had expresse charge to Write for the very last the yeere since the creation of the World 2513. and of his life the 80. yeere and hath continued his Holy Stories euen to the yeere of his Death and of the world 2553. Now since that time GOD hath alwayes so prouided for the aduancement of his Glory and the edification of his Church that the perpetuall History of her and the certaine account of the yeeres of the World hath beene continued and still put in Writing by his Prophets As it is to bee seene in the Holy Bookes that treate and contayne the Gouernment of Ioshua and the Iudges then to Samuel and the Kings of the People vnto the transmigration into Babylon and of other Gouernors which haue succeeded them after their returne from thence And finally the Prophet Daniel hath declared the rest of the time that is The 490. yeeres since the sayd Deliuerance of the Iewes and returne from Babylon by the meanes of Cyrus Daniel 9. King of Persia euen to the Death and Resurrection of Christ the Redeemer promised to the holy Fathers which is our Lord Iesus the eternall Sonne of God true God and true Man who appeared liuing after his Luk 24. 1 Cor. 15. Death and Resurrection to more then fiue hundred faithfull Witnesses at one time besides his other manifestations and mounted visibly into Heauen in the yeere of the World 3961. Now if wee will search all the Histories of all the Nations of the World of whom the Writings are ariued to our Age the most Ancient time of which they make mention shal be of their Antique destruction of Troy by the Greekes The History whereof hath beene written by Dictis of the I le of Creet which is the best Testimony they haue for the present and since by Homer and many others And from this Destruction Diodorus Siculus renowned amongst the Historians began his Bookes now the same according with the common Iudgement and Calculation of knowing men comes onely to be about 358. yeeres before the building of Rome the same time then fallsâ— to bee in the 16. yeere of the Gouernment of Elon Iudge of the People of Iudgeâ— 12 Israel mentioned in the Booke of Iudges And the same was 316 yeeres before the first Olympiade the reckoning of the Annalls of the Greekes So then the sayd Destruction of Troy falls to be onely vnder the yeere of the World 2838. when therefore wee shall giue consent that their Writings the most certaine whose Narrations wee may best giue credit vntoâ— Yet the Prophet Moses shal be found much more Auncient then all the Writers of the World what Nation soeuer though they are in great number and of whom wee see yet the Old Bookes in these last times in their proper Tongues And that hee hath put his hand to the Pen and began to Write his Diuine Reuelations of the Creation and Conduct of the World euen to his time and his sacred History and Prophesies touching the Church of GOD shall at least bee 325 yeeres before all other Writers of whom there is any mention or newes in the World that is to say in the yeere of the World 25â—3 Whereupon wee note euen to this Present against all those prophane mockers that haue disgorged that enormious blasphemy amongst others that the World is eternall and of it selfe which if it were so as they dreame and that it had no such beginning as is written by Moses they might finde then by all and in all Languages many Histories of infinite times and many Chronicles of many Ages and of old times that haue praeceded Moses in the account of yeeres But wee see that there is no such and that the Holy Bible is found euen in the middle amongst all sorts of enemies that strâ—ue to destroy loose abollish burne and extermine from the World the Bookes of it and for all thereto they had so long time yet neuerthelesse they neuer could nor euer shall For wee see the sayd Bible yet in his proper Writing and Language and of all others of what Nation soeuer the most celebrated and renowned And if they could finde any History which had beene written before Moses was borne into the World yet shall it contayne their time and composition with more yeeres and ages as wee can gather from the Holy Scriptures euen to this present yeere 1633. since the Natiuity of Christ The which account of times past from the Creation vnto this present yeere shall come to amount to 5563 yeeres but such Histories neyther can bee found nor euer were But for Moses and his faithfull Writings euen prophane Authors and Histories of the Gentiles themselues haue beene euen as it were â—iuinely constrayned to â—eaâ—e testimony maâ—ger their Calâ—mnies Lyeâ— Dreames and Disguisings through and by the Invincible force of Truth And so they haue serued for Certificates to all Nations of the venerable and well knowne Antiquity of him and his Holy Writs For some of them haue noted and writ thus as a thing notorious of their times to witt That is the East Trogus Iustinus parts and of Syâ—ia it selfe there had beene an Abraham an Israel and euen a Ioseph who say they was a Sonne of the sayd Israel sold by his brethren and led into Aegypt Then how hee was receiued into the Court and held very dearely with the King to whom hee foretold the grieuous and great famine so as without the diuine Counsell by him giuen whereupon the admonished King gathered vp and made reseruation of Corne before the time of the sayd Famiâ—e Aegypt had perished And finally how his Successor Moses and all his People issued out of Aegypt came to Mount Syna how they consecrated the Seuenth day for their Sabbaoth or Resting dayâ— But I wil leaue this Discourse though diuersified from a spark of Truth that these Historians haue mixed with their owne deuices as prophaâ—â—e and in which they were poorely Aduertised and deceiued by the subtilty of Sathan as we may well know by conferring their VVriting with the Holy Bible And bee it that these Scofferâ— of GOD and his Holy Word dare be so bold to say and calumniate that MOSES and his haue suppressed and abolished all praeceâ—ent Histories making their Writings to be before all others thereby to Authorize them the better but wee will leaue those their calumnies to the iudgement of any of sound sense and vnderstanding If that could be or can haue any place or shaddow of beliefe amongst men of sound iudgement or reasonable Discourse for if they wil put into mature consideration the small meanes and contemptible quality in the world of these poore Israelites but Shepheards and breeders of Cattle and which is worse people exposed to the oppressions and hard seruitude vnder their puissant Enemies and euill disposed Neighbours Then who shall make comparison of them with great Kings and people of the Earth Babilonians Aegytians Syrians Romans and other Potentates who with all their Authority
THE Auncient History Of the Septuagint VVritten in Greeke by ARISTEVS 1900. Yeares since Of his Voyage to Hierusalem as Ambassador from PTOLOMEVS PHILADELPHVS vnto ELEAZER then Pontiffe of the IEWES Concerning the First Translation of the HOLY BIBLE by the 72. Interpreters With many other remarkable Circumstances Newly done into ENGLISH By I. DONE Tempora Tempera Tempore LONDON Printed by N. OKES 1633. ⧠TO THE Intelligent Generall READER ALthough TIME and DEATH from our Cradles to our Graues pursue vs swiftly and according to the Almighties Ordinance ouertake and seaze vpon our fraile and Terrestriall parts vpon some sooner vpon others later Yet Excellent Acts like strong Eagles breake from their seazure and soare aboue them in so sublime a pitch as neither Time with all his Power and rusty Powder with which hee blots and rubs out Brasse and Marble can quite obscure or extinguish them neither Death close in his darke-gaping Mouth the Graue their Noblenesse Witnesse this small yet Auncient History which this last Summer I made part of my Exercise to put into an English Habite That the Story is Auncient I may well say for it is 1900. yeeres since Aristeus Writ it to his Brother Philocrates which Aristeus St. Hierome in his Epistle to the Pentatucke of the Bible Great Esquire sayes was Hyperaspistes to Ptolomeus Philadelphus King of Aegypt Syria Phâ—nicia and Cilicia and Sonne of Ptolomeus Lagus one of the great Captaines of Alexander Magnus that diuided his Conquests the World amongst them This Ptolomeus Philadelphus then a most accomplish'd young Gentleman vertuously disposed and so great a louer of Learning as hee had accumulated into his Library according to some Authors 1800000. Volumes Printing Argument of the HISTORY not then risen in our Hemispheare was by the sayd Aristeus a most Noble Person and a great friend of the then captiued Iewes as an Instrument of God for the liberty and freedome of them then his people practised with Demetrius Phalerius to tell the King that his so aboundant Library was but poore because it wanted the Booke of Bookes the sacred Volume of GOD which we call the Holy Bible The King vertuously couetous thereof demanded how hee should best acquire it Aristeus wayting this desiered occasion proportioned his aduice that he should first set all the Captiued Iewes not onely in Aegypt but also in Syria c. at free liberty send Ambassadours and Presents to Eleazer their High Priest and Pontiffe The King willingly accordes thereto as to the Musick of his desires and prepares most rich presents as a Table of Massie Gold embellish't with Precious Stones Cups of Gold and Siluer likewise adorned sets at freedome the Captiued by publicke Edict Embasies with these gifts and diuers Talents of Gold and Siluer Aristeus and Andrea Prince and great Captaine of the Guard of his Person They goe deliuer his Letters of Request and Commends haue gracious entertainment returne with the 72. Interpreters Iewes Letters and also Eleazers Presents to the King and in especiall with the Sacred Volume and Word of God The good King adores the Bookes feasts the Bringers who after fall to the Businesse and Translated it out of the Hebrew into the Greeke the common learned Language of those Times made famous by the Sword of Alexander And this in briefe is the effect of this Venerable History which is by mee thus made yours And though I seeme to Anticipate thus to you yet it is as nothing for in it selfe as you may further see it is Elabourately and Eloquently Written by the sayd Aristeus and let no man wonder too much thereat as thinking our Times excels theirs in Eloquence no For who euer exceeded Demostenes the Greeke or Cicero the Latine therein Lastly to speake the Praise of History Libri sunt vasa memoriae and worthy Historicall Bookes haue in them a kinde of Diuine Permanency and as Eminent Persons should affect Noble actions so ought they to cherish the Registers as their Honourers For hath not Plutarcke made those Gyant Heroes as Theseus Romulus Alexander Iulius Caesar and the rest yet liue and himselfe more praysefully longer then them all So as an ignorant swaggering Fellow threatned his Aduersary to kill him if he had as many liues as Plutarcke Did not Alexander sigh for an other Homer Lastly if I haue in honour of the History like one holding a lighted Taper to the cleare noone-shining Sunne made an Appendix shewing the Antiquitie and Dignity of the Bookes by the said SEPTVAGINT Translated and the Excellency of their inspired Writer Moses and haue therein beene too prolixious pardon mee because of the Profoundity and Worthinesse of the matter So I referre you to that and the rest and so rest Yours Iohn Done The Elenchus or Contence of the Following Booke CHaracters of the Persons that were herein ayders imploying and imployed p. 1. Aristeus to his Brother Philocrates p. 11. The Discourse that Aristeus helde with King Ptolomy for the deliuerance of the Iewes p. 20 The Request of Demetrius Phalerius to King Ptolomy p. 30. Tenour of the Letter of King Ptolomy to Eleazer great Pontife of Ierusalem p. 33. Eleazer Pontiffe to King Ptolomy our most Illustrious friend p. 38. The names of those which were chosen of all the Lines and Tribes of the Iewes to goe into Aegypt for the Translation of the LAVV of MOSES p. 41. Of the Presents sent to Eleazer Pontiffe of the Iewes by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus p. 45 Of the Vessels Cups and Viols of Gold p. 55. Of the City of Hierusalem and Region there-abouts as it was 260. yeeres before the Birth of our Sauiour p. 61. Of the Sacrificators p. 65. Of the Great Pontiffe Eleazer p. 67 Of the Fortresse or Castle of Hierusalem p. 69. Yet â—ore of the Towne p. 71. Of the Region about Hierusalem and of the Policy of the Country-people or Pesants p. 72. What manner of men the Translators of the LAVV were p. 79. Of the Answere made by Eleazer vpon certaine points of the LAVV of MOSES p. 91. Returne of the Ambassadors into Alexandria with the Doctors Iewes and how the King adored the Holy Law seuen times with teares in his eyes p. 109 Answers of the Doctors Iewes to Questions propounded by King Ptolomeus Philadelphus p. 118. The meanes held by the 72. Doctors in their interpreting the Law p. 171. A Discourse in way of Apology concerning the truth of this Story Also diuers Opinions of both Auncient and Moderne Authorities and Fathers concerning the manner of the Translation p. 181 Lastly an Appendix in my honour of this Auncient and Famous History discoursing the Antiquity and Dignity of the Books and the excellency of their inspired Writer Moses p. 198. CERTAINE Praecognita or Characters of the chiefe Persons mentioned in the insuing HISTORY 1. Of PTOLOMEVS PHILADELPHVS PTOLOMEVS second of that Name Surnamed Philadelphus King of Aegypt of Phaenicia and of Cypres sonne of the first Ptolomeus sonne of a One
rest GOD inspireth men with power to discerne the right of Kings To the other In what things are we constrayned to be sorrowfull IN the Calamities and Aduersities of our friends and most when we see that such calamities are of long indurance and inevitable and when they are therewith so attached as to make them dye For in such griefes there is no meanes how we can take off our sorrow there were there is no possible hope of remedy nor any profitable to be found against such accidents with which all humane kind so are grieued For to auoyde wholly all mischances is a businesse rather for a DIVINE power then a Mortall To the other In what thing a man depriues himselfe of Glory and Honour VVHen a man becomes vntractable and inaccessible by fiercenesse and pride for then vituperation comes vpon him and priuation of honour followes him for GOD who is the Dominator of Glory giues and takes it away as seemeth good to him To the other What kind of men he ought most to trust TO those who beare you such loue that neyther Feare nor Auarice nor Ambition nor Couetousnesse ☜ nor hope of Lucre cannot at all haue any power to diuert them Neuerthelesse the index of this Loue is not easily to be discerned and in the same it is needfull to haue Obseruation by long space of time for those which being neere to a King aspires to make themselues rich and spareth no meanes to plucke by his fauour great hauings and are naturally traytorâ— But GOD conduct Great King your Councell that they may sufficiently shew you who are those that perfitly loue you To the other What is that which conserueth a Kingdome THat is that the King take dilligent care and giue order that those who are in Office and haue charge commit no vndue things agaynst the profit of the people The which you know very well to do for as it seemeth GOD hath giuen you a spirit very excellent To the other By what meanes hee might keepe Grace and Honour BY Vertue For she is the accomplishment of all fayre Workes and trips vp the feete of Vice as you it appeares know very well how to doe by your excellent Bounty towards all persons Which in you is a signe of the gift of GOD. To the ther. How in Time of Warre he might keep himselfe still in Tranquillity of Spirit IF you propose in your vnderstanding to giue order that your Lieutenants and Captaynes commit nothing that is Euill but that they contend by Vertue one with another for the prooffe of their vertue and further that they haue in you a perfect confidence that you will haue their Domesticke affayres in a singuler recommendation if it happen that they loose their Liues for and in your Seruice By this meanes you shall haue no Occasion to grieue you selfe disposing all prudently by DIVINE Clemency which will inspire you to vnderstand all that is good King PTOLOMIE receiuing this Answere with great Congratulation and Ioy with a cheerefull Countenance entreated them all to Drinke shewing extreame contentment The seauenth Day the Feast was prepared more great and more sumptuous then it had hetherto beene because that many Ambassadours from Cittiâ—s were hither Arriued Then all being set in their Order the King fâ—nding occasion to deuise asked the first of those that had not yet savde their aduise in this same manner How hee might bee resolued throughly by reason and by Arguments IF you Weigh well the pâ—opositions which you shall hold and the persons which speake and the Subiect whereof they Treate and that you often informe your selfe and that in diuers manners and by long interualls of time of the estate of the aboue-sayd Affayres For the Bounty of the Spirit is an illustrate gift of GOD by the which one may easily know and discerne all things To the other Wherefore is it that many cannot Approach vnto Vertue BEcause Nature hath Created all Humanes subiect to incontinence and prompt to voluptuousnesse from whence iniustice and inequity is ingendred and Auariciousnesse grows a gathere But the estate of Vertue which is fastned to a sublimed place casts farre away those that by their Voluptuousnesse are from her most distancedâ— For shee commaunds before all things that Iustice and Magnanimity shal be Obserued the which GOD giues and is thereof the chiefe To the other What is that which Kings ought to follow aboue all things THat is the Lawes To the ende that they ruling the liues of Subiects by iust and equitable Acts as wee haue heard you doe Great King you shall gayne by this meanes immortall memory in following the pâ—eâ—epts and Commaundments of GOD. To the other Who are those that one ought to elect for Offices and Magistracies THey are those that haue in hatred things vniust and that are imitators of your affections and that being drawne with the sweetnesse of prayse goe incessantly after good operations to come to glory and honour to which certainely O Worthy King still following Vertue you will attaine For GOD is hee that crowneth with honour and glory glorious Iustice To the other What persons ought one to choose for Captaines THose who are the most excellent in Iustice and Magnanimity and that haue more respect to the liues of men then to a bloody Victory For GOD is hee from whom Humanes receiue infinite goodnesse the which you shall follow in still following the doing of so much goodnesse to your Subiects To the other Who is the man worthy of admiration THat is hee who is exuberant and abundant in glory and greatnesse opulent in Riches and sublime in Puissance and neuerthelesse yeelds himselfe iust and equitable to euery one as we haue heard Great King you doe and the same shall make your selfe admirable to euery one For so GOD will engraue this Solicitude in your heart To the other What behoueth that hee exercise himselfe in when he is at leasure thereby not to be drown'd in Sloth IT is necessary to put into consideration and that with great diligence the discourse which presenteth it selfe to the vnderstanding touching the forme and image how to liue which one ought to haue incessantly before the eyes Likewise to reduce into the memory to what end property and vertue were all things ordained because in the sayd discourse there is faire and honest pastime conioyned with Science For amongst little and vild things one finds many times something that one is well pleased to choose and take for the rest Great King it seemes well to vs GOD hath so fauoured you with perfect bounty that you will still be eâ—ecting all vertuous behauiour and elegance by the honour you beare to the study of Wisedome To the other In what things ought Kings most to employ their time IN the knowledge of Histories and in reading Bookes which entreate of affaires that most often present themselues to him in whom it is needfull that hee imploy much time It be houeth
places wee read of in the 17. Chapter of the Booke of Exodus where it is sayd GOD Commaunded him to Write and that in the same yeare the people of Israel issued out of Aegypt which was from the Creation of the World 2513. vpon which wee may aduertise our selues that the yeares are Calculated according to Verity of the sayd Scriptures by the Faithfull Seruants of GOD which haue happily trauayled therein And therefore wee neede not rest vppon the calculation of Histories Annalls and humane Chronicles or other Writers that haue not intirely followed Holy Scriptures who are discordant amongst themselues and many times directly opposite to one anothers times Therefore if we dilligently search all Antiquities and Writings of men of all Nations that haue any appearance of certayne time wherein those Writings were made and after conferre those times with the things recited and inregistred by the Holy Prophet MOSES and the time wherein he Writ them we shall see manifestly the Excellency and Antiquity that he is herein aboue all men For the Fables and disguisments of prophane Poets Greekes and Latins which all came long time after MOSES Amongst them I say we shal see no other but manifest Dreames Lyes and amongst other things noteable some corruptions of the Sacred Scriptures long before Written of which they hauing heard some inckling and receiued it as from hand to hand or drawne it from his Writings or heard it recounted by the Father to the Sonne and they from their Auncestors which were the Children and Successours of the three Sonnes of Noe who was the second Father of humane kinde and restorer of the Nations of all the World all issuing from his Posterity after the vniuersall Flood His three Sonnâ—â— as Holy Scripture hath acquainted vs with were Sem Cham and Iaphet of whom are descended all the Earth And this before spoken is easily and sufficiently discouered in the Writings of the sayd Pagans by the proper names of the sayd Children of Noe and of their Successors which of long time before these writings and prophane Histories had beene named by MOSES For the Pagans testifie thaâ— the people had made of these Auncient Father Idolls and gods As of Iaphet Iapetus they drew Iauan Ianus and Ion and because they were names held in the Hebrew Letters or value of them they accommodated them to their tongues and letters and to make them more easie and glib in their accustomed pronounciation came neere but with alteration And if we will goe more high and weigh the old Times of the first Age which preceeded the Flood as wee haue it from that onely History of MOSES in the Holy Bible we shall easily perceiue that the Pagan Poets and Writers haue receiued euen the Auncient names and mingled them amongst their Fables and Dreames and drawne them from the Holy Scriptures And so it shall appeare plainly that their falce god Vulcan is not very hard to vnmaske that he was a mortall man and one of the Sonnes of the other Lamech the prime Bigamist and corrupter of Marriage who descended of that accursed Race of Caine And this appeares by the faculty of this Vulcan which was a Smith or forger of Armour And MOSES declares him so and by his name too for hee is by him called Thu-vulcain and euery one any thing skil'd in the Hebrew knowes that if they leaue the first letter which is seruile and put to forme the name according to the manner of the Hebrewes it will appeare meere Vulcain for their letter ב B. hauing not a pricke in him is pronounced as our v consonant And for the name of Vulcains wife by MOSES cald Nehama which signifieth faire in their language or as speakes the Latins Venusta It is a playne course to discouer vayne beauty or their so much celebrated vnchast and wanton Venus A goodly Race and fayre family of that accursed murtherer Caine. And here may we see some of the proper gods and Idols of the poore Pagans amongst that Anthil of such other ill stolne names vnhandsomely fetch'd from the Holy Scriptures with and by the subtilty of the Diuell to the end that a wicked troope of execrable â—yants violent oppressors of men Theeues and Adulterous desperates shaken off and damned by the VVord of GOD. Of whom the first Apostate and lyer Sathan made his counterfeit gods and Idols the old Serpent expert and knowing in all malice that there was no better way for him to muffle and blind humane iudgement from the knowledge of the true GOD at first ingrauen in the Soules of men but by this counterfeite deuice with Posterity But to passe further in our begunne purpose touching the fabulous writings of the Pagan Poets wee shall finde that their Discourse in the best we can of it is but corruptions of the Truth in the Holy Scriptures of GOD or things therein reuealed turn'd by them into dreames and prophane Narrations As we may see in that they writ of the Creation of the world and gouernment of the same of the Diuine vertue that Ouid. 1. de Meâ—â— Virgil. 6. de Aeneid Virgill Eglog â—â— 5. sustaines and interiourly nourisheth all things of the consumation of Heauen and Earth with fire at the last day and also of the restoration of the World and of all things in such good order for all so many confusions proceeding from sinne All which things they might obtaine and by some darke meanes draw from the Bookes of Holy Scripture and sacred Prophets Translated out of Hebrew into other Languages or vnderstand some thing by meanes of the dispersion Iosephus antiq of the People of Israel spread through all the Prouinces of the Romane Empire and through all the Quarters of the World For the Iewes had for the most part leaue in all places to hold their Synagogues and to haue publicke Lectures of Act. 18. 20 their Law and Prophets When thesâ— Poets flatterers of men turn'd all that spoken of the Person of Christ the promised Redeemer that then was expected falsely to apply theâ— by flattery to their Princes false-gods Virgil. Aâ—â—erd and Idols But let vs leaue all those Iuglers and Lyers that durst bee so prophanely bold to corrupt the pure Verity of Gods Word and speake wee of the Gentiles Writings how long they came after Moses and Writ since he and that euen they haue giuen Testimony to him and his Diuine Writings which may at least suffice to convince all Contradictors that Moses was in Nature and before them all Wee vnderstanding that his reckoning is a perpetuall following all the yeeres since the Creation of the World euen vnto his time as it is easie to gather by his Bookes and his account of the yeeres and liues of the first Fathers from Adam vnto the Patriarke Abraham and after from his Successors as from Father to Sonne to wit Isaacke Iacob Leui Caath Amram and then Aaron and Moses himselfe Children of the sayd Amram And that hee