c. Then said Mary Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word Upon this she prepared her self with speed to go and visit her Cousin Elizabeth with whom she remained three Months and returned home again And shortly after went with Joseph her Husband from the City of Nazareth to the Land of Jewry to a City called Bethlehem there to be taxed according to the Emperour Augustus commandment because they were of the House and Lineage of David In the Book called Fasciculus temporum it is said that this Virgin was the Daughter of Joachim and Anna and was about the age of xvi years when she brought forth Christ. And being forced to lye in the stable for lack of room in the Inne her hour came to be delivered and there she brought forth Christ Jesus the Saviour of the World And when she was purified and had been at Jerusalem with her Child and performed all things there according to the Law she returned with Joseph her Husband home to the City of Nazareth again And being accustomed yearly she and her Husband to go up at the Feast of Easter to Jerusalem she chanced one time to leave her Son behind her and when she had turned back and sought him out and found him she said Son why hast thou thus dealt with us thy Father and I have sought thee with heavy hearts Another time as she was with her Son at a Marriage in Cana a Town in Galilee when the Wine failed at the Feast she told her Son that they lacked Wine and receiving his answer meekly bad the Ministers to do whatsoever he commanded them Finally as she stood by the Cross whereon her Son shed his bloud as well for her as all other Christians sorrow pierced her heart like a Sword according to Simeon's prophecie Mary the Wife of Cleophas was her sister Mary Mar. 15.40.16.1 Salome was a certain godly Woman who among other ministred of her substance to Jesus and followed him from Galilee and after he was crucified bought sweet odors to anoint his Body and was a Witness of his Resurrection Mary the Mother of John Mark Act. 12.12 into whose House Peter came after the Angel of God had delivered him out of Prison from the hands of Herod where many were gathered together in prayer Mary * Magdalen signifieth magnified or exalted Magdalene dwelt in Bethany John 12.12 Luk. 7.37 c. and was a sinful Woman And in token of her great repentance she went to Jesus as he sat at Meat in one of the Pharisees houses with a Box of Ointment in her hand falling down at his Feet weeping and washing them with the tears distilling down from her eyes and wiped them with the hairs of her head and also kissed them and anointed them with sweet Ointment Then Jesus seeing the great faith of the Woman said unto her Mary thy Faith hath saved thee go in peace Then Mary feeling her self much bound to Christ which had forgiven her so many sins fell in so great love Luk. 10. that all her whole meditation and study was upon him Insomuch that when Martha her Sister was cumbred about much serving of Christ at the Table Mary choosing the better part sat at Jesus feet to hear his Preaching And when he suffered his Passion John 19.25 she stood by the Cross with Mary his Mother to see the end And the morrow after the Sabbath-day when she came to the Sepulchre 20.1 2 c. and saw the stone taken away from the Tomb she ran to Peter and John and told them who ran to the Grave and tryed the matter and returned back again leaving Mary standing at the Grave weeping And as she bowed her self into the Grave she saw two Angels sitting in white clothing who said unto her Woman why weepest thou They have taken away my Lord quoth she and I know not where they have laid him And turning her self about she saw Jesus standing but knew him not to whom he said Woman why weepest thou whom dost thou seek She supposing it had been the Gardiner said Sir if thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will fetch him Then said Jesus Mary with that she turned her self and said Rabboni which is to say Master and fell down to the ground to have kissed his Feet But to withdraw her from that Jesus said Touch me not but go and tell my brethren that I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Then went Mary to the Disciples and told them that she had seen the Lord and what things he had said unto her Read the story of Martha her Sister and of Lazarus her Brother Mark the Evangelist is thought to have been Peter's Disciple and to write his Gospel according as he heard Peter preach and shew every thing by mouth and to have planted the first Church in Alexandria where he died in the eighth year of the reign of Nero in whose place succeeded Anianus Of this Mark speaketh Peter in his first Epistle the fifth Chapter saying The Congregation of them which at Babylon are companions of your Election saluteth you and so doth Mark my Son Mark Filed or rubbed Mark Act. 12.12 otherwise called John the Son of Mary was Minister to Paul and Barnabas what time as they were sent by the Holy Ghost from Antioch to preach the Gospel unto the Heathen 14.21 which Mark at Pamphylia departed back from them again For the which cause Paul the next Journey that he and Barnabas made would not suffer Mark to go with them 15.37 c. wherefore Barnabas departed from Paul taking Mark who was his Sisters Son with him into Cyprus Martha Luke 10. and Mary Magdalene were two Sisters dwelling in the City of Bethany which two had a Brother named Lazarus This Martha on a time invited Jesus to dinner And being cumbred about much serving and seeing her Sister Mary sit still at Jesus Feet said unto him Dost thou not care that my sister hath lest me to minister alone Bid her come and help me To whom he answered Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things verily one is needful Mary hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken from her On a time as Jesus was coming to Bethany to heal her Brother Lazarus she met him saying John 11 cap. Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Nevertheless now I know that whatsoever thou dost ask of God he will give it thee Then said Jesus Thy Brother shall rise again Yea quoth Martha I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day I am said Jesus the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth on me yea though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall not dye Believest thou this Yea Lord quoth Martha I believe
thine own Person For so shall we come upon him in one place or other where we shall find him and fall upon him as thick as the dew falleth upon the ground and of all the Men that are with him we shall not leave him one Moreover if he be gotten into a Town then shall all the Men of Israel bring Ropes to that Town or City and we will draw it into the River until there be not one stone sound there This Counsel of Hushai pleased Absalom and the People better than Achitophel's which was even the Lord's determination to destroy the good counsel of Achitophel that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom And so when Hushai had done according to David's request he caused Sadoc and Abiathar the Priests to send David word of all that was done whereby he escaped Hushai Sense or making hast or holding his peace I. JABES 1 Chron 4.9 was so named * This was Othonicl Caleb's Brother as Lyra reporteth of his Mother because she bare him in sorrow He being more honorable than the rest of his Brethren made a conditional Vow unto God saying ‖ Jacob made the like vow Read his story If thou wilt bless me indeed and inlarge my Coasts and if thine hand be with me and thou wilt cause me to be delivered from evil that I be not hurt Thus far goeth his request which was granted Jabes Sorrow Iabyn was the King of Canaan Judg. 4.2 whose Captain of War was Sisera Twenty Years he troubled Israel very sore But at the last he was overcome of the Israelites and brought to nought There was another King called Jabyn also whom Joshua slew and destroyed his City called * Which City being burnt of Joshua was afterward built again of the Canaanites Hazor as ye shall read in Joshua Chap. 11. Jabyn Understanding Iacob was the youngest Son of Isaac Gen. 25.26.27 cap. and Brother to Esau whose Birth right he bought for a Mess of Pottage and afterward by the counsel of Rebekah his Mother got away his blessing And then to avoid his Brothers displeasure Gen. 28. cap. he was sent into Mesopotamia to Laban his Mother Brother to get him a Wife And chancing to come to a place where he was benighted he took a stone and laid it under his Head and fell asleep And in his Dream he saw a * Christ is the Ladder whereby God and man are joyned together and by whom the Angels minister unto us all graces by him are given unto us and we by him ascend into Heaven Ladder stand upon the Earth reaching up to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it and God himself standing upon the Ladder said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac the Land which thou sleepest upon will I give to thee and thy seed and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth thou shalt spread abroad to the West to the East to the North and to the South And thorow thee and in thy seed shall all the Kinreds of the earth be blessed Behold I am with thee and will be thy keeper in all places where thou goest and will bring thee again into this Land neither will I leave thee until I have made good all that I have promised Then Jacob awaking out of sleep said Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware Oh how fearful is this place it is none other but the house of God and the gate of heaven Then Jacob gat him up early in the Morning and took the stone which he slept upon and set it up as a Pillar to be a remembrance of that Vision and poured oyl upon it and called the place Bethel which before was called Luz And before his departing he vowed saying If God will be with me and keep me in this Journey which I go and will give me Bread to eat and Cloaths to cover me so that I come again to my Fathers house in safety then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up for a Pillar shall be God's house and of all that thou givest me 29. cap. will I give the tenth unto thee And so Jacob going on his Journey came into the East Countrey where in beholding the Land he saw certain Herdmen lying with their Flocks of Sheep beside a Well at the which they commonly used to water their Sheep to whom he went demanded whence they were They said of Haran Do ye not know quoth he one Laban the Son of Nahor Yea said they we know him well He is in health And behold yonder cometh his Daughter Rachel to water her Father's sheep who was no sooner come but Jacob went to the Well and rolled away the stone from the Wells mouth and watered all her sheep Which done he kissed the Damosel and wept for joy And when the Maid had knowledge what he was she ran to her Father and told him who being joyful thereof went to the Man and brought him into his house Now when Jacob had opened the cause of his coming to Laban it was agreed that Jacob should serve Laban seven years for Rachel his Daughter But when the day of Marriage came Leah the elder was * The cause why Jacob was deceived was that in old time the Wife was covered with a Vail when she was brought to her Husband in sign of chastity and shamefastness Gen. 30 25 c. put in her stead for so much as it was not the custome that the younger should be first married as Laban alledged Then Jacob tarried seven days and took Rachel upon condition that he would serve other seven years for her which being fulfilled he desired Laban that he might depart with his Wives and Children into his own Country again Nay tarry said Laban for I perceive that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake appoint thy wages and I will give it thee Thou knowest quoth Jacob what service I have done thee and in what taking thy Cattel hath been under me for the little that thou hadst before my coming is now increased to a Multitude But when shall I make provision for mine own House also Well what shall I give thee said Laban Then Jacob having knowledge aforehand by the Angel of the Lord what his wages should be said Thou shalt give me nothing at all if thou wilt do this thing for me I will go again and feed thy sheep and keep them and will separate all the sheep of thy Flock one from another and so many as be black speckled or of party colour let that be my wages and whatsoever I take of the rest unspotted let that be counted theft with me Content quoth Laban Then went Jacob and took out all the Males and Females of the Sheep and Goats that were black spotted or of party colour and put them in the keeping of his Sons which lay
noble Isle of Crete And in every City within the Isle Titus ordained an Overseer which we call a Bishop for the which cause Paul prescribed unto him the true form of a Bishop or Shepherd of Christ's Flock Titus Honourable Toby was a godly Man of the Tribe and City of Nephtali And being brought into great captivity Tob. 1. in the days of Salmanasar King of Assyria yet would he not forsake the way of truth nor worship the golden Calves as others did neither yet defile himself with the Heathens meat but always kept his heart pure unto God For the which the Lord gave him such favour in the sight of Salmanasar the King that Toby had power to go where he would and to do whatsoever he listed Then Toby having this liberty went about comforting all those that were in Prison both with his goods and godly exhortations Such was his daily exercise to feed the hungry to cloath the naked and to bury the dead with such like deeds of Charity And when the time came that Sennacherib which hated the Children of Israel raigned in his Father's stead and in his wrath slew many of them Toby buried their bodies for the which the King commanded to slay him and to take away his goods who nevertheless through friendship escaped and fled And after the Kings death being slain of his own Sons within xlv days after Tob. 2. Toby returned and was restored to his goods again and called his kindred and friends together and made a great feast And sitting at the Table with his Guests one told him there lay an Israelite slain in the street who then immediately leapt from the Board and went fasting to the dead Corpse and brought him home to his house where he hid him privily until the Sun was down and then buried him For the which deed his friends reproved him because he had been in danger but a little before even for the like matter But nevertheless Toby fearing GOD more than the King would take the slain and hide them in his house and bury them at Midnight Insomuch that one time he was so weary with burying the dead that he got him home and laid him down beside a Wall for weariness where he fell asleep And so lying there fell down upon his eyes warm dung out of a Swallows Nest which took away his sight that he could not see against the which plague of blindness he never grudged but remained stedfast in the fear of God giving him thanks as well for that as other gifts of health And this temptation God suffered to fall on Toby for an example of patience to all that should come after Finally of his great patience deeds of charity and other godly exhortations Tob. 14.2 3. his book is full He lost his sight at the age of six and fifty years And was restored at three-score so that he remained blind about four years And lived after he had received his sight two and forty years and so he dyed at the age of an hundred and two years and was honourably buried in the City of Ninive Toby the Lord is good Toby Tob. 5. the Son of Toby being brought up in the fear of God followed the vertuous steps of his Father in all things He was sent to the City of Rages to one Gabael for certain Money which his Father had lent him And after many dangers by the way was 6. cap. by God's providence whose Angel was his guide 7. cap. married there to the Daughter of Raguel whose name was Sara And when he had tarried with his Father and Mother-in-law about fourteen days 8. cap. he returned home with much substance to the great consolation and comfort of old Toby his Father and Anna his Mother 11. cap. After whose death when he had remained at Ninive the space of two and forty years he departed with his Wife and seven Sons to the City of Rages 14. cap. where he found his Father and Mother-in law both living in great age on whom he took the care until they died and was Heir to all their Goods And when this Toby had lived xcix years he dyed and was buried After whose death his Posterity continued in such an holy conversation of life that they were beloved and accepted both of God and Man Toby the Ammonite and Son-in-law to Shecaniah 2 Esd 2 was one that conspired with Sanballat to hinder the building of Jerusalem For when Sanballat said in derision of the Jewes What do these weak Jewes will they fortifie themselves Will they sacrifice Will they finish it in a day Will they make the stones whole again out of the heaps of dust feeing they are burnt Then Toby which stood beside him said 6. cap. Although they build yet if a Fox go up he shall even break down their stone Wall This Toby wrought all the ways he could both by Letters and false Prophets hired for Money to fright Esdras from the work but could not prevail Tryphena and Tryphosa Rom. 16.12 were certain godly Women to whom Saint Paul for their diligent labour in the Gospel sendeth greetings saying Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa which Women laboured in the Lord. Tryphena a fine nice or delicate Woman Tryphon 1 Mac. 11. was a certain great Man which took part with King Alexander against King Ptolemy And when Alexander was dead Tryphon found the means to get his young Son Antiochus out of the hands of Emascuel the Arabian who had brought him up to reign in his Fathers stead And when he had got the government of the young King he conceived treason against him which he thought could never be well brought to pass so long as Jonathan whom the King had made High Priest was his friend wherefore he sought to kill Jonathan that he might come the easier by his wicked purpose 12.39.40 c. So Tryphon went to a place called Bethsan at the which place Jonathan met him with forty thousand Men. Then Tryphon perceiving the great Host that Jonathan brought was afraid and thought it not best to meddle with him at that time but to use some policy how to betray him And so commanding all his Souldiers to be as obedient to Jonathan in all things even as they would be unto himself he received him honourably with great rewards And being met together Tryphon said to Jonathan Why hast thou caused this People to take such travail seeing there is no War between us Therefore send them home again and chose certain Men to wait upon thee and come thou with me to Ptolemais for I will give it thee with other strong Holds for that is the only cause of my coming and so I must depart Then Jonathan believing Tryphon sent away his Host all save a thousand and so went with Tryphon to Ptolemais And assoon as Jonathan and his Men were entred the City the Gates were shut and Jonathan put in ward and all his
Juda. 2 Chron. 13. He overcame Jeroboam in Battel with an Army of four hundred thousand notwithstanding the other had twice so many chosen and picked Men. Of the which Abia slew five hundred thousand and weakned the power of Jeroboam so sore that he was never able to recover his strength again so long as Abia raigned This King had xiv Wives by whom he had xxii Sons and xvi Daughters He raigned but three years and was buried in the City of David Abia 2 King 14. the Son of Jeroboam being sick on a time his Father called the Queen his Wife unto him and bad her disguise her self that in no wise she might be known what Woman she was And so go thy way quoth he to Silo and there shalt thou find the Prophet of God called Ahia which told me long before Solomon dyed that I should be King of Israel Make speed and take a Present with thee and learn of him what shall become of the Child The Queen did then as she was commanded but all was in vain For God had revealed the matter unto the Prophet before the woman came Insomuch that as soon as the blind old man heard the noise of her coming and entring in at the door he said Come in thou wife of Jeroboam why hast thou disguised and feigned thy self to be another woman Thou art come to receive some comfort for thy son which lyeth sick but I am commanded to tell thee heavy and sorrowful things It repenteth the Lord that he hath exalted Jeroboam and rent the Kingdom from the house of David and given it to him forasmuch as he hath forsaken the Lord and not followed him in his heart as David did but hath made him gods of his own therefore the Lord hath determined to bring such a plague upon the house and posterity of Jeroboam that he will not leave one alive to make water against the wall Wherefore now get thee home and as soon as thy foot shall enter into the City the child shall die and all Israel shall lament him and bring him to his Sepulcher And so shall none of the house of Jeroboam thy husband enjoy the honour of his burial but only this child because the Lord saw in him some goodness toward And so when the Prophet had done speaking the wife of Jeroboam rose up and returned home to her house and found her son dead as the Prophet had foretold Abia Father of the Sea Abia the Daughter of Zacharia 2 King 18. was wife to Ahaz King of Juda and Mother to Hezekia Which name signifieth thus Abia the will of the Lord. Abiathar the son of Ahimelech Priest of Nob 1 Sam. 22. seeing the great cruelty of Saul in putting his Father to death for refreshing of David escaped his hands and fled to the Forest of Hareth where David at that time lay declaring to him the great murder that Saul had done to Ahimelech his Father and to all the Priests of the Lord for his sake Then being comforted of David he abode with him and was his Priest and Counsellor so long as he reigned But in the end of Davids raign he consented with Adonijah who had exalted himself to stablish him in the Kingdom 1 King 2. after the death of David But Solomon being proclaimed and the other deposed as soon as he was possessed deprived Abiathar and placed Sadock in his room And so was the word of the Lord fulfilled which he had spoken before concerning the house of Eli for Abiathar was the last of that line Abiathar Father of the Remnant or excellent Father Abigail 1 Sam. 25. the wife of Nabal the Carmelite was a woman not only beautiful but of a singular wisdom withal For when her husbands denial to Davids men for sustenance in their masters necessity was told her she then considering the great displeasure that might arise of the occasion offered hasted to load her Asses with sundry kind of victuals sending them forth before her and following after with speed And as she was going the providence of God was so that she met David by the way upon the side of an hill coming to Carmel determined utterly to have destroyed her husband and all that he had by the dawning of the day following Then she perceiving the fury of David lighted down from her Asse falling flat on the ground before him and so began her petition which was so pithily framed and done that in the end she pacified his wrath and stayed his hands from sheding of bloud that day for the which she was highly commended and praised of David who gently receiving her present did clearly remit the churlish behaviour of Nabal her husband for her sake Which being granted she took her leave and returned again But when she came home and found Nabal her husband so far overcharged with wine that his wits were gone she thought it convenient to follow the wise mans counsel Eccl. 31. not to rebuke him in his wine but to let the matter rest till the drink were all out of his brain and his memory fresh And so on the next morrow she declared to Nabal the great and perilous danger he was in for his unkindness shewed to David which when he heard it did smite him so sore to the heart that he never enjoyed himself but dyed within ten days after And then in process this woman Abigail became David's wife 2 Sam. 3. and bare him a son called Chileab which in the first book of Chronicles chap. 3. is called Daniel Abigail The Fathers Joy There was another woman called Abigail 1 Chron. 2. which was Sister to David and wife to Jether an Ismaelite unto whom she bare a son called Amasa Abimelech King of the Philistines Gen. 20. was a man which had the fear of God before his eyes as it may appear in the story of Abraham by his godly entertainment of his wife whom he took to be his very sister and not his wife as they had both confessed unto him And having a mind to the woman he took her from Abraham intending to have joyned with her in marriage and not for any sinful desire But when by the voice of God he knew she was Abraham's wife indeed and he a Prophet and his house sore plagued for her sake he was right sorry for that he had done and also displeased with Abraham for so dissembling with him in so weighty a cause considering the dishonesty that might have happened unto his wife by some of his men and the peril of Gods indignation on him and on his kingdom for the same yet notwithstanding when he knew the cause of Abrahams dissembling he possest him with cattel servants and money and delivered Sarah his wife unto him again giving him also free liberty to dwell and inhabite where he would within the precinct of his dominion Then Abraham prayed unto God for Abimelech at whose petition the Lord removed his
plague from the house of Abimelech so that the women conceived and brought forth children as before they had done The like story is of Isaac Chap. xxvi Abimelech The Kings Father or a Father of Counsel or the chief King Abimelech Judg. 9. the son of Jerubbaal otherwise Gedeon was a wicked Tyrant and a proud ambitious covetous man For when his Father was dead he to be King of Israel consulted with all his mothers kindred to perswade the people that it was better to have one man to reign over them than all the sons of Jerubbaal which were lxx persons in number And also to consider that he was of their flesh and bloud as well as the other were which matter being moved to the people they all consented to cleave to Abimelech and to make him their King and Governour And that he should be the better assured of their good wills and obedient hearts they gave unto him a great sum of money with the which he hired a sort of light brain'd fellows And first of all went to his fathers house and slew all his brethren save Jothan the youngest who escaped his bloudy hands and fled But by that he had raign'd two or three years the fire of hatred began so to kindle between him and the Sichemites with the house of Mello who had preferr'd him before to the Kingdom that at length it burst out into so great a flame that it could not be quenched till chance of war made an end of the Tyrant for in the end after divers victories he forced the Sichemites to take the strong Tower of Thebez for their refuge and coming nigh to the same to have set it on fire a certain woman threw down a piece of a Milstone upon his head and brake his Skull to the brain who then feeling himself sore wounded called his servant and bad him draw out his Sword and rid him out of his life that it should not hereafter be reported that a Woman had killed him and so his servant slew him Abinadab was a Man of Gibeah 2 Sam. 6. out of whose House David took the Ark of God and had it from thence to the house of Obed. Jesse the Father of David had also a Son called Abinadab 1 Sam. 16. and King Saul another of the same Name which was slain with him in Battel Abinadab A Father of a Vow or of a free mind or Prince Abishag was a goodly fair young Damosel 1 King 1. brought up in the City of Sunem And for her beauty and manners chosen to keep and nourish King David in his extreme age 1 King 2. After whose death being still a pure Maid She might not be suffer'd to marry with Adonijah the Kings Brother Abisag The Fathers ignorance Abishai was David's Sisters Son and Brother to Joab 1 Chron. 2. His Mothers name was Zarviah He consented not with Absalom 2 Sam. 16. but stuck to David his Unkle in all his troubles He was so grieved with the spiteful rebukes and railings of Shimei which he made against his Unkle David in his adversity that if David had not staid him he would have made Shimei shorter by the head than he was 2 Sam. 21. By his great strength and hardiness he rescued David out of the hands of a monstrous Gyant the Iron of whose Spear weighed three hundred Sicles and slew the Giant 2 Sam. 23. with three hundred Philistines more for the which he is counted as chief among the three Worthies belonging to David Abishai The Fathers Reward Abner the Son of Ner 1 Sam. 14. was Captain-General over the Host of King Saul by whose wisdome manhood and fidelity the House of Saul was chiefly held up and strengthned not only in the time of Saul's reign but so long also as he served Ishbosheth his Son â— Sam. 2. whom he set up and made King in his Fathers stead and governed his Host as he had done his Fathers before But in the first Battel he made against Joab David's Captain fortune went so much against him that he was put to the worse and fain to flie In the which flight Asahel Brother to Joab followed Abner and overtook him with whom Abner was loth to meddle for fear of Joabs displeasure and therefore intreated him gently to go his way not to force him against his will But when he saw his words would nothing prevail he fell upon Asahel and smote him thorow the short Ribs with his Spear and so departed leaving him dead on the ground Not long after this it fortuned the King to fall out with Abner 2. Sam. 3. and to taunt and check him for that he was so familiar with Rizpa his Fathers Concubine which check and taunt of the King so grieved Abner that he forsook him and went to David with whom he made a secret bond to stablish him in the Kingdom And so departing secretly from David again he came to the people which served Ishbosheth spake so much unto them in the praise and commendation of David that he wan their hearts and turned them quite from Isboseth to David And when he had thus framed the people somewhat according to his mind he came again to David to counsel farther with him how the People might now be brought together and be sworn unto him which matter being determined Abner returned from David thinking to have been as faithful to him as ever he was to Saul But Joab who bare grudge and malice to Abner for the death of his Brother Asahel hearing how Abner had been with David and let go again and nothing done unto him sent privily for Abner to come and speak with the King who being come Joab was ready to receive him and under pretence of friendship had him a little aside as though he would have talked with him about the secret affairs of the King and suddenly smote him with his Dagger and slew him Abner The Fathers Candle Abraham was the Son of Terah born in Ur Gen. 11. Abraham was the Son of Terah begotten of his second wife and because of his dignity is counted before Nahor and Aran born of the first Wife a Town in Chaldee A man so endued with faith and vertue that when he saw the true religion and honouring of God to cease in the Land of Chalda he departed from thence with Terah his Father Sara his Wife and Lot his Brothers Son to go into the Land of Canaan And * 12 cap. being come to Haran which is a Town of Mesopotamia he remained there until the death of his Father Terah Then God commanded Abraham saying Get thee out of thy Countrey and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House unto the Land which I will shew thee and I will make of thee a great Nation and will bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse them
Host of Israel against whom Judah began his Conquest and slew the Canaanites and put Adonibeseck to flight but being sore pursued the Men of Judah took him and cut off both his thumbs and great toes which thing the Tyrant confessed himself by and by to be the just judgment of God for as he had done to others so had he worthily received again And so he was carried to Jerusalem and there dyed Adonibeseck the Lords Thunder Adramelech the Son of Senacherib King of Assyria 2 King 19â— with his Brother Saresa slew their Father in the Temple as he was worshipping his God Nisroch and fled into the Land of Armenia leaving Asarhaddon their other Brother to possess the Kingdom after their Father Adramelech the Kings Cloak or his Greatness or Power or the greatness of Counsel Aduram was Receiver of all Rehoboams Tribute and being sent in Commission to pacifie the People which were divided and fallen from the King 1 King 12. 2 Chron. 10. they for hatred they bare to Rehoboam took this Man and stoned him to death Aduram Their Cloak or their power or greatness Agag was a very fat Man 1 Sam. 15. and King of the Amalekites which Nation God had commanded to be utterly destroyed And because King Saul had reserved Agag alive and not killed him with the rest the Lord was grievously displeased with Saul and would not suffer Agag so to escape but sent Samuel to execute his judgment upon him who calling for Agag he came out unto him very pleasantly fearing nothing less but that all bitterness of death had been past but contrary to his expectation Samuel said unto him As thy sword hath made Women childless so shall thy Mother be childless among other women and with that he fell upon Agag and hewed him in pieces before the Lord in Gilgal Agag An House or cellar Agabus was a certain Prophet Act. 11.28 which came from Jerusalem to Antioch where he prophesied of a great dearth that should be thorowout all the World which came to pass as this Prophet had said in the Emperour Claudius's days Also while Paul lay at Cesarea in the House of Philip the Evangelist purposing to keep his Journey to Jerusalem Act. 21.10 this Prophet chancing to come thither took Pauls girdle and therewithall bound his own hands and feet saying Thus saith the Holy Ghost so shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the Man that oweth this girdle and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles Agabus A Grashopper Agar was Handmaid to Sarah Abraham's Wife Gen. 16. which Sarah being long barren and childless gave Agar her Maid unto Abraham to be his Wife who being conceived and feeling her self with Child began to despise and set light by Sarah her Mistress for the which Sarah complained to Abraham her Husband who giving her power to correct the Maid at her pleasure she began to deal so roughly with Agar that in no wise she would abide it but ran away into the Wilderness and sitting there beside a Fountain of Water not knowing whither to go an Angel appeared unto her and said Agar from whence comest thou and whither intendest thou to go I flee said Agar from Sarah my Mistress who dealeth so hardly with me that I am even weary of my life Well said the Angel return to thy Dame again and submit thy self under her hands for the Lord will so encrease thy seed that it shall not be numbred for multitude Thou art with child and shalt bear a Son whose Name shall be Ishmael Then Agar giving God thanks for his consolation in trouble returned home again to Sarah her Mistress submitting her self unto her and in process of time brought forth her son shmael as the Angel had said Gen. 21. But when it pleased God to visit Sarah that she conceived and brought forth Isaac a new contention arose between Sarah and Agar for their children for Sarah perceiving Ishmael to be a mocker and a despiser of Isaac would not suffer Ishmael to company with her Son Isaac but made her complaint to Abraham causing Him to put both Agar and her Son away which thing although it grieved Abraham so to do yet being comforted of God that he would multiply Ishmael because he was of his seed he obeyed the voice of Sarah his wife and with provision of victuals sent Agar away with her Son to shift for her self Then Agar being departed from Abraham gat her into the Forest of Beersheba where she wandred so long up and down till all her provision of Meat was spent and gone And when she saw no remedy but that both she and her child must needs perish for lack of sustenance she laid down the child behind a bush and went her self away because she would not see it dye and as she sat afar off mourning and weeping for her Son she was comforted again by the Angel of God who had so provided for her and her son that they were both relieved and lived together a long time after to her great joy and comfort Agar A Stranger Aggeus was one of the Twelve Prophets which prophesied in the time of Zorobabel 1 Esd 5. King of the Jews and rebuked them for that they were slack in the work of the Lord. Aggeus Solemn festival or winding and turning himself Agrippa was a certain King Act. 25. who as Paul reporteth had good knowledge in the Law and Prophets but understood not the true applying of the same Which King on a time came to Cesarea to see Festus and to welcome him into the Country who was then but newly entred into his office And being there a good while with Festus and hearing of him what a-do there was about Paul whom the Jews had accused unto him was much desirous to see the Man and to hear him speak Whereupon the next day following Paul was brought into the common Hall before Agrippa and other Magistrates of the City there assembled to hear his cause And when Festus had declared for what purpose he had brought forth Paul that after examination had he might have somewhat of certainty to write to Cesar 26 cap. to whom Paul had appealed Agrippa permitted the Prisoner to speak and to say what he could for himself Who then so approved his innocency by rehearsing his conversation before the audience that Agrippa interrupting him confessed and said unto Paul Thou hast almost perswaded me to become a Christian And when the Prisoner had ended his discourse the King arose and all the Court among whom was much secret talk of Paul and for a final sentence Agrippa said unto Festus I see no worthy cause of death or of bands in this Man but that he might have been loosed if he had not appealed to Cesar Agrippa is a Latine word and signifieth That which hardly laboureth or travelleth in childbearing or delivering Also he which at his birth cometh with his feet forward Ahaz the
be Captain over his Host in the room of Joab which office he did not long enjoy for when Sheba the Son of Bichri had begun a new commotion and that David had sent Amasa to gather the Men of Juda together 20. c. and to bring them to him by the third day it chanced Joab to meet Amasa by the way which was somewhat after the time the King had appointed and saluting him with all gentleness he took him by the Chin with one hand to kiss him and with the other hand he smote him under the short Ribs with his Dagger and killed him Amasa Sparing the people Amasiah 2 King 14. the Son of Joash King of Juda began his Reign at the Age of xxv 2 Chron. 25. Years in the beginning whereof he did indifferently well observe the Laws of God but in the end he became an Idolater He prepared an Host of thirty thousand Men to go against the Edomites and yet to make himself the stronger he hired an hundred thousand more out of the ten Tribes of Israel for an Hundred Talents of Silver But as he was going with both the Hosts of Juda and Israel he was commanded by the Lord's Prophet to send the Host of Israel home again forasmuch as the Lord was not with them or else he should not stand before his enemies How then said the King shall I do for the hundred Talents which I have given for them Take no thought for that quoth the Prophet for the Lord is able to give thee as much more And so he sent the Host of Israel home again who for anger they were dismissed fell upon the Cities of Juda as they went and did much harm Then Amasias with his own Men set upon his Enemies and slew ten thousand and discomfited the rest After which Victory whereas he ought to have given all praise unto God for the same he fell from God and most vilely dishonoured him in worshipping the Idols of the Edomites despising the * This was Amos the Prophet whom Amasiah caused many times to be beat His Son caused 2 Nail to be thrust into his temples and being half dead he was carried into his own country where he soon after dyed Cooper Prophet's admonition sent unto him from the Lord. And so persisting in his obstinate mind and proud heart he wrote to Joash King of Israel commanding Him and his People by a Parable of the Cedar-tree and Thistle to be under his subjection But Joash after defiance gathered an Army and went against Amasiah whose Host being discomfited Amasiah was taken and brought to Joash who carried him to Jerusalem where notwithstanding the Gates being opened to him he caused four hundred Cubits of the Wall to be beaten down and entred into the City that way leading Amasiah with him as a Prisoner and took all the treasure of the Temple and of the Kings house caused it to be brought into Samaria Afterward being delivered his own People slew him He reigned xxix years and Azariah his Son succeeded Amasiah the Strength of the Lord. Amnon the Eldest Son of David had a fair Sister called Thamar 2 Sam. 3.14 cap. with whom he was so far in love that he could eat no meat that did him good but pined himself away marvellously for her sake Then Jonadab his Fathers Brothers Son a friend and familiar of his and a worldly wise man perceiving Amnon to be sore changed and every day more and more went to him and said How happeneth this Amnon that thou being the King's Son consumest thy self so away and dost not tell me Oh said Amnon I am in love with Thamar my Brother * Thamar was Absalom's Sister both by Father and Mother and Amnons by the Fathers side only Absalom's sister and except I may have her company I shall surely die Now to further this wicked purpose of Amnon here was a counseller ready at hand I will tell thee said Jonadsb what thou shalt do lay thee down upon thy Bed and feign thy self sick and when David thy Father cometh to visit thee desire him to let Thamar thy Sister come and dress thee such meat as thou hast a lust unto Amnon did so and when Thamar was come and had dressed him meat and brought it into his Chamber he commanded all to avoid and never rested until he had by force gotten his pleasure which done he fell into such an exceeding hatred of Thamar that he could not suffer her to be in his sight but caused his servant to thrust her out of his house and to bolt the doors after her For this shameful incest of Amnon Absalom two years after at a Banquet slew Him Amnon A People Lot had a Son called Ammon Gen. 19. which was born him of his youngest daughter and of him came the Ammonites Amon 2 King 21. the Son of Manasses was xxii years old when he began his reign over Juda 2 Chron. 33. and walked not in the ways of the Lord but gave himself more to wicked Idolatry and worshipping of stinking Idols than ever his Father did and would never turn unto God Wherefore at last certain of his own Men conspired against him and slew him which Conspirators the People of the Land notwithstanding put to death and made Josiah his Son King in his stead Amon Faithful Amos Amos 1.2 3 c. was an Herdman or Shepherd of a poor Town called Tekoa and one of the Twelve Prophets which God raised up to admonish the Israelites of their wickedness and Idolatry and to threaten them with his Plagues and Punishments if they did not repent Read of his death in the story of Amasiah Amos a Burden The Father of Jesse Esay 1. David's Father was called Amos and there the word signifieth Strong Amram Exod. 6. Numb 26. the Son of Caath the Son of Levy took Jochebed his Fathers * This kind of marriage was after in the Law forbidden Levit 18. Sister to Wife who bare unto him two Sons Aaron and Moses and also a Daughter called Miriam He lived an hundred and thirty eight years Amram a mighty or an high people or a band of them Amraphel Gen. 14. was King of Shinar and one of the four Kings which fought against five other Kings in the Valley of Siddim where he and his party had the Victory Amraphel Speaking destruction or speaking secrets Amri 1 King 16. was the Chief Captain and Governour of the whole Army of Elah the Son of Baasha King of Israel And lying at the siege of Gibbethon a City of the Philistines the whole Host there hearing of the death of Elah constituted Amri King in his stead But the residue of the Israelites which abode at home and were not with Amri at the siege made Tibni the Son of Ginath King So that the People were divided and in great contention for their King which continued for the space of three years till Tibni
to offer the Yearly Sacrifice And thus God took away her rebuke of barrenness and blessed her with children so that after Samuel she had three Sons more and two Daughters Anna Gracious or Merciful Anna Tobit 2. the Wife of old Toby her Husband being blind and in poverty took weaving work of Women and laboured sore for her living And when on a time she sent home the work to the owners one sent her a Kid more than her wages which she had earned And when Toby heard the Kid bleat he said to Anna From whence came that Kid Is it not stollen restore it to the owners again for it is not lawful to eat any thing of theft Then was Anna angry with Toby and rebuked him as one whose trust in God was all in vain After this 5. it fortuned old Toby to send young Toby his Son to the City of Rages to receive certain money which in his prosperity he had lent to one Gabelus Then Anna being full of heaviness for the departure of her Son burst out and said to Toby Oh what hast thou done why hast thou sent our Son away I would to God that money had never been required of us but that we had been content with our poverty and kept our Son at home What ailed us to send him into a strange Country which was the only staff of our age and comfort of our life and the hope of our generation Then said Toby leave thy weeping and be not discomforted for the Man that went with our Son is so faithful 10. that he will bring him to us again safe and sound Yet could not Anna with this be perswaded but would daily go out to the top of an Hill and sit there to spie his coming And when at the last she saw where he came a far of she ran home with great rejoycing and told her Husband And so waiting to receive her Son she wept for joy when she saw him Anna Luke 2. â—6 the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser was a Prophetess and had been married to an Husband seven years and after continued a Widow fourscore and four years serving God in the Temple with fasting and praying day and night And when Christ was brought into the Temple she cameforth at that present praising the Lord and prophesied of that Child to all them that looked for the redemption of Israel Anna the Wife of Raguel 〈…〉 was Mother to Sara the Wife of young Toby Annas John 18.13 had the first examination of Christ and sent him from him to Caiaphas his Son-in-law who was High-Priest for that Year Annas Afflicting or bringing low Antiochus 1 Mac. 1. c. 6. c. 8. the great being King of Syria and of such puissance and strength that he thought himself invincible was at last overcome of the Romans and fain to relinquish to them all his interest in Europe and Asia and to leave his Son Antiochus in Hostage and so departed being contented with those Countries that were left him 2 Mac. 1. till at last of a covetous mind he went to Perside the chief City of Paersia thinking there to have robbed the Temple and to have had great treasure therein And as he himself with a few more was in the Temple about his business the Priests at a privy door came in upon him and cut him all to pieces and cast him out to be devoured of the Birds and Fowls of the Ayr. Antiochus For all agon or Chariot Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 1. the Son of Antiochus the great being stablished in his Kingdom warred against Ptolomy King of Egypt until he had brought his Land in subjection And having so good success there he went against Israel and at last took and spoiled the City of Jerusalem and robbed the Sanctuary of all the precious Jewels and treasure therein subverted all the holy Laws of God compelling the Jews to worship Idols and to do as the Heathen did in all things he burned the Books of the Law and whosoever had a Book of the Testament or were found to be a favourer thereof did suffer death 2 Mac. 9. Thus this ungracious and wicked subverter of all true religion and godliness persecuted the true People of God and so long persisted in his great tyranny that God at last smote him with an incurable Disease in his Body which was so eaten with Worms and Vermine that they fell quick out of his flesh whereof ensued so great a stink that neither he himself nor none that were about him might abide the smell And so this wicked Tormentor of others was justly recompenced with a miserable end Antiochus Eupator the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 6. being but young and under the governance of Lysias went into Jewry with a great Army to subdue the Jews who so manfully resisted Antiochus that he was fain considering the decrease of his People and the strength of the place besieged to offer them peace and to grant them liberty to live according to their own Laws whose Covenants being received the Jews came out of the Castle of Sion to give place to Antiochus who notwithstanding his oath when he saw the defence therof commanded the Walls round about to be cast down and destroyed and from thence departed to Antioch where he fought with Philip which was come out of Persia and wan the City out of his hands And lying there 1 Mac. 7. Demetrius the Son of Seleuchus came to Antioch and took Antiochus and Lysias and put them both to death Antiochus the Son of Alexander being but a child 1 Mac. 11. was first under the governance of Emascuel the Arabian and removed from him to the tuition of one Triphon 1 Mac. 13.3 of whom he was most traiterously murthered Antiochus 1 Mac. 15. the Son of Demetrius for as much as Triphon had been his Fathers utter enemy made a covenant of friendship with Simon the High-priest and Prince of the Jews that he might the better overcome Triphon whom he persecuted and drove to the City of Dora lying by the Sea side which City he besieged with an hundred twenty thousand Foot-men and viii thousand Horsemen And lying there Simon sent him two thousand chosen Men with Silver and Gold and much furniture to help him Who notwithstanding his bond of love he had made with Simon before refused now his friendship and sell at defiance with him and all the Jews and was ever after that their continual enemy Antipas Apoc. 2.13 was a faithful Martyr of Christ Antipas For all or against all Antipater 1 Mac. 12. c. 14. the Son of Jason first by Jonathas and after by Simon was sent Ambassador to Rome to renew the old friendship between the Jews and Romans Antipater For the Father or against the Father Apame 3 Esd 4. was Daughter to that famous King Bartacus and Concubine to a certain great King who was of
of Shinar into a far Country where he inhabited which Countrey took its name of him and was called Assyria and there he builded a City which afterwards was called Niniveh Assur Blessed or Travelling Asubah 1. King 22.42 was Mother to Jehosaphat King of Juda and daughter to Shilhi 2 Chron. 20. Asubah Forsaken Asubah 1 Chron. 2.18 Wife to Caleb the Son of Hesron bare unto him three Sons Jesher Shobab and Ardon Athalia 2 King 11. 2 Chron. 22. Athalia in the 2 King ca. 8. is called both the daughter of Achab and the daughter of Amri which saith Lyra is meant thus After the death of Amri her natural Father she was brought up with Achab her Brother and so in process called his daughter or else by immitating his manners in all kind of Idolatry was the daughter of Amri and wife to Joram King of Juda. When Joram died her Son Ahaziah succeeded whom she enticed to all wickedness and after his death she ruled and killed all the rest of the seed of Joram only Joash excepted which was stollen away and hid from her And when she had ruled the Land most cruelly vi years In the vii year Joash was brought forth by Jehojada the Priest and proclaimed King She hearing that ran into the Temple of the Lord with her cloaths rent crying out treason treason But at the commandment of Jehojada the Captains and Souldiers took her out of the Temple and slew her Athalia Time for the Lord. Azariah the Son * 2 King 15.1 c. of Amaziah King of Juda began his reign in the xxvii year of Jeroboam King of Israel and was 16. years old when he was made King And so long as he gave ear to Zacharias the Prophet and walked uprightly so long did the Lord prosper him with great Victories both of the Philistines and Arabians and made the Ammonites also tributaries unto him He ‖ Azariah is in the same Chapter called also Vzziah repaired Jerusalem He loved husbandry well and had great plenty of Cattel At length he became so mighty that in his strength his heart arose to his destruction For in his pride he went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense which although he seemed to do of a zeal and good intent yet forasmuch as he usurped the Priests Office he was justly resisted of Azariah the Priest and plagued of God who smote him with such a Leprosie that he went out of the Temple a Leper and so remained all the days of his life He raigned LII years and was buried in a part of the same Field where his Predecessors lay but not in the same Sepulchres because he was a Leper Azaria Help of the Lord. B. BAAL the Son of Reaia was a Prince of the Reubenites 1 Chron. 5.5 and * In the days of Pekab King of Israel carried away with other his Kinred into the Land of Assyria by Tiglath Pileser King of the Assyrians Baal an Idol or a Ruler 2 Kings 15. Baanah with his Brother Rechab 2 Sam. 4. cap. the Sons of Rimmon were two Captains in the Host of Ishbosheth King of Israel who when Abner their chief Captain was dead went into the House of Ishbosheth seeming saith Lyra they had gone to fetch Wheat for the King saith he had great store of Wheat which he sold to Merchants a-far off wherefore these two disguised themselves like Merchants that came to buy and so entring into the House they found where their Lord and Master lay upon his Bed in the heat of the day fast a-sleep * There is nothing so vile and dangerous which the wicked will not enterprise in hope of lucre and favour and slew him and took his head and carried it to David thinking for the same to have had a great reward But for their most shameful and trayterous act they were both put to death and their Quarters hanged over the Pool in Hebron Baanah In affliction Baasha the Son of Ahijah 1 King 15.27 c. 16.1 c. conspired against Nadab King of Israel and reigned in his stead In the third year of Asa King of Judah began Baasha to reign over Israel and walked most wickedly in all the ways of Jeroboam 1 King 10.14 whose House and Posterity notwithstanding * God stirred up one Tyrant to punish the wickedness of another he utterly destroyed and left not one alive for so it was prophesied that God would stir him up one which was this Baasha for that purpose And now for as much as Baasha whom God had exalted even out of the dust would still maintain Jeroboam's Idolatry and cause his People to sin he sent him word by the Prophet Jehu that as he had rooted out the whole Posterity of Jeroboam so should his be served likewise Great War was between Baasha and Asa King of Juda. 2 Chron. 16. And for to stop the passage of Juda that none should pass out nor in safely Baasha went to build a strong hold called Rama which he was fain at length to leave unfinished and to lose all his cost and pains to go against Benhadad which had broken covenant with him He reigned xxiv years and was buried in Thirza which was a place where the King remained leaving Ela his Son to succeed him in whose days the foresaid Prophecy of the rooting out his Posterity took place Baasha in folding together or pressing together or to search out and take away Bachides 1 Mac. 7.9 cap. was a Man of great power in the Dominion of Demetrius the Son of Seleucus And being the Kings faithful friend he sent him with a great Host against Judas Machabeus to revenge him of the injury he had done unto his People and in the end slew him After whose death many of the wicked Jews turned to Bachides whereof he made some Lords and Rulers of the Land which of envy outed the friends of Judas and brought them into great vexation and trouble When Bachides had given this overthrow to Judas he sought how he might kill Jonathas also whom the Jews had appointed in his Brothers room And meeting with Jonathas about the border of Jordan there was a great Battel fought between them in the which Bachides lost a thousand of his men After which conflict Bachides by occasion of Alcimus the wicked Priests death departed for that time so that Jonathas lay at rest two years after till a sort of ungodly men conspired against him how they might bring Bachides upon him unawares which matter being between them and him concluded Bachides returned with a great power but ere he came Jonathas had gotten knowledge of the Treason and put certain of the chiefest Conspirators to death Then when Bachides came and had besieged the City of Bethbessen long and saw he was not able to resist the power of Jonathas he was marvellously displeased with those wicked counsellers which had caused him to travail
2 Mac. 10. chap. 12. a certain Captain named Dositheus had almost taken him if rescue had not been thorow the which he escaped and fled into Moresa and was never seen more Read the story of Dositheus Gorgias Terrible H. HADAD 1 King 1 1â— 14 c. being but a little Boy born in the Land of Edom and sprung of the King of Edoms seed what time as David went about to destroy all the Men Children in Edom fled with certain Edomites of his Fathers servants into the Land of Aegypt Where in process he gat such favour with Pharaoh King of the Land that he gave him great possessions and married him to the Queens Sister who bare unto him a Son called Genubath which Child was brought up in King Pharaoh's House among his Children But when tidings was brought to Hadad of the death of David and Joab he went to the King and besought him to let him depart into his own Countrey again Why said the King what hast thou lacked here with me that thou wouldest now so fain return home again Nothing said Hadad but that I have a mind to see my Countrey and therefore I pray thee let me go And so he departed out of Egypt from Pharaoh for * The Lord had reserved this Idolater to punish and scourge his People for their sins the Lord had stirred him up to be an adversary to Solomon who had turned his heart from the Lord his God and served strange gods And so Hadad reigned over Syria and abhorred Israel sore and vexed them so long as Solomon reigned Hadad Joy Hadarezer 1 Sam 8.3 c. 10.16 the Son of Reob King of Zoba had long War with Thoi King of Hamoth And at the last as he went to recover the Borders by the River Pherar David met with him and took 1700 Horsmen of his Host and twenty thousand Footmen and cut off the hoofs of all his Chariot-Horses saving an hundred which he reserved to himself And took away his shields of Gold and brought them to Jerusalem And took out of his Cities exceeding much Brass whereof Solomon afterward made all the Brasen Vessels in the Temple of the Lord. Again when this Hadarezer with all the Kings that served him went to rescue Hanon King of the Ammonites against David he lost 700. Chariots and 4000. Footmen and his Captain-General slain Then the Kings which served Hadarezer being so discomfited made peace with David and served him and never would help the Ammonitâ—s more Hadarezer Beautiful help Ham Gen. 9.18 was the second Son of Noe. Who on a time seeing his Father lye unseemly discovered in his Tent laughed him to scorn And in derision and contempt of his Father brought Sem and Japhet his two Brethren to see the uncomely sight But they moved with shamefastness and honesty covered their Fathers secrets and would not look upon them And when Noe was awaked out of sleep and perceived what Ham had done He would not curse him whom the Lord had blest but said to * Of this Canaan came the Canaanites that wicked Nation who were also cursed of God Canaan his Son which had also as some suppose derided his Grandfather Noe Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his Brethren Ham Indignation or Heat Haman was the Son of Amada Esther 3. cap. and served Ahasuerus King of Persia who so highly promoted him that every Man bowed the Knee to Haman and did as much honour unto him in a manner as they did to the King himself And being thus exalted above all other Princes about the King and honoured of all men there was notwithstanding a certain Jew born named Mardocheus which would neither bow nor bend unto him as others did which being marked of Haman he took so great indignation against Mardocheus that he sought his utter destruction and purchased a licence of the King for ten thousand talents of Silver to have him and all the Jews destroyed in one day But while the Writings were a making and Posts sent into all Quarters for the Jews dispatch Mardocheus gat knowledge of all Haman's wicked intents and purposes and found the means to have the same uttered unto Queen Esther Who then to save Mardocheus and all the Jews did hazard her self to go to the King and found the means to bring him and Haman to a Banquet which she had prepared Now was Haman so proud and joyful of the Queens favour that he went home to his House and called all his friends together making great boast to them of his glory riches and authority But chiefly what special favour Queen Esther bare unto him above all Men insomuch she had invited no Man to her Banquet with the King save only him And to morrow quoth he I must be there again But yet all this doth not satisfie me so long as I see Mardocheus the Jew sitting at the King's Gate Then said Zares his Wife Let there be a pair of Gallows made of 50. Cubits high and speak to morrow unto the King that Mardocheus may be hanged thereon And so Haman following his Wives counsel caused the Gallows to be prepared and on the morrow gat him to the Court and standing there waited when the King would call for him that he might speak to dispatch Mardocheus The King who the night before had looked the Chronicles and found out the fidelity of Mardocheus sent for Haman and said What shall be done to the Man whom the King would honour Then Haman thinking the King had gone about to honour none but him said Let the Man whom the King intendeth to bring to honour be arrayed in such Royal Apparel as the King useth to wear and set upon the King's Horse with the Crown Imperial upon his Head and command one of the King's Princes to carry him about the streets of the City with a proclamation before him saying Thus shall it be done to the Man whom the King pleaseth to bring to honour Then said the King take the Rayment and the Horse and go thou to Mardbeheus the Jew which sitteth at my Gate and fail not to do unto him all that thou hast faid Then went Haman about the King's commandment and performed all things according to his mind which being done he gat him home with an heavy heart to his Wife and friends declaring unto them what things had happened unto him Then said they If Mardochens be of the seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail against him but shalt surely fall before him And while they were thus talking a Messenger came for Haman to go with the King to the Banquet at the end of which Banquet Esther opened all the wickedness of Haman before the King who took the matter so grievously that he rose from the Board and went into the Garden in a great anger Then Haman perceiving a mischief towards him went and fell down at the Beds-feet
or Couch whereon the Queen fate and besought her grace for his life And when the King came in again and found him with the Queen he said Will he force the Queen also before me in the house Which word was no sooner gone out of the Kings mouth but Haman's * It was the manner of the Persians when one was out of the Kings favour to cover his face face was covered and so had out and hanged upon the Gallows which he had prepared in his own house for Mardocheus Read the story of Esther and of Mardocheus Haman Troubling or making burly burly or preparing Hanani was a Prophet sent of God to Asa King of Juda declaring unto him 2 Chron. 16 7 c. how greatly he had displeased the Lord for making a Covenant with Benhadad King of Syria and for doing his message was cast into Prison Read the story of Asa Hanani Gracious or Merciful or Giving Hananiah the Son of Azur was a false Prophet Jer. 28. cap. which prophesied unto the People of Israel that God would break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon from the neck of all Nations within the space of two years and in token thereof took the yoke from the Prophet Jeremies neck and brake it But Jeremy the true Prophet of God reproved the false prophecie of Hananiah saying That in stead of the yoke of wood which he had taken from his neck the Lord would put a yoke of Iron upon the necks of all these Nations that they should serve the King of Babylon and that the false Prophet Hananiah himself should dye the same year which things came truly to pass as Jeremy had spoken Hananiah Grace of the Lord. Hanun was the Son of Nahash King of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10.1 unto whom David most gently sent to comfort him upon the death of his Father which gentleness was most ungently and unthankfully taken of the Lords and Councellors of the young King Hanun Who perswaded the young King that David had not sent to comfort him upon the death of his Father But had rather sent a sort of spies under the colour of friendship to seek the means how to destroy his Cities and whole Realm Upon the which false and unhonest surmise of his wicked Counsellers Hanun caused the one half of every Mans Beard to be shaven and their Garments to be cut off hard by the Buttocks and so sent them home again to David with much shame and disgrace Ingratitude punished Upon which occasion David became his utter enemy and made such sore War against him that in conclusion Hanun was taken and lost his Regal Crown which David put upon his own Head and wore it before Hanun's face and carried away all his Treasure and Jewels took his People whereof some he sawed in two pieces over other some he caused Carts new and sharp shod with Iron to be driven some he took and shred their flesh as Cooks do Pye-meat and cast other some in hot burning Ovens Thus was Hanun rewarded for his ingratitude Hanun Faithful or true a Schoolmaster and the Mothers Son or Child Hazael 2 King 8 8 c. was a certain great Man which served Benhadad King of Syria which Benhadad fortuning to fall sick sent Hazael to Eliseus the Prophet to know whether he should recover of his disease or no. And when the Prophet saw Hazael he could not look him in the face for shame but cast his Head aside and wept Then Hazael marvelling at the Prophets behaviour towards him demanded of Eliseus wherefore he wept I weep quoth the Prophet to see the great evils that thou shalt do to the Children of Israel Thou shalt break down their strong Cities and set them on fire and slay their young Men with the Sword and dash the brains out of the sucking Children and rent in pieces the Women with Child Then said Hazael dost thou make thy Servant a Dog that I should lack so much humanity and pity to do these things Well said the Prophet thou shalt do as I have said for the Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King of Syria And so Hazael departed home to the King his Master and told him that he should recover for so the Prophet had said unto him But on the next morrow when Hazael saw his time he took a thick * Under the pretence to refresh or ease him he stifled him with this cloth 2 King 8. 28 2 Chron. 22. cloth and dipt it in Water and spread it so on the King's face that he dyed After whose death Hazael raigned in his stead And being stablished in his Kingdom he made War with Joram King Ahab's Son and was a cruel adversary to Israel all the days of his life Hazael seeing God Helkiah was the High-Priest in the days of Josias 2 King 22.8 who in repairing the Temple of the Lord chanced by the providence of God to find the Book of the Law * The Copy that Moses left them as appeareth 2 Chron. 34.14 the which he sent to the King by Shaphan the Scribe which he read unto him Helkiah the Lords portion or part the Lords lenity or gentleness Heliodorus being in great favour with Seleucus 2 Mac. 3. cap. King of Asia and Steward of his House was sent to Jerusalem to fetch away the treasure out of the Temple which one Symon the Governour thereof had betrayed unto the King And being come to Jerusalem he was lovingly received of Onias the High-Priest into the City But when Heliodorus had uttered the cause of his coming and that his Commission was to bring the Money unto the King there was no small fear thorowout the whole City For then all men from the highest to the lowest were so oppressed with sorrow and heaviness that they knew not what to do but fell to prayer lifting up their eyes to Heaven and calling upon him which had made a Law concerning stuff given to keep that he would safely preserve the same which was there committed in custody And while the Priests and People were thus lamenting and crying upon God and on the other side Heliodorus personally with his Men of War about the Treasury There appeared an Horse with a terrible Man sitting upon him deck'd in Harness of Gold which Horse smote at Heliodorus with his fore-feet to beat him from the place Also there appeared two fair and beautiful young Men in goodly apparel which stood on each side of Heliodorus and scourged him so long that he fell down to the ground as dead and so was carried out of the Temple without speech or hope of life whereby the great power of God was manifest and known Then certain of Heliodorus friends besought Onias to call upon God to give him his life who was even at that time giving up the ghost Then Onias lest the King should suspect the Jews had done him some harm called upon God and obtained his life
three days Journey off from Jacob and the rest which were white and of one colour Jacob * Jacob herein used no deceit for so much as he did it at God's commandment kept himself And when he had made this division of Laban's sheep he took Rods of green Poplar of Hasel and of Chesnut-trees and pilled white strakes in them Which Rods in the conceiving time he laid before the Sheep in the gutters and Watering-troughs when they came to drink And the sheep that conceived before the Rods brought forth Lambs straked spotted and party-coloured so that Jacob's Flock increased exceedingly whereat the Sons of Laban grudged 31. cap. and made so heinous a complaint to their Father of Jacob that Laban began to disfavour him Then Jacob perceiving Laban's countenance to be changed he sent for his Wives and said I see your Fathers countenance that it is not towards me as it was wont and yet ye know that I have served your Father truly which hath deceived me and changed my wages ten times but God suffered him not to hurt me For when he said the spotted should be my wages then the sheep brought forth spotted And when he said the party-coloured should be my reward then the sheep brought forth party-coloured And thus hath God taken away your Fathers sheep and given them to me which thing he shewed me in a Dream should even so come to pass and hath now commanded me to depart out of this Country into the Land where I was born The Women said we have no portion in our Fathers house seeing he counteth us but even as strangers and hath sold us and eaten up our money And now that God hath taken away our Fathers riches and made it ours and our Childrens do whatsoever God hath said unto thee Then Jacob assoon as he had prepared all things for his Journey fled from Laban his Father-in-law towards the Land of Canaan to Isaac his Father and being pursued of Laban seven days and at last overtaken at Mount Gilead he laid many things to Jacob's charge whereof he discharged himself of all and in the end said This twenty years have I served thee xiv Years for thy Daughters and six Years for thy sheep which have not been barren and yet in all that space have I not eaten one Ram of thy Flock but whatsoever was stolen or torn of Beasts I made it good unto thee Thou changedst my wages ten times and wouldst surely have sent me away with nothing if God which saw my tribulation and the labour of my hands had not been the better unto me which rebuked thee yesterday Then Laban made a covenant with Jacob and so departed Gen. 32. cap Jacob then going forth on his Journey came into the Land of Seir and hearing of his Brother Esau's being there was sore afraid of him lest he had continued still in his malice towards him wherefore he sent Messengers before unto him with three great Droves of Cattel for a present trusting thereby to mitigate his wrath And as Jacob himself tarried behind to set his Wives and Children in order to meet his Brother Esau an Angel wrastled with him all Night and at last smote him under the Thigh and brake the sinew of his Leg whereon he halted ever after Yet nevertheless Jacob which had wrastled with the Angel until the breaking of the day would not let the Angel depart before he had blessed him who called his Name Israel for as a Prince said he to Jacob hast thou wrastled with God and with Man and prevailed And so after the brotherly meeting of Jacob and Esau Gen. 33. cap. and great amity shewed by one to the other Jacob took his Journey into the Land of Canaan where he remained until he was of the age of an 130. years And then went down into Egypt with all his Houshold which were three-score and six souls to see his Son Joseph Gen. 46. cap. where he continued xvii years And then dyed Gen. 49. ult being 147. years of age and from thence was conveighed to the Land of Canaan Gen. 50 1 2 c. where he was by his Children sumptuously buried Jacob a Supplanter Iaktan Gen. 10.25 was the Son of Heber and his Brothers name was Peleg Jaktan a little one or loathsomness or contention Iael Judg 4 11-18 c. was the Wife of one Heber the Kenite which was of the Children of Hobab Moses Father-in-law And when she had heard of the great overthrow of Sisera and how he fled she went and met him saying Turn in my Lord turn in to me and fear not And being come into her House he asked her a little water to quench his thirst and she brought him a Bottle full of Milk and when he had well drunk thereof he laid him down to sleep and as she was covering him with cloaths he prayed her to go and stand at the door of her Tent and whosoever doth come and * Now was the prophecie of Deborah fulfilled which she prophesied to Barak saying this journey that thou takest upon thee now shall not be for thine honour for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a Woman ask for any man say there is no man here And so when Sisera was fast asleep Jael went softly unto him with an Hammer in the one hand and a Nail in the other and smote him thorow the Temples of his head and nailed him fast to the ground Which done she went and stood in her Tent-door and seeing Barak pursuing Sisera she went and met him saying Come and go with me and I will shew thee the Man whom thou seekest and so he followed Jael who brought him into her Tent where Sisera lay dead Jael a Doe or ascending Iair Iudg. 10. cap. was a Gileadite born He had xxx Sons which were Men of Authority for they rode upon xxx Asses colts And they had xxx Cities lying in the Land of Gilead which Cities were called the Towns of Jair He reigned xxii years After whose death the Children of Israel fell to wickedness again and served Baalim and Astharoth the gods of Syria and other strange gods for the which the Lord was wroth with Israel and sold them into the hands of the Philistines and Ammonites which oppressed them so sore by the space of xviii years that they were sain to cry for help of the Lord. Who then said unto them Did not I when ye cryed unto me deliver you from the Egyptians the Amorites the Ammonites the Philistines the Sidonians the Amalekites and the Moabites which Nations had oppressed you And yet have ye now forsaken me and serve their gods Therefore cry unto these gods whom ye have chosen and let them help you in your tribulation for I will deliver you no more Oh Lord said they we have sinned do unto us whatsoever pleaseth thee Then had the Lord so great compassion and pity on the misery of
the King of Juda and the King of Edom by whose help and chiefly Eliseus read the place in his story he overcame the Moabites Also the Syrians could lye no where but Joram had knowledge by Eliseus who told him of all their secret lurking places by which means Joram ever saved himself Wherefore the King of Syria sent and besieged the Town round about where the Prophet Eliseus lay And as his Servant was going forth in the Morning about his Master's business and saw the Town so compassed with enemies he ran ‖ in again crying Alas Master what shall we do for the Syrians are come upon us Fear not quoth Eliseus for they that be with us are more than they that be with them And by and by the eyes of his Servant were so opened that he saw the Mountains lye full of Horses and fiery Chariots to defend his Master And now when the Syrians were come to Eliseus and thought themselves surest of him they were at his prayer smitten with such blindness that they could not know the Prophet when he spake unto them saying that that was not the Town where the Man lay which they sought but follow me quoth he and I will bring you to the place where he is and so he led them forth and brought them into the City of Samaria where Joram lay who seeing now his Enemies to be in his power said to Eliseus Father shall I smite them No said he Smite those which thou takest with thine own Sword and Bow but rather set Bread and Water before them that they may eat and drink and so depart to their Master Then the King prepared a great refection for the Syrians and filled their Bellies well and sent them home again for the which gentle intreaty of Joram the King of Syria never troubled him more After this when Benhadad King of Syria had besieged Samaria so long till Women were constrained to eat their own Children Joram took such displeasure with Eliseus laying the cause upon him that in his fury he sent to take away his Head Which thing being revealed to the Prophet he said to his Friends that were with him in his House See ye not how this Mutherer's Son hath sent to take away my Head Take heed and be circumspect when the Messenger cometh and keep him at the Door for the sound of his Masters feet is behind him which was even so for the King's mind altered he followed the Messenger and came to the Prophet himself saying This evil is of the Lord and what more shall I look for of him 2 King 7 1 c. No more said the Prophet For to morrow this time shall a Bushel of fine Flowre be sold for a shekel and two Bushels of Barley for another shekel in the Gate of Samaria which came so to pass the next day for the great Host of the Syrians at the sound of the feet of four Lepers were run away and had left all their Tents behind them 9.24 c. Finally to fulfil the word of the Lord concerning the destruction of Ahab's Posterity Joram was slain with an Arrow shot by Jehu and his Body cast into a Plat of Ground that was Naboth the Jesraelite's after he had reigned twelve years Joram 2 King 8.16 2 Chron. 21. the Son of Jehosaphat was two and thirty years old when he began to reign over Juda. He married King Ahab's Daughter whose wicked steps he followed He slew all his own Brethren with divers of his Nobles The Edomites which had been subject from David's time hitherto rebelled now against Joram Also Libna which was a certain City in Juda given to the Levites Josh 21.13 would no more be under his hand because he had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers Finally The Prophet's Letter the Prophet Eliseus to admonish him of his wickedness wrote to Joram on this wise The Lord saith because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehosaphat thy Father nor in the ways of Asae thy Grandfather but in the ways of the Kings of Israel and hast made Juda to go a whoring after the House of Ahab and hast also slain thy Brethren even thy Fathers house who were better Men than thy self Therefore with a great Plague will the Lord smite thy Folk thy Children thy Wives and all thy Goods And thou shalt be diseased in thy Bowels which day by day shall fall out of thy Body And so the Lord stirred up against Joram the Philistines the Arabians with the Ethiopians which wasted his Countrey and carried away his substance his Wives and all his Sons save Ahaziah the youngest and smote him with an incurable Disease in his Bowels which held him two years till all his Guts fell out and so he died after he had reigned eight years Joram the highness of the Lord. Jehosaphat the Son of Asa 1 King 15.24 began his Reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab King of Israel and walked in the old ways of his Father David and in the Commandments of God and not in the ways of Israel This godly King to have the fear of the Lord renewed among his People in the third year of his Reign sent certain of his Lords thorowout all his Realm and with them godly learned and ancient Fathers of the Levites with the Book of the Law whose Commission was to see all Idolatry and superstition suppressed and the Laws of God purely and sincerely taught and followed which was so diligently done that the fear of the Lord fell so upon all the Kingdoms round about him that no Man troubled him but presented him with gifts The Philistines with Tribute-money the Arabians with Cattel so that within a while he grew into great riches and honor And being thus endued with abundance of treasure and substance he joyned affinity with Ahab taking his part against the Syrians where notwithstanding the Lord preserved him and brought him safe home again But forsomuch as in his absence the People were somewhat swerved from the Lord the Prophet John came to him and said Because thou hast helped the ungodly and loved them whom the Lord doth hate the wrath of God is come upon thee nevertheless good things are found in thee because thou hast taken away the Groves out of the Land and hast prepared thine heart to seek God Then Jehosaphat fearing the Lord went about all his Realm to bring the People again unto the Lord And when he had set godly Judges and Levites in every City the one to judge in temporal causes and the other in matters of the Lord he gave to either of them his charge saying first to the Judges on this wise Take heed ye Judges what ye do for ye execute not the judgment of Man but of God which is with you in judgment wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you and take heed and be doing the thing that pleaseth him for there is no unrighteousness
sirnamed Thaddeus John 14.12 When Christ said unto his Disciples that he would shew himself unto them and not unto the World Judas asked him the cause why he would shew himself unto them Jude 1. cap. and not unto the World He made an Epistle in the which he admonsheth all Churches generally to take heed of Deceivers The last part of this history I find in the arguâ—ent before the Episde of Jâ—de Geneva which went about to draw the hearts of the simple People from the truth of God whom he setteth forth in their lively colours shewing by divers examples of the Scriptures that horrible vengeance is prepared for them Finally he comforteth the faithful and exhorteth them to continue in the Doctrine of the Apostles of Jesus Christ Iudas Iscariot Matth. 10.4 the Son of Simon of Canaan one of the Apostles of whom it was afore-hand written to be the Son of perdition had a great conscience in the precious Ointment that Mary poured upon Christ's Head John 12.4 that it was not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor but to sell his Master for thirty pence Matth. 26.14 c. and to be guide to them that took him and to betray him with a kiss he had no conscience at all until he saw his Master condemned and then he repented and had the thirty pence again unto the High Priests and Elders cap. 27.3 c. saying that he had sinned in betraying the innocent bloud and so departed in great desperation and hanged himself Act. 1.18 whose Body burst asunder in the midst so that all his Bowels gushed out Iudas of Galilee rose up after Theudas Act. 5.37 what time the whole World was taxed by the commandment of Augustus Caesar and taught the People that for as much as they were dedicated unto God they ought not to pay Tribute to Emperours which were worshippers of false Gods whereby he drew to his faction a great part of the Commons who at the last were all brought to nought and Judas himself slain Iudas a Citizen of Damascus Act. 9. to whose house the Lord sent Ananias to seek Saul of Tharsus who was hosted there Iudith the Daughter of Merari Judith 8. cap. was a beautiful Woman unto the which was joyned such vertue and godliness that all Men spake good of her Her Husbands name was Manasses who at the day of his death left her great riches She dwelt in the City of Bethulia and was a Woman of great Chastity Now during the time of her Widowhood it chanced Holofernes to come and besiege the City of Bethulia of whom the Jews were so afraid that they wist not what to do but commit themselves to God for he had destroyed all their water Conduits so that they must either be forced to starve or yield Then ran the People to Osias the High-priest crying upon him to yield and give over the City to Holofernes lest they should all perish who exhorted them to tarry five days longer for the mercy of God and if he helped them not in that space he would do as they had said Then Judith who all this while had kept her house in prayer and fasting hearing what promise Osias had made to the People sent for him and all the Elders of Bethulia and said How happeneth this that ye have promised to deliver the City to the Assyrians unless within these five days the Lord turn to help you what Men are ye that ye tempt the Lord your device obtaineth no mercy of God but rather provoketh him to wrath and displeasure Will ye set the mercy of the Lord a time and appoint him a day at your will exhort the People to repentance and prayer and put them in remembrance of this That with much tribulation the Friends of God are tryed and that all these things which we now suffer are far less than our sins have deserved And that this correction is come upon us as to the servants of God for the amendment of our lives and not for our destruction Now hear my device I pray you and beseech the Lord to bring it to good end Ye shall stand this Night in the Gate of Bethulia and I will go out with Abra my Maiden Pray ye unto the Lord that within the days that ye have promised to deliver up the City he will visit Israel by my hand But inquire not of me the thing I have taken in hand for I will not declare it till God have finished the act Then every Man went their ways and Judith departed home to her secret closet where she made her hearty prayers unto God for the Peoples deliverance Which being done she cast off her mourning Garments and decked her self most bravely to allure the eyes of all Men that should behold her which she did not for any voluptuousness or pleasure of the flesh but of a right diseretion and vertue And so going out of her house with Abra her Maid she came to the Gate of the City where the Elders stood waiting her coming And as they beheld her wonderful beauty which God at that present had given her they were marvellously astonished She then commanding the Gates to be open took her leave of the People who most heartily besought the Lord to be her defence and well to perform the device of her heart that they might safely and joyfully receive her presence again And so committing her to God shut the Gates and looked over the Walls after her so long as they could see her And as she was going down the Mountains the first Watch of the Assyrians took her demanding what she was and whither she went I am quoth she a Daughter of the Hebrews and am fled from them because I know that they shall be given unto you to be spoiled Wherefore I am going to the Prince Holofernes to tell him all their secrets and how he shall win the City without the loss of one Man And when the Men had pondered her words and considered well her beauty they put her in good comfort of her life brought her to Holofernes whose Majesty so abashed Judith that she fell down as one almost dead for fear But being revived again Holofernes demanded the cause of her coming to whom she made answer on this wise saying O my Lord if thou wilt receive the words of thine Handmaiden and do thereafter the Lord shall bring thy matter to a prosperous effect For as thy servant Achior gave counsel unto my Lord to make search whether they had sinned against their God or no It is manifest and plain that their God is so angry with them for their sins that he hath shewed by his Prophets that he will give them over into the enemies hand Wherefore they are sore afraid and suffer great hunger and at this present for lack of water are in a manner as dead Men and in this extremity brought to kill their Cattel
five thousand of his Men. Finally as he lay with Antiochus the King 7. cap. at the City of Antioch Demetrius came upon them and slew them both Lysias Dissolving Lysias Act. 22.24 c. was a chief Captain under the Emperour and having Paul committed unto him as Prisoner was afraid to punish him because he was a Roman And therefore to know the certainty wherefore the Jews had accused him 25. cap. he brought him forth before the Council where in the end fell such dissention and debate among them that Lysias fearing lest Paul should have been pull'd asunder of the Jews took him and had him into the Castle And having knowledge how the Jews had conspired Paul's death he sent him away secretly by night to Felix being at that time the Emperour's Lieutenant to whom he wrote on this wise Claudius Lysias unto the most mighty Ruler Felix sendeth greeting As this Man was taken of the Jews and should have been killed of them I came upon them with Souldiers and rescued him perceiving he was a Roman And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him I brought him forth in their council There I perceived that he was accused of questions of their Law and had no crime worthy of death or of bonds And when it was shewed me how that the Jews laid wait for the Man I sent him straightway unto thee and commanded his Accusers if they had ought against him to tell it unto thee Farewel Lysimachus was made the High-Priest of the Jews Macc. 4. in the room of Menelaus his Brother by whose Counsel he robbed the Temple and did much mischief whose wickedness was so manifest unto the People that they rose up against him and made a great uproar in the City Whereupon Lysimachus perceiving whereabout they went got unto him three thousand unthrists well armed for his defence Against whom the Multitude fought so furiously with Club and Bats and with hurling of stones and such Weapons as they could get that they wounded many slew some and chased the rest away and at the last killed the wicked Church-robber himself beside the Treasury Lysimachus dissolving Battel Loammi Hosea 1.9 was the Second Son of Gomer the Daughter of Diblaim And when she brought him forth the Lord said Call his name Loammi For why ye are not my People therefore will not I be your God Loammi not my People Lois 2 Tim. 1.5 was a faithful godly Woman and Grandmother to Timothy who always brought up her Children and Family in the fear of God and knowledge of Christ's Doctrine Lois Better Lo-ruhama Hos 1.6 was the Daughter of Gomer the Daughter of Diblaim And when she brought him forth the Lord said Call his name Lo-ruhama for I will have no pity upon the house of Israel but forget them and put them clean out of remembrance Lo-ruhama not obtaining Mercy Lot Gen. 11.31 was the Son of Haran Brother to Abraham with whom he went out of Egypt toward the south Countrey to come into the Land of Canaan And when they were come to a place called Bethel they had such abundance of Sheep and Cattel between them that the Land not being able to receive them both their Herdmen began to strive together Whereupon Abraham to avoid contention desired that Lot and he might break companies And that he would take and occupy what part of all the Land he would and he to take the other Then Lot chose the Countrey about Jordan because it had plenty of Water and dwelt in Sodom till Chedorlaomer came and spoiled the City and carried Lot away Prisoner who being rescued by Abraham his Uncle was brought to Sodom again And as he remained among the filthy Sodomites the Lord sent his Angels to destroy the City and Countrey about which Angels Lot received into his house And before his guests and he were gone to rest the Men of the City replenished with all kind of wickedness had compassed the house round about and called to Lot saying Where are the Men which came in to thee this night bring them forth to us that we may know them Then Lot went out unto them and said I pray you my Brethren do not so wickedly yet rather than ye should so do I have two Daughters which never knew Man them will I bring out unto you and do with them as seemeth you good only to these men do nothing for therefore are they come under the shadow of my Roof And as the Sodomites threatned Lot and were pressing upon him to break open the Door the Angels within put forth their hands and pulled Lot into the House and shut fast the Door At the which instant the Sodomites without were so smitten with blindness that they groped for the Door and could not find it Then said the Angels to Lot If thou hast any Sons or Daughters or whatsoever thou hast in the City bring it out with thee for we are sent to destroy this place because their sins is great before the Lord. Then went Lot to his Sons in-law who had married his Daughters and told them but they thinking their Father had mocked tarried still And so as Lot made haste for the Angels could do nothing till he were gone with his Wife and two Daughters to the City of Zoar which he had requested of the Lord to flye unto his Wife looking behind her contrary to the Angels precept was turned into a Pillar of Salt Then Lot fearing to abide in the City of Zoar after the Cities were destroyed got him into the Mountains where he dwelt in a Cave with his two Daughters who forasmuch as their Father was old and not a Man left in the Country thereabout whereby they might have Children consulted together and agreed to make their Father drunk with Wine and so to lye with him that they might raise up Seed unto their Father Which matter being performed and they both with Child the eldest brought forth Moab which was the Father of the Moabites and the youngest Ben-Ammi which was the Father of the Ammonites both which Nations were most vile and wicked Lot Wrapped or Joyned Luke was a Physician born in the City of Antioch Col. 4.14 2 Tim. 4.1 and became Saint Paul's Disciple and Companion in all his travels Luke lived 84. years and was buried at Constantinople He wrote the Volume of his Gospel as he had learned of Paul and of the other Apostles as he reporteth himself in the beginning of the same work saying As they have delivered them to us which from the beginning saw them with their eyes and were Ministers of the things that they declared But the Volume called the Acts of the Apostles he composed as he had seen the story whereof came even to Paul's time being and tarrying two years at Rome where the Work was finished Luke his Resurrection M. MAACAH 2 Sam. 3.3 1 Chron. 3.2 1 King 15. â— 10 the
discretion And for proof thereof caused burning Coals to be put to his mouth which the Child with his Tongue licked whereby he ever after had an impediment in his Tongue Lanquet he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the Sand The next day he went again and found two Israelites striving together and demanded of him that had done the wrong wherefore he smote his Fellow who made thee a Judge quoth he or a Ruler over us Thinkest thou to kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday Then Moses perceiving his fact to be known refused to be call'd the Son of the Daughter of Pharaoh and fled into the Land of Midian where he was received into the House of Jethro who gave to him in Marriage his Daughter Zipporah by whom in process he had two Sons And when he had continued with Jethro his Father-in-law forty years and kept his Sheep the Lord appeared to him in the Wilderness of Sinai out of a Bush which seemed to be all on fire and there gave him Authority to go into Egypt to deliver his People out of the Bondage of Pharaoh Who at last after divers Miracles done by him in the sight of Pharaoh for the confirmation of his Authority brought them thorow the red Sea and delivered them quite out of Bondage Thus was Moses whom they had before refused both their Deliverer and Ruler He was a Man full of meekness he lived one hundred and twenty years and was buried by Angels in the Land of Moab whose Sepulchre was never known Moses drawn up N. NAAMAN Captain of the ‖ 2 Sam. 5. Host of the King of Syria was a mighty Man and honourable in the sight of his Lord because that by him the Lord had delivered the Syrians He was also a valiant Man and expert in Wars but was a Leper Wherefore the King of Syria being informed that there was a Prophet in Samaria that could heal his Servant Naaman of his Leprosie sent him to Joram King of Israel with his Letter containing this tenor Now when this Letter is come unto thee understand that I have sent thee Naaman my Servant that thou mayest heal him of his Leprosie And when the King had read the Letter he rent his Cloaths saying Am I a God to kill and to give life that he sendeth to me that I should heal a Man of his Leprosie Consider I pray you how he seeketh a quarrel against me The Prophet hearing of this sent to the King to send Naaman unto him And when he was come to the house of Elisha and stood at the Door the Prophet sent him word and bad him go wash him seven times in Jordan and he should be whole Then Naaman departed in displeasure saying I thought with my self he will surely come out and stand and call on the Name of the Lord his God and put his hand on the place and heal the Leprosie Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Israel may I not as well wash me in them and be cleansed Then one of his Servants said Father if the Prophet had commanded thee to do a great thing would'st thou not have done it how much rather than when he saith to thee wash and be clean And so at his Servant's perswasion he went to Jordan and washed him seven times as the Prophet had commanded and being whole he returned to the Prophet and gave thanks unto God saying Now I know that there is no God in all the World but in Israel And so making promise he would never offer sacrifice nor offering to any other God save unto the Lord God of Israel he returned home into his Countrey again Naaman Fair or beautiful Nabal 1 Sam. 25.2 3 c. was a great rich Man but of churlish nature and froward condition As he lay in Carmel in the time of his Sheep-sheering David sent certain of his Men desiring Nabal to help him now in his great necessity with some of his Victuals whatsoever he would and he would requite him at one time or other But he not regarding their message made them this churlish answer again who is David or who is the Son of Jesse There be many Servants now a days that break away from their Masters shall I then take away my Bread and my Water and my Flesh which I have killed for my Sheerers and give it unto Men whom I know not whence they be And so with this answer the Messengers departed Read the story of Abigail for the rest of his life Nabal a Fool. Naboth 1 Kings 21. was a certain rich Man and a Jezrelite born whose Vineyard lay joyning hard by the Palace of Ahab King of Israel which Vineyard the King would fain have bought and given him as much for it as the Ground was worth But Naboth considering it was his Father's Inheritance and that he had no need to sell it would in no wise yield thereunto Wherefore the King being heavy and sad went home to his House and laid him down upon his Bed so wayward that he could neither eat nor drink Then came Jezebel his Wise and demanded why he was so sad who told her it was for Naboth's Vineyard which he had denied him What quoth she dost thou now govern the Kingdom of Israel up and eat thy Meat and set thine heart at rest and I will give thee the Vineyard And so she wrote a Letter in Ahab's Name sealed with the Kings Signet and sent it to the Elders of the City where Naboth dwelt commanding them to Proclaim a Fast and set Naboth among the chiefest of the People and to bring two false Witnesses against him which should say he had blasphemed God and the King and then to put him to death And so all things were done according to the tenor of Jezebel's Letter and Naboth was carried out of the City and stoned Naboth Speech or prophesying Nabuchodonosor was King of Babylon Dan. 1.1 c. And by the occasion of his great and wonderful dominion fell into such pride that he would have his Image honoured for God But shortly after he saw the Vision of the Falling-tree whereby he was warned of his fall 2. cap. and suddenly by the power of God transformed and turned into a beastly fury living in the Woods among Beasts He reigned 44. years and was called the scourge of God He was before the incarnation of Christ 633. years Cooper eating Herbs and Grass for the space of Seven Years Finally God of his mercy restored him again to his pristine form who afterward lived well and commanded that the very God of Heaven should be honoured of all Men and whosoever refused so to do should die Nabuchodonosor the Mourning of the Generation Nadab 1 Kings 15.25 c. the Son of Jeroboam began to Reign over Israel in the second year of Asa King of Juda and walked in all the wicked steps of his Father And in the
Arimathea to take down the Body of Jesus and wound it in Linnen cloaths with the odours as the manner of the Jews was to bury and laid him in his Sepulchre Nicodemus Innocent bloud Nicolas a Convert of Antioch Act. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. was one of the seven Deacons ordained in the Congregation to do service in necessary things of the Body His Heresie was this That every Man might lawfully use every Woman that he lusted after that the Apostles might wait only upon the Word of God who notwithstanding fell into a foul Heresie which S. John in his Book of the Revelation 2d Chapter reproveth Nicolas the victory of the common people Nimrod was the Son of Gush Gen. 10.8 Son of Cham the second Son of Noah He was the first that took on him to reign over Men and became a cruel Oppressor and Tyrant He was called a mighty Hunter for that he was a Deceiver of Souls and Oppressor of Men. Gen. 11.4 He attempted to build the great Tower of Babel intending to have raised it above the Clouds thinking thereby to have escaped if any Floud should again have happened Nimrod Rebellious Noah was the Son of Lamech Gen. 5.29 not and five hundred years of age before he begat Shem Ham and Japhet And being a just and perfect Man he found such favour in the eyes of God 6. cap. that when all flesh had so corrupted his way upon Earth that God threatned the destruction of the World yet to save Noah and to declare it unto him 120. years before it came he bad him prepare an Ark of Pine-Trees which should contain in length three hundred Cubits in breadth fifty Cubits and in deepness thirty Now when Noah had made the Ark and was six hundred years of age the Lord told him that after seven days the Deluge should fall wherefore Noah at the Lord's commandment got him into the Ark 7. cap. with his Wife and three Sons with their Wives providing in the mean space all things necessary for them And when Noah was in the Ark suddenly by the power of God and not of Man's bringing there came into the Ship two and two together of every kind of Beast and Foul the male and the female And when they were all in the Lord shut the Door of the Ark and opened the Windows of Heaven so that the Rain fell continually forty Days and forty Nights whereupon the Waters prevailed and rose above all Mountains fifteen Cubits So that all living Creatures dyed except Fish and such as might endure in the Bowels of the earth And after the Waters had prevailed a hundred and fifty days They decreased again 8. cap. and in the seventh day of the seventh Month which was October the Ark stuck upon the Mountains of Ararat Then Noah opened a Window and sent forth a Crow which returned not again After seven Days he put forth a Dove which came again at Night bringing a branch of Olive with green Leaves in her mouth Nevertheless he remained seven other days and put forth the Dove again which never returned Then Noah after he had continued one Year in the Ark and sell the Earth drie he at the commandment of God issued out of the Ark and incontinent builded an Altar whereupon he offered a Sacrifice unto the Lord of every clean Beast and of every clean Fowl which Sacrifice was a sweet smell unto the Lord and pleased him so well that he made a promise to Noah that he would never more destroy the world with water Gen. 9.8.9 c. and for the confirmation thereof gave the Rainbow for a sure token between him and man Noah was the first inventer of Wine and therewithal was made drunk He lived after the Flood 350. years Noah Rest. O. OBED Ruth 4.17 the Son of Boaz and Ruth begat Jesse the Father of King David Obed Edom 1 Chron. 46.37 2 King 6.10.11 c. the Son of Jeduthun had the Ark of God remaining in his house three Months for the which the Lord blessed him and all his house And when it was told to David that the house of Obed Edom was blessed because of the Ark of God he removed it thence and brought it into the City of David with great triumph and ordained Obed Edom and his Brethren which were Levites to keep the Door of the Ark. Obed Edom the servant of Edom or a servant Edomite Obediah 1 King 18.3 4 c. notwithstanding he was Chief Governour of all King Ahab's house yet he was a Man that feared God greatly Insomuch that when Jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord he took an hundred Prophets and hid them fifty in one Cave and fifty in another providing all things necessary for them On a time as Obediah was going about the Land at Ahab's commandment to search for Water and Grass for their Cattel which were almost overcome with drouth he chanced to meet Elijah the Prophet And when he saw him he sell down and said Art not thou my Lord Elijah yea quoth he go tell thy Lord that I am her O quoth Obediah what have I sinned that thou wouldest deliver thy Servant into the hands of Ahab to be slain As truly as the Lord thy God liveth there is no Nation or Kingdom whither my Lord hath not sent to seek thee And when they said he is not here he took an oath of the Kingdom and Nation if they had not found thee And now thou sayst go tell thy Lord that Elijah is here And when I am gone from thee the spirit of the Lord shall carry thee into some place that I do not know and so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find thee then will he kill me But I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth Was it not told my Lord what I did when Jezebel slew the Prophets of the Lord how I hid an hundred Men of the Lord's Prophets by fifties in a Cave and fed them with Bread and Water And now thou sayst go and tell thy Lord behold Elijah is here that he may slay me Well said Elijah as truly as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand I will shew my self unto him this day Then Obediah hearing him say so went to Ahab and told him Obediah servant of the Lord. Oded 2 Chron. 28.9 c. when Pekah King of Israel had taken so many Captives of the Children of Juda and carried them to Samaria the Lord sent this Prophet unto him saying Behold because the Lord God of your Fathers is wroth with Juda he hath delivered them into your hands and ye have slain them in your cruelness that reacheth unto Heaven and now ye purpose to keep under the Children of Juda and Jerusalem as Bond-men and Bond-women And do ye not lade your selves with sin in the sight of the Lord your God Now therefore hear me and deliver the Captives again which ye
have taken of your Brethren or else shall the wrath of God be upon you Then certain which were the Heads of the Children of Ephraim being sorry for the great offence they had committed took the Prisoners and with the spoil clothed all that lacked shod them and fed them with Meat and Drink anointed the wounds of such as were hurt and the feeble they carried upon Asses and brought them to Jericho the City of Palm-Trees to their Brethren And leaving them there returned to Samaria again Oded bolding up or erecting Og Num. 21.33 Deu. 3.3.29.7 the King of Bashan was a mighty great Gyant whose Bed was made of Iron and in length nine Cubits that is thirteen foot and an half And four Cubits broad that is six foot This Og was next neighbour to Schon King of the Amorites And having knowledge of all that Moses had done to Schon his neighbour made out a great Army against Moses thinking to have overcome him in revenging his neighbours quarrel But when it came to trial he sped no better than his Neighbour had done before him Og a Cake or bread baked under the ashes Onan was the second Son of Juda Gen. 38.4 who after the death of Er his eldest Brother was married to Thamar his Brother's Wife to raise up Seed unto his Brother But when he perceived that the Seed should be none of his he practised such wickedness that the vengeance of God fell upon him and slew him Onan Sorrow or Iniquity Onesimus being in service with Philemon Col. 4.9 like an unfaithful Servant robbed his Master and ran away from him to Rome Where by hearing of Paul who at that time was in Bonds he received the Doctrine of the Gospel and served Paul in Prison and became so faithful a Souldier of Christ that Paul sent him with Tychicus to the Colossians with his Epistle commanding him unto them on this wise And with Tychicus Phile. cap. I have sent Onesimus a faithful and beloved Brother which is one of you Finally he sent him home to his Master again beseeching Philemon not to receive him now as a Servant but more than a Servant even as a faithful Brother and as his own Son whom he had in his Bands begotten to Christ offering himself surety to make good whatsoever hurt he had done him in time past Onesimus Apparel or a Garment Onesiphorus was a faithful godly Man 2 Tim. 1.16 and a great refresher of such as were in Bonds for the Doctrine of Christ as Saint Paul doth testifie of him saying The Lord give mercy unto the Houshold of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain But when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and sound me The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day and in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well O Timothy Onesiphorus bringing profit Onias 2 Mac. 3. the High Priest among the Jews was a Man of such godliness and holiness of life that he always sought the honour of the Laws and wealth of the People of God By his prayer that wicked man Heliodorus was restored to his health but notwithstanding all his vertue and goodness 4. cap. yet had he enemies For Symon a Man void of all godliness never ceased with all slanderous and evil reports that he could devise to Seleucus the King to bring him out of favour which he could never do so long as the King lived But Seleucus being dead Onias was soon put out of office by the false deceit and means of his own Brother Jason and brought in such fear thorow him and Menelaus with other his enemies that he was sain to take sanctuary Where at the last by the counsel of Menelaus he was without all regard of righteousness most traiterously slain by the hands of Andronicus whose innocent death was so sore lamented both of the Jews and also of Antiochus the King himself that at his coming home he rewarded the Malefactor according to his deeds Onias the strength of the Lord. Oholiab Exod. 35.34 the Son of Achisamah of the Tribe of Dan was a Craftsman whom the Lord had endued with great cunning and appointed him to Moses for one of the chief Workmen for the finishing of the Temple Oreb and Zeeb Judg. 7. ult were two great Captains among the Midianites whom the Men of Mount Ephraim which had stopped the Waters from Bethbarah to Jordan took and smote off their Heads and sent them to Gideon on the other side of Jordan Oreb a Crow or sweet or a surety or evening time Ornan was a certain Jebusite 1 Chron. 21.15 18 c. unto whom the Lord commanded David after he had plagued him with Pestilence to go and rear up an Altar in his threshing floor At whose coming In the second Book of Sam. chap. 24. he is called Araunah Ornan fell down before him and said Wherefore is my Lord the King come to his servant I am come quoth he to buy thy threshing floor and to make an Altar unto the Lord that the Plague may cease from the People Ornan answered Let my Lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes And moreover here be Oxen for burnt sacrifice and sleds with other instruments for wood take them all to thee as thine own David said Nay not so but I will buy it for sufficient money for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord nor offer burnt-offerings without cost And so David gave Ornan for that place six hundred sicles of gold by weight Ornan Rejoycing Orpah and Ruth Ruth 1 cap. were two Damosels of the Countrey of Moab which were married to the two Sons of Elimelech and Naomi strangers come out of the Land of Juda there to dwell Read the story of Naomi for the rest Orpah a Neck Osias the Son of Micha of the Tribe of Simeon Judith 6. was one of the principal Fathers and Rulers among the Israelites what time as Holofernes besieged the City of Bethulia This Man comforted Achior which had so boldly magnified and praised the great power and strength of God before Holofernes and took him into his house where he made him a great Supper to the which he called the Elders who all together praised God in him Also when the People came weeping and crying out unto him to give over the City into the hands of the Assyrians he said unto them Oh take good hearts unto you dear Brethren and be of good chear and let us wait yet these five days for mercy of the Lord 7. cap. peradventure he shall put away his indignation and give glory unto his Name But if he help us not after these five days be past we shall do as ye have said Which counsel of Osias pleased not Judith because he had set the mercy of God a
Israel Pilate was Lieutenant of Jewry Matth. 27. Mark 14. Luke 22.23 John 18 19. when Annas and Caiaphas were the High-Priests who with the Scribes and Elders of the Jews sat in Council upon Jesus now betrayed unto them by Judas how and by what means they might dispatch him out of the way But having no Authority to condemn or put him to death they brought him bound unto Pilate the Temporal Judge saying how that they had found him perverting the People and forbidding Tribute to Caesar and calling himself a King Pilate hearing this demanded of him whether he were a King or no. Jesus neither denying nor affirming that he was made answer that Pilate himself had said so Then Pilate said unto all his Accusers how that in examining of Jesus he could not see that he had offended in any such thing as they had charged him withal The People then more vehemently affirmed how that he had with his teaching and preaching which he first began in Galilee moved all Jewry to follow his doctrine When Pilate perceived the Man to be of Galilee and that his matter pertained to Herod's jurisdiction he sent him forthwith to Herod lying at Jerusalem Who of a long time had been desirous to see him But when as Herod had demanded many things of him and could have no answer again he despised and mocked him and so returned him back again to Pilate clothed all in * Commonly this was a robe of honor or excellency but it was given to Christ in mockage white And from that day forth Pilate and Herod were evermore friends who before were enemies Then Pilate for so much as Herod had sent Jesus back again and done nothing unto him and that neither he nor Herod could find any thing in him worthy of death would have chastened Jesus and so let him go But the High-Priests laid so many things against him that Pilate after he had reasoned a little with Jesus concerning his Kingdom and other things went and sat in judgment knowing right well in his conscience that the Priests of very envy had delivered Jesus unto him And being set down upon the Judgment Seat his Wife sent to him saying Have thou nothing to do with that just Man for I have suffered many things this Day in a Dream by reason of him Which counsel of his Wife nor yet his own knowledge did any thing the more move him to defend the innocency of Christ but asked of the People which of these two they would have quit Barabbas or Jesus and they said Barabbas What shall I then do quoth he with Jesus which is called Christ They all said let him be Crucified What evil or great offence hath he done quoth Pilate that deserveth death The People being much more eager than they were before cryed out amain to have him Crucified When Pilate saw this that he could not prevail against them he took Water and washed his hands saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just person in the which saying he bare witness of his innocency Pilate murthered the Galileans as they were sacrificing and so their bloud was mingled with the bloud of the Beasts which were sacrificed Luke 13.1 before he condemned him And so delivering Jesus to the Souldiers they scourged him and arrayed him in Purple with a Crown of Thorns upon his Head In which sort Pilate brought him forth again and said to the People Behold I bring him forth to you that ye may know that I find no fault in him And when Jesus appeared before them Pilate said Behold the Man which he spake in mockery because that Christ had called himself a King And when the High-Priests and Officers saw him they cryed out Crucifige Crucifige Then said Pilate take him to you and Crucifie him for I can find no cause of death in the Man They answered again and said It is not lawful for us to put any Man to death but we have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God When Pilate heard this he was afraid and went again into the Judgment-Hall and demanded of Jesus what he was but he made him no answer Then Pilate said Why speakest thou not Dost thou not see that it lyeth in my hands either to kill or save thee To that he made answer and said Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the more sin and from that time forth Pilate sought by all means to deliver him But the Jews cryed upon him saying If thou let him go thou art not Caesar's friend for whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar When Pilate heard them say so he brought Jesus forth and sat him down in the Judgment-Seat saying unto the People Behold your King They cryed away with him away with him crucifie him What quoth Pilate shall I crucifie your King To that the High Priests made answer and said We have no King but Caesar At that word Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified and being brought to the place of execution and spread upon the Cross Pilate caused this Title to be set over his Head Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews This Man Pilate as Eusebius saith was at the last deposed and banished to Lions in France where he slew himself which was written in Hebrew Greek and Latine that all Nations might understand it With the which writing the High-Priests were offended fore and would have had Pilate to correct it and not to write him King of the Jews but that he said I am King of the Jews Well quoth Pilate what I have written that have I written Priscilla look Aquila Ptolomy King of Egypt had a fair Daughter named Gleopatra 1 Mac. 10. the which he gave to Alexander the Son of noble Antiochus in Marriage which was solemnly and with great Royalty finished in the City of Ptolemais But notwithstanding this great Bond of Amity now knit between them Ptolomy afterward withdrew his favour from Alexander and sought by all means how he might defeat him of his Kingdom And thinking to bring his purpose now better to pass while Alexander himself lay out of his Realm he prepared a great Host and took his Journey into Syria where into every City as he came he was honourably received according to Alexander's commandment And being his Father in-law was nothing suspected of Treason But Ptolomy meaning nothing else left in every City whereinto he was received certain Men of War to fortifie and keep the same And when he had gotten the Dominion of all the Cities upon the Sea-coast he joyned himself in League with Demetrius and took his Daughter from Alexander and gave her to Demetrius Raising up a slander upon Alexander how he went about to kill him And so his malice and unsatiable covetousness being openly known he got him to Antioch where
the Sons of Joseph Reuben seeing his son or the sight of his son Rufus was a vertuous and a Religious man Rom. 16.13 whom Paul remembred in his Epistle saying Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord and his Mother and mine Ruth Ruth 1. cap. and Orpah were two fair young Damosels born in the Countrey of Moab where by chance they married with the Sons of Elimelech and Naomi who were strangers come out of the Land of Juda there to inhabit and when both their Husbands were dead and their Mother-in-law a Widow also they forsook their own Countrey to go home with their Mother into the Land of Juda. And when they had gone a good way together Orpah not without great intreaty of her Mother-in-law turned home again but Ruth abode still Then said Naomi to Ruth Oh see my Daughter thy Sister-in-law is gone back again to her People and Goods return and go after her I pray thee said Ruth intreat me not to leave thee For whithersoever thou goest I will go with thee And where thou dwellest there will I dwell also Thy People shall be my People And thy God my God look where thou dyest there will I dye also and there will I be buried The Lord do so and so unto me if ought but death only part thee and me asunder And so went they forth till they came to Bethlehem Juda which was in the beginning of Barley Harvest Ruth 2. cap. And as Ruth went one day out a leasing among the Harvest folks she happened by the providence of God upon the Fields pertaining to Boaz who shewed her such kindness that she neither lacked Meat nor Drink neither yet Corn so long as Harvest lasted And when all Harvest was done Naomi said unto Ruth This Man in whose Field thou hast leased all this while Ruth 3. cap. is our nigh Kinsman therefore do now by my counsel This Night he winnoweth Barley in the Barn wash thy self therefore and anoint thee and put thy Raiment upon thee and get thee to the Barn and keep thy self close until he have left eating and drinking And when he goeth to sleep mark the place where he layeth him down And when he is a-sleep go and lift up the Cloaths softly at his Feet and lay thee down and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do So when Ruth had done all things according to her Mother-in-laws teaching Boaz about Midnight waked out of his sleep and feeling one lye at his Feet was afraid and groping with his Hand he asked who it was I am Ruth quoth she thine Handmaid spread therefore the Wing of thy Garment over thine Handmaiden for thou art next of my Kin. Now blessed art thou quoth Boaz for thou hast shewed more goodness in the latter end than at the beginning inasmuch as thou followedst not young Men were they poor or rich And now my Daughter fear not I will do unto thee all that thou requirest For thou art well known to be a Woman of vertue Howbeit there is one nearer of Kin to thee than I if he will do the Kinsman's part unto thee well let him do it If he will not then will I. And so in the Morning he gave her so much Corn as she could carry home And shortly after she became his Wife Ruth 4.13 and in process brought him forth a Son called Obed which was the Father of Jesse the Father of David Read the story of Boaz and Naomi Ruth watered or filled S. SADOK the Son of Ahitub 2 Sam. 8.17 was Father to Shallum and Ahimaaz and one of the Priests that governed the Ark of GOD which he carried out of Jerusalem with David what time as he fled from his Son Absalom 2 Sam. 15.24 c. And when Zadok had brought the King over the Brook Kidron he desired him to return again with the Ark into the City that from him and dbiathar he might have word of all things that Absalom and Achitophel determined against him And so he returned with the Ark to Jerusalem and there remained David's faithful man in all things that he had commanded him And when he had knowledge of Absalom's overthrow 2 Sam. 19.11 he then exhorted all Israel and Juda to remember the kindness of David their Soveraign Lord and King who had so many times delivered them out of the hands of their enemies that now like true faithful and obedient subjects they would fetch him home again and restore him to his kingdom By whose godly exhortation the hearts of all Juda were bowed to David even as the heart of one man 1 King 1.8 38 c. This Sadok was ever a faithful Priest and never swerved from David For in the end when Adonijah took upon him to reign as King his Father David being old and alive Zadok consented not unto him but according to David's will and commandment anointed Solomon King who afterward promoted him into the room of Abiathar which had the High Priests office Sadoch or Zadok 2.35 Justified or just Shallum the Son of Jabesh conspired against Zachariah 2 King 15.10 13. There is another of this name the Husband of Hulda the Propheress 2 King 22.14 and slew him and raigned in his stead In the xxxix year of Azariah King of Juda began Shallum his raign over Israel and had not raigned one Month but Menahem rose up against him and slew him in Samaria and reigned in his stead Shallum Peaceable Salmanasar 2 King 18.9 c. King of Assyria came in the seventh year of Hoshea King of Israel and besieged Samaria and in the third year which was the ninth year of Hoshea he wan it and took Heshea prisoner and carried him away into Assyria Salmanasar Peace bound Solomon 2 Sam. 12.24 the Son of Bathsheba was ordained to reign after his Father David and anointed King over Israel 1 King 1.30 39. by Sadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet Who being stablished in his Kingdom began to minister Justice 2. cap. 25. first upon Adonijah his Brother which had aspired to the Kingdom ver 34. Secondly upon Joab which had slain Abner and Amasa and conspired with Adonijah ver ult Thirdly upon Shimei which had cursed David his Father 3. cap. This King was so dearly beloved of God that in a dream he appeared to him and bad him ask whatsoever he would and he should have it Then Solomon considering in himself that he was but young and that being called to the office of a King how hard a thing it was to govern the whole multitude of the People well desired of God to give him an understanding heart to judge the People and to discern between good and evil Which thing pleased the Lord so well that he gave him not only a wise and an understanding heart but also riches and honour wherein he excelled all other Kings that ever were before or after him And that he passed all
other Chief Rulers there went to Zorobabel and his Companions the Jews which were come by Darius licence to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem again and demanded who had given them such commandment And when they saw the Jews would not cease then he with others sent their letters of complaint to Dartus the King to know his pleasure 7.1 2 3. And when they had received the King's answer Sisinnes with all the rest of the Rulers obeyed the King's commandment and helped the Jews with all diligence to build the sanctuary again and so the work went forth and prospered Shisak 1 Kirgs 14 35â— King of Egypt came to Jerusalem in the fifth year of the reign of Rehoboam with twelve hundred Chariots and threescore thousand Horsemen and People innumerable and spoiled the Temple of the Lord and the King's house and took away all the Treasure in both with the shields of gold which Solomon had made and so departed Shisak an empty or a void sack or bag Sisera Judges 4. cap. was the general Captain of King Jabin's Host And trusting in the great strength of his Chariots of Iron which were nine hundred and power of his men he went against the Children of Israel thinking to have over-run them all But God so wrought with the holy Prophetess Deborah and with Barak her Captain that they destroyed his Chariots with all his Host So that Sisera himself was fain to flie on foot And coming by the Tent of Heber for there was peace between King Jabin and the house of Heber he turned in And being sore athirst he desired Jael the Wife of Heber to give him some drink and she brought a Bottle of Milk and gave it him to drink and when he had drunk and was laid down to take his rest he said to Jael Go I pray thee and stand in the Tent-door And when any doth come to enquire of thee if there be any man here say nay And so thinking he had been safe enough took his rest and fell asleep Then Jael with a Nail which she drove into his Head slew him Sisera he that seeth a Swallow Shoby 2 San. 17.27 28 29. the Son of Nahash out of Rabbah the City of the Children of Ammon and Machir the Son of Ammiel out of Lo-debar and Barzillai the Gileadite out of Rogel what time as David lay with his People in the Wilderness of Mahanaim hungry weary and thirsty brought unto him Bedding Wheat Barley with all other necessaries to ease and refresh David and his Men in that time of adversity Sosthenes Act. 18.17 of whom Saint Paul maketh mention in his first Epistle to the Corinthians first Chapter was the chief Ruler of the Synagogue in the City of Achaia against whom the Greeks had such indignation for taking Paul's part against the Jews that they fell upon him before the Judges feet where Gallio the Lord Deputy sat and smote him And Gallio not caring for those things let them alone and would not meddle with the matter Stachys Rom. 16.9 to whom Paul in his letter of commendations sendeth greeting saying Salute Urban our fellow-helper in Christ and Stachys my beloved Stephanas was a faithful lover of Christ and his 1 Cor. 16.15 16 17. doctrine in whose commendation Paul to the Corinthians writeth thus Brethren ye know the house of Stephanas and of Fortunatus and Achaicus how that they are the first-fruits of Achaia And that they have appointed themselves to minister unto the Saints I beseech you that ye be obedient unto such and to all that help and labour I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus for that which was lacking unto me on your part they have supplied For they have comforted my spirit and yours Look therefore that ye know them that are such Steven Act. 6. a Man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost was one of the seven Deacons chosen in the Congregation to make provision for the poor which did great Wonders and Miracles among the People Against whom arose certain of the Synagogue which were called Libertines Cyrenians and of Alexandria Cilicia and Asia which disputed with him And when they could not resist his wisdom and the spirit of God wherewith he spake they accused him of blasphemy against God and Moses and brought him before the Council with their false witnesses ready which said We heard this fellow speak blasphemous words against this holy place and Law saying that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy this place and change the Ordinances which Meses gave us And all the Council looked stedfastly upon him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel 7. cap. Then Steven for as much as he was accused to be a denyer of God made an earnest answer unto his accusation in the end whereof the Council waxed so angry against him that their hearts clave asunder and gnashed on him with their teeth But he being full of the Holy Ghost looked stedfastly up with his eyes into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said Behold I see Heaven open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God with the which the People gave a great shout and stopped their ears and ran upon him all at once and carried him out of the City to put him to death And as they stoned him he said Lord Jesu receive my spirit And kneeling down cryed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin unto their charge And so fell asleep in the Lord. Susanna the Daughter of Helchias Susanna 1. was a very fair Woman given to all vertue and godliness Her husband's name was Joachim a Man of great reputation among the Jews In the first year that Susanna was married there were two Judges made which resorted much to Joachim's house and all such as had any thing to do in the Law came thither unto them These two Judges being wicked men were so wounded with the love of Susanna and burned so in lust after her that they could not tell what to do But neither durst tell the other his grief nor yet for shame utter their inordinate lust unto her And so on a day when they had sat long in Joachim's house about matters of the Law and waited for to have their purpose on Susanna and could not they brake up and went home to dinner And at their return again together the one brake to the other their whole minds and appointed a time when they might take her alone And when they had spyed out a convenient time that Susanna went into the Garden as her manner was with two of her Maidens only to wash her self these two hid themselves in the Garden against her coming And assoon as the Maidens had shut the Orchard-doors and were gone for Oyl and Sope for their Mistress the two Elders came upon Susanna and said The Garden doors
Men were slain 1 Mac. 13. After this Tryphon went into the Land of Judah with a great Host having Jonathan with him in ward And when he had knowledge that Simon stood up in the stead of his Brother Jonathan and that he would come against him he sent word to Simon that whereas he kept Jonathan his Brother in ward it was but for mony he ought in the King's account and other business he had in hand Therefore if he would send him an hundred Talents of Silver and the two Sons of Jonathan to be their Father's surety he would send him home again But Simon knew his dissembling heart well enough Yet nevertheless lest he should be a greater enemy to the People of Israel and say another day that because he sent him not the Money and the Children therefore is Jonathan dead he sent him both the Money and the Children Then Tryphon having the Money and Children kept Jonathan still and shortly after put both the Father and his Children to death Now Tryphon to bring his long intended purpose about on a time as he walked abroad with the young King he most traiterously slew him and possessed the Realm and crowned himself King of Asia and did much hurt in the Land Finally 15. cap. Tryphon was so hated of all men that when Antiochus the Son of Demetrius came upon him the most part of his own Host forsook him and went to Antiochus who never left persecuting of Tryphon till he made him flee by Ship where he was never seen more Tryphon a delicate and fine man Trophimus was an Ephesian born Act. 20.4 who went with Tychicus out of Asia to Troas to make all things ready against Paul's coming and abode there till Paul came from thence they went with Paul to Jerusalem where certain Jews which were of Asia moved the People against Paul complaining of him 21.28 c. that he had brought Greeks with him to pollute the Temple because they saw Trophimus with him in the City whom they supposed Paul had brought into the Temple Tubal Gen. 4. was the Son of Lamech by his Wife Adah And was the first that invented the Science of Musick by the strokes and noise of the hammers of his brother Tubalcain which was a Smith and the first finder out of Mettal and the working thereof Jubal was his brother by Father and Mother and Tubalcain only by the Father for Zillah was his Mother Tubal born or brought or worldly Tubalcain Worldly possession V. VASHTI Estter 1. was a very fair Woman and Wife to Ahashuerus otherwise called Artaxerxes King of Persia And because she would not come to the King when he sent for her a Law was devised and made by the seven Princes of Persia and Media That forasmuch as it could not be chosen but that this deed of Queen Vashti must needs come abroad into the ears of all Women both Princes and others and so despise their Husbands and say Thus and thus did Vashti to Ahashuerus by which occasion much despitefulness and wrath should arise The King should therefore put her away and take another to the end that all other Women great and small should hold their Husbands in more honour And so she was divorced from the King and Esther received in her place Vashti Drinking Vrban Rom. 16.9 was a certain faithful Christian Brother to whom Paul sent greetings saying Salute Urban our helper in Christ Vriah 2 Sam. 11. the Hittite was a Man always for the most part imployed in the Kings Wars with Joab the King 's Captain-General This Uriah had a fair Woman to his Wife called Bathsheba whom King David in his absence had got with Child And when the King had knowledge that the Woman was conceived he sent for Urias to come home Who being come to the King and had told him of all things concerning Joab and his Men of War The King bad him go home to his house and repose himself there a while with his Wife And so Urias being departed from the King went not home to his Wife but lay without the King's Gate he and all his Men that night And when on the morrow the King had knowledge thereof he sent for Urias and demanded why he went not home To whom he said The Ark of Israel and Juda dwell in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord abide in the open Fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and drink and lye with my Wife By thy life and by the life of thy soul I will not do this thing Then he was commanded to tarry a day or two more and the King wrote a Letter to Joab the Tenour whereof was this That he should set Urias in the fore front of the Battel where it was sharpest to the intent he might be slain And so Urias departed from the King carrying his own death with him and was soon dispatched out of his life Urias the light of the Lord. Vriah 2 King 16.10 11 c. was the High-Priest in the time of Abaz King of Juda. And having the pattern of an Altar sent unto him by the King from Damascus to make him the like against his coming home Uriah consented to the King 's wicked mind and made the Altar and did whatsoever the King would have him to do without any regard to the Laws of God Vzzah and Ahio were the Sons of Abinadab which waited upon the new Cart whereon the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.3 4 c. which was taken out of their Fathers house to be carried to the house of Obed was laid And forasmuch as Uzzah of a good intent put forth his hand to stay the Ark when the Oxen stumbled the Lord smote him for his fault that he dyed even before the Ark. Z. ZABULON Gen. 30.19.49.13 was the sixth Son of Jacob and Leab Of whom his Father prophelied before his death saying Zabulon shall dwell by the Sea side and he shall be an haven for ships his border shall be unto Zidon Zabulon a dwelling Zachary Luke 1. cap. was a certain godly Priest in the days of Herod King of Jewry which came of the course or Family of Abiah And walked so perfectly in the Ordinances and Laws of the Lord that no Man could justly complain of him But he had no Child by his Wife Elizabeth for she was barren And when his course came to burn incense evening and morning according to the law he went into the Temple And as he was in prayer an Angel appeared unto him saying Fear not Zachary for thy Prayer is heard And thy Wife Elizabech shall bear thee a Son and thou shalt call his name John c. Whereby said Zachary shall I know this for I am old and my Wife old also I am Gabriel quoth the Angel which am sent unto thee to shew thee these glad tidings And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able