Northward 2 Chr. 8. From thence he went to the lower Bethoron 16 miles from the upper toward the South 1 Reg. 9. 2 Chr. 8. From the lower Bethoron he went to Ierusalem which was eight miles After Solomon built the City Belath which was 12 miles from Ierusalem North-vvestvvard 1 Reg. 9. 2. Chr. 8. From thence he returned back to Ierusalem 12 miles and it is very like that Solomon often visited those Towns that he built and restored From Ierusalem he went to Hemath afterward called Antiochia which was 320 miles and compassed it about with a Wall fortified it and afterward constrained all the Kingdoms thereabout to be obedient to his Government 2 Chr. 8. From thence he went with great State into the Kingdom of Zoba which is 600 miles and fortified all the great Cities and Castles of that Country that with the greater Facility they might oppose the Invasions of neighbouring Countries From thence he returned to that famous City Thamar which was also called the City of the Palmes 400 miles this he rebuilt and fortified 1 Reg. 9. 2 Chr. 8. From thence he went to Ierusalem which is 388 miles From thence he went to Ezeongâ—ber near to the Red Sea in the Country of Idumaea where he built a company of stately Ships and sent them to India to fetch Gold which was 176 miles from Ierusalem Southward 1 Reg. 9. From thence he returned to Ierusalem which is 176 miles But of his Riches and great Prosperity he grew Proud for he excelled all the Kings near him and gave himself to unlawful Pleasures he took unto him 300 Concubines and 700 Wives by whose perswasions he began to worship the Gods of the Gentiles which Idolatry was evil in the sight of the Lord. After he had reigned forty years which was about the sixtieth of his Age he died and was buried by his Father David in Mount Sion the City of David An. Mundi 2770 and before Christ 998. So all the Travels of Solomon were 2544 miles The description of the places to which he travelled Of Gazer you may read before in the Travels of David Of Bethoron THe upper and the lower Bethoron were two Cities in the Tribe of Ephraim built by Saaerah the Daughter of Ephraim 1 Chron. 7. The inferiour Bethoron was not far from the Castle of Emmaus eight miles from Ierusalem toward the North-West The Superiour was twenty miles distant towards the North. These Towns Solomon repaired Near to the lower Bethoron the Lord put the Enemies of Ioshuah to flight with Thunder and Hail Ios. 10. Here also Iudas Macchabeus overcame the Army of Antiochus 1 Mac. 3. Here also he put Niâ—anor to death 1 Mac. 7. and signifieth A white house being derived of Beth which signifies an house and Chor he hath made white Of Baaelath THis is a City twelve miles from Ierusalem North-westward in the Tribe of Dan. This City Solomon repaired at such time as he fell in Love with many Women from whence it seemeth to take his name for Baaeleth signifieth his beloved Lady Of Thamar THamar Tadmor or Palmira stood partly in the Desart of Syria and partly in a fruitful Soyl being compassed about on the one side with a Wood on the other with fair and pleasant Fields It was the Metropolitan City of all Syria not far from Euphrates some 388 miles from Ierusalem North-Eastward and as Pliny saith lib. 5. cap. 25. although it lay betwixt two mighty Empires Rome and Parthia yet it was subject to neither fairly scituated a Free City adorned with fair and sumptuous Buildings and contented with their own Government The Wildernesses called after this Towns name Palâ—arnae or the Desarts of the Palms extend themselves to Petra the Metropolitan City of Arabia-Petraea and to the borders of Arabia-Foelix one days journey from Euphrates two from the upper part of Syria and six from Babylon as Iosephus observeth Antiq. lib. 8. cap. 5. This City Solomon made Tributary to him and fortified it with strong Walls 1 Reg. 9. Of Ezeongaber you may read before The Typical Signification of Solomon SOlâ—mon is as much as FREDERICK in High-Dutch which signifies a Peace-maker being derived of the Hebrew word Schelâ—moh or Schalom to bring glad tidings of Peace Typically representing Christ the Prince of Peace who hath reconciled us with his Heavenly Father and merited an eternal place of Peace and Happiness for all such as trust in him Esay 9. And as Solomon built up the Temple of the Lord with great majesty and glory so Christ hath built up that heavenly Temple the Church of God and adorned it with the Gifts and Graces of his holy Spirit in this World that so it might be capable of eternal Glory in the World to come 2 Cor. 6. The Travels of Solomon's Ships THis Navy of Solomon's went unto Ophir that is India which was accounted from the Mart Town 4800 miles From India they returned back again 4800 miles so all their Travels were 9600 miles This Journey was finished in three years to and again so that every year they went 3200 miles and brought home plenty of Gold Silver precious Stones Ebony c. Of India MOses called this Country Havilah Gen. 2. and Ios. li. Antiq. 8. c. 7. Ophir which name saith he it took of two Brothers so called which inhabited and governed the Country all along the River Ganges But more Modern Writers derive it from Indus a River passing through it It is a spacious and fruitful Country pleasant to inhabit and as Pomponius saith hath in it 5000 Cities being divided into two parts the outward and inward The Travels of the Queen of Saba FRom Saba in Ethiopia she came to Ierusalem 964 miles From Ierusalem she returned back again which was 964 miles So all her Travels were 1928 miles Of Aethiopia THIS Country by the Hebrews is called Chus of Chus the Son of Cham who was the Son of Noah and after Aethiopia ab aestu torrida because of the great heat wherewith oftentimes the habitable Land and People as also the Wilderness were sorely scorched and burned for it is scituated in the third part of the World called Africa lying under the torrid Zone and the Aequator which two by common Experience are found to be extream hot Of Saba SAba is a metropolitan City in Aethiopia lying beyond Egypt 846 miles from Ierusalem towards the South and took the name from a certain precious Stone called Achates wherein might plainly be discerned in certain distinct Colours the rising of Fountains the Chanels of Rivers high Mountains and sometimes of Chariots and Horses drawing them It is reported That Pyrrhus King of the Epirots had one of them wherein was lively represented the Nine Muses and Apollo playing on the Viol portrayed by natural Stains and Colours so artificially as if they had been done by some curious Work-man Of this Stone you may read more in Pliny li. 37. ca. 1. 10. It was first found in Achates a River of Sicilia
Father-in-law in the other Ishmael that being the chief City of his Dominions as you may read Gen. 21. Ex. 2. Of Reson Solomon's Adversary AFter David had conquered Hadad-Ezer King of Zoba Reson his chief Captain gathered up his dispersed Souldiers of his Army and fled from him to Damascus which was 120 miles and besieged it the Citizens whereof when neither David nor Solomon could suppress his Rebellion entertained him for their King which Principality he held The Travels of the Kings of Israel and first of Jeroboam THis man was the Son of Nebat and born at a Town called Zared not far from Bethlehem-Euphrata some eight miles from Ierusalem from whence he came to Solomon who made him Captain that he might collect the Tribute of Manasses and Ephraim 1 Reg. 11. which was eight miles From Ierusalem as he went to Shilo which was four miles he met the Prophet Ahijah the Shilomite who told him that he should be King of Israel 1 Reg. 11. From thence he went to Memphis in Aegypt which was 224 miles because Solomon sought his life where he remained with Sesak King of Aegypt all the Life of Solomon Eusebius calleth this King Osochores who that same year succeeded Solomon's Father-in-law in that Government From thence he returned to the Town of Sichem in Israel which was 280 miles where the Israelites made him chief Captain against Solomon's Son Wherefore Ieroboam the Son of Nebat began to Raign over Israel An. mundi 2971 and before Christ 997 and raigned twenty two years 1 Reg. 12. His first Seat was at Sichem which he repaired and enlarged From Sichem in the first year of his reign he went to Penuel and there set up many fair Buildings which was twelve miles 1 Reg. 12. From Penuel he went twenty four miles to the Town of Bethel where he caused a Golden Calf to be set up for the People to worship From thence he went to Thirza which is sixteen miles This City he built and there kept his Court 1 Reg. 14. From thence he went to the Mount Zemaraim which is Mount Ephraim eighteen miles where he had a great Battel with Abia King of Iuda and lost 500000 of his Souldiers all chosen men of Israel 2 Chr. 13. ver 17. Having lost this Battel with all possible speed that he could went thence to Thirza which is eighteen miles there the Lord struck him with a grievous Disease that he died miserably 1 Reg. 14. 2 Chr. 13. So all the Travels of Ieroboam first King of Israel were 623 miles The Description of the Towns and places to which Jeroboam travelled Of Zemaraim THis was a certain Plain in Mount Ephraim eight miles from Ierusalem towards the North near to the Town of Bethel in the Tribe of Manasses for Mount Ephraim is divided into divers parts and Tribes It seemeth to take the name of certain Trees that abound near that place whereon Cotton-wooll groweth for Zaemaer signifieth Wooll which by little and little upon such Trees doth increase and grow to perfection Of Thirza THis was a fair and beautiful City scituated in a high and pleasant Mountain in the Tribe of Manasses some twenty four miles from Ierusalem towards the North. In this place the Kings of Israel us'd to keep their Courts until Samaria was built it was so called because of the Excellency and delectableness of the place for Thirza doth denote An acceptable and thankful City being derived of Razah he received thankfully Of the Years of the Iniquity of Israel THe years of the Iniquity of Israel mentioned in Ezek. 4. is to be accounted from that day wherein Ieroboam first erected the Golden Calves wherefore the greatest part of the first year of the Iniquity agreeth with the second year of Ieroboams Reign From whence may be gathered that from that time till the destruction of Ierusalem by Nebuchadnezzar were 390 years full ended Of Jeroboam's Wife Queen of Israel SHE went from Thirza to Zilo which was about twenty four miles there she asked counsel of Ahijam the Prophet concerning her Son Abia for he was sick but he told her heavy tidings 1 Reg. 14. 7. Wherefore being pensive and troubled in her mind she returned back again to her Husband to Thirza 24 miles 1 Reg. 14. So these two Journeys were 48 miles The Iourney of the Man of God which came out of Juda. THis man of God as Iosephus writeth l. Ant. 8. came from Ierusalem to Bethel which was eight miles and was called by the name of Iadon which signifieth The Judge of the Lord. When he came thither he reproved Ieroboam with an extraordinary Spirit Of whom you may read more 1 Reg. 13. But being deceived as he was returning a Lyon met him in the way where he was slain and after buried in a Sepulchre in Bethel The Travels of Nadab the second King of Israel NAdab or Bonifacias succeeded his Father Ieroboam in the Kingdom of Israel and was anointed while he was yet living a liberal and free-hearted Prince He began to reign in the second year of Asa King of Iuda Anno Mundi 2992 and before Christ 977. He reigned during the Life of his Father a year and somewhat more but when he had reigned two years he went from Thirza with a great Army to the City of Gibithon which was thirty six miles this Town he besieged very straitly but at length was slain by one of his Captains called Baesa so he lost both his Life and Kingdom in that place 1 Reg. 15. Of Gibithon THis was a City of the Levites in the Tribe of Dan not far from Ekron in the Land of the Philistines sixteen miles from Ierusalem towards the West and signifieth a Royal or lofty Gift The Travels of Baesa King of Israel BAesa is as much as to say An industrious and prompt man in doing any thing This man having slain his Master near unto Gibithon usurped upon the Kingdom of Israel about the end of the third year of Asa King of Iuda and began his Reign An. Mund. 2992 before Christ 974 and reigned over Israel almost twenty four years two of which he reigned with his Son 1 Reg. 15. He went from Gibithon to Thirza thirty six miles where he utterly rooted out the whole stock and Family of Ieroboam After falling into Idolatry he was sharply reprehended for it by Iehu the Prophet the Son of Hanani of whom you may read more 1 Reg. 15. From Thirza he went to Ramah which is sixteen miles this Town he built and fortified it very strongly 2 Chr. 29. But when he heard that Benhadad King of Syria had invaded Israel he left his Building at Ramah and with all possible speed that he could went to Thirza where he died and was buried 1 Reg. 15. 2 Chr. 16. So all the Travels of Baesa were 68 miles Of Ramah Of this City you may read before Of Ella or Elah King of Israel ELAH signifies a cruel man This was the Son of Baasha King
Journies long and troublesom sometimes in Prosperity sometimes in Adversity again sometimes afflicted with troublesom Cogitations sometimes with extream Anger seldom in Peace and then also his Actions savouring of Violence and Filthiness From whence it appeareth That the Wicked with more Sorrows Troubles and Vexations gain eternal Damnation that the Just tho they suffer many grievous Afflictions obtain everlasting Salvation For amongst all the Patriarchs good Kings and Prophets there is not found any that had so many long and tedious Journies as this Antiochus who continually oppressed his Mind and Conscience with unprofitable Vanities and wicked Thoughts and at length had a miserable and terrible end Of the Cities and Places mentioned in his Travels Of Antiochia ANtiochia where Antiochus Epiphanes kept his Court was anciently called Chaemath or Riblah It was scituated in Syria 180 miles from Ierusalem towards the North near to the Cities Seleucia Laodicea and Apamea which four Cities as Strabo saith in the sixteenth Book of his Geography were built by Seleucus Nicanor first King of Syria This man was a mighty Prince and obtained the Name of Nicanor which signifieth Victory because he prospered in his Wars and conquered his Adversaries For when within 13 years after the Death of Alexander the Great he had got the Kingdom of Syria he became so great in the 31 year of his Reign that he obtained the Empire of all the East and beside as Strabo saith re-edified and built up these four Cities calling one of them Antiochia after the name of his Father another Laodicea after the name of his Mother a third after his own name Seleucia and the last Apamea after the name of his Wife These four Cities because they were all built by one man and at one time were called Sisters But Antiochia was much fairer than the other and in those times was a greater City than any other called after that name yea it was equal to Alexandria in Egypt for glory and excellency of Building It was divided into four parts and those parts separated with four Walls The first which was anciently called Hemath a violent Anger of Chamathai the Son of Canaan was after Riblath from the multitude of the Inhabitants and the third time by Seleucus after his Father's name called Antiochia In this part Seleucus to dignifie the City kept his Court it being compassed about with Goodly Walls In the second part the Citizens of Syria inhabited In the third Seleuchus Callimichus afterward King of the Syrians kept his Court and greatly beautified it But in the fourth where afterward many Christians inhabited Antigonus Epiphanes continued and did greatly adorn it and set it forth with goodly buildings and sumptuous Houses Close by the City there stood a pleasant Wood watered with many clear Fountains and delightful Springs to which there resorted a great multitude of Fowls of divers sorts which sung very pleasantly among the Trees to the great content and delectation of the Citizens In the midst of this Wood stood the Temple of Apollo and Diana goodly things and very curiously built It was called the Wood of Daphne because it was full of Laurel Trees From this Wood all the Country thereabout is called Epidaphne Not far off standeth the River Orontes which beginneth in Coelosyria and passeth under the earth till it comes near to Apamea where it riseth and watereth all Antiochia So passing thence it runneth some sixteen miles and so falls into the Mediterranean Sea Here Paul preached and kept a Synod Euseb. lib. 7. cap. 24 25. There was another Synod kept here by the Arrians Trip. lib. 4. 9. Stephanus reckons up many other Cities of this name as Antiochia 〈◊〉 in Galatia where Paul preached Act. 3. and is distant from this 384 miles Antiochia in Mesopotamia which is also called Mygdonia and 〈◊〉 in which Apollophanes the Stoick and Pharnuchus that wrote the Persian History are said to be born Antiochia between Syria and Arabia built by Semiramis Antiochia in Cilicia scituated near to the River Pyramus Antiochia in Pieria also called by the Syrians Arados There is also a City called Antiochia near Mount Taurus in the Country of Comagena Antiochia scituated upon the Lake of Callichan Antiochia in Scythia There was another in Caria called also Pithapolis Antiochia Marigiana built by Antiochius Soter And many Authors call Tharsus in Cilicia by the name of Antiochia Antiochia signifies an Adversary Of Rome ROME stands 1528 miles from Ierusalem Westward Of this City you may read more in the Travels of the Apostle Paul Tyrus Ioppa Memphis Peluso Mallo and Alexandria are before described Of Tharsus TArsus or Tharsus signifieth a Hyacinth stone so called as some think of Tharsis the Son of Iavan the Son of Iapâ—et the Son of Noah Gen. 10. It was distant from Ierusalem 304 miles Northward Of Persepolis PErsepolis was the Metropolitan City of Persia distant from Ierusalem 1240 miles Eastward So called of Perseus that mighty King of the Persians who re-edified it and gave it that name which is as much as to say the City of the Persians which also of him were so called The Astronomers because he was greatly affected to such as were skilful in that Art attributed his name and his Wives name to two Constellations in the Heavens of which Ovid's Fable is contributed of Pegasus and Andromache This City of Persepolis was so fair that it exceeded all the Cities of the East both for Stateliness and Beauty and so continued from Perseus time until Alexander the Great had conquered Darius at which time this great Emperour having got into his hand the whole Empire of the Persians came to Persepolis in the year before Christ 329 and there celebrated a great feast in triumph of his Victories to which there resorted a great many Women not such as were of the better sort but them that followed the Camp and lived dissolutely amongst whom was that notable Curtesan Thais who perceiving the King inclined to Mirth and full with Wine began to flatter him in his Cups and among other things to commend and dignifie his Noble Exploits withal giving him to understand how acceptable it would be to the Grecians to see the Royal Palace of the Persians fired which had so often afflicted Grecia No sooner had she uttered these words but another seconded her and then a third After the whole assembly cried out Shall we revenge the Injury of the Grecians and burn the City With that they all rose in great fury the King himself being crowned beginning first to fire the Palace wherein was great abundance of Cedar from whence it happened that suddenly the fire spread it self a great way which when the Army that lay without the Walls perceived with all speed came to the City to stay the burning of it for which purpose many brought Water with them But when they beheld the King himself busie in this Tragedy laying aside their Water they also in hope of Booty and to
which Jacob travelled Of Bethel BEthel was a Town in the Tribe of Benjamin eight miles from Jerusalem towards the North and signifies The house of God In times past it was called Luz but Jacob seeing in that place the Vision of the Ladder with the Angels ascending and deâ—cending upon it and because there the Lord renewed the Covenant with him concerning his Seed and the coming of Christ he therefore called it Bethel Afterward Jeroboam having unlawfully usurp'd the Kingdom of Rehoboham caused a Calf to be set up there for which cause it was then called Bethaven which signifieth the house of Sin and abominable Offence Vatablus is of opinion that there are two Bethels one in the Tribe of Benjamin the other in the Tribe of Ephraim both not far from Hay but if this should be granted then these two Towns should stand within two miles one of the other which seemeth very absurd therefore I dare boldly affirm that there was but one Bethel which stood upon the borders of Benjamin and Ephraim both Tribes bordering upon the South-side of the Town of Luz Josh. 16. and 18. This Town of Bethel was at first in the Suburbs of Luz until the Division of the Tribes for then both these Tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin ending in that place so much increased this Town that they became both one City and so were called Bethel Ie. 28. and 25. Iosh. 7. and 18. From hence there is a two-fold Mystery to be apprehended the first of Jacob whose sleeping in this place upon a Stone caused this City or Town to be built and to retain the name of Bethel that is The house of God So whosoever seeks to have eternal Life must rest upon that corner stone Christ Jesus the Son of the everliving God and by faith be incorporated into the Church which is the House of God of which Christ the anointed of the Lord is both King and Priest for ever Secondly as Jacob resting upon this corner Stone saw the Angels ascending and descending from Heaven unto Earth so by this Incorporation into the body of the Church of which Christ is the Head by Faith and Baptism our Souls are made capable to ascend into that heavenly Tabernacle which he hath prepared for all those that believe according to that in John 14. I am the way the truth and the life no Man cometh unto the Father but by me only And whosoever is assured of this Ladder that reacheth from Heaven unto Earth may well say with Iacob Surely the Lord Jesus Christ is in this place here is nothing but the House of God and here is the Gate of Heaven as Christ himself testifieth in the tenth of Iohn I am the door and whosoever entreth not by me c. So that Christ is the Head of his Church the Ladder that ascendeth into Heaven and the door whereby we may enter into eternal Life Of Gilead THIS Land of Gilead was a Country that lay between Iordan and the Mountain of Gilead or rather between the Sea of Galilee and the 〈◊〉 â—ilead sixty miles from Ierusalem towards the South-east for the 〈…〉 beginning at Mount Gilead extended thence unto 〈…〉 and separated the Countrey of Israel beyond Iordan from 〈…〉 of the Ammonites But that part which lieth between the Sâ—a 〈…〉 Ammon is properly called Gilead for when Iacob and Labâ—n 〈…〉 either with other in the Mount Gilead they gathered a 〈…〉 Stones and making a Banquet eat together upon it Gen. 13. and 〈◊〉 thence that Mountain and all the Countrey thereabouts took the 〈◊〉 For Laban in the Syrian Tongue is called JEGAR SAHADUTA 〈◊〉 â—eâ—p of covenant But Iacob in the Hebrew Language called that 〈◊〉 together with all the Countrey thereabouts Galâ—ed or Galaad the heap â—f teâ—timony for Gal signifieth a heap or grave and Galal he rolled or he thrust into a round heap From whence the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to roul and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a circle is derived Also Edah signifies testimony with the Hebrews being derived from Id which signifies testatus eâ— that is he beareth witness and from hence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Grecians is derived which signifieth a witness This Land of Gilead was very fertile and pleasant being adorned with many Castles and strong Cities and in this Countrey the Prophet Eliah was taken up into Heaven in a fiery Chariot 1 Reg. 17. 2 Reg. 2. The Grecians call this Decapolin from ten Cities that are strongly built in that Countrey Marc. 7. Of Machanaim MAchanaim was a City of the Levites in the Tribe of Gâ—d near to the floud of Iordâ—n and Iaboch forty four miles from Ierusalem toward the South-east and scituate in the Land of Gilead beyond Iordan being so called of the Patriarch Iacob because there he saw the Tents and Army of Angels which he understood to be his assistants against his Brother Esau whom he feared Gen. 31. For Chana signifieth Castrametatus est that is the Tents are measured out from whence Machanaim is the proper name of a place being derived from two Tents of Angels which appeared to Iacob that they might defend him in his Journey For the Angels of God compass them about that fear him Psalm 33. and therefore Iacob with great Joy brake out and said The Tents of God are here and called it Machanaim This was assigned to the Levites Iosh. 21. and here David was received when he fled from his Son Absalom 2 Sam. 17. Here Iacob wrestled with the Angel Gen. 32. Of Pnuel or Penuel THIS Town was upon the East-side of Iordan close by the mouth of the River Iaboch in the Tribe of Gad forty miles from Ierusalem towards the South-east and is derived from Panah and El which signifies He beheld the Almighty God face to face and for that cause he called it Penuel or Pnuel which is the face of God Gen. 32. The Tower of this Town was destroyed in Gideons time Iudg. 8. Of Succoth THIS is a Town beyond Iordan not far from Penuel in the Tribe of Gad 40 miles from Ierusalem towards the South-east Here Iacob set up his Tabernacles and continued for a while from whence it borrows the name For Sachach signifies a covering and from thence it is called Succha and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Greeks which signifies a shield covering defence or tabernacle Of this Town there is mention in Iosh. 13. 2 Chr. 4. Gideon caused the Inhabitants of this Town of Succoth to be torn to pieces with thorns Iudg. 8. Of Salem SAlem is a Town of the Sichamites lying towards the East side of the River Iordan and in the midst of the Tribe of Manasses forty miles from Ierusalem towards the North not far from Sichem where Dinah Iacob's Daughter was ravished Gen. 33. and 34. In Aenon near to this place Iohn Baptist baptized and signifies a City of Peace and Integrity Of Bethlem Euphrata THIS Town was distant from Ierusalem towards the
South six miles it was scituated in a pleasant and fruitful Countrey and from thence took the Name for Bethlachem is called The house of Bread Euphrata signifies fruitful being derived from Parah that is to fructifie and Baith signifieth a house from the affinity that it hath to Banah that is to build so that Baithlachem doth denote unto us the house of bread and other fruits and meats that are fit to be eaten Here was Christ the Son of God born that Bread of Life of which whosoever eateth shall live eternally Ioh. 6. And here David was the second time anointed King 1 Sam. 16. Of this Town you may read more Luke 2. Of Rachels Grave ABout a mile from Bethlem towards the North Rachel the Wife of Iacob was buried over whom he set a stately Sepulchre made of 〈◊〉 Marble stones or Pyramides these Stones are seen to this day 〈…〉 right hand of the way as you go from Bethlem to Ierusale◠〈…〉 thence all the Land thereabouts is called the Land of Rachel â—or 〈◊〉 Herod killed the innocent Children all the Inhabitants thereabouts 〈◊〉 and would not be comforted Matth. 2. Ierem. 31. Of the Town of Aeder THis was a Watch Tower of the Bethlemites about a mile from Bethlem towards the South and was so called from the flocks of Sheep that resorted thither for Migdal signifies a Tower and Aeder a flock or Herd for thereabouts were very fertile Pastures Here the Angels told the Shepherds of the Nativity of Christ lying at Bethlem in a Manger and in the place of that Tower there was a Church built which in Ieroms time was called Angelus ad Pastores because the Angels there appeared to the Shepherds Here Iacob dwelt for a time and in this place Reuben lay with Billah his Wife Gen. 36. Of Gosen and Ony. GOsen was a very delectable and fruitful Countrey in the Land of Egypt the Metropolitan whereof was Ony two hundred miles from Ierusalem towards the South-west In this City Iacob dwelt The typical signification of the Patriarch Jacob. JAcob signifies a Supplanter and was a Type of Christ who is that Supplanter of Sathan and by his death hath broken his head in pieces Again he is the type of a Christian man for as he wrestling with the Angel obtained a Blessing so every good man continually striving with Perseverance in Prayer shall at length obtain an everlasting blessing for for this cause was Iacob called Israel that is the Prince of God in that he prevailed with God so all those that belive in Christ are called Princes of the Kingdom of Heaven because by his Mediation they have prevailed with God and are made partakers of Eternal Life Iacob had two Wives Leah and Rachel Lea signifies wearied and was a type of the old Mosaical Church for that was oppressed and wearied with the Laws of Moses and brought forth Priests Levites Kings and Warlike Princes by which the People of the Jews became oppressed and wearied by extream Labours and at length were miserably extinguished for as it is in the fifteenth of the Acts of the Apostles The Law of Moses was an intollerable and troublesom Burthen But Rachel signifies a Sheep and is a Type and Sign of the Church of God in the New Testament as Christ himself speaketh in the tenth of John My sheep hear my voice and follow me and I will give them eternal Life Sheep are naturally patient and peaceable so all such as are of Christs Church seek after Patience and Peace Leah was nothing so fair but much more fruitful Rachel was nothing so fruitful but a great deal fairer Leah was the Mother of Benjamin which signifies Sorrow Rachel of Ioseph who was a Type of Christ. Of the Travels of Esau. ESAV travelled from Mount Sier in Mesopotamia to the Town of Pnuel or Penuel eighty miles to meet his Brother Iacob where the singular civility and humility of Iacob towards him is worthy observation For he first sent to meet him then he did him obedience to the ground seven several times and so saluted him saying Lo these are the Children which God of his Grace hath given thy Servant From whence it may be gathered That it becometh every man if it be possible to win his Enemy to Peace and Concord rather by Humanity and Humility than by force for Esau seeing this kind of Reverence though before he had a full determination to do him violence yet now he comes to meet him embraces him takes him about the neck begins to weep and kisses him yea such was their love that they both wept with joy Gen. 33. After Esau returning went home to Sier back again eighty miles these things hapned in the year of the World 2206 when both Brethren were about 89 years of Age and in the year before Christ 1762. Of Mount Sier MOUNT Sier where Esau and his Posterity dwelt is forty miles from Ierusalem towards the South and was so called of Sier the King or Lord thereof of whom came the Horrites who being driven thence by the fourteen Sons of Esau into Arabia the Stony where they continued Gen. 36. It was called Edom of Esau and then Idumaea Gen. 25. and the Inhabitants thereof Edomites or Idumaeans The typical meaning of Esau. ESAV signifies a Factor and was so called from Redness The Enemies of the Church colouring themselves red with the blood of the Godly For as Rebecca had in her Womb two Sons that is Esau and Iacob one elected the other reprobated so in the Church there are found two sorts of People good and evil some are wicked and impious contemners of Gods word and persecuters of the Church as after the posterity of Esau was But there are others that are the faithful Children of God that hope through the mediation of our blessed Saviour to be made heirs of everlasting happiness and be crowned with him in his Kingdom with the Crown of Glory So that here the saying of our Saviour may be verified the first shall be last â—â—d the last shall be first for Esau was the eldest yet lost his Birth-right and Iacob was the youngest yet got the Blessing Of the Travels of the Patriarch Juda. JVDA travelled from Sichem where Jacob dwelt and went to the Town of Odulla some forty and four miles where he was married to the daughter of one Chananei whose name was Schuah which signifies a happy Saviour by her he had two Children in that place Viz. Ger and Onan From thence he went to Timnah to shear his Sheep six miles and as he turned aside out of the way he committed incest with his daughter-in-law Thamar when she was about 26 years of Age. Afterwards he went twice with his Brethren into Egypt to buy Corn at Zoan where Joseph at that time was for the Famine was very great round about So that reckoning his Journey twice two and again it amounted to 822 miles for Zoan was 208 miles from Hebron where Jacob and his Sons
him that travelled to Bethel and gave him two Loaves of Bread 1 Sam. 10. Then he came to the Mount of God which is the Town of Kirjath-jearim there a company of Prophets met him and prophecied then the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he began to prophecy which was about six miles from Bethlehem From Kirjath-jearim he went again to Gibeon which is four miles 1 Sam. 10. Then he went again from Gibeon to Gilgal and there he offered and Samuel shewed him what he should do which is 12 miles 1 Sam. 10. From Gilgal he went to Mizpa in the Land of Gilead thirty six miles where he was chosen King From Mizpa he went again to Gibeon forty eight miles From Gibeon he went to Beseck forty miles there he gathered certain Souldiers and led them against Nahas King of the Ammonites 1 Sam. 11. From Beseck he went with his Army to Iabes sixteen miles there he overthrew Nahas with all his Host. From Iabes in Gilead he went to Gilgal thirty six miles There he was placed in his Princely Seat 1 Sam. 11. From Gilgal he went to Michmas four miles there he sent 3000 men out of Israel to his Son Ionathan to Gibeon From Michmas he went to Gilgal with his Army four miles There he offered for which Samuel rebuked him 1 Sam. 13. From Gilgal he went to Mount Benjamin about twelve miles not far from Gibeon From Gibeon he went to Michmas eight miles There Ionathan overcame the Army of the Philistines 1 Sam. 14. From Michmas Saul followed the Enemy to Ajalon twelve miles There he would have slain his Son Ionathan because he had eaten a little Honey 1 Sam. 14. From Ajalon he went to Gibeon four miles where he kept Court From Gibeon he went to the Land of the Moabites 28 miles which he overcame 1 Sam. 14. From the Land of the Moabites he went into the Countrey of the Ammonites 40 miles which Countrey he overcame and took in all their Towns From the Land of the Ammonites he went to Gibeon 60 miles 1 Sam. 15. From Gibeon he went into the Land of Edom or Idumaea as it is commonly called forty miles and overcame all the Countrey From Idumaea he returned again to Gibeon forty miles From Gibeon he went with an Army about 600 miles to Zoba in Armenia which he overcame 1 Sam. 14. From the Kingdom of Zoba he returned to Gibeon 600 miles After that he went out against the Philistines 12 miles and as the History sheweth Saul had Wars with the Philistines during his life 1 Sam. 14. From the Philistines he returned again to Gibeon unto his Palace twelve miles From Gibeon he went into the Wilderness of Sur 160 miles there he overcame the Amalekites 1 Sam. 15. Also he overcame the whole Countrey from the Town of Peluso to the Red Sea which is 92 miles From thence he went again into Iury to the Town of Carmel 140 miles 1 Sam. 15. And from thence he went unto Gilgal 32 miles There the Prophet Samuel rebuked him because he did not wholly destroy and consume the Amalekites and there Samuel hewed the Body of Agag King of the Amalekites into small pieces 1 Sam. 15. From Gilgal he went to Gibeon twelve miles In the eleventh year of Saul An. Mun. 2881 and before Christ 1807 David being then about twenty years of age was anointed King by Samuel Within a while after Saul was vexed with an evil Spirit then David played unto him upon the Harp by which he was eased Soon after he went forth with his Army towards Socho and Asekah which was some eight miles distant from Gibeah There David killed that famous Champion Goliah 1 Sam. 15. From thence the Israelites followed the chase of the Philistines to the Valley and River Soreck four miles and thence unto the Gates of their Cities that is to Ekron which is eight miles to Ascalon twenty miles and to Gath which was twenty four miles all the way putting the Philistines to the Sword So that there died in this Fight 30000 of them 1 Sam. 17. Then they returned back again and spoiled and burnt the Philistines Tents where they found great Riches twenty four miles From Socho and Aseka he returned again to Gibeon eight miles there the Women came out of all places in the Town dancing and with loud voices singing Saul hath slain a thousand but David ten thousand 1 Sam. 18. From Gibeon he went to Arimathea two miles minding to kill David and came to Naioth in Ramoth where Samuel and David were but the Spirit of God came upon Saul and he prophecied falling down upon the ground before Samuel and David all that day and the night ensuing 1 Sam. 19. From thence he returned again to Gibeon twelve miles there he thought to have killed his Son Ionathan with a Spear because he excused David There also he caused eighty five Priests to be put to death because the High Priest Abimelech at Nob had given David of the Shew-bread to eat and had delivered him Goliah's Sword 1 Sam. 21 22. From Gibeon he went to the Levitical Town Nob twelve miles where he spared neither man nor woman young nor old no not the innocent Children but put them all to the Sword and wholly destroyed the Town 1 Sam. 12. From the Town of Nob he returned to Gibeon twelve miles From Gibeon he went to the Wilderness of Moan South-ward 20 miles From the Wilderness of Moan he returned again to Gibeon 1 Sam. 23. twenty four miles From Gibeon he went to Engedi where David in a Cave cut off a piece of his Garment which was twenty four miles 1 Sam. 24. From thence he returned again to Gibeon twenty four miles From Gibeon he went to Ziph twenty two miles and as he lay asleep upon the Hill Hachila David came secretly into the Camp and took his Cup and his Spear from his Head and would not kill him 1 Sam. 26. From the Hill Hachila he returned unto Gibeah 22 miles From thence he went to fight with the Philistines at Mount Gilboa forty miles From Mount Gilboa having changed his Apparel he went to Endor which was four miles There he asked counsel of a Witch and the Devil appeared unto him in the likeness of Samuel 1 Sam. 28. From thence he returned again to Mount Gilboa to the Camp four miles and the next day he fought against the Enemy in which Battel his three Sons were slain and he himself put to flight 1 Samuel 31. 1 Chronicles 11. From Mount Gilboa he fled eight miles to Bethsan where he kill'd himself 1 Sam. 31. 1 Chr. 11. From thence the Body of Saul was brought to Iabes in Gilead where it was buried 2 Sam. 31. 1 Chr. 11. So all the Travels of Saul were 2428 miles The Description of the Towns and Places to which he travelled OF Gibea Salem Ramath and Iabes you may read before being memorable places to which Abraham Ioshuah and the Children of Israel
to Mount Olivet for refuge being brought to a streight so Christ upon Mount Olivet his Heart being prest with an intolerable Agony fled to his Father by Prayer for comfort in that extremity Tenthly as all the Friends and Familiars of David forsook him at such time as Absalom rebelled against him and followed him with Persecutions Mocks and Taunts so Christ at such time as Iudas betrayed him into the hands of the Iews was forsaken of all his Followers and many of those which a little before he had done good unto mocked and derided him as he was upon the Cross. Lastly as David was restored notwithstanding the former miseries and troubles to his ancient Glory and Eminency so Christ after he had suffered the due punishment for Sin Death and before that extream Misery yet at length conquered both and by his Divine Power restored himself to his former estate Eternal Glory The Travels of Abner one of Sauls Captains HE went with King Saul from Gibeah to the Wilderness of Ziph which was twenty two miles Here he was rebuked by David for his negligence From thence he returned to Gibeah twenty two miles 1 Sam 31. From thence he travelled to the Hill Gilboa where Saul killed himself forty miles From thence he went to Machanaim where he made Ishbosheth Sauls Son King who kept his Court there seven Years sixteen miles 2 Sam. 2. From thence he went to Gibeon where he slew Asahel Ioabs Brother in Battel which was forty four miles 2 Sam. 2. From thence he went over Iordan to Bythron twenty eight miles From thence he went back to Machanaim sixteen miles 2 Sam. 2. â—astly he went thence to Hebron to David and made a Covenant with him where he was treacherously Slain by Ioab and was sixty eight miles So all the Travels of Abner were 256 miles Of Bithron BIthron or Betharan was a Town beyond Iordan in the Tribe of Gad some 28 miles from Ierusalem North-eastward lying between Dibon and Iordan It taketh the name from a House of singing being derived of Baith which signifies a House and Ron He sung joyfully The Travels of Joab David's Captain was the Son of David's Sister for he had two Zerviah and Abigal Zerviah had Ioab Abishai and Asael Abigal had only Amasa all which were great men in King David's time Now when Ioab heard that Abner had brought down his Army to Gibeon he went from Hebron thither which was 24 miles and there his Brother Asahel was slain 2 Sam. 2. From thence he went to Bethlehem 16 miles where he buried his Brother 2 Sam. 2. From thence he returned to Hebron 20 miles Here under the Gates of the City he traiterously killed Abner 2 Sam. 3. From thence he went with David to Ierusalem where he won Sion and drave thence the blind and the lame being 82 miles From thence he went with his Army against the Ammonites and Syrians whom he conquered in a cruel Fight 60 miles 1 Sam. 20. From thence he returned back to Ierusalem 60 miles From thence he went with David into Idumaea 160 miles from Ierusalem Southward there he won the Town of Midian and conquered the Idumaeans or Edomites 2 Sam. 8. From thence he returned to Ierusalem with his Army being 160 miles From thence he went and besieged Rabba the Metropolitan City of the Ammonites being sixty four miles from Ierusalem North-eastward Here Vriah was slain 2 Sam. 11. From thence he returned to Ierusalem with King David 64 miles From thence he went into the Kingdom of Gesur which lieth beyond Iordan upon Mount Libanus by the Town of Caesarea Philippi some eighty miles from Ierusalem North-eastward This Country was called Trachonites From this Land Ioab brought Absalom again to Ierusalem 2 Sam. 14. From thence he returned back again with Absalom to Ierusalem eighty eight miles From thence he went with David when he fled from his Son Absalom to Machanaim being forty four miles Not far from hence he slew Absalom 2 Sam. 18. From thence he came again with King David to Ierusalem 44 miles 2 Sam. 10. From thence he went to Gibeah where he killed Amasa which was four miles From thence he went to the Town of Abel-Bethmaacha in the Tribe of Naphtali being about 88 miles This Town he straightly besieged From thence he went again to Ierusalem 88 miles Afterward he went as David commanded him to number the People at Aroer a Town beyond Iordan which was 24 miles 2 Sam. 24. From thence he went to Iaezer which is sixteen miles From thence going through the Land of Gilead and passing by the Territories of the lovver Country of Hadsi he came to the Town of Dan near to the place vvhere the Fountains of Iordan are which is accounted 116 miles From thence he went to that famous Mart Town Sidon which was 24 miles From that great Tovvn Sidon he went to the Walls of Tyre to which place great multitudes of Ships resorted which was 16 miles From thence he went toward the South till he came to the City Beersaba which was the utmost Bounds of the Holy Land South-vvestvvard and vvas reckoned 132 miles From thence he returned back to Ierusalem where he delivered to David the number of those that were chosen Souldiers 2 Sam. 24. but the Lord struck the Country and City of Ierusalem with a great Plague because he did contrary to his Command 2 Sam. 24. So all the Travels of Ioab were 1348 miles The Description of the places to which he travelled MAny of those Cities mentioned in the Travels of Ioab are already described and set forth therefore I account it needless in this place again to repeat them but only such Towns as yet have not been mentioned Of Gesur GEsur was a Country near to Caesarea Philippi in the Land of Basan beyond Iordan near Libanus in the Tetrarchy Trachonitides 88 miles from Ierusalem North-eastward With the King of this Country Absalom remained in Banishment for three years space after he had slain his Brother Ammon and with us may be termed the Valley of Oxen 2 Sam. 13. Of Hadsi THE lower Country of Hadsi stood near to the City Corazin in the half Tribe of Manasses fifty two miles from Ierusalem toward the North-east and signifies a new Land being derived of Chadasch that is New Of the Fountain Rogel THIS was near Ierusalem Eastward to which place Ionathan and Ahimaaz David's Intelligencers brought him News of Absalom's Counsels and Intentions 2. Sam. 17. It seemeth that Travellers usually washed their Feet in it from whence it was called the Well of Feet being derived from Raegael signifying a Foot Near to this place was the Stone Zochaeleth where Adonijah at such time as he affected the Kingdom contrary to his Fathers liking called an Assembly and made a great Feast 1 Reg. 1. The Travels of Baena and Rechab THese two went out of the Tribe of Beniamin over Iordon to Machanaim 40 miles There they murthered their Master King Ishbosheth in his Chamber
whence it took the Name Afterward in India or Phrygia and of the Hebrews was called Schaeba or Saba In this City that Queen dwelt who came to hear Solomon's Wisdom and gave him for a Present 120 Talents of pure Gold which at three pounds at ounce comes to 270000 pounds Sterling Afterwards Cambyses King of Persia over-came it and all the Country round about it and after his Sisters Name called it Meroes It is a stately City to this day scituated in a plain Country and compassed about with the River Nilus like an Island being now called Elsaba having some affinity to the ancient Name Saba The Inhabitants of this Town go naked all but their privy Parts which they cover either with Silk Cotton or some more costly matter and are of a black Colour which as some think hapneth by reason of the extream Heat The Land also is marvellously scorched and turned in many places to Sand and Dust so that the Country is thereby wonderful barren About Meroes or Saba which is made fruitful by the Inundation of Nilus there is â—ound plenty of Salt Brass Iron and some precious Stones Their Sheep Goats Oxen and other Cattel are of less Stature than in other Countries Their Dogs are very fierce and cruel In times past there were mighty Princes that had the Government and Command of it and the Country round about it But after as Pliny saith lib. 6. cap. 29. it was in the Jurisdiction and Government of Queens who for their noble Resolutions and Courage were called Candaces One of which name in Tiberius the Emperours time was famous both for the extent of her Dominions in which she exceeded all the rest of her predecessors as also in regard of her manly presence and noble Spirit The Eunuch which Philip baptized Acts 8. was Treasurer or Chamberlain to this Queen and it is to be thought by him the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ was first made known in Saba and in the Country of Aethiopia which afterwards was more largely propagated and dispersed by the Evangelist St. Matthew who taught there This City lyeth to the longitude of 61 degrees and 30 scruples and in the elevation of the Pole Artick to the Latitude sixteen Degrees and twenty five Scruples So that it seems the Inhabitants have two Winters and two Summers or rather a continual Summer because their Winter is much hotter than our Summer But when the Sun attaineth to the fifteenth Degree of Taurus and Leo and in the Dog-days it then lyes perpendicular over that Country and neither their Bodies nor Houses give any shadows In the sixty first of Esay it is said They shall come from Saba and bring Gold and Frankincence to praise the Lord. From whence some have concluded that those Wise men which came unto the Child Jesus and brought Gold Frankincence and Myrrh were Aethiopians and came thence But this agreeth not well with the words of Matthew ca. 2. where it is written that the wise men came out of the East that is from the rising of the Sun to Ierusalem For Saba according to our Saviours words Mat. 12. lieth towards the South for he saith The Queen of the South that is of Saba shall come forth in the day of Iudgment against this Generation and condemn it for she came from the end of the World to hear the Wisdom of Solomon c. But if Saba lye upon the South as here it plainly appeareth then it must needs follow they came not thence but rather from Persia which from Ierusalem lyes Eastward For at Susa the Metropolis of that Country there was an Academy for the whole Kingdom in which were chiefly studied Divinity the Mathematicks and History So that it is likely by their Art they might attain to the knowledge of this Divine Mystery and from thence come to Ierusalem which was 520 miles Eastward Therefore this place of the Prophet Esay is rather to be referred to the propagation of the Church through the whole World where some of every Nation shall bring Presents unto the Lord. There is also another Saba in Arabia-Foelix so called from Zaeba the Son of Chus the Son of Cham the Son of Noah and it is distant from Ierusalem 1248 miles towards the South-East In Hebrew it signifies the City of Drunkenness or of Mirth but with the Syrians Antiquity Some would have it in the Arabian Tongue to signifie a Mystery But St. Ierom interprets it to sound their Conversion It is the Metropolitan City of Arabia-Foelix and by Strabo lib. 6. called Meriaba being scituated in a high and pleasant Mountain full of fruitful Trees There inhabiteth in it the King of that Country a mighty Prince his Governours and most of such as have Authority under him The Land is called the Kingdom of the Sabaeans but generally Arabia-Foelix because of the Fertility of the place for it yieldeth twice every year great plenty of Frankincence Myrrh Cinamon Balsams and other odoriferous Herbs The Tree out of which this Myrrh cometh is five Cubits high hairy and full of prickles and when you cut the Bark there cometh forth a bitter Gum wherewith if you anoint a dead Body it will continue long without rotting The Frankincence also that is found there droppeth from the Cedar-trees like a glewy substance and so congealeth into a Gum. This happeneth twice every year and according unto the season it changeth colour in the Spring it is red in the Summer white This is the best Frankincence in all Arabia-Foelix Through the whole Country there is a very delectable smell by reason of the Myrrh Frankincence and Cinnamon that is found in it insomuch that if the Wind blows amongst the trees it carrieth the smell unto the Red Sea and they that sail can easily discern the sweetness of the Air. There is Gold also found there very fine and pure insomuch as for the goodness of it it is called Arabian Gold The Phoenix is found there of which there is but one in the World Pliny lib. 9. cap. 35. describes her to be as big as an Eagle with a list of Feathers like Gold about her Neck the rest are of a Purple colour therefore from Phoenicia and the purple colour of her Wings she is called Phoenix She hath a tuft of Feathers upon her head like unto a Crown She liveth 660 years at the end of which time she buildeth her a Nest of Cassia Cinnamon Calamus and other precious Gums and Herbs which the Sun by the extremity of the heat and the waving of her wings fires and she taking delight in the sweetness of the savour hovers so long over it that she burneth her self in her own Nest. Within a while after out of the Marrow of her Bones and the Ashes of her Body there groweth a Worm which by little and little increaseth to some bigness and after to a purple bird Then her wings extend themselves to a full greatness till such time as she cometh to a
perfect Phoenix This bird doth lively represent our Saviour Christ who only and alone is the true Messiah and through whom we must expect everlasting life who in the fulness of time offered himself a Sacrifice upon the Cross sustaining the punishment of Sin at the time of his Passion putting on a purple Robe being all be sprinkled with his own bloud Ioh. 19. And as the Phoenix is burnt in her own Nest so likewise was he consumed in the fire of Gods wrath according to that in Psal. 22. My heart is become like melting wax in the midst of my body And as the Phoenix of it self begetteth another of the same kind so Christ by the power of his Deity raised up his Body from the dust of the Earth and ascended up into Heaven a glorious Body to sit at the right hand of his Father in that everlasting Kingdom of Glory Thus gentle Reader I thought fit to describe unto you these two Towns that when you shall read of them in the holy Scripture the one being in Aethiopia towards the South the other in Arabia-Foelix and called Seba you might discern the one from the other of both which there is mention in the 72 Psalm The Kings of the Seas and of the Isles shall bring presents the Kings of Saba and Seba shall give Gifts The Travels of King Pharaoh out of Aegypt when he overcame the Town of Gazer 1 Reg. 9. IN the sixteenth year of King David Anno mundi 2906 and before Christ 1602 Chabreus King of Aegypt began to reign and reigned fifty six years Diod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Herodotus calleth this man Chephrines in his second book and Eusebius Nepher Cherres He went from Memphis the chief City of Aegypt with a great Army 268 miles even unto the Tribe of Ephraim and there took Gazer a City of the Levites and burned it with fire I Reg. 8. Ios. 21. After he came to Ierusalem twenty eight miles And this City which he had thus destroyed he gave to his Daughter the Wife of Solomon 1 Reg. 9. From thence he returned to Memphis in Aegypt 244 miles So all the Travels of King Pharaoh were 244 miles Of Memphis MEmphis is a great City in Aegypt where commonly the Kings of that Countrey keep their Courts and lyeth from Ierusalem 244 miles Soâ—â—h-west-ward This City was built a little before the Flood but repaired and enlarged by a King called Ogdoo who in love of his Daughter after her Name called it Memphis You may read of it in the ninth of Hosea called there by the name of Moph for thus he saith The people of Israel are gone out of the land of Ephraim because of their Idolatry into Aegypt but Aegypt shall gather them up and Moph that is Memphis shall bury them Moph or Mapheth in this place signifieth a prodigious Wonder but the rest of the Prophets call it Noph for the fertility and pleasantness of the Country as you may read Esay 19. The Princes of Zoan are become foolish and the Princes of Noph or of Memphis are deceived See also Ierom 2. 44. 46. Ezech. 30. in which places you may find it called after this name Zoan is the City Tanis where Moses wrought all his Miracles But Noph or Moph is this Memphis a beautiful Town large and spacious scituated in the strongest and profitablest place in Aegypt divided into two parts by the River Nilus so that any kind of commodities or merchandize might with ease be brought thither by Water for which cause the Kings of that Country for the most part kept their abiding there Strabo saith lib. 17. that upon the East part of this City there standeth a Tower or Castle called Babylon built by certain Babylonians who leaving their own Country by the permission of the Kings of Aegypt dwelt there in after times there was placed a Garrison in it one of the three which were for the defence of Aegypt and by Ptolomy was called Babylon through both which viz. Memphis and Babylon Nilus passed the one standing upon the East side the other upon the West Zoan or Tanis stood about some four miles from this Town and was a fair and spacious City also scituated towards the South upon the East side of Nilus to which the Kings of that Country often resorted and Heliopolis another fair City stood some six miles off that towards the North-East All these four Towns were so wonderfully inhabited by reason of their pleasant and profitable scituation that in process of time they became all one City and in this Age is called Alcaire containing in Circuit sixty miles so that it seemeth to Spectators to be like a Country replenished with nothing but fair Houses goodly Churches and strong Towers exceeding all the rest of the Cities of Aegypt as well for the beautifulness of the place as the extent and largeness of it It is reported that in the year of our Lord 1476 there was such an extreme Pestilence in it that there dyed 20000 a day from whence may be gathered how infinitely it is peopled Near to this Town stood the Pyramides which are held to be one of the Wonders of the World as Strabo saith lib. 17. the height of one of them was 625 foot and square on each side 883 foot it was twenty years a building a hundred thousand Workmen employed about it whence it may be easily gathered how hard and difficult it was in those times to get Stone it being for the most part brought from Arabia and at what an excessive charge they were that set them up Of Gazar This City is described in the Travels of Solomon The Travels of Hadad King of Idumaea WHen David conquered Idumaea Hadad the King of that Country with some few of his Courtiers being then but young fled from Midian to Paran the Metropolitan City of Arabia Petraea which was 84 miles 1 Reg. 11. But because he thought himself scarce safe in that place he fled thence to Cheopes that impious and Tyrannical King of Aegypt that built the greatest of the three Pyramides at Memphis He hating King David gave him kind entertainment assigned him a part of the Kingdom of Aegypt to dwell in and after married him with his Sister Taâ—hpenes by whom he had a Son called Genubath who was brought up in Pharaohs or King Chopes Court where he continued all the Life of David being twenty seven years 120 miles David being dead he returned into his own Kingdom of Idumaea which was 200 miles From thence he went back to Damascus which was 240 miles where he was created King of the Syrians by Reson and other fugitives which had conspired against Solomon by which means he grievously troubled that Kingdom and became an utter Enemy to the Israelites all the Life of Solomon And of him is the original and stock of the Kings of Syria So all the Travels of Hadad were 644 miles Of Midian and Paran you may read before in the one dwelt Iethro Moses
River of Cutha a multitude of Iews with great shame and grief were constrained to dwell He also gathered a great multitude of other People out of Babylon Hamath or Antiochia some out of his own Dominions of Assyria also out of Media and the People of Ava and Sepharvaiim which People are mentioned Esay 37. and sent them to inhabit in Samaria and all the Cities and Countries round about because it was a Fertile and pleasant Country and to defend it against the incursions of strangers From whence may be gathered that in this behalf the Policy of this Emperour was much greater than that of the Romans for the retaining of this Kingdom but especially than that of Titus Vespasian for he having conquered the Land wasted it and destroyed it with Fire and Sword put thence the Inhabitants and dispersed them here and there left the Country bare and naked only a few Garrisons were placed in the strongest Cities to keep it to their use Which not being able enough to oppose the incursions of the Saracens that in great Troops brake out of the Desarts of Arabia-Petraea they soon lost all that they had gotten and the Turks joyning with them they have now gained into their possession that pleasant and fruitful Land of Iudaea and inhabit therein even to this day to the great detriment and scandal of the Christians But to return to the People sent to inhabit this Kingdom who as they were of divers Nations so were they of divers Religions and every Family had his particular God Wherefore the Lord sent a Multitude of Lyons among them which daily vexed them from whence it happened that Salmanasser was constrained to send back unto them a Levite one of the Priests that had been carried away Captive to shew them the true Worship of God He came to Bethel and there taught them the Doctrine of the Lord and the Customs and Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law whereby it happened that they began to worship God and their Idols in neither observing their Ancient custom For which cause they became so abominable unto the Iews that they refused their company and familiarity as that Samaritan woman confessed to Christ at Iacobs Well Ioh. 4. so that when the Iews could call a man by any ignominious or odious name they would term him a Samaritan Ioh. 8. Do we not say rightly that thou art a Samaritan and â—est a Devil But of all the People which Salmanasser sent into the Holy-Land those that came out of the East part of Persia from Cutha called Cutheis dwelt in Samaria and got the chief command and Government over the rest The Travels of the Kings of Syria that made Wars upon the Kings of Israel And first of the Travels or Incursions of Benhadad BEnhadad King of Syria went from Damascus the chief City of his Kingdom and came to Samaria and straitly besieged it in the time of Ahab King of Israel 1 Reg. 24. being 132 miles From thence being overcome and put to flight by Ahab he returned back to Damascus which was 132 miles The second time he came from thence and invaded the Land of Israel even unto the City of Apheck 124 miles which he besieged But Ahab King of Israel overcame him in a great Battel and put 100000 Syrians to the Sword and when the rest of the multitude would have fled into the City the ruins of a Wall fell down upon them so that there dyed 27000. This put Benhadad in such a fear that he was constrained to fly from one chamber to another to hide himself but at last was taken and not without the great wrath and indignation of God by that wicked King Ahab pardoned and set at liberty 2 Reg. 20. Wherefore he went thence back to Damascus which was 124 miles Within three years after he brought a great Army against Ramoth in Gilead which is 104 miles from Damascus South-Eastward Here he won of Ahab a great Battel in which Ahab was slain with an Arrow 1 Reg. 22. From thence he returned back to Damascus which was about 104 miles After that he came again from Damascus into the land of Israel with a great Army 120 miles where he counselled with his Captains and men of War saying Here and there will we incamp our selves But the Prophet Elisha discoâ—ered their purposes 2 Reg. 6. Out of the Land of Isrel he returned to Damascus which was 120 miles From thence he returned again with his Army to Samaria being 132 miles which the second time he besieged so straitly that an Asses head was worth eighty pieces of Silver But yet the Lord at the fervent Prayers of Elizeus the Prophet struck such a fear and anguish among the Enemies that Benhadad and his Army were constrained to fly 2 Reg. 6. Being sore troubled because he was thus put to flight he went to Damascus which was 132 miles and there within a while after died of grief 2 Reg. 9. So all the Travels of King Benhadad were 1224 miles The Travels of the Captains which Benhadad King of Syria sent to waste and destroy the Land of Baesa King of Israel THIS Army went from Damascus and came to the Town of Hion seventy two miles From thence they went to Dan which is four miles From Dan they went to the City of Abel-Bethmaacha twelve miles From thence they went to the land of Chineroth which was accounted eight miles there they took certain Cities of Fruit and spoiled and destroyed them From Chineroth in the Tribe of Nephtaly when they had cruelly wasted and destroyed that Country they returned with a great booty to Damascus being eighty eight miles 1 Reg. 15. So all their Travels were 184 miles The Description of the Towns and Places to which they travelled Hion and Dan. HIon and Dan are two Towns near to Mount Libanus and the Fountains of Iordan some 104 miles from Ierusalem North-Eastward Hion signifies a Town of the Fountain because it standeth near to the Town or Fountains from whence Iordan issueth Of Abel-Bethmaacha you may read before Of Chineroth THIS Chineroth or Cineroth was the Metropolitan City of the Tribe of Nephtaly seventy two miles from Ierusalem Northward It was scituated in a very fruitful and pleasant place and for that cause was so called for Kinroth being derived of Kinnor signifieth Musick or Mirth The Travels of Naaman the Syrian NAaman came from Damascus to Samaria which was 132 miles to be cured of his Leprosie by Elizeus who commanded him to go to the River Iordan and wash himself therein seven times and he should be cleansed Wherefore from Samaria he went to Iordan twenty six miles and there according to the commandment of the Prophet he washed himself seven times and was cleansed 2 Reg. 5. From the River Iordan he returned back again to Elizeus the Prophet to give him thanks for that benefit which was about sixteen miles From Samaria he returned to Damascus 132 miles So all the Travels of Naaman the
that are eminent in it that is this and another called Tariana The Air in the Winter season is very temperate at which time the Earth bringeth forth many pleasant Flowers and Fruits but in the Summer it is extream hot by which heat all things are scorched and burned away and by reason of the Putrefaction of the Air as some think in that Season there do breed Toads Lyzards and other Noysome Serpents in great abundance so that the Inhabitants are constrained partly because of the heat partly because of the loathsome and dangerous Creatures to build their Houses all of Earth long and narrow the Walls and Roofs being at least a yard thick that so the heat might not pierce through them or Serpents breed in them Strabo lib. Geograph 5. saith that one Tython the Brother of Laomedon King of Troy did first build this City about such time as Tholâ— judged Israel After him his Son Memnon beautified it with a fair and goodly Castle calling it after his own name Memnon Of this man Homer speaketh This Castle was such a goodly thing that a long time after his death the Town was called Memnon as Strabo observeth but in Hester and Daniels's times it was called Susa and the Inhabitants Susans The Persian Emperors in those times keeping their Courts there for the most part and did greatly beautifie the City with many fair Buildings The first of these Emperours that dwelt there was Cyrus who after he had conquered Babylon Assyria and many other Kingdoms and Countries lying near to the City Susa that he might with more ease and better safety retain them in his Government removed his Court from Persepolis which lay up in the East part of Persia to this Town where all the Winter season for the most part he lived and in the Summer went to â—gbatan the chief City of Media because there at that season the Air was very temperate His Successors after him observing the same course for their better conveniency and to make evident their greater magnificence repaired the Castle of Memnon joyned to it many fair and goodly Buildings and close by it planted a pleasant Orchard of diverse and sundry sorts of Trees and Herbs It is reported that the Gate whereby they entred into this Orchard was very curiously built supported with Pillars of polished Marble imbossed with Silver and Gold very rare to look upon over it was a banquetting-house beautified with lively pictures costly furniture and Beds of Gold and Silver covered with rich Tapestry wrought with Silk Silver and Gold upon these they used to eat their Banquets it was paved with Porphire Marble and Hyacinths in such â—ort as it greatly delighted such as beheld it The Queen had a private Garden to her self in which were great abundance of Trees of divers kinds and many sweet Flowers and Herbs In which Garden Ahashuerus walked to qualifie the heat of his wrath that he had conceived against that wicked and perfidious Haman who through envy and ambition sought the destruction of the whole Nation of the Iews leâ—t by giving place unto anger he should transgress the bounds of Clemency and Justice wherefore it becometh every King Prince and Judge to imitate the example of this Emperour who in the heat of his anger would determine nothing of so wicked a man for long and often deliberation becometh every wise man before he doth any thing Est. 7. Not far from the Emperour's Palace in a fair and pleasant Garden there stood a Colledge of the Magi that is such as the Persians accounted wise and learned men these were of such account for their knowledge and understanding amongst that People that some of them in succeeding ages were chosen for Kings and Governours in that Country They studied for the most part the Mathematicks History Philosophy and Divinity and as many have thought the Prophecies of Daniel Ezekiel and others wherefore as is said before many are of opinion that the Wise men which came into Iudaea to see Christ were of this Colledge and Town because it stood East from Ierusalem It is at this day called Cusistane as Ortelius and Sebastian Munster witness and in their times was under the Government of one Caliphus Emperour of the Saracens This Caliphus was strongly besieged by one Allan the great King of Tartaria in this Town Anno. Dom. 1250. But because of his exceeding Covetousness and Parcimony he lost the City and was famished to death Of the River Eulaeo ULai which Stra. li. 15. calleth Eulaea passed through the City of Susa and as Pliny saith lib. 6. cap. 27. took the beginning at Media and so fell into a hole or Cavern of the Earth and passed under the ground till it came near to the City Susa where it brake forth again and compassed about the Tower of Susa and a Temple in the City dedicated to Diana The Inhabitants hold this River in great estimation insomuch as the Kings drink of no other Water and for that purpose carry it a great way Strabo according to the Testimony of Polycletus saith That there are two other Rivers of good account which pass through Persia viz. Choasâ—es and Tygris but neither of them are in like estimation as this is Of Elam PErsia in antient times was called after this name from Elam the Son of Sem. But after Perseus had obtained a large and spacious Government in that Country it was after his name called Persia. Elam signifieth a Youth or a young man Of Egbatana or Egbatan THIS is the Metropolitan City of the Medes and is distant from Ierusalem 1136 miles towards the North-West built by Deioce King of the Medes as Herod l. 2. saith Here Daniel built a fair Temple of which you may read more in his Travels Of this Town you may read more in the Travels of Iudith The Typical Signification of Daniel DAniel signifies the Iudge of God typically representing Christ who is appointed by that eternal Iehovah to be Judge of all things both quick and dead and rescueth his Church which is as a Rose compassed about with Thorns oppressed with the Tyranny and cruelty of Evil and wicked men casting those false Judges and merciless Governours into eternal Exile and the Pit Destruction And as the Prophet was innocently condemned cast into the Lions den and had the door sealed upon him and to the judgment of man no hope of life or means to escape was left him yet by the Providence of God was delivered out of this danger and came thence safe and untouch'd Dan. 6. so our Saviour was innocently condemned cast into the Grave sealed up among the dead and to common judgment left as a man out of mind yet early in the morning at the appointed time by the Power of his Deity he raised himself up from this Pit of Hell the Grave and gloriously triumphed over it and death Of the Prophet Hosea THIS Prophet Hosea was born in a Town called Bemeloth or Bethmeloth as Dorotheâ—s
sometime Bishop of Tyre saith which was a Town in the Tribe of Issachar not far from Bethulia some fifty two miles from Ierusalem toward the North near to which place Holofernes afterward pitched his Tents extending thence to the Field of Esdrelon and the Town Chelmon from whence it seemeth this Town taketh the Name He prophesied in Israel eight hundred years before Christ his name â—ignifieth a Saviour being derived of Hoschiag the third Conjugation of Iaschag that is He hath saved Mat. 2. Of the Prophet Joel JOEL signifies God's own as St. Ierom expoundeth it He prophesied eight hundred Years before Christ both in Israel and in Iudah He was born in a Village which was called Baâ—homeron not far from Sichem in the Tribe of Manasses as Dorotheus the Bishop of Tyre saith Of the Prophet Amos. THIS Man's Father dwelt at Tekoa a poor man one that kept Kine and used to gather wild Figs as appeareth in the first and seventh Chapters of Amos. In this Town Amos was born and followed the Profession of his Father but the Lord called him to be a Prophet and then he went to Bethel which was twelve miles distant Here he reprehended Ieroboam King of Israel for Idolatry and worshipping the Golden Calf after he was accused by Amasia the Chief Priest of the Idols in Bethel and bound in Chains and at length Vria the Son of this Amasia struck him upon his Head with a Spear whereby he was mortally wounded From Bethel being sick he was carried back to Tecoa which was twelve miles where a little after he died as St. Ierom witnesseth in whose time his Monument was to be seen Amos signifies A Burthen as indeed he was to the wicked Israelites he so sharply reprehended them in his Sermons of the Law He lived eight hundred years before Christ. So his Travels were 24 miles Of the Prophet Obediah OBediah signifies God's obedient Servant of Abad he hath served or been obedient He lived six hundred years before Christ about the time of the Captivity of Babylon St. Ierom saith that in his time there were to be seen in the City of Samaria the Monuments of three Prophets that is of Elisha Obediah and Iohn Baptist. But some think that Obediah the Prophet lay not buried in Samaria but rather it was the Sepulchre of that Obediah which lived in the time of Ahab that hid a hundred of the Lord's Prophets fifty in one Cave and fifty in another between which there were three hundred years difference The Travels of the Prophet Jonah THIS Prophet Ionas was born in Gath Hepher which was a Town in the Tribe of Zabulon from whence to Samaria is accounted thirty two miles here he prophecied to Ieroboam second of that name Kâ—ng of Israel that he should recover Hemath and Damascus and so to the Plain of the Red Sea 2 Reg. 14. From â—amaria to Ioppa or Iapho a Port Town upon the Sea Shore to which Ionas went when he fled from the Lord was thirty eight miles but the Lord stirred up a great Wind when Ionas was upon the Sea that the Mariners cast him out and he was devoured of a Whale Ionas 1. That Whale which had devoured Ionas with a continual course and great violence in three days and three nights swam to the Euxine Sea and there cast him up upon the Shore which was 600 miles Ios. Antiq. lib. 9. From the shore of the Euxine Sea Ionas went to Nineveh which are eight hundred miles Here Ionas preached Repentance to the Ninevites Ion. 3. 4. So all the Travels of Ionas were 1470 miles Of Gath Hepher IN this Town the Prophet Ionas was born it was scituated in the Tribe of Zabulon sixty miles from Ierusalem Northward and four miles from Nazareth towards the South It seems to take the name from abundance of Grapes for Gath Ghepher signifieth a Wine-press Of Japho JAPHO or Ioppa was a City or Haven-Town scituated upon the Sea where all such Ships landed as went into Iudaea At this day the Turks and Saracens call it Iafa lying upon the Mediterranean Sea in the Tribe of Dan Ios. 19. in a certain Mountain twenty miles from Ierusalem North-Westward Pliny li. 5. saith this City was built before the Flood and in St. Ierom's time there was to be seen the Stone to which Andromeda was bound when she should have been devoured by a Monster of the Sea The Poets Seign this Woman to be the Daughter of Cepheus and delivered by Perseus King of the Persians whom after she married It is called Iapho because of the beautiful Scituation Some say it was so called of Iapheth the Son of Noah who first caused it to be built Of Tharsis FRom Ioppa as is said the Prophet Ionas descended into a Ship that he might fly upon the Sea The Latine and Greek Texts read it Tharsin whence it hapned that many have thought that Ionas fled from Tharâ—is a City in Ciliâ—â—a in which Country St. Paul was born But Luther in his Exposition of the Prophecy of Ionas doth utterly disallow of this as false for the Hebrew Text reads it not to Tharsin but in Tharsin that is into the Sea For the Hebrew Tongue hath two words or Syllables which signifie the Sea which are Iam and Tharsis Iam signifieth not only a great Sea but the meeting together of Waters or a Lake So in Luke 5. the Sea of Galilee in which Christ and his Disciples sailed is called a Lake yet Ioh. cap. 5. and the rest of the Evangelists call it a Sea So also Moses Gen. 1. calleth the meeting together of the Waters Iam which may signifie a Sea and a Lake But Tharsis or Tharschich denoteth a great Sea and no Lake or an high and troublesome Sea as the Mediteranean Sea is In this Paul travelled and there standeth many Islands as Rhodes Cyprus Cicilia and others all which are at this day subject to the Turks Venetians or Spaniards It extendeth it self from Ioppa and Cilicia to the Streights between Spain and Mauritania Into this Sea Ionas was cast when the Whale devoured him In like manner the Red Sea and all others that are Ocean Seas are called Tharsis as appeareth in the 72 Psalm where it said The Kings of Tharsis and of the Isles shall bring Presents Here the Kings whose Empires extend themselves along the Sea Coast are understood But the City Tharsis the Country of the Apostle Paul is not a Kingdom neither ever had a King much less many Kings So Solomon sent his Ships by Tharsin that is by Sea towards the South-East into the Red Sea and Eastern Ocean that they might bring Gold precious Stones and sweet Gums from Arabia But the Ships could not sail by the Red Sea unto the Town of Tharsis unless they would have sailed over the Land which is impossible because Tharsis lieth into the Land from the Red Sea as all Cosmographers agree So also the Psalmist saith Thou breakest with thy strong Winds the Ships
Christ in his name For Christ was that gracious and innocent Dove who hath made evident to Man his singular Mercy and Clemency without any shew of bitterness or wrath Then in his Affliction for as Ionas thrust himself into the Sea of Calamity and there was swallowed up of a Whale which might be well resembled to the Grave so Christ our Saviour was cast into the Sea of Affliction the misery and calamity of this World and after that thrust into the jaws of death the Grave where as Ionas did in the Whales belly he lay three daies and then arose again the Earth being unable any longer to contain his Body Of the Prophet Micah THIS Prophet was born at Maresa a Town of Iudaea sixteen miles from Ierusalem Westward it signifieth a bitter Field In St Ierom's time the Ruins of the Wall of this City was to be seen Micah or Micheas signifieth humble or lowly This man was held in great estimation because he was the first that named the Country where our Saviour Christ should be born viz. in Bethlehem 800 years before his Nativity He lived Anno Mundi 3200. Of the Prophet Nahum NAhum signifies a Comforter He was born in a Town of Galilee called Elcosch as he saith in the beginning of his Prophecy This Village was shewn unto St. Ierome by those that travelled with him through the Holy Land in his time it was but a small Village called by the name of Elcos and scituated as Dorotheus Bishop of Tyre saith on the further side of Bethabara sixteen miles and something more from Ierusalem towards the North-East This Prophet lived 750 years before Christ and Prophesied of the Destruction of Niniveh which after came to pass Of the Prophet Habacuck HAbacuck or Chabacuck signifies one that embraceth or a Lover from Chaback he hath embraced For as a Nurse embraceth and kisseth her inâ—ant so also this Prophet embraced and comforted his People with comfortable Doctrine lest by the destruction of Ierusalem which he prophecied should after happen by the Chaldaeans they should be driven to desperation Paul took the foundation of his Epistle to the Romans out of this Prophet reciting a saying of his viz. The juâ—t shall live by faith He began to preach a little before the Prophet Ieremy 650 years before Christ above 100 years before Daniel was cast into the Lions den From whence most of the Learned conclude that this could not be that Habacuck which brought meat to Daniel as he was among the Lions but they rather think it a fragment of a spiritual Comedy and therefore worthy to be called Apocrypha Of the Prophet Zephania ZEphania signifies the Secretary of the Lord being derived of Zaphan he hath kept secret He lived in Ierusalem and Iudaea in the time of Iosiah King of Iuda He was born as Dorotheus Bishop of Tyre saith in a Town called Sabarthaca in the Tribe of Siâ—eon Of the Prophets Haggai and Zacharia HAggai or Chaggi signifieth A Priest celebrating the Feast of the Lord being derived of Chagag he hath celebrated a Feast And Zacharias or Zacharia doth denote such a man as remembred the Lord being derived of Zachar that is he hath remembred or recorded These two Prophets prophecied in Ierusalem in the second year of Darius the Son of Histaspis 519 years before Christ An. mun 3449. Haggai began his Prophecy upon the first day of the sixth month Elul answering to the 28 of August He sharply reprehended the People because they neglected the house of the Lord and built up their own houses In the eighth month Marhusuan which for the most part answereth to our November Zacharias the same year began to prophecy and in his Sermon exhorted the People to repentance adding the promise of our Saviour and that he would turn unto them that would turn unto him Zach. 1. These two Prophets lie buried 20 miles one from the other For as Dorothaeus Bishop of Tyre saith Haggai lies buried in Ierusalem amongst the Priests but Zacharias near to a Town in the field of Bethania 20 miles from Ierusalem Westward but in the time of Theodosius the Emperour was removed and preserved as an holy Relique Concerning that fable and figment inserted into the History Nicephorus I utterly disallow Of the Prophet Malachi THIS Prophet prophesied after the Captivity of Babylon and dwelt in the Town of Ziph as Dorotheus Bishop of Tyre saith Malachi signifies an Angel sent and in Greek a Messenger for this Prophet preached so comfortably as if he had been an Angel of God but principally of Christ and Saint Iohn Baptist who should go before him to prepare his Way and make his Paths strait S. Ierom in his Epistle to Paul and Eustochius writes that some of the Hebrews suppose this Malachi to have been Esdras the Scribe who was sent by Artaxerxes Longimanus Emperour of the Persians to restore the Commonwealth of Israel in the year before Christ 457. An Instruction how the Prophets may rightly be understood FIRST look into the Cosmographical Table at the beginning of this Book and diligently observe the Countries and Cities that are there set down and how they lie scituated from Ierusalem Toward the South of Ierusalem the Idumeans Ismaelites Arabians and Egyptians dwell Toward the East the Moabites Ammonites Chaldaeans Babylonians and Persians Toward the North the Phoenicians Syrians Assyrians and Armenians Toward the West lieth the Mediterranean Sea Grâ—cia Italy Spain and the Isles of the Sea Secondly this rule is to be observed that as often as the Prophets speak of the Tribes of Israel they use these names viz. Israel Samaria Ephrain Ioseth Iesreel Bethel and Bethaven these are the names of the Kingdom of Israel but to the Kingdom of Iuda these names are attributed viz. Iudaâ— Ierusalem Benjamin the house of David But when the Prophets joyn these two Kingdoms together they call them by the names of Iacob and Israel Thirdly when thou readest in the Prophets the name of any Country or City which is not sufficiently known unto thee search this Alphabetical Table here following and thou shalt find the whole matter declared unto thee An Alphabetical Table of all the Countries and Cities mentioned in the Prophets A. ABarim that is a Bridge or Passage over It was a Mountain of the Moabites where the Israelites pitched their Tents Num. 33. Achor the Valley of Trouble Here Achan was stoned to death for his Thievery It stood not far from Gilgal toward the North twelve miles from Ierusalem Ios. 7. Isa. 6. Adama Red Earth This was one of the Cities that were destroyed with Fire and Brimstone from Heaven Ai Hilly This City Ioshua burnt with Fire It lay eight miles from Ierusalem North-ward Iosh. 8. Aiath idem Isa. 10. Ar or Ari a Lion It was a City of the Moabites lying beyond Iordan in the Tribe of Benjamin called Aâ—iopolis scituated upon the Bank of the River Arnon 24 miles from Ierusalem North-Eastward Deut. 2. In Esa. 15. It is
Ierusalem Northward Zach. 12. Hadrach the Land of Gladness So the Prophet Zachary calls Syria c. 19. Hanes an Ensign of Grace This was a City of Egypt bordering upon Assyria Esa. 30. Haram the Syrian liberty It was the Metropolitan City of Mesopotamia where Abraham dwelt Gen. 11. distant from Ierusalem 440 miles North-eastward Haveran a Casement It was a City in Syria not far from Damascus 160 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-east Hazor Enon the gate of the Fountain It was a City in Syria Hazor-Tichon the middle Porch It was a Town in Syria not far from Haveran Ezek. 47. Hazor the Land of Hay So the Ismaelites called their Countrey Hemath Anger So the Prophets called Antiochia the Metropolitan of Assyria distant from Ierusalem 280 miles Northward Hermon Accurst It was a Mountain beyond Iordan near to Libanus 122 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-east There is another Mountain of this name near to Naim and not far from Mount Tabor forty four miles from Ierusalem towards the North of which the Psalmist speaketh Psal. 89. Tabor and Hermon praise thy name The Mountain beyond Iordan is oftentimes called by the name of Mount Gilead Hesbon an Ingenious Cogitation It was a City of the Moabites in the Tribe of Reuben twenty eight miles from Ierusalem towards the North-East Henah and Ievah were two Idols Esa. 37. Hevilah Sandy So India is called and a certain part of Arabia-Petraea of Hevilah the Son of Chus Gen. 10. These Countries are very dry and sandy Hethlon he hath rolled together It was a City of Syria near to Antiochia Ezek. 47. Holon a Window It was a Town of the Moabites in the Tribe of Reuben and is also called Helon Num. 2. Ier. 47. Horonaim the Syrian Liberties two Towns of the Moabites Esa. 16. I. JAchza the privity of God A City of the Moabites in the Tribe of Reuben twenty four miles from Ierusalem Eastward Iaezer the help of God A City of Refuge belonging to the Levites in the Tribe of Gâ—d beyond Iordan forty miles from Ierusalem North-Eastward Iavan Grecia so called of Iavan the Son of Iapheth which was distant from Ierusalem 800 miles Westward Iezreel the Seed of God This is the City where Queen Iesabel was devoured of Dogs It standeth forty eight miles from Ierusalem Northward Irheres or Heliopolis a City of the Sun This was a City of Aegypt 224 miles from Ierusalem toward the South-West K. KEdar Blackness This was a Desart of the Ismaelites called Sur eighty miles from Ierusalem South-Westward Kir Paries a Wall This was Cyrene a great City in Africa which was 816 miles from Ierusalem Westward There was a Town of this name in the Land of the Moabites in the Tribe of Reuben Esa. 16. Kir-Hazereth or Kir-Hares a Mud-Wall It was a City of the Moabites in Arabia-Petraea otherwise called Petra seventy two miles from Ierusalem towards the South Esa. 16. Kiriathaim a-City This Town was in the Tribe of Reuben 22 miles from Ierusalem Eastward Esa. 16. Kiriah or Kirieth ibidem Kithim a shining Jewel Macedonia is so called of Kithim the Son of Iavan the Son of Iaphet Gen. 10. Ier. 2. Mac. 1. For if you do diligently observe the derivation of Names you shall find that of Kithin comes Maketis and so by continuance of time and change of words Macedonia It lieth 920 miles from Ierusalem North-Westward L. LAchis a continual walking or as some will have it A pleasant Walk This was a City in the Tribe of Iuda twenty miles from Ierusalem Westward Ier. 34. Laisa a Lioness So was Caesarea Philippi sometimes called It was also called Dan scituated near to the Fountains of the River Iordan not far from Mount Libanus 104 miles from Ierusalem North-eastward Libna Frankincense It was a Town in the Tribe of Iudah ten miles from Ierusalem towards the South-west Lud that is Lydia a Countrey in Asia Minor so called of Lud the Son of Sem. Luit green Grass It is also a Mountain in the Tribe of Reuben Esa. 6. M. MAgâ—g dwelling under a shed or Tent. The Turks are so called Ezek. 8. Maresa an inheritance In this Town the Prophet Micah was born Mich. 1. It was scituated in the Tribe of Iudah distant from Ierusalem sixteen miles towards the West Medai a Measure The Kingdom of Medea was so called of Medai the Son of Iaphet Gen. 10. Medba warm Water It was a City of the Moabites in the Tribe of Reuben twenty eight miles from Ierusalem towards the East Esa. 16. Medemena a Dunghil It was a Town in the Tribe of Iudah neer Beerseba and Gaza 44 miles from Ierusalem toward the South-west Iosh. 15. There was also another Town of the same name in the Tribe of Benjamin not far from Ierusalem Iosh. 10. Ier. 48. Megiddo a wholsome Apple Here Iosiah King of Iudah was slain in War It stood 46 miles from Ierusalem Northward Zach. 12. Mephaath the splendor of Waters It was a City belonging to the Priests in the Tribe of Reuben subject to the Moabites twenty four miles from Ierusalem towards the East Ier. 48. Mesech the tract of sowing So the Muscovites and Russians are called of Mesech the Son of Iaphet Gen. 10. Midian a Measure A Town lying upon the Red Sea 160 miles from Ierusalem towards the South so called of Midian the Son of Abraham by â—eturah Gen. 25. Mispe a Watch. This City stood in the Land of Gilead beyond Iordan forty eight miles from Ierusalem towards the North-east There is another Town of this name also not far distant from Ierusalem in the Tribe of Benjamin Hos. 5. Ier. 40. Moab A Father The Country of the Moabites scituated between the Red Sea and the Mountains Abarim Ezech. 9. Meusal Running swiftly It was the name of a People that took their beginning from Vsal the Son of Ioktan Gen. 19. N. NAbaioth The Country of the Prophets This Country beginneth in the Tribe of Gad beyond Iordan and extendeth to the East part of the Dead Sea and so by the Land of the Moabites to the Red Sea It taketh the Name of Nabaioth the Son of Ishmael for all the Tract of Arabia Petraea from the Red Sea to the Gulph of Persia of him is called the Land of Nabathaea Diodorus Siculus saith as much and further That it extendeth towards the East unto the Indian Sea Gen. 25. Nebo Prophecying It was a City of the Moabites in the Tribe of Reuben near to Mount Pisga twenty miles from Ierusalem towards the East Ier. 48. Nimrim A Leopard This was also a City in the Tribe of Gad beyond Iordan thirty two miles from Ierusalem towards the North-east Isa. 16. No A Hinderance So was Alexandria a City in Aegypt in ancient times called distant from Ierusalem 288 miles towards the West Ezek. 30. Noph A Honey Comb. So the Prophets call Memphis the Metropolis of Aegypt being distant from Ierusalem 244 miles towards the South-east Isa. 18. Ier. 2. Ezek. 30. O. ON Opulency So Ezek. c.
extendeth from Damascus to Jordan after his name was called Vz that is the Land of Counsel for so Vz signifieth There were two Towns in this Country where Job is said to have dwelt that is Astaroth Carnaim and Batzra Astaroth Carnaim was distant from Jerusalem fifty two miles towards the North-East the Inhabitants of which Town worshipped the Goddess Venus and called her by the name of Astaroth of which you may read before St. Jerom saith That the Sepulchre of Job was to be seen in his time in that Town and later Writers testifie as much â—ore their times This Town at this day is called Carnea Batzra is mentioned in the thirty sixth of Genesis it signifieth a Grape gathering In this Town it was thought that Iob was born it lay beyond Iordan in the Tribe of Reuben twenty miles from Ierusalem towards the North-East All this Country in those times was subject to the King of the Edomites or Idumaeans but after it was joyned to the Land of the Moabites they having conquered the Kings of Edom you may read more of it in the sixth of Isay also Ios. 20. where is shewed that it was one of the six Cities of Refuge appointed by Ioshuah Here Iob for the most part continued and held this Town in great honour and reputation He lived about the time of Baela the first King of the Edomites and according to the opinion of St. Ierom Augustine Ambrose Philo and Luther was for his excellent Vertue and singular Piety chosen King of that Country which he greatly inlarged making all the Countries and neighbouring Princes near adjoyning tributary unto him wherefore as Ierom saith in locus Hebraicis having obtained so large an Empire he removed his Seat from Batzra to Astaroth-Carnaim which was a strong and well-defenced City where in those times as Moses witnesseth Gen. 14. there inhabited mighty men and noble Heroes that so by their Vertue he might with the greater facility suppress and conquer other Provinces There are many think him to be of the Stock of Abraham and of the Family of Esau because he is mentioned in the 36 of Genesis where it is said That when Baela died Iobab the Son of Zerah of Bozra or Betzrah reigned in his stead And St. Ierom in his Preface upon the Book of Iob sheweth that he was but five degrees removed from Abraham for Abraham had Ishmael Basmath who was the Wife of Esau Mother of Reguel Grand-mother to Serah and great Grand-mother to Iob. So that by the Mothers side Iob descended from Ishmael and by the Fathers side from Esau. Isaac Esau Reguel Serah Iob or Iobab King of Idumaea Gen. 36. Notwithstanding there are some that are of opinion that he descended from Abraham's Brother and was of the Family of Nahor's Son which opinion also St. Ierom mentioneth in his Hebraâ—cal Qâ—estions But most of the Antient Fathers hold this nothing so probable Luther upon the thirty sixth Chapter of Genesis saith That he was King long time before Moses caâ—ried the Children of Israel out of Egypt For Iuda and Aser the Sons of Iacob had Children before they went into the Land of Egypt Gen. 46. therefore it is not impossible for Reguel the Son of â—sau to have Children also since he was married long before his Brother Iacob From hence then it may be gathered that Iob was King of Idumaea bâ—fore Iacob and his Sons went into the Land of Egypt for although the fourteen Sons of â—sau governed the Land of Edom like so many Princes of which number Reguel the Grand-father of Iob was one because they held it as their Inheritance yet to avoid Sedition and Distractions which oftentimes happen where there is not a certain Head and principal Commander therefore they elected Bela the Son of Beor to be their King after whose death they chose Iob because he was a holy man of God and in his Actions just and upright who without doubt reigned amongst the Edomites a long time for he lived after his Afflictions which God imposed upon him to try him 140 Years Plato saith he married Dina the Daughter of Iacob but St. Ierom That he married the Daughter of an Arabian by whom he had Enon Both these may be true for his first Wife being dead he might marry an Arabian After the death of Iob the Gyants and Heroes in Asteroth-Carnaim fell again from the Idumaeans for when Moses brought the Children of Israel out of the Desart of Arabia-Petraea and that they had conquered the Land beyond Iordan the City Astaroth-Carnaim had a King called Og who governed all the Kingdom of Basan This Gyant was of a mighty Stature he had a Bed of Iron nine Cubits long and four broad Deut. 3. Of Eliphaz ELiphaz the Themanite was the Brother of Iob's Grand-father This Eliphaz had a Son called Theman who built a City and after his own Name called it Theman where Eliphaz his Father dwelt with him From whence it hapned that he was called Eliphaz the Themanite Iob. 2. It was distant from Ierusalem forty miles towards the South and therefore it was called a City of the South you may read of Eliphaz in Ier. cap. 25. He had a Concubine called Thimnah because of her Beauty and comely Proportion by her he had Amaleck of whom came the Amalekites between whom and the Children of Israel were cruel Wars Exad 17. The Travels of Eliphaz the Themanite FROM Themen he went to Astaroth-Carnaim where Iob dwelt which is accounted ninety two miles to comfort his Friend Iob Iob 2. From Astaroth-Carnaim he returned back to his own house which was ninety two miles So the Travels of Eliphaz were 184 miles Of Bildad Job's Friend BEyond Iordan and the Sea of Galilee not far from Astaroth-Carnaim there is at this day found a Town called Suah where as it is thought Bildad the Friend of Iob dwelt Near to this Town as Sebastian Francus observes in his Cosmography there was yearly in the Summer Season a great Mart kept in certain Tents and Tabernacles erected for that purpose of divers colours Bildad signifies an antient Friend and Suah taketh the name from Desolation being derived of Scho He hath made desolate Of Zophar the Friend of Job ZOPHAR dwelt in the City of Naema Iosh. 15. but how far it stood from Ierusalem is uncertain Zophar of Zaphar signifieth swift Naema signifies Pleasant and delectable of Naem courteous and comfortable Of Job's Daughters THE Lord gave unto Iob after his Affliction and that he had tryed his faithfulness three Daughters so fair that there were none fairer to be found in all the Land The name of the first was Iemmima that is as fair as the day of Iom which signifies a Day The second Kazia that is such a one as giveth a pleasant savour like unto Gum Cassia The third because of the excellency of her Countenance was called Kaeren Hapuch that is casting forth rayes or beams Iob 42. APOCRYPHA The Book of JUDITH Of Egbatana
dealing of Nicanor Wherefore Demetrius being very angry at what had happened wrote a sharp Letter to Nicanor giving him to understand That it was much against his mind that he should make a League with Iudas and further willed him the said League notwithstanding to bring him bound to Antiochia Upon the receipt of which Letter he made War upon Iudas in which expedition Nicanor was taken and had his head cut off All this happened the first year of the Priesthood of Alcimus But when Demetrius heard of this overthrow he sent Bacchides and Alcimus with a great Army who went to Antiochia and came to Mastoth in the Country of Arbela one hundred ninty two miles where they made Incursions upon the Tribe of Naphtaly and slew a great multitude of the Israelites 1 Mac. 9. From Masloth they went with their Army to Gilgal seventy six miles This happened in the second year of the Priesthood of Alcimus From Gilgal they came to Ierusalem which was about twelve miles 1 Mac. cap. 9. From thence they brought their Army to Berea being twelve miles here they were overcome and put to flight by Iudas Macchabeus 1 Mac. cap. 9. From Berea tho fled amongst the Mountains which are between Azotus and Gazeron six miles Here Iudas Macchabeus was slain Wherefore Alcimus returned thence back again to Ierusalem twenty miles and caused the Walls of the inner house of the Temple and the Monuments of the Priests to be taken down and destroyed but before his command was fully executed the Lord struck him with a dead Palsie of which he lay a time dumb but within a while after he died of that disease in the second year of his Priesthood An. Mundi three thousand eight hundred and eleven and before Christ one hundred and fifty seven Alcimus being dead Bacchides returned back to Demetrius in Syria 1 Mac. 9. For seven years after there was no High-priest in Ierusalem till Ionathan the Brother of Iudas Macchabeus took upon him that Office 1 Mac. 10. So all his Travels were 1717 miles Of the places to which he travelled Of Arbela THIS was a City in the upper Galilee belonging to the Tribe of Naphtaly ninety six miles from Ierusalem Northward of which Town all the Country is called Arbela being derived of Arab to lie hid Of Masloth THIS also is a Town of Naphtaly ninety two miles from Ierusalem Northward and is derived to Maschal which signifies he hath governed Of Berea TO this City Iotham sometime fled from the Fury of his Brother Abimelech Judge of Israel Iudg. 9. It is scituated twelve miles from Ierusalem Westward and signifies a clear Well Thus by God's Providence have I described the Travels and Journeys of the Holy Patriarchs Kings and Prophets c. as they are severally mentioned in the Old Testament that so gentle Reader thou might'st understand what difficult and tedious Journeys and in them what great Labour and Vexation they were constrained to bear in this World till God of his Mercy took them out of this Vale of Misery and placed them in everlasting Happiness where now without doubt they remain in peace The Quantities of the Monies both Silver and Gold as they are severally mentioned in the Scriptures reduced to our Weights and English Valuations EVER since the time that Monies have been allowed as current in Exchange betwixt man and man which for that purpose as Aristotle saith was first ordained it hath passed according to the valuation of a certain Weight which for the most part is Universal according to the worth and estimation thereof in the several Countries where it is to be sold and exchanged or else by Coin which is current according to the valuation that is imposed upon it by the consent of a State or command of a Prince In both which there have been used sundry distinctions of greater and less valuations of Weights and Coin according to the necessity and estimation thereof in several Kingdoms and Governments As amongst the Iews they used Weights and no Coin and these distinguished in several sorts and as is thought separated with sundry Marks that they might be known each from other The Weights that they used were commonly three viz. the Centiner or Talent the Mina and the Sicle according to the Opinion of Iosephus Budaeus Hostius and many others Of a Sicle A Sicle was a kind of Weight current among the Iews containing precisely half an ounce of silver or Gold which that it might be distinguished had a particular Effigies or Superscription viz. upon one side was to be seen the measure wherein they kept Manna in the Sanctuary with this Superscription The Sicle of Israel and on the other the Rod of Aaron flourishing with this Inscription Holy Ierusalem which is ordinarily worth in English money 2 s. 6 d. and Gold 15s and more or less according to the pureness or baseness of either A Sicle was divided into these parts 1. Into a Drachma i. e. 7 d. ob whereof four make a Sicle Gen. 13. 15. Exod 21. 32 c. 2. Half Sicles mentioned Exod. 30. 13. 15. ca. 38. 26. which was the yearly Tax imposed upon every man toward the building of the Tabernacle i. 15 d. English 3. Quadrans Sicli or the fourth part of a Sicle which was also in use among the Iewes 1 Sam. 8. 9. which amounts to a Roman penny and in our money to 7 d. ob and by the Grecians were called Drachma 4. Gheras Exod. 30. 13. which was the twentieth part of a Sicle and was worth 1 d. ob Of Sicles there were three sorts 1. A common Sicle which weighed a quarter of an ounce and was worth 15 d. 2. The Kings Sicle which weighed three Drachma's that is in our money 22 d. ob 3. The Sicle of the Temple which weighed directly half an ounce and was worth 2 s. 6d Of a Mina A Mina was a pound weight among the Iews and were of two sorts one of Gold which weighed 100 Drachma's another of Silver weighing 240 Drachma's These were called the antient Weights but there was later which is said to contain 100 Denaria's or Attick Drachma's which seem to be so called because of the Traffick the Iews had with the Grecians among whom it was worth 100 Attick Drachma's i. 3. l. 2 s. 6. d. English Of Mina's there were three sorts as appeareth in Ezech. 45. 1. The common Mina or Pound weighing twenty five half Ounces or Sicles of the Temple amounted to sixty Drachma's i. 37 s. 6 d. 2. The King 's Mina or Pound weighing twenty half Ounces or Sicles of the Temple amounted to eighty Drachma's i. 50 s. 3. The Mina or Pound of the Temple or Sanctuary which weighed 25 half Ounces or Sicles maketh 100 Drachma's i. 3 l. 2 s. 5 d. Of a Talent THE Heâ—rew Talent ordinarily weigheth 125 Pounds which being divided amounteth to 3000 Sicles or half Ounces as it plainly appeareth Exod. 38. 25 26. where it is said that 600000
the other cold which two Waters being mingled â—ogether are very wholsome and cure many Diseases but principally the shrinking of the Sinews And this shall suffice concerning the Travels of Iohn the Baptist. The Travels of our Lord and Saviour Christ in his Infancy Matth. 3. Luke 2. FRom Bethlehem the Child Jesus was brought to Ierusalem and there presented in the Temple Anno Mundi 3967 which was 6 miles From Ierusalem Ioseph and Mary when they had accomplished all things in the Temple of the Lord carried the Child Iesus to Nazareth in Galilee which was sixty four miles From thence Ioseph and Mary brought Jesus back again to Bethlehem which was seventy two miles Upon the second day of Ianuary in the second Year after the Nativity of Christ the wise men of Persia brought Gifts and worshipped him A little after that is about the Ides of Ianuary just the Night before the Command came from Herod to kill the innocent Children Ioseph and Mary went with the Child Jesus through the Mountains and Desarts of Iudea into Egypt to Hermopolis in the Land of Gosen which was reckoned from Bethlehem 296 miles From Hermopolis in Egypt after the death of Herod Jesus was brought back again by his Parents to Nazareth in Iudea which was above 368 miles When Jesus was twelve years of age he went with his Parents from Nazareth to Ierusalem to the Feast of the Passeover which was sixty four miles And when his Parents had lost him and found him again in the Temple among the Learned then he continued in obedience unto them and went with them from Ierusalem to Nazareth which was sixty four miles So his Travels were 934 miles Concerning the Towns and Places mentioned in his Travels you may read before in the Travels of the Virgin Mary The Travels of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ from his Baptism till the first year of his Ministry CHrist in the thirtieth year of his age went from Nazareth and came to Bethabara which stood upon the River Iordan where Iohn baptized and upon the seventh day of October in the middle of the last Week spoken of by Daniel cap. 9. was there baptized at whose baptism the testimony of the Spirit descended down upon him in the likeness of a Dove which was fifty two miles From Iordan Jesus was led by the Spirit into the Wilderness to be tempted of the Devil and there fasted forty dayes and forty nights at the end of which time the Devil came and tempted him How this Wilderness was called the Evangelist doth not specifie but it is to be thought that it was the Desart of Arabia Petraea and that our Saviour Christ fasted upon the mountain of Sinai where Moses and Eliah fasted forty dayes and forty nights Exod. 24. 1. Reg. 19. For this Desart extendeth it self from the borders of Egypt and the Red Sea to Iordan where Iohn baptized and from thence by the Country of Trachonites to the mountain of Libanus Therefore our Saviour Christ might that present seventh day of October whereon he was baptized come into this Wilderness and by little and little go thence to Mount Sinai which was 136 miles For there was no place more fit for Sathâ—n to tempt our Saviour in than where the Law was delivered which is the power of Sin for although the Son of God was without Sin yet he took upon him the Sins of all the World Levit. 16. Joh. 1. Isa. 53. So then our Saviour Christ according to this supputation continued in the Desart from the seventh day of October to the sixteenth of November which was forty dayes and forty nights Epiphanius lib. 2. Tom. 1. Haeres 51. saith that our Saviour Christ was baptized upon the eighth day of November which was the twelfth day of the month Athyr amongst the Egyptians but this supputation is false and altogether repugnant to the certain Mathematical calculation Wherefore upon the seventeenth day of November our Saviour Christ hungred Mat. 4. Mark 1. Luke 4. and then the Devil with an extraordinary boldness came unto him and carried him from Mount Sinai with great violence through the Air and set him upon the top of a Pinacle of the Temple in Jerusalem which was 120 miles this Pinacle was so exceeding high as you may read in the description of Ierusalem that whosoever lookt down from it into the Valley of Cedron their eyes dazled and it seemed as though there had been Clouds in the bottom of the Valley for it was 600 foot from the bottom to the top From this place the Devil bid our Saviour Christ throw himself down c. Mat. 4. From the Pinacle of the Temple the Devil took our Saviour Christ and set him upon a high Mountain but what Hill it was or how called the holy Evangelist doth not set down The Inhabitants of the holy Land think it was the Hill that stood betwixt Bethel and Ai upon which Hill in times past Abraham dwelt Gen. 13. But that Hill is not very high and there are many higher Hills in the holy Land wherefore it is to be thought that he was carried upon the top of that high Mountain Nebo which was also called Pisgah and stood 24 miles from Ierusalem Eastward where God shewed unto Moses all the holy Land beyond Iordan Deut. 34. And in this place as God had shewed Moses so the Devil shewed our Saviour the Kingdoms of the World and the Glory of them saying All these will I give thee c. It is to be thought that all these sharp temptations of the Devil were done in one day This Hill Pisgah is distant from Bethabara 8 miles where Iohn Baptist baptised and bare witness of our Saviour Christ Ioh. ca. 1. Now after the Devil had left him and the Angels had comforted him he came thence unto Iohn which was 8 miles and Iohn said to his Disciples Behold this is the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World Ioh. 1. So these Travels were 140 miles The Travels of our Saviour Christ in the first year of his Ministry which was the 31 of his age BUT yet our Saviour Christ began not to preach publickly because it was not lawful for any to be admitted into the Ministry of the Word until they were past thirty years of age Now our Saviour Christ in the Months of Ianuary and February being then past thirty for he was full thirty upon the 25 day of December began to preach publickly but yet he had no Disciples neither had he wrought any Miracles In the month of March Iohn Baptist testifieth of Christ before the Priest and Levites and within two days after Christ being then present Iohn said Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World c. Within a while after Christ went thence towards Cana in Galilee in which Journey he took unto him some Disciples namely Andrew and Iohn the Evangelist and as some think Peter Philip and Nathaniel
Zadin which in English is Sattin And as at this day the finest Glass is made at Venice so the finest Glass in those times was made at Sarepta a City that belonged to the Sidonians about which there stood many Mines of which it is called Sarepta as you may read before This Town in times past was one of the chief Cities of Phoenicia but because of the extraordinary Pride of the Citizens God afflicted them with divers punishments and brought in Ocho King of the Persians who besieged it and by Treason won it and burnt it to the ground as Diodorus Siculus lib. 16. saith The Citizens whereof were driven to such streights by the Enemy that there perished in the fire above forty thousand men Within a while after Darius the last Emperour of the Persians rebuilt it but made it nothing so beautiful neither fortified it in like manner as it was before he ordained one Strato to be King thereof a man proud and arrogant After about three hundred and two years before the Nativity of Christ Alexander being then but twenty four years of age having overcome Darius that mighty Emperour of the Persians at Issa a City of Cilicia in a cruel and sharp War he sent Hephestion one of his Princes to the Sidonians with authority to depose Strato and to let the Citizens understand that they should chuse him for their King whom they thought most worthy of that honour as Quintus Curtius sheweth lib. 4. At this time there was a certain young man among the followers of Hephestion in whose behalf he moved the Citizens that he might be their King but they refused saying it was not their custom to chuse any to rule over them but such as were of the King's stock and Progeny Hephestion hearing this answer greatly admired their resolution and modesty especially when they refused to accept him for their King whom others had sought to obtain with Fire and Sword saying truly there is more required to rule and govern a Kingdom than to get it but yet name one unto me of Royal descent whom you would willingly receive to be your King So they named unto him one Abdolomius who had been known to have been of the Kings stock by many descents but because of his Poverty he was constrained to dwell in the Suburbs of the City in a Cottage and had little else but a Garden to live upon This man howsoever poor and because of that of many contemned yet he was known to be honest and of an upright life following with all diligence his Vocation without any regard of other business insomuch as he was utterly ignorant of all these stirs and combustions which had so lately vexed Asia As he was now in his Garden digging and labouring purging it of Weeds and planting of Herbs Hephestion with the rest of the Citizens went unto him and brought him the Robes and Habiliments of a King The poor Gardner stood amazed to see such a Company of Gallants come unto him but Hephestion told him that the occasion of their coming was to make aâ— exchange with him of those Royal Ornaments which he had in his hand for those poor and foul Garments which he wore therefore go and wash thy self and return So he did where immediately they put upon him those Royal Robes and saluted him as their Sovereign After these things were finished quoth Hephestion Now remember in what a state thou art no more Gardener but a King and therefore take unto thee the mind and resolution of a King that so thou mayest rule and govern this City as a man worthy of that honour and remember that although the Lives and Goods of thy Subjects are at thy command yet by them thou wast chosen neither be forgetful of him that was the Author of thine Honour No sooner was he enthronized in his Kingdom but Fame who is more speedy than a thousand Posts had dispersed this News through all the neighbouring Cities some being thereby moved to admiration and quickned in their Studies others stirred up to Indignation and Envy Those that were mighty and Friends to Alexander contemned and despised his Humility and Poverty and no sooner were they come into his presence but they began to accuse him for his Ignorance wherefore Alexander commanded that he should come before him where after he had well viewed the Lineaments and Proportion of his Person and could not perceive it any whit repugnant to the fame of his Birth he demanded of him how it was possible that he should endure his Poverty with Patience To which he answered I pray the Gods I may continue the Government of this Kingdom with the like mind for these hands were sufficient for me to live by and as I had nothing so I wanted nothing At which answer Alexander was so well pleased that he not only gave him all the Princely Jewels and Ornaments of the first King called Strato but also a great part of the Booty which he took from the Emperour of Persia and added to his command all the neighbouring Countries round about This History I have inserted that thereby we might perceive the mighty power of God in all his works that can exalt the poor contented with his estate out of the very dust and can pull the mighty from their Thrones So the evil cark and care in this World to gather riches for the Vertuous to inherit But to return to Sidon This City did so much increase and grew so famous in succeeding Ages that it was the chief Town Tyrus only excepted in all Phoenicia joyning upon the West to the Mediterranean Sea extending it self towards the North and South lying in a Plain under Antilibanus which Mountain lay some two miles off it upon the East It oftentimes because of the Pride of the Inhabitants felt the wrath and punishing hand of God as well by the Invasion of Enemies as sickness and dearth according to the Predictions of the Prophets Esay 28. and Ezek. 28. untill at last in succeeding ages it was utterly destroyed the Ruins of which City remain to this day and make evident that it was a fair and spatious Town There is to be seen yet to this day a City built out of the Ruins of the former though nothing so large as it very strong and mightily fortified so that it seemeth almost invincible if it have men wherewith to defend it Upon the one side it joyneth to the Sea and upon the other side of it there standeth two mighty strong Castles one of them scituated toward the North upon a very strong Rock as it were in the heart of the Sea the which was built by certain Pilgrims that came out of Germany to visit the holy City of Ierusalem The other of them was scituated upon a Hill toward the South of the City as well fortified and no less difficult to be conquered These two Castles with the whole City in times past were in the hands of the Knights Templers
Asia whereby Lysimachus was constrained to leave this and make opposition against Seleucus Nicanor who had invaded his Dominions But in this War Lysimachus was slain And Philetaerus having in his possession great Riches that he might enjoy what he had was always observant to him that got the Victory by which means he kept himself and his Riches for the space of 20 years in that Castle and then died and left all his Wealth to Eumenes his brothers Son who inlarged his Government and overcame Antiochus the Son of Seleucus This Man after he had reigned 32 years died and Attalus his Son succeeded him in the Government who having conquered Galatia made a league with the Romans and by them was first called by the name of a King After him succeeded his Son Eumenes the second of that name who aided the Romans against Antiochus magnus King of Syria for which service the Romans gave him all the Dominions that Antiochus had on this side the Alps. This man was the first that enlarged the Castle of Pergamus and made it a goodly City planting round about it a thick Wood or Grove and called it Nicephorus And after he had reigned 49 years he died and left his Kingdom to his Son Attalus called Philometor This Attalus after he had done many notable exploits died without issue when he had reigned five years and left his Kingdom to the Romans who turned it into a Province There lived in this Town many learned Men as Galen the Physician who was famous in the time of Trajan the Emperour and as the Fame went lived 140 years Of that Town also was Apollodorus the Rhetorician who was School-Master to Augustus Caesar of which man the Apollodorean Sect took Name and Dionysius Atticus his Scholar Here Antipas was crowned with the Wreath of Martyrdom To the Bishop of this Town Iohn wrote his Revelation and in the second Chapter thereof sharply reprehendeth him because he bore with the Sect of the Nicholaitans which although it lasted not long yet it was very dangerous Eusebius saith That Nicholaus one of the seven Deacons for the Poor at Antiochia of whom you may read Act. 6. was the first Author of this Sect yet Clem. Alexand. clears him of it laying that Offence rather on certain idle Persons that misconstruing his Words being given over to vile Affections covered their Evils under his Name calling themselves Nicholaites though indeed he had no hand in it but lived and died honestly The Opinion that this Sect held as Euseb. saith li. 3. ca. 23. and Irenaeus lib. 1. chap. 27. was That Women were to be common That it was lawful to eat Meat offered to Idols That Fornication and Adultery was no Sin beside many other wicked and perverse Opinions concerning the Deity which would be too tedious to recite in this place You may read more of it in Eusebius and Tertullian Of Thyatira THIS was the fourth Church to which Iohn wrote his Revelation it was scituated close by the River Caicus upon the Borders of Mysia and Lydia 600 miles from Ierusalem North-eastward It was a very fair City in Asia minor yet subject to the Lydians In this Country Lidda was born that dwelt at Philippa and gave entertainment to Paul and Sylas Act. 16. Philippa was distant from this Town 400 miles It was at first called according to the Testimony of Stephen Pelopea and Semiramis But after Seleucus Nicanor King of Syria making War upon Lysimachus King of Thrace coming to this Town had News that his Wife had bore him a Daughter in honour whereof he would needs have the Town called Thugateira which in Greek signifies a Daughter but Thyatira Divine Reverence Of Sardis TO this City also St. Iohn wrote his Revelation It was a famous and Princely Seat scituated in Asia not far from the Mountain Tmolus where Croesus King of the Lydians kept his Court being 536 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-west It was so called without doubt of Sardus the Son of Hercules which maketh Sardis in the plural number Of this Town were those two Diodories which were Orators The Younger of them did write Histories and Poems and was one of Strabo's great Friends Close by this Town is found a precious Stone which after the Towns Name is called Sardis it is of a fleshly Colour and therefore is commonly called Carnalia of which you may read more in Pliny lib. 37. cap. 4. Of Philadelphia SAINT Iohn also wrote his Revelation to this City It was scituated in Myâ—â—a a Country in Asia Minor being 450 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-west This City is so often troubled with Earth-quakes that the Inhabitants are many times constrained to dwell in the open Fields Upon the East side thereof lies a dry and barren Country which seemeth to be burnt and scorch'd with heat being 60 miles long and 48 miles broad where there grows no Trees but there are found great plenty of Grapes which being prest yeild very pleasant Wine and may compare with the best of those Parts The Superficies of the Earth seemeth like Ashes mountainy stony and black many conjecture the cause thereof to be by reason of the great Thunders and Lightning that they have there but there are some which give other reasons for it It was called Philadelphia of Attolus Philodelphius who first built it Of Laodicea THIS was the seventh and last City that Iohn directed his Revelation to It stood close by the River Lycus in Caria a Country in Asia the less five hundred and twenty miles from Ierusalem towards the North-west and is likewise oftentimes troubled with Earthquakes as Sardis Magnesia and Philadelphia are The reason of these often Earthquakes is thought to be because there are Vaults and hallow Caves under the Earth into which the Air in the time of heat having free entrance then closeth up again so that it can find no passage out it striveth with continual motion to make way through the Earth by which means the Earth trembleth and shaketh and look how much the deeper these Vaults are under the Earth so much the more violent are the Earth-quakes by which means Cities are oftentimes utterly overthrown and ruined sometimes the Earth sinketh and Ponds and Rivers are swallowed up It was at first called Diospolis that is the City of Iupiter then Rhoas and lastly it obtained the name of Laodicea And although at the beginning it was but a small Town yet by reason of the fertility of the Soile and pleasant scituation it of a sudden became a fair City beautified with many fair and goodly Houses wherein there dwelt many wealthy Citizens so that for their Nobility and Worthiness it was accounted the most famous Town in all Asia Here Hiero dwelt who divided his Inheritance among the Citizens and over and above he gave them two thousand Talents of Gold besides many other Gifts and Gratuities to adorn and beautifie the City After him there lived Zeno the Orator and
close to that part of Thracia where Hebrus falleth into the Sea sometimes called Dardani◠of Dardanus King of Troy who when he had slain his Brother Iacius and taken from him the Palladiam he came first into Samothracia and then into Asia where he first laid the Foundation of the City called Troy and of that Kingdom And although this Isle at that time was called Dardania yet because of the nearness that it had to Thrace and the altitude of the Rock whereon it stood it soon changed the name and then especially when the People called Samos came thither to inhabit who after their own name called it Samothracia It stood upon such a lofty place that from thence all the Countries round about might easily be seen Arsinoe Queen of Thrace was banished by Ptolomeus her Brother into this Island who after put to death all her Children and usurp'd upon the Kingdom of Thrace A cruel part in a Brother Virg. lib. Aeneid 3. makes mention of this Island saying Terciamque Samum quae nunc Samothracia fertur And Samian-Troy which now adays is Samothracia call'd Strabo also writeth of it li. 13. And in Act. 16. It is said St. Paul sailed from Troadis to Samothracia and so went thence into Thracia and came to the City of Neapolis Of Neapolis THIS Neapolis to which Paul went was a City of Thrace not far from Macedonia 880 miles from Ierusalem North-westward called also of some Caurus There are many other Cities of this name one in Iudea where Sichem and Sicha◠stood another in Caria a third in Africa a fourth in Pannonia but above all that which stands in Campania is most remarkable being the chief City of the Neapolitan Kingdom Of Philippa THIS City in times past was called Crenides because of the Veins of Gold that were found close by it But after Philip King of Macedon Father of Alexander the Great caused it in the year before Christ 354 to be re-edefied and inlarged and then after his own name called it Philippos It was scituated in Grecia close by the River Stridon 926 miles from Ierusalem toward the North-west and indowed with many Priviledges In those times the Gold was so much increased in this place that the Revenue thereof was worth to this King more than a thousand Talents which at 4500 l. the Talent amounteth to forty five millions of pounds yearly By the which means King Philip grew so rich that he caused his Gold to be coined and called it after his own name Philippian Gold To this place Paul came and did many Miracles taught the Gospel and converted many From hence he wrote his second Epistle to the Corinthians and sent it to Corinth even 292 miles He also wrote an Epistle from Rome to the Christians of this Town and sent it them by the hand of Epaphroditus even 628 miles It was afterward a Colony of the Romans Of Amphipolis THIS was a City of Macedonia compassed about with the River Strymon from whence it took the name and was distant from Ierusalem 960 miles towards the North-west Here also the Apostle Paul was Act. 17. Of Appollonia THIS was a City of Mygdonia scituated not far from Thessalonica towards the West close by the River Echedorus 948 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-west being so called from Appollines which signifies the Sun It stood twenty miles from Thessalonica There are many other Cities of this name one scituate in Grecia close by the Adriatick Sea another among Islands of Thrace a third in Crete on this side the River Ister a fourth in Syria and a fifth in Africa amongst the Cyrenes Of Thessalonia or Thessalonica THIS was a City of Macedon in ancient times called Halia because it stood upon the Sea after called Therma of the hot Baths that were in it and lastly Thessalonica of Philip the Son of Amintas King of the Macedonians who gave it that name either of the great Victory that he had against the Thessalonians or else after the name of his Daughter called Thessalonica who was the Mother of Cassandrus It stood close by the Thermaick Gulph not far from the Mouth of the River Echedorus 932 miles from Ierusalem towards the North-west The Apostle Paul taught publickly in this City and there converted a great multitude of People Act. 17. He also wrote two Epistles to the Inhabitants thereof and sent them from Athens being 232 miles distant In the time of Theodosius the first Emperour of Rome there hapened by reason of some Discontent a grievous Sedition amongst the Thessalonians in which stir some of his Captains and Governours were slain Wherefore the Emperour having intelligence of what had hapened sent an Army against the City with Authority to put to death a certain number of those who had rebelled whence it happened that the City was fill'd with many unjust slaughters for the Souldiers respecting more their private profit than the equity of the cause spared neither Innocent nor Nocent Young nor Old so that as well the Inhabitants as Strangers that resorted thither did partake of this Misery and suffered like punishment as did they which were the first Authors of this Rebellion But because the Emperour was consenting unto these evils Ambrose Bishop of Millain would not suffer him without publick repentance to come to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper wherefore in a publick Assembly he acknowledged his offence with great Contrition Theodor. li. 5. ca. 17. Soz. li. 7. ca. 14. This Town was afterward purchased by the Venetians of Andronicus Palaeologus Son of Emanuel Emperour of Constantinople who held it a long time until Amurath Emperour of the Turks won it from them and exercised grievous cruelty upon the Inhabitants At this day it is a fair and goodly City wherein is to be seen 23 Churches and is inhabited both by Christians Iews and Turks as Sebastian Munster saith but the greatest number is Iews who are partly Merchants partly of other Trades their number in this place as it is said by some of their own Nation is 14000 and they have 80 Synagogues but they are constrained to wear yellow wreaths about their heads the Christians blew and the Turks white There are many Iews also in Constantinople and Adrianople but in no place more than in this Town which is now called Salonica Of Berraea THIS is a City of Macedon scituated upon the River of Halakmon 960 miles from Ierusalem North-westward In this City the Iews stirred up a great tumult and sedition against the Apostle Paul Act. 17. At this day it is called Voria Of Athens THIS was the most famous City of all Grecia the Mother of Arts and a bountiful nourisher of large and mighty Colonies in that part of Achaia called Acte or Attica It was scituated upon the shore of the Mediterranean Sea 720 miles from Ierusalem Westward It took name from a Divine knowledg for the word is derived of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mind
King by the Tribe of Iudah in the year of the World 2891 and before Christ 1077. Here he kept his Court seven years and six months From hence also he sent Messengers to Iabes in Gilead forty four miles to signifie his gracious acceptance of that favour which they shewed unto Saul in burying of his Body there 2 Sam. 1. 1 Chr. 12. From Hebron David went to Ierusalem twenty two miles which then was called Iebus being possessed of the Iebusites but he won it with strong hand and thrust them out of it and in Mount Sion set up the City Millo which was afterward called the City of David and signifies a place of Plenty He began his Reign in Ierusalem in the thirty eighth year of his Age and seventh of his Reign In this place also he set up his House made of Cedar-wood of which Hâ—ram King of Tyrus sent him great Plenty from Mount Libanus distant from thence 104 miles 2 Sam. 5. 1 Ch. 12. From thence he went to the Valley of Rephaim some three miles from Ierusalem in the way that leadeth to the City of Bethlem where he fought a memorable Fight against the Philistines and overcame them for which cause it was also called Baal-Perizim because by the Help and Assistance of God he had conquered the Army of the Philistines 1 Sam. 5. After he had dispersed the Enemies he returned to Ierusalem which is â—our miles The Philistines came the same Year into the Valley of Rephaim again and pitched their Tents within three miles and a half of Ierusalem and the Lord gave David a sign that when he heard a noise in the Mulberry-trees he should set upon the Enemy so David went forth and close by the Town of Gaeba and Kirjath-jearim about two miles from Ierusalem West-ward he set upon the Enemy and gave them the second Overthrow 2 Samuel 5. 1 Chr. 15. From thence David followed the Enemy to Gaza which was eighteen miles 2 Sam. 5. in the tenth Year of his Reign from his first beginning in Hebron David assembled all the Princes Priests and chief men of Israel to the number of 30000 which inhabited from Sechor till you come to Chaemah a City of Naphtali at the foot of Mount Libanus even 163 miles off These men assembled themselves in the City of Ierusalem and from thence they with David went to Kirjath-jearim which was about a mile to fetch the Ark of the Covenant from thence into the City of David 1 Sam. 6. 1 Chr. 14. From Kirjath-jearim David and all his Train returned back again to Ierusalem which was about a mile and they placed the Ark of the Lord in a new Cart and caused it to be drawn with Oxen which turned out of the way to the threshing-floor of Nachon where Vzza rashly and inconsiderately touching the Ark of God contrary to the Divine Law was presently slain by the Lord in the way and that place was called Paeri-Vza that is The Breach of Uza for he was not of the Tribe of Aaron to whom it was only lawful to touch the Ark and therefore the Lord struck him that he died miserably wherefore David being terrified by this example of God's Severity would not that day bring the Ark of the Lord into Ierusalem but carried it to the House of a certain Noble-man called Obed Aedom a Gittite who dwelt not far from Ierusalem but when it was told David that the Lord blessed the House of Obed Aedom and all his Family because the Ark was there David went from Ierusalem with a great multitude of People to the House of Obed Aedom who as is said before dwelt not far from Ierusalem yet there are some that say he was an excellent Musician in Ierusalem and dwelt in Mount Acra that is in the lower City and from thence David fetch'd the Ark of the Lord into the upper City which stood upon Mount Sion but I hold the other Opinion to be the more probable When the Ark was carried by the Priests David girt himself with a linnen Ephod which kind of Garment the Priests of the inferiour Order used to wear and danced before it singing Psalms and Hymns to the praise and glory of God and with great State brought it to the City of Ierusalem with the sound of Trumpets and Instruments of Musick and placed it in the middle of the Tabernacle which they had curiously erected in Mount Sion in the upper City which was also called the City of David This hapned in the tenth year of his Reign at which time Saul's Daughter despised him in her Heart and laughed at him but God gave her a due Recompence as you may read 2 Sam. 6. and him a just Reward for he promised by the Prophet Nathan That of his Posterity and Blood the King of Kings and Saviour of the World should be born In the Year following David invaded the Land of the Philistines and the City of Gath which with strong hand he won this was thirty four miles from Ierusalem From thence he returned back to Ierusalem 34 miles In the twelfth Year of his Reign he afflicted the Moabites with cruel War and destroyed two of their Armies with the Sword and the rest of the multitude he made Tributary which was 24 miles 2 Sam. 8. 1 Chr. 9. He returned thence to Ierusalem with great Triumph and Joy twenty four miles In the thirteenth year of his Reign Anno Mundi 2903. and before Christ 1065 he made an Expedition unto Zoba which Iosephus calleth Sophenam and is in Armenia near to Masia or Mount Taurus 600 miles from Ierusalem toward the North of which you may read before David in this place won a memorable Battel against Hadad Ezer the King thereof near to the River Euphrates he took 700 Horse and 20000 Foot burnt their Chariots took 100 Castles conquered all the Towns and Country round about and went away with a great Booty as well of Gold as Silver Brass and other things which Brass for the Excellency thereof was like unto Gold and as Iosephus saith afterwards Solomon made the Molten Sea of it When Gadarezer King of the Syrians he that built that famous City of Damascus heard of the overthrow of Hadad-Ezer he sent a great Army to his Aid which King David near to the River Euphrates smote with the Sword so that 20000 of them were slain and he carryed away a glorious Victory extending his Government from Ierusalem 600 miles towards the North that is into Armenia and beyond the River Euphrates and made these two Nations tributary unto him 2 Samuel 8. 1 Chr. 19. After David had won these two memorable Victories near Euphrates he went thence with all his Army towards the South and invaded the Land of Syria in which Journey Ioram the Son of Tohi King of Antiochia which City at this time was called Hemath met David with Gifts and Presents in the Name of his Father returning him many Thanks because he had destroyed the common Enemy
Hadad-Ezer and by strong hand subdued and quelled the Fury of that mighty Tyrant who was also a trouble and vexation to the Kingdom of Antiochia David entertained this Message kindly and thankfully received his Gifts which was of Gold Silver and fine Brass and so gave Ioram an acceptable Dispatch and from thence with his Army went to Damascus the Metropolitan City of Syria where in the Valley of Salt he got a great Victory in which 18000 Syrians were slain and soon after the City of Damascus taken in which David placed a Garrison and compelled them to pay Tribute 2 Sam. 8. This was distant from the Kingdom of Soba 520 miles From Damascus he went with his Army into the Land of the Ammonites 100 miles in the way that leadeth out of Syria to Ierusalem all which he conquered and all the Cities and Towns thereabouts and compelled them to pay Tribute 2 Sam. 8. From thence he returned to Ierusalem which was sixty miles and all the Booty that he had gotten in his Journey he dedicated unto the Lord 2 Sam. 8. A while after he with his Army made an Incursion into the Land of Idumaea and compelled the Inhabitants to pay Tribute Moreover he destroyed the City of Midian the Metropolitan of that Country of which you may read before it was distant from Ierusalem 160 miles towards the South So that the extent of David's Kingdom from the North to the South was 800 miles even from the Kingdom of Soba to the Red Sea and from the East to the West 120 miles from Tyrus and Sydon reaching to Damascus Thus by the singular Blessing of God he obtained a spacious and powerful Empire 1 Sam. 8. 1 Reg. 11. 1 Chr. 19. He made his Expedition into Idumaea about the fourteenth year of his Reign From Midian in Idumaea he returned with great Glory and Praise to Ierusalem which was 160 miles In the fourteenth year of his Reign and in the year of the World 2904 and before Christ 1064 Nahas King of the Ammonites died and Haron his Son succeeded him this Man contemptuously abused the Messengers of David 2 Sam. 10. and to justifie that Injury he gathered an Army out of Soba Syria and Mesopotamia even a mighty Host to oppose David who in the fifteenth year of his Government met him with his Army at Helam some twenty miles from Ierusalem where he obtained a notable Victory and destroyed 700 Chariots and 40000 Horse 1 Chr. 20. David after this with great applause of the People was entertained into Ierusalem which was 20 miles distant where being puft up with Prosperity he forgat his former Piety and Sanctity and by degrees fell into unlawful Actions and unjust desires whence it happened that soon after he committed Adultery with Bathseba and after that to hide his Fault caused her Husband to be slain This was kept secret till the Lord by Nathan sharply reprehends him lays before him what he was and what his present estate is from whence that came and then concludes that he is most unthankful careless and negligent towards God and Man in committing those Insolencies neither left he there but told him that God would severely punish him for his Offence which after happened as you may read 1 Sa. 11 12. 14 17. David being nipt in his Conscience with this sharp reprehension fell into great Lamentation the extremity of whose Passions may very well appear in the Penitential Psalms which at this time and soon after he wrote and left to future Ages After this about the end of Summer he gathered an Army and went into the Land of the Ammonites some sixty four miles where he took the Metropolitan City which at that time was called Rabba because of the Multitude of Citizens that were in it but after being restored by Ptolomeus Philadelphus King of Aegypt he called it after his own name Philadelphia and there took the Crown from the Head of the King of the Ammonites which weighed a Talent of Gold being as Iosephus saith richly adorned with fair Sardonick Stones of which you may read 2 Sam. 12. From thence he returned back to Ierusalem which is sixty four miles where he married Bathseba and by her had four Sons Simeon Sobab Nathan and Solomon 1 Chr. 3. Soon after this Amnon defloured his Sister Thamar Not long after that his Son Absalom killed his Brother Amnon being then about eighteen years of age which David took so heinously that he would not suffer him to come into his sight for three years 2 Sam. 13. Then Ioab by the subtilty of the Woman of Tekoa reconciled him to the King his Father yet nevertheless he came not to his Court of two years after This Absalom was a goodly man affable for which cause even at that time the People began to affect him Afterward in the year of the World 2950 and before Christ 1408 Absalom being then about twenty five years of Age moved Sedition against his Father A matter remarkable that although he had slain his own Brother being disgraced and absent from the Court almost five years yet within short time after he so strongly united the Affection of the People to him that he constrained David standing in fear of his greatness all his former Acts and worthy Victories notwithstanding to forsake his own City and for safety to fly to the Mount of Olives being three quarters of a mile from the City There he stayed a while to see the condition of the Tumult but Necessity constrained him to take his way to Bahuzim And as he was going Zimri the Son of Gesa of the house of Saul cursed him every mans Enemy then making himself apparent when he is in Adversity and his best friends commonly forsake him From thence he went to Iordan fourteen miles where the Priests Ionathan and Ahinaaz brought him certain Intelligence of that wicked and perverse Counsel of Achitophel a man in those times famous for his Wisdom but perfidious in his Actions as commonly such are that hope after Honours or seek to benefit themselves by Innovation and Change After he had Intelligence hereof he went over Iordan with those few men that he had and with all possible speed went to Bethabara some 16 miles from Ierusalem toward the North-east At this place Ioshuah led the Children of Israel through Iordan on dry ground Ios. 3. 4. and here Iohn the Baptist taught and baptized Christ. Mat. 1. and Luke 3. From thence he went to Makanaim which is 28 miles where he sent forth his Army by bands against Absalom who at this time had assembled a great Host near the Wood Ephraim not far from that place where Ioshua won a memorable Battel against the Canaanites and that the place might be made more famous David's men though few in number gave Absalom and his Host as great Thus Absalom being left in danger to save himself fled but in his flight the Hair of his Head being long and blown with the Wind
at 37 s. 6 d. the pound cometh to 9375 l. ARTASHAST who in some places is called Darius Artaxerxes Longimanus commanded his Treasurer to give unto Esdras towards the building of the Temple of Ierusalem 100 Centiners or talents of silver cap. 7. v. 21. 22. which at 187 li. 10 s. the talent cometh to 18750 li. according to the Hebrew common weight for as oft as there is no addition it is to be intended in every place the common weight The King of Persâ—a and his Nobles with all Israel gave to the building of the Temple in Ierusalem 650 Centiners of silver of the common weight cap. 8. v. 16. 26. which at 187 li. 10 s. the Talent cometh to 121875 li. also in silver vessels 100 Centiners or Talents which at 187 li. 20 s. the Talent cometh to 1875 l. also 100 Centiners or talents of Gold which at 2250 l. the Talent in the whole cometh to 225000 li. or thereabouts also 20 cups of Gold weighing 1000 Drachma's or Hungarian Ducats that is 375 li. each of which cups were worth 18 li. 15 s. Nehemiah THE Tirshatha or as some have it Nehemiah gave to the work 1000 Drachma's of Gold cap. 7. v. 37. which was 275 l. and some of the Fathers gave to the Work 20000 Drachma's or Hungarian Ducats of Gold which came to 5500000 l. also 2200 pounds of Silver which was 4125 l. and the rest of lthe People gave 20000 Drachma's or Hungarian Ducats of Gold Which came to 5500000 l. also 2000 pieces of Silver which were common pounds which cometh to 3756 l. Ester PRoud Hammon offered 10000 Centiners or Talen t s of Silver to destroy the Iews cap. 3. v. 9. which at 187 l. 10 s. the Talent cometh to 1875000 li. Ezekiel chap. 45. v. 43. A Sicle of the Temple shall be twenty Gerahs that is 2 s. 6 d. for in this place he speaketh of that which belongeth ot the Sanctuary and the Mina that is the Kings Mina shall be twenty Sicles and 25 Sicles shall be the Mina of the Temple and fifteen Sicles shall be the common Mina of which you may read before Tobias chap. 1. v. 10. OLD Tobias willingly lent to the poor man Gabel in Rages a Town in Media ten pounds of Silver that is 18 l. 15 s. But if it be according to our translation that is ten Talents at 187 l. 10 s. the Talent is 1963 l. after the common Weight But if after the Weight of the Temple it comes to as much more I Macchabees chap. 10. v. 40. 42. DEmetrius King of Syria offered to give yearly unto the Iews for the building of the Temple 15000 Sicles of Silver of the Temple Weight that is 1000 Mina's which at 37 s. 6 d. the Mina comes to 1875 l. And if they would aid him he would restore the Money again which his Officers had kept back of the Revenues of the Temple which was yearly five thousand Sicles of the Temple of Silver that is 2500 Crowns English which is 625 l. Ionathan the High-Priest of Ierusalem wrought so well with Demetrius King of Syria that he released the Iews of their yearly Tribute and made them free for which freedom he gave three hundred Centiners of Gold or common Talents cap. 11. v. 28. Which at 2250 l. the Talent cometh to 6750000 l. Simon to release his Brother sent to Tryphon the King of Syria's General of his Host one hundred Centiners or Talents of Silver of the common Weight cap. 13. v. 16. 19. which at 187 l. 10 s. the Talent amounts to 18750 l. Simon the High-Priest of Ierusalem sent to the Romans a great Shield of Gold weighing one thousand pounds cap. 14. v. 14. which is one hundred thousand Hungarian Ducats thirty seven thousand five hundred Pound English Antiochus Demetrius his Son King of Syria asked of Simon the High-Priest of Ierusalem for the Redemption of certain Towns that he had taken five hundred Centiners or common Talents of Silver and for his charges as much more cap. 15. v. 31 35. in all a thousand Centiners or Talents that is 187500 l. in English Money But Simon refused the proffer yet nevertheless that he might live in Peace he offered him 100 Talents of Silver which at 187 l. 10 s. the Talent amounteth to 18750 l. II. Macchabees WHEN Heliodorus would have robbed the Temple there was in it 400 Centiners of Silver of the weight of the Temple which at 375 l. the Talent cometh in the whole to 150000 pounds English also two hundred Centiners of Gold which at 4500 l. the Talent amounteth to 900000 l. chap. 3. v. 11. Iason that wicked Priest deceived his Brother Onias of the Office of High-Priest and gave to King Antiochus for it first 360 Talents of Silver then 80 after 150 cap. 4. v. 8. and 19. 2 4. all the common Weight which were in the whole 590 Talents and amounted at 187 l. 10 s. the Talent to 110625 l. The wicked Iason being High-Priest hearing that Antiochus held a great Feast in Tyrus sent 300 Drachma's of Silver that is 9 l. 7 s. 6 d. for a Sacrifice to Hercules But if you change these into Hungarian Ducats as there are some think them to be Gold then they came to 112 l. 10 s. Menelaus being sent by Iason the High-Priest to the King he behaved himself in such cunning manner that he got the High-Priests Office promising the King 300 Centiners or Talents of Silver more than Iason would give which at 187 l. 10 s. the Talent cometh to 56250 l. 10 s. But being unable to perform his promise he was put from his Office of High-Priest Antiochus payed yearly to the Romans 2000 Talents of Silver that is 375000 l. cap. 8. v. 10. Antiochus took 1800 Centiners or Talents of Silver of the Temple of Ierusalem which at 187 l. 10 s. the Talent cometh to 3375000 l. cap. 5. v. 21. Nicanor caused to be proclaimed that he would sell the captive Iews 19 for a Centiner that is for every Iew 9 l. 17 s. 4 d. q. c. cap. 8. v. 10. Iudas Macchabeus sent 2000 Drachma's of Silver to Ierusalem for a Sin-offering that is 62 l. 10 s. cap. 12. 43. Now followeth the Reckonings of the Moneys in the New Testament And first of Matthew HE that agreeth not with his Adversary shall be cast into Prison and not come forth so saith our Saviour Christ until he hath paid the utmost farthing The Hebrew and Latine Translations have it Quadrans or a â—ourth part that is a farthing in our Money but if you account according to the Roman Coin it was ob q. Doe not men buy two Sparrows for a Penny cap 10. v. 29. that is something more than half a farthing When our Saviour Christ went into Capernaum the Receivers of Tribute spake to Peter saying Doth not your Master pay Tribute The Tribute Money in the Text is called Didrachma cap. 17. v. 25. which was 15 d. for so much every man
paid for Tribute from whence may be gathered that the Penny that Peter took out of the Fishes Mouth was worth 2 s. 6 d. The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a King that would call his Servants to account and when he began to reckon with them the one ow'd him 10000 l. in Hebrew Weight which at 37 s. 6 d. the Pound cometh in the whole to 18750 l. so much was the wicked Servant in Debt to his Master And on the contrary one of his Fellow-servants ow'd him 100 Pence in the Hebrew Text it is Centum Obulus and one Obulus was 1 d. q. that is 10 s. 5 d. so that the bad servant ow'd his Master 30000 times more than his Fellow-servant ow'd him The Greek Text saith that this fellow ow'd him Centum Derius that is 3 l. 2 s. 6 d. which is yet a great deal of difference for the wicked Servant ow'd his Master above 6000 times more than his Fellow-servant ow'd him The Lord of the Vineyard agreed with his Labourers for a Penny a day cap. 2. v. 9. In the Hebrew Text it is Zuza and in Greek Denarius both which are of like value English that is 7 d. ob so much each Labourer had by the Day When the Pharisees and Herod's Servants tempting Christ asked him whether it was lawful to pay Tribute unto Caesar or not Christ answered and said You Hypocrites why tempt you me shew me the Tribute Money and they brought him a Penny where it is exprest by the word Zuza or Denarius that is 7 d. ob The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a man that travelling into a far Country called his Servants and delivered unto them his Goods to one he gave five Talents that is 937 l. 10 s. with which he gained just as much more that is 937 l. 10 s. to the second he gave two Talents of the common weight also which ws 375 l. and he also gained just as much more that is 375 l. and to the third he gave one Talent that is 187 l. 10 s. and he gained nothing with it but hid the Talent in the Earth Iudas Iscariot betrayed our Saviour Christ for thirty Pence or pieces of Silver cap. 26. v. 14. which were so many Sicles of the Temple each Sicle beâ—â—g half an ounce which were accounted worth 2 s. 6 d. so the whole came to 3 l. 15 s for which our Saviour Christ was betrayed And with it they bought a Potters field Mark OUR Saviour Christ sate over against the Treasury and beheld how the People cast into the Treasury and many rich men cast in much and there came a certain poor Widdow and she threw in two mites cap. 12. v. 41 42. which is a farthing or Quadrans which was the fourth part of an Assis being almost a Penny English Our Saviour Christ being a Bethanie in the house of Simon the Leper there came a Woman having a box of Oyntment of costly Oyl called Spikenard and she broke the box and poured it upon his head therefore some murmured among themselves and said To what end is this waste of Oyntment for it might have been sold for more than three hundred Denarios or pence cap. 14. v. 15. that is 9 l. 7 s. 6 d. Luke OUR Saviour Christ saith Are not five Sparrows sold for two farthings cap. 12 v. 6. that is Assibus duobus which is 1 d. ob Or what Woman having ten pieces of Silver that is ten Drachma's or Groats each being worth seven pence ob and lose one will not 〈◊〉 till she find it c. cap. 15. v. 8. So these ten were in English Money 5 â— â— d. A certain Noble-man went into a far Country to receive for himself a Kingdom and he called his ten Servants and delivered them ten pâ—eces of Money or ten pounds or Mina's according to the weight of the Temple which came to at 3 l. 2 s 6 d. the Mina in the whole 31 l. 5 s. Iohn WHEN our Saviour Christ would feed 5000 men besides Women and Children he said unto Philip Where might we buy Bread that these People might eat which he spake to prove Philip. Philip answered and said That 200 penny worth of Bread will not be sufficient for them that every man might take a little The two hundred penny worth of Bread are called Dâ—narios which was worth 7 d. ob in our Money and in the whole is worth 6 l. 5 s. From whence may be gathered that there being 5000 every one of them should have had no more bread than might have been bought with a Farthing Mite and half of our Silver As our Saviour Christ six days before the Passover was eating in the house of Lazarus whom he had raised from the dead in Lazarus's Sister took a Box some say a pound of Oyl of Spikenard and annointed Jesus Feet and wiped them with her Hair and the whole house was filled with the savour of the Ointment Then said one of his Disciples even Simon 's Son Why was not this Ointment sold for 300 pence cap. 12. ver 5. that is Denarios every Denarios being worth 7 d. ob which amounted in the whole to 9 l. 7 s. 6 d. When Christs body was to be buried Nicodemus came and brought Myrrh and Aloes mingled together about 100 pound weight chap. 19. v. 39. according to the common weight which was 2500 half ounces and came to 78 pounds and eight ounces English Acts. IN Asia many Books were burnt to the value of 50000 pieces of silver that is Roman Denarios every of which vvas 7 d. ob the whole amounting to 1562 l. 10 s. Thus have I briefly set forth to you the several Weights that were common amongst the Iews both as they vvere originally from themselves and as they received them from other Nations comparing them with the Scriptures as they are severally mentioned and reduced them to our Valuations In casting up of vvhich if there shall chance to be any errour you may vvith the due examination of the vvorth of every piece of Silver or Gold according as you may find them at the beginning of this Treatise easily reform them and bring them to your ovvn understanding Of the ancient Money and Coin that was used amongst the Grecians and Romans FROM vvhat hath been said may be gathered that the Iews used no Coin but Weights only though perhaps to put a distinction betvveen those Weights there vvas used some impression yet that cannot properly be said Coin But in all other Kingdoms vvhere Money vvas current there vvas used Coin and that valued according to the vvill or command of the Prince or State vvhere it vvas coined vvhich also because of the captivity of the Iews came amongst them and past as current according to their vvorth of which Coins I have already spoken Yet because there are many other Coins and Weights mentioned in the Epistles of the Apostles which were partly of the Grecians partly of the