Our Lords Family, Part 2
THVS THE TEXT SPEAKETH Luke. 3. from. v. 23
ANd Ieſus himſelf euen began to be of The nobleſt ſtory of all that are: for yeres 3927 The piller of all the Bible: to which Heathen be ſervantes.thirty yeres: being, Sonne, of Ioſeph, (as mē thought) of Eli, of Matthat, of Leui, of Melchi, of Ianna, of Ioſeph, of Mattathias, of Amos, of Naum, of Eſli, of Nagge, of Maath, of Matathias, of Semei, of Ioſeph, of Iuda, of Ioanna, of Rheſa, of Zorobabel, of Salathiel, of Neri, of Melchi, of Abdi, of Coſam, of Elmodam, of Er, of Ioſe, of Eliezer of Iorim, of Matthat, of Leui, of Symeon, of Iuda, of Ioſeph, of Ionan, of Eliacim, of Melea, of Mainan, of Mattatha, of Nathan, of Dauid, of Ieſſe, of Obed, of Booz, of Salmon, of Naaſſon, of Aminadab, of Aram, of Eſrom, of Phares, of Iuda, of Iacob, of Iſaac, of Abraham, of Thara, of Nachor, of Saruch, of Ragau, of Phalec, of Eber, of Sala, of Cainan, of Arphaxad, of Sem, of Noe, of Lamech, of Mathuſala, of Enoch, of Iared, of Malaleel, of Cainā, of Enos, of Seth, of Adā, of God.
1 Here Children ſhould begin firſt to rede: & to compare the ſorowfull combat of Adam killed on his firſt day from life of ſoule made dead in ſin, with the glorious combat of our Lord reſiſting the old ſerpent; & driving him to flight. Luke. ch. 4.
2 Mary the mother of our Lord is in name left out: but in matter conteyned. For the terme Sonne through all theſe hath relation to Ieſus, as in the Laſt: Sonne of God. They vſe ſmall judgment that hould Adam called the S. of God S. Luke in Satans ſpech ch. 4. ſayeth that Ieſus was meant by him, Son of God.
3. Ioſephs father who begate him was named Iacob Math. 1. But as all maried men hauehave tvvo fathers, ſo Ioſeph: Dauid had Ieſſai & Saul; Ioſeph had Iacob natural, & Ely in Lavv. yet by argument only, Ioſeph is Elyes S. not expreſly.
4. Ievves & Gentiles, that cam not to the ſtory of the reſurrection, ſhevving Chriſt to be the ſon of God, by the might that raiſed him, vvold hauehave made a ſcoff, to ſee the mother layd dovvne in the Genealogie. And ſo the holy Gh. pi…ying ma… vveakenes leaueth Mary for name, out: but in, by argument & ſure collection; as thus: Ieſus, Mary Ely. &c.
5. The vvhole number is diſpoſed in order fit for memori… Ten to the flod; ending the old vvorld; ten to Abraham heyr… of the nevv vvorld▪ repeating him, tvviſe ſeauen of moſt Godly fathers are to Dauid; Then his S. NATHAN, 1. Chr.
6. Beginneth a tvventy; vvho Liued priuate obſcure men vnderunder the Kinges of Salomons houſe: vntil the captiuity of Babylon. Tvvo Liued in the captiuity. Salathiel & Zorobobel. He vvas governour vvhen the Ievves vvere ſent home by Cyrus; vponupon the Angel Gabriel his Meſſage for redemption, & ending of Moſes at 490 yeres. Rheſa beginneth, & out Lord endeth a nevv tvventy. Heathen in Euſebius making a Chronicle by ages vvold make but 400 yeres of 20. The Olympiq folovvers that vvold make 590 yeres; to diſturbe Daniels▪ light to all the Bible, & our Lordes houſe, ſhevved ſmal iudgement; The tvventy from Rheſa to our L. vvill be heauenly Championes for ſalvation joyning vvith Daniel in their nū ber; to kepe men from feining moo yeres then God reckoned.
7. When Ievves refuſe the auctority of S. Luke; & all the Nevve Teſtament, they ſhould be told that for ciuil recordes all nations vvold blame them. So for the 15 of Tiberius, vvhen Pilate vvas governour of Iudea, & Herod Tetrarch of Galily, & Philip his brother Tetrarch of …turea, & Trachonis, & Lyſanias Tetrarch of Abylene, vvhen Annas & Caiphas vvere high Sacrificers, for all thoſe, civil recordes ſtand, knovven to many nationes; & one mans auctority is not conſidered in them. So for the familie of a King. Nationes nere Knevv it; & Theophilus vvold examine the matter yf doubt had bene: & Scribes S. Lukes foes had confuted him yf fault had bene; But none did; as none could. So vvhen S. Mathevv maketh Rachab wife to Salmon he ſpeaketh according to Iewes ciuil recordes vvell knovven. And ſo vvhen S. Paul Sayth he vvas an Ebrevv continually by fathers & mothers, he knevv that other of Gamaliels ſcholers could examin that. So vvhen he calleth Andronicus & Iunias, & Herodion his conſins, his Kinſemen, that vvere yet Phariſces, had reproved him yf he had lyed. So vvhen S. Luke Sodenly calleth Saul Paul, he had felt reprofe yf the matter had not bene vvel Knovven. As vvhen he telleth King Agrippa & Feſtus, hovv he vvas ſpoken to by Ieſus our Lord: Saul, Saul, vvhy doſt thou perſecute me; Feſtus vvold not hauehave ſayd, to him; thou are mad Paul; too much lerning maketh thee mad: yf he had not knovven that he had tvvo names. So vvhen Iohaiada, the father of Zacharie the martyr is called B… rachias, by the like notation, S. Mathevv knevv him ſelf vvarrantedI… & Zach: one man in 2. names Math. 27. by many like examples; and vvhen Zacharie the auctour of the prophecie of Chriſt his exaltation; & of the King …iding vponupon an aſſe, & ſold for 30 ſicles, is called of him Ieremie the exalter of God, he had vvarrantes enough from old ages ſo to do. And for Genealogies knovven to heathen: Moſes in Edoms ſtory for the Kinges of Seir that reigned ſuceſſours before he vvas King in Iſrael, vvas an ancient vvarrant to S. Luke. So vvhen S. Mathew maketh King Iechonias that died without iſſue, father in place of Kingdome to one of Salomons brother Nathan in very far deſcent, he knew that other Ievves foes to the Goſpel vvho knevv the Kinges familie vvold herein mainteine him. So Hercules familie & Spartāe Kinges; & Macedonian; & Cyrus the Perſian, & his coſyns Kinges of Pontus, & Seleucidae & Lagidae, are famous in ſundry Graecians; & none vvill deny any vvithout bringing better record: So Ievves ſhould be required to bring other families of Zorobabel, yf they deſpiſe our Euangeliſtes: and vve ſhould not ſuffer them to deny that, vvhichwhich a Turk or any heathen vvold be aſhamed to deny.
8. The names of our Lordes Line are evident to be ſagely geuen; & in more vviſe ſort, then ever any feigner could think vponupon. Many are from the Patriarkes; Ioſeph cometh oftneſt to ſhevv hovv Iudah honored the old Ioſeph, vvho bare in his Beryll all tribes names: next Levi & Symeon & Iuda but once: But no name of inferior Patriark; no Ruben, no Iſachar, no Zabulon, no Beniamin: the houſe vvold kepe the dignity.
9. Some in notation hauehave ſingular great vſe, to ſhevv the ende of Salomons houſe; & the hope of Nathan, to come i… lieu of it, as Melch-j the King is mine; Ner-j The light, Candle or King is mine. So they ſvvare; (2. ſam. 21. 17.) to Dauid; Thou ſhalt go no more to vvar: for thou ſhalt not put out the Ner, light, or Candel of Iſrael. The holy & humble Dauid geveth God that name in his pſalme, 2. Sam. 22. 29. For thou Eternal art my candle; & the Eternal vvill lighten my darkeneſſe. So Ner-j beareth a name for the throne of Dauid; that ſhall continue for euer.
10. Melch-j the King is myne, this name tendeth to the ſame mark plainly & properly ſhevving the belefe to Sophony. Dauid knevv from Moſes, & by Spirit of prophecy, no leſſe then Moſes, that his houſe wold not be vpright with God. But one ſhould rule man, perfectly iuſt: ruling in the feare of God. 2 Sa. 23. There, the lerned chaldy Ionathan, thus expoundeth Dauids vvordes. The mighty of Iſrael promiſed to place me a King vvhichwhich is Chriſt, vvho ſhall rule in the feare of God. But Salomons houſe vvold be in many very bad; & as thornes to be thruſt avvay; & to be brent in their place. Salomons brother Nathā, marked & vvold not neglect the ſpech of Dauid, againſt Salomons houſe: & the old Nathans prophecie concerninge the yonge Nathans Sonne; And the Ebrevv tongue ſhevveth in the names of Nathans poſterity, their hope & expectation of great glory. Here Academiq ſtudies come far ſhort: beſtovving many yeres in humane vvorkes; & takinge no time to the holy tongue; vvhichwhich in the very names of ſtately perſonages conteyneth all the marrovv of the holy ſtory. An for ſo much to knovv the ſimple vvordes, for termes touching man, in Adams tongue, one vveke vvith good direction vvold furniſh any ſage mind ſufficiently. And all ſhould geue ſo much honour to our redemer, as to ſerch to the bottome, all that could be ſerched for his fathers after the fleſh. We may be ſure that all the ſage vviſdome that could be in names ſhould appeare in his familie: to ordein ſtrength out of the mouthes of Babes & ſucklinges aginſt the enemy; that vvold deny our Lords genelogie. The Ievves all, but the hand laborers, brought vp theirMaim… ny in Thalmud Thorah. children from ſeauen to fourtene, in lerning the plain tongue; & all their time, for ſome fevv hovvres vvekely; not minding gaines therby; but the delite to knovv God. And ſuch hauehave bene to heathen the Salvation of our ſtate. And aſſemblies of ſuch ſagely opening ſcripture vvold much edifie. And vvher the King is lerned, fevv yeres vvold frame vniverſities to that courſe; to make thouſandes of ſound ſkill in the Bibles tongues & matter. So vve ſhould mark vveighty matters cloſly contrined in fevv vvordes; & Sophonyes caſtinge off Salomons ſaing: This ſhall come to paſſe: In that day I vvill make a riddance of the Princes; & of the Kinges Sonnes. In the dayes of Ioſias Sophonie ſpake this ch. 1. 8. Now the Sonnes of Ioſias were Iohn, the firſt begoten in Kinges phraſe: othervviſe yonger then …oakim tvvo yeres; but reigning firſt, he is firſt ſonne of the Kindome. Next is Ioakim properly the Eldeſt: next Sedekias, who reigning after his brothers ſonne, is called in Kinges phraſe, Iechonias ſon. Novv of theſe Iohn or Ioachas was ſone caryed to Egypt, & died in priſon: vnlamented Ier 22. Ioakim vvas caried for Babel. 2. k. 25. & died by the vvay: & vvas caſt avvay vnburied; to the buriall of an aſſe, as he brent Ieremies Lamentationes. Sedekias had in the ende his eyes pulled out; for rebellion againſt the King of Babel; & his children vvere Killed before his face: 2. k. 25. vvhen the high ſacrificer Saraias father to Ezra vvas killed. That ſtory of Saraias death-time vvill ſerve anone to great vſe, for Dan. 9.
10 Of Iechonias God ſvvare that he should die, leaving no child alive behind him; vvherefore, it vvere flat Atheiſme, to prate that he naturally became Father to Salathiel. Though S. Luke had never left vsus Salathiels family Vp to Nathā vvhole brother to Salomon; to shevv that Salatiel vvas of another familie; Gods oth should make vsus beleeue that, vvithout any further recorde, Ier. 22. So God made a riddance of the Ammonean race of Iorams. And vve are cloſly vvarned of that in the names Ner-i & Melch-i, comparing them vvith Sophonies Prophecy, and the Kings ſtory; shevving the truth of the Prophecie, That Nathan his houſe loked for the Eternal kingdomes prerogative. They vvho vvill nor build ſuch Gold from the moſt kingly familie, had great neede of Colyrion to annointe their eies.
11 Of Salathiel vve muſt conſider manie poincts, beginning in, Name. Samuel & Salathiel are both one; Anna the mother called his name Samuel, becauſe of God Saalti, I have prayed to hauehave him. Novv Samuel vvas borne at the removing of the glory from Sylo & Ephraim of Ioſephs houſe vntounto Iuda our Lord his Tribe. So vvas Salathiel borne at the fall & end of Salomons race; & at the remouing of the glory vntounto Nathan, that Nathan the Prophet might be called into mind for old Samuel, vvho taught of Chriſt his true kingdome.
12 Compare the contrarie Prophecies of Iechonias & Sal.
Prophecie of Iechonias.
As I live▪ ſaith the Eternal, yf Chonias the ſon of Ioakim King of Iudah, vvere a ſignet upon my right hand, I vvold pluck thee thence. O earth. earth, earth, heare the vvord of the Lord: vvrite ye this man Conias childles, a man that shal not proſper in all his dayes, for none shall grovv from his ſede, to ſit vponupon the throne of David; or to beare rule anie more in Iuda. Thus all may ſee a plain end of Salomons houſe; and hovv dangerouſly thoſe Doctors be deceaved, vvho bring Chriſt from Iechonias. They are litle better vvho take in hand to teach, and make not this plain to the ſimpleſt. The Bishop of our ſoules vvil hate ſuch blind contemners.
Of Zorobabel, Agg. 2.
Thus Aggai ſealeth his Prophecy; In that day, ſaith the Eternal of hoſtes, I vvill take thee Zorobabel ſon of Salathiel, & I vvill make thee as a ſigne…; for thee have I choſen, ſaith theAn heauenly tranſlatiō of the title Pſ. 22. Eternal of hoſtes. This concluſion of Aggai, compared vvith Gods oth againſt Iechonias, should have ſtayed vsus from conspiring vvith the dogges that deſpiſed Aieleth ha Sachar Pſ. 22 The morning ſtar, as our Lord Ap. 3. and 22. & kimchi there, tranſlate the Ebr. He hath not yet davvned to ſuch Doctors.
Of zacharie teaching hovv zorobabel cometh of Nathan, chap. 10. 12.
Thus zacharie joineth to Aggei; In that day the Land shall lament ech familie apart; the familie of David apart, & their vviues apart; the familie of the houſe of Nathan apart, & their vviues apart; the familie of the houſe of Levi apart, and their vvives apart; the familie of Semei apart, & their vvives apart.
The notation of Zorobabel.
Zorobabel his name conteineth the ſtately prophecy of Babels fall; vvher vvith Ieremy comforteth Iuda. ch. 51. 2. I will ſend againſt Babel, Zor-im; fanners, vvhichwhich Zor o Babel. Mark here vvith-all hovv the golden head is fanned to chaff. And this much doth foreign Zorobabel conteine in name. And vvhen Babel the houſe of Nemrod & Cham vver fanned by Sem & Iapheth, then cometh an Angel to tell vvhen Chriſt the ſignet of God from Zorobabel ſhould be ſealed: that all men might reckon from yere to yere, hovv nere they came to the Kingdome.
of ther names notation.
As Zorobabel vvas alſo called Sa…betzar, glad in affliction; ſo his eldeſt ſon vvas called Moſollam: that is: he ſhalbe ſettled in Salem; as Naaſſon called Salmon in that ſenſe, ſo he is called 1. chr. 3. & by an other notation, Abihu; Math. 1. The ſecond ſonne is called Ananias; in remembrance of Ananias the noble martyr, the glory of men; that quenched the fyer. He vvas fitly termed ſo; a father to Chriſt; that quencheth Hell fier from burning his ſervantes; The ſame man is called by an other name Rheſa, principal; being the ſecond brother; Becauſe he that is principall over all, ſhall come from him; & make the ſecond brother principal to the firſt.
Names from famous ancient men.
The name of Nathan Dauids ſonne might not be geuen to moo; as nōe but one vvas called Dauid, nor any in the right Li…e to Adam: to kepe the ſtory from confuſion. But the Like in notation are full many. Nathan is, HE (God) geveth & Mattatha, Matthat, Mattathias tvviſe coming, & Matth▪ n Mat. 1. be all remēbrances of Nathan Dauids ſonne; named after the prophet, vvhichwhich promiſed Chriſt to Dauid. So they ſtill knevv that Chriſt ſhould come of them. So Ianna, ſhort, or Ioanna longe, Ionā as the lxx expreſſe Ebrevv, all be Iohn: by vvhichwhich name Iohaiada the good high ſacrificer vvas called. So the ſecond Melchi, Amos & Nachum reuiue ſtories, & loke for Kingdome, ſtrenght & comfort; So Elmodam reuiueth the ſtory of Iocktās Elmodad vvher to avoyd loth ſome doublyng of D. the one is changed. Iocktans houſe highly angred God; falling to Babels Idols after many from, Sem Arphaxad, Sela, & Eber, folovved the godly fathers. Therfore God ſcattered them further to fill eaſt & vveſt India. Yet Chriſt vvold once call all; & one of his fathers ſhevved that, in his name, from Iocktanes Eldeſt ſon Elmodad. Others hauehave religions foundation, as loſe, all one to Ieſus, a Saviour; Eliezer, God hath ſtrengh, Iorim, & …liakim God ſetteth vp. Her, the vigilant. Theſe conteine the ground of religion; Others touched the lot of the particular familie; As Malea fulnes, Majnan, vvaters of encreaſe; vvhen Roboams houſe vvas decaying quickly. Some expreſs the fathers confort in a ſonne, as Cheſly, my glory, Addy an ornamentforeign & one remembrance of hard lot; Mahath, vexation. All be vvittely named; & our Lord Er the Aey vigilant, ſayth; ye ſhall not ſeke me in vain. An idle ſyllable ſhall not be found in the names of Ieſus his fathers. By theſe argumentes the vvicked Ievves that reiect the Kinges record knovven over nationes might be avvnſvveared & muſſelled.
Of Cainan, ioyned to Arphaxad; vvhichwhich Cainan neuer vvas in the vvorld.
S. Luke ſhevveth to all lerned in tongues that he folovved the very ſyllables of publiq recordes: othervviſe moo names from one Hebrevv as Ianna, Ioanna, & Ionan, he had expreſſed in one tenour. So he folovveth the lxx for Cainan, ſon, as it was ſuppoſed, to Aaphaxad. the lxx knevv that he never vvas in the vvorld; as nether Cainan the ſixt ſon to Sem; Gen. 10. in the lxx; as they knevv that; Ioſeph vvas father but to Manaſſes & Ephraim: vvhen Iacob came to Egypt; & not yet to the fiue added by them gen. 46 ch. vvhichwhich make for Ebrevv lxx ſoules; in the lxx. they make 75. vvhichwhich thing alſo S. Luke folovveth act. 7. I hauehave in my Conſent ſhevved the reaſon. But here alſo it may fiitly be handled: yet a long diſcourſe muſt come to open the vvhole nature of the matter.
Why the lxx hid their mind.
The lxx ij Ievves, ſix for every tribe are named, in ſhortnes lxx. vvhen Ptolemy Philadelphus ambitious of a great librarie ſent to Iudah, to hauehave them bookes in Greke; ſo many tranſlā ters vvere ſent to Egypt vvith the holy volume; vvhichwhich they turned into Greke; but vvith exceding departing from the Ebrevv. And they caryed not vvith them the pomcted Bible, that they might more frely dally vvith the prophane heathen. One example may be in the yeres a thouſand & many hundre the… vvhichwhich they feigned. Of that I hauehave vvritten at large to Melchiſedeck. An other ſtrange departing from Ebrevv appeareth in Gen. 4 to this Ebrevv vnpoincted:
Halo im tetib sheeth, ve im lo tetib le petach chatathrobets. or thus le patteach, chatatha; Rebatz.
Is ther not vponupon vvell doing, recompence? and yf thou do not vvells ſyns pay is nere at the dore. Becauſe heathen ſhould not plead henſe in heathen maner; Do vvell, & hauehave vvell, they adde vovvls thus; yf thou offre well, & devide not vvell, thou haſt ſinned; be quiet. And this mockage they thought fitteſt for heathen ſcorners of truth. This vvas the vvell doing, ſpoken by God; That Cain, yf he vvold come to God, muſt beleue that God is; & is a revvarder of them that ſeke him. But Lagidae & Chemmis land, vvold not ſone conceaue this ſenſe. Therfore he that ſitteth in heauen vvold ſcorne them: & the Eternall vvold make a mock of them. For this rule was from the beginnig; Caſt not pearles to hogges; nor holy thinges to dogges.
An other daliance vvas this: Deut. 32. when the only High ſcattered the ſonnes of Adam, he ſettled the borders of nationes according to the number of the Angels of God. The Ebrew hath: According to the number of the ſonnes of Iſrael. They ſavv vveighty cauſe of this dalliance; vvhichwhich I hauehave printed in a dedication to my Grek tranſlatiō of the prophets dedicated to the B. of Mentz.
The 2. Pſalme ſpeaketh in this ſort. Kiſſe the ſonne leſt he be angry; vvher is anger ſone Kindled. Happy are all that truſt in him. Fleſh & blood could not open this vntounto the vvorld, only the father which is in heauen ſhould reveale it. How God ſo loued the world that he gaue his only begoten ſon, to the end that vvhſoeuer beleue on him ſhould not periſh but hauehave lift everlaſtinge. At this they would hauehave skoffed; as hovv often ſkoffed they the King of glory in the dayes of his fleſh. Therfore the holy vvordes vvhichwhich proprely ſay Kiſſe the Son, they turne craftily thus; Lay hould vpod doſtrine leſt. vvicked men ſhould ſay: Dauid maketh him ſelf the Son of God.
So they vvere in danger of more then ſkoffing, in a comon brag. Thus they triumphed: as yet recordes ſhevv in Zohar vponupon exod; Col. 27. IACOB OVR father went to Egypt with LXX Soules: to recover the LXX families which curſed Cham bred by parted tongues for Babels Idolous tower. And the ſeauenty ſoules of Iacob match in valew all the families of the world; & he that will rule over them is as great a tyrant as an vſurper to reine ouer all the world. This bragge all Barbers & blear-eyed knevv; & yf they had not hid the trueth of lxx families Gen. 10. & ſomvvhat in Gen. xj. by tvvo feined Cainans, & by fiue Gen. 46. fiue then not borne, they had bene more in danger thē vnderunder Aman; differing from all nationes in the feaſt of tabernacles; For that vvas their greateſt open difference, as the Chaldy Eſther toucheth. The lxx having thus dealed, & the Sanedrin or Synedrion having enacted a lavv that none ſhould alter the lxx. Euſeb praep. 8. S. Luke vvas to folovv the Greke; as a recorder; & not as a judge both in Cainan; & in ſoules 75. act. 7. And he vvrote not to Siculis & Conſentinis; but to vviſe men that had their eies in theri head. He vvho vponupon act. 7. feigneth that ſome late man added fiue act. 7. & to the lxxij gen. 46. vvold make all the Chriſtianes in the vvorld very ſimple; that could not eſpie that; but marre all copies; & Arabiq tranſlationes. Moreover vvhat vvill he ſay to the old Greke Philo; Equallaged to S. Luke; handling Abrahams 75. yeres & Iacob 75. ſoules Gen. 46. & exod. 1. & again but 70 in Deut. 10. 22. He diſcanting after his maner telleth hovv in dalliance ſoules vvere 75. in trueth but lxx. That number of fiue then vnborne to Ioſeph, I vvil not here declare vvhy to him more then to other enlargement vvas; & vvhy the number of fiue: my conſent & aduertiſement conferred may giuegive aduertiſement. Further for Cainan one ſayth he had a copy vvhichwhich had not Caynan. I can vvell beleue it. For vvher the Apoſtles excede in vviſdome: as S. Mathevv in omitting hatefull Ioakim, ſome vvicked praeſumptuous copier vvold nedes amend the text; to ſay for; Ioſias begate Iechonias & his brethren; that is, Sedekias the vncle that reigned after him: Ioſias begate Iakim: Iakim begate Iechonias & his brethren. Geneva printed this about 60 yeres; & vvith their folollovvers filled Europe vvith corrupt copies. Yet Beza revoked the vvicked copie; But vvho can revoke the milliones of the corrupted. The old conſent of the Church hauing truth, ſhould hauehave ſtood as vvell at the firſt as at the laſt: & a tovvne that feared God, ſhould not brag hovv they giuegive the beſt Bible vvher they miſſe moſt deadly. And ſo vvhen they leaue out Cainan here Luc. 3. vvhen God ſet him in the text: pretending a vvarrant as praeſumptuous that they ſavv a copy void of that Cainan▪ they ſhould not be folovved in England. Morouver marke this; that Grekes in Euſebius make Abraham the tenth after Noe in ſtory: though the 70 vvold make him the eleventh: & ſo Epiphanius maketh Iacob not the tvventy three, but after the Ebrevv the tvventy tvvo. And I had an Arabiq commen…arie vponupon Geneſis vvhichwhich in dede folovved the lxx but vvith a note of miſli king: But novv I hauehave not that. For one Mattathias Holmes caried my Arabiq bookes & Bibles Maſſorite, & greate Plantine & others the beſt in the vvorld all mine, to Ierne-land; & at his death told as M. Trauerſe vvill teſtifie & others that they vvere mine, yet one that maryed his ſiſter, dealt vvorſe then any Turk; he ſould them as his bookes of 100 lib ſterling, lent of curteſie; vvithout any peny l…nt for pavvne: as, Middleburge knovveth. I humbly requeſt the King to call him to accompts & all others to hould him as he deſerueth for euer. Yf my ovvne book had bene left me, Canian from Arabia might be handled. And this much for S. Luke. Only one bad note of a Genevean calling the Goſpell into doubt, I muſt touch. He vvriteth hovv he hath a copy venerandae vetuſtatis, vvher not S. Lukes men, but S. Mathevves be vp vntounto Adam. He ſhould hauehave brent, not ſent to poſterity that vvicked vvork. Some vvicked copier, that dreamed Ioſeph his familie, to be handled in S. Luke, and knovving that Ioſeph could not hauehave naturall fathers in ſeverall families, thought good to frame a Goſpell of his ovvne head: & to leaue out the moſt glorious familie in the vvorld. This rule the reader may take at my hand: That comonly the places in which the holy Apoſtles excell in Thalmudi que or Atti que Lerning, ſome rude copiers alter after their owne braine. But as any eares can diſcerne Cyclops Polyphemus Muſike to come ſhort of Ariſtoxenus: ſo any one Thalmudi que & Atti que vvhat the holy Apoſtles left, Rude copiers can never bring that vvhichwhich hath rare vviſdome. So the copie of rare vviſdome muſt nedes be holden the copy of God: vvhen ther is difference betvvixt the barbarous & them. And the church in moſt Greke copies & old Arabiq, folovv the beſt. And none but voyd of iudgemēt & vvicked vvranglers, vvill deny that both teſtamentes ſtand in the original ſure enough for copy.
What vſe the forged Canian hath.
The fooliſh of God is vviſer then Men. The lxx departing from Ebrevv truth, becauſe heathen vvold not ſuffer it, ſhevv for all Diuinity, hovv the natural man cannot abide it. Specially they ſhevved, that in the 75 ſoules & in Cainan. And that vvold our Lord teach Children in his ovvne familie; Bringing irony or mockage for a Cainan that never vvas in the vvorld. And by a man, that never vvas a man, teache wicked men, how they will become worſe then nothinge: eternally miſerable. So the forged Cainan hath great vſe; & corrupt tranſlations after corrupt copies ſhould not be ſold vnamended, after vvarninge: ſuch as leaue out Cainan vvhom God left vsus. And ſpecially becauſe Ievves in every corner be thornes in our ſides, & prickes in our eyes, vve ſhould loth help to them; as in vvicked blaming the moſt heauenly purenes of the Greke teſtament. And this much for our Lordes fathers ſet in S. Luke vntounto Dauid. The notationes of all from Adam to Dauid conteyne the Abridgement of their ſtory. But the vnebrevved vvold not ſone conceaue them. All vviſe ſtudentes that take to Diuinity vvill lerne the holy tongue: & ſuch, of them ſelues may ſone ſee vvhat the names import. Novv Let vsus look hovv S. Mathevv ſhevveth Meſſias to be man, Emmanuel, (as S. Luke) from Abraham to Dauid: & to be God in man: & King of the Ievves. Theſe be the groundes of our faith: & our darkenes vvilbe exceding great, yf vve miſſe in theſe poinctes. S. Mathevves text ſhalbe firſt layd dovvne, vvith ſo much of the perſones ſtory as principally argueth doctrine for the Kingdome of the vvorld to come: & of right faith in them, as in vsus novv. The fathers of our Lord the firſt fourtene ſhould hauehave their ſtory knovven among their ſpirituall ſonnes, to beimitated of vsus; & the Kinges ſhould be knovven: to conſider imperfectiones, arguing that Chriſt his Kingdome ſhould not be as an earthly one. Novv the third rovv, vvill force vsus to examine ſtately ſtories of their enemies deſtruction: & hovv they by Daniel ſeauens, did knovv vvhen. Chriſt vvold come into the vvorld; & there I muſt defend our church: & many others againſt betrayers of the truth vntounto Ievves: vponupon that occaſion in ſundry ſortes. They notoriouſhy vexe vsus for our Doctours Babyſhnes for confunding our Lordes holy fathers, vvith Acabean Kinges of Roboams Ammonean …ace; & for diſagreing for redemption time; & for Daniels fourth Kingdome.