it and birds sate in the boughes of it he seemed also to see a watchman and a holy one who comming downe from Heaven commanded with a loud voice that the tree with its branches should be hewne downe and the leaves shaken off and the fruit scattered the birds being made to fly away out of its branches and the beasts that dwelt under it yet so as that the stump of the roots of the tree should remaine in the earth which should be bound with an Iron and brasse band in the grasse and should be wet with the heavenly dewe and that he should eat the grasse like the beasts and his mans habit and sense should be turned into a beasts for seven years He said the watchmen had decreed thus and the holy one had designed thus that men might understand that God was high who commanded men in Kingdome and disposed them to whomsoever he would When the rest could not interpret this dream upon the hearing of it at last they came to Daniel whom as I said a little before he had set over the Magicians and South-sayers He being asked his opinion at the first he begun silently with himselfe more heedfully to consider the interpretation of the thing and that with great perturbation of minde because of the event of the thing which was signified At the last when the King had taken notice of that for there appeared in him manifest tokens of astonishment and had bidden him utter the interpretation of the dreame freely then he wishing with a loud voice that the interpretation of that dreame might befall his enemies so interpreted that dream as he said that tall tree was the King himselfe who was so great and powerfull that his greatnesse reached to Heaven and his power to the ends of the world but he that was so great should in the time which God had appointed be driven out of his Kingdome and from the society of men and dwell amongst the wild beasts and eat hay like an Oxe and be wet with dew in the fields for seven yeares till he should understand that God is high who ruleth the Kingdome of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will But yet that his Kingdome should not be altogether taken from him but restored when he should have acknowledged the power of God After this he gave wife and profitable Counsell to the King which if he would follow he might avoid those evils which he conceived by these things were like to befall him for he perswaded him that by relieving the poore he would make amends for his sins for perhaps God would be mercifull to his sins Now all those things befell Nebuchadonosor in the twelfth month after when he bragged that Babylon was built by him only and when the seven yeares were fulfilled both his senses were restored to him and his Kingdome and his glory and dignity was greater than it had been formerly And then he was not unthankfull but with many excellent words he thanked God and professed himselfe to acknowledge his power nor was he ashamed to write a Letter to all people wherein he both told his dreame and how Daniel only gave the interpretation of it and the event of his dreame so declared as I have said and the restitution of his Kingdome at the last All which things ought to be before every bodies eyes but especially Kings and great men and those that are eminent in power left they should attribute to themselves those things which they ought to ascribe to God When Nebuchadonosor was dead Balthasar his son succeeded him in the Kingdome He made a stately banquet to a thousand chiefe men of his Kingdome in which as every one was before another in yeares so he dranke and being overcome with wine and drunke he gave order that the golden and silver Cups which Nebuchadonosor his Father had caused to be carried out of the Temple of Hierusalem should be brought that all his Guests might drinke in them And now did he drinke and amongst his Cups as he dranke he praised his gods made of gold silver brass and other matter when behold on a sudden he beheld fingers like a mans which writ upon the wall over against the Candlestick in the very Palace of the King The King being afrighted at the sight of a thing so unusuall and strange gives order with a loud cry that the magicians and south-sayers should be brought in as soone as might be They being consulted could neither read nor interpret that which was written whereas the King promised such a reward as this that he that should read and interpret it should be clad in purple should weare a gold chaine about his neck and have the third place in his Kingdome Hereupon not only the King conceived much griefe but also the Princes nor had that griefe and sorrow been mitigated or laid aside unlesse the Queen had advised the King that he should be chearfull saying that he had Daniel whom his Father Nebuchadonosor had set over all the Magicians because he was very famous for Divining having found him still to be excellent in a matter of greater weight when he at the Kings commandement was brought in first the King told him that the Magicians could neither read nor explaine that which he saw written and then mentioned what he had heard touching the commendation of his skill and his fame for such like things which if they were true and that he could read those things which he saw and could interpret them he should have the same reward which as I have said was offered to the Magicians Daniel answered that the King might take his gifts to himselfe or give them to another for that he without inviting by any reward would interpret that which the writing had obscurely signified and therefore repeating the thing a little higher as far as from Nebuchadonosor the King his Father he told how he had received Kingdome glory and such great Power from God that because of it all men stood in awe of him and that he himselfe advanced and afflicted whom he listed but that he because he ascribed all these things to himselfe and not to God by Gods will was driven from his Kingdome and cast out of the society of men and was in the shape of a beast amongst beasts untill he had acknowledged the power and majesty of God And that because he his sonne who knew all these things had not humbled his heart but had lift up his mind against God the Ruler and Lord of heaven drinking in his cups of gold silver and praying the gods of gold and silver who doe not see nor heare nor perceive slighting and despising God in whose power all that he had estate life and Kingdome were God himselfe had sent one to write those things And that this was the meaning of those three words which were written God had numbred the years of his Kingdome and he was weighed in a ballance and his Kingdome divided
fare and got into the Ship he failed with others towards Tharsis but presently by Gods permission there arose a mightie winde and so great a tempest that the Ship was in great danger hereupon the rest being greatly afraid prayed every one to his God and threw their goods into the Sea that the burden of the Ship might be lighter but hee was asleep in the side of the Ship Therefore the master of the Ship who thought him extreame negligent and retchlesse that when others were afraid and all at prayers for all that was asleep in so manifest a danger roused him up and bad him get up and pray unto his God as others did In the mean time they all agreed to try by lots what might be the cause why that disaster happened and the lot sell upon Jonas Whereupon they intreat him that he would tell them for what cause and fault such a mischiefe had lighted on them all and they askt him whence he came whither he went what country man he was and what trade he used Hee told them that he was a Hebrew and that he feared and worshipped the God of Heaven who made the earth and the sea and that he fled from his presence Then they being mightily afraid begun to aske him why he had done this evill and what they should doe to him that they might be freed from that danger when he had told them that that evill had happened because of him and through his default and that therefore if they would throw him into the Sea they should have a prosperous winde and a calm sea they cast him into the Sâ—a beseeching God that he would not lay this sin to their charge And so which was strange a wonderfull stilnesse of the Sea followed upon his casting in which when they had observed having offered Sacrifices to God whom they greatly feared for this that was done they made vowes to him But God neglected not nor forsook Jonah his servant but provided a great fish who took him and swallowed him up but yet did not consume or digest him but kept him whole in his bellie till the third day on which he vomited him out of his belly safe and sound upon the Land Now perceiving out of the fishes belly such a great favour of God towards him he gave thanks to him having recounted the dangers from the which he had delivered him When he was delivered from that danger God commanded him againe that he should goe to Nineve the great City in which he should tell the Citizens what God had prescribed him There when he had dispatched one dayes journey he told this openly to all that the City should be destroyed within fortie daies The Ninevites did not neglect or contemne the speech of Jonah that is of one that was a stranger and of low degree and one whom they had seen before but believing it they publikely proclaimed a Fast and repented them of the wickednesse of their former life being clad in sacking and hairecloth Nor indeed was this chang of life onely in private men but of all the Magistrates and Princes For when as it uses to be by talke and report that praediction concerning the overthrow of the City was brought to the King he did not fal to delights and pleasures after the manner as others doe usually having prescribed a forme of repentance to others hold themselves excused but having abandoned his Throne prostrated himselfe and cast off his Royall apparell he was first cloathed in sackcloth and sate in ashes and afterwards gave charge by proclamation that not onely men and women but the children also and not the children onely but also the beasts which by their nature are void of reason should abstaine from food or fodder or drinke but that all being clad in sackcloth and haire cloath should intreat the Lord and all should change the course of their wicked lives for that none knew whether God being pacified would pardon their sins In this place I could commend and set out the great wisdome of the Ninevites seen in the alteration of their lives but that I write the life of Jonas that is I set downe the bare narration of the thing how it was done Now the King was not mistaken in that apprehension he had touching God for when he saw them all turned at the Kings commandement from their vile and wicked way of living he took pitty on them neither did he overthrow the City as he had determined which mercy of Gods caused a deale of griefe to Jonas either lest he should seeme to have told a lye to the Ninevites because he absolutely said that Nineve should be destroyed within forty daies or because he understood that the people of Israel should be destroyed and therefore he besought God that he would take away his life because he had rather dye than that should come to passe although he knew that he was exceeding mercifull being asked by God whether he thought he did well to grieve he went out of the City and having got him a shady place which looked towards the East from whence he might safely see what befell the City God had raised up an Ivy or a Gourd which overshadowed him in the beholding whereof he was extraordinarily delighted But when God had also the next day by breake of day raised up a worme which stealing and creeping did so devoure the Gourd and Jonas feeling the heat of the Sun wished for death and God asked him whether he did well to be angry for the Gourd that was eaten And he had answered that he was grieved to the death Then God spake those words unto him which most plainly discovered his exceeding great mercy to mankind For he demanded of him whether it was fit that he should be troubled at the fading of a Gourd which he had not set nor made to grow and that he should not himselfe pardon that City in which there were above six score thousand persons who could not discerne good from evill What answer Jonas made to these words or what he did afterwards is nor recorded Although Epiphanius writeth that he afterwards returned into his Country wherein now he thought there was no dwelling for him lest his own fellow Citizens should object unto him that his Prophesie concerning Nineve was false and that therefore he went with his mother to Sura and dwelt in Saar and there died and was buried in the Cave of Ceneseus the Judge Jehaziel the Prophet CHAP. XVII I find that Jehaziel did once only do the Office of Prophesie 2 Chron. 20.14 and that was unto Jehosaphat the King of Judah after this manner The Ammonites and Moabites having gathered a great Army resolved to fight with Jehosaphat the King of Judah when this was told him and that the enemies were now already entred his Kingdome he not trusting himselfe and his own strength betook himself wholly unto God and besought him that he who had driven out all the Nations in
former times out of their Countries that he might place his own people in them as he had promised Abraham would heare him and his in this sad time of danger that the Ammonites and Moabites came against him with an hostile Army being unthankfull for and unmindfull of their deliverance when at his command their Elders coming out of Egypt under the Conduct of Moses spared those two Nations when other people were destroyed He knew well that he was not able to stand against such a Multitude unlesse God Almighty did help him nor did the King alone pray to God but also all the Jewes with their wives and children There was amongst them this Jehaziel the son of Zachary a Levite who by a long descent was come from Asaph Davids singer He being moved by the Spirit of God came from amidst the multitude and foretold to Jehosaphat and others by Gods Command that they should not feare such a multitude forasmuch as the battle was not theirs but Gods who the next day would overthrow their enemies This very thing fell out the next day not in that manner as one would have expected for Iosaphat and his Army did not overcome their enemies by sight but they overthrew themselves by fighting wounding and killing one another which when the Jews had observed they found so much booty that they could not carry it away in three daies Triumphing hereupon they returned to Ierusalem with Lutes and Timbrels praising God Eliezer the Prophet CHAP. XIX ELiezer the Prophet was the Son of Dodavah of Maresha 2 Chron. 20.37 I find that he also executed the office of a Prophet only once and that unto the same King Iehosaphat for when the King had made friendship with Ahaziah Iniisset inimicitias that ungodly King of Israel and been partaker with him in the designe of rigging a Navy which should go to Tharsis but the hand of God was lost at Sea this Eliezer was sent by God to tell him that because he had made a Covenant with Ahazias by Gods providence the Navy was cast away at Sea and could not reach Tharsis The life of the Prophet Esaias CHAP. XX. ESaias the Prophet was the Son of Amoz the Prophet whose Prophesie is extant as Epiphanius would have it or another * Am. 1. Amos Esa 1. Amoz Amoz because of the unlike spelling in St Hieroms opinion he discharged the duty of a Prophet in the Reigne of Iotham Ahaz and Hezekias Kings of Iudah and his Prophesie doth chiefly concerne Iudah and Ierusalem what he foretold in every Kings Raigne is uncertaine except in Ahaz his and Hezekias unto whom he was sent as I shall tell you anon Although we may conceive this that he prophesied those things which he treateth of from the beginning of his book * From the first chap. to the seventh to that place where he mentioneth King Ahaz when Vzziah and Iotham were Kings And those things that follow to that place Ezech. 3.6 wherein he speakes of Hezekiah when Ahaz was King and the rest to the end of his Prophesie whilest Hezekiah raigned Sect. 1. He was sent to Ahaz upon this occasion Rezin King of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah King of Israel joyned forces and besieged Hierusalem yet could they not take it And God had Esaias tell this before their Army was on march to Ahaz who was exceedingly afraid that Pekah King of Israel had made a confederacy with Rezin King of Syria that they seizing on the kingdome of Iudah might drive Abaz thence and make the son of Tabell King in his stead but that he should not seare for it should not so come to passe as they had devised He bad him also by Gods command that he should aske a signe of God either in heaven or earth and when he said he would not aske or tempt God not in that he behaved himselfe humbly but in that he worshiping strange gods did not believe God and yet dissembled it Esaias chiding him and them that obeyed him because they had not only wearied men but God also Esa 7.13 foretold that such a signe as this should be given them He said a Virgin should conceive and bring forth a Son whose name they should call Emmanuel that is God with us Sect. 2. And when Hezechiah was King Esaias was sometime consulted withall and sent unto by the King who intreated his prayers for him and other times sent by God on messages to the King which how and wherefore it was done I will declare in few words Isa 3.6 Senacherib King of Assyria invading Iudah had taken all the fenced Cities thereof and had sent Rabshacheh Generall of his Army to Hierusalem that he might treate with Hezechiah concerning the surrender of the City Hezechiah being mightily afraid sent Eliakim the son of Helkiah the Steward of his house Shebna the Scribe and Ioah the son of Asaph the Recorder who when they had heard many words tending both to the disgrace of the King and the dishonour of God as though he was not able to help his own people and had told them to Hezechiah he rent his cloaths and being clad with sackcloath went into the Temple of God and sent those three in the same habit to Isaiah First to relate to him those things and afterwards to increat him that he would pray to God for them that persevered trusting in him Esaias at Gods Command bad them toll Hezechiah that he should not feare for God would send a blast upon Senacherib and he should heare a Rumour upon which he should returne into Assyria and there dye by the sword These things they told to the King but because in the meane time Senacherib sent messengers who brought Letters to Hezechiab containing yet more grievous railings against God he first read them over as soone as he had taken them from the hands of the Embassadours and afterwards going into the Temple he humbly besought God and that at large to revenge the wrongs and reproaches of Senacherib and deliver his own people God being intreated with those prayers of the King declared at large by Esaias that there should be a great deliverance and shewed the tokens by which he should know the things for certaine which when they had all come to pass accordingly a hundred fourscore five thousand of the Assyrians were slaine and Senacherib himselfe also a while after in Assyria whereupon ensued a happy peace Sect. 3. The occasion afterwards why he was sent unto the King was this Hezechias was sick and that with danger of life therefore God sent Esaias to him to put him in mind of ordering himselfe and his affaires because he was to dye He being affrighted with this message besought God presently that he would have mercy on him whereupon Esaias was againe sent by God having not yet gone out of the Court-yard to tell him that his prayers were heard and his teares seene and that therefore he should live fifteen yeares