men believing her went after and sought and when they could not find them returned home again Then Ahimaaz and Jonathas were let out of the Well who went to David and did their message â—8 cap. as they were commanded After this when Absalom was slain Ahimaaz desired of Joab the Captain that he might bear news to the King of Absalom's death Nay said Joab thou shalt be no messenger this day because the King's Son is dead but Cushi shall go Then I pray thee quoth Ahimaaz let me go with Cushi And wherefore quoth Joab art thou so desirous to go seeing for thy tidings thou shalt have no reward whatsoever I have quoth he I pray thee let me go Then go said Joab And Ahimaaz ran a nearer way than Cushi and so got before him And as they were coming the Watch-man spied them and said to the King I see two men running hitherward and me-think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the Son of Sadock Oh said the King he is a good man and bringeth good tidings And so Ahimaaz came to the King before Cushi and fell down before him and said Blessed be the Lord thy God which hath shut up the men that list up their hands against my Lord the King Is the young man Absalom safe said the King Ahimaaz answered When Joab sent Cushi and me thy servant I saw much a-do but I wot not what it was Well said the King stand still Then Cushi came and said Good tidings my Lord the King for the Lord hath delivered thee this day out of the hands of all that rose against thee Is the young man Absalom safe quoth the King The Enemies of my Lord the King said he and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt be as that young man is And so the King departed and mourned for his Son Ahimaaz Erother of Counsel Ahimelech the Son of Ahitob the Son of Phinehes 1 Sam. 21. the Son of Eli was Priest of the City of Nob in whose time it chanced David being persecuted of King Saul to flye unto him for succour at whose coming with so few waiting on him Ahimelech was fore astonied and asked him wherefore he came so alone Then David bearing him in hand that the King had sent him of a secret business which might not be known desired Ahimelech to give him of such things as he had in store that he and his men might be refreshed and go about the King's affairs Then Ahimelech believing that all had been well between the King and David gave him of the * The Hebrews had three kinds of Bread as Lyra writeth The first Shew-bread which was set before the Lord. upon the propitiatory seat and thereof might no man eat but the Priests only The second bread offered upon the Altar of Holocaust which was for the Levites to eat The third was common bread and of that might all men eat hallowed bread because he saw his necessity great and had no common Bread under his hand Then David desired Ahimelech to lend him either Spear or Sword for I brought quoth he neither weapon not harness the King's business required such hast and by and by he fetcht out the Sword of Goliah and gave it to him Now * 22. cap. for this great kindness which Ahimelech had shewed to David Doeg a Servant of King Sauls accused him to his Lord of Treason And being brought before the King with all the Priests of the Lord it was objected against him how he had conspired with David the King's enemy and asked counsel of God for him and aided him both with victual and weapon To the which Ahimelech answered and said Oh King who is so faithful among all thy servants as David is or had in more honour in all thy house Is he not the King's Son-in-law and doth whatsoever thou commandest him have I not at other times as well as now asked counsel of God for him Let not my Lord the King impute any such wickedness to me or to my Fathers house for truly thy servant knew nothing of all this that thou layest to my charge either less or more Well quoth the King thou shalt surely dye And so was this innocent Man put to death with lxxxiv Priests more and the City of Nob destroyed Ahimelech a Kings Brother Ahijah 2 King 11. was a Prophet born in Shilo and chancing to meet with Jeroboam the Son of Nebat without the City of Jerusalem in the plain Fields having a new Cloak upon his back he caught the Cloak from him and rent it in twelve pieces delivering ten pieces thereof to Jeroboam saying Thus will the Lord rent the Kingdom out of the hands of Solomon because he hath forsaken the Lord and served strange Gods and give ten Tribes unto thee Therefore take heed when thou art King that thou walk in the ways of the Lord thy God for so long as thou keepest his statutes and holy commandments so long will the Lord prosper thee in the Kingdom Read more of this Prophet in the story of Abia the Son of Jeroboam Ahijah Brother of the Lord. The Father of King Baasha was called Ahijah 1 King 15. of the house of Isachar Aholah and Aholibah were two Sisters Ezech. 23. under whose names is set forth the fornication that is to say the Idolatry of Samaria and Jerusalem * The Bible note Aholah signifieth a mansion or dwelling in it self meaning Samaria which was the royal City of Israel and Aholibah signifieth my Mansion in her whereby is meant Jerusalem where Gods Temple was Aholibama was the Daughter of Ana Gen. 36. and Wife to Esau who brought him forth Children which became great Men in the World Aioth the Son of Gera Judg. 3. was the second Judge of the Hebrews a Man of great strength and valiant of courage and had equal strength and aptness in both his hands He slew Eglon King of the Moabites on this wise When Eglon had long warred on the Jews and taken from them divers Cities and kept them in much misery this Aioth came to him to Jericho bringing unto him certain Presents which liked him well and desired to speak with him privily which was granted and all others being commanded to withdraw Aioth stroke Eglon to the heart twice The last time with such puissance that the Knife with the hilt remained in the wound and so leaving him dead departed without suspicion and came unto his People declaring what he had done who being glad armed them and fell upon the Moabites and slew of them ten thousand and drave all the residue out of their Country And so the Jews being delivered by the wisdome and vertue of Aioth after made him their Judge and Prince Who governed them lxxx years in peace and died a very old man in much honour Aioth Praising or confessing Alexander 1 Mac. 1. This King at 2 Sapper in Babylon was poysoned
by drinking out of a cup made of an horses hoof supposed to be the device of Aristotle sometime his Master and Antipater Lieutenant of Macedonia the Son of Philip King of Macedonia slew Darius King of the Persians and Medes and conquered the most part of all the World in less than twelve years space whereof he became so proud that God was displeased with him And being visited with sickness so sore that he must needs die he called all his Lords and Princes before him and divided his kingdom among them So that they after his death were crowned and reigned as Kings every one severally in his own Dominion as was to them appointed He reigned xii years Alexander An aider or a helper manly or very valiant Alexander 1 Mac. 10. the Son of Noble Antiochus took the City of Ptolemais and after that moved War against Demetrius who to prevent Alexander sent Ambassadours to Jonathas Governour of the Jewes to have his friendship promising him as many fair and large offers as he could devise But forasmuch as Jonathas had experience of his deceitful dealings and how cruel an Enemy he had always been unto the Jews Nation he refused the offer of Demetrius and joyned in League with Alexander knowing him to be a faithful Prince and ever his friend And so Alexander having the Jews aid joyned Battail with Demetrius in the which conflict Alexander slew Demetrius and overcame all his Host Now when Alexander had conquered the Land and was set in the Throne of his Progenitors a marriage was concluded between Him and Cleopatra the Daughter of Ptolemy King of Egypt which was finished at the City of Ptolemais at the which triumph Alexander made Jonathas a Duke and Partner of his Dominion and after that for his worthiness gave him the City of Accaron 11 cap. Alexander now lying at Antioch and hearing how the Cilicians had rebelled against him marched toward them with a great power to suppress the Rebellion And being there busied with his enemies Ptolomy in the mean season defeated him of his kingdom and took his Daughter Cleopatra and gave her to Demetrius the Son of Demetrius in marriage Alexander hearing of this returned home with all his Host but Ptolomy being too strong for him chased Alexander out of his Realm who for succour fled into Arabia where the King of that Land against all Law of Arms smote off his head and sent it to Ptolomy for a present Alexander a Jew born and a Ruler at Ephesus Act. 19. what time as Demetrius the Silversmith moved Sedition in the City against Paul for the Goddess Diana was in the rage drawn out of the Common Hall and going forward beckoned with his hand to have spoken but till the Town-Clark had ceased the noise which lasted two hours he could not be heard And then to pacifie the people more by worldly wisdom than for any respect he had to Religion he said Ye Men of Ephesus what Man is he that knoweth not how that the City of the Ephesians is a worshipper of the great Goddess Diana and of the Image which came from Jupiter Seeing then that no Man gain sayeth it ye ought to be content and to do nothing rashly For ye have brought hither these Men which are neither robbers of Churches neither yet despisers of your Goddess Wherefore if Demetrius and the Crafts-men which are with him have any matter against any Man the Law is open and there are Rulers let them accuse one another But if ye go about any other thing it may be determined in a lawful Assembly For we are in jeopardy to be accused of this days uproar forasmuch as there is no cause whereby we may give an account of this concourse of People And when he had thus spoken each Man departed Alexander the Coppersmith 1 Tim. 1. forsook the faith and became such an Enemy unto the Gospel 2 Tim. 4. that he withstood Paul's preaching and did him much displeasure for the which Paul delivered him unto Satan that is excommunicated him out of the Church desiring the Lord to reward him as he had deserved Alcimus was a Jew born 1 Mac. 7. and come of the Seed of Aaron who notwithstanding became so wicked a Man that he forsook the Laws of his own Nation to maintain the abominations of the Heathen And for the hatred he bare to Machabeus and the Jews he took unto him a sort of loofe and ungodly Persons and went to Demetrius unto whom he made a grievous complaint upon Judas Machabeus seigning that he had slain all the King's friends and driven him and his company out of their own Land wherefore he willed Demetrius to choose out some Noble Captain to go and avenge the King's quarrel on Judas Upon the which complaint of Alcimus the King sent Bachides against Judas and made Alcimus the High-Priest who was such an enemy unto the Jews as the like was not among the Heathen for all his study was how he might either by word or deed work their utter confusion And finally to manifest his great malice towards his own Country-men and the Laws of God he commanded the Walls of the inmost Sanctuary with the Monuments of the Prophets to be cast down and destroyed But as this wicked Apostate went about his devilish purpose the hand of God fell upon him and smote him with such an incurable Palsie that his mouth was shut up and so like a miserable wretch he dyed Alcimus Strong Amaleh was the Son of Eliphaz the Son of Esau Gen. 36. born unto him of Thymna his Concubine of whom came the Kinred of the Amalekites Exod. 17. This King when Moses had brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and were come into the Wilderness of Raphidim where they both lacked water and were wearied with their long journey would not suffer them to pass quietly thorow his Land but came forth with weapon and waged Battel against them In the which Battel Joshua guided the Host of Israel while Moses went to pray And so long as Moses held up his hands and prayed so long had Israel the better but when he let them fall Amalek had the better Then Aaron and Hur perceiving Moses hands to be weary gat them up to Moses and staid his hands the one on the one side and the other on the other side so long till Joshua had discomfited Amalek with all his Host And for this cruelty of Amalek God sware unto Moses that he would utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under Heaven 1 Sam. 15. Which promise he performed in the days of King Saul Amalek a licking people Aman look Haman Amasa was the Son of Jether and Abigail 2 Sam. 17. David's sister was his Mother This Amasa what time as Absalom rose against his Father David was made Captain over Absalom's Host and after the death of Absalom David received him to favour 19. c. swearing he should
his Epistle Aristobulus The best Counseller or the best Counsel Arius 1 Mac. 12. was King of Sparta which People were come of the Generation of Abraham as the Jews were wherefore the Jews called them Brethren The Spartians came of Abrahams seed But in all the Wars the Jews had with the Heathen they never sought the Spartians help more than with Letters of Recommendation one from another of brotherly love glad of each others prosperity Arpharad Judith 1. cap. King of the Medes was so mighty a Prince Of Arphaxad the Son of Sem came the Chaldeans Lanquct that he subdued many People unto his Dominion He built a City called Ecbatane which for strength was thought unpossible to be won But at last he putting too much confidence in his own power was subdued of Nabuchodonosor King of the Assyrians in the X. Year of his reign Arphaxad That which healeth or saveth Arphaxad the Son of Shem Gen. 11.12 13. lived four hundred thirty eight years * This was a common name to the Kings of Persia as Pharaob was to the Kings of Egypt or Cesar to the Emperours Artaxerxes King of Persia 1 Esd 7. cap. licensed Esdras to take his Companions the Children of Israel with him 3 Esd 8. and to depart from Babylon to Jerusalem again commanding all his Officers in all places to aid Esdras not only with the King's Treasure but with whatsoever was needful to him for the re-edifying of the Lord's Temple Artaxerxes The light or maleaiction and curse He that causeth silence Also that maketh haste or speed also the earnestness of rejoycing Artaxerxes King of Persia 3 Esd 2. having a sore complaint made unto him by Belemus Mithridates Tabelius Rathumus Beeltethmus and Semellius the Secretary with other more against the Jews for building of the Temple wrote to them again on this wise I have read the Epistle which ye sent unto me therefore I commanded to make diligent search and have found that this City hath ever resisted Kings that the same People are disobedient and have caused much War and that mighty Kings have reigned in Jerusalem which also have raised up Taxes of Celosyria and Phenice wherefore I have commanded to forbid those Men that they shall not build up the City and heed to be taken that there be no more done in it and that they proceed no further in those wicked works for so much as it might be occasion of trouble unto Princes Artemas was one of Paul's Disciples Tit. 3.12 and lay with him at the City of Nicopolis what time as Paul sent to Crete for Titus to come unto him but not before he did send Artemas or Tychicus unto him to tarry in his stead lest that Crete should be destitute of an Overseer Asa 1. King 15.8 9. 2 Chron. 14 1 c. 15 cap. His Mother is called Maacha and is taken for his Grandmother was the Son of Abijah and began his reign over Juda in the xx year of the reign of Jeroboam He honoured God cleansed his Land of Whorekeepers Idols Images Groves and many other Abominations Yea he abhorred Idolatry so much that he would not suffer it unpunished in his own Mother but put her from her Estate because she had made an Idol in a Grove which he burnt and cast the Ashes into the Brook Cedron And for his upright heart the Lord sent peace and quietness in all his Land by the space of ten years In the which time of rest he built Cities and Holds and made his Realm very strong At last it fortuned the King of Ethiopia to come against him with an Host of ten hundred thousand and three hundred Chariots whereas the other had but half so many Then Asa putting his hope in God The Prayer of Asa made first his prayers to him on this wise O Lord it is no hard thing with thee to help either by many or by few help us therefore O Lord our God for we trust to thee and in thy name we go against this multitude thou art the Lord our God and no man shall prevail against thee And after he had ended his prayer he went and joyned battel with his enemies the Lord overthrew them and left not one undestroyed 2 Chron. 16. After this it chanced Baasha King of Israel to invade him of whom Asa was so afraid that he fetcht out of the House of the Lord much Treasure and sent it to Benhadad King of Syria desiring him to break his League with Baasha that he might depart out of his Land And when Baasha had broke up his Camp and was gone to resist Benhadad which had got divers of his Cities in Israel the Prophet Hanani came to Asa and said Forasmuch as thou hast trusted in the King of Syria and not in the Lord therefore is the Host of Syria escaped thee Had not the Ethiopians an exceeding great Host and yet because thou did'st put thy trust in God they were delivered into thy hand For the eyes of the Lord behold all the Earth to strengthen them that are of perfect heart towards him And now seeing thou hast done so foolishly thou shalt from henceforth have War The King hearing * Here we see that it is not enough for a man to begin well unless he continue to the end this was sore displeased with the Prophet and disdaining his admonition sent him to Prison He was before the Incarnation 973 years Cooper Wherefore the Lord to plague his rebellion smote him with a disease in his feet which could not be cured by any Physician whereof he dyed after he had reigned years forty one Asa a Physician Asahel was the Son of Zervia David's Sister 2 King 2. His Brethren were Joab and Abishai This man Asahel for his lightness on foot is compared to a Roe buck Read of his Death in the story of Abner Asahel God hath wrought Asaph the Son of Barachiah 1 Chron. 6.39.16.5 was one of the chief Singers among the Levites appointed by David in the House of the Lord. Asaph Gathering Ashur the Father of Tekoah was the Son of Hesron 1 Chron. 2.25.4.5 the Son of Phares the Son of Juda. His Mothers name was Abia he had two Wives and by them Children Asher was the Son of Jacob. Gen. 30.12 13 1 Chron. 7. Num. 1. His Mothers name was Silpah His brother of father and mother was Gad. He had four Sons and one Daughter of whom came many Noble men and Captains Asher Blessedness Asyncritus Rom. 16.14 was one of the faithful Congregation of Christ in Rome unto whom among other Paul sendeth salutations in his Epistle saying thus salute Asyncritus Asyncritus Peerless or without Comparison Assur was the Son of Sem. 1 Chron. 1.17 Lyra writeth upon Gen. x. That Assur because he would not rebel against God with Nimrod in the building of the Tower of Babel fled out of the Land
And being revived to health again the two young Men which had scourged him before appeared and said Thank Onias the High Priest for thy life at whose prayer the Lord hath restored thee and now that God hath scourged thee for thine offences give him praise and thanks and make his might and power manifest and open to all Men. And when the Men had spoken these words and were vanished away Heliodorus made his Oblation to God and gave hearty thanks to Onias for his life and so returned home again to the King declaring unto him the great and manifest works of God that were done upon him The King after this being yet desirous of the treasure that was in the Temple asked of Heliodorus whom he thought meet to send once again to Jerusalem for the money He answered saying Oh King if thou hast any enemy or Traitor unto thy Realm send him thither and thou shalt be sure to have him well punished and hardly to escape with his life For doubtless said he In that place there is a special power and working of God for he that dwelleth in Heaven visiteth and defendeth deth that place and none escapeth unpunished or plagued that cometh to do it harm Thus did Heliodorus magnifie the power of God and would no more enter into such danger Heliodorus the Gift of the Son Henoch the Son of Jared at the age of 65. Gen. 5.18 years begat Mathusaleh and after that he lived 300. years and begat both Sons and Daughters and walked always before the Lord in an upright and godly life And when he had lived 365. years the Lord * To inquire where Henoch became is meer curiosity took him away that he was no more seen Henoch Taught or dedicate Hermas was a faithful Christian Rom. 16.14 unto whom Paul sent commendations from Corinth to Rome Herman A prop or upholder or an earing Hermogenes 2 Tim. 1.15 was a faint hollow-hearted Gospeller of the Country of Asia which forsook Paul and gave him over whose unfaithfulness Paul pronounceth to Timothy Hermogenes Begotten by Mercury or the generation or increase of lucre or the refuge Herod was an Idumean born Matth. 2. cap. and the first stranger that reigned over the Jews In whose time Christ the Saviour of the World by the will of God came into this World of whose birth he had first knowledge of the Magi or wise men which came from the East to Jerusalem demanding there for him that was born King of the Jews saying that they had seen his Star and were come to worship before him Which news troubled Herod so sore that he sent for all the chief Priests and Scribes of the People to know of them where Christ should be born And being of them perfectly informed that he should be born in the City of * For there is another Bethlchem in the Tribe of Zabulon Bethlehem in Jewry he sent for the Wise men and after inquisition made what time the star appeared unto them he bad them go to Bethlehem and make diligent search for the Child and when they had found him to bring him word again that he might go and worship him also But when they had found the Child and had made their offering they were warned of God to break their promise with Herod and to return home another way Which thing being * Eusebius saith that Herod for this slaughter done would have killed himself but being lett by his servant he dyed within five days when he had reigned 37. years told to Herod he fell into such a rage for being so mocked that in his madness he sent forth Ministers to Bethlehem which killed all the Infants that were in the City and in the coasts thereof of the age of two years or under for whose great cruelty shewed upon those Innocents God payed him home soon after Herod the glory of the skin or boasting and glorying in skins Herod Mattb. 14.1 c. Luke 3.1 the Tetrarch of Galilee was Brother to Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and being reproved of John Baptist for keeping his Brother Philip's Wife he cast John in Prison where he remained until Herod's birth-day was come in the which solemn Festival day it chanced that the Daughter of Philip and Herodias danced before Herod and pleased the King so well that he sware unto her that whatsoever she would ask him it should be granted not thinking she would have asked John Baptist's Head Mar. 6. cap. for as Saint Mark saith Herod knowing John to be a just and an holy Man did both fear and reverence him and heard his preaching and did many things thereafter and was very sorry the Maid had asked none other thing But nevertheless for keeping his Oath which he had made before so many Noble-men he caused the innocent Man's head to be cut off and given to the Damosel This Herod and Pilate Lieutenant of Jewry had been long at variance And for the pleasure that Pilate shewed to Herod in sending Jesus bound unto him to be examined he was at one with him again For Herod had long desired to see Jesus And hoping now to have seen some Miracles done by him he demanded many questions of Jesus to the which he would make no answer at all Then Herod perceiving that Jesus would neither speak nor do any thing at his pleasure he began to despise and revile him and in mockery arrayed him in a long white Garment and sent him to Pilate again Herod Act. 12. cap. This Man was a great Persecutor of the Apostles He beheaded James the Brother of John and seeing that deed to content and please the Jews well This Herod was called Agrippa the Son of Aristobulus he was nephew unto Herod the great and Brother of Herodias he took Peter also and cast him into Prison intending after Easter which was at hand to have him put to death also Finally upon a certain day appointed to shew himself in his pomp and glory he made such an Oration before the Assembly that for the pleasantness of his speech the common people at the end thereof gave a mighty shout saying it was the voice of a God and not of a Man And because he gloried in their boasting and took that honour unto himself which he ought to have given to God he was immediately smitten by the Angel of God and eaten of Worms whereof he most miserably dyed Herodion was Paul's Kinsman Rom. 16 1â— unto whom he sent commendations from Corinth on this wise Salute Herodion my Kinsman Herodion the Song of a young Virgin or of a Woman conquering Herodias was Wife to Philip Herod's Brother Matth. 14.3 to whom she brought forth a * Which Daughter as Josephus writeth was called Salomon Daughter This Woman being more familiar with Herod than honesty required grew into such favour with him that he contrary to the Law of Moses married her his Brother being alive Against
Juda. 2 Chron. 13. He overcame Jeroboam in Battel with an Army of four hundred thousand notwithstanding the other had twice so many chosen and picked Men. Of the which Abia slew five hundred thousand and weakned the power of Jeroboam so sore that he was never able to recover his strength again so long as Abia raigned This King had xiv Wives by whom he had xxii Sons and xvi Daughters He raigned but three years and was buried in the City of David Abia 2 King 14. the Son of Jeroboam being sick on a time his Father called the Queen his Wife unto him and bad her disguise her self that in no wise she might be known what Woman she was And so go thy way quoth he to Silo and there shalt thou find the Prophet of God called Ahia which told me long before Solomon dyed that I should be King of Israel Make speed and take a Present with thee and learn of him what shall become of the Child The Queen did then as she was commanded but all was in vain For God had revealed the matter unto the Prophet before the woman came Insomuch that as soon as the blind old man heard the noise of her coming and entring in at the door he said Come in thou wife of Jeroboam why hast thou disguised and feigned thy self to be another woman Thou art come to receive some comfort for thy son which lyeth sick but I am commanded to tell thee heavy and sorrowful things It repenteth the Lord that he hath exalted Jeroboam and rent the Kingdom from the house of David and given it to him forasmuch as he hath forsaken the Lord and not followed him in his heart as David did but hath made him gods of his own therefore the Lord hath determined to bring such a plague upon the house and posterity of Jeroboam that he will not leave one alive to make water against the wall Wherefore now get thee home and as soon as thy foot shall enter into the City the child shall die and all Israel shall lament him and bring him to his Sepulcher And so shall none of the house of Jeroboam thy husband enjoy the honour of his burial but only this child because the Lord saw in him some goodness toward And so when the Prophet had done speaking the wife of Jeroboam rose up and returned home to her house and found her son dead as the Prophet had foretold Abia Father of the Sea Abia the Daughter of Zacharia 2 King 18. was wife to Ahaz King of Juda and Mother to Hezekia Which name signifieth thus Abia the will of the Lord. Abiathar the son of Ahimelech Priest of Nob 1 Sam. 22. seeing the great cruelty of Saul in putting his Father to death for refreshing of David escaped his hands and fled to the Forest of Hareth where David at that time lay declaring to him the great murder that Saul had done to Ahimelech his Father and to all the Priests of the Lord for his sake Then being comforted of David he abode with him and was his Priest and Counsellor so long as he reigned But in the end of Davids raign he consented with Adonijah who had exalted himself to stablish him in the Kingdom 1 King 2. after the death of David But Solomon being proclaimed and the other deposed as soon as he was possessed deprived Abiathar and placed Sadock in his room And so was the word of the Lord fulfilled which he had spoken before concerning the house of Eli for Abiathar was the last of that line Abiathar Father of the Remnant or excellent Father Abigail 1 Sam. 25. the wife of Nabal the Carmelite was a woman not only beautiful but of a singular wisdom withal For when her husbands denial to Davids men for sustenance in their masters necessity was told her she then considering the great displeasure that might arise of the occasion offered hasted to load her Asses with sundry kind of victuals sending them forth before her and following after with speed And as she was going the providence of God was so that she met David by the way upon the side of an hill coming to Carmel determined utterly to have destroyed her husband and all that he had by the dawning of the day following Then she perceiving the fury of David lighted down from her Asse falling flat on the ground before him and so began her petition which was so pithily framed and done that in the end she pacified his wrath and stayed his hands from sheding of bloud that day for the which she was highly commended and praised of David who gently receiving her present did clearly remit the churlish behaviour of Nabal her husband for her sake Which being granted she took her leave and returned again But when she came home and found Nabal her husband so far overcharged with wine that his wits were gone she thought it convenient to follow the wise mans counsel Eccl. 31. not to rebuke him in his wine but to let the matter rest till the drink were all out of his brain and his memory fresh And so on the next morrow she declared to Nabal the great and perilous danger he was in for his unkindness shewed to David which when he heard it did smite him so sore to the heart that he never enjoyed himself but dyed within ten days after And then in process this woman Abigail became David's wife 2 Sam. 3. and bare him a son called Chileab which in the first book of Chronicles chap. 3. is called Daniel Abigail The Fathers Joy There was another woman called Abigail 1 Chron. 2. which was Sister to David and wife to Jether an Ismaelite unto whom she bare a son called Amasa Abimelech King of the Philistines Gen. 20. was a man which had the fear of God before his eyes as it may appear in the story of Abraham by his godly entertainment of his wife whom he took to be his very sister and not his wife as they had both confessed unto him And having a mind to the woman he took her from Abraham intending to have joyned with her in marriage and not for any sinful desire But when by the voice of God he knew she was Abraham's wife indeed and he a Prophet and his house sore plagued for her sake he was right sorry for that he had done and also displeased with Abraham for so dissembling with him in so weighty a cause considering the dishonesty that might have happened unto his wife by some of his men and the peril of Gods indignation on him and on his kingdom for the same yet notwithstanding when he knew the cause of Abrahams dissembling he possest him with cattel servants and money and delivered Sarah his wife unto him again giving him also free liberty to dwell and inhabite where he would within the precinct of his dominion Then Abraham prayed unto God for Abimelech at whose petition the Lord removed his
be Captain over his Host in the room of Joab which office he did not long enjoy for when Sheba the Son of Bichri had begun a new commotion and that David had sent Amasa to gather the Men of Juda together 20. c. and to bring them to him by the third day it chanced Joab to meet Amasa by the way which was somewhat after the time the King had appointed and saluting him with all gentleness he took him by the Chin with one hand to kiss him and with the other hand he smote him under the short Ribs with his Dagger and killed him Amasa Sparing the people Amasiah 2 King 14. the Son of Joash King of Juda began his Reign at the Age of xxv 2 Chron. 25. Years in the beginning whereof he did indifferently well observe the Laws of God but in the end he became an Idolater He prepared an Host of thirty thousand Men to go against the Edomites and yet to make himself the stronger he hired an hundred thousand more out of the ten Tribes of Israel for an Hundred Talents of Silver But as he was going with both the Hosts of Juda and Israel he was commanded by the Lord's Prophet to send the Host of Israel home again forasmuch as the Lord was not with them or else he should not stand before his enemies How then said the King shall I do for the hundred Talents which I have given for them Take no thought for that quoth the Prophet for the Lord is able to give thee as much more And so he sent the Host of Israel home again who for anger they were dismissed fell upon the Cities of Juda as they went and did much harm Then Amasias with his own Men set upon his Enemies and slew ten thousand and discomfited the rest After which Victory whereas he ought to have given all praise unto God for the same he fell from God and most vilely dishonoured him in worshipping the Idols of the Edomites despising the * This was Amos the Prophet whom Amasiah caused many times to be beat His Son caused 2 Nail to be thrust into his temples and being half dead he was carried into his own country where he soon after dyed Cooper Prophet's admonition sent unto him from the Lord. And so persisting in his obstinate mind and proud heart he wrote to Joash King of Israel commanding Him and his People by a Parable of the Cedar-tree and Thistle to be under his subjection But Joash after defiance gathered an Army and went against Amasiah whose Host being discomfited Amasiah was taken and brought to Joash who carried him to Jerusalem where notwithstanding the Gates being opened to him he caused four hundred Cubits of the Wall to be beaten down and entred into the City that way leading Amasiah with him as a Prisoner and took all the treasure of the Temple and of the Kings house caused it to be brought into Samaria Afterward being delivered his own People slew him He reigned xxix years and Azariah his Son succeeded Amasiah the Strength of the Lord. Amnon the Eldest Son of David had a fair Sister called Thamar 2 Sam. 3.14 cap. with whom he was so far in love that he could eat no meat that did him good but pined himself away marvellously for her sake Then Jonadab his Fathers Brothers Son a friend and familiar of his and a worldly wise man perceiving Amnon to be sore changed and every day more and more went to him and said How happeneth this Amnon that thou being the King's Son consumest thy self so away and dost not tell me Oh said Amnon I am in love with Thamar my Brother * Thamar was Absalom's Sister both by Father and Mother and Amnons by the Fathers side only Absalom's sister and except I may have her company I shall surely die Now to further this wicked purpose of Amnon here was a counseller ready at hand I will tell thee said Jonadsb what thou shalt do lay thee down upon thy Bed and feign thy self sick and when David thy Father cometh to visit thee desire him to let Thamar thy Sister come and dress thee such meat as thou hast a lust unto Amnon did so and when Thamar was come and had dressed him meat and brought it into his Chamber he commanded all to avoid and never rested until he had by force gotten his pleasure which done he fell into such an exceeding hatred of Thamar that he could not suffer her to be in his sight but caused his servant to thrust her out of his house and to bolt the doors after her For this shameful incest of Amnon Absalom two years after at a Banquet slew Him Amnon A People Lot had a Son called Ammon Gen. 19. which was born him of his youngest daughter and of him came the Ammonites Amon 2 King 21. the Son of Manasses was xxii years old when he began his reign over Juda 2 Chron. 33. and walked not in the ways of the Lord but gave himself more to wicked Idolatry and worshipping of stinking Idols than ever his Father did and would never turn unto God Wherefore at last certain of his own Men conspired against him and slew him which Conspirators the People of the Land notwithstanding put to death and made Josiah his Son King in his stead Amon Faithful Amos Amos 1.2 3 c. was an Herdman or Shepherd of a poor Town called Tekoa and one of the Twelve Prophets which God raised up to admonish the Israelites of their wickedness and Idolatry and to threaten them with his Plagues and Punishments if they did not repent Read of his death in the story of Amasiah Amos a Burden The Father of Jesse Esay 1. David's Father was called Amos and there the word signifieth Strong Amram Exod. 6. Numb 26. the Son of Caath the Son of Levy took Jochebed his Fathers * This kind of marriage was after in the Law forbidden Levit 18. Sister to Wife who bare unto him two Sons Aaron and Moses and also a Daughter called Miriam He lived an hundred and thirty eight years Amram a mighty or an high people or a band of them Amraphel Gen. 14. was King of Shinar and one of the four Kings which fought against five other Kings in the Valley of Siddim where he and his party had the Victory Amraphel Speaking destruction or speaking secrets Amri 1 King 16. was the Chief Captain and Governour of the whole Army of Elah the Son of Baasha King of Israel And lying at the siege of Gibbethon a City of the Philistines the whole Host there hearing of the death of Elah constituted Amri King in his stead But the residue of the Israelites which abode at home and were not with Amri at the siege made Tibni the Son of Ginath King So that the People were divided and in great contention for their King which continued for the space of three years till Tibni
such power and might that all Lands stood in awe of him And whereas no man durst presume to lay hands upon this King yet Apame sitting by his side upon the right hand took off his Crown from his Head and set it upon her own head and smote the King with her left hand who in the mean time did nothing but gape and look upon her if she laughed upon him he laughed if she were angry then he flattered to win her favour again Apame Expelling or driving forth Apelles Rom. 16.10 was a faithful Christian Brother and one as it seemeth that had sustained trouble for the Gospel sake For Saint Paul sending salutations to the Christians at Rome saith thus Salute Apelles approved in Christ Apelles Expelling or driving away Apollonius the Governour of Syria 1 Mac. 3. came against Judas Machabeus with a great Host of the Heathen and in the end was slain Whose Sword pleased Judas so well that he kept it for a memory and used it for his Weapon all the days of his life in time of War Apollonius Undoing or destroying Apollonius the Son of Thersa 2 Mac. 4. c. 5. Governour of Celosyria and Phinehas a Man set all upon Tyranny was sent to Jerusalem against the Jews whom he hated with an Army of twenty thousand Men and commanded by the King Antiochus to kill all that were of perfect age and to sell the Women Maidens and Children who at his first coming to the City made a shew of peace and lay still till the Sabbath-day And then knowing the Jews would not break their Law to make resistance he fell upon them and did his commission with all extremity Apollos was an eloquent man a Jew born at Alexandria Act. 18.24 and well instructed and had but as yet the first principles of Christian religion which was the Baptism or doctrine of John only The same being somewhat entred in the way of the Lord began to be fervent in the spirit and to speak boldly at Ephesus where Aquila and Priscilla chanced to hear Him and perceiving he was not fully instructed in the precepts of the Gospel they * This great learned and eloquent man disdained not to be taught of a poor Crastsman took him home with them and expounded unto him the way of the Lord more perfectly which was the way to salvation And when he was christened in the Name of Jesus and had received the Holy-Ghost he was desirous to go into Achaia where at Corinth he did valiantly set forth the Gospel confounding the Jews with plain evident Testimonies of Scriptures that Jesus was the same Messias whom the Jews had so many hundred years looked for Aquila was a certain Jew born in Pontus Act. 18. cap. lately come out of Italy with his Wife Priscilla to Corinth because the Emperour Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome His Craft was to sow together Skins to make Tents and Pavillions withal Paul who was of the same occupation when he came to Corinth lodged in this Man's house and wrought with him And after a year and a half they departed from Corinth and went together to Ephesus where Aquila and Priscilla made their aboad And remaining there behind Paul who had taken his Journey towards Jerusalem it fortuned Apollos an Alexandrian born an eloquent Man and well learned to come to Ephesus and preached Christ so much as he had learned of him by John's Baptism for more he knew not And when Aquila and Priscilla had heard his preaching and perceiving him not to be as yet fully instructed in the knowledge of Christ they took him home with them and severally taught him more perfectly the mysteries of the Gospel Aquila an Eagle Aran Gen. 11.28 was the Son of Terah Brother to Naher and Abraham and Father to Lot and the first Man that Scripture maketh mention of that by the course of nature died before his Father Aran an Hill or hilly Archelaus Matth. 2.22 was the Son of Herod King of the Jews In whose time Joseph * This King reigned ix years over the Jews and finally was banished into France through his insolency with Glafira his Brother Alexanders widow whom he had married Lanquet returned out of Egypt with the Child Jesus to go into the Land of Israel But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Jewry in his Fathers stead fearing left he had succeeded in his Fathers cruelness like as in his Kingdom durst not go thither but turned aside into the parties of Galilee and dwelt there in a City called Nazareth Archclaus a Prince of the People Archippus was the * Col. 4.17 Instructor of the Colossians and admonished by Paul to take diligent heed to the office which was committed unto him to perform it whereof he should yield an account to the Lord at the last day Archippus the Chief or Master of Horses Arefna look Ornan Arioch was King of Ellasar Gen. 14.1 9. and one of the four Kings that fought against Bera King of Sodom and other four more in the Vale of Siddim and the lesser number overcame the greater and so took all the spoil of Sodom and Gomorrha and went their ways But being pursued by Abraham and his Confederates they were all taken and slain Arioch Long or tall or fulness or the drunkenness or the lyar Arioch was Captain of Nabuchodonosor's Guard Danicl 2. and being sent by the King to destroy all the Wise men and Soothsayers in Babylon because they could not interpret his Dream Daniel went to Ariech and desired him a little to stay until he had obtained of the King some leisure to shew unto Him the Interpretation of his Dream Daniel's request being granted and the thing revealed unto him by God he after thanks given unto God for the same went to Arioch and said Destroy not the wise men of Babylon but bring me before the King and I shall shew him the Interpretation of his Vision Then Arioch brought Daniel before the King in all hast and said thus unto him I have found a Man among the children of Juda that were brought captives that will declare unto the King the Interpretation of his Dream And so the wise men of Babylon were saved Aristarchus Act. 19.29.20.4.27.2 Col. 4.10 was a Thessalonian born and one of Paul's companions and in great hazard of his Life with him at Ephesus through the sedition of Demetrius But that overcome he accompanied Paul into Asia and so forth to Rome where he was his Fellow-prisoner and never shrunk from him Aristarchus The best Prince Aristobulus â— Mac. 1. King Ptolomies Schoolmaster came of the Generation of the anointed Priests unto whom the Jews which dwelt at Jerusalem sent an Epistle exhorting all the Jews which dwelt in Egypt to give thanks and praises unto God for the death of Antiochus which had been so cruel unto them Aristobulus Rom. 16.10 of whom Paul maketh mention in
for ever Look more in the history of Adonijah Bethsheba The seventh daughter or the daughter of an Oath Bezaleel Exo. 31.2.35.30.36 37. 38. cap. the Son of Uri of the Tribe of Juda and Aholiab of the Tribe of Dan were two cunning Workmen most specially endued with the Spirit of God to work all manner of curious work that was to be wrought in Gold Silver Brass Wood Stone or with Needle-work so that by these two the Tabernacle of witness with all things pertaining thereunto was most artificially made Bezaleel in the shadow of God Bilha Gen. 29.29.30.3.35.25 was a young Damosel which served Laben the Father of Rachel and when Rachel should be married to Jacob Laban gave Bilha his Maid to Rachel his Daughter to be her servant And when Rachel perceived she could bear Jacob no children she gave Bilba her Maid unto him to be his Wife who conceived by Jacob and brought him forth two Sons the one Dan and the other Naphtali Bilha Old or fading Birsha Gen. 14.2 was one of the four Kings that fought against five other Kings in the Vale of Siddim Birtha in evil or in iniquity or condemned or a son that looketh back Read Arioch Boaz Ruth 2 3 4. the Son of Salmon was a great rich Man dwelling in a City called Bethleem within the Land of Juda. Who on a time going to the Fields to look upon his Reapers and finding there a young Damosel a gleaning demanded of his Workmen what she was To whom answer was made she was a stranger come with Naomi out of the Country of Moab Then went Boaz to the Maid and said Hearest thou my Daughter Here is a notable example for all rich Farmers which be so unmerciful that they will not suffer their needy neighbour to glean in their ground whereas Boaz was so merciful to this stranger whose Nation were enemies to God's People go to no other Field a gleaning I charge thee so long as Harvest time endureth but to mine tarry here by my Maidens and gather as much as thou wilt and spare not for no Man shall lett thee neither hurt thee And when thou art hungry and a thirst go with my Maidens and eat and drink such as they have for they shall not deny thee And so departing from her he went to his Men servants commanding them to intreat her gently and to let fall some handfuls on the ground for the nonce for her to take up without shame Now after this it chanced Boaz to have knowledge that this young Damosel was his Kinswoman and that it was his lot to marry her which he was well content to do considering her to be a Woman of good report and of much vertue But yet for as much as he knew another to be more near of Kin to her than he he could not defraud him of his right therefore to know what he would do in this matter he went and called his Kinsman before the Congregation and said Sir we have here a Kinswoman lately returned out of the Land of Moab one Naomi and she will sell a piece of Land which was our Brother Elimelech's If thou be disposed to buy it do if not then tell me for there is none to challenge it save thou and I next unto thee Then said he to Boaz I will purchase it Well said Boaz look what day thou buyest the Land of Naomi thou must also take * He would have the Land but not the Woman Ruth the Moabite to Wife to raise up the Name of the dead upon his Inheritance Then he revoking his word again said that he could not purchase it for marring of his own Inheritance Therefore take thou my right and purchase it and so drew off his * The manner of purchasing Shoo and gave it to Boaz for that was the custome of old in Israel concerning purchasing and changing of Inheritance to pluck off his Shoo and give it to his Neighbour in witness that the thing between them was truly bought and sold Then Boaz having his Kinsman's shooe said unto the People ye are witnesses all this day that I have bought all that was Elimelech's and all that pertained to his two Sons * Chilion perfect or all like a Dove Chilion and Mahlon of the hand of Naomi and also have purchased Ruth the Maobite the late Wife of Mahlon to be my Wife to raise up the Name of the dead upon his Inheritance that his Name be not put out among his Brethren And all the People witnessed the same praying unto the Lord for Ruth to make her as fruitful as he did both Rachel Leah and Thamar And so Boaz married Ruth who in process conceived and bare him a Son called Obed. Boaz in Power or strength C. CAATH was the Son of Levi Exod. 6.18 1 Chron. 6.1 2. and had four Sons whereof the Eldest was Amram the Father of Moses and Aaron He lived 133. Years Caath A Congregation Cain was the first Son that Adam and Eve brought forth between them Gen. 4.1 c. and of an unhappy disposition given to all ungraciousness He was the first tiller of the ground and would always offer the worst and the vilest of the fruits of the Earth unto God Wherefore the Lord had no respect to his offering And because God preferred his Brother Abel's offering before his he was so stirred with malice and envy against him that he fell upon him in the Fields and slew him Wherefore the Lord promised to withdraw the increase of the Ground from Gain and so being in desperation he wandred about like a Vagabond in every corner with much fear and trembling lest any Man should kill him and at last * Lyra saith that as Lamech was hunting in the fields his servant spyed Cain where he lay hid in a bush and thinking it had been a beast pointed his Master unto him who shot off his Arrow and slew him Lamech slew him Cain A possession Caiaphas was Son-in-law to Annas John 18 cap. and the High-Priest in the time of Christ's apprehension of whom he prophesied that it was expedient for one Man to dye rather than all the People should perish Which thing he spake not of himself but God made him at that time even as he made Balaam to be an Instrument of the Holy Ghost And Christ being sent from Annas to him bound to be examined was so carried from him to Pilate that he by the Temporal Laws might judge him to death Caiaphas a Searcher Caleb was the Son of Jephunneh otherwise called Kenes of the Tribe of Juda and one of those whom Moses sent out to search the Land of Canaan Numb 13. and 14 cap. what manner of Country it was at the which time of going out he was about the age of xl years And when he and his company had viewed the Land and were returned home again certain of the Explorators made an evil
his Prophet that for as much as he had not ministred due correction unto his Sons for their great offences he would surely remove the High Priests office from his house for ever and raise him up a * Meaning Sadoc who succeeded Abiathar and was the figure of Christ faithful Priest which should do according to his hearts desire And this shall be to thee said he a sign and token that shall come upon thy two Sons even in one day they shall both dye And so it came to pass for when the Philistines went out to Battel against Israel 1 Sam. 4. the two Sons of Eli which waited upon the Ark of God were both slain and the Ark taken and possessed of strangers Then Eli being at that time 99. years of age and also blind hearing of the Ark to be taken of the Philistines was stricken into such a sudden fear that he fell backward off his stool and brake his neck after he had judged forty years Eli my God Eliab was the eldest Son of Jesse 1 Sam. 16.6 and so goodly a Man of stature and personage that when all the Sons of Jesse were brought before the Prophet Samuel to choose out a King among them Samuel thought Eliab to be the meetest for that office but God refused him and accepted David his youngest Brother who seemed to have more skill in keeping of Sheep than of War notwithstanding after that he proved a better Warriour than Eliab or all the rest of his brethren when he fought with Goliah and slew him And for that great enterprise of David 1 Sam. 17.28 Eliab being with King Saul in the Host was fore offended and began to rebuke David saying Wherefore art thou now come hither with whom hast thou left thy Sheep in the Wilderness I know thy pride and the malice of thine heart well enough and that of an haughty stomach thou art come hither to see the Battel and with such taunts and checks he reproved his Brother David for taking upon him to fight the Philistine whom he nor none of all his fellows durst look in the Face Eliab God my Father or the God of my Father Elijah 1 King 17. The Father of this Prophet was called Sobac Cooper was a Prophet born in the City of Thesba who for the wickedness of Achab prophesied that it should not Rain upon the Earth in the space of three years and an half and fled from the King who sought his Life and hid himself in a little Brook before Jordan where God commanded the Ravens to feed him with Bread and Flesh both Evening and Morning The Ravens sed Elijah And when the Brook began to wax dry the Lord sent him to the City of Sarepta in the Country of Sydon where he had ordained a certain Widow to sustain him and when he was come to the Gate of the City the Widow was there gathering of a few sticks for her Oven to whom he called and said Woman set me I pray thee a little Water to drink The Widow sustaineth Elijah And as she was going he cryed unto her again saying Bring me I pray thee a morsel of Bread in thine hand also she said again as truly as the Lord thy God liveth I have no Bread ready but even an handful of Meal in a Barrel and a little Oyl in a Cruise and am now going to dress it for me and my Son that we may eat and dye Well said Elijah do as thou hast said and fear not But first of all make me a little Cake thereof and bring it to me and afterward make for thee and thy Son for neither shall the Meal in the Barrel nor yet the Oyl in the Cruise be wasted or diminished till the Lord have sent Rain upon the Earth And so the Widow did as the Prophet bad her and all things came to pass as he had said And during the Prophets abode in the Widows house he restored her Child to life which was dead After this 1 King 13. he was commanded by God to go and shew himself to Achab. And when the King saw Elijah he said Art thou he that troubleth Isracel No said the Prophet it is not I that have troubled Israel but thou and thy Fathers house in that ye have forsaken the commandments of God and served Baal Therefore let all the People of Israel with the Prophets of Baal be brought before me to Mount Carmel and I will tell thee what the Lord saith And when the King had called the People together The Prophet said unto them how long will ye halt between two Opinions If the Lord be God follow him But if Baal be God then go after him And now to know who is the true God said the Prophet let there be two Bullocks brought and give the one to me which am but one Prophet of the Lord's and the other to Baal's Prophets which are 450. let them dress the one with Wood and no Fire under it and I will dress the other likewise And call ye on the name of your God and I will call on the name of my God and then the God that answereth by Fire let him be God To this the Prophets of Baal agreed and dressed their Oxen Elijah mocketh the Prophets of Baal which being done they cry to their God Baal but they cried so long without answer again that Elijah mocked them saying Cry out aloud for it may be that your God is busie in talking or occupied in following his enemies or is in his Journey or else faln a-sleep and must be waked with your cry And so they cryed on still from morning to night cutting themselves as their manner was with Knives and Lances till the bloud did follow and yet their God would not answer Then Elijah took his Bullock and dressed it and laid it upon the Wood and made a Ditch round about the Altar whereon the Sacrifice was laid and poured Water upon the Sacrifice until the Ditch was full And assoon as he had called on the Name of the Lord Fire fell down from Heaven and consumed the burnt Sacrifice the Wood the Stones the Dust and all the Water that was in the Pit And when the People saw that they turned to Elijah and fell upon all the Prophets of Baal and slew them at the Brook Kyson Now when Elijah had thus destroyed Baal and his Prophets 1 King 19. he durst not abide the menacing of Jezabel but fled to the Wilderness of Beersheba And having gone a days Journey therein he sate him down under a Juniper Tree and desired God that he would take his life from him And as he fell a sleep under the Tree the Angel of God touched him and bad him arise and eat wherewithal he awaked And seeing a baken Cake and a Pot of Water standing at his Head he refreshed himself therewith and laid him down again to sleep The Angel touched him once more and bad him
or Couch whereon the Queen fate and besought her grace for his life And when the King came in again and found him with the Queen he said Will he force the Queen also before me in the house Which word was no sooner gone out of the Kings mouth but Haman's * It was the manner of the Persians when one was out of the Kings favour to cover his face face was covered and so had out and hanged upon the Gallows which he had prepared in his own house for Mardocheus Read the story of Esther and of Mardocheus Haman Troubling or making burly burly or preparing Hanani was a Prophet sent of God to Asa King of Juda declaring unto him 2 Chron. 16 7 c. how greatly he had displeased the Lord for making a Covenant with Benhadad King of Syria and for doing his message was cast into Prison Read the story of Asa Hanani Gracious or Merciful or Giving Hananiah the Son of Azur was a false Prophet Jer. 28. cap. which prophesied unto the People of Israel that God would break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon from the neck of all Nations within the space of two years and in token thereof took the yoke from the Prophet Jeremies neck and brake it But Jeremy the true Prophet of God reproved the false prophecie of Hananiah saying That in stead of the yoke of wood which he had taken from his neck the Lord would put a yoke of Iron upon the necks of all these Nations that they should serve the King of Babylon and that the false Prophet Hananiah himself should dye the same year which things came truly to pass as Jeremy had spoken Hananiah Grace of the Lord. Hanun was the Son of Nahash King of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10.1 unto whom David most gently sent to comfort him upon the death of his Father which gentleness was most ungently and unthankfully taken of the Lords and Councellors of the young King Hanun Who perswaded the young King that David had not sent to comfort him upon the death of his Father But had rather sent a sort of spies under the colour of friendship to seek the means how to destroy his Cities and whole Realm Upon the which false and unhonest surmise of his wicked Counsellers Hanun caused the one half of every Mans Beard to be shaven and their Garments to be cut off hard by the Buttocks and so sent them home again to David with much shame and disgrace Ingratitude punished Upon which occasion David became his utter enemy and made such sore War against him that in conclusion Hanun was taken and lost his Regal Crown which David put upon his own Head and wore it before Hanun's face and carried away all his Treasure and Jewels took his People whereof some he sawed in two pieces over other some he caused Carts new and sharp shod with Iron to be driven some he took and shred their flesh as Cooks do Pye-meat and cast other some in hot burning Ovens Thus was Hanun rewarded for his ingratitude Hanun Faithful or true a Schoolmaster and the Mothers Son or Child Hazael 2 King 8 8 c. was a certain great Man which served Benhadad King of Syria which Benhadad fortuning to fall sick sent Hazael to Eliseus the Prophet to know whether he should recover of his disease or no. And when the Prophet saw Hazael he could not look him in the face for shame but cast his Head aside and wept Then Hazael marvelling at the Prophets behaviour towards him demanded of Eliseus wherefore he wept I weep quoth the Prophet to see the great evils that thou shalt do to the Children of Israel Thou shalt break down their strong Cities and set them on fire and slay their young Men with the Sword and dash the brains out of the sucking Children and rent in pieces the Women with Child Then said Hazael dost thou make thy Servant a Dog that I should lack so much humanity and pity to do these things Well said the Prophet thou shalt do as I have said for the Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King of Syria And so Hazael departed home to the King his Master and told him that he should recover for so the Prophet had said unto him But on the next morrow when Hazael saw his time he took a thick * Under the pretence to refresh or ease him he stifled him with this cloth 2 King 8. 28 2 Chron. 22. cloth and dipt it in Water and spread it so on the King's face that he dyed After whose death Hazael raigned in his stead And being stablished in his Kingdom he made War with Joram King Ahab's Son and was a cruel adversary to Israel all the days of his life Hazael seeing God Helkiah was the High-Priest in the days of Josias 2 King 22.8 who in repairing the Temple of the Lord chanced by the providence of God to find the Book of the Law * The Copy that Moses left them as appeareth 2 Chron. 34.14 the which he sent to the King by Shaphan the Scribe which he read unto him Helkiah the Lords portion or part the Lords lenity or gentleness Heliodorus being in great favour with Seleucus 2 Mac. 3. cap. King of Asia and Steward of his House was sent to Jerusalem to fetch away the treasure out of the Temple which one Symon the Governour thereof had betrayed unto the King And being come to Jerusalem he was lovingly received of Onias the High-Priest into the City But when Heliodorus had uttered the cause of his coming and that his Commission was to bring the Money unto the King there was no small fear thorowout the whole City For then all men from the highest to the lowest were so oppressed with sorrow and heaviness that they knew not what to do but fell to prayer lifting up their eyes to Heaven and calling upon him which had made a Law concerning stuff given to keep that he would safely preserve the same which was there committed in custody And while the Priests and People were thus lamenting and crying upon God and on the other side Heliodorus personally with his Men of War about the Treasury There appeared an Horse with a terrible Man sitting upon him deck'd in Harness of Gold which Horse smote at Heliodorus with his fore-feet to beat him from the place Also there appeared two fair and beautiful young Men in goodly apparel which stood on each side of Heliodorus and scourged him so long that he fell down to the ground as dead and so was carried out of the Temple without speech or hope of life whereby the great power of God was manifest and known Then certain of Heliodorus friends besought Onias to call upon God to give him his life who was even at that time giving up the ghost Then Onias lest the King should suspect the Jews had done him some harm called upon God and obtained his life
which unlawful marriage John Baptist spake so much to Herod's reproof that she fearing lest John would make Herod break off the incestuous marriage counselled her Daughter which danced before him to ask the Head of John Baptist And so by the wicked device of this unchast Woman John lost his Head Herodias signifieth that that the word Herod before doth Hesron Gen. 46.9 Num. 26.6 was the Son of Reuben and of him came the Kindred of the Hesronites Hesron the Arrow of rejoycing Hesron 1 Chron. 2.9 the Father of Caleb being come to the age of threescore years took to Wife the Daughter of Machir who bare unto him a Son called Segub Hezekiah 2 King 18. and 19. cap. the Son of Ahaz was xxv years of age when he began his reign over Juda. He was the godliest Prince that ever reigned before or after among the Kings of Juda. He cleansed his Country from all Idolatry and brake down the brasen Serpent which Moses had set up as soon as he saw it abused He brought in again the true honouring of God and renewed the Passeover He had such a sure trust and confidence in God that at his Prayer the Angel of the Lord slew in one Night of the Assyrians which were come to destroy Jerusalem an hundred fourscore and five thousand and smote the rest into such a fear 20. cap. that they ran away After this he fell sick and was admonished by the Prophet Esay to set his house in order for he should surely dye Then he turned his face to the wall and made his petition to God saying Oh Lord remember I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart have done that which is good in thy sight and speaking these words he * He wept not so much for his own death as for fear that Idolatry should be restored which he had destroyed wept very sore The Lord then moved with his tears returned the Prophet again to comfort him with these news that he should receive his health and be able the third day to go up to the House of the Lord and that he had added to his days xv years more and to assure him of this his promise he would cause the Sun to return his course ten degrees backward At this time Berodach sirnamed Baladad King of Babylon sent to Hezekiah Ambassadours to signifie unto him how glad and joyful he was of his recovery which kindness was so greatly esteemed of Hezekiah that he thought he could not do them too much pleasure but made them privy to all his treasure silver and gold and whatsoever he had in his House or in any other part of his Realm he * Because he was moved with ambition and vain glory and seemed also to rejoyce in the friendship of him that was God's enemy the Lord was displeased shewed it freely unto them Wherefore the Lord not content there with commanded Esay the Prophet to go and tell Hezekiah That forasmuch as he had made the messengers of Babylon privy to all the commodities of his Land The days should come that all things which he had in his House and whatsoever his Fathers had layed up in store before him should be carried to Babylon Then Hezekiah knowing the Prophet to be the true messenger of God humbled himself and said Thy word O Lord is welcome unto me but yet I shall desire thee not to send those evils in my days but rather peace and truth He raigned xxix years and died Hezekiah the strength of the Lord or the Lords holding Hymeneus 1 Tim. 1.20 after he had tasted of the word of God and been a Professor of the same he fell away and became an utter enemy and a spiteful railer against the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ denying the chiefest point and foundation of the Gospel which is 2 Tim. 2.17 that the Resurrection is past wherewith he destroyed the Faith of many Persons For the which errour and other his railing and jestings against the truth of GOD's Word Paul excommunicated him that he thorow correction might be ashamed of his fault and turn again to Christ Hymeneus a Marriage-song or Bride-song Hiram 2 Sam. 5.11 King of Tyre favoured David so much that he hearing that David went about to build him an House sent him both Timber and Workmen to finish the same Also when Solomon after the death of David his Father sent to this King for Wood and Timber to build the Lord's Temple 1 King 5 cap. cap. 9.11 c. he praised God that had sent David so wise a Son to sit in his Seat and granted him Timber of Cedar Firr and other precious Wood so much as he would desire Wherefore Solemon to gratifie Hiram again sent him twenty thousand Quarters of Wheat and twenty Butts of Oyl and gave him also twenty goodly Cities which Cities Hiram called the Land of Cabul forasmuch as when he saw them they pleased him not After this Hiram gave to Solomon six-score Talents of Gold and sent him Ships and Men who had knowledge of the Sea to go with his Navy into the Countrey of Ophir which Ships brought unto Solomon * In the 2 Chron. 8.18 is mention made of 30. Talents more which seem to have been employed for their charges four hundred and twenty Talents of Gold Hiram The height of Life Hiram 1 King 7.13 This Man was a certain Widow's Son dwelling in the Countrey of Tyre and of the Tribe of Nepthali and did so excel in all manner of Workmanship that Hiram King of Tyre sent him to Solomon to work and finish all things that pertained to the Temple of the Lord which Solomon went about to edifie Hobab Num. 10 10. was the Son of Raguel whose * Some think that Raguel Jethro Hobab and Keni were all one Kimehi saith that Raguel was Jethro 's Father So Hobab was Moses Father in-law Company Moses his Father-in-law would so fain have had into the Land of Canaan that he intreated him on this wise saying We are now going to the place which the Lord said that he would give us therefore I pray thee go with us and we will do thee good for the Lord hath promised good unto Israel Then Hobab made answer saying I will not go but I will depart to mine own Countrey and Kindred Nay quoth Moses I pray thee forsake us not but go with us and be our guide for thou knowest our camping places in the Wilderness and whatsoever goodness the Lord shall shew unto us the same will we shew unto thee But all this could not move Hobab but that he would depart And so returned home into his own Countrey again Hobab Beloved Holofernes Jaâ—… 2. cap. was the Chief and most terrible Captain of all Nabuchodonosor's Host sent of him to subdue all the World Jaâ—â— 14 cap. And coming to the City of Bethulia where all
the Jews lay in great fear of him and his Power he was there by God's provision slain by the hands of an holy Woman called Judith Read her story Holofernes A stout and valiant Captain Hophni and Yhinchas the two Sons of Eli 1 Sam. 2 12-22 c. were the Lords Priests and became so wicked that they abused the Women that waited at the Door of the Tabernacle of witness And whereas the Law was that whensoever any Man did make any offering the Priests boy should come while the flesh was a seething and not before with a Flesh-hook in his hand having three teeth which he should thrust into the Pan Kettle or whatsoever Vessel it were and so much as the Flesh-hook brought up was the Priests part and no more yet notwithstanding this Law the Priest's boy would come before the Flesh was sod and require flesh to rost for the Priest and say unto him that made the offering that his Master would have no sod flesh but raw And if he would not give it him then would the Boy take it by violence By the which abusing of the Law the Lord's offering was had in such contempt among the People that they began to abhor it Wherefore the Lord plagued the Sons of Eli permitting the Philistines to slay them both in one day 4. cap. Hophni a Fist or as much as one may comprehend between his thumb and two fingers or covering Hoshea 2 King 15.30.17 cap. the Son of Elah by treason slew Pekah the Son of Remaliah King of Israel and possessed his place and began his Reign in the XII year of Ahaz King of Juda This was the last King that raigned over Israel and did evil in the sight of the Lord but not so evil as other Kings before him He denied to pay Tribute to the Assyrians and sent to the King of Egypt to have his aid against them wherefore Salmanasar King of Assyria came against Hoshea and besieged him in Samaria three years and in the end wan the City destroyed his Kingdom and led Hoshea and all his People captive into Assyria Thus was Israel now delivered into the hands of spoilers for their wickedness which the Lord had long suffered Hoshea a Saviour or health Huldah 2 King 22.14 the Wife of Shallum was a Prophetess dwelling in Jerusalem in a place called the house of doctrine To whom Josiah King of Juda sent certain Messengers to inquire of the Lord for him and his People concerning the Book of the Law which was found in the Temple and read before him and when they had done their message the Prophetess made answer saying Go and tell the man that sent you to me Thus saith the Lord behold I will bring evil upon this place and upon the Inhabitants thereof even all the words of the Book which the King of Juda hath read because they have forsaken me and have burnt Incense to other Gods to anger me with all the works of their hands My wrath also shall be kindled against this place and shall not be quenched But to the King of Juda who sent you to inquire of the Lord so shall ye say unto him Thus saith the Lord God of Israel the words that thou hast heard shall come to pass But because that thine heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the Inhabitants of the same how they should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy Cloaths and wept before me I have also heard it saith the Lord. Behold therefore I will gather thee unto thy Fathers and thou shalt be put in thy Grave in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the evil that I will bring upon this place And so the Messengers departed and told the King Huldah the World or a Weesel Hur came of the Tribe of Juda Exod. 17.10.24.14.31.2 and * This is not that Hur which came of the Kinred of Calcb although they came both of the Tribe of Juda but another of the same name Lyra upon 1 Chron. 2. This Hur was Husband to Miriam Sister to Moses was one of the principal Fathers and Rulers under Moses He and Aaron stayed up the hands of Moses while the Children of Israel fought with King Amalek And was also appointed with Aaron afterward to hear and determine all matters of controversie among the People till Moses came down from the Mount again whereunto he was ascended Hur Liberty whiteness or a hole Hushai the Arachite was ‖ 2 Sam. 15.32.16.16 Man of great wisdome and one of David's chief Counsellers his assured friend as it well appeared when he came unto him being fled from Absalom his Son with his Cloaths rent and ashes upon his Head declaring thereby the great sorrow and heaviness he was in to see his Lord and Master in that case by whose coming David was greatly comforted But forasmuch as he thought he should do him more pleasure otherwise than to go with him now he said Oh my most dear friend Hushai if thou dost go with me now at this time thou shalt be but a burthen unto me But if thou wilt return into Jerusalem and say unto Absalom I will be thy servant O King and serve thee as I have done thy Father thou mayst for my sake destroy the counsel of Achitophel and thereby do me great pleasure So Hushai gat him to Absalom saying God save the King God save the King What quoth Absalom is this the kindness thou shewest to thy friend How chanceth it that thou wentest not with him Nay said Hushai but whom the Lord and this People and all the Men of Israel hath chosen his will I be and with him will I dwell to whom shall I do service but to his Son as I served before thy Father so will I serve thee Then when Absalom had retained Hushai to be of his Counsel he said unto him Achitophel hath counselled thus and thus to do shall we do thereafter or not Hushai answered the Counsel that Achitophel hath given is not good at this time For said he thou knowest thy Father and his Men how they be strong and now being chafed in their minds are even as a Bear robbed of her Whelps in the Field And also thy Father is a Man practised in War and maketh no tarrying with the People Behold he lurketh now in some Cave or in some other strong place and though some of his Men be overthrown at the first brunt it will be said that thy People is overthrown and so shall the best Men thou hast whose hearts are as the hearts of Lyons shrink thereat For all Israel knoweth thy Father to be a Man of great might and his Warriors stout Men. Therefore my counsel is that all Israel be gathered together unto thee from Dan to Beersheba which are in number as the Sand of the Sea And that thou go to Battel in
that thou art Christ the Son of God which should come into the World After this when Jesus came to the place where Lazarus was buried and had commanded the stone of his Grave to be taken away Martha said Lord by this time he stinketh for he hath been dead four days Said not I unto thee quoth Jesus that if thou didst believe thou shouldst see the glory of God And so she saw her Brother Lazarus restored from death to life to the glory of God and her great comfort Martha Bitter or Provoking Mattathias the Son of Simeon the Priest 1 Mac. 2. which was of the stock and kinred of Joaris had five valiant Men to his Sons and dwelt in Modin remaining stedfast in the Laws of God notwithstanding the great calamities that were come upon the People of Juda and Jerusalem for the which Mattathias made piteous lamentation crying upon God to strengthen him and his Sons against the Heathen that had so wasted the People and defiled his Sanctuary And while he and his Sons were thus mourning in Sackcloth for the destruction of the holy City Antiochus the King sent certain Commissioners to the City of Modin to compel such Jews as were fled thither to forsake their own Laws and to serve the Idols of the Heathen Who after they had turned the heart of many spake to Mattathias on this wise Thou art said they a Noble man of high reputation and great in this City and hast many Children and Brethren Come thou first of all and fulfil the King's commandment like as the Heathen have done and the Men of Juda with such as remain at Jerusalem and so shalt thou and thy Sons be in favour with the King and greatly enriched Nay said Mattathias Though all Nations under the King's Dominion fall away every Man from the Law of their Fathers yet will I my Sons and my Brethren walk in the Laws of our Fathers God forbid we should forsake the Laws and Ordinances of God we will not for no Man's pleasure transgress our Religion or break the Statutes of our Law And as he had spoken these words a certain Jew came forth and openly in the sight of all Men did sacrifice unto the Idols upon the Altar in the City of Modin according to the King's commandment which thing so grieved Mattathias that for very Zeal he had to the Laws of God he started him up and ran upon the Jew and killed both him the Commissioner that compelled him so to do and ran his way crying thorow the City and saying to the People whosoever is fervent in the Law and will keep and stand by the Covenant let him follow me So he and his Sons fled into the Mountains and many other godly Men with their Wives and Children and all that they had got them into the Wilderness And being there the Heathen went against them on the Sabbath day and slew Man Woman and Child for on that day the Jews would make no resistance but would dye in their innocency Then Mattathias hearing of this was very sorry and counselling with his friends said If we do as our Brethren have done and do not fight for our Lives and our Laws the Heathen will soon root us all out of the Earth whereupon they concluded that whosoever did bid them battel on the Sabbath day that they would rather manfully fight for their Laws than dye as their Brethren had done before Upon the which conclusion came the whole Synagogue of the Jews with all such as were fled for Persecution to Mattathias And being gathered together they were so great an Host that they feared not their enemies but fell upon them and slew a great number And by their force and strength they went about the Coasts of Israel and destroyed the Altars and circumcised their Children and kept their Laws in spight of them all Finally when the time of his death drew nigh he called all his Sons before him exhorting them to prefer the Laws and wealth of their Countrey before their own Lives and ordained Simon his eldest Son to be as it were their Father and Judas Machabeus to be their Captain and so giving them his blessing he dyed and was buried in his Fathers Sepulchre in the City of Modin Mattathias the gift of the Lord. Mattathias the Son of Simon 1 Mac. 16. was killed with his Father at a Banquet which Ptolomy his Brother-in-law had prepared for them in a Castle of his called Doche. Mathattias the Son of Absalemus stuck by Jonathas 1 Mac. 11. when all his Men forsook him and fled the Field save Judas the Son of Galphi Matthew the Evangelist Read the Story of Levi. Matthew Given Matthias Act. 1.23 was a faithful Disciple of Christ and one that had his conversation always among the Apostles even from the beginning of Christ's preaching to the last end And now for as much as Judas the Traytor was fallen from Christ he with another godly Man called Joseph or Barsabas was appointed to stand in election which of them two should succeed in the place of Judas And when the Apostles had made their prayers to God Lots and given forth their lots the lot fell on Matthias and so he was counted with the eleven Apostles Matthias the Lords Gift Methuselah Gen. 5.21 c. was the Son of Henoch and lived an hundred eighty and seven years and begot Lamech And after that he lived seven hundred and eighty two years and begot Sons and Daughters and when he had lived in all nine hundred three-score and nine years he died Methuselah be sent his death or the weapons of his death Melchisedek Gen. 14.18 Heb. 7.1 is called King of Salem and the High Priest of the most High God When Abraham had rescued Lot his Nephew out of the hands of the Assyrians and was returned from the slaughter of the Kings Melchisedek met him with Bread and Wine to refresh Abraham and his Souldiers and blessed him saying Blessed be Abraham of the most High God possessor of heaven and earth and blessed be the most High God which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand And Abraham gave him tythes of all things The Scripture reporteth Melchisedek to be without Father without Mother without Kin and hath neither beginning of his days neither yet end of his life but is likened unto the Son of God and continueth a Priest for ever Melchisedek King of Righteousness Menelaus 2 Mac. 4. was Brother to Simon and Lysimachus two as ungracious as himself This ambitious Man by deceit got the High-Priest's Office from Jason on this wise When that good and godly Man Onias had the superiority Jason his Brother found the means to corrupt Antiochus the King with Money and so got the Office out of his Brother's hands And when the time came that Jason should pay the Money to Antiochus he sent it by the hand of Menelaus in whom he had great confidence But when
discretion And for proof thereof caused burning Coals to be put to his mouth which the Child with his Tongue licked whereby he ever after had an impediment in his Tongue Lanquet he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the Sand The next day he went again and found two Israelites striving together and demanded of him that had done the wrong wherefore he smote his Fellow who made thee a Judge quoth he or a Ruler over us Thinkest thou to kill me as thou didst the Egyptian yesterday Then Moses perceiving his fact to be known refused to be call'd the Son of the Daughter of Pharaoh and fled into the Land of Midian where he was received into the House of Jethro who gave to him in Marriage his Daughter Zipporah by whom in process he had two Sons And when he had continued with Jethro his Father-in-law forty years and kept his Sheep the Lord appeared to him in the Wilderness of Sinai out of a Bush which seemed to be all on fire and there gave him Authority to go into Egypt to deliver his People out of the Bondage of Pharaoh Who at last after divers Miracles done by him in the sight of Pharaoh for the confirmation of his Authority brought them thorow the red Sea and delivered them quite out of Bondage Thus was Moses whom they had before refused both their Deliverer and Ruler He was a Man full of meekness he lived one hundred and twenty years and was buried by Angels in the Land of Moab whose Sepulchre was never known Moses drawn up N. NAAMAN Captain of the ‖ 2 Sam. 5. Host of the King of Syria was a mighty Man and honourable in the sight of his Lord because that by him the Lord had delivered the Syrians He was also a valiant Man and expert in Wars but was a Leper Wherefore the King of Syria being informed that there was a Prophet in Samaria that could heal his Servant Naaman of his Leprosie sent him to Joram King of Israel with his Letter containing this tenor Now when this Letter is come unto thee understand that I have sent thee Naaman my Servant that thou mayest heal him of his Leprosie And when the King had read the Letter he rent his Cloaths saying Am I a God to kill and to give life that he sendeth to me that I should heal a Man of his Leprosie Consider I pray you how he seeketh a quarrel against me The Prophet hearing of this sent to the King to send Naaman unto him And when he was come to the house of Elisha and stood at the Door the Prophet sent him word and bad him go wash him seven times in Jordan and he should be whole Then Naaman departed in displeasure saying I thought with my self he will surely come out and stand and call on the Name of the Lord his God and put his hand on the place and heal the Leprosie Are not Abana and Pharpar Rivers of Damascus better than all the Waters of Israel may I not as well wash me in them and be cleansed Then one of his Servants said Father if the Prophet had commanded thee to do a great thing would'st thou not have done it how much rather than when he saith to thee wash and be clean And so at his Servant's perswasion he went to Jordan and washed him seven times as the Prophet had commanded and being whole he returned to the Prophet and gave thanks unto God saying Now I know that there is no God in all the World but in Israel And so making promise he would never offer sacrifice nor offering to any other God save unto the Lord God of Israel he returned home into his Countrey again Naaman Fair or beautiful Nabal 1 Sam. 25.2 3 c. was a great rich Man but of churlish nature and froward condition As he lay in Carmel in the time of his Sheep-sheering David sent certain of his Men desiring Nabal to help him now in his great necessity with some of his Victuals whatsoever he would and he would requite him at one time or other But he not regarding their message made them this churlish answer again who is David or who is the Son of Jesse There be many Servants now a days that break away from their Masters shall I then take away my Bread and my Water and my Flesh which I have killed for my Sheerers and give it unto Men whom I know not whence they be And so with this answer the Messengers departed Read the story of Abigail for the rest of his life Nabal a Fool. Naboth 1 Kings 21. was a certain rich Man and a Jezrelite born whose Vineyard lay joyning hard by the Palace of Ahab King of Israel which Vineyard the King would fain have bought and given him as much for it as the Ground was worth But Naboth considering it was his Father's Inheritance and that he had no need to sell it would in no wise yield thereunto Wherefore the King being heavy and sad went home to his House and laid him down upon his Bed so wayward that he could neither eat nor drink Then came Jezebel his Wise and demanded why he was so sad who told her it was for Naboth's Vineyard which he had denied him What quoth she dost thou now govern the Kingdom of Israel up and eat thy Meat and set thine heart at rest and I will give thee the Vineyard And so she wrote a Letter in Ahab's Name sealed with the Kings Signet and sent it to the Elders of the City where Naboth dwelt commanding them to Proclaim a Fast and set Naboth among the chiefest of the People and to bring two false Witnesses against him which should say he had blasphemed God and the King and then to put him to death And so all things were done according to the tenor of Jezebel's Letter and Naboth was carried out of the City and stoned Naboth Speech or prophesying Nabuchodonosor was King of Babylon Dan. 1.1 c. And by the occasion of his great and wonderful dominion fell into such pride that he would have his Image honoured for God But shortly after he saw the Vision of the Falling-tree whereby he was warned of his fall 2. cap. and suddenly by the power of God transformed and turned into a beastly fury living in the Woods among Beasts He reigned 44. years and was called the scourge of God He was before the incarnation of Christ 633. years Cooper eating Herbs and Grass for the space of Seven Years Finally God of his mercy restored him again to his pristine form who afterward lived well and commanded that the very God of Heaven should be honoured of all Men and whosoever refused so to do should die Nabuchodonosor the Mourning of the Generation Nadab 1 Kings 15.25 c. the Son of Jeroboam began to Reign over Israel in the second year of Asa King of Juda and walked in all the wicked steps of his Father And in the
second year of his reign as he was laying siege to a City of the Philistines called Gibbethon Baasha conspired against him and slew him Taking upon him to reign in his stead Nadab a Prince or liberal Nahash 1 Sam. 11. Judg 11. cap. was King of the Ammonites And as his Predecessors afore time had made a claim to the Land of Israel so he now purposing the same went and besieged the City of Jabesh in Gilead And when the Men of Jabesh perceived themselves in great danger of their lives they desired the King to make a covenant with them and they would be his Servants Then said Nahash If ye will suffer me to thrust out all your right eyes to bring Israel to shame I shall be content to make peace with you Then said they Give us respite seven days and if none do come to help us in that space we will come out unto thee Then Nahash thinking that none durst come to aid them against him granted their request Upon the which they sent Messengers into all the Coasts of Israel which News was so heavy tidings to them that they fell a weeping And as they were mourning and lamenting their case it chanced Saul by the providence of God to come out of the Field following the Cattel And beholding the People what a do they made he demanded wherefore they mourned And when they had told him the tidings of the Men of Jabesh his heart was so moved by the spirit of God that he took out two of his Oxen and hewed them in pieces and sent them thorow all the Coasts of Israel saying whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and Samuel so shall his Oxen be served And the People were stricken in such a fear that they came out to Saul as they had been but one Man to the number of three hundred thousand of Israel beside thirty thousand of the Men of Judah And then Saul sent word by the Messengers to the Men of Jabesh that the next morrow they should have help They being glad of that sent word unto Nahash saying To morrow we will come forth unto you and ye shall do unto us whatsoever pleaseth you And so on the morrow Saul came upon the Ammonites and slew them Nahash a Snake or Serpent or guessing or divining Nahor when he was nine and twenty years of age Gen. 11.24 25. begot Terah And lived after he had begotten him an hundred and twenty years Nahor Hoarse or Angry Naomi was the Wife of a certain Man called Elimelech Ruth 1. cap. dwelling in the Land of Juda in a City called Bethlehem And because of the present Dearth which was over all the Land of Juda She went with her Husband and her two Sons into the Countrey of Moab to sojourn Where in process her Husband died And her two Sons being married to two of the Moabitish Damosels died there also So that Naomi which had dwelt in the Land of Moab ten years was left desolate both of her Husband and of her Sons Then Naomi hearing how the Lord had visited her Countrey again with plenty returned from Moab homewards again her two Daughters-in-law bringing her on the way And when she saw they had gone a good way with her and coveted not to return she said unto them Go now my Daughters and return each of you unto your Mothers House and the Lord deal as kindly with you as ye have dealt with the dead and with me And the Lord give you that ye may find rest either of you in the House of her Husband and so kissed them to have bid them farewel But when she saw that they would not depart from her she said unto them again Return my Daughters I pray you for what cause will ye go with me Are there any more children within my womb to be your husbands Turn again therefore I say for I am too old to have an Husband And if I did take one this Night and had already born Children would ye tarry for them till they were grown and refrain from taking Husbands so long Not so my Daughters it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me Then they wept all together and Orpha kissed her Mother-in-law and returned into her own Land again but Ruth abode still And so when they came to Bethlehem Juda which was about the beginning of Barley-harvest the Women which saw Naomi said Is not this Naomi Nay said she call me not Naomi which is as much to say as beautiful but call me Mara that is to say bitter for the Almighty God hath made me very bitter I went out full and the Lord hath brought me again empty why then call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the Almighty hath brought me unto adversity And so Naomi remained in Bethlehem Juda where ere it were long God gave her a Son by the Womb of Ruth her Daughter-in law who was married to Boaz a Kinsman of Naomi's which Child being born the Women said unto Naomi Blessed be the Lord the which hath not left thee without a Kinsman to have a name in Israel and that shall bring thy life again and cherish thine old age for thy Daughter-in-law which loveth thee hath born unto him and she is better unto thee than seven Sons And Naomi took the Child and laid it in her Lap and became Nurse unto it being glad that a Son was born unto her in her old days Naomi Fair or comely or provoking much Nathan 2 Sam. 7.4 c. the Prophet at what time King David was minded to build God an House to dwell in was sent of the Lord to forbid him to meddle with it for Solomon his Son should do it Again at what time David had committed Adultery with Uriah's Wife Nathan came to him and said 12. cap. There were two Men in one City the one Rich and the other Poor The rich man had exceeding many Sheep and Oxen but the poor had none at all save one little Sheep which he had bought and nourished up And it grew up with him and with his Children also and did eat of his own Meat and drank of his own Cup and slept in his bosome and was unto him as his Daughter Now there came a stranger unto the rich man who refused to take of his own Sheep and Oxen to dress for the stranger but took the poor Man's sheep and dressed it for the Man that was come to him Then David was exceeding wroth with the Man and said As surely as the Lord liveth he that hath done this thing shall surely dye He shall restore the Lamb four-fold because he did it without pity Then said the Prophet Thou art the Man Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I anointed thee King over Israel and delivered thee out of the hands of Saul and gave thee thy Lord's house and his Wives into thy bosome and gave thee the house
Dowry Finally 2 King 23.33 c. Pharaoh Nechoh in the days of Jehoahaz the Son of Josiah King of Juda came and deposed him making Eliakim his Brother King in his stead and taxed the Land in a hundred Talents of Silver and one of Gold and carried Jehoahaz away with him into Egypt Pharaoh Vengeance Phebe was a certain Woman Rom. 16.1 which served in the Congregation of Cenchrea by whom Paul sent his Epistle to the Romans wherein he saith in her praise and commendation on this wise I commend unto you Phebe our Sister which is a Servant of the Church of Cenchrea that ye receive her in the Lord as it becometh Saints And ye assist her in whatsoever business she needeth of your aid for she hath succoured many and me also Phygellus was one of them in Asia 2 Tim. 1.15 which had cleaved to Paul's doctrine and after ward forsook him Of whom Paul writeth to Timothy thus This thou knowest how that all they which are in Asia be turned from me of which sort are Phygellus and Hermogenes Philemon look Onesimus Philetus 2 Tim. 2.17 was a certain Man in S. Paul's time which erred from the truth saying that the resurrection was past already of whose errour Paul warneth Timothy saying on this wise Study to shew thy self approved unto God a Workman that needeth not to be ashamed distributing the word of truth justly as for profane and vain bablings pass thou over them for they will increase unto ungodliness and their words will fret as doth the disease of a Canker of whose number is Hymeneus and Philetus which as concerning the truth have erred saying the resurrection is past already and do destroy the faith of many Philip. 1 Mac. 6. To this Man Antiochus the King at the day of his death committed the governance of his young Son Antiochus with the whole Realm during his Nonage Which Philip afterward went into Persia with a great Host leaving the King's Son under the tuition of Lysias who in the absence of Philip made Antiochus King in his Fathers stead adding to his name Eupater Then Philip hearing of this whose intent was to be King himself returned with the King's Army out of Persia and came to Antioch where he got the dominion But Lysias hearing thereof made haste to Antioch where he fought with Philip and in fine got the City from him Philip John 1.43 a Man born in Bethsaida a City of Galilee was called to be an Apostle After whose calling he went to Nathanael and said we have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write Jesus the Son of Joseph of Nazareth and so brought him to Jesus 6.5 This is he whom Christ asked to prove him where he might buy so much Bread as would serve the Company to eat that came unto him who made answer that two hundred penyworth would not suffice them to have but every Man a little Also 12.21 when there were certain Greeks which came to Philip saying they were desirous to see Jesus Philip went and told Andrew And again Andrew and Philip told Jesus Furthermore when Jesus reasoned with his Disciples about his Father saying that they both knew him and had seen him Philip said Lord shew us the Father 14.8 Act. 8.5 c. and it sufficeth us Now after the death of Christ and persecution that was about Stephen Philip went to the City of Samaria where he preached Christ and did not only convert the whole City but also Simon Magus the Sorcerer who had of long time seduced the same City with his sorcery and witchcraft And when he had thus sown the Word of God among the Samaritans the Angel of the Lord spake unto Philip saying Arise and go toward the South unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto the City of Gaza which is in the Desert And as he was going he met in the way by God's providence a certain Man of Ethiopia a Chamberlain and of great Authority with Candace Queen of Ethiopia which had been at Jerusalem to worship And returning homeward sitting in his Chariot he read the Book of Esay the Prophet Then Philip being commanded by the Spirit of God to go and joyn himself unto the Chariot went And when he came near and heard him reading of Esay the Prophet he said unto the Chamberlain Understandest thou what thou readest How can I quoth he except I had a Guide wherefore I pray thee come up and sit with me The Tenor of the Scripture which he read was this He was led as a Sheep to be slain and like a Lamb dumb before his shearer so opened he not his mouth Because of his humbleness he was not esteemed But who shall declare his generation and his life is taken from the Earth When Philip had repeated this Text unto the Chamberlain he said unto Philip I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or of some other man Then began Philip at the same Scripture and preached unto him Jesus And as they went on their way they came by a certain Water And the Chamberlain said to Philip See here is Water what doth lett me to be baptised Philip said If thou believe with all thy heart thou mayst And he said I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God Then was the Chariot stayed till they both went down into the Water where Philip baptised him And assoon as they were both out of the Water the spirit of the Lord caught away Philip so that the Chamberlain saw him no more who went away rejoycing But the Angel set Philip down in the next City called Azotus who walked thorowout the Country preaching in all the Cities till he came to Caesarea Philip Act. 6.5.21.8 the Evangelist was one of the seven Deacons He dwelt in Caesarea and had four Daughters which did prophesie Phinehas Num. 25. cap. the Son of Eleazar was so jealous over the Laws of God that when the Children of Israel had committed whoredome with the Daughters of Moab and saw an Israelite named Zimri bring to his Brethren a Midianitish Wife named Gozbi even in the sight of Moses and all the multitude of Israel that stood before the Door of the Tabernacle lamenting their offence he took his Weapon in his hand and followed the Man into his Tent and thrust them both thorow the Bellies and killed them And then the Plague wherein were dead four and twenty thousand ceased For the which deed the Lord said to Moses Phinehas the Son of Eleazar hath turned away mine anger from the Children of Israel while he was jealous for my sake among them that I had not consumed them all in my jealousie Wherefore I give unto him my covenant of peace to him and to his seed after him even the Covenant of the Priests office for ever because he was jealous for his God's sake and made attonement for the Children of
he set two Crowns upon his Head the Crown of Egypt and Asia Then Alexander who at that time lay in the Countrey of Cilicia hearing of all that his Father-in-law had done returned home and made War against him But Ptolomy being the stronger chased him into the Countrey of Arabia where the King of that Land smote off his Head and sent it to Ptolomy which pleasure he did not long enjoy for within three days after Ptolomy dyed himself After whose death his Men of War which he had left in the Cities were all slain Ptolomy 1 Mac. 16. the Son of Abobus married with the Daughter of Symon Brother to Machabeus And being made Captain of the Host at Jericho he began thorow his great abundance of Gold and Silver to wax proud and high-minded imagining how he might destroy Symon his Father-in-law and his Sons and so to conquer the Land And being in this mind it chanced Symon as he was going thorow the Cities of Jewry and caring for them to come down to Jericho with Mattathias and Judas his Sons where this Ptolomy received him under the colour of great friendship into a strong Castle of his named Douch and in the same made him a great Banquet at the which he most traiterously slew Symon his Father-in-law with both his Sons This done he wrote to Antiochus to send him an Host of Men and he would deliver the Land of Jewry into his hand And further he sent certain Men to Gaza to kill John the third Son of Symon and wrote to the Captains to come unto him and he would reward them with Silver and Gold But John having knowledge of all the Treason slew the Messengers which came from Ptolomy and so disappointed him of all his purpose Ptolomie sirnamed Macron being made a Ruler 2 Mac. 10. purposed to do Justice unto the Jews for the wrongs that had been done unto them and went about to behave himself peaceably with them for the which he was accused of his friends to Eupator and was called oft-times Traytour because he had left Cyprus that Philometor had committed unto him and came to Antiochus Epiphanes Therefore seeing that he was no more in estimation he was discouraged and poisoned himself and dyed Publius Act. 28.7 8 c. was a certain Man dwelling in the Isle called Melitus and the chiefest Man in all the Isle who received Paul with all the rest that had escaped the Seas very gently and lodged them three days in his House whose Father which lay sick of an Ague and of a bloudy flux Paul healed Publius a Latine word Putiphar Gen. 39.1 c. was a great Lord in the Land of Egypt and Steward of King Pharaoh's house He bought Joseph of the Ishmaelites and found him a lucky Man And when he saw that God did prosper all things under his hand he made him Ruler and Governour of all that he had and God did bless his house for Joseph's sake But in the end thorow the false accusation of his Wife he cast Joseph in Prison R. RACHEL Gen. 30.22 c. 31.19 c. the youngest Daughter of Laban the Son of Nahor was a beautiful young Woman and Jacob's Wife She being long barren at the last brought forth a Son and called his Name Joseph And at her departing from Laban her Father with Jacob her Husband into the Land of Canaan she stole away her Fathers * Not to worship them but to withdraw her Father from Idolatry Images from him for the which he made no little ado with Jacob whom he followed and overtook at Mount Gilead And when her Father had searched Jacob's Tents and could not find his Idols he came into Rachel his Daughters Tent who had hid them in the Camels litter and sat upon them And as her Father was rifling about the place where she sat she said O my Lord be not angry that I cannot rise up before thee for the custome of Women is come upon me and so the thing was not known Finally Rachel in travailling of her second Son whom she called Ben-Oni the Son of my sorrow dyed and was buried in the way to Ephrath which is Bethlchem where Jacob caused a stone to be set upon her Grave which was called Rachels grave-stone Rachel a Sheep Raguel Tob. 6 7. was a certain Man dwelling at Rages a City of the Medes whose Sister was Wife to old Toby This Raguel had a Daughter called Sarah which had been married to seven Men one after another which Men were all slain the first Night of their marriage by the Devil dsmodius To this Sarah God had appointed young Toby which feared God to be her Husband and made his holy Angel Raphael to bring him to Rages and so to Raguel's house his Mother's Brother where they were joyfully received And when Raguel had looked upon young Toby and beheld him well he said unto his Wife how like is this young Man to my Sisters Son And then to know who they were he said whence be ye my good Brethren We be said they of the Tribe of Nephtali and of the captivity of Niniveh Know ye said he Tobias our Kinsman Yea said they we know him well and this young man said the Angel is his Son With that Raguel bowed himself and with weeping eyes took him about the Neck and kissed him and bad his Wife prepare in all hast for Dinner Nay said Toby I will neither eat nor drink here this day except thou grant me my Petition and promise to give me thy Daughter Sarah Then was Raguel fore astonied and began to fear lest it should happen unto him as it did to the other seven And while he stood in doubt what answer to make the Angel said Fear not to give him thy Daughter for unto this Man that feareth God belongeth she and to none other I doubt not said Raguel but God hath accepted my prayers and tears in his sight and I trust he hath caused you to come unto me for the same intent that this Daughter of mine might be married in her own Kindred according to the Law of Moses And now doubt thou not my Son but I will give her unto thee And with that he took the right hand of his Daughter and gave her into the right hand of Toby saying the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob be with you joyn you together and fulfil his blessing in you And when the Marriage all was ended Raguel brought his Daughter into her Chamber and said Be of good cheer my Daughter the Lord of Heaven give thee joy for the heaviness that thou hast suffered and so went to rest Then in the morning about the Cock-crowing Raguel supposing all things to have happened to Toby as it did to the other seven before called up his Men and went and made ready his Grave which being done he bad his Wife send one of her Maidens to
men in wisdom and understanding 4. cap. doth manifestly appear by the wise sentence he gave upon the living Child that the two Harlots strove for before him And also by his three thousand Parables and his thousand and fifty Songs wherein were declared such wise and grave sentences that all the world hearing thereof came to see his presence and to hear his wisdome which did so far exceed the wisdome of Ethan Heman Chalcal and Darda four of the notablest men then living in all the world that they fell a wondering and said that the great fame that was bruted of his wisdome and royalty before they came forth was nothing to be compared with that they had now both heard and seen And as he did exceed all men in wisdom so he did all other in riches For he had xii Officers which provided Victuals for his houshold every Moneth in a year And his ordinary expences every day was thirty quarters of Manchet flour and sixty quarters of Meal ten stalled Oxen and twenty out of the Pasture and an hundred Sheep beside Harts Bucks wild Goats Capons and Fowls He had forty thousand Horses and xii thousand Horsemen to keep them 10. cap. The weight of Gold that came every year out of Ophir to Solomon was six hundred three-score and six talents of Gold beside that which Merchants and other Men brought him Whereof he had so great abundance that he made the Furniture of the Lord's Temple all of clean Gold Yea there was not so much as a drinking-Pot in all his own House but it was of Gold And as for Silver he made it as plentiful as stones in the street 11.1 c. But notwithstanding all this his wisdom and riches which God had given him yet at the last he fell to loving of outlandish Women contrary to the Law of Moses whereof he took so many that he had seven hundred Queens and three hundred Concubines which turned his heart to strange gods and made him of a wise King a stark fool and great Idolater for the which his horrible offence he lost the favour of God And when he had reigned forty years he dyed and was buried in the City of David and his Son Rehoboam succeeded Solomon peaceable Nathan the Prophet called him Jedidiah beloved Shamgar Judg. 3. ult the Son of Anath delivered Israel from the Philistines and flew six hundred of them with an Oxe goade Samgar desolation of the stranger Samson Judg. 13.24 the Son of Manoah of the Tribe of Dan was born in the City of Zorah and became a mighty strong man Judg. 14. cap. On a time as he went to the City of Timnath and saw a Woman of the Philistines which liked him well he intreated his Parents to have her to his Wife Who not contented therewith reproved him saying Is there never a Wife among the Daughters of thine own People and Brethren but thou must take a Wife among the uncircumcised Philistines Well said Samson let me have her for she pleaseth me well Then his Parents not knowing it was the Lord's doing that he should seek an occasion against the Philistines went with their Son to Timnath to see the Woman And by the way going Samson unknown to his Parents slew a Lyon which came ramping upon him and so went forth with them and talked with the Woman And a few days after as he came again to receive his Wife he turned aside to see the Carkase of the Lyon and found in the Belly thereof a swarm of Bees and Hony whereof he took in his hand and went eating to his Father and Mother and gave them part of the Hony And when the Feast-day of his marriage was come he said to thirty young Men of his Guests I will put forth a Riddle unto you and if ye can declare it me within the seventh day of the Feast I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of Rayment and if ye cannot then shall you give me the like The Riddle is this Out of the eater came meat A Riddle and out of the strong came sweetness And when the seventh day was come and the Men had not yet found out the Riddle they perswaded Samson's Wife to get it out of her Husband and tell it them who never rested flattering of Samson and weeping before him till he had told her Then they being taught of her went to Samson before the Sun was down and said What is sweeter than hony and what is stronger than a Lyon Then said Samson If ye had not plowed with my Heifer ye had not found out my Riddle And so he went out to the City of Askelon one of the chiefest Cities of the Philistines and slew thirty men and gave the spoil of them to those that had expounded his Riddle and so got him home to his Father's house half displeased with his Wife After a while Judg. 15. cap. he went to visit his Wife with a Kid but when he came his Father in law had given her to another thinking that Samson had hated her and bad him take the younger which was fairer in her stead Then Samson having good occasion given him against the Philistines went out and caught three hundred Foxes and fastened tail to tail and put a Firebrand between the two tails which he set on fire and so sent them into the Philistines Corn and burnt it up with their Vineyards Olives and all The Philistines knowing that Samson had done it went and set fire on his Father-in-law's house and burnt both him and Samson's wife with all that ever they had And sent three thousand men of Juda who were then under the Philistines to Samson to bind him and to bring him to them And when by his sufferance they had bound him and brought him to the Philistines they gave a great shout when they saw him whereat Samson brake asunder his bands as though they had been but flax And took up a rotten Jawbone of an Ass and laid so about him that he slew a thousand Philistines ere he rested And being sore athirst God made water come out of a tooth in the Jawbone and so refreshed him After this Judg. 16. cap. he got him to the City of Gaza and lodged in a Womans house that sold victuals And when he perceived the Citizens to watch and to go about to kill him he got him up about midnight and went to the gates of the City which he rent off bars and all and laid them upon his shoulders carried them up to the top of an high hill before Hebron Finally through his inordinate affection to Dalilah his Wife he lost God's excellent gift and so was betrayed to the Philistines who took and put out his eyes and cast him in Prison where they made him to grinde like a slave And when the great day of the Philistines came that they should hold their Feast to their god Dagon they sent for
plague from the house of Abimelech so that the women conceived and brought forth children as before they had done The like story is of Isaac Chap. xxvi Abimelech The Kings Father or a Father of Counsel or the chief King Abimelech Judg. 9. the son of Jerubbaal otherwise Gedeon was a wicked Tyrant and a proud ambitious covetous man For when his Father was dead he to be King of Israel consulted with all his mothers kindred to perswade the people that it was better to have one man to reign over them than all the sons of Jerubbaal which were lxx persons in number And also to consider that he was of their flesh and bloud as well as the other were which matter being moved to the people they all consented to cleave to Abimelech and to make him their King and Governour And that he should be the better assured of their good wills and obedient hearts they gave unto him a great sum of money with the which he hired a sort of light brain'd fellows And first of all went to his fathers house and slew all his brethren save Jothan the youngest who escaped his bloudy hands and fled But by that he had raign'd two or three years the fire of hatred began so to kindle between him and the Sichemites with the house of Mello who had preferr'd him before to the Kingdom that at length it burst out into so great a flame that it could not be quenched till chance of war made an end of the Tyrant for in the end after divers victories he forced the Sichemites to take the strong Tower of Thebez for their refuge and coming nigh to the same to have set it on fire a certain woman threw down a piece of a Milstone upon his head and brake his Skull to the brain who then feeling himself sore wounded called his servant and bad him draw out his Sword and rid him out of his life that it should not hereafter be reported that a Woman had killed him and so his servant slew him Abinadab was a Man of Gibeah 2 Sam. 6. out of whose House David took the Ark of God and had it from thence to the house of Obed. Jesse the Father of David had also a Son called Abinadab 1 Sam. 16. and King Saul another of the same Name which was slain with him in Battel Abinadab A Father of a Vow or of a free mind or Prince Abishag was a goodly fair young Damosel 1 King 1. brought up in the City of Sunem And for her beauty and manners chosen to keep and nourish King David in his extreme age 1 King 2. After whose death being still a pure Maid She might not be suffer'd to marry with Adonijah the Kings Brother Abisag The Fathers ignorance Abishai was David's Sisters Son and Brother to Joab 1 Chron. 2. His Mothers name was Zarviah He consented not with Absalom 2 Sam. 16. but stuck to David his Unkle in all his troubles He was so grieved with the spiteful rebukes and railings of Shimei which he made against his Unkle David in his adversity that if David had not staid him he would have made Shimei shorter by the head than he was 2 Sam. 21. By his great strength and hardiness he rescued David out of the hands of a monstrous Gyant the Iron of whose Spear weighed three hundred Sicles and slew the Giant 2 Sam. 23. with three hundred Philistines more for the which he is counted as chief among the three Worthies belonging to David Abishai The Fathers Reward Abner the Son of Ner 1 Sam. 14. was Captain-General over the Host of King Saul by whose wisdome manhood and fidelity the House of Saul was chiefly held up and strengthned not only in the time of Saul's reign but so long also as he served Ishbosheth his Son â— Sam. 2. whom he set up and made King in his Fathers stead and governed his Host as he had done his Fathers before But in the first Battel he made against Joab David's Captain fortune went so much against him that he was put to the worse and fain to flie In the which flight Asahel Brother to Joab followed Abner and overtook him with whom Abner was loth to meddle for fear of Joabs displeasure and therefore intreated him gently to go his way not to force him against his will But when he saw his words would nothing prevail he fell upon Asahel and smote him thorow the short Ribs with his Spear and so departed leaving him dead on the ground Not long after this it fortuned the King to fall out with Abner 2. Sam. 3. and to taunt and check him for that he was so familiar with Rizpa his Fathers Concubine which check and taunt of the King so grieved Abner that he forsook him and went to David with whom he made a secret bond to stablish him in the Kingdom And so departing secretly from David again he came to the people which served Ishbosheth spake so much unto them in the praise and commendation of David that he wan their hearts and turned them quite from Isboseth to David And when he had thus framed the people somewhat according to his mind he came again to David to counsel farther with him how the People might now be brought together and be sworn unto him which matter being determined Abner returned from David thinking to have been as faithful to him as ever he was to Saul But Joab who bare grudge and malice to Abner for the death of his Brother Asahel hearing how Abner had been with David and let go again and nothing done unto him sent privily for Abner to come and speak with the King who being come Joab was ready to receive him and under pretence of friendship had him a little aside as though he would have talked with him about the secret affairs of the King and suddenly smote him with his Dagger and slew him Abner The Fathers Candle Abraham was the Son of Terah born in Ur Gen. 11. Abraham was the Son of Terah begotten of his second wife and because of his dignity is counted before Nahor and Aran born of the first Wife a Town in Chaldee A man so endued with faith and vertue that when he saw the true religion and honouring of God to cease in the Land of Chalda he departed from thence with Terah his Father Sara his Wife and Lot his Brothers Son to go into the Land of Canaan And * 12 cap. being come to Haran which is a Town of Mesopotamia he remained there until the death of his Father Terah Then God commanded Abraham saying Get thee out of thy Countrey and from thy Kindred and from thy Fathers House unto the Land which I will shew thee and I will make of thee a great Nation and will bless thee and make thy Name great and thou shalt be a blessing and I will bless them that bless thee and curse them
Son of Jotham King of Juda 2 King 16. at the age of twenty years began his reign in the xvi 2 Chron. 28. year of Pekah King of Israel and did not walk in the ways of his godly Father but gave himself to all kind of Idolatry and abominations of the Heathen consecrating his Children in the fire and offering Incense on every Hill and Mountain For the which his wickedness the Lord forsook him and delivered him into the hands and power of Razin King of Syria and Pekah King of Israel which two Kings on the one side with the Edomites and Philistines invading his Land and spoiling his Cities and Towns on the other side brought him very low And yet in all his adversity would he not once list up his heart to call upon God for his aid and help but contrary to the Prophets admonition sought for the succour of Man spoiling the Temple of God Esay 7. and sending the Treasure thereof to Thiglath Pileser King of Assyria to come and deliver him out of trouble by whose coming Ahaz was nothing the more strengthned but rather troubled and hindered Then Ahaz measuring God's favour by the prosperity of his Enemies not considering how God oftentimes doth punish those whom he loveth and giveth to his Enemies good success for a time turned his heart wholly to the Syrians Gods who as he thought had plagued him And to the intent he might serve them and worship them in all things according as the Heathen did to have their help also he took the pattern of an Altar at Damascus the which he sent to * There is no Prince so wicked but he shall find flatterers and false Ministers to serve his purpose Uria his Priest to make him the like against his coming home who being such a Minister as was content to serve the King's turn made it with all speed on the which Altar the King at his coming home offered to those Idols abolishing all the holy Laws and Ordinances of God to stablish his own wicked and ungodly proceedings which turned to his utter confusion He reigned Sixteen Years and was buried in the City of David but not among the Sepulchres of Kings leaving Hezekia his godly Son to enjoy his place Ahas Taking or Possessing Ahazia the Son of Achab 1 King 22. 2 King 1. began his Reign over Israel in the xvii year of Jehosaphat King of Juda and followed the steps of that wicked Idolater Achab his Father in all things for the which the Lord punished him two manner of ways First the Moabites rebelled against him refusing to pay any tribute Secondly as he walked upon his House for his recreation he fell down at a grate of the same which was made to give light beneath And being sore bruised with the fall and in peril of death he sent to * Beclzebub was an Idol which the Philistines that dwelt at Ekron worshipped and signifieth the God of flies Thinking that he could preserve them from biting of flies or else he was so called because flies were ingendred in great abandance of the blood of the sacrifices that were offered to that Idol This note I find in the Bible Beelzebub the God of Ekron to enquire of him whether he should recover or no. And as the Messengers were going Elia the Prophet by the providence of God met them and said Is there no God in Israel to ask counsel at but your Master must send to Beelzebub return and tell him he shall not live The Messengers returned and told the King Who perceiving by all the marks and tokens of the Man that it was the Prophet Elia sent forth a Captain with Fifty Souldiers to bring him with violence if otherwise he would not come And when the Captain came to the Prophet he said Thou man of God come away the King hath sent for thee If I be the man of God quoth the Prophet Fire come down from Heaven and consume thee and all thy men which words were no sooner gone out of his mouth but Fire fell down from Heaven and destroyed them all The King sent again and they were likewise destroyed Then went the third who fell down before the Prophet and said O thou man of God let my life I pray thee and the life of these thy fifty servants be precious in thy sight With this Man the Prophet went boldly to the King and told him plainly he should not recover and so he dyed in the second year of his reign and for lack of issue his Brother Jehoram succeeded Ahazia The apprehending or possessing of the Lord or the vision or seeing of him Ahasuerus Esther 1. cap. otherwise called Artaxarxes King of Persia reigned over an hundred and * Daniel chap. 6. maketh mention but of six score leaving out the number that is imperfect as the Scripture in divers places useth twenty seven Provinces This King in the third year of his reign made a Feast-royal in the City of Susan to all his Princes and Nobles which continued an hundred and fourscore days And these days expired he made another feast to all the People great and small for the space of seven days and in the seventh and last day of the Feast the King being merry and pleasantly disposed sent divers of his Chamberlains to fetch the Queen named Vashti and to bring Her to Him with the Crown-Imperial upon her head that the People might see her beauty But for so much as she would not come at the King's commandment it was decreed that the King should put her away and take another at his pleasure And according to the same decree the King was divorced from Vashti and took Esther in her place for whose sake he shewed great kindness to her Nation the Jews promoting Mardocheus which had preserved him from the danger ger of Treason and put down Haman whom he had above all exalted Ahasuerus a Prince or Head Ahimaaz 2 Sam. 17. the Son of Sadock with Jonathas the Son of Abiathar stood waiting without the City of Jerusalem at the Well called Regell to bear such news to David as they should hear from their Fathers being within with Absalom And when they were instructed of all things by a certain Maid sent from their Fathers what they should do and say unto David they departed with speed But being espyed by a certain young Man who went and told it to Absalom Messengers were sent forth in post hast which followed them so sore that they were constrained to slip into a certain Mans house in Bahurim which had a Well in his Yard into the which they were conveighed and being hid in the Well the Wife of the House spred a Coverlet over the Wells mouth and strowed Corn thereon whereby the Well was not seen Then Absalom's Men coming into the House demanded of the Woman where the two men were which came in before them They be gone said she over the Brook of Water The
chanced to dye and then the whole multitude received Amri for their King who began his reign in the xxxi year of the reign of Asa King of Juda and reigned most wickedly of all others before him xii years and dyed leaving his Son Achab to succeed him Amri a Band or handful a power or a bitter and rebellious people Anah the Son of Zibeon Gen. 36. as he sed and kept his Fathers Asses in the Wilderness was the first that found out the monstrous generation of Mules between the Asse and the Mare He had a Sister also called Anah whose daughter Aholibamah was Wife to Esau the Son of Isaac Anah Afflicting answering or singing Ananias was a certain Man Act. 5. who to be counted one of the Christian Religion sold his possession with his Wives consent and notwithstanding kept away part of the price thereof and brought the rest and laid it down at the Apostles seet whose dissembling hypocrisie being revealed unto Peter he said unto him Ananias how is it that Satan hath filled thine heart that thou shouldest lye unto the Holy Ghost and keep away part of the price of the possession Pertained it not unto thee only and after it was sold was it not in thine own power how is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lyed unto Men but unto God And when Ananias heard these words he fell down and dyed Ananias the Cloud of the Lord. Ananias Act. 9. the Disciple of Christ dwelling at Damascus had a Vision appeared unto him saying Ananias arise and go into the street which is called Streight and seek in the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth and hath seen a Vision a Man named Ananias coming unto him and putting his hands on him that he might receive his sight Then said Ananias Lord I have heard by many of this Man how much evil he hath done to thy Saints at Jerusalem and that he hath authority from the High-Priests to bind all that call upon thy name Well said he go thy ways for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my names sake Then Ananias went to Saul and laid his hands on him and said Brother Saul the Lord that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost And so by the hands of Ananias Saul received his sight again There was another Ananias Aâ— 23. who being High-Priest commanded Paul to be smitten on the mouth as he was answering for himself before the Council Andrew Matth. 4. John 6. a poor Fisherman was called with his Brother Peter to be an Apostle When Christ demanded of his Disciples Andrew suffered Martyrdom in the City of Achaia where they might buy Bread to satisfie the People that followed him Andrew made answer and said There is a little Boy here which hath five Barly Loaves and two Fishes but what is that among so many Andrew Manly Andronicus being a Man of authority and in great favour with Antiochus King of Syria was left in Jewry 2 Mac. 4â— and made Lieutenant over the Jews until the return of the King who was gone to pacifie a certain commotion made by the Tharsians and Mallacians And in the mean time being corrupted with bribes rewards of that ungracious man Menelaus to dispatch the good and godly man Onias whom he so hated out of the way he went to Onias who for his safeguard had taken the benefit of Sanctuary and with fair words perswaded him to come forth binding himself with an oath he should have no harm And when he saw that Onias suspected him he fell upon him incontinently without any regard of righteousness slew him Whose innocent death so offended the People that they made a grievous complaint of Andronicus to the King at his coming home who caused that wicked murderer to be stripped out of his purple cloaths and led most villanously thorow the City to the place where he had committed his ungracious act and to suffer a most shameful death Andronicus a Conquerer or Victorer Andronicus the faithful Disciple of Christ Rom. 16.7 to whom Paul sendeth commendations on this wise Salute Andronicus and Junia my Kinsmen and Fellow-prisoners with me which are of note among the Apostles and were in Christ before me Aner Mamre and Eschol were three Brethren Gen. 14.13 c. which when Lot was taken Prisoner among the Sodomites and carried away by Kedorlaomer and other Kings that took his part joyned themselves with Abraham in the rescuing of Lot his Brothers Son for the which their saithful assistance at that present Abraham dealt liberally with them in the parting of the spoil won at that Expedition Aner an Answer or a song of the Candle or light or that which troubleth or hurteth the Candle Anna 1 Sam. 1 cap. the Wife of Elkanab was long barren and without Child which barrenness her Companion and Mate Peninnah did daily cast in her teeth to her great reproach Wherefore Anna was so full of heaviness that God had made her such a railing stock that she could eat no meat And being thus tormented and troubled in her mind she gat her into the Temple making there her hearty prayers to God to give her a Man child And as she prayed it fortuned Eli the Priest as he sat in the Temple to mark her mouth and perceiving her lips to move and no voice heard thought she had been drunken saying Thou Woman how long wilt thou be drunken put away thy drunkenness from thee Nay my Lord quoth she I am a Woman troubled in spirit and have drunken neither Wine nor strong Drink but pour out my Soul before the Lord count not thine Handmaid to be a Daughter of Belial for out of the abundance of my heaviness and grief have I spoken hitherto and so desiring Eli to pray for her she departed chearfully home to her House and shortly after conceived by Elkanah her Husband and bare him a Son whose Name she called Samuel And when she had brought up the Child and weaned it she prepared a sacrifice and went to the Temple presenting both it and her Child to Eli the Priest putting him also in remembrance that she was the same Woman which stood before him of late and prayed unto God for that Child and that now according to her promise she was come to dedicate him unto the Lord. And so after praise and thanksgiving she departed leaving the Child with Eli to minister in the Temple of God And every year after would Anna make a little Coat for Samuel her Son and bring it up when she * Once a year they accustomed to appear before the Lord with their Family came with her Husband
to offer the Yearly Sacrifice And thus God took away her rebuke of barrenness and blessed her with children so that after Samuel she had three Sons more and two Daughters Anna Gracious or Merciful Anna Tobit 2. the Wife of old Toby her Husband being blind and in poverty took weaving work of Women and laboured sore for her living And when on a time she sent home the work to the owners one sent her a Kid more than her wages which she had earned And when Toby heard the Kid bleat he said to Anna From whence came that Kid Is it not stollen restore it to the owners again for it is not lawful to eat any thing of theft Then was Anna angry with Toby and rebuked him as one whose trust in God was all in vain After this 5. it fortuned old Toby to send young Toby his Son to the City of Rages to receive certain money which in his prosperity he had lent to one Gabelus Then Anna being full of heaviness for the departure of her Son burst out and said to Toby Oh what hast thou done why hast thou sent our Son away I would to God that money had never been required of us but that we had been content with our poverty and kept our Son at home What ailed us to send him into a strange Country which was the only staff of our age and comfort of our life and the hope of our generation Then said Toby leave thy weeping and be not discomforted for the Man that went with our Son is so faithful 10. that he will bring him to us again safe and sound Yet could not Anna with this be perswaded but would daily go out to the top of an Hill and sit there to spie his coming And when at the last she saw where he came a far of she ran home with great rejoycing and told her Husband And so waiting to receive her Son she wept for joy when she saw him Anna Luke 2. â—6 the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser was a Prophetess and had been married to an Husband seven years and after continued a Widow fourscore and four years serving God in the Temple with fasting and praying day and night And when Christ was brought into the Temple she cameforth at that present praising the Lord and prophesied of that Child to all them that looked for the redemption of Israel Anna the Wife of Raguel 〈…〉 was Mother to Sara the Wife of young Toby Annas John 18.13 had the first examination of Christ and sent him from him to Caiaphas his Son-in-law who was High-Priest for that Year Annas Afflicting or bringing low Antiochus 1 Mac. 1. c. 6. c. 8. the great being King of Syria and of such puissance and strength that he thought himself invincible was at last overcome of the Romans and fain to relinquish to them all his interest in Europe and Asia and to leave his Son Antiochus in Hostage and so departed being contented with those Countries that were left him 2 Mac. 1. till at last of a covetous mind he went to Perside the chief City of Paersia thinking there to have robbed the Temple and to have had great treasure therein And as he himself with a few more was in the Temple about his business the Priests at a privy door came in upon him and cut him all to pieces and cast him out to be devoured of the Birds and Fowls of the Ayr. Antiochus For all agon or Chariot Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 1. the Son of Antiochus the great being stablished in his Kingdom warred against Ptolomy King of Egypt until he had brought his Land in subjection And having so good success there he went against Israel and at last took and spoiled the City of Jerusalem and robbed the Sanctuary of all the precious Jewels and treasure therein subverted all the holy Laws of God compelling the Jews to worship Idols and to do as the Heathen did in all things he burned the Books of the Law and whosoever had a Book of the Testament or were found to be a favourer thereof did suffer death 2 Mac. 9. Thus this ungracious and wicked subverter of all true religion and godliness persecuted the true People of God and so long persisted in his great tyranny that God at last smote him with an incurable Disease in his Body which was so eaten with Worms and Vermine that they fell quick out of his flesh whereof ensued so great a stink that neither he himself nor none that were about him might abide the smell And so this wicked Tormentor of others was justly recompenced with a miserable end Antiochus Eupator the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 6. being but young and under the governance of Lysias went into Jewry with a great Army to subdue the Jews who so manfully resisted Antiochus that he was fain considering the decrease of his People and the strength of the place besieged to offer them peace and to grant them liberty to live according to their own Laws whose Covenants being received the Jews came out of the Castle of Sion to give place to Antiochus who notwithstanding his oath when he saw the defence therof commanded the Walls round about to be cast down and destroyed and from thence departed to Antioch where he fought with Philip which was come out of Persia and wan the City out of his hands And lying there 1 Mac. 7. Demetrius the Son of Seleuchus came to Antioch and took Antiochus and Lysias and put them both to death Antiochus the Son of Alexander being but a child 1 Mac. 11. was first under the governance of Emascuel the Arabian and removed from him to the tuition of one Triphon 1 Mac. 13.3 of whom he was most traiterously murthered Antiochus 1 Mac. 15. the Son of Demetrius for as much as Triphon had been his Fathers utter enemy made a covenant of friendship with Simon the High-priest and Prince of the Jews that he might the better overcome Triphon whom he persecuted and drove to the City of Dora lying by the Sea side which City he besieged with an hundred twenty thousand Foot-men and viii thousand Horsemen And lying there Simon sent him two thousand chosen Men with Silver and Gold and much furniture to help him Who notwithstanding his bond of love he had made with Simon before refused now his friendship and sell at defiance with him and all the Jews and was ever after that their continual enemy Antipas Apoc. 2.13 was a faithful Martyr of Christ Antipas For all or against all Antipater 1 Mac. 12. c. 14. the Son of Jason first by Jonathas and after by Simon was sent Ambassador to Rome to renew the old friendship between the Jews and Romans Antipater For the Father or against the Father Apame 3 Esd 4. was Daughter to that famous King Bartacus and Concubine to a certain great King who was of
Antioch to Preach and to stablish them in the Faith of Christ From thence he departed to Tarsus to seek Saul and brought him to Antioch where they two continued together one year And because of a great dearth which was prophesied to be thorow out all the World the Antiochians made a Collection for the poor Brethren in Jewry which they sent by the hands of Barnabas and Paul at whose return to Antioch again they brought a Disciple with them called John Mark. 13.5 After this by the mind of the Holy Ghost they were sent to preach among the Heathen where by the power of God they did wonders and turned many to Christ And being taken at Lystra for Gods 14.11 c. because God working in them they had made a Lame man to go they rent their cloaths and would not suffer themselves to be called by that Name Finally 15.37 c. when Barnabas and Paul had been long Companions together and Workers in the Lord's Vineyard they chanced to fall at variance about one John Mark who had been their Minister before And because Barnabas would now in this Journey going to visit their Brethren again have had him with them and Paul refused him because he forsook them at Pamphilia the dissention was so sharp that the one brake from the other And so Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed into Cyprus his own Native-Country Barnabas the Son of Consolation Barabbas was a notable Robber Matth. 27.16 Matth. 15.7 Luk 23.18 19. John 18. ult which for a certain Insurrection he had made and in the same committed Murther was cast in Prison It was a custome among the Jews to have a Prisoner delivered unto them at the Feast of Easter wherefore when Pilate sat in Judgment upon Jesus he asked of the Jews whether they would have Barabbas or Jesus and they by the counsel of the High Priests said Barabbas And so was the Thief and Murtherer delivered and the Innocent put to death Barabbas the Son of Confusion Barsabas Act. 1.29 sirnamed Justus was one of the two Disciples appointed to be chosen in the room of Judas the Apostle And when the lots were cast the lot fell on Matthias his fellow Barsabas the Son of Returning or of Converting Bartholomew Matth. 10.3 Mar. 3.18 Luk. 6.14 was one of the twelve Apostles Bartholomew the Son of him that suspendeth waters * The other Evangelists mention two but Mark nameth him that was most known Bartimeus Mar. 10.46 the Son of Timeus was a certain blind begger which sate begging by the high-way side of the people as they went by And when he heard Jesus of Nazareth pass that way he began to cry and say Jesus the Son of David have mercy upon me and the People spoke to him to hold his peace but the more he was rebuked the more he cryed Then being called and comforted of the Apostles he threw away his Cloak for joy and came to Jesus who demanded of him what he would have him to do Master said he that I may have my sight and see Go thy way said Jesus thy faith hath saved thee and by and by this blind Bartimeus received his sight and followed Jesus Bartimeus a Blind son or the son of blindness Baruch Jer. 36. cap. the Son of Neriah wrote in a Book at the mouth of Jeremy the Prophet as he did indite all the curses against Juda and Israel which Book he read first to the Common-people and after to the Rulers who being astonied at the words thereof caused Baruch to hide himself out of the way till they had shewed the Book unto Jehojakim the King who when he had heard three or four Leaves thereof caused the Book to be cut in pieces notwithstanding the great intreaty that * The godly among the Princes gave this counsel certain of his Lords made for the preservation of the same and cast it in the fire and burnt it Then Baruch wrote another Book at the mouth of Jeremy wherein was much more added than was before Baruch Blessed Bathuel Gen. 22.23.28.2 was the Son of Nahor his Mothers name was Milca the Daughter of Aran Brother to Nahor and Abraham This Bathuel was Father to Rebecca and Laban Bathuel the Son begetting of God the Measure of God Bela the Son of Beor reigned in Edom Gen. 36.33 1 Chron. 1.44 after whose death Jobab the Son of Serah succeeded him Bela Swallowing down or destroying Bela the Son of Benjamin whose Sons were Num. 26.40 Ard and Naaman and in the first Book of Chronicles 7. these are said to be the Sons of Bela Ozban Ozi Oziel Jerimoth and Iri And in the 8. Chapter these Adar Gera Abiud Belemus Mithridates Tabelius Rathumus Beeltethmus 3 Esd 2. and Semellius the Secretary with other more wrote a sore complaint to Artaxerxes King of Persia against the Jews which were a building of the Temple at Jerusalem through the which they were commanded to cease and to build no more Read Artaxerxes and Rathumus Benhadad the Son of Tabrimon King of Syria 1 King 15.18 c. made a covenant with Baasha King of Israel which for lucre sake he brake at the request of Asa King of Juda and turned his Host against the Cities of Israel to the great displeasure of Baasha This Benhadad was a mighty Prince and glorying much in his own power sent messengers to Achab King of Israel commanding him to send his Silver Gold Wives Children and all that he had unto him or else he would come and destroy him which thing being denyed him he came against Achab with xxxii Kings in his company and besieged him in Samaria And while he trusted too much in his great strength and multitude and was banquetting with the Kings that came with him in their Pavilions without any regard of the small power of the Israelites the Host of Samaria issued suddenly out of the City and came so couragiously against the Syrians that they put them all to flight and slew a great number of them Then the Syrians which were escaped said to Benhadad The Gods of the Hills be their Gods and therefore have they now gotten the better of us But let us sight once more with them in the Plain and thou shalt see us have the better of them Then Benhadad gathered his Host together so many as filled the whole Country and Israel pitched before them like two little Flocks of Kids and so stood the two Hosts one against the other vii days and in the seventh day they joyned Battel in the which an hundred thousand of the Syrians were slain and the rest fled to the City of Aphek where they began to make a Wall without the City for their defence which building fell upon them and killed xxvii thousand more whereof the King was in such a fear that he fled from Chamber to Chamber to find out a secret place to hide himself in to whom
Maid His Brother's name of Father and Mother was Nephtali Jacob before his death prophesied of him saying Dan shall judge his People Gen. 49.16 c. as one of the Tribes of Israel Dan shall be a Serpent by the way and an Adder by the path biting the Horse heels so that his Rider shall fall backward O Lord Num. 1.38 39. I have waited for thy salvation The generation of the Danites grew to such a number that the portion which Joshua gave them was not sufficient for all their Tribe wherefore they went out to seek them an inheritance to dwell in And coming to the quiet City of Laish which mistrusted nothing they fell upon it killed the People Joshua 19 47. Judg. 18. cap. and burnt the City And in the place thereof they built themselves another City and called it Dan. And set up the Idols therein which they had taken from Micah and worshipped them and so continued in their Idolatry till the Ark of God was taken 1 Sam. 4. Dan Judging or judgment Daniel was an holy Prophet of the Tribe of Juda Dan. 1. cap. who being a comely stripling without blemish and of good erudition was among others of the children of Israel brought to Babylon and there found at the Kings charges to learning and to profit in the Chaldee Tongue and for the better nourishing and bringing up of these young striplings he appointed to them for three years space a portion of his own meat every day and of his own Wine which he drank to the intent that by their good treatment and learning of his religion they might rather favour him than the Jews and to be able to serve him as Governours in their Land But Daniel being determined in his heart that he would not defile himself with the King's meat and drink desired his Keeper that he and his three companions to wit Ananias Misael and Azarias might not defile themselves but that he would give them nothing else but Pulse to eat and Water to drink which thing he was afraid to do lest when the King should call them before him they might seem in worse liking than the rest of their fellows and so he to be in danger of his life Well said Daniel prove thy servants for ten days Then the Keeper whose heart God had moved to favour Daniel proved them ten days and when he saw them fatter in flesh and in better liking than the other he took away their portion of meat and served them daily with Pulse and Water And to these God gave great knowledge and understanding in all learning and wisdome But to Daniel only he gave the gift of Prophesying and opening of Visions and Dreams Now when the time was expired that all the children whom the King had so long nourished should be brought before him he found Daniel and his three associates in matters of wisdome and understanding that he required of them ten times better than all the learned men of his Realm so that the King had Daniel in great estimation After this Daniel expounded the King's Dreams and shewed him the true interpretation and meaning thereof which none of the Chaldeans could do for the which the King rewarded him with great Gifts and made him Governour over the whole Province of Babylon wherewith the other Princes and Rulers were sore offended and sought occasion against him concerning the Kingdom but Daniel was so faithful and upright in all the King's matters that they confessed and said We shall find no occasion against this Daniel except it be concerning the Law of his God Therefore let us perswade the King to make a Decree that whosoever shall ask a Petition of any God or Man for thirty days save only of the King the same may be cast into the Den of Lyons And when the King had consented to this wicked Decree and sealed the Writing Daniel that all Men might see that he would neither consent in heart nor deed for these few days to any thing that was contrary to God's glory went home to his House and set open the Window of his Chamber toward Jerusalem and fell down upon his Knees to give thanks and praise unto God as his custome was three times a day to do And thus making his prayers and supplication to his God his Adversaries came upon him and found him whereupon they went to the King and said Hast thou not sealed a Decree that whosoever shall make request to any God or Man within thirty days save to thee O King shall be cast into the Den of Lions True it is quoth the King and it cannot be broken Then said they This Daniel one of thy Prisoners of Juda regardeth neither thee nor thy statute but maketh his Petition thrice a day unto his God When the King heard this he was sore displeased in himself and sought by all means to have excused Daniel and when he saw no intreaty would serve nor any way be found to alter the Law he suffered Daniel to be cast down to the Lions which were seven in number and were kept fasting that day from their ordinary diet to the intent they should have devoured Daniel But God had so stopped the mouths and fury of the Lyons that they did him no harm and lest he should perish there for hunger God sent his Prophet Abakuck with Meat and Drink to feed him and also moved the King's heart to take such care for Daniel that the seventh day after he went to the Den to see if he were alive or dead and finding him not perished but whole and sound he rejoyced greatly and caused Daniel to be taken out and his Accusers with their Wives and Children cast down among the fierce greedy Lyons who tore them all in pieces before they came at the ground Thus being delivered he afterward prophesied of the coming of Christ and of the Empire of Babylon Media Persia Grecia and the Romans Read more of him in the story of Bel and Susanna Daniel Judgment of God Darda 1 King 4.31 the Son of Mahol was one of the four which came of the off-spring of the children of Chore and so far exceeded all other in wisdome and Learning that Solomon was compared unto them Darda The house of knowledge or the generation of knowledge Darius 1 Esd 6. cap. Dan 5. 30 3. in taking of * He is called also Ahasucrus Eâ—â—â—er 1. and was as some thâ—nk the Son of Hystâ—p is called also Artaxerxes Babylon slew King Balthasar and possessed his Kingdom In the second year of his reign he granted the same licence unto the Jews to build again the City of Jerusalem and the House of God that King Cyrus had granted to them in the first year of his reign And for so much as the work had been much hindered from the first year of Cyrus unto the second year of this King Darius he gave a strict commandment that whosoever did from henceforth
was content to be at peace with him and to make all Jewry free Which being done all the Land was in such quietness that Demetrius sent away his Host all save a few strangers whereat the Host was displeased Then Tryphon who had been aforetime of Alexander's party perceiving Demetrius Host to murmur against him moved Antiochus the Son of Alexander to War against Demetrius who being now in great fear of the Men of Antioch with whom he had somewhat to do sent to Jonathas to have his aid who sent him three thousand of such picked Men that delivered Demetrius out of danger and slew an hundred thousand of the Antiochians so that the rest were fain to cast down their Weapons and to yield them to Demetrius who notwithstanding the great fidelity of Jonathas and the benefit he had done him after he was at rest again did not reward him accordingly but most deceitfully dissembled and withdrew himself from Jonathas and vexed him and the Jews very sore After this came Tryphon with all the Host which Demetrius had put away and fought against Demetrius and put him to flight and made him fain at the last to go into Media to seek aid and help where Arsaces King of the Land took him 1 Mac. 14. and kept him in ward as a Prisoner during his life Demetrius Ad. 19.24 c. This Man was a Silversmith by his occupation dwelling at Ephesus which made silver Shrines and Tabernacles for Diana the Goddess And forasmuch as Paul by the space of two years had preached there against Images made with Man's hand saying that they were no Gods He lest his profit should decay called together all such as had advantage by making Images of Diana and all Craftsmen of the same occupation who he knew would favour his cause and began to say unto them on this wise Masters ye know that by this Craft we have our living moreover ye see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost thorowout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much People saying That they be no Gods which are made with hands So that not only this our Craft cometh into peril and to be set at naught But also that the Temple of the great Goddess Diana should be despised and her magnificence destroyed which all Asia and the World worshippeth With this seditious Oration made by Demetrius the People were in such a fury that they cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians and with that rushed into the common Hall with one assent where they missing of Paul caught two of his companions in the which rage some cryed one thing and some another and were so far out of order that the most part knew not the cause of their concourse together so that with great difficulty the matter was pacified Read the story of Alexander the Jew born in the same place Demetrius This was a faithful Christian 3 John 12. v. having for a testimony thereof a good report as well of Paul himself as of all other to be an earnest favourer of the Gospel of Christ Denis or Dionysius was a certain Senator Act. 17. ult whom Paul converted at the City of Athens and instituted him Bishop thereof In Fasciculus temporum it is written that this Denis was martyred in France whereby it may evidently be gathered that the Gospel of Christ our Saviour was preached in France in the Apostles time or very near thereto Diana Act. 19.28 was a Goddess whom the Ephesians most superstitiously worshipped Diana Latinum est Read Demetrius the Silversmith and Alexander the Jew Diotrephes 3 John 9 vers was so wicked a Man and so malicious an enemy unto the Christian Brethren that he could not speak well of them nor yet abide to hear other give them good report he would neither receive them himself nor suffer those that would but thrust them out of the Church Diotrephes Nourished of Jupiter Dives Luk. 16.19 c. the rich and covetous Glutton so much delighted and gloried in his great abundance of Treasure fine and costly apparel sumptuous and delicious fare each day that his whole felicity and pleasure was only in pampering up of himself having no compassion were his misery never so great on the poor and needy as it did appear by Lazarus the Begger lying at his gates and looking for some relief of the scraps that fell from his board But when this glutton was dead and his body with pomp brought to his Grave and his Soul also in the torments of Hell He then lifting up his eyes and beholding Abraham a great way off and the Begger with him in joy cryed out to Abraham requesting him that Lazarus might now come down and dip the tip of his finger in water to slake the great heat of his Tongue for I am saith he most grievously tormented in this ardent flame But to this and his other most vain and fantastical request he made for his Brethren to have them admonished by one that came from the dead Abraham made answer and said That for so much as he had consumed and spent away the time of his life voluptuously in the pleasures and delights of the World and would at no time repent he therefore was now most justly condemned to suffer perpetual pain in the fire of Hell Dives Rich. Doeg an Edomite born was King Saul's Servant and the Master of them that kept his Cattel 1 Sam. 21 7.22.9-19 When David came to Ahimelech the Priest of Nob and had received the Shew-bread with the Sword of Goliah This Doeg was * Bv Doeg saith Saint Ausin is signified Anrichrist which with false sigâ—â— and seigned Miracles shall move all the World before the coming of the Lord to Judgment And as Doeg wrought wickedness for the pleasing of King Saul by whom is signified the Devil So shall Antichrist move and stir the World unto sin for the pleasing of the Devil and advancing of his name there present the same day tarrying to worship before the Lord and saw and heard all things that were done between them And when he was returned home and had waited his time when he might best pleasure the King he accused Ahimelech of all that he had done unto David And when the King had judged that good and godly Man to dye this Doeg at the King's commandment all other refusing that wicked deed fell upon Ahimelech with his Sword and slew both him and all the Priests of the Lord to the number of 85. Doeg Careful or vehemently moved Dorcas was ‖ a certain godly Woman and a Disciple of Christ dwelling at Joppa who in her life time had been vertuously occupied and specially in the works of mercy relieving the poor and needy And while Peter was preaching and doing his office at Lydda which was not far from Joppa it was her chance to fall sick and dye And when her friends had done with washing the dead Corpse
arise and eat telling him that he had yet a great Journey to go then he arose and did eat again and with the strength of that Meat Elijah fasteth forty days and forty nights he walked Forty Days and Forty Nights till he came to Horeb the Mount of God and hiding himself in a Cave all Night the Voice of the Lord came to him and asked him what he did there I have said he been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts For the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant broken down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the Sword and I only am left and they seek my life to take it away Then the Lord commanded him to come out of the Cave and sent him to anoint Hazael King over Syria And Jehu King of Israel and Eliseus in his room Read more of this Prophet in the stories of these three aforesaid in Achab Ahazia and Obadiah and Eliseus Elijah God the Lord. Eliakim was the High Priest among the Jews Judith 4. cap. at what time Holofernes went about to subdue them who sent Letters all about to the Jews to take in the Mountains and to stop all the ways and passages to Jerusalem that their enemies the Assyrians might have no recourse thither That done he exhorted the People to earnest prayer and fasting assuring them that the Lord would hear their Petitions if they continued stedfast in the same and give them such power to overthrow the Assyrians as he gave to Moses the servant of God which overthrew the Amalekites trusting in their own strength not with weapon but with holy prayer Eliakim The Resurrection of God or Gods affirmation or the God of resurrection or the God of strength Elimelech was an Ephraimite born Ruih 1.1 2 c. dwelling in the City of Bethleem Juda in whose days there fell such a dearth in the Land of Juda that he with his Wife and two Sons the one Mahlon the other Chilion went into the Land of Moab where in process he and his two Sons died Elimelech My God the King or the counsel of God Eliphaz was the Son of Esau Gen. 36.4 and his Mothers name was Ada. Eliphaz the sight of God or his intent or endeavour Eliphaz the Temanite Job 2.11 was one of those that came to Job in his extream afflictions to comfort him Job 4. And yet notwithstanding he blamed Job for impatience injustice Job 15. and for the presumption of his own righteousness Also he reproved him Job 22. because he challenged wisdome and pureness to himself Affirming also that he was punished for his sins and accused him of unmercifulness and that he denied God's providence and therefore exhorteth him to repentance But the Lord was angry with Eliphaz Job 43.7 and with his other Companions because they had condemned Job by the outward afflictions and not comforted him with his mercy and therefore commanded them to take seven Oxen and seven Rams and to go and offer a burnt-offering for their offence and his servant Job should pray for them And they did as the Lord had commanded them Elisa 1 Chron. 1.7 was the Son of Javan his Brethren were Tharshish Kittim and Dodanim Elisa it is God or the Lamb of God or God that doth good Eliseus 2 King 19.19 was the Son of Shaphat And being at the Plough with Twelve Yoke of Oxen before him Elijah coming by him cast his Mantle over him and went his ways Then Eliseus being inspired with the Holy-Ghost left his Plough and ran after Elijah desiring him that he might first go home and take his leave of his friends and then he would come and follow him which thing being done he returned and ministred to Elijah and went with him to Bethel 2. King 2. and from thence to Jericho where the Children of the Prophets came to Eliseus and said Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy Master from thine Head this day Yes quoth he I know it well hold ye your peace and be still And so forth from Jericho they went to Jordan where Elijah smote the Waters with his Mantle which divided themselves so that they two went over on dry Land The Waters divided And when they were on the other side of Jordan Elijah said to Eliseus Ask what I shall do for thee ere I be taken away from thee I pray thee quoth Eliseus let thy spirit be double upon me Thou hast asked quoth he an hard thing Yet if thou see me when I am taken from thee thou shalt have it so if not it shall not be And as they were walking and talking together Elijah is taken up in the fiery Chariot Elijah was taken up in a Whirlwind of Fire and in a Chariot of fiery Horses which sight Eliseus saw and cryed My Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen thereof and saw him no more Then Eliseus rent his own Cloak in two pieces and took up Elijah's Mantle which he had let fall from him and returned to the bank of Jordan and smote the Waters saying Where is the Lord God of Elijah and he himself and at the second smiting the Waters divided so that he went over on dry Land to the other side again Then the Children of the Prophets perceiving the Spirit of Elijah to be upon Eliseus came and fell down before him saying We doubt lest the Spirit of the Lord hath taken thy Master and cast him upon some Mountain therefore let us send forth our Men to go and seek him But Eliseus knowing assuredly that he was taken unto God willed them not to do so yet they not therewithall satisfied intreated him so much till he was ashamed and so let them go And when they had sought three days and three nights and could not find him they returned to Eliseus who said unto them Did not I say ye should not find him Now as the Prophet lay at Jericho the Men of the City came unto him saying Sir the situation of this City as thou seest is pleasant The Waters are healed but the Water is so evil and the ground so barren that it killeth the Inhabitants thereof Then said Eliseus bring me a Cruise and put Salt therein And when they had brought him the Cruise he took it and went unto the Spring of the Waters and cast the Salt therein saying Thus saith the Lord I have healed this Water death shall no more come thereof neither barrenness to the ground After he had thus healed the Water at Jericho 2 King 3. cap. and was departed thence to go to Bethel there came little Children out of the City who in mockery said unto him Come up thou bald head The Children for mocking the Prophet are devoured with Bears come up thou bald head The Prophet then turned back and beheld the Children and perceiving their malicious hearts he cursed them in the Name of the Lord which
Curse was no sooner pronounced out of the Prophets mouth but two Bears came out of the Forest and ran upon the Children and tore in pieces 42. of them And so went he forth to Mount Carmel and from thence to the City of Samaria It came to pass that when Jehoram the King of Israel and Jehosaphat King of Juda with the King of Edom in their progress toward the King of Moab lacked Water for them and their People they went by the counsel of Jehosaphat King of Juda to Eliseus the Prophet beseeching him to make Intercession for them that they might have Water to sustain their Host which else were in jeopardy of perishing And when the Prophet saw the Kings he said to the King of Israel What have I to do with thee Get thee to the Prophets of Achab thy Father and to the prophets of Jezahel thy Mother as truly as the Lord of Hosts liveth in whose sight I stand if it were not that I regard the presence of Jehosaphat King of Juda I would not have looked toward thee nor seen thee But now bring me a * This was no such Minstrel as uses to fill the Peoples eares with Songs of ribauldry but one that sang Songs to God's glory and so stirred up the Prophets heart to prophesie Minstrel and when the Minstrel plaid the hand of the Lord came upon Eliseus that he began to prophesie of Water and of the overthrow of the Moabites which came to pass on the next morrow as the Prophet had said for the Moabites being deceived by the Sun 's shining upon the Water that fell which made it seem as red as bloud thinking it had been the Bloud of the Kings Host that had slain one another but when they came they found the Host of Israel ready who fell upon the Moabites and destroyed and put them to flight every one Eliseus God's salvation or a God which saveth There was a certain Woman 2 King 4.1 2 c. late Wife to one of the Prophets which came and complained to Eliseus that her Husband had left her so far in debt that her Creditors were come to fetch her two Sons away to be their Bondmen What hast thou in thy house said the Prophet Nothing quoth she but a little Pot of Oyl The Widow lest in debt Well said he go thy way home and borrow of thy Neighbours as many empty Vessels as thou canst get and pour out the Oyl of the Pot into the empty Vessels until thou hast â—illed them all And when the Woman had done all as the Prophet had commanded her she came back again and told him how mightily her Oyl was encreased Now go said the Prophet and sell so much of the Oyl as will pay thy Creditors and then live thou and thy Children of the rest There was a certain Woman of great estimation in the City of Shunem 2 King 4.8 9 c. who hearing tell that Eliseus was come to the City invited him home to her house and made him great chear And whensoever after that he came into that quarter which he haunted much he would ever take that Gentlewoman's house in his way Then she seeing that said unto her Husband I perceive that this is an holy Man that cometh so oft by our place let us make him a little Chamber with all things necessary for the same that when he cometh this way he may lodge there and be quiet therein And when the new Chamber was made and finished the Prophet at his next coming was brought into the same there to take his rest He then considering the great provision the Woman had made and how careful she had been for him said unto Gehazi his Man Go and ask of her what she will have me to do for her whether it be to speak unto the King or to the Captain of the Host or any thing else and I will do it The servant went and brought him word again Eliseus obtaineth a Son for the Sbunamite that she had no Child and her Husband was old Well said the Prophet she shall have a Son which in process she had indeed And when the Child was a few Years grown up it had a desire to go and see its Father and the Reapers in the Field and being there in the heat of the day it fell suddenly sick The Sbunamite's Son restored from death to life and was carried home to his Mother and dyed But for the Woman's sake the Prophet restored her Son to life again On a time Eliseus commanded his Cook to make a great Pot of Pottage for the Children of the Prophets which boarded with him 2 King 4.38 and as one went out for Herbs he gathered unawares his Lap full of wild Gourds and came and shred them into the Pot of Pottage He maketh the Pottage sweet And when the Children of the Prophets had tasted a little of the Pottage they fearing lest they had been poisoned cryed out saying O thou Man of God there is death in the Pot. Then the Prophet called for Meal and threw it into the Pot and all was well and no more harm in the Pot. A certain Man the dearth being great in the Land came from Baal Shalisa 2 King 4.42 and brought to Eliseus twenty Barley-loaves of the first fruits of his new Corn the which he commanded his Man to give to the People to satisfie their hunger The Loaves are multiplied How shall I said he set this before so many will it satisfie an hundred persons Well said Eliseus set it before them for thus faith the Lord they shall eat and there shall remain And so the Loaves were set before the People and they did eat and left over according to the Word of the Lord. Eliseus had so many of the Prophets children with him at Board and Bed 2 King 6.1 c. that his House was too little for them all wherefore they said to him that they would go to Jordan and build them a bigger House to dwell in desiring him to go with them And as a certain Man was felling down a Tree to serve for the building the Axe head slipt off the Helve and fell into the Water Then the Man cried to Eliseus and said Alas Master help me to have it again for it was lent me Where fell it in said the Prophet and when the Man had told him Eliseus cut down a piece of Wood Iron swimeth and cast it into the Water and immediately the Iron did swim And then the Man stretched forth his hand and took it up He prophesied unto the Shunamite whose Son he had raised from death of a great dearth which should come and continue upon the Land seven years 2 King 8.1 c. giving her counsel therefore to go and sojourn in some other plentiful Countrey till these years were expired whose counsel she followed and went with all her Houshold into the Philistines
he preferred * God preferreth that many times which Man despiseth and despiseth that which man alloweth Ephraim the younger before Manasses the elder yet putting Joseph their Father in comfort that Manasses should be great but Ephraim should be greater Of the Genealogy of Ephraim read 1 Chron. 7. Ephraim Fruitful or encreasing Ephron the Son of Zoar dwelt among the Hethites Gen. 23. cap. having a piece of Land which Abraham had a mind to buy to bury Sarah his Wife therein And when the matter was broken to Ephron by Abraham to sell his Ground for so much Money as it was worth Ephron willingly offered to give it him freely to bury his dead and to do withal what he would But notwithstanding Abraham forced him so much to know the price thereof that Ephron said My Lord the Land is worth four hundred * The common Sicle is about the value of twenty pence Sicles but what is that between thee and me take it freely I beseech thee and bury thy dead at thy pleasure And so he received of Abraham for his Land the Summ aforesaid Ephron Dust or low on the ground Er the Eldest Son of Judah the Son of Jacob Gen. 38.7 was married to a Woman called Thamar and for his great wickedness the Lord slew him Er VVatchful and making bare or pouring forth Erastus was the Chamberlain Act. 19.22 Rom. 16.23 2 Tim. 4.20 or Receiver of the City of Corinth and one of Paul's Ministers whom he sent from Ephesus into Macedonia with one Timotheus intending himself to follow after to gather Mens alms for the relieving of such as were needy and poor at Jerusalem Erastus Amiable Esay Esay 1.1.42.1.45 53. cap. the Son of * Amos the Father of Esay was Brother to Azariah King of Judab and Esay was Father-in-law to Manasses who put him to death Amos was an holy Prophet of the Tribe of Judah in whom was such abundance of the spirit of Prophecie that he prophesied so much of Christ that he seemed rather to be an Evangelist than a Prophet He was of such holiness that in the time of King Ezechias when a City was besieged he by his Prayer obtained of God that Water sprang up in little quantity so that the People did not perish for lack of Water and when the Enemies had won the City and besieged Seloum as often as the Jews came for Water the Water ran out of the Earth abundantly and they took Water But the strangers when they came could not find it This holy Man for his liberty of speech in rebuking of the sin of the Princes and the People and for the prophesying of the vengeance of God upon that Countrey and People was cut in two pieces with a Saw and buried under an Oke but asterward he was translated and buried by the Sepulchre of Kings He was before the coming of Christ 800. years Eliote Esay the health of the Lord. Esau Gen. 25.25 was the eldest Son of Isaac born with his Brother Jacob at one birth of their Mother Rebekah Jacob was smooth of body Of Esau came the Edomites Esau was called Edom that is red because he fold his birth-right for a mess of red Pottage and Esau rough and hairy who became a great hunter wherefore his Father loved him the better because now and then he did eat of his Venison On a time coming from hunting he was so weary and faint for hunger that he was almost dead And seeing his brother Jacob to have sod a Pot of Pottage he prayed him to give him a few thereof to eat Sell me now thy Birthright quoth he and I will Then Esau esteeming mere his Belly than the benefit of his Birth-right sold it to Jacob for a Mess of Pottage And when he had filled his Belly well he went his way and passed forth 26.34 till he came about the Age of Forty Years And then he took him two Wives the one Judith the Daughter of Beri and the other Bashemath the Daughter of Elon both which Women were disobedient to their Father and Mother-in-law 27. cap. After this his Father being old and blind for age he went out to kill some Venison for his Father that he might eat thereof and bless him before he died But when he had dressed it and brought it for his Father to eat Jacob had prevented Esau and gotten his blessing from him for the which he hated Jacob and threatned to kill him wherefore Jacob was sent away into Mesopotamia partly to avoid the malice of Esau 28.1 2 c. and partly to get him a Wife there because his Father would not have him marry with the Canaanites Then Esau perceiving that the Daughters of Canaan displeased Isaac he to please his Father took to Wife the Daughter of Ishmael Abraham's Son And so these two Brethren being thus separated the one from the other in process became both very rich And in the end when by the providence of God they met together again God had so altered and changed the mind of Esau that he most lovingly embraced his Brother Jacob ministring to him such kindness as though he had never born him any displeasure at all And so in fine departed as loving friends Jacob toward Succoth and Esau to Mount Seir his own possession Esau VVorking Eshcol was Brother to Mamre and Aner Gen. 14.13.24 which three were Abraham's confederates and his partakers in the rescuing of Lot his Brother out of the hands of Kedorlaomer Eshcol a Cluster Esdras the Son of Saraia 1 Esd 7.8 cap. was a notable Scribe in the Law of Moses and long in captivity at Babylon but at last by the licence of Artaxerxes he came from Babylon to Jerusalem again with the Jewes to repair the Law and City of God and to teach the People the right way of the Lord. He gathered and brought in order all the Books of the Laws of God which were by the Chaldees scattered and destroyed 9 and 10 cap. This Man's living was so upright and holy and so esteemed among the People that when they had offended the Lord in contracting themselves with the Gentiles at his godly preaching and counsel they repented and put away their strange Wives and turned to the Lord again Esdras an Helper Esther Esther 2 cap. the Daughter of Abian a Jew born was a goodly young Damosel and after the death of her Father and Mother nourished and brought up in the house of Mardocheus her Fathers Uncle During which time Vashti for her disobedience to Ahasuerus the King was deposed from her Princely state And then to have another placed in her room certain fair young Damosels and Virgins among which Esther was one were taken up by Commission and brought to the Court and there found at the King's charges for the space of xii Moneths with all manner of sumptuous Deckings to the end the King might choose one of them
had judged them forty years he dyed leaving behind him 70. Sons for he had many Wives beside Abimelech which his Concubine bare unto him in the City of Sichem But when Gedeon was dead the Israelites turned from God again and went a whoring after Baalim and made Baal-berith their God forgetting the Lord their God which had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies neither shewed they mercy on the house of Jerubbaal according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto them But contrariwise like men unthankful and void of all faithfulness consented to the utter destruction of all his Posterity Gedeon a Breaker or destroyer Gehazi waited upon Eliseus the Prophet and was his servant 2 King 5. cap. On a time there came to his Master out of the Land of Syria a certain Prince named Naaman to be cured of his Leprosie The which Prince being restored to health offered to Eliseus a great reward which he refused And when Gehazi saw the Noble man gone and that his Master had received nothing he then being stricken with covetousness followed after Naaman And when the Prince saw the Prophets servant come running so fast after him he for the reverence he bare to his Master descended from his Chariot to meet him and asked of him if all were well with his Master or no. Yea said Gehazi all is well But even now there is come to my Master from Mount Ephraim two young Men of the Sons of the Prophets wherefore he hath sent me to desire thee to let him have one Talent of Silver and two change of Garments Then the Prince of his liberality gave him two Talents and made his Men to carry the Money and Stuff after Gehazi And when the Men had brought it nigh unto the place where he would have it he took it of their hands and let them depart and conveighed it privily into his own Chamber And as soon as Gehazi came into the presence of his Master he demanded where he had been No where quoth he No said Eliseus went not my heart with thee when the man turned again from his Chariot to meet thee Is it now a time to receive Money or Garments Well forasmuch as thou hast offended in this the Leprosie of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and to thy Seed for ever And so he went out from his Master a Leper as white as snow Read more of Gehazi in the Stories of Eliseus his Master Gehazi Vally of vision Gershon the Son of Moses had a Brother called Eliezar Exod. 2.22 18.2 Their Mothers name was Zipporah the Daughter of Raguel But of Gershon the Son of Levi came the Gershonites Exod. 6.17 Num. 3.17 26.57 who had the governance of the habitation within the tabernacle Gershon his banishment or the strangers change Gibeonites Joshua 9. The Gibeonites hearing of the great destruction that Joshua had made at Jericho and Ai were in such fear that they wist not how to save their lives but by this policy When they perceived Joshua to draw nigh unto Gibeon they chose out certain Men among them to send as Ambassadours to Joshua and made their provision of dry and mouldy Bread And put their Wine into old Bottles all rent and torn and shod themselves with old clouted shooes and put on their backs old garments and so sent them forth to Joshua to obtain peace And when Joshua looked upon them and beheld their simple state he asked what they were and from whence they came They answered from a far Countrey are thy Servants come because of the name of the Lord thy God for we have heard of his fame and power and what he did in the Land of Egypt and in all other places till now And long have we travailed to come hither as ye may see for this our food the day we came forth was hot our bottles shooes and garments all new and now are they old and torn and our Bread dry and mouldy wherefore we shall desire your favour and peace Then Joshua believing it had been so swore unto the Gibeonites and made a covenant of peace with them and let them go Within three days after it fortuned the Israelites to come to the City of Gibeon thinking to have destroyed it But when they saw that they were the People which a little before had obtained peace at their hands they would not slay them because of their oath but went to Joshua and told him Then Joshua sent for them demanded wherefore they had so deceived him They answered it was told us that God commanded Moses to give you this Land and to slay all the Inhabitants thereof and therefore were we sorced to make this provision for our lives And now we be in your hands to do with us as shall please you Well said Joshua for our oath sake ye shall have your lives But for as much as ye have so craftily deceived us the Lord hath determined that ye shall be in bondage under Israel all the days of your lives and be Hewers of Wood and Water-drawers for the Congregation and House of God continually And so the Israelites took their Cities but saved their lives After this Joshua 10.5 6 c. the Kings of the Amorites hearing how the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel came upon them and besieged Gibeon which was the greatest City in all the Kingdom of the Amorites whereupon the Gibeonites were constrained to send to Joshua for his aid who came from Gilgal and with a great power rescued them and took the Kings of the Amorites which were five in number and hanged them on five several Trees and destroyed all their People and Countries 2 Sam. 1 2 c. Thus the Gibeonites continued in Bondage under the Israelites with their lives until the time of King Saul who then for a zeal he had to the Children of Israel and Juda slew a great number of them which deed God punished in the days of King David at what time he sent a Famine upon the Land which continued for the space of three years for when David enquired at the Lord the cause of that Plague answer was made him by God that it was for Saul and his bloody house who had killed the Gibeonites which Gibeonites were none of the Seed of Israel but a remnant of the Amorites with whom the Children of Israel had made a bond of peace Then David asking the Gibeonites what he should do for them and wherewith he should recompence them they said we will neither have Silver nor Gold of Saul nor of his House nor that any Man of Israel be killed for our sakes but the Man that hath consumed us and imagined to bring us to naught him will we destroy Therefore let his seven Sons be delivered unto us that we may hang them up before the Lord. Then David caused the two Sons of Rizpah Saul's Concubine and the five Sons of * Here is Michol
2 Mac. 10. chap. 12. a certain Captain named Dositheus had almost taken him if rescue had not been thorow the which he escaped and fled into Moresa and was never seen more Read the story of Dositheus Gorgias Terrible H. HADAD 1 King 1 1â— 14 c. being but a little Boy born in the Land of Edom and sprung of the King of Edoms seed what time as David went about to destroy all the Men Children in Edom fled with certain Edomites of his Fathers servants into the Land of Aegypt Where in process he gat such favour with Pharaoh King of the Land that he gave him great possessions and married him to the Queens Sister who bare unto him a Son called Genubath which Child was brought up in King Pharaoh's House among his Children But when tidings was brought to Hadad of the death of David and Joab he went to the King and besought him to let him depart into his own Countrey again Why said the King what hast thou lacked here with me that thou wouldest now so fain return home again Nothing said Hadad but that I have a mind to see my Countrey and therefore I pray thee let me go And so he departed out of Egypt from Pharaoh for * The Lord had reserved this Idolater to punish and scourge his People for their sins the Lord had stirred him up to be an adversary to Solomon who had turned his heart from the Lord his God and served strange gods And so Hadad reigned over Syria and abhorred Israel sore and vexed them so long as Solomon reigned Hadad Joy Hadarezer 1 Sam 8.3 c. 10.16 the Son of Reob King of Zoba had long War with Thoi King of Hamoth And at the last as he went to recover the Borders by the River Pherar David met with him and took 1700 Horsmen of his Host and twenty thousand Footmen and cut off the hoofs of all his Chariot-Horses saving an hundred which he reserved to himself And took away his shields of Gold and brought them to Jerusalem And took out of his Cities exceeding much Brass whereof Solomon afterward made all the Brasen Vessels in the Temple of the Lord. Again when this Hadarezer with all the Kings that served him went to rescue Hanon King of the Ammonites against David he lost 700. Chariots and 4000. Footmen and his Captain-General slain Then the Kings which served Hadarezer being so discomfited made peace with David and served him and never would help the Ammonitâ—s more Hadarezer Beautiful help Ham Gen. 9.18 was the second Son of Noe. Who on a time seeing his Father lye unseemly discovered in his Tent laughed him to scorn And in derision and contempt of his Father brought Sem and Japhet his two Brethren to see the uncomely sight But they moved with shamefastness and honesty covered their Fathers secrets and would not look upon them And when Noe was awaked out of sleep and perceived what Ham had done He would not curse him whom the Lord had blest but said to * Of this Canaan came the Canaanites that wicked Nation who were also cursed of God Canaan his Son which had also as some suppose derided his Grandfather Noe Cursed be Canaan a servant of servants shall he be unto his Brethren Ham Indignation or Heat Haman was the Son of Amada Esther 3. cap. and served Ahasuerus King of Persia who so highly promoted him that every Man bowed the Knee to Haman and did as much honour unto him in a manner as they did to the King himself And being thus exalted above all other Princes about the King and honoured of all men there was notwithstanding a certain Jew born named Mardocheus which would neither bow nor bend unto him as others did which being marked of Haman he took so great indignation against Mardocheus that he sought his utter destruction and purchased a licence of the King for ten thousand talents of Silver to have him and all the Jews destroyed in one day But while the Writings were a making and Posts sent into all Quarters for the Jews dispatch Mardocheus gat knowledge of all Haman's wicked intents and purposes and found the means to have the same uttered unto Queen Esther Who then to save Mardocheus and all the Jews did hazard her self to go to the King and found the means to bring him and Haman to a Banquet which she had prepared Now was Haman so proud and joyful of the Queens favour that he went home to his House and called all his friends together making great boast to them of his glory riches and authority But chiefly what special favour Queen Esther bare unto him above all Men insomuch she had invited no Man to her Banquet with the King save only him And to morrow quoth he I must be there again But yet all this doth not satisfie me so long as I see Mardocheus the Jew sitting at the King's Gate Then said Zares his Wife Let there be a pair of Gallows made of 50. Cubits high and speak to morrow unto the King that Mardocheus may be hanged thereon And so Haman following his Wives counsel caused the Gallows to be prepared and on the morrow gat him to the Court and standing there waited when the King would call for him that he might speak to dispatch Mardocheus The King who the night before had looked the Chronicles and found out the fidelity of Mardocheus sent for Haman and said What shall be done to the Man whom the King would honour Then Haman thinking the King had gone about to honour none but him said Let the Man whom the King intendeth to bring to honour be arrayed in such Royal Apparel as the King useth to wear and set upon the King's Horse with the Crown Imperial upon his Head and command one of the King's Princes to carry him about the streets of the City with a proclamation before him saying Thus shall it be done to the Man whom the King pleaseth to bring to honour Then said the King take the Rayment and the Horse and go thou to Mardbeheus the Jew which sitteth at my Gate and fail not to do unto him all that thou hast faid Then went Haman about the King's commandment and performed all things according to his mind which being done he gat him home with an heavy heart to his Wife and friends declaring unto them what things had happened unto him Then said they If Mardochens be of the seed of the Jews before whom thou hast begun to fall thou shalt not prevail against him but shalt surely fall before him And while they were thus talking a Messenger came for Haman to go with the King to the Banquet at the end of which Banquet Esther opened all the wickedness of Haman before the King who took the matter so grievously that he rose from the Board and went into the Garden in a great anger Then Haman perceiving a mischief towards him went and fell down at the Beds-feet
thine own Person For so shall we come upon him in one place or other where we shall find him and fall upon him as thick as the dew falleth upon the ground and of all the Men that are with him we shall not leave him one Moreover if he be gotten into a Town then shall all the Men of Israel bring Ropes to that Town or City and we will draw it into the River until there be not one stone sound there This Counsel of Hushai pleased Absalom and the People better than Achitophel's which was even the Lord's determination to destroy the good counsel of Achitophel that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom And so when Hushai had done according to David's request he caused Sadoc and Abiathar the Priests to send David word of all that was done whereby he escaped Hushai Sense or making hast or holding his peace I. JABES 1 Chron 4.9 was so named * This was Othonicl Caleb's Brother as Lyra reporteth of his Mother because she bare him in sorrow He being more honorable than the rest of his Brethren made a conditional Vow unto God saying ‖ Jacob made the like vow Read his story If thou wilt bless me indeed and inlarge my Coasts and if thine hand be with me and thou wilt cause me to be delivered from evil that I be not hurt Thus far goeth his request which was granted Jabes Sorrow Iabyn was the King of Canaan Judg. 4.2 whose Captain of War was Sisera Twenty Years he troubled Israel very sore But at the last he was overcome of the Israelites and brought to nought There was another King called Jabyn also whom Joshua slew and destroyed his City called * Which City being burnt of Joshua was afterward built again of the Canaanites Hazor as ye shall read in Joshua Chap. 11. Jabyn Understanding Iacob was the youngest Son of Isaac Gen. 25.26.27 cap. and Brother to Esau whose Birth right he bought for a Mess of Pottage and afterward by the counsel of Rebekah his Mother got away his blessing And then to avoid his Brothers displeasure Gen. 28. cap. he was sent into Mesopotamia to Laban his Mother Brother to get him a Wife And chancing to come to a place where he was benighted he took a stone and laid it under his Head and fell asleep And in his Dream he saw a * Christ is the Ladder whereby God and man are joyned together and by whom the Angels minister unto us all graces by him are given unto us and we by him ascend into Heaven Ladder stand upon the Earth reaching up to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it and God himself standing upon the Ladder said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac the Land which thou sleepest upon will I give to thee and thy seed and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth thou shalt spread abroad to the West to the East to the North and to the South And thorow thee and in thy seed shall all the Kinreds of the earth be blessed Behold I am with thee and will be thy keeper in all places where thou goest and will bring thee again into this Land neither will I leave thee until I have made good all that I have promised Then Jacob awaking out of sleep said Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware Oh how fearful is this place it is none other but the house of God and the gate of heaven Then Jacob gat him up early in the Morning and took the stone which he slept upon and set it up as a Pillar to be a remembrance of that Vision and poured oyl upon it and called the place Bethel which before was called Luz And before his departing he vowed saying If God will be with me and keep me in this Journey which I go and will give me Bread to eat and Cloaths to cover me so that I come again to my Fathers house in safety then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up for a Pillar shall be God's house and of all that thou givest me 29. cap. will I give the tenth unto thee And so Jacob going on his Journey came into the East Countrey where in beholding the Land he saw certain Herdmen lying with their Flocks of Sheep beside a Well at the which they commonly used to water their Sheep to whom he went demanded whence they were They said of Haran Do ye not know quoth he one Laban the Son of Nahor Yea said they we know him well He is in health And behold yonder cometh his Daughter Rachel to water her Father's sheep who was no sooner come but Jacob went to the Well and rolled away the stone from the Wells mouth and watered all her sheep Which done he kissed the Damosel and wept for joy And when the Maid had knowledge what he was she ran to her Father and told him who being joyful thereof went to the Man and brought him into his house Now when Jacob had opened the cause of his coming to Laban it was agreed that Jacob should serve Laban seven years for Rachel his Daughter But when the day of Marriage came Leah the elder was * The cause why Jacob was deceived was that in old time the Wife was covered with a Vail when she was brought to her Husband in sign of chastity and shamefastness Gen. 30 25 c. put in her stead for so much as it was not the custome that the younger should be first married as Laban alledged Then Jacob tarried seven days and took Rachel upon condition that he would serve other seven years for her which being fulfilled he desired Laban that he might depart with his Wives and Children into his own Country again Nay tarry said Laban for I perceive that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake appoint thy wages and I will give it thee Thou knowest quoth Jacob what service I have done thee and in what taking thy Cattel hath been under me for the little that thou hadst before my coming is now increased to a Multitude But when shall I make provision for mine own House also Well what shall I give thee said Laban Then Jacob having knowledge aforehand by the Angel of the Lord what his wages should be said Thou shalt give me nothing at all if thou wilt do this thing for me I will go again and feed thy sheep and keep them and will separate all the sheep of thy Flock one from another and so many as be black speckled or of party colour let that be my wages and whatsoever I take of the rest unspotted let that be counted theft with me Content quoth Laban Then went Jacob and took out all the Males and Females of the Sheep and Goats that were black spotted or of party colour and put them in the keeping of his Sons which lay
Israel that he stirred up a Man one Jephtah who by the power of God saved them Jair Lightened Iames the Son of Zebedee and Brother to John Matth. 4.21 Mark 3.17 He was put to death by Agrippa who was also called Herod Act. 12.2 Cooper was a poor Fisherman and being in the Ship with his Father mending of his Net Jesus came by and called him who immediately left his Ship his Father and all and went after Jesus and was one of his Apostles and received with his Brother the Name of Boanerges which is to say The Sons of Thunder James a Tripper or Deceiver An heel the sole of the foot a foot-step Iames the less Matth. 16.3 He suffered martyrdom in the vi year of Nero. was the Son of Alpheus and Mary Sister to Mary the Lord's Mother And being Bishop of Jerusalem he wrote to the Jews that were scattered abroad after the Persecution and death of Stephen Instructing them with sundry Precepts how to order their Lives Iannes 2 Tim. 3.8 Exod. 7.11 and Jambres were two false Soreerers of Egypt who in the time of Moses with their enchantments went about to put those miraculous wonders out of credence that Moses by the power of God did And even as they withstood Moses so do the Adversaries of the Gospel at this day and ever will resist the truth under a certain false pretence of godliness Iapheth Gen. 9. The Nations that came of his children Of Gomer came the Italians Of Magog the Scythians and of them the Turks Of Madai the Medes Of Javan the Greeks Of Tubal the Spaniards Of Mosoch the Moscovites and of Tiras the Thracians Lanquet was the youngest of Noah's three-Sons who being informed of his Fathers unseemly lying asleep in his Tent took a Garment and bare it between him and Shem on their shoulders and coming toward their Father ashamed to look on his nakedness turned their Faces backward and so covered their Father's privities For the which deed Noah having knowledge thereof blessed them saying to Japheth on this wise God shall enlarge Japheth and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem and Canaan shall be their servant Japheth perswading or enticing Iairus was * Mark 5.22 one of the Rulers of the Synagogue among the Jews whose Daughter of the Age of twelve years lay sick and at the point of death And hearing of the fame of Jesus he went and fell down at his feet beseeching him that he would come home to his house lay his hand upon his Daughter that by the touching thereof she might be safe and live â— Luk 8 41. And while there was an occasion given whereby to strengthen the unperfect faith of the Ruler and that by the ensample of a Woman diseased with an issue of blood xii years there came certain Messengers from the Ruler's-House which said unto Him that his Daughter was dead wherefore it should not need to trouble the Master any further Then Jesus perceiving the Ruler to be as a Man in despair said unto him Be not afraid for although thy Daughter be dead indeed only believe and thy Daughter shall live And so Jesus went home to the Ruler's house and raised up his Daughter from death to life Jairus Lightning or being lightned Iared Gen. 5.15 c. was the Son of Mahalaleel who lived an hundred sixty and two years and then begat Henoch and lived after that eight hundred years and begat Sons and Daughters And when he had lived in all nine hundred sixty and two years he dyed Jared Commanding or descending Iason was a wicked Man and so desirous of honour 2 Mac. 4 cap. that he wrought his own Brother Onias out of the High Priest's office promising Antiochus the King to give him for the same three hundred and three-score Talents of Silver and of another rent four-score And also if the King would license him to set up a place for exercise and a place for the youth and to name them of Jerusalem Antiochians he promised an hundred and fifty Talents And when these things were granted to Jason and that he had got the superiority he began immediately to draw his Kinsmen to the customes of the Heathen abolishing the Laws and Priviledges of the Jews he brought in new statutes contrary to the Law of God So that thorow the exceeding wickedness of this ungodly man Jason the People had a great desire to follow the manners of the Gentiles The Priests also had no delight in serving the Lord but in casting the stone and such wanton sports Now after three years when Jason should pay the King his money which he had promised for his Brother's office he sent it by one whom he most trusted called Menelaus who gat the office from Jason as appeareth more plainly in his story Then Jason being thus deceived by Menelaus was fain to flie into the Land of the Ammonites remaining there till he might spy a time to be revenged And when he heard the rumour that went abroad of Antiochus death he gat him a Band of Men to the number of a Thousand or more and came suddenly upon the City killing and slaying his own Citizens without mercy regarding neither Kin nor Friend But nevertheless when he could not speed of his purpose he fled into the Land of the Ammonites again Where in the end it came to this point that he was accused to Areta King of the Arabians and so abhorred of all Men that he was pursued from City to City and driven into Egypt And going from thence to the Lacedemonians thinking by reason of Kinred to have had some succour of them he was not regarded but suffered to perish in a strange Land no Man mourning for him nor putting him into his Grave Jason He that maketh whole a Physician Jecksan look Jocsan Iehoahaz 2 King 23.31 c. the Son of Josias was xxiii years old when he began to reign over Juda and had not reigned three Moneths before Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt came and put him down and set up his Brother in his stead And put the Land to a tribute of an hundred Talents of Silver and one of Gold and carried Jehoahaz away into Egypt where he dyed Jehoahaz The possession of the Lord. Iehojakim 2 King 23.36.24.1 c. the Son of Josias was xxv years of age when he began to reign over Juda and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. His name was changed from Eliakim to Jehojakim by Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt which came and deposed his Brother Jehoahaz and made him King in his stead and taxed the Land This King dyed in the way as they led him Prisoner into Babylon Read Jeremy 22.18 as before is said in Jehoahaz For the payment of which money Jehojakim taxed the Land and levied of every Man according to his ability and paid the money to Pharaoh After this came Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon and
besieged Jerusalem to whom Jehojakim yielded and served Nabuchodonosor three years and then rebelled against him into whose hand the Lord delivered him so that the King of Babylon took him and bound him in two Chains and carried him and all the Vessels of the Lord's house into Babylon This King reigned xi years Jehojakim the Rising or avenging of the Lord. * He is called also Jechonias Matth. 1.11 Iehojachin was the Son of Jehojakim 2 King 24.6 c. who at the age of xviii years began to reign over Juda and did evil in the sight of the Lord as his Fathers before him He had not reigned three moneths ere that the King of Babylon came and deposed him making Mattaniah his Fathers Brother King in his stead changing his Name from Mattaniah to Zedekiah and carried Jehojachin away into Babylon where he remained in Prison xxxviii years after even until the coming of Evilmerodach King of Babylon after Nabuchodonosor his Father who had such a mind to Jehojachin that he delivered him out of Prison and exalted him above all the Princes in Babylon and fed him at his own Table all the days of his life Jehojachin the Resurrection of the Lord. Iehoahaz the Son of Jehu 2 King 13.1 2 c. began his Reign over Israel in the xxiii year of the Reign of Joash the Son of Ahaziah King of Juda and walked so wickedly in the sins of Jeroboam by worshipping the Calves which he had erected that God delivered him into the hands of Hazael and his Son Benhadad Kings of Syria which destroyed the People of Israel and vexed them so sore that they made the Israelites like threshed dust yet nevertheless when Jehoahaz humbled himself and besought the Lord he heard him and had such pity and compassion on the misery of Israel that he delivered him out of the Syrians subjection which had brought him so low that they had left him but fifty Horsemen ten Chariots and ten thousand Footmen He reigned xvii years and then dyed and was buried in Samaria leaving behind him his Son Joash to Reign in his stead Jehoahaz Apprehending possessing or seeing Iehojada 2 King 11. was the High-Priest in the days of Ahaziah King of Juda whose Daughter he married named Jehosheba He preserved Joash the youngest Son of Ahaziah his Father-in-law six Years in the Lord's House and in the seventh Year he brought him forth and proclaimed him King And being his Governour and Protectour trained him up in all godliness and vertue 2 Chron. 24. So that so long as Jehojada lived the King walked in all the ways of the Lord from the which he swerved after the death of this good Priest Jehojada Who lived 130. Years and for his faithfulness towards God and his People was most honourably buried in the City of David among the Kings Jehojada the Knowledge of the Lord. Iehosheba 2 King 11.2 2 Chron. 22. was the Daughter of Ahaziah King of Juda and Wife to Jehojada the High-Priest of the Jews And when Athalia her Grandmother went about to destroy the King's seed she stole away Joash her youngest Brother from among the King's Sons and hid both him and his Nurse in her own Chamber with her Husbands consent the space of six years and so preserved him that he perished not with the rest of her Brethren Jehosheba the fulness of the Lord. Iehu 2 King 9. the Son of Nimshi was anointed King over Israel by Eliseus the Prophet for to destroy the House of Ahab his Master And being commanded to go about it with speed he began first with Joram which lay at Jezreel to be healed of his wounds which the Syrians had given him And as Jehu was coming thitherward the Watchman espying a company coming toward the City told the King who then sent out an Horseman to meet them and to know whether they came peaceably or no. And when the Messenger came to Jehu he said The King would know whether it be Peace or no What hast thou to do with Peace quoth Jehu turn thee behind me and so the Messenger turned behind Jehu and went back no more and likewise the second Then the Watchman told the King that he thought by the driving of the Chariot it should be Jehu that was coming for he driveth quoth he furiously The King hearing that made him ready to War and took Ahaziah King of Juda with him and went toward Jehu and met him in the portion of Naboth saying Is it peace Jehu or no There was a Prophet also called Jehu the Son of Hanam which prophesied of the destruction of Baasha King of Israel and his Posterity Read 1 King 16.1 c. 10. cap. What peace should it be quoth he so long as the whoredomes of thy Mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so great and so in the Battel Jehu shot Joram to the heart with an arrow and killed him And fell upon Ahaziah and slew him also And so proceeding forth to Jezreel he came thither and found Jezebel looking out at a Window And as he demanded of the company about her who was on his side and would for his sake cast her down two or three of her Chamberlains threw her out at the Window and brake her Neck notwithstanding because she was a King's Daughter he caused her to be buried Then he sent his Letters to Samaria commanding those which had the governance of Ahab's seventy Sons to kill them all and to bring their heads on the next morrow to Jezreel And when they for fear had fulfilled his commandment and brought their heads to him Jehu fell upon the Murtherers and slew them also And in the way to Samaria he slew the Brethren of Abaziah even forty and two which were going to visit Ahab's Sons Finally he trained all the Priests of Baal into the Temple of Baal and there slew them every one converted the Temple to a Jakes house And now when Jehu had left neither Priest Kinsman nor any that favoured Ahab alive the Lord for his well doing made him this promise that his seed should sit on the seat of Israel until the fourth Generation But notwithstanding that Jehu had thus severely punished the Vice of Idolatry in Ahab's Posterity yet he himself committed the same in worshipping the Golden Calves and caused Israel to sin as others before him had done He reigned xxviii years Jehu He himself or that which iâ— Iephtah Judg. 11. cap. was the Son of Gilead base born whose Brethren which were legitimate thrust him out of their company and so hated him that they would not suffer him to remain among them wherefore Jephtah departed and fled into the Land of Tob where resorted unto him all naughty and light persons Now in the mean time that Jephtah was thus a stranger from his Brethren the Ammonites made sore War against the Israelites so that they were in great jeopardy and fear to be overcome of them Then the Elders of
7.24 c. For John prophesied Christ to be come pointing him with his finger unto the People saying Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World whereas all the other Prophets did but prophesie of his coming long before he came Matth. 14.3 Finally John using his liberty in rebuking Vice without any accepting of Persons reproved King Herod for keeping his Brother Philip's Wife for the which he was cast into Prison and soon after lost his Head Read the story of Herod the Tetrarch and of Herodias John the Evangelist Matth. 4.21 was the Son of Zebedee and Brother to James and called from his Fisher-boat to be an Apostle of Christ John 13.23.19.26.21.20 and was of all other most entirely beloved of Jesus who commended his Mother unto him at the hour of his death He wrote his Gospel against Cerinthus and other Hereticks and chiefly against the Ebionites which did affirm that Christ was not before Mary whereby he was constrained to set forth the Divine Birth of Christ In the time of the Emperor Domitian he was exiled into an Isle called Patmos where he wrote the Revelation and after the death of Domitian in the time of Pertinax he returned to Ephesus remaining there till the time of Trajanus and did raise up and set in order many Churches in Asia and did three-score years after the death of Christ and was buried at Ephesus John Mark Act. 12. ult When Paul and Barnabas had been at Jerusalem to distribute the Alms sent by the Antiochians in their return they brought this Man John sirnamed Mark with them to Antioch And when the Holy Ghost had separated Paul and Barnabas from the other Disciples to the intent that they should go and spread abroad the Gospel among the Gentiles and those that were far off they took this John Mark with them to be their Minister and Companion who bare them company from Antioch until they came to Pamphilia Act. 13.5 c. and farther would he not go but left them there and returned to Jerusalem again notwithstanding the Apostes went forth and fulfilled their office And when it came in their minds to go and visit these places again wherein they had sowed the Word of God Barnabas gave counsel to take John with them which had been their Minister before to whose mind Paul would not consent forasmuch as John of his own accord had forsaken them at Pamphilia before they had finished their work And so reasoning and disputing about this matter the contention was so sharp between these two Holy-men that the one forsook the others company And so Barnabas taking John Mark with him sailed into Cyprus Jonadab was the Son of Shimeah David's Brother 2 Sam. 13.3 and a very subtil Man He loved Amnon his Unkle David's Son above the rest of all his Brethren Of the counsel he gave to Amnon concerning his Sister Thamar Read the story of Amnon Jonadab Voluntary or Willing Jonas the Son of Amittai was an holy Prophet Jonas 1. cap. 2 King 14.25 commanded of God to go to Niniveh that great City to tell the People of their wickedness who * The Mother of this Prophet was the poor Widow of Sarepta whose Meal and Oil Elias encreased and restored her Son from death to life again notwithstanding perswaded himself by his own reason that he should nothing profit there seeing he had so long Prophesied among his own Country-men the Jews and done no good at all Wherefore he minding to flye to Tarsus got him to Joppa where he found a Ship ready payed his fare and went with them And being on the Sea a tempest rose so vehemently that the Mariners were sore afraid crying every Man unto his God and to lighten the Ship they cast all the Wares into the Sea which nothing availed Then went the Master of the Ship down under the hatches and finding Jonas fast asleep awoke him saying O thou sleeper what meanest thou arise and call upon thy God that we perish not And when no remedy could be had they agreed to cast Lots that thereby they might know for whose cause they were troubled and so doing the Lot fell on Jonas They seeing that said Tell us for whose cause we are thus troubled And what thine occupation is And what thou art And whence thou comest and whither thou goest And what Country-man thou art of what Nation I am said Jonas an Hebrew born and fear the Lord God of Heaven which made both the Sea and dry Land and am fled from his presence And when they heard that they were more afraid than before and said what shall we do unto thee that the Sea may cease from troubling of us Take me quoth Jonas and cast me into the Sea and ye shall have rest for I wot it is for my sake that this evil is come upon you Nevertheless the Men being loth to commit such a deed assayed with rowing to bring the Ship to Land And when they saw the Sea so troublous against them that it would not be they cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord let us not perish for this Man's death neither lay thou innocent bloud unto our charge For thou O Lord hast done even as thy pleasure was And so they took Jonas and cast him into the Sea which incontinent was calm and still And a certain great Fish prepared of the Lord received Jonas and swallowed him up into his body where he lay in prayer three Days and three Nights And being then cast out again on dry Land The Lord commanded him straight-way to go to Niniveh and do as he had charged him And when he came to the City was entered a days Journey in the same he cryed out saying There are yet forty days and then shall Niniveh be overthrown But when his Prophecie came to none effect by reason of the Peoples great repentance he was sore displeased and in his prayer said O Lord was not this my saying I pray thee when I was yet in my Countrey and the cause of my flying to Tarsus that thou wast a merciful God full of compassion long suffering and of great goodness and wouldest repent thee of the evil And now O Lord forasmuch as I am found false in my sayings take I beseech thee my life from me for I had rather dye than live And so Jonas got him out of the City and made him a Booth on the East side thereof And as he sat under the shadow of his Booth to see what should become of the City the Lord caused a wild Vine to spring over his Head to give him more shadow to defend the heat of the Sun from him whereof Jonas was very glad But on the next morrow when he perceived the Vine withered away and that for lack of the shadow thereof he waxed faint thorow the fervent heat of the Sun which burned him so sore he wished in himself that he
the King of Juda and the King of Edom by whose help and chiefly Eliseus read the place in his story he overcame the Moabites Also the Syrians could lye no where but Joram had knowledge by Eliseus who told him of all their secret lurking places by which means Joram ever saved himself Wherefore the King of Syria sent and besieged the Town round about where the Prophet Eliseus lay And as his Servant was going forth in the Morning about his Master's business and saw the Town so compassed with enemies he ran ‖ in again crying Alas Master what shall we do for the Syrians are come upon us Fear not quoth Eliseus for they that be with us are more than they that be with them And by and by the eyes of his Servant were so opened that he saw the Mountains lye full of Horses and fiery Chariots to defend his Master And now when the Syrians were come to Eliseus and thought themselves surest of him they were at his prayer smitten with such blindness that they could not know the Prophet when he spake unto them saying that that was not the Town where the Man lay which they sought but follow me quoth he and I will bring you to the place where he is and so he led them forth and brought them into the City of Samaria where Joram lay who seeing now his Enemies to be in his power said to Eliseus Father shall I smite them No said he Smite those which thou takest with thine own Sword and Bow but rather set Bread and Water before them that they may eat and drink and so depart to their Master Then the King prepared a great refection for the Syrians and filled their Bellies well and sent them home again for the which gentle intreaty of Joram the King of Syria never troubled him more After this when Benhadad King of Syria had besieged Samaria so long till Women were constrained to eat their own Children Joram took such displeasure with Eliseus laying the cause upon him that in his fury he sent to take away his Head Which thing being revealed to the Prophet he said to his Friends that were with him in his House See ye not how this Mutherer's Son hath sent to take away my Head Take heed and be circumspect when the Messenger cometh and keep him at the Door for the sound of his Masters feet is behind him which was even so for the King's mind altered he followed the Messenger and came to the Prophet himself saying This evil is of the Lord and what more shall I look for of him 2 King 7 1 c. No more said the Prophet For to morrow this time shall a Bushel of fine Flowre be sold for a shekel and two Bushels of Barley for another shekel in the Gate of Samaria which came so to pass the next day for the great Host of the Syrians at the sound of the feet of four Lepers were run away and had left all their Tents behind them 9.24 c. Finally to fulfil the word of the Lord concerning the destruction of Ahab's Posterity Joram was slain with an Arrow shot by Jehu and his Body cast into a Plat of Ground that was Naboth the Jesraelite's after he had reigned twelve years Joram 2 King 8.16 2 Chron. 21. the Son of Jehosaphat was two and thirty years old when he began to reign over Juda. He married King Ahab's Daughter whose wicked steps he followed He slew all his own Brethren with divers of his Nobles The Edomites which had been subject from David's time hitherto rebelled now against Joram Also Libna which was a certain City in Juda given to the Levites Josh 21.13 would no more be under his hand because he had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers Finally The Prophet's Letter the Prophet Eliseus to admonish him of his wickedness wrote to Joram on this wise The Lord saith because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehosaphat thy Father nor in the ways of Asae thy Grandfather but in the ways of the Kings of Israel and hast made Juda to go a whoring after the House of Ahab and hast also slain thy Brethren even thy Fathers house who were better Men than thy self Therefore with a great Plague will the Lord smite thy Folk thy Children thy Wives and all thy Goods And thou shalt be diseased in thy Bowels which day by day shall fall out of thy Body And so the Lord stirred up against Joram the Philistines the Arabians with the Ethiopians which wasted his Countrey and carried away his substance his Wives and all his Sons save Ahaziah the youngest and smote him with an incurable Disease in his Bowels which held him two years till all his Guts fell out and so he died after he had reigned eight years Joram the highness of the Lord. Jehosaphat the Son of Asa 1 King 15.24 began his Reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab King of Israel and walked in the old ways of his Father David and in the Commandments of God and not in the ways of Israel This godly King to have the fear of the Lord renewed among his People in the third year of his Reign sent certain of his Lords thorowout all his Realm and with them godly learned and ancient Fathers of the Levites with the Book of the Law whose Commission was to see all Idolatry and superstition suppressed and the Laws of God purely and sincerely taught and followed which was so diligently done that the fear of the Lord fell so upon all the Kingdoms round about him that no Man troubled him but presented him with gifts The Philistines with Tribute-money the Arabians with Cattel so that within a while he grew into great riches and honor And being thus endued with abundance of treasure and substance he joyned affinity with Ahab taking his part against the Syrians where notwithstanding the Lord preserved him and brought him safe home again But forsomuch as in his absence the People were somewhat swerved from the Lord the Prophet John came to him and said Because thou hast helped the ungodly and loved them whom the Lord doth hate the wrath of God is come upon thee nevertheless good things are found in thee because thou hast taken away the Groves out of the Land and hast prepared thine heart to seek God Then Jehosaphat fearing the Lord went about all his Realm to bring the People again unto the Lord And when he had set godly Judges and Levites in every City the one to judge in temporal causes and the other in matters of the Lord he gave to either of them his charge saying first to the Judges on this wise Take heed ye Judges what ye do for ye execute not the judgment of Man but of God which is with you in judgment wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you and take heed and be doing the thing that pleaseth him for there is no unrighteousness
sirnamed Thaddeus John 14.12 When Christ said unto his Disciples that he would shew himself unto them and not unto the World Judas asked him the cause why he would shew himself unto them Jude 1. cap. and not unto the World He made an Epistle in the which he admonsheth all Churches generally to take heed of Deceivers The last part of this history I find in the arguâ—ent before the Episde of Jâ—de Geneva which went about to draw the hearts of the simple People from the truth of God whom he setteth forth in their lively colours shewing by divers examples of the Scriptures that horrible vengeance is prepared for them Finally he comforteth the faithful and exhorteth them to continue in the Doctrine of the Apostles of Jesus Christ Iudas Iscariot Matth. 10.4 the Son of Simon of Canaan one of the Apostles of whom it was afore-hand written to be the Son of perdition had a great conscience in the precious Ointment that Mary poured upon Christ's Head John 12.4 that it was not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor but to sell his Master for thirty pence Matth. 26.14 c. and to be guide to them that took him and to betray him with a kiss he had no conscience at all until he saw his Master condemned and then he repented and had the thirty pence again unto the High Priests and Elders cap. 27.3 c. saying that he had sinned in betraying the innocent bloud and so departed in great desperation and hanged himself Act. 1.18 whose Body burst asunder in the midst so that all his Bowels gushed out Iudas of Galilee rose up after Theudas Act. 5.37 what time the whole World was taxed by the commandment of Augustus Caesar and taught the People that for as much as they were dedicated unto God they ought not to pay Tribute to Emperours which were worshippers of false Gods whereby he drew to his faction a great part of the Commons who at the last were all brought to nought and Judas himself slain Iudas a Citizen of Damascus Act. 9. to whose house the Lord sent Ananias to seek Saul of Tharsus who was hosted there Iudith the Daughter of Merari Judith 8. cap. was a beautiful Woman unto the which was joyned such vertue and godliness that all Men spake good of her Her Husbands name was Manasses who at the day of his death left her great riches She dwelt in the City of Bethulia and was a Woman of great Chastity Now during the time of her Widowhood it chanced Holofernes to come and besiege the City of Bethulia of whom the Jews were so afraid that they wist not what to do but commit themselves to God for he had destroyed all their water Conduits so that they must either be forced to starve or yield Then ran the People to Osias the High-priest crying upon him to yield and give over the City to Holofernes lest they should all perish who exhorted them to tarry five days longer for the mercy of God and if he helped them not in that space he would do as they had said Then Judith who all this while had kept her house in prayer and fasting hearing what promise Osias had made to the People sent for him and all the Elders of Bethulia and said How happeneth this that ye have promised to deliver the City to the Assyrians unless within these five days the Lord turn to help you what Men are ye that ye tempt the Lord your device obtaineth no mercy of God but rather provoketh him to wrath and displeasure Will ye set the mercy of the Lord a time and appoint him a day at your will exhort the People to repentance and prayer and put them in remembrance of this That with much tribulation the Friends of God are tryed and that all these things which we now suffer are far less than our sins have deserved And that this correction is come upon us as to the servants of God for the amendment of our lives and not for our destruction Now hear my device I pray you and beseech the Lord to bring it to good end Ye shall stand this Night in the Gate of Bethulia and I will go out with Abra my Maiden Pray ye unto the Lord that within the days that ye have promised to deliver up the City he will visit Israel by my hand But inquire not of me the thing I have taken in hand for I will not declare it till God have finished the act Then every Man went their ways and Judith departed home to her secret closet where she made her hearty prayers unto God for the Peoples deliverance Which being done she cast off her mourning Garments and decked her self most bravely to allure the eyes of all Men that should behold her which she did not for any voluptuousness or pleasure of the flesh but of a right diseretion and vertue And so going out of her house with Abra her Maid she came to the Gate of the City where the Elders stood waiting her coming And as they beheld her wonderful beauty which God at that present had given her they were marvellously astonished She then commanding the Gates to be open took her leave of the People who most heartily besought the Lord to be her defence and well to perform the device of her heart that they might safely and joyfully receive her presence again And so committing her to God shut the Gates and looked over the Walls after her so long as they could see her And as she was going down the Mountains the first Watch of the Assyrians took her demanding what she was and whither she went I am quoth she a Daughter of the Hebrews and am fled from them because I know that they shall be given unto you to be spoiled Wherefore I am going to the Prince Holofernes to tell him all their secrets and how he shall win the City without the loss of one Man And when the Men had pondered her words and considered well her beauty they put her in good comfort of her life brought her to Holofernes whose Majesty so abashed Judith that she fell down as one almost dead for fear But being revived again Holofernes demanded the cause of her coming to whom she made answer on this wise saying O my Lord if thou wilt receive the words of thine Handmaiden and do thereafter the Lord shall bring thy matter to a prosperous effect For as thy servant Achior gave counsel unto my Lord to make search whether they had sinned against their God or no It is manifest and plain that their God is so angry with them for their sins that he hath shewed by his Prophets that he will give them over into the enemies hand Wherefore they are sore afraid and suffer great hunger and at this present for lack of water are in a manner as dead Men and in this extremity brought to kill their Cattel
and drink the bloud And also purposed to consume all the Wheat Wine and Oil which are reserved and sanctified for the Priests and not lawful for the People to touch Wherefore I thy Handmaid knowing all this am fled from their presence for God hath sent me to work a thing with thee that all the Earth shall wonder for thy servant feareth the Lord and worshippeth the God of Heaven day and night And now let me remain with thee my Lord and let thy servant go out in the Night to the Valley and I will pray unto God that he may reveal unto me when they shall commit their sins that I may shew them unto thee and then mayest thou surely go forth with thine Army for no Man shall resist thee and I will bring thee to Jerusalem in such safety that there shall not so much as one Dog bark against thee Now was Holofernes so well pleased with the words of this Woman and so far in love with her beauty that he commanded her Lodging to be made in the Tent where his Treasure lay and to prepare her Diet of the same that he himself did eat and drink of but notwithstanding she told the King that she might not eat of his Meat lest she should offend her God but I can satisfie my self quoth she with such things as I have brought Then how shall we do quoth Holofernes if these things that thou hast brought do fail where shall we have the like to give thee As truly as the soul of my Lord liveth quoth she thine Handmaid shall not spend all that I have till God have brought to pass in my hand the thing that I have determined And so being licensed to go out and in every night at her pleasure to pray she went three nights together into the Valley of Bethulia calling upon God to prosper her device for the deliverance of his People and at each time returned to her Tent again And upon the fourth day as it happened Holofernes by God's providence to make a great Banquet unto his Lords he sent Vago his Chamberlain to Judith to counsel her to come and keep Company with him that Night for it were a shame for us quoth he if we should let such a Woman alone and not talk with her we will allure her lest she do mock us And when the Messenger had done his message brought Judith to Holofernes his spirit by and by was moved and ravished with her beauty Sit down now quoth he and drink with us and be merry I will drink now my Lord quoth she and rejoyce because my state is exalted more than ever it was before And so she eat and drank before him of such things as her Maid had prepared Then Holofernes rejoyced so much in Judith that he drank more Wine at that time than ever he had done in one day before Now when the evening was come and every Man departed and gone to their Lodging Vago the King 's Chamberlain shut the Chamber-door and went his way to Bed leaving none but Judith in the Chamber with Holofernes for her Maid was commanded to stand without the Chamber-door to wait her Mistress coming forth to pray And as Holofernes lay stretched along upon his Bed overcome with Wine Judith stood by his Beds side and prayed on this wise O Lord God of all power strengthen me and have respect unto the works of my hands in this hour that thou mayst set up thy City of Jerusalem like as thou hast promised O grant that by Thee I may perform the thing which I have devised and so took down his Sword and holding him fast by the hair of his Head said Strengthen me O Lord God of Israel in this hour and with that smote off his Head and rolled the dead Body aside and got her forth to her Maid and put the Head in her Wallet and went forth together as though they had gone as their custome was to pray And so passing by the Host and coming nigh to the City of Bethulia she called to the Watchmen to open the Gate for God is with us quoth she and hath shewed his power in Israel And when the Gates were set open the People received her young and old with such joy as never the like was seen Then said Judith Oh praise ye the Lord and give thanks unto our God which hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel but hath destroyed our enemies this Night by my hand And behold here his Head whom the Lord hath slain by me his Minister and returned his Handmaid without any reproach of villany wherefore give praise and thanks to our God whose mercy endureth for ever Now take the Head and hang it upon the highest place of your Walls and in the morning when the Sun appeareth go forth with your Weapons like valiant Men and make as though ye would set upon your enemies who will then prepare them to Armour But when they shall go to raise up their Captain and find him without a Head there will such a fearfulness fall upon them that every Man will seek to save himself by flying then do ye follow them without all care for God hath delivered them into your hands And so the Israelites followed the Assyrians which kept no order and slew them down right And when they had slain all their enemies and gathered up the spoil they gave the Tent of Holofernes and all that belonged to him unto Judith by whom God had so mightily wrought their deliverance and had her in great honour all the days of her life who at the Age of an hundred and five years dyed and was most honorably buried in Bethulia beside her husband Judith he that praiseth or confesseth Judith the Daughter of Beeri the Hittite Gen. 26.34 was Wife to Esau the Son of Isaac Iulius Act. 27.1 was a Centurion of the Band of Augustus to whom Paul with other Prisoners were committed to be carried to Rome and of him gently intreated Julius Down or downy and full of fine beares K. KEDORLAOMER was King of Elam Who Gen. 14. with three Kings more that took his part fought with the King of Sodom and the King of Gomorrha Four Kings against five and other three on their parts which five Kings had been xii years in subjection under him in the Valley of Siddim and put them to flight and spoiled the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha where they found Lot Abraham's Brothers Son and carried him away with all the Goods of Sodom and Gomorrha which Goods with Lot also were recovered again by Abraham Kedorlaomer the generation of servitude or the house of bondage Keturah was Abraham's Wife who bare unto him six Sons Keturah smelling sweet like spice Gen. 25.1 or perfuming or bound L. LABAN the Son of Bethuel called also Nahor Abraham's Brother had two Daughters Gen. 29. cap. the one named Leah and the other Rachel which two
five thousand of his Men. Finally as he lay with Antiochus the King 7. cap. at the City of Antioch Demetrius came upon them and slew them both Lysias Dissolving Lysias Act. 22.24 c. was a chief Captain under the Emperour and having Paul committed unto him as Prisoner was afraid to punish him because he was a Roman And therefore to know the certainty wherefore the Jews had accused him 25. cap. he brought him forth before the Council where in the end fell such dissention and debate among them that Lysias fearing lest Paul should have been pull'd asunder of the Jews took him and had him into the Castle And having knowledge how the Jews had conspired Paul's death he sent him away secretly by night to Felix being at that time the Emperour's Lieutenant to whom he wrote on this wise Claudius Lysias unto the most mighty Ruler Felix sendeth greeting As this Man was taken of the Jews and should have been killed of them I came upon them with Souldiers and rescued him perceiving he was a Roman And when I would have known the cause wherefore they accused him I brought him forth in their council There I perceived that he was accused of questions of their Law and had no crime worthy of death or of bonds And when it was shewed me how that the Jews laid wait for the Man I sent him straightway unto thee and commanded his Accusers if they had ought against him to tell it unto thee Farewel Lysimachus was made the High-Priest of the Jews Macc. 4. in the room of Menelaus his Brother by whose Counsel he robbed the Temple and did much mischief whose wickedness was so manifest unto the People that they rose up against him and made a great uproar in the City Whereupon Lysimachus perceiving whereabout they went got unto him three thousand unthrists well armed for his defence Against whom the Multitude fought so furiously with Club and Bats and with hurling of stones and such Weapons as they could get that they wounded many slew some and chased the rest away and at the last killed the wicked Church-robber himself beside the Treasury Lysimachus dissolving Battel Loammi Hosea 1.9 was the Second Son of Gomer the Daughter of Diblaim And when she brought him forth the Lord said Call his name Loammi For why ye are not my People therefore will not I be your God Loammi not my People Lois 2 Tim. 1.5 was a faithful godly Woman and Grandmother to Timothy who always brought up her Children and Family in the fear of God and knowledge of Christ's Doctrine Lois Better Lo-ruhama Hos 1.6 was the Daughter of Gomer the Daughter of Diblaim And when she brought him forth the Lord said Call his name Lo-ruhama for I will have no pity upon the house of Israel but forget them and put them clean out of remembrance Lo-ruhama not obtaining Mercy Lot Gen. 11.31 was the Son of Haran Brother to Abraham with whom he went out of Egypt toward the south Countrey to come into the Land of Canaan And when they were come to a place called Bethel they had such abundance of Sheep and Cattel between them that the Land not being able to receive them both their Herdmen began to strive together Whereupon Abraham to avoid contention desired that Lot and he might break companies And that he would take and occupy what part of all the Land he would and he to take the other Then Lot chose the Countrey about Jordan because it had plenty of Water and dwelt in Sodom till Chedorlaomer came and spoiled the City and carried Lot away Prisoner who being rescued by Abraham his Uncle was brought to Sodom again And as he remained among the filthy Sodomites the Lord sent his Angels to destroy the City and Countrey about which Angels Lot received into his house And before his guests and he were gone to rest the Men of the City replenished with all kind of wickedness had compassed the house round about and called to Lot saying Where are the Men which came in to thee this night bring them forth to us that we may know them Then Lot went out unto them and said I pray you my Brethren do not so wickedly yet rather than ye should so do I have two Daughters which never knew Man them will I bring out unto you and do with them as seemeth you good only to these men do nothing for therefore are they come under the shadow of my Roof And as the Sodomites threatned Lot and were pressing upon him to break open the Door the Angels within put forth their hands and pulled Lot into the House and shut fast the Door At the which instant the Sodomites without were so smitten with blindness that they groped for the Door and could not find it Then said the Angels to Lot If thou hast any Sons or Daughters or whatsoever thou hast in the City bring it out with thee for we are sent to destroy this place because their sins is great before the Lord. Then went Lot to his Sons in-law who had married his Daughters and told them but they thinking their Father had mocked tarried still And so as Lot made haste for the Angels could do nothing till he were gone with his Wife and two Daughters to the City of Zoar which he had requested of the Lord to flye unto his Wife looking behind her contrary to the Angels precept was turned into a Pillar of Salt Then Lot fearing to abide in the City of Zoar after the Cities were destroyed got him into the Mountains where he dwelt in a Cave with his two Daughters who forasmuch as their Father was old and not a Man left in the Country thereabout whereby they might have Children consulted together and agreed to make their Father drunk with Wine and so to lye with him that they might raise up Seed unto their Father Which matter being performed and they both with Child the eldest brought forth Moab which was the Father of the Moabites and the youngest Ben-Ammi which was the Father of the Ammonites both which Nations were most vile and wicked Lot Wrapped or Joyned Luke was a Physician born in the City of Antioch Col. 4.14 2 Tim. 4.1 and became Saint Paul's Disciple and Companion in all his travels Luke lived 84. years and was buried at Constantinople He wrote the Volume of his Gospel as he had learned of Paul and of the other Apostles as he reporteth himself in the beginning of the same work saying As they have delivered them to us which from the beginning saw them with their eyes and were Ministers of the things that they declared But the Volume called the Acts of the Apostles he composed as he had seen the story whereof came even to Paul's time being and tarrying two years at Rome where the Work was finished Luke his Resurrection M. MAACAH 2 Sam. 3.3 1 Chron. 3.2 1 King 15. â— 10 the
Daughter of Talmai King of Geshur was King David's Wife and Mother to Absalom Maacah the Daughter of Absalom was Wife to Rehoboam and Mother to Abijam which Abijam his Father Rehoboam ordained to raign after him for the love that he bare to Maacah his Mother above all the rest of his Wives Read the story of Asa Maacah a Woman pressed or bruised Machabeus 1 Mac. 2 3. was the third Son of Mattathias and after his Fathers death he was made Ruler over the Jews Who in the defence of the holy Laws fought most manfully against God's enemies during his Life Machabeus a Striker a Fighter Read Judas Machabeus Machir 2 Sam. 9.4 Ammiel was Father to Bathshebah King David's Wife was the Son of Ammiel of Lodebar and a great friend to Mephibosheth the Son of Jonathan who kept him in his House till King David sent for him to his preferment Machir Selling or knowing Manahem 2 King 15.14 c. the Son of Gadi besieged Shallum King of Israel in Samaria and slew him whose Kingdome he possessed and began his Raign in the nine and thirtieth year of Azariah King of Juda. And because the City of Tiphsah would not receive him as theirs he destroyed the City and all that was within it And for this great wickedness and tyranny God stirred up Pul King of Assyria against him unto whom Manahem gave a thousand Talents of Silver to break up his Wars which Money he exacted of his People taking of every Man of substance fifty Sicles He raigned ten years leaving Pekahiah his Son to succeed him Manahem a Comforter or Leader of them or a preparing of heat Manaen Act. 13.1 which was brought up of a Child with Herod at the last forsook him and followed Christ Manasses the Son of Hezekiah 2 King 21. 2 Chron. 33. was twelve years old when he began his raign over Juda and wrought much evil before the Lord. Manasses put Esay the Prophet who was his Father-in-law to death For he built up the high places again which his Father had destroyed He erected up Altars for Baal and made Groves as Ahab did and worshipped all the Host of Heaven and served them He offered his Children in fire Read the annotation in the story of Esay as the manner of the Gentiles was and gave himself to Witcheraft and Sorcery and favoured Soothsayers and such as used familiar spirits He set the Image of the Grove in the House where the Lord said he would put his Name for ever Over and beyond all these evils he shed so much innocent bloud that all Jerusalem was replenished from corner to corner and he wrought more wickedness than did all the Amorites Wherefore the Lord gave him over into the hands of the King of Assyria who took Manasses and bound him with two Chains and carried him to Babylon Where at the last he so humbled himself to the Lord that he had compassion upon him and restored him to his Kingdom again Who after that became a good Man and put down all such abominations as he before had maintained and reigned five and fifty years leaving Amon his Son to succeed Manasses Eorgetful or forgetfulness Mardocheus Esther 2. cap. the Son of Jair was a Jew born dwelling in the City of Shusan and one of them which were carried away from Jerusalem with Jechonia King of Juda by Nabuchodonosor into Babylon This Man had a fair Damosel in his house named Esther his Uncles Daughter whose Father and Mother being dead he brought up as his own Daughter so long till at last for her beauty and fairness she was taken up by the King's Commission with other more and had to the Court there to be brought up at the Kings charges in an house appointed for that purpose the King had called them for And every day would Mardocheus walk before the Womens house to hear and know how Esther did and what should become of her whose Lot in process was to be made Queen in the stead of Vasthi late deposed And on a time as Mardocheus sat in the King's Gate he heard an inkling of certain Treasons conspired against the King 's own Person by two of his Privy-Chamber Bigthan and There 's which treason he caused Esther to open unto the King and to certifie his grace thereof in his name Upon whose certification inquiry being made and found true the Conspirators were put to death and the matter Registred in Chronicle for a remembrance of their act After this because Mardocheus would do no reverence to Haman both he and the Jews should all have been slain in one day Whereof Mardocheus having knowledge he rent his Cloaths and put on mourning Apparel and so ran thorow the City of Shusan where their destruction was devised Crying out until he came to the King's Gate where he might not be suffered to enter in that array Then Esther hearing thereof was sore astonished and sent him other Rayment to put on But he refusing the Rayment declared unto the Messenger the whole effect of Haman's commission and working and took him a Copy of the same to give to Esther charging her to go unto the King for the Lives and safeguard of her People For who can tell quoth he whether God hath called her to the Kingdom for that purpose or no it may be that he hath And therefore if she now hold her peace the Jews shall have help from some other place and so shall she and her Fathers house be utterly destroyed And so while Esther went about the deliverance of the Jews Mardocheus was exalted into the King's favour Mardocheus lived 1 98. years as Philo witnesseth to the great rejoycing of all the Jews whose Wealth he sought so long as he lived Read the story of Esther and Haman Mardocheus a bitter contrition or repentance Mary the Virgin Matth. 1.161 Luk. 1.27 c. and Mother of God whose Parents are not expressed in Scripture was affianced to a certain good Man of her own stock and Tribe which was of Juda named Joseph And before she came to dwell with him the Angel Gabriel being sent of God came and saluted her saying Hail full of Grace the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among Women The Virgin seeing the Angel was sore abashed at his words and mused much in her mind what salutation that should be Then said the Angel Fear not Mary for thou hast found favour with God for lo thou shalt conceive in thy Womb and bear a Son and shalt call his Name Jesus c. Then Mary because she would be resolved of all doubts to the end she might the more surely embrace the promise of God said How shall this be seeing I know no Man The Holy Ghost quoth the Angel shall come upon thee and the power of the Most Highest shall overshadow thee Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God
c. Then said Mary Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word Upon this she prepared her self with speed to go and visit her Cousin Elizabeth with whom she remained three Months and returned home again And shortly after went with Joseph her Husband from the City of Nazareth to the Land of Jewry to a City called Bethlehem there to be taxed according to the Emperour Augustus commandment because they were of the House and Lineage of David In the Book called Fasciculus temporum it is said that this Virgin was the Daughter of Joachim and Anna and was about the age of xvi years when she brought forth Christ. And being forced to lye in the stable for lack of room in the Inne her hour came to be delivered and there she brought forth Christ Jesus the Saviour of the World And when she was purified and had been at Jerusalem with her Child and performed all things there according to the Law she returned with Joseph her Husband home to the City of Nazareth again And being accustomed yearly she and her Husband to go up at the Feast of Easter to Jerusalem she chanced one time to leave her Son behind her and when she had turned back and sought him out and found him she said Son why hast thou thus dealt with us thy Father and I have sought thee with heavy hearts Another time as she was with her Son at a Marriage in Cana a Town in Galilee when the Wine failed at the Feast she told her Son that they lacked Wine and receiving his answer meekly bad the Ministers to do whatsoever he commanded them Finally as she stood by the Cross whereon her Son shed his bloud as well for her as all other Christians sorrow pierced her heart like a Sword according to Simeon's prophecie Mary the Wife of Cleophas was her sister Mary Mar. 15.40.16.1 Salome was a certain godly Woman who among other ministred of her substance to Jesus and followed him from Galilee and after he was crucified bought sweet odors to anoint his Body and was a Witness of his Resurrection Mary the Mother of John Mark Act. 12.12 into whose House Peter came after the Angel of God had delivered him out of Prison from the hands of Herod where many were gathered together in prayer Mary * Magdalen signifieth magnified or exalted Magdalene dwelt in Bethany John 12.12 Luk. 7.37 c. and was a sinful Woman And in token of her great repentance she went to Jesus as he sat at Meat in one of the Pharisees houses with a Box of Ointment in her hand falling down at his Feet weeping and washing them with the tears distilling down from her eyes and wiped them with the hairs of her head and also kissed them and anointed them with sweet Ointment Then Jesus seeing the great faith of the Woman said unto her Mary thy Faith hath saved thee go in peace Then Mary feeling her self much bound to Christ which had forgiven her so many sins fell in so great love Luk. 10. that all her whole meditation and study was upon him Insomuch that when Martha her Sister was cumbred about much serving of Christ at the Table Mary choosing the better part sat at Jesus feet to hear his Preaching And when he suffered his Passion John 19.25 she stood by the Cross with Mary his Mother to see the end And the morrow after the Sabbath-day when she came to the Sepulchre 20.1 2 c. and saw the stone taken away from the Tomb she ran to Peter and John and told them who ran to the Grave and tryed the matter and returned back again leaving Mary standing at the Grave weeping And as she bowed her self into the Grave she saw two Angels sitting in white clothing who said unto her Woman why weepest thou They have taken away my Lord quoth she and I know not where they have laid him And turning her self about she saw Jesus standing but knew him not to whom he said Woman why weepest thou whom dost thou seek She supposing it had been the Gardiner said Sir if thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will fetch him Then said Jesus Mary with that she turned her self and said Rabboni which is to say Master and fell down to the ground to have kissed his Feet But to withdraw her from that Jesus said Touch me not but go and tell my brethren that I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Then went Mary to the Disciples and told them that she had seen the Lord and what things he had said unto her Read the story of Martha her Sister and of Lazarus her Brother Mark the Evangelist is thought to have been Peter's Disciple and to write his Gospel according as he heard Peter preach and shew every thing by mouth and to have planted the first Church in Alexandria where he died in the eighth year of the reign of Nero in whose place succeeded Anianus Of this Mark speaketh Peter in his first Epistle the fifth Chapter saying The Congregation of them which at Babylon are companions of your Election saluteth you and so doth Mark my Son Mark Filed or rubbed Mark Act. 12.12 otherwise called John the Son of Mary was Minister to Paul and Barnabas what time as they were sent by the Holy Ghost from Antioch to preach the Gospel unto the Heathen 14.21 which Mark at Pamphylia departed back from them again For the which cause Paul the next Journey that he and Barnabas made would not suffer Mark to go with them 15.37 c. wherefore Barnabas departed from Paul taking Mark who was his Sisters Son with him into Cyprus Martha Luke 10. and Mary Magdalene were two Sisters dwelling in the City of Bethany which two had a Brother named Lazarus This Martha on a time invited Jesus to dinner And being cumbred about much serving and seeing her Sister Mary sit still at Jesus Feet said unto him Dost thou not care that my sister hath lest me to minister alone Bid her come and help me To whom he answered Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things verily one is needful Mary hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken from her On a time as Jesus was coming to Bethany to heal her Brother Lazarus she met him saying John 11 cap. Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Nevertheless now I know that whatsoever thou dost ask of God he will give it thee Then said Jesus Thy Brother shall rise again Yea quoth Martha I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day I am said Jesus the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth on me yea though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall not dye Believest thou this Yea Lord quoth Martha I believe
of Israel and Juda and would if that had been too little have given thee much more Wherefore then hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord to do evil in his sight Thou hast kill'd Urias the Hittite with the Sword and hast taken his Wife to be thy Wife and hast slain him with the Sword of the Children of Ammon Now therefore the Sword shall never depart from thine house because thou hast despised me and taken the Wife of Urias the Hittite to be thy Wife Wherefore thus saith the Lord Behold I will stir up evil against thee even out of thine own house and will take thy Wives before thine eyes and give them unto thy Neighbour and he shall lye with thy Wives in the sight of the Sun For thou didst it secretly but I will do this thing before all Israel and in the open Sun-light Then said David I have sinned against the Lord. Well said Nathan the Lord hath also put away thy sin thou shalt not dye Howbeit because of doing this deed thou hast given the enemies of the Lord a cause to blaspheme the Child that is born unto thee shall surely dye And so Nathan departed Finally at what time Adonijah had taken upon him to rule the Kingdom unknown to his Father David Nathan came to the King and said My Lord O King hast thou said Adonijah shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my Seat For he is gone down this day and hath slain many Oxen David had a Son called Nathan also 2 Sam. 5.14 and fat Sheep and hath called all the King's Sons and the Captain of the Host and Abiathar the Priest and behold they eat and drink before him and say God save King Adonijah But me thy Servant and Sadock the Priest and Benajah and thy Servant Solomon hath he not called Is this thing done by my Lord the King and thou hast not shewed it unto thy Servant who should sit on the Seat of my Lord the King after him And when the King had declared his mind and will Nathan and Sadock the Priest went and anointed Solomon King Nathan Given or giving Nathanael John 1.45 c. which was a Man wonderful desirous of Messias coming was brought to Christ by Philip who finding him under a Figg-Tree said O Nathanael I can tell thee tidings we have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write even Jesus the Son of Joseph of Nazareth Is that true quoth he can there any good thing come out of Nazareth If thou dost not believe me quoth Philip come and see thy self And as Nathanael was coming with Philip to Jesus he saith of him thus Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile Nathanael perceiving that Jesus knew him said How knowest thou me I knew thee said Jesus before that Philip called thee I saw thee when thou wast under the Figg-Tree Then said Nathanael Rabbi thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel Nathanael the gift of God Nehemiah a Jew born 2 Esd 1. cap. was Cupbearer to Artaxerxes King of Persia a Man of great Learning and Holiness who being in great favour with the said King obtained both Licence and Aid to re-edifie the City of Jerusalem Nehemiah the comfort or rest of the Lord the Lords direction Nicanor being a great Prince under Demetrius 1 Mac. 7. cap. and an utter enemy unto the Jews was sent with a mighty Host against Judas Machabeus who notwithstanding the hatred that he had to the Jews yet unto Judas himself he bare a secret good will and love in his heart 2 Mac. 14. cap. and counselled him when they met together to talk of Peace to take a Wife and to beget Children But for all that his malice was so great against the rest of the Jews and his heart so puft up with pride thorow his invincible power and strength that he held up his hand against the House of God making an Oath that-he would destroy it and break down the Altar and consecrate the Temple of God to Bacchus And thinking all this but a trifle to bring to pass 8 cap. sold the Jews before he came at them promising to every one that would buy them four-score and ten Jews for one Talent But this Blasphemer who had brought a thousand Merchants with him to buy the Jews was by the help and power of God for all his stout brags shortly overthrown and so discomfited that he himself was fain to change his Apparel and to flie alone to Antioch 1 Mac 7. cap. 2 Mac. 15. cap. with great dishonour and shame Finally attempting to fight again with Judas upon the Sabbath day he was at last by the mighty hand of God slain Nicanor which was one of the seven Deacons Act. 6.5 Whose Head Judas commanded to be set upon the Castle at Jerusalem and his threatning hand to be hanged against the Temple and his blasphemous Tongue cut in pieces and cast to the Birds to be devoured Nicanor a Conqueror Valiant Nicodemus Joh. 3.1 2 c. was one of the head Men among the Sect of the Pharisees but not the best Learned although his mind were lesser corrupt than the other This Man favoured Christ but durst not be known thereof for fear of the Jews wherefore he came to Jesus by Night secretly saying Rabbi we know that thou art a Teacher come from God for no Man could do such Miracles as thou dost except God were with him Jesus answered Verily verily I say unto thee except a Man be born from above he cannot see the Kingdom of God Nicodemus How can a Man be born when he is old can he enter into his Mother's Womb and be born again Jesus Verily verily I say unto thee except a Man be born of the Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God that which is born of the Flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit Marvel not thou that I said unto thee ye must be born from above The Wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the spirit Nicodemus How can these things be Jesus Art thou a Master in Israel and knowest not these things Verily verily I say unto thee we speak that we know and testifie that we have seen and ye receive not our witness If I have told you earthly things and ye believe not how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things c. This Man afterward answered for Jesus and said to the Pharisees 7.50 what time as they had sent Ministers to apprehend him doth our Law judge any Man before it hear him Finally at the Death of Christ to honour his Burial he bought of Myrrhe and Aloes mingled together about an hundred pound weight 19.39 and came with Joseph of
time and appointed him a day at his pleasure So that after this Osias remained in prayer and followed the advice of Judith in all things Osias the Lord Saviour or the health of the Lord. Othoniel Judg. 1.13 was the Son of Kenaz unto whom Caleb his elder Brother gave Acsah his Daughter to Wife for winning of a certain City called Kiriath-sepher This Man delivered the Children of Israel from the Captivity of Chushan-Rishathaim King of Mesopotamia 3.9 which had oppressed them eight years and judged Israel forty years Othoniel the time or hour of God P. PAUL Act. 7.58.8.1 3. the Apostle of Christ was born in India in a Town called Giscalis and was of the Tribe of Benjamin And the Town being taken of the Romans he went with his Parents to Tharsus a City of Cilicia and dwelled But afterward he was sent by them to Jerusalem to learn the Laws and was there taught of one Gamaliel a great Learned man He being with others at the Martyrdom of S. Steven received Letters of the Bishop 9. cap. willing him to go to Damascus there to persecute them that believed in Christ And in the way he was by revelation changed from a cruel Persecutor to an earnest Preacher of Christ whose name he professed first at Damascus confounding the doctrine of the Jews for the which they lay in wait to kill him but being let out at a Window in a Basket by night he escaped and went to Jerusalem where he disputed with the Greeks who sought to kill him also but the Brethren conveighed him to Caesarea and sent him to Tharsus 11. cap. 25. And during his abode at Tharsus Barnabas fetcht him from thence to Antioch where he continued a whole year and converted many to the faith of Christ. From thence he went to Cyprus 13. cap. and turned the Ruler of the Country called Sergius Paulus to Christ by whom he was called Paul whereas before he was named Saul Then he wandred about the Countreys and came to * The other Antioch before is in Syria Antioch Pisidia where he came into the Synagogue and after the Lecture of the Law and Prophets made a long Sermon which was so well accepted of the Gentiles that they were desirous to hear him again on the next Sabbath at which time the unbelieving Jews raised up Persecution against him 14. cap. So that Paul departed to Iconium and from thence to Lystra where he was stoned and left for dead but being recovered he ceased not to exhort the People to continue in the faith of Christ And so passing thorow many dangerous places he came at the last to Attalia and there he took shipping and sailed back again to Antioch declaring to the Congregation there gathered together all things which God had done by him and Barnabas in their Journey After this Paul again departed from Antioch And passing thorow many Countries 16. cap. he came to Philippi the Chief City in the parts of Macedonia where he was beaten and cast into Prison where he converted the Jayler and was delivered as a Roman And from Philippi he passed the Countries till he came to Thessalonica where he preached Christ so earnestly that the unbelieving Jews moved all the City against him notwithstanding he escaped and went to Athens preaching to the Athenians the true and unknown God From Athens he departed to Corinth where he remained a Year and a half From thence he turned again to Syria and came to Ephesus where the Silversmiths moved sedition against him for Diana their Goddess And so forth passing many Countries and dangers he came at last to Jerusalem where he was taken of the Jews and had to Prison to be scourged but he professing himself to be a Roman made the Captain afraid who after he had heard his cause and had knowledge of the Jews conspiracy against Paul he sent him privily by Night to Felix Lieutenant of Caesarea where he continued in Prison two Years till Festus came into Felix room And being examined afore Festus he appealed to the Emperour wherefore Festus after a-while committed him to a Centurion named Julius who with much danger Paul suffered Martyrdom by beheading under Nero in the xiv year of his reign and after the Passion of Christ 37. years Eliote brought Paul to Rome and delivered him to the High Captain with whom Paul found so much favour that he was suffered to dwell in an house by himself with a Souldier to keep him and to receive whosoever came unto him And so Paul continued in Rome two years preaching and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus with all boldness no Man forbidding him Paul the mouth of the Trumpet or marvellous or the least Pekahia 3 King 15.23 c. the Son of Menahem began his reign over Israel in the fiftieth year of the reign of Azariah King of Juda and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam but walked therein as his Father did before him He had not reigned two years ere that Pekah his own Captain rose against him and slew him in Samaria and reigned in his stead Pekahia the Lords opening Pekah 2 King 15.25 c. the Son of Remaliah began his Reign over Israel in the 52. year of Azariah King of Juda. This Man slew Pekahia his own Lord and so usurped the Crown He kept the ways of Jeroboam as his Predecessors did He made War against Juda 2 Chron. 28.6 7 c. and slew of them in one day six hundred thousand and took two hundred thousand of Women Sons and Daughters Prisoners and carried them away to Samaria purposing to have kept them in bondage and slavery all their life long But being admonished by Oded the Prophet he new arrayed them and sent them home again After this God stirred up Tiglath King of Assyria against him which came and dispossessed him of all the Land of Nephtalim and carried away his People Finally Hosea the Son of Ela conspired against Pekah and slew him after he had reigned twenty years and was King after him Peleg Gen. 10.25.11.17 18. was the Son of Eber of the Generation of Sem. His Brother's name was Joktan At the age of thirty years he begot Reu and lived after that two hundred and nine years In this Man's days was the Land divided by reason of the diversity of Language which happened at the building of Babel Peleg a division Persis was a Man singularly beloved of S. Paul Rom. 16.12 for his diligence in setting forth the Gospel as doth appear by his words saying Salute the well-beloved Persis which laboured much in the Lord. Peter otherwise called Simon the Son of Jonas Matth. 4.18 dwelt in the City of Bethsaida and from a Fisher-man was called to be an Apostle into whose house Christ vouchsafed to come and heal his Wifes Mother of her Feaver Luk 4.38 c. Peter was of that audacity and boldness
Matth. 14.28 29. that he went upon the Water which was too great an enterprise for him to perform without the help of Christ his Master who seeing him thorow weakness of faith in danger of drowning Matt. 16.21 saved him Again when Christ did shew unto his Disciples how that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the Elders and of the Priests and Scribes and be put to death and the third day rise again which thing he spake to remove out of their hearts that false opinion they had of his temporal Kingdom Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying Master look to thy self this shall not be unto thee With whose rash zeal Christ was so offended that he called him Sathan laying to his charge that he savoured not the things that were of God but of Men. Also when Peter saw Christ being transfigured talk with Moses and Elias 17.1 2 c. he was so ravished with that sight that he said unto him Lord here is good being for us If thou wilt let us make here three Tabernacles One for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias Matth. 26.31 c. Furthermore when Christ said unto his Disciples the night he knew he should be apprehended that all they should be offended because of him Peter trusting too much to his own strength said Though all Men be offended because of thee yet will not I forsake thee Nay I will suffer death rather than I will deny thee And to perform this promise when Judas came with a multitude of the High-Priests servants with Swords and Staves to take Christ John 18 10. Peter drew out his Sword and smote off the ear of one of the High-Priests servants For whose foolish hardiness Christ rebuked him sharply and bad him put up his Sword Then Peter seeing his Master led away and all his Fellows fled and gone would not seem utterly to forsake his Master but followed afar off and at length in the dark as unknown entered into the Court of Caiaphas And sitting among the Servants warming him by the Fire a Wench came to him and said Art not thou one of this Man's Disciples No said he Yes but thou art quoth another for I did see thee with him in the Garden Peter denied again saying that he did not know him Then certain which stood by knowing Peter said Surely thou art one of them for thy speech doth bewray thee Then began Peter to curse and swear denying that ever he knew him And immediately the Cock did crow Peter now remembring the words of Christ which had said unto him that before the Cock did crow he should deny Him thrice was touched with inward repentance and went out and wept bitterly And after he had lost the presence of his Master 21. cap. he went to his old occupation of fishing again And as he with other his companions had laboured all the night long in vain and were coming to Land Jesus which stood on the shore asked if they had any meat who not knowing what he was said they had none Then cast out your Net quoth he on the right side of the Ship and ye shall speed and so they cast out their Net and were not able to draw it to Land again for the multitude of Fishes that were caught in it And as Peter was haling up the Net and heard John say it was Jesus which stood upon the shore he left the Net and cast himself into the Sea to Jesus This is that Peter upon whose confession Christ when Peter acknowledged him to be the Son of the living God did build his Church Finally Matth. 16.18 to stablish Peter in the office of an Apostle Christ commanded him earnestly three times to feed his sheep Giving him also forewarning of his death Peter a Stone or Rock Phaltiel the Son of Laish 1 Sam. 25. ult would not seem to disobey the will of King Saul when of hatred he had taken 〈◊〉 Daughter Michol from David Lyra saith that Phaltiel was a learnned man And knowing Michol to be David's lawful Wife he reserved her as his Sister and wept for joy that she was without dishonesty restored to David again and gave her to him 〈◊〉 thankfully received her and gently entertained 〈◊〉 so long as the King her Father lived who being dead then David required to have his Wife Michol again And at the day of her deliverance to Abner to be restored to David he brought her on the way and came behind her weeping till they came to a place called Bahurim And there at Abner's commandment he returned home again Pharaoh There be divers * Gen. 12.14 15 c. Kings of this name expressed in Scripture What time as Abraham came into Egypt with Sarah his Wife who was reported to Pharaoh to be a Woman of an excellent beauty he took her home to his house and gently entertained the Woman without any spot of dishonesty and also entreated Abraham well for her sake But when he perceived that God had plagued his house Pharaoh was a general name given to the Kings of Egypt for keeping the Woman from her Husband he called Abraham unto him and said Why hast thou done this unto me Wherefore didst thou not tell me that she was thy Wife Why saidst thou she is my Sister that I should take her to be my Wife Now therefore behold thy Wife take her and go thy way and he gave a commandment that no Man should hurt them either in Person or Goods Another Pharaoh there was 41. cap. 47. cap. that delivered Joseph out of Prison to expound his Dreams And for the excellent wisdom and knowledge that he saw to be in Joseph he made him Ruler and Governour of all the Land of Egypt and shewed much kindness to his Father and to all his Kinred After this Pharaoh Exod. 1. cap. rose there up another which knew not Joseph And he without all measure vexed the Children of Israel And thinking by his humane wisdom to have lett their increase he commanded the Midwives to destroy the Men Children of the Hebrews assoon as they were born Whose policy took no effect for Moses notwithstanding was preserved and brought up even in his own house forty years And after the death of this Pharaoh there came another Exod. 5. cap. 7.8.10.14 whose heart God did harden and plagued him with ten marvellous Plagues before he would let the Israelites depart out of his Land And persisting in his obstinacy and froward heart God at the last drowned him and all his Host in the red Sea There was yet another mighty Prince of this Name 1 King 3.1.9.16 whose Kingdom joyned so nigh to Solomon's that Solomon to make himself the stronger made affinity with him and married his Daughter And this Pharaoh took the City of Gaza from the Canaanites and gave it with the Countrey thereabout to Solomon for his Daughters
Israel Pilate was Lieutenant of Jewry Matth. 27. Mark 14. Luke 22.23 John 18 19. when Annas and Caiaphas were the High-Priests who with the Scribes and Elders of the Jews sat in Council upon Jesus now betrayed unto them by Judas how and by what means they might dispatch him out of the way But having no Authority to condemn or put him to death they brought him bound unto Pilate the Temporal Judge saying how that they had found him perverting the People and forbidding Tribute to Caesar and calling himself a King Pilate hearing this demanded of him whether he were a King or no. Jesus neither denying nor affirming that he was made answer that Pilate himself had said so Then Pilate said unto all his Accusers how that in examining of Jesus he could not see that he had offended in any such thing as they had charged him withal The People then more vehemently affirmed how that he had with his teaching and preaching which he first began in Galilee moved all Jewry to follow his doctrine When Pilate perceived the Man to be of Galilee and that his matter pertained to Herod's jurisdiction he sent him forthwith to Herod lying at Jerusalem Who of a long time had been desirous to see him But when as Herod had demanded many things of him and could have no answer again he despised and mocked him and so returned him back again to Pilate clothed all in * Commonly this was a robe of honor or excellency but it was given to Christ in mockage white And from that day forth Pilate and Herod were evermore friends who before were enemies Then Pilate for so much as Herod had sent Jesus back again and done nothing unto him and that neither he nor Herod could find any thing in him worthy of death would have chastened Jesus and so let him go But the High-Priests laid so many things against him that Pilate after he had reasoned a little with Jesus concerning his Kingdom and other things went and sat in judgment knowing right well in his conscience that the Priests of very envy had delivered Jesus unto him And being set down upon the Judgment Seat his Wife sent to him saying Have thou nothing to do with that just Man for I have suffered many things this Day in a Dream by reason of him Which counsel of his Wife nor yet his own knowledge did any thing the more move him to defend the innocency of Christ but asked of the People which of these two they would have quit Barabbas or Jesus and they said Barabbas What shall I then do quoth he with Jesus which is called Christ They all said let him be Crucified What evil or great offence hath he done quoth Pilate that deserveth death The People being much more eager than they were before cryed out amain to have him Crucified When Pilate saw this that he could not prevail against them he took Water and washed his hands saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just person in the which saying he bare witness of his innocency Pilate murthered the Galileans as they were sacrificing and so their bloud was mingled with the bloud of the Beasts which were sacrificed Luke 13.1 before he condemned him And so delivering Jesus to the Souldiers they scourged him and arrayed him in Purple with a Crown of Thorns upon his Head In which sort Pilate brought him forth again and said to the People Behold I bring him forth to you that ye may know that I find no fault in him And when Jesus appeared before them Pilate said Behold the Man which he spake in mockery because that Christ had called himself a King And when the High-Priests and Officers saw him they cryed out Crucifige Crucifige Then said Pilate take him to you and Crucifie him for I can find no cause of death in the Man They answered again and said It is not lawful for us to put any Man to death but we have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God When Pilate heard this he was afraid and went again into the Judgment-Hall and demanded of Jesus what he was but he made him no answer Then Pilate said Why speakest thou not Dost thou not see that it lyeth in my hands either to kill or save thee To that he made answer and said Thou couldest have no power at all against me except it were given thee from above therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the more sin and from that time forth Pilate sought by all means to deliver him But the Jews cryed upon him saying If thou let him go thou art not Caesar's friend for whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar When Pilate heard them say so he brought Jesus forth and sat him down in the Judgment-Seat saying unto the People Behold your King They cryed away with him away with him crucifie him What quoth Pilate shall I crucifie your King To that the High Priests made answer and said We have no King but Caesar At that word Pilate delivered Jesus to be crucified and being brought to the place of execution and spread upon the Cross Pilate caused this Title to be set over his Head Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews This Man Pilate as Eusebius saith was at the last deposed and banished to Lions in France where he slew himself which was written in Hebrew Greek and Latine that all Nations might understand it With the which writing the High-Priests were offended fore and would have had Pilate to correct it and not to write him King of the Jews but that he said I am King of the Jews Well quoth Pilate what I have written that have I written Priscilla look Aquila Ptolomy King of Egypt had a fair Daughter named Gleopatra 1 Mac. 10. the which he gave to Alexander the Son of noble Antiochus in Marriage which was solemnly and with great Royalty finished in the City of Ptolemais But notwithstanding this great Bond of Amity now knit between them Ptolomy afterward withdrew his favour from Alexander and sought by all means how he might defeat him of his Kingdom And thinking to bring his purpose now better to pass while Alexander himself lay out of his Realm he prepared a great Host and took his Journey into Syria where into every City as he came he was honourably received according to Alexander's commandment And being his Father in-law was nothing suspected of Treason But Ptolomy meaning nothing else left in every City whereinto he was received certain Men of War to fortifie and keep the same And when he had gotten the Dominion of all the Cities upon the Sea-coast he joyned himself in League with Demetrius and took his Daughter from Alexander and gave her to Demetrius Raising up a slander upon Alexander how he went about to kill him And so his malice and unsatiable covetousness being openly known he got him to Antioch where
look if Toby were dead that he might bury him before day light And when it was told him they were both sound and fast asleep he praised God and caused his Men to fill up the Grave again and made a great Feast to all his Neighbours and Friends And gave to Toby the half of all his Goods and made him a sure writing for the other half that remained to be his also after his death And at the day of their departure delivered the Goods and taking his leave said The holy Angel of the Lord be with you in your Journey and bring you forth safe and sound that ye may find all things in good case with your Elders and that mine eyes may see your Children before I die and so kissed them and let them go Raguel a Shepherd of God Rathumus 3 Esd 2. cap. with other Officers under Artaxerxes King of Persia writeth unto him against the Jews on this wise Sir thy Servants Rathumus the story writer Sabellius the Scribe with other Judges of the Court in Celosyria and Phinehes Be it known and manifested to our Lord the King that the Jews which are come up from you to us into the rebellious and wicked City begin to build it again and the Walls about it and to set up the Temple a-new Now if this City and the Walls thereof be set up again they will not only refuse to give Tributes and Taxes but also rebel utterly against the King And for so much as they take this in hand now about the Temple we thought it not meet to pass over such a thing but to shew it unto our Lord the King And to certifie him thereof To the intent that if it might please the King to cause it to be sought in the Books of old and thou shalt find such warning written and shalt understand that this City hath always been rebellious and disobedient that it hath subdued Kings and Cities and that the Jews which dwelt therein have ever been a rebellious obstinate unfaithful and fighting People for the which cause this City is wasted Wherefore now we certifie our Lord the King that if this City be builded and occupied again and the Walls thereof set up a-new thou canst have no passage into Celosyria and Phenice And when Rathumus and the other had received the King's answer they got them to Jerusalem with an Host of Men and made the Jews cease from their building which was not begun again until the second year of King Darius Rebecca Gen. 24. cap. was the Daughter of Bethuel and Sister to Laban As she went on a time with a Pitcher upon her Head to the common Well without the City to draw Water it chanced Abraham's servant to stand by the Well with ten Camels lying thereabout And when the Maid had filled her Pot and set it upon her Head ready to go away the Man desired to drink a little of her Water who forthwith set down her Pot and gave him drink And when he had drunken she poured out the rest into the Water trough and ran again to the Well and drew Water for his Camels until they had all drunken their fill Then the Man in hope the Lord had made his Journey prosperous took out a Golden ear-ring and two Bracelets of Gold and gave them to the Maid demanding whose Daughter she was I am quoth she the Daughter of Bethuel the Son of Milcah which she bare unto Nahor Then tell me I pray thee is there room in thy Father's House for us to lodge in Yea quoth she there is both Room and Lodging and also Litter and Provender enough for your Beasts Blessed be God quoth he that hath dealt so mercifully with my Master and hath brought me the right way to my Master's Brothers House Then Rebecca hearing him speak of her Fathers Brother ran home and told all things what the Man had said And as Laban beheld his Sister and saw the Ear rings and Bracelets upon her Hands he ran out to the man and with gentle entertainment brought him into the House and saw his Camels drest and provided for and also set Meat before him to eat But the Man would not eat before he had declared the cause wherefore his Master had sent him which being done and his request granted he ate and made merry and tarried all night And on the morrow as the Man made haste to go his way the Damosel was called forth to know whether she would go with the Man or no and being content to go with the Man he would not tarry but took the Maid and had her to Isaac his Master's Son whose Wife she became And being twenty years without a Child at last she conceived with two and when she felt them strive within her womb she made her moan to God saying Seeing it is so why am I thus with child God made her answer saying There are two manner of People in thy womb two Nations shall be divided out of thy bowels And the one Nation shall be mightier than the other And the elder shall be servant to the younger And so when her time was come to be delivered she brought forth two Twins the one named Esau and the other Jacob. Which two became mighty Men but Rebecca loved Jacob better than Esau and to prefer him before the other she said Hear me my Son Jacob I have heard thy Father say to thy Brother go and kill some Venison and make me meat thereof that I may eat and bless thee before the Lord before I dye Now therefore my Son hear my Voice in that which I command thee Get thee to the Flock and bring me thence two good Kids that I may make meat of them for thy Father such as he loveth and thou shalt bring it him to eat that he may bless thee before his death Then said Jacob My Brother Esau is a rough Man and if my Father shall happen to feel me I shall seem unto him as if I went about to deceive him and so shall I bring a curse upon me and not a blessing Well said Rebecca upon me be thy curse my Son only hear my Voice and go and fetch me them And when he had brought the Kids and that she had drest the Meat and made it ready she fetcht out certain Raiment of Esau's and put it upon Jacob and covered his hands and the smooth of his Neck with Goat-skins and put the Meat in his hand to carry to his Father by which policy of Rebecca Jacob had his Brother's blessing And when she heard how his Brother threatned to kill him for stealing away his blessing she told it Jacob saying Thy Brother Esau threatneth to slay thee therefore my Son hear my voice Make thee ready and get thee to Laban my Brother at Haran and tarry with him a while until thy Brother's fierceness be asswaged and that his wrath be turned away from thee and he forget the things which thou
hast done unto him and then will I send and fetch thee away from thence for why should I be deprived of you both in one day And when she had given her Son this counsel she went to Isaac her Husband and said I am weary of my life for fear of the Daughters of Heth. If Jacob take a Wife of the Daughters of Heth such a one as these are or of the Daughters of the Land what good shall my life do me And so by the counsel of Rebecca Jacob was sent to Laban his Mother's Brother where in process he got him a Wise and purchased the love of Esau his Brother again Rebecca Fed. Rechab Jer. 35.6 was the Father of Jonadab Which Jonadab made a Law that the Rechabites should never drink Wine their Wives nor their Children neither yet build House nor sow Seed nor plant Vineyards but should always dwell in Tents Which commandment they kept and obeyed truly And this their obedience Jeremy layeth before the Jews to their great reproach for that they were not so ready to obey the will and commandment of God their heavenly Father as the Rechabites were to obey their Father Jonadab Rechab a Rider Of Rechab the Son of Rimmon read the story of Baanah his Brother Rezin 2 Ring 16.5 c. King of Syria went with Pekah King of Israel to fight against Ahaz King of Juda but could not overcome him At which time Rezin took the City of Elath and drove out the Jews therein and peopled the City with Syrians But in fine the King of Assyria came against him in the defence of Ahaz King of Juda and at Damascus slew him Rezin will or willing to a thing Rezon 1. King 11.23 the Son of Eliadah was a great Captain under Hadadezer King of Zobah which Hadadezer David had overcome in Battel And when Rezon saw his Lord and Master discomfited he fled from him and gathered a Band of Men and went to Damascus where he reigned as King and became a great adversary to Solomon for the which purpose the Lord had stirred him up Rezon a Secretary or leave Rizpah 2 Sam. 22.8 c. the Daughter of Ahia was Saul's Concubine and had by him two Sons the one named Armoni and the other Mephibosheth which two with the Sons of Merob David delivered to the Gibeonites who for the offence of Saul hanged them up upon an Hill before the Lord. Then Rizpah perceiving their Carkasses to remain upon the Gibbet longer than the Law required made provision to save their Bodies that neither Birds should fall upon them by day nor Beast by night And when it was told to David what Rizpah had done he caused their bones with the bones of Saul and Jonathan to be carried into the Country of Benjamin and there buried in the Sepulchre of Kish Saul's Father's Rehoboam 1 King 12. the Son of Solomon was xli years old when he began to reign and his Mothers name was Naamah In this Man's time began the Kingdom of Israel to be divided For when the People came to him and said Thy Father laid a grievous Yoak upon us now therefore remit thou somewhat of the grievous service of thy Father and of his heavy Yoak that he put upon us and we will serve thee He answered as his young Counsellers had counselled him saying My little Finger shall be heavier than all my Father's Loins And whereas my Father put an heavy yoak upon you I will add more unto it And whereas he chastened you with Whips I will chasten you with Scorpions The People hearing this they forsook him all save the Tribe of Juda and * The Tribe of Benjamin was given to Nathan the Brother of Solomon who nevertheless aided the Tribe of Juda as often as they needed Benjamin Then Rehoboam seeing his Kingdom divided gathered an Host of Men out of the house of Juda and Benjamin to the number of nine score thousand to fight with Israel and to bring the Kingdom again unto himself But while he was thus minded the Prophet Shemajah came to him and bad him cease from his purpose for the thing that was done was the Lord's doing Whereupon every Man departed according to the words of the Lord which the Prophet had spoken Then Rehoboam fell to building of Cities 2 Chron. 11.5 c. and repairing of strong holds which he furnished both with Men and Victuals 12. cap. So that his Kingdom was mighty and strong by the space of three years for so long walked he and his People in the ways of David but when they had once forsaken the Law of the Lord in making Hill-altars Images Groves and were become Sodomites and workers of all abominations then God forsook them and gave them into the hands of Shishack King of Egypt who in the fifth year of Rehoboam's raign came to Jerusalem and spoiled both the house of the Lord and the King's house and carried away the shields of Gold which Solomon had made in stead whereof Rehoboam made shields of brass And so for a while God made the Tribe of Juda and Benjamin servants to Shishack although they humbled themselves to the intent they should know the difference between his service and the service of the Kingdomes of the World This King Rehoboam had eighteen Wives and three-score Concubines on whom he begot eight and twenty Sons and three-score Daughters But among all his Wives and Concubines he loved Maacha the Daughter of Absalom best And made Abijah her Son chief Ruler over all his Brethren and to have the Kingdom after him And when by his wisdom and policy he had dispersed his Children abroad and had raigned seventeen Years he dyed Rehoboam inlarging or spreading abroad the people Reuben Gen. 29.32 was the eldest Son of Jacob and Leah He brought the Mandrakes which he found in the Field to his Mother Gen. 30.14 He saved Joseph from his Brethren which went about to kill him Gen. 37.21 22. giving counsel to cast him into an empty Pit because he would rid him out of their hands But when he came afterward unto the Pit and found him not there he rent his Cloaths and made great mone for his Brother Joseph Long after this when Joseph was thought to be dead they went into Egypt for Corn and when they were taken for Spyes and hardly intreated and cast in Prison Gen. 42.22 Reuben said unto them Did not I warn you and say that ye should not sin against the Child and ye would not hear me and now ye may see how his bloud is required at our hands All this notwithstanding it was his chance to lye with Bilha his Father's Concubine Gen. 49.4 which deed sore displeased his Father wherefore before his death he declared the unstableness of Reuben saying That although he were the eldest yet should he not be the chiefest His birth right was taken from him 1 Chron. 5.1 and given to
the Sons of Joseph Reuben seeing his son or the sight of his son Rufus was a vertuous and a Religious man Rom. 16.13 whom Paul remembred in his Epistle saying Salute Rufus chosen in the Lord and his Mother and mine Ruth Ruth 1. cap. and Orpah were two fair young Damosels born in the Countrey of Moab where by chance they married with the Sons of Elimelech and Naomi who were strangers come out of the Land of Juda there to inhabit and when both their Husbands were dead and their Mother-in-law a Widow also they forsook their own Countrey to go home with their Mother into the Land of Juda. And when they had gone a good way together Orpah not without great intreaty of her Mother-in-law turned home again but Ruth abode still Then said Naomi to Ruth Oh see my Daughter thy Sister-in-law is gone back again to her People and Goods return and go after her I pray thee said Ruth intreat me not to leave thee For whithersoever thou goest I will go with thee And where thou dwellest there will I dwell also Thy People shall be my People And thy God my God look where thou dyest there will I dye also and there will I be buried The Lord do so and so unto me if ought but death only part thee and me asunder And so went they forth till they came to Bethlehem Juda which was in the beginning of Barley Harvest Ruth 2. cap. And as Ruth went one day out a leasing among the Harvest folks she happened by the providence of God upon the Fields pertaining to Boaz who shewed her such kindness that she neither lacked Meat nor Drink neither yet Corn so long as Harvest lasted And when all Harvest was done Naomi said unto Ruth This Man in whose Field thou hast leased all this while Ruth 3. cap. is our nigh Kinsman therefore do now by my counsel This Night he winnoweth Barley in the Barn wash thy self therefore and anoint thee and put thy Raiment upon thee and get thee to the Barn and keep thy self close until he have left eating and drinking And when he goeth to sleep mark the place where he layeth him down And when he is a-sleep go and lift up the Cloaths softly at his Feet and lay thee down and he shall tell thee what thou shalt do So when Ruth had done all things according to her Mother-in-laws teaching Boaz about Midnight waked out of his sleep and feeling one lye at his Feet was afraid and groping with his Hand he asked who it was I am Ruth quoth she thine Handmaid spread therefore the Wing of thy Garment over thine Handmaiden for thou art next of my Kin. Now blessed art thou quoth Boaz for thou hast shewed more goodness in the latter end than at the beginning inasmuch as thou followedst not young Men were they poor or rich And now my Daughter fear not I will do unto thee all that thou requirest For thou art well known to be a Woman of vertue Howbeit there is one nearer of Kin to thee than I if he will do the Kinsman's part unto thee well let him do it If he will not then will I. And so in the Morning he gave her so much Corn as she could carry home And shortly after she became his Wife Ruth 4.13 and in process brought him forth a Son called Obed which was the Father of Jesse the Father of David Read the story of Boaz and Naomi Ruth watered or filled S. SADOK the Son of Ahitub 2 Sam. 8.17 was Father to Shallum and Ahimaaz and one of the Priests that governed the Ark of GOD which he carried out of Jerusalem with David what time as he fled from his Son Absalom 2 Sam. 15.24 c. And when Zadok had brought the King over the Brook Kidron he desired him to return again with the Ark into the City that from him and dbiathar he might have word of all things that Absalom and Achitophel determined against him And so he returned with the Ark to Jerusalem and there remained David's faithful man in all things that he had commanded him And when he had knowledge of Absalom's overthrow 2 Sam. 19.11 he then exhorted all Israel and Juda to remember the kindness of David their Soveraign Lord and King who had so many times delivered them out of the hands of their enemies that now like true faithful and obedient subjects they would fetch him home again and restore him to his kingdom By whose godly exhortation the hearts of all Juda were bowed to David even as the heart of one man 1 King 1.8 38 c. This Sadok was ever a faithful Priest and never swerved from David For in the end when Adonijah took upon him to reign as King his Father David being old and alive Zadok consented not unto him but according to David's will and commandment anointed Solomon King who afterward promoted him into the room of Abiathar which had the High Priests office Sadoch or Zadok 2.35 Justified or just Shallum the Son of Jabesh conspired against Zachariah 2 King 15.10 13. There is another of this name the Husband of Hulda the Propheress 2 King 22.14 and slew him and raigned in his stead In the xxxix year of Azariah King of Juda began Shallum his raign over Israel and had not raigned one Month but Menahem rose up against him and slew him in Samaria and reigned in his stead Shallum Peaceable Salmanasar 2 King 18.9 c. King of Assyria came in the seventh year of Hoshea King of Israel and besieged Samaria and in the third year which was the ninth year of Hoshea he wan it and took Heshea prisoner and carried him away into Assyria Salmanasar Peace bound Solomon 2 Sam. 12.24 the Son of Bathsheba was ordained to reign after his Father David and anointed King over Israel 1 King 1.30 39. by Sadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet Who being stablished in his Kingdom began to minister Justice 2. cap. 25. first upon Adonijah his Brother which had aspired to the Kingdom ver 34. Secondly upon Joab which had slain Abner and Amasa and conspired with Adonijah ver ult Thirdly upon Shimei which had cursed David his Father 3. cap. This King was so dearly beloved of God that in a dream he appeared to him and bad him ask whatsoever he would and he should have it Then Solomon considering in himself that he was but young and that being called to the office of a King how hard a thing it was to govern the whole multitude of the People well desired of God to give him an understanding heart to judge the People and to discern between good and evil Which thing pleased the Lord so well that he gave him not only a wise and an understanding heart but also riches and honour wherein he excelled all other Kings that ever were before or after him And that he passed all
threw it over the Wall to Joab and so the commotion ceased Sheba vanity or little accounted of or uproar Sceva Act. 19.14 was a Jew born and the chief Priest among the Jews This Man had seven Sons who for lucre sake and to purchase unto themselves a great name thereby attempted to cast out evil spirits by invocation of the name of the Lord Jesus as Paul did saying unto the Man possessed We conjure you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preacheth that ye depart out of the man To whom the spirit answered and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And as soon as he had spoken these words the man in whom the evil spirit was ran upon them and got the upper hand on them In so much that they had much ado to escape with their lives and scarce got at the last naked and wounded out of the house And this example of the Sons of Sceva being bruted abroad among the Jews and Gentiles many which believed came to Paul and confessed their offences And beside that divers other which had used such curious crafts of Conjurations brought their books and burned them before all men the price whereof were counted at fifty thousand * A silverling was in value about a groat sterling or more Silverlings Shelah the youngest Son of Judah Gen. 38.5 11. being grown to perfect age and not given to Thamar in marriage according to his Father's promise was the occasion of Thamar's playing the Harlot with Judah her Father-in-law Shelah dissolving Selah Gen. 11.12 c. the Son of Arphaxad of the generation of Shem was the Father of Eber whom he begot when he was thirty years of age and lived after the birth of Eber four hundred and three years Which make in the whole four hundred and xxxiii years Shem Gen. 9.18 23.11.10 He is called also Melchisedeck And did first build the City of Salem which after was called Jerusalem the eldest Son of Noah received praise of his Father because he covered his nakedness as he lay uncovered in his Tent. Shem at the age of an hundred years begot Arphaxad two years after the Flood and lived after five hundred years Shimei the Son of * 2 Sam. 16.5 c. Gera of the kindred and house of Saul dwelt in a City called Bahurim And as it chanced David to flee thither for fear of his Son Absalom this man came out against him cursing and railing out of measure with such spiteful words as these Come forth come forth thou bloud shedder and man of Belial The Lord hath brought upon thee now all the bloud of the house of Saul in whose stead thou hast raigned The Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy Son And behold thou art come to thy mischief because thou art a murtherer And for all this would David suffer no man to do him harm So that Shimei went on still cursing and railing and hurling of stones and dirt at David like a mad-man But when the time came that David should be restored to his Kingdom again then Shimei that in his adversity was his most cruel enemy was now in his prosperity one of the first that met him to bring him home again And being passed over Jordan he fell down flat before David saying Oh let not my Lord impute wickedness unto me nor remember the thing that thy servant did wickedly when my Lord the King departed out of Jerusalem that the King should take it to heart for thy servant doth know how that I have done amiss And therefore behold I am the first this day of all the house of Joseph that am come to go down to meet my Lord the King So David forgave him Here he saith he was of the house of Joseph and before he saith he was of the house of Saul Of the Fathers side saith Lyra he was of the house of Joseph that is to say of the tribe of Ephraim but of the mothers side he was of the house of Saul But when the time of Davids departure out of this world drew nigh among all things which he spake to Solomon his Son he remembred Shimei saying Behold thou hast here with thee Shimei the Son of Gera the Son of Gemini of Bahurim which cursed me with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim but he came to me at Jordan and I swre unto him by the Lord that he should not dye But thou shalt not count him as unguilty for thou art a Man of wisdom and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him His hoar head shalt thou bring to the grave with bloud And so Solomon being set in his Kingdom called Shimei and said Build thee an house in Jerusalem and dwell there And see thou pass not from thence any whither for be thou sure that the day thou goest out and passest over the River of Kidron thou shalt dye and thy bloud shall be upon thine own head Shimei thanked the King and dwelt in Jerusalem the space of three years and then it chanced two of his servants to run from him to Achish King of Gath whereupon Shimei sadled his Ass and went for his servants and brought them home again Then Solomon hearing of his doings commanded Benajah to put him to death for the wickedness he had done to his Father David Shimei bearing or obedient Sennacherib King of Assyria was a mighty Prince 2 King 18.13 which seeing that Salmanasar his Predecessor had conquered the King of Israel and made them Tributaries thought it good to set upon the King of Juda who at that time was the godly and most noble Ezechias And when Sennacherib had gotten into his hands all the chief Cities of Juda and Benjamin save only Jerusalem he besieged that also with such might and power that Ezechias was fain to submit himself to the mercy of Sennacherib offering him tribute so much as he would demand Upon which offer Sennacherib promised Ezechias that if he would pay him three hundred talents of silver and one of gold his land should be safe and in quiet which promise he kept truly till the mony were payed But as soon as he had received the money he sent back again three of the greatest Captains he had to make fresh War against Ezechias And when they had pitched their Tents about Jerusalem they sent for Ezechias to come and speak with them who fearing his own life sent three of his Noble-men unto them to know the matter And when they had heard all the blasphemous words of Rabshekah 2 King 19. they returned and told them to Ezechias Who hearing those evil news rent his cloaths and put on sackcloth and fell prostrate upon his face and prayed unto the Lord to help him and to have mercy upon his people and beside that he sent to Esay the Prophet desiring him to pray unto the Lord for them whose Prayer the Lord
other Chief Rulers there went to Zorobabel and his Companions the Jews which were come by Darius licence to build the house of the Lord at Jerusalem again and demanded who had given them such commandment And when they saw the Jews would not cease then he with others sent their letters of complaint to Dartus the King to know his pleasure 7.1 2 3. And when they had received the King's answer Sisinnes with all the rest of the Rulers obeyed the King's commandment and helped the Jews with all diligence to build the sanctuary again and so the work went forth and prospered Shisak 1 Kirgs 14 35â— King of Egypt came to Jerusalem in the fifth year of the reign of Rehoboam with twelve hundred Chariots and threescore thousand Horsemen and People innumerable and spoiled the Temple of the Lord and the King's house and took away all the Treasure in both with the shields of gold which Solomon had made and so departed Shisak an empty or a void sack or bag Sisera Judges 4. cap. was the general Captain of King Jabin's Host And trusting in the great strength of his Chariots of Iron which were nine hundred and power of his men he went against the Children of Israel thinking to have over-run them all But God so wrought with the holy Prophetess Deborah and with Barak her Captain that they destroyed his Chariots with all his Host So that Sisera himself was fain to flie on foot And coming by the Tent of Heber for there was peace between King Jabin and the house of Heber he turned in And being sore athirst he desired Jael the Wife of Heber to give him some drink and she brought a Bottle of Milk and gave it him to drink and when he had drunk and was laid down to take his rest he said to Jael Go I pray thee and stand in the Tent-door And when any doth come to enquire of thee if there be any man here say nay And so thinking he had been safe enough took his rest and fell asleep Then Jael with a Nail which she drove into his Head slew him Sisera he that seeth a Swallow Shoby 2 San. 17.27 28 29. the Son of Nahash out of Rabbah the City of the Children of Ammon and Machir the Son of Ammiel out of Lo-debar and Barzillai the Gileadite out of Rogel what time as David lay with his People in the Wilderness of Mahanaim hungry weary and thirsty brought unto him Bedding Wheat Barley with all other necessaries to ease and refresh David and his Men in that time of adversity Sosthenes Act. 18.17 of whom Saint Paul maketh mention in his first Epistle to the Corinthians first Chapter was the chief Ruler of the Synagogue in the City of Achaia against whom the Greeks had such indignation for taking Paul's part against the Jews that they fell upon him before the Judges feet where Gallio the Lord Deputy sat and smote him And Gallio not caring for those things let them alone and would not meddle with the matter Stachys Rom. 16.9 to whom Paul in his letter of commendations sendeth greeting saying Salute Urban our fellow-helper in Christ and Stachys my beloved Stephanas was a faithful lover of Christ and his 1 Cor. 16.15 16 17. doctrine in whose commendation Paul to the Corinthians writeth thus Brethren ye know the house of Stephanas and of Fortunatus and Achaicus how that they are the first-fruits of Achaia And that they have appointed themselves to minister unto the Saints I beseech you that ye be obedient unto such and to all that help and labour I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus for that which was lacking unto me on your part they have supplied For they have comforted my spirit and yours Look therefore that ye know them that are such Steven Act. 6. a Man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost was one of the seven Deacons chosen in the Congregation to make provision for the poor which did great Wonders and Miracles among the People Against whom arose certain of the Synagogue which were called Libertines Cyrenians and of Alexandria Cilicia and Asia which disputed with him And when they could not resist his wisdom and the spirit of God wherewith he spake they accused him of blasphemy against God and Moses and brought him before the Council with their false witnesses ready which said We heard this fellow speak blasphemous words against this holy place and Law saying that Jesus of Nazareth should destroy this place and change the Ordinances which Meses gave us And all the Council looked stedfastly upon him and saw his face as it had been the face of an Angel 7. cap. Then Steven for as much as he was accused to be a denyer of God made an earnest answer unto his accusation in the end whereof the Council waxed so angry against him that their hearts clave asunder and gnashed on him with their teeth But he being full of the Holy Ghost looked stedfastly up with his eyes into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and said Behold I see Heaven open and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God with the which the People gave a great shout and stopped their ears and ran upon him all at once and carried him out of the City to put him to death And as they stoned him he said Lord Jesu receive my spirit And kneeling down cryed with a loud voice Lord lay not this sin unto their charge And so fell asleep in the Lord. Susanna the Daughter of Helchias Susanna 1. was a very fair Woman given to all vertue and godliness Her husband's name was Joachim a Man of great reputation among the Jews In the first year that Susanna was married there were two Judges made which resorted much to Joachim's house and all such as had any thing to do in the Law came thither unto them These two Judges being wicked men were so wounded with the love of Susanna and burned so in lust after her that they could not tell what to do But neither durst tell the other his grief nor yet for shame utter their inordinate lust unto her And so on a day when they had sat long in Joachim's house about matters of the Law and waited for to have their purpose on Susanna and could not they brake up and went home to dinner And at their return again together the one brake to the other their whole minds and appointed a time when they might take her alone And when they had spyed out a convenient time that Susanna went into the Garden as her manner was with two of her Maidens only to wash her self these two hid themselves in the Garden against her coming And assoon as the Maidens had shut the Orchard-doors and were gone for Oyl and Sope for their Mistress the two Elders came upon Susanna and said The Garden doors
And thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel Now therefore I pray thee speak unto the King and he will not deny me unto thee Howbeit Amnon would not hearken unto her voice but being stronger than she forced Thamar and lay with her And then was his hatred so great against her that he thrust her from him and bad her get her out of his sight Well said Thamar Thou hast no cause thus to intreat me for this evil that thou puttest me away is greater than that thou didst unto me Nevertheless there was no remedy but out of his house she must go And when his servant had put her sorth and made fast the doors after her she put ashes upon her head and rent her garment which was of divers colours and the manner of apparel that Kings Daughters such as were Virgins did use to wear and so went crying home to her Brother Absalom's house where she remained desolate Thamar a Palm-tree Thamar which was Daughter-in-law to Judah the Son of Jacob Read her story in the story of Judah Thamar the Daughter of Absalom 2 Sam. 14.27 Theudas Act. 5.36 was an Inchanter and false deceiver who by boasting himself to the People and promising of prodigious things drew unto him a great company of Men to the number of four hundred Whose wicked enterprise for as much as it proceeded of malicious spite came to an untimely end For both he himself suffered death and his partakers some slain and some taken Prisoners And so the rest being scattered abroad the sect came to nought Thiglath Pileser 2 King 16.7 c. King of Assyria who had received of Ahaz King of Juda a great Summ of Treasure to come and help him against Rezin King of Syrta came to Damascus and took the City and slew Rezin the King there And carried the People away to Kyr Thot 2 Sam. 8.9 c. King of Hamath had a great enemy of Hadarezar King of Zoba And when he heard how David had overcome and beaten him he sent his Son Joram to David with Vessels of Gold silver and brass for a present and to salute him with peace and to give him thanks for that he had fought with his ancient Enemy and so valiantly overcome him Thola Judg. 10.1 c. the Son of Puah of the generation of Isachar dwelling in Shamir in Mount Ephraim succeeded his Uncle Abimelech and judged Israel three and twenty years and was buried in Shamir And after him rose Jair Thola a Worm Thomas Matth. 10.3 otherwise called Didymus which signifieth in English doubtful was one of the twelve Apostles of Christ. Who what time as the Disciples disswaded Jesus from going into Jewry again forasmuch as the Jews had lately sought to stone him said John 11.16 Let us also go that we may dye with him 20.24 c. This Thomas doubting of the Resurrection of Christ said unto his fellows which told him that they had seen the Lord Except I see in his hands the print of the Nails and put my finger into the print or place of the Nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe After eight days Thomas being with the Disciples came Jesus again and stood in the midst saying peace be with you and said to Thomas put thy finger here and see my hands and thrust forth thy hand and put it into my side and be not faithless but faithful Then Thomas conceiving a full faith that it was the Lord said Thou art my Lord and my God Which confession Jesus did well accept and embrace but yet withal to reprove the hardness of his belief he said unto him Thomas because thou hast seen me thou believest Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed Thomas A twin Tiberius was an Emperour of whom Saint Luke maketh mention in his Gospel saying Luk. 3.1 That in the fifteenth Year of his Reign the Word of God came to John Baptist in the Wilderness Tiberius A good sight or vision Tychicus was one of the Disciples Act. 20.4 which went out of Asia to Troas where he abode Paul's coming who sent him afterward to the Ephesians Eph. 6.21 and also to the Collossians with his Epistles to inform them in what case he stood and what he did in all things Coll. 4.7 Tychicus casual or coming by chance Timothy 1 Mac. 5.6 c. 8. ch 10. was a certain Captain of the Ammonites which was twice overcome and put to flight of Maccabeus and at the third time so sore discomfited through help of the five Men which God made to appear on Horseback with Bridles of Gold leading the Jews and two of them having Maccabeus between them that Timothy's Host were so confounded with blindness and so sore afraid that they fell down and were slain of them twenty thousand and five hundred Foot-men with six hundred Horsemen and he himself fain to take the strong hold of Gazar to the which Maccabeus laid siege four days and could not win it Wherefore they within trusting to the strength of the hold fell to cursing and railing on the Jews with most spiteful words and made so great cracks and boast of their strength that on the fifth day the Jews were so chafed in their minds that with bold courage they scaled the Walls and set the Ports on fire and burnt those crackers and blasphemers and got the Castle which was two days in destroying where at the last they found Timothy which was crept into a corner and flew him with Cereas his Brother Captain of the Castle Read the story of Dositheus Timothy the honour of God or he that honoureth God Timothy Act. 16.1 was a certain godly Disciple whose Mother was a Jew and his Father a Graecian Of this Man there went so good a report of his vertuous living among the brethren of Lystra and Iconium that Paul was much desirous to have him go forth with him in his Journey wherefore he took and circumcised him because of the Jews in those Quarters which knew his Father to be a Greek Pkil 2.9 And so went Timothy forth with Paul and as he reporteth even as a Son with the Father bestowed he his labour with him upon the Gospel He was a Man of great study and abstinence through the which he fell oftentimes sick And therefore Paul to measure his abstinence 1 Tim. 5.23 exhorteth him to drink no longer water but to use a little Wine Tyrannus was a certain School master in Asia Act. 19.9 in whose School Paul disputed daily by the space of two years Tyrannus Commanding or a Prince a Tyrant Titus 2 Cor. 2.13.7.6.8.6 16. Tit. 1.5 c. was S. Paul's Disciple whom for the excellent gifts that were in him Paul loved as if he had been his own natural Son And made him the chief Overseer or as ye would say Archbishop of the Christian Congregation in the
that whensoever Zenas departed from him he should bring him on his Journey with all diligence and that nothing should be lacking unto him His words to Titus were these Bring Zenas the Lawyer and Apollos on their Journey diligently that nothing be lacking to them Zenas Living Zipporah Exod. 2.21 c. was the Daughter of Raguel Priest of Madian and Wife to Moses by whom she conceived and bare him two Sons Eleazer was not circumcised therefore GOD was angry with Moses saith Lyra. The one Gerson and the other Eleazer And as she went with Moses her Husband toward the Land of Egypt by the way in her Inne she took a sharp Knife and cut away the foreskin of her Son and cast it at his feet saying Thou art indeed a bloudy husband unto me she said a bloudy husband because of the circumcision Zipporah A mourning Zibah 2 Sam. 9. was one of King Saul's old Servants after whose death he belonged to Mephibosheth the Son of Jonathan and had the oversight of all his Master's Lands which David had restored unto him and the governance also of Micha his Master's Son 16.1 2 c. This Ziba intending to deceive his Master what time as David fled from Absalom his Son and was a little past the top of Mount Olivet met him with a couple of Asses sadled and upon them two hundred loaves and one hundred bunches of Raisins and an hundred of dryed Figgs and a bottel of Wine And when the King saw him he said What meaneth thou with these Ziba They be quoth he Asses for the King's Houshold to ride on and Bread and Fruit for the young Men to eat and Wine that such as be faint in the Wilderness may drink Then said the King where is thy Master Mephibosheth Zaba said behold he tarrieth still at Jerusalem for he said This day shall the house of Israel restore me the Kingdom of my Father Then said David to Ziba Behold all are thine that pertained to Mephibosheth Then said Ziba I do homage unto thee I beseech thee I may find grace in thy sight my Lord O King Thus Ziba deceived his Master and got his Land from him But when the King was returned again to Jerusalem and perceived by Mephibosheth that Ziba had wrongfully accused him he commanded the Land to be divided between them Ziba Fulness or an Oath Zimri was the servant of Ela the Son of Baasha King of Israel and Captain of half his Chariots who 1 King 16.9.10 c. or his Master had reigned full two years conspired against him and slew him as he was in Tirzah drinking till he was drunken in the house of Arza Steward of his House in Tirzah And raigned in his stead in the time of whose reign which was but seven days he slew all the house of Baasha leaving neither Kinsman nor friend of his alive At this time had Ela the King an Host of Men lying at the siege of Gibbethon a City of the Philistines And when they heard of the Treason of Zimri and that he raigned in the stead of Ela they with one consent made Amri their Captain King who then went and besieged Zimri where he lay in the City of Tirzah And when Zimri saw that the City must needs be won then he lest they should take him alive and put him to a shameful death burnt himself and the King's house with fire and so dyed Zimri a singing or making melody Zorobabel Esdras 3. 4. cap. the Son of Salathiel with all the Jewes which were delivered from Babylon by Cyprus returned to Jerusalem where they repaired again the City and Temple of God and renewed their Laws though they were sometime hindred and lett by their enemies about them Zorobabel Free from confusion or strange FINIS