power to our beliefe concluding that impossible which we conceive improbable Flattery of the Roman Emperours Vespasian and Titus a catching disease wherewith the soundest Authours in that age were infected and that so gross that it seems not limn'd with a Pencill but dawb'd with a Trowell But all these may be winked at with a charitable eye were he not also guilty of falsity appearing first in his faults of omission not mentioning the Jewish Idolatry in making the Calfe nor the disobedience of Moses their Ministerial Legislator in smiting the Rock which Moses himself writing of himself thought fitting to relate Secondly of CoÌ„mission stuffing his history with improbable tales of Moses loving the Lady Tarbith c. and some mistakes contradictory to holy writ When we meet with any such in him relating to this present work we have made bold the Sun is not to be set by dials but dials by the Sun to alter and rectifie his extravagancies according to Scripture Notwithstanding all these faults the main bulk of his book deserves commendation if not admiration no doubt at the first compiled and since preserved by the speciall providence of God to reflect much light and lustre upon the Scriptures His last book De bello Iudaico is the best Comment on that part of the twenty fourth Chapter of Saint Matthew which concerns the destruction of the City and Temple As for the censure of Baronius it is too harsh and uncharitable charging him with absurda portentosa mendacia seeing that it cannot appear that Iosephus willingly and wittingly made those mistakes Wherefore such chance-medly amounts not to manslaughter much less to wilfull murther not to say that the charitable Reader ought to be a City of refuge to such Authors who rather unhappy then unfaithfull fall into unvoluntary errours In a word historians who have no fault are onely fit to write the actions of those Princes and people who have no miscariages and onely an Angels pen taken from his own wing is proper to describe the story of the Church triumphant § 24. We still follow the Sea shore southward and light on the place where our Saviour standing in a ship taught the people on the land in his Sermon full of parables A Sermon not unlike the pillar of cloud and fire which gave light to the Israelites at the red sea but was a cloud of darkness to the Egyptians because his preaching then obscure and parabolicall to the common people was privately expounded and made plain unto his disciples § 25. At last we are come to the City of Tiberias so named by Herod the Tetrarch in honour of Tiberius the Roman Emperour A populous City and which gave the name to the neighbouring sea thence termed the sea of Tiberias Near to this place Christ fed five thousand men with five loaves and two fishes Afterwards he went over the sea but how and which way grudge not Reader to peruse this following account given us bâ— a learned man an eye-witness of the place § 26. It is said Iohn 6. 1. that Iesus went over the sea of Galilee and in another place that he went beyond the lake and Luke 9. 10. it is said that he went into a solitary place near unto a City called Bethsaida which place of Iohn I learned to understand better by seeing it then ever I could before by reading it For seeing that Tiberias and Bethsaida were both Cities on the same side of the sea and Christ went from Tiberias to or near unto Bethsaida I gather thereby that our Saviour Christ went not over the length or breadth of that sea but over some arme bosome or reach thereof viz. so far as Tiberias was distant from Bethsaida which is also confirmed in that it is said elsewhere a great multitude followed him on foot thither which they could not have done if he had gone quite over the sea to the other side among the Gergesens So far our author with whose judgement I am moved to concurre § 27. More southward the sea of Tiberias leaveth the Tribe of Zebulun and entereth into Issachar Come we therefore now to describe the remaining places of note in this Tribe most of them being seated on or near the river of Kishon whose course we will observe It is called by Deborah the ancient river the river Kishon And why ancient are not all rivers of equall antiquity and the same seniority seeing Gen. 1. the Register book of the age of all creatures they were made in the third day when this lower globe was distinguished into earth and water No surely though this be true of originall and primitive rivers many since have been of a second edition occasioned by Noahs flood earthquakes eruptions of waters after long raine not to speake of many oâ—thers derived by art and industry Thus we discourse with our selves whilest Tremellius takes away the subject of the question rendering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Ancient river torrens occursuum or the river of meetings Not that many tributary rivolets met therein a probable sense on the first sound but as he expounds himself because the armie of Israel there against Sisera appeared in their generall Rendezvous § 28. However Kishon was a fair River and surely the same which is termed by Ptolemy Choriaeus Entering with a full and large streame next to Iordan in breadth depth and swiftnesse into the land of Zebulun it divideth it self according to the observation of our Author if not hypercriticall herein into two channels the one and that the lesser running east commonly called Kadumim and falleth into the sea of Galilee the other rushing northwestward and emptieth it self into the Mediterranean Nigh the banks of the former stands the famous mountain of Tabor generally conceived to have been the place of Christs transfiguration where Moses and Elias were seen talking with him Origen according to his allegorising of the text saith that thereby was signified the harmony betwixt the Law the Prophets and the Gospell all agreeing together But here I cannot but smile at what Breidenbachius reports who travelled up this mountain Ibi etiam hodie ostenduntur ruinae trium tabernaculorum secundum desiderium Petri constructorum there saith he even at this day are shewed the ruines of those three tabernacles built according to Peters desire In very good time no doubt I confess one Scripture saith Aske and yee shall have but another Text answereth it Yee aske and because yee aske amiss and improbable it is that God would grant the desire or rather distempter of Peter and that his wish should come to him who was not come to himself by reason of his great fear amazement and extasie of joy Besides Tabernacles or Tents being light slight occasionall structures make small visible impressions in the earth when set up and leave no durable footsteps to be seen so many
blessing brought the possession of the upper and nether springs along with it Know also in after ages the south part of Iudah was called Caleb probably from the large inheritance Caleb obtained in these parts and puissance of his posterity therein Thus the Egyptian giving an account of the passages of the army of the Amalekites confesseth they had been roving upon the coast that belonged to Iudah and upon the south of Caleb § 29. Libnah is the third in honour of the nine royall Cities in the days of Ioshua assigned afterwards for the Priests habitation Long it continued loyall to the Crown of Iudah untill in the days of Iehoram that ungodly unmercifull unsuccesfull unbeloved unlamented King Edom revolted from under the hand of Iudah unto this day then Libnah revolted at the same time Was it casualty or confederacy by mutuall intelligence that both thir defections bare the same date Surely breach of faith is a catching disease yea infectious from one to another But how could the inhabitants of Libnah being Priests whose best livelyhood depended on their personall officiating in the Temple at Ierusalem subsist being cut off from their service and the salary thereof Yea did they not thereby necessarily apostate from their religion to God desert his Temple and their own profession Except any will say easier spoken then proved that at this present not the Priests but some other persons were possessours of Libnah We finde not this City afterwards reduced to the Kings of Iudah whereupon some conceive that henceforward it stood on its own bottome as an absolute Common-wealth § 30. If any object it impossible that Libnah so small a City should subsist here as a free State against all the powers of the Kings of Iudah let such look on little Lucca in Italy and less Geneva in France defended by their foes from their foes environed with enemies on all sides yet so that rather then any one shall subdue them all the rest will assist them Such probably was the position and politick State-poizing of Libnah seated in the vicinity of the Kings of Iudah Israel and the Philistines not to say Egypt though far off might come in as a protectour thereof that it might make a Cordiall of a self-subsistance from the Antidotes of its enemies Afterwards we finde Sennacherib fighting against Libnah whence he sent a railing message to Hezekiah but read nothing of the taking thereof yea probably here the Angel by night did that memorable excution slaying an hundred fourscore and five thousand of his numerous army § 31. Lachish must not be forgotten whose King was destroyed by Ioshua King Amaziah conspired against by his subjects in Ierusalem fled hither in vain for They sent after him to Lachish and slew him there It was a leading City in Idolatry infected from Israel and infecting of Iudah Micah prophesied in particular against this City warning it to prepare for speedy captivity from its enemies O thou inhabitant of Lachish binde the charet to the swift beast she is the beginning of the sin to the daughter of Zion for the transgressions of Israel were found in thee And although we finde not Lachish taken by Sennacherib who warred against it yet it escaped not the fury of Nebuchadnezzar though one of the last Cities by him subdued § 32. But Adâ—llam another regall City in Iudah was more ancient where Hirah Iudah's fast friend dwelt though employed by him but as a pandar post factum to carry Tamar the hire of her whoredome In a cave hereabouts repaired to David every one that was in distress and every one that was in debt and every one that was discontented and he became a Captain over them Was this well done of him to be Protector Generall of Out-laws thereby defying justice defrauding creditours defeating Gods command which provided that the debâ—er if not solveable should be sold for satisfaction Alas his need is all that can be alleadged in his excuse Sure I am David promised when in power to make his own choice that his houshold or Court should consist of persons better qualified However these men freely resorting to him were better then those hired by Abimelech vain and light persons and as far to be preferred before them as want is more excusable then wickedness Yea we may charitably believe Davids consorts impoverisht not by their own carelesness but their creditors cruelty § 33. As for Gedar it hath formerly been described in Simeon onely we will adde that Baal-hanan the Gederite was of this place Davids Overseer over the Olive trees and Sycamore trees in the low plain This name of Baal-hanan inverted is the same with Hannibal that great Generall of the Carthaginians See here the affinity of the Hebrew with the Phoenician or Carthaginian tongue Wonder not that Baal-hanan or Hannibal was a fashionable name for potent persons in these parts we finde also a King of Edom so called seeing it signifieth a Lord in grace or favour and our Saviour hath told us such as exercise authority over others are called Gracious Lords As for Iâ—rmuth Eglon and Arad we read nothing of them remarkable since their severall Kings were destroied by Ioshua Of Hepher we shall speak more properly in the close of this Description § And now what a fall must our Description have from the Cities of Kings to the Manor of a clown the fruitfull Carmell not far from the Dead-sea Here folly and wisdome dwelt under the same roof sate at the same table slept in the same bed Nabal and Abigail Are matches made in heaven and was Abigail so ill beloved there to be condemned to such a choice Surely God saw it most for his own glory and her good for the emprovement of her patience This Nabal proved himself a perfect Miser both by his niggardliness to David and prodigality of the King-like dinner he made to his shepheards But both he and his family had been utterly destroyed by David had not the discreet mediation of Abigail been seasonably interposed § 35. After his gluttonous supper Abigail next morning serves Nabal with a thrifty breakfast telling him of the great danger he so narrowly had escaped Hereupon his heart dyed within him Thus some drunkards have been said to have swooned when sober at the serious review of such perils they so neerly escaped in the fits of their distemper Probably feare encreased his sadness suspecting to fall into a relapse of Davids disfavour and that his anger might revert to give him another visite hereafter Thus the wrath of a King though but in reversion is as the roaring of a Lion Yea Nabal became as a stone and no wonder being little better then a stock before such his senseless stupidity But though he was a churl in his miserable living he was bountifull in his seasonable dying freeing Abigail from
opened his eyes that they could stop his mouth from the acknowledging thereof His constancy herein cost him an excommunication and a casting out of the Synagogue The best was the power of the Keys when abused doth not shut the door of Heaven but in such cases onely shoot the bolt besides the lock not debarring the innocent person entrance thereat § 15. The supernaturall pool of Bethesda by the Sheep-market remains whose waters when at a certain season moved by an Angel were medicinall to cure the first commer thereinto whatsoâ—ver disease he had A learned man conceiveth that when Eliashib the high Priest after their return from Babylon with his brethren first began hereabouts to build the sheep-gate and sanctifie it to divine service as leading to the Temple God then and there in approbation of his Act indued the Pool hard by with this soveraign sanative quality but this we leave with the Author § 16. By this Pool an Infirmary was built for maimed folk to lodge in and attend the troubling of the waters How well was Gods bounty and mans charity here met together Commendable it was that rich men did not engross this Spaw to themselves but permitted poor people not able to use Physick and Surgery the benefit thereof This Hospitall for building consisted of five Porches not that the defective in the five senses lame blinde deaf c. were here severally disposed of by themselves but no doubt all promiscuously put together In this Colledge of Cripples he for his seniority might have been the Master thereof who had been longer lame then most men live and now past the fift climactericall of his disease where with he had been afflicted full thirty eight years Indeed so impossible was the conditions of his recovery that being lame He must run before he could goe for seeing the first commer was only served he must hast with speed into the pool after the moving thereof whilst he alas wanted strength to help himself wanted money to hire others and others wanted mercy freely to give him their assistance But because he could not goe to health Health was graciously pleased to come to him and he was cured miraculously by our Saviour § 17. And thus much of the Walls Gates Towers and Waters about Ierusalem come we now into the City it self which anciently consisted of two principall parts therefore dual in the Hebrew Sion on the southwest and Ierusalem properly so called on the north thereof which we proceed in order to describe with the places of principall note therein contained CHAP. VII Of Davids Palace the High-priests houses the Coenaculum and other memorable places in mount Sion § 1. WE begin with mount Sion making that first which God most favoured who loved the Gates of Sion more then all the tabernacles of Iacob Here first our eyes are entertained with the stately Palace of David Hiram King of Tyre sending him timber and workmen for the building thereof Flat was the roof of this palace whereon David sate and from whence he beheld Bathsheba hard by is her house bathing her self I cannot excuse her action herein If policy be jealous that hedges may have eares modesty may suspect lest the motes in the aire have eyes But see here divine justice As this roof was the place whereon Davids lust did burn first so thereon Absaloms incest did blaze farthest lying here with his Fathers Concubines This he easily did at the perswasion of Achitophel those spurres needing no rowels which are to prick forward graceless youth into wantonness But that hellish Politician did this to set such a distance betwixt Sire and Son that the affection of the one might never meet with the submission of the other the breach hereafter being made so deep and wide that no bridge of reconciliation might be built betwixt them § 2. Under the Romans this Palace was turned into a Castle where a Garrison was kept to over-awe the City Once the honour now the terrour once the beauty now the bridle of Ierusalem Upon the fair stairs leading thereto stood Saint Paul when he made his speech to the people hearing him with great silence because he spake in the Hebrew tongue untill he came to that passage of preaching to the Gentiles which though spoken in Hebrew was no good Hebrew to his auditours but false construction breach of Jewish priviledg when they turned their attentive eares into railing tongues away with such a fellow from off the earth § 3. And now to shew the frailty of humane happiness pass we from the palace of these Kings to their burying place seeing Sion in a double respect may be called the Westminster of Ierusalem because the Kings thereof resided there while living and rested when dead The reader shall pay nothing but his pains in following me whilest I shew him these royall remains We may observe four gradations of honour in these interments 1 Wicked Amon was buried in his own house not under the roof but within the verge of the wall thereof and so was Manasseh whose true but late repentance was effectuall to save his soul but not his kingdome from destruction 2 Cruell Ioram who had no compassion whilest living therefore no bowels wheÌ„ dying was buried by himself in the city of David neither fire nor water neither burning nor mourning made for him 3 Godly but leprous Uzziah being ceremoniously unclean was interred in the field of the buriall which belonged to the Kings understand it within the suburbs but without the walls of their solemn sepultures 4 All the rest were intombed in a stately place set apart for that purpose namely David the holy the man after Gods own heart Solomon the wise when old befooled by his wives Rehoboam the simple whose rigour rent ten Tribes from his kingdome Abiah the wicked but valiant and fortunate in fight Asa the upright whose heart was perfect all his days Iehosaphat the just whose heart was lift up in the ways of the Lord Ahaziah the Idolater whose onely coÌ„mendation was that he raigned but one year Ioash the backslider the lease of whose goodness determined with his uncles life Amaziah the rash worsted in a needless war against the King of Israel Iotham the peaceable who built the highest gate to the house of the Lord Ahaz the profane who in the time of his distress yet trespassed more against the Lord Hezekiah the pious who destroied the high places Iosiah the tender-hearted who melted at Gods threatnings denounced against the people of the Iews § 4. Amongst these still I miss Iehojakim and long seeking for his tombe light at last on the Prophets threatning he shall be buried with the buriall of an Asse drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Ierusalem § 5. Now as it were in exchange of Iehojakim excluded we finde Ieâ—ojada admitted among
signifieth a bunch of grapes either from plenty of wine growing there or because the houses in this compacted city were built in a cluster though now become so thin scarce any two of them stand together Byblus the birth-place of Philo commonly surnamed Byblius Barutis anciently a good haven now decayed Adonius so called from the minion of Venus worshipped hereabouts and Licus are the chief rivers in this countrey having many other smaller brooks and Climax the mountain of most note whose figure like that figure in Rhetorick ascends like a staire-case by degrees §40 Coelosyria is onely behind or hollow Syria so called because lying in a concavity betwixt the mountains of Libanus and Antilibanus Though Ptolemy and others stretch the name thereof in a large acception even as far as Arabia Full it was of fair cities but none we meet with named in Scripture and therefore forbear the further prosecution thereof Onely to cover the nakedness of our map we mention four modern villages under the command of the Turkes where and where alone the Syriack tongue is spoken at this day namely Hatcheeth Sharri Blouza and Eden The last the seat of a Bishop of the Maronites who have a poor Patriarch residing at Tripoli and the people here against all sense conceive this Eden to be the place of Paradise Worse errours they maintain in point of doctrine concurring with the Greek Church but in discipline late reconciled to Rome where the Pope on his own cost gives some of their children education Honest harmeless people these Maronites are happy in the ignorance of luxury and so hospitable that in stead of receiving they return thanks to any western Christians which will accept of their entertainment § 41 There remains nothing more in the Map for me to acquaint the Reader with save onely that we have set the modern stages or Innes we must have all wares in our pack not knowing what kind of chapmen we shall light on betwixt Aleppo and Damascus and so forwards to Ierusalem Amongst these Canes or Turkish Innes Marra and Cotefey are most beautifull the latter little inferiour to the old Exchange in London built by a Bashaw ô let not Christians confound whilest Turkes found places for publick use for the benefit of travellers being both a Castell for their protection and a Colledge for their provision Where on the founders cost sufficient food is afforded both them and their cattell As for some Christian travellers who scorned to feed thereon it seems that either they were not soundly hungry or were not of the solid judgment of Eliah who surely would have taken meate from the hands of Turkes who refused not flesh from the beakes of Ravens Here the Map of Midian Moab Ammon Edom is to be inserted THE DESCRIPTION OF MIDIAN MOAB AMMON EDOM CHAP. 2. § 1. BEfore we come to the particular description of the Countreys something for satisfaction why Midian first and why Midian and Moab together In giving Midian the Precedency we observe seniority he being extracted from Abraham the uncle by Keturah his wife whilest Moab came from Lot the nephew by his own daughter As for putting them together we are loath to confess our poverty that lack of larger instructions to furnish forth severall Maps was any cause of our conjoining them together The main motive is not onely the vicinity of their habitation but also correspondency of severall atchievements betwixt them which makes them often coupled together in Scripture Thus Hadad King of Edom smote Midian in the field of Moab The Elders of Moab and the Elders of Midian were jointly imployed to fetch Balaam The daughters of Moab and the daughters of Midian enticed the Israelites to whoredome and Idolatry § 2. Midian consisted of two families one seated southward near the Red-sea serving the true God not so purely but with the mixture of superstitions where Iethro Moses his father-inâ—law lived of whom God willing hereafter The other Idolaters planted more eastward the subject of our present discourse This distance of place and difference of Religions gave probability to their opinions who fancy them two distinct nations which is seemingly confirmed because the former is called Madian in the new Testament But though in some cases we confess that the difference of a letter may make more then a literall difference yet here it is not enough to make a reall distinction seeing Hebrew words made Greek often suffer greatermutations then of a vowell Midian into Madian Others are startled because the Midianites are sometimes termed Ishmaelites whereas the latter come from Hagar the former from Keturah But it is probable surely such as reject our conjecture will substitute a better in the room thereof that because Ishmael was the eldest son of Abraham chief of the house all those eastern people descended from Abraham were denominated by the genericall name of Ishmaelites § 3. It is as difficult precisely to define the bounds as impossible compleatly to describe the Countrey of Midian For besides the mixture and conjunction not to say confusion of these eastern people interfering amongst themselves in their habitations the Midianites especially led erraticall lives and therefore had uncertain limits They dwelt most in tents which we may call moving towns and extempore cities set up in a few houres and in fewer taken down and dissolved Next morning oft times found them many miles off from the place where last night left them And if we wonder at the wildness of their wandring and rudeness of their roving abroad they will admire as much at the stilness of our station and dulness of our constant dwelling in one place And no doubt they observed a method in their removalls as there is a regularity as well in the motion of the Planets as of the fixed Stars § 4. For the generall we dare avouch they had Reuben and Gad on the west Moab on the south Ammon on the north the Ishmaelites or Hagarens on the east Some place them more south hard by the Dead-sea but therein surely mistake For when Gideon had the Midianites in chace out of the land of Canaan they betook not themselves southward and surely such Foxes when hunted would hast home to their own kennels but ran through the Tribe of Gad full east to their proper habitations But now what a slender account shall we make of the towns and places in Midian But I conceive it better to present the Reader with a map without cities or those cities without names then those names without truth or at least wise that truth without certainty and a fair blank is to be preferred before a full paper blurred over with falshoods § 5. But first we doe behold those castles and cities of Midian all on a bright fire burnt by Eleazer and the twelve thousand Israelites whereof no one man slain in the action wherein they killed all the males of that countrey and females
count them in specie but for more safety or expedition computed the people by their Paschall Lambes proportioning such a number of men to a Lambe Others read it He numbred them as Lambes that is now grown meek and quiet whereas at the first there were some animosities of the people against him Shall Saul reign over us contentedly submitting themselves to his command But I take Telaim for a true City and the same with Telem Iosh. 15. 24. which you may finde in our description CHAP. XV. Objections against the Land of Moriah answered Philol. I Perceive the imperfection of your description by the omitting of a memorable valley therein namely the vale of Baca mentioned by the Psalmist pronouncing him blessed who passing through the vale of Baca maketh it a Well You in stead of passing through pass by this vale unmentioned Aleth I reserved my observations on this vale for this place Some render it appellatively The vale of weeping meaning thereby the militant condition of a Christian in this life incumbred with constant afflictions If so this vale of Baca is too big to come under my description all the mountains in the world being but part of this valley the extent whereof is adequate to the whole earth But if you be pleased to take this vale for a proper place I embrace the opinion of learned Ainsworth on the text that this vale of Baca or Mulberry trees for so also it signifieth was near to Ierusalem out of the tops of which trees God sounded the Alarum to David when he conquered the Philistines CHAP. XVI Objections against the City of Jerusalem answered Philol. VVHat is charged unjustly on Saint Paul and his companions that they had turned the world upside down may truly be laid to your charge you have in your description of Ierusalem tumbled all things topsie turvy in the position of the gates thereof yea the foundations of the City as presented by you are out of course and contrary to the rules of other writers Aleth Let God be true and every man a liar In this particular I profess my self a pure Leveller desiring that all humane conceits though built on most specious bottomes may be laid flat and prostrated if opposing the written Word In conformity whereunto we are bound to dissent from such Authors otherwise honouring them for their severall deserts to accommodate the Description of the Gates and Towers of Ierusalem according to a threefold eminent Directory which we finde in Nehemiah Philol. Give us I pray you an account of them in order Aleth The first main Scripture direction we are to observe is the night survey which Nehemiah took of the walls or rather ruines of Ierusalem described in this manner NEHEM 2. 13 14 15. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley even before the Dragon Well to the Dung port and viewed the walls of Ierusalem which were broken down and the gates thereof were consumed with fire Then went I out to the gate of the fountain and to the Kings pool but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass Then went I up in the night by the brook and viewed the wall and turned back and entred by the gate of the valley and so returned The second is the severall reparations where the same were required done on the Gates and walls of the City by severall persons in a circular form from the Sheep-gate surrounding the whole City till they returned to the same place where they began Whose names we have carefully inscribed on those portions of buildings upon which their cost and pains were expended The third but most materiall because most declaratory of the method of the Gates is the solemn Processions which the people divided into two Quires made round about the walls each of them measuring a Semi-circle both of them incompassing the whole circumference of Ierusalem and at last joining together in the best meeting place the Temple of God First Quire Nehem. 12. 31. One great company went on the right hand upon the wall towards the Dung-gate consisting of half the Princes of Iudah and Ezra the Scribe before them And at the fountain-gate which is over against them they went up by the staires of the City of David at the going up of the wall above the house of David even unto the water-gate eastward Second Quire Nehem. 12. 38 39. And the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them and I after them and the half of the people upon the wall from beyond the Tower of the furnaces even unto the broad wall And from above the gate of Ephraim and above the old-gate and above the fish-gate and the tower of Hananeel and the tower of Meah even unto the sheep-gate and they stood still in the prison-gate So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God Now I request the Reader with his eye to examine whether the walls of Ierusalem as designed in our draught agree not with these directions of Scripture To purchase the favour whereof I pass not for the frowns of any Authors Omne excelsum cadet down with whatever dare oppose our embracing of the Text. This we hope for the main will satisfie any indifferent Reader otherwise if being as impossible for me in this short discourse to meet with the severall exceptions of private fancies as for a Geographer in the Map-generall of a Countrey to set down the house of every particular person Philol. You set Sion south of Ierusalem clean contrary to the description of the Psalmist Beautifull for situation the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion on the Sides of the North the City of the great King Aleth The place by you alleadged is difficult much canvassed by Comments who fasten upon it two principall interpretations 1 Sense Some make this verse a description of Sion alone the latter clause by Apposition so referring unto it that Sion it self is solely charactered to be the City on the side of the North. 2 Sense Others make this verse the full description of all Ierusalem consisting of two principall parts by the figure of Asyndeton coupled together 1. Sion Beautiful for situation the â—oy of the whole earth is Mount Sion 2. Properly Jerusalem On the sides of the North the City of the great King That the latter is the truer interpretation we send the Reader to the voluminous labours of Villalpandus proving the same out of Scripture Iosephus and other Authors Besides though time and casualty hath made many alterations on Ierusalem yet what Peter in his time said of Davids sepulcher even in our age true of mount Sion it is with us unto this day standing still full south of Ierusalem as Travellers doe affirme no doubt in the ancient place and posture thereof For although Ioseph could remove the Egyptians from one end of the borders of the land
the lesser Canaan possessed by the Iews yet it was within the bounds of the larger Canaan that Countrey once belonging to the Archites and Arvadites the sons of Canaan § 4. Now whosoever shall with a Compasse in his hand survey the extent of these Tetrarchies will finde them to fall out very uneven in their dimensions some much larger then others Indeed they were measured with no other scale then the favour and friendship of the Emperour so that the best befriended at Rome got most dominion in Palestine Yet were these Tetrarchies as justly divided as our English Hundreds and those perchance equall in their primitive institution for number of men seeing we count threescore and eight hundreds in Kent and but six in Lancashire accounted little less in the compass thereof Nor was the Revenues of these Tetrarchies less unequall then their extent the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or yearly income of Trachonitis with the appurtenances belonging to Philip amounting as Iosephus computeth it but to an hundred talents whilest Galilee with its appendents returned two hundred and Iudea advantaged with the friendly City of Ierusalem yeelded four hundred talents yearly to the Governour § 5. Indeed exactness in observing the bounds of these Tetrarchies is not to be expected which in process of time passed under all parts of numeration Multiplied Subtracted Added to new Divided made moe made fewer made other then in their primitive establishment Let not therefore the Reader be moved if sometimes he find moe Tetrarchies sometimes fewer then four mentioned by good Authours in Palestine seeing as Salmasius informs us the word Tetrarchy in after-ages was negligently taken for a part or parcell of dominion without relating to the exact proportion of a fourth part Thus it is usuall for barbarous tongues to seduce words as I may say from their native purity custome corrupting them to signifie things contrary to their genuine and grammaticall notation Who knows not but that the word Moity both in law and true language importeth the just midst and true half of a thing though small moity in ordinary discourse is taken for any Canton or small portion And in a more proper instance though the Cinque Ports are notoriously known to be five as the name signifieth yet reckoned up with their members they make seven as I doubt not but six yea moe Tetrarchies may sometimes be told in Palestine § 6. And now to take our farewell of the severall divisions of this land mentioned in Scripture for on such onely we insist it will not be amiss to minde the Reader that besides the foresaid partitions we finde some other territories in Iudea having proper names and bounds to themselves but the latter so excentricall that they fall out neither even with any one Tribe nor adequate to any of the Provinces or territories formerly described Such are 1 Idumea sometimes taken more strictly for the south part of Iudea sometimes more largely as always in the old Testament for the land of Edom and the adjacent Dominion 2 Perea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cross the water is frequent in the travels of our Saviour being a countrey containing all the land once belonging to Reuben Gad and Manasseh on the east of Iordan 3 Decapolis that is a land with ten Cities therein the just proportion of command given to the good servant who improved his five to ten pounds Take thou authority over ten Cities However such is the variety even betwixt good authors that amongst them the ten Cities of Decapolis are almost ten severall ways reckoned up We will onely set down two the most authentick computations of them Pliny his account 1 Damascus 2 Opoton 3 Philadelphia once Rabba 4 Raphana 5 Seythopolis once Bethsan 6 Gaddara 7 Hippon 8 Pella 9 Galasa for Gerasa 10 Canatha Brochard his account 1 Tiberias 2 Sephet 3 Kedesh-nepthali 4 Hazor 5 Capernaum 6 Caesarea Philippi 7 Iotopata 8 Bethsaida 9 Chorazin 10 Scythopolis The reason of their great difference may be this that in continuance of time some of these ancient Cities fell into decay or disfavour to forfeit their franchises whilst later places might succeed to their lost immunities § 7. Here we pass over in silence the division of Iudea into the Hill-countrey and the Low-countrey because this distinction is not appropriate to Palestine but usuall and obvious in all other kingdomes I remember whilest I lived in the West of England and confines of Summerset-shire hearing a labourer speak much of his long living in the low-countreys I demanded of him whether he had ever been at Amsterdam He answered that he had never been there but often at Taunton Whereby I plainly perceived what low-countreys he meant namely the flat and levell of Summerset-shire under Quantock-hills according to the language of the people in those parts Thus when the Tribe of Iudah is said to conquer the Canâ—anites in the low-countrey we understand the champion and plain-field in Iudea which lay at the foot of the mountains § 8. We meet in Scripture with many other petite tracts of ground honoured with names of lands as the land of Hepher the land of Dor the land of Zuph the land of Shual c. and in the new Testament the land of Gennesareth with many other These may be compared to our Gilsland in Cumberland Cleveland in York-shire Marishland in Norfolk Lovingland in Suffolk Portland in Dorset-shire places which sound so big that if measured by the ear and length of syllables they would be accounted Kingdomes or Counties at least whereas surveyed by the sight and scale of miles they appeare like the aforesaid lands in Palestine very small and little parcells of ground whereof largely as we light on them hereafter in our severall descriptions CHAP. 13. How the Hebrews measured places Of their cubits furlongs miles and Sabbath-days-journeys § 1. THe Hebrews distanced their places by severall measures some arbitrary casuall and uncertain others certain as reduced to a constant standard Of the former was their measuring of land by paces for we read when David solemnly brought the Ark into Ierusalem when he had gone six paces he offered oxen and fallings But here we are left at a loss in point of certainty taking it rather for an ambulatory then a Geometricall pace and then how vast the difference herein For Saul being higher from the shoulders upward then the rest of Israel by the symmetry of parts his pace must be presumed proportionably longer then other men Nor more certain was the Hebrews measuring their land by a bow-shoot as Hagar is said to set her son Iâ—hmael a good way off as it were a bow-shoot which if at rovers or randome admits of variation according to the strength of the bow might or sleight of the archer weight or fashion of the arrow § 2. As little certainty is
should be thus dismembred Was it not enough that Ioseph was separated from his brethren but Manasseh his Son must also be parted from himself How came that wisdome who pronounceth it good and pleasant for brethren to live together in unity to cleave this Tribe asunder But let such know that unity in affection may consist with locall separation Besides divine Providence might seem to have a designe herein that this Tribe of Manasseh having a joint interest on both sides of Iordan might claspe these Countries together and the Manassites being as I may say Amphibii on both sides of the River might by visits amongst their kindred continue a correspondency and civill communion one with another § 3. Manasseh had mount Hermon and Gilead on the east parting it from the Ammonites and Ismaelites Iordan on the west Gad on the south Syria and particularly the kingdomes of Geshur and Maachah on the north In which compass of ground threescore Cities with high walls gates and bars besides unwalled towns were contained Many will be amazed at this number the wonder will seem the greater when they shall reckon but two and twenty Cities in Asher nineteen in Naphtali seventeen in Simeon sixteen in Issachar but twelve in Zebulun unproportionable that half a Tribe should have treble the number of Cities to those that were bigger All we can say herein is this that being a frontier Countrey and being exposed on the north and east to heathen enemies it must have more fenced Cities then the Tribes on the other side Iordan which were better secured by their situation Thus the hem is turned in and sowed double to prevent the ravelling out thereof And if I reck on right there be more Castles in our marches betwixt Scotland and Wales then in all England besides However our eye shall not be evill at Manasseh because Gods was good unto it who are so far from repining at that we rejoyce for the plenty of strong places therein onely grieving that we cannot give the Reader an exact account of their names though we will endevour our best in the following description § 4. Mount Hermon is the north-east bound of this Tribe called by the Sidonians Syrion by the Amorites Shenir by humane writers Hippus and Trachones being a branch of Lebanon bended south-ward A stately strong mountain fixed on firm foundations and yet the voice of the Lord understand the thunder with an earthquake maketh Syrion to skip as an Unicorne and well may mountains dance when God himself shall pipe unto them The dew of Hermon is highly commended by David and brotherly love is compared thereunto because whilest heat of hatred like a drought parcheth all to nothing fraternall kindness dew-like gives refreshment and increase But how this dew of Hermon fell upon the hill of Sion mountains an hundred miles asunder so troubled Saint Augustine that at last leaving the literall sense he is fain to fly to a mysticall meaning Others interpret that the dew of Hermon fell upon the hill of Sion because the fruitfull flocks fatted on that mountain came afterwards to be sacrificed at Ierusalem which is but a harsh construction as if one should say The fruitfulness of Linconcolne-shire which falls on London because the fatted cattel thereof are sold and eaten in the City But whilest sundry Interpreters have severall wit-engines to draw these two mountains together our last translation saves their needless paines rendring it As the dew of Hermon as as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion Indeed it is the same specificall though not individuall dew which lighteth on both mountains flowing from heaven the same fountain though falling on earth in severall channels § 5. Now as Hermon is a chain of continued hills so a principall link thereof is the mountain Amana Christ courting his Spouse inviteth her to look from the top of Amana Some conceive thereby Amanus a mountain in Cilicia is meant but seeing Solomon clean through that Poem maketh use of onely native similitudes whereof a self-sufficiency in his own land it is improbable that herein he did borrow a forein and exotick expression Know also that the region hereabouts is called Trachonitis or Sharpâ—land in English from the steepness of many pointed hills in shape not unlike the Rocks called Needles near the Isle of Wight wherewith this countrey abounded and it was a moity of the Tetrarch-ship of Philip the brother of Herod § 6. South of Hermon lay mount Gilead famous for the interview of Laban and Iacob the former keen with anger save that God in a vision took off his edge overtaking Iacob charged him with a double action of felony for stealing himself and his Gods away without his privity The first Iacob confessed yet pleaded not guilty to the second but traversed his innocency Hue and Cry is made in vain after the thief and felons goods or Gods if you please for she whose conscience would permit her to carry away cunning did perswade her to conceal them Iacob thus cleared as it were by Proclamation of Defendant turns Plaintiffe accusing the Accuser for his false accusation At last all winds off in a good agreement and an Instrument is drawn up betwixt them not in paper but in stone interchangeably sealed with solemn oaths The Condition whereof was to this effect That if either of them should passe that place to doe any act of hostility to other he should forfeit his fidelity and be liable to divine justice for his perjury § 7. This Pillar and heap of stones had a threefold name imposed on it called 1 By Laban Iegar Sahadutha that is in the Aramite tongue A heap of witnesse 2 By Iacob Galeed the same in effect in Hebrew 3 By both Mizpah that is a Watch-tower Iacob giving the name and Laban the occasion thereof by that his expression The Lord watch betwixt thee and me Here was abundant caution three names and two languages and yet nothing too much For Iacob having formerly been sensible of Labans notorious shuffling with him knew the best way to finde sure was to binde sure and Laban being guilty and therefore jealous thought no security sufficient And therefore in their mutuall suspicions a Triplicate was used in naming the places that a threefold cable might not be broken § 8. Gilead was at first onely appropriated to that heap and pillar whence the name may seem to be translated to the adjacent mountains and thence transmitted to the valley in the east of those mountains and thence imparted to some eminent persons born in that valley For as Gilead Son of Machir grand-child of Manasseh being born in Egypt so called by a Propheticall Prolepsis foretelling that his posterity should possess the Countrey of Gilead so Gilead the Father of Iephthah Gilead of Gilead seems to take his denomination from the Countrey possessed Thus as the Psalmist observes
Disciples frequently repairing hither when he affected retiredness Here also learned men on good likelyhood Scripture being silent of the particular place conceive the miracle of loaves multiplied wrought by our Saviour And to avoid confusion we must carefully observe that this was twice wrought Place Guests Meate Fragments Gospels A desert nigh Tiberias 5000 men 5 loaves two fishes 12 baskets ful Mat. 14. 20 Mar. 6. 43. Lu. 9. 16. 10. 6. 23 Christs mountaiâ—â— 4000 men 7 loaves a few litle fishes 7 baskets ful Mat. 17. 37. Mark 8. 1. Behold in the latter though the meat was the more the mouths fewer yet fewer fragments did remain And good reason that our Saviour in working of miracles should observe no other proportion then his own pleasure § 19. Following still the Sea shore and going westward we light on the City Cinnereth which some conceive gave the name to the lake adjoining and also to the land thereabouts For when Benhadad in favour to King Asa to remove Baasha from besieging Ramah inroded Israel he smote all Cinneroth with all the land of Naphtali Some five miles westward we meet with Bethsaida of Galilee in English a hunting house Nor is it unlikely that at first it was a Mansion meerly made for recreation the neighbouring Desert frequently visited by our Saviour when desiring privacy affording the pleasure of the Game From a house it grew to be a village so called by Saint Marke and thence proceeded to be a City so graced in other Gospells Nor need learned men so trouble themselves about the difference seeing in a short time Hague in Holland may be an instance a great town with addition of walls may at pleasure commence a small City It was the native place of Peter Andrew Philip and another staple City of Christs miracles whose ingratitude forced our Saviours expression Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida c. § 20. In the confines of Bethsaida Christ by the hand led forth a blind man out of the town spat on his eyes so restoring him to a confused and imperfect sight to see men walking as trees well might his spittle give half sight whose breath gave man whole life at the Creation and then putting his hands upon his eyes compleatly cured him But how came it to pass that he who other whiles healed at distance by the Proxie of his word Subveniens priùs quà m veniens curing before coming to his Patients should here be so long not to say tedious in working a miracle Even so Saviour because it pleased thee Let us not raise cavills where we should rather return thanks seeing Christ that our dull meditations might keep pace with his actions did not onely goe slowly on set purpose but even stayed in the mid way of a miracle doing it first by halves that our conceptions might the better overtake him § 21. To clear this Corner before we goe hence north-east of Bethsaida on a tridented mountain standeth Saphetta two parts whereof are inhabited by the Turks and one by the Iews and is at this day a very considerable Place Here the Iews live in the greatest liberty or rather in the least slavery of any place under heaven having some tolerable Priviledges allowed them by the Turk So that they who get wealth enough elsewhere here seem to have some shew of a common-wealth Yea here there is a University of Iews And though commonly that Nation count their children to have learning enough if able to cheat Christians in their bargains here they give them studious education and the pure Hebrew tongue as also at Thessalonica now Salonichi in Greece is here usually spoken but industriously acquired the Iews being neitheâ— born to foot of land nor word of language then what they purchase by their paines What shall we say if this little place be left still to keep possession as an earnest that God in due time upon their conversion may possibly restore the whole countrey unto them § 22. Three Cities follow southwest Naphtali a city properly so called Thisbe different from the native place of Eliah and Naasson all their credits depending on the two first verses of the book of Tobit Now as Comoedians though often they adorn their interludes with fancies and fictions yet are very carefull always to lay their scene right in a true place which is eminently and notoriously known so grant the book of Tobit guilty of improbabilities and untruths surely the author thereof would be punctuall in describing the place past possibility of confutation Yet since the same book presents us with the pedegree of the Angell Raphael with Ananias the great his Father and Sammajas his grandfather contrary to our Saviours character that they neither marry nor are given in marriage and so by consequence can neither get nor can be begotten we may as justly suspect his Geography as Genealogy and conceive him false in the position of towns who is fabulous in the extraction of Angels And if Naphtali and Thisbe pass for reall places yet not onely doubtfull but desperate is the case of the City Naasson not being founded on the rock of the Greek text where no such town appears but on the quick-sand of the erroneous Vulgar Latine translation § 23. Having thus surveyed the east and south parts of this Tribe lest the other coasts thereof should justly complain of neglect we return to mount Libanus to give an account of the remainder In this Map though not in this Tribe no trespass I hope to look over the hedge behold Heliopolis in English the City of the Sun But how well it brooks the name they can best tell who of certain report that the height of the mountains adjoining shadow it from the Sun the better half of the day Was it therefore by the same figure that the mountains are so called from moving that Heliopolis got this name Or because the Sun as all other Blessings are valued is most worshipped where it is most wanted Not far hence the river Fons hortorum Libani or the fountain of the gardens of Libanus with which the banks thereof on either side are enamelled fetcheth his originall running thence by Hamah afterwards called Epiphania often mentioned in Scripture Thus far came the twelve spies sent to search the land and this place passeth in Scripture from the entring of Hamah for the northern Boundary of the land of Israel not onely before the expression of Dan came into request but also long after the mention thereof in holy Writ was disused We shall in due place speake as of Hamah the great so named by the Prophet since called Antiochia in Coelosyria and by vulgar unskilfulness often confounded with this Hamah in Naphtali so also of Ashimah the topicall or peculiar Idoll of this place § 24. Hence that river runneth by Hazor anciently the Metropolis of the Canaanites
exchange for Isaac was caught by the hornes 2 Iebus A name either of the whole or principall part thereof so we read of the Levite that he came over against Iebus which is Ierusalem 3 Ierusalem so called as the Fathers generally affirme as the product of the union of Iebus and Salem B for sounds sake being changed into R which notwithstanding the propriety of the Hebrew tongue will not permit For though chopping of letters be her coÌ„mon practise yet the Iews as they always married within their own Tribe so they exchanged letters of the same Linage same Instrument Labials for Labials Gutturals for Gutturals whereas betwixt Beth Resh in Hebrew no such affinity Besides the turning of a tender melting B. into a surly rigid R. is not to levigate or mollifie but to make the name the harder in pronunciation This drives others to seek out the Etymology thereof as signifying in Hebrew The vision of peace But seeing Abraham called an eminent place whereon it stood Iehovah-Iireh The Lord will be seen perchance from the echo of the name Iireh added to Salem that is peace shall be seen or provided the City might be called Ierusalem where having the essentiall Consonantâ— the most various point-vowels are not so considerable Forget we not that even in Davids time when the name of Ierusalem was in fashion the City was sometimes still called Salem For in Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion Thus it is usuall in England in common discourse to cut off the former part of long-named Cities Wesâ—chester Southhampton Kingstone on Hull whilest the remnant Chester Hampton Hull sufficiently express them to ordinary capacities 4 Hierosolyma which indeed is no new name but the old name in a new language translated into Greek Some Fathers will have it compounded from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Temple and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solomon that is Solomons Temple as if the mixing of these Languages did promise if not prophesie in after ages a joint interest of Iew and Gentile in the mysteries of Religion But Saint Hierome is zealous against this Fancy impatient that in the name of the principall City of the Iews a Greek word should not onely be mingled with but preferred before the Hebrew It is safer therefore to say that Hierosolyma is nothing else but Ierusalem grecized or made Greek and the conceit of the Temple of Solomon rather a witty allusion thereto then a solid deduction thereof 5 Solyma being onely the half of the former For whereas Hierosolyma being a confluence of six short syllables was unmanagable in ordinary verse Poets served this name as the Ammonites the cloaths of Davids Ambassadours cut it off in the middle An Solymum cinerem Palmetaque capta subibis Wilt thou go under Salems dust forsaken Vnder the palme-trees lately captive taken I conceive the name of Solyma not used by Authors till after our Saviours suffering though Iosephus and probably out of him Tacitus writes that Homer makes mention thereof as indeed we finde it twice in his Poems never for this City in Iudea but for a place and people in Lycia I will not say that the curtling of Ierusalem into Solyma after our Saviours time was a sad prognostick that this spacious City should suddenly in the fire of civill war be boiled away to the half yea afterwards shrink to so unconsiderable a smalness that a monosyllable yea a bare letter were too long a name for it 6 Aelia so named from Aelius Hâ—drianus the Emperour who built some part of it again and made it a Garrison 7 Ierusalem recovering the ancient name again whilest for some hundred of years it was in the possession of the Christians 8 Cuds so called at this day by the Mahometans who are the present owners thereof which signifies Holy in their language Here we omit those many appellations given Ierusalem in Scripture The faithfull City the City of the great King the holy City because these are not proper names but glorious Epithets thereof § 2. Concerning the generall situation of Ierusalem three things herein are remarkable first it was placed as Iosephus reports in the very middle of Iudea But herein criticall exactness is not to be observed the heart it self is not so unpartially in the midst of the body but that if not in position yet in motion it propends to the left side for Ierusalem inclines more to the south of the Countrey As Ierusalem was the navell of Iudea so the Fathers make Iudea the middest of the world whereunto they bring not to say bow those places of Scripture Thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth Indeed seeing the whole world is a round Table and the Gospell the food for mens souls it was fitting that this great dish should be set in the midst of the Board that all the guests round about might equally reach unto it and Ierusalem was the Center whence the lines of salvation went out into all lands Yea Ptolemy dividing the then-known world into seven Climats placed Ierusalem as the Sun in the fourth Climat proportionably to what is said in the Propheâ— I have set it in the midst of the Nations and the Countreys that are round about her § 3. Secondly it had high mountains under it and lower about it which as dutifull servants at distance seemed to attend it Ierusalem had a mountain for her footstool and her floor was higher then the roof of other Cities no doubt the Emblem of the strength stateliness and stability of Gods Church in glory High and hard climbing thither but plain and pleasant dwelling there § 4. Lastly it was distanced from the sea welnigh forty miles having no navigable River near unto it For God intended not Ierusalem for a staple of trade but for a ROYALL EXCHANGE OF RELIGION chiefly holding correspondency with Heaven it self daily receiving blessings thence duly returning praises thither Besides God would not have his virgin people the Iews wooed with much less wedded to outlandish fashions And if Eusebius may be credited for the self same reason Plato in imitation of Ierusalem would have that City wherein the modell of his imaginary Common-wealth should be set up to be seated some miles from the sea lest forein merchandize should by degrees bring in forein manners into it CHAP. II. The particular Situation Circuit Populousness Beauty and strength thereof § 1 IT will be pain-worthy to enquire into the exact situation of Ierusalem in what Tribe it was placed the rather because severall testimonies of Scripture entitle both Iudah and Benjamin unto the possession thereof For IUDAH Josh. 15. 63. And for the Iebusites the inhabitants of Ierusalem the children of Iudah could not drive them out but the Iebusites dwell with the children of Iudah at Ierusalem unto this day Judg. 1. 8. Now the children of Iudah had fought against
sorts in sundry places serving for different employments Gates 1 In the out-wall giving ingâ—ess and egress to passengers the sole subject of our present discourse 2 In the in-walls like Temple-bar opening out of Fleet-street into the Strand being partitions within Ierusalem Such the Iron-gate through which Saint Peter went out of prison to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn Mark. 3 Leading to the Courts of the Temple as Saint Austins-gate into Saint Pauls Church-yard such the beautifull gate c. 4 Of the Kings palace like Bulwark gate and Iron-gate leading to London tower as the gate whereby the horses came into the Kings house Now such as promiscuously make all these to be out-gates of Ierusalem ingage themselves in difficulties and deceivâ— others thereby For prevention whereof we will onely insist on the gates of the first qualification § 2. Begin we with the Sheep-gate on the east of Ierusalem in Nehemiahs time owing the reparation thereof to Eliâ—shib the high Priest and his brethren Through this gate the sheep were driven in and all other cattell designed for sacrifice as the nearest way to the Temple § 3. Next followeth the Golden-gate not mentioned in Scripture but meeâ—ly depending on humane authority so called because gilt all over vulgar beholders who carry no touchstones in their eyes accounting all massie gold which is richly gilded Popish authours adde that when our Saviour in an humble but solemn equipage rode on an Asse colt to the Temple this gate opened unto him of its own accord a prety proportionable fiction For if the Iron-gate opened to Peter a Disciple no less then a Golden-gate could offer entrance to Christ his Master Onely here 's the difference we receive the one as recorded in Scripture and reâ—uâ—e the other as not reported therein especially our Saviour having â—o fair an occasion to make mention thereof For when the Pharisees questioned him for not silencing the Childrens Hosaâ—aâ—s and when he returned thâ—t if they should hold their peace the stones would immediately â—ry out how easie had it been for him to adde that the very walls of the City had already opened their mouthes their gates to receivâ— him § 4. Thirdly the Horse-gate by the Kings palace through which the grooms brought the Kings horâ—â—s to water them in the brook of Kidron yet some erroneously make this the same with the Water-gate The Prophet points at the exact position thereof towards the east and we finde the mention but not the reedifying of this gate in Nehemiah a Presumpâ—ion that it was not so ruinous as the rest and not needing much reparation As for 〈◊〉 who cryed Treason Treason the fox the finder when she was the greatest Traitour herself on the Comparing of Scripture it will appear that the Horse-gate whereat she was killed was not this City gate but another so named leading from the Temple to the the Kings Palace § 5. Fourthly the Water-gate In a fall or declivity of ground full east So called because thereat all the â—ewers channels and water-courses of the City flowed out and ran into the brook Cedron No mention in Nehemiah of the repairing hereof for the reason aforesaid Indeed if in his time the Iews had de no vo from the very ground begun the building of the walls and gates thereof it had been impossible they could have finished that work in two and fifty days Whereby it appears they onely mended those places which were most in dilapidation This was the East-gate emphatically so called by the Prophet and opened into the valley of the children of Hinnom § 6. Thus far the gates on the east of Ierusalem On the south thereof where Sion or the City of David lay we meet with no gates at all the precipice of the rock affording no passable ascent on that side so that men must goe first through Ierusalem and then into Sion I dare not say that herein Ierusalem was a type of the Militant as Sion more mounted of the Triumphant Church although there be no access for those which are without into the happiness of the latter but by taking the holiness of the former in their passage thereunto § 7. Come we now to the west in the southermost part whereof we light on the Fountain-gate near the pool of Shiloah whence it took its name nigh to which on the inside were those stately staires whereby men went up to the City of David This gate was in Nehemiahs time repaired by Shallum the Son of Col-hozeh § 8. Next to this the Dung-gate A gate in greatness though but a postern for the private use thereof through which the offall and excrements of the City were conveyed Appliable to this place is that which the Apostle speaketh of some parts of the body Nay much more thosâ— members of the body which seem to be feeble are necessary This gate though of small honour was of great use and all Ierusalem had been a Dung-City but for the Dung-gate Yea the noisomer soile carried out hereat and conveyed hence into the gardens thereabouts was by natures Chymistry converted into wholesome herbs and fragrant flowers growing there The Dung-gate in the days of Nehemiah was set up with the doors locks and bars thereof by Malchiah the son of Rechab § 9. Next follows the Valley-gate commonly but wrongfully placed on the east side of the City chiefly on this account because the valley of Kidron lyeth on that side thereof As if this valley alone was near Ierusaâ—lem which by the Psalmist is described with the mountains round about it and so by necessary consequence must be surrounded with vallies interposed betwixt it and those mountains This gate stood in the north-west opening into the valley of Carcases lying betwixt it and Mount Calvary Here Nehemiah began and ended his surveying the ruins of the walls going by night because loth to be seen and loth to see so sad a sight This valley-gate was in his time repaired by Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah § 10. Having thus surveyed the east south and west come we now to the northern part of the City Where first we finde the Corner-gate whose angular position speaks it to participate of two points being seated in the very flexure of the wall from the east to the north It was distanced from the gate of Ephraim just four hundred cubits all which space of the wall was broken down by Ioash King of Israel when he conquered Amaziah that his Army might march in triumphantly with the greater state Pride we see hath not onely an high neck but also a broad breast especially when setting her armes by her side so large a passage must be cleared for her entrance Afterwards King Uzziah rebuided this gate and adorned it with towers yea fortified all the turning of the wall
unto the other end thereof yet mountains are too firmly fastned to be transplanted from their naturall location Philol. You doe commit what you condemn in Adrichomius taxing him for fashioning the streets of Ierusalem after his own fancy assuming the same liberty to your self in conjecturall ranging them without warrant from Gods word Aleth Reason dictates what we have done herein For Gates being made for entrance probably the streets from them stretched forth-right as we have deâ—igned them Those Insulae or Quadrants of buildings are nothing else but the necessary product of the decussation and thwarting of such direct streets where they cross one another It is impossible that in describing Ierusalem we should doe what Saul in another case desired of the Ziphites See therefore and take notice of all the lurking places and come yee again with the certainty onely such generalls in likelyhood may be presumed and the rest is left to every mans free conception Philol. You have forgotten the Porta fictilis or Potters-gate which Villalpandus solemnly sets up on the east of the City building on a place alleadged out of the Prophet Ieremy Aleth His Porta fictilis is rather fictitia and so brittle a gate that it is broken with perusing the text by him cited for the proof thereof Thus saith the Lord goe and get a potters earthen bottle and take of the ancients of the people and of the ancients of the Priests and goe forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom which is by the entry of the east gate and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee See here whatever may be in the vulgar Latine no sherd of a Potters-gate though we confess a Potters field nigh the City but thence it cannot be collected that there was also a gate of that name no more then if followes because of Smithfield there must be Smith-gate in London Philol. You affirm that we meet with no gate at all in Sion flatly contrary to the words of David The Lord loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Icoab Aleth I say again that because of the precipice of the place Sion had no out-gates but had those which led into Ierusalem which might be meant by the Psalmist But to speake plainly Gates of Sion are not there to be taken literally being put for the assemblies of the people at Gods publick worship especially whilest the Ark was in Davids time fixed in Zion CHAP. XVIII Objections against the Courts of Solomons Temple answered Philol. IN your description of the Courts of Solomons Temple I finde onely four gates to the cardinall windes but neither Parbar nor Asuppim Gate though both of them eminently mentioned in the Bible Aleth I must confess my self utterly unsatisfied in the position of these places whether or no they were in the first two Courts as built by Solomon or added in after ages when the new or third Court was added to Solomons foundation which latter I am most inclined to beleeve For perusing the date of the first book of Chronicles I finde it written long after the Iews return from the captivity of Babylon as appears by reckoning up the grand-children of Zorobabel and therefore I suspend the describing of them till further information Philol. At the entrance of the House of the Lord you make horses but omit the Chariots of the Sun both equally mentioned in Scripture and destroyed by Iosiah Besides you make them artificiall statues which no doubt were naturall horses sent out with riders every morning in a superstitious frolick to give a welcome or visit to the dawning-day and to salute the Sun in the first arising thereof Aleth Chariots must be supposed there though not expressed for lack of room Sure they were no reall horses which the idolatrous Kings of Israel had given to the Sun For except thereby be meant a successive breed or race such horses must be extremely old at this reformation after the eighteenth year of Iosiaâ— probably set up by Ahaz sixty years since Besides it is improbable that living horses were kept so close to the Temple and that noisome stables should be so near Gods house generally set at some distance from mens dwellings However I had rather subscribe then ingage in a controversie not worth the contending for Philol. You mention onely one Table of shew-bread whereas David made preparation for the Tables thereof And lest so plain a place of Scripture should be avoided by the frequent figure of Enallage Solomon is expresly said to have made ten Tables and placed them in the Temple and it is added not long after whereon the shew-bread was set Aleth I am confident there was but one principall Table for the presentation of shew-bread whereon by Gods appointment the twelve Cakes were set in two rowes according to the number of the twelve Tribes of Israel Now if there were ten Tables provided for that purpose the twelve Cakes could not be equally set upon them without a fraction I conceive therefore the other nine onely as side-cupboards or Livery tables ministeriall to that principall one as whereupon the shew-bread elect was set before the consecration thereof and whereon the old shew-bread removed for some time might be placed when new was substituted in the room thereof Philol. To proceed to the Altar I approve your answer taken from the Celestiall fire thereupon as satisfactory in relation to the Tabernacle and Solomons Temple that so many sacrifices were so suddenly consumed without any noisomeness But the difficulty still remains as touching the second Temple where by generall confession in default of heavenly the Priests were fain to make use of common and ordinary fire Aleth Although I beleeve not in full latitude what the Iewish Rabbins doe affirme That the Pillar of smoak which ascended from the sacrifice curled onely upwards in direct wreaths to heaven without any scattering or shedding if self abroad yet for the main we may be confident it was no whit offensive to the Priests or people thereabouts This we impute to the providence of God passing an Act of indemnity that none should be impaired either in health or wealth by the performance of any service according to his appointment And as the land of the Iews was secured from forein invasion during the appearing of all the males thrice a year at Ierusalem so the same goodness of God ordered that his people should sustain no damage or detriment either in their purses or persons whilest busied in his worship the main reason that no infection did arise no smoak nor ill savor sented from the fat offall and excrements of so many sacrifices offered in so short a time and small a compass Philol. You say something for the avoiding of noisomeness but nothing in answer that that common fire should so quickly devour so many sacrifices though I confess the offerings