leauing his people vtterly destitute prophefled in Babilon during the seauenty yeares Captiuitie Par. Declare your reason why you place Haggi Zachary and Malachie with Ezra Nehemiah and Hester Reason for the fift Past These doe lye in order according to the times The last Degrée that I handled doth concerne the time in which the people were in captiuitie and this Degrée concernes the time from the end of their Captiuitie vntill the finishing of the Temple at Ierusalem And the three Prophets annexed vnto them were such as God gaue to comfort and to set them forward in their building and in Religion Par. What reason haue you to sort some Bookes of the olde Testament with the Epistles Reason for the sixt Past These Bookes olde and new for matter chiefly contained in them are in another sort and kinde farre differing from the former They are more properly called Doctrinall and Sapientall because therein the holy Ghost most compendiously by similitudes comparisons allegories and examples doth perswade all men to embrace Christ Iesus in holinesse of life and conuersation Reason for the seauenth These Bookes fall out according to the Degrées so to be placed For Daniel intreats of matter and things done during the captiuitie and somewhat largely of things to be performed vntill Christs Incarnation So Saint Iohn likewise in the Reuelation poynts out by manifest particulars to those great things that were and are to be performed vntill the last day in which Christ Iesus shall come with triumph and great glory to pronounce the fulnesse of ioy for his Elect. Thus I end as I began yéelding all praise empire and dominion to his blessed Maiestie A Prayer for the Morning O Lord thou which couerest the night with darknesse and causest man therein to take his rest and by euery day and night doest shew thy great glory in the heauens and also thy wisedome and power by gouerning and preseruing all thy creatures vpon the earth O Lord I thy poore seruant and creature doe most humbly thanke thée from the bottome of my heart for my swéet and comfortable rest this night past and for watching ouer me by thine eye of prouidence and kéeping both my body and soule by thy grace from sinne and death Beséeching thée O Lord God my Father Sauiour and Comforter to blesse to sanctifie direct and preserue mée in this thy new day and that I may become a new creature vnto thée O God in holinesse and righteousnesse labouring faithfully and painefully in my calling that so my labours this day may be sanctified and blessed vnto mée and mine and that I may shew forth thy praise in all my wayes and declare my loue and charitie vnto men in all my workes that after the dayes of this my life and pilgrimage finished and ended here in this world I may liue with thée for euer in the world to come through Iesus Christ my Lord and Sauiour who liueth and raigneth with thée and the holy Ghost euer one God world without end Amen A Prayer for the Euening O Gracious and merciful God I am most bound vnto thy heauenly Maiestie for my preseruation this day because I and all men are continually subiect vnto all dangers and perils griefes and sorrowes sicknesse and death yea we lye open vnlesse thy grace and might doe defend vs vnto the temptations and tyranny of the World the Flesh and the Diuell which daily séeke and desire our hurt and confusion both of body and soule for euer Wherefore O gracious and euerliuing God as thy right hand and sauing health hath béene with mée this day and thou hast directed blessed and comforted mée thy poore seruant in all my wayes and labours for the which I most humbly thanke thée so I most earnestly intreate thy Maiestie in thy loue and mercy for Christ Iesus sake to kéepe mée and all mine in safety this night and to couer vs vnder the shadow of thy wings from all perils and dangers whatsoeuer and that our soules as well as our bodies may take their swéet and comfortable rest and ioy in thée and likewise that thou wouldest grant that whensoeuer thou shalt knocke at the doore of our harts to call vs vnto thée O God wée may with the wise Virgins be watchfull and haue oyle in our lampes that we may be receiued into eternall rest through Iesus Christ thy deare Sonne and our only Sauiour Amen FINIS
bad shall rise at the last day and such like matters cannot be comprehended by the naturall man therefore he must attaine vnto it by Faith This Faith traines vs to a third kinde of Faith For in euery Triangle there are thrée lines the first beginneth the second augmenteth and the third finisheth the figure euen so there are thrée kindes or sorts of Faith the first is Historicall to wit an assent to the truth of the Scriptures the second Legall when a man stands partly vpon his works for iustification the third is Euangelicall to wit a Faith that procéedes from Grace and thence takes way to the apprehending of Christs merits onely for his iustification This is the true and catholicke Faith the other may be in the Diuell This true faith which yéeldeth testimonie to Gods word is battered and bruised by many temptations but neuer broken because it takes hold in méekenesse on Christ Hée that hath this faith contents himselfe with weake meanes because hée knowes that God is powerfull in them and hée contents himselfe without meanes because it is all one with his Maiestie and yet hée omits not the opportunitie nor any good that is offered To conclude this faith is not idle it worketh by loue it euer sanctifieth and is profitable to euery good worke The Sinner desireth to know how to attaine Faith Parishioner EPaminondas the Theban being in the danger of death was tolde that his Buckler was sound and vnbroken Ruben Simeon and Leui when they had vnnaturally handled their brother Ioseph brought their Father his coate to comfort him euen so all that you haue said and done is little worth or rather an aggrauation of my griefe vnlesse you will direct mee a ready way or shew mee a perfect course how I shall obtaine faith that great and effectuall instrument of comfort to the conscience of saluation to the soule The Bee in a storm can counterpaize her selfe with a stone that shee may flye directly to her hiue The hedgehog can make two holes in his caue the one towards the South if the winde be North the other towards the North if the winde be South The Foxe can cure himselfe with the iuyce of Pine tree the Serpent can cure himselfe with Fennel the Tortise with Margerom but as for me silly soule light or heauy siâ—ke or whole sincke or swimme I haue no meanes of comfort I haue no place to hide my selfe nor helpe to flye away Christ said to a rich man concerning a pearle that was precious Goe sell all that thou hast and buy that pearle O that Christ of his mercies would say so vnto me then would I sell all and giue all if it would not be so bought I would giue my life to boot Lord then would I flie away and be no more seene then would I hide my selfe in some great Obeliske for euer nay then would I mount vp aboue the skies in the flames or sparks of Gods fiery chariot into the glorious presence of his all-sufficient Maiestie and into the ioyes of my most faithfull affected friends whose ioy would be my ioy O how am I rauished now with holy desires O how doe I long to change the company of men for the company of Angels nay the company of Saints militant for the company of Saints triumphant Come Lord Iesus O come and welcome Lord Iesus come come and welcome As good Mary said to the Angell How can this be since I know not man so say I vnto you O my good Pastor how can this be since I know not Faith nor where to finde it O that I might haue the answere of the Angell who said to Mary The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the Highest shall ouershadow thee O then should I not faile of Faith An Answere how to attaine Faith Pastor AS Ananias spake swéetly and comfortably vnto Saul Acts 9. Brother Saul the Lord euen Iesus hath sent me that thou mightest receiue thy sight euen so I perceiue by your godly desires and by your zealous prayers I may say vnto you from the ministery of his holy word swéetly comfortably Brother and faithfull seruant of God I am ordained and sent to say vnto thee and to assure thée that by the preaching of the Gospell thou shalt haue faith and that the scales of ignorance infidelitie and such like shall fall from thée As the Lord himselfe said to Ananias Seeke in the house of Iudas for one called Saul for behold he prayeth goe thy way he is a chosen vessell vnto mee So the Lord saith vnto you séeke in my holy word for my spirit thou shalt haue faith and shalt be a chosen vessel vnto me And as Saul saw in a vision Ananias laying his hands on him that he might receiue his sight so will the Lord reueale vnto you and lay his blessed hands on you that you may receiue faith For the better testimony and assurance hereof harken how our fauiour Christ reasoneth with the murmering maligning Iewes concerning their incredulitie and concerning this question which you put forth What shall we doe that we might doe the workes of God Hee answered thus It is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom hee hath sent Io. 6.29 To which effect Saint Paul reasoneth with the Romans Ro. 10.9 saying Whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saued Which proposition he vnfoldeth with three interrogations or obiections as it were on the contrarie and then concludes as vpon a necessary consequence that Faith iustifieth and Faith is obtained by the word preached The first of which interrogations is How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued As if hee had said there is no calling vpon God without faith The second is How shall they beleeue on him of whom they haue not heard As if hée would say no man can haue Faith without the hearing of Gods word And the third is How can a man heare without a Preacher As if he had said there is no benefit of hearing the word without a preacher The conclusion is then that Faith commeth by the hearing of Gods word preached Thus also it may be said on the contrary as the interrogations are laid Take away the preacher take away the word take away the word take away hearing take away hearing take away Faith take away Faith take away calling vpon God take away calling vpon God take away saluation in Christ The same Apostle in the same place magnifying the ministery of Gods word and the excellencie of things which faith bringeth cries out emphatically O how beautifull are the feete of them that bring tidings of peace As if he had said it is farre more ioyfull and farre more profitable for a Christian congregation to sée a Preacher come amongst them because of faith which they are to receiue by his preaching then it is to sée a Prince who notwithstanding his great maiestie must
woman naturally descended from Lot who committed incest with his two daughters Par. Why then is Ruth here reckoned and accounted sithence she came of such an incestuous wicked man Past Shée is set forth in holy Scripture and the Booke entituled by her name to the open view of the world that the Iewes might sée the calling of the Gentiles by Iesus Christ to saluation for he lineally descended of Ruth who was a Gentile Therein God the Father declared that hée receiued poore sinners into fauour by reuealing of the Gospell vnto them and by vniting her and other of the Gentiles into the stocke and linage of Abraham Par. What is the matter contained therein Past It containes a piece of Dauids genealogie which by the Euangelists is translated into the genealogie of Christ that thereby men might know Gods predestinate decrée for the saluation of penitent sinners by Christ who long after should be borne of sinners The seauenth Particular concerning Samuell in the fourth Obseruation Par. Declare vnto me I pray you in briefe answeres concerning the Booke of Samuel and the Booke of the Kings Past According to the Latines there are foure Bookes to wit two entituled the Bookes of Samuel and two entituled the Bookes of Kings all which foure according to the Hebrew are only two reckoning both the bookes of Samuel for the one and both the Bookes of the Kings for the other The Writers thereof seuerally a piece or a portion were Samuel Nathan Gad Ahiah the Shilonite Iddo the Seer as may appeare by these words 1 Chron. 29.29 The acts of Dauid are they not written in the Booke of Samuel the Seer in the Booke of Nathan the Prophet and in the Booke of Gad the Seer Par What was this Samuel Past Hée was the sonne of Elkanah an Ephrahite whom Hannah his Mother obtayned at the Lords hands by prayer when she was in reproach amongst all Israell by reason of her barrennesse She dedicated him to the seruice of GOD in the Temple who proued a most faithfull and a most constant Prophet of the Lord vnder King Saul Par. What doth the first Booke of Samuel containe Past It principally containes the story of King Saul Par. What doth the second booke of Samuel containe Past It containeth principally the story of King Dauid The eight Particular concerning Saul Par. These three Kings to wit Saul Dauid and Salomon who by succession held the famous and renowmed kingdome of the Hebrewes when it was yet whole and entire I would pray you to set mee downe their stories particularly Past It is true these Kings in their time were the most renowmed of any that euer followed after them and they were the first that euer was ouer the people of God 1 Sam. 9.10.11 Saul was the son of Kish of the tribe of Beniamin which was a great prerogatiue to that tribe being the least and the last By séeking of his fathers Asses which went astray hée came by Gods prouidence vnto the place where Samuel the Lords Prophet dwelt Samuel séeing him and knowing Gods will concerning him hée entertained him amongst the best of the people and the next day he annoynted him King ouer the people of Israell and because it should not séeme incredible hée gaue him thrée speciall tokens by the which hée should know that the Lord God had so appointed all which tokens came to passe that same day Samuel hauing also assembled the people he told them that the Lord had appointed them a King euen in his wrath because they refused to be guided and gouerned by him and he presented Saul before them at which time they cryed and said God saue the King And immediately Samuel hauing declared what dutie did belong vnto the King from his subiects the Lord touched the hearts of a band of men who hereupon followed the King to the wars against Nahash the Ammonite in the behalfe of Iabesh Gilead that desired helpe of the Israelites The spirit of the Lord came vpon Saul he was turned into another man that is to say hée by the same Spirit became more wise and more heroically valiant then hée was before and in qualities méete for a King Par. How came it to passe that Saul was sent to seeke the Asses His Father being a man of great reputation and riches hee had many others no doubt to send Past It was the diuine and secret prouidence of God that the Asses went astray and that Saul should séeke after them whereby he might be brought as it were by the hand vnto the place where Samuel was and for that purpose which his holy Maiestie had determined That which Almighty GOD hath done herein was not to declare vnto men what hée could doe but what hee would doe for the better stay of faithfull men vpon his promises and prouidence and withall to teach all men that when any matter happeneth to the good of the godly hée should not attribute it to his owne endeuour or paines nor yet to the fayned Gods as by Fortune and Chance but euen by a secret diuine rule bringing great and mighty things to passe by weake and small meanes And that the very guiding â—and of GOD was in it appeares plainly for God told Samuel â—aying To morrow about this time I will send thee a man of Beniamin named Saul him shalt thou annoynt to be gouernour ouer my people Israell Par. Why was God displeased with his people of Israell for asking a King sithence they had none Past Almighty God was not angry with them simply for asking a King 1 Sam. 8.4.5.6.7.8.9 to 22. but because hée himselfe had gouerned them and guided them alwayes before without a King to wit by Patriarches by Chiefetenants and Iudges Vnder whose gouernment they alwayes prospered so long as they obeyed the Lord in any measure And in that time in which they desired a King they were gouerned by Samuel a holy man and the Prophet of the Lord they desired a King euen in wantonnesse and pride of heart and not in regard of any want Therefore the Lord said to Samuel 1 Sam. 1. to 11. Heare the voyce of the peopple they haue not cast away thee but they haue cast away mee As though he had said thy gouernment was my gouernment or as I commanded thée they doe not reiect thée in this but me therefore heare them and tell them what manner of man he shall be vnto them Par. Doth God appoint ouer any Nation such kings and rulers as shall tyrannize and deale roughly with their subiects Past When as the people are not thankefull vnto him for a good King and when they doe not humbly acknowledge the benefit thereof then hée vsually plagueth them with wicked tyrannous Kings Par. How did Saul behaue himselfe towards God hauing receiued such a speciall fauour as to be made a King ouer such a great Nation Past After he had raigned two yeares ouer Israell 1 Sam. 15. he did that which
of their enemies and they shall be robbed and spoyled Manasses was twelue yeares old when hée began to raigne and hée raigned fiue and fifty yeares in Ierusalem Par. Who was the next king Past 2 King 21.18.19.20 to the end 22.23 Ammon his sonne such a father such a sonne The Lord stirred vp his seruants against him who slew him in his own house He was twenty years old when he began to raigne and he raigned two yeares Par. Who was his successour Past Iosiah his sonne He did vprightly in the sight of the Lord as did his father Dauid he turned not to the right hand nor to the left And he tooke seuere order for the reformation of religion Wherefore the Lord reuealed vnto him the booke of the Law which was hid in the Temple And when he heard it read for griefe that Religion had so long béene extinguished and the name of God abused he rent his cloathes and wept sore Then he commanded his officers to inquire after the Lord by some Prophet And they found a Prophetesse in Ierusalem who answered them that the Lord would plague Iudah and Ierusalem for their idolatry but would spare Iosiah the King Then he with all the Elders of the people went into the Temple where he read the booke of God with a tender heart vnto them And afterwards he entred into couenant with the Lord for the people that they should serue him all the dayes of their liues and the people yéelded vnto it with one consent Then did the king purge the Temple and all his kingdome of Baall and of all that did appertaine vnto his seruice He brake downe also the Altar at Bethell and all the monuments of idolatry which Ieroboam had made He held a Passeouer the like was not holden since the daies of the Iudges nor the like in any Kings dayes Yet would not the Lords wrath be appeased towards the people because they had so long wallowed as it were in wickednesse Pharao Necho king of Egypt slew Iosiah at Megiddo He was eight yeares old when he entred into the kingdome and he raigned one and thirty yeares He was buried at Ierusalem in the sepulcher of his fathers Ieremie and Zophonie were Prophets in his time Par. Who was the sixteenth king Past Iehoahaz his sonne 2 King 23.31.32.33 He did euill in the sight of the Lord. Wherefore he sent Pharao the king of Egypt against him who imprisoned him thrée moneths which was all the time of his raigne And he did put the land to an excéeding great tribute Par. Who was the next king Past Eliakim 2 King 23.34.24.1 to 7. the second sonne of Iosiah who was made king by Pharao Necho the king of Egypt and he turned his name to Iehoiakim the rather because he was a wicked man Then came Nabuchadnezar King of Babell and tooke him but afterwards he rebelled against the King Wherefore he sent an hoste of the Chaldeans and of the Aramites Moabites and Ammonites against Ierusalem and Iudah to destroy it as the Lord had spoken by his Prophets Ichoiakim was fiue twenty yeares old when he began to raigne and he raigned 11. yeares in Ierusalem and then dyed Ieremy and Zophony were Prophets in his time Par. Who was successour to Ichoiakim Past 2 King 24.8 Ichoiakim his sonne He was eightéene yeares old when hée began to raigne and hée raigned thrée moneths wickedly The second Particular of the fift Obseruation concerning the captiuitie of Iudah and Ierusalem Then came Nabuchadnezar the King of Babell against Ierusalem and besieged it And hauing wonne the Citie with great losse of bloud he tooke the King his Mother and the Nobilitie with tenne thousand such as hée liked and carryed them to Babilon with all the treasures of the Lords house And Nabuchadnezar made Mattaniah his Vncle King in his stead whose name hée changed to Zedechiah 2 Kings 24 17.25 who then was one and twentie yeares olde and hée raigned eleauen yeares in Ierusalem wickedly insomuch that the Lord was fiercely bent against Iudah and Ierusalem to destroy them vtterly Hée therefore stirred vp Nabuchadnezar againe with all his hoast to ransacke and vtterly to destroy Ierusalem the house of Dauid and the Temple Thus you may sée Ierusalem was destroyed thrée times Ieremie and Zophonie were Prophets in his time of whom he might haue heart and knowne the will waies of the Lord. Par. Now I pray you set mee downe in like manner the particular stories of the Kings of Israel whose place and seate was at Samaria with the Prophets one or more as they liued Past 1 King 11.26 to 49. 2 King 12.12.13.14 to 21. Ieroboam was the sonne of Nebat an Ephradite of Zereda Salomons Seruant He was a strong man and valiant The Prophet Ahijah fore-tolde him by a signe that the Kingdome of Israel should be diuided into two parts and that he should be king of the one part Salomon hearing thereof sought to kill him which made him to flye into Egypt But when Salomon was dead it fell out so indéede as you may read for hée had ten Tribes that held with him where as Rehoboam the lawfull heyre and the Kings sonne had but two Tribes Which fauour at Gods hands might haue made him humble and zealous after religion but hée imagined that if the people did serue the Lord as they vsed at Ierusalem they would turne and rebell Therefore hée made them Idols at Bethel and Dan and ordained them priests of the inferiour sort of people and commanded the people to worship those Idols for their God Herein he thought to haue done wisely but the Prophet reprehended him in the open congregation and the Lord strucke that hand of his wherewith he would haue stricken the Prophet with such numnesse or drinesse as he was not able to helpe himselfe And the Altar claue a sunder at that time as the man of God desired Then the King was fayne to make intercession vnto the Prophet that God would restore him his hand And at another time the Prophet Ahijah tolde him as from the Lord that for the wickednesse hée had done to prouoke his Maiestie withall there should not be left of him nor of his generation so much as one Dogges should eate his stocke in the Citie and the Fowles of the ayre in the field Hée raigned two and twenty yeares and then dyed Ahijah was a Prophet in his dayes Par. Who was the second King of Samaria Past 1 King 14 20.15.25 to 29. Nadab his sonne He raigned two yeares and did that which was wicked as did his father Ieroboam And Baasha the sonne of Ahijah of the house of Isachar conspired against him and slew him at Gibbethon which did belong to the Philistines Ahijah and Iehu were Prophets in his time Par. Who was the third King of Samaria Past Baasha the sonne of Ahijah of Isachar 1 King 15 16. to the end 16.1 to 7. who warred against
Asa the King of Iudah insomuch that the King of Iudah was faine to hyre the King of Aram to assist him And there continued wars betwéene Asa and Baasha all their dayes to the great terrour and vndoing of the subiects on both sides Wherefore the Lord sent Iehu saying Forasmuch as I haue exalted thee out of the dust and thou notwithstanding hast walked in all the wayes of Ieroboam and hast made my people Israel to sinne behold I will take away thy posteritie and will make thy house like his house So hée dyed hauing raigned foure and twenty yeares Iehu was a Prophet in his time Par. Who was the fourth King Past 1 King 16 8.9 Ela the sonne of Baasha Hée continued at Tirzah where Zimri his seruant killed him as he was drunke in his Stewards house after hée had raigned two yeares 1 King 16 9.10.11 to 19. Zimri raigned as King in the roome of Ela whom he had slaine He also slew all that pertained to Baasha euen euery one that were his friends or wel-willers according to that which the Lord had spoken by his Prophet Iehu because he and Ela his son had enforced the people of Israel to sinne against the Lord. When the people were in campe against Gibethon had heard that Zimri had slaine the King did set himselfe as king in his throne 1 King 16.16 to 28. they made Omri Captaine of the hoast King ouer Israell And when Zimri saw that the Citie Tirzah was taken hée went into his Palace and burnt himselfe and the Kings house and so dyed Then the people were diuided into two parts the one halfe followed Tibni the sonne of Ginath to make him king the other followed Omri to make him king But the people that followed Omri preuailed So Tibni dyed and Omri raigned twelue yeares wickedly as did Ieroboam and so dyed Par. Who was the fift king of Samaria Past Ahab his sonne 1 King 16 29.17.18.19.20.21.22 1. to 41. who did worse in the Lords sight then all that went before him And for the greater increase of his wickednesse hée marryed the Daughter of the Zidonian king who brought him to set vp Baall as a God And thus hée continued two and twenty yeares Hée had 450. false Prophets 1 King 7.1.2 to the end 18.1 to the end 19.1 to the end 2 Kin. 1.2 Eliah the Prophet of the Lord was in his time and an hundred other Prophets who laboured all that they could to conuert him But hée neuerthelesse encreased in wickednesse and slew all that called vpon the name of the Lord. Almighty God made the heauens as brasse and the earth as iron for the space of thrée yeares according to the words of Eliah insomuch as that there was a great dearth and famine But the Lord prouided miraculously for Eliah by the hands of the widow of Sarepta and by other meanes In the third yeare the Lord sent Eliah to Ahab who with his wife Iezabel excéeded in crueltie killing the Lords seruants and séeking in all Nations to finde him also But when Eliah met the King hée tolde him to his face that his sinne was the cause of Gods displeasure against Israel Afterwards Eliah and the people agréed that the God who answered by fire whether it were Baal or the God of Israel the same should be taken for the true GOD from thence forth And when the people had séene that Baal could doe nothing in the time of néede and the great power of God so admirable they cryed out and said The Lord is God the Lord is God And then the Lord of his mercy gaue them raine at the prayer of Eliah And yet notwithstanding this great worke of God by the hand of Eliah Iezabel the Quéene sought to kill Eliah so that hée was faine to hide himselfe and to flye from place to place as hée did before But the Lord had speciall care of him The assurance whereof was manifested vnto him by the miraculous worke of God renting the mountaines breaking the rockes and shaking the earth Iezabel his wife caused Naboth to be slaine that shée might enioy his Vineyard and againe the Lord of his mercies sent his Prophet Eliah to reproue him that hée might repent Afterwards Ahab was slaine in the battell with the king of Siria and hée was buryed in Samaria but his armour and his Chariot being washed in the poole of Samaria the dogs licked his bloud according to the word of the Lord after he had raigned two and thirty yeares Par. Who succeeded this wicked King Ahab in Samaria Past 1 King 22.51 2 King 1.1 to the end Ahaziah his sonne But he did worse as the holy Ghost reports For hée walked in the wayes of his Father in the wayes of his mother and in the way of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat And when hée was sicke hée consulted with a witch hée dyed when hée had raigned two yeares Eliah was his Prophet through the mercy of God from whose mouth hée might haue knowne the minde of the Lord but hée would not Therefore in signe of Gods fearefull iudgements his Captaines ouer fifties were destroyed with fire from heauen at the prayer of Eliah Par. Who was the ninth king Past Iehoram his sonne 2 Kings 1.17.3.1 to the end 9. to the end Hée was not so wicked as his father nor so wicked as his mother For hée tooke away the Image of Baal that his father had set vp and yet hée cleaued to the abhomination of Ieroboam which made Israell to sinne and departed not there-from The king of Moab paid tribute vnto the king of Israell but when Ahab was dead hée refused to pay as he had done before Then king Iehoram tooke with him the king of Iudah and the king of Edom with all their power and went to warre against the king of Moab And when they came to a place where they wanted water Elisha being earnestly requested declared vnto them what successe they should haue against Moab and the Lord ministred vnto them a whole valley of water without winde or raine according as Elisha had said Hée was slaine of Iehu after hée had raigned twelue yeares 2 Kin. 4.1 to the end 5.1 to the end 6.1 to the end 7. to the end 8.1 to 16. Elisha was in his time who wrought many wonderfull things for the confirmation of his zeale and faith in the Lords businesse but it tooke no effect in him Par. Who succeeded Iehoram in Samaria Past Iehu a Captaine dwelling in Ramoth Gilead the sonne of Iehosaphat 2 Kin. 9.1 to the end 10.1 to the end the sonne of Nimshi according as the Lord had appoynted Hée slew Iehoram and his Wife Iezabell whose flesh the Dogges did eate according as the Prophet had foretolde Hée slew Ahabs Priests and all the sonnes of Ahab as the Lord had said Hée threw downe the Image of Baall and all that appertained vnto him Wherefore the Lord promised him that his
posteritie should inherit the throne of Israel vnto the fourth generation But yet hée continued in the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat who made Israell to sinne Almighty God did then lothe the people Israell and smote them with the sword of Hazael Hée raigned eight and twenty yeares and then dyed Par. Who was Prophet vnder this wicked King Past Elisha who had annoynted him King vpon the Lords commandement and who was well knowne vnto him to be specially fauoured of GOD as did appeare by his admirable workes Of whom hée might haue learned how to frame his heart and his hands according to right Par. Who was the tenth King in Samaria Past 2 King 10 35.2 Ichoahaz his sonne who liued as Ieroboam that made the people to sin and he departed not from his sinnes And therefore the Lord being angry with Israell deliuered them into the hands of Hazael king of Aram who vexed them very sore and wasted them so with the sword as that there remayned for Ichoahaz the King but tenne Chariots fifty Horsemen and of all the people but tenne thousand footmen After he had raigned seauentéene yeares he dyed Par. Who was the eleauenth king Past 2 King 13 9. to 14. Ioash his sonne He also liued like Ieroboam and so dyed after hée had raigned sixtéene yeares 2 Kin. 13.13.14 to 21. Elisha was yet liuing of whom he might haue learned the Lawes of the Lord. And then the Prophet also dyed Par Who was the twelfth king in Samaria Past Ieroboam his sonne And hée did euill in the Lords sight 2 Kings 13 13.14.23 to the end as did Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat He restored the coasts of Israell from the entring of Hamath vnto the sea of the Wildernesse according as the Lord had foretold by his Prophet Ionah who had decréed not to put out the name of Israel though they had sinned sore After he had raigned one and forty yeares he dyed Par. Who was the next in succession Past Zachariah his sonne 2 King 14 29.15.8.9.10 Hée departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat He raigned sixe moneths in Samaria and then was slaine by Shallum according as the Lord had said by his Prophet to Iehu to wit that his séede should sit vpon his seate vnto the fourth generation Par. Who was the foureteenth King Past Shallum the sonne of Iabesh 2 King 15 10. to 16. who conspired against Zachariah the king and slew him and afterward succéeded in the Kingdome Hée raigned one moneth and then was also slaine Par. Who was the fifteenth King Past 2 King 15.14 to 23. Mahanaen the sonne of Gady who went vp from Tirzah and came to Samaria and slew Shallum the King and raigned in his stead This Mahanaen was a most fierce and cruell man For hée destroyed Tiphsah and all that were therein and ript the women that were with childe because they opened not vnto him Hée exacted a thousand talents of siluer from his Subiects to giue vnto the king of Ashur for peace He dyed after hée had raigned tenne yeares in Samaria Par. Who succeeded this cursed King Par. 2 King 15.23 to 27. Pekahiah his sonne Hée also did euill in the sight of the Lord and departed not from the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat which made Israell to sinne Hée raigned two yeares and then was slaine by Pekah the sonne of Remeliah his Captaine Par. Who succeeded this king Past Pekah 2 King 15 27 to 31. who also liued like to Ieroboam Hée raigned twenty yeares and then Hoshea the sonne of Elah wrought treason and slew him Par. Who was the eighteenth King Past Hoshea the sonne of Elah 2 King 15 30.17.1 to the end obtained the crowne by treason He did euill but not as other kings that went before him The fourth Particular concerning the captiuating of the Kings of Israell THen Salmanasar king of Ashur came vp against Samaria furiously as if hée had béene the messenger of the Lords wrath as hée was indéede and besieged Samaria thrée yeares But when hée had gotten it he carryed away Israel to Ashur and put them in prisons at Halah at Habor and in the Cities of the Medes because they hearkened not to the voyce of the Lord but went a whoring after their owne inuentions And the King of Ashur brought folke from Babell and from those barbarous coasts and placed them in Samaria in stead of the people of Israell which people also regarded not the true God Wherefore God sent Lions and slew the wealthiest of them The king of Ashur hearing thereof sent one of the Priests which he had carryed from Samaria that hée might teach the people to know the God of the country Which Priest dwelt at Bethell and taught them the feare of the Lord. But yet they serued their Gods after the manner of the nations about them So these nations feared the Lord and serued their Images also Par. What shall I obserue in the Prophesie of Ezekiel Past Ezekiel was ordayned by the diuine prouidence of God to be a comforter of the people Israell all the time of their captiuitie at Babilon Par. What say you concerning Daniel Past Nabuchadnezar at the time of the captiuating of Israell and the winning of Ierusalem brought Daniell with ten thousand more to Babilon where hée proued most skilfull in the Arabian Sirian and Chaldean tongues and so highly in the sauour of God as that he could speake of secrets that were present and of secrets that were for to come concerning Gods people and in the mercifulnesse of God became a comfortable teacher amongst the people of Israel during seauenty yeares Par. Why was this great and mighty nation so ruinated Past It was the wrath and high displeasure of the almighty vpon them for their vnthankfulnesse for their cruelty one towards another for the contempt of his lawes and violating of his Sabaoths as the Prophet Ieremy sets downe at large Par. They were a mighty strong nation and a fierce and they had a city Ierusalem which was compassed about with twelue hils with three walles one within another with gates of iron and brasse with many Turrets Towres and Castles and within the city was the Towre of Dauid wherein were a thousand Shields and all the Targets of the mighty I aske you therefore how came it to passe that they were ouercome and their Citie ransacked Past It is true as you say in the iudgement of the most valiant Souldiers of the world they were inuincible But this was a matter foretolde and threatned by Prophets many yeares before And Daniel himselfe in the first Chapter reports that the Lord gaue them vp into the hands of Nabuchadnezar to doe with them and with their treasures what he would Par. I pray you tell me somewhat concerning Babilon and Nabuchadnezar Past The Assirian Chaldean or Babilonian Monarchie successiuely had 36. Kings or Monarches who ruled and