falsifyings of their Text. Some Chapters in this second Edition are added vnto the first and the Chapters of the first somewhat inlarged with matters of like kind The purpose of all is to shew that God in Christ reconciled the world to himselfe And that Christ is the seed in whom the world shall be saued In former ages reuealed a farre off as in a glasse darkly and through the vale of Moses But in these last times is seene of vs Gentiles in his humanity face to face where the vaile of the old is withdrawne in the new The search of both in both is commanded for therein saith God standeth thy life and all must be meditated for therein saith Moses is not a vaine word And Christ giues the testimony that Heauen and earth shall passe but not a iot or tittle of the word perish It was Timothies commendations that he had been studious in the holy Scriptures of a child And the men of Berea are named noble for examining Pauls doctrine by the Scriptures Let not then a fore-staled opinion of their hardnesse diswade thee from reading nor a secured conceit that many things in them doe not concerne thee the brand of that Iron that searcheth the conscience for man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And in their learning saith the Apostle thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that ◅e are thee Of which learning the Primatiue Saints were so carefull as Saint Hierom recordeth that euen seely women contended which of them should learne most of the holy Scriptures without booke by heart And that * Taylors Smiths Weauers Semsters Deluers and Neatheards were so skilfull in the sacred Texts as Theodorat writeth that the most secret mysteries therein contained were familiarly knowne vnto them But not any so great as is the my◅rie that God became man nor more behoouefull to be knowne then is his Humanity in whose righteousnesse the Law is satisfied and in his fufferings the world reconciled Vnto him therefore the chiefe corner stone of this our building be as◅bed all s Praise glory wisedome honour and might for whose comming in power to make all perfit let vs with the wise Virgins attend to enter the chamber of our Bride-groome Christ in whom I rest euer thine IOHN SPEED The Summe of the Chapters contained in this Treatise Chap. 1. THat the holy Genealogies of the sacred Scriptures are of great vse and being penned by Gods holy Spirit ought of all to be knowne Chap. 2. That the names of the Fathers and Patriarks in the Scriptures Genealogies doe lead vnto Christ. Chap. 3. That the Scriptures Genealogies are the Scriptures staies for Chronologie Chap 4. That the Scriptures Genealogies doe limit Daniels seuens not to exceed 490 yeeres Chap. 5. Some difficult places of the Scriptures Genealogies explaned The difference of Saint Luke in the Greeke from Moses in the Hebrew And Saint Mathews omission of foure Kings in his Catalogue examined and resolued Chap 6. That God became man and from what men discended the Scriptures Genealogies doe euidently shew Chap. 7. That Christ Iesus descended onely of Iudah tooke no part of his Humanity from Leui neither by his Fathers nor Mothers Chap. 8. That Salomons house was rent and all his posterity vtterly extinct long before the comming of Christ in his flesh and that neither from Salomon nor any of his successours the Kings of Iudah Christ Iesus tooke any part of his Humanity Chap. 9. How the Euangelists Saint Mathew and Saint Luke doe agree in recording Christ Iesus to bee the Son of Salomon by Law and the Sonne of Nathan by Nature Chap. 10. That Christ Iesus by his naturall descent was the onely immediate and lawfull King of the Iewes and that none other had any claime or title thereunto Chap. 11. A touch of some Iewish and vaine Genealogies which hinder Truth against which Saint Paul warneth with an answere vnto Master Liuelies Iewish obiections Chap. 12. That according to the Scriptures of God Christ came at the fulnesse of time in his flesh And that in him all Genealogies of the sacred Scriptures are ended Errata Page 11. for doe reade did p. 18. f. proceated r. procreated p. 59 in the margin f. 830. yeares r. 83. yeeres p. 59. f. fasciulus r. fassiculus p. 59. f. achab r. Rachab p. 76. f. and r. nor p. 78. f. translater r. translators p. 124. f. faithfull r. faithlesse p. 2◅6 f. they doe r. they doe it not p. 230. f. speeches r. speaks p. 234. f. no other r another p. 250 f. the faire r. they faine 241. f. hath bin r. had bin A CLOVD OF WITNESSES CHAP. I. That the holy Genealogies of the sacred Scriptures are of great vse and being penned by Gods holy Spirit ought of all to be knowne THat this subiect of the Scriptures sacred Genealogies may appeare to bee both holy and vsefull before we enter into the particulars let vs view the frame of the whole how that frō the seed of the woman in Paradice where the first promise was made of our saluation they leade vs to the Sonne of a Virgine in Bethlehem where the first appearance ◅n our flesh was of him that wrought our saluation Betwixt which persons and times God himselfe was the Recorder and with that finger that first writ the Law led the hand of Moses to name from father to sonne the persons produced euen from Adam that fell from a pleasurable Garden of rest vnto Ioshuah that led and set the people in a pleasurable land of rest being thirtie generations in a direct line besides their collaterals In all which the promises of God appeared that was made to man in his Christ In Noah the comfort that the world in him should enioy In Abraham the Promise that the world in him should be blessed And in Dauid the sonne and King that should raigne euerlastingly All which things the Genealogies doe testifie and we know that their testimonie is true and how carefully their pedegrees haue been kept wee see still recorded by the holy Ghosts writ In Moses all of them euen vnto himselfe and where Moses left the Writer of Ruth doth continue thē vnto Dauid And Dauids sonnes likewise both Kings and collaterals are most exactly registred and for the most part with their matches and mothers out of seuerall Tribes named whilest that stem of kings bare any branches And the care of preseruing the holy Genealogies the holy Ghosts pen hath well shewed in the first booke of the Chronicles where the first nine Chapters doth affoord in a manner no other matter besides the rehearsall of the generations from Adam to those times As the like is done for the present by the books of the Chronicles of Kings and the Prophets vntill the Captiuitie of Babylon cut off their Kings and the glory
remaine to fill vp the number of Seuenty Seuens or foure hundred ◅nd ninetie yeeres predicted in Da◅iel Which time of the Persians both ◅n the diuision for those first Seuens wherein the Citie was built and ◅heir whole continuance vnto their ◅nd hath bred the greatest distur◅ance of Daniels propriety That their Monarchy began when ◅he word MENE was double writ ◅pon the Pallace wall and Babels◅ingdome ◅ingdome ended by the slaughter of ◅elshazzar the texts both of Daniel◅nd ◅nd the Chronicles doe shew and ◅hat it continued vnto Darius whom ◅e surnameth the Nehemiah◅oth ◅oth record betwixt whom is no ◅reater disagreements for the num◅er of their Kings and their names ◅en there is of yeeres for their ◅aignes and continuance not any ◅ne of them from first to last but ◅ath a differing number assigned e◅en by their best recorders For the number of their Kings ◅ab Saadah will haue them but ◅hree Aben Ezra saith they were foure and Rab. Moses alloweth them fiue of Christian Writers Tertullian Isidor and Annius Viterbiensis accounteth them eight Ioseph Scaliger will haue them nine Bullenger ten Beroaldus eleuen and Hierome with the ordinary Glosse no lesse then fourteene and as in the men so for number of yeeres they disagree For the Iewes generally to crosse the time lest it should meete Christ to be their Messia giue the Persians from the first vnto the last of their gouernment but onelie 52. yeres though Aben Ezra is content to allow them nin more Of Christians Pererius extendeth their time to 23 2. Lyra to 230. yeeres Clem. Alexandrinus giueth them 215. Dyonisius Hallicarnassis 200. Lucidus 190. Isidor◅ 180. Beroaldus Broughton and other late Writers 130 differing in their totals no lesse then 182 yeeres Whereby we may see how the smooth running waters of Shiloh are become a troubled Ocean vnto many ouer which gulfe of disagreeing accounts were not the holy Genealogies the bridge it were vnpossible for vs to passe For in their first number from the first yeere of Cyrus vnto the finishing of the Temple in the sixth of Darius are added vnto the proprietie of those Seuen Seuens fiftie seuen yeeres making of forty nine which they properly import no lesse then an hundred and sixe yeeres And in the like manner the time from that worke vnto the end of the Persians raigne is likewise ouerstretched to bee aboue fourescore yeeres more then the Sunne euer measured The maine cause of whose differences are the variable accounts of the Heathen and the vncertaine computations of the vncertaine Olympiads And therefore to direct these times the holy Genealogies are as the Reede in the Angels hand that measured the Temple and Altar of the holy City and the men then liuing a cloud of witnesses to cōfirme the Times certenty vnto vs. For seeing that the sacred Scriptures for story at the rebuilding of Ierusalem and second Temple did cease the disagreements of profane Writers in Times computation so manifestly apparant and the euer erring Olympiads the onely Chronicle of the Heathen so vncertaine of beginning and neglect for continuance no sure foundation can be laid vpon so sandy or soft a ground Nor may those profane authorities bee held fit pillars to support the waight of the waightiest speech of times measure and promise of mans Redemption reuealed in the old testament of God but are to be reiected in this holy computation as the vnmeasured Court was to be cast out and giuen to the Gentiles And yet wee deny not but where the Gentiles agree with Gabriels account they may be brought as witnesses to the truth and God by them iustified in his promises when he is iudged Therefore to approue the proprietie of Daniels Seuens let vs trauerse them by the Scriptures allowance both in the ages and liues of men That the first diuision of Gabriels Seuens which was from the going forth of the Edict to the rebuilding of Ierusalem fell accordingly and were forty nine yeeres to the finishing of the worke the answer of the Iewes to our Sauiour Christ doth so much import when demanding by what authoritie he droue the market out of the Temple and what signes hee shewed to testifie his authoritie Destroy said he this Temple and in three dayes I will raise it vp speaking of the Temple of his body But they ignorant of his meaning replied thus Forty sixe yeeres this Temple was in building and wilt thou reare it vp in three dayes And whereas some are of opinion that the Iewes vnpremeditated made this answere as they did of Christs age Thou art not yet fifty and hast thou seene Abraham yet seeing the account falleth according to the assignement we may wel think they spake vpon an Historicall knowledge for three yeeres added thereunto which were the yeeres from Cyrus his Edict vnto the hindrance of that worke by his successors and for which Daniel mourned three weekes of dayes Chapter 10. 2. make the number to be fortie nine euen seuen times seuen yeeres vnto which certenty some are so confident that they auouch these forty sixe yeeres did forefigure Christ his age vpon the earth and doe draw the yeeres of his life vnto the like number of forty sixe because as they imagine the body should answer the shadow the substance the figure and the true Temple the materiall in euery degree albeit herein they are much deceiued for that the dayes of Christ vpon earth came not fully to thirty three yeeres as by the yeeres of his birth and death vnder the raignes of the Romane Emperours Augustus and Tiberius is seene But that fifty seuen more should be added and the yeeres tentured vnto an hundred and sixe betwixt the first of King Cyrus and the building of the Temple the ages of diuers men in those daies will not permit and therefore by the holy Scriptures let vs see how the holy Genealogies stay them from rouing too farre First it is manifest that Zerubabel of Iudah was a Prince of yeeres and actiuenesse fit to leade and command the people in their returne from captiuitie in the first yeere of Cyrus and so hee is euer named in the catalogue amongst the returned and that in the second yeere and second moneth after their comming to Ierusalem he began to set forward the worke of the house of the Lord and to lay the foundation of the Temple is by Ezra recorded and as manifestly was it promised that hee should see that his worke finished for said Zechariah from the Lord Zerubbabel laid the foundation of this house and his hands shall finish it What age Zerubbabel was of when he vnderwent that Gouernment wee know not but must coniecture he was of yeeres fit for that charge but to liue from that age to an hundred and sixe yeeres more is more then without warrant can bee credited and yet for any thing
though shee was elder then his afflictions by an hundred and seuenty yeeres And more obsurdly they marrie her to Simeon her brother naming her the Canaanit mother of Saul Iacob they faine to haue had a twin daughter borne with euery of his sons as Adam by them is fained to haue had And good Thamar that got Iudah vnto her bed they make to be the daughter of Melchisedeck king of Salem who died ninty seauen yeeres before Iudah was borne So likewise Ruth the Moabite hauing no father named in Scripture nor Eglon king of Moab any daughter Rabbi Iarchi and others faine Ruth therefore to bee daughter to King Eglon. Keturah likewise the second wife of Abraham the Rabbins will haue to be the same Hagar that had bâ—… him Ishmael lest incontinency should be imputed vnto him for marrying another woman hauing knowne Hagar before And from the sonnes of the said Keturah they bring both Balaam the Gentile Prophet and Queene Sheba that came to heare the wisedome of Salomon As also doubtlesse from the Rabbins the Christians Origen and Chrysostom from the said Balaam doe bring the wise men that from the East followed the Starre vnto Christ and so Dorotheus and Epiphanius make Ionas the Prophet to bee the widowes sonne of Sarepta whom Elias raised from death In like sort when some great personages are but once named in the Scriptures they make them to be some other famous men by other names So Ethan the Ezrathite the Author of the 89. Psalme Kimchi Iarchi affirme to be Abraham because that Psalme goeth before the Psalme of Moses the man of God and because Ezrathite may be translated Orientall So Chalcol and Darda whose wisedome Salomon is commended to exceede they feine to be Moses and Aaron Elihu the Buzite to bee Balaam Ibsan to bee Boos and Putiel to be Iethro So likewise the forenamed Rabbins Kimchi and Iarchi make Uriah mentioned in Esay to be the same man that Iehoiakim slew though there were an hundred twenty yeers betwixt And Zechariah mentioned in the same Prophet to be the same Zechariah that with Haggai prophecied after the returne from Babylon betwixt whom were aboue two hundred yeeres But the writer of the Booke Tobit falleth into farre greater sinnes in making an Angell to bee of the seede of man as hee affirmeth Raphael to acknowledge his kinred from Azarias and Ananias men well knowne vnto Tobit contrary to the Doctrin of the whole Scriptures which teach that Christ Iesus the great Archangel tooke onely mans nature vpon him and that the Angels haue neither flesh nor bones but are ministring Spirits to attend his Elect. Which blasphemie the blasphemous Rabbins further teach in affirming that there should come two Christs the one of Dauid and the other of Ioseph vpon which ground they build who say that Hee whom the Iewes crucified was not the same man that had beene borne of the virgin Mary but another in his similitude and likenesse In the contrary extreamity I would to God Christians had not offended in denying Christ to bee the Messiah mentioned in Daniel the ninth a text most pregnant shewing his office of Redemption in abolishing Sinne and the effecacie of his Death in ending Sacrifice and oblation in the place once holy For whereas the Angell Gabriel in the first yeere of Cyrus and last of Babels seuentie was sent vnto Daniel to declare the present liberty for his people decreed and to assure a future and fuller by the death of the Messiah determined after the expiration of seuentie times seuen yeeres they deny the words to bee meant of Iesus the sonne of Mary and â—…abbinically apply the text to other purposes and persons whereby a stumbling blocke is laid before the blinde Iewes and an vnchristianlike testimony left of Christian Iudaâ—…sme For more to shew conteÌ„tion â—…hen truth or Religion in a booke of that kind thus it stands written Of all the places in the old Testament touching the comming of Christ whereof there is great store that verse 〈◊〉 Daniel meaning the 24. of the ninth Chapter is most excellent and â—…leere yet withall I deny saith the Author that by the Name of Messiah in the verses following Christ our Sauiour is vnderstood for neither the true account of yeeres will suffer it nor the text of holy Scriptures beare it Two strong supporters verily if the foundation be sure but seeing hee setteth the one vpon the vncertaine Olympicks and the other vpon a priuate and vnchristian interpretation wee may safely deny what he doth affirme Concerning the first then or credit of the Olympiads to the disabling of other Chronologies the iudgment of Marcus Varro the learned Roman is brought who will haue all vncerten before the first Olympiad for from the beginning of men to the first flood for the ignorance of things therein happening he calleth obcure or vnknown From the first flood to the first Olympiad for the vaine tales contained therein hee calleth false or fabulous But from the first Olympiad to his owne age for the truth and certenty of things therein recorded he calleth Historicall prouided alwaies by master Liuely that yee seeke them no higher then Iphitus their restorer And these Olympicks doth that holy tongues reader make the onely computators of the Suns course in incirculating the earth for the space of 530. yeeres and by them doth order that time which is of most moment in the Scriptures of God For by them hee will haue the Angels speech for the death of Christ accounted by them the raignes and yeeres of the Persian Kings from Cyrus to Alexander numbred and by them the time from the rebuilding of Ierusalem by â—…he returned to the finall destruction thereof by Titus the Romane calâ—…ulated Affirming them to bee of a sure Bulwark for Chronologie warranâ—…ed by the mouth of Heauen it self â—…y the Astronomicall eclipses therâ—… happening and the only Key to â—…nlocke the shut and hid meaning â—…f Daniels oracles without which â—…y Scriptures alone saith hee can â—…euer be opened whereunto wee â—…nswere That Varro was a heathen and â—…ad not read Moses who seeth not whose writings notwithstanding were extant of things done from the first Creation vnto the entrance into Canaan nor the sacred Histories from his death by others continued vnto Nebuchadnezzar the great King else would hee not haue made these times obscure that are most plaine nor that the plainest which is most obscure And if wee shall throughly examine those his so highly commended Olimpicks either of beginning continuance restoration or agreements wee shall finde them to be but a Babel of confusions anâ—… the truth of time by them as harâ—… to be trased as is the way of a Shâ—… in the waues of the Sea or the flight 〈◊〉 an Eagle in the ayre the tract of
neither can neither be followed nor found For their beginning is but roueâ—… at from Hercules that aimelessâ—… marke their neglect remained tâ—… the daies of Licurgus the tenth from the founder their restoration was by Iphitus of Elis but set thâ—… centers in the circles of these timeâ—… where yee can find them and their celebration superstitiously begun in honour of the Idoll of Iupiter Olympius and againe restored to cease 〈◊〉 contagious pestilence if not to â—…fect the world with their pestifeâ—…ous accounts Their counsellour was Appollo â—…e instrument of Sathan there prise â—…as a Garland of a Spiders Webbe â—…ouen in the boughes of a wilde â—…liue and fruitlesse tree and their â—…ownes the crowne of vaine-glory â—…nd not that of immortality for â—…hich the Apostle councelleth the Corinthians to striue may well bee â—…mpared to the houses of Spiders in wherein was no confidence and to â—…e Webbes in Isaiah that made no â—…arments to couer from cold Are these gaimes then the inâ—…ntion of Sathan fit linkes to liâ—…it an Angels speech and account â—…r the saddest action that the â—…orld euer saw and shall more creâ—…t bee giuen them for the time of â—…e Suns course in the heauens then â—…nto the heauenly Oracle of an Angell from God for the time of his Sons death on earth Or shall those men whose charge is to teach all Nations that the Kingdome of God is come in his Christ take their authority for the time of his comming from such hea then recorders as neither knew God nor were regarded of God in the time of their ignorance as the Apostle witnesseth The City and holy Altar wee see were measured by the reede that the Angell gaue vnto Iohn and by the same reede the direction oâ—… God did Daniel from Ieremy measure the yeeres of captiuity and from their expiration was taught by an Angel from God the time oâ—… Christs sufferings without all help of any secular learning or accounâ—… of heathenish Olimpicks but rather by farre more holier bands tied with the accounts of three moâ—… certen euents as of seuen seuens sixtâ—… two seuens and one seuen in the halfe whereof Christ should die And whereof Gabriel confesseth that he was sent from God to teach Daniel the certaine knowledge and Daniel himselfe acknowledged that â—…he vnderstood the thing and had vnderstanding of the vsion which was vnlocked vnto him by no key of â—…humaÌ„e litterature but by the Scriptures of truth as the angell affirmed Neither Saint Paul the greatest humanist among the Apostles brought vp at the feete of Gamaleel and spake more Languages then all â—…is opposers euer relied vpon the Olimpicks or other secular learning touching the knowledge of Christ and his passion But contrariwise confessed that hee had deliuered vnto the Corinthians that which hee had receiued which was That Christ died for our sinnes that he was buried and rose the third day and that hee did according to the Scriptures of God without other helps of Olimipcks or secular learning And as touching humane litterature that any wise were oposit to the Gospell hee admonisheth his Disciple Timothy to auoide prophane oppositions of Sciences falsly called which while some professe they haue erred concerning the Faith And commendeth him for his knowledge in the holy Scriptures which are able to make him wise being giuen by inspiration of God and are sufficiently profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct that the man of God may bee absolute And that Light which Saint Peter willeth vs to guide our steps by is the sure word of the Prophets to the which saith he yee doe well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day-star arise in your hearts But that the Olimpicks could bee the Light to leade to that Starre or to enlighten the sacred stories by their accounts is so farre from effect as they rather much darken the true Chronologie of the one and confound the mutuall agreements of the other nor haue they any assured truth for time in themselues For Phlegon for their beginning in pisus Pelops and Hercules appoints no time Pausanias saith hee must record but will not credit them and Plutarke in the life of Numa condemneth all gatherings of time from the Olimpiads And such are their disagreements in Thaluâ—…s Castor Phlegon Plutarke Dionisius and others in assigning their accounts as the supporters of that tottering foundation must beare as great a weight if nor greater as Atlas is fained to doe in supporting the world To giue an assay then how their accouÌ„ts agree with the holy Scriptures of God wee will but touch two among many that by them the credit of the rest may be iudged Master Liuelie setteth King Cyrus in the fiftie fiue Olimpiad And Titus the Emperour in the ond hundred twelfth betwixt whom he accounteth no lesse then six hundred twenty nine yeeres and odde moneths more by one hundred then the Sun euer measured But that Cyrus his first could meete with the Olimpiad 55 the diuers beginnings of them by diuers men assigned doth make very doubtfull for Bibliander doth begin them in the thirteenth of Iotham King of Iudah and Paulus Phrygio in his twelfth but Africanus Bullinger and Functius set them in the second yeere of Iotham the same King Glareanâ—… will haue the first Oimpiad to be in the fiftieth yeere of Azariah king of Iudah and Eusebius in his forty nine but Pererius begins them in the eight of King Ahaz which is twenty fiue yeeres after So that the first yeere of Cyrus most certenly fixed in the diuine Chronologie as the pole is in the North cannot fit the fifty fiue Olimpiad for their diuers beginnings The other proofe is taken from the destruction of Ierusalems Temple which Clemens Alexandrinus saith happened in the last of the forty seuenth Olimpiad Now wee know by the holy Text that the destruction of the Temple was in the nineteenth yeere of Nebuchadnezzer King of Babell from whence to the end of the captiuity or first of Cyrus fiftie one yeeres more were to ensue to make vp the seuentie of the captiuity But from the last yeere of the forty seuenth Olympiad to the first of the fifty fiue are but twenty nine yeeres whereunto adde nineteene more from Nebuchadnezzers first yeere in the which the captiuity began vnto the Temples destruction in his ninteenth and yet there will waÌ„t of the seueÌ„ty twenty two yeers to the end of the captiuity Wherby we see that the first yeere of Cyrus must bee pulled backe and set in the fiftieth and not the fifty fiue Olympiad so far differing are these prophane Olympiads from the sacred Chronologie of the holy text That a most certen and exact Chronologie was registred from Adam the first man vnto the first
knowne to the contrary he might liue long after the worke was finished Another witnesse wee haue as aged if not more as Zerubbabel and a principall man also who with him returned from Babylon in the first yeere of Cyrus euen Ezra the Scribe the sonne of Seraiah the high Priest whose ancestors both in the seuenth chapter of his booke and in the first booke of the Chronicles are reckoned vp vnto Aaron Now the same Seraiah father to Ezra was carried to Riblah in the land of Hamah and there slaine by Nebuehadnezzar King of Babel in the nineteenth yeere of his raigne So that had Ezra been begot but the day of his fathers death which is not likely yet must he haue been fiftie yeeres aged at the returne from captiuitie in the first yeere of Cyrus since when had there been one hundred and sixe yeeres as some account to there building of the Temple then must Ezra haue been at that time one hundred fifty sixe yeeres old an age by much too long to retaine actiuenesse or to stand as hee did from morning till mid-day to reade and expound the Law to the people But to liue a long time after as it is said he did euen to the end of the Persians raigne which was eightie yeeres more his life must haue seene more yeeres then that shortned age of mans life could attaine vnto And therefore the vncertaine accounts of the Heathen must be measured by those men whom the scriptures haue made their measuring â—…eedes And seeing God hath ordained â—…hat by the mouth and testimonie of two â—…r three witnesses the truth shall bee established Let Mordecai an eminent man of Beniamin stand for another This Mordecai was carried away captiue into Babylon with Ieconiah King of Iudah in the eighth yeere of Nebuchadnezzar and nourished Ester in the dayes of Ahashuerosh King of Persia vnto the twelfth yeere of his raigne And that this Ahashuerosh was Darius Histaspis besides Lyra and others ancient the moderne Writers Beroaldus Broughten Willet More the Geneuian Annotation and many more affirme and Herodotus in his third booke nameth Atossa to bee the wife of Hystaspis sounding so neere to Adassa the other name of Ester as without preiudice we may call Ester his Queene And the rather for that the said Author reporteth she could preuaile in any thing with the King her husband which the Scripture confirmeth euen to the halfe of his Kingdome And likewise Hellanicus another Heathen Author reporteth that Atossa Queene of Persia was the first inuenter of Epistles which vndoubtedly was ministred vpon the Letters by her procured and sent vnto one hundred and twenty seuen Prouinces for the sauing of her people whom Ahashuerosh had condemned at the sute of wicked Haman But that this Ahashuerosh could be Xerxes and he eighty foure yeeres after Cyrus as he hath been set the age of Mordecai may not admit for had Mordecai been but eight yeeres of age when hee was carried away captiue with Ieconiah in the eight yeere of Nebuchadnezzar yet must he haue been seuenty at the returne from Babylon but to adde almost a hundred yeeres more neither humanitie could require his so aged knees to bow nor nature afford his body to bee of such agilitie as it was for State affaires mans terme of life as Solon told Croesus men of the same time to be onely threescore and tenne yeeres I am not ignorant that some will haue the relatiue which to be referred to the antecedent Kish which say they the text doth import in these words Mordecai the sonne of Iair the sonne of Shimei the sonne of Kish and this Kish they will haue the man that had been carried captiue vnto Babilon with Ieconiah But if the words of Esters Apocrypha may be herd it was not Kish but Mordecai for there Mordecai a Noble man that dwelt in Susis and bare office in the Kings Court was he that had the dreame and was the man which Nebuchadnezzar brought captiue from Ierusalem as Chap. 2. 4. Which booke though not Canonicall yet is it ancient and may well be a witnesse in a well knowne historie Besides we see that the intent of that story is not to relate of Kish his captiuitie if any such had been the miseries of those times now ouerblowne but rather the meanes that God then wrought to saue his Church by this his instrument Mordecai that had seene the deliuerance both of himself and others from that Captiuitie of Babylon and now was an acter to blunt the edge of wicked Hamans sword And that the time could extend to those yeeres thus inlarged betwixt Cyrus his Edict and the building of the Citie Nehemiah doth bring a whole Iury of witnesses against it who in his catalogue of twenty two men that returned with him and Zerubbabel from Chaldea vnto Iewrie â—…ameth twelue of them to be liuing â—…n the daies of his gouernment after that the walles of Ierusalem were finished which were Seraiah Amaziah Malluch Hattush Sebaniah Haâ—…im Merimoth Ginnethon Abbiiah Miiamin Bilgai and Shemaiah as in the tenth and twelfth Chapters of Nehemiah apparantly is seene But from these particulars let vs come to the generals That many of the same persons which had been caried captiue vnto Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar were returned and aliue at the building of the second Temple in the second yeere of Darius is manifest by this speech of Haggai who is left saith â—…e among you that saw this house in her first glory and how doe you see it now is it not in your eies in comparison of it as nothing Whereby it is apparant that many of the returned had seene the great beauty of Salomons Temple and were seated againe in Ierusalem according to the Vision of the gooâ—… figges seene by Ieremy concerninâ—… the captiuitie of Ieconiah whom thâ—… Lord had promised to bring again to Iudah to build them and not destroâ—… them to plant them and not to root theâ—… out And albeit that Zecariah told theâ—… that old men and old women shoulâ—… walke the streetes of Ierusalem vpon theâ—… staues through decrepit age yeâ—… such exceeding old age could not bâ—… retained in that age of the world foâ—… had an hundred and sixe yeeres beeâ—… expired from the first yeere of Cyrus to the rebuilding of Ierusalem anâ—… the Temple then should the returneâ—… each of them haue been at that timâ—… an hundred sixty seuen yeeres aged had they been but ten when Salomons Temple was destroyed anâ—… ten yeeres is the least age that caâ—… bee allowed to retaine memory oâ—… obseruation of the Temples curiouâ—… building and passing great beauty Wherefore those tentured timeâ—… of Daniels Seuens must bee again shrunke vnto the staple of the sacred accounts and the Persians raigne shortned vnto halfe the number almost that some ouer-lauishly haue giuen them For the chaine of Chronologie
linked together by the liues of the holy line and sacred stories assigned euen from the first creation vnto the first yeere of the first Persian Monarch are as strong for continuance and as glorious for accounts as was the golden chaine that Salomon drew before the dore of the holy Oracle But in the link of the Persians time is so broken a sunder by the vncertaine records of vncertaine authorities as it may rather seeme a vexing of the truth then to leade vs to the true time of Christ his sufferings therefore to measure the stone by the square and the Persians whole continuance by the limits of life let vs see yet further how the sacred Scriptures do direct vs therein Nehemiah a Captaine in Iudah famous in his booke canonicall saw both the beginning and ending of the Persians Monarchy as the text apparantly sheweth for in the first yeere of Cyrus among the sonnes of the prouince that went vp out of captiuitie according to the Edict this Nehemiah is said to accompany Zerubbabel the Prince together with Ieshuah Seraiah Mordecai and others And that this was the same Nehemiah who with large grants from King Artaxerxes came again to Ierusalem in the twentieth yere of his raigne is further confirmed by himself where he saith I found a booke of the Genealogies of them which came vp at the first with Zerubbabel Ieshua Nehemiah Mordecai and others And againe the same man returned to Ierusalem in the two and thirtieth yeere of the said Kings raigne whereby we see that this Nehemiah was in the first yeere of Cyrus and thirty two of Artaxerxes For to admit as Petrus Galatinus hath done two Nehemiahs two Zerubbabels and two Mordecaies seeing the Scriptures approue them not were to make two Moses two Samuels and two Dauids And that Nehemiah liued to see the end of the Persians raigne appeareth by his mentioning of the high Priest Iaddua and of Darius the Persian And that this was the same Darius whom Alexander ouercame and the same Iaddua before whom Alexander fell downe to worship that God whose name he saw ingrauen in the golden plate of his High Priests Miteâ—… besides many Christian Writers Iosephus the Iew in his eleuenth booke of their Antiquities doth euidently declare whereby the supposed long continuance of the Persians time is bounded within the limits of one mans life and some part of that also spent before they aspired to their Imperiall Crowne But against this some obiect that Nehemiah in his old age might liue â—…o see Iaddua borne heire to the high Priest-hood and so record him And â—…hat Iaddua likewise might be very â—…ld when he met and told Alexander that he was the man of whom Daniel their Prophet prophecied that should destroy the estate of the Persians But to the contrary we see by Nehemiah himself who in the thirteenth Chapter and twenty eight verse of his booke saith that one of the sonnes of Ioiada the sonne of Eliashib the High Priest was sonne in Law to Sanballat the Horonite whom he chased from him And who that sonne was Iosephus in the foresaid eleuenth book of Antiquities tels vs to bee Manasses brother vnto Iaddua the High Priest who had married Nicazo the daughter of Sanballat for which marriage saith he he was expulsed by his brother from the Altar Whereby we see that Nehemiah saw not only Iaddua of yeers capable for the dignitie of High Priest-hood but also his younger brother Manasses a man married and of yeeres sufficient to serue at the Altar which must bee twenty fiue at the least as the law for the Leuit enioyned Numb chap. eight vers twentie foure And that Sanballat likewise though the wicked come not to half their dayes might see both the beginning ending of the Persians raigne is apparant for he being of policie both able to hinder the worke of of Ierusalems building and to entrap Nehemiah the builder must bee of age answerable to his designes and therefore of like yeeres vnto him And the same Sanballat liued to assist Alexander in his surprise of Gaza after he had ouerthrowne Darius in the last battell And that Nehemiah and Sanballat were of like age and equall yeeres the said Iosephus seemeth to auerre testifying of Nehemiah that he was laden with age and that Sanballat two yeeres after the taking of Gaza died being very old But to conclude that no longer continuance then foure hundred and nintie yeeres may in these seuentie seuens bee granted let vs measure them from the first to the last by the liues of the high Saints mentioned by the Euangelist Saint Matthew where wee â—…ind Ioseph the husband of Mary to be the tenth in discent from Zerubbabel a Prince of Iudah in the first yeere of Cyrus and that Ioseph liued to the twelfth yeere of Christ as apparant yea to the thirtieth by the testimony of Suidas who saith that Ioseph was but newly deceased when Iesus was chosen a Priest in the Temple The many yeeres then and the few successions therein contained inforce the times continuance no longer then foure hundred and ninety yeeres For euen in that number each of these ten generations must successiuely haue their Sonnes borne vnto them at fifty yeeres of age or not much lesse Now in like manner the like number of yeeres euen foure hundred and ninety by the Scriptures sure account were expired betwixt the gouernment of Samuel and the captiuitie of Ieconiah in the eight of Nebuchadnezzar Babels King And in those yeeres we find recorded by our Euangelist Saint Luke twenty generations from Nathan the sonne of Dauid vnto Neri the father of Salathiel in the dayes of Ieconiah King of Iudah but to giue these latter ten generations more yeeres by many then the former twenty did passe through in their liues standeth neither with course of nature nor hath example in those last times of closing vp the Scriptures records These ten Fathers therefore so enforce Daniels seuenty Seuens limitation that some who extend them to more yeeres haue thought the Euangelist Saint Matthew hath omitted certaine discents in his record And Tilemanus Stella aduentureth to faine fiue men more into that Catalogue whom he nameth Hananias Phaltias Iesseiah Raphaia and Arnaim onely to draw those yeeres to a longer account But wee must not admit any such fainings lest in giuing that liberty against the sacred Record the authoritie thereof be infringed and the literall text turned to serue any turne Thus then the holy Genealogies are as the key of Dauid to open the truth of Story and as Salomons pillar to support the waight of times proceeding without which it is impossible to reade the Scriptures with true vnderstanding Let this then suffice for their vses in the sacred Chronicle wherein I vrge them no further then the Text it selfe doth inforce and againe appeale to the consciences of their opposers whether any
before and Iacob is included in that account Master Broughton will haue the corruption purposely done by the first Translaters themselues who knowing that Ptolomies intent was no further but to furnish his stately Library with choise and cost to preuent his flouts and fury lest in pretext of Religion hee should surprize them as his Father Lagi had done altred their text both in Chronologie and Genealogie the two speciall pillars of truth and of knowledge obseruing this caueat Cast not holy things vnto dogs hid their diuine mysteries frō his profane Egyptians whom they held accursed And long before him was Saint Hierom of the same mind who saith that these seuenty Translaters to conceale the secrets of their faith from the Heathen did omit the speciall principals of faith vnto the Egyptians whom they held to be a cursed Nation and not worthy of their sacred Lawes But hereunto may bee answered that these reuerend Translaters were religious and knew by the Prophets that the Gentiles should be called and the meanes of their calling to bee the Word of God which had they hid or altered then had they been resisters of God in his ordinary course of saluation From which they are so free as in many places they adde to the texts of their callings more then the originals haue as in Fsay where it is said The roote of Ishai shall stand vp for a signe vnto the people the Nations shall seeke vnto it and his rest shall bee glorious they adde this saying And in his Name shall the Gentiles trust whom Paul in that text followeth and in many others both he and the holy Euangelists doe which must mooue an holy opinion of those reuerend men But Caietan hath a further conceit namely that the Iewes enuying to haue their holy lawes made knowne to the Gentiles by a transcript into another tongue did of set purpose alter diuers things in their translation so that the Hebrew saith he hath the defect but the Septuagint the truth Vnto whom and whose opinion let Saint Austin giue answere though he hath allowed those translater to ranke with the Prophets Whether doth it seeme more probable saith he that the Iewes so large an nation and their bookes so farre dispersed through the whole world could falsifie theirs or that the Translators being but seuenty and in one place assembled themselues also Iewes and enuying that the Gentiles should enioy their Scriptures did put in these errors by a common assent and which is easier to effect who seeth not But God forbid saith he that any wise man should thinke that either the Iewes of purpose corrupted their bookes or the translators with assent concealed the truth from the Gentiles one may easier beleeue that the error was committed in the transcription of the copie from Ptolomies Liberary and that to haue a successiue propagation through all copies dispersed And thereupon concludeth That it was neither the corruption of the originall nor the ouersight of the Translators but rather the Transcribers error that copied it first from Ptolomies Liberary But howsoeuer saith he seeing both cannot bee true it is better to beleeue the originall then the translation A like if not a more difficult knot is cast vpon the Genealogies recorded by Saint Matthew who in casting his Catalogue into three fourteene generations in the second doth omit certaine descents of Iudahs Kings and in the last doth differ from the number that himselfe assigneth which here wee will assay to vnloose not preiudising any former opinion nor inforcing ours further then the Word will allow It is Austins opinion that the numbers set in the holy Scriptures though to some they seeme barren or of little vse are most fruitfull and to singular purposes penned containing in them many both excellent and diuine matters If this be thus obserued of the generall then is this particular of a speciall regard that from Abraham the first father that had promise of a King and Kingdome vnto Dauid who was the first King that had his succession established by God the Euangelist recordeth them that were produced betwixt And Dauids heires likewise by Salomon through his naturall line vnto Ieconiah the last and his legall Line vnto Ioseph the supposed father of Iesus who was the most lawfull and last King of the Iewes he continueth the succession and for the more ease of memory and state of the matter diuideth them into three fourteene generations amounting to forty two persons of that Kingly Line from Abraham vnto Christ. Of which diuisions and number many coniecturs haue made and many of them fetched farre beyond likelihood or reason In the search of which seeming vnsoundable depth thinke not that I derogate from others when I dissent from them in their diuers and many expositions for euery mans sacrifice must bee tried by the fier of Gods Altar Neither that I affect singularitie in mine owne for I know that a three-fold cord is strong and a woe is to him that is alone but rather by the sacred text it selfe doe approue the most pregnant and neerest the truth And yet doe not so vrge what I write as to force a consent without the freedome of thy further examination and if better be found doe cleaue to the best First then for the number two and forty inclusiuely gathered but not so named by the holy Euangelist the Ethiopian translation therein ouerbold doth ad a sentence more to his text then hee euer wrote in saying that all the generations from Abraham to Christ were two and forty Which number the ordinary glosse will haue to be mystically set in the entrance of the Cospell for a remembrance of the two and forty Stations in the Wildernesse before the entrance into Canaan And that as sixe seuens were neerely spent vnder the leading of Moses and vnder Ioshuah a Sabbath when he set the people in rest so these sixe seuen generations were the Stations of hope till Christ the true Sabbath by his death brought his into his eternall rest Which allusion is more tollerable then the Gloser hath made vpon the numbers assigned in the diuisions for by those three he will haue the Trinitie signified who as they are three in one so this number is made three of one And as misticall is this that as ten and foure make the summe to bee fourteene so the Law in the ten commandements and the Gospell in the foure Euangelists are tipically shewed in each of these fourteene generations And of the like kind is that which Iohannes Ferus and others conceiteth namely that by these fourteene generations the state of the world from the creation through all generations succeeding are contained And Piscator will haue them to signifie the generations before the Law vnder the Law and in the time of grace And to the like purpose Marlorat speaketh that will haue them meane the
politicall estate of the Iewes common wealth vnto Christ. Whereof the first from Abraham to Dauid were vnder the gouernment of Iudges the second from Dauid vnto the captiuitie were vnder the subiection of Kings and the third were ruled by the power and pollicie of the High Priests not obseruing in this his second number saith he a lineall succession of Kings as they were produced and raigned but rather accounting it sufficient to set the order of that fourteene from the beginning vnto the end of that Kingdome Vnto the former or Ferus his opinion we see no reason to answere seeing there is no reason so to coniecture neither vnto Marlorat the later wherein no resemblance can bee made betwixt the politicall estate of the Iewes and the numbers assigned the one being a succession of Patriarkes and Princes and the other an estate often broken and no face of a Common-wealth many times seene And to what purpose should holy Mathew remember those dead times of sinne seeing his pen was set vpon another subiect and his text the forbidding of worldly state pompe and vaine riches to the attaining of that Kingdome which Christ came to preach But the same Author from others alleageth that Saint Matthew in his daies followed an order and manner of bringing and placing genealogies and pedegrees which now is vnknowne vnto vs and recordeth in his Catalogue diuers men by other names and yet they the same that Saint Luke hath in his And others more intollerable to affirme that the Euangelist by obliuion omitteth those that elsewhere are named in the bookes of the Kings and the Chronicles grounding their coniecture vpon the many and farre more generations recorded in the catalogue of S. Luke then S. Matthew hath in his For Luke from Zorubbabel vnto Marie the Virgin hath ten more in his role then Saint Matthew from Zorubbabel vnto Ioseph her husband hath laid downe whereby they iudge that some men by him are omitted and account it neither sinne nor absurditie to reckon lesse of the legall as Saint Matthew doth then of the naturall as Saint Luke in following the lineall hath done the one of them taking liberty of omission say they to cast his fourteenes into equall numbers but the other tied by a requisite order to record the naturall successors to their naturall parents To the first and difficult order of the Euangelist we answere it is so farre from all likelihood that wee euidently see the contrary by Saint Matthew himselfe for from Abraham to Dauid and from Salathiel to Ioseph his manner and order is so plaine as nothing can be more And so farre are the double names from meaning the same persons that not any one of them in either of the Euangelists are one and the same excepting onely Salathiel Zorobbabel and Ioseph the husband of Marie And to the second we say it is so farre from obliuion or ignorance in the Euangelist as that hee confirmes by other Scriptures what himselfe writes and is most frequent in applying the Prophets to the purpose of his text both in the Parents and person of Christ. As Isaiah for his stem and sonne of a Virgin Micah for his Tribe and place of his birth Hoshea for his calling out of Egypt Zachari for his lowlines and contempt Dauid for the maner of his death and Ionas in the Whale for a signe of his graue and buriall and all of them concurring to that Babe in his text And that it is not vnusuall in the holie Scriptures for generations in some families to exceede others in numbers we see for not only Sem liued through ten generations euen to the fiftieth yeere of Isaac but also in other ages following great differences doe appeare For the Patriarch Iudah saw himselfe in a sort a great grand-father in his fourth descent when as Leui his brother was but an immediate father in his first In the Priests line likewise from Abiathar whom Salomon expulsed vnto Seraih whom Nebuchadnezzar slew were but twelue generations whereas in the Kings from Salomon to Ieconiah whom Nebuchadnezzar captiuated there were twenty Nay what more is fiue onely of Iudahs Tribe namely from Naasson in the wildernesse vnto Iesse the Father of Dauid liued and saw no lesse then seuenteene of Leui his Tribe that is from Korah that perished in the Wildernesse vnto Samuel the Prophet that annointed Dauid Thus then the obiection of the vnequalitie of Families is taken away by the text of Scriptures that allow the like or more in more places then one But from these generals let vs come to the parts and consider the diuisions by Saint Matthew assigned of fourteene fourteene and fourteene generations The first whereof we find by Moses and by the writer of the Booke of Ruth both in number and in names to be most exact and therefore thereof we need not to speake But of the secōd we are to examine First how many there be and who they are that are omitted and the reasons or causes of their omissions And in the last to cōsider by whom and how the number fourteene is made compleat when as but thirteene are nominated by the Euangelist himselfe For the number that are omitted in Saint Mathewes second diuision some account them to be three and some to be foure according to the diuers readings found in the Greeke Copies either including or excluding Iacim the last But if it may be determined by most voyces then hath Iacim no place in that holy catalogue For Robert Stephens that most learned Printer in the sixteene seuerall Copies which he conferred for the edition of the Greeke Testament onely one of his number the fourteenth hath Iacim but in all the rest no such man is found Againe of forty seueral editions since conferred and most of them printed in Paris Geneua Basil London Antwerpe Leyden and Rome onely eight of them haue Iacim whereof sixe of that number haue beene printed in London so that but two of forty impressions haue recorded his name howsoeuer he hath beene insreted in ours And how Saint Mathewes Text is translated into diuers languages see here as followeth And Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren in the captiuity of Babylon Iusia begat Iuchonia and his brethren in the captiuity of Babel Iuschia begat Iuchonia and his brethren in the captiuity of Babell Ioshia begat Iuchoniah and his brethren in the captiuitie of Babell Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren in the captiuitie of Babylon Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren in the transmigration of Babylō And Iosias begat Iechonias and his brethren about the time they were carried away to Babylon So hath Hierom Augustine and the ancient so hath Mountanus Beza and the moderne and indeed so haue all that haue their names prefixed to any Impression those former excepted without any
this being said of the second we come to the third The third and last diuision of the Euangelist is from the captiuity of Babylon vnto Iesus Christ wherein onely thirteene generations and no more Iesus himselfe being also included are nominated though in the summe they are accounted to be fourteene To fill vp which number 1. Some will haue two Iechoniahs and them to be the father and sonne 2. Some but one Iechoniah and he to be twice accounted 3. Some that the Virgin Mary is to be reckoned for a generation among them 4. And some that the Text is therin faulty which assertion is most vnsufferable That there were two Iechoniahs is the opinion of Isidore who will haue the one in the end of the second diuision and the other in the beginning of the third and that they were the father and the sonne Rabanus affirmeth the father and sonne saith hee both of them bearing one and the same name you haue the one in the end of the second and the other in the first of the third diuision And with him Epiphanius agreeth who saith that Ioachim the sonne of King Ioachim had the same name that his sonne Iechoniah had and checketh them for ouerbold and vnlearned that put out his name in the second place Vnto them both let Ierome answere who hath very well obserued and noted that the father is euery where written Iehoiakim with K M. but the sonne Iehoiachin with C H N. That Iechoniah must be twice accounted is the collections of our later Writers who know not how to make vp the number to bee foureteene except Iechoniah should be put twice that so in him say they the head of the third generation might be appointed But there is no reason so to imagine seeing no honour from him any wise accrued vnto them to bee the head of that holy generation himselfe being a cast-off Signet from Gods right hand It is Augustines saying also as that which is bowed in a corner ends on the one side and beginnes on the other so is Iechoniah put in the end of the former and in the beginning of the last wherein the ordinary Glosse vnderstandeth a great mistery For by the one which was his transmigration into Babylon he will haue signified the transmigration of the Apostles among the Gentiles and by the other in writing him the first after the captiuity The resurrection of our Lord vnto life and in them both a figure of Christ who is the corner stone of the building the resurrection and life But that is ouer farre fetched and forced to an vnfit application for neuer is Christ figured by a cast-away as Iechoniah is called a Signet pluckt from Gods finger The third is the opinion that Marie the Virgin for her sanctity is of her selfe to be accounted a generation among her holy Fathers But against that the whole streames of generations doe flow who are euer accounted from the man and neuer from the woman And Iesus himselfe who was to fulfill all Scriptures wee see in the catalogue of both the Euangelists to be brought from Ioseph the man and Ioseph to be of Nazeret of Bethlehem of Iudah and of the lineage of Dauid all the adiuncts attributed vnto Christ. And Mary ioyned with Ioseph in mariage both together make but one generation for man and wife are one house one family and one flesh and therefore not two generations else had the former foureteenes beene each of them twenty eight for each of them had his wife But that the blessed Virgin had no enumeration of family among those Fathers of Christ is apparant for that shee hath neither place of birth tribe nor family distinctly named otherwise then the wife of Ioseph that so Iesus her sonne might come in the flesh and be heire of all righteousnesse as all other heires for inheritances from the man had beene euer accounted Lastly that the Text is faulty is the collection of Marlorat from others vpon Mathew 1. vers 8. where they say Where as in some Bookes thirteene are onely read it is likely that it came to passe by the fault and negligence of the writer of the Booke Which in no wise may be granted for to charge the sacred writ with any imperfections is to open a way to any interpretation against which the Massorites haue most diligently laboured in preseruing euery letter in the body of the holy text so that not any one can be missing much lesse any word or sentence If then neither Ieconiah nor the Virgin Marie bee contained in this last fourteene generations how shal the number thereof bee made compleate and the Euangelist Matthew to agree in his owne account The answere is Howsoeuer men haue failed in their many coniectures and dissented in their diuers opinions yet in this last diuision are fourteene generations found to bee full and compleate beginning in Salathiel the first of this last and ending in Christ the Omega of the Scriptures Genealogies For apparant it is by the first of the Chronicles Chapter the third and ninteenth verse that Pedaiah was by nature the sonne of Salathiel and the father of Zorobabel and is to be verily accounted among the naturall fathers of Christ. Yet because he was borne and died obscurely in Babylon before his father Salathiel was declared the childlesse Ieconiahs successor he is euer in all other texts of both Testaments omitted And where Zorobabel is named from his parant he is euer called the sonne of Salathiel as heire vnto him that was made heire vnto the Crowne not of Pedaiah that was neuer interested therein If then the old Testament bee silent for Pedaiah excepting his once naming in the Catalogue of Iudahs Genealogies Saint Matthew in the New was to omit his name in the Catalogue of them that stood estated for the Crowne but not his number among his generations produced that man then being included maketh this last diuision to be exactly fourteene generations according to the Euangelists words account And how these are and may be reckoned see here their diuisions as the holy Ghost hath assigned 1 2 3 1. Abraham 1. Salomon 1. Salathiel 2. Isaac 2. Roboam 2. Pedaiah 3. Iacob 3. Abia. 3. Zorobabel 4. Iudas 4. Asa. 4. Abiud 5. Phares 5. Iosaphat 5. Eliakim 6. Esrom 6. Ioram 6. Azor. 7. Aram. 7. Ozias 7. Sadoc 8. Aminadab 8. Ioatham 8. Achim 9. Naasson 9. Achas 9. Eliud 10. Salmon 10. Ezekias 10. Eleazer 11. Boos 11. Manasses 11. Matthan 12. Obed. 12. Amon. 12. Iacob 13. Iesse 13. Iosias 13. Ioseph 14. Dauid 14. Iechonias 14. Christ. Thus then Pedaiah being as most apparant it is a father of Christ must be in numeration among the fathers of Christ though not to bee named a successor vnto Salomons throne nor is the Euangelists omission of him more against order then was the
labours our studies are inriched both with Arts and wisdome but rather with the Bee let vs worke the hony out of euery flower and according to the precept of the Apostle try the worke by the fier of Gods word The Romanist Iohn Lucidus deceiued by a forged Philo and Niâ—… cholas Lyra our Country-man corrupted by study of malitious Rabbins together with Annius Eusebius Africanus and many others haue in Glosses verie much intangled the truth of these pedegrees For Lucidus allowing that Vtopian Hebrician from him doth end the line of Salomon in Ochozias otherwise called Achaztah the seuenth King succeeding and vnto Ieconiah the last King of Iudah doth name al the Kings mentioned by Saint Mathew to bee the same men whom S Luke recordeth from Nathan whose words thus follow S. MATHEVV  S. LVKE Ioas otherwise Simeon Amasia Leui. Ozias Matthat Iotham Iorim Achas Eliezar Ezechias Iose. Manasses Er. Amon Elmodam Iosias Cosam Iehoahaz Addi Iehoiachim Melchi Ieconiah Neri The like fainings of double names he continueth from Zorobabel through the line of Rhesa vnto Eli the father of Mary though to little purpose and lesse explanation Eusebius likewise citing the Epistle of Africanus to Aristides as ancient as Origin in these descents of Christ his parents both by legall mariages and in double venters of sons so troubleth the truth with vnwarrantable inuentions as may dazell the eies of the best sighted searcher his words somewhat abridged I will here insert The kindred saith he of Salomon and of Nathan is so knit together by reuiuing of the deceased without issue by second mariages by raising of seede so that not without cause the same persons are posted ouer to diuers fathers whereof some were imagined and some others were their fathers indeed both the allegations being properly true though in Ioseph diuersly yet exactly by descent determined And that that which I go about to proue may plainely appeare I will declare the orderly succession of this Genealogie making a recitall from Dauid to Salomon The third from the end is Matthan found which begat Iacob the father of Ioseph but from Nathan the son of Dauid decending according to the Gospell of Luke the third from the ende is Melchi whose sonne is Hely the father of Ioseph For Ioseph is the son of Hely the sonne of Melchi Ioseph being the proposed marke to shoote at wee must shew how either is termed his father deriuing the pedegree of Iacob from Salomon of Heli from Nathan And first how Iacob and Heli being two brethren then their fathers Matthan and Melchi borne of diuers kindreds may be prooued grandfathers to Ioseph Matthan therefore and Melchi marrying the same wife begat brethren by the same mother the law not forbidding a Widow either dismissed from her Husband or after the death of her husband to be coupelled vnto another man First therefore Matthan descending from Salomon begat Iacob of Estha for that is said to be her name After the death of Matthan Melchi which is said to haue descended from Nathan beeing of the same Tribe but of another race hauing maried this widow to his wife begat Hely his sonne Thus doe wee finde Iacob and Heli of a different race but by the same mother to haue bin brethren Of the which Iacob taking to wife his sister the wife of Heli his brother beeing deceased without issue begat on her the third to wit Ioseph by nature and the order of generation vnto himselfe whereupon it is written Iacob begat Ioseph by the law vnto his brother Heli deceased whose sonne Ioseph was For Iacob being his brother raised seede vnto him wherefore neither that Genealogie which concerneth him is to be abolished the which Mathew the Auangelist reciting Iacob saith he begat Ioseph and Luke of the other side which was the sonne saith he as it was supposed adding this withall of Ioseph which was the sonne of Heli which was the sonne of Melchi And the word of begetting hee ouer skipped with silence vnto the end with such a recitall of sonnes making relation vnto Adam which was of God nor is this hard to proue or to small purpose proposed In this tedious speech of Eusebius you may see how Ioseph is forced to bee naturally from Salomon and adoptiuely from Nathan but by imagined fathers as himselfe confesseth and Mary whose parentage concerneth Christs humanity most not once spoken of in this Epistle how weake a reconciliation therefore is made of our holy Euangelists let the vnsatisfied Christian iudge and yet in these fainings he hath beene followed in the labours of those that otherwise haue done wel which their pedegrees to shew the present defect is here from them presented to thy sight In this intricate Labirinth who can but lament where neither Scripture is followed nor propagation allowed and how farre from truth Eusebius hath straied in this his pretended reconciliation is euidently seene namely in making Melchi to be the immediat father of Heli and the third from the end in S. Lukes catalogue when by the said Euangelist it is most apparant that he was the fifth from the end and not the father but the great grandfather of Heli for Melchi begat Leui and Leui begat Matthat and Matthat begat Heli whose sonne in law Ioseph was Then could not Melchi be the naturall and next immediate father of Heli two generations comming betwixt howsoeuer Eusebius vnderstandeth his ranke from the end Nor could the issues of double mariages so begot and borne bee brothers of one venter twines as Iacob and Heli are said to bee by the said Estha and by two seuerall men Matthan and Melchi a thing strange in nature and the like in Scripture neuer seene And though Lyra from Africanus and Hierome allow of the double mariages for the raysing of seed to the issulesse deceased yet he ioyneth Matthat and not Melchi vnto Estha for her second husband and maketh Heli her sonne by the same man But in following these Rabbins too neerely that bring Christ from Salomon Nicolas Lyra in his annotations both vpon the first booke of Chronicles and the Gospell of Saint Mathew ouerrunneth the truth into a most dangerous error For he would haue Nathan to bee but the adopted sonne of Dauid and the naturall sonne of Vriah the Hittite borne vnto him by Bathsheba his wife before Dauid tooke her for his For vpon Dauids sonnes borne in Ierusalem and 1 Chro. 3. 5. thus he commenteth Onely Salomon was Dauids naturall sonne the other three were Vriahs whom Dauid made his by adoption So our Lord should come and take flesh not of blessed Sem and beloued Dauid as by the Prophets was promised but of cursed Cham and irreligious Heth without all warrant of the sacred Text. But vnto these their assertions let vs assay further the answer to cleere our Euangelists from the least touch of disagreement First then though Lucidus bee greatly deceiued
for thou hast shed much blood and hast made great warres But when thy dayes shall be fulfilled and thou shalt sleepe with thy fathers I will set vp thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy Bowels Hee shall build an house for my name and I will establish the throne of his Kingdome for euer I will be his father and hee shall be my sonne if hee sinne I will chasten him with the rodde of men and with the stripes of the children of men but my mercy shall not depart away from him as I tooke it from Saul whom I put away before thee And albeit this house and Kingdome in their spirituall meaning were built and established in and by Christ yet litterally they were performed in Salomon whose works were so glorious and peace so famous as they were figures of the true substances following But that Salomon sinned is manifested by his story for his wiues turned away his heart after other gods when hee suffered the worshipping of Ashteroth the Goddesse of the Zidonians Milcom the abomination of the Amorites Chemoâ—…h the Idoll of Moab and Molech the Diuel of the children of Ammon For which cause God did chastise him by the rebellions of Hadad the Edomite of Rezon King of Damascus and of his seruant Ieroboam that rent his Kingdome after him and carried away ten Tribes These in part were the Rods in Gods hand that corrected his offences but his mercy hee tooke not from him as he had promised whose saluation notwithstanding these his great sinnes is confirmed by these many and more testimonies of Scriptures He loued the Lord 1 King 3 3 and is likewise called the Lords beloued Nehe. 13. 26. His Iedidiah 2 Sam. 12. 25. He pleased the Lord 1 Kings 〈◊〉 10. was a true Prophet 1 Kings 8. 48. a figure of Christ Luke 11. 31. and a repentant King as his Booke Ecclesiastes sufficiently sheweth His sonnes after him for the most part were extreamely wicked for of nineteene Kings of Iudahs throne from his loynes descended twelue are noted to bee extreamely impious who often prouoked and lastly procured the vtter subuersion of that glorious Kingdome which whilst it stood was the glory of the earth and a figure of the Celestiall that is to come The want of issue then which failed in Ieconiah was the Rod of Salomons line wherewith God scourged him and his Kingdome and how that fell out let vs see the seuerall rents that therein were made The first rent of Salomons Kingdome may bee said to beginne in his owne life time when Ahijah the Shilonite rent the new garment that Ieroboam wore into twelue peeces retaining onely two and deliuered him tenne by which was signified the tenne Tribes that God would take from Salomons Throne and Son and giue them vnto this Ephrathite the Sonne of Nebat Who no sooner was made King but that he set vp two golden Calues the one at Dan and the other at Bethel for his people to worship lest in returning to Ierusalem their harts should returne to the Lord and their subiection vnto Rehoboam With this his sinne all the Kings of Israel were polluted onely Shallum and Hosheah excepted for with that sinne they are not charged though otherwise they were as wicked as the rest And this was the cause that moued the Prophet Hosheah to say Thy Calfe O Samaria hath cast thee off Another rent was threatned to Salomons issue and Kingdome when his house ioyned with Omâ—…ies in Ioram the sonne of Iehoshaphat King of Iudah and in Athalia the daughter of Ahab King of Israel For Ahabs whole house that is both male and female must vtterly perish according to the threats of the Lord by Elijah the Prophet Behold saith he I will bring euill vpon thee and will take away thy posterity and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall as well him that is shut vp as him that is left in Israel And I will make thy house like the house of Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahiiah for the prouocations wherewith thou hast prouoked and made Israel to sinne The dogges shall eate him of Ahabs stocke that dieth in the City and hee that dieth in the fields shall the Fowles of the ayre eate And that the whole houses of Ieroboam and of Baasha were both of them extinct and their remnant swept away as dung from the dung-hill and all gone is most apparant by the holy Text and so must the whole house of Ahab be hauing the like threats of destructioÌ„ from the same Spirit that did not repent which presently beganne in Ahab and Iezebel themselues Hee wounded to death at Ramath Gilead by the King of Syria and shee throwne out of her window was dashed to death in Iezreel by her Eunuchs Ahaziah their first sonne was brused to death by a fall through his lettice window in Samariah And Ioram their second with all his brethren the sons of Ahab and his Kinsmen were all slaine in Iezreel by Iehu vntill hee left none remaining saith the Text of the whole House of Ahab And as Gods wrath followed Ahab in his sonnes vnto destruction so did it in his daughter Athalia the mother of most of the Kings of Iudah and most of them following her sinnes were also swept away till they were all gone For the three first Kings that succeeded of her descent were all of them slaine in battell and in conspiracy And Vzziah the fourth put from the peoples presence died a leaper Bad Ahaz distressed by Rezin of Syria and Pekah of Israel made himselfe seruant to Tiglah Pileser King of Ashur who carried his treasures away vnto Damascus And good Hezektah was told that his substance and seed foreshewing his treasures should be carried captiue vnto Babel The blood shed by Manasseh called as Abels for Babylons punishments and Amon for seruing strange gods was slaine by his seruants The godly Iosiah was told of captiuity curse and destruction of people and place which yet was deferred all his owne life because his heart melted at the words of the then found Booke of the Law but his sonnes succeeding soone pulled those plagues by his life kept back vpon themselues and Iudahs estate For Iehoahaz the first inthroned was captiuated by Necho carried to Aegypt and there died and Iehoiakim his successor made subiect to Nebuchadnezzar was for his rebellion slaine and his carkasse left vnburied to the heate of the day and the frost of the night Zedekiah was made blinde chained and carried to Babel where he died the City Ierusalem sacked the Temple t burned the Priests u slaine the people pillars and holy vessels transported to Babylon and all of them polluted and subiected to the Chaldeans that bitter furious and terrible Nation
yeer of King Cyrus the holy Scriptures plainely declare and that all that is writ was writ to and for Christ the Apostle doth affirme But how shall that fulnesse of time be knowen for the ending of the Ceremonies by the death of the Messiah which was then taught to the beloued Daniel and now much behooueth all men to know if from Cyrus downward the chaine of Chronologie in Daniels seuens be broken off for the space of 144. yeeres as Liuely doth them in his Olympicks table Where from the fiftie fiue to the eighty nine Olympiad in which and not before he beginneth to account Daniels weekes a Vacuety is left for so long a time Whereas contrariwise we see that Daniel beganne his prayer for their deliuerance immediately at the expiration of the seuenty yeeres captiuity and at the beginning of Daniels prayer the Angell Gabriel was sent from God to shew him that the Commandement for the deliuerance of the people was come forth and from that comming forth of the Commandement to the death of the Messiah seuenty seuens were determined for a full deliuery from the captiuity of sinne by the sacrifice of the Messiah Christ the Lamb figured in the Law And that this Commandement came forth in the first yeere of Cyrus the writers of the Chronicles and the booke of Ezra doe plainly declare both of them affirming and saying that in the first yeere of Cyrus when the Word of the Lord spoken by the mouth of Ieremiah was finished the Lord stirred vp the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia and hee made a proclamation through all his kingdome and also by writing saying Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia all the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord God of heauen giuen mee and hee hath commanded mee to build him a house in Ierusalem that is in Iudah Who is among you of all his people with wbom the Lord his God is let him goe vp And of this commandement made by Cyrus for the returne of the Iewes to build their Citie and Temple the Prophet Isaiah foretould aboue an hundred yeeres before Cyrus was borne for saith he He saith to Cyrus thou art my Shepheard he shal performe all my desire saying to Ierusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shal be surely laid By which words of the Prophets wee conclude That not a linke of the sacred chaine of Chronologie is either broken or opened betwixt the commandement giuen by Cyrus the Lords Shepheard and the death of Christ the great Shepheard when hee gaue his life for his Flock For as time is chained linke vnto linke from Adam to Cyrus so is it chained linke vnto linke from Cyrus to the death of Christ by the speech of an Angel without al helps of the disagreeing Olympicks who in this diuine Chronologie do but trouble the waters of Shiloh and can be no let for time but that the Messiah in Daniels text is Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour And therefore let vs measure vnto him the true Temple and Altar with the Reed of Gabriel as Iohn did the Temple and Altar with the Reed of the Angel and in this case cast out the accoūts of the heathenish Olympiads as Iohn did cast out and not measure the Court for that was giuen to the Gentiles And so come we to his other Assertion which is that the text of holy Scrip ture in Daniel will not permit the name Messiah to be referred vnto Christ Iesus our Sauiour That Christ Iesus saith hee could be the Messiah mentioned in Daniel the hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not proue it being an attribute giuen to King Priest and Prophet must there be so taken and not appropriated to any one particular person which the text will not beare So that the word Messiah in Daniels text he will haue not to be meāt of Christ as it is in Iohns Gospel and in the second Psalme but rather a succession of gouernors both Iewes and Romans that ruled in Ierusalem from the rebuilding thereof by Nehemiah vntill the finall destruction both of Citie and Temple by Titus the Emprour And those that referre the word Messiah in that place vnto Christ Iesus saith hee cannot so doe without straining or wresting of the text which they who so vnderstād it are driuen vnto For as the Chronologie here fitteth not for Messiah to be vnderstood of Christ our Lord so the very text it selfe is against it And therefore he pitieth that the Message of an holy Angell containing a most excellent prophecy from Gods owne mouth should be so peruerted and depraued as it hath beene by those that picke out that sense But is it not a greater pitie that learning should thus turne edge vpon Diuinity to depraue vs of one of the most pregnant prophecy for Christ his passion reuealed in the whole Scriptures of God or that this most holy message of the Angell should be appropriated onely vnto prophane Gouernours people and place whose period had beene prophecied and whose tennor was shortly to be determined rather then vnto him who by that his foreshewed death was to bring an estate of euerlasting life and whose Kingdom should neuer haue end Therefore to free the text from any such interpretation let vs take the consent of all almost those malicious Iewes excepted that either speake against their owne knowledge and conscience or haue the vaile of Moses as yet vndrawne from before their hearts But the best approued Docters among them as Rabbi Saadias Rabbi Nahman and Rabbi Hadarson expounding that text of Daniel agree rhat the Messiah there spoken of is Christ the very annointed of God so farre are they from attributing that name to any other besids him though God hath giuen them the spi rit of slumber not to insee what themselues say And of Christian expositers wee take the testimony euen of the aduersarie himselfe who saith that the most part and best learned of those who haue laboured for the vnderstanding of this Prophecy haue vnderstood the Messiah here spoken of to bee Iesus Christ. And how generally true that opinion is and hath beene the worthy instrument of Gods truth the learned Du. Plessie in his truenesse of Christian Religion doth testify where he saith That this text is meant of the Messiah Christ is so euident and absolute that it is a starke shame to deny it And Lyra our Countryman against the resisting Iewes from the adiunct giuen vnto the Messiah frameth this argument The Messiah in Daniel saith he is called Messiah Prince for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie but none is called Messiah the prince but only Christ therefore is Christ the very Messiah spoken of in Dvniel Neither doth that Prophet speake of many but of one and the same Messiah and he to bee slaine to
Behold the daies shall come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee shall besiege and lay thee euen with the ground But so farre was her fall from the peoples conceit and so incredulous was the date of their pollicie predicted by the Angell as when Saint Stephen whose face was like his and words the very same touched the string to that sound their hearts were cut for anger and they stoned him to death as a blasphemer For holding themselues the onely and peculiar people of God though for a time now made subiect to the Romans they daily attempted to free their estates and vnder pretext of the Law commanded by Moses that a Stranger should not rule ouer them as also an opinion rife in those daies that the kingdome of God would immediately appeare which the proud-hearted tooke to bee their potent and conquering Messiah they were euer ready vpon the least occasion giuen or gotten to cast off subiection vnto the Romans As vnder Tiberius they did by the leading of Theudas with whom foure hundred Iewes perished and after him arose vp Iadus of Galile in the dayes of the tribute and drew away much people Vnder the gouernment of Felix an Egyptian Sorcerer seduced them to rebell And vnder Festus a certaine Enchanter promised them liberty Vnder Coponius Simon of Gallile reuolted Vnder Florus Eleazer the sonne of the high Priest raised sedition and Manahemus among them made himselfe King But nothing mooued more their many rebellions then did a prediction rife in the mouthes both of Iewes and Gentiles namely that about that time there should come out of ◅urie hee that should bee Lord of the whole world as Suetonius in the life of Vespatian hath written Vpon which expectation and constant opinion the Iewes made their powers against the Romans and in a head of rebellion slew Sabinus the President and put to flight Gallus Lieutenant of Syria that came to his ayde taking from him the maine standard the Eagle the chiefest Ensigne borne in their battels To recouer whose subiections Uespatian the onely man of repute for military affaires was sent who with his sonne Titus so accomplished the threats of the Law and the woes that Christ pronounced against Ierusalem as is most lamentable to be read For from the death of Christ to the subuersion there of Iosephus their owne story writer recordeth nine hundred seauentie fiue thousand three hundred fiftie one to haue perished whereof eightie seauen thousand died at times in the Citie and forty one thousand foure hundred in those wars sold for slaues The hunger in the Citie so raging as the tender women were forced to eate the flesh of their owne children as Moses had said and Iosephus then saw The sword so keene vnto slaughter that the streames of bloud were imploied to quench the flames of the City breaches made vp with the bodies of the dead and so many Iewes crucified as to vse the words of the Writer there wanted Crosses for more executions and space sufficient to set vp more crosses And not onely men but the heauens also in whirlewinds thunders and earth-quakes fought against the place and pollicie that now must end And the sword of Gods wrath still vnsheathed against them in the raignes of the following Emperours Domitian Traian that their slaughter vnder them is noted to be the greatest in the world And vnder Hadrian their subiection so engrauen that a Sow was set ouer the West gate toward Beth-lehem and by an Edict he made it death for any Iew to looke backe toward Ierusalem or to behold it through the chinke of a doore For as themselues had refused Christ for Caesar and required his bloud vpon their heads and childrens so by their Caesars cruelties their own seditions they were consumed and their children made vagabonds vpon the earth Their Citie laid waste as the destruction of Sodom the walles remoued mount Sion excluded and the name thereof changed from Ierusalem into Aelia When also such search was made to roote out the whole race of Dauid and Iudah as that themselues did manifestly corrupt their owne pedegrees for the safegard of their liues insomuch as at this time there is not a Iewe knowne in the world that can truely say hee hath his Genealogie certen or can shew any coniecture that hee is of Dauid or Iudahs Tribe but all of them to this day remaine without King without Gouernour without Priest without Iudge without Genealogie and without succession and are a scattered and a contemptible Nation throughout the whole earth And yet their later Rabbins fill their Talmuds with so many pedegrees and faire seeming Genealogies so certen and true as they hold it a sinne to examine them further for of their Rabbins thus they write Rabby Iannai say they descended from Eli Ben Kalba Shabuah from Caleb of Iudah Rabbi Hillel from Dauid Rabbi Hakkados or S. Rabbin frō Shephatiah the sonne of Abitall Dauids wife Rabbi Iesse of the sons of Ionadah Ben Rechab Rabbi Nehemiah from Nehemiah the Tirshethite others by many yeers later frō Zorobabel Ezra Dauid Yea and many Proselites likewise they bring from the children of Senacherib King of Ashur With these and the like Abraham Zakuto is full and all to pretend that their Scepter is not yet taken away but that the Law-giuer is betweene Iudahs feet still CHAP. XII That according to the Scriptures of God Christ came at the fulnesse of time in his flesh And that in him all Genealogies of the sacred Scriptures are ended Isaiah 49. 6. I will giue thee for a light of the Gentiles that thou maiest be my Saluation vnto the end of the World THus hath God giuen them the Spirit of slumber eyes that will not see and eares that wil not heare vntill this day for hauing the vaile in the reading of Moses the old Testament as yet vndrawn from before their hearts they stumble vpon the Stone of offence and grope after a great Messiah that shall gather againe the dispersed of Israel But seeing that God in Christ would haue all men saued and hath reserued to himself a remnant through the election of Grace our duty is to prouoke them to Christ as the Apostle applyeth the speech of Moses vnto vs Gentiles who haue found him whom wee sought not after and with them are now made the people of God for if by their fall saluation commeth to the Gentiles and their casting off was the reconciling of the world what shall their receiuing be but life from the dead That they are beloued for their fathers sake is testified were credited with the Oracles of God is manifest and honoured with the humanity of Christ the Scriptures euery where declare for which causes and for whose saluation their Paul was so zealous
greater glory then the clowd did that of Salomons When in this Temple hee taught that his Body was the true Temple indeed and that the Father and he were all one vrging the search of Scriptures that testified so much of him their credit vnto Moses that wrote concerning him and the witnesse of that burning Candle the Baptist who pointed preached him to be the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Hee then was the Branch that should build the Lords Temple the Crowne of glory and royall Diadem in the hand of his God More worthy of glory then Moses more excellent then Dauid and greater then Ionas or Salomon And that this his comming was the acceptable time and yeere of the Lord whereunto Salomon in his Song had the relation when hee alludeth vnto the time of the true Turtles sacrifice in his heauenly hymne wherein most sweetely hee singeth thus When the winter was past and the raine gone away the flowers appeared and the singing of birds was come then the voyce of this Turtle was heard in the land For when the frozen dregs of sinne lay both in the inward heart and outward action then hee that offered a Bullock was as if he had slaine a man and hee that sacrificed a sheepe as if he had cut off a dogges neck then were the oblations as the offerings of Swines bloud and the remembrance of incense as the blessing of an Idoll So that when sacrifice and offerings were not desired burnt offering and sinne offrings not required then said he Lo I come for in the rolle of the booke it is written of me I desired to do thy will O my God And as touching the abrogation of the old thus saith Ieremy They shall say no more the Arke of the Couenant of the Lord neither shall it come in minde neither shall they visit it neither shall it be magnified But I will plant saith the Lord by that Prophet my Law within them and in their hearts I will write it I will be their God and they shall be my people And by Ioel hee crieth In those dayes I will poure out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecy your old men shall dreame dreames your yong men shall see visions and vpon your seruants and handmaides I will poure out my Spirit They shall allknow the Lord from the least of them to the greatest of them and the Cities in Egypt shall speake the pure language of Canaan And of this knowledge it seemeth the woman of Samaria spake when to our Sauiour shee said I know well that Messiah shall come which is called Christ when he is come hee will tell vs all things These and infinit more speeches concerning Christs comming his Gospell and grace are so frequent in the Prophets as both Esay and Ieremy doe vrge the obseruation by the examples of the vnreasonable Creatures the Beasts Birds for the Oxe saith Esay knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Yea the Storke in the heauen saith Ieremy knowethher appointed times the Turtle the Crane and the Swallow abserue the times of their comming but my people know not the iudgement of the Lord. And the complaint in Hosea is My people perish for lacke of knowledge But for the close of all let vs vrge the same precept to these stamering Iewes that themselues vrge vnto their Disciples namely To giue eare to the Prophets so farre as they speake and where they cease to bow downe their â—…ares to the sayings of Wisemen whereof themselues tel vs of a ceâ—…ten succession which should not faile till the comming of the Messiah And from Hillel their holy Rabbâ—…n bring a continuation of Disciples vnto Simeon surnamed the Righteous in whom they say the spirit of the great Synagogue did vtterly cease Consider then well O yee lisping Iewes what yee haue said and read what our Luke writes concerning this Simeon There was a man saith he in Ierusalem whose name was Simeon this â—…an was iust and feared God and â—…ted for the consolation of Israell and the holy Ghost was vpon him 26. And 〈◊〉 was giuen him by the holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seene the Lord Christ. 27. And he came by the motion of the spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought in the childe Iesus to do for him after the custome of the Law 28. then 〈◊〉 tooke him in his armes and praised God and said 29. Lord â—…ow lettest thou thy seruant depart inpâ—… according to thy Word 20. For mine eyes haue seeâ—… thy saluation 21. which thou hast prepared before the face of all people 32. A Light to be 〈◊〉 to the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israell Which was likewise witnessed by a Prophetesse of your owne euen Anna the daughter of Phanuel of the 〈◊〉 of Aâ—…r a widow of great yeeres who went not out of the Temple but serued God with fasting and prayâ—…rs 〈◊〉 and day Shee comming vpon them confessed likewise the Lord and spake of him to all that looked for the redemption of Ierusalem Doth not then our Euangelist confirme that which your Doctors haue told and Siâ—…on himselfe witnesse what they haue said namely that his eyes theÌ„ saw the Messiah the glorie of Israel the light of the Gentiles And Zachary your Priest of the course of Aâ—…ia when his tongue was loosed speake of the borne of saluation that should shortly be raised in the house of Dauid and that the babe his sonne then new borne should be his messenger to goe before him to prepare his waies Of which messenger heare Iosephus your owne Historian how with our Euangelist he agreeth Iohn surnamed the Baptist saith hee replenished with all vertue exhorted the Iewes to adict themselues to execute Iustice towards men and pitie towards God and to bee Baptised and to renounce since Vnto whom so many resorted that Herod fearing a reuolt for it seemed they would subscribe in all things to his aduice caused him to be put to death in the Castle Macheron for which deed saith he the Iewes were of opinion that in reuenge of this so grieuous a sinne Herods Army against whom God was displeased had been subiected to their vtter ruine and ouerthrow I wil not vrge the sayings of Esdras in naming my sonne Iesus and my sonne Christ foure hundred yeers before Christs death because the Booke is not Canonicall neither the testimonies of the Sybils whereof Erithraea more ancieÌ„t then Romulus composed verses whose first letters being onely taken make this sentence IESVS CHRIST SON OF GOD THE SAVIOVR These I say I will not vrge because they are Gentiles but this I note that in all her verses shee hath not one word
Priest without Statue without Ephod and without Teraphim as Israel aforetime was threatned and you too long a time haue now felt For as many yeeres haue beene spent in your vaine expectations if fortie more were expired as the first age saw from the first Creation to the floud and yet are you as frustrate of your hoped Messiah as when you first refused Christ for your King The Lord for his Annointed sake withdraw the vayle from before your hearts that with vs you may see the veylerent and the way open into the holy of holies and the same made onely by his entrance who is the Great High Priest of our calling Figured by him that bare the names of your remembrance vpon his breast in the engrauen stones of his brestplat but hath himself written both yours and ours with the bloud of his own hart when from the Crosse mount Caluary his veynes streamed Saluation with greater increase into the world then did those waters of life that issued from Ierusalems Temple For whose comming to make all perfect let vs with patience attend and expect his appearance in the clowds and in maiesty when both Iew and Gentile with visible eyes shall see him as hee is the Image of the inuisible God the bright nesse of his glory the engrauen forme of his person Before whose Throne in his holy Ierusalem the Iehouah Shammah the Sealed of Israel and the Saued of Nations with Crownes Harps Psalmes shal sing Hosannah to him the Lamb that hath washed vs in his blood and liueth for euermore Vnto whom with God the Father and God the holy Ghost three in persons but of one substance and vndiuidable Deitie be ascribed all glory power maiesty and might for euer and euer Amen O thou whom my Soule loueth come Come Lord IESVS FINIS A ALPHABETICAL TABLE FOR THE READY FINDING OF any name contained in the Genealogies prefixed before the Bibles of the New Translation Seruing for foure seuerall Editions DEVT. 37. 7. Aske thy father and he will shew thee thy elders and they will tell thee IOB 8. 8. For inquire I pray thee of the former age and prepare thy selfe to the search of their fathers By I. S. LONDON Printed by I. B. 1620. To the Christian Reader TO forward thy study and knowledge in the holy Genealogies of the sacred Scriptures I haue Christian Reader in this following Table directed thee to the ready finding of any person or name contained in the draughts of those that are printed with the new Bible of the last Translation which doe serue alike for foure seuerall volumes with one and the same directions And whereas in some of them the Scriptures cotations could not be inserted in this they are all supplied both for Chapter and verse Wherein obserue that the most noted among them of any Nation Kindred and Tribe vpon whom the chiefest stories in Scriptures depend are noted by a differing letter and by the like letters in the Margent set against them are knowne of what degrees or estate they were Our Lords line is noted by the letter L All Kings in generall by this letter K All Queenes by Q Kings of Iudah are noted by KI Kings of Israel by Dukes in generall by D Iudges by I Prophers by P High Sacrificers by S Dauids Worthies by W And lastly for the ready finding of all obserue this easie direction by the page following first imagine euery page of the Scriptures Genealogies to be so diuided and the letters A. B. C. and D. so placed as thou seest vntowhich the like letters direct the name and may easily be found in the same Section As for example Aaron page 14. sect a. Dauid page 22. sect b. Abraham page 6. sect c. Marie page 34. sect d. and so of all the rest The Lord forward thy desire and guide thee in thy search to make thy darknesse light in Christ. An Alphabeticall Table for the ready finding of any name mentioned in the Genealogies printed with the Bibles with the cotations of the Scriptures thereunto belonging A Aron 14 a. and 16 a. and 22 a. Exod. 6. 20 23. Abdi 13 d. 1 Chr. 6. 44 Abdiel 24 a. 1 Chron. 5. 15 Abdon 28 a. 1 Chron. 9. 36 Abdon 29 b. 1 Chron. 8. 23 Abdon 32 d. Iudg. 12. 13 Abel 1 a. Gen. 4 2 Abelmeholah 32 b. Abi see Abiiah 33 b. Abiah see Abiiah 16 d. Abiah 15 d. 2 Sam. 8. 2 Abiah 18 c. 1 Chron. 2. 24. Abiah 27 d. 1 Chron. 7. 8 Abiasaph 15 a. Exod. 6. 24 Abiathar 14 b. 1 Sam. 22 6 16 b. 1 King 2. 26 Abida 7 c Gen. 25. 4 Abidan 30 b. Num. 1. 11 Abiel 28. a. 〈◊〉 Sam 9. 1 or Ner Chron. 8. 33 Abiezer 16 a. Abiezer 30 c. 2 Sam. 23. 2â—… Abiezer 31 b. 1 Chro. 7. 18 Abiezer see Ieezer 31 b. Abigail 22 b. 2 Sam. 3. 3 Abigail 22 c. 1 Chron. 2. 17 Abihail 13 d. Numb 3. 35 Abihail 18 b. 1 Chron. 2. 29 Abihail 22 b. 33 a. 2 Chron. 11. 18 Abihail 24 b. 1 Chro. 5. 14 Abihail 28 b. Est. 2. 15 Abihu 14 c. Exod 6. 23 Abihud 27 d. 1 Chron. 8. 3 Abijah 16 d. 1 Chro 24. 10 or Abia Luke 1. 5 Abiiah 32 b. 1 King 14. 1 Abijah 33 a. 2 Chron. 13. 1 or Abijam 1 King 14. 31 Abijah 33 b. 2 Chro 29 1 Abimail 3 d. Gen. 10. 28 Abimelech 4 c. Gen. 20. 2 Abimelech see Achish 4 d. Abimelech 31 c. Iudg. 8. 31 Abinadab 20 b 1 Sam. 7. 1 Abinadab 22 a. 1 Chron. 2. 13 Abinadab see Ishui 28 a. Abinoam 23 d Iudg. 4. 6 Abiram 11 c. Numb 26. 9 Abiram 30 c. 1 Kin. 16. 34 Abishag 26 a. 1 King 1. 3 Abishai 22 d. 2 Sam. 2. 18 Abishua 14 a. 16 a. 1. Chron. 6. 4 Abishua 27 d. 1 Chron. 8. 4 Abishur 18 b. 1 Chro. 2. 28 Abital 22 b. 2 Sam 3. 4 Abiud 34 a. Mat. 1. 13 Abner 28 c. 1 Sam. 14. 50 ABRAHAM 3 b. 6 c. 7 a Absalom 22 d. 1 Chron. 3. 2 Absalom 29 a. 2 Chr. 11. 20 or Vriel 2 Chron. 13. 2 Achan 7 d. Iosh. 7. 1. or Achar 1 Chron. 2. 7. or Achor Iudg. 7. 24 Achbor 9 c. Gen 36. 38 Achim 34 a. Matth. 1. 14 Achish 4 d. 1 Sam. 27. 2. or Abimelech in the title of Psalm 34 Achsah 19 d. 1 Chron. 2. 49 Achsah 21 b. 21 b. Iudg. 1. 12. Josh. 15. 17 Adah 1 b. Gen. 4. 19 Adah 9 c. Gen. 36. 2. or Bashemath Gen. 26. 34 Adaiah see Iddo 13 a. Adaiah 17 d. Nehem. 11. 5 Adaiah 29 d. 1 Chron. 8. 21 Adaliah 9 b. Est. 9. 8 ADAM 1 a. Gen 2. 19 Adbeel 6 b. Gen. 25. 13 Addar 27 b. 1 Chron. 8. 3 or Ard Numb 26. 40 ADDI 33 d. Luke 3. 28
q Act. 2. 24. r 1. Cor. 15 6. The many witnesses of Christs reresurrection s Eph. 2. 14. t Mat. 27. 51. Christ the accomplisher of what was foretold Christ came not to disturb peace u Luk. 20. 25. x Mat. 17 26. y Ioh. 8. 11 z Ioh. 18. 31. a Dan. 9. 24. Saint Steuen Angel-like spake the words of an Angell b Act. 6. 14. c Ioh. 3. 14 Col. 2. 14. d Hâ—… 9. 13 e Ioh. 19. 30. f Heb. 1. 13 g Cant. 3. 11. Vaine Genealogies a 1. Tim. 1 4. b Tit. 3. 9. c Ioh. 5. 39 The Genealogies of the Scriptures not forbid Genealogies recorded through the whole scriptures d Act. 22. 3 S. Paul diâ—… not contradict Moses e Rom. 9. 4 f Rom. 1. 3 g 2. Tim. 2 8. h GeÌ„ 10. 6. i Deu. 5. 6. Each text of Scripturs of equall authority * Rambam cited by H. Bro. M. S. The Rabbins feinings too too grosse Ioseph lib 1. cap. 4. k Gen. 6. 2 Dinah * Baba Batra H. B. in consent placeth Iobs afflictions at Moses birth Thamar Ruth Keturah * Saith Polycro lib. 2 c. 11. l 1. King 10 Balaam * Lege histor mag Colonia Ionas Abraham m 1. King 4. 31. * H. B. in M. S. Moles Aaron Iethro Vriah n Esa. 8. 2 o Iere. 26. 23. Zachariah Tobits Raphel made a man p Tob. 5. 12. 13. q Heb. 2. 6. r Luk. 24. 39. * Rab. Moses vpon Iudges cited by De â—…lessio in true Reli. chap. 30. The Turkes Alcaron A dangerous position s Dan. 9. 24 Daniels text wronged * Liuelie in Persian Monarch pag. 236. A strang assertion verily * pag. 230 * Marcus varro touching the certenty of Olympiads In Censuerinus de die natali * Liuelie in his Persian mon. pag. 31. Olympiads vainely made the stay of Chronologie x pag. 70. x pag. 82. A verie widemouth of him the speaker pag. 36. Varro neuer read Moses as it seemeth else would he not haue said as hee did The one halfe of them are fabulous as Du. Plessie from Diodorus hath obserued a Pro. 30. 19. Olimpiads vncerten of beginning Olimpiads why begun and their reward c Iob 8. i4 b 1 Cor. 9 25. d Isa. 59 9 Prophane heathen no fit witnesses of Christs death e Luk. 10 9 f Act. 17. g Apo. i1 i h Dan. 9. 2 Diuine Chronology needeth no prophane helps i Da. 9. 22. k Dan. i0 1 l Da. 10. 21 m Act. 22. 3. n 1. Cor. 14. 18. o 1. Cor. 15. 3. The Scriptures onely teach Christ to be the Messiah p 1. Tim 6. 20. q 2 Tim. 3. 16. r 2 Pet. 1. 19. The diuine Scriptures is the onely light to guide our Faith by Olimpiads falsifie the true Chronoligie of Scripture The variable beginnings of the Olimpiads * Ouid. Metam lib. 2. Liu. pers mon. pag. 47. and p. 155. See D. Willets Hexapla in Dan. chap. 9. quest 36. The fifty fiue Olympiad cannot be the first of King Cyrus * Stro. 1. s 2. King 25. 8. t Ie. 25. 11 u Ier. 25. Cyrus his first yeere cannot be in the fifty fiue Olimpiad u Ezr. 1. 1. y Ro. 11. 36. * Table Olimpiad 89. z Dan 9. 1 v. 20. 23 Daniels Prayer was at the expiration of the seueÌ„ty yeeres of captiuity and theÌ„ce to Christs death were 77. a 2 Chr. 36 22. b Ezr. 1. 2. Cyrus his decree for the Iewes deliueraÌ„ce c Isa. 44. 28. d Ioh. 10. 11. The Olimpiads cannot let Christ to be Christ. e Apo. 1. 1 x Liuely in Pers. mon. pag. 203. The second assertion * pag 169 i Ioh. 1. 41 k Psa. 2. 2. * pag. 201. Liuelie Persian Monarch * pag. 170 I pitie that the vale of Iudaisme is so drawne before a Christians heart The matter is too sad to be thus daâ—…ied with The best learned Rabbins acknowledge the Messiah in that text of Daniel k Liu. Pers. Mon. pag 201 and 179. Very good witnesses against a nouell opinion * Du Ples in tru of Christian Relig. c. 29. * Nicholas Lyra his argumeÌ„t for Christ. l Act. 6. 14 m Ioh. 2. 45 * Liuel in Pers. Mo. pag. 170. * Pag. 175 It can neuer be proued that all the Gouernours of the people were annointed a Pag. 205 b Pag. 175 The vsurping Leuits and the vncircumcised Romans are not worthy of that most sacred name â—…essiah Euseb in lib de Demon Euangelica H. B. in Aduert The Romans medled not with the Iewes before Pompeys time No annointing vsed but on the first or vpon strife n 1. Sam. 10. 1. o 1. Sam. 16. 13. p 〈◊〉 King 1. 39. q 2. King 11. 12. r 2. King 23. 30. Not any annointed after the returne from Babylon s Isai. 55. 4 * Iunius vpon Dan. 9 In Aduert of corrupt t Psa. 125. 1 Daniels speech not to be separated u Exod. 2â—… 22. Liuelie Persian Monarch pag. 219. 220. x Act. 6. 14 y Dan. 9. 24. z 1. Cor. 15. 17. a Leuit. 19. 14. b Exo. 23. 5 c 1. Ioh. 2. 2 d 2. Cor. 3. 14. e Eph. 2. 14 f Heb. 10. 20. The Rabbins opinions touching the Messiah g Isai. 45. y 1. Ti. 1. 4. z Tit. 3. 9. No death valuable but the death of Christ. a Ioh. 8. 33 b Ier. 26. 6 c Mark 13 2. d 2. Chron. 6. 5. e Ps. 122. 5 Ier. 3. 17. g Ier. 19. 6. h Ch. 7. 11. i Luke 19. 43. k Act. 7. 54 The Iewes expectations l Deut. 17 15. m Luk. 19. 11. Their rebellions a Act. 5. 36 * Ios. antiq li. 20. c. 7. b Ioseph bel Iud. lib. 2. c. 7. 17 Their motiue to rebell c Ioseph bel Iud. li. 7. ca. 12. Sueton. in vita Vespasian sect 4. * Suetonium Ibidem b Deu. 28. 53. c Luk. 19 43. * Ioseph bel Iud. l. 3. c. 19. lib. 7. c. 17. * Ios. bel Iud. l. 7. c. 8. c. 16. Deu. 28. 53 Iere. 19. 9. * Ioseph bel Iud. lib. 6. cap. 12. * Ios. bel Iud. l. 4. c. 3 cap. 7. Dion Cassi. * Aristion Pellaeus cited by Eus. eccle hist. l. 4. c. 6 d Ioh. 19. 15. e Mat. 27. 25. * Du. Ples trunesse of Christ. Rel. cap. 29. * Talmud Ierusal in Megila cited by H B in M. S. a Esa. 6. 9. b 1. Cor. 3. 14. c 1. Pet. 2. 8 d 1 Tim. 2. 4 e Ro. 11. 5. f De. 32. 21 g Esa. 65. 1 h Hos. 〈◊〉 23. i Ro. 11. 12 k Ro. 11. 28 l Rom. 3. 2 m Ro. 9. 5. n Rom. 9. 3. o Ze. 12. 10. p Ioh. 1. 19. q Ex. 23. 20 r Exo. 28. 4 s Ge. 49. 10 t NuÌ„ 21. 9. u 1. King 6. 27. a Esa. 7. 14 b Mic. 5. 2. c Ier. 23. 5 d Ge. 49. 8 e Num. 24 17. f Ie. 31. 15 g Ho. 11. 1. g 1. King 3 16. h Ioh. 14. 30. i Ps. 133. 3. k Esa. 61. 2. 3. l Esa. 49. 6 n 2.