me drinke thou wouldest haue asked of him and hee woulde haue giuen thee water of life which is the loue of God in his sonne powred into our heartes by the holy Ghost vnto euerlasting life Rom. 5.5 1. Iohn 3.5 Sir quoth the woman thou hast nothing to drawe with and the well is deepe from whence then hast thou that water of life Art thou greater then our father Iacob which gaue vs the well and he himselfe dranke thereof and his children and his cattell Yea saide Iesus whosoeuer drinketh of this water shall thirst againe but whosoeuer drinketh of the water that I shall giue him that is of the Gospel of Grace shall neuer be more a thyrst dryed vp or destitute For the water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life Sir quoth shee giue me of that water that I may not thirst neyther come hither to drawe First go sayd Iesus and call thine husbande and come hither I haue none quoth shee Thou hast well sayde sayd Iesus vnto her I haue no husbande for thou hast had fiue husbandes and hee whom thou nowe hast is not thine husbande that saydest thou truely Then the woman being liuely touched with her faultes where before shee mocked and woulde not heare Christ nowe shee could say Sir I see that thou art a Prophete our fathers worshipped in this mountayn and ye say that in Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worship Woman said Iesus beleeue me the houre commeth when yee shall neyther in this mountayne nor at Ierusalem worship the father yee worship that which
his face that he was the murtherer of her husbande and her father and now last of all of her sonne to whoÌ„ the king aunsweared neither good nor bad From that day forewardes there was perpetuall hatred betweene Alexandra and Marimy and Riparim the mother of Herode and Salumith her sister that came of base and seruile blood After this Salulumith on a time perceiuing that the king detested Marimy tooke occasion to accuse Marimy of treason and that shee woulde poyson the king her husband which the king too lightly beleeuing to bee true at her false report commaunded Marimy to be brought foorth and to be beheaded in the citie And as she was brought foorth vnto the market place of the citie all the women of the citie followed her Alexandra her mother also cursed and rated at her saying come out thou y t hast abhorred conspired against the Lord. Alexandra wept also as though it had byn for the wickednes that her daughter had committed thinking surely to please the king by that meanes and to bleare his eyes if peraduenture he might suffer her to liue til she might haue opportunity to poyson him but all would not helpe for Marimy for all this was guiltlesse beheadded and put to death by the king her husband as you may reade more in her history Then the king repenting him of her death for loue of her he fel sick and being at deaths doore Alexandra his mother in law sought meanes how to poyson him which being vttered to the king he commanded to apprehend her to kil her which was done accordingly So was Alexandra also beheaded and put to death as appeareth in Iosephus fo 35.38.40.41.42.45.46.56 Anna of this name there haue bin many noble women one was a Iewe wife of Elcana and mother of Samuel as yee may reade in the Scripture another was an old widow prophetesse in Ierusalem in Christes time c. y e 3. was daughter to Isachar of y e tribe of Leui or as Damascen saith of y e tribe of Iuda was married to Ioachim of y e same tribe which being long barren at last brought foorth y e blessed virgin Mary after the death of Ioachim she was married to Cleophas and after his death to Solome Cooper in his dictionary Damascen Aristobulus wife the Queene vpon a false report geuen out against her good brother in lawe Antigonus commaunded him to be cruelly put to death in prison without knowledge of the king her husbands and his brothers mynd which cruell murder blooddy fact of hers hastened her husbands death speedily for being very sick before now for thought died Ioseph fol. 17. Afterward when her sonne Alexander fled to Alexandria and there was narrowly besieged pursued by Gabinius a Romain with a stroÌ„g army she like a good mother went forth to Gabinius weeping and besought him y t he would not destroy her sonne so for her sake Gabinius spared her sonne Alexander did him no harme Ioseph fol. 30. Arsinoe was the daughter of Ptolome sister to Philopater who going to warres against Antiochus w t her brother Philopater as they fought fiercely together Arsinoe weÌ„t diligeÌ„tly about her meÌ„ weeping pitifully with her haire about her shoulders desired theÌ„ y t they woulde helpe her fight valiaÌ„tly promising to giue vnto euery of their wiues childreÌ„ if she had the victory 2. pounds of gold Thus by her meanes it came to passe y t their enimies were ouerthrowen her brother Philopater got y e victory ouer Antiochus as yee may reade more at large in the 3. booke of the Machabees fol. 1.2 3. Beronice who was sister vnto king Agrippa wheÌ„ she came by chance to Ierusalem of deuotion to visite the holie place sawe one Florus president aâ—d captayne of the Romaines most greeuously and violently to oppresse the people of the Iewes and for payment of exactions and tollage to slaye manye of them euen at the entraunce of the Temple Shee came foorth weeping vnto Florus that furious wretche and besought him to bee fauourable and spare the people for shee pitied them very greatly but Florus relented nothing But when she was departed from him he flouted and mocked her although she wâ—re the kings sister and that in the temple of the Lord to her great discomfort Afterward Eliasar the seditious people hauing gotten y e rule of the citie Ierusalem not only furiously set a fire the king Agrippas house and all therin but Beronices house also the kings sister they burnt to the ground deuided the spoyle amoÌ„gst them as yee may reade in Iosephus fol. 64.68 Cleopatra Queene of Egypt wife vnto Marcus Antonius a noble man of Rome hauing receyued letters of ayde from Alexandra made this comfortable aunsweare agayne in another letter If thou canst finde the meanes to come to me secretly thou shalt perceyue what I will doe for thee After this Marcus Antonius her husband being made next vnto the Emperour Augustus and sent by him to warre vpon the kings of the West countries as hee that raigned in Egypt nowe by his wiues Cleopatras prouocation hee rebelled against Octauian Augustus his maister and made warre with him both by Sea and by land and ioyned in league with Herode king of the Iewes But at the last her husband being slain and dead by Octauians host comming by ship to the Isle of Rhodes Herode escaped hauing reconciled him selfe to Octauian Then they went both together towards Egypt to be reuenged vpon Cleopatra as she that was the only cause of her husbands conspiracie and rebellion by inciting him therevnto But saith Iosepus that wicked woman when she saw her city to be ouercome put out her most precious apparrel sitting vpoÌ„ y e throne of her kingdome commaunded a Uiper to be brought vnto her which assoone as she had suffered to sting her brest she died As Octauian Augustus came to the place saw her sit there he reioyced that he might be reuenged of her coÌ„manded to thrust her from her throne but wheÌ„ they came to her found her dead it displeased Octauian the Emperor and grieued him very sore Iosph 40.44 Deboras saith Iosephus a prophitesse by her prayer brought to passe great health in Israell so did diuers other iust and godly women which by their prayers obteyned many thinges at Gods hand Iosephus fol. 184. Hyrcanus wife the Queene being a widowe was banished from Ierusalem by her owne sonne Aristobulus together with Alexander her youngest sonne Ioseph fol. 17. Hasmonais maide being very well beloued of one Herod the seruant also of the said Hasmonai that killed her maister and the whole familie saue this maide whom he loued and vsurped the kingdome ouer Israel When shee sawe that her maister and all his familie were dead and shee onely left aliue shee distrusting Herodès crueltie went and clymed vp to the toppe of an house saying There is no body left aliue of my
father nor mother nor countrie He laboureth and trauelleth and giueth and bringeth all home to his wife wherefore a man loueth his owne wife more than father or mother 1. Esdras 20 21,25 A man ought to loue his wife for thrée causes especiall first bicause they lead their liues togither in mutuall societie secondlie for that she is the weaker vessell and therefore to be cherished and borne with but chieflie and lastlie bicause that God hath made them as it were fellowe-heires togither of life euerlasting as you may read before in the 1. Pet. 3. Husbands loue your wiues euen as Christ loued the Church or congregation and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word that hée might make it vnto himselfe a glorious Church not hauing spot nor wrinkle or anie such thing but that it should be holie and without blame euen so ought men to loue their wiues as their owne bodies He that loueth his wife loueth himselfe For no man euer yet hated his owne flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it euen as the Lord dooth the Church For we are members of his bodie and of his flesh and of his bones For this cause shall a man leaue father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife and they twaine shall be one flesh For this is a great mysterie but I speake concerning Christ and concerning the Church saith S. Paule Therefore euerie one of you husbands doo ye euen so let euerie one loue his wife euen as himselfe Ephes. 5 25. Neuerthelesse by the parable of the great supper where one refused to come therto being called alledging it for a lawful excuse bicause he had maried a wife it doth appéere that we ought not to loue our wiues more than God For there Christ saith If anie man come to me and hate not father and mother wife and children brethren and sisters yea and his owne life also he can not be my disciple Matth. 14. Againe he saith Whosoeuer shall forsake house and land wife and child for my name sake he shall receiue an hundred fold more and inherit euerlasting life Matth. 19,29 Where we learne to cast off all naturall affection and desires euen to our déerest friends which drawe vs from comming to Christ and to folowe and obey his will before all things When to abstaine or forbeare to accompanie our wiues BE readie on the third daie and come not at your wiues but sanctifie your bodies and giue your selues to praieer and abstinence that you may at this time of the publishing of the lawe and Sacraments be holie and attend onelie vpon the Lord and his seruice said Moses to the people Exo. 19,15 Thou shalt not go vnto a woman to vncouer hir shame as long as she is put a part for hir disease or whilest she hath hir flowers Leuit. 18 19. Sée more Cap. 20,18.12,2 and 15,24 Where we sée that the husband might not for that time that his wife was either in child-bed or put apart for hir vncleannesse by the old lawe resort vnto hir to lie with hir Abimelech the priest would not giue of the halowed shew-bread of the temple vnto Dauid and his seruants at the first asking but said If the yoong men haue kept themselues at least from women and haue not companied with their wiues and when Dauid answered saieng Certeinlie women haue béene separate from vs these two or thrée daies and the vessels or bodies of the yoong men are holie though the waie were prophane and how much more then shall euerie one bée sanctified this daie in his vessell or shall be more carefull to kéepe his vessell holie when he shall haue eaten of this holie food With this answere of Dauid I saie Abimelech being pleased gaue vnto Dauid and his men of the shew-bread to eate as you may read 1. Sam. 21,4,5 There is a time to loue and a time to hate a time to imbrace and a time to be far from imbracing Eccles. 8 5. Let the husband giue vnto the wife due beneuolence that is all duties pertaining to mariage The wife hath not the power of hir owne bodie but the husband and likewise also the husband hath not the power of his owne bodie but the wife Defraud not one another therefore by long abstinence except it be with consent for a time that yée may the better giue your selues to fasting and praier and againe come togither that Sathan tempt you not for your incontinencie but I speake this by permission not by commandement saith the Apostle Paule 1. Cor. 7 5. When and wherefore the husband may lawfullie put awaie his wife and where not see in title diuorce MOses as it may séeme sent his wife Zeppora backe againe vnto hir fathers house for hir impatiencie by the waie or in the iournie that they went least she should be a let to his vocation which then was so dangerous read Exo. 18,2 As the Apostles also who though it were lawfull for them to lead about a wife being a sister that is a faithfull Christian woman as the brethren of the Lord yet it may séeme that in time of persecution and planting of the Gospell they forsooke their wiues and left them with their friends as Moses did 1. Chron. 9 5. It was lawfull for the Israelites that had maried strange wiues to put them awaie euerie man his wife bicause it was to auoid Gods plagues that therefore were hanging ouer their heads bicause they contrarie to his commandements had maried strange idolatrous heathen women as you may read in 1. Esdr. 9. Neh. 9. He that putteth awaie a good woman putteth awaie a good thing but he that kéepeth an harlot is a foole and vnwise Prou. 18 22. Depart not from a wise discréet and godlie woman that is fallen vnto thée for thy portion in the feare of the Lord. For hir grace and gift of hir honestie is aboue gold If thou haue a wife after thy mind forsake hir not but commit not thy selfe to the hatefull woman Eccles. 7 19,26 Giue the water no passage nor a wicked woman hir will and if she walke not in thine obedience cut hir off then from thy flesh Giue hir a bill of diuorcement and forsake hir that she doo not alwaie abuse thée For it is better to dwell with a lion and a dragon than to kéepe house with a wicked wife Eccles. 25. So did Ashuerus put awaie Uasti his wife bicause she was disobedient to his commandement as appeareth in the storie of Quéene Hester 1. If thou hate thy wife put hir awaie saith the Lord God of Israel not that he doth alow diuorcement but of the two faults he sheweth which is the lesse as you may read more at large described Mal. 2 16. Ioseph being a wise man and one that feared God when he perceiued his espoused wife the virgin Marie great with child before they came togither he suspected that she had committed fornication
before she was betrothed and therefore partlie bicause he would not reteine hir which by the lawe if it had béene true should haue béene maried to another and partlie for that by accusing hir he was loth to put hir to open shame for hir fact or to make hir a publike example to the world therefore he was minded to haue put the blessed virgin awaie secretlie vntill it pleased God to reueale the truth vnto him and to command him to take hir home vnto himselfe who did so and was verie louing tender and carefull ouer hir continuallie both for hir preseruation and hir blessed babes to the glorie of God and both his and our euerlasting ioie as you may read at large in the storie of the virgin Marie Matth. 1 c. Art thou bound to a wife Séeke not to be loosed 1. Cor. 7. Yea God to the end we should doo our best to conuert our wiues and cleaue inseparablie vnto them though they fall into follie and vncleannesse vpon hope of amendment sheweth by his prophet Hosea that he loueth his Church though it erre or fall into idolatrie which is spirituall whooredome and doth not withdrawe his loue from vs for all our sinnes if we abuse not his lenitie and patience too much but repent in time and beléeue his Gospell Hos. 3,1 Ezech. 24,16 See more in diuorcement Of Gods heauie iudgements against wedlocke breakers THou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife but be pure in hart word and déed Exo. 20 14 17. Thou husband drinke the water of thine owne well and the riuers that run of thine owne spring that is content thy selfe with thine owne wife so shall thy fountaine that is thy children which shall come of thée in great abundance be blessed For God blesseth mariage and curseth whooredome Reioice I saie and be glad with the wife of thy youth which thou didst marie of a virgin or when you were yoong let hir be as the louing Hind and pleasant Roe let hir brests alwaie satisfie thée and hold thée euer content with hir and delight thou in hir continuallie For why shouldest thou delight my sonne in a strange woman or imbrace the bosome of an harlot And knowe this that euerie mans waies are open in the sight of the Lord and he pondereth all their paths yea the wicked shall be taken in their owne iniquitie to their vtter confusion Thus we sée that except a man ioine to his wife both in hart and in outward conuersation that he shal not escape the iudgments of God Prou. 5 15. He that breaketh wedlocke and committeth adulterie shall find a wound and dishonour and his reproch shall neuer be put awaie For gelousie is the rage of a man therefore he will not spare in the daie of vengeance He can not beare the sight of anie ransome neither will he consent though thou augment the gift Whereby the holie Ghost sheweth that man by nature séeketh his owne death that hath abused his wife and God will vndoubtedlie punish him therefore Pro. 6,32 Take héed O thou husband that the Lord be not witnesse betwéene thée and the wife of thy youth against whom thou hast transgressed For she is thy companion or as the one halfe of thy selfe and the wife of thy couenant which was ioined to thée by a solemne promise and by the inuocation of Gods name before the congregation Therfore kéepe your selues in your spirit conteine your selues within your bounds and be sober in mind and bridle your affections and let none trespasse against the wife of his youth And if for hir faults thou hate hir yet hée that is godlie couereth the iniurie vnder his garment and thinketh it expedient for his owne honestie to kéepe his wife still and so as it were couereth hir fault saith the Lord by his Prophet Malac. 2 14 c. There is two sorts of men that abound in sinne and the third bringeth wrath and destruction A mind hot as fire that can not be quenched till it be consumed an adulterous man that giueth his bodie no rest till he haue haue kindeled a fire to lust and a man that breaketh wedlocke and thinketh thus in his hart Tush who séeth me I am compassed about with darknesse the wals couer me no bodie séeth me whom néed I to feare The most high will not remember my sinnes Such a man onelie feareth the eies of men and knoweth not that the eies of the Lord are ten thousand times brighter than the Sunne beholding all the waies of men and the ground of the déepe and looking euen to mens harts in the most secret places The same man shall be openlie punished in the stréets of the citie and shall be chased abroad like a yoong horse fole and when he thinketh least of it he shall be taken and openlie punished Thus shall the adulterous man that breaketh wedlocke be put to shame of euerie man bicause he would not vnderstand the feare of the Lord. And thus shall it go also with euerie wife that leaueth hir husband and getteth inheritance by a strange mariage Eccles. 23. Flie fornication and adulterie For doo ye not knowe that he which coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one bodie For two shall be one flesh 1. Cor. 6,16 Mariage is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled but whooremoongers and adulterers God will iudge Heb. 13 4. If mine hart said holie Iob hath béene deceiued by a woman or if I haue laid wait at the doore of my neighbour then let my wife grind vnto another man and be made a slaue and let other men bow downe vpon hir For this is wickednesse and iniquitie to be condemned yea this is a fire that shall deuoure to destruction and which shall roote out all mine increase Iob. 31 9. Finallie we haue manie notable examples how greatlie the breach of mariage displeaseth God and how in all ages men were persuaded that Gods vengeance should light vpon wedlock-breakers as it may appeare euen in the heathen kings Herod and Abimelech who tooke Sara and Rebecca the wiues of Abraham Isaac to be their wiues and had almost lien with them for which GOD plagued them with great plagues as appeareth Gen. 12 20,26 c. The dutie of wiues towards their husbands THe woman was created of man to the end she should be an helpe and comfort méet for him but bicause she first transgressed Gods commandement and intised hir husband to doo the same therefore vnto hir God inioined this punishment of sorowe and subiection saieng vnto Eue and in hir to all wiues I will greatlie increase thy sorowes and thy conceptions In sorowe shalt thou bring foorth children and thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall rule ouer thée Gen. 2,20,3,6,16 This difference was betwixt the wife and the concubine in the old time The wife was taken with certaine solemnities of mariage and hir children did inherit as lawfullie begotten but the concubine
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
Hircanus the king and his sonne Alexander thy husbaÌ„d any name or remnant at all The Queene gaue them no woorde to aunsweare whereat Aristobulus her sonne was angry and letted not to vtter to his mothers face but shee woulde not heare him Wherefore Aristobulus counselled the Sectaries to goe their wayes and departe out of Ierusalem to choose them Cities in the lande of Iuda where they might dwell with their honoure and not to suffer them selues to bee slayne vnder the Pharisies handes Wherefore departing from Ierusalem they dwelte in the Cities of Iuda Not long after this it fortuned the Queene fell sore sicke that shee was like to dye Whereof when Aristobulus hearde hee feared least the Pharisies woulde make his brother Hircanus king and at lengthe apprehende him wherefore hee fledde awaye by night to the Cities of the Sadduces to bee their heade and make warre vppon his brother if hee woulde presume to raygne Hee came therefore to the Prince of the Sadduces called Galustius who was a good manne of warre And after he hadde gathered a stronge armie of the Saduces his mother the Queene sent vnto him y t hee shoulde returne vnto her which he would not doe but rather went to warre vppon the nations that dwelt about him where he wanne twentie Cities and gotte him greate renowne thereby Nowe as the Queene his mother waxed sicker and sicker the chiefe Pharisies came vnto her with her sonne Hircanus weeping before her and saying howe they were afraide of her sonne Aristobulus who if he shoulde come into Ierusalem and take it hee woulde deliuer them vp into the handes of the Sadduces Unto whom shee aunsweared I am as you see at the poynt of death not able to talke muche with you There is heere in my house greate treasure that my husbande and my father gathered and their Parentes kinges of the posteritie of Chasmonani take that vnto you and make my sonne Hircanus king ouer you If Aristobulus will perturbe him and make warre agaynst him yee may wage men of warre therewith and succour him as you thinke good And euen with this shee faynted and dyed and was buried amongest her people after she had reigned nine yeeres ouer Israel Iosephus fol. 21. 22.23.24.75 There was another woman of this name called Alexandra whiche was the daughter of Hircanus the king of Israel and sonne to the afore named Alexandra and when shee hearde that her father Hircanus was taken prisoner depriued of his kingdome and ledde away captiue by Antigonus into Persia shee with her daughter Marimy that shee had by Alexander the sonne of Aristobulus her vncle went towardes Rome where by the way Herode mette with her and her daughter and brought them agayne into the lande of Israell where hee tooke Marimy her daughter to wife and solemnized the marriage with her in the mount of Galilee for there the chiefe of all Israell dwelt and so became king of Ierusalem Afterwarde when her father Hircanus was released and came home to Ierusalem Herode her sonne in lawe came out to meete him embraced him and kissed him after brought him into his house and feasted him daylie calling him his father before all menne albeeit in his hearte hee conspired to murder him And that knewe Alexandra his daughter and mother in lawe to Herode who opened it vnto Hircanus her Father but hee woulde not credite her at the first till on a time hee perceiued the matter cleare to be so then deuised he how to flie to Maloc king of Arabia but before he could get away Herode so handled y e matter that he was accused put to death wrongfully by this meanes Herod was the better established in his kingdome After hee had thus dispatched Hircanus his wiues progenitour father of Alexandra his mother in law and had deposed Haniel from the office of the high Priesthoode and preferred his wiues brother Aristobulus to that dignitie Which he did to quiet his wife and to fulfill his mother in lawes mynde Notwithstanding this Alexandra his wiues mother was not content nor satisfied for the death of her father was such a greefe but alwayes spake snappishly to the king that hee committed her to ward Then she wrote to Cleopatra Queene of Egypt and wife to Marcus Antonius a Noble man of Rome declaring vnto her all the mischiefe that Herode had done to the posteritie of Chasmonanie and desiring her of ayde To whom Cleopatra made this aunsweare if thou canst finde the meanes to come to me secretly thou shalt perceiue what I will doe for thee When Alexandra had read the letter shee sent to Aristobulus her sonne the high Priest shewing him that shee woulde flye to the Sea Iapho and from thence woulde take shipping into Egypt perswading him also to flie with her We will sayth shee make two coffers one for mee another for thee and wee will with rewardes allure our seruauntes to carrye vs out priuilye whereby wee may flye to saue our liues This their deuise was pecceyued of one of Herodes seruauntes who foorthwith made the king priuye vnto it The king commaunded his seruaunt that bewrayed them that when they did conueye their coffers they shoulde bring them to him whiche the seruaunt did So when the coffers were brought to the kinges presence hee caused them to bee opened and tooke out Alexandra and her sonne Aristobulus to whome the king spake sharpely and rebuked them sore But Alexandra aunsweared him againe as short insomuche that the king moued with anger flaÌ„g awaye from her into his chamber saying It is better to sitte solitarye in a corner of the house then with a brawling or scoulding woman in an open place The king dissembled the matter and shewed outwardly no great displeasure whatsoeuer he did inwardly But a yeere after the king fearing sore y t the Israelites woulde in the ende restore the kingdome vnto Aristobulus and the children of their fathers he perceyuing euery mans heart to be so inclined to Aristobulus for his vertue and godlinesse sake wickedly deuised and secretly concluded at a feast made to Aristobulus and all his Nobles that certayne of his owne seruants beeing disposed to goe and swimme in Iordan shoulde desire Aristobulus the young man to goe and bathe with them in Iordan and then and there to drowne him So Aristobulus coÌ„tinuing swimming with the kings seruants till sunne setting when it began to be darke they drowned him amongst them Wherof when tydings came to the court it was wel knowen that he was dead all the people made great lamentation for him but chiefly Marimy his sister and Alexandra the young mans mother she could in no wise be comforted Yea and although she sawe the king himselfe also to weepe and make great mone for it repented him that he had done so wicked an act yet all the people knew wel iâ—ough that y e thing was procured by him Insomuch that Alexandra his mother in law letted not to tel it him to