men believing her went after and sought and when they could not find them returned home again Then Ahimaaz and Jonathas were let out of the Well who went to David and did their message â—8 cap. as they were commanded After this when Absalom was slain Ahimaaz desired of Joab the Captain that he might bear news to the King of Absalom's death Nay said Joab thou shalt be no messenger this day because the King's Son is dead but Cushi shall go Then I pray thee quoth Ahimaaz let me go with Cushi And wherefore quoth Joab art thou so desirous to go seeing for thy tidings thou shalt have no reward whatsoever I have quoth he I pray thee let me go Then go said Joab And Ahimaaz ran a nearer way than Cushi and so got before him And as they were coming the Watch-man spied them and said to the King I see two men running hitherward and me-think the running of the foremost is like the running of Ahimaaz the Son of Sadock Oh said the King he is a good man and bringeth good tidings And so Ahimaaz came to the King before Cushi and fell down before him and said Blessed be the Lord thy God which hath shut up the men that list up their hands against my Lord the King Is the young man Absalom safe said the King Ahimaaz answered When Joab sent Cushi and me thy servant I saw much a-do but I wot not what it was Well said the King stand still Then Cushi came and said Good tidings my Lord the King for the Lord hath delivered thee this day out of the hands of all that rose against thee Is the young man Absalom safe quoth the King The Enemies of my Lord the King said he and all that rise against thee to do thee hurt be as that young man is And so the King departed and mourned for his Son Ahimaaz Erother of Counsel Ahimelech the Son of Ahitob the Son of Phinehes 1 Sam. 21. the Son of Eli was Priest of the City of Nob in whose time it chanced David being persecuted of King Saul to flye unto him for succour at whose coming with so few waiting on him Ahimelech was fore astonied and asked him wherefore he came so alone Then David bearing him in hand that the King had sent him of a secret business which might not be known desired Ahimelech to give him of such things as he had in store that he and his men might be refreshed and go about the King's affairs Then Ahimelech believing that all had been well between the King and David gave him of the * The Hebrews had three kinds of Bread as Lyra writeth The first Shew-bread which was set before the Lord. upon the propitiatory seat and thereof might no man eat but the Priests only The second bread offered upon the Altar of Holocaust which was for the Levites to eat The third was common bread and of that might all men eat hallowed bread because he saw his necessity great and had no common Bread under his hand Then David desired Ahimelech to lend him either Spear or Sword for I brought quoth he neither weapon not harness the King's business required such hast and by and by he fetcht out the Sword of Goliah and gave it to him Now * 22. cap. for this great kindness which Ahimelech had shewed to David Doeg a Servant of King Sauls accused him to his Lord of Treason And being brought before the King with all the Priests of the Lord it was objected against him how he had conspired with David the King's enemy and asked counsel of God for him and aided him both with victual and weapon To the which Ahimelech answered and said Oh King who is so faithful among all thy servants as David is or had in more honour in all thy house Is he not the King's Son-in-law and doth whatsoever thou commandest him have I not at other times as well as now asked counsel of God for him Let not my Lord the King impute any such wickedness to me or to my Fathers house for truly thy servant knew nothing of all this that thou layest to my charge either less or more Well quoth the King thou shalt surely dye And so was this innocent Man put to death with lxxxiv Priests more and the City of Nob destroyed Ahimelech a Kings Brother Ahijah 2 King 11. was a Prophet born in Shilo and chancing to meet with Jeroboam the Son of Nebat without the City of Jerusalem in the plain Fields having a new Cloak upon his back he caught the Cloak from him and rent it in twelve pieces delivering ten pieces thereof to Jeroboam saying Thus will the Lord rent the Kingdom out of the hands of Solomon because he hath forsaken the Lord and served strange Gods and give ten Tribes unto thee Therefore take heed when thou art King that thou walk in the ways of the Lord thy God for so long as thou keepest his statutes and holy commandments so long will the Lord prosper thee in the Kingdom Read more of this Prophet in the story of Abia the Son of Jeroboam Ahijah Brother of the Lord. The Father of King Baasha was called Ahijah 1 King 15. of the house of Isachar Aholah and Aholibah were two Sisters Ezech. 23. under whose names is set forth the fornication that is to say the Idolatry of Samaria and Jerusalem * The Bible note Aholah signifieth a mansion or dwelling in it self meaning Samaria which was the royal City of Israel and Aholibah signifieth my Mansion in her whereby is meant Jerusalem where Gods Temple was Aholibama was the Daughter of Ana Gen. 36. and Wife to Esau who brought him forth Children which became great Men in the World Aioth the Son of Gera Judg. 3. was the second Judge of the Hebrews a Man of great strength and valiant of courage and had equal strength and aptness in both his hands He slew Eglon King of the Moabites on this wise When Eglon had long warred on the Jews and taken from them divers Cities and kept them in much misery this Aioth came to him to Jericho bringing unto him certain Presents which liked him well and desired to speak with him privily which was granted and all others being commanded to withdraw Aioth stroke Eglon to the heart twice The last time with such puissance that the Knife with the hilt remained in the wound and so leaving him dead departed without suspicion and came unto his People declaring what he had done who being glad armed them and fell upon the Moabites and slew of them ten thousand and drave all the residue out of their Country And so the Jews being delivered by the wisdome and vertue of Aioth after made him their Judge and Prince Who governed them lxxx years in peace and died a very old man in much honour Aioth Praising or confessing Alexander 1 Mac. 1. This King at 2 Sapper in Babylon was poysoned
in vain and made him ready to depart again whereof Jonathas having knowledge he sent Ambassadors to Bachides to make peace with him to the which he gladly consented and restored to Jonathas all his Prisoners which he had taken in the Land of Juda and so returned home and never vexed Israel more Bachides One that holdeth of Bacchus or a drunkard Balaam the Son of Beor or Bosor Num. 22. cap. as S. Peter saith was a covetous Prophet and for lucre sake went to the King of Moab to curse the Host of Israel which thing God would not suffer him to do but turned his curse into a blessing Yea 2 Pet. 2.15 he was so far overcome with covetousness saith S. Peter that he could not see his iniquity when the tame Beast speaking in Man's voice rebuked him and forbad his madness Num. 31.8 He caused the Israelites through his counsel to commit Whoredome with the Daughters of Moab and to worship Baal Peor their false God and was slain among the Midianites whom Israel subdued Balaam The ancient of the People Balac Num. 22. 23 cap. the Son of Zippor King of Moab was so afraid of the Children of Israel which were pitched in the fields of Moab and all about his Country that he thought he could never be able to overcome them unless they were cursed of God wherefore he sent for Balaam the Prophet promising to promote him to honour and dignity so that he would come and curse his enemies And when the Prophet was come Balac brought him up to the high place of Baal where he might see and discern the uttermost parts of the Israelites that he might be sure to curse them all But when the Prophet went about his purpose God would not suffer him to curse his People but rather to bless them Then said Balac Did not I send for thee to curse this People and why hast thou blessed them I told thee quoth Balaam that I could speak nothing but that which the Lord would have me to speak Well said Balac I will bring thee where thou shalt see but a portion of them and not all I pray thee curse that part for my sake But notwithstanding the Prophet blessed them again Then said Balac Neither curse them nor bless them at all Well yet quoth Balac The wicked imagine of God that that which he will not grant in one place he will do it in another I will bring thee once more to another place peradventure it shall please God thou mayst curse them there for my sake But when he saw in no place the Prophet would curse the People of God he was angry with him and said I sent for thee to curse mine enemies and thou hast blessed them now three times therefore get thee quickly out of my sight for the Lord hath kept thee back from promotion and so he departed Balac In wrapping or destroying or with him that licketh Balthasar Dan. 5. cap was the Son of Nabuchodonosor and the last King of Babylon This Prince on a time made a great Banquet to all his Lords and great Estates in the which he so abused the Holy Vessels of the Temple of the Lord which his Father had brought from Jerusalem making them common Vessels for all his Guests to drink in that God was sore displeased with him And as he sate at his Banquet praising his Gods of Gold Silver Copper Iron Stone and Wood he saw the Palm of an Hand write upon the Wall before him which thing so disquieted him that all the Joynts of his Body shook And being in that great anguish he sent for all the Charmers and Conjurers in Babylon to know the meaning thereof but none of them all could read it neither yet tell what it meant Then was the King so sore afraid that his colour began to change and his Body to be sore vexed for the which the Lords and all the Estates present were sore opprest with heaviness to see the King in that case Then the old * She was Nabuchodonosor's Wife which for her age was not before at the feast but came thither when she heard these strange news Queen his Mother hearing of all that was happened came up to the Feast and cheared the King bidding him to take no thought for the matter so long as Daniel was in his Kingdom Send for him quoth she and he will tell thee what the Writing meaneth Then was Daniel sent for And being come he told the King that forasmuch as he neither remembred the fall of his Father who for his pride and high stomach was turned from the shape of a Man to the shape of a Beast for certain years neither would submit his heart but magnifie himself above the Lord of Heaven and had abused the Vessels of the house of God and set his love upon Idols which neither heard saw nor understood more than upon God in whose hand consisted his breath and all his ways therefore had God sent this hand in token of his great displeasure towards him And these be the words said Daniel to the King which the hand hath written Mene Tekel Peres And this is the meaning Mene God hath numbred thy Kingdom and brought it to an end Tekel Thou art weighed in the Balance and art found too light Peres Thy Kingdom is dealt in parts and given to the Medes and Persians And the same night was Balthasar slain and his Kingdom removed to Darius King of Media whose Sister was Balthasar's Mother Balthasar Without Treasure or searcher of Treasure Balthemus or Beeltethmus look Belemus Banajah 2 Sam. 8. ult 20.23 or Bananiahu the Son of Ichojada was a valiant Man and Ruler over the * The Cherethites and Pelethites were as the King's Guard and had charge of his person Cherethites and Pelethites He slew two strong Men in the Country of Moab and slew a Lyon in the midst of a Pit in the time of Snow He sought also with an Egyptian whose Spear was like a Weaver's Beam and slew him with his own Weapon And for these Acts and such like he gate him a Name among the Worthies He was one of David's Counsellers and proclaimed Solomon King at David's commandment He slew Adonijah at Solomon's commandment 1 King 2 25-29-35 and also Joab into whose room he was promoted Banajah in the answer in affliction or in the song Barnabas Act. 4.36 called also Joses was a Levite born in the Country of Cyprus who of a liberal mind sold his Land in Cyprus and brought the whole price thereof and laid it down at the Apostles feet with whom he was of such credit Act. 9. that when he brought Paul unto them after his conversion and declared how boldly he had done at Damascus in the Name of Jesus they received him as a Brother of whom before they were afraid This Man being full of the Holy-Ghost and faith 11 22 c. was sent to
his servants went and said O King we have heard say that the Kings of Israel be merciful Kings let us therefore put Sackcloth about our Loins and Ropes about our Necks and go and humble our selves before Achab and see if he will save thy life Benhadad did so and was pardoned and never troubled Israel more in Achab's days But afterward in another King's days he came again and besieged Samaria so long till an Asses head was sold for fourscore silver pence and the fourth part of a Cab of Doves dung for five sicles and till Women were constrained to eat their own Children Finally Benhadad fell sick and sent his servant Hasael to Elizeus the Prophet which was come to Damascus to know whether he should recover his Disease or no and having his answer of the Prophet he returned and slew his Master Benhadad as in the story of Hazael ye shall see how Benhadad the Son of a Sound or of Noise and Crying Benjamin was the youngest Son of Jacob Gen. 35.18 c. Of the Sons of Benjamin Read Gen. 46.21 his Mother was Rachel who dyed in travail and therefore called his name Benoni the Son of sorrow But Jacob his Father called him Benjamin Son of the right hand 1 Chron. 7 8. His Brothers name of Father and Mother was Joseph who loved Benjamin above all the rest of his other Brethren as in his story appeareth Benjamin Son of the right hand Berjesus Act. 13.8 which by interpretation is as much to say as the Son of Jesus was a Jew born and a great Sorcerer which Name he had taken upon him to deceive the People whereas his right name was Elymas which word in the Syrians Language betokeneth an Enchanter and a false Prophet also This false Sorcerer was got into the City of Paphos and there being crept into favour with Sergius Paulus Ruler of the Countrey withstood the Doctrine of Barnabas and Paul seeking by all means to turn the Rulers heart from the Faith in Christ But Paul being full of the Holy Ghost perceiving the devilish and subtile craft of this Sorcerer looked stedfastly upon him and said O full of all subtilty and mischief the child of the Devil and enemy of all righteousness wilt thou not cease to pervert the streight ways of the Lord Now therefore behold the hand of the Lord is upon thee and thou shalt be blind and not able to see the Sun for a season And when Paul had pronounced these words the Enchanter was stricken with blindness so that he as one amazed wandred up and down seeking for some Man to lead him by the hand Berjesus a Sorcerer or Conjurer Berzillai was a Gileadite born 2 Sam. 17.27 who considered the necessity of David so much being fled out of his own Realm for fear of his own Son Absalom into the Wilderness of Mahanaim that he brought all things necessary for Beds Meat Drink and Cloth out of Roglim to refresh him and his Men and provided so for him all the while he lay there that he lacked nothing and at his return again he helped also to convey both the King and all his Men over Jordan Then David seeing the great kindness of Berzillai was much desirous to have him home with him to Jerusalem promising that all the days of his life he should eat and drink with him at his own Board and fare no worse than he fared To whom Berzillai being a very old Man said O my Lord I am a Man of four-score years of age and cannot discern between good and evil neither yet tast any thing that I do eat or drink wherefore if I should then go with my Lord the King I should be but a burthen unto him Therefore I beseech thee let thy servant turn back again that I may dye in mine own Country and be buried in the Grave of my Father But here is thy servant Chimeam my Son let him go with my Lord and do unto him whatsoever it shall please thee And so David and Berzillai kissed each other and departed but Chimeam went with David who did not only recompence his Fathers kindness in him so long as he lived but at the day of his death declared to Solomon his Son the great fidelity he had found with Berzillai in the time of his exile charging him therefore to shew no less favour to the Sons of Berzillai for their Fathers sake than ever he himself had done Berzillai Made of Iron or as hard as Iron Bethsheba was the Daughter of Eliam 2. Sam. 11.3 and Wife to Urias which was with Joab in the King's Wars On a time as Bethsheba was washing her self in her privy Garden alone it chanced King David to look out at a Window in his Palace and saw her whose beauty so ravished the King that forthwith he sent for the Woman and committed adultery with her and so sent her home again Then shortly after she perceiving her self with child sent the King word thereof who then partly to hide his own fault and partly to save the Woman from danger of the Law sent for Urias to come home But when David saw that Urias would not company with his Wife Bethsheba he returned him back again to Joab with a Letter which caused Urias quickly to be dispatched out of his life after whose death Bethsheba became David's Wife and brought forth the child conceived in adultery which lived not long but dyed After that 12.24 she conceived again and brought forth Solomon Lastly when David was fallen into extreme age and that she saw Adonijah the Son of Agith begin to aspire to the Kingdom of his Father yet living she went by the counsel of Nathan the Prophet who had taught her her Lesson unto David her husband And making her humble obeysance unto the King as he sate in his Chamber and Abishag the Shunamite ministring unto him he said unto her what is the matter She answered my Lord thou swarest by the Lord thy God unto thine Handmaid saying assuredly Solomon thy Son shall reign after me and he shall sit upon my Seat And behold now is Adonijah King and thou my Lord the King knowest it not He hath offered Oxen fat Cattel and many Sheep and hath called all the Kings Sons and Abiathar the Priest and Joab the Captain of the Host But Solomon thy servant hath he not bidden And now my Lord O King the eyes of all Israel wait on thee that thou shouldest tell them who ought to sit on the Seat of my Lord the King after him for else when my Lord the King shall sleep with his Fathers I and my Son Solomon shall be sinners The Queen had no sooner done speaking but the Prophet Nathan came and confirmed her words Whereupon the King assured Bethsheba that Solomon her Son should be that day proclaimed to reign in his stead The Queen then humbling her self with thanks desired of God that her Lord King David might live
arise and eat telling him that he had yet a great Journey to go then he arose and did eat again and with the strength of that Meat Elijah fasteth forty days and forty nights he walked Forty Days and Forty Nights till he came to Horeb the Mount of God and hiding himself in a Cave all Night the Voice of the Lord came to him and asked him what he did there I have said he been very jealous for the Lord God of Hosts For the Children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant broken down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the Sword and I only am left and they seek my life to take it away Then the Lord commanded him to come out of the Cave and sent him to anoint Hazael King over Syria And Jehu King of Israel and Eliseus in his room Read more of this Prophet in the stories of these three aforesaid in Achab Ahazia and Obadiah and Eliseus Elijah God the Lord. Eliakim was the High Priest among the Jews Judith 4. cap. at what time Holofernes went about to subdue them who sent Letters all about to the Jews to take in the Mountains and to stop all the ways and passages to Jerusalem that their enemies the Assyrians might have no recourse thither That done he exhorted the People to earnest prayer and fasting assuring them that the Lord would hear their Petitions if they continued stedfast in the same and give them such power to overthrow the Assyrians as he gave to Moses the servant of God which overthrew the Amalekites trusting in their own strength not with weapon but with holy prayer Eliakim The Resurrection of God or Gods affirmation or the God of resurrection or the God of strength Elimelech was an Ephraimite born Ruih 1.1 2 c. dwelling in the City of Bethleem Juda in whose days there fell such a dearth in the Land of Juda that he with his Wife and two Sons the one Mahlon the other Chilion went into the Land of Moab where in process he and his two Sons died Elimelech My God the King or the counsel of God Eliphaz was the Son of Esau Gen. 36.4 and his Mothers name was Ada. Eliphaz the sight of God or his intent or endeavour Eliphaz the Temanite Job 2.11 was one of those that came to Job in his extream afflictions to comfort him Job 4. And yet notwithstanding he blamed Job for impatience injustice Job 15. and for the presumption of his own righteousness Also he reproved him Job 22. because he challenged wisdome and pureness to himself Affirming also that he was punished for his sins and accused him of unmercifulness and that he denied God's providence and therefore exhorteth him to repentance But the Lord was angry with Eliphaz Job 43.7 and with his other Companions because they had condemned Job by the outward afflictions and not comforted him with his mercy and therefore commanded them to take seven Oxen and seven Rams and to go and offer a burnt-offering for their offence and his servant Job should pray for them And they did as the Lord had commanded them Elisa 1 Chron. 1.7 was the Son of Javan his Brethren were Tharshish Kittim and Dodanim Elisa it is God or the Lamb of God or God that doth good Eliseus 2 King 19.19 was the Son of Shaphat And being at the Plough with Twelve Yoke of Oxen before him Elijah coming by him cast his Mantle over him and went his ways Then Eliseus being inspired with the Holy-Ghost left his Plough and ran after Elijah desiring him that he might first go home and take his leave of his friends and then he would come and follow him which thing being done he returned and ministred to Elijah and went with him to Bethel 2. King 2. and from thence to Jericho where the Children of the Prophets came to Eliseus and said Knowest thou not that the Lord will take thy Master from thine Head this day Yes quoth he I know it well hold ye your peace and be still And so forth from Jericho they went to Jordan where Elijah smote the Waters with his Mantle which divided themselves so that they two went over on dry Land The Waters divided And when they were on the other side of Jordan Elijah said to Eliseus Ask what I shall do for thee ere I be taken away from thee I pray thee quoth Eliseus let thy spirit be double upon me Thou hast asked quoth he an hard thing Yet if thou see me when I am taken from thee thou shalt have it so if not it shall not be And as they were walking and talking together Elijah is taken up in the fiery Chariot Elijah was taken up in a Whirlwind of Fire and in a Chariot of fiery Horses which sight Eliseus saw and cryed My Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen thereof and saw him no more Then Eliseus rent his own Cloak in two pieces and took up Elijah's Mantle which he had let fall from him and returned to the bank of Jordan and smote the Waters saying Where is the Lord God of Elijah and he himself and at the second smiting the Waters divided so that he went over on dry Land to the other side again Then the Children of the Prophets perceiving the Spirit of Elijah to be upon Eliseus came and fell down before him saying We doubt lest the Spirit of the Lord hath taken thy Master and cast him upon some Mountain therefore let us send forth our Men to go and seek him But Eliseus knowing assuredly that he was taken unto God willed them not to do so yet they not therewithall satisfied intreated him so much till he was ashamed and so let them go And when they had sought three days and three nights and could not find him they returned to Eliseus who said unto them Did not I say ye should not find him Now as the Prophet lay at Jericho the Men of the City came unto him saying Sir the situation of this City as thou seest is pleasant The Waters are healed but the Water is so evil and the ground so barren that it killeth the Inhabitants thereof Then said Eliseus bring me a Cruise and put Salt therein And when they had brought him the Cruise he took it and went unto the Spring of the Waters and cast the Salt therein saying Thus saith the Lord I have healed this Water death shall no more come thereof neither barrenness to the ground After he had thus healed the Water at Jericho 2 King 3. cap. and was departed thence to go to Bethel there came little Children out of the City who in mockery said unto him Come up thou bald head The Children for mocking the Prophet are devoured with Bears come up thou bald head The Prophet then turned back and beheld the Children and perceiving their malicious hearts he cursed them in the Name of the Lord which
had judged them forty years he dyed leaving behind him 70. Sons for he had many Wives beside Abimelech which his Concubine bare unto him in the City of Sichem But when Gedeon was dead the Israelites turned from God again and went a whoring after Baalim and made Baal-berith their God forgetting the Lord their God which had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies neither shewed they mercy on the house of Jerubbaal according to all the goodness which he had shewed unto them But contrariwise like men unthankful and void of all faithfulness consented to the utter destruction of all his Posterity Gedeon a Breaker or destroyer Gehazi waited upon Eliseus the Prophet and was his servant 2 King 5. cap. On a time there came to his Master out of the Land of Syria a certain Prince named Naaman to be cured of his Leprosie The which Prince being restored to health offered to Eliseus a great reward which he refused And when Gehazi saw the Noble man gone and that his Master had received nothing he then being stricken with covetousness followed after Naaman And when the Prince saw the Prophets servant come running so fast after him he for the reverence he bare to his Master descended from his Chariot to meet him and asked of him if all were well with his Master or no. Yea said Gehazi all is well But even now there is come to my Master from Mount Ephraim two young Men of the Sons of the Prophets wherefore he hath sent me to desire thee to let him have one Talent of Silver and two change of Garments Then the Prince of his liberality gave him two Talents and made his Men to carry the Money and Stuff after Gehazi And when the Men had brought it nigh unto the place where he would have it he took it of their hands and let them depart and conveighed it privily into his own Chamber And as soon as Gehazi came into the presence of his Master he demanded where he had been No where quoth he No said Eliseus went not my heart with thee when the man turned again from his Chariot to meet thee Is it now a time to receive Money or Garments Well forasmuch as thou hast offended in this the Leprosie of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and to thy Seed for ever And so he went out from his Master a Leper as white as snow Read more of Gehazi in the Stories of Eliseus his Master Gehazi Vally of vision Gershon the Son of Moses had a Brother called Eliezar Exod. 2.22 18.2 Their Mothers name was Zipporah the Daughter of Raguel But of Gershon the Son of Levi came the Gershonites Exod. 6.17 Num. 3.17 26.57 who had the governance of the habitation within the tabernacle Gershon his banishment or the strangers change Gibeonites Joshua 9. The Gibeonites hearing of the great destruction that Joshua had made at Jericho and Ai were in such fear that they wist not how to save their lives but by this policy When they perceived Joshua to draw nigh unto Gibeon they chose out certain Men among them to send as Ambassadours to Joshua and made their provision of dry and mouldy Bread And put their Wine into old Bottles all rent and torn and shod themselves with old clouted shooes and put on their backs old garments and so sent them forth to Joshua to obtain peace And when Joshua looked upon them and beheld their simple state he asked what they were and from whence they came They answered from a far Countrey are thy Servants come because of the name of the Lord thy God for we have heard of his fame and power and what he did in the Land of Egypt and in all other places till now And long have we travailed to come hither as ye may see for this our food the day we came forth was hot our bottles shooes and garments all new and now are they old and torn and our Bread dry and mouldy wherefore we shall desire your favour and peace Then Joshua believing it had been so swore unto the Gibeonites and made a covenant of peace with them and let them go Within three days after it fortuned the Israelites to come to the City of Gibeon thinking to have destroyed it But when they saw that they were the People which a little before had obtained peace at their hands they would not slay them because of their oath but went to Joshua and told him Then Joshua sent for them demanded wherefore they had so deceived him They answered it was told us that God commanded Moses to give you this Land and to slay all the Inhabitants thereof and therefore were we sorced to make this provision for our lives And now we be in your hands to do with us as shall please you Well said Joshua for our oath sake ye shall have your lives But for as much as ye have so craftily deceived us the Lord hath determined that ye shall be in bondage under Israel all the days of your lives and be Hewers of Wood and Water-drawers for the Congregation and House of God continually And so the Israelites took their Cities but saved their lives After this Joshua 10.5 6 c. the Kings of the Amorites hearing how the Gibeonites had made peace with Israel came upon them and besieged Gibeon which was the greatest City in all the Kingdom of the Amorites whereupon the Gibeonites were constrained to send to Joshua for his aid who came from Gilgal and with a great power rescued them and took the Kings of the Amorites which were five in number and hanged them on five several Trees and destroyed all their People and Countries 2 Sam. 1 2 c. Thus the Gibeonites continued in Bondage under the Israelites with their lives until the time of King Saul who then for a zeal he had to the Children of Israel and Juda slew a great number of them which deed God punished in the days of King David at what time he sent a Famine upon the Land which continued for the space of three years for when David enquired at the Lord the cause of that Plague answer was made him by God that it was for Saul and his bloody house who had killed the Gibeonites which Gibeonites were none of the Seed of Israel but a remnant of the Amorites with whom the Children of Israel had made a bond of peace Then David asking the Gibeonites what he should do for them and wherewith he should recompence them they said we will neither have Silver nor Gold of Saul nor of his House nor that any Man of Israel be killed for our sakes but the Man that hath consumed us and imagined to bring us to naught him will we destroy Therefore let his seven Sons be delivered unto us that we may hang them up before the Lord. Then David caused the two Sons of Rizpah Saul's Concubine and the five Sons of * Here is Michol
7.24 c. For John prophesied Christ to be come pointing him with his finger unto the People saying Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World whereas all the other Prophets did but prophesie of his coming long before he came Matth. 14.3 Finally John using his liberty in rebuking Vice without any accepting of Persons reproved King Herod for keeping his Brother Philip's Wife for the which he was cast into Prison and soon after lost his Head Read the story of Herod the Tetrarch and of Herodias John the Evangelist Matth. 4.21 was the Son of Zebedee and Brother to James and called from his Fisher-boat to be an Apostle of Christ John 13.23.19.26.21.20 and was of all other most entirely beloved of Jesus who commended his Mother unto him at the hour of his death He wrote his Gospel against Cerinthus and other Hereticks and chiefly against the Ebionites which did affirm that Christ was not before Mary whereby he was constrained to set forth the Divine Birth of Christ In the time of the Emperor Domitian he was exiled into an Isle called Patmos where he wrote the Revelation and after the death of Domitian in the time of Pertinax he returned to Ephesus remaining there till the time of Trajanus and did raise up and set in order many Churches in Asia and did three-score years after the death of Christ and was buried at Ephesus John Mark Act. 12. ult When Paul and Barnabas had been at Jerusalem to distribute the Alms sent by the Antiochians in their return they brought this Man John sirnamed Mark with them to Antioch And when the Holy Ghost had separated Paul and Barnabas from the other Disciples to the intent that they should go and spread abroad the Gospel among the Gentiles and those that were far off they took this John Mark with them to be their Minister and Companion who bare them company from Antioch until they came to Pamphilia Act. 13.5 c. and farther would he not go but left them there and returned to Jerusalem again notwithstanding the Apostes went forth and fulfilled their office And when it came in their minds to go and visit these places again wherein they had sowed the Word of God Barnabas gave counsel to take John with them which had been their Minister before to whose mind Paul would not consent forasmuch as John of his own accord had forsaken them at Pamphilia before they had finished their work And so reasoning and disputing about this matter the contention was so sharp between these two Holy-men that the one forsook the others company And so Barnabas taking John Mark with him sailed into Cyprus Jonadab was the Son of Shimeah David's Brother 2 Sam. 13.3 and a very subtil Man He loved Amnon his Unkle David's Son above the rest of all his Brethren Of the counsel he gave to Amnon concerning his Sister Thamar Read the story of Amnon Jonadab Voluntary or Willing Jonas the Son of Amittai was an holy Prophet Jonas 1. cap. 2 King 14.25 commanded of God to go to Niniveh that great City to tell the People of their wickedness who * The Mother of this Prophet was the poor Widow of Sarepta whose Meal and Oil Elias encreased and restored her Son from death to life again notwithstanding perswaded himself by his own reason that he should nothing profit there seeing he had so long Prophesied among his own Country-men the Jews and done no good at all Wherefore he minding to flye to Tarsus got him to Joppa where he found a Ship ready payed his fare and went with them And being on the Sea a tempest rose so vehemently that the Mariners were sore afraid crying every Man unto his God and to lighten the Ship they cast all the Wares into the Sea which nothing availed Then went the Master of the Ship down under the hatches and finding Jonas fast asleep awoke him saying O thou sleeper what meanest thou arise and call upon thy God that we perish not And when no remedy could be had they agreed to cast Lots that thereby they might know for whose cause they were troubled and so doing the Lot fell on Jonas They seeing that said Tell us for whose cause we are thus troubled And what thine occupation is And what thou art And whence thou comest and whither thou goest And what Country-man thou art of what Nation I am said Jonas an Hebrew born and fear the Lord God of Heaven which made both the Sea and dry Land and am fled from his presence And when they heard that they were more afraid than before and said what shall we do unto thee that the Sea may cease from troubling of us Take me quoth Jonas and cast me into the Sea and ye shall have rest for I wot it is for my sake that this evil is come upon you Nevertheless the Men being loth to commit such a deed assayed with rowing to bring the Ship to Land And when they saw the Sea so troublous against them that it would not be they cryed unto the Lord and said O Lord let us not perish for this Man's death neither lay thou innocent bloud unto our charge For thou O Lord hast done even as thy pleasure was And so they took Jonas and cast him into the Sea which incontinent was calm and still And a certain great Fish prepared of the Lord received Jonas and swallowed him up into his body where he lay in prayer three Days and three Nights And being then cast out again on dry Land The Lord commanded him straight-way to go to Niniveh and do as he had charged him And when he came to the City was entered a days Journey in the same he cryed out saying There are yet forty days and then shall Niniveh be overthrown But when his Prophecie came to none effect by reason of the Peoples great repentance he was sore displeased and in his prayer said O Lord was not this my saying I pray thee when I was yet in my Countrey and the cause of my flying to Tarsus that thou wast a merciful God full of compassion long suffering and of great goodness and wouldest repent thee of the evil And now O Lord forasmuch as I am found false in my sayings take I beseech thee my life from me for I had rather dye than live And so Jonas got him out of the City and made him a Booth on the East side thereof And as he sat under the shadow of his Booth to see what should become of the City the Lord caused a wild Vine to spring over his Head to give him more shadow to defend the heat of the Sun from him whereof Jonas was very glad But on the next morrow when he perceived the Vine withered away and that for lack of the shadow thereof he waxed faint thorow the fervent heat of the Sun which burned him so sore he wished in himself that he
the King of Juda and the King of Edom by whose help and chiefly Eliseus read the place in his story he overcame the Moabites Also the Syrians could lye no where but Joram had knowledge by Eliseus who told him of all their secret lurking places by which means Joram ever saved himself Wherefore the King of Syria sent and besieged the Town round about where the Prophet Eliseus lay And as his Servant was going forth in the Morning about his Master's business and saw the Town so compassed with enemies he ran ‖ in again crying Alas Master what shall we do for the Syrians are come upon us Fear not quoth Eliseus for they that be with us are more than they that be with them And by and by the eyes of his Servant were so opened that he saw the Mountains lye full of Horses and fiery Chariots to defend his Master And now when the Syrians were come to Eliseus and thought themselves surest of him they were at his prayer smitten with such blindness that they could not know the Prophet when he spake unto them saying that that was not the Town where the Man lay which they sought but follow me quoth he and I will bring you to the place where he is and so he led them forth and brought them into the City of Samaria where Joram lay who seeing now his Enemies to be in his power said to Eliseus Father shall I smite them No said he Smite those which thou takest with thine own Sword and Bow but rather set Bread and Water before them that they may eat and drink and so depart to their Master Then the King prepared a great refection for the Syrians and filled their Bellies well and sent them home again for the which gentle intreaty of Joram the King of Syria never troubled him more After this when Benhadad King of Syria had besieged Samaria so long till Women were constrained to eat their own Children Joram took such displeasure with Eliseus laying the cause upon him that in his fury he sent to take away his Head Which thing being revealed to the Prophet he said to his Friends that were with him in his House See ye not how this Mutherer's Son hath sent to take away my Head Take heed and be circumspect when the Messenger cometh and keep him at the Door for the sound of his Masters feet is behind him which was even so for the King's mind altered he followed the Messenger and came to the Prophet himself saying This evil is of the Lord and what more shall I look for of him 2 King 7 1 c. No more said the Prophet For to morrow this time shall a Bushel of fine Flowre be sold for a shekel and two Bushels of Barley for another shekel in the Gate of Samaria which came so to pass the next day for the great Host of the Syrians at the sound of the feet of four Lepers were run away and had left all their Tents behind them 9.24 c. Finally to fulfil the word of the Lord concerning the destruction of Ahab's Posterity Joram was slain with an Arrow shot by Jehu and his Body cast into a Plat of Ground that was Naboth the Jesraelite's after he had reigned twelve years Joram 2 King 8.16 2 Chron. 21. the Son of Jehosaphat was two and thirty years old when he began to reign over Juda. He married King Ahab's Daughter whose wicked steps he followed He slew all his own Brethren with divers of his Nobles The Edomites which had been subject from David's time hitherto rebelled now against Joram Also Libna which was a certain City in Juda given to the Levites Josh 21.13 would no more be under his hand because he had forsaken the Lord God of their Fathers Finally The Prophet's Letter the Prophet Eliseus to admonish him of his wickedness wrote to Joram on this wise The Lord saith because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehosaphat thy Father nor in the ways of Asae thy Grandfather but in the ways of the Kings of Israel and hast made Juda to go a whoring after the House of Ahab and hast also slain thy Brethren even thy Fathers house who were better Men than thy self Therefore with a great Plague will the Lord smite thy Folk thy Children thy Wives and all thy Goods And thou shalt be diseased in thy Bowels which day by day shall fall out of thy Body And so the Lord stirred up against Joram the Philistines the Arabians with the Ethiopians which wasted his Countrey and carried away his substance his Wives and all his Sons save Ahaziah the youngest and smote him with an incurable Disease in his Bowels which held him two years till all his Guts fell out and so he died after he had reigned eight years Joram the highness of the Lord. Jehosaphat the Son of Asa 1 King 15.24 began his Reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab King of Israel and walked in the old ways of his Father David and in the Commandments of God and not in the ways of Israel This godly King to have the fear of the Lord renewed among his People in the third year of his Reign sent certain of his Lords thorowout all his Realm and with them godly learned and ancient Fathers of the Levites with the Book of the Law whose Commission was to see all Idolatry and superstition suppressed and the Laws of God purely and sincerely taught and followed which was so diligently done that the fear of the Lord fell so upon all the Kingdoms round about him that no Man troubled him but presented him with gifts The Philistines with Tribute-money the Arabians with Cattel so that within a while he grew into great riches and honor And being thus endued with abundance of treasure and substance he joyned affinity with Ahab taking his part against the Syrians where notwithstanding the Lord preserved him and brought him safe home again But forsomuch as in his absence the People were somewhat swerved from the Lord the Prophet John came to him and said Because thou hast helped the ungodly and loved them whom the Lord doth hate the wrath of God is come upon thee nevertheless good things are found in thee because thou hast taken away the Groves out of the Land and hast prepared thine heart to seek God Then Jehosaphat fearing the Lord went about all his Realm to bring the People again unto the Lord And when he had set godly Judges and Levites in every City the one to judge in temporal causes and the other in matters of the Lord he gave to either of them his charge saying first to the Judges on this wise Take heed ye Judges what ye do for ye execute not the judgment of Man but of God which is with you in judgment wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you and take heed and be doing the thing that pleaseth him for there is no unrighteousness
and drink the bloud And also purposed to consume all the Wheat Wine and Oil which are reserved and sanctified for the Priests and not lawful for the People to touch Wherefore I thy Handmaid knowing all this am fled from their presence for God hath sent me to work a thing with thee that all the Earth shall wonder for thy servant feareth the Lord and worshippeth the God of Heaven day and night And now let me remain with thee my Lord and let thy servant go out in the Night to the Valley and I will pray unto God that he may reveal unto me when they shall commit their sins that I may shew them unto thee and then mayest thou surely go forth with thine Army for no Man shall resist thee and I will bring thee to Jerusalem in such safety that there shall not so much as one Dog bark against thee Now was Holofernes so well pleased with the words of this Woman and so far in love with her beauty that he commanded her Lodging to be made in the Tent where his Treasure lay and to prepare her Diet of the same that he himself did eat and drink of but notwithstanding she told the King that she might not eat of his Meat lest she should offend her God but I can satisfie my self quoth she with such things as I have brought Then how shall we do quoth Holofernes if these things that thou hast brought do fail where shall we have the like to give thee As truly as the soul of my Lord liveth quoth she thine Handmaid shall not spend all that I have till God have brought to pass in my hand the thing that I have determined And so being licensed to go out and in every night at her pleasure to pray she went three nights together into the Valley of Bethulia calling upon God to prosper her device for the deliverance of his People and at each time returned to her Tent again And upon the fourth day as it happened Holofernes by God's providence to make a great Banquet unto his Lords he sent Vago his Chamberlain to Judith to counsel her to come and keep Company with him that Night for it were a shame for us quoth he if we should let such a Woman alone and not talk with her we will allure her lest she do mock us And when the Messenger had done his message brought Judith to Holofernes his spirit by and by was moved and ravished with her beauty Sit down now quoth he and drink with us and be merry I will drink now my Lord quoth she and rejoyce because my state is exalted more than ever it was before And so she eat and drank before him of such things as her Maid had prepared Then Holofernes rejoyced so much in Judith that he drank more Wine at that time than ever he had done in one day before Now when the evening was come and every Man departed and gone to their Lodging Vago the King 's Chamberlain shut the Chamber-door and went his way to Bed leaving none but Judith in the Chamber with Holofernes for her Maid was commanded to stand without the Chamber-door to wait her Mistress coming forth to pray And as Holofernes lay stretched along upon his Bed overcome with Wine Judith stood by his Beds side and prayed on this wise O Lord God of all power strengthen me and have respect unto the works of my hands in this hour that thou mayst set up thy City of Jerusalem like as thou hast promised O grant that by Thee I may perform the thing which I have devised and so took down his Sword and holding him fast by the hair of his Head said Strengthen me O Lord God of Israel in this hour and with that smote off his Head and rolled the dead Body aside and got her forth to her Maid and put the Head in her Wallet and went forth together as though they had gone as their custome was to pray And so passing by the Host and coming nigh to the City of Bethulia she called to the Watchmen to open the Gate for God is with us quoth she and hath shewed his power in Israel And when the Gates were set open the People received her young and old with such joy as never the like was seen Then said Judith Oh praise ye the Lord and give thanks unto our God which hath not taken away his mercy from the house of Israel but hath destroyed our enemies this Night by my hand And behold here his Head whom the Lord hath slain by me his Minister and returned his Handmaid without any reproach of villany wherefore give praise and thanks to our God whose mercy endureth for ever Now take the Head and hang it upon the highest place of your Walls and in the morning when the Sun appeareth go forth with your Weapons like valiant Men and make as though ye would set upon your enemies who will then prepare them to Armour But when they shall go to raise up their Captain and find him without a Head there will such a fearfulness fall upon them that every Man will seek to save himself by flying then do ye follow them without all care for God hath delivered them into your hands And so the Israelites followed the Assyrians which kept no order and slew them down right And when they had slain all their enemies and gathered up the spoil they gave the Tent of Holofernes and all that belonged to him unto Judith by whom God had so mightily wrought their deliverance and had her in great honour all the days of her life who at the Age of an hundred and five years dyed and was most honorably buried in Bethulia beside her husband Judith he that praiseth or confesseth Judith the Daughter of Beeri the Hittite Gen. 26.34 was Wife to Esau the Son of Isaac Iulius Act. 27.1 was a Centurion of the Band of Augustus to whom Paul with other Prisoners were committed to be carried to Rome and of him gently intreated Julius Down or downy and full of fine beares K. KEDORLAOMER was King of Elam Who Gen. 14. with three Kings more that took his part fought with the King of Sodom and the King of Gomorrha Four Kings against five and other three on their parts which five Kings had been xii years in subjection under him in the Valley of Siddim and put them to flight and spoiled the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha where they found Lot Abraham's Brothers Son and carried him away with all the Goods of Sodom and Gomorrha which Goods with Lot also were recovered again by Abraham Kedorlaomer the generation of servitude or the house of bondage Keturah was Abraham's Wife who bare unto him six Sons Keturah smelling sweet like spice Gen. 25.1 or perfuming or bound L. LABAN the Son of Bethuel called also Nahor Abraham's Brother had two Daughters Gen. 29. cap. the one named Leah and the other Rachel which two
he set two Crowns upon his Head the Crown of Egypt and Asia Then Alexander who at that time lay in the Countrey of Cilicia hearing of all that his Father-in-law had done returned home and made War against him But Ptolomy being the stronger chased him into the Countrey of Arabia where the King of that Land smote off his Head and sent it to Ptolomy which pleasure he did not long enjoy for within three days after Ptolomy dyed himself After whose death his Men of War which he had left in the Cities were all slain Ptolomy 1 Mac. 16. the Son of Abobus married with the Daughter of Symon Brother to Machabeus And being made Captain of the Host at Jericho he began thorow his great abundance of Gold and Silver to wax proud and high-minded imagining how he might destroy Symon his Father-in-law and his Sons and so to conquer the Land And being in this mind it chanced Symon as he was going thorow the Cities of Jewry and caring for them to come down to Jericho with Mattathias and Judas his Sons where this Ptolomy received him under the colour of great friendship into a strong Castle of his named Douch and in the same made him a great Banquet at the which he most traiterously slew Symon his Father-in-law with both his Sons This done he wrote to Antiochus to send him an Host of Men and he would deliver the Land of Jewry into his hand And further he sent certain Men to Gaza to kill John the third Son of Symon and wrote to the Captains to come unto him and he would reward them with Silver and Gold But John having knowledge of all the Treason slew the Messengers which came from Ptolomy and so disappointed him of all his purpose Ptolomie sirnamed Macron being made a Ruler 2 Mac. 10. purposed to do Justice unto the Jews for the wrongs that had been done unto them and went about to behave himself peaceably with them for the which he was accused of his friends to Eupator and was called oft-times Traytour because he had left Cyprus that Philometor had committed unto him and came to Antiochus Epiphanes Therefore seeing that he was no more in estimation he was discouraged and poisoned himself and dyed Publius Act. 28.7 8 c. was a certain Man dwelling in the Isle called Melitus and the chiefest Man in all the Isle who received Paul with all the rest that had escaped the Seas very gently and lodged them three days in his House whose Father which lay sick of an Ague and of a bloudy flux Paul healed Publius a Latine word Putiphar Gen. 39.1 c. was a great Lord in the Land of Egypt and Steward of King Pharaoh's house He bought Joseph of the Ishmaelites and found him a lucky Man And when he saw that God did prosper all things under his hand he made him Ruler and Governour of all that he had and God did bless his house for Joseph's sake But in the end thorow the false accusation of his Wife he cast Joseph in Prison R. RACHEL Gen. 30.22 c. 31.19 c. the youngest Daughter of Laban the Son of Nahor was a beautiful young Woman and Jacob's Wife She being long barren at the last brought forth a Son and called his Name Joseph And at her departing from Laban her Father with Jacob her Husband into the Land of Canaan she stole away her Fathers * Not to worship them but to withdraw her Father from Idolatry Images from him for the which he made no little ado with Jacob whom he followed and overtook at Mount Gilead And when her Father had searched Jacob's Tents and could not find his Idols he came into Rachel his Daughters Tent who had hid them in the Camels litter and sat upon them And as her Father was rifling about the place where she sat she said O my Lord be not angry that I cannot rise up before thee for the custome of Women is come upon me and so the thing was not known Finally Rachel in travailling of her second Son whom she called Ben-Oni the Son of my sorrow dyed and was buried in the way to Ephrath which is Bethlchem where Jacob caused a stone to be set upon her Grave which was called Rachels grave-stone Rachel a Sheep Raguel Tob. 6 7. was a certain Man dwelling at Rages a City of the Medes whose Sister was Wife to old Toby This Raguel had a Daughter called Sarah which had been married to seven Men one after another which Men were all slain the first Night of their marriage by the Devil dsmodius To this Sarah God had appointed young Toby which feared God to be her Husband and made his holy Angel Raphael to bring him to Rages and so to Raguel's house his Mother's Brother where they were joyfully received And when Raguel had looked upon young Toby and beheld him well he said unto his Wife how like is this young Man to my Sisters Son And then to know who they were he said whence be ye my good Brethren We be said they of the Tribe of Nephtali and of the captivity of Niniveh Know ye said he Tobias our Kinsman Yea said they we know him well and this young man said the Angel is his Son With that Raguel bowed himself and with weeping eyes took him about the Neck and kissed him and bad his Wife prepare in all hast for Dinner Nay said Toby I will neither eat nor drink here this day except thou grant me my Petition and promise to give me thy Daughter Sarah Then was Raguel fore astonied and began to fear lest it should happen unto him as it did to the other seven And while he stood in doubt what answer to make the Angel said Fear not to give him thy Daughter for unto this Man that feareth God belongeth she and to none other I doubt not said Raguel but God hath accepted my prayers and tears in his sight and I trust he hath caused you to come unto me for the same intent that this Daughter of mine might be married in her own Kindred according to the Law of Moses And now doubt thou not my Son but I will give her unto thee And with that he took the right hand of his Daughter and gave her into the right hand of Toby saying the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob be with you joyn you together and fulfil his blessing in you And when the Marriage all was ended Raguel brought his Daughter into her Chamber and said Be of good cheer my Daughter the Lord of Heaven give thee joy for the heaviness that thou hast suffered and so went to rest Then in the morning about the Cock-crowing Raguel supposing all things to have happened to Toby as it did to the other seven before called up his Men and went and made ready his Grave which being done he bad his Wife send one of her Maidens to
Samson out of prison to play before them and to make them laugh The house was full of Men and Women so many that in the roof of the same there was about three thousand to behold Samson while he played before the Lords and great men And as he stood between the great Pillars which bare up all the house he called upon God in his mind saying O Lord think upon me and strengthen me at this time only that I according to my vocation executing thy judgment may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes And with that he caught the Pillars in his hands saying Let me lose my life with the Philistines and so shook the Pillars with all his might and brought down the house upon them and killed them all Then his brethren hearing thereof came and took up the body of Samson and buried him with Manoah his Father after he had judged Israel twenty years who had been in subjection under the Philistines forty years Samson there the second time because the Angel appeared the second time at the prayer of his Father Samuel 1 Sam. 1.20.28 the Son of Elkanah and Hannah was the next Judge after Eli and the last that judged Israel And because his Mother had asked him of God therefore she called his name Samuel And when he was able to do any ministration in the Temple his Mother brought him to Eli and gave him unto the Lord according to her promise And so Samuel ministred unto the Lord before Eli 3. cap. And one day as he laid him down to sleep in the Temple the Lord called him And Samuel thinking it had been his Master ran to Eli to know his pleasure who said he called him not And at the third time when Samuel came to his Master again Eli said unto him Go and lay thee down once more and if he call thee again then say thou Speak Lord for thy servant heareth And when the Lord had called him the fourth time and had opened unto him all that he had determined against the house of Eli for not correcting his Sons for their great wickedness Samuel went to his Master Eli and at his commandment told him every whit what the Lord had said Now Samuel being the Lord's Prophet judged the People and was both loved and feared of them And when he began to wax old 8. cap. and was not able to bear the burden he made his two Sons Joel and Abiah Judges over Israel thinking that they would imitate his steps But contrariwise they were so covetous that for lucre sake they perverted all true justice whereupon the Elders of Israel perceiving Samuel to be old and his Sons given all to covetousness went to Samuel desiring of him that they might have a King to raign over them as other Nations had Then Samuel hearing them speak of a King was sore displeased But nevertheless at the Lords commandment who bad him make them a King he first declared to them the office and authority of a King and then anointed Saul to be their King and Governour whom he sent to Gilgal 1 Sam. 10.8 commanding Saul to tarry there seven days and then he would come and tell him what he should do 13.8 9 c. And on the seventh day when Samuel came to Saul and saw he had offered before he came he asked him what he had done Quoth Saul when I saw the People begin to scatter from me and that thou tarriedst so long I offered burnt-offerings lest the Philistines should come upon me before I had made my supplication unto the Lord. Now said Samuel thou hast played the fool For if thou haddest kept the Lord's commandment he would have stablished thy Kingdom for ever But now it shall not continue For the Lord hath sought him out a man after his own heart which shall rule the People and so Samuel departed to his house at Gibeah 15. cap. After this when Saul had broken the Lord's commandment in saving Agag King of the Amalekites alive and had made a sacrifice unto the Lord of their best Sheep and Cattel which he reserved Samuel came whereof the King was very glad and told him that he had fulfilled the Lord's commandment But what meaneth then quoth Samuel the bleating of the Sheep and noise of Oxen that I hear There are quoth he the best Sheep and Oxen that the People hath spared to sacrifice unto the Lord but the rest have we destroyed Then said Samuel Did not the Lord when thou wert little in thine own eyes make thee King over Israel and gave thee a charge utterly to destroy those sinners the Amalekites And wherefore hast thou obeyed the People and not the Lord I have quoth he done all that the Lord commanded me and saved none but Agag Hath the Lord quoth Samuel as great pleasure in burnt sacrifices and offerings as when the voice of the Lord is obeyed Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken is better than the fat of Rams for rebellion is as the sin of Witcherast and stubbornness is as the wickedness of Idolatry And because thou hast cast away the word of the Lord therefore hath the Lord cast away thee from being King Then said Saul I have sinned and gone further than the saying of the Lord therefore take away my sin and turn again with me that I may worship the Lord. Nay quoth Samuel I will not return with thee for thou hast cast away the Lord and he hath cast away thee And as Samuel was turning himself to have gone away Saul caught him by the lap of his Garment and it rent Then said Samuel the Lord hath rent the Kingdom of Israel from thee this day and given it to a neighbour of thine better than thy self Nevertheless through great intreaty of Saul Samuel went with him And when they had worshipped the Lord Agag was brought to Samuel who took and hewed him in pieces and so departed to Ramah where he mourned so long for Saul till the Lord reproved him for it and sent him to Bethlehem to anoint David Which thing done he went home again to Ramah where he remained until he dyed Samuel heard of God Sanballat the Heronite 2 Esd 2.6 cap. when he heard of the grant that Achemiah had obtained of Artaxerxes for the building of the Temple at Jerusalem he was marvellously grieved therewith and sought by all means how to lett the Jews of their purpose Sanballat A Bush in a secret place or in a privy corner Sapphira Act. 5.1 8 c. the Wife of Ananias being of his Counsel in keeping away part of the price of a possession which they had sold came unto Peter about three hours after her Husband ignorant of that which was done unto whom Peter said Tell me Sapphira sold ye the Land for so much yea quoth she for so much Why have ye quoth Peter agreed together to tempt the spirit of the Lord Behold
noble Isle of Crete And in every City within the Isle Titus ordained an Overseer which we call a Bishop for the which cause Paul prescribed unto him the true form of a Bishop or Shepherd of Christ's Flock Titus Honourable Toby was a godly Man of the Tribe and City of Nephtali And being brought into great captivity Tob. 1. in the days of Salmanasar King of Assyria yet would he not forsake the way of truth nor worship the golden Calves as others did neither yet defile himself with the Heathens meat but always kept his heart pure unto God For the which the Lord gave him such favour in the sight of Salmanasar the King that Toby had power to go where he would and to do whatsoever he listed Then Toby having this liberty went about comforting all those that were in Prison both with his goods and godly exhortations Such was his daily exercise to feed the hungry to cloath the naked and to bury the dead with such like deeds of Charity And when the time came that Sennacherib which hated the Children of Israel raigned in his Father's stead and in his wrath slew many of them Toby buried their bodies for the which the King commanded to slay him and to take away his goods who nevertheless through friendship escaped and fled And after the Kings death being slain of his own Sons within xlv days after Tob. 2. Toby returned and was restored to his goods again and called his kindred and friends together and made a great feast And sitting at the Table with his Guests one told him there lay an Israelite slain in the street who then immediately leapt from the Board and went fasting to the dead Corpse and brought him home to his house where he hid him privily until the Sun was down and then buried him For the which deed his friends reproved him because he had been in danger but a little before even for the like matter But nevertheless Toby fearing GOD more than the King would take the slain and hide them in his house and bury them at Midnight Insomuch that one time he was so weary with burying the dead that he got him home and laid him down beside a Wall for weariness where he fell asleep And so lying there fell down upon his eyes warm dung out of a Swallows Nest which took away his sight that he could not see against the which plague of blindness he never grudged but remained stedfast in the fear of God giving him thanks as well for that as other gifts of health And this temptation God suffered to fall on Toby for an example of patience to all that should come after Finally of his great patience deeds of charity and other godly exhortations Tob. 14.2 3. his book is full He lost his sight at the age of six and fifty years And was restored at three-score so that he remained blind about four years And lived after he had received his sight two and forty years and so he dyed at the age of an hundred and two years and was honourably buried in the City of Ninive Toby the Lord is good Toby Tob. 5. the Son of Toby being brought up in the fear of God followed the vertuous steps of his Father in all things He was sent to the City of Rages to one Gabael for certain Money which his Father had lent him And after many dangers by the way was 6. cap. by God's providence whose Angel was his guide 7. cap. married there to the Daughter of Raguel whose name was Sara And when he had tarried with his Father and Mother-in-law about fourteen days 8. cap. he returned home with much substance to the great consolation and comfort of old Toby his Father and Anna his Mother 11. cap. After whose death when he had remained at Ninive the space of two and forty years he departed with his Wife and seven Sons to the City of Rages 14. cap. where he found his Father and Mother-in law both living in great age on whom he took the care until they died and was Heir to all their Goods And when this Toby had lived xcix years he dyed and was buried After whose death his Posterity continued in such an holy conversation of life that they were beloved and accepted both of God and Man Toby the Ammonite and Son-in-law to Shecaniah 2 Esd 2 was one that conspired with Sanballat to hinder the building of Jerusalem For when Sanballat said in derision of the Jewes What do these weak Jewes will they fortifie themselves Will they sacrifice Will they finish it in a day Will they make the stones whole again out of the heaps of dust feeing they are burnt Then Toby which stood beside him said 6. cap. Although they build yet if a Fox go up he shall even break down their stone Wall This Toby wrought all the ways he could both by Letters and false Prophets hired for Money to fright Esdras from the work but could not prevail Tryphena and Tryphosa Rom. 16.12 were certain godly Women to whom Saint Paul for their diligent labour in the Gospel sendeth greetings saying Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa which Women laboured in the Lord. Tryphena a fine nice or delicate Woman Tryphon 1 Mac. 11. was a certain great Man which took part with King Alexander against King Ptolemy And when Alexander was dead Tryphon found the means to get his young Son Antiochus out of the hands of Emascuel the Arabian who had brought him up to reign in his Fathers stead And when he had got the government of the young King he conceived treason against him which he thought could never be well brought to pass so long as Jonathan whom the King had made High Priest was his friend wherefore he sought to kill Jonathan that he might come the easier by his wicked purpose 12.39.40 c. So Tryphon went to a place called Bethsan at the which place Jonathan met him with forty thousand Men. Then Tryphon perceiving the great Host that Jonathan brought was afraid and thought it not best to meddle with him at that time but to use some policy how to betray him And so commanding all his Souldiers to be as obedient to Jonathan in all things even as they would be unto himself he received him honourably with great rewards And being met together Tryphon said to Jonathan Why hast thou caused this People to take such travail seeing there is no War between us Therefore send them home again and chose certain Men to wait upon thee and come thou with me to Ptolemais for I will give it thee with other strong Holds for that is the only cause of my coming and so I must depart Then Jonathan believing Tryphon sent away his Host all save a thousand and so went with Tryphon to Ptolemais And assoon as Jonathan and his Men were entred the City the Gates were shut and Jonathan put in ward and all his
to speak until the day that these things be performed And so Zachary remained speechless until the time came that his Wife brought him forth a Son And when the Child should be circumcised great controversie was there about his name Some would have him called Zachary some by one name some by another and his Mother would have him called John but to that would none agree because there was none of the kindred so named Then they made signs to Zachary how he would have his Son called And he calling by signs for writing tables wrote therein His name is John Whereat they all marvelled And immediately the mouth of Zachary was opened so that he spake and said Praised be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People c. Zachariah the Son of Jeroboam King of Israel 2 King 15.8 began his Raign in the eight and thirtieth year of Azariah King of Juda and walked in the sins of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat as did others before him He had not raigned six Months ere that Shallum conspired against him and slew him even in the face of the people raigned in his stead This Zachariah was the fourth and the last King of the generation of Jehu which the Lord had promised should sit on his seat after him when he said Thy Children unto the fourth generation after thee 10. cap. 30. shall sit on the seat of Israel Zarah Gen. 38.29.30 was one of the two Twins which Thamar bare unto Juda at one birth who proffering to come forth before his Brother put forth his hand and when the Midwife had tyed a red thread about it he pluckt in his hand again and then his Brother came out first whom they called Pharez and then he with the red thread about his hand whom they called Zarah Zachariah the Son of Jehojada 2 Chron. 24.20 was an holy Prophet This Prophet is also called the Son of Barachias Matth. 23.35 because his Progenitors were Iddo Barachiah and Jehosala And when he saw Joash King of Juda whom his Father had trained from his youth up in the fear of God with all his People declined from the Lord to the worshipping of Idols and would not hear the Lord's admonition sent by his Prophets to call them home again he stood up before the People and said Why transgress ye the Commandments of the Lord Surely it shall not prosper because ye have forsaken the Lord he also hath forsaken you For the which the King not regarding the kindness of Jehojada his Father commanded the People to stone him to death in the court of the house of the Lord. And as he suffered his Martyrdom he desired the Lord to revenge his death and to require his bloud at their hands Zaccheus Luke 19.2 3 c. was a Publican and chief receiver of the King's Tribute among them He was a very low man of stature And being much desirous to see Jesus what manner a Man he should be made great means to see him And when he saw the prease so great that he could not he ran before knowing which way he would come and climbed up into a wilde Figg-Tree And when Jesus saw him in the Tree he said Zaccheus come down quickly for to day I must abide at thy house And Zaccheus came down received him joyfully And shewing forth the true fruits of repentance said Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have done any man wrong I restore him four-fold To whom Jesus said again This day is salvation come to this house forasmuch as thou art also become the Son of Abraham Zaccheus pure neat or clean Zerbiah 1 Chron. 2.16 was David's Sister Her three Sons were Joab Abishai and Asahel Zedekiah 2 King 24 17. cap. 25. the fourth Son of Josiah was one and twenty years old when Nabuchodonosor made him King of Juda in the stead of Jehojachin his Brother's Son And made him take an oath of the Lord faithfully and truly to serve the Chaldeans in token whereof he changed his name from Mataniah to Zedekiah This King suffered sin and wickedness so much to raign in his Land as well among the Head-Rulers and Priests as among the common sort that God was forgotten his Word despised and his Prophets misused Jer. 37. cap. Wherefore the Lord stirred up the Chaldeans with whom he had broke his League which came and destroyed the City of Jerusalem and the holy Temple of God with fire as the Prophet Jeremy had said and took Zedekiah the King his Army being dispersed in the plain of Jericho and brought him to the King of Babylon who first destroyed both his Sons before his face and then pulled out the eyes of Zedekiah and so carried him to Babylon bound with two Chains where he dyed his People remaining in bondage until the days of Cyrus which was about three-score and ten years Zedekiah the Justice of the Lord or the Lord's judgment Zedekiah 1 King 22.24 the Son of Chenaanah was one of the false Prophets which deceived Ahab And when Michajah the true Prophet of God spake against them this Zedekiah smote him on the Cheek saying When went the spirit of the Lord from me to speak unto thee Well said Michajah Thou shalt see in that day when thou shalt go from Chamber to Chamber to hide thee Zelophehad the Son of Hepher the Son of Gilead Numb 26.33 the Son of Machir the Son of Manasses the Son of Joseph had five Daughters who forasmuch as their Father dyed in the Wilderness without Male-issue and was none of those that rebelled against the Lord in the Congregation of Chore 27. cap. they required of Moses to have a possession among their Fathers brethren lest the name of their Father should be utterly taken away from among his kindred Whose request God allowed and bad Moses give them a possession among their brethren and to make a law that whosoever dyed without a Son his Inheritance should turn to his Daughter If he have no daughter to his brethren If he have no brethren to his Fathers brethren If his Father have no brethren then it should turn to the next of the kin Two of sundry Tribes And also to stablish their inheritance that it should not be removed through marriage into another Tribe should not marry together an order was taken that no Tribe should marry with another Tribe but every Tribe should marry with whom he list among his own Tribe and Kindred And so the Daughters of Zelophehad were married to their Father's Brothers Sons which were of the kindred of Manasses the Son of Joseph by which means their inheritance remained still in the Tribe and kindred of their Father Zenas was first an Interpreter of Moses Law Tit. 3.13 and afterward became an earnest Preacher of the Gospel of Christ Of whom Paul writeth to Titus Bishop of Crete
chanced to dye and then the whole multitude received Amri for their King who began his reign in the xxxi year of the reign of Asa King of Juda and reigned most wickedly of all others before him xii years and dyed leaving his Son Achab to succeed him Amri a Band or handful a power or a bitter and rebellious people Anah the Son of Zibeon Gen. 36. as he sed and kept his Fathers Asses in the Wilderness was the first that found out the monstrous generation of Mules between the Asse and the Mare He had a Sister also called Anah whose daughter Aholibamah was Wife to Esau the Son of Isaac Anah Afflicting answering or singing Ananias was a certain Man Act. 5. who to be counted one of the Christian Religion sold his possession with his Wives consent and notwithstanding kept away part of the price thereof and brought the rest and laid it down at the Apostles seet whose dissembling hypocrisie being revealed unto Peter he said unto him Ananias how is it that Satan hath filled thine heart that thou shouldest lye unto the Holy Ghost and keep away part of the price of the possession Pertained it not unto thee only and after it was sold was it not in thine own power how is it that thou hast conceived this thing in thine heart Thou hast not lyed unto Men but unto God And when Ananias heard these words he fell down and dyed Ananias the Cloud of the Lord. Ananias Act. 9. the Disciple of Christ dwelling at Damascus had a Vision appeared unto him saying Ananias arise and go into the street which is called Streight and seek in the house of Judas for one Saul of Tarsus for behold he prayeth and hath seen a Vision a Man named Ananias coming unto him and putting his hands on him that he might receive his sight Then said Ananias Lord I have heard by many of this Man how much evil he hath done to thy Saints at Jerusalem and that he hath authority from the High-Priests to bind all that call upon thy name Well said he go thy ways for he is a chosen Vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and Kings and the Children of Israel For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my names sake Then Ananias went to Saul and laid his hands on him and said Brother Saul the Lord that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest hath sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost And so by the hands of Ananias Saul received his sight again There was another Ananias Aâ— 23. who being High-Priest commanded Paul to be smitten on the mouth as he was answering for himself before the Council Andrew Matth. 4. John 6. a poor Fisherman was called with his Brother Peter to be an Apostle When Christ demanded of his Disciples Andrew suffered Martyrdom in the City of Achaia where they might buy Bread to satisfie the People that followed him Andrew made answer and said There is a little Boy here which hath five Barly Loaves and two Fishes but what is that among so many Andrew Manly Andronicus being a Man of authority and in great favour with Antiochus King of Syria was left in Jewry 2 Mac. 4â— and made Lieutenant over the Jews until the return of the King who was gone to pacifie a certain commotion made by the Tharsians and Mallacians And in the mean time being corrupted with bribes rewards of that ungracious man Menelaus to dispatch the good and godly man Onias whom he so hated out of the way he went to Onias who for his safeguard had taken the benefit of Sanctuary and with fair words perswaded him to come forth binding himself with an oath he should have no harm And when he saw that Onias suspected him he fell upon him incontinently without any regard of righteousness slew him Whose innocent death so offended the People that they made a grievous complaint of Andronicus to the King at his coming home who caused that wicked murderer to be stripped out of his purple cloaths and led most villanously thorow the City to the place where he had committed his ungracious act and to suffer a most shameful death Andronicus a Conquerer or Victorer Andronicus the faithful Disciple of Christ Rom. 16.7 to whom Paul sendeth commendations on this wise Salute Andronicus and Junia my Kinsmen and Fellow-prisoners with me which are of note among the Apostles and were in Christ before me Aner Mamre and Eschol were three Brethren Gen. 14.13 c. which when Lot was taken Prisoner among the Sodomites and carried away by Kedorlaomer and other Kings that took his part joyned themselves with Abraham in the rescuing of Lot his Brothers Son for the which their saithful assistance at that present Abraham dealt liberally with them in the parting of the spoil won at that Expedition Aner an Answer or a song of the Candle or light or that which troubleth or hurteth the Candle Anna 1 Sam. 1 cap. the Wife of Elkanab was long barren and without Child which barrenness her Companion and Mate Peninnah did daily cast in her teeth to her great reproach Wherefore Anna was so full of heaviness that God had made her such a railing stock that she could eat no meat And being thus tormented and troubled in her mind she gat her into the Temple making there her hearty prayers to God to give her a Man child And as she prayed it fortuned Eli the Priest as he sat in the Temple to mark her mouth and perceiving her lips to move and no voice heard thought she had been drunken saying Thou Woman how long wilt thou be drunken put away thy drunkenness from thee Nay my Lord quoth she I am a Woman troubled in spirit and have drunken neither Wine nor strong Drink but pour out my Soul before the Lord count not thine Handmaid to be a Daughter of Belial for out of the abundance of my heaviness and grief have I spoken hitherto and so desiring Eli to pray for her she departed chearfully home to her House and shortly after conceived by Elkanah her Husband and bare him a Son whose Name she called Samuel And when she had brought up the Child and weaned it she prepared a sacrifice and went to the Temple presenting both it and her Child to Eli the Priest putting him also in remembrance that she was the same Woman which stood before him of late and prayed unto God for that Child and that now according to her promise she was come to dedicate him unto the Lord. And so after praise and thanksgiving she departed leaving the Child with Eli to minister in the Temple of God And every year after would Anna make a little Coat for Samuel her Son and bring it up when she * Once a year they accustomed to appear before the Lord with their Family came with her Husband
to offer the Yearly Sacrifice And thus God took away her rebuke of barrenness and blessed her with children so that after Samuel she had three Sons more and two Daughters Anna Gracious or Merciful Anna Tobit 2. the Wife of old Toby her Husband being blind and in poverty took weaving work of Women and laboured sore for her living And when on a time she sent home the work to the owners one sent her a Kid more than her wages which she had earned And when Toby heard the Kid bleat he said to Anna From whence came that Kid Is it not stollen restore it to the owners again for it is not lawful to eat any thing of theft Then was Anna angry with Toby and rebuked him as one whose trust in God was all in vain After this 5. it fortuned old Toby to send young Toby his Son to the City of Rages to receive certain money which in his prosperity he had lent to one Gabelus Then Anna being full of heaviness for the departure of her Son burst out and said to Toby Oh what hast thou done why hast thou sent our Son away I would to God that money had never been required of us but that we had been content with our poverty and kept our Son at home What ailed us to send him into a strange Country which was the only staff of our age and comfort of our life and the hope of our generation Then said Toby leave thy weeping and be not discomforted for the Man that went with our Son is so faithful 10. that he will bring him to us again safe and sound Yet could not Anna with this be perswaded but would daily go out to the top of an Hill and sit there to spie his coming And when at the last she saw where he came a far of she ran home with great rejoycing and told her Husband And so waiting to receive her Son she wept for joy when she saw him Anna Luke 2. â—6 the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser was a Prophetess and had been married to an Husband seven years and after continued a Widow fourscore and four years serving God in the Temple with fasting and praying day and night And when Christ was brought into the Temple she cameforth at that present praising the Lord and prophesied of that Child to all them that looked for the redemption of Israel Anna the Wife of Raguel 〈…〉 was Mother to Sara the Wife of young Toby Annas John 18.13 had the first examination of Christ and sent him from him to Caiaphas his Son-in-law who was High-Priest for that Year Annas Afflicting or bringing low Antiochus 1 Mac. 1. c. 6. c. 8. the great being King of Syria and of such puissance and strength that he thought himself invincible was at last overcome of the Romans and fain to relinquish to them all his interest in Europe and Asia and to leave his Son Antiochus in Hostage and so departed being contented with those Countries that were left him 2 Mac. 1. till at last of a covetous mind he went to Perside the chief City of Paersia thinking there to have robbed the Temple and to have had great treasure therein And as he himself with a few more was in the Temple about his business the Priests at a privy door came in upon him and cut him all to pieces and cast him out to be devoured of the Birds and Fowls of the Ayr. Antiochus For all agon or Chariot Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 1. the Son of Antiochus the great being stablished in his Kingdom warred against Ptolomy King of Egypt until he had brought his Land in subjection And having so good success there he went against Israel and at last took and spoiled the City of Jerusalem and robbed the Sanctuary of all the precious Jewels and treasure therein subverted all the holy Laws of God compelling the Jews to worship Idols and to do as the Heathen did in all things he burned the Books of the Law and whosoever had a Book of the Testament or were found to be a favourer thereof did suffer death 2 Mac. 9. Thus this ungracious and wicked subverter of all true religion and godliness persecuted the true People of God and so long persisted in his great tyranny that God at last smote him with an incurable Disease in his Body which was so eaten with Worms and Vermine that they fell quick out of his flesh whereof ensued so great a stink that neither he himself nor none that were about him might abide the smell And so this wicked Tormentor of others was justly recompenced with a miserable end Antiochus Eupator the Son of Antiochus Epiphanes 1 Mac. 6. being but young and under the governance of Lysias went into Jewry with a great Army to subdue the Jews who so manfully resisted Antiochus that he was fain considering the decrease of his People and the strength of the place besieged to offer them peace and to grant them liberty to live according to their own Laws whose Covenants being received the Jews came out of the Castle of Sion to give place to Antiochus who notwithstanding his oath when he saw the defence therof commanded the Walls round about to be cast down and destroyed and from thence departed to Antioch where he fought with Philip which was come out of Persia and wan the City out of his hands And lying there 1 Mac. 7. Demetrius the Son of Seleuchus came to Antioch and took Antiochus and Lysias and put them both to death Antiochus the Son of Alexander being but a child 1 Mac. 11. was first under the governance of Emascuel the Arabian and removed from him to the tuition of one Triphon 1 Mac. 13.3 of whom he was most traiterously murthered Antiochus 1 Mac. 15. the Son of Demetrius for as much as Triphon had been his Fathers utter enemy made a covenant of friendship with Simon the High-priest and Prince of the Jews that he might the better overcome Triphon whom he persecuted and drove to the City of Dora lying by the Sea side which City he besieged with an hundred twenty thousand Foot-men and viii thousand Horsemen And lying there Simon sent him two thousand chosen Men with Silver and Gold and much furniture to help him Who notwithstanding his bond of love he had made with Simon before refused now his friendship and sell at defiance with him and all the Jews and was ever after that their continual enemy Antipas Apoc. 2.13 was a faithful Martyr of Christ Antipas For all or against all Antipater 1 Mac. 12. c. 14. the Son of Jason first by Jonathas and after by Simon was sent Ambassador to Rome to renew the old friendship between the Jews and Romans Antipater For the Father or against the Father Apame 3 Esd 4. was Daughter to that famous King Bartacus and Concubine to a certain great King who was of
of Shinar into a far Country where he inhabited which Countrey took its name of him and was called Assyria and there he builded a City which afterwards was called Niniveh Assur Blessed or Travelling Asubah 1. King 22.42 was Mother to Jehosaphat King of Juda and daughter to Shilhi 2 Chron. 20. Asubah Forsaken Asubah 1 Chron. 2.18 Wife to Caleb the Son of Hesron bare unto him three Sons Jesher Shobab and Ardon Athalia 2 King 11. 2 Chron. 22. Athalia in the 2 King ca. 8. is called both the daughter of Achab and the daughter of Amri which saith Lyra is meant thus After the death of Amri her natural Father she was brought up with Achab her Brother and so in process called his daughter or else by immitating his manners in all kind of Idolatry was the daughter of Amri and wife to Joram King of Juda. When Joram died her Son Ahaziah succeeded whom she enticed to all wickedness and after his death she ruled and killed all the rest of the seed of Joram only Joash excepted which was stollen away and hid from her And when she had ruled the Land most cruelly vi years In the vii year Joash was brought forth by Jehojada the Priest and proclaimed King She hearing that ran into the Temple of the Lord with her cloaths rent crying out treason treason But at the commandment of Jehojada the Captains and Souldiers took her out of the Temple and slew her Athalia Time for the Lord. Azariah the Son * 2 King 15.1 c. of Amaziah King of Juda began his reign in the xxvii year of Jeroboam King of Israel and was 16. years old when he was made King And so long as he gave ear to Zacharias the Prophet and walked uprightly so long did the Lord prosper him with great Victories both of the Philistines and Arabians and made the Ammonites also tributaries unto him He ‖ Azariah is in the same Chapter called also Vzziah repaired Jerusalem He loved husbandry well and had great plenty of Cattel At length he became so mighty that in his strength his heart arose to his destruction For in his pride he went into the Temple of the Lord to burn Incense which although he seemed to do of a zeal and good intent yet forasmuch as he usurped the Priests Office he was justly resisted of Azariah the Priest and plagued of God who smote him with such a Leprosie that he went out of the Temple a Leper and so remained all the days of his life He raigned LII years and was buried in a part of the same Field where his Predecessors lay but not in the same Sepulchres because he was a Leper Azaria Help of the Lord. B. BAAL the Son of Reaia was a Prince of the Reubenites 1 Chron. 5.5 and * In the days of Pekab King of Israel carried away with other his Kinred into the Land of Assyria by Tiglath Pileser King of the Assyrians Baal an Idol or a Ruler 2 Kings 15. Baanah with his Brother Rechab 2 Sam. 4. cap. the Sons of Rimmon were two Captains in the Host of Ishbosheth King of Israel who when Abner their chief Captain was dead went into the House of Ishbosheth seeming saith Lyra they had gone to fetch Wheat for the King saith he had great store of Wheat which he sold to Merchants a-far off wherefore these two disguised themselves like Merchants that came to buy and so entring into the House they found where their Lord and Master lay upon his Bed in the heat of the day fast a-sleep * There is nothing so vile and dangerous which the wicked will not enterprise in hope of lucre and favour and slew him and took his head and carried it to David thinking for the same to have had a great reward But for their most shameful and trayterous act they were both put to death and their Quarters hanged over the Pool in Hebron Baanah In affliction Baasha the Son of Ahijah 1 King 15.27 c. 16.1 c. conspired against Nadab King of Israel and reigned in his stead In the third year of Asa King of Judah began Baasha to reign over Israel and walked most wickedly in all the ways of Jeroboam 1 King 10.14 whose House and Posterity notwithstanding * God stirred up one Tyrant to punish the wickedness of another he utterly destroyed and left not one alive for so it was prophesied that God would stir him up one which was this Baasha for that purpose And now for as much as Baasha whom God had exalted even out of the dust would still maintain Jeroboam's Idolatry and cause his People to sin he sent him word by the Prophet Jehu that as he had rooted out the whole Posterity of Jeroboam so should his be served likewise Great War was between Baasha and Asa King of Juda. 2 Chron. 16. And for to stop the passage of Juda that none should pass out nor in safely Baasha went to build a strong hold called Rama which he was fain at length to leave unfinished and to lose all his cost and pains to go against Benhadad which had broken covenant with him He reigned xxiv years and was buried in Thirza which was a place where the King remained leaving Ela his Son to succeed him in whose days the foresaid Prophecy of the rooting out his Posterity took place Baasha in folding together or pressing together or to search out and take away Bachides 1 Mac. 7.9 cap. was a Man of great power in the Dominion of Demetrius the Son of Seleucus And being the Kings faithful friend he sent him with a great Host against Judas Machabeus to revenge him of the injury he had done unto his People and in the end slew him After whose death many of the wicked Jews turned to Bachides whereof he made some Lords and Rulers of the Land which of envy outed the friends of Judas and brought them into great vexation and trouble When Bachides had given this overthrow to Judas he sought how he might kill Jonathas also whom the Jews had appointed in his Brothers room And meeting with Jonathas about the border of Jordan there was a great Battel fought between them in the which Bachides lost a thousand of his men After which conflict Bachides by occasion of Alcimus the wicked Priests death departed for that time so that Jonathas lay at rest two years after till a sort of ungodly men conspired against him how they might bring Bachides upon him unawares which matter being between them and him concluded Bachides returned with a great power but ere he came Jonathas had gotten knowledge of the Treason and put certain of the chiefest Conspirators to death Then when Bachides came and had besieged the City of Bethbessen long and saw he was not able to resist the power of Jonathas he was marvellously displeased with those wicked counsellers which had caused him to travail
report to their Brethren of that good Land saying it was a Country of strong and fierce People and such a Land as did eat up the Inhabiters thereof and with like perswasions made them both astonished and afraid and to murmur and grudge against Moses and Aaron saying they would make them a Captain and go into Egypt again Then Caleb and Joshua seeing their Brethren so discomfited rent their cloaths for sorrow and said Oh dear Brethren be ye not discouraged at these false surmised tails neither yet rebel against the Lord for we have seen the Land as well as they that have discouraged you and know it to be a better Land than they report a Land that floweth with Milk and Hony And as for the People therein fear them not for they be but Bread for us their shield is departed from them and God is with us therefore pluck up your hearts and fear not With these and the like comfortable sayings Caleb and Jeshua withdrew the fury of the multitude which were ready to destroy them and also ceased their murmuring which murmuration of the People so grieved the Lord that he swore to Moses that not one of them all should see that good Land save Caleb and Joshua although their children should see it But first said God to Moses they shall wander in the Wilderness Forty Years and suffer for their Fathers * Which is their infidelity and disobedience whoredome until their Fathers Carkasses be wasted a Year for a Day according to the number of days in searching the Land which was forty days And because Caleb followed the Lord continually God swore to Moses that Caleb and his Seed should inherit that Land which came so to pass for after xlv years Josh 14 10 11. Caleb then being at the age of lxxxv years and as lusty as he was when Moses sent him first to search the Land required of Joshua his Heritage who appointed out unto him the City of Hebron with the Countries thereabout out of the which City he drove out the three Sons of Anak Joshua 15.14 Judg. 1.13 This Caleb had a younger Brother called Othoniel to whom he gave his Daughter Achsah to Wife for taking of a certain City called Kiriathsepher Caleb as a Hart. Carpus 2 Tim. 4.13 was a certain godly Man dwelling at Croada with whom Paul left his Cloak with certain Books which he desired Timothy to bring with him when he came to him again Carpus Fruit or fruitful Cendebius 1 Mac. 15. cap. 16. was Captain-General of Antiochus's Host And when he had done much harm in the Land of Jewry and built up Cedron and fortified it with Men of War he was at the last by the Sons of Simon discomfited and put to flight Cendebius Zeal or the possession of sorrow or grief Cereas was Brother to Timotheus 2 Mac. 10. and Captain of a strong Castle called Gazar into the which Timotheus being overcome of Judas Machabeus was fain to flie for succor Now Cereas and they that were with him in the Fort trusted so much to the strength of the place that they fell to railing and cursing of their Enemies without who notwithstanding set so manfully upon the Hold that at last they wan it and took the blasphemers and burnt them quick and slew this Cereas and his Brother Timotheus with another famous Captain called Apollophanes Cereas Glad or rejoycing Centura look Ketura Chedorlaomor look Kedorlaomor Cis was the Son of Abiel of the Tribe of Benjamin 1 Sam 9.1 c. and Father to King Saul Whose Asses on a time being strayed abroad he said unto Saul his Son Take one of the Lads with thee and go and seek out mine Asses that are lost This Cis is called also the Son of Ner 1 Chron. 8.33 Cis Hard or stubble or a place where Cucumbers are Cis The Son of Jehiel 1 Cor. 8.29 30.9.35 36. his Mother was called Maacah Cis the Son of Mahli Son to Merari 1 Chron. 23.21 His Brother's name was Eleazar Whose Daughters he being dead the Sons of this Cis took to their Wives Claudia was a certain godly Brother 2 Tim. 4.21 who being with Paul at Rome sent as many more did greetings to Timothy in Paul's Letter Claudia a proper name Act. 11.28 * He was poisoned of his Wife Agrippina that Nero her son might succeed in the Empire Claudius was an Emperour in whose time the fourth Year of his reign was a great Dearth thorowout all the World whereof Agabus the Prophet prophesied aforehand Claudius a proper name Cleopatra Cooper 1 Mac. 10. chap. 11. the Daughter of King Ptolomy was married to Alexander the Son of Noble Antiochus And again for displeasure taken from Alexander her lawful Husband and given to Demetrius the Son of Demetrius Cleopatra the Glory of the Country Cleophas Luk. 24.13.18 was the Husband of Mary Sister to Mary the Mother of Christ and one of the two Disciples which after the death of Christ went to the Town of Emaus talking and reasoning together of all things that had happened to Jesus and as they were reasoning the matter Jesus joyned himself personally with them as a wayfaring man desirous to know whereof they talked so sadly To whom Cleophas made answer and said Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem and hast not known the things which have chanced there of late What things said Jesus Of one Jesus of Nazareth which was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the People and how the chief Priests and our Rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and have crucified him but we trusted that it had been he that should have delivered Israel They understood not yet what was the deliverance that Jesus Christ purchased for us and besides all these things to day is the third day since they were done Then Jesus opened the Scriptures to Cleophas and the other and being known of them at the last by breaking of Bread they returned to the Apostles at Jerusalem and told them all what they had heard and seen of Jesus by the way to Emaus Cleophas All manner of glory Clement Philip. 4.3 was one of Paul's Fellow-labourers in the Gospel among the Philippians as Paul himself reporteth saying And I beseech thee faithful yoke-fellow help the Women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my Fellow-labourers whose Names are in the Book of Life Clement Meek Crescens what time as Paul sent for Timothy 2 Tim. 4.10 was departed from Rome into Galatia for business he had there whereof he certifieth Timothy saying Crescens is gone to Galatia and Titus unto Dalmatia Crescens a Latine word Encreasing Crispus the chief Ruler of the Synagogue at Corinth Acts 18.8 after he had heard Paul's preaching believed in the Lord he and all his Houshold and were baptized in the Name of Christ Jesus Crispus a Latine word curled
hinder or lett that work a Beam should be taken from that Man's house and he hanged thereon and his House made a Dunghill And so the building went forward with speed and was perfectly finished in the sixth year of his reign Darius Requiring or inquiring for Dathan and Abiram Num. 16.1 c. were the Sons of Eliab and two of the chief Captains with Chore in the Insurrection against Moses on whom God took such vengeance that he caused the Earth to open and swallow them up quick Read the story of Chore. Dathan Statute or Law David was the youngest Son of Jesse 1 Sam. 16.11 and by God's commandment anointed King of Israel Saul yet reigning by the Prophet Samuel Wherefore Saul fearing that David would defeat him of his Kingdom vexed him with continual persecution during the which time David shewed notable examples both of patience and true obedient service to Saul his Soveraign Lord. And first 17. cap. to shew his obedient and faithful heart to his Prince and love he bare to his Country he put himself in danger to fight with that great Monster Goliah and slew him of whom the King and all the Host of Israel stood in great fear And after this act also 18.6.11 when Saul of envy that the Women in their dance had given to David more praise than to him threw his Javelin at David as he stood and played on his Harp before him to have nailed him fast to the wall David avoided and armed himself with patience and never sought other means of revenge In so much 24.3 that when Saul by the providence of God came into the Cave to ease himself in the which Cave David lay hid for fear of Saul he would not being provoked put forth his hand to hurt his Master But cut off a piece of the Hem of his Coat in token that he might have killed him And yet after that it sore repented him that he had done so much injury unto his Soveraign Lord and Master although he was his mâ—st grievous enemy and every hour sought his death Also 26.7.12 when he came into the Host of Saul and found the King and his Man fast asleep he would not for his own private cause though Jehu slew two Kings at God's commandment lay his hand upon the Lord 's anointed but only that he should know that David was there and might have been revenged took his Spear and Pot of Water which stood at his Head 2 Sam. 1. cap. and went his way Finally when it pleased God to rid him of his enemy in Battel against the Philistines one to get thanks of David brought unto him Saul's Crown and the Bracelet that he wore on his Arm certifying him of the King's death and that he with his own hands had killed him whose act David did so much abhor that he thought the Man not worthy to live but put him to death out of hand Read more of David's patient suffering and obedient service in the story of Michol Jonathas Ahimelech Achish and Absalom his Son Now when Saul was dead 2 Sam. 2.11 David was admitted King and reigned over Juda vii years after which time expired he reigned both over Israel and Juda xxxiii years And did that which was good in the sight of God and put his trust and confidence in the Lord God of Israel so that before nor after him was not his like He cleaved so unto the Lord that God bare witness of him that he had found a Man according to his hearts desire To him God made a promise that Christ should come of his Seed for the which cause 〈…〉 Christ of the Prophets is called the Son of David To this holy Prophet God gave many victories and excellent gifts which are touched in other stories and yet â—mong all his vertues he suffered him to fall into the abominable Vice of Adultery and Murder â—1 cap. and most grievously punished him for the same who notwithstanding after 〈…〉 repentance was received again into the favour of God and never after offended in that sin more â— King â— 10 11. 〈◊〉 after many conflicts with his Enemies he died 〈◊〉 had reigned xl years leaving Solomon his Son to succeed him David Beloved Deborah Judg 4. cap. the Wife 〈◊〉 Lapidoth was a Prophetess and the fourth Judâ—â— and Governour of the People of Israel who by the power and pleasure of God and help of Barak the Captain of her Army delivered them from the Tyranny of King Jabia and of Sisera his Captain General putting the King to a great foil in slaying of his Captain Sisera Thorow the which victory the Israelites were restored to liberty and their enemies the Canaanites utterly confounded She judâ—â— Israel xl years Deborah 〈…〉 Bee Demas Col. 4.14 Philem. 24. 2 Tim. 4 10. was Christ's Disciple a great while and a faithful Minister to Paul and never shrank from him nor his Doctrine so long as all things prospered well with Paul But when he saw Paul cast in Prison and in danger of his life for the Gospels sake He forsook both him and his doctrine and imbracing the World conveighed himself to Thessalonica Such there be that so long as pleasure profit favour honour glory or riches do follow the Word of God so long will they favour the same But when affliction persecution loss of goods riches lands possessions or such like adversities do come then they do as Demas did forsake the Gospel and follow the World Demas Favouring the People Demetrius 1 Mac. 7. cap. the Son of Seleucus came from Rome with a small company of Men to a certain City of his own lying upon the Sea-coasâ— and prepared an Army to go to Antioch the City of his Progenitors where he found Antiochus and Lysias 〈…〉 he caused to be slain and being stablished in his Kingdom he began through the wicked commer of â—â—cimus 9. cap. whom he had made High Priest to seel 〈◊〉 obstruction of the Jews sending forth divers â—â—â—mies againâ—â— them in the which he sped diversly â—â—â—â—ally 10. cap. the Son of Noble Antiochus moved War again 〈…〉 and in Battel slew him Demetrius coming of 〈◊〉 whom the Heathen thought the Goddess of Gorn Demetrius the Son of Demetrius 1 Mac. 10. being in the Land of Creta at his Fathers death made haste homeward to take possession of his Kingdom And being stablished therein he began to Wax mighty by reason 〈◊〉 Ptolomy King of Egypt had withdrawn his favour from Alexander 〈◊〉 in law and taken his Daughter Cleopatre from him and given her to Demetrius And also for as much as Prolomy and Alexander lived not long after the strife begun between them Demetrius for a space had great rest The Captain of Demetrius's Host was Apollonius a great enemy of the Jews whom Jonathas discomfited at the first conflict between them Upon the which Demetrius perceiving Jonathas power to be strong
was content to be at peace with him and to make all Jewry free Which being done all the Land was in such quietness that Demetrius sent away his Host all save a few strangers whereat the Host was displeased Then Tryphon who had been aforetime of Alexander's party perceiving Demetrius Host to murmur against him moved Antiochus the Son of Alexander to War against Demetrius who being now in great fear of the Men of Antioch with whom he had somewhat to do sent to Jonathas to have his aid who sent him three thousand of such picked Men that delivered Demetrius out of danger and slew an hundred thousand of the Antiochians so that the rest were fain to cast down their Weapons and to yield them to Demetrius who notwithstanding the great fidelity of Jonathas and the benefit he had done him after he was at rest again did not reward him accordingly but most deceitfully dissembled and withdrew himself from Jonathas and vexed him and the Jews very sore After this came Tryphon with all the Host which Demetrius had put away and fought against Demetrius and put him to flight and made him fain at the last to go into Media to seek aid and help where Arsaces King of the Land took him 1 Mac. 14. and kept him in ward as a Prisoner during his life Demetrius Ad. 19.24 c. This Man was a Silversmith by his occupation dwelling at Ephesus which made silver Shrines and Tabernacles for Diana the Goddess And forasmuch as Paul by the space of two years had preached there against Images made with Man's hand saying that they were no Gods He lest his profit should decay called together all such as had advantage by making Images of Diana and all Craftsmen of the same occupation who he knew would favour his cause and began to say unto them on this wise Masters ye know that by this Craft we have our living moreover ye see and hear that not only at Ephesus but almost thorowout all Asia this Paul hath perswaded and turned away much People saying That they be no Gods which are made with hands So that not only this our Craft cometh into peril and to be set at naught But also that the Temple of the great Goddess Diana should be despised and her magnificence destroyed which all Asia and the World worshippeth With this seditious Oration made by Demetrius the People were in such a fury that they cryed out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians and with that rushed into the common Hall with one assent where they missing of Paul caught two of his companions in the which rage some cryed one thing and some another and were so far out of order that the most part knew not the cause of their concourse together so that with great difficulty the matter was pacified Read the story of Alexander the Jew born in the same place Demetrius This was a faithful Christian 3 John 12. v. having for a testimony thereof a good report as well of Paul himself as of all other to be an earnest favourer of the Gospel of Christ Denis or Dionysius was a certain Senator Act. 17. ult whom Paul converted at the City of Athens and instituted him Bishop thereof In Fasciculus temporum it is written that this Denis was martyred in France whereby it may evidently be gathered that the Gospel of Christ our Saviour was preached in France in the Apostles time or very near thereto Diana Act. 19.28 was a Goddess whom the Ephesians most superstitiously worshipped Diana Latinum est Read Demetrius the Silversmith and Alexander the Jew Diotrephes 3 John 9 vers was so wicked a Man and so malicious an enemy unto the Christian Brethren that he could not speak well of them nor yet abide to hear other give them good report he would neither receive them himself nor suffer those that would but thrust them out of the Church Diotrephes Nourished of Jupiter Dives Luk. 16.19 c. the rich and covetous Glutton so much delighted and gloried in his great abundance of Treasure fine and costly apparel sumptuous and delicious fare each day that his whole felicity and pleasure was only in pampering up of himself having no compassion were his misery never so great on the poor and needy as it did appear by Lazarus the Begger lying at his gates and looking for some relief of the scraps that fell from his board But when this glutton was dead and his body with pomp brought to his Grave and his Soul also in the torments of Hell He then lifting up his eyes and beholding Abraham a great way off and the Begger with him in joy cryed out to Abraham requesting him that Lazarus might now come down and dip the tip of his finger in water to slake the great heat of his Tongue for I am saith he most grievously tormented in this ardent flame But to this and his other most vain and fantastical request he made for his Brethren to have them admonished by one that came from the dead Abraham made answer and said That for so much as he had consumed and spent away the time of his life voluptuously in the pleasures and delights of the World and would at no time repent he therefore was now most justly condemned to suffer perpetual pain in the fire of Hell Dives Rich. Doeg an Edomite born was King Saul's Servant and the Master of them that kept his Cattel 1 Sam. 21 7.22.9-19 When David came to Ahimelech the Priest of Nob and had received the Shew-bread with the Sword of Goliah This Doeg was * Bv Doeg saith Saint Ausin is signified Anrichrist which with false sigâ—â— and seigned Miracles shall move all the World before the coming of the Lord to Judgment And as Doeg wrought wickedness for the pleasing of King Saul by whom is signified the Devil So shall Antichrist move and stir the World unto sin for the pleasing of the Devil and advancing of his name there present the same day tarrying to worship before the Lord and saw and heard all things that were done between them And when he was returned home and had waited his time when he might best pleasure the King he accused Ahimelech of all that he had done unto David And when the King had judged that good and godly Man to dye this Doeg at the King's commandment all other refusing that wicked deed fell upon Ahimelech with his Sword and slew both him and all the Priests of the Lord to the number of 85. Doeg Careful or vehemently moved Dorcas was ‖ a certain godly Woman and a Disciple of Christ dwelling at Joppa who in her life time had been vertuously occupied and specially in the works of mercy relieving the poor and needy And while Peter was preaching and doing his office at Lydda which was not far from Joppa it was her chance to fall sick and dye And when her friends had done with washing the dead Corpse
and laid it forth in an upper chamber to be anointed they sent for Peter to come unto them who being come â— Act. 9. they had him up to the Chamber where the dead Corpse lay where the Widows came about him weeping and laying forth the Coats and other Garments which she had prepared in her life time for the poor before him Then Peter put them all forth of the Chamber And being alone kneeled down and prayed and turning him to the body said Tabitha arise at the which word she arose and looked upon Peter who then gave her his hand and lift her up and called the Saints and Widows and restored Dorcas unto them alive Dorccas a Do. Dositheus 2 Mac. 12. was a certain Noble Captain with Judas Machabeus who by the help of Sosipater another Captain defended the Jews manfully against Timotheus and slew Ten Thousand of his Men which were left in a strong hold and after that took Timothy himself in Battel and notwithstanding let him go again upon his promise made unto them that he would restore all the Jews home again which he had in Prison thinking that the best and most surest way to save the Lives of their Captive brethren After this it chanced that Dositheus a mighty Man on Horseback encountred with Gorgias another great Captain and enemy of the Jews and took him intending to have carried him away alive But an Horseman of Thracia fell upon him and smote off his Arm and so Gorgias escaped and fled into Moresa Dositheus Given to God Drusilla Act. 24.24 was a Jew and Wife to Felix by whose counsel saith the Note in Geneva's Bible he called for Paul and heard him of the Faith in Christ Drusilla Bedewed or sprinkled with bloud E. EBER Gen. 10.21.11.14 c. was the Son of Salah of the Generation of Shem. He had two Sons the one Peleg in whose days the Earth was divided and the other Joktan This Eber lived before and after he begat Peleg 464. years Eber Passing or passage Of Eber came the Ebrews which were afterward called Israelites of Israel which was Jacob and Jews of Juda because of the excellency of that Tribe Elah â— King 16.8 the Son of Baasha began his reign over Israel in the xxvi year of Asa King of Juda and walked in all the wicked ways of his Father before him In the second year of his reign or thereabout Zimri his servant and Captain of his Chariots conspired against him and finding him drunken in the house of * Drinking as some say till he was drunken in the Temple of Arza the Idol by his House in Tirza Arza the King's Steward he fell upon him and slew him Ela an Oke Elam was the Son of Shem. Elam a young Man 1 Chron. 1.17 or he that is hid or the world Eleazar the Son of Aaron Exod. 6.25 Num. 20.25 c. was constituted High Priest after the decease of his Father and so was the second High Priest over the Jews He took to Wife one of the Daughters of Putiel Josh 24.33 which bare him a Son called Phinehas Finally he dyed and was buried in a Hill that pertained to Phinehas his Son which Hill was given him in Mount Ephraim Eleazar the help of God Eleazar the Son of Saura 1 Mac. 6. was a worthy Captain with Judas Machabeus what time as Antiochus Eupator came into Jewry with a mighty strong Army both of Men and Elephants which Beasts being xxxii in number were strongly fenced and surely harnessed and well exercised to Battel And when the Hosts were joyned together Eleazar beholding one of the Elephants deckt with royal Harness and far excelling all the other Beasts he supposed the King himself had been upon him wherefore he jeoparded himself to deliver his People and with a good courage ran to the Elephant in the middest of the Host slaying all about him as he went and at last came unto the Beast and gat himself under his feet and smote him in the belly and slew the Elephant The weight of whose dead body crushed Eleazar in pieces and so he dyed Eleazar 2 Mac. 6. was one of the principal Scribes among the Jews and an aged Man of a well favoured countenance who when that cruel King Antiochus had sent his Commissioners to compel the Jews to transgress the Laws of their God was constrained to gape with open mouth and to eat Swines slesh but he desiring rather to dye grievously than to live with hatred offered himself willingly to the torment and spit it out Then they that had the charge of the Kings wicked act for the old friendship of the Man took him aside privily and prayed him that he would take such flesh as was lawful to eat and dissemble as though he had eaten even of the things appointed by the King even the flesh of the Sacrifice that in so doing he might be delivered from death and that for the old friendship that was among them he would receive this favour But he began to consider discreetly and as became his age and the excellency of his ancient years and the honor of his gray hairs whereunto he was come and his most honest conversation from his childhood but chiefly the holy Law made and given by God therefore he answered them accordingly and willed them straightways to send him to the grave for it becometh not our age said he to dissemble whereby many young Persons might think that Eleazar being 90. years old were now gone to another manner of life And so thorow mine hypocrisie for a little time of a transitory life they might be deceived by me and I should procure malediction and reproach to mine old age For though I were now delivered from the torments of Men yet could I not escape the hand of the Almighty neither alive nor dead Wherefore I will now change this life manfully and will shew my self such as mine age requireth And so will leave a notable example for such as be young to die willingly couragiously for the honorable holy laws and when he had said these words immediately he went to torment And as he was ready to give up the ghost he sighed and said The Lord that hath the holy knowledge knoweth manifestly that whereas I might have been delivered from death I am scourged and suffer these sore pains of my Body but in my mind I suffer them gladly for his religion Thus this Man ended his life leaving his death for an example of a noble courage and a memorial of vertue not only unto young Men but unto all his Nation Eli was the next Judge after Sampson 1 Sam. 1.9.2.12.27 c. that judged Israel and the High-Priest descended from Aaron He had two Sons the one called Hophni the other Phinehas which were so wicked that every Man complained of them And because that Eli did not punish them according to their deserts God sent him word by
Land where she remained these seven years of dearth which being ended she returned home again And when she came to her House another having possession thereof withheld it from her wherefore she went to the King to make her complaint at which time it happened the King to be talking with Gehazi the servant of Eliseus the Prophet The Sbunamite is restored to her house and Land again who was declating unto the King what great and notable deeds his Master Eliseus had done and among all declared of a dead Body which he had raised up from death to life and as he was telling of these things unto the King the Woman came with her Son and required her House and Land again And when Gehazi saw the Woman he said O my Lord and King this same is the Woman that I told your Grace of even now and this is her Son that was raised from death Then the King commanded her House and Land to be restored her again with all the Rent and Profits thereof from the first day she left it till that present time Finally when the time drew nigh 2 King 13.14 c. that Eliseus the Prophet should dye Joash King of Israel came to visit him and as he stood before him and considered what a loss he should have of that good Man which had been so great a defence unto his Realm the tears ran down his cheeks and he said O my Father my Father the Chariot of Israel and the Horsemen of the same And when the Prophet saw the King he bad him take his Bow and Arrows in his hand and make him ready to shoot The Prophet put his hands upon the King's hand and caused a Window to be opened Eastward which was toward Syria and bad the King shoot and he shot The Arrow of the Lord's deliverance said Eliseus and the Arrow of deliverance from Syria For thou shalt smite Syria in Aphck till thou have made an end of them Now take thine Arrows in thine hand said the Prophet and smite the ground and he smote thrice and ceased Then was the Prophet angry that he had smitten the ground no oftner for if said he thou hadst smitten five or six times thou hadst smitten Syria until thou hadst made an end of them whereas now thou shalt smite them but thrice and so Eliseus dyed and was buried The same year came the Moabites into the Land of Israel and as some of the Israelites were burying of a Man and had spied the Souldiers they cast the Man into the Sepulchre where Eliseus the Prophet was buried and when the dead Man was let down and touched the Body of Eliseus he revived and stood up upon his Feet as lively as ever he was Elizabeth Luk. 1.24 c. was the Wife of Zachary the Priest and came of the Daughters and Posterity of Aaron She was long barren but at last she conceived by Zachary her Husband according as the Angel of God had said unto him And being great with Child Mary the Wife of Joseph which was also conceived by the Holy Ghost came to visit Elizabeth her Cousin who had no sooner heard the salutation of Mary the Mother of God but the Babe sprang in her Belly whereupon she was filled with the Holy Ghost and cried out with a loud voice saying Blessed art thou among Women and blessed is the fruit of thy Womb And whence happeneth this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears the Babe sprang in my Belly for joy And blessed is she that believed for those things shall be performed which were told her from the Lord. And when the time was come that Elizabeth should be delivered she brought forth a Son which her Neighbours and Kinsfolks would have named Zachary after his Father but Elizabeth would none of that but said his Name should be John Elizabeth the Oath of God or the fulness of God Elkanah the Son of Jeroham an Ephraite born 1 Sam. cap. 1. had two Wives the one named Hannah and the other Peninnah By his Wife Peninnah he had Children But by Hannah he had none It was his manner every Festival day to go up and pray and to offer unto the Lord of Hosts in Shilo where the Ark of the Lord was at that time And in one solemn Feast day among all other as he offered unto the Lord he gave unto Peninnah his Wife and to her Sons and Daughters portions but unto Hannah whom he loved he gave a worthy Portion And on a time when he saw his Wife Hannah weep in the House of the Lord for sorrow she could have no child he said Hannah why weepest thou and why is thy heart so troubled that thou canst not eat Am not I better to thee than ten Sons as though he should say Is it not enough for thee that I love thee no less than if thou hadst children This he said to comfort her And at the last God gave him a Son by her named Samuel after whose birth he went up to offer unto the Lord and to give him thanks But Hannah would not go with him until she had weaned her Son Elkanah the Zeal of God and the possession of God Epaphroditus Phil. 2.25 was a certain godly Brother whom the Philippians sent to Paul being in Bonds at Rome with their charitable relief Who being there ministred unto him in his need and was so faithful a fellow-souldier with Paul in setting forth the Gospel of Christ and put himself in such hazard that he fell sick and was like to have dyed Now Paul to comfort the Philippians which were full of sorrow and heaviness for Epaphroditus their Apostle because they heard he was sick was the more desirous after his recovery to send him home again in the company of Timotheus with his Epistle that they might be the less sorrowful and rejoyce the more at his coming willing them to receive him with a loving Christian affection in all joyfulness and not to make much on him only but on all such as were like unto him Epaphroditus Pleasant Epaphras Col. 4.12 was a faithful Servant by whose labour and preaching the Colossians heard the Gospel and believed it and being in Prison with Paul at Rome prayed for those Colossians that they might be perfect and filled in all the will of God after true knowledge He bare a fervent mind to them of Laodicea and them of Hierapolis Epaphras Frothing Epenetus Rom. 16.5 was the first that Paul brought to the Christian Religion among them of Achaia unto whom Paul had him saluted Epenetus Worthy of praise Ephraim Gen. 48. 〈◊〉 c. was the youngest Son of Joseph and born in Egypt His Mothers Name was Asuath the Daughter of Potipher Priest of On and his eldest Brother was Manasses which two being brought before their Grandfather Jacob to receive his blessing
he preferred * God preferreth that many times which Man despiseth and despiseth that which man alloweth Ephraim the younger before Manasses the elder yet putting Joseph their Father in comfort that Manasses should be great but Ephraim should be greater Of the Genealogy of Ephraim read 1 Chron. 7. Ephraim Fruitful or encreasing Ephron the Son of Zoar dwelt among the Hethites Gen. 23. cap. having a piece of Land which Abraham had a mind to buy to bury Sarah his Wife therein And when the matter was broken to Ephron by Abraham to sell his Ground for so much Money as it was worth Ephron willingly offered to give it him freely to bury his dead and to do withal what he would But notwithstanding Abraham forced him so much to know the price thereof that Ephron said My Lord the Land is worth four hundred * The common Sicle is about the value of twenty pence Sicles but what is that between thee and me take it freely I beseech thee and bury thy dead at thy pleasure And so he received of Abraham for his Land the Summ aforesaid Ephron Dust or low on the ground Er the Eldest Son of Judah the Son of Jacob Gen. 38.7 was married to a Woman called Thamar and for his great wickedness the Lord slew him Er VVatchful and making bare or pouring forth Erastus was the Chamberlain Act. 19.22 Rom. 16.23 2 Tim. 4.20 or Receiver of the City of Corinth and one of Paul's Ministers whom he sent from Ephesus into Macedonia with one Timotheus intending himself to follow after to gather Mens alms for the relieving of such as were needy and poor at Jerusalem Erastus Amiable Esay Esay 1.1.42.1.45 53. cap. the Son of * Amos the Father of Esay was Brother to Azariah King of Judab and Esay was Father-in-law to Manasses who put him to death Amos was an holy Prophet of the Tribe of Judah in whom was such abundance of the spirit of Prophecie that he prophesied so much of Christ that he seemed rather to be an Evangelist than a Prophet He was of such holiness that in the time of King Ezechias when a City was besieged he by his Prayer obtained of God that Water sprang up in little quantity so that the People did not perish for lack of Water and when the Enemies had won the City and besieged Seloum as often as the Jews came for Water the Water ran out of the Earth abundantly and they took Water But the strangers when they came could not find it This holy Man for his liberty of speech in rebuking of the sin of the Princes and the People and for the prophesying of the vengeance of God upon that Countrey and People was cut in two pieces with a Saw and buried under an Oke but asterward he was translated and buried by the Sepulchre of Kings He was before the coming of Christ 800. years Eliote Esay the health of the Lord. Esau Gen. 25.25 was the eldest Son of Isaac born with his Brother Jacob at one birth of their Mother Rebekah Jacob was smooth of body Of Esau came the Edomites Esau was called Edom that is red because he fold his birth-right for a mess of red Pottage and Esau rough and hairy who became a great hunter wherefore his Father loved him the better because now and then he did eat of his Venison On a time coming from hunting he was so weary and faint for hunger that he was almost dead And seeing his brother Jacob to have sod a Pot of Pottage he prayed him to give him a few thereof to eat Sell me now thy Birthright quoth he and I will Then Esau esteeming mere his Belly than the benefit of his Birth-right sold it to Jacob for a Mess of Pottage And when he had filled his Belly well he went his way and passed forth 26.34 till he came about the Age of Forty Years And then he took him two Wives the one Judith the Daughter of Beri and the other Bashemath the Daughter of Elon both which Women were disobedient to their Father and Mother-in-law 27. cap. After this his Father being old and blind for age he went out to kill some Venison for his Father that he might eat thereof and bless him before he died But when he had dressed it and brought it for his Father to eat Jacob had prevented Esau and gotten his blessing from him for the which he hated Jacob and threatned to kill him wherefore Jacob was sent away into Mesopotamia partly to avoid the malice of Esau 28.1 2 c. and partly to get him a Wife there because his Father would not have him marry with the Canaanites Then Esau perceiving that the Daughters of Canaan displeased Isaac he to please his Father took to Wife the Daughter of Ishmael Abraham's Son And so these two Brethren being thus separated the one from the other in process became both very rich And in the end when by the providence of God they met together again God had so altered and changed the mind of Esau that he most lovingly embraced his Brother Jacob ministring to him such kindness as though he had never born him any displeasure at all And so in fine departed as loving friends Jacob toward Succoth and Esau to Mount Seir his own possession Esau VVorking Eshcol was Brother to Mamre and Aner Gen. 14.13.24 which three were Abraham's confederates and his partakers in the rescuing of Lot his Brother out of the hands of Kedorlaomer Eshcol a Cluster Esdras the Son of Saraia 1 Esd 7.8 cap. was a notable Scribe in the Law of Moses and long in captivity at Babylon but at last by the licence of Artaxerxes he came from Babylon to Jerusalem again with the Jewes to repair the Law and City of God and to teach the People the right way of the Lord. He gathered and brought in order all the Books of the Laws of God which were by the Chaldees scattered and destroyed 9 and 10 cap. This Man's living was so upright and holy and so esteemed among the People that when they had offended the Lord in contracting themselves with the Gentiles at his godly preaching and counsel they repented and put away their strange Wives and turned to the Lord again Esdras an Helper Esther Esther 2 cap. the Daughter of Abian a Jew born was a goodly young Damosel and after the death of her Father and Mother nourished and brought up in the house of Mardocheus her Fathers Uncle During which time Vashti for her disobedience to Ahasuerus the King was deposed from her Princely state And then to have another placed in her room certain fair young Damosels and Virgins among which Esther was one were taken up by Commission and brought to the Court and there found at the King's charges for the space of xii Moneths with all manner of sumptuous Deckings to the end the King might choose one of them
whom he fancied best to be his Queen And when the time of choosing came he liked Esther above the rest and made her Queen in the room of Vashti Esther 3. cap. It happened after this that a mischief was devised against the Queens Nation the Jews by one in great authority about the King called Haman and being certified thereof by Mardecheus her Uncle she was so sore astonied that she wist not what to do for no help in that matter was to be had 4. cap. but only in the King to whom she durst not go because he had given a commandment that whosoever should presume to come unto him before they were called should suffer death Wherefore Esther not being called in thirty days before was afraid of the danger Nevertheless she considering with her self that either she must put her life in hazard or else suffer the whole Nation of the Jews to perish cast all fear aside 5. cap. and went to the King And presenting her self before him he put forth his golden Scepter in token of his special favour towards her demanding what she would have Nothing quoth she but that it would please your Majesty and Haman to come to the Banquet which I have prepared To the which he went and being there demanded of Esther what thing it was she required Oh quoth she if it shall please your Highness to give me my petition and to fulfil my request 7. cap. then let my Soveraign Lord and Haman come again to morrow and I will certifie your Grace of all And on the morrow when the King was come he said to Esther Now what is thy request I pray thee speak Then spake Esther and said If I thy poor Handmaid have found so much favour in thy sight O King to have my Petition granted then I most humbly beseech thee to grant me my Life and the Lives of all my People the Jews which are not only sold to be Bond-servants for I would to God it were so but to be slain and utterly destroyed all in one day Who is he said the King that dare presume to do such a deed Oh said Esther and if it shall please your Majesty to know the truth our great Enemy and Adversary that hath conspired our deaths is even this wicked Haman whom your Grace hath exalted so high Upon the which complaint of Esther the King's indignation was kindled so sore against Haman that he was hanged and the Jews restored for Esther's sake Read the story of Mardocheus Esther Hid. Eubulus 2 Tim. 4.21 was one of the faithful Congregation at Rome with Paul when he sent his Epistle to Timothy Eubulus VVise or of good Counsel Evil-merodach was Nabuchodonosor's Son 2 King 29.27 And being King after him he delivered Jehojakim King of Juda out of Prison wherein he had lain by the space of Thirty Years and exalted him above all the Princes in Babylon assigning him a certain portion every day from his own Table as long as he lived Evil-merodach Bruising or beating in pieces the fools bitterness A fool bitterly bruised or contrite Eunice 2 Tim. 1.5 was the Daughter of Lois and the Mother of Timothy which Women both the Mother and the Daughter are highly commended of Paul for their sincerity of faith which he desireth Timothy earnestly to follow Eunice a good Victory or Conquest Euodias Phil. 4.2 was a certain faithful Preacher of Christ to whom Paul sent commendations desiring him and Syntyche to agree in one true concord of minds in promoting the Gospel of Christ Euodias a good savour or well smelling Eutychus Act. 20.9 c. was a certain young Man which when the Disciples were gathered together upon one of the Sabbath days as their custome was to break Bread that is to say to celebrate the Lord's Supper gat him up into one of the Windows of an upper Chamber where were many Lights set because it was Night to hear Paul preach who continued his preaching so long that the young Man waxed sleepy and at the last sleep came so sore upon him that he fell out of the Window down to the ground three floors high And when the people ran to take him up they found him dead and brought him into the house when Paul perceived that he was dead he went down to the young Man and embraced him and said to the Disciples Be ye not troubled with this chance for there is life in him And so Paul went up again and made an end of his Sermon And in the morning after Paul's departing the young Man was brought up into the Chamber alive to the great comfort of all them that were there Eutychus Fortunate Ezechiel the Son of Buzi the Priest Ezek. 1.3 was a Prophet of the country Sareta in Syria and of the line of Priests He had many revelations and visions and by him God shewed many great miracles for in the time of a great scarcity he by prayer obtained of God abundance of fish whereby the people were sufficiently refreshed Also when the people were oppressed This story is drawn out of Master Eliots Dicbionary with the story of Esay before he stood and made their enemies so abashed with miracles and wonderful sights that they left off their enterprise Being in the countrey of Chaldea he told the people of many things done in the Temple of Jerusalem He brought the people out of Chaldea to Jerusalem to the reproach of the Infidels He being in Babylon judged the Tribe of Dan and Gad for that they had wickedly done against the Lord in persecuting them which believed on the Law And he shewed unto them a terrible token for Adders devoured their children and all their cattel At the last he was slain at Babylon by the Duke of the people who caused him to be drawn with wild horses which beat out his brains because he reproved him for Idolatry and he was buried in the field of Mamre in the Mount of Sem and Arphaxad progenitors of Abraham He prophesied of the return of the children of Israel and also of the coming of Christ He lived afore the Incarnation of Christ 617. years Ezechiel Strength of the Lord. F. FELIX Act. 24. chap. was the high President at Cesarea under the Emperor to whom Lysias the chief Captain sent Paul prisoner to be examined before him And when he had brought Paul forth before his accusers and heard his accusation made by one Tertullus an orator Felix beckoned to Paul that he should answer for himself and when he had heard Pauls answer he deferred the examination of the matter until another time saying unto Pauls adversaries that for as much as Lysias the chief Captain did know the whole matter as it stood he would at his coming hear them further And so gave commandment unto his under Captain that he should in the mean season keep Paul in ward but yet so that he might be gently ordered and be
provoke the Lord to anger that he sware that none of them all should see that good land save Caleb and Joshua Therefore said he if ye do now leave your brethren and will not go harnessed before them until the Lord hath cast out their enemies ye do so much sin against the Lord that he will surely find it out And when they heard Moses say so they answered saying We do not intend to leave our brethren our meaning is nothing less than so to do but rather that we might be suffered to make in this place sheepfolds for our cattel and houses for our wives and children to leave them therein which being done we our selves will go forth before our brethren harnessed and will not return home to our houses until we have brought them to their places and that every one of them be possessed in his inheritance Then Moses contented with this answer granted their request And so they builded sheep-cotes for their Cattel and houses for their families wherein they left them and went forth with their brethren until they had performed their promise and then returned home again Joshua 22. cap. And when they had rested a while at home they went and built an Altar near Jordan and that a very great one And when the rest of the children of Israel heard that the children of Reuben Gad and Manasses had built them an Altar in * This country also was calied Canaan because the Amorites dwelling there were called Canaanites Gilead beside Jordan even on the same side that they were of in the land of Canaan they were sore offended and so angry that they gathered themselves together to battel against them And being ready prepared they sent Phinehas the son of Eleazar the Priest and with him ten Princes of every chief house one to know for what purpose they had made them an Altar and whether it were to rebel against the Lord or no. And when they had done their commission the other answered and said that God was their witness that they had done it for no evil purpose either to rebel against the Lord or to swerve from his laws and ordinances in any point but rather for this consideration to be a witness between us and you and our generations after us lest it should chance another day that your children should say unto ours what have ye to do with the Lord God of Israel ye children of Reuben and of Gad the Lord ye see hath made Jordan a border between us and you and therefore ye can have no part in the Lord with us and so should your children make our children cease from fearing the Lord. And therefore to prevent such an inconvenience we took advice and made this Altar that if any such kind of talk should be ministred of your children to ours in time to come that then our children might answer and say again Behold the fashion of the Altar of the Lord which our fathers made neither for burnt-offerings nor sacrifices but for a witness between us and you that our part is in the Lord as well as yours And when Phinehas and the other Princes had heard their answer they were well content and returned and so the matter ended They called the Altar Our witness that the Lord is God Gad a Band or Garison Gad the Prophet came to David lying in the land of Moab saying Abide not in hold 1 Sam 22.5 but depart and go into the land of Judah 2 Sam. 24.13 At another time when David had offended the Lord in numbring his people Gad was sent unto him to give him choice of three things whether he would have * Three years of famin were past for the Gibeonites matter and this was the fourth year to the which should have been added other three years â—1 Chron 21.11 12. seven years famin or three months to fly before his enemies or three days pestilence in the land Gaius a certain * Act. 19.29.20.4 faithful brother dwelling in Derbe was one of Pauls companions and in great jeopardy of his life at Ephesus thorow the sedition of Demetrius the Silversmith but after the business was ended he accompanied Paul into Asia To this man St. John wrote his third Epistle Gaius the Lord or Master of the tongue Gallio was Proconsul of Achaia to wit Act. 18 1â— c. the Lord Deputy under Cesar the Emperor in the Countrey of Achaia In this time it hapned the Jews which had made a conspiracy against Paul to bring him before the place of judgment where Gallio sate as Judge accusing Paul unto him of new doctrine But when Gallio perceived the controversie between the Jews and Paul was concerning Jewish Religion he sought to rid his hands of them and preventing Paul who was ready to speak in his own defence said O ye Jews if it were a matter of wrong or an evil deed reason would that I should hear you but if it be a question of words or names or of your law look unto it your self for I will be no Judge in such matters And so caused them to depart the place Gallio giving Milk or having Milk Gamaliel Act. 5.34 c. one of the ancient Pharisees was Pauls Shool master and in high estimation among the people both for his excellent knowledge in the law and for his singular wisdom When the Apostles were brought by some of the Council for preaching in the name of Christ whose lives he perceived the Council sought he desired that for a while the Apostles might depart out of the Council-house And when they were gone he said Ye men of Israel take heed to your selves what ye intend to do as touching these men for before these days rose up one Theudas boasting himself to whom resorced a number of men about 400. who was slain and they all which believed him were scattered abroad and brought to nought After this man rose up one Judas of Galilee in the time when Tribute began who drew away much people after him he also perished and all that obeyed him were scattered abroad And now I say unto you refrain your selves from these men and let them alone For if this Counsel or this work be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it lest ye be found to strive against God Gamaliel God's reward Gedaliah the Son of Ahikam 2 King 25.22 c. was a great Captain under Nabuchodonosor whom he made Governour of the Land of Judah to rule the People which he had left behind him at the destruction of Jerusalem Jer. 42. câ—â— who intreated the People so gently and so friendly that all the Jews which were scattered about in the Land hearing of his gentleness resorted unto Gedaliah and sound great favour at his hand for the which they bare unto him their hearty good wills Insomuch that when Baal King of the Ammonites had sent one Ishmael under
pretence of friendship to slay him Murder committed under pretence of friendship the Captains of the Jews having knowledge thereof were so sore afraid of Gedaliah lest any misfortune should chance him that they told him of Ishmael's conspiracy And one among the rest named Johanan offered himself to dispatch Ishmael out of the way so secretly that the deed should never be known But Gedaliah not crediting their words neither yet mistrusting Ishmael would suffer nothing to be done unto him Jer. 41.2 And so forsaking the counsel and admonition of his friends and trusting too much to Ishmael he was of him in fine most treacherously slain in his own house Gedaliah the Greatness of the Lord the hem or skirt of the Lord. Gedeon the Son of Joash Judg 6. cap. was of the Tribe of Manasses To whom the Angel of the Lord appeared as he was threshing of Wheat saying The Lord is with thee thou valiant man Then said Gedeon If the Lord be with us why is all this evil come upon us We have heard by our Fathers of all the miracles which the Lord did for his People in Egypt and now hath he forsaken us and given us over into the hands of the Midianites Well said the Angel go thy way in this thy might and strength which I have given thee for thou shalt deliver Israel out of the hand of their enemies Oh Lord quoth Gedeon wherewith shall I save Israel seeing my Kindred is but poor and I the least of all my Fathers house With my help saith the Lord shalt thou save Israel for I will be with thee and thou shalt smite the Midianites as if they were but one man Then I beseech thee O Lord quoth Gedeon shew me a sign that thou talkest with me depart not hence till I come again with mine offering Which offering being brought and dressed accordingly the Angel had no sooner touched it with the end of his Rod but fire came out of the stone whereon the Sacrifice lay and consumed it altogether and so the Angel vanished out of sight The same Night following at the Lords commandment Gedeon went and destroyed the Altar of Baal which his Father had made and cut down all the Grove about it for the which deed the People having knowledge thereof would have stoned him to death Then * By this example of Joash we ought to justifie them that are zealous of God's cause though all the multitude be against us Joash to save Gedeon his Son said unto them what will ye do will ye plead Baal's cause or will ye be his defenders If Baal be a god let him revenge his own cause upon him that hath done the deed And from that day forth Gedeon was called Jerubbaal that is let Baal plead for himself because he hath broken down his Altar At this time the Midianites and the Amalekites had pitched themselves in the Valley of Jezreel and the spirit of the Lord came upon Gedeon so that he called his People together to go against them Judg. 7. cap. And to be the better confirmed in his Vocation he took a fleece of wool and laid it in the threshing place and made his request unto God saying Oh Lord if thou wilt let the dew this night fall upon the fleece only and be dry on all the ground beside then shall I be sure that thou wilt save Israel by my hands as thou hast said And on the morrow when Gedeon came to take up the fleece it was full of dew and the ground dry all about Then said Gedeon O Lord be not angry if I prove thee once more let now the fleece be dry only and dew upon all the earth and so in the morning the fleece was dry and the ground all dewy Gedeon now being thus confirmed pitched his Host to fight with his enemies But when the Lord saw the number of his Army he said to Gedeon The People that thou hast with thee are too many therefore make a proclamation thorowout all thine Host that whosoever is timorous or fearful let him depart home again and there returned XXII thousand and ten thousand remained Then said the Lord to Gedeon the People are yet too many Bring them down to the water side and I will appoint them that shall go with thee So many as do lap the Water with their Tongues as Dogs do shalt thou take with thee and the rest that kneel down upon their Knees to drink shalt thou refuse as men unmeet for this purpose And when it came to tryal all kneeled down to drink saving 300. which lapped * This story here of Gedcon and Jonathan 1 Sam. 14. and of Scnnacherib 2 King 19. doth manifestly shew that no King as the Prophet David saith is preserved by the multitude of his Men or strength of his Armies but is staid and holden up by the providence of God water with their hands and those Gedeon took with him and sent the rest away Then the Lord to strengthen Gedeon lest he should faint in so great an enterprise bad him take Phara his servant with him and go down that Night to the Host of the Midianites and hearken what they did say And when they came near to the Host they heard one Man say to another I have dreamed a dream and methought a loaf of Barley bread tumbled into the Host of Midian and came unto a Tent and smote it that it fell and lay along on the ground This is nothing else quoth his fellow save the Sword of Gedeon the Son of Joash a man of Israel for into his hands hath God delivered Midian and all the Host Then Gedeon hearing this praised God and returned to his men who were so animated with his joyful tydings that most couragiously they fell upon the infinite number of the Midianites and overthrew them and put them to flight every one in the which flight the Ephraimites on the other side of Jordan took Oreb and Zeeb two mighty Captains of the Midianites sent their heads to Gedeon Judg. 8. cap. who was following the chase after Zeba and Zalmunna Kings of Midian which two at the last he took and led them back to the Men of Succoth Phanuel who had denied him sustenance before and said unto them Behold here be the men by whom ye upbraided me saying Are the hands of Zeba and Zalmunna already in thine hands that we should give bread unto thy weary People I told you then that when the Lord had delivered them into my hands I would return and tear your flesh with Thorns and Briers of the Wilderness and break down the Tower of Phanuel And so to perform his promise he fell upon the Men of Succoth and Phanuel and put them to most painful torments and death and slew Zeba and Zalmunna with his own hands Thus he delivered Israel out of the hands of the Midianites which had kept them seven years in subjection And when he
or Couch whereon the Queen fate and besought her grace for his life And when the King came in again and found him with the Queen he said Will he force the Queen also before me in the house Which word was no sooner gone out of the Kings mouth but Haman's * It was the manner of the Persians when one was out of the Kings favour to cover his face face was covered and so had out and hanged upon the Gallows which he had prepared in his own house for Mardocheus Read the story of Esther and of Mardocheus Haman Troubling or making burly burly or preparing Hanani was a Prophet sent of God to Asa King of Juda declaring unto him 2 Chron. 16 7 c. how greatly he had displeased the Lord for making a Covenant with Benhadad King of Syria and for doing his message was cast into Prison Read the story of Asa Hanani Gracious or Merciful or Giving Hananiah the Son of Azur was a false Prophet Jer. 28. cap. which prophesied unto the People of Israel that God would break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babylon from the neck of all Nations within the space of two years and in token thereof took the yoke from the Prophet Jeremies neck and brake it But Jeremy the true Prophet of God reproved the false prophecie of Hananiah saying That in stead of the yoke of wood which he had taken from his neck the Lord would put a yoke of Iron upon the necks of all these Nations that they should serve the King of Babylon and that the false Prophet Hananiah himself should dye the same year which things came truly to pass as Jeremy had spoken Hananiah Grace of the Lord. Hanun was the Son of Nahash King of the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10.1 unto whom David most gently sent to comfort him upon the death of his Father which gentleness was most ungently and unthankfully taken of the Lords and Councellors of the young King Hanun Who perswaded the young King that David had not sent to comfort him upon the death of his Father But had rather sent a sort of spies under the colour of friendship to seek the means how to destroy his Cities and whole Realm Upon the which false and unhonest surmise of his wicked Counsellers Hanun caused the one half of every Mans Beard to be shaven and their Garments to be cut off hard by the Buttocks and so sent them home again to David with much shame and disgrace Ingratitude punished Upon which occasion David became his utter enemy and made such sore War against him that in conclusion Hanun was taken and lost his Regal Crown which David put upon his own Head and wore it before Hanun's face and carried away all his Treasure and Jewels took his People whereof some he sawed in two pieces over other some he caused Carts new and sharp shod with Iron to be driven some he took and shred their flesh as Cooks do Pye-meat and cast other some in hot burning Ovens Thus was Hanun rewarded for his ingratitude Hanun Faithful or true a Schoolmaster and the Mothers Son or Child Hazael 2 King 8 8 c. was a certain great Man which served Benhadad King of Syria which Benhadad fortuning to fall sick sent Hazael to Eliseus the Prophet to know whether he should recover of his disease or no. And when the Prophet saw Hazael he could not look him in the face for shame but cast his Head aside and wept Then Hazael marvelling at the Prophets behaviour towards him demanded of Eliseus wherefore he wept I weep quoth the Prophet to see the great evils that thou shalt do to the Children of Israel Thou shalt break down their strong Cities and set them on fire and slay their young Men with the Sword and dash the brains out of the sucking Children and rent in pieces the Women with Child Then said Hazael dost thou make thy Servant a Dog that I should lack so much humanity and pity to do these things Well said the Prophet thou shalt do as I have said for the Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be King of Syria And so Hazael departed home to the King his Master and told him that he should recover for so the Prophet had said unto him But on the next morrow when Hazael saw his time he took a thick * Under the pretence to refresh or ease him he stifled him with this cloth 2 King 8. 28 2 Chron. 22. cloth and dipt it in Water and spread it so on the King's face that he dyed After whose death Hazael raigned in his stead And being stablished in his Kingdom he made War with Joram King Ahab's Son and was a cruel adversary to Israel all the days of his life Hazael seeing God Helkiah was the High-Priest in the days of Josias 2 King 22.8 who in repairing the Temple of the Lord chanced by the providence of God to find the Book of the Law * The Copy that Moses left them as appeareth 2 Chron. 34.14 the which he sent to the King by Shaphan the Scribe which he read unto him Helkiah the Lords portion or part the Lords lenity or gentleness Heliodorus being in great favour with Seleucus 2 Mac. 3. cap. King of Asia and Steward of his House was sent to Jerusalem to fetch away the treasure out of the Temple which one Symon the Governour thereof had betrayed unto the King And being come to Jerusalem he was lovingly received of Onias the High-Priest into the City But when Heliodorus had uttered the cause of his coming and that his Commission was to bring the Money unto the King there was no small fear thorowout the whole City For then all men from the highest to the lowest were so oppressed with sorrow and heaviness that they knew not what to do but fell to prayer lifting up their eyes to Heaven and calling upon him which had made a Law concerning stuff given to keep that he would safely preserve the same which was there committed in custody And while the Priests and People were thus lamenting and crying upon God and on the other side Heliodorus personally with his Men of War about the Treasury There appeared an Horse with a terrible Man sitting upon him deck'd in Harness of Gold which Horse smote at Heliodorus with his fore-feet to beat him from the place Also there appeared two fair and beautiful young Men in goodly apparel which stood on each side of Heliodorus and scourged him so long that he fell down to the ground as dead and so was carried out of the Temple without speech or hope of life whereby the great power of God was manifest and known Then certain of Heliodorus friends besought Onias to call upon God to give him his life who was even at that time giving up the ghost Then Onias lest the King should suspect the Jews had done him some harm called upon God and obtained his life
which unlawful marriage John Baptist spake so much to Herod's reproof that she fearing lest John would make Herod break off the incestuous marriage counselled her Daughter which danced before him to ask the Head of John Baptist And so by the wicked device of this unchast Woman John lost his Head Herodias signifieth that that the word Herod before doth Hesron Gen. 46.9 Num. 26.6 was the Son of Reuben and of him came the Kindred of the Hesronites Hesron the Arrow of rejoycing Hesron 1 Chron. 2.9 the Father of Caleb being come to the age of threescore years took to Wife the Daughter of Machir who bare unto him a Son called Segub Hezekiah 2 King 18. and 19. cap. the Son of Ahaz was xxv years of age when he began his reign over Juda. He was the godliest Prince that ever reigned before or after among the Kings of Juda. He cleansed his Country from all Idolatry and brake down the brasen Serpent which Moses had set up as soon as he saw it abused He brought in again the true honouring of God and renewed the Passeover He had such a sure trust and confidence in God that at his Prayer the Angel of the Lord slew in one Night of the Assyrians which were come to destroy Jerusalem an hundred fourscore and five thousand and smote the rest into such a fear 20. cap. that they ran away After this he fell sick and was admonished by the Prophet Esay to set his house in order for he should surely dye Then he turned his face to the wall and made his petition to God saying Oh Lord remember I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart have done that which is good in thy sight and speaking these words he * He wept not so much for his own death as for fear that Idolatry should be restored which he had destroyed wept very sore The Lord then moved with his tears returned the Prophet again to comfort him with these news that he should receive his health and be able the third day to go up to the House of the Lord and that he had added to his days xv years more and to assure him of this his promise he would cause the Sun to return his course ten degrees backward At this time Berodach sirnamed Baladad King of Babylon sent to Hezekiah Ambassadours to signifie unto him how glad and joyful he was of his recovery which kindness was so greatly esteemed of Hezekiah that he thought he could not do them too much pleasure but made them privy to all his treasure silver and gold and whatsoever he had in his House or in any other part of his Realm he * Because he was moved with ambition and vain glory and seemed also to rejoyce in the friendship of him that was God's enemy the Lord was displeased shewed it freely unto them Wherefore the Lord not content there with commanded Esay the Prophet to go and tell Hezekiah That forasmuch as he had made the messengers of Babylon privy to all the commodities of his Land The days should come that all things which he had in his House and whatsoever his Fathers had layed up in store before him should be carried to Babylon Then Hezekiah knowing the Prophet to be the true messenger of God humbled himself and said Thy word O Lord is welcome unto me but yet I shall desire thee not to send those evils in my days but rather peace and truth He raigned xxix years and died Hezekiah the strength of the Lord or the Lords holding Hymeneus 1 Tim. 1.20 after he had tasted of the word of God and been a Professor of the same he fell away and became an utter enemy and a spiteful railer against the Doctrine of the Gospel of Christ denying the chiefest point and foundation of the Gospel which is 2 Tim. 2.17 that the Resurrection is past wherewith he destroyed the Faith of many Persons For the which errour and other his railing and jestings against the truth of GOD's Word Paul excommunicated him that he thorow correction might be ashamed of his fault and turn again to Christ Hymeneus a Marriage-song or Bride-song Hiram 2 Sam. 5.11 King of Tyre favoured David so much that he hearing that David went about to build him an House sent him both Timber and Workmen to finish the same Also when Solomon after the death of David his Father sent to this King for Wood and Timber to build the Lord's Temple 1 King 5 cap. cap. 9.11 c. he praised God that had sent David so wise a Son to sit in his Seat and granted him Timber of Cedar Firr and other precious Wood so much as he would desire Wherefore Solemon to gratifie Hiram again sent him twenty thousand Quarters of Wheat and twenty Butts of Oyl and gave him also twenty goodly Cities which Cities Hiram called the Land of Cabul forasmuch as when he saw them they pleased him not After this Hiram gave to Solomon six-score Talents of Gold and sent him Ships and Men who had knowledge of the Sea to go with his Navy into the Countrey of Ophir which Ships brought unto Solomon * In the 2 Chron. 8.18 is mention made of 30. Talents more which seem to have been employed for their charges four hundred and twenty Talents of Gold Hiram The height of Life Hiram 1 King 7.13 This Man was a certain Widow's Son dwelling in the Countrey of Tyre and of the Tribe of Nepthali and did so excel in all manner of Workmanship that Hiram King of Tyre sent him to Solomon to work and finish all things that pertained to the Temple of the Lord which Solomon went about to edifie Hobab Num. 10 10. was the Son of Raguel whose * Some think that Raguel Jethro Hobab and Keni were all one Kimehi saith that Raguel was Jethro 's Father So Hobab was Moses Father in-law Company Moses his Father-in-law would so fain have had into the Land of Canaan that he intreated him on this wise saying We are now going to the place which the Lord said that he would give us therefore I pray thee go with us and we will do thee good for the Lord hath promised good unto Israel Then Hobab made answer saying I will not go but I will depart to mine own Countrey and Kindred Nay quoth Moses I pray thee forsake us not but go with us and be our guide for thou knowest our camping places in the Wilderness and whatsoever goodness the Lord shall shew unto us the same will we shew unto thee But all this could not move Hobab but that he would depart And so returned home into his own Countrey again Hobab Beloved Holofernes Jaâ—… 2. cap. was the Chief and most terrible Captain of all Nabuchodonosor's Host sent of him to subdue all the World Jaâ—â— 14 cap. And coming to the City of Bethulia where all
thine own Person For so shall we come upon him in one place or other where we shall find him and fall upon him as thick as the dew falleth upon the ground and of all the Men that are with him we shall not leave him one Moreover if he be gotten into a Town then shall all the Men of Israel bring Ropes to that Town or City and we will draw it into the River until there be not one stone sound there This Counsel of Hushai pleased Absalom and the People better than Achitophel's which was even the Lord's determination to destroy the good counsel of Achitophel that the Lord might bring evil upon Absalom And so when Hushai had done according to David's request he caused Sadoc and Abiathar the Priests to send David word of all that was done whereby he escaped Hushai Sense or making hast or holding his peace I. JABES 1 Chron 4.9 was so named * This was Othonicl Caleb's Brother as Lyra reporteth of his Mother because she bare him in sorrow He being more honorable than the rest of his Brethren made a conditional Vow unto God saying ‖ Jacob made the like vow Read his story If thou wilt bless me indeed and inlarge my Coasts and if thine hand be with me and thou wilt cause me to be delivered from evil that I be not hurt Thus far goeth his request which was granted Jabes Sorrow Iabyn was the King of Canaan Judg. 4.2 whose Captain of War was Sisera Twenty Years he troubled Israel very sore But at the last he was overcome of the Israelites and brought to nought There was another King called Jabyn also whom Joshua slew and destroyed his City called * Which City being burnt of Joshua was afterward built again of the Canaanites Hazor as ye shall read in Joshua Chap. 11. Jabyn Understanding Iacob was the youngest Son of Isaac Gen. 25.26.27 cap. and Brother to Esau whose Birth right he bought for a Mess of Pottage and afterward by the counsel of Rebekah his Mother got away his blessing And then to avoid his Brothers displeasure Gen. 28. cap. he was sent into Mesopotamia to Laban his Mother Brother to get him a Wife And chancing to come to a place where he was benighted he took a stone and laid it under his Head and fell asleep And in his Dream he saw a * Christ is the Ladder whereby God and man are joyned together and by whom the Angels minister unto us all graces by him are given unto us and we by him ascend into Heaven Ladder stand upon the Earth reaching up to Heaven and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon it and God himself standing upon the Ladder said I am the Lord God of Abraham thy Father and the God of Isaac the Land which thou sleepest upon will I give to thee and thy seed and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth thou shalt spread abroad to the West to the East to the North and to the South And thorow thee and in thy seed shall all the Kinreds of the earth be blessed Behold I am with thee and will be thy keeper in all places where thou goest and will bring thee again into this Land neither will I leave thee until I have made good all that I have promised Then Jacob awaking out of sleep said Surely the Lord is in this place and I was not aware Oh how fearful is this place it is none other but the house of God and the gate of heaven Then Jacob gat him up early in the Morning and took the stone which he slept upon and set it up as a Pillar to be a remembrance of that Vision and poured oyl upon it and called the place Bethel which before was called Luz And before his departing he vowed saying If God will be with me and keep me in this Journey which I go and will give me Bread to eat and Cloaths to cover me so that I come again to my Fathers house in safety then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set up for a Pillar shall be God's house and of all that thou givest me 29. cap. will I give the tenth unto thee And so Jacob going on his Journey came into the East Countrey where in beholding the Land he saw certain Herdmen lying with their Flocks of Sheep beside a Well at the which they commonly used to water their Sheep to whom he went demanded whence they were They said of Haran Do ye not know quoth he one Laban the Son of Nahor Yea said they we know him well He is in health And behold yonder cometh his Daughter Rachel to water her Father's sheep who was no sooner come but Jacob went to the Well and rolled away the stone from the Wells mouth and watered all her sheep Which done he kissed the Damosel and wept for joy And when the Maid had knowledge what he was she ran to her Father and told him who being joyful thereof went to the Man and brought him into his house Now when Jacob had opened the cause of his coming to Laban it was agreed that Jacob should serve Laban seven years for Rachel his Daughter But when the day of Marriage came Leah the elder was * The cause why Jacob was deceived was that in old time the Wife was covered with a Vail when she was brought to her Husband in sign of chastity and shamefastness Gen. 30 25 c. put in her stead for so much as it was not the custome that the younger should be first married as Laban alledged Then Jacob tarried seven days and took Rachel upon condition that he would serve other seven years for her which being fulfilled he desired Laban that he might depart with his Wives and Children into his own Country again Nay tarry said Laban for I perceive that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake appoint thy wages and I will give it thee Thou knowest quoth Jacob what service I have done thee and in what taking thy Cattel hath been under me for the little that thou hadst before my coming is now increased to a Multitude But when shall I make provision for mine own House also Well what shall I give thee said Laban Then Jacob having knowledge aforehand by the Angel of the Lord what his wages should be said Thou shalt give me nothing at all if thou wilt do this thing for me I will go again and feed thy sheep and keep them and will separate all the sheep of thy Flock one from another and so many as be black speckled or of party colour let that be my wages and whatsoever I take of the rest unspotted let that be counted theft with me Content quoth Laban Then went Jacob and took out all the Males and Females of the Sheep and Goats that were black spotted or of party colour and put them in the keeping of his Sons which lay
besieged Jerusalem to whom Jehojakim yielded and served Nabuchodonosor three years and then rebelled against him into whose hand the Lord delivered him so that the King of Babylon took him and bound him in two Chains and carried him and all the Vessels of the Lord's house into Babylon This King reigned xi years Jehojakim the Rising or avenging of the Lord. * He is called also Jechonias Matth. 1.11 Iehojachin was the Son of Jehojakim 2 King 24.6 c. who at the age of xviii years began to reign over Juda and did evil in the sight of the Lord as his Fathers before him He had not reigned three moneths ere that the King of Babylon came and deposed him making Mattaniah his Fathers Brother King in his stead changing his Name from Mattaniah to Zedekiah and carried Jehojachin away into Babylon where he remained in Prison xxxviii years after even until the coming of Evilmerodach King of Babylon after Nabuchodonosor his Father who had such a mind to Jehojachin that he delivered him out of Prison and exalted him above all the Princes in Babylon and fed him at his own Table all the days of his life Jehojachin the Resurrection of the Lord. Iehoahaz the Son of Jehu 2 King 13.1 2 c. began his Reign over Israel in the xxiii year of the Reign of Joash the Son of Ahaziah King of Juda and walked so wickedly in the sins of Jeroboam by worshipping the Calves which he had erected that God delivered him into the hands of Hazael and his Son Benhadad Kings of Syria which destroyed the People of Israel and vexed them so sore that they made the Israelites like threshed dust yet nevertheless when Jehoahaz humbled himself and besought the Lord he heard him and had such pity and compassion on the misery of Israel that he delivered him out of the Syrians subjection which had brought him so low that they had left him but fifty Horsemen ten Chariots and ten thousand Footmen He reigned xvii years and then dyed and was buried in Samaria leaving behind him his Son Joash to Reign in his stead Jehoahaz Apprehending possessing or seeing Iehojada 2 King 11. was the High-Priest in the days of Ahaziah King of Juda whose Daughter he married named Jehosheba He preserved Joash the youngest Son of Ahaziah his Father-in-law six Years in the Lord's House and in the seventh Year he brought him forth and proclaimed him King And being his Governour and Protectour trained him up in all godliness and vertue 2 Chron. 24. So that so long as Jehojada lived the King walked in all the ways of the Lord from the which he swerved after the death of this good Priest Jehojada Who lived 130. Years and for his faithfulness towards God and his People was most honourably buried in the City of David among the Kings Jehojada the Knowledge of the Lord. Iehosheba 2 King 11.2 2 Chron. 22. was the Daughter of Ahaziah King of Juda and Wife to Jehojada the High-Priest of the Jews And when Athalia her Grandmother went about to destroy the King's seed she stole away Joash her youngest Brother from among the King's Sons and hid both him and his Nurse in her own Chamber with her Husbands consent the space of six years and so preserved him that he perished not with the rest of her Brethren Jehosheba the fulness of the Lord. Iehu 2 King 9. the Son of Nimshi was anointed King over Israel by Eliseus the Prophet for to destroy the House of Ahab his Master And being commanded to go about it with speed he began first with Joram which lay at Jezreel to be healed of his wounds which the Syrians had given him And as Jehu was coming thitherward the Watchman espying a company coming toward the City told the King who then sent out an Horseman to meet them and to know whether they came peaceably or no. And when the Messenger came to Jehu he said The King would know whether it be Peace or no What hast thou to do with Peace quoth Jehu turn thee behind me and so the Messenger turned behind Jehu and went back no more and likewise the second Then the Watchman told the King that he thought by the driving of the Chariot it should be Jehu that was coming for he driveth quoth he furiously The King hearing that made him ready to War and took Ahaziah King of Juda with him and went toward Jehu and met him in the portion of Naboth saying Is it peace Jehu or no There was a Prophet also called Jehu the Son of Hanam which prophesied of the destruction of Baasha King of Israel and his Posterity Read 1 King 16.1 c. 10. cap. What peace should it be quoth he so long as the whoredomes of thy Mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so great and so in the Battel Jehu shot Joram to the heart with an arrow and killed him And fell upon Ahaziah and slew him also And so proceeding forth to Jezreel he came thither and found Jezebel looking out at a Window And as he demanded of the company about her who was on his side and would for his sake cast her down two or three of her Chamberlains threw her out at the Window and brake her Neck notwithstanding because she was a King's Daughter he caused her to be buried Then he sent his Letters to Samaria commanding those which had the governance of Ahab's seventy Sons to kill them all and to bring their heads on the next morrow to Jezreel And when they for fear had fulfilled his commandment and brought their heads to him Jehu fell upon the Murtherers and slew them also And in the way to Samaria he slew the Brethren of Abaziah even forty and two which were going to visit Ahab's Sons Finally he trained all the Priests of Baal into the Temple of Baal and there slew them every one converted the Temple to a Jakes house And now when Jehu had left neither Priest Kinsman nor any that favoured Ahab alive the Lord for his well doing made him this promise that his seed should sit on the seat of Israel until the fourth Generation But notwithstanding that Jehu had thus severely punished the Vice of Idolatry in Ahab's Posterity yet he himself committed the same in worshipping the Golden Calves and caused Israel to sin as others before him had done He reigned xxviii years Jehu He himself or that which iâ— Iephtah Judg. 11. cap. was the Son of Gilead base born whose Brethren which were legitimate thrust him out of their company and so hated him that they would not suffer him to remain among them wherefore Jephtah departed and fled into the Land of Tob where resorted unto him all naughty and light persons Now in the mean time that Jephtah was thus a stranger from his Brethren the Ammonites made sore War against the Israelites so that they were in great jeopardy and fear to be overcome of them Then the Elders of
in a Book which is called Ecclesiasticus or the wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach Iesus otherwise called Justus was a Jew born Col. 4.11 and one of Paul's Workfellows in preaching and setting forth the Kingdom of God whom he commended to the Colossians desiring them that if he or any such did come unto them they should receive and entreat them with all gentleness Iethro the Priest of Midian had seven Daughters Exod. 4.18.18 cap. of the which one was called Zipporah whom he married to Moses And when that Jethro had heard of all the mighty deeds which God had done for Moses and how he had delivered the Children of Israel out of Egypt from the Bondage of Pharaoh and brought them thorow the red Sea he met Moses in the Wilderness and brought to him his Wife and two Children which he had sent back before at whose coming Moses was exceeding glad Then as Jethro abode with Moses and saw the great pains he took in judging the People from Morning to Night he said unto him What is this that thou dost unto the People Why sittest thou thy self alone and all the People stand about thee from morning unto even When the People quoth Moses have any matter they come unto me and I judge between one and another and declare unto them the Statutes and Laws of God Thou dost not well quoth Jethro for thou both weariest thy self The counsel of Jethro Moses Father-in-law and the People that is with thee The thing is of more weight than thou art able to perform alone Therefore hear my counsel and God shall prosper thee Be thou for the People to God-ward and report the causes to him Admonish them of the ordinances and laws and shew them the way wherein they must walk and the work that they must do Moreover seek out among the People men of courage and such as fear God true dealing men hating covetousness and appoint them to be Rulers over thousands over hundreds over fifties and over tens And let them judge the people at all seasons and every great matter let them bring it to thee but all small causes let them judge themselves and so shall it be easier for thee when they shall bear the burthen with thee If thou shalt do this thing and God so command thee thou shalt be able to endure and all the People shall go quietly to their place Jethro Excellent or remaining or searching forth or a little cord Ioab â— Sam. 2. cap. was the Son of Zerviah David's Sister and the chief Captain of all David's Host In the first Battel he made against Abner King Saul's Captain he was the Victor and put Abner to flight and of malice afterward by treason slew him for the which deed David was sore offended 3.27 23 c. that he besought God to avenge it on Joab and that his House and Posterity might always be plagued with the bloody-flux leprosie feebleness of Body the Sword or Famine for the death of Abner Joab also was the death of Absalom â— Sam. 38.15 and slew him as he hanged by the hair of his head upon the bough of a tree And when it was told him of the great lamentation the King made for Absalom his Son he went unto him and said Thou hast this day shamed the faces of all thy servants 19.5 c. which this day have saved thy life and the lives of all thy Sons and Daughters and the lives of thy Wives and Concubines in that thou lovest thine enemies and hatest thy friends For thou hast declared this day that thou regardest neither thy Princes nor servants Therefore I do perceive that if Absalom had lived and all we had been slain this day that then it had pleased thee well Now therefore up and come out and speak comfortably unto thy servants for I swear by the Lord except thou come out there will not tarry one Man with thee this Night and that will be worse unto thee than all the evil that fell on thee from thy youth hitherto 20. cap. Also in persecuting of Sheba which had made a new insurrection against David he met Amasa his Aunts Son by the way and * Lyra supposeth that Joab slew Amasa of envy because David had made an oath in the Chapter before that Amasa should be his Captain in Joab's stead slew him and leaving him dead on the ground he followed Sheba and besieged him in a City called Abel where the Governess of the City being a wise Woman cried unto Joab demanding why he went about to destroy that City which was a Mother of Israel and to devour the Inheritance of the Lord before he had offered peace To whom he answered saying That he went about no such matter but I come quoth he for Sheba the Son of Bichri deliver me him and I will be gone and as soon as the head of Sheba was thrown over the Wall to Joab he departed Finally after the death of David who had ordained Solomon to Reign in his stead Joab took part with ddonijah Solomon's Brother which usurped the Kingdom and went about with all his power to stablish him in David's seat But when he heard Solomon proclaimed by David's authority he fled to the Tabernacle of the Lord out of the which he would not depart but catching hold on the * The holiness of the place ought not to save the wilful murtherer Exod. 21.14 corners of the Altar said he would even in that place dye Then Solomon hearing thereof commanded Benaiah to go and kill him even there for the bloud of Abner and Amasa which he had shed causlesly And so was Joab slain in the Tabernacle and carried out and buried in his own House in the Wilderness Joab willing or voluntary Joanna Luk. 8.3.24.10 the Wife of Chuza Herod's Steward was a godly Woman and ministred unto Christ of her substance while he lived And after he had suffered his Passion she went with other Women to seek him at his Sepulchre And being told by the Angels that he was not there returned to the Apostles to bring them tidings of his Resurrection which seemed to them but feigned things and therefore believed them not Joanna the grace of the Lord or the Lord's gift or the Lord's mercy Joash 2 King 11. 12. cap. the youngest Son of Ahaziah King of Juda was stollen away from the hands of Athaliah his Grandmother by his Sister Jehosheba Wife to Jehojadah the High-Priest and hid in the Lords house and brought up in the Chamber where the Priests and Levites lay the space of six years and in the seventh year Jehojadah brought him forth and proclaimed him King who in all things sought the Lord so long as Jehojadah lived He repaired the Temple He slew Mattan the Priest of Baal and brake down his Altars with many other good things 2 Chron. 24. But after the death of Jehojadah he fell so far
from God that no admonition of the Prophets which were daily sent him could turn him And last of all when Zacharia the Son of Jehojadah came unto him to call him again unto the Lord he notwithstanding the great kindness and faithfulness of Jehojadah his Father before him caused Zacharia to be put to death for the which cause the Lord stirred up the Syrians against him which slew a great number of his People and in the end his own Servants conspired against him for his ingratitude and slew him upon his own Bed after he had reigned forty years and buried him in the City of David but not among the Kings Joash the Lords fire or the Lords oblation Joash 2 King 13.9 10 c. the Son of Jehoahas began his Reign over Israel in the xxxvii year of Joash King of Juda and did evil in the sight of the Lord grieving him with the sins of Jeroboam the Son of Nebat 2 Chron. 25.17 18 c. Of the great Victory the Lord gave Joash against Amasiah King of Juda read his story And how he visited Elizeus the Prophet in his sickness read the last end of his story also This King reigned xvi years and dyed leaving Jeroboam his Son to take his place Job Job 1. cap. was a perfect just Man dwelling in the Land of Hus and one that feared God who gave unto him seven Sons and three Daughters and also endued him with great riches His substance was 7000. sheep 3000. Camels 500. yoak of Oxen 500. she-Camels and a very great Houshold So that he was one of the most principal Men among all them of the East-Country He was so careful over his Sons lest in their banquetting they had committed some offence or been unthankful to God in their hearts that he daily would sanctifie them and offer for every one a burnt-offering unto the Lord he was a Man also replenished with such patience that Satan with all his temptations could not move him out of the same for when word was brought him how that the Sabeans had taken away his Oxen and slain his Servants and that the Lord had consumed all his Sheep with fire and that the Chaldees had taken away his Camels and how that all his Children were slain in their eldest Brother's house which the wind blew down upon them he made no more a do but said Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb and naked shall I return again The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away even as it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to pass 2. cap. blessed be the name of the Lord. Also when Satan by the permission of God had plagued Job with extreme sores even from the sole of the Foot to the crown of his Head so that he sat upon the ground in dust and ashes scraping off the filth of his sores with a Potsherd and being also inwardly afflicted with the sharp temptation of his Wife which tempted him to blaspheme God he took all in good part reproving his Wife for her foolish talking for shall we quoth he receive good at the hand of God and not receive evil not so I am as well content to suffer this adversity sent of the Lord as I was to receive the prosperity he gave me before And so Job continued in his uprightness Job 42. and was at the last restored to as many Children as he had before and to double riches He lived an hundred and forty years and saw his Childrens children to the fourth generation before he dyed Job Sorrowful or hated Jochebed Exod. 6.20 Num. 26.59 was the Daughter of Levy and * She was Amram's Father's Sister which kind of marriage was after in the Law forbidden Levit 18. born in Egypt Her Husband 's name was Amram to whom she bare three Children Aaron Moses and a Daughter called Miriam Jochebed Glorious Jokshan was the Son ‖ Gen. 25.2 1 Chron. 1.32 of Abraham begotten of his Wife Keturah his two Children were called the one Sheba and the other Dedan Jokshan Hardness or Offence Joel the Son of Phatuel was * Joel 1 2 3. cap. an holy Prophet and prophesied against the Jews exhorting the Priests to prayer and fasting for the misery that was coming at hand And giving them warning of the coming and cruelty of their enemies moved them to turn and convert And last of all he setteth out the Judgment of God against the enemies of his People Joel willing or beginning Johanan Jer. 40.13 the Son of Kareah Prophesied to Gedaliah whom Nabuchodonosor King of Babylon had made Governour over the People that he left at Jerusalem that Ishmael the Son of Nethaniah by the procurement of Baalis King of the Ammonites should kill him which came so to pass indeed as ye shall read in the story of Gedaliah After whose death 41. cap. 42. cap. Johanan with the rest of the Captains over the Jews persecuted Ishmael and recovered from him all the People which he had carried away and put Ishamael to flight Then Johanan fearing the Chaldees because of the death of Gedaliah consulted with the rest of the Captains and agreed to conveigh themselves all the People into Egypt and asked counsel of Jeremy the Prophet who had dwelt quietly in the Land under Gedaliah whether it were best so to do or no who made them answer that if they went into Egypt they should perish but if they tarried still in the Land God would surely so defend them 43.5 6 c. that the Chaldees should not hurt them yet they of a proud mind despising the counsel of Jeremy and taking his words for lies led the People away into Egypt to their utter destruction John Baptist the Son of Zachary Luk. 1. cap. was sanctified in the womb of Elizabeth his Mother and ordained of God to be an abstainer and to go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias to prepare his way and make ready a perfect People unto him thorow preaching the amendment of life Luk. 3.3 4 c. and baptizing in the water of repentance And was a Man of so great perfection and holiness of life that the People stood in a doubt whether that he were Christ or no. And being asked the question denied plainly that he was not Christ nor Elias neither that Prophet whom they dreamed so much upon but only the voice of a cryer in the Wilderness to make streight the way of the Lord. For I do Baptise saith John in water only but there is one now come among you who although he came after me was before me whose Shoo latchet I am not worthy to unloose and he it is that shall Baptise you with the Holy Ghost John was a constant Man and lived austerely His Garment was course Cloth made of Camels hair His Meat was Locusts and wild Hony He was a Prophet and as Christ reporteth more than a Prophet
sirnamed Thaddeus John 14.12 When Christ said unto his Disciples that he would shew himself unto them and not unto the World Judas asked him the cause why he would shew himself unto them Jude 1. cap. and not unto the World He made an Epistle in the which he admonsheth all Churches generally to take heed of Deceivers The last part of this history I find in the arguâ—ent before the Episde of Jâ—de Geneva which went about to draw the hearts of the simple People from the truth of God whom he setteth forth in their lively colours shewing by divers examples of the Scriptures that horrible vengeance is prepared for them Finally he comforteth the faithful and exhorteth them to continue in the Doctrine of the Apostles of Jesus Christ Iudas Iscariot Matth. 10.4 the Son of Simon of Canaan one of the Apostles of whom it was afore-hand written to be the Son of perdition had a great conscience in the precious Ointment that Mary poured upon Christ's Head John 12.4 that it was not sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor but to sell his Master for thirty pence Matth. 26.14 c. and to be guide to them that took him and to betray him with a kiss he had no conscience at all until he saw his Master condemned and then he repented and had the thirty pence again unto the High Priests and Elders cap. 27.3 c. saying that he had sinned in betraying the innocent bloud and so departed in great desperation and hanged himself Act. 1.18 whose Body burst asunder in the midst so that all his Bowels gushed out Iudas of Galilee rose up after Theudas Act. 5.37 what time the whole World was taxed by the commandment of Augustus Caesar and taught the People that for as much as they were dedicated unto God they ought not to pay Tribute to Emperours which were worshippers of false Gods whereby he drew to his faction a great part of the Commons who at the last were all brought to nought and Judas himself slain Iudas a Citizen of Damascus Act. 9. to whose house the Lord sent Ananias to seek Saul of Tharsus who was hosted there Iudith the Daughter of Merari Judith 8. cap. was a beautiful Woman unto the which was joyned such vertue and godliness that all Men spake good of her Her Husbands name was Manasses who at the day of his death left her great riches She dwelt in the City of Bethulia and was a Woman of great Chastity Now during the time of her Widowhood it chanced Holofernes to come and besiege the City of Bethulia of whom the Jews were so afraid that they wist not what to do but commit themselves to God for he had destroyed all their water Conduits so that they must either be forced to starve or yield Then ran the People to Osias the High-priest crying upon him to yield and give over the City to Holofernes lest they should all perish who exhorted them to tarry five days longer for the mercy of God and if he helped them not in that space he would do as they had said Then Judith who all this while had kept her house in prayer and fasting hearing what promise Osias had made to the People sent for him and all the Elders of Bethulia and said How happeneth this that ye have promised to deliver the City to the Assyrians unless within these five days the Lord turn to help you what Men are ye that ye tempt the Lord your device obtaineth no mercy of God but rather provoketh him to wrath and displeasure Will ye set the mercy of the Lord a time and appoint him a day at your will exhort the People to repentance and prayer and put them in remembrance of this That with much tribulation the Friends of God are tryed and that all these things which we now suffer are far less than our sins have deserved And that this correction is come upon us as to the servants of God for the amendment of our lives and not for our destruction Now hear my device I pray you and beseech the Lord to bring it to good end Ye shall stand this Night in the Gate of Bethulia and I will go out with Abra my Maiden Pray ye unto the Lord that within the days that ye have promised to deliver up the City he will visit Israel by my hand But inquire not of me the thing I have taken in hand for I will not declare it till God have finished the act Then every Man went their ways and Judith departed home to her secret closet where she made her hearty prayers unto God for the Peoples deliverance Which being done she cast off her mourning Garments and decked her self most bravely to allure the eyes of all Men that should behold her which she did not for any voluptuousness or pleasure of the flesh but of a right diseretion and vertue And so going out of her house with Abra her Maid she came to the Gate of the City where the Elders stood waiting her coming And as they beheld her wonderful beauty which God at that present had given her they were marvellously astonished She then commanding the Gates to be open took her leave of the People who most heartily besought the Lord to be her defence and well to perform the device of her heart that they might safely and joyfully receive her presence again And so committing her to God shut the Gates and looked over the Walls after her so long as they could see her And as she was going down the Mountains the first Watch of the Assyrians took her demanding what she was and whither she went I am quoth she a Daughter of the Hebrews and am fled from them because I know that they shall be given unto you to be spoiled Wherefore I am going to the Prince Holofernes to tell him all their secrets and how he shall win the City without the loss of one Man And when the Men had pondered her words and considered well her beauty they put her in good comfort of her life brought her to Holofernes whose Majesty so abashed Judith that she fell down as one almost dead for fear But being revived again Holofernes demanded the cause of her coming to whom she made answer on this wise saying O my Lord if thou wilt receive the words of thine Handmaiden and do thereafter the Lord shall bring thy matter to a prosperous effect For as thy servant Achior gave counsel unto my Lord to make search whether they had sinned against their God or no It is manifest and plain that their God is so angry with them for their sins that he hath shewed by his Prophets that he will give them over into the enemies hand Wherefore they are sore afraid and suffer great hunger and at this present for lack of water are in a manner as dead Men and in this extremity brought to kill their Cattel
c. Then said Mary Behold the Handmaid of the Lord be it unto me according to thy Word Upon this she prepared her self with speed to go and visit her Cousin Elizabeth with whom she remained three Months and returned home again And shortly after went with Joseph her Husband from the City of Nazareth to the Land of Jewry to a City called Bethlehem there to be taxed according to the Emperour Augustus commandment because they were of the House and Lineage of David In the Book called Fasciculus temporum it is said that this Virgin was the Daughter of Joachim and Anna and was about the age of xvi years when she brought forth Christ. And being forced to lye in the stable for lack of room in the Inne her hour came to be delivered and there she brought forth Christ Jesus the Saviour of the World And when she was purified and had been at Jerusalem with her Child and performed all things there according to the Law she returned with Joseph her Husband home to the City of Nazareth again And being accustomed yearly she and her Husband to go up at the Feast of Easter to Jerusalem she chanced one time to leave her Son behind her and when she had turned back and sought him out and found him she said Son why hast thou thus dealt with us thy Father and I have sought thee with heavy hearts Another time as she was with her Son at a Marriage in Cana a Town in Galilee when the Wine failed at the Feast she told her Son that they lacked Wine and receiving his answer meekly bad the Ministers to do whatsoever he commanded them Finally as she stood by the Cross whereon her Son shed his bloud as well for her as all other Christians sorrow pierced her heart like a Sword according to Simeon's prophecie Mary the Wife of Cleophas was her sister Mary Mar. 15.40.16.1 Salome was a certain godly Woman who among other ministred of her substance to Jesus and followed him from Galilee and after he was crucified bought sweet odors to anoint his Body and was a Witness of his Resurrection Mary the Mother of John Mark Act. 12.12 into whose House Peter came after the Angel of God had delivered him out of Prison from the hands of Herod where many were gathered together in prayer Mary * Magdalen signifieth magnified or exalted Magdalene dwelt in Bethany John 12.12 Luk. 7.37 c. and was a sinful Woman And in token of her great repentance she went to Jesus as he sat at Meat in one of the Pharisees houses with a Box of Ointment in her hand falling down at his Feet weeping and washing them with the tears distilling down from her eyes and wiped them with the hairs of her head and also kissed them and anointed them with sweet Ointment Then Jesus seeing the great faith of the Woman said unto her Mary thy Faith hath saved thee go in peace Then Mary feeling her self much bound to Christ which had forgiven her so many sins fell in so great love Luk. 10. that all her whole meditation and study was upon him Insomuch that when Martha her Sister was cumbred about much serving of Christ at the Table Mary choosing the better part sat at Jesus feet to hear his Preaching And when he suffered his Passion John 19.25 she stood by the Cross with Mary his Mother to see the end And the morrow after the Sabbath-day when she came to the Sepulchre 20.1 2 c. and saw the stone taken away from the Tomb she ran to Peter and John and told them who ran to the Grave and tryed the matter and returned back again leaving Mary standing at the Grave weeping And as she bowed her self into the Grave she saw two Angels sitting in white clothing who said unto her Woman why weepest thou They have taken away my Lord quoth she and I know not where they have laid him And turning her self about she saw Jesus standing but knew him not to whom he said Woman why weepest thou whom dost thou seek She supposing it had been the Gardiner said Sir if thou hast born him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will fetch him Then said Jesus Mary with that she turned her self and said Rabboni which is to say Master and fell down to the ground to have kissed his Feet But to withdraw her from that Jesus said Touch me not but go and tell my brethren that I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Then went Mary to the Disciples and told them that she had seen the Lord and what things he had said unto her Read the story of Martha her Sister and of Lazarus her Brother Mark the Evangelist is thought to have been Peter's Disciple and to write his Gospel according as he heard Peter preach and shew every thing by mouth and to have planted the first Church in Alexandria where he died in the eighth year of the reign of Nero in whose place succeeded Anianus Of this Mark speaketh Peter in his first Epistle the fifth Chapter saying The Congregation of them which at Babylon are companions of your Election saluteth you and so doth Mark my Son Mark Filed or rubbed Mark Act. 12.12 otherwise called John the Son of Mary was Minister to Paul and Barnabas what time as they were sent by the Holy Ghost from Antioch to preach the Gospel unto the Heathen 14.21 which Mark at Pamphylia departed back from them again For the which cause Paul the next Journey that he and Barnabas made would not suffer Mark to go with them 15.37 c. wherefore Barnabas departed from Paul taking Mark who was his Sisters Son with him into Cyprus Martha Luke 10. and Mary Magdalene were two Sisters dwelling in the City of Bethany which two had a Brother named Lazarus This Martha on a time invited Jesus to dinner And being cumbred about much serving and seeing her Sister Mary sit still at Jesus Feet said unto him Dost thou not care that my sister hath lest me to minister alone Bid her come and help me To whom he answered Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled about many things verily one is needful Mary hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken from her On a time as Jesus was coming to Bethany to heal her Brother Lazarus she met him saying John 11 cap. Lord if thou hadst been here my Brother had not died Nevertheless now I know that whatsoever thou dost ask of God he will give it thee Then said Jesus Thy Brother shall rise again Yea quoth Martha I know that he shall rise again in the Resurrection at the last day I am said Jesus the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth on me yea though he were dead yet shall he live and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall not dye Believest thou this Yea Lord quoth Martha I believe
took her from David and gave her to * Look in the history of Psaltei how he used Michal David's Wise Psaltei the Son of Lais to Wife with whom she remained till the death of Saul and then was restored again to David by Abner's means Finally when David came dancing before the Ark of God in his shirt to the City of David it chanced Michal to look out at a Window and beholding the King how he leaped and danced before the Ark she began to despise him in her heart and meeting him after all things were done she said O how glorious was the King of Israel this day which was uncovered to day in the eyes of the Maidens of his Servants as a Fool uncovereth himself And for thus despising of David the Servant of God the Lord plagued her with Barrenness that she never had Child Michal who is perfect Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 4.4 the Son of Jonathan was lame in his Feet by reason his Nurse by misfortune in his infancy let him fall to the Ground out of her Arms and was brought up and nourished after the death of his Father in the House of Machir 9. cap. 4 c. till David coming to his Kingdom took him from thence and restored him to all the Land of King Saul making Ziba his Servant chief Overseer and Receiver of the Lands and to see Micah his Master's Son well brought up and cherished for so much as Mephibosheth should remain with him and eat and drink at his own Board Now after this when David was brought into so great affliction trouble by reason of Absalom his Son Mephibosheth remained still at Jerusalem and never removed 2 Sam. 16.1 2 c. But Ziba his Servant went after David with a present and by false report of Mephibosheth his Master got his Land from him And when the King was returned and come to Jerusalem again 19.24 c. then Mephibosheth who had neither washed his Feet nor dressed his Beard nor washed his Cloaths from the time the King departed until he returned in peace went out to meet him and when the King saw him he said Wherefore wentest thou not with me Mephibosheth He answered My Lord O King my Servant deceived me for thy Servant said I would have mine Ass sadled to ride thereon for to go with the King because thy Servant is lame Therefore Ziba hath falsly accused thy Servant to my Lord the King but my Lord the King is as an Angel of God Do therefore what it pleaseth thee for all my Fathers House were but dead Men before my Lord the King and yet didst thou set thy Servant among them that did eat at thine own Table What right have I to cry any more unto the King Then said David why speakest thou yet in thine own cause I have said Thou and Ziba divide the Land between you Yea said Mephibosheth let him take all seeing my Lord the King is come home in peace Mephibosheth shame or confusion from the mouth Mephibosheth 2 Sam. 21.8 the Son of Rizpah King Saul's Concubine was by the Gibeonites with his Brother Armoni hanged for their Father's offence Miriam Exo. 6.20 was the Daughter of Amram and Jochebed and Sister to Aaron and Moses When her Brother Moses had brought the Children of Israel thorow the red Sea Exo. 15.20 Miriam the Prophetess took a Timbrel in her hand with other Women following in like sort and began joyfully to sing and dance Their Song was this Sing ye unto the Lord for he hath triumphed gloriously The Horse and his Rider hath he overthrown in the Sea After this she grudged against Moses Num. 12.1 10. because he had taken an Ethiopian Woman to his Wife wherefore the Lord smore her with Leprosie Then Moses partly for pity and partly at the intercession of Aaron his Brother besought the Lord to heal her who made him answer saying If her Father in anger had spit in her Face should she not have been ashamed seven days Let her be shut out of the Host seven days which being done she was restored and received in again Finally when Moses and the Children of Israel were come to Kadesh Num. 20.1 there she died and was buried Miriam exalted or reaching Meshach first called Mishael Dan. 1.7.3 cap. was one of Daniel's Companions and one of the three which was cast into the hot burning Furnace and miraculously preserved Meshach prolonging or drawing to him or compassing the waters or hedging Mithridates was King Cyrus's Treasurer 3 Esd 2. at whose commandment he delivered all the holy Vessels of Gold and Silver pertaining to the House of the Lord to Salmanassar the Deputy in Jewry The number of which Vessels was five thousand eight hundred and three score Mithridates dissolving the law Mnason was a certain godly Man Act. 21.16 and a Cyprian born who had of long time believed the Gospel in whose House Paul was lodged at Jerusalem Mnason a searcher out or promising or remembring Moses the Son of Amram and Jochebed Exod. 2. cap. was miraculously preserved at his birth For whereas Pharaoh the King of Egypt had straitly commanded the Midwives Moses signifieth preserved from the water that whensoever they saw an Hebrew bring forth a Man-child they should cast it into the River yet Moses being born and a proper Child was notwithstanding the King's Commandment kept secretly three Months And when his Parents could hide him no longer they closed him in a Basket made of Reed or Bulrushes dawbed with slime and pitch and laid him in the River And as the Child's sister stood looking what should become of him it came to pass that King Pharaoh's * Her name was Termuth Daughter came a walking by the River side who seeing the Basket floating upon the River caused one of her Folks to take it up And when she had opened the Basket and saw the Child she had pity upon it and caused the Maid his sister to fetch her a Nurse who went and brought his own Mother And so the Child being nursed and brought up in Pharaoh's house was instructed from his Childhood in all manner of cunning and wisdom of the Egyptians and became mighty in words and deeds saving in his speech he had an impediment And when he was full forty years old it came in his heart to go and visit his Brethren the Children of Israel whom Pharaoh vexed without all measure And as he saw an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew How that Moscs's impedment of speech came The King on a time for his Daughter's sake took the Child in his arms and set the Crown upon his Head which Moses as it were childishly playing hurled to the ground and with his Foot spurned it At the which the Priest cried out saying that this was he of whom it was prophesied that he should destroy Egypt Then Termuth excused the Child alledging his infancy and lack of
second year of his reign as he was laying siege to a City of the Philistines called Gibbethon Baasha conspired against him and slew him Taking upon him to reign in his stead Nadab a Prince or liberal Nahash 1 Sam. 11. Judg 11. cap. was King of the Ammonites And as his Predecessors afore time had made a claim to the Land of Israel so he now purposing the same went and besieged the City of Jabesh in Gilead And when the Men of Jabesh perceived themselves in great danger of their lives they desired the King to make a covenant with them and they would be his Servants Then said Nahash If ye will suffer me to thrust out all your right eyes to bring Israel to shame I shall be content to make peace with you Then said they Give us respite seven days and if none do come to help us in that space we will come out unto thee Then Nahash thinking that none durst come to aid them against him granted their request Upon the which they sent Messengers into all the Coasts of Israel which News was so heavy tidings to them that they fell a weeping And as they were mourning and lamenting their case it chanced Saul by the providence of God to come out of the Field following the Cattel And beholding the People what a do they made he demanded wherefore they mourned And when they had told him the tidings of the Men of Jabesh his heart was so moved by the spirit of God that he took out two of his Oxen and hewed them in pieces and sent them thorow all the Coasts of Israel saying whosoever cometh not forth after Saul and Samuel so shall his Oxen be served And the People were stricken in such a fear that they came out to Saul as they had been but one Man to the number of three hundred thousand of Israel beside thirty thousand of the Men of Judah And then Saul sent word by the Messengers to the Men of Jabesh that the next morrow they should have help They being glad of that sent word unto Nahash saying To morrow we will come forth unto you and ye shall do unto us whatsoever pleaseth you And so on the morrow Saul came upon the Ammonites and slew them Nahash a Snake or Serpent or guessing or divining Nahor when he was nine and twenty years of age Gen. 11.24 25. begot Terah And lived after he had begotten him an hundred and twenty years Nahor Hoarse or Angry Naomi was the Wife of a certain Man called Elimelech Ruth 1. cap. dwelling in the Land of Juda in a City called Bethlehem And because of the present Dearth which was over all the Land of Juda She went with her Husband and her two Sons into the Countrey of Moab to sojourn Where in process her Husband died And her two Sons being married to two of the Moabitish Damosels died there also So that Naomi which had dwelt in the Land of Moab ten years was left desolate both of her Husband and of her Sons Then Naomi hearing how the Lord had visited her Countrey again with plenty returned from Moab homewards again her two Daughters-in-law bringing her on the way And when she saw they had gone a good way with her and coveted not to return she said unto them Go now my Daughters and return each of you unto your Mothers House and the Lord deal as kindly with you as ye have dealt with the dead and with me And the Lord give you that ye may find rest either of you in the House of her Husband and so kissed them to have bid them farewel But when she saw that they would not depart from her she said unto them again Return my Daughters I pray you for what cause will ye go with me Are there any more children within my womb to be your husbands Turn again therefore I say for I am too old to have an Husband And if I did take one this Night and had already born Children would ye tarry for them till they were grown and refrain from taking Husbands so long Not so my Daughters it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me Then they wept all together and Orpha kissed her Mother-in-law and returned into her own Land again but Ruth abode still And so when they came to Bethlehem Juda which was about the beginning of Barley-harvest the Women which saw Naomi said Is not this Naomi Nay said she call me not Naomi which is as much to say as beautiful but call me Mara that is to say bitter for the Almighty God hath made me very bitter I went out full and the Lord hath brought me again empty why then call ye me Naomi seeing the Lord hath humbled me and the Almighty hath brought me unto adversity And so Naomi remained in Bethlehem Juda where ere it were long God gave her a Son by the Womb of Ruth her Daughter-in law who was married to Boaz a Kinsman of Naomi's which Child being born the Women said unto Naomi Blessed be the Lord the which hath not left thee without a Kinsman to have a name in Israel and that shall bring thy life again and cherish thine old age for thy Daughter-in-law which loveth thee hath born unto him and she is better unto thee than seven Sons And Naomi took the Child and laid it in her Lap and became Nurse unto it being glad that a Son was born unto her in her old days Naomi Fair or comely or provoking much Nathan 2 Sam. 7.4 c. the Prophet at what time King David was minded to build God an House to dwell in was sent of the Lord to forbid him to meddle with it for Solomon his Son should do it Again at what time David had committed Adultery with Uriah's Wife Nathan came to him and said 12. cap. There were two Men in one City the one Rich and the other Poor The rich man had exceeding many Sheep and Oxen but the poor had none at all save one little Sheep which he had bought and nourished up And it grew up with him and with his Children also and did eat of his own Meat and drank of his own Cup and slept in his bosome and was unto him as his Daughter Now there came a stranger unto the rich man who refused to take of his own Sheep and Oxen to dress for the stranger but took the poor Man's sheep and dressed it for the Man that was come to him Then David was exceeding wroth with the Man and said As surely as the Lord liveth he that hath done this thing shall surely dye He shall restore the Lamb four-fold because he did it without pity Then said the Prophet Thou art the Man Thus saith the Lord God of Israel I anointed thee King over Israel and delivered thee out of the hands of Saul and gave thee thy Lord's house and his Wives into thy bosome and gave thee the house
Arimathea to take down the Body of Jesus and wound it in Linnen cloaths with the odours as the manner of the Jews was to bury and laid him in his Sepulchre Nicodemus Innocent bloud Nicolas a Convert of Antioch Act. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. was one of the seven Deacons ordained in the Congregation to do service in necessary things of the Body His Heresie was this That every Man might lawfully use every Woman that he lusted after that the Apostles might wait only upon the Word of God who notwithstanding fell into a foul Heresie which S. John in his Book of the Revelation 2d Chapter reproveth Nicolas the victory of the common people Nimrod was the Son of Gush Gen. 10.8 Son of Cham the second Son of Noah He was the first that took on him to reign over Men and became a cruel Oppressor and Tyrant He was called a mighty Hunter for that he was a Deceiver of Souls and Oppressor of Men. Gen. 11.4 He attempted to build the great Tower of Babel intending to have raised it above the Clouds thinking thereby to have escaped if any Floud should again have happened Nimrod Rebellious Noah was the Son of Lamech Gen. 5.29 not and five hundred years of age before he begat Shem Ham and Japhet And being a just and perfect Man he found such favour in the eyes of God 6. cap. that when all flesh had so corrupted his way upon Earth that God threatned the destruction of the World yet to save Noah and to declare it unto him 120. years before it came he bad him prepare an Ark of Pine-Trees which should contain in length three hundred Cubits in breadth fifty Cubits and in deepness thirty Now when Noah had made the Ark and was six hundred years of age the Lord told him that after seven days the Deluge should fall wherefore Noah at the Lord's commandment got him into the Ark 7. cap. with his Wife and three Sons with their Wives providing in the mean space all things necessary for them And when Noah was in the Ark suddenly by the power of God and not of Man's bringing there came into the Ship two and two together of every kind of Beast and Foul the male and the female And when they were all in the Lord shut the Door of the Ark and opened the Windows of Heaven so that the Rain fell continually forty Days and forty Nights whereupon the Waters prevailed and rose above all Mountains fifteen Cubits So that all living Creatures dyed except Fish and such as might endure in the Bowels of the earth And after the Waters had prevailed a hundred and fifty days They decreased again 8. cap. and in the seventh day of the seventh Month which was October the Ark stuck upon the Mountains of Ararat Then Noah opened a Window and sent forth a Crow which returned not again After seven Days he put forth a Dove which came again at Night bringing a branch of Olive with green Leaves in her mouth Nevertheless he remained seven other days and put forth the Dove again which never returned Then Noah after he had continued one Year in the Ark and sell the Earth drie he at the commandment of God issued out of the Ark and incontinent builded an Altar whereupon he offered a Sacrifice unto the Lord of every clean Beast and of every clean Fowl which Sacrifice was a sweet smell unto the Lord and pleased him so well that he made a promise to Noah that he would never more destroy the world with water Gen. 9.8.9 c. and for the confirmation thereof gave the Rainbow for a sure token between him and man Noah was the first inventer of Wine and therewithal was made drunk He lived after the Flood 350. years Noah Rest. O. OBED Ruth 4.17 the Son of Boaz and Ruth begat Jesse the Father of King David Obed Edom 1 Chron. 46.37 2 King 6.10.11 c. the Son of Jeduthun had the Ark of God remaining in his house three Months for the which the Lord blessed him and all his house And when it was told to David that the house of Obed Edom was blessed because of the Ark of God he removed it thence and brought it into the City of David with great triumph and ordained Obed Edom and his Brethren which were Levites to keep the Door of the Ark. Obed Edom the servant of Edom or a servant Edomite Obediah 1 King 18.3 4 c. notwithstanding he was Chief Governour of all King Ahab's house yet he was a Man that feared God greatly Insomuch that when Jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord he took an hundred Prophets and hid them fifty in one Cave and fifty in another providing all things necessary for them On a time as Obediah was going about the Land at Ahab's commandment to search for Water and Grass for their Cattel which were almost overcome with drouth he chanced to meet Elijah the Prophet And when he saw him he sell down and said Art not thou my Lord Elijah yea quoth he go tell thy Lord that I am her O quoth Obediah what have I sinned that thou wouldest deliver thy Servant into the hands of Ahab to be slain As truly as the Lord thy God liveth there is no Nation or Kingdom whither my Lord hath not sent to seek thee And when they said he is not here he took an oath of the Kingdom and Nation if they had not found thee And now thou sayst go tell thy Lord that Elijah is here And when I am gone from thee the spirit of the Lord shall carry thee into some place that I do not know and so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find thee then will he kill me But I thy servant fear the Lord from my youth Was it not told my Lord what I did when Jezebel slew the Prophets of the Lord how I hid an hundred Men of the Lord's Prophets by fifties in a Cave and fed them with Bread and Water And now thou sayst go and tell thy Lord behold Elijah is here that he may slay me Well said Elijah as truly as the Lord of Hosts liveth before whom I stand I will shew my self unto him this day Then Obediah hearing him say so went to Ahab and told him Obediah servant of the Lord. Oded 2 Chron. 28.9 c. when Pekah King of Israel had taken so many Captives of the Children of Juda and carried them to Samaria the Lord sent this Prophet unto him saying Behold because the Lord God of your Fathers is wroth with Juda he hath delivered them into your hands and ye have slain them in your cruelness that reacheth unto Heaven and now ye purpose to keep under the Children of Juda and Jerusalem as Bond-men and Bond-women And do ye not lade your selves with sin in the sight of the Lord your God Now therefore hear me and deliver the Captives again which ye
have taken of your Brethren or else shall the wrath of God be upon you Then certain which were the Heads of the Children of Ephraim being sorry for the great offence they had committed took the Prisoners and with the spoil clothed all that lacked shod them and fed them with Meat and Drink anointed the wounds of such as were hurt and the feeble they carried upon Asses and brought them to Jericho the City of Palm-Trees to their Brethren And leaving them there returned to Samaria again Oded bolding up or erecting Og Num. 21.33 Deu. 3.3.29.7 the King of Bashan was a mighty great Gyant whose Bed was made of Iron and in length nine Cubits that is thirteen foot and an half And four Cubits broad that is six foot This Og was next neighbour to Schon King of the Amorites And having knowledge of all that Moses had done to Schon his neighbour made out a great Army against Moses thinking to have overcome him in revenging his neighbours quarrel But when it came to trial he sped no better than his Neighbour had done before him Og a Cake or bread baked under the ashes Onan was the second Son of Juda Gen. 38.4 who after the death of Er his eldest Brother was married to Thamar his Brother's Wife to raise up Seed unto his Brother But when he perceived that the Seed should be none of his he practised such wickedness that the vengeance of God fell upon him and slew him Onan Sorrow or Iniquity Onesimus being in service with Philemon Col. 4.9 like an unfaithful Servant robbed his Master and ran away from him to Rome Where by hearing of Paul who at that time was in Bonds he received the Doctrine of the Gospel and served Paul in Prison and became so faithful a Souldier of Christ that Paul sent him with Tychicus to the Colossians with his Epistle commanding him unto them on this wise And with Tychicus Phile. cap. I have sent Onesimus a faithful and beloved Brother which is one of you Finally he sent him home to his Master again beseeching Philemon not to receive him now as a Servant but more than a Servant even as a faithful Brother and as his own Son whom he had in his Bands begotten to Christ offering himself surety to make good whatsoever hurt he had done him in time past Onesimus Apparel or a Garment Onesiphorus was a faithful godly Man 2 Tim. 1.16 and a great refresher of such as were in Bonds for the Doctrine of Christ as Saint Paul doth testifie of him saying The Lord give mercy unto the Houshold of Onesiphorus for he oft refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain But when he was at Rome he sought me out very diligently and sound me The Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy with the Lord at that day and in how many things he ministred unto me at Ephesus thou knowest very well O Timothy Onesiphorus bringing profit Onias 2 Mac. 3. the High Priest among the Jews was a Man of such godliness and holiness of life that he always sought the honour of the Laws and wealth of the People of God By his prayer that wicked man Heliodorus was restored to his health but notwithstanding all his vertue and goodness 4. cap. yet had he enemies For Symon a Man void of all godliness never ceased with all slanderous and evil reports that he could devise to Seleucus the King to bring him out of favour which he could never do so long as the King lived But Seleucus being dead Onias was soon put out of office by the false deceit and means of his own Brother Jason and brought in such fear thorow him and Menelaus with other his enemies that he was sain to take sanctuary Where at the last by the counsel of Menelaus he was without all regard of righteousness most traiterously slain by the hands of Andronicus whose innocent death was so sore lamented both of the Jews and also of Antiochus the King himself that at his coming home he rewarded the Malefactor according to his deeds Onias the strength of the Lord. Oholiab Exod. 35.34 the Son of Achisamah of the Tribe of Dan was a Craftsman whom the Lord had endued with great cunning and appointed him to Moses for one of the chief Workmen for the finishing of the Temple Oreb and Zeeb Judg. 7. ult were two great Captains among the Midianites whom the Men of Mount Ephraim which had stopped the Waters from Bethbarah to Jordan took and smote off their Heads and sent them to Gideon on the other side of Jordan Oreb a Crow or sweet or a surety or evening time Ornan was a certain Jebusite 1 Chron. 21.15 18 c. unto whom the Lord commanded David after he had plagued him with Pestilence to go and rear up an Altar in his threshing floor At whose coming In the second Book of Sam. chap. 24. he is called Araunah Ornan fell down before him and said Wherefore is my Lord the King come to his servant I am come quoth he to buy thy threshing floor and to make an Altar unto the Lord that the Plague may cease from the People Ornan answered Let my Lord the King take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes And moreover here be Oxen for burnt sacrifice and sleds with other instruments for wood take them all to thee as thine own David said Nay not so but I will buy it for sufficient money for I will not take that which is thine for the Lord nor offer burnt-offerings without cost And so David gave Ornan for that place six hundred sicles of gold by weight Ornan Rejoycing Orpah and Ruth Ruth 1 cap. were two Damosels of the Countrey of Moab which were married to the two Sons of Elimelech and Naomi strangers come out of the Land of Juda there to dwell Read the story of Naomi for the rest Orpah a Neck Osias the Son of Micha of the Tribe of Simeon Judith 6. was one of the principal Fathers and Rulers among the Israelites what time as Holofernes besieged the City of Bethulia This Man comforted Achior which had so boldly magnified and praised the great power and strength of God before Holofernes and took him into his house where he made him a great Supper to the which he called the Elders who all together praised God in him Also when the People came weeping and crying out unto him to give over the City into the hands of the Assyrians he said unto them Oh take good hearts unto you dear Brethren and be of good chear and let us wait yet these five days for mercy of the Lord 7. cap. peradventure he shall put away his indignation and give glory unto his Name But if he help us not after these five days be past we shall do as ye have said Which counsel of Osias pleased not Judith because he had set the mercy of God a
time and appointed him a day at his pleasure So that after this Osias remained in prayer and followed the advice of Judith in all things Osias the Lord Saviour or the health of the Lord. Othoniel Judg. 1.13 was the Son of Kenaz unto whom Caleb his elder Brother gave Acsah his Daughter to Wife for winning of a certain City called Kiriath-sepher This Man delivered the Children of Israel from the Captivity of Chushan-Rishathaim King of Mesopotamia 3.9 which had oppressed them eight years and judged Israel forty years Othoniel the time or hour of God P. PAUL Act. 7.58.8.1 3. the Apostle of Christ was born in India in a Town called Giscalis and was of the Tribe of Benjamin And the Town being taken of the Romans he went with his Parents to Tharsus a City of Cilicia and dwelled But afterward he was sent by them to Jerusalem to learn the Laws and was there taught of one Gamaliel a great Learned man He being with others at the Martyrdom of S. Steven received Letters of the Bishop 9. cap. willing him to go to Damascus there to persecute them that believed in Christ And in the way he was by revelation changed from a cruel Persecutor to an earnest Preacher of Christ whose name he professed first at Damascus confounding the doctrine of the Jews for the which they lay in wait to kill him but being let out at a Window in a Basket by night he escaped and went to Jerusalem where he disputed with the Greeks who sought to kill him also but the Brethren conveighed him to Caesarea and sent him to Tharsus 11. cap. 25. And during his abode at Tharsus Barnabas fetcht him from thence to Antioch where he continued a whole year and converted many to the faith of Christ. From thence he went to Cyprus 13. cap. and turned the Ruler of the Country called Sergius Paulus to Christ by whom he was called Paul whereas before he was named Saul Then he wandred about the Countreys and came to * The other Antioch before is in Syria Antioch Pisidia where he came into the Synagogue and after the Lecture of the Law and Prophets made a long Sermon which was so well accepted of the Gentiles that they were desirous to hear him again on the next Sabbath at which time the unbelieving Jews raised up Persecution against him 14. cap. So that Paul departed to Iconium and from thence to Lystra where he was stoned and left for dead but being recovered he ceased not to exhort the People to continue in the faith of Christ And so passing thorow many dangerous places he came at the last to Attalia and there he took shipping and sailed back again to Antioch declaring to the Congregation there gathered together all things which God had done by him and Barnabas in their Journey After this Paul again departed from Antioch And passing thorow many Countries 16. cap. he came to Philippi the Chief City in the parts of Macedonia where he was beaten and cast into Prison where he converted the Jayler and was delivered as a Roman And from Philippi he passed the Countries till he came to Thessalonica where he preached Christ so earnestly that the unbelieving Jews moved all the City against him notwithstanding he escaped and went to Athens preaching to the Athenians the true and unknown God From Athens he departed to Corinth where he remained a Year and a half From thence he turned again to Syria and came to Ephesus where the Silversmiths moved sedition against him for Diana their Goddess And so forth passing many Countries and dangers he came at last to Jerusalem where he was taken of the Jews and had to Prison to be scourged but he professing himself to be a Roman made the Captain afraid who after he had heard his cause and had knowledge of the Jews conspiracy against Paul he sent him privily by Night to Felix Lieutenant of Caesarea where he continued in Prison two Years till Festus came into Felix room And being examined afore Festus he appealed to the Emperour wherefore Festus after a-while committed him to a Centurion named Julius who with much danger Paul suffered Martyrdom by beheading under Nero in the xiv year of his reign and after the Passion of Christ 37. years Eliote brought Paul to Rome and delivered him to the High Captain with whom Paul found so much favour that he was suffered to dwell in an house by himself with a Souldier to keep him and to receive whosoever came unto him And so Paul continued in Rome two years preaching and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus with all boldness no Man forbidding him Paul the mouth of the Trumpet or marvellous or the least Pekahia 3 King 15.23 c. the Son of Menahem began his reign over Israel in the fiftieth year of the reign of Azariah King of Juda and departed not from the sins of Jeroboam but walked therein as his Father did before him He had not reigned two years ere that Pekah his own Captain rose against him and slew him in Samaria and reigned in his stead Pekahia the Lords opening Pekah 2 King 15.25 c. the Son of Remaliah began his Reign over Israel in the 52. year of Azariah King of Juda. This Man slew Pekahia his own Lord and so usurped the Crown He kept the ways of Jeroboam as his Predecessors did He made War against Juda 2 Chron. 28.6 7 c. and slew of them in one day six hundred thousand and took two hundred thousand of Women Sons and Daughters Prisoners and carried them away to Samaria purposing to have kept them in bondage and slavery all their life long But being admonished by Oded the Prophet he new arrayed them and sent them home again After this God stirred up Tiglath King of Assyria against him which came and dispossessed him of all the Land of Nephtalim and carried away his People Finally Hosea the Son of Ela conspired against Pekah and slew him after he had reigned twenty years and was King after him Peleg Gen. 10.25.11.17 18. was the Son of Eber of the Generation of Sem. His Brother's name was Joktan At the age of thirty years he begot Reu and lived after that two hundred and nine years In this Man's days was the Land divided by reason of the diversity of Language which happened at the building of Babel Peleg a division Persis was a Man singularly beloved of S. Paul Rom. 16.12 for his diligence in setting forth the Gospel as doth appear by his words saying Salute the well-beloved Persis which laboured much in the Lord. Peter otherwise called Simon the Son of Jonas Matth. 4.18 dwelt in the City of Bethsaida and from a Fisher-man was called to be an Apostle into whose house Christ vouchsafed to come and heal his Wifes Mother of her Feaver Luk 4.38 c. Peter was of that audacity and boldness
look if Toby were dead that he might bury him before day light And when it was told him they were both sound and fast asleep he praised God and caused his Men to fill up the Grave again and made a great Feast to all his Neighbours and Friends And gave to Toby the half of all his Goods and made him a sure writing for the other half that remained to be his also after his death And at the day of their departure delivered the Goods and taking his leave said The holy Angel of the Lord be with you in your Journey and bring you forth safe and sound that ye may find all things in good case with your Elders and that mine eyes may see your Children before I die and so kissed them and let them go Raguel a Shepherd of God Rathumus 3 Esd 2. cap. with other Officers under Artaxerxes King of Persia writeth unto him against the Jews on this wise Sir thy Servants Rathumus the story writer Sabellius the Scribe with other Judges of the Court in Celosyria and Phinehes Be it known and manifested to our Lord the King that the Jews which are come up from you to us into the rebellious and wicked City begin to build it again and the Walls about it and to set up the Temple a-new Now if this City and the Walls thereof be set up again they will not only refuse to give Tributes and Taxes but also rebel utterly against the King And for so much as they take this in hand now about the Temple we thought it not meet to pass over such a thing but to shew it unto our Lord the King And to certifie him thereof To the intent that if it might please the King to cause it to be sought in the Books of old and thou shalt find such warning written and shalt understand that this City hath always been rebellious and disobedient that it hath subdued Kings and Cities and that the Jews which dwelt therein have ever been a rebellious obstinate unfaithful and fighting People for the which cause this City is wasted Wherefore now we certifie our Lord the King that if this City be builded and occupied again and the Walls thereof set up a-new thou canst have no passage into Celosyria and Phenice And when Rathumus and the other had received the King's answer they got them to Jerusalem with an Host of Men and made the Jews cease from their building which was not begun again until the second year of King Darius Rebecca Gen. 24. cap. was the Daughter of Bethuel and Sister to Laban As she went on a time with a Pitcher upon her Head to the common Well without the City to draw Water it chanced Abraham's servant to stand by the Well with ten Camels lying thereabout And when the Maid had filled her Pot and set it upon her Head ready to go away the Man desired to drink a little of her Water who forthwith set down her Pot and gave him drink And when he had drunken she poured out the rest into the Water trough and ran again to the Well and drew Water for his Camels until they had all drunken their fill Then the Man in hope the Lord had made his Journey prosperous took out a Golden ear-ring and two Bracelets of Gold and gave them to the Maid demanding whose Daughter she was I am quoth she the Daughter of Bethuel the Son of Milcah which she bare unto Nahor Then tell me I pray thee is there room in thy Father's House for us to lodge in Yea quoth she there is both Room and Lodging and also Litter and Provender enough for your Beasts Blessed be God quoth he that hath dealt so mercifully with my Master and hath brought me the right way to my Master's Brothers House Then Rebecca hearing him speak of her Fathers Brother ran home and told all things what the Man had said And as Laban beheld his Sister and saw the Ear rings and Bracelets upon her Hands he ran out to the man and with gentle entertainment brought him into the House and saw his Camels drest and provided for and also set Meat before him to eat But the Man would not eat before he had declared the cause wherefore his Master had sent him which being done and his request granted he ate and made merry and tarried all night And on the morrow as the Man made haste to go his way the Damosel was called forth to know whether she would go with the Man or no and being content to go with the Man he would not tarry but took the Maid and had her to Isaac his Master's Son whose Wife she became And being twenty years without a Child at last she conceived with two and when she felt them strive within her womb she made her moan to God saying Seeing it is so why am I thus with child God made her answer saying There are two manner of People in thy womb two Nations shall be divided out of thy bowels And the one Nation shall be mightier than the other And the elder shall be servant to the younger And so when her time was come to be delivered she brought forth two Twins the one named Esau and the other Jacob. Which two became mighty Men but Rebecca loved Jacob better than Esau and to prefer him before the other she said Hear me my Son Jacob I have heard thy Father say to thy Brother go and kill some Venison and make me meat thereof that I may eat and bless thee before the Lord before I dye Now therefore my Son hear my Voice in that which I command thee Get thee to the Flock and bring me thence two good Kids that I may make meat of them for thy Father such as he loveth and thou shalt bring it him to eat that he may bless thee before his death Then said Jacob My Brother Esau is a rough Man and if my Father shall happen to feel me I shall seem unto him as if I went about to deceive him and so shall I bring a curse upon me and not a blessing Well said Rebecca upon me be thy curse my Son only hear my Voice and go and fetch me them And when he had brought the Kids and that she had drest the Meat and made it ready she fetcht out certain Raiment of Esau's and put it upon Jacob and covered his hands and the smooth of his Neck with Goat-skins and put the Meat in his hand to carry to his Father by which policy of Rebecca Jacob had his Brother's blessing And when she heard how his Brother threatned to kill him for stealing away his blessing she told it Jacob saying Thy Brother Esau threatneth to slay thee therefore my Son hear my voice Make thee ready and get thee to Laban my Brother at Haran and tarry with him a while until thy Brother's fierceness be asswaged and that his wrath be turned away from thee and he forget the things which thou
the feet of them which have buried thy Husband are at the door and shall carry thee out And with that she fell down and gave up the ghost And the Officers came and carried her out and buried her beside her husband Sapphira telling or numbring Saul the Son of Kish of the Tribe of Benjamin 1 Sam. 9. cap. was a goodly tall young man who on a time as he was seeking his Fathers Asses and could not find them happened by the provision of God to go and seek out Samuel to know of him some tidings of his Asses And as he was going toward the City it was told him of a great offering that should be there and how the People waited for Samuel's coming to bless the same And when Saul was come into the midst of the City he met Samuel coming toward him going up to the Hill And as Samuel beheld Saul the Lord said unto him this is the Man which I told thee yesterday I would send this day unto thee to be King of Israel Then Samuel took him up with him to the Hill and set him in the chiefest Seat among his Guests and made him eat with them And the Feast being done he went and anointed Saul King 1 Sam. 10. and told him what he should do after his departure from him And going from Samuel the Lord gave him another manner of heart than he had before So that he prophesied among the Prophets and was so greatly honoured of all men that after he had delivered the City of Jabesh out of the hands of Nahash King of the Ammonites the People renewed his Kingdom 11. cap. which God would have stablished for ever if he had not disobeyed his commandment in taking upon him to offer burnt-sacrifice before Samuel came 15. cap. and also to save Agag whom he was commanded to destroy And for this his disobedience the Lord took his spirit from Saul and gave it to David and gave unto Saul an evil spirit to vex him withal 16.14 Then Saul seeing the spirit of the Lord departed from him and gone to David he sought by all means to destroy him but never could come to his purpose Finally Saul being sore cumbred with the Philistines 28. cap. he went to an Enchanter notwithstanding he had expelled all of that Art before to raise him up Samuel who being raised up told him that for as much as he had disobeyed the Lord and not executed his fierce wrath upon the Amalekites therefore had God forsaken him and rent his Kingdom out of his hand and given it to David And moreover saith he to Saul the Lord will deliver the Israelites into the hands of the Philistines and to morrow shalt thou and thy Sons be with me 31. cap. And on the next day Saul being overcome of the Philistines and his three Sons slain for anguish of heart fell upon his own Sword and killed himself after he had reigned forty years Saul Required or commended Sarai the Daughter of Aram was Abraham's Wife Gen. 11.29 And perceiving that the Lord had restrained her from bearing of children she gave Abraham leave to take Hagar her Maiden to Wife 16. cap. But when she saw her self despised of her Maid which had conceived she began to be so sharp and quick with Hagar that she made her run away Nevertheless at the humble submission of Hagar Sarai received her again Then Sarai passing forth till she came to the age of four-score and ten years it chanced she heard the Angel of the Lord as she stood in her Tent say unto Abraham 18.10 that Sarai his Wife should have a child which words seemed so impossible unto her that she laughed within her self and said Is it of a surety that I shall bear a Son Shall I now have pleasure being old and my Lord old also And when she had talked thus to her self the Angel of the Lord demanded of Abraham wherefore his Wife did laugh as though it were quoth he too hard a thing for God to perform his promise Then she being asked the question denyed it for she was afraid saying that she laughed not And so Sarai judging him faithful which had promised 21.1 2 3 c. brought forth a Son at the time appointed of God and called his name Isaac And when the Child was born she said GOD hath made me to laugh and all that hear will laugh with me Who would have said to Abraham that Sarai should have given Children suck for I have born him a Son in his old age After this when Sarai perceived Ishmael the Son of Hagar as he played with Isaac to be a mocker she said unto Abraham put away this Bond-maid and her Son for the Son of this Bond-woman shall not be Heir with my Son Isaac 23. cap. Finally when Sarai had lived one hundred and seven and twenty years she died in Kiriath-Arba Which is also called Hebron And was buried in the double Cave which Abraham had bought of the Sons of Heth. Sarah Tob. 3. the Daughter of Raguel had seven husbands one after another which men before they had lain with her were all slain of the Devil Asmodius to the great discomfort and heaviness of the young Woman And yet the more to aggravate her sorrow her Father's Maidens when she did correct them for their faults would slander her on this wise saying God let us never see Son nor Daughter of thee more upon earth thou killer of thy Husbands wilt thou kill us also as thou hast done them Which words were so grievous to Sarah that she got her up to an high Chamber of her House where she continued three Days and three Nights in prayer beseeching God that he would vouchsafe to loose her out of that rebuke or else to take her out of the earth For thou knowest O Lord that I never had desire unto man and that I have kept my soul clean from all uncleanly lust I have not kept company with those that pass their time in sport neither have I made my self partaker with them that walk in light behaviour nevertheless an Husband have I consented to take not for my pleasure but in thy fear Now peradventure either I have been unworthy of them or else were they unmeet for me for thou happily hast kept me for another Husband And thus making her prayers to God he heard her and sent young Toby to be her husband who being joyned together in Matrimony lived all their days an holy life in the fear and laws of God Sheba 2 Sam. 20. the Son of Bichri assoon as David was restored to his Kingdom again begun a new insurrection and got all Israel to follow him save only the men of Juda which stuck fast by David and as he came into the City of Abel to the which Joab followed him the Governess of the City being a Woman of wisdom smote off the head of Sheba and
threw it over the Wall to Joab and so the commotion ceased Sheba vanity or little accounted of or uproar Sceva Act. 19.14 was a Jew born and the chief Priest among the Jews This Man had seven Sons who for lucre sake and to purchase unto themselves a great name thereby attempted to cast out evil spirits by invocation of the name of the Lord Jesus as Paul did saying unto the Man possessed We conjure you in the name of Jesus whom Paul preacheth that ye depart out of the man To whom the spirit answered and said Jesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye And as soon as he had spoken these words the man in whom the evil spirit was ran upon them and got the upper hand on them In so much that they had much ado to escape with their lives and scarce got at the last naked and wounded out of the house And this example of the Sons of Sceva being bruted abroad among the Jews and Gentiles many which believed came to Paul and confessed their offences And beside that divers other which had used such curious crafts of Conjurations brought their books and burned them before all men the price whereof were counted at fifty thousand * A silverling was in value about a groat sterling or more Silverlings Shelah the youngest Son of Judah Gen. 38.5 11. being grown to perfect age and not given to Thamar in marriage according to his Father's promise was the occasion of Thamar's playing the Harlot with Judah her Father-in-law Shelah dissolving Selah Gen. 11.12 c. the Son of Arphaxad of the generation of Shem was the Father of Eber whom he begot when he was thirty years of age and lived after the birth of Eber four hundred and three years Which make in the whole four hundred and xxxiii years Shem Gen. 9.18 23.11.10 He is called also Melchisedeck And did first build the City of Salem which after was called Jerusalem the eldest Son of Noah received praise of his Father because he covered his nakedness as he lay uncovered in his Tent. Shem at the age of an hundred years begot Arphaxad two years after the Flood and lived after five hundred years Shimei the Son of * 2 Sam. 16.5 c. Gera of the kindred and house of Saul dwelt in a City called Bahurim And as it chanced David to flee thither for fear of his Son Absalom this man came out against him cursing and railing out of measure with such spiteful words as these Come forth come forth thou bloud shedder and man of Belial The Lord hath brought upon thee now all the bloud of the house of Saul in whose stead thou hast raigned The Lord hath delivered the Kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy Son And behold thou art come to thy mischief because thou art a murtherer And for all this would David suffer no man to do him harm So that Shimei went on still cursing and railing and hurling of stones and dirt at David like a mad-man But when the time came that David should be restored to his Kingdom again then Shimei that in his adversity was his most cruel enemy was now in his prosperity one of the first that met him to bring him home again And being passed over Jordan he fell down flat before David saying Oh let not my Lord impute wickedness unto me nor remember the thing that thy servant did wickedly when my Lord the King departed out of Jerusalem that the King should take it to heart for thy servant doth know how that I have done amiss And therefore behold I am the first this day of all the house of Joseph that am come to go down to meet my Lord the King So David forgave him Here he saith he was of the house of Joseph and before he saith he was of the house of Saul Of the Fathers side saith Lyra he was of the house of Joseph that is to say of the tribe of Ephraim but of the mothers side he was of the house of Saul But when the time of Davids departure out of this world drew nigh among all things which he spake to Solomon his Son he remembred Shimei saying Behold thou hast here with thee Shimei the Son of Gera the Son of Gemini of Bahurim which cursed me with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim but he came to me at Jordan and I swre unto him by the Lord that he should not dye But thou shalt not count him as unguilty for thou art a Man of wisdom and knowest what thou oughtest to do unto him His hoar head shalt thou bring to the grave with bloud And so Solomon being set in his Kingdom called Shimei and said Build thee an house in Jerusalem and dwell there And see thou pass not from thence any whither for be thou sure that the day thou goest out and passest over the River of Kidron thou shalt dye and thy bloud shall be upon thine own head Shimei thanked the King and dwelt in Jerusalem the space of three years and then it chanced two of his servants to run from him to Achish King of Gath whereupon Shimei sadled his Ass and went for his servants and brought them home again Then Solomon hearing of his doings commanded Benajah to put him to death for the wickedness he had done to his Father David Shimei bearing or obedient Sennacherib King of Assyria was a mighty Prince 2 King 18.13 which seeing that Salmanasar his Predecessor had conquered the King of Israel and made them Tributaries thought it good to set upon the King of Juda who at that time was the godly and most noble Ezechias And when Sennacherib had gotten into his hands all the chief Cities of Juda and Benjamin save only Jerusalem he besieged that also with such might and power that Ezechias was fain to submit himself to the mercy of Sennacherib offering him tribute so much as he would demand Upon which offer Sennacherib promised Ezechias that if he would pay him three hundred talents of silver and one of gold his land should be safe and in quiet which promise he kept truly till the mony were payed But as soon as he had received the money he sent back again three of the greatest Captains he had to make fresh War against Ezechias And when they had pitched their Tents about Jerusalem they sent for Ezechias to come and speak with them who fearing his own life sent three of his Noble-men unto them to know the matter And when they had heard all the blasphemous words of Rabshekah 2 King 19. they returned and told them to Ezechias Who hearing those evil news rent his cloaths and put on sackcloth and fell prostrate upon his face and prayed unto the Lord to help him and to have mercy upon his people and beside that he sent to Esay the Prophet desiring him to pray unto the Lord for them whose Prayer the Lord
Men were slain 1 Mac. 13. After this Tryphon went into the Land of Judah with a great Host having Jonathan with him in ward And when he had knowledge that Simon stood up in the stead of his Brother Jonathan and that he would come against him he sent word to Simon that whereas he kept Jonathan his Brother in ward it was but for mony he ought in the King's account and other business he had in hand Therefore if he would send him an hundred Talents of Silver and the two Sons of Jonathan to be their Father's surety he would send him home again But Simon knew his dissembling heart well enough Yet nevertheless lest he should be a greater enemy to the People of Israel and say another day that because he sent him not the Money and the Children therefore is Jonathan dead he sent him both the Money and the Children Then Tryphon having the Money and Children kept Jonathan still and shortly after put both the Father and his Children to death Now Tryphon to bring his long intended purpose about on a time as he walked abroad with the young King he most traiterously slew him and possessed the Realm and crowned himself King of Asia and did much hurt in the Land Finally 15. cap. Tryphon was so hated of all men that when Antiochus the Son of Demetrius came upon him the most part of his own Host forsook him and went to Antiochus who never left persecuting of Tryphon till he made him flee by Ship where he was never seen more Tryphon a delicate and fine man Trophimus was an Ephesian born Act. 20.4 who went with Tychicus out of Asia to Troas to make all things ready against Paul's coming and abode there till Paul came from thence they went with Paul to Jerusalem where certain Jews which were of Asia moved the People against Paul complaining of him 21.28 c. that he had brought Greeks with him to pollute the Temple because they saw Trophimus with him in the City whom they supposed Paul had brought into the Temple Tubal Gen. 4. was the Son of Lamech by his Wife Adah And was the first that invented the Science of Musick by the strokes and noise of the hammers of his brother Tubalcain which was a Smith and the first finder out of Mettal and the working thereof Jubal was his brother by Father and Mother and Tubalcain only by the Father for Zillah was his Mother Tubal born or brought or worldly Tubalcain Worldly possession V. VASHTI Estter 1. was a very fair Woman and Wife to Ahashuerus otherwise called Artaxerxes King of Persia And because she would not come to the King when he sent for her a Law was devised and made by the seven Princes of Persia and Media That forasmuch as it could not be chosen but that this deed of Queen Vashti must needs come abroad into the ears of all Women both Princes and others and so despise their Husbands and say Thus and thus did Vashti to Ahashuerus by which occasion much despitefulness and wrath should arise The King should therefore put her away and take another to the end that all other Women great and small should hold their Husbands in more honour And so she was divorced from the King and Esther received in her place Vashti Drinking Vrban Rom. 16.9 was a certain faithful Christian Brother to whom Paul sent greetings saying Salute Urban our helper in Christ Vriah 2 Sam. 11. the Hittite was a Man always for the most part imployed in the Kings Wars with Joab the King 's Captain-General This Uriah had a fair Woman to his Wife called Bathsheba whom King David in his absence had got with Child And when the King had knowledge that the Woman was conceived he sent for Urias to come home Who being come to the King and had told him of all things concerning Joab and his Men of War The King bad him go home to his house and repose himself there a while with his Wife And so Urias being departed from the King went not home to his Wife but lay without the King's Gate he and all his Men that night And when on the morrow the King had knowledge thereof he sent for Urias and demanded why he went not home To whom he said The Ark of Israel and Juda dwell in Tents and my Lord Joab and the servants of my Lord abide in the open Fields shall I then go into mine house to eat and drink and lye with my Wife By thy life and by the life of thy soul I will not do this thing Then he was commanded to tarry a day or two more and the King wrote a Letter to Joab the Tenour whereof was this That he should set Urias in the fore front of the Battel where it was sharpest to the intent he might be slain And so Urias departed from the King carrying his own death with him and was soon dispatched out of his life Urias the light of the Lord. Vriah 2 King 16.10 11 c. was the High-Priest in the time of Abaz King of Juda. And having the pattern of an Altar sent unto him by the King from Damascus to make him the like against his coming home Uriah consented to the King 's wicked mind and made the Altar and did whatsoever the King would have him to do without any regard to the Laws of God Vzzah and Ahio were the Sons of Abinadab which waited upon the new Cart whereon the Ark of God 2 Sam. 6.3 4 c. which was taken out of their Fathers house to be carried to the house of Obed was laid And forasmuch as Uzzah of a good intent put forth his hand to stay the Ark when the Oxen stumbled the Lord smote him for his fault that he dyed even before the Ark. Z. ZABULON Gen. 30.19.49.13 was the sixth Son of Jacob and Leab Of whom his Father prophelied before his death saying Zabulon shall dwell by the Sea side and he shall be an haven for ships his border shall be unto Zidon Zabulon a dwelling Zachary Luke 1. cap. was a certain godly Priest in the days of Herod King of Jewry which came of the course or Family of Abiah And walked so perfectly in the Ordinances and Laws of the Lord that no Man could justly complain of him But he had no Child by his Wife Elizabeth for she was barren And when his course came to burn incense evening and morning according to the law he went into the Temple And as he was in prayer an Angel appeared unto him saying Fear not Zachary for thy Prayer is heard And thy Wife Elizabech shall bear thee a Son and thou shalt call his name John c. Whereby said Zachary shall I know this for I am old and my Wife old also I am Gabriel quoth the Angel which am sent unto thee to shew thee these glad tidings And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able
that whensoever Zenas departed from him he should bring him on his Journey with all diligence and that nothing should be lacking unto him His words to Titus were these Bring Zenas the Lawyer and Apollos on their Journey diligently that nothing be lacking to them Zenas Living Zipporah Exod. 2.21 c. was the Daughter of Raguel Priest of Madian and Wife to Moses by whom she conceived and bare him two Sons Eleazer was not circumcised therefore GOD was angry with Moses saith Lyra. The one Gerson and the other Eleazer And as she went with Moses her Husband toward the Land of Egypt by the way in her Inne she took a sharp Knife and cut away the foreskin of her Son and cast it at his feet saying Thou art indeed a bloudy husband unto me she said a bloudy husband because of the circumcision Zipporah A mourning Zibah 2 Sam. 9. was one of King Saul's old Servants after whose death he belonged to Mephibosheth the Son of Jonathan and had the oversight of all his Master's Lands which David had restored unto him and the governance also of Micha his Master's Son 16.1 2 c. This Ziba intending to deceive his Master what time as David fled from Absalom his Son and was a little past the top of Mount Olivet met him with a couple of Asses sadled and upon them two hundred loaves and one hundred bunches of Raisins and an hundred of dryed Figgs and a bottel of Wine And when the King saw him he said What meaneth thou with these Ziba They be quoth he Asses for the King's Houshold to ride on and Bread and Fruit for the young Men to eat and Wine that such as be faint in the Wilderness may drink Then said the King where is thy Master Mephibosheth Zaba said behold he tarrieth still at Jerusalem for he said This day shall the house of Israel restore me the Kingdom of my Father Then said David to Ziba Behold all are thine that pertained to Mephibosheth Then said Ziba I do homage unto thee I beseech thee I may find grace in thy sight my Lord O King Thus Ziba deceived his Master and got his Land from him But when the King was returned again to Jerusalem and perceived by Mephibosheth that Ziba had wrongfully accused him he commanded the Land to be divided between them Ziba Fulness or an Oath Zimri was the servant of Ela the Son of Baasha King of Israel and Captain of half his Chariots who 1 King 16.9.10 c. or his Master had reigned full two years conspired against him and slew him as he was in Tirzah drinking till he was drunken in the house of Arza Steward of his House in Tirzah And raigned in his stead in the time of whose reign which was but seven days he slew all the house of Baasha leaving neither Kinsman nor friend of his alive At this time had Ela the King an Host of Men lying at the siege of Gibbethon a City of the Philistines And when they heard of the Treason of Zimri and that he raigned in the stead of Ela they with one consent made Amri their Captain King who then went and besieged Zimri where he lay in the City of Tirzah And when Zimri saw that the City must needs be won then he lest they should take him alive and put him to a shameful death burnt himself and the King's house with fire and so dyed Zimri a singing or making melody Zorobabel Esdras 3. 4. cap. the Son of Salathiel with all the Jewes which were delivered from Babylon by Cyprus returned to Jerusalem where they repaired again the City and Temple of God and renewed their Laws though they were sometime hindred and lett by their enemies about them Zorobabel Free from confusion or strange FINIS