was dead And thus vpon the laying together of al the aboue named numbers in this order following first 930 which was the age of Adam secondly 126 frō the death of Adam to the birth of Noah thirdly 600 to the floud fourthly 352 to the birth of Abram fiftly 75 to the promise first made to Abram sixtly 25 to the birth of Isaak seuenthly 60 to the birth of Iaakob eightly 147 the age of Iaakob ninthly 53 the time that Ioseph suruiued Iaakob we haue a full declaration that the generall summe of yeares from the creation of Adam which was the sixt day after the world began to the death of Ioseph where with the whole hrstorie of Genesis is ended they are 23 68. EXODVS 146 yeares FRom the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moses were 65 yeares From the birth of Moses to the time that God sent him to parlie treate with Pharaoh for the deliuerance of his people out of bondage were 80 yeares Exod. 7. 7. The very next yeare after this Israel departed out of Egypt euen on the 14. day of the first moneth Exod. chap. 12. and chap. 13. And in the third moneth of the same yeare the Lord did publish his Lawe from heauen descending vpō mount Sinai Exo. 19. 1. c. 11. c. and ch 20. And in the very beginning of the next yeare after this the Tabernacle of God was reared vp Exod. chap. 40. 17. 18. Thus farre reacheth the second booke of Moses called Exodus All the yeares wherof reckened together that is to say 65 from the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moses 80 to his ambassage from God to Pharaoh 1 to the giuing of the Law and vntill the rearing of the Tabernacle they grow to the number of 146. But it may here be demaunded what proofe we haue that betweene the death of Ioseph the birth of Moses were iust 65 yeares We gather that it must needs be so because that otherwise there could not be 430 yeares from the promise of the Gospell made first to Abraham vnto the giuing of the law Of which intermediant space of time we haue vndoudted testimonie Exod. 12. 40. 41. and Gal. 3. 17. And therefore the warrantise of this is a sure confirmation of that LEVITICVS only one moneth COnferre that which we reade Exod. chap. 40. verse 17. The Tabernacle was reared vp the first day of the first moneth in the second yeare with that which Moses writeth in the first verse of the first chapter of Numbers in these words The Lord spake againe vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai in the Tabernacle of the congregation the first day of the second moneth in the second yeare after that they were come out of the land of Egypt c. Here therfore is the storie of neuer a whole yeare but only of one moneth NVMBERS 38 yeares and 9 moneths COmpare that beginning of this booke of Numbers with the third verse of the first chapter of Deuteronomie where thus we read And it came to passe in the first day of the eleuenth moneth in the fortith yeare that Moses spake to the children of Israell c. Of these fortie yeares yeeld one for the giuing of the law to the rearing of the Tabernacle vnto Exodus and one moneth to Leuiticus so there shall remaine to Numbers 38 yeares and 9 moneths DEVTERONOMIE two moneths at the least which make vp the 39. yeare of the booke of Numbers and reacheth to the end of the fortith yeare that Moses spake to Israell THis is euident in that as was mentioned before out of Exod. chap. 7. vers 7. Moses was 80 yeares old when he led Israell out of Egypt but he died not til he had liued 120 yeres as we read Deut. 34. 7. Moses was one hundreth and twentie yeares old when he died his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated c. So the◅ Deuteronomie maketh vp the 39. yeare of Numbers whereunto ad one yeare borrowed from Exodus and we haue the whole fortie years that Moses spake to the children of Israel Note here that the fortie yeares wandering of Israell in the wildernesse is to be reckened from their first entrance into it Exod. 16. 35. Nehem. 9. 21. Reade also Psalme 95. For euen three dayes after their deliuerance they begin to murmure Exod. 15. 22. Neuerthelesse it is not pronounced for a curse vnto them till Numbers 14. 34. This curse ended with the death of Moses IOSHVAH 17 yeares THis is prooued in that there being 480 yeares betwixt the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt to the time wherein king Salomon layd the foundation of the Temple of Ierusalem which was in the fourth yeare of his reigne 1. King chap 6. verses 1. and 37 there are of this summe of 480 euery yeare recorded in the holy Scriptures except from the beginning of Ioshuah his gouernment to the time of his death to the number of 463 yeares as will be manifest by the acc◅unt following For as hath bene already declared from the time that Moses began to speake to Israel to the time of his death was 40 yeares The time of the Iudges as will more clearely appeare anone was 299 yeares of Eli 40 of Samuel and Saule 40 of Dauid 40 of Salomon 4 to the time wherein he began to build the Temple Wherefore onely 17 yeares are wanting to fufilll that number of 480. And the same must needes be the yeares wherein Ioshua gouerned and guided Israell after the death of Moses to the time of his owne death Iosh. 1. 1. where thus we read Nowe after the death of Moses the seruant of the Lord the Lord spake vnto Ioshua the sonne of Nun Moses minister saying Moses my seruant is dead now therefore arise thou go ouer this Iorden thou all this people vnto the land which I giue thē c. And cha 24. 29. And after these things Ioshua the sonne of Nun the seruāt of the Lord died being 110 yeares old IVDGES 299 yeares THis was the space of time wherin the thirteene Iudges chronicled and renowmed in the booke of Iudges did as heroicall most valiant Captaines of the Lord iudge auenge deliuer the people of Israell out of the hands of their enemies as the rehearsall of the seuerall distance of yeares from Iudge to Iudge will hence forth shew and confirme to be true For from the death of Ioshua to the death of Othniel the first of these Iudges were 40 yeares Iudg. 1. 1. c. After that Ioshua was dead the children of Israell asked the Lord saying Who shal go vp for vs against the Caananites to fight first against them And ch 3. ver 9. 10. 11. When the children of Israell cried vnto the Lord the Lord stirred vp a Sauior to the childrē of Israel and he saued them euen Othniel the sonne of Kenaz Calebs younger brother c. So the land had rest to the fortith
yeare when Othniel the sonne of Kenaz died From the death of this Othniel to the times wherein Ehud the second Iudge and Shamgar the third had iudged Israell there were 80 yeeres chap. 3. 30. 31. For in that account the time of Shamgar must be reckened with the time of Ehud or else comprehended in the former part of the 40 yeares next following because otherwise the time wherein he executed the iudgement of God should be altogether omited It is likely that his time was but short From those 80 yeares to the end of the gouernment of Deborah who was the fourth Iudge though a woman there passed 40 yeares chap. 5. 31. Frō this yeare to the end of Gideons iudgment who was the fift Iudge were also 40 yeares chap. 8. 28. After Gideon was Abimelech the sixt Iudge who iudged Israell 3 yeeres chap. 9. 22. Next Abimelech arose Tolah the seuenth Iudge who iudged Israell 23 yeares chap. 10. 1. 2. Then Iaire the eight Iudge hee iudged 22 yeares chap. 10. 3. Iphtah the ninth iudged 6 yeares chap. 12. 7. And after Iphtah Ipsan who was the tenth Iudge he iudged 7 yeares chap. 12. 9. Next Ibsan rose Elon the eleuenth he iudged 10 yeares chap. 12. 11. And in the same chapter verse 14. Abdon hath the place of the twelfth Iudge by the space of 8 yeares And last of all Samson the thirteenth who mightily iudged auenged Israell whole 20 yeares cha 16. 31. All these particular numbers 40 to the death of Othniel 80 to the death of Shamgar 40 to the end of Deborahs gouernment 40 to the death of Gideon 3 of Abimelech 23 of Tolah 22 of Iaire 6 of Iphtah 7 of Ibsan 10 of Elon 8 of Abdon 20 of Samson they make vp one whole summe of 299 yeares And so farre extendeth the booke of the Iudges As for that which is written in the beginning of the thirteenth chapter of this booke concerning that 40 years of Israels oppression vnder the hands of the Philistims as though it had bin betwixt the time of Abdon Samson it is not so to be vnderstood but we must reckē those yeares beginning so as they must end either at or with the gouernment of Samson In the which time of fortie yeares though Israell had Iudges yet we are thereby giuen to vnderstand that they were sundry times greatly molested by their aduersaries within the compasse of the same And concerning all that which followeth in the rest of the booke of the Iudges from the 17. chapter to the end of the booke as also touching that historie recorded in the booke of Ruth though the matters therein contained be placed after the time already accounted yet doe they belong to some of the former seasons And of the historie of Ruth it is expresly afirmed in the beginning therof that it fell out in the time that the Iudges ruled at such time as there was a dearth in the land of Israell c. 1. Booke of SAMVEL 80 yeares THis space of 80 years was partly the time of Elies gouernement which continued 40 yeares 1. Sam. chap. 4. vers 18. And partly it was the time both of Samuels gouernment and also of the reigne of Saul the which reckened together were likewise 40 yeers So is that to be vnderstood which we reade Act. 13. 20. 21. God gaue to Israell Iudges about 450 yeares vnto the time of Samuel the Prophet The Apostle in that number reckening the time of Elie his gouernment among the Iudges and also vulgarly reckeneth the times as they are dated as well for the oppressions of Israell by their aduersaries such as were Chusan by the space of eight yeares Eglon 18. Sisera 20. The Madianites 7 The Amonites 18. The Philistims 40 as for their deliuerances by their Iudges and Sauiours 299 besides the 40. yeares of Elie. And then it followeth in the former place of the Acts. So after that they desired a King God gaue vnto them Saul the sonne of Cis a man of the tribe of Beniamin by the space of forty yeares The Apostle here also reckoning the gouerument of Samuell with the reigne of Saule vnder the couert whereof it is as it were shadowed or concealed 2. Booke of SAMVEL 40 yeares THe reigne of king Dauid was also the space of 40 yeares 2. Sam. 5. 4. 5. In Hebron saith the Text he reigned 7 yeares and sixe moneths ouer Iuda and in Ierusalem he reigned 33 yeares ouer all Israell and Iuda Thus with the end of king Dauids reigne which was at the end of his life this second booke of Samuel endeth 1. Booke of KINGS 117 yeares THis 117 yeares is the time of the raigne of fiue Kings of Iuda First of Salomon who raigned 40 yeares 1. King chap. 11. 42. Then Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon 17 yeares chap. 14. 21. The third Abijam whose reigne was three yeares chap. 15. 2. but not compleate so that the third yeare of Abijam was also the first of Asa For Ieroboam beginning his reigne ouer Israel when Rehoboam began to reigne ouer Iuda it is expresly sayd that Abijam beganne his reigne in the eighteenth yeare of Ieroboam chap. 15. 1. And it is likewise said that Asa began his reigne in the twentith yeare of the same Ieroboam We haue therefore only two whole yeares betwixt Rehoboam and Asa. This Asa the fourth king of Iuda to wit of those mentioned in this first booke of Kings he reigned 41 yeares as we reade further in the 15. verse of the same 15. chap. In the fift place the reigne of Iehoshaphat is numbred to be 25 yeares and his death is chronicled in this booke Neuerthelesse the storie of this first booke of the Kings reacheth but to the 17 yeare of his reigne chap. 22. ver 51. 52. So that the historie of this booke is but 117 yeares For so many and no more are the particular summes 40 of Salomon 17 of Rehoboam 2 of Abijam 41 of Asa 17 of Iehoshaphat if we number them altogether 2. Booke of KINGS 345 yeares IN this second Booke of the Kings the holie Storie is continued from the 18. yeare of Iehoshaphat chap. 3. 1. to the last that is to say vnto the 25. yeare of his reigne Yet so as the storie runneth vnder the name of Iehoram his sonne because from the former seuenteenth yeare of Iehoshaphat Iehoram ruled as Viceroy in stead of his father chap. 1. 17. And again yet more specially from the 22 yeare of his fathers reigne chap. 8. 16. For Ioram the sonne of Ahab beginning his reigne in the eighteenth yeare of Iehoshapat the fift yeare of this Ioram must be the 22. yeare of Iehoshaphat And from this time that is from the fift yeare of Ioram doth Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat euen foure yeares before the death of his father begin his reigne of that 8 yeares which is mentioned in the
VVE haue seene already from the books of Ezra Nehemiah and Ester what was the state of the Iewes for the former part of these 490 yeares of Daniel and it may also be discerned frō Daniel himselfe Wherein though they had their troubles yet it was rather prosperous then aduerse and trouble some But as touching the middle part of the same 490 yeares that is from the time that Alexander of Macedonia had subdued the Persians vnder the Grecians the Iewes more more corrupting their wayes and the worship of God as it is euident by the prophesie of Malachie the last of the prophets whom God sent much about that time or not long before vehemently to reproue their most grieuous and enormious sinnes they are through the iust iudgement of God because of the hardnesse and impenitencie of their hearts heauily afflicted oppressed and spoyled by sundrie and diuerse heathen kings specially by the deuided successors of Alexander compared to ten hornes Dan. ch 7. 24. whom also in respect of the situation of Iuda he partly calleth Southerne kings namely those fiue Ptolomies who successiuely ruled in Egypt and partly he calleth them Northerne kings of the which three bare the name of Seleuchus and foure were called by the name of Antiochus with some difference of Sir-names who ruled in Syria according to that which we reade Dan. ch 8. and ch 10. and chap. 11. The fulfilling of which prophesie is plainely and plentifully testified by the records of verie manie heathen Historio graphers for the space of 149 yeares whose writings are extant among vs that is from the beginning of the Grecian monarchy by Alexāder to the end of the reigne of that most vile barbarous persecutor Antiochus Epiphanes with whom Daniel endeth his prophesie touching the speciall afflictions of Iuda chap. 11. verse 21. c. to the end of the chapter Reade also the first booke of Machabees chap. 1. vers 1. c. After that Alexander the Macedonian the son of Philip went forth of the land of Chittim and slewe Darius king of the Persians and Medes and reigned for him as he had before in Grecia he tooke great warres in hand c. and verses 8. 9. 10. 11. So Alexander had reigned 12 yeares when he died And his seruāts reigned euery one in his roome And they all caused themselues to be crowned after his death and so did their children after them manie yeares and much wickednesse increased in the world For out of these came the wicked roote euen Antiochus Epiphanes the son of K. Antiochus which had bene an hostage at Rome and he reigned in the 137. yeare of the kingdome of the Greekes And chap. 6. 16. King Antiochus died in the 149. yeare Now concerning the last part of the 490 yeares of Daniel that is to say frō the miserable end of Antiochus in his reigne to the death of our Sauiour Christ which was the space of 211 yeares the greater part was spent in the weakning and wasting of the Greeke monarchie partly by the ill successe of their warres against Iuda and partly by their wars among thēselues according to the prophesie of Daniel chap. 2. 41. 42. 43. 44. but chiefly by the Romanes who altogether subdued them according as Ezekiel prophesied that they should Reade ch 38. and chap. 39. These prophesies were fulfilled about threescore yeares before the seuentie seuens of Daniel were expired For so many yeares passed from the vtter suppressing of the Grecians broken Monarchie and the end of those yeares Now therefore albeit Iuda strengthened of God did frō the end of vile Antiochus his reign recouer their kingdome and gouernment and obtained the free possession of the citie of God by the mighty valour of Iudas Machabaeus read 1. Machab. chap. 3. 1. 2. 3. 4. c. In his acts hee was like a Lion c. and ch 6. vers 58. 59. The heathen finding themselues to decrease dayly they consent that the Iewes should liue after their law as they did afore and they agree of peace Read also 2. Machab. chap. 10. 1. 2. 3. c. Machabaeus and his company through the help of the Lord wanne the Temple and the citie againe c. and chap. 15. 38. Thus farre concerning Nicanors matters and from that time the Hebrewes had the citie in possession And although the Romanes after they had gotten the souereigntie did nothing against the religion of the Iewes yet their estate euen at the best was full of miserie by reason of the manifold corruptions of Gods worship among themselues and because of their great wickednes in the course of their life specially among their high Priests leaders and guides For they were of diuers sects both Pharisies and Sadduces as we reade in the Gospell yea and Essaei also as other stories make mention Wherunto the Prophet Zacharie hath respect chap. 11. 8. where the Lord threateneth before hand that he would cut off three Shepheards in one moneth in so much as his soule lothed them c. Which also came to passe after they had shewed themselues obstinate and incorrigible euen to the reiecting of our Sauiour Christ. For hereby they prouoked God in the highest degree and therefore he sent the Romane armie in his wrath to take their nation vtterly away as we are herafter further to obserue concerning the proper time season thereof And thus we are come to the end of the 490 yeares comprended in the seuenty seuene of Daniel chap. 9. 24. c. Of the which the first seuen times seuen years that is 49 yeares were spent in the building of the Tēple three yeares being reckened till the foundation was layd the other 46 before it could be finished by reason of the great and often hinderances which the Iewes had as hath bene declared before Reade also Iohn 2. 20. Fortie sixe yeares was this Temple a building From thence were 67 seuens that is 434 yeares And last of all the Prophet reckeneth one seuen more of the which the latter halfe that is three yeares and a halfe were appointed by God to be the time from the Baptisme of our Sauiour Christ which was at the thirtith year of his age vnto his death which was at the 4. Passouer following after his baptisme For so we reade Luke chap. 3. verses 21. 22. 23. At his Baptisme saith the Euangelist he began to be about thirtie yeares of age But concerning the Passcouers in the times wherof our Sauiour Christ went vp to Ierusalem to the celebration of them we haue only three expresly and by name mentioned the first and third only by the Euangelist Iohn chap. 2. 13. The Iewes Passeouer was at hand therefore Iesus went vp to Ierusalem And againe chap. 6. 4. Now the Passeouer a feast of the Iewes was neare Neuerthelesse the second Passeouer is mentioned by the same Euangelist chap. 5. 1. After that there was a feast of the Iewes saith S. Iohn and Iesus went vp to
17. verse of the eight chapter last alleadged For otherwise how should Iehoram the sonne of Iehoshaphat reigne to the twelfth yeare of Ioram the sonne of Ahab whose first yeare was the eighteenth of Iehoshaphat the second of Iehorams viceroyship as hath bene noted before So then we haue beside the remnant of Iehoshaphats reigne which was foure years from the end of his 17. while Iehoram his sonne was first viceroy we haue I say in the entrance of this second booke of Kings Iehorams more full reigne for the space of 8 yeares beginning at the 22. yeare of Iehoshaphat that is to say the first foure yeares by speciall commission and thence forth other foure in his sole regencie to wit so long as he suruiued his father And after this we haue in the rest of this book the reigne of 14 kings of Iuda beside Queene Athaliah who maketh vp the number of 16 as is noted before Of the which kings Ahaziah the first reigned one yeare chap. 8. 26. Next after him Athalia a woman vsurper by the space of sixe yeares chap. 11. 3. And after her Iehoash the second king who reigned 40 yeares chap. 12. 1. Yet so as from his 38. yeare Amaziah his sonne rule as Viceroy in his roome as may appeare by this that Ioash king of Israell beginning his reigne ouer Israel at the 37. yeare of Ioash king of Iuda cha 13. 10. Amaziah is afterward said to haue begunne his reigne in the second yeare of the same Ioash chap. 14. 1. which must be the 38. yeare of Ioash king of Iuda And the same also two yeares before Iehoahaz the father of Ioash king of Israel died in so much as the seuenteenth yeare which was the last of Iehoahaz touched the last yeare of the reigne of Ioash king of Iuda seeing he began his reigne in the 23. yeare of the same Ioash of Iuda and reigned 17 yeares in Israell chap. 13. 1. So then the sonne of Iehoahaz was viceroy in Israel as Amaziah was in Iudah Three yeares therefore are to be abated either of the 40 yeares of Iehoash or of the 29 yeares of Amaziah vnlesse we could see sufficient reason to say that Amaziah reigned 29 yeares beside that time wherein he was viceroy Next vnto Amaziah was Azariah otherwise called Vzziah 2. Chron. chap. 26. whose reigne continued 52 yeeres But the beginning of Azariahes reigne is not to be reckoned till the twelfth yeere after the death of his father because Amaziah as the Storie testifieth liued but 15. yeeres after the death of Iehoash king of Israel ch 14. verse 17. The which his 15 yeeres could reach but to the 15. yeere of the reigne of Ieroboam who began not his raigne till the 15. yeere of Amaziah as we reade in the same 14. ch the 23. verse And hereunto adde that it is further expreslie set downe ch 15. 1. as hath beene alleadged before that Azariah began not his reigne till the 27. yeere of Ieroboam which was 11 yeeres after the death of Amaziah We are therfore in this place for the perfecting of our computation to interpose eleuen yeeres betwixt the death of Amaziah and the beginning of the reigne of Azariah who was but foure yeere olde when his father Amaziah dyed Neither did he begin his reigne till he was 16 yeeres of age as it followeth in the 2. verse of the same 15. chapter Whence also it will fall out that as Iuda was eleuen yeeres without a king by reason of the nonage of Azariah or for what other cause soeuer so was Israel fifteene yeeres after that vacancie or interregnum of Iuda for the space of 22 yeeres likewise without a king That is to say from the end of Ieroboams reigne which was at the 15. yeere of the reigne of Azariah So that Zachariah the next king which succeeded Ieroboam and was the fourth from Iehu 2. King chap. 10. 30. he began not his reigne till the 38. yeere of Azariah as we reade ch 15. 8. 12. Some in their Chronologie admit not these yeers of vacācie either in Iuda or in Israel and therefore begin the reigne of Azariah 15 yeeres before the death of his father yea and for the same cause also doo make Zachariah immediately to succeede Ieroboam in Israel without anie interruption of the royall gouernment But the former account is to be followed the rather because without the former addition wee shall not finde that number of Ezekiels 390 yeeres figured by so manie daies from the time that Israel fell to idolatrie vnder Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat to the desolation of Ierusalem at the burning of the Temple Read Ezek. ch 4. verses 4. 5. 6. c. But let vs hast forward Ater Azariah Iotham reigned 16 yeares 2. King 15. 32. 33. Next to Iotham was Ahaz who likewise reigned 16 yeares chap. 16. 1. 2. After Ahaz reigned Hezekiah 29 yeares chap. 18. 1. 2. Manasses succeeded Hezekiah and reigned 55 yeares ch 21. 1. The longest reigne of anie king either in Iuda or Israel Then Amon reigned two yeares cha 21. 19. And after Amon Iosiah whose reigne was 31 yeares chap. 22. 1. Next to Iosiah was Iehoahaz but he reigned onely three moneths chap. 23. 31. After Iehoahaz Iehoiakim reigned eleuen yeeres chap. 23. 36. Then Iehoiachin whose reigne was but three moneths and ten dayes For so soone after he began to reigne did the king of Babylon subdue him and carie him away captiue to Babel 2. King chap. 24. 8. c. and 2. Chron. chap. 36. 9. c. Instead of this Iehoiachin the same king of Babylon placed Zedekiah who reigned eleuen yeares 2. King 24. 18. Finally from thence to the time that Euilmerodach the next king of Babylon succeeding Nebuchadnezzar restored Iehoiachin to a princely dignitie there passed 26 yeares For he was aduanced in the 37. yeare after that he was caried away captiue 2. King chap. 25. vers 27. From the which if we subtract those 11 yeares of Zedekiah the remainder is 26. So all the years of the Story of this second book of Kings containing these seuerall numbers 4 of Iehoshaphat 8 of Iehoram 1 of Ahaziah 6 of Athaliah 40 of Iehoash or Ioash 26 of Amaziah abating the three yeeres of his viceroyship 11 yeers of the vacancie 52 of Azariah 16 of Iothā 16 of Ahaz 29 of Hezekiah 55 of Manasses 2 of Amon 31 of Iosiah 11 of Iehoiakim 11 of Zedekiah and from thence 26 to the aduancement of Iehoiachin in Babell they are in the totall summe 345. THis captiuity of Iuda began in the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim Ier. 25. 1. For Nebuchadnezzer laying siege against Ierusalem in the third yeare of Iehoiakim Dan. chap. 1. 1. he subdued the same Iehoiakim and caried him away captiue the next yeare 2. King 24. 1. and 2. Chron. 36. 5. 6. 7. At the which time also Daniel and some other of the children of the Nobles and such as were of the bloud royall of Iuda
A BRIEFE CHRONOLOGIE OF THE HOLIE SCRIPTVRES AS PLAINE AND easie as may be according to the extent of the seuerall historicall bookes thereof Comprised first in a few Verses to a short viewe for some helpe of memorie and afterward more particularly layd forth and explaned for a further light to the course and proceeding of the holy Storie With a Catalogue of the holy Prophets of God as touching the times wherein they prophesied LONDON Printed by Iohn Harison for Thomas Man 1600. To the Reader NOt onely are the works of God to be reuerenced regarded in themselues but also in respect of the most wise and excellent course order of the contriuing and disposing of them God hath made all things beautifull in the time and season thereof Eccles. 3. 11. And Act. 15. 18. From the beginning of the world God knoweth all his workes saith the Apostle Iames. His meaning is that he knoweth them so that according to his foreknowledge he hath most wisely disposed euery one of them It must needs be acknowledged therfore that it is the dutie of all that desire to be wise in the Lord to seeke after the knowledge of him both in his workes and also in the orderly course of effecting them according as he himselfe hath in his holy Scriptures reuealed the same To this purpose is that which Moses writeth Deut. 4 32. Inquire now of the dayes that are past which were before thee since the day that God created man vpon the earth aske from the one end of the heauen to the other if there came to passe such a great thing as this or whether any such like thing hath bene heard c. And that which we reade in the 111. Psal. vers 2. 3. 4. c. The works of the Lord are great and ought to be sought out of all those that loue them His worke is beautifull and glorious his righteousnesse indureth for euer He hath made his wonderfull works to be had in remembrance c. And verily if we weigh things with a right iudgemen◅ we shal find that this is the very end wherefore God hath created time it selfe and placed the Sunne and the Moon in the firmament for the distinction of the day and the night and that they shuld be for signes and for seasons for dayes and for yeares for summer and for winter Gen. 1. 14. c. and chap. 8. 12. For these are but the Vshers as it were to point vs to the word of God as to the head master teacher of his schoole that frō thence we might learne not so much what God hath done in making the world for mā as what he hath done in the world for the praise of his glorie euer since he hath made the same and chiefly what course he hath taken for the renewing of the world euer since mankind hath corrupted and disordered the same For want of which obseruation our Sauiour Christ the true sunne of righteousnesse earnestly blameth the Iewes for that they obseruing the signes of faire and foule weather c. altogether neglected the signes of the time and season of his comming vnto them Mat. 16. 1. 2. 3. All the excellent works of God are so chained linked together that we cannot well know the latter without the knowledge of the former As a help therfore hereunto serueth this present Chronologising of the holy Scriptures Wherin two things haue bene intended and indeuoured the one plainnesse the other shortnesse and in either of them as much certainty as could be attained vnto for the helpe of the Christian Reader from the expresse and entier direction of the Scriptures themselues God of his mercie vouchsafe his blessing vpon it to all good ends and vses whereunto it may serue thee to his honor and glory euen for our Lord Iesus Christs sake Amen Thine in the Lord. R. A. A briefe Chronologie of the holy Scriptures Comprised first in a few verses SAcred Genesis first of all The Scripture storie doth contain Of yeers 2 thousands hundreds three And sixtie eight since world began The secōd Book which Moses wrot Cald Exodus of going out One hundred forty adding sixe This is the sum wherto t is brought The third of Leui bearing name Shewes many things but ekes the skore With neuer a yeer but Numery Hath thirty eight neer one more Then Deuteronomie doth supply All which that yeer to want we see So all fiue Books to thousands two Adde hundreds fiue fifty three Next Ioshua space of 17 yeares Iudges two hundreths ninetie nine The first of Samuel fourescore The next hath fortie Dauids reigne The first of Kings from Salomon Hath years one hundred seuenteen Next hundreths three forty and fiue As by due triall may be seene This Story reacheth to the time When captiue state to Iuda fell Yea to the yeare of fortie fiue That they were thr al in strāge Babel The books of dayes or Chronicles No longer Storie do set downe Saue fortie fiue to Cyrus reigne They make increase to seuentie one Then Ezra Nehem ' Esters book Shew captiue Iews sent home again Where they abode 4 hundred yeares Yea ninety more til Christ was slain For thus is Daniel rightly scann'd I meane the speech of Angel there Who thither frō thral seuenties end Defineth seuen times seuenty yeare So then since man was first create And likewise since his wofull fall Til Christ his deth t is thousāds three Hundreths nine sixty sixe in all Whence take we thirty three then There do remain but thousāds three And hundreths nine thirty three Til Christ took flesh to make vs free Now since that time how many yeres Haue passed iust by yeerly count He know'th but little that cānot tel The sum wherto they do amount But vse hereof what shuld be made Most wise may liue stil may learn Christ taking life and dying death To life doth cal frō sin doth warne For as he came in base estate And staid no whit the time once come So will he hast a glorious Iudge Of life death to giue last doome Repent therefore thy sin forsake Beleeue in him whō God hath sent Be sory for all dayes and times Wherin thou hast thy life mispent Thus times seasons if thou weigh The more exact the better stay But if thou do this vse neglect The greater skill the worse defect Thy friend doth friendly wish thee wel Let smal defalt not much offend One yeare yea more may pen escape But Gods accounts cā none amend In the yeare of the euerlasting reigne of our Lord Iesus Christ 1600. For he shal reigne for euer and of his kingdome there shal be no end Luke 1. 33. In the yeare of the worlds decay 5533. For the heauens and the earth waxe olde as doth a garment and as a vesture they shal be changed Psal. 102. 26. And 1. Cor. 7. 31. The fashion of this world goeth away And
2. Pet. 3. 10. 11 The world and all things therein must be dissolued And 〈◊〉 ep 4. 7. 8. Now the end of al things is at hand be ye therfore sober watching in prayer But aboue all things haue seruent loue among you c. A more full opening and explaning of the former verses for a further light to the course of the Storie according to the Index of the letters prefixed vnto them and first concerning GENESIS 2368. yeares THe long extēt of the history of the first book of Moses may be certainly collected as followeth Adam the first man that euer was liued frō the day wherein God created and made him the space of 930 yeares For so we reade it expresly mentioned Gen. 5. vers 5. The which age of Adam reached to the 56. yeare after that Lamech was borne Gen. 5. 28. as it is easie to be gathered from the genealogie thus Adam was 130 yeare old when his son Sheth was borne From Sheth to the birth of Enosh were 105 yeares From Enosh to Kenan 90. From Kenan to Mahalaleel 70. From Mahalaleel to Iered 65. From Iered to Henoch 162. From Henoch to Methushelah 65. From Methushelah to Lamech 187. From Lamech to Noah 182. All which we reade Gen. chap. 5. from the 3. verse to the 29 of the same chapter So all these nine seuerall numbers 130 from Adams creation to the birth of Sheth 105 to Enosh 90 to Kenan 70 to Mahalaleel 65 to Iered 162 to Henoch 65 to Methushelah 187 to Lamech these I say put all together with a further addition of 56 yeares of Lamech they do amount to the former summe of 930 yeares which were the yeares of the whole life of Adam Now from the 56 yeare of Lamech in the which Adam died to the birth of Noah which was in the 182 yeare of Lamech as was mentioned a litle before out of Gen. chap. 5. 28. there is a surplussage of 126 yeares From the birth of Noah to the vniuersall deluge or drowning of the world were 600 years Gen. chap. 7. 11. That is to say 502 yeares to the birth of Shem and from Shem to the birth of Arpachshad 100 yeares who was borne two yeares after the floud Gen. chap. 11. 10. and chap. 5. 32. compared with Gen. chap. 10. ver 21. according as Tremelius and Iunius do rightly translate that verse thus To Shem also vvho was the father of all the sonnes of Heber the brother of Iapheth the eldest there was an off-spring borne Whence it is euident that not Shem but Iapheth was the eldest sonne of Noah albeit Shem is for honours sake first mentioned in that 32 verse of the 5. chap. in so much as the holy Storie was afterward to be continued frō Shem and not from Iapheth And note also that in the same respect Gen. 10. 2. Iapheth hath the first place giuen to him by an hysterosis or backwardnesse of order familiar to the scriptures Ham keepeth still the second place as we see in the 6. verse of the same chapter though he were the youngest of the three as we reade in the 24. verse of the 9. chapter From the floud to the birth of Abram were 352 years as may be seene from the account of the Genealogie Gen. chap. 11. from the 10. ver to the 27. in this manner as followeth Arpachshad the sonne of Shem was borne two yeares after the floud as was said euen now From Arpachshad to the birth of Shelah were 35 years From Shelah to Eber 30. From Eber to Peleg 34. From Peleg to Reu 30. From Reu to Serug 32. From Serug to Nahor 30. From Nahor to Terah 29. From Terah to Abram 130 as it is euident in that Terah liued 205. yeares Gen 11. 32. and died in Haran when Abram was yet but 75 yeares old Gen. 12. 4. For from the beginning of this 12. chap. it appeareth that Abram remoued not from Haran till after that Terah his father was dead And thus also it is plaine that Abram was not the eldest son of Terah though for honours sake and because the holy Storie was to be continued from him he is set before Nahor his elder brother as was obserued before concerning Shem the second sonne of Noah Wherefore touching that which is written cha 11. 26. Terah liued 70 yeares and begat Abram Nahor and Haran it must be vnderstood that at his seuentith yere he began his generation with Nahor or Haran after the first whereof Abram was borne manie yeares after Now all these yeares from the floud to the birth of Abram that is to say two yeares before Arpachshad was borne then 35 of the life of Arpachshad and 30 of Shelah and 34 of Eber and 30 of Peleg and 32 of Reu and 30 of Serug and 29 of Nahor and 130 of Terah nine seuerall numbers as before they arise to one whole summe of 352 yeares From the birth of Abram to the promise of the Gospell which God made the first time vnto him were 75 yeares as it is set downe Gen. chap. 12. 5. For this promise was first made to Abram when he departed out of Haran that was soone after the death of Terah as is manifest by the processe of the Storie from the last verse of the 11. chap. From this promise of the Gospell to Abram vnto the birth of Isaak were 25 yeares Gen. ch 21. 5. For adde 25. yeares to the former 75 and they make 100 which was the age of Abram when Isaak was borne From the birth of Isaak to the birth of Iaakob were 60 yeares Gen. chap. 25. vers 26. From the birth of Iaakob to the time he went downe to Egypt for his reliefe against the famine there passed 130 yeares Gen. chap. 47. 9 And after this Iaakob liued in Egypt 17 yeares so that his whole age was 147 yeares as it is recorded in the same 47. chap. verse 48. From the death of Iaakob to the death of Ioseph where with the Storie of Genesis is ended there were 53 yeares as may be proued thus For in so much as Iaakob died when Ioseph was 57 yeare old as may plainely be gathered by conference of these places following Gen. 41. ver 46. where it is written that Ioseph was 30 yeare old when he stood before Pharaoh And verse 53 of the same chapter The seuen yeeres of plentie were ended And chap. 45. verse 6. Two yeares of the famine were past at the second time of the comming of Iosephes brethren vnto him And chap. 46. 1. c. In the third yeare of the famine Iaakob himselfe came downe to Egypt And chap. 47. 28. Iaakob liued in the land of Egypt 17 yeares All which yeres to wit 30 7 3 17 they do make the age of Ioseph at the death of Iaakob to be 57. And further seeing Ioseph liued 110 years Gen. 50 22. 26. it cannot be but he must liue 53 yeares after that Iaakob
were led into captiuity as is euident in the same first chapter of Daniel And that the captiuitie of Iuda began at this time though it was increased twise after 2. King 24. 10 c. and chap. 25. 1. c. Reade Matth. chap. 1. verse 11. compared with 2. Chron. 36. 9. Where see the note of Tremelius and Iunius for the opening of that place by another like place 2. Kin. chap. 16. 2. and also how that which is written 2. Chron. 36. 9. agreeth with 2. King 24. 8. For by this conference of places it is manifest that Iehoiachin was eight yeares old not when he himselfe but when Iehoiakim began to reigne Neare vpon which time the Euangelist Matthew in the place before cited beginneth the captiuitie writing thus Iacim he meaneth Iehoiakim begate Iechonias that is Iehoiachin and his brethren about the time they were caried away to Babylon FOr from the beginning of the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim recken the rest of his reigne which was 8 yeares 2. King chap. 23. 36. ch 24. 12. in so much as the 8. yeare of the reigne of the king of Babell was the eleuenth yeare of Iehoiakim and adde moreouer to these eight yeares of Iehoiakim those 37 which followed from the carying away of Iehoiachin the sonne of Iehoiakim to Babell vntill Iehoiachin was there aduaunced as we sawe before with the which aduancement of Iehoiachin the second booke of Kings is concluded and so we haue the storie continued till 45 yeares after that the captiuitie of Iuda began 1. Booke of CHRONICLES THe first booke of Chronicles so called in Greeke after the Hebrue inscriptiō which is the first Booke of dayes or times it is onely an abridgement of the whole historie of the holy Bible from the beginning of the world to the end of king Dauids reigne sauing that the genealogies of Israell are described more at large chap. 2. c. 2. Booke of CHRONICLES continueth the Storie 25 yeares longer then 2. Kings THis second booke of Chronicles beginning at king Salomōs reigne carieth forth the storie of the second booke of Kings no further then to the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persia that is only 25 yeares beyond the extent of that second booke of Kings For the captiuitie beginning at the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar and continuing all the time of his reigne yea also vnder the reigne of Euil-merodach as was alleaged before and yet further vnto the death of Belshazzar Dan. chap. 5. and chap. 7. 1. and chap. 8. 1. and Ier. 25. 26. where the Prophet prophesieth against this drunken king vnder the name of Sheshach which word in the Babylonian tongue noteth the solemnizing of some feast as it were to Bacchus See the note of Tremelius Iunius vpon that place of Ierimiah The captiuity I say thus beginning at the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar and continuing to the first yeare of Cyrus whereat the second booke of Chronicles endeth it is the space onely of 70 yeares Reade 2. Chron. 36. 21. 22. and Ezra 1. 1. c. and Dan. 9. 1. c. So then to out former summe of 345 yeares contained in the Storie of the second booke of Kings that is to the 45. yeare of the captiuitie of Iuda we haue in this second booke of Chronicles onely the addition of 25 yeares to make vp the number of 70 which was the end of the same captiuitie EZRA NEHEMIAH and DANIEL 490 yeares IN the dayes of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel many thousands of the Iewes being by the conduct of Zerubbabel and other Princes and namely of Sheshbazzar that Tirshatha or Commissioner whom king Cyrus had appointed chiefe Prince of Iuda to put them in possession of their land by his authoritie Ezra ch 2. 1. 2. verse 36. and chap. 5. 14. 15. 16. Whether Zerubbabel or rather one properly named Sheshbazzar were that Tirshatha or Commissioner as afterward it is recorded that Nehemia was for his time Tirshatha or the kings Commissioner Nehem. chap. 8. verse 9. and chap. 10. 1. the Iewes I say being thus by thousands returned to their owne land whereunto God of his most gratious goodnesse had restored them they do earnestly indeuour to reedifie the holy citie and temple of Ierusalem which Nebuchadnezzer had burnt in the 19. yeare of his raigne 2. King 25. 8. 9. 10. they were through the same most gratious goodnesse of God setled to remaine and abide therein from the time of that their returne to the death of our Sauiour Christ that is by the space of 490 yeeres Dan. 9. 24. c. In the which space also they enioyed the gratious and comfortable protection of God vnder the reigne of the kings of the Medes Persians for the first 100 of those yeares more But let vs consider of this portion of the holy history more particularly And first concerning the booke of Ezra EZRA THe booke of Ezra continuing the holy historie from the returne of Iuda out of their captiuitie vnto the time that the Temple and citie of Ierusalem was built which was the space of 49 yeares to wit from the first yeare of Cyrus to the twentith yeare of Darius the son of Ahashuerosh whom it is thought Queen Ester bare vnto him concerning which space of time vnto the building of the Temple finished read Daniel chap. 9. 25. where the Angel informed Daniel that it should be performed in the first seuen times seuen yeares that is in 49 yeares it reporteth the Storie in this order Cyrus King of Persia proclaimed liberty to the Iewes to returne to their land yea he gaue thē his princely incouragement and furtherance towards the building of the Temple and citie of Ierusalem for the worship of the true God of Israell Ezra chap. 1. And this no doubt he did with the consent of Darius who was of the seed of the Medes and was made King of the Chaldeans These two kings and their kingdomes being confederate together in one monarchie Dan. chap. 5. ver 28. 31. and chap. 6. 1. 2. 3. 8. c. and chap. 9. 1. 2. likewise Ester 1. 3. 19. So thē the Iewes in the second yeare of their comming laid the foundation of the Temple chap. 3. 8. Neuerthelesse shortly after they had done so they were forthwith hindred from proceeding in the worke of the Lord by diuerse malicious aduersaries who laboured their hindrance to the vttermost of that they could any way procure The worke therfore stayed euen from the third yeare of Cyrus that it could not prosperously goe forward vntill the second yeare of Darius the sonne of Ahashuerosh of whom mention was made a litle before Ezra chap. 4. vers 5. 24. and Zacharie chap. 1. 1. This second yeare of Darius was the 32. yeare after the Iewes returne as may easily be perceiued in so much as the 19. year of the same Darius which was the yeare before Nehemiah came in commission for the finishing of the walles and
Ierusalem c. This feast as may be shewed by good reason is most likely if not altogether certaine to be the second Passeouer Consider of that which our Sauiour Christ spake in the fourth chap. verse 35. There are yet foure moneths and then commeth haruest Now at the Passe-ouer began the Iewes barley haruest reade Exod. 9. 31. Leuit. 23. 6. 10. 11. 15. 16. and Deut. 16. 8. 9. And it seemeth to bee the same feast mentioned Luke ch 6. 1. Wherefore seeing these words of our Sauiour Christ Foure moneths and then commeth haruest were spoken after the first Passeouer Iohn 2. yea at such time as our Sauiour Christ in his returning from Iudea into Galile was now come to Samaria Iohn chap. 4. 3. 4. 5. c. And seeing there is no feast commanded in the law whereunto our Sauiour should go vp to Ierusalem within the space of foure moneths before haruest vntil the Passe-ouer it selfe should come about it secmeth to followe by good reason that the feast mentioned Iohn 5. 1. whereunto our Sauiour Christ went at the celebration thereof in Ierusalem should be the Passeouer at 〈◊〉 and no other feast And if the Passeouer 〈◊〉 also it is the second placed before that chaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be the thiâ—… Reade this point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed and disputed by Chemnitius iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chapter of his Prolegomena before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gospell And as touching the last Passeouer whereunto our Saâ—… Christ went vp at Ierusalem all the Euaâ—…gelists make expresse mention of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marke 14. 1. Luke 22. 1. Iohn chap. 〈◊〉 55. ch 12. 1. chap. 13. 1. From the Creation of man to the death of our Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeares 3966 by the former account FOr all the former numbers layd together that is to say 2368 yeare which is the extent of the historie of Genesis 146 of Exodus 39 of Leuiticus Numbers and Deuteronomie 17 of I oshua 299 of the Iudges 80 of the first booke of Samuell 40 of the second booke of Samuel 117 of the first booke of Kings 345 of the second booke of Kings 25 yeares of the second booke of Chronicles 490 of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniell to the death of our Sauior Christ they all doe amount to this one generall summe 3966. From the birth of our Sauiour Christ to this present yeare of the same our Lord Iesus Christ his reigne are 1600 yeares FRoÌ„ this time that is since our Sauior Christ came into the world and chiefly from the time of his most cleare manifesting of himselfe the Iewes more more corrupting their wayes and hardening their hearts to the vttermost against God euen vnto the deniall crucifying of the son of God they haue for the same their extreme contempt obstinacy bin most iustly reiected and cast off from being a people to the Lord. And for the same cause also haue the citie and Temple of Ierusalem bene vtterly subuerted and layd altogether waste by the Romanes that is by the furious armies of the Emperour Titus and Vespasian his sonne This was about fortie yeares after the death of our Sauior Christ agreeable to the prophesie of Daniell cited before chap. 9. 26. 27. Read also Zacharie chap. 14. 1. 2 And according as our Sauior himselfe he being yet among the Iewes did forewarne that it should come to passe Matth. chap. 24. verses 15. 16. c. 34. and Luke chap. 19. 43. 44. and chap. 21. 5. 6. 20. c. 32. 33. And yet further also according to their own feare wherof we reade Iohn 11. 48. The Romanes say the Iewes will come and take away both our place and the nation The accomplishment hereof is plentifully recorded in the historie of Iosephus howsoeuer as we reade Act. ch 6. 14. the Iewes could not abide to heare that it should fall out so Neuerthelesse since the ascention of our Sauiour Christ which was fortie dayes after his resurrection Act. 1. vers 1. 2. 3. And from Pentecost which was ten dayes after the same ascention euen immediately after that the extraordinary giftes of the holy Ghost were poured downe vpon the Apostles Act. ch 2. 1. 2 c. the Gospell of Christes euerlasting kingdome and righteousnesse began to be preached and did thenceforth spread it selfe more and more from Ierusalem vnto all the nations of the earth and Christ Iesus was beleeued on in the world according to his owne appointment and promise Act. 1. 4. 8. Thus the Lord destroying the materiall Temple of Ierusalem because of the sin and apostasie of the Iewes who had profaned and polluted the same he therewithall began forthwith to magnifie his rich mercie toward the Gentiles in the erection of his spirituall Ierusalem among them Ephes. 2. 13. c. 1. Pet. 2. 4. c. according to the former prophesies of Dauid Psal. 110. and Isai chap. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. Micah chap. 4. 1. 2. 3. Yet the Gospell was not so receiued and beleeued among the Gentiles but that it found great resistance from the hand and power of the Romane Emperours by the space of 300 yeares vnder the reigne wel neare of 40 of them a very few excepted euen from bloody Nero who raised the first cruell persecution against Christians to the Emperours Maxentius Licinius with whom the tenth of those grieuous and outragious persecutions of the primitiue Church so famous in Ecclesiastic all stories ended These persecutions our Sauiour Christ himself partly foretold to all his Apostles before his death Matt. chap. 10. ver 16. 17. 18. and cha 24. 9. and Luke ch 21. 12. 13. But he reuealed the same more fully to his Apostle Iohn after his ascention vp into heauen in the time of the reigne of the Emperour Domitian who raised the second persecution against Christians In the which persecution the Apostle Iohn himselfe was banished into the I le Patmos where hee had the same Reuelation shewed vnto him for his owne comfort and for the comfort of all the Churches of Asia in their afflictions Reade the first foure chapters of the Reuelation Read also chap. 6. and chap. 13. 1. 2. c. 10. These hote persecutions of the Christians wherein the Gospel of Christ hath bene witnessed by the manifolde torments and deaths of many thousands of blessed martyrs they continued vntill the time that it pleased God to turne the hart of Constantine first and then of some other of the Emperours after him to beleeue and imbrace the Gospell of Christ and so to become foster-fathers vnto his Church according to the prophesie of Isaiah more then six hundreth years before it came to passe as we read chap. 49. the 23. verse And yet againe euen in those times wherein Christian Emperours fauored the Gospell the Churches were by another maner of affliction greatly molested that is to say by certaine verie dangerous heretikes their bold sectaries the Arrians and diuers other whereunto the Apostle had respect
after that the world was created This Henoch though so neare the beginning of the world yet he prophesied of the last iudgement which shall be at the time of the second appearance of our Sauiour Christ in glorie at the end of the world as we read Iude verses 14 15. Enoch also saith Iude the seuenth from Adam prophesied saying Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement vpon all men and to rebuke all the vugodly among them of all their wicked deeds The second chiefe Prophete of the olde world I meane as touching those whose prophesies are expressed was Noah the ninth generation from Adam one yea the principall of those eight persons who were saued when the whole world beside for the wickednesse thereof was vtterly drowned This Noah the eighth person one of that small number which were saued a Preacher of righteousnesse as the Apostle Peter calleth him in his second epistle chap. 2. vers 5. he prophesied of this first destruction of the worlde by water an hundreth and twentie yeares before it came to passe Gen. chap. 6. vers 9. c. This huge and terrible iudgement of God fell vpon the world in the yeare which was after the creation therof 1656. Noah prophesied also that the posteritie of Shem his second sonne should be a people peculiar to God aboue anie other branch or line of his posteritie vntill the Messiah should come The accomplishment of which prophesie began about foure hundreth yeares after to be in singular gratious maner manifested to Abraham and so foorth in the generations from him succeeding He prophesied likewise of the calling of the Gentiles that is of the rest of the nations which were to descend from his other two sonnes after that Christ should appeare but more specially of those nations which should come of Iapheth his eldest sonne in so much as Ham his yongest sonne was by the spirit of Prophesie accursed of God according to that occasion which he himselfe by his vngratious fact gaue vnto his father to denounce the same Gen. chap. 9. 25. 26. 27. The posterity of Iapheth were the Persians and Grecians and the people of these parts of the world the which we our selues and the neighbour nations do inhabite Romanes Italians Germanes c. Gen. chap. 10. 2. c. The fulfilling of which prophesie hath continued from the time of the ascension of our Sauior Christ shortly after the which time euen within a few dayes the Gospell was preached to the foresaid posteritie of Iapheth for the most part as is euident Act. 2. 9. 10. 11. to Parthians and Medes and Elamites c. though some of Egypt c. who were of the posteritie of Ham be rehearsed there Reade Gen. 10. 6. c. And that of the posteritie of Ham some were to be called also to the faith of the Gospell reade Psal. 87. and Isai. chap. 19. verses 18. c. 23. 24. 25. and Zach. chap. 14. 16. Prophetes such as were Patriarches or chiefe Fathers of the people of God since the flood to the time of the Iudges which was the space of more then 700 yeares ABraham was in his time a Prophet of the Lord for so God himself testifieth of him Gen. 20. 7. where he speaketh thus to Abimelech king of Gerar Deliuer the man his wise againe for he is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee c. Isaak prophesied that Esau though he was his eldest sonne should serue Iaakob the yoonger brother to the end it might appeare that the interest and right of the spirituall blessing and inheritance commeth not by nature but of free mercie and grace Gen. chap. 27. 40. compared with Rom. 9. vers 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. Iaakob prophesied of the seuerall blessings which he knew that God would a long time after his death bestowe vpon the twelue tribes or kindreds which were to be the posteritie of the twelue Patriarches his children He prophesied also that the Messiah should come of the tribe of Iudah Gen. 49. Ioseph foretold the dearth of seuen yeares which God would send vppon the world after seuen former yeares of plenty immediatly fore-running and therefore he may well stand among the Prophetes as one in that number whereof the Lord speaketh saying Touch not mine annointed and doe my Prophetes no harme Psal. 105. 15. Moses was a Prophet most famous mightie both in word and in deed all the time of his ministerie and seruice to God touching the deliuerance of his people out of the bondage of Egypt and also in respect of his gouernement afterward Deut. ch 18. vers 18. and chap. 34. 10 11 12. and Act. 7. 22. Read also for a proofe of the excellent spirit of prophesie which was in him the holy Songs and Psalmes which he hath left in writing Exod. chap. 15. and Deut. 31. 22 and ch 32. and Psal. 90. which according to the title thereof is a Psalme which Moses the man of God did indite Miriam also the sister of Moses was a Prophetesse in the same time that Moses liued Exo. 15. 20. Moreouer in his dayes God gaue the spirit of prophesie for a certaine season to seuenty Ancients of Israel al at one time of the which number Eldad and Medad had the same their extraordinary gift continued longer vnto them then had the rest Numb chap. 11. ver 24 25 26 27 28 29. Balaam though otherwise of a wicked mind euen such a one as loued the wages of vnrighteousnesse according to that marke whereby the Apostle Peter brandeth him 2. ep 2. 15. yet he was guided by the Spirit of God to vtter a true and holy prophesie concerning the happie estate of Israel aboue all other people vnder the most gratious protection and blessing of God and namely for that the Messiah as it were a most bright starre should arise from among them c. Numb chap. 23. and chap. 24. Wherefore albeit he was a wicked man yet in so much as God vsed him as his instrument inlightned for the time to giue forth this so holy a prophesie we may not altogether vnfitly rehearse him in this respect among the holy Prophets of God Consider here whether Heman and Ethan the Ezrahites who wrote the 88. and the 89. Psalmes were before Moses in time as their Psalmes stand in order of number before his in the booke of the Psalmes Verily if it may be affirmed as some learned men doe iudge and as it is very likâ—… that they were the same of whom mention is made both 1. King chap. 4. vers 30. and also 1. Chron. chap. 2. vers 6. that is to say if they were the sonnes of Zarah the neare posteritie of Iudah by Thamar of whom we reade Genes chap. 38. vers 30. then also it is very likely that they were before Moses or at least his equalles in time or shortly after him And so consequently their Psalmes specially that of Ethan which is the 89.
Song of Songs do excellently declare In the thirtith chap. of his Prouerbes the prophesie of Agur concerning Christ vnder the names of Ithiel Veal is recorded It seemeth that his time was much about Salomons reigne At the least his doctrine being of like excellencie with Salomons and of like forme of teaching it was therfore inserted and ioyned with his Prouerbes And seeing the next chapter which is the last of the Prouerbes containeth a like notable doctrine vttered by queene Bathsheba the mother of King Salomon we cannot but account it a royall monument of her Princely grace in the rolle of Princely Prophets And so will we go forward to ouertake the troupes of those which are marched band after band before vs. Prophetes such as God sent specially to Iuda and to the Kings thereof after that the ten tribes were departed from them IN the reigne of Rehoboam the sonne of king Salomon was Shemaiah the prophet and also the prophet Iddo mentioned 2. Chron. 12. 15. They wrote certaine bookes of publike acts genealogies In the reigne of Asa Azariah the sonne of Obed prophesied to the incouraging of king Asa and of all Iuda and Beniamin to continue faithfull to the Lord he assuring them that then the Lord would be with them to defend them against all their enemies 2. Chron. 15. 1. c. 8. But chap. 16. 7. c. Hananâ—… the prophet is sent of God to reproue the same king Asa for making a couenant of league and truce with the king of Aram. In the reigne of king Iehoshaphat prophesied Iehaziel the sonne of Zechariah to incourage Iehoshaphat and the people of Iuda in hope of their victorie against those mightie armies of the Ammonites and Moabites and of mout Seir which came out against theÌ„ 2. Chro. chap. 20. ver 1 10 14 c. But in the end of the same twentith chap. Eliezer the sonne of Dodeuah of Maresha he prophesied to the reproofe of Iehoshaphat because he had ioyned himselfe with Ahaziah a wicked king of Israel the prophet plainly telling Iehoshaphat that the Lord would therfore surely breake his shippes which he had made and prepared to go to Tarshish In the reigne of king Ioash Zechariah the fonne of Iehoiada the priest as also other Prophets of God prophesied against the declining of the king and the people after the death of Iehoiada but they most outragiously stoned Zechariah to death in the court of the Lords house 2. Chron. 24. 19 20 21 22. and Matth. chap. 23. 34. 35. In the reigne of king Ahaz prophesied Oded a prophete of the Lord to the reproofe of the crueltie of Israel at that time committed against Iuda 2. Chron. 28. 9. c. The prophet Isaiah prophesied in the reigne of many kings that is to say in the dayes of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz Hezekiah kings of Iuda chap. 1. 1. He prophesied so plainly of Christ of his Deitie of his humanitie that he should be borne of a virgin c. finally that he should die for the sinnes of his people make a conquest ouer all their enemies for their perfect deliuerance c. that he may not vnfitly be called an Euangelicall Prophet He continued prophesiing by the space of about threescore yeares About the time that Isaiah began to prophesie it is supposed that Ioel vttered his prophesie against Ierusalem and Iudah for the same their great and grieuous sinnes against the which Isaiah crieth out in the beginning of his Prophesie Heare ô ye heauens c. He foretold the gifts of the holy Ghost which our Sauiour Christ should bestow vpon his Church chap. 2. 28 29. The which how it hath bene fulfilled read Act. 2. 14 15 16 c. and in many other places of that booke The Prophet Ieremiah prophesied in the reigne of king Iosiah from the thirteenth yeare of his reigne to the end of the eleuenth yeare of Zedekiah in the fift moneth of the second captiuity Ier. 1. 2. 3. So he prophesied at the least 41 yeares if not something more He prophesied of our Sauiour Christ that he should be the righteousnesse and saluation of his people Hee foretold and constantly affirmed against manie false Prophetes the seuentie yeares captiuitie of Iudah vnder the king of Babel for a punishmeÌ„t of their sinnes Zephaniah also prophesied in the reigne of king Iosiah but continued not so long as Ieremia did chap. 1. 1. He earnestly calleth for the repentance of the people and foretelleth the calling of the Gentiles which should come to passe in the dayes of the Gospel chap. 3. Moreouer in the reigne of Iosiah was Huldah that excellent Prophetesse to whom Iosiah sent for counsell comfort of whom we read 2. King 22. 14. The Prophet Ezekiel prophesied from the fift yeare of the first captiuitie which began at the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim chap. 1. vers 1. 2. he had manie notable visions and laboured mightily with the people both by doctrine example that they might humble themselues vnder the hand of God and profite by so great a visitation and punishment as their captiuitie was which most iustly fell vpon them for their grieuous sinnes He prophesied also many notable things concerning the kingdome of Christ to come In the reigne of Iehoiakim also prophesied Urijah according to the words of Ieremiah for the which cause Iehoiakim put him to death Reade Ierem. chap. 26. 20 21 22 23. Daniel being caried into captiuity with the first in his young yeares was shortly after indued with a singular gift of prophesie and prophesied in the captiuitie euen to the end of the 70 yeares thereof chap. 1. 3. 6. and chap. 9. 1 2 c. He interpreted the dreames and visions of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar He himself saw manie holy visions according to the which hee foretold the alterations of states and kingdoms which should fall out in the world vntill the coÌ„ming of Christ in the flesh He prophesied also of the verie time of Christ his death and of that horrible destruction which was to come vpon Ierusalem by the Romanes as a iust vengeance vpon the Iewes for abusing their power to crucifie the Lord of life glorie which was as the filling vp of the measure of all their other sins and rebellions against the Lord their God Dan. chap. 2. and chap. 4. and chap. 7. c. Haggai and Zechariah two very notable prophetes they prophesied to the people of Iudah after their returne out of captiuitie to stir them vp to the building of the Temple after that it had for too long a time bene ouer-carelesly neglected of them while in the meane season they were double-diligent in the garnishing of their owne houses Read Ezra chap. 5. 1 2. and Hag. ch 1. 1. c. and Zech. chap. 1. 1. c. Ezra himselfe may worthily be reckened of vs among the excellent and most holy and wise Prophets of God as the bookes of holy Scripture which he wrote do euidently