declare And these were the Prophetes which God of his great mercy and goodnesse sent more specially to Iudah and the kings thereof after that the ten tribes were departed from them Prophetes which the Lord sent to the tenne tribes of Israel and to the Kinges thereof after that they were departed from the tribe of Iudah VVE may not vnfitly begin this company of holy Prophetes with Ahijah the Shilonite of whom we read 1. King chap. 11. 29. c. He is that Prophet whom the Lord sent to prophesie vnto Ieroboam the son of Nebat that it was the purpose of God to rend the kingdome out of the handes of Salomon to make him king ouer ten tribes of Israell This was the iudgement of God against the sin of Salomon and of the people in his latter time for that they forsooke the Lord and worshipped the idols of the heathen as it followeth in the same eleuenth chapter vers 33. The accomplishment of which prophesie reade in the very next chapter euen shortly after the Prophesie was vttered to Ieroboam read chap. 12. ver 15. c. In the reigne of this Ieroboam in so much as he contrary to the will and commandement of God set vp idolattie to serue his owne wicked deuise and policie for the preuenting of the pebples reuolt which he suspitiously scared the Lord therefore sent a Prophere out of Iudah vnto Bethel in Israel the chiefe place of his new erected idolatrie euen at such time as he himselfe was dedicating the altar which he had made chap. 12. 26. c. 33. And the Prophete prophesying against his idolatrie telleth Ieroboam standing by his altar to offer incense that a child should be borne to the house of Dauid Iosiah by name who should breake down his altar and destroy the Priests of his high places ch 13. 1. c. The accomplishment whereof reade 2. King ch 23. 15 c. 20. This Prophesie did the Prophet giue forth about three hundreth and thirtie yeares before king Iosiah was borne This Prophet was he who harkening to the lye of that old Prophet of Bethel was for his transgressing of Gods commandement in that he eat and dranke in the place wherof God had said vnto him Thou shalt neither eat nor drink he was therefore killed in the way by a Lyon which met him Neuerthelesse as it may seeme for a monument of Gods mercie in forgiuing the sin of this Prophet he restrained the Lyon from deuouring his body as it is recorded in the same 13. chapter Reade also 2. King 23. 17. 18. In the reigne of the same Ieroboam the ancient Prophet Ahijah of Shilo who at the beginning told Ieroboam that he shold be king ouer the ten tribes of Israel he is now afterward toward the end of his wicked idolatrous reigne euen then when Ahijah could not see through the decay of his sight by reason of age the minister of God to prophesie against Ieroboam and his posteritie 1. King chap. 14. 2. 4. c. 18. This was fulfilled after that Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam had reigned two yeares For Baasha conspired against Nadab and slew him first thē also he smote all the house of Ieroboam according to the word of the Lord which he spake by his seruant Ahijah the Shilonite So we reade chap. 15. vers 27. 29. In the dayes of king Baasha who began his reigne ouer Israel in the third yeare of Asa king of Iuda Iehu the sonne of Hanani prophesied against Baasha like as the former two Prophetes had prophesied against Ieroboam 1. King 16. 1. c. In the dayes of Ahab who began his reigne ouer Israel in the 38. yeare of Asa king of Iuda prophesied Elijah that mightie Prophete of the Lord against Ahab his posteritie 1. King 17. c. He reduced the people of Israel to the acknowledgement of the true God of Israel He prophesied likewise by writing against Iehoram the son of Iehoshaphat who left the good waies wherin his father had walked followed the wicked wayes of the kings of Israel For as the holie Storie saith he had the daughter of Ahab to wife and he wrought euill in the eyes of the Lord and compelled Iudah so to do Wherfore the Lord by his Prophet Elijah sent a grieuous prophesie threatening fearefull diseases and a horrible death against him which also tooke effect as we read 2. Chron. 21. Michaiah also the sonne of Imlah prophesied against wicked king Ahab 1. King 22. And before him another Prophet whose name is not expressed chap. 20. 41 42. But verses 13. 14 22. and verses 28 29. God sent a Prophete to prophesie vnto him his double victorie ouer the great armie of the Aramites In the reigne of Iehoram the sonne of Ahab and so forth vnto the reigne of Ioash the sonne of Iehu prophesied Elisha the prophet who succeeded Elijah in Israel 2. King chap. 3. c. and ch 13. vers 14. c. But before Elisha had receiued of the Spirit of Elijah the children of the Prophetes both they of Bethel and other which were at Iericho prophesied that God would in extraordinarie maner take away Elishaes master that is Eljiah from him 2. King chap. 2. 3. 5. In the reigne of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash prophesied Ionah the sonne of Amittai who was of Gath Hepher 2. King 14. 25. This was the same Ionah whom the Lord sent about the mid dle time of the reigne of Ieroboam to prophesie against Nineueh as we shal see further anon Prophetes vvhich prophesied more iointly both cōcerning Iuda also concerning Israel after their separation yea and some of thē euen after the captiuities of either of them HOsea prophesied in the reigne of the same kings of Iudah when Isaiah prophesied to wit in the dayes of Vzziah Iotham Ahaz and Hezekiah with whom also are mentioned the dayes of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioash king of Israell chap. 1. 1. of his prophesie to the end that Israel might the rather be admonished that his Prophesie belonged to them as ◅el as it did vnto Iudah for the reproofe of their sinnes for the comfort of either of them if they would repent and lay hold of the promises of the gospel which he by the spirit of prophesie published as belonging to them both In the reigne of the same Vzziah king of Iudah and in the the reigne of Ieroboam the son of Ioash king of Israel two yeares before the earthquake which was not long after the beginning of the reigne of Vzziah the Prophet Amos prophesied concerning Iudah and Israel though chiefly and for the most part concerning Israel chap. 1. 1. c. He prophesied particularly against Amaziah that malignant and proud priest of Bethel chap. 7. He prophesied also of the destruction of Ierusalem and of the captiuitie and restoring of the people of Iudah and Israel Finally he prophesied of the calling both of the Iewes and Gentiles
was dead And thus vpon the laying together of al the aboue named numbers in this order following first 930 which was the age of Adam secondly 126 frō the death of Adam to the birth of Noah thirdly 600 to the floud fourthly 352 to the birth of Abram fiftly 75 to the promise first made to Abram sixtly 25 to the birth of Isaak seuenthly 60 to the birth of Iaakob eightly 147 the age of Iaakob ninthly 53 the time that Ioseph suruiued Iaakob we haue a full declaration that the generall summe of yeares from the creation of Adam which was the sixt day after the world began to the death of Ioseph where with the whole hrstorie of Genesis is ended they are 23 68. EXODVS 146 yeares FRom the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moses were 65 yeares From the birth of Moses to the time that God sent him to parlie treate with Pharaoh for the deliuerance of his people out of bondage were 80 yeares Exod. 7. 7. The very next yeare after this Israel departed out of Egypt euen on the 14. day of the first moneth Exod. chap. 12. and chap. 13. And in the third moneth of the same yeare the Lord did publish his Lawe from heauen descending vpō mount Sinai Exo. 19. 1. c. 11. c. and ch 20. And in the very beginning of the next yeare after this the Tabernacle of God was reared vp Exod. chap. 40. 17. 18. Thus farre reacheth the second booke of Moses called Exodus All the yeares wherof reckened together that is to say 65 from the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moses 80 to his ambassage from God to Pharaoh 1 to the giuing of the Law and vntill the rearing of the Tabernacle they grow to the number of 146. But it may here be demaunded what proofe we haue that betweene the death of Ioseph the birth of Moses were iust 65 yeares We gather that it must needs be so because that otherwise there could not be 430 yeares from the promise of the Gospell made first to Abraham vnto the giuing of the law Of which intermediant space of time we haue vndoudted testimonie Exod. 12. 40. 41. and Gal. 3. 17. And therefore the warrantise of this is a sure confirmation of that LEVITICVS only one moneth COnferre that which we reade Exod. chap. 40. verse 17. The Tabernacle was reared vp the first day of the first moneth in the second yeare with that which Moses writeth in the first verse of the first chapter of Numbers in these words The Lord spake againe vnto Moses in the wildernesse of Sinai in the Tabernacle of the congregation the first day of the second moneth in the second yeare after that they were come out of the land of Egypt c. Here therfore is the storie of neuer a whole yeare but only of one moneth NVMBERS 38 yeares and 9 moneths COmpare that beginning of this booke of Numbers with the third verse of the first chapter of Deuteronomie where thus we read And it came to passe in the first day of the eleuenth moneth in the fortith yeare that Moses spake to the children of Israell c. Of these fortie yeares yeeld one for the giuing of the law to the rearing of the Tabernacle vnto Exodus and one moneth to Leuiticus so there shall remaine to Numbers 38 yeares and 9 moneths DEVTERONOMIE two moneths at the least which make vp the 39. yeare of the booke of Numbers and reacheth to the end of the fortith yeare that Moses spake to Israell THis is euident in that as was mentioned before out of Exod. chap. 7. vers 7. Moses was 80 yeares old when he led Israell out of Egypt but he died not til he had liued 120 yeres as we read Deut. 34. 7. Moses was one hundreth and twentie yeares old when he died his eye was not dimme nor his naturall force abated c. So the◅ Deuteronomie maketh vp the 39. yeare of Numbers whereunto ad one yeare borrowed from Exodus and we haue the whole fortie years that Moses spake to the children of Israel Note here that the fortie yeares wandering of Israell in the wildernesse is to be reckened from their first entrance into it Exod. 16. 35. Nehem. 9. 21. Reade also Psalme 95. For euen three dayes after their deliuerance they begin to murmure Exod. 15. 22. Neuerthelesse it is not pronounced for a curse vnto them till Numbers 14. 34. This curse ended with the death of Moses IOSHVAH 17 yeares THis is prooued in that there being 480 yeares betwixt the departure of the Israelites out of Egypt to the time wherein king Salomon layd the foundation of the Temple of Ierusalem which was in the fourth yeare of his reigne 1. King chap 6. verses 1. and 37 there are of this summe of 480 euery yeare recorded in the holy Scriptures except from the beginning of Ioshuah his gouernment to the time of his death to the number of 463 yeares as will be manifest by the acc◅unt following For as hath bene already declared from the time that Moses began to speake to Israel to the time of his death was 40 yeares The time of the Iudges as will more clearely appeare anone was 299 yeares of Eli 40 of Samuel and Saule 40 of Dauid 40 of Salomon 4 to the time wherein he began to build the Temple Wherefore onely 17 yeares are wanting to fufilll that number of 480. And the same must needes be the yeares wherein Ioshua gouerned and guided Israell after the death of Moses to the time of his owne death Iosh. 1. 1. where thus we read Nowe after the death of Moses the seruant of the Lord the Lord spake vnto Ioshua the sonne of Nun Moses minister saying Moses my seruant is dead now therefore arise thou go ouer this Iorden thou all this people vnto the land which I giue thē c. And cha 24. 29. And after these things Ioshua the sonne of Nun the seruāt of the Lord died being 110 yeares old IVDGES 299 yeares THis was the space of time wherin the thirteene Iudges chronicled and renowmed in the booke of Iudges did as heroicall most valiant Captaines of the Lord iudge auenge deliuer the people of Israell out of the hands of their enemies as the rehearsall of the seuerall distance of yeares from Iudge to Iudge will hence forth shew and confirme to be true For from the death of Ioshua to the death of Othniel the first of these Iudges were 40 yeares Iudg. 1. 1. c. After that Ioshua was dead the children of Israell asked the Lord saying Who shal go vp for vs against the Caananites to fight first against them And ch 3. ver 9. 10. 11. When the children of Israell cried vnto the Lord the Lord stirred vp a Sauior to the childrē of Israel and he saued them euen Othniel the sonne of Kenaz Calebs younger brother c. So the land had rest to the fortith
were led into captiuity as is euident in the same first chapter of Daniel And that the captiuitie of Iuda began at this time though it was increased twise after 2. King 24. 10 c. and chap. 25. 1. c. Reade Matth. chap. 1. verse 11. compared with 2. Chron. 36. 9. Where see the note of Tremelius and Iunius for the opening of that place by another like place 2. Kin. chap. 16. 2. and also how that which is written 2. Chron. 36. 9. agreeth with 2. King 24. 8. For by this conference of places it is manifest that Iehoiachin was eight yeares old not when he himselfe but when Iehoiakim began to reigne Neare vpon which time the Euangelist Matthew in the place before cited beginneth the captiuitie writing thus Iacim he meaneth Iehoiakim begate Iechonias that is Iehoiachin and his brethren about the time they were caried away to Babylon FOr from the beginning of the fourth yeare of Iehoiakim recken the rest of his reigne which was 8 yeares 2. King chap. 23. 36. ch 24. 12. in so much as the 8. yeare of the reigne of the king of Babell was the eleuenth yeare of Iehoiakim and adde moreouer to these eight yeares of Iehoiakim those 37 which followed from the carying away of Iehoiachin the sonne of Iehoiakim to Babell vntill Iehoiachin was there aduaunced as we sawe before with the which aduancement of Iehoiachin the second booke of Kings is concluded and so we haue the storie continued till 45 yeares after that the captiuitie of Iuda began 1. Booke of CHRONICLES THe first booke of Chronicles so called in Greeke after the Hebrue inscriptiō which is the first Booke of dayes or times it is onely an abridgement of the whole historie of the holy Bible from the beginning of the world to the end of king Dauids reigne sauing that the genealogies of Israell are described more at large chap. 2. c. 2. Booke of CHRONICLES continueth the Storie 25 yeares longer then 2. Kings THis second booke of Chronicles beginning at king Salomōs reigne carieth forth the storie of the second booke of Kings no further then to the first yeare of Cyrus king of Persia that is only 25 yeares beyond the extent of that second booke of Kings For the captiuitie beginning at the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar and continuing all the time of his reigne yea also vnder the reigne of Euil-merodach as was alleaged before and yet further vnto the death of Belshazzar Dan. chap. 5. and chap. 7. 1. and chap. 8. 1. and Ier. 25. 26. where the Prophet prophesieth against this drunken king vnder the name of Sheshach which word in the Babylonian tongue noteth the solemnizing of some feast as it were to Bacchus See the note of Tremelius Iunius vpon that place of Ierimiah The captiuity I say thus beginning at the first yeare of Nebuchadnezzar and continuing to the first yeare of Cyrus whereat the second booke of Chronicles endeth it is the space onely of 70 yeares Reade 2. Chron. 36. 21. 22. and Ezra 1. 1. c. and Dan. 9. 1. c. So then to out former summe of 345 yeares contained in the Storie of the second booke of Kings that is to the 45. yeare of the captiuitie of Iuda we haue in this second booke of Chronicles onely the addition of 25 yeares to make vp the number of 70 which was the end of the same captiuitie EZRA NEHEMIAH and DANIEL 490 yeares IN the dayes of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel many thousands of the Iewes being by the conduct of Zerubbabel and other Princes and namely of Sheshbazzar that Tirshatha or Commissioner whom king Cyrus had appointed chiefe Prince of Iuda to put them in possession of their land by his authoritie Ezra ch 2. 1. 2. verse 36. and chap. 5. 14. 15. 16. Whether Zerubbabel or rather one properly named Sheshbazzar were that Tirshatha or Commissioner as afterward it is recorded that Nehemia was for his time Tirshatha or the kings Commissioner Nehem. chap. 8. verse 9. and chap. 10. 1. the Iewes I say being thus by thousands returned to their owne land whereunto God of his most gratious goodnesse had restored them they do earnestly indeuour to reedifie the holy citie and temple of Ierusalem which Nebuchadnezzer had burnt in the 19. yeare of his raigne 2. King 25. 8. 9. 10. they were through the same most gratious goodnesse of God setled to remaine and abide therein from the time of that their returne to the death of our Sauiour Christ that is by the space of 490 yeeres Dan. 9. 24. c. In the which space also they enioyed the gratious and comfortable protection of God vnder the reigne of the kings of the Medes Persians for the first 100 of those yeares more But let vs consider of this portion of the holy history more particularly And first concerning the booke of Ezra EZRA THe booke of Ezra continuing the holy historie from the returne of Iuda out of their captiuitie vnto the time that the Temple and citie of Ierusalem was built which was the space of 49 yeares to wit from the first yeare of Cyrus to the twentith yeare of Darius the son of Ahashuerosh whom it is thought Queen Ester bare vnto him concerning which space of time vnto the building of the Temple finished read Daniel chap. 9. 25. where the Angel informed Daniel that it should be performed in the first seuen times seuen yeares that is in 49 yeares it reporteth the Storie in this order Cyrus King of Persia proclaimed liberty to the Iewes to returne to their land yea he gaue thē his princely incouragement and furtherance towards the building of the Temple and citie of Ierusalem for the worship of the true God of Israell Ezra chap. 1. And this no doubt he did with the consent of Darius who was of the seed of the Medes and was made King of the Chaldeans These two kings and their kingdomes being confederate together in one monarchie Dan. chap. 5. ver 28. 31. and chap. 6. 1. 2. 3. 8. c. and chap. 9. 1. 2. likewise Ester 1. 3. 19. So thē the Iewes in the second yeare of their comming laid the foundation of the Temple chap. 3. 8. Neuerthelesse shortly after they had done so they were forthwith hindred from proceeding in the worke of the Lord by diuerse malicious aduersaries who laboured their hindrance to the vttermost of that they could any way procure The worke therfore stayed euen from the third yeare of Cyrus that it could not prosperously goe forward vntill the second yeare of Darius the sonne of Ahashuerosh of whom mention was made a litle before Ezra chap. 4. vers 5. 24. and Zacharie chap. 1. 1. This second yeare of Darius was the 32. yeare after the Iewes returne as may easily be perceiued in so much as the 19. year of the same Darius which was the yeare before Nehemiah came in commission for the finishing of the walles and
gates of Ierusalem Nehem. 1. 1. it was the 49. after their returne according to the speech of the Angell Gabriell to Daniel alleadged before The reason of the hinderance of the Lords building euen so soone after the gratious commission of Cyrus king of Persia and Darius of the Medes it seemeth to haue bene this that Darius of the Medes dying shortly after and Cyrus following his warres abroad Artashasht the sonne of Cyrus called of Greeke writers Cambyses being king or Viceroy in peace at home was willing to hearken to the accusation of the Iewes aduersaries and so was Ahashuerosh also after him Ezra ch 4. 5. 6. 7. And this seemeth to be the cause of Daniels great griefe ch 10. 1. 2. 3. Moreouer the Iewes were too easily discouraged of themselues ouer slothfull as may appeare by the earnest reproofes which the Lord giueth theÌ„ by his holy Prophets Hag. chap. 1. 1. 2. c. and Zach. ch 1. 1. 2. c. Neuerthelesse so soone as they resumed the worke and at the instigation of the Prophets earnestly set vpon it according to that we reade further Ezra chap. 5. 1. 2. by the singular mercie of God they finde so gratious furtherance at the hands of Darius then king of Persia euen in the second yeare of his reigne and their labour so prospered that the house of God was finished in the sixt yeare of his reigne Ezra chap. 6. 1. c. verse 15. And in the 7. yeare of the same Darius called also Artashasht king of Persia Ezra commeth from him furnished a fresh as it were with a new supply yea with a most large augmentation of the kings fauour and bountie toward the people and house of God Ezra 7. vers 8. 9. c. to the end of the chapter NEHEMIAH IN the twentith yeare of his reigne the same Darius or Artashasht king of Persia granteth Nehemiah a newe commission for he is now Tirshatha or Commissioner from the king cha 8. 9. and chap. 10. 1. as was mentioned before for the perfecting of the whole building of the Lord whatsoeuer was wanting concerning any appurtenances to the Temple or touching the walles and gates of the whole citie Nehem. chap. 1. 1 c. and chap. 2. 1. c. The which seruice of perfecting finishing the whole worke he did through the blessing of God performe with all faithfulnesse and singular expedition that is iâ—… the space of 52 dayes by the willing and industrious diligence of the thousands of Iuda Thus wonderfully did the Lord from time to time prosper his worke in the hands of his seruants when they did earnestly set vpon it contrarie to all the malignant indeuours of the wicked Reade Nehem. 2. 17. chap. 3. 1. c. chap. 6. 1. c. 15. 16. And thus was the whole building of Ierusalem perfected at the end of the first seuen weekes of yeares as was obserued before in Ezra Nehemiah hauing brought the outward buildings to this perfection he remaineth still among the Iewes a gratious Gouernour and foster-father of Gods Church and people by the space of 12 yeares that is from the twentith yeare of Darius king of Persia to the 32. yeare of his reigne This Darius was the most bounteous benefactor which the Iewes euer had amoÌ„g all the heathen Princes vnder whose subiection they were We may not altogether vnfitly call him for honours sake the Iewes Constantine Reade Nehem. ch 5. 14. From the time saith Nehemiah that the King gaue me charge to be Gouernour in the land of Iuda from the twentith yeare euen to the 32. yeare of King Artashasht that is twelue yeares I and my brethren haue not eaten the bread of the Gouernour c. But rather I fortified a portion of the worke c. Moreouer there were at my table a hundreth and fiftie of the Iewes and rulers which came vnto vs from among the heathen c. Yea and though at the 32. yeare of Darius Nehemiah left the Iewes and returned to the king who was then by a newe stile written king of Babell Nehem. chap. 13. 6. yet so tender was his care ouer the people of God and so zealous was he of Gods glorie that he intreated leaue of the king to go to them againe Which request also he obtained of him How long this was after that he had left them it is not expressed neither yet how loÌ„g he remained with them after he was come to them Only this is specified that hee renewed a worthie seruice among the people of God to the great honour and glorie of God and to the singular benefite of his people in reforming the abuses both of the house and Offices and also of the Sabbath of the Lord. Read chap. 13. 7. c. And thus the Iewes the people of God were in prosperous estate and gratiously protected and blessed of God vnder the reigne of the Persian kings as these books of Ezra Nehemiah do declare for the better half of those hundreth and thirtie yearés while their Monarchie combined with the Medes did continue As touching the latter part of their reigne it may probably be conceiued of vs that the kings of Persia which succeeded were no enemies to the people and true worship of God which their predecessors had so gratiously fauoured priuiledged and the rather because of the troubles which arose vnto them from the Grecians Dan. chap. 11. 2. 3. c. ESTER HEre let vs in a few words note by the way coÌ„cerning the book of Ester that though it be placed in order after the booke of Nehemiah yet the notable and verie memorable historie of the Iewes wonderful deliuerance from the intended massacre of Haman described therein was by most likelihood fulfilled in the time of the reigne of Ahashuerosh mentioned before in the second chap. of Ezra verse 6. This Ahashuerosh in the booke of Ester and that Ahashuerosh in the booke of Ezra being all one And the deliueraÌ„ce was wrought in the twelfth or thirteenth yeare of the kings reigne as we read Ester chap. 3. verses 7. 13. In which history note these speciall things first that God would by the great danger which fell vpon the Iewes correct the slacknesse of them in returning to their owne land out of those prophane nations Secondly that Gods mercie was wonderfull in sparing of their liues And last of all the slacknesse of the people that were already returned to Ierusalem may hence be discouered in that notwithstanding Mordecay after their deliuerance was in high fauor with the king and very carefull for his part to procure the wealth of his people Ester chap. 10. 2. 3. they did for all that greatly foreslowe the building of the house of God as we haue seene before Thus much concerning the booke of Ester without interruptioÌ„ of the former course of the historie Now let vs go forward to the rest of the 490 yeares recorded before out of the prophesie of Daniel DANIEL
Ierusalem c. This feast as may be shewed by good reason is most likely if not altogether certaine to be the second Passeouer Consider of that which our Sauiour Christ spake in the fourth chap. verse 35. There are yet foure moneths and then commeth haruest Now at the Passe-ouer began the Iewes barley haruest reade Exod. 9. 31. Leuit. 23. 6. 10. 11. 15. 16. and Deut. 16. 8. 9. And it seemeth to bee the same feast mentioned Luke ch 6. 1. Wherefore seeing these words of our Sauiour Christ Foure moneths and then commeth haruest were spoken after the first Passeouer Iohn 2. yea at such time as our Sauiour Christ in his returning from Iudea into Galile was now come to Samaria Iohn chap. 4. 3. 4. 5. c. And seeing there is no feast commanded in the law whereunto our Sauiour should go vp to Ierusalem within the space of foure moneths before haruest vntil the Passe-ouer it selfe should come about it secmeth to followe by good reason that the feast mentioned Iohn 5. 1. whereunto our Sauiour Christ went at the celebration thereof in Ierusalem should be the Passeouer at 〈◊〉 and no other feast And if the Passeouer 〈◊〉 also it is the second placed before that chaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be the thiâ—… Reade this point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed and disputed by Chemnitius iâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chapter of his Prolegomena before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gospell And as touching the last Passeouer whereunto our Saâ—… Christ went vp at Ierusalem all the Euaâ—…gelists make expresse mention of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marke 14. 1. Luke 22. 1. Iohn chap. 〈◊〉 55. ch 12. 1. chap. 13. 1. From the Creation of man to the death of our Sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yeares 3966 by the former account FOr all the former numbers layd together that is to say 2368 yeare which is the extent of the historie of Genesis 146 of Exodus 39 of Leuiticus Numbers and Deuteronomie 17 of I oshua 299 of the Iudges 80 of the first booke of Samuell 40 of the second booke of Samuel 117 of the first booke of Kings 345 of the second booke of Kings 25 yeares of the second booke of Chronicles 490 of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniell to the death of our Sauior Christ they all doe amount to this one generall summe 3966. From the birth of our Sauiour Christ to this present yeare of the same our Lord Iesus Christ his reigne are 1600 yeares FRoÌ„ this time that is since our Sauior Christ came into the world and chiefly from the time of his most cleare manifesting of himselfe the Iewes more more corrupting their wayes and hardening their hearts to the vttermost against God euen vnto the deniall crucifying of the son of God they haue for the same their extreme contempt obstinacy bin most iustly reiected and cast off from being a people to the Lord. And for the same cause also haue the citie and Temple of Ierusalem bene vtterly subuerted and layd altogether waste by the Romanes that is by the furious armies of the Emperour Titus and Vespasian his sonne This was about fortie yeares after the death of our Sauior Christ agreeable to the prophesie of Daniell cited before chap. 9. 26. 27. Read also Zacharie chap. 14. 1. 2 And according as our Sauior himselfe he being yet among the Iewes did forewarne that it should come to passe Matth. chap. 24. verses 15. 16. c. 34. and Luke chap. 19. 43. 44. and chap. 21. 5. 6. 20. c. 32. 33. And yet further also according to their own feare wherof we reade Iohn 11. 48. The Romanes say the Iewes will come and take away both our place and the nation The accomplishment hereof is plentifully recorded in the historie of Iosephus howsoeuer as we reade Act. ch 6. 14. the Iewes could not abide to heare that it should fall out so Neuerthelesse since the ascention of our Sauiour Christ which was fortie dayes after his resurrection Act. 1. vers 1. 2. 3. And from Pentecost which was ten dayes after the same ascention euen immediately after that the extraordinary giftes of the holy Ghost were poured downe vpon the Apostles Act. ch 2. 1. 2 c. the Gospell of Christes euerlasting kingdome and righteousnesse began to be preached and did thenceforth spread it selfe more and more from Ierusalem vnto all the nations of the earth and Christ Iesus was beleeued on in the world according to his owne appointment and promise Act. 1. 4. 8. Thus the Lord destroying the materiall Temple of Ierusalem because of the sin and apostasie of the Iewes who had profaned and polluted the same he therewithall began forthwith to magnifie his rich mercie toward the Gentiles in the erection of his spirituall Ierusalem among them Ephes. 2. 13. c. 1. Pet. 2. 4. c. according to the former prophesies of Dauid Psal. 110. and Isai chap. 2. 1. 2. 3. 4. Micah chap. 4. 1. 2. 3. Yet the Gospell was not so receiued and beleeued among the Gentiles but that it found great resistance from the hand and power of the Romane Emperours by the space of 300 yeares vnder the reigne wel neare of 40 of them a very few excepted euen from bloody Nero who raised the first cruell persecution against Christians to the Emperours Maxentius Licinius with whom the tenth of those grieuous and outragious persecutions of the primitiue Church so famous in Ecclesiastic all stories ended These persecutions our Sauiour Christ himself partly foretold to all his Apostles before his death Matt. chap. 10. ver 16. 17. 18. and cha 24. 9. and Luke ch 21. 12. 13. But he reuealed the same more fully to his Apostle Iohn after his ascention vp into heauen in the time of the reigne of the Emperour Domitian who raised the second persecution against Christians In the which persecution the Apostle Iohn himselfe was banished into the I le Patmos where hee had the same Reuelation shewed vnto him for his owne comfort and for the comfort of all the Churches of Asia in their afflictions Reade the first foure chapters of the Reuelation Read also chap. 6. and chap. 13. 1. 2. c. 10. These hote persecutions of the Christians wherein the Gospel of Christ hath bene witnessed by the manifolde torments and deaths of many thousands of blessed martyrs they continued vntill the time that it pleased God to turne the hart of Constantine first and then of some other of the Emperours after him to beleeue and imbrace the Gospell of Christ and so to become foster-fathers vnto his Church according to the prophesie of Isaiah more then six hundreth years before it came to passe as we read chap. 49. the 23. verse And yet againe euen in those times wherein Christian Emperours fauored the Gospell the Churches were by another maner of affliction greatly molested that is to say by certaine verie dangerous heretikes their bold sectaries the Arrians and diuers other whereunto the Apostle had respect
Psalme it must needs from so ancient a time be to be esteemed an admirable prophesy cōcerning Dauids annointing to the kingdom by Samuel his prosperous successe in obteining of the same 300 yeares at the least before Dauid was born like as king Iosiah was by name prophesied of as touching that which he should do aboue 300 years before his birth as we are afterward more exactly to obserue also concerning the afflictions of the Church bewailed therein euen such afflictions as fell vpon it in the captiuity of Babylon which fell out as long a time after that King Dauid was dead But grant that they were that Heman and Ethan which are recorded 1. Chron. 6. 33. and vers 44. likewise chap. 25. ver 4 5 6. concerning Heman both which were yet of another tribe that is of Leui when those named cap. 2. are of Iudah as hath bene already shewed but grant I say that they were those who liued not only in K. Dauids time as being his Seets or Prophets which yet is only sayd of Heman 1. Chron. 25. 5. that also in respect of his singing of Propheticall Psalmes such as king Dauid indited not because himselfe did prophesie Grant notwithstanding I say againe that they liued not onely in king Dauids time but also in king Salomons dayes yea that they suruiued him and saw also as some thinke that miserable hauocke which Shishak king of Egypt made in the cities of Iudah in the house of God the treasures whereof he caried away c. as we reade 2 Chron. ch 12. in the reigne of Rehoboam after that Salomon was dead Yet Ethans Psalme must needes be taken for a propheticall instruction touching a great part of it as being fitted to be a monument for the direction of the Church how to comfort it selfe and to bemone the owne calamitie in the most doleful and distressed estate which the Prophet by the Spirit of God foresaw that it should afterward fall into So then these two were indued with a notable gift of prophesie although it be not granted that they were so ancient as that they should be reckoned in this second classis or company of Prophets Let vs proceed to the third company Prophetes such as were in the time of the Iudges and so forth to the beginning of the reigne of the Kings DEborah was a Prophetesse about 80 yeers after the death of Ioshua Iudges chap. 4. 4. At that time Deborah a Prophetesse the wife of Lapidoth iudged Israel Reade her excellent song as it followeth in the fift chapter In the second chapter of the first book of Samuel vers 27. c. A Prophet is sent to Eli to prophesie against him his children and posteritie which was partly fulfilled chap. 4. read also 1. Kin. chap. 2. 27. All Israell from Dan to Beersheba knew that in the dayes of Eli faithfull Samuel was the Lords Prophet 1. Sam. 3. 20. He prophesied first against the sonnes and posterity of Eli verses 11 12 13 c. according to the prophesie of the man of God euen now mentioned vnlesse rather we vnderstand that to be written concerning Samuel himselfe See Tremelius Iunius in their annotations vpon that place Read also Act. 3. 22. Neither must Hannah the mother of Samuel be forgotten when we speake of such women as God graced with his excellent gift of Prophesie as her prayer and thanksgiuing giueth vs to vnderstand from the beginning of the second chapter of the first booke of Samuel And the rather wil we iudge so if we compare her speech with the thanksgiuing of the virgin Marie for we shall perceiue that Hannah was enlightened to haue a respect vnto Christ in her magnificent description of the most mighty power of God ioyned with his most rich and tender mercie which also is the argument of the virgin Maries Magnificat In the time that Samuel annointed Saule to be ◅ing of Israell mention is made of a companie of Prophetes which prophesied and that Saule himself a little while after he was annointed prophesied among them 1. Sam. chap. 10. 1 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13. This prophesying no doubt was an excellent kind of vttering the excellent things of Gods spirituall kingdom from the inlightening of the Spirit of God according to the former groūds principles of prophesie contained in the bookes of Moses which were read and studied among the people of God Of this kind of prophesying we read againe in the same first booke of Samuel chap. 19. verses 18 19. c. where it is written that at Naioth in Ra◅ah there was a companie of Prophets prophesying and Samuel standing as one appointed ouer them And further that the messengers which Saule sent to apprehend Dauid were for the time so heauenly affected with that which they hard that they also brake forth to the magnifying of the name of God for the same things which he reuealed to thē This was done thrise by three seuerall companies of messengers the one sent after the other Last of all Saule himself went to Rama with an euil purpose against Dauid but the Spirit of God came vpon him also so that he laying aside his former mind as well as his warlike weedes he prophesied all that day and all that night Here we may see the most gratious and mightie power of the spirit of Prophesie to affect alter the minds of men to fill thē with spiritual ioy although we cannot reckē all those for holy Prophets of God who are thus sodainly affected with the spirit of Prophesie Neuerlesse by occasion hereof and specially because Saule for a time was as a Prophet among the Prophets let vs come to that company of true Prophets whereof we are to make rehearsall frō the beginning of the reigne of the kings of Iudah and Israell Prophetes such as were from the beginning of the reigne of the kings of Iudah and Israel the which we are to consider of vnder many companies But first concerning some of the Kings themselues KIng Dauid whom the Prophete Samuel at the commandement of God annointed to be king ouer Israel next after Saul he was himselfe a most excellent Prophete of God So it is testified of him Act. 2. 30. c. Seeing he was a Prophet saith the Apostle Peter and knew before that God had sworne c. he prophesied of the resurrection of Christ c. yea hee prophesied of the whole person and office of our Sauiour Christ touching euerie degree both of his humiliation and also of his exaltation as many of his Psalmes do plentifully declare Read Psal. 2. Psal. 16. Psal. 22. Psal. 45. Psal. 68. Psal. 110. and many other In K. Dauids reigne was the Prophet Nathan 2. Sam. 7. 2. c. ch 12. And the prophet G◅d who was called Dauids Seer 2. Sam. 24. 11. and 2. Chron. 29. 25. King Salomon was also a holy Prophete as his bookes the Prouerbes Ecclesiastes the