were led into captiuity as is euident in the same first chapter of Daniel And that the captiuitie of Iuda began at this time though it was increased twise after 2. King 24. 10 c. and chap. 25. 1. c. Reade Matth. chap. 1. verse 11. compared with 2. Chron. 36. 9. Where see the note of Tremelius and Iunius for the opening of that place by another like place 2. Kin. chap. 16. 2. and also how that which is written 2. Chron. 36. 9. agreeth with 2. King 24. 8. For by this conference of places it is manifest that Iehoiachin was eight yeares old not when he himselfe but when Iehoiakim began to reigne Neare vpon which time the Euangelist Matthew in the place before cited beginneth the captiuitie writing thus Iacim he meaneth Iehoiakim begate Iechonias that is Iehoiachin and his brethren about the time they were caried away to Babylon FOr from the beginning of the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim recken the rest of his reigne which was 8 yeares 2. King chap. 23. 36. ch 24. 12. in so much as the 8. yeare of the reigne of the king of Babell was the eleuenth yeare of Iehoiakim and adde moreouer to these eight yeares of Iehoiakim those 37 which followed from the carying away of Iehoiachin the sonne of Iehoiakim to Babell vntill Iehoiachin was there aduaunced as we sawe before with the which aduancement of Iehoiachin the second booke of Kings is concluded and so we haue the storie continued till 45 yeares after that the captiuitie of Iuda began 1. Booke of CHRONICLES THe first booke of Chronicles so called in Greeke after the Hebrue inscriptiō which is the first Booke of dayes or times it is onely an abridgement of the whole historie of the holy Bible from the beginning of the world to the end of king Dauids reigne sauing that the genealogies of Israell are described more at large chap. 2. c. 2. Booke of CHRONICLES continueth the Storie 25 yeares longer then 2. Kings THis second booke of Chronicles beginning at king Salomōs reigne carieth forth the storie of the second booke of Kings no further then to the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persia that is only 25 yeares beyond the extent of that second booke of Kings For the captiuitie beginning at the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar and continuing all the time of his reigne yea also vnder the reigne of Euil-merodach as was alleaged before and yet further vnto the death of Belshazzar Dan. chap. 5. and chap. 7. 1. and chap. 8. 1. and Ier. 25. 26. where the Prophet prophesieth against this drunken king vnder the name of Sheshach which word in the Babylonian tongue noteth the solemnizing of some feast as it were to Bacchus See the note of Tremelius Iunius vpon that place of Ierimiah The captiuity I say thus beginning at the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar and continuing to the first yeare of Cyrus whereat the second booke of Chronicles endeth it is the space onely of 70 yeares Reade 2. Chron. 36. 21. 22. and Ezra 1. 1. c. and Dan. 9. 1. c. So then to out former summe of 345 yeares contained in the Storie of the second booke of Kings that is to the 45. yeare of the captiuitie of Iuda we haue in this second booke of Chronicles onely the addition of 25 yeares to make vp the number of 70 which was the end of the same captiuitie EZRA NEHEMIAH and DANIEL 490 yeares IN the dayes of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel many thousands of the Iewes being by the conduct of Zerubbabel and other Princes and namely of Sheshbazzar that Tirshatha or Commissioner whom king Cyrus had appointed chiefe Prince of Iuda to put them in possession of their land by his authoritie Ezra ch 2. 1. 2. verse 36. and chap. 5. 14. 15. 16. Whether Zerubbabel or rather one properly named Sheshbazzar were that Tirshatha or Commissioner as afterward it is recorded that Nehemia was for his time Tirshatha or the kings Commissioner Nehem. chap. 8. verse 9. and chap. 10. 1. the Iewes I say being thus by thousands returned to their owne land whereunto God of his most gratious goodnesse had restored them they do earnestly indeuour to reedifie the holy citie and temple of Ierusalem which Nebuchadnezzer had burnt in the 19. yeare of his raigne 2. King 25. 8. 9. 10. they were through the same most gratious goodnesse of God setled to remaine and abide therein from the time of that their returne to the death of our Sauiour Christ that is by the space of 490 yeeres Dan. 9. 24. c. In the which space also they enioyed the gratious and comfortable protection of God vnder the reigne of the kings of the Medes Persians for the first 100 of those yeares more But let vs consider of this portion of the holy history more particularly And first concerning the booke of Ezra EZRA THe booke of Ezra continuing the holy historie from the returne of Iuda out of their captiuitie vnto the time that the Temple and citie of Ierusalem was built which was the space of 49 yeares to wit from the first yeare of Cyrus to the twentith yeare of Darius the son of Ahashuerosh whom it is thought Queen Ester bare vnto him concerning which space of time vnto the building of the Temple finished read Daniel chap. 9. 25. where the Angel informed Daniel that it should be performed in the first seuen times seuen yeares that is in 49 yeares it reporteth the Storie in this order Cyrus King of Persia proclaimed liberty to the Iewes to returne to their land yea he gaue thē his princely incouragement and furtherance towards the building of the Temple and citie of Ierusalem for the worship of the true God of Israell Ezra chap. 1. And this no doubt he did with the consent of Darius who was of the seed of the Medes and was made King of the Chaldeans These two kings and their kingdomes being confederate together in one monarchie Dan. chap. 5. ver 28. 31. and chap. 6. 1. 2. 3. 8. c. and chap. 9. 1. 2. likewise Ester 1. 3. 19. So thē the Iewes in the second yeare of their comming laid the foundation of the Temple chap. 3. 8. Neuerthelesse shortly after they had done so they were forthwith hindred from proceeding in the worke of the Lord by diuerse malicious aduersaries who laboured their hindrance to the vttermost of that they could any way procure The worke therfore stayed euen from the third yeare of Cyrus that it could not prosperously goe forward vntill the second yeare of Darius the sonne of Ahashuerosh of whom mention was made a litle before Ezra chap. 4. vers 5. 24. and Zacharie chap. 1. 1. This second yeare of Darius was the 32. yeare after the Iewes returne as may easily be perceiued in so much as the 19. year of the same Darius which was the yeare before Nehemiah came in commission for the finishing of the walles and
the appearance of our Sauiour he was acknowledged by the Spirit of prophesie When the time came that he should be more fully manifested to all Israel which was when he was about thirtie yeares of age Luke 3. 23 Iohn the Baptist being a Prophet yea greater then a Prophet Luke 7. 26. He did not onely point Christ out personally when hee shewed himselfe but he preached assuredly that he should shew himselfe before he had seene him therefore baptized the people into his name who should shortly shew himselfe to be the Sauiour among them As touching our Sauiour himselfe we know that he was the Prince of Prophets most mightie in word and deed to whom all the Prophets giue witnesse and whom God promised to raise vp as one of whom Moses was but a certaine figure and type Luke chap. 24. verse 19. and verses 25 26. 27. Read also Deut. chap. 18. 15. Act. 3. 22. 23. 24. and chap. 10. 38. 43. He hath reuealed most clearely the secretes of the kingdome of heauen euen from the bosome and counsell of the Father Isai. chap. 9. 6. Iohn 1. 18. By his Spirit all the former Prophetes prophesied according to that which is written concerning Noah 1. Pet. 3. 18 19 20. He foretold the destruction of Ierusalem which accordingly came to passe as also that many Antichrists should rise vp as since they haue done namely in the succession of the Antichrist of Rome and finally that he will come againe at the last day to iudge the world which shall as certainly be perfourmed in due time by him as anie thing which he hath foretold is already accomplished in the season thereof Finally after the ascension of our Sauiour Christ vp into heauen from the which time the gifts of the holy Ghost were aboundantly poured downe vpon the Church many were furnished with the gift of Prophesie for so we read Ephes. 4. 11. He gaue some to be Apostles some Prophetes c. See the proofe of it Act. chap. 11. 27 28. In those dayes came Prophetes from Ierusalem to Antiochia Of the which one named Agabus foretold the great famine which came vpon all the world vnder Claudius the Emperour The same Agabus foretold the afflictions of Paule Act. 21. 10. 11. And in the same chapter vers 8. 9. Saint Luke reporteth that Philip the Euangelist had foure daughters which did prophesie Reade againe chap. 19. 6. Paule layd his hands on cercertaine Disciples of Ephesus and they spake with tongues and prophesied The Apostle Paule himselfe by the spirite of prophesie foretold the time of the rising of Antichrist that he should fall againe 2. Thes. chap. 2. So doth the Apostle Iohn in the booke of the Reuelation chap. 17. where also he noteth out the place and seat of Antichrist by such a descrption of it as agreeth only to Rome Yea in that booke he describeth very liuely the afflictions of the Church such as should fall vpoÌ„ it euen to the end of the world And last of all how glorious the estate thereof shall be thenceforth when Christ shal once haue perfected the mariage betwixt himselfe and it And thus the whole Prophesie of the holy Scriptures is with that propheticall booke sealed and shut vp Reuel chap. 22. 18. 19. 20. 21. The Conclusion THis constant spirit of Prophesie as it were the lode-starre or haruenger of time and the certaine performance of all things in their proper seasons euen as they were foretold as well the more particular as the more generall Prophesies and that also concerning all forreigne and heathen nations as wel as concerning Iudah and Israell according as holymen of God spake not of priuate motion but as they were moued and guided by the holy Ghost as the Apostle Peter testifieth 2. ep ch 1. 20 21. Inso much as we may say generally according to that we reade Amos 3. 7. Surely the Lord hath done nothing but he hath reuealed his secret to his seruants the Prophets And chiefly the constant foretelling performance of al things concerning Christ Iesus our Lord and his kingdom concerning euery part of his humiliation and the whole glorie which was to followe according as the Prophetes are said to haue searched into these things 1. Pet. 1. 10. 11. This constant and certaine spirit of Prophesie I say giueÌ„ to the Church from time to time for the clearing confirming of that foundation of all prophesie which God himselfe had layd from the beginning as was sayd before and which wee reade of Gen. 3. 15. c. in that he hath by his owne voyce published that the seed of the womaÌ„ should breake the serpents head according also to that which is written that God is the father of Prophetes and that his Spirit is the Spirit of prophesie 1. Sam. 10. 5 6 10 11 12. and chap. 19. 20. c. It is an infallible confirmation of the truth of our Christian religion and of the certaintie of Gods determinate counsell and most vigilant prouidence in the continuall ordering and gouerning of his Church and all the holie affaires and ordinances giuen vnto it from the beginning to the end according to that which the Lord himselfe saith Isai 46. 9. 10. Remember the former things of olde for I am God and there is no other God and there is no king like me Who declareth the last thing from the beginning from of olde the things that were not done saying My counsell shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will And as the Apostle Iames saith as was alleadged before Act. 15. 18. From the beginning of the world God knoweth all his works that is to say he so knoweth them that he hath a care to accomplish and performe them euerie one in the time and season thereof according to his owne counsell and appointment with himselfe And now further let vs diligeÌ„tly obserue that the certainty of al things already accomplished according to the prophesies formerly giueÌ„ forth of them ought to be a like vndoubted confirmation of our faith in the assured expectation of all things foretold whatsoeuer the holy scriptures certifie vs to be yet vnfulfilled Such as are the full consumption and abolishment of Antichrist by the brightnesse of the Lords comming 2. Thes. 2. 8. That the Lord will from time to time call home his full number both of the lost Iewes and also of the Gentiles to the faith and saluation of Christ euen to the end of the world Rom. 11. 25. c. and Matth. 24. 31. That there shal be a general resurrection of the dead a generall iudgement vpon all men either to perpetuall woe and misery or to eternall happinesse and glorie Mat. 25. 31. The vse of which our faith and perswasion of the whole ground warrantise therof ought finally and for our full conclusion to be this that we being afore hand made priuie to all these holy secretes of God being in vndoubted expectation of the fulfilling of theÌ„ chiefly of the comming of our Sauiour Christ to iudgement should according to the most holy instruction of the Gospell both learne and practise more and more to denie all vngodlines worldly lusts and to liue soberly and iustly and godly in this present world Tit. 12. 1. 12. c. God of his infinite mercie vouchsafe vs his grace so to do euen for the same our Lord Iesus Christs sake Amen The few errata escaped in some bookes of this Impression To the Reader lin 11. In for It. Pag. 20. lin penult in is wanting Pag 36. lin vlt. adout for about Pag. 38. Titus and Vespasian by a misplacing of the words for Vespasian and Titus 3933 from the beginning of thâ—… world to the birth oâ—… Christ anâ—… 1600 to thâ—… preseÌ„t yerâ—… since his birth they make this totall sum of the old age of the world 5533. From Aâ—… to the dâ—… luge werâ—… ten generations 1. Shethâ—… who suppâ—… eth the roome oâ—… Abel whâ—… Cain sleâ—… 2. Enosh 3. Kenan Mahalaleel Iered Henoch Methuah Lamech Noah 〈◊〉 Shem. From thâ—… deluge or drowning of the world to the birth Isaak in whoÌ„ al tâ—… nations oâ—… the earth are blesseâ—… there werâ—… likewise tâ—… generatioÌ„s 1. Arpacâ—… shad 2. Shelah 3. Eber. 4. Peleg 5. Reu. 6. Serug 7. Nahor 8. Terah 9. Abram 10. Isaak Iaakob Ioseph Moses Departure â—…ut of Egypt Giuing of â—…he law The Taâ—…ernable â—…rected Ioshua God stirred vp 13 mightie Iudges for the deliuerance of Israel after the death of Ioshuah 〈◊〉 Othniel 2. Ehud 3. ShaÌ„gar 4. Deborah 5. Gideon 6. Abimelech 7. Tolah 8. Iaire 9. Iphtah 10. Ibsan 11. Elon 12. Abdon 13. Samson Eli. Samuel Saule Dauid The first â—…ooke of Kings conâ—…aineth the â—…istory of 5 â—…ings of â—…uda 〈◊〉 SalomoÌ„ 〈◊〉 Rehoboâ—…am 〈◊〉 Abiiam 4. Asa. 5 Ichoshaphat The secoÌ„d booke of Kings containeth the historie or 15. kings of Iuda beside queen Athaliah who maketh vp the number of 16. 1. Iehoram 2. Ahaziah Athaliah 3. Iehoash 4. Amazia 5. Azariah or Vzziah 6. Iotham 7. Ahaz 8 Hezekiah 9. Manasses 10. Amon. 11. Iosiah 12. Iehoahaz 13. Iehoiakim 14. Iehoiachin 15. Zedekiah The Captiuitie of Iuda beginneth Yeeres 45 from the beginning of the captiuity to the end of the second booke of Kings The captiuity of Iuda endeth The return of Iuda out of their â—…aptiuity Ezra Nehemiâ—… Ester Daniel The appearing manifestation of Christ as also the time of his death The time of the casting off of the Iewes The time of the calling of the Gentiles â—…rch â—…ng 〈◊〉 The peace of the church mixed with sundry afflictions The rising of Antichrist Mat. 24. 24. Luk. 21. 8. The fall of Antichrist The last iudgemeÌ„t The first classis or companie of Prophets The secoÌ„d classis or coÌ„panie of Prophets The third classis or coÌ„pany of Prophets The fourth Classis oâ—…â—…oÌ„pany of Prophets The fift Classis or coÌ„pany of Prophets â—…he sixth â—…assis or â—…pany of â—…rophets The seâ—… classis oâ—… coÌ„pany Prophâ—… â—…e eighth â—…is or â—…panie 〈◊〉 The last classis or coÌ„panie of Prophets
yeare when Othniel the sonne of Kenaz died From the death of this Othniel to the times wherein Ehud the second Iudge and Shamgar the third had iudged Israell there were 80 yeeres chap. 3. 30. 31. For in that account the time of Shamgar must be reckened with the time of Ehud or else comprehended in the former part of the 40 yeares next following because otherwise the time wherein he executed the iudgement of God should be altogether omited It is likely that his time was but short From those 80 yeares to the end of the gouernment of Deborah who was the fourth Iudge though a woman there passed 40 yeares chap. 5. 31. Frō this yeare to the end of Gideons iudgment who was the fift Iudge were also 40 yeares chap. 8. 28. After Gideon was Abimelech the sixt Iudge who iudged Israell 3 yeeres chap. 9. 22. Next Abimelech arose Tolah the seuenth Iudge who iudged Israell 23 yeares chap. 10. 1. 2. Then Iaire the eight Iudge hee iudged 22 yeares chap. 10. 3. Iphtah the ninth iudged 6 yeares chap. 12. 7. And after Iphtah Ipsan who was the tenth Iudge he iudged 7 yeares chap. 12. 9. Next Ibsan rose Elon the eleuenth he iudged 10 yeares chap. 12. 11. And in the same chapter verse 14. Abdon hath the place of the twelfth Iudge by the space of 8 yeares And last of all Samson the thirteenth who mightily iudged auenged Israell whole 20 yeares cha 16. 31. All these particular numbers 40 to the death of Othniel 80 to the death of Shamgar 40 to the end of Deborahs gouernment 40 to the death of Gideon 3 of Abimelech 23 of Tolah 22 of Iaire 6 of Iphtah 7 of Ibsan 10 of Elon 8 of Abdon 20 of Samson they make vp one whole summe of 299 yeares And so farre extendeth the booke of the Iudges As for that which is written in the beginning of the thirteenth chapter of this booke concerning that 40 years of Israels oppression vnder the hands of the Philistims as though it had bin betwixt the time of Abdon Samson it is not so to be vnderstood but we must reckē those yeares beginning so as they must end either at or with the gouernment of Samson In the which time of fortie yeares though Israell had Iudges yet we are thereby giuen to vnderstand that they were sundry times greatly molested by their aduersaries within the compasse of the same And concerning all that which followeth in the rest of the booke of the Iudges from the 17. chapter to the end of the booke as also touching that historie recorded in the booke of Ruth though the matters therein contained be placed after the time already accounted yet doe they belong to some of the former seasons And of the historie of Ruth it is expresly afirmed in the beginning therof that it fell out in the time that the Iudges ruled at such time as there was a dearth in the land of Israell c. 1. Booke of SAMVEL 80 yeares THis space of 80 years was partly the time of Elies gouernement which continued 40 yeares 1. Sam. chap. 4. vers 18. And partly it was the time both of Samuels gouernment and also of the reigne of Saul the which reckened together were likewise 40 yeers So is that to be vnderstood which we reade Act. 13. 20. 21. God gaue to Israell Iudges about 450 yeares vnto the time of Samuel the Prophet The Apostle in that number reckening the time of Elie his gouernment among the Iudges and also vulgarly reckeneth the times as they are dated as well for the oppressions of Israell by their aduersaries such as were Chusan by the space of eight yeares Eglon 18. Sisera 20. The Madianites 7 The Amonites 18. The Philistims 40 as for their deliuerances by their Iudges and Sauiours 299 besides the 40. yeares of Elie. And then it followeth in the former place of the Acts. So after that they desired a King God gaue vnto them Saul the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin by the space of forty yeares The Apostle here also reckoning the gouerument of Samuell with the reigne of Saule vnder the couert whereof it is as it were shadowed or concealed 2. Booke of SAMVEL 40 yeares THe reigne of king Dauid was also the space of 40 yeares 2. Sam. 5. 4. 5. In Hebron saith the Text he reigned 7 yeares and sixe moneths ouer Iuda and in Ierusalem he reigned 33 yeares ouer all Israell and Iuda Thus with the end of king Dauids reigne which was at the end of his life this second booke of Samuel endeth 1. Booke of KINGS 117 yeares THis 117 yeares is the time of the raigne of fiue Kings of Iuda First of Salomon who raigned 40 yeares 1. King chap. 11. 42. Then Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon 17 yeares chap. 14. 21. The third Abijam whose reigne was three yeares chap. 15. 2. but not compleate so that the third yeare of Abijam was also the first of Asa For Ieroboam beginning his reigne ouer Israel when Rehoboam began to reigne ouer Iuda it is expresly sayd that Abijam beganne his reigne in the eighteenth yeare of Ieroboam chap. 15. 1. And it is likewise said that Asa began his reigne in the twentith yeare of the same Ieroboam We haue therefore only two whole yeares betwixt Rehoboam and Asa. This Asa the fourth king of Iuda to wit of those mentioned in this first booke of Kings he reigned 41 yeares as we reade further in the 15. verse of the same 15. chap. In the fift place the reigne of Iehoshaphat is numbred to be 25 yeares and his death is chronicled in this booke Neuerthelesse the storie of this first booke of the Kings reacheth but to the 17 yeare of his reigne chap. 22. ver 51. 52. So that the historie of this booke is but 117 yeares For so many and no more are the particular summes 40 of Salomon 17 of Rehoboam 2 of Abijam 41 of Asa 17 of Iehoshaphat if we number them altogether 2. Booke of KINGS 345 yeares IN this second Booke of the Kings the holie Storie is continued from the 18. yeare of Iehoshaphat chap. 3. 1. to the last that is to say vnto the 25. yeare of his reigne Yet so as the storie runneth vnder the name of Iehoram his sonne because from the former seuenteenth yeare of Iehoshaphat Iehoram ruled as Viceroy in stead of his father chap. 1. 17. And again yet more specially from the 22 yeare of his fathers reigne chap. 8. 16. For Ioram the sonne of Ahab beginning his reigne in the eighteenth yeare of Iehoshapat the fift yeare of this Ioram must be the 22. yeare of Iehoshaphat And from this time that is from the fift yeare of Ioram doth Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat euen foure yeares before the death of his father begin his reigne of that 8 yeares which is mentioned in the
Psalme it must needs from so ancient a time be to be esteemed an admirable prophesy cōcerning Dauids annointing to the kingdom by Samuel his prosperous successe in obteining of the same 300 yeares at the least before Dauid was born like as king Iosiah was by name prophesied of as touching that which he should do aboue 300 years before his birth as we are afterward more exactly to obserue also concerning the afflictions of the Church bewailed therein euen such afflictions as fell vpon it in the captiuity of Babylon which fell out as long a time after that King Dauid was dead But grant that they were that Heman and Ethan which are recorded 1. Chron. 6. 33. and vers 44. likewise chap. 25. ver 4 5 6. concerning Heman both which were yet of another tribe that is of Leui when those named cap. 2. are of Iudah as hath bene already shewed but grant I say that they were those who liued not only in K. Dauids time as being his Seets or Prophets which yet is only sayd of Heman 1. Chron. 25. 5. that also in respect of his singing of Propheticall Psalmes such as king Dauid indited not because himselfe did prophesie Grant notwithstanding I say againe that they liued not onely in king Dauids time but also in king Salomons dayes yea that they suruiued him and saw also as some thinke that miserable hauocke which Shishak king of Egypt made in the cities of Iudah in the house of God the treasures whereof he caried away c. as we reade 2 Chron. ch 12. in the reigne of Rehoboam after that Salomon was dead Yet Ethans Psalme must needes be taken for a propheticall instruction touching a great part of it as being fitted to be a monument for the direction of the Church how to comfort it selfe and to bemone the owne calamitie in the most doleful and distressed estate which the Prophet by the Spirit of God foresaw that it should afterward fall into So then these two were indued with a notable gift of prophesie although it be not granted that they were so ancient as that they should be reckoned in this second classis or company of Prophets Let vs proceed to the third company Prophetes such as were in the time of the Iudges and so forth to the beginning of the reigne of the Kings DEborah was a Prophetesse about 80 yeers after the death of Ioshua Iudges chap. 4. 4. At that time Deborah a Prophetesse the wife of Lapidoth iudged Israel Reade her excellent song as it followeth in the fift chapter In the second chapter of the first book of Samuel vers 27. c. A Prophet is sent to Eli to prophesie against him his children and posteritie which was partly fulfilled chap. 4. read also 1. Kin. chap. 2. 27. All Israell from Dan to Beersheba knew that in the dayes of Eli faithfull Samuel was the Lords Prophet 1. Sam. 3. 20. He prophesied first against the sonnes and posterity of Eli verses 11 12 13 c. according to the prophesie of the man of God euen now mentioned vnlesse rather we vnderstand that to be written concerning Samuel himselfe See Tremelius Iunius in their annotations vpon that place Read also Act. 3. 22. Neither must Hannah the mother of Samuel be forgotten when we speake of such women as God graced with his excellent gift of Prophesie as her prayer and thanksgiuing giueth vs to vnderstand from the beginning of the second chapter of the first booke of Samuel And the rather wil we iudge so if we compare her speech with the thanksgiuing of the virgin Marie for we shall perceiue that Hannah was enlightened to haue a respect vnto Christ in her magnificent description of the most mighty power of God ioyned with his most rich and tender mercie which also is the argument of the virgin Maries Magnificat In the time that Samuel annointed Saule to be ◅ing of Israell mention is made of a companie of Prophetes which prophesied and that Saule himself a little while after he was annointed prophesied among them 1. Sam. chap. 10. 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. This prophesying no doubt was an excellent kind of vttering the excellent things of Gods spirituall kingdom from the inlightening of the Spirit of God according to the former groūds principles of prophesie contained in the bookes of Moses which were read and studied among the people of God Of this kind of prophesying we read againe in the same first booke of Samuel chap. 19. verses 18 19. c. where it is written that at Naioth in Ra◅ah there was a companie of Prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as one appointed ouer them And further that the messengers which Saule sent to apprehend Dauid were for the time so heauenly affected with that which they hard that they also brake forth to the magnifying of the name of God for the same things which he reuealed to thē This was done thrise by three seuerall companies of messengers the one sent after the other Last of all Saule himself went to Rama with an euil purpose against Dauid but the Spirit of God came vpon him also so that he laying aside his former mind as well as his warlike weedes he prophesied all that day and all that night Here we may see the most gratious and mightie power of the spirit of Prophesie to affect alter the minds of men to fill thē with spiritual ioy although we cannot reckē all those for holy Prophets of God who are thus sodainly affected with the spirit of Prophesie Neuerlesse by occasion hereof and specially because Saule for a time was as a Prophet among the Prophets let vs come to that company of true Prophets whereof we are to make rehearsall frō the beginning of the reigne of the kings of Iudah and Israell Prophetes such as were from the beginning of the reigne of the kings of Iudah and Israel the which we are to consider of vnder many companies But first concerning some of the Kings themselues KIng Dauid whom the Prophete Samuel at the commandement of God annointed to be king ouer Israel next after Saul he was himselfe a most excellent Prophete of God So it is testified of him Act. 2. 30. c. Seeing he was a Prophet saith the Apostle Peter and knew before that God had sworne c. he prophesied of the resurrection of Christ c. yea hee prophesied of the whole person and office of our Sauiour Christ touching euerie degree both of his humiliation and also of his exaltation as many of his Psalmes do plentifully declare Read Psal. 2. Psal. 16. Psal. 22. Psal. 45. Psal. 68. Psal. 110. and many other In K. Dauids reigne was the Prophet Nathan 2. Sam. 7. 2. c. ch 12. And the prophet G◅d who was called Dauids Seer 2. Sam. 24. 11. and 2. Chron. 29. 25. King Salomon was also a holy Prophete as his bookes the Prouerbes Ecclesiastes the
Song of Songs do excellently declare In the thirtith chap. of his Prouerbes the prophesie of Agur concerning Christ vnder the names of Ithiel Veal is recorded It seemeth that his time was much about Salomons reigne At the least his doctrine being of like excellencie with Salomons and of like forme of teaching it was therfore inserted and ioyned with his Prouerbes And seeing the next chapter which is the last of the Prouerbes containeth a like notable doctrine vttered by queene Bathsheba the mother of King Salomon we cannot but account it a royall monument of her Princely grace in the rolle of Princely Prophets And so will we go forward to ouertake the troupes of those which are marched band after band before vs. Prophetes such as God sent specially to Iuda and to the Kings thereof after that the ten tribes were departed from them IN the reigne of Rehoboam the sonne of king Salomon was Shemaiah the prophet and also the prophet Iddo mentioned 2. Chron. 12. 15. They wrote certaine bookes of publike acts genealogies In the reigne of Asa Azariah the sonne of Obed prophesied to the incouraging of king Asa and of all Iuda and Beniamin to continue faithfull to the Lord he assuring them that then the Lord would be with them to defend them against all their enemies 2. Chron. 15. 1. c. 8. But chap. 16. 7. c. Hananâ—… the prophet is sent of God to reproue the same king Asa for making a couenant of league and truce with the king of Aram. In the reigne of king Iehoshaphat prophesied Iehaziel the sonne of Zechariah to incourage Iehoshaphat and the people of Iuda in hope of their victorie against those mightie armies of the Ammonites and Moabites and of mout Seir which came out against theÌ„ 2. Chro. chap. 20. ver 1 10 14 c. But in the end of the same twentith chap. Eliezer the sonne of Dodeuah of Maresha he prophesied to the reproofe of Iehoshaphat because he had ioyned himselfe with Ahaziah a wicked king of Israel the prophet plainly telling Iehoshaphat that the Lord would therfore surely breake his shippes which he had made and prepared to go to Tarshish In the reigne of king Ioash Zechariah the fonne of Iehoiada the priest as also other Prophets of God prophesied against the declining of the king and the people after the death of Iehoiada but they most outragiously stoned Zechariah to death in the court of the Lords house 2. Chron. 24. 19 20 21 22. and Matth. chap. 23. 34. 35. In the reigne of king Ahaz prophesied Oded a prophete of the Lord to the reproofe of the crueltie of Israel at that time committed against Iuda 2. Chron. 28. 9. c. The prophet Isaiah prophesied in the reigne of many kings that is to say in the dayes of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz Hezekiah kings of Iuda chap. 1. 1. He prophesied so plainly of Christ of his Deitie of his humanitie that he should be borne of a virgin c. finally that he should die for the sinnes of his people make a conquest ouer all their enemies for their perfect deliuerance c. that he may not vnfitly be called an Euangelicall Prophet He continued prophesiing by the space of about threescore yeares About the time that Isaiah began to prophesie it is supposed that Ioel vttered his prophesie against Ierusalem and Iudah for the same their great and grieuous sinnes against the which Isaiah crieth out in the beginning of his Prophesie Heare ô ye heauens c. He foretold the gifts of the holy Ghost which our Sauiour Christ should bestow vpon his Church chap. 2. 28 29. The which how it hath bene fulfilled read Act. 2. 14 15 16 c. and in many other places of that booke The Prophet Ieremiah prophesied in the reigne of king Iosiah from the thirteenth yeare of his reigne to the end of the eleuenth yeare of Zedekiah in the fift moneth of the second captiuity Ier. 1. 2. 3. So he prophesied at the least 41 yeares if not something more He prophesied of our Sauiour Christ that he should be the righteousnesse and saluation of his people Hee foretold and constantly affirmed against manie false Prophetes the seuentie yeares captiuitie of Iudah vnder the king of Babel for a punishmeÌ„t of their sinnes Zephaniah also prophesied in the reigne of king Iosiah but continued not so long as Ieremia did chap. 1. 1. He earnestly calleth for the repentance of the people and foretelleth the calling of the Gentiles which should come to passe in the dayes of the Gospel chap. 3. Moreouer in the reigne of Iosiah was Huldah that excellent Prophetesse to whom Iosiah sent for counsell comfort of whom we read 2. King 22. 14. The Prophet Ezekiel prophesied from the fift yeare of the first captiuitie which began at the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim chap. 1. vers 1. 2. he had manie notable visions and laboured mightily with the people both by doctrine example that they might humble themselues vnder the hand of God and profite by so great a visitation and punishment as their captiuitie was which most iustly fell vpon them for their grieuous sinnes He prophesied also many notable things concerning the kingdome of Christ to come In the reigne of Iehoiakim also prophesied Urijah according to the words of Ieremiah for the which cause Iehoiakim put him to death Reade Ierem. chap. 26. 20 21 22 23. Daniel being caried into captiuity with the first in his young yeares was shortly after indued with a singular gift of prophesie and prophesied in the captiuitie euen to the end of the 70 yeares thereof chap. 1. 3. 6. and chap. 9. 1 2 c. He interpreted the dreames and visions of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar He himself saw manie holy visions according to the which hee foretold the alterations of states and kingdoms which should fall out in the world vntill the coÌ„ming of Christ in the flesh He prophesied also of the verie time of Christ his death and of that horrible destruction which was to come vpon Ierusalem by the Romanes as a iust vengeance vpon the Iewes for abusing their power to crucifie the Lord of life glorie which was as the filling vp of the measure of all their other sins and rebellions against the Lord their God Dan. chap. 2. and chap. 4. and chap. 7. c. Haggai and Zechariah two very notable prophetes they prophesied to the people of Iudah after their returne out of captiuitie to stir them vp to the building of the Temple after that it had for too long a time bene ouer-carelesly neglected of them while in the meane season they were double-diligent in the garnishing of their owne houses Read Ezra chap. 5. 1 2. and Hag. ch 1. 1. c. and Zech. chap. 1. 1. c. Ezra himselfe may worthily be reckened of vs among the excellent and most holy and wise Prophets of God as the bookes of holy Scripture which he wrote do euidently