Itinerarium totius Sacræ Scripturæ. Or, the trauels of the holy patriarchs, prophets, iudges, kings, our sauiour Christ, and his Apostles, as they are related in the Old and New Testaments. With a description of the townes and places to which they trauelled, and how many English miles they stood from Ierusalem. Also a short treatise of the weights, monies, and measures mentioned in the Scriptures, reduced to our English valuations, quantitie, and weight. Collected out of the workes of Henry Bunting, and done into English by R.B.

Of Bethel.

BEthel was a Towne in the Tribe of Benjamin, eight miles from Ierusalem toward the North, and signifies The house of God. In times past it was called Luz: but Iacob seeing in that place the vision of the Ladder, with the Angells ascending and descending vpon it, and because there the Lord renued the coue∣nant with him concerning his seed, and the comming of Christ; he therefore called it Bethel.

Afterward, Ieroboam hauing vnlawfully vsurpt the kingdome of Rehoboham, caused a calfe to be set vp there: for which cause it was then called Bethauen, which signifieth the house of

sinne and abhominable offence. Vatablus is of opinion, that there are two Bethels, one in the tribe of Benjamin, the other in the tribe of Ephraim, both not far from Hay: but if this should be granted, then these two townes should stand within two miles one of the other, which seemeth very absurd; therefore I dare boldly af∣firme, that there was but one Bethel, which stood vpon the bor∣ders of Benjamin and Ephraim, both tribes bordering vpon the South side of the towne of Luz, Iosh. 16. & 18.

This towne of Bethel was at first in the Suburbs of Lue, vntill the diuision of the tribes; for then both these Tribes of Ephraim and Benjamin, ending in that place, so much increased this town, that they became both one city, and so were called Bethel, Ie. 28. & 35. Iosh. 7. & 18.

From hence there is a two-fold mistery to be apprehended: the first, of Iacob, whose sleeping in this place vpon a stone, caused this Citie or Towne to be built, and to retaine the name of Be∣thel, that is, The house of God. So whosoeuer seekes to haue eter∣nall life, must rest vpon that corner stone Christ Iesus, the sonne of the euerliuing God, and by faith bee incorporated into the Church, which is the house of God, of which Christ (the An∣nointed of the Lord) is both King and Priest for euer. Secondly, as Iacob resting vpon this corner stone, saw the Angels ascending and descending from heauen vnto earth; so by this incorporation into the body of the Church (of which Christ is the head) by Faith and Baptisme, our soules are made capable to ascend into that heauenly Tabernacle, which he hath prepared for all those that beleeue: according to that in Iohn 14. I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man commeth vnto the father but by me only. And who∣soeuer is assured of this ladder (that reacheth from heauen vnto earth) may well say with Iacob, surely the Lord Iesus Christ is in this place; here is nothing but the house of God, and here is the gate of heauen; as Christ himselfe testifieth in the tenth of Iohn, I am the doore, and whosoeuer entreth not by me, &c. So that Christ is the head of his Church, the ladder that ascendeth into heauen, and the doore whereby we may enter into eternall life.