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
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
Davids days the Militia was much altered and managed by horse by the way Absalom was the first Israelite whom we finde riding in a chariot and how he was blest is not unknown Afterwards Solomon brought many horses out of Egypt and an Egyptian wife on the back of them who certainly hindred more then the other helped him and generally the Israelites were more prosperous before their use of horses then ever after Their success was mounted when they fought on foot but scarce went on foot when their armies were mounted on horseback § 24. But to return to Aram-Zobath Two prime cities thereof with four names are mentioned in Scripture Beta and Berothat elsewhere called Tibhah and Chun Here not to say that Beta and Tibhah by Metathesis are the same it is no newes for cities standing in the confines of severall kingdomes and the juncture of severall languages to have double names What the English-man calls Glocester and Worcester the Welsh-men tearm Caer Loyw and Caer-Frangon And probably one of the names of these cities was Hebrew and the other Aramite Both of them afforded much brass to King David Gods receiver generall for that purpose for the building of the Temple But Zobah which gave the name to this Countrey is generally conceived at this day to be called Aleppo though some Iews inhabiting therein count it anciently the city of Sepharvaim from Alep which signifies milke in the Turkish language whereof such plenty here that if via lactea be to be found on earth it is in this place It is so seated on a navigable stream which runs into Euphrates that here the commodities of the East and West doe meet The former from Babylon by water the latter by Land-caravans from Scanderoon and this city is the golden clasp to couple both sides of the world together and we remit the Reader to modern Merchants for further information thereof § 25. And here standing on the utmost verge of our map we could wish it of such extent as might represent to the Reader Aram-Naharam or Mesopotamia otherwise Padan-Aram where Bethuel and Laban dwelt Charran whither Abraham first removed Caldea and Ur a city where he formerly dwelt Babylon and Nineveh the two Emperesses of the world with the rivers which watered and bounded Paradise it self But alass as Prodigalls who have spent their possessions take little delight to see a survey of the lands they have sold the sad remembrancer of their former riot and present wretchedness so small comfort can accrew unto us by the curious enquiry into the ancient place of Paradise having long since in our first Parents forfeited all our right and title thereunto But the main matter forbidding our Pens progress any further is because as Shimei confined by Solomon to Ierusalem suffered justly as an offender for gadding to Gath so Palestine with the neighbouring countreys being the proper subject of our discourse we shall be taken trespassers if found wandering beyond the bounds thereof However I hope without offence my hand may point further then my feet may follow and tell the Reader that the fore-named places lie northeast of the city of Aleppo § 26. The land of Hamah lay west of Aram-Zobah anciently inhabited by the Hamathites descended from the eleventh and youngest Son of Canaan the Son of Cham of whom largely before In the days of David Toi was King of this Countrey who being at war with Hadadezar and hearing how the Israelites had defeated him sent Ioram his Son to King David with presents in his hand and complements in his mouth to congratulate his victory Long after Salmaneser subdued this countrey and extinguished the royall race witness that brag Where is the King of Hamath and of Arpad Though that proud question admits of an answer namely they were even there where their sins set them seeing it was not so much the Assyrian valour as the Syrian wickedness which cast these Kings out of their countrey Riblah was a prime city in this land where Nebuchadnezzar caused the eyes of Zedekiah to be bored out Some conceive this done in the land of Nephtali others with more likelihood in this place and we see Reader our carefulness to please all if possible in this captious age mention it in both Yet because this Riblah was many miles nearer to Babylon and further from Ierusalem it is more probable to be the place as more for Nebuchadnezzars ease and Zedekiahs anguish it adding to the conquerours state to fetch the captive furthest from his own countrey § 27. Hamah the city which gave the name to this countrey was afterwards called Antiochia Seven and twenty cities are said to be of the same name For severall Antiochuses being successively Kings of Syria stocked their dominions with many cities after their names as being either built beautified strengthened or enlarged by them or their Favorites But it matters not how many younger brethren there be of the same family as long as our Antioch is the heire and though not in age in honour to be preferred before all the rest Here the professor of the Gospell formerly termed Beleevers for their faith sometimes Brethren for their love Saints for their holinesse Disciples for their knowledg were for all these first called Christians Probably when many of all nations beleeved the name Christian was given them to bury the difference betwixt Iews and Gentiles thus England and Scotland happily joined in great Britain which two names though remaining afterwards were used as terms of civill difference not odious distinction Had this happened at Rome how would the Tide of Tiber have swoln above all his bounds and banks at the conceit that in her city Religion it self was christened But this Antioch hath still more to brag of The Chair of Saint Peter wherein he sate Patriarch many years before his removeall to Rome and therefore no wonder if Antioch grudge to give Rome the superiority Why should not that place be the prime which was the first Besides Saint Peter was honoured at Antioch murdered at Rome And why should that City receive most credit by him which used most cruelty unto him But let Ecclesiasticall Heralds deduce the pedegree and martiall the precedency of these Churches we will onely adde that this Pharisaicall taking of the upper-hand hath in all ages hindered the giving of the right hand of Christian fellowship § 28. Now surely no malignant quality in this place but a principle of perversness in mens hearts was the cause that so many famous contentions happened in this city of Antioch Here it was that some comming down from Iudea maintained the necessity of circumcision and the legall ceremonies endevouring to set up a religion like those monsters in Africa begotten betwixt severall kindes partaking of both perfect in neither but defective in their very redundancy a â—edley mongrel betwixt Judaisme and Christianity This occasioned the calling of the first great
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
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
the three Cities for Refuge west of Iordan the Israelites were bound if God did inlarge their coasts to adde three more for the same service By which analogy it may be collected that the Ephraimites in gratitude to God who gave them more intire possession of their portion then any other Tribe in Ioshua's division nothing out â—ezer a Levites City being detained from them by the Canâ—anites might give this Raâ—a as a gratuity to the Levites Besides the suburbs and lands of the Levites reached from thâ— walls of the Cities three thousand Cubits round about with in which space they might erect what buildings they please being therein without incroaching on any other Tribe resident on their proper inheritance Rama therefore might be built within that circumference and by the proportion of miles we collect it to stand within the circuit of Gezer so that though they could not get Gezer it self they might gain and build Rama within the compass thereof for their habitaâ—ion However we define nothing positively much less impose it on the beliefe of others Clipt money is worth as much as it weighs though it will not pass for what it was coined and conjectures though they will not goe for certain truths deserve to finde as much acceptance as they bring probability with them Philol. Have you nothing more to observe concerning the blessings and 〈◊〉 pronounced on mount Ebal and Gerizim Aleth I conceive on second thoughts that the Prieâ—ts with the Aâ—ke stood in the valley betwixt the two hils whilest the whole body of the ordinary Levites were on the mount of Geriziâ— whose station in the half way betwixt both when they pronounced the blessings and the cursings facilitated the conveyance of the sound on both sides as appeareth on the serious comparing of the Scripture Philol. Tiphsah is made by you a City in this Tribe But if it were situate herein very short were the dominions of Solomon even in the very height of his greatness who then reigned on this side of the river from Tâ—phsah even to Azza or Gaza in the Tribe of Simeon not fully an hundred miles as appears by your Scale in the generall Description of the land Aleth Tiphsah there mentioned being the eastern boundary of Solomons Empire from our Tiphsah where cruell Menahem began his reign was near a thousand miles north-east on the river Euphrates probably the same with the City Tharsacus whereof Ptoleâ—y Strabo and Stephanus take speciall notice Philol. Have you any miraculous faith who so easily have removed the mountain of Phinehas wherein Eleazar was buried from the north of this Map within the suburbs of Bethhoron a Levites City to the south thereof near Shiloh where in your Map generall the same is presented Aleth On better consideration I see no necessity that his mountain should be brought within the bounds of any Leviticall City Phinehas was an extraordinary person and therefore his land might be extraordinary in the location thereof This his portion was no part of the Levites patrimony in their forty eight Cities given them by God but seems rather the sâ—perpondium of the peoples bounty cast into the balance as an honourable augmentation in reward of his eminent desert I conceive therefore it lay in Mount Ephraim near Shilob where the Tabernacle was set up bestowed upon him thereabouts for his more convenient attending of Gods service therein CHAP. XI Objections against Dan answered Philol. YOu positively affirme that the land of Dan belonged primitively to Iudah yet produce no Scripture for the proof thereof We beleeve the same of Simeon the Text affirming that their inheritance was within the inheritance of Iudah but no evidence appears of such derivation of Dans possession originally from Iudah Aleth The same is infallibly collected from Scripture because the Cities of Eshtaol Zoreah Timnah Ekron were first bestowed on Iudah and afterwards we finde the same places with the Countrey thereabouts by necessary consequence conferred upon Dan's posterity for their portion Philol. Such an alteration seems utterly inconsistent with divine immutabâ—lity with whom is no 〈◊〉 nor shadow of changing To give a thing and take a thing is unproportionable with his proceedings whose Gifts are pronounced by the Apostle to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Repentance Aleth Indeed such gifts as amount to the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are uncapable of alteration to which his other grants are subject Besides God never so passed away that land but he still reserved it as his own Demesnes For the land saith he is mine not was but is even after the Israelite had long possessed the same Is it not lawfull for him to doe as he will with his own and to change at pleasure what tenants to rent or rather what Bailifes to occupy his own ground Philol. The faces of the Men which bear the great bunch of grapes are set the wrong way For being to goe south-east to Kadesh-â—arnea they look full west to the Mediterranean sea Aleth You put me in minde of a man who being sent for to pass his verdict on a Picture how like it was to the person whom it was to resemble fell a finding fault with the frame thereof not the Limners but the Ioiners work that the same was not handsomely fashioned In stead of giving your judgment on the Map how truely it is drawn to represent the Tribe you cavill at the Historyâ—properties therein the act of the â—raver not Geographer Yet know Sir when I checkt the Graver for the same he answered me that it was proper for Spies like Water-men and Rope-makers for surety sake to look one way and work another CHAP. XII Objections against Simeon answered Philol. VVHy both an Asteriske and flag of uncertainty over Sheba For though unassured of the exact position thereof the Text ascertaineth us that it was a reall City in Simeon Beer-sheba and Sheba and Moladah c. Aleth I am not satisfied that Sheba was a distinct City by it self but rather conceive it the same with Beer-sheba Because 1 They are both accounted the same when originally denominated 2 Sheba is omitted in Chronicles where other Simeonite Cities are summ'd up as the same with Beer sheba 3 Simeon had but thirteen Cities which make fourteen if Sheba be accounted a distinct City by it self The premisses considered Sheba appears the same with Beer-sheba as Salem with Ierusalem commonly so called for brevity sake Philol. But then how doe you answer the Text which expresly maketh Sheba a distinct City Beer-sheba and Sheba and Moladah c Aleth Proteus appeared not in more shapes then the Particleâ— here rendred and hath severall significations for though chiefly it is copulative other whiles it is causall collective adversative exegeticall redditive and disjunctive as Bonfrerius readeth it here Beer-sheba or Sheba and Moladah c. Philol. You say that Simeon was
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
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
banishing them south of Arnon Fourthly Reubenites on whom Moses bestowed it after Sihon was conquered and killed Fifthly Moabites again For it seems after the captivity of the Reubenites by Tilgath Pilneser 1 Chron. 5. 26. they made a re-entry on their old possessions seeing those cities formerly inhabited by the Reubenites are prophecied against by Isaiah and Ieremiah under the notion of places belonging to the people of Moab to be destroied by Shalmaneser and Nabuchadnezzar § 3. This Countrey had Iordan on the west dividing it from Ephraim and Benjamin the River Arnon on the east and south parting it from the kingdome of Moab and on the north confined on the Tribe of Gad. The extent thereof from east to west may be allowed forty two miles not exceeding thirty five from north to south A Countrey excellent for grazing not as if defective in corn and wine wherein it shared with the rest of the Tribes besides the benefits of some Mineralls and medicinall waters whereof in due place but because exceeding in conveniencies for Cattell Pastures to feed Woods to shade and Rivers to wateâ— them Therefore was it bestowed upon the Tribes of Reuben Gad and half Manasseh which much abounded in cattell In which three we may observe some shadowes of Primogeniture which might imbolden them to petition to be first served Reuben the eldest of Iacob by his wife Gad eldest by Zilpah his concubine and Manasseh first born of Ioseph But these Tribes as first planted were first plucked up God carved unto them the first cut of the Land and after called for the Voider to take it first from them For they falling from the house of David and following Ieroboam through rebellion to Idolatry and not being warned with the terrible blow Hazael gave them shroudly shrubbing their branches God rent them up by the roots in the days of Pekah by the hand of Tilgath-Pilneser King of Assyria some twenty years before the generall captivity of their brethren at the end of the reign of Hosheah 2 Kings 17. 6. § 4 Leaving the people come we to survey the places and memorable actions in this Tribe In the northâ—east corner thereof near the banks of Arnon we finde the tract or territory of Aroer For though Aroer the City was undoubtedly entire in the Tribe of Gad yet it plainly appears that at least a Moity of the countrey adjacent so called from the city was possessed by the Reubenites A populous place it was the Prophet mentioning the cities of Aroer though their names or number is not expressed Probably Arnon one of the principall Tell yee it in Arnon says Ieremy surely not to the fishes in the River but to a City seated on the brink thereof and thence denominated as Hull in York-shire so commonly called from the Rivolet running by it § 5. Going south-west having the stream of Arnon for our guide we leave Kedemoth not far from the north bank thereof The Septuaginâ— read Kedson for Kedemoth and the Vulgar without any warrant read Iethson for Kedson so procreative is one errour of another This Kedemoth was one of the four Peculiars of the Levites wherein they were accommodated with Safety Pleasure and Profit Safety in the City it self within whose walls they dwelt in secure habitations Pleasure in their suburbs reaching a thousand Cubits from the wall round about little less then an English mile where they had houses of retirement with stalls and stables for their cattell Profit in their glebe land extending two thousand Cubits from their suburbs on every side improved for pasture tillage and vineyards For thus the survey of the Levites lands Numb 35. 4 5. though the difficult place is capable of severall senses is expounded by learned Rabbi Maimonie and we in our Maps have described them accordingly Now though herein we have given the Levites lands the largest and most favourable bounds seeing I am unable to endow them they shall lose nothing by my restrictive measuring thereof yet know that narrower limits are assigned them by Tremellius as shall hereafter be presented in Diagram we have prepared for that purpose § 6. Behold here Levi's curse turned into a blessing Divide them in Iacob and scatter them in Israel Now the dividing of them proved the disposing of them for their own and others advantage Their scattering was their ranking for the best behoof of the people for whose instruction they were intended They were the Salt of the earth and therefore God sprinkled them here and there the more conveniently to season the whole nation Insomuch that some English Parishes are more remote from their Mother-church then most places in Canaan were distant from the Cities of the Levites We must not forget that in Ieroboams apostasie the religious Levites forsook their Cities and fled to Ierusalem preferring voluntary exile before wealthy homes on the condition of an Idolatrous compliance It appears not in Scripture how these Cities and lands thus left were disposed of Whether Ieroboam himself seised on them converting them into demeans of his Crown or whether he suffered them to revert to those respective Tribes from whom they were taken so fastning his subjects affections unto him with nailes of gold of their own profit Either course may be conceived a cause to hasten the captivity of the people it being just that those who swallow Gods morsels should be spewed out of their own possessions § 7. Round about this City is the wilderness of Kedemoth not wholly abandoned to solitariness but as the rest of this kinde more thinly inhabited It abounded with wild beasts Lions Bears Bores Wolves Foxes where the pleasure in hunting the game did not recompense the pains and dangers of the shepheards lying constant Perdues in defence of their flocks From this wilderness Moses sent messengers to Sihon King of the Amorites for peaceable passage through his countrey But Sihon path-wise and land-foolish by denying a civility drew destruction on himself and subjects For seeking in fight to traverse it for their pedibus ambulando he was by a firme Ejection outed of his whole kingdome § 8. To return to Arnon Hereabouts the children of Israel passed over it miraculously with dry feet saith Adricomius But the miracle seems rather of his then Gods making the Scripture being silent therein and the river not of that depth or breadth but that it was fordable especially with the help of Camels Mules and Asses Many miles hence this river solitarily runs on as sensible of its sad fate suddenly to fall into the dead-Sea at Ashdoth-pisgah Where all his comfort is to have the company of two other Brooks whereof the eastermost runs near to Betzar or Bozra A City of refuge belonging to the Levites Merarites whereof there were six in the whole Countrey of Canaan with a provision that they should adde three more mans mercy must increase proportionably with his means if God
enlarged their coast though we read of no such addition either in Davids or Solomons time The Cities were so conveniently distanced by Gods appointment that in half a day men for their lives will take wide and thick strides some one of them might be recovered from the remotest corner of the land Let Historians relate the Laws of such Sanctuaries whereof these most fundamentall 1t. Strangers and sojourners in Israel were capable of the priviledge thereof as well as native Iews 2ly Any murderer that could might fly thither without any hindrance or interruption Thou shalt prepare thee a way Otherwise such obstructions would have frustrated and defeated the main intent of such priviledged places 3ly If the murderer could but reach the border of such cities of refuge the very hemme of Christs garment had soveraign vertue in it distant as is aforesaid from the City it self it was a sufficient protection for him till his cause was examined before the Judges 4ly Upon examination those were denied the benefit of refuge and delivered up to Justice who had committed murder out of malice prepense or had killed one as we may say with a malicious weapon namely if the bigness or sharpness thereof be it iron wood or stone was mortall in view carried death in the sight thereof as probable enforced with ones hand to kill a man 5ly Others who casually had killed their neighbour might live safely in the City till the death of the High-priest typifying the suffering of our Saviour whose execution is our gaol-delivery 6ly If the murderer wandring out of the suburbs was found by the avenger of bloud he forfeited his protection and might be killed with indemnity 7ly After the High-priests death say the Rabbines without Express from Scripture the party was remitted to his innocence not honour restored to his liberty not lustre clouded the remnant of his life because of the scandall that came by his hand Forget we not here that besides these six Cities the Altar in the Tabernacle or Temple was reputed the seventh and paramount place of murderers protection § 9. The brook from the west begins at Machaerus one of the strongest inland Forts in the world nature having prevented Art therein so impregnable is the City and Castle upon the top of a steep hill with a deep valley round about Hither Iosephus saith Herod the Tetrarch sent Iohn the Baptist to be beheaded For which fact his great army was afâ—terwards overthrown by Aretas King of Arabia Hereabout two springs arise of contrary natures One hot and sweet the other cold and bitter Both which meeting together make a most excellent Bath cordiall for severall diseases As if nature thereby would lesson us that moderation wherein extremities agree is the best cure for all distempers These waters are approved excellent for the contraction of the nerves either inwardly taken or outwarldly applied Herod the King being sick newly come out of a Bath of bloud of the innocent Bethlehem-babes was hither directed in vain by his Physitians the water refusing to be guilty of such a Tyrants recovery On this stream stood Lasha mentioned Genesis 10. 19. afterwards called Callirrhoe or the Fair stream And now what pity is it that such percious water should presently be spilt into the the Dead Sea But what remedy Fair and foul faces must meet together in the grave § 10. As for the Dead sea which onely peeps into a corner of this Tribe but stedfastly faceth a whole side of Iudah more properly thereof hereafter And as for Iosephus his valley of Baaras with the strange growing gathering working of the famous root therein we mention it not to seem wholly ignorant thereof and but mention it not to seem over credulous therein Hereabouts is plenty of Alum and Brimstone the latter probably some stragling drops of that direfull shower which was rained on Sodome and Gomorrah leaving some tincture in the adjacent Countrey as a remembrancer of so great a Judgment § 11. It is now high time that we survey the west of this Tribe which Iordan as we have said divideth from Ephraim and Benjamin This is the true meaning of Deborah's complaint uttered and repeated for the divisions of Reuben were great thoughts of heart namely because that Tribe separated by Iordan from the western continent of Canaan could not come seasonably to the succour of Barak and subduing of Sisera This River used to overflow all his banks in the first moneth 1 Chron. 12. 15. parallel to the end of our March and beginning of Aprill or as it is said Iosh. 3. 15. at the time of harvest Which vast distance in our English Climate as much as betwixt Spring and Autumn is easily reconciled and made to meet in Iudea where the Harvest â—t large is dated from the first fruits and those ripe in Aprill in that hot countrey Let Naturalists discuss the cause whence this inundation of Iordan proceeds whether from the violence of winds then blowing on its stream and angring it beyond his banks or from the influence of the Moon Commandress over moist bodies and their motions or from the confluence of Snow dissolved from the mountains But my discourse like Iordan overflowes it shall return within its banks § 12. In the northwest corner of this Tribe Iordan first entring into it is fordeable at Bethbara or Bethabara that is the house of passage For Gideon having the Midianites in chace sent messengers to all in mount Ephraim a service most proper for them cause in their confines to take before them the water unto Bethbara and Iordan which there with good guides and high Camels might be waded over but more southward the river is fenced by its own breadth and depth against all Passengers And here afterward did Iohn baptize our Saviour As for Aphek hard by we place it here rather in conformity to others then convinced in our own judgment of the true situation thereof § 13. The altar Ed or witnesse was hereabouts erected by the Reubenites Gadites and half Tribe of Manasseh returning from the conquest of Canaan This Altar was a bridge in effect to conjoin these divided Tribes with the rest severed by water the same in worship on the other side Iordan in position on the same side with the other Tribes in Religion But though there was a noon-day of Innocence in their intentions yet because though not a night of guiltiness a twilight of suspicion obscured their actions it occasioned jealousies in their brethren as if they had hatched some idolatrous designe But when the matter came to be disputed in a military way the controversie was ended by the right stating of the question and a seasonable distinction well applied that it was an Altar onely of memoriall and not for any burnt meat or Peace-offering O that all differences between brethren might winde off in so welcome a conclusion § 14.