by drinking out of a cup made of an horses hoof supposed to be the device of Aristotle sometime his Master and Antipater Lieutenant of Macedonia the Son of Philip King of Macedonia slew Darius King of the Persians and Medes and conquered the most part of all the World in less than twelve years space whereof he became so proud that God was displeased with him And being visited with sickness so sore that he must needs die he called all his Lords and Princes before him and divided his kingdom among them So that they after his death were crowned and reigned as Kings every one severally in his own Dominion as was to them appointed He reigned xii years Alexander An aider or a helper manly or very valiant Alexander 1 Mac. 10. the Son of Noble Antiochus took the City of Ptolemais and after that moved War against Demetrius who to prevent Alexander sent Ambassadours to Jonathas Governour of the Jewes to have his friendship promising him as many fair and large offers as he could devise But forasmuch as Jonathas had experience of his deceitful dealings and how cruel an Enemy he had always been unto the Jews Nation he refused the offer of Demetrius and joyned in League with Alexander knowing him to be a faithful Prince and ever his friend And so Alexander having the Jews aid joyned Battail with Demetrius in the which conflict Alexander slew Demetrius and overcame all his Host Now when Alexander had conquered the Land and was set in the Throne of his Progenitors a marriage was concluded between Him and Cleopatra the Daughter of Ptolemy King of Egypt which was finished at the City of Ptolemais at the which triumph Alexander made Jonathas a Duke and Partner of his Dominion and after that for his worthiness gave him the City of Accaron 11 cap. Alexander now lying at Antioch and hearing how the Cilicians had rebelled against him marched toward them with a great power to suppress the Rebellion And being there busied with his enemies Ptolomy in the mean season defeated him of his kingdom and took his Daughter Cleopatra and gave her to Demetrius the Son of Demetrius in marriage Alexander hearing of this returned home with all his Host but Ptolomy being too strong for him chased Alexander out of his Realm who for succour fled into Arabia where the King of that Land against all Law of Arms smote off his head and sent it to Ptolomy for a present Alexander a Jew born and a Ruler at Ephesus Act. 19. what time as Demetrius the Silversmith moved Sedition in the City against Paul for the Goddess Diana was in the rage drawn out of the Common Hall and going forward beckoned with his hand to have spoken but till the Town-Clark had ceased the noise which lasted two hours he could not be heard And then to pacifie the people more by worldly wisdom than for any respect he had to Religion he said Ye Men of Ephesus what Man is he that knoweth not how that the City of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Goddess Diana and of the Image which came from Jupiter Seeing then that no Man gain sayeth it ye ought to be content and to do nothing rashly For ye have brought hither these Men which are neither robbers of Churches neither yet despisers of your Goddess Wherefore if Demetrius and the Crafts-men which are with him have any matter against any Man the Law is open and there are Rulers let them accuse one another But if ye go about any other thing it may be determined in a lawful Assembly For we are in jeopardy to be accused of this days uproar forasmuch as there is no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse of People And when he had thus spoken each Man departed Alexander the Coppersmith 1 Tim. 1. forsook the faith and became such an Enemy unto the Gospel 2 Tim. 4. that he withstood Paul's preaching and did him much displeasure for the which Paul delivered him unto Satan that is excommunicated him out of the Church desiring the Lord to reward him as he had deserved Alcimus was a Jew born 1 Mac. 7. and come of the Seed of Aaron who notwithstanding became so wicked a Man that he forsook the Laws of his own Nation to maintain the abominations of the Heathen And for the hatred he bare to Machabeus and the Jews he took unto him a sort of loofe and ungodly Persons and went to Demetrius unto whom he made a grievous complaint upon Judas Machabeus seigning that he had slain all the King's friends and driven him and his company out of their own Land wherefore he willed Demetrius to choose out some Noble Captain to go and avenge the King's quarrel on Judas Upon the which complaint of Alcimus the King sent Bachides against Judas and made Alcimus the High-Priest who was such an enemy unto the Jews as the like was not among the Heathen for all his study was how he might either by word or deed work their utter confusion And finally to manifest his great malice towards his own Country-men and the Laws of God he commanded the Walls of the inmost Sanctuary with the Monuments of the Prophets to be cast down and destroyed But as this wicked Apostate went about his devilish purpose the hand of God fell upon him and smote him with such an incurable Palsie that his mouth was shut up and so like a miserable wretch he dyed Alcimus Strong Amaleh was the Son of Eliphaz the Son of Esau Gen. 36. born unto him of Thymna his Concubine of whom came the Kinred of the Amalekites Exod. 17. This King when Moses had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and were come into the Wilderness of Raphidim where they both lacked water and were wearied with their long journey would not suffer them to pass quietly thorow his Land but came forth with weapon and waged Battel against them In the which Battel Joshua guided the Host of Israel while Moses went to pray And so long as Moses held up his hands and prayed so long had Israel the better but when he let them fall Amalek had the better Then Aaron and Hur perceiving Moses hands to be weary gat them up to Moses and staid his hands the one on the one side and the other on the other side so long till Joshua had discomfited Amalek with all his Host And for this cruelty of Amalek God sware unto Moses that he would utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven 1 Sam. 15. Which promise he performed in the days of King Saul Amalek a licking people Aman look Haman Amasa was the Son of Jether and Abigail 2 Sam. 17. David's sister was his Mother This Amasa what time as Absalom rose against his Father David was made Captain over Absalom's Host and after the death of Absalom David received him to favour 19. c. swearing he should
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
other HOLY MEN. AARON was the Son of Amram Exod. 6. and Brother to Moses and of the Tribe of Levi. His Mothers Name was Jochebed Sister to Caath the Father of Amram He was appointed of God to be Moses Interpreter and also his Prophet what time as God sent Moses to Pharaoh to pour out his plagues upon him He took Elisaba the daughter of Aminadab of the Tribe of Juda to wife He was the first High-priest of the Jews Exod. 24. And left with Hur to govern the People in the absence of Moses while he was in the Mount with God 32. cap. And in the mean time the People being yet infected with the Idolatry of Egypt cried out against Aaron to make them gods to go before them Then Aaron perceiving the People inclined to Idolatry and also thinking they would rather forgo the same than to forsake their precious Jewels said unto them Pluck off the golden Ear-rings in the ears of your Wives your Sons and of your Daughters and bring them to me The people did so and Aaron made thereof a Calf Which when the people saw and beheld they were exceeding glad And began now to worship and honour the Calf as a god skipping and dancing for joy But the Lord above beholding their wickedness told it to Moses and sent him down post-hast to reform their wicked attempts Who then coming down from the Mount with the Tables of God in his hand and drawing near to the Host he saw the Calf and the people dancing before it Which sight so kindled the wrath of Moses and grieved his heart so sore that he threw the Tables out of his hands took the Calf and burnt it in the Fire and stampt it all into powder and ashes which he threw into the water and forced the People to drink it Then he demanded of Aaron what the people did to him that he had brought so great a sin upon them Aaron said Let not the wrath of my Lord wax fierce thou knowest the people that they are set on mischief For they said unto me make us gods to go before us for we wot not what is become of Moses the Man that brought us out of Egypt Then I required to have their Gold and Jewels which they brought unto me and I did cast them into the Fire Idolatry punished Nu. 12. cap. and thereof came out this Calf Moses then understanding the matter commanded the Children of Levi to fall upon the Idolaters and slew of them about three thousand persons After this it came to pass that Aaron and Miriam his Sister did grudge against their Brother Moses because he had taken an Ethiopian to Wife saying on this wise Hath the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses and hath he not spoken also by us Disobedience punished The Lord not content with this their contemning of Moses authority was sore displeased and stroke Miriam with a foul Leprosie Which so much discomforted Aaron to see his Sister so foully arrayed and disfigured that he humbled himself to Moses and said Alas my Lord I beseech thee put not the sin upon us which we have foolishly committed and sinned Oh let her not be as one dead of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his Mothers womb And so thorow Aaron's intreaty Moses prayed unto God 22.33 and Miriam was healed Finally when Aaron had lived one hundred twenty three Years he died in Mount Hor as the Lord had foretold And his Son Eleazar succeeded in his room Aaron a Teacher Abakuck the Prophet was of the Tribe of Simeon Dan. 14. He prophesied of the taking of Jerusalem by Nabuchodonosor This Prophet on a time had prepared pottage and other victuals for the Harvest-folks And going to the fields to bring the same to the Reapers an Angel of God spake unto him and said Go and carry the meat that thou hast prepared into Babylon and give it to Daniel which is in the Lyons Den. O Lord quoth he I never saw Babylon and as for the Den I know it not With that the Angel caught up the Prophet by the top of his head and bare him to Babylon and set him upon the Den. Then Abakuck cried to Daniel and said O Daniel thou servant of the Lord take here the breakfast that God hath sent thee Daniel hearing the voice of Abakuck rejoyced greatly and said O Lord Abakuck died six hundred years before the Incarnation of Christ Eliote hast thou thought upon me Well thou never failest them that love thee And so he rose up and did eat of such things as the Prophet had brought him And immediately after that Daniel had eaten the Angel set Abacuck in his place again Abakuck a Wrastler Abdy the Prophet prophesied destruction to the Idumeans which came of Esau Abdy 1. cap. and were utter enemies to the Israelites which came of Jacob as at the siege of Jerusalem it did most plainly appear whereas they joyned with Nabuchodonosor against their brethren whom they ought rather to have holpen and defended against the Heathen Abdy a servant of the Lord. Abedmelech was a Morian born Jerem. 38. and Chamberlain to Zedekia King of Juda. This Man had so great a confidence in God and love to his Prophets that when he saw Jeremy so evil intreated he went to the King and besought his Grace that Jeremy the Prophet might be taken out of the filthy Dungeon whereinto he was cast lest he there should perish and dye for hunger And so obtaining the Kings good will he took his Men and went to the Prison where Jeremy lay and threw down unto him old rags clowts which he had provided bidding him to put them under his Arm-holes to keep the Cords from hurting and fretting his Arms in pulling up Jerem. 39. Now for this his kindness shewed on Jeremy Kindness recompensed and trust that he had in the Lord he was delivered from captivity and saved from the hands of Nabuchodonosor at the destruction of Jerusalem when others perished Abel was the Son of Adam Gen. 4. born of his Mother Eve next after Cain He was a Keeper of Sheep and wholly dedicated to vertue and godliness Abel and Delbora his Sister were born both at one birth fifteen years after Cain Cooper In all his oblations he ever gave of the best things he had Which of the Lord was greatly accepted And therefore Cain perceiving his Brothers offerings to be regarded and his rejected envyed him to death And at the last by a subtile train slew him Abel Vanity Abia 1 King 15. the Son of Rehoboam began his raign over Juda in the xviii Year of Jeroboam King of Israel His Mothers Name was Maacha the Daughter of Abishalom He walked not in the steps of David but followed the ways of his Father before him Yet notwithstanding for David's sake God gave him a light that is to say a Son to Raign over
that curse thee and in thee shall all the Families of the Earth be blessed Abraham now having this promise made him of God departed out of Haran he and Sara his wife with Lot his Nephew and with all their substance that they had to go and to sojourn in the Land of Canaan And being there the Lord made a promise to Abraham that his Seed should possess that Land Whereupon soon after and in the same place where God spake thus unto him he made an Altar and offered Sacrifices thereon to the Lord. And so remaining in the Land there fell at the last so great a Famine that he was constrained to flie into Egypt where he fearing the Egyptians to be ungodly and vicious men feigned Sara to be his Sister Abraham taught the Egyptians Astronomy and Geometry Josephâ—â— thinking that if she were known to be his Wife they would for her beauty take her from him and put him in hazard of his life Then was it told to King Pharaoh what a beautiful Woman Abraham had brought with him into Egypt The King now knowing thereof commanded the Woman to be brought unto him and with all gentle entertainment received her into his house and intreated Abraham well for her sake But when he saw so many plagues fall on him and on all his hous-hold understanding that it was for with-holding another Mans wife from him he restored the Woman without dishonesty to Abraham her Husband again Giving also his Men a great charge concerning the Man and his Wife 13. cap. Then soon after Abraham returned from Egypt into the Country of Canaan where he had been afore And when he had lived some space in the Land there fell such a strife between the Herdmen of Abrahams Cattel and the Herdmen of Lots Cattel that Abraham was fain to divide the Land between his Nephew Lot and him and so they removed the one from the other Abraham had now been so long without issue 16. cap. that he took by consent and advice of Sarah one of his Maids named Agar to Wife who conceived and brought him forth a Son which was called Ishmael Abraham then being at the age of fourscore years and six 17. cap. And when he was come to the number of ninety and nine God gave unto him the covenant of Circumcision which he received first in himself and then made Ishmael and all the rest of his houshold to receive the same 21. cap. The next year after when Abraham was just an hundred years old Sarah conceived brought him forth his long promised Son named Isaac whom he circumcised the eighth day following would after that have offered him up in sacrifice 22. cap. but that God seeing his ready obedience staid his hand Finally after the death of Sarah 25. cap. Abraham took him another Wife called Keturah who bare unto him six Sons Which Children he would not suffer to remain and company with his Son Isaac Abrabam dyed before the Incarnation of Christ 1838. years but before he died sent them away with great Rewards and Gifts and made Isaac Heir of all his Goods He died at the age of an hundred seventy and five and was buried beside Sarah his Wife in the double Gave which he bought of Ephron the Hittite Look more in the histories of Lot Sarah and Melchisedeck Abraham a Father of a great multitude Absalom the son of David 2 Sam. 3. whom he begat on his wife Maacha the daughter of Thalmai King of Geshur was the goodliest personage in all Israel for as Scripture witnesseth God had so framed the form and ornaments of his body that from the soal of the foot to the crown of the head was no member amiss And yet among all the hair of his head excelled which so increased daily that the weight thereof compelled him at every years end to shave it off This Absalom had a brother named Amnon 2 Sam. 13. to whom he bare a privie grudge for defiling his sister Thamar And to be reveng'd on him for the same he invited all his brethren unto a banket made in the time of his sheep-shearing to the which banket Amnon came with the rest of his brethren and in the midst of their cheer Absalom killed Amnon and fled to the King of Geshur his Grandfather with whom he abode three years In the which space by mediation of friends 14. cap. he was at the last call'd home again and brought by Joab his Aunts son to Jerusalem where he remained two years after Then Absalom marvailing why Joab had not brought him to the King his Father in all that space sent once or twice for him to come and speak with him and when he saw that he came not he commanded his men to go and burn up the field of Barley which pertained to Joab and lay joyning to his ground Then Joab hearing thereof went to Absalom demanding wherefore his men had destroyed his Corn Because quoth Absalom I sent for thee twice and thou wouldest not come wherefore didst thou bring me from Geshur had it not been as good for me and better to have continued there still than here to lye so nigh the King my Father and cannot be suffered to see him then Joab considering the matter had him to the King where he was joyfully received After all this 15. cap. Absalom began certain practices to aspire to the kingdom wherein he prospered so far that at length he proclaimed himself King in Hebron Causing his Father for fear to flie out of his Realm against whom he called his counsel to devise what way he might best overcome his Father But God by whose providence all things are staid so wrought with his Counsellors 17. cap. that the success of his enterprise turned to his own destruction For when it came so to pass 18. cap. that both the armies were joyned in battel together Absaloms men had the worst and he himself a sudden mischance for as he rode on his Mule through the wood to have escaped Rebellion never escapeth Gods punishment a twist of an Oak caught him so fast in the hair of his head that it took him quite out of his Saddle And so he hang'd on the tree till Joab came with his spear and slew him whose Carcass after was taken down and cast into a pit and covered with an heap of stones Absalom A Father of Peace or the Fathers Peace or Reward Achan Josua 7. was the son of Charmy and of the Tribe of Juda who being at the winning of the City of Jericho and hearing Josua pronounce the City and all things therein to be excommunicate and accursed of the Lord took not withstanding certain jewels of the same and hid them privily under the ground in his tent Then after when Josua went about the taking of Hai and had sent three thousand souldiers to win it the men of Hai issued out of the city
and slew thirty and six of the Israelites and chased the rest back again whereat Josua was so discomfited that he rent his clothes and called on God to know the cause of their overthrowing who made him answer that Israel could not stand before the men of Hai forasmuch as some of them had transgressed his commandment and told him the way and means how he should search it out which thing being done he found that Achan had taken of the spoil of Jericho a Babylonish garment two hundred sicles of silver and a wedge of gold which being tried and brought forth before the whole congregation Josua took Achan his sons and daughters cattel goods and all that he had and carried them out to the valley of Achor where they were stoned to death and consumed with fire Achan Troubling Achab the son of Amry 1 King 16. began his raign over Israel in the 39th year of the raign of Asa King of Juda. He took Jezabel the daughter of Ethbaal King of the Sydonites to wife by whose means he fell into all wicked and strange Idolatry and cruel persecution for the which God plagued him so 18. cap. that in three years space neither dew nor rain fell down from above to moisten the earth whereof ensued so great a Murren of men and beasts that innumerable dyed thereof and all the fault and cause of this plague he laid on Elia the Prophet and sought by all means how to destroy him 21. cap. This King was so wicked that Scripture saith he had even sold himself to work wickedness and yet notwithstanding God gave him a marvellous victory of Benhadad King of Syria who had in his company 20. cap. thirty two Kings with whom he fought twice and beat him and at the third time brought * Here God as he many times doth did punish one wicked by another him into so miserable a case that he was fain to humble himself to Achab with a rope about his neck who nevertheless had pity on that wicked King and made a bond with him and let him go Now for this mercy which Achab had shewed to Benhadad whom the Lord had cursed and put into Achabs hands to be slain God was angry with Achab and promised his utter destruction for the same 1 King 21. This greedy Cormorant was not content with his Kingdom and spoil of his victories which God had given him but caused Naboth that innocent man to be murdered only to have his vineyard which lay so nigh his nose whose bloud did cry for such vengeance of God that word was brought him by the Prophet Elia that in the same place where dogs had licked the bloud of Naboth should dogs lick his also and that he would do unto Achab and his posterity even as he had done to the house of Jeroboam and Baasha which terrible threatnings of God so frighted Achab that he * His repentance was not true but plain hypocrisie repented and humbled himself in sackcloth for the which the Lord deferred his plague and would not perform it in Achabs days but in the time of his sons reign Finally it came in the mind of Achab to go into Syria 22. cap. to recover the City of Ramoth which he claimed by inheritance And trusting more to the counsel of four hundred false Prophets than he did to Micajah the true Prophet of God he took his journey towards Ramoth and being in battel against his enemies the Syrians he was shot with an arrow standing in his Chariot of the which stroke he died And then when his Chariot was had to the pool of Samaria to be washed the dogs licked up the bloud that ran thorow the Chariot and so was the word of the Lord fulfilled which he had spoken before concerning the same He reigned twenty two years Achab The Fathers brother Achaicus 1 Cor. 16. was a faithful Christian brother whom St. Paul sent with Stephanus and Fortunatus from Philippi to the Corinthians with his Epistle Achaicus Mourning or sad Achaz look Ahaz Achior Judith 5. was Captain and governour of all the Ammonites under Holofernes and had the spirit of Prophecie so plentiful in him that when Holofernes demanded what manner of people the Jews were he stepped forth before him and said If it please thee O Prince I will tell thee of a truth what they be They are a people which came of the generation of the Chaldees and because they would not serve their gods nor yet follow their customs they went and dwelt first in Mesopotamia worshipping one God that made Heaven and Earth at whose commandment they went from thence and dwelt in the Land of Canaan where in process fell so great a Dearth that then from Canaan they went down to Egypt and dwelt among the Egyptians four hundred Years In the which space they grew to a mighty number and were sore oppressed of the King of that Land but assoon as they cryed to their God for help he sent down such Plagues upon the King and all his Land that he was fain to suffer them to depart yet when they were gone and the Plague ceased he then pursued to have brought them back again into bondage But GOD perceiving his People to be in a streight opened the Sea before them and brought them thorow on dry ground and closed the Sea upon their Enemies and so drowned Pharaoh with all his Host And now being passed the red Sea they came to the Wilderness of Mount Sinai where the Waters being bitter he made them sweet and fed them Forty Years with Meat from Heaven They had such power from their God that they cast out before them the Canaanites the Perisites the Jebusites and the Hittites with many great Nations more For so long as they stood in awe of their God and did not offend him so long was no Nation ever able to molest or hurt them But if at any time they declined from his will and Ordinance then were they quickly destroyed in Battel and brought to captivity and bondage Wherefore O Prince let inquisition now be made whether they have offended their God or no and if they have then let us go against them for God shall deliver them into thy hand But if they have not displeased their God he will so defend them that we shall not surely be able to stand before them but become a reproach unto all the World Judith 6. Now was Holofernes so mad with Achior that he commanded his Men to carry him to the Jews that he might perish with them in their destruction And as they went toward Bethulia with Achior and saw they might not come nigh the City without great peril of their lives they went to a Tree and bound him fast to the same and so leaving him went their ways Then came the Jews to Achior and loosed his Bands had him into the City and set him before the Senators who demanded
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
hinder or lett that work a Beam should be taken from that Man's house and he hanged thereon and his House made a Dunghill And so the building went forward with speed and was perfectly finished in the sixth year of his reign Darius Requiring or inquiring for Dathan and Abiram Num. 16.1 c. were the Sons of Eliab and two of the chief Captains with Chore in the Insurrection against Moses on whom God took such vengeance that he caused the Earth to open and swallow them up quick Read the story of Chore. Dathan Statute or Law David was the youngest Son of Jesse 1 Sam. 16.11 and by God's commandment anointed King of Israel Saul yet reigning by the Prophet Samuel Wherefore Saul fearing that David would defeat him of his Kingdom vexed him with continual persecution during the which time David shewed notable examples both of patience and true obedient service to Saul his Soveraign Lord. And first 17. cap. to shew his obedient and faithful heart to his Prince and love he bare to his Country he put himself in danger to fight with that great Monster Goliah and slew him of whom the King and all the Host of Israel stood in great fear And after this act also 18.6.11 when Saul of envy that the Women in their dance had given to David more praise than to him threw his Javelin at David as he stood and played on his Harp before him to have nailed him fast to the wall David avoided and armed himself with patience and never sought other means of revenge In so much 24.3 that when Saul by the providence of God came into the Cave to ease himself in the which Cave David lay hid for fear of Saul he would not being provoked put forth his hand to hurt his Master But cut off a piece of the Hem of his Coat in token that he might have killed him And yet after that it sore repented him that he had done so much injury unto his Soveraign Lord and Master although he was his mâ—st grievous enemy and every hour sought his death Also 26.7.12 when he came into the Host of Saul and found the King and his Man fast asleep he would not for his own private cause though Jehu slew two Kings at God's commandment lay his hand upon the Lord 's anointed but only that he should know that David was there and might have been revenged took his Spear and Pot of Water which stood at his Head 2 Sam. 1. cap. and went his way Finally when it pleased God to rid him of his enemy in Battel against the Philistines one to get thanks of David brought unto him Saul's Crown and the Bracelet that he wore on his Arm certifying him of the King's death and that he with his own hands had killed him whose act David did so much abhor that he thought the Man not worthy to live but put him to death out of hand Read more of David's patient suffering and obedient service in the story of Michol Jonathas Ahimelech Achish and Absalom his Son Now when Saul was dead 2 Sam. 2.11 David was admitted King and reigned over Juda vii years after which time expired he reigned both over Israel and Juda xxxiii years And did that which was good in the sight of God and put his trust and confidence in the Lord God of Israel so that before nor after him was not his like He cleaved so unto the Lord that God bare witness of him that he had found a Man according to his hearts desire To him God made a promise that Christ should come of his Seed for the which cause 〈…〉 Christ of the Prophets is called the Son of David To this holy Prophet God gave many victories and excellent gifts which are touched in other stories and yet â—mong all his vertues he suffered him to fall into the abominable Vice of Adultery and Murder â—1 cap. and most grievously punished him for the same who notwithstanding after 〈…〉 repentance was received again into the favour of God and never after offended in that sin more â— King â— 10 11. 〈◊〉 after many conflicts with his Enemies he died 〈◊〉 had reigned xl years leaving Solomon his Son to succeed him David Beloved Deborah Judg 4. cap. the Wife 〈◊〉 Lapidoth was a Prophetess and the fourth Judâ—â— and Governour of the People of Israel who by the power and pleasure of God and help of Barak the Captain of her Army delivered them from the Tyranny of King Jabia and of Sisera his Captain General putting the King to a great foil in slaying of his Captain Sisera Thorow the which victory the Israelites were restored to liberty and their enemies the Canaanites utterly confounded She judâ—â— Israel xl years Deborah 〈…〉 Bee Demas Col. 4.14 Philem. 24. 2 Tim. 4 10. was Christ's Disciple a great while and a faithful Minister to Paul and never shrank from him nor his Doctrine so long as all things prospered well with Paul But when he saw Paul cast in Prison and in danger of his life for the Gospels sake He forsook both him and his doctrine and imbracing the World conveighed himself to Thessalonica Such there be that so long as pleasure profit favour honour glory or riches do follow the Word of God so long will they favour the same But when affliction persecution loss of goods riches lands possessions or such like adversities do come then they do as Demas did forsake the Gospel and follow the World Demas Favouring the People Demetrius 1 Mac. 7. cap. the Son of Seleucus came from Rome with a small company of Men to a certain City of his own lying upon the Sea-coasâ— and prepared an Army to go to Antioch the City of his Progenitors where he found Antiochus and Lysias 〈…〉 he caused to be slain and being stablished in his Kingdom he began through the wicked commer of â—â—cimus 9. cap. whom he had made High Priest to seel 〈◊〉 obstruction of the Jews sending forth divers â—â—â—mies againâ—â— them in the which he sped diversly â—â—â—â—ally 10. cap. the Son of Noble Antiochus moved War again 〈…〉 and in Battel slew him Demetrius coming of 〈◊〉 whom the Heathen thought the Goddess of Gorn Demetrius the Son of Demetrius 1 Mac. 10. being in the Land of Creta at his Fathers death made haste homeward to take possession of his Kingdom And being stablished therein he began to Wax mighty by reason 〈◊〉 Ptolomy King of Egypt had withdrawn his favour from Alexander 〈◊〉 in law and taken his Daughter Cleopatre from him and given her to Demetrius And also for as much as Prolomy and Alexander lived not long after the strife begun between them Demetrius for a space had great rest The Captain of Demetrius's Host was Apollonius a great enemy of the Jews whom Jonathas discomfited at the first conflict between them Upon the which Demetrius perceiving Jonathas power to be strong
whom he fancied best to be his Queen And when the time of choosing came he liked Esther above the rest and made her Queen in the room of Vashti Esther 3. cap. It happened after this that a mischief was devised against the Queens Nation the Jews by one in great authority about the King called Haman and being certified thereof by Mardecheus her Uncle she was so sore astonied that she wist not what to do for no help in that matter was to be had 4. cap. but only in the King to whom she durst not go because he had given a commandment that whosoever should presume to come unto him before they were called should suffer death Wherefore Esther not being called in thirty days before was afraid of the danger Nevertheless she considering with her self that either she must put her life in hazard or else suffer the whole Nation of the Jews to perish cast all fear aside 5. cap. and went to the King And presenting her self before him he put forth his golden Scepter in token of his special favour towards her demanding what she would have Nothing quoth she but that it would please your Majesty and Haman to come to the Banquet which I have prepared To the which he went and being there demanded of Esther what thing it was she required Oh quoth she if it shall please your Highness to give me my petition and to fulfil my request 7. cap. then let my Soveraign Lord and Haman come again to morrow and I will certifie your Grace of all And on the morrow when the King was come he said to Esther Now what is thy request I pray thee speak Then spake Esther and said If I thy poor Handmaid have found so much favour in thy sight O King to have my Petition granted then I most humbly beseech thee to grant me my Life and the Lives of all my People the Jews which are not only sold to be Bond-servants for I would to God it were so but to be slain and utterly destroyed all in one day Who is he said the King that dare presume to do such a deed Oh said Esther and if it shall please your Majesty to know the truth our great Enemy and Adversary that hath conspired our deaths is even this wicked Haman whom your Grace hath exalted so high Upon the which complaint of Esther the King's indignation was kindled so sore against Haman that he was hanged and the Jews restored for Esther's sake Read the story of Mardocheus Esther Hid. Eubulus 2 Tim. 4.21 was one of the faithful Congregation at Rome with Paul when he sent his Epistle to Timothy Eubulus VVise or of good Counsel Evil-merodach was Nabuchodonosor's Son 2 King 29.27 And being King after him he delivered Jehojakim King of Juda out of Prison wherein he had lain by the space of Thirty Years and exalted him above all the Princes in Babylon assigning him a certain portion every day from his own Table as long as he lived Evil-merodach Bruising or beating in pieces the fools bitterness A fool bitterly bruised or contrite Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 was the Daughter of Lois and the Mother of Timothy which Women both the Mother and the Daughter are highly commended of Paul for their sincerity of faith which he desireth Timothy earnestly to follow Eunice a good Victory or Conquest Euodias Phil. 4.2 was a certain faithful Preacher of Christ to whom Paul sent commendations desiring him and Syntyche to agree in one true concord of minds in promoting the Gospel of Christ Euodias a good savour or well smelling Eutychus Act. 20.9 c. was a certain young Man which when the Disciples were gathered together upon one of the Sabbath days as their custome was to break Bread that is to say to celebrate the Lord's Supper gat him up into one of the Windows of an upper Chamber where were many Lights set because it was Night to hear Paul preach who continued his preaching so long that the young Man waxed sleepy and at the last sleep came so sore upon him that he fell out of the Window down to the ground three floors high And when the people ran to take him up they found him dead and brought him into the house when Paul perceived that he was dead he went down to the young Man and embraced him and said to the Disciples Be ye not troubled with this chance for there is life in him And so Paul went up again and made an end of his Sermon And in the morning after Paul's departing the young Man was brought up into the Chamber alive to the great comfort of all them that were there Eutychus Fortunate Ezechiel the Son of Buzi the Priest Ezek. 1.3 was a Prophet of the country Sareta in Syria and of the line of Priests He had many revelations and visions and by him God shewed many great miracles for in the time of a great scarcity he by prayer obtained of God abundance of fish whereby the people were sufficiently refreshed Also when the people were oppressed This story is drawn out of Master Eliots Dicbionary with the story of Esay before he stood and made their enemies so abashed with miracles and wonderful sights that they left off their enterprise Being in the countrey of Chaldea he told the people of many things done in the Temple of Jerusalem He brought the people out of Chaldea to Jerusalem to the reproach of the Infidels He being in Babylon judged the Tribe of Dan and Gad for that they had wickedly done against the Lord in persecuting them which believed on the Law And he shewed unto them a terrible token for Adders devoured their children and all their cattel At the last he was slain at Babylon by the Duke of the people who caused him to be drawn with wild horses which beat out his brains because he reproved him for Idolatry and he was buried in the field of Mamre in the Mount of Sem and Arphaxad progenitors of Abraham He prophesied of the return of the children of Israel and also of the coming of Christ He lived afore the Incarnation of Christ 617. years Ezechiel Strength of the Lord. F. FELIX Act. 24. chap. was the high President at Cesarea under the Emperor to whom Lysias the chief Captain sent Paul prisoner to be examined before him And when he had brought Paul forth before his accusers and heard his accusation made by one Tertullus an orator Felix beckoned to Paul that he should answer for himself and when he had heard Pauls answer he deferred the examination of the matter until another time saying unto Pauls adversaries that for as much as Lysias the chief Captain did know the whole matter as it stood he would at his coming hear them further And so gave commandment unto his under Captain that he should in the mean season keep Paul in ward but yet so that he might be gently ordered and be
besieged Jerusalem to whom Jehojakim yielded and served Nabuchodonosor three years and then rebelled against him into whose hand the Lord delivered him so that the King of Babylon took him and bound him in two Chains and carried him and all the Vessels of the Lord's house into Babylon This King reigned xi years Jehojakim the Rising or avenging of the Lord. * He is called also Jechonias Matth. 1.11 Iehojachin was the Son of Jehojakim 2 King 24.6 c. who at the age of xviii years began to reign over Juda and did evil in the sight of the Lord as his Fathers before him He had not reigned three moneths ere that the King of Babylon came and deposed him making Mattaniah his Fathers Brother King in his stead changing his Name from Mattaniah to Zedekiah and carried Jehojachin away into Babylon where he remained in Prison xxxviii years after even until the coming of Evilmerodach King of Babylon after Nabuchodonosor his Father who had such a mind to Jehojachin that he delivered him out of Prison and exalted him above all the Princes in Babylon and fed him at his own Table all the days of his life Jehojachin the Resurrection of the Lord. Iehoahaz the Son of Jehu 2 King 13.1 2 c. began his Reign over Israel in the xxiii year of the Reign of Joash the Son of Ahaziah King of Juda and walked so wickedly in the sins of Jeroboam by worshipping the Calves which he had erected that God delivered him into the hands of Hazael and his Son Benhadad Kings of Syria which destroyed the People of Israel and vexed them so sore that they made the Israelites like threshed dust yet nevertheless when Jehoahaz humbled himself and besought the Lord he heard him and had such pity and compassion on the misery of Israel that he delivered him out of the Syrians subjection which had brought him so low that they had left him but fifty Horsemen ten Chariots and ten thousand Footmen He reigned xvii years and then dyed and was buried in Samaria leaving behind him his Son Joash to Reign in his stead Jehoahaz Apprehending possessing or seeing Iehojada 2 King 11. was the High-Priest in the days of Ahaziah King of Juda whose Daughter he married named Jehosheba He preserved Joash the youngest Son of Ahaziah his Father-in-law six Years in the Lord's House and in the seventh Year he brought him forth and proclaimed him King And being his Governour and Protectour trained him up in all godliness and vertue 2 Chron. 24. So that so long as Jehojada lived the King walked in all the ways of the Lord from the which he swerved after the death of this good Priest Jehojada Who lived 130. Years and for his faithfulness towards God and his People was most honourably buried in the City of David among the Kings Jehojada the Knowledge of the Lord. Iehosheba 2 King 11.2 2 Chron. 22. was the Daughter of Ahaziah King of Juda and Wife to Jehojada the High-Priest of the Jews And when Athalia her Grandmother went about to destroy the King's seed she stole away Joash her youngest Brother from among the King's Sons and hid both him and his Nurse in her own Chamber with her Husbands consent the space of six years and so preserved him that he perished not with the rest of her Brethren Jehosheba the fulness of the Lord. Iehu 2 King 9. the Son of Nimshi was anointed King over Israel by Eliseus the Prophet for to destroy the House of Ahab his Master And being commanded to go about it with speed he began first with Joram which lay at Jezreel to be healed of his wounds which the Syrians had given him And as Jehu was coming thitherward the Watchman espying a company coming toward the City told the King who then sent out an Horseman to meet them and to know whether they came peaceably or no. And when the Messenger came to Jehu he said The King would know whether it be Peace or no What hast thou to do with Peace quoth Jehu turn thee behind me and so the Messenger turned behind Jehu and went back no more and likewise the second Then the Watchman told the King that he thought by the driving of the Chariot it should be Jehu that was coming for he driveth quoth he furiously The King hearing that made him ready to War and took Ahaziah King of Juda with him and went toward Jehu and met him in the portion of Naboth saying Is it peace Jehu or no There was a Prophet also called Jehu the Son of Hanam which prophesied of the destruction of Baasha King of Israel and his Posterity Read 1 King 16.1 c. 10. cap. What peace should it be quoth he so long as the whoredomes of thy Mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so great and so in the Battel Jehu shot Joram to the heart with an arrow and killed him And fell upon Ahaziah and slew him also And so proceeding forth to Jezreel he came thither and found Jezebel looking out at a Window And as he demanded of the company about her who was on his side and would for his sake cast her down two or three of her Chamberlains threw her out at the Window and brake her Neck notwithstanding because she was a King's Daughter he caused her to be buried Then he sent his Letters to Samaria commanding those which had the governance of Ahab's seventy Sons to kill them all and to bring their heads on the next morrow to Jezreel And when they for fear had fulfilled his commandment and brought their heads to him Jehu fell upon the Murtherers and slew them also And in the way to Samaria he slew the Brethren of Abaziah even forty and two which were going to visit Ahab's Sons Finally he trained all the Priests of Baal into the Temple of Baal and there slew them every one converted the Temple to a Jakes house And now when Jehu had left neither Priest Kinsman nor any that favoured Ahab alive the Lord for his well doing made him this promise that his seed should sit on the seat of Israel until the fourth Generation But notwithstanding that Jehu had thus severely punished the Vice of Idolatry in Ahab's Posterity yet he himself committed the same in worshipping the Golden Calves and caused Israel to sin as others before him had done He reigned xxviii years Jehu He himself or that which iâ— Iephtah Judg. 11. cap. was the Son of Gilead base born whose Brethren which were legitimate thrust him out of their company and so hated him that they would not suffer him to remain among them wherefore Jephtah departed and fled into the Land of Tob where resorted unto him all naughty and light persons Now in the mean time that Jephtah was thus a stranger from his Brethren the Ammonites made sore War against the Israelites so that they were in great jeopardy and fear to be overcome of them Then the Elders of
down the Hill altars and burnt the Bones of the Priests of Baal and left no wicked thing undestroyed nor Monument standing in the Cities of Manasses and Ephraim or other places of his Realm where any abomination had been committed He kept a Passeover in the eighteenth year of his raign the like never seen and repaired the Temple Finally he made War upon the King of Egypt in the which he was wounded with a Dart at a place called Magiddo whereof he dyed Whose death was much lamented for like unto him was never none before nor after Jehoahaz his Son succeeded him Josias the Lord's Fire or the Lord burning Iotham 2 King 15.32 2 Chron. 27. the Son of Azariah or Uzziah at the age of xxv years began his Reign over Juda in the second year of Pekah King of Israel and did that which was right in the sight of the Lord in all points as did his Father Azariah save that * He went not into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense as his Father did contrary to the word of God which is spoken to the commendation of Jothan he came not into the Temple of the Lord neither caused the Hill-Altars to be taken away by which occasion the People ceased not to do wickedly He builded the sumptuous Gate of the Temple and many Cities Castles and Towers in the Mountains of Juda and other places He subdued the Ammonites who payed him three years together an hundred talents of silver ten thousand quarters of Wheat and so much of Barley He reigned xvi years and was buried in the City of David leaving Ahaz his Son to enjoy his place Jotham Perfect Ioshua Num. 27.18 c. the Son of Nun was first called Osea which name Moses changed and called him Joshua who was Moses Minister and ordained of God to rule and govern the People after him Exod. 17.9 c. He discomfited King Amalek while Moses held up his hands and prayed He was one of those Searchers which were sent by Moses to search the Land of Canaan Num. 13. cap. 14.6 c. and to bring the People word again what manner of Countrey it was at whose return the People were ready to stone both him and Caleb for well reporting of that Land wherefore the Lord being angry with the People sware that none of them all should see that good Land but Joshua and Caleb After the death of Moses Joshua 1. cap. the Lord encouraged Joshua to invade the Land of promise and gave him commandment to exercise himself continually in reading the Book of the Law called Deuteronomy Which he duly observed and read it to the People that they thereby might the better learn to love and fear God and to obey him the Lord's Minister He destroyed the City of Jericho only reserving Rahab and her Houshold He burnt the City of Lodi and hanged the five Kings of the Ammorites on five Trees at whose discomfiting it rained stones from Heaven by the which more were slain than with the Sword and the Sun also stood still in his place and prolonged the day till Joshua had utterly discomfited his enemies He slew in all first and last xxxi Kings and brought the Children of Israel into the Land of promise and divided the Land to the Tribes of Israel He dyed at the age of an hundred and ten years in whose stead Juda was made Governour of the Lord's Army Joshua the Lord Saviour Isaac was the Son of Abraham by his Wife Sarah and a figure of Christ Gen. 21.2 3.22 cap. for when his Father went to * 26. cap. offer him up in sacrifice and coming to the Altar and place where he should dye he willingly offered himself to death that his Father might in him fulfil the Lord's will But being preserved of God till he came to the age of forty years he then took to Wise ‖ 25.20 Rebekah the Daughter of Bethuel his Fathers Brother who being long barren at the last by the pleasure of God brought forth Esau and Jacob at one birth After this * Some say that Isaac was sacrificed of his Father in the xiii year of his age but Josephus affirmeth it to be done in the xxv year there fell such a Dearth and Famine in his Country that he departed into the Land of the Philistines where Abimelech was King And as he remained in Gerar the Lord appeared to Isaac bidding him to remain still in that place and not to remove into Egypt and he would multiply his Seed as the Stars of Heaven and bring it so to pass that all Nations of the Earth should be blessed therein And so Isaac removed not But for so much as he doubted of the fear of God to be in that place he durst not avouch Rebekah to be his Wife but said she was his Sister Read the story of Abimelech King of the Philistines for the plainer declaration of this matter And now while Isaac remained in the Country of Gerar God so encreased him with abundance of Cattel and Riches that the Philistines began to envy and hate him and stopped all the Wells which his Father Abraham had made that he should have no commodity thereby But notwithstanding he digged up the Wells again and called them by the same names that his Father had given them before and became so mighty that Abimelech made a League with Isaac who feasted the King and departed friends 27.1 c. Finally with Age he became blind and so was deceived in giving his blessing to Jacob which he thought to have first bestowed on Esau but both by the will of God being blessed of their Father Isaac he fell sick and dyed at the age of an hundred and lxxx years and was buried in Hebron Isaac Laughter Ishbosheth 2 Sam. 2.10.4 cap. the Son of King Saul at the Age of forty Years began his Reign over Israel Whose only stay and upholder of his Kingdom was Abner after whose death two of his own Captains slew Ishbosheth by treason in his own house after he had reigned two years Read the story of Baanah Ishbosheth a Man of shame Ishmael Gen. 16.12 was the Son of Abraham and Agar and had his name given him of the Angel before he was born Of Ishmael came the Nation of the Ishmaclites which after were called Saracens For when his Mother Agar fled from Sarah her Mistress an Angel found her saying Return to thy Mistress again for thou art with Child and shalt bear a Son and because the Lord hath heard thy tribulation thou shalt call his name Ishmael He will be a wild Man and his hand will be against every Man and every Man's hand against his And so she returned and brought forth Ishmael at whose birth Abraham his Father was lxxxvi 17.23 years old And at the Age of xiii years was Ishmael circumcised and the year following both he and his Mother cast out of his
Menelaus was come to the King he so craftily handled the matter with flattery and fair promises that he both defrauded the King of his Money and Jason of his Office which when he had obtained he return'd with an high stomach more like a cruel tyrant and the wrath of a wild brute beast than any thing that beseemed a Priest But when the King had knowledge of all his deceit and falshood he discharged him again putting Lysimachus his Brother in his room Then Menelaus being thus thrust out of Office waited his time to be revenged And when he had spied the King about his weighty affairs as in the suppression of certain Rebels leaving Andronicus behind him to be his Lieutenant and supposing then to have a convenient time he went and stole out of the Temple certain Vessels of Gold and gave them to Andronicus And after he had made him his assured friend he ministred such wicked counsel both to Andronicus and Lysimachus his Brother that the one murdered Onias and the other spoiled and robbed the Temple of God Wherefore the King at his return again caused Andronicus to be put to death and the other the People furiously fell upon him and killed him And forsomuch as Menelaus was greatly suspected to be the chief causer of all this murther a Court was called and many sore complaints laid against him The Menelaus perceiving himself in the King's displeasure and danger of his Laws went to Ptolomy one of the three Ambassadours and with Money made him his friend who went to the King and so laboured the matter that he brought Menelaus into such favour with the King again that he was quite discharged from all accusations and his Accusers condemned to death Thus through covetous Magistrates Menelaus remained still in Authority being now more malicious unto the Jews his own Nation than ever he was as it appeared afterward what time as he aided Antiochus and was his guide to the spoiling of the Temple But at the last his falshood came to a foul end for Lysias which was Lord-Steward to Antiochus and Chief Ruler of all his matters so informed the King of his ungraciousness that he commanded Menelaus who had done so much mischief against the Altar of God whose fire and ashes were holy to be cast into a tower of fifty cubits high heaped up with ashes and so miserably ended his life Menelaus Strength of the people Merab 1 Sam. 18.17 was the Eldest Daughter of King Saul who promised her in marriage to David But ere the time came that David should enjoy her Saul gave her to another Man named Adriel by whom she conceived and bare him five Sons 2 Sam. 21.8 Merab Fighting or chiding or multiplying Mesa 2 King 3. cap. the King of Moab was a great Lord of Sheep And whereas the Moabites had of long time payed Tribute unto the Kings of Israel every year one hundred thousand Lambs with so many Rams or Weathers in the Wool with their Fleece upon their backs this King would pay none to Joram the Son of Ahab for the which Joram made War against him and overcame him Mesa Health or the water of health or looking upon the Water Micah Judg. 17. cap. was a certain Man dwelling in Mount Ephraim whose Mother made him an Idol of Silver which he set up in the House of his Gods and made an Ephod and consecrated one of his own Sons to be his Priest and so continued until it chanced a young Levite came from Bethlehem Juda to seek service Which Levite Micah hired for ten silverlings by the year two garments and meat and drink And when he had hired the Levite he was glad saying Now am I sure that God will love me seeing I have a Levite to my Priest At this time 18. cap. the Tribe of Dan forasmuch as the portion which Joshua gave them was not sufficient for all their Tribe went to seek them a place to dwell in And as they were going to the City of Laish they came by the house of Micah And being enformed by those Men whom they had sent before to spie out the Land how there was in the house of Micah a graven and a molten Image they turned in thither and saluted him peaceably but at their departing they took his Idols against the Levite's will perswading him that it was not so good to be a Priest unto the house of one Man as it was to be a Priest unto a whole Tribe or Kinred in Israel and so took him away with them also And being gone Micah made a great out-cry and followed after the Children of Dan with all the power he could make to rescue his Gods but being perswaded to be content and to get him home lest a worse thing did happen he then perceiving he was not able to make his Party good returned back again Read the Story of Dan. Micah who like our God or poverty or the lowliness of the Lord or the Lord striking Michael the Son of Israhia Michael who is like the Lord. 1 Chron. 7. Michael Dan. 10.13 one of the chief Princes that was sent to comfort Daniel Michael Judc the Arch angel which strove against the Devil and disputed about the Body of Moses Michael Rev. 12.7 and his Angels that fought against the Dragon Micajah 1 King 22. the Son of Imlah was a Prophet in the days of King Ahab and because he would not flatter the King This was not that Prophet that wrote the Book of Prophecies but another of that name 1 Sam. 18.20 c. as the four hundred false Prophets had done but prophesied plainly of the King's death he was smitten and cast in Prison Micajah Poor or low and base Michal was the second Daughter of King Saul whom he gave to David to be his Wise that she might be a snare to bring him into the hands of the Philistines But Michal loved David so well that he could not have his purpose that way For when he sent Men to watch his House and to slay him 19.11 c. Michal told David saying Except thou save thy self this Night to morrow thou wilt be slain Wherefore to save the life of David she let him down at a Back-window and layed an Image in his Bed with a Pillow under his Head stuffed with Goats hair and covered it with a Cloth And when the Men came into the House in the Morning and asked for David Michal said he was sick The Messengers then thinking to have carried him Bed and all to the King as he had commanded went into David's Chamber and when they came there and found nothing else in the Bed but a block they were ashamed and so returned to Saul and told him Then Michal being demanded wherefore she had so derided him and sent his enemy away made her excuse that if she had not let him go he would have killed her After this her Father
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
threw it over the Wall to Joab and so the commotion ceased Sheba vanity or little accounted of or uproar Sceva Act. 19.14 was a Jew born and the chief Priest among the Jews This Man had seven Sons who for lucre sake and to purchase unto themselves a great name thereby attempted to cast out evil spirits by invocation of the name of the Lord Jesus as Paul did saying unto the Man possessed We conjure you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preacheth that ye depart out of the man To whom the spirit answered and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And as soon as he had spoken these words the man in whom the evil spirit was ran upon them and got the upper hand on them In so much that they had much ado to escape with their lives and scarce got at the last naked and wounded out of the house And this example of the Sons of Sceva being bruted abroad among the Jews and Gentiles many which believed came to Paul and confessed their offences And beside that divers other which had used such curious crafts of Conjurations brought their books and burned them before all men the price whereof were counted at fifty thousand * A silverling was in value about a groat sterling or more Silverlings Shelah the youngest Son of Judah Gen. 38.5 11. being grown to perfect age and not given to Thamar in marriage according to his Father's promise was the occasion of Thamar's playing the Harlot with Judah her Father-in-law Shelah dissolving Selah Gen. 11.12 c. the Son of Arphaxad of the generation of Shem was the Father of Eber whom he begot when he was thirty years of age and lived after the birth of Eber four hundred and three years Which make in the whole four hundred and xxxiii years Shem Gen. 9.18 23.11.10 He is called also Melchisedeck And did first build the City of Salem which after was called Jerusalem the eldest Son of Noah received praise of his Father because he covered his nakedness as he lay uncovered in his Tent. Shem at the age of an hundred years begot Arphaxad two years after the Flood and lived after five hundred years Shimei the Son of * 2 Sam. 16.5 c. Gera of the kindred and house of Saul dwelt in a City called Bahurim And as it chanced David to flee thither for fear of his Son Absalom this man came out against him cursing and railing out of measure with such spiteful words as these Come forth come forth thou bloud shedder and man of Belial The Lord hath brought upon thee now all the bloud of the house of Saul in whose stead thou hast raigned The Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy Son And behold thou art come to thy mischief because thou art a murtherer And for all this would David suffer no man to do him harm So that Shimei went on still cursing and railing and hurling of stones and dirt at David like a mad-man But when the time came that David should be restored to his Kingdom again then Shimei that in his adversity was his most cruel enemy was now in his prosperity one of the first that met him to bring him home again And being passed over Jordan he fell down flat before David saying Oh let not my Lord impute wickedness unto me nor remember the thing that thy servant did wickedly when my Lord the King departed out of Jerusalem that the King should take it to heart for thy servant doth know how that I have done amiss And therefore behold I am the first this day of all the house of Joseph that am come to go down to meet my Lord the King So David forgave him Here he saith he was of the house of Joseph and before he saith he was of the house of Saul Of the Fathers side saith Lyra he was of the house of Joseph that is to say of the tribe of Ephraim but of the mothers side he was of the house of Saul But when the time of Davids departure out of this world drew nigh among all things which he spake to Solomon his Son he remembred Shimei saying Behold thou hast here with thee Shimei the Son of Gera the Son of Gemini of Bahurim which cursed me with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim but he came to me at Jordan and I swre unto him by the Lord that he should not dye But thou shalt not count him as unguilty for thou art a Man of wisdom and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him His hoar head shalt thou bring to the grave with bloud And so Solomon being set in his Kingdom called Shimei and said Build thee an house in Jerusalem and dwell there And see thou pass not from thence any whither for be thou sure that the day thou goest out and passest over the River of Kidron thou shalt dye and thy bloud shall be upon thine own head Shimei thanked the King and dwelt in Jerusalem the space of three years and then it chanced two of his servants to run from him to Achish King of Gath whereupon Shimei sadled his Ass and went for his servants and brought them home again Then Solomon hearing of his doings commanded Benajah to put him to death for the wickedness he had done to his Father David Shimei bearing or obedient Sennacherib King of Assyria was a mighty Prince 2 King 18.13 which seeing that Salmanasar his Predecessor had conquered the King of Israel and made them Tributaries thought it good to set upon the King of Juda who at that time was the godly and most noble Ezechias And when Sennacherib had gotten into his hands all the chief Cities of Juda and Benjamin save only Jerusalem he besieged that also with such might and power that Ezechias was fain to submit himself to the mercy of Sennacherib offering him tribute so much as he would demand Upon which offer Sennacherib promised Ezechias that if he would pay him three hundred talents of silver and one of gold his land should be safe and in quiet which promise he kept truly till the mony were payed But as soon as he had received the money he sent back again three of the greatest Captains he had to make fresh War against Ezechias And when they had pitched their Tents about Jerusalem they sent for Ezechias to come and speak with them who fearing his own life sent three of his Noble-men unto them to know the matter And when they had heard all the blasphemous words of Rabshekah 2 King 19. they returned and told them to Ezechias Who hearing those evil news rent his cloaths and put on sackcloth and fell prostrate upon his face and prayed unto the Lord to help him and to have mercy upon his people and beside that he sent to Esay the Prophet desiring him to pray unto the Lord for them whose Prayer the Lord
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
Men were slain 1 Mac. 13. After this Tryphon went into the Land of Judah with a great Host having Jonathan with him in ward And when he had knowledge that Simon stood up in the stead of his Brother Jonathan and that he would come against him he sent word to Simon that whereas he kept Jonathan his Brother in ward it was but for mony he ought in the King's account and other business he had in hand Therefore if he would send him an hundred Talents of Silver and the two Sons of Jonathan to be their Father's surety he would send him home again But Simon knew his dissembling heart well enough Yet nevertheless lest he should be a greater enemy to the People of Israel and say another day that because he sent him not the Money and the Children therefore is Jonathan dead he sent him both the Money and the Children Then Tryphon having the Money and Children kept Jonathan still and shortly after put both the Father and his Children to death Now Tryphon to bring his long intended purpose about on a time as he walked abroad with the young King he most traiterously slew him and possessed the Realm and crowned himself King of Asia and did much hurt in the Land Finally 15. cap. Tryphon was so hated of all men that when Antiochus the Son of Demetrius came upon him the most part of his own Host forsook him and went to Antiochus who never left persecuting of Tryphon till he made him flee by Ship where he was never seen more Tryphon a delicate and fine man Trophimus was an Ephesian born Act. 20.4 who went with Tychicus out of Asia to Troas to make all things ready against Paul's coming and abode there till Paul came from thence they went with Paul to Jerusalem where certain Jews which were of Asia moved the People against Paul complaining of him 21.28 c. that he had brought Greeks with him to pollute the Temple because they saw Trophimus with him in the City whom they supposed Paul had brought into the Temple Tubal Gen. 4. was the Son of Lamech by his Wife Adah And was the first that invented the Science of Musick by the strokes and noise of the hammers of his brother Tubalcain which was a Smith and the first finder out of Mettal and the working thereof Jubal was his brother by Father and Mother and Tubalcain only by the Father for Zillah was his Mother Tubal born or brought or worldly Tubalcain Worldly possession V. VASHTI Estter 1. was a very fair Woman and Wife to Ahashuerus otherwise called Artaxerxes King of Persia And because she would not come to the King when he sent for her a Law was devised and made by the seven Princes of Persia and Media That forasmuch as it could not be chosen but that this deed of Queen Vashti must needs come abroad into the ears of all Women both Princes and others and so despise their Husbands and say Thus and thus did Vashti to Ahashuerus by which occasion much despitefulness and wrath should arise The King should therefore put her away and take another to the end that all other Women great and small should hold their Husbands in more honour And so she was divorced from the King and Esther received in her place Vashti Drinking Vrban Rom. 16.9 was a certain faithful Christian Brother to whom Paul sent greetings saying Salute Urban our helper in Christ Vriah 2 Sam. 11. the Hittite was a Man always for the most part imployed in the Kings Wars with Joab the King 's Captain-General This Uriah had a fair Woman to his Wife called Bathsheba whom King David in his absence had got with Child And when the King had knowledge that the Woman was conceived he sent for Urias to come home Who being come to the King and had told him of all things concerning Joab and his Men of War The King bad him go home to his house and repose himself there a while with his Wife And so Urias being departed from the King went not home to his Wife but lay without the King's Gate he and all his Men that night And when on the morrow the King had knowledge thereof he sent for Urias and demanded why he went not home To whom he said The Ark of Israel and Juda dwell in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord abide in the open Fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and drink and lye with my Wife By thy life and by the life of thy soul I will not do this thing Then he was commanded to tarry a day or two more and the King wrote a Letter to Joab the Tenour whereof was this That he should set Urias in the fore front of the Battel where it was sharpest to the intent he might be slain And so Urias departed from the King carrying his own death with him and was soon dispatched out of his life Urias the light of the Lord. Vriah 2 King 16.10 11 c. was the High-Priest in the time of Abaz King of Juda. And having the pattern of an Altar sent unto him by the King from Damascus to make him the like against his coming home Uriah consented to the King 's wicked mind and made the Altar and did whatsoever the King would have him to do without any regard to the Laws of God Vzzah and Ahio were the Sons of Abinadab which waited upon the new Cart whereon the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.3 4 c. which was taken out of their Fathers house to be carried to the house of Obed was laid And forasmuch as Uzzah of a good intent put forth his hand to stay the Ark when the Oxen stumbled the Lord smote him for his fault that he dyed even before the Ark. Z. ZABULON Gen. 30.19.49.13 was the sixth Son of Jacob and Leab Of whom his Father prophelied before his death saying Zabulon shall dwell by the Sea side and he shall be an haven for ships his border shall be unto Zidon Zabulon a dwelling Zachary Luke 1. cap. was a certain godly Priest in the days of Herod King of Jewry which came of the course or Family of Abiah And walked so perfectly in the Ordinances and Laws of the Lord that no Man could justly complain of him But he had no Child by his Wife Elizabeth for she was barren And when his course came to burn incense evening and morning according to the law he went into the Temple And as he was in prayer an Angel appeared unto him saying Fear not Zachary for thy Prayer is heard And thy Wife Elizabech shall bear thee a Son and thou shalt call his name John c. Whereby said Zachary shall I know this for I am old and my Wife old also I am Gabriel quoth the Angel which am sent unto thee to shew thee these glad tidings And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able
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
and laid it forth in an upper chamber to be anointed they sent for Peter to come unto them who being come â— Act. 9. they had him up to the Chamber where the dead Corpse lay where the Widows came about him weeping and laying forth the Coats and other Garments which she had prepared in her life time for the poor before him Then Peter put them all forth of the Chamber And being alone kneeled down and prayed and turning him to the body said Tabitha arise at the which word she arose and looked upon Peter who then gave her his hand and lift her up and called the Saints and Widows and restored Dorcas unto them alive Dorccas a Do. Dositheus 2 Mac. 12. was a certain Noble Captain with Judas Machabeus who by the help of Sosipater another Captain defended the Jews manfully against Timotheus and slew Ten Thousand of his Men which were left in a strong hold and after that took Timothy himself in Battel and notwithstanding let him go again upon his promise made unto them that he would restore all the Jews home again which he had in Prison thinking that the best and most surest way to save the Lives of their Captive brethren After this it chanced that Dositheus a mighty Man on Horseback encountred with Gorgias another great Captain and enemy of the Jews and took him intending to have carried him away alive But an Horseman of Thracia fell upon him and smote off his Arm and so Gorgias escaped and fled into Moresa Dositheus Given to God Drusilla Act. 24.24 was a Jew and Wife to Felix by whose counsel saith the Note in Geneva's Bible he called for Paul and heard him of the Faith in Christ Drusilla Bedewed or sprinkled with bloud E. EBER Gen. 10.21.11.14 c. was the Son of Salah of the Generation of Shem. He had two Sons the one Peleg in whose days the Earth was divided and the other Joktan This Eber lived before and after he begat Peleg 464. years Eber Passing or passage Of Eber came the Ebrews which were afterward called Israelites of Israel which was Jacob and Jews of Juda because of the excellency of that Tribe Elah â— King 16.8 the Son of Baasha began his reign over Israel in the xxvi year of Asa King of Juda and walked in all the wicked ways of his Father before him In the second year of his reign or thereabout Zimri his servant and Captain of his Chariots conspired against him and finding him drunken in the house of * Drinking as some say till he was drunken in the Temple of Arza the Idol by his House in Tirza Arza the King's Steward he fell upon him and slew him Ela an Oke Elam was the Son of Shem. Elam a young Man 1 Chron. 1.17 or he that is hid or the world Eleazar the Son of Aaron Exod. 6.25 Num. 20.25 c. was constituted High Priest after the decease of his Father and so was the second High Priest over the Jews He took to Wife one of the Daughters of Putiel Josh 24.33 which bare him a Son called Phinehas Finally he dyed and was buried in a Hill that pertained to Phinehas his Son which Hill was given him in Mount Ephraim Eleazar the help of God Eleazar the Son of Saura 1 Mac. 6. was a worthy Captain with Judas Machabeus what time as Antiochus Eupator came into Jewry with a mighty strong Army both of Men and Elephants which Beasts being xxxii in number were strongly fenced and surely harnessed and well exercised to Battel And when the Hosts were joyned together Eleazar beholding one of the Elephants deckt with royal Harness and far excelling all the other Beasts he supposed the King himself had been upon him wherefore he jeoparded himself to deliver his People and with a good courage ran to the Elephant in the middest of the Host slaying all about him as he went and at last came unto the Beast and gat himself under his feet and smote him in the belly and slew the Elephant The weight of whose dead body crushed Eleazar in pieces and so he dyed Eleazar 2 Mac. 6. was one of the principal Scribes among the Jews and an aged Man of a well favoured countenance who when that cruel King Antiochus had sent his Commissioners to compel the Jews to transgress the Laws of their God was constrained to gape with open mouth and to eat Swines slesh but he desiring rather to dye grievously than to live with hatred offered himself willingly to the torment and spit it out Then they that had the charge of the Kings wicked act for the old friendship of the Man took him aside privily and prayed him that he would take such flesh as was lawful to eat and dissemble as though he had eaten even of the things appointed by the King even the flesh of the Sacrifice that in so doing he might be delivered from death and that for the old friendship that was among them he would receive this favour But he began to consider discreetly and as became his age and the excellency of his ancient years and the honor of his gray hairs whereunto he was come and his most honest conversation from his childhood but chiefly the holy Law made and given by God therefore he answered them accordingly and willed them straightways to send him to the grave for it becometh not our age said he to dissemble whereby many young Persons might think that Eleazar being 90. years old were now gone to another manner of life And so thorow mine hypocrisie for a little time of a transitory life they might be deceived by me and I should procure malediction and reproach to mine old age For though I were now delivered from the torments of Men yet could I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead Wherefore I will now change this life manfully and will shew my self such as mine age requireth And so will leave a notable example for such as be young to die willingly couragiously for the honorable holy laws and when he had said these words immediately he went to torment And as he was ready to give up the ghost he sighed and said The Lord that hath the holy knowledge knoweth manifestly that whereas I might have been delivered from death I am scourged and suffer these sore pains of my Body but in my mind I suffer them gladly for his religion Thus this Man ended his life leaving his death for an example of a noble courage and a memorial of vertue not only unto young Men but unto all his Nation Eli was the next Judge after Sampson 1 Sam. 1.9.2.12.27 c. that judged Israel and the High-Priest descended from Aaron He had two Sons the one called Hophni the other Phinehas which were so wicked that every Man complained of them And because that Eli did not punish them according to their deserts God sent him word by
pretence of friendship to slay him Murder committed under pretence of friendship the Captains of the Jews having knowledge thereof were so sore afraid of Gedaliah lest any misfortune should chance him that they told him of Ishmael's conspiracy And one among the rest named Johanan offered himself to dispatch Ishmael out of the way so secretly that the deed should never be known But Gedaliah not crediting their words neither yet mistrusting Ishmael would suffer nothing to be done unto him Jer. 41.2 And so forsaking the counsel and admonition of his friends and trusting too much to Ishmael he was of him in fine most treacherously slain in his own house Gedaliah the Greatness of the Lord the hem or skirt of the Lord. Gedeon the Son of Joash Judg 6. cap. was of the Tribe of Manasses To whom the Angel of the Lord appeared as he was threshing of Wheat saying The Lord is with thee thou valiant man Then said Gedeon If the Lord be with us why is all this evil come upon us We have heard by our Fathers of all the miracles which the Lord did for his People in Egypt and now hath he forsaken us and given us over into the hands of the Midianites Well said the Angel go thy way in this thy might and strength which I have given thee for thou shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of their enemies Oh Lord quoth Gedeon wherewith shall I save Israel seeing my Kindred is but poor and I the least of all my Fathers house With my help saith the Lord shalt thou save Israel for I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as if they were but one man Then I beseech thee O Lord quoth Gedeon shew me a sign that thou talkest with me depart not hence till I come again with mine offering Which offering being brought and dressed accordingly the Angel had no sooner touched it with the end of his Rod but fire came out of the stone whereon the Sacrifice lay and consumed it altogether and so the Angel vanished out of sight The same Night following at the Lords commandment Gedeon went and destroyed the Altar of Baal which his Father had made and cut down all the Grove about it for the which deed the People having knowledge thereof would have stoned him to death Then * By this example of Joash we ought to justifie them that are zealous of God's cause though all the multitude be against us Joash to save Gedeon his Son said unto them what will ye do will ye plead Baal's cause or will ye be his defenders If Baal be a god let him revenge his own cause upon him that hath done the deed And from that day forth Gedeon was called Jerubbaal that is let Baal plead for himself because he hath broken down his Altar At this time the Midianites and the Amalekites had pitched themselves in the Valley of Jezreel and the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon so that he called his People together to go against them Judg. 7. cap. And to be the better confirmed in his Vocation he took a fleece of wool and laid it in the threshing place and made his request unto God saying Oh Lord if thou wilt let the dew this night fall upon the fleece only and be dry on all the ground beside then shall I be sure that thou wilt save Israel by my hands as thou hast said And on the morrow when Gedeon came to take up the fleece it was full of dew and the ground dry all about Then said Gedeon O Lord be not angry if I prove thee once more let now the fleece be dry only and dew upon all the earth and so in the morning the fleece was dry and the ground all dewy Gedeon now being thus confirmed pitched his Host to fight with his enemies But when the Lord saw the number of his Army he said to Gedeon The People that thou hast with thee are too many therefore make a proclamation thorowout all thine Host that whosoever is timorous or fearful let him depart home again and there returned XXII thousand and ten thousand remained Then said the Lord to Gedeon the People are yet too many Bring them down to the water side and I will appoint them that shall go with thee So many as do lap the Water with their Tongues as Dogs do shalt thou take with thee and the rest that kneel down upon their Knees to drink shalt thou refuse as men unmeet for this purpose And when it came to tryal all kneeled down to drink saving 300. which lapped * This story here of Gedcon and Jonathan 1 Sam. 14. and of Scnnacherib 2 King 19. doth manifestly shew that no King as the Prophet David saith is preserved by the multitude of his Men or strength of his Armies but is staid and holden up by the providence of God water with their hands and those Gedeon took with him and sent the rest away Then the Lord to strengthen Gedeon lest he should faint in so great an enterprise bad him take Phara his servant with him and go down that Night to the Host of the Midianites and hearken what they did say And when they came near to the Host they heard one Man say to another I have dreamed a dream and methought a loaf of Barley bread tumbled into the Host of Midian and came unto a Tent and smote it that it fell and lay along on the ground This is nothing else quoth his fellow save the Sword of Gedeon the Son of Joash a man of Israel for into his hands hath God delivered Midian and all the Host Then Gedeon hearing this praised God and returned to his men who were so animated with his joyful tydings that most couragiously they fell upon the infinite number of the Midianites and overthrew them and put them to flight every one in the which flight the Ephraimites on the other side of Jordan took Oreb and Zeeb two mighty Captains of the Midianites sent their heads to Gedeon Judg. 8. cap. who was following the chase after Zeba and Zalmunna Kings of Midian which two at the last he took and led them back to the Men of Succoth Phanuel who had denied him sustenance before and said unto them Behold here be the men by whom ye upbraided me saying Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna already in thine hands that we should give bread unto thy weary People I told you then that when the Lord had delivered them into my hands I would return and tear your flesh with Thorns and Briers of the Wilderness and break down the Tower of Phanuel And so to perform his promise he fell upon the Men of Succoth and Phanuel and put them to most painful torments and death and slew Zeba and Zalmunna with his own hands Thus he delivered Israel out of the hands of the Midianites which had kept them seven years in subjection And when he
And being revived to health again the two young Men which had scourged him before appeared and said Thank Onias the High Priest for thy life at whose prayer the Lord hath restored thee and now that God hath scourged thee for thine offences give him praise and thanks and make his might and power manifest and open to all Men. And when the Men had spoken these words and were vanished away Heliodorus made his Oblation to God and gave hearty thanks to Onias for his life and so returned home again to the King declaring unto him the great and manifest works of God that were done upon him The King after this being yet desirous of the treasure that was in the Temple asked of Heliodorus whom he thought meet to send once again to Jerusalem for the money He answered saying Oh King if thou hast any enemy or Traitor unto thy Realm send him thither and thou shalt be sure to have him well punished and hardly to escape with his life For doubtless said he In that place there is a special power and working of God for he that dwelleth in Heaven visiteth and defendeth deth that place and none escapeth unpunished or plagued that cometh to do it harm Thus did Heliodorus magnifie the power of God and would no more enter into such danger Heliodorus the Gift of the Son Henoch the Son of Jared at the age of 65. Gen. 5.18 years begat Mathusaleh and after that he lived 300. years and begat both Sons and Daughters and walked always before the Lord in an upright and godly life And when he had lived 365. years the Lord * To inquire where Henoch became is meer curiosity took him away that he was no more seen Henoch Taught or dedicate Hermas was a faithful Christian Rom. 16.14 unto whom Paul sent commendations from Corinth to Rome Herman A prop or upholder or an earing Hermogenes 2 Tim. 1.15 was a faint hollow-hearted Gospeller of the Country of Asia which forsook Paul and gave him over whose unfaithfulness Paul pronounceth to Timothy Hermogenes Begotten by Mercury or the generation or increase of lucre or the refuge Herod was an Idumean born Matth. 2. cap. and the first stranger that reigned over the Jews In whose time Christ the Saviour of the World by the will of God came into this World of whose birth he had first knowledge of the Magi or wise men which came from the East to Jerusalem demanding there for him that was born King of the Jews saying that they had seen his Star and were come to worship before him Which news troubled Herod so sore that he sent for all the chief Priests and Scribes of the People to know of them where Christ should be born And being of them perfectly informed that he should be born in the City of * For there is another Bethlchem in the Tribe of Zabulon Bethlehem in Jewry he sent for the Wise men and after inquisition made what time the star appeared unto them he bad them go to Bethlehem and make diligent search for the Child and when they had found him to bring him word again that he might go and worship him also But when they had found the Child and had made their offering they were warned of God to break their promise with Herod and to return home another way Which thing being * Eusebius saith that Herod for this slaughter done would have killed himself but being lett by his servant he dyed within five days when he had reigned 37. years told to Herod he fell into such a rage for being so mocked that in his madness he sent forth Ministers to Bethlehem which killed all the Infants that were in the City and in the coasts thereof of the age of two years or under for whose great cruelty shewed upon those Innocents God payed him home soon after Herod the glory of the skin or boasting and glorying in skins Herod Mattb. 14.1 c. Luke 3.1 the Tetrarch of Galilee was Brother to Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and being reproved of John Baptist for keeping his Brother Philip's Wife he cast John in Prison where he remained until Herod's birth-day was come in the which solemn Festival day it chanced that the Daughter of Philip and Herodias danced before Herod and pleased the King so well that he sware unto her that whatsoever she would ask him it should be granted not thinking she would have asked John Baptist's Head Mar. 6. cap. for as Saint Mark saith Herod knowing John to be a just and an holy Man did both fear and reverence him and heard his preaching and did many things thereafter and was very sorry the Maid had asked none other thing But nevertheless for keeping his Oath which he had made before so many Noble-men he caused the innocent Man's head to be cut off and given to the Damosel This Herod and Pilate Lieutenant of Jewry had been long at variance And for the pleasure that Pilate shewed to Herod in sending Jesus bound unto him to be examined he was at one with him again For Herod had long desired to see Jesus And hoping now to have seen some Miracles done by him he demanded many questions of Jesus to the which he would make no answer at all Then Herod perceiving that Jesus would neither speak nor do any thing at his pleasure he began to despise and revile him and in mockery arrayed him in a long white Garment and sent him to Pilate again Herod Act. 12. cap. This Man was a great Persecutor of the Apostles He beheaded James the Brother of John and seeing that deed to content and please the Jews well This Herod was called Agrippa the Son of Aristobulus he was nephew unto Herod the great and Brother of Herodias he took Peter also and cast him into Prison intending after Easter which was at hand to have him put to death also Finally upon a certain day appointed to shew himself in his pomp and glory he made such an Oration before the Assembly that for the pleasantness of his speech the common people at the end thereof gave a mighty shout saying it was the voice of a God and not of a Man And because he gloried in their boasting and took that honour unto himself which he ought to have given to God he was immediately smitten by the Angel of God and eaten of Worms whereof he most miserably dyed Herodion was Paul's Kinsman Rom. 16 1â— unto whom he sent commendations from Corinth on this wise Salute Herodion my Kinsman Herodion the Song of a young Virgin or of a Woman conquering Herodias was Wife to Philip Herod's Brother Matth. 14.3 to whom she brought forth a * Which Daughter as Josephus writeth was called Salomon Daughter This Woman being more familiar with Herod than honesty required grew into such favour with him that he contrary to the Law of Moses married her his Brother being alive Against
Israel that he stirred up a Man one Jephtah who by the power of God saved them Jair Lightened Iames the Son of Zebedee and Brother to John Matth. 4.21 Mark 3.17 He was put to death by Agrippa who was also called Herod Act. 12.2 Cooper was a poor Fisherman and being in the Ship with his Father mending of his Net Jesus came by and called him who immediately left his Ship his Father and all and went after Jesus and was one of his Apostles and received with his Brother the Name of Boanerges which is to say The Sons of Thunder James a Tripper or Deceiver An heel the sole of the foot a foot-step Iames the less Matth. 16.3 He suffered martyrdom in the vi year of Nero. was the Son of Alpheus and Mary Sister to Mary the Lord's Mother And being Bishop of Jerusalem he wrote to the Jews that were scattered abroad after the Persecution and death of Stephen Instructing them with sundry Precepts how to order their Lives Iannes 2 Tim. 3.8 Exod. 7.11 and Jambres were two false Soreerers of Egypt who in the time of Moses with their enchantments went about to put those miraculous wonders out of credence that Moses by the power of God did And even as they withstood Moses so do the Adversaries of the Gospel at this day and ever will resist the truth under a certain false pretence of godliness Iapheth Gen. 9. The Nations that came of his children Of Gomer came the Italians Of Magog the Scythians and of them the Turks Of Madai the Medes Of Javan the Greeks Of Tubal the Spaniards Of Mosoch the Moscovites and of Tiras the Thracians Lanquet was the youngest of Noah's three-Sons who being informed of his Fathers unseemly lying asleep in his Tent took a Garment and bare it between him and Shem on their shoulders and coming toward their Father ashamed to look on his nakedness turned their Faces backward and so covered their Father's privities For the which deed Noah having knowledge thereof blessed them saying to Japheth on this wise God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be their servant Japheth perswading or enticing Iairus was * Mark 5.22 one of the Rulers of the Synagogue among the Jews whose Daughter of the Age of twelve years lay sick and at the point of death And hearing of the fame of Jesus he went and fell down at his feet beseeching him that he would come home to his house lay his hand upon his Daughter that by the touching thereof she might be safe and live â— Luk 8 41. And while there was an occasion given whereby to strengthen the unperfect faith of the Ruler and that by the ensample of a Woman diseased with an issue of blood xii years there came certain Messengers from the Ruler's-House which said unto Him that his Daughter was dead wherefore it should not need to trouble the Master any further Then Jesus perceiving the Ruler to be as a Man in despair said unto him Be not afraid for although thy Daughter be dead indeed only believe and thy Daughter shall live And so Jesus went home to the Ruler's house and raised up his Daughter from death to life Jairus Lightning or being lightned Iared Gen. 5.15 c. was the Son of Mahalaleel who lived an hundred sixty and two years and then begat Henoch and lived after that eight hundred years and begat Sons and Daughters And when he had lived in all nine hundred sixty and two years he dyed Jared Commanding or descending Iason was a wicked Man and so desirous of honour 2 Mac. 4 cap. that he wrought his own Brother Onias out of the High Priest's office promising Antiochus the King to give him for the same three hundred and three-score Talents of Silver and of another rent four-score And also if the King would license him to set up a place for exercise and a place for the youth and to name them of Jerusalem Antiochians he promised an hundred and fifty Talents And when these things were granted to Jason and that he had got the superiority he began immediately to draw his Kinsmen to the customes of the Heathen abolishing the Laws and Priviledges of the Jews he brought in new statutes contrary to the Law of God So that thorow the exceeding wickedness of this ungodly man Jason the People had a great desire to follow the manners of the Gentiles The Priests also had no delight in serving the Lord but in casting the stone and such wanton sports Now after three years when Jason should pay the King his money which he had promised for his Brother's office he sent it by one whom he most trusted called Menelaus who gat the office from Jason as appeareth more plainly in his story Then Jason being thus deceived by Menelaus was fain to flie into the Land of the Ammonites remaining there till he might spy a time to be revenged And when he heard the rumour that went abroad of Antiochus death he gat him a Band of Men to the number of a Thousand or more and came suddenly upon the City killing and slaying his own Citizens without mercy regarding neither Kin nor Friend But nevertheless when he could not speed of his purpose he fled into the Land of the Ammonites again Where in the end it came to this point that he was accused to Areta King of the Arabians and so abhorred of all Men that he was pursued from City to City and driven into Egypt And going from thence to the Lacedemonians thinking by reason of Kinred to have had some succour of them he was not regarded but suffered to perish in a strange Land no Man mourning for him nor putting him into his Grave Jason He that maketh whole a Physician Jecksan look Jocsan Iehoahaz 2 King 23.31 c. the Son of Josias was xxiii years old when he began to reign over Juda and had not reigned three Moneths before Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt came and put him down and set up his Brother in his stead And put the Land to a tribute of an hundred Talents of Silver and one of Gold and carried Jehoahaz away into Egypt where he dyed Jehoahaz The possession of the Lord. Iehojakim 2 King 23.36.24.1 c. the Son of Josias was xxv years of age when he began to reign over Juda and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. His name was changed from Eliakim to Jehojakim by Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt which came and deposed his Brother Jehoahaz and made him King in his stead and taxed the Land This King dyed in the way as they led him Prisoner into Babylon Read Jeremy 22.18 as before is said in Jehoahaz For the payment of which money Jehojakim taxed the Land and levied of every Man according to his ability and paid the money to Pharaoh After this came Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon and
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
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
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
Israel Pilate was Lieutenant of Jewry Matth. 27. Mark 14. Luke 22.23 John 18 19. when Annas and Caiaphas were the High-Priests who with the Scribes and Elders of the Jews sat in Council upon Jesus now betrayed unto them by Judas how and by what means they might dispatch him out of the way But having no Authority to condemn or put him to death they brought him bound unto Pilate the Temporal Judge saying how that they had found him perverting the People and forbidding Tribute to Caesar and calling himself a King Pilate hearing this demanded of him whether he were a King or no. Jesus neither denying nor affirming that he was made answer that Pilate himself had said so Then Pilate said unto all his Accusers how that in examining of Jesus he could not see that he had offended in any such thing as they had charged him withal The People then more vehemently affirmed how that he had with his teaching and preaching which he first began in Galilee moved all Jewry to follow his doctrine When Pilate perceived the Man to be of Galilee and that his matter pertained to Herod's jurisdiction he sent him forthwith to Herod lying at Jerusalem Who of a long time had been desirous to see him But when as Herod had demanded many things of him and could have no answer again he despised and mocked him and so returned him back again to Pilate clothed all in * Commonly this was a robe of honor or excellency but it was given to Christ in mockage white And from that day forth Pilate and Herod were evermore friends who before were enemies Then Pilate for so much as Herod had sent Jesus back again and done nothing unto him and that neither he nor Herod could find any thing in him worthy of death would have chastened Jesus and so let him go But the High-Priests laid so many things against him that Pilate after he had reasoned a little with Jesus concerning his Kingdom and other things went and sat in judgment knowing right well in his conscience that the Priests of very envy had delivered Jesus unto him And being set down upon the Judgment Seat his Wife sent to him saying Have thou nothing to do with that just Man for I have suffered many things this Day in a Dream by reason of him Which counsel of his Wife nor yet his own knowledge did any thing the more move him to defend the innocency of Christ but asked of the People which of these two they would have quit Barabbas or Jesus and they said Barabbas What shall I then do quoth he with Jesus which is called Christ They all said let him be Crucified What evil or great offence hath he done quoth Pilate that deserveth death The People being much more eager than they were before cryed out amain to have him Crucified When Pilate saw this that he could not prevail against them he took Water and washed his hands saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just person in the which saying he bare witness of his innocency Pilate murthered the Galileans as they were sacrificing and so their bloud was mingled with the bloud of the Beasts which were sacrificed Luke 13.1 before he condemned him And so delivering Jesus to the Souldiers they scourged him and arrayed him in Purple with a Crown of Thorns upon his Head In which sort Pilate brought him forth again and said to the People Behold I bring him forth to you that ye may know that I find no fault in him And when Jesus appeared before them Pilate said Behold the Man which he spake in mockery because that Christ had called himself a King And when the High-Priests and Officers saw him they cryed out Crucifige Crucifige Then said Pilate take him to you and Crucifie him for I can find no cause of death in the Man They answered again and said It is not lawful for us to put any Man to death but we have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God When Pilate heard this he was afraid and went again into the Judgment-Hall and demanded of Jesus what he was but he made him no answer Then Pilate said Why speakest thou not Dost thou not see that it lyeth in my hands either to kill or save thee To that he made answer and said Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the more sin and from that time forth Pilate sought by all means to deliver him But the Jews cryed upon him saying If thou let him go thou art not Caesar's friend for whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar When Pilate heard them say so he brought Jesus forth and sat him down in the Judgment-Seat saying unto the People Behold your King They cryed away with him away with him crucifie him What quoth Pilate shall I crucifie your King To that the High Priests made answer and said We have no King but Caesar At that word Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified and being brought to the place of execution and spread upon the Cross Pilate caused this Title to be set over his Head Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews This Man Pilate as Eusebius saith was at the last deposed and banished to Lions in France where he slew himself which was written in Hebrew Greek and Latine that all Nations might understand it With the which writing the High-Priests were offended fore and would have had Pilate to correct it and not to write him King of the Jews but that he said I am King of the Jews Well quoth Pilate what I have written that have I written Priscilla look Aquila Ptolomy King of Egypt had a fair Daughter named Gleopatra 1 Mac. 10. the which he gave to Alexander the Son of noble Antiochus in Marriage which was solemnly and with great Royalty finished in the City of Ptolemais But notwithstanding this great Bond of Amity now knit between them Ptolomy afterward withdrew his favour from Alexander and sought by all means how he might defeat him of his Kingdom And thinking to bring his purpose now better to pass while Alexander himself lay out of his Realm he prepared a great Host and took his Journey into Syria where into every City as he came he was honourably received according to Alexander's commandment And being his Father in-law was nothing suspected of Treason But Ptolomy meaning nothing else left in every City whereinto he was received certain Men of War to fortifie and keep the same And when he had gotten the Dominion of all the Cities upon the Sea-coast he joyned himself in League with Demetrius and took his Daughter from Alexander and gave her to Demetrius Raising up a slander upon Alexander how he went about to kill him And so his malice and unsatiable covetousness being openly known he got him to Antioch where
be now shut that no man can see us and we burn in lust towards thee therefore consent and lye with us if thou wilt not we will bear witness against thee that a young Man was in the Orchard with thee and therefore thou sentest away thy Maidens Then Susanna sighed and said If I do follow your minds it will be my death and if I consent not unto you I cannot escape your hands It is better for me to fall into your hands without the deed doing than to sin in the sight of the Lord. And with that cryed out with a loud voice and the Elders cryed out against her which clamour on both parties was so great that it was heard among the Servants without which ran to the Orchard door and burst it open to see what the matter was And when the Servants had heard the Elders report of Susanna they were greatly ashamed for there was never such a report made of Susanna before And so on the next morrow the two Elders full of mischievous imaginations declared the matter to Joachim her husband to bring her to death And when she was come with her Father and Mother her Children and all her kinred to be judged according to the law she stood before the two wicked Judges with her Face covered who commanded to take the Cloth from her face that at the least they might be satisfied with her beauty which thing being done the Judges stood up and laid their hands upon the head of Susanna saying As we were walking in the Orchard alone this Woman came in with her two Maidens whom she sent away from her making fast the Orchard door after them Then started there up a young Fellow which lay hid in the Garden and went unto her lay with her Then we which stood in a corner seeing this wickedness ran unto them and saw them as they were together but we could not hold the fellow for he was stronger than we and got open the door and leaped out And when we demanded of her what fellow it was she would not tell us This is the matter and we be witnesses of the same Then Susanna cryed out and said O everlasting God thou searcher of hearts thou that knowest all things before they come to pass thou wotest that they have born false witness against me And behold I must dye whereas I never intended any such thing as these Men have maliciously imagined against me And as she was led toward the place of execution the Lord of Heaven which heard her prayer raised up the spirit of a little Child called Daniel who cryed with a loud voice saying I am clean from the blood of this Woman And when the People heard that they stayed to know of the Child what he meant by his words O ye Children of Israel said he are ye such fools that without examination and knowledge of the truth ye have condemned a Daughter of Israel return again to Judgment for they have born false witness against her Then the People went back again and the Elders took Daniel and set him among them in Judgment Who when he had commanded the two false witnesses to be severed that he might examine them he called the one before him and said O thou that art old in a wicked life now thy sins which thou hast committed afore time are come to light Tell me under what Tree thou sawest this Woman and the young fellow together he said under a Mulberry Tree Now verily quoth Daniel thou hast lied and art worthy of death in that thou hast oppressed the innocent and hast let the guilty go free contrary to the words of the Lord which saith The innocent and righteous see thou slay not Then he called the other and said O thou seed of Canaan but not of Juda Beauty hath deceived thee and lust hath subverted thine heart Thus have ye dealt with the Daughters of Israel and they for fear consented unto you but the Daughters of Juda would not abide your wickedness Now tell me under what Tree didst thou take them companying together He answered under a Pine Tree Now verily said Daniel thou hast lied also against thine head The Messenger of the Lord standeth waiting with the Sword to cut thee in two and so to destroy ye both And with that the whole Assembly cryed with a loud voice and praised God which so miraculously had preserved Susanna that day And so fell upon the two wicked Judges and according to the law of Moses put them both to death Susanna one of those godly Women which followed Christ and his Apostles relieving them with her substance as much as lay in her power T. THADDAEUS Matth. 10.3 was one of the twelve Apostles Thaddaeus praising or confessing Tertullus Act. 14.1 2 c. was a certain Oratour which Ananias the High-Priest had brought with him to inform Felix the Ruler against Paul And when Paul was brought forth Tertullus began to accuse him saying Seeing that we live in great quietness by the means of thee and that many good things are done unto this Nation through thy providence we acknowledge it wholly and in all places most mighty Felix with all thanks Notwithstanding that I be-not tedious unto thee I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy courtesie a few words For we have found this man a Pestilent fellow and a mover of debate unto all the Jewes throughout the World and a maintainer of the Sect of the Nazarites And hath alsogone about to pollute the Temple whom we took and would have judged according to our law But the chief Captain Lysias came upon us and with great violence took him away out of our hands commanding his Accusers to come unto thee Of whom thou mayst if thou wilt inquire know the certainty of all these things whereof we accuse him Tertullus a false reporter or a teller of tails a lyar Terah was the Son of Nahor the Son of Serug Gen. 11.24 25 26 c. He at the age of seventy years begot Abraham but he had before by another Wife Nahor and Haran All the days that Terah lived were two hundred and five years Terah Smelling Look in the story of Abraham Tertius was the name of him that wrote the Epistle of S. Paul to the Romans while Paul indited it Rom. 16.22 saying on this wise I Tertius salute you which wrote this Epistle in the Lord. Tertius a Latine word Thamar 2 Sam. 13.1 2 c. the Daughter of David was so beautiful a young Woman that Amnon her Brother fell sick for her love And when she had visited Amnon at her Fathers commandment and drest him certain meat and brought it into his Chamber he began to force her to lye with him Then she seeing that said Nay my Brother do not force me for no such thing ought to be done in Israel commit not this folly For whither shall I be able to go with my shame