lower city or the daughter of Sion It was so beautiful that some hold of which number are Egesippus and Eusebius that it exceeded the rest of the city Here stood the house of Helena Queen of the Adiabenors neer about the midst of it as Iosep obserueth Li. Bell. 7. cap. 13. which Queene beeing conuerted to the Iewish Religion built her an house in this City that shee might pray in the Temple Here stood the houses of her sonnes Monobazius and Grapta here stood the houses of the high priests Annas and Caiaphas not far from the valley Tyropae King Herod also that wicked man who caused the innocent Children to be put to death built him an house heere neere about the place where the Machabees in times past had a Castle for they built two one in mount Moriah another in this Mount That in mount Moriah was after called the Castle of Antonia and stood right against the Temple as is aforesaid And this being very sumptuously built and a Royall seat was after the death of this Herod a Palace for his Successors Archilaus and Herod Agrippa Not farre off he caused two faire Theatres to be also built the one in honour of the Emperour Augustus and this on the one side joined to a tower called Acropolis which was built by Antigonus Epiphanes on a purpose to place a Garrison in to keepe the Iewes in bondage which Iudas Machabeus afterwards made leuel with the ground and on the other side towards his owne Pallace It resembled a semi-Circle made all of white Marble fairely polished the building somewhat low within full of high bankes one rising aboue another like Scaffolds so that the whole multitude might easily heare or see whatsoeuer was said or done It was curiously beautified with gold siluer and many goodly pictures but amongst the rest the battailes which the Emperour Augustus had woon against his people were liuely pourtrayed To this place as well Iews as Gentiles resorted to see Interludes and Playes acted The other was an Amphitheatre and stood vpon the South side of the house it was built round in a whole circle compassed about with high walls large and spatious Here they vsed to fence and to fight both on horse-backe and in Waggons And in the fifth yere in honor of Augustus the circensian games according to the Rites of the Gentiles were very sumptuously performed On the South side of this Amphitheater stood queen Bernice house Sister to Agrippa junior it was a very faire and sumptuous Building little inferiour to King Herods This stood in the market place and so all along were very sumptuous and stately Pillars Heere Agrippa himselfe had also an house and ouer against that vpon the North stood the Iudgement hall where the Sanhedrim or the Councell of the seuenty Elders vsed to meet to heare and determine of mens causes To this place Christ was brought when they asked him if he was Christ Luke 22. Here were the Apostles whipt Acts 5. and close by this stood the house of Pilat the Pretor fairely glistering with gold in which house all the Romane Pretors and Presidents for the most part had their residence and here our Sauiour Christ was whipt crowned with Thornes and spit vpon Not far off from this Pretors house stood the Chancerie or rather as we terme it the Treasury a stately and magnificent house curiously built and appointed onely to lay Records and common Chronologies in Heere also the Officers of the towne gaue in their accounts and Creditors entred their debts This was vtterly destroyed by Vespasian Thus much for the Buildings on this Mount Next the market place was a thing very memorable and was so large and spatious that in the time of the Warres many great battels were fought there as Iosephus saith In this market place close by Pilats house stood a high seat or Tribunal made of faire stone curiously wrought and for the eminence of it called in the Chaldaean tongue Gabatha and because it was built of stone the Grecians called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines Lapidanium and with vs it might be termed an heape of stones * for so the word signifieth Here Pilat taking water washed his hands before the people Or a well wrought stone and said I am innocent of this mans bloud At which they cried His bloud be vpon vs and our children And after by Gods appointment according to their own wish fel vpon them for in the same place and close by the same Seat it hapned that Herod wanting money demanded of the Iewes so much out of their Treasurie which they called Corban as would pay for the making of a Water-course for he assayed to bring water into the City from a Fountaine some two hundred furlongs off it but the Iewes supposing it a needlesse worke not onely denied him but gaue many outragious and spitefull speeches tumultuously flocked about him and with great clamors prest vpon him euen as he was in his seat wherfore perceiuing the danger and to preuent mischief he sent to his souldiers to apparell themselues like Citisens and vnder their gownes to bring with them a dagger or ponyard and mingle themselues among the multitude which they did obseruing who they were that made the greatest vprore and when Herod gaue the signe fel vpon them with their ponyards killing a great multitude The rest seeing this massacre suspecting treason amongst themselues fell one vpon another and many for feare of losse or to auoid future danger killed themselues In this very place also Florus Generall of the common souldiers within few yeares after vpon a small occasion made another cruell massacre and much more barbarous than the former for hee spared none the best of them he caused to be whipt to death or else crucified and put to the sword and for the Vulgar spared neither woman nor childe So that within the compasse of one day there died of this obstinate and wicked Nation aboue seuen hundred and thirty This outrage was so cruell that all strangers which inhabited within the town pitied their misery but especially Queen Bernice who being partly frighted with their shreeks partly moued to commiseration through the extremitie of their affliction indangered her life to present her selfe before Florus and vpon her knees besought him to take some mercy and pitty of them and withdraw his hand of vengeance from the bloud of the guiltlesse But the fury of the Roman souldiers was so fierce and the resolution of Florus so vnremoueable that neither her teares nor the present calamities could persuade him But as in such Vprores it commonly happeneth she with the rest was in danger of her safety and was constrained the next night for the preseruation of her estate to keep a strong watch lest the Roman souldiers should haue done her some violence Thus we may see a iust reuenge of a periured and stif necked people and that in the place where the offence was committed though at
West and signifieth a Royall or loftie gift The Trauels of Baesa King of Israel BAesa is as much to say as An industrous and promt man in doing any thing This may hauing slaine his Master Nadab neere vnto Gibithon vsurped vpon the Kingdome of Israel about the end of the third yearo of Asa King of Iuda and began his raigne Anno mundi 2992 before Christ 974 and raigned ouer Israel almost 24 yeares two of which he raigned with his sonne 1 Reg. 15. He went from Gibithon to Thirza 36 miles where hee vtterly rooted out the whole stocke and family of Ieroboam After falling into Idolatrie he was sharply reprehended for it by Iehu the Prophet the son of Hanani of whom you may reade more 1 Reg. 15. From Thirza he went to Ramah which is 16 miles this towne he built and fortified it very strongly 2 Chr. 29. But when he heard that Benhadad King of Syria had inuaded Israel hee left his building at Ramah and with all possible speed that hee could went to Thirza where hee died and was buried 1 Reg. 15. 2 Chr. 16. So all the Trauels of Baesa were 68 miles Of Ramah Of this Citie you may reade before Of Ella or Elah King of Israel ELah signifies a cruell man This was the son of Baasha King of Israel who was crowned King his father yet liuing about the beginning of the 26 yeare of Asa king of Iuda at such time as Benhadad king of Syria inuaded and wasted Galilee He raigned two yeares one of them during the life of his father the other alone in Thirza at the end of which hee was slaine by Simri his seruant 1 Reg. 15. 16. Of Zimri King of Israel SImri signifieth a singer and was a captain ouer king Elahs chariots hee raigned 7 daies in Thirza in which time he put to death and vtterly rooted out all the posteritie of Baasha and then Omri besieged the Citie so straitly that he had no hope to escape wherefore he set the citie and pallace on fire in which he also perished 1 Reg. 15. 16. The Trauels of Omri King of Israel OMri signifieth a souldier or one that deserueth his pay He was made King by the Israelites in his tent while he was at wars neere to Gibithon from whence he went to Thirza which was 36 miles and besieged the same vpon the very day that Simri had put the posteritie of Baasha to the sword and took it He began to raigne in Thirza Anno mundi 3017 and before Christ 951 and raigned ouer Israel 12 yeres the first six of which was in Thirza the latter six in Samaria 1 Reg. 16. From Thirza he went to mount Semer six miles there Omri built Samaria and made it the seat of his kingdome He went thither about the seuenth yeare of his raigne 1 Reg. 16. So these two journies were 42 miles Of Samaria SAmaria the chiefe seat and Metropolis of Israel was built by Omri in mount Semer 32 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and took that name of Semer who was Lord of that mountaine of whom K. Omri bought it for two talents of siluer which amounteth to 1200 crownes In this citie 14 Kings of Israel kept their Courts viz. Omri who was the first founder of it Ahab Ahasia Iehoram Iehu Ioachas Ioas Ieroboam Zacharias Sallum Menahem Pekahia Pekah and Hosea who was the last of the Kings of Israel that raigned in this citie and lost it together with his libertie Of all these Kings there were but fiue that died naturally for the Lord being moued to wrath by reason of their impietie and idolatrie either gaue them vp into the hands of forrein enemies or by ciuill war amongst themselues they cruelly murthered one another vntill such time as the Assirians destroied the land and led the people captiue Thus the Lord punished with a sharp and seuere punishment this obstinat nation because they contemned the admonitions and doctrines of the Prophets amongst which Elias and Elizeus were the chiefe So that although Samaria was a faire and beautifull city and the country for that cause was called the prouince of Samaria yet notwithstanding that great God the Iudge of all things for the iniquitie of the people caused this faire Citie to be left desolate the inhabitants of the land to be dispersed and the earth for want of due vsage to lie as a wildernesse 2 Reg. 17. This city in the old Testament according to the Hebrew phrase is called Shaemaer of Schomron which signifies To keepe or a Tower of strength You may reade of this 1 Reg. 2. 2 Reg. 1. 7. The Greekes and Latines call it Samaria which signifieth The castle of Iehouah or of God You may reade more of this in the second Volume Of Hiel that built Iericho againe AFter the death of Omri King of Israel when Ahab his sonne began to raigne Hiel a very rich man in the town of Bethel that hee might leaue behind him an eternall memorie of his name went to Iericho which had bin formerly destroied by Ioshuah the son of Nun had lien wast for the space of 536 yeres where contrary to the commandement of the Lord and curse of Ioshuah he caused the said citie to be rebuilt such was the impious securitie and incredulitie of this man but the Lord was angry with him and he strooke all his children that they died The eldest son called Abiram at the laying of the foundation and his yongest sonne called Segub at the hanging on of the gates Ios 6. 1 Reg. 16. The Trauels of King Ahab AHab went from Samaria to the hill Carmel where Elias put to death the Priests of Baal which was about 32 miles 1 Reg. 18. From thence he went to Iezreel which is sixteene miles there he told his wife how Elias had put the priests of Baal to the sword 1 Reg. 18. From Iezreel he went againe to Samaria 18 miles where being prest with a hard siege by Benhadad King of Syria he broke out of the citie for his better safety and by Gods great prouidence and assistance he assailed the Syrians put a great multitude of them to the sword the rest fled and hee went away with a noble victory as the Prophet of the Lord had formerly told him 1 Reg. 20. From Samaria he went with his army to Napheck which was 14 miles where he renewed a second battell and therein had good successe so that hee tooke Benhadad aliue and put to the sword 100000 Syrians In this place the Prophet of the Lord reproued him for his ingratitude and obstinacie wherefore Ahab being angry he went from Apheck to Samaria which was eight miles 1 Reg. 20. From Samaria he went io Iesreel 16 miles where that perfidious Queene Iesabel caused Naboth to be put to death and tooke possession of his Vineyard 1 Reg. 21. From Iezreel he went to Ramoth Giliad 24 miles and there in a fight that hee had against the Syrians was so sore-wounded with an arrow
to yellow spotted all ouer with round shining spots in like manner are their eies She is a friend almost to all kinde of creatures except the Aspe and Dragon and as Oppianus saith neuer taken but when shee is drunke or in her sleepe She is the female to the Leopard The Leopard is of the same colour and of the nature of a Wolfe being full hee hurteth nothing but if empty he preyeth vpon euery thing yea euen vpon men his breath is very sweet with which many other creatures being delighted he often preyes vpon them but beeing full he sleepeth somtimes three daies together The Tyger also is a very swift and cruell creature from whence he is so called his skin is yellow and full of black spots round and shining If shee chance to lose her yong she neuer leaues seeking till shee findes them out The Trauels of Tryphon that put Antiochus to death IN An. mundi 3826. before Christ 142. Tryphon somtime chief Captain to Alexander King of Syria who was slain in Arabia went to Emalcuel Prince of Arabia deserta with whom Antiochus the son of Alexander was brought vp where he so wrought with him that he got the boy from him and brought him thence into Syria 160 miles and within a while after besieged Antiochia tooke the towne droue thence Demetrius Nicanor and crowned yong Antiochus King of Assyria This journy to and again was 320 miles 1 Mac. 11. In the second yeare of the reign of young Antiochus Tryphon went from Antiochia to Bethsan where he perfidiously betrayed Ionathan the brother of Iudas Machabeus 1 Mac. 12. being thirtie six miles From Bethsan he went to Ptolomais 32 miles From Ptolomais he went to Addus a towne vpon the borders of Iudea 68 miles 1 Mac. 13. To Addus Simon sent his brothers Children and his ransome which was 60 talents of siluer but after hee had receiued the mony he broke his word and went thence with Ionathan and his sons to Ador 48 miles From Ador hee went to Bascharnan in the land of Gilead 96 miles Here he put to death Ionathan and his sonnes From the country of the Gileadites he returned to Antiochia which was 240 miles here he put to death yong Antiochus being but a boy of 7 yeares of age and vsurped vpon the gouernment in his place He began to reign in the 172 yeare of the Grecians gouernment in Syria and reigned 3 yeares 1 Mac. 14. Ios li. Ant. 13. About the end of the three yeares which was in the 174 yeare of the Grecians gouernment in Syria Antiochus Sedetes brother of Demetrius Nicanor made war vpon Tryphon and compelled him to fly from Antiochia to Dora 240 miles from Antiochia toward the South 1 Mac. 15. But Antiochus Sedetes followed him thither and so streightly besieged Dora that he was constrained to steale thence in a ship and saile to Orthosia which was 160 miles Lastly in the way as he was going thence to Apamea which was 120 miles he was taken and put to death So all his trauels were 1360 miles ¶ Of the places mentioned in his trauels which haue been formerly recited Of Dora DOra was a hauen towne scituated vpon the shore of the Mediterranean sea 48 miles from Ierusalem Northward in the mid way between Carmel and Caesarea Strato In Ioseph cap. 17. it is called Dor that is à durans Of Orthosia THis was a city of Assiria scituated vpon the shore of the Mediterranian sea neere to the place where the riuer Eleutherius falleth into it 200 miles from Ierusalem Northward being so called of Diana whom the Grecians called Orthosia that is Exalted or lifted vp Hither Tryphon sailed when hee fled from Antiochus Sedetes 1 Mac. 15. Plin. lib. 5. cap. 20. Concerning the trauels of Apolonius Nicanor Bacchides and Cendebius because they are sufficiently described in the trauels of the Machabees I thought it vnfit to speake further of them The Trauels of Heliodorus HEliodorus signifies the House of the Sun He was Scretarie and chiefe Gouernor of Antiochia in Syria for that mightie King Seleucus Philopater who was brother to that cruel Tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes and was sent by his Lord and master Seleucus from Antiochia to Ierusalem which is 80 miles to spoile the Temple of the Lord but the Lord sent an Angel richly beautified with armor of gold sitting vpon a horse who went to Heliodorus and with his horse trod him vnder his feet and there appeared two other Angels full of majestie and power that strooke Heliodorus and beat him with whips so that he lay vpon the floore of the Temple as a man halfe dead and could not go forth vntil he was caried out 2 Mac. 3. From Ierusalem he went with that good man Onias chief priest of the Iewes at whose earnest prayers and supplications hee was made whole to Antiochia 280 miles where hee told Seleucus Philopater of the wonderfull works of the Lord. So all his trauels were 580 miles The Trauels of the high-Priests of the Iewes that ruled before the Machabees as they are seuerally mentioned in the Books of Machabees And first of the trauels of Onias the high-Priest ONias signifies the riches of God from On Opulency and Iah God for although he was afflicted with pouertie in this world yet he was rich in God He succeeded his Father Simon the Iust an M. 3757. before Christ 211. Antiochus the great being King of Syria He was high-priest 39 years vntil the death of Seleucus Philopater at the end of which time one Simon the chiefe of those that kept the temple being ambitious of rule fell to words with Onias and from words to blowes so that there were many outrages committed by the friends of Simon Wherefore Onias to giue place to the fury of his aduersaries went from Ierusalem to Antiochia which was 280 miles But Seleucus Philopater being dead and Antiochus Epiphanes in the gouernment who was a couetous and cruell prince good Onias partly for fear of him and partly of his brother Iason who had but a little before purchased the office of high priest for 360 talents of siluer and promised to pay a yearely tribute of 80 talents durst not return home to Ierusalem but went to a sanctuary that stood in the wood of Daphne which was about one mile from Antiochia in hope of safety to which place one Andronichus chiefe Captaine to Antiochus came to him and with faire speeches and flattering words allured him out of the Sanctuary and traiterously put him to death So his trauels were 281 miles The Trauels of the high-Priest Iason IAson and Iesus haue both one signification he entred vpon the office of High priest in the first yere of Antiochus Epiphanes which was 173 yeares before Christ He went from Ierusalem to Antiochia which was 280 miles where after the death of Onias he payd to Antiochus for the office of high-priest almost 3 tunnes of gold with promise to pay a yearely tribute of 48000 crowns From Antiochia
the Princes and Embassadors of the King of Assyria spake blasphemous words against the Lord wherefore he slew 185 thousand of them as appeareth in the 2. King 19. Of the valley of the sonne of Hinnon THis valley lieth behind the city of Ierusalem Southward on the left hand as they went from Ierusalem to Bethelem In this valley the Iewes set vp an Idoll of copper like a King which they called Moloch that is a King of Idols This Copper Idoll stood with the arms stretching out and vnder it there was a great fire whereby the Image shewed fire-redde and besides that the more to honour it they made a great fire betweene two walls which burnt for his sake and through this fire the Idolatrous Priests cast liuing children into Molochs burning armes which he with his armes red hot burnt to death And in this manner the Iewes offered their owne children to the Idoll Moloch and when they did it they made a great noise crie and beat vpon a drum that the fathers when their children were offered should not here them crie by reason of the great noise of Drums This valley was called the valley of Tophet for Tophet signifies a Drum This was a most grosse and fearefull Idolatry therefore Christ likened this valley of Hinnon to hell fire for he called it Gehenna Mat. 5. That the Iewes should keepe themselues from this monstrous Idolatrie God made a law That if any man were taken committing this kind of Idolatry he should forthwith be stoned to death and not suffered to liue Leuit. 18. 20. The valley of Gehennon is oftentimes named in the holy Scriptures Iosh 15. Nehem. 11.2 Paral. 28.33 Ier. 7. Ierom writeth that here by this Idol Moloch in the valley of Hinnon there was a Wood for the water ran out of the Fountaine Siloah along by it and made the valley moist Of the field of bloud called Hakeldama THis field of bloud which was bought for thirty siluer pence for the which Iudas betraied our Sauiour Christ lay not farre from the valley of Hinnon Southward by the city of Ierusalem as Ierom writeth Of the hill Hameskita or offence and stander THis hill lay Southeast not farre from Ierusalem something wide of mount Oliuet so that there was but one Valley betweene them and was not altogether so high as it Also vpon this hill King Solomon in his old age suffered his wiues or concubines to make Idolatrous Temples wherein he and his wiues worshipped Idols Of the destruction of this famous Citie of Ierusalem by TITVS VESPASIAN THus haue I briefly set forth the dignitie scituation curiosity of the buildings of Ierusalem together with the richnesse of the Temple and sumptuousnesse of the houses now it rests to describe vnto you the manner and meanes how this famous Citie was destroyed surely a thing worthy wonder according to that in Ieremy Whosoeuer shall heare of it his eares shall tingle And that it might be the more famous and the Christians within it might take notice of the neer approaching desolation there were diuers strange accidents hapned and visions seene As first about some foure yeares before the riuer Iordan was turned out of her course and was brought into the Citie Pella a while after that for a yeare together there hung a Comet like a flaming sword ouer the City And in the night there was seene a light in the Temple And in the day when they were at sacrifice a Calfe brought forth a Lambe Then about the middle of the night the Easterne gates of the Temple opened of their owne accord In the skies were seene armies of men fighting and Horses and Chariots running too and againe And at last there was heard a terrible voice in the temple vttering these words Migremus hinc that is Let vs goe hence And that there might be a generall Proclamation of this sad and cruell desolation through the whole citie one Ananias the sonne of Iesus a man poore and impotent vpon the Feast of the Tabernacles ran through all the streets of the Citie and crying O a voice from the East and a voice from the West a voice from the foure windes a voice ouer Ierusalem and the Temple a voice ouer the Bridegroome and the Bride and a voice ouer the whole multitude of this Citie And although he was whipt and imprisoned and cruelly handled yet so long as he liued hee would not cease to vtter these words which by some were judg'd to foretel the horrible desolation which after hapned For Titus Caesar sonne of Flavius the Emperor about seuentie yeares after the Natiuitie of our Lord and about eight and thirty after his ascension vtterly ouerthrew it euen to the ground about the first day of the moneth of Aprill and within a yeare after these signes For he taking aduantage of the three factions which at this time swaied in Ierusalem One of Eleazer the Priest the sonne of Simon the other of Zilotus the chiefe Prince which held the Temple and the third of Iohannes Giscalenus a cruell fellow which had the command of the inferiour Citie besieged it and made this a fit opportunitie to further his enterprises whiles the seditious and factious people little regarding their owne safetie gaue way by their euill and intestine warrs to what he intended weakning themselues much more by their continued slaughters than the enemy by his inuasion Insomuch as the whole citie and Temple was filled with dead bodies common insolencies and publique rapines were ordinarily amongst them some set fire of the City others dispoiling the Temple a third sort killing the Priests euen as they were at sacrifice al places ful of dead bodies and to this to adde a greater measure of miserie without any regard at all to their future defence set fire of the store-house wherein the corne lay for the sustentation of the Citie and consumed that in one day which had been long a gathering by this meanes it came to passe that they were sorely afflicted with the pestilence through the corruption of the aire and with famine for want of Corne. All these things notwithstanding such was the crueltie obstinacie and peruersenesse of this people could not restraine them from violating the most sacred and holy things of the Temple insomuch as Iohannes Giscalenus had a full determination to haue destroyed it but that he was preuented by the Romans About this time was the feast of the Passeouer and it fell vpon the fourteenth day of Aprill being the Sabboth to the celebration whereof there resorted to Ierusalem about three hundred thousand Iewes These the enemy gaue way to enter into the Citie but considering their present necessitie for want of victuals vpon a suddain drew vp their forces and so straightly beleagered them that all this huge multitude was as it were imprisoned within the wals where partaking of the former misery they either died by the plague or famin Whence may be perceiued the maruellous prouidence
of God that euen on the same day and in the very same place where but eight and thirtie yeares before our Sauiour Christ suffered the authors of such crueltie suffered a most just and seuere reuenge Now as the army of the Romans lay vpon the North of the Citie Titus drew out a band of six hundred horse to ride about to behold and view the walls of the Towne but as he was in this manner wondring at the sumptuousnesse of the Citie the Iewes in great multitudes slipt out at a posterne gate and set vpon him so fiercely that they endangered his person being without armour and had he not with great difficultie broke through them and recouered the Tower of the Romans hee had beene there slaine But presently vpon this seeing the danger hee besieged the Citie in three parts himselfe as the Emperour of the armie built a castle about some two furlongs from the Citie iust against the Tower Psephina Thc other part of the army was intrenched right against the Tower Hippicus not farre from the Garden of the resurrection And the third part had their Castle in the Mount of Oliues some fiue furlongs or thereabouts from the Citie Then did hee build Bulwarkes make Engines and wonderfull deuises for the battering of the Walls and combining himselfe with some of the Iewes vpon the seuenth day of the second moneth which answereth to the moneth of May with great difficultie and much labour entred the first Wall which lay vpon the North and woon Mount Bezitha and Neapolie Vpon the twelfth of the same moneth which was the Sabboth day hee entred the second wall which diuided the suburbs but this was againe the same day recouered by the vertue of the Iewes so that the Iewes were constrained to fight vpon the Sabboth day according to the prophecie of our Sauiour Christ Matt. 24. But after vpon the sixteenth of this moneth of May the Romans againe recouered this wall and kept it in their owne custody Within a while after in the month of Iune about this time the famine growing intollerable within the towne Titus in the space of three daies compassed in the whole citie of Ierusalem with a Wall and vpon that set Towers and Castles lest any of the Iewes should flye to saue themselues Thus was the prophecie of our Sauiour Christ fulfilled Thy enemies shall compasse thee about and hem thee in on euery side Iosephus was now in the Citie and walking vpon the Walls earnestly intreated the Iewes to desist and no longer to oppose the Romans but this was so hatefull a speech to many that they began to fling darts at him And although at this time the extremitie of the famine was so sore that many dyed for want of sustenance yet all perswasions were in vaine and such was the calamitie that as well those as went out as those that continued in the Citie were in like danger of their liues for they were either slaine by the enemy or els by the pestilence and famine common injuries and vnmercifull outrages still attending vpon warre Their misery did rather increase then at all lesson it selfe for the jealousie of treason the hope of riches and the madnes of the seditious distracted the mindes of the Citizens with continuall feares and filled the streets full of murther and daily spectacles of lamentable tragedies The markets were vnfrequented with Corne the victuals with violence consumed and taken from the true owners And if it chanced that some one had more than would serue his turne though he dwelt in a faire and stately building yet the remotest roome and most vnfrequented he made his tabernacle and that little which was left with great parcimonie he consumed together with his life till both were ended Those that were Fathers and Senats of the people though before serued and attended with reuerenced and great state in this consusion was glad of a small morsell though with much contention The wife was not ashamed to take away the meate from her husband nor the children from their parents nor the mothers from their infants And if it hapned that in any house the seditious seemed to smell food with violence they tooke it ransackt the roomes round about whiles the master therof was made a laughing stocke and mournfull spectator of those mischiefes But according to the condition of souldiers whose naturall disposition is to be violent without any regard either of sex or kindred committed daily outrages So that here you might haue seene the mothers weeping ouer their dying infants whiles their husbands were massacred in the streets by the seditious The increase of daies were the increase of torments and the daily want of such as were in power being vnaccustomed to such euils caused them to inuent new meanes to satisfie their desire and practise vnusuall torments for no other purpose but to finde out sustenance yea such was their insatiable thirst of bloud that they spared not him whom but now gaue them all hee had and least he should liue to cumber the city either hang him vp by the heeles till he died or else pulled out his entrailes with a sharpe yron Those that went out in the night time when the Romans were asleepe to gather herbes the seditious would meet and with violence take what they had got from them and though with teares and lamentations and prayers vpon their knees they intreated but for one part a small moitie of that which a little before they had got with danger of their liues yet they would not giue it them and scap't fairely if they went away with life These insolencies were committed by the common souldiers vpon such as were of the meaner sort of people But for the rest that were either honorable or rich they became a prey to the Captains and Commanders some accused as traitors and that they would haue betraied the Citie to the Romans others as fugitiues that they would forsake the Citie most vnder pretence of one crime or other dispoiled of that they had And they whom Iohn had thus oppressed were entertained of Simon and whom Simon had injuried they were entertained by Iohn both drunke the bloud of the miserable Citizens like water So that the desire of rule was the cause of their dissention the concord of their euill and cruell actions There was an infinite number that perished in this citie by famine insomuch as houses were filled with the bodies of infants and children The Angle gate was thrust full of dead corpes The young men that remained walked vp and downe the Citie like Images of death The old men were destroyed by the pestilence the contagion of which disease taking away their senses they became madde And of such as died among the seditious their wiues or kindred had not roome nor time to bury them but as they were putting them into the graue they also dyed Yet for all this amongst this miserable societie there was no weeping no complaining no deploring
was the 30 mansion of the Israelites in the wildernesse being 132 miles from Ierusalem toward the South took the name from the pleasantnesse and fertilitie of the wildernesse being deriued of Iatab Batha A certain good and pleasant wast or wildernesse Of Arbona THis place being very discommodious and no whit profitable the children of Israel were constrained to remoue their tents with great weeping and lamentation for Arbona being deriued from Abar and Naha signifies partly to remoue and partly to weep Of Aezion Gaber THis was a town of the Idumaeans neer the red sea 148 miles from Kades Barnea and 174 miles from Ierusalem towards the South Here the Israelites set vp their tents and here Solomon made his Navy which he sent to Ophir to fetch gold 1 Kings 9. This city no doubt took the name of the strength and multitude of trees whereof these ships were built for they were very faire ships and of excellent workmanship Aezion Gaber signifieth A strong tree beeing deriued of Ez and Gaber that is A Tree of strength Of Zin-Kades THis was a great Wildernesse lying betweene Ezion-Gaber and Kades-Barnea being 184 miles in length abounding with thorns and high mountaines Vpon the North side thereof lay mount Seir and Kades-Barnea and towards the South the red sea It was called Paran and Zin of the aboundance of thorns that grew there for Zin of Zanan signifies a sharp thorne Zinnim full of thorns and Kadesh Sanctity or holinesse Here Moses and Aaron hauing strooke the rocke twice at length it brought forth water but for their murmuring incredulity God would not suffer them to goe into the land of Canaan This lay 120 miles from Ierusalem toward the South Of the mountaine Hor. HOr is a mountain of the Idumaeans 88 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast and is deriued of Harar which signifieth a great mountain here Aaron died The King of the Canaanites which dwelt toward the South in a town called Arad vpon the borders of Iudaea and Arabia Petraea hearing that Aaron was dead inuaded the Iews with a great army discomfited them and tooke some of them captiues But after the Israelites to reuenge this iniury tooke and destroyed diuers cities which belonged to the Canaanites and put the citisens to the sword This countrey is called Chormah which signifieth a curse or desolation Of Zalmona THis was a place in the desart of Zin-Kades where the Israelites pitcht their tents being 80 miles from Ierusalem to the Southeast and took the name from shades or little sheds vnder which the Israelites dwelt for Zalmona seems a compound of Zel and Mun which signifies a shady place and seemes to haue affinitie with Manah to distribute here and there Of Phunon THis was a city of the Idumaeans scituated in the wildernes of Arabia Petraea 64 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southeast and takes the name from a faire and flourishing city For Panan in Hebrew signifieth an high pinnacle from whence one might see all parts of the world Here Moses set vp the brasen Serpent Of Oboth THis was the 37 mansion of the Israelites in the wildernesse was 56 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southeast and signifies a serpent called Python Here the Arabians receiued an answer from the Diuell by way of conjuration Of Igim THis was the 38 Mansion of the Israelites so called because of the multitude which were assembled neer to a mountain called Abarim 52 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast for Igim signifieth a Congregation Of Dibon Gad. THis was the 39 station of the Israelites in the desart beeing 52 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast neere to the floud Zared bordering vpon the Idumaeans and Moabites running from thence into the red sea and as it seemes taketh name from descending into a strong place Of Almon Diblathaim THis place stands beyond the red sea some 40 miles from Ierusalem toward the East and taketh name from a Fraile of dried figs from Alam signifieth he hath hidden and Debeleth A Fraile of dried figs. Here was the 40 mansion of the Israelites and lay close by the riuer Arnon Num. 21. 23. Of the mountaines Abarim THese mountaines lay 32 miles from Ierusalem towards the East and taketh the name from Passing along for Abar is as much to say as He went along Between these mountains and the lake Asphaltites neere to the Easterne riuer of the Dead sea the Moabites inhabited Of Iahza THis was a city of the Levits the sons of Merar in the Tribe of Benjamin 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward Ios 21. here Moses ouercame the King of the Ammonites and put them to death Num. 21. Of Chezbon THis was the Metropolis of Sehon King of the Ammorites who held the country beyond Iordan and because he would not suffer the children of Israel to passe through his Dominions therefore Moses made warre vpon him put him to death and gaue all his country to the tribes of Reuben and Gad. This was a faire towne and after fell to the Levits Num. 21.33 Deut. 1.2 c. and tooke its name from Cheschebon which signifies An artificiall vnderstanding for Chaschaf is as much as excogitavit that is he hath found out and Cheschaef is An artificiall and ingenious Worke. Of Iaezir IAezir was a city of the Priests in the Tribe of Gad 36 miles from Ierusalem toward the East and in Ieroms time was a smalâ— village and signifies The Lord is my help being deriued of Iah that is The Lord God and Ezaer The helper Of Edrie THis is a city in the countrey of Gilead beyond Iordan and the Galilean sea 32 miles from Ierusalem South-Eastward neere the lake of Gaderin where Og the King of Basan was ouercome by Moses and after fel to the Tribe of Manasses Num. 21. Ios 13. Deut. 13. S. Ierom saith That in his time this towne waâ— called Adar Og signifieth a Cooke or one that baketh bread vpon coles Aedriae signifies an heap of bright clouds being deriueâ— of Adar and Hi that is a cleare heape Of Astoroth THis was a metropolitan City of Basan foure miles distanâ— from Edri and 56 from Ierusalem toward the Southeast Iâ— stood beyond Iordan and belonged to the half tribe of Manasses of which you may reade before in the trauels of Lot Of Pisgah THis was a high mountaine in the plaine of the Moabites against Iericho 240 miles from Ierusalem Eastward It took the name from the cities Pisgah and Nebo and therefore is called somtimes Pisgah somtimes Nebo Here Moses died Nebo signifies a city of the Prophets Pisgah The top of a hill The Trauels of the Prophet Balaam THere are many which thinke that this Prophet Balaam was of the posteritie of Nahor the brother of Abraham and an inhabitant of the city of Charan in Mesopotamia Gen. 11. Iosephus saith he dwelt neere to Euphrates and S. Ierom in a Citie called Phatura of which there is mention Num. 22. and signifies an obscure Prophet or
and be reconciled to her but her father shut him out of doores because he had married his wife to another man wherefore he tooke a company of Foxes and tying them taile to taile put fire-brands to their tailes and turned them into the wheat of the Philistines and they set fire of all the Wheat and Vines and Oliues thereabout Iudg. 15. From thence he went to a caue in the rock Eta and there dwelt which is 12 miles Iudg. 15. At the rocke Eta Sampson was bound with two new cords by the Israelites and from thence led to Ramah Lehi which is six miles where hee killed 1000 Philistines with the jaw bone of an Asse that he found in the way From thence he went to Gaza a citie of the Philistins which is 42 miles here he carried away the gates of the citie From Gaza he carried these gates with the posts to the top of a hill neere Hebron which is 20 miles Iudg. 16. From Hebron he went to the riuer Sorecke where hee dwelt with Dalilah the Harlot and by her was deceiued and taken of the Philistines which are 12 miles Being taken of the Philistines he put out both his eies and bound him in chains and led him from thence to Gaza which is 32 miles there they brought him into the house of their god Dagon to make them sport but he pulled downe the house a multitude of them were slaine where he also died and was buried in the Sepulchre of Manoah his father betweene Zerea and Esthaol 28 miles from Gaza and almost 20 from Ierusalem towards the West This was in the yeare of the World 1811 and before Christ 1157. So all the Trauels of Sampson were 240 miles The description of the seuerall Townes and places to which SAMPSON trauelled Of Zarea THis is a city in the tribes of Iuda and Dan neere the riuer Soreck and taketh the name from a Cole or Leprosie being deriued of Sarag that is He was Leaprous it stood 18 miles from Ierusalem Westward Of Esthaol THis was a Towne in the Tribe of Dan two miles from Zarea and stood neere the Riuer Sorecke some 20 miles from Ierusalem towards the West and taketh the name from a Woman and Fortitude for Isca signifieth a woman and El or Ol strong or powerfull Here Sampson was brought vp In S. Ieroms time this was called Asto not farre from whence Sampson lieth buried Of Timnah You may reade of this in the trauels of Iudah Of Ascalon THis was a citie of the Philistines scituated vpon the shore of the Mediterranean sea some 30 miles from Ierusalem Westward and to this day retaineth the figure of halfe a circle it taketh the name from an ignominious fire being deriued of Esh and Kalon an ignominious light Of Gaza Of this Towne you may reade in the trauels of Ioshuah Of the Riuer Sorek THis was a very pleasant riuer vpon the banke whereof grew great plentie of Vines and Palmes from whence it seemeth to haue taken the name for Sorek in Hebrew signifieth a Myrtle branch which bringeth forth a pleasant berrie whereof excellent Wine is made It takes the beginning at a fountaine in the tribe of Iuda some 12 miles from Ierusalem towards the West where there is a very fertile valley in which Dalilah that betraied Sampson dwelt and from thence it runneth through the land of the Philistines and falleth into the Mediterranean sea Of the rocke Eta IN this rocke there was a caue wherein Sampson dwelt as in a strong tower it stood in the Tribe of Iuda neere to the riuer Sorecke 12 miles from Ierusalem toward the West and seemeth to take the name from Fowles for before that Sampson inhabited there a multitude of fowles bred vpon it and therefore it was called Eta for Aith signifies a Fowle This rocke growing to decay was repaired againe by Ierobaham that idolatrous King of Israel Of Sampson SAmpson or Schimpson according to the Hebrew text taketh his name from the Sunne for Schaemaes in Hebrew signifieth the Sunne and seemeth to haue some affinity with Hercules which signifieth The glory of the aire for what can be said to be the glory of the aire but the Light of the Sunne without which it would become exceeding darke wherefore as some thinke this Sampson was the true Hercules and those noble exploits that hee did the Graecians attributed to their Hercules The typicall signification of SAMPSON HE typically representeth Christ diuers waies first in his person hee was a mightie man secondly in his profession hee was a Nazarite thirdly in his calling he was a Prince and Iudge fourthly in his manner of liuing for he went from place to place to reuenge himselfe vpon the enemies of Gods people the children of Israel and in his death euen so our Sauiour Christ is that strong man who being mightier than the Diuel hath dispossest him of his tyrannicall jurisdiction ouer the soules of mankinde hath taken away those gates of death by his mercy opening vnto vs the dore of life that so being set at liberty from that hellish imprisonment we may be made partakers of euerlasting happinesse he was also a Nazarite euen from his mothers womb borne and bred there tying himselfe to a vow of bondage that we might be made free he is a Prince for euer and a Priest after the order of Melchisadeck during the continuance of his life in this vaile of misery his chiefest actions were to go from place to place to teach to doe good and to rescue and relieue the poore distressed members of the Church who lay miserably afflicted vnder the hands of Sathan healing some relieuing others and bringing a third sort into the state of grace so that as Sampson deliuered the Israelites from the bondage of the Philistins Christ our Prince and Iudge deliuereth his from the slauerie of Sathan by his death sauing more soules than in his life And therby pulling down the strong buildings the temptations of Sathan hath laid them leuel with the ground that they shall neuer be restored againe And lastly after this life ended he shall be our Prince and Iudge and bring vs to that place of promise prepared for vs in his euerlasting kingdome The trauels of the Spies of the Danites SHortly after the death of Sampson the Spies of the Danites went from Zarea and Eastaol to mount Ephraim to the house of Michah which is 24 miles Iudg. 18. From thence they went to Lais which is a hundred and foure miles Iudg. 18. From thence they returned to Zarea and Esthaol which is 126 miles Iudg. 18. So all their trauels were 244 miles Of Lais. LAis was a citie scituated at the foot of mount Libanus some 104 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and was sometimes called Belenus this because it stood so farre from aid was quickly conquered by the Danites and by them vtterly destroyed it signifieth a roring or deuouring Lion But after being rebuilt by the Danites they called it Dan
that hee was constrained to leaue the battell 1 Reg. 22. And as he went backe againe to Samaria which was 24 miles he dyed of his wound Of this man you may reade more 1 Reg. 21. 22. So all the Trauels of Ahab were 152 miles The Description of Carmel Apheck and Ramoth you may reade before Of Iesreel IEzreel is a city in the Tribe of Issachar scituated vpon a rising ground some 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the North where Ahab somtimes kept his court Here Noboth the Israelite dwelt an honest and religious man one of good esteeme and authoritie that feared God and would not suffer the inheritance of one Tribe to be transferred to another because God had commanded the contrary Nu. vlt. For which cause he would not sell his vineyard to Ahab wherefore Iezabel that wicked woman to satisfie the Kings desire caused him to be stoned Iezreel signifies The seed of God being deriued of Sera Seed and El the Almighty God Though in former times this hath bin a faire town yet at this day there is not past 30 houses in it and is called Charity standing at the foot of Mount Gilboah they shew at this day the field of Naboth the Iesrelite lying towards the West as you goe into the citie a little before you come at it This towne standeth vpon a faire prospect for you may see from thence through all Galile to Carmel the mountaines of Phoenicia and Mount Thabor also from Mount Gilead by Iordan and Mount Salem where Iohn baptised neere by Mount Hermon vpon the North side of Mount Gilboah there lies a faire and plaine way to the citie Iezreel by which Iehu came when he made wars vpon Iehoram King of Israel of which you may reade more 2 Reg. 9. It stood not far from the riuer Kison as you may reade Ios 17.19 1 Sam. 2. 1 Reg. 4. 18. Of Ahaziah the sonne of Ahab AHaziah was crowned king of Israel during the life of his father a cruell and wicked man he began his raigne in the 17 yeare of Iosaphat king of Iudah Anno mundi 3049 and before Christ 919 about such time as Ahab went downe to Ramoth Gilead to recouer it from the Syrians within a while after the death of his father hee fell through the lattice window in his vpper chamber which was in Samaria of which hurt he died Of this you may reade more 1 King 1. The Trauels of Iehoram King of Israel IEhoram succeeded his brother Ahazia in the kingdome of Israel who began his raigne in the 18 yeare of Iosaphat King of Iudah and as Iosephus saith li. Ant. 9. about the fifth yeare of his raigne went from Samaria to Ierusalem which was 32 miles There he told Iosaphat how the king of Moab had rebelled against him therefore desired him to goe along with him to the war 2 Reg. 3. Then Iehoram and Iosaphat and the King of Edom went from Ierusalem and compassed about through the wildernesse of Idumaea by the space of seuen daies so that they and their army for want of water had almost perished but at the prayers of the Prophet Elisha they were miraculously preserued At length they came to Petra the Metropolitan Citie of the Moabites and is distant from Ierusalem 172 miles which they tooke and consumed it with fire and sword 2 Reg. 3. From the citie of Petra Iehoram King of Israel returned backe to Samaria which was 104 miles where within a while afrer he was so sorely besieged by Benhadad king of Syria that the famine grew very great within the towne insomuch as a certaine woman eate her owne childe 2 Reg. 6. From Samaria he went to Ramoth in Gilead with his armie which is 24 miles where he was ouercome by Asahel King of the Syrians and wounded euen to the death 2 Reg. 8. From the fight of Ramoth Gilead he was carried in his chariot backe to Iezreel which was 24 miles where he lay to be cured of his hurts But Iehu one of his chiefe Captaines rebelled against him and as hee was in his Charriot shot an arrow and wounded him the second time whereof he died in the field of Naboth the Iezrelite 2 Reg. 9. So all the Trauels of Iehoram were 356 miles The Trauels of Iehu King of Israel IEHV signifies A constant man in himselfe and was the sonne of Iosaphat the sonne of Nimschi hee was annointed King of Israel in the castle at Ramoth in Gilead by Elisha Anno mundi 3063 and before Christ 905 hee raigned 28 yeares 2 Reg. 9. From Ramoth in Gilead in his Chariot he went to Iezreel which was 24 miles where in the field of Naboth the Iezrelite he killed Iehoram with an arrow And when he came to the gates of the citie he caused Iezabel to be throwne from a tower whom he trampled vnder his horse feet And after in that same place shee was eaten vp with dogs Then hee sent messengers to Samaria commanding the Samaritans that they should put to death the 70 sonnes of Ahab which they immediately did and sent their heads vnto him in baskets 2 Reg. 10. From Iezreel he went to Samaria which is 16 miles In that journey he caused to be slaine by his ministers the 42 brothers of Ahaziah king of Iuda neere to the well which was beside the house where sheepe was shorne And when he came to Samaria he caused all the posterity of Ahab to be vtterly destroied and rooted out And to conclude the tragedy by a cunning policie put to death all the priests of Baal 2 Reg. 10. So all the trauels of Iehu were 40 miles Of Iehoahas King of Israel IEhoahas was the sonne of Iehu and succeeded his father in the Kingdome of Israel he began his raigne in the 33 yeare of Ioas King of Iudah in the yeare of the World 3091 and before Christ 876 hee raigned ouer Israel 17 yeares God stirred vp against this wicked King Asahel King of the Syrians who with 10000 foot and fiue hundred horse besieged Samaria very strongly put to the sword many of his subjects and got many cities and townes from him as the Prophet Elisha had before told him 2 Reg. 8. 13. The Trauels of Ioas King of Israel IOas succeeded his father Iehoahas and while he was yet liuing was annointed King of Israel in the 37 yeare of Ioas King of Iudah and raigned two yeares with his father after his death 15 so all the raigne of Ioas was 17 yeares This man was a great souldier and went from Samaria with an army against the Citie of Apheck which was 14 miles there he smote the Syrians and in three seuerall battels carried away the victory recouering the Cities which his father Iehoahas had lost according to the prophecie of Elisha 2 Reg. 17. From Apheck he returned to Samaria which was foureteene miles From thence he went with his army to Bethsemes in the land of Iuda where in a sharpe and cruell war he conquered Amasia and tooke him
his trauels were 120 miles Of Ahaz King of Iudah AHAZ signifies Apprehending or a possessor He began to raigne after the death of his father Iotham about the end of the 17 yere of Pekah King of Israel Anno mundi 3206 before Christ 762. He raigned wickedly 16 yeares 2 Reg. 16. 2 Chr. 28. For hee was a notorious hypocrite who out of a peruerse zeale worshipped many Idols and burnt his sonne in the valley of Gehinnon as an offering vnto Moloch Wherefore he was vnhappy in his gouernment for God stirred vp mighty enemies against him euen Resin king of Syria and Pekah king of Israel who wasted and destroied his Kingdome and straightly besieging Ierusalem conquered Ahaz in a great battell and put to the sword 120000 of his men After that Resin returned to Elath and tooke it so that he lost more than his father had gotten Where being strucke into a great feare hy reason of these aduersities hee sent to craue the aid of Tiglasse Phulasser king of the Assirians who at his request sent a great Army from Niniueh to Damascus 520 miles and there ouercame Resin and put him to death and tooke captiue 242000 of the people of Damascus and sent them into Cyren a country of Africa 2 Reg. 16. The Trauels of Ahaz King Ahaz went from Ierusalem to Damascus which was 160 miles to meet Tiglath Phulasser King of the Assirians to rejoyce with him for his happy victory and giue him thanks for his aid and assistance where when he saw the Altar at Damascus to be very glorious he sent for Vrija the chiefe Priest who tooke a patterne thereof and carried it with him to Ierusalem where he made an Altar like vnto it 2 Reg. 16. From Damascus he returned backe againe 160 miles So his trauels were 320 miles But yet Ahaz continued in his peruerse impiety and idolatry without any regard or feare of God therefore he stirred vp other enemies against him viz. the Idumaeans who tooke a great multitude of them captiue and the Philistines who with their Army broke into the South part of the tribe of Iuda and tooke these cities following viz. Bethsemes Aialon Timnath Socho Gederoth and Gimso with their villages These Cities for the most part are mentioned in the precedent treatise except Gederoth and Gimso Gederoth commonly called Gederothaim is distant from Ierusalem eight little miles towards the South-west and stands neere to the castle of Emaus being compassed about with a hedge from whence it seemeth to take the name for Gadar is as much to say as He hath hedged about Gimso was also in the Tribe of Iuda but in what place it is not certainely known Thus king Ahaz all the daies of his life did euill in the sight of the Lord for which God punished him and all the land and in the 16 yeare of his raigne he died and was buried with his fathers in the Citie Dauid The Trauels of Ezekias King of Iuda Ezekias which signifies The Champion of Iehouah was borne when his father was but thirteene yeares of age which made many questions whether he should succeed him as his lawfull heire in his Kingdome because they doubted whether he was lawfully begotten For if you doe obserue the order and course of the yeares and chronologie in the Scripture you shall finde that from the beginning of the thirteenth yeare of the age of Ahaz to the first yeare of the raigne of this King Ezekias make just twenty fiue yeres Ezekias therefore began to raigne after the death of his father Ahaz about the end of the third yeare of Hosea King of Israel 2 Reg. 19. Anno mun 3222 before Christ 746 being then about 25 yeres of age a little before Easter as it appeareth 2 Chron. 29. He gouerned that Kingdome with great commendations 29 yeares The first journey that he tooke was from Ierusalem to Gaza which was 44 miles there he ouercame the Army of the Philistines and recouered all those cities which his father Ahaz had lost according to that in the Prophet Esay cap. 15. 2 Reg. 18. From Gaza hee returned to Ierusalem which was 44 miles there he broke downe the places for idolatry and the brasen Serpent made by Moses in the wildernesse and called it Nehustan a brasen thing that hath nothing in it selfe of a diuine nature and could neither profit nor hurt therefore ought not to be worshipped This brasen serpent was kept in memory of that signe that God shewed vnto the children of Israel in the desart when they were bitten and stung to death by fiery serpents for looking vpon this brasen serpent they were healed But now because of the abuse thereof by the Iewes which turned it into idolatry it was broken to pieces Num. 21. 2 Reg. 18. So all the trauels of Ezechias were 88 miles In the 14 yeare of the raigne of Ezekias and in the 38 of his age Senacharib that mighty Emperour of the Assirians hauing taken many townes and cities in the Holy land would haue also besieged Ierusalem and for that purpose sent from Lachis which was 20 miles distant from Ierusalem Thartan Rabsarim and Rabsacha three mighty Princes Embassadors with a great traine to attend them These men went about the citie to see in what part it was most subject to batterie and might easiest begot so when they came to the conduit of the vpper poole which is by the path of the Fullers field between the Fish gate and the old gate in that place where they might easiliest be heard they called to the King but Eliakim the sonne of Hilkiah which was Hezekias Steward Shebnah the Chancellor and Ioab the sonne of Asaph the Recorder went vpon the wall then Rabsacha vttered blasphemous words against the Lord but Ezekias when hee had heard what the enemie had said called all the Elders of Ierusalem together and sent for Isaiah the sonne of Amos the Prophet and they went into the temple of the Lord and praied Wherefore the Lord heard their prayers and sent his Angel into the Campe of the Assirians and loe in one night there were slaine 185000 men as they lay in their tents before Gibeah which at this time they besieged being distant from Ierusalem some ten miles towards the Southwest This great deliuerance hapned in the yeare of the world 3235 and before Christ 733. About the end of the 38 yeare of the age of Ezekiah he fell into a dangerous disease which so farre forth as could be gathered by all likelihoods was the plague for God doth oftentimes try the patience of his Saints with sundry afflictions but yet at his feruent prayers hee was restored to health and his daies were lengthned 15 yeares at which time the Sunne went backe ten degrees according to the variation of the shadow in the Dyall of Ierusalem 2 Reg. 20. Isa 38. 2 Chron. 32. But at the end of the 15 yeares which was about the 54 yeare of his age he died and was buried with his
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
Samaria which was 104 miles where he relieued a certain widdow woman that was afflicted with pouertie and want miraculously by a Cruse of Oyle 2 Reg. 4. Iosephus lib. Antiq. 9. supposeth this Woman to bee the widdow of Obediah the Kings Steward of whom you may reade before who did hide and maintaine a certaine number of the Prophets of the Lord in a caue 2 Reg. 18. From Samaria Elisha went oftentimes to a Towne called Sunem as he returned to Samaria to Carmel which was 16 miles distant Here a certaine rich woman obseruing his often passage to and fro by that Towne built him a little chamber wherein he might rest himselfe after his journey to which place he often resorted and in recompence of this benefit although she had been long barren he prophecied that within a yeare she should haue a sonne which accordingly shee had to her great joy and comfort 2 Reg. 4. From Sunem he went to Carmel which was 16 miles From thence he returned back again to Sunem to the woman where hee vsed to lie which was 16 miles here hee restored her sonne to life 2 Reg. 4. From thence he went to Gilgal which is distant from Sunem 36 miles towards the South here he fed 100 men with 20 barlie loaues 2 Reg. 4. From Gilgal he went to Samaria which is accounted 20 miles to this place Naaman the Syrian came to him to be healed of his leprosie 2 Reg. 5. From Samaria he went to Iordan which was eight miles Here he made a Hatchet of yron that fell into the water to swimme 2 Reg. 6. From Iordan he went to Dothan where the children of Iacob sould their brother Ioseph to the Midianites which was 8 miles here the Angells of the Lord compassed him and his seruant about lest they should haue bin taken by the armie of the Syrians and God strooke the Syrians with blindnesse 2 Reg. 6. From thence he led the army of the Syrians being thus made blind to Samaria which was 12 miles and deliuered them to the King of Israel vpon condition that he should giue them meate and drinke to refresh themselues and suffer them to depart in peace which he did 2 Reg. 6. From Samaria he went to Sunem which was 16 miles here he aduised the woman where he vsed to lie to trauel thence to some other place because of the famine that should follow and continue for seuen yeares 2 Reg. 8. From Sunem hee went to Damascus which was 132 miles there he told Hazael that he should succeed his Master Benhadid in the gouernment of the Syrians 2 Reg. 8. From Damascus he returned to Samaria which was 132 miles where soone after he fell sicke and died his body was buried neer to Samaria where the Lord a long time after his death shewed a wonderfull miracle for a dead man being throwne into his Sepulchre was restored againe to life by touching of his bones 2 Reg. 13. This man gouerned the Church of God amongst the children of Israel 60 yeares after the death of Elias So all the Trauels of Elisha were 730 miles Concerning the townes and places mentioned in his Trauels you may reade before The Typicall signification of Elisha ELisha or Elischa signifieth The saluation of God being deriued of El that is God and Iaschag He hath saued from hence Iesus a Sauiour because this Prophet was a notable type of our Sauiour Iesus Christ for as Elisha was annointed Priest by the Prophet Eliah so Christ was the annointed Priest of the father and as Elisha did many workes of mercy and myracles to make euident Gods power and prouidence so our Sauiour Christ went from place to place shewing mercy to the blind lame and impotent vpon them working wonderfull miracles that thereby his Doctrine might be made euident to the World and all such as trust in him be made capable of eternall happinesse Tha Trauels of the Shunamite whose sonne Elisha had raised from death to life FRom Sunem she went to Mount Carmel and besought Elisha to come and raise her sonne from death to life which was 16 miles 2 Reg. 4. From thence she and Elisha returned backe againe to Sunem which was 16 miles and there hee deliuered her sonne vnto her aliue 2 Reg. 4. From Sunem hauing buried her husband shee trauelled into the land of the Philistins because of the famine that was to come suddenly after being 56 miles 2 Reg. 8. From the land of the Philistines shee returned to Samaria which was 40 miles 2 Reg. 8. From Samaria she returned to Sunem which was 16 miles So all her trauels were 144 miles Of the Prophet Isaiah or Iesaia IEsaia or Ieschaia is all one in signification with Elisha that is a Sauiour He was the sonne of Amos which signifieth strength and by consequence Ozia King of Iudah was his cosin-german as may appeare by this Genealogie following Ioas King of Iuda Amasiah King of Iuda Ozias King of Iuda Iotham King of Iuda Ahas King of Iuda Ezekias King of Iuda Manasses King of Iuda who caused Isaiah to be slaine Amos Isaias father Isaias had two daughters Sear Iasub that is the rest remaining and was a signe of the rest of the posteritie of Iuda that should remaine and dwell there Isa 7. Mahez Schatal that is a suddē destruction for this 2d daughter of Isay did denote the immediat desolation of the kingdomes of Syria and Samaria From whence it plainely appeareth that the Prophet Esaias was of the stocke of Dauid and linage of Christ for which cause in the fifth chapter of his prophecie he calleth him his beloued He began to teach publiquely in the yeare of the World 3167 and before Christ 800 and gouerned the Church eighty yeares and more vntill the time of Manasses who caused him to be cut in pieces with a saw In anno mundi 3190 before Christ 778 Isay saw the Lord sitting vpon a high throne in great majestie the lower part whereof filled the Temple and the Saraphins compassed him round about Esa 6. Cherubins are glorious and bright shining Angels of a fiery nature For Saraph signifieth He hath turned to fire His doctrine was two fold that is partly concerning the Law partly the Gospell as may appeare by his prophecie in the first forty chapters whereof the doctrine of the law is set forth with sharpe reprehensions for sinne in the first foure of which are grieuous accusations of sinners for breach of the first commandement the other for the most part prophecie of horrible punishments mutations and change of gouernement but principally of the Iewes Babylonians Assirians Syrians and Aegyptians From the fortieth to the end of the booke is contained the doctrine of the Gospell and of the Kingdome of our Sauiour Iesus Christ which hee hath set forth with such excellent eloquence figures and amplifications that hee may be compared with the best Orator that euer wrote The Trauels of the Prophet Ieremias IEremias or Ieremiah signifieth The exalted of
their hands but by reason of his faire speeches they suffered him to depart with life 2 Mac. 12.1 Mac. 5. From thence he went to Bozor a faire citie which was scituated beyond Iordan neere to Bethabara in the Tribe of Reuben it was also called Bazra which was 24 miles this towne he tooke and burned with fire Isa 64. 1 Mac. 5. From Bozor he went to Mizpa where Ieptha sometime sacrificed his daughter which was 32 miles In that journey Iudas Macchabeus rescued the castle of Datheman draue thence Timotheus and put to the sword 8000 of his armie After he went thence to Mizpa woon the towne burnt it with fire and put to the sword all the male children because the inhabitants had vexed the children of Israel with continuall robbery After that hee woon many other townes and cities thereabouts 1 Mac. 5. From Mizpa Iudas passed the riuer and went to Astaroth-Carnaim which in the second of Macchabes is called Carnion which was eight miles here he destroyed the temple of Venus which the inhabitants call Astaroth and put 25000 of the inhabitants to the sword He went also to Atargation a towne not far off and tooke it and deliuered all the Israelites from the greatest to the least which were in captiuitie amongst the Giliadites 1 Macch. 5. 2 Macch. 22. From Astaroth-Carnaim hee went to Ephron which was 16 miles this citie Iudas Macchabeus destroied because the inhabitants thereof denied him passage and went through it ouer the dead bodies 2 Macch. 5. Here Gideon Iudge of Israel sometime dwelt it tooke the name from the rising vp of the dust being deriued of Aphar that is he hath made a dust From Ephron Iudas passed ouer Iordan into the great field of Galile and so went to Scythopolis which in antient time was called Bethsan which was foure miles From Bethsan or Scythopolis he returned to Ierusalem which was 44 miles a little before Penticost in the fourth yeare of his gouernment in the yere 161 before Christ 1 Macch. 5. 2 Maccab 12. After the feast of Penticost he went from Ierusalem to Maresa which was 16 miles here he ouercame Gorgias gouernour of Idumaea in a great buttell 2 Mac. 12. From Maresa hee went with his army to Odullam which was 6 miles Here sometime Dauid hid himselfe From Odullam he returned to Ierusalem which was 8 miles 2 Mac. 12. From Ierusalem he brought his army to Hebron the Metropolitan citie of the Idumaeans which was 22 miles this Towne he woon and all the townes and castles neere adjoyning 1 Macchab 5. From thence he went to Samaria which was fiftie six miles 1 Mac. 5. From Samaria he led his army against Azotus which was 44 miles This was a citie of the Philistins which he destroied broke their Altars and burnt their idols in the fire 1 Mac. 5. After that he conquered two castles in Idumaea 1 Mac. 10. After that he returned to Ierusalem which was accounted 22 miles 1 Mac. 5. From Ierusalem he went to meet Timotheus chiefe captaine of the Syrians who came with a great army to inuade Iudaea But when the battell waxed hot there appeared to the enemies from heauen fiue comely men vpon horses with bridles of gold two of which led the Iewes and tooke Macchabeus betweene them and couered him on euery side with their weapons that none could hurt him but against their enemies they shot Darts and lightnings so that they were confounded with blindnesse and beaten downe whereby the Iewes obtained a great victory and put to the sword 20500 foot and 600 horse the rest seeing this great slaughter fled So Iudas praised the Lord and pursued the enemies to Gazara which was 16 miles Heere Timotheus hid himselfe in a caue but the Iewes tooke the citie found him out and put him to death together with his brother Chaerea and Pollophanes 2 Mac. 10. From Gazara Iudas Macchabeus returned to Ierusalem which was 16 miles In the yere following which was the fift of his taigne and 160 before Christ Iudas Maccab. besieged the tower of Sion in Ierusalem because those that were in the garrison had put to the sword some of the Iewes that were sacrificing in the Temple But Antiochus Eupator the son of Antiochus Epiphanes hearing of it at the instigation of Menelaus chiefe Priest of the Iewes brought a great armie to their rescue wherefore Iudas Macchabeus hearing of his comming left the siege and went from Ierusalem to Modin to meet him which was 14 miles Here he ouercame Antiochus destroyed his Elephants and put 4000 of his souldiers to the sword 2 Macc. 13. When King Antiochus had felt a taste of the boldnesse of the Iewes he went with his army through by-waies and secret passages to the castle of Bethsura which he besieged whither Iudas followed him which was 12 miles incamping himselfe a mile from Bethsura in a straight place called Bethzachara Here Antiochus betimes in the morning thinking to take the armie of the Iewes at an aduantage set vpon them But the Iewes and their leaders behaued themselues so manfully that they put Antiochus the second time to flight and kil'd 600 of his men In this battell Eliazer the brother of Iudas Macchabeus was slain by an Elephant Ios lib. Antiq. 12. lib. 16.1 Macc. 6. From Bethzachara he returned backe to Ierusalem which was 2 miles And when the king had taken the town of Bethsura for they were constrained to yeeld by reason of famine he followed Iudas with whom he joyned the third time in battell but Iudas ouercame him and put to the sword many of his army Wherefore hauing certaine intelligence that Philip whom he had made ouerseer of the affaires at Antiochia rebelled he made a peace with Iudas Macchabeus was appeased towards the Iewes did sacrifice adorned the Temple and shewed great gentlenesse towards the people So Antiochus departed out of Iudaea and tooke Menelaus that seditious high Priest along with him captiue 1 Macc. 6. 2 Mac. 13. After in the 6 yeare of his gouernment Iudas went with his armie through all the borders of Iudaea and executed justice vpon all such as were offenders and contemners of the true religion After when Iudas had certaine intelligence that Nicanor whom Demetrius King of Syria had sent against Ierusalem went about by fraudulent courses and vnder pretence of friendship to take away his life 2 Macc. 14. he went priuily from Ierusalem and came to Caphar-Salama scituated 12 miles from Ierusalem towards the North. Here Nicanor and he joyned battell but Iudas discomfited his armie and put to the sword about fiue thousand of his men himselfe not escaping without great danger 1 Mac. 7. From Caphar-Salama Iudas came to Samaria which was 28 miles here he rested himselfe and refreshed his armie a while 2 Mac. 15. In the yere before Christ 128 he went from Samaria to Adarsa which was 28 miles and there vpon the 13 day of Adar which answereth to the 13 day of February neere to Bethoron the
the Iewes called Eliazer and caused a Crosse to be set on purpose to haue crucified him but they which were besieged in the towne seeing the pittifull lamentations this young man made promised Bassus if he would spare his life to yeeld vp the towne which he did so the castle being taken the gates of the citie were set open But the Romans fell to the slaughter without mercie put to the sword 1700 persons besides there were a great multitude of women and children carried thence into captiuitie as Iosephus lib. de Bello Iud. 7. cap. 25. affirmeth There were many goodly wells and stately buildings within this city there is cut out in the castle a Rue tree of an admirable greatnesse And in the valley vpon the North side of the Citie the root Baarus is found presenting both in colour and figure a flame There are also found many hot Baithes and Fountaines of wholsome waters But aboue the rest Iosephus maketh mention of one in a caue where two streames issueth as it were out of two duggs the one hot the other cold which two waters being mingled together are very wholesome and cure many diseases but principally the shrinking of the sinewes And this shall suffice concerning the trauels of Iohn the Baptist The Trauels of our Lord and Sauiour Christ in his infancie Matthew 3. Luke 2. FRom Bethlehem the childe Iesus was brought to Ierusalem and there presented in the Temple Anno Mundi 3967 which was 6 miles From Ierusalem Ioseph and Marie when they had accomplished all things in the Temple of the Lord carried the childe Iesus to Nazareth in Galile which was 64 miles From thence Ioseph and Marie brought Iesus backe againe to Bethlehem which was 72 miles Vpon the second day of Ianuary in the second yeare after the natiuitie of Christ the wise men of Persia brought gifts and worshipped him A little after that is about the Ides of Ianuary just the night before the command came from Herod to kill the innocent children Ioseph and Marie went with the childe Iesus through the mountains and desarts of Iudaea into Aegypt to Hermopolis in the land of Gosen which was reckoned from Bethlehem 296 miles From Hermopolis in Aegypt after the death of Herod Iesus was brought backe againe by his parents to Nazareth in Iudaea which was aboue 368 miles When Iesus was twelue yeres of age he went with his parents from Nazareth to Ierusalem to the feast of the Passeouer which was 64 miles And when his parents had lost him and found him againe in the Temple among the learned then he continued in obedience vnto them and went with them from Ierusalem to Nazareth which was 64 miles So his Trauels were 934 miles Concerning the townes and places mentioned in his Trauels you may reade before in the Trauels of the Virgin Marie The trauels of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ from his Baptisme till the first yeare of his Ministrie CHrist in the thirtieth yeare of his age went from Nazereth and came to Bethabara which stood vpon the riuer Iordan where Iohn baptized and vpon the seuenth day of October in the middle of the last weeke spoken of by Daniel cap. 9. was there baptized at whose baptisme the testimony of the spirit descended downe vpon him in the likenesse of a Doue which was 52 miles From Iordan Iesus was led by the spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell and there fasted fortie daies and fortie nights at the end of which time the diuell came vnto and tempted him How this wildernesse was called the Euangelist doth not specifie but it is to be thought that it was the desart of Arabia Petraea that our Sauiour Christ fasted vpon the mountaine of Sinai where Moses and Eliah fasted fortie daies and fortie nights Exod. 24.1 Reg. 19. For this desart extendeth it selfe from the borders of Aegypt and the Red sea to Iordan where Iohn baptized and from thence by the country of Trachonitis to the mountaine of Libanus Therfore our Sauior Christ might that present seuenth day of Actober whereon he was baptised come into this Wildernesse and by little and little goe thence to mount Sanai which was 136 miles For there was no place more fit for Sathan to tempt our Sauiour in than where the law was deliuered which is the power of Sinne for although the Son of God was without sinne yet he tooke vpon him the sinnes of all the world Leuit. 16. Ioh. 1. Isa 53. So then our Sauiour Christ according to this supputation continued in the Desart from the seuenth day of October to the sixteenth of Nouember which was fortie daies and fortie nights Epiphanias lib. 2. Tom. 1. Hoeres 51. saith that our Sauiour Christ was baptized vpon the eighth day of Nouember which was the twelfth day of the moneth Athyr amongst the Aegyptians but this supputation is false and altogether repugnant to the certain Mathematicall calculation Wherefore vpon the 17 day of Nouember our Sauior Christ hungred Mat. 4. Mark 1. Luke 4. and then the diuel with an extraordinarie boldnesse came vnto him and carried him from Mount Sinai with great violence through the aire and set him vpon the top of a pinacle of the temple in Ierusalem which was 120 miles this pinacle was so exceeding high as you may reade in the description of Ierusalem that whosoeuer looked down from it into the valley of Cedron their eyes dazled and it seemed as though there had bin clouds in the bottome of the valley for it was 600 foot from the bottom to the top From this place the diuell bad our Sauior Christ throw himselfe downe c. Mat. 4. From the pinacle of the Temple the diuell tooke our Sauiour Christ and set him vpon a high mountaine but what hill it was or how called the holy Euangelist doth not set down The inhabitants of the Holy land thinke it was the hil that stood betwixt Bethel and Ai vpon which hill in times past Abraham dwelt Gen. 13. But that hill is not very high and there are many higher hils in the holy land wherefore it is to be thought that he was caried vpon the top of that high mountain Nebo which was also called Pisgah and stood 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward where God shewed vnto Moses all the holy land beyond Iordan Deut. 34. and in this place as God had shewed Moses so the diuell shewed our Sauior the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them saying All these will I giue thee c. It is to be thought that all these sharp temptations of the diuell were done in one day This hill Pisgah is distant from Bethabara 8 miles where Iohn Baptist baptised and bare witnesse of our Sauior Christ Ioh. ca. 1. Now after the diuel had left him and the Angels had comforted him he came thence vnto Iohn which was 8 miles and Iohn said to his Disciples Behold this is the Lambe of God which taketh away
Bethsaida Migdala Tiberias and Trichaea these stood vpon the West Vpon the East stood Iulia and Gadara Of the holy mountaine neere Capernaum in Galile ABout a mile from Capernaum toward the Southwest is to be seene an exceeding high hill standing vpon the shore of the sea of Galile beautified with many herbes and floures of diuers kindes being very fruitfull and pleasant extending it self in length almost two bowes shoot and in bredth one From this hil one might haue seen the whole sea of Galile the countries of Itura and Trachonitis euen to mount Libanus also the mountaines Sanir and Hermon and a great part of the vpper and lower Galilee Heere also the inhabitants of the holy land shew a certaine stone on which they say our Sauiour Christ did vsually sit when he preached to the people which stone the Christians cal the table here was that sermon made of the eight Beatitudes Mat. 5.6.7 Luke 6. Here were the twelue Apostles chosen Luke 6. Mar. 3. And our Sauiour Christ descending from this mountaine in the suburbs of the City of Capernaum healed a man that was infected with the leprosie About thirty paces from the foot of this hill there ariseth a fountain which is compassed about with a wal and is thought to be a vein of Nilus because they finde in it such kind of fishes the like whereof are not to be found in any other place but Nilus Iosephus calleth this Spring Capernaum and likewise all the plaine being very pleasant and fruitfull for the space of a mile euen vnto Iordan after the same name because it is subiect to the jurisdiction of that city About 20 paces from this wall on the shore of the sea of Galile there is shewn a place where they say Christ appeared to his seuen Disciples after his resurrection and asked them whether they had any meat And about ten paces from that is shewn a place where they say our Sauiours Disciples came to land and they drew vp in their nets a great draught of fishes c. Ioh. 21. Of Naim NAim signifies Fruitfull and pleasant it stood 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and typically representeth the condition of this world For the children of this world liue in all manner of pleasures and delights neuer thinking of any sorrow til death seiseth on them but then that ouerturns all and those delights become loathsome vnto them Notwithstanding this one comfort wee haue left vs Hope in Christ Iesus who as â—e raised the Widowes son at the gates of this city from death to life will by his mighty power raise vs againe at the last day from the bowels of the earth and make vs partakers with him of an heauenly habitation It stood in the land of Samaria and in the tribe of Issacher about two miles off it vpon the East side stood mount Tabor a little from it vpon the South side stood mount Hermon the lesser and extended it selfe thence vnto the sea of Galile 16 miles Of these two hils you may read Psal 89. And about 2 miles from Naim Westward Sunem is to be seene to which the Prophet Elisaeus sometimes resorted 2 Reg. 4. Of Gadara GAdarah or Gederah in Hebrew signifies munition and somtimes it is taken to compasse about of Gadar hee hath hedged or compassed about S. Ierom saith in his time that is 400 yeares after Christ this was a very faire city and stood in a very high mountaine vpon the East side of the sea of Galilee beyond Iordan in the halfe tribe of Manasses some 48 miles from Ierusalem Northward and is to be seene at this day Strabo lib. 6. Geogr. saith that close by Gadara there is a venomous lake wherof what beast soeuer drinketh he immediatly loseth his hornes his hoofs and his haire and there are many that thinke this Lake became thus venomous because of the 2000 swine that were drowned in it when our Sauior suffered the diuels to enter into them Mat. 8. Mark 5. Luke 8. Close by this town stood Gerasa called also Gergesa Mat. 8. so named as some thinke of Girgasus the son of Canaan Gen. 10. Of Genesareth THis was a Countrey bordering vpon the Northwest side of the sea of Galile from whence this sea was called the Lake of Genesareth Luke 5. This land was very pleasant and fruitfull as if it had bin a Princes Garden bringing forth faire Apples Pomegranates Palmes Olives Vines and diuers other kinds of pleasant Fruits faire and goodly to the eye and therefore not without cause was it called the Garden of a Prince beeing deriued of Gan which signifies a Garden and Sur a Prince It is distant from Ierusalem six and fiftie miles towards the North as you may reade Matth. 6. 14. The chiefe cities of this countrey were Capernaum and Bethsaida of which cities though in former times they were very faire and large there are at this day not scarce eight houses to be seene The Trauels of our Sauiour Christ in the third yeare of his Ministrie which was the three and thirtieth yeare of his age FRom Ierusalem our Sauiour Christ returned some six and fiftie miles into Galile and in the beginning of this yeare wintered in that place so that as it may be gathered out of the Euangelists hee continued there the most part of Ianuarie and February and now the Spring approaching a little after the death of Saint Iohn the Baptist who as it is thought was put to death betweene the midst of Winter and the Spring not long before the feast of the Passeouer so that hee liued two yeares and a halfe in his Ministrie hee wrought many notable miracles not farre from the citie of Bethsaida The same time the Feast of the Passeouer drawing neere which was the third Passeouer of his Ministrie he went thence ouer Iordan and so beyond the sea of Tiberias Matth. 14. Make 6. Luke 9. At this time the Apostles of Christ being dispersed through all Galile and Iudaea teaching the Gospell of the Kingdome of heauen hearing of the miserable death of Iohn the Baptist about the beginning of the Moneth of Aprill returned with all possible speed out of euery part to our Sauiour Christ that so they might be secure against the tyranny of Herod Matth. 14. Marke 6. Luke 9. Also the Disciples of Iohn came vnto him and told him of his death and buriall Matth. 14. Our Sauiour Christ therefore hauing by this meanes certaine intelligence as he was betweene Bethsaida and Tiberias of the death of S Iohn Baptist in the month of April he went into a ship and passed about foure miles to the further side of the sea of Galile where in a certain desart he fed fiue thousand men with fiue barley loaues and two fishes Ioh. 6. From thence he returned backe again to the sea and so to Capernaum which was foure miles here he made that long sermon of the spirituall eating of his flesh Mat. 14. Luke 9. Iohn 6. From
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