from one man that is Christ Iesus For as by the first Adam sin came into the world and by sin death and damnation so by the second Adam that sinne is pardoned and man made partaker of eternall happinesse And that these things might be the more apparant vnto thee I haue described the Townes Cities and places mentioned in their seuerall Trauels both what they were in former times and what they are at this present That so by the due consideration of both thou mightst obserue the mutation and change of estates since through the revolution of times those things which seeme most permanent haue within the compasse of a few yeares beene subuerted and the ruines of those Cities which haue been greatest left to make euident lamentable examples of vast and vnheard of destructions from whence such as haue any small knowledg of the Spirit may draw such comfortable resolutions that neither pouerty can subuert them nor riches and honor exalt them but according to S. Iames ca. 1. They may possesse themselues in peace since neither the prosperitie of the world is permanent nor the aduersitie thereof intolerable The knowledge of both which how soeuer to some it may seeme ridiculous yet to such as are at all touched with the sence of worldly affaires it cannot chuse but take a deep impression and draw them thence to the knowledge of Christ Iesus and of his doctrine To which end and for which purpose I haue principally endeauored to publish this Treatise that so comparing the estate of man in this present world with the estate of grace in the world to come they might perceiue the impotencie of the one and the permanencie of the other and from both draw immoueable Axiomes That there can be no saluation where there is no humilitie nor no prosperity where there is not a knowledge of Christ Iesus in his humanitie and thence gather That the afflictions of this world to which hee is most subiect through the whole course of his life is the ready means to honor and immortal glory But that these things may the better appeare vnto thee I will endeauor to lay before thee the beginning and so farre as the holy Scripture leads mee the ending of our Sauiour From whence thou mayst draw such comfortable resolutions that in what estate soeuer thou art whether in prosperitie or aduersitie thou mayst therewith rest content c. Of Zacharias the father of Iohn Baptist ZAcharias or Zachariahu signifies Gods remembrance This man was the father of Iohn the Baptist being a Priest of the Tribe of Aaron and dwelling at a Towne called Abia of which you may reade 1 Chr. 24. There were three famous men of this name as Basilius saith One that was a Prophet of the Lord and liued 520 yeares before the birth of Christ Zachar. 1. And another that was the sonne of Iehoiada the high-Priest who at the command of that ingrateful King Ioas was stoned to death in the vpper Court of the Temple 2 Chr. 24. And a third which was this Zacharias the father of Iohn Baptist and son of Barachias that is The Blessed who according to the opinion of Basil was slain for no other cause but for saying that Christ was born of the Virgin Mary This man had to wife Elizabeth of the posteritie of the high-Priest Aaron and by her had a son called Iohn so 〈◊〉 of the Lord who was afterward called Iohn the Baptist Elizabeth signifies The Rest of God being deriued of Eli and Scabbath that is The Rest and Sabbath of the Lord. The inhabitants of the Holy land take vpon them euen to this day to shew the house where Zacharias Elizabeth dwelt in a town that standeth on the right hand of the way as you go from Emmaus to Ierusalem But saint Luke ca. 1. saith That Zacharias dwelt not in a town or field but i◠the city of Iudah which was scituated in the mountain of Iudah Risnerus and Iohannes Hedenus write That Zacharias dwelt in Ierusalem in that part of the city scituated vpon mount Bezetha as in the first booke of the description of Ierusalem hath bin declared And this seemeth to be verified out of Nehemia cap. 3. Yet there are some of opinion that hee dwelt at Hebron because that was the chiefe city of the tribe of Iuda and a town of the Priests The Trauels of the Virgin Mary MAry if it be deriued of Marah signifieth such a person as is oppressed with carefulnesse and griefe one that is layd open to all miserie and calamity prest with continual vexation and mourning She was born vpon the 8 day of September 14 yeares before the birth of Christ and in the fifteenth of her age brought forth her only begotten son according to S. Hierome and others Her fathers name was Eliakim of the house of Dauid Vpon the fiue and twentieth day of March in the same yeare that our Sauior Christ was born Mary being then 14 yeares old and the Angel Gabriel declared vnto her the embassie of the Conception of our Lord Iesus Christ A little after about the beginning of April an M. 3967 she went from Nazareth in great haste ouer the hils to Ierusalem 64 miles to the house of Zacharias and there saluted her cousin Elizabeth Luk. 1. From thence she returned back again to Nazareth which was 64 miles And when the command came out from Augustus that all the world should be taxed then Ioseph and Mary went from Nazareth to Bethlehem 72 miles and there the time of Maries deleuerance drew neere and lo she bare the Son of the liuing God our Lord and Sauior Christ Luke 2. From Bethlehem Ioseph and Mary brought the childe Iesus to Ierusalem and presented him in the Temple which was 6 miles Luke 2. And when they had accomplished all things according to the Law they returned backe again to Nazareth a towne in Galilee 64 miles From Nazareth they went backe again to Bethlem 72 miles Thither the Wise men comming out of the East brought the childe Iesus Gold Frankincense and Myrrh Mat. 2. From Bethlehem the same night that Herod caused all the infants of two yeares old and vnder to be slain Ioseph and Mary fled with the childe Iesus to Hermopolis a city in Egypt which was 296 miles Mat. 2. Zozom lib. 6. From thence they returned back again with the child Iesus to Nazareth 368 miles for they were greatly afraid lest Archilaus who succeeded his father Herod in the gouerment of the Iews would seeke the childes life Mat. 2. From Nazareth Ioseph and Mary came euery yere to Ierusalem which was 64 miles to the feast of the Passeouer and so many miles backe againe which for ten yeares continuance came to 1280 miles When Christ was twelue yeares of age and at the beginning of the thirteenth he went with his parents from Nazareth to the feast of the Passeouer which was 64 miles Luke 2. And when the daies of the feast of the Passeouer were
all speed pursued the enemy and in the way as hee went he found an Aegyptian who a little before the Amalekits had left there because he was vnable to follow them This Aegyptian guided Dauid to the tents of the Amalekits who suspecting no such euill were making merry with the booty that they had taken But Dauid with the rest of his company so manfully behaued themselues that they gaue the Amalekites a sudden ouerthrow and as it often hapneth to such as are negligent and carelesse he tooke away from them their former bootie and put most of them to the sword This battell was fought some 8 or 12 miles from Ziclag as by the circumstance of the history may appeare From this slaughter he returned backe to Ziclag which is 12 miles and repaired it to euery neighbouring citie sending a part of the prey Here hee had certaine intelligence of the successe of the Israelites in their wars against the Philistins and of the death of Saul and Ionathan which hee bitterly lamented 1 Sam. 30. 2 Sam. 1. These things hapned in the 10 yeare after Samuel had annointed Dauid King From Ziclag he went to Hebron a metropolitane Citie of the tribe of Iuda being a towne of refuge belonging to the Leuites which was 16 miles At this time Dauid was about the age of thirtie yeares and was annointed King by the Tribe of Iudah in the yeare of the World 2891 and before Christ 1077. Here he kept his Court seuen yeares and six moneths From hence also he sent messengers to Iabes in Gilead 44 miles to signifie his gracious acceptance of that fauour which they shewed vnto Saul in burying of his body there 2 Sam. 1. 1 Chr. 12. From Hebron Dauid went to Ierusalem 22 miles which then was called Iebus being possessed of the Iebusites but he woon it with strong hand and thrust them out of it and in mount Sion set vp the city Millo which was after called the city of Dauid and signifies A place of plenty He began his raigne in Ierusalem in the 38 yere of his age and 7 of his raigne In this place also he set vp his house made of Cedar wood of which Hyram King of Tyrus sent him great plenty from Mount Libanus distant from thence 104 miles 2 Sam. 5. 1 Chr. 12. From thence he went to the valley of Rephaim some 3 miles from Ierusalem in the way that leadeth to the citie of Bethlem where he fought a memorable fight against the Philistines and ouercame them for which cause it was also called Baal-Perizim because by the helpe and assistance of God he had conquered the army of the Philistines 1 Sam. 5. After he had dispersed the enemies hee returned to Ierusalem which is 4 miles The Philistines came the same yeare into the valley of Rephaim againe and pitched their tents within three miles and a halfe of Ierusalem and the Lord gaue Dauid a signe that when he heard a noyse in the mulberry trees hee should set vpon the enemy so Dauid went forth and close by the towne of Gaeba and Kiriath-jearim about two miles from Ierusalem Westward he set vpon the enemie and gaue them the second ouerthrow 2 Sam. 5. 1 Chr. 15. From thence Dauid followed the enemy to Gaza which was 18 miles 2 Sam. 5. In the 10 yeare of his raigne from his first beginning in Hebron Dauid assembled all the Princes Priests and chiefe men of Israel to the number of 30000 which inhabited from Sechor till you come to Chaemah a citie of Nepthalie at the foot of mount Libanus euen 163 miles off These men assembled themselues in the citie of Ierusalem and from thence they with Dauid went to Kiriath-jearim which was about a mile to fetch the Arke of the Couenant from thence into the city of Dauid 1 Sam. 6. 1 Chr. 14. From Kiriath-jearim Dauid and all his traine returned backe again to Ierusalem which was about a mile and they placed the Arke of the Lord in a new cart and caused it to be drawne with Oxen which turned out of the way to the threshing floure of Nachon where Vza rashly and inconsiderately touching the Arke of God contrary to the Diuine Law was presently slaine by the Lord in the way and that place was called Paeri-Vza that is The breach of Vza For he was not of the Tribe of Aaron to whom it was only lawfull to touch the Arke therfore the Lord strooke him that he died miserably wherefore Dauid being terrified by this example of Gods seueritie would not that day bring the ark of the Lord into Ierusalem but carried it to the house of a certaine Nobleman called Obed-Aedom a Gittite who dwelt not far from Ierusalem but when it was told Dauid that the Lord blessed the house of Obed-Aedom and all his family because the arke was there Dauid went from Ierusalem with a great multitude of people to the house of Obed-Aedom who as is said before dwelt not farre from Ierusalem yet there are some that say he was an excellent musitian in Ierusalem and dwelt in Mount Acra that is in the lower citie and from thence Dauid fetcht the Arke of the Lord into the vpper citie which stood vpon mount Sion but I hold the other opinion to be the more probable When the Arke was carried by the Priests Dauid girt himself with a linnen Ephod which kinde of garment the Priests of the inferior order vsed to weare and danced before it singing Psalms and hymnes to the praise and glory of God and with great state brought it to the citie of Ierusalem with the sound of Trumpets and instruments of musick and placed it in the middle of the Tabernacle which they had curiously erected in Mount Sion in the vpper citie which was also called the citie of Dauid This hapned in the tenth yere of his raigne at which time Michal Sauls daughter despised him in her heart and laughed at him but God gaue her a due recompence as you may reade 2 Sam. 6. and him a just reward for he promised by the Prophet Nathan That of his posteritie and bloud the King of Kings and Sauiour of the world should be borne In the yere following Dauid inuaded the land of the Philistins and the citie of Gath which with strong hand he woon this was 34 miles from Ierusalem From thence he returned backe to Ierusalem 34 miles In the twelfth yere of his raigne he afflicted the Moabits with cruel war and destroyed two of their armies with the sword and the rest of the multitude made tributarie which was 24 miles 2 Sam. 8. 1 Chr. 19. He returned thence to Ierusalem with great triumph and joy 24 miles In the 13 yeare of his raigne Anno mundi 2903 and before Christ 1065 he made an expedition vnto Zoba which Iosephus calleth Sophenam and is in Armenia neere to Masia or Mount Taurus 600 miles from Ierusalem towards the North of which you may reade before Dauid in this place woon
Lachis 65.51 31.49 Eglon 65.50 31.48 Makeda 65.49 31.52 Libna 95.49 31.50 Debir 65.32 31.46 Bethsur 65.47 31.48 Kechila 65.38 31.47 Maresa 65 42 31.54 Maon 65.38 31.41 Carmel 65.40 31.44 Ziph 65.38 31 43 Arah 65.45 31.37 Hebron 65.33 31.45 Gerer 65.37 31.42 Kades barnea 65.22 31.29 Adar 65.12 31.32 Carcaha 65.06 31.30 Hasmona 65.00 31.30 Bethsemes 65.55 31.55 Beersabah 65.31 31.40 Siclag 65.15 31.37 Ecron 65 â—0 31.58 Azotus 65.35 31.00 Astalon 65.24 31.52 Gath 65.23 31.48 Gaza 65.11 31.40 The townes lying on this side of the riuer Iordan Dan 67 25 33.08 Ior â—ons 67 31 33 07 Caesarea Philippi 67 30 33.05 Seleucia 67.17 32.50 Eruptio fluvij ex Samachoniride palude 67.11 32.44 Capernaum 66.53 31.29 Eruptio fluvij è mare Genezareth 66 43 32.21 Ephion 66.42 32.20 Ennon 66.40 32.16 Gamala 66.55 32.25 Salem 66.37 32.18 Chrit torrens 66.16 31.57 Ostia Iordanis 66.17 31.54 Engedi 66.22 31.43 Zoar vel Sagor 66.17 31.38 Eruptio Zered 66.19 31.34 Townes standing beyond Jordan Mirba 66.50 32.20 Astharoth 67.00 32.26 Astaroth 66.57 32.23 Gadara 66.48 32.23 Machanaim 66.44 32.19 Iaczar 66.39 32.12 Hesbon 66.28 32.05 Iabes 66.55 32.21 Ramah 66.51 32.20 Nobach 66.38 32.16 Iachsa 66.28 32 02 Aroer 66.30 32.00 Macherus 66.23 31.56 Minith 66.36 32.66 Midian 66.30 31.55 Didon 66.32 32.06 Punuel 66.39 31.18 Edrei 66.15 32.21 Abela Vinearum 67.00 32.23 Philadelphia 67.10 32.22 Pella 67.03 32.20 Phiala fons 67.43 33.05 Betharan 67.30 32.08 Pisgamons 66 26 32.01 Abarim montes 66.29 31.58 Townes in Egypt Memphis 61.50 29.50 Heliopolis 62.15 29.59 Tanis 63.30 29.50 Taphnis 62 30 31.00 Ony 60.30 30.10 Alaxandria 60.30 31.00 Mercurij ciuitas magna 61.40 28.55 Mercurij ciuitas parua 61.00 30.50 Delta magnum 62.00 30 00 Xois 62.30 30.45 Busitis 62.30 30.15 Hâ—sinoe 63.20 29.10 Solis fons 58.15 28.00 Journies out of Aegypt Raemses 63.00 30.05 Pihachiroth 62.50 29.40 Mara 63.35 29.50 Elim 63.45 29.50 Iuxta mare 63.55 29.45 Paran promontorium 65.00 29.00 Daphea 64.14 29.46 Alus 64.30 29.46 Raphiddim 64.40 29.53 Sinai mons 65.00 30.00 Hazeroth 65.50 30.14 Zephor mons 65.54 30.50 Mozeroth 64.18 39.04 Hasmona 65.09 31.30 Gidgad mons 65.30 30.20 Iothabatha 65.30 26.40 Habrona 65.30 29.40 Hesion Gaber 65.30 29.20 Sin 66.00 29.56 Hor mons 66.00 30.25 Salmona 66.25 30.40 Phunon 66.30 30.54 Oboth 66 50 31.04 Ieabarim 67.00 31.18 Zered rorrens vallis 66.44 31.20 Didon Gad 66.48 31.32 Almon diblathaim 66.48 31.24 Chedemoth solitudo 66.56 32.00 Beer puteus 66.50 23.00 Marthana Solitudo 66.49 23 00 Nathaleel 66.40 00.23 Bamoth vallie 66.30 32.00 Townes in Arabia Petraea Petra 65.40 31.18 Paran 94.30 30.04 Midian 65.30 29.15 Hesion gebar 65 35 29.00 Elana villa harla velelath 95.35 29.15 Ostia Nili Canopicum 66.50 31.05 Bolbithinum 61.30 31.05 Sâ—benniticum 61.45 31.05 Pathmiticum 91.35 31.10 Mendesium 62.45 31.10 Pelusiacum 63.15 31.15 Thon 63.00 31.30 Sirbonis lacus eruptio 65.45 31.50 Sirbonis lacus 63.30 31.10 Idem 63.45 31.10 Ciuitas Pelusium 36.25 31.20 Rhinocorura 94.40 31.10 Some other great Townes Babilon 76.00 35.00 Antiochia 60 30 33.35 Damascus 68.55 33.00 Palmira 72.40 35.10 Vr chaldeorum 78.00 39.40 Ecbathana 88.00 37.45 Rages in Media 93.40 36.04 Sula in Persia 83.00 34.15 Persepolis 91.00 33.20 Heccatompilon in Parthia 96.0 37.50 Zaba in Arabia foelix 97.00 13.00 Meroe 61.30 16.25 Haram in Mesopotania 75 15 36.10 Hircania 98.30 40.00 Ciraenae 50.00 31.20 The description of the Citie of Ierusalem as it was before Titus Vespasian destroyed it THe most holy and beautiful city of Ierusalem was twice destroyed first by Nebuchadnezzar the most puissant King of Babylon who did vtterly beat downe and ouerthrow the Citie burning the costly Temple which King Solomon had built After that Zorobabel and the high Priest Ioshua when they returned from the captiuitie of Babylon re-edified and built againe both the Citie and the Temple in the yeare before the birth of Christ 535. But the second temple which was built after their returne was neither so faire nor so great as the first for it was twenty * Cubitus is a foot and an halfe six hand bredths foure and twentie fingers broad being in former times the fourth part of the height of a man Cubitus a cubando the arme tbat men vse to leane vpon from the elbow to the hand Victru lib. 3. Cal. Lexicon Cubits lower than the former After that King Herod 17 yeares before the birth of Christ caused the said Temple to be broken downe againe as Iosephus saith and erected another new Temple in place thereof which neuerthelesse was not like the first temple that Solomon builded as touching the greatnesse but it was exceeding fairely decked and adorned with gold and siluer so that in regard of the beautifulnesse thereof it was a wonder vnto all that came to Ierusalem Which Temple 40 yeares after Christs death and Ascension was also vtterly destroyed by Titus the sonne of Flavius Vespasian the Emperour I will describe the forme of the Citie Ierusalem as it was before it was defaced by Titus the sonne of Vespasian and therewithall I will shew how the costly Ornaments which Solomon placed therein stood for seeing that the two brasen Pillars and the great Molten sea were not therin when our Lord Iesus Christ liued vpon earth being broken downe by Nabuchadnezzars soldiers it is therefore necessary and very requisite to bee knowne how they stood and to the end that the Reader may be fully satisfied I will also first declare the citie of Ierusalem as it was in those dayes with the chiefest Places Walls Towers Gates Houses Castles Fountaines Hills Vallies and all the principall things therein How the Citie Ierusalem is scituate and standeth distant from Germany THe Towne of Neurenberch is scituate in the middle of Germanie or neere thereabouts and Ierusalem is distant from Neurenberch fiue hundred * Which make 2000 miles English miles but if you will trauell to Venice and from thence to Ierusalem it is fiue hundred and fiftie * Which make 2200 miles miles The scituation of Ierusalem IErusalem was foure square Of the scituation of the Mountaines whereon Ierusalem stood and scituated vpon foure mountaines viz. Mount Sion Mount Moriah Mount Acra and Moun Bezetha Mount Sion was the highest of all and lay within the citie of Ierusalem towards the South whereon stood King Dauids house or the castle of Sion and the vppermost towne Mount Moriah whereon the Temple stood with other excellent buildings and Towers was on the East side of the city within the Walls Mount Acra whereon the lower towne was built stood Westward in the citie where Annas Caiphas Pilot Herod Agrippa Bernice Helena and other Kings and great Princes dwelt The holy Citie of Ierusalem may in this manner be briefely described THe most holy and beautifull Citie of Ierusalem if any would consider the three principall parts of the World The description of Ierusalem Europe Asia and Affrica stood in the middest of
of * Or Arauna Arafna the Iebusite wherein King Dauid built an Altar offered burnt Offerings besought the Lord that the Angell of God whose hand was stretched ouer Ierusalem holding a bloodie sword and had smitten the Citie with the pestilence might cease from punishing the same and the plague ceased On the same place where the Barne of Arafna the Iebusite stood King Solomon also did build the Temple 1. Paral. 23. 24. Ioseph Antiq. Iud. lib. 23. 24. An Allegoricall or Spirituall interpretation of Mount Moriah MOriah is as much to say as The Lords Mirrhe and signifieth our Lord Iesus Christ which is the true Mirrhe sweet smelling Sacrifice vnto God a stedfast Rocke an immoueable Foundation whereon Gods Church and the members thereof are built Esay 28. Matt. 16. Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Moriah is also expounded to be Cultus timor Domini the worship and feare of God and that in the same place the figuratiue seruice of God should begin and continue vntill the comming of Christ The description of the Temple of Ierusalem THe Temple stood vpon Mount Moriah was fairely built artificially contriued of white Marble stones which were so well conjoyned or closed together that a man could not see or perceiue the junctures or crests of them and the inner Walls of it were made all of Cedar wood carued with the similitude of Angels Cherubins roots of Palme trees and with floures of diuers kindes gilt all ouer with pure gold and set with pretious stones insomuch that all parts of the vpper roofe within the Temple did shine with the lustre of it The pauement thereof also was plated all ouer with fine Gold so that all the Temple within both aboue vnder foot and on euery side and corner thereof was gilt cleane ouer but without it was of smooth polisht white marble stone excellently beautifull and faire to the eye That is a hundred cubits which make fiftie yards English so that the Temple was fiftie yards long fiftie broad and sixtie high much resembling the colour of any Pearle Vnit or Margaret It was in length a hundred ells in breadth a hundred ells and in height a hundred and twenty ells as Iosephus writeth in the old acts and warres of the Iewes in his fifteenth booke and fourteenth chapter The roofe thereof was made of thin planks of Oliue wood all couered ouer with plates of gold it was adorned with sharp and plaine spikes of gold lest birds should defile it with their doung When any man trauelled to Ierusalem and saw the temple farre off when the Sunne shined thereon the white marble stones and the golden roofe therof did cast such a light and reflexing brightnesse from them that it did make the beholders eyes darke and blind with looking vpon it Within the Temple there was the most sacred Quire which stood at the West end therof the which Quire was formed foure square that is twenty ells broad long and high This Quire was called the Holy of Holiest wherein it was lawfull for no man to enter but the high Priest and he also but once in a yeare which was on the Feast day of the Propitiatory Sacrifice to appease Gods wrath In the middle part of the Quire there stood two Cherubins made of Oliue wood couered all ouer with fine gold whose Faces and Formes were like vnto young Children the height of them was ten ells each of them had two wings which were fiue els broad they stood one right against the other so that with the innermost wings they touched together and the vttermost sides of the wings touched the sides of the Quire their faces looked wards the East in the middle vnder the wings of the Cherubins was placed the Arke of the Couenant but after the Babylonian captiuity the Ark of the Couenant stood no more there for then the Holy of holiest was empty and nothing seene in the second Temple but the two Cherubims as is aforesaid The wall of this Quire was of pure gold excellent faire and curiously grauen In this wal of the most holy quire there was a gate made all of gold which had two leaues or little dores that opened shut very curiously embossed through which dores men went into the most holy Quire where the Lord did answer by Vrim and Thummim there the Cherubims stood and before that gate there did hang a rich Vaile or Curtain which was made of fine silke wouen very artificially wherein there was wrought the picture of the Cherubims with Needle-worke of diuers colours This was the same Vaile which at the passion of Christ did rent in sunder from the top to the bottom to shew that then Aarons Leuiticall Sacrifices were abolished and now euery man may freely approch thorow the mercy of his dearly beloued Sonne vnto the presence of Gods heauenly Throne Before the most sacred Quire there was builded towards the East a place within the Temple containing forty Ells in length twenty in bredth and thirty in height closed vp on both sides with golden walls which was called the Holy place or Sanctuarie of the Temple wherein no man might enter but onely the Priest when hee offered Incense and prayed vnto God In the middle of that Holy place there stood an Altar couered with plates of gold neere vnto which the Angel Gabriel appeared vnto Zacharias and brought him the glad tydings That Elizabeth his wife should beare him sonne whose name should be Iohn who should prepare the way of Christ At the South end of this Altar vpon the one side stood the holy Candlestickes and at the other end on the other side stood a golden Table whereupon the Shew bread was set And in this holy place there stood ten Tables more for the meat Offerings and ten golden Candlestickes more which were beautified with Lamps Lillies and other faire floures The opening doores whereby men went into the Holy place were also very rich and costly made of gold with carued Cherubims Palm trees and broad flours thereupon And before those dores also there were hanging vailes or curtaines very curiously wrought On both sides of the Temple there were certain Walks or Galleries which were three stories high one aboue an other and on the right side there stood a paire of turning staires by the which men went vp to the Chamber of the Temple and there all the small Vessels and other things belonging to the Temple were kept The roofes of these Galleries were all plated ouer with gold but that part was somewhat lower than the principall part of the Temple The Windowes of the Temple were wide within and narrow without The gates of the Temple were made of pure gold fiue and twenty Ells high and sixteene Ells broad but especially the gate that stood Eastward in the Temple was exceeding high which in the second Booke of Kings cap. 25. is called the High gate
the Gate was fired the gold that ran from it was in great aboundance and by this meanes the Conquest was made easie This shall suffice to haue spoken of the Buildings of the Temple The Allegoricall or Spirituall meaning of the Temple THe terrestriall Temple built by Solomon was partly a Figure of our Sauiour Christ and partly of his Church For when the Sonne of God suffered the Temple of his holy body to be destroyed and was risen again from the dead Iohn 2. Then hee raised vp to vs the Christian Church which is the true spirituall house and Temple wherein God dwelleth 1 Cor. 6. The mysterie of the white Marble CHrist is the right white Marble stone which is without spot And there is no deceit found in his mouth Esay 53. Ioh. 8. this stone the Builders refused but God chose it out as most pretious and made it the head of the corner that wee like liuing stones might bee built vpon it Esay 21.8 1 Pet. 2. The mysterie of the Gold THe Gold and pretious stones in the Temple signified the Deity of Christ for in him dwelt the fulnesse of the Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly and absolutely and in him was contained the Fountaine and treasure of all wisedome and knowledge Col. 2. The mysterie of the Cedar wood AS the Cedar Cypres and Olive wood was neither subiect to putrifaction nor possible to be deuoured with wormes so the humane nature of Christ was subiect to no corruption no putrifaction Psal 16. The mysterie of the Cherubims THe Temple also is a figure of the heauenly glory of euerlasting life to come where the Angels and Cherubims beeing ingrauen and pictured to the image of man do represent the congregation of the blessed Angels and Saints who in presence of the Lord sing a continuall Te Deum laudamus Apoc. 4. The two Cherubims placed vpon the Mercy seat in the holy Quire signifie the old and new Testament which containes the Doctrine of Christ and as their wings touched one another so the old new Testament were ioined together the end of the one the beginning of the other the one continued to the end of the first world the other shall continue to the end of the second both had relation to Christ to whom the ministerie of God was committed The mysterie of the golden Dore of the Temple CHrist is the dore of life by which we must enter into eternall happines Ioh. 10.14 the two dores signifie a twofold knowledge before we can enter into this gate that is of his Person and Office What the Vaile of the Temple signified THe Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ hanging vpon the altar of the Crosse is the true Vaile that is put betweene God and vs shadowing with his wounds and pretious bloud the multitude of our offences that so we may be made acceptable to his Father Heb. 10. The mysterie of the Arke of the Couenant THe Arke of God made of Sittim wood wherin was kept the pot of Manna Aarons Rod and the Tables of the Commandements Exod. 25. Heb. 9. represent as well our Sauior Christ as the hearts of the Faithfull for as in Christs breast was contained the doctrine both of the Law and Gospell so likewise is it in the Faithfull though not in that measure Hee was the true Manna that descended from heauen to giue light vnto the world Iohn 6. The Tables of the Law moue vs to mutuall loue and new obedience Aarons Rod flourishing with blossomes signifies the sweetnesse of the Gospel and the glory of our high Priest Iesus Christ of whom Aaron was a Type The mysterie of the golden Altar THe sacrificing altar in the Sanctuarie of the Temple wheron were foure golden hornes beeing made partly of Sittim wood and partly of Gold compassed about with a Crowne of gold represent the vnitie of the Humanitie and Deity in our Sauiour For as the wood naturally incorruptible was beautified with refulgent gold so the Humanity of Christ not capable of any putrifaction Psalme 16. being adorned with Celestial glorie of the Deity personally vnited to the Diuine Nature ascended vp into the Heauens and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father crowned with a crown of majesty in eternal happines Psa 8. The mysterie of the golden Candlesticks THe golden Candlestick with six branches and seuen lights signifies Christ and the Ministers of the church Christ the foundation is the chiefe Priest and Light of the world illuminating vs to eternal life Ioh. 1. The Doctors and Teachers of the church are the branches by whom Christ inlightneth his church with the sound and vncorruptible doctrine of the Gospel Apoc. 1. Neither ought they to be separated from Christ but by the light of their doctrine and sincere conuersation be a lanthorn vnto our feet Psal 119. that so their works may return to his glory and the good of his church And as all the branches were vnited into the body of the Candlestick so euery Minister and faithfull child of God ought to be vnited into the body of Christ without any schismaticall dissention or separation The floures and lillies denote the ornaments and graces of the holy Spirit which Christ hath bountifully bestowed vpon his Ministers The Lights and lamps do admonish all godly Ministers to a diligent care lest the light of Gods diuine word should either by mens traditions or carnal and philosophical opinions be either diminished or by little and little abolished but as often as such things happen with the sincere doctrine of the Gospel to be purged and preserued The mysterie of the golden Table THe golden Table wheron the Shew bread stood being compassed about with a pretious crown signifies the ministerie of the Gospell For the bread that is set before vs is Christ that Bread of Life which descended out of heauen Iohn 6. and hee by the ministry of the twelve Apostles is mystically offered vnto vs in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that whosoeuer eateth thereof as they ought might haue eternal life The Frankincense that stood by the bread admonisheth vs that earnest prayers and godly actions are to be vsed in the time of the administring of the Lords supper For as Macarius saith If the diuel was as strong as mountaines yet at the prayers of the Saints he melteth as wax before the fire And S. Cyril saith That Christ is the Table vpon which the bread of life is set whereby all the Faithfull are nourished vnto eternall life And the Crowne about this Table is the goodnesse and mercy of God wherby we are crowned brought to eternal happinesse S. Ierom saith That this Table was a figure of the table and the supper in the kingdome of God Luk. 2. The Shew-bread vpon the table is the Son of God which giueth life vnto the world Iohn 6. The mysterie of the golden Vine and the Crystall grapes THe Vine in the East part of the temple made of shining gold fitly
least eight and thirtâ— yeares after In this market place Agrippa had built a Gallery all of marble from his own house to the Iudgment hall it was couered aboue and made with diuers and sundry roomes for men to walke in all burnished with gold and called by the name of Xiston as Iosephus hath it Here Agrippa after this cruell massacre made an Oration to the people Queene Bernice standing by him to this effect That they should forbear to raise any more commotions against the Romans and to banish the Seditious out of the city for that they saw their cruelty Iosep lib. de Bell. 2. Egesip lib. 2. cap. 8. To this Gallery there ioyned a bridge which past ouer the valley of Cedron to the Temple And amongst many other faire and sumptuous Buildings that were vpon this place there were the Colledges of the Pharisees Sadduces and the Synagogues and Schooles for the instruction of Youth which were dispersed here and there among other stately buildings and this was called the lower Towne Of the Valley of Cedron BEtweene ths lower City and the Temple there was a deepe Valley extending it selfe from the gate of Benjamin through the middle of the City to the gate of Sion From this Valley they ascended into either mountaines that is Mount Acra and Mount Moriah by certaine steppes or staires These two hills as is before said were ioyned together with a bridge and this Valley passing betweene them was called by Zephaniah cap. 1. Machten In which place aboue all the rest of the Cities dwelt Merchants and such as vsed commerce and trade as appeareth in the eleuenth verse of his prophecie Howle yee Inhabitants of the low place for the company of the Merchants is destroyed all they that exchange for siluer are cut off Vpon which place of Scripture the Chaldaean Paraphrase reades it thus Howle yee inhabitants of the valley Cedron Iosephus in tit Bell. 6. cap. 6. libr. 6. cap. 7 calleth this valley by two names one Machten from the profunditie the other Cedron from the obscurity for so the name signifieth and whosoeuer looked downe into it from the Temple fogs and mists seemed to lie in the bottome of it like a cloud of darknesse such was the depth of it There was another valley which lay betweene mount Sion and these mountaines called by the name of Tyrexdon Of the Mountaine Bezetha THis place lay Northward in Ierusalem and betweene it and the former hils were deep ditches cast it had two Townes standing vpon it diuided with two walls and was commonly called the Suburbs the name of the one which lay neerest to mount Moriah was called the second city the other that lay vpon the North was called Neapolis or the new towne In the second dwelt Hulda the Prophetesse and Zacharias the father of S. Iohn Baptist 2 Kin. 22.2 2 Chr. 34. Nehem. 3. Ioseph li. 10. c. 5. It was adorned with many faire and sumptuous buldings among which was that princely house of Herod Ascalonites that great and mighty King of the Iewes in whose time our Sauior Christ was born This house was sumptuously built supported and adorned with pillars of polisht marble and so spatious that in one room thereof there might stand a hundred tables The hall also was very great and richly gilded with refined gold intermixt with siluer about it were many pleasant and delectable walls goodly gardens and fountains for pleasure it was compast with a wal of polisht marble 30 cubits high And as Valerius writeth in that house Herod caused Christ to be mocked put a long white garment vpon him in contempt and so sent him to Pilat Here also was a prison in which Peter was kept when the Angel of the Lord deliuered him Acts 12. Of the towne Neapolis or the New City THis lay without the wals of the city and became inhabited by reason of the great concourse of people that flocked thither for in times past there were no inhabitants and stood vpon the North side of the hil Here dwelt the Christians and other laborers strangers and by all likelihood it seems that the house of Mary the mother of Iohn syrnamed Marke stood here which because of the continuall resort of the Apostles thither was called the house of the Church Hither Peter resorted when he was deliuered from the hands of Herod by the Angell for thus saith the Text Acts 12.9 That when Peter had past the first and second watch he came to the Iron gate which led into the Citie and loe it opened of it selfe And from thence he went to the house of Mary the mother of Iohn surnamed Marke Here also in my opinion Christ celebrated the last Paschall Lambe because after supper hee went into the mount of Oliues for this lying vnwalled lay open for them to goe and come at their pleasure But afterward in Herod Agrippa's time it was begunne to be compassed in with a wall and before it could be fully finished the Angell of the Lord strucke him and he died miserably Here also stood the Monuments of Iohn Hircanus the high Priest and of Alexander King of the Iewes as it appeareth in Iosephus libr. de Bello 6. cap. 6. The tops of the houses in the Citie of Ierusalem were flat and couered with faire and plaine roofes compassed about with battlements vpon which they vsed to leape dance and banquet and such recreations as they obserued vpon their festiuall daies were there celebrated And thus much shall serue to haue spoken of the mountaines or hills whereon Ierusalem stood Of the Walls that compassed the Citie THis Citie of Ierusalem was so strongly fortified by nature on euery side except the North for it stood vpon high rockes and cliffes that it seemed to be inuincible And that that side might be the better strengthened they compassed it in with three walls and these so strong that when Vespasian the Emperor and his armie inuaded the citie they had much adoe to conquer them The first of these walls was that which Agrippa built and it compassed in Neapolis otherwise called the new towne At the Northwest end of which Wall was built an exceeding high Tower of very faire Marble stone so high that standing on the top thereof a man might see from thence to the Sea and into Arabia and the vttermost bounds of Iudaea This Tower was called Psephina The second wall was that which diuided the two Suburbes wherein there stood 14 towers and gates This King Hezâ—kiah built 2. Chr. 32. in a corner of which betweene the West gate and the Valley gate there stood a high Tower wherein all the night great fire was made which cast a light a great way off round about so that trauellers passing towards Ierusalem where guided by it in their way Of this light we reade in Nehem. cap. 3. The third wall compassed in the Temple and all the lower citie in it was sixtie Towers but the chiefe of them stood in the East
downe the walls destroied the Temple which the Emperor Constantine had built and made havock of al things Presently vpon this the Turkes that came out of Scythia by the Caspian mountains won the city draue thence the Saracens Thus we may see that the Saracens and Turks though they were both of one religion yet for the country of the Iewes fought one against another and compelled the Christians to pay them Tribute for the fourth part of the city wherein the Sepulchre of our Lord stood being againe restored by the Emperor Constantine after the destruction of Caliphas The Christians being weary of this tribute and of the oppression of the Infidels became sutors to Pope Vrban the second of that name for their deliuery who in the yeare 1094 assembled a Councel at Clearemont in France and by the instigation of one Peter the hermit stirred vp the hearts of diuers Christian princes and great Lords to make a croysado so that 10000 braue well mounted souldiers went into the Holy land and for a token of their war bore red crosses vpon their armes In the same yeare there was a great blasing starre seene in the West and after that followed a great plague for the space of two yeares through the world this neuerthelesse hindred them not in their designes but that they went their intended journy won the City of Aelia from the Saracens deliuered the Christians from their bondage and tax and chose Godfrey of Lorrain Earle of Bullion King thereof whom they anointed in the Temple of the holy Sepulchre but hee refused to be crowned with a Crowne of gold saying That it ill beseemed him to be called King of Ierusalem the true King whereof was Christ or to sit crowned with gold in the place where he was crowned with thorns that was the Son of the euer-liuing God and then chose Arnolphus of Rhodes Patriarch In the moneth of October the same yeare a blasing Starre of maruellous bignesse appeared towards the South it seemed to be like a wauing sword foreshewing no doubt the destruction of all those that went about to re-establish this earthly Ierusalem Immediatly after the Feast of the Natiuitie of Christ all the Christians of the East countries vpon Candlemas day came out of Syria but especially out of Antiochia to Ierusalem in the Temple of the holy Sepulchre consecrated their Bishops and Chorasters and with one consent sung Illuminare Ierusalem They tooke also all the Cities Castles and Villages and ouer them set Bishops created foure Principalities one at Ierusalem another at Antiochia a third at Edissa a fourth at Tripoly Also certain Earledomes and Baronies as at Brito Zidon Caesarea Galilee Ioppa and Ascalon All these were appointed to pay tribute to the King of Ierusalem All this was done in the yere of our Lord 1099. No sooner were these newes published to the world but there was an vniuersall croysado through all Christendom for the conquering and winning of the rest of the holy land but before they could get thither they were either slaine by the Grecians and other nations or els died through famin thirst so that in them was fulfilled the prophecie of Zacharias cap. 12.3 where it is said It shall happen that I will make Ierusalem an heauy stone for all people all they that lift it vp shal be torn though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it And verse 9 And in that day I will seeke to destroy all the nations that come against Ierusalem This yeare 1100 died Godfrey King of Ierusalem of a feuer vpon the â—8 day of Iuly when he had reigned scarce a yere and was buried in the temple of mount Calvarie After him succeeded his brother Baldovin the first of that name second King of Ierusalem This man reigned 18 years in Ierusalem and being ouercome by Caliphas Sultan of Egypt after the losse of thirteene thousand Christians he had much adoe to escape with life Within a short time after hee died without issue Baldwin the second succeeded his vncle and was the third king of Ierusalem He began his reign Anno 1118. This man ouercame the Turks and the King of Damascus had issue only one daughter named Milesent whom he maried to the Earle of Angiers and gaue with her the kingdom of Ierusalem and died without heire male in the yeare 1131. Fulco in right of his wife succeeded his father in law was the fourth King of Ierusalem This Fulco was brother to the King of England he reigned 13 years fought many worthy battels against the Turkes put 3000 of their men to the sword tooke many of them prisoners and caried them to Ierusalem After that as hee was hunting the Hare by Acon riding speedily hee fell from his horse and was sorely brused whereof he died and left two sonnes called Baldwin and Almerick Baldwin the third was the fifth King of Ierusalem and succeeded his father He won the city of Ascalon he rebuilt the towne of Boza which had beene destroyed placed there certaine Knights Templers he lost the City of Edissa to the Saracens where many Christians were cruelly slain And hauing reigned 19 yeares he died without issue After him succeeded his brother Almerick as was the sixt king of Ierusalem In the time of this king the Sultan of Egypt gaue a great ouerthrow to the Knights Templers which he seeking to reuenge inuaded Egypt with a great army besieged the great city of Alcaire but to small purpose wherefore returning back to Ierusalem he shortly after died when he had reigned 12 years he left behinde him three children a sonne called Baldwin and two daughters Sibilla and Isabella Baldwin the fourth succeeded his father and was the seuenth king of Ierusalem who abusing his gouernment was struck with leprosie with the contagion of which disease he died miserably in the 25 yere of his age hauing reigned 13 years Baldwin the fift of that name the onely begotten son of his sister Sibil by his consent was chosen his successor a youth of 9 yeares old his fathers name was William Mountferrat earle of March who dying his mother married one Guy Earle of Lusignan to whom Baldwin committed the protection of the kingdome and of his yong kinsman till he came to mans estate But this yong man within 7 years after the death of his vncle died sitting at his table not without suspition of poison Guy his protector by the persuasion of his wife and at the instigation of the Ierosolimits took vpon him the gouernment but Raimond Earle of Tripoli was his great aduersary for that Baldwin 4. for his exceeding pride at the instigation of that Guy had displaced him of all his Offices and titles in the commonwealth These two striuing for the kingdom it hapned that Guy was charged with his kinsmans death vnder which pretence Raimond made war against him During these troubles Saladine Sultan of Egypt taking aduantage of this opportunitie made war vpon them
holy Sepulchre THis Temple lieth vpon the West within this new towne at first fairely built by the Emperor Constantine but destroyed by Caliphas Sultan of Egypt then by the Emperours of Constantinople rebuilt which continueth to this day It is round in the proportion adorned with 79 pillars 30 foot long the widenes by the Diameter besides the pillars is 73 feet leaded aboue and vpon the top of the roofe standeth a Lanthorn by which the light commeth in this Lanthorne is very curiously glased In the middle standeth the holy Sepulchre To this ioyneth the Church in mount Golgotha and serueth in stead of a Quire It standeth something lower but all vnder one roofe The place where the holy Sepulchre standeth is four square eight foot long and eight broad hewne out of a rocke and couered with marble there is a little doore in the East part of it very low by which men go into it and within that the Sepulchre it self standeth vpon the North side made of gray marble three handfuls high and eight foot long There are no windowes for light to come to it but ouer there hangeth continually nine lamps burning wherby it receiueth light The vault of this Sepulchre is diuided with a wall the outward is both of the same proportion and length as the inward but that which is without seemeth to be an entrie to the inner caue where Christ was buried and there as some say euen to this day is found a piece of the stone which the Angell rolled from the graue before the resurrection the other part of the stone howsoeuer it came there lyes vpon mount Sion But some thinke that the Armenians carried it thither because vpon it they haue built an Altar In this inner caue there hangs nine lamps to giue light vnto them that enter in by the East so that in the inner and outer Vault there standeth eighteene Lamps The Mount whereon Christ was crucified seemeth to stand vpon a rocke of stone whitish and somthing blushing It is distant from the holy Sepulcre 130 foot The place where the Crosse stood was an hard rocke eighteene steps in the ascent and answereth to nine and twenty feet The hole where the Crosse stood is about the roundnesse of a mans head in latitude and if a man might beleeue the Monkes thereabouts they say also that in that place is to be seene the colour of our Sauiours bloud euen to this day Vpon the left hand of this there stands an Altar made of marble and ouer that a sumptuous Chappel paued and couered with polisht marble gilt and adorned with refulgent gold the wals wherof are very curiously wrought and gilded In the Church vpon mount Golgotha they also shew part of a pillar naturally blacke spect with red spots where they say Christ was whipt and make the Vulgar beleeue that these specks are the drops of bloud that fell from him The other part of this Colume was caried to Constantinople as it was thought In this church Godfrey first Christian King of Ierusalem and the rest of his successors lie buried Of the Temple of Solomon as it is at this day THis Temple lieth towards the East and was built by the Christians iust in the same place where the former Temple stood at the time when this City was rebuilt and inlarged The body thereof is very high and spatious and built of polisht marble adorned with most exquisit and curious workemanship very artificiall and glorious both within and without insomuch that the polished stones cast a singular beautifull and resplendant lustre Aboue it is couered with lead and was built vp at the cost and labor of the Grecians in the roofe whereof the Turks place an halfe moone as they vsually doe in all such churches wherein they come and haue authority The Turkes and Saracens haue this Temple in great reuerence and deuotion they adorne it according to their custome with diuers artificial pictures and emblems They will suffer no Christians to enter into it nor any Iewes vpon paine of death And if it happens that at any time they go into it they first wash themselues with water very clean then put off their hose and shoos and so go bare foot This Temple they call the holy Rocke and in the body thereof there hangeth 700 lamps which burne night and day In the midst hereof there standeth a certaine little rocke euery where indented with yron neere to which not any of the Saracens or Infidels dare to approach or touch although there come many very farre to visit it for they beleeue that there were many memorable worthy things done in that rock they think that Melchisedeck the first Priest of the great God offered bread and wine vpon it Genes 14. and that here the Patriarch Iacob saw the Ladder which reached from heauen to earth Gen. 28. which indeed hapned not in Ierusalem but in Bethel as the Scriptures witnesse Further they beleeue that vpon this stone Dauid saw the Angel of the Lord standing with a shaken sword when he strook the city with the pestilence 2 Sam. 24. and that the Priests of the old Testament offered vpon this stone their sacrifices to the Lord which were deuoured with fire from heauen All which things do vtterly differ from holy Scripture The Iewes also are of opinion That the prophet Ieremy about the time of the captiuity of Babylon in this stone hid the Ark of the Couenant vntill such time as the Lord brought the people backe again from the captiuitie Which is contrarie also to the books of the holy Scripture for 2 Mach. 2. it is said it was hid in the mount Nebo where Moses stood when he saw the whole land of Canaan Also the Turkes say that Christ sate vpon this stone when Simeon tooke him in his armes and blessed him Here also he sate in the midst of the Doctors when he was but twelue yeares of age Luk. 2. which also differeth from the Scripture for this was not the body of the Temple but in the middle court or Solomons porch which sometimes was taken for the Temple because it ioyned to it And diuers circumstances of the Scripture do seeme to make this euident because heere Christ taught and here the people vsually met together as appeareth Iosh 10. and Psal 72. About the Temple of Ierusalem there is a fair Plain much resembling our Church yards all paued with marble stone To this there is adioyning a faire Church couered with lead was somtimes called Solomons porch but after the Christians had woon Ierusalem they gaue it the name of S. Maries The Turke keepes burning in this daily 800 lamps and it is much greater than that of Solomons Temple The Sultan of Egypt also about an hundred yeares before built a little Church or Moscho close by Solomons Temple wherein are continually burning 88 Lampes There is a vault vnder the Temple of the blessed Virgin Mary of such an extraordinary greatnesse that 600
45 From Almon Diblathaim they went to the hill Abarim 16 miles 46 From the hill Abarim they went downward ouer the Riuer Arnon to the field of the Moabites to the town of Iachra 16 miles where Moses ouercame Sehon King of the Ammorites with all his camp Num. 21. Deut. 2. 47 From Iacra they went to Hesbon 4 miles which Towne Moses won from the King of the Ammorites Num. 21. Deut. 2. 48 From Hesbon they went to the towne of Iaëzer which Moses won 8 miles Num. 21. Deut. 2. 49 From Iaëzer they went to Edrei 12 miles there Moses ouerthrew King Og with all his army at Basan Num. 21. Deut. 3. 50 From Edrei they went to mount Libanus 56 miles which Moses won Num. 21. Deut. 3. 51 From mount Libanus they returned backe againe to the field of the Moabites 40 miles by which field lieth the high hill Pisga where Moses died Deut. 34. So all the trauels of the Patriarch Moses were 1424 miles The description of the townes and places by which Moses trauelled with the children of Israel Of Midian MIdian was a metropolitan city of the Midianites neer to the Red sea some 160 miles from Ierusalem toward the South and signifies a measure being deriued of Madad which signifies He hath measured Here Iethro Moses father in law dwelt In this town the Kings of Idumaea kept their court 1 Reg. 11. There was also another city of the same name that stood neere to Arnon some 24 miles from Ierusalem toward the East so that the Midianites had their seat partly neere the red sea in Arabia Paetrea and partly vpon the confines of the Moabites taking their beginning from Midian the sonne of Abraham which he had by his wife Kethura Gen. 25. Of Horeb. HOreb is a mount of the Midianites and is sometimes called by the name of Sina It lieth 420 miles from Ierusalem toward the South In this place God appeared to Moses in a flame of fire Ex. 3. And as Bernard Britenbach saith In this place there is a chappel built called the Church of S. Mary in the bush In this Chappel there is a place shewed where God spake with Moses Ex. 3. but how true that I leaue because there are many Churches built by Monks for no other purpose but to deceiue trauellers and pilgrims of their mony Of Raemsis THis is one of the strong cities which the Israelites built for Pharaoh and is a metropolitan city in the land of Gossen 174 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest signifies Ioy and delight being deriued of Raam and Sus that is To leape for joy Of Pihachiroth THis was a certain Plain lying between two hils neere to the Red sea and was called Pinaehiroth which signifies a mouth cut or carued out where the Children of Israel pitched their tents Here Pharaoh inuaded them when they went out of Egypt taking opportunitie of the place for they hauing on either side of them an high mountaine before them the red sea and behinde them a cruell and mighty tyrant to the iudgment of man had no means to escape But the Lord to expresse the mightines of his power and that the Children of Israell might know who it was that deliuered them made them a passage led them vnder the conduct of Moses through the red sea in that very place drowning their enemies which had thought to make a prey of them A little from this place the temple of the idol Baalzephon is to be seen Of the Red sea THe Red sea is 160 miles from Ierusalem Southward betwixt Arabia and Aegypt and as some are of opinion it taketh the name of the red scales that grow therein wherefore in Scripture it is also called the Scaly sea Some say it taketh the name from red sand that lies on the shore cast vp by the sea Others say tha◠the rednesse thereof hapneth because of the shadow cast into the water by the mountaines thereabout The vulgar are of opinion that it is naturally red by reason of the water but it is not so because it is like the water of the Ocean cleare and salt Strabo li. 16 obserueth that this sea was so called from Erithraea and thence Mare Arithraeum because the word Erithraeum in Greek signifieth red or purple the Latines call it Mare rubrum and we the red sea This Erithrae was sonne to Perseus and Andromada who sometime◠dwelt in the Island of that sea It is also called the Arabian gulf running from the South to the West and by the Hebrewes Iam-suph a scaly sea all which names are at this day vsed at the vtmos◠bounds hereof are seene the admirable workes of Pharaoh Meco who would haue brought this Sea to the riuer Nilus that so he might haue sailed thence into the Mediterranian Sea But this worke he could not finish being opposed by the wise men of Aegypt Here also growes certaine trees that are as red as Brasill wood Of the misterie of the red Sea AS Moses led the children of Israel through the red Sea and deliuered them from the bondage and captiuitie of the Kings of Aegypt So Iesus Christ the Sonne of God by his precious bloud hath deliuered vs from the house of bondage and the tyranny of Sathan and as Pharaoh and all his host was there drowned so the sinne of Adam Death and the Diuell in that sea of Christs bloud is vtterly drowned and we deliuered from the pit of hell Of Baal-Zephon THis was an Idol erected by the Aegyptians neer to the shore of the Red Sea and is called Baal-zephon that is the Lord of defence and watchfulnesse because as they thought hee resisted fugitiue seruants as Fagius and other Hebrewes obserue being deriued from Baal which signifies a Lord and Zapha that is That hath seene or to behold and see The temple of this Idol stood close by the shore of the Red sea vpon a high hill very curiously wrought so that the children of Israel going through the same could not chuse but see it yet neuerthelesse they went securely when Pharaoh and all his host were drowned notwithstanding that their God of defence was so neere them Of Marah THis is a place in the Desart which took the name of bitternesse distant from Ierusalem 160 miles towards the Southwest Here Moses made the water sweet by throwing in wood The misterie whereof is when Adam and Euah had eaten of the forbidden fruit they brought bitternesse through all the World yea the bitternesse of sin and death but God shewed vnto Moses another tree that is our Lord Iesus Christ who being throwne into the waters of bitternesse afflictions calamities miseries yea and the death of the Crosse for our sakes and sins vnderwent the curse of the Law that so taking away the bitternes we might be made capable of that sweet and delectable place of eternall life Of Elim THis was the sixt resting place of the Israelites in the desart 120 miles from Ierusalem toward the
Southwest and is deriued from Aial which signifies a Hart a strong and swift Creature of which it seems there were great multitudes which resorted to this place to drink and from thence it is called Elim Here stood 12 fountains and 70 Palme trees Of Sin THis was a thorny place in the desart 156 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest Here it rained down Quailes and Manna from heauen being a type of our Sauior Iesus Christ that heauenly Manna which raiseth vs vp vnto eternall life Ioh. 6. and is deriued of Manah which signifies to distribute and therefore Man or Mannah signifies a distributiue gift or meat fallen from heauen distributiuely Sin signifieth a thorny place from Zemeh which signifies a bush for Christ flourisheth in the midst of his enemies as a Lilly amongst thornes Can. 2. Psal 10. Of Raphadim RAphadim was a place where the children of Israell pitched their tents in the desart not far from mount Sinai 132 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest and signifieth a Grasse bench strewed with sweet herbs and floures being deriued from Raphad which is as much to say in our Language as To make a bed or place for one to lie down on Here Moses strook the rock out of which water issued Exod. 17. which was a type of that spirituall Rock Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 10. who being strooke with the staffe of the curse of the Law out of his pretious wounds and side sent forth that Water of life which runneth into eternall happinesse In this place the children of Israel fought against the Amalekites and ouercame them Ex. 17. and here Iethro came vnto Moses where according to his counsell there were seuenty Elders chosen ouer the people Ex. 18. This was a fruitfull and pleasant place Of Mount Sinai SInai is 120 miles from Ierusalem towards the South and because in that place there are many bushes and thorns it is called Sinai for Senaëh signifies a Bush Here the Law which wee call the ten Commandements was giuen not vnfitly because like thornes they prick and vex the hearts and consciences of wicked men It is also called Horeb or Chareb which signifies a place made dry Bernard Breitenbacchus and many others in the moneth of September 1483 went purposely to see this mountaine and with great labor ascended to the top thereof for as he saith it is a great mountain and of an extraordinary height in the lower part round in the vpper part diuided into two tops or mountains one standing toward the West the other toward the East That toward the West is called Horeb that to the East Sinai And from these two it is somtimes called Horeb somtimes Sinai being both one hill of the base Between these there lies a faire and spatious Plain in the middle whereof and as it may be thought in the midst of the mountain there stands a monasterie neere to which there is adioyning a very pleasant Garden and Orchard plentifully furnished with Date trees Fig trees and many others very profitable and pleasant where in antient times were many Monks that continued there But it hapned that a certain number of Pagans in hope to find some booty came from a hauen of the red sea called Thor and vpon a sudden broke in vpon them and put forty of them to the sword from whence it was euer after called the Abby of the forty Martyrs Now it remains desolate few or none inhabiting there onely two Monks of S. Katharines Order and these are also grieuously troubled with the incursions of the Arabians The orchard also is destroyed with locusts and the ground become barren In this orchard there stands a little chappell in which there is a caue where S. Onuphrius the Anchorist liued At the foot of Mount Sina vpon the North standeth the monasterie of Saint Katherin of which the Emperour Iustinian was the first founder it is compassed about with a wall close by it standeth a goodly Orchard furnished with diuers trees of fruit pleasant and delightfull in that there standeth a goodly fountain which watereth all about it In this place there are a great number of poore Monkes which get their liuing by their hands in the desart thereabouts They say that here stood the golden calfe spoken of in the 32 of Exodus And they shew a round stone lying there where they say Moses broke the two Tables that were giuen him by God To pilgrims also they shew the tomb of Saint Katherine standing vpon the right side of the Quire with certain other reliques of hers Vpon the left side of the quire there stands a little doore by which you enter into a place called the Chappell of Saint Marie of the Bush where they shew the place of the Bush in which God appeared vnto Moses And to giue grace vnto their superstitions there may none enter into that place but hee must put off his hose and shooes There is another place where they say God commanded Moses to bring vp Aaron Nadab and Abihu with him and the seuenty Elders with many other superstitious chappels which would be too tedious friuolous to recite Not far from this there standeth also a Mosko of the Sarazens ful as faire and spacious as that of Saint Katherines to which there is adjoyned a certaine Turret hither the Arabians and Sarazens do also often come to visit Saint Katherine At the ascent of the Mount Horeb neere to the Monastery of saint Katherine there standeth a fountaine of very cleare water in the likenesse of a bow made of stone reaching from the one side of it to the other and standeth like vnto an arch or gate A little aboue that at the foot of Mount Horeb is to be seene the caue where Eliah rested when the Lord spake vnto him 1 Reg. 19. Something aboue that the cliffe of the rocke where Moses stood by Gods appointment when he past by and he saw his backe parts Ex. 33. A little beyond that is the top of Mount Horeb where is built a little chappell that hath an iron doore the keyes of which are in the Monkes custody of the Abbie of saint Katherine In this place they say Moses receiued the two tables of stone wherin the ten Commandements were written by the finger of God Ex. 34. There is none that enters into this Chappel but with great reuerence bare foot and bare legged and casting themselues vpon the earth kisse it About fifteene paces from this they shew the Caue wherein Moses fasted fortie daies and fortie nights Exod. 24.34 A little aboue that there is a Moske to which there daily resorts Arabians and Saracens in honour of Moses whom they reuerence as a Prophet Betweene these there lyeth a Well of cold wholesome water which is called Moses Well Here seemeth in times past to haue beene some Monastery for there are diuers ruins of walkes and buildings to be seene This mountain is round and difficult to ascend it is 7000 steps to the top
from thence the red sea the arme therof where Pharaoh was drowned when he followed the children of Israel may easily be discerned Mount Sina is much higher than this and lyeth two daies journey from the Red sea Vpon the top whereof are many rocks and great stones From thence you may see sundry places as a mountain lying in Thebaidaes the great hauen of the red Sea the Desart of Elim and Sur with many others The desarts round about take the name from the height thereof and are called The desarts of Sina Of the Graues of Concupiscence THese Graues are 112 miles towards the South from Ierusalem where the children of Israel lusting after meat were fed by the Lord with Quailes and for their disobedience died miserably It was also called Tabarah which signifies an inflammation being deriued from Baar to burne because here the wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and he strooke the vttermost parts of their Tents with fire from heauen and consumed them Numb 11. Of Hazeroth THis is a place in the desart some 32 miles from Ierusalem towards the South the name thereof being deriued from Chazer which signifieth a Caue about the mouth whereof there groweth long Grasse And therefore from hence Chazer is also taken for Grasse Here Miriam the sister of Moses and Aaron was strooke with leprosie Of Rithmah RIthmah takes name from Iuniper for Rothaem in Hebrew signifies Iuniper It is distant from Ierusalem 112 miles toward the Southeast Heere the children of Israel pitched their Tents Num. 33. and here it is very likely the Angell of the Lord appeared to the prophet Eliah and brought him meat and drinke Of Rimmon Parez IN this place the children of Israel the 16 remoue made their abiding being 108 miles from Ierusalem towards the South-East Here it is thought the children of Israell found great store of Pomegranats whereof diuision was made amongst them For Rimmon is as much as a grained apple or a Pomegranat Parez He hath diuided Of Libnah LIbnah is the 17 place where the children of Israel stayed and was so called of the aboundance of Frankincence that was found there for Libnah signifies white Frankincense This is 104 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest Of Rissa HEere the children of Israel pitcht their Tents being about 100 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southeast it took the name from the fruitfulnesse and aboundance of floures herbes that grow there and is deriued from Rasa which signifies to make moist for there were vsually exceeding pleasant and sweet dewes Of Chehelah CHehelah was the nineteenth place where the children of Israel made their abiding in the desart being 92 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest Num. 33. and signifies a Congregation or Church being deriued from Rahal that is He hath assembled This was a type of the Church where all the Elect and faithful people of God trauel through the wildernes of this wicked world Of Saphar SAphar is a mountaine in the desart of Arabia Petraea 88 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest This was the twentieth Remoue the name of the place beeing so called partly of their tents partly of the roundnesse of the mountains Of Harada HArada was full of wilde beasts which strook the people into a mighty feare so called as beeing deriued from Charada which signifies terror or trembling Here the children of Israell stayed the 21 time it being 80 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest Of Thahath THis is a certain valley 68 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest and is deriued from Tachath which signifieth a ceriain Plaine or low place Of Maceheloth THis was the 22 abiding of the Israelites beeing 72 miles from Ierusalem towards the Southwest Here a congregation of the tribes of Israel was called for Maccheloth signifieth a congregation or meeting together Somtimes it is taken for the Church being deriued from Rahal i. He assembleth together Of Tharah THis was a memorable place in the Wildernesse where the Israelites had a breathing time for now growing neere to the borders of the land of Canaan after so many journies they began to rest themselues because of the warres they were shortly to vndertake And it is deriued of Roah and Tarah which signifieth a breathing time Here was the 24 mansion of the Israelites Of Mithca HEre was the 25 mansion of the Israelites being but 56 miles from Ierusalem toward the Southwest in the vtmost borders of the land of Canaan and no doubt tooke the name from the delightfull and pleasant taste of Grapes For Mitka signifies the same that Mithetk that is to say sweetnesse and pleasantnesse Of Cades Barnea CAdes Barnea a citie of the Idumaeans being deriued of Kadas and Barah that is A holy place is fortie miles from Ierusalem towards the South from this place Moses sent spies into the land of Canaan who brought of the fruit of the Land but all of them discouraged the people onely Caleb wherefore they murmured and the Lord was angry and would not suffer them to enter into the land of Promise So turning their journey they went to Exeongaber 148 miles so that they trauelled in the desart 40 yeares before they could enter into the land of Promise Of this you may reade Gen. 14.16.20 Num. 13.27.33.34 Deut. 1. Psal 29. Ezech. 47. Of Chasmona IN this place the children of Israel set vp their tents a little before they sent spies into the land of Canaan it is not far from Cades Barnea towards the South For the twelue Spies were not sent from the Citie of Cades Barnea but from their Tents and of this still distribution or sending for one out of euery Tribe was chosen it tooke the name For Casmona signifies a still distribution being deriued of Chasca and Manah hee stilly distributed Of Moseroth MOseroth was the 27 mansion of the children of Israel in the wildernesse and distant from Ierusalem 72 miles towards the South where the Lord caused them to returne backe for their murmuring towards the South that so they might liue just forty yeares in the wildernesse Num. 14.33 This place seemeth to take the name therof from Traditions for there Moses repeated to the Israelites the Law of the Lord and for this cause their tents were called Moseroth which signifies Traditions and is deriued of Masar that is to Preach Of Benei Iaacon THis was the 28 mansion of the Israelites so called because there their tents were fairly set vp with pleasant walkes and places about them for Benei Iaaecon signifieth a Building or faire walk being deriued of Bana and Akah that is Hee hath set vp an house and was 96 miles from Ierusalem Southward Num. 33. Of Hor Gidgad AT this mountaine the children of Israel staied a while because it was a fertill and pleasant place as Moses himselfe witnesseth It is 112 miles from Ierusalem toward the South being deriued of Harar a Mountain and Glebam a Plough Plin. l. 20 cp 20. Of Iotbatha THis
oracle which interpreteth For Pathar with the Hebrewes is the same that He hath interpreted is with vs. Wherefore this Prophet trauelled from Pithora or Phatura in Mesopotamia to Abel or the plaine of Vines where his Asse spake Num. 22. which is 400 miles From thence he went to the land of the Moabites 40 miles where in the mount of Peor he blessed the children of Israel So all the trauels of this Prophet were 440 miles Of the Plain of the Vines THere is often mention of this place in the Scripture for the fertilitie of the countrey and plenty of sweet Wines there was a beautifull city built called Abel of the Vines some 56 miles from Ierusalem South-Eastward and was placed iust in the way as they went from Mesopotamia into the country of the Moabites Whereby it appeareth that neere to this place the Asse spake to Balaam Numb 22. In S. Ieroms time there was found a little Village so called where there was great plenty of Vines Here Ieptha ouercame the Ammorites and made a great slaughter Iud. 11. The Trauels of that noble Captaine IOSHVAH IOSHVAH and Caleb trauelled with Moses from Raemsis out of Aegypt through the Red sea and came to Kades-Barnea 26 miles From Cades-Barnea they were sent forth with other Spieâ— to the land of Canaan Num. 13. and went out of the wildernessâ— of Zin and Paran and came to the towne of Rechob in Galileâ— 140 miles From thence they went to the towne of Hamath in Syria which was after called Antiochia 188 miles From Hamath or Antiochia they returned againe to Hebron 304 miles where vpon the side of the riuer Escol they cut offâ— bunch of grapes with the stalke which was as much as both theâ— could beare vpon their shoulders Num. 13. From Hebron they returned againe to Kades-Barnea twentâ— miles There all the people murmured against Moses Num. 1â— Heereby it is to be seene that the Spies in forty dayes trauelleâ— 648 miles in the land of Canaan that is euery day 16 miles and little more After that Ioshuah and Caleb trauelled with Moses and the chiâ—dren of Israel to Ezeon-Gabir and from thence to the towne oâ— Iahza 464 miles From Iahza they past through two kingdoms to mount Libâ—nus 80 miles From mount Libanus they returned againe into the Land oâ— Sittim that lay by the hill Pisgah in the field of the Moabiteâ— 80 miles From the land of Sittim they past through the riuer of Iordâ—â— and came to Gilgal 6 miles where Ioshuah pitched his Campe Num. 21. Ios 4.5 From Gilgal he went to Iericho 2 miles there he assailed the towne with the sound of basons and won it Ios 6. From Iericho he went to Ai being 4 miles and took and burnt the whole towne Ios 7.8 From Ai he returned to Gilgal 4 miles and there vpon the hil of Ebal he built an altar vnto the Lord and there were the blessings and cursings pronounced Ios 8. Deut. 27. From Gilgal hee went to Gibeon twelue miles There the Sunne stood still during the battaile against the three Kings Ioshuah 10. From Gibeon he went to Ajalon 2 miles here the Moon stood still Ios 10. From Ajalon he went to Aseka 4 miles there it hailed vpon the enemies that fled before Israel Ios 10. From Aseka Ioshuah returned againe into the Camp at Gilgal 20 miles Ios 10. From Gilgal hee went to Makeda where hee hanged the fiue Kings Ios 10. From Makeda he went to Libna 2 miles and tooke the towne Ios 10. From Libna he went to Lachis 8 miles From Lachis he went to Eglon 8 miles From Eglon he went to Hebron which is sixteene miles Ioshuah 10. From Hebron he went to Debir a mile Ios 10. After that Ioshuah with one continued War won all that part of Iudaea which lay towards the South bordering Eastward vpon the Dead Sea Southward vpon Cades-Barnea Westward vpon Asdod and Gaza and Northward vpon Gibeon and Gilgal This circuit of land containeth about one hundred fifty and sixe miles From Gilgal Ioshuah went out with his army about 22 miles to the riuer of Merom where he slew the rest of the Kings of the Canaanites in a memorable battell Ios 11. From the riuer of Merom Ioshuah chased his enemies and followed them to Sidon which was 612 miles Ios 11. From Sidon he went again to Hazor 32 miles which town he burnt Ios 11. After that Ioshuah at one time won all the townes in the Holy land which lay Northward in the lands of Samaria and Galilea from Gibeon to mount Libanus and from the riuer of Iordan to the great sea called Mare Mediterranean which countries in circuit contain 280 miles After that Ioshuah returned again to his camp at Gilgal which lay 72 miles from the towne of Hazor where he made a diuision of the land amongst the children of Israel Ios 14 15. From Gilgal he went to Shilo 12 miles where he made an end of diuiding the land Ios 18. From Shilo he went to Timnah Sera eight miles and there he dwelt for the children of Israel gaue him that town for his own inheritance Ios 19. From Timnah Sera Ioshuah not long before hee died came to Sichem forty miles There he assembled all the tribes of Israel Ios 24. From Sichem he returned againe to Timnah Sera 40 miles where he died and was buried Ios 24. So all the trauels of Prince Ioshuah were 2392 miles The description of the seuerall townes and places to which Ioshuah trauelled ¶ Of Rechob THis was a city of the Levits in the tribe of Ashur 100 miles from Ierusalem toward the North Num. 13. and signifieth a broad street being deriued from Radhab that is To extend out in length Of Haemah or Chaemah THis was a city of the Levits in the Tribe of Nepthaly and was 100 miles from Ierusalem vpon the vtmost bounds of the holy land at the foot of Antilibanus Num. 11.34 Ios 19. deriued from Chamah that is furious or burning with anger Of Gilgal THis was a town between Iordan the city Iericho 12 miles from Ierusalem Southeastward where the children of Israel hauing past the riuer of Iordan first made war vpon all the Nations of the land of Canaan Here they solemnised the first paschal Lambe After they came into this land Manna ceased because they then ate the fruits of the countrey Here Ioshuah taking 12 stones out of Iordan pitcht them vp for a memorial Here the tabernacle of God stayed for a time which was the reason that afterward the Israelites committed idolatry in this place Ios 4.5 Hos 2.4.9 Amos 5. Neere to this place Ehud the third Iudge of the Children of Israel receiued gifts of them to carry to Eglon King of the Moabites dwelling at Iericho where hee killed him with a knife Here Saul was the second time confirmed King of Israel 2 Sam. 10. and as it seemes taketh name of Roundnesse Ioshuah at this time building his tent in a circular fashion for Galal
much the more remarkable for that as some say snow lieth continually vpon the top of it so that a far off it seemeth white Of the riuer Iordan IOrdan is a pleasant sweet riuer watering the holy land whereof you may read before It is named Iorden at Caesarea Philippi a little from the foot of Antelibanus 104 miles from Ierusalem Northward it passeth through the lake Samachoniten and diuiding it into two equall parts from thence running thorow a great part of Galilee it falls into the sea Tyberias there as it were diuideth it into two parts it watereth that part of Iudaea called Samaria and about Easter which is the beginning of that haruest it floweth ouer the banks and fructifies many countries lying neere it at length it falleth into the lake Asphaltites and there endeth about 14 miles from Ierusalem Eastward So that from the first beginning of this Riuer to the end of it is 92 miles It is called Palah by the Hebrewes which signifieth swift and hidden because it riseth from a certain wel or pit called Phiala which is alwaies full of water but from whence it springeth is vnknown Ioshuah about Easter passed vpon dry ground through this riuer euen then when it was fullest of water Ios 3. So did Eliah Elisha 2 Reg. Here Naaman the leper washt himself 2 Reg. 5 Here Christ was baptised by S. Iohn Baptist Mat. 3. Luke 3. Of Hazor THis was a town in the vpper Galilee belonging to the tribe of Nepthali it was the chiefe Hold and city of the king of the Canaanites being distant from Ierusalem 80 miles towards the North. This Ioshuah destroyed with fire and sword Deborah also the Prophetesse besieged it tooke it and put Iabin the King thereof to death In times past it was a very strong city as the ruines thereof testifie Of Siloh SIloh the city and house of God was scituate on a high mountain in the tribe of Ephraim 4 miles and somwhat better from Ierusalem towards the North. Here the Arke of the Couenant continued from the time that the Israelites first entred into the land of Canaan till Eli the Priest fetcht it thence in whose time it was taken by the Philistims and he for very griefe therefore fel downe and brake his necke against a stone 1 Sam. 4. The inhabitants hereabouts shew the ruines of a certaine sepulchre standing vpon the top of this mount where they say Samuel was buried but that canot be true for he was buried at Ramath which now is called Arimathea Therefore it seems to be either the ruins of Elies sepulchre who died miserably in that place or else of the House of the Lord which many yeares past stood there Schiloh signifies Happy and peaceable being deriued from Schalah that is to liue at ease and in peace Of Timnah Of this you may reade in the Trauels of IVDAH The type and mysterie of IOSHVAH IOshuah and Iesus is all one in signification that is Sauour or a Defender and did typically represent our Sauior Christ that as this Ioshuah brought the children of Israel through Iordan into the land of Canaan so Iesus Christ the true Ioshuah and Sauiour of the world through that Iordan of Baptisme bringeth vs into that place of Promise Eternall life Where the one and thirty Kings dwelt ouercome and slain by IOSHVAH Ios 10. AS the Prophet Moses won all the land vpon the one side of Iordan so Ioshuah won all the Countrey on the other from the towne of Baalgadan beginning at mount Libanus not farre from Mount Hebron till you come to the town of Caesarea Philippi and to the hill Seir where somtime Esau dwelt all which is 160 miles long and 28 or 32 miles broad The first King that Ioshuah ouercame dwelt in Iericho The second King held his court in Ai. The third King dwelt in Ierusalem and was called Adoni-Zebec that is a Lord of Righteousnesse This King Ioshuah hanged at Makeda Ios 10. The fourth King called Hoham dwelt at Hebron and was likewise hanged at Makeda Ios 10. The fift King called Percam dwelt at Iarmouth in the tribe of Iuda 20 miles from Ierusalem Westward The 6 King called Iaphia dwelt at Lachis 2 miles from Iarmouth Southward He was also hanged at Makeda Ios 10. The seuenth King dwelt at Eglon called Debir and was also hanged at Makeda The 8 King was called Horam and held his princely seat in the tribe of Dan in the town of Gezer 16 miles from Ierusalem westward whom Ioshuah slew with all his men Ios 10. The ninth King dwelt at Debir The tenth King held his court at Gerar in the tribe of Iudah 14 miles from Ierusalem Westward The 11 King dwelt at Harma in the Tribe of Iudah which is vpon the borders of Arabia deserta not far from Ziclag 40 miles from Ierusalem Southwestward this town in times past was called Zephal that is a watch-tower because it stood vpon a hill But when the children of Iuda had ouerthrowne the whole army of the Canaanites they called it Haram a Curse Iud. 1. The 12 King dwelt at Arat 22 miles from Ierusalem Southward which was a towne of the Ammorites and tooke the name from the Asses that were in great troups within the woods thereabout It lay in the tribe of Iuda The 13 King dwelt at Libnah in the tribe of Iuda The 14 King dwelt at Odullam The 15 King dwelt at Makeda In this towne Ioshuah hanged fiue Kings Ios 10. The 16 King dwelt at Bethel The 17 King dwelt at Tapnah not far from Iordan Iericho 12 miles from Ierusalem Northeastward The 18 King dwelt at Hepher 6 miles from Ierusalem Northward part of this towne was allotted to the tribe of Zabulon Ionas the Prophet was borne in this towne 2 Reg. 14. and is 4 miles distant from the town of Nazareth Southward The 19 King dwelt at Apheck 44 miles from Ierusalem Northward and 2 miles from Iesreel There also the Arke of the Lord was taken and there also the sons of Eli the high priest were slain 1 Sam. 4. This town was in the halfe tribe of Manasses The 20 King dwelt at Lazaron 18 miles and a half from Ierusalem Northwestward not far from Ioppen and Lidda The 21 king dwelt at Nadan 14 miles from Ierusalem Northwestward The 22 King dwelt at Hazor The 23 King dwelt at Simron which town was allotted to the tribe of Zabulon Ioshuah 14. It lieth sixty eight miles from Ierusalem Northward not farre from the town of Nazareth in Galilee The 24 king dwelt at Achsap 88 miles from Ierusalem Northward which town was allotted to the tribe of Aser The 25 King dwelt at Tanaach 44 miles from Ierusalem this town belonged to the Levits and stood in the tribe of Manasses 6 miles from Iesreel Southward Ios 21. The 26 King dwelt at Megiddo 44 miles from Ierusalem Northward scarce 4 miles from Taanach By this towne of Megiddo Iosias King of Iuda was ouerthrown by Pharaoh Necho
a palme tree between Bethel and Ramath in mount Ephraim eight miles from Ierusalem towards the North the inhabitants thereabouts shew this tree euen to this day Barak the sonne of Abineam a noble Captaine liued in her time at Kades a citie of refuge belonging to the Leuites She succeeded Ehud in An. man 2632 and before Christ 1336 yeares The Trauels of Deborah and Barak BArak went first from Kades Naphtaly to the Palme tree where Deborah dwelt which are 84 miles From thence he went with Deborah backe againe to Kades which are 84 miles From Kades with 10000 men they went to the hill Thabor 36 miles Here as Iosephus writeth lib. antiq 4. there fell such a shoure of raine and haile vpon the enemies of the Israelites that through the extreme violence thereof they were dispersed and Sisera their captaine constrained to leaue his chariot and to saue himselfe by flight neuer staying till he came to the Tabernacle of Iael the wife of Hebar the Kenite scituated in the valley of Zaaenaim 36 miles from the foot of the mountaine Thabor where being asleep by reason of his great journey Iael strooke a naile into the temple of his head so he died From thench Barak pursued the enemies with great slaughter to Haraseth of the Gentiles a Citie in the vpper Galile neere to the lake of Samachoniten 28 miles This citie is 80 miles from Ierusalem towards the North Ioseph Ant. lib. 5. From Haraseth he went to the plaine of Zaaenaim where hee found Sisera slain in the tabernacle of Iael as Deborah the prophetesse had told him From thence Barak with all his armie went to Hazor where Iabin king of the Canaanites kept his court and of a sudden conquered the citie and put to death all the inhabitants Ioseph Antiq. lib. 5. Of Thabor THabor is a round high hill scituated vpon the borders of the tribes of Issacher and Zabulon 56 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and extendeth it selfe to the riuer Kison towards the South and taketh the name of light or a pure aire being deriued of Bo To goe and come Tebuah To bring forth fruit and To giue light For this mountaine Thabor by reason of the puritie of the aire is wonderfull fertile and fruitfull There was also a towne at the foot of it called by the same name Here the kingâ— of the Midianites Zeba and Zalmuna were slaine by Gideon Of Hazor THis is a great citie in the tribe of Nepthali 80 miles from Ierusalem towards the North which Ioshuah destroyed with fire and sword so did Barak also The ruines of this citie is to be seene to this day The Mistery of Deborah THe word Deborah signifies a Bee and is a memorable type of the Church For as a Bee in all her actions soundeth pleasantly so the members of Gods Church in all their actions sing and sound forth the praises of God or by continuall prayers implore his ayde and assistants with the Bee sucking from the floures of the holy Scriptures the sweet and acceptable doctrine of faith by which the hope of euerlasting life is strengthned in vs with the sting of Gods word repulsing all vaine delusions and idle imaginations the temptations of the Diuel and those waspish affections of cruell and wicked men according to that of Ecclesiasticus The Bee is but small yet bringeth forth most pleasant fruit and presenteth vnto man many memorable instructions And as Plato saith The King of Bees although without a sting yet ruleth and gouerneth his Commonwealth with great seueritie and justice So Christ the head of the Church though he be a delectable Sauiour of soules and without any sting of bitternesse yet doth hee rule and gouerne it with singular justice and sinceritie Of Barak AFter Deborah was appointed Iudge of Israel shee ordained Barak for her chiefe Commander or Captaine He taketh his name from Thunder and Lightning typically representing the glory of Christ Iesus as chiefe Captaine of the Church who with the thunder of the Law and the bright shining glory of the Gospell destroyed the enemies thereof and by the hosts of Angels and Saints at the end of the World will cast them downe with thunder and lightning into that bottomlesse pit there to remaine for euer Of the trauels GIDEON DEborah being dead Zaeba and Zalmuna Kings of the Medianites cruelly inuaded the Land of Iudaea but the Lord taking compassion vpon his People sent them a helper one GIDEON the sonne of Ioas of the family of Abiezer who was borne at Ophra or Ephron a Citie in the Tribe of Manasses not far from Mahanaim on the East side of Iordan some foure and forty miles from Ierusalem towards the North-East and signifieth a Rooter out from GADA That is Hee hath rooted out This man at the appointment of the Lord tooke vpon him the charge of the people and at Ophra which signifies Dust he destroied the Idol Baal pitching vp in that place an Alter to the Lord wherefore he was after called Ieru-Baal taking that name from Reuenge because he had destroied the Idol He began to rule in Israel in the yeare of the World 2672 and before Christ 1296. From Ophra Gideon went to Harad which standeth in the halfe Tribe of Manasseth where he blew the Trumpet From this place he sent back 22000 of his army because the Lord had so appointed But the Midianites hearing of this preparation prouided a great host and pitched in the valley of the hill Moreh so Gideon taking onely 300 with him went ouer Iordan and came to the towne of Iesrael for Iosephus saith 16 miles from Harod where he gaue the Midianites a wonderfull ouerthrow Iudg. 7. hee also tooke there two princes Oreb and Zeb and returned to the riuer Iordan where he put them to death From thence he went to Succoth with his army in expectation to haue refreshed themselues but the inhabitants shut him out of the towne and gaue him many despightfull words This towne lay close by Iordan and here Iacob sometime pitched his Tent. From thence he went to Penuel which is two miles there also they vsed him vnkindly and gaue him bad language From thence he went to Nobach with his army which is two miles From thence he went to Iagbetha which is 4 miles where he conquered Zaeba and Zalmuna Kings of the Midianites who thinking themselues secure made no preparation for warre till they were besieged This was a memorable battell and here the two Kings were put to death From thence he followed the enemy with a great slaughter to Carkor which is foure miles From thence he went backe to Succoth which is 8 miles here he put the inhabitants of this Towne to the sword and all the Elders and Princes he tore to pieces with thornes because they had formerly denied him entrance into the citie From thence hee went to the Castle of Penuel which is two miles and vtterly destroied it euen to the ground and put all
and the Canaanites lâ—sem Dan being deriued of Laeschaem which signifieth a Lion The trauels of the Danites THe army of the Danites went from Zarea and Esthaol to Kiriathiearim and there pitched their tents which is 16 miles Iudg. 15. From thence they went to mount Ephraim to the house of Micha and tooke his carued Image and his Leuite from him which was eight miles Iudges 15. From thence they went to Lais 104 miles So all the Trauels were 128 miles Of Kiriath-jearim KIriath-jearim was a city of the Levits in the tribe of Iuda vpon the borders of the tribe of Benjamin about a mile from Ierusalem Westward It somtime belonged to the Gibeonites Ios 9. and signifies a city of the desart or woods beeing deriued from Kiriah which signifies a city and Iaar a wood or Forrest Here stood the arke of the Couenant after it had bin in the land of the Philistines seuen moneths and stood in the house of Abinadab whose son Eliazer because he was of the family of the Leuites by consent of the children of Israel was consecrated priest thereof to attend and keep it here it remained 48 yeares till Dauid fetched it thence with great ioy 1 Sam. 7. 2 Sam. 6. 1 Chr. 14. Here Saul was anointed King by Samuel here the company of the Prophets that is the scolers of the Wise came downe from the more eminent places where the arke of God was with holy songs and instruments of musick and the Spirit of the Lord came vpon Saul and he sung and praised God with them They called this the Hill of God because the Arke of the Couenant stood in it 1 Sam 10. Here Ionathan the sonne of Saul thrust out a garrison of the Philistimes which held this towne in subiection 1 Sam. 14. Neere to this place was the valley Rephaim or of the Gyants where Dauid won a memorable battel against the Philistims and pursued them with great slaughter euen to the plain of Perizim 2 Sam. 15. The Trauels of the Leuite whose Concubine the Inhabitants of Gibeon most wickedly abused THis Leuite dwelt in Ramath in mount Ephraim from whence he went to Bethlehem Iuda which is 16 miles to fetch back his concubine or rather his wife which was the daughter of a certain citizen in Bethlehem but a bond seruant not free such they called concubines because they had neither the honor to be mistresse of the house neither could their posteritie inherit in lands or goods of their father although before God they were lawfull wiues Iudg. 19. From Bethlehem they returned back again on foot to Ierusalem which then was called Iebus because the Iebusits inhabited there Which is 6 miles Iudg. 19. From thence they went to Gibeah not far distant from the city Gibeon where after Saul kept his Royall seat 1 Sam. 22. Here the Gibeonites abused the Levits concubine Which was almost 4 miles From thence he went home to his own city Ramath in Mount Ephraim and there cut the dead body of his wife in 12 parts and sent them throughout all the tribes of Israel Which is 8 miles So all his trauels were 34 miles Of Ramath THis was a city in Mount Ephraim some 8 miles from Ierusalem toward the North and signifieth a high and lofty Citie being deriued of Rom that is It was high This towne Baësa King of Israel would haue fortified and repaired after it had bin decayed but hee was hindred by Benhadad King of the Syrians that he could not finish what hee had begun There were many townes and Cities of this name as Ramoth where Ahab dwelt 1 Reg. 22. Ramathaim Sophim or Arimathia where the prophet Samuel dwelt 1 Sam. 1. and there where the Ark of God stood not far from Gibeah was called Ramah also Iudg. 19. There was another Ramath in the tribe of Nepthali Ios 19. all of them being so called because they stood vpon very high mountains The Trauels of the Children of Israel when they fought against the Benjamites FRom Mizpah in the land of Gilead where they appointed to meet for in the enemies land they could not assemble themselues the whole army of the Israelites went to the Arke of God in Shilo which was about 48 miles From thence they went with their army to Gibeah where they lost 22000 of their men which is 2 miles From thence they returned to Shilo and intreated God for aid which was two miles Iudg. 20. From thence they went the second time to Gibeah and entred battell againe with the enemy but because they trusted in their own strength therefore in this second expedition there were slain 18000 of their men Which was two miles Iudg. 20. From thence the whole Army of the Israelites returned backe again and before the Lord in Shilo lamented the ouerthrow they had twice sustained and with earnest prayers implored his ayd that they might obtain the victorie Which was 2 miles Iud. 20. From thence they returned the third time to Gibeah there with great expedition renued the war because they trusted in God and not to their own strength they put to the sword 25000 of the Benjamits and won a notable victorie Iudg. 20. which was 2 miles Hauing taken and burnt the city of Gibeah with fire they returned backe vnto the town of Shilo which is two miles there before the Lord they began to lament the calamitie of the tribe of Benjamin saying Wherefore hath this thing hapned that one of the Tribes should be rooted out before thee Iudg. 21. From thence they went to Iabes in Gilead and besieged and tooke it and destroyed it to the ground which is 52 miles From thence they returned back again to Shilo with them brought 400 maids which they gaue to the Benjamites to bee their wiues Iudg. 21. Which was 52 miles So all the trauels of the children of Israel were 164 miles Of Iabes THis was a city in the land of Gilead 52 miles from Ierusalem toward the Northeast the inhabitants whereof buried the bones of Saul and Ionathan his son 1 Sam. 31. it is deriued of Iabesh which signifieth a dry city Here endeth the booke of IVDGES The trauels of ELIMELECH and his wife NAOMI ELIMELECK and his wife went from Bethlehem Iuda into the Land of the Moabites where he died which is 40 miles From thence she returned with her daughter in law Ruth to Bethlehem Iuda where Boez married Ruth which was fortie miles So their Trauels were 80 miles The first Booke of SAMVEL The Trauels of HANNA the mother of the Prophet SAMVEL HEr husband Elkana and she went from Ramathaim Sophim in mount Ephraim to Shilo the house of the Lord which was 12 miles where by earnest prayers she obtained of the Lord a sonne 1 Sam. 1. From thence shee returned backe againe to Ramathaim Sophim and there Samuel was borne 1 Sam. 1. which was 12 miles From thence she went to Shilo to present her sonne before the Lord and hee remained
carrieth the smell vnto the red sea and they that saile can easily discerne the sweetnesse of the aire There is gold also found there very fine and pure insomuch as for the goodnesse of it it is called Arabian gold The Phoenix is found there of which there is but one in the world Pliny lib. 9. cap. 35. describes her to be as big as an Eagle with a list of feathers like gold about her necke the rest are of a purple colour therefore from Phoenicea and the purple colour of her wings shee is called Phoenix Shee hath a tuft of feathers vpon her head like vnto a crowne Shee liueth 660 yeares at the end of which time she buildeth her a nest of Cassia Cinnamon Calamus and other pretious Gummes and herbs which the Sun by the extremitie of the heate and the wauing of her wings fires and she taking delight in the sweetnesse of the sauor houers so long ouer it that she burnes her selfe in her owne nest Within a while after out of the marrow of her bones and the ashes of her body there groweth a worme which by little and little increaseth to some bignesse and after to a purple bird Then her wings extend themselues to a full greatnesse till such time as she commeth to be a perfect Phoenix This Bird doth liuely represent our Sauiour Christ who only and alone is the true Messiah and through whom we must expect euerlasting life who in the fulnesse of time offered himself a Sacrifice vpon the Crosse sustaining the punishment for sin at the time of his Passion putting on a purple robe being all be sprinkled with his owne bloud Ioh. 19. And as the Phoenix is burnt in her owne nest so likewise was hee consumed in the fire of Gods wrath according to that in the 22 Psal My heart is become like melting wax in the middest of my body And as the Phoenix of it selfe begetteth another of the same kinde so Christ by the power of his Deitie raised vp his body from the dust of the earth and ascended vp into heauen a glorious body to sit at the right hand of his father in that euerlasting Kingdome of glory Thus gentle Reader I thought fit to describe vnto you these two townes that when you shall reade of them in the holy Scripture the one being in Aethiopia towards the South the other in Arabia Foelix and called Seba you might discerne the one from the other of both which there is mention in the 72 Psalme The Kings of the Sea and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Saba and Seba shall giue gifts The Trauels of King Pharaoh out of Aegypt when he ouercame the Towne of Gazer 1 Reg. 9. IN the 16 yeare of King Dauid Anno mundi 2906 and before Christ 1602 Chabreus King of Aegypt began to raigne and raigned 56 yeares Diod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Herodotus calleth this man Chephrines in his second booke and Eusebius Nepher Cherres He went from Memphis the chiefe Citie of Aegypt with a great armie 268 miles euen vnto the tribe of Ephraim and there tooke Gazer a Citie of the Leuites and burned it with fire 1 Reg. 8. Ios 21. After he came to Ierusalem which was 28 miles And this city which he had thus destroied he gaue to his daughter the wife of Solomon 1 Reg. 9. From thence he returned to Memphis in Aegypt 244 miles So all the Trauels of King Pharaoh were 244 miles Of Memphis MEmphis is a great city in Egypt where commonly the kings of that country keepe their Courts and lyeth from Ierusalem 244 miles South-westward This citie was built a little before the floud but repaired and enlarged by a king called Ogdoo who in loue of his daughter after her name called it Memphis You may reade of it in the ninth of Hosea called there by the name of Moph for thus he saith The people of Israel are gone out of the land of Ephraim because of their Idolatrie into Aegypt but Aegypt shall gather them vp Moph that is Memphis shall bury them Moph or Mapheth in this place signifieth A prodigious wonder but the rest of the Prophets call it Noph for the fertilitie pleasantnes of the country as you may reade Esa 19. The Princes of the Zoan are become foolish and the Princes of Noph or of Memphis are deceiued See also Ierem. 2.44.46 Ezech. 30. in which places you may find it called after this name Zoan is the citie Tanis where Moses wrought all his miracles But Noph or Moph is this Memphis a beautifull towne large and spacious scituated in the strongest and profitablest place in Aegypt diuided into two parts by the riuer Nilus so that any kind of commodities or merchandise might with ease bee brouht thither by water for which cause the kings of that countrie for the most part kept their abiding there Strabo saith lib. 17. That vpon the East part of this citie there standeth a Tower or Castle called Babylon built by certaine Babylonians who leauing their owne countrey by the permissions of the kings of Egipt dwelt there in after times there was placed a garrison in it one of the three which were for the defence of Aegypt and by Ptolomy was called Babilon through both which viz. Memphis and Babilon Nilus passed the one standing vpon the East side the other vpon the West Zoan or Tanis stood about some foure miles from this towne and was a faire spacious citie also scituated towards the South vpon the East side of Nilus to which the kings of that country often resorted and Heliopolis anothet faire citie stood some six miles off that towards the Northeast All these foure townes were so wonderfully inhabited by reason of their pleasant profitable scituation that in processe of time they become all one citie and in this age is called Alcaire containing in circuit 60 miles so that it seemeth to spectators to be like a country replenished with nothing but fair houses goodly churches strong towers exceeding all the rest of the cities of Egypt aswell for the beautifulnesse of the place as the extent and largenesse of it It is reported that in the yeare of our Lord 1476 there was such an extreme pestilence in it that there died 20000 a day from whence may be gathered how infinitely it is peopled Neere to this towne stood the Pyramides which are held to he one of the wonders of the World as Strabo saith lib. 17. the height of one of them was 625 foot and square on each side 883 foot it was twentie yeares a building a hundred thousand workemen emploied about it whence it may be easily gathered how hard and difficult it was in those times to get stone it being for the most part brought from Arabia and at what an excessiue charge they were that set vp them Of Gazar This Citie is described in the Trauels of Solomon The Trauels of Hadad King of Idumaea WHen Dauid conquered Idumaea Hadad
day The siege continued euen till the 11 yere of this king Ierem. 39.52 2 Reg. 25. And vpon the 9 day of the 4 moneth Thamus which agreeth with the tenth day of Iuly the City was taken and Zedekiah was put to flight Vpon the 7 of the 5 moneth Ab Nabusaraden chiefe captaine of the army was sent backe by Nabuchadonezar into Iudaea where he destroied and burned the houses and buildings of the citie of Ierusalem Ierem. 52. vpon the tenth day of the fifth Moneth Ab which answereth to the ninth day of Argust being the Sabbath day the temple of Ierusalem was set on fire Ier. 52. de bello Iudaei lib. 6. cap. 26. 27. This first captiuitie and destruction of the citie of Ierusalem by Nabuchadonezar that great Emperor happened anno mundi 3362 and before Christ 606. Three hundred and nintie yeres being then fully compleat and ended from the first yeare of Iaroboam King of Israel who set vp the golden calues and caused them to be worshipped For after the end of these yeares according to the prophecie of Ezekiel cap. 4. the sins of Ieroboam should be grieuously punished vpon the people of Iudah In like manner from the end of the 13 yere of Iosiah wherin Ieremie first began to prophecie vntill this yeare in which the children of Israel were carried away captiue into Babylon are numbred 40 yeares which by Ezek. cap. 4. are called the yeares of the iniquitie of Iuda because so long the Iewes did contemne and despise the admonition of the Prophet Ieremie Of Babylon HOw far this citie stood from Ierusalem you may reade before which by the Chaldaeans is called Shinear or Sinear and signifies To strike vpon the teeth being deriued of Schen A tooth and Naer To strike It may also bee taken for that when a man endeauoured with all speed to execute a thing which seemes to resemble the condition of Nimrod for that in this place he endeuoured to ouercome and conquer all his neighbours from whence this land was called Casdius that is The countrey of the destroyer So changing M into L it is called Chaldeus or Chaldaea The chiefe and Metropolitan citie of which countrie was this Babylon built some thirtie yeares after the floud by Nimrod or the Babylonian Saturne the first great commander of the world according to Berosus lib. 4. who writeth after this manner Nimrod which was accounted the sonne of Iupiter Belus being angry with the holy Priests of that great God Iehouah came with his colonie and people into the field of Sinear where hee built a citie and laid the foundation of a great tower 131 yeares after the floud and raised this tower to such a height and withall of such a hugenesse that it seemed as if it had beene some great mountaine because he would haue the Babylonian people accounted the chiefest and greatest in the world also their gouernor the King of Kings A little after he saith he built this tower but before he could finish it dyed in the 56 yeare aftet he began it wherefore the citie and tower of Babylon according to the opinion of Berosus was begun in Anno mundi 1788 which was 131 yeares after the flood and before Christ 2180. There were two causes wherefore the children of men built vp this Tower first that they might get them a name secondly that they might be safe in case there came another flood to drowne the world It was made of bricke and bittume least the water should loosen it But the Lord turned their enterprises into euill and diuided their Language so that they could not vnderstand one another whereby they were constrained to leaue off their building from whence it happened that their mindes manners vnderstandings studies and principall actions were vtterly changed and is the foundation of all discord and sedition where the feare of God and the true knowledge of Christ doth not preuent it From this diuision of tongues it is called the citie of Babylon this is the citie of diuision being deriued of the word Balal he hath confounded or mingled together Of this city you may reade in Ios lib. 1. cap. 9. where he bringeth in a saying of the Sibels which was That when all nations were of one language they built an exceeding high tower as though they would haue ascended by it into heauen but the Lord with great tempest and diuiding their tongues subuerted their enterprise from whence it was called Babylon This citie was the fairest in those times of all others scituated in a spacious plaine vpon euery side whereof there stood pleasant orchards and gardens it was built foure square compassed about with wals of an incredible strength and greatnesse being 50 cubits thicke and 200 high beautified within with goodly buildings fair temples richly guilt with gold and wonderfull to looke vpon It was in compasse 380 furlongs as Strabo saith which make 48 miles Through it ran the riuer Euphrates by which all things necessarie were conueyed to the Citie without it was compassed with faire ditches fil'd with water like riuers and in the wall there stood a hundred gates Herodotus saith That it was 480 furlongs about which make 60 miles English but that is not so credible The first founder of this citie was Nimrod who in those times was the chiefe commander of the world It is thought that he was the sonne of Cham the sonne of Noah whose name signifies a cruell gouernor or an vnmercifull tyrant And that his actions might be according to the signification of his name he is branded with most perspicuous note of cruelty omitting no violent action whereby he might enlarge his dominions incroching vpon other mens gouerments through a thirstie and ambitious desire of renowne without either respect of equitie or humanitie And to adde euill to euill committed many outrages vpon such as were accounted good men and the Priests of the great God Iehouah from whence there grew in him a more than humane resolution accounting himselfe in this world a god and through this opinion grew into contempt of all good things compelling such as were his subjects and vassals to do him worship and reuerence as to a diuine power which being ingraffed into the hearts of such as followed in succeeding ages they countenanced it with authority from whence it came to passe that he was inrolled into the number of their principall gods giuing him the name of Saturne whom the Hebrewes calleth Sudormin which elegantly imployeth Saturne Berosus saith that the Babylonian Iupiter succeeded this Nimrod whose authoritie I am willing to follow to auoid prolixitie This man so much inlarged the Citie that many in succeeding ages haue attributed the foundation thereof vnto him He ruled ouer it sixtie and one yeares After him succeeded Ninus or as some will haue it Nimrod the second who began his raigne Anno mundi 1909 before Christ 2061 he did many worthy acts during his life and added to the Empire of Babylon many Prouinces
and after hee had raigned 50 yeares dyed and was buried in Babylon After him succeeded Semiramis his wife who tooke vpon her the gouernement of the Assirian Empire her sonne Ninus being then within age and she began her gouernment Anno mundi 1959 before Christ 2009. Shee was one of the manliest and resolute women that we reade of and performed as many worthy and memorable actions This Queene built her sepulchre ouer the most eminent gate of Babylon in a publike and perspicuous place vpon which shee caused to be written in golden letters If there be any King of Babylon that shall come after me and stand in need of mony let him open this sepulchre and whatsoeuer he wanteth hee shall finde but before it will not be good for him to touch it This notwithstanding it continued till the raigne of Darius who opened this monument in hope to finde what the superscription imported but no money was there to bee had onely within might plainely be seene engrauen other letters to this effect Vnlesse thou hadst beene vnsatiably couetous thou wouldest neuer haue opened the graues of the dead in hope of gaine This woman beautified Babylon with many goodly buildings built vp the walles thereof set a bridge ouer Euphrates made a beautifull Orchard and a Garden in it beautified it with many goodly Towers and fortifications added vnto it many prouinces and gouernments and after all because of her owne lasciuious appetite as Sallust saith was murthered by her son Ninus who succeeded her in the gouernment There were many other memorable things within this Citie that were built before and after her time as Herodotus saith as that great and mighty tower before remembred in which stood the temple of Baelus and his sepulchre Not far from that stood a chappell wherein was the statue of Iupiter all of pure gold worth * What this was in our mony you may see after 800 talents of gold Without that chappell there stood an altar of pure gold vpon which they yearely offered 100000 talents of frankincense There was another also somwhat lesse vpon which they vsed to offer their sacrifices for it was not lawfull for them to offer any thing that had life vpon the greater altar there stood also in that place another statue twelue cubits high all of pure gold This City was after taken by Cyrus the first Emperour of the Persians Anno mundi 3432. before Christ 536. in the seuentieth yeare after the Captiuitie of Israel and Iudah according to the prophecie of Ieremy at which time the City was so great that they which dwelt in the middle of it did not know that the Enemie had entred within the walls at the further end which might happen because vpon that day when it was taken the Babylonians celebrated a Feast vnto Venus in which vsing extraordinarie diligence they were lesse mindfull of such things as hapned vnto them Thus this City that with great tyranny had triumphed ouer the Nations of the earth for the space of 1600 yeares being so plentifully furnished with all things necessary for the maintenance of life that the inhabitants therof contemned al other people was by Gods permission for their pride and presumption wasted and consumed by Cyrus as you haue heard and shortly after vtterly destroyed by Xerxes the fourth Emperor of the Persians and so continueth to this day as Strabo saith Where then ô world is thy prosperitie or Riches thy glory since in the one thou art consumed in the other left desolate Of the ruines of old Babylon that are extant at this day BAbylon which as you haue heard reigned ouer the Nations of the earth like a Queen at this day hath nothing to present you withall but an heap of stones out of the ruins whereof there was built a little towne close by where it stood called Elugo or Felugo scituated vpon the banke of the riuer Euphrates Not far from which it seemes there is a profitable harbor for ships where Merchants oftentimes go a shore and trauell thence through many Woods and desart places vnto Seleucia which at this day is called by the Turks Bagdeth distant thence some 36 miles and is the vtmost towne of the Turkish and Persian Empires towards the East being diuided in the midst by the riuer Tygris Some Merchants haue reported That the place where Babylon stood is become stony vnfruitfull and vnpleasant because of the ruines of the destroyed buildings which lie in the earth Also That there is found a tower built of a blacke stone which to outward appearance seemes to haue bin a very goodly house high and eminent so that vpon the top thereof a man might haue seen through the whole city This tower the Inhabitants of Felugo call the tower of Daniel in which was the chamber where hee vsed to pray vnto the Lord three times a day the windowes whereof looked toward Ierusalem Dan. 6. There is also to be seene diuers arches of the bridge which Semiramis built standing vpon the riuer Euphrates and the foundation of the great tower whose top should haue reached to heauen being in compasse two miles but not very high Within the ruines whereof are found certaine serpents very noisome and venomous about the bignesse of a Lizard hauing three heads and spect with diuers colours which the inhabitants call Eglones There are such a multitude of them that no man dares approch within halfe a mile of it at any time but in the Winter season nor then neither but for the space of a moneth in which time these serpents for the extremitie of the cold are constrained to keep their holes Thus as this Tower was hatefull vnto God in the beginning so likewise hath hee made it hurtfull vnto man euen to this day The Trauels of the Babylonian and Assyrian Kings and Emperours that fought against Israel and Iudah And first of Phul Belochus King of Assyria PHul Belochus that is He returned wasting began to reign among the Babylonians An. mundi 3149. before Christ 819 and gouerned 48 yeares This King or Emperour came from Babylon to Samaria which was 660 miles There he so streightly besieged Menahem King of Israel that he was constrained to giue him * What this was in our mony you may see after 1000 talents of siluer to raise his siege and depart 2 Reg. 15. From Samaria he returned back again to Babylon 660 miles So all the trauels of Phul Belochus were 1320 miles The Trauels of TIGLAT PHVLASSER King of the Assyrians TIglat Phulasser signifies The Assyrian Conquerour He was also called Tiglath Philasser 2 Reg. 15. which name is attributed to him either because he caried away the children of Israel captiue or else because of the conquest that he had of all Galile and ouer the tribe of Nepthali which he carried into Assyria Hee succeeded his father Phul Belochus in the gouernment of the Assyrians An. Mun. 3197. before Christ 771. and reigned 25 yeares When Resin King
Priests to death and prayed vnto the Lord who sent rain vpon the earth in great aboundance 1 Reg. 18. From Mount Carmel he ran by King Ahabs chariot to Iesreel which was accounted 16 miles After when Queene Iesabel threatned his death hee departed thence and went to Beersaba 84 miles 1 Reg. 19. From Beersaba he went one daies journy into the wildernes of Paran because hee thought to remaine there safe from the mischiefe of Iesabel which was 20 miles from Beersaba Southward Here the Angell of the Lord brought him meat as he was sitting vnder a Iuniper tree 1 Reg. 19. By vertue of this meat Eliah trauelled from thence to Mount Horeb or Sinai 80 miles and continued there 40 daies and forty nights without meat or drinke There the Lord spake to Eliah as hee stood in the entrance of a caue his face being couered with his mantle 1 Reg. 19. From the mount Sinai or Horeb he returned to Abel-Mehola which was 156 miles where hee called Elizeus the son of Saphas to the ministeriall function and office of a Prophet 1 Reg. 18. From thence he went to Damascus 124 miles where he anointed Hasael King of Syria 1 Reg. 19. From Damascus Elias went to Mount Carmell where hee dwelt which was accounted 120 miles From mount Carmel he went to Iesreel 16 miles there in the vineyard of Naboth who Iezabel caused to be stoned to death he sharply reprehended Ahab for his impiety and idolatry 1 Reg. 21. From Iezreel he returned back again to his own house to Carmel which was 16 miles From thence he went to Samaria which was 32 miles where he answered the seruants of King Ahaziah whom he had sent to enquire of Baalzebub the idoll of Ekron concerning his health saying Go and tel your master that sent you That the God of Israel saith Because thou hast sent to aske counsel of Baalzebub the idol of Ekron and thinkest there is no God in Israell therefore thou shalt not rise off the bed whereon thou liest but shalt surely die 2 Reg. 1. Soone after Elias returned to Mount Carmel which was 32 miles where the two Captaines with their Companies of fifty that were sent to take him were consumed with fire from heauen 1 Reg. 1. From Mount Carmel he went to Samaria with the third Cap. 32 miles where hee prophecied of the death of King Ahaziah 2 Reg. 1. From Samaria hee returned backe againe to Mount Carmel 32 miles From thence he went to Gilgal 52 miles From Gilgal he went with Elizeus to the towne of Bethel being 6 miles 2 Reg. 2. From thence to Iericho 4 miles 2 Reg. 2. From Iericho hee and Elizeus went to Iordan which was sixe miles through which riuer they went vpon dry ground Now as they were speaking one to another vpon the East side of the riuer behold a fiery chariot came with fiery horses and tooke Elias vp aliue into heauen after he had gouerned the Church 30 yeres an mundi 3056 and before Christ 912 2 Reg. 2. So all the Trauels of Eliah the Prophet were 1033 miles Of the Cities and places to which he trauelled Of Thisbe IN this towne the Prophet Eliah was borne it being scituated in the land of Gilead beyond Iordan 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the Northeast It taketh the name from Captiuitie being deriued of Chabah he hath led into captiuitie Of Kerith THe riuer Kerith where the Rauens fed Elias runneth from Mount Ephraim between Bethel and Iericho 8 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and so passing along towards the East falleth into the riuer Iordan 1 Reg. 17. The Kerethites were such as garded the person of the King which in the Prophet Dauids time were called mighty men taking their name from striking and cutting being deriued of Charath he hath smitten or cut in sunder Of Zarpath or Sarepta THis was a Citie of the Sidonians where they found much mettall of diuers kindes lying betweene Tyrus and Sydon 112 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and taketh the name from Zoraph which signifies To trie or burne with fire There is at this time but eight houses in all the towne although by the ruines it seemeth to haue beene in times past a very faire citie The inhabitants thereof take vpon them to shew the chamber wherein Elias the Prophet sometimes liued when hee raised the widowes childe to life Before the gate of the citie also there is shewed a certaine Chappell where they say Elias first spake with the widow 1 Reg. 17. Of Abelmehola THis was a towne in the tribe of Manasses on this side Iordan in the mid-way betweene Sichem and Salem some 38 miles from Ierusalem Northward At this day it is called Abisena where there are found certaine ruines of Marble pillars by which may be gathered that in times past it hath beene a very beautifull citie It seemeth to haue taken the name from a great Lamentation or Mourning for Abel signifieth To lament and bewaile and Machol A company The typicall signification of ELIAS ELias according to the interpretation of Saint Ierome signifies the minister of Iehouah but as others would haue it Eliah is as much as my God Iehouah He was a type of Saint Iohn Baptist who was sent before to prepare the way of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Chirst Of this you may reade more Malach. 4. Matt. 11.17 Isa 40. c. The trauels of the Prophet Elisaeus or Elisha ELisha followed Elias through diuers countries and became as it were his seruant pouring water vpon his hands and ministring to him 1 Reg. 19. 2 Reg. 3. Elisha went with Eliah from Gilgal to Bethel which was six miles 1 Reg. 19. From Bethel they both went to Iericho which was 4 miles From Iericho he went beyond Iordan 6 miles where his Master was taken from him vp into heauen and his spirit was doubled vpon him 2 Reg. 2. From thence he returned backe again to Iericho which was â— miles passing through the riuer Iordan vpon drie ground by which miracle the children of the Prophets viz. such as studied diuinitie at Iericho did certainly know that the spirit of his master Elias rested vpon him Neere to this towne he flang salt into a riuer by which the water was made sweet 2 Reg. 2. From Iericho Elisha returned to Bethel which was 4 miles here the chldren that mockt him saying Come vp thou bald pate c. in contempt of his age and office were deuoured by 2 Bares 2 Reg. 2. From Bethel he walked to Mount Carmel which was fifty six miles From thence he went to Samaria which was about thirtie two miles From thence he went to the three Kings viz. Ioram King of Israel Iehosaphat King of Ierusalem and the King of the Idumaeans into the desart of Arabia Petraea which was 104 miles here he prayed vnto the Lord and he sent them water lest they should haue perished with thirst 2 Reg. 3. From the Desart of Arabia Petraea hee returned backe to
accomplished they returned home againe But the childe Iesus staied at Ierusalem and his parents knew it not for they thought he had beene among the company Wherefore when they had trauelled a dayes journey that is twentie miles they missed their sonne After they searcht through the companie but could not finde him wherefore they returned backe to Ierusalem being 20 miles where on the third day after they found him in the Temple sitting among the Doctors and disputing with them So the next three daies he returned back again with his parents to Nazereth which was 64 miles and was obedient to them Luke 2. After Iosoph and Mary went euery yeare during the life of Ioseph vp to Ierusalem to the Passeouer and without all doubt took Iesus along with them Thus they continued for the space of three yeares about which time Ioseph died Christ beeing then 16 yeares of age which three yeares trauell of Nazareth to Ierusalem and backe againe commeth to 384 miles From that time forward he continued with his mother till he was 31 yeares of age which was the first yeare of his ministerie Marie his mother being then 45 yeares old was inuited to a marriage in Cana a city of Galile which stood eight miles from Gaâ—ile towards the North-west Iohn 2. Here our Sauiour Christ wrought his first miracle by changing water into Wine From Cana in Galile she went with our Sauiour to Capernaum a city of Galile a little before the feast of the Paschal Lamb which was 20 miles From Capernaum she returned back to Nazareth which was accounted 12 miles In the 32 yeare of the age of our Sauiour Christ which was â—he second of his ministerie Mary went from Nazareth backe againe to Capernaum where our Sauiour Christ cast forth a diuell Matt. 12. Matke 3. which was 12 miles From thence shee returned backe againe to Nazareth which was 12 miles for in this Towne shee dwelt whiles Iesus trauelled from place to place teaching and preaching the word of God Marke 6. And although shee oftentimes went from Nazareth with him to many places continuing still in his company yet then specially when he was to sustaine the wrath of God and punishment for the sinne of man which was in the 34 yeare of his age In which yeare shee would not forsake him till his death for shee went from Galile to Ierusalem with him which was 64 miles a great journey for one of her age being then 48 yeares old And when our Sauiour was crucified shee stood close by the crosse with a heauie and pensiue countenance bewailing the death of her sonne Then was the prophecie of old Simeon accomplished And a sword shall passe through thy soule But after by his glorious resurrection and ascension shee was reuiued and comforted From the passion of Christ to the death of the blessed virgin Marie was 12 yeares All which time shee liued with Iohn the Euangelist in Ierusalem and then being 59 yeares of age dyed and was buried according to the opinion of Nicephorus and others in the garden called Gethsamene So all her Trauels were 3506 miles Now followes the description of the townes and places to which she trauelled Of Nazareth THis was a towne almost of no estimation scituated in a certaine mountaine in Galile the lower sixtie and foure miles and something more from Ierusalem towards the North in the tribe of Zebulon In this Towne our Sauiour Iesus Christ was brought vp Luke 1.2 Some say that it was nineteene or twenty miles from Ierusalem but they mistake themselues yet I will not dispute thereof but follow my authors Iacobus Ziglerus and Tilmanus Stella There is not any mention made of it that is exstant in the old Testament It hath a two fold deriuation the one by Zain and the other by Zade If it bee written by Zaien it may haue a twofold signification since the exposition of this name doth depend vpon the Verbe Nazar which signifies to consecrate and keepe from hence Nezaer a garland of floure or a crowne set with pretious stones c. such as Kings and high Priests are accustomed to weare Also from the same word Nazar is deriued Nazir thence Nazaraeus which is as much to say he is separated from the vse of wine and suffering his haire to bee vncut as being dedicated to the Lord. Therefore our Sauiour Christ is justly called a Nazarite Luke 2. For Naezer first signifies a holy man who hath made a holy vow vnto the Lord Secondly it doth denote a crowne or wreathe of synceritie Exod. 29.39 Thirdly a holy ointment wherewith Kings and Priests were annointed Leuit. 27. and fourthly this word Nezaer signifies a Princely crowne 2 Sam. 1. 2 Kings 11. Psal 89.132 So that Nazareth being deriued of Nazar and Nazir may signifie both a crowne and a holy citie Iudg. 13. but if Nazareth be written by Zade it signifies a flourishing plant or graffe according to that of Isay cap. 11. But there shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Ishai and a graffe shall grow out of his root and the spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him The inhabitants of this Towne at this day shew certaine monuments and reliques of what had happened in preceding ages as two Churches one built there where the Angell Gabriel saluted the blessed Virgin and shee conceiued by the spirit In which there stands three altars hewen out of a rock and the other built as they say where the house of Ioseph and Marie stood because there our Sauiour Christ was brought vp Also they shew a well where the childe Iesus drew water and ministred to his mother They also shew the vast ruines of the sinagogue where our Sauiour Christ expounded the 61 chapter of Isay for which cause they would haue throwne him headlong downe the hill Luke 4. And many other things of which you may reade in Borchardus the Monke In Saint Ieroms time some 40 yeares before Christ Nazareth was a small towne called Nazarah Of the mountaines by which Mary passed when she went to visit her cosen Elizabeth BEtweene Narareth and Ierusalem there standeth many high hils as Mount Gilboa whereon King Saul killed himselfe Mount Grisim and Hebal vpon which hills the blessings and cursings were pronounced Deut. 27. and mount Ephraim vpon which Ehud kild Eglon king of the Moabites Iudg. 13. Ouer this mountaine being very great and steepe Mary trauelled when she went to visit her cosen Elizabeth Of Bethlehem THere were two cities called by this name the one Bethlem Iuda the other Bethlem Euphrata where our sauior Christ was borne and signifies fruitfull or the house of Bread It stood vpon a hil some 6 miles from Ierusalem towards the South The inhabitants take vpon them to shew the place where our sauiour Christ was borne which stood vpon the East side of the Citie close by the wall thereof where as Eusebius sayth Hellen the Mother of Constantine the Great caused to bee built a
the Iewes called Eliazer and caused a Crosse to be set on purpose to haue crucified him but they which were besieged in the towne seeing the pittifull lamentations this young man made promised Bassus if he would spare his life to yeeld vp the towne which he did so the castle being taken the gates of the citie were set open But the Romans fell to the slaughter without mercie put to the sword 1700 persons besides there were a great multitude of women and children carried thence into captiuitie as Iosephus lib. de Bello Iud. 7. cap. 25. affirmeth There were many goodly wells and stately buildings within this city there is cut out in the castle a Rue tree of an admirable greatnesse And in the valley vpon the North side of the Citie the root Baarus is found presenting both in colour and figure a flame There are also found many hot Baithes and Fountaines of wholsome waters But aboue the rest Iosephus maketh mention of one in a caue where two streames issueth as it were out of two duggs the one hot the other cold which two waters being mingled together are very wholesome and cure many diseases but principally the shrinking of the sinewes And this shall suffice concerning the trauels of Iohn the Baptist The Trauels of our Lord and Sauiour Christ in his infancie Matthew 3. Luke 2. FRom Bethlehem the childe Iesus was brought to Ierusalem and there presented in the Temple Anno Mundi 3967 which was 6 miles From Ierusalem Ioseph and Marie when they had accomplished all things in the Temple of the Lord carried the childe Iesus to Nazareth in Galile which was 64 miles From thence Ioseph and Marie brought Iesus backe againe to Bethlehem which was 72 miles Vpon the second day of Ianuary in the second yeare after the natiuitie of Christ the wise men of Persia brought gifts and worshipped him A little after that is about the Ides of Ianuary just the night before the command came from Herod to kill the innocent children Ioseph and Marie went with the childe Iesus through the mountains and desarts of Iudaea into Aegypt to Hermopolis in the land of Gosen which was reckoned from Bethlehem 296 miles From Hermopolis in Aegypt after the death of Herod Iesus was brought backe againe by his parents to Nazareth in Iudaea which was aboue 368 miles When Iesus was twelue yeres of age he went with his parents from Nazareth to Ierusalem to the feast of the Passeouer which was 64 miles And when his parents had lost him and found him againe in the Temple among the learned then he continued in obedience vnto them and went with them from Ierusalem to Nazareth which was 64 miles So his Trauels were 934 miles Concerning the townes and places mentioned in his Trauels you may reade before in the Trauels of the Virgin Marie The trauels of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ from his Baptisme till the first yeare of his Ministrie CHrist in the thirtieth yeare of his age went from Nazereth and came to Bethabara which stood vpon the riuer Iordan where Iohn baptized and vpon the seuenth day of October in the middle of the last weeke spoken of by Daniel cap. 9. was there baptized at whose baptisme the testimony of the spirit descended downe vpon him in the likenesse of a Doue which was 52 miles From Iordan Iesus was led by the spirit into the Wildernesse to be tempted of the diuell and there fasted fortie daies and fortie nights at the end of which time the diuell came vnto and tempted him How this wildernesse was called the Euangelist doth not specifie but it is to be thought that it was the desart of Arabia Petraea that our Sauiour Christ fasted vpon the mountaine of Sinai where Moses and Eliah fasted fortie daies and fortie nights Exod. 24.1 Reg. 19. For this desart extendeth it selfe from the borders of Aegypt and the Red sea to Iordan where Iohn baptized and from thence by the country of Trachonitis to the mountaine of Libanus Therfore our Sauior Christ might that present seuenth day of Actober whereon he was baptised come into this Wildernesse and by little and little goe thence to mount Sanai which was 136 miles For there was no place more fit for Sathan to tempt our Sauiour in than where the law was deliuered which is the power of Sinne for although the Son of God was without sinne yet he tooke vpon him the sinnes of all the world Leuit. 16. Ioh. 1. Isa 53. So then our Sauiour Christ according to this supputation continued in the Desart from the seuenth day of October to the sixteenth of Nouember which was fortie daies and fortie nights Epiphanias lib. 2. Tom. 1. Hoeres 51. saith that our Sauiour Christ was baptized vpon the eighth day of Nouember which was the twelfth day of the moneth Athyr amongst the Aegyptians but this supputation is false and altogether repugnant to the certain Mathematicall calculation Wherefore vpon the 17 day of Nouember our Sauior Christ hungred Mat. 4. Mark 1. Luke 4. and then the diuel with an extraordinarie boldnesse came vnto him and carried him from Mount Sinai with great violence through the aire and set him vpon the top of a pinacle of the temple in Ierusalem which was 120 miles this pinacle was so exceeding high as you may reade in the description of Ierusalem that whosoeuer looked down from it into the valley of Cedron their eyes dazled and it seemed as though there had bin clouds in the bottome of the valley for it was 600 foot from the bottom to the top From this place the diuell bad our Sauior Christ throw himselfe downe c. Mat. 4. From the pinacle of the Temple the diuell tooke our Sauiour Christ and set him vpon a high mountaine but what hill it was or how called the holy Euangelist doth not set down The inhabitants of the Holy land thinke it was the hil that stood betwixt Bethel and Ai vpon which hill in times past Abraham dwelt Gen. 13. But that hill is not very high and there are many higher hils in the holy land wherefore it is to be thought that he was caried vpon the top of that high mountain Nebo which was also called Pisgah and stood 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward where God shewed vnto Moses all the holy land beyond Iordan Deut. 34. and in this place as God had shewed Moses so the diuell shewed our Sauior the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them saying All these will I giue thee c. It is to be thought that all these sharp temptations of the diuell were done in one day This hill Pisgah is distant from Bethabara 8 miles where Iohn Baptist baptised and bare witnesse of our Sauior Christ Ioh. ca. 1. Now after the diuel had left him and the Angels had comforted him he came thence vnto Iohn which was 8 miles and Iohn said to his Disciples Behold this is the Lambe of God which taketh away
and recited the parable of the Sheepe Ioh. 10. Also vpon the Sabboth day a little before the feast of the Dedication he healed a man that was born blind Iohn 9. In this feast the Iewes being angry because he had healed the blind man vpon the Sabboth day compassed our Sauiour about as he was in Solomons Porch and when they heard our Sauiour confesse openly that hee was the Sonne of God they began to grow into a fury and for very anger would haue stoned him to death Wherefore our Sauiour Christ went thence beyond Iordan and continued there the rest of the Winter Iohn 10. But before hee went to Ierusalem there were returned vnto him certaine of the seuentie Disciples which a little before in the moneth of September he had sent abroad and there at that time he recited the similitude of the man who descending from Ierusalem to Iericho fell amongst theeues This similitude seemeth to be taken from the present occasion because our Sauior Christ going from Ierusalem beyond Iordan was to passe through great wildernesses just in the way as they goe thence to Iericho Iohn 10. At the same time he went from Ierusalem to Bethania which was almost two miles and there visited Mary and Martha where Martha ministred vnto him but Mary sitting at his feet gaue diligent heed to his Doctrine Luke 10. At this time he tooke his leaue of these two sisters and went thence to Bethabara beyond Iordan where Iohn baptised which was 16 miles it being now about the midst of Winter Christ at this time being about 33 yeares of age I am not ignorant that there were many which refer that long journey of our Sauiour Christ when hee went to visit all Iudaea the sending forth of his Disciples diuers other miracles mentioned from the ninth chapter of Luke to the sixteenth to the beginning of the following yere But I am of opinion that all those things could not haue beene done within the compasse of foure moneths and before the feast of the Dedication so that it must needs bee that the seuentie Disciples were sent forth before the feast of the Dedication for after the feast of the Dedication which was celebrated in the midst of Winter Iohn 10. there were but two moneths betweene it and the raising vp of Lazarus in which short time all those things which are described by Luke could not possibly be accomplished especially considering that our Sauiour Christ wintered some time in Bethabara and there taught the multitude that came vnto him Ioh. 2. So these trauels of our Sauiour were 596 miles or thereabouts besides the diuers visitations and journeies hee went hither and thither which because of the great multitude of them it was not possible for the Euangelist to set them downe Of the townes and places to which he trauelled Of Bethsaida BEthsaida signifies the house of hunting being deriued of Baith a house and Zaid hunting from Zod he hath hunted for from this place went the fishers and hunters which fished and hunted through the world Ierem. 16. In this Towne dwelt three Apostles Peter Andrew and Philip Iohn 1. It was scituated vpon the West side of the Galilean sea in the Tribe of Issachar fiftie six miles from Ierusalem towards the North. And because of the aboundance of Fishes that were in the sea of Galile Peter and Andrew became Fishers and in that vocation got their liuing till our Lord and Sauiour Christ made them Fishers of men Matt. 4. Luke 5. Before the birth of Christ this was but a small Towne and without doubt was so called from hunting because close by it stood a wildernesse that did greatly abound with wilde beasts Philip the Tetrarch of Traconitis and Itura made this a faire citie which in honour of Iulia hee called Iuliades This Iulia was the daughter of Augustus Caesar and wife of Tiberias Philip also brought many inhabitants thither who dwelt in that Citie But when Herod the Tetrarch of Galile and brother of this Philip had builded vp Bethara which stood beyond the riuer Iordan on the East side of the sea of Galilee and called it by the name of Iuliades in honour of this Iulia. This towne re-edified and inlarged by Philip was called againe in the time of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Christ after the antient name Bethsaida and so continueth to this day From hence it is manifest that the sea of Galile was subject to the gouernment of both these Tetrachs since vpon the shore thereof on both sides they had cities standing I doe thinke the wildernesse or wood and land neere adjoining to Bethsaida is called Itura of Ietur the sonne of Ismael Gen. 25. or else from the compasse and roundnesse of it for Tur in Hebrew signifies A circle But that Itura stood vpon the West side of the sea of Galilee those that haue beene at the Holy land can testifie This citie of Bethsaida hath an antient water course comming from a riuer not far from it which Iosephus calleth little Iordan which falleth into the sea of Galile just in the mid-way betweene this towne and Capernaum the channell whereof appeareth to this day Beside the many sermons which our Sauior Christ preached here he did many notable miracles Marc. 8. c. But for the ingratitude and impietie of the citisens the curse of our Sauiour fell vpon them Woe be thee Chorazin woe be to thee Bethsaida for if the miracles had beene done in Tyrus and Sidon which haue beene done in thee they had long ere this repented in sackloth and ashes Verily verily I say vnto you it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sydon in the day of judgement than for you Matt. 11. Luc. 10. The prophecie of our Sauiour Christ fell vpon them accordingly for after diuers and sundry ouerthrowes and deuastations this towne became vtterly vnpeopled and as Britenbacchus saith there are scarce six houses standing in it at this day Of Chorazin THis city also stands vpon the further side of Iordan close by the sea of Galile in the same country as Capernaum stands for the city of Chorazin standeth vpon the East side of the riuer Iordan where it falleth into the sea of Galile and Capernaum vpon the West in the halfe tribe of Manasses some 16 miles from the citie of Ierusalem towards the North. This citie also neglecting the preachings and miracles of our Sauiour Christ felt the efficacie and force of the curse of the Sonne of God Mat. 11. Luc. 10. For there is not at this day a house to be seene onely some ruines where it stood Chorazin doth denote a dukedome or principality from Coh and Razon a Prince and Duke for Rozez signifies A laborious Prince Ierom turning this word Rozez into Razi calls it A secret mistery or my secret Of Tiberias TIberias standeth vpon the West side of the sea of Galilee 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the North. Before the birth of Christ it was called Kinnereth that is the
of Oliues you come vnto the place where Christ mounted vpon the Asse as we reade Matth. 21. And a little after you may see the whole citie of Ierusalem with Solomons Temple and the Church of the holy sepulchre with many other holy places Then as you descend from the top of the mount of Oliues you may see the place where the multitude cryed Hosanna blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord. And in this discent also our Sauiour Christ wept ouer Ierusalem saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I haue gathered thee vnder my wings as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but thou wouldest not Of Bethpage BEthpage standeth vpon the right hand of the way towards the East as you goe from Bethania to Ierusalem and as S. Ierom saith was somtimes a habitation of the Priests which at their appointed times went vp to Ierusalem to minister to the Lord. It was so called because of the multitude of Figs that grow there for Pagim signifies a Figge Cant. 2. Bethpage is a notable type of the Church for that ought likewise to be fruitfull and to bring forth sweet Figges that is good workes and many other comfortable vertues that so men in their afflictions might be comforted As it is thought the Fig-tree that our Sauiour Christ cursed because it wanted fruit stood not farre from Bethpage Matth. 21. Marke 11. Wherefore let vs take heed that wee be not like that fruitlesse Fig-tree couered onely like our forefathers Adam and Eue with leaues and bearing no fruit Gen. 3. lest so Gods curse fall vpon vs and we be thrust out of eternall happinesse Matth. 3. Of the Castle from whence the Asse and the Colt were brought vpon which our Sauiour rode to Ierusalem THis Castle as Adamus Risnerus saith was a certaine Hold compassed about with strong walls and within beautified with a faire pallace supported with goodly columnes it stood not farre from the Mount of Oliues just in the deuiding of the way as you goe from Bethania to Ierusalem for there goes one way to the fountaine gate and another to the valley of Gehinnon In the Hebrew text it is called Tirah as you may reade in Matthew which signifies not onely a Castle but a firme and sure building with good decorum and order for Tor signifies a circular order It is credible that this Hold is a resting place and that the Asse and the colt were tied in the way for this cause that if by chance any trauellers were wearie by reason of the tediousnesse of their journey they might hire them for certain houres to carrie them ouer the Mount of Oliues and so returne them backe againe The Allegoricall meaning of this Asse and the Colt according to the opinion of many learned men signifies the people of the Iewes who were burthened with Moses lawes and the Asses Colt signifies the rest of the Gentiles which were not charged with the burthen of Moses law but tyed onely to the law of nature So we also like trauellers and strangers in this miserable world are tyed to the afflictions and calamities thereof standing in two waies expecting the death of the body and libertie of the soule then our Sauior Christ commeth in peace and looseth this bond of death as the Apostle saith Rom. 7. and bringeth vs to that heauenly Ierusalem eternall joy according to that of Saint Paul in the first of the Philippians I desire to be loosed and to be with our Lord Iesus Christ Of the Mount of Oliues ABout halfe a mile and a furlong from Ierusalem towards the East stood the Mount of Oliues very fruitfull and pleasant bringing forth Oliues Palmes Figs Gossumpine many other notable fruits but principally Palmes and Oliues of which the mountaine taketh the name It is said in Pliny lib. 16. cap. 19. that these Oliue and Palme trees doe neuer lose their leaues and are greene both Winter and Summer Saint Austine calleth it The mountaine of vnction because of the fertilitie and pleasantnesse of it also The mountaine of health because it bringeth forth Oyles and many other plants necessarie for Physicke also The mountain of light first because it lieth vpon the East so that the Sun shineth in the morning very pleasantly vpon it and in the euening when it setteth the beames thereof reflecting vpon the Temple of Ierusalem casteth a beautifull light to this Mount secondly because it bringeth forth Oyle which is the nourishment and life of light thirdly because it was beautified with the gratious presence of our blessed Lord and Sauiour Christ which is the Day-starre and light of the Church rising vpon high to enlighten all those which shall be called vnto eternall happinesse For which cause it typically representeth the Church which is the light of the World wherein are found many Christians that bring forth pleasant fruit good workes relieuing the necessitie of such as are in want comforting the afflicted patiently supporting the calamitie and misery of this world that so they might triumphantly rejoyce with Christ in that heauenly citie of Ierusalem What things Zacharias hath spoken of this Mount in his last chapter is to be vnderstood of the preaching of the Gospell and propagation of the Church through all the world Saint Ierom saith in his Epitaph vpon S. Paul That vpon this hill the Iewes commonly burnt the red Cow with the ashes whereof the people of God being sprinckled they were purified and sanctified of which you may reade Num. 19. Heb. 6. Hellen the Empresse mother to that godly Emperor Constantine the Great about the yeare of our Lord 332 caused a faire and beautifull church to be built vpon this Mount just in the place where our blessed Lord and Sauior Christ ascended vp into heauen It was built round all of white polished marble vpon the top therof there is no roofe but a window euen as Christ should ascend through it as Eusebius saith in the life of the Emperour Constantine the Great lib. 3. cap. 40. The same S. Ierom affirmeth in his booke de locis Hebraicis He also saith That the inhabitants of the Holy land take vpon them to shew in this Church the impression of the feet of our Sauiour Christ which hapned as they say just at such time as he ascended vp into heauen out of which trauellers and pilgrims take sand to carry with them as an holy relicke though indeed it is verily to be thought that they were feet made in stone by antient Monkes thereby to get mony from such as resorted thither vpon deuotion for looke how oft pilgrims take thence the sand they are presenly filled againe from whence may bee gathered that there is no sand naturally there Euery man therefore ought to embrace a neerer way to saluation than to follow those monkish fables and to seeke Christ in the holy Scripture not vpon the Mount of Oliues or amongst sand for since the graue could not containe him the Mount of Oliues cannot hold him