The Book of Joshua.

The Argument.

IN This book the Holy Ghost setteth most lively before our eyes the accomplishment of God’s promises, who as he promised by the mouth of Moses, that a Prophet should be raised up unto the people like unto him, whom he willeth [them] to obey, Deut. 18.15, so he showeth himself here true in his promise, as at all other times, and after the death of Moses his faithful servant, he raiseth up Joshua to be ruler and governor over his people, that neither they should be discouraged for lack of a captain, nor have occasion to distrust God’s promises hereafter.  And because that Joshua might be confirmed in his vocation, and the people also might have none occasion to grudge, as though he were not approved of God: he is adorned with most excellent gifts and graces of God, both to govern the people with counsel, and to defend them with strength, that he lacked nothing which either belonged to a valiant captain or a faithful minister.  So he overcometh all difficulties and bringeth them into the land of Canaan: the which [land,] according to God’s ordinance he divideth among the people and appointeth their borders; he establisheth laws and ordinances, and putteth them in remembrance of God’s manifold benefits, assuring them of his grace and favour, if they obey God, and contrariwise of his plagues and vengeance, if they disobey him.  This history doth represent Jesus Christ the true Joshua, who leadeth us into eternal felicity, which is signified unto us by this land of Canaan.  From the beginning of the Genesis to the end of this book are contained 2597 years.  For from Adam unto the flood are 1656; from the flood unto the departure of Abraham out of Caldea, 363; and from thence to the death of Joseph 290.  So that the Genesis containeth 2390, Exodus 140, the other three books of Moses 40, Joshua 27.  So the whole maketh 2597 years.

The Book of Judges.

The Argument.

ALbeit there is nothing that more provoketh God’s wrath, than man’s ingratitude, yet is there nothing so displeasant and heinous that can turn back God’s love from his Church.  For now when the Israelites were entered into the land of Canaan, and saw the truth of God’s promise performed, instead of acknowledging his great benefits and giving thanks for the same, they fell to most horrible oblivion [forgetfulness] of God’s graces, contrary to their solemn promise made unto Joshua; and so provoked his vengeance (as much as in them stood,) to their utter destruction.  Whereof as they had most evident signs by the mutability of their state: for he suffered them to be most cruelly vexed and tormented by tyrants; he pulled them from liberty, and cast them into slavery, to the intent they might feel their own miseries and so call upon him and be delivered.  Yet to shew that his mercies endure forever, he raised up from time to time such as should deliver them and assure them of his favour and grace, if they would turn to him by true repentance.  And these deliverers the Scripture calleth Judges, because they were executors of God’s judgments, not chosen of the people nor by succession, but raised up, as it seemed best to God, for the governance of his people.  They were twelve in number besides Joshua, and governed from Joshua unto Saul, the first King of Israel.  Joshua and these unto the time of Saul ruled 336 years.  In this book are many notable points declared, but two especially: first, the battle that the Church of God hath for the maintenance of true religion against idolatry and superstition; next, what great danger that commonwealth is in, when as God giveth not a magistrate to retain his people in the pureness of religion and his true service.

The Book of Ruth.

The Argument.

THis book is entitled after the name of Ruth; which is the principal person spoken of in this treatise.  Wherein also figuratively is set forth the state of the Church, which is subject to manifold afflictions, and yet at length God giveth good and joyful issue: teaching us to abide with patience till God deliver us out of troubles.  Herein also is described how Jesus Christ, who according to the flesh ought [would yet] to come of David, proceeded of Ruth, of whom the Lord Jesus did vouchsafe to come, notwithstanding she was a Moabite of base condition, and a stranger from the people of God: declaring unto us thereby that the Gentiles should be sanctified by him and joined with his people, and that there should be but one sheepfold, and one shepherd.  And it seemeth that this history appertaineth to the time of the Judges.

The First Book of Samuel.

The Argument.

ACording as God had ordained, Deut. 17.14, that when the Israelites should be in the land of Canaan, he would appoint them a King: so here, in this first book of Samuel, is declared the state of this people under their first King Saul, who not content with that order, which God had for a time appointed for the government of his Church, demanded a King, to the intent they might be as other nations and in a greater assurance as they thought: not because they might the better thereby serve God, as being under the safeguard of him, which did represent Jesus Christ the true deliverer: therefore he gave them a tyrant and an hypocrite to rule over them, that they might learn, that the person of a King is not sufficient to defend them, except God by his power preserve and keep them.  And therefore he punisheth the ingratitude of his people and sendeth them continual wars both at home and abroad.  And because Saul, whom of nothing God had preferred to the honour of a King, did not acknowledge God’s mercy toward him, but rather disobeyed the word of God and was not zealous of his glory, he was by the voice of God put down from his state, and David the true figure of Messiah placed in his stead, whose patience, modesty, constancy, persecution by open enemies, feigned friends, and dissembling flatterers, are left to the Church and to every member of the same, as a pattern and example to behold their state and vocation.

The Second Book of Samuel.

The Argument.

THis book and the former bear the title of Samuel, because they contain the conception, nativity, and the whole course of his life, and also the lives and acts of two Kings, to wit, of Saul and David, whom he anointed and consecrated Kings by the ordinance of God.  And as the first book containeth those things, which God brought to pass among this people under the government of Samuel and Saul, so this second book declareth the noble acts of David, after the death of Saul, when he began to reign, unto the end of his kingdom; and how the same by him was wonderfully augmented: also his great troubles and dangers, which he sustained both within his house and without; what horrible and dangerous insurrections, uproars, and treasons were wrought against him, partly by false counsellors, feigned friends, and flatterers, and partly by some of his own children and people; and how by God’s assistance he overcame all difficulties, and enjoyed his kingdom in rest and peace.  In the person of David, the Scripture setteth forth Christ Jesus the chief King, who came of David according to the flesh, and was persecuted on every side with outward and inward enemies, as well in his own person, as in his members, but at length he overcometh all his enemies and giveth his Church victory against all power both spiritual and temporal: and so reigneth with them, King for evermore.

The First Book of the Kings.

The Argument.

BEcause the children of God should look for no continual rest and quietness in this world, the holy Ghost setteth before our eyes in this book the variety and change of things, which came to the people of Israel from the death of David, Solomon, and the rest of the Kings, unto the death of Ahab, declaring how that flourishing kingdoms, except they be preserved by God’s protection, (who then favoreth them when his word is truly set forth, virtue [is] esteemed, vice punished, and concord maintained) fall to decay and come to nought: as appeareth by the dividing of the kingdom under Roboham, and Jeroboham, [Rehoboam and Jeroboam,] which before were but all one people, and now by the just punishment of God were made two, whereof Judah and Benjamin clave to Roboham: and this was called the kingdom of Judah, and the other ten tribes held with Jeroboham, and this was called the kingdom of Israel.  The King of Judah had his throne in Jerusalem, and the King of Israel in Samaria, after it was built by Omri, Ahab’s father.  And because our Saviour Christ according to the flesh should come of the stock of David, the genealogy of the Kings of Judah is here described, from Solomon to Joram the son of Josaphat, who reigned over Judah in Jerusalem, as Ahab did over Israel in Samaria.

The Second Book of the Kings.

The Argument.

THis second book containeth the acts of the Kings of Judah and Israel.  To wit, of Israel, from the death of Ahab unto the last King Hoshea, who was imprisoned by the King of Assyria, and his city Samaria taken, and the ten tribes by the just plague of God for their idolatry and disobedience to God led into captivity.  And also of Judah, from the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat unto Zedekiah who for contemning the Lord’s commandment by his Prophets, and neglecting his sundry admonitions, by famine and other means, was taken by his enemies, saw his sons most cruelly slain before his face, and his own eyes put out, as the Lord had declared to him before by his Prophet Jeremy: and also by the just vengeance of God for contempt of his word, Jerusalem was destroyed, the Temple burnt, and he {164:V} and all his people were led away captives into Babylon.  In this book are notable examples of God’s favor towards those rulers and people which obey his Prophets and embrace his word; and contrariwise of his plagues towards those commonwealths which neglect his ministers and do not obey his commandments.

The First Book of the Chronicles, or Paralipomenon.

Chronicles: Hebrew, Words of Days.  Paralipomenon: Or, of things omitted, to wit, in the books of the Kings.

The Argument.

THe Jews comprehended both these books in one, which the Grecians because of the length divide into two: and they are called Chronicles, because they note briefly the histories from Adam to the return from their captivity in Babylon.  But these are not those books of Chronicles, which are so oft mentioned in the books of the Kings of Judah and Israel, which did at large set forth the story of both the kingdoms, and afterward perished in the captivity: but an abridgment of the same, and were gathered by Ezra, as the Jews write, after their return from Babylon.  This first book containeth a brief rehearsal of the children of Adam unto Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the twelve Patriarchs, chiefly of Judah and of the reign of David, because Christ came of him according to the flesh.  And therefore it setteth forth more amply his acts, both concerning civil government, and also the administration, and care of things concerning religion, for the good success whereof he rejoiceth, and giveth thanks to the Lord.

The Second Book of the Chronicles.

The Argument.

THis second book containeth briefly in effect that, which is comprehended in the two books of the Kings: that is, from the reign of Solomon to the destruction of Jerusalem, and the {191:V} carrying away of the people captive into Babylon.  In this story are certain things declared and set forth more copiously than in the books of the Kings, and therefore serve greatly to the understanding of the Prophets.  But three things are here chiefly considered.  First, that the godly Kings, when they saw the plagues of God prepared against their country for sin, had recourse to the Lord, and by earnest prayer were heard, and the plagues removed.  The second, how it is a thing that greatly offendeth God, that such as fear him and profess his religion, should join in amity with the wicked.  And thirdly, how the good rulers ever loved the Prophets of God, and were very zealous to set forth his religion throughout all their dominions, and contrary-wise the wicked hated his ministers, deposed them, and for the true religion and word of God, set up idolatry, and served God according to the fantasy of men.  Thus have we hitherto the chief acts from the beginning of the world to the building again of Jerusalem, which was the two and thirtieth year of Darius, and contain in the whole, three thousand, four hundred, fourscore and eight years, and six months.

Ezra.

The Argument.

AS the Lord is ever merciful unto his Church, and doth not punish them, but to the intent they should see their own miseries, and be exercised under the cross, that they might contemn the world and aspire unto the heavens; so after that he had visited the Jews and kept them now in bondage seventy years in a strange country among infidels and idolaters, he remembered his tender mercies and their infirmity, and therefore for his own sake raised them up a deliverer, and moved both the heart of the chief ruler to pity them, and also by him punished such, which had kept them in servitude.  Notwithstanding, lest they should grow into a contempt of God’s great benefit, he keepeth them still in exercise, and raiseth domestical enemies, which endeavor as much as they can to hinder their most worthy enterprises: yet by the exhortation of the Prophets they went forward by little and little till their work was finished.  The author of this book was Ezra, who was Priest, and scribe of the Law, as chap. 7.6.  He returned to Jerusalem the sixth year of Darius, who succeeded Cyrus, that is, more than forty years after the return of the first under Zerubbabel, when the Temple was built.  He brought with him a great company, and much treasure, with letters to the King’s officers for all such things as should be necessary for the Temple; and at his coming he redressed that which was amiss, and set the things in good order.

Nehemiah.

The Argument.

GOd doth in all ages and at all times set up worthy persons for the commodity and profit of his Church, as now within the compass of seventy years he raised up divers excellent men for the preservation of his people, after their return from Babylon, as Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah.  Whereof the first was their captain to bring them home, and provided that the Temple was builded; the second reformed their manners and planted religion; and the third builded up the walls, delivered the people from oppression, and provided that the Law of God was put in execution among them.  He was a godly man and in great authority with the King, so that the King favored him greatly, and gave him most ample letters for the accomplishment of all things which he could desire.  This book is also called of the Latins the second of Ezra, [Second Esdras,] because he was the writer thereof.

Esther.

The Argument.

BEcause of the diversity of names, whereby they used to name their Kings, and the supputation of years, wherein the Hebrews and the Grecians do vary, divers authors write diversely as touching this Ahasuerus, but it seemeth [from] Daniel 6.1, and 9.1, that he was Darius King of the Medes, and son of Astyages, called also Ahasuerus, which was a name of honor, and signified great and chief, as chief head.  Herein is declared the great mercies of God toward his Church: who never faileth them in their greatest dangers, but when all hope of worldly help faileth, he ever stirreth up some, by whom he sendeth comfort, and deliverance.  Herein also is described the ambition, pride, and cruelty of the wicked, when they come to honor, and their sudden fall when they are at highest; and how God preserveth, and preferreth them which are zealous of his glory, and have a care and love toward their brethren.