hearts turn to Rehoboam and seek to kill me Wherefore he by the advice of his Counsel made two golden Calves and set the one up at Dan and the other at Bethel perswading the People that they were the Gods which brought them out of Egypt and therefore they should not need any more to go up to Jerusalem and worship so far off but should do it nearer hand and with less travail and pain And when he perceived the People to incline to his purpose he made a Temple to build Hill Altars therein for Idolatry and placed a sort of ignorant Ministers which were not of the Sons of Levy in Dan and Bethel to train up the People in worshipping of these Calves And the more to stir up the Peoples devotion he commanded a solemn offering to be made in the honor of these Calves the xv day of the eighth Moneth and the same yearly to be observed in remembrance of this new kind of Idolatry which in continuance was so rooted in Israel that it could never be clean extinguished till it had brought all Israel to utter destruction 13. cap. Now as the King was standing beside the Altar at Bethel doing of sacrifice there came a Man of God which cryed out against the Altar saying O Altar Altar Thus saith the Lord behold a Child shall be born unto the house of David Josiah by name and upon thee shall he offer the Priests of the Hill-Altars that burn Incense upon thee and they shall burn Mens bones upon thee And this is the token that the Lord hath spoken it Behold the Altar shall rent and the ashes that are upon it shall fall out The King was so angry with this that he stretched out his hand against the Prophet commanding to lay hands on him and by and by the Kings hand was dried up so that he could not pull it to him again the Altar clave asunder and the ashes fell out as the Man of God had spoken The King seeing now God's judgment fallen upon him humbled himself to the Prophet by whose intercession to God his hand was restored again 2 Chron. 13. Great and continual War was between this King and Rehoboam King of Juda but this ever prevailed till Abijah the Son of Rehoboam reigned and then he lost as much honour and more than he wan before He reigned two and twenty years and dyed leaving Nadab his Son to succeed him Read more of this King in the story of Abijah King of Juda and in the story of Ahijah the Prophet and of Baasha King of Israel Ieroboam the Son of Joash King of Israel 2 King 14.23 began his Raign in the xv year of Amaziah King of Juda and worshipped the Golden Calves which Jeroboam the Son of Nebat had set up as others did before him He was a great Warrier and victorious He restored the Coasts of Israel from the entring of Hemath unto the Sea of the Wilderness according to Jonas Prophecie And was stirred up of the Lord to help Israel being exceedingly afflicted out of all their trouble He reigned xli years and dyed leaving Zacharias his Son to succeed him Jeroboam Increasing the People Iesebel the Daughter of Ethbaal King of the Sidonians 1 King 16.31.19.2 was a wicked Woman She enticed and pricked forward Ahab her Husband to all kind of Idolatry she slew the Prophets of the Lord and persecuted Elijah 21. cap. She caused Naboth to be stoned to death that her Husband might enjoy his Vineyard Finally as she lay at Jesreel and hearing of Jehu his coming 2 King 9.30 she trimmed her self in gorgeous attire and lay looking out at a Window and as he came in at the Gate she said unto him Had Zimri peace which slew his Master As who should say Can a Traytor or any that riseth against his Superiour have good success But forasmuch as this was even God's determination that she should be destroyed she was cast out at the Window with such violence that she was dashed all to pieces and so betrampled and trodden with the feet of Horses that when they came to take her up to be buried they found no more of her save the Scull the Feet and the Palms of her Hands And then was the Prophecie of Elijah fulfilled which said In the Field of Jesreel shall Dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel and the Carkass of Jezebel shall lye as dung upon the Earth so that none shall say this is Jezebel Jezebel an Island or an habitation Iesus Luk. 2. cap. the Son of God was born of the Virgin Marry in Bethlehem a City of Juda in the year after the Creation of the World 3962. Lanquet whose birth immediately was honored by the glorification of Angels the agnition of Shepheards the veneration of the wisemen and the Prophecies of holy Symeon and Anna. And at the age of xii years was had in admiration among the Doctors in the Temple at Jerusalem where his Parents found him and brought him to Nazareth but what he did from that time forth till he came to the age of thirty years the Evangelists make no mention He was then Baptised of John in Jordan And to witness that he was the very Messias sent of God 5. cap. the Holy Ghost descended down from Heaven in the likeness of a Dove and lighted upon him and also the voice of the Father was heard from Heaven saying This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased hear Him And after he had finished the Legacy of his Father and opened the Doctrine of eternal lise to the People and confirmed the same with Miracles he was at the age of xxxiii years or thereabout betrayed of his own Disciple Judas and by the Jews his own peculiar People Matth. 26.14 most cruelly put to death at what time of his Passion was a great Earthquake and at six a Clock of the Day such a terrible Eclipse of the Sun that for Darkness it seemed to be very Night Matth. 28.6 The third day he arose again from Death to Life In token he conquered Sin Death and Satan Act. 1.9 And on the sortieth day to declare himself to be a mighty and a puissant Conqueror he ascended into Heaven where he sitteth at the right hand of the Father And the fiftieth day according to his promise he sent down the true Comforter the Holy Ghost which should lead the Apostles into all truth At the end and last day of the World he shall come again with glory to judge the quick and the dead He suffered his Passion in the year after the Creation of the World 3994. or thereabout Jesus a Saviour Iesus the Son of Sirach Ecclus 1. cap. being among the Captives in Egypt in the time of King Ptolomy Euergetes got liberty to read and write many good things which Jesus his Grandfather had gathered and left them with Sirach his Son which things this Jesus took and put in order
Juda. 2 Chron. 13. He overcame Jeroboam in Battel with an Army of four hundred thousand notwithstanding the other had twice so many chosen and picked Men. Of the which Abia slew five hundred thousand and weakned the power of Jeroboam so sore that he was never able to recover his strength again so long as Abia raigned This King had xiv Wives by whom he had xxii Sons and xvi Daughters He raigned but three years and was buried in the City of David Abia 2 King 14. the Son of Jeroboam being sick on a time his Father called the Queen his Wife unto him and bad her disguise her self that in no wise she might be known what Woman she was And so go thy way quoth he to Silo and there shalt thou find the Prophet of God called Ahia which told me long before Solomon dyed that I should be King of Israel Make speed and take a Present with thee and learn of him what shall become of the Child The Queen did then as she was commanded but all was in vain For God had revealed the matter unto the Prophet before the woman came Insomuch that as soon as the blind old man heard the noise of her coming and entring in at the door he said Come in thou wife of Jeroboam why hast thou disguised and feigned thy self to be another woman Thou art come to receive some comfort for thy son which lyeth sick but I am commanded to tell thee heavy and sorrowful things It repenteth the Lord that he hath exalted Jeroboam and rent the Kingdom from the house of David and given it to him forasmuch as he hath forsaken the Lord and not followed him in his heart as David did but hath made him gods of his own therefore the Lord hath determined to bring such a plague upon the house and posterity of Jeroboam that he will not leave one alive to make water against the wall Wherefore now get thee home and as soon as thy foot shall enter into the City the child shall die and all Israel shall lament him and bring him to his Sepulcher And so shall none of the house of Jeroboam thy husband enjoy the honour of his burial but only this child because the Lord saw in him some goodness toward And so when the Prophet had done speaking the wife of Jeroboam rose up and returned home to her house and found her son dead as the Prophet had foretold Abia Father of the Sea Abia the Daughter of Zacharia 2 King 18. was wife to Ahaz King of Juda and Mother to Hezekia Which name signifieth thus Abia the will of the Lord. Abiathar the son of Ahimelech Priest of Nob 1 Sam. 22. seeing the great cruelty of Saul in putting his Father to death for refreshing of David escaped his hands and fled to the Forest of Hareth where David at that time lay declaring to him the great murder that Saul had done to Ahimelech his Father and to all the Priests of the Lord for his sake Then being comforted of David he abode with him and was his Priest and Counsellor so long as he reigned But in the end of Davids raign he consented with Adonijah who had exalted himself to stablish him in the Kingdom 1 King 2. after the death of David But Solomon being proclaimed and the other deposed as soon as he was possessed deprived Abiathar and placed Sadock in his room And so was the word of the Lord fulfilled which he had spoken before concerning the house of Eli for Abiathar was the last of that line Abiathar Father of the Remnant or excellent Father Abigail 1 Sam. 25. the wife of Nabal the Carmelite was a woman not only beautiful but of a singular wisdom withal For when her husbands denial to Davids men for sustenance in their masters necessity was told her she then considering the great displeasure that might arise of the occasion offered hasted to load her Asses with sundry kind of victuals sending them forth before her and following after with speed And as she was going the providence of God was so that she met David by the way upon the side of an hill coming to Carmel determined utterly to have destroyed her husband and all that he had by the dawning of the day following Then she perceiving the fury of David lighted down from her Asse falling flat on the ground before him and so began her petition which was so pithily framed and done that in the end she pacified his wrath and stayed his hands from sheding of bloud that day for the which she was highly commended and praised of David who gently receiving her present did clearly remit the churlish behaviour of Nabal her husband for her sake Which being granted she took her leave and returned again But when she came home and found Nabal her husband so far overcharged with wine that his wits were gone she thought it convenient to follow the wise mans counsel Eccl. 31. not to rebuke him in his wine but to let the matter rest till the drink were all out of his brain and his memory fresh And so on the next morrow she declared to Nabal the great and perilous danger he was in for his unkindness shewed to David which when he heard it did smite him so sore to the heart that he never enjoyed himself but dyed within ten days after And then in process this woman Abigail became David's wife 2 Sam. 3. and bare him a son called Chileab which in the first book of Chronicles chap. 3. is called Daniel Abigail The Fathers Joy There was another woman called Abigail 1 Chron. 2. which was Sister to David and wife to Jether an Ismaelite unto whom she bare a son called Amasa Abimelech King of the Philistines Gen. 20. was a man which had the fear of God before his eyes as it may appear in the story of Abraham by his godly entertainment of his wife whom he took to be his very sister and not his wife as they had both confessed unto him And having a mind to the woman he took her from Abraham intending to have joyned with her in marriage and not for any sinful desire But when by the voice of God he knew she was Abraham's wife indeed and he a Prophet and his house sore plagued for her sake he was right sorry for that he had done and also displeased with Abraham for so dissembling with him in so weighty a cause considering the dishonesty that might have happened unto his wife by some of his men and the peril of Gods indignation on him and on his kingdom for the same yet notwithstanding when he knew the cause of Abrahams dissembling he possest him with cattel servants and money and delivered Sarah his wife unto him again giving him also free liberty to dwell and inhabite where he would within the precinct of his dominion Then Abraham prayed unto God for Abimelech at whose petition the Lord removed his
plague from the house of Abimelech so that the women conceived and brought forth children as before they had done The like story is of Isaac Chap. xxvi Abimelech The Kings Father or a Father of Counsel or the chief King Abimelech Judg. 9. the son of Jerubbaal otherwise Gedeon was a wicked Tyrant and a proud ambitious covetous man For when his Father was dead he to be King of Israel consulted with all his mothers kindred to perswade the people that it was better to have one man to reign over them than all the sons of Jerubbaal which were lxx persons in number And also to consider that he was of their flesh and bloud as well as the other were which matter being moved to the people they all consented to cleave to Abimelech and to make him their King and Governour And that he should be the better assured of their good wills and obedient hearts they gave unto him a great sum of money with the which he hired a sort of light brain'd fellows And first of all went to his fathers house and slew all his brethren save Jothan the youngest who escaped his bloudy hands and fled But by that he had raign'd two or three years the fire of hatred began so to kindle between him and the Sichemites with the house of Mello who had preferr'd him before to the Kingdom that at length it burst out into so great a flame that it could not be quenched till chance of war made an end of the Tyrant for in the end after divers victories he forced the Sichemites to take the strong Tower of Thebez for their refuge and coming nigh to the same to have set it on fire a certain woman threw down a piece of a Milstone upon his head and brake his Skull to the brain who then feeling himself sore wounded called his servant and bad him draw out his Sword and rid him out of his life that it should not hereafter be reported that a Woman had killed him and so his servant slew him Abinadab was a Man of Gibeah 2 Sam. 6. out of whose House David took the Ark of God and had it from thence to the house of Obed. Jesse the Father of David had also a Son called Abinadab 1 Sam. 16. and King Saul another of the same Name which was slain with him in Battel Abinadab A Father of a Vow or of a free mind or Prince Abishag was a goodly fair young Damosel 1 King 1. brought up in the City of Sunem And for her beauty and manners chosen to keep and nourish King David in his extreme age 1 King 2. After whose death being still a pure Maid She might not be suffer'd to marry with Adonijah the Kings Brother Abisag The Fathers ignorance Abishai was David's Sisters Son and Brother to Joab 1 Chron. 2. His Mothers name was Zarviah He consented not with Absalom 2 Sam. 16. but stuck to David his Unkle in all his troubles He was so grieved with the spiteful rebukes and railings of Shimei which he made against his Unkle David in his adversity that if David had not staid him he would have made Shimei shorter by the head than he was 2 Sam. 21. By his great strength and hardiness he rescued David out of the hands of a monstrous Gyant the Iron of whose Spear weighed three hundred Sicles and slew the Giant 2 Sam. 23. with three hundred Philistines more for the which he is counted as chief among the three Worthies belonging to David Abishai The Fathers Reward Abner the Son of Ner 1 Sam. 14. was Captain-General over the Host of King Saul by whose wisdome manhood and fidelity the House of Saul was chiefly held up and strengthned not only in the time of Saul's reign but so long also as he served Ishbosheth his Son â— Sam. 2. whom he set up and made King in his Fathers stead and governed his Host as he had done his Fathers before But in the first Battel he made against Joab David's Captain fortune went so much against him that he was put to the worse and fain to flie In the which flight Asahel Brother to Joab followed Abner and overtook him with whom Abner was loth to meddle for fear of Joabs displeasure and therefore intreated him gently to go his way not to force him against his will But when he saw his words would nothing prevail he fell upon Asahel and smote him thorow the short Ribs with his Spear and so departed leaving him dead on the ground Not long after this it fortuned the King to fall out with Abner 2. Sam. 3. and to taunt and check him for that he was so familiar with Rizpa his Fathers Concubine which check and taunt of the King so grieved Abner that he forsook him and went to David with whom he made a secret bond to stablish him in the Kingdom And so departing secretly from David again he came to the people which served Ishbosheth spake so much unto them in the praise and commendation of David that he wan their hearts and turned them quite from Isboseth to David And when he had thus framed the people somewhat according to his mind he came again to David to counsel farther with him how the People might now be brought together and be sworn unto him which matter being determined Abner returned from David thinking to have been as faithful to him as ever he was to Saul But Joab who bare grudge and malice to Abner for the death of his Brother Asahel hearing how Abner had been with David and let go again and nothing done unto him sent privily for Abner to come and speak with the King who being come Joab was ready to receive him and under pretence of friendship had him a little aside as though he would have talked with him about the secret affairs of the King and suddenly smote him with his Dagger and slew him Abner The Fathers Candle Abraham was the Son of Terah born in Ur Gen. 11. Abraham was the Son of Terah begotten of his second wife and because of his dignity is counted before Nahor and Aran born of the first Wife a Town in Chaldee A man so endued with faith and vertue that when he saw the true religion and honouring of God to cease in the Land of Chalda he departed from thence with Terah his Father Sara his Wife and Lot his Brothers Son to go into the Land of Canaan And * 12 cap. being come to Haran which is a Town of Mesopotamia he remained there until the death of his Father Terah Then God commanded Abraham saying Get thee out of thy Countrey and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House unto the Land which I will shew thee and I will make of thee a great Nation and will bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse them
the cause wherefore the Assyrians had so cruelly used him to whom he declared the matter in order as he had spoke it before to the Prince Holofernes which being done the whole Assembly gave praises and thanks to God which had given to Achior being an Heathen man such boldness of spirit to set forth his power and glory And from that time forth they comforted Achior and had him in great estimation who fell from his Heathenish belief Judith 14. and put all his trust in the living God and became a Jew and was circumcised and numbred among the People of Israel he and all his Posterity for ever Achior the Brothers light Achish was the Son of Maoth King of Gath 1 Sam. 21. who on a time when David feigned himself to be mad * Here it is said that David feigned himself mad before Achish and in the 34 Psaim before Abimclech which two were both one man for here he is called by his proper name Achise and in the other place by his general name Abimelech before him said unto his servants that brought him on this wise What mean you Sirs to bring this mad fellow before me have I so great need of mad men that ye have brought this man to play the mad Bedlam in my presence Away with him I say out of my House At this time Achish despised David and would not receive him but the next time * 27 cap. he came again with his Band of Men and their Housholds he retained them all and gave unto David the City of Ziklag to dwell in and had him in such estimation that when he himself should go with the Philistines to Battel against the Israelites he then took David with him and made him the Keeper * 29 cap. of his Person for the which the Philistines were sore offended with Achish and would not suffer him to go in their company so long as David was with him wherefore Achish for fear of the Philistines displeasure intreated David to go home again and so went Achish forth with the Philistines against King Saul Achish Even so it is Ada Gen. 4. There be two Women of this Name in the Bible The one was Lamech's Wife and Mother to Jaball The other was the Daughter of Elom the Hittite Gen. 36. and Wife to Esau Jacob's Brother Ada a Company or Congregation Adam was the first Man that God created Gen. 1. and had dominion of all the Beasts and Fowls of the Earth and to every Beast and Fowl he gave his proper Name God set him at the first in a place of passing joy full of all manner of fruitful Trees pleasant both to the eye and in tast whereof he might eat at will and was not prohibited save only from the tree of knowledg of good and evil for whensoever he tasted of that Tree God told him he should surely dye Now Adam being in this goodly Paradise of Pleasure God thought it good to make him a Companion to bear him company And so casting Adam into a sound sleep he took out a Rib of his side whereof he made the Woman and brought her to Adam who by and by confessed her to be of his Bone and Flesh and from that time forth they lived together as Man and Wife in all pureness and innocency of life till that by the subtilty of old Satan the Serpent who had deceived the Woman he was inticed by his Wife to eat of the forbidden Tree Which thing he had no sooner done but both their eyes were opened to see in what case they were And when they saw themselves all naked and bare they were so ashamed that they made them Garments to cover their privities and hid themselves that the Lord should not see them But Adam being found out of God and demanded wherefore he had hid himself alledged because he was naked And also to excuse his transgression he burdened God with his fault because he had given him the Woman which had allured him to eat of the Tree But nevertheless for as much as Adam had obeyed the voice of his Wife and neglected the Lords precept God cursed the Earth for his sake drove him forth of that wealthy place for to live in sorrow and care and be subject to death and all other calamities and miseries of the World both he and all his off-spring for ever In the Bible is mention made both of Sons and Daughters which Adam had of Eve his Wife but none of their Names be rehearsed save only Cain Abel and Seth. He lived nine hundred and thirty years Adam Man Earthly Adonijah 2 Sam. 3. was a goodly young Man the Son of David born unto him in Hebron of his Wife Agith When Adonijah perceived his Father to be feeble and weak thorow extreme age 1 King 1. he began to exalt himself saying he would be King And gat him both Horses and Chariots and also Foot men to run before him even like a King to the which his Father said nothing nor would displease him but let him alone and do what he would And so Adonijah proceeded in his purpose and by the counsel of Joab the Captain and Abiathar the Priest who took his part he made a great sacrifice of Sheep and Oxen whereunto he called his Brethren and also the Kings servants who eating and drinking before him with great rejoycing said God save King Adonijah But assoon as David had knowledge of Bathsheba Solomon's Mother and Nathan the Prophet how all the case stood he commanded Sadock the Priest and Nathan to anoint Solomon and to set Him upon his own Mule and so to go forth and proclaim him King Which news was no sooner come into the new Kings Court but every Man shrunk away for fear leaving Adonijah all alone Who then for his own safeguard fled to the Tabernacle of the Lord and would not go from thence till Solomon granted him his pardon upon condition that hereafter he would be quiet and a good Man And so being pardoned he departed quietly home to his house But after this when David his Father was dead 1 King 2. Adonijah casting his favour upon Abishag the Shunamite went to Bathshcha Solomon's Mother requesting Her to speak unto the King that he would give him Abishag to Wife Then Solomon hearing his Mothers request perceived that Adonijah being the Elder brother went about to aspire to the Kingdom wherefore to prevent his purpose he put him to death Adonijah the Lord is the ruler Adonibeseck King of the Canaanites Judg. 1â— was of such might and power that he subdued seventy Kings who being all brought into his Court He cut off their Thumbs and great Toes and made them gather their meat under his Table which great cruelty he shewed unto them being puft up with pride and ostentation of his victory This wicked King chanced to reign over the Canaanites when Judah had the governing of the
Son of Jotham King of Juda 2 King 16. at the age of twenty years began his reign in the xvi 2 Chron. 28. year of Pekah King of Israel and did not walk in the ways of his godly Father but gave himself to all kind of Idolatry and abominations of the Heathen consecrating his Children in the fire and offering Incense on every Hill and Mountain For the which his wickedness the Lord forsook him and delivered him into the hands and power of Razin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel which two Kings on the one side with the Edomites and Philistines invading his Land and spoiling his Cities and Towns on the other side brought him very low And yet in all his adversity would he not once list up his heart to call upon God for his aid and help but contrary to the Prophets admonition sought for the succour of Man spoiling the Temple of God Esay 7. and sending the Treasure thereof to Thiglath Pileser King of Assyria to come and deliver him out of trouble by whose coming Ahaz was nothing the more strengthned but rather troubled and hindered Then Ahaz measuring God's favour by the prosperity of his Enemies not considering how God oftentimes doth punish those whom he loveth and giveth to his Enemies good success for a time turned his heart wholly to the Syrians Gods who as he thought had plagued him And to the intent he might serve them and worship them in all things according as the Heathen did to have their help also he took the pattern of an Altar at Damascus the which he sent to * There is no Prince so wicked but he shall find flatterers and false Ministers to serve his purpose Uria his Priest to make him the like against his coming home who being such a Minister as was content to serve the King's turn made it with all speed on the which Altar the King at his coming home offered to those Idols abolishing all the holy Laws and Ordinances of God to stablish his own wicked and ungodly proceedings which turned to his utter confusion He reigned Sixteen Years and was buried in the City of David but not among the Sepulchres of Kings leaving Hezekia his godly Son to enjoy his place Ahas Taking or Possessing Ahazia the Son of Achab 1 King 22. 2 King 1. began his Reign over Israel in the xvii year of Jehosaphat King of Juda and followed the steps of that wicked Idolater Achab his Father in all things for the which the Lord punished him two manner of ways First the Moabites rebelled against him refusing to pay any tribute Secondly as he walked upon his House for his recreation he fell down at a grate of the same which was made to give light beneath And being sore bruised with the fall and in peril of death he sent to * Beclzebub was an Idol which the Philistines that dwelt at Ekron worshipped and signifieth the God of flies Thinking that he could preserve them from biting of flies or else he was so called because flies were ingendred in great abandance of the blood of the sacrifices that were offered to that Idol This note I find in the Bible Beelzebub the God of Ekron to enquire of him whether he should recover or no. And as the Messengers were going Elia the Prophet by the providence of God met them and said Is there no God in Israel to ask counsel at but your Master must send to Beelzebub return and tell him he shall not live The Messengers returned and told the King Who perceiving by all the marks and tokens of the Man that it was the Prophet Elia sent forth a Captain with Fifty Souldiers to bring him with violence if otherwise he would not come And when the Captain came to the Prophet he said Thou man of God come away the King hath sent for thee If I be the man of God quoth the Prophet Fire come down from Heaven and consume thee and all thy men which words were no sooner gone out of his mouth but Fire fell down from Heaven and destroyed them all The King sent again and they were likewise destroyed Then went the third who fell down before the Prophet and said O thou man of God let my life I pray thee and the life of these thy fifty servants be precious in thy sight With this Man the Prophet went boldly to the King and told him plainly he should not recover and so he dyed in the second year of his reign and for lack of issue his Brother Jehoram succeeded Ahazia The apprehending or possessing of the Lord or the vision or seeing of him Ahasuerus Esther 1. cap. otherwise called Artaxarxes King of Persia reigned over an hundred and * Daniel chap. 6. maketh mention but of six score leaving out the number that is imperfect as the Scripture in divers places useth twenty seven Provinces This King in the third year of his reign made a Feast-royal in the City of Susan to all his Princes and Nobles which continued an hundred and fourscore days And these days expired he made another feast to all the People great and small for the space of seven days and in the seventh and last day of the Feast the King being merry and pleasantly disposed sent divers of his Chamberlains to fetch the Queen named Vashti and to bring Her to Him with the Crown-Imperial upon her head that the People might see her beauty But for so much as she would not come at the King's commandment it was decreed that the King should put her away and take another at his pleasure And according to the same decree the King was divorced from Vashti and took Esther in her place for whose sake he shewed great kindness to her Nation the Jews promoting Mardocheus which had preserved him from the danger ger of Treason and put down Haman whom he had above all exalted Ahasuerus a Prince or Head Ahimaaz 2 Sam. 17. the Son of Sadock with Jonathas the Son of Abiathar stood waiting without the City of Jerusalem at the Well called Regell to bear such news to David as they should hear from their Fathers being within with Absalom And when they were instructed of all things by a certain Maid sent from their Fathers what they should do and say unto David they departed with speed But being espyed by a certain young Man who went and told it to Absalom Messengers were sent forth in post hast which followed them so sore that they were constrained to slip into a certain Mans house in Bahurim which had a Well in his Yard into the which they were conveighed and being hid in the Well the Wife of the House spred a Coverlet over the Wells mouth and strowed Corn thereon whereby the Well was not seen Then Absalom's Men coming into the House demanded of the Woman where the two men were which came in before them They be gone said she over the Brook of Water The
be Captain over his Host in the room of Joab which office he did not long enjoy for when Sheba the Son of Bichri had begun a new commotion and that David had sent Amasa to gather the Men of Juda together 20. c. and to bring them to him by the third day it chanced Joab to meet Amasa by the way which was somewhat after the time the King had appointed and saluting him with all gentleness he took him by the Chin with one hand to kiss him and with the other hand he smote him under the short Ribs with his Dagger and killed him Amasa Sparing the people Amasiah 2 King 14. the Son of Joash King of Juda began his Reign at the Age of xxv 2 Chron. 25. Years in the beginning whereof he did indifferently well observe the Laws of God but in the end he became an Idolater He prepared an Host of thirty thousand Men to go against the Edomites and yet to make himself the stronger he hired an hundred thousand more out of the ten Tribes of Israel for an Hundred Talents of Silver But as he was going with both the Hosts of Juda and Israel he was commanded by the Lord's Prophet to send the Host of Israel home again forasmuch as the Lord was not with them or else he should not stand before his enemies How then said the King shall I do for the hundred Talents which I have given for them Take no thought for that quoth the Prophet for the Lord is able to give thee as much more And so he sent the Host of Israel home again who for anger they were dismissed fell upon the Cities of Juda as they went and did much harm Then Amasias with his own Men set upon his Enemies and slew ten thousand and discomfited the rest After which Victory whereas he ought to have given all praise unto God for the same he fell from God and most vilely dishonoured him in worshipping the Idols of the Edomites despising the * This was Amos the Prophet whom Amasiah caused many times to be beat His Son caused 2 Nail to be thrust into his temples and being half dead he was carried into his own country where he soon after dyed Cooper Prophet's admonition sent unto him from the Lord. And so persisting in his obstinate mind and proud heart he wrote to Joash King of Israel commanding Him and his People by a Parable of the Cedar-tree and Thistle to be under his subjection But Joash after defiance gathered an Army and went against Amasiah whose Host being discomfited Amasiah was taken and brought to Joash who carried him to Jerusalem where notwithstanding the Gates being opened to him he caused four hundred Cubits of the Wall to be beaten down and entred into the City that way leading Amasiah with him as a Prisoner and took all the treasure of the Temple and of the Kings house caused it to be brought into Samaria Afterward being delivered his own People slew him He reigned xxix years and Azariah his Son succeeded Amasiah the Strength of the Lord. Amnon the Eldest Son of David had a fair Sister called Thamar 2 Sam. 3.14 cap. with whom he was so far in love that he could eat no meat that did him good but pined himself away marvellously for her sake Then Jonadab his Fathers Brothers Son a friend and familiar of his and a worldly wise man perceiving Amnon to be sore changed and every day more and more went to him and said How happeneth this Amnon that thou being the King's Son consumest thy self so away and dost not tell me Oh said Amnon I am in love with Thamar my Brother * Thamar was Absalom's Sister both by Father and Mother and Amnons by the Fathers side only Absalom's sister and except I may have her company I shall surely die Now to further this wicked purpose of Amnon here was a counseller ready at hand I will tell thee said Jonadsb what thou shalt do lay thee down upon thy Bed and feign thy self sick and when David thy Father cometh to visit thee desire him to let Thamar thy Sister come and dress thee such meat as thou hast a lust unto Amnon did so and when Thamar was come and had dressed him meat and brought it into his Chamber he commanded all to avoid and never rested until he had by force gotten his pleasure which done he fell into such an exceeding hatred of Thamar that he could not suffer her to be in his sight but caused his servant to thrust her out of his house and to bolt the doors after her For this shameful incest of Amnon Absalom two years after at a Banquet slew Him Amnon A People Lot had a Son called Ammon Gen. 19. which was born him of his youngest daughter and of him came the Ammonites Amon 2 King 21. the Son of Manasses was xxii years old when he began his reign over Juda 2 Chron. 33. and walked not in the ways of the Lord but gave himself more to wicked Idolatry and worshipping of stinking Idols than ever his Father did and would never turn unto God Wherefore at last certain of his own Men conspired against him and slew him which Conspirators the People of the Land notwithstanding put to death and made Josiah his Son King in his stead Amon Faithful Amos Amos 1.2 3 c. was an Herdman or Shepherd of a poor Town called Tekoa and one of the Twelve Prophets which God raised up to admonish the Israelites of their wickedness and Idolatry and to threaten them with his Plagues and Punishments if they did not repent Read of his death in the story of Amasiah Amos a Burden The Father of Jesse Esay 1. David's Father was called Amos and there the word signifieth Strong Amram Exod. 6. Numb 26. the Son of Caath the Son of Levy took Jochebed his Fathers * This kind of marriage was after in the Law forbidden Levit 18. Sister to Wife who bare unto him two Sons Aaron and Moses and also a Daughter called Miriam He lived an hundred and thirty eight years Amram a mighty or an high people or a band of them Amraphel Gen. 14. was King of Shinar and one of the four Kings which fought against five other Kings in the Valley of Siddim where he and his party had the Victory Amraphel Speaking destruction or speaking secrets Amri 1 King 16. was the Chief Captain and Governour of the whole Army of Elah the Son of Baasha King of Israel And lying at the siege of Gibbethon a City of the Philistines the whole Host there hearing of the death of Elah constituted Amri King in his stead But the residue of the Israelites which abode at home and were not with Amri at the siege made Tibni the Son of Ginath King So that the People were divided and in great contention for their King which continued for the space of three years till Tibni
to offer the Yearly Sacrifice And thus God took away her rebuke of barrenness and blessed her with children so that after Samuel she had three Sons more and two Daughters Anna Gracious or Merciful Anna Tobit 2. the Wife of old Toby her Husband being blind and in poverty took weaving work of Women and laboured sore for her living And when on a time she sent home the work to the owners one sent her a Kid more than her wages which she had earned And when Toby heard the Kid bleat he said to Anna From whence came that Kid Is it not stollen restore it to the owners again for it is not lawful to eat any thing of theft Then was Anna angry with Toby and rebuked him as one whose trust in God was all in vain After this 5. it fortuned old Toby to send young Toby his Son to the City of Rages to receive certain money which in his prosperity he had lent to one Gabelus Then Anna being full of heaviness for the departure of her Son burst out and said to Toby Oh what hast thou done why hast thou sent our Son away I would to God that money had never been required of us but that we had been content with our poverty and kept our Son at home What ailed us to send him into a strange Country which was the only staff of our age and comfort of our life and the hope of our generation Then said Toby leave thy weeping and be not discomforted for the Man that went with our Son is so faithful 10. that he will bring him to us again safe and sound Yet could not Anna with this be perswaded but would daily go out to the top of an Hill and sit there to spie his coming And when at the last she saw where he came a far of she ran home with great rejoycing and told her Husband And so waiting to receive her Son she wept for joy when she saw him Anna Luke 2. â—6 the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser was a Prophetess and had been married to an Husband seven years and after continued a Widow fourscore and four years serving God in the Temple with fasting and praying day and night And when Christ was brought into the Temple she cameforth at that present praising the Lord and prophesied of that Child to all them that looked for the redemption of Israel Anna the Wife of Raguel 〈…〉 was Mother to Sara the Wife of young Toby Annas John 18.13 had the first examination of Christ and sent him from him to Caiaphas his Son-in-law who was High-Priest for that Year Annas Afflicting or bringing low Antiochus 1 Mac. 1. c. 6. c. 8. the great being King of Syria and of such puissance and strength that he thought himself invincible was at last overcome of the Romans and fain to relinquish to them all his interest in Europe and Asia and to leave his Son Antiochus in Hostage and so departed being contented with those Countries that were left him 2 Mac. 1. till at last of a covetous mind he went to Perside the chief City of Paersia thinking there to have robbed the Temple and to have had great treasure therein And as he himself with a few more was in the Temple about his business the Priests at a privy door came in upon him and cut him all to pieces and cast him out to be devoured of the Birds and Fowls of the Ayr. Antiochus For all agon or Chariot Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 1. the Son of Antiochus the great being stablished in his Kingdom warred against Ptolomy King of Egypt until he had brought his Land in subjection And having so good success there he went against Israel and at last took and spoiled the City of Jerusalem and robbed the Sanctuary of all the precious Jewels and treasure therein subverted all the holy Laws of God compelling the Jews to worship Idols and to do as the Heathen did in all things he burned the Books of the Law and whosoever had a Book of the Testament or were found to be a favourer thereof did suffer death 2 Mac. 9. Thus this ungracious and wicked subverter of all true religion and godliness persecuted the true People of God and so long persisted in his great tyranny that God at last smote him with an incurable Disease in his Body which was so eaten with Worms and Vermine that they fell quick out of his flesh whereof ensued so great a stink that neither he himself nor none that were about him might abide the smell And so this wicked Tormentor of others was justly recompenced with a miserable end Antiochus Eupator the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 6. being but young and under the governance of Lysias went into Jewry with a great Army to subdue the Jews who so manfully resisted Antiochus that he was fain considering the decrease of his People and the strength of the place besieged to offer them peace and to grant them liberty to live according to their own Laws whose Covenants being received the Jews came out of the Castle of Sion to give place to Antiochus who notwithstanding his oath when he saw the defence therof commanded the Walls round about to be cast down and destroyed and from thence departed to Antioch where he fought with Philip which was come out of Persia and wan the City out of his hands And lying there 1 Mac. 7. Demetrius the Son of Seleuchus came to Antioch and took Antiochus and Lysias and put them both to death Antiochus the Son of Alexander being but a child 1 Mac. 11. was first under the governance of Emascuel the Arabian and removed from him to the tuition of one Triphon 1 Mac. 13.3 of whom he was most traiterously murthered Antiochus 1 Mac. 15. the Son of Demetrius for as much as Triphon had been his Fathers utter enemy made a covenant of friendship with Simon the High-priest and Prince of the Jews that he might the better overcome Triphon whom he persecuted and drove to the City of Dora lying by the Sea side which City he besieged with an hundred twenty thousand Foot-men and viii thousand Horsemen And lying there Simon sent him two thousand chosen Men with Silver and Gold and much furniture to help him Who notwithstanding his bond of love he had made with Simon before refused now his friendship and sell at defiance with him and all the Jews and was ever after that their continual enemy Antipas Apoc. 2.13 was a faithful Martyr of Christ Antipas For all or against all Antipater 1 Mac. 12. c. 14. the Son of Jason first by Jonathas and after by Simon was sent Ambassador to Rome to renew the old friendship between the Jews and Romans Antipater For the Father or against the Father Apame 3 Esd 4. was Daughter to that famous King Bartacus and Concubine to a certain great King who was of
of Shinar into a far Country where he inhabited which Countrey took its name of him and was called Assyria and there he builded a City which afterwards was called Niniveh Assur Blessed or Travelling Asubah 1. King 22.42 was Mother to Jehosaphat King of Juda and daughter to Shilhi 2 Chron. 20. Asubah Forsaken Asubah 1 Chron. 2.18 Wife to Caleb the Son of Hesron bare unto him three Sons Jesher Shobab and Ardon Athalia 2 King 11. 2 Chron. 22. Athalia in the 2 King ca. 8. is called both the daughter of Achab and the daughter of Amri which saith Lyra is meant thus After the death of Amri her natural Father she was brought up with Achab her Brother and so in process called his daughter or else by immitating his manners in all kind of Idolatry was the daughter of Amri and wife to Joram King of Juda. When Joram died her Son Ahaziah succeeded whom she enticed to all wickedness and after his death she ruled and killed all the rest of the seed of Joram only Joash excepted which was stollen away and hid from her And when she had ruled the Land most cruelly vi years In the vii year Joash was brought forth by Jehojada the Priest and proclaimed King She hearing that ran into the Temple of the Lord with her cloaths rent crying out treason treason But at the commandment of Jehojada the Captains and Souldiers took her out of the Temple and slew her Athalia Time for the Lord. Azariah the Son * 2 King 15.1 c. of Amaziah King of Juda began his reign in the xxvii year of Jeroboam King of Israel and was 16. years old when he was made King And so long as he gave ear to Zacharias the Prophet and walked uprightly so long did the Lord prosper him with great Victories both of the Philistines and Arabians and made the Ammonites also tributaries unto him He ‖ Azariah is in the same Chapter called also Vzziah repaired Jerusalem He loved husbandry well and had great plenty of Cattel At length he became so mighty that in his strength his heart arose to his destruction For in his pride he went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense which although he seemed to do of a zeal and good intent yet forasmuch as he usurped the Priests Office he was justly resisted of Azariah the Priest and plagued of God who smote him with such a Leprosie that he went out of the Temple a Leper and so remained all the days of his life He raigned LII years and was buried in a part of the same Field where his Predecessors lay but not in the same Sepulchres because he was a Leper Azaria Help of the Lord. B. BAAL the Son of Reaia was a Prince of the Reubenites 1 Chron. 5.5 and * In the days of Pekab King of Israel carried away with other his Kinred into the Land of Assyria by Tiglath Pileser King of the Assyrians Baal an Idol or a Ruler 2 Kings 15. Baanah with his Brother Rechab 2 Sam. 4. cap. the Sons of Rimmon were two Captains in the Host of Ishbosheth King of Israel who when Abner their chief Captain was dead went into the House of Ishbosheth seeming saith Lyra they had gone to fetch Wheat for the King saith he had great store of Wheat which he sold to Merchants a-far off wherefore these two disguised themselves like Merchants that came to buy and so entring into the House they found where their Lord and Master lay upon his Bed in the heat of the day fast a-sleep * There is nothing so vile and dangerous which the wicked will not enterprise in hope of lucre and favour and slew him and took his head and carried it to David thinking for the same to have had a great reward But for their most shameful and trayterous act they were both put to death and their Quarters hanged over the Pool in Hebron Baanah In affliction Baasha the Son of Ahijah 1 King 15.27 c. 16.1 c. conspired against Nadab King of Israel and reigned in his stead In the third year of Asa King of Judah began Baasha to reign over Israel and walked most wickedly in all the ways of Jeroboam 1 King 10.14 whose House and Posterity notwithstanding * God stirred up one Tyrant to punish the wickedness of another he utterly destroyed and left not one alive for so it was prophesied that God would stir him up one which was this Baasha for that purpose And now for as much as Baasha whom God had exalted even out of the dust would still maintain Jeroboam's Idolatry and cause his People to sin he sent him word by the Prophet Jehu that as he had rooted out the whole Posterity of Jeroboam so should his be served likewise Great War was between Baasha and Asa King of Juda. 2 Chron. 16. And for to stop the passage of Juda that none should pass out nor in safely Baasha went to build a strong hold called Rama which he was fain at length to leave unfinished and to lose all his cost and pains to go against Benhadad which had broken covenant with him He reigned xxiv years and was buried in Thirza which was a place where the King remained leaving Ela his Son to succeed him in whose days the foresaid Prophecy of the rooting out his Posterity took place Baasha in folding together or pressing together or to search out and take away Bachides 1 Mac. 7.9 cap. was a Man of great power in the Dominion of Demetrius the Son of Seleucus And being the Kings faithful friend he sent him with a great Host against Judas Machabeus to revenge him of the injury he had done unto his People and in the end slew him After whose death many of the wicked Jews turned to Bachides whereof he made some Lords and Rulers of the Land which of envy outed the friends of Judas and brought them into great vexation and trouble When Bachides had given this overthrow to Judas he sought how he might kill Jonathas also whom the Jews had appointed in his Brothers room And meeting with Jonathas about the border of Jordan there was a great Battel fought between them in the which Bachides lost a thousand of his men After which conflict Bachides by occasion of Alcimus the wicked Priests death departed for that time so that Jonathas lay at rest two years after till a sort of ungodly men conspired against him how they might bring Bachides upon him unawares which matter being between them and him concluded Bachides returned with a great power but ere he came Jonathas had gotten knowledge of the Treason and put certain of the chiefest Conspirators to death Then when Bachides came and had besieged the City of Bethbessen long and saw he was not able to resist the power of Jonathas he was marvellously displeased with those wicked counsellers which had caused him to travail
his servants went and said O King we have heard say that the Kings of Israel be merciful Kings let us therefore put Sackcloth about our Loins and Ropes about our Necks and go and humble our selves before Achab and see if he will save thy life Benhadad did so and was pardoned and never troubled Israel more in Achab's days But afterward in another King's days he came again and besieged Samaria so long till an Asses head was sold for fourscore silver pence and the fourth part of a Cab of Doves dung for five sicles and till Women were constrained to eat their own Children Finally Benhadad fell sick and sent his servant Hasael to Elizeus the Prophet which was come to Damascus to know whether he should recover his Disease or no and having his answer of the Prophet he returned and slew his Master Benhadad as in the story of Hazael ye shall see how Benhadad the Son of a Sound or of Noise and Crying Benjamin was the youngest Son of Jacob Gen. 35.18 c. Of the Sons of Benjamin Read Gen. 46.21 his Mother was Rachel who dyed in travail and therefore called his name Benoni the Son of sorrow But Jacob his Father called him Benjamin Son of the right hand 1 Chron. 7 8. His Brothers name of Father and Mother was Joseph who loved Benjamin above all the rest of his other Brethren as in his story appeareth Benjamin Son of the right hand Berjesus Act. 13.8 which by interpretation is as much to say as the Son of Jesus was a Jew born and a great Sorcerer which Name he had taken upon him to deceive the People whereas his right name was Elymas which word in the Syrians Language betokeneth an Enchanter and a false Prophet also This false Sorcerer was got into the City of Paphos and there being crept into favour with Sergius Paulus Ruler of the Countrey withstood the Doctrine of Barnabas and Paul seeking by all means to turn the Rulers heart from the Faith in Christ But Paul being full of the Holy Ghost perceiving the devilish and subtile craft of this Sorcerer looked stedfastly upon him and said O full of all subtilty and mischief the child of the Devil and enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the streight ways of the Lord Now therefore behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind and not able to see the Sun for a season And when Paul had pronounced these words the Enchanter was stricken with blindness so that he as one amazed wandred up and down seeking for some Man to lead him by the hand Berjesus a Sorcerer or Conjurer Berzillai was a Gileadite born 2 Sam. 17.27 who considered the necessity of David so much being fled out of his own Realm for fear of his own Son Absalom into the Wilderness of Mahanaim that he brought all things necessary for Beds Meat Drink and Cloth out of Roglim to refresh him and his Men and provided so for him all the while he lay there that he lacked nothing and at his return again he helped also to convey both the King and all his Men over Jordan Then David seeing the great kindness of Berzillai was much desirous to have him home with him to Jerusalem promising that all the days of his life he should eat and drink with him at his own Board and fare no worse than he fared To whom Berzillai being a very old Man said O my Lord I am a Man of four-score years of age and cannot discern between good and evil neither yet tast any thing that I do eat or drink wherefore if I should then go with my Lord the King I should be but a burthen unto him Therefore I beseech thee let thy servant turn back again that I may dye in mine own Country and be buried in the Grave of my Father But here is thy servant Chimeam my Son let him go with my Lord and do unto him whatsoever it shall please thee And so David and Berzillai kissed each other and departed but Chimeam went with David who did not only recompence his Fathers kindness in him so long as he lived but at the day of his death declared to Solomon his Son the great fidelity he had found with Berzillai in the time of his exile charging him therefore to shew no less favour to the Sons of Berzillai for their Fathers sake than ever he himself had done Berzillai Made of Iron or as hard as Iron Bethsheba was the Daughter of Eliam 2. Sam. 11.3 and Wife to Urias which was with Joab in the King's Wars On a time as Bethsheba was washing her self in her privy Garden alone it chanced King David to look out at a Window in his Palace and saw her whose beauty so ravished the King that forthwith he sent for the Woman and committed adultery with her and so sent her home again Then shortly after she perceiving her self with child sent the King word thereof who then partly to hide his own fault and partly to save the Woman from danger of the Law sent for Urias to come home But when David saw that Urias would not company with his Wife Bethsheba he returned him back again to Joab with a Letter which caused Urias quickly to be dispatched out of his life after whose death Bethsheba became David's Wife and brought forth the child conceived in adultery which lived not long but dyed After that 12.24 she conceived again and brought forth Solomon Lastly when David was fallen into extreme age and that she saw Adonijah the Son of Agith begin to aspire to the Kingdom of his Father yet living she went by the counsel of Nathan the Prophet who had taught her her Lesson unto David her husband And making her humble obeysance unto the King as he sate in his Chamber and Abishag the Shunamite ministring unto him he said unto her what is the matter She answered my Lord thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine Handmaid saying assuredly Solomon thy Son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my Seat And behold now is Adonijah King and thou my Lord the King knowest it not He hath offered Oxen fat Cattel and many Sheep and hath called all the Kings Sons and Abiathar the Priest and Joab the Captain of the Host But Solomon thy servant hath he not bidden And now my Lord O King the eyes of all Israel wait on thee that thou shouldest tell them who ought to sit on the Seat of my Lord the King after him for else when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers I and my Son Solomon shall be sinners The Queen had no sooner done speaking but the Prophet Nathan came and confirmed her words Whereupon the King assured Bethsheba that Solomon her Son should be that day proclaimed to reign in his stead The Queen then humbling her self with thanks desired of God that her Lord King David might live
Curse was no sooner pronounced out of the Prophets mouth but two Bears came out of the Forest and ran upon the Children and tore in pieces 42. of them And so went he forth to Mount Carmel and from thence to the City of Samaria It came to pass that when Jehoram the King of Israel and Jehosaphat King of Juda with the King of Edom in their progress toward the King of Moab lacked Water for them and their People they went by the counsel of Jehosaphat King of Juda to Eliseus the Prophet beseeching him to make Intercession for them that they might have Water to sustain their Host which else were in jeopardy of perishing And when the Prophet saw the Kings he said to the King of Israel What have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of Achab thy Father and to the prophets of Jezahel thy Mother as truly as the Lord of Hosts liveth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat King of Juda I would not have looked toward thee nor seen thee But now bring me a * This was no such Minstrel as uses to fill the Peoples eares with Songs of ribauldry but one that sang Songs to God's glory and so stirred up the Prophets heart to prophesie Minstrel and when the Minstrel plaid the hand of the Lord came upon Eliseus that he began to prophesie of Water and of the overthrow of the Moabites which came to pass on the next morrow as the Prophet had said for the Moabites being deceived by the Sun 's shining upon the Water that fell which made it seem as red as bloud thinking it had been the Bloud of the Kings Host that had slain one another but when they came they found the Host of Israel ready who fell upon the Moabites and destroyed and put them to flight every one Eliseus God's salvation or a God which saveth There was a certain Woman 2 King 4.1 2 c. late Wife to one of the Prophets which came and complained to Eliseus that her Husband had left her so far in debt that her Creditors were come to fetch her two Sons away to be their Bondmen What hast thou in thy house said the Prophet Nothing quoth she but a little Pot of Oyl The Widow lest in debt Well said he go thy way home and borrow of thy Neighbours as many empty Vessels as thou canst get and pour out the Oyl of the Pot into the empty Vessels until thou hast â—illed them all And when the Woman had done all as the Prophet had commanded her she came back again and told him how mightily her Oyl was encreased Now go said the Prophet and sell so much of the Oyl as will pay thy Creditors and then live thou and thy Children of the rest There was a certain Woman of great estimation in the City of Shunem 2 King 4.8 9 c. who hearing tell that Eliseus was come to the City invited him home to her house and made him great chear And whensoever after that he came into that quarter which he haunted much he would ever take that Gentlewoman's house in his way Then she seeing that said unto her Husband I perceive that this is an holy Man that cometh so oft by our place let us make him a little Chamber with all things necessary for the same that when he cometh this way he may lodge there and be quiet therein And when the new Chamber was made and finished the Prophet at his next coming was brought into the same there to take his rest He then considering the great provision the Woman had made and how careful she had been for him said unto Gehazi his Man Go and ask of her what she will have me to do for her whether it be to speak unto the King or to the Captain of the Host or any thing else and I will do it The servant went and brought him word again Eliseus obtaineth a Son for the Sbunamite that she had no Child and her Husband was old Well said the Prophet she shall have a Son which in process she had indeed And when the Child was a few Years grown up it had a desire to go and see its Father and the Reapers in the Field and being there in the heat of the day it fell suddenly sick The Sbunamite's Son restored from death to life and was carried home to his Mother and dyed But for the Woman's sake the Prophet restored her Son to life again On a time Eliseus commanded his Cook to make a great Pot of Pottage for the Children of the Prophets which boarded with him 2 King 4.38 and as one went out for Herbs he gathered unawares his Lap full of wild Gourds and came and shred them into the Pot of Pottage He maketh the Pottage sweet And when the Children of the Prophets had tasted a little of the Pottage they fearing lest they had been poisoned cryed out saying O thou Man of God there is death in the Pot. Then the Prophet called for Meal and threw it into the Pot and all was well and no more harm in the Pot. A certain Man the dearth being great in the Land came from Baal Shalisa 2 King 4.42 and brought to Eliseus twenty Barley-loaves of the first fruits of his new Corn the which he commanded his Man to give to the People to satisfie their hunger The Loaves are multiplied How shall I said he set this before so many will it satisfie an hundred persons Well said Eliseus set it before them for thus faith the Lord they shall eat and there shall remain And so the Loaves were set before the People and they did eat and left over according to the Word of the Lord. Eliseus had so many of the Prophets children with him at Board and Bed 2 King 6.1 c. that his House was too little for them all wherefore they said to him that they would go to Jordan and build them a bigger House to dwell in desiring him to go with them And as a certain Man was felling down a Tree to serve for the building the Axe head slipt off the Helve and fell into the Water Then the Man cried to Eliseus and said Alas Master help me to have it again for it was lent me Where fell it in said the Prophet and when the Man had told him Eliseus cut down a piece of Wood Iron swimeth and cast it into the Water and immediately the Iron did swim And then the Man stretched forth his hand and took it up He prophesied unto the Shunamite whose Son he had raised from death of a great dearth which should come and continue upon the Land seven years 2 King 8.1 c. giving her counsel therefore to go and sojourn in some other plentiful Countrey till these years were expired whose counsel she followed and went with all her Houshold into the Philistines
in a Book which is called Ecclesiasticus or the wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach Iesus otherwise called Justus was a Jew born Col. 4.11 and one of Paul's Workfellows in preaching and setting forth the Kingdom of God whom he commended to the Colossians desiring them that if he or any such did come unto them they should receive and entreat them with all gentleness Iethro the Priest of Midian had seven Daughters Exod. 4.18.18 cap. of the which one was called Zipporah whom he married to Moses And when that Jethro had heard of all the mighty deeds which God had done for Moses and how he had delivered the Children of Israel out of Egypt from the Bondage of Pharaoh and brought them thorow the red Sea he met Moses in the Wilderness and brought to him his Wife and two Children which he had sent back before at whose coming Moses was exceeding glad Then as Jethro abode with Moses and saw the great pains he took in judging the People from Morning to Night he said unto him What is this that thou dost unto the People Why sittest thou thy self alone and all the People stand about thee from morning unto even When the People quoth Moses have any matter they come unto me and I judge between one and another and declare unto them the Statutes and Laws of God Thou dost not well quoth Jethro for thou both weariest thy self The counsel of Jethro Moses Father-in-law and the People that is with thee The thing is of more weight than thou art able to perform alone Therefore hear my counsel and God shall prosper thee Be thou for the People to God-ward and report the causes to him Admonish them of the ordinances and laws and shew them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do Moreover seek out among the People men of courage and such as fear God true dealing men hating covetousness and appoint them to be Rulers over thousands over hundreds over fifties and over tens And let them judge the people at all seasons and every great matter let them bring it to thee but all small causes let them judge themselves and so shall it be easier for thee when they shall bear the burthen with thee If thou shalt do this thing and God so command thee thou shalt be able to endure and all the People shall go quietly to their place Jethro Excellent or remaining or searching forth or a little cord Ioab â— Sam. 2. cap. was the Son of Zerviah David's Sister and the chief Captain of all David's Host In the first Battel he made against Abner King Saul's Captain he was the Victor and put Abner to flight and of malice afterward by treason slew him for the which deed David was sore offended 3.27 23 c. that he besought God to avenge it on Joab and that his House and Posterity might always be plagued with the bloody-flux leprosie feebleness of Body the Sword or Famine for the death of Abner Joab also was the death of Absalom â— Sam. 38.15 and slew him as he hanged by the hair of his head upon the bough of a tree And when it was told him of the great lamentation the King made for Absalom his Son he went unto him and said Thou hast this day shamed the faces of all thy servants 19.5 c. which this day have saved thy life and the lives of all thy Sons and Daughters and the lives of thy Wives and Concubines in that thou lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends For thou hast declared this day that thou regardest neither thy Princes nor servants Therefore I do perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had been slain this day that then it had pleased thee well Now therefore up and come out and speak comfortably unto thy servants for I swear by the Lord except thou come out there will not tarry one Man with thee this Night and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto 20. cap. Also in persecuting of Sheba which had made a new insurrection against David he met Amasa his Aunts Son by the way and * Lyra supposeth that Joab slew Amasa of envy because David had made an oath in the Chapter before that Amasa should be his Captain in Joab's stead slew him and leaving him dead on the ground he followed Sheba and besieged him in a City called Abel where the Governess of the City being a wise Woman cried unto Joab demanding why he went about to destroy that City which was a Mother of Israel and to devour the Inheritance of the Lord before he had offered peace To whom he answered saying That he went about no such matter but I come quoth he for Sheba the Son of Bichri deliver me him and I will be gone and as soon as the head of Sheba was thrown over the Wall to Joab he departed Finally after the death of David who had ordained Solomon to Reign in his stead Joab took part with ddonijah Solomon's Brother which usurped the Kingdom and went about with all his power to stablish him in David's seat But when he heard Solomon proclaimed by David's authority he fled to the Tabernacle of the Lord out of the which he would not depart but catching hold on the * The holiness of the place ought not to save the wilful murtherer Exod. 21.14 corners of the Altar said he would even in that place dye Then Solomon hearing thereof commanded Benaiah to go and kill him even there for the bloud of Abner and Amasa which he had shed causlesly And so was Joab slain in the Tabernacle and carried out and buried in his own House in the Wilderness Joab willing or voluntary Joanna Luk. 8.3.24.10 the Wife of Chuza Herod's Steward was a godly Woman and ministred unto Christ of her substance while he lived And after he had suffered his Passion she went with other Women to seek him at his Sepulchre And being told by the Angels that he was not there returned to the Apostles to bring them tidings of his Resurrection which seemed to them but feigned things and therefore believed them not Joanna the grace of the Lord or the Lord's gift or the Lord's mercy Joash 2 King 11. 12. cap. the youngest Son of Ahaziah King of Juda was stollen away from the hands of Athaliah his Grandmother by his Sister Jehosheba Wife to Jehojadah the High-Priest and hid in the Lords house and brought up in the Chamber where the Priests and Levites lay the space of six years and in the seventh year Jehojadah brought him forth and proclaimed him King who in all things sought the Lord so long as Jehojadah lived He repaired the Temple He slew Mattan the Priest of Baal and brake down his Altars with many other good things 2 Chron. 24. But after the death of Jehojadah he fell so far
from God that no admonition of the Prophets which were daily sent him could turn him And last of all when Zacharia the Son of Jehojadah came unto him to call him again unto the Lord he notwithstanding the great kindness and faithfulness of Jehojadah his Father before him caused Zacharia to be put to death for the which cause the Lord stirred up the Syrians against him which slew a great number of his People and in the end his own Servants conspired against him for his ingratitude and slew him upon his own Bed after he had reigned forty years and buried him in the City of David but not among the Kings Joash the Lords fire or the Lords oblation Joash 2 King 13.9 10 c. the Son of Jehoahas began his Reign over Israel in the xxxvii year of Joash King of Juda and did evil in the sight of the Lord grieving him with the sins of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat 2 Chron. 25.17 18 c. Of the great Victory the Lord gave Joash against Amasiah King of Juda read his story And how he visited Elizeus the Prophet in his sickness read the last end of his story also This King reigned xvi years and dyed leaving Jeroboam his Son to take his place Job Job 1. cap. was a perfect just Man dwelling in the Land of Hus and one that feared God who gave unto him seven Sons and three Daughters and also endued him with great riches His substance was 7000. sheep 3000. Camels 500. yoak of Oxen 500. she-Camels and a very great Houshold So that he was one of the most principal Men among all them of the East-Country He was so careful over his Sons lest in their banquetting they had committed some offence or been unthankful to God in their hearts that he daily would sanctifie them and offer for every one a burnt-offering unto the Lord he was a Man also replenished with such patience that Satan with all his temptations could not move him out of the same for when word was brought him how that the Sabeans had taken away his Oxen and slain his Servants and that the Lord had consumed all his Sheep with fire and that the Chaldees had taken away his Camels and how that all his Children were slain in their eldest Brother's house which the wind blew down upon them he made no more a do but said Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb and naked shall I return again The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away even as it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to pass 2. cap. blessed be the name of the Lord. Also when Satan by the permission of God had plagued Job with extreme sores even from the sole of the Foot to the crown of his Head so that he sat upon the ground in dust and ashes scraping off the filth of his sores with a Potsherd and being also inwardly afflicted with the sharp temptation of his Wife which tempted him to blaspheme God he took all in good part reproving his Wife for her foolish talking for shall we quoth he receive good at the hand of God and not receive evil not so I am as well content to suffer this adversity sent of the Lord as I was to receive the prosperity he gave me before And so Job continued in his uprightness Job 42. and was at the last restored to as many Children as he had before and to double riches He lived an hundred and forty years and saw his Childrens children to the fourth generation before he dyed Job Sorrowful or hated Jochebed Exod. 6.20 Num. 26.59 was the Daughter of Levy and * She was Amram's Father's Sister which kind of marriage was after in the Law forbidden Levit 18. born in Egypt Her Husband 's name was Amram to whom she bare three Children Aaron Moses and a Daughter called Miriam Jochebed Glorious Jokshan was the Son ‖ Gen. 25.2 1 Chron. 1.32 of Abraham begotten of his Wife Keturah his two Children were called the one Sheba and the other Dedan Jokshan Hardness or Offence Joel the Son of Phatuel was * Joel 1 2 3. cap. an holy Prophet and prophesied against the Jews exhorting the Priests to prayer and fasting for the misery that was coming at hand And giving them warning of the coming and cruelty of their enemies moved them to turn and convert And last of all he setteth out the Judgment of God against the enemies of his People Joel willing or beginning Johanan Jer. 40.13 the Son of Kareah Prophesied to Gedaliah whom Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon had made Governour over the People that he left at Jerusalem that Ishmael the Son of Nethaniah by the procurement of Baalis King of the Ammonites should kill him which came so to pass indeed as ye shall read in the story of Gedaliah After whose death 41. cap. 42. cap. Johanan with the rest of the Captains over the Jews persecuted Ishmael and recovered from him all the People which he had carried away and put Ishamael to flight Then Johanan fearing the Chaldees because of the death of Gedaliah consulted with the rest of the Captains and agreed to conveigh themselves all the People into Egypt and asked counsel of Jeremy the Prophet who had dwelt quietly in the Land under Gedaliah whether it were best so to do or no who made them answer that if they went into Egypt they should perish but if they tarried still in the Land God would surely so defend them 43.5 6 c. that the Chaldees should not hurt them yet they of a proud mind despising the counsel of Jeremy and taking his words for lies led the People away into Egypt to their utter destruction John Baptist the Son of Zachary Luk. 1. cap. was sanctified in the womb of Elizabeth his Mother and ordained of God to be an abstainer and to go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to prepare his way and make ready a perfect People unto him thorow preaching the amendment of life Luk. 3.3 4 c. and baptizing in the water of repentance And was a Man of so great perfection and holiness of life that the People stood in a doubt whether that he were Christ or no. And being asked the question denied plainly that he was not Christ nor Elias neither that Prophet whom they dreamed so much upon but only the voice of a cryer in the Wilderness to make streight the way of the Lord. For I do Baptise saith John in water only but there is one now come among you who although he came after me was before me whose Shoo latchet I am not worthy to unloose and he it is that shall Baptise you with the Holy Ghost John was a constant Man and lived austerely His Garment was course Cloth made of Camels hair His Meat was Locusts and wild Hony He was a Prophet and as Christ reporteth more than a Prophet
7.24 c. For John prophesied Christ to be come pointing him with his finger unto the People saying Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World whereas all the other Prophets did but prophesie of his coming long before he came Matth. 14.3 Finally John using his liberty in rebuking Vice without any accepting of Persons reproved King Herod for keeping his Brother Philip's Wife for the which he was cast into Prison and soon after lost his Head Read the story of Herod the Tetrarch and of Herodias John the Evangelist Matth. 4.21 was the Son of Zebedee and Brother to James and called from his Fisher-boat to be an Apostle of Christ John 13.23.19.26.21.20 and was of all other most entirely beloved of Jesus who commended his Mother unto him at the hour of his death He wrote his Gospel against Cerinthus and other Hereticks and chiefly against the Ebionites which did affirm that Christ was not before Mary whereby he was constrained to set forth the Divine Birth of Christ In the time of the Emperor Domitian he was exiled into an Isle called Patmos where he wrote the Revelation and after the death of Domitian in the time of Pertinax he returned to Ephesus remaining there till the time of Trajanus and did raise up and set in order many Churches in Asia and did three-score years after the death of Christ and was buried at Ephesus John Mark Act. 12. ult When Paul and Barnabas had been at Jerusalem to distribute the Alms sent by the Antiochians in their return they brought this Man John sirnamed Mark with them to Antioch And when the Holy Ghost had separated Paul and Barnabas from the other Disciples to the intent that they should go and spread abroad the Gospel among the Gentiles and those that were far off they took this John Mark with them to be their Minister and Companion who bare them company from Antioch until they came to Pamphilia Act. 13.5 c. and farther would he not go but left them there and returned to Jerusalem again notwithstanding the Apostes went forth and fulfilled their office And when it came in their minds to go and visit these places again wherein they had sowed the Word of God Barnabas gave counsel to take John with them which had been their Minister before to whose mind Paul would not consent forasmuch as John of his own accord had forsaken them at Pamphilia before they had finished their work And so reasoning and disputing about this matter the contention was so sharp between these two Holy-men that the one forsook the others company And so Barnabas taking John Mark with him sailed into Cyprus Jonadab was the Son of Shimeah David's Brother 2 Sam. 13.3 and a very subtil Man He loved Amnon his Unkle David's Son above the rest of all his Brethren Of the counsel he gave to Amnon concerning his Sister Thamar Read the story of Amnon Jonadab Voluntary or Willing Jonas the Son of Amittai was an holy Prophet Jonas 1. cap. 2 King 14.25 commanded of God to go to Niniveh that great City to tell the People of their wickedness who * The Mother of this Prophet was the poor Widow of Sarepta whose Meal and Oil Elias encreased and restored her Son from death to life again notwithstanding perswaded himself by his own reason that he should nothing profit there seeing he had so long Prophesied among his own Country-men the Jews and done no good at all Wherefore he minding to flye to Tarsus got him to Joppa where he found a Ship ready payed his fare and went with them And being on the Sea a tempest rose so vehemently that the Mariners were sore afraid crying every Man unto his God and to lighten the Ship they cast all the Wares into the Sea which nothing availed Then went the Master of the Ship down under the hatches and finding Jonas fast asleep awoke him saying O thou sleeper what meanest thou arise and call upon thy God that we perish not And when no remedy could be had they agreed to cast Lots that thereby they might know for whose cause they were troubled and so doing the Lot fell on Jonas They seeing that said Tell us for whose cause we are thus troubled And what thine occupation is And what thou art And whence thou comest and whither thou goest And what Country-man thou art of what Nation I am said Jonas an Hebrew born and fear the Lord God of Heaven which made both the Sea and dry Land and am fled from his presence And when they heard that they were more afraid than before and said what shall we do unto thee that the Sea may cease from troubling of us Take me quoth Jonas and cast me into the Sea and ye shall have rest for I wot it is for my sake that this evil is come upon you Nevertheless the Men being loth to commit such a deed assayed with rowing to bring the Ship to Land And when they saw the Sea so troublous against them that it would not be they cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord let us not perish for this Man's death neither lay thou innocent bloud unto our charge For thou O Lord hast done even as thy pleasure was And so they took Jonas and cast him into the Sea which incontinent was calm and still And a certain great Fish prepared of the Lord received Jonas and swallowed him up into his body where he lay in prayer three Days and three Nights And being then cast out again on dry Land The Lord commanded him straight-way to go to Niniveh and do as he had charged him And when he came to the City was entered a days Journey in the same he cryed out saying There are yet forty days and then shall Niniveh be overthrown But when his Prophecie came to none effect by reason of the Peoples great repentance he was sore displeased and in his prayer said O Lord was not this my saying I pray thee when I was yet in my Countrey and the cause of my flying to Tarsus that thou wast a merciful God full of compassion long suffering and of great goodness and wouldest repent thee of the evil And now O Lord forasmuch as I am found false in my sayings take I beseech thee my life from me for I had rather dye than live And so Jonas got him out of the City and made him a Booth on the East side thereof And as he sat under the shadow of his Booth to see what should become of the City the Lord caused a wild Vine to spring over his Head to give him more shadow to defend the heat of the Sun from him whereof Jonas was very glad But on the next morrow when he perceived the Vine withered away and that for lack of the shadow thereof he waxed faint thorow the fervent heat of the Sun which burned him so sore he wished in himself that he
might die Then said the Lord to Jonas dost thou well to be angry for the wild Vine Yea said he very well even unto death If thou then quoth the Lord hast had pity upon the wild Vine whereon thou bestowedst no labour nor madest it grow which sprang up in one Night and perished in another how much more ought I to have pity upon Niniveh that great City wherein are six score thousand Persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left beside much Cattel And thus was Jonas reproved of God for his disobedience Jonas a Dove Jonathan 1 Sam. 13.2.14 cap. the Son of King Saul was a valiant Man in all his acts who helped his Father so mightily against the Philistines that at the first brunt he beat down the strongest hold they had And after that the Philistines being pitched in Michmash into the which passage lay two sharp Rocks He said to his Armour-bearer Come and let us go over toward the Philistines Garrison peradventure the Lord will work with us for it is no hard thing with him to save with many or with few we will go over and shew our seleves to these uncircumcised * Jonathan spake this by the spirit of Prophecie And if they say on this wise unto us Tarry until we come unto you then will we stand still and not remove But if they say come up unto us then will we go up for the Lord hath surely delivered them into our hands and this shall be a sign unto us So they went without the knowledge of Saul and shewed themselves unto the Philistines who when they saw them said in derision See how the Hebrews are crept out of the holes wherein they had hid themselves but the Watchmen said unto them Come up unto us and we will shew you a thing Then said Jonathan to his Armour-bearer come up after me for the Lord hath delivered them into the hands of Israel And so Jonathan climbed up the Rock upon his Hands and Feet and his Armour-bearer after him And when the Philistines saw the face of Jonathan they were so suddenly smitten with fear that they fell down before him so that Jonathan and his Man slew twenty of them and put all the rest to flight And when the Watchmen of Saul saw the Philistines scattered abroad and smitten down as they went they told it to the King who caused a search to be made to know who was gone out of the Host and not a Man was found lacking save Jonathan and his Armour-bearer Then Saul with all his Host followed after the Philistines charging the People which had long been without sustenance on pain of death not to touch any food until he were that day avenged on his enemies And so the People being sore opprest with hunger and coming into a Wood where much Hony lay upon the ground durst not for their lives comfort themselves with one drop thereof Then Jonathan being faint and not knowing the charge of his Father tasted a little Hony with the end of his Rod and was greatly comforted and refreshed therewith And being told what-danger he had incurred for breaking his Fathers commandment he said My Father hath troubled the Land in making such an extreme Law for seeing that I have received my strength again by tasting a little of this Hony how much more should the People if they had eaten of the spoil of their enemies which they found have been the stronger and more able to have made a greater slaughter among the Philistines than they have done But nevertheless for this offence of Jonathan Lots were cast and Jonathan judged to suffer death whereupon the People cryed out to Saul saying Shall Jonathan dye which hath so mightily defended Israel God forbid as truly as the Lord liveth there shall not one hair of his head fall unto the ground for he hath wrought with God this day And so the People delivered Jonathan After this Jonathan fell into such love and amity with David whom Saul his Father persecuted that he made a Bond with him which was never dissolved between them And at his first acquaintance with David he put off his Robe and gave it to him with his other Garments even to his Sword Bowe and Girdle And whatsoever from that day forth was said done or wrought by Saul his Father against David that would Jonathan find the means to stay and pacifie whereby many times he saved David from the cruelty of Saul and so continued his faithful friend during his life Finally in Battel with his Father against the Philistines he was slain Jonathan the gift of the Pigcon or Dove Jonathas 1 Mac. 2.9 cap. the youngest Son of Mattathias and Brother to Judas Machabeus did so valiantly behave himself in the Wars that the Jews after the death of Judas his Brother made him their chief Governor who at length vanquished Bachides 10. cap. Whereby his fame so encreased that both Demetrius and Alexander sought to be in League with him But for so much as Demetrius had vexed Israel before Jonathas mistrusting Demetrius forsook his offer and agreed to Alexander who had always been his friend and so continued as his story declareth After this he vanquished Apollonius Captain of Demetrius Host burnt the City of Azotus with the Temple of Dagon subdued Ascalon and with great Victory returned to Jerusalem where for his worthy prowess he received a Coller of Gold from Alexander 12. cap. 13. cap. Finally after long prosperity in Wars he was betrayed by one Triphon in the City of Ptolemais and afterward most piteously put to death Of Jonathas Son of Abiathar the Priest look in the story of Ahimaaz the Son of Sadoch Jonathan 2 Sam. 21.20 21. the Son of Shimea David's Brother encountred with a mighty Gyant who had on every hand six fingers and on every foot so many toes and slew him Joram 2 Kings 3. cap. the Son of Ahab began his Raign over Israel after his Brother Ahaziah in the eighteenth * In the first Chapter of the fourth Book of Kings it is said that this Man began his reign in the second year of Jchoram the Son of Jchosaphat which is thus to be understood Jchosaphat going to Battel against the Syrians made his Son Jchoram King in the xvii year of his reign and in the xviii year which was the second year of his Son this Man began his reign 6. cap. year of Jehosaphat King of Juda and wrought evil in the sight of the Lord but not like unto his Father for he took away the Image of Baal which his Father had made nevertheless he sacrificed to the golden Calves still which Jeroboam had made The King of Moab was wont yearly to render to the King of Israel an hundred thousand Lambs and so many Rams with the wool and because he now refused to pay this tribute to Joram he warred against him having to take his part Jehosaphat
sirnamed Thaddeus John 14.12 When Christ said unto his Disciples that he would shew himself unto them and not unto the World Judas asked him the cause why he would shew himself unto them Jude 1. cap. and not unto the World He made an Epistle in the which he admonsheth all Churches generally to take heed of Deceivers The last part of this history I find in the arguâ—ent before the Episde of Jâ—de Geneva which went about to draw the hearts of the simple People from the truth of God whom he setteth forth in their lively colours shewing by divers examples of the Scriptures that horrible vengeance is prepared for them Finally he comforteth the faithful and exhorteth them to continue in the Doctrine of the Apostles of Jesus Christ Iudas Iscariot Matth. 10.4 the Son of Simon of Canaan one of the Apostles of whom it was afore-hand written to be the Son of perdition had a great conscience in the precious Ointment that Mary poured upon Christ's Head John 12.4 that it was not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor but to sell his Master for thirty pence Matth. 26.14 c. and to be guide to them that took him and to betray him with a kiss he had no conscience at all until he saw his Master condemned and then he repented and had the thirty pence again unto the High Priests and Elders cap. 27.3 c. saying that he had sinned in betraying the innocent bloud and so departed in great desperation and hanged himself Act. 1.18 whose Body burst asunder in the midst so that all his Bowels gushed out Iudas of Galilee rose up after Theudas Act. 5.37 what time the whole World was taxed by the commandment of Augustus Caesar and taught the People that for as much as they were dedicated unto God they ought not to pay Tribute to Emperours which were worshippers of false Gods whereby he drew to his faction a great part of the Commons who at the last were all brought to nought and Judas himself slain Iudas a Citizen of Damascus Act. 9. to whose house the Lord sent Ananias to seek Saul of Tharsus who was hosted there Iudith the Daughter of Merari Judith 8. cap. was a beautiful Woman unto the which was joyned such vertue and godliness that all Men spake good of her Her Husbands name was Manasses who at the day of his death left her great riches She dwelt in the City of Bethulia and was a Woman of great Chastity Now during the time of her Widowhood it chanced Holofernes to come and besiege the City of Bethulia of whom the Jews were so afraid that they wist not what to do but commit themselves to God for he had destroyed all their water Conduits so that they must either be forced to starve or yield Then ran the People to Osias the High-priest crying upon him to yield and give over the City to Holofernes lest they should all perish who exhorted them to tarry five days longer for the mercy of God and if he helped them not in that space he would do as they had said Then Judith who all this while had kept her house in prayer and fasting hearing what promise Osias had made to the People sent for him and all the Elders of Bethulia and said How happeneth this that ye have promised to deliver the City to the Assyrians unless within these five days the Lord turn to help you what Men are ye that ye tempt the Lord your device obtaineth no mercy of God but rather provoketh him to wrath and displeasure Will ye set the mercy of the Lord a time and appoint him a day at your will exhort the People to repentance and prayer and put them in remembrance of this That with much tribulation the Friends of God are tryed and that all these things which we now suffer are far less than our sins have deserved And that this correction is come upon us as to the servants of God for the amendment of our lives and not for our destruction Now hear my device I pray you and beseech the Lord to bring it to good end Ye shall stand this Night in the Gate of Bethulia and I will go out with Abra my Maiden Pray ye unto the Lord that within the days that ye have promised to deliver up the City he will visit Israel by my hand But inquire not of me the thing I have taken in hand for I will not declare it till God have finished the act Then every Man went their ways and Judith departed home to her secret closet where she made her hearty prayers unto God for the Peoples deliverance Which being done she cast off her mourning Garments and decked her self most bravely to allure the eyes of all Men that should behold her which she did not for any voluptuousness or pleasure of the flesh but of a right diseretion and vertue And so going out of her house with Abra her Maid she came to the Gate of the City where the Elders stood waiting her coming And as they beheld her wonderful beauty which God at that present had given her they were marvellously astonished She then commanding the Gates to be open took her leave of the People who most heartily besought the Lord to be her defence and well to perform the device of her heart that they might safely and joyfully receive her presence again And so committing her to God shut the Gates and looked over the Walls after her so long as they could see her And as she was going down the Mountains the first Watch of the Assyrians took her demanding what she was and whither she went I am quoth she a Daughter of the Hebrews and am fled from them because I know that they shall be given unto you to be spoiled Wherefore I am going to the Prince Holofernes to tell him all their secrets and how he shall win the City without the loss of one Man And when the Men had pondered her words and considered well her beauty they put her in good comfort of her life brought her to Holofernes whose Majesty so abashed Judith that she fell down as one almost dead for fear But being revived again Holofernes demanded the cause of her coming to whom she made answer on this wise saying O my Lord if thou wilt receive the words of thine Handmaiden and do thereafter the Lord shall bring thy matter to a prosperous effect For as thy servant Achior gave counsel unto my Lord to make search whether they had sinned against their God or no It is manifest and plain that their God is so angry with them for their sins that he hath shewed by his Prophets that he will give them over into the enemies hand Wherefore they are sore afraid and suffer great hunger and at this present for lack of water are in a manner as dead Men and in this extremity brought to kill their Cattel
that thou art Christ the Son of God which should come into the World After this when Jesus came to the place where Lazarus was buried and had commanded the stone of his Grave to be taken away Martha said Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days Said not I unto thee quoth Jesus that if thou didst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God And so she saw her Brother Lazarus restored from death to life to the glory of God and her great comfort Martha Bitter or Provoking Mattathias the Son of Simeon the Priest 1 Mac. 2. which was of the stock and kinred of Joaris had five valiant Men to his Sons and dwelt in Modin remaining stedfast in the Laws of God notwithstanding the great calamities that were come upon the People of Juda and Jerusalem for the which Mattathias made piteous lamentation crying upon God to strengthen him and his Sons against the Heathen that had so wasted the People and defiled his Sanctuary And while he and his Sons were thus mourning in Sackcloth for the destruction of the holy City Antiochus the King sent certain Commissioners to the City of Modin to compel such Jews as were fled thither to forsake their own Laws and to serve the Idols of the Heathen Who after they had turned the heart of many spake to Mattathias on this wise Thou art said they a Noble man of high reputation and great in this City and hast many Children and Brethren Come thou first of all and fulfil the King's commandment like as the Heathen have done and the Men of Juda with such as remain at Jerusalem and so shalt thou and thy Sons be in favour with the King and greatly enriched Nay said Mattathias Though all Nations under the King's Dominion fall away every Man from the Law of their Fathers yet will I my Sons and my Brethren walk in the Laws of our Fathers God forbid we should forsake the Laws and Ordinances of God we will not for no Man's pleasure transgress our Religion or break the Statutes of our Law And as he had spoken these words a certain Jew came forth and openly in the sight of all Men did sacrifice unto the Idols upon the Altar in the City of Modin according to the King's commandment which thing so grieved Mattathias that for very Zeal he had to the Laws of God he started him up and ran upon the Jew and killed both him the Commissioner that compelled him so to do and ran his way crying thorow the City and saying to the People whosoever is fervent in the Law and will keep and stand by the Covenant let him follow me So he and his Sons fled into the Mountains and many other godly Men with their Wives and Children and all that they had got them into the Wilderness And being there the Heathen went against them on the Sabbath day and slew Man Woman and Child for on that day the Jews would make no resistance but would dye in their innocency Then Mattathias hearing of this was very sorry and counselling with his friends said If we do as our Brethren have done and do not fight for our Lives and our Laws the Heathen will soon root us all out of the Earth whereupon they concluded that whosoever did bid them battel on the Sabbath day that they would rather manfully fight for their Laws than dye as their Brethren had done before Upon the which conclusion came the whole Synagogue of the Jews with all such as were fled for Persecution to Mattathias And being gathered together they were so great an Host that they feared not their enemies but fell upon them and slew a great number And by their force and strength they went about the Coasts of Israel and destroyed the Altars and circumcised their Children and kept their Laws in spight of them all Finally when the time of his death drew nigh he called all his Sons before him exhorting them to prefer the Laws and wealth of their Countrey before their own Lives and ordained Simon his eldest Son to be as it were their Father and Judas Machabeus to be their Captain and so giving them his blessing he dyed and was buried in his Fathers Sepulchre in the City of Modin Mattathias the gift of the Lord. Mattathias the Son of Simon 1 Mac. 16. was killed with his Father at a Banquet which Ptolomy his Brother-in-law had prepared for them in a Castle of his called Doche. Mathattias the Son of Absalemus stuck by Jonathas 1 Mac. 11. when all his Men forsook him and fled the Field save Judas the Son of Galphi Matthew the Evangelist Read the Story of Levi. Matthew Given Matthias Act. 1.23 was a faithful Disciple of Christ and one that had his conversation always among the Apostles even from the beginning of Christ's preaching to the last end And now for as much as Judas the Traytor was fallen from Christ he with another godly Man called Joseph or Barsabas was appointed to stand in election which of them two should succeed in the place of Judas And when the Apostles had made their prayers to God Lots and given forth their lots the lot fell on Matthias and so he was counted with the eleven Apostles Matthias the Lords Gift Methuselah Gen. 5.21 c. was the Son of Henoch and lived an hundred eighty and seven years and begot Lamech And after that he lived seven hundred and eighty two years and begot Sons and Daughters and when he had lived in all nine hundred three-score and nine years he died Methuselah be sent his death or the weapons of his death Melchisedek Gen. 14.18 Heb. 7.1 is called King of Salem and the High Priest of the most High God When Abraham had rescued Lot his Nephew out of the hands of the Assyrians and was returned from the slaughter of the Kings Melchisedek met him with Bread and Wine to refresh Abraham and his Souldiers and blessed him saying Blessed be Abraham of the most High God possessor of heaven and earth and blessed be the most High God which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand And Abraham gave him tythes of all things The Scripture reporteth Melchisedek to be without Father without Mother without Kin and hath neither beginning of his days neither yet end of his life but is likened unto the Son of God and continueth a Priest for ever Melchisedek King of Righteousness Menelaus 2 Mac. 4. was Brother to Simon and Lysimachus two as ungracious as himself This ambitious Man by deceit got the High-Priest's Office from Jason on this wise When that good and godly Man Onias had the superiority Jason his Brother found the means to corrupt Antiochus the King with Money and so got the Office out of his Brother's hands And when the time came that Jason should pay the Money to Antiochus he sent it by the hand of Menelaus in whom he had great confidence But when
discretion And for proof thereof caused burning Coals to be put to his mouth which the Child with his Tongue licked whereby he ever after had an impediment in his Tongue Lanquet he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the Sand The next day he went again and found two Israelites striving together and demanded of him that had done the wrong wherefore he smote his Fellow who made thee a Judge quoth he or a Ruler over us Thinkest thou to kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday Then Moses perceiving his fact to be known refused to be call'd the Son of the Daughter of Pharaoh and fled into the Land of Midian where he was received into the House of Jethro who gave to him in Marriage his Daughter Zipporah by whom in process he had two Sons And when he had continued with Jethro his Father-in-law forty years and kept his Sheep the Lord appeared to him in the Wilderness of Sinai out of a Bush which seemed to be all on fire and there gave him Authority to go into Egypt to deliver his People out of the Bondage of Pharaoh Who at last after divers Miracles done by him in the sight of Pharaoh for the confirmation of his Authority brought them thorow the red Sea and delivered them quite out of Bondage Thus was Moses whom they had before refused both their Deliverer and Ruler He was a Man full of meekness he lived one hundred and twenty years and was buried by Angels in the Land of Moab whose Sepulchre was never known Moses drawn up N. NAAMAN Captain of the ‖ 2 Sam. 5. Host of the King of Syria was a mighty Man and honourable in the sight of his Lord because that by him the Lord had delivered the Syrians He was also a valiant Man and expert in Wars but was a Leper Wherefore the King of Syria being informed that there was a Prophet in Samaria that could heal his Servant Naaman of his Leprosie sent him to Joram King of Israel with his Letter containing this tenor Now when this Letter is come unto thee understand that I have sent thee Naaman my Servant that thou mayest heal him of his Leprosie And when the King had read the Letter he rent his Cloaths saying Am I a God to kill and to give life that he sendeth to me that I should heal a Man of his Leprosie Consider I pray you how he seeketh a quarrel against me The Prophet hearing of this sent to the King to send Naaman unto him And when he was come to the house of Elisha and stood at the Door the Prophet sent him word and bad him go wash him seven times in Jordan and he should be whole Then Naaman departed in displeasure saying I thought with my self he will surely come out and stand and call on the Name of the Lord his God and put his hand on the place and heal the Leprosie Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Israel may I not as well wash me in them and be cleansed Then one of his Servants said Father if the Prophet had commanded thee to do a great thing would'st thou not have done it how much rather than when he saith to thee wash and be clean And so at his Servant's perswasion he went to Jordan and washed him seven times as the Prophet had commanded and being whole he returned to the Prophet and gave thanks unto God saying Now I know that there is no God in all the World but in Israel And so making promise he would never offer sacrifice nor offering to any other God save unto the Lord God of Israel he returned home into his Countrey again Naaman Fair or beautiful Nabal 1 Sam. 25.2 3 c. was a great rich Man but of churlish nature and froward condition As he lay in Carmel in the time of his Sheep-sheering David sent certain of his Men desiring Nabal to help him now in his great necessity with some of his Victuals whatsoever he would and he would requite him at one time or other But he not regarding their message made them this churlish answer again who is David or who is the Son of Jesse There be many Servants now a days that break away from their Masters shall I then take away my Bread and my Water and my Flesh which I have killed for my Sheerers and give it unto Men whom I know not whence they be And so with this answer the Messengers departed Read the story of Abigail for the rest of his life Nabal a Fool. Naboth 1 Kings 21. was a certain rich Man and a Jezrelite born whose Vineyard lay joyning hard by the Palace of Ahab King of Israel which Vineyard the King would fain have bought and given him as much for it as the Ground was worth But Naboth considering it was his Father's Inheritance and that he had no need to sell it would in no wise yield thereunto Wherefore the King being heavy and sad went home to his House and laid him down upon his Bed so wayward that he could neither eat nor drink Then came Jezebel his Wise and demanded why he was so sad who told her it was for Naboth's Vineyard which he had denied him What quoth she dost thou now govern the Kingdom of Israel up and eat thy Meat and set thine heart at rest and I will give thee the Vineyard And so she wrote a Letter in Ahab's Name sealed with the Kings Signet and sent it to the Elders of the City where Naboth dwelt commanding them to Proclaim a Fast and set Naboth among the chiefest of the People and to bring two false Witnesses against him which should say he had blasphemed God and the King and then to put him to death And so all things were done according to the tenor of Jezebel's Letter and Naboth was carried out of the City and stoned Naboth Speech or prophesying Nabuchodonosor was King of Babylon Dan. 1.1 c. And by the occasion of his great and wonderful dominion fell into such pride that he would have his Image honoured for God But shortly after he saw the Vision of the Falling-tree whereby he was warned of his fall 2. cap. and suddenly by the power of God transformed and turned into a beastly fury living in the Woods among Beasts He reigned 44. years and was called the scourge of God He was before the incarnation of Christ 633. years Cooper eating Herbs and Grass for the space of Seven Years Finally God of his mercy restored him again to his pristine form who afterward lived well and commanded that the very God of Heaven should be honoured of all Men and whosoever refused so to do should die Nabuchodonosor the Mourning of the Generation Nadab 1 Kings 15.25 c. the Son of Jeroboam began to Reign over Israel in the second year of Asa King of Juda and walked in all the wicked steps of his Father And in the
Dowry Finally 2 King 23.33 c. Pharaoh Nechoh in the days of Jehoahaz the Son of Josiah King of Juda came and deposed him making Eliakim his Brother King in his stead and taxed the Land in a hundred Talents of Silver and one of Gold and carried Jehoahaz away with him into Egypt Pharaoh Vengeance Phebe was a certain Woman Rom. 16.1 which served in the Congregation of Cenchrea by whom Paul sent his Epistle to the Romans wherein he saith in her praise and commendation on this wise I commend unto you Phebe our Sister which is a Servant of the Church of Cenchrea that ye receive her in the Lord as it becometh Saints And ye assist her in whatsoever business she needeth of your aid for she hath succoured many and me also Phygellus was one of them in Asia 2 Tim. 1.15 which had cleaved to Paul's doctrine and after ward forsook him Of whom Paul writeth to Timothy thus This thou knowest how that all they which are in Asia be turned from me of which sort are Phygellus and Hermogenes Philemon look Onesimus Philetus 2 Tim. 2.17 was a certain Man in S. Paul's time which erred from the truth saying that the resurrection was past already of whose errour Paul warneth Timothy saying on this wise Study to shew thy self approved unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed distributing the word of truth justly as for profane and vain bablings pass thou over them for they will increase unto ungodliness and their words will fret as doth the disease of a Canker of whose number is Hymeneus and Philetus which as concerning the truth have erred saying the resurrection is past already and do destroy the faith of many Philip. 1 Mac. 6. To this Man Antiochus the King at the day of his death committed the governance of his young Son Antiochus with the whole Realm during his Nonage Which Philip afterward went into Persia with a great Host leaving the King's Son under the tuition of Lysias who in the absence of Philip made Antiochus King in his Fathers stead adding to his name Eupater Then Philip hearing of this whose intent was to be King himself returned with the King's Army out of Persia and came to Antioch where he got the dominion But Lysias hearing thereof made haste to Antioch where he fought with Philip and in fine got the City from him Philip John 1.43 a Man born in Bethsaida a City of Galilee was called to be an Apostle After whose calling he went to Nathanael and said we have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Jesus the Son of Joseph of Nazareth and so brought him to Jesus 6.5 This is he whom Christ asked to prove him where he might buy so much Bread as would serve the Company to eat that came unto him who made answer that two hundred penyworth would not suffice them to have but every Man a little Also 12.21 when there were certain Greeks which came to Philip saying they were desirous to see Jesus Philip went and told Andrew And again Andrew and Philip told Jesus Furthermore when Jesus reasoned with his Disciples about his Father saying that they both knew him and had seen him Philip said Lord shew us the Father 14.8 Act. 8.5 c. and it sufficeth us Now after the death of Christ and persecution that was about Stephen Philip went to the City of Samaria where he preached Christ and did not only convert the whole City but also Simon Magus the Sorcerer who had of long time seduced the same City with his sorcery and witchcraft And when he had thus sown the Word of God among the Samaritans the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying Arise and go toward the South unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto the City of Gaza which is in the Desert And as he was going he met in the way by God's providence a certain Man of Ethiopia a Chamberlain and of great Authority with Candace Queen of Ethiopia which had been at Jerusalem to worship And returning homeward sitting in his Chariot he read the Book of Esay the Prophet Then Philip being commanded by the Spirit of God to go and joyn himself unto the Chariot went And when he came near and heard him reading of Esay the Prophet he said unto the Chamberlain Understandest thou what thou readest How can I quoth he except I had a Guide wherefore I pray thee come up and sit with me The Tenor of the Scripture which he read was this He was led as a Sheep to be slain and like a Lamb dumb before his shearer so opened he not his mouth Because of his humbleness he was not esteemed But who shall declare his generation and his life is taken from the Earth When Philip had repeated this Text unto the Chamberlain he said unto Philip I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or of some other man Then began Philip at the same Scripture and preached unto him Jesus And as they went on their way they came by a certain Water And the Chamberlain said to Philip See here is Water what doth lett me to be baptised Philip said If thou believe with all thy heart thou mayst And he said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Then was the Chariot stayed till they both went down into the Water where Philip baptised him And assoon as they were both out of the Water the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip so that the Chamberlain saw him no more who went away rejoycing But the Angel set Philip down in the next City called Azotus who walked thorowout the Country preaching in all the Cities till he came to Caesarea Philip Act. 6.5.21.8 the Evangelist was one of the seven Deacons He dwelt in Caesarea and had four Daughters which did prophesie Phinehas Num. 25. cap. the Son of Eleazar was so jealous over the Laws of God that when the Children of Israel had committed whoredome with the Daughters of Moab and saw an Israelite named Zimri bring to his Brethren a Midianitish Wife named Gozbi even in the sight of Moses and all the multitude of Israel that stood before the Door of the Tabernacle lamenting their offence he took his Weapon in his hand and followed the Man into his Tent and thrust them both thorow the Bellies and killed them And then the Plague wherein were dead four and twenty thousand ceased For the which deed the Lord said to Moses Phinehas the Son of Eleazar hath turned away mine anger from the Children of Israel while he was jealous for my sake among them that I had not consumed them all in my jealousie Wherefore I give unto him my covenant of peace to him and to his seed after him even the Covenant of the Priests office for ever because he was jealous for his God's sake and made attonement for the Children of
he set two Crowns upon his Head the Crown of Egypt and Asia Then Alexander who at that time lay in the Countrey of Cilicia hearing of all that his Father-in-law had done returned home and made War against him But Ptolomy being the stronger chased him into the Countrey of Arabia where the King of that Land smote off his Head and sent it to Ptolomy which pleasure he did not long enjoy for within three days after Ptolomy dyed himself After whose death his Men of War which he had left in the Cities were all slain Ptolomy 1 Mac. 16. the Son of Abobus married with the Daughter of Symon Brother to Machabeus And being made Captain of the Host at Jericho he began thorow his great abundance of Gold and Silver to wax proud and high-minded imagining how he might destroy Symon his Father-in-law and his Sons and so to conquer the Land And being in this mind it chanced Symon as he was going thorow the Cities of Jewry and caring for them to come down to Jericho with Mattathias and Judas his Sons where this Ptolomy received him under the colour of great friendship into a strong Castle of his named Douch and in the same made him a great Banquet at the which he most traiterously slew Symon his Father-in-law with both his Sons This done he wrote to Antiochus to send him an Host of Men and he would deliver the Land of Jewry into his hand And further he sent certain Men to Gaza to kill John the third Son of Symon and wrote to the Captains to come unto him and he would reward them with Silver and Gold But John having knowledge of all the Treason slew the Messengers which came from Ptolomy and so disappointed him of all his purpose Ptolomie sirnamed Macron being made a Ruler 2 Mac. 10. purposed to do Justice unto the Jews for the wrongs that had been done unto them and went about to behave himself peaceably with them for the which he was accused of his friends to Eupator and was called oft-times Traytour because he had left Cyprus that Philometor had committed unto him and came to Antiochus Epiphanes Therefore seeing that he was no more in estimation he was discouraged and poisoned himself and dyed Publius Act. 28.7 8 c. was a certain Man dwelling in the Isle called Melitus and the chiefest Man in all the Isle who received Paul with all the rest that had escaped the Seas very gently and lodged them three days in his House whose Father which lay sick of an Ague and of a bloudy flux Paul healed Publius a Latine word Putiphar Gen. 39.1 c. was a great Lord in the Land of Egypt and Steward of King Pharaoh's house He bought Joseph of the Ishmaelites and found him a lucky Man And when he saw that God did prosper all things under his hand he made him Ruler and Governour of all that he had and God did bless his house for Joseph's sake But in the end thorow the false accusation of his Wife he cast Joseph in Prison R. RACHEL Gen. 30.22 c. 31.19 c. the youngest Daughter of Laban the Son of Nahor was a beautiful young Woman and Jacob's Wife She being long barren at the last brought forth a Son and called his Name Joseph And at her departing from Laban her Father with Jacob her Husband into the Land of Canaan she stole away her Fathers * Not to worship them but to withdraw her Father from Idolatry Images from him for the which he made no little ado with Jacob whom he followed and overtook at Mount Gilead And when her Father had searched Jacob's Tents and could not find his Idols he came into Rachel his Daughters Tent who had hid them in the Camels litter and sat upon them And as her Father was rifling about the place where she sat she said O my Lord be not angry that I cannot rise up before thee for the custome of Women is come upon me and so the thing was not known Finally Rachel in travailling of her second Son whom she called Ben-Oni the Son of my sorrow dyed and was buried in the way to Ephrath which is Bethlchem where Jacob caused a stone to be set upon her Grave which was called Rachels grave-stone Rachel a Sheep Raguel Tob. 6 7. was a certain Man dwelling at Rages a City of the Medes whose Sister was Wife to old Toby This Raguel had a Daughter called Sarah which had been married to seven Men one after another which Men were all slain the first Night of their marriage by the Devil dsmodius To this Sarah God had appointed young Toby which feared God to be her Husband and made his holy Angel Raphael to bring him to Rages and so to Raguel's house his Mother's Brother where they were joyfully received And when Raguel had looked upon young Toby and beheld him well he said unto his Wife how like is this young Man to my Sisters Son And then to know who they were he said whence be ye my good Brethren We be said they of the Tribe of Nephtali and of the captivity of Niniveh Know ye said he Tobias our Kinsman Yea said they we know him well and this young man said the Angel is his Son With that Raguel bowed himself and with weeping eyes took him about the Neck and kissed him and bad his Wife prepare in all hast for Dinner Nay said Toby I will neither eat nor drink here this day except thou grant me my Petition and promise to give me thy Daughter Sarah Then was Raguel fore astonied and began to fear lest it should happen unto him as it did to the other seven And while he stood in doubt what answer to make the Angel said Fear not to give him thy Daughter for unto this Man that feareth God belongeth she and to none other I doubt not said Raguel but God hath accepted my prayers and tears in his sight and I trust he hath caused you to come unto me for the same intent that this Daughter of mine might be married in her own Kindred according to the Law of Moses And now doubt thou not my Son but I will give her unto thee And with that he took the right hand of his Daughter and gave her into the right hand of Toby saying the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob be with you joyn you together and fulfil his blessing in you And when the Marriage all was ended Raguel brought his Daughter into her Chamber and said Be of good cheer my Daughter the Lord of Heaven give thee joy for the heaviness that thou hast suffered and so went to rest Then in the morning about the Cock-crowing Raguel supposing all things to have happened to Toby as it did to the other seven before called up his Men and went and made ready his Grave which being done he bad his Wife send one of her Maidens to
And thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel Now therefore I pray thee speak unto the King and he will not deny me unto thee Howbeit Amnon would not hearken unto her voice but being stronger than she forced Thamar and lay with her And then was his hatred so great against her that he thrust her from him and bad her get her out of his sight Well said Thamar Thou hast no cause thus to intreat me for this evil that thou puttest me away is greater than that thou didst unto me Nevertheless there was no remedy but out of his house she must go And when his servant had put her sorth and made fast the doors after her she put ashes upon her head and rent her garment which was of divers colours and the manner of apparel that Kings Daughters such as were Virgins did use to wear and so went crying home to her Brother Absalom's house where she remained desolate Thamar a Palm-tree Thamar which was Daughter-in-law to Judah the Son of Jacob Read her story in the story of Judah Thamar the Daughter of Absalom 2 Sam. 14.27 Theudas Act. 5.36 was an Inchanter and false deceiver who by boasting himself to the People and promising of prodigious things drew unto him a great company of Men to the number of four hundred Whose wicked enterprise for as much as it proceeded of malicious spite came to an untimely end For both he himself suffered death and his partakers some slain and some taken Prisoners And so the rest being scattered abroad the sect came to nought Thiglath Pileser 2 King 16.7 c. King of Assyria who had received of Ahaz King of Juda a great Summ of Treasure to come and help him against Rezin King of Syrta came to Damascus and took the City and slew Rezin the King there And carried the People away to Kyr Thot 2 Sam. 8.9 c. King of Hamath had a great enemy of Hadarezar King of Zoba And when he heard how David had overcome and beaten him he sent his Son Joram to David with Vessels of Gold silver and brass for a present and to salute him with peace and to give him thanks for that he had fought with his ancient Enemy and so valiantly overcome him Thola Judg. 10.1 c. the Son of Puah of the generation of Isachar dwelling in Shamir in Mount Ephraim succeeded his Uncle Abimelech and judged Israel three and twenty years and was buried in Shamir And after him rose Jair Thola a Worm Thomas Matth. 10.3 otherwise called Didymus which signifieth in English doubtful was one of the twelve Apostles of Christ. Who what time as the Disciples disswaded Jesus from going into Jewry again forasmuch as the Jews had lately sought to stone him said John 11.16 Let us also go that we may dye with him 20.24 c. This Thomas doubting of the Resurrection of Christ said unto his fellows which told him that they had seen the Lord Except I see in his hands the print of the Nails and put my finger into the print or place of the Nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe After eight days Thomas being with the Disciples came Jesus again and stood in the midst saying peace be with you and said to Thomas put thy finger here and see my hands and thrust forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithless but faithful Then Thomas conceiving a full faith that it was the Lord said Thou art my Lord and my God Which confession Jesus did well accept and embrace but yet withal to reprove the hardness of his belief he said unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou believest Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Thomas A twin Tiberius was an Emperour of whom Saint Luke maketh mention in his Gospel saying Luk. 3.1 That in the fifteenth Year of his Reign the Word of God came to John Baptist in the Wilderness Tiberius A good sight or vision Tychicus was one of the Disciples Act. 20.4 which went out of Asia to Troas where he abode Paul's coming who sent him afterward to the Ephesians Eph. 6.21 and also to the Collossians with his Epistles to inform them in what case he stood and what he did in all things Coll. 4.7 Tychicus casual or coming by chance Timothy 1 Mac. 5.6 c. 8. ch 10. was a certain Captain of the Ammonites which was twice overcome and put to flight of Maccabeus and at the third time so sore discomfited through help of the five Men which God made to appear on Horseback with Bridles of Gold leading the Jews and two of them having Maccabeus between them that Timothy's Host were so confounded with blindness and so sore afraid that they fell down and were slain of them twenty thousand and five hundred Foot-men with six hundred Horsemen and he himself fain to take the strong hold of Gazar to the which Maccabeus laid siege four days and could not win it Wherefore they within trusting to the strength of the hold fell to cursing and railing on the Jews with most spiteful words and made so great cracks and boast of their strength that on the fifth day the Jews were so chafed in their minds that with bold courage they scaled the Walls and set the Ports on fire and burnt those crackers and blasphemers and got the Castle which was two days in destroying where at the last they found Timothy which was crept into a corner and flew him with Cereas his Brother Captain of the Castle Read the story of Dositheus Timothy the honour of God or he that honoureth God Timothy Act. 16.1 was a certain godly Disciple whose Mother was a Jew and his Father a Graecian Of this Man there went so good a report of his vertuous living among the brethren of Lystra and Iconium that Paul was much desirous to have him go forth with him in his Journey wherefore he took and circumcised him because of the Jews in those Quarters which knew his Father to be a Greek Pkil 2.9 And so went Timothy forth with Paul and as he reporteth even as a Son with the Father bestowed he his labour with him upon the Gospel He was a Man of great study and abstinence through the which he fell oftentimes sick And therefore Paul to measure his abstinence 1 Tim. 5.23 exhorteth him to drink no longer water but to use a little Wine Tyrannus was a certain School master in Asia Act. 19.9 in whose School Paul disputed daily by the space of two years Tyrannus Commanding or a Prince a Tyrant Titus 2 Cor. 2.13.7.6.8.6 16. Tit. 1.5 c. was S. Paul's Disciple whom for the excellent gifts that were in him Paul loved as if he had been his own natural Son And made him the chief Overseer or as ye would say Archbishop of the Christian Congregation in the
noble Isle of Crete And in every City within the Isle Titus ordained an Overseer which we call a Bishop for the which cause Paul prescribed unto him the true form of a Bishop or Shepherd of Christ's Flock Titus Honourable Toby was a godly Man of the Tribe and City of Nephtali And being brought into great captivity Tob. 1. in the days of Salmanasar King of Assyria yet would he not forsake the way of truth nor worship the golden Calves as others did neither yet defile himself with the Heathens meat but always kept his heart pure unto God For the which the Lord gave him such favour in the sight of Salmanasar the King that Toby had power to go where he would and to do whatsoever he listed Then Toby having this liberty went about comforting all those that were in Prison both with his goods and godly exhortations Such was his daily exercise to feed the hungry to cloath the naked and to bury the dead with such like deeds of Charity And when the time came that Sennacherib which hated the Children of Israel raigned in his Father's stead and in his wrath slew many of them Toby buried their bodies for the which the King commanded to slay him and to take away his goods who nevertheless through friendship escaped and fled And after the Kings death being slain of his own Sons within xlv days after Tob. 2. Toby returned and was restored to his goods again and called his kindred and friends together and made a great feast And sitting at the Table with his Guests one told him there lay an Israelite slain in the street who then immediately leapt from the Board and went fasting to the dead Corpse and brought him home to his house where he hid him privily until the Sun was down and then buried him For the which deed his friends reproved him because he had been in danger but a little before even for the like matter But nevertheless Toby fearing GOD more than the King would take the slain and hide them in his house and bury them at Midnight Insomuch that one time he was so weary with burying the dead that he got him home and laid him down beside a Wall for weariness where he fell asleep And so lying there fell down upon his eyes warm dung out of a Swallows Nest which took away his sight that he could not see against the which plague of blindness he never grudged but remained stedfast in the fear of God giving him thanks as well for that as other gifts of health And this temptation God suffered to fall on Toby for an example of patience to all that should come after Finally of his great patience deeds of charity and other godly exhortations Tob. 14.2 3. his book is full He lost his sight at the age of six and fifty years And was restored at three-score so that he remained blind about four years And lived after he had received his sight two and forty years and so he dyed at the age of an hundred and two years and was honourably buried in the City of Ninive Toby the Lord is good Toby Tob. 5. the Son of Toby being brought up in the fear of God followed the vertuous steps of his Father in all things He was sent to the City of Rages to one Gabael for certain Money which his Father had lent him And after many dangers by the way was 6. cap. by God's providence whose Angel was his guide 7. cap. married there to the Daughter of Raguel whose name was Sara And when he had tarried with his Father and Mother-in-law about fourteen days 8. cap. he returned home with much substance to the great consolation and comfort of old Toby his Father and Anna his Mother 11. cap. After whose death when he had remained at Ninive the space of two and forty years he departed with his Wife and seven Sons to the City of Rages 14. cap. where he found his Father and Mother-in law both living in great age on whom he took the care until they died and was Heir to all their Goods And when this Toby had lived xcix years he dyed and was buried After whose death his Posterity continued in such an holy conversation of life that they were beloved and accepted both of God and Man Toby the Ammonite and Son-in-law to Shecaniah 2 Esd 2 was one that conspired with Sanballat to hinder the building of Jerusalem For when Sanballat said in derision of the Jewes What do these weak Jewes will they fortifie themselves Will they sacrifice Will they finish it in a day Will they make the stones whole again out of the heaps of dust feeing they are burnt Then Toby which stood beside him said 6. cap. Although they build yet if a Fox go up he shall even break down their stone Wall This Toby wrought all the ways he could both by Letters and false Prophets hired for Money to fright Esdras from the work but could not prevail Tryphena and Tryphosa Rom. 16.12 were certain godly Women to whom Saint Paul for their diligent labour in the Gospel sendeth greetings saying Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa which Women laboured in the Lord. Tryphena a fine nice or delicate Woman Tryphon 1 Mac. 11. was a certain great Man which took part with King Alexander against King Ptolemy And when Alexander was dead Tryphon found the means to get his young Son Antiochus out of the hands of Emascuel the Arabian who had brought him up to reign in his Fathers stead And when he had got the government of the young King he conceived treason against him which he thought could never be well brought to pass so long as Jonathan whom the King had made High Priest was his friend wherefore he sought to kill Jonathan that he might come the easier by his wicked purpose 12.39.40 c. So Tryphon went to a place called Bethsan at the which place Jonathan met him with forty thousand Men. Then Tryphon perceiving the great Host that Jonathan brought was afraid and thought it not best to meddle with him at that time but to use some policy how to betray him And so commanding all his Souldiers to be as obedient to Jonathan in all things even as they would be unto himself he received him honourably with great rewards And being met together Tryphon said to Jonathan Why hast thou caused this People to take such travail seeing there is no War between us Therefore send them home again and chose certain Men to wait upon thee and come thou with me to Ptolemais for I will give it thee with other strong Holds for that is the only cause of my coming and so I must depart Then Jonathan believing Tryphon sent away his Host all save a thousand and so went with Tryphon to Ptolemais And assoon as Jonathan and his Men were entred the City the Gates were shut and Jonathan put in ward and all his