hir heart hath fayled hir the sunne hath fayled hir whiles it was day shee hath béen confounded and ashamed yea vtterly dismaide in the middes of her prosperitie c. Iere. 15.7.8 c. Howe doe I remayne solitarie and alone like a widowe we are vnderlings euen fatherlesse without father and our mothers are as wydowes c. Therefore our heart is heauie for these things Lamen 1.1.5.3 The widowes of the wicked and rebellious people shall eyther be â—layne or neuer lament their husbands death but sodenly be taken captiues led away prisoners by their enemies so that they shal haue no time to lament and mourne for their desolation and widowehood Psal. 78.6.4 Yee shall not trouble any wydowe nor fatherlesse childe if you vexe or trouble such and so shée call and crye vnto meeâ— I will surely heare hir cry saith the Lorde and then shall my wrath bée kyndled and I will kyll you with the swoorde and your wyues for a iust plague vpon such oppressours shall bée widowes and your children fatherlesse Exod. 22.22 Thou shalt not peruert the right of the straunger nor of the fatherlesse nor take a widowes raiment to pledge Deut. 24.17 They that cast out widowes emptie and breake the armes of the fatherlesse that is that not only doe not shewe pitie vnto the widowe and fatherlesse but oppresse them euen snares shall compasse them rounde about and manifolde afflictions shall vexe them Iob. 22.9,10 Some wicked ones there bée that leade away the asse of the fatherles and take the widowes oxe to pledge and that doeth euill entreate the barren neyther doe they any good to the widowe Therefore such mercilesse men shall not bée pitied nor lamented when they fall because they neuer pitied others Iob. 24.3 21. This is the heritage and portion of a wicked tyraunt and oppressour of widowes and orphans with God namely his children though they be many in number shall be destroyed with the swoord and his posteritie shall begge their bread his remnant shall be buried in death and obliuion and his widowes shall not weepe nor any lament for him Iob. 27.13.15 I deliuered the poore that cryed and the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him The blessing of him that was ready to perish came vpon me and I caused the widowes heart to reioyce saith Iob to signifie what we ought to do also if we will be counted in the number of the godly Iob. 29.12.13 Yea if I restrayned the poore of their desire or haue caused the eyes of the widowe to fayle by long wayting for hir request or haue eaten my morsetles alone and the fatherlesse haue not eaten thereof for from my youth he hath gone vp with me as with a father and I haue nourished him and from my mothers wombe I haue been a guide vnto the widow and maintained hir cause I haue séene none perishe for want of clothing nor any poore without couering If I haue lift vp my hande against the fatherlesse and widowe in the gate to oppresse them and to doe them iniurie when I sawe that I myght helpe them then let me be counted for a most wicked man and let myne arme rotte off and bodye fall in pieces Iob. 31.16 GOD he is a father of the fatherlesse and a iudge of the wydowes euen GOD in his holy habitation maketh the solitarie to dwell in families and deliuereth them that are oppressed Psalm 68.5,6 I will surely blesse their widowes with increase and will satisfie the poore with bread Psal. 132,15 This was perfourmed in the poore wydowe of Sarepta c. Let the chyldren of the oppressour and extortioner bee fatherles and his wife a widowe let his children be vagabondes and begge their breade out of desolate places let the extortioner consume all that hee hath and the straunger spoyle his labour let there bée none to extende pitie and mercie vnto him neyther let there bée any to shewe compassion vpon his fatherlesse children and widowe Let his posteritie be destroyed and in the next generation following let their names be quite put on t Finally let the iniquitie of his father be had in remembrance with the Lorde and let not the sinne of his mother be done away but let them alway bée before the Lorde that he may cutte off their memoriall from the earth Psal. 109.9 The Lorde kéepeth the straunger hée releeueth the fatherlesse and widowe euen all them that are destitute of worldly meanes and succour but he ouerthroweth the way of the wicked Psalm 146.9 The Lorde will destroy the house of the proude men but hée will stablish the borders of the widowe that feareth and loueth him Prou. 15.25 Learne to doe well seeke iudgement relieue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse and defende the widowe Esai 1.17 Woe bée vnto them that decree wicked decrees and write gréeuous thinges to kéepe backe the poore from iudgement and to take away the iudgement of the poore of my people that widowes may bée theyr pray and that they may spoyle the fatherlesse Esai 10.1 They execute not iudgement for the fatherlesse and widowe nor for the poore of the lande and shall I not visite them for these thinges sayth the Lord to be auenged of such wicked doers Ieremie 5.28 Thus saith the Lorde Execute yée iudgement and righteousnesse and deliuer the oppressed from the hande of the oppressour and vexe not the stranger the fatherlesse nor the widowe Doe no violence neither shed innocent blood in this place c. Iere. 22.3 The wicked like Lyons catch the pray rauishe widowes and deuour men Ezech. 19.6.7 In thée O wicked citie Ierusalem in thée I say haue they despised father and mother in the middes of thee haue they oppressed the straunger in thée haue they vexed the fatherlesse and the widowe Ezech 22.7 Thus sayth the Lorde Execute true iudgement and shewe mercy and compassion euery man to his brother and oppresse not a widow nor the fatherlesse the stranger nor the poore c. Zacha. 7.9 I will bee neere to you to heauie iudgement and I will bee a swift witnesse against the soothsayers and all the adulterers and against false swearers and against all those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and vexe the widdowes and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and feare not me saieth the Lorde of hoâ—es Mala. 3.5 Come say the wicked let vs oppresse the poore that is righteous and let vs not spare the widdowe nor reuerence the white haires of the aged Wisd. 2.10 Woe bée vnto you Scribes and Pharisées Hyppocrites for yee deuoure widdowes houses euen vnder a colour of long prayer wherefore yee shall receiue the greater damnation Mat. 23. 14. Mark 12.40 There are a sort of hypocrites saith Saint Paule which créepe into houses and leade captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lustes which women are euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2. Tim. 3.6 I tell you of a truth saith
women to nurse the child for thee Yea quoth Pharaos daughter goe thy way So the mayd his sister went and called this Iochebed the childes mother and hers to whom Pharaos daughter committed the childe to nurse saying take this childe away and nurse it for me and I will reward thee Then Iochebed tooke her owne child and nursed it and so was Moses preserued from perishing by water as the king had cruelly commanded Wherby we see that mans counsell cannot hinder that which God hath determined shall come to passe nor destroy that which he wil haue saued So when the child was well growen in age Iochebed brought him vnto Pharaos daughter who made him her adoptiue soÌ„ne called his name Moses because sayde she I drew him out of the water Exod. 2.1.6 â—0 Num. 26,59 Iudith or Iudea signi praysing or confessing he that prayseth or confesseth She was the daughter of Merari the sonne of Ox and wife of one Manasses Who being dead in the yeere of the world 3492 about barly haruest time left her much riches and a great familie in the citie of Bethulia where she dwelt So beyng left a desolate wydow she made her a tent vpoÌ„ her house to pray in put on sackcloth her widowes apparrel fasted al the dayes of her widowhood saue the day before y e Sabboth the Sabboth the eues feasts or solemne dayes y t were kept in Israel yea she was a woman of so great chastity vertue godlines feared God so greatly that there was none could bring an euill report of her but euery one gaue her their good worde Nowe during the time of her widowhood it chaunced Olophernes the captayne of Nabuchodonozor king of Assyria to come and besiege the citie of Beâ—hulia where she dwelt of whose huge host mightie power the Iewes and Citizens of Bethulia were so sore afrayde that they wist not what to doe for he hauing layde siege vnto the citie 34. dayes had in that time destroyed all the water conduits so that they must eyther starue or yeeld of force Wherevpon the people with one consent men women children ran to Oseas the hie Priest and chiefe elders of the city cryed out vpon theÌ„ to yeeld giue ouer the citie to Olophernes in time least they al perished through their negligeÌ„ce who exhorted them to tarry and wayte yet fiue dayes longer for the mercy of God and if he helped them not in that space the elders woulde doe as they had required Then Iudith who all this while had kept her house and was continually in fasting and prayer hearing of the euill words of the people against the Gouernours for lacke of water and what promise Ozias the elders had made vnto the people to deliuer the city vnto the enemy within 5. daies she sent her mayd Abra that had the gouernment of all things y t she had for Ozias the other auncients of the city made this learned oration vnto them saying Heare me O yee Gouernours of the inhabitaunts of Bethulia for your wordes that yee haue spoken before the people this day are not right touching this othe and promise that ye haue made pronounced between God you haue promised to deliuer the city to the enemy vnles within these 5. daies the Lorde turne to helpe you And now what men are yee that yee haue tempted God this day set your selues in Gods steede among the children of men So now you seeke the Lord almighty but yee shall neuer know any thing for you can not find out the depth of the heart of man neither can ye perceiue the thinges that he thinketh then how can you search out God that hath made all these thinges and know his mind or comprehende his purpose Nay my brethren prouoke not the Lorde our God to anger for if he will not helpe vs within these fiue dayes hee hath power to defende vs when he will euen euery day or to destroy vs before our enemies Doe not you therefore binde the counsayles of the Lorde our God for God is not as man that hee may bee threatned neyther as the sonne of man to bee brought to iudgement Therefore this your deuise obtayneth no mercy of God but rather prouoketh him to wrath and displeasure Will yee set the mercy of the Lorde a tyme and appoint him a day at your will No exhort the people to repentance and prayer and let vs heartily fall downe before him and serue him with a meeke spirite and with weeping eyes say vnto the Lorde that hee deale with vs according to his owne will speedily in mercie that like as our heart is nowe vexed and brought low through the pride of our enemies it may so be comforted by his grace Yea let vs wayte for saluation of him and call vppon him to helpe vs and he will heare our voyce if it please him For there appeareth none in our age neyther is there any nowe in these dayes neyther of tribe nor family nor people nor citie among vs which worshippe the gods made with hands as hath bin afore time of our forefathers for the which sin our forefathers were giuen to the sworde for a spoyle and had a great fall before our enemyes as appeareth Iudg. 2.11.4.1.6.1 But as for vs wee knowe none other God but onely the Lorde therefore we trust that he will not despise vs nor any of our lynage yea for his comfort let vs tarie with meekenesse and he shall require and make inquisition for our blood from the vexation of our enemies hee shall bring downe all the heathen that rise vp agaynst vs and put them to dishonour euen the Lorde our God shall doe it neyther when wee shall be taken shall Iudea be so famous for our Sanctuarie shall bee spoyled and hee will require the prophanation thereof at our mouth And the feare of the people our brethren the captiuitie of the countrey and the desolation of our inheritaunce which they rather wishe will he turne vpon our heades among the Gentiles wheresoeuer we shall bee in bondage and wee shal be an offence and reproch to all them that possesse vs for our seruitude shall not be directed by fauour but the Lord our God shall turne it to dishonour Now therefore O deere brethren Let vs shewe an example to our brethren the people because their heartes depende vpon you and the Sanctuary and the house and the altar rest all vppon you that are the honourable and elders in the people of God Moreouer let vs giue thankes to the Lorde our God whiche tryeth vs euen as hee did our fathers and lift yee vp the heartes of the people with your exhortations that they may call to remembraunce howe our fathers also in times paste were tempted that they might bee prooued if they woorshipped theyr God aright yea put them in minde of this I saye how that our father Abraham being tempted and tryed through
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
anger my wrath shall be poured vpon this place vpon man vpon beast vpon the trée of the fielde vpon the fruit of the ground and it shall burne and not be quenched And thou shalt not pray for this people neither lift vp crie or prayer for them neither intreate me for I wil not heare thée but wil surely punish their wickednes which remaine in their obstinacie against me and wil not obey my worde and worship mee according to the same Ierem. 7.17 c. Moreouer Ieremiah saide vnto al the people to al the women Heare the word of the Lord all Iudah that are in the land of Egipt thus speaketh the Lord of hosts the God of Israel saying Ye your wiues haue both spoken with your mothers and fulfilled with your hand saying we will performe our vowes y â— we haue vowed to burn incense to y e quéene of heauen to poure out drink offering to her c. as verses 16.17.18.19 ye may reade more at large in y e liues stories Ye wil performe your vowes do the things y t ye haue vowed wherinye haue coÌ„mitted double euil in making wicked vowes in performing the same after your owne vaine fancies Therefore c. Behold I haue sworn by my great name saith the Lord y t my name shal no more be called vpon by the mouth of any man of Iuda in all the land of Egipt saying the Lord liueth And beholde I will watch ouer theÌ„ for euill not for good all men of Iuda shal be consumed by the sworde and famine vntill they be vtterly destroied which declareth an horrible plague towards Idolaters séeing that God will not vouchsafe to haue his name once mencioned by such as haue poluted it and that their wiues shal be made widowes children fatherlesse c. Reade the whole chapter at large Iere. 44.25 c. The womeÌ„ that lay vp the things offered vnto Idols that bring gifts to the gods of siluer gold wood and cloath theÌ„selues with the garments of those images and y e meÌ„struous womeÌ„ or they in child-bed y t touch their sacrifice offered to these idols of gold siluer or stone Al such womeÌ„ that worship images I say for their idolatrie coÌ„mitted are full of reproofe and shal be vtterly confounded as yee may reade in Baruc. 6.27.28.29.32 If thy brother or thy sonne or thy daughter or thy wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy friend which is as thine owne soule entice thée secretly saying Let vs goe and serue other gods which neither thou nor thy fathers haue knowen c. Thou shalt not consent vnto him or her nor heare her neither shal thine eie pitie her nor shew her mercy nor kéepe her secrete but thou shalt kil her thine hand shal be first vpon her to put her to death then the hands of all the people and thou shalt stone her with stones that she die that al Israel may feare do no more such wickednes to go about to thrust thée away from the Lord thy God to worship him only Deut. 13.6 If there be found among you in any of your cities maÌ„ or woman y t hath wrought wickednes in the sight of y e Lord thy god in traÌ„sgressing his couenant hath gone serued other gods worshipped theÌ„ as the Sun or the Moone or any of the hoast of heauen which I haue not commanded and it bee told vnto thée that art the magistrate then shalt thou enquire diligently and if it be true and certaine that such abhominatioÌ„ is wrought in Israel Then shalt thou bring forth y â— man or that woman which haue coÌ„mitted that wicked thing vnto thy gates whether it be man or woman shalt stone them with stones till they die c. Deut. 17.2 The great whore of BabyloÌ„ y e mother of spiritual whoredoms idolatrie abhominatioÌ„s of the earth which womaÌ„ is drunkeÌ„ with the blood of the Saints Martyrs of Iesus Christ eueu she which is become the habitation of Diuels and the holde of al foule spirits a cage of euery vncleane hateful bird with whoÌ„ the kings of the earth haue coÌ„mitted spirituall fornication by idolatrie of whose golden cup ful of the wine of superstition wrath filthy pleasures al nations of y e earth haue drunkeÌ„ very déepe Finally she y t so proudly glorifieth herselfe liueth in pleasures She I say y t boasteth so gloriously arrogantly like a strumpet saith in her heart I â—itt being a quéene am no widow neither shal I sée any mourning EueÌ„ that proud whore of BabiloÌ„ I say shal sodenly fall downe to the ground be rewarded douâ—â— according to her idolatrous works be tormeÌ„ted with sorowe griefe yea therfore shall all her plagues come at once in one day euen death torment sorowe vexation and faâ—mine And all nations shall hate this idolatrous whore and make her desolate and strippe her naked and shall â—ate her fleshe to the bone and burne her vp altogether with fire For strong is the Lorde God which will condemne her And all her merchantes and louers the whole route of idolatrous men and women shall cast dust on their heades and make great lamentation for her fall howling roaring crying wéeping and wailing saying Alas alas the great citie Babylon the mightie Citie y t faire bewtifull woman alas how in one minute of an houre is thy iudgement come from the Lorde and she made desolate and confounded But O heauen reioyce at her destruction and O yée holy Apostles Prophetes and blessed Martyres of God whose blood hath béen cruelly shed by her in her triumph yée in her ouer throw and confusion for God hath giuen your iudgement on her and reuenged your cause in thus plaging and punishing her for her abhominations idolatrie and persecution Reuela 17.18 The women y e waxe wanton against Christ forgetting their vocation and breaking their first faith that is which leaue their charge and forsake their religion whiche they professe breake their faith and promise made to God and their husbandes to the great slaunder of the Church and dishonour of God and others euill example and that gad abrode idlie from house to house euermore learning and neuer learned like pratlers and busie bodies speaking thinges that are not comelie nor womaÌ„lie eueÌ„ such womeÌ„ I say which thus are turned backe after Satan irreligion and are waxen wanton against Christ haue the greaâ—er damnation and shall therefore bée iustly punished with euerlasting death 1. Tim. 5.11 c. Hast thou not seene this O sonne of man saith the Lord to Ezechiel how the women sitte in the temple mourning for TaÌ„muze the Prophete of the idols all the night long and worship the Sun with their faces towardes the East Hast thou séene this abhomination O thou sonne of man and is it a small thing to the house of Iuda to commit these
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
out this bond womaÌ„ her sonne for the sonne of the bond woman shal not be heire with my soÌ„ne Isaak which thing though it were grieuous vnto Abraham to do because hee tenderly loued Hagars sonne Ishmael yet being coÌ„manded by God to followe his wife Saras counsel therin y t rather for y t the promised seed should be counted from Isaak not from Ishmael also being coÌ„forted by God y t he would blesse Ismael also to a mightie people because he was of Abrahams seede Abraham obeyed the voyce of his wife Sara the next morning early sent Hagar her son away with bag bottel good prouision of victuals vpoÌ„ her back to shift for her selfe her child So Hagar being thus departed from Abraham with her young childe Ishmael in her armes gate her vnto the wildernesse of Beersheba where shee wandered so long vp and downe till all her prouision of meate and drinke was spent gone And wheÌ„ she saw no remedy but y t both she and the child must needs perish for lacke of sustenaunce shee in this great perplexitie renounced all naturall affection and distrusting in Gods prouidence notwithstanding that she had had good experience therof before time went and cast her childe Ishmael vnder a certayne tree behinde a bushe and went her selfe away from it and sate ouer agaynst it a farre off about a bowe shoote weeping and saying thus with her selfe I will not see the death of the childe but as shee sate thus a farre off mourning and lamenting for her sonne Behold God for his promise sake made before to Abraham and not because eyther shee then prayed for the childe as shee ought to haue done or that the childe it selfe had the capacitie and witte to pray for it selfe being so young sent his angell agayne euen from heauen which comforted her in this her miserie and wofull plight saying what ayleth thee Hagar feare not for God hath heard the voyce of the childe where hee lyeth Aryse take vp thy childe and holde him in thine armes and I will make of him a great people as I haue promised vnto Abraham So where as before shee coulde neyther see nor vse the meanes whiche was euen before her eyes God at this instant opening her eyes and Hagar nowe arose and sawe a wel of water wherevnto shee went and refreshed her selfe and filled her bottell with water and then ran to the boy and gaue it drinke thereof by which good prouidence of God both shee and her sonne were relieued and liued together a long time after to her great ioy and comfort And when her sonne came to mans state she then dwelling in y e wildernes of Paraâ— tooke him a wife out of the lande of Egypt Gene. 16.17.21 Haggith or Aggite signi holidayes yeerely feastes turning about merrie Shee was one of the vi wiues of Dauid that hee had in Hebron who there bare vnto him a sonne called Adoniah that afterwarde was put to death by his brother king Salomon for treason as appeareth in the storie of Abishag 2. Sam. 3.3 1. King 1.5 1. Chron. 3.3 Hannoch or Anna â—igni gâ—acions or mercifull his grace or fauour gracious Lady fauourable freely giuing resâ—ng c. She was the wife of Elkana an Ephrathiâ—e who beeing coupled with a mate called Penennah or Fenenna that was very fruitful she her selfe long barren without child yet because HaÌ„na was better beloued of her husband then her mate Penenna was although Penenna had more porcions and giftes giuen vnto her of her husbande when hee wente abroade and vnto her sonnes and daughters then Hannah had Therefore her aduersary mate Penenna did dayly vexe her sore by â—â—brayding her casting her in the teeth w t her barreÌ„nes yea as oft as went vp to the house of the Lorde to sacrifice and serue God her companion would so vexe her herewith to her great reproch that she would sitte and weepe and lament greatly in fasting and prayer in her house before she went out adores which when her husband perceiued he to comfort her said vnto her Hannah why weepest thou and why eatest thou not And why is thy heart thus troubled am not I thy louing husband better to thee then ten sonnes Let this suffice thee that I tenderly loue thee no lesse then if thou hadst manye children So Hanna to satisfie her husbands mynd did eate and drinke a little but yet beeing full of heauinesse that God had made her such a rayling stocke that she could not quietly eate nor drinke nor serue GOD as shee ought shee arose and went to the Temple of the Lorde in Siloe where the Arke then was to woorshippe GOD. And there beeyng tormented and troubled in minde shee made her heartie prayers vnto GOD with teares to geue her a sonne or manchild the forme of which prayer or vowe appeareth in the first Lampe of Uirginitie pag. 6. And as she continued praying very earnestly in the Temple before the Lorde it fortuned that Eli the high Priest as he sate there also marked her mouth and perceiuing her lippes onely to moue a little no voyce heard for she prayed mentally and secretly in her heart he thought she had bin dronken and said vnto her Thou woman how long wilt thou be dronken put away thy dronkennes from thee Then Hannah being further vexed in mind to see her selfe thus interrupted in her prayers and more slaundered by the rash iudgement of so graue a man could no lesse but make him this aunsweare in her excuse and sayd Nay my Lord I am not dronke neyther haue I drunken eyther wyne or strong drinke But I beyng a woman troubled in minde dexed in spirite I doe here powre out my sorowfull soule before the Lorde in mentall or secret prayer therefore doe not so rashly count thy handmayde to be the daughter of Beliall or a wicked woman for out of the abundance of the heauinesse and griefe of my heart haue I spoken hitherto Then goe in peace sayde Eli and the GOD of Israel graunt thy petitioÌ„ that thou hast asked And she knowing that y e prayers of others would be of force with God towardes her desired Ely to pray for her saying O let thine handmayden find grace in thy sight and be remembred in thy prayers offered vnto God And so reposing her selfe to the mercie of God and commending her self to Elyes prayers she departed cheerefully home to her house where she ate and dranke merrily and looked no more sad And shortly after God remembred her according to her petition so that in processe of time she conceyued by Elkana her husband and bare him a sonne in the yeere of the world 3000. or therabouts whose name she called Samuel because she begged him of God And when she had geuen her child sucke and brought him vp and weaned it she like a vertuous mother prepared a sacrifice and went to the temple of the Lord in Sylo with her
to spie and view the land of Iericho came and lodged in her house so it was that their comming was bewrayed by some vnto the king of Iericho whereuppon he sent straight wayes vnto Rahab saying bring foorth the men y t are come to thee and entred into thy house for they be spyes and are come to search out al our lād But Rahab hauing brought these two men of Israel her gests vp into the top or roofe of her house there hid them couered them with stalkes of flaxe spread abroad ouer them aunsweared the kings messengers saying there came men vnto me indeed but I wist not whence they were and when they shut the gate in the dark y t men went out and slipt away but whither they went I wote not folowe yee after them quickly for yee shall ouertake them So while they beleeuing her wordes went in all hast pursued after the two mē towards Iordan and sought them in the foords and ditches Rahab assoone as they were gone out of her house shut the gates vppon them and before y e two men that were hyd aboue vnder y e flaxe were asleepe she ran vp vnto them where they lay and sayd vnto them I know that the Lord hath geuen you y e land y t the feare of you is fallen vpon vs and that all the inhabitauntes of the Lorde faynt before you For wee haue hearde howe the Lorde dryed vp the water of the redde sea before you when yee came out of Egypt and what ye did vnto y e two kings of the Ammonites that were on the other side Iordan vnto Seon and to Og whom ye vtterly destroyed and when we heard it our hearts did faint and there remayned no more courage in any of vs because of you for the Lord your God he is the God of heauen aboue and in earth beneath Nowe therefore I pray you sweare vnto me by y e Lord that as I haue shewed you mercie you will also shewe mercie vnto my fathers house and geue me a true token that yee will saue aliue my father and my mother and my brethren and my sisters and all that they haue and that yee will deliuer our soules from death And the men aunswered her and sayde we warrant thee in paine of our liues and sweare vnto you that if yee vtter not this our businesse we when the Lord hath geuen vs the Land will deale mercifully and truely with thee and thy fathers house and kinred as thou hast requested Then Rahab dwelling well for that purpose let these two men down by a corde through a backe window in her house ouer the towne wall and sayd vnto them Goe you into the mountaynes which are neere vnto the citie least the pursuers meete with you and there hyde your selues three dayes vntill the pursuers be returned and then afterward may yee goe your way safely And the men thanking her for her curtesie towards them sayde vnto her We shal be blamelesse and discharged of this our othe which thou hast made vs sweare if thou doest performe this condition following that we shall make for so shalte thou and thine be deliuered namely the condition is this beholde thou shalt bynde this corde of red threed wherewith wee are let downe in this windowe and shalt bring thy father and thy mother thy brethren and all thy fathers houshold home to thee that when we come into the land we may by this signe and token of the red threed hanging in the wyndow know thy house And whosoeuer then doth goe out of thine house into the streete he shal be guilty of his owne death and we guiltlesse of our othe but who soeuer shal keepe within thine house his blood shall be on our heades if any hand violently touch him this condition if yee keepe yee shal be all safe as we haue promised but contrariwise if yee vtter these our secretes or condition to others by side so y t they likewise should thinke to escape our handes together with you by this meanes then at your owne perils be it for we will then be quyte of the othe and promise which thou hast made vs to sweare vnto thee Wel quoth Rahab according to your words and condition so be it So she sent them away who hid themselues in the mountaines 3. dayes and when they were gone she bound the red threed or scarlet coloured corde whereby she let them downe about the mallines of the window and went and gathered her father her brethren friends and kinred vnto her house to be preserued therein in the day of the destruction of y t city Iericho as the men had promised and condicioned with her Now shortly after when Iosua w t his host came besieged y e city Iericho before he destroyed the city hee being mindefull of Rahabs good turne done vnto his 2. men gaue his souldiers and men a great charge concerning Rahab by name saying The citie is appointed of God as an execrable thing to be destroyed with all that are therein onelie Rahab the harlot shall liue shee and all that are with her in her house For shee hidde and preserued the two messengers that wee sente to spyie out the lande And after when by the handes of GOD onlie without mans force the walles of Iericho fell downe and Iosua entred into the citie to take the spoyle and kill man woman and childe still remembred Rahab and saide vnto his two men whom shee preserued Goe into the harlots house and bring out thence the woman Rahab and al that she hath as yee sware vnto her So the young men that were the two spyes went directly to Rahabs house by meanes of the red threed that houng at her window for a signe and brought out Rahab her father and her mother her brethren her familie and al that she had and put them without the host of Israel because it was not lawfull for Rahab and her companie being straungers to dwell among the Israelites till they were purified and when Rahab and hers were thus according to promise carried out of the citie and preserued aliue Iosua set the citie Iericho a fire and burnt vp all therein So Iosua saued Rahab the harlot her fathers housholde and all y t she had because she had hid the messengers which he had sent to spie out y t land or rather as Saint Paule saith By faith this harlot Rahab perished not with them which obeyed not when she had receyued the spies peaceablie Wherin appeareth the great mercie of God that in so great cōmō a destruction he would vouchsafe to draw such a miserable sinner as this Rahab the harlot was voyd of all good works onely by faith to repent and confesse his name as shee did to both hers and others saluation for her sake For after this shee being a Gentile or Heathen dwelt in Israel and there was married to Salmon Prince of y e tribe of Iuda and bare vnto him