ERUBHIN OR MISCELLANIES Christian and judaical, and others. Penned for Recreation at Vacant Hours.  
By JOHN LIGHTFOOT, Master in Arts, sometimes of Christ's College in CAMBRIDGE.  
LONDON. Printed by G. MILLER for Robert Swayne and William Adderton, and are to besold at the 〈◊〉 head in Paul's Churchyard 1629.   

TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL, right learned, and right virtuous Knight, Sir ROWLAND COTTON. I. L wisheth all present and future felicity.  
Ever Honoured.  
MY creeping & weak studies neither able to go, nor speak for themselves, do (like Pyrrhus in Plutarch) in silence crave your tuition. For they desire, when they now come to light, to refuge to you who next to God first gave them life. Your encouragement and incitation did first set me forward to the culture of holy tongues, and here I offer you the first fruits of my barren harvest. Your tried learning and tried love, assure me that you both can judge sound, and yet withal will not judge too heavily of my weak endeavours; and such a Patron my book desireth. This hath caused to you, this present trouble, and in me this present boldness. I know it had been more secure to have been obscure, and not to have come thus to public Hazzard; for as the Roman said well, it is hard when the world shall show me mine infirmities under mine own hand: yet have I had some reason, to manifest myself thus openly to the view of all. Some there be that have hardly censured of me for idleness and sloth) as they make it) because (it seems) I intrude not every moment into the supply of other men's Ministeries, since it hath not yet pleased God, to prefer and promote me to a charge of mine own. I know well the saying of the Apostle Romans. 1.14. belongs to all Ministers, To greeks and Barbarians, to the wise and foolish they are all debtors, and (as the Syrian adds) leakrez, they are debtors to preach: 
The Syrian to that verse adds a wo●d which may well serve for a Comment mebhaichhevo leakrez▪ I am a debtor, or I ought to preach.  And who so is necessarily called, and refuseth, is as bad as the false Prophets were, that would run before they were sent, nay, he may seem rather worse, that when he is sent will not go. From this censure how far I am free, my conscience tells me; though I must confess that I am not so hasty as many be, to intrude myself, where is no necessity: This hath among some purchased me the skarr of slothfulness: to vindicate which I have here ventured as children do, to shoot another arrow to find one 〈◊〉 is lost▪ so have I hazarded my Credit one way to save it ●nother. I know mine own weakness, and that this my ●aines, to scholars, may seem ●●t idle: yet had I rather vnder●●e any censure, than the blot of ●●e other Idleness, the begetter 〈◊〉 all evil, and of unthankfulness, ●●e hinderer of all good. This 〈◊〉 the cause that brings me to a ●●●ke, and my book to you. That the one I may testify to the ●●rld that I love not to be idle, 〈◊〉 by the other witness to you, 〈◊〉 I love not to be unthankful. ●●ept I beseech you of so small ●●esent, and so troublesome a thankfulness, and what I want in tongue and effect, I will answer in desire and affection: suing always to the Throne of Grace, for the present prosperity of yourself and your nobl● Lady, and the future felicity of you both hereafter.  
From my study at Hornsey, near LONDON. March 5. 1629. Yours devoted in all service, john Lightfoot.   

To the Reader.  
Courteous Reader (for such a one I wish or none)  
I May well say of writing books as the wise Greek did of marriage, for a young man it is too soon, & with an old man his time is out. Yet have I ventured in youth to become public, as if I were afraid that men would not take notice of my weakness and unlearnedness soon enough. If I fall far short of a Scholar (as I know I do) my youth might have some plea, but that mine attempt can have no excuse but thy charity. To that I rather submit myself then to thy Censure. I have here b●ought home with me some glean of my more serious studies, which I offer to thee not so much for thy instruction, as for thy harmless recreation. I bear in mind with me the saying of Rabbi josihar jebudah in Pirke Abboth. He that learns of young men, is like a man that eats unripe grapes, or that drinks wine out of the winepress: but he that learneth of the Ancient, is like a man that eateth ripe grapes, and drinketh wine that is old. For fear thy teeth should be set on edge, I have brought some variety: I have not kept any method, for than I should not answer my title of Miscellantes. I have upon some things been more copious, than other, and (as Rab. Solomon observes of Ruth) I have sometime but stood to glean, and sometime sitten down. I hope thou wilt not censure me for judaizing, though I cite them, for it is but (as the Musician in Plutarch did) setting a discord first, that you may better judge of the consort: and seeing error, you may the more embrace the truth. If this my youthful attempt shall provoke any one that is young to emulation in the holy tongues, I shall think I have gained▪ Adjourn thy severe censure till either future silence, or some second attempt either lose all, or make some satisfaction. For the present: Quisquis haec legit, ubi pariter certus est pergat mecum, ubi pariter haesitat, quaerat mecum, ubi errorem s●um cognoscit, redeat ad me, ubi meum revocet me. Aug. de Trinit. Lib. 1. Cap. 3.  
Thine ready and willing, but unable.   

OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.  
CAP. I.  
OMNE tempus te puta perdidisse, etc. saith one: All time is lost that is not spent in thinking of GOD. To be full of thought of him, is a lawful and holy prodigality: And to spend time in such ●editations, a gainful lavishing. For ●is end were the Scriptures given to ●ade us to meditate of God, by mediating in them day and night, Psal, 1.2. ●erein those fail that never think of God at all, and those also that think not of him aright. The Prophet makes this the mark of wicked men, that God is not in all their thoughts. That like the jews they murder (Zechariah) the remembrance of God even between the Temple and the Altar.  
Commendable in some sort was the devotion of the Philosopher, that in so many years spoke more with the Gods then with men. Had his religion been towards the true God, what could have been asked of him more? I would Christians hearts were so retired towards their Creator, that so he that made the heart, might have it.  
The Heathens thought there was a God, but knew not what to think of him. They prayed and sacrificed and kept a stir to something, but they might well have marked their Churches, Altars and Prayers, with the Athenian Altar motto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the unknown God, Act. 17.  
Plato attained to the thought of on● ●●ely God, the Persians thought he ●●uld not be comprehended in a Tem●●e, and Numas thought he could not 〈◊〉 represented by an image: and for ●●is (saith Clem. Alex.) he was hel●ed by Moses: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Clem. Alex. Stron. 1. p. 131.  yet came all these far ●ort of the knowledge of God. Na●●re when she had brought them ●●us far, was come to a non ultra, ●●d could go no further. Happy then 〈◊〉 we, if we could but right-prize ●ur happiness, to whom the day spring ●●om an high hath risen, and the Son of righteousness with healing in his wings, ●●on whom the noontide of the Gos●ell shineth, and the knowledge of God 〈◊〉 its strength. Even so O Lord let it be ●ill told in Gath, and published in the ●●reets of Ascalon, to the rancour and sorrow of the uncircumcised, that God is known in Britain, and his Name is ●reat in England.   

CAP. II. Of the Names of GOD used by jews and Gentiles.  
NO Nation so barbarous saith Tull● that hath not some tincture of knowledge that there is a Deity. And yet many, nay most People of the world fa●● short of the right apprehension o● God, through three reasons. First when they cannot carry their mind further than their senses: 
Aug de Trin. lib. 1. cap. 1.  and so thinks God hath a body as they have that i● coloured, etc. Secondly, when the● measure God by themselves & so mak● him passionate like man. For men no● able to conceive what God is, what his nature, 
Arnob con. lib. 7.  what his power, etc. fall into such opinions, that they frame Gods of themselves: and as is their own humane nature, so they attribute to God the like▪ for his will, actions & intentions, saith Arnobius. Thirdly, when they mount above nature and sense, and yet not right, feigning that God begat himself, etc. Hence came the multitude and diversity of Deities among the Heathen, minting thousands of gods to find the right, and yet they could not. Hence their many names, and many fames made by them, that it seems, thought it as lawful to make gods, as it was for God to make them.  
At first they worshipped these their deities without any representation on●y by their names: Caelites, Inferi, Heroes, ●umani, Sangui, and thousands others, ●he naming of which is more like conjuring then otherwise. Nature itself ●aught men there was something they ●ust acknowledge for supreme superintendent of all things. This light of ●ature, lead them to worship ●●mething, but it could not bring ●●em to worship aright. Hence some adored bruit beasts, some trees, some ●●rres, some men, some Devils. Some 〈◊〉 images, some without, some in Temples, some without. Thus was Gedeons' fleece, the heathen piece of the world all dry: set in the darkness of the shadow of Death: But in jury was God known, and his Name great in Israel: By his name jehovah he expressed himself when he brought them from Egypt, and his glory he pitched among them. They knew him by his names and titles of Elohim, Adonai, El, Shaddai, Elion, and his great name jehovah, as the jews do call it. There the Scriptures of the Law and Prophets did teach them, yet they thus nearly acquainted with the true God, forsook him, so that wrath came upon Israel.  
The rabbinical jews beside Scripture words have divers Phrases to express God by in their writings. As frequently they call him Hakkadhosh baruchhu, the holy blessed he, in short with four letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Sometime they use El iithbarech, the Lord who is, or be blessed. Sometimes Shamaiim, Heaven, by a Metonymy, because there he dwelleth. The like Phrase is in the Gospel, Father I have sinned against heaven Luk. 15.18. The like Phrase is frequent in England, The heavens keep you. Shekinah they use for a title of God, but more especially for the Holy Ghost. So saith Elias levita in Tishbi. Our Rabbins of happy memory call the Holy Ghost Shekinah gnal show shehu shaken gnal hannebhiim, because he dwells upon the Prophets. Accordingly saith our Nicene Creed, I believe in the Holy Ghost who spoke by the Prophets. Shem, a name or the name they use for a name of God, and Makom a place they place ●or the same, because he comprehendeth all things, and nothing compre●endeth him. Gebhurah Strength is in ●he same use. They are nice in the utterance of the name jehovah: but use divers Periphrases for it, as Shem shell ●bang, the name of four letters. Shem ●aminhhadh the proper name and o●●ers. One in Eusebius hath eloquently expressed it thus: 

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   

Seven sounding letters ring the praise of me  
Th' immortal God, th' Almighty Deity:  
The Father of all, that cannot weary be.  
I am th' eternal viol of all things  
Whereby the melody so sweetly rings  
Of Heaven's music which so sweetly sings.    
What these seven letters are, that do thus express God, is easy to guess that they be the letters of the name jehovah, which indeed consisteth but of four letters, but the vowels must make up the number. Of the exposition of this name jehovah thus saith Rabbi Solomon upon these words: I appeared to them by the name of God omnipotent, but by my name jehovah I was not known to them, Exod. 6.3. He saith unto him (saith the Rabbin) I am jehovah, faithful in rendering a good reward, to those that walk before me: and I have not sent thee for nothing, but for the establishing of my words which I spoke to their fathers: And in this sense we find th● words [jehovah] expounded in sundry places, I am jehovah faithful in avenging, (when he speaks of punishing) as, and if thou profane the name of thy God, I am jehovah. And so when he speaketh of the performing of the Commandments, as, And you shall keep my commandments and do them, I am jehovah faithful to give to you a good reward: thus far the Rabbin.  
The Alchymisticall Cabalists, or Cabalistical Alchemists have extracted the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or number whether you will, out of the word jehovah after a strange manner. This is their way to do it: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉   
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which great mystery is in English thus. Ten times ten is an hundred, five times five is twenty five, behold 125. Six times six is thirty six, behold 161. and five times five is twenty five, behold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 186. Thus runneth their senseless multiplication, multiplying numberless less follies in their foolish numbers, making conjectures like Sibyl's leaves, that when they come to blast of trial, prove but wind. Irenaeus hath such a mystical stir about the name jesus: which I must needs confess I can make nothing at all of, yet will I set down his words, that the reader may skan what I cannot. Nomen jesu (saith he) secundum propriam Hebraeorum linguam, etc. The name jesus according to the proper speech of the Hebrews consisteth of two letters and an half, as the skilful amongst them say: Signifying the Lord which containeth heaven and earth: For jesus according to the old Hebrew signifieth heaven, and the Earth is called Sura usser. Thus that father in his second book against Heretics, Cap. 41. on which words I can critic only with deep silence. Only for his two letters and ½, I take his meaning to be according to the jews writing of the name jesus: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who deny him the last letter of his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, because they deny him for a Saviour. So the Dutch jew Elias Levitae saith in express words. The Christians say that their Messias was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the commandment of the Angel Gabriel, because he should save all the world from Gehinnom, but because the jews do not confess that he is a Saviour, therefore they will not call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jeshuang, but they leave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the last letter out, and call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jesu. After this kind of writing as Irenaeus saith, the word consisteth of two letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and half a letter, that is, which may be so called, because it is so little.  
The Chaldee writes the name of God with two Iods above, and a vowel under thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. From hence some have picked an expression of the Trinity: In the two letters, the Father and the Son, and in the vowel, the Holy Ghost proceeding from both: And from the aequidistance of the letters and vowel, they gather the distinction of the Persons, and by the nearness of all, the unity of Essence. Such another conceit hath Bonfinius in his Hungarian History. When the Heresy of Arrius (saith he) had got head almost over all the world, and was dilated as well by persecution as by disputation: a town in Gaul was besieged, because it held the Orthodox faith of the Sons coequality with the Father: God to confirm this their faith showed this miracle. As the Priest was at high Mass at the Altar, behold three drops of blood fell from heaven upon the Altar; lying a while in an equal distance one from another, to show the distinction of the three Persons, at last, in sight of all the People, they met together, to show the unity of Essence, so the story. But we have a more sure word of Prophecy: That there are three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Spirit, and these three are one.  
The Chaldee sometimes useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dehhila and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dahhalah, fear or terror, for God: because of the fear that is due to him. So jacob coming from Syria, and being to swear to a Syrian, swears according to this Syrian or Chaldee Phrase, By the fear of his father Isaac: Gen. 31.53. or by the God that Isaac feared: as Onkelos and jonathan render it.   

CAP. III. Of the Phrase The Sons of God, Gen. 6. and job. 1.  
ALL take this Phrase in job, to mean the Angels, and truly: in which sense while they have taken it in the sixth of Genesis, they spoil all: For hence they think, that Angels lay with women and begat children. So can jarchi almost find in his heart to think, and so Tertullian, Lactantius and others. Some tell what evil Arts these Angels taught women, and how they begat mighty children of them. How far this conceit is from true Philosophy, let Aristotle censure. Merlin in Geoffrey Monmouth is recorded to be such another hatch, believe it who list. His vein of Prophesying can make Alanus de Insulis think it is so, but I must needs confess, it comes not into my Creed. As some conceit that the fallen Angels, or Devils here begat children of women; so the jews most wickedly fable, that Adam begat children of Devils. Those hundred and thirty years say they that Adam was separated from Eve, Devils came to him and he engendered with them, and begat Devils, and spirits, and fiends. And again: Four women are the mothers of Shedhim or Devils, Lilith, Naamah, Ogereth and Mahlath. I believe both these alike, for I believe that neither is likely. Both the Chaldees Onkelos and jonathan render the sons of Elohim the sons of the Potentates or judges, taking the word Elohim in the same sense that it is taken, in the middlemost verse of the book of Exodus Cap. 22.28. Thou shalt not curse Elohim, or the judges. This opinion is far better than the former, but Christians have a better than this. That the house and progeny of holy Seth, are the sons of God or the Church: and the brood of cain's females were the Daughters of men. Cypriano di valera in his Spanish translation of Gen. 4. and the last verse, translates it thus, Entonces commenciaron llamarse. Then begun men to be called by the name of God, or by the name of the Lord: And in the margin he explanes himself thus, that then the men of Seths' house, began to be a public Church, and to be distinguished from cain's family, and to be called the sons of God: Gen. 6.2.   

CAP. FOUR Of the Phrase Sons of Man.  
THis Phrase is frequent in Scripture, and Rabbin Hebrew, but most frequent in Chaldee and Syrian. Bene Anasha: & Bar nosho: In the latter of which the Syrian usually writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but leaveth out the first letter: as that tongue doth frequently in other words use the like ecclipsis, writing not as they read, as it is said of the French: Ezekiel in his Prophecy in Scripture Hebrew is frequently called son of man. Why so often he and no other Prophet should be so styled, reasons are given by divers: To me (though far inferior to all them) the groundwork seemeth to be, because his Prophecy was written in Chaldean captivity, he useth the Chaldean Phrase, Son of man, that is, O man. The same Phrase Daniel useth in Chaldaea, Dan. 10.16.   

CAP. V. Of japhets' plantation by his son javan.  
IAuan is generally held to be Greece. And the Greek tongue is by all Hebrews called the speech of javan. The Arabians do so style the same language. The Syrian in Romans the first chapter verse 16. calls the Grecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon what reason I cannot imagine. javan the son of japhet is held to have planted or peopled this country, in memory of whose name the jones are famous monuments: Moses saith he had four sons, Elisha, Tarshish, Cittim, & Dodonim: which it is likely planted all the country of Greece as far as into Italy. Elisha and Dodonim dwelled at first near together, and so did Tarshish and Cittim, but their posterity scattered far and near. The jerusalem and Babylon Targums do almost resolved us of these four men's plantation: For jonathan reads the fourth verse of the tenth of Genesis thus. And the sons of javan, Elisha, Elis, Tarsus, Acacia and Dardania. jeruselamy thus: And the sons of javan, Elisha, and the names of their Provinces, Alastarasom and Dodonia. Which last word Alastarasom I take to be mistaken, by joining two words together and missing the last letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Man for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Samech, which is easily done they be so like. The word Alastarasom should without doubt, be Alas or Elis Tarsus. Elis frequent in all Authors: Eilision in Homer in Baeot. Elensine in Plutarch in Theseo, are places in Greece bearing the name of their old planter Elisha. Dodonim is registered in the name of old Dodona. Tarshish left a memorial of himself in Cilicia: in the City Tarsus. Which was as Pliny saith urbs libera a free City, nat. hist. lib. 5. and Saint Paul is free of that City: Act. 22.  
Tarshish in Gen. 10. is the name of a man, in jonah 13. in Chald. Par. it is used for the sea. In Exod. 28. for a 
* The pearl tarshish in Ex. 28.20▪ is rendered in English a Beril: in the Chalde translations it is kermun iamma, a pearl of the sea: Pliny speaks of keramides a pearl near that name Terus: Targun thinks Tarsh●sh was Ashers' stone: but jonathan that it was Zebulons: And more likely, for a pearl of the sea is not unfit for Zebulon a dweller by the sea, Gen. 4●. 1●.  pearl; in Act. 22 the name of a Town. I think I may safely suppose that the town took the name from the man, the sea from the town, and the pearl from the sea.  
Cittim got into the I'll Cyprus near his brother Tarshish: from him that Island in old time was called Cethin as Ant. di Guevara nameth it in Relox de los princip. And the men of Cyprus acknowledged Cythnon quendam, one Cythnus (or Cittim) for their predecessor as saith Herodotus lib. 7. That Island sent out colonies further to replenish the Western world: who bore the memory and name of their father Cittim with them all along as they went. Macedon or Macetia is called Cittim, 1. Mac. 1.1. At last they arrived in Italy which is called Cittim. Num. 24.24. and so rendered by the Chaldees. Thus javans' posterity grew great in Greece and Italy, and at last sent us men over into these Isles of the Gentiles.   

CAP. VI Of jewish Learning.  
THe jews chief studies are about the Scriptures or about the Hebrew tongue, but some have dealt in other matters. Their tongue is their chief learning, which is indeed the ground of all sacred knowledge. In it some are most ignorant, and some again as accurate. They value it so highly, that the mistaking of a letter in it say they, destroys the world. He that in this verse En kadosh caihovah, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  readeth Beth for Caph makes it there is no holiness in jehovah, and destroyeth the world. He that will may see most copious work of this nicety in Tauch. on Gen. 1. How nimble textualists and Grammarians for the tongue the Rabbins are, their Comments can witness. But as in Chaucer the greatest Clerks are not the wisest men, so among them, these that are so great textualists, are not best at the text. In humane Arts some of them have practised Kimchi and Levita for Grammar, Rabbi Simeon for logic, and others in other things, as Buxdorfius in his collection of jewish Authors will fully satisfy.   

CAP. VII. Of the Talmud.  
WHo so nameth the Talmud, nameth all judaism, and who so nameth Mishneh, and Gemara, he nameth all the Talmud: And so saith Levita Hattalmudh nehhlak, etc. The Talmud is divided into two parts, the one part is called Mishneh, and the other part is called Gemara, and these two together, are called the Talmud. This in the jews Council of Trent, the foundation and groundwork of their religion. For they believe the Scripture as the Talmud believes, for they hold them of equal authority: Rabbi Tanchum the son of Hanilai saith, let a man always part his life into three parts. A third part for the Scriptures, a third part for Mishneh, and a third part for Gemara. Two for one, two parts for the Talmud for one for the Scriptures. So highly do they, Papist-like, prise the vain traditions of men. This great library of the jews is much alike, such another work upon the old Testament, as Thomas Aquinas his Catena aurea is upon the new. For this is the sum of all their Doctor's conceits and descants upon the law, as his is a collection of all the Father's explications and comments upon the Gospels. For matter it is much like Origens' books of old, ubi bene nemo melius, etc. and where they write well, none better, and where ill, none worse.  
The word Talmud is the same in Hebrew, that 
* Elias Leu. in Tisbi.  Doctrine is in Latin, and Doctrinal in our usual speech▪ It is (say the jews) a Commentary upon the written law of God. And both the law and this (say they) God gave to Moses, the law by day, and by writing, and this by night and by word of mouth. The Law was kept by writing still, this still by tradition. Hence comes the distinction so frequent in Rabbins, of Torah she baccathubh, and Torah she begnal peh, the law in writing and the law that comes by word of mouth, 
* Pi●k. Abhoth Per. 1.  Moses (say they) received the law from Sinai, (this traditional law I think they mean) and delivered it to joshuah, joshuah to the Elders, the Elders to the Prophets, and the Prophets to the men of the great Synagogue. And thus like fame in Virgil, crevit eundo, like a snowball it grew bigger with going. Thus do they father their fooleries upon Moses, and Elders, and Prophets, who (good men) never thought of such fancies, as the Romanists for their Traditions, can find books of Clemens, Dionysius, and others who never dreamt of such matters. Against this their traditional, our Saviour makes part of his Sermon in the mount, Matth. 5. But he touched the jews freehold, when he touched their Talmud, for greater treasure in their conceits they had none: like Cleopatra in Plutarch, making much of the Viper that destroyed them.   

CAP. VIII. Talmudisme.  
TO omit the time when it was written, and the distinction of jerusalem and Babylon Talmud: the chief end of them both (as they think) is to explain the old Testament. The titles of the books show their intents Pesachin about the Passeover, Sanhedrin about the high Courts: Beracoth about thanksgiving. Sometime they comment, sometime they allude, sometime controvert, sometime fable▪ For this book contains their common law and civil, and commonly some things above all law and civility. To instance in one or two, that by Hercules' foot ye may guess his body.  
judges 9.13. It is said by the vine, shall I leave my wine which cheereth God and man? How doth wine cheer God? Rabbi Akibhah saith, because men give God thanks for it.  
There also they question or controvert, whether a man should give thanks, or say grace for his meat and drink before he taste it?  
And otherwhere, whether a man may bless God for the sweet smell of incense which he smells offered to Idols?  
Whether a man may light a candle at another candle that burns in a candlestick that hath images on it.  
Whether a man at his Devotions, if a Serpent come and bite him by the heel, may turn and stop to shake her off, or no? which question Rabbi Tanchum answers very profoundly, that they must not so much as shake the foot to get a Serpent off, and gives a huge strong reason: For (saith he) such a one was praying, and a Serpent comes and catcheth him by the heel: He holds on his Devotion, and stirs not, and presently the Snake falls away stark dead, and the man not hurt: Legenda aurea hath not the Art of this coining beyond them.  
For their allusions, take a piece out of the book Mincha, which I have transcribed and translated into our own tongue full of true Talmudisme.  
Our Rabbins teach, Israel is beloved, because God hath favoured them with the commandment of Philacteries, upon their heads and upon their arms, fringes upon their garments, and marks upon their doors. And concerning them, David saith: Seven times a day do I praise thee, because of thy righteous judgements: At the time that David went into the bath, and saw himself stand naked, he said, woe is me that I stand naked without the 
* Heb. Mitsuah or without my Philacteries.  Commandment, but when he remembered the Circumcision in his flesh, his mind was at quiet. Afterward when he went out, he made a song of it, as it is said: To him that excelleth upon Sheminith (or an eight) a Psalm of David: because of the circumcision that was given on the eight day. Rabbi Eliezer the son of jacob saith, whosoever hath Philacteries upon his head, and Philacteries upon his arm, and fringes upon his garments, and a mark on his door, all this will 
* From this conceit it appears they were called Philacteries, that is keepers.  keep him from sinning, as it is written, A threefold cord is not easily broken. And he saith, the Angel of the Lord pitcheth round about those that fear him to deliver them, etc. Qui Bavium non odit, amet, etc.   

CAP. IX. Of the Cabalists.  
THese should be men of great account, for their trading is chiefly in numbers: but the effect of their studies prove but fetches nullius numeri, of no reckoning. Their strange tricks & sleights of invention, how to pick out a matter of nothing, out of a thing of no matter, is so intricate, that I do not much care if into these secrets my soul do not come. Their Atbash is a strange crotchet beyond the moon: it is described by the great Buxdorfius in his Abbreviaturae.  
Their Rash & Sophe tebhoth, their Notericon, and Geometria, whether to call them Cabalistical, Masoreticall, or Fantastical I know not: they have paid the margin of the Bible with such conceits. I could give examples by hundreds, but it were but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a present worse than none at all.   

CAP. X. Gedeons' Army. josh. 7.  
Gedeons' Army represents the Church visible and invisible: for as in his Army all the company marched alike, and used the same military discipline, and yet two and twenty thousand were cowards, and returned from him for fear, at the well Harodh, which it may be was called Harodh, or fear, from their fearfulness; so in the Church visible, men use the same word, the same sacraments, and the same outward profession, yet are many of them but cowards in Christ's warfare when it comes to the trial. Gedeons' trial of his soldiers by lapping water, and kneeling to drink was a good piece of military discipline: for those that lapped in their hands, showed their nimbleness in march, who could drink and not stay, but those that kneeled down, made a stop in their marching.  
Gedeons' fight is much like jerichoes' siege, that with trumpets, this with trumpets and lamps, his conquest like abraham's, with 300. men he overthrows an Army as Abraham did with 318. Saint Austen keeps a deplorable stir about allegorising this number 300. by the Greek letter T tau, to make it resemble the sign of the cross: And so he runs both besides the language and the matter: charity to the good man makes me ambiguous and doubtful whether that fancy be his or not.   

CAP. XI. A jerusalem Tenet, ex Kimchio in Praefat. to the small Prophets.  
Our Rabbins of happy memory say, (saith he) that every Prophet whose name and his father's name is set down in his Prophecy, it is certain that he was a Prophet, and the son of a Prophet. He whose name, and not his father's name, it is certain that he was a Prophet, and not the son of a Prophet. He whose name and the name of his City is set down, it is certain that he was of that City. He whose name and not the name of his City, it is certain that he was a Prophet of jerusalem. And they say, that he whose father and father's father's name is set down in his Prophecy, was a greater man of Parentage, than he whose father is only named. As in Zephaniah. Cap. 1. ver. 1.   

CAP. XII. Nun inversum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Num. 10. & 11.  
IN the tenth of Numbers and the thirty fifth verse, in these words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when the Ark went forward, the letter Nun is written wrong way, or turned back thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to show (say the Hebrews) the loving turning of God to the People: And in the eleventh chapter and first verse, in these words, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the People became as murmurers, etc. The letter Nun is again written wrong or turned back thus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To show (say they) the perverse turning of the People from God: and thus are these two Places written in every true Bible in the world. If the jews do not here give any one satisfaction, yet do they (as Erasmus speaks of Origen) set Students on work to look for that which else they would scarce have ●ought for. Such strange passages as ●hese in writing some words in the Bi●le out of ordinary way (as some let●ers above the word, some letters less, ●nd some bigger than other) observed constantly by all copies and books, cannot sure be for nothing: If they ●hew nothing else, yet this they show us, that the Text is punctually kept, and not decayed, when these things (that to a hasty ignorant beholder might seem errors) are thus precisely observed in all Bibles.   

CAP. XIII. Of the Massorites.  
THese men are held to be the Authors of the vowels and Accents: which opinion received by some (and those no ordinary men neither) I must needs confess, I am not so fully satisfied for, as to believe it. I do indeed admire the Massorites pains i● observation of them in the Bible, but I cannot guess by that, that they have done more then observed: when a word, either in letter or vowel, goe● from ordinary rules of Grammar, they have marked, that it does so, which a mean Hebrician may do, but why it does so, there is either a right jewish reason, or none at all given. To exemplify in one, Gen. 14.5. the word kederlaomer, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  is so strangely pri●ked, that one cannot pass it: I myself observed it before ever I saw the Massoreth: and when I came thitherto them for a reason, they have done no more but observed it: viz. Tebhah hhatha etc. that Camets' is written with two çevaes: and so of others they seldom say more. Admirable is their pains, to prove the text uncorrupt against a gain saying Papist. For they have summed up all the letters in the Bible to show, that one hair of that sacred head is not perished. Eight hundred eight and forty marginal ●otes are observed and preserved for the more facility of the text. The middle verse of every book noted, the number of the verses in every book reckoned: and (as I said before) not a vowel that misseth ordinary Grammar which is not marked. So that if we had no other surety for the truth of the old Testament text, these men's pains (me thinks) should be enough to stop the mouth of a daring Papist.   

CAP. XIIII. Of the marginal readings.  
THat the margin should so often help the text (as I may so say) as in 848. places, may seem to tax the text of so many errors. But the learned can find a reason why it is so. I hope I may satisfy myself without any hurt, with this reason, till m● learning will afford me a better▪ Namely, that when they took i● hand to review the Bible, after the captivity (as all hold Ezra did) that they did it by more copies than one: which when they thus varied, they would not forsake either, because they were loath to add or diminish therefore they took even their varying, one in the text, and the other in the margin. Yet do I not think it was done only thus, without some more special matter in some places: for the writing of Nagnarah so often Nagnar, 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  does make me think (if I had nothing else to persuade me) that these marginals are not only humane corrections.   

CAP. XV. Ex Kimchio in jonah 1.  
KImchi questioning why the book of jonah should be Canonical, etc. gives one most comfortable reason, which upon reading I could not but muse on. His words are observable, and they are these. It is questionable why this Prophecy is written among the holy Scriptures, since it is all against Niniveh, which was Heathennish: and in it there is no remembrance (or mention) of Israel, and among all the Prophets besides this, there is not the like. But we may expound it, that it is written to be a 
* Heb. Musar. Instruction.  check to Israel, for lo a strange People which were not of Israel, was ready to repent, and even the first time that a Prophet reproved them, they turned wholly from their evil: But Israel whom the Prophets reproved early and late, yet they returned not from their evil. Again (this book was written) to show the great miracle, that the blessed God did with the Prophet, who was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, and yet lived, and the fish cast him up again. Again to teach us, that the blessed God showeth mercy to the repentant of what nation soever, and pardons them though they be many. Haec Kimchi. Upon whose last words I cannot but enter into these thoughts. Could we look for a truth from a jew, or comfort from a Spaniard? And yet here the Spanish jew affords us both: comfortable truth, and true comfort. God will pardon the Repentant, there is a comfortable truth, and he will pardon them of what nation soever if they repent, there is most true comfort. When a jew thus preaches repentance, I cannot but hearken, and help him a little out with his Sermon. That as God is ready to forgive the Repentant of what Nation soever, so for what sins soever, if they be truly repent. Here, I except the impardonable sin, the sin against the Holy Ghost: which what it is, the Scripture conceals in close words, partly because we should not despair, if we fall ourselves, and partly because we should not censure damnably of our brethren, if they fall into a sin that is nigh this, so that not into it. To maintain the jews words and mine own, for pardon of Nations and of fins, I have as large a field as all the Countries and all the sins of the world to look over. I will only for Countries confine myself to Niniveh, and for sins to Mary Magdalen. Niniveh a heathen town, built by a wicked brood, inhabited by a wicked crew, yet repenting Niniveh is pardoned. Marry Magdalen a manifold sinner, a customary sinner, a most deadly sinner, yet repenting Mary Magdalen is forgiven, The jew brings me into two christian meditations about Niniveh, or into two wholesome Passions: Fear and Hope. God sees the sins of Niniveh, than I know mine are not hid, this breeds in me fear of punishment: But God forgives the sins of Niniveh, than I hope mine are not unpardonable: this breeds hope of forgiveness. Col debhaurau she amar lehareang libhne Adam (saith the Rabbin) bithnai in lo jashubhu. All the evils that God threatens to men, are threatened with this condition, if they do not repent. As before the jew spoke comfort and truth, so here he links comfort and terror. God threatens evil, there is terror, but it is with condition, there is comfort. Niniveh finds both in the story, Forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed, there is a threatened terror: But the Lord repented of the evil that he spoke to do unto them, and did it not, there is a comforting condition. So that as David does, so will I hopefully and yet fearfully sing of mercy and judgement: First mercy, than judgement: Mercy upon my repentance, lest I be cast down: and judgement upon my sins, lest I be lifted up. Mercy in judgement, and judgement in mercy. Is there any one that desperately rejects Ninivehs' exhibited mercy? let him fear Ninivehs' threatened judgement, or is there any that trembles at Ninivehs' threatened judgement? let him comfort himself by Ninivehs' obtaining mercy. But in the mouth of two witnesses, let the mercy be confirmed. Let me take Mary Magdalen with Niniveh, and as I see in it the forgiveness of a multitude of sinners, so I may see in her, of a multitude of sins. Those many sinners pardoned as one man, those many sins made as none at all. Saint Bernard speaking of her washing of Christ's feet, says, she came thither a sinner, but she went thence a Saint: She came thither an Aethiope and a leopard, but she went thence with changed skin, and canceled spots. But how was this done? She fell at the feet of Christ, and with sighs from her heart, she vomited the sins from her soul, Prosternere & tu anima mea, as saith the same Bernard. And cast thou thyself down, oh my soul, before the feet of Christ, wipe them with thine hairs, wash them with thy tears, which tears washing his feet may also purge thy soul. Wash his feet, and wash thyself with Mary Magdalen, till he say to thee as he did to Marie Magdalen, thy sins are forgiven.   

CAP. XVI. Of sacrifice.  
SAcrifice is within a little as old as sin, and sin not much younger than the world. Adam on the day of his creation (as is most probable) sinneth and sacrificeth: and on the next day after meditates on that whereunto his sacrifice aimeth, even Christ. Cain and Abel imitate the matter of their father's piety, sacrifice; but Cain comes far short in the manner. Abel hath fire from heaven to answer him, and Cain is as hot as fire because he hath not. Noah takes an odd clean beast of every kind into his Ark for this purpose, to sacrifice him, after his Delivery. And so he does: but for the Chaldee Paraphrasts fancy, that he sacrificed on the very same Altar, whereon Adam and Cain and Abel had sacrificed so long before. I refer it to the belief of a jew, who by the Poet seems to be of a large faith, Credat judaeus apella. Decency and order was observed of the Fathers before the Law, for this holy piece of worship. God makes Moses in his Leviticus to bring it into writing. While the jews Temple stood, or while they might stand in the Temple, they had their daily sacrifice, till the great Sacrificer offering himself, caused sacrifice and oblation to cease. Now are the jews content, and as it appears in their Common Prayer book, they beseech God to be so too, with prayers without sacrifice, because they have not now access to their sacrificing place. Their distress (as they think it) for this very thing, might teach them that Messias Nagidh or Christ the Prince hath done what Daniel to them, and an Angel to Daniel had prophesied of him.  
Whether the Heathens borrowed their custom of sacrificing from the jews or from nature, it is not material. Sure I am, that the jews borrowed some of their abominable sacrifices from the Heathen: Sacrificing of men is Heathenish, in Moses his language: yet was this too frequent among the jews, used also in old time by the Athenians and Carthaginians, as witness Plutarch, Lactantius and others: and in these times by the Indians, as in Cortes, etc. Of this bad use (that the Heathen had got) I cannot tell what should be the reason, unless they thought that cruelty was the best offering, or that their gods were more cruel than merciful. Or this reason may be given. They had learned either from the jews, or from their Oracles, or from the Devil himself (who cares not to give men some light, thereby to lead them to the more darkness) that a man should once be offered, who should appease the wrath of God (as Christ was) and therefore they in remembrance of this man, did sacrifice men, either to see whether they could light on this man, or else in remembrance of him till he should come.  
Some condemn jephthae of this cruelty of sacrificing his own daughter; who yet in Heb. 11. is commended for his faith: Austen doubts whether it is to be counted God's Commandment, that he slew his own child. But I think no such doubt is necessary, since there is no such strictness of the words in the text. A Heathen man in Plutarch when he was told that he must either sacrifice his own child to such a Goddess, or else his affairs and enterprises would not prosper, could answer, that he would offer with all his heart such sacrifice as the Goddess would accept, but that she would desire or would be pleased with the blood and murder of his child, he could not be persuaded. I am sure jephta had reason to be far better instructed in such things as these, than any Heathen in the world.  
Varro holds that it was not fit that any sacrifice at all should be offered. His reason in Arnobius is: Quiae Dij veri neque desiderantea, neque deposcunt; ex aere autem facti, testâ, gypso, vel marmore multò minus haec curant. For saith he, the true Gods desire not, nor exact any such matter, and those false gods that are made of brass, mortar, marble etc. care less for them. The Heathen man in his own sense saith truly, for his meaning doubtless is, that the Gods that are true Gods are not delighted with this cruelty of slaying beasts, nor do they for their own sustentation or provision desire men to be at this charge. And so the true God which is truth itself, though he commanded sacrifice, yet was it not merely in respect of himself that he did it, any further than this, that men should by this manner of worship, acknowledge their submission and humility and obedience to him. For what cares he for beast or bullock, since the world is his and all that is in it, Psal. 50.12. And Lyranus does set down the special ends wherefore God doth command Israel so many sacrifices.  
As first to wean them from Idolatry: for their service of the true God required so much, that they could have hardly any time to think of Idols. And the very beasts they sacrificed, might teach them the vanity of the Idols of Egypt which they once served: Slaying of a bullock, a ram, a goat, might tell them that the Egyptians Apis and Hammon which they worshipped in these forms, were but vanity.  
Secondly: by their sacrifices, they acknowledged that they had nothing but what they had received from God, and therefore of their beasts, corn, wine, etc. they offered him in thankfulness some of his own.  
Thirdly: these sacrifices were to bear Christ in their minds till he should come and make a full atonement for them. And so says Lyra, the very beasts sacrificed, represent Christ, an ox for patience, a sheep for innocence, and an ill smelling goat, for his likeness to sinful flesh.  
A fourth reason might be given: that the people standing and seeing these beasts slain and fired, might remember their own deservings, and call to mind their sins for which this beast was thus used. Their putting of their hands (the right hand saith the Chaldee) upon the head of the beast, seems to import some such a matter as their acknowledgement, of their deserving of that which the beast was ready to suffer, death and fire. Whosoever desires to be taken up with Allegories about this piece of God's service, Flaviacensis will furnish him: and if he will not do, the Fathers are copious enough, and it may be too much this way.  
The Heathen Mariners in ship with jonah, are said to sacrifice and vow vows: which the Chaldee helps out (as thinking the ship and a tempest unfit time and place for sacrifice) thus, they promised they would sacrifice: viz. when they should come ashore, and vowed vows to become Proselytes, saith jarchi, or to give Alms to the poor, saith Kimchi. Endless it were to trace the Heathens, and to see how near or how far they be to or from the sacrifices of the jews.   

CAP. XVII. A Just judgement.  
CRantzius the Denmark Historian as he hath many delightsome passages of story, so this especially I could not but copy out at my reading of it, wherein I see God just, and murder heavy. One was hired for a sum of money to murder an innocent Dane. He does the bloody fact, and presently receives in a purse his wages of iniquity. A heavy purse of gold for a while, makes a light heart, but where the guiltiness groans heavy too, the gold is worth nothing. At last the murderer's conscience accuseth and condemns him like both witness and judge for his bloody fact. His heart and eyes are both cast down, the one as far as hell, whither the fact had sunk, and the other to the earth, whither the blood. He is now weary of his own life, as erewhile he was of another's. He ties his purse of gold (which had hired him to kill the other) about his neck, and offers it to every one he meets as his reward if he would kill him. At last he is paid in his own coin, and hires his own murderer with that price wherewith he himself was hired. And so perish all such whose feet are swift to shed blood, and he that strikes with an unlawful sword, be strucken with a lawful again. This man's case makes me to think of Cain the old grandsire of all murderers. Of his heavy doom and misery, and burden and banishment. David once groaned under the burden of blood-guiltiness, but God at his repenting eased him: Psal. 51. judas takes a worse course than even Cain did to be released of the sting of bloodshed: Mat. 27. God grant I never know what it is to be guilty of shedding of blood, but only by reading.   

CAP. XVIII. Of the name of the Red Sea.  
IN Hebrew it is called Suph: the sea of weeds: Because (saith Kimchi) there grew abundance of weeds upon the sides of it. In Greek Latin and English, and other Western tongues, it is commonly called the Red Sea: Divers reasons are given by divers persons why it is so called, the best seems to me to be, from the redness of the ground about it. And so Herodotus speaks of a place thereabout called Erythrobolus or the red soil. It is thought our country took the name of Albion, from the like occasion, but not like colour. As from the white rocks or cliffs upon the sea side. The jews hold that Whale that swallowed jonah, brought him into the Red Sea: and there showed him the way that Israel passed through it, for his eyes were as two windows to jonah, that he looked out and saw all the sea as he went. A whetstone, yet they will needs have some reason for this loudly, and this is it, because jonah in Cap. 2.5. saith Suph hhabhush leroshi, which is, the weeds were wrapped about my head: which they construe, the Red Sea was wrapped about my head. And to help the Whale thither, Rabbi japhet saith, that the Red Sea meets with the sea of japho, or the Mediterranean: unless the Rabbin means that they meet under ground, guess what a Geographer he was: and if he find a way under ground, guess what a deep scholar. A long journey it was for the Whale to go up to Hercules pillars into the Ocean, and from thence to the Red Sea in three days and nights: but the fabling jews must find some sleight to maintain their own inventions:   

CAP. XIX. Of the word Raca. Mat. 5.22.  
Whosoever shall say unto his brother Raca, shall be worthy to be punished by the Council. The word is a jewish nickname, and so used in the Talmud for a despiteful title to a despised man, as Our Rabbins show a thing done with a religious man that was praying in the high way, by comes a great man, and gives him the time of the day: but he saluted him not again: He stayed for him till he had finished his prayer; after he had done his prayer, he said to him Reka, is it not written in your law, that you shall take heed to yourselves? Had I struck off thy head with my sword, who should have required thy blood etc. And so goes the angry man on. Irenaeus hath a Phrase nigh to the signification of this word, qui expuit cerebrum, a man that hath no brains, and so Raka signifies a man empty, whether of understanding or goodness: so the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is frequently taken.   

CAP. XX. Wit stolen by jews out of the Gospel.  

Gospel.  
OUR Saviour saith to His Disciples, the harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few, Matth. 9.38.  
Whosoever heareth these sayings, and doth them, I will liken him to a man, that built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and floods came, etc.  
And every one that heareth these sayings, and doth them not, shallbe likened to a foolish man that built his house upon the sand. Mat. 7.24, 25. etc.  
Of every idle word that men speak, they shall give account thereof at the day of judgement. Mat. 12.36.  
With what measure you meet, it shall be measured to you again. Mat. 7.2.   

jews.  
RAbbi Simeon saith: today is the harvest, and the work is much and the labourers idle, and the reward great, and the Master of the house urgent, Pirk Abhoth Per. 2.  
He that learneth the law, and doth many good works, is like a man that built his house, the foundation of stone and the rest of brick, and the waters beat, and the stone stood, etc.  
But he that learneth the law, and doth not many good works, is like a man that built his house, the foundation of brick and the rest of stone, etc. and the brick wasted, etc. Abhoth Rabbi Nathan.  
The very same words almost in Orehhoth hhajmi.  
Rabbi Mair saith: with the measure that a man measureth, they measure to him again. Sanhedrin.   
The whole Lords Prayer might almost be picked out of their works, for they deny not the words though they contradict the force of it. The first words of it they use frequently, as Our father which art in heaven: in their common prayer book, fol. 5. and Humble your hearts before your father which is in heaven in Rosh hashava. But they have as much devotion toward the Father while they deny the Son, as the Heathens had which could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 
* Frequent in Homer.  Our father jupiter, and worshipped an unknown god, Act. 17. They pray almost in every other prayer, Thy kingdom come, and that Bimherah bejamenu quickly, even in our days, but it is for an earthly kingdom they thus look and pray. They pray, lead me not into temptation, fol. 4. liturg. while they tempt him that lead them in the wilderness, as did their father, Psal. 95. By this Gospel which they thus filch, they must be judged.   

CAP. XXI. Saint Cyprians nicety about the last Petition in the Lord's Prayer.  
SAint Cyprian it seemeth is so fearful of making God the Author of evil, that he will not think that God leadeth any man into temptation. The Petition he readeth thus: Ne nos patiaris induci in tentationem, suffer us not to be lead into temptation, but deliver us from evil, leaving the ordinanary current and truth of the Prayer, because he will not be accessary to imagine that God should lead man into temptation: whereas all men as well as he do think, that God doth not lead man into evil temptations as Satan doth, and yet that God doth tempt men. So he is said in plain words to have tempted Abraham: And Rabbi Tanchum wittily observes that Abraham's two great temptations begin both with one strain, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Get thee gone. The first, Get thee gone out of thy country from thy kind●ed and father's house, Gen. 12. the second Get thee gone to the land of Moriah, and offer thy son Isaac upon one of the mountains, Gen. 22.  
May we not safely say here that God lead Abraham into temptation? But as it follows, liberautt à malo, God delivered him from the evil of the temptation, which is being overcome. And Saint james saith sweetly, (though at first he may seem to crossed this Petition) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: Brethren account it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, jac. 1.2. to be in temptation is joy, for God chastiseth every son that he receiveth, and yet pray lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: let the latter comment upon the first, lead us not into the evil of temptation, which in the Apostles Phrase is, suffer us not to be tempted above our strength.   

CAP. XXII. Septuaginta interpreters.  
I Will not with Clemens, josephus, Austen, Epiphanius, and others, spend time in locking them up severally in their closerts, to make their translation the more admirable: I will only mind that: They did the work of this translation against their will, and therefore we must expect but slippery doing: And that appears by them. Their additions, variations, and (without doubt) oversights, may well argue with what a will they went about this business. It were easy to instance in thousands of places. How they add men and years, Gen. 5. and 10. and 11. and 46. How they add matter of their own heads: as how they help jobs wife to scold, job: 2. adding there a whole verse of female passion. I must now (saith she) go wander up and down, and have no place to rest in: and so forth: And so job 1.21. Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither, the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away, even as pleas●th the Lord, so come things to pass, blessed be the name of the Lord, which clause (even as pleaseth the Lord so come things to pass) is not in the Hebrew but is added by them, and so is it taken from them into our common prayer book, in that pa●t of the manner of burial. To trace them in their mistakes is pretty, to see how their unpricked Bible deceived them. As to instance in one or two for a taste.  

Hebrew.  
Gen. 15.11. It is said, that the birds light upon the carcases, and Abraham drove them away: in He●rew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaijashhebh.  
judges 5.8. The Hebrew saith, they choose new gods, than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lahhem shegnarim, was war in the gates.  
judges 7.11. The Hebrew saith, and he and Phurah his servant, went down to the quarter (or side) of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hhamushim the armed men.   

Septuag.  
They read in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vajashhebh he drove them away, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vajeshhebh, he sat by them: and of this Saint Austen makes goodly Allegories.  
They say, they chose new gods, as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lehhem segnorim, 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  barley bread.  
They say: he and his servant Pharah went down to the quarter of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hhamishim, fi●ty men.   
Thus do they vary in a world of places, which the expert may easily see and smile at. I omit how they vary names of men and places. I will trouble you with no more but one, which they comment as it were to help a difficulty.  1. King. 12.2. 
It is said of jeroboam that he dwelled in Egypt, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaijeshhebh bemitzraijm.  2. Chron. 10.2. 
It is said that he returned from Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vaijashobh mimmitzraijm.  
The septuagint heals this thus▪ thus translating 2. Chron. 10.2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: And he (had) dwelled in Egypt, and he returned out of Egypt.  
Such is the manner of that work of the Greek: Now to examine the Authority of this we shall find it wonderful: That some of the jewish Synagogues read the old Testament in Greek and not in Hebrew, Tertullian seemeth to witness. But those were jews out of Canaan: for they were not so skilful in the Greek tongue in Canaan, for aught I can find, as to understand it so familiarly: if they had been, I should have thought the septuagint to be the book that was given to Christ in the Synagogue Luke 2.17. Because his text that he reads, does nearer touch the Greek then the Hebrew: But I know their tongue was the Mesladoed Chaldee.  
The greatest authority of this translation appeareth, in that the holy Greek of the new Testament doth so much follow it. For as God used this translation for a Harbinger to the fetching in of the Gentiles, so when it was grown into Authority by the time of Christ's coming, it seemed good to his infinite wisdom to add to its Authority himself, the better to forward the building of the Church. And admirable it is to see with what sweetness and Harmony the New Testament doth follow this translation, sometime even besides the letter of the old, to show that he that gave the old, may and can best expound it in the new.   

CAP. XXIII. The Septuagint over-authorized by some.  
SOme there were in the Primitive Church, like the Romanists now, that preferred this translation of the Greek (as they do the vulgar Latin) before the Hebrew fountain: Of these Saint Austen speaks, of their opinion herein, and withal gives his own in his fifteenth book de Civitate Dei, Cap. 11.13.14- where treating of Methushelahs' living fourteen years after the flood, according to the Greek translation: Hence came (saith he) that famous question, where to lodge Methuselah all the time of the flood: Some hold (saith he) that he was with his father (Enoch) who was translated, and that he lived with him there, till the flood was passed. They hold thus, as being loath to derogate from the authority of those books, quos in autori●atem celebriorem suscepit ecclesia, which the Church hath entertained into more renowned Authority: And thinking that the books of the jews rather than these, do mistake and err. For, they say that it is not credible that the seventy Interpreters, which translated at one time, and in one sense, could err, or wouldly or err, where it concerned them not: But that the jews, for envy they bear to us, seeing the Law and Prophets are come to us by their interpretation, have changed some things in their books, that the Authority of ours might be lessened. This is their opinion. Now his own he gives Cap. 13. in these words. Let that tongue be rather believed, out of which a translation is made into another by Interpreters. and in Cap. 14. The truth of things must be fetched out of that tongue, out of which, that that we have, is interpreted.  
It is apparent by most of the Fathers both Greek and Latin, how they followed the Greek, though I think, not so much for affectation as for mere necessity, few of them being able to read the Bible in Hebrew.  
I will conclude with Clemens Alex. his reason, why God would have the Bible turned into Greek. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 [viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Strom. 1. Pag. 124. That is, For this were the Scriptures interpreted, in the Grecians tongue, that they might have no excuse for their ignorance, being able to understand ours (scriptures) if they would.   

CAP. XXIIII. Phrases taken from jews in the New Testament.  
THese Phrases are by the great Broughton called Talmudicke Greek, when jewish and talmudical Phrases are used in holy writ: Such is Gehenna frequent in all Rabbins. Maranatha 1. Cor. 16.22. the bitter excommunication. The world to come, so often used in the Gospel, and nothing more often among the jews and Chaldees. Raka Mat. 5.22. of which see Cap. 19 jannes' and jambres, 2. Tim. 3.8. whose names I find in the Chaldee Paraphrast with very little difference, and a goodly legend of them. As in Exod. 1.15. Pharaoh slept and saw in his dream, and behold all the land of Egypt was put in one scale and a 
* Chal. Talia bar imera.  young lamb in the other scale, and the lamb weighed down the scales of himself, 
* Chal. Miiadb. out of hand: a Phrase most usual in Iewes Authors, and the very same in Eng. out of hand.  out of hand he sends and calls all the sorcerers of Egypt, and tells them his dream: Out of hand janis & jimbres chief of the sorcerers opened their mouths and said unto Pharaoh: there is a child to be borne of some of the congregation of Israel, by whose hands all the land of Egypt shallbe wasted, therefore the King consulted with the jewish midwives, etc. And in Exo. 7.11▪ He calls them janis and jambres. And that you might the better understand who these two were, the Hebrew comment upon the Chaldee text saith, they were scholars for their art of enchanting to the noble wizard Balaam: and so he fetches Zophar for authority to maintain them▪ And to prove janis and Iambre● ●her very constant enemies and opposers to Moses, or else very good dutiful scholars to Balaam, the Chaldee saith that these two were the two servants that went with Balaam, Num. 22.22. when he went to curse Israel.  
Beelzebub, or as the New Testament Greek calls it Beelzebul, is a wicked phrase used by the jews of Christ, Mar. 3.22. and elsewhere. Now whether this change of the last letter were among the jews accidental or of set purpose, I cannot determine. Such ordinary variation of letters, without any other reason, even use of every country affords. So Reuben is in the Syrian called Rubil, Apoc. 7.5. So the Greek and Latin Paulus, is in the Syrian Phaulus, in Arabian Baulus. But some give a witty reason of l in Beelzebul, that the jews in derision of the Ekronites god Baalzebub (which was a name bad enough, the god of a fly) gave him a worse, Baalzebul, the god of a Sir-reverence, for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in Chaldean.  
To omit any more jewish Phrases honoured by the New Testament using them, this very thing does show, the care is to be had for the right reading of the Greek, since so many idioms and so many kinds of style are used by it.   

CAP. XXV. Ninivehs' conversion: jonah 3.  
THe book of jonah is wholly composed of wonders. Some hold jonah to be wonderful in his birth. As that he should be the son of the Sarepta widow, whom Eliah raised to life: And because the mother of the child said, Now I know that the word of God in thy mouth is true, therefore he is called Ben Amittai, the son of my truth: whether the story may be called Ben Amittai, or a true story, let the reader censure, by the two towns of Sarepta and Gath-hepher. Howsoever jonah was wondrous in his birth, I am sure he was wondrous in his life. A Prophet, and a runagate, before his shipwreck, a man drowned, and yet alive, in his shipwreck, and a Preacher of repentance, and yet a Repiner at Repentance, after. The least wonder in the book is not the conversion of Niniveh. It was a great wonder (as D. Kimchi says) that jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights and yet lived. And it was another wonder that he was not stupid but continued in his senses and intellectuals and prayed: And do but well consider it, and it will appear almost as great a wonder, that Niniveh so great a town, so long wicked, in so short time should be converted. To say as Rabbi joshuah doth, that the men of the ship were got to Niniveh, and had told all the occurrence about jonah, how they had thrown him over hatches, and yet he it was that was among them, and therefore they believed the sooner, as it is without Authority, so doth it lessen the wonder of the town's conversion.  
jonah an unknown man, of a foreign people, to come into so great a City with a Forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed, was strange. But for the King upon so short a time, to send a crier to proclaim repentance, is as strange if not stranger. jonah proclaims the town shall be destroyed, the King (in a manner) proclaims, the town shall not be destroyed, by proclaiming the means how to save it, Repentance. To say as 
* Aben Ezra gives 2 reasons of poor force to prove, that Niniveh feared God in old time. 

1 Because otherwise he would not have sent his Prophet to them, and so he lessens the wonder of God's mercy.  
2. Because we read not that they broke their images, therefore they had not any. How f●r the Fa● is beside the cushion both for construction and reason one of small skill may judge.    Aben Ezra does, that because the City is called Gnir gedholah leelohim, a great city of God, that therefore they feared God in old time, but now in jonahs' time began to do evil, is still to lessen the wonder, about their conversion: a stranger repentance than which the world never saw. The old world had a time of warning, of years, for Ninivehs' hours, and yet eat and drunk till the flood came, and then in the floods of many waters, Repentance and Prayers would not come near God, Psal. 32. Fair warning had Sodom by the preaching of Lot, whose righteous soul they vexed, and would not repent, till their Hell (as it were) began from heaven, and fire and brimstone brought them to the lake of fire and brimstone: and when the wicked seed of him that derided his father's nakedness, perished for their naked beastliness, and their flames of lust brought them to flames on earth and in hell. The men of Niniveh shall rise up in judgement against the generation of the jews, and condemn them, because these at the preaching of jonah repent, and they not for the preaching of a greater than jonah, that was among them. When the Master of the vineyard sent his servants, nay his own son, they put him to death. In the conversion and delivery of Niniveh I cannot but admire a double mercy of God, who (to use a father's words) sic dedit penitentibus veniam, qui sic dedit peccantibus penitentiam: who was so ready upon their repentance to grant them pardon, who was so ready upon his threatening to give them repentance.  
Other kind of entertainment (than jonah had) had he, that came from Gregory Bishop of Rome, to preach to our Realm of England. The passage of which story our countryman Bede hath fully related. That when Austen had preached the Gospel to the King, and dehorted him from his irreligious religion: your words (saith the King) are good, but I have been trained up so in the religion I now follow, that I cannot forsake it to change for a new. This argument too many superstitious soul's ground upon in these days, choosing rather to err with Plato, then to follow the truth with another. Desiring rather to be, and being as they desire, of a false religion, then to forsake the profession of their Parents and Predecessors. Not refusing (like good fellows) to go to hell for company, rather than to heaven alone. Such a boon companion was Rochardus king of the Phrisons: of whom it is recorded, that whereas a Bishop had persuaded him so far towards Christianity, as that he had got him into the water to baptise him: the king there questions, which way his forefathers went, which died unbaptized, whether to heaven or hell? The Bishop answers, that most certainly they were gone to hell. Then will I go the same way with them (saith the wicked king) and pulls back his foot out of the water, and would not be baptised at all. Hoc animus meminisse horret luctuque refugit.   

CAP. XXVI. Of the jews Sacraments, Circumcision, and Passeover.  
BOth these Sacraments of the jews were with blood: both in figure: the one to carry the memory of Christ till he came, and the other the passion of him being come. Abraham received the sign of Circumcision, the seal of the righteousness of faith which he had when he was uncircumcised: Rom. 4. The Israelites received the institution of the Passeover in Egypt: Exod. 12. I will not stand to allegorise these matters, of the time and manner of receiving these two, but only of the things themselves.  
Circumcision given in such a place is not for nothing: but in the place of generation, it is given Abraham, as a seal of his faith, that he should be the father of all those that believe, Rom. 4. And especially a seal to him of Christ's coming from those loins near to which his circumcision was. And appertaining to this I take to be the oath that Abraham gives his servant, and that jacob gives joseph, with their hands put under their thighs 
* As the jews think.  not to swear by their circumcision, but by Christ that should come from those thighs. Circumcision was also used for distinction of an Israelite, at the first: and hence were they distinguished; but in time, Ishmael had taught his race so much, and Egyptians, Phaenicians, Arabians, and the countries about them grew circumcised. So was Pythagoras circumcised, that he might have access to the recluse mysteries of the Egyptians religion.  
Circumcision was also used with the jews as Baptism with us, for admission into the Church of Israel. And it was Gods express command that the child on the eight day should be circumcised. And on that day more than any other (saith Saint Austen) to signify Christ's resurrection, who rested the week's end in the grave, and rose on the eight day: And if Aristotle say true, one may give a reason, why not before the eight day: because a child for the seven days is most dangerous for weakness. A stranger was so admitted to their congregation: Exod. 2.48. And of this does Rabbi Eliezer fantastically expound that verse in jonah 1.16. Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered sacrifice: whereupon the wand'ring jew saith thus. As soon as the mariners saw (when they drew near to Niniveh) all the wonders that the blessed God did to jonah, they stood and cast every one his gods into the sea. They returned to joppa, and went up to jerusalem, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin, as it is said. And the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and sacrificed sacrifices: what sacrifice? but this blood of the circumcision which is as the blood of a sacrifice: And they vowed to bring every one his wife and children, and all that he had, to fear the Lord God of jonah: and they vowed and performed.  
This was indeed the way to admit proselytes, by circumcision, but in Salomon's time, when they became Proselytes by thousands, they admitted them by Baptism or washing as ●ome jews do witness.  
Whether the neglect of Circumcision (as I may so term it) in the wilderness, were merely politic, because of their more fitness, for any moment's remoovall, and march, or whether some mystery were in it I will not decide. Nor need I relate how the jews use to circumcise their children, for the great Buxtorfius hath punctually done it: Nor can I relate how highly the jews prise their Circumcision, for one might gather volumes out of them upon this subject. For they consider not, that he is not a jew, which is one outward: neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. But he is a jew which is one within, and the circumcision is of the heart in the spirit, not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God.   

CAP. XXVII. Of the Passeover.  
THe Passeover was a full representation of Christ's passion: though to the jews the Passeover was more than a mere shadow. To run through the parts of it might be more than copious: A word and away.  
At the Passeover the beginning of the year is changed. So At Christ's Passover the beginning of the week is changed.  
The Passeover was either of a lamb, to signify Christ's innocence, or of a Kid, to signify his likeness to sinful flesh: as Lyranus.  
The Lamb, or Kid was taken up and kept four days, to see whether he were spotless: and (it may be) to scour and cleanse himself from his grass.  
The Passeover slain at even. So Christ slain at even. His blood to be sprinkled with a bunch of hyssop. CHRIST'S blood sprinkled: And of this I think David may be understood: Psal. 51. Cleanse me with Hyssop. That is, besprinkle me with the blood of the true Paschall Lamb jesus Christ. He was to be roasted with fire. So Christ tried with fire of affliction.  
These parts were to be roasted.  
His Head So was CHRIST tortured. His head with thorns. His legs His hands & feet with nails. His inward parts. His inwards, with a spear.  
Their eating of him, as it concerned the Israelites in their estate, so may it instruct Christians for the eating of the true Passeover, the Lords Supper.  
The Passeover eaten Without leaven So the Sacrament of the supper to be eaten Without leaven of malice. With bitter herbs. With bitter repentance. With loins girt. With resolution of amendment. With feet shod. With preparation to walk better. With staff in hand. Lea●ing on the staff of true faith In haste. Hasting to leave this worldly Egypt.  
Thus was the Passeover first eaten in Egypt: after which all Egypt is struck, with death of the first borne, and the Egyptians are now punished with death of their Children for murdering Israel's children. This night was ill to them, but the night in the Red Sea was worse.  
At the death of a lamb Egypt is destroyed Israel delivered. So by the death of a lamb Hell is destroyed. Mankind delivered  
When Israel comes out of Egypt, they bring up with them Joseph's bones, and so as he brought them down thither, so they bring him up thence.  
So when Christ comes up out of his grave, he brings dead bones with him, by raising some out of their graves: I cannot think it idle, that the Passeover was at night, and that S. Paul saith, the Israelites were baptised in the sea, which was also by night, and in the cloud: but to show that these sacraments of Israel looked for a dawning when the true light, which they foresignified should appear.  
The jews do find thirteen precepts negative and affirmative about the keeping of the Passeover.  
1. The slaying of it. 
Exod. 12.6.  2. The eating of it. 
8.  3. Not to eat it raw or boiled. 
9  4. Not to leave aught of it. 
10.  5. The putting away of leaven. 
15.  6. The eating of unleavened bread. 
18.  7. That leaven be not found with them. 
19  8. Not to eat aught mixed with leaven. 
20.  9 An Apostata jew not to eat it. 
43.  10. A stranger not to eat it. 
45.  11. Not to bring forth the flesh of it. 
46.  12. Not to break a bone of it 
46.  13. No uncircumcised to eat of it. 
48.   
How variously they comment upon these as they do upon all things, and how overcurious they be in observing these as they do all things, their writings do witness. Their folding of their bitter herbs, their three unleavened cakes, their water, and salt, their searching for leaven, their casting forth of leaven, and their cursing of leaven, their graces over their tables, their prayers over their hands as they wash them, their words over their unleavened bread, their remembering how they lived in Egypt, and came out, their words over their bitter herbs, their Passeover Psalms the 113. and 114. all these and their other Ceremonies are set down accurately in their Common prayer book, which I would not have denied to the reader in English, both for his recreation, satisfaction, and some instruction, but that I know not whether I should actum agere: do that which some one hath done before. And beside I write these things not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, not set studies, but stolen hours, employing my idle hours to the writing of these studies, that I may witness to some, that my whole time is not idle. But it may be I may seem more idle in thus writing, then if I had been idle indeed: to them that think thus, I can only answer: It is youth: Age may do better.   

CAP. XXVIII. Of the Confusion of Tongues.  
THat the world from Babel was scattered into divers tongues, we need not other proof, then as Diogenes proved that there is motion, by walking: so we may see the confusion of languages by our confused speaking. Once all the Earth was of one tongue, one speech, and one consent, for they all spoke in the holy tongue wherein the world was created in the beginning (to use the very words of the Chaldee Paraphrast and Targ. jerusal. upon Gen. 11.1.) But pro peccato dis●entionis humanae (as saith Saint Austen) for the sin of men disagreeing not only different dispositions, but also different languages came into the world. They came to Babel with a disagreeing agreement, & they come away punished with a speechless speech. They disagree among themselves, cum quisque principatum ad se rapit, while every one strives for dominion (as the same Austen) They agree against God in their Nagnavad lan Siguda, etc. We will make ourselves a Rendezvouz for Idolatry (as the same jeruselamy.) But they come away speaking each to other, but not understood of each other, and so speak to no more purpose, then if they spoke not at all. This punishment of theirs at Babel, is like Adam's corruption, hereditary to us, for we never come under the rod at Grammar school, but we smart for our Ancestors rebellion at Babel.  
Into how many countries and 
* One in Epi●hanius saith, this is easy to find, but he doth little towards it. Epiph cont. Haeres. tom. 2 l. b. 6.  tongues those Shinaar rebels were scattered is no less confused work to find out, then was theirs at the tower. So divers is the speech of men, about the diversity of speech, that it makes the confusion more confused. 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. Clem. Alex. Strom. 1.  Euphorus and many other Historians say, that the nations and tongues are 75. listening to the voice of Moses, which saith, all the souls that came into Egypt out of jacob were 75. But in truth the natural Dialects (of speech) appear to be 72. as our Scriptures have delivered. Thus saith Clemens Alexandrinus: of whose conceit herein I must for my part say, as Saint Ambrose saith of Aaron about the golden calf. Tantum Sacerdotem, etc. So great a scholar as Clemens I dare not censure, though I dare not believe him. The jews with one consent maintain, that there are just 70. nations & so many tongues. So confident they are of this, that they dare say, that the 70. souls that went with jacob into Egypt were as much as all the 70. nations of the world. jerusalem's schools rang with this Doctrine, and the children learned to high-prize themselves from their fathers. A stately claim was this to Israel, but the keeping of it dangerous. Men of the 70. nations would not be so underualued by one people. Therefore when Israel wanted strength to keep this challenge, they do it by sleight. And so it is the thrice-learned Master Broughtons' opinion, that the Septuagint when they were to translate the Bible, and were to speak of the seventy souls of Jacob's house, they durst not put down the just number of seventy, lest tales should have been told out of their schools (concerning their scornful doctrine) and when the rumour and the number should both come to the King of Egypt, the meet number might maintain the truth of the rumour, and by both they might incur danger, therefore they added five more, to spoil the roundness of the sum, 
So in Gen. 10. the Septuag. put in 2. Cainans: and so spoil the roundness of that 70  and Saint Steven follows their translation: Then joseph sent and called his father jacob, to him and all his kindred, even 75. souls. Act. 7.14.  
As the jews seek to retain this their assumed dignity over the seventy nations by this sleight, so do they maintain their tenant of just seventy nations by a double reason. First, they count polls in the plain of Shinaar, as Moses did in the wilderness, and they find in the tenth of Genesis just seventy men, and therefore by necessary consequence, just seventy nations. The Chaldee upon these words of God, Gen. 11.5. Come let us go down: 
* julian the Heretic bo●h denies the Trinity to be meant in this place, and saith God alone was unable for this work Cyril. tom. 3. l 4.  loses the sweet mystery of the Trinity, but finds I know not how many strange fancies: for thus he descants. The Lord said unto the seventy Angels that are before him, come now let us go down, and confound there their tongue, that a man shall not understand his fellow. And a little after he saith, And with him (that is, with God) were seventy Angels according to the seventy nations. I doubt not but the tenth chapter was his ground for so many men, but I know not where he should find so many Angels. Seventy men are indeed named in the tenth chapter, but were all those at Babel? And if they were, must those seventy needs speak seventy tongues? A whole dozen of them, Canaan and his eleven sons sit down close together, in, or (at least) not far out of the small compass of Canaan: where they all differed not, (if any at all did) in language, being seated so nigh together. That Edomites, Moabites, Amalekites, and Ammonites spoke not Hebrew, is 
* Quaest 60. on Gen.  Theodoret's opinion, but that all these, and Canaan differed in maternal tongues, before Israel planted it, I cannot conceive. Nay, that Canaan spoke Hebrew before joshua came there, I could be persuaded to believe for three reasons.  
First: the old names of Canaan towns are significant in Hebrew: jebus, trodden down, by Heathens then, as it is now by the Turks, Kirjatharbang, the City of arbang: josh. 14.15. jericho, he shall smell it, the City of Palmtrees. The sinful City Zeboim hath in the text a fair Hebrew name, Zebhiim, that is, the Roes, a name too good for so bad a town, therefore the margin gives it another name, Zebhojim. Infinite it is to trace all Hebrew-Canaanitish names, who will may try at pleasure and leisure.  
S●condly: Sure I am, that one chief town in Canaan (if not then also as afterward the chiefest) that is jerusalem, was Hebrew when it was governed by Melchizedek or Sem: who were all one, as the 
* See the Targums on Gen. 10.  Chaldees, 
* Vid. Mr Brough●ons Melchiz.  jews, and most Christians do hold. Then did Sem make Canaan a servant [Gen. 9.26.] under his rule, and I doubt not but under his tongue also.  
Thirdly. I see that a woman Rahab, understands the Hebrews at the first sight, and speaks to them (for aught we find) without interpreter.  
I find the Amorites and Sidonians differing in the name of Hermon, one calling it Sirion, and the other Shenir, Deut. 3.9. But I see not, but both the Hebrews, and some Canaanites agree in the name Hermon. This groundwork then of seventy men's being named in the tenth of Genesis to import necessarily seventy tongues in the eleventh chapter, I cannot entertain: yet refer myself to better judgement.  
The second reason ●or seventy tongues they fetch out of Moses: Deut. 32.8. from these words: when the most high divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people, according to the number of the children of Israel. What all jews thought and gathered from that place, let two speak for the rest: Those be jonathan been Vzziel, and Rasi. jonathan reads the verse in Chaldee thus, when the highest gave possession of the world to the people that descended of the sons of Noah: when he divided letters and tongues to the sons of men, in the age of the division, etc. at that time he sets the bounds of the nations, according to the number of the souls of Israel that went down into Egypt. Thus the Chaldee. Rasi comments to the same purpose in these words: when the holy-blessed-he gave to those that provoked him, the portion of their inheritance, he overwhelmed and drowned them. When he scattered the generation of the division, it was in his power to have passed them out of the world, yet did he not so, but sets borders of the people. He reserves them, and does not destroy them. (According to the number) for the number of the children of Israel, which were to come of the sons of Sem, and according to the number of the seventy souls, of the sons of Israel that went down into Egypt: (He set bounds of the People) Seventy tongues. Thus far the Rabbin: Who is so confident of this number of seventy languages, that he saith, there were men of the seventy nations in the ship with jonah, jonah 1. Thus is the jews current for seventy, the 
* Clem. Alex. Epiphanius Comestor. etc.  greeks for seventy two, upon what ground I know not, unless the two Cainans in Gen. 10. in the Greek Bible, make up this number to them. Some linguists have summed up the usual tongues and Dialects, but seventy or seventy two maternalls I never saw. Modern tongues are like the old ship Argo, patched up with so many pieces, that it is hard to tell which is a piece of old Argo.   

CAP. XXIX. Of letters.  
THat the Hebrew tongue was from the foundation of the world, none deny, but whether the letters be so ancient, some question. Some hold that those letters that God wrote with his own hand in the two tables, were the first letters that ever were written. The studious Pliny thinks, that among the Assyrians, letters have been always, but Gellius thinks they were invented in Egypt by Mercury, and others think among the Syrians. If we examine Pliny well, we shall find him true in the first and last, however in the middle. If the Assyrian tongue were the Chaldee tongue (as most like it was) then were those letters from the beginning of the world: the Hebrew and Chaldee letter, being all one, unless the Assyrian differed from both. If you take Syrian in the sense that Theodoret does for Hebrew, than Pliny speaks true, that letters were first among the Syrians. For Theodoret calls the Hebrew tongue Syrian, as the Gospel calls the Syrian tongue Hebrew, joh. 19.20. But Pliny concludes that Cadmus' first brought letters into Greece out of Phoenicia. justin Martyr saith, that Greece thinks so herself. Athanasius holdeth the Phaenicians for the first inventors of letters. That the Phaenicians and Syrians first found out letters, is a received opinion in Clemens Alexandrinus. Eupolemus thinks that the Phaenicians received Grammar from the jews, and the Greeks from the Phaenicians. And Euphorus thinks that Cadmus was he that conveyed them. Chaerilus in Eusebius makes Phaenicians and jews all one. For he nameth jews in Xexes' army, and names their tongue the Phaenician, his words be these: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  In English thus. 
A wondrous people marched behind along:  
Their Dialect was the Phaenician tongue.  
On hill of Solymae they dwelled: thereby  
A spacious lake not far remote doth lie.   
These Phaenicians (if you will call them so) or jews, were the first that had letters. But the jews were not Phaenicians indeed nor their tongue the same, yet for bordering of their Countries, the Poet makes them all one. The Phaenician is not now to be had, unless the 
* The Syrian translating of the word Phoenicia in the new Testament, seems to confirm this for true.  Punic or Carthaginian, and Phaenick or Phaenician, were all one (which most like they were) And then some few lines of the tongue are to be found in Plautus his Paenulus, which as Paraeus saith, can little or nothing be made off. Eusebius speaks of Sancuniathou, that wrote the Phaenician history in the same tongue, but more of the language he saith not: But to the matter. That letters were so long in use before the giving of the Law, I am induced to believe upon these reasons.  
First josephus is of this mind, that letters were before the flood. And the Scripture cities enoch's prophecy, which whether it were written by him or not, is uncertain: yet if there were any such thing, those many places which we find of it in Tertullian, Clemens, and others, do argue, that so much could not punctually be kept by word of mouth.  
A second reason to move me to think of letters before the giving of the Law is, to think of Joseph's accounts in Egypt, which seem almost impossible without writing.  
Thirdly: But omitting that, I cannot see how all arts and sciences in the world should then flourish, as (considering their infancy) they did without the groundwork of all learning, letters.  
Fourthly: Again for the jews, upon the writing of the law to be put to spelling (as they that had never seen letters before) and not to be able to read it, had been a law upon the law, adding to the hardness of it.  
Fiftly: Nor can I think, that when Moses saith, blot me out of thy book that he taketh the Metaphor from his own books (which it is probable he had not yet written) but from other books which were then abounding in the world.  
Sixtly: the Egyptian Chronicles of so many thousand years in Diodorus and Laertius, I know are ridiculous; yet their carefulness of keeping Records I have ever believed. The greeks were boys to them, as it is in Plato, and Moses was scholar to them or their learning. Act. 7.  
Now I cannot think that this their exceeding humane learning was kept only in their brains, and none in writing. Nor do I think that if it were written, that it was deciphered only in their obscure Hieroglyphics, but that some of it came to ordinary writing of familiar letters   

CAP. XXX. Of the Hebrew tongue.  
WHo so will go about to commend the Hebrew tongue, may justly receive the censure, that he of Rome did, who had made a long book in the praise of Hercules: This labour is in vain, for never any one dispraised Hercules. Other commendations this tongue needeth none, than what it hath of its self, namely, for Sanctity it was the tongue of God, and for Antiquity it was the tongue of Adam: God the first founder, and Adam the first speaker of it. In this tongue were laid up the mysteries of the old Testament. It begun with the world and the Church, and continued & increased in glory, till the captivity in Babel, which was a Babel to this tongue, and brought to confusion this language, which at the first confusion, had escaped without ruin. At their return, it was in some kind repaired, but far from former perfection. The holy Scriptures veiwed by Ezra, a scribe fit for the kingdom of heaven, in whose treasure were things new and old. In the Maccabean times all went to ruin, language and laws and all lost: and since that time to this day, the pure Hebrew hath lost her familiarity, being only known by scholars or at least not without teaching. Our Saviour's times spoke the Syrian, Kepha, Golgotha, Talitha, and other words do witness; In aftertimes the unwearied Masorites arose, helpers to preserve the Bible Hebrew entire, and Grammarians helpers to preserve the Idiom alive; but for restoring it to the old familiarity, neither of them could prevail. For, the jews have at this day no abiding city, no Common wealth, no proper tongue, but speak as the countries wherein they live. This whereof they were once most nice is gone, and this groat they have lost. As the man in Seneca that through sickness lost his memory, and forgot his own name; so they for their sin have lost their language, and forgot their own tongue. Their Cain-like wand'ring, after the murder of their brother, according to the flesh, Christ jesus, hath lost them this precious mark of God's favour, and branded them with a worse mark: Cauterio conspirationis antiquae, as saith Saint Bernard in another case. Before the confusion of tongues all the world spoke their tongue and no other, but since the confusion of the jews, they speak the language of all the world, and not their own. And that it is not with them so, only of late, but hath been long; Theodoret beareth witness in these words▪ Other nations (saith he) have their children speaking quickly in their own mother tongue. Howbeit, there are no children of the Hebrews who naturally spoke the Hebrew tongue, but the language of the country where they are borne. Afterward when they grow up they are taught the letters, and learn to read the holy Scripture in the Hebrew tongue. Thus Theod. in quaest. on Gen▪ 59.60.  
About this their training up of their children, and growth of men, in their own tongue and learning: a Rabbin hath this saying in Pirke Auoth. Perek. 1. Been He He saith. At five years old for the Scripture, at ten for Mishneh, at thirteen 
* Or Philacteries. etc.  for the Commandments, at fifteen for the Talmud. At eighteen for Marriage, at twenty for Service, at thirty for Strength, at forty for Understanding, at fifty for Counsel, at sixty for Old age, at seventy for Grey hairs, at eighty 
* Or fortitude (of mind) or God.  for Profoundness, at ninety for Meditation, at one hundred he is as dead and past and gone out of the world. The jews look for a pompous kingdom, when Messias the Son of David shall come, whom they watch for every moment till he come, as it is in the 12. Article of their Creed, in their common prayer book. He shall restore them (as they hope) a temporal kingdom (and of that mind, till they were better taught, were the Apostles, Acts 1.6.) and then their tongue shall revive again, as they surmise. But the divine Apocaliptick writing after jerusalem was ruined, might teach them what the second jerusalem must be, not on earth but from heaven, Apoc. 21, 2. But to return to their tongue.  
The characters, we now have the Hebrew tongue in, Scaliger thinks are but of a latter hatch, and not the same that the jews used from Moses, till the destruction of the temple. For, that they used the Phaenician or Cananaean character, which now is called the Samaritan. How truly I refer to the Readers judgement.  
The character we now have is either a set or a running letter: the first, the Bible is ordinarily Printed in, in the latter the most of the Rabbins.  
The whole tongue is contained in the Bible, and no one book else in the world, contains in it a whole language. And this shows that the Scripture speaks to all sorts of people, since it speaks of all sorts of things. This language is (as God said the jews should be, if they would keep his Law.) A lender to all, and a borrower of none. All tongues are in debt to this, and this to none. The Eastern most especially must acknowledge this. Some men in the East (saith Origen) reserve their old speech, (meaning by likelihood the Hebrew) and have not altered it, but have continued in the Eastern tongue, because they have continued in the Eastern countries. No Eastern tongue that I have heard of, is Hebrew now, so that what to say to Origen I cannot tell, unless he mean that those that have continued in the East, have kept nearest this holy tongue, because nearest the holy land: this to be true is known to the meanest learned. In their speech it is apparent, and by their writing confirmed. All of them have learned from the Hebrew, to write from the right hand to the left (or as we usual call it in England, to write, and read backward:) The China and japan writing excepted, which is indeed from the right hand to the left, but not with the lines crossing the leaf as other tongues do, but the lines down the leaf. A strange way by itself.  
Again, most of the Eastern tongues do use the Hebrew character for quick writing, or some other end. The Chaldee letter is the very fame. The Syrian though it have two or three kinds of its own, yet is content sometime to take upon it the Hebrew character. The Arabian doth the like, especially the jews in Turkey use in hatred of Mahumetans, to write down their matters of Religion; in the Hebrew character, though in the Arabian tongue. So do the Christian Arabians for the same cause in their holy things, use the Arabian tongue, but Syrian letter. And I take a place in Epiphanius to be meant to this purpose, also about the Persian tongue. His words out of another are these. The Persians besides their own letters do also use the letters of the Syrians: as in our times many nations use the Greek, though almost every nation hath a proper character. I refer to the Reader to judge whether he mean not that the Persians (as other countries about them did,) did use the Hebrew character for their quick writing: which is called Syrian by Theodoret.  
To speak of the grace, and sweetness, and fullness of the Hebrew tongue, is to no purpose to relate, for even those that cannot read this tongue have read thus much of it.   

CAP. XXXI. Of Vowels.  
Eastern tongues, especially the Hebrew and her three Dialects, Chaldee, Syrian, and Arabian, are written sometimes with vowels, sometimes without: with, for certainty, without, for the speedier writing: we have Hebrew Bibles of both kinds. The Septuagint it seems translated by the unpricked Bible, as S, Hierome in his commentary upon the Prophets seemeth to import, & as to any one that examineth it is easy to find. Instead of all other places in Gen. 4.7. it is apparent: where the seventy Translators reserving the letters have strangely altered the vowels.  
The Hebrew hath it thus. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Halo in tetibh Seeth, weim lo tetibh, lappethahh robhets, which is is in English thus: If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou do not well, sin lieth at the door: they translate it as pointed thus: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Halo in tetibh seeth, weim lo tetibh lephatteahh hhatatha rebhats. Which is: If thou do well in offering and do not well in dividing thou hast sinned, be quiet. This, follow with one consent, the Greek and many of the Latin Fathers: They could not thus translate, because they knew not the text, or because they wanted pointed Bibles, but on set purpose to hide pearls from swine (as the best learned think.) But that they did always miss on set purpose (where they miss) their many lapses seem to deny: but sometime they mistook the unpricked text, and so misconstrued. A vowelled Bible they might have had but would not.  
Some there be that think the vowels of the Hebrew, were not invented for many years After Christ. Which to me seemeth to be all one, as to deny sinews to a body: or to keep an infant unswadled, and to suffer him to turn and bend any way till he grow out of fashion. For mine own satisfaction I am fully resolved, that the letters and vowels of the Hebrew were as the soul and body in a child, knit together at their conception and beginning: and that they had both one Author.  
1. For, first a tongue cannot be learned without vowels, though at last, skill and practice may make it to be read without. Grammar and not nature makes men to do this, and this also helped out with the sense of the place we read.  
2. That Masorites should amend that which the Septuagint could not see, and that they should read righter, than the other (who were of far greater Authority) I cannot believe.  
3. Our Saviour in his words of one jota and one small kerai not perishing from the law, seems to allude to the least of the letters, Iod, and the least vowel and accent.  
4. Lastly, it is above the skill of a mere man to point the Bible; nay, scarcely a verse as it is. The ten Commandments may puzzle all the world for that skill.   

CAP. XXXII. Of the Language of two Testaments.  
THe two Testaments are like the Apostles at jerusalem (when the confusion of tongues at Babel was rerecompensed with multiplicity of tongues at Zion) speaking in different languages, but speaking both to one purpose. They differ from each other only in language and time: but for matter the new is veiled in the old, and old old reueiled in the new. Isaiah in his vision, 
Isa. 6.2.  heard the Seraphins cry Zeh elzeh, one to another, Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of tsebhaoth. So the two Testaments like these two Seraphins, cry Zeh el Zeh, one to another, the old cries to the new, and the new echoes to the old. The old cries, Holy is the Lord that hath promised, the new answers, Holy is the Lord that hath performed. The old says, Holy is the Father that gave the Law, the new saith, Holy is the Son that preached the Gospel, and both say, holy is the Holy Ghost that penned both Law and Gospel's to make men holy. The two Cherubins in Salomon's Temple stood so that with their outmost wings they touched the sides of the house, 
2. Chron. 3.  and their other wings touched each other. So the two Testaments, one way touch the two sides of the house, and the other way touch each other. In their extent they read from the beginning of the world to the end, from in the beginning, to come Lord jesus. In their consent they touch each other, with He shall turn the Heart of the Fathers to the children, Mal. 4.6. and He shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, Luke 1.17. Here the two wings join in the middle. Tertullian calls the Prophet Malachy, the bound or skirt of judaism and Christianity, a stake that tells that there promising ends, and performing begins, that prophesying concludes, fulfilling takes place: there is not a span between these two plots of holy ground, the old and new Testament, for they touch each other. What do the Papists then when they put and chop in the Apocryphas for Canonical Scripture, between Malachi and Matthew, Law and Gospel? What do they, but make a wall between the Seraphins that they cannot hear each others cry? What do they but make a stop between the Cherubins that they cannot touch each others wing? What do they but make a ditch betwixt these grounds that they cannot reach each to others coasts? What do they but remove the landmark of the Scriptures, and so are guilty, of, Cursed be he that removes his neighbour's mark, Deut. 27.17. And what do they but ●●●orce the marriage of the Testaments, and so are guilty of the breach of, that which God hath joined together let no man put asunder. These two Testaments are the two paps of the Church from which we suck the sincere milk of the Word. One pap is not more like to another, then are these two for substance, but for language they vary in colour. The old (as all can tell) is written in Hebrew, but some foreign languages are also admitted into Scripture, besides the Hebrew, as foreign nations were to be admitted also to the Church besides the Hebrews. A great piece of Ezra in Chalde, because taken from Chalde Chronicles. Those parts of daniel's visions that concern all the world, are written in the Chaldee, the tongue then best known in the world, because the Chaldeans were then Lords of the world. The eleventh verse of the tenth of jeremy is in the same tongue, that the jews might learn so much of their language, as to refuse their idolatry in their own language. Other words of this Idiom are frequent in the Scripture: as I take two names given to Christ (as Bar the son in Psal. 2.10. and Hhoter the rod of jesses' stem, 
Hhutra used by all the Targums ●o in divers places.  Isa. 11.) to be natively Chaldee words, and for that they do show the greater mystery: viz. that this Son and this Rod should belong to Chaldeans and Gentiles, as well as to jews or Hebrews: Infinite it is to trace all of this nature and language. The Arabian is also admitted into Scripture, especially in the book of job a man of that country: whether Philistin Phrases, and other adjacent nations Dialects, be not to be found there also, I refer to the Reader to search, and (I think) he may easily find: of the eloquence of some pieces above others, and the difficulty of some books above others, those that can even read the English Bible can tell. I would there were more that could read it in its own language, and as it were talk with God there in his own tongue: that as by God's mercy japhet dwells now in the tents of Sem, or the Gentiles have gained the pre-eminence of the jews for religion, so they would water this graffing of theirs into this stock, with the juice of that tongue, thereby to provoke them the more to jealousy.   

CAP. XXXIII. Of the New Testament Language, or the Greek.  
THe Greek tongue is the key which God used to unlock the tents of Sem to the sons of japhet. This glorious tongue (as Tully calls it) is made most glorious by the writing of the New Testament in this language. God hath honoured all the letters by naming himself after the first and the last: 
Thucyd. lib. 1.  as Homer shows the receipt of all the Grecian ships, by showing how many the greatest, and how few the least contained, javan is held both by jews and Christians to have planted the Country. The tongue is likely to be maternal from Babel: The jews upon Genesis the forty ninth, think that jacob curseth his sons Simeon and Levies fact, in one word of Greek Macerothehem, that is, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their swords: but all the Chaldees and other Translations render it better, their habitations, Gen. 49.5. The ancientest Heathen Greek alive is Homer, though the tongue was long before, and Homer's subject of Ilias' treated of in Greek verse by Euanders' Wife of Arcadia, as some have related. Homer watered the tongue, and in succeeding ages it flourished till it grew ripe in the New Testament. The Dialects of it familiarly known to be five. The Attic, the jonick, etc. The Macedonian was something strange, as appears in Clemens Alexandrinus, Strom. 5. Especially their devout Macedonian, or about their orisons: How God scattered and diuulged this tongue of the greeks over the world, against the coming of Christ, and writing of the New Testament, is remarkable. Alexander the great with his Macedonians, made the Eastern parts Grecian. The Old Testament at Ptolomaeus his request, translated into Greek, was as an Usher to bring in the New Testament, when japhet should come to dwell in the tents of Sem. The jews used to keep a mournful fast for that translation, but as jews mourn, so have Gentiles cause to rejoice. In like sort, for the preparation for the Gospel of late (which as far as Antichrist his power could reach, lay depressed, but not overwhelmed;) the Greek tongue at the sacking of Constantinople by the Turks, was sent into these Western climates; that we might hear Christ speak in his own language, without an Egyptian to interpret to us, as joseph had to his brethren: What need we now to rely upon a Latin foundation, when we have the Greek purity? Never did the Turk any good to Chri●tianity, but this, and this against his will, but God worketh all things for his own glory: And we may say of the poor inhabitants of Grecia, as of the jews, by their impoverishing we are enriched.  
As Athens in old time was called the Grecia of Grecia, so the New Testament for language may be styled the Greek of Greek. In it (as upon the cross of our Saviour, in the title) are three tongues, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Greek the foundation, the other two but little additions. In the Greek Master Broughton hath given learned rules and examples of the kinds of it, viz. Septuagint, Talmudick, Attic and Apostolic. The Hebrew or Syrian (for so that word Hebrew in the title of the cross must be understood) is easily found out even in translations. Latin there is some in the Gospels, but not much. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Census for tribute. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a ward or watch: Matthew. 28.11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spiculator, Mark 6.27. which word is used by Targum jeruselamy in Gen. 37. of Potiphar, that he was Rabh Sapulachtaria: Princeps spiculatorum. And some other words of the Latin tongue, which language in our Saviour's time the conquest of the Romans had scattered in jerusalem: and in the parts adjoining, and so may one find some Latin in the Syrian Testament: and abundance of Greek.   

CAP. XXXIIII. Of the Chaldee and Syrian Tongues.  
THe Chaldee and Syrian tongue was once all one, as appeareth in Genesis 31.47. Ezra 4.7. Dan. 2.4. In Character indeed they differed, they of Babylon using one kind of letter, they of Syria another: This was that that nonplussed the Babylonian wizards about the writing of the wall, so that they could not read it, though it were in their own language, because it was not in their own letter. In aftertimes the very languages themselves began to vary: as the Chaldee in Daniel, and Onkelos and jeruselamy and jonathan, and the Syrian in the Testament do witness. The Paraphrafts do much differ between themselves for purity of speech, and all far short of the Bible Chaldee. They are very full of Greek words, and so the Syrian: a relic of Alexander's conquests: some think they find some Greek in Daniel. Montanus himself renders Osphaia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all along. Four kind of characters is the Chaldee to be had in, or if you will the Chaldee in two, and the Syrian in two. Our Bible and Paraphrasts and Rabbins Chaldee is in the Hebrew letter, and the other kind of letter is the Samaritan. The Syrian hath either a set letter, such as we have the New Testament imprinted in, or their running hand, such as the Maronites use in their writing for speed: there is no great difference betwixt them, as you may see by their Alphabet.   

CAP. XXXV. Of the Arabian Language.  
THis is the most copious of the Hebrew Dialects, and a tongue that may brag with the most of tongues from fluency, and continuance of familiarity. This tongue is frequent in Scripture, especially in job, a man of that country: How other parts of the Bible use it, I think may be judged by the nearness of judaea and Arabia, and of the two languages. In this one thing it differs from its fellow-Dialects and its mother tongue, that it varieth terminations in declining of nouns, as the Greek and Latin do, and that it receiveth dual numbers, in forming verbs, as doth the Greek. Of the largeness of the Alphabet, and difference from other Alphabets, and quiddits of the tongue, or indeed any thing of the tongue, I cannot say, which I have not received of the most industrious and thrice learned (both in this and other the noble tongues) Master William Bedwell, whom I cannot name without a great deal of thankfulness and honour: To whom I will rather be a scholar, then take on me to teach others. This tongue was Mahomads Alcoran written in, and is still read in the same Idiom under pain of death, not to mistake a letter, which is as easily done in this tongue as in any.   

CAP. XXXVI. Of the Latin Tongue.  
THis is the first Idiom of our Grammar Schools: A tongue next the sacred tongues, most necessary for Scholars of the best profession. Whether Latin were a Babel language I will not controvert pro et contra. Sure I dare say, that what Latin we read now, was not at Babel: if we may believe Polybius who saith that the Latin tongue that was used in junius Brutus time was not understood in the time of the first Punic war, but only by great scholars. So much in few years it had degenerated. The old Poets compared with smooth Ovid and Tully show much alteration. This spacious tongue once almost as big as any, and as large as a great part of the world, is now bounded in schools and studies. The Deluge of the North (the treasury of men) overwhelmed the Roman empire, scattered the men, and spoiled the Latin. Goths, Vandals, Lombard's, and the rest of the brood of those frozen Climates, have beaten the Latin tongue out of its own fashion, into the French, Spanish, and Italian. But some sparks of their hammering are flown into other languages of the West: So that most countries hereabout may own Rome for a second Babel for their speech confused.   

CAP. XXXVII. The Language of Britain near a thousand years ago. Ex Beda lib. 1. de Hist. Angl. Cap. 1.  
BRittania in praesenti iuxta numerum librorum, etc. Britain in my time (saith Bede) doth search and confess one and the same knowledge of the high truth, and true sublimity in five tongues, according to the five books wherein the Law of God was written: namely, in the English, Britain, Scottish, Pict and Latin tongues: And in the ninteenth chapter of the same book he saith, that when Austen the Monk came from Gregory the great to preach the Gospel in England, he brought with him Interpreters out of France to speak to the English: That language it seems was then usual in England, but whether the French that France speaks now, is a question. William the Conqueror took great care and pains to have brought in his tongue with his conquest, but could not prevail.   

CAP. XXXVIII. jonathan the Chaldee Paraphrast his conceit of Levies choosing to the Priesthood: translated out of his Paraph. on Gen. 32.24.  
ANd jacob was left alone beyond the ford, and an Angel in the likeness of a man strove with him and said, Didst thou not promise to give tithe of all that thou hadst, and behold thou hast 
* He had but eleven sons as yet: but the Hebrew comment upon the Chaldee text helps out at this dead lift, and saith, that Rabel was great with child of Benjamin, and so he is counted before he be borne.  twelve sons, and one daughter, and thou hast not tithed them: Out of hand he sets apart the four first borne to their four mothers (for saith the margin, they were holy because of their primogeniture) and then were eight left: He begins again to count from Simeon, and ended in Levi, for the tenth or tithe. Michael answereth and saith, Lord of the world this is thy lot: etc. thus the Chaldee. On whose words, if they were worth commenting on I could say more.   

CAP. XXXIX. Of the jews abbreviature. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
THis short writing is common in all their Authors. When they cite any of the Doctors of their schools, they commonly use these words, Ameru rabbothenu Zicceronam libhracah, in four letters thus: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus say our Doctors of blessed memory. But when they speak of holy men in the old Testament, they usually take this Phrase Gnalau hashalom, on him is peace, in brief thus, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Thus when they mention Moses, Solomon, David, or others, this is the memorial they give them. The Arabians have the like use in their Abbreviation of Gnalaihi alsalemo: on whom is peace. The words in Hebrew want a verb, and so may be constru●ed two ways: On him is peace, or on him be peace. The learned Master Broughton hath rendered it the former way, and his judgement herein shall be my law. To take it the latter way, seems to relish of Popish superstition, of praying for the dead: which though the jews did not directly do, yet in manner they appear to do no less, in one part of their Common Prayer book, called Mazkir neshamoth, the remembrancer of Souls: which being not very long, I thought not amiss to translate out of their tongue, into our own, that the Reader may see their jewish Popery, or Popish judaism, and may bless the Creator, who hath not shut us up in the same darkness.   

CAP. XL. Mazkir neshamoth: or the Remembrancer of souls: in the jews liturgy: printed at Venice.  
THe Lord remember the soul (or spirit of Abba Mr. N. the son of N. who is gone into his world: wherefore I vow (to give) Alms for him, that for this, his soul may be bound up in the bundle of life, with the soul of Abraham, Isaac and jacob, Sarah, and Rebecca, Rahel and Leah, and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women, which be in the garden of Eden. Amen.  
The Lord remember the soul of Mris. N. the Daughter of N. who is gone to her world. Therefore I vow: etc. as in the other before. Amen.  
The Lord remember the soul of my father and my mother, of my grandfathers and grandmothers, of my uncles and aunts, of my brethren and sisters, of my cousins and cosenesses, whether of my father's side, or mother's side, who are gone into their world. Wherefore I vow, etc. Amen.  
The Lord remember the soul of N. the son of N. and the souls of all my cousins and cosenesses, whether on my fathers or mother's side, who were put to death, or slain, or stabbed, or burnt, or drowned, or hanged for the sanctifying of the name of God. Therefore I will give Alms for the memory of their souls, and for this let their souls be bound up in the bundle of life, with the soul of Abraham, Isaac and jacob, Sarah and Rebecca, Rahel and Leah, and with the rest of the righteous men and righteous women which are in the garden of Eden. Amen.  
Then the Priest pronounceth a blessing upon the man that is thus charitable, as it followeth there in these words.  
He that blessed our father Abraham, Isaac and jacob, Moses and Aaron, David and Solomon, he bless Rabbi N. the son of N. because he hath vowed Alms for the souls whom he hath mentioned: for the honour of God, and for the honour of the law, and for the honour of the day: for this the Lord keep him, and deliver him from all affliction and trouble, and from every plague and sickness: and write him and seal him for a happy life, in the day of judgement: and send a blessing and prosper him in every work of his hands, and all Israel his brethren, and let us say Amen.  
Thus (courteous Reader) hast thou seen a Popish jew interceding for the dead: have but the like patience a while, and thou shalt see how they are Popish almost entirely, in claiming the merits of the dead to intercede for them: for thus tendeth a prayer which they use in the book, called Sepher Min hagim shell col Hammedinoth, etc. which I have also here turned into English.  
Do for thy praises sake, Do for their sakes that loved thee, that (now) dwell in dust. For Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's sake. Do for Moses and Aaron's sake. Do for David and Salomon's sake. Do for jerusalem thy holy City's sake. Do for Zion the habitation of thy glories sake. Do for the desolation of thy Temple's sake. Do for the treading down of thine Altars sake. Do for their sakes who were slain for thy holy Name. Do for their sakes who have been massacred for thy sake. Do for their sakes who have gone to fire or water for the hallowing of thy Name. Do for sucking children's sakes who have not sinned. Do for weaned children's sakes who have not offended. Do for infant's sakes who are of the house of our Doctors. Do for thine own sake if not for ours. Do for thine own sake and save us.  
Tell me gentle reader 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. whether doth the jew, Romanize or the Roman judaize in his devotions This interceding by others, is a shrewd sign they have both rejected the right Mediator between God and man, Christ jesus. The profane Heathen might have read both jew and Papist a lecture in his, Contemno minutos istos Deos, modo jovem propitium habeam, which I think a Christian may well English: let go all Diminutive Divinities, so that I may have the great jesus Christ to propitiate for me.   

CAP. XLI. Of the Latin translation of Mat. 6.1.  
Alms in Rabbin Hebrew are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tsedhakah righteousness, which word the Syrian Translator useth, Mat. 6.1. Act. 10.2. and in other places. From this custom of speech, the Roman vulgar Translateth, Attendite ne iustitiam vestram faciatis: One English old manuscript Testament, is in Lichfield Library, which hath it thus after the Latin: Takith heed that you do not your rigtwisnes before men to be sayen of 'em, else ye shullen have no meed at your father that is in heavens. Other English Translation, I never saw any to this sense; nor any Greek copy. It seems the Papist will rather judaize for his own advantage, then follow the true Greek, The Septuagint in some places of the old Testament, have turned Tsedhakah Righteousness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almesdeeds, to little or to no sense. As the Papists have in this place of the new Testament, turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Almesdeeds, by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Righteousness, to as little purpose. In the Hebrew indeed, one word is used for both: Tsedhakah for Almesdeeds, which properly signifies Righteousness; upon what ground I know not, unless it be, to show that 
* St. Chrysostome hath such a touch.  Alms must be given of rightly gotten good, or else they are no righteousness: or they are called zadkatha in Syrian, Hu her Zadek lemehwo, they are called righteousness, because it is right they should be given, and given rightly. The Fathers of the Council of Trent speak much of the merit of Alms; whom one may answer in the very words of their vulgar, Attendite ne iustitiam vestram faciatis. Take heed you do not make them your justification.   

CAP. XLII. An Emblem.  
A Wall in Rome had this picture. A man painted naked with a whip in one hand, and four leaves of a book in the other, and in every leaf a word written. In the first, Plango, I mourn; In the second, Dico, I tell; In the third, volo, I will; and in the fourth, facio I do. Such a one in the true repentant. He is naked, because he would have his most secret sins laid open to God: He is whipped, because his sins do sting himself: His book is his repentance; His four words are his actions: In the first he mourns, in the second he confesses, in the third he resolves, and in the fourth, he performs his resolution. Plango, I mourn, there is sight of sin and sorrow, Dico, I tell, there is contrition for sin and confession; Volo, I will, there is amending resolution: Facio, I do, there is performing satisfaction.   

CAP. XLIII. Mahhanaijm. Gen. 32.2.  
ANd jacob went on his way, and the Angels of God met him: And jacob said when he saw them, This is the Host of the Lord, and he called the name of the place Mahanaim.  
The word is dual, and tells of two armies and no more, what these two armies were, the jews according to their usual vein, do find strange expositions. To omit them all, this seems to me to be the truth, and reason of the name. There was one company with jacob, which afterwards he calls his army; and there was another company of Angels, which he calls the Army of God. These are the two Armies that gave name to Mahanaim; two armies, one heavenly, and the other earthly: and from this I take it, Solomon compares the Church, 
* ●●nt. 6. ●●  to the company of Mahanaim: for so the Church consisteth of two Armies, one heavenly like these Angels, which is the Church triumphant, and the other travailing on earth like Jacob's army, which is the Church militant.   

CAP. XLIIII. The book of Psalms.  
THe Psalms are divided into five books, according to the five books of Moses: and if they be so divided, there be seventy books in the Bible; the unskilful may find where any one of these five books end, by looking where a Psalm ends with Amen, there also ends the book. As at Psal. 41.72.89.106. and from thence to the end.  
These may even in their very beginnings be harmonized to the books of the Law.  
Genesis. The first book of Moses telleth how happiness was lost, even by Adam's walking in wicked counsel of the Serpent and the woman.  
Psal. 1. The first book of Psalms tells how happiness may be regained, if a man do not walk in wicked counsel, as of the serpent & woman, the devil and the flesh.  
This allusion of the first book Arnobius makes  
Exodus. The second book of Moses tells of groaning affliction in Egypt.  
Leuiti. The third book of Moses is of giving the law.  
Numbers. The fourth book of Moses is about numbering  
Deutero. The last book of Moses is a rehearsal of all.  
Psal. 42. The second book of Psalms begins in groaning affliction. Psal. 42 43.  
Psal. 73. The third book of Psalms tells in the beginning, how good God is for giving this law. This allusion Rab. Tanch. makes very near. Ps. 90. The fourth book begins with numbering of the best Arithmetic: numbering God's mercy, Psal. 90.1. and our own days, ver. 12.  
Psa. 107. So is the last book of the Psalms from Psa. 107. to the end  
In the jews division of the Scripture, this piece of the Psalms, and the books of the like nature, are set last: not because they be of least dignity, but because they be of least dependence with other books, as some of them being no story at all, and some, stories and books of lesser bulk, and so set in a form by themselves. The old Testament books, the jews acrostically do write thus in three letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, every letter standing for a word, and every word for a part of the Bible. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Aorajetha, or Torah, the law: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Nebhijm the Prophets: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Cethubhim, or books of holy writ: this division is so old, that our Saviour himself useth it in the last of Luke, and ver. 44. All things written in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets and the Psalms. By the Psalms meaning, that part of Cethubhim, in which the Psalms are set first.   

CAP. XLV. Of the Creation.  
TWo ways we come to the knowledge of God; by his works and by his word. By his works we come to know there is a God; and by his word we come to know what God is. His works teach us to spell; his word teacheth us to read. The first are as it were his back parts, by which we behold him a far off: The latter shows him to us face to face. The world is as a book consisting of three leaves, and every leaf printed with many letters, and every letter a lecture. The leaves heaven, the air, and earth with the water. The letters in heaven, every Angel, Star, and Planet. In the air, every meteor and foul. In the earth and waters, every man, beast, plant, fish, and mineral: all these set together, spell to us that there is a God, and the Apostle saith no less though in less space, Rom. 1▪ 20. For the 
b In the Syrian translation it is the hid things of God.  invisible things of him, that is, his eternal power and Godhead are seen by the creation of the world, being considered in his works. And so David, Psal. 19.1. It is not for nothing that God hath set the Cabinet of the universe open, but it is because he hath given us eyes to behold his treasure. Neither is it for nothing that he hath given us eyes to behold his treasure, but because he hath given us hearts to admire upon our beholding. If we mark not the works of God, we are like stones that have no eyes, wherewith to behold. If we wonder not at the works of God, when we mark them, we are like beasts that have no hearts wherewith to admire. And if we praise not God for his works, when we admire them, we are like devils that have no tongues wherewith to give thanks. Remarkable is the story of the poor old man, whom a Bishop found, most bitterly weeping, over an ugly toad: being asked the reason of his tears, his answer was, I weep, because, that whereas God might have made me as ugly and filthy a creature as this toad, and hath not, I have yet never in all my life been thankful to him for it. If the works of the creation would but lead us to this one lecture, our labour of observing them were well bestowed. How much more when they lead us far further.   

CAP. XLVI. The time and manner of the Creation.  
MOSES in the first verse of the Bible refutes three heathen opinions: namely theirs, that thought the world was eternal, for he saith, in the beginning, etc. Secondly, theirs that thought there was no God, for he saith, Elohim created. Thirdly, theirs that thought there were many gods, for he saith, 
Even those that have not Hebrew, can tell there is a mystery of the trinity in Elohim, bara▪ but few mark how sweetly this is answered with the same Phrase in manner, in the Haphtara which is read by the jews to this portion of Moses▪ viz. Esa 42.5. jehovah bore hashamaiim, venotehen jehovah being singular, and notehem plural. which might be rendered, Deus creans coelos, & Deus extendentes eos.  Elohim he created heaven and earth. The first word in the beginning may draw our minds and thoughts to the last thing, the latter end, and this thought must draw our affections from too much love of the world, for it must have an end as it had a beginning. I will not stand to comment upon the word Bereshith in the beginning, for than I know not when to come to an end. To treat how the divers expositors labour about the beginning of the world, is a world of labour. How the jerus. Targ. translates it, In wisdom, and is followed by Rabbi Tanchum, and many jews: How Targ. jonath. useth an Arabian word, Min Awwala, a primo; Onkelos, in primis or in principio: jarchi in principio creationis creavit. How Basil the great, Saint Ambrose, and hundreds others do interpret this, is a work endless to examine. Satisfied am I with this, that the world and all things had their beginning from God, that in the beginning created heaven and earth. Some of the jews do invert the word Bereshith, and make it Betisri that is in the month Tisri was the world created. This month is about our September, and that the world was created in this month (to let other reasons alone) this satisfies me, that the feast of Tabernacles which was in this month, is called the end of the year, Exod. 23.16. And this I take to be the reason, why the jews began to read the Bible in their Synagogues, at the feast of Tabernacles, viz. that they might begin the lecture of the Creation, in Gen. 1. at that time of the year that the world was created.  
The manner of the Creation shows the workman powerful and wise: The making of the Angels concealed by Moses, lest men should (like those heretics in Epiph.) think they helped God in the Creation. For if their day of their Creation (
a 
Rab. Solon. holds they were made the second day.  
Many Divines hold for the 4th.   which was in most likelihood the first) had been named, wicked men would have been ready to have taken them for actors in this work, which were only spectators. Therefore as God hides Moses after his death, so Moses hides the Creation of them, lest they should be deified, and the honour due to the Creator given to the creature. God in framing the world, begins above and works downward; and in three days he lays the parts of the world, and in the three other days, he adorns those parts.  
The first day he makes all the heavens, the matter of the earth, and comes down so low as the light. The second lower, and makes the firmament or air. The third lowest of all, and makes distinction of earth and water. Thus in three days the parts, or body of the world is laid, in three days more, and in the same order they are furnished. For on  
The fourth day the Heavens which were made the first day are decked with stars. The fifth day the Firmament, which was made the second day, is filled with birds. The sixth day, the Earth, which was laid fit the third day, is replenished with beasts, and lastly man 
b The 70. Interpreters on Gen. 2.2. instead of God had finished on the seventh day, read he finished on the sixth day.  Thus God in the six days finished all his work of Creation. 
c Chaldee Paraph. on Num. 22 and Jarch. on Deut. 34. and Pirke Abhoth.  For the ten things that the Chaldee Paraphrast saith God, created on the evening of the Sabbath, after the world was finished: I refer them to their Authors to believe them.  
R. jarchi on Gen. 2. observes, that God created one day superior things, and another day inferior: his words are to this purpose. On the first day he created heaven above & earth beneath. On the second day, the firmament above. On the third, let the dry land appear beneath. On the fourth day, lights above. On the fifth day, let the waters bring forth beneath. On the sixth, he must create both Superior and Inferior, as he had done on the first, lest there should be confusion in his work, therefore he made man of both, his soul from above, and his body from beneath.  
R. Tancuman shows how the making of the Tabernacle harmonizeth with the making of the world: The light of the first day answered, by the candlestick, for light the first work; and the spreading of the Firmament, like a curtain, answered by the curtains the second work, and so of the rest. Every one knows the old conceit of the world's lasting six thousand years, because it was made in six days: and of Elias Prophecy among the jews, of the world ending, at the end of six thousand: which Prophecy of his is flat against the words of Christ: Many believe these opinions, yet few prepare for the end which they think is so near.  
God hath taught us by the course 
Allegory.  of the Creation of the old world, what our proceedings must be, that we may become a new creation, or new heavens, & a new earth, renewed both in soul and body. On the first day he made the light, so the first thing in the new man must be light of knowledge, so saith S. Paul, Heb. 11. He that cometh to God must know that he is.  
2. On the second day he made the Firmament, so called, because of its 
* 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hesiod. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Odies 3.  sureness, so the second step in man's new creation must be firmamentum fidei, the sure foundation of faith.  
3. On the third day, the seas and trees bearing fruit: So the third step in the new man is that he become waters of repentant tears, and that he bring forth fruit worthy of these tears. Bring forth fruit worthy of repentance, saith the Baptist, Mat. 3.  
4. On the fourth day, God created the Sun: that whereas on the first day there was light but without heat; now on the fourth day, there is light and heat joined together. So the fourth step in the new creation of a new man is, that he join the heat of zeal, with the light of his knowledge: as in the sacrifices fire and salt were ever joined.  
5. The fifth day's work, was of fishes to play in the seas, and the fowls to fly toward heaven: So the fifth step in a new creature is, to live and rejoice in a sea of troubles, and to fly by prayer and contemplation to heaven.  
6. On the sixth day, God makes man: and all these things performed, man is a new creature. To reckon them altogether then, as S. Peter does his golden chain of virtues. 2. Pet. 1. Add to your light of knowledge, the firmament of faith, to your faith, seas of repentant tears, to your tears, the fruitful trees of good works, to your good works, the hot Sunshine of zeal, to your Zeal, the winged fowls of prayer and contemplation; Et ecce omnia facta sunt nova. Behold you are become a new creature.  
As the Bible begins, so it ends with a new creation, of a new heaven and a new earth, and a new paradise, and a new tree of life, Apoc. 21. unto all which, O thou whom my soul loveth, say come.   

CAP. XLVII. Of the fall of Adam.  
THe fall of Adam was the death of himself, 
Cypriano di valer.  the death of us, and the death of Christ. At his fall were three offenders, three offences, & persons offended. Three offenders, Satan, Adam, Eve: three offences, Ignorance, weakness, and malice: three persons offended, Father, Son, and holy Ghost, Eve sinned of Ignorance, and so sinned against the Son, the God of knowledge, and she was forgiven; and so S. Paul sinned, and was forgiven. 1. Tim. 1.13. Adam sinned of weakness, and so sinned against the Father, the God of power, and he was pardoned; and so S. Peter sinned, and he was pardoned. Mat. 26. But Satan sinned of set malice, and so sinned against the holy Ghost, the God of love, and he was not forgiven: For he that speaketh against the holy Ghost, shall never be forgiven, Mark 3.29. And in Gods censuring of these three, Gen. 3. He questioneth Adam & Euah before he sentenceth, because he had mercy for them, nay more, he promiseth Christ before he inflict punishment: but for the Serpent, he never questioned, because he would show him no mercy. God left Adam to his own freewill, and suffered him to fall, quia sciebat se, etc. because he knew how to turn that fall of his, to his salvation When Lazarus died, Christ was not there, that the raising of Lazarus by Christ might be the more glorious. So when Adam fell (as I may say so) God would not be there (for he left Adam to his own freewill) that the repairing of Adam through Christ might be the more glorious. Hereupon one sings, O foelix lapsus. Unhappy was the fall of Adam, since by his fall we all fell, but yet happy was that unhappy fall, since it must be recured by Christ. joseph suffered his brother Simeon to go into prison for a while, that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort. So God suffered Adam to go into Satan's Newgate for a while, that at last he might bring him out with greater comfort. The day thou eatest hereof thou shalt dye, there is the prison, And the man took and ate, there Adam goes into prison: the seed of the woman shall break the head of the Serpent, there joseph delivers Simeon out of prison, God brings man out of hell through Christ. Whereupon a Doctor in admiration questions: utrum mirabilius, homines iustos creare, an iniustos iustificare: whether is more admirable, that God created man righteous, or that he justified man, when he had made himself unrighteous? Whether was more miraculous, for God to make man of nothing, or to repair him from worse than nothing? Wonderful he was in both, in his first and his second creation, for justificatio est secunda hominis creatio, man's justification is his new creation.   

CAP. XLVIII. Ophitae Euia.  
SOme Heretics in Epiphanius think themselves beholden to the Devil, for his pains that he took to overthrow Adam: for they used to worship a serpent, because (say they) he brought knowledge into the world. Clemens Alexandrinus doth partly think, this conceit was got among the Heathens: who at their feasts of Bacchus used to carry a serpent, as it were in procession, and to cry Euia Euia. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. And Euia (saith Clemens) if it be asperated Hevia, it signifies in the Hebrew tongue, a female serpent▪ Where the good man calls the Chaldee tongue, the Hebrew: For in the Hebrew I do not find such a word for a serpent: But all the Chaldee translations of the Bible in the third of Genesis and divers other places, do use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hivia for a serpent: which I take to be the word he means.   

CAP. XLIX. Of the Greek Translation of the fifth of Genesis.  
HOw the Septuagint does add hundreds of years to men's ages before and after the flood, few scholars but they know. This bred the difference of computation of the times, while some followed the Hebrew, some the Greek. Hence came two notorious doubts. About Methuselah living after the flood, who died a month or two before. And of Sem his death before Abraham's birth, who lived as long after Abraham came to Canaan, as Abraham was old when he came thither, viz. seventy five years. And so might well be Melchizedek. The Greeks had a great deal of stir where to put Methushelah all the floud-time for fear of drowning: At last some laid him on the top of Noah's Ark, and there he was all that watery year. The jews lay Og the giant there also (as the Chaldee Paraphrast upon the foureteenth of Genesis ridiculously observeth:) Whose words (for your fuller sport) I will not spare to set down. The thirteenth verse he renders thus in Chaldee. And Og came who was left of those that died in the flood: for he road upon the Ark, and was as a covering upon it, and was nourished with Noah's victuals, but he was not preserved for his own sake or merit, but that the inhabitants of the world might see the power of the Lord, and say: Did not the Giants in old time, rebel against the Lord of the world, and he destroyed them from the earth, yet as soon as these Kings make war, behold Og is with them Og saith with himself, I will go and show Abraham, Lot's case, that he is taken prisoner, that so he may come to rescue him, and may himself fall into their hands: He goes and comes to him about the Passeover day, and finds him making unleavened cakes, than he told Abram the Hebrew, etc. Thus far the Chaldee: of whose conceits here, and in one thousand of places more, and so of his nation the jews; I know not whether to say, Risum or fletum teneatis amici? But to return to my purpose. The Greek Bible makes Methushelah live fourteen years after the flood, their reason of this their addition of years, many render, which I omit. But S. Austen saith, some fall short of this man's age. 
The Chaldee Paraphrase of jonathan. does also mistake in the age of Mathushel●h, but I think it only false Printing.  In three Greek books, saith he, and one Latin, and one Syrian book, all agreeing one with another, Methusalem is found to die six years before the flood. So Austen in Ciu. dei lib. 15. cap. 13. Such differences may incite men to apply themselves to the Hebrew text, where is no falsifying nor error.   

CAP. L. Upon the words: The seed of the woman shall break the Serpent's head.  
THe new Testament affords a rich Commentary upon these words, in the Gospel of Saint Luke, who in his third Chapter, shows how through seventy five generations, 
jerus: and Babylon: targums do both apply these words to the Messias.  Christ is this seed of the woman, and in the fourth Chapter, how through three temptations this seed began to bruise the head of the Serpent: where the Reader may observe, how the devil tempts Christ, in the very same manner that he had temped Eve, though not with the same success. All the sins of the world, are brought by Saint john to these three heads, Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 1. john 2.15. By these three Eve falls in the garden: She sees the tree is good for meat, and the lust of the flesh enticeth her; she sees it fair to look on, and the lust of the eye provokes her; and she perceives it will make her wise, and the pride of life persuades her to take it. By these three the devil tempts Christ; when he is hungry, he would have him turn stones into bread, and so tries him by the lusts of the flesh: He shows, and promiseth him all the pomp of the world, and so tries him by the lust of the eyes, and he will have him to fly in the air, and so tempts him to pride of life. But as, by these three, the Serpent had broken the head of the woman, so against these three the seed of the woman breaks the head of the Serpent. David Prophesied of this conquest, Psal. 91.13. The Dragon thou shalt tread under thy feet: The very next verse before this, the devil useth to tempt Christ withal, but to this he dare not come, for it is to his sorrow.   

CAP. LI. jewish hypocritical prayers, reproved by our Saviour, Mat. 6.5. Because they love to stand praying in the Synagogues and corners of the streets.  
THis Sermon upon the mount, is much in reproof of the jews talmudical traditions, by which they made the word of God of none effect. This verse reproveth one of their tenets, for their highway Orisons: for which they have this tradition in their 
* In Sepher Berachoth.  Talmud. Rabbi josi, saith: On a time I was walking by the way, and I went into one of the deserts of jerusalem to pray, then came Eliah, 
a Heb Zacur lattobb Remembered for good.  of blessed memory, and watched me at the gate, and stayed for me, till I had ended my prayer: after that I had ended my prayer, 
Heb. Mori which in the Chaldee and Syrian signifies a Lord or Master: hence is Maran atha, our Lord cometh, the great excommunication, 1. Cor. 16.22.  he saith unto me, Peace be upon thee Rabbi; I said unto him, peace be upon thee Rabbi, and master. Then said he to me, my son, wherefore goest thou into this desert; I said unto him, To pray, He said to me, thou mightest have prayed in the way. Then said I, I was afraid, least passengers would interrupt me: He said unto me, thou shouldest have prayed a short prayer. At that time I learned of him three things: I learned that we should not go into the desert: and I learned that we should pray by the way, and learned, thet he that prayed by the way must pray a short prayer. Thus far their Talmud maketh them these letters patents for Hypocrisy; fathering this bastard upon blessed Elias, who was not a highway prayer, or one that practised his own devotions in public: for he was john Baptists type for retiredness.   

CAP. LII. Israel's affliction in Egypt.  
OF Israel's being in Egypt, many Heathen Authors do touch, though every one a several way, and all of them the wrong josephus against Appion is angry at their fables about it. Of the famine that brought them thither (if we take the want of Nilus flowing to be the natural cause, 
Nilus' the wonder of Africa the river of Egypt flows every year once over his banks: and if it flow not at all, or not to his right height, it causeth famine, for Egypt hath no rain Fron this river, under God comes their plenty or famine: and it is remarkable that the fat and lean kine in Pharaoh his dream (which betokened the plenty or scarcity of the country) came out of the River. Of the reason of the flowing of this River, Pigaffetta especially is large. And I wonder that jordan was not as much wondered at: for it did so also, josh. 3.15. Cheon. 1. ch. 12. ●. 15.  as most like it was) there seems then to be some remembrance of those seven years in Seneca, in his natural questions, where he saith: Per novem annos Nilum non ascendisse superioribus saeculis, Callimachus est Author: that is: Callimachus writes, that in old time Nilus flowed not of nine years together: where he outstrips but two of the number. But of Israel's affliction in Egypt, I find the Heathens silent. God had told Abraham of this their hardship long before, and showed him a token of it, by the fowls lighting upon his carcases, Gen. 15. A type of Israel's being in Egypt, and of Pharoahs' being plagued for their sakes, was, when Pharaoh suffered, for taking Sarah from her husband, and keeping her in his house: as it is, Gen 12. How long they were in that land, few there be but know: but how long their affliction lasted, is uncertain. Probable it is, that it was about an hundred and twenty years, the time of the old world's repentance, and Moses his age: This is to be searched by Levi his age, which within a little one may find certain. All the generation of Joseph's time die, before they are afflicted: as all the generation of joshuahs' time die, before they fall to Idolatry, judges 2.10. The reasons why God should thus suffer them to suffer: whether it were to fit them for the receiving of him and his Law, or whether it were to whip them for their Idolatry: or for some other cause, I dare not enter too near to search: this I see, that when the foundation (as it were) of the visible Church is laid thus in affliction, that that the Church cannot but look for affliction, whilst it lives in the Egypt of this world. But as Israel increased under persecution: so does the Church: for even when sparsum est semen sanguinis Martyrum, surrexit seges Ecclesiae: Nec frustra oravit Ecclesia pro inimicis suis crediderunt, & qui persequebantur: Aust. Ser. de temp. 109. To omit the jews fancy, that the Israelitish women bare six at a birth, and to omit questioning whether faetifer Nilus, the drinking of the water of Nilus, which (as some say is good for generation) did conduce to the increasing of Israel, I can only look at God, and his work, which did thus multiply and sustain them in furnace affliction. Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos? God had promised this increase to jacob, as he fled to Haran, Gen. 28. in a dream from the top of Jacob's ladder. And here he proves faithful who had promised.   

CAP. LIII. Israel's Camp: according to the Chaldee Paraphrast his description: Num. 2.  
THe Chaldee is precise about pitching Israel's Camp: I have not thought much to translate a whole chapter out of him, that the Reader may see (at the least) his will, if not his truth.  
Numb. 11.1. And the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron saying.  
2. Every one of the children of Israel shall pitch by his standard, by the ensigns whereto they are appointed, by the standards of their fathers shall they pitch over against the Tabernacle of the Congregation 
* Chald. Round. Round.  round about.  
3. The Camp of Israel was twelve miles long, and twelve miles broad, and they that pitched Eastward toward the Sunrising, the standard of the Camp of judah four miles square, and his ensign was of three party colours like the three pearls that were in the breastplate (or rational) the rubies, topaz, and carbuncle, and in it was deciphered and expressed the names of three Tribes, judah, Issachar, Zebulon, and in the middle was written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arise O Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate thee fly before thee. And in it was drawn the picture of a Lion's whelp, for the Prince of the children of judah, Nahshon the son of Aminadab.  
4. And his host and the number of them, seventy four thousand and six hundred.  
5. And they that pitched next him, the Tribe of Issachar, and the Prince that was over the Army of the Tribe of the sons of Issachar, Nethaneel the son of Tsuar.  
6. And his Army and the number of (his) Tribes, 54400.  
7. The Tribe of Zebulon, and the Prince that was set over the Army of the Tribe of the sons of Zebulon, Eliab the son of Hhelon.  
8. And the Army and their number of his Tribe, 57400.  
9 All the number of the host of Indah were 
* The Chald. numbers otherwise but it is misprinting: therefore I take the Hebrew.  186400. by their Armies they went first.  
10. The standard of the host of Reuben shall pitch Southward, by their Armies four miles square, and his ensign was of three party colours, like the three stones in the breastplate, the Emeraud Saphire and Diamond, and in it was deciphered and expressed the names of three Tribes, Reuben, Simeon, Gad, and in the middle was written thus: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord. And in it was drawn the picture of a young Hart: but there should have been drawn in it a Bullock, but Moses the Prophet changed it, because he would not put them in mind of their sin about the calf: And the Prince that was set over the host of the Tribe of Reuben, was Elitzur the son of Shedeur.  

The Chaldee misseth the 11. & 12. verses.  12. And his host and the number of his Tribe, 59300.  
13. And the Tribe of Gad and the Prince that was set over the host of the Tribe of Gad, Eliasaph the son of Devel.  
15. And his host and the number of his Tribe 
* The Chaldee cometh so short of the right number.  45600.  
16. All the number of the host of Reuben, 151450. by their Armies: they went second.  
17. Then went the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the host of the Levites in the Camps, and their Camp was four mile square, they went in the middle, as they pitched, so they went, every one in his rank, according ●o his standard.  
18. The standard of the Camp of Ephraim by their hosts, pitched Westward, and their Camp was four mile square, and his ensign was of three party colours, like the three stones in the breastplate, a Turkey, an Achat, and an Hamatite, and in it was deciphered and expressed the names of three Tribes, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, and in the middle was written: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 etc. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the cloud of the Lord was upon them by day, when they went out of the Camp, and in it was drawn the picture of a child. And the Prince that was set over the Army of the Children of Ephraim, was Elishama the son of Ammihud.  
19 And his host and the number of his Tribe, 40500.  
20. And next him the Tribe of Manasses, and the Prince which was set over the host of the Tribe of the children of Manasses, Gamliel the son of Pedah tzur.  
21. And his host and their number of his Tribe, 32200.  
22. And the Tribe of Benjamin and the Prince that was set over the host of the Tribe of the children of Benjamin, Abidan, the son of Gideoni.  
23. And his host and their number of his Tribe, 35400.  
24. All the number of the Camp of Ephraim, 180100. by their Armies, and they went in the third place.  
25. The standard of the Camp of Dan Northward, and their Camp four miles square; and his ensign was of three party colours according to the three stones in the breastplate, a Chrysolite, Onyx, and jasper, and in it were deciphered & expressed the names of three Tribes, Dan, Naphtali, Asher, and in the midst was written and expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when it rested, he said, return O Lord to the 10000 of Israel, and in it was drawn the figure of a serpent, or arrow-snake, and the Prince that was set over the host of the children of Dan, Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai. From thence to the end of the chapter, he goes on just with the Hebrew text, so that I will spare further labour about translating: only I must tell the Reader thus much, that the Pearls he speaks of, I have not punctually followed the Chaldee in rendering their names, but have followed the Geneva Bible, which was at that instant the only English Bible about me. As also for perfect and future tense, I find the Chaldee confused, and for this I have been the less curious.   

CAP. LIIII. Of job.  
ABout Israel's being in Egypt, job lives in Arabia: a heathen man and yet so good: and so Saint Gregory saith, his Country is purposely named, that the goodness of the man may be the more illustrated. His times may be picked by the genealogy of himself, and his friends that come to see him. And God in the first and second chapters saith, that there was not a man on earth like him for goodness: which is a sign that Abraham Isaac and jacob and joseph were not alive, nor Moses: but in the times 'twixt joseph and Moses, Israel corrupt themselves with Egyptians idols, and in Israel (the likeliest place to find a good man in) is not one to be found like job. Thus when Israel idolizes, and the Church, begins to fail in jacob, God hath one in Arabia that hath a little Church in his house. It is not amiss for every one for his more watchfulness to mark, that Satan knows job as soon as ever God speaks of him.  
When the Angels appear before God, Satan the Devil is among them. So When the Disciples are with Christ, judas a Devil is among them.  
Pharaoh in Egypt is afflicted by God. job in Arabia is afflicted by the Devil. His afflictions harden him against God. His afflictions harden him against the Devil.  
jobs children feasting overwhelmed by an house. The Philistines sporting, overwhelmed by an house, judg. 16.  
job is afflicted as the soldiers, 2. King. 1. by fire.  
As the Ziklagites, 1. Sam. 30. by captivity  
As the Egyptians with loss of children, Exod. 12.  
And as the Egyptians with boiles, Exod 9  
And which was not his least cross, like Adam, with an ill counselling wife.  
job hath 3. with him when he is changed by affliction. So Christ hath three with him when he is changed in his transfiguration: which three as they were by Christ when Moses and Elias, Law and Prophecy told him in the mount of his departing which he should accomplish at jerusalem, Luk. 9.31. So these three were with him when he began to accomplish these things, Mat. 26.37.   

CAP. LV. Egyptians Deities, ex Athenae. Deipn. Lib. 7.  
A Naxandrides in his book of Cities, turning his speech to the Egyptians, saith thus: 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.   
Thus does one Heathen Idolater deride another, because he worships▪ (as the other thinks) the more ridiculous Deities. The very Heathen could deride and scoff at their vain gods. Dionysius was most notorious this way: and knavish in this kind was the Painter, who when he should have drawn the picture of such a goddess for a Grecian City to worship, he drew the portraiture of his own sweetheart, and so made her to be adored: And indeed what man could have held laughing, to have seen (as my Poet saith here) an Egyptian on his marrowbones adoring a dog, or praying to an ox, or especially to see him mourning and howling over a sick cat: fearing lest his scratching God should die?   

CAP. LVI. Of the Law broken by Adam.  
THe Law was Adam's lease when God made him tenant of Eden: The conditions of which bond when he kept not, he forfeited himself and all us. God read a lecture of the Law to him before he fell, to be 
* The jews in their writings use this phrase frequently for the Law, as in Pirk● Abboth.  a hedge to him to keep him in Paradise, but when Adam would not keep within compass, this Law is now become as the flaming sword at Eden gate to keep him and his posterity out: Adam heard as much in the garden, as Israel did at Sinai, but only in fewer words and without thunder. The L●w came more gently to him before his fall, but after his fall, comes the thunder with it.  
Adam at one clap breaks both the tables and all the commandments.  
1. He chose him another god when he followed the Devil.  
2. He idolised and deified his own belly, as the Apostles phrase is, his belly he made his god.  
3. He took the name of God in vain, when he believed him not.  
4. He kept not the rest and estate wherein God had set him.  
5. He dishonoured his father which was in heaven, therefore his days were not long in that land which the Lord his God had given him.  
6. He massacred himself and all his posterity.  
7. From Eve he was a Virgin, but in eyes and mind he committed spiritual fornication.  
8. He stole that (like Achan) which God had set aside not to be meddled with, & this his stealth is that which troubles all Israel, the whole world.  
9 He bare witness against God, when he believed the witness of the Devil above him.  
10. He coveted an ill covetousness (like Amnon) which cost him his life and all his progeny.  
What a nest of evils here were committed at one blow? The pride of heart and desire of more knowledge (like Hamans' ambition) overthrew us. This sin was hatched in heaven by the wicked Angels, but thrown out with them, and never will come in there again. Hence is this sin so lofty because it affects its first nest. It is not for nothing that Blessed are the poor in spirit, are the first words in Christ's Sermon: Mat. 5.3. but because the proud in spirit were the first sinners.   

CAP. LVII. Of the Law given at Sinai.  
WHen Israel is got from the hard service of Egypt, God binds them apprentice to a new Master, himself. Their Indentures he draws upon mount Sinai: a place where Moses before had kept a flock of sheep, now he keeps a troop of men. In the Delivery of the Law there, if you will stand with Israel in your place you may consider many passages.   

CAP. LVIII. Why the Law was published then and not before.  
AT Sinai was delivered no new thing, the Law in some kind was known before. Sacrifice was used by Adam in the garden, when the body of the beasts went for an offering for his soul, and the skins for a covering for his body: Cain and Abel learn this part of worship from their father. The division of clean and unclean beasts is known to Noah, when they come to him for their lives as they had done to Adam for their names. Abraham when God made a 
* So says the Geneva Bible in marg. but Rab. Solomon long before saith thus It is the custom of those that make covenants, to divide beasts into two parts, and pass between the parts: as jer. 24.18. And God passes between these in this smoking furnace and fire brand, for making covenants in like kinds Homer speaks near this.  covenant with him, Genesis. 15. Divides and divides not his beasts and fowls, just as God commands, Leu. 1.6.17. and so of the rest. Father's could teach their children these things as they themselves had learned them of their fathers. But when men began to multiply, and multitude to be more wicked, then would they not be so easily bridled by a Law, whose author they knew no more of, but their fathers: And when men lived but a short time in comparison of the first men, and so could not see the full settling of the Law in their houses: And when God had fetched him a people out of Egypt, and laid the foundation of a glorious Church, with signs and wonders, than he thought it fit for their restriction, as also 
* Vid. Ia●chi on Ruth cap. 1.  for their distinction from the Heathen, to give the Law from his own mouth, the more to procure reverence to him: For heaven and earth must needs hearken when the Lord speaketh, Isa. 1.2. And thus did 
a Numa: Minos, etc.  the Heathen fain they received their laws from a Deity that was never seen, and yet their laws were the better observed for that reason.   

CAP. LIX. Of the place where it was given, and manner.  
GOD gave the Law in Arabia: so wicked Mahomet gave his law in Arabia; A worse and a better thing no one country ever afforded. God gave his Law in Sinai, a bushy place as it seems by 
* Seneh signifies a bush, Exodus 3.  the name, agreeable to the giving of so perplexing a matter. Carry along with thee (gentle Reader) as thou readest the Scripture, thus much care (at my request) as to mark that the Law of Moses was given in two places, S●nai, and the Tabernacle, as also to consider that some part of this Law did only concern the jews, and some part did also concern all the world. The Ceremonial Law that concerned only the jews, it was given to Moses in private in 
Levit. 1.  the Tabernacle, and fell with the Tabernacle when the veil rend in twain. The Moral Law concerns the whole world, and it was given in sight of the whole world on the top of a mountain, and must endure as long as any mountain standeth. The judicial Law (which is more indifferent, and may stand or fall, as seems best for the good of a common wealth) was given neither to public as the one, nor so private as the other, but in a mean between both.  
The Law on Sinai was with fire and trumpets, so shall Christ come with fire and trumpet at the latter day, to take an account how men have kept this fiery Law, as it is called, Deut. 33.2. Fiery, because given out of the fire, as the jerusalem and Babylonian Targums hold: though I think there is more meant by the words then so: for it is Esh doth, which may be rendered the fire of a Law.   

CAP. LX. Of the effects of the Law.  
THe letter of the Law is death▪ but the spirit giveth life. The jews stand upon the letter, and think to gain life by the works of it, but them the Apostle frequently confuteth. And I take the aim of Christ's Parable, Mat. 20. about the penny to extend to no less. 
Vide Hillar. & Hieron. in loc.  Some came into the vineyard at the Dawning of the Day or the Age before the flood, and some at the third hour, or in the time before the Law, and some at the sixth and ninth hour, or under the heat and burden of the jewish Law, and some at the last, under the Gospel: Those under the Law plead for merit, we have borne the heat and burden of the day: that is, costly sacrifices, sore ceremonies, etc. To whom the Master answers that his penny is his own, and if he give it, it is not for their merit, but his good will. S. Paul calls the law a Schoolmaster, and so it is indeed: and such a Schoolmaster as that, that Livy and Florus speak of in Italy, who brought forth his children that were trusted with him, to Hannibal, who if he had not been more merciful than otherwise, they had all perished. So they that rely upon the works of the Law, are in fine constrained by the Law to come to Christ, who more merciful than the Law, does delivers them. And if you well weigh it, you shall find that as the whole Law, so every part from one to another, brings us to Christ. The Moral Law shows us what we should do, and with the same sight we find that we cannot do it: This makes us to seek to the Ceremonial for some sacrifice or ceremony to answer for our not doing it: There we see that burning a dead beast is but poor satisfaction for the sins of men living, and that outward purifyings of men's selves can avail but little to the cleansing of a soiled soul: this than delivers us to the judicial Law, and by it we see what we deserve, and thus in fine we are constrained to seek to Christ 
* It was jesus or josuah, and not Moses or the Law that brought Israel into the land of Canaan.  jesus, for there is no other name whereby we must be saved. The Parable that our Saviour propounds in the tenth of Luke, I think tends something to this purpose. A man (saith he) went from jerusalem to jericho and fell among thieves, and they robbed him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed leaving him half dead. A certain Priest came that way, and when he saw him, he turned aside. A Levite came that way, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. But a good Samaritan came, (as the text imports) and pitied him, and salved him, and lodged him, and paid for him. Such a one is man fallen among Satan, Sin, and Death, and by them stopped, stripped, and striped. Satan dismounts him off his Innocency that should sustain him: Sin strips him of all Righteousness that should array him: Death strikes him with guiltiness and wounds him. Here is a man in a woeful case, and none to aid him. By comes a Priest, that is, first come the sacrifices of the legal Priesthood, and they may pass by him, by they do not, nor they cannot help him. By comes a Levite, that is, the Ceremonies of the Leviticall Law, and they may pass by him, but they do not, they cannot help him. Or by comes a Priest, that is, the Angels may see him thus, but they let him lie, for they cannot help him. By comes a Levite, that is, men and the world may see him thus, but they let him alone for ever, for they cannot succour him. But by comes a good Samaritan, that is, our Saviour himself, who is called a Samaritan, and is said to have a Devil, and he pities him, salves him, lodges him, and pays for him. He pities him in very bowels, therefore he says, as I live I would not the death of a sinner. He salves him with his own blood, therefore 'tis said, By his stripes we are healed. He lodges him in his own Church, therefore the Church saith, He brought me in the winecellar, and love was his banner over me. And he pays for him what he deserved, therefore he saith, I have trod the winepress alone.  
It is said in the Book of Kings that when the Shunamites dead child was to be raised, Elisha first sent his staff to be laid upon him, but that did no good: but when Elisha came himself, and lay upon him, with his mouth to the Child's mouth, his eyes to his eyes, and his hands to his hands, than the child recovered. So when man was dead in trespasses, and sin as it is, Eph. 2. God lays his 
* Psal 23.  staff or Rod of the Law upon him, but what good did this toward his recovery? Even make him to long the more for Elisha or Christ, who when he came, and laid his mouth to man's mouth, and kissed humanity in his incarnation, and laid his eyes to his eyes, and his hands to his hands, and suffered for man's actions at his passion, then is man recured. God in the book of Isay when he is to send a Prophet to Israel, says thus: Mieshlah: whom shall I send, or who will go for us? Isa. 6▪ 8. Upon which words the jew Kimchi paraphrases thus: Shalahtis eth Micah, wehem maccim otho, Shalahti eth Amos, wehem korin otho 
* Amos in Heb. signifies one that is heavy tongued which Kimchi calls Peselusa from the greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blaesus.  Pesilusa, I have sent Micah, and him they smote, I have sent Amos, and him they called a stammerer. Whom shall I send or who will go for us? Then says Esay, Behold I am here, send me. Imagine that (upon the fall of man) you saw God about to send the great Prophet not to Israel alone, but to all the world, nor only to teach, but also to redeem. Suppose you heard him thus questioning, whom shall I send to restore fallen man? and who will go for us? Should I send Angels? they are creatures, and consequently finite, and so cannot answer mine infinite justice.. Should I send man himself? Alas, though he once had power not to have fallen, yet now hath he no power to raise himself again. Should I send beasts to sacrifice themselves for him? Alas can the burning of dead beasts satisfy for the sins of all men alive? Whom shall I send, or who will go for us? Our Saviour is ready to answer with Isay, Behold I am here, send me. Here am I that am able to do it; send me, for I am willing. I am able, for I am God; I am willing, for I will become a man. I am God, and so can fulfil the Law which man hath broke. I will become man, that so I may suffer death which man hath deserved. Behold I am here, send me. Then as one of our country Martyrs at his death, so may all we sing all our lives: None but Christ, none but Christ: None but Christ to cure the wounded travailor, None but Christ to raise the dead, Shunamite, None but Christ to restore decayed mankind, None but Christ that would, None but Christ that could. No Angel, no man, no creature, no sacrifice; no ceremony, that would and could do this for us, which we could not do for ourselves, and say for us I have troad the winepress alone.  
When the Ceremonial and judicial Law have thus brought us to Christ, we may shake hands with them and farewell, but for the Moral, as it helps to bring us thither, so must it help to keep us there. For Christ came not to disannul this Law. but to fulfil it. He does not acquit us from this, but furthers us to the keeping of it. What else is the Gospel, but this in milder terms of Faith and Repentance: which is, since we cannot keep this Law, yet to strive to keep it as we can, and to repent us for that we have not kept it, and to rely upon his merits that hath kept it for us. Thus as love to God and to our neighbours was the sum of the old, so true faith and unfeigned repentance is the total of the new. This was the tenor of Christ's first words after his baptism, Mark 1.15. and of his last words before his ascension, Mark 16.16.   

CAP. LXI. Of the Ten Commandments.  
THe ten Commandments may be called the word of the word of God: for though all Scripture be his word, yet these in more special be his Scripture, to which he made himself his own scribe or penman: upon these Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets, and these Commandments upon two duties, to love God and to love our neighbour. A shorter and yet a fuller comment needs not to be given of them, than what our Saviour hath given, Luke 10.27. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbour as thyself. The four commandments of the first table he expounds in four words.  
The Lord thy God, there is the Preface, I am the Lord, etc.  
Thou shalt love the Lord, etc. with all thy 

Heart. for the First Commandment.  
Soul. for the Second Commandment.  
Strength for the Third Commandment.  
Mind. for the Fourth Commandment.    
If we need any further exposition upon this exposition of our Saviour's, it is easy to find: as, thou shal● love the Lord thy God with all thine 

Heart. For it he hath Created,  
Soul. For it he hath Redeemed,  
Strength. For it he hath Preserved,  
Mind. For it he hath Enlightened.   And therefore thou shalt love him with all thine 

Heart: without Only talking and no more.  
Soul: without Dissembling.  
Strength: without Revolting.  
Mind: without Erring.    
This is the first and the great Commandment, and the other is like unto this, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. This adds great light to the second table, for half of the commandments of that table want an object whereupon to fasten the duty. The first hath one, Honour thy father, etc. the last but one, hath one, thou shalt not witness falsely against thy neighbour: And so the last hath, Thou shalt not covet aught of thy Neighbours: But Thou shalt not kill, steal, and commit adultery, these have no object, viz. none named whom, from whom, and with whom we must not kill, steal, nor adulterate: because we must make ourselves also the object here: and reflect the Commandments upon ourselves, as thus: Thou shalt not kill, first not thyself, and secondly, not thy neighbour, and so of the rest. The jews have been too bold in adding too strict an object, as you may see in their explaining these three precepts. And some Heretics have been too nice in giving some of them too 
* For Martion held it unlawful to kill a beast, because the command non occides, hath no set object: Aug. de Ciu. Dei, lib. 1. cap. 〈◊〉  large a one.  
The fifth Commandment in the Ten, is with a promise, and the fifth Petition in the Lord's Prayer is with a condition.  
I omit the exquisiteness of the pricking of this piece of Scripture of the Commandments extraordinarily: Some special thing is in it.  
The jews do gather six hundred and thirteen Precepts Negative and Affirmative to be in the whole Law, according to the six hundred and thirteen letters in the two Tables, and so many veins and members in a man's body. The order of these Precepts they have set down in the margin of the Pentateuch with the threefold. Targum printed at Hannow, and in Sepher Hahhinnuch. I had translated some hundreds of them into English, which I thought to have finished, and presented to the view of the Reader, but I find, that without the jews Comments upon these their Divisions, they can hardly be understood: which to bring withal, is a pains of no small time and labour. These my observations and collections in my Reading, accept gentle Reader and the slips pass over with a gentle eye, as slips of youth: which more mature years may recure, if God prosper and second. To whom I commit myself, and commend thee, and to whom be all honour and glory for evermore. Amen.  
FINIS.