vpon the East side of the riuer they pitcht their tents 12 miles Here they fought with Bacchides After they went thence to Bethbesan 3 miles From thence they went to Ierusalem 12 miles Ios Ant. li. 18. cap. 1. From Ierusalem they went to Ioppa 20 miles and wonne the towne Ios lib. Ant. 13. ca. 6. From Ioppa they went to Asdod 12 miles and in the way they put the enemy to flight From Asdod they went to Ascalon which was 12 miles 1 Mac. cap. 10. From Ascalon they returned to Ierusalem which was 30 miles 1 Mac. 10. From thence he went to Bethsura halfe a mile this towne he won and placed a garrison in it 1 Mac. 11. Also in the absence of his brother Ionathan Simon went with his army to Ascalon which was 30 miles from Ierusalem 1 Mac. cap. 12. From thence he went to Ioppa which was twenty miles This towne the second time hee tooke and placed a Garrison therein ◠Mac. 12. From Ioppa hee returned againe to Ierusalem which was twenty miles Ios antiq lib. 13. cap. 8. From Ierusalem in the last yeare of his brother Ionathans gouernment he went to the plain of Sephala about 14 miles where he built the Hold of Abida 1 Mac. 12. From thence he returned to Ierusalem 14 miles There after the captiuitie of his brother Ionathan whom Tryphon by cunning had betrayed as is before said hee was chosen by the people of the Iewes into the principalitie From thence hee went to Addus to meet Tryphon 16 miles where he would haue ransomed his brother Ionathan 1 Machab. cap. 13. From Addus he went to a city of the Idumaeans called Ador or Adaram 48 miles From Ador he returned into Iudaea with his army 40 miles that he might oppose the inuasion of Tryphon and his souldiers lest they should haue destroyed the country and got Ierusalem in his absence Tryphon hauing put to death his brother Ionathan which was in the yeare before Christ 140 Simon entered vpon the office of high priest the same yere and continued in the gouernment eight yeares In the first yeare of his gouernment he went from Ierusalem to Modin 14 miles Here he buried the body of his brother Ionathan in his fathers sepulchre very honorably and richly beautified it From Modin he returned to Ierusalem 14 miles where he executed his priestly function diligently repaired the holds and decaied towns of Iudea compassing them about with stone wals and fortifying them with towers and bulwarks From thence he went to Gaza 44 miles from Ierusalem South-westward This town he tooke From thence he returned to Ierusalem which was foure and forty miles There he repaired the tower of Acropolis wherin he dwelt From Ierusalem he went to Ioppa and won the towne which was 20 miles From Ioppa he returned to Ierusalem which was twenty miles where for a time hee liued very honourably and kept a princely port 1 Mac. 14. Lastly he went with his two sons Iudas and Mattathias and his wife to visit his father in law Ptolomeus the son of Abodus to the castle of Doch which was neere to Iericho some ten miles from Ierusalem towards the Northeast Here he was slain by his father in law at a banquet in the yeare before Christ 132 in the 11 moneth which answereth to our February 1 Mac. 16. So all his trauels were 799 miles ¶ The description of the places mentioned in his Trauels Of Arabath ARrabath or Araba was a city neere to the lake or riuer Merom not farre from Dothan 44 miles from Ierusalem toward the North. It seemes to take the name from Locusts wherof there are many kinds 1 Mac. 5. for there are Locusts that liue vpon herbs and flours others that fly in great swarms in the aire and some also that liue in the waters not much vnlike Crabs or Crayfishes their tailes only excepted Plin. lib. 9. cap. 12. reckons vp another kinde of Locusts whereof Iohn Baptist did feed and it was lawfull for the Iewes to eat of them hee describes them to haue foure feet and wings so that they can either fly or leap vpon the earth They can be resembled to nothing more fitly than to grashoppers These the Hebrewes call Rabae Levit. 11. Mat. 3. because of the aboundance of them being deriued of the verbe Rabah He hath multiplied or increased because these kinds of Locusts come in mighty great swarmes and multitudes into the East part of the world Of these kindes of Locusts Arabath took the name but they are not known to vs neuerthelesse such there are and as it appeareth in Levit. cap. 11. were permitted to be eaten among the Iewes From whence may be concluded that Iohn Baptist liued vpon these kinde of Locusts and not vpon Crabs or Cray-fishes or any such kinde of Locusts Mat. 3. Of Sephela SEphela is a plain compassed about with mountaines neere the riuer Sorecke It lieth 14 miles from Ierusalem Westward Here Simon built the castle Adida and fortified it very strongly Afterward there was a city built neere to this tower called Eleutheropolis It was a free city in the tribe of Iudah halfe way between Ierusalem and Ascalon of which Ierome speaketh li. de Locis Hebr. Of Doch THis was a strong tower the ruins wherof may be seen to this day It was scituated neere Iericho in the field of Hiericuntis ten miles from Ierusalem Northeastward where Ptolomeus the son of Abodus perfidiously put to death his son in law Simon high Priest of the Iewes From this tower you might haue seen all the country of the Giliadites the two tribes of Gad and Reuben and the halfe tribe of Manasses with the mountains of the Moabites Nebo Pisga and Abarim vid. 1 Mac. ca. vlt. The Trauels of Iohn Hyrcanus IOhn Hyrcanus was made Captaine ouer all the men of War by his father Simon and went from Ierusalem to Gaza 44 miles where he dwelt 1 Mac. 13. From thence he returned to Ierusalem 44 miles in the 5 yeare of his fathers gouernment to let him vnderstand how Cendebius had inuaded the holy land 1 Mac. 16. From Ierusalem he and his brother Iudas went with their army to Modin 14 miles where they stayed all night The next morning before day they gaue battell to Cendebius not far from Modin ouercame him and put him to flight So he pursued the chase till he came to the fortresse of Cedron which stood in the field of Azotus euen 8 miles From the field of Azotus he and his brother Iudas returned to Ierusalem being 22 miles 1 Mac. 16. From Ierusalem he returned to Gaza which is 44 miles Now when Sorius Ptolomeus the son of Abodus who a little before had treacherously slaine his sonne in law Simon at a banquet heard of Iohns comming into the towne he sent forth certain traitors and homicides to put him to death also but Hyrcanus hauing certain intelligence of the matter preuented the mischief and put these traitors to the sword 1 Mac.
day of Iuly the Iewes filled the Porch toward the West with pitch and betume and then made as though they meant to fly and leaue the citie which some of the Romans perceiuing without any command of their Captaines put scaling ladders to the Tower and began to assault it but when they were most busie the Iewes of a sudden put fire to the pitch and burnt them most miserably insomuch as Titus pittied them to see their extremitie although they were such as did contrary to his command Vpon the last day of this moneth they tooke the North gate which lay towards the rising of the Sunne and close by the brooke Cedron rhis they burnt downe with fire Vpon the third of August Titus commanded to fire the gate of the Temple that was all couered ouer with gold siluer by this gate the Romans made a breach into the Temple which ere this had beene prophaned by the Iewes whiles this gate was a burning the Iewes stood astonished and not one of them resisted the Romans Caesar and all his army labored three daies to quench this fire after which hee called a councell to determine what he should do with the temple it was so rich and sumptuous that he would faine haue left it as an ornament for the Roman Empire But the Iewes hauing got a little breathing made new incursions vpon the Romans by which meanes they could not determine thereof The 6 of August the souldiers of Titus without command of their Captaines fired the Temple just vpon that day which Nebuchadnezzar before time had destroyed it as Iosephus witnesseth li. de Bell. 6. c. 26.27 Caesar would faine haue saued this Temple for the sumptuousnesse of it and beckoned to his souldiers to haue quencht the fire but they partly prest on with a desire of wealth partly being prickt on with a fury and madnesse gaue no eare to his speeches but committed most cruell massacres without either regard of age or sex So that the cries of the slaughterd the sound of the Roman trumpets the fierce resistance of the seditious and the fire furiously burning represented a most horrible spectacle The ground below was couered with dead bodies many in desperation threw themselues into the fire 6000 were burnt in the same gate whither they fled for refuge and the priests most cruelly massacred as they were in the Temple This was the end of the Temple of Ierusalem the mirror of the world being consumed and spoiled with fire and sword After these things vpon the bridge that passeth from the temple ouer the valley into the lower towne Titus made a speech by an interpreter to the two seditious Captaines gently intreating them to leaue off their rebellion and he would spare the Citie and commit no more outrages and such further requests as they desired should according to reason be granted them but if they would not embrace mercy and cease their violent resistance they must expect no manner of compassion but the very law of Armes This they contemned and made but a mocke of Caesar for all his offers whereupon in a great rage hee gaue the signall to his souldiers and they went through all the City and set it on fire The next day they woon the lower Citie and with fire and sword consumed the place where the records lay the Court and all the Princely buildings vntill they came to that stately house of Helena which stood in the midst of Acra all the houses neere being filled with the bodies of the dead and the streets horribly defiled with the bloud of those that were slaine Within a short while after Iohannes Giscalinus was taken aliue and committed to prison The inferiour Citie being thus taken and destroyed about the 16 day of August Caesar began to build his engines and batter the walls of the vpper citie which within the space of 18 daies after with extreme labour and skill hee laid flat with the ground as Iosephus saith And vpon the 7 of September with great facilitie hee conquered the citie the Iewes of their owne accord descending from the Towers and the Romanes set vpon the walls their ensignes with a great acclamation and wasted all the citie with fire and sword sparing neither men women nor children The 8 day of the moneth of September the whole Citie was destroyed and not a stone left vpon a stone but laid leuell with the ground onely the three Towers that were built by Herod which were of shining Marble viz. Hippicus Phaselus and Mariamne that future ages seeing the excellencie of those buildings they might iudge of the statelines of the rest But these also were after destroyed by Adrianus Caesar There died by the famine and pestilence an innumerable number by fire and sword ten hundred thousand 2000 were found that either killed themselues or one killed another 7900 were taken captiues of these all the seditious theeues that accused one another were slaine by Frontonius Caesar Titus freed many 7000 were sent into Aegypt with extreme labour to consume and die the properest and most able were reserued for triumph many were distributed through the prouinces some were slaine by the sword and by beasts for publike spectacles and those that were 16 yeares of age and vnder together with many other Caesar sold vnder the crowne at thirty for a siluer penny that as Christ was sold for thirty pence so thirty of them should be sold for a penny With the riches of this towne Caesar triumphed rode into Rome with two golden Chariots built the Temple of Peace and there put all the plate which he found in the temple of Ierusalem After all this for a full determination of those euils the two seditious captaines Iohannes Giscalenus and Simon the son of Giora were put to most cruell deaths Thus may we see the grieuous punishment of the obstinat and ambitious which God permitted to fall vpon them for their vnthankfulnesse and cruell tyranny How the city of Ierusalem after this destruction by Titus Vespas was vtterly beaten downe and defaced by Aelius Adr. Caesar which he re-edifying called it after his own name Aelia THe city of Ierusalem being thus laid leuel with the ground for the space of sixty yeares lay desolate a receptacle for theeues and murtherers a fit place for Wolues and wilde beasts which resorted thither to feed vpon the dead bodies And now time consuming their flesh left their bones and skuls to lye vpon the earth as in a Charnell house Thus it continued vntill one Benchochab which signifies the Son of the Stars born in the towne of Bethcoron not farre from Emaus professed himselfe to be the Messiah or Christ The Iewes supposing this to be true because of that saying of Numb 24. There shall a Starre rise vp out of Iacob assembled themselues to the number of many thousands and followed him with great tyranny and crueltie spoyling the Holy Land and through all the countrey of Iudaea committing many outrages and massacres
Abraham was buried the place where Cain killed Abel the Well where Adam and Eva wept seuen years for the death of their son with many such like fables which are to no purpose seeing they are not warrantable by Scripture Some bows shoot Eastward from this place is the field of Damascus where the red earth lieth whereof they feigne man to be made It is naturally tough may be wrought like wax or pitch There is also that is white of the same kind and this is conueyed to many places by the Saracens and sold at deare rates They vse it either for the teering of Sepulchres or to mingle with salves and vnguents Of Gerar. GErar is the vttermost towne in the land of Canaan and lieth between the desarts of Sur and Cades Gen. 20. Here King Abimelech kept his court at such time as Abraham came thither here Isaac was born Gen. 21. It takes the name from Gor which signifies a Pilgrim or Traueller and did well agree with the condition of the antient patriarchs that somtime liued there because for the most part they were like Pilgrimes and wayfaring men Gen. 47. It lay six miles from Hebron Southwest and from Ierusalem 30 vpon the territories of the tribe of Iuda Of Beerazaba BEerazaba is a towne scituated vpon the vtmost bounds of the Holy land forty miles from Ierusalem Southwestward and is deriued from Berr and Shebuah and signifieth the Wel of couenant for Abraham hauing digged a Wel neere to this place Abimelech King of Gerar entred into league with him and his posteritie Isaac also renued this league in this place as appears Gen. 21. It is now called Gallim or Giblin by the Iewes In S. Hieromes time it was a great towne Of Moriah VPon this Mount Abraham would haue offered his son Isaac and stood not far from Salem or mount Sion where Melchisedech dwelt They were so neere that Melchisedech vpon the tower of Sion might easily see the Angell that spake with Abraham when he renewed the couenant with him concerning his seed and posteritie and is deriued from Mor or Marar which signifies bitter Myrrh because as Gregorius saith the Church is euer subiect to affliction For all they that will serue God and liue religiously must suffer persecution Mat. 16. 2 Tim. 3. and Iarr which signifies to feare How Abraham may be typically apprehended ABraham signifies The father of a multitude from Ab pater a Father Ram excelsus Mighty and Hamon multitudinis Of a multitude Not in regard of the Iewes only but all those that in succeeding times shall be ingraffed into the Church and partake of euerlasting life through the mediation of Christ Iesus the promised seed Gal. 3. Ephes 1. Acts 3. and is a Type and figure of God the Father for as that Abraham was the father of many yet had but only one son so although God be the father of all nations yet had but one only son Iesus Christ begotten of his owne essence from before the beginning of the world And as Abraham so loued God that for his sake he would not haue spared his only son so God so loued Abraham and the World that hee gaue his only begotten son to die for the saluation of their soules The Trauels of Lot LOt trauelled with Abraham from Vr in Chaldaea to Haran in Mesopotamia which is 336 miles Gen. 12. 2 From Haran they trauelled to Sichem in the land of Canaan being 400 miles 3 From Sichem they trauelled through Morae to the hil lying between Bethel and Hay which is 24 miles 4 From the hill between Bethel and Hay they went into Egypt which is 240 miles Gen. 13. 5 From Egypt they went into the land of Canaan to the hil lying between Bethel and Hay where Abraham had dwelt before which is 240 miles Gen. 13. 6 From the hil between Bethel and Hay Lot separated himselfe from Abraham and went to the towne of Sodom Eastward which is 28 miles Gen. 13. 7 In the town of Sodom Lot was taken prisoner hee and all his houshold and led away to the town of Dan which is 32 miles Gen. 14. 8 And when Abraham had deliuered him out of the hands of his enemies pursued them he returned with him from Dan to Hobam in Phoenicia lying on the left side of Damascus being 80 miles 9 From Phoenicia Abraham came again with Lot to Sodom which is 160 miles 10 Lastly when the Lord had determined to raine fire and brimstone on Sodom Lot according to his commandement went thence to Zoar a little town neere adioyning where being drunk with Wine hee committed incest with both his daughters but after comming to the knowledge of his offence he was so sore afflicted in his conscience that with extreme grief he died Luther saith that Abraham tooke him to Hebron with him to comfort him and that there he died Hebron is 36 miles from Sodom So all the trauels of the Patriarch Lot were 1652 miles The Description of the Townes and places where he trauelled And first of Sodom THe cities that were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen were foure in number that is Sodom Gomorah Adama and Zeboim lying 24 miles from Ierusalem South-eastward where now the dead sea runs The fift was the city Bela called also Zoar which was spared for Lots sake distant from Sodom two miles This Lot accounted but a little City but there are that say it was a very spatious and princely place neere to which his wife for her disobedience was turned into a pillar of salt and not far off he committed incest with his two daughters And although Luther be of opinion that that also within a while after was burnt yet this cannot bee certainly prooued especially because it remaineth euen to this day scituated both in the antient place and called by the antient name vnlesse some new City hath beene lately built in the same place and is now called after that name which I cannot thinke to be true Sodamah signifieth a Mysterie Gomorah a Faggot of Thornes Adamah Red earth Zeboim Fertile and Pleasant Zoar The burning of Baela for in antient times it was called Baela It is the receiued opinion that the country wherein these fiue rich and opulent cities stood was called Pentapolis Of the Lake or dead Sea called Asphaltides IN the very same place where these Cities were burnt and destroyed there is at this day to be seene a Lake about 36 miles long and in some places six in others eight and 12 miles ouer It boileth with pitch and brimstone and in some places passeth by the name of the salt sea and in others the dead sea because of the noisome and venomous aire that riseth out of it insomuch as the very birds that fly ouer it fall down dead and if a beast doe but drink of it mixt with water it makes him incurably sick It is of a wonderfull nature for whatsoeuer heauy thing you fling into it will not sinke
fathers The Trauels of Manasses MAnasses or Manasseth signifieth forgetting or he hath forgotten This man was 12 yeares old when hee succeeded his father Ezekiah in the Kingdome of Iudah he began to raigne anno mundi 3251 and before Christ 717. This King was a great Idolater and one that put the Prophets of the Lord to death so that it was wonderfull to see what tyranny mischiefe he wrought in Israel wherefore the Lord stirred vp the Assirians against him who ouercame him in a great battell and tooke him captiue carrying him bound in chaines from Ierusalem to Babylon euen 680 miles But after being humbled by his afflictions he came to a knowledge of himselfe and repented for his former euill humbling himselfe with prayer and fasting vnder the hand of God wherefore the Lord tooke compassion of him and stirred vp the minde of the King of Babylon to mercy so that hee loosed his bands and sent him backe againe to Ierusalem 680 miles From that time forward he left idolatry and worshipped the true God adorned the Temple of the Lord with many faire and beautifull buildings and in the 55 yeare of his age he died and was buried in the Kings garden 1 Reg. 21. 2 Chron. 33. So all the trauels of Manasses were 1360 miles Of Amon King of Iuda AMon signifieth True and faithfull he succeeded his father Manasses when he was but 22 yeares of age anno mundi 3307 before Christ 661. He raigned two yeres and then because of his exceeding idolatry the Lord cast him off when he was about 24 yeres of age neere which time some of his seruants conspired against him and put him to death The Trauels of King Iosiah IOsiah signifies A sacrifice of the Lord he succeeded his father Manasses in the gouernment when he was but 8 yeres of age Anno mundi 3309 hefore Christ 659. He gouerned Israel with great commendations 32 yeares 2 Reg. 22. his mothers name was Iedidah and dwelt in a towne called Bozkath but how farre this Towne stood from Ierusalem it is not set downe by any Author This good King went from Ierusalem to Bethel which was 8 miles there he burnt vpon the Altar which Ieroboam built the bones of the Priests of Baal as the man of God that came from Iuda had told Ieroboam 350 yeres before 1 Reg. 13. 2 Chr. 23. From Bethel he returned backe again to Ierusalem which was 8 miles there he celebrated the Passeouer with a solemne feast and great attendance 2 Reg. 23. 2 Chr. 35. In the last yeare of his raigne he went with his army from Ierusalem to Megiddo which was 44 miles against Pharaoh Necho K. of Aegypt in which battell he was slaine with an arrow about the 39 yeare of his age 2 Chron. 35. From Megiddo his body was carried in a chariot backe again to Ierusalem which was 44 miles and there with great lamentations honourably buried 2 Reg. 23. 2 Chr. 35. So all his trauels were 104 miles The Trauels of Iehoahas King of Iudah IEhoahas signifies The knowledge of God he succeeded his father Iosiah in the 23 yeare of his age Anno mundi 3340 which was 628 yeares before Christ and raigned onely three moneths 2 Reg. 24. 2 Chron. 36. Ieremy cap. 22. calleth this man Schallum that is A recompence He went from Ierusalem to Riblah a city in the tribe of Nepthaly which is accounted 80 miles where he was taken prisoner by Pharaoh Necho 2 Reg. 23. From Riblah Pharaoh Necho led him captiue bound in chaines backe again to Ierusalem which was 80 miles and there appointed Iehoiakim his elder brother to raigne in his place 2 Reg. 23. 2 Chron. 36. From Ierusalem he carried Iehoahas to Memphis the Metropolitan citie of Aegypt which was 244 miles 2 Reg. 23. So all the Trauels of Iehoahas were 404 miles Of Iehoiakim King of Iuda IEhoiakim was the eldest sonne of Iosiah that good King and succeeded his brother Iehoahas in the Kingdome Anno mundi 3341 before Christ 627 he gouerned Iudah 11 yeares Pharaoh Necho made him King when he was 25 yeares of age to whom he was constrained to pay 100 talents of * What this is in our money you may reade after in the quantitie of moneys siluer and a talent of gold This money being payed he obtained the Kingdome and continued in great impiety and idolatry for which cause he was sharply reprehended by Ieremiah the Prophet but he being offended at his words sought to put him to death wherefore the Lord stirred vp Nebuchadnezzar the second of that name Emperour of the Assirians and Babylonians who in the 11 yeare of this Kings raigne came to Ierusalem and took him captiue tyed him in two chaines and would haue carried him to Babylon but his minde changed wherefore hee caused him to be put to death and cast out into the fields of Ierusalem for a prey to wilde beasts Ier. 22. 2 Reg. 23. Of Iehoiachin King of Iudah IEhoiachin signifies the preparation of Iehouah This man succeeded his brother Iehoiakim and began his raigne about the end of the 3351 yere of the world and raigned only 3 moneths and 10 daies which was about the 8 yeare of Nabuchodonesor the great at which time he was led captiue from Ierusalem to Babylon together with Mordochae and many other Nobles which was 680 miles This captiuitie hapned 617 yeares before Christ 2 Reg. 24. 2 Chron. 36. Ester 2. Ier. 52. The Trauels of Zedekiah the last King of Iudah AFter Iehoiachin succeeded Zedekiah which signifies The just man of God This was the sonne of that good King Iosiah yet an impious tyrant who by the permission of Nabuchadonezar the great was suffered to be King of Iudah after his brother when he was 21 yeares of age He began to raigne about the beginning of the 3352 yeare of the World and before Christ 616 he gouerned tyrannically 11 yeares 2 Reg. 24. In the 11 yere of this king Ierusalem was taken by Nabuchadonezar the great Emperour of the Babylonians wherefore Zedekiah to escape the brunt of war fled from Ierusalem with all possible speed to Iericho which was 12 miles Ier. 39.52 From the plaine neere the citie of Iericho where he was ouercome by the Princes of the Chaldeans he was led to Riblah to Nebuchadonezar which was 68 miles From Riblah after the Emperour Nabuchadonezar had caused all his children to be put to death before his face and had put out both his eyes he led him captiue to Babylon which was 600 miles where he died miserable 2 Reg. 25. So all the Trauels of Zedekiah King of Iudah were 680 miles Of the destruction of Ierusalem by Nabuchadonezar In the ninth yeare of this Zedekiah which was the last King of Iudah Nabuchadonezar began to besiege Ierusalem it being then Winter anno mundi 3860 vpon the tenth day of the tenth moneth Tebeth which answereth to the 27 day of December which day the Iewes till now obserued as a fasting
the Lord he was borne in the Tribe of Benjamin in a Citie of the Priests called Anathoth and from thence came to Ierusalem which was two miles and continued there for 40 yeares teaching and prophecying From Ierusalem he was sent to Euphrates where in the cliffe of a rocke he hid his girdle Ier. 13. which was 400 miles From the riuer Euphrates he returned backe againe to Ierusalem 400 miles A little after the Lord sent him backe againe to Euphrates 400 miles to fetch his girdle and loe it was putrified From thence he returned backe againe the second time to Ierusalem 400 miles From Ierusalem he was led captiue bound in chaines with other prisoners to Ramath a citie in mount Ephraim which was eight miles there Nabusaraden the chiefe captaine caused him to be set at liberty From Ramath he went to Mispah which is 8 miles where he continued a while with Gediliah Prince of the Iewes which man had the chiefe command of certaine cities of Iudaea vnder Nabuchadnezzer But in the seuenth yeare of the captiuitie of the people of Israel Ishmael that was of the stocke and progenie of Dauid hoping to obtaine the gouernement of Iuda made warre vpon Gediliah and put him to death wherefore Ieremy went from thence with Iohn the son of Kareach Prince of the Iewes to Bethlem Euphrata which was 8 miles Ier. 41. Now when he had staied a while in a village neere Bethlem called Geruth Ghimeham were sometime Chimeham the sonne of Barzillai liued 2 Sam. 19. hee prophecied saying If you stay in this land you shall do well neither shall any euill hap vnto you but if you depart hence into Aegypt they shall deuoure you with famine and with the sword Ier. 42. But Iohn and the rest of the Princes would giue no credit to the words of Ieremy but went into Aegypt and compelled the Prophet to goe along with them so they went from Bethlehem to Tachpanes which was 172 miles Here the second time Ieremie prophecied vnto them saying Behold Nabuchadnezzer shall come hither and wast and destroy all the countrey of Aegypt beat downe the Images of Bethsemes or Heliopolis and carry away the Aegyptians into perpetuall captiuity Ier. 43. But the people of Israel being moued to anger because of his words stoned him to death So the Trauels of the Prophet Ieremiah were 1786 miles Concerning the townes and places mentioned in the Trauels of this Prophet you may reade of them before except Geruth Chimeham which stood close by Bethlehem it taketh the name from a stranger or traueller being deriued of Gor which signifieth He hath trauelled and Tachpanes which was a Citie of Aegypt some 180 miles from Ierusalem where the Prophet Ieremy was stoned to death it is oftentimes called by the name of Taphnis The trauels of Vrijah the Prophet VRias or Vriah signifies Illuminated or inlightned of the Lord. He was borne at Kiriath-jearim a mile from Ierusalem towards the West from thence he came to Ierusalem and there prophecied of the destruction of the Citie After when King Ioachim went about to take away his life he fled thence into Aegypt 160 miles But the king sent messengers into Aegipt fetcht Vrijah back againe to Ierusalem 160 miles and there cut off his head and caused his body to be throwne into the sepulchre of a poore despised man that it might not be knowne that he had beene a Prophet of the Lord. So all his trauels were 321 miles Of Hananias the false Prophet HAnanias or Chanania signifieth the grace of God This false Prophet was a Gibeonite and came from Gibeon to Ierusalem which was foure miles where he tooke the woodden yoakes from the necke of Ieremiah the Prophet but Ieremiah caused yron yokes to be made in their places and told Hananias that for his falshood that yere he should surely die as after he did Of the Prophet Ezekiel Ezekiel or Iechezkel signifies the strength or fortitude of God He was carried captiue with 3000 others of the Nobility of the Iewes from Ierusalem to Babylon which was 680 miles the same yeare that Nebuchadnezzer put King Ioachim to death within fiue yeares after a little before Easter the Booke of the Law was found 2 Chron. 3. He began to prophecie in Babylon Anno mundi 3356 before Christ 612 at which time he saw his first visions neere to the Riuer Chebar Of the Riuer Chebar THe riuer Chebar was neere Babylon in Chaldaea vpon the borders of Mesopotamia falling into Euphrates and was oftentimes called Aborras according to the opinion of many learned men Strabo in the seuenteenth book of his Geography saith that there is another riuer between Tygris and Euphrates called Basilius Aborras passeth along by the citie of Athemusia and is a very faire streame from whence it is called Chebar which signifies a swift and spacious riuer Neere to this riuer the Prophet Ezekiel saw the Glory and Majestie of our Lord Iesus Christ in a bright shining cloud In this place also dwelt many Iewes to whom hee prophecied and foretold the destruction of Ierusalem by Nebuchadnezzer and the captiuitie of Zedekiah The Trauels of the Prophet Daniel DAniel signifies The Iudge of God In the raigne of Ioachim King of Iudah he was carried away captiue from Ierusalem to Babylon by Nabuchadonezar which was 680 miles and there with his fellowes learned the Arts and Language of the Chaldaeans for three yeares He was then but young about some 19 or 20 yeares of age and liued in exile 91 yeares vntill the third yeare of Cyrus Emperour of the Persians about which time he saw his last vision and a little after died when hee was about 110 yeares of age as may be gathered by the circumstances of Histories and times From Babylon he went to Susan in Persia an mun 3418 before Christ 550 being then 94 yeares of age which was 252 miles where neere to the flood Eulaeus hee had a vision of a ram and a goate which set forth the state of the second Monarchie which was that of the Graecians In this vision Gabriel the Archangel appeared to Daniel Dan. 8. This was in the third yeare of King Balthasar From Susan Daniel returned to Babylon which was 252 miles Here hee interpreted to Belthasar the meaning of these words Men Mene Tekel Euphrasin Dan. 5. From Babylon he went to the riuer Tygris of Hidekel which was accounted 36 miles here in the third yeare of Cyrus King of Persia he saw his last vision which is described in the 10 11 and 12 chapters of his prophecie From Tygris he returned to his own house at Babylon which was 36 miles Sometimes also in his three last yeares of his life he vsed to goe to Egbatan the Metropolitan citie of the Medes which was accounted 464 miles from Babylon towards the Northeast Here Daniel built a faire and artificiall Temple so strongly that it remained vnperished and retained the ancient beautie many ages to the great admiration of all the
he returned to Ierusalem 280 miles where he began to build the tower of Acropolis in mount Acra and that he might please that wicked King and keep his fauour hee built certain Theatres in Ierusalem and caused Interludes and Playes to be acted in them at such times and vpon such daies as the people were wont to meet in the Temple to serue God Also K. Antiochus Epiphanes in the 4 yeare of his priesthood comming to Ierusalem he gaue him royall entertainment The same yeare Iason was put out of his office of high-priest by the policy and cunning of his brother Menelaus and was constrained to fly into the land of the Ammonites beyond Iordan being 40 miles Two yeares after when Antiochus Epiphanes inuaded Aegypt there was a vaine rumor that he was slain wherefore Iason with a thousand souldiers returned to Ierusalem which was 40 miles and broke suddenly into the city so that Menelaus was constrained for safety of his life to fly to the garrison of the Syrians that were in Ierusalem But Antiochus hearing what had hapned came out of Aegypt with a great army to Ierusalem wherefore he fled thence backe again to the Ammonites 40 miles but they fearing that Antiochus would come thither with his army he was accused before Areta King of Arabia and constrained to fly from one city to another for safety Wherefore when he perceiued that he could not liue there secure he went thence into Egypt 280 miles From thence he went to the Lacedemonians 600 miles where he died in exile being cast out vnlamented or buried So all his trauels were 1560 miles Of Lacedemonia the metropolitan city of Peloponesus LAcedemonia or Sparta was a famous city of Peloponnesus distant from Ierusalem 600 miles toward the West which although it had no wals yet was it one of the fairest and most populous cities in all Grecia and was called Sparta of Spartus who was sometime King thereof and rebuilt it adorning it with faire goodly buildings At first it was built by one Lacedaemon who was king thereof and of him called Lacedemonia and after Menelaus that mighty King of the Grecians who had to wife Helena the fairest woman of all Grecia kept his court there Here also Lycurgus that famous Philosopher reigned as King and prescribed to the citisens and inhabitants excellent lawes by the obseruance whereof they became famous in after-ages and performed many noble wars and exploits against their enemies Ionathan and Simon held a friendly league with the Lacedemonians The Trauels of the high-Priest Menelaus THis Menelaus called also Onias was as Iosephus saith the third son of Simon the Iust and brother to Iason although 2 Mac. 3 4. he is said to be the brother of one Simon of the tribe of Benjamin who was chiefe of those that kept the Temple of whom you may reade before This man in the fourth yere of Antiochus Epiphanes was sent by Iason his brother to Antiochia being 280 miles vpon certain busines but principally to cary the king mony Where he made a secret Contract with him to pay him 30 talents * That is 180000 Crownes beside all that his brother Iason had payd him if hee would institute him to be high-Priest The King in hope of profit gaue eare to his motion and vnder pretence of injury wrong offered by Iason constrained him to leaue his office and flie from Ierusalem into the land of the Ammonites for his safety and so instituted Menelaus to be chiefe Priest of the Iewes who entred vpon his gouernment in the yeare before Christ 169. Wherefore Menelaus returned from Antiochia to Ierusalem 280 miles where he began to gouern not as chiefe Priest but as a cruell and wicked tyrant 2 Mac. 4. But when in the beginning of his gouernment hee could not pay that great summe of money which he had promised the king sent for him to Antiochia being 280 miles where for that time he was remoued from his office and his brother Lysimacus ordained chiefe Priest in his roome Wherefore Menelaus being sore troubled vexed and grieued in mind for that which had hapned in the first yeare of his priesthood returned backe from Antiochia to Ierusalem beeing 280 miles But a little after when Antiochus Epiphanes brought an Armie into Cilicia to suppresse the rebellion of the Tharsians and Mallotans Menelaus taking aduantage of the Kings absence went to Andronichus who was chief Agent for the King in Syria to Antiochia 280 miles and there gaue him certain golden vessels and jewels that he had stolne out of the temple to hire him to be his friend and help him to his office of high-priesthood againe But Onias the elder hearing of this sacriledge greatly reprehended Menelaus for this shamefull fact but he taking it in ill part combined with Andronichus who by faire speeches alluring him out of the sanctuary in the wood Daphne put him to death after hee had bin 5 years in exile But King Antiochus returning from Antiochia accused Andronichus of treason and by the means of a certain Courtier receiued Menelaus into fauor From Antiochia Menelaus returned to Ierusalem 280 miles where by the help of his brother Lysimachus he stole a great masse of mony out of the Temple Which sacriledge being known to the people they fell to vprore and killed Lysimachus close by the Treasurie They accused Menelaus also before Antiochus 2 Mac. cap. 4. Antiochus in the second yeare of his priesthood went to Tyrus which is 100 miles where he so corrupted certain courtiers with mony that he procured the fauor of Antiochus and caused his Accusers good and iust men to be banished thence as slanderers and such as went about to defame Menelaus From Tyrus he returned backe again to Ierusalem 100 miles where he fell into his old crueltie and in the third yere of his gouernment receiued Antiochus Epiphanes with his army into the city of Ierusalem who cruelly murthered the citisens and spoyled the Temple 2 Mac. 5. After the death of Antiochus who as it is said perished of a grieuous disease and was buried at Babylon his sonne Antiochus Eupator came with a great Army into Iudaea in hostile manner Wherefore Menelaus in the last yeare of his Priesthood went out to meet him But Lysias accused him vnto the King as one that was the onely author of all the euills that had hapned to the Iewes Wherefore Antiochus willed Lysias to take him prisoner who brought him to Berea a towne in Syria distant from Ierusalem 360 miles Northward where vpon the top of a Tower fifty cublts high he was tied to a wheel and had all his joints broken and through the extremity of the pain died 2 Mac. 3. So all his trauels were 2240 miles The Trauels of Alcimus High-Priest of the posteritie of Aaron THis Alcimus after the death of Menelaus which was the yere before Christ 150 went with certaine impious and wicked men to Demetrius Soter who liued in Antiochia in
Syria being 280 miles and there accused Iudas Machabeus and all the godly Iews vsing such flattery toward the King that he obtained the principalitie and office of high-Priest which he held three years 1 Mac. 7. From Antiochia he and Bacchides returned back to Ierusalem where hee was instituted in the office of high-priesthood which is 280 miles But when he saw that hee was not able to withstand the power and singular vertue of Iudas Machabeus he returned back to Antiochia 280 miles where after hee had accused the good men among the Iewes he obtained aid of Demetrius who sent Nicanor with a great army into Iudaea against Iudas to establish Alcimus in the priesthood So Alcimus and Nicanor returned into Iudaea 280 miles But Alcimus seeing familiar conference to passe between Nicanor and Iudas Machabeus he went backe againe to Antiochia 280 miles where he told Demetrius of the perfidious dealing of Nicanor Wherefore Demetrius being very angry at what had hapned wrot a sharp letter to Nicanor giuing him to vnderstand That it was much against his minde that hee should make a league with Iudas and further willed him the said league notwithstanding to bring him bound to Antiochia Vpon receit of which letter he made war vpon Iudas in which expedition Nicanor was taken and had his head cut off All this hapned in the first yeare of the priesthood of Alcimus But when Demetrius heard of this ouerthrow he sent Bacchides and Alcimus with a great army who went to Antiochia and came to Masloth in the country of Arbela 192 miles where they made incursions vpon the tribe of Nepthaly slew a great multitude of the Israelites 1 Mac. 9. From Masloth they went with their army to Gilgal 76 miles This hapned in the second yeare of the priesthood of Alcimus From Gilgal they came to Ierusalem 12 miles 1 Macchab. cap. 9. From thence they brought their army to Berea 12 miles here they were ouercome and put to flight by Iudas Machabeus 1 Mac. cap. 9. From Berea they fled amongst the mountaines which are between Azotus and Gazeron six miles Here Iudas Machabeus was slaine Wherefore Alcimus returned thence backe again to Ierusalem 20 miles and caused the walls of the inner house of the Temple and the monuments of the Priests to be taken down destroied but before his command was fully executed the Lord strooke him with a dead palsie of which he lay a time dumbe but within a while after he died of that disease in the second yeare of his priesthood an mundi 3811 and before Christ 157. Alcimus being dead Bacchides returned back to Demetrius in Syria 1 Mac. 9. For seuen yeares after there was no high Priest in Ierusalem till Ionathan the brother of Iudas Machabeus tooke vpon him that office 1 Mac. 10. So all his trauels were 1717 miles ¶ Of the places to which he trauelled Of Arbela THis was a city in the vpper Galile belonging to the tribe of Nepthali 96 miles from Ierusalem Northward Of which towne all the countrey is called Arbela being deriued of Arab To lie hid Of Masloth THis also is a towne of Nepthaly 92 miles from Ierusalem Northward and is deriued of Maschal which signifies Hee hath gouerned Of Berea TO this city Iotham sometime fled from the fury of his brother Abimilech Iudge of Israel Iudg. 9. It is scituated twelue miles from Ierusalem Westward and signifies a cleare Well Thus by Gods prouidence haue I described the Trauells and Iournies of the holy Patriarchs Kings and Prophets c. as they are seuerally mentioned in the old Testament that so gentle Reader thou mightst vnderstand what difficult and tedious journies and in them what great labour and vexation they were constrained to beare in this world till God of his mercy tooke them out of this vale of misery and placed them in euerlasting happinesse where now without doubt they remaine in peace FINIS The quantities of the Monies both Siluer and Gold as they are seuerally mentioned in the Scriptures reduced to our Weights and English valuations EVer since the time that Monies haue been allowed as currant in exchange betwixt man and man which for that purpose as Aristotle saith was first ordained it hath passed according to the valuation of a certaine weight which for the most part is vniuersall according to the worth and estimation thereof in the seuerall countries where it is to be sold exchanged or else by Coine which is currant according to the valuation that is imposed vpon it by the consent of a State or command of a Prince In both which there haue bin vsed sundry distinctions of greater and lesse valuations of weights and coine according to the necessitie and estimation thereof in seuerall Kingdomes and gouernments As amongst the Iewes they vsed weights and no coine and these distinguished in seuerall sorts and as is thought separated with sundry marks that they might be known each from other The weights that they vsed were commonly three viz. the Centiner or talent the Mina and the Sicle according to the opinion of Iosephus Budaeus Hostius and many others Of a Sicle A Sicle was a kind of weight currant among the Iewes containing precisely halfe an ounce of siluer or gold which that it might be distinguished had a particular effigies or superscription viz. vpon one side was to be seene the measure wherein they kept Manna in the Sanctuarie with this superscription The Sicle of Israel and on the other the rod of Aaron flourishing with this inscription Holy Ierusalem which is ordinarily worth in English mony 2 s. 6 d. and in gold 15 s. and more or lesse according to the purenesse or basenesse of either A sicle was diuided into these parts Into a Drachma i. 7 d. ob whereof 4 make a sicle Gen. 13.15 Exod. 21.32 c. Halfe sicles mentioned Exod. 30.13.15 ca. 38.26 which was the yearely tax imposed vpon euerie man toward the building of the Tabernacle i. 15 d. English Quadrans Sicli or the fourth part of a Sicle which was also in vse among the Iewes 1 Sam. 8.9 which amounts to a Roman peny and in our mony to 7 d. ob and by the Grecians were called Drachma Gherahs Exod. 30.13 which was the 20 part of a sicle and was worth 1 d. ob Of Sicles there were three sorts A common sicle which weighed a quarter of an ounce and was worth 15 d. The Kings sicle which weighed 3. Drachma's that is in our mony 22 d. ob The sicle of the Temple which weighed directly halfe an ounce and was worth 2 s. 6 d. Of a Mina Ios li. ant ca. 12 A Mina was a pound weight among the Iewes and were of two sorts one of gold which weighed 100 Drachma's another of siluer weighing 240 Drachma's These were called the antient weights but there was a later which is said to contain 100 Denaria's or Attick Drachma's Tract de Aug. cap. 8. which seem to be so called
glory Of Capernaum THis city was so called from the pleasant and comfortable scituation of it In the Hebrew text Mathew cals it Capharnacum i. The town of comfort being deriued of Nocham i. Consolation In this town our Sauior dwelt after he had left Nazareth and in it wrought many miracles as the healing of the sick casting out of diuels and such like whereof you may read Mat. 8. Mark 1. Luke 5.7 Iohn 4. It stood in the land of Genesareth vpon the West and North side of Iordan in an angle of land ioyning to the sea of Galile 56 miles from Ierusalem Northward in the tribe of Issacher and as it is thought by some iust in the middest of the twelue tribes Mat. 9. calls it the city of our Sauior And that Christ was no stranger but an inhabitant of this city it is manifest Mat. 17. where Christ when he gaue tribute to the magistrats of this city asked Peter saying Of whom doe the Kings of the earth take tribute Peter said Of strangers Then quoth hee the children are free yet neuerthelesse c. From whence may be gathered that he was no stranger but an inhabitant in Capernaum It had vpon the Northside of it the three Tribes Nepthalim Aser and Zabulon vpon the South Benjamin Iuda Dan and Simeon vpon the West Issacher Ephraim and the halfe Tribe of Manasses and vpon the East Reuben Gad and the other halfe tribe of Manasses so that our Sauior Christ dwelt in the midst of the 12 tribes of Israel Furthermore it was a goodly market towne and had as well relation to Tyrus and Sidon two townes of the Gentiles within 44 miles of it as to Ierusalem from whence may be verified that saying of Esa ca. 8.9 The land of Zebulon and Nepthalim neere the way of the sea beyond Iordan and Galile of the Gentiles a people which sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death saw a great Light This town is therfore instly called the city of Comfort and Consolation since our Sauior Christ dwelt there who with his doctrine and preaching refreshed comforted all such as were afflicted with the burthen of their sins But the great men that were inhabitants of this City had more respect to their priuat profit than to the doctrine miracles that Christ wrought among them from whence it came to passe that they did as it were neglect and contemne that good which God had offered vnto them which made our Sauior say And thou Capernaum which seemest to be exalted vp vnto heauen shalt be cast down into hell for if the miracles had been done in Sodom and Gomorah which haue been done in thee they had continued vntill this day Verily verily I say vnto you It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorah in the day of Iudgment than for thee Mat. 11. For there was no such benefit offered to any Citie neither such honours and dignities as were to Capernaum our Sauior himselfe dwelling there Wherefore for their ingratitude and impiety the city hath diuers times bin wasted and destroied as well by the Romanes as other nations so that at this day this glorious city is become so desolate that there is scarce 8 houses standing and they also like small sheds Of Sichar IN antient time this towne was called Sichem of which you may reade more both in the trauels of Iacob and Abimilech After it came to be called Sichar according to the opinion of Luther vpon Genesis because the inhabitants of that country were giuen to pleasure and voluptuousnesse the greatest part of their delight being in drinking and quaffing for Sichar being deriued of Schachar signifieth to bee drunke or inordinately to swallow sweet and pleasant wine of which there was great plenty in that towne made of the juice of Apples the fruit of Palme trees and honey which may very well resemble Hipocras or Metheglin as some Authors haue it And although by the incursion of the Romanes it was vtterly wasted and left desolate yet in succeeding times it was rebuilt and called Nicapolis that is a New towne It is scituated very pleasantly and aboundeth with all manner of delights but it is vnfortified neither can it by any meanes bee fortified neither haue the inhabitants any helpe if they be oppressed by the Enemy but to fly for it is scituated in the middle of a valley betweene two high mountaines so that a man may fling a stone from the top of one of them into the city About two bowes shoot without the South gate of this towne is to be seene the Fountaine or Well of Iacob vpon the brimme of which our Sauiour Christ sate when hee was wearie as wee may reade in the fourth of Iohn This Well standeth iust in the way as Pilgrimes trauell to Ierusalem Vpon the right hand aboue this Well there standeth a mountain of an exceeding height diuided into two tops the one of them being called Gerizim the other Heball In mount Gerizim the Patriarch Ioshuah built an Altar and the people standing vpon mount Heball he caused the whole booke of Deuteronomie to be read ouer with the Blessings and Cursings so that all the people might heare them for thus we reade in Ios 8. The one halfe of the people stood close by Mount Gerizim and the other by mount Heball c. Deuteronom Chap. 27. These two great mountaines began vpon the right side of the Citie Sichar and extended themselues in length to the Citie of Iericho Vpon the left side of this Wel is to be seen the ruins of a great towne which is thought to be the old Sichem and by the relicks that remaine there it may be iudged to haue been a very goodly Citie For there are yet to bee seene certaine broken Pillars of Marble as also large and spatious Buildings which in times past without question haue beene very goodly things and standeth wonderfull pleasantly the soile round about it beeing very pleasant and fruitfull onely there is want of water This Towne lieth some two Bowes shoot from Sichar and the inhabitants of that place judge this Sichar to be Thebez where Abimelech died Iudg. 9. Not farre from Iacobs Well is to be seene that piece of ground which Iacob gaue to Ioseph more than the rest of his brethren Gen. 48. It is a long valley very fruitfull and pleasant where there lies buried in a certaine faire garden the bones of Iacob and Ioseph which were brought out of Aegypt Iosh 24. the reliques of which sepulchre are yet to be seene Mount Garizim or Gerizim is so called from the cutting downe of Trees for Garaz signifies To cut downc Vpon this Mountaine is to be seene euen to this day the place where the Temple stood that was built by Sanballath dedicated to Iupiter Olympius in contempt of the Temple of Ierusalem The chiefe Priest of this Temple was one Manasses a fugitiue of the stocke of Leui. This Manasses was brother to Iaddus chiefe Priest of Ierusalem
vanisheth away and is without any corporiall substance In the same moneth of Aprill our Sauiour Christ appeared again to Peter Thomas Nathaniel the sons of Zebedeus and other two Disciples as they were fishing vpon the shore of Tiberias which stood 56 miles from Ierusalem Northward betweene Bethsaida and Capernaum Ioh. 21. The day of this apparition is not set downe From the sea of Tiberias neere to Capernaum and Bethsaida to mount Thabor scituated in Galile is reckoned 10 miles there about the end of April our Sauior Christ appeared to aboue 500 brethren at once where many worshipped him others doubted Mat. 28. 1 Cor. 15. In the month of May our Sauior Christ appeared to Iames the son of Alpheus for he had been seen before of Iames the sonne of Zebedeus both which were after crowned with martyrdom in the city Ierusalem the son of Zebedeus vpon the 25 day of Iuly ten yeares after the resurrection and the sonne of Alpheus vpon the feast day of the Passeouer was throwne from a Pinnacle of the Temple 29 yeares after the resurrection of our Sauior Vpon the 40 day after his resurrection hee returned fiftie sixe miles to Ierusalem where his disciples were assembled together and vpon the fourteenth day of May in the sight of all the Apostles with great triumph and ioy he ascended vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of his father in diuine majestie and glory Mar. Luk. vlt. Act. 1. Psal 28. Ephes 1. 1 Pet. 3. Heb. 1. So these Trauels of our Sauior Christ were 319 miles But if you reckon his trauels from the time of his infancie to the day of his ascention they make 3093 miles Besides his generall Visitations and journies hither and thither which were so many that as Iohn witnesseth cap. vlt. they could not be described ¶ Of the townes and places to which he trauelled Of Iericho THis city stood very pleasantly in the tribe of Benjamin ten miles from Ierusalem Northeastward Ioshuah ouercame this towne by sounding of trumpets Ios 6. Heb. 11. it was rebuilt by Hiel and was compassed about with a new wall by Herod that mighty King of the Iews who put the innocent children to death and called it after his mothers name Cyprus Ios de Bell. Iud. lib. 1. cap. 16. And although this city was taken and vtterly ouerthrown the second time by the Romans at such time as Vespasian and his son Titus wasted and destroied Ierusalem and all the land of Iudaea yet afterward it was re-edified and in Ieroms time which was 400 yeares after Christ it was a faire city There was shewn the house of Zacheus and the Sycomore tree that he went vpon to see Christ Luk. 19. But by reason of the often destructions and deuastations that hath fallen vpon it there is not to be seen at this day aboue eight houses in the towne and all the monuments and Reliques of the holy places are vtterly destroyed the house of Zacheus and the Sicomore tree are no more to be seen in that place only the place is to be seen where our Sauiour restored the blind man to sight when hee cried after him Lord thou Sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon mee Luke Chap. 18. Also though this Countrey throughout be very fruitfull and pleasant yet is it nothing so fertile and pleasant as it was when the Children of Israel did dwell there For the Roses of Iericho are no more to bee found there but rather in a Village about sixteen miles from Iordan towards the East And although they stand so farre distant off yet they retain their antient name Between Ierusalem and Iericho there is a desart or wildernes which by the inhabitants of the holy land is called Quarentena where the man of which Christ speaketh fell among theeues Luk. 10. There is in the same place at this day great theeuing and many roberies committed as Brittenbacchus saith In this place also is to be seen the riuer Chereth where the Rauens fed Eliah 1 Reg. 17. Neere to Iericho also is found the riuer the water whereof Elizaeus made sweet by casting in salt whereas before it was bitter and it remaines very pleasant and sweet to this day 2 Reg. 2. Of Ephraim THis city is so called from the pleasantnesse and fruitfulnes of the soile being deriued from Parah To fructifie It lieth 8 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward iust in the way as you go from thence to Iericho in the wildernesse of Quarentena close by the riuer Chereth in the tribe of Benjamin Heere our Sauiour Christ after he had raised Lazarus from death to life hid himself with his disciples because the Iewes sought to take away his life by deceit The Passeouer following he was made a sacrifice for the sin of man Ioh. 11. Of Bethania THis city was a type of the Church which is alwaies subject to the Crosse and exposed to euery calamitie and therefore is called Bethania that is The house of sorrow and affliction being deriued of Baith an House and Oni Affliction According to the prophecie of our Sauiour who foretold of the afflictions and tribulations that should fall vpon his Church You shall mourn but you shall be comforted and your griefe shall be turned into ioy It was distant from Ierusalem almost two miles towards the South-East Borchardus the Monke obserueth That close by a Well about a stones cast out of this Towne there is shewed the place where Martha met our Sauiour Christ when he came to Bethania and a little after called her sister to meet him Iohn cap. 11. There is also shewne in this Towne the house of Simon the Leper where ◠certaine woman hauing an Alabaster boxe of pretious Ointment poured it on our Sauiors head not without the great indignation of his Disciples Matth. 26. There is also to be seene the house of Martha to which our Sauiour did oftentimes resort Luk. 10. Ioh. 11. 12. and in that place there is at this day a Church built in honour of those two sisters which were the sisters of Lazarus There is also seen the sepulchre out of which Lazarus was raised from death to life Ioh. 11. which stands close by the said Church and ouer it is built a chappell of Marble very decent and comely The Saracens hold this Chappell in great estimation You cannot see the citie of Ierusalem from Bethania because of the mount of Oliues but as soon as you ascend a little hill in the way as you got hence to Ierusalem you may discerne mount Sion and a part of the city then when you are discended from that hill the citie is againe hidden After that vpon the left side of the mount of Oliues some stones cast from Bethpage you doe leaue a small village standing vnder the mountaine of Offence where Solomon in times past committed Idolatry From this village the Asse and the Colt was brought vnto Christ Not farre from thence vpon the South side as you goe vpon the Mount
Sauiour Christ and the remainder is his age At his circumcision he was called Saul that is a mortall man but when he was made the Apostle of the Gentiles he was called Paul of which name there was a noble family in Rome so called because of the lownesse of their stature and smalnesse of their body as Carolus Sigonius obserueth In the 35 yeare after the natiuitie of Christ Paul was an inquisitor for priuate heresie and a cruel persecutor of the Gospel The next yeare he went from Ierusalem to Damascus in Syria which was 160 miles in which journey about the 25 day of Ianuary he was conuerted and vpon the 28 day of Ianuary was baptized by Ananias So he staied some few daies in Damascus and taught the Gospell of Christ Acts 9. 22. In the same yere that he was conuerted the Iewes those that were enemies to the Gospell went about by deceit to take his life wherefore he went from Damascus to Arabia Petraea which was 160 miles here hee continued teaching the Gospell by the space of three yeares that is from the beginning of the 35 to the end of the 37 yeare after the Natiuitie of Christ Act. 9. In the 38 yeare after the Natiuitie of Christ he returned from Arabia Petraea and came to Damascus which was 160 miles and there he diligently taught the Gospell of Christ But when in the same yeare Araeta King of Arabia went about to put him secretly to death he was let down in a basket ouer the wall and so went from Damascus to Ierusalem which was 160 miles and when hee came thither he brought Barnabas to the Apostles and shewed them his conuersion and remained with Peter 15 daies preaching the Gospell At this time he saw Iames the sonne of Alpheus and brother of our Lord Acts 9. 2 Cor. 11. Galat. 1. But when his aduersaries that were at Ierusalem went about secretly to put him to death hee went from Ierusalem and was brought by the brethren to Caesarea Strato which was 32 miles Acts 9. About the 38 yere after the natiuitie of Christ he went thence into Syria to Tarsus a citie of Cilicia which was 272 miles here he continued some yeares teaching the Gospell of Christ Gal. 1. 2 Cor. 11. In the 41 yeare after the natiuitie of Christ and about the seuenth yeare of his Ministrie hee was brought by Barnabas from Tarsus to Antiochia in Syria which was 120 miles At this time and in this towne all those that beleeued in Christ began to bee called Christians wheras before they were called Disciples and brothers Acts 11. These things hapned in the eight yeare after the resurrection of Christ about this time also Matthew wrote his Gospell and Agabus prophesied of the vniuersall dearth that should happen vnder Claudius Acts 11. In the 42 yeare after the natiuitie of Christ Paul being then at Antiochia and about 32 yeres of age was wrapt vp into the third heauen 14 yeares before he wrote his second Epistle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 12. In the 43 yeare after the natiuitie of Christ the famine wherof Agabus prophecied being now begun hee went with the gifts of the Church from Antiochia to Ierusalem which was 280 miles this yeare Iames the elder was beheaded at the command of Agrippa Acts 11. 12. In the 44 yeare after the natiuitie of Christ Paul and Barnabas with Peter were deliuered out of prison by the Angell of the Lord. Now hauing distributed the gifts of the Church hee returned in the company of Iohn Marke from Ierusalem to Antiochia which was 280 miles So these trauels were 1928 miles Of the townes and places to which he trauelled of Tarsus or Tharsus THis was the Metropolis of Cilicia scituated vpon the riuer of Cydnus which beginning at Mount Taurus runs thence through this towne into the Mediterranean sea It was first built by Perseus King of the Persians whom the Poëts faigne to bee the sonne of Iupiter and Danaë called Tharsus of the Hyacinth stone which as it seemeth is found thereabouts It was distant from Ierusalem 304 miles towards the North in antient time a goodly city but through the injurie of the time and inuasion of the enemy much impaired lay almost ruined til as Strab. saith li. 14. it was repaired by Sardanapalus that effeminat K. of the Assirians of whom Tully remembreth this Epitaph lib. 5. Tuscula Haec habeo quae aedi quaeque exaturata libido Hausit at illa jacent multa praeclara relicta What things I eat or spend in sport and play Those I enjoy the rest I cast away From his time vntill the raigne of Darius the last king of the Persians it continued in great prosperity and was become a maruellous stately citie the inhabitants therof being growne very wealthy but then Alexander the Great making warre vpon that Prince amongst others brought his Army against this citie but the citisens hearing of his notable exployts durst not abide his comming therefore they fired the citie left hee should make a prey of their riches and fled which when Alexander perceiued he gaue order to Parmenio with all possible speed to quench the fire and saue the citie In the meane time the King being prest with an extraordinary thirst by reason of the extreame heate that was in that country the dust and his long journie put off his roiall garments and cast himselfe into the riuer Cydnus which being a cold water comming out of the North stroke the heat presently inward and so benummed his sinewes that had it not been for the present helpe of his souldiers and the extraordinarie diligence and care of Philip his Phisitian he had died immediately notwithstanding by the great prouidence of God and the carefulnesse of his physitian hee recouered his dangerous sickenesse beyond the expectation of man and after ouercame Darius in a sharpe and cruell warre neere to a place called Issa as you may reade before See Plutarch in vita Alexand. and Quintus Curtius From that time forward this citie grew to be very famous and daily increased in statelinesse and faire buildings And to adde more dignitie to it there was a famous Academie in which were many learned and rare Philosophers in so much that they of Tharsus exceeded the Philosophers of Athens and Alexandria for learning and knowleged though indeed for number of scholers and common resort they exceeded Tharsus Saint Paul was borne and brought vp in this Towne and here learned the knowledge of the tongues Philosophie and other good arts Hee also perused the writings of Aratus Epimenides Menander and other learned men whose sayings are here and there dispersed through his Epistles From thence he was sent to Ierusalem where hee liued and was brought vp at the feet of Gamaliel who was Prouost of that Academy and after was conuerted to be an Apostle of Christ Iesus as appeareth Acts 22. This towne at this day is subject to the Empire of the Turkes and called