attendance Coming a little past the top of the hill Ziba meets him with a couple of Asses loaden with bread Raisons summer fruits and wine for the refection of David and his company But ô the Bran in that Bread rottenness in those Raisons dregs in that wine he brought joining with them a false accusation of his Master Mephibosheth to be a Traitour whilest alass all the disloyalty that good man was guilty of was onely his lame legs his lying servant and his over credulous Soveraign David did rashly believe this information § 11. A little farther east-ward was Bahurim where Shimei Lord of that place cursed David casting stones and dust at him What meant the mad man thus to raile being within the reach of Davids Armies except he intended to vent out his venome and life together But causeless curses rebound on their Authors and Ziba's gifts did David more harm then Shimei's curses for those betrayed him to an act of injustice whilest these improved his patience Indeed his railing gave an Alarum to the martiall spirit of Abishai who desired a Commission to take off the head of this dead dog blood so let out in the neck vein is the soonest and speediest cure of such a traiterous Phrensie But David who desired not that Shimei should be killed for his words but rather that his own heart should be mortified by them by heavenly Logick à majore ad minus argued his own soul into humility that seeing his Son had conspired against him the ill words of an open Enemy ought patiently to be indured Well! Let Shimei know though he pass unpaid for the present yet either David himself or his Executors Administrators or Assignes shall one day see this debt duly discharged § 12. To this place of Bahurim Phaltiel the son of Laish followed Michal his or rather Davids wife weeping when David demanded the restitution of her as unjustly detained from him Wherefore all Phaltieâ—â— tears move no pity of mine Caveat raptor let him beware who violently takes another mans wife seeing shame and sorrow are the issue of such ungodly marriages Here in a mans Court at Bahurim Ionathan and Ahimaaz Davids Intelligencers were concealed in this manner an equivocating covering was spread on the ground pretending nothing but ground Corn laid upon it but having under it the reservation of a dry wel into which the messengers were put and by it a woman to manage the fallacy with the less suspicion she tells the pursuers after them that they were gone over the river which nigh Enrogell falls into Kidron ô that I could in the same instant commend her Loyalty and condemn her Lying which being impossible we must be contented successively first to praise her charity and then to protest against her falshood § 13. Come we now to survey the south parts of the Land of Moriah where we meet some seven miles from Ierusalem with the famous City of Bethlehem-Ephrath The first mention of this Place we finde was when Iacob near to it buried his beloved wife Rachel dying in child-bed This was that Rachel who said in her fury Give me children or else I dye as if she would have had them begotten conceived bred and born all in an instant and now she had not onely her fill but a surfet of her own wish had children and dyed It seems dying in child-bed her corps required speedy interment otherwise no doubt Iacob would have conveyed them to the Cave of Macpelah the solemn sepulcher of his family She was buried by the high way the ancient custome both of Iews and Heathen partly to minde passengers of their mortality and partly to preserve the memory of the dead the longer by so making their monument the more publick and visible Heathen used in like manner to interre their dead in high-ways yea their sepulchers served to measure the distances of places Hinc adeò media est nobis via namque sepulchrum Incipit apparere Bianoris Hence ev'n mid way it is for us for near Bianors Tomb beginneth to appear Nor is it amiss to observe that the self same place where Benjamin was born and his mother buried fell afterwards to the lot of the Benjamites as if Rachels body all the while had but kept possession for her posterity § 14. Bethlehem in Hebrew is the house of bread principally so called in reference to Christ the bread of life who in fulness of time was here to be born otherwise time was when in this house of bread little bread was to be had namely when God brake the staffe thereof in Israel by a ten years famine This caused Elimelech with his wife Naomi and her sons to remove into Moab whence after ten years stay she returned home to Bethlehem with Ruth her daughter-in-law who here became an extraordinary Gleaner on the field of Boaz. Here harvest being ended Ruth by the advice of Naomi went afterwards to glean a husband for her self and came in the night to the threshing floor of Boaz to challenge in him the right of the next kinsman some herein will censure her carriage to come at so unseasonable a time to surprize a man for her husband so that se defendendo to vindicate his credit he must be forced to marry her But let these dainty dames which condemn Ruth herein first follow her faithfulness in attending then imitate her industry in maintaining her mother-in-law and this done they will have less wanton thoughts in themselves and more charitable opinions of Ruth Besides in the innocence and simplicity of those days some passages might be harmelesly performed which in our age grown ripe in wit and riâ—e in wickedness carry with them more then the appearances of evill She brought forth here Obed the father of Iesse and grandfather of David § 15. David afterwards was born and keept sheep in Bethlehem therefore called the City of David here he made an experimentall syllogisme and from most practicall propositions Major a Lion Minor a Beare inferred the direct Conclusion that God would give him victory over Goliah Hence he was fetched from following the Ewes big with young to goe before the people of Israel and God intending to raise David high in honourable old age that the building might be the firmer laid the foundation thereof very low in his laborious and religious education Being then better imployed when thirsting after Gods honour then afterwards when not far from this place he fondly longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate the Philistines Army then encamping about it But it shall not be said that David desired what Davids subjects durst not perform three of his Worthies boldly marched through the midst of their enemies quickly draw safely beare back humbly present to their Soveraign this Aqua vitae the procuring whereof cost them the hazard of their lives But
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
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
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
some called their lands after their own names and some it seems were called after the name of their lands § 9. A fruitfull Countrey Gilead was till the people thereof were infected with Idolatry growen so frequent therein that the Prophet complains Their Altars were as heaps in the furrows of the field Thus falling into Gods displeasure they quickly fell under their enemies disposall The Syrians of Damascus threshing them with instruments of Iron and the Ammonites ripping up their women with child that they might enlarge their border This latter cruelty seems done in revenge of Davids usage of the Ammonites in taking of Rabbah putting them under saws and harrows c. And although some hundreds of years were betwixt that action of David and this of the Ammonites yet we know malice hath a strong memory long to retain and at last to return injuries offered unto it § 10. Under the hills of Gilead famous for flocks of goats to which for thickness and whiteness the hair of the Spouse is compared lay Rogelim a Manor of Barzillai the Gileadite This was he who so bountifully victualled David at Mahanaim so civilly waited on him to Iordan so equally requested and so easily obtained a Writ of ease from Court attendance being now fourscore years of age having first bequeathed his Court-pleasures to Chimham his Son neither covetous to keep them himself nor envious that another should enjoy them because such excusable vanities might become his green youth which would be burdensome to the withered winter of his Father Pella seems to be hereabouts whither many Christians warned by many prodigies fled for shelter from Ierusalem before the Romans besieged it As we congratulate their thus preventing persecution according to Christs precept so we cannot but condole that the same persons were afterwards poisoned with hereticall opinions contrary to the express word of God and became Apostate Nazarites Somewhat more north is Lodebar the possession of Machir a bountifull benefactor to David during his distress and Guardian to Mephibosheth in his minority and Thisbe the birth-place of Eliah the Prophet the Iohn Baptist of the old Testament Great was the resemblance betwixt their persons and preaching all similitudes run like Pharaoh's Charets in the red-sea wanting some wheeles especially because both were born in bad times when the world was generally infected with wickedness both contented with plain clothes and course fare undaunted in reproving the faults of Princes and implacably persecuted for the same § 11. But the principall City in Gilead was Mizpah the place of Iephthah's habitation This is he whom his brethren banished for a Bastard but the elders of Gilead oppressed by the Ammonites brought back for their Generall When they felt their own woe they began to see Iephthah's worth formerly exiled for his Fathers fault but now restored for his own abilities Vertue once in an age will work her own advancement and when such as hate it shall chance to need it they will be forced to prefer it To Mizpah Iephthah returned though a conquerour yet a captive and a prisoner to his own rash vow to sacrifice whatsoever came first forth of the doors of his house it so happening that his onely daughter met him with a virgin-quire and musick which was sad in the close Here Divines both for number and learning are almost equally divided some avouching her really sacrificed according to the letter of the text whereof some footsteps in the Fable of Agamemnon sacrificing Iphigenia haply corrupted for Iephthagenia or Iephtha's daughter others maintaining that she was onely sequestred to perpetuall virginity If any demand my judgment in this difference I seasonably remember how one being asked in the Massacre of Paris whether he was a Catholick or an Hugonite answered he was a Physician My return must be in this work I am onely a Chorographer and the controversie in hand concerns matter of fact not of place proper onely to us for this present § 12. East of Mizpah lay the plain of Mizpah Ioshua having conquered the Kings of Canaan at the waters of Merom in the next Tribe pursued them hither on the east and to Mizrepothâ—maim near Sidon westward A chace with a vengeance all the latitude of the land the Canaanites flying as far as sea or mountains would give them leave so that their flight may pass for a Scale of miles for the breadth of this Countrey so smitten untill they left them none remaining understand it not in a considerable body to make any resistance § 13. So much of Gilead We come now to Bashan for these two provinces did the Tribe of Manasseh contain though it is impossible accurately to distinguish their bounds Bashan was a grazing countrey as indeed all Canaan east of Iordan was fitter for Abel then Cain for pasturage then tillage antiently called the Land of Giants which though now extirpated Og being the last of that race yet retained some footsteps thereof in the strength and greatness of her 1 Oakes whereof oares were made for the gallies of Tyre 2 Rams of the breed of Bashan being the fattest and fairest of their kinde 3 Bulls so often mentioned in Scripture But by Davids metaphoricall bulls of Bashan strong sturdy curst cruell men are understood This Province was subdivided into severall petty lands as first the Laâ—d of Argob on the north next Syria Secondly Bashan-avoth-Iair where taking the first word for the Genus and the two latter for the Difference we have the exact definition of the Countrey § 14. Iair was a fortunate name in the family of Manasseh and we must be carefull not to confound two eminent men of that name 1 Iair the elder contemporary with Moses who when the field-forces of Og were utterly destroied smote the small towns thereof being threescore in number as Ioshua counted them and called them Bashan-Avoth-Iair that is the Cities of Iair in Bashan 2 Iair the younger a peaceable Judge in Israel immediately before Iephthah who as he came many years in age short of the former so the number of his Cities were but half so many viz. thirty which he left to his thirty sons calling them also Avoth-Iair It is further recorded of his thirty sons that they rode on thirty Asse-colts i. e. they were itinerant Judges say some in their respective places it being improper that they in their severall circuits should 1 Goe on foot Authority would be contemned if not somewhat heightned above the comon people 2 Or ride on prancing steeds Marshall law may be so mounted where the heels of the horses are as terrible to poor people as the face of the rider 3 Or ride on swift Coursers seeing no such hast to execute suspected innocence 4 Or be housed in covered chariots which is a kinde of engrossing of justice shutting that up to which all ought to have
turned it for a time into the temple of Iupiter that keepeth hospitality Sure I am the Samaritans practised small hospitality in the countrey hereabouts denying to give our Saviour entertainment in their towns because he was going to Ierusalem The truth is this temple was destroyed somewhat before the time of our Saviour by Iohn Hyrcanus after it had flourished above two hundred years but when the temple was taken away the mountain remained in which the Samaritans continued their adoration We conclude all with the words of the son of Sirach There be two manner of nations which my heart abhorreth and the third is no nation They that sit upon the mountains of Samaria and they that dwell amongst the Philistines and that foolish people that dwell in Sichem Meaning by the first the Idolatrous by the last the hereticall Samaritans who indeed were no distinct nation as Leopards and mules are properly no creatures but a mixture of Iews and heathen blended together § 41. Expect not here from me as alien from our work in hand any arguments against their presumption who have dared to compare yea prefer the Samaritan Pentateuch for authenticalness before the Hebrew Originall For three things saith Solomon the earth is disquieted and the fourth it can not bear namely an handmaid that is heire to her mistress How much more intolerable then is it when a translation which is or ought to be the dutifull servant to the originall shall presume her mistress being extant and in presence to take the place and precedency of her As here apographum doth of the autographum when the Samaritan transcript is by some advanced above the canonicall copy in the Hebrew All I will adde is this that to the Iews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were committed the oracles of God and to give them their due they were carefull preservers thereof being never reproved by our Saviour though often for false-glosses thereon of any forgery in corrupting depraving or altering the Letter of the text whereas no such trust appears delivered to the charge of the Samaâ—itans In a word such as defend that the Pentateuch coming from the hereticall not to say apostate Samaritans is purer then that in Hebrew transmitted to us from the Iews in that age the onely true Church of God in the world may with as much truth maintain that breath proceeding from putrefied and corrupted lungs is more healthfull and wholesome then what cometh from vitals sound and entire § 42. Shechem which we lately mentioned lay betwixt the aforesaid mountains a place stained with many treacherous practises which were acted therein Here Dinah went out to see the daughters of the land so to please her fancy with gazing on forein fashions O where was the tent wherein her great-grand-mother Sarah lived that now she had left it Where was the vaile wherewith her grand-mother Rebekah covered her face that now she had lost it Her own mother Lâ—ahs eyes which were weak and tender those worse were better then Dinahs which were wanton and wandring She sees and is seen and is lik'd â—nd lusted after and whether by force or fraud defiled and still passionately affected contrary to what commonly happens that the snuffe of lust goes out in the stink of loathing Yea Shechem was so honest in his dishonesty that he desired to make Dinah the best amends he could give or she receive and on any rate went about to purchase the vine to himself so to colour a title to those unripe grapes which he had snatched from it The agreement is made on condition all the Shechemites should be circumcised which done on the third day when commonly wounds are more painfull then when first given Simeon and Levi kill all the males of the city and the rest of their brethren fall on the spoile thereof § 42. Long after Abimelech the base-born and bloody-minded son of good Gedeon was by the Shechemites his towns-men by his mothers side here at the stone in the plain made King of Iâ—rael whilest Iotham which of his seventy brethren had onely escap'd his cruelty from the top of mount Gerizim uttered his parable of the Bramble kinging it over the trees of the wood Bramble which he applied so home to the men of Shechem that for the present he left the pricks thereof in the ears of his auditours the pain whereof they found and felt afterwards in their hearts when God put a spirit of discord betwixt them and Abimelech § 43. We finde not the particular cause but the effects of the discord betwixt them Insomuch that Abimelech sacked the city of Shechem and sowed it with salt A formality usuall in that age in execration of peoples perfidiousness but whence fetching its originall it is hard to decide I dare not say in imitation of God himself who when he destroyed the wicked cities of Sodome and Gomorrah turned the fruitfull vales wherein they stood into the salt-sea in token of their perpetuall desolation Sure I am the custome hath been imitated in these western parts For Frederick Barbarossa for some affronts offered to his Empress by those of Millan razed the city and sowed it with salt § 44. The Shechemites retreated into the house of Baal-berith their God hoping in vain to make it good for their defence For Abimelech fetching fuell from the neighbouring mountain of Zalmon whence the Psalmist fetched his expression of spotless purity white as snow in Zalmon which commonly candied the top of this mountain being the Jewish Albion and firing the tower of the Temple slew therein a thousand men and women Then no doubt the house of Millo was destroyed which I take not for any building in the city of Shechem though there was a fair street of that name in Ierusalem but for a potent and puissant family therein as the house of the Fuggers in Auspurge who first advanced Abimelech and sought when too late to suppress But the weaker sexe revenged on Abimelech his cruelty to them when besieging the tower of Thebez which we conceive hard by Shechem having no other indication but this single mention for the posture thereof a woman broke his brain-pan with a piece of a milstone § 45. Though not the salt which was sown yet the city of Shechem grew up again to its former greatness Hither repaired Rehoboam for the people to make him King One may haply sent Ieroboams policy his hand in appointing the place in his own Tribe of Ephraim where his party was most puissant who intending to run a race with Rehoboam for a Crown chose out the ground most advantageous for himself Here the people presented Rehoboam with a Petition for the mitigation of the intolerable burdens whether personall or pecuniary which Solomon imposed upon them How came he to be behind hand who was the most wealthy Prince in
ran with the swiftest and held out with the longest Having aâ— King in the days of Abraham and continuing themselves in a considerable condition till after the captivity Returning almost as many forcible impressions as they received from the Israelites What though Shâ—â—gar smote Samson 〈◊〉 and Samuel humbled them yet they grew so great in the reigne of Saul that they left all the Israelites swordlesâ— though afterwards there was one sword too many in Saulâ— hand wherewith he slew himself when overcome by the Philistines Indeed David brought them and Solomon kept them under But in the days of Ioram they so recovered themselves that they plundered Iudah rifled the Kings palace killed and carried captive the seed royall Uzziah after ordered them into obedience but under Ahaz they regnined their lost cities and wan more unto them In a word of the heathen people left for thornes in the sides of the Iewes none had sharper prickles or pierced nearer to their hearts then the Philistines Yea such their puissance that from them the Greeks and Latinos called all this land Palestinaâ— because the Philistines lived on the sea-coast most obvious to the notice of foreiners As in deed a small Port makes a greater report in the eares of strangers far off then a land-locked place though far greater in proportion § 24. The bounds of Philistia are not precisely to be set down For whilest tame cattell are kept in pastures beasts of prey such this warlike people are onely bounded by their own ravenous appetite The best way to measure the borders of the Philistines is to behold the sins of the Israelites For when they were encreased then the Countrey of the Philistines was accordingly enlarged Thus in the days of King Saul they roved and ranged as far as Dor and Bethshean in the half Tribe of Manasseh and had Garisons in the heart of most Tribes of Israel But their constant habitation their den as I may terme it was atract of ground from Gath in the north to Gaza in the south Some fifty miles in length and about halfe as broad in the lands allotted to Iudah Dan and Simeon Their government was a mixture of Monarchy and Aristocracy For as their chiefe Cities had Kings over them which seem absolute in their own dominions so these kingdomes were but Cantons in relation to the whole as members making up one entire Common-wealth § 25. There need no other evidence be produced to prove the fruitfulness of their Countrey then the vastness of their bodies whereof the rankness of their ground must be allowed a partiall cause Our English Proverb saith shew me not the meate but shew me the man The well batling of the Giants bred in Philistia chiefly in Gath their Seminary being Heteroclites redundants from the rules of nature sufficiently attests the fertility of their soil Some of these Giants had their hands branching out into six fingers though they who had one fewer had enough to kill them Let Naturalists curiously inquire whether or no this stock of Giants be wholly spent in our age And if so what the true causes thereof Whether intemperance of diet or over early marriage seeing every one that is raw to work count themselves ripe to wed Let them consult whether nature hath not some other way recompensed in our age that want of strength by giving them quicker wits wheras in voluminous men commonly there is much empty margent However mens lesser strength and stature amounts not to a proof of an universall decay in nature as a most learned pen hath unanswerably demonstrated § 26. One thing more we must observe of the Philistines that they are also called Cherethims or Cherethites in Scripture Know also that the Cherethites were a kind of lifegard to King David Now because it is improbable that so wise a Prince would intrust his Person in the protection of the Philistines his conquered enemies therefore learned Tremellius by Cherethites understands such Israelites as afterwards possessed the Countrey of the Philistines expulsed by David Which seems to some but a forced interpretation For what unlikelyhood was it that David might entertain Proselyte Philistines converts to the Iewish religion if there were such to be attendants about his body Not to instance in the French Kings double gard of Scots and Switzars as improper to this purpose because though forein yet free and friendly nations David out of policy might retain such to wait upon him both for their present encouragement and future engagements of the fidelity of the Philistines Whose service might not onely be free from danger but full of advantage especially when they were under the conduct of so wise and valiant an Israelite as Benajah the son of Iehojada placed governour over them To render this still more probable Consider how Ittai the Gittite with six hundred men of Gath was no native of Israel as appears by Davids words thou art a stranger and an exile and yet was intrusted with the Command of a Terce of the army in the battell against Absolom Wherein he excellently acquitted himself according to his loyall resolution to attend the Kings fortunes whether in life or death § 27. Come we now to describe the Countrey Philistia where in the north part thereof we finde Gath a regall City before Achish the son of Maoch the King whereof David to save his life counterfeited himself mad But whether guilty or no in so doing Divines have not yet determined It would incline me to the more charitable side that he had good warrant for what he did because at the same time understand it immediately before or after he composed two Psalmes Which shew his soul not out of tune solemnly to serve God But David went to Achish a second time with sixe hundred men it seems upon better assurance before-hand then formerly and was with great kindness entertained by him dwelt with him in Gath and after obtained Ziklag from him and by Achish his minde should have been the keeper of his head Achish the son of Maachah tributary no doubt to Solomon was King of Gath. For Shimei confined to Hierusalem by Solomons command and his own consent did fetch from him his fugitive servants Time was when Shimei's tongue ran too fast in railing on David his Master and now his feet moved too far in running after his servants so that breaking the Tedder of his Commission of the pieces thereof a Halter was justly made for his execution This City of Gath was afterwards fortified by Rehoboam and many years after taken by Hazael King of Syria and in the next age had the wall thereof broken down by Uzziah King of Israel § 28. Betwixt Gath and Ekron lying thence south west we are as certain there were Cities as ignorant how to call them For the present let them pass by the name of Samuels Cities
her most modest behaviour For at the sight of him though at some distance she lighted from her Camel counting it ill manners to ride when her husband and master went a foot as also to give an earnest of her future good housewifery that she would prefer industry before ease honest pain before pleasure The she vailed her self partly to shew that the beams of her beauty were hereafter to be appropriated to Isaac alone partly in confession of subjection being now under covert-baron the command and protection of a husband Well I dare compare yea prefer this vailed wives chastity before the virginity of many vailed votaries § 18. More south is the river of Egypt the utmost limit not onely of this Tribe but of all Israel Indeed by the river of Egypt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 often mentioned in Exodus onely Nilus is intended But this stream which some conceive is particularly called Shichos is termed the River of Egypt not because it is in but is in the high way to Egypt Otherwise the traveller who sits down on the banks thereof shall never come thither In the Septuagint Rhinocolura is put for this river of Egypt being a long named city of short note seated on the influxe thereof into the sea Only this Rhinocolura is famous in heathen History because hither as into an Hospitall all those malefactors were sent whose noses were cut off for their offences a punishment inflicted on the Egyptians by an Ethiopian King who conquered them Hence had it the name of Rhinocolura or the place of nose-maimed people But ô how great must that city be which in our age should contain all those whose faces are nose-less not by others cruelty but their own luxury § 19. As for other cities in this Tribe of Simeon they were many but obscure It is observable that most of them are written with an Aliàs first as they are named Iosh. 19. secondly as they are called 1 Chron. 2. None need to wonder at their different denominations Here I interpose nothing of the severall writing of the same places 1 According to exact Criticks in spelling them 2 According to vulgar tongues in pronouncing them Onely we commend to the Readers notice that the book of Chronicles was written after the return from Captivity and about eighteen generations after the days of Ioshua And therefore some difference of letters after so large a time is no strange thing For seeing here we have no continuing city it cannot be expected that any city should have a continuing name And yet great places longest retain their names unaltered as London from Taeitus to our times whereas small cities like these in Simeon are as often alterable as passed into the possession of severall owners Yea seeing it was the custome of the Iews to call their lands after their own names this haply might change Beth-lebaoth in this Tribe into Beth-birei when it came into the possession of a new landlord § 20. So much of this small Tribe whose portion was too little for his people and therefore they made two happy expeditions to enlarge their quarters one in the reign of Hezekiah to the entrance of Gedor even unto the east side of the valley a place of good and fat pasture for they of Ham Canaanites had dwelt there of old Mice sometimes may be mens tasters to teach them which is best for their palate and those heathen were wise enough to settle themselves in the richest soile whence now the Simeonites expelled them This Gedor was in the division of the land allotted to the Tribe of Iudah Now if any demand by what right the Simeonites might invade this which was assigned to Iudah they may know that in case a strong hold could not be reduced into subjection by that Tribe to which it belonged it was not an act of injustice but valour for the next Tribe to undertake the conquest thereof As by their judiciall law if one dyed not having issue by his wife the next of kin might 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and was heire as I may say to marry his brothers wife so when Iudah through some defect or debility was unable to improve his Patrimony in Gedor to profit by casting out the heathen who violently detained it Simeon his next neighbour in situation suecceding to the right of his brother attempted and effected the conquest thereof Herein onely it holds not proportion because the seed so raised up was accounted to his dead brother whereas here Simeon made bold himself quietly to possess what victoriously he had acquired Wonder not that this petty Tribe in overcoming Gedor did more then puissant Iudah could performe for always the battell is not to the strong and weaker means watching advantages may perfect what more powerfull have left uneffected This Gedor grudge not reader to sally with thine eye a little out of this Tribe being still in this map lay on the north of the river Sorek and was one of the 31. regall cities of the Canaanites As for the Simeonites second voiage against the Amalekites in mount Seir more proper thereof hereafter in the description of Edom. § 21. Now that which straightned the portion of Simeon was the multitude of Philistines inhabiting the sea coasts allotted to but never possessed by this Tribe Askelon was a prime city in those parts once won by Iudah assisting Simeon but after recovered by the Philistines Samson being cast to give his companions thirty change of raiment went neither to the Merchant for the stuffe nor Taylor for making of them but knowing the Philistines garments would best fit Philistines bodies he marched directly to Askelon where finding thirty Philistines he bestowed their corps on the earth and their cases on their fellow-countrey men This caused that active antipathy betwixt Askelon and Israel Tell it not in Gath nor publish it in Askelon Near to this city there was a lake by which Semiramis is said to be born there fed and relieved by Doves Hence the Poet Tibullus Alba Palaestino sancta columba Syro The milke-white Dove esteem'd divine By Syrians of Palestine But because no mention of this in Scriptures we forbear further prosecution thereof § 22. Going along south by the sea side here styled the sea of the Philistines we come at last to Azzah or Gaza the fifth satrapy of the Philistines once conquered by Iudah but soon after returning to the former owners Samson who carried the gates thereof away could not bring himself hither again without the guidance of another Pain here was added to his blindness when set to grinde in a mill scorn to his pain when sent for at a solemn feast to be the musician to make sport or rather the Instrument ready tuned for every wanton eye tongue and hand to play upon But such as mock at other mens miseries sometimes laugh so long till their own hearts
Canaanites some remnant of the Anakims which escaped his hand did in his absence return possess Hebron and put Caleb to a new task of a second subduing them § 22. David afterwards made Hebron the Metropolis of this kingdome as being the most eminent City of his own Tribe of Iudah and reigned almost seven years therein In the third year of his reign Abner repaired hither with full intent to reduce all Israel to his obedience had not Ioabs sudden murdering him frustrated his design Probably some mixture of jealousie might put Ioab on this foul action fearing to be outed of his office that if Abner made David King David would make Abner Generall over all Israel Certainly revenge of his brother Asahels bloud prompted him thereunto Ioab sending messengers to fetch Abner back from the well of Siriah slew him treacherously as he was entering the gates of Hebron § 23. Forget we not that Hebron in the gate whereof Ioab so basely and barbarously murdered him was a City of Refuge appointed by God for the saving of such as had killed one unawares Did not Ioab therefore in such a place acting wilfull murder in an high hand relie on his own greatness to beare him out in so bloudy a deed as if he neither feared the justice of man nor needed the mercy of God No wonder then if many years after he flying to the horns of the Altar was denyed the protection of that place who formerly so cruelly despightfully and presumptuously had defiled the City of Refuge with innocent bloud § 24. Thus died Abner very loyall to Saul whilest Saul was living and too loving to his concubine when he was dead Never man was killed more cowardly or buried more honourably David himself following the bâ—ere weeping as chiefe mourner at his funerall In the same sepulcher the head of Ishbosheth was afterwards interred Though some jars were betwixt them whilest living their dust well agreed in the same grave Nor durst the ashes of Ishbosheth cross the others who when alive though checked and chidden by him could not answer Abner a word again because he feared him As for the bodies of Baanah and Rechab the murderers of Ishbosheth they had by order from David their hands and feet cut off and they hanged up over the pool in Hebron § 25. After the death of Ishbosheth all Israel repaired to Hebron to make David their King whose severall numbers deserve our observation 1 Out of Iudah six thousand and eight hundred 2 Simeon seven thousand one hundred 3 Levi eight thousand three hundred twenty two 4 Benjamin three thousand 5 Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred 6 Half Tribe of Manasseh on this side Iordan eighteen thousand 7 Issachar two hundred officers and all their brethren at ther coÌ„mandment 8 Zebulun fifty thousand 9 Naphtali thirty seven â—housand besides a thousand Captains 10 Dan twenty eight thousand and six hundred 11 〈◊〉 fourty thousand 12 Reuben Gâ—d and Manassâ—h beyond Iordan an hundred and twenty thousand Behold here those Tribes which lived farthest from Hebron appearing in the highest equipage as if they endevouring to be revenged on the distance of their habitation purposely advanced with the greatest number Here it will be enquired why Iudah largest in dominion next in position nearest in relation as Davids native Tribe made here the slenderest appearance of all the rest Benjamin alone excepted the thinness of whose numbers are excused in the text because hitherto the greatest part of them kept the ward of the house of Saul What! doth it fare with Princes as with Prophets that they are not without honour save in their own Countrey and in their own house that David found fewest attendants from his own Tribe Oh no he was abundantly loved and honoured therein But Tostatus answers 1 Davids daily attendance both civill in his Court and military in his camp and garrison hitherto chiefly consisted of the Tribe of Iudah 2 The rest of Iudah remained at home to make provision and give entertainment to this confluence of people from all parts Adde hereunto 1 Six thousand eight hundred were a sufficient representation of Iudah and moe not onely needless but burdensome for the present to pester Hebron too populous already The rest keeping home and living hard by were ready no doubt on competent warning to come quickly if need required or David commanded their attendance 2 Iudahs main work was done two years before when David was solemnly made their King And they now rather spectators then actors at his second Coronation over all Israel Now no less politick then thrifty were the other Tribes in bringing their victualls along with them lest otherwise they should be held as occasioners of scarcity in Iudah and enhauncers of the prices of provisions § 26. Afterwards Absalom when he intended a rebellion against his Father chose Hebron as the fittest City from whence he meant to mount into the Throne Hither he came under pretence to doe sacrifice with his chariots and horses and fifty men running before him but which was most to be pitied he brought with him from Ierusalem two hundred men which were as one may say Loyall traitors coming in the simplicity of their hearts and meerly drawn-in to treasonable practises But Hebron proved not a place so succesfull to Absalom the son as formerly fortunate to David his father This Traitours soveraignty soon expired when forsaken of God Man and Beast his own Mule going away from him he was slain of Ioab as formerly related § 27. Some ten miles south of Hebron lay Debir anciently called Kiriah-Sepher the City of a book conceived a Canaanitish University And although the Giant Anakims dwelling hereabouts may be presumed but little bookish yet civilized Countreys in all ages have allowed such places for the education of youth who are better unborn then unbred Caleb proffered Acsah his daughter in marriage to any one that should conquer this City which was accordingly performed by Othniel his younger brothers son and first Judge of Israel What were not the glory of God and good of his Countrey enough to set an edge on his valour but the promise of a wife needed also to whet his resolution No doubt the scales of his resolution went down formerly on the right side before this match was cast in as overweight It is no unlawfull Bigamy of the soul when wedded to Gods glory in the first place to embrace also therewith the recompense of reward and grand is the difference betwixt an hireling whose minde is meerly mercenary and him that works for his hire with Othniel taking it not as the main motive much less as the end but onely as a welcome encouragement of his undertakings § 28. Thus all parties were pleased Israel recovered Debir Othniel got Acsah to wife she gained a blessing from her Father that
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 future Michal's daughter should never mock her husband on the like occasion punishing her with perpetuall barrenness § 29. Look on the prospect of this map especially the eastern parts thereof and behold it overspread with trees of all sorts Olive Pine Mulberry Firre c. Of the last saith the Psalmist and the fir-trees are a refuge for the Storkes breeding here in the greater abundance because forbidden by the Leviticall law to be fed upon A speckled bird therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 niger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 albus black and white and is remarkable for their love to their parents feeding them in their old age Hence called Chesida in Hebrew that is the mercifull bird and in Dutch Oudevaer that is the carrier of the old one because every Stork is an Aeneas bearing his Anchises on his back carrying his Parent when for age it cannot fly of it self Some have confidently reported that Storks will not live save in a Republick who may with as much truth affirm that an Eagle the Soveraign of birds will not breed in a Common-wealth Not to say that Storks were named in the Monarchy of Adam preserved in the Arke in the Monarchy of Noah Ieremy who lived in the kingdome of Iudah upbraided the ignorance of the people therein Yea the Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times Which birds had they known their times and the Iews not known the birds as frequent and familiar with them both the Prophets illustration had beed obscure and exprobration improper for his present purpose Finis Libri secundi To the Right Honourable JOHN LORD ROSSE Son to the Right Honourable JOHN EARL OF RVTLAND MY LORD IT hath been charged by Foreiners on our English Gentry that many of them very knowing beyond the seas have been strangers in their native Countrey as able to give a better account of the Spaw then our own Bath the diving of the Spanish Anas under ground then of our own Rivers Diverill in Wiltshire and Mole in Surrey wherein the same wonders of Nature are set forth in a lesser Edition How just this accusation is for the present I have no leasure to enquire but am afraid that too many of our nation are guilty of a greater Ignorance That being quic◠sighted in other kingdomes and Countreys they are altogether blinde as touching Judea and the land of Palestine the Home for their meditations who are conversant in all the historicall passages of Scripture Yet I would not have any wilfully to expose themselves as Saint Paul was against his will to perils of waters perils of Robbers perils by the Heathen c. personally to pace and trace the land of Canaan who rather conceive that precept to Abraham Arise walk through the land in the breadth thereof and in the length thereof may be performed by us even whilest we also follow the counsell of Joash to Amaziah Abide now at home This may be done by daily and diligent perusing of the Scriptures and comparing the same with it self Diamonds onely cut Diamonds as also by consulting with such as have written the description of that Countrey Amongst whom give me leave though the unworthiest of thousands to tender these my endevours to your Honours serious perusall and patronage hoping my pains herein may conduce to the better understanding of the History of the Bible I confess the doctrinall part of the Scripture is in it self most instructive to salvation But as the rare relation of the woman of Samaria first drew her neighbours to the sight of our Saviour which afterwards believed on him not for her words but his own worth so the delightfull stories in the Bible have allured many youth especially to the reading thereof the light the historicall part first inviting their eyes whose hearts were afterwards inflamed with the heat the holy fire in the doctrine of Gods word Give me leave therefore my Lord humbly to commend to your Honour the constant reading of that which eminently is termed The Scripture and the Bible or Book all other being but scribling and Pamphlets in comparison thereof They contain what will make you wise unto salvation and the study thereof will render your Lordship more truely honourable then your outward extraction Great indeed was the priviledge of Ruth for whom purposely some handfuls were let fall for her to gather up But greater the honour done to your Ancestors by our English Kings above an hundred years since who scattered some flowers and other ornaments out of their own Armes therewith to deck and adorn those of your family Yet know my Lord that the Bereans are pronounced more noble then those of Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of minde searching the Scriptures daily whether those things were so And by the same proportion your exact skill industriously attained in Gods word shall make your soul increase with the increase of God far more honourable then that Augmentation in Heraldry which was conferred on your Ancestours Remember I pray what David writes I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandement is exceeding broad Oh imperfect perfection which hath an end And indeed David lived in an Age wherein he saw Goliah the strongest overcome Asahel the swiftest overtaken Achitophel the wisest befooled and Absalom the fairest deformed with a violent death Yet still the immortall word out-lived all casualties and triumphed in defiance of opposition Wherefore as the Jews were to provide a chest by the side of the Ark wherein the Law was to be placed and kept so I wish your Honour a large heart to be a repository for this Broad commandement of God that therein you may carefully lay up and treasure the same which when all earthly perfections prove false and fading will furnish your soul with holiness here and happiness hereafter which is the daily prayer of Your Honours most humble servant THO. FULLER Here followeth the description of Jerusalem THE DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY OF IERVSALEM The third Book CHAP. I. Of the severall names and generall situation of Jerusalem § 1 WHen a woman often altereth her surname it is a signe she hath been many times married denominating of his wife from him being parcell of the maritall priviledge But when a City in diverse Ages hath different names this speaks her successive subjection to severall Lords new owners imposing on her new appellations as in our present subject plainly appears For the City which we are to describe was called 1 Salem in the days of Abraham when Melchisedec was King and probably first founder thereof Then it was but a small place the greatest Giant had once the cradle of his infancy when mount Moriah afterwards in the midst of the City and a forest of houses was as yet but a thicket of thornes wherein the Ram the
and gardens about it wild beasts of all kinds if humane Authors may be beleeved had their habitation Here the bellowing Harts are said to harbour the throating Bucks to lodge the belling Roes to bed the beating Hares to forme the tapping Conies to sit and the barking Foxes to kennell Strange musick to be heard in the midst of a populous place and very pleasant that such a woody retiredness should be afforded in the heart of a City Yet Solomons minde when mounted on these seeming felicities was as far from reaching true contentment as the tired traveller when on the top of the next hill will be from touching the skies which whilest he was in the valley seemed contiguous thereunto § 2. The length of this house was an hundred breadth fifty height thirty cubits whereby it appears both longer and broader then the Temple it self And no wonder for who will deny that White-Hall stands on more ground then Westminster-Abby-Church Besides in measuring the Temple onely the covered part thereof is reckoned on without the Courts wherein the greatest capacity thereof did consist whereas no doubt Courts and all are taken in to make up the aforesaid dimensions in Solomons house But grant the Kings Palace outspread the Temple in greatness the Temple out-topped it in height whose towred porches ascended an hundred and twenty cubites In this house Solomons golden shields and targets wer kept till carried away by Shishak King of Egypt § 3. Besides this Solomon had another house in Ierusalem which was thirteen years in building and a third which he made for his wife the daughter of Pharaoh Say not they needed two houses which had two Religions for we finde not that she ever seduced Solomon to idolatry nor are the Egyptian Idols reckoned up among those severall superstitions which his second brood of wives brought into Ierusalem Enough to perswade some that this match was made by dispensation if not direction of God himself typifying the calling of the Gentiles and that Pharaohs daughter afterwards became a convert following the Psalmists counsell Forget also thine own people and thy fathers house Hereabouts also was the Golden throne of Solomon to which those golden Lions gave a stately ascent It was the prayer of loyall Benaiah make the throne of Solomon greater then the throne of my Lord King David which accordingly came to pass whether taken for this his materiall throne or for the largeness and fulness of his royall authority § 4. Pass we by the Castle of Antiochus built by him as a bridle to the City as also the Palace of the Maccabees wherein for many yeaâ—s they made their residence first built by Simon west of the Temple In Christs time Herod the great had in Ierusalem a most magnificent house wherein his grandchild Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee kept his passeover when Pilate sent Christ unto him to be examined by him Right glad was Herod of this occasion because though formerly much conversing with Iohn the Baptist yet Iohn did no miracle which he now in vain hoped to behold from our Saviour For he that would not work a miracle at his mothers motion would not doe it for his persecutors pleasure Let Herod take this for a sign that Christ was the Son of God because he would shew no sign for the will of man However the silent shew of our Saviour wrought a reconciliation betwixt him and Pilate which before were at enmity betwixt themselves But alass the innocent Lambe is not long liv'd when thus both Wolfe and Fox are agreed against him § 5. Appendant to this Palace was the prison wherein Peter was put and being to dye the next day was found in a dead sleep the night before I question whether Herod who condemned him slept half so soundly He must be smote before he could be waked and his shackles fell off easier then his sleep The Rhemish note tells us that the chains wherewith he was bound are still preserved at Rome in the Church of Petri ad vincula But if those there be the true chains I dare boldly say that others of richer metall and finer making more worth and less weight are daily worn by Peters pretended successour § 6. Pilates Palace must not be forgotten wherein our Saviour was accused by the Iews near whereunto was the Judgement-hall called Gabbatha or the Pavement But how even or smooth soever the stones were laid in the floor thereof most rough harsh and unequall justice was administred in this place when our Saviour therein was condemned This was the place into which the high-Priests prepared for the Passeover would not enter for fear of pollution O my soul enter not into their secrets whose feâ—â— are swift to shed bloud but legs lame to lift themselves over the threshold of a judgement-hall for fear of defilement Now all these Princely Palaces were not extant in this City at the same time but successively and therefore as Poets when they present Persons who lived in severall ages on the same stage lay their scene in the Elysian fields so to put these Palaces together the reader must suppose their dust and ruines did all meet on the floor of this City though made in our map in a flourishing estate the better to adorn our description of Ierusalem CHAP. X. Of the Colledges in Jerusalem § 1. PAss we now from the Court to the Innes-of-Court namely such places wherein youth had liberall education The Iews tell us of four hundred and fourscore Synagogues at Ierusalem for this purpose We will insist onely on such as we finde named in Scripture and begin with Huldah's colledge wherein that Prophetess lived in the days of Iosiah Perchance a female foundation of women alone and she the Presidentress thereof though surely not bound with any monasticall vow of virginity because there also styled the wife of Shallum § 2. Next in the days of the Maccabees we take notice of the Grecian Colledge or Gymnasium erected by Iason the high Priest wherein the Jewish youth were taught to wrestle ride horses and other Grecian accomplishments Indeed archery was an ancient Jewish exercise David taught the children of Israel the use of the how as it is written in the book of Iasher but these were pure heathenish imployments Here also they were taught to wear a garment called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which some translate Hats others buskins though head and feet are far asunder which whether it were the generall garbe of the Grecians or onely an Academicall habit to distinguish the Students from common Citizens let others enquire But the worst of all was here they were taught not onely uncircumcision of omission neglecting the observing thereof on infants but also the uncircumcision of commission practising to make themselves uncircumcised studiously deleting the character of that Sacrament out of their
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
of others waxed cold could warm himself with his own well gotten goods But afterwards Barnabas that Son of consolation comforting the bowels of the Saints as well by his works as words deeds as doctrine sold his possessions and tendered the price thereof at the feet of the Apostles Such practises were sincerely performed in the primitivetimes superstitiously imitated with opinion of merit in after ages and scornfully derided by too many in our days so far from parting with the propriety that they will not appropriate a part of their goods to good uses We finde Saint Paul preaching in two cities in Cyprus Salamis where there was a Synagogue of the Iews and Paphos where Venus was worshipped thence surnamed Paphia and where Elymas the sorcerer was struck blind for opposing Saint Paul We cannot recover Paphos proportionably into this Map behold it therefore peeping in but excommuned the lines thereof § 34. But to return to the Continent where we fall on Syrophoenicia whose mixt name speakes its middle situation betwixt Syria and Phenice so that if those two countrys should fall out no fitter umpire to arbitrate their difference then Syrophoeniâ—ia participating of and therefore presumed impartiall to both Of this Countrey was that bold begger who would have no saying nay but importunate in the behalf of her daughter no whit discouraged with the disadvantage of her person disaffection of the disciples miserable mediatours interceding for her repulse deep silence and afterwards disdainful denial of Christ himself would not desist as if her zeal was heated with the Antiperistasis of the cold comfort she received till the violence of her faith had wrested a grant from our Saviour The bounds of Syrophoenicia are variously assigned the principall cities whereof are Laodicea different from that to which Saint Iohn wrote and whose lukewarm temper made health it self sick thereof § 35. Next we finde on the sea the city of Gebalâ— in Ptolemy and Strabo Gabala and the Inhabitants therein and thereabouts termed Giblites in Scripture These led the Van in the grand conspiracy against Israel Gebal and Ammon and Amalek the Philistims with the inhabitants of Tyre Asher also c. But Solomon taught their hands another lesson not to fight against Gods people but to help to finish his Temple At the Coronation of Tyre the Queen-Mart of the world so largely described by Ezekiel where all neighbouring Cities as in Grand-Sergeantry held their places by some speciall attendance about her the Ancients of Gebal and the wisemen thereof were her calkers to stop the leakes and chinks in her ships so cunning were the Giblites in that imployment Yet all their curiosity in this kind could not keep out the deluge of divine anger from entring their own City which at this day hath drowned Gebal in utter destruction § 36. More south the river Eleutherus arising out of Libanus shaped his course to the sea so being the northern boundary of Phoenicia In this river saith reverend Beza was the Eunuch baptized by Philip therein making an unexcusable mistake For except the Eunuch in his travell went like the Sun on Abaz his dial backwards it was impossible for him going to Gaza and so into Aethiopia his own countrey once to come near this river lying far north quite the contrary way Had Beza in stead of the Eunuch baptized placed the Emperour Barbarossa drowned here it had born better proportion to truth However from this learned mans mistake I collect comfortable confidence of pardon for my faults committed in this our description For seeing so strong legs are prone to stumble surely the falls of my feeble feet will be freely forgiven me by the charitable Reader § 37. Near the running of Eleutherus into the midland sea stood Antaradus so called because opposite to Aradus Arvad in Scripture a city of remarkable antiquity situation and subsistence Well doth Strabo call this an ancient place seeing it retained its name more then two thousand years from Arvad the ninth son of Canaan even till after the time of our Saviour The city is seated in an Island seven furlongs in compass and twenty distant from the Continent being all a main rock industry and ingenuity will make wealth grow on a bare stone watered in peace from the main land in war with an engine consult with our Author for the forme thereof which limbeck-like extracted sweet water out of the brackish Ocean The citizens of this place served Tyre in a double office by land as souldiers The men of Arvad with thine army were upon the walls round about by water as failers The inhabitants of Arvad were thy mariners which sufficiently speaks their dexterity in either Element § 38. Next the men of Arvad the Prophet mentioneth the Gammadims the joint naming them probably insinuates the vicinity of their habitation which were in the Tower of Tyre as a garison to defend them By Gammadims some understand Pygmies of a Cubit-high equall to the standard of Ehuds dagger because Gamad signifies a cubit in the Hebrew tongue But how ill doth this measure agree with martiall men except any will say that as the Iebusites in a proud confidence of the naturall strength of mount Sion placed the lame and blind to man the same so the Tyrians presumed that dwarfes were tall enough to make good their giant fortifications More likely is the conjecture of Tremellius that the Gammadims were a people in Phoenicia inhabiting a part thereof which ran out bowed and bended into the sea And we know that Ancona in Italy and Elbow-lane in London receive names from the same fashion And seeing Cornish-men are so called from the forme of their Countrey dwelling in a land which by degrees is contracted or narrowed into the likeness of an horn why not Gammadims Cubit-men from the similitude of their countrey in the situation thereof Here to fortifie his conjecture Tremellius produceth a place in Pliny of Gamala a city in Phoenicia since swallowed up where he conceiveth the L. to be changed into the D. that the Gammadims were inhabitants thereof However for quietness sake may the Reader be contented to suffer them to remain there in our Map if not as dwellers onely as sojourners untill such time as learned men shall provide a more proper place for them § 39. And now on a suddain we are fallen unawares against our propounded order on Phoenicia of the name and nature of which countrey formerly in the Tribe of Asher The chief havens therein were Tripolis so called say some because it hath been thrice build by others because three Cities Tyre Sidon and Aradus concurred to the building thereof Next is the promontory called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Gods face which no whit afrighted the Pirates and sea-robbers who had a Castle hard by called Castellum praedonum from their mischievous cruelty Botrus succeeds whose name
seems thereby that what his hast and hunger had conveyed his profaneness did deliberately confirme and by that his neglect and contempt he acknowledged a Fine cutting off his heires from any recovery thereof Indeed afterwards Esau made it a main matter of quarrell with his brother but never a matter of conscience in himself But enough hereof onely I will adde the crossing of the common rule Caveat venditor let here the seller beware for God took Esau at his word and accordingly deprived him of his birthright § 31. But Esau set a greater valuation on his Blessing wherein being prevented by Iacob he sought it with teares though they were not a kindely showre of repentance but onely some heate drops of anger and indignation not so much grieved that he had lost as vexed that Iacob had gotten the Blessing At last his importunity got from his Father a Blessing though not the blessing the severall clauses whereof we are seriously to consider because thereon dependeth the right understanding of the conditions of the people and countrey of Edom which we are now to describe Behold thy dwelling shall be the fatnesse of the earth and of the dew of heaven from above Earth is by Isaac first mentioned because by Esau most minded But oh the difference betwixt the dew of heaven in Iacobs and Esau's blessing In the former it signified Gods favour with an undoubted right unto and sanctified use of divine promises service and Sacraments whereas in this blessing of Esau heavenly dew was in effect but earthly dew temporall terrestriall fertility allowed to this mountainous land of Edom whose lean hils were larded with many fruitfull vallies interposed Heathen Authors confesse no less Dulce nemus florentis Idumes The fair grove of flourishing Idumea Quicquid nobile Ponticis nucetis Foecundis cadit aut jugis Idumes What ever noble worth destils On Pontus nut-trees or what fils The fruitfull Idumean Hils However divine providence seems to have suited the Countreys to the conditions of Isaacs children giving plain-dealing Iacob a more low and levell Land and fitting the haughty minde of aspiring Esau with high-swelling and ambitious mountains though he who was nearest to heaven was farthest from God And by thy sword shalt thou live and shalt be thy Brothers Servant It is observable that though God in the time of the Judges made use of almost all other heathen nations bordering on the Iewes successively to oppress that his own people Midianites Ammonites Moabites Philistines c. Yet he never permitted the Edomites at any time to Lord it over Israel because according to Isaacs Blessing subjection to Iacob not soveraignty over him belonged to Esau and his posterity This prophecy of Esau's serving Iacob was fully accomplished in the days of David when he put a Garison in Edom throughout all Edom put he souldiers and all they of Edom became Davids servants and so remained tributaries to the Kings of Iudah and governed by their deputies for one hundred and fifty years and upwards But it shall come to passe when thou shalt get the mastery that thou shalt breake his yoke from thy neck This was fulfilled when the Edomites rebelling against King Iehoram finally recovered their liberty whilest he more cruell to kill his brethren at home then valiant to conquer his enemies abroad could never after reduce them into subjection nor his successors after him § 32. The Horims first inhabited this Countrey of Mount Seir whose Dukes are reckoned up by Moses of whom Duke Anah is most remarkable for his first finding out of Mules as he fed his Father Zibions Asses A creature or rather a living beast which may be called a reall fallacy in nature whose extraction is a conclusion unduely inferred from the premises of an Hee-asse and a Mare joined together Yet this is commendable in Mules they imitate rather the virtues then vices of their Sire and Dam having in them the dulness of the Asse quickened with the metall of the Mare and the Mares stubbornness corrected with the Asses patience Barren they are as to whom God never granted the Charter of increase and yet Pliny reports but it is Pliny who reports it that in Rome Mules are often recorded to beare young ones but then always accounted ominous Let others dispute whether Anah was the Inventour or onely the Repertour of Mules the industrious Founder or the casuall Finder of them Let them also discuss whether such copulations be lawfull for men of set purpose to joine together severall kinds which God hath parted asunder yea they may seem to amount to a tacite upbraiding of Gods want of wisdome or goodness in not providing sufficient Creatures for mans service without such monstrous additionals in nature If they be concluded unlawfull let them argue whether the constant use of Mules be not continuing in a known sin and yet some good men in Scripture rather then they would goe on foot used to ride on them though our Saviour himself accepted of a plaine Asse for his own Saddle § 33. These Horims were at last conquered and exâ—irpated by the Edomites who succeeded them and dwelt in their stead The civill government of the land of Edom was sometimes Ducall sometimes Regall Moses reckoning up eleven Edomite Dukes leaveth it doubtfull whether they were successively one after another or went all a brest as living at the same time which is most probable and so the land divided into Eleven Dukedomes This is most certain that eight severall Kings reigned in Edom one after another and all before there reigned any King over the children of Israel Thus the wicked as they have their portion in this world so they quickly come to full age to possess the same whilest Gods children are long children long kept in nonage and brought up in the School of affliction Now it is recorded in Scripture that every Edomite King had successively a severall city of his royall residence namely Kings Parentage Royall-city Bela The son of â—eor Dimhabah Iobab The son of Zerah Bozrah Husham of the land of Temani Teman Hadad The son of Bedad Avith Samlaâ— Â Masrâ—kah Shaut  Râ—hoboth by the river Baal-banan The son of Achbor  Hadaâ— Â Pan. It is plain those Kings were not by succession and probably they were not by election but onely by strength and power as they could make their parties according to Isaacs prediction By thy sword shalt thou live Now this their frequent removall of their royal City was politickly done 1 To declare the fulnes and freedome of their power and pleasure that they were not confined to follow the footsteps of their predecessours 2 To disperse and communicate civility and courtship into all the parts of their kingdome 3 To honour and adorne the place of their birth for probably their native was their royall city 4 To cut off from one place the occasion of
better put on then Ahabs was that no chinkes may be left betwixt the joints thereof Offensive those either to use cominùs at handpush or stroke as sword dagger spear or eminùs at distance as bow sling dart and other artificiall engines whereof King Uzziah was the ingenious inventour or of a mixed nature as a Iavelin which was a spear-dart sometimes cast out of their hands as Saul at David sometimes kept in and thrust through their enemies in which manner Phinehas did execution on Zimri and Cozbi It is enough barely to name these weapons as having no peculiar Iudaisme in them but common with other Countreys For though God enjoyned the Iews some ceremonious observances in their wearing-apparell distinguishing them from other nations yet in the fashion of their armes he suffered them to conform with the heathen as might be most for their own safety and advantage § 6. But amongst all martiall accoutrements we must not forget the souldiers girdle the inseparable companion of military men Thus when Ionathan stript himself he gave David his garments even to his sword and to his bow and to his girdle understand his gift exclusively these three things not comprehended therein as being unsouldier-like to part with them Ioab promised to give him that could kill Absalom ten shekels of silver and a girdle as a proper military Donative And perchance such a Girdle Balteus militaris bestowed by a Generall in a field after the fight amounted to the honour of our modern Knighthood not to say Banneretship Conquerors used to besmear their girdle with the bloud of those they overcame a Bend or Fess gules we know is an honorable Bearing in avowance and justification of what they had done And therefore David taxeth Ioab that having killed Abner and Amasa not valiantly in the field but treacherously by fraud he shed the bloud of war in peace and put the bloud of war upon his girdle that was about his loines and in his shooes that were upon his feet Not that it casually spirted upon them but that of set purpose he put it there misapplying an hostile ceremony of lawfull conquest to his act of perfidious and cowardly murder Leave we now our souldier thus completely armed in all respects going forth to fight wishing him to be valiant for his people and for the Cities of his God and for success the Lord doe what seemeth good in his eies § 7. But if in stead of victory he meeteth with overthrow and destruction so that with Iobs messenger he himself hardly escapes to bring the dolefull tidings of their defeat behold him in the following sorrowfull equipage of a Mourner With baldness on his head not naturall but occasioned by the shaving thereof to make room for a sad Peruke of Ashes or earth thereupon beard shaved or else his upper lip covered clothes rent yea flesh it self cut not wounded by the enemies sword but as a penance imposed upon himself feet bare and whole body next the skin clothed in sackcloth wherein he used to lie and according to the occasion more or less was his humiliation May he meet with seasonable comfort and good counsell whilest we proceed § 8. Some few years after 't is strange to see how insensibly age hath surprised him so that he beginneth now to become an Elder If you finde him not at home in his house you shall certainly meet him amongst those of his own rank in the gate of the City where a Consistory Court was daily kept and he a Judge therein wrap'd with Samuel warme in his mantle and having in his hand a staffe 1 Not of any infectious infirmity being an heavy curse Let there not fail from the house of Ioab one that leaneth on a staffe 2 Much less of Idolatry an hainous sin My people aske counsell at their stocks and their staff declareth unto them 3. But a staffe of Antiquity accounted a great blessing Every man with a staffe in his hand for very age To which we wish him another staffe for his better support even dutyfull children and so leave him § 9. At next return we finde him beddred reduced to aged Davids condition though they cover him with clothes he getteth no heat We wish him in stead of a young Abishag good kitchin-Physick carefull attendance and serious meditation on his latter end SECT IV. Their habits how differenced by their severall professions and conditions § 1. PRobable it is that all vocations of people besides the Priests and Levites as Husbandmen Tradesmen Citizens Merchants Doctors Judges c. were distinguished by their severall apparell though we can onely insist upon some few we finde in Scripture First Fishermen had their coates made with the best advantage not to hinder the wearers swimming therein Thus Peter hearing that the Lord stood on the land girt his fishers-coate about him for he was naked and did cast himself into the sea Oh that men would but use the wealth of this world as Saint Peter his coate onely for civility as a covering in their passage through the waves of this life without danger of being drowned in the Deep with the weight thereof § 2. Shepheards succeed sufficiently known by their bag and staffe or hook except any will adde thereunto the dog of their flock as so necessary an attendant they seem naked without him Their clothes were made large and loose easie to be put on without any adoe so that they might run and ray themselves Hereupon it is prophesied of Nebuchadnezzar that he should array himselfe with the land of Egypt as a shepheard putteth on his garment that is quietly quickly in an instant the conquest thereof should cost him no trouble as meeting with no considerable opposition § 3. But my pen is soon weary of the worthless wardrobe of such poor and painfull people longing to come to Court the center of bravery where those Men of clothes to whom gallantry is essentiall have their continuall residence Such saith our Saviour as weare soft clothing are in Kings houses Insomuch that there was a law in the Court of Persia that None might enter into the Kings gate clothed with sackcloth as a disparagement to the place Though the Porters which shut out sackcloth could not stop out sorrow from entering into the Palace of the mightiest Monarch § 4. Courtiers were apparelled often in fine linen which the chiefest of them need not blush to weare finding Angels themselves waiters on an higher King clothed in pure and white linen Now although Iudea had store of home-growing flax yet she fetched far finer from Egypt whence in Solomons time the Kings Merchants received linen yarn at a price Kings Merchants being a Guild or company of men with a badge Royall upon them probably priviledged with a preemption
surrounded on all sides with Iudah whereas in your Map the northern side thereof is all along fairly flanked with the Tribe of Don. Aleth You may remember what we so lately proved that Dan's portion primitively pertained to Iudah and was a canton cut out thereof In which sense according to Scripture Simeons inheritance was within the children of Iudah's and originally encompassed therewith Philol. Why call you this Tribe a jagged remnant being as whole a cloth as the rest and though not so great as entire as the other Tribes I am not sensible by this your Map of any notorious dispersedness of the Simeonites habitations Aleth Undoubtedly Iudah his portion made many incisures and larcinations into the Tribe of Simeon hindering the entireness thereof Particularly Askelon and Gaza first given to once possessed by Iudah though regained by the Philistines were continued and tyed by some narrow labell of land to the main of Iudah at leastwise had a Church-path as I may terme it a passage to the Temple without going through any part of Simeon But wanting certain instructions how to contrive and carry on such indented conveyances and not willing to confine the Reader to our conjecturall fancies we have left him to his liberty presenting Simeon entire wherein he may frame such incursions of Iudah as comply best with his own opinion Philol. You make this Tribe to range some miles south of Beer-sheba whereas that place passeth currant for the utmost border of the Countrey What more common in Scripture then from Dan to Beer-sheba that is from the north to the south of the land of Canaan Aleth It was the utmost eminent City but not absolutely the farthest place in Palestine as neither mentioned amongst the southern boundaries of the land in generall Numb 34. nor with the utmost limits of the Tribe of Iudah Iosh. 15. In ordinary discourse we measure England east and west from Dover to the Mount as the farthest western place of note though Cornwall stretches seven miles beyond it unto the lands end So Beer-sheba was the remotest remarkable City of Canaan where the cloth as I may say ended though the list thereof reached beyond it to the River of Egypt CHAP. XIII Objections against Benjamin answered Philol. VVHy make you Nob a Levite City in Benjamin within the suburbs of Anathoth Seeing Nob is neither named amongst the four Cities bestowed on the Levites in this Tribe Iosh. 21. 17. nor is it any of the eight and forty belonging unto them throughout the whole Countrey of Canaan Aleth That Nob was in this Tribe appears by that caâ—alogue of Cities presented us in Nehemiah which the Benjamites repossessed after their return from Babylon That it was a Levites yea a Priests City appears too plainly by the Massacre therein on them committed We confess it none of the eight and forty originally assigned to the Levites Yet how they in after-after-ages were capable of supernumerary Cities more then in their first Charter and how the Mortâ—main of the Levites as I may term it was enlarged with new foundations we have lately answered in the objections of Ephraim whither we refer you for further satisfaction Philol. You make the sons of Saul executed on an hill nigh Gibeah of Saul which your judicious friend will have hung up before the Tabernacle in Gibeon observing therein an exemplary piece of divine justice that whereas Saul had ruined the Tabernacle at Nob his sons were hung up before the same in Gibeon Aleth Not to be a Plaintise against him but a Defendant of my self I conceive him mistaken in confounding Gibeah of Saul with Gibeon distinct Cities as may appear by their severall owners and actions therein performed GIBEON GIBEAH An ancient City of the Hivites whose inhabitants deceived the Israelites given to the Levites in the Tribe of Benjamin where the Tabernacle was set up in the time of Solomon A City in Benjamin hard by Iâ—rusalem distinct from the former whose inhabitants were meer Benjamites and by their lust abused the Levites Concubine to death for which their Tribe was almost extirpated it was afterwards called Gibeah of Saul from his birth and frequent residence therein Now the text expresly saith that the Gibeonites did hang them up unto the Lord in Gibeah of Saul that is in Sauls native place and Court where he had issued out his cruell edicts for the slaughter of the Gibeonites Philol. But that expression they hanged them in the hill before the Lord imports the same performed in some religious place probably in the prospect or view of the Tabernacle Aleth Before the Lord implies no more then what in the foregoing verse was termed unto the Lord that is in a sacred manner not out of private revenge but in an holy zeal tendering the parties executed an oblation to divine justice and so is interpreted by the Expositors thereon Philol. In your particular Map of Benjamin Iordan runs almost directly south the whole course of whose channell visibly bendeth eastward in your Map generall of Palestine Aleth That generall Map though first placed was last perfected wherein we have amended three mistakes as escaped in our particular descriptions One that wherein you instance another 〈◊〉 Reâ—â—en formerly forgottâ—n to be confessed making that Tribe a little longer from north to south then it is represented in our particular description thereof My care shall be God willing in the second edition to conforme those particular Maps according to these rectisiâ—ations in the generall description CHAP. XIV Objections against Judah answered Philol. WOuld not it affright one to see a dead man walk And will not he in like manner be amazed to see the Dead-sea moving Why have you made the surface of the waters thereof waving as if like other seas it were acted with any tyâ—e which all Authors avouch and your self confesseth to be a standing stinking lake Thinkâ— not to plead that such waving is the impression of the winde thereupon seeing Tacitus affirmes of this sea Neque vento impellitur it is such a drone it will neither goe of it self nor yet be driven of the winde Aleth I will not score it on the account of the Graver that it is onely lascivia or ludicrum coeli the over-activity of his hand And in such cases the flourishings of the Scrivener are no essentiall part of the Bond but behold Mercators and other Authors Maps and you shall finde more motion therein then is here by us expressed The most melancholy body of moisture especially of so great extent is necessarily subject to such simpering in windy weather as inseparable from the liquidity thereof Philol. Why set you Zeboim most northernly of all the five Cities in the Dead-sea in the place where Sodome is situated in all other descriptions Aleth The placing of them is not much materiall whether longwise all in a File as Mr. More sets them
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