The Testaments of the 〈◊〉 patriarchs, the sons 〈◊〉 jacob: translated out of Greek 〈◊〉 Latin by Robert Grosthed, 〈…〉 Bishop of Lyncolne, and out of his copy into French and Dutch by others: Now englished by A. G. To the credit whereof an ancient Greek copy written in parchment, is kept in the University Librarye of Cambridge. AT LONDON Printed by john Day, dwelling over Aldersgate. 1576. Cum gratia & privilegio Regi● Maiestates per dicennium. To the Christian Reader. ALbeit these our happy days in some respect, good Christian, have and enjoy divers and sundry works, tending to the subversion of Belial, and the erection of godliness: yet considering that as earthly, so we spiritual soldiers seldom run to the watch without a alarm: I thought it convenient to call upon you with this grave & godly book, of long time hide in Hebrew, now come to light in English. The malice of the jewish people in concealing it, by reason of Christ the righteous, so often prefigured, was intolerable, but the singular providence of God in preserving it unspeakable, & now at the last, though chargeable, yet fruitful is the expressing and printing in our natural language of this, so worthy, so golden a writ: being of itself, without the accessary painting of eloquent speech, a Mirror for Princes, a Preacher for all Christians, a beautiful Glass for Women: for Children, Servants, and such like, a wise, plausible, and most ready Schoolmaster. For, to apply to every particular estate his peculiar property: art thou a Prince, a Magistrate, a Ruler, let juda rule thee: If thou thinkest upon manly courage, he teacheth thee valiantness, if thou seekest to govern aright, he willeth thee to flee tyranny: if thou thirst after manners of life, he soundeth it out, that Uaineglorye ●●nication and Discord, blemish, wea●en, and at length utterly consume Nobility. Let me proceed farther, and ask a question: Art thou a Bishop, a Minister, a Preacher of Christ his birth, life and death? behold Levy as a lantern. ●euy. Thou canst teach thyself, but he can teach thee better: thou speakest to other, hearken to him that talketh to thee: of thy office, how Holy it is, how Honourable, the contemners thereof how miserable, by whom begun, continued, and confirmed: of thy state of life, what, and how it should be, Nunquam sine Sale, sine S●le: to be short, of thy blessedness if thou art godly, wise, and learned: of thy and their plagues where thou livest, if wicked and ignorant. What should I say more? Look upon jacob, jacob. O you Parents, peruse these 12. godly Fathers in ●yme and order: learn of him & his, to pray to God in Christ his name for your Children, have a regard to their instruction: the want of the former your Children shall miss, the neglect of the latter, you yourselves shall bewail. For the hearty prayer of a Father to the Almighty for his Children, is a right singular benefit: but he that for foolish pity giveth to them the bridle is before God accounted a guilty partaker of their sinful race. Uewe this book therefore, hearken how to teach yourselves & your Children. You have already handled a Sick man's salve, enjoy now at length a Sick man's tongue, to ●n●●ruct them when you leave them, and what to leave them when you dye: else their end will be lamentation, but yours lamentable misery. And come you hither you Children of the earth: Reuben. read, see, and say that old Father Reuben with his good brethren readily and rightly describe the blessed path of righteousness, & the 〈◊〉 way of Belial, the one to flee, the other to follow. Wilt thou begin with the elder, for that old age seemeth wisest? stop not then the cares of thy heart and body to so wise and sweet a Charmer. O the number, O the ouglesome portraiture of those deadly spirits, that ●e hath so orderly numbered, and cunningly coloured. Lechery, Envy, gluttony, Bravery, Pride, Vainglory, Unrighteousness, Wilful Ignorance. All these as they seem, are in deed pernicious: but the former is most detestable, the end whereof is consumption of this earthly body, and destruction of the soul▪ which wellspring and puddle of evil, if thou will't have dried up, cease from drunkenness: if not see it, have not a narrow and greedy eye upon a beautiful face: if not drink, stop thy mouth from busy questions with wanton women: to conclude, if not therein be ducked and drowned, use labour, ●ame youthfulness. For in this I overshooting my ●elfe, (saith Rub●n to his Children) defiled my Father's bed. Therefore look not upon the beauty of women, muse not upon their doings, but keep yourselves occupied, either in learning or some work: charge your wives and daughters that they 〈◊〉 not their heads, will them to chasten their looks, for every woman that dealeth deceitfully in these things, is reserved to the punishment of the world to come. Which trade of life to eschew, seeing it is difficult without the fulfilling of the law, and the law, partly consists in mutual love: strive with simeon simeon. the second Brother to avoid strife, which blindeth the mind, pineth the body, provoketh murder. The remedy whereof, is both forgiving & forgetting. Take unto thee joseph his cheerful countenance, a perfect platform of a quiet mind, yet set before thy eyes Simeons' withered haud, a ●ight plague for such 〈…〉. All which disquietness & mischief, safely to set aside, let not juda be set apart. ●ather by him experience, that for a man to glory in his own works is sinful, and 〈◊〉 which upbraideth an other man his vice, standeth slippery. juda choked Reuben his elder Brother with his fornication: mark, who ●●med immediately but envious and ●aylyng juda? Did he not offend after the flesh in the Chananites house? Did he not take a wi●e without consent of Parents? two great sins, and alas in these our days to much used, yet punished, the one with want, loss, or at the lest, small joy of Children, says Father juda, the Patriarch: but the other 〈◊〉 untolerable damage of body & soul, saith S. Paul the Apostle. Wherefore abstain from wine, abhor drunkenness, for such a one slandereth not, rehearseth not another man's sins, breeds no sedition, but embraceth love & charity with a single heart as good Father Isachar, Isachar. who never railed, never was hurtful or spiteful to his neighbour, never eat his meat alo●e but gave part to the poor, never removed the bonds and marks of other men's ground, but loved all men as his natural Children. O that as we read this, so we might express the same in life and conversation. Mercy and love is a precious jewel, the maintainers whereof being jointly connexed prospero, once dissevered come to naught: for the waters (saith Zabulon) Zabulon. wash away the sand, when the stones & timber are dissolved. Whose mercy and singular compassion was rewarded singularly. Si●t his Testament, resemble his rare charity in clothing the naked, and feeding the hungry, known and unknown, as well strangers as his country men. D●n. Let not the spirit of Dan possess your mind: Gad. Suffer not the wrath of Gad to settle in your heart, for such work with ●. perilous instruments, bitter speech, treachery, and violent hands, yielding fruit not much unlike as you may read, as you may see. Wilt thou be taught the ready 〈◊〉 to that that thou dost seek? two ways ther● 〈◊〉 (saith Aser) Vice the one, the other: Virtue, neptalim's Neptalim. race▪ Embrace the latter, eschew the former. But he that walketh in them both, blindeth men, becemeth himself, and mocketh God, whose double faced dealing shallbe double punished. Such are the covetous, such are they, that are merciful, in naughtiness, such are they saith Aser that fast from meats but not from fornication. Have therefore a simple heart with simple & righteous joseph joseph. the blessed of the Lord, the right figure of jesus Christ: for hatred he showed love: being cursed, he blessed: being shot through, he did not so much as bend his bow: albeit his brethren would have slain him, albeit they cast him into a well, though they sold him as a bond sla●e, & y● to strangers & such as hated shepherds to the death, of whom he was whipped & tormented: yet he, when they stood in fear, gave them comfort: when they were well nigh famished, gave them food: when by his authority might destroy, by his authority did preserve: being their Lord, using them as his betters: being their Brother, accepting them as his Children, their unkindness not spoken of, their conspiracies forgotten, their cruel dealing most lovingly, most mercifully forgiven. You have herded his love toward his neighbour, hearken his obedience toward God. When he was miserably afflicted, did he rage's and swell? When he was made a bondslave of a free man's son, did he cry out of heaven? being almost utterly forsaken, did he unpatiently accuse God's justice? no, expectans Expectavit Dominum. And at the last, the Lord which hide his face did show his countenance, of a caitive, in respect, making him free, of a freeman wealth, of a wealth subject an honourable parsonage, Lord Precedent of Pharaos' land. Whom the Egyptians being alive loved, being dead loved, being ●otten loved. Whom ryving, neither wealth nor woe could make to swell: neither promise or threats of the Egyptian strumpet could make slide: and therefore, being dead, neither world, Devil, nor man's policy could make forgotten. O that our mortal race might thus begin, thus persevere, might thus, thus O Lord, most happily finish: The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Benjamin. Learn therefore of Benjamin to inflame thy heart, that thou mayst be ready both in body & soul, Let us, ●ayth Ecclesiasticus commend, and so say I, Let us behold the noble famous men, and the generation of our fore elders. Eccle. 44. For many glorious acts hath the Lord done in them, and snewed his great power ever since the beginning. Upon the consideration whereof and especially for that I would have nothing wanting in this book that might serve thy conte●tation, I thought if as well pertinent to deal with the righteous Father, as with the godly children. For to shadow a face only without a body hath his deserved commendation: but who so painteth a leg without a body, or a body without a head, it shall not be amiss, as I suppose, as well to term him a foolish painter, as to judge the thing v●discreetely painted. Wherefore as well to see the head as the leg, and to hear the Father as the children, I have faithfully drawn out of scripture, (& not according to my fancy fashioned) the death and Testament of jacob that blessed & right happy Father added to this ancient monument of the children. Therefore to recompense my pay●es, read them but read them diligently, neither read only, but contend to follow. For the imitation of good and godly men is the direct way & course to godliness. So may we account of jacobs' blessing: so may we thoroughly challenge to be his Children, I mean, not by flesh, but spirit. The lord which made heaven & earth, the Lord which gave his son to shed his heart blood for us, god which disposeth things to his pleasure, preserve our Queen, increase our faith▪ and make us thankful for his benefits. Amen. Richard day. FINIS. ¶ The Testament of jacob, that he made at his death, to his xii. Sons the patriarchs, concerning what should be●ide them in the last days: gathered out of Genesis .48 .49. and added to this book. Com●, hark my Sons, two things I give, my blessing and my ban: The first to them that godly live, the last to wicked man. Jacob the son of Isaac, Gene. 25. born of Rebecca, the year of the world 2108. his Father being three score years of age, Simple or 〈◊〉. was a perfect man & righteous, dwelling † in tents, not given to pleasure & hunting, as his elder brother, elder by nature, not by grace: Rom. 9 for the elder shall serve the younger, saith the Lord jacob beloved not of ●erite but 〈◊〉 Grace. Why? not for that jacob had so deserved, but because God had so appointed. Wherefore when he thus by the determinate will of God, and heavenly disposition, which ordereth things whatsoever, Gene. 25. had got his Brother's birthright and his Father's blessing, Gene. 26. his Parents, considering that the slippery days of carnal copulation did approach, Gene. 27. and warily fearing his brother Esaw, The wicked ever resist gods regiments. for y● † he conceived murder in his heart, and instituted a birth day of his devilish purpose, sent him from Berseba to Mesopotamia to Laban his mother's brother, Gene. 2●. there honestly to take a wife and quietly to live. For Matrimony without consent of Parents, A 〈◊〉 for marriage. and due consideration of either party contracted, as it breeds their disquietness, so it provoketh God's displeasure. Gene. 29. jacob therefore after long travail, being placed with his Uncle Laban and serving him xiiii. years in labour & pain (albeit he was the child of promise, Trouble & pain are destined to the elect. the blessed of the Lord, Born of a free woman, and the which is more, his uncles bone & flesh, and Lord of Chanaan: not arguing with himself as the worldly children of this earth, An example for children. saying: shall I which am a free and wealth m●ns son be made a servant? shall I be a drudge in my kinsman's house, 〈…〉 being sent to marry & not to serve) had † given him by Laban to wife for his good service (by which God blessed that little that Laban had before) his two daughters Lea first, ● godly note for servants. than Rachel with their handmaids Bilha and Zilpha: of whom, according to the promise made unto him of God in bethel, that his seed shou●● be multiplied: he begat twelve. sons xii godly Fathers of the earth: Reuben. Simeon. Levi. juda. Dan. Neptalin. Gad. Aser. Isachar. Zabulon. joseph. Benjamin. Thus he b●y●g blessed of the Lord, Man's life is but a pilgrimage. as well in Children as in substance, returned again to his native country, he and his Children: there to live & there to die. But behold, the divine providence of God. After three & thirty years expired, he was removed from Chanaan to Gosen in Egypt by means of his son joseph chief steward of Pharaoh his land, whom his brethren heretofore had sold. Where when he had lived 17. years, and seen his family increased exceedingly, to his great joy and comfort no doubt, especially all the other countries about being plagued with a great famine, God alw●● provideth for the righteous. and by God's mercy not greatly feeling the same, perceiving also his troublesome pilgrimage dra●ing to an end: called his son joseph, unto him & said: If I have found grace in thy sight, o put thy hand under my thigh (for in this order they took an oath in jacobs' time) deal mercifully with me and truly, bury me not in Egypt, but let me sleep with my Fathers. Where noting his sure faith in the promise of God made to his fathers, willed him to look for Canaan his hoped inheritance, and not to trust to Pharaos', land. To which his request, when joseph his loving son obediently did condescend: jacob taking a little more strength unto him, and sitting up, desirous also to show forth the great goodness of the Lord in preserving him and his, Parents aught to tell their children Gods blessings. said: God almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and blessed me saying: Behold I will make thee fruitful, and 'cause thee to multiply, and will make a great number of People of thee, and will give this land to thy seed for an † everlasting possession. Uerified in 〈◊〉 carnal Israel to Christ his c●mming, in the spiritual for ever. Thy sons Manasses and Ephraim I take as mine own, their other brethren shall be called † ‡ That is 〈◊〉 be vn●●r their 〈◊〉. after their names. As I came from Mesopotamia, Rachel died in the land of Canaan, and was buried by the way to Ephratha, the same is Betheleem. Then jacob, albeit somewhat dim for age, beholding josephes' two. sons, said: what are these? to whom joseph answered: they are my sons which God hath given me. O bring them to me (said jacob) and let me bless them. I had not thought to have seen thy face joseph▪ yet lo, God hath showed me thy seed. God in whose sight my father's Abraham and Isaac did walk: God, which hath fed me all my life long vnt●ll this day: Christ. and the * Angel, which hath delivered me from all evil bless these la●de, and let my * name▪ 1 Counted as one of his children not that they should pray unto him b●●ng dead as 〈◊〉 gathered. be named in them, & the name of my Fathers, Abraham and Isaac, & that they may grow into a multitude in the mids of the earth. Then as joseph lifted his Father's hand from Ephra●m to Manas●es the Elder, jacob said: Let it be, I know it well my Son, God hath mercy on 〈◊〉 he will. he shall also be a great people, but his younger brother shallbe grea●er, in thee let Israel bless & say, God make thee as Ephraim & Manasses. 〈…〉 he fainting said: By ●ayth jacob 〈…〉 the land as yet but, hoped 〈◊〉. Behold joseph I die. God shall be with you, and b●ing you again to the land of your Fathers. Moreover I * give unto thee a portion of land above thy brethren, which I conquered by sword and bow of the Amorites. And come you hither also, O my Children, that I may tell you what shall come on you in the last days. Gather you together, and hear you sons of jacob, hearken unto Israel your Father. Reuben my first born, my † might, * Begotten in my youth. my strength, excellent in dignity and power, unconstant as water, thou shalt not excel because thou didst defile my couch. simeon and Levy, brethren in evil, who in your wrath slew a man, and in yourself will digged down a brickwall: * Levy had no tribe & Simeon was under juda. Cursed be your wrath, for it was shameless, and your fierceness for it was cruel. I † will divide you in jacob, judg. Cap. 1. and scatter you in Israel. Blessings of juda. juda Thy. 1 A worthy captain. hand shall be on the neck of thy enemies: Thy Brethrens shall stoop unto thee: as a lions whelp shalt thou come up from the spoil: Thou shalt couch as a Lion, and as a Lioness. Who shall stir thee up▪ 2 A 〈◊〉 Prince. The Sceptre shall not departed from thee, nor a lawgiver from between thy feet, until Shiloh come, all nations shall seek after him. 3 A 〈◊〉 land. Thou shalt bind thy Ass sole to the vine, and the Ass' colt to the best vine: thou shalt wash thy garment in wine, and thy cloak in the blood of grapes: thy eyes shall be read with wine, & thy teeth white with milk. Zabulon, thou shalt devil by the sea side, and thou shalt be an haven for ships: thy border shallbe unto Zidom. Isachar, thou shalt be a strong Ass, couching down between two burdens: And thou shalt see that rest is good, and that the land is pleasant, and shalt bow thy shoulder to bear and shalt be subject unto tribute. Dan, judg. 13. 〈◊〉▪ 15. 16. thou shalt judge thy people, as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan thou shalt be a Serpent by the way, an adder by the path▪ biting the Horse heels, so that his rider shall fall backward. Then jacob foreseeing in his mind the great calamity, The Philistines. that should betide his posterity, consorting himself & resting in God's promise, tried out with heart and mind: O Lord I have waited for thy salvation. Gad, josua. 1. 21. an host of men shall overcome thee, but thou shalt overcome at the last. And what shall I say to Aser? Num. 32. his bread shallbe far, and he shall give pleasures for a king. Nephthalim is a hind sent for a present giving goodly words. judg. 45. joseph is a flourishing bough by a well side, The blessing of joseph. the small boughs 1 Increase of family. shall run upon the brickwall. The Archers shot against him and hated him: but his bow was made strong, and his arms 2 〈…〉. strengthened by the hands of the almighty God of jacob. Out of him shall come an herdman a stone in Israel. All these things come from thy father's god which hath helped thee, All things come of God. & blessed thee with blessings▪ of the heaven, with blessings of the deep beneath, with blessings of breasts and womb. The blissinges of (me) thy Father (that I give thee,) are stronger than the blessings (that I had) of mine elders. Until the end of the hills of the world they shall be on thy head. Benjamin shall raven, as a wolf, In the Morning he shall devour the prey, and at night divide the spoil. And now when I shall be gathered to my people bury me with my father in the cave that is, in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave that is in the field of Machpelath which is before Mamre in the land of Canaan which Abra. Not for the holiness of the place, but for memory of G●ds promise. bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite, for a possession to bury in, where as were buried Abraham and Sara his wife, and Isaac with Rebecca, and there I buried Lea. The field and the cave that is therein, was bought of the Children of Heth. When jacob had made an end of commanding all that he would unto his Sons, having lived a hundredth forty and seven years he plucked up his feet into the bed, ● A token of a good conscience. and quietly died, Then joseph falling upon his father's face, and kissing him with tears, caused, him to be embalmed by Physicians to the space of forty days, and mourned for him threescore and ten days. Who departing from Egypt into Canaan with noblemen of the land in Charets & horsemen buried him in the place which jacob had appointed. ¶ The Testament of Reuben made to his Children at his death, concerning the things that he had in his mind, by the suggestion of the spirit of foreknowledge▪ Behold the pot, the hear, the bed, do note the strength, the lust: Of Reuben and unconstant head, who therefore was accursed. This is the copy of Rubens Testament, concerning all the things which he gave in charge to his children, before he died, in the hundred & five and twenty year of his life. Two years after the decease of joseph: his children & children's children came to visit him in his sickness and he said unto them. My children I die, and go the way of my fathers. And saying there his brethren, juda, Gad and Aser, he said unto them: Lift me up my brethren, that I may tell you and my children the things that I have hidden in my heart, for I am henceforth drawing to my long home. Death i● our lon● home. Then standing up he kissed them, and weeping said: hearken my brethren, and you my children give care to the word of your father Reuben, mark what I give in charge to you: Behold, I command you this day before the God of heaven, that you walk not in the ignorance of youthfulness and fornication, Fornication ●la●ned. Gene. 35. 49. whereinto I overshot myself, and de●●●ed the bed of my father jacob. 1. Cor. 5. For I assure you that the Lord did therefore 〈◊〉 me with a sore plague in my flanks by the space of seven months, and ‡ I had perished if my father * Prayer & repentance stayeth God his wrath. jacob had not prayed to the Lord for m●e, * The blessing and prayer of a father to God for his children of what benefit. because he was minded to have slain me. I was thirty years old when I did this evil in the sight of the Lord, & seven months was I sick to the death, In repentance the heart is to be considered not external action. and ‡ with a free heart did I seven year penance before the Lord, I drank no wine, nor strong drink: no flesh came within my mouth: I tasted not any fine bread: but I mourned for my sin, for it was great, & there shall none such be done in Israel. The eight instuments whereby man worketh and the effect of them. And now my sons hear me, that I may show you what I saw concerning the seven spirits of error in my repentance. belial giveth seven spirits against a man, which are the welspringes of youthful works, and seven spirits are géuen man in his creation, 1 Life. whereby all his works are done. The first is the spirit of life, wherewith is created his being. The second is the spirit of seeing, 2 Seeing. wherewith cometh lusting. The 3 Hearing. the spirit of hearing, wherewith cometh learning. The 4 Smelling. is the spirit of smelling, wherewith cometh delight by drawing in of the air, & by breathing of it out again. The 5 Speech. is the spirit of speech, wherewith knowledge is made. The 6 Tasting. is the spirit of tascing whereof cometh the feeding upon things that are to be eaten & drunk, & through them is engendered strength, 7 S●●de and of what property. because the substance of strength is in meat. The seventh is the spirit of seed and generation, wherewith entereth sin through that lust of pleasure. For this cause it is the last of creation, & the first of youth, because it is full of ignorance, 8 Sleep. and of what property. and ignorance leadeth the younger sort as a blind body into the ditch and as an Ox to the stall. Among all these is the eight spirit, which is of sleep, with whom is created the wasting away of nature and the image of death. Eight spirits of error and of what property. With these spirits are mingled the spirits of error. Whereof the first is the spirit of Lechery who lieth within in the nature and senses of man. 1 Rechery. The second spirit unsatiableness lieth in the belly. 2 Gluttony The third spirit of strife lieth in the liver and in choler. 3 Enuy. The fourth spirit is of bravery and gallantness, 4 Bravery that the party may seem co●ly by excess. The fistbe is the spirte of pride, 5 Pride of 〈◊〉 property. which moveth a man to mind over great things, or to think well of himself. 6 Vain glory in what it consists. The ●rth is the spirit of Lying or vain gloriousness in boasting a man's self and in desire to ●ile his talk concerning his own kin●ed and acquaintance. The seventh is the spirit o● unrighteousness which stirreth up the affections that a man should perform the lustful pleasures of his heart. 7 Unrighteousness. For unrighteousness worketh with all the other spirits, by taking guile unto him. 8 Wilful ●gnorance. Unto all these spirits is matched the vii●. spirit, which is the spirit of sleep or sluggishness, in error and imagination, and so the souls of young folks perish, Discommodities of ignorance. because their minds are darkened from the truth, and understand not the law of the Lord, neither obey the doctrine of their fathers as be●el to me in my youth. But now my children love the truth, and that shall preserve you. Ringleaders to fornication hearken to your father Reuben, and let not your eyes 1 ● greedy eye. run gazing after women, neither be you 2 Close company with women. alone with a woman that is married, neither seek you about 3 busy questions. what women are a doing. For if I had not seen Billa bathing of herself in a secret place, I had not fallen into that great wickedness. But my mind ran so upon the naked woman, that it suffered me not to sleep till I had committed abomination. For while my father jacob was away at his Father Isaackes, Gen. 35. & I in Gader hard by Ephrata a house of Bethleem, Billa fell 4 Drunkenness. drunken, & as she lay a sleep uncovered in her chamber, I went in and seeing her nakedness wrought wickedness with her: and leaving her a sleep went my way. Nothing so secretly done but it shall be open By and by an Angel of God bes●rayed my wickedness to my Father jacob, who coming home mourned for me, & touched not▪ A godly cou●at. Billa any more Therefore look not upon the be●u●tye of women, neither muse you upon their de●nges, but walk you with a single heart in the fear of the Lord, busi●nge yourselves about some work, Labour a preservative from fornication. and keeping yourselves occupied either in 〈◊〉▪ or about your flocks, till God give you such wives as he lifteth, least 〈◊〉 suffer as I have bone. I dared not look my father in the face to his dying day, A guilty conscience is a great burden. nor speak to any of my brethren for shame. My conscience biteth me● even yet still for my sin. But my father comforted me, and prayed for me to the Lord, that his wrath might pass away from me, as the Lord himself showed unto me. Therefore from that time forth, ●●norse of conscience slayeth sin. I was kept from sinning any more. And you my children likewise keep you all that I shall tell you, and you shall not sin. The fruit of fornication. For fornication is the 1 Destruction of the soul. destruction of the soul, separating it from God, 4 making i● to draw unto 2 Idolatry Idols, because it leadeth the mind and understanding into error, and bringeth men to their 3 Shortness of life. gra●e before their time. For whoredom hath undone many men. And although a man be ancient or noble, yet doth it sha●e him & make him a laughingstock both before Belial, 4 Ignominious shame. & the sons of men. josephes' chastity rewarded. But joseph because he kept himself from all women, and cleansed, his thoughts from all fornication, found favour both before the Lord and men. Gone 9 The Egyptian woman did much to him by using the help of witches, and by offering him slaversawees: but the purpose of his mind admitted no noisome desire. Look pa. & 5. For this cause the God of my father● delivered him from all death b●t● seen and unseen: for if fornication overrule not your mind, neither shall Belial prevail against you, women are hurtful things my sons, Properties of unchaste women. because that when they want power and strength against a man, they work guilfully to draw him to them by trains: & whom they cannot overmatch in strength, him they overcome by deceit. For the Angel of the Lord which taught me, fold me●e of them, that they be overmastered by the spirit of fornication more than men be, and that they be ever practising in their hearts against men, first making their minds to err by decking of themselves, them shedding their poison in to them by sight, & finally catching them prisoners by their doings: for a woman is not able to enforce a man. A note for garish attire & wanton looks. Therefore my sons, flee fornication, charge your wives and daughters that they trim not their heads, & will them to chasten their looks, for every woman that dealeth deceitfully in these things, is reserved to the punishment of the world to come. An example of this 〈◊〉 chief●. For by such means were the Watchers deceived before the flood: as soon as they see them they fallen in love one with another, Gen. 6. & conceived a working in their minds, and turned themselves into the shape of men, 〈…〉 and appeared to them in their companying with their husbands: and the women by conceiving the desire of them in the imagination of their mind, brought forth Giants. teacher's. For, the ● Wat●here appeared to them of height unto heaven. Therefore keep yourselves from fornication, Infectious 〈◊〉 corrupteth the ●inde. & if you intent to have a clean mind, keep your senses from all women, and forbidden them likewise the company of men, that they may have also clean minds. For although continual companying do not alw●res work wickedness, yet breed they incurable stings to them, and to us everlasting shame before Belial, because that fornication hath neither understanding nor godliness in it, 〈…〉 and all enviousness dwelleth in the desire thereof, and for that cause shall you envy the children of Le●y, and seek to be exalted above them, but you shall not be able to compass it for, god will ●duenge them, and you shall dye a dangerful death: Gen. 49. for unto I cuy & I●da hatl, the Lord given the sovereignty, and unto me and Dan, and joseph, hath he granted to be princes with them. Wherefore I charge you, He prophesieth of Christ. hear Levy: for he shall know the law of the lord, and deal forth ●udgement, and offer sacrifices, for all Israel, till the full time of Christ, the chief priest, because the Lord hath spoken it. I charge you by the GOD of heaven, Faithful dealing with neighbours. that every of you deal faithfully with his neighbour, and stick unto Levy in humbleness of heart, that you may receive blessing at his mouth; for he shall bless Israel and juda. Gene. 〈◊〉. God hath choose juda to be the king of all people, wherefore worship you his seed, for he shall dye for you in battles, both visible and invisible, and shall reign over you world without end, Reuben having given his children the foresaid charge, and blessed them, died: Then they put him in a coffin, and carried him out of Egipte, buried him at Hebron, in the double cave, where his fathers slept. Finis. ¶ The Testament of Simeon, made to his Children at his death concerning 〈◊〉. The heart in women's mouth, the face, the sword, the Wolf, the cap: All these paint out the cavious race, that run to their mishap. THe copy of Simeons' words, which he spoke to his Sons at his death, in the hundred and twentieth year of his life, in the which joseph died. For they came to visit him upon his death bed, and he sitting up, kissed them, saying. hearken my children, hear me your father Simeon, whatsoever I have in my heart. I am my father jacobs' second son, and my Mother Lea named me Simeon, because the Lord herded her prayer. Genes. 29. I become very mighty, I went through with my doings, and was not afraid of any thing. Hardiness of whom it is. For my heart was stout, my mind unmovable, and my stomach discourageable: for hardiness is given of the highest in●o men's souls and bodies. Genes. 37. In those days I envied joseph, because my father loved him, I hardened my heart against him, to kill him, because the Prince of error sending forth the spirit of envy, blinded my mind, that I could not take heed to spare my Father jacob. But his God, Man purposeth, God disposeth. & the God of his fathers, sending his Angel, did rid him out of my hands. For while I went into Sychem, to crary tar for our flocks, and Reuben into Dotai●● where all our necessaries were laid up in store: Gene. 37. our brother juda sold him to the Ismaelites, and therefore when my brother was come again, he was sorry, for he intended to have conveyed him safe again to our father. But I was angry with juda, for letting him go alive, and bore him grudge five months after: Ch●●st after blood plague●. howbeit God ●etted me, and restrained the working of my hands, for my right hand was half withered up for seven. days together. Then did I perceive (my Sons) that that befallen me for josephes' sake, whereupon I repented soon after, and besought the lord to restore my hand, and I would abstain from all rancour, envy, and folly. For I knew I had conceived a wicked thought against the Lord, and against my Father jacob, for my brother josephes' sake whom I envied. Now therefore my children, Envy described. keep yourselves from the spirits of error and envy. For envy overruleth the. 1 Blindeth the mind. mind of every man●●e, suffering. 2 Hindereth 〈◊〉 sustevaunce. h●m not to eat or drink in rest▪ or to do any good thing, & is always egging him to. 3 ● provoketh 〈…〉. slay the party whom he envieth, and ●inyng. 4 Pineth at away at his prosperity. men's prosperity. Two years together I punished my soul with fasting in the fear of the Lord. For I knew, A remedy against envy. that the way to deliver me from envy, was the fear of the lord. If a man flee to the lord, the wicked spirit fleeth from him, so as his mind becometh meek, and of spiteful, he becometh pitiful, bearing no grudge towards such as love him, & so his envy ceaseth. And because my father saw me sad, he asked me the cause of it. To whom I lied, saying: I have a pain in my stomach: for I was foriest of all my brothers, for that I had been the cause of josephes' selling into Egipte. Gene. 〈◊〉. And when I came into Egypt, and was put in ward by him as a spy: Then perceived I that I was justly punished, and I was not sorry for it. joseph merciful to his brethren. But joseph being a good man, and having God's spirit in him, & being full of pity and mercy, Gene. 50. minded not to do me any harm, Look page 71. but loved me as well as theresidue of my brethren. Therefore my children, keep yourselves from all spite and envy, and walk in singleness of mind, and good conscience, after the example of your father's brother, that God may give you grace, glory, and blessedness upon your heads, I sure token of a good nature. as you see in him. Of all the days of his life, he did never cast us in the t●th with it, but loved us as his own soul, and more than his own Children, honouring us, and giving us riches, cattle, and Corn abundantly. You therefore my children, love you one an other with a good heart, and put from you the spirit of Envy: Properties of envy. for, it maketh a man's soul to. 1 Corruption of life. grow savage, 2 Distemperature of body. marreth his body, breedeth wrath, and war in his thoughts, setteth his blood on fire, driveth him out of his wits, and suffereth not reason to bear any sway. Moreover, 3 Small sleep. it taketh away his sleep, disquieteth his mind, and maketh his body to tremble: For even in sleep some spice of imagined malice guaweth him, combring his soul with Spirits of mischief, making his body ghastly, and his mind affrighted with trouble, and appearing unto men, as it were with a pernicious spirit, and pouring out of poison. Genes. 39 Therefore was joseph fair of face, ● token of a quiet mind. beautiful, and comely to behold, because no wicked thing dwelt in him. For he had a count enance clear from comberaunce of mind. And now my children, let your hearts be meek before the lord, and walk right before man: so shall you find favour both with God and man: and beware, that you fall not to whoredom. Effects of whoredom. For whoredom is the mother of all naughtiness, separating a man from God, & sending him to belial. Genes. 49. For I have seen in Enockes' writings, that you and your children shallbe corrupted with whoredom, and do Levy wrong by the sword. But they shall not prevail against Levy, because he shall ●ight the lords battles, & take all your tents, and very few shall be divided in Levy and juda, Genes. 49. for he shall be your Capitain, and my father jacob prophesied in his blessings. Behold, * Parents teaching not their children are guilty. Commodities of concord. I tell you all things aforehand, that I may be clear from the sin of your souls, Now, if you put from you all enviousness, and all stiffneckedness, all my bones shall flourish as a Rose in Israel, and my flesh as a Lily in jacob, & my savour shallbe as the sent of Libanus, & my holy one's shallbe multiplied as the Ceders for ever, & their boughs shall spread out in length for evermore. Then shall thee seed of Chanaan perish together, Exod. 17. with the remnant of Amalecke. All the Capadocians shall perish, and all the Schithians shall be destroyed. Then shall the land of Cham fail, and all the people go to wreck. Then shall all the ●earth rest from trouble, and all men under Heaven from war. Then shall Sem be glorified, when the great Lord God of Israel appeareth upon earth as a man, to save Adam in him. Then shall the spirits of error be trodden under foot, and men shall reign over hurtful siendes. 〈…〉. Then shall I rise again in joy, and bless the highest in his wonderful works: for God taking a body upon him, and eating with men, shall save men. And now my children obey Leu●●nd you shall be delivered by Iuda● and ●●uauce not yourselves above these two Tribes, The fruit of ●●●dience. for of them two shall the saving health of God spring unto us. Gene. 49. For the Lord shall set up, of Levy the Prince of Priests, and of juda the king of kings, God and man. So shall he save all the Gentiles, & the offspring of Israel. For these things sakes I charge you to command your children, 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉. to keep these things throughout all their generations. And Simeon making an end of these his sayings, and commandments to his children, slept with his Fathers, when he was of the age of a hundred and twenty years. And they laid him in a Coffin of wood that rotteth not, that they might carry his bones again into Hebron, and they conveyed him privily in the war of the Egyptians. For the Egyptians kept the bones of joseph in the Kings treasury. For, their Enchanters told them, that, whensoever josephes' bones were carried away, there should be such a plague of mist and darkness among the Egyptians, as one Brother should not know an other, not not even by torch light. And symeon's Children bewailed their Father according to the Law of mourning, and continued in Egypt, till the day of their departing thence under the hand of Moses. ¶ The Testament of Leuy● 〈…〉 his Children at his death concerning Priesthood. The sin, be just, rage not give light, You Preachers of God's word: For what thing else showeth Sun and Moon, Dame Venus, Wolf and sword. THe Copy of levies words, namely, which he spoke to his children, concerning all the things, which they should do, and which should happen to them unto the day of judgement. He was in health when he called them unto him, for he known before▪ when he should dye. Therefore, when they were come together, he said unto them: I Levy was bread and born in Carram, Levy his birth and country. and afterward came with my father into Sichem. Genes. 14. I was at the time but young, about xx. years old, when I helped my brother Simeon to revenge our sister Dina against Hemor. Now as we were feeding of our flocks in Abe●●naul, the spirit of the understanding of the Lord came upon me, and I saw all men undermining their own ways, & how unrighteousness had builded herself a fortress, and wickedness sat upon the towers thereof. Love of a true Pastor. And I was sorry for mankind, & besought the Lord to save them. Then fallen there a sleep upon me, and I see a high mountain: It was the mountain of Aspis in Abelmaull. The visson of Levy. And behold, the heavens opened, and the Angel of God said unto me: Christ. Levy, com● hither: and I went from the first heaven to the second, and there saw the water hanging between the one and the other. And I see the third heaven much brighter than them both: ●or▪ the height thereof was infinite. And I said to the Angel, what means this: Christ. And the Angel answered me, marvel not at these things; for thou shalt see four heavens yet brighter, and without comparison, when thou comest up to them. Minister's wha● they are▪ and their office. For thou shalt stand by the Lord, and be his minister, and utter his secrets unto men, and preach of the deliverer of Israel which is to come. By thee and by juda the Lord will appear to men, to save all mankind in them. The living of the ministry from whence. Thy life shall depend upon the Lord, by him shalt thou have thy fields, vineyards, fruits, gold, and silver. Therefore hearken as touching the seven Heavens. The description 1. of the seven heavens, his vision. The lowest is most lowering, because it is nearest to all the unrighteousness of men. The second, hath fire, Snow, and I'll, prepared by the Lord's appointment, against the day of God's rightful judgement. In it are all the spirits of vengeance, for the punishing of the wicked. In the third are the powers of hosts, ordained against the day of judgement, to take vengeance upon the spirits of error and of Belial. In the fourth above these are the Saints, for in the higher places dwelleth great glory in the holy of all holies above all holiness. In the next unto this, are the Angels, that do service in God's presence, and seek his favour in all the ig●oraunces of the righteous. They offer unto the Lord the sweet favour of reasonable service a Sacrifice without blood. In the other that is under this, are the Angels that bring answers from the Angels in God's presence. In that which is above it, are the Thrones and Potestates, wherein is continual offering up of Hymns unto God. Therefore whensoever the Lord looketh upon us, all of us are mouth▪ y●a and ●uch heaven, earth, & the bottomless deep are moved at the sight of his greatness▪ but, the Children of men being witless, shall sin and provoke the highest unto wrath. Now therefore understand, that the Lord will execute judgement upon the children of men. 〈…〉 Because that men will continued in unbelief and unrighteousness. even when the stones shall cleave a sunder, the Sun be darkened, the waters dried up, the fire quake, and all creatures b●●ro●bled at the fainting of the invisible Spirits, and at the spoiling of hell in the passion of the Highest: therefore shall they be condemned to punishment. The highest than hath heard thy prayer, to separate th●e from unrighteousness, and to make thee his son and servant and a Minister in his presence, A minister what he ●●ould be: of himself not righteous. a Lantern of knowledge to lighten jacob thoroughly, and to be as a day Sun among the children of Israel, and unto thee and thy seed shall ●he power of blessing be given, Math. u End of the priesthood prophesied. Christ his ●assion prophesied. till God visit all nations in the bowels of the mercy of his son for ever. Nevertheless thy Sons shall lay their hands upon him to crucify him, and for this cause is wisdom and understanding given thee, to give thy children knowledge of him, because that if they bless him, they shall be blessed, and they, that curse him, shall perish in his sight. Christ. And the Angel opened me the gates of heaven, and I see the holy temple, and the highest sitting on the throne of glory, and he said to me: Levy, I have given thee the blessings of the priesthood, till I come myself to devil in the mids of Israel. Then the Angel brought me down to the earth, and gave me a shield and a sword, saying: execute vengeance in Sichem for Dina, & I will be with thee, for God hath sent me. And at that time I slew the Sons of Hemor, ●enes. 34. as it is written in the tables of Heaven. And I said unto him, lord I pray thee tell me thy name, that I may call upon thee in the time of my trouble. And he answered, I am an * Angel which excuseth Israel, Christ 〈◊〉. that he might not be stricken for ever, because all wicked spirits lie in wait for him. Afterwards, being waked, as it were out of sleep, I blessed the most highest, and the Angel that excuseth the offspring of Israel, and all righteous men. And when I came to my Father, I ●ounde an Asp of brass, whereupon the hill took the name of Asps, which is hard by Gebat on the right side of Abyla. And I laid up these sayings in my heart. I counseled my father and my Brother Reuben to persuade the sons of Hemor to be circumcised, The zeal● a minister Genes. 34. because I was zealously grieved for the abomination, which they had wrought in Israel. For first of all I killed Sichem, and then Simeon killed Hemor, and after us came our brethren, who smote the City the edge of the sword. Genes. 34. When my Father herded of it▪ he was angry, Genes. 49. because they had received circumcision, and were killed afterward, and therefore he dealt otherwise with us in blessing. For we ●●nned in * The manner not the doing rebuked. doing it against his will, and he fallen sick the same day. The S●nne of the Sichemites. But I knew that the Lord intended evil unto the Sychemites, because they had heretofore purposed to have done the like unto Sara, as they did to our sister 1 Raped Dina. Dina. But GOD letted them. And they persecuted our father 2 Persecuted strangers. Abraham as then a stranger, and carried away his cattle, and furthermore did beaten jeblae very sore, who was born in his house. After the same manner dealt they with all other strangers, Genes. 12. taking 3 Ravished their wives. away their wives from them by force, and driving the men themselves out of their country. For which cause the wrath of the lord came upon them in the end. And I said to my Father: Sy● be not offended, for GOD will bring the Chananites to nothing before thee, and give their land unto thee, & unto thy holy one after thee. For from henceforth Sichem shall be called the City of fools, because that as men do scorn fools, so have we scorned them for their working of folly in Israel●, in taking away our sister to defile her. Then came we into bethel, and there when I had Sacrificed three score and ten days together, Gene. xxx● I saw ●he thing again, as I had seen it before. A●d I saw seven men in white raiment, saying unto me: The Min●●sterie descr●●●bed. Up, put on the Stole of priesthood, the Crown of righteousness, the Reasona; of understanding, the rob of truth, exod xxvii●● Levit viii the Breastplate of faith, the Mitre of holiness, and the Ephod of prophesy. And so every of them bringing something with him, did put them upon me, saying: Be thou henceforth the lords Priest, thou and thy seed for evermore. The ●irste anointed me with holy Oil, and gave me the Sceptre of judgement. The second washed me with clean water, and ●edde me with bread and wine, that is to wit, with the holy of holies, and clothed me with a holy and glorious rob down to the ground. The third did put upon me a Silken garment, like an Ephod. The fourth girded me with a girdle like to purple. The fifth gave me an olive bough full of fatness. The sixth did set the Mitre of priesthood upon my head. The seventh filled my hands with Incense, to the intent I should execute the office of Priest unto the Lord. And he said unto me: Levy, unto three principal things is thy seed appointed of GOD, The th●●e blessings of the family of L●●y. namely to be a sign of the glorious lord that is to come▪ and he, that believeth, shallbe the first. The great lot shall not fall upon him. The second shallbe in priesthood. Christ Prophesied. And the third shall have a new name, because a king shall rise up in juda, and ren●e my Priesthood, according to the figure of the Gentiles, among all nations. But the coming of him is unutterable, as who shall be the Prophet of the highest, born of the seed of our Father Abraham. All the pleasant things of Israel shall be given to thee, and to thy seed, A distributing excludeth a sole receiving of the Sacraments. and you shall eat all that is fa●re to see to, and thy seed shall distribute the lords Table, and of them shall be high Priests, judges, and Scribes: for in their mouth shall the holy things be kept. When I awoke, I perceived, that this vision was like the other, and I laid it up in my heart, and showed it not to any man living upon earth. The first two days I and juda went to our Grandfather Isaac, and he blessed me, according to all the sayings of the visions that I had seen, but he would not go with us unto Bethel. But when we came to Bethel, my father jacob saw in a vision concerning me, that I should be their Priest before the Lord. And he rose in the Morning, and tithed all things to the lord by me. Then came we to Hebron to devil there, and by and by Isaac called me, to expound the law of the lord, according as God's Angel had showed it me, Exod. xxix Levit. 〈…〉. and he taught me the Law of Priesthood, Sacrifices, Burned offerings, Firstlynges, free-will offerings, and offerings for health. Every day he taught me understanding, and called upon me continually before the lord, saying: ●n exhortation for Ministers. my son, give no ear to the spirit of fornication, for he will follow thee and defile the holy things by thy seed. A Minister may be ma●●ed. Therefore take thee a wife in thy youth, such a one as hath not any blemish nor uncleanness, Levit xxi nor is of the kindred of the Allophites, He must come with a pure mind to execute his office. or of the Gentiles. And before thou enter into the holies, wash, did likewise ere thou sacrificest, and also when thou hast done, Offer unto the lord the fruits of the twelve trees that are ever green, Leu. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. as my father Abraham taught me to do: and the fruit of all clean beasts, & of clean fowls offer thou in Sacrifice. Likewise offer up the first born of all things, and the first fruits of the vine, and sprinkle all thy Sacrifices with salt. Now therefore my sons, keep you all the things that I command you: for▪ whatsoever I have herded of my fathers, that have I told unto you. A comfort for godly parents. I am clear from all the wickedness and sin, which you shall commit to the end of the world. Prophes●e of the destruction of Israel. You shall work wickedness against the Saviour of the world, The 〈◊〉 plagued, whose ministery is wicked. and you shall seduce Israel, stirring up much evil against him from the lord and dealing wickedly with him, so that Jerusalem shall not continued, by reason of your naughtiness. The Ueile of the Temple shallbe rent asunder, to discover▪ your foulness, and you shall be scattered as prisoners among the Heathen, and be scorned, cursed, and trodden under foot. Nevertheless, the house which the lord shall choose, shall be called Jerusalem, as the book of Enoch the righteous containeth. 〈◊〉 xxxvi Levy his progeny. Therefore when I was xxviii years old, I took a wife, whose name was Melcha, and she conceived and bore me a Son, and called his name Gershon, because we were but strangers in our land: For Gershon signified banishment. Now I knew of him, that he should not be of the chief degree. The second was Caath, who was born the xxxv. year. I saw a vision Eastward, how all the Congregation stood up a loft, and therefore I called his name Caath, which signifieth the beginning of greatness, and learning. The third was Merari, who was born in the five and fifteth year of my life: And because his mother was hardly delivered of him, she called him Merari, which is as much to say, Exod. vi as my bitterness. And in the three score and fourth year of my life, was my daughter jochebed born in Egypt: and so was I honourable among my brethren. Also my son Gershon took a wife, which bore him Libny and Schimi. The sons of Caath were Amram, Ysh●ar, Hebron, and Vziel: and the Sons of Merari were Mahaly and Mushi. In the four score and fowerteenth year of my life, Amram took to wife my daughter jochebed, because that he and she were born both on one day. Levy made Priest at .18. years. I was eight year old, when I entered into the land of Chanaan: and eighteen year old, when I entered the office of Priesthood. At eight and twenty years I took a wife, and at forty years old I entered into Egypt. And behold, Married at xxviii. you be now my children's children in the third generation. joseph died in the hundred and tenth year. And now my Children, A note for Parents. I warn you, fear the Lord your GOD with all your heart, and walk plainly in all things, according to his Law. Moreover, bring up your children in learning, that they may have understanding by reading the law of God, without ceasing all their life long. For whosoever knoweth God's law shallbe honoured, B● e●●ynges of the learn●● minister. and go wheresoever he will, he shall be no stranger. Also he shall have more friends than his forefathers had, and many shall be glad to serve him, and to hear the law at his mouth. My sons, deal rightfully upon earth, that you may find heaven, and sow good things in your minds, that you may find them in your life. For if you sow evil things, you shall find and reap all manner of cumbrance and trouble. W●sedome a prectous jewel. Get you wisdom in the fear of God: For if captivity come, and Cities and Countries be destroyed: gold and silver, and all possessions perish, but none can take away the wise man's wisdom, Sin bindeth wi●dom. save only the blindness of ungodliness and sin. For, his wisdom shall become a shield to him among his enemies, Commodity's of wisdom. and make a strange country to be as his own home, and 'cause him to find friendship in the midst of his foes. If he teach and do such things, he shall sit with kings, as did our brother joseph. And truly my children, Christ his death, & spitfulnes of the jews Prophesled. I know by the writings of Enoch, that in the end you shall do wickedly, laying your hands most spitefully upon the lord, & through you your brethren shallbe confounded, Math. xx●ii. and made a scorning stock to all Nations. Howbeit our Father Israel is clear from the wickedness of the high Priests, which shall say hand upon the Saviour of the world. The heaven above the earth is clean, & you be the lights of the Heathen, as the sun and the Moon. What shall all the Heathen Ministers what the● are do, if you be overdarckned with wickedness, and bring cursedness upon your country folk, for whose sakes the light of the world is put into you, to enlighten all men withal; this light of the world shall you wilfully ste●, and teach commandments contrary to the righteousness of God. He shall purloin yn● Lords offerings, and such away pieces of it. The wicked Priesthood and their misery described. Before you do your Sacrifices to the Lord, you shall steal away the choicest things, and eat them disdainfully with harlots, ●●amuel. ●. teaching Commandments of covetousness. You shall defile Married women, and enforce Maidens in Jerusalem. You shall match your selves with Whores and harlots, you shall take the Daughters of the Heathen to wife▪ purifying them with unrighteous purifying, and your mingling shall be as Sodom and Gomorrha, and you shall be swollen with wickedness in the Priesthood, in so much that you shall disdainfully laugh the h●lie things to scorn, not only vaunting yourselves against men, but also being puffed up with Pride against the Commandments of God. A prophesle of their destruction. For this caus● shall the Temple, which the Lord shall have choose▪ be undoubtedly left desolate in uncleanness, and you yourselves become captives to all Nations, and be loathed and abhorred▪ among them, and receive endless shame and confusion, through God● rightful judgement: and all, that see you; shall shun you. And were it not for our father's Abraham, A Prophes●e of Christ's persecution. Isaac and jacob: there should not one of my seed be left upon earth. Furthermore, I know by the book of Enoch, that you shall go astray by the space of threescore and ten weeks, and defile the Priesthood, Mark the right portraiture of the shaveling generation. stayn● the sacrifices, destroy the Law, despise the sayings of the Prophets, frowardly persecute righteous folk, hate the godly, abhor the sayings of soothfa●e men, & call him Heretic, that goeth about to re●ue the Law by the power of the Highest: and in the end you shall kill * him out of 〈◊〉 as you think, Christ and his members. not knowing that he shall rise again, and so shall you receive his innocent blood wilfully upon your own heads. For his sake shall your holy places be left desolate, which you shall ha●● defiled, even by utter forswearing▪ and your dwelling shall not be clea●e▪ but you shalb●e accursed among the Heathen, and despair shall vex you, till he visit you 〈◊〉, and mercifully receive you through faith & water. And forasmuch as y● have ●earde of the three score and ten weeks, Ergo faith and the holy Ghost justifieth, and not merits. ●eare you also of the Priesthood. For in e●ery Jubilee shall be Priesthood. In the first Jubilee the first anointed into●the Priesthood shall be great, and talk to God, as to his father, and his Priesthood shall be full of the fear of the Lord, and in the day of his gladness he shall rise up to the salvation of the world. In the second Jubilee, the anointed shall be conceived in the heaviness of the beloved sort, and his Priesthood shall be honourable, and he shall be glorified among all men. The third Priest shall be taken up in sorrow, and the fourth shall be in grief, because the multitude of iniquities shall be laid upon him, and throughout all Israel every man shall hate his neighbour. The fifth shall be held fast in darkness, and likewise the sixth and the seventh. And in the seventh shall be such abomination before God and man as I cannot express, howbeit that the doers thereof shall be known. For this cause shall they be in captivity and corruption, and their Land and Substance shall 〈◊〉 destroyed: but in the fifth week they shall return into their desolate country, and renew the lords house. In the seventh week, shall come Idolatrous Priests, covetous warriors, unrighteous Scribes, and filthy abusers of men, children, and beasts. After that the Lord hath sent vengeance upon them in the priesthood, Christ and his true ministry described. then will God raise up a new priest, to whom all the lords word shallbe opened: and he shall execute true judgement upon earth many days, and his star shall rise in heaven. As a king shall he shed forth the light of knowledge in the open sunshine of the day, and he shallbe magnified over all the world, and be received and shine as the sun upon the earth, Christ lighteneth the world. and drive away all darkness, and there shall be peace upon all the earth. In his days the heavens shall rejoice, the earth shall be glad, the clouds shall be merry, the knowledge of the Lord shall be poured out upon the earth as the waters of the Seas, and the Angels of glory that are in the lords presence, shall rejoice in him. Baptism of Christ prophesied. The heavens shall be opened, and out of the temple of glory shall sanctification come upon him with the father's voice, as from Abraham the Father of Isaac, and the glory of the highest shall be spread out upon him, and the Spirit of understanding and sanctification shall rest upon him, whereof he shall give abundantly and mightily to his children in truth for evermore, 〈◊〉 Priesthood shall succeed Christ. and there shall none succeed him from generation to generation, world without end. In his Priesthood all sin shall come to end, Priesthood of Christ how beneficial. and the unrighteous shall cease from their naughtiness, but the righteous shall rest in him, and he shall upon the gates of Paradise, and stay the threatening sword against Adam, Christ is our propitiatour. and feed the Lambs with the fruit of life, and the spirit of holiness shall be in them. He shall bind up belial, Christ g●neth power to his to to tread down spirits. and give his own children power, to tread down hurtful spirits, and the Lord shall rejoice in his children and accept them as his beloved for evermore. Then shall Abraham, Isaac, and jacob be glad, and then shall I and all Saints rejoice. How my children you have herded all. Therefore choose unto you either light or darkness, either the law of the Lord, or the works of belial, and we answered our Father, saying: We will walk before the Lord according to his law. And our father said, the Lord is witness, and his Angels are witness, and I am a witness, and you yourselves are witnesses of the words of my mouth: And when we had answered, were will her witnesses, Levy rested with this charge given unto his Children. And he stretched out his feet, and was put to his Fathers, when he had lived ● hundredth and seven and thirty years, an● they laid him in a Coffin, and buried him afterward in Hebron, besides Abraham, Isaac and jacob. Finis. ¶ The Testament of juda made to his children, at his death concerning valiantness, covetousness and fornication. Lo here the blessed Princely state. Of juda▪ suffering not his mate: The Seepter, Lion, Purse and Crown, Betoken glory and renown. THe copy of all the sayings of juda, which he spoke to his children, at the time of his death, when they were come together before him, he said unto them. I was my father's fourth son and my mother called me juda saying: juda his exhort●●●●. I thank thee Lord for that he hath given me a fourth so●nne. G●nes ●9. The 〈◊〉 of children. I was swift of foot and painful in my youth, and obeyed my Father in all things, and blessed my mother and my mother's sisters. And when I came to man's estate my Father jacob prayed over me saying: thou shalt be a King and prosperous in all things. 〈◊〉 of juda by the gift of God. Behold, God gave me grace in all my works both abroad and at home. Upon a time I saw a ●inde and ran after her and caught her, Genes. 〈◊〉. and made meat of her for my Father. Also I outran the Roes, and overtook all things that were in the fields, in so much that I caught a wild Mare and tamed her, I plucked a Kid out of the mouth of a Bear, The manhood juda. and taking him by the paw overthrew him, and rent asunder all wild beasts that turned upon me, as if I had been a dog. I encountered with a will be Boar, and overrunning him tare him in pieces. In Hebron a Bastardlyon leapt upon a dog, and I catching him by the tail fling him away by and by, and he 〈◊〉 asunder. In the borders of Gare a wild Bull was feeding in the fields, and I took him by the horns, and swinged him about, and finally killed him. There came two Kings of the Chananites armed upon our flock, and much people with them, and I alone running to the flock, stepped to king Sur, and striking up his legs overthrew him, and so flew him. Also I killed an other king named Thaphes, sitting on his horse, and so scattered all their people. I overtook king Anchor, a Giant on horseback, shooting forward and backward: and throwing a stone of threescore pound weight upon his horse I overthrew him and killed him, and fighting two hours with Anchor, at length I cla●e his shield, and maimed his feet, and finally ●lew him. As I was pulling of his breastplate, behold eight of his friends assailed ●●ee, whereupon I filled my hands with stones, & flinging them at them with a fling, flew four of them, and put the other four to flight. Also our Father jacob slay the Giant Beelisa king of all the Kings, The valiantness of jacob. who was mighty and huge of the stature of twelve cubits. By reason whereof, fear fell upon them, and they left their fighting against us. For this cause my father was careful of me when I was in any battle with my Brethrens. He saw in a vision concerning me, that the Angel of strength followed me every where, to the intent I should not be overcome. The second handsel was a greater battle to us than that which we had at Sichem, in so much that in fighting valiantly with by Brethrens, I chased a thousand men, and flew of them two hundredth people, and four of their Kings, and following after them scaled the Wall of their City, and there slay two kings m●, and so we delivered Hebron, and led them all away as prisoners. The next day we went to a strong walled and unapprocheable City called Areca, which threatened to kill us. Therefore I and Gad went to the eastside of the City, and Reuben and Levy to the West and Southside. They that stood upon the walls, supposing there had been no more but Gad and I, did set si●rcely upon us, while in the mean● time my Brothers that lay in stolen, broke but upon the other two sides, and scaling the brickwall with Ladders, entered the City ●re our enemies witted it, and so we won it by the sword, and set fire upon the tower, and burned it up with such as were fled unto it. As we returned, the men of Thaffie lay in wait for our prey, and took it with our children. But we followed them to Taffie and slay them, and burned the City, spoiling all that was in it. And while I was at the Waters of Gureba, we fallen upon the men of jobell that came against us in battle, and slew and spoiled both them and also their complices that came to their aid from Selon, so as we gave them no respite to return again upon us. The fifth day after there came men from Machir to fetch away our prisoners, whom we met in battle, notwithstanding that they were a might it host, and slew them before they could get up to the place that they came from. And when we came to their City, their women tumbled down stones upon us from the top of the Hill whereon their City stood: But I and Sim●on coasting to the backside of the town, got to the higher places, and destroyed the whole City. The next day it was told us that the Cities of two kings came against us with a huge Host. I therefore and Dan, feigning ourselves to be Amortheans and fellows with them, went into their City, and taking the entrances in the dead time of the night, did set the Gates wide open to our Brethrens that came after us, by means whereof we destroyed them and all that they had, and when we had sacked the City one did cast down the three Walls thereof. Then went we to Thamua, which was the refuge of all the Kings for their Wars. Where being angry for a hurt that I took, I charged upon those that stood above me: but they threw down stones out of flings upon me, and shot arrows at me, & had killed me, but that my brother Dan rescued me. Therefore we came running upon them in a rage, and put them all to flight, and they passing by an other way, went and sued humbly to my Father, who made a covenant with them, so as we did them not any more harm, but received them into league with us, and redelivered them all their prisoners. Then builded I Chamma, and my Father builded Rambahel. Twenty years old was I when this War was made, and the Chanani●es were afraid of me and my brethren. I had much cattle, and my chief Herdman was Yran of Odellam, in whose company I see Barsa King of Odellam, who made us a feast, and with much entreatance gave me his daughter Bethsue to wife, which brought me forth Er, Anan, and Sylon, of which three GOD slew two childless. For Sylon lived of whom some of you be the children. My father and we made eighteen years peace with his brother Esau and his Children. When the eighteen years were passed, after our coming out of Mesopotamia, in the forteth year of my life, Esau our Father's brother came upon us with a great and strong host, and was slain by the bow of jacob, and conveyed away dead unto mount Seir. We also followed upon the children of Esau, but his city was strong with high walls and gates of Yr●n and Brass, so as we could not enter into it, howbeit we did shut them up within it, and besieged it. Now when they showed not themselves abroad in twenty days together, I put my helmet upon my head and in sight of them all set up a ladder, and scaling the brickwall slay four of their noble men with a Stone of the weight of three talentes. The next day Reuben and Gad went in and slew three score other. Then they offered peace, and we by our father's advice received them to tribute. And they gave us two hundred quarters of Corn, five hundred Bats of Oil, and a thousand and five hundred measures of wine, until we went down into Egypt. After this my Son Her married Thamar of Mesopotamia the Daughter of Aram. Her and Anan slain, for not using the benefit of lawful marriage. Now Her was a wicked I my and doubted of Thamar, because she was not of the land of Chanaan. Therefore the Angel of the Lord slew him the third night after his marriage, when he had not yet companied with her by reason of his mother's subtlety, and so died in his naughtiness, for she was loath that he should have had any children by he●. When Anan was marriageable; I gave Thamar unto him, and he also of a spite companied not with her, notwithstanding that he lived a full year with her. And when I threatened him, than he companied with her, but yet by his mother's commandment he let his feed fall upon the ground, and so he also died in his wickedness. I minded to have given her unto Silon also, but my wife Bethsue would not suffer me. For she spited Thamar because she was not of the daughters of Canaan, as herself was, now I knew that the offspring of Chanaan, was mischievous, but yet did youthful fancy blind my heart, and as I beheld her pouring out wine I was deceived by drunkenness and fallen in love with her. Fornication 〈◊〉 of drunkenness. Upon a time while I was away, she married Silon to a Woman of Chanaan, which her deed when I understood I cursed her in the bitterness of my soul▪ and so she died in the wickedness of her sons. A two years after these things as I went to there my sheep, Genes 〈◊〉. Thamar decky●g herself like a Bride, sat her down at a gate of the City. In intolerable custom of the Ammorues. For it was the custom of the Amorites that their Brides do set themselves forth at the gates of their Cities, by the space of seven days together, Apparel, beauty ●nd wi●e provokes whoredom. to be abused in fornication. I therefore being drunken with the waters of Hor●●, known her not by reason of wine, in so much that her beauty together with the attire in decking of herself deceived me, and thereupon turning aside unto her, I said, shall I come in unto thee? Fornication to chargeable. and she answered, what will't thou give me? and I gave her my Staff, and my Girdle, and the Crown of my Kingdom. Upon my companying with her, she conceived afterward, I not knowing myself to have been the doer thereof, would have put her to death for it. But she having kept my pledges in store, shamed me with them, and when I had herded mine own words of her in secret which I had spoken to her when I lay with her in my drunkenness, I could not put her to death because it was of the Lords doing, Happy are they that can cease from doing ill. but I touched her not any more to my dying day. For, when I had done this abomination▪ Israel, lest she might work wiles with me, I said I would fetch my pledges again of her. But when I enquired for her, the townsmen said there was no Bride in their City, because she came from another place, and had sit there but a little while, and she deemed, that no man knew of my going in unto her. afterward we came into Egypt to joseph, because of the dearth. Sir and forty years old was I when we came hither and three score and thirteen years have I lived here. And now my sons hear me your Father, in all things, that I charge you withal, and keep you all my sayings, in doing all manner of righteousness before the Lord, and in obeying the commandments of the Lord God, and walk not after your own lusts, nor after the conceits of your own minds, in the pride of your hearts, It is sinful for any man to glory in his 〈◊〉. neither glory you in the works of the strength of your youth, because it is sinful in the sight of the Lord For, in asmuch as I gloried in my battles, and upbraided my brother Reuben with Billa●my Father's wife, See what it is to upbraid men their 〈◊〉 because no face of any beautiful woman, had yet deceived me, therefore the spirit of fondness and fornication fallen upon me, so as I was overtaken both in Bethsue the Chananite, and in Thamar the wife of mine own sons. And I said to my father in law, I have made my father privy to the matter, and therefore I will take thy daughter to my wife. Hereupon he showed me an infinite mass of Gold in his daughter's behalf, (for he was a king) and decking her with Gold and Pearl, willed her to pour out wine to us at the Supper. The beauty of the woman and the Wine together, dazzled mine eyes, and voluptuousness did so darken mine understanding, that I fallen in love with her and broke the commandment of GOD and of my Fathers, and took her to wife. Children that marry without consent of parents plagued. According to the intent of my heart, the Lord paid me home for it: for I had no joy of the children, that I had by her. Now therefore my children, be not drunken with Wine; Discommodities of wine. for Wine turneth a man's understanding away from the truth, and kindleth in him the fire of lust, leading his eyes into error, 1 Blindeth understanding. in so much that wine is a servant to the spirit of lechery, to further the seding of the mind with voluptuousness, 2 Servant of lechery. and so those twain bereave a man of all power. For▪ if a man drink wine till he be drunken, he traineth his mind into the filthy thoughts of lecheric and kindleth the body to carnal copulation. Fruit of drunkenness. And if desired occasion serve, sin is wrought without shame. A drunken man is shameless. Such a thing is wine my sons; for a drunken man is ashamed of nothing. Behold, it made both me and Thamar to do amiss, Example. so as I blushed not at the multitude in the City but went aside unto her in the fight of all men, and committed a great sin in discovering the unclean privities of my own sons. Through drinking of wine I was not ashamed to break God's commandment in taking a woman of Chananie to Wife. Who aught to drink Wine. Wherefore my sons, he that drinketh wine, had need of discretion, and the discretion, that every man aught to use in drinking of wine, is, that he be ashamed to over drink himself. For, if he pass that bon●, he foregoeth his understanding, and cleaveth to the spirit of error, Properties of a drunken man is filthy talk, and● wicked deed, Discommodities of whoredom. which causeth the drunken man, to talk filthely and to do wickedly, and not to be ashamed, but to host of his lewdness, thinking it to be good. He that committeth whoredom▪ is bearest of his liberty, and becometh a bondslave, of 〈◊〉, and cannot get out of it again, after the same manner that I was made naked. For I gave over my Staff, that is to say, the stay of my tribe: and my girdle, that is, my power: & my crown, that is, the glory of my kingdom. Howbeit repenting these things, I forbore all wine and flesh unto mine old age, I was utterly unacquainted with all ●●rth, And the Angel of GOD showed me that women should from time to time overmaster all men, as well Kings as Kaitifes, and bereave great men of their glory. For, the poverty of a poor man is a greater fence to him, than is the strength of a mighty man. Four noisome spirits follow drunkenness. Therefore my children, keep measure in drinking, for there are in it four noisome spirits, 1 Concupiscence. that is to wit: of concupiscence, 2 heartburning. of hart●●rnyng, of lechery, and of filthy ga●●▪ If you drink wine merrily in the fear of 〈◊〉 Lord with shamefastness, 3 Lechery. you shall live. 4 Covetousness. But if you drink without regard of shame, Abstinence from wine what commodity it hath. and fear of GOD, then turneth it to drankennesse, and dishonesty stealeth●in. And if you drink none at all, then shall you no● sin, neither in slanderous words▪ 1 It slandereth not. nor in quareling, nor in railing, 2 It quarelleth not nor raileth. nor in breach of God's Commandments, neither shall you perisho before your tynie. For Wine disc●●seth the secrets of GOD and man unto stra●igers, 3 It breaketh not the Commandments. like as I bewrayed the secrets of God and of my Father jacob to Bethsue the Chananite, 4 It perisheth not before the tyme. which God hath forbidden to be disclosed. Also wine is a cause of war and sedition. Moreover, I charge you my sons, that you love not Money, ●e look upon the beauty of women: for money and womanly beauty made me to overshoot myself in Bethsue the Chananite. And I am sure, that these two things shall corrupt mine offspring, and mar the wise men of my lineage, and hurt the kingdom of juda, which God hath given me for obeying my Father; Obedience to parents how profitable. for I never repined at my Father jacobs' commandment, but did whatsoever he bade me. And Abraham the Father of my Father's blessed me to fight for Israel, and so did Isaac bless me likewise: and I know that the kingdom shall stand by me. But I have read in the books of Enoche the righteous, that you shall work wickedly in the latter days. The discommodities of covetousness therefore my children keep yourselves from lechery and covetousness, and give ear to your father juda, for those things withdraw men from God's law, and blind the understanding of their minds, and teach them. 1 Full of pride. pride, neither suffer they any man to show mercy 2 Merciless. to his neighbour. They bereave his 3 Disquieteth the soul Soul of all good things, and hold it down in pains and sorrows. Also they disappoint him of his sleep, 4 Consumeth the body. and eonsume his flesh. Finally. 5 Contemn Gods holy word. they hinder Gods Sacrifices, neglect his blessings, disobey the speaking of his Prophets, and are offended at the word of godliness: for these two passions are contrary to the commandments of God. The covetous and lecherous can not fear God. He that serveth them cannot obey GOD, because they dazzle men's minds, and walk abroad as well a nights as of days. My children, covetousness leadeth men to idolatry. For, Idolatry the fruit of covetousness. through doting upon money, it calleth them Gods, which are not, and compelleth the infected party to grow most vilely out of kind. For moneys sake I lost my children, and had not the penance of my flesh, and the humbling of my soul, and the prayers of my father jacob been: I had died as now without children. But the God of my Fathers being merciful and full of compassion, known that I sinned through ignorance. For the Prince of error had blinded me, and I overshot myself as a fleshly man, and being corrupted with sin, knew not mine own infirmity, but thought myself to be invincible. Two spirits wait upon a man. Know you therefore my sons, that two spirits do wait upon a man: that is to wit, the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of error, and in the mids between them is set the Spirit of understanding of the mind, whose property is to incline which way it listeth. The things that belong both to truth and untruth are written in the breast of man, and God knoweth every whit of it, and none of all men's works can be hidden at any time from him, because all the privities of men's hearts are written before the Lord, and the spirit of truth beareth witness of all things and accuseth all, and he that sinneth hath a burning in his heart, and can not lift up his face to his judge. And now my children, love you Levy, that you may abide, and exalt not yourselves above him, least you perish. The Lord hath given unto me the kingdom, and unto him the Priesthood, and hath put the kingdom * In respect that heavenly things are better than earthly, not in external rule and government. under the Priesthood. Unto Levy is given the Priesthood, and unto juda the kingdom, 〈…〉, the Pope can challenge no earthly power. and GOD hath put the kingdom under the Priesthood. Unto me he hath given the things that are upon the earth, and unto * Not in power & rule, but in the excellency of the office appertaining to God. him the things that are in heaven. As far as the Heaven surmounteth the Earth, so far doth the * Not in power & rule, but in the excellency of the office appertaining to God. Priesthood surmount the kingdom that is upon the earth. For, the Lord hath choose him above thee, to approach unto him, and to eat of his Table, and to take the firstlinges of the children of Israel, and thou shalt be as a Sea to him. For, like as in the Sea both righteous and unrighteous are in danger, and the one sort are caught Prisoner's, and the other sort are enriched: even so shall all kind of men be hazarded in thee, some sinking in misery, Tyrants and wicked men described and prophesied. and other some floating in prosperity. For, in thee shall reign great Whales, which shall swallow up men as fish, and bring free men's Sons and Daughters into bondage. They shall take away men's Houses, Lands, cattle, and Money by force, and wrongfully feed Ravens and other greedy fowls with many folks flesh, and they shall prospero in naughtiness, and be exalted through covetousness, and there shall be false Prophets like storms, which shall persecute all righteous men. But the Lord shall set them together by the ears among themselves, Mutual discord is a plague for tyrants. and there shall be continual wars in Israel, and my kingdom shall 〈…〉 up in Strangers, till the Saviour of Israel come, Christ prophesied. even till the coming of the God of righteousness, that jacob and all Nations may rest in peace, and he shall maintain my kingdom in peace for ever. For, the Lord hath sworn to me that the kingdom of me and of my seed shall never fail world without end. But I am very sorry, my Children, for the filthiness and treachery, and idolatry, which you shall work against the kingdom, Note this you that seek after witches for lost goods. by following Witches and Conjurers, by vowing your daughters to deceitful devils, The misery of jerusalem. by making them enchanters, charmers and strumpets, and by intermeddling yourselves with the abominations of the heathen, for the which things the Lord shall bring upon you. 1 Famine. famine. 2 Pestilence. and pestilence, death and 3 Death and Sword. sword, wrathful. 4 Bescegement. besiegement and 5 Devouring Dogs. devouring dogs, reproach of. 6 Daily reproach. friends and foes, loss and 7 Loss and pain of eyes. pain of eyes, slaughter. 8 Slaughter of children. of your children, ravishing 9 Ravishing of wives. of your Wives, spoil of your goods, the burning. 10 Burning of the temple. of your temple, the desolation. 11 Desolation of the country. of your country, and the. 12 Captivity. captivity of yourselves among all nations, which shall geld some of you to make Eunuches for their Wives. A remedy for all these But if you return to the Lord with hearty. 1 Repentance. repentance and humanity, and walk in all the 2 Obedience. Commandments of God: He will visit you with mercy, and lovingly deliver you from the bondage of your enemies. After this shall rise among you a Star out of jacob, and a man shall spring out of my seed, which shall walk as the daysun of righteousness, among the children of men, in peace and meekness, and righteousness, and no sin shall be found in him. The heavens shall open upon him, to pour out the spirit of blessedness upon him from the Father, and he shall shed out the spirit of grace upon you, and you shall be his children in truth, walking in his first and last Commandments. This is the offspring of the most high God, and the wellspring of life to all flesh. Then shall the Sceptre of my Kingdom shine bright, and out of your root shall spring the vessel of planting, in whom shall grow up the rod of righteousness to the Gentiles, The most heavenly benefit of Christ his second coming. to judge and save all such as call upon him. After this shall Abraham, Isaac, and jacob rise up again to life, and I and the Princes my brethren, shall be your S●●pter in Israel. Levy first, I next, joseph the third, Benjamin the fourth, simeon the fifth, Isachar the sixth, and so all the rest. And the Lord hath blessed us: Levy shall be the Messenger of my presence, simeon the Power of my glory, Reuben Heaven, Isachar the Hearth, Zabulon the Sea, joseph the Mountains, Benjamin the Tabernacle, Dan the lights, Heptalim the 〈◊〉, God the daysun, and After an Olive tree. And there shall be one people of the lord, and one tongue, and there shall be no more the false Spiritie of Be●●●●▪ because he shall be cast into endless fire. A sweet comfort for the godly 〈…〉. They that are buried in sorrow, shall 〈…〉: and they that were poor for the lords sake, shall be made rich. They that suffered penury, shall have plenty, and they that were weak, shall be made strong. The blessed estate of the 〈◊〉 after death. They that died for the lords sake, shall wake up unto life, and run in jacob, yea they shall run skipping, and leaping, and they shall fly as Eagles for iov. But the ungodly shall be sorrowful, and the sinners shall mourn, and all the people shall glorify the Lord for ever. Therefore my children, keep all the law of the Lord, for there is hope for all such as walk aright. A hundredth and nineteen years old do I dye in your fight. Let none of you bury me costly clotheses, juda would no sumptuous buria●●. nor rip my belly, for so will Rulers do: But carry me back into Hebron with you. With these words juda died: and his children doing in all things as he commanded them, buried him with his fathers in Hebron. Finis. ¶ The Testament of Isachar, made to his Children at his death concerning a single heart. L●●r●e here a simple life, Not void of pain but strife: The Sith, the Spade the Ass, S●● forth what man he was. THe copy of Isachars words. The exhortation. He calling his children about him, said unto them: You children of Isachar hear your Father, and hearken to the words of the beloved of the Lord. I am jacobs' fifth son, in the reward of Mandrake. Gone xxx For jacob brought Mandrakes out of the field, and Rachel meeting him, took them of him. Thereat Reuben wept, and at his noise my mother Lea came out. Now the Mandrakes were sweet scented apples, which the land of Aran bringeth forth in high countries, by the waterualleiss. And Rachel said, I will not give thee these Apples, because they shall help me to children. Now there were two of these Apples. And Lea said, doth it not suffice thee, that thou hast got away the husband of virginity, but that thou wilt have this also: She answered, let jacob lie with thee to night, for thy sons Mandragoras. Lea said unto her, do not boast nor brag, for jacob is mine, and I am the wife of his youth. And Rachel answered, how so, was he not first handfasted unto me, and served he not our Father, fowerteene years for me? What shall I do to thee? For many are the wiles and policies of men, and guile goes forward upon earth. If it had been otherwise, thou shouldst not have sen jacob in the face at this day. For thou art not his wife, but wert guilfully put to him in my stead. My father deceived me, and conveying me away that night, suffered me not to see him. For had I been there, this had not come to pass. Wherefore take thee one Mandrake, and in lieu of the other, I grant thee him for one night. And jacob knew Lea, who conceiving bore me, and called my name Isachar, because of the hire. Then an Angel of the lord appeared unto jacob, and said that Rachel should bear but two sons, because she had forsaken the company of her husband, and choose continency: And if my mother Lea had not given thee two Apples for his company, she should have born eight children, whereas by reason of that, she bore but six, and Rachel two, because GOD visited her in the Mandrakes. For he knew that she desired to company with jacob for issue's sake, and not for lust of pleasure. For she ●●ned up the Mandrake, and delivered it to jacob the next day, and therefore God herded Rachel in the Mandrakes, because that although she had a mind to them, yet she eat them not, but offered them to the Priest of the most highest, which was in those days, and laid them up in the lords house. The godly life of Isachar and his 〈◊〉 dea●yng. Therefore my children when I came to man's state, I walked with an uprighe heart, and become Bayliff● of husbandry to my Fathers, An example for godly children. and brought them the fruits of their Lands in their due seasons, and my Father blessed me, when he saw, how● I walked plainly and emplie. A ●ntterne of a virtuous life. I was no busy body in my doings, I was not hurtful nor spiteful to my neighbour, I rai●ed not upon any man, neither dispraised I the life of any, that walked in singleness of mind. By reason hereof, when I was thirty years old▪ I took a wife, because labour had consumed my strength. I never knew the pleasure of a woman through wantonness, but my labour made me to sleep soundly, and my Father did always rejoice of my simplicity. For whatsoever pains I took, first of all I offered all the first fruits, and the first engendered cattles to the Lord by the Priest, and then gave my Father the rest, and the Lord doubled his benefits in my hands. Yea, and jacob himself perceived well, that GOD wrought with my plain dealing. For unto every poor man, and to every man in adversity, gave I of the fruits of the earth with a single heart. And now my children hearken, and walk in singleness of mind, for I know, that the lord is very well pleased with it. with a plain dealing man the Lord is pleased. The single-harted man coveteth not gold, undermineth not his neighbour, lusteth not after diversity of meats, destreth not shift of apparel, nor behighteth himself long time, but only hath an eye to Gods will, and the spirits of error can do nothing against him. I ●●ngle hearted man de●●●●bed, who and what he is. For he can no skill to entertain a fair woman, lest he should destie his own mind: wrath overmastereth not his wit, envy melteth not his soul neither doth his mind run coveteously upon gain. For he leadeth an upright life, and beholdeth all things with a single eye, excluding all hurtfulness of worldly error, least he should oversee any of the Commandments of God, Therefore my children keep God's Law, and hold fast plainness, walk on in innocence, and be not to inquisitive in God's secrets, Learn you children of the earth. or of your neighbours doings: but love God and your neighbour, pity the poor and weak, bow down your backs to husbandry, and labour in tilling of the earth, in all manner of husbandry, offering presents to the lord with thanksgiving, who blesseth the earth with increase, and new spring of fruits, as he blessed all holy men, from Abel to this day: for there is none other portion given thee, then of the fatness of the earth▪ whose fruits come by painestaking; for our Father jacob blessed me with the benefits of the earth, and the firstelynges of fruits. Levy and juda are glorified of the lord among the children of jacob. For, God hath planted himself in them, giving to the one the Priesthood, and to the other the kingdom. Obedience and plain dea●ing commended. Therefore obey you them, and walk plainly as our Father jacob did. For, unto G●d it is given to destroy the temptations of Israel. My Children, I know, that in the last days, your children shall forsake plainness, and cleave to covetousness, let go innocency, and follow lewdness: Leave Gods commandments, and stick unto belial, give over husbandry, A plague for disobedience. and gad after wicked devices, and therefore shall they be scattered among the Heathen, and become bondslaves to their enemies. Wherefore warn your children of it, that if they sin, they may return quickly to the Lord; for he is merciful, and will deliver them, and bring them home again into their own land. I am now an hundredth and two and twenty years old, and I know not any deadly sin upon me. The innocency of Isachar. I have not known any woman but my wife, neither have I committed whoredom in the lust of m●neeyes. I have not drenke Wine unto droukeunelie, neither have I coveted any pleasant thing of my neighbours. dly pat●●o fol● There hath been no guile in my heart, neither hath there any lying gone out of my lips. I have been fori● with every man that was in heau●nesse, and given my bread to the poor. I have not ●aten my ineate alone, nor removed the bounds and buttels of lands. Harlien you Land●o● des, learn you wealthy of the earth. I have been pitiful all the days of my life, and dealt truly in all cases. I have loved the lord with all my strength, and all men as mine own children. My sons, if you also do ● the like, all the spirits of Belial will fly from you, and nothing, that mischievous men can do against you, shall have power over you. You shall bring all wild beasts in subjection to you, because y● have the Lord of heaven with you, if y● walk with men in singleness of heart. And he willed them, to carry his body into Hebron, and to bury him there in the Cave, with his Fathers. Thus he stretched out his feet, and died in a good age, having all his limbs strong and found, and s●epte the sleep of all the world. ¶ The Testament of Zabulon, made to his Children at his death, concerning compassion and mercy. The poor man at home, Zabulon fed, The strangers unknown also clothed: When Ship did sail, God did not fail: But gave his wit, To govern it. THe charge that Zabulon gave to his children, His exhoriation when it was given. in the hundredth and fourteenth year of his life, two and thirty years after the decease of joseph. And he said unto them, hear you me you Sons of Zabulon, a good gift to my Father and Mother. For when I was begotten, Gone xxx my Father was greatly increased in Sheep and cattle, by reason of the good luck that he had, through the streaked rods. I wist not my Children, I wist not that I sinned in those days. For I considered not that I dealt wickedly through ignorance in josephes' case, and moreover concealed it with my Brothers from our Father, howbeit, that I wept much for it in secret, for I was afraid of my Brothers, because they had all conspired together, to kill him with the Sword, that should be●●aie that secret, Nevertheless, when they would have killed him: The love of Zabulon toward joseph. I besought them most earnestly with tears, that they would not do such wickedness. For simeon and God, came upon joseph to have killed him, and joseph falling upon his knees, said unto them: have pity upon me my Brethrens, have pity upon the bowels of our Father jacob. Say not your hands upon me to shed innocent blood, for I have not sinned against you. A good conscience refuseth no trial. If I have done amiss, nurture me with chastisement, but lay not your hands upon me for our Father jacobs' sake. Upon his saying of these words, I being moved with compassion Love between brethren is as a precious ointment. came and wept, and my heart melted within me, and all the substance of my bowels were loosened upon my soul. Also joseph wept, and I with him, and my heart trembled, and the joints of my body quaked, and I was not able to stand. And when he saw me weeping with him, and them coming towards him, to kill him, he fled behind me, and besought them to pity him. Mutual ●oue is mutual safety. Then Reuben stepping in, said: My brethren, let us not kill him, ●nt let us cast him into the dry pit, that our fathers digged, and found no water in it. For GOD suffered no water to spring up in it, because it should be a safeguard for joseph. And so God did, till they sold him to the I smaelites. Thus gave I no consent to the sin against joseph, but simeon, G●d, and the other of my Brothers taking money for joseph, A ●●gure of the treachery and covetousness of juda, read Math. xxvii bought Shoes with it, for them selves, their Wives, and their Children▪ saying: Let us not eat it, because it is the price of our Brother's blood, but let us tread it under our feet, because he said he should reign over v● and we shall see what his dreams will come unto. Therefore in the S●●pter of Cnoches' Law, it is written of him that would not raise up ●eede to his brother, I have loosed josephes' Sho●e. For when we came into Egipte, the young men unbuckled josephes' Shoes at the gate, and so we worshipped joseph as it had been Pharaoh, and not only worshipped h●m, but also kneeled down before him with blushing, and so were put to shame before the Egyptians, f●r afterward the Egyptians herded of all the ill that we had done unto joseph. After the laying of him in the pit, my Brothers set meat upon the Table to eat. juda careful so: his brother. But I mourning for joseph did 〈◊〉 no meat by the space of two days and two nights together, neither would Iu●● ente with them, but had an eye to the Pit, because he feared least Sym●on and Gad should step there and kill him: When they saw that I eat nothing, they set me to keep him till he was sold. He was in the pit three days and three nights without repast ere he was sold. Reuben his love toward joseph. Reuben hearing that he was sold in his absence, rent his garments, and wept, saying: how shall I look my Father jacob in the face? And therewith all taking money, he ran after the Marchauntmen, but he could not find them: For they had left the kings high way, and were go away eapace by buy Lanes, and Reuben eat no meat that day. Mark the wicked policy of the ungodly. Dan therefore coming unto him, said: weep not, neither be sad for the boy, for I wot what we may say to our Father jacob. We will kill a Kid, and stain josephes' coat with the blood of it, and say to him: See if this be thy sons coat or no. For when they intended to cell joseph, they stripped him out of our father's coat, and put upon him an old coat of a bondservant. Simeon had got his coat, and would not deliver it us, but was minded to have cut it in pieces with his sword, and he was angry that he was yet alive, and that be had not slain him. Then all my brethren rising up together, said unto him: why shouldst thou not give it us, seeing that thou only art the worker of this mischief in Israel? Hereupon he gave it them, and they did as Dan had counseled. And now my children, I warn you keep the Lords Commandments, Zabulon his exhortation. be merciful to your neighbours, Compassion is to be showed as well to beasts as to men. and have inward compassion towards all, not only men but also beasts. For in that respect the Lord blessed me, insomuch that when all my brothers were sick, I scaped without sickness. For God knoweth every man's intent. Therefore my children have compassion in your bowels, because that as any man dealeth with his neighbour, The unmerciful punished, both they & their children. so will God deal with him. For the children of my brothers fallen sick also and died for josephes' sake, because their fathers pitied him not, but my children were preserved without sickness as you know. And while I was upon the Sea coast of Chanaan, I fallen to fishing for my Father jacob, and whereas many others were drowned in the Sea, I abode unhurt, Fisher's boats first invented by Zabulon, but God gave the wisdom. I was the first that made a fisher boat to float on the sea, for God gave me understanding and wisdom therein, so that I did set up a Mast in the boat, and fastened a sail to the mids of the wood, Genes. 49. and casting along the shore in it, I fished for my father's household till we came into Egypt: and for pity's sake I gave of my fishing to every stranger that I met with. If there were any forrner born, The singular compassion of Zabulon. or any sick body, or any aged person, I boiled my fish and dressed it well according to every man's need, and carried it to them, comforting them and having compassion with them. And therefore God made me to catch much fish in the Sea. Note. For he that giveth his neighbour, receiveth the things multiplied of the Lord. Zabulon his ●ercie in giving food. Five years did I fish, giving to every man that I see and serving all my father's house sufficiently. In harvest time I fished, and in winterty●●e I fed sheep with my brothers. Now will I tell you what I did, A merciful deed to clothe the ●●●ked. I see a miserable man in the deep of winter, and having compassion upon him, I stolen a garment privily out of my House, and gave it the naked man. You therefore my Children, take pity indifferently of all men, and show mercy with the things which the Lord giveth you, and deal them abroad to all men with a good heart. And if you have not wherewith to secure the needy out of hand: yet have compassion on him with inward mercy. Inward compassion wanting, habilltie serveth. I know that my hand for●lowed not to give to him that wanted, and to spend that time with him, insomuch that I have walked above seven furlongs with such a one weeping, A rare example of a merciful heart. and my heart yirned upon him for compassion. You therefore my children, have earnest and inward mercy towards all that are in misery, that God having pity upon you may be merciful to you likewise. God dwelleth in merciful hearts. For in the last days God will send his mercy upon the earth, and wheresoever he finds inward and hearty mercy, there will he devil. For look how much mercy man showeth to his neighbour, so much will God show to him again. Now when we came down into Egypt, joseph minded not our evil dealing with him, joseph rewardeth good for evil. but when he see me, it made his heart yirne. Whom look you upon, my children and learn to forget the harm that is done to you. Love you one another, & do not one of you think upon another's ill dealing, for that breaketh unity, and displaceth all kindred, and troubleth the mind. For he that is mindful of harm past, hath not the bowels of mercy. He that is mindful of injuries is not merciful. Mark the water and see how it washeth away the Sand when the stones and timber are removed asunder And if a brook be drawee into many streams, Apt similitudes. the earth sucketh it up and it cometh to nothing: and so shall you, if you be divided among yourselves. In exhortation to concord. Therefore divide not yourselves into two heads: for all things that God hath created have but one head a piece. He hath given a man two shoulders, two hands and two feet: but yet do all the members obey one head. I know by the writings of my Fathers, that in the last days you shall departed from the Lord, and be divided in Israel, following two kings, The end of discord is misery. working all abomination, and worshipping all manner of Idols, and your enemies shall take you prisoners, and you shall fit among the heathen in all misery, tribulation and sorrow of mind. And afterward you shall remember the Lord, and repent, and he shall turn you again: for he is merciful and full of compassion, and thinketh not upon the lewdness of the Children of men, because they be flesh, and the spirits of error beguile them in all their doings. After this shall GOD himself rise up unto you, the light of righteousness, and holsonnes, and mercy are in his punishments. He shall redeem all men from the bondage of belial, and all the spirits of error shallbe trodden down, and he shall turn all nations to the following of him, & you shall see God in the shape of man, for God hath choose jerusalem, and God is his name. Nevertheless, by the wickedness of your words, you shall provoke him to wrath, and you shall be cast of, till the time of full finishing And now my children, The hope of the resurrection a present comfort at the death of our friends. be not sad for my death, neither be you out of heart because I leave you. For I shall rise up again among you, as a captaives in the mids of his children. And I shall rejoice in the midst of my tribe, among as many as have kept the law of the Lord, and the commandments of their Father Zabulon. But as for the wicked, The state of the wicked at the latter day. God shall bring everlasting fire upon them, and destroy them for ever. I return to my rest, as my Fathers have done: now fear you the Lord your GOD, with all your strength all the days of your life. As he had spoken these words he fallen a sleep to his singular benefit: and his sons said him in a coffin, and carrying him back again unto Hebron, buried him there with his Fathers. ¶ The Testament of Dan, made to his Children at his death, concerning anger and lying. The Serpent With weapon, And Dan declare: The intent Of those men, That wrathful are. THe Copy of Dan his words which he spoke to them in his last days. In the hundred and five and twentieth year of his life he called his Tribe unto him and said: You children of Dan, hear my sayings, heart & outward profession must be consociat. and give heed to the words of your Father's mouth. I liked in my heart, and showed in my whole life the thing that is good: for truth joined with right dealing pleaseth God well. Lies and anger, schoolmasters of evil life. I have hated hurtful things, as lying and anger, because they teach a man all manner of naughtiness. I confess unto you my children this day, that I was glad in my heart at the death of joseph that true and good man, and rejoiced at the selling of him, because our Father loved him more than us. Self love thinketh himself as good as other. For the spirit of spitefulness and pride said unto me: Thou art his Son too as well as he. And one of the spirits of Belial wrought with me saying: Des●er of prerogative enticeth to murder. Take this sword and slay joseph with it, and when he is dead thy father shall love thee. This was the spirit of spitefulness which counseled nice to devour joseph, as the Leopard devoureth a Rid. Man purposeth but God disposeth. But the God of our Father jacob did not put him into my hands, nor suffer me to found him alone that I might dispatch two Sceptres in Israel by committing that wickedness, And now my children I tell you of a truth, that unless you keep yourselves from this spirit of lying and wrath, and love truth and long sufferance, you shall perish. Wrath is blind my Children, A wrathful man jively described. and no wrathful man looketh truth in the face, because that although they were 1 He accom●eth his Parents as enemies. his Father and Mother, yet doth he behold them as his enemies. Though he be his brother▪ yet he. 2 He knoweth not his brother. knoweth him not, though he be the Lords 3 He obeyeth not the Minister. Prophet, yet obeyeth he him not: though he be a. 4 He regardeth not the righteous. righteous man, yet he regardeth him not, and though he be his. 5 He conssder. 〈◊〉 not his ●●inde. frcinde, yet he considereth it not. For the spirit of wrath besetteth him with the Snares of error, blinding his natural eyes, and dimming the eyes of his mind by falsehood, and giving to him a sight of his own making. And wherein bleareth he his eyes? In hatred of heart. For he giveth him a self-willed heart against his Brother, to spite him and envy him. My 'Zounds, wrath is mischevous, for it becometh a soul to the soul, The properties of wrath. and subdueth the body to itself by over mastering the soul, and giveth power to the body to work all wickedness. And when the soul hath wrought, it justifieth the thing done because it seethe not. Therefore he that is wrathful, ● wrathful man worketh three ways. if he be a man of might, hath triple power in his anger 1 By Servants. One through the help and furtherance of his servants. 2 By riches. Another of his riches, 3 By himself. wherethrough he persuadeth and overcometh in unrighteousness: and third of the nature of his own body which of itself worketh evil. And though he that is angry be a poor man, yet hath he his natural power doubled. For the said spirit doth always further his wickedness, by causing his deeds to be matched with lying. Wherefore consider the power of wrath how vain it is. Foyes he is bitter in speech, and walketh at Satan's right hand, 2 Instruments of wrath. that his deeds may be wrought in untrustiness and lying, for Satan doth first of all sting him by speech, 1 Bitter speech. and when he hath once pricked him forward, he strengtheneth him by deeds, 2 Violent hands. and troubleth his understanding with bitter nips and losses, and so provoketh his mind to excessive wrath. M●●●dy against wrath is forbearing of words. Therefore when any man speaketh against you, be not moved to anger: and if he praise you as good men, be not puffed up, nor changed into voluptuousues and sternness of countenance. For when a man heareth a thing that misliketh him, first it ticleth him and stingeth his mind, so that he thinks he hath just cause to be angry. Now therefore my children, if you fall into any loss & hindrance, be not out of patience, for the spirit of impatience maketh men to lust for the thing that is foregone, The effect of impatience. & to be angry for the want of it. Bear you losses willingly, and be not out of quiet for it: for unquietness engendereth anger and untruth: and it is evil to have a double face. Anger and untruth talk one to another, to trouble the understanding. And when the mind is cumbered with disdain, the Lord departeth from it, and Belial getteth the dominion of it. Therefore my Children, keep the Lords commandments and laws, eschew untruth and hate it, that the Lord may dwell in you, and Belial flee from you. Speak every of you the truth to his neighbour, that you fall not willingly into incomberaunce, and so shall you be in quiet, and you shall have the God of peace, & warxe shall not prevail against you. Love the Lord all your life long, and love you one another with a soothfast heart. For I am sure that in the latter days you shall departed from the Lord & He eth●. ●●dne. walk in all naughtiness, working the abominations of the Gentiles, and hunting wicked women in all lewdness, through the working of deceitful spirits in you. For I have read in Enoch that Satan is your prince, and that all the spirits of fornication and pride, shall ply themselves in laying snares for the Children of Dan, to make them sin before the Lord But my children, stick you unto Levy, and look upon him in all things. The children of juda shall snatch away other men's goods like Lions through covetousness. A note for covetousness. For this cause shall you be led away with them into captivity, and there receive all the plagues of Egypt, and all the malice of the Heathen: Repentance obtaineth mercy. whereupon you shall return to the Lord & obtain mercy, and he shall bring you into his holy place, and proclaim peace to you. A propeste of Christ his humanity. The Lords saving health shall spring up unto you out of the Tribes of juda and Levy, He shall make war against Belial, and give our young men the victory in revengement. Markedy against wrath is forbearing of words. He shall deliver the imprisoned souls of the saints from belial, and turn your unbelieving hearts to the Lord, and give everlasting peace to such as call upon him. The Saints shall rest in him, and the righteous shall rejoice in the new Jerusalem, which shall glorify God for ever. Hiernsalem shall no more be wasted, nor Israel led into captivity, because the Lord shallbe conversant among men in the midst of it, and the holy one of Israel, shall reign over them in lowliness and poverty, and he that believeth in him, shall certainly reign in heaven. Now my children fear the Lord and beware of Satan and his spirits: And draw near unto God, and to the angel that excuseth you, for he is the mediator between God and man to set peace in Israel. Christ is our mediator. He shall stand against the kingdom of the enemy, and therefore will the enemy labour to overthrow all that call upon the Lords: Christ assisteth his in all temptations. for he knoweth that whensoever Israel decayeth▪ then shall his enemy's kingdom come to an end. But the said angel shall strengthen Israel, that he come not to an evil end. At that time shall Israel departed from iniquity, and the Lord shall visit such as do his will. In all places of Israel and among the heathen his name shall be the saviour. Therefore my children keep yourselves from all noisome dealings, and put from you wrath, and all untruth. love truth and mildness, and look what, you have herded of your Father, deliver it over to your Children, that the Father of nations may receive you. For he was soothfast, long suffering, meek, lowly, and a●●●●her of God's law by his own works. Therefore departed from all unrighteousness that you may stick to the righteousness of the lords law, and bury you me by my Father. In saying these things be kissed them and slept the sleep of the world▪ And his sons buried him, laying his bones by Abraham, Issac, and jacob. And like as Dan had prophesied to them, that the● should one day neglect God's law● and estrange themselves from the offpryns, and native country of Israel, so came it to pass. ¶ The Testament of Neptalim, made to his Children at his death, concerning goodness. Run neptalim's race, but run apace, Embrace his goodness, and trustiness, If your state you see, servants to be: Then God will you bless, and give success. THe Copy of Heptalims' Testament, concerning the things which he discoursed at the end of his time, in the hundred and two and thirty year of his life. At the coming of his children, together in the seventh month, the forth day of the month, he being yet in good health, commanded a sumptuous feast, and great cheer to be prepared. When we woke in the morning from sleep, because he was even at deaths door, he praised the Lord that had strengthened him, and began to speak to his children, in this wife. My Children, give ear to Neptalim, barken to your Father's words. His birth. I was born of Bilha, and because Rachel dealt craftily in putting Bilha to jacob, in her own stead, and Bilha was delivered of me in Rachel's lap, therefore was I called Neptalim. Why he was called Neptalim. And Rachel loved me because I was born on her lap, and she kissed me when I was a little one saying: God let me see a brother of thine out of mine own womb after thee. By reason whereof, joseph was like me in all things according to Rachel's request. Why joseph was like Neptalim. Now my Mother Billa was the daughter of Rotheus, the Brother of Deborah rebecca's nurse, and was born the self-same day that Rachel was born, for Rotheus was a Ca●dean, His family. of Abrahames kindred, a worshipper of GOD, free born, and a noble man. Now be it for asmuch as he was taken Prisoner, Laban bought him, and married him to a bondwoman of his called Eve, who brought him forth a Son, whom he named Zeliphas, after the name of the Castle wherein he was taken. afterward she bore Billa calling her her new hasty daughter, because she was fond of the Dug as soon as she was born. The swiftness of Neptalim. And because I was as swift of foot as a Stag, my father jacob appointed me to run of all messages and errands, Genes. 49. and blessed me by the name of a Stag. For as the Potter knoweth what his bessell shall contain, and tempereth his quantity of clay thereafter: GOD his wisdom in c. eating us l●ue●y let fo●th. so the Lord maketh a man's body proportionable to the spirit that he will put into it, and ●●●teth the spirit to the ability of the body, ●o as there is no inequality or odds betwixt them: for all the lords creatures are made in Weight, Measure, and Rule. And as the Potter knoweth the use of every of them to what things they be meetest: so the Lord knoweth the body: how far for the it is fit for goodness, and when it beginneth in evil, for there is not any Creature reasonable, nor unreasonable, which the lord knoweth not, for he hath created all men after his own Image. And as man's strength is, so is his workeas is his will, so is his work: as is his forecast▪ so is his doing: as is his heart, so is his mouth: as is his eye, so is his slepeand as is his mind, so is his talk: either of the law of the Lord, or of the law of belial. And lo●ke what diversity is between light and darkness, or between sight and hearing, the same diversity is there in man and woman. Neither is it to be said that there is any betterness in any thing, either of the face or of other like things. For God hath made all things good in their order or degree, he hath set the five wits in the head, and knit the head to the neck, & covered it with hear for his glory. Moreover, he hath assigned the heart to wisdom, the bailie to the avoidance of the stomach, the breast to health, the liver to anger, the gall to bitterness the spleen to laughter, All things must be done in time and order. the kidneys to craftiness, the loins to strength, the ribs to comeliness, the seed to lustiness, and so forth. So my children do all things in order, and in the fear of God, neither do you any thing disorderly, in scorn, The reason. or out of due season. For thou caused not comma●ide the eye to hear, neither caused thou do the works of light in darkness. Therefore hast you not to mar your doings through covetousness, or 〈◊〉 beguile your own souls with fond talk. For by holding your peace with a clean heart, you shallbe able to keep the will of God, and to cast away the wi●● of the devil. The sun, Moon, and Stars, break not their order: neither break you God's law in the order of your doings. The Gentiles by going astray, and by forsaking the lord, have changed their order, and followed stocks and stones, and spirits of error. They that break the order of the Lord shall be plagued. But do you not so (my children:) know you that your only one God is lord in the skies, on the earth, in the Sea, and of all creatures, for he is the maker of them. And be not like Sodom, which altered the order of her nature: likewise wise * the Watchers altered the order of their Nature, Preachers. and they whom God cursed in the flood, making the earth desolate, and fruitless for their sakes. My children I say these things, Neptalim prophesteth the misery of his children. because I have read in the holy writings of Enoch, that you also shall departed from the Lord, and walk in all the wickedness of Sodom, and the lord shall bring thraldom upon you, so as you shall serve your enemies, and be pinched with all manner of tribulation and pain, till God consume you everyone. He Prophes●eeh also their repentance. And when you be made few and small, you shall turn again, and know the lord your God, and he shall bring you again into your own land, according to his manifold mercy. And it shall come to pass, that when they shallbe come into the country of their fathers, they shall forget the Lord again, and deal wickedly, so as the Lord shall scatter them all over the face of the whole earth, till the mercy of the lord come, A Prophes●e of the coming of Christ. a man that poureth out mercy and righteousness upon all men, both far and near. For in the xl. year of my life upon mount Olivet towards the East side of jerusalem. I see the Sun & A vision. moon stand still, & behold Isaac my father's father said unto us, come hither apace, and every one of you take hold, according to his strength, for the Sun and Moon may be caught. And we came running all together, and Levy caught hold of the Sun, and judas iumpyng up, caught hold of the Moon, and were both of them lifted up with them. And when as Levy become as the Sun, a certain young man delivered him twelve Boughs of Palm tree, and juda shined as the Moon, & twelve beams or rays were under his feet. And Levy and juda running together, upheld one an other. And behold there was a Bull upon earth that had great horns, and Eagles vinges upon his back, and we would have caught him but we could not, for joseph stepping before us caught him, and mounted aloft upon him. And behold, there appeared-unto us an holy writing, saying: the Assyrians, Medes, Elamites, Gelathites, Chaldees, and Syrians, shall hold the Sceptre of Israel in thraldom. And again a seven months after, I saw our Father jacob standing in the sea of I amma, and us his sons with him. And behold, there came a ship sailing by, full of dried flesh, without Mariner or Pilot. Upon the ship was written jacob, and our father said to us, let us go into our ship, when we were within it, there rose a sore tempest and a mighty gale of wind, and our Father who held the stern, flew away from us, and we being tossed with the storm, were carried into the Sea, and our ship was filled with Water, and weather beaten, & torn on all sides. Then joseph fled out in the boat, and we all were divided upon twelve boards, and Levy and juda were among us, so were we scattered on all costs, and Levy being clad in sackcloth, prayed to the Lord for us all. As soon as the tempest was laid, the Ship came quietly to land, and behold, our Father jacob came, and we rejoiced all together with one mind. I told my Father these two dreams, & he said to me, these things must be fulfilled in their time, and Israel must endure many things. Then said he further to me, I believe that joseph is alive: For I see that the Lord doth always number him with us. Reinorse of conscience moveth open confession, but sha●●●e or fear hindereth. And he said, thou livest my son joseph, but yet I see thee not, neither seest thou jacob that begat thee, truly he made us to weep at these words of his, and my bowels glowed within me, to bewray to him that joseph was sold, but I was afraid of my brothers. Behold my Sons I have showed you the last times, and all the things that shall be done in Israel. You therefore, command your children to be helpful unto Levy and juda. For by juda shall health and welfare spring up unto Israel, and in him shall jacob be blessed. For by his Sccpter shall God appear, and devil among men upon earth to save the stack of Israel, and to gather the righteous from among the Heathen. My children, By doing well, God to glorified. if you do well, both men and Angels shall bless you, and GOD shall be glorified by you among the Gentiles, the Devil shall flee from you, 2 And men blessed. th● beasts shall stand in awe of you, 3 The devil vanquished. and the Angels shall receive you. For like as if a man bring up his child well, the child endeavoureth always to be mindful and thankful: So of good works, there is a good remembrance with God. 1 By doing evil▪ God is dishonoured. But as for him that doth not good, him shall men and Angels curse, 2 Men cursed and God shall be dishonoured through him among the Gentiles, 3 The devil possesseth. and the Devil shall possess him, as a peculiar vessel and instrument, and all beasts shall overmaster him, and the Lord shall hate him. For the Commandments of the law are of two sorts, and are fulfilled in work. For there is a time for a man to company with his wife, and a time to forbear her, that he may give himself to prayer. There are two Commandments which breed sin, except they be done in their due order. And so is it in the rest of the commandments. Therefore be you wise and skilful in the Lord, knowing the order of his commandments, and the laws of all things, that God may love you. Having commanded them many other such things he prayed them to convey his bones to Hebron, and to bury him by his fathers. And so eating and drinking with a merry heart, he covered his face and died. And neptalim's Children, did all things according as their Father had commanded them. Finis. ¶ The Testament of Gad, made to his Children at his death, concerning hatred. You that excel in martial feats, Lo Gad, but God obey: Lest in Gad's wrath you God offend, And loose your hoped pray. THe copy of Gad's Testament, and of the things that he spoke to his Children, in the. C.vii year of his life saying: I was jacobs' seventh son, Gad a good and ba●cant shepherd. and skilful & strong in keeping of sheep. I kept the flocks by night, and when there came any Lion, Libard, wolf, Bear, or other wild beast upon our cattle, I ran to it and killed it. joseph also did feed sheep with us about a thirty days: who being tender, fell sick by reason of overmuch heat, and went home to Hebron to his Father's, whom he lodged by himself, because he loved him. And joseph told our father, Gone xxxvii that the sons of Billa wasted his goods at Zelpha, and made havoc of them, without the knowledge of juda and Reuben. For he kuewe that I had rescued a lamb out of a bears mouth, and killed the Bear, and that because the Lamb could not live (which thing grieved me) we killed it also & eat it. He told our father of it, & our brothers were greatly discontented with his doing, even to the day that he was sold into Egipte, and the spirit of hatred was in me, in so much that I could not find in my heart to hear joseph speak, or to see him because he had rebuked us openly, Gad hated joseph. for eating the la●●ibe without juda. 1 For his complaining to his Father. To beshore he made our Father believe whatsoever he told him. But now I acknowledge my sin my Children, that I was often in mind to have killed him, for I hated him from my heart, and I was utterly without compassion towards him, and the cause of this my great hatred towards him, was his dreams: 2 For his goodly dreams. Therefore I would have devoured him, as an ox eateth up grass from the earth. And for that cause I and juda sold him to the I smalites for 30. gildrens': of the whith we kept awaisx. privily, and showed the other x●. to our brethren. And so coveteonsnesse persuaded me to wish his death. But the God of our fathers delivered him out of my hands, to the intent I should not do such wickedness in Israel. The hateful described. He misliketh an other man's doings. And now my Children, give ear to the words of truth, that you may live righteously, & keep the law of the highest, and not go astray through the spirit of hatred, for what is evil in at a man's doings. Whatsoever an other man doth, that doth the hater mislike and abhor. If one kepe● 2 He pratseth no● them that fear the lord. the law of the lord, he praiseth it not: if one fear the lord, and deal rightcouslie, him he loveth not, but dispraiseth the truth, he envieth him that ordereth his ways aright, he embraceth backbiting, he loveth scornfulness: and because the hatred hath blinded his mind, he 3 He seeketh to destroy his neighbour. doth to his neighbour as he did to joseph, therefore my children, keep your selves from hatred, because it committeth wickedness even against the lord, for it will not hear the words of God's commandment, concerning the loving of a man's neighbour, but sinneth spitfully against God. If a brother offend, by 4 He blazeth abroad other mennesfaultes. & by it blazeth him abroad, and is hasty to have him condemned and killed, or punished for his offence. 5 Hasty to have the party condemned. And if the offender 6 Maketh a little matter great. be a servant or a bondman, it accuseth him to his master, and deviseth all means that may be to persecute him, and to put him to death if it be possible, for hatred worketh with spitfulnesse, 7 Envieth the prosperous doing of his neighbour. and is always forie to hear or see men go forward, or prospero in well doing. For like as love beareth good will even to the dead, and wisheth them alive, and would (if it were possible) stay them from death, which are condemned to die: So hatred seeketh to slay the living, A comparison. and deemeth them unworthy of life, which have offended never so lightly▪ For the spirit of hatred doth through cankered frowardness of heart, work jointly with Satan in all things, even to the death, and destruction of men. But the spirit of love doth through long sufferance work with God's law, The properties of hatred. to the welfare of men. Hatred is evil because it abideth with lying, speaking continually against the truth, making a great ado of small matters, overshadowing the light with darkness, counting sweet to be sour, teaching slaunderousnesse, war, wrong, and abundance of all mischief, and finally filling the heart with devilish poison. A remedy against hatred A righteous man described. My children, I▪ speak these things upon experience, to the intent you should eschew hatred, and stick to godly love. Righteousness driveth out hatred, and lowliness killeth it: for a righteous and a lowly people is ashamed to do 1. He forsaketh sin for conscience, not for fear. wrong, not for fear of rebuke, but for conscience sake, because God feeth his intent. 2 He backbiteth no man. He backbiteth no man, because the fear of the highest overcometh hatred▪ for the fear of the lord offendeth not, neither will do any man wrong, not not even in 3 He thinketh no man h●●me. thought. At length I came to the knowledge of these things, when I had repent me of my dealings towards joseph. The fruits of true repentance. For the true repentance that is according to Gods will, mortif●eth a man to obedience, chaseth away darkness, enlighteneth the eyes, giveth knowledge to the mind, and leadeth the soul to salvation. And whatsoever men know not of themselves, that doth repentance teach them. O how dear are the prayers of the parents for their children. For it brought upon me the pain of the heart, and if my father jacobs' prayers had not been, surely I had died out of hand. For look wherein a man sinneth, by the same is he punished. For as much therefore as my heart was merciless towards joseph. God his rigorous justice, due to the merciless. I suffered Gods rigorous justice in my heart by the space of a xi months that the time of my punishment might fall out, even with the time that I urged the ●ellyng of joseph. Now therefore my children, each of you love his brothers, and put away hatred from your hearts, Love consists in deed in word, and in mind. loving one an other in deed, word, and thought of mind. For before my Father's face I spoke mildly of joseph, but behind his back the spirit of hatred darkened my understanding, and tempted my mind to kill him. Wherefore love you one an other heartily, and if any of you offend other▪ tell him of it gently, driving out the poison of hatred, and fostering no deceit in heart. And if the offender confess it, and be sorry for it, forgive it him: & if he deny it, strive not with him, lest he fall to swearing, and so sin double. Let no stranger hear you uttering one an others secrets in variance, lest he turn to be your ilwiller, & work some great mischief against you. For he will talk gilefully with thee, and undermine thee to do thee a shrewd turn, taking his poison at thine own hand. Therefore if he deny it, and be ashamed of it, and hold his peace when he is rebuked, draw him not out, for in denying he repenteth him, so as he will no more offend thee, but honour thee, and fear thee and be in quiet. But if he be unshamefast, and abide by his naughtiness, then refer the revengement of it to God with all thy heart. Envy no man's prosperity. If an other man prospero more than you, be not aggrieved at it, but pray for him, that he may have perfect prosperity. For peradventure 1 It may be perchance to your profit. it may be to your own benefit. And if he be exalted more and more, envy him not, but 2 Remember that all flesh is gr●ss●. remember that all flesh shall dye● and praise God for it, who giveth good and profitable thy ages to all men. Seek the lords judgements, and so thy mind shall let him alone, and be in quiet. Now if a man be enriched by evil means, as Csau my Father's brother was, envy him not, for in so doing you 3 Lest you seem to control the lord. control the Lord, who either taketh away his benefits from the wicked, or leaveth them still to the repentant, or else reserveth them in the unrepentant, to their endless punishment. A poor man how he is rich. For the poore●man, having sufficient of all things, giveth thanks unto the Lord, and is enriched of all men, because men wish him no harm. Therefore (my children) away with hatred out of your hearts, and love one an other with a right meaning mind. Also will you your children to honour Levy and juda, for out of them shall the lord make the Saviour of Israel to come. A Prophes●e of Christ. I know that in the end your children shall departed from them, and walk in all manner of mischief, naughtiness, and corruption before the lord. And after a little pausing he said again: my sons, hear me your father▪ bury me by my fathers. And so plucking up his feet, he slept in peace: and after ●iue years they carried him thence, and laid him with his Fathers in Hebron. ¶ The Testament of Aser, made to his children at his death, concerning two faces, of Vice and Virtue. Two ways saith Aser are prepared For men: the one for joy, The last for death: the first is best. But this breeds sore annoy. THe copy of Aser his Testament, and of the things that he spoke to his children. In the hundred and twenty year of his life, being still in health, he said unto them. You children of Aser hearken to your Father, and I will show you all things that are right before the Lord. Two 〈…〉. The Lord hath given two ways to the sons of men: two minds, two doings, two places, and two ends: and therefore all two's may be one▪ yea, though they be contraries. as are the ways of good and evil. Two m●●ndes in man▪ of good and of evil. Also there are two minds in our breasts▪ which move us either to honesty, or dishonesty. Therefore if a man be led to goodness, all his doings are occupied about righteousness: and if he do any thing amiss, by and by he repenteth him: for in as much as his mind is bend unto righteousness, he putteth away naughtiness, and out of hand amendeth his miss●deedes, and correcteth the corruptness of his mind. But if his mind incline to evil, all his doings tend to naughtiness▪ in so much that he thrusteth away the good, and taketh to him the bad, because he is under the dominion of belial: and if he do any good thing, he turneth the same unto evil. For if he begin to do any good, he bringeth the end of his doings to an evil work, because the treasure of his heart is infected with the venom of a devilish and mischievous Spirit, and therefore the evil overmastereth the go●d in his mind, and bringeth the end of the thing to naughtiness. divers forts of double faces. Some man showeth compassion upon him that serveth his turn in naughtiness, that man hath two faces, and that deed of his is stark lewdness. another man loveth ungraciousness, and he is lewd likewise: and although he could find in his heart to dye for the compassing of his evil: yet it is manifest that he is doublefaced, and his doing is altogether stark nought. For his love being but lewdness doth as it were cloak his evil with a good name, whereas the deist of his doings, tendeth to a wicked end. An other stealeth, The covetous man's wickedness described. doth open wrong, pilleth and polleth, is covetous. & pitieth not the poor. He also hath a double face, and all this is stark naught, for in being niggardly towards his neightbor, he provoketh god's wrath, and denieth the highest, in not pitying the poor. He despiseth and spiteth the Lord, which is the commander of the law, he suffereth not the poor to rest, he defileth his own soul to make his body gay, he killeth many, and pitieth few, this is the part of a double faced person. Another committeth whoredom and fornication, or vexeth many men piteously with his power and riches, and yet absteineth from meats His fast is nought, for he doth the commandments with an evil conscience, and that is a double faced dealing, which is all together naught. Such manner of folk are like swine, and Hares, for they seem to be half clean, but in very deed they be utterly unclean. You therefore my children, become not like them, neither bear you in one hood two faces, the one of goodness, and the other of naughtiness, but stick alonely unto goodness. God abideth with the plain-dealer. For in goodness doth God rest, and men like well of it. Eat naughtiness, and kill the devil in your good works: for they that are double faced serve not God. but their own lusts, because they seek to please Belial, and such as are like themselves. Now although plaindealing men, and such as pretend but one face, The preposterous judgement of the wor●e, make not good or bodde. are taken for offenders, at the hands of such as bear two faces, yet are they righteous before God. For many in killing wicked persons, do two works at once, namely good by evil, but in deed the whole work is good, because that he which hath rooted out the evil, hath destroyed it. Other kinds of double faced men. Some man hating his neighbour mercifully, blameth him for his adultery, or theft: such a one is double faced, but yet is the whole work good, because he followeth the lords example not respecting what seemeth good, when it is evil in deed. An other will not make merry with riotters, least he should be stained by them, and de●ile his own soul. This man also is double faced, but yet is all his doing good, and he is like a Ro● or a Stag, which in common wild herd, some to be unclean, and yet are altogether clean, because he walked in the zeal of the Lord, shunning and hating those▪ whom God willeth to be shunned in his commandments, and so killeth he evil with well-doing. See therefore my Sons, how there are two in all things one against the other, and the one hidden under the other. Death succeedeth to ●fe, shame to glory, night to day, and darkness to light. All righteous things are under light and life: & therefore doth eternal life overmaster death. It is not to be ●aied, that truth is untruth, righteousness unrighteousness, or right wrong, because that as all things are under God so all truth is under light, Aser his righteous living. I have practised all these things in my life, and not strayed from the truth of the Lord, but sought out the commandments of the highest, to the uttermost of my power, and walked with one face in goodness. Take heed therefore my Children to the lords Commandments, and follow the truth with one face in goodness. Take heed therefore my Children to the lords Commandments, and follow the truth with one single face: Double faced, double punished. For they that are double faced, shall be double punished. The spirit of error hateth the man that sighteth against it. Keep the law of the Lord, and regard not evil that seemeth good, but have an eye to the thing that is good in deed, and keep the same, returning to the lord in all his Commandments, and resting upon him, for the ends where at men do aim, do show their righteousness. And know the Angels of the Lord, from the Angels of Satan. For if you cleave to wicked spirits, your souls shall be tormented of the wicked spirit whom you serve, in wicked lusts and works. But if you quietly and cheerfully acquaint yourselves with the Angel of peace, he shall comfort you in your life tyme. My Children become not like the Sodomites. which knew not the Angel, and perished for ever. For I am sure that you shall sin, and be delivered into the hands of your enemies, your ●ande shall be laid waste, and yourselves shallbe scattered into the four corners of the earth, 〈…〉. and be despised as unprofitable Water in your dispersing abroad, until ●he highest do visit the earth, eating and drinking as a man, with men, and breaking the Serpent's head in pieces without noise. He shall save Israel and all the Heathen by water, ●eyng GOD hidden in man. Therefore tell your children these things, that they neglect not God's Law written in the Tables of heaven: For the time will come, that they shall give no credit to the Law of the Lord. And you falling to naughtiness, shall deal wickedly against GOD, giving no heed to his Law, but to men's commandments. For this cause shall you be scattered abroad, as my brother's Gad and Dan, which were not acquainted with their own Country tribe, and tongue. Nevertheless the lord shall gather you together again in * Note this of faith and mercy. faith, for the hope of his mercy, for Abraham, Isaac, and jacobs' sake. When he had so said, he commanded them to bury him in Hebron. And he died sleeping a good sleep, and afterward his sons doing as he had willed them, carried him back, and buried him with his fathers. ¶ The Testament of joseph, made to his brethren & children at his death, concerning chasti●●e and patience. Let joseph teach thee▪ Lo●●e and Chastity, So shalt thou have: A blessed long life, Void of all firise. Even to thy grave. MN sons and dry 〈◊〉 thren, beardye joseph the well-beloved of Israel. My Children, hear your 〈…〉 have known in my life Envy and death; with the which my brethren would have bestoyed me. josephes' afflictions. Lock pa●●? For they hated me; and God loved me, they would have killed me, and the GOD of my Fathers kept me: they put. me into a pit, and the most highest brought me out again. I was fold as a 〈◊〉 manner, and the Lord made me free, and his strong hand helped me. God 〈◊〉 his in distress. I was kept in hunger, and the Lord himself nourished me: I was left alone, and the Lord comforted me: I was sickr, and the Lord visited me: I was in prison and the Saviour made me glad: I was fassned in chains, and the Lord vabaunde me: He pleaded my cause in the accusations of the Egyptians, and not only delivered me from eunie and dereipte, but also exalded me in so much that Putipher. Chief Steward of phara's house. did lend me lodging, where I was in ieapardie of my life, by reason of a shameless woman, which enticed me to do naughtiness with her, through the flame of voluptuous burnyug about her breast. I was cast in prison for her: I was beaten and mocked for her: yet the Lord caused the keeper of the prison to be moved with mercy towards me. God never forsaketh his He forsaketh not them that fear him, neither in darkness, neither in bonds, neither in tribulations or necessities. God is not ashamed as man, neither dreadeth he as men, neither shaketh or shrinketh he for fear as earthly men. He is present in all places, and in their most grievous sorrows he comforteth his. 〈◊〉 con●●ount in ten temptations. He goeth away for a reason, to try the thoughts of their mind. He found me trusty in ten temptations. And in every one I was constant and preserved. For sufferance is a great medicen, and causeth much goodness. How often did the Egyptian threaten my death? Sufferance what it is. How often was I punished, and yet the woman called me again? how often did she threaten me to dye, because I would not have to do with her? She said unto me, thou shalt have governance of me, and all that be mine, if thou wilt give thyself unto me. and obey my desire, and thou shalt be lord over us. A present medicine in temptation. But I remembered the words of my Father jacob, and entering in to my Chamber, made my prayer to the Lord, and * Not from m●●te, but from wa●ton f●re. fasted seven years, yet I appeared unto the Egyptian, in that state of body, as I had lived in pleasures or delights. For they that fast for GOD, receive▪ cautie of face. When I had wine given unto me, I drunk none: and Fasting three days, I took my meat daily, and gave it to the sick and needy, and early I waked unto the lord, and wept for Memphetica the Egyptian, because she was evermore troubling of me. A crafty practice of a women She came unto me in the night, as though she would have visited me. And first, truly because she had never a son, she feigned to take me as her son. And I prayed unto God, to send her a son: until which time she embraced me, as though I had been her son, And I perceived not the cause. And for a conclusion, she drawn me to have done fornication with her, & I remembering myself, was sorrowful unto the death. And when she was go out, I came to myself, and sorrowed many days: For I perceived her deceit and error. And I spoke unto her the words of the most highest GOD, if by chance she might be turned away from her pernicious concupiscence. Flattery the Develles sweet bait. Many times as to a holy man, she spoke flattering words to me, not without deceit, lauding my chastity before her husband, which would utterly have destroyed me: Both manifestly and secretly she said unto me, fear not my husband, for he is persuaded of thy chastity. For if so be that any man showed him of thee and me, he would not believe it. A token of a ●ious heart. For because of this thing, I covered me with sackcloth, and laid me flat upon the earth, and prayed unto almighty GOD, that he would deliver me from this woman of Egipte. When she could do nothing this way, she came again armed with other reasons, hypocrites ●re of all 〈◊〉 for ●ucre. that is to say, that she would feign learn the word of God of me, and began to speak after this manner. If thou wilt have me to forsake mine Idols, follow my desire▪ and I will persuade my husband the Egyptian to go from his Idolat●●●●, 〈…〉 and we shall walk in the law of thy God. I made answer to these things: GOD will have ●o●e to worship him with uncleanness, neither hath he any pleasure in Adultere●s. And she held her peace, desiring to fulfil her concupiscence. And I fasted and prayed, that God might deliver me from her. Again at an other time, she said unto me: Note the fruit of lust. If thou will't not do adultery with me, I will kill my Prince, and so by the Law I shall take thee to my husband. When I herded that, I rend my garment and said: Woman▪ I pray thee be ashamed of these things before GOD, and fear GOD, and do thou not such an abominable thing: Neither despair utterly that thou drown not thyself in thy own evil, for if thou go above it, I shall utter and declare the thoughts of thine iniquity. She fearing these things, prayed me that I should not bewray her naughtiness, and so departed. Yet again, she went about to beguile me with gifts, senoing unto me all things that men have need of, and she sent me meat, strewed about with enchantment. And as the Cunuke brought it in, I beheld and see a terrible fellow, giving me a sword with the dish, and I perceived that she went about to deceive me. And when he was gone, I wept, and touched not that meat, nor any other of her sending for a good while after. A day after that, she came to me and said, what is the matter that thou haste not eaten of the meat? And I said unto her, because thou haste poisoned it. Therefore thou shalt know that I will not come unto Idols, but only unto God. joseph did first monish ●nd not promise- Now understand therefore, that the GOD of my Father by his Angel, hath showed thy mischief unto me, and I have kept the meat to thy shame, if perchance thou mightest repent, or learn that the malice of wicked doers prevaileth not against them that worship the Lord in Chastity. And I took and did eat before her, saying: the GOD of my Fathers, and the Angel of Abraham shall be with me, and then she fallen down at my feet and wept. The name of God, & fear of 〈◊〉, pricketh the conscience. Then lifting her up, I exhorted her many ways, and she promised me, that she would never do such iniquity after that day. Yet because her heart was mourning, and did burn toward me in adultery with sighs, coming from the depth of her stomach, she cast down her countenance. Note this. The Egyptian her husband perceiving her, faied: wherefore holdest thou down thy face? she answered, I am even sorrowful at the heart: And he comforted her that was not sick: yet again she entered into me (her husband being without) and said▪ I am strangled or choked: Either I will break my neck, or else drown myself, without thou will't obey me. And I perceiving that the spirit of Belial troubled her, pra●ed unto the Lord, and said thus: Wherefore art thou vexed or troubled, all blind in sin? Remember thyself▪ for if thou do kill thyself: the Concubine of thy husband called Sechon, envying thee, shall beat thy Children, and destroy the memory of thee from the earth, And she said unto me. Have done▪ have done▪ I perceive that yet thou haste some care for me: I have even enough that thou defendest my life, and my Children. I have good hope in time to come, that I shall obtain my desire. And she perceived not that for the love of my Lord GOD I said so, and not for her sake. Whatsoever he be that followeth the concupiscence of his pernicious desire, is made servant unto the same, as this woman was. And if he hear any good thing in the passion wherein he is overcome: he draweth the same to his pernicious or filthy desire. I say unto you my sons, that it was about fire of the Clock when she went from me, and I fallen upon my knees praying to GOD all that da●e, A remedy against temptation. with the night following A●d about the break of the day, I rose weeping, that I might once be delivered from this woman Egyptian. Finally, she caught me fast by the garment, drawing me to have go to bed with her. Then perceiving that she waxed mad, and that violently, & with strength she held my clotheses, I let my clotheses 〈◊〉 from me, and fled away. Then she complained to her husband of me▪ which put me in prison in the kin●ges house. The day following after, I was sore beaten and cast into prison. And when I lay bond in Fetters: this Egyptian woman wa●ed sick for sorrow, and hearkened how I lauded GOD, being in a house of darkness. For I rejoicing with a glad voice, glorified my God only that by such occasion I was delivered from the Egyptian woman. Yet she left not to stand hearkening, Note a subtle woman. and said: have done, and take the offer which I put unto thee, and fulfil my desire, & I will deliver thee from thy bond and bring thee out from the darkness: but all that could persuade me nothing, josephs' singular chastity. in so much that in thought I was not inclined to any desire of her. For God loveth him better which fasteth in chastity, God respecteth the virtuous not the wealth. being in a Prison of darkness, then him which taketh his pleasure with voluptuousness in a chamber of honour and riches. For if a man live in chastity, and desire glory, (if God perceive it to be expedient for him) he giveth unto him as he hath done unto me. Many times as though she had been sick, she descended unto me unlooked for, and herded the voice of me praying, and stood the more still. But when I herded her sigh I held my peace, A property of a harlo●. for in her house, she stripped herself naked, breasts, legs and arms whereby she might have kindled me into the love of her. For she was very fair, and gloriously adorned to have deceived me but God kept me from her works. Therefore my sons, The commodity of prayer and sufferance. behold what sufferance with prayer and fasting doth. And therefore if you love soberness and chastity in sufferance and humility of the heart, the Lord shall devil in you, for he loveth sobriety: and when the most highest doth devil in a man although he chance to fast into envy or into bondage or slander, the Lo●de which dwelleth in him will for hy● 〈◊〉 not only deliver him, but also ●●alt him, and gloriole him as he hath done me, for he is always with him in word, in deed and thought. My brethren, 〈…〉 you know how well my father did love me, and yet was I never the prouder thereof in my heart. For though I was a Child, I had ever the fear of God in my mind, When I grew to age I moderated myself, and honoured my brethren whom I feared. I healed my peace when I was sold, because I would not have the Ismaelites to know my stock and kindred how I was the son of jacob a man of great strength and power. Therefore have you in your deeds the tear of God, and honour your brethren, for all men that observe the law of God, are 〈◊〉 of him. Then I came with the Ismaelites to a certain place called Indoculpe▪ and they demanded of me what I was, and I said (because I would not reprove my brethren) that I was one of their household ●●aues. Then said the chief of them, thou art no slave, for thy at a window, and sent unto her husband, saying: thy judgement is unjust, for thou dost punish wrongfully the young man that is stolen. A token of mercy if it were not for an ill end. But because I did not change my words, yet again was I beaten, & commanded to be kept at his commandment, until such time as my masters came. And his wife said unto him: wherefore do you keep in captivity the noble child? It were more almose to let him go, and to beat you. Note a flattering woman. She would fain have spied me in desire of sin, and I known nothing of this. He said again to Memphetica, it is not honest among the Egyptians, to take away an other man's goods before he show him of it. He said that of the Merchant and of me, when I should be imprisoned. After that xxiiii. days, the Ismalites came, and they hearing that jacob my Father was heavy for me, said unto me. Wherefore is it that thou saidst thou wast a bondman, and now we know that thou art the son of a great man in the land of Chanaan, and thy father sorroweth for thee in sackcloth. A good nature. Then I would feign have wept: yet I retrained myself for shaming of my Brethrens, and said, I know it not, for I am a bondman. Then they took counsel among themselves, whether or to whom they might cell me, lest I should be ●ound in their hands. For 〈◊〉 ●eared jacob, lest he would be revenged of them: for they had herded that he was mighty both to God and man. Then said the Merchant to them, redeem him now from the judgement of Putiphar. They hearing this went & asked for me, sa●yng that they had bought me for money, & he delivered me. Memphitica spoke to her husband to buy me, for she said, I hear say they would ●ell him. And they sent an Eunuch to the ismaelites and desired to buy me, 〈…〉 and when he could not bargain with them, he returned & showed his Lady that they asked a great price for the child, she sent again an other Eunuch saying, although they ask two besauntes of gold see that thou spare not for money, but buy the child and bring him to me. He paid 80. golden crowns for me, & said unto his Lady that he paid an 100 And I perceiving this, healed my peace ●east the Eunuch should have been searched. Behold my sons, what I have sustained. Love one of you another, & with continuance cast out from among you deceitful minds, for God delighteth in the concord of brethren, and hath pleasure also in the love & choice of a proved heart. Love between brethren pleaseth God. For when my brethren came out of Egypt & known me, I gave them again their money, & I never gave reproach unto them but comforted them. And after the death of jacob I loved them more abundantly, josephes' merciful heart declared: & all that ever he commanded me I did very gladly, & they marue●led because I suffered not them to be troubled for a small cause for all that was in my power I gave to them. Their children were reputed to me as mine own, and mine own children as their servants. Their life was my life, and their sorrow was my sorrow, & all their infirmity or disease was mine, my land was their land, my counsel was the counsel of them. And I never exalted myself above them in pride for mine own worldly glory. But was amongst them as one of the lest. Therefore my Sons, if you walk in the commandments of my Lord, A promise for them that pray for their enemies. the Lord shall exalt you and bless you in riches perpetual. And if any man will do evil to you, with meekness look that you pray for him, and GOD shall deliver you from all evil. Now behold and see that for my long sufferance the daughter of my Lord was given me to wife, 〈…〉 and there was given to me with her an hundredth talentes of Gold. For God made them to serve me & gave me beauty that I should be as a flower above them that were fair in Israel, and he kept me unto mine age both in strength and beauty, because I was like to jacob in all things. And what dreams I have seen, 〈…〉 my children now hear. There were 12. Hearts feeding a●d 9 were divided abroad in the earth. Also I saw, how that of juda was a virgin born having a white silken rob, and of her came forth an immaculate Lamb. And on the left hand of the said Lamb, was as it were a Lion, and all beasts▪ made against him, and the Lamb overcame them, and trod them under his feet and in him joyed the Angels, the men, and all the earth. These things shall come to pass in their time, that is to say in the later days. Christ 〈◊〉. Therefore my sons, keep the commandment of the Lord and honour juda and Levy. For of them, to you shall springe the lamb of God, which by his grace shall preserve all Gentiles and Israel. The kingdom of him is a kingdom eternal which shall never pass. For my kingdom shall be ended in yo●, as the keeping of an Orchard, for after the harvest it shall appear no more. I know right well that after my death the Egyptians shall trouble you. But God shall revenge you and bring you to the promised land which he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and jacob. But carry my bones with you, for in so doing, the Lord shallbe in the light with you against the Egyptians, & Belial shall be in darkness with the Egyptians. Also carry with you your mother Zilpha, & nigh unto the valley, near unto Rachel, bury her. When he had said these words he stretched forth his feet and slept the sleep of all the world. Then they enbaumed him with spices, putting him in a chest in Egypt after he had lived 110. years who see Ephraim's Children unto the 3. generation. For unto Machir the son of Manasses, were children born on josephes' knees. After this all they of Israel bewailed him and all the Egyptians with great mourning. For he had compassion of Egypt as of his own proper members, and assisted them both with his labour and counsel, and did them good at all times and seasons. ¶ The Testament of Benjamin, made to his Children at his death, concerning a cl●●ne mind. Lo what true faithful love doth mean●, All you that lovers be: It is in heart and not in Lust, As here you plainly see. THe Copy of Bensamins' words, which he uttered to his children, being of the age of a hundred and twenty years. He kissed them and said: As Isaac was born in the hundredth year of Abraham, so was I in the hundredth year● of jacob: and because Rachel died at my birth, I sucked her bondwoman Bill●. For after that Rachel had born joseph, she was barren twelve. years. And when she had prayed to the Lord in those twelve. years, she conceived and bore me. For my father loved Rachel exceedingly, and wished to see 2. sons by her, and therefore I was called Benjamin, Be●iamin what it signifieth. that is to say, the son of my days, or the son of my sorrow, because my mother died in the birth of me. When I came first into Egypt, and that my brother joseph knew me, he said to me: what said they to my Father, when they had sold me? I answered: They stai●ed thy coat with blood, and bringing it to him, said: See if this be thy sons coat or no. And my Brother also said unto me: Truly when the Ismalites took me, one of them stripping me out of my coat, gave me a thin shirt to put on, and lashing me with a Whip, bade me run. Ioseph● 〈…〉. And as he went aside to hide my garment, a Lion met him, and slay him, and so his partners being afraid sold me to their fellows. You therefore my children, love the God of heaven, and obey his commandments, following that good and h●l●e man joseph, and let your mind be set upon goodness, as you know that mine hath been. He that hath a good mind looketh rightly upon all things. Flare God and love your neighbours, 〈◊〉 shall not overcome them that fear the Lord●. and then although the spirit of Belial tempt you to all naughtiness to trouble you, yet shall it not get the upper hand of you, no more than it did of my Brother joseph. How many folk would have killed him, and yet GOD de●ended him? For he that fears God, and loveth his neighbour, cannot be wounded of the airy spirit belial: and he that is shielded with the fear of the Lord, is safe from harm both of man and beast, and cannot be overcome because he is helped by the love of God which he hath towards his neighbour. For joseph be sought our father jacob to pray for my Brethrens to the Lord, that he would not lay to their charges▪ the mischief that they had devised against him. Whereat jacob cried out, O son joseph, thou hast overcome my heart. And there withal embracing him, he kissed him two hours together, joseph a right figure of jesus Christ. and said: In thee shall the prophesy of heaven be resembled to the full, concerning the lamb of God and Saviour of the world, that the unspotted shall be delivered for the wicked doers, and he that is without sin, shall dye for the Sinners in the blood of his Testament, to the salvation both of the Gentiles and of Israel, and he shall dash belial and his servants. My children look upon the end of that good man and follow his mercifulness with a good mind that you also may have a crown of glory upon your heads. A good man A good man hath not a dark eye, for he is merciful to all men, yea though they be sinners and have devised mischief against him, and he that doth good, overcometh evil. 1 Overcometh evil. by the defence of goodness, and loveth. 2 loveth the righteous. the righteous as his own Soul. If another. 3 Envieth not. man be honoured, he envieth it not: if a man be enriched, it grieveth him not. If a man be strong. 4 Praiseth the valiant. or valiant, he praiseth him, and believing him also to be chaste, he defendeth. 5 Defendeth him that feareth God. him that hath the fear of God. He worketh together with him that loveth God, and if a man forsake the 6 Admonisheth the sinner. almighty, he warneth him to return again. Whosoever hath the grace of the good spirit, him doth he love as his own life. He 7 Pitieth the poor. pitieth the poor, succoureth the weak, and praiseth and honoureth God. The example of a 〈…〉. My children, if you have a good mind, evil men shall stand in awe of you, and unthrifts shall for very shame be converted to goodness. So that covetous men shall not only departed from their niggardliness, but also give of their abundance to the needy. If you be good doers, both unclean spirits shall flee from you, and shrewd beasts shall shun for fear of you. For where the regard of good works is in the mind, there darkness flieth away. For if he do wrong to any holy man, he is sorry for it: and if a holy man receive wrong, he pitieth the doer, and putteth it up with silence. And if any man betray a righteous soul, and the righteous pray for his betrayer, the betrayer is not a little disgraced, and the righteous becometh much more notable afterward, as did my Brother joseph. The guileful spirit of belial hath no power over a good man's mind: For the Angel of peace guideth his soul. The properties of a righteous man. He looketh not affectionately upon corruptible things, ne raketh together riches in the desire of voluptuousness. He is not delighted with pleasures: He grieveth not his neighbour, he stuffeth not himself with meat, neither wandereth he in the pride of his eyes: for the Lord is his portion. He taketh no glory for giving good counsel, he passeth not how men dishonour him, neither can he skill of any guile, untruth, strife, or slaunderousnes. For the Lord dwelleth in him, and enlighteneth his mind, and he rejoiceth before all men in a good tyme. A good mind hath not two tongues: one to bless with, and another to curse with: one to slander with, and another to honour with: one of sorrow, and an other of ●oy: one of quietness, & an other of trouble: one of dissimulation & an other of truth: one of poverty, & an other of riches: but it hath one only disposition pure & uncorrupt towards all. It hath no double sight nor double hearing. For in all things that he doth, speaketh or seethe, he knoweth that the Lord beholdeth his heart, and therefore he cleanseth his mind that he may not be ●ound faulty before God and man. But all the works of belial are double, and utterly void of simplicity, Wherefore my children, shun the naughtiness of belial, for at the first he delighteth those that obey him, Disobedience the father of seven mischiefs. but in the end he is a sword, and the Father of seven mischiefs. For when the mind hath once conceived by belial, it bringeth forth, first envy, Enuy. secondly desperateness Desperation. thirdly sorrow, Sorrow. fourthly bondage, Bondage. fiftly neediness, teredines. sixty troublesomeness, trouble. and seventhly desolation: desolation. and for that cause was Cain tormented with seven punishments by God, for in seven year together God brought every year a new plague upon Ca●●. 〈◊〉 example of Ca●●. Two hundred years he suffered, and in the nine hundredth year the earth was made desolate with the flood for his righteous brother Abel's sake. In seven hundred years is Cain judged, and Lamech in seventy times seven: for they that are like Cain in spitefulness and hatred towards their brethren, shallbe punished with the same punishment for ever as he was. You therefore my Children eschew malice, envy, & hatred towards your brethren, & cleave to goodness & lovingness. He that hath a mind clean in love, looketh not upon a woman in way of lechery. For he hath no desyling in his heart, because the spirit of the Lord rests in him. An apt similitude to a mind resisting sin. For as the Sun is not defiled by shining upon a puddle or dunghill, but doth rather dry up and drive away the stinch: even so a pure mind striveth against the uncleanness of the earth, and overcometh it, but is not defiled itself. And I perceive by the sayings of the righteous Enoch, that there shallbe evil deeds among you. For you shall defile yourselves with the fornication of Sodonie, and perish all save a few, and multiply inordinate lusts in women, and the reign of the Lord shall not be among you, for he shall take it away suddenly. Nevertheless the lords temples shallbe made in our portion, & it shallbe glorious among you. For the Lord himself shall take the kingdom upon him, 〈…〉 Christ. and the twelve tribes shallbe gathered together there, and all nations shall▪ resort thither, until the 〈◊〉 highest sand his salvation in the visitation of his only 〈◊〉. And he shall 〈◊〉 into the first temple, 〈…〉 and there the Lord shall suffer wrong, and he despised and be 〈…〉 up upon a piece of timber. 〈…〉 And the veil of the temple shallbe rend 〈◊〉, and the spirit of the Lord shall come down upon the Gentiles poured out as fire. 〈…〉 And rising up from the grain, he shall ascend from earth to 〈◊〉. He shall remember how 〈…〉 hath been upon earth, 〈…〉 and ●ow glorious he is in heaven. When joseph was in Egypt, I longed to see his person, and the form● of his countenance. And through the prayers of my Father jacob I saw him awake in the day of his full and perfect shape. Now therefore my Children, know you that I shall dye. Wherefore deal every of you truly and rightfully with his neighbour, work you justly & faithfully, and keep you the law and commandments of the Lord: for that do I teach you in stead of all inheritance. 〈…〉 And g●ue you the same to your Children for an everlasting possession. For so did Abraham, Isaac, and jacob: they gave us all these things for an inheritance, saying: keep the lords commandments, till he reveal his saving health to all nations. A prophsy of to● last coming of Christ. Then shall you see Enoch, No, Sem, Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, rising at his right hand with joyfulness. Then shall we rise also every of us to his own sceptre, The resurrection a●d judgement described. worshipping the king of heaven which appeared on earth in the base shape of man. As many as believe in him shall rejoice with him at that time. And all these shall rise again to glory, and the residue 〈…〉. And the Lord shall first of all judge Israel for the unrighteousness 〈◊〉 against him, because they believed not in God y●▪ came in the 〈◊〉 to deliver, Then shall he judge all nations, as many as believed not in him when he appealed upon earth, and he shall reprove Israel among the choose of the Gentiles, as he reproved Esau in the Madianits that seduced his brethren by fornication & Idolatry, who were estranged from God, and fallen away from the inheritance of the Children because they feared not God. But if you walk in holiness before the Lord, you shall devil in hope again in me. And all Israel shall be gathered to the Lord and I shall no more be called a 〈◊〉 Wolf for your robberies sakes, but I shall be called the lords workman, which giveth food to such as doc good. And in my s●ede shall be raised up the beloved of the Lord, 〈…〉 whose voice shall be herded upon the earth, and he shall give ●ewe knowledge, & enlighten all nations with the light of understanding, and shall come up to save Israel. 〈…〉 He shall take from them as a Wolf, and give to 〈…〉 of the Gentiles, and continued in the 〈◊〉 of the Gentiles unto the 〈…〉, He shall be among their Princes as musical melody in the mouths of all men, and his doings and sayings shall be written in holy books. He shall be the lords darling for evermore: And as concerning him, my Father jacob taught me, saying: He shall amend the defaults of thy Tribe, 〈…〉 And when he had ended these sayings, he commanded his Children to carry his bones out of Egypt, and to bury them in Hebron by his Fathers. So Benia●●● died a hundred and five and twenty year old in a good age, and they put 〈…〉, and in the four score 〈…〉 before the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt, they and their Brethrens conveyed their Father's bones privily again into the land of Chanaan, and buried him in Hebron at the feet of his Fathers, and returned again out of the land of Chanaan, and dwelled in Egypt, till the day of their departure thence all together. FINIS. ¶ How these Testaments of the twelu● patriarchs, w●re first found, and by whose means they were translated out of Greek into Latin. THese Testaments were hidden and concealed a long time, so as our teachers and the ancient 〈◊〉 could not find● them. Which thing happened through the spitefulness of the jews, who by reason of the most evident manifest, and often prophesies of Christ that are written in them, did hide them a long while. At 〈◊〉 the Greeks being very narrow 〈…〉 out of ancient writings, ●ought these Testaments warily, & got them more 〈◊〉, & translated than faithfully out of Hebrew into Greek. Nevertheless, this writing continued yet still 〈…〉, because there was not any man to be found, that was skilful both in the Greek and Latin, nor any interp●●●e● that might procure the translation of this noble work●, until the time of Robert the second, surnamed Grosthead 〈…〉 Lincoln, who sent diligent searchers as far as Greece, to fetch him a copy of the said writing without respect of their charges which he bore most liberally. Therefore to continued the remembrance of those most lightsome prophecies to the strengthening of the christian faith, that reverend Bishop did in the year of our lord 1242. translate them plainly and faithfully, word for word out of Greek into Latin, (in which two tongues he was counted very skilful,) by the help of M. Nicholas Greek, Parson of the Church of Dachet, and 〈…〉 Albons to the intent that by that mea●es the evident prophecies which▪ shine more brighter than the day light, might the more gloriously come abroad to the greater confusion of the jews, and of all heretics and enemies of the Church of Christ, to whom ●e praise and glory for ever, Amen. AT LONDON Printed by john day, dwelling over Aldersgate. ¶ Come Gratia & Privilegio Regne Maiestate●.