prowesse and heroical vertues surnamed the Great began to reigne in Macedonia when Darius Arbelas was made king of the Persians He made warre with the said Darius he conquered and slew him in Asia and so translated the Monarchie from the Persians vnto the Greekes The monarchie of the Greekes began in the seuenth yeare of Alexanders reigne in the age of the world 3641. The histories of the Greekes are much more recent then the stories of the Iewes For all their histories are after the first monarchie of the Babylonians and Assyrians neither haue they any thing certaine which is more auncient then their Olimpiades Which Olimpiades had their beginning in the first or second yeare of Ioatham king of Iuda as Glareanus Paulus Phrigio Bibliandâ—r and others doe write though some writers otherwise of credite holde the contrary in the age of the world 3251. which was about 230. yeares before the monarchie of the Persians This Monarchie tooke the name of king Alexander and was termed indifferently the monarchie of the Greekes or of Alexander because he so excelled all others in power valure fortitude and other vertues as none in the world were deemed comparable to him He is highly commended by the prophets Iâ—remie and Daniel as a most valiant and happie emperour Daniel describeth a Goate which ouercame the Ramine and hee declareth manifestly that the goate was the king of the Greekes the Ram of the Persians His fathers name was Philip his mothers name Olympias Olympias was the mother of Alexander and was also taken for the space of 4. yeres as I haue already proued But Olympias is a mountaine in Greece between Thessalia and Macedonia aboue the which there appeareth no cloud In regard whereof it is vsurped of the Poets for heauen This hill as Plutarchus writeth is tenne furlonges in height The prophet Daniel speaking of the goate that is of Alexander foretold that his Empire shoulde be deuided into foure kingdomes and so it came to passe For Cassander had Macedonia Seleucus Syria Antigonus Asia the lesse and Ptolemeus Egypt For the exact vnderstaÌ„ding of Daniels prophesie it is necessarie to vnderstand the succession of the kings and their reignes especially of the kinges of Syria of whom the Scripture maketh precise mention King Alexander reigned sixe whole yeares and died in the seuenth after his death the nobles had mortall domesticall warres amongst themselues striuing for the space of thirteene yeares who should haue dominion This chaunced after that the Empire was deuided as is already said and shall appeare more at large in the third chapter following CHAP. II. Of the kinges of Syria succeeding Alexander The kings of Syria and Asia 1 Seleucus Nicanor Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 31 yeares 2 Antiochus Soter Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 19 3 Antiochus Theos Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 15 4 Seleucus Gallinicus Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 20 5 Seleucus Ceraunus Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 3 yeares 6 Antiochus Magnus Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 36 7 Seleucus Philopator Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 12 8 Antiochus Epiphanes Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 12 9 Antiochus Eupator Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 2 yeares 10 Demetrius Soter Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 10 11 Alexander filius Epiphan Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 5 12 Demetrius Nicanor Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 2 13 Antiochus Sedetes Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 3 14 Tryphon Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 3 15 Antiochus pius Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 12 yeares 16 Demetrius Nicanor Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 4 17 Alexander Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 2 18 Antiochus Gryphus Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 29 19 Seleucus sonne to Gryphus was at strife with his vncle and others of his kinred for the space of ten yeares Anno Mun. 3647 the reign of euerie king of Syria and Asia Anno Dom. 3877 10 yeares The first obseruation Seleucus the sonne of Gryphus king of Syria warred against Cyzicenus the sonne of Antiochus Sedetes whom after hee had taken him hee put to death By and by mortall wars arose between the brethren Wherwith the Syrians were so grieued and so annoyed with the ciuill warres that they knew no other fitter meanes to redeeme their vexation then to yeeld vp the kingdome to Tygranes the king of Armenia Which Tygranes enioyed Syria vntill such time as hee was ouercome of Pompeius who deliuered Syria vp to the Romaines This kingdome of Syria continued about 240. yeares and was deliuered into the handes of the Romaines 17. yeares after Iulius Cesar was first Emperour of Rome The second obseruation Seleucus Callimcus the sonne of Antiochus hadde two sonnes to wit Seleucus surnamed Ceraunus and Antiochus Magnus Seleucus Ceraunus liued but three yeres and then left y e kingdom to his brother Antiochus Magnus Which Antiochus made warre against Ptolemeus Philopator the king of Egypt and his sonne Epiphanes by meanes whereof the Iewes and church of God was in continuall affliction This Antiochus had the repulse in his first attempt yet after y e death of Ptolemeus who before his death commended his sonne to the protection of the Romaines he returned with a great armie into Egypt By this occasion long warres were betweene the Romaines and Antiochus Hanniball and many Regions in Greece ioyned themselues to Antiochus Neuerthelesse hee was so often discomfited in battaile that he was enforced to seek for conditions of peace And besides this hee was glad to send his sonne Epiphanes to Rome for an hostage In the end when he went about the sacking of the rich Temple of Belus in Syria the multitude of the Citizens slewe him and all his guard The Iewes saith Carion liued in great peace from the time of Alexander to Antiochus Magnus But when warres beganne betweene the Assyrians and Egytians then y e Iewes being seated in the middes were oppressed on both sides At length saith Iosephus Antiochus was victor and brought the Iewes vnder his
kings of Macedonia after the death of Alexander the Great Philippus Aridaeus Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 7 yeeres Cassander Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 19 yeeres Alexander and Antipater or after others Antigonus Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 4 Demetrius Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 6 Pirrhus Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 6 moneths Lysimachus Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 5 yeeres Ptolomeus Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 1 Meleagres Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 2 moneths Antipater Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 1 yeere Sosthenes Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 2 Antigonus Gonatas Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 36 Demetrius Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 10 Antigonus Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 15 Philippus Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 42 Perses Anno mun 3647 The raigne of the saide kings Anno mun 3805 10 Note here that some thinke Aridaeus to haue succeeded Alexander yet that Cassander was his immediate successour I repute more probable CHAP. IIII. Of the kings of Egypt PTolomeus the sonne of Lagus began his raigne in Egypt immediately after the death of Alexander though not without bloudshedding and great warres for sundry yeares as is areadie said He was one of Alexanders captaines as were also Antigonus Nicanor and Cassander The names of the kings of Egypt Ptolomeus Lagi Filius Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 40 yeares Ptolomeus Philadelphus Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 38 Ptolemeus Euergetes Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 26 Ptolomeus Philopator Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 17 Ptolemeus Epiphanes Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 24 Ptolomeus Philometor Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 35 yeares Ptolomeus Euergetes Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 29 Ptolomeus Soter aliàs Physcon filius Cleopatrae Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 17 yeares Ptolomeus Alexander Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 10 Ptolomeus Phiscon aliàs Lathurus Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 8 Ptolemeus Dionysius Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 30 Cleopatra Anno Mun. 3647 the time of their reigns Anno mun 3921 22 yeares The first obseruation It is to be obserued that as of Iulius Cesar euery Emperour of Rome was afterward called Cesar and of Octauius Augustus Augustus so was Artaxerxes the common name of all the kinges of Persia so was also euery king of Egypt called indifferently Ptolomeus or Pharao Which obseruation helpeth more then a little to vnderstand sundry textes of holy scripture The second obseruation We must obserue secondly that albeit a monarche haue the chiefest soueraigntie on earth yet is he not the sole and vniuersall gouernour so as there is no other king ouer anie other nation For though the highest and supreme power authoritie and dominion be in euerie monarchie so as no other power no not independent is able to ouerrule or preuaile against the same yet were there euer powers independent ouer and besides the said monarchies not subiect to the iurisdiction thereof In the time of the monarchie of the Babylonians or Assyrians worthie kings though of lesse might and authoritie raigned in Egypt in Israel in Greece and else where In the time of the Persian monarchie the Macedonians and the Romaines had their authoritie so likewise when the Greekes and Romaines hadde the monarchicall and imperiall seate with them other kings had their seueral dominions albeit very small in respect The third obseruation Cleopatra the Queene of Egypt expelled her sonne Lathurus from the kingdome by reason of his tyrannicall regiment and made his brother Alexander king of Egypt in his place Lathurus fled away into Cypres Alexander raigned not long for he was so afraide of his mothers crueltie that hee forsook the kingdom and fled away And so Cleopatra for the greater part of the 18 yeres ascribed to Lathurus Alexander had hir raigne alone But at length Alexander her son stew hir and possessed the kingdome againe Yet this Alexander was expulsed by the Egyptians for his crueltie and Lathurus againe restored who raigned a fewe yeares and then dyed This must bee diligently obserued for the clearing of many difficulties which otherwise will not easily be vnderstood touching the yeeres and raignes of the kings The fourth obseruation Cleopatra was the last Queene of Egypt succeding her brother Dionysius But after that she loued Antonius and rebelled against Augustus he ouercame both for which cause they murthered themselues and so Egypt became subiect to the Empire of the Romaines The fift obseruation Ptolomeus Phisco was a cruel filthie beast he married his owne sister lay with his owne daughter killed his children with his owne hands gaue them to be eaten of his own wife their mother This Ptolomeus some thinke to be all one with Euergetes some deeme him to be his successor otherwise called Soter which opinion I preferre as more probable CHAP. V. Of the Septuagints PTolomeus Philadelphus had a librarie so well furnished with al kind of good books as the like was not to be found in al the world this king was highly renowmed for his manifold vertues especially for his peaceable gouernment and for his forwardnesse in furthering of learning Hee was verie beneficiall and friendly to the Iewes Learned men of all nations had concourse vnto him whome he euer receiued honourably and rewarded them bountifully he sought diligently the originall of all nations arts and religions and he perceiued that the Iewes were most ancient and that no certaintie touching the creation of the worlde could be founde any where but in their histories and among them Wherefore hee desired of the Iewes that their scriptures might bee translated into the Greeke tongue and that they woulde sende him 72. of their best learned men for that end and purpose To which godly motion the Iewes did willingly condescend and sent vnto him 72. learned men verie expert in the Hebrew and Greeke language These learned men the king receiued honorably and by their helpe hadde the holy Bible translated into the Greek tongue Of this interpretation called the Septuagints diuers write diuersly some writers otherwise learned and of great account as Ireneus Chrysostomus Iustinus Augustinus and others doe
partly in Egypt This answere is confirmed by the testimonie of S. Paul in his Epistle to the Galathians where he saith that the law was giuen 430. yeres after y â— the promise was made to Abraham For the law was giuen when the Iewes came out of Egypt as all writers agree with vniforme consent and the promise was made to Abraham in his sonne Isaac The sixt Section Of the captiuitie of the ten Tribes About the yeare of the world 3292. the Israelites or the ten tribes that were in Samaria were carried away captiues in the third yeare of the siege vnto Ashur or Assyria in the ninth yeare of Hoseah or Osee the sonne of Elah king of Israel in the fourth yeare of Ezechias king of Iuda At this time ended the race of the kings of Israel for after this captiuitie did the ten tribes neuer returne see the 12. chapter in the end of the first section The captiuitie of the tenne tribes saith Iosephus endured 240 yeares seuen monethes and seuen daies after their reuolte from king Roboham their lawfull Soueraigne For they would neither be subiect to law nor obey their Prophets of God that reprooued their sinnes and therefore were worthily afflicted by the Assyrians see the second chapter in the end thereof In the daies of king Osee was the kingdome of Samaria that is of the ten tribes ended For then was Samaria vtterly destroied which afterward the Assyrians did inhabite of whom came the Samaritans those wicked heretiques Which subiection of the said ten tribes may be a parpetuall document to all christian people euer to exhibite loyall seruice to their Soueraignes and due reuerence to Gods ecclesiastical messengers the preachers of his sacred word which thing notwithstanding is little regarded in these daies through the antichristian doctrine of seditious semenaries CHAP. VIII Of the Prophetes and Priestes of the Hebrewes vntill the captiuitie The Prophets and priestes of the Iewes Prophetes Ionas who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Oseas who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Abdias who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Amos who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Esaias who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Iohel who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Michaeas who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Nahum who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Abacuc who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Hieremias who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Baruch who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Sophonias who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Ezechiel who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Daniel who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Aggaeus who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Zacharias who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Malachias who liued in the time of both kingdomes that is to say of Iuda and of Israel especially in the time of the captiuitie of Babilon Priestes Sadoch in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Achimaas in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Ioram in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Auxieramus in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Nidaeas in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Sudaeas in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Hilus in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Ioathan in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Vrias in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Nerias in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Odaeas in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Sellum in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Helchias in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Zara in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise Iosedech in the time of all these the children did euer succeede their fathers vntill the captiuitie but after the captiuitie it was otherwise CHAP. IX Of the Actes and times of the Prophetes iâ— briefe maner A. M. 3180. The Prophets of the old testament A. M. 3504. Ionas prophesied to the Niniuites in the time of Ozias Osee prophesied against Samaria in the time of Ioatham Abdias prophesied against the Idumeans and other enemies of the Israelites in the time of
dominioÌ„s read the holy bibles in their vulgar tongues and cause their subiectes to doe the like a thing neuer heard of by any writers of approoued antiquitie A doubt S. Peter saith that certaine places of S. Paules epistles be hard to be vnderstood and S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon Ezechiel saith that amongst the Iewes none could be permitted to reade the beginning of Genesis the Canticles the beginning and ending of Ezechiel vntill he were 36. yeres of age The answer I answere with S. Austen that whatsoeuer is necessary for mans saluation is plainly set downe in holy scripture and that which is obscure in one place is made manifest by another his words I haue alledged in my book of Motiues in the tenth chapter and second conclusion The fourth section of the Prophet Daniel Daniel was a prophet of the tribe of Iuda descended of noble parentage and being a childe was carried from Iurie to Babilon Epiphanius de vit interrit Prophet Of Daniel hee was called Balthazar Which name was giuen him either as Iosephus saith of king Nabuchodonozor or as Lud. Viues saith of the kinges Eunuche who had charge of the kinges children This is certaine that hee was called Balthasar in Babylon Orig. in Num. cap. 31. hom 25. Daniel preached in Babylon in the very time of the captiuitie Dan. 1. ver 7. Daniel departed out of this life in Babylon and was buried with great honour his sepulchre is this day to be seene in Babylon renowmed throughout the world Epiphanius vbi supra CHAP. XI Of the Prophets called the lesser The first section why some were called the greater and other some the lesser FOure to wit Esay Ieremie Ezechiel and Daniel were called the greater Prophets because they wrote greater and larger volumes Twelue to wit Osee Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas Micheas Nahum Abacuc Sophonias Aggeus Zacharias Malachias were called y e lesser because they wrote smaller lesser volumes Aug. de ciuit lib. 18. c. 29. in princ Of these Prophetes as the latter were neerer the time of Christ so had they clearer reuelations of Christ then the former Gloss. in 1. Reg. 3. The second Section of Osee. Asarias who was also called Ozias of the stocke of Dauid reigned in Ierusalem ouer the two tribes which were called Iuda 52. yeares After him Ioatham his sonne reigned 16. yeares after Ioatham Achab his sonne reigned in like maner 16. yeares in the eleuenth yeare of whose reigne the ten tribes which were called Israel were taken of Salmanasar the king of the Caldees and placed in the mountaines of the Medes After Achas reigned his sonne Ezechias 28 yeres whereby it is cleere that when Osee Esay Ioel Amos Abdias Ionas and Micheas prophesied who were all at one time then was the kingdome of the ten tribes ended Which continued from Ieroboam the first king vntill Osee the last the space of 250. yeares The same time that Osias began to reigne ouer Iuda Ieroboam king Iehu his Nephewes sonne reigned the 12. yeare ouer Israel because God had promised that his seede should reigne vntill the fourth generation for smiting two wicked kinges of Iuda and Israel this I write 〈◊〉 S. Hierome to shew that Osee wrote both before and 〈◊〉 the captiuitie of Israel Hier. in 1. cap Osee. see the eight â—â—â—pter and sixt section per tot sect Osee prophesied that the Iewes should be conuerted at the latter end of the worlde He preached against the tenne tribes of their fornication and of the destruction of Samaria he spake something also of the other two tribes Gloss in princ 1. ca. Osee. Osee foretolde the comming of the Messias and that this should be the signe of his comming To wit if that oake in Selom be clouen of it selfe into twelue partes and be made so many oake trees and it came so to passe Epiphan de Prophet vit eter The third section of Ioel. The Prophet Iohel the sonne of Phatuel was borne in the territorie of Bethor descended of the tribe of Ruben He prophesied much of Ierusalem and of the consummation of the Gentiles He died in peace and was buried with honour in his owne countrey Epiphan vbi supr Like as in Osee vnder the name of Ephraim the prophesie is extended to the tenne tribes who are often called Samaria or Israel euen so whatsoeuer Ioel saith pertaineth to Iuda and Ierusalem Hier. in 1 cap. Ioel. Ioel prophesied in the daies of king Ioatham who succeeded king Ozias Aug. de ciuit lib 18. cap 27. but S. Hierome extendeth the time further euen to the reignes of Ozias Ioatham Achas and Ezechias Hier. in Ioel. The fourth section of Amos. Amos was borne in Thecue descended of the tribe of Zabulon he was father to Esay the Prophet so saith Epiphan de prophet vit inter but saint Austen and saint Hierome think otherwise as I haue shewed Amos was of Thecue six miles South from holy Bethlehem where our Sauiour Christ was borne Hier. in comment Amos. S. Basill saith that Amos was a shepheard but God instructed him with his holy spirite and so aduaunced him to the dignitie of a prophet Basilius Epist. 55. Amos prophesied in the daies of Ozias when Esaias began his prophesie Hier. in Esaiam lib. 3 cap. 7. Aug. de ciuit lib. 18 cap. 27 He prophesied also in the time of Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas king of Israel Hier. in 1. cap. Amos. The fift section of Abdias Abdias or Obadiah was the steward of king Achabs house the king of Israel 3. King 18. verse 3. he hid Gods prophets in caues and fed them with bread and water ver 4. he gaue ouer the kings court ioyned himselfe to the prophet Elias and became his disciple Epiphanius Hieronymus Abdias is briefe in wordes but pithie in matter because he hid the 100. prophets in caues he was aduaunced to the dignitie of a prophet and where before hee was the captaine of an armie he now became the captaine of Gods Church then hee fed a little flocke in Samaria nowe he feedeth Christes churches in the whole world Hier. in Abdiam yet saint Hierome vpon Osee maketh Abdias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Esaias which seemeth verie probable The sixt section of the Prophet Ionas The prophet Ionas was appointed of God to preach to the Niniuites that the citie after three daies shoulde be destroied but he being afraid to preach to that great city of the Assyrians fled from the presence of the Lord and went downe into a ship that went to Tarshishe but when a great tempest arose the marriners cast Ionas into the Sea and hee was in the belly of a great fishe three daies and three nightes and after that he was deliuered out of the Whales bellie and brought to the dry land TheÌ„ the word of the Lord came to Ionas the second time he preached to the Niniuites and they by repentance appeased the wrath of God Ionas cap. 1. 3 Athanas.
sucuus Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 743 15 88 Fridericus 1. Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 743 37 89 Henricus 5. aliâs 6. Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno. Dom. 743 10 yeares 90 Otho 5. aliâs 4. Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno. Dom. 743 13 91 Fridericus 2. Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 743 33 92 Rodulphus Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 743 19 93 Aldulphus Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 743 1 yeare 3. monethes 94 Albertus Anno Dom. 333 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 743 9 yeares The names of the Caesars 95 Henricus 6. Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 5 yeares 96 Ludouicus 4. Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 33 97 Carolus 4. Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 32 98 Venceslaus Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 22 99 Robertus Bat. Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 10 100 Sigismundus Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 27 101 Albertus 2. Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 2 102 Fridericus 3. Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 53 103 Maximilianus Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 26 104 Carolus 5. Flandr Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 30 yeares 105 Ferdinandus Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 6 yeres 4. 〈◊〉 106 Maximilianus Anno Dom. 752 The raigne of the Caesars Anno Dom. 998 11 yeares Of these Emperours more shalbe said in peculiar 〈◊〉 when I come to the second part and first booke thereof The third booke containeth the description of the second Monarchie that is of the Persians CHAP. I. Of the originall of the monarchie and succession in the same GOd most mightie and most faithfull for his power doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him and for his promise sake hee vndoubtedly accomplisheth whatsoeuer he hath said He suffered the Iews his peculiar people to be long afflicted by the Babilonians but after that 70. yeares were fully complete and expired according to his promise Isai. 45 1.48.20 He with great ioy wrought their deliuerance He appointed king Cyrus to set them at libertie whom for that purpose he called his annointed Es. 45.1 Which Cyrus hauing conquered the kingdome of the Medes against Astyages left the said kingdome to Darius his vncle by whose aide he tooke Babylon and so transported the Monarchie of Babylon to the Persians Cyrus deliuered the Iewes from captiuitie the very same yeare that he took Babylon He also gaue them great treasures to build the temple of Hierusalem and sent them home againe vnder the conduct of Zorobabel Esd. cap. 1. cap. 2. 2. Par. 36. ver 23. Esd. 7. v. 15. He commaunded to giue them of his own reuenewes day by day so much as should be necessary Esd. 6. verse 8.9 Cyrus king of Persia brought forth by the hand of Mithridates the treasurer all the vessels of the house of the Lord which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of Hierusalem and placed in the house of his false God Cyrus numbred them vnto Sesbazer the Prince of Iuda To wit 30. Chargers of gold a thousand chargers of siluer 29. kniues thirtie basons of gold 410. basons of siluer and of other vessels 1000. all which with other rich gifts the king bestowed on the Iewes to build vp againe their Temple Esd. 1. 2. Par. 36. The building of the Temple was hindered by the aduersaries of Iuda and Beniamin that is the inhabitants of Samaria whom the king of Assyria had placed in the stead of the ten tribes which ten tribes he had carried away vnto Ashur and put them in Halah and in Habor by the riuer of Gozan and in the citie of the Medes for at that time the Medes and Persians were subiect to the Assyrians which vexation hindering of the Iewes in building their Temple continued about the space of thirtie yeeres that is vntill the sixt yeare of Darius the sonne of Histaspis surnamed Assuerus and Artaxerxes indifferently Esdr. cap. 4. The difficultie The Prophet Daniel who liued euen in the time of the captiuitie of Babylon affirmeth constantlie that the same night in which Balthasar the king of the Chaldees was slain Darius King of the Medes tooke the kingdome being 62. yeares of age Dan. cap. 5. vers 31. and the said Daniel saith that he vnderstoode the time of the captiuitie by the bookes of Ieremy in the first yeare of Darius sonne of Assuerus who was of the seede of the Medes Dan. 9. vers 1. but Esdras writeth plainely that Cyrus was king of Babylon and gaue the Iewes leaue to build their temple to whom also he gaue great treasure as is alreadie saide Esdr. 1. Esdr. chap. 6. vers 3. The answere I say first with Saint Hierome vppon Daniel that Cyrus gaue the title of honour to Darius as well in respect of his olde age as for kinred sake I say secondly that Cyrus went about warres in other Countreyes and so had not the title though he were king indeed I say thirdly that Darius died the same yeare that he and Cyrus wan Babylon so as the Monarchie of the Medes Persians and Babylonians descended wholly vnto Cyrus The names of the kings of the Persian Monarchie Darius A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 9 monethes Cyrus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 30 yeares Cambyses A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 8 yeares Smerdes magus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 7 moneths Darius Histaspis aliàs Artaxerxes alias Assuerus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 36 yeares Xerxes A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 20 yeares Artabanus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 7 monethes Darius Artaxerxes Longimanus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 40 yeares Zerxes A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 2 monethes Sogdianus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 7 monethes Darius Nothus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 19 yeares Artaxerxes Mnemon aliàs Memnon A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 40 yeares Darius Ochus aliàs vagosus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 26 yeares Arsames sonne of Ochus A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 4 yeares Darius Arsami filius aliàs Arbelas or Melas A. M. 3426 the time of their reigne A. M. 3655 6 yeares The first obseruation It is to be obserued that Artaxerxes was the commō name of all
kinges of Persia as Pharaoh was the common name of all kinges of Egypt and as Caesar was the common name of all the Emperours of Rome The second obseruation The custome of the Persians was this that when anie king went to warre against any strange nation hee left his sonne or the next of the bloud royall to bee king in his place Cyrus therefore when hee had warre against the Scythians and marched towarde them appointed Cambyses his sonne king of the countrey in his absence according to the custome of the Persians Xerxes likewise the sonne of Histaspis succeeded his father but left his kingdome to his sonne Longimain when hee went to warre against the Greekes in regarde heereof sundrie writers doe not place Cambyses and Xerxes in the lineall order of succession which point must bee well obserued to auoide obscuritie and to reconcile the dissenting historiographers CHAP. II. Of the time of repairing the temple in Hierusalem KIng Cyrus in the first yeare of his raigne as hee was the Persian monarke set the Iewes at liberty and appointed them to build the Temple againe in Hierusalem I say as monarke because as learned men write hee had raigned certain yeres in Persia before he tooke Babylon became the monarke Cambyses and other aduersaries did a long time hinder the building of the Temple so as it had not the accomplishment vntill the sixt yeare of Darius Assuerus Esdr. 6. vers 15. Albeit Darius in his second yeare gaue commandement that the worke should go forward Esdr. chap. 4. ver 24. The first difficultie The Iewes obiected against our Sauiour Christ that their temple was 46. yeares a building Ioh. 2. vers 20. yet by the supputation already made in the fourth section of the first chapter and second booke it cannot be so much The answere I say first that concerning the supputation of yeeres there is great varietie amongst historiographers Eusebius reckoneth the time from the 55. Olympiade to the 64. Olympiade inclusiuè that is 40. yeres others reckon 21. yeres others 23. others 30. neither agreeing with the account of the Iews neither yet with the raign of the monarks I say secondly that the teÌ„ple was 46. yeres in building as the Iews affirmed who best knew the time and their assertion is not dissonant from the raigne of the monarks for Cyrus raigned 30. yeares Cambyses 8. yeares Smerdes 7. moneths Darius sixe yeares and Nehemias after that builded vp the walles The replie The temple was finished in the sixt yeare of Darius as recordeth Esdras and so wee want one whole yeare and fiue months of the 46. yeeres whereof the Iewes spake The answere I answer that the temple is said to be finished in the 6. yere of Darius because all the worke in effect was then accomplished neuerthelesse some part thereof was left vndone because Nehemias after that builded vp the walles as wee reade in the first second and third chapter of his booke The second difficulty Cambyses Esdras 4. verse 6.7 is called Assuerus and Artaâ—â—rxes so as the names seeme to be confounded The answere I say first that Cambyses successor to king Cyrus a louing and mercifull Prince who furthered in all respectes the godly desire of the Iewes was a naughtie wicked and tyrannicall regent one that wholly bent himselfe against God and against his peculiar flocke Wherein appeareth the vncertaintie of mans felicitie in this worlde while a godly father hath to his successor a wicked and vngodly sonne a sonne that reuoketh the priuiledges which his father gaue to the people of God But his life was short miserable and bloudy the proper reward of all brutish tyrannie For as hee mounted vppon his horse hee sodainly fell vpon his disâ—ased sword and so had a bloudie end I say secondly that Artaxerxes is a name common to all the kinges of Persia to which name Assuerus is equiualent with the Hebrewes and so Cambyses is indifferently called Artaxerxes or Assuerus as is saide in the first obseruation The third difficultie Esdras writeth that the Iewes were appointed by three seuerall kinges of Persia to reare vp againe their temple Esdras 6. verse 14. and therefore not only at the first by Cyrus and afterwardes by Darius but also by Artaxerxes the third The answere I aunswere as I said before that Artaxerxes is the common name to all the kinges of Persia which obseruation if it once be forgotten many difficulties will ensue thereupon When Esdras therefore saith by the commaundement of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes it is all one as if hee had saide and Darius which is also called Artaxerxes for the particle and is there not copulatiue but expositiue as in other places also CHAP. III. Of the continuance of the monarchie Darius Ochus was a tyrannicall and bloudthirstie king he murdered his two brethren that so he might enioy the kingdome Hee made warre with the Egyptians and by that meanes cruelly vexed the Iewes By this prince and vntil the time of Alexander the great the church was euer in great miserie and affliction All the priuiledges graunted by Cyrus and Darius were vtterly taken away but God who neuer wil forsake his church though hee suffer it to be tossed and turmoiled for a time in the end brought solace and true ioy vnto the Iewes For shortly Darius Ochus was slaine of Bagoses by whom also Arsames was murdered and Darius Arbelas the last king of the Persians was ouercome and slaine of Alexander the Great So that the monarchie of the Persians endured 249. yeares and eight moneths after the supputation of others 191. whereof more at large hereafter The resistance was so great that the Iewes were enforced to builde with one hand and to holde their weapons in the other Nehe. 4. verse 17. The Monarchie of the Persians reached from India euen to Ethiopia ouer an hundred and seuen and twentie prouinces Est. cap. 1. verse 1. Darius Assuerus king of the Medes Persians and Chaldeans to shewe the riches and glorie of his kingdome and the honour of his maiestie made a feast to all his princes and seruauntes and to all captaines and gouernours of his prouinces for the space of an hundred and fourescore dayes And when these daies were expired the king made another feast to all the people of Susan the chiefe citie both vnto the great and small none excepted This he did for the space of seuen daies in the court of the kinges pallace vnder an hanging of white greene and blew clothes fastened with cordes of fine linnen and purple in siluer ringes and pillers of marble The beds were of golde and of siluer vppon a pauement of porphirie and marble and alabaster and blew colour They gaue them drink in vessels of gold and chaunged vessell after vessell and royall wine in aboundance according to the power of the king and none was compelled to drinke more then as best pleased him Est. cap. 1. v. 3 4 5 6 7 8. The
and nouices of whome all and their liuings they are to dispose at their pleasures Thirdly albeit cardinalles be next to the pope and aboue all but the pope and albeit also that our Allen was made cardinall by their procurement that so he might aduance them at the recouerie of England which they thought certaine by their politike intended inuasion yet were and are they so hie minded that such Iesuites as they odly send into this realme must haue greater priuileges then any that he can procure although there be neuer so great oddes in the persons yea the Iesuits do this day so rule in this realme among the papists as they may rather seeme Cardinalles or Popes then humble friers professing pouerty For they place and displace the rest of the Seminaries at their good pleasures They haue their intelligencers their spies their collectors their spare and fresh horses their fine lodgings their secret places their sanctuaries in euery shire good towne and citie They sease and tax the richer sort of papists to whom when and how much they shall contribute Of their cruell dealing and pride intollerable I haue spoken more at large in my Motiues The names of the Kings that continually afflicted the Iewes Antiochus Magnus Filius 2 Antiochus nobilis vol Epiphanes Antiochus filius Antiochi Eupator Alexander filius Eupatoris Antiochus adolesceus Alexandri filius Tryphon Filius 1 Seleueâ—s Philopator Demetrius filius Seleâ—â—s Demetrius secundus fâ—lius Dâ—mâ—trii Antiochus filius Demetrii Here endeth the first part containing the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill the monarchie of the Romanes THE SECOND PART Containing the state of the Church from the beginning of the Monarchie of the Romans vntil Christs ascension The first Booke of the Monarchie of the Romans being the fourth in number The first Chapter of the originall of the Roman Empire and fourth Monarchie ALexander by testament assigned the administration of the kingdom of the Iewes vnto Queene Alexandra his wife After whose death Aristobulus rose vp in armes against his brother Hircanus and dispossessed him aswel of the priesthood as of the kingdome Hircanus therefore by the perswasion of Antipater father to Herod the great a very factious and cruel man whom king Alexander had highly aduanced fled into Arabia there humbling himself to the king who through the faire speeches and large promises of Antipater prepared a strong army and by that meanes placed Hircanus againe in his kingdome But Areta king of Arabia was no sooner departed then Aristobulus came vppon Hircanus with a fresh mightâ—e supplie At that time Pompeius that worthy and valiant captaine being then Consull of Rome and hauing conquered Tigranes the king of Armenia thought the cruell warres betweene the two brethren to be a fit occasion to dispossesse them both of the kingdome Hee therefore came with a mightie power to Hierusalem where he slew 1200 Iewes restored the pristhood to Hircanus carried away Aristobulus prisoner to Rome for a triumph and made the Iewes subiects and tributaries to the Romanes This was done in the age of the world 3909. after Rome was built 691. yeares in the third yeare of the 179. Olympiade Pompeius surnamed the Great for his incomparable victories for he subdued Armenia Spaine Affrica Judea Colchis Albaina Syria Iberia Arabia did wonderfully enrich the Romaines bringing at one triumph into their common treasurie 2000. talents of gold and siluer It is written of him that hee excelled in martiall prowesse hee subdued the valiant captaine Sertorius and vanquished Mithridates the mightie king of Pontus This Pompeius tooke to wife Iulia the daughter of Iulius Cesar who liued not long after her death the amitie betweene Pompey and Cesar decreased and by reason of their insatiable ambition ciuill warre brast out in which Cesar vanquished Pompey and Pompey fleeing into Egypt was there slaine deceitfully After whose death Iulius Cesar enioyed Asia Affrica and all the Romaine empire in the yeare of the world three thousand nine hundred and foure and twentie which was fiue and fourtie yeares before the birth of Christ 706. yeares after the citie of Rome was built in the second yeare of the 183. Olmypiade Yet for the space of fiue yeares or more he was grieuously molested with warres and coulde not quietly enioy the Empire hee liued in peace little more then fiue moneths Iulius Cesar was a verie vertuous valiant and mercifull Prince When he came out of Egypt to Rome he brought an excellent and skilfull mathematician with him hee caused the yeares to be obserued after the course of the sunne and procured the mathematicall science to bee taught throughout all Italy After the death of Iulius Cesar Octauius Augustus succeeded and raigned as Emperour after him and was surnamed Cesar. From henceforth all Emperours of Rome were called Cesars of Iulius Cesar and Augusti of Octauius Augustus their two first Emperours CHAP. II. Of the Emperour Nero. NEro was the sixt Emperour or Cesar of the Romaines in whome ended al the family of Augustus In the beginning of his empire he liued for some yeares honestly afterward he became horribly vicious he exceeded in all naughtie dealing and tyrannie yet had his education vnder the graue reuerend and wise Seneca Nero was adopted into the empire by Claudius who married his mother Agrippina He was so blodthirstie and cruel that he caused his owne mother his wife his brother and his deare friend Seneca to be murthered cruelly In the dayes of Nero a comet appeared for the space of sixe moneths which was a rare and wonderfull thing Nero was the first Emperour of Rome that by publique edict caused the christians to be tormented about the tenth yere of his raigne saint Peter and saint Paul were put to death at Rome Saint Peter was crucified with his head downward and saint Paul was beheaded with the sword Nero besides all other his wicked actes burnt Rome and in the foureteenth yeere of his raigne which was the two and thirtieth yeare of his age hee receiued condigne punishment for his due deserts He cutte his owne throate with his owne knife and vttered these most execrable wordes Haec est fides This is my faith and beleefe CHAP. III. Of the ten persecutions of the christians made by the ten Emperours of Rome THe first persecution was made by Nero as is alredy said the second by Domitianus the third by Traianus the fourth by Antoninus the fift by Seuerus the sixt by Maximinus the seuenth by Decius the eight by Valerianus the ninth by Aurelianus the tenth by Dioclesianus The tenth and last persecution exceeded al the rest as ecclesiasticall histories make relation the persecution was furthered by Maximianus and continued by Maximinus Maximianus in the east and Dioclesianus in the west made such hauocke of the church as the christiaÌ„s could abide no where without most bloody persecution the temples were set on fire the bookes of holy scripture were burnt and many thousands slaine within the space
he became seruant to the king of Babel 2. King 23. verse 34 and 36. 2. King 24. verse 1. The second obiection The scripture calleth Sedechias the brother of Iechonias therefore it is not consonant to the trueth to say hee was his vncle The answer I answer with saint Austen and saint Hierome that the custome of the scripture is to terme kinsemen by the name of brothers and therefore Sedechias is indifferently called vncle 2. King 24. verse 17. or brother 2. Par. 36. verse 10. 37 17 3 41 25 8 1 7 40 29 52 16 16 29 55 2 31 11 11 11 1 443 Make addition and the summe will be found 443. To the which adde three monethes for the raigne of Ioâ—chas The sixt age The sixt age from the beginning of the captiuitie till the sacred passion of Christ Iesus conteineth 660. yeares whereof let this be the demonstration The captiuitie in which are inuolued the eleuen yeares of Sedechias continued the space of 70. yeeres Ierem. 25. vers 11. and 29. Daniel 9. vers 2. Esdr. 1. verse 1. 2. Paralip 36 verse 22. This is confirmed by the raigne of the Monarchs for Nebuchad-nezzer from the beginning of whose eight yeare the second and chiefe captiuitie beganne reigned 45. yeeres Euilmerodach his sonne reigned 30. yeres And Balthazar reigned 3. yeares Al which put together make the 70. yeeres of the Iewish captiuitie For in the first yeare of king Cyrus who succeeded Balthazar the Iewes were set at libertie Esdr. 1 verse 1. S. Clement Eusebius and all approoued writers do constantly affirme the same The seuentie weekes in Daniel make iust 490. yeares as al writers do affirme Concerning which weeks because there is verie great varietie amongest historiographers I will here suppose that which by Gods grace I shal proue effectually when I come to the fourth chapter of the third booke of this first part whither I referre the Reader for his full resolution in this intricate and important controuersie In the meane season remember that the 490. yeares are but 475. yeares after the course of the Moone From the ende of the captiuitie vntill the twentieth yeare of Artaxerxes Longimanus inclusiuè where I hold that the 70. weekes doe beginne are iust 115. yeares and two moneths all which put together do make iust 660. yeres For the weeks make no more but 475. yeares after the course of the sunne which must be marked attentiuely and which shall be prooued hereafter accordingly 70 475 115 in al 660 Thus wee haue it perspicuously prooued euen by the testimonie of holy Writ that from the beginning of the world vntil the time that Christ suffered on the crosse for our sinnes be iust â—ure thousand foure score and seuenteene yeares three monethâ— and sixteene dayes The first age 1656 The second 353 The third 505 The fourth 480 The fift 428 The sixt 660 in all 4082. Now because the exact knowledge of the raigne of the kings of Iudah dependeth more then a little of the raigne of the kings of Israel I purpose in God to adioyne hereunto a manifest declaration of the same specially because without the knowledge thereof the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles can neuer be rightly vnderstoode The Kings of Israel Ieroboam raigned 21. yeares which I prooue thus Asa king of Iudah beganne to raigne in the twentieth yeere of Ieroboam 1. King chapter 15 verse 9. and Nadab the sonne of Ieroboam beganne to raigne ouer Israel in the second yere of Asa 1. King chapter 15 verse 25 therefore Ieroboam his father whom he succeeded in the kingdome raigned before his death 21. yeares Nadab raigned 2. yeares 1. King 15. verse 25. Baasha raigned 24. yeares 1. King 15. verse 33. Elah or Hela raigned 2. yeares 1. King 16.8 Zimri raigned 7. dayes 1. King 16. verses 15 and 16. daye 7 Amri or Omri raigned 12. yeares 1. King 16.23 Achab or Ahab reigned 22. yeeres 1. King 16.29 Ochozias or Ahaziah reigned 2. yeeres 1. King 22.51 Ioram or Iehoram raigned 12. yeeres 2. King 3. verse 1. both these two to wit Ochozias and Ioram were the sonnes of Achab. Iehu reigned 28. yeeres 2. King 10. verse 36. Ioachas or Iehoahaz reigned 17. yeeres 2. Kin. 13. ve 1. Ioas or Iehoash reigned 16. yeeres 2. King 13. verse 10. Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas or Ioash reigned 41. yeeres 4. King 14. verse 23. where we must note well by the way that the other Ieroboam was the sonne of Nebat 1. King 12.2 We must heere obserue as a necessarie rule that betweene Ieroboam and Zachariah was an inter-reigne of 23. yeeres I prooue it because we reade 2. Kin. 15.1 8. that Azariah king of Iudah beganne his raigne in the seuen and twentieth yeere of Ieroboam as also that Zacharias beganne his raigne in the eight and thirtieth yere of Azariah to which we must adde that Ieroboam raigned 41. yeeres and so the kingdome perforce was voide 23. yeres For if we make abstraction of 14. from 37. the remainder will be 23. yeres for the inter-reigne moneths 6 Zachariah reigned 6. moneths 2. King 15.8 moneth 1 Sellum or Shallum reigned 1 moneth 2. King 15.13 yeeres 10 Menahem or Manahen reigned 10. yeeres 2. King 15.17 Pekahiah or Phaceas reigned 2. yeeres 2. King 15.23 Pekah or Phasee raigned 20. yeeres 2. King 15.27 Osee or Hosheah reigned 9. yeeres 2. King 17. verse 1. In the dayes of this king about the yeare of the worlde 3304. beganne the captiuitie Of the ten Tribes whereof see more at large in the eight chapter next following in the sixt Section CHAP. III. Of the state of the Hebrewes The people of y e Iews the elect people of God liued vnder the protection and empire of Patriarkes Chiefetaines or Gouernours Iudges Kings againe Chiefetaines after the captiuitie Priests before the captiuity and Priests after the captiuity had to doe with the kings of the Persians Egyptians Syrians strangers and with the emperors of Rome The Israelites were gouerned 3. wayes by Iudges from Iosue to Saul Kings from Saul to the captiuitie Priests from the captiuitie to Christ. For exact vnderstanding of this chapter it is expedient to note well the fift booke of this first part from the second chapter to the end of the same booke CHAP. IIII. Of the Patriarkes â—he Patriâ—â—kes of the â—ebrewes were Abraham Isaac liued yeeres one hundred begat Isaac Ge. 21.5 threescore and begat Iacob Ge. 25.26 Iacob caled also Israel Ge. 35.10 he had 12 children with Lea Ruben Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Simeon Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Leui Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Iudah Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Isachar Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Zabulon Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Zilpha the handmaid of Lea Gad Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Aser Ge. 35.22 these
were the heads of the twelue Tribes Rachel Ioseph Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Beniamin Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Bala Dan Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes Nephtali Ge. 35.22 these were the heads of the twelue Tribes he liued 147. yeres Gen. 47. ve 28. hee was 70. yeeres in Egypt Ioseph was ruler of Egypt 80. yeeres he died when he was one hundred and tenne yeres old Gen. 50. verse 26. After these Patriarks the Hebrews liued in bondage to the Egyptians but 144. yeeres albeit as is already prooued their whole abode in Egypt was 215. yeares See the third age and the probation thereof CHAP. V. Containing a Table of the Princes and Iudges of the Hebrewes The princes of the Hebrewes were these two Moses he ruled 40. yeares Iosue he ruled 27. yeres or 40 together w t Othoniel Moses and Iosue are not reckoned among the Iudges because they did not onely iudge but also rule the people Lyranus There were 13. Iudges ouer the Hebrewes amoÌ„g whom Othoniel A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 40 Aioth A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 80 Barach A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 40 Gedeon A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 40 Abimelech A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 3 Thola A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 23 Iair A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 22 Iephthe A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 6 Abesan A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 7 Ahialon A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 10 Abdon A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 8 Samson A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 20 Heli y e priest A. M. 2572 ruled yeres A. M. 2852 40 All this is prooued in the second chapter aforegoing in the fourth age Here is to be obserued that from Iair to Iepthe there was no iudge which was for the space of eighteene yeeres together Iud. 10. verse 4 5 8 seq The prophet Elias was Gods messenger in Samaria in the dayes of Asa and Iosaphat the good kings of Iuda 3. Ki. 15.24 and in the time of Achab the bad king of Israel 3. Ki. 18. the heart of king Asa was perfit all his dayes 2. Paralip 15.17 and king Iosaphat sought the Lord and walked in the wayes of his father Dauid 2. Paral. 17. about the age of the world 3088. CHAP. VI. Containing a Table of the kings of Iuda and of Israel The kingdome of the Hebrewes vnited vnder king Saul with whom was Samuel Acts 13 Dauid Salomon deuided into the kingdom of Iuda or the two tribes of Iuda and Beniamin whose kings were Roboam Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 17 yeeres Abias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 3 Asa Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 41 Iosaphat Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 25 Ioram Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 8 Ochozias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 1 Athalia Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 7 Ioas Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 40 Amazias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 29 Ozias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 52 Ioathan Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 16 Achaz Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 16 Ezechias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 29 Manasses Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 55 Amon Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 2 Iosias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 31 Ioachas Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 3 moneths Eliachim or Ioachim Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 11 yeeres Iechonias or Ioachim or Coniah Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 3 moneths Sedechias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3410 11 yeeres Israel or Samaria whose kings were Ieroboam Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 21 yeeres Nadab Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 2 Baasa Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 24 Hela Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 2 Amri or Omri Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 12 Achab Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 22 Ochozias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 2â— Ioram Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 12 Iehu Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 28 Ioachas Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 17 Ioas Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 16 Hieroboam Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 41 Zacharias Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 6 moneths Sellum Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 1 moneth Manahen Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 10 yeeres Phacêas or Pekahiah Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 2 Phacêe or Pekah Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 20 Oseâ—or Hosheah Anno mundi 3030 and raigned Anno mundi 3283 9 yeeres Peruse the second chapter aforegoing where these things are prooued sufficiently CHAP. VII Of the captiuitie and circumstances thereto pertaining The first Section Of the time of the Captiuitie THe Babylonians besieged the citie of Hierusalem and tooke it in the eleuenth yeare of the raigne of Sedechias in the ninth day of the 4. month to whom Nabuchodonozor had giuen commission for the siege while himselfe was at Reblatha The city being taken king Sedechias with his wiues children nobles and friendes fled away by night into the wildernesse But the Babylonians pursued after them and Sedechias with his wiues children and friendes were brought before the king Nabuchodonozor whom after the king had sharply reprooued for the breach of promise he caused his children and friendes to be slaine before his eies That done he caused Sedechias to be bound in chaines his eies to be pulled out and so to be carried to Babylon In the first day of the first moneth he commanded to burne the citie to bring away all the vessels of gold and siluer out of the temple and to leade all the people captiue vnto Babylon Ioseph 10. lib. antiq cap. 11. The temple was burnt after the building thereof 470. yeares monethes sixe dayes ten after the departure out of Egypt 1062. yeares moneths sixe dayes ten after the deluge 1950. yeares moneths sixe dayes ten after the creation of Adam 3513. yeres monethes sixe daies ten so writeth Iosephus who was himselfe a Iew a Priest otherwise of good credite and wrote the thinges that were done in his time neuerthelesse I haue prooued in the second chapter where the fift age is handled that the temple could not stand
of the tribes and of the vse therof in reading the Prophets The first rule Whensoeuer the prophecie is directed to the ten tribes it is signified by one of these names Ephraim Samaria Israel Ioseph Iezrael Bethel Bethauen Iacob The second rule Whensoeuer the prophesie is directed to the two tribes it is signified by some one of these names Iuda Ierusalem Beniamin the house of Dauid and sometime Iacob The third rule The scripture sometime referreth Israel to all the twelue Tribes generally CHAP. XIII Of the destribution of the offices of the 12. lesser prophets These proâ—hets were â—ppointed â—ome of theÌ„ to threaten the captiuitie as Osee against both the kingdoms of Israel and Iuda Ioel against the two tribes onely Amos against the two tribes and the kingdomes adioyning Micheas against the kingdome of Israel especialy because it was y e cause of ruine to y e rest to comfort the Iewes as Abdias With threats against the kingdome of the Idumeans Ionas With threats against Niniue and the Assirians Nahum With threats against the Niniuites for their reuolt the second time Abacuc With threats against Nabuchodonosor and the Chaldeans who al wer enimies to the Iewes to call home from the captiuity as Sophonias who preached returne to come Aggeus who preached returne present Zacharias who preached returne present with aduise to build the temple Malachias who preached returne past with exhortation to pietie CHAP. XIIII Of the time when they prophecied Of the prophets some prophecied before the captiuitie as well of the ten tribes of Israel as of the two tribes Iuda and Beniamin as Esay Osee Ioel after the captiuitie as Daniel Aggeus Zacharias when the captiuitie was at hand as Ieremie in Iewrie Ezechiel in Babilon Ex Hier. in 1. cap. Ieremiae The finall scope of all the Prophets The prophets of God bicause they would neither discorage the Iewes with threatnings nor make them carelesse by the sweetnesse of Gods promises sought throughout their books to set before their eies the two principall partes of the law to wit the promise of saluation and the doctrine of good life For the first part they direct the Iewes and in them all the faithfull to the true Messias Christ Iesus by whome onely they shal haue true deliuerance for the second part they vse threatnings and menaces to bring them from their vices For this is the chiefe scope of all the prophets either by Gods promises to allure them to be godly or else by threatnings of his iudgements to feare them from sinne and wickednesse And albeit that the whole lawe containe these two points yet the prophets note particularly as well the time of Gods iudgements as the manner of the same CHAP. XV. Of the deuision of the Bookes of the Prophets The bookes of the prophets containe nine common places to wit Doctrines Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio Speculations Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio Exhortations Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio CoÌ„minations Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio LameÌ„tations Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio Consolations Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio Prayers Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio Histories Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio Predictions Ex Epiphanio de meÌ„s pond in initio CHAP. XVI Containeth the acts age time and death of famous men that were before the captiuitie of Babylon The first Section of Adam Adam was created vpon friday the day before the Iewish sabaoth Genes 1. verse 27. He was 130. yeares old when he begat Seth Genes 5.3 after Iosephus he was 230. yeares olde he liued 930. yeres and then died Genes 5. verse 5. He was buried as the Hebrewes write in the land of Israel Rabbi Isaac apud Genebr He had three sonnes Cain Abel and Seth. Cain murdered his brother Abel and for no other cause but euen for the true seruice of God Which when it is truely done the deuil can not abide it and for that end doth he alway stirre vp the wicked against the godly as hee did Cain against his brother Abel that the word of God and his doctrine may be extinguished and troden vnder foote Adam had many sons and daughters as Iosephus writeth The second Section of Seth. The posteritie of Cain was wholy extinct in Noahs floud but the stocke of Seth was multiplied vpon earth as of whom descended all the patriarkes prophets and holy men Gene. 5.6 7. The nephews of Seth made two pillers the one of brick the other of stone in which they ingraued the word of God and his prophecies for the perpetuall conseruation thereof They also diuided the yeere into twelue moneths and first obserued the course of the starres and taught astronomie Iosephus antiq libr. 1. ca 2. they are therefore grossely deceiued that either make the Egyptians or Mercurie or Atlas or Actinus the authors of Astronomie and other liberall sciences for as Iosephus saith the Egyptians were vtterly ignorant in such sciences before Abrahams comming vnto them which knowlege came first from the Chaldeans to the Egyptians from the Egyptians to the Greekes by the meanes of Abraham Iosephus libr. lib. 1. antiq ca. 6 7 8. Seth liued 912. yeeres and then died Genes 5. verse 8. Of the vngodly marriages betweene the posteritie of Seth in whose families God was truely worshipped and the posteritie of Cain who serued idolles came giants or men of huge magnitude By meanes of which wicked coniunction the knowledge of God was vtterly abolished in all but in Noah his three sonnes and their foure wiues so that God destroyed the remnant of mankind in the generall deluge Gene. 6. verse 2 7 verse 21. The third section of Noah When the earth after the floud returned to it former state againe Noah beganne to play the husbandman to till the ground to plant vines to gather the grapes and to finde out the vse of drinking wine Gen. 9. verse 20. Noah had three sonnes Sem Cham and Iaphet Sem with his children inhabited that part of the world which is towards the east For of his sonne Aram came the Syrians of Assur the Assyrians of Arphaxad the Chaldeans of Ela the Persians Cham inhabited that part of the world which is toward the south for of Canaan came the Cananites of Mizraim the Egyptians of Chus or Cush the Ethiopians of Saba the Arabians and Chanaan is now called Iewrie Iapheth inhabited the west and north parts and had manie sonnes to wit Gomer Magog Madai Iauan Tubal Mesech and Tyrus Of Iauan came the Greeks whom the Latines call Ianus and who are nowe tearmed Iones of Madai came the Medes of Gomer the Cimerians or Simbrians of Ascanes Gomers sonne the Germanes of Magog the Scythians of whome came the Turkes of Thyras the Thracians Gen. 10. Ioseph antiq lib. 1. cap. 6. Cari. pag 14. The tradition of the Hebrews is that
Anno mundi 3197 32 Kings 36 Tantens Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 40 Kings 36 Thineus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Dercilus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 40 Kings 36 Eupales Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 38 Kings 36 Laosthenes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 45 Kings 36 Piriciades Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 30 Kings 36 Ophrateus Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 20 Kings 36 Ophratanes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 50 Kings 36 Ocrazapes Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 41 Kings 36 Sardanapalê° Anno mundi 1948 reigned yeres Anno mundi 3197 20 Kings 36 Sardanapalus was the last king of the Assyrians that possessed the whole monarchie he was a man of very bad behauiour and being â—â—ercome in battell by Arbaces hee burnt himselfe to death by fire This monarchie indured 1240. yeeres after Eusebius but see the fourth section following and marke it attentiuely After that Sardanapalus the vicious and effeminate monarke had burnt himselfe together with his riches Phul Belochus the president of Babylon and Arbaces ruler of the Medes diuided the monarchie betweene them Phul Belochus had Babylon and Assyria Arbaces enioyed Media and Persia. The kings that took part with Arbaces were termed the Kings of the Medes Such as followed Belochus the Kings of the Assyrians Chaldeans or Babylonians The court lay first at Niniueh after at Babylon Arbaces the Mede subdued the Assyrians and translated the Empire to the Medes From hencefoorth many alterations chanced in the monarkie After Herodotus the Assyrians held the monarchie 500. yeeres from which time now the Assyrians now the Medes now the Chaldeans had the vpper hand At the length the Medes being more mightie then the rest subdued Babylon and quietly enioyed the whole empire The kings of y e Medes Arbaces Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 28 Sosarnus Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 30 Medidus Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 40 Cardiceas Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 15 Diôcles Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 54 Phaortes Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 24 Cyaraxes or Cyaxares Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 32 Astyages Anno mundi 3195 raigned yeres Anno mundi 3456 38 The monarkie of the Assyrians which is also called the monarkie of the Chaldeans and of the Babylonians because they sometime inioyed it though with small felicitie beganne about the age of the world 2008. and continued about 1470. yeeres at what time Darius king of the Medes with Cyrus his sonne in law wanne Babylon and killed Balthazar Dan. 5. verses 30 31. The third section of Balthazar Balthazar king of Babylon when hee was drinking wine commanded the golden vesselâ—es which his father had brough from the temple in Hierusalem to be set before him that hee his princes his wiues and his concubines might drinke therein they drunke wine and praised the gods of gold siluer brassâ— and stone But what followed al this idololatricall ioy in the very same houre there appeared fingers of a mans hand writing vpon the wall of the kings pallace so that the kings countenance changed and his thoughts troubled him The ioynts of his loynes were loosed his knees smote one against the other and he cried mightily Dan. 5. verse 2 3 5 6 7. Behold here the end of idolatrie and superstition Balthazar foorthwith after he had adored his false gods was tormented as is said the same night he was staine and Darius the Mede inioyed the kingdome verse 30 31. A wonderful example for al kings and monarkes euer to serue the liuing God and to set foorth his pure religion The fourth section of the diuersitie in computation Eusebius and some others reckon the monarchie of the Assyrians from Ninus and so it continued 1240. yeeres as is saide in the second section Yet others who seeme to followe Philo and Metasthenes beginne the monarchie in the 8. yeere of Nabuchodonosors reigne and then it indured onely seuentie yeeres for Nabuchodonosor raigned 45. yeeres Euil-merodach his sonne 30. yeres and Balthazar his sonne 3. yeres Such as will in this maner make their supputation must reckon the first monarchie to be of the Babylonians not of the Assyrians Genebrardus reckoneth the monarchie to haue continued 78. yeares that is eight yeares before the captiuitie because the first yeare of Nabuchodnosor fell in the end of the third yeare of Ioachim Dan. 1. and was the fourth of Ioachim Iere. 25. but so the veritie of the historie be granted it skilleth not much to varie the name CHAP. II. Of the kings of the Assyrians and Babilonians after the death of Sardanapalus and the diuision of the monarchie PHul Belochus was the first king of the Assyrians after the diuision of the Empire and death of Sardanapalus hee was a magnificall and fortunate Prince and Niniue was his pallace he was president of Babilon in the time of Sardanapalus after whose miserable death he enioyed halfe of the monarchie as I haue shewed in the first chapter and second section he ruled 48. yeares in all Phull Assar surnamed Tiglath was the second king of the Assyrians he was a verie bad king he destroyed Galile and led some of the tribes into captiuitie he raigned 23. yeares Salmanasar was the third king of the Assyrians hee was a tyrannicall and cruell king this Salmanasar destroyed the kingdome of Israel besieged Samaria tooke it battered it downe slew the king and led away into Media the people that remained after the slaughter for hee was ruler in that countrey and he raigned eleuen yeares Sennacherib the fourth king of the Assyrians was an arrogant wicked godlesse man he bent himself against god with sacrilegious and blasphemous speeches he sent a great host against Hierusalem but Gods Angell smote in his armie an hundred foure score and fiue thousand insomuch that he was enforced to retire and to dwell againe in Niniue For his blasphemie against god an horrible death befel vpon him for as he was in the temple worshipping his God Nisroch Adramelech and Saresar his owne sonnes smat him with the sword and they escaped when they had slaine him into the land of Armenia 4. King 18 19 chap. so was he murdered euen before the idoll whom he adored for God and by them by whom he ought by nature to haue bin defended he raigned 15. yeares That the wickednes of this Senacherib might be noted of all posterities his image was set vp in Egypt with this inscription ouer it as writeth Herodotus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say Whosoeuer shall behold mee with his corporall eies let him learne by my calamitie to honour
the euerliuing God and not to blaspheme him as I did for which cause I made this miserable end being murthered by mine owne children Note heere that after Eusebius Senacherib was also called Salmanasar which I thinke consonant to the holy scriptures Assar-addon succeeded Senacherib his father but was not fortunate for the strength of the Assyrians began to decay euen while his father was yet liuing Besides this the mighty prince Merodach-baladan the Chaldee made wars both with him his father before him forthwith after the death of Senacherib hee wanne Babylon and enioyed it with other territories in Assyria vntill the death of Assar-addon from whose death hee possessed the whole Empire Hee raigned tenne yeares Merodach-baladan the first king of the Babylonians for the fame and memorie of the ancient kingdome of Assyria was called king of the Assyrians also as were likewise other kings that followed him He first transported the maiestie of the Assyrians to the Chaldees or Babylonians for the glorie of Niniue where the kings pallace was of olde was nowe translated to Babylon for which benefit Merodach after his death was honoured for a God of the Babylonians Ier. 50 ver 2. he raigned 40. yeares Ben-merodach the second king of the Babylonians was a milde and mightie Prince he raigned 21. yeares Nabuchodonosor the first or the old the third king of the BabyloniaÌ„s after Merodach was father to that Nabuchodonosor who subdued Hierusalem and erected the Babylonian monarchy he made two great battailes the one against Phaortes aliâs Arphaxad king of the Medes the other against Nechao the mightie king of the Egyptians Hee slew king Arphaxad in the mountaines of Ragau as the storie of Iudith maketh mention But Nechao ouercame him and enioyed all Syria he raigned 35. yeeres Nabuchodonosor the great sonne of Nabuchodonosor the first shortly after his fathers death wanne againe all Syria He was the mightiest king of all the kings of Babylon much spoken of in holy Writ Hee subdued the citie of Ierusalem and led away the inhabitants thereof captiues to Babylon This Nabuchodonosor as he was mightie in power so was he prowd in heart He made an image of golde and set it vp in the plaine of Dura in the prouince of Babylon Which done he commaunded all his princes nobles dukes iudges receiuers counsellers officers and all gouernors of his prouinces to come to the dedication of the image Hee appointed an herald to crie aloude that when they heard the sound of the cornet trumpet harpe sackebut psalterie dulcimer and other instruments of musicke then they should fall downe and worship the image And because the three holy Iewes Sidrach Misach and Abednego would not adore the image hee caused them to be cast into a very hote burning ouen from which fiery furnace God deliuered them myraculously In regarde whereof Nabuchodonosor magnified the liuing God made a decree that al people and nations which spake against the God of Sidrach Misach and Abednego shoulde bee drawen in peeces and their houses made a iakes Dan. 3.29 After this the king still swelled in pride so that he was cast out from his kingdome driuen from men ate grasse as oxen and his bodie was wet with the dew of heauen till his haires were growen as Eagles feathers and his nailes like birdes clawes Dan. 4. verse 30. After Nabuchodonosor magnus succeeded Euil-merodach after him Balthazar of which two see the first chapter in the fourth section CHAP. II. Of the destruction of Troy THe kingdome of Troy was of great antiquitie it began as sundrie Chronographers write a little before the death of Moses about the 32. yeare after the departure of Israel out of Egypt They write that Dardanus was the first king of the Troians and Priamus the last Alexander the sonne of Priamus surnamed Paris tooke away violently Helena wife to Menelaus king of the Lacedemonians which fact was the occasion of the most bitter and bloody battell of the Troyans This battel was fought of the most valiant people in Asia and Europe with mortall enmitie and inestimable losse on both sides with the bloud and destruction of many most flourishing regions Troy was taken burnt and vtterly destroyed 340. yeares before Rome was built in the age of the world 2935. From the captiuitie of Troy vntill the first Olimpias were complete 340. yeares albeit Liuiâ—s and some other haue their different supputations CHAP. III. Of the supputation of the Greeks THe olde Greekes did account as wee doe nowe by the yeres of our Lord the first Olimpias the second the third the fourth and so forth Some holde that Olimpias is the space of fiue yeeres but if thou wilt not be deceiued therin gentle reader reckon it but for the space of foure yeares The supputation of the Greeks by the Olimpiads is of all writers deemed true and therefore albeit before their Olympiads euerie one wrote as pleased himselfe yet after their Olympiads wee ought greatly to respect their account Africanus writeth that the first Olimpias was in the first yere of Ioatham king of Iuda and so it should be in the age of the world 3251. others dissent fro that computation affirme it to bee in the time of Ioas and then it chanced in the age of the world 3130. which supputation seemeth not so probable and therefore with Affricanus Eusebius and others I imitate the former but in reckoning the time of Iotham and Ioas I dissent from them both as is alreadie shewed CHAP. IIII. Of the citie of Rome ROme was builded in the end of the sixt Olympias in the age of the world 3218. after the destruction of Troy 340. before the incarnation of our sauior Iesus Christ about 729. yeares Romulus and Rhemus were brothers twinnes both of one age Contention and controuersie fell betweene them after whether of them the citie which they had newly built should be named The contention grew from words to tumults from tumults to strokes from strokes to bloudy battel insomuch as in the bickering Rhemus was slaine after his death Romulus enioyed the Empire alone of whome the City was called Rome Rome hath beene sundrie times sacked and ouerthrowne by the Gothes and Vandals first by Alaricus the Gothe in the yeare of our Lord God 412. This king besieged Rome and after burned it during which siege such famine was in the city that the mothers were constrained with hunger to eate their owne children It was besieged taken and sacked the second time by Gensericus the Vandal in the yeare of our Lord 456. It was besieged sacked and subuerted the third time by Totilas king of the Gothes in the yeare of our Lord 548. in the yeare after the citie was built 1300 in which siege as in the first the famine was exceeding great mothers were enforced contrarie to nature and kinde to kill and eate the flesh of their owne children Procopius Palmerius The same
multiplier 11  475  475 The summe amounting 5225 Againe if ye diuide the 5225. dayes by 30. you shall finde 174. moneths and fiue dayes thus The number to be diuided 5225 5 daies 174 moneths The diuisor 30 To these you must adde 87. daies because the moone hath not aboue 29. daies and the halfe of one day Thirdly if ye will diuide the 174. moneths by 12. ye shal finde 14. yeeres and 6. moneths thus The number to be diuided 174 6. moneths 14 yeeres The diuisor 12 Now these 6. moneths remaining togither with the 92. dayes od houres and minutes wil suffice to make vp the 15. yeere that is wanting in the last diuision So then this supputation is consonant to the yeeres of the monarkes and to the iust record of the Olympiades of the Greekes which by vniforme consent of all learned writers are most certaine as also answerable to euery thing in Daniel which no other supputation is able by any possibilitie to affoord For it is without all controuersie that the weekes of Daniel were ended in the 4. yeere of Tiberius Cesar at which time Christ was crucified from which yeere vntill the fourth yere of the 83. Olympiade which was the twentieth yeere of Artaxerxes Longimanus where I holde the 70. weekes of Daniel to beginne be iust 475. yeeres after the course of the sunne which make as is already prooued 490. yeeres after the course of the moone CHAP. V. Of the sabbaoth and festiuall dayes of the Iewes WHen the children of Israel were come againe out of captiuitie they and all such as had forsaken heathenish idolatry and ioyned themselues vnto them kept the feast of vnleauened bread seauen dayes with ioy And after the temple was finished in the sixt yeere of Darius the Priests Leuites and residue of the children of the captiuitie kept the dedication thereof Esdr. 6.16 22. Concerning which festiuall dayes and the like because many are superstitious and some very ignorant it shall not be impertinent in this place to set downe a briefe discourse thereof The first Section Of sabbaoths one is legall an other spirituall the third celestiall The spirituall sabbaoth is a ceasing from sinne and is peculiar to the godly and regenerate for with it dissolute liuers and carnally affected persons such as Sardanapalus was can haue no fellowship at all albeit they professe a certaine externall obseruance of the ceremoniall sabbaoth and glorie no little therein For as the apostle saith Rom. 8.13 they that liue after the flesh must die but they that mortifie the deeds of the bodie by the spirit shal liue This sabbaoth is not tied to any certain time or daies but ought to be kept euery day without anie intermission for we must euer beleeue euer hope euer loue euer bring foorth the fruites of the spirit Otherwise there should be no proportion betweene the spirituall sabaoth and the spirituall man The second Section The celestiall sabbaoth is it in which wee shall rest both in body and soule from the labours and vexations of this present mortalitie Yet in this life we may labor in the body although the mind regenerate do sabbatize vnto the Lord. For the spirituall sabaoth doth not so prohibite the regenerate from corporall labours but that they may in due season exercise the same for their own honest sustentation and of others Yea the minds euen of the godly albeit they sabbatize in the Lord yet are they oft afflicted now w t tentations now with errours with tribulations now with anguishes with charitable cōpassions ouer their brethren These are the imperfections of this present life which the spirituall sabaoth cannot take away but the celestiall sabbath in the heauenly Ierusalem will vtterly make an ende thereof For in that sabbath there shall be no place to anie labours errours tentations or miseries whatsoeuer For the vision beatificall will wipe away all teares from our face This is the pure and perfect sabbath not of the bodie onely as the legall whereof I am to speake by and by nor of the mind only as the spirituall but of soule and body both together which sabbaoth was shadowed in the olde law begunne in the new lawe and shall be accomplished in the kingdome of heauen where we shall celebrate the sabbaoth of all sabbaoths world without end The third section The legall ceremoniall and externall sabboth is a certaine set time appointed in the church for the ministerie of the worde and administration of the sacraments And it is of two sorts immediate and mediate the immediate is that which was instituted immediately in the old Testament and this kind was manifold because there was the sabboth of dayes as the seauenth day of the weeke which was tearmed by the peculiar and proper name of sabboth as well in respect of the diuine rest which God had from creating new creatures as of the rest which Gods people must keepe that day There were also other sabbothes of dayes though not properly so tearmed but by the names of feasts to wit the feast of the Passeouer the feast of Pentecost the feast of Tabernacles the feast of expiacion the feast of blowing trumpets the feast of vnleauened bread the feast of the first fruites Againe there was the sabboth of moneths called neomeniae 2. Paralipomenon the second chapter and the fourth verse Thirdly there was a sabbaoth of yeares as euerie seuenth yeare Leuiticus chapter 25. vers 4. in which yere the Israelites were prohibited to till the ground to sow their seede and to cut their vineyardes Fourthly there was also the sabboth of Iubilee which came euerie fiftieth yeare Leuit. 25. vers 12. in the which yeare libertie was proclaimed to all that were in bondage in which yeare none might sowe none might reape none might gather grapes in which yeare euerie one returned to his owne possession in which yeare all land that had beene sold returned to the familie which yeare when it was farre off they might sell dearer but the nearer it was the better cheap ought they to sel their land An apishimitation of this Iubilee the late Bishops of Rome pretend vnto the worlde But alas who seeth not what a diabolical illusion it is In this Iubilee none did or could pardon their neighbours sinnes but the Pope pardoneth al as well great as small in this Iubilee all bond men were set at libertie but in the Popes Iubilee the Turks stil row in galies in bondage they stil remaine both in Italie in Spain in this Iubilee all sold lands had an end and returned againe to the seller but in the Popes Iubilee not onely sold landes do not returne againe but landes bought with other mens goods do stil remain Note wel gentle reader what I say for of late yeares since the Pope by diabolicall perswasions of ambitious and seditious Iesuites intended the inuasion of this land he hath promised facultie to his Iesuites and seminaries that they may dispense
subiection But so soone as Philopator was dead his sonne Ptolomeus Epiphanes sent a mightie armie into Syria vnder the conduction of Scopa who recouered certaine Cities in Syria and a good part of Iudea Yet within a short space after Antiochus skirmishing with Scopa neere to Iordan had the vpper hand and tooke the cities againe from Scopa Then the Iewes yeelded them selues to Antiochus receiued his armie voluntarily within the walles and affoorded him large helpe against the garrisons of the said Scopa In respect of which fauour Antiochus dealt very fauourably with them gaue them rich giftes and graunted them libertie to call home againe all the Iewes that were in dispersion The third obseruation Antiochus Epiphanes was hostage at Rome where he learned by the Example of the Romaines flatterie deceite and other bad qualities to accommodate himselfe to the time and maners of men Hee was famous not for his vertues but for his naughtie dealing He was called as some write for his dissolute life not Epiphanes but Epimanes that is not noble but madde He beganne his reigne about 134. yeares after the death of Alexander at which time his brother Seleucus ceased by death to reigne in Syria At the same time Ptolemeus Epiphanes dyed in Egypt leauing behinde him to young sonnes Philometor and Physcon Ptolemeus hadde these sonnes with his wife the queene Cleopatra who was sister to Antiochus Vnder this pretence Antiochus went into Egypt and by faire speeches got the regiment during the nonage of Philometor the yong prince And when hee had contriued all thinges so as he might take the kingdome vpon him at his pleasure hee went to Hierusalem at the intreaty of Iason who sought ambitiouslie to be made the high priest by his procurement euen as popes of late yeares are made at Rome as hereafter shalbe prooued Where as writeth Iosephus so soone as hee came the gates were opened to him by men of his owne faction Which vsurped dominion hee exercised cruellie and sacrilegiously neither sparing the goods nor the liues of those that willingly opened the gates vnto him The fourth obseruation Demetrius Nicanor the twelfth king of Syria was driuen out of his kingdome by his brother Antiochus Sedetes by the aid and meanes of Tryphon Yet afterward hee was restored to his kingdome againe and ruled Syria peaceably vntil Alexander surnamed Sabineus of the house of Seleucus tooke him prisoner at Tyrus where he put him to death CHAP. III. Of the kings of Macedonia and of the diuision of the Empire after the sixt yeare of Alexander THe holy will of the liuing God was that foure mightie kings shoulde succeede Alexander the Great after the sixt yeare of his raigne whereof euerie one should possesse a part and no one be so mightie as himselfe which thing was euidently foretolde by the Prophet Daniel The foure kings that succeeded Alexander to wit Cassander who raigned in Macedonia and Grecia Seleucus who raigned in Syria Ptolomeus who raigned in Egypt and Antigonus who raigned in Asia did all descend of the house Petigree and bloud royall of Alexander that most puissant and valiant Emperour and for that cause surnamed the Great Cassander caused Olympias daughter of Neoptolemus and mother to Alexander a most chast and vertuous Queene to be beheaded cruelly that so hee might raigne more licentiouslie but God the iust iudge who for his wisedome seeth all things and for his iustice sake letteth no sinne passe vnpunished did so in his eternall prouidence dispose of Cassanders issue as it was a worthie spectacle to the world For Antipater and Alexander his sonnes had mutual mortal bloudie warres the one against the other as concerning the kindgome of Macedonia But what was the ende Antipater was slaine by Lysimachus his father in law and Alexander by Demetrius the sonne of Antigonus who both were their owne complices to whom they trusted and sought for helpe at their hands A worthie obseruation King Alexander the great was not onely full of valure and prowesse but throughly garnished with heroicall and morall vertues amongst which this was not the least that so often as he heard the complaint of one against another the accused partie being absent his continuall custome was to open one onely eare to the plaintife and to keepe the other closely shut by which ceremonie he liuely expressed vnto the world the office of euerie good Prince and righteous iudge to wit that they should neuer haue respect of persons as holy Writ beareth witnesse but heare all parties indifferently and iudge euer according to lawe and equitie Which indifferencie king Alexander fitly practised euen with the admiration of his auditory while as hee graunted to the accuser one eare so did hee to the accused reserue the other neuer condemning the one nor iustifying the other before hee vnderstood perfectly the truth of the matter But in our time wee may iustly exclaime with holy Polycarpe O God to what worlds hast thou reserued vs for nowadayes iudges lawyers are so corrupt with bribes that when a poore man crieth he can not be heard with neither eare because both are shut at once on the other side so soon as they grope the rich mans gold they open both the one eare the other there is no stay at al. Of such iudges magistrates and lawyers speaketh wise Salomon when he saith that many reuerence the person of the mightie and euerie one is friend to him that giueth gifts When a rich man commenceth any sute against the poore man euerie iudge euerie lawyer euerie iustice euerie bailife will for money be readie to further his cause for golde and money with a becke they come anone and with a winke they will bee gone though their matter were verie badde in the beginning yet wil it be right good in the ending money worketh so forcibly with them that it may bee saide to alter the case and to change the nature of the thing Gifts saith Saint Ambrose dazle the eyes of iudges and weakeneth the force of their authoritie Contrariewise when the poore man commeth to them either without money or but with a little they are dumbe deafe and sencelesse they can neither heare see nor vnderstand they will vse such dallying such demurring such shiftes and delayes vntill the poore man bee exhaust and spent so as perforce he must let the matter fall and sit downe with the losse For albeit his cause were right good in the beginning yet will it be starke naught in the ending Wherefore Innocentius his wordes are well verified in this kinde of people You respect saith he not the causes but the persons not lawes but bribes not what reason prescribeth but what will affecteth not what the minde thinketh but what it coueteth not what should be done but what yee list to haue done your eie is not single which should make your body bright but euer ye mingle a peece of leauen which corrupteth the whole dowe The
thinke that these 72. Iewish priests sent by Eleazarus the hie priest brother to Symon Priscus into Egypt to king Ptolomeus to translate the old testament out of their vulgar tongue that is the Hebrew into Greeke did translate the same seuerally being placed in 72. distinct celles so as no one coulde know what another did without diuine inspiration This notwithstanding they all agreed so perfectly when their interpretations were compared together as if they had beene all in one place and one acquainted with anothers act Which if it were true the decision whereof I leaue in suspence to the iudgement of the reader it coulde not but prâ—ceede of the holyghost Others as saint Ierome Aristeas Iosephus and all the Iewish Rabbins hold the flat contrarie opinion and auouch boldly that the report of the 72. celles and of the translation accomplished in so many seueral places is nothing else but a fable Which latter opinion seemeth more probable though not certaine because the Iewes could best tel the case of whom S. Hierome receiued his opinion Howsoeuer it was two things are certaine first that the Hebrew text is the foundation and originall and onely to be stoode vpon so often as any difficultie ariseth in the olde testament Secondly that howsoeuer they did translate yet was there such corruption of their translation euen in saint Hieromes time and before his dayes as it was found in very many places to swarue wholly from the Hebrew Which thing not only Saint Hieerome but Origen and other writers do witnesse for which cause Saint Hierome and Saint Augustine do verie wisely and grauely exhort to haue recourse to the Hebrew in the old Testament and to the Greeke in the new Testament so often as any varietie doth appeare And here wee must note two things first that those priests which Eleazar sent to Ptolomee were 72. in number as sundrie thinke albeit the two odde persons be omitted of others for breuitie sake Secondly that they translated onely the Pentateuche as writeth Iosephus in his first booke of antiquities Adde heereunto with the same Iosephus that they were sent to his librarie at Alexandria where if wee will beleeue Genebrardus were 54. thousand and 800. bookes CHAP. VI. Of Esdras Zorobabel and Nehemias God albeit hee doth often afflict and exercise his people with the crosse of temporall punishment for their good that so they may beholde their owne vnworthienesse and appeale to his mercie and wholly depend vppon his holy prouidence yet for his mercie sake hee doth in all ages and at all times excite worthie persons for their great commoditie and solace For after that he had visited the Iewes and kept them in bondage seauentie yeares in a strange countrey among infidels and idolaters hee raised vp diuers excellent men for their preseruation to wit Zorobabel Esdras and Nehemias Zorobabel was the captaine that brought them home and caused the temple to be builded Nehemias builded vp the walles of the citie deliuered the people from oppression and prouided that the law of God was put in execution among them This Nehemias was in great fauour and authoritie with king Artaxerxes and so obtained most honourable and ample letter patents for the accomplishment of whatsoeuer he did desire Esdras descended of the kinred of Aaron hee was a priest well learned in the law of Moses Hee was called Esdras the scribe that is one who had authoritie to write the lawe and to expound it Saint marke calleth such a one a Scribe Saint Mathew tearmeth such persons Lawyers and doctours of the lawe which is a point well worthie the obseruation This Esdras performed the office of a true priest indeed for he collected the bookes of holy scripture which were dispersed after the destruction of Hierusalem in time of the captiuitie without which bookes pure and sincere religion could not consist Yea so soone as the temple was builded againe vnder Zorobabell he is noted as Hierome recordeth to haue found out the Hebrew letters we now vse whereas vntil that time both the Samaritans and the Hebrewes had the selfe same characters Eusebius Caesariensis a man as well of great antiquitie as of learning calleth Esdras the most excellent diuine and skilfull doctour among the Iewes affirming that hee changed the Hebrew letters for this ende and purpose lest the Iewes should conuerse with the Samaritans He addeth further that his memorie was so great as he could recite the scriptures without the booke Some write that he inuented the prickes annexed to the text but others hold the contrarie The fift booke of the Monarchie of the Greekes from the Machabees vntill Christ. CHAP. I. Of the partition of the Monarchie and the reason of the same THe former part of the Monarchy of the Greekes which is from King Alexander the great vnto the Machabees conteineth 155. yeares and may be proued exactly by the chronographie of holy Writ The latter part of the Monarchie which is from the Machabees vnto Christ or if yee will from Antiochus Epiphanes to Herodes Magnus which is al one contayneth 173. yeares but cannot be proued out of the holy scriptures as the former part which is the cause of this my partition for perspicuitie sake yet may it bee gathered sufficiently out of the bookes of the Machabees Iosephus Iulius Africanus and Egesippus The obseruation As Alexander began this monarchie in the seuenth yeare of his raigne in the age of the world 3641. so did Antiochus Epiphanes sonne to Antiochus Magnus the sixt king of Syria beginne the time of this partition that is the second part of the Monarchie in the age of the world 3749. He was hostage at Rome from whence he fled and vsurped the kingdome of Syria from his brothers sonne he pretended to protect his sisters sonne Philometor the yong king of Egypt by that meanes sought craftily to get the kingdome of Egypt into his hands For better expedition of his wicked purpose he procured certain cities to be yeelded into his hands In his returne from Egypt he tooke Ierusalem and spoyled it The Agyptians peruing his craftie dealing receiued their cities againe in regard whereof hee entred Egypt with a strong armie but had the repulse by aide of the Romans after which repulse he retured in great rage and tyrannically bent his force against Hierusalem he constrained the Iewes for the space of two yeares vtterly to forsake the law Machabeus therefore and his sonnes being priests rose vp in armes against his brutish crueltie and deliuered the people CHAP. II. Of the gouernment of the Iewes after the captiuitie A triple gouernment was among the Iewes betweene the captiuitie the aduent of our sauior Christ Iesus for they were gouerned first by princes of the tribe of Iuda and royall stocke of Dauid from the captiuitie vntill Antiochus After that they were gouerned by priests who were not of the royal petegree of Iuda but of the tribe of Leui.
This state was by the Machabees in time of Antiochus and his successors the kings of Syria vntill Aristobulus the first king among the Iewes after their captiuitie They were gouerned thirdly by kings being partly of their owne bloud and partly strangers This state continued from Aristobulus vntil king Agrippa albeit the birth of our sauiour befell in the 32. yeare of king Herod which quadruple variety I will set down in foure seuerall sections for perspicuitie sake The first Section of the gouernours of the Iewes from the captiuitie to the Machabees The names of the gouernors or rulers of the Iewes Zorobabel Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 67 yeeres Rhesa Miseolana alià s Mensonla Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 66 Ioanna ben Resa Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 52 Iudas Hircanus the first Anno mun 3425 the time of their rule Anno mun 3610 30 yeeres Note here that these foure gouernours were before the monarchy of Alexander the great whereof Zorobabel was he that conducted the Iewes from the captiuitie and encouraged them to build the temple These other eleuen were after Alexander The names of the gouernours or ruâ—ers of the Iews after King Alexâ—nder Ioseph the first An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 7 yeeres Abner Semei An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 11 Eli Matathia An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 12 Asar Mahat An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 9 yeres Nagid Artaxat An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 10 Haggai Eli An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 8 Maslot Nahum An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 7 yeeres Amos Syrach An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 13 Matathia Siloah An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 10 Ioseph the second An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 60 yeeres Ianna Hircanus the second An. mundi 3641 The time of their gouernment An. mundi 3788 16 yeeres This Hircanus was the last prince of the Iewes that descended of the blood royall and posteritie of king Dauid The catalogue of the priests who executed priestly function amongest the Iewes after the captiuitie shall be set downe in the chapter following The second Section of the Machabees The names of the Machabees Iudas Machabeus Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 6 yeeres Ionathas Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 18 Simon brother to Iudas Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 8 yeeres Io. Hircanus the sonne of Simon Anno mun 3805 the time of their rule Anno mun 3837 31 yeeres These foure were priests of the tribe of Leui not of Iuda or the blood royall which ought euer to be kept in memorie as hereafter better shall appeare The third Section of the Kings of the Iewes that descended of the Leuiticall tribe The names of the kings who were Iewes Aristobulus the sonne of Hircanus An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 1 yeere Alexander the second son of Hircanus alias Ianneê° An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 27 yeeres Alexandra the wife of Alexander An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 9 yeeres Aristobulus An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 4 yeeres Hircanus An mundi 3868 The time they ruled An. mundi 3909 22 yeeres The fourth Section of the Kings that were strangers The names of the kings Herodes magnus An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 37 yeeres Archelaus dux An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 9 Herodes Tetrarcha qui Antipas An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 24 Agrippa Herodis filius An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 7 Agrippa rex Agrippae filius An. mundi 3937 The time of their raigne An. mundi 4014 26 yeeres As there is great varietie in Historiographers and Chronographers in other matters so is there no where more obscure difficulties to be found among them then about the contents of this present chapter The exact knowledge whereof is neuerthelesse so necessary as without which sundry places of the new testament can neuer be rightly vnderstoode which obscuritie together with the difficultie shall I hope be manifest by the obseruations annexed thereunto The first obseruation No gouernor amongst the Iewes would after the captiuitie weare the diademe and be called King vntill Aristobulus the son of Hircanus a vertuous priest did aduance himselfe to royall dignitie and put the crowne vpon his head But alas godly children do not alwayes succeede godly parents For not onely Hircanus his father but Symon also his grandfather were very vertuous priests gouernours of great fortitude and zealous fauorers of the common weale yet was this Aristobulus a wicked and cruell man hee made no account of religion he put his owne mother and brethren in prison and because hee feared that his vertuous brother Antigonus would take the kingdome from him hee slew him sodainely as Cain did his brother Abell The second obseruation Seleucus surnamed Nicanor the first king of Syria after the diuision of the Empire began his raigne that is the kingdome of the Greekes in the 14. yeare from the death of Alexander which was the second yeare of the 117. Olympiade and in the 3660. yeare of the age of the world Heere beginneth the authour of the first booke of the Machabees his supputation calling the kingdome of Syria the kingdome of the Greeks which must be well remembred or else many things will remaine both confuse and obscure The Empire of king Alexander was deuided as is already said into foure parts according to the prophesie of Daniel Ptolomeus had Egypt Antigonus Asia Seleucus Syria and Philippus Arideus had Macedonia and Grecia which is the cause that Chronographers begin these kingdomes in the first yeere of the 114. Olympiade immediatly after the death of Alexander Yet the trueth is that Antigonus and Seleucus began not so soone to raigne For mortal warres amongst the gouernours continued 12 or 13. yeares and then they began to beare rule indeede not before The third obseruation Hircanus had three sons Aristobulus Antigonus and Alexander Aristobulus would needes be called and crowned king and slew his brother Antigonus lest he shuld get the kingdome from him Alexander had two sonnes Hircanus and Aristobulus this Aristob was brother to Mariamne who was married to K. Herod for which cause Herod about two yeres after the death of Antigonus his vncle made him hie priest shortly after this Aristobulus was drowned and so the family
of the Iews was at an end about 30. yeeres before Christs incarnation Herode the stranger was successor to this Aristobulus in the kingdom and priesthood of the Iewes In the third yeere of the 186. Olympiade and in the age of the world 3937. yeeres then in the 32. yeere of Herod was our Sauiour borne The fourth obseruation Herod the great had many children Aristobulus Alexander Antipater Antipas Philippus and Archelaus Of which Aristobulus and Alexander were his children by his beloued wife Mariamne which Mariamne he put to death causing his children Alexander and Aristobulus to be strangled in Samaria Archelaus Herodes called Antipas Antipater and Philip yet liued amongst whom the kingdome was diuided Herodes the Great designed his sonne Archelaus to be king by his last will and testament but the Emperour Augustus would not confirme Herodes will and so hee was not king at the first yet Augustus was content that he should be Tetrarke and vpon hope of his good regiment to be king afterward This Archelaus saith Rhegino did reigne in Iudea when our Sauiour was brought out of Egypt for feare of which king he returned into Nazareth a towne in Galile where hee abode till his baptisme This was done in the seuenth yere of Christ and in the 15. yeere of his birth Archelaus being accused of treason before Augustus was banished out of Iewrie the kingdome was diuided among his 4. brethren Herod Antipater Lysanias and Philip. Yet this Antipater after Carion was slaine long before The first obseruation Whether Antipater was slaine as writeth Carion or liuing stil with Philip and the rest as saith Eusebius certaine it is that foure only are mentioned in the holy scripture to wit Archelaus who raigned in Iurie after Herod the great Antipas whom S. Luke calleth Herod who was Tetrarke of Galilie Philip who was Tetrarke of Iturea and Trachonitis Lysanias who was the Tetrark of Abilene Pilate being then president in Iewry which Lysanias after Eusebius was one of the brethren albeit other writers affirme no such thing CHAP. III. Of the 2300. daies Daniel had a vision of great persecution that shoulde come vnto the church that the daily sacrifice should cease and Gods trueth be troden vnder foote And that the sinnes of the Iewes were the cause of such horrible afflictions Yet for the solace of Gods children whom he neuer forsaketh finally the time of the desolation is appointed and pronounced in these obscure words Vnto the euening and morning two thousand and three hundreth then shall the sanctuarie be cleansed Sundrie as S. Hierome witnesseth trouble themselues miserably about the exposition of this place Some for 2300 read 2200 least sixe yeares and three monethes abound Other some vnderstand the place of Antichrist and that this shalbe reallie complete in him which was spoken typically of Antiochus And this childish imagination doe our late Iesuites and other papistes imitate whose fantasticall interpretation was confuted by S. Hierome before they were borne But the meaning is plaine and easie that is vntill so many naturall daies be past which in all make sixe yeares three monethes and an halfe For so long was the temple prophaned vnder the wicked king Antiochus And that this is the true sence of the place I prooue by two reasons First because that vnto the morning and to the euening cannot possibly be vnderstood of either yeares or monethes and yet can the same be truely and simply verified in so many natural daies Secondly because the prophet of God doth expound the rest of the vision euen of the kinges of Syria And my reasons are confirmed by S. Hieromes testimonie whose expresse words are these Vespere autem manè successioneÌ„ diei noctÃsque significat The euening and the morning doth signifie the succession of the day and the night And in the very same place hee prooueth by Iosephus and the bookes of the Machabees that the setting vp of Iupiters Image in the Temple and the time of the desolation wrought by Antiochus is correspondent to the 2300. daies CHAP. IIII. Of the priestes of the Iewes after the captiuitie vnto Alexander the Great The names of the priests Iesus Filius Iosedech Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 72 yeares Ioachim Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 30 Eliasib alià s Nechasib Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 40 Ioiada Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 24 Ionathan alià s Ioannan Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 52 Iaddo alià s Iaddua Anno mun 3427 the time that they liued Anno mun 3645 28 yeares Iesus or Ieshua was the high priest in the returne euen as Zorobabel or Zerubbabel was the ciuill gouernour Diuers thinke diuersly of this succession but I deliuer plainly what I iudge most probable CHAP. V. Of the priests of the Iewes from king Alexander vnto the Machabees The names of y e priests Onias Priscus A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 25 yeares Simon Priscus A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 13 Eleazar A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 20 Manasses A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 27 yeares Simon Iunior A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 28 Onias Iunior A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 39 Iason A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 3 yeares Menelaus A. M. 3643 the time that they liued A. M. 3805 7 yeares This Menelaus was a very wicked priest whom Antiochus put to death at Berytus Antiochus moreouer inhibited Onias his sonne to succeed him and appointed Alcimus aliâs Iacimus the high priest which Alcimus was of the race and petigree of Aaron but not of the same familie Onias therefore sonne to Menelaus went into Egypt and insinuating himselfe into the amitie of Ptolomee Philometor and Cleopaâ—ra his wife perswaded them to build a temple in Heliopolis like to that of Hierusalem and to make him priest in the same place Iacimus after he had been high priest three yeares died leauing no successor behinde him and so the citie of Hierusalem was seuen whole yeares togither without a priest Afterward the gouernment of the Iewes was committed to the familie of the Assamoneans and then they rebelled against the Macedonians and made Ionathan the high priest These points and specially the case of Iacimus or Alcimus ought diligently to be marked against the mangled and fondly commended popish succession whereof by the power of God more shalbe said hereafter From about this time vntill Herod the great Iudas Machabeus and others of his race had the gouernment and priesthood among them From Herode vntill Christ our redeemer were yeares 32. plus minus During which time priests were not made of the line of the Assamoneans
be slaughtered and as a theefe to be hanged yet neither did he shew any impatience nor sought any reuenge albeit hee could haue caused a legion of Angels to haue attended him at his only word he was bound as a theefe accused as a theefe condemned as a theefe he was crowned with a crowne of thornes among theeues as if hee had beene the master theefe of all theeues the iudge was iudged the King was derided the Lord of all lords was turmoyled And yet behold the wisedome of our heauenly Salomon for as Adam trespassed on Fryday so did he suffer on Fryday as mans saluation seemed to require Where we haue to consider his patience who was led as a lambe to be slaine his humilitie who was condemned with theeues his charitie who died for his enemies his pouertie who was borne in a manger and this done wee may worthily exclaime O captaine where is thine ensigne O prince where is thy palace O bishop where is thy myâ—er O king where is thy diademe After the consideration hereof we must acknowledge that Iesus Christ our sweete redeemer suffered all these pangs tortures torments and villanies for the sinnes and loue of man and therfore that mans part and dutie is to abhorre detest and eschew sinne and that for his sake and loue who hath first so tenderly beloued vs. CHAP. V. Of the houre of Christs death and the circumstances of the same CHrist was led out of the walles of the earthly Ierusalem into Golgotha a foule place of dead mens carkases so to declare vncleannesse indeede not of himselfe who was most holy most pure most innocent but of vs most wretched sinners whose sins he willingly tooke vpon him to the ende that we by faith in him being made cleane through his bloud and passion might bee brought into the heauenly Ierusalem the ioy of all ioyes the kingdome of heauen Christ suffered his bitter and healthfull passion without the walles of the citie a little before the sixt houre and gaue vppe his blessed ghost at the ninth houre so as hee was about three houres in most cruell torments vpon the crosse In which time from the sixt houre to the ninth darknesse arose ouer al the land Whereby wee may sensibly perceiue how angrie God was against our sinnes which hee so seuerely punished in his onely sonne For euen at the feast of the Passeouer and in the full Moone when the sunne shined ouer all the rest of the world and at midday that corner of the world wherein so wicked an act was committed was couered with extreame darknesse three houres together Christ hanged naked vpon the crosse and was vilainously reproued as if he had beene the most wicked caitife that euer was in the world to the ende that we being clothed with his righteousnesse and blessed with his curses and sanctified by his onely oblation may be clensed from our sinnes and exalted vppe to heauen But here it is expedent that I answere to an important doubt The doubt Saint Iohn saith that Christ suffered about the sixt houre but Saint Marke affirmeth expressely that he was crucified the third houre The answere For the exact explication of this graue obiection wee must diligently obserue three things First that the Iewes deuided as well the night as the day into foure equall parts Secondly that they tearmed the foure parts of the night vigils and the foure parts of the day houres Thirdly that the names of y e foure houres were these the first the third the sixt and the ninth so that all the morning to nine of the clocke with vs was called the first houre with them from nine to twelue the third houre from twelue to three the sixt houre from three to night the ninth houre I therefore answere to the obiection that S. Iohn and saint Marke do well agree neither is the one dissonant to the other for when S. Marke saith that Christ was crucified the third houre he meaneth in the end thereof which was about noone or almost the sixt houre as S. Iohn declareth it for euerie one of their houres contained three of our houres as is alreadie said And euery day with them both began and ended at sixe of the clocke with vs. Where I note by the way that these houres are sometimes dilated made foure threes like to our houres for so we reade in S. Mathew at the hyring of the labourers into the vineyard But howsoeuer the supputation was made the midday euer iumped with the sixt houre either in the ende or in the beginning thereof Which obseruations anâ— distinction well remembred many obscure places in the scriptures will be euident CHAP. VI. Of Christs resurrection and the adiuncts thereof AT such time as Christ the sonne of the euerliuing God suffered his passion wonderfull and strange sights happened The Sunne was darkened the Moone being in the full gaue no light a thing so repugnant to nature that Dionysius Areopagita pronounced boldely though then an Ethnicke that either the sonne of God was tormented or else the worlde woulde bee dissolued the vaile of the Temple was rent in twaine earthquakes were seene the rockes were clouen asunder the graues were opened and such as slept arose with Christ to life againe Christ after his resurrection appeared sundry times first to Marie Magdalen when she taried still at the sepulchre to see Christ after his disciples were gone away to their owne home Christ appeared the second time the selfe same day to two of his disciples as they went to a towne called Emaus which was distant from Ierusalem about three score furlongs The cause of the second apparition was this because the saide disciples would not beleeue that which Mary Magdalen and Ioanna and Mary the mother of Iames and other women told them of Christs resurrection Christ appeared the third time to all the Disciples Thomas onely excepted who was then absent which apparition was done the first day of the weeke and when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Iewes and then Iesus stoode in the middes of them and bestowed his peace vpon them Christ after eight dayes appeared the fourth time to his disciples comming into the middest of them euen when the doores were shut and bidding Thomas to see his hands and to put forth his hand into his side and to be no longer incredulous but faithful Christ appeared the fift time to his Disciples at the sea of Tiberias where they were fishing at whose word they casting out their net were not able to draw it at all for the multitude of fishes By these and other his apparitions he made his resurrection manifest vnto the world Sixtly hee appeared to the eleuen Disciples in the mount of Galile But from hence arise doubts very worthie the examination The first doubt Christ saith in Iohn that hee appeared but thrise after his resurrection To this I answere
before did signifie sacramentally by bread and wine in his last supper The second reply The Fathers by you alledged doe proue constantly that Melchisedech offered bread and wine to God most high and not only brought it forth to refresh Abraham and his companie as you defend The aunswere I say first that out of the text can no more be prouided but that he brought forth bread and wine for the reliefe of Abraham his souldiers I say secondly that so much is coÌ„fessed by holy auncient very learned writers For Iosephus writeth in this maner hic Melchisedechus milites Abrahami hospitaliter habuit nihil eis ad victum deesse passus simulque ipsum adhibituÌ„ mensae meritis laudibus extulit deo cuius fauore victoria coÌ„tigerat debitos hymnos vt sua pietate dignum erat cecinit Abrahamus contrà de manubijs decimas ei dono dedit This Melchisedech entertained Abrahams souldiers suffering them to want no competent foode he also placed Abraham himselfe at his owne table giuing him his condigne gratulation praysed God religiously as became his piety by whose fauour the victory was had Abraham on the other side gaue him tythes of all that was gotten in the spoile S. Austen is of the same mind and hath these words obuiauit Melchisedech sacerdos dei summi Abrahae reuertenti à caede regum protulit panes vinum obtulit ei benedixit eum Melchisedech the priest of God most high met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the Kings and brought forth bread and wine and offered them to him and blessed him In these words of S. Austen I note two things the one that the oblation of Melchisedech was not made to God as the Papists affirme but to Abraham himselfe in y e way of refection The other that S. Austen nameth breads in the plurall number as if he had sayd Melchisedech brought good store of meat for Abraham and his souldiers Tertullianus hath these words denique sequentes patriarchae incircumcisi fuerunt vt Melchisedech qui ipsi Abrahae iam circumciso reuertenti de praelio panem vinum obtulit incircumcisus In fine the partiarks that followed were vncircumcised as Melchisedech who being vncircumcised offered bread and wine to Abraham that was now circumcised when he returned from the battaile Saint Ambrose teacheth the same doctrine by the tradition of the Hebrews These are his words nec esse nouum si Melchisedech victori Abraham obuiam processerit in refectionem tam ipsius quam pugnatorum eius panem vinumque pâ—otulerit benedixerit ei Neither ought it to seeme strange if Melchisedech went to meete Abraham the conquerour and brought forth bread and wine for the refection of him and his souldiers and blessed him Yea your owne byshop Canus granteth all this I say thirdly that the fathers do indeede confesse Melchisedech to haue offered bread wine neither do I denie the thing it selfe in the sense of the fathers But I denie that either it can be proued out of the scriptures or that the fathers admit your popish application thereof And so haue I yeelded a sufficient answere to all that is or can bee saide in this intricate matter whereon you seeke to grounde your popish masse The second obiection Euerie priest saith S. Paul is ordained for men in things pertaining to God to offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne therefore doubtlesse wee must haue some sacrifice in the new testament and priests to execute the same for without priests gifts oblations and sacrifices to God for the sins of the people no person no people no common wealth can appertaine to God neither can such soueraigne duties be done by any in the world but by a priest chosen for y e purpose For diuers princes as the scripture recordeth were punished by God Ieroboams hand dried vp Ozias smitten with the leprosie and king Saul deposed from his kingdome specially for attempting such things The answere I say first that S. Paul speaketh not generally of al the ministers of Gods holy word sacraments but of the priesthood of the old law yea hee speaketh especially and expressely of the hie priests onely who was a type and figure of Christ Iesus the true perfect and eternal priest of God most high I say secondly that the people of the newe testament want neither priesthood nor yet external sacrifice for Christs eternal priesthood fulfilled and abolished the legall priesthood together with the law and all legall sacrifices which were but figures of Christs sacrifice vpon the crosse were exactly accomplished in the same so that Christ being our eternall priest and his sacrifice once offered being so perfect as the vertue thereof endureth for euer we people of the new testament haue neither need of legall priests nor yet of popish massing priests who can neuer put away their owne sins much lesse the sinnes of others For if we expect any other priest or appease to any other sacrifice in the new testament wee deceiue our selues make frustrate Christs onely sacrifice and doe great villany to his eternal priesthood I say thirdly that though in the reformed christian churches there bee no externall propitiatory sacrifice acknowledged saue onely the sacrifice of Christ vppon the crosse yet is there in the same the preaching of the word and the administratioÌ„ of the sacraments according to gods holy ordinaÌ„ce which no man takes on him to execute but he that is lawfully called thereunto I say fourthly that albeit in the preaching of y e word the administration of the sacraments the chosen minister hath onely the charge and authoritie to execute them nethelesse Gods annointed prince hath the supreme charge and authoritie to command the execution thereof as also to puniâ—h the minister for neglecting his duetie in that behalfe Of which point I haue spoken sufficiently in my booke of Motiues I say fiftly that Ozias Ieroboam and Saul were not punished for correcting the abuses or negligence of the priests wherein Goâ—s word giueth them supreme and soueraigne authoritie but because they intruded themseleus and insolently executed priestly function which God did flatly porhibite in his sacred word The third obiection S. Austen S. Chrysost. S. Ambrose all the fathers generally do vsually terme the masse or eucharist the sacrifice of the mediator the sacrament of the altar the vnbloudy sacrifice the price of our redemption whosoeuer denieth this must either be condeÌ„ned of malice as speaking against his owne knowledge or of meere ignorance as not knowing what the fathers write The answere I say first that it were a vaine contention to striue for the name so we could agree in the thing For as it is not material if we call the ministers of the new testament priests so wee vnderstand rightly the thing it selfe so is it not of importance if we tearme the sacrament of Christs
haue it seene Pope Bonifacius the 8. made a constitution in which he called himself Lord spirituall and temporall of the whole world Whereupon he required Philip the French king to acknowledge that he held his kingdome of him which when the king refused to doe hee gaue his kingdome to another This was done Anno. 1302. This pope entred as a foxe reigned as a Wolfe and died as a dog so doe they write of him CHAP. XV. Of certaine popish sects which they terme the orders of religious men WHatsoeuer I shal set down of these sects or religious orders as the papistes must needs haue them termed shal be truely and sincerely collected out of these popishe historiographers to wit Martinus Polonus Philippus Bergomensis Polyd. Virgilius Palmerius Platina and Ar. Pontacus Burdegalensis Which I here for once admonish least the often repetition thereof should be tedious Benedictus an Italian the father of all monkes erected an Abbay in the mount Cassinum and instituted the sect of the Benedictines about the yeare 527. These monkes in a short time began to be dissolute and were deuided into many new sectes whereof same were called Cluniacenses some Camalduenses some Vallisumbrenses some Montoliuotenses some GrandimonteÌ„ses some Cistertienses some Syluestrenses Al which being most variable in life maners obseruations wil for al that be right Benedictines EueÌ„ forsooth as our late popes must needs be S. Peters successors thogh they be as like as York foul SuttoÌ„ This sect of the Benedictines far altered from the first institutioÌ„ was reformed in y e yere 1335. For as Polydore grauely reporteth monks do not loÌ„g obserue their monastical institutioÌ„ The sect of the Carthusians was ordained by one Bruno in y e yere 1084. How this sect had the first originall it is worthy of due attention This is the story While Bruno was the reader of philosophy at Paris in France it chanced that a friend of his being a man of good external life died who lying dead vpoÌ„ the coffin in the church soundeth out these words in the eares of the said Bruno I am damned by the iust iudgment of God By which miracle Bruno was so terrified y t hee knew no way how to be saued but by inuenting the sect of the Carthusians Behold here the subtletie of the deuil who wanteth no means how to set vp superstition idolatry For if the story be true as I think it was in deed then doubtlesse the voice came from the diuel as which brought forth y e spirit of pride not of humility I proue it because this Bruno could not be coÌ„tent to be a monk amongst the Benedictines but he must be Lord Abbot of a new sect For since the order of the Benedictines was the ready way to heaueÌ„ as popery taught him either he condemned his own religion consequently his own institutioÌ„ or my consecution must be admitted Let what papist as list reply my reason can not be coÌ„uinced And here I note by the way the formal deformitie of al the sects or orders in poperie to wit that the papistes ascribe merite and saluation to the same Let therefore this story of our holy father Bruno neuer be forgotten The order called â—raemonstratensis began the yeare 1119. The first authour thereof was one Norbertus by name Who doubtles either conâ—emned the former orders at the least of imperfection or els was puffed vp with the spirit of pride as were his predecessors his fraterculi before him The sect of the Carmelites began in y â— yere 1170. was instituted by one Almericus y e bishop of Antioch This sect though it had the original in the time mentioned yet was it not in full perfection for the space of 40. yeres to come The sect of Dominicans whereof Tho. Aquinas surnamed Angelicus was one began in the yere 1198. The authour of this sect was one Dominicus Calaguritanus a Spaniard borne The sect it selfe was termed Ordo fratrum praedicatorum The sect of the Franciscans began in y e yere 1206. Of which sect was Io. Scotus surnamed D. Subtilis The author of this sect was one Franciscuss Asisiates an Italian born The sect it self was termed Ordo fratrum minorum Thus we see y t these Romish sects were multiplied as if it were swarmes of Bees The sect of the Iesuates began in the yeare of our Lord 1371. the author of this sect was one Ioannes Columbinus Senensis the sect it selfe was termed ordo Iesuatorum The sect of the Iesuites began in the yeare of our Lord 1540. The author thereof was one Ignatius Loyola a souldier and a Spaniard borne The moonkes of this sect as they were hatched after al others so doe they in pontificall pride exceed al the rest This sect is termed ordo societatis Iesu the verie name expressing their proud and hauty mindes For no name of so many sectes before them nor any other appellation could content them vnlesse they be termed fellowes and companions with Iesus Christ. They are indeede so proud and stately that where euery other Romish sect hath some cardinall to be their protector they only to die for it wil haue none at al. And why because forsooth they will depend vpon none neither submit themselues to any saue to the pope alone to whom I weene they wil be subiect because they can no other doe They are not only proud but very factious people They are hated generally of all sortes of men they cherish themselues and seek to ouerrule all others They employ some of their sect to no other end but only to looke into matters of state that so by parasiticall informations made to the pope they may leade all the world in a string The Perioch First therfore since popish primacie began in the yere 607. Secondly since priests marriage was neuer prohibited til the yere 385. Thirdly since popes pardoÌ„s were neuer heard of til the yere 1300. Fourthly since popish purgatory tooke no root in the Romish church til the yere 250. Fiftly since inuocation of saints adoration was not known til the yere 370. Sixtly since popish pilgrimage began in the yeere 420. Seuenthly since the merite of works de condigno was disputable about the yere 1081. Eightly since the communion vnder both kindes was neuer thought vnlawful til the yere 1414. Ninthly since the popes buls were not authenticall til the yere 772. Tenthly since auricular confession was not established till the yeere 254. Eleuenthly since general councels were euer summoned by the emperours many like matters of importance as may appeare by this smal volume I may reasonably conclude that al men careful of their saluation wil detest from their hearts al popish faction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Table containing the texts of holy scripture which are handled in this Volume Necessary at the least for the simple Reader