Eli the Priest And the word of the Lord was precious in those days for there was no open vision in those days and when the Lord called unto Samuel he answered and went unto Eli and Eli sent him back again and the Lord called again and Samuel went to Eli again and said here am I for thou didst call and Eli said I called not my Son lie down again Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him And the Lord called Samuel again and he went to Eli the third time and Eli perceived the Lord had called the child Eli said unto Samuel go lie down and if the Lord call thee thou shalt say speak Lord for thy servant heareth so Samuel went and lay down in his place and the Lord came and stood and called as at other times Samuel Samuel then Samuel answered speak for thy servant heareth and the Lord said to Samuel behold I will do a thing in Israel at which both the ears of every one that heareth shall tingle and this word was against Eli and his house as you may read in the 3. Chapter Eli called Samuel and 〈◊〉 what is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee I pray thâ—â— hide it not from me and Samuel told him every whit and aâ—â— Israel even from Dan unto Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a Prophet of the Lord. And when Samuel grew old he made his Sons Judges over Israel and before that he judged and ruled over Israel for the Lord was with him but the Elders of Israel were not pleased with Samuels Sons to judge over them and so they desired a King as you may read in the 8. Chapter but the thing displeased Samuel when they asked a King and Samuel prayed unto the Lord and the Lord said unto Samuel hearken unto the voice of the people in what they say for they have not rejected thee but they have rejected me that I should not reign over them and according as they have dealt with me so shall they have a King and Samuel told the mind of the Lord unto the People as you may read in Chap. 8. to ver 18. Nevertheless the people refused to hear the voice of Samuel and they said nay but there shall be a King over us that we may be like all the Nations and that our King may judge us and go before us and sight our battels and Samuel rehearsed the words of the people in the ears of the Lord and the Lord said unto Samuel hearken unto their voice and make them a King Now there was a man of Benjamins Tribe whose name was Kish and he had a Son whose name was Saul a choise young man and goodly higher from the shoulders upward than any of the People as you may read in the 9. Chapter Then Samuel took a Vyal of Oyl and poured it upon his head and kissed him Chap. 10. and Samuel said unto all the people behold I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me and have made a King over you and behold now the King walketh before you and I am old and grey-headed and my Sons are with you and I have walked before you from my childhood to this day Now therefore behold the King whom ye have chosen and whom ye have desired whom the Lord hath set over you if ye will fear the Lord and serve him and obey his voice and not rebel against the Commandments of the Lord then shall both ye and your King all follow the Lord your God but if ye will not obey the voice of the Lord but rebel against the Commandment of the Lord then shall the hand of the Lord be against you as it was against your Fathers So this Saul ruled over Israel and judged Israel from Chap. 12. to 15. in which the Lord sent Samuel unto him that he might hearken to the voice of the words of the Lord Chap. 15. Thus saith the Lord of Hosts I remember that which Amaleck did to Israel Exod. 17.8 9 10 11. how he laid wait for him in the way when he came up from Egypt Now go and smite Amaleck and utterly destroy that they have and spare them not but slay both man and woman infant and suckling Camel and Ass but Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the Sheep and the Oxen and the Fatlings of the Lambs and all that was good they spared Then came the word of the Lord to Samuel saying it repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King for he is turned back from following me and hath not performed my Commandments and it grieved Samuel and he cryed to the Lord all night and Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul and Saul said unto him blessed be thou of the Lord I have performed the Commandment of the Lord and Samuel said what meaneth this bleating of the Sheep and lowing of the Oxen in mine ears and Saul said the people have saved the best of the Sheep and of the Oxen to sacrifice to the Lord thy God and the rest we have utterly destroyed And Samuel said hath the Lord greater delight in burnt Offerings and Sacrifices than in obeying the voice of the Lord to obey is better than Sacrifice and to hacken than the fat of Rams for Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubborness is as Iniquity and Idolatry because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord he hath also rejected thee from being King and Saul said unto Samuel I have sinned 1 Sam. 15.23.24 And the Lord said unto Samuel how long wilt thou mourn for Saul seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel fill thine Horn with Oyl and I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have provided me a King amongst his Sons and Samuel said how can I go if Saul hear he will kill me and the Lord said take an heifer with thee and say I am come to Sacrifice to the Lord and call Jesse to the Sacrifice and I will shew thee what thou shalt do and thou shalt annoint him whom I name unto thee c. And Samuel did that which the Lord spake and came unto Bethlehem and the Elders of the Town trembled at his coming and said comest thou peaceably and he said peaceably I am come to sacrifice unto the Lord sanctifie your selves and come to the sacrifice with me and he sanctified Jesse and his Sons and called them to the Sacrifice and Samuel looked on Jesses Sons and Jesse made seven of his Sons to pass before Samuel and Samuel said unto Jesse the Lord hath not chosen these and he said are here all thy children and he said there remaineth yet the youngest and behold he keepeth the Sheep and Samuel said unto Jesse send and fetch him for we will not sit down till he come hither and he sent and brought him in David Now he was ruddy
him and he is before all things and by him all things consist and he is the Head of the Body the Church who is the beginning the first begotten from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminency and so this is he and this is his Body and his Image which he is restoring and creating after God in Righteousness and true Holiness Eph. 2.10.4.24 Abraham by his saith saw him who is invisible Heb. 11. who was the Father of the sai hful and so all the faithful who continue and abide in the faith of Gods Elect will see the resurrection and restauration of this invisible body which is the Church of Christ the second man the Lord from Heaven this is he who builds the second house who is a greater then Solomon and whose house far exceeds the glory of Solomons Temple whom the Apostle exhorts his holy Brethren to consider the High Priest of our profession Christ Jesus who was faithful to him that appointed him as also Moses was faithful in all his house for this man was counted worthy of more glory then Moses in as much as he who hath builded the house hath more honour then the house for every house is builded by some man but he that buildeth all things is God for Moses was faithful in all his house as a servant but Christ as a Son over his own house whose house are we if we hold fast the considence of the hope firm unto the end Rom. 3. and also 1 Tim. 3.15 where the Apostle exhorts Timothy how to behave himself in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the ground and pillar of truth so having therefore boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus Christ by a new and living way and having an High-Priest over the House of God let us draw near with a true heart saith the Apostle Heb. 10. So in this new and living way Christ Jesus the light of his glorious Gospel every one that abideth and walketh in this light may enter by his blood into the holiest of all for he reigns over the house of Jacob according to the Angels words to Mary Luke 1.32 33. So the glory of this house of Jacob is the Lord bringing forth and manifesting and will manifest every day more and more and blessed and happy are all they that come into the brightness of the rising of this glory and as every one comes to the light of the Lord Jesus who is the image of the invisible God that shines in their hearts will come more and more to see the glory of this day and the glory and beauty of this body of Christ which is his Church and the glory and beauty of this image of the second man the Lord from Heaven who is the brightness of his Fathers glory and unto this King Eternal and Immortal Invisible and the only wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Margaret Fell. FINIS A Chronology of the Judges and Kings of the JEWS 1. Moses 2. Joshua 3. Othniel 4. Ethud 5. Deborah and Barak 6. Gideon 7. Abimelech 8. Tolah 9. Jair 10. Jephthah 11. Ibzan 12. Elon 13. Abdon 14. Sampson 15. Eli. 16. Samuel At which time the people desired to have a King like to other Nations Kings of the Jews Saul David Solomon Kings of Judah 1. Rehoboam in whose time the ten Tribes were rent away 2. Abijam 3. Asa 4. Jehoshaphat 5. Jehoram 6. Ahaziah 7. Athaliah 8. Jehoash 9. Amaziah 10. Azaziah or Uzziah 11. Jotham 12. Ahaz 13. Hezekiah 14. Manasseh 15. Amon. 16. Josiah 17. Jehoahaz 18. Jehojakim 19. Jehojachin 20. Zedekiah in whose time Nebuchadnezzar destroy'd Jerusalem Kings of Israel 1. Jeroboam 2. Nadab 3. Baasha 4. Elah 5. Zimri 6. Omri 7. Ahab 8. Ahaziah 9. Joram 10. Jehu 11. Jehoahaz 12. Joash 13. Jeroboam Menahem Pekahiah Pekah Hoshea who was vanquished by Salmaneser and the Israelites carryed Captive into Assyria The Dukes and Governours of the Jews 1. Zerobabel 2. Resa Mosollam 3. Johannes Ben Resa 4. Judas Hircanas 5. Joseph 6. Abner Simei 7. Eli Matthia 8. Aser Mahat 9. Naged Artoxad 10. Haggai 11. Maslat Mahum 12. Amos Syrach 13. Mattathiah Siloack 14. Joseph 2. 15. Johannes Hircanus who was the last Governour of Iudea who descended from the Stock of David The Macchabaean Princes of Jewry 1. Judas Macchabaeus 2. Jonathan 3. Simon 4. Iohannes Hircanus The Macchabaean Kings of Iudah 1. Aristobulus 2. Alexander 3. Alexandra or Solome Wife to Alexander 4. Hircanus eldest Son to Alexander The Heathen Kings of Jewry 1. Herod the Ascolonite at which time the Kingdom departed from Iudah and Christ was born 2. Archelaus 2. Herod Antipas and 3. Lysinias Luke 3.1 3. Herod Antipas Tetrarch of Galilee who beheaded Iohn the Baptist and in whose time Christ suffered 4. Agrippa Herod who imprisoned Peter and Iames and being stricken by an Angel was eaten with Worms 5. Agrippa Minor before whom Paul pleaded and in whose time Ierusalem was overthrown by the Romans FINIS
Captivity but even when they were in the Captivity the Lord sent his Prophets unto them as you may see hereafter The word of the Lord came expresly to Ezekiel the Priest the Son of Buzi in the Land of the Caldeans by the River Chebar and the hand of the Lord was there upon him as he was amongst the Captives Ezek. 1.3 and the Spirit entred into me and when he spake unto me and set me on my feet he said unto me Son of man I sent thee to the Children of Israel a rebellious Nation that have rebelled against me they and their Fathers have transgressed against me even to this very day for they are impudent Children and stiff necked I do send thee unto them and thou shalt say thus saith the Lord God Chap. 2. and so on as you may read throughout the Prophesie of Ezekiel And Jeremiah in his Lamentations saith how doth the City sit solitary that was full of people how is she become as a Widdow Judah is gone into Captivity because of affliction and because of her great servitude she dwelleth amongst the Heathen she findeth no rest all her Persecutors overtook her as you may read on through the Lamentation of Jeremiah Daniel the first Chap. in the third year of Jehojakim King of Judah came Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon unto Jerusalem and besieged it Judah and Jerusalem in Captivity and the Lord gave Iehojakim King of Iudah into his hands with pâ—rt of the Vessels of the House of God which he carried into the Land of Shinar and he brought the Vessels into the Treasury of the House of his God ver 1.2 Now this King Nebuchadnezzar spake to the Master of the Eunuchs that he should bring certain of the Children of Israel and of the Kings seed and of the Princes now amongst these were the Children of Iudah amongst which Daniel was one as you may read Dan. 1. and so on to Chap. 9. In the first year of Darius in the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by Books the number of years whereof the word of the Lord came to Ieremiah the Prophet that he would accomplish seventy years in the Desolations of Ierusalem Dan. 9.1.2 And so Daniel set his heart unto the Lord and prayed and he was answered in the 24. ver seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy City to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins and to make reconciliation for iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness and to seal up the Vision and the Prophesie and to annoint the most holy as you may read to the end of the Chapter and it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon that Nation saith the Lord for their iniquities And the Prophet Malachy he saith that Iudah hath dealt treacherously and an abomination is committed in Israel and in Ierusalem for Iudah hath prophaned the holiness of the Lord which he loved and hath marryed the Daughter of a strange God the Lord will cut off the man that doth this for the God of Israel saith that he hateth putting away for one covereth violence with his Garment therefore take heed that ye deal not treacherously saith the Lord Mal. 2. And as these holy Prophets prophesied of their going into Captivity so likewise they prophesied of their returning back again as you may read in Isaiah 45. and Ieremiah 24. and 25. Chapters Thus saith the Lord to his annointed to Cyrus whose right hand I have holden to subdue Nations before him Isa 45.1 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jghojakim Son of Iosiah King of Iudah that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon the which Ieremiah the Prophet spake unto all the People of Iudah and all the Inhabitants of Ierusalem saying this whole Land shall be a desolation and an astonishment and these Nations shall serve the King of Babylon seventy years and it shall come to pass when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the King of Babylon and that Nation saith the Lord for their iniquity and I will make the Caldeans a perpetual desolation Jer. 25.11 12. In the first year of Cyrus King of Persia that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Ieremiah and Isaiah might be fulfilled the Lord stirred up the Spirit of Cyrus King of Persia that he made a Proclamation throughout the Kingdom and put it in writing saying thus saith Cyrus King over Persia the Lord God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the Earth and hath charged me to build him an House at Ierusalem which is in Iudah who is there amongst you of all his people his God be with him and let him go up to Ierusalem which is in Iudah and build the House of the Lord God of Israel for the House of God is in Ierusalem Then rose up the chief of the Fathers of Judah and Benjamin and the Priests and the Levites with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up to build the House of the Lord which is in Ierusalem also Cyrus the King brought forth the Vessels of the House of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Ierusalem and had put them in the House of his Gods and this confirmeth the Prophesie of Isaiah who prophesied long before they went into Captivity and said to Ierusalem thou shalt be inhabited and saith to the Cities of Iudah ye shall be built that saith of Cyrus he is my Shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure even saying to Ierusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy Foundations shall be laid Isaiah 44.28 And in Ieremiah Chap. 29. thus saith the Lord that after seventy years are accomplished in Babylon I will visit you and perform my good word towards you in causing you to return to this place for I know the thoughts that I think towards you saith the Lord are thoughts of peace and not of evil ver 11 12. hear ye therefore the word of the Lord all ye of the Captivity whom I have sent from Ierusalem to Babylon turn ye again every one from his evil way and dwell in the Land that the Lord hath given you ver 28. and Ier. Chap. 31. Thus saith the Lord a voice was heard in Ramah lamentation and bitter weeping Rachel weeping for her Children and refused to be comforted for her Children because they were not Thus saith the Lord refrain thy voice from weeping and thine eyes from tears for thy work shall be rewarded saith the Lord and they shall come again from the Land of the Enemy and there is hope in thine end saith the Lord that thy Children shall come again to their own border ver 15 16 17. And Amos the 4. I have overthrown some of you as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and ye were as a Firebrand plucked out of the burning yet have ye not returned unto