he doe expreffe the manners of Gains. Befides that, we may not think that this heaping of words is vain, for as the Fathers note, there is no game in Scripture without profitable confideration ; for howsoever men that deal in woods and base metals, care not to let chips and parings fall from them, yet as they that work in gold and Silver, will not lofe the leaft parings: The like is to be done in reading the word, For it is pure as filver that hath been parified feven times, Pfalm the twelfth, More to be defired than gold," Pfalm the ninteenth; therefore we must have this conceit of it, that whatsoever feemeth to be superfluous in the word of God, hath great vaLue both for faith and life: For Ifidor faith, eft in nominibus facris fua theologia, and as Ferome faith, in nominibus facra Scriptura infculpuntur myfteria: Therefore the Apostle faith, That the Sonne of God is more excellent than the Angels, in as much as he hath amore excellent name than they, Hebrews the first chapter and the fourth verse, so when the blinde man is fent to wash himself in Shilo, Fobn the ninth chapter and the seventh verfe: The word fignifying fent, importeth that he could not be purified by that water, unless he was fent; fo in the names of holy Scripture, we fee as Ferome faith, there are ingraven mysteries. Now we give names to our Children ad placitum, but in the old Testament the Fathers gave names of fet purpose, with great advife; fo we fee Eve giveth a reason why the cal led her Sonne Cain, Genefis the fourth chapter and the first verse, so is there a reason of Seths name, Genefis the fourth chapter and the twenty fift verse, of Noah the Sonne of Lamech, Genefis the fift chap ter and the twenty ninth verse, of Ifaack and Facob and all the Patriarches.

The reason why they had this regard in giving of names, are reduced to two. Firft, in those that are the Children of the godly, their names are a kinde of Prophefie, concerning the difpofition of the Childe which choice of names their Fathers made; for that being endued with the fpirit of God, they forefaw the difpofition of their Children. On the other fide, the wicked and the reprobate cannot prophefie, yet their names are specula paternæ affectionis; as the names of godly Children are prophefies puérilis indolis. That it is thus in these names, we fhall observe an encounter made between the feed of Cain and the feed of Seth, which as they were of a contrary difpofition, fo gave their Children contrary names? Cain called his Sonne Enoch, that is, dedicated to the pleasure of the world; but Seths Sonne is called Enofh, that is,forrowfull, Genefis the fift chapter: On the one fide there was Cain, on the other Ke nan: Irad on the one fide, Ferad on the other: Meshushael and Methusbelah, by which names the feed and pofterity of godly shutb fhew a contrary affection, and fuch as differeth from the wicked and the feed of Cain, as appeareth by the fignification of their

names.

Touching the oppofition that appeares to be between the generation of seth, and the pofteritie of Cain: Enochs name who was

"

Cains Sonne fignifieth dedication, and there is one of the Children of God called by the fame name, Genefis the fifth chapter and the ninteenth verse, but Seths Enoch, as Fude faith, was the feventh from Adam, verfe the fourteenth, that is, one dedicated to the feventh or Sabbath day, one that gave himself wholly to the fervice and worship of God; but Cains Enoch was the first, and next to Cain, that is, one dedicated to the first day, which is a working day, to shew that he was one that gave himself to the affaires of this life, that lought to be mighty on earth: And this difference of affection holds to this day, for all men are followers either of the first Or fecond Enoch.

The next of Cain is called Irad, that is, Lord of a City, the fame that Herod fignifieth, wherein we fee his ambitious spirit, that he was such a one as fought to be great in the world. And as Feroboam when he was not able to maintain the Kingdome which he had ufurped, began to meddle in Religion, and to fet up two Calves, faying, Behold your Gods, in the first of Kings the twelfth chapter; fo Irad calls his Sonne Mehujael, First what thing is God, fuch a one as faith with Pharaoh, Who is the Lord Exodus the fitt chapter, that is,that cared not for God: And as Abraham when he came to Gerar, faid, Surely forafmuch as the feare of God is not in this place, they will kill me, Genefis the twentieth chapter; so M.hujael that cared not for God begets Merbushael, that is,a deíparate fellow, that cares not for death; and his Sonne is Lamech, that is, a violent fellow, a perfecutor and an oppreffor, one that spoileth and treadeth down every mao. On the other fide, as Cain hath Irad, one that would exalt himself to be Lord; fo Seth hath Ferad, one that is content to goe down; for Mehujael a contemner of God, among the Children of God there was Mahalaleel, id eft, anuncians, or laudans deum, a religious perfon that would praise God For Methushael, among the godly there was Methufbelah, whose name tells us death is triumphing, because it is the reward of fine, and hath a worm that dieth not, and a fire that is never quenched: For Lamech the wicked, he is the seventh from Adam, as Enoch the Sonne of Seth; but this Enoch being the feventh, refpects things that pertain to the feventh day, wherein Lamech is given to oppreffion. This Enoch prophefied an excommunication against finners that did wickedly & ipake proudly, faying, The Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to give judgement against them, as it is in the fourteenth verfe ofthe epiftle of Fude, and we fhall not fee any in the Scripture that fpake fo proudly as this Lamech, for he not only brags of his finne, but contemns Gods threatnings, and faith he will kill any that come to him; therefore this excommunication concerns him; for as Seths Enoch walked with God, so Lamech that comes of Cain walked after the fpirit of the world.

In the ftory of Lamech there are two things to be obferved, First, his overflowing luft: Secondly, his contempt of God, and the punishment which God threatned. The exceffe of his luft ftands in

without Cripplegate.

this, that he took two Wives. Where we are to note that he is the first that durft vaunt of poligamic, he is primus facrilegus nuptiarum, for in fo doing, first he did violate the inftitution of God, which is, Aman shall for fake Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife, Genefis the fecond chapter and the twenty fourth verfe, not to his Wives, and they two fhall be one flesh, not three in one flesh. Secondly, His taking of two Wives is a violating of humane cuftome, for he is in the feventh generation from Adam; Adam had but one Wife, no more had Cain, nor the reft; but Lamech treading all cuftome under foot, takes two, wherein it is plain that a breach is made of the primitive cuftome; for as Chrift faith, Matthew the ninteenth chapter, non fic fuit abinitio. Thirdly, Marriage is a myfterie, Ephefians the filt chapter and therhirty fecond verfe, for Goa commends unto us a facred thing in's of criage, that is the fpirituall and holy conjunction of Chrift with the Church. In which regard perfons in that state should not exceed in luft, but poffeffe their veffels in holinefs, in the first to the Theffalonians the fourth chapter, and the fourth and fitr verles, and not in the luft of concupifcence. As Lamech finneth against the inftitution of marriage in these three refpects; fo in egard of the ends of the fame, which are three, Firft, To be a remedy againft fornication, in the first to the Corinthians, the feventh chapter and the fecond verfe, but Lamechs two Wives were an allurement to it rather, and no remedy against it, for every man must have Tidiav juva, in the first to the Corinthians, the feventh chapter and the third verfe; therefore if he have Wives, it is an allurement to luft. Secondly, The end of marriage is propagation of Children, that there may be not only a feed, but femen fanitum, Malachie the fecond chapter: For that caufe he made Adam but one Wife, whereas he had fpirit enough, and might have made him more, but he fought a holy feed, therefore if any feek feed by more Wives, it is not a holy feed, but femen nequam, & femen corruptum, Ifaiah the first chapter. Thirdly, The end is for mutuall help, but to have more Wives at once, the one is a hindrance and no help; fo were Rachel and Leah to Facob, Genefis the twenty ninth, fo were Annah and Penish to Elkanah, in the first of Samuel the first chapter.

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Gen. 4. 19.20,

21. 22,

Decemb, 16. 1599:

L

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Affumpfit autem fibi Lemec uxores duas prioris nomen fuit Hada,& nomen fecunda Tzilla. Peperitque Hada Fabalum hic fuit autor habitantium in tentoriis, & pecuariæ: Nomenque fratris ejus fuit Fubal: hic fuit autor omnium tractantium citharam & organon. Tzilla verò ipfa quoque peperit Thubal-Kajinum, qui erudivit omnem fabrum ærarium ferrarium fororemque Thubal-Kajini, Nahamam.

N which verfes is fet hiswn, firft the Marriage, and after the Race aithe ffpring of Lamech: The former point e ninteenth, the latter in the three veries following.

Concerning the Marriage of Lamech, we have already made an entrance into it, befides that which hath been already faid. If we will know what to reckon of this second Wife which Lamech took, the Holy Ghoft doth fet it out unto us in her name: For even in the names of holy Scripture, as we have heard, is engraven most excellent divinitie. His fecond Wifes name was Zillah, which hath relation to his first, for it fignifies her fhadow, but truth and shadowes are oppofite; and therefore the Holy Ghoft by this name tells us a fecond Wife is no true Wife, but a false, and that in fuch a marriage there is not the body and fubftance of Gods Ordinance, but only a fhadow of it, as our Saviour Christ said to the Woman that had five Husbands, Fohn the fourth chapter and the eighteenth verse, He whom thou now haft is not thy Husband. And the fentence and judgment of the Hebrew Writers is, that where Lamechs former Wifes name is Adah, taken from a word that fignifies an open affembly; and the second Zillah, that is, a shadow or fecret place, it is to teach us that Lamech had his former Wife only for a Thew, but he kept Zillah in secret places, to fatisfic his unclean luft privily.

Now because we fee this evill act of Lamech hath not so much as a good pretence, it is fo much the worse; and that he wanted a good pretence, we fhall finde if we inquire what moved him to break out fo farre contrary to the Ordinance of God, in the Creation, who therefore created Adam but one Wife, to teach him he might not have more at once. The only pretence for taking a fecond Wife is the example of Abraham, Genefis the fixteenth chapter, who for that he was without offpring, was permitted by Sarah his Wife to goe in to Agar, that of her he might raife up Children: but the cafe ftood not fo with Lamech, for he had by his first Wife two Sonnes, Fabal and Fubal, and therefore it was not for the raifing up of feed that he took Zillah.

Secondly,

Secondly, But if he fay thele were not enough, we thall fee that the feed which he had by his falle Wife, did not tend to the increase of mankinde, but to the destroying of it. For if we consider the

feed that God gave him by Zillah, the shadow of a true Wife, it was Tubal Cain, who was the first that gave an edge to iron and brass, that is, the first Warrier, and he that bronght war into the world: So we fec Lamechs purpose in taking a second Wife, howfoever he defired to increase the world, yet by Gods juft judgment turned to the destroying of mankinde, for he brought forth TubalCain, one that was a destroyer.

To this we add his Daughter whom he had by Zillah his unlawfull Wife, whole name was Naamah,that is, fair,which being compared with the fixt chapter, we fhall fee that fhe was the overthrow of the world; For the fons of Seth faw the daughters of men that they were fair and beautifull, and that kindled in them a luft after them, to as it confounded that diftinction of the holy Familie of the godly,which caufed the Lord to drown the world with a flood; fo that as well the Daughters as the Sons that Lamech had by his unlawful! Wife, proved the overthrow of mankinde; and therefore it was no good pretence to marry a Second Wife to increase it.

Thirdly, To proceed one step further in the choice of a fecond Wife, the example of David may be a good pretence, who feeing a virtuous woman Abigal, thought good to his first Wife to add a fecond, in the first of Samuel the twenty ninth chapter; fo that the good quality of the fecond Wife may fomewhat abate the finne. But Lamech took not Zillah for any fuch respect of virtue Zillah which is a fhadow, betokens lightnefs and wantonnefs; Adah is an open place, and withall fignifieth a tireing and decking of her felf, and Naamah fignifieth made beautifull: So these three things were the cause that made Lamech take his fecond Wife: And as in these we fee a plain defcription of the woman of the old world, fo we fee also what manner of women they were that brought deftruction upon the whole world. Naamah, that is,beauty made, is the mark of Fezebel, in the fecond of Kings, the ninth chapter and the third verie, Who for that she was not beautifull of her felf naturally, painted her face. Adah, that is tireing and gorgeous apparell, is a mark of the Daughters of Canaan, when Deborah defcribes by their apparrell of divers colours, Fudges the fift chapter and the thirtieth verfe. Zillah, that is, lightness and wantonnefs, fets out unto us the strange woman, that is, an Harlots behaviour, Proverbs the feventh chapter and the tenth verse, and of a wanton pace, fuch as the Prophet defcribes, Ifaiah the third chapter. On the other fide Efther, when fweet odours were offered her to purifie her felf, the refused, and defired nothing but that which was naturall; fhe did not make her felf beautifull to delight the Kings eyes, Efther the second chapter and the fifteenth verfe: As for Adah that is glorious apparrell: The holy women of old,as Sarahthat trusted in God,did not deck themselves outward. ly with broyded haire, and putting on of gold or apparrell, but with modefty,

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