Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Title page 1 – Dedication 1
Hexapla in Genesin & Exodum: THAT IS, A sixfold commentary upon the two first Bookes of Moses, being GENESIS and EXODVS.
WHEREIN THESE TRANSLATIONS are compared together: 1. The Chalde. 2. The Septuagint. 3. The vulgar Latine. 4. Pagnine. 5. Montanus. 6. Iunius. 7. Vatablus. 8. The great English Bible. 9. The Geneva edition. And 10. The Hebrew originall.
Together with a sixfold Vse of every Chapter, shewing 1. The Method or Argument: 2. The divers readings: 3. The explanation of difficult questions and doubtfull places: 4. The places of doctrine: 5. Places of confutation: 6. Morall observations.
In which worke, about three thousand Theologicall questions are discussed: above forty Authors old and new abridged: and together comprised whatsoever worthy of note, either Mercerus out of the Rabbines, Pererius out of the Fathers, or Marlorat out of the new Writers, have in their learned Commentaries collected.
Now the fourth time imprinted, with the Authors corrections before his death.
By ANDREW WILLET, Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ.
IOHN 5.46, 47.
Moses wrote of mee: but if you beleeve not his writings, how shall yee beleeve my words?
LONDON, ¶ Printed by Iohn Haviland, and are sold by Iames Boler at the signe of the Marigold in Pauls Church-yard. 1633.
Hexapla in Genesin, THAT IS, A SIXFOLD COMMENTARIE UPON GENESIS:
Wherein six severall Translations, that is, the Septuagint, and the Chalde, two Latine, of Hierome, and Tremelius: two English, the Great Bible, and the Geneva Edition are compared, where they differ, with the Originall, Hebrew, and Pagnine, and Montanus interlinearie interpretation:
TOGETHER WITH A SIXFOLD USE of every Chapter, shewing 1. The Method or Argument: 2. the divers readings: 3. the explanation of difficult questions and doubtfull places: 4. the places of doctrine: 5. places of confutation: 6. Morall observations:
WHEREIN, ABOVE A THOVSAND THEOLOGICALL questions are discussed: and is comprised together, whatsoever worthy of note, either Mercerus out of the Rabbines, Pererius out of the Fathers, Marlorat out of the new Writers, have in their learned Commentaries collected.
Divided into two Tomes, and published to the glory of God and the furtherance of all those that desire to read the Scripture with profit.
Now the third time revised, corrected, and with divers additions enlarged.
By ANDREW WILLET, Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ.
IOHN 5.46, 47.
Moses wrote of me: but if you beleeve not his writings, how shall ye beleeve my words?
AMBROS. EPIST. 41.
Deambulabat Deus in Paradiso, &c. & nunc deambulat in Paradiso Deus, quando Scripturas lego: Paradisus Genesis, in quo virtutes pullulant Patriarcharum: Paradisus Deuteronomium, in quo germinant legis praecepta. God sometime walked in Paradise, &c. and now God walketh in Paradise, when I read the Scriptures: Genesis is a Paradise wherein the vertues of the Patriakes doe branch forth: Deuteronomie is a Paradise, wherein the precepts of the Law doe sprout forth.
LONDON, ¶ Printed by the Assignes of THOMAS MAN, PAVL MAN, and IONAH MAN, 1632.
TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE, RIGHT VERTVOVS AND MOST CHRISTIAN PRINCE, King IAMES, our dread Soveraigne, by the grace of God, King of Great Britaine, of France, and Ireland, Defender of the Christian faith.
MOST gracious Soveraigne, as under the shadow of your Highnesse great and mighty tree,Deut. 4. v. 18. I meane your Princely and peaceable government, the goodly beasts of the field, honourable and great persons doe solace themselves, so the fowles of heaven, and the little birds,Synopsis papismi, ad Regiam Majestatem: and the Antilogie or counterplea. Ecclesia triumphans ad sereniss. Reginam Antithesis doctrinae Evangelicae & Pontificiae ad Henricum Principem. doe sit and sing in the branches thereof, and there build their neasts, and lay their young: and I among the rest, have brought forth my implumed and unfeathered birds, those imperfect workes, which heretofore I have dedicated to your excellent Majestie, and now this, which wanteth but the wings of your Highnesse favour to flie abroad.
To your pious and sacred Majestie therefore, I here present this absolute Tractate upon Genesis, such as hath not beene yet (in respect of the order, matter, and manner) set forth vponupon this booke: wherein whatsoever questions of weight are discussed, and other necessarie matters added, as the short preface following sheweth. This my third work to your highnesse, I here in all humility exhibite and offer, as an unfained pledge of our hearty joy, for the joyfull entrance of this third yeare of your Majesties happy reigne.
This divine booke of Genesis (as Ambrose advised Augustine, Epist 3.to read the Prophesie of Isaias, Augustine sendeth Volusianus to the Apostles writings) I would commend in the first place, as it is in order first, to be read of all the Scriptures: wherein are declared and set forth the beginning of the world, and the progresse thereof: the punishment of the wicked, and rewards of the righteous: so many examples and enticements to vertue, such judgements and dehortations from sin▪ and the same so lively and effectuall, …s if they were now presently done before our eyes: as Augustine saith of this historie of Genesis; I know not how, but as often as it is read, the hearer is so affected, as though the thing were even now effected.nescio quomodo, quotiescun que legitur, quasi nunc fiar, ita afficit mentes audientium, serm. 77.
This worthy history containeth the space of 2368. yeares, above halfe the age of the world, from the first to the second Adam. It insisteth principally in setting forth the life and acts of six honourable Fathers,Cor. 4.16. as starres among the rest, Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaack, Iacob, Ioseph: from all these your Majestie may receive somewhat: with Adam, who in Enos time, when religion decayed, taught his sonnes apart from the wicked, to call upon the name of God, your princely care must bee, that you and your people, as separated from the superstition of the world, should worship the Lord more purely: with Noah God hath raised you up to bring rest and comfort to his Church: as another Abram, Noah signifieth rest. Abram, an high father. Isaack, laughter. Iacob, …a supplanter. Ioseph, added.the Lord hath made you an high Father: as Isaack to procure joy and laughter to the Church: as Iacob, a supplanter of Popish superstition: as Ioseph, to adde what is wanting in the Church, or Common-wealth.
Much bound unto God, is this Church and Common-wealth, for your Highnesse peaceable and religious government: that whereas we for our sins had deserved with Israel, neither to have King nor Church:Hosh. 10.3.8. as the Prophet Hoshea saith, We have no King, because we feared not the Lord: and againe in the same place, the thorne and thistle shall grow upon their Altars: yet the Lord in mercy hath blessed us with both.
We praise God for your princely vertues, your worthy clemencie, equity, bountie, piety, which doe shine in your Majestie, as the pretious stones in the King of Tyrus garment:Ezech. 28.1…. your gracious clemencie is as a cordiall unto this land, which having remitted some great offences, must needs passe by smaller trespasses. If David pardoned Shemeis rayling,2 Sam. 19.25. he could not but forgive Mephiboseths negligence. Your princely peace made abroad, doth give us hope of a peaceable state at home: as Davids favour toward Abner, a reconciled enemie,1 Sam. 19.31. was a signe of grace to Barzillai, an ancient friend: what would we have more, your Majestie professeth to be a nourish-father to the Church, counting it one of your fairest stiles, and had rather be loved of all, than feared: as Ambrose setteth forth the good Emperour Theodosius: …. 43.When he had command over all, he had rather expostulate as a father, than punish as a judge: Cum haberet supra omnes potestatem, quasi parens expostulare malebat, quam quasi judex punire, vincere volebat, non plectere, aequitatis judex non poenae arbiter: maluit sibi homines religione quam timore astringere, de obit. Theodos.he desired to winne with lenitie, not to force by extremity: an umpire of equitie, not a decreer of severitie: hee would rather bind men by sacred religion, than servile subjection.
Your Highnesse Honourable equitie is manifest, in that your Majestie professeth to love and honour the grave men, Prefat. ad foreign. p. 21. 2 Sam. 20.25. Phil. 1.18. Act. 15.39.and preachers of either opinions: as David did favour both Sadok and Abiathar, priests of divers families: as Saint Paul did joy that Christ was preached, though by them that were of a contrary faction: as Iacob had a right hand for Ephraim, and a left for Manasses: Paul and Barnabas jarred, yet both preached the Gospell: Cyprian and Cornelius differed in judgement, yet both pillars of the Christian faith: Chrisostome and Epiphanius disagreed, yet both enemies to the Arrians: Hierome and Ruffinus were divided, yet in the end were reconciled: I doubt not but all faithfull,Theodoret. lib. 5.6.7. sound, and sober Preachers of the truth, are acceptable to your Majestie, as good Theodosius embraced Meletius, kissed his eyes and his lips, and made much of other faithfull Pastors: as Valentinian reverenced Ambrose, who sending for him in his sicknesse, salutem sibi quandam venturam arbitrabatur, did thinke he saw health it selfe comming to him: Ambr. in obit. Valentinian.this love of the Emperour was not lost: Ambrose againe requiteth it; quam meipsum pro tua obtulissem fide: how gladly would I have offered my selfe as in sacrifice for thy faith? as all your Highnesse faithfull Preachers are ready to doe for your Majesties health and life.
Your princely bounty hath well appeared both toward the Church and Common-wealth, not in precept onelyonly, but in practice, as in the rare lifting up of subsidies, but in case of necessity: as Tiberius the Emperour was wont to say;foreign. p. 99. aurum illud adulterinum esse, quod cum subjectorum lachrymis collectum esset: that it was adulterate gold, which pressed forth the subjects teares. foreign. p 34.Toward the Church your princely and fatherly care sheweth it selfe, in that you would have sufficient provision made for the sustentation of the Pastors and Ministers: we shall not now need an Ebedmelek to make intercession for Ieremies food and maintenance:Ierem. 38.9. nor yet that noble Earle Terentius, who having obtained a notable victory,Theodor. l. 4. cap 32. Pro …e praesente senatus, hominumq… praeterea viginti …ilia vestem mut…verunt: orat. post redit. and being bidden of the Emperour Constantius to aske what he would, Templum pe…i… pro or…hodoxis; did aske to have the Church restored to the orthodoxall teachers. We need no such mediators: (our times, God be thanked, are farre more happy) neither yet as Tullie saith, that twenty thousand made request and mourned for him: in a Monarchicall state such suits are not fit, for Isocrates rule is to be held; foreign. ad Demonic. that as in a Democratie the popular state, so in a Monarchie the King onelyonly is to be admired.
Your Christian Majestie, without such remembrances, out of your owne princely heart can consider of the necessity and wants of Church Ministers: as Salomon, 1 Sam. 2.3….though he advanced Zadock, yet suffered Heli his posterity to have some of the Priests offices, to eat a morsell of bread:2 King. 2… ▪ …. and Iosias graunted the Priests of the high places to eat bread among their brethren, who much more cared for the Priests of the altar.
Lastly, your Christian pietie is evident, in taking care, that all the Churches in your Majesties dominions be planted with good Pastors: foreign. 43to increase the number of them: not to suffer it to be empaired or decreased: to thrust in labourers into Christs harvest, and to thrust out loyterers: to supply the one, and employ the other: that none be permitted to stand idle in the market place, that would labour quietly in the Lords vineyard, nor yet occasion be given to such, to say as Sisinnius answered Chrisostome, Ego tibi mercedem dabo si me tanto labore liberaveris. Socrat. lib 6. cap. 20.that would have enjoyned him silence: I will giuegive you a reward to …ase mee of so great a labour. Your Majestie in your princely wisdome knoweth how for the common vtilitie to beare with some mens infirmitie, as fathers (as Augustine saith,) doe beare with their sons whiles they are children, or sicke, qu…mad modum parentes a filiis, vel pueris, vel aegrotis multa patiuntur, donec pueritia vel aegritudo transeat. de serm. in monte. 34.till their infancie or infirmitie be over.
May I now use to your princely person the words of the kingly Prophet, Prosper with thy glory, (O glorious Prince) ride upon the word of truth, Psal. 45▪ 4.and of meekenesse and righteousnesse: Meekenesse well becommeth the word of truth, the Gospell of Christ, toward your faithfull subjects: Iustice and righteousnesse against the adversaries of truth in the land, and your right hand shall teach you terrible things, in rooting out all idolatry and superstition, and rejecting all confused motions for a Babylonicall Tolleration: for this your Majesties faithfull service in earth,Socrat. lib. 7.23. wee will not presume to say as Nestorius to the Emperour: Mihi ô Imperator terram …u…haereticis purgatam tribue, & ego tibi coelum retribuam: Give unto me the earth purged of heretikes, and I will give thee heaven. But Christ Iesus shall say,Matth. 25.2…. Well done good servant and faithfull, thou hast beene faithfull in a little, I will make thee ruler over much; enter into thy Masters joy.
Thus I end, with that chearefull acclamation to your Majestie, which the Councell of Chalcedon sometime used to Leo and Cyrillus, the names onelyonly changed, Vivat Iacobus multos annos, vivat Imperator, omnes ita credimus: Iacobus sic credit, sempiterna sit memoria Iacobi.
Your Majesties most loyall and obedient subject, ANDREW WILLET.