17. verse of the eight chapter last alleadged For otherwise how should Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat reigne to the twelfth yeare of Ioram the sonne of Ahab whose first yeare was the eighteenth of Iehoshaphat the second of Iehorams viceroyship as hath bene noted before So then we haue beside the remnant of Iehoshaphats reigne which was foure years from the end of his 17. while Iehoram his sonne was first viceroy we haue I say in the entrance of this second booke of Kings Iehorams more full reigne for the space of 8 yeares beginning at the 22. yeare of Iehoshaphat that is to say the first foure yeares by speciall commission and thence forth other foure in his sole regencie to wit so long as he suruiued his father And after this we haue in the rest of this book the reigne of 14 kings of Iuda beside Queene Athaliah who maketh vp the number of 16 as is noted before Of the which kings Ahaziah the first reigned one yeare chap. 8. 26. Next after him Athalia a woman vsurper by the space of sixe yeares chap. 11. 3. And after her Iehoash the second king who reigned 40 yeares chap. 12. 1. Yet so as from his 38. yeare Amaziah his sonne rule as Viceroy in his roome as may appeare by this that Ioash king of Israell beginning his reigne ouer Israel at the 37. yeare of Ioash king of Iuda cha 13. 10. Amaziah is afterward said to haue begunne his reigne in the second yeare of the same Ioash chap. 14. 1. which must be the 38. yeare of Ioash king of Iuda And the same also two yeares before Iehoahaz the father of Ioash king of Israel died in so much as the seuenteenth yeare which was the last of Iehoahaz touched the last yeare of the reigne of Ioash king of Iuda seeing he began his reigne in the 23. yeare of the same Ioash of Iuda and reigned 17 yeares in Israell chap. 13. 1. So then the sonne of Iehoahaz was viceroy in Israel as Amaziah was in Iudah Three yeares therefore are to be abated either of the 40 yeares of Iehoash or of the 29 yeares of Amaziah vnlesse we could see sufficient reason to say that Amaziah reigned 29 yeares beside that time wherein he was viceroy Next vnto Amaziah was Azariah otherwise called Vzziah 2. Chron. chap. 26. whose reigne continued 52 yeeres But the beginning of Azariahes reigne is not to be reckoned till the twelfth yeere after the death of his father because Amaziah as the Storie testifieth liued but 15. yeeres after the death of Iehoash king of Israel ch 14. verse 17. The which his 15 yeeres could reach but to the 15. yeere of the reigne of Ieroboam who began not his raigne till the 15. yeere of Amaziah as we reade in the same 14. ch the 23. verse And hereunto adde that it is further expreslie set downe ch 15. 1. as hath beene alleadged before that Azariah began not his reigne till the 27. yeere of Ieroboam which was 11 yeeres after the death of Amaziah We are therfore in this place for the perfecting of our computation to interpose eleuen yeeres betwixt the death of Amaziah and the beginning of the reigne of Azariah who was but foure yeere olde when his father Amaziah dyed Neither did he begin his reigne till he was 16 yeeres of age as it followeth in the 2. verse of the same 15. chapter Whence also it will fall out that as Iuda was eleuen yeeres without a king by reason of the nonage of Azariah or for what other cause soeuer so was Israel fifteene yeeres after that vacancie or interregnum of Iuda for the space of 22 yeeres likewise without a king That is to say from the end of Ieroboams reigne which was at the 15. yeere of the reigne of Azariah So that Zachariah the next king which succeeded Ieroboam and was the fourth from Iehu 2. King chap. 10. 30. he began not his reigne till the 38. yeere of Azariah as we reade ch 15. 8. 12. Some in their Chronologie admit not these yeers of vacācie either in Iuda or in Israel and therefore begin the reigne of Azariah 15 yeeres before the death of his father yea and for the same cause also doo make Zachariah immediately to succeede Ieroboam in Israel without anie interruption of the royall gouernment But the former account is to be followed the rather because without the former addition wee shall not finde that number of Ezekiels 390 yeeres figured by so manie daies from the time that Israel fell to idolatrie vnder Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat to the desolation of Ierusalem at the burning of the Temple Read Ezek. ch 4. verses 4. 5. 6. c. But let vs hast forward Ater Azariah Iotham reigned 16 yeares 2. King 15. 32. 33. Next to Iotham was Ahaz who likewise reigned 16 yeares chap. 16. 1. 2. After Ahaz reigned Hezekiah 29 yeares chap. 18. 1. 2. Manasses succeeded Hezekiah and reigned 55 yeares ch 21. 1. The longest reigne of anie king either in Iuda or Israel Then Amon reigned two yeares cha 21. 19. And after Amon Iosiah whose reigne was 31 yeares chap. 22. 1. Next to Iosiah was Iehoahaz but he reigned onely three moneths chap. 23. 31. After Iehoahaz Iehoiakim reigned eleuen yeeres chap. 23. 36. Then Iehoiachin whose reigne was but three moneths and ten dayes For so soone after he began to reigne did the king of Babylon subdue him and carie him away captiue to Babel 2. King chap. 24. 8. c. and 2. Chron. chap. 36. 9. c. Instead of this Iehoiachin the same king of Babylon placed Zedekiah who reigned eleuen yeares 2. King 24. 18. Finally from thence to the time that Euilmerodach the next king of Babylon succeeding Nebuchadnezzar restored Iehoiachin to a princely dignitie there passed 26 yeares For he was aduanced in the 37. yeare after that he was caried away captiue 2. King chap. 25. vers 27. From the which if we subtract those 11 yeares of Zedekiah the remainder is 26. So all the years of the Story of this second book of Kings containing these seuerall numbers 4 of Iehoshaphat 8 of Iehoram 1 of Ahaziah 6 of Athaliah 40 of Iehoash or Ioash 26 of Amaziah abating the three yeeres of his viceroyship 11 yeers of the vacancie 52 of Azariah 16 of Iothā 16 of Ahaz 29 of Hezekiah 55 of Manasses 2 of Amon 31 of Iosiah 11 of Iehoiakim 11 of Zedekiah and from thence 26 to the aduancement of Iehoiachin in Babell they are in the totall summe 345. THis captiuity of Iuda began in the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim Ier. 25. 1. For Nebuchadnezzer laying siege against Ierusalem in the third yeare of Iehoiakim Dan. chap. 1. 1. he subdued the same Iehoiakim and caried him away captiue the next yeare 2. King 24. 1. and 2. Chron. 36. 5. 6. 7. At the which time also Daniel and some other of the children of the Nobles and such as were of the bloud royall of Iuda
saying God will raise vp the tabernacle of Dauid c. ch 9. 1 c. 11. For the performance of which Prophecie reade the testimonie of the Apostle Iames Act. chap. 15. verses 12 14 15 16 17 18. Simeon hath declared how God did first visite the Gentiles to take of them a people to his name And to this agree the words of the Prophete as it is written After this I vvill returne and build againe the tabernacle of Dauid which is fallen downe c. that the residue of men might seeke after the Lord and all the Gentiles vppon whom my name is called saith the Lord which doth all these things And the Apostle addeth From the beginning of the world God knoweth all his vvorkes In the reigne of Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah kings of Iudah prophesied the Prophet Micah the Morashite concerning Samaria and Ierusalem chap. 1. 1. He plainely foretold the place where our Sauiour Christ should be borne that his kingdome shall be ouer all and for euer chap. 5. 1 2 c. Malachi the last of the Prophetes of the old testament he prophesied after that the Temple citie of Ierusalē were reedified by Zerubbabel and Ieshua and by the great helpe of Ezra and Nehemiah and after that the people had exceedingly corrupted both the worship of God and also their owne liues and conuersations as the Prophesie it selfe doth declare He foretolde the comming of our Sauiour Christ into his Temple and of the comming of Iohn Baptist before him vnder the name and by the mightie Spirit of Elijah that greate Prophete of God who as the Prophete Isaiah had prophesied manie yeares before chap. 40. verse 3 c. was a cryer in the wildernesse to call forth the people to come out to him but did not go to the Temple as Malachie prophesied that our Sauiour Christ should Reade the third chapter of his Prophesie verses 1 2 3 4. chap. 4. 1. c. And that his Prophesie concerned not onely Iudah but also all the rest of the scattered tribes of Israel it may appeare both by the words of the beginning of his Prophesie ch 1. ver◅ 1 2 3 4 5. and chap. 2. 11. and also the same may be euiden◅ from the conclusion ch 4 verses 4 5 and 6. Prophetes vvhich prophesied more sp◅ially concerning forreigne nations IOnah was in speciall maner sent of God to prophesie against Nineueh that great and chiefe citie of the Assyrians by whose Prophesie the citie was moued to repentance The time when he prophesied was noted before The Prophet Nahum also prophesied against Nineueh but after that time wherein Ionah prophesied and when they had left off to doe the workes of their former repentance Obadiah prophesied against Edome yea generally against all nations the enemies of Gods Church that they should drinke of the cup of Gods wrath Habakk◅k ◅rophesied against the Chaldeans when their hearts were lifted vp by their victories against the Assyrians and when their sinnes were growne vp neare to the full But he prophesieth saluation to all the faithfull whosoeuer shall beleeue in the name of Christ. For the iust as he saith shall liue by his faith chap. 2. 4. Read also his propheticall prayer in the third chapter Prophetes of the newe Testament THe Prophesie of the new Testament is indeed rather a most cleare lightsome full interpretatiō of all former Prophesies of the old Testament then any prediction or foretelling of things to come except the rising and fall of Antichrist yet because euen the things heretofore fore-told are more clearly fully reuealed by the brightnesse of the Gospel therfore in either respect both of interpretation and prediction the new Testament must be allowed to haue the honour of Prophetes as wel as the old The Prophetes therefore in the newe Testament were first of all those which prophesied immediately before and at the birth of our Sauiour Christ. Immediatly before first Elizabeth conceiued with Iohn the Baptist Luk. 1. 41 42 43 44 45. And then the Virgin Marie conceiued with our Sauiour Christ by the holy Ghost in the same chapter verses 46 47 c. 55. Thus was the conception of our Sauiour honored by the spirit of Prophesie And it pleased God to honour women as it were with the first fruites of this grace of the Gospell in their hearts like as it pleased him to vse them as his honourable instruments to serue for the manifestation of Christ himselfe the matter and argument of the whole mysterie of the Gospell Thirdly Zacharie whom vnbeleefe bereaued of the honour to be the first he prophesied both of the high office of Iohn and of the diuine person of our Sauiour Christ at the birth of Iohn in the same chap. vers 67 c. to the end of the chap. The Prophetes which prophesied at the birth of Christ that we may omit the Angels whom we cannot properly call Prophets though at this time they did prophesie that is in most excellent wise lay forth the singular causes of ioy which came to the world by the birth of a Sauiour euen Christ the Lord let vs come to the Shepheards to whom the Angels appeared to certifie them of the birth of Christ whom we may more boldly call by the name of Prophets seeing no doubt after they had seene Christ they were for the time indued with an excellent spirit of Prophesie to publish abroad that which was told them of that child euen to the wonderment of all that heard them Luke chap. 2. 16 17 18. Such were the Prophets more immediately before and at the birth of our Sauiour Christ. Now secondly touching those that prophesied somewhat longer after the birth of our Sauiour we will not make any great scruple to lend the name of Prophetes to the Magi or Sages and wise men which came out of the East to worship our Sauiour shortly after his birth For if they had not bene inlightned by the spirit of Prophesie in some measure they could neuer haue bene sufficiently incouraged by the starre to haue gone so great a iorney to seeke Christ as they did or boldened enough in a strange nation to inquire of him so vndoubtedly as they did in that they asked Where is the king of the Iewes which is borne For we haue seene his starre in the East and we are come to worship him Mat. 2. 2. And much lesse after they had found him in poore contemptible estate would they haue offered their gifts or presents as testimonies of their spirituall homage if they had not bin confirmed in their perswasion by the holy spirit of God vers 10. 11. After these Magi prophesied Simeon at the presentation of our Sauior Christ in the Temple Luke 2. 25. c. 35. And immediately after Simeon Anna a verie ancient Prophetesse vttered her prophesie confessing Christ so acknowledged of Simeon to be in truth the Lord. verses 36 37 38. Thus euen at the beginning of
gates of Ierusalem Nehem. 1. 1. it was the 49. after their returne according to the speech of the Angell Gabriell to Daniel alleadged before The reason of the hinderance of the Lords building euen so soone after the gratious commission of Cyrus king of Persia and Darius of the Medes it seemeth to haue bene this that Darius of the Medes dying shortly after and Cyrus following his warres abroad Artashasht the sonne of Cyrus called of Greeke writers Cambyses being king or Viceroy in peace at home was willing to hearken to the accusation of the Iewes aduersaries and so was Ahashuerosh also after him Ezra ch 4. 5. 6. 7. And this seemeth to be the cause of Daniels great griefe ch 10. 1. 2. 3. Moreouer the Iewes were too easily discouraged of themselues ouer slothfull as may appeare by the earnest reproofes which the Lord giueth theÌ„ by his holy Prophets Hag. chap. 1. 1. 2. c. and Zach. ch 1. 1. 2. c. Neuerthelesse so soone as they resumed the worke and at the instigation of the Prophets earnestly set vpon it according to that we reade further Ezra chap. 5. 1. 2. by the singular mercie of God they finde so gratious furtherance at the hands of Darius then king of Persia euen in the second yeare of his reigne and their labour so prospered that the house of God was finished in the sixt yeare of his reigne Ezra chap. 6. 1. c. verse 15. And in the 7. yeare of the same Darius called also Artashasht king of Persia Ezra commeth from him furnished a fresh as it were with a new supply yea with a most large augmentation of the kings fauour and bountie toward the people and house of God Ezra 7. vers 8. 9. c. to the end of the chapter NEHEMIAH IN the twentith yeare of his reigne the same Darius or Artashasht king of Persia granteth Nehemiah a newe commission for he is now Tirshatha or Commissioner from the king cha 8. 9. and chap. 10. 1. as was mentioned before for the perfecting of the whole building of the Lord whatsoeuer was wanting concerning any appurtenances to the Temple or touching the walles and gates of the whole citie Nehem. chap. 1. 1 c. and chap. 2. 1. c. The which seruice of perfecting finishing the whole worke he did through the blessing of God performe with all faithfulnesse and singular expedition that is iâ—… the space of 52 dayes by the willing and industrious diligence of the thousands of Iuda Thus wonderfully did the Lord from time to time prosper his worke in the hands of his seruants when they did earnestly set vpon it contrarie to all the malignant indeuours of the wicked Reade Nehem. 2. 17. chap. 3. 1. c. chap. 6. 1. c. 15. 16. And thus was the whole building of Ierusalem perfected at the end of the first seuen weekes of yeares as was obserued before in Ezra Nehemiah hauing brought the outward buildings to this perfection he remaineth still among the Iewes a gratious Gouernour and foster-father of Gods Church and people by the space of 12 yeares that is from the twentith yeare of Darius king of Persia to the 32. yeare of his reigne This Darius was the most bounteous benefactor which the Iewes euer had amoÌ„g all the heathen Princes vnder whose subiection they were We may not altogether vnfitly call him for honours sake the Iewes Constantine Reade Nehem. ch 5. 14. From the time saith Nehemiah that the King gaue me charge to be Gouernour in the land of Iuda from the twentith yeare euen to the 32. yeare of King Artashasht that is twelue yeares I and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the Gouernour c. But rather I fortified a portion of the worke c. Moreouer there were at my table a hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes and rulers which came vnto vs from among the heathen c. Yea and though at the 32. yeare of Darius Nehemiah left the Iewes and returned to the king who was then by a newe stile written king of Babell Nehem. chap. 13. 6. yet so tender was his care ouer the people of God and so zealous was he of Gods glorie that he intreated leaue of the king to go to them againe Which request also he obtained of him How long this was after that he had left them it is not expressed neither yet how loÌ„g he remained with them after he was come to them Only this is specified that hee renewed a worthie seruice among the people of God to the great honour and glorie of God and to the singular benefite of his people in reforming the abuses both of the house and Offices and also of the Sabbath of the Lord. Read chap. 13. 7. c. And thus the Iewes the people of God were in prosperous estate and gratiously protected and blessed of God vnder the reigne of the Persian kings as these books of Ezra Nehemiah do declare for the better half of those hundreth and thirtie yearés while their Monarchie combined with the Medes did continue As touching the latter part of their reigne it may probably be conceiued of vs that the kings of Persia which succeeded were no enemies to the people and true worship of God which their predecessors had so gratiously fauoured priuiledged and the rather because of the troubles which arose vnto them from the Grecians Dan. chap. 11. 2. 3. c. ESTER HEre let vs in a few words note by the way coÌ„cerning the book of Ester that though it be placed in order after the booke of Nehemiah yet the notable and verie memorable historie of the Iewes wonderful deliuerance from the intended massacre of Haman described therein was by most likelihood fulfilled in the time of the reigne of Ahashuerosh mentioned before in the second chap. of Ezra verse 6. This Ahashuerosh in the booke of Ester and that Ahashuerosh in the booke of Ezra being all one And the deliueraÌ„ce was wrought in the twelfth or thirteenth yeare of the kings reigne as we read Ester chap. 3. verses 7. 13. In which history note these speciall things first that God would by the great danger which fell vpon the Iewes correct the slacknesse of them in returning to their owne land out of those prophane nations Secondly that Gods mercie was wonderfull in sparing of their liues And last of all the slacknesse of the people that were already returned to Ierusalem may hence be discouered in that notwithstanding Mordecay after their deliuerance was in high fauor with the king and very carefull for his part to procure the wealth of his people Ester chap. 10. 2. 3. they did for all that greatly foreslowe the building of the house of God as we haue seene before Thus much concerning the booke of Ester without interruptioÌ„ of the former course of the historie Now let vs go forward to the rest of the 490 yeares recorded before out of the prophesie of Daniel DANIEL
Ierusalem c. This feast as may be shewed by good reason is most likely if not altogether certaine to be the second Passeouer Consider of that which our Sauiour Christ spake in the fourth chap. verse 35. There are yet foure moneths and then commeth haruest Now at the Passe-ouer began the Iewes barley haruest reade Exod. 9. 31. Leuit. 23. 6. 10. 11. 15. 16. and Deut. 16. 8. 9. And it seemeth to bee the same feast mentioned Luke ch 6. 1. Wherefore seeing these words of our Sauiour Christ Foure moneths and then commeth haruest were spoken after the first Passeouer Iohn 2. yea at such time as our Sauiour Christ in his returning from Iudea into Galile was now come to Samaria Iohn chap. 4. 3. 4. 5. c. And seeing there is no feast commanded in the law whereunto our Sauiour should go vp to Ierusalem within the space of foure moneths before haruest vntil the Passe-ouer it selfe should come about it secmeth to followe by good reason that the feast mentioned Iohn 5. 1. whereunto our Sauiour Christ went at the celebration thereof in Ierusalem should be the Passeouer at 〈◊〉 and no other feast And if the Passeouer 〈◊〉 also it is the second placed before that chaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be the thiâ—… Reade this point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed and disputed by Chemnitius iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chapter of his Prolegomena before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gospell And as touching the last Passeouer whereunto our Saâ—… Christ went vp at Ierusalem all the Euaâ—…gelists make expresse mention of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marke 14. 1. Luke 22. 1. Iohn chap. 〈◊〉 55. ch 12. 1. chap. 13. 1. From the Creation of man to the death of our Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeares 3966 by the former account FOr all the former numbers layd together that is to say 2368 yeare which is the extent of the historie of Genesis 146 of Exodus 39 of Leuiticus Numbers and Deuteronomie 17 of I oshua 299 of the Iudges 80 of the first booke of Samuell 40 of the second booke of Samuel 117 of the first booke of Kings 345 of the second booke of Kings 25 yeares of the second booke of Chronicles 490 of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniell to the death of our Sauior Christ they all doe amount to this one generall summe 3966. From the birth of our Sauiour Christ to this present yeare of the same our Lord Iesus Christ his reigne are 1600 yeares FRoÌ„ this time that is since our Sauior Christ came into the world and chiefly from the time of his most cleare manifesting of himselfe the Iewes more more corrupting their wayes and hardening their hearts to the vttermost against God euen vnto the deniall crucifying of the son of God they haue for the same their extreme contempt obstinacy bin most iustly reiected and cast off from being a people to the Lord. And for the same cause also haue the citie and Temple of Ierusalem bene vtterly subuerted and layd altogether waste by the Romanes that is by the furious armies of the Emperour Titus and Vespasian his sonne This was about fortie yeares after the death of our Sauior Christ agreeable to the prophesie of Daniell cited before chap. 9. 26. 27. Read also Zacharie chap. 14. 1. 2 And according as our Sauior himselfe he being yet among the Iewes did forewarne that it should come to passe Matth. chap. 24. verses 15. 16. c. 34. and Luke chap. 19. 43. 44. and chap. 21. 5. 6. 20. c. 32. 33. And yet further also according to their own feare wherof we reade Iohn 11. 48. The Romanes say the Iewes will come and take away both our place and the nation The accomplishment hereof is plentifully recorded in the historie of Iosephus howsoeuer as we reade Act. ch 6. 14. the Iewes could not abide to heare that it should fall out so Neuerthelesse since the ascention of our Sauiour Christ which was fortie dayes after his resurrection Act. 1. vers 1. 2. 3. And from Pentecost which was ten dayes after the same ascention euen immediately after that the extraordinary giftes of the holy Ghost were poured downe vpon the Apostles Act. ch 2. 1. 2 c. the Gospell of Christes euerlasting kingdome and righteousnesse began to be preached and did thenceforth spread it selfe more and more from Ierusalem vnto all the nations of the earth and Christ Iesus was beleeued on in the world according to his owne appointment and promise Act. 1. 4. 8. Thus the Lord destroying the materiall Temple of Ierusalem because of the sin and apostasie of the Iewes who had profaned and polluted the same he therewithall began forthwith to magnifie his rich mercie toward the Gentiles in the erection of his spirituall Ierusalem among them Ephes. 2. 13. c. 1. Pet. 2. 4. c. according to the former prophesies of Dauid Psal. 110. and Isai chap. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. Micah chap. 4. 1. 2. 3. Yet the Gospell was not so receiued and beleeued among the Gentiles but that it found great resistance from the hand and power of the Romane Emperours by the space of 300 yeares vnder the reigne wel neare of 40 of them a very few excepted euen from bloody Nero who raised the first cruell persecution against Christians to the Emperours Maxentius Licinius with whom the tenth of those grieuous and outragious persecutions of the primitiue Church so famous in Ecclesiastic all stories ended These persecutions our Sauiour Christ himself partly foretold to all his Apostles before his death Matt. chap. 10. ver 16. 17. 18. and cha 24. 9. and Luke ch 21. 12. 13. But he reuealed the same more fully to his Apostle Iohn after his ascention vp into heauen in the time of the reigne of the Emperour Domitian who raised the second persecution against Christians In the which persecution the Apostle Iohn himselfe was banished into the I le Patmos where hee had the same Reuelation shewed vnto him for his owne comfort and for the comfort of all the Churches of Asia in their afflictions Reade the first foure chapters of the Reuelation Read also chap. 6. and chap. 13. 1. 2. c. 10. These hote persecutions of the Christians wherein the Gospel of Christ hath bene witnessed by the manifolde torments and deaths of many thousands of blessed martyrs they continued vntill the time that it pleased God to turne the hart of Constantine first and then of some other of the Emperours after him to beleeue and imbrace the Gospell of Christ and so to become foster-fathers vnto his Church according to the prophesie of Isaiah more then six hundreth years before it came to passe as we read chap. 49. the 23. verse And yet againe euen in those times wherein Christian Emperours fauored the Gospell the Churches were by another maner of affliction greatly molested that is to say by certaine verie dangerous heretikes their bold sectaries the Arrians and diuers other whereunto the Apostle had respect
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