ridiculous yet to such as are at all touched with the sense of Worldly Affairs it cannot chuse but take a deep impression and draw them thence to the knowledge of Christ Jesus and of his Doctrine To which end and for which purpose I have principally endeavoured 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 perceive the impotency of the one and the permanency of the other and from both draw immoveable Axioms that there can be no Salvation where there is no Humility nor no Prosperity where there is not a knowledge of Christ Jesus in his Humanity and thence gather that the afflictions of this World to which he is most subject through the whole course of his Life is the ready means to honour and immortal Glory But that these things may the better appear unto thee I will endeavour to lay before thee the Beginning and so far as the holy Scripture leads me the ending of our Saviour From whence thou may'st draw such comfortable Resolutions that in what Estate soever thou art whether in Prosperity or Adversity thou may'st therewith rest content c. Of Zacharias the Father of John Baptist. ZAcharias or Zachariah signifies Gods Remembrance This man was the Father of Iohn the Baptist being a Priest of the Tribe of Aaron and dwelling at a Town called Abia of which you may read 1 Chr. 24. There were three famous men of this name as Basilius saith One that was a Prophet of the Lord and lived 520 years before the birth of Christ Zach. 1. And another that was the Son of Iehoiada the high Priest who at the command of that ingrateful King Ioas was stoned to death in the upper 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 wise Elizabeth of the Posterity of the High-Priest Aaron and by her had a Son called Iohn so named of the Lord who was afterward called Iohn the Baptist. Elizabeth signifies the rest of God being derived of Eli and Scabbath that is the Rest and Sabbath of the Lord. The Inhabitants of the holy Land take upon them even to this day to shew the House were Zacharias and 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 in the City of Iudah which was scituated in the mountain of Iudah Risnerus and Iohannes Hedenus write that Zacharias dwelt in Ierusalem in the part of the City scituated upon Mount Bezetha as in the first Book of the description of Ierusalem hath bin declared And this seemeth to be verified out of Nehemiah cap. 3. Yet there are some of opinion that he dwelt at Hebron because that was the chief City of the Tribe of Iuda and a Town of the Priests The Travels of the Virgin Mary MARY if it be derived of Marah signifieth such a Person as is oppressed with carefulness and grief one that is laid open to all misery and calamity press'd with continual vexation and mourning She was born upon the eighth day of September 14 years 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 David Upon the five and twentieth day of March in the same year that our Saviour Christ was born Mary being then fourteen years old the Angel Gabriel declared unto her the Embassie of the Conception of our Lord Jesus Christ. A little after about the beginning of April An. M. 3967 she went from Nazareth in great haste over the Hills to Ierusalem sixty four miles to the House of Zacharias and there saluted her Cousin Elizabeth Luk. 1. From thence she returned back again to Nazareth which was sixty four 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 seventy two miles and there the time of Marys deliverance drew neer and loe she bare the Son of the living God our Lord and Saviour Christ. Luke 2. From Bethlehem Ioseph and Mary brought the Child Jesus to Ierusalem and presented him in the Temple which was six miles Luke 2. And when they had accomplished all things according to the Law they returned back again to Nazareth a Town in Galilee sixty four miles From Nazareth they went back again to Bethlem seventy two miles Thither the wise men coming out of the East brought the Child Jesus Gold Frankincense and Myrrh Mat. 2. From Bethlehem the same night that Herod caused all the Infants of two years old and under to be slain Ioseph and Mary fled with the Child Jesus to Hermopolis a City in Egypt which was 296 miles Mat. 2. Zozom lib. 6. From thence they returned back again with the Child Jesus to Nazareth 368 miles for they were greatly afraid lest Archilaus who succeeded his father Herod in the Government of the Iews would seek the Childs life Mat. 2. From Nazareth Ioseph and Mary came every year to Ierusalem which was sixty four miles to the feast of the Passover and so many miles back again which for ten years coâ—tinuance came to 1280 miles When Christ was twelve years of age and at the beginning of the thirteenth he went with his Parents from Nazareth to the Feast of the Passover being sixty four miles Luke 2. And when the days of the Feast of the Passover were accomplished they returned home again But the Child Iesus stayed at Ierusalem and his Parents knew it not for they thought he had been among the company Wherefore when they had travelled a dayes Journey that is twenty miles they missed their Son After they search'd through the company but could not find him wherefore they returned back to Ierusalem being twenty 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 days he returned back again with his Parents to Nazareth being sixty four miles and was obedient to them Luke 2. After Ioseph and Mary went every year during the life of Ioseph up to Ierusalem to the Passover and without all doubt took Iesus along with them Thus they continued for the space of three years about which time Ioseph died Christ being then sixteen years of age which three years Travel from Nazareth to Ierusalem and back again cometh to 384 miles From that time forward he continued with his Mother till he was thirty one years of age which was the first year of his Ministry Mary his Mother being then
South and because in that place there are many Bushes and Thorns it is called Sinai for Senaeh signifies a Bush. Here the Law which we call the Ten Commandments was given and not unfitly because like Thorns 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 Britenbach and many others in the Month of September 1483 went purposely to see this Mountain and with great Labour 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 upper part divided 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 sometimes called Horeb sometimes Sinai being both one Hill of the Base Between these there lies a fair and spacious Plain in the middle whereof and as it may be thought in the midst of the Mountain there stands a Monastery near to which there is adjoyning a very pleasant Garden and Orchard plentifully furnished with Date-trees Fig-trees and many others very profitable and pleasant where in antient times there were many Monks that continued there But it happened that a certain number of Pagans in hope to find some Booty came from a Haven of the Red Sea called Thor and upon a sudden broke in upon them and put forty of them to the Sword from whence it was ever after called the Abbey of the forty Martyrs Now it remains desolate few or none inhabiting there only two Monks of St. Katharines Order and these are also grievously 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 Chappel in which there is a Cave where S. Onuphrius the Anchorist lived At the foot of Mount Sinai upon the North standeth the Monastery of St. Katharine 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 divers Trees of Fruit pleasant and delightful in that there standeth a goodly Fountain which watereth all about it In this place there are a great number of poor Monks which get their Living by their hands in the Desart thereabouts They say that here stood the golden Calf spoken of Exodus 32. And they shew a round stone lying there where they say Moses broke the two Tables that were given him by God To Pilgrims also they shew the Tomb of St. Katharine standing upon the right side of the Quire with certain other Relicks of hers Upon the left side of the Quire there stands a little door by which you enter into a place called the Chappel of St. Mary of the Bush where they shew the place of the Bush in which God appeared unto Moses And to give grace to their Superstitions there may none enter into that place but he must put off his hose and shoes There is another place where they say God commanded Moses to bring up Aaron Nadab and Abihu with him and the seventy Elders with many other Superstitious Chappels which would be too tedious and frivolous to recite Not far from this there standeth also a Mosko of the Saracens full as fair and spacious as that of St. Katharines to which there is adjoyned a certain Turret hither the Arabians and Saracens do also often come to visit St. Katharine At the Ascent of the Mount Horeb near to the Monastery of St. Katharine there standeth a Fountain of very clear Water in the likeness of a Bow made of Stone reaching from the one side of it to the other and standeth like unto an Arch or Gate A little above that at the foot of Mount Horeb is to be seen the Cave where Eliah rested when the Lord spake unto him 1 Reg. 19. Something above that is the Cliff of the Rock where Moses stood by Gods appointment when he past by and he saw his back parts Ex. 33. A little beyond that is the top of Mount Horeb where is built a little Chappel that hath an Iron Door the Keys of which are in the Monks Custody of the Abby of Saint Katherine In this place they say Moses received the two Tables of Stone wherein the ten Commandments were written by the Finger of God Ex. 34. There is none that enters into this Chappel but with great Reverence bare-foot and bare-legged and casting themselves upon the Earth kiss it About fifteen paces from this they shew the Cave wherein Moses fasted forty days and forty nights Ex. 24. 34. A little above that there is a Mosk to which there daily resorts Arabians and Saracens in honour of Moses whom they reverence as a Prophet Between these there lieth a Well of cold wholsom Water which is called Moses Well Here seemeth in times past to have been some Monastery for there are divers Ruins of Walks and Buildings to be seen This Mountain is round and difficult to Ascend it is 7000 steps to the top and from thence the Red Sea and the Arm thereof 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 days Journey from the Red Sea Upon the top whereof are many Rocks and great Stones From thence you may see sundry places as a Mountain lying in Thebaidaes the great Haven 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 Graves of Concuâ—iscence THese Graves are 112 miles towards the South from Ierusalem where the Children of Israel lusting after Meat were fed by the Lord with Quails and for their disobedience died miserably It was also called â—abaraâ— which signifies an inflammation being derived from Baar to Burn because here the Wrath of the Lord was kindled against them and he struck the uttermost parts of their Tents with Fire from Heaven 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 derived from Chazer which signifieth a Cave about the Mouth whereof there groweth long Grass And therefore from hence Chazer is also taken for Grass Here Miriam the Sister of Moses and Aaron was strook with Leprosie Of Rithmah RIthmah takes name from Iuniâ—er for Rothaem in Hebrew signifies Juniper It is distant from Ierusalem 112 miles toward the South-easâ— Here the Children of Israel pitched their Tents Num. 33. and here it is very likely the Angel of the Lord appeared to the Prophet Eliah and brought him meat and drink Of Rimmon Parez IN this place the Children of Israel the sixteenth remove made their abiding being an hundred and eight miles from Ierusalem towards the South-east Here it is thought the
King by the Tribe of Iudah in the year of the World 2891 and before Christ 1077. Here he kept his Court seven years and six months From hence also he sent Messengers to Iabes in Gilead forty four miles to signifie his gracious acceptance of that favour which they shewed unto Saul in burying of his Body there 2 Sam. 1. 1 Chr. 12. From Hebron David went to Ierusalem twenty two miles which then was called Iebus being possessed of the Iebusites but he won it with strong hand and thrust them out of it and in Mount Sion set up the City Millo which was afterward called the City of David and signifies a place of Plenty He began his Reign in Ierusalem in the thirty eighth year of his Age and seventh of his Reign In this place also he set up his House made of Cedar-wood of which Hâ—ram King of Tyrus sent him great Plenty from Mount Libanus distant from thence 104 miles 2 Sam. 5. 1 Ch. 12. From thence he went to the Valley of Rephaim some three miles from Ierusalem in the way that leadeth to the City of Bethlem where he fought a memorable Fight against the Philistines and overcame them for which cause it was also called Baal-Perizim because by the Help and Assistance of God he had conquered the Army of the Philistines 1 Sam. 5. After he had dispersed the Enemies he returned to Ierusalem which is â—our miles The Philistines came the same Year into the Valley of Rephaim again and pitched their Tents within three miles and a half of Ierusalem and the Lord gave David a sign that when he heard a noise in the Mulberry-trees he should set upon the Enemy so David went forth and close by the Town of Gaeba and Kirjath-jearim about two miles from Ierusalem West-ward he set upon the Enemy and gave them the second Overthrow 2 Samuel 5. 1 Chr. 15. From thence David followed the Enemy to Gaza which was eighteen miles 2 Sam. 5. in the tenth Year of his Reign from his first beginning in Hebron David assembled all the Princes Priests and chief men of Israel to the number of 30000 which inhabited from Sechor till you come to Chaemah a City of Naphtali at the foot of Mount Libanus even 163 miles off These men assembled themselves in the City of Ierusalem and from thence they with David went to Kirjath-jearim which was about a mile to fetch the Ark of the Covenant from thence into the City of David 1 Sam. 6. 1 Chr. 14. From Kirjath-jearim David and all his Train returned back again to Ierusalem which was about a mile and they placed the Ark of the Lord in a new Cart and caused it to be drawn with Oxen which turned out of the way to the threshing-floor of Nachon where Vzza rashly and inconsiderately touching the Ark of God contrary to the Divine Law was presently slain by the Lord in the way and that place was called Paeri-Vza that is The Breach of Uza for he was not of the Tribe of Aaron to whom it was only lawful to touch the Ark and therefore the Lord struck him that he died miserably wherefore David being terrified by this example of God's Severity would not that day bring the Ark of the Lord into Ierusalem but carried it to the House of a certain Noble-man called Obed Aedom a Gittite who dwelt not far from Ierusalem but when it was told David that the Lord blessed the House of Obed Aedom and all his Family because the Ark was there David went from Ierusalem with a great multitude of People to the House of Obed Aedom who as is said before dwelt not far from Ierusalem yet there are some that say he was an excellent Musician in Ierusalem and dwelt in Mount Acra that is in the lower City and from thence David fetch'd the Ark of the Lord into the upper City which stood upon Mount Sion but I hold the other Opinion to be the more probable When the Ark was carried by the Priests David girt himself with a linnen Ephod which kind of Garment the Priests of the inferiour Order used to wear and danced before it singing Psalms and Hymns to the praise and glory of God and with great State brought it to the City 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 upper City which was also called the City of David This hapned in the tenth year of his Reign at which time Saul's Daughter despised him in her Heart and laughed at him but God gave her a due Recompence as you may read 2 Sam. 6. and him a just Reward for he promised by the Prophet Nathan That of his Posterity and Blood the King of Kings and Saviour of the World should be born In the Year following David invaded the Land of the Philistines and the City of Gath which with strong hand he won this was thirty four miles from Ierusalem From thence he returned back to Ierusalem 34 miles In the twelfth Year of his Reign he afflicted the Moabites with cruel War and destroyed two of their Armies with the Sword and the rest of the multitude he made Tributary which was 24 miles 2 Sam. 8. 1 Chr. 9. He returned thence to Ierusalem with great Triumph and Joy twenty four miles In the thirteenth year of his Reign Anno Mundi 2903. and before Christ 1065 he made an Expedition unto Zoba which Iosephus calleth Sophenam and is in Armenia near to Masia or Mount Taurus 600 miles from Ierusalem toward the North of which you may read before David in this place won a memorable Battel against Hadad Ezer the King thereof near to the River Euphrates he took 700 Horse and 20000 Foot burnt their Chariots took 100 Castles conquered all the Towns and Country round about and went away with a great Booty as well of Gold as Silver Brass and other things which Brass for the Excellency thereof was like unto Gold and as Iosephus saith afterwards Solomon made the Molten Sea of it When Gadarezer King of the Syrians he that built that famous City of Damascus heard of the overthrow of Hadad-Ezer he sent a great Army to his Aid which King David near to the River Euphrates smote with the Sword so that 20000 of them were slain and he carryed away a glorious Victory extending his Government from Ierusalem 600 miles towards the North that is into Armenia and beyond the River Euphrates and made these two Nations tributary unto him 2 Samuel 8. 1 Chr. 19. After David had won these two memorable Victories near Euphrates he went thence with all his Army towards the South and invaded the Land of Syria in which Journey Ioram the Son of Tohi King of Antiochia which City at this time was called Hemath met David with Gifts and Presents in the Name of his Father returning him many Thanks because he had destroyed the common Enemy
when time serveth it shall be declared After the Death of Melchisedech unto whom Abraham paid the Tythes of all his Goods the Iebusites dwelt in the City of Ierusalem and had the dominion of it and all the Land thereabouts in their Subjection called the City Iebus after their Name which Name was held a long time as we read in Iosh. 10. Iud. 10. and 2 Sam. 1. But at last Ioab King David's General of his Army won it and drave the Jebusites out of it and called it Ierusalem that is A Sight or Vision of Peace It hath also other Names in the holy Scripture for in Esay 29. it is called Ariel that is God's â—yon and Mount Libanus The Prophet Ezechiel 23. calleth it Ahaliba my fixed Pavillion or Tent that is a City wherein God had placed his own Habitation The Circuit and Bigness of the City Jerusalem THE City of Ierusalem was four-square and in circumference three and thirty Furlongs as Iosephus writeth which three and thirty Furlongs make somewhat more than a Dutch mile Some write that it was four miles Compass about yet these were not Dutch miles but Walloon or Italian miles for four such Italian miles are a Dutch mile Of Mount Sion the higher City MOunt Sion stood Northwards in the City Ierusalem and was much higher than all the other Hills that were therein therefore it was called Sion that is a watch Tower because from thence one might see the Holy Land and all the Countries thereabout upon this Hill the upper City was built which in the Scripture is called the City of David because David won it from the Iebusites and beautified it with many goodly Houses and fair and costly buildings but especially with his house of Cedar-wood which he termed the Castle of Sion which stood Westwards at the corner of the Hill looking into Bethlehem Southwards In that house David dwelt and therein committed Adultery with Berseba the Wife of Vriah the Hittite whose House also with the place of divers Privy Councellors and Officers stood upon the Hill not far from the King's Palace as Iosephus writeth Beneath King David's House upon Mount Sion within a Rock there was to be seen the Sepulchre or Vault wherein King David Solomon his Son and other succeeding Kings of Iuda were entombed and buried Upon Mount Sion also towards the East King Herod had a Garden of Pleasure not far from the Fountain called Silo Nehemiah 3. and there also stood the Tower of Silo whereof Luke in the 13 chapter maketh mention Iosephus in the Wars of the Jews his first Book and sixteenth Chapter saith That King Herod under whom Christ Jesus was born had two fair and strong Houses or Towers which he set and made in the upper part of the City Ierusalem upon Mount Sion which were in a manner comparable with the Temple for Beautifulness which he called after the Name of his Friends the one Caesarea for Caesar the Emperor's sake and the other Agrippa acording to the name of the noble Roman Marcus Agrippa that marryed the Daughter of Augustus Caesar. This may suffice to declare the Scituation of the upper City which stood upon mount Sion and contained in Circuit fifteen Furlongs which is about half a mile This uppermost City in the sacred Scripture is called the City of David it was also called Millo that is Fullness or Plenty for in it there was no Want but Abundance of all things Of the Steps which descended down from the City of David unto the lower City MOunt Sion whereon the upper City of Ierusalem did stand was such a high hard Hill and so steep that no man could climb or ascend unto it by any way or means but only one that is by steps for in the middle thereof there was a great pair of stairs made which descended from David's City unto the lower City into the Valley or Dale of Gates called Thyroreion which stairs were 780 Foot high as Iohannes Heydonius writeth and beneath in the Valley of Thyroreion over against the Valley of Cedron at the foot of the stairs stood a Gate which was called the Gate of Sion and they which went up to Mount Sion must pass through that Gate and so up those Stairs but it is thought nevertheless that in some other part of the Hill there was some winding or other oblique way made by which Horses and Chariots by little and little might ascend Allegorical or Spiritual Significations of Mount Sion SIon in Hebrew signifieth a sure hold or goodly Aspect for that from the top thereof a man might have seen all the Land lying thereabouts and was a type of the highest Heavens or Habitation of Almighty God from whence he beholdeth all things upon Earth from which Throne and Heavenly Habitation he descended into this lower Ierusalem and became our Redeemer and Saviour that so we being purged by his Blood from all our Sins and Imperfections he might bring us into that heavenly Ierusalem which is eternall Glory Of Mount Moriah on which the Temple stood MOunt Moriah stood Eastward within Ierusalem which was a most hard stoney Hill from whence towards the rising of the Sun men by stairs might easily descend but round about on the other three sides it was steep and unapprochable like a Stone wall yet it was not so high as Mount Sion howbeit it was exceeding high extending and reaching 600 Foot in height and on the top thereof was a very fair Plain like unto that of Mount Sion whereon in times past Abraham built an Altar and would have offered his Son Isaac for a Sacrifice Gen. 22. At which time when Abraham obeyed the Commandment of God intending to have offered his Son Isaac upon the Hill and thereon had made an Altar then the said Hill lay without the City but long time after about the space of 850 Years when King David had conquered Ierusalem and driven thence the Iebusites to enlarge the City he compassed in Mount Moriah and Mount Acrâ— with a Wall upon which there stood many goodly Buildings And amongst other things worthy Observation upon this Mount stood the Barn or Threshing floor of Arafâ—a the Iebusite wherein King David built an Altar offered burnt Offerings and besought the Lord that the Angel of God whose hand was stretched over Ierusalem holding a bloody Sword and had smitten the City with the Pestilence might cease from punishing the same and the Plague ceased On the same place where the Barn of Arafâ—a the Jebusite stood King Solomon also did build the Temple 1 Paral. 23. 24. Ioseph Antiq. Jud. lib. 23. 24. An Allegorical or Spiritual Interpretation of Mount Moriah MOriah is as much as to say the Lord's Mirrh and signifieth our Lord Jesus Christ which is the true Mirrh and sweet smelling Sacrifice unto God a stedfast Rock an immoveable Foundation whereon God's Church and the Members thereof are built Esay 28. Matth. 16. Vpon this Rock will I build my
Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Moriah is also expounded to be Cultus timâ—r Domini the worship and fear of God and that in the same place the figurative Service of God should begin and continue until the coming of Christ. The Description of the Temple of Jerusalem THE Temple stood upon Mount Moriah was fairly built and artificially contrived of white Marble Stones which were so well conjoyned or closed together that a man could not see or perceive the Junctures or Crests of them and the inner Walls of it were made all of Cedar wood carved with the similitude of Angels Cherubims roots of Palm-trees and with flowers of divers kinds gilt all over with pure Gold and set with precious Stones insomuch that all parts of the upper Roof within the Temple did shine with the lustre of it The pavement thereof also was plated all over with fine Gold so that all the Temple within both above under foot and on every side and corner thereof was gilt clean over but without it was of smooth polish'd white Marble Stone excellently beautiful and fair to the Eye much resembling the colour of any Pearl Unit or Margaret It was in length an hundred Ells in breadth an hundred Ells and in height an hundred and twenty Ells as Iosephus writeth in the old Acts and Wars of the Iews in his fifteenth Book and fourteenth Chapter The Roof thereof was made of thin planks of Olive-wood all covered over with Plates of Gold it was adorned with sharp and plain spikes of Gold left Birds should defile it with their Dung When any man travelled to Ierusalem and saw the Temple far off when the Sun shined thereon the white marble Stones and the golden Roof thereof did cast such a Light and reflexing Brightness from them that it did make the Beholders Eyes dark and blind with looking upon it Within the Temple there was the most sacrâ—d Quire which stood at the West end thereof the which Quire was formed four square that is twenty Ells broad long and high This Quire was called the Holy of Holies wherein it was lawful for no man to enter but the High Priest and he also but once in a year which was on the Feast day of the Propitiatory Sacrifice to appease God's wrath In the middle part of the Quire there stood two Cherubims made of Olive-wood covered all over with fine Gold whose Faces and Forms were like unto young Children the height of them was ten Ells each of them had two Wings which were five Ells broad they stood one right against the other so that with the innermost Wings they touched together and the uttermost sides of the Wings touched the sides of the Quire their Faces looked towards the East in the middle under the Wings of the Cherubims was placed the Ark of the Covenant but after the Babylonian Captivity the Ark of the Covenant stood no more there for then the Holy of Holies was empty and nothing seen in the second Temple but the two Cherubims as is aforesaid The Wall of this Quire was of pure Gold excellent fair and curiously graven In this Wall of the most holy Quire there was a Gate made all of Gold which had two Leaves or little dores that opened and 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 Vail or Curtain which was made of fine Silk woven very artificially wherein there was wrought the picture of the Cherubims with Needle-work of diverse colours This was the same Vail which at the Passion of Christ did rent in sunder from the top to the bottom to shew that then Aaron's Levitical Sacrifices were abolished and now every man may freely approach thorough the mercy of his dearly beloved Son unto the Presence of God's heavenly Throne Before the most sacred Quire there was builded towards the East a place within the Temple containing forty Ells in length twenty in breadth and thirty in height closed up on both sides with golden Walls which was called the holy place or Sanctuary of the Temple wherein no man might enter but only the Priest when he offered Incense and prayed unto God In the middle of that holy place there stood an Altar covered with plates of Gold near unto which the Angel Gabriel appeared unto Zacharias and brought him the glad Tidings That Elizabeth his Wife should bear him a Son whose Name should be Iohn who should prepare the way of Christ. At the South end of this Altar upon the one side stood the holy Candle-sticks 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 Candle-sticks more which were beautified with Lamps Lillies and other fair Flowers The opening doors whereby men went into the holy place were also very rich and costly made of Gold with carved Cherubims Palm-trees and broad Flowers thereupon And before those doors also there were hanging Vails or Curtains very curiously wrought On both sides of the Temple there were certain Walks or Galleries which were three Stories high one above another and on the right side there stood a pair of turning Stairs by the which men went up to the Chamber of the Temple and there all the small Vessels and other things belonging to the Temple were kept The Roofs of these Galleries were all plated over with Gold but that part was somewhat lower than the principal part of the Temple The Windows of the Temple were wide within and narrow without The Gates of the Temple were made of pure Gold five and twenty Ells high and sixteen Ells broad but especially the Gate that stood Eastward in the Temple was exceeding high which in the second Book of Kings chap. 25. is called the high Gate and as Iosephus saith the said Gate was ninety Ells high the Doors whereof were forty Ells long and twenty Ells broad gilt all over and richly embossed beautified with Cherubims and precious Stones The Wall before this Gate towards the East was pure Gold embossed and curiously engraven in manner of Vines with great golden Leaves as big as the stature of a Man whereon there did hang the picture and form of Grapes which were made of fine Chrystal Within that high Gate also there did hang a Vail or Curtain as long and broad as the Gate within This Vail was made of a piece of Babylonian Tapistry wonderfully wrought and made of Silk beautified with divers Colours of Scarlet Purple and Velvet and as Iosephus writeth the Sphere of the Heavens was wrought therein but the twelve Signs were not and when the Wind blew the Vail did move like a Vane Of the Porches or open Courts of the Temple BEfore the high Gate of the Temple towards
Christ for in him dwelt the fulness of the Deity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wholly and absolutely and in him was contained the Fountain and Treasure of all Wisdom and Knowledge Col. 2. The Mystery of the Cedar-wood AS the Cedar Cypress and Olive-wood was neither subject to putrefaction nor possible to be devoured with Worms so the Humane Nature of Christ was subject to no corruption no putrefaction Psal. 16. The Mystery of the Cherubims THE Temple also is a figure of the heavenly Glory and of everlasting Life to come where the Angels and Cherubims being ingraven and pictured to the image of Man do represent the Congregation of the blessed Angels and Saints who in the presence of the Lord sing a continual Te demn laudamus Apoc. 4. The two Cherubims placed upon the Mercy seat in the holy Quire signifie the Old and New Testament which contains the Doctrine of Christ and as their wings touched one another so the old and new Testament were joyned together the end of the one and 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 unto Christ to whom the Ministry of God was committed The mystery of the golden Door of the Temple CHrist is the door of Life by which we must enter into eternal Happiness Iohn 10. 14. The two doors signifie a two-fold knowledge before we can enter into this Gate that is of his Person and Office What the Vail of the Temple sâ—gnified THE Son of God our Lord Jesus Christ hanging upon the Altar of the Cross is the true Vail that is put between God and us shadowing with his Wounds and precious Blood the multitude of our offences that so we may be made acceptable to his Father Heb. 10. The Myâ—tery of the Ark of the Covenam THE Ark of God made of Sittim-wood wherein was kept the pot of Manna Aarons Rod and the Tables of the Commandments Exod. 25. Heb. 9. represent as well our Saviour Christ as the hearts of the Faithful for as in Christ's Breast was contained the Doctrine both of the Law and Gospel so likewise is it in the Faithful though not in that measure He was the true Manna that descended from Heaven to give light unto the World Iohn 6. The Tables of the Law move us to mutual love and new obedience Aarons Rod flourishing with blossoms signifies the sweetness of the Gospel and the Glory of our High Priest Jesus Christ of whom Aaron was a Type The Mystery of the Golden Altar THE sacrificing Altar in the Sanctuary of the Temple whereon were four Golden horns being made partly of Sittim-wood and partly of Gold compassed about with a Crown of Gold represent the unity of the Humanity and Deity in our Saviour For as the wood naturally incorruptible was beautified with refulgent Gold so the Humanity of Christ not capable of any putrefaction Psalm 16. being adorned with Celestial glory of the Deity personally united to the Divine Nature ascended up into the Heavens and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father crowned with a Crown of majesty in Eternal happiness Psal. 8. The Mystery of the golden Candlesticks THE golden Candlestick with six Branches and seven Lights signifies Christ and the Ministers of the Church Christ the foundation is the chief Priest and the Light of the World illuminating us to eternal life Iohn 1. The Doctors and Teachers of the Church are the Branches by whom Christ inlighteneth his Church with the sound and uncorruptible Doctrine of the Gospel Apoc. 1. Neither ought they to be separated from Christ but by the light of their Doctrine and sincere Conversation be a lanthorn unto 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 united into the body of the Candlestick so every Minister and faithful Child of God ought to be united into the Body of Christ without any Schismatical dissention or seperation The Flowers and Lillies denote the Ornament and Graces of the holy Spirit which Christ hath bountifully bestowed upon his Ministers The Lights and Lamps do admonish all godly Ministers to a diligent care lest the light of Gods divine 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 preserved The Mystery of the golden Table THE golden Table whereon the Shew-bread stood being compassed about with a pretious Crown signifies the Ministry of the Gospel For the Bread that is set before us is Christ that Bread of Life which descended out of Heaven Iohn 6. and he by the Ministry of the twelve Apostles is mystically offered unto us in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that whosoever eateth thereof as they ought might have eternal Life The Frankincense that stood by the Bread admonishes us that earnest Prayers and Godly actions are to be used in the time of the administring of the Lords Supper For as Macarius saith if the Devil was as strong as Mountains yet at the Prayers of the Saints he melteth as Wax before the fire And St. Cyril saith That Christ is the Table upon which the Bread of Life is set whereby all the Faithful are nourished unto eternal Life And the Crown about this Table is the goodness and mercy of God whereby we are crowned and brought to Eternal happiness St. Ierom saith That this Table was a figure of the Table and the Supper in the Kingdom of God Luk. 2. The Shew-bread upon the Table is the Son of God which giveth Life unto the World Iohn 6. The Mystery of the golden Vine and the Chrystal Grapes THE Vine in the East part of the Temple made of shining Gold fitly resembles our Saviour Christ who compared himself unto a Vine and the Faithful unto the Branches saying I am the true Vine and whosoever is ingraffed into me shall have eternal life Ioh. 15. The Chrystall Grapes do denote the Doctrine of the Gospel and the works of the Faithful which are Faith Love Hope Charity Patience Prayer and works of Grace all which do inhere unto such as â—â—lieve The Mystyery of the Oblations and Sacrifices ALL the Oblations and Sacrifices of the Old Testament were Types and figures of our Saviour That as they were slain for the performance of the Ceremonial Law so Christ for the Salvation of Man was Slain and made a free-will Offering by whose Blood and Mediation the sin of Man is pardoned and he made capable of eternal Life Esay 53. Ioh. 10. Heb. 9. c. The Mystery of the upper Court THE upper Court was a figure of the Spiritual Priesthood of Jesus Christ who hath made us all Priests and Kings and hath beautified us with his guiltless Death 1 Pet. 2. The Mystery of the Fountain and
Benjamin through the middle of the City to the Gate of Sion From this Valley they ascended into eâ—ther Mountain that is Mount Aâ—ra and Mount Moriah by certain steps or stairs These two Hills as is beforesaid were joyned together with a Bridge and this Valley passing between them was called by Zephaniah cap. 1. Machten In which place above all the rest of the Cities dwelt Merchants and such as used Commerce and trade as appeareth in the eleventh verse of his Prophecie Howl ye Inhabitants of the Low place for the company of Merchants is destroyed all they that exchange for Silver are cut off Upon which place of Scripture the Chaldaean Paraphrase reads it thus Howl ye Inhabitants of the Valley Cedron Iosephus in tit Bell. 6. c. 6. lib. 6. c. 7. calleth this Valley by two names one Machten from the profundity the other Cedron from the obscurity for so the name signifieth and whosoever looked down into it from the Temple Fogs and Mists seemed to lie in the bottom of it like a cloud of darkneâ—s such was the depth of it There was another Valley which lay between Mount Sion and these Mountains called by the name of Tyrexdon Of the Mountain Bezetha THis place lay Northward in Ierusalem and between it and the former Hills were deep Ditches cast it had two Towns standing upon it divided with two Walls and was commonly called the Suburbs the name of the one which lay nearest to mount Moriah was called the second City the other that lay upon the North was called Neapolis or the new Town In the second dwelt Hulda the Prophetess and Zacharias the Father of S. Iohn Baptist 2 Kin. 22. 2 Chr. 34. Nehem. 3. Ioseph li. 10. c. 5. It was adorned with many fair and sumptuous Buildings among which was that princely house Of Herod Ascalonites that great and mighty King of the Iews in whose time our Saviour 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 an hundred Tables the Hall also was very great and richly gilded with refined gold intermixt with Silver about it were many pleasant and delectable Walls goodly Gardens and Fountains for pleasure it was compass'd with a wall of polisht Marble 30 Cubits high And as Valerius writeth in that house Herod caused Christ to be mocked put a long white garment upon him in contempt and so sent him to Pilate Here also was a Prison in which Peter was kept when the Angel of the Lord delivered him Acts 12. Of the Town Neapolis or the New City THis lay without the Walls 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 upon the North side of the Hill Here dwelt the Christians and other Laborers and Strangers and by all likelihood it seems that the house of Mary the Mother of Iohn sirnamed Mark stood here which because of the continual resort of the Apostles thither was called the house of the Church Hither Peter resorted when he was delivered from the hands of Herod by the Angel 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 City and loe it opened of it self And from thence he went to the house of Mary the Mother of John sirnamed Mark. Here also in my opinion Christ celebrated the last Paschal Lamb because after Supper he went into the Mount of Olives for this lying unwalled lay open for them to go and come at their pleasure But afterward in Agrippa's time it was begun to be compassed in with a Wall and before it could be fully finished the Angel of the Lord struck him and he died miserably Here also stood the Monument of Iohn Hircanus the High Priest and of Alexander King of the Iewes as it appeareth in Iosephus lib. de Bello 6. cap. 6. The tops of the Houses in the City Ierusalem were flat and covered with fair and plain Roofs compassed about with Battlements upon which they used to Leap Dance and Banquet and such Recreations as they observed upon their Festival days were there celebrated And thus much shall serve to have spoken of the Mountains or Hills whereon Ierusalem stood Of the Walls that compassed the City THis City of Ierusalem was so strongly fortified by Nature on every side except the North for it stood upon high Rocks and Cliffs that it seemed to be invincible And that that side might be the better strengthened they compassed it in with three Walls and those so strong that when Vespasian the Emperor and his Army invaded the City they had much ado to conquer them The first of these Walls was that which Agrippa built and it compassed in Neapolis otherwise called the New Town At the North-west end of which Wall was built an exceeding high Tower of very fair Marble stone so high that standing on the top thereof a man might see from thence to the Sea and into Arabia and the uttermost bounds of Iudaea This Tower was called Psephina The second Wall was that which divided the two Suburbs wherein there stood 14 Towers and Gates This King Hezekiah built 2 Chr. 32. in a corner of which between 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 Travellers passing towards Ierusalem were guided by it in their way Of this light we read in Nehem. cap. 3. The third Wall compassed in the Temple and all the lower City in it was sixty Towers but the chief of them stood in the East Angle between the Dung-gate and the Gate of the Valley which was called Hananiel and signifieth the Grace and Gift of God This is much spoken of in the Scripture upon this Wall King Herod the Ascalonite built three fair Towers one between the Garden-gate and the Old-gate which he called Hippicum in honour of his Father Hippicus the other Phaselum in honour of his Brother Phasilus and the third Mariamne after his Wives name who notwithstanding he caused innocently to be put to death These three Gates were built of polish't Marble Pliny and Strabo say that this was the fairest and most spacious City of the East and for the munition and fortification almost invincible The Walls of it were all of white polish't Marble some 25 or 30 Cubits high the stones were 20 Cubits long 20 broad and 5 thick so closely joyned that the junctures could scarcely be perceived Many of the Towers also were made of such stones but those of the Temple exceeded the rest for they were 25 Cubits long 12 broad and 8 thick as Iosephus witnesseth lib. Ant. 15. ca. 14. de Bel. Iud. li. 6. ca. 6. which things being rightly considered we may easily
left desolate and the Mountains are now become barren and overgrown with Brambles And that the Name thereof might utterly be forgotten and as it were rooted out of the Earth he set up a new Town not far from the Hill Gihon and Golgotha where Christ was crucified which after he had adorned with many goodly Buildings he called it by his own Name Aelia In the place of the Temple he set up a Church in the honour of Jupiter and Venus Just in the place where the Holy Altar stood he erected his own Image upon a Marble Pillar which continued until St. Hierom's time At Bethlehem he erected the Image of Adonis and to that he consecrated a Church Upon the Gates of the City he cut Hogs in Marble in contempt of the Jews Then did he abjure them That they should not come within the Walls of the City not set Foot upon the ground near Jerusalem This being done as Dion saith he dedicated it to the honour of Jupiter Capitolinus and only made it free for Christians and such like to be in it This Town at this day we call Jerusalem although it be scituated in another place and called by another name Future Ages calling the Actions of precedent Times into question pull'd a great Contempt upon this Town and so much the rather because Infidelity and other Heathenish profaneness was cherish'd within this City So that that which a little before was set up in honour of the Emperour Aelianus is now grown into Contempt Wherefore Helena the Mother of Constantine the Great having command of that Empire to give some satisfaction to the Universality caused those prophane Temples and Idols to be abolished and in their places erected others Upon Mount Golgotha the Church called Golgothanus upon the Mount of Olives one in the place of the Ascension of Christ and Constantine her Son richly adorned the Sepulchre and over it built a stately Temple all of Polish't Marble richly gilt with Gold so that to this day it remains as the chief Ornament of the Town In this mans time the Jews with great boldness endeavoured to rebuild the Temple just in the place where it stood before at the commandment of the Emperour they were repelled and in recompence of their presumption had their Eares cut off and their Noses slit because they had Ears and would not hear neither obey the Commandment of our Saviour But as the Emperour was Religious and endeavoured to support Christianity so his Successor Iulianus was as full of Impiety and Prophaneness who that he might frustrate the Prophecy of our Saviour that Ierusalem should never be built again in contempt caused the Iews to assemble together and with all expedition restore it to its former glory giving the uttermost of his help to their endeavours But as they were seriously labouring in this Work of a sudden there came a great Earthquake and look what they had built was by that quite overturned then Fire came out of the Earth and from Heaven which destroyed both the Matter and the Workmen And that the Iews nor any Philosphers might impute it to a Natural Cause there was seen in the Heavens a Bloody Cross and â—pon their clothes Crosses shining like Stars which the Iews could by no means wipe off yet this little prevailed A second time they attempted and as before a second Earthquake hapned with a storm of Wind which came with such extream violence that all the stuff which they had heaped together for this purpose was utterly blown away and destroyed So that of force they were constrained to leave off and acknowledge that Christ whom their Forefathers had Crucified was the true Messiah Greg. Nazianzen and Hierom report That nevertheless the Iews even to this day although it cost them much money come yearly to the place where Ierusaleâ— stood and upon the day of the Destruction thereof weep over it Such was their affection unto this City But these evils were purged with a sudden Invasion for no crying Injuries nor prophane Insolencies against God pass unpunished but that then or soon after a just revenge falls upon them for Cosroâ— Emperour of the Persians whose Impudency and Impiety was so great that he would be worshipped as a God about the year of our Lord 615 besieged this Town took it and put to death 90000 Christians carried the Patriarch thereof together with many others away Captive But Heraclius the Emperor to punish him for his Pride and Cruelty set upon Persia and with Fire and Sword destroyed the Country not far from Nineveh and went away with an honourable Victory Seroes also the only begotten Son of Cosroes but a little before Invading the Kingdom kill'd his own Father in Prison restored the Patriarch and the rest of the Captives which his Father had taken to Heraclius and about the seventh year after he had Warred upon Persia he returned to Aelia with great Pomp. Not long after in the year 637 Haumar the Chief Prince of the Saracens which was the third from Mahomet with a great Army afflicted Syria and Iudaea conquered their Countries and in his Victories used great Tyranny and cruelty Within two years after he won Aelia which had maintained a long and sharp Siege neither would Zacharias the Patriarch give it up till he was compelled thereto by extream Famin and soon after died with Grief Thus the Town continued for the space of 450 years in the hands of the Saracens Then in the year 1012 Caliphas Sultan of Egypt won it beat down the Walls destroyed the Temple which the Emperor Constantine had built and made havock of all things Presently upon this the Turks which came out of Sythia by the Caspian Mountains won the City and drave 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 Iews 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 again restored by the Emperor Constantine after the Destruction of Caliphas The Christians being weary of this Tribute and of the oppression of these Infidels became sutors to Pope Vrban the second of that name for their delivery who in the year 1094 assembled a councel at Clearemont in France and by the instigation of one Peter the Hermit stirred up the hearts of divers Christian Princes and Lords to make a Croysado so that 10000 brave and well mounted Souldiers went into the Holy Land and for a token of their War bore red Crosses upon their Arms. In the same year there was a great blazing Star seen in the West and after that followed a great Plague for the space of two years through the World this nevertheless hindred them not in their Design but that they went their intended Journey won the City of Aelia from the Saracens delivered the Christians from their Bondage and Tax and chose Godfrey of
to this day is found a piece of the Stone which the Angel rolled from the Grave before the Resurrection the other part of the Stone howsoever it came there lyes upon Mount Sion But some think that the Armenians carried it thither because upon it they have built an Altar In this inner Cave there hangs nine Lamps to give light unto them that enter in by the East so that in the inner and outer Vault there standeth eighteen Lamps The Mount whereon Christ was crucified seemeth to stand upon a Rock of Stone whitish and something blushing It is distant from the Holy Sepulchre a hundred and thirty foot The place where the Cross stood was an hard Rock eighteen steps in the Ascent and answereth to nine and twenty feet The hole where the Cross stood is about the roundness of a mans head in Latitude and if a man might believe the Monks thereabouts they say also that in that place is to be seen the colour of our Saviours Blood even to this day Upon the left hand of this there stands an Altar made of Marble and over that a sumptuous Chappel paved and covered with polish'd Marble gilt and adorned with refulgent Gold the Walls whereof are very curiously wrought and gilded In the Church upon Mount Golgotha they also shew part of a Pillar naturally black speck'd with red Spots where they say Christ was whip'd and make the Vulgar believe that these Specks are the drops of Blood that fell from him The other part of this Column was carried 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 just in the same place where the former Temple stood at the time when the City was rebuilt and enlarged The body thereof is very high and spatious and built of polish'd Marble adorned with most exquisite and curious Workmanship very artificial and glorious both within and without insomuch that the polished Stones cast a singular beautiful and resplendent Lustre Above it is covered with Lead and was built up at the cost and labour of the Grecians in the Roof whereof the Turks place an half Moon as they usually do in all such Churches wherein they come and have Authority The Turks and Saracens have this Temple in great Reverence and Devotion they adorn it according to their Custom with divers artificial Pictures and Emblems They will suffer no Christians to enter into it nor any Jews upon pain of Death And if it happens that at any time they go into it they first wash themselves with Water very clean then put off their Hose and Shoos and so go bare-foot This Temple they call the holy Rock and in the body thereof there hangeth seven hundred Lamps which burn Night and Day In the midst hereof there standeth a certain little Rock every where indented with Iron near to which not any of the Saracens or Infidels dare to approach or touch although there come many very far to visit it for they believe that there were many memorable and worthy things done in that Rock they think that Melchisedeck the first Priest of the great God offered Bread and Wine upon it Genes 14. and that here the Patriarch Iacob saw the Ladder which reached from Heaven to Earth Gen. 28. which indeed hapned not in Ierusalem but in Bethel as the Scriptures witness Further they believe that upon this Stone David saw the Angel of the Lord standing with a shaken Sword when he struck the City with the Pestilence 2 Sam. 24. and that the Priests of the old Testament offered upon this stone their Sacrifices to the Lord which were devoured with Fire from Heaven All which things do utterly differ from holy Scripture The Jews also are of Opinion That the Prophet Ieremy about the time of the Captivity of Babylon in this Stone hid the Ark of the Covenant until such time as the Lord brought the People back again from the Captivity which is contrary 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 Turks say that Christ sate upon this stone when Simeon took him in his arms and blessed him Here also he sate in the midst of the Doctors when he was but twelve years 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 joyned to it And divers Circumstances of the Scripture do seem to make this evident because here Christ taught and here the People usually 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 paved with marble stone To this there is adjoyning a fair Church covered with Lead and was somtimes called Solomons Porch but after the Christians had won Ierusalem they gave it the Name of St. Maries The Turk keeps burning in this daily eight hundred Lamps and it is much greater than that of Solomons Temple The Sultan of Aegypt also about an hundred years before built a little Church or Moscho close by Solomons Temple wherein are continually burning eighty eight Lamps There is a Vault under the Temple of the blessed Virgin Mary of such an extraordinary Greatness that six hundred Horse may easily be placed in it And thus we may see the Temple of Solomon and City of Ierusalem not only to be in the power of the Turks but also prophaned with the blasphemous Doctrine of Mahomet And also we may here behold the Abomination of Desolation standing in the holy place where sometime was the Ark of the Covenant Dan. 9. Mat. 24. and the Prophecy of Ieremy is fully finished cap. 19. This place shall be unclean like unto the place of Tophet where they did sacrifice to the Host of Heaven and unto other strange Gods Of other Buildings within the City of Aelia which is now called Jerusalem MOunt Sion is placed toward the South of Ierusalem where even at this day the Monks undertake to shew the Ruines of David's Tower the Sepulchres of the Kings of Israel and many other holy places But P. Orosius and other Historians write How in the time of Adrian Caesar there happened a great Earthquake in such a terrible manner that the Mountain of Sion with the Sepulchre of David fell down and were utterly defaced Further all true Historians do write That Adrian the Emperour did so much deface the City that he left not a stone standing upon a stone nay not a whole stone but all were broken into small pieces and yet notwithstanding Pilgrims are so mad and blind that they go thither with great pains to seek those
of Sina It lieth 420 miles from Ierusalem towards the South In this place God appeared to Moses in a flame of Fire Exod. 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 leave because there are many Churches built by Monks for no other purpose but to deceive Travellers 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 Jerusalem towards the South-west and signifies Joy and Delight being derived of Raam and Sus that is to leap for joy Of Pihachiroth THIS was a certain Plain lying between two Hills neer to the Red Sea and was called Pinaehiroth which signifies a Mouth cut or carved out where the children of Israel pitched their Tents Here Pharaoh invaded them when they went out of Aegypt taking opportunity of the place for they having on either side of them a high Mountain before them the Red Sea and behind them a cruel and mighty Tyrant to the judgment of man had no means to escape But the Lord to express the mightiness of his Power and that the children of Israel might know who it was that delivered them made them a Passage and led them under 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 Baal-zephon is to be seen Of the Red Sea THE Red Sea is 160 miles from Jerusalem 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 upon the shore cast up by the Sea Others say that the redness thereof hapneth because of the shadow cast into the Water by the Mountains 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 of the Ocean clear and salt Strabo lib. 16. observeth 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 Son to Perseus and Andromeda who sometimes dwelt in the Island of that Sea It is also called the Arabian Gulf running from the South to the West and by the Hebrews I am suph a Scaly Sea all which names are at this day used at the utmost bounds hereof are seen the admirable works of Pharaoh Meco who would have brought this Sea to the River Nilus that so he might have sailed thence into the Mediterranean Sea but this work he could not finish being opposed by the wise men of Egypt Here also grows certain Trees that are as red as Brasil wood Of the mystery of the Red Sea AS Moses led the Children of Israel through the Red Sea and delivered them from the Bondage and Captivity of the Kings of Aegypt so Jesus Christ the Son of God by his precious Blood has deliverâ—d us from the house of Bondage and the tyranny of Sathan and as Pharaoh and all his Host was there drowned so the Sin of Adam Death and the Devil in that Sea of Christs blood is utterly drowned and we delivered from the Pit of Hell Of Baal-Zephon THIS was an Idol erected by the Aegyptians near to the shore of the Red Sea and is called Baal-zephon that is the Lord of defence and watchfulness because as they thought he resisted Fugitive Servants as Fagius and other Hebrews observe being derived from Baal which signifies a Lord and Zapha that is that hath seen or to behold and see The Temple of this Idol stood close by the shoar of the Red Sea upon a high hill very curiously wrought so that the Children of Israel going through the same could not chuse but see it yet nevertheless they went securely when Pharaoh and all his Host were drowned notwithstanding that their God of Defence was so near them Of Marah THIS is a place in the Desart which took the name of bitterness distant from Ierusalem 160 miles towards the South-west Here Moses made the Water sweet by throwing in Wood The mystery whereof is when Adam and Evah had eaten of the forbidden Fruit they brought bitterness through all the World yea the bitterness of Sin and Death but God shewed unto Moses another Tree that is our Lord Jesus Christ who being thrown into the Waters of bitterness Afflictions Calamities Miseries yea and the Death of the Cross for our sakes and sins underwent the curse of the Law that so taking away the bitterness we might be made capable of that sweet and delectable place of Eternal Life Of Elim THIS was the sixth resting-place of the Israelites in the Desart 120 miles from Ierusalem toward the South-west and is derived 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 Palm-trees Of Sin THIS was a thorny place in the Desart 156 miles from Ierusalem towards the South-west Here it rained down Quails and Manna from Heaven being a Type of our Saviour Jesus Christ that Heavenly Manna which raiseth us up unto Eternal Life Ioh. 6. and is derived of Manah which signifies to distribute and therefore Man or Mannah signifies a distributive Gift or Meat fallen from Heaven distributively Sin signifieth a thorny place from Zemeh which signifies a Bush for Christ flourisheth in the midst of his Enemies as a Lilly amongst thorns Can. 2. Psal. 10. Of Raphadim RAphadim was a place where the Children of Israel pitched their Tents in the Desart not far from Mount Sinai 132 miles from Ierusalem towards the South-west and signifieth a Grass bench strewed with sweet herbs and flowers being derived from Raphad which is as much as to say in our Language To make a Bed or place for one to lye down on Here Moses struck the Rock out of which Water issued Exod. 17. which was a Type of that Spiritual Rock Christ Jesus 1 Cor. 10. who being struck with the staff of the curse of the Law out of his precious wounds and side sent forth that Water of Life which runneth into Eternal happiness In this place the Children of Israel fought against the Amalekites and overcame them Ex. 17. and here Iethro came unto Moses where according to his counsel there were seventy Elders chosen over the People Ex. 18. This was a fruitful and pleasant place Of Mount Sinai SInai is 120 miles from Ierusalem towards the
which was as much as both they could bear upon their shoulders Num. 13. From Hebron they returned again to Kades-Barnea twenty miles There all the People murmured against Moses Num. 14. Hereby it is to be seen that the Spies in forty dayes travelled 648 miles in the Land of Câ—naaâ— that is every day 16 miles and a little more After that Ioshuah and Caleb travelled with Mâ—ses and the Children of Israel to Ezeon-Gabir and from thence to the Town of Iahza 464 miles From Iahza they pass'd through two Kingdoms to Mount Libanus eighty miles From Mount Libanus they returned again into the Land of Sittim that lay by the hill Pisgah in the field of the Moabites 80 miles From the Land of Sittim they pass'd through the River of Iordan and came to Gilgal six miles where Ioshuah pitched his Camp Numb 21. Iosh. 4. 5. From Gilgal he went to Iericho two miles there he assailed the Town with the sound of Basons and won it Iosh. 6. From Iericho he went to Ai being four miles and took and burnt the whole Town Iosh. 7. 8. From Ai he returned to Gilgal four miles and there upon the Hill of Ebal he built an Altar unto the Lord and there were the Blessings and Cursings pronounced Iosh. 8. Deut. 27. From Gilgal he went to Gibeon twelve miles There the Sun stood still during the Battel against the three Kings Iosh. 10. From Gibeon he went to Ajâ—lon two miles here the Moon stood still Ios. 10. From Ajâ—lon he went to Aseka four miles there it hailed upon the Enemies that fled before Israel Iosh. 10. From Asâ—ka Ioshua returned again into the Camp at Gilgal twenty miles Iosh. 10. From Gilgal he went to Makeda where he hanged the five Kings Ios. 10. From Makeda he went to Libna two miles and took the Town Iosh. 10. From Libna he went to Lachis eight miles From Lachis he went to Eglon eight miles From Eglon he went to Hebron which is sixteen miles Iosh. 10. From Hebron he went to Debir one mile Iosh. 10. After that Ioshuah with one continued War won all that part of Iudaea which lay towards the South bordering Eastward upon the Dead Sea Southward upon Cades-Barneâ— Westward upon Asdod and Gaza and Northward upon Gibeon and Gilgal This circuit of Land containeth about an hundred fifty and six miles From Gilgal Ioshua went out with his Army about twenty two miles to the River of Merom where he slew the rest of the Kings of the Canaanites in a memorable Battel Iosh. 11. From the River of Merom Ioshua chased his Enemies and followed them to Sidon which was 612 miles Iosh. 11. From Sidon he went again to Hazor 32 miles which Town he burnt Iosh 11. After that Ioshuah at one time won all the Towns in the Holy Land which lay Northward in the Lands of Samaria and Galilea from Gibeon to Mount Libanus and from the River of Iordan to the great Sea called Mare Mediterraneum which Countreys in circuit contain 280 miles After that Ioshuah returned again to his Camp at Gilgal which lay 72 miles from the Town of Hazor where he made a division of the Land amongst the Children of Israel Iosh. 14 15. From Gilgal he went to Shilo twelve miles where he made an end of dividing the Land Iosh. 18. From Shilo he went to Timnah Sera eight miles and there he dwelt for the Children of Israel gave him that Town for his own Inheritance Iosh. 19. From Timnah Sera Ioshua not long before he died came to Sichem forty miles There he assembled all the Tribes of Israel Iosh. 24. From Sichem he returned again to Timnah Sera forty miles where he died and was buried Iosh. 24. So all the Travels of Prince Ioshuah were 2392 miles The Description of the several Towns and Places to which Ioshua travelled Of Rechob THIS was a City of the Levites in the Tribe of Aâ—hur an hundred miles from Ierusalem toward the North Nuâ— 13. and signifieth a broad Street being derived from Radhab that is to extend out in length Of Haemah or Chaemah THIS was a City of the Levites in the Tribe of Nephtali and was an hundred miles from Ierusalem upon the utmost bounds of the Holy Land at the foot of Antilibanus Num. 11. 34. Iosh. 19. derived from Chamah that is furious or burning with anger Of Gilgal THIS was a Town between Iordan and the City Iericho twelve miles from Ierusalem South-eastward where the Children of Israel having past the River of Iordan first made War upon all the Nations of the Land of Canaan Here they solemnized the first Paschal Lamb. After they came into this Land Manna ceased because they then did eat the Fruits of the Countrey Here Ioshua taking twelve stones out of Iordan pitch'd them up 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 Iosh. 4. 5. Hos. 2. 4 9. Amos 5. Near to this place Ehud the third Judge of the Children of Israel received gifts of them to carry to Eglon King of the Moabites dwelling at Iericho where he killed him with a knife Here Saul was the second time confirmed King of Israel 2 Sam. 10. and as it seems taketh name of Roundness Ioshuah at this time building his Tent in a circular fashion for Galal signifies a round Wheel or Tent compassed about with Ditches and Bulwarks Of Iericho THIS is a City in the Tribe of Benjamin two miles from Iordan and six from Ierusalem South-eastward Ioshuah overcame this with the sound of Horns or Trumpets Iosh. 26. Heb. 11. Here Christ restored the blind man to sight Mat. 6. converted Zachaeus Luke 19. and was called the City of Palms by reason of the great plenty of Palms that grew there You may read more of this hereafter Of Hai or Ai. HAI is a Town in the Tribe of Benjamin near to Bethel toward the East where Abraham dwelt Gen. 12. Ioshuah won this Town Ios. 7. 8. It was so called of a Prophet that dwelt there and signifieth to be placed upon a heap for Ai signifies a heap lying partly equally partly unequally The Ruines of this Town were scarce to be found in Ierom's time Of Gibeon THIS was a Metropolitan City in thâ— Tribe of Benjamin the Inhabitants whereof became Petitioners to Ioâ—huah for Peace Iâ—s 9. 10 18. 2â— Sam. 21. Afterward it was given to the Priests It is derived of Gibeah or Gibeon which signifies a curled Hill It was scituated on a Mountain four miles from Ierusalem toward the North. Here stood the Tabernacle of the Covenant and the brazen Altar Here Saul was first made King of Israel Here he put the Sons of Abimelâ—ch the Priest to death 1 Sam. 12. Here Iosâ—uah overcame the five Kings of the Ammorites Here the Sun stood still Of this you may read more hereafter Of Ajâ—lon THIS was a City of the Priests in the Tribe of Dan four miles
Canaanites being distant from Ierusalem eighty miles towards the North. This Ioshuah destroyed with Fire and Sword Deborah also the Prophetess besieged it took 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 four miles and somewhat better from Ierusalem towards the North. Here the Ark of the Covenant continued from the time that the Israelites first entred into the Land of Canaan till Eli the Priest fetch'd it thence in whose time it was taken by the Philistims and he for very Grief therefore fell down and brake his Neck against a Stone 1. Sam. 4. The Inhabitants hereabouts shew the Ruines of a certain Sepulchre standing upon the top of this Mount where they say Samuel was buried but that cannot be true for he was buried at Ramath which now is called Arimathea Therefore it seems to be either the Ruines of Eli's Sepulchre who died miserably in that place or else of the House of the Lord which many years past stood there Schiloh signifies happy and peaceable being derived from Schalah that is to live at ease and in peace Of Timnah Of this you may read in the Travels of Iudah The Type and Mystery of Joshuah JOshuah and Iesus is all one in Signification that is Saviour or a Defender and did typically represent our Saviour Christ that as this Ioshuah brought the Children of Israel through Iordan into the Land of Canaan so Jesus Christ the true Ioshuah and Saviour of the World through that Iordan of Baptism bringeth us into that place of Promise Eternal Life Wherae the one and thirty Kings dwelt overcome and slain by Joshuah Josh. 10. AS the Prophet Moses won all the Land upon the one side of Iordan so Ioshuah won all the Countrey on the other from the Town of Baalgadan beginning at Mount Libanus not far from Mount Hebron till you come to the Town of Caesarea Philippi and to the Hill Seir where sometime Esau dwelt all which is 160 miles long and 28 or 32 miles broad The first King that Ioshuah overcame dwelt in Iericho The second King held his Court in Ai. The third King dwelt in Ierusalem and was called Adoni-bezec that is a Lord of Righteousness 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 fifth King called Percam dwelt at Iarmouth in the Tribe of Iuda twenty miles from Jerusalem Westward The sixth King called Japhia dwelt at Lachis two miles from Iarmouth Southward he was also hanged at Makeda Ios. 10. The seventh King dwelt at Eglon called Debir and was also hanged at Makeda The eighth King was called Horam and held his Princely Seat in the Tribe of Dan in the Town of Gezer 16 miles from Jerusalem 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 Jerusalem Westward The eleventh King dwelt at Harma in the Tribe of Judah which is upon the borders of Arabia deserta not far from Ziclag forty miles from Ierusalem South-westward this Town in times past was called Zephal that is a Watch-tower because it stood upon a Hill But when the Children of Iudah had overthrown the whole Army of the Canaanites they called it Haram a Curse Iudg. 1. The twelfth King dwelt at Arat 22 miles from Ierusalem Southward which was a Town of the Ammorites and took the name from the Asses that were in great troops within the Woods thereabout It lay in the Tribe of Iudah The thirteenth King dwelt at Libnah in the Tribe of Iudah The fourteenth King dwelt at Odullam The fifteenth King dwelt at Makeda In this Town Ioshuah hanged five Kings Ios. 10. The sixteenth King dwelt at Bethel The seventeenth King dwelt at Tapnah not far from Iordan and Iericho twelve miles from Ierusalem North-eastward The eighteenth King dwelt at Hepher six miles from Ierusalem North-ward part of this Town was allotted to the Tribe of Zabulon Ionas the Prophet was born in this Town 2 Reg. 14. and is four miles distant from the Town of Nazareth Southward The nineteenth King dwelt at Apheck forty four miles from Ierusalem North-ward and two miles from Iezreel There also the Ark 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 half Tribe of Manasses The twentieth King dwelt at Lazaron eighteen miles and half from Ierusalem North-westward not far from Ioppen and Lidda The one and twentieth King dwelt at Nadan fourteen miles from Ierusalem North-westward The two and twentieth King dwelt at Hazor The twenty third King dwelt at Simron which Town was allotted to the Tribe of Zabulon Iosh. 14. It lieth sixty eight miles from Ierusalem North-ward not far from the Town of Nazareth in Galilee The twenty fourth King dwelt at Achsap eighty eight miles from Ierusalem Northward which Town was allotted to the Tribe of Aser The twenty fifth King dwelt at Tanaach forty four miles from Ierusalem this Town belonged to the Levites and stood in the Tribe of Manasses six miles from Iezreel Southward Iosh. 21. The twenty sixth King dwelt at Megiddo forty four miles from Ierusalem Northward scarce four miles from Tanaach By this Town of Megiddo Iosias King of Iuda was overthrown by Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt 2 Reg. 23. In the Travels of Iosiah King of Iudah I will speak of this Town more at large The twenty seventh King dwelt at Kades Ios. 19. 21. The twenty eighth King dwelt at Iaknedam twenty seven miles from Ierusalem Northward being upon the Mediterranean Sea This Town was allotted to the Tribe of Zabulon and given to the Levites Iosh. 21. The twenty ninth King dwelt at Naphet Dor which Town lay upon the Sea-Coast between the Hill Carmel and the Town of Cesarea Stratonis forty eight miles from Ierusalem Northward The thirtieth King dwelt at Gilgal between Iericho and the River Iordan and was the first King that Ioshuah overcame and slew all his host The one and thirtieth King dwelt at Thirtza in the Tribe of Manasses twenty four miles from Ierusalem In this Town Ieroboam and after him all the Kings of Israel kept their Courts before Samaria was built The Book of Iudges The Travels of Caleb and Athniel CALEB and Athniel with all the Children of Iudah went from Iudah to Besek forty four miles where they took King Adoni-Bezek Prisoner and cut off his Fingers and Toes Iudg. 1. From Beseck they went to Ierusalem forty four miles which they took by force and burnt it Iudg. 1. From Ierusalem they went to Hebron 22 miles which they took and slew the Gyants that inhabited therein Iudg. 1. Not far from Hebron lay the Town of Debir which
Samachoniten 28 miles This City is eighty miles from Ierusalem towards the North. Ioseph Ant. lib. 5. From Haraseth he went to the Plain of Zaaenaim where he found Sisera slain in the Tabernacle of Iael as Deborah the Prophetess had told him From thence Barak with all his Army went to Hazor where Iabin King of the Canaâ—nites kept his Court and of a sudden conquered the City and put to death all the Inhabitants Ioseph Ant. lib. 5. Of Thabor THABOR is a round and high Hill scituated upon the Borders of the Tribes of Issachar and Zabulon fifty six miles from Ierusalem towards the North and extendeth it self to the River Kison towards the South and taketh the Name of Light or a pure air being derived of Bo to go and come Tebuah to bring forth fruit and to give light For this Mountain Thabor by reason of the Purity of the Air is wonderful fertile and fruitful There was also a Town at the foot of it called by the same name Here the Kings of the Midianites Zeba and Zalmuna were slain by Gideon Of Hazor THIS is a great City in the Tribe of Nepthali eighty miles from Ierusalem towards the North which Ioshuah destroyed with Fire and Sword So did Barak also The Ruines of this City is to be seen to this day The Myâ—tery 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 continual Prayers implore his aid and assistance with the Bee sucking from the Flowers of the Holy Scriptures the sweet and acceptable Doctrine of Faith by which the hope of everlasting Life is strengthned in us with the sting of Gods Word repulsing all vain delusions and idle imaginations the Temptations of the Devil and those waspish affections of cruel and wicked men according to that of Ecclesiasticus the Bee is but small yet bringeth forth most pleasant fruit and presenteth unto man many memorable instructions And as Plato saith The King of Bees although without a sting yet Ruleth and Governeth his Commonwealth with great Severity and Iustice. So Christ the head of the Church though he be a delectable Saviour of Souls and without any Sting of Bitterness yet doth he Rule and Govern it with singular Justice and Sincerity Of Barak AFter Deborah was appointed Judge of Israel she ordained Barak for her chief Commander or Captain He taketh his name from Thunder and Lightning typically representing the Glory of Christ Jesus as chief Captain of the Church who with the Thunder of the Law and the Bright shining Glory of the Gospel destroyed the Enemies thereof and by the Hosts of Angels and Saints at the end of the World will cast them down with thunder and lightning into that Bottomless Pit there to remain for ever Of the Travels of Gideon DEBORAH being Dead Zaeba and Zalmuna Kings of the Medeanites cruelly invaded the Land of Iudaea but the Lord taking compassion upon his People sent them a helper one Gideon the Son of Ioas of the family of Abiezer who was born at Ophra or Ephron a City in the Tribe of Manasses not far from Mahanaim on the East side of Iordan some 44 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-East and signifieth a Rooter out from Gada that is He hath rooted out This man at the appointment of the Lord took upon him the charge of the People and at Ophra which signifies Dust he destroyed the Idol Baal pitching up in that place an Altar to the Lord wherefore he was after called Ieru-Baal taking that name from Revenge because he had destroyed the Idol He began to Rule in Israel in the year of the World 2672 and before Christ 1296. From Ophra Gideon went to Harad which standeth in the half Tribe of Manasseh 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 provided a great Host and pitched in the Valley of the Hill Moreh so Gideon taking only 300 with him went over Iordan and came to the Town of Iesreel for Iosephus saith sixteen miles from Harad where he gave the Midianites a wonderful Overthrow Iudg. 7. he also took there two Princes Oreb and Zeb and returned to the River Iordan where he put them to death From thence he went to Succoth with his Army in expectation to have refreshed themselves but the Inhabitants shut him out of the Town and gave him many despightful Words This Town lay close by Iordan and here Iacob sometime pitched his Tent. From thence he went to Penuel which is two miles there also they used him unkindly and gave him bad Language From thence he went to Nobach with his Army which is two miles From thence he went to Iagbetha which is four miles where he conquereâ— Zaeba and Zalmuna Kings of the Midianites who thinking themselves secure made no preparation for War till they were besieged This was a memorable Battel and here the two Kings were put to Death From thence he followed the Enemy with a great Slaughter to Karkor which is four miles From thence he vvent back to Succoth vvhich is eight miles here he put the Inhabitants of this Town to the Sword and all the Elders and Princes he tore to pieces vvith Thorns because they had formerly denied him Entrance into the City From thence he vvent to the Castle of Penuel which is two miles and utterly destroyed it even to the ground and put all the Inhabitants to death because of their mocks From thence he went to Ophra four miles where gathering together all the Gold which he had taken from the Midianites he made a rich Ephod Iudg. 8. From Ophra he went to Sichem where his Son Abimelech was born which is ten miles From thence he returned back to Ophra which is ten miles and there he died after he had judged Israel ten years So all the Travels of Gideon were eighty two miles The Description of the Towns and Places to which Gideon travelled Of Iezreel JEzreel was a fair City scituated upon a hill near to the Flood Kison bordering upon the Tribe of Issachar 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and signifieth the Seed of God being derived from El and Dara the Seed of the Almighty God There was another of this name in the Tribe of Iudah Iosh. 15. In times past this was onely the Seat and chief abiding-place of the Kings of Israel For Ahab and Iezabel kept their Court there and Ioram their Son whom Iehu overcame and here Iezabel was eaten up of Dogs At this day this fair City hath in it but thirty Houses and is called by the Inhabitants of the Holy Land Sanatham being scituated at the foot of the Mountain Gilboah Westward in it there is a Watch Tower upon the top whereof you may
the Travels of Sampson were 240 miles The Description of the several Towns and Places to which Sampson travelled Of Zarea THIS is a City in the Tribes of Iuda and Dan near the River Soreck and taketh the Name from a Cole or Leprosie being derived of Sarag that is He was Leprous it stood eighteen miles from Ierusalem Westward Of Esthaol THis was a Town in the Tribe of Dan two miles from Zarea and stood near the River Soreck some twenty miles from Ierusalem towards the West and taketh the name from a Woman and Fortitude for Isca signifieth a Woman and El or Ol strong and powerful Here Sampsen was brought up In St. Ierom's time this was called Asto not far from whence Sampson lieth buried Of Timnah You may read of this in the Travels of Iudah Of Ascalon THis was a City of the Philistines scituated upon the shore of the Mediterranean Sea some thirty miles from Ierusalem Westward and to this day retaineth the figure of half a Circle it taketh the name from an ignominious Fire being derived of Esh and Kalon an ignominious light Of Gaza Of this Town you may read in the Travels of Ioshuah Of the River Soreck THis was a very pleasant River upon the Bank whereof grew great plenty of Vines and Palms from whence it seemeth to have taken the Name for Soreck in Hebrew signifieth a Myrtle Branch which bringeth forth a pleasant Berry whereof excellent Wine is made It takes the beginning at a Fountain in the Tribe of Iuda some twelve miles from Ierusalem towards the West where there is a very fertile Valley in which Dalilah that betrayed Sampson dwelt and from thence it runneth through the Land of the Philistines and falleth into the Mediterranean Sea Of the Rock Eta IN this Rock there was a Cave wherein Sampson dwelt as in a strong Tower it stood in the Tribe of Iuda near to the River Soreck twelve miles from Ierusalem toward the West and seemeth to take the Name from Fowls for before that Sampson inhabited there a multitude of Fowls bred upon it and therefore it was called Eta for Aith signifies a Fowl This Rock growing to decay was repaired again by Ieroboam that Idolatrous King of Israel Of Sampson SAmpson or Schimpson according to the Hebrew Text taking his Name from the Sun for Schaemas in Hebrew signifieth the Sun and seemeth to have some Affinity with Hercules which â—ignifieth The glory of the Air for what can be said to be the glory of the Air but the Light of the Sun without which it would become exceeding dark Wherefore as some think this Sampson was the true Hercules and those noble Exploits that he did the Graecians attributed to their Hercules The typical Signification of Sampson HE typically representeth Christ divers ways first in his Person he was a mighty Man secondly in his Profession he was a Nazarite thirdly in his Calling he was a Prince and Judge fourthly in his manner of living for he went from place to place to revenge himself upon the Enemies of God's People the Children of Israel and in his Death even so our Saviour Christ is that strong man who being mightier than the Devil hath dispossest him of his tyrannical Jurisdiction over the Souls of Mankind hath taken away those gates of Death by his Mercy opening unto us the door of Life that so being set at Liberty from that hellish Imprisonment we may be made Partakers of everlasting Happiness he was also a Nazarite even from his Mothers Womb born and bred there tying himself to a Vow of Bondage that we might be made free he is a Prince for ever and a Priest after the Order of Melchisedeck during the continuance of his Life in this Vail of Misery his chiefest Actions were to go from place to place to teach to do good and to rescue and relieve the poor distressed Members of the Church who lay miserably afflicted under the hands of Satan healing some relieving others and bringing a third sort into the state of Grace so that as Sampson delivered the Israelites from the Bondage of the Philistines Christ our Prince and Judge delivereth his from the Slavery of Satan by his Death saving more Souls than in his Life And thereby pulling down the strong Buildings the Temptations of Satan hath laid them level with the Ground that they shall never be restored again And lastly after this Life ended he shall be our Prince and Judge and bring us to that place of Promise prepared for us in his everlasting Kingdom The Travels of the Spies of the Danites SHortly after the Death of Sampson the Spies of the Danites went from Zarea and Esthaol to Mount Ephraim to the House of Michah which is twenty four miles Iudg. 18. From thence they went to Lais which is a hundred and four miles Iudg. 18. From thence they returned to Zarea and Esthaol which is 126 miles Iudg. 18. So all their Travels were 244 miles Of Lais. LAIS was a City scituated at the Foot of Mount Libanus some 104 miles from Ierusalem towards the North and was sometimes called Belenus this because it stood so far from Aid was quickly conquered by the Danites and by them utterly destroyed it signifieth a roaring or devouring Lyon But after being rebuilt by the Danites they called it Dan and the Canaanites Lesem Dan being derived of Laeschaem which signifieth a Lyon The Travels of the Danites THE Army of the Danites went from Zarea and Esthaol to Kiijath-jearim and there pitched their Tents which is sixteen miles Iud. 15. From thence they went to Mount Ephraim to the house of Micha and took his carved Image and his Levite from him which was eight miles Iudg. 15. From thence they went to Lais 104 miles So all the Travels were 128 miles Of Kirjath-jearim KIrjath-jearim was a City of the Levites in the Tribe of Iuda upon the Borders of the Tribe of Benjamin about a mile from Ierusalem Westward It sometime belonged to the Gibeonites Iosh. 9. and signifies a City of the Desart or Woods being derived from Kiriath which signifies a City and Iaar a Wood or Forrest Here stood the Ark of the Covenant after it had been in the Land of the Philistines seven months and stood in the house of Abinadab whose Son Eleazer because he was of the Family of the Levites by consent of the Children of Israel was consecrated Priest thereof to attend and keep it here it remained forty eight Years till David fetched it thence with great Joy 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 Scholers of the Wise came down from the more eminent places where the Ark of God was with holy Songs and Instruments of Musick and the Spirit of the Lord came upon Saul and he sung and praised God with them They called this the Hill of God because the Ark of the Covenant stood in it 1 Sam.
perfect Phoenix This bird doth lively represent our Saviour Christ who only and alone is the true Messiah and through whom we must expect everlasting life who in the fulness of time offered himself a Sacrifice upon the Cross sustaining the punishment of Sin at the time of his Passion putting on a purple Robe being all be sprinkled with his own bloud Ioh. 19. And as the Phoenix is burnt in her own Nest so likewise was he consumed in the fire of Gods wrath according to that in Psal. 22. My heart is become like melting wax in the midst of my body And as the Phoenix of it self begetteth another of the same kind so Christ by the power of his Deity raised up his Body from the dust of the Earth and ascended up into Heaven a glorious Body to sit at the right hand of his Father in that everlasting Kingdom of Glory Thus gentle Reader I thought fit to describe unto you these two Towns that when you shall read of them in the holy Scripture the one being in Aethiopia towards the South the other in Arabia-Foelix and called Seba you might discern the one from the other of both which there is mention in the 72 Psalm The Kings of the Seas and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Saba and Seba shall give Gifts The Travels of King Pharaoh out of Aegypt when he overcame the Town of Gazer 1 Reg. 9. IN the sixteenth year of King David Anno mundi 2906 and before Christ 1602 Chabreus King of Aegypt began to reign and reigned fifty six years Diod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Herodotus calleth this man Chephrines in his second book and Eusebius Nepher Cherres He went from Memphis the chief City of Aegypt with a great Army 268 miles even unto the Tribe of Ephraim and there took Gazer a City of the Levites and burned it with fire I Reg. 8. Ios. 21. After he came to Ierusalem twenty eight miles And this City which he had thus destroyed he gave to his Daughter the Wife of Solomon 1 Reg. 9. From thence he returned to Memphis in Aegypt 244 miles So all the Travels of King Pharaoh were 244 miles Of Memphis MEmphis is a great City in Aegypt where commonly the Kings of that Countrey keep their Courts and lyeth from Ierusalem 244 miles Soâ—â—h-west-ward This City was built a little before the Flood but repaired and enlarged by a King called Ogdoo who in love of his Daughter after her Name called it Memphis You may read 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 Idolatry into Aegypt but Aegypt shall gather them up and 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 fertility and pleasantness of the Country as you may read Esay 19. The Princes of Zoan are become foolish and the Princes of Noph or of Memphis are deceived See also Ierom 2. 44. 46. Ezech. 30. in which places you may find it called after this name Zoan is the City Tanis where Moses wrought all his Miracles But Noph or Moph is this Memphis a beautiful Town large and spacious scituated in the strongest and profitablest place in Aegypt divided into two parts by the River Nilus so that any kind of commodities or merchandize might with ease be brought thither by Water for which cause the Kings of that Country for the most part kept their abiding there Strabo saith lib. 17. that upon the East part of this City there standeth a Tower or Castle called Babylon built by certain Babylonians who leaving their own Country by the permission of the Kings of Aegypt 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 Babylon through both which viz. Memphis and Babylon Nilus passed the one standing upon the East side the other upon the West Zoan or Tanis stood about some four miles from this Town and was a fair and spacious City also scituated towards the South upon the East side of Nilus to which the Kings of that Country often resorted and Heliopolis another fair City stood some six miles off that towards the North-East All these four Towns were so wonderfully inhabited by reason of their pleasant and profitable scituation that in process of time they became all one City and in this Age is called Alcaire containing in Circuit sixty miles so that it seemeth to Spectators to be like a Country replenished with nothing but fair Houses goodly Churches and strong Towers exceeding all the rest of the Cities of Aegypt as well for the beautifulness of the place as the extent and largeness of it It is reported that in the year of our Lord 1476 there was such an extreme Pestilence in it that there dyed 20000 a day from whence may be gathered how infinitely it is peopled Near to this Town stood the Pyramides which are held to be 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 twenty years a building a hundred thousand Workmen employed 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 excessive charge they were that set them up Of Gazar This City is described in the Travels of Solomon The Travels of Hadad King of Idumaea WHen David conquered Idumaea Hadad the King of that Country with some few of his Courtiers being then but young fled from Midian to Paran the Metropolitan City of Arabia Petraea which was 84 miles 1 Reg. 11. But because he thought himself scarce safe in that place he fled thence to Cheopes that impious and Tyrannical King of Aegypt that built the greatest of the three Pyramides at Memphis He hating King David gave him kind entertainment assigned him a part of the Kingdom of Aegypt to dwell in and after married him with his Sister Taâ—hpenes by whom he had a Son called Genubath who was brought up in Pharaohs or King Chopes Court where he continued all the Life of David being twenty seven years 120 miles David being dead he returned into his own Kingdom of Idumaea which was 200 miles From thence he went back to Damascus which was 240 miles where he was created King of the Syrians by Reson and other fugitives which had conspired against Solomon by which means he grievously troubled that Kingdom and became an utter Enemy to the Israelites all the Life of Solomon And of him is the original and stock of the Kings of Syria So all the Travels of Hadad were 644 miles Of Midian and Paran you may read before in the one dwelt Iethro Moses
caused them to be worshipped For after the end of these years according to the Prophecy of Ezekiel caâ— 4. the Sins of Ieroboam should be grievously punished upon the People of Iudah In the like manner from the end of the thirteenth year of Iosiah wherein Ieremie first began to Prophecy until this year in which the Children of Israel were carried away Captive into Babylon are numbred forty years which by Ezek. cap. 4. are called the years of the Iniquity of Iudah because so long the Iews did contemn and despise the admonition of the Prophet Ieremie Of Babylon HOw far this City stood from Ierusalem you may read before which by the Chaldaeans is called Shinear or Sinear and signifies To strike upon the Teeth being derived of Schen A tooth and Naer to strike It may also be taken for that when a man endeavoured with all speed to execute a thing which seems to resemble the condition of Nimrod for that in this place he endeavoured to overcome and conquer all his Neighbours from whence this Land was called Casdius that is The Country of the Destroyer So changing S into L it is called Chaldeus or Chaldaea The Chief and Metropolitan City of which Country was this Babylon built some thirty years after the Floud by Nimrod or the Babylonian Saturn the first great Commander of the World according to Berosus lib. 4. who writeth after this manner Nimrod which was accounted the Son of Iupiter Belus being angry with the Holy Priests of that great God Iehovah came with his Colony and People into the Field of Sinear where he built a City and laid the Foundation of a great Tower 131 years after the Flood and raised this Tower to such a height and withal of such a hugeness that it seemed as if it had been some great Mountain because he would have the Babylonian People accounted the chiefest and greatest in the World also their Governour the King of Kings A little after he saith he built this Tower but before he could finish it dyed in the fifty sixth year after he began it wherefore the City and Tower of Babylon according to the Opinion of Berosus was begun in Anno Mundi 1788 which was 131 years after the Flood and before Christ 2180. There were two causes wherefore the Children of Men built up this Tower first that they might get them a name secondly that they might be safe in case there came another Flood to drown the World It was made of Brick and Bittum lest the Water should loosen it But the Lord turned their Enterprises into evil and divided their Language so that they could not understand one another whereby they were constrained to leave off their building from whence it happened that their Minds Manners Understandings Studies and principal Actions were utterly changed and is the Foundation of all discord and sedition where the fear of God and the true knowledge of Christ doth not prevent it From this division of Tongues it is called the City of Babylon this is the City of Division being derived of the word Balal he hath confounded or mingled together Of this City you may read in Ios. lib. I. cap. 9. where he bringeth in a saying of the Sibyls which was That when all Nations were of one Language they built an exceeding high Tower as though they would have ascended by it into Heaven but the Lord with great tempest and dividing their Tongues subverted their enterprize from whence it was called Babylon This City was the fairest in those times of all others scituated in a spacious Plain upon every side whereof there stood pleasant Orchards and Gardens it was built four square conpassed about with Walls of incredible strength and greatness being fifty Cubits thick and 200 high beautified within with goodly Buildings fair Temples richly gilt with Gold and wonderful to look upon It was in compass 380 Furlongs as Strabo saith which make forty eight miles Through it ran the River Euphrates by which all things necessary were conveyed to the City without it was compassed with fair Ditches fill'd with water like Rivers and in the Wall there stood a hundred Gates Herodotus saith that it was 480 Furlongs about which make sixty miles English but that is not so credible The first Founder of this City was Nimrod who in those times was the chief Commander of the World It is thought that he was the Son of Cham the Son of Noah whose name signifies a cruel Governour or an unmerciful Tyrant And that his Actions might be according to the signification of his name he is branded with most perspicious notes of Cruelty omitting no violent action whereby he might inlarge his Dominions incroaching upon other mens Governments through a thirsty and ambitious desire of Renown without respect of Equity or Humanity And to add evil to evil committed many outrages upon such as were accounted good men and the Priests of the great God Iehovah from whence there grew in him a more than humane resolution accounting himself in this World a God and thorough this opinion grew into contempt of all good things compelling such as were his Subjects and Vassals to do him Worship and Reverence as to a Divine Power which being ingrafâ—ed into the hearts of such as followed in succeeding Ages they countenanced it with Authority from whence it came to pass that he was inrolled into the number of their principal Gods giving him the name of Saturn whom the Hebrews called Sudormin which elegantly implyeth Saturn Berosus saith that the Babylonian Iupiter succeeded this Nimrod whose Authority I am willing to follow to avoid prolixity This man so much inlarged the City that many in succeeding ages have attributed the foundation thereof unto him He ruled over it sixty one years After him succeeded Ninus or as some would have it Nimrod the second who began his Reign Anno Mundi 1909 before Christ 2061 he did many worthy Acts during his life and added to the Empire of Babylon many Provinces and after he had reigned fifty years dyed and was buried in Babylon After him succeeded Semiramis his Wife who took upon her the Government of the Assyrian Empire her Son Ninus being then within age and she began her Government Anno Mundi 1959 before Christ 2009. She was one of the manliest and resolute Women that we read of and performed as many worthy and memorable Actions This Queen built her Sepulchre over the most eminent Gate of Babylon in a publick and perspicious place upon which she caused to be written in Golden letters If there be any King of Babylon that shall come after me and stand in need of Money let him open this Sepulchre and what soever he wanteth he shall find but before it will not be good for him to touch it This notwithstanding it continued till the Reign of Darius who opened this Monument in hope to find what the Superscription imported but no Mony was there to be had only within
might plainly be seen ingraven other Letters to this effect Vnless thou hadst been unâ—â—tiably Covetous thou wouldst never have opened the Graves of the Dead in hope of gain This Woman beautified Babylon with many goodly Buildings built up the Walls thereof set a Bridge over Euphrates made a beautiful Orchard and a Garden in it beautified it with many goodly Towers and Fortifications added unto it many Provinces and Governments and after all because of her own lascivious Appetite as Sallust saith was murthered by her Son Ninus who succeeded her in the Government There were many other memorable things within this City 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 Chappel wherein was the Statue of Iupiter all of pure Gold worth 800 Talents of Gold Without that Chappel there stood an Altar of pure Gold upon which they yearly offered 100000 Talents of Frankincense There was another also somewhat less upon which they used to offer their Sacrifices for it was not lawful for them to offer any thing that had life upon the greater Altar there stood also in that place another Statue twelve cubits high all of pure Gold This City was after taken by Cyrus the first Emperour of the Persians An. Mundi 3432. before Christ 536 in the seventieth year after the Captivity of Israel and Iudah according to the Prophecy of Ieremy at which time the City was so great that they which dwelt in the middle of it did not know that the Enemy had entered within the Walls at the farther end which might happen because upon that day when it was taken the Babylonians celebrated a Feast unto Venus in which using extraordinary diligence they were less mindful of such things as hapned unto them Thus this City that with great Tyranny had triumphed over the Nations of the earth for the space of 1600 years being so plentifully furnished with all things necessary for the maintenance of life that the Inhabitants thereof contemned all other People was by God's permission for their pride and presumption wasted and consumed by Cyrus as you have heard and shortly after utterly destroyed by Xerxes the fourth Emperour of the Persians and so continueth to this day as Strabo saith Where then O World is thy Prosperity or Riches thy glory since in the one thou art consumed in the other lest desolate Of the Ruines of old Babylon that are extant at this day BAbylon which as you have heard reigned over 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 Town close by where it stood called Elugo or Felugo scituated upon the Bank of the River Euphrates Not far from which it seems there is a profitable Harbour for Ships where Merchants often times go a shore and travel thence through many Woods and desart places unto Seleucia which at this day is called by the Turks Bagdeth distant thence some thirty six miles and is the utmost Town of the Turkish and Persian Empires towards the East being divided in the midst by the River Tygris Some Merchants have reported That the place where Babylon stood is become stony unfruitful and unpleasant because of the Ruins of the destroyed buildings which lye in the Earth Also That there is found a Tower built of a black stone which to outward appearance seems to have been a very goodly house high and eminent so that upon the top thereof a man might have seen through the whole City This Tower the Inhabitants of Felugo call the Tower of Daniel in which was the Chamber where he used to pray to the Lord three times a day the Windows whereof looked towards Ierusalem Dan. 6. There is also to be seen divers Arches of the Bridge which Semiramis built standing upon the River Euphrates and the foundation of the great Tower whose top should have reached to Heaven being in compass two miles but not very high Within the Ruins whereof are found certain Serpents very noisom and venemous about the bigness of a Lizard having three heads and spect with divers colours which the Inhabitants call Eglones There are such a multitude of them that no man dares approach within half a mile of it any time but in the Winter season nor then neither but for the space of a Month in which time these Serpents for the extremity of the cold are constrained to keep their holes Thus as this Tower was hateful to God in the beginning so likewise hath he made it hurtful unto man even to this day The Travels of the Babylonian and Assyrian Kings and Emâ—erours that fought against Israel and Judah And first of Phul Belochus King of Assâ—ria PHul Belochus that is he returned wasting began to reign among the Babylonians Anno Mundi 3149. before Christ 819 and governed forty eight years 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 give him 1000 talents of Silver to raise his Siege and depart 2 Reg. 15. From Samaria he returned back again to Babylon 660 miles So all Travels of Phul Belochus were 1320 miles The Travels of Tiglat Phulasser 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 carried away the Children of Israel captives or else because of the Conquest that he had of all Galilee and over the Tribe of Naphtaly which he carried into Assyria He succeeded his father Phul Belochus in the Government of the Assyrians An. Mundi 3197. before Christ 771. and reigned twenty five years When Reâ—n King of the Assyrians joyning his Army with Pekah Son of Remalia King of Israel had streightly besieged Ierusalem Ahaz was constrained to crave aid of this Tiglath Phulasser and sent him great Presents which he accepted kindly and brought his Army from Niniveh to Damascus 520 miles where he put Reâ—n and the whole City to the Sword 2 Reg. 16. From Damascus he came with his Army into the land of Israel which was 120 miles where he overcame Pekâ—h in a great Battel conquered all the land of Gilead and the tribe of Naphtaly and put a great multitude of the Israelites into perpetual Exile 2 Reg. 15. From thence he went back to Niniveh 640 miles A little after this King Tiglath Phulasser went from Niniveh to Ierusalem 680 miles where he so streightly besieged that wicked King Ahaz that he was constrained to give him great abundance of Gold and Silver to raise his Siege and be gone 2 Chr. 28. From Ierusalem he returned back to Niniveh being 680 miles So all his Travels were 6640 miles Of the City Niniveh you may read
and foolish Merodach His Wife's name was Nitocris according to Herod lib. 1. She was a very magnificent and wise Woman set up many fair and goodly Buildings in Babylon and was the Mother of Balthasar the last Emperour of the Assyrians Dan. 5. Of Niriglissoroor Emperour of Babylon NIriglissoroor whose Syrname was Regassaâ— Son-in-law to Nebuchadnezzar the Great having slain Evil-Merodach his Wifes Brother reigned over the Babylonians and Assyrians four years as Berosus saith Of Labassardach the last Emperour of the Babylâ—nians LAbassardach the Son of Niriglissoroor succeeded his Father He reigâ—ed only nine months and died without Heir male Of Balthazar Nabonidus the last Emperour of the Babylonians and Assyrians ANno Mundi 3415 and before Christ 553 Balthazar Nabonidus whose Sirname was Labynitus the Son of Evil-Merodach and Nitocris obtained the Empire and reigned seventeen years according to Berosus with Ioseph cont App. Alexand. Polyb. apud Eusebium Praep. lib 9. l. 4. Alphae Hist. with Euseb. calleth this King Nabinidochus This is that Balthazar saith Iosephus lib. Ant. 10. cap. 13. which Daniel cap. 5. calleth the Son of Nebuchadonosor though indeed he was but his Son's Son as may be gathered from that of Ier. cap. 25. All Nations shall serve Nebuchadonosor and his Son and his Son's Son Bâ—lthasar signifies The Host of the Lord destroying his Enemies Labynitus signifies a shaken Sword This man as he was celebrating a great Feast unto Venus whom they call in the Assyrian Tongue Myleta amongst a great multitude of his Nobility and in that using extraordinary Excess and Blasphemy against the Lord in the midst of his Feast and all his Merriments he saw a hand writing upon the Wall which left these Words Mene Mene Tekel Vpharsin of which you may read more Dan. 5. Some say That at this very time the City was taken by Cyrus Emperour of the Persians and he put to the Sword in those Sports and Pastimes But certain it is that he was slain at a Banquet lost his Empire and was the last of the Assyrian Emperours but whether at that time I refer it to the opinion of the Reader The Travels of the Kings of Aegypt that fought against the Kings of Judah And first of Sisack who made War upon Rehoboam the Son of Solomon THAT proud and presumptuous Prince Sisack which signifies a Garment of Silk in the last year of his Reign which was the first of Rehoboam the Son of Solomon came with 1200 Chariots and 60000 Horse from Memphis to Ierusalem which was 244 miles bringing in his Army a great Multitude of People of divers Nations as Lybians Ethiopians c. With this Company he besieged Ierusalem and took it wasted the City spoiled the Temple and took thence the golden Shields which Solomon had made and destroyed that fair and beautiful house which Solomon had built From whence that Saying of his own was verified Eccles. That it is a great Evil upon the Earth for a man to take care to lay up Riches and Treasures in this World yet knoweth not who shall inherit it For those things which a little before he had with great Labour and Pains builded and beautified within less than twenty Years after were destroyed and made desolate by this King From Ierusalem Sisack returned with the Spoils of the Temple and City to Memphis in Aegypt which was 244 miles and in the Year following he was stricken by the Lord with a grievous Disease of which he died miserably So these two Journeys were 488 miles The Travels of Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt who made War upon Josiah King of Judah NECHO signifies an Enemy or Invader This man was one of the greatest of all the Egyptian Kings who in the thirteenth year of his Reign made War upon Nebuchadnezzar the first and in the Valley of Megiddo near to Magdala 244 miles from Memphis fought a great Battel wherein Iosiah King of Iudah was wounded to death From the Valley of Megiddo Pharaoh Necho went to the River Euphrates 360 miles where he fought a second Battel with Nebuchadnezzar upon a Plain near to Carchemis where he lost the day and was put to flight From Carchemis he fled to Riblah in the Land of Israel being 320 miles where in the Land of Chaemath near to the Lake Samachonites he overcame 〈◊〉 King of Iudah and took him Prisoner From Riblah Pharaoh Necho led Ioachas bound to Ierusalem 80 miles and made Ioachim his Brother King in his place From Ierusalem he returned to Memphis 240 miles Within four years after he went the second time with a great Army from Memphis to the River Euphrates 640 miles But there he was the second time overcome by Nebuchadnezzar and constrained to fly thence back again to Memphis in Egypt being 640 miles But Nebuchadnezzar followed him with an Army of chosen men and conquered all Egypt took Pharaoh Necho and made his Son Psammeticus King in his place who was the second of that name Of this Battel there is mention Ier. ca. 25. 26. So all the Travels of Pharaoh Necho were 1524 miles The Travels of the Holy Prophets and first of the Prophet Eliah ELIAH the Prophet went from Thisbe which was in the Land of Gilead to Samaria twenty four miles where he told the wicked King Ahab that there should be neither Rain nor Dew for the space of seven years 1 Reg. 17. From Samaria he went to the River â—erith twenty four miles where he was fed by a Raven From Kerith he went to Sarepta being an hundred miles where he sojourned with a poor Widow that found him Necessaries whose Son he restored to Life 1 Reg. 17. From Sarepta he went to Mount Carmel in the Land of Israel being sixty miles and by the way as he went he met Obadiah which signifieth the Servant of the Lord and King Ahab whom he rebuked sharply because of his Idolatry Also upon this Mountain he put all Bâ—al's Priests to death and prayed unto the Lord who sent Rain upon the Earth in great abundance 1 Reg. 18. From Mount Carmel he ran by King Ahab's Chariot to Iezreel which was accounted 16 miles After when Queen Iesabel threatned his Death he departed thence and went to Beersaba eighty four miles 1 Reg. 19. From Beersaba he went one dayes Jouney into the Wilderness of Paran because he thought to remain there safe from the mischief of Iesabel which vvas tvventy miles from Beersaba Southvvard Here the Angel of the Lord brought him meat as he vvas sitting under a Juniper-tree 1 Reg. 19. By vertue of this meat Eliah travelled from thence to Mount Horeb or Sinai eighty miles and continued there forty dayes and forty nights vvithout meat or drink There the Lord spake to Eliah as he stood in the â—ntrance of a Cave his Face being covered vvith his Mantle 1 Reg. 19. From the Mount Sinai or Horeb he returned to Abel-Mehola being 156 miles vvhere he called Elizeus the Son of Saphas to the Ministerial Function
forty five years old was invited to a Marriage in Cana a City of Galilee which stood eight miles from Galilee towards the North-West Iohn 2. Here our Saviour Christ wrought his first miracle by changing water into wine From Cana in Galilee she went with our Saviour to Capernaum a City of Galilee a little before the Feast of the Paschal Lamb which was twenty miles From Capernaum she returned back to Nazareth which was accounted twelve miles In the thirty second year of the age of our Saviour Christ which was the second of his Ministry Mary went from Nazareth back again to Capernaum where our Saviour Christ cast forth a Devil Mat. 12. Mark 3. which was 12 miles From thence she returned back again to Nazareth which was twelve miles for in this Town she dwelt whilst Iesus travelled from place to place teaching and preaching the Word of God Mark 6. And although she oftentimes went from Nazareth with him to many places continuing still in his company yet then especially when he was to sustain the wrath of God and punishment for the Sin of man which was in the thirty fourth year of his age In which year she would not forsake him till his death for she went from Galilee to Ierusalem with him which waâ— sixty four miles a great Journey for one of her age being then forty eighâ— years old And when our Saviour was crucified she stood close by the Cross with a heavy and pensive countenance bewailing the death of her Son Then was the Prophecy of old Simeon accomplished And a Sword shall pass through thy Soul But after by his Glorious Resurrection and Ascension she was revived and comforted From the Passion of Christ to the death of the blessed Virgin Mary was twelve years all which time she lived with Iohn the Evangelist in Ierusalem and then being fifty nine years of age dyed and was buried according to the opinion of Nicephorus and others in the Garden called Gethsamene So all her Travels were 3506 miles Now follows the description of the Towns and Places to which she travelled Of Nazareth THIS was a Town almost of no estimation scituated in a certain Mountain in Galilee the lower sixty four miles and something more from Ierusalem towards the North in the Tribe of Zabulon In this Town our Saviour Jesus Christ was brought up Luke 1. 2. Some say that it was nineteen or twenty miles from Ierusalem but they mistake themselves 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 extant in the Old Testament It hath a two-fold derivation the one by Zain and the other by Zade If it be written by Zain it may have a two-fold signification since the exposition of this name doth depend upon the Verb Nazar which signifies to consecrate and keep from hence Nezaer a Garland of Flowers or a Crown set with pretious Stones c. such as Kings and High-Priests are accustomed to wear Also from the same word Nazar is derived Nazir and thence Nazaraeus which is as much as to say He is separated from the use of Wine and suffering his Hair to be un-cut as being dedicated to the Lord. Therefore our Saviour Christ is justly called a Nazarite Luke 2. For â—aezer first signifies a holy man who hath made a holy Vow unto the Lord Secondly it doth denote a Crown or wreath of Sincerity Exod. 29. 39. Thirdly a holy Ointment wherewith Kings and Priests were anointed Levit. 27. And fourthly this word Nezaer signifies a Princely Crown 2 Sam. 1. 2. Kings 11. Psal. 89. 132. So that Nazareth being derived of Nazar and Nazir may signifie both a Crown and a holy City Iudg. 13. but if Nazareth be written by Zade it signifies a flourishing plant or Graff according to that of Isay c. 11. But there shall come a rod forth of the stock of Ishai and a Graff shall grow out of his root and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him The Inhabitants of this Town at this day shew certain Monuments and Reliques of what had happened in preceeding Ages as two Churches one built there where the Angel Gabriel saluted the Blessed Virgin and she conceived by the Spirit in which there stands three Altars hew'n out of a Rock and the other built as they say where the house of Ioseph and Mary stood because there our Saviour Christ was brought up Also they shew a Well where the Child Jesus drew Water and ministred to his Mother they also shew the vast Ruins of the Synagogue where our Saviour Christ expounded the sixty first Chapter of Isay for which cause they would have thrown him headlong down the Hill Luke 4. and many other things of which you may read in Borchardus the Monk In Saint Ierom's time some forty years before Christ Nazareth was a small Town called Nazarah Of the Mountains by which Mary passed when she went to visit her Cousin Elizabeth BEtween Nazareth and Ierusalem there standeth many high Hills as Mount Gilboa whereon King Saul killed himself Mount Gerisim and Hebal upon which Hills the Blessings and Cursings were pronounced Deut. 27. and Mount Ephraim upon which Ehud kill'd Eglon King of the Moabites Iudg. 13. Over this Mountain being very great and steep Mary travelled when she went to visit her Cousin Elizabeth Of Bethlehem THERE were two Cities called by this name the one Bethlem Iudah the other Bethlem Euphrata where our Saviour Christ was born and signifieth fruitful or the house of Bread It stood upon a Hill some six miles from Ierusalem towards the South The Inhabitants take upon them to shew the place where our Saviour Christ was born which stood upon the East side of the City close by the Wall thereof where as Eusebius saith Hellen the Mother of Constantine the Great caused to be built a fair and stately Church three hundred and twenty years afteâ— the Nativity of Christ. This Church was dedicated to St. Mary and remaineth to this day being had in great honour both amongst the Christians and the Turks and Saracens This Church is such a stately building that it is thought to exceed all the Churches of Christendom for Beauty and curious Workmanship It is two hundred twenty eight Foot long and eighty seven Foot wide being built all of Marble of divers colours and covered with Lead there are in it four rowes of Marble Pillars wonderful to look upon not only in regard of their number but of their greatness for there is fifty Pillars in every row The Body of this Church the Pillars from the bottom to the top the Walls and every part of it is beautified with lively Pictures adorned with divers Colours Silver Gold and curious Workmanship so as it is wonderful to behold The Pavement of it is of Marble polished and of divers colours so cunningly set in Works and with such variety that it is very delightful to such as look
the other cold which two Waters being mingled â—ogether are very wholsome and cure many Diseases but principally the shrinking of the Sinews And this shall suffice concerning the Travels of Iohn the Baptist. The Travels of our Lord and Saviour Christ in his Infancy Matth. 3. Luke 2. FRom Bethlehem the Child Jesus was brought to Ierusalem and there presented in the Temple Anno Mundi 3967 which was 6 miles From Ierusalem Ioseph and Mary when they had accomplished all things in the Temple of the Lord carried the Child Iesus to Nazareth in Galilee which was sixty four miles From thence Ioseph and Mary brought Jesus back again to Bethlehem which was seventy two miles Upon the second day of Ianuary in the second Year after the Nativity 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 Mary went with the Child Jesus through the Mountains and Desarts of Iudea into Egypt to Hermopolis in the Land of Gosen which was reckoned from Bethlehem 296 miles From Hermopolis in Egypt after the death of Herod Jesus was brought back again by his Parents to Nazareth in Iudea which was above 368 miles When Jesus was twelve years of age he went with his Parents from Nazareth to Ierusalem to the Feast of the Passeover which was sixty four miles And when his Parents had lost him and found him again in the Temple among the Learned then he continued in obedience unto them and went with them from Ierusalem to Nazareth which was sixty four miles So his Travels were 934 miles Concerning the Towns and Places mentioned in his Travels you may read before in the Travels of the Virgin Mary The Travels of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ from his Baptism till the first year of his Ministry CHrist in the thirtieth year of his age went from Nazareth and came to Bethabara which stood upon the River Iordan where Iohn baptized and upon the seventh day of October in the middle of the last Week spoken of by Daniel cap. 9. was there baptized at whose baptism the testimony of the Spirit descended down upon him in the likeness of a Dove which was fifty two miles From Iordan Jesus was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil and there fasted forty dayes and forty nights at the end of which time the Devil came and tempted him How this Wilderness was called the Evangelist doth not specifie but it is to be thought that it was the Desart of Arabia Petraea and that our Saviour Christ fasted upon the mountain of Sinai where Moses and Eliah fasted forty dayes and forty nights Exod. 24. 1. Reg. 19. For this Desart extendeth it self from the borders of Egypt and the Red Sea to Iordan where Iohn baptized and from thence by the Country of Trachonites to the mountain of Libanus Therefore our Saviour Christ might that present seventh day of October whereon he was baptized come into this Wilderness and by little and little go thence to Mount Sinai which was 136 miles For there was no place more fit for Sathâ—n to tempt our Saviour in than where the Law was delivered which is the power of Sin for although the Son of God was without Sin yet he took upon him the Sins of all the World Levit. 16. Joh. 1. Isa. 53. So then our Saviour Christ according to this supputation continued in the Desart from the seventh day of October to the sixteenth of November which was forty dayes and forty nights Epiphanius lib. 2. Tom. 1. Haeres 51. saith that our Saviour Christ was baptized upon the eighth day of November which was the twelfth day of the month Athyr amongst the Egyptians but this supputation is false and altogether repugnant to the certain Mathematical calculation Wherefore upon the seventeenth day of November our Saviour Christ hungred Mat. 4. Mark 1. Luke 4. and then the Devil with an extraordinary boldness came unto him and carried him from Mount Sinai with great violence through the Air and set him upon the top of a Pinacle of the Temple in Jerusalem which was 120 miles this Pinacle was so exceeding high as you may read in the description of Ierusalem that whosoever lookt down from it into the Valley of Cedron their eyes dazled and it seemed as though there had been Clouds in the bottom of the Valley for it was 600 foot from the bottom to the top From this place the Devil bid our Saviour Christ throw himself down c. Mat. 4. From the Pinacle of the Temple the Devil took our Saviour Christ and set him upon a high Mountain but what Hill it was or how called the holy Evangelist doth not set down The Inhabitants of the holy Land think it was the Hill that stood betwixt Bethel and Ai upon which Hill in times past Abraham dwelt Gen. 13. But that Hill is not very high and there are many higher Hills in the holy Land wherefore it is to be thought that he was carried upon the top of that high Mountain Nebo which was also called Pisgah and stood 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward where God shewed unto Moses all the holy Land beyond Iordan Deut. 34. And in this place as God had shewed Moses so the Devil shewed our Saviour the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them saying All these will I give thee c. It is to be thought that all these sharp temptations of the Devil were done in one day This Hill Pisgah is distant from Bethabara 8 miles where Iohn Baptist baptised and bare witness of our Saviour Christ Ioh. ca. 1. Now after the Devil had left him and the Angels had comforted him he came thence unto Iohn which was 8 miles and Iohn said to his Disciples Behold this is the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World Ioh. 1. So these Travels were 140 miles The Travels of our Saviour Christ in the first year of his Ministry which was the 31 of his age BUT yet our Saviour Christ began not to preach publickly because it was not lawful for any to be admitted into the Ministry of the Word until they were past thirty years of age Now our Saviour Christ in the Months of Ianuary and February being then past thirty for he was full thirty upon the 25 day of December began to preach publickly but yet he had no Disciples neither had he wrought any Miracles In the month of March Iohn Baptist testifieth of Christ before the Priest and Levites and within two days after Christ being then present Iohn said Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World c. Within a while after Christ went thence towards Cana in Galilee in which Journey he took unto him some Disciples namely Andrew and Iohn the Evangelist and as some think Peter Philip and Nathaniel
went from Ierusalem to Bethania which was almost two miles and there visited Mary and Martha where Martha ministred unto him but Mary sitting at his feet gave diligent heed to his Doctrine Luke 10. At this time he took his leave of these two Sisters and went thence to Bethabara beyond Iordan where Iohn baptized which was sixteen miles it being now about the midst of Winter Christ at this time being about thirty three years of age I am not ignorant that there were many which refer that long Journey of our Saviour Christ when he went to visit all Iudaea the sending forth of his Disciples and divers other Miracles mentioned from the ninth Chapter of Luke to the sixteenth to the beginning of the following year But I am of opinion that all those things could not have been done within the compass of four Months and before the Feast of the Dedication so that it must needs be that the seventy 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 Months between it and the raising up of Lazarus in which short time all those things which are described by Luke could not possibly be accomplished especially considering that our Saviour Christ wintered some time in Bethabara and there taught the multitude that came unto him Ioh. 2. So these Travels of our Saviour were five hundred ninety six miles or thereabouts besides the divers Visitations and Journeys he went hither and thither which because of the great multitude of them it was not possible for the Evangelist to set them down Of the Towns and places to which he travelled Of Bethsaida BEthsaida signifies the house of hunting being derived 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 thorough the World Ierem. 16. In this Town dwelt three Apostles Peter Andrew and Philip Iohn 1. It was scituated upon the West side of the Galilean Sea in the Tribe of Issachar fifty six miles from Ierusalem toward the North. And because of the abundance of Fishes that were in the Sea of Galilee Peter and Andrew became Fishers and in that Vocation got their living till our Lord and Saviour Christ made them Fishers of Men Mat. 4. Luke 5. Before the Birth of Christ this was but a small Town and without doubt was so called from hunting because close by it stood a Wilderness that did greatly abound with wild Beasts Philip the Terrarch of Traconitis and Itura made this a fair City which in honour of Iulia he called Iuliades This Iulia was the Daughter of Augustus Caesar and Wife of Tiberias Philip also brought many Inhabitants thither who dwelt in that City But when Herod the Tetrarch of Galilee and Brother of this Philip had builded up Bethabara which stood beyond the River Iordan on the East side of the Sea of Galilee and called it by the name of Iuliades in honour of this Iulia. This Town re-edified and inlarged by Philip was called again in the time of our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ after the ancient name Bethsaida and so continueth to this day From hence it is manifest that the Sea of Galilee was subject to the Government of both these Tetrarchs since upon the shore thereof on both sides they had Cities standing I do think the Wilderness or Wood and â—and near adjoyning to Bethsaida is called Itura of Ietur the Son of Ismael Gen. 25. or else from the compass and roundness of it for Tur in Hebrew signifies a circle But that Itura stood upon the West side of the Sea of Galilee those that have been at the Holy Land can testifie This City of Bethsaida hath an ancient Water-course coming from a River not far from it which Iosephus calleth little Iordan which falleth into the Sea of Galilee just in the mid-way between this Town and Capernaum the Channel whereof appeareth to this day Beside the many Sermons which our Saviour Christ preached here he did many notable miracles Mark 8. c. But for the ingratitude and impiety of the Citizens the curse of our Saviour fell upon them Wo be to thee Chorazin wo be to thee Bethsaida for if the miracles had been done in Tyrus and Sidon which have been done in thee they had long e're this repented in sackcloth and ashes Verily verily I say unto you it shall be easier for Tyrus and Sidon in the day of Iudgment than for you Mat. 11. Luk. 10. The prophecie of our Saviour Christ fell upon them accordingly for after divers and sundry overthrows and devastations this Town became utterly unpeopled and as Britenbacchus saith there are scarce six houses standing in it at this day Of Chorazin THis City also stands upon the further side of Iordan close by the Sea of Galilee in the same Country as Capernaum stands for the City of Chorazin standeth upon the East side of the River Iordan where it falleth into the Sea of Galilee and Capernaum upon the West in the half Tribe of Manasses some 16 miles from the City of Ierusalem towards the North. This City also neglecting the preachings and miracles of our Saviour Christ felt the efficacy and force of the curse of the Son of God Mat. 11. Luc. 10. For there is not at this day a house to be seen only some ruines where it stood Chorazin doth denote a Dukedom 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 mystery or my secret Of Tiberias TIberias standeth upon the West side of the Sea of Galilee 48 miles from Ierusalem towards the North. Before the Birth of Christ it was cal-called Kinnereth that is the City of the Harp after which name the Lake of Tiberias or the Sea of Galilee is called Numb 14. But Herod the Teâ—rarch of Galilee at whose command Iohn the Baptist was beheaded did beautifie this City with many fair Buildings and compassed it about with strong Walls and after Caesar's name called it Tiberias He also gathered thither many Inhabitants and endowed it with many large Priviledges for although this place before the restoring of the City was very filthy and impure by reason of the dead Bodies both of Men and Beasts which lay in that place from whence it happened that the Iewes shunned this place as utterly unlawful and durst not dwell there yet notwithstanding Herod with singular Industry and Diligence removed all that filthiness and in that very place built up this City both fair and spacious partly with Gifts partly with fair Speeches alluring many Iews to inhabit therein Many poor People also built themselves houses at their own charge and those that had no Children gave way unto the liberty of the City besides many rich and noble men were constrained to remove their whole
Upon the 40 day after his Resurrection he returned fifty six miles to Ierusalem where his Disciples were assembled together and upon the fourteenth day of May in the sight of all the Apostles with great triumph and joy he ascended up into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of his Father in Divine Majesty and Glory Mar. Luke ult Act. 1. Psal. 28. Ephes. 1. 1. Pet. 3. Heb. 1. So these Travels of our Saviour Christ were 319 miles But if you reckon his Travels from the time of his infancy to the day of his Ascension they make 3093 miles besides his general Visitations and Journeys hither and thither which were so many that as Iohn witnesseth cap. vlt. they could not be described Of the Towns and Places to which he travelled Of Jericho THIS City stood very pleasantly in the Tribe of Benjamin ten miles from Ierusalem North-eastward Ioshuah overcame this Town by sounding of Trumpets Ios. 6. Heb. 11. It was rebuilt by Hiel and was compassed about with a new wall by Herod that mighty King of the Iewes who put the Innocent Children to death and called it after his Mothers Name Cyprus Ios. de Bell. Iud. lib. 1. cap. 16. And although this City was taken and utterly overthrown the second time by the Romans at such time as Vespasian and his Son Titus wasted and destroyed Ierusalem and all the Land of Iudaea yet afterward it was re-edified and in St. Ieroms time which was 400 years after Christ it was a fair City There was shewn the House of Zaccheus and the Sycomore-tree that he went up to see Christ Luk. 19. But by reason of the often destructions and devastations that hath fallen upon it there is not to be seen at this day above eight Houses in the Town and all the Monuments and Reliques of the holy Places are utterly destroyed the House of Zaccheus and the Sicomore-tree are no more to be seen in that Place only the Place is to be seen where our Saviour restored the blind man to sight when he cryed after him Lord thou Son of David have mercy upon me Luke chap. 18. Also though the Country throughout be very fruitful and pleasant yet it is nothing so fertile and pleasant as it was when the Children of Israel did dwell there For the Roses of Iericho are no more to be found there but rather in a Village about sixteen miles from Iordan towards the East And although they stand so far distant off yet they retain their ancient name Between Ierusalem and Iericho there is a Desart or Wilderness which by the Inhabitants of the holy Land is called Quarentena where the man of which Christ speaketh fell among Thieves Luke 10. There is in the same place at this day great thieving and many Robberies committed as Brittenbacchus saith In this Place also is to be seen the River Chereth where the Ravens fed Eliah 1 Reg. 17. Near to Iericho also is found the River the Water whereof Elizeus made sweet by casting in Salt whereas before it was bitter and it remains very pleasant and sweet to this day 2 Reg. 2. Of Ephraim THIS City is so called from the pleasantness and fruitfulness of the Soil being derived from Parah to fructifie It lieth 8 miles from Ierusalem North-eastward just in the way as you go from thence to Iericho in the Wilderness of Quarentena close by the River Chereth in the Tribe of Benjamin Here our Saviour Christ after he had raised Lazarus from Death to Life hid himself with his Disciples because the Iewes sought to take away his Life by deceit The Passover following he was made a sacrifice for the Sin of man Ioh. 11. Of Bethania THIS City was a type of the Church which is always subject to the Cross and exposed to every calamity and therefore is called Bethania that is The House of Sorrow and Affliction being derived of Baith a House and Oni Affliction According to the prophecy of our Saviour who foretold of the Afflictions and Tribulations that should fall upon his Church You shall mourn but you shall be comforted and your grief shall be turned into joy It was distant from Ierusalem almost two miles towards the South-East Borchardus the Monk observeth that close by a Well about a stones cast out of this Town there is shewed the place where Martha met our Saviour Christ when he came to Bethania and a little after called her Sister to meet him Ioh. cap. 11. There is also shewn in this Town the House of Simon the Leper where a certain Woman having an Alablaster box of precious Ointment poured it on our Saviours head not without the great indignation of his Disciples Mat. 26. There is also to be seen the house of Martha to which our Saviour did oftentimes resort Luke 10. Iohn 11. and 12. and in that place there is at this day a Church built in honour of those two Sisters which were the Sisters of Lazarus There is also seen the Sepulchre out of which Lazarus was raised from death to life Iohn 11. which stands close by the said Church and over it is built a Chappel of Marble very decent and comely The Saracens hold this Chappel in great estimation You cannot see the City of Ierusalem from Bethania because of the Mount of Olives but as soon as you ascend a little Hill in the way as you go thence to Ierusalem you may discern Mount Sion and a part of the City then when you are descended from that Hill the City is again hidden After that upon the left side of the Mount of Olives some stones cast from Bethpage you do leave a small Village standing under the Mountain of Offence where Solomon in times past committed Idolatry From this Village the Ass and the Colt was brought unto Christ. Not far from thence upon the South side as you go upon the Mount of Olives you come unto the place where Christ mounted upon the Ass as we read Mat. 21. And a little after you may see the whole City of Ierusalem with Solomon's Temple and the Church of the holy Sepulchre with many other holy places Then as you descend from the top of the Mount of Olives you may see the place where the multitude cried Hosanna Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord. And in this descent also our Saviour Christ wept over Ierusalem saying O Ierusalem Ierusalem how often would I have gathered thee under my Wings as a Hen gathereth her Chickens but thou wouldest not Of Bethpage BEthpage standeth upon the right hand of the way towards the East as you go from Bethania to Ierusalem and as St. Ierom saith was sometimes a Habitation of the Priests which at their appointed times went up to Ierusalem to minister to the Lord. It was so called because of the multitude of Figs that grow there for Pagim signifies a Fig Cant. 2. Bethpage is a notable type of the Church for that ought likewise to be fruitful and
to bring forth sweet Figs that is good Works and many other comfortable Vertues that so men in their afflictions might be comforted As it is thought the Fig-tree that our Saviour Christ cursed because it wanted Fruit stood not far from Bethpage Mat. 21. Mark 11. Wherefore let us take heed that we be not like fruitless Fig-trees covered only like our Forefathers Adam and Eve with Leaves and bearing no fruit Gen. 3. lest so God's Curse fall upon us and we be thrust out of Eternal Happiness Mat. 3. Of the Castle from whence the Ass and the Colt were brought upon which our Saviour Christ rode to Jerusalem THIS Castle as Adamus Risnerus saith was a certain Hold compassed about with strong Walls and within beautified with a fair Palace supported with goodly Columns it stood not far from the Mount of Olives just in the dividing of the way as you go from Bethania to Ierusalem for there goes one way to the Fountain-Gate and another to the Valley of Gehinnon In the Hebrew Text it is called Tirah as you may read in Matthew which signifies not only a Castle but a firm 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 Ass and the Colt were tied in the way for this cause that if by chance any Travellers were weary by reason of the tediousness of their Journey they might hire them for certain hours to carry them over the Mount of Olives and so return them back again The Allegorical meaning of this Ass and the Colt according to the opinion of many learned men signifies the People of the Iews who were burthened with Moses's Laws and the Asses Colt signifies the rest of the Gentiles which were not charged with the burthen of Moses's Law but tied only to the Law of Nature So we also like Travellers and Strangers in this miserable World are tied to the Afflictions and Calamities thereof standing in two ways expecting the death of the Body and liberty of the Soul then our Saviour Christ cometh in Peace and looseth this Body of death as the Apostle saith Rom. 7. and bringeth us to that Heavenly Ierusalem eternal Joy according to that of St. Paul in the first of the Philippians I desire to be loosed and to be with our Lord Iesus Christ. Of the Mount of Olives ABout half a mile and a Furlong from Jerusalem towards the East stood the Mount of Olives very fruitful and pleasant bringing forth Olives Palms Figs Gossumtine and many other notable Fruits but principally Palms and Olives of which the Mountain taketh the Name It is said in Pliny lib. 16. cap. 19. that these Olive and Palm trees do never lose their Leaves and are green both Winter and Summer St. Austin calleth it The Mountain of Vnction because of the Fertility and pleasantness of it also The Mountain of Health because it bringeth forth Oyls and many other Plants necessary for Physick also The Mountain of Light first because it lieth upon the East so that the Sun shineth in the morning very pleasantly upon it and in the evening when it setteth the Beams thereof reflecting upon the Temple of Jerusalem casteth a beautiful light to this Mount secondly because it bringeth forth Oyl which is the nourishment and life of light thirdly because it was beautified with the gracious presence of our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ which is the Day-star and Light of the Church rising up on high to inlighten all those which shall be called unto eternal happiness 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 Works relieving the necessity of such as are in want comforting the afflicted and patiently supporting the Calamity and Misery of this World that so they might triumphantly rejoyce with Christ in that heavenly City of Jerusalem What things Zacharias hath spoken of this Mount in his last Chapter is to be understood of the preaching of the Gospel and propagation of the Church through all the World St. Jerom saith in his Epitaph upon St. Paul That upon this Hill the Jews commonly burnt the red Cow with the Ashes whereof the People of God being sprinkled they were purified and sanctified of which you may read Num. 19. Heb. 6. Hellen the Empress Mother to that godly Emperour Constantine the Great about the year of our Lord 332 caused a fair and beautiful Church to be built upon this Mount just in the place where our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ ascended up into Heaven It was built round all of white polished Marble upon the top thereof there is no Roof but a Window even as Christ should ascend through it as Eusebius saith in the Life of the Emperour Constantine the Great lib. 3. cap. 40. The same St. Jerom affirmeth in his Book Delocis Hebraicis He also saith That the Inhabitants of the Holy Land take upon them to shew in this Church the Impression of the Feet of our Saviour Christ which hapned as they say just at such time as he ascended up into Heaven out of which Travellers and Pilgrims take Sand to carry with them as an holy Relick though indeed it is verily to be thought that they were feet made in stone by antient Monks thereby to get Money from such as resorted thither upon Devotion for look how oft Pilgrims take thence the Sand they are presently filled again from whence may be gathered that there is no Sand naturally there Every man therefore ought to imbrace a nearer way to Salvation than to follow those Monkish Fables and to seek Christ in the Holy Scripture not upon the Mount of Olives or amongst Sand for since the Grave could not contain him the Mount of Olives cannot hold him who now sitteth at the right Hand of his Father in Power and eternal Glory but rather if we be desirous to see the Footsteps of Christ let us seek them in the Church which is dispers'd through the World wherein we are sufficiently taught how we should follow him The Palm is a famous Tree which bringeth forth Dates and is so called because upon the top the boughs are thick and round extending out like fingers from whence it is called Dactilus that is a finger Of Gethsamene THIS was a Village scituated at the foot of the Mountain of Olives in a pleasant and fruitful place Near unto this Village as Saint Augustine observeth there were many pleasant Gardens which gave forth very sweet and delectable savours unto which Place Christ and his Disciples did oftentimes resort as the Evangelist Luke cap 22. observeth It was so called from the pressing forth of Oyl for Gath or Geth signifies a Press and Schaemen Oyl In this place the heart of our Saviour Christ was so press'd with affliction that he sweat drops of Blood By which Blood the Sins of our Souls are washed