atonement was appointed for them Lev. 5.2 But those that hate to be reformed God will not reckon them among his people In like manner those that partake of the Signs and Seals of Grace unworthily eat and drink judgment to themselves 1 Cor. 11.27 28 29. and presumptuously eat of the Peace-Offerings such persons shall be Excommunicated and cut off from the Communion of Gods people or as some understand it by Divine Vengeance Further God Commands Moses to charge them to forbear eating the fat of any of those Cattel that were appointed for Sacrifice but the fat of such Beasts if they died of themselves or were torn in pieces might be employed to any other use but that kind of fat which we call Suet they might not eat though other fat that was mix'd with the flesh they might eat of And as they were to forbear eating fat so also blood for the Reasons mentioned before Ch. 3. vers 17. see also Gen. 9.4 and Levit. 17.14 Lastly Moses from the Lord gives them this Command that whosoever offered a Peace-Offering should bring it himself in his own person and not another for him and He shall himself with his own hand present that part which is to be an Oblation to the Lord viz. the fat with the Breast and right Shoulder then the Priest shall burn the fat upon the Altar but the Breast being waved before the Lord and the Shoulder elevated or lifted up shall be his Portion See Exod. 29.22 For this He tells them is the portion and reward appointed by God to Aaron and his Sons by virtue of their Vnction to the Priestly-Office and to be paid them by the Children of Israel from the day of their anointing Levit. Ch. 7. whole Chapter SECT XXX MOses now by direction from God gathering the Children of Israel together spends seven days in consecrating Aaron and his four Sons observing the manner and Ceremonies prescribed for their Consecration Exod. Ch. 28. 29. * See Sect. 21. partic 12. viz. 1. He washes them with water 2ly He puts the High Priests Vestments and rich attire upon Aaron 3ly Anointeth the Tabernacle with the Altar and Laver and sprinkles the Altar seven times with the Oil of Consecration because it was consecrated to a more special use than other parts of the Tabernacle 4ly He anointeth Aaron 5ly He puts the holy Garments upon his Sons 6ly He offers for them all a Bullock for a Sin-Offering one Ram for a Burnt-Offering and another Ram for a Sacrifice of Consecration 7ly With the blood of the Ram He sprinkled certain parts of their bodies and their Garments as was prescribed Exod. 29. 8ly He offered a Meat-Offering for them as a Thanksgiving to God for that great favour vouchsafed to them in setting them apart to this holy Function 9ly He charges them to boil and eat their portion of the Sacrifice at the door of the Tabernacle and to continue there seven days and nights to consummate the time of their Consecration All which they perform'd accordingly Levit. Ch. 8. whole Chapter SECT XXXI ON the very next day after the seven days of the Priests Consecration were ended Aaron and his Sons entred upon the Execution of their Office And Aaron first offered for himself a young Calf for a Sin-Offering and a Ram for a Burnt-Offering which intimated that the High Priest was Himself a Sinner and not fit to stand as a Mediator between God and the people 2ly He offered for the people a Kid of the Goats for a Sin-Offering and a Calf and a Lamb for a Burnt-Offering to which was added the Meat-Offering and a Bullock and a Ram for a Peace-Offering Then Aaron lifted up his hands towards the people and blessed them see Numb 6.23 Moses now goes with Aaron into the Tabernacle that He might instruct him concerning the Service he was there to perform viz. about the Lights the Table of Shew-Bread and the Altar of Incense c. And Moses and Aaron when they came out blessed the people again The Glory of the Lord now appeared to all the people and ratified the Priests Consecration and entrance into their holy Function by sending Fire (m) Moses at the Consecration of Aaron and his Sons sacrific'd with common fire as appears Ch. 8.20 21. But upon Aarons first sacrificing Ch. 9.24 Fire came out from the Sanctuary or from Heaven which was not to be suffered afterwards to go out according to Gods appointment Ch 6.13 And therefore as some conceive this Fire was charily carried in some Vessel for the purpose when they journied in the Wilderness and so it continued until the Temple of Solomon was built and then Fire came down again from Heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 which continued unto the Captivity of Babylon and is said to be miraculously renewed 2 Maccab. 1.18 but whither it was or no is uncertain from his glorious Presence that is either from Heaven 2 Chron. 7.1 or out of the Tabernacle which consumed the Burnt-Offering and the fat on the Altar which the people seeing shouted for joy and fell on their Faces giving thanks to the Lord for this great Sign of his favour and acceptance of their Sacrifices Levit. Ch. 9. whole Chapter SECT XXXII THe day following Nadab and Abihu the two eldest Sons of Aaron who went up with their Father to the Mount and had there seen the Glory of God Exod. 24.1 9 10. having undoubtedly been instructed by Moses that when they went to burn Incense in the Tabernacle they should make use only of fire taken from the Altar of Burnt-Offering which had been kindled by Fire from Heaven (n) The Devil is Gods Ape and accordingly He imitated God in his Prescriptions concerning the continual burning of the Fire upon the Altar and that in divers places among the Heathens as among the Persians who made a God of it and among the Grecians who at Delphi worshipped it in the Temple of Apollo and among the Romans who worshipped it under the Name of Vesta committing the Charge of it to the Vestal Virgins where if it went out it was held fatal to their City Rhodig Antiq. c. 14. they it seems rashly and inconsiderately forgetting or neglecting their duty in this particular took some other fire in their Censers that perhaps with which they dress'd the Flesh of their Sacrifices and putting Incense thereon set it upon the Altar of Incense and so offered strange Fire before the Lord that is Fire which he commanded them not For this their great Transression they were immediately struck dead * Tantae vindictae severitate nova disciplina merito sanciri potuit in exemplum aliorum Sanctificatus autem est Dâ—us hac poena quia tali exemplo commendatus est timor ejus inquit Augustinus Rigor hic sub initia necessarius in terrorem posteris tum carnis Laetitia turgeret Aaron Anonym in loc in the place by Fire from the Lord possibly with Lightning yet so as neither
burn Incense was within the Tabernacle at the Altar of Incense but this was an extraordinary occasion and a means enjoyned for the discovery of the Lords will whither these men or only Aaron and his Sons as formerly should enter into the Tabernacle to execute the Priests Office Corah having assembled his Confederates and the generality of the people before the Tabernacle and not finding Dathan and Abiram there as it should seem went to their Tents to talk with them see Ch. 26.10 and probably from them He went to his own Tent before Moses and the Elders came to the Tabernacle as presently they did In the mean time the 250 Conspirators on the one side taking fire from the Altar and putting it into their Censers and laying Incense thereon and Aaron near to whom Moses stood doing the like on the other God now signifies his approach and the actual manifestation of his Presence by the descending of the Cloud which used to hover over the Tabernacle to the door (x) See vers 42. of this Chap. and Ch. 12.5 thereof And the Lord spake to Moses and Aaron saying Separate your selves from among this Congreation that I may consume these Conspirators and all that joyn with them in a moment Then Moses and Aaron fell upon their faces before the Lord and said O God the God of the Spirits of all Flesh who formest the spirit of man within him Zach. 12.1 and seest and knowest the spirits and hearts of all men and art able to discern between those that sin obstinately and those that are only seduced by others and drawn hither only to see what would be done Shall one man sin viz. Corah the chief Incendiary and wilt thou be wroth with the whole Congregation Upon this intercession the Lord was pleased to spare the people that would depart from these Rebells And then imparting to Moses what He intended to do commands him to warn the Congregation to get away from the Tents of Corah Dathan and Abiram Moses accordingly rose up many of the Elders of Israel accompanying him to denounce the Judgment of God against these Conspirators and he warns the Congregation to depart from the Tents of these wicked men and to get far from them and to touch nothing of theirs as judging all that they have execrable and accursed lest they perish (y) V. 26. Lest you be consumed in all their sins that is lest you be destroyed in the Judgment that will fall upon them for all their sins the cause is here put for the effect in the Judgment which was ready to fall upon them for their great Sins and Provocations The people accordingly did so and fled from the Tents of these men but Dathan and Abiram impudently came out and stood in the doors of their Tents with their Wives and Children as if they intended to out-face Moses and scorned the Judgment he threatned against them Moses then sayed Hereby ye shall know that the Lord hath sent me and hath appointed me to take upon my self the Government of this people and hath conferred the Priesthood on Aaron and his Sons and that I have not done these things on my own head If these men die the common and ordinary death of other men then the Lord hath not sent me But if the Lord by his Almighty Power do work a new and hitherto-unheard of Miracle so that the Earth open her mouth and swallow them up quick then you must needs acknowledge that I am innocent and that these men have highly provoked the Lord. Moses having made an end of speaking the Earth immediately opened her mouth and swallowed up * An undoubted evidence of Gods concurrence with the ministry of Moses and withall an undoubted assurance of the divine truth of Moses's Writings these Rebels and all that appertained to them that were there present And the same it seems happened and probably at the same time to Corah and his Family as appeareth Numb 26.10 only some of his Children who as 't is like joyned not in their Fathers sin or if they did soon repented of it and gave over and departed from their Fathers Tent at Moses's warning were spared And of their Race came such as either composed some of the Psalms or at least were famous Singers in the Temple and Samuel also the great Prophet and Judge in Israel was of that Race see 1 Chron. 6.33 to 38. Thus perished the Ringleaders of this Rebellion All the Israelites that were near them fled at the Cry of them fearing lest the Earth should swallow up them also And as a further addition to the dreadfulness of this Judgment there came fire out from the Lord and consumed their 250 Confederates who had offered Incense and usurped the Priests Office They are punished with fire as by fire they had offended see Levit. 10.2 Moses now by Gods Command appointeth Eleazar the Son of Aaron to gather up the Censers from among the ashes of the dead bodies of these men that were burnt and consumed and to scatter the fire that was in them without the Court of the Tabernacle as shewing that God rejected it and their Service and abhorred their Sacrifice And he tells him That the Censers of these Sinners against their own Souls were now hallowed (z) Sanctificata dicuntur quia ex deputatione Dei servire deinceps debebant divina gloriae illustrandae having been presented before the Lord by his Commandment and he orders him to make broad Plates of them for a covering of the Altar (a) A parte anteriori altaris ponebantur ut a populo conspici possint of Burnt-Offerings which was covered with Plates of Brass before see Exod. 27.2 And the less need there was of them the fitter they were to be a sign of Gods Judgment against presumptuous Conspirators and of his vindicating and clearing the innocency of his faithful Servants and to be a Memorial to the Children of Israel that all Israelites and Levites excepting Aaron's Sons are to be reckoned as Strangers in respect of the Priests Office and may not aspire to it lest they perish as Corah and his Confederates did However the very next morning after those dismal Judgments had been executed all the Congregation of the people that were inclined to this Faction whose lives Moses had saved the day before by praying to the Lord for them murmured against Him and Aaron and peremptorily told them That they had killed the Lords people Moses and Aaron being thus injuriously charged looked up to God as having no other Refuge or Shelter to fly unto and immediately behold the Cloud descended upon the Tabernacle as a sign of the approach and actual manifestation of the glorious Presence of God and that he intended to speak something unto them Moses and Aaron presenting themselves before the Lord the Lord bad them get them up presently from among this rebellious Company that he might consume them in a moment But they fell
Jacob rejoyces at the sight of the Waggons Sect. 43. Jacob goes into Egypt His joy to see his Son Joseph Sect. 44. Joseph brings five of his Brethren to Pharaoh Obtains Goshen for his Brethren Introduces his Father Sect. 45. Joseph's prudent administration in the severe famine He is sent for by his Father Sect. 46. Ephraim and Manasseh blest Jacob's gift to Joseph Sect. 47. Jacob blesses his Sons in order His death Sect. 48. The mourning for and burial of Jacob. Joseph's death Sect. 49. The History of Job Sect. 50. Levi and Amram die Sect. 51. Israel increases Task-masters appointed Sect. 52. Aaron's birth Sect. 53. The Midwives commanded to destroy the Male-children Sect. 54. Moses born He is taken up and educated by Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 55. Moses after forty years leaves the Court and flys into Midian Sect. 56. Moses's marriage His two Sons Sect. 57. Caleb's Birth Sect. 58. The Lord appears to Moses commissions him to deliver Israel enables him to work miracles Sect. 59. Moses confirm'd and encouraged commanded to go to Pharaoh Sect. 60. Moses stopt in his journey His Son circumcised Sect. 61. Aaron meets Moses They declare their commission to the Elders of Israel Sect. 62. They go to Pharaoh The oppression of the Israelites increased Sect. 63. Moses and Aaron go again to Pharaoh The Magicians call'd in Sect. 64. The ten Plagues Chap. IV. From the Israelites departure out of Egypt to the laying the foundation of Solomon's Temple Sect. 1. THe Israelites depart out of Egypt Sect. 2. The Paschal Lamb and Passover appointed Sect. 3. The Lord conducts the Israelites by a Pillar of cloud and fire Joseph's bones carried with them Sect. 4. They encamp at Pihahiroth Pass through the Red-sea The Egyptians drown'd Sect. 5. Moses's Song Miriam a Prophetess Sect. 6. The people marching through Shur murmur for want of water Sect. 7. The twelve Wells and seventy Palm-trees Sect. 8. They turn from Elim to the Red-sea Sect. 9. The people murmur Quails given for one meal Manna falls Sect. 10. Water gushes out of the rock Sect. 11. Moses praying Joshua fights Amalek The Altar call'd Jehova-Nissi Sect. 12. Jethro's story defer'd to Sect. 51. Sect. 13. Moses call'd up to the top of Mount Sinai The terrible sight Sect. 14. The Promulgation of the Law Sect. 15. The people in fear Moses encourages them Sect. 16. Similitudes of God forbidden The Materials for Altars Sect. 17. The Judicial or Political Laws Sect. 18. The Angel of the Covenant promised to guide them The bounds of Canaan Sect. 19. Moses erects an Altar and twelve Pillars Sect. 20. Moses continues in the Mount forty days and forty nights Sect. 21. Directions concerning the Tabernacle and all its utensils and appurtenances Sect. 22. The Golden Calf Sect. 23. Moses comes down breaks the Tables Gods anger Moses intercedes for the people and sees the glory of God Sect. 24. Two new Tables of stone Sect. 25. God renews the Covenant upon Moses's prayer Moses's face shines Sect. 26. The Sabbath anew enjoyned Contribution to the Tabernacle Sect. 27. Bezaleel and Aholihab appointed chief workmen of the Tabernacle Sect. 28. The Tabernacle finished being set up is filled with Gods Glory Sect. 29. Laws given concerning the several sorts of sacrifices Sect. 30. Aaron and his Sons consecrated Sect. 31. Aaron enters upon his office Fire from the Lord. Sect. 32. Nadab and Abihu slain by fire from heaven Sect. 33. Of clean and unclean creatures Sect. 34. Womens separation Sect. 35. Laws concerning Leprosie Sect. 36. Ceremonial uncleanness in men Sect. 37. The Passover celebrated Sect. 38. Several sorts of Laws given Sect. 39. Blasphemy punished in the Son of Shelomith The Law of retaliation Sect. 40. Divers other Laws given Sect. 41. Promises and threatnings More Laws given concerning divers matters Sect. 42. The Book of Numbers Sect. 43. The Encamping of the Tribes Sect. 44. The Levites Charge Sect. 45. The Levites consecrated Sect. 46. The Offerings of the Princes Sect. 47. Laws concerning Jealousie Sect. 48. Concerning Nazarites Sect. 49. The solemn blessing Sect. 50. The Silver Trumpets Sect. 51. Jethro's story and advice Sect. 52. The Camp of Israel marches Jethro leaves them Sect. 53. Upon the moving of the Ark Moses pronounces the blessing Sect. 54. The people murmur at Taberah Sect. 55. Quails given for the space of a month A Plague follows Sect. 56. Miriams Leprosie Sect. 57. Spies search the land Sect. 58. Their different report Sect. 59. The ten Spies smitten Sect. 60. Israel defeated by the Amalekites and Canaanites Sect. 61. The ninetieth Psalm composed Sect. 62. Some Laws explained Sect. 63. The Rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram Sect. 64. Aaron's Red blossoming Sect. 65. The work and portion of the Priests and Levites Sect. 66. Water of Purification Sect. 67. Miriams death Sect. 68. They murmur at Kadesh for want of water Moses strikes the Rock in anger is doomed not to enter into Canaan Sect. 69. The King of Edom refuseth them passage Sect. 70. Aaron dies and is buried upon Mount Hor. Sect. 71. Arad the Canaanite vanquished Sect. 72. The Brazen Serpent Sect. 73. Several stations of the Israelites Sect. 74. The Miraculous Well Sect. 75. Sihon slain Sect. 76. Og totally subdued Sect. 77. The Encamping at Abel-shittim Sect. 78. Balaam sent for to curse the Israelites His Ass speaks Sect. 79. Balaam attempts to curse Israel Sect. 80. The Idolatry and Whoredom of the Israelites at Mount Peor Sect. 81. Midian Conquered Sect. 82. Moses and Eleazar number the people Sect. 83. Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 84. Joshua appointed Successor Sect. 85. A repetition of the Law of sacrificing Sect. 86. Laws concerning Vows Sect. 87. The Reubenites and Gadites desire a possession on that side Jordan Sect. 88. The Journal of Israels Travels Sect. 89. The Limits of Canaan Sect. 90. The Levites Cities Sect. 91. Orders concerning the Marriage of Zelophehad's daughters Sect. 92. The Book of Deuteronomy containing Moses's dying speech to Israel Sect. 93. Moses's death Israels mourning for him Sect. 94. Joshua begins his Government Sect. 95. They come near unto and pass the river Jordan Sect. 96. Circumcision enjoyned them Sect. 97. The first Passover in Canaan Manna ceases Sect. 98. Jericho taken burnt and cursed Sect. 99. The Israelites defeated at Ai. Sect. 100. Joshua marches against Ai. Sect. 101. A Monument of stone and an Altar erected and Blessings and Cursings pronounced at Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Sect. 102. The League with the Gibeonites Sect. 103. Adonizedek and his allies besiege Gibeon Their discomfiture Prodigious Hailstones The Sun and Moon stand still at the prayer of Joshua Sect. 104. Several Kings vanquished and their Cities taken Sect. 105. The rise of the Sabbatical year Sect. 106. Joshua's war with the Northern Kings His victory over them Sect. 107. Joshua's rest from war Sect. 108. Joshua divides the land Sect. 109. Joshua and the Elders proceed to divide the land Ephraim and Manasseh complain Sect. 110.
Araunah's floor Sect. 206. David receives the pattern of the Temple makes great preparations for the building of it Sect. 207. Officers appointed for the Temple Sect. 208. Rehoboam born to Solomon Sect. 209. Abishag brought to David Sect. 210. Adonijah aspires to the Crown Solomon anointed Adonijah's submission Sect. 211. David's charge to Solomon Sect. 212. Davids farewell Exhortation to the people His Prayer Solomon's prosperity Sect. 213. David's last words to Solomon His death Sect. 214. The Book of the Psalms Sect. 215. Solomon upon the Throne Adonijah slain Joab slain Shimei's Oath not to pass over Kidron Sect. 216. Hadad the Edomite returns Sect. 217. Solomon's marriage with Pharaoh's daughter Sect. 218. Solomon setled in the Kingdom Gods appearing to him in a dream and asking him what he should give him and Solomon's choosing wisdom Sect. 219. Solomon's judgment on the two Harlots Sect. 220. Hiram's Embassie to Solomon A League between them Sect. 221. Solomon's levy for the Temple Sect. 222. Shimei put to death Chap. V. The fifth Age from the building of the Temple to the destruction of it and Captivity of Judah Sect. 1. THE Temple described with all its parts The Temple-Officers Sect. 2. The Temple finished Solomon's solemn dedication of it Sect. 3. The Lord appears to Solomon again in a dream Sect. 4. Solomon's Palace His stately Throne The house of Lebanon His Golden Targets and Shields Sect. 5. Gezer taken by Pharaoh and given to his daughter Solomon's wife Sect. 6. Hiram dislikes the Cities which Solomon offered him Sect. 7. Solomon removes his Queen to the House built for her The Song of Solomon Sect. 8. Solomon's Navy Sect. 9. Solomon's other buildings Sect. 10. Hamath taken by Solomon's forces Sect. 11. Solomon's care in matters of Religion Sect. 12. Solomon's greatness splendor and glory Sect. 13. Solomon's Wisdom His Proverbs Sect. 14. The Queen of Sheba comes to hear his Wisdom Sect. 15. Solomon's many wives and defection from God Ahijah the Prophet sent to him with a sad Message Sect. 16. Solomon writes his Ecclesiastes Sect. 17. Solomon's Adversaries Ahijah sent to Jeroboam to acquaint him that he should be King of the Ten Tribes Sect. 18. Solomon dies Sect. 19. The division of the Kingdom Kings of Judah 1. Rehoboam is petitioned for ease of Taxes Ten Tribes revolt His Buildings and Wives Shishak King of Egypt plunders the Temple 2. Abijah reigns p. 505. His army and speech to Jeroboam Israel routed 3. Asa reigns pag. 509. His Grandmothers Grove Zerah invades him and is subdued Asa's league with Benhadad and death 4. Jehoshaphat reigns p. 515. Removes all high places used for false Gods His reformation His greatness and riches His affinity with Ahab He goes to Samaria Jehu the Prophet reproves him His care of the Kingdom His Fleet broken His victory and death 5. Jehoram succeeds p. 525. His Idolatry Slays his six Brethren Elijah's Letter to him Edom revolts Libnah revolts Philistines invade him His sad end 6. Ahaziah p. 529. His wickedness Is slain by Jehu 7. Athaliah p. 532. Her Idolatry and cruelty 8. Joash p. 533 He is set up by Jehoiada Athaliah slain Baal's house pull'd down Jehoiada's good instruction of him Collection for the Temple Jehoiada dies Joash's Idolatry Zachariah ston'd The Syrians vanquish him His death 9. Amaziah p. 541. He begins well His war with Edom and victory His Idolatry Joash King of Israel defeats him Amaziah slain 10. Vzziah p. 546. His Coronation He recovers Elath Conquers the Philistines His herds and husbandry Isaiah Prophesies Also Joel Vzziah's pride leprosie and death 11. Jotham p. 554. He subdues the Ammonites Micah Prophesies Jotham dies 12. Ahaz p. 555. His wickedness Syria and Israel invade him Isaiah sent to him Jerusalem's siege rais'd Ahaz forsakes the Lord. His calamities His league with Assyria and death 13. Hezekiah p. 563. His goodness and reformation He shakes off the Assyrian yoke Jerusalem besieged Rabshakeh's blasphemy Hezekiah's prayer Isaiah's message to him Hezekiah's sickness His thanksgiving The Assyrians destroyed Ambassadors from Babylon come to him Manasses born Nahum's Prophesie Hezekiah dies 14. Manasses p. 595. His great Idolatry He is taken captive shortly after is restored His reformation Habakkuk's Prophesie Manasseh dies 15. Amon p. 600. His Idolatry and death 16. Josiah p. 601. His piety Jeremiah Prophesies The Book of the Law found Huldah the Prophetess Josiah throws down Idolatry He goes to Bethel and other places His solemn Passover His death greatly lamented Zephany's Prophesie 17. Shallum or Jehoahaz pag. 611. His Idolatry Jeremy's admonition to him Pharaoh Necho carries him away 18. Jehoiakim p. 612. His Idolatry and oppression Jeremy exhorts him to repentance Vriah's Prophesie Jeremy's bonds and yokes Baruch's roll Nebuchadnezzar conquers the Egyptians Jehoiakim taken prisoner Daniel and others carried to Babylon Jehoiakim burns the roll Nebuchadnezzar returns home His dream of the great Image made of four metals Jehoiakim revolts The Golden Image set up by Nebuchadnezzar to be worshipped Jehoiakim dies 19. Jehoiakin p. 617. His Captivity Cyrus born 20. Zedekiah reigns p. 618. His wickedness Jeremy Prophesies Several Ambassadors come to Zedekiah Hananiah a false Prophet Jeremy's Letter to the Captives in Babylon Shemaiah a false Prophet inveighs against him Jeremy prophesies his death Ezekel's first vision Jerusalem besieged His other visions His Types Zedekiah revolts Judea is invaded Ezekiel's wife dies for whom he is commanded not to mourn Jeremy imprisoned Jerusalem's siege raised The Egyptians are overthrown and the siege renew'd Jeremy put into the dungeon Ezekiel prophesies again Jerusalem taken The Temple burnt The Kingdom of Judah come to an end Kings of Israel 1. Jeroboam chosen by the ten Tribes he fortifies Shechem Sets up the Golden Calves A Prophet sent to him who declares against his Altar His hand withers The Prophet being seduced a Lion slays him Jeroboam's son falls sick and dies His own death 2. Nadab an evil King slain by Baasha p. 508. 3. Baasha reigns p. 509. He doth evil He builds Ramah Jehu's message to him Baasha dies 4. Elah reigns two years p. 511. Zimri slays him 5. Zimri burnt p. 511. 6. Omri made King His Idolatry and burial p. 512. 7. Ahab p. 512. He marries Jezabel Jericho rebuilt Obadiah hides the Prophets Elijah's miracles Elisha called Benhadad conquered A Prophet reproves Ahab Naboth's Vineyard Elijah meets Ahab Ahab slain at Ramoth-Gilead Moab revolts 8. Ahaziah p. 543. His fall His message to Baalzebub Elijah brings down fire upon two companies of fifty He dies 9. Jehoram p. 545. He maintains the Golden Calves Elijah's Translation Elisha takes up his Mantle Elisha's Miracles The Moabites destroy one another The King of Edom sacrifices his Son Elisha works more Miracles A sore famine in Samaria It s miraculous relief The Shunamite returns Benhadad sends to Elisha Hazael stifles Benhadad Jehoram recovers Ramoth-Gilead Jehu anointed Joram slain Ahaziah slain Jezabel's death 10. Jehu made King p. 585. The slaughter of Ahab's off-spring
a Grove intending it for a place of Prayer and Religious Worship that under the shade of those Trees they might more commodiously call upon the Name of the Lord the everlasting God and perform all other publick Duties of His Worship and Service which within their Tents they could not so conveniently do So that at this time the use of Groves was not unlawful But afterwards when men began superstitiously to think that God was better worshipped in them than in other places and possibly did it in imitation of the Idolatrous Nations who set up their Idols in Groves and there sacrificed to false Gods the Lord did thereupon forbid his people all planting of Groves for Religious Vses Deut. 16.21 Thou shalt not plant thee a Grove of any Trees near the Altar c. And this planting of Groves was afterwards one of the Abominations for which God was angry with the Children of Israel 1 Kings 14.15 God will root up Israel out of his good Land which he gave to their Fathers because they have made their Groves (t) Gods people were hardly kept from planting Groves and placing their Idols in them and serving them even as the Canaanites and the other Heathens did Deut. 12.2 Thus it was in the times of the Judges Ch. 3.7 In the times of the Kings of Israel throughout 2 Kings 17.16 especially in the Reigns of Jeroboam 1 Kings 14.15 and of Ahab whose Queen Jezabel had 400 Prophets of the Groves that did eat meat at her Table Yea and in the Reigns of the Kings of Judah especially of Ahaz and Manasseh But the godly Kings of Judah cut them down and burnt them as Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Josiah And Asa put down his Grandmother Maachah from being Queen because she had made an Idol in a Grove provoking him to anger Gen. 21. whole Chapter SECT XII SOme time after this when Isaac was well grown up but of what age is not certain God was pleas'd though he knew the heart of Abraham perfectly yet to manifest the strength of his Faith and the unfeignedness of his Obedience both for his own Glory and the benefit of his whole Church in after Ages to put Abraham upon an extraordinary trial Wherefore he commands him and in such a manner that he could not but be assur'd it was the Command of God and no Satanical illusion to take Isaac his only Son by Sarah his lawful Wife the Son whom he had so long expected whom he so dearly and tenderly loved the Son by whom God had promised to multiply his Seed as the Stars of Heaven and from whom the Messiah was to Spring in whom all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed which could not be if Isaac died without Issue yet notwithstanding God commands him to take this Son this dearly beloved Isaac and to go to the Land of Moriah and upon one of the Mountains there which he would point out to him viz. the very place where Jerusalem and the Temple were afterwards built 2 Chron. 3.1 to slay him first with his own hand and then to burn his dead body to ashes on the Altar as a Burnt-Offering unto Him See the Law of Burnt-Offerings Levit. 6.9 10. Here all that was in Abraham either as a Man or a Father or an Husband or a Believer or Professor of true Religion were put to it And he must not do it presently neither but must go three days journey with Isaac before he did it during all which time surely he found many strange struglings and workings of affection in himself However being well assured it was God that commanded him to do it and Grace in him having got the upper hand of Nature and firmly believing that God would raise him up from the dead if he did sacrifice him (u) Non haesitavit quia sibi reddi possit immolatus qui dari potuit non speratus Divino intonante praecepto obediendum est non disputandum August Heb. 11.17 19. I say Abraham beliving this rose up early in the morning without acquainting Sarah therewith who in all likelihood would have strove with all her might to divert him from it and taking Isaac and two Servants with him and as 't is probable some lesser quantity of dry Wood to begin the fire which was carried on the Ass resolving to furnish himself with the rest upon the Mountain they travailed three days and at last came within sight of the place At which nothing appall'd he bad the young Men his Servants stay with the Ass at the bottom of the Hill telling them that he and Isaac would go to the Mountain to worship and then return to them again (x) Abraham intended really to offer up his Son the special Issue of this work was unknown to him However He believed God was able to restore Him his Son again And thus without knowing what should be done He foretold what would come to pass Then laying the Wood of the Burnt-Offering on Isaac and taking fire in his hand and a knife they went towards the Mountain As they went along Isaac said to him My Father here is Fire and Wood but where is the Lamb for the Burnt-Offering Abraham answers My Son God will provide a Lamb. Hereupon it is likely Abraham by degrees began to acquaint him with Gods Command and shewed him the necessity of Obedience and submission thereunto and set before him the Promises and Power of God and whatever else might dispose him to yield Obedience Isaac meekly submits and suffered his Father to proceed without making any resistance and therein was an eminent Type of Christ who went forth bearing his Cross Joh. 19.17 Acts 8.32 When they were come to the top of the Mountain Abraham built an Altar probably of Turf and Stones which he found there and having laid the Wood in order he bound Isaac and laid him thereon Then stretching forth his hand to have slain and sacrific'd him Jam. 2.21 22 23. Christ the Angel of the Covenant (y) Who swears by himself and promises as God and is called Jehovah v. 16. calls to him and bids him hold his hand telling him Now I know (z) Cognovi i. e. certissimo experimento deprehendi vel cognosci seci scil a te aliis Nec propter se Deus sed propter alios tentat ut probat Vires enim dilectionis suae hominem latent nisi divino experimento eidem innotescant More hominum loquitur qui cujus rei periculum fecerunt id se novisse perfecte putant that thou truly fearest Me seeing thou hast not withholden thine only Son from me when I requir'd Him of thee As if He should have said Now I know this by a visible experiment though I know the integrity of thy heart before and by this extraordinary Trial have given occasion to have the same made manifest unto others Abraham hearing this Voice from Heaven look'd about him and behind him he espied a Ram caught
on their faces and interceeded with the Lord for them God by his Spirit informs Moses That he had sent a Plague among them and directs him what course to take for the stopping of it Hereupon he calls to Aaron to take his Censer and to put fire into it from off the Altar and to put Incense thereon and to run quickly and make atonement for the people and to stand between the living and the dead (b) Incense was only to be offered upon the Altar of Incense in the Tabernacle but this was done upon an extraordinary occasion and by an extraordinary warrant of divine Inspiration for he tells him Wrath was gone out from the Lord the Plague was begun And Aaron did as Moses commanded him yet the Plague ran so swiftly among the people like fire in a field of Corn that before Aaron could interpose himself to make atonement wherein he was a Figure of Christs Intercession there fell fourteen thousand and seven hundred of those rebellious Murmurers see 1 Cor. 10.10 and then the Plague was stayed and Aaron returned to Moses to the door of the Tabernacle to acquaint him how he had sped and to return thanks unto the Lord who had so graciously accepted the work of his hands Numb 16. whole Chapter SECT LXIV THat none might for the future presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood or aspire to it besides Aaron and his Sons God was pleased to enjoyn Moses to take of each Prince of the twelve Tribes a Rod or Staff such as they did usually carry in their hands which were it seems according to the Custom of those times made of Almond-Tree and to write every Princes Name on his Rod and to write Aaron's Name upon the Rod of the Tribe of Levi. He tells him That the mans Rod whom he did choose to serve him in the Priesthood should blossom and the rest remain dry And God orders Moses to lay all the Rods up in the Tabernacle in the most holy place before the Ark of the Testimony where the Lord did use by glorious signs to testifie his Presence and make known his Will unto them see Exod. 25.22 For upon such extraordinary occasions we need not doubt but Moses used to go into the most holy place Accordingly next morning Moses went in thither and he found that the Rod of Aaron had shot forth branches and some of them had buds on them and some blossoms and others yielded Almonds but all the rest of the Rods remaining dry as they were before Then Moses brought out all the Rods and shewed them to the Children of Israel and the Princes took every man his Rod and found them dry sticks as before but Aaron's Rod flourished and had brought forth Buds Blossoms and Fruit by which Miracle they were convinced that God had chosen Aaron and his Sons to be the only Priests that should serve Him at the Altar And hereupon God orders Moses to lay up Aaron's Rod again in the most holy place before the Ark to be kept there * See Apostol Hist on Heb. 9.6 as a Testimony against any such Children of Rebellion as should ever after presume to usurp the Office of the Priesthood And by this means also he might prevent the murmurings and complainings of the people which if they went on in they would thereby bring certain destruction upon their own heads The people hearing these things and being exceedingly terrified with this threatning and the remembrance of those late dreadful Judgments that had carried away so many among them they cry out unto Moses Alas we die we perish we all perish that is we see we are in continual danger of being swept away with terrible Judgments And as men terrified are wont to conceive their danger to be greater than indeed it is they now apprehend that it would be exceeding dangerous for them to come near the Tabernacle or to be present at any Worship or Service there performed and seem to fear that God would not withdraw his Indignation from them until he had destroyed and consumed them all Ch. 17. whole Chapter SECT LXV THe people being under such a fear and consternation the Lord hereupon takes order for the guard of the Sanctuary and injoyns that every one should remain within the Verge and Limits of his duty and so they should be safe and he tells Aaron That He and the Priests and Levites shall bear the iniquity of the Sanctuary that is if any pollution (c) Thus the Lord shews himself reconciled and makes the Priests watch a ground of appeasing both the fear and envy of the people came to it by the people they should answer for it and bear the punishment thereof if they did not take care to prevent it and the Priests should bear the punishment of all Iniquity committed about their Priests Office if they did carry themselves amiss in it or suffer a stranger or Levite to meddle therein He tells them he had joined * Here is an allusion to Levies name which signifies joyned the Levites to them to minister to them in the outward Services of killing and slaying the Sacrifices c. but they themselves only should serve at the Altar and within the holy place before the Ark of the Testimony and the Levites shall observe the Precepts and Charge which he hath given them concerning their Ministry and concerning the sacred things of the Tabernacle which are committed to their Care that so every one keeping his station and doing his duty there may be no wrath any more upon the Children of Israel only they shall not meddle with the Service of the Sanctuary and Altar lest they die And if the Priests did not endeavour to prevent any such Errour or Miscarriage in their Brethren the Levites they should also incur the like danger Thus he appoints the Levites to minister to the Priests and orders that he that is not of the Tribe of Levi shall not be admitted to serve and minister unto them For God having taken the Levites instead of the first-born of the Children of Israel to himself he had given them unto Aaron and his Sons for his own Service and the Service of the Tabernacle Therefore he and his Sons should exercise their Priests Office in all things that concern the Altar of Burnt-Offerings and in all things which are to be done within the outward Veil whereby the holy place is divided from the Court the High Priest in the most holy place and inferiour Priests within the Sanctuary or holy place And God tells Aaron and his Sons That 't is his free Gift and favour to them that he had made choice of them before others for the Priestly Office and that He had ordained That whoever is not of Aaron's Line and goeth about to meddle with the Priestly Office shall be put to death from vers 1. to 8. The Lord having thus set down the Office and Work of the Priests and Levites he
whom was the Spirit of God and an extraordinary measure of Grace he employs that short time in faithfully instructing the people and earnestly exhorting them to walk steadfastly in the ways of God He rehearses to them several remarkable Occurrences and passages of divine Providence which had happened to them during their forty years travels in the Wilderness not binding himself always to exact order as to times and places in his Narration that they might remember them for their benefit And this being for the most part a new Generation the old rebellious Stock having perished in the Wilderness He sets himself to instruct them in the Laws and Statutes of God not only repeating them to them but explaining and amplyfying many of them and adding some new ones * Hence this Book is call'd Deuteronomy or a second Declaration of the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi secunda vel secundaria Lex Repetitio est praecipuarum Legum ac monitorum in eorum gratiam qui tempore promulgatae Legis aut nondum nati aut per aetatem intelligendi incapaces erant Cum quibus Moses hic instaurat foedus praeterea quaedam hic nova addita to them He causes them to enter into a solemn Covenant to serve the Lord faithfully He Predicts and foretells what would befal them hereafter and solemnly blesses them before his death Chap. I And first He reminds them of Gods calling Israel from Horeb to march towards Canaan He tells them how when they had continued well nigh a full year at Horeb * In journying from Egypt to Kadesh-barnea they spent about two years and from thence to the fields of Moab about 38 years whereas from Horeb or Sinai to Canaan it was but about 11 or 12 days Journey had they not provoked God by their sins to keep them wandring in the Wilderness so long God commanded them to march towards Canaan the borders of which he describes towards the South West North and East Deut. Ch. 1. from 1. to 9. 2. He reminds them how about that time by the advice of Jethro his Father-in-law he set Judges and Officers over the people For says he finding my self not able to bear the weight and burden of governing so great a people alone I said unto you The Lord hath multiply'd you as the Stars of Heaven and the Lord God of your Fathers make you a thousand times so many more as you are and bless you choose out therefore from among you wise and understanding men and I will make them Heads over you I will Constitute some of them to be Rulers over Thousands others to be Rulers over Hundreds others Rulers over Fifties and others to be Rulers over Tens And I charged the Judges at that time that they should judge rightâ—ously between man and man and not respect persons in Judgment but should hear the small as well as the great that they should not be afraid of men for the Judgment is Gods that is it is ordained by him and to be executed in his Name and the Judges representing his Person and sitting in his Seat should in judging follow the Rule by him prescribed and should judge justly as God Himself would do see 2 Chron. 19.6 And I further said If ye find any Cause too hard for you to determine bring it unto me And many other things I delivered and taught the Judges their duty in a more full and ample manner than now I express Deut. Ch. 1. from 9. to 19. 3. He shews them that when they left Horeb they marched thorow all that great and terrible Wilderness a Land where no man dwelt and wherein were fiery Serpents and Scorpions Deut. 8.15 a Land extream barren and destitute of all things necessary for the sustenance of man except by miraculous supply and came to Kadesh-Barnea Then says he I said unto you Ye are come to the Mountain of the Amorites the border of the Land which the Lord our God hath given unto us Go ye up therefore and possess it as God has commanded you fear not nor be discouraged But ye desired that Spies * Atque hic certum est Exploratores esse exigente populi incredulitate missos Deum Ducem sequi dâ—bebant Cananaeos fidenter aggredi Sed Dei promissis fidem non habebant Deut. 9.23 might first be sent to search the Land and to inform you concerning it and concerning the way wherein you must go up to take possession of it and what Cities you must first assault And I having inquired of the Lord concerning it Numb 13.3 and the Lord giving way to it or at least permitting it I was content with it and took twelve men one of a Tribe and they went up into the Mountain and came to the Valley of Eshcol And the Spies brought back some of the fruits of the Land namely Grapes Pomegranates and Figgs and said The Land was a very good Land But ye refused to go up and so rebelled against the Commandment of the Lord. And ye murmured in your Tents and said Because the Lord hated us he hath brought us forth out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites and to destroy us You further said Our Brethren whom we sent as Spies have discouraged us viz. all of them but Caleb and Joshua They tell us The people of that Land are greater and taller then we their Cities are great and walled up to Heaven moreover they tell us That the Sons of the Anakims those great Giants are there Then said I dread them not nor be afraid of them For the Lord your God goeth before you and will fight for you as he did in Egypt and as he hath hitherto done for you in the Wilderness there you have seen how the Lord by his Almighty Power hath born you as a Father takes up and carries his Child in his arms and hath born with your manners and perverseness as a tender Father doth with a froward Child Yet notwithstanding this incouragement you did not believe * This unbelief the Apostle notes to be the cause why they entred not into the Land of Promise Heb. 4.6 in the Lord your God who went before you to search out a place for you to pitch your Tents in in a Pillar of Cloud by day and a Pillar of Fire by night And the Lord was angry at your Murmurings and Vnbelief and sware there should not one of that evil Generation see that good Land Numb 14.23 save Caleb the Son of Jephunneh who followed the Lord fully and Joshua the Son of Nun Numb 14.6 30 38. And says he the Lord hath since that time at the other Kadesh been angry with me for your sakes For being moved with your Provocations I offended both in unadvised Speeches and distrust and thereupon the Lord said I should not go into the Land Numb 20.1 2 12. But Joshua who is continually about me to minister unto me He should go into it therefore
their own hearts and therefore no wonder they minded not the reproofs and counsel of their aged Father whereupon there came a man of God some Prophet extraordinarily raised up to Eli and said unto him thus saith the Lord Did not I eminently appear unto the house of thy father viz. Aaron of whom thou art descended by Ithamar joining him with Moses for the deliverance of the Israelites when they were in bondage to Pharaoh in Egypt (b) Tota Aegyptus Pharaonis domus appellatur quod ejus possessio erat Mendoza Did not I chuse him out of all the Tribes of Israel to be my Priest to offer Sacrifices upon mine Altar to burn incense and to wear an Ephod before me Did not I give unto the House of thy father some part of all the offerings (c) Partem ex victimis omnibus quas pertinere volui ad sacerdotes Ex omnibus sacrificiis aliquid nam etiam ex holocaustis pellis cedebat sacerdoti Levit. 7.8 Menoch made by fire and offered by the children of Israel unto me And are all my special favours to thy Fathers family come to this Thy Sons kick at my Sacrifices and at my offerings which I have commanded to be offered to me in my holy habitation they as it were despise and contemn them and make a scorn of them before the people as though I had afforded them too little and therefore they will take from the Sacrifices for their own use what they please themselves And though thou didst not do thus thy self but thy Sons only yet because thou didst not restrain them from these evil practises and punish them for these their great transgressions thou art guilty as well as they Nay thou shewest by thy over great indulgence to them that thou honourest thy Sons above me and chusest to please them rather than me not daring to provoke them by sharply reproving them much less by punishing them as thou oughtest to have done though thou knowest they have sacrilegiously incroached upon the fat of the offerings that belonged unto me and upon other parts also of the Peace-offerings that belonged unto the people and all this to pamper their own greedy bellies Wherefore thus saith the Lord I said (d) When God made his promise to Eli is uncertain the Scripture being silent therein indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me for ever that is should be perpetually established in the office of the Priesthood but this promise was only conditional namely if you carried your selves well in that high calling but this condition being not performed by you the promise which I made unto you shall be reversed For those that honour me I will honour but those that despise me shall be lightly esteemed Further thus saith the Lord Behold the days come that I will cut off thine arm and the arm of thy fathers house that is deprive thee of thy strength and make both thee and thy family weak and ignoble And this was done first by cutting off him and his two Sons Chapt. 4.17 2ly By cutting off his posterity in the flower of their age which was partly accomplished in the death of Hophni and Phineas slain in the field and partly by that bloody execution that was done upon Ahimelech and eighty-five of the Priests of his family Ch. 22.16 c. And 3ly by removing the dignity of the High-Priesthood from Eli's family unto Zadok the faithful Priest spoken of v. 35. of the stock of Eleazar which was done at least eighty years after this in the days of Solomon 1 King 2.27 And thou shalt see (e) 'T is usual in Scripture to speak that of the Father which shall be accomplished in his posterity long after See Gen. 27.29 viz. in thy posterity an enemy in my habitation that is Zadok executing the High-Priests office in the Temple whom thy posterity shall envy and malign because placed in the High-Priesthood and that in all the wealth which God shall give Israel that is in those days when Israel shall flourish most in wealth and glory and when consequently the High-Priesthood shall be most desirable to wit in the days of Solomon And there shall not be an old man or a man of dignity (f) v. 31 Ut non sit senex in domo tua i. e. vir dignitate praeditus vide v. 36. in thy family (g) v. 32. Haec severa comminatio non est extendenda ad omnes Ithamaraeos sed tantum ad domum Eli. Alii senem hic ut prius accipiunt de dignitate sacerdotali qua in perpetuum abdicata est familia Eli. At in ea familia senes aetate semper desecisse non est credibile Mendoz. And the men of thy posterity whom I shall not quite cut off from serving at mine Altar shall live so miserably pining away with grief and vexation to see the adversary family enjoy their honour that if thou shouldst live to see the misery they shall be in it would make thee almost weep out thine eyes to behold it and it would grieve thee to the very heart And most of thy family shall die in the flower of their age And that which I now foretell shall come upon thy two Sons Hophni and Phineas may be a sign to thee that all my other threatnings shall in due time come to pass viz. I do foretell thee that they shall both die in one day And I will raise me up a faithful Priest that shall do according to that which is in my heart to wit Zadock (h) He did faithfully cleave to Solomon whom the Lord had appointed to succeed Dovid in the Throne when Abiathar who was of the posterity of Eli conspir'd with Adonijah against David and against Solomon 1 King 1.7 8. of the family of Eleazar and I will build him a sure house and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever that is I will multiply his family and make it prosperous and establish his off-spring in the Priesthood And accordingly we find that the High-Priesthood was continued in the line and posterity of Zadock unto the time of the Babylonian Captivity see Ezek. 44.15 And so Zadock being of the posterity of Phineas the Son of Eleazar that promise was made good which the Lord made to Phineas Numb 25.13 He shall have it and his seed after him even the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood And he shall walk before mine anointed for ever that is Zadock and his posterity shall perform such services as belong to the High-Priest for Solomon and his Successors viz. they shall inquire of the Lord for them they shall offer Sacrifices for them and shall be ready to assist them with their counsel and advice upon all emergent occasions And those of thy posterity that shall not be cut off shall come and crouch to Zadock and his successors to beg some relief of them and shall sue to them that they may be imployed though
destroyed the worship of Baal out of all the Ten Tribes but though he overthrow this Idolatry yet he departed not from the Idolatry of Jeroboam viz. that of the Golden Calves of Dan and Bethel He also rooted out the house of Ahab yet it seems he had a greater zeal for the establishing the Kingdom to himself than purely to execute the command of God therefore Hos 1.4 God threatens to revenge the blood of Jezreel on the house of Jehu However for these acts God sends a Prophet to him to tell them that because he had done well as to the matter of what he had done though not as to the manner his seed to the fourth generation should sit on that Throne which accordingly they did as we shall see afterwards But Jehu took no heed to walk in the Law of the Lord God of Israel sincerely and with all his heart but followed the Idolatry of Ieroboam by which God was so provoked that even in his days he did begin to cut Israel short that is to abate their power by Hazael King of Syria especially in the two Tribes and an half beyond Iordan For Hazael made sore havock among the people there and 't is like he did then or afterwards in the days of Iehoahaz exercise those inhumane cruelties upon the Israelites which Elisha had foretold 2 King 8.12 Jehu reigned twenty and eight years which was the longest time that any of the Kings of Israel had hitherto reigned whereof six years Contemporary with Athaliah and the remaining twenty two with Ioash Son of Ahaziah and they buried him in Samaria and Iehoahaz his Son reigned in his stead 2 King 10. from 11 to the end IEHOAHAZ Son of Iehu The 11th King of Israel JEHOAHAZ and first of his race reigned seventeen years All which time Ioash the Son of Ahaziah reigned in Iudah He did evil in the sight of the Lord and he and his people followed the Idolatry of Ieroboam and continued the Grove in Samaria which Ahab had planted 1 King 16.33 and did not destroy it as he should have done Hereupon the Lords anger was kindled against Israel and he delivered them into the hands of Hazael King of Syria and into the hands of Benhadad his Son all the days that Iehoahaz reigned alone for two years before his death he took his son Ioash into copartnership with him in the Government Hazael had invaded and destroyed Israel beyond Iordan before and threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron see Amos 1.3 And now he cometh on this side Iordan and oppresseth the Israelites so sore there that he left them but fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen and broke them to pieces and scattered them as corn is scattered with overmuch threshing insomuch that they had scarce any where an army together and they were brought to be a people of no power or esteem And though Iehoahaz resisted them with all the valour and might he could yet still they prevail'd against him Which is the rather noted to make it appear that the calamities that befell the Israelites in his time were rather from Gods hand and just judgment because of their sins than from any want of courage or conduct in their King Jehoahaz in these distresses seeks to the Lord for help and God afterwards gave Israel a Saviour to wit Joash his Son who in his time mightily prevailed against the Syrians And after him he raised up Jeroboam his Son Chap. 14.27 who was also very successful against them So that afterwards the children of Israel dwelt in their houses quietly and peaceably as in former times Jehoahaz dies and is buried in Samaria and Ioash his Son succeeds him 2 King 13. from v. 1 to 10. JOASH the second of the race of Iehu reigned sixteen years The 12th King of Israel JOASH He did evil in the sight of the Lord and walked in the ways of Ieroboam who made Israel to sin Elisha being now sick of his last sickness Ioash came to visit him and wept over him saying O my Father my Father the Chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof Elisha bids him take bow and arrows he did so and Elisha puts his hands on the Kings hands to signifie perhaps that God would fight with him and that no action of ours without Gods assistance and blessing can prosper and bidding him to open the window Eastward towards Syria and to shoot he said This is the arrow of the Lords deliverance from Syria that is by this arrow is signified that the Lord by thee will certainly deliver his people from the Syrians for thou shalt smite them as they were smitten in Aphek 1 King 29.26 or mightily * Fortiter vehementer sic aliqui reddunt till thou hast consumed those particular Armies which they shall have at that time Then he bids the King take arrows and smite on the ground which he supposed he might easily understand to be a sign that he should smite the Syrians and thereupon would have been eager to give many strokes on the ground as a sign that he should often conquer them but he smote only thrice whereupon the man of God was wroth with him and told him he should have smitten five or six times and then he should have smitten Syria till he had consumed them and utterly ruined the whole power of their Kingdom whereas now he should smite them but thrice only Elisha now dies and is laid in his sepulchre he had been a famous Prophet about sixty years God had manifested that the spirit of Elijah did rest upon him by enabling him to do the same kind of miracles that Elijah had done Elijah divided Jordan with his mantle 2 King 2.8 so did Elisha v. 14. Elijah multiplied the widow of Sarepta's oyl 1 King 17.14 and Elisha did as much for a poor Prophets widow 2 King 4.2 Elijah brought rain from Heaven after a time of great drought 1 King 18.41 and Elisha supplied three Kings and their armies with water when they were ready to perish for want of it 2 King 3.16 Elijah cursed the Captains and their fifties that came to apprehend him and they were presently destroyed with fire from Heaven 2 King 1.10 and Elisha cursed the children that reproached and mocked him and they were presently torn in pieces by two she-bears 2 King 2.24 Elijah raised the Sareptans son to life 1 King 17.22 and Elisha the Shunamites 2 King 4.35 Nay as Elisha desired that a double portion of the spirit of Elijah might be given him so some observe that Elisha wrought as many more miracles as Elijah did Sometime after Elisha's funeral some Israelites that were going to bury a dead man espied a band of Moabites near them that were broken into their land to rob and spoil and so through fear not daring to carry him to the place prepared for his burial they removed the stone that covered Elisha's sepulchre and in hast cast him in
begun in Manasseh his Son's time 2 Chron. 33.11 and further accomplished in Jehoiakims and Zedekiahs time as we shall see more afterwards and they shall be ministers and servants in the Palace of the King of Babylon 2 King 24. 25. Hezekiah was wounded to the heart with this dreadful message however he meekly replied Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken that is it is just and righteous and no more than what I and my people had deserved Then humbling himself for his pride and vanity and the people joining with him therein 2 Chron. 32.26 it pleased the Lord by the Prophet to declare to him that the judgment denounced should not come in his days Whereupon he said that though it was a grievous thing to him to think of those judgments that should befall those who were to come after him yet he acknowledged it as a great mercy of God that there should be peace and truth in his days 2 King 20. from 12 to 20. 2 Chron. 32.31 Isa 39. wh Ch. Hezekiah three years after his recovery had his Son Manasses by Hephzibah twelve years before his death 2 King 21.1 In the days of Hezekiah as 't is thought lived NAHVM the Prophet he Prophesied of the destruction of Nineveh and the Assyrian Monarchy and comforted the Jews with a promise of deliverance from the Assyrian Tyranny He mentioneth the evil counsel of Sennacherib against the Lord and foretelleth his death in his Idol-temple Nahum 1.11 There is one come out of thee that imagineth evil against the Lord a wicked counsellor and ver 14. The Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee that no more of thy name be sown Out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image I will make thy grave for thou art vile This Prophet denounceth destruction to Nineveh in very plain terms They had repented formerly at the Preaching of Jonah but now had relapsed to their former wickedness The Israelites had been much oppressed by them First by Pul 2 King 15.19 then by Tiglath-pileser 2 King 16. at last by Salmanassar who carried away the Ten Tribes captives 2 King 17.18 After this Sennacherib invaded Judea and besieged Jerusalem and grew to be like a great cedar in Lebanon Ezek. 31.3 and now the Prophet Nahum declares Gods great power and the furious revenge he would take upon his enemies and that he would make an utter end of Nineveh Affliction should not rise up the second time and no more of the name of the Assyrian should be sown and this should be for Iudahs consolation His Prophesie contains first a general denunciation of Ninevehs destruction and consequently of the Assyrian Monarchy He shews their destruction shall be sudden total irresistible Chap. 1. and the effect of it shall be that the people of Iudah hearing these glad tidings of her destruction proclaimed openly as upon the tops of mountains shall exceedingly rejoice at them as at tidings of peace to them and shall then without disturbance keep their solemn feasts and perform their vows unto the Lord their enemies who disquieted them being cut off Chap. 1. Secondly He gives a particular description of the destruction of Nineveh and lively sets it forth by the dreadful approach of the enemy the terror of their army the taking of the City and the captivity of Huzzah the Queen and her maids and their mournful deportment under their captivity groaning and bemoaning their condition with the mournful voice of Doves and Tabering or beating upon their breasts to express their sorrow Then he describes the spoiling and plundering of the City the astonishment of the inhabitants and how their faces would gather blackness Also the insulting of the enemy at the desolation of this City which had been an habitation of Lions that is of cruel oppressors Ch. 2. Thirdly He sets forth the causes of Ninevehs ruin the Lord setting himself against her for her great sins viz. her cruelty and blood-guiltiness her falshood her robbery and oppression and her filthy Idolatries for all which she should be made a shameful spectacle And lest Nineveh presuming upon her own strength should think these calamities should not befall her he shews she was not comparable to populous No or Alexandria in Egypt which yet was ruined and so should she notwithstanding all her strong holds her numerous inhabitants strong gates repaired towers multitude of Merchants and her many Counsellors Princes and Commanders So that her bruise should be incurable and her wound mortal Chap. 3. Hezekiah now dies his acts were written by Isaiah and by those that wrote the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah He was buried in the chiefest of the Sepulchres of the Sons of David and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him all the honour they possibly could at his death he having been so pious and good a King and Manasseh his Son reigned in his stead 2 Chron. 32.32 33. 2 King 20.20 21. The 14th that reigned in Judah MANASSEH MANASSEH was twelve years old when he began to reign about twenty four years after the ruin of the Ten Tribes and he reigned fifty five years and so longer than any of the Kings of Judah He did worse than all the Kings that went before him being carried away as 't is probable by such Nobles about him as did not in their hearts approve the reformation of his good Father He again set up the high places which his Father had pulled down he reared up Altars for Baal and made a grove as Ahab had done 1 King 16.33 to the honour of Idols he built altars to all the host of heaven to the Sun Moon and the rest of the Planets in the two Courts of the Lords house where God had said that he would put his name that he alone might be there worshipped He made one of his Sons pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom sacrificing him to Molech so that it seems he continued long in his Idolatry for he could not have a Son in the beginning of his reign being but twelve years of age He observed times esteeming some days as lucky others as unlucky he used enchantments and dealt with such as had familiar spirits and with wizards he set up a graven image in the Temple containing a representation of the Idolatrous grove he had made * See 2 King 23.6 where 't is said Josiah brought out the grove from the house of the Lord unto the brook Kidron and burnt it though God had said to David and Solomon that he had chosen that house to put his name there and would have his name alone there worshipped as long as that dispensation should last and promised upon their obedience that he would not suffer them to be carried away captive to other lands But they obeyed not and Manasseh seduced them and made Judah and Jerusalem go astray and do worse than all the
himself and forbad by Proclamation any to speak against him or molest him in any matter The King also did him a great deal of honour by listing him among those that were esteemed his most intimate Friends After this Alexander gave himself up to Idleness and Luxury and permitted the affairs of his Kingdom wholly to be managed by one Ammonius who carried himself insolently and made slaughter of the Kings friends and among the rest put to death the Lady Laodice Daughter of Epiphanes These things coming to the notice of Demetrius eldest son of Demetrius Soter he procured out of Crete a considerable force of Mercenary Soldiers and with them sailed into Cilicia At the notice of which Alexander being affrighted hasted to Antioch to secure his affairs there before Demetrius should come where he made Hirax and Tryphon Governours With Demetrius joyned Apollonius the Governour of Coelosyria who was ordered by him to go against those Jews that adhered and continued firm to Alexander Apollonius having gotten together a great Army encamped at Jamnia and sent a proud challenge to Jonathan to come and meet him if he durst and to fight with him in the plain field Jonathan enraged hereat marched from Jerusalem against him with 10000 men In his way he took Joppa which Apollonius understanding marched to Ashdod and left an Ambush in the way to intrap him but he getting clear of it engaged Apollonius and put all his Forces to flight whereof many fled to the Temple of Dagon which Jonathan set on fire and so what with the Sword and what with Fire destroyed about 8000 of Apollonius his men This coming to the ears of Alexander he honoured Jonathan more than ever and sent him the Golden Buckler which was usually given to those of the Blood Royal and gave him Accaron a City of the Philistines with its Territories for an Inheritance to him and his Heirs for ever Ptol. Philometor now comes out of Egypt with great forces both by Land and Sea under pretence of aiding his Son-in-law Alexander but indeed with an Intention to seize upon Syria He fell out with Alexander because he would not deliver up Ammonius to him who he alledged had plotted his Destruction Hereupon taking his Daughter Cleopatra away from Alexander her Husband he gave her to Demetrius promising to assist him in the recovery of his Fathers Kingdom The Antiochians also deserted Alexander because of Ammonius who had used them so hardly Hereupon Ammonius endeavoured to make an Escape in Womans apparel but was taken and slain Ptolemy went to Antioch and being there saluted as King was crowned with two Diadems the one for Syria the other for Egypt But at last perswaded the Antiochians to receive Demetrius for their King Alexander was at this time at Cilicia whereupon consulting the Oracle of Apollo 't is said he received for answer That he should take heed of that place that had brought forth a double formed Spectacle which semed to point out the City Abas in Arabia where a certain Woman as 't was thought named Herais being married to one Samias was found to be a man into which City he went not long after For invading and wasting of Syria with Fire and Sword Ptolemy and Demetrius his new Son-in-law met him and overthrew him at the River Oenopara whereupon he flying to Abas his Head was cut off by Zabdiel the Prince of the place and sent to Ptolemy who though he received it with much joy yet having in the Fight received a great hurt in his head he died of that Wound three days after Demetrius now obtaining his Fathers Kingdom was called Nicanor About this time Jonathan besieged the Castle at Jerusalem and did all he could with his Engines to reduce it This being made known by some wicked Jews to Demetrius he in great anger sends to him to raise his siege and appear before him at Ptolemais Jonathan would not draw off his siege but taking with him the Elders and Priests he ventured to go to the King and by the Presents he brought and other ways so appeased him that the King rejecting his Accusers confirmed the High-Priesthood upon him and counted him one of his chief Friends And upon promise to pay to him 300 Talents he procured from him an immunity from Tribute for all Judea and the three Seigniories thereunto annexed Demetrius seeing all in peace at home disbanded his old Soldiers which bred great discontents among them Diodotus afterwards called Tryphon one of Alexander Bala's Captains laying hold on this opportunity went to Elmacuel the Arabian with whom Antiochus Alexander Bala's young Son was brought up and acquainting him how matters stood with Demetrius obtained of him to have the young Child delivered up to him undertaking to settle him in his Fathers Kingdom Demetrius in this tottering condition of his affairs sends to Jonathan for a supply who sent him 3000 men which stood him in good stead For he going about to disarm the Antiochians they rose up in Arms and many thousands of them assembling together they attempted to surprize the King himself insomuch that he was forced to retreat to his Palace but the Jews hastning to his relief overcame this Rabble and slaying a great number of them set the City on fire whereupon the Citizens were glad to submit Tryphon now bringing Antiochus the young son of Bala from Arabia into Syria he there set the Crown upon his head calling him Theos Hereupon all the disbanded Soldiers flocked unto him so that Tryphon grew strong enough to fight with Demetrius and overthrowing his Army forced him to fly to Seleucia Then Tryphon in the name of Antiochus sent Messengers to Jonathan to draw him to his party And in order thereunto confirmed the High-Priesthood to him sent him also chargers of Gold and gave him leave to drink in vessels of Gold to be clothed in Purple and to wear the Golden Buckler Jonathan was easily drawn to be for Antiochus because Demetrius had for some time past falsifyed his word and dealt very ungratefully with him Jonathan now having gotten leave of Antiochus to wage War against Demetrius his Captains gathered his men together and reduced the Country beyond Jordan as far as Damascus and overthrew a party which there met him killing to the number of 3000 men Jonathan observing now how his affairs were in a good condition sent Ambassadors to Rome to renew the Allyance made with them by Judas Maccabaeus And he gave them Instructions that in their return homeward from Rome they should visit the Lacedemonians and to mind them of the Alliance and ancient League with Onias the third sending a Letter to the same purpose wherein the people of Judea among other things signified how that as a Testimony of their continued affection towards them they constantly remembred them as their Brethren in their solemn Sacrifices and Devotions These Ambassadors were very honourably received both by the Romans and Lacedemonians and effected what they were sent