Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	abraham_n	sarah_n	zion_n	47	3	9.4671	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A46295	The wonderful, and most deplorable history of the latter times of the Jews with the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. Which history begins where the Holy Scriptures do end. By Josephus Ben Gorion whereunto is added a brief of the ten captivities; with the pourtrait of the Roman rams, and engines of battery, &c. As also of Jerusalem; with the fearful, and presaging apparitions that were seen in the air before her ruins. Moreover, there is a parallel of the late times and crimes in London, with those in Jerusalem.; Josippon. English. Abridgments.	Joseph ben Gorion, ha-Kohen, attributed name.; Howell, James, 1594?-1666.; Ibn Daud, Abraham ben David, Halevi, ca. 1110-ca. 1180.; Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.	1671 (1671)	Wing J1086A; ESTC R216340	213,458	417

of brute beasts which according to nature bear rule one over another Notwithstanding in mankind it should never have come to passe that the bigger should so have dominion over the lesse unlesse for their sins for the the which they are so punished that one is compelled to bow his neck under anothers yoke Now therefore my dear people take humility and meeknesse unto you never covet to alter the law of Nature but rather receive my words and follow my counsell Obey the Romans prepared and ready to make league with you according to their bountifulnesse that ye may live and do full well CHAP. II. WHen Joseph had spoken these things in the hearing of the Citizens of Jerusalem they burst out and wept gnashing with their teeth and railed at Joseph over the walls hurling stones and darts at him to have killed him Therefore when Joseph saw they would not follow his counsel butwere so stiffe-necked he began to rebuke them crying unto them in this wise Wo to all froward people and such as rebell against the Lord God! What mean ye you wretches what have ye to leane unto that ye are so stubborn when neverthelesse the Lord is gone from you For you are wicked people and have sinned against him How can your sins be purged which you have committed in the Temple of the Lord by shedding of innocent blood without all mercy Ye are most guilty for ye have fought in the Temple and Sanctuary of the Lord ye have defiled it with dead bodies of them which ye have slain in the very midst thereof Besides ye have prophaned and unhallowed the Name of the Lord with making of Wars upon the Sabbath day upon your solemn and festival da●…es Tell me now ye froward rebels whether did ever your forefathers prevail against their enemies with spear and shield but rather with prayer pennance and purenesse of heart wherewith they served God and again he delivered them But you what have you to trust unto when as ye are unfaithful Your shelter and protection is departed from you and your Lord God aideth your enemies whose power he maintaineth to destroy you if you ima●…ine to be delivered with your swords and speares you are fouly deceived whereas God would not that ye should escape the hands of your enemies Open your eyes and see what David the annointed of the Lord said For the Lord will save neither by sword nor spear Call to your remembrance ye very fools Abraham your father which begot you by what means he overcame Pharaoh the King of Egypt who violently had taken away Sarah his wife from him surely none other way did he obtain the victory then by prayer to the Lord who stirred the spirit of Pharaoh and put him in mind to restore his wife Sarah clean and undefiled Abraham was quiet in his bed and at rest from all troubles but Pharaoh that great Lord and Ruler was punished in the mean season with great plagues because of Sarah whom he had taken to him by violence to deflower her which God would not suffer but rather uncovered Pharaohs flesh that he was fain to shew the secret parts of his body to Physitians to see if they could heal them But who can cure the infirmities which God sends or who knows his intents For who knew that Hezekiahs biles could be healed with a plaister of figs or Naman the Syrian's leprosie with the w●…ter of Jordan or the bitter water with wormwood Wherefore when as no man could cure Pharaoh he was fain to speak Abraham fair and to intreat him to pray to God to take away from him his plague and so by his prayer Pharaoh recovered Then Pharaoh apparelled Sarah in precious garments gave her gifts of Gold and Silver and precious Stones and sent her home honest pure and holy to Abraham living then at his own house ●…saac when he was driven out by Abimelech King of the Philistins and had with him the bond servants of his fathers houshold to the number of 800. and 18. with whom Abraham had discomfited five Kings beside many other more of his family so that he had been strong enough to have invad●… the Philistines yet he would not do it but with all meeknesse and humil●…ty he used himself towards the King of that Country Notwithstanding after he was driven out of the Land the Philistines came unto him and entreated him saying We perceive the Lord God is with thee c. as it is written in the Scripture What shall we say of Jacob when he f●…ed from the presence of his brother Esau he carried nothing with him but a bare staffe wherewith he passed ov●…r the River Jordan as it is w●…itten With my staffe passed I this Jordan His Ammunition that he took with him for his journey was pray●…r wherewith he made all his wars That was it for the which God assisted him when he went away to Laban and when he returned from him when also he was delivered out of the hands of his brother Esau who sought to kill him And this also he did b●… the way as he returned when he wrestled with a certain man that overcame him O Lord Who is able to number the mercies of the Lord and the marvels which he wrought with our fathers of worthy memory Abraham Isaac and Jac●…b What should I speak of Moses our shepherd the man of God that feared the cruelty of Pharoah until he writ in the Law that he had called the name of his son Eleazar for he said the God of his father helped him and delivered him out of the hands of Pharaoh And when he came before Pharaoh to deliver Israel out of his hands and to lead them out of Egypt With what things else overcame he the Tyrant withal then with prayer Did he not overthrow the pride of Pharaoh and his Charmers only with the Rod of the Lord which he had with him Wherewith also he smote Egypt with ten plagues a●…d divided the Sea into twelve parts And at the red Sea Moses resisted not Pharaoh and his host with force of Arms but with p●…ayer wherefore Pharaoh and all his were drowned in the bottom of the Sea But Moses sung a song of praise unto our God while the souldiers of the Egyptians perished that came against Moses and the people of Israel with weapons horses and chariots Notwithstandiug by Moses prayer they we●…e overwhelmed all in the Sea so that not one of them escaped Who is ignoraut of this that prayer is of more force than all instruments of war that it speedeth and hasteneth the help of the Lord and his saving health Do you not know when Joshua the minister of Moses passed over Jordan that he was a warlike man and had with him very many most valiant souldiers neverthelesse he destroyed not the seven walls of Jericho by force of War but only with prayer and with shouts and noise of the Priests of the Lord our forefathers Know ye not that

overcome you and to have gotten the dominion over you But neither ye nor your Country did ever delight us greatly for our manners differ far from yours Behold the King of Madai when he had kept us for a moneth we harmed him not we are not wont to hur●… men as ye are that cannot be content with your own state but must desire other mens inheri●…ance Now therefore go and return to your own Country and so will we to ours without doing you any more hurt wherefore ye need not be afraid of us So the Alanites went home to their own Countries having slain of Mithridates people three hundred thousand men and never a one of their own was killed Titus hearing of this was desirous to go unto them to let them understand his valiantnesse but he could not compasse it b●…cause all his best men were spent in the Wa●… at Jerusalem Wherefore he determined to retu●…n to Rome after he had taken Jerusalem where he abode as yet besides the Antochia There he had intelligence that divers of the Jews were gathered together with whom was Eleazar the son of Anani the Priest who during the siege fled unto a certain Hold called Mezira whereupon many of the Jews resorted to him Titus hearing this that many had joyned themselves to Eleazar feared lest after his departure Eleazar●… might from thence make an inrode and take Jerusalem and destroy the Romans which should be no smal damage to the Roman Empire Wherefore he made out against him and sent thither one Silcham a Noble man of Rome with a great host to besiege Mezira but he could not get it Wherefore he sent unto Titus for an Iron Ram to batter the Walls withal which after he had received it he beat down the walls of Mezira therewith The Jews seeing that raised a great Countermure within of Wood and Timber which the Romans set on fire and burnt After that they assaulted the Town from morning till night at what time the Romans le●… off supposing they were not able to prevail against Eleazars defence in the dark Eleazar in the mean season called an assembly of all the chief men of the Jews that were with him and said unto them in this wise Come hither ye seed of Abraham and Kingly Priesthood which have until this day ever prevailed against the enemies of God Let us hear your advice what is best to be done against this multitude that is come upon us at unawares Ye see that at this time chiefly it becometh us to follow the courage and valiantnesse of our forefathers wherewith they were in time past endued Consider moreover that every thing hath his end and there are some times in War when as men are wont to follow the pursuit sometimes to flee from the same whom they pursued and to humble themselve before them And it is no shame to be humbled and disgraced when as all things have their determin●…te end Albeit whoso is of an haughty courage he must so establish his heart that he quail not with fear then shall he be deemed a valiant man If ye therefore be of that courage that ye fear not death then will I call ●…ou valiant men and worthy Consider the fortitude of Abraham our father and the fact that he did for having but one only son whom Sarah bare unto him in her age he never staggered nor stayed at it to offer him up to the Lord God for a burnt-offering for he thought not that he should kill him but perswaded himself most certainly that he should promote him to the life and light of the Lord forasmuch as for ●…he love of God and at his commandment he should have killed him Weigh the thing that Josiah the just King did who setting at nought this wretched life and aspiring to everlasting felicity would not avoid the jeopardy of his life when as he might have done it For although Pharaoh Necho said He came not against him but against the King of the Chaldees yet would not Josiah hear him but rather proceeding against Pharaoh in arms was slain in the battel and went unto that great Light in the Garden of Paradise which is the lot and inheritance of the just We know that in this world no man receives the reward of his righteousnesse but it is laid up for him in the other world where he shall reap the fruit of his righteousnesse that he hath sown in this world Neither doth long life in this world profit a man to the attaining of everlasting blisse except he work righteousnesse and lead his soul forth of darknesse into light like as contrariwise shortnesse of life hindreth no man from everlasting happinesse if so be it his soul have no defect in those things that pertain to the world to come For Abel which was slain of his brother lived no long life yet when he had ended it he obtained everlasting rest but Cain that lived long in the world was a wanderer and a runagate in this earth and after this life went to perpetual misery Now therefore my Brethren if we also shall live any longer our life shall be a miserable life and our dayes dayes of vanity and travel yea our soul as long as it shall remain in this body it shall be tossed with great tribulation but if it once go forth then shall it rejoyce and never be afraid And all the dayes that it is in the body it never leaveth weeping and mourning for it is the Spirit of life which is hedged within the body by ●…inewes bones none otherwise then if it were bound with chains The spirit is also that which quickneth the flesh that is taken of the dust of the earth for flesh cannot quicken the spirit Besides this the spirit is that which observeth and marketh the flesh and searcheth the works thereof so long as it is in the body yea the flesh cannot see the spirit but the spir●…t seeth the flesh alwayes neither is there any member of the body hid from it The eyes also of the body cannot perceive what time the spirit resorteth to the flesh and departeth from the same for the spirit of man which is his soul is from heaven but the flesh is taken from the earth Wherefore the soul may ●…main without the body but not likewise 〈◊〉 body without the soul and when the spiri●… comes to the flesh it visiteth it as a neighbour is wont to go and see his neighbour and quickeneth it and when again it departeth from it the flesh dyeth and if the soul will follow the desires of the flesh then this is the death of the soul but if it give no ear unto the flesh then shall the soul come to the light of life and the flesh shall die Wherefore the soul is glad when it departeth out of the body like as one that hath been bound is well contented when he 〈◊〉 dismissed out of prison For all the while that the soul is kept closed

Agrippa and slew them their men and all the multitude that was with him in Jerusalem and Judea The Elders in Judea with the wisest and goodliest Israelites seeing what was done departed from Jerusalem fearing Nero and the cruelty of the Romans therefore they took the Town of Sion and remained there for they would not be taken of the Romans to be of the same confederacy with the other The seditious hearing that took the Temple of the Lord so sedition and civil wars fell between the Seditious and the Ancients For when Eleasar heard that the Elders and the heads of the people were fled to the Mount Sion he and his company set upon them prevailed against them and slew a great many of them Agrippa perceiving the power of the seditious grew apace he sent out of his camp where he lay without the Town two valiant Captains one named Darius the other Philippus with 6000. men to succour those Elders and Sages that were desirous of peace These prevailed against Eleasar and the seditious that took his part made a great slaughter of them skirmishing for the space of seven daies together and at length put them to flight and pursued them to the Temple From that time forth the wars increased more and more between Eleasar and his complices and Agrippa with his hoast and the Sages Elders and Princes that took their part Upon a time when the Captains of Agrippa entred the Temple certain cut-throat murderers raised by the seditious mixt themselves amongst the Kings bands and getting behind their backs wounded them with daggers that they had under their kets so that the Kings souldiers having Launces and great arming swords in their hands such as they use in the wars could not wield them in the press by this means many of them were slain and the seditious got the victory Thus Darius and Philippus with the Roman Army were put to flight and the Elders with the Sages that were desirous of peace departed out of town and fled to King Agrippa Then had Eleasar and the seditious the whole rule of the City and all to their great damage for the fury of the seditious increased to such outragiousness that they set a fire King Agrippa's house that he had in Jerusalem spoiled all his treasure and all that was any thing worth they divided amongst themselves They burnt the books of accounts and bills of debts every one that were in his Palace Beronice's house also the Kings sister they set on fire and they slew all the cunning Artificers that were Masters of the Kings works so their rule and power in the City grew every day more and more grievous then other CHAP. V. IN those daies dwelt the Jews and Aramites together in all the Cities of Syria amongst whom also was war waged for the Caesarians brought the Romans into the Town against the Jews and slew them as many as they could find in the Town The Damascians also conspired together to destroy all the Jews that dwelt amongst them which thing they kept secret from their wives because for the most part they favoured the Jews religion Therefore the Aramites upon a certain night armed for the purpose beset all the waies and entrances into the Town and houses also and slew about ten thousand of the Jews coming upon them unawares when they were in their beds nothing mistrusting any such matter When the Jews of Jerusalem heard how the Aramites had dealt with the Jews in their Countrey suddenly they put themselves in arms and in a fury and rage like as it had been Lions and Bears that had lost their whelps they ran to Damasco burnt their holds put the Damascians to the sword men women and children even the very sucking babes yea their Oxen Sheep Camels and Asses with all other Cattle leaving none alive And thus they dealt with many Cities of the Syrians slaying and killing them not sparing either old or young male or female but destroyed all in most cruel wise even the very Infants and sucklings they haled from their mothers breasts and murthered them insomuch that all the whole land was full of the stink of the dead bodies that were slain for there was no man left to bury the Carkases So the Jews wasted all the Land of the Aramites and had destroyed it had not Castius a Captain of the Romans delivered Syria and the Country of Zapha The people therefore departed wholly from Aram to return into Judea and in the way they came to Scithopolis a City in Syria intending to besiege it for it was yet left untouched and was very strong At that time also the Jews and Aramites dwelt together in it The Jews therefore that were without offered peace to the Jews that dwelt in the Town but they refused it and defied them railing at them and for their friendly offer requited them with approbrius words and with injuries also For those Jews that dwelt in the aforesaid City with the Aramites loved together like brethren and for the most part they were of the Leviticall tribe stout men and hardy The host of the Jews without the City said unto them We come friendly unto you and would aid you The other Jews within answered We will neither your friendship nor ayd The army of the Jews hearing that consented and agreed to raise their siege to go to Jerusalem and there to remain for they had a great booty of Gold and Silver that they had gotten together of the spoiles of Syria After this the Syrians that dwelt in Sithopolis said to one another put case the Jews return again and make war upon us surely if they should so do these Jews that dwell among us would joyn with them and deliver up the City into their hands and then would they be revenged upon us and destroy us as they have done the other Cities of Syria Therefore they agreed to say unto the Jews and inhabitants of the City with them We understand your country men will invade us again and make war upon us wherefore depart ye forth of the City with your wives and children and lodg in the wood nigh unto the City till their army be gone again and then you shall return unto us The Jews were content to fulfil their minds went out of the City and placed themselves in the wood There was amongst them a certain young man named Schimeon a good man of war fierce big-made and very strong withall he in the favour of the Gentiles had slain many Jews and destroyed much of the people of God For during the time that the Jews besieged Scithopolis he issued out continually and skirmished with the host of the Jews many times putting them to flight and never would suffer them to waste the Town or to do any harm to the inhabitants thereof Now as Schimeon with his father Saul an honest old man and the rest of the people of the Jews that dwelt in Scithopolis remained altogether bodily in the Wood

avoid his displeasure and danger of death for the contrary but if they refused to do it he would not spare any man whatsoever he were that should transgress his commandment but put him to death and give his body to be eaten of the fowls of the air They answered with one voice We are content with these conditions and will do whatsoever thou shalt command us After this Titus considering how earnestly the Jerusolemites were set one against another how they were become such cruel enemies that each of them conspired others death he caused the pits cisterns and trenches that were about Jerusalem to be damn'd up and stopt with earth that the wayes might be levelled for his Army This done he encampt himself nearer the walls Against which attempt the Jews issued not out of the City after their accustomed manner to put them back from the walls For Schimeon was otherwise busied he had entertained ten thousand men of the best of the Seditious Jews and joyned himself to Jacob the Edomite Captain of nine thousand Edomites with whom he had made a conspiracy utterly to destroy Captain Jehochanan And setting upon him they compelled him to flee into the court of the Temple where he remained in the gate of the entrance of the Temple with eight thousand and four hundred good men of war all well appointed in jacks Eleazar also was against him and joyned with Schimeon becoming an enemy to him that before had saved his life and so they both together assailed Jehochanan neglecting the defence of the Town By this means the Romans encamped themselves about the walls at their pleasure raising Towers and casting Trenches to plant their battering-Rams to beat down the walls The common people of the Jews ●…hat were under the rule and Government of the three Seditious Captains namely Schimeon Eleazar and Jehochanan which although they were ill enough all yet the tyranny of Jehochanan far passed Schimeon and Schimeon was far worse than Eleazar though Eleazar was the head Authour and first beginner of sedition in all Israel were amongst them as sheep ready to be killed For the foresaid seditious Captains ●…lew the people at their pleasure and divided them into bands casting lots upon them Who should have which so that one had anothers men and another man his And this did they not only with their own men but also with all the rest of the people in such wise that when the Romans made any assault then joyned they together as one man to resist the Romans to whom when they had given a repulse then would they return to their civil wars and fall together by the ears among themselves Extreme and dreadful was the civil conflict at that season between the foresaid Captains and so sore that the blood streamed down the channel out of the gates of Jerusalem like as a brook that runneth out of a fountain and welspring The Romans seeing it were moved with much pity so that they wept bitterly But Joseph that was among them was stricken with so great heavinesse that he burst out into a sorrowful lamentation lifting up his woeful voice in this wise Alas alas Jerusalem the city of the great King How shall I now call thee at this day or what name shall I give thee Sometimes thou wa●… cal●…ed Jebus of Jebusaeus that builded thee first in all this Land After that thy name was Zedek that is Justice whereupon King Jehoram was called Melchizedek for he was a righteous King and because he reigned in thee with justice therefore was thy name Zedek Then righteousnesse had abiding in thee and thy bright star that shined in thee was Zedek Moreover in his time wast thou called Schalem as the Scripture witnesseth and Melchizedek King of Schalem and that because the equitie of the people that dwelt in thee was then fulfilled For at that time Abraham our father of worthie memorie fell to worship God in thee and to take thee to his inheritance to plant in thee the root of good works Whereupon the Tabernacle of God remaineth in thee to this day as it was revealed unto the same our father Abraham In thee say I is the Sanctuarie of the Lord. For in that place did Abraham bind his onlie son upon the top of one of the hills that is called Mount Moriah holie and hallowed and therefore art thou called Jerusalem because our father Abraham of famous memory called the place of the Sanctuarie Adonajureth The Lord shall see then thy late name being Schalem this joyned to it made it Jiereshalem For the Lord God shall behold the place of thy Sanctuarie at what time it shall be Schalem that is pure uncorrupt without black or spot but whensoever it is polluted or defiled as it is at this day then will he turn away his face from it Furthermore thou art called Jerushalem therefore because that whoso understands the dignitie and worthiness of the place wherein thy Sanctuarie is shall bid the Angels of heaven to teach in it the doctrines of the holy Ghost and the spirit of wisdom and understanding wherewith little children and the unlearned in thy Land may be made wise He also that ministereth in the Temple had ●…n a garment of four colours Scarlet Violet B●…sse and Purple Scarlet in respect of the heavens that be above the firmament Violet and Bysse colours which he made of flax because of the earth of which they came Finally Purple in respect of the sea where Purple is gotten Therefore when as the Priest came into the Temple to minister apparelled in these four colours he said before the Almighty God I am come to present my self here in thy sight O Lord of the world in four kinds of colours that represent the parts of thy world and in such wise do I appear before thee as though I should bring all the whole world into thy sight Moreover the aforesaid apparel was garnished with pure gold and precious stones after the likenesse of the Tribes of the sons of Jacob who was called Israel that in that garment he might have the soveraignty before the Angels that be above and by them prevail to bring the vertue of the holy Ghost by the which they should obtain wisdom that dwell in thee and prosper in their study and faith that they might have wisdom and understanding together His loyns also were girded with linnen flops wherewith he covered his secret parts for it becometh Priests most of all other persons to be shamefac'd and bashful especially when he should minister in the two Sanctuaries the outer and the inner which is the Sanctum Sanctorum or holiest of all In the outer the Priests minister as the High Priest commandeth them but in the inner that is the Sanctum Sanctorum entreth no man save the High Priest only and that but once a year For in it was the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord in which were laid up the two Tables of the Covenant that God made

avail tears Why do ye not rather go before me and I will follow as I may For what should I do now seeing God hath given me into the hands of a most cruel Tyrant who spareth neither mine age nor your youth But I trust we shall live together in the Light of the Lord And although I cannot be suffered now to see you enough yet when we shall come thither we shall be satisfied with beholding one another Go ye therefore my dear sons and prepare us a place O that I might go before you the Lord knoweth I would do it gladly But ye my sons marvel not at this that is chanced unto us for it is no new thing The like hapned before this in the time of the Chasmonanites when as Antiochus by his wickednesse put to death the seven brethren young men in the sight of their mother which was a righteous and godly woman who chanced to find this mercy at the Lords hands that she might ●…sse her sons and embrace them as they also kist one another before they died Although they were put to death by the cruelty of the uncircumcised King of the Macedonians yet obtained they that which is denied at this day to us that are put to death by Schimeon who ha●…h ●…he name of an ●…sraelite who beareth also the Covenant of our father Abraham in his flesh And would to God that we might live in their ●…nne or place of rest which albeit it will not be granted yet we shall be their neighbours seeing that we also die for the Law of the Lord. Therefore be of good comfort my sons and lament not for my sake For I judge this my misery easier and not so great as the calamity of Zedekiah whose sons were first killed then his eyes put out by the King of Chaldea and he lived many years after we are so much the more happie in my mind because we shall die together Then said Amittai to Schimeons servant which should kill him Make speed I pray thee and kill me first before my children die then after kill them also that we may die together for it is more expedient for us than to see the Temple of the Lord turned into a butchery or slaughter-house to slay men in After cryed he to God saying I beseech thee O Lord God most High which dwellest in the Highest judge this Schimeon according to his works reward him according to his deservings For thou art the God Almighty and dreadfull Let not this Destroyer die therefore among the people of thy pasture but that his death may be severed from the death of other men Let him die a horrible and sudden death Let him have no time to confesse his sins and to return himself to thee that thou mayest receive him for thou wert wont to receive them which turn to thee by repentance for he is not worthy of repentance which hath spoiled and wasted many goodly things in thy Temple besides that hath murdered most holy men in the same To the intent therefore that thy judgements may be declared in him I beseech thee make him to be taken Captive of his enemies together with his wife children and family and all that ever love him Neither give unto his soul any part with the people of God nor let his portion be with the just men in thy Sanctuary for he is unworthy of them because he hath not only sinned himself but hath caused Israel to sin Wherefore let his judgement and sentence go forth from thy sight that he may see his Wife Children and his whole House led into captivity and bondage before his face Afterward let him die a strange death such as never man heard of Let him be killed by most cruel men which when they have smitten him may after quarter him also whiles he is yet alive and that he may see his children go into bondage Let him also be a curse before all that shall see him Moreover Let him perceive that my words and destiny is better than his when as I go unto Thee in that great Light which he shall be deprived of After these words Amittai said to the servant who was appointed to kill him I beseech thee Let me find so much favour at thy hands that when thou hast slain my sons thou wouldst kill me with the same sword while it is yet wet with the blood of my sons that our blood may be mingled and this may be a recreation to my soul. Kill me also in the fight of the Romans that they may avenge me and my sons upon this most cruel Schimeon they shall be witnesses against him that I was not their friend But would God my affaires were all in that state as they were before for then should they perceive me to be an enemy of Schimeons and a friend of theirs Would God I had withstood Schimeon at the first earnestly as I made War upon the Romans that I might have avoided his cruelty from the people of God When he had said all these things he prayed before God Almighty saying O God which dwellest in the Highest thou only art most mighty and fearful open now the eyes of thy judgements consider and judge betwixt me and seditious Schimeon whose malice is become unmeasurable upon the people of GOD that he which sheddeth the blood of them that fear thee in the midst of the Temple may be rebuked of thee with rebukings according to his works make speedy vengeance and prolong not and that for the deaths sake of thy Saints for thy judgements are the judgements of truth Then Schimeon gave commandment to four Cut-throats of his that three of them should kill Amittai's three sons before their Fathers face and the fourth should kill Amittai himself and so the blood of the sons was mixt with the blood of their father Afterward Schimeons servant took the body of Amittai and laid it upon the bodies of his sons as his desire was then tumbled them over the Walls After that Schimeon commanded that Chanacus the high Priest should be put to death whose body was cast unto the bodies of Amittai and his Sons Aristus also the Scribe one of the Noble men of Jerusalem was killed at the same time and ●…en just men more of his kindred and house because the●… mourned for the death of Aristus It hapned while Schimeon was killing of those ten certain substantial rich men passed by and were wonderfully amazed when they saw the thing saying one to another How long will God suffer the malice of Schimeon and will not search out the blood of just men nor revenge them Certain seditious persons hearing this told it unto Schimeon who commanded them to be apprehended and murthered the same day After this there passed by eleven of the Noble men of Jerusalem which seeing fourty two innocents to be put to death by Schimeon they lift up their eyes to the heavens and said O Lord God of Israel How long wilt

of Israel Some interpre●…ed this of the King of Israel but the Priests said It is the King of the Romans The whole Roman Army being now come into the Temple and the Jews fled to Mo●…nt Sion the Romans set up their ●…dols in the Lords Temple and railed at the Jews It happened that there came down to the Romans a little boy of the Priests from Mount Sion to a Captain of the Wall Keeper of the Temple desiring him to give him some water he taking pity on the boy gave him some the boy taking the vessel the water was in first drank himself then ran away with the rest the Captain made shew to run after him but let him go of pu●…pose Once when the Romans were at their sacrifice with Titus some Priests came and besought him that he would not kill them he answered Why do you wish to live now and not rather dye with your brethren who have suffered death for Gods sake and for the sake of this House whereupon he commanded they should be all slain After Schimeon and Jehochanan sent to Titus for peace he answered This thing ye seek too late but how cometh it to pass that you beg your lives now being so few and that ye have wasted all things so desperately ye desire life and yet persevere in your malice still holding your swords in your hands have we not now taken your City Temple and the Sanctum Sanctorum What is there left for you to put hope in Therefore cast away your swords and lay down your armour and then if you come to me I know what I h●…ve to do peradventure I shall be gracious unto you Schimeon and Jehochanan answered We have sworn by the Lord our God who is God of Heaven and Earth th●…t we will never bear thy yoak nor serve thee or make any peace to be subject to thee therefore if it be thy pleasure to shew us mercy we will take our journey into the wilderness in granting this we will report to have found favour if not we will remain in this place to see what manner of death we shall dye Titus hearing this was much incensed and said remains the pride of your hearts and the hardness of your neck still with you though ye be Captives dare ye yet be so bold as to say ye have sworn not to endure our yoak Then Titus gave commandment to the Romans not to omit any opportunity to set upon the Seditious and by one means or other to destroy Schimeon and Jehochanan There was at that time a certain man of the Royall Blood whose name was Serach he accompanied with all his brethren and Sons that were there with him of the Kings blood came down from the Mo●…nt Sion ●…o Titus who received them honorably and gently ordered them When Jehochanan and Schimeon understood that Serach and the re●…t were gone and had yielded themselves to Titus they went and set fire upon all ●…at was in the Kings Pallace that the Romans should have no ●…modity thereby From thence they went to the Temple where they found certain Commanders and Captains whom Titus had put in authority about the Temple of whom th●…ee were chief one Captain of the ho●…semen t●…e second of the Chariots and the third of the footm●…n him they killed and took h●…s companion alive One of them besought th●…m that had taken him that he might be b●…ought to Schimeon their Captain Let him saith he do with me as he list and in this one thing let me fin●… favour at your hands They agreed and brought him to Schimeon who commanded his servants as soon as he was come to slay him But while he that was appointed to this business made delay and killed him not by and by he whipt down off the hill escaped and came to Titus who commanded him out of his sight being wroth with him that he had not fought unto death rather then to be taken alive But with the Jews was he wonderfully displeased that they had so despigh●…ully ordered his men wherefore he commanded to kill all the Jews as many as could be found in the ●…ets of the City whom he would have spared before and caused proclamation to be made throughout all his Camp for their safety Then died many of the Jews ●…o that every place was full of dead bodies The men of War of the Edom●…tes which were with Schimeon perceiving how the matter went sent Embassadors to Titus to desire p●…ace and to save their lives which when it came to Schimeons ear he went unto them and slew the chief of them and their Noblemen the rest of the people of the Edomites fled unto Titus From that time forth Titus commanded his men to use no more cruelty to the Jews Soon after fled Jehochanan and S●…himeon and hid themselves in certain caves The rest of the chief men of the Jews that were with them seeing them now to be fled came down from the Mount to Titus and fell down upon their faces before him upon the ground whom Titus received gently As for the Seditious that were wit●… Schimeon and Jehochanan they fought till they all died together Then came forth unto Titus one Joshua a Priest son of Schaftai the High Priest bringing with him two Candlesticks of gold which were in the Sanctuary and the Tables of gold with other vessels of silver and gold and also the holy vestures decked with gold and precious stones all those he gave to Titus who made him chief Priest over them that remained next unto Joseph the Priest for Titus gave Joseph authority as well over the Priests and Levi●…es as over the whole people o●… the Jews Then was Gorion the Father of Joseph that writ this History brought out of prison with his wife and children among whom was one Bonian Josephs younger brother he was a very wise and godly Priest by whom God bestowed many benefits upon ●…e Israelites for Titus left him at Jerusalem and took him not with him as he did Joseph Josephs father lived after the City was taken twenty moneths and died They took also one Phineas a Priest who was keeper of the treasure-house he bewrayed and detected to the Romans all the Treasures of the Priests and their Vestments He gave also unto Titus a most precious oil with sweet odours and perfumes and garments also of purple which the Kings of the second Temple had given Wherefore both this Phineas and Joshua whom we mentioned before transgressed the Covenant of the Lord and offended God in that they de●…ivered his Jewels to the enemies of his people which they ought not to have done but rather to have died for the glory of the Lord as the other Priests did which cast themselves into the fire Thus was the City of Jerusalem taken with all the precious things that were therein And Ti●…us went up to Mount Sion took it and razed the walls thereof Three dayes after Jehochanan sore vext with hunger left

therefore use to name them with no other Ceremony then at the six weeks end to have some young wenches lift up the Cradle with the child in it which she that standeth at the head giveth the name unto Of their Sabbath so extreaml●… doting that they have added to the superstitions left them by the Pharisees And herein they are so precise that if a J●…w travel on the Friday and in the evening fall so short of his journey's end that it amounts to m●…re than 2000. cubits or six furlongs which they account a Sabbath-dayes journey there must he sit him down and keep his Sabbath though in a Wood or Field or the High-way side without fear of wind or weather of Thieves or Robbers or without taking order for meat or drink And so far have they gone in despight of Christ as to declare it unlawful to lift the Oxe or Asse out of a ditch permitted in the strictest times of Pharisaical rigour So pertinacious in retaining the difference of meats and drinks that they will by no means sit at the same Table with other men and so precise in the dressing of it that they will eat of no flesh but of their own killing only and that too with such cautions and reservations that if any of the entrails be corrupt or dislocated they wil sell the whole beast to the Christians for a very trifle beneficial in that only to the neighbouring Christians Wine they forbear except it be of their own planting not so much out of dislike of that liquor for they are generally good fellows and love their bellies as for fear the wine should be baptized A Ceremony much used in the Eastern parts Of the coming of their Messiah so full of hopes that there is no great Warriour stirring but they look upon him as the man till some sad Tragedy or other which suffer under that perswasion makes them see their errour promising to themselves whensoever he cometh a restitution of their Kingdom and such felicities therein in the literal sense of some Texts of Scripture which carry in them a more mystical and sacred meaning That in good time but Gods not theirs they shall be made partakers of the several blessings which those Texts do speak of is both the hope and wish of all pious men who cannot chuse but grieve to behold the natural branches so long dismembred and cut off from the Tree of Life And this they neither hope nor wish for but on some fair grounds presented to them by St. Paul who said expressely that when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is once come in that then all Israel shall be saved Rom. 11. 25 26. The words are so plainly positive that they need no Commentary Or if they did we have the general consent of the Antients Besides the constant current of most Modern Writers who cherish the glad hopes of their Conversion to the Gospel which the Apostle doth there aim at Origen Athanasius Hierom Augustine Chrysostome for the Primitive times Beda and Hugo Cardinalis in the times succeeding Farrara and Thomas Aq●…inas for those of Rome Calvin Beza Bullinger and Peter Martyr for the Reformed Churches besides divers others of great note so expound that Text. Nor want there other Texts of Scripture to affi●…m as much which he that doth desire to see may find them with the expositions of most Christian Writers in a Book writ by Doctor Willet entituled De generali novissima Judaeorum vocatione●… And ●…hither I refer the more curious Reader Out of all I shall take these words De illorum salute spes supersit The Jews saith he are not so wholly fallen from the favour of God but that there still remain some hopes of their salvation Of their salvation then by the Gospel of Christ when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is once come in we conceive good hopes but whether there be any of their restitution to their temporal Kingdom is a farther question and not so clearly evidenced in the Book of God though there be somewhat in that Book which may seem to intimate it Th●…t the opinion of being restored by the Messiah to that temporal power which was taken from them by the Romans was prevalent as well amongst Christs Disciples as the rest of the Jews is as I take it clear enough in the Holy Gospel In such a Kingdom and no other do the two sons of Zebedee desire to sit on both hands of their Master And the same was it and no other which all of them expected as appeareth by the words of Cleophas Luke 24. 21. that Christ should have restored unto them We thought said he that This would have proved the man that should have redeemed From what from sin and Satan or the curse and bondage of the Law Not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from the yoke of vassallage which the Romans had so lately imposed on them say the Fathers rightly Touching the same it was that they moved him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom of Israel Act. 1. 6. In answer whereunto our Saviour makes them no denial as unto the thing nor tells them that they never must expect such a restauration but only puts them off as unto the Tim●… and bids them rest themselves on the pleasure of God the Father in whose hand the disposing of all Kingdoms was It is not for you saith he to know the times and seasons which the Father hath in his own power ver 7. By which answer as it seems to me there is a possibility of restoring to their Kingdom also though not in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at that very instant when they were most desirous to have it done or at any other time sit for them to know that being a secret which the Father hath reserved to Himself alone A Prayer Let the Consideration of these things be unto us as it was sometimes unto an Eminent Divine now with God an occasion of prayer unto God on their behalf saying with him in this or to the like effect O Lord who art righteous in all thy wayes and holy in all thy works we acknowledg and admire the justice of thy proceedings in binding and hardning the Jews as for their manifold impieties soespecially for stoning thy Prophets despising thy Word and crucifying the Lord of Life For which thou hast cursed them according to the prediction of thy Prophet to abide many daies without a King and without a Prince and without a Sacrifice and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim But thou O Lord how long How long O Lord holy and true How long Lord wilt thou be angrie for ever Thine anger is said to endure but a moment but Lord how many millions of millions of momeuts are contained in sixteen hundred years since thou hast first cast off thy first and antient people the Jews Remember Abraham Isaac and Jacob not for any merit in their persons which

was none but for the mercy in thy promises which is infinite so frequently made and so solemnly confirmed unto them But O! remember the Orator on thy right hand Christ Jesus our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and the Orator in thine own bosome thine essential and innate Clemency and let these prevail if it may stand with thy good will and pleasure that thy people the Jews may be received into the arms of thy mercy As once by a wilful and woful imprecation they drew the guilt of his blood on them and on their children So by thy free imputation drop the merit of his blood on them and on their children For the speeding of whose conversion be pleased to compose the many different judgements of Christians into one truth to unite their disagreeing affections in one love that our examples may no longer discourage but invite them to the embracing of the true Religion Oh mollifie the hearts rectifie the wills unvail the eyes unstop the eares of those thy people whom hitherto thou hast justly hardned Reveal to their understanding those Oracles which thou hast committed to their keeping That so our Saviour who long since hath been a light to lighten the Gentiles may in thy time be the glorie of thy people Israel that so there may be one Shepherd and one Sheepfold Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christ his sake to whom with Thee and the Holie Spirit be all Honour and Glory now and for ever more FINIS A Table and brief Description of the chief places mentioned in the History of Josephus ACo Ptolemais a City of Phoenicia called so from Ptolemy King of Egypt Aielona The name of a City belonging to the Levites and of a village not far from Nicopolis also the place whereabout at the prayer of Joshua the Sun stood still while the Canaanites were slain Alexandria A City in Egypt built by Alexander son of Philip King of Macedon built in the form of a Macedonian chlamys or cloak Antiochia A City in Syria lying on the Sea-coast built by King Antiochus Aossa A Town which Alexander King of the Jews wan and incompassed it with a tripl●… wall Aram His country is at this day called Syria he was one of the sons of Shem the son of Noah Arabia A country lying on the East and North-East of the Holy Land and is divided into Fe●…ix Deserta Petraea or Arabia the Happy the Desert and the Stony Ararat A Mountain of Armenia where Noahs Arke rested Askalon One of the five principal Cities of the Philistines built on the sea shore distant from Jerusalem 720. furlongs Asdotum A very strong City of the Philistines where Giants sometimes dwelt Assur Assy●…ia A Country lying near the Holy Land so named from Assur the son of Sem. Astaroth Karna●…m A City in the tribe of Manasse on the other side of Jordan in the very corner of the country of Bashan in the confines of Arabia B BEthshemesh or Bethsemes A city belonging to the Priest lying in the Land of Juda in the lot of Dan afterward assigned to the Levites the people of this City were slain by the hand of God to the number of 50000. for looking into the Ark. Bitter A very strong City not far from Jerusalem which the Romans took by famine C CAppadocia A little country being part of Syria called by the Greeks Leuco-Syria Cedron A Brook which runs on the East side of Jerusalem between the city and mount Olivet Cephar Toco A town in Idumaea which Vespasian the Emperour wan Chaldaea A country lying North-East from Palestina the chief city whereof was Babylon Caesarea A Town lying not far from the sea in the Holy Land called also Turris Stratonis and Flavia Colonia 〈◊〉 very strong and re-buil●… by Herod to keep th●… Jews from rebellion D DAmascus a City i●… Syria lying beyon●… mount Libanus six day●… journey from Jerusalem watred with two navigable Rivers Abana and Pharphar E ELat A City in Idumaea upon the coast of the red sea Edom or Idumaea The country where the posterity of Esau lived so called from Edom the name of Esau signifying red Euphrates Called by Ezechiel Chebar it divides Babylon in the midst and runs into the Persian gulf G GAlilee A most fruitful part of the Holy land situate betwixt mount Libanus Samaria bounded on the North with Tyre on the South with the Samaritans country and the river Jordan on the west with the territory of Ptolemais and mount Carmel on the East it extends it self beyond the streams of Jordan Gamala A very strong and almost impregnable Town and Castle of Palestina which was built on the top of a hill like a bunch upon a Camels back whence the city took its name Gamala Gamal in Hebrew signifying a Camel Gaza One of the five principal Cities of the Philistines distant from the sea about two miles it was taken from the Canaanites by the tribe of Juda Caleb being their Commander Gerarta A City in the upper Galilee Gilboa The mountains upon which Saul and Jonathan his son were slain by the Philistines Gomorrha Acity of the Canaanites near to Sodom both which were consumed by fire from heaven Goschen A part of Egypt fruitfulin pastures where Jacob and the Patriarchs were placed by Pharaoh King of Egypt H HIerusalem called the Holy City was built on mountains in the midst of Judaea in the Tribe of Benjamin a place c●…osen by God Himself buil●… at first by the Jebusites by them called Jebus the king whereof Joshua slew Afterward David coming again●…t it the inhabitants were so confident of the impregnableness of it that in scorn they placed the lame and blind upon the walls as accounting them sufficient defenders of so strong a place But David by the help of Almighty God wan the city cast out the Jebusites ●…ebuilt it round fortified it with a Tower and dwelt in it making it the chief City of al the land of Canaan afterward by reason of the building of Solomons Temple in that place it was calle●… Hiero●…osyma that is Solomons Temple from the Greek name Next for the Idolatry shedding innocent blood in that place and land the Jews were carried captive into Baby●…on by Nebuchadnezzar the Temple and City were destroyed by fire by the Cha●…daeans but seventy years after that according as the Lord spake by the mouth of Jeremiah the Prophet the people of the Jews were by Cyrus sent out of Captivity into their own land with great gifts besides gold and silver and the vessels that had been taken out of the house of the Lord by Nebuchadnezzar with Zerubbabel 〈◊〉 the re-edifying of th●… Temple and furnishing 〈◊〉 it by Artaxerxes aft●… ward Nehemiah was 〈◊〉 thorised for the buildi●… of the wall of the City This being done and 〈◊〉 nished by Zerubbal and by Nehemiah the City being magn●… cently increased w●… buildings afterward 〈◊〉 the Machabees and Herod thirty eight