Shepheard giueth his life for his Sheepe c. Fourthly in his musicke Dauid was cunning vpon the harp and by that comforted the afflicted spirit of Saul so Christ by the musick and harmonie of his doctrine the glad tydings of saluation comforteth the afflicted members of his Church Fiftly Dauid got his glory and preferment by the death of Goliah so Christ was glorified by conquering Death and the Diuell Sixtly Dauid was persecuted by Saul and pursued from one place to another so that he had not where to hide his head with safety so Christ was persecuted by his own countrymen the Iews shut out from the society of man and as he said Mat. 8. The Foxes haue holes and the Birds haue nests but the Son of man hath not where to hide his head Seuenthly in the dangers that Dauid sustained by Gods prouidence he was mercifully deliuered so Christ was inclosed and in danger of the Iews at Nazareth Luke 4. in Ierusalem in the Temple also Ioh. 8. but he escaped them al because then his time was not come Io. 7.8 Eightly as Absolon rebelled against Dauid being his father so the Iews rebelled against Christ although hee was their Creator according to that of Esay 61. I haue fed and brought vp children but they haue forsaken me Ninthly as Dauid fled to Mount Olivet for refuge being brought to a streight so Christ vpon Mount Olivet his heart being prest with an intollerable agonie fled to his Father by praier for comfort in that extremitie Tenthly as all the friends and familiars of Dauid forsooke him at such time as Absolon rebelled against him and followed him with persecutions mocks and taunts so Christ at such time as Iudas betrayed him into the hands of the Iewes was forsaken of all his followers and many of those which a little before he had done good vnto mocked and derided him as he was vpon the Crosse Lastly as Dauid was restored notwithstanding the former miseries and troubles to his antient glory and eminencie so Christ after he had suffered the due punishment for sin death and before that extteame miserie yet at length conquered both and by his diuine power restored himselfe to his former estate eternall glory The Trauels of ABNER one of Sauls Captaines HEe went with King Saul from Gibeah to the Wildernes of Ziph which was 22 miles Here he was rebuked by Dauid for his negligence From thence he returned to Gibeah 22 miles 1 Sam. 31. From thence he trauelled to the hill Gilboa where Saul killed himselfe 40 miles From thence he went to Machanaim where he made Ishbosheth Sauls son King who kept his court there seuen years 16 miles 2 Sam. 2. From thence hee went to Gibeon where hee slew Asahel Ioabs brother in battell Which was 44 miles 2 Sam. 2. From thence he went ouer Iordan to Bythron 28 miles From thence he went backe to Machanaim 16 miles 2 Sam. 2 Lastly he went thence to Hebron to Dauid and made a Couenant with him where he was treacherously slain by Ioab was 68 miles So all the trauels of Abner were 256 miles Of Bithron BIthron or Betharan was a town beyond Iordan in the tribe of Gad some 28 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward lying between Dibon and Iordan It taketh the name from a House of singing beeing deriued of Baith which signifieth a House and Ron He sung ioyfully The Trauels of IOAB IOAB Dauids Captain was the son of Zerviah Dauids sister for he had two Zerviah and Abogale Zerviah had Ioab Abishas and Asael Abigal had onely Amasa all which were great men in King Dauids time Now when Ioab heard that Abner had brought downe his army to Gibeon hee went from Hebron thither which was 24 miles and there his brother Asahel was slain 2 Sam. 2. From thence he went to Bethlehem 16 miles where he buried his brother 2 Sam. 2. From thence he returned to Hebron 20 miles Here vnder the gates of the city he traiterously killed Abner 2 Sam. 3. From thence he went with Dauid to Ierusalem where he won Sion and draue thence the blinde and the lame being 82 miles From thence he went with his Army against the Ammonites and Syrians whom he conquered in a cruel fight 60 miles 1 Sam. cap. 10. From thence he returned backe to Ierusalem 60 miles From thence he went with Dauid into Idumea 160 miles from Ierusalem Southward there he won the towne of Midian conquered the Idumaeans or Edomites 2 Sam. 8. From thence he returned to Ierusalem with his Army beeing 160 miles From thence hee went and besieged Rabba the metropolitan city of the Ammonites beeing 64 miles from Ierusalem North-Eastward Here Vriah was slain 2 Sam. 11. From thence he returned to Ierusalem with K. Dauid 64 miles From thence he went into the kingdom of Gesur which lieth beyond Iordan vpon Mount Libanus by the towne of Caesarea Philippi some 80 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward This countrey was called Trachonites From this land Ioab brought Absolon again to Ierusalem 2 Sam. 14. From thence he returned backe againe with Absolon to Ierusalem 88 miles From thence he went with Dauid when he fled from his sonne Absolon to Machanaim being 44 miles Not far from hence he slew Absolon 2 Sam. 18. From thence he came again with King Dauid to Ierusalem 44 miles 2 Sam. 10. From thence he went to Gibeah where he killed Amasa which was 4 miles From thence he went to the town of Abel-Bethmaacha in the tribe of Nepthali being about 88 miles This town he straightly besieged From thence he went again to Ierusalem 88 miles Afterward he went as Dauid commanded him to number the people at Aroer a towne beyond Iordan which was 24 miles 2 Sam. 24. From thence he went to Iaezer which is 16 miles From thence going through the land of Gilead and passing by the territories of the lower countrey of Hadsi hee came to the town of Dan neere to the place where the fountains of Iordan are which is accounted 116 miles From thence he went to that famous mart town Sidon which was 24 miles From that great towne Sidon he went to the walls of Tyre to which place great multitudes of ships resorted which was sixeteene miles From thence he went toward the South til he came to the city Beersaba which was the vtmost bounds of the Holy land Southwestward and was reckoned 132 miles From thence he returned backe to Ierusalem where he deliuered to Dauid the number of those that were chosen souldiers 2. Sam. 24. but the Lord strooke the country and city of Ierusalem with a great plague because hee did contrary to his command 2 Sam. 24. So all the trauels of Ioab were 1348 miles The description of the places to which he trauelled MAny of those cities mentioned in the trauels of Ioab are already described and set forth therefore I account it needlesse in this place againe to repeat them but only such townes as yet haue not bin mentioned
holy Sepulchre THis Temple lieth vpon the West within this new towne at first fairely built by the Emperor Constantine but destroyed by Caliphas Sultan of Egypt then by the Emperours of Constantinople rebuilt which continueth to this day It is round in the proportion adorned with 79 pillars 30 foot long the widenes by the Diameter besides the pillars is 73 feet leaded aboue and vpon the top of the roofe standeth a Lanthorn by which the light commeth in this Lanthorne is very curiously glased In the middle standeth the holy Sepulchre To this ioyneth the Church in mount Golgotha and serueth in stead of a Quire It standeth something lower but all vnder one roofe The place where the holy Sepulchre standeth is four square eight foot long and eight broad hewne out of a rocke and couered with marble there is a little doore in the East part of it very low by which men go into it and within that the Sepulchre it self standeth vpon the North side made of gray marble three handfuls high and eight foot long There are no windowes for light to come to it but ouer there hangeth continually nine lamps burning wherby it receiueth light The vault of this Sepulchre is diuided with a wall the outward is both of the same proportion and length as the inward but that which is without seemeth to be an entrie to the inner caue where Christ was buried and there as some say euen to this day is found a piece of the stone which the Angell rolled from the graue before the resurrection the other part of the stone howsoeuer it came there lyes vpon mount Sion But some thinke that the Armenians carried it thither because vpon it they haue built an Altar In this inner caue there hangs nine lamps to giue light vnto them that enter in by the East so that in the inner and outer Vault there standeth eighteene Lamps The Mount whereon Christ was crucified seemeth to stand vpon a rocke of stone whitish and somthing blushing It is distant from the holy Sepulcre 130 foot The place where the Crosse stood was an hard rocke eighteene steps in the ascent and answereth to nine and twenty feet The hole where the Crosse stood is about the roundnesse of a mans head in latitude and if a man might beleeue the Monkes thereabouts they say also that in that place is to be seene the colour of our Sauiours bloud euen to this day Vpon the left hand of this there stands an Altar made of marble and ouer that a sumptuous Chappel paued and couered with polisht marble gilt and adorned with refulgent gold the wals wherof are very curiously wrought and gilded In the Church vpon mount Golgotha they also shew part of a pillar naturally blacke spect with red spots where they say Christ was whipt and make the Vulgar beleeue that these specks are the drops of bloud that fell from him The other part of this Colume was caried to Constantinople as it was thought In this church Godfrey first Christian King of Ierusalem and the rest of his successors lie buried Of the Temple of Solomon as it is at this day THis Temple lieth towards the East and was built by the Christians iust in the same place where the former Temple stood at the time when this City was rebuilt and inlarged The body thereof is very high and spatious and built of polisht marble adorned with most exquisit and curious workemanship very artificiall and glorious both within and without insomuch that the polished stones cast a singular beautifull and resplendant lustre Aboue it is couered with lead and was built vp at the cost and labor of the Grecians in the roofe whereof the Turks place an halfe moone as they vsually doe in all such churches wherein they come and haue authority The Turkes and Saracens haue this Temple in great reuerence and deuotion they adorne it according to their custome with diuers artificial pictures and emblems They will suffer no Christians to enter into it nor any Iewes vpon paine of death And if it happens that at any time they go into it they first wash themselues with water very clean then put off their hose and shoos and so go bare foot This Temple they call the holy Rocke and in the body thereof there hangeth 700 lamps which burne night and day In the midst hereof there standeth a certaine little rocke euery where indented with yron neere to which not any of the Saracens or Infidels dare to approach or touch although there come many very farre to visit it for they beleeue that there were many memorable worthy things done in that rock they think that Melchisedeck the first Priest of the great God offered bread and wine vpon it Genes 14. and that here the Patriarch Iacob saw the Ladder which reached from heauen to earth Gen. 28. which indeed hapned not in Ierusalem but in Bethel as the Scriptures witnesse Further they beleeue that vpon this stone Dauid saw the Angel of the Lord standing with a shaken sword when he strook the city with the pestilence 2 Sam. 24. and that the Priests of the old Testament offered vpon this stone their sacrifices to the Lord which were deuoured with fire from heauen All which things do vtterly differ from holy Scripture The Iewes also are of opinion That the prophet Ieremy about the time of the captiuity of Babylon in this stone hid the Ark of the Couenant vntill such time as the Lord brought the people backe again from the captiuitie Which is contrarie also to the books of the holy Scripture for 2 Mach. 2. it is said it was hid in the mount Nebo where Moses stood when he saw the whole land of Canaan Also the Turkes say that Christ sate vpon this stone when Simeon tooke him in his armes and blessed him Here also he sate in the midst of the Doctors when he was but twelue yeares of age Luk. 2. which also differeth from the Scripture for this was not the body of the Temple but in the middle court or Solomons porch which sometimes was taken for the Temple because it ioyned to it And diuers circumstances of the Scripture do seeme to make this euident because heere Christ taught and here the people vsually met together as appeareth Iosh 10. and Psal 72. About the Temple of Ierusalem there is a fair Plain much resembling our Church yards all paued with marble stone To this there is adioyning a faire Church couered with lead was somtimes called Solomons porch but after the Christians had woon Ierusalem they gaue it the name of S. Maries The Turke keepes burning in this daily 800 lamps and it is much greater than that of Solomons Temple The Sultan of Egypt also about an hundred yeares before built a little Church or Moscho close by Solomons Temple wherein are continually burning 88 Lampes There is a vault vnder the Temple of the blessed Virgin Mary of such an extraordinary greatnesse that 600
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
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
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
vpon the hauen to defend such as come thither with ships from the injuries incursions of Pagans and Saracens Of Babylon in Egypt BAbylon signifieth Confusion as you may read before There were two Cities of this name the one was in Chaldaea and the other in Aegypt That in Chaldaea was scituated vpon the riuer Euphrates and this vpon the riuer Nilus which was 244 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest called in the Arabian tongue Alcair or Cair whether you please which also signifieth Confusion Concerning both which cities you may reade more at large in their former description From this towne it is credibly thought and not from that towne which stood in Chaldaea Peter wrot his first Epistle as the circumstances of the historie doe euidently declare for that Babylon which stood in Chaldea was in the time of Peter vtterly destroyed but then this Babylon was had in great estimation About this time also Mark who was the disciple of Peter was the first Bishop of Alexandria as you may reade in the end of his first Epistle Wherefore that opinion which some would haue to passe for truth that Peter wrot his first Epistle from Rome calling it allegorically Babylon is vtterly to be condemned since there is none who can certainely proue that conjecture neither is it grounded vpon any firm foundation for although Babylon in the Reuelation of S. Iohn because it was a secret prophecie was allegorically vsed yet in a plaine and manifest historie such kinde of Allegories are not allowed From whence may be concluded that S. Peter wrot his first Epistle from this Babylon not from Rome The Trauels of Saint Iohn with the Annotation of the Times wherein he liued IOhn the Evangelist and Apostle of our Lord Iesus Christ was borne in the tenth yeare after the natiuitie of our Sauior and was made his Disciple when he was 21 years of age He saw the miracle of Christ when hee changed the Water into Wine Iohn cap. 2. In the yeare following viz. in the 22 yeare of his age hee was taken into the number of the twelue Apostles Luke 6. Mar. 3. After that in the three and twentieth yeare of his age he saw the transfiguration of Christ in mount Thabor and when hee was foure and twenty yeares of age he stood vnder the Crosse of our Sauiour Christ and the same yere a little after Christs Ascention he with the rest of the Apostles receiued the gift of the holy-Ghost being then the feast of Penticost which fell about the foure and twentieth day of May in the same yere he was cast into prison with Peter for healing the lame man Acts 3.4 Thus much of his youth About the middle of the first yeare after our Sauiour Christs ascention Iohn being then 25 years old was sent with Peter from the city of Ierusalem to Samaria 32 miles From Samaria he returned back again to Ierusalem 32 miles and as he returned preached the gospel of Christ in diuers towns of the Samaritans Acts 8. Mary the mother of our Lord being now 59 yeares of age died in the twelfth yere after the resurrection of Christ and was buried by Iohn the Evangelist in the garden of Gethsemene Iohn beeing then 35 yeares old Foure yeares after her death hee was present at the Apostolical Councel in Ierusalem Now Iames his brother who was called the Elder was beheaded two yeares before for this Councel was celebrated in the presence of Iames the yonger Peter Iohn Paul and Barnabas c. about sixteene yeares after the resurrection of Christ and 14 after the conuersion of Paul Gal. 2. Before the destruction of Ierusalem which hapned about the 61 yeare of his age and 38 after Christs ascention Iohn went from Ierusalem and came to Ephesus 544 miles where after the death of the Apostle Paul hee gouerned the Churches of Asia minor In the 86 yeare of his age beeing cast into a Vessell of boiling oile and comming out vnhurt by the command of Domitian the Emperor he was banished into the Isle of Pathmos distant from Ephesus 40 miles There he wrot his Revelation to the 7 churches in Asia minor whereof you may reade Apoc. 1. From Pathmos hee returned to Ierusalem which was fortie miles being then 88 yeares of age and there he raised Drusana from death to life After this he gouerned the Churches in Asia foure years that is from the gouernment of Nero the Emperour vnto the fourth yeare of the gouernment of Trajan the Emperor and called the yong man to repentance which was of the Societie of theeues at length he died at Ephesus when he was 91 yeres old An. Dom. 100. as S. Ierom and Nicephorus li. 2. ca. 32. obserue So all his trauels were 688 miles ¶ The testimony of the Fathers concerning Iohn THe testimonies of the holy fathers that are yet extant concerning Iohn are these In Euseb li. 3. c. 1. 18. 20. 3. you may read the history concerning the conuersion of the yong man from the company of theeues Irenaeus witnesseth the same li. 2. ca. 23. In Irenaeus also li. 3. ca. 23. you may reade the history of Cerinthus and how that Iohn liued vntill the time of Trajan the Emperour Also li. 3. ca. 11. hee saith that the Gospel of S. Iohn was written because of the blasphemy of Cerinthus ¶ The description of the townes and places to which Iohn trauelled Of Ephesus THis was the metropolitan city of Ionia scituated in Asia minor 544 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward It was built saith Strabo by Androclus the son of Codrus king of Athens in the time of Dauid King of Israel and because of the beautifull scituation and fertilitie of the soile called Ephesus in future Ages growing into such credit and estimation that it was mightily encreased and became one of the most famous mart townes in all Asia but it stood somewhat low so that the sea brake in vpon it and drowned it and many of the inhabitants perished Neuerthelesse Lysimachus K. of Thrace built it vp again in the place where now it stands and called it Arsinoës after his wiues name But he being dead it was againe called by the antient name Ephesus There were many worthy men that liued in it as Heraclitus Scotinus and Hermadorus who for his excellent vnderstanding singular honestie was banished Hipponachus also the Poet Perrhasius Apelles the Painters Alexander the orator and Theodotio a Iew who interpreted the Bible It was in antient times inhabited by the Amazons whose queen kept her court there and wonderfully increased and adorned it with faire and beautifull buildings Here also that notable Temple dedicated to Diana which as Stra. saith li. 14. Plin. li. 36. ca. 14. was 220 yeares a building It stood vpon moorish ground to auoid the danger of earthquakes There were in it 127 pillars erected by so many Kings among which there were 36 that were curiously sieled and artificially carued and ingrauen it was 425 foot long
1â—0 broad There were so many gifts gratuities sent from all the cities and kings round about toward the building of this Temple that the riches and treasure thereof was wonderfull insomuch that when it was finished it was accounted one of the stateliest buildings the world could afford and numbered amongst the wonders of the world This temple thus built at such an extraordinarie charge that it was almost vnvaluable was set on fire by one Herostratus a wicked peruerse fellow in the same Olympiad and day that Alexander the Great was borne who hauing nothing in him that might make him famous in after-ages burnt this goodly building that so though not for his good but for his euill he might get a name But the Ephesians were so insenced because of this mischiefe that they procured proclamation to bee made through all the kingdomes round about that his name should not be once mentioned which perhaps for a time was obserued but in future ages they could not preuent it but that he was both spoken of written of Notwithstanding afterward the inhabitants of this City became so exceeding wealthy that they soon after rebuilt this temple of Diana and made it much fairer than it was before all the Citisens contributing with willing hands to the charge of the building insomuch that the women brought all their siluer gold and other pretious ornaments and communicated them towards this great worke Also in after-times those faire pillars before spoken of were againe erected towards the rebuilding whereof they receiued so many and wonderfull gifts from all the neighbouring Kings Cities and Countries that this Temple might as it was thought compare with all the world beside for riches and treasure It was standing in S. Pauls time who came thither about 12 yeares after the resurrection of our Sauior and continued there three yeares in which time he so faithfully and diligently preached the Gospell that he conuerted most of the Citisens from their idolatry and worship of Diana to the reuerend knowledge and confession of our blessed Sauior For which cause Demetrius the siluer smith who made a great gain by idolatry stirred vp a great tumult so that the Gentiles running vp and down the City for two houres space cried out with a loud voice Great is Diana of the Ephesians Acts 19. Here also Paul fought with beasts 1 Cor. 15. And to this city Paul wrot his Epistle and sent it from Rome 996 miles He made Timothy also a Bishop of this city to whom he wrot two Epistles the first was sent him from Laodicea to Phrygia beeing 280 miles the second from Rome as I said By these Epistles Timothy was greatly comforted and taught them to his disciples and auditors that so they might constantly continue perseuer in the Christian faith and religion to the end To conclude Iohn the Evangelist came also to Ephesus wrot his Gospel against the heretick Cerinthus who denied Christ to be the true God for which cause God grieuously punished him so that he died as hee was bathing himselfe in a bath Irenaeus lib. 5. ca. 3. Euseb li. 3. c. 22. This was the first Church to which Iohn wrot his Reuelation and there when he returned out of Pathmos he raised his host Drusana from death to life So when he had gouerned the churches in Asia 30 yeares after the death of Paul hee died when hee was 91 yeares old and was honorably buried at Ephesus not far from the city There was also another Iohn that liued in Ephesus to whom as many think the Epistles of Iohn the Evangelist were dedicated as Ierom sheweth in his catalogue of Ecclesiastical Writers The sepulchre of this man is shewed not far from the Sepulchre of S. Iohn the Evangelist as Euseb witnesseth lib. 3. cap. 31. At this day this city is named Figlo ho Epheso See Gesner Of Pathmos THis is an Isle of the Aegean sea scituated betwixt Asia minor Grecia 2080 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward Pli. l. 4. c. 12. saith that it was 30 miles in compasse Into this Isle the Evangelist was banished by Domitian Nero where he wrot his Reuelation It was one of the Cyclad Islands which were 53 in number that lay round about the Island Delus as Stra. li. 10. Geog. obserues It stood 40 miles from Ephesus Southwestward and as Petr. Apianus saith was somtimes called Posidius but now Palmosa Of Smyrna THis is the second city to which Iohn dedicated his Reuelation It was scituated in Ionia in Asia minor 540 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward This was a very faire city beautified with many goodly buildings and of good account in Grecia It was at first but a Colony transplanted from another city in that country But Theseus that great prince beeing then King thereof that he might adde some grace to that which hee had begun hee called it after his wiues name Smyrna signifying Myrrh Herod saith that Homer was born here but not blind and called by the name of Melisigines but after the Cumaenians called him of his blindnesse Homer Strab. li. 14. Geogr. saith That the inhabitants take vpon them to shew his picture standing there also a temple built in his honour During his life he was a man of small or no reputation or rather contemned than honored as Herod saith But after his death his works beginning to grow famous the Cities of Greece contended who should patronise him The Colophonians claim a part in him because he was in that towne and there made some of his Odysses They of Chios say he belonged to them because he liued there a long time and taught schoole But for ought that can bee found by Authours the Smyrnians haue most interest in him Neuerthelesse I leaue him to them that please to patronise him since it is not certainly found where hee liued He liued about 900 yeares before Christ Eusebius saith Hist Eccles lib. 4. cap. 14. that in after times this city grew very famous and was so much inlarged that it became a Bishops See whereof Polycarpus a very godly and religious man was Bishop He gouerned the Church in that place at such time as Iohn the Evangelist wrot his Reuelation and by him cap. 2. is called the Angell of the Church of Smyrna This man after he had faithfully preached the Gospell for the space of 86 yeares was by the inhabitants thereof condemned to death for the profession of Christ Anno 170. But the towne of Smyrna because of the vnthankfulnesse and crueltie of the inhabitants was grieuously punished for within ten yeares it was cast downe by an earthquake since which time it was hardly rebuilt again The riuer Pactolus which beginneth in Lydia runneth by this town of Smyrna But the inhabitants because of the golden veins that are found therein call it Crysorrhoas Plin. lib. 5. cap. 29. A little after that there was such an extreme plague hapned in Rome that they were constrained to carry out the dead bodies
miles Westward Sichem a Shoulder SIchem is a town in Samaria on the borders of Ephraim lying on mount Garizim 36 miles from Ierusalem Northward It takes the name as Phil. Melancthon writeth from the place wheron it standeth like a shoulder for Sichem signifies a shoulder Of this town I will speak more at large in the new Testament for that by it Christ spake with the Samaritan woman Ioh. 4. In this town Dina Iacobs daughter was rauished Gen. 34. and there the bones of the Patriarch Ioseph were buried Ios 24. Abimelech for spight vpon no occasion vtterly destroied the town and hauing razed it to the ground sowed it with salt Iudg. 9 But Ieroboam King of Ierusalem built it vp again and dwelt therin 1 Kin. 12. It was a free town whither a man-slayer might resort that had killed any man by chance and saue himselfe Ios 20. Mount Garizim wheron the town of Sichem stood was a piece of mount Ephraim Tanis in Hebrew Zoan an Inne or house of Harbor TAnis or Zoan was the chiefe city in Egypt where Pharaoh in Abrahams time kept his court as we reade in the thirteenth Chapter and fourth book of Moses and Psal 58. and lyeth 232 miles from Ierusalem Southeastward four miles from Tanis stood the kingly towne of Memphis which was likewise built before Abrahams time but at that time it was not so famous as Tanis for there is not one word spoken of Memphis in the books of Moses But when time serues I will speake more of these two places Of the Mount between Bethel and Hay THis hil is 4 miles from Ierusalem vpon the North lying between the 2 towns of Bethel Hay and is called mount Ephraim wher Abraham at his return out of Egipt the second time set vp his Tabernacle of purpose to be conuersant with Melchisedeck who dwelt in Ierusalem and with him gaue thanks to God for the singular fauors that he had shewed toward him in deliuering his wife Sara from the hands of Abimelech King of Egypt who would haue rauished her as he feared indangered his life In this place Lot separated himselfe from Abraham and went to dwell in Sodom Of the Plaine or Oke of Mamre THe Plain of Mamre stood a mile from Hebron towards the East and distant from Ierusalem 22 miles South-eastward In this yally there was a faire and pleasant wood where a certain yong man called Mamre dwelt This man was brother to Escal and Aner mentioned by Moses Genes 14. who according to the custome of gentlemen with vs in these times built vp his house neere to a pleasant Wood or bottome which as some thinke was called after his name Mamre Others of which opinion is Ierom of Aelon which signifies a valley or tree an Oke tree saith hee But Ioseph Aegesippus call it a Terebinth tree which both summer and winter beareth greene leaues like a Palme tree the sap or juice whereof is very good for medicine Abraham dwelling neere to this tree beeing entertained by the three Brothers as a stranger grew into such fauour and familiaritie with them that hee conuerted them from Paganisme and taught them to know the true and euer-liuing God To gratifie which great fauor they aided him in his Warre against the foure Kings that had taken Lot prisoner and gaue him free libertie to inhabit in and vse the Plain thereabouts for his cattel before whose dore as some Authors affirm this Terebinth or oke tree stood and so continued from the beginning of the world till the time of Constantine the Great it being lawfull for none to cut a bough of it or touch it with a hatchet because it was in those daies accounted a holy tree and visited by diuers strangers and then Helena caused a fair church to be built in that place and so much the rather for that Abraham sitting vnder that tree the three Angels appeared vnto him in the similitude or likenesse of men Gen. 8.1 2. And some are of opinion That because of this the Iewes offered Incense to their gods and committed idolatry vpon high mountaines and vnder green trees Ezek. 16. There was also a double Caue made of white marble which as Iosephus saith was very faire and beautifull to the eye and curiously wrought and polished wherein Abraham Isaac and Iacob with their Wiues Sarah Rebecca and Leah were buried and as some thinke was that caue which he purchased of the Hittites Gen. 23.34 But that Adam and Evah lie buried in the same place seeing there is no warrant for it in the holy Scriptures I let it passe because whatsoeuer hath not authoritie of Scripture to proue it may as easily be contemned as allowed But Abrahams sepulchre in Ieroms time was to be seen being old and decayed Of Hebron THis City was not onely a Kings Seat but a Priests also being built not long after the Floud and some seuen years before that City of the Egyptians called Zoan or Tanis Numb 13. and was placed vpon a goodly high mountaine very pleasant and delectable It taketh the name from Chabar which signifieth to accompany and from thence Chebron or Hebron A pleasant and delectable society It was a metropolitan city in the tribe of Iuda and after called Kiriatharba as it appeareth in Ioshuah 14. taking that name from Arba the chiefe Gouernour of that Citie This man was one of the Anakims and a very mighty Prince Others there are that say the city being diuided into foure parts was thereof called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Arba signifies a quaternion from the Rote Raba foure square It was first built by Heth the sonne of that cursed Canaan whose posterity the Hittites inhabited in it and such was their hospitalitie that they entertained Abraham being a stranger and traueller These people dwelt * Here also dwelt Sisai Abiman and Thalmas the sons of Anak there vntill Ioshuahs time and then one Hoham was King thereof who with other Kings opposing the Children of Israell was by them slain and had their country wasted and destroyed This town was after made a towne of refuge and belonged to the inheritance of Caleb and was together with Mamre in the tribe of Iuda Ios 20. Heere Dauid was first anointed King and reigned therein for the space of 7 yeares 2 Sam. 5. But this town by the iniury of time and oppression of the enemy is now become desolate only some few old reliques are to be seen to shew there had bin a town there Neuerthelesse there is a town not far from it which retaineth the name placed in a very fruitfull valley called Mamre to this day Heere while it was vnder the jurisdiction of the Christians stood a Cathedral church and a Bishops See but the Turks haue turned it into a Mosko or one of their churches Into this place they wil not suffer any Christian to enter The inhabitants take vpon them to shew vnto strangers many things as the vault or caue wherein
Abraham was buried the place where Cain killed Abel the Well where Adam and Eva wept seuen years for the death of their son with many such like fables which are to no purpose seeing they are not warrantable by Scripture Some bows shoot Eastward from this place is the field of Damascus where the red earth lieth whereof they feigne man to be made It is naturally tough may be wrought like wax or pitch There is also that is white of the same kind and this is conueyed to many places by the Saracens and sold at deare rates They vse it either for the teering of Sepulchres or to mingle with salves and vnguents Of Gerar. GErar is the vttermost towne in the land of Canaan and lieth between the desarts of Sur and Cades Gen. 20. Here King Abimelech kept his court at such time as Abraham came thither here Isaac was born Gen. 21. It takes the name from Gor which signifies a Pilgrim or Traueller and did well agree with the condition of the antient patriarchs that somtime liued there because for the most part they were like Pilgrimes and wayfaring men Gen. 47. It lay six miles from Hebron Southwest and from Ierusalem 30 vpon the territories of the tribe of Iuda Of Beerazaba BEerazaba is a towne scituated vpon the vtmost bounds of the Holy land forty miles from Ierusalem Southwestward and is deriued from Berr and Shebuah and signifieth the Wel of couenant for Abraham hauing digged a Wel neere to this place Abimelech King of Gerar entred into league with him and his posteritie Isaac also renued this league in this place as appears Gen. 21. It is now called Gallim or Giblin by the Iewes In S. Hieromes time it was a great towne Of Moriah VPon this Mount Abraham would haue offered his son Isaac and stood not far from Salem or mount Sion where Melchisedech dwelt They were so neere that Melchisedech vpon the tower of Sion might easily see the Angell that spake with Abraham when he renewed the couenant with him concerning his seed and posteritie and is deriued from Mor or Marar which signifies bitter Myrrh because as Gregorius saith the Church is euer subiect to affliction For all they that will serue God and liue religiously must suffer persecution Mat. 16. 2 Tim. 3. and Iarr which signifies to feare How Abraham may be typically apprehended ABraham signifies The father of a multitude from Ab pater a Father Ram excelsus Mighty and Hamon multitudinis Of a multitude Not in regard of the Iewes only but all those that in succeeding times shall be ingraffed into the Church and partake of euerlasting life through the mediation of Christ Iesus the promised seed Gal. 3. Ephes 1. Acts 3. and is a Type and figure of God the Father for as that Abraham was the father of many yet had but only one son so although God be the father of all nations yet had but one only son Iesus Christ begotten of his owne essence from before the beginning of the world And as Abraham so loued God that for his sake he would not haue spared his only son so God so loued Abraham and the World that hee gaue his only begotten son to die for the saluation of their soules The Trauels of Lot LOt trauelled with Abraham from Vr in Chaldaea to Haran in Mesopotamia which is 336 miles Gen. 12. 2 From Haran they trauelled to Sichem in the land of Canaan being 400 miles 3 From Sichem they trauelled through Morae to the hil lying between Bethel and Hay which is 24 miles 4 From the hill between Bethel and Hay they went into Egypt which is 240 miles Gen. 13. 5 From Egypt they went into the land of Canaan to the hil lying between Bethel and Hay where Abraham had dwelt before which is 240 miles Gen. 13. 6 From the hil between Bethel and Hay Lot separated himselfe from Abraham and went to the towne of Sodom Eastward which is 28 miles Gen. 13. 7 In the town of Sodom Lot was taken prisoner hee and all his houshold and led away to the town of Dan which is 32 miles Gen. 14. 8 And when Abraham had deliuered him out of the hands of his enemies pursued them he returned with him from Dan to Hobam in Phoenicia lying on the left side of Damascus being 80 miles 9 From Phoenicia Abraham came again with Lot to Sodom which is 160 miles 10 Lastly when the Lord had determined to raine fire and brimstone on Sodom Lot according to his commandement went thence to Zoar a little town neere adioyning where being drunk with Wine hee committed incest with both his daughters but after comming to the knowledge of his offence he was so sore afflicted in his conscience that with extreme grief he died Luther saith that Abraham tooke him to Hebron with him to comfort him and that there he died Hebron is 36 miles from Sodom So all the trauels of the Patriarch Lot were 1652 miles The Description of the Townes and places where he trauelled And first of Sodom THe cities that were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen were foure in number that is Sodom Gomorah Adama and Zeboim lying 24 miles from Ierusalem South-eastward where now the dead sea runs The fift was the city Bela called also Zoar which was spared for Lots sake distant from Sodom two miles This Lot accounted but a little City but there are that say it was a very spatious and princely place neere to which his wife for her disobedience was turned into a pillar of salt and not far off he committed incest with his two daughters And although Luther be of opinion that that also within a while after was burnt yet this cannot bee certainly prooued especially because it remaineth euen to this day scituated both in the antient place and called by the antient name vnlesse some new City hath beene lately built in the same place and is now called after that name which I cannot thinke to be true Sodamah signifieth a Mysterie Gomorah a Faggot of Thornes Adamah Red earth Zeboim Fertile and Pleasant Zoar The burning of Baela for in antient times it was called Baela It is the receiued opinion that the country wherein these fiue rich and opulent cities stood was called Pentapolis Of the Lake or dead Sea called Asphaltides IN the very same place where these Cities were burnt and destroyed there is at this day to be seene a Lake about 36 miles long and in some places six in others eight and 12 miles ouer It boileth with pitch and brimstone and in some places passeth by the name of the salt sea and in others the dead sea because of the noisome and venomous aire that riseth out of it insomuch as the very birds that fly ouer it fall down dead and if a beast doe but drink of it mixt with water it makes him incurably sick It is of a wonderfull nature for whatsoeuer heauy thing you fling into it will not sinke