The spirit of the martyrs revived in a brief compendious collection of the most remarkable passages and living testimonies of the true church, seed of God, and faithful martyrs in all ages: contained in several ecclesiastical histories & chronological accounts of the succession of the true church from the creation, the times of the fathers, patriarchs, prophets, Christ and the Apostles.

Part I. (Book 1)

* 1.1 Sheweth, how God under the several Dispensati∣ons of himself to Mankind alwayes led and guided his Church and Seed by his Spirit and Power to Worship and Serve him, and to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness and Ho∣liness which was acceptable to him; And how the Serpent and Evil-One hath from the be∣ginning made it his work to deceive, and lead man from God to Sin, and work wickedness, which alwayes brought the Wrath and Judg∣ments of God upon Man.

AFter that God had Created Heaven and Earth,* 1.2 and all things in them, at last he created Man in his own Image, that is to say, pure, holy and innocent, giving him Power to Go∣vern and Rule the Creation to God's Glory; and God said, It is not good for man to be alone, I will make him an Help Meet for him; and he caused a deep Sleep to fall upon Adam, and he took one of his Ribs,* 1.3 and closed up the Flesh thereof, and of the Rib he made Woman, and brought her unto the man; and Adam said, This is now Bone of my Bone, and Flesh of my Flesh, she shall be called Woman: And the Lord placed them in the Garden of Eden, there to live in a blessed Estate, giving unto them a Commandment of Obedience, which was,* 1.4 that they were not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, for in the day they did eat thereof they should dye; but of all the rest of the Trees of the Garden they might eat, and receiving Comfort there-from might give the Praise and Glory thereof to their Maker, to whom it did belong: And whilest Man and Woman stood in this Condition they were happy and blessed. And now God beheld all that he had made, and behold all was Good; for Sin had not as yet entered upon man.

But the Devil envying Gods Honour and Mans Felicity tempted the Woman to Sin by the Serpent;* 1.5 the Woman being beguiled by the Serpent, the man was also beguiled by her, and brake the Ordi∣nance of God by eating the Forbidden Fruit: And thus Man and Woman lost the Dignity and Excellency of their first Creation, and were enslaved by the Serpent, who by his Wiles and Subtilty had en∣tangled

and ensnared them, and perswaded them to believe him more then God; for God said, That in the day they did eat thereof they should die; but the Serpent said, They should not surely die; for God doth know (said he) that you shall be as Gods, knowing Good and Evil: and thus was man by a lye drawn from the pure Command of his Maker.

Now after they had sinned, in the cool of the day, the Lord called unto Adam, saying, Where art thou? and Adam, who did hide him∣self, said, I heard thy Voice in the Garden, and was afraid, because I was Naked: And God said, Who told thee that thou wast Naked? hast thou eaten of the Tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not Eat? And now having brought Guilt and shame upon themselves by Trans∣gression,* 1.6 they began to make them Coverings, by sewing fig-leaves to make them Aprons, of which it seems they had no need before they had transgressed.

And now by this all men may see, that it was the Serpents work from the beginning (and indeed it has been in all Ages his work) to be∣guile Men and Women with his Lyes and Subtilties, and to darken their Eyes and polute their Understandings, that he may keep them in subjection to himself; and from hence doth spring the wicked Thoughts and Actions, which all mankind are apt to lean and in∣cline to, and have been and are readier to give ear to the Voice of the Serpent and wicked One,* 1.7 then to the Voice of God their Maker: And this has been the Fountain and Spring-head, from whence has come all the Disorders, Miseries and Woes, that have happened un∣to all Manking throughout the World, in all Ages; they have been feeding and delighting themselves in eating the Forbidden Fruit which their Forefathers also delighted in, and all Nations upon the Earth are in this State and Condition at this day, led away by the Voice of the Serpent from the Purity and Righteousness in which man was first created, except a Little Remnant, which God hath at this day gathered by his Light and Power, to be witnesses to his name.

And now the Lord having convicted Adam of his evil,* 1.8 and pro∣nounced several punishments upon him, and on Eve his Wife; yet with this Promise added, That the Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents Head; and now man being put out of the Garden of Eden, and a Fiery Flaming Sword being set to keep the Way, leading to the Tree of Life; man was in an undone condition, had not the Lord con∣descended in his tender Love and Mercy to restore him, and make that Promise to him; and this was the Lords great Love, to open a Door of hope to lost man, that he might not be destroyed by Satans Power; and now the Power of God, by which man was first crea∣ted, appeared again to restore him.

After the fall of Adam, [year of the world 130] Cain was the first man that was born of a woman, and after Cain his Brother Abel was born; and now in pro∣cess of time, these two offered Offerings unto the Lord (being with∣out question instructed in Righteousness by their Father Adam after h••s restoration) but Cains Sacrifice,* 1.9 being only outward in shew, and nothing inward in the Spirit, wherein doth consist the true Worship of God, the Lord accepted not his Offering; but unto Abel and his

Offering, which was from the Uprightness and Sincerity of his heart, the Lord had respect. At this Cain was Wrath, and being inflamed with Anger, rose up against his Brother Abel, and in his envy slew him; here was the beginning of Persecution, and that upon a righteous person for serving God in a pure mind; and here the envy of the Wicked one appeared again, to extinguish, if he could, the righ∣teous Seed: But now the Lord shewed regard again to mankind, and in his tender love repaired this loss; for now Abel being slain, Adams Wife bare another Son, whose name was Seth; for God, saith she;* 1.10 bath appointed me another Seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew; and this Seth proved a godly man, and had a Son called Enos, who kept up the holy Seed and true Religion, as it is recorded of him; that in his dayes men did begin to call on the Name of the Lord; now Enos signifies, the lamentable condition of all mankind, for even then (as some men write) was the worship of God wretchedly corrupted, by the race of Cain, whence it came, that men were even so distinguish∣ed, that they who persisted in the true worship of God, were known by the name of, the Children of God, and they which for∣sook him were termed, the Children of men.

* 1.11 The next of the Righteous Stock was Jared, to whom was born Enoch, another of the Righteous Seed, whose life and conversation was so Innocent, that it is recorded of him, that he walked with God.

And thus the Reader may see how the Righteous Plants were such, who took the Lord to be their Guide in their Actions and Underta∣kings, who were as Patterns of Righteousness in the midst of a perverse Generation, and it is the same with all the faithful and up∣right at this day: And now Enoch having this Testimony, that he pleased God, the Lord, as a requital of his faithfulness, translated him, so that he saw no death, and took him to himself.

* 1.12 And it came to pass when men began to multiply on the Face of the Earth, and Daughters were born unto them, these Sons of God saw the Daughters of men, that they were fair, and they took them Wives of all that they chose; this displeased the Lord, so that he said, My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man, for that he also is Flesh; and his dayes were shortned to one Hundred and Twenty Years, who before lived many Hundred Years.

* 1.13 And God saw that the Wickedness of man was great in the Earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his Heart was only evil continually; and it repented the Lord that he had made man, and it grieved him at his Heart; and the Earth was corrupt, and filled with violence, and God looked upon the Earth, and behold it was cor∣rupt, for all Flesh had corrupted his Way upon the Earth.

* 1.14 And God said unto Noah, The end of all Flesh is come up before me, for the Earth is filled with violence through them, and behold I will Destroy them with the Earth; and he commanded Noah to make an Ark, and behold, I bring a Flood upon the Earth to Destroy all Flesh, wherein is the Breath of Life, and every thing that is in the Earth shall die; but with thee will I establish my Covenant, and thou shalt come into the Ark thou and thy

Sons, and thy Wife, and thy Sons Wives, for thee have I seen righteous before me in this Generation.

But before the Lord brought the deluge of Waters upon the World of the Wicked, [year of the world 1536] he sent this just man Noah, a Preacher of Righteousness unto. them, giving them one Hundred and Twenty Years space to repent them of their evil wayes;* 1.15 and Noah having provided an Ark at the Commandment of God, he was appointed when he should enter into the Ark, whilst the World (in the mean time) void of all fear, sate eating and drinking, and marrying, and giving in marriage; in the six hundredth Year of the life of Noah, upon the seventh day of the second Moneth, when he with his Children were entered into the Ark, God sent a Rain upon the Earth forty dayes and forty nights, and the Waters continued upon the Earth a hundred and fifty dayes; the Waters abating upon the seven∣teenth day of the seventh Moneth, the Ark rested upon one of the Mountains of Ararat; the Waters still falling, upon the first day of the tenth Moneth, the top of the Mountains appeared above the waters, and after forty dayes Noah opened the Window of the Ark, and sent forth a Raven, and seven dayes after sent forth a Dove, and she returning, after seven dayes more he sent her forth again, and about the Evening she returned bringing the Leaf of an Olive-Tree in her Mouth; and then staying yet seven dayes more, sent the same Dove out again, which returned no more unto him.

In the six hundred and first Year of the life of Noah, when the surface of the Earth was now all dry, [year of the world 1657] Noah took off the Covering of the Ark,* 1.16 and went forth with all that were with him in the Ark, being gone forth, he offered unto God for his Preservation an Offering, and the Lord smelled a sweet-Savour; and the Lord said in his Heart, I will not again Curse the Ground any more for mans sake, for the imagina∣tion of his Heart is evil from his Youth: And God spake unto Noah and to his Sons, saying, I will establish my Covenant with you, and with your Seed after you, neither shall all Flesh be cut off any more by the Wa∣ters of a Flood to destroy the Earth; and gave the Rain-bow-for a sign of the Covenant which he then made with man.

And now Noah made a division of Land among his Grand-Children, and that done, [year of the world 1757] that they went from those Eastern-parts (whither they first repaired from the Mountains of Ararat) unto the Valley of Shinar, where the People impiously laid their heads together to hin∣der the dispersion of them, (commanded by God, and begun by Noah) they went in hand to build the City and Tower of Babylon,* 1.17 whose top might reach to Heaven; least they should be scattered abroad up∣on the Face of the Earth; which purpose of theirs being frustrated by the confusion of Languages sent among them, from whence they took the name of Babel, the dispersion of Nations followed, and now one Language was lost, which the whole Earth was of until this Attempt.

And now the next of the righteous Stock that succeeded was Abram the second Son of Terah, [year of the world 2008] he was born in the year 2008. and ten years after was Sarai born, daughter of Haran, Abrams Brother,

who was afterwards Abrams Wife; some Writers say that A∣bram was educated in the Idolatry of his Fathers House, who they say was a maker of Statues and Images, and the Jews relate of Abram's going into the Shop in the absence of his Father, his breaking the Images, and jeering those that came to buy, or worship them,* 1.18 of his Fathers carrying him to Nimrod to be punished; his witty answers, and miraculous escapes; thus the Jews write of him, but however these things may be credited, we have a sure record in the Scriptures, that the Lord had a great regard to the sincerity of Abram, and had a purpose to make use of him to be an Instrument in his work and ser∣vice; and that appears by his calling him from his Kindred, [year of the world 2083] and from his Fathers House, and promising a Blessing to him and to his Seed: and now Abram,* 1.19 who had chosen the Lord for his delight above all earthly things, consulted not, but departed as the Lord had com∣manded him; and he took Sarai his Wife, and Lot his Brothers son, and travelled to the Land of Canaan, where God promised to Abram, that to his Seed he would give that Land; but afterwards, Abram compelled by a Famine, went from thence down into Egypt, where Sarai his Wife (who to eschew a danger) went for his Sister, was taken into Pharaoh's House, being fair and beautiful, but was not long after sent back unto him untouched: Then Abram,* 1.20 accompanied with just Lot, returned into Canaan, where, when the Country which they pitched upon was not sufficient to feed both their Herds of Cattle, Strife arose between the Herd-men; and Abram loving Peace, said to Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my Herdsmen and thine, for we be Brethren;* 1.21 and they parted; and Lot went into the Country of Sodom; and after they were parted, the promise both of the Possession of that Land of Canaan, and also of his Numberless Posterity was again renewed unto him.

Abram being now ninety nine years old, [year of the world 2107] God made a Covenant with him, touching the Seed of Isaac, who was to be born of Sarai that time twelve month,* 1.22 gave him the Seal of Circumcision (chang∣ing both their names Abram into Abraham, and Sarai into Sarah) for a sure pledge and testimony of his Promise.

When Abraham was now a hundred, [year of the world 2108] and Sarah ninety years of Age Isaac was born unto them, and Abraham instructed his Family in Righteousness; for God said, I know Abraham, that he will command his Children, and his Houshold after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do Justice and Judgment.

By Faith Abraham offered up his son Isaac; [year of the world 2133] considering with him∣self, that God was able to raise him again from the dead; Now Jo∣sephius reports, that at this time Isaac was twenty five years old,* 1.23 and that he was at that time of good years may be gathered from this, that he was able to carry so much Wood as was to go to the burning and consuming of such a whole burnt-Offering as himself was, then intended by Abraham to have been made; Sarah being now one hun∣dred twenty seven years of Age dyed in Hebron; and as Abraham for his integrity and uprightness to the Lord is recorded to Posterity for

the Father of the Faithful; so is Sarah for the Mother of the Faith∣ful, and she is the only Woman whose full and entire Age is menti∣oned in Scripture.

Abraham being also well stricken in Age, was careful to get a wife for his son Isaac, and careful he was that he might not Marry with any of the idolatrous and corrupt Nations, it being looked upon as a great evil by this righteous Stock,* 1.24 that their Sons should marry with the Daughters of men that were corrupted, and despisers of the true Religion, as it appears by Abrahams care for his son that he should not take a wife of the Daughters of the Canaanites among whom he dwelt; and also by the strict charge he gave to his Servant to look out a Wife for him, who going by the guidance of God into Mesopo∣tamia, where praying to the Lord to shew kindness unto his master Abraham, he there obtained for him Rebeka, the Daughter of Bethuel, Sister to Laban the Syrian, whom Isaac receiving for his Wife, brought her into the tent of his Mother Sarah; and he loved her, and had comfort in her after his Mothers death; and he was forty years old when he married with Rebeka.

Abraham, when he was a hundred seventy five years old, and a hundred years after his coming into Canaan departed this life,* 1.25 and was buried by his two Sons in his Cave at Macpelah with Sarah his Wife; he lived fifteen years after the birth of Jacob, with whom he is said also to have lived in Tents.

And now Abraham being dead, Isaac was raised up, as the next of the righteous Line and Seed of God, to whom the Lord often appear∣ed in his divine Power,* 1.26 confirming the Covenant that he had made with Abraham his Father; for he walked in the steps of his Father in faithfulness to the Lord, and when his Fathers Servant brought Rebeka to him, they found him meditating in the Field at evening-tide, by which it appears, his mind was delighted in that which was good; when his Wife had continued barren ninteen years after her Marriage,* 1.27 Isaac intreated the Lord for her, because she was barren, and the Lord was intreated of him, and his Wife conceived, and when the twins strove in the Womb, Rebeka asked counsel of God; and the Lord said unto her, Two Nations are in thy Womb, and two man∣ner of People shall be seperated from thy Bowels; and the one People shall be stronger then the other,* 1.28 and the Elder shall serve the Younger: Being born, the Children grew, and one of them, named Esau, was a coun∣ning Hunter, a man of the Field; and Jacob was a plain man dwel∣ling in Tents, and Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his Venison, but Rebeka loved Jacob.

Isaac now grown old, [year of the world 2245] and blind, in the forty fourth year before his death, sent Esau his eldest Son to take some Venison for him, pur∣posing to Bless him at his return; but Jacob the younger Son, by the counsel of his Mother coming disguised in his Cloathes, and with savory meat in his hand,* 1.29 stole away the blessing unwiting to his Fa∣ther, and the Blessing, though so got, God confirmed ever after; but Jacob seeing that for so doing, his Brother followed him with a dead∣ly hatred, and being desirous to avoid his traps, willing also to take a

Wife of his own Kindred, his Father Blessing him, he took his Jour∣ney to Mesopotamia, to his uncle Laban, for his Father had charged him not to take a Wife of the Daughters of Canaan; and in his Jour∣ney the Lord appeared unto him by his presence,* 1.30 and renewed the Covenant to him which he had made before to his Father and Grand∣father, and now the Lord manifesting his presence unto him, he co∣venanted with the Lord, saying, If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I go, and will give me Bread to eat, and Rayment to put on, so that I come again to my Fathers House in peace, then shall the Lord be my God; and coming at length to Carron,* 1.31 and continuing a time with Laban, fell in love with Rachel his Daughter, for whom he served seven years, and they seemed to him but a few dayes, for the love he had to her.

Esau had now been married thirty seven Years, and was seventy seven Years Old, whereas Jacob, who was as Old as he, had all this while lived unmarried, but being now mindful of his Fathers Com∣mand, he demanded Rachel his Wife to be given to him,* 1.32 using this for a reason, that his dayes were now full; but by the fraud of Laban, instead of Rachel, Leah the elder Daughter was put in Bed unto him; nevertheless Rachel also afterwards was espoused to him upon Covenant of serving seven Years more for her.

At first Rachel was barren, [year of the world 2259] but afterwards by the blessing of God pro∣ving fruitful, bear Joseph unto Jacob; at the end of the fourteen years service, Jacob asking leave of Laban to return into his own Country, he was held there six years more upon another bargain made be∣tween him and his Father-in-law Laban, for a certain part of his Flock.

Jacob perceiving the heart burning of Laban, and his Sons malice towards him, was warned of God to return into his own Country, [year of the world 2265] which having communicated to his Wives, whilst Laban was sheering his Sheep at the latter end of the Spring, after his twenty years ser∣vice, getting away unknown to Laban, with all his Substance,* 1.33 Wives and Family, passed over the River Euphrates, Laban three dayes after, hearing that his Son-in-law was gone, took some of his Friends and Kindred along with him, and persued after him seven dayes Journey, and at last overtook him at mount Gilead, which took its name from this their Meeting there; for after many and divers Expostulations which passed there between them, making all fair at last,* 1.34 for a Testi∣mony and Monument of their Covenant there made, Jacob erected a Pillar with an heap of Stones, which Laban the Syrian called, Jegar-Sahadutha, but Jacob the Hebrew called, Gilead (that is) the heap of a Testimony or Witness between them two. Jacob being sent away in peace by Laban,* 1.35 but affrighted with the news of his Brother Esau's approach with four hundred men, divided his Company into two, saying, If he smite one, then the other Company which is left shall escape; and calls upon God, saying, O God of my Father Abraham, Isaac, &c. which saidest unto me, return into thy Country, and to thy Kindred, and I will deal well with thee, deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my Brother Esau. Esau having entertained his Brother courteously,

after much intreaty, accepts of his Presents, Jacob then went on to Su••••oth, and there he built him an House, and afterwards passing over Jordan, he came into Canaan, and pitched his Tent in Salem, and there he built an Altar,* 1.36 which he called by the name of El-Elohe-Israel, or of, the mighty God, the God of Israel, to wit, in the self same place where Abraham had heretofore built his first Altar, and where Jacob's Well was.

I am now come to write of Joseph, who being Seventeen Years of Age, [year of the world 2276] when his Brethren saw that their Father loved him more then all his Brethren, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him;* 1.37 and Joseph declaring his Dream to them, the Lord having shewed him that he should be set above his Brethren, and be the chief of his Fathers Family, they hated him yet the more; and first, they conspired his death,* 1.38 and at length agreed to sell him away for a Bond slave unto a far Country; so drawing him out of the Pit, where∣into they had cast him, they sold him to the Merchants for twenty pieces of Silver, and was by them carried into Aegypt, and there sold for a Slave to Potipher Captain of the Guard to Pharaoh,* 1.39 where he was tempted by Potiphers Wife to Uncleanness; and because he refu∣sed to do such Evil, she by her Lyes instigated Potipher her Husband against him, who put him in Prison; but the Lord was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the Kee∣per of the Prison, and that which he did the Lord made it to prosper.

Two of the Officers of Pharaoh's Court, [year of the world 2287] being Imprisoned in the same Prison with Joseph, having both of them Dreamed, Joseph in∣terpreted their Dreams unto them, which came to pass according to his interpretation; and saith Joseph to one of them,

When thou art restored into thy place, after thy former manner, think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this House; for indeed I was stolen away out of the Land of the Hebrews, and here also have I done nothing, that they should put me into the Dungeon;

But when this Officer was restored a∣gain into Pharaohs Court, he remembered not Joseph.

* 1.40 Two Years after Pharaoh Dreamed two Dreams, which seeing he could not get expounded by his own Wise men, but hearing of Josephs expertness to enterpret Dreams, sent for him, being then thirty Years Old, who having opened to the King his Dreams; first, that of the Seven Years of Plenty;* 1.41 then the Seven Years of Famine: He added moreover, as his councel and advice, how to provide out of the store of the first Years of Plenty, against the Famine of the other Seven Years of Scarcity,* 1.42 which were to follow; where∣upon by the general consent of his Nobles, he made him Governor of the Kingdom.

* 1.43 From the Harvest of this Year, being to be counted Seven Years of Plenty, wherein Joseph laid up an infinite Treasure of Corn.

The Seven Years of the Famine began from the Harvest of this Year, [year of the world 2296] wherein the forecast and wisdom of Joseph did not only sustain Egypt,* 1.44 but was a help and relief to other Countries.

Jacob dispatched away ten of his Sons into Aegypt to buy Corn, [year of the world 2297] to whom Joseph seeming not to know, caused to be taken for Spies, and being laid hold on, he spake roughly unto them, and said,* 1.45 Whence came ye? and they said, From the Land of Canaan, to buy Food: And Joseph knew his Brethren, but they knew not him; and he said, They were come as Spies to see the Nakedness of the Land; they said, They were true men, and thy Servants are twelve Brethren the Sons of one man in the Land of Canaan, and behold, the Youngest is this day with our Father, and one is not; and Joseph said, Ye are Spies,* 1.46 hereby shall it be proved, if ye be true men, let one of your Brethren be bound in Prison; go ye carry Corn for the Famine of your Houses, but bring your Youngest Brother unto me, so shall your words be verified, and you shall not die; and they did so: And they said one to the other, We are verily guil∣ty concerning our Brother, in that we saw the anguish of his Soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear, therefore is this Distress come upon us; and Ruben answered them, saying, speak not I un∣to you, saying, Do not sin against the Child, and ye would not hear,* 1.47 therefore behold his blood is required; and they knew not that Joseph understood them, for he speak unto them by an Interpreter; and he turned himself about from them, and wept, and returned to them a∣gain, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon the chiefest of them, who consented to sell him, and cast him into Prison, and now being dismissed, they carried away their Corn, and with it the Money that they had payed for it, being conveyed into their Sacks by the secret appointment of Joseph; they tell their Father Ja∣cob all that happened unto them,* 1.48 and withal declared unto him the necessity that laid upon them of carrying there Younger Brother Benjamin into Aegypt, perswading him by all means to let him go; but Jacob their Father said, unto them,* 1.49 Me have ye be∣reaved of my Children, Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and you will take away Benjamin; all these things are against me: but Jacob pressed with Famine, sent again his Sons, and with them his Son, Benjamin, furnished with double Money, and other Presents to Joseph, to buy more Corn, and they at their return were courteously enter∣tained; [year of the world 2298] for when Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the Ru∣ler of his House, Bring these men home, and slay and make ready for these men shall dine with me at Noon: And the man did as Joseph bad,* 1.50 and the man brought the men into Josephs House, and the men were af∣fraid because they were brought into Josephs House, and they said, Because of the Money that was returned in our Sacks the first time, are we brought in, that he may seek Occasion against us: but the Steward com∣forted them, saying, Peace be unto you, fear not; your God, and the God of your Fathers hath given you Treasure in your Sacks, I had your Mo∣ney; and he brought Simeon out unto them. And Joseph asked them of their welfare, saying, Is your Father well, the old man of whom you spake, is he yet alive? and they answered, Thy Servant our Father is in good

health; he is yet alive: When he saw his Benjamin, his Mo∣thers Son, he made haste, for his Bowels did yern upon his Brother, and he sought where to weep, and he entered into his Chamber, and wept there; and after they had eaten, he commanded the Stew∣ard of his House to fill their Sacks with Food, and to put a silver Cup in the Sacks mouth of the youngest;* 1.51 and when they were gone, Joseph sent after them, and caused them to be stopt for taking away his Cup, which Crime they endeavoured to put of, by shewing how truly they ment, by bringing again the Money which they found in their Sacks when they came home; offering themselves to die, or to be his Bondslaves if any such thing could be proved against them; but in the end the Cup being found with Benjamin, and they brought back to Joseph, they all yeilded themselves to him for his bondslaves, which when he refused,* 1.52 saying, He would have none but him with whom the Cup was found; Judah then humbly offered himself to serve him in Benjamins stead, saying, When I come to thy Servant my Father, and the Lad be not with us, (seeing that his life is bound up in the Lads life) it shall come to pass that when he seeth that the Lad is not with us that he will die, and thy Servants shall bring down the gray Hairs of thy Servant our Father with Sorrow to the Grave: Then Joseph could not refrain him∣self before all them that stood by him: and he cryed, Cause every man to go out from me,* 1.53 and there stood no man with them while Joseph made himself known unto his Brethren, and he wept aloud, and the Egyptians, and the House of Pharaoh heard; and Joseph said unto his Brethren, I am Joseph; doth my Father yet live▪ And his Bre∣thren could not answer him, for they were troubled at his Presence, and Joseph said unto his Brethren, Come neer to me, I pray you, and they came neer, and he said, I am Joseph your Brother, whom ye sold into Egypt; and seeing them troubled, he comforted them, by shewing how that act of theirs was by the Providence of God.

And he said unto them,* 1.54 Haste ye and go up to my Father, and say un∣to him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me Lord of all Eygpt; Come down unto me, tarry not, and thou shalt dwell in the Land of Goshen, and thou shalt be neer unto me, thou and thy Children, and thy Childrens Children, and thy Flocks and thy Herds, and all that thou hast, and there will I nourish thee; for there are yet five years of Famine: and he fell up∣on his Brother Benjamin's Neck, and Benjamin wept upon his Neck, moreover he kissed all his Brethren, and wept upon them; so he sent his Brethren away, and they told Jacob all the words of Joseph, and when he saw the Waggons which Joseph had sent to carry him, the Spirit of Jacob their Father revived;* 1.55 and Israel said, it is enough, Joseph my Son is yet alive, I will go and see him before I die; and God spake unto Israel, saying, I am God, the God of thy Father, fear not to down into Egypt, for I will there make of thee a great Nation;I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will surely bring thee up again: and Jacob was one hundred and thirty years old when he went down into Egypt.

Joseph letting Pharaoh know of the arrival of his Kindred in Egypt,* 1.56 brought his Father, and five of his Brethren into his pre∣sence, and having communed with him, assigned them a fitting

place in the Land of Goshen, where they were provided of all neces∣saries by Joseph.

The Book of Genesis end with the death of Joseph containing the the Story of Two thousand three hundred sixty nine years space, which Book, that it was written by Moses himself is the opinion of the Talmudists in their Baba-bathra, Lib. I.

At this time lived Job, [year of the world 2369] a man of whom it is recorded, that he was a man of a perfect and upright heart, and one that feared God and eschewed evil, and imbraced the Knowledge fo the true God,* 1.57 and all righteousness; rich in Substance, and the more noted, for that neither the enjoyment of those riches corrupted, nor the loss of them depraved him in his way; for, whenas first being spoiled of his Goods by Satan, he was also bereft of his Children; and at last tor∣mented with grievous Botches and Sores in his Body, he could yet never be drawn through impatience to sin in any sort, whereof, ha∣ving first received a Testimony from Gods own mouth, he was after∣wards restored to his former health, and had cast into his Bossom dou∣ble of whatever he possessed before.

* 1.58 And now when Joseph was dead, and all his Brethren, and that Generation, and the Children of Israel were fruitfull, and increa∣sed aboundantly, and muliplied, and waxed exceeding mighty, and the Land was filled with them;* 1.59 Now there arose up a new King over Egypt, which knew not Joseph, and he began to afflict them, but the more they were afflicted, the more they multiplyed and grew; and the Egyptians made the Children of Israel to serve with Rigor, and they made their lives bitter with hard Bondage, and kept them under with great severity.

Aaron was born three years before his Brother Moses, [year of the world 2430] eighty three years before the departure of the Children of Israel out of Egypt

The Ungodly King of Egypt, [year of the world 2431] when he could not prevail with the Midwives of the Hebrew Women privily to make away the Male-Children of them, set forth a barbarous Edict to destroy them all,* 1.60 by drowning them in the River.

About this time Moses the Son of Amram, of the House of Levi, was born, and when his Mother saw he was a goodly Child, being willing to preserve him, [year of the world 2433] she hid him three Moneths, and when she could no longer hide him,* 1.61 she took for him an Ark of Bulrushes, and daubed it with slime, and with pitch, and put the Child therein, and she laid it in the Flags by the Rivers brink, his Sister standing aloof off from the place, to see what would become of him; and Pharaohs daughter finding him there, caused her maids to fetch it,* 1.62 and when she had opened it, she saw the Child, and behold it wept, and she had compassion on him, and said, this is one of the Hebrews Chil∣dren; then said his Sister to Pharaohs Daughter, Shall I go and call a Nurse to thee of the Hebrew Women, that she may nurse the Child for thee; and Pharaohs Daughter said, go, and the maid went and called the Childs Mother; and she nursed him, and Pharaohs Daugh∣ter called his Name Moses, because she drew him out of the Water,

and she caused him to be brought up as her Son, and caused him to be instructed in the Science and Learning of the Egyptians: And thus did the Lord wonderfully preserve him, which noteth no less then that he intended to make him an Instrument in some great Work, as indeed it so came to pass; for as he grew in years, the Lord put it in his heart to slight the honours of Pharaohs Court; for he refused to be called the Son of Pharaohs Daughter, [year of the world 2513] choosing rather to suffer Af∣fliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of Sin for a season, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures in Egypt, for he had respect to the Recompence of Reward: And now the Lord having chosen him into his work and service, he indued him with such a Spirit of Meekness that none was like him upon the Earth; and being thus fitted he had often tryals and exer∣cises of his patience by the People he was to govern, who were often murmuring and repining against him. And the Lord appeared unto him whilest he was keeping his Father-in-law Jethros Sheep in the Mountain of Horeb, and the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of Fire, out of the midest of a Bush, and behold the Bush burned with Fire, and the Bush was not Consumed; and the Lord said unto him, I am the God of thy Father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and Moses hid his Face, for he was afraid to look upon God; and the Lord said, I have surely seen the Affliction of my People which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry, by reason of their Tusk-masters, for I know their sorrow, and am come down to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians: And he chose Moses as an In∣strument to go unto Pharaoh, and to bring the Children of Israel out of Egypt, to whom, as an Assistant in this work, Aaron was added.

* 1.63 Moses and Aaron having declared unto Pharaoh the Message in which they were sent unto him from God, were sent away with many bad words, and many more grievous labours were inflicted upon the Israe∣lites then were before.

* 1.64 Moses being now eighty, and Aaron eighty, three Years of Age, be∣ing moved by the Lord, returned again to Pharaoh, where the Magi∣tians immitating the Miracles of Aarons Rod,* 1.65 made Pharaoh harden his heart, so that he would not let the Children of Israel go; where∣fore the Lord sent divers Plagues upon Pharaoh before they would let the Children of Israel go; and when the last Plague was brought up∣on them,* 1.66 then Pharaoh and his Servants made haste to send away the Israelites, with all their Substance, being six hundred thousand men, besides Children; and now being departed, Pharaoh with his Host over-took them; here Moses divided the Waters with his Rod, whom Pharaoh and his Army would needs follow,* 1.67 they were all over∣whelmed of the Waters coming together again; when the Israelites were thus freed from the Bondage of the Egyptians, they forth-with song a Song of Praise and Thanks-giving unto God for their deliver∣ance, which is called the Song of Moses.

After their encamping in the desert of Sinai, Moses went up into the Mount, and the Lord said unto him, Thus shalt thou say to the

House of Jacob- and tell the Children of Israel, Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bear you on Eagles Wings, and brought you unto my self; now therefore if you will obey my Voice indeed, and keep my Covenant, then ye shall be a Peculiar Treasure unto me above all People, for all the Earth is mine, and ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests, and an holy Nation; and Moses told the People what the Lord had Commanded him; all the People answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. But the Reader may see how ready and apt these People were to forget the tender dealings of the Lord towards them; for Moses and Aaron, and several of the Elders of Israel went up into the Mount and there beheld the Glory of God; and the reft returning, Moses with his Servant Joshua abode there still, and waited there six dayes, and upon the seventh day God speak unto him,* 1.68 and there he continu∣ed forty dayes and forty nights, eating no meat all that while, nor drinking water, where he received Gods Command, and the Law written in Tables of Stone, with Gods own Finger; God biding him withal to get him down, for that the People had already made them∣selves a Molten-Calf, to worship it:* 1.69

Moses seeing this, brake the Tables at the Foot of the Mount, and having burnt and defaced the Idol, many of the people were put to death by the hands of the Levites.

The next day Moses returned again into the Mount, and there again intreated the Lord for the People, and having drawn the People out of a deep Sence of the Wrath of God, to repent them of their sin, by his prayer he obtained that God himself should be their Leader in their way.* 1.70

God Commanded Moses to frame New Tables of Stone, and the next day to bring them with him into the Mount; Moses staying again forty dayes and forty nights in the Mount, without Meat or Drink, prayed there for the People, God was then pleased to renew his Covenant with the People, and gave his Laws a new, and bids Moses commit them to writing; Moses after forty dayes returns from the Mount with the Tables in his Hand and covering his Face with a Vail, because it shone; he published the Laws of God to the People enjoy∣ning the observation of them, and commanded a Freewill-offering to be made,* 1.71 toward the building of the Tabernacle according to Gods Order; Nadab and Abibue, the two Eldest Sons of Aaron (which go∣ing with their Father up into the Mount Sinai had there seen the Glo∣ry of God) going into the Sanctuary with strange or common Fire, were struck dead in the place by Fire sent from Heaven,* 1.72 and for them the Priests were forbid to make Lamentation; moreover, for some par∣ticular mens neglect of duty, all the Priests were charged to forbear Wine and strong Drink, before they were to go into the Taber∣nacle.

Moses finding the Goverment of the Israelites to be weighty, complained to the Lord of the burden thereof; saying, I am not able

to bear all this People alone, because it is too heavy for me; and to ease him, the Lord said, Gather seventy men of the Elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the Elders of the People,* 1.73 and Officers over them, and bring them to the Tabernacle of the Congregation, that they may stand there with thee; and Moses gathered the seventy Elders, and the Lord gave of the same Spirit that was on Moses unto them, and it rested upon them, and they Prophesied; and Eldad and Medad remained in the Camp, and Prophesied, and when it was told Moses that they pro∣phesied, Moses being pleased therewith, said, Would God that all the Lords People were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them.

The Israelites lusting after Flesh, and loathing the Food that God gave them,* 1.74 the Lord was Wrath with them, and brought Quales from the Sea, and let them fall by the Camp, and the People gather∣ed them; but whilst the Flesh was yet between their Teeth, ere it was chewed, the Wrath of the Lord was kindled against the People, and the Lord smote the people with a very great Plague; and thus God punished them again for their murmering.

And now twelve Spies were sent, one for every Tribe to discover and spy out the Land of Canaan:* 1.75 After forty dayes spent in searching out the Land, the Spies returned to Kadesh in the Wilder∣ness of Pearan, bringing with them one Branch of a Vine, with a Cluster of Grapes upon it, gathered in the Valley of Eshcol; ten of the twelve Spies, by speaking ill of the Country, and the barren∣ness thereof, and withal magnifying the Cities for their strength and the Giantly stature of the men therein,* 1.76 disheartned the People from marching any further toward it, whilest Caleb did all he could to perswade the people to go on; and now the People began to mur∣mer again against Moses and Aaron, and would needs go back again into Aegypt, and were ready to Stone Caleb and Joshua, for saying, the Land was an exceeding good Land, and that it flowed with Milk and Hony; and because of the Peoples complaining the Lord threa∣tens them with suddain Destruction, but through Moses's intercession and Prayer the Lord spared them yet so,* 1.77 that withal he denounced to them, that all of them which were then twenty years old and up∣wards should dye in the Wilderness, and never see the Land which was promised unto them; and that they should wander in that Wil∣derness forty years; but my Servant Caleb, because he hath another Spirit, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the Land, and his Seed shall Possess it.

Upon this Calamity, and the continual dropping away of the Israelites in the Wilderness, Moses prayed unto the Lord, and there∣upon it is supposed he writ the ninetieth Psalm,* 1.78 in which he sheweth, that the ordinary Age of Men was reduced to seventy or eighty years at the utmost, so that now the age of man was again contracted, and cut shorter.

And now again the People for lack of Water murmer against Mo∣ses and Aaron, [year 2552] whom when God Commanded to call Water out of the hard Rock,* 1.79 only by speaking to it; Moses being moved in his mind,

said, Hear now ye Rebels, must we fetch you Water out of the Rock? and with the Rod he smote the Rock twice, and the Water came forth aboundantly; Moses and Aaron for their unbelieve here shewed in executing the Command of God, were debarred from entering into the Land of Canaan; and the Waters were called Meribah, or Waters of Strife.

* 1.80 And now in the fortieth year after the coming of the Children of Isarel out of Egypt, Aaron died; and shortly after God signified to Moses that he should die; and Moses desired the Lord to set a man over the People, which might go in and out before them, and that might not be as Sheep without a Shepherd;* 1.81 and the Lord chose Joshua, a man in whom was the Spirit of God, and Moses layed his hands on him, and gave him a charge, as the Lord had commanded him; and here ends the matter of the five Books of Moses containing the History of the two thousand five hundred fifty two years and a half; and the Children of Israel mourned for Moses as they had done for Aaron thirty dayes in the Land of Moab.

* 1.82 And now Joshua succeeding Moses, the Lord Promised Joshua to be with him, and to Assist him, and the Lord was with him until he had Conquered all the Enemies of the Israelites; and now, when God was about to give the Israelites rest round about them, so that they might dwell there securely, it was requisite also that a place should be appointed which himself should chuse, to place his Name there; wherefore coming together at Shilo, they there fixed the Tabernacle of the Congregation, after the whole Land was subdued unto them. Now Shilo, both by the signification of the Name, and also by the situation of the place, seemeth to be the same with Salem, both which words signifieth Peace or Rest.

Joshua built the City of Timnah-Sera in Mount Ephraim, [year of the world 2561] in which he dwelt many years after God had given rest to Israel, and having lived a hundred and ten Years, he there died and was buried.

After the decease of Joshua and the Elders, who out lived him, [year of the world 2591] the Wonders which God had wrote for the Children of Israel,* 1.83 from the time of their first bringing out of Egypt, began to be forgotten by the Young men, every man now doing what seemed good in his own Eyes; all those disorders were committed, which are reported in the five last Chapters of the Book of Judges, to wit, the Idolatry of Micah, and the Children of Dan, and the War of the Benjaminites, and the cause thereof, and there succeeded a Generation of men which forgot God,* 1.84 and mingled themselves with the Canaanites by marriage, and worshipped their Idols, and God hereby was provoked to Wrath, and gave them up to Cushan, King of Mesapotania,* 1.85 which first calamity of theirs held them eighty years, until Othoniel, Son-in-law to Joshua, being stirred up by God as a Judge and Avenger of his People, defeated Cushan,* 1.86 and delivered the Israelites out of their Bondage and the Land had rest forty years after the rest which Joshua procured them.

After the decease of Othoniel, [year of the world 2661] the Israelites falling again to sin

against God,* 1.87 were again given over into the hands of Eglon King of Moab, who joyning with the Ammonites and Amalekites, overthrew the Israelites, and took Jerico; and this second Oppression of theirs continued for the space of eighteen years.

* 1.88 Then the Lord raised up Ehud to be an Avenger of his People, who slew Eglon and ten thousand of the Valiant men of Moah, and then the Land of Israel had rest forty years. But when Ehud was dead, they returned to their old Sin,* 1.89 wherefore they were brought again into Thraldom for twenty years, until Jabins Army was routed, and Sisera Captain of his Army was killed by Jael, the Wife of Heber, in her own Tent with a Nail struck into the Temples of his Head; whereupon Debora,* 1.90 a Prophetess, who at that time judged Israel, made a Song thereof for a memorial of that Victory, and the Land rested forty years.

The Israelites sinning again and doing evil in the sight of the Lord, [year of the world 2752] the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian seven years;* 1.91 the Israelites falling into this fourth Thraldom, cryed unto the Lord for help,* 1.92 and the Lord sent a Prophet unto them, who reproved them, and shewed them what great things the Lord had done for them, and encouraged them that they should not fear the Gods of the Amorites; and the Lord raised up Gideon,* 1.93 being stirred up by an Angel sent from God to deliver them; and first by Command from God he overturn∣ed the Altar of Baal, and burnt his Grove; and now the Midianites and Amorites pitching their Camp against him, the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and out of thirty two thousand men, he chose only three hundred according to Gods Commandment to fight against them,* 1.94 That so the Victory of Salvation might appear to be of the Arm of the Lord, that Israel might not Vaunt themselves against him. After he had obtained the Victory, when the Israelites offered to settle the Kingdom on his Posterity, he refused it, saying, The Lord shall rule over you; but receiving their Golden Earings, he made, thereof an Ephad, whereof they afterward took an occasion to fall into Idola∣try; but the Midianites being vanquished, the Land had rest forty years.* 1.95 So soon as Gideon was dead, the Israelites falling back to Ido∣latry, worshipped Baal-Berith for their God; and Abimelech the Son of Gideon (begotten upon a Concubine) purpossing to get unto himself the Kingdom which his Father had refused, slew seventy of his Bre∣thren, all upon one Stone; when Abimelech had goten the Kingdom, and had reigned three years, Gaal, a man of Sichem, conspired a∣gainst him, which being discovered to Abimelech, the City of Sichem was utterly Destroyed, and the Inhabitants put to the Sword, and from thence Abimelech going to besiege Thebez was knocked on the head with a piece of a Milstone cast upon him by a Woman, and then killed out-right by his own Armour-Bearer.

Now the Israelites forsaking again the true God and falling to Worship the Gods of several Nations, [year 2799] were given up into the hands of the Philistines.* 1.96

Sampson the Nazarite was born at Zora, who avenged the Israelites twenty years in the time of the Philistines, who slew a thousand of of them at one time with the Jawbone of an Ass, in which place, cal∣led Lehi, from that Jawbone, God at the prayer of Sampson clave an hollow place that was in the Jaw, and there came water there-out,* 1.97 and when he had drunk, he was revived, wherefore he called the name thereof En••hackore, that is, The Fountain of him which called upon God.

* 1.98 Sampson being betrayed by Dalila, and spoiled of the Hair of his Nazariteship, is delivered to the Philistines, who plucking out his Eyes, carried him away Prisoner to Gaza, and put him there in Prison, fast bound in Chains, where his strength renewing again, he pulled down the Temple of the great Dagon, killing the Princes of the Phi∣listines, with a very great multitude of People which were therein; more men being killed at the fall thereof, (with himself for Compa∣ny) then he had slain in all his life before, and he was buried with his Fathers, after he had been the avenger of the Israelites twenty years.

The Israelites being grievously oppressed by the Philistines, [year of the world 2908] Samp∣son being dead, Samuel was raised up of the Lord to be a Prophet unto them, who by his faithfulness was found a true Prophet,* 1.99 and by his word he was known to be faithful in Vision, he exhorted them to turn unto the Lord with all their hearts, and to put away their strange Gods, and to prepare their hearts unto the Lord, and to serve him only, and then he would deliver them out of the hands of the Phili∣stines; Then the Children of Israel did put away their Gods,* 1.100 and ser∣ved the Lord only, and the Philistines came no more to envade the borders of the Israelites, because they saw the Hand of the Lord was against them all the dayes of Samuel, till Saul came to be King, under whom they returned again, and grievously oppressed Israel;* 1.101 and Samnel being now grown old, took to him his two Sons to be his Assistants to Judge the People, and his Sons walked not in his wayes, but turned aside after lucre, and took Bribes, and perverted Judg∣ment; wherefore the Israelites were offended, and desired Samuel that they might have a King to Rule them, as other Nations had; this displeased Samuel, and he prayed unto the Lord,* 1.102 and the Lord said, Hearken unto the People, for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them: Whereupon God gave them a King in his Wrath, to wit, Saul; and now began the Israelites trouble again, for the Amorites besiege them;* 1.103 and Saul reigned but a short time until he was put from the Kingdom by the Philistines, and the Israelites were again grievously enthroaled by them.

Jesse the Ephrathite in his old age had his youngest Son David born at Bethlehem, [year 2919] which was afterwards therefore called the City of David, thirty years before he succeeded Saul in the Kingdom.

God having now rejected Saul, [year 2941] and debarred his Race and Family from succeeding in the Kingdom, sent Samuel, after his long mour∣ning for Saul, to Bethlehem, there to anoint David to be King (forty

years before the Rebellion of Absolom) who being a lovely keeper of a lovely Flock, was called from keeping his Fathers Sheep, and pre∣fered before his Elder Brethren, and being anointed in their presence he incurred their envy no lest then Joseph did of his Brethren;* 1.104 and at last was set over the Tribe of Juda at the same age that Joseph was made Ruler over all Egypt; mean while, from the very day of his anointing the Spirit of God came upon him, to wit, the Spirit of Courage and Wisdom, in both which respects, even whilst Saul li∣ved he was made Captain over Israel, and withal grew a great War∣rior to Fight the Lords Battel, and besides was a Prophet, and made the sweet Singer of Israel, as one who by his divine Psalms should teach and instruct the People of God.

* 1.105 The Armies of the Israelites and Philistines being ready to Battel, Caliah of Gath the Philistine, their great Champion, defied the Armies of Israel; wherefore David being stirred in his Zeal, said, who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defie the Armies of the li∣ving God; but Eliab, Davids eldest Bother, hearing him, was offen∣ded, and askt him, with whom he had left the Sheep in the Wil∣derness, and told him, he knew his Pride and naughtiness of his heart; and saith he, thou art come down that thou mayst see the Battel; David said, what I have now down, is there not a Cause? Saul being acquainted with Davids words, sent for him; and David told Saul, he would fight the Philistine; Saul replyed, Thou art not able to fight him, he is a man of War, and thou art but a Youth; David tells him, whilst he was keeping his Fathers Sheep he had killed a Lyon and a Bear, and that this uncircumcised Philistine, who had defied the Ar∣mies of the living God should be as one of them; then Saul bid him go, and said, the Lord be with thee, and armed him with his Ar∣mour, which David put off again, and took only his Staff, and five smooth Stones out of the Brook, and put them in his Shepherds bag, and with his Sling in his hand he drew neer to the Philistine. The Philistine defied his coming so meanly armed, David, said, Thou com∣est with Sword Spear and Shield, I come in the Name of the Lord of Host; and all thy Assembly shall know that the Lord saveth not with Sword and Spear, for the Battel is the Lords. And David slew the Philistine with a Stone and a Sling; and Saul taking notice of David's Valour, en∣quired whose Son the Stripling David was, and David brought the Philistines Head to Saul, which he had cut off with the Philistines own Sword, having first slain him with a Stone he Sling at him; and David told Saul whose Son he was, and after this David went out whi∣thersoever Saul sent him, and behaved himself wisely.

* 1.106 And David returning from the Slaughter of the Philistine, because it was said, Saul hath Slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands, Saul was very wroth with David from that day forwards, and an evil Spirit entered Saul, and the Lord departed from him, and he was affraid of David,* 1.107 because he saw the Lord was with him; and David behaved himself wisely, and all Israel and Juda loved him, but especi∣ally Jonathan the Son of Saul, who made a Covenant with David, be∣cause he loved him as his own Soul; and David fearing he might

at last fall into Sauls hands, fled; for Saul became Davids Enemy con∣tinually.

And now David being fled, and the Armies of the Philistines inva∣ding the Land, Saul fell into a fear, sought counsel from the Lord,* 1.108 but receiving no answer from him, neither by Dream, nor by Urim, nor by Prophets, he went to Endor by night to consult with a Witch: where by Vision he saw Samuel, who told Saul God shall deliver Israel, together with thy self, into the hands of the Philistines; for the Lord hath rent the Kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy Neighbour, even to David, because thou obeyed not the Voice of the Lord, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalcek.

The Host of Israel being routed the Sons of Saul were all slain, and Saul killed himself; when David heard it,* 1.109 he much lamented the Death of Saul and Jonathan, saying, Tell it not in Gath, publish it not in the Streets of Askelon, lest the Daughters of the Philistines re∣joyce, left the Daughters of the uncircumcised triumph; and further he said, I am distressed for thee my Brother Jonathan, very pleasant hast thou been unto me, thy Love to me was wonderful, passing the love of Women.

David having now built him an House of Cedar and living in a full and perfect peace, imparted unto Nathan the Prophet, [year of the world 2960] * 1.110 the purpose he had of building an House for God; but was answered from God, that this was a work which should be done not by him, because he was a man of Blood; but by his Son Solomon, a man of Peace, which should be born unto him.

Now David subdued the Philistines, the Edomites, the Amalekites, the Moabites, the Ammonites and the Syrians, and the Bounds of Israel were stretched out to the outmost part of all that Land, which had been formerly promised to the Seed of Abraham, but never before pos∣sessed so fully by any of them, as by David and Solomon his Son. [year of the world 2969]

* 1.111 At the end of this year, whilest David took his ease at Jerusalem, he there defiled by Adultery Bathsheba the Wife of Uriah the Hittite, who was then in the Army, and in consequence thereof procured the Husband to be slain by the hands of the Ammonites;* 1.112 when the Child so gotten in Adultery was born, David being convinced by Nathan the Prophet of his evil, acknowledged his Transgression, saying, My sin is ever before me; and repented of his sin, as may be seen at large in Psalm 51. yet the new born Babe was taken away by death: [year of the world 2971] Bathsheba being now his Wfe, bare David a Son, unto whom,* 1.113 as to one who should prove a man of Peace, God gave the name of Solomon, as to one beloved of God the Name of Jedidia. [year of the world 2987]

* 1.114 David for numbring the People kindled the Wrath of God against the Israelites; wherefore Gad the Prophet told David, thus saith the Lord, Chuse one of them, that I may do unto thee, viz. whether Fa∣mine, Sword or Pestilence; and David said, I am in great streight, and his Heart smote him,* 1.115 for he saw the evil he had done in Number∣ing the People; and said, Let us now fall into the Hands of the Lord, for his Mercies are great; and let me not fall into the hands of men. So the Lord sent the Pestilence upon Israel, and there died seventy thou∣sand men in one day.

David being now seventy years of age, [year of the world 2989] and broken with continual∣ly Cares and Wars,* 1.116 grew weak and feeble, and Adonias his Son seeing his Father thus declining, by the counsel and advice of Joah and Abiathar the high Priest,* 1.117 made himself King, whereof when Da∣vid was advertized by Bathsheba and Nathan, he presently caused his Son Solomon to be anointed King by Zadock the Priest, and Nathan the Prophet, and Benajah the Son of Jehojada in Gihon, which so soon as Adonias heard, he presently fled, and afterwards laying hold on the Horns of the Altar was pardoned by the favour of Solomon, and set at liberty;* 1.118 and now David assembling all the Governours and chief of Israel, together with his Sons and Servants, exhorted them all to fear and worship God.

David departed this life, [year of the world 2990] having reigned in Hebron seven years and and six Moneths,* 1.119 and thirty three years in Jerusalem over all Israel.

Solomon loved the Lord, [year of the world 2991] and walked in the Statutes of David his Father,* 1.120 and in Gibeon the Lord appeared to him in a Dream, and bid him ask and chuse what he would, and it should be given him; and Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy Servant David my Father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in Truth and Righ∣teousness; and now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy Servant King instead of David my Father, and I am but a little Child, I know not how to go out or come in;* 1.121 and he asked Wisdom, and an Under∣standing Heart to be given him of God; and the Speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing; God therefore gave him Wisdom from above,* 1.122 exceeding any that was before him, or should come after him, and of his Wisdom the first Experiment was made in deciding the Controversie between the two Women about the Child, which first gave him an esteem among the People, when they saw the Wisdom of God was in him to do Judgment.

Solomon having according to his Fathers direction (in whose heart it was to build an House for the Name of the Lord God of Israel) built the Temple, [year of the world 2012] which was seven years and a half in building;* 1.123 in the building of which there was neither Hammer nor Ax, nor any Tool of Iron heard in the House whilst it was in building; and now Solomon having built the Temple, he placed there the Ark, wherein was the Covenant of the Lord, which he made with the Children of Israel, when he brought them out of the Land of Aegypt; and Solomon stood before the Altar of the Lord, and in the Presence of the People said, Lord God of Israel, there is no God like thee in Heaven above, or in Earth beneath, who keepest Covenant and Mercy with thy Servants, that walk before thee with all their heart; and he made a long prayer for the Preservation of the People, & desir'd the Lord would be with them,* 1.124 as he was with their Fathers, and not leave them nor forsake them, and that he would incline their Hearts unto him to walk in all his Wayes, and to keep his Statutes and Judgments which he commanded their Fathers: Thus was Solomons beginning,* 1.125 but it was not long after, until he was drawn away by many strange Women, who towards his latter dayes drew

away his Heart into Idolatry, and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the Heart of David his Father, for he went after the Abominations of the Amonites, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord,* 1.126 and went not fully after the Lord as did David his Fa∣ther, and he built an high place for Chemosh, the Abomination of Moab; and for these things the Lord was angry with Solomon, and said, Because thou hast not kept my Covenant, I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee, yet in thy dayes I will not do it for David thy Fathers sake; but after this Solomon repented deeply, and made his peace with the Lord,* 1.127 as may be seen at large in the Book called the Preacher, and at last he died when he had reigned forty years.

Rehoboam the Son of Solomon, [year of the world 3029] when all Israel met at Sechem to make him King,* 1.128 by a harsh answer made unto them alienated the hearts of the ten Tribes from him, who presently sending into Egypt for Jeroboam the Son of Nebat, made him King over them; and fell off both from the House of David, and also from the true Worship of God, in memorial of which sad disaster the Jews afterward kept a Solemn fast yearly upon the twenty third of the third Moneth, cal∣led Sivan, from this dismal rent made in that Kingdom. Rehoboam reigned over Judea and Benjamin seventeen years, and Jeroboam over Israel, that is, over the ten Tribes by the space of twenty years.

And now Jeroboam fearing lest his new-gotten Subjects should re∣volt from him again,* 1.129 to divert their thoughts from looking any more after Jerusalem, set up a new deviced Form of Religion, setting up two Golden Calves, the one at Bethell, the other at Dan; and there he offered Sacrifices to his Calves, and the People run a Whoring after his Idolatry.

At which time a Prophet, and Man of God out of Judea, went to Bethell, and cryed out against the Altar, in the Word of the Lord,* 1.130 and bore his Testimony against the Kings Idolatry; and when the King stretched forth his hand to lay hold on him, his hand was dried up, and the Prophet foretold, That the Altar should be Rent: After this Prophet had done his Message, he was charged by the Lord, not to eat Bread, nor to drink Water, nor return by the way that he came; but being deceived by another, who said, he was a Prophet, and abused the Word of God unto him, was unfaithful to Gods Com∣mand; wherefore,* 1.131 as he was returning homeward he was slain by a Lyon, whereof when tidings came to the Prophet which had decei∣ved him, he took up his Body and buried it, mourning over him, [year of the world 3030] saying, Alas my Brother, and assured his Sons, that what had been fore∣told by the man of God should come to pass.

The Israelites who feared God falling off from Jeroboam to Rehobo∣am, maintained the Kingdom of Juda three years, for so long walked they in the wayes of David and Solomon.

Rehoboam being once settled in his Kingdom, [year of the world 3046] forsook the Law of the Lord, and all Israel and Juda with him;* 1.132 for the Jews who by their good Example should have stirred up their Brethren the Israelites to

repentance, provoked the Lord with their own Sins, wherein they offended more then any of their fore-Fathers had done, for they made also to themselves High-places, Images and Groves upon every high Hill, and under every green Tree, doing according to all the Abo∣minations of the Gentiles, which the Lord had therefore cast out be∣fore them.

After Rehoboam succeeded Abijah, [year of the world 3046] who putting his trust and confi∣dence in God, obtained a great Victory against Jeroboam, and slew five hundred thousand men, and took Bethel, where one of the Idola∣trous Calves was set up.

After the death of Abijah, [year of the world 3049] Asa his Son succeeded, and God gave ten years peace, without interuption in the Land, and this godly King Asa put away all Idolatry,* 1.133 and reformed the Kingdom; but when Asa dyed, though he was good, yet a better succeeded in his sta••d, his Son called Jehosaphat, who being settled in his Kingdom began with taking away the High-places,* 1.134 and the Groves; but when Jehosaphat dyed, [year of the world 3115] Jehoram his wicked Son slew all his Brethren, and many of the Princes of Israel, and following the counsel of his wicked Wife Atha∣liah, set up in Juda,* 1.135 and even in Jerusalem it self, the Idolatrous worship of Baal, after the manner of his Father-in-law Ahab and his house;* 1.136 for which he was reproved in a letter by the Prophet Elias, who foretold him what Calamities should fall upon him, because he had not walked in the wayes of his Father, but had made Juda, and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a Whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also had slain his Brethren of his Fathers house,* 1.137 which were better then himself; and according to what the Prophet had foretold, the Lord struck Jehoram with an incurable dis∣sease in the Bowels, and he died a miserable death; and his Son Achazia succeeded him, who also walked in the wayes of the wicked house of Ahab, for his Mother was his Counsellour to do wickedly, and the evil that he did in the sight of the Lord was his destruction, being sick he asked counsel of Baal-zebub the God of the Ekronites concerning his recovery; the Prophet Elias told the King plainly that he should dye, and accordingly he dyed.

* 1.138 Athalia the Daughter of Ahab seeing her own Son Achazia dead, destroyed all the Race of the house of Juda, and possessed her self of the Kingdom; but Jehosheba the Daughter of King Joram, and Wife to Jehoida the high Priest took Joash, being then an Infant, and Son to her Brother Ahazia, and him with his Nurse hid six moneths in the Temple,* 1.139 whilest Athalia ruled, and at seven years end brought him forth, and anointed him King, and caused Athalia to be slain, and restored the worship of the True God,* 1.140 destroying the worship of Baal.

* 1.141 This Joash did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all the dayes of Jehojada the Priest; now after the death of Jehojada, the King hearkning to the Princes of Juda, they left the house of the Lord God of their Fathers and served Groves and Idols, for which Sin the Lord sent his wrath upon them;* 1.142 yet he sent his Prophets to testifie against them, and to bring them back again, but they would

not hear, and Zechariah the Son of Jehoiada was moved by the Spirit of God to tell them that they had forsaken God,* 1.143 and that he had for∣saken them; for which Message they stoned him to death at the Com∣mandment of the King;* 1.144 thus Joash the King remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada Zachariahs Father had done to him; and when the Prophet dyed, he said,* 1.145 the Lord look upon it and require it; and now, mark what was the end of this King, his own Ser∣vants conspired against him, and slew him in his bed, as may be seen more at large in the account given of Gods Judgments against Perse∣cutors.

Amazia succeeded Joash, [year of the world 3194] and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart;* 1.146 for at last he set up the God of the Children of Seir, and bowed himself before them, and burnt Incense unto them; wherefore the anger of the Lord was Kin∣dled against him, and he sent a Prophet unto him to reprove him,* 1.147 to whom the King said, Art thou made of the Kings Council, forbear, wherefore shouldest thou be smitten; Nevertheless, the Pro∣phet said, I know God hath determined to destroy thee;* 1.148 and af∣ter the time that this King turned away his heart from the Lord he was slain.

After him succeeded Uzzia, under him did the Kingdom of Juda flourish, no less then that other of Israel did under Jeroboam the se∣cond, and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord,* 1.149 and he sought God in the dayes of Zachariah, and as long as he sought the Lord, and applyed his mind to matters of piety, God made him to prosper, and he subdued the Philistines, and other bordering Ene∣mies; and thus whilest he was weak and low, he was marvellously helped against his Enemies; but when he was strong,* 1.150 and lookt at his own strength, his heart was lifted up to his destruction; for he transgressed against the Lord, and burnt Incense, wherefore the Lord smote him with Leprosie, and he remained a Leper to the day of his death, and dwelt in a house several,* 1.151 for he was cut off from the house of the Lord; and he being dead, Jotham his son reigned, and he did that which was right in the fight of the Lord, how be it the Peo∣ple did yet do corruptly, but he be came mighty, because he prepared his wayes before the Lord his God. After him reigned Ahaz his Son, [year of the world 3242] who did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, for he walked in the ways of the Kings of Israel,* 1.152 who made also Moulten Images for Baalim, and burnt Incense on the High-places, and un∣der every green Tree, wherefore the Lord delivered him into the hands of his Enemies; and thus the Reader may see,* 1.153 how these peo∣ple and Children of Juda and Israel, to whom God had given a com∣mandment that they should fear him, and not forget him, and that then he would deliver them from their Enemies, howbeit they did not hearken, but were ready often to back-slide, and to serve their graven Images, both their Children and their Childrens Children unto this day.

Ahaz being dead Hezekiah his Son began to reign, [year of the world 3278] and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his Fa∣ther

David did; [year of the world 3374] he removed the High places, and broke the Images, and cut down the Groves,* 1.154 and brake in pieces the Brazen Serpent that Moses had made, for unto those dayes the Children of Israel did burn Incense to it, and he called it Nehushtan that is to say, a little piece of Brass; and thus this good Reformer he trusted in the Lord God of Israel, and he left not off throwing down the Altars and High Places, until he had Destroyed them all, causing a thorow Refor∣mation: And his zeal was so great for the Lord, that after him, as it is recorded, was none like him, among all the Kings of Iudah, nor any that was before him; for he clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, and the Lord was with him, and he prospered him whithersoever he went forth.

Hezekiah falling sick unto death, the Prophet Esaiah being com∣manded of the Lord, [year of the world 3291] said unto him, Set thine House in order, for thou shalt die,* 1.155 and not live; this moved Hezekiah's heart, that he wept sore, and turning to the Wall, prayed unto the Lord, saying, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in Truth, and with a Perfect Heart,* 1.156 and have done that which is good in thy sight, where∣fore the Lord had compassion on him, and added fifteen years more to his dayes; and Hezekiah dying Manasseh his Son reigned, and did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, after the Abomination of the Heathen, building the High-places which his Father had de∣stroyed, and again reared up Alters for Baal,* 1.157 and worshipped all the Host of Heaven, and served them, and used Inchantments, and dea∣ling with Familiar-Spirits, and Wizards, he wrought much Wicked∣ness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger; for which Abomination the Lord sent his Servants and Prophets to foretel, that for those Abominations he would bring such evil upon Jeru∣salem and Juda that whosoever should hear it their Ears should tingle;* 1.158 and the Lord brought upon Manasseh the Host of the Assyrians, which took Manasseh, and bound him with Fetters, and carried him Cap∣tive to Babylon; and now being in Affliction, he besought the Lord and humbled himself greatly before the God of his Fathers, where∣fore the Lord restored him again to his Kingdom, and then he knew that the Lord was God, and he cast out the Altars that he had built, and took away the strange Gods and Idols, and commanded the Peo∣ple to serve the Lord God of Israel; but still the People retained the High-places to Worship in: And after his death, his Son Amon was punished by the Lord, being slain by his Servants in his own House; and now these two bad Kings being taken away, the Lord raised up another good King,* 1.159 which was Josiah the Son of Amon, who reigned thirty four years in Ierusalem, and eaused again a Blessed and thorow Reformation amongst the People of Iuda and Jerusalem, making a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Testimonies with all his Heart,* 1.160 and with all his Soul, and he likewise cleansed away the Abominations from the People, and again stirred them up to serve the Lord their God, and all his dayes they departed not from following the Lord God of their Fa∣thers.

Nero King of Aegypt, [year of the world 3394] by Gods Command went against the King of Assyria, who at that time made War upon him,* 1.161 2 Kings 23.29. 2 Chro. 35.20, 21. Josiah unadvisedly engaging in this War was slain, and now this good King being taken out of the World, a World of Miseries grew on upon it, and such Lamentations there was, that it grew almost a common proverb, the Lamentation of Hadadrimon in the Valley of Megiddo;* 1.162 for not only the whole People living won∣derfully bewailing the death of Josiah, but the Ages following were sencible of the loss of him; and the Prophet Ieremiah in remember∣ance thereof wrote his mournful Book of Lamentations,* 1.163 wherein be∣wailing the Calamities which were shortly to befal the People, as if he had then presently beheld them, using these words, The Breath of our Nostrils, the ancinted of the Lord is taken in their pits, of whom we said, under the shaddow of his Wings we shall live among the Heathen.

After the death of Josiah his Youngest Son was anointed King, who presently fell to doing that which was evil in the sight of God,* 1.164 but Nero King of Egypt removed him after he had reigned three Moneths, and made Eliakim his Elder Brother King in his room, changing his name into Jehojakim, that thereby he might testifie to the World, that he ascribed the Victory by him gotten against the Assyrians to the Lord only, by whom he professed he was formerly sent against them.

In the Beginning of this Kings reign Jeremiah commanded by God, [year of the world 3395] went and stood in the Court of the Temple, and there exhorted the people to repentance; and when they would not,* 1.165 he denounced the Judgment of God against them, saying, that that House should become as Shilo, and that City should be cursed among all the Nations of the Earth; whereupon he was presently apprehended by the Priests and Prophets, and all the people then in the Court, and accused as a man worthy of death, but was acquitted and set at Liberty by the pub∣lick Judgment of the Princes and Elders.

* 1.166 At this time also Uriah prophesied against Jerusalem, and the Land of Juda, agreeable to the sayings of the Prophet Jeremiah, for which the King put him to death by the Sword, and threw his Carcass a∣mong the vilest Sepulchers of the comon people; yet Ahikam, who had formerly been a man of great Authority with King Josiah, ap∣peared so much in the behalf of the Prophet Jeremiah, that he was not delivered over into the hands of the people to be put to death at that time.

To these might be added the Prophet Habbakuk, to whom, when he complained of the stubornness of the Jews, God made this answer,* 1.167 That he would shortly send the Chaldeans into Juda; and further decla∣red his purpose concerning this matter, in these words, I will do a work in your dayes which you will not believe when it shall be told unto you; for behold, I will stir up the Chaldeans, a fierce Nation, and a swift, which shall walk through the breadth of the Land which is none of theirs, as their own Inheritance.

* 1.168 In the fourth year of this King Jehojakim, the Prophet Jeremiah

reproved the Jews, for not hearkning to the Word of the Lord which he had spoken unto them from time to time, and for not regarding the Exhortations of the Prophets which the Lord had sent unto them, and then again told them of the coming of Nebuchadnezar upon them,* 1.169 and of their being carried away Captives to Babylon, and that Cap∣tivity to last seventy years long, and during the seventy years time of Captivity, Daniel prophesied of the coming of the Messiah, who should bring in the Law of Everlasting Righteousness, and put an end to the Levitical Sacrifices.

Jehojakim being taken Prisoner by the Chaldeans, [year of the world 3405] was thrown out without burial, that is, was buried like an Ass, his Carcass being tugged and drawn out without the Gates of Jerusalem, according as was foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah; though in referance to the common course in nature he also may be said, to have slept with his Fa∣thers, as he is 2 Kings 24.6.

After him came his Son Jehoiachin, who was also called Jeconias, and reigned three Moneths and ten dayes in Jerusalem, who also did evil in the sight of the Lord as his Father had done before him, against whom the Lord by his Prophet Jeremiah declared a most dreadful Decree,* 1.170 saying, O Earth, Earth, Earth, hear the Word of the Lord, thus saith the Lord, write ye this man Childless, a man that shall not prosper in his dayes, for no man of his Seed shall prosper, sitting upon the Throne of David, and ruling any more in Juda; and pronounced a wo to the Pastors that scattered the Sheep, and that had not fed nor visited, the People; and therefore the Lord would Visit them for the evil of their doing, and that he would gather the Remnant of his Flock, and would set up Shepherds over them that should feed them, and that he would raise unto David a righteous Branch, that should execute Judgment and Justice in the Earth; and that in his day Juda should be saved, and Israel dwell safely; and this is his Name where∣with he shall be called, the Lord our Righteousness; and in the fence of this the Prophet cryed out. Mine heart within me is broken, because of the Prophets, all my Bones shake, I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom Wine hath overcome,* 1.171 because of the Lord, and because of the Word of his Holiness.

And Esaiah the Prophet had a true sight of the coming of the Bles∣sed Messiah; for he said, The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to Preach good tydings unto the Meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the Captives, and the opening the Prison to them that are bound, to proclaim the accepta∣ble year of the Lord, and the day of Vengence of our God; to comfort all that mourn, to appoint unto them that mourn in Sion, to give unto them Beauty for Ashes, the oyl of Joy for mourning, the garment of Praise for the Spirit of heaviness, that they might be called Trees of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that be might be glorified; and they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former Desolations, and they shall repair the Waste Cities, the Desolations of many Generations.

And thus the Reader may see the many glorious Dispensations, and manifestations of Gods Love unto mankind, to the holy Patriarchs and Prophets in all Generations, and now we are come according to what the Prophets foretold, to the day of the Appearance of that great Saviour of the World, whose Dispensation far exceeded all others in Glory, being that eternal Substance, which ended all Types Shad∣dows and Figures.

And thus these Jews who had been the true Worshippers, being apo∣statized and degenerated from their primitive glory, and institutions, and their Worship becoming meerly outside, for its said, they drew neer to God with their Mouthes, and honoured him with their Lips but their Hearts were far from him; the Prophets were raised up and sent from the Lord to Cry against them, and to foretel the Desolation and di∣struction that was to come upon them, which accordingly came to pass, as will be seen anon; and in this condition did Christ at his com∣ing find these Antient people the Jews, to whom God had formerly committed his Laws and Commands, and given his Oracles, but they were wholy apostatized from them, as will appear by their fruits in the following Discourse.

The Continuation of the Discourse from the Birth of Christ.* 1.172

AFter the Jews had Apostatized, according as the Prophets had foretold, and that the Messiah and Deliverer should come; so in the fulness of time Christ Jesus the Son of God was born of the Vir∣gin Mary, whom she roled in Swadling-Cloaths, and layed in a Manger because there was no room for him in the Inn;* 1.173 the Birth of Christ was revealed by an Angel of the Lord to Shepherds keeping their Flock by night in the Fields, and suddainly there was with the Angel a Multitude of the heavenly Host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth Peace and Good-will to men:* 1.174 The Shepherds making haste to Bethlehem, found Mary and Joseph and the Child lying in the Manger, and they published that which was told them concerning the Child, and they returned Praising and Glori∣fying God; but Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her Heart.

The Child was called Jesus (which signifies a Saviour) which was so declared by the Angel before he was conceived in the Womb.* 1.175 The Wise men from the East, the Star being their Guide, coming to Herod to Jerusalem, and there being taught that the Birth-place of Christ was at Bethlehem of Judea, they went thither, and entering in∣to the House which was shewed them by the Star, which stood over it; they found the little Child and Mary his Mother, and falling down worshipped him, and having opened their Treasures, they of∣fered unto him Gold, Frankinseence and Myrhe. Then being warned of God in a Dream that they should not return unto Herod, they departed into their own Country another way.

And when the Child was brought by his Parents to Jerusalem to be presented to the Lord, there came into the Temple one Simeon a just and devout man, who had waited for the Consolation of Israel; and the holy Ghost was upon him, and it was revealed unto him by the holy Ghost, That he should not see Death before he had seen the Lords Christ; & he came by the Spirit into the Temple, and when the Parents brought the Child to do for him after the custom of the Law, then took he him up in his Arms,* 1.176 and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou they Servant depart in Peace, according to thy Word; for mine Eyes hath seen thy Salvation, which thou hast ppreared before the Face of all People; a Light to Lighten the Gentiles, and the Glory of thy People Israel: and Joseph, and his Mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him; and Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his Mother, Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against.

In the same moment came Anna, a Prophetess, the Daughter of Phanuel, she also openly acknowledged the Lord, and speak of him to all that looked for Redemption in Jerusalem.

When Joseph and Mary had performed all things according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, unto their own City Nazareth.

The Angel of the Lord appearing unto Joseph in a Dream, sheweth him, that he should flee into Egypt, that he might provide for the life of the Child, and escape the Devices of Herod,* 1.177 who being awakened took the Young Child, and his Mother by night, and departed into Aegypt, where he remained until the death of Herod: Herod think∣ing the Young Child had been still at Bethlehem, that he might De∣stroy him among the rest, killed all the Children that were in Bethle∣hem, and in all the Coast thereof from two years old and under, accor∣ding to the time (of the Star first seen in the East) that he had enqui∣red of the Wise-men.

Herod shortly after dyed Miserably, being dead, the Angel of the Lord appeared unto Joseph in a Dream in Egypt, and commanded, that he should return with the young Child and his Mother into the Land of Israel; but when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Juda in the room of his Father Herod, he feared to go thither, and being warned of God in a dream, he departed into the parts of Galilee, and there dwelt in the City Nazareth, from whence Jesus took the Name of Nazarene, and the Christians of Nazarenes.

In the year of the World 4010. it being the Passover, [year of Christ 12] Christ in the Twelfth year of his Age was brought by Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem; his Parents returning home, he stayed behind,* 1.178 they not knowing where he was, sought him three dayes, and found him in the Temple sit∣ting in the midest of the Doctors, hearing them, and asking them Questions; and all that heard him were astonished at his Understand∣ing and Answers, and he went down with his Parents to Nazareth, and was obedient unto them, and followed his Fathers Trade of a Carpenter.

In the year of the World 4030. and in the thirtieth year of Christ, [year of Christ 30] John—came forth in his Ministry, Crying with a loud Voice in the Wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his Pathes streight,* 1.179 and opening the acceptable year of the Lord, or the time of his divine pleasure, preaching Repentance and Remission of Sins, being cloathed with a Garment of Camels Hair, and a girdle of Skins about his Loyns, and his food was Locus and wild Hony.

And now Jesus being filled with the Holy Ghost he was led by the Spirit into the desart, where he fasted forty dayes & forty night, where he was tempted,* 1.180 but the Tempter could find no place in him▪ when John was asked by the Sect of the Pharisees, who he was, he told them he was not the Christ, and denying that he was Elias or that Prophet; but said, he was the Voice of one Crying in the Wilderness, Make strait the Way of the Lord; and told them, I Baptize with Water, but there standeth ono amongst you, whom ye know not, he it is who cometh after me, who is preferred before me, whose Shoe Latchet I

am not worthy to unloose: The next day John seeing Jesus coming to him, saith, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the world; This is he of whom I spake, there cometh one after me that is preferred before me,* 1.181 and I saw him, and testifie that this is the Son of God.

And now Jesus going into Galilee, commanded Philip to follow him, he finding Nathaniel under a Fig-tree, and brings him to Jesus, who pronounces him to be truly an Israelite in whom was no guile.

And now we are come to the Publick Ministry of Christ, whose Acts I shall briefly mention before I proceed to give an ac∣count of his Suffering and Death.

JEsus working Miracles many believed on him, but he did not com∣mit himself unto them,* 1.182 because he knew what is in man, leaving Jerusalem where he had been at the Passover, he went into the Land of Judea, with his Disciples, where after he had stayed eight mo∣neths, he went into Galilee again, but he must needs go through Samaria, where he brings the Samaritan Woman off from the Jerusalem worship,* 1.183 to the worship of the Father in the Spirit and Truth; and in Galilee he worked many Miracles, healing the sick, and casting out Devils, going through all Galilee, and preach∣ing in their Synagogues, and healing every disease, and his fame went into all Syria; and a great Multitude followed him, and in a certain City he heals a Leper, who though he was forbid, yet he publisheth it, and they came to him from every place to hear him, and to be healed, insomuch, that he could no more enter openly into the City, but was in desart places and prayed.

After these things was the Feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,* 1.184 where, for healing a man on the Sabboth day, that had had an Infirmity thirty eight years, lying at the Pool of Bethesda: The Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the Sabboth day; Jesus told them, My Fa∣ther worketh hitherto, and I work; wherefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he said, that God was his Father; Jesus said, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for whatsoever he doth, these also doth the Son; for the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doth, and he will shew him grea∣ter things then these, that ye may marvel, for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all Iudgment unto the Son, that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father, he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that hath sent him.

And it came to pass in those dayes, that he went into a Mountain to pray,* 1.185 and continued in prayer all night, and when it was day he chose twelve, whom he called Apostles, and he came down with them, and stood in the Plain, and a great multitude coming unto him,

he went up into a Mountain again, and there spake first to his Apostles, and afterwards to the People, exhorting his Disciples to lowliness, pronouncing a Blessing to the Poor, and to them that weep now,* 1.186 but a Wo unto them that were Rich, and Full, and unto them that laughed now, for they should mourn and weep; and that they should love their Enemies, and do good to them which hate them: And when he had ended all his Sayings in the Audience of the People, he en∣tered into Capern••um, and heals the Centurions Servant that lay sick ready to dye; and afterward he went from City to City Preaching, and his Disciples were with him, and certain Women Ministred un∣to him: And whilest he spake to the People, it was told him, [year of Christ 13] that his Mother and Brethren stood without, desiring to see him, and to speak with him, he answered and said, my Mother and Brethren are these which hear the Word of God and do it.

And as Jesus was going to the House of Jairus (who fell down at Jesus his Feet, and besought him that he would come to his House, for he had one only Daughter of about twelve years of Age,* 1.187 and she lay a dying) the People thronged him as he went, and a Woman having an Issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her Li∣ving upon Physitians, neither could be healed of any, came behind him, and touched the Border of his Garment, and she was healed, and the Daughter of Jairus now already dead, is restored to life by his Word only, and likewise he straightly chargeth that no man should know it.

When he departed thence, two blind men followed him,* 1.188 whose Eyes he opened, straightly charging, that no man should know it; as they went out, behold, they brought unto him a Dumb man Pos∣sessed with a Devil, and when the Devil was cast out, the Dumb speak, and a Multitude marvelled, but the Pharisees Blasphemed; and he went round about all their Cities and Villages, teaching and healing all their Diseases;* 1.189 and he was moved with compassion to∣wards the great multitude, when he saw the great Harvest and the few Labourers, and saith to his Disciples, that they should pray the Lord that he would send forth Labourers; and he sends forth the twelve Apostles to Preach the Gospel.

He saith to his Disciples, Wo unto them by whom Offences come; and he teacheth them, that if thy Brother sin against thee, he is to be forgiven.

Lazarus of Bethany was sick, his Sisters therefore sends to Jesus to tell him of his sickness, assoon as he heard that he was sick, he tarries to dayes in the place where he was, but afterwards he saith to his Dis∣ciples, let us go again into Judea, who say to him, the Jews of late sought to Stone thee, and goest thou thither again? Jesus answer∣ing, saith unto them, Lazarus sleepeth (speaking of his Death, not of his Sleep) let us go to him, saith Thomas, that we may dye with him; Jesus comes nigh unto Bethany, and finds that Lazarus had been buried four dayes in the Grave; Martha comes to meet him, they discourse concerning the Resurrection; Mary hearing of it comes quickly to him without the Town, where Martha met him,

who seeing her weep, Jesus wept, and comes to the Grave, bidding them remove the Stone, and giving thanks to his Father, calls Laza∣rus out of his Grave;* 1.190 whereupon many believed on him, and some going to the Pharisees telling what things Jesus had done, they called therefore a Council, where Caiaphas Prophesied concerning Jesus, and from that day consulted together, that they might put him to death, commanding, that if any knew where he was, they should give notice, that they might take him; and at another time the Pharisees said, Behold, the whole World is gone after him.

And Jesus travelling towards Jerusalem,* 1.191 when he came nigh, see∣ing the City, he wept over it, foretelling the utter Destruction thereof; and being come to Ierusalem, having spoken of the desolation and ruin of it, as he sat on the Mount of Olive, over-against the Temple, his Disciples asked him, when these thing shall be, and what shall be the signs of thy coming?* 1.192 to whom he answers at large, and warns them to Watch, and to be ready, for they know not the hour when the Lord will come, and teacheth the same thing by the Parable of the ten Virgins, as also by the Parable of the Tallents deli∣vered to the Servants to Trade withal.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these sayings, he saith to his Disciples, Ye know that after two dayes is the Passover, and the Son of Man shall be betrayed to be crucified. Then they consulted together in the Palace of the High-Priest, that they might kill Jesus, but they said,* 1.193 not on the Feast-day, least there be an uproar among the Peo∣ple; then entered Satan into Judas, who offers himself, and Co∣venants to betray him.

In the first day of the Unleavened Bread, when the Passover was slain, and in the Evening he cometh with the twelve, and when they had sat down and eaten, Jesus said, I have greatly desired to eat this Passover before I suffer; and he further said; One of you shall betray me;* 1.194 and they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him, one by one, Is it I? He answered, It is he that dippeth his hand with me in the d••sh; and to Iudas, asking, Is it I? He saith, Thou hast said.

When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this World unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the World, he loved them unto the end; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God, there being a strife among his Disciples who should be greatest, he riseth after Supper, and layes aside his Garments,* 1.195 and took a Towel, and girded himself; after that, he poured Water into a Bason, and began to wash the Disciples Feet; Peter saith, Thou shalt never wash my Feet; Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me; Peter saith, Not my Feet only, but also my Hands, and my Head: After he had washed their Feet, and had taken his Garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you, you call me Ma∣ster and Lord, and ye say well; for so I am; if then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet, you ought also to wash one anothers Feet; for I have given you an Example, that you should do as I have

done to you; and speaking further to his Disciples, he was trou∣bled in Spirit, and said, One of you shall betray me, they looked one upon another, doubting of whom he speak; one of the Disciples whom Jesus loved, lying on Jesus his Breast, said, Lord, who is it? Jesus said, He it is to whom I shall give a stop, after I have dipped it, and he gave it to Judas, and said to him, What thou doest do quick∣ly. Now when Judas had received the stop, he went immediately out; when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man Glo∣rified, and God is Glorified in him; little Children, yet a little while I am with you, ye shall seek me, and as I said to the Jews, Whither I go you cannot come, so now I say unto you,* 1.196 a New Commandment I give unto you, That you love one another, as I have loved you, by this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples, if you have love one to ano∣ther: Peter said, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered, Whi∣ther I go thou canst not follow me now, but thou shalt follow me afterwards; Peter said, Why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my Life for thy sake; Jesus answered, The Cock shall not crow till thou hast de∣nyed me thrice.

Against their sorrow conceived by them for his death he comforts them, saying, Let not your hearts be troubled;* 1.197 and that in his Fa∣thers House were many Mansions; and that the Comforter, the ho∣ly Ghost should come, and be their Teacher; and he exhorts them to to abide patiently the hatred of the World, which hated him, and that they should not be offended though Persecutions attended them.

Again, entering into a Garden with his Disciples, unto whom he said, Pray ye that ye enter not into Temptation;* 1.198 sit here till I go and pray yonder, and he took Peter, and the two Sons of Zebedee, with him, and said unto them, Tarry here and watch; and being with∣drawn from them about a Stones cast, he kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing remove this Cup from me, nevertheless not my Will, but thine be done; and there appeared an Angel from Hea∣ven strengthening him, then he returns and finds his Disciples sleep∣ing, he reprehends and admonisheth them,* 1.199 and being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood; and while he was yet speaking to his Disciples, Judas came and betrayed him to the chief Priests, and they took him; and he said unto them, This is your hour and Power of Darkness; and the Disciples left him, and fled; and they bound Jesus,* 1.200 and brought him first to Annas, who sent him to Caiphas the High-Priest, where were all the chief Priests, Elders and Scribes of the People gathered to∣gether; then Caiphas asked him concerning his Disciples, and his Doctrine; Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the World, ask them that heard me; therefore one of the Officers struck him with a Staff, to whom he answered. If I have well spoken, why smitest thou me? Then all the Council sought false Witness against him, and found none; at last two Witnesses came, but their Testimony agreed not; Caiphas then said, answerest thou not to what they wit∣ness against thee, but Jesus held his peace; then he adjured him that

he should tell, whether he were the Christ, and he answered, I am; wherefore they judged him guilty of death, for this Blasphemy (as they accounted it.* 1.201) Then they Mocked him, and Spit on him, and cruelly beat him with Buffits, and Staves, and covering his Face, they said, Prophesie who smote thee; and many other things they re∣proachfully spoke against him.

And they led him bound unto Pontius Pilate the Governour, from Caiphas, to the Hall of Judgment, and they began to accuse him say∣ing, We found this Man perverting the Nation, and forbidding to give Tribute to Caesar,* 1.202 saying, that himself is Christ, a King, and when he was accused of the chief Priest and Elders, he answered nothing; then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they Witness against thee, but he answered him not a word, so that Pilate marvell'd; then said Pilate, take ye him & judge him according to your Law, but they urged, it is not lawful for us to put any man to death; Pilate then entered into the Judgment Hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him,* 1.203 Art thou the King of the Jews, Jesus answered, Sayest thou this of thy self, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate an∣swered, Am I a Jew? thine own Nation, and the chief Priests have de∣livered thee unto me, what hast thou done? Jesus answered, My Kingdom is not of this World; Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a King then?* 1.204 Jesus answered, For this cause came I into the World, that I might bear Witness unto the Truth; Pilate said unto him, What is Truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews and said unto them,* 1.205 I find in him no fault at all; and they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the People, teaching throughout all Galilee to this place; Pilate therefore hearing of Galilee, asked, if he were a Galilean? and when he knew, that he belonged to He∣rod's Juridictions, he sent him to Herod, who was at Jerusalem in those dayes,* 1.206 and when he saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad, but be∣ing deceived in his hopes of seeing a Miracle, and not vouchsafed any answer either to him or the chief Priests and Scribes, vehement∣ly accusing him; after Herod had set Jesus at nought and mocked him, Sends him back to Pilate arrayed in a gorgeous Robe;* 1.207 and both the Gover∣nors were made Friends that same day; and Pilate when he had called the chief Priests, and the Rulers, and the People, said unto them, Neither I nor Herod find any fault in him,* 1.208 nor any thing worthy of Death, I will therefore Chastize him and release him, for the Go∣vernor was of necessity every Feast (as the custom was) to deliver to the People one Prisoner whom they would, and the Multitude cry∣ing out aloud, began to desire that he would do unto them as he had ever done; Pilate therefore calling them, said unto them, Ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover; will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?* 1.209 Which will ye, either this man or Barrabas? For he knew that the chief Priests had delivered him for envy, but they stirred up the People that he should rather deliver Barrabas unto them: Now he was a notable Thief, who lay bound with them that made Insurrection, and for

Insurrection and Murder in the City was Cast into Prison, and when Pilate was sate down in the Judgment Seat, his Wife sent unto him, saying, Have nothing to do with the just man;* 1.210 for I have suffered many things in my Dream by reason of him this day; Pilate therefore spake unto them again, being willing to release Jesus; which of the twain will you that I release unto you? but they all cryed out, saying, not him, but Barrabas; Pilate, therefore answering, said unto them, what will you that I shall do unto him that ye call King of the Jews, and they all cryed out again, Crucifie him; Pilate said, but what evil hath he done, I find no Cause of death in him? I will therefore Cha••tize him and let him go, but they cryed more earnestly, Crucifie him, and were very instant with loud Voices, desiring the same;* 1.211 then Pilate took Je∣sus and Scourged him, and the Soldiers plated a Crown of Thornes, and put it on his Head, and cloathed him with Purple, saying, Haile King of the Jews; and beat him with staves, Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them; behold, I bring him forth unto you, that you may know I find no fault in him; then Jesus came forth, wearing the Crown of Thorns, and the Robe, and Pilate said unto them, behold the man. When the Chief Priests and Officers saw him, they cryed out, saying, Crucifie him, Crucifie him; Pilate said, take ye him and Crucifie him, for I find no fault in him; the Jews said he ought to dye, because he made himself the Son of God; when Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more affraid,* 1.212 and went again into the Judgment Hall, and said to Jesus, Whence art thou, but Jesus gave him no answer; then said Pilate speakest thou not unto me, knowest thou not that I have Power to Crucifie thee? Jesus an∣swered, thou couldest have no power unless it were given thee from above, and from thence forth Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cryed out, then thou art not Caesars Friend; when Pilate heard this, he brought forth Jesus, and sate in the Judgment Seat, in the Place, called the Pavement, and it was the Preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour; then said he unto the Jews,* 1.213 behold your King, but they cryed out, Away with him, Away with him, Crucifie him, Pilate said unto them, shall I Crucifie your King? Then answered the Chief Priests, we have no King but Caesar;* 1.214 when Pilate therefore saw that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a Tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the Multitude, saying, I am innocent of the Blood of this just Person, see you to it, and all the People answered and said, his Blood be upon us and our Children; then willing to content the Multitude, he released unto them Barra∣bas; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him ••ver to their will, that he might be Crucified.

And the Soldiers of the Governour, when they had led Jesus in∣to the Hall, called Praetoriam, they called together the whole Band, and when they had stripped him, they put upon him a scarlet Robe, and plated a Crown of thorns, and put it on his head,* 1.215 and a Reed in his right Hand, and bowing the Knee, mocked him, saying, hail King of the Jews; and when they had spit on him, they took that Reed, and smote him on the Head; and when they had mocked him they took off

the Purple from him, and put his own Clothes on him, and led him out to Crucifie him.

Then Judas which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was con∣demned, repented himself, and brought the thirty Pieces of Silver to the Chief Priests,* 1.216 confesting his Sin unto them, and casting the Silver Pieces into the Temple, went and hanged himself; and they bought with them the Potters-field, that the Prophesie might be ful∣filled.

And Jesus came forth carrying his Cross, but as they were lead∣ing him, they found one Simon of Cyreen, who came out of the Coun∣try, whom they took and compelled to carry the Cross after Jesus; and there were two Thieves that were led with him, that they might be Crucified, and there followed a great Multitude of People, and of Women that Lamented him, to whom he turned and foretold the Lamentable destruction of Jerusalem; and when they were come into the Place called Calvary, but in the Hebrew Golgotha, they gave unto him wine mingled with Mirrhe, and Vineger mingled with Gall, and when he had tasted it, he would not drink it, and they Cr••∣cified him there, (and it was the third hour) and the two Thieves with him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and Jesus said, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do; and Pilate wrote a Superscription in Hebrew Greek, and Latine, and put it on the Cross, which at the request of the high Priest, Pilate would not alter; and after they Crucified him, they parted his Garments into four parts to every Souldier that was imployed in the Execution a part, casting lots, and likewise upon his Seamless Coat, whose it should be, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, and they sitting down, watch∣ed him there; and the People stood beholding him, but they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Oh, thou that destroyest the Temple, and buildest it in three dayes, save thy self, if thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross; likewise also the chief Priest and Rulers,* 1.217 with the People mocking and scof∣fing, with the Scribes and Elders, said among themselves, he saved others, himself he cannot save; if he be the King of Israel, if that Christ, the chosen of God, let him come down from the Cross, and we will believe him; he trusted in God, let him deliver him; for he said,* 1.218 I am the Son of God: The Souldiers also mocked him, and com∣ing unto him offered him Vineger, saying, if thou be the King of the Jews save thy self; one of the Thieves also which were crucified with him, continued rayling against him, the other being converted, re∣buked him that rayled, and said unto Jesus, Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom; to whom Christ answered, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradice; and there stood by his Cross the Mo∣ther of Jesus, and his Mothers Sister Mary, the Wife of Cleoph••••, and Mary Magdalene; when therefore Jesus saw his Mother, and the Dis∣ciple whom he loved, standing; he said unto his Mother, behold thy Son, and to the Disciple, behold thy Mother: And when the sixth hour was come there was darkness over all the Land or Country un∣til the nineth hour, and about the ninth hour Jesus cryed with aloud Voice

Eli, Eli, or Eloi, Eloi lamma Sabacthani; and some that stood by said, that he called Elias; after this when Jesus knew that all things were accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, I thirst, now there was set there a Vessel full of Vineger, and they filled a Spung with Vineger, and put it upon Isop or a Reed, and put it to his Mouth, saying, also with rest, let it be, let us see if Elias will come to save him, and take him down: But Jesus when he had re∣ceived the Vineger, said, It is finished; and again he cried with a loud voice, Father into thy Hands I commend my Spirit,* 1.219 and bowing his head he gave up the Ghost. And when the Centurion saw that he so cried out, and gave up the Ghost, he Glorified God, saying, truely this is a just man, truly this is the Son of God.

And behold the vail of the Temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom, and the Earth did quake, and the Rocks rent, and the Graves were opened, and many Bodies of the Saints which slept arose, and came out of the Graves after his Resurrection, and went into the holy City, and appeared unto many, and the Centu∣rion, and they that stood over against, and those that watched Jesus, when they saw the Earth quake, and the things that were done, feared greatly, saying, Truly, this was the Son of God; and all the peo∣ple that came together to that sight, beholding the things that were done, smote their Brests and returned, and his Aquaintance, and the Women which follwed him from Galilee stood afar off, beholding these things, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the Mo∣ther of James the less, and Mother of Joses and Salome, who also when he was in Galilee followed him, and Ministred unto him, there were also many other Women that came up to Jerusalem with him.

The Jews therefore, that the Bodies should not remain on the Cross on the Sabboth, because it was the preparation (for that Sab∣both was an High day) besought Pilate, that their Legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away; the Souldiers there∣fore came and brake the Legs of the two Thieves, but not of Jesus, because he was already dead, but one of the Souldiers with a Spear pierced his side, and there came out strait-way Blood and Water; and these things were suffered to be done that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

And when Evening was now come, because it was the Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabb••th, cometh Joseph of Arimathea, a Rich man, and an honourable Councellor, who also looked for the Kingdom of God, a good man, and a just, and had not consented to the Council and deed of them, being a Disciple, but secretly, for fear of the Jews,* 1.220 came boldly unto Pilate, and begged the Body of Jesus, Pilate mar∣velled if he were already dead, and called a Centurion, asked him, and when he knew it, he gave the Body to Joseph; there cometh al∣so Nichodemus (which at the first came to Jesus by night) and brought a mixture of Myrrhe and Aloes, about an hundred pound weight; they took therefore the Body of Jesus, ad wound it in a Linnen Cloath, with the Spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury; and Joseph,

when he had wrapped him in a clean Linnen Cloth, laid it in his own Sepulchre, which he had hewn out of a Rock, wherein never man was laid,* 1.221 and which was in a Garden in a place where Jesus was Cru∣cified? and Joseph roled a great Stone to the door of the Sepulchre, and Mary Magdelene and Mary the Mother of Joses, which came with him from Galilee, beheld where they had laid him, and sat over against the Sepulchre, and they returned, and prepared Spices and Oynt∣ments, and rested the Sabboth day,* 1.222 according to the commandments, the next day the Pharisees besought Pilate that he would command the Sepulchre to be made sure until the third day, shewing him a rea∣son, which when he had yielded unto, they went and made the Sepul∣chre sure, sealing the Stone and setting a Watch.

In the end of the Sabboth, or when the Sabboth was now past, when it dawned towards the first day of the week, in the Morning very early, whiles it w•••• yet dark came Mary Magdelene, and Mary the Mother of James and Salome, bringing Spices, which they had bought, that they might see the Sepulchre, and anoint Jesus; and they said among themselves, who shall role away the Stone from the door for us; and when the Sun was risen, coming to the Sepulchre, they saw the stone was roled away; for behold there was a great Earth quake, for the Angel of the Lord came down from Heaven, and roled away the Stone, and sate upon it, and they went in and found not the Body of the Lord Je∣sus, and it came to pass as they were much perplexed thereat, that behold two men came to them in shining Raiment, their Counti∣nances was as Lightening, and their Garments white as Snow, (Mat∣thew and Mark speak but of one Angel) and the Keepers for fear did shake, and became as dead men, and when the Woman were afraid, and bowed their faces to the Earth, the Angel said unto them, fear not ye, I know ye seek Jesus which was Crucified; why seek ye the living among the dead? he is not here, he is risen, as he said; come and see the place where the Lord was laid, and remember what he said while he was yet in Galilee with you, saying, the Son of man, must be delivered into the hands of sinfull men, and be Crucified, and the third day rise again, but go ye quickly, and tell his Disciples, and Peter, that he is risen again from the dead, and behold he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him; behold I have told you; then the Woman remembered the Words of Jesus, and they departed quickly out of the Sepulchre with fear, and wonder, and great joy, and ran that they might tell his Disciples, but they said nothing to any man (as they went) for they were afraid, and when the Women told these things to the Eleven, and to all the rest, their words seem∣ed unto them as idle Tales, but Mary Magdelene telling Peter, and the other Disciple whom Jesus loved, they have taken away the Lord, and we know not where they have laid him; Peter there∣fore, and that other Disciple went out and came to the Sepul∣chre, but that other Disciple out-ran Peter, and came first to the Se∣pulchre, and when he stooped down he saw the Linnen Cloathes lying, but went not in; then came Peter following him, and went into the Sepulchre, and seeth the Linnen Cloathes lie, and the Napkin

that was about his head, not lying with the Linnen Cloaths, but wrap∣ped together in a place by it self; then went in that other Disciple, and saw, and believed; and Peter went unto his own home wondering at what was done, for as yet they knew not the Scriptures that he must rise again from the dead, and the Disciples went unto their own home: But Mary Magdelene stood without at the Sepulchre weeping, and whilest she yet wept, she stooped down into the Sepulchre, and seeth two Angels in white, sitting the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain, who said unto her, Wo∣man why weepest thou? she said unto them, They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him;* 1.223 and when she had said thus, she turned her self back, and saw Jesus standing, but knew not that it was him; and Jesus said unto her, Why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? she supposing him to be the Gardner, answered and said, If thou hast born him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away, Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go and tell my Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, unto my God and your God; and she came and told his Disciples, and those that had been with him,* 1.224 as they were weeping and mourning, that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things unto her; but they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not: And as the Women went from the Sepulchre, that they might tell his Dis∣ciples, behold Jesus meets them, and spake unto them, saying, Be not afraid, go ye and tell my Brethren, that I go into Galilee, there shall they see me.

Now when they were going, behold some of the Watch came in∣to the City, and shewed unto the High-Priests all things that were done; and when they were assembled with the Elders, they took Counsel that they should give large Money to the Souldiers, that they should say, that his Disciples came by night, and stole him away whilest they slept, and if this comes to the Governors Ears, we (say they) will perswade him, and secure you; so they took their Money, and did as they were taught; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews to this day.

And behold two of them went into the Country that same day to a Village sixty Furlongs from Jerusalem, called Emmaus,* 1.225 and as they journy∣ed Jesus went along with them, and they telling what things were done in those dayes concerning Jesus of Nazareth, how he was Cru∣cified, and that he rose again; Jesus shews them out of the Sciptures, that it behoved Christ to suffer, and to enter into his Glory. And in the Village when he had taken Bread, and given thanks and brake it, and given it unto them, he was known unto them, their Eyes be∣ing opened; although he appeared in another Form, but he vanish∣ed out of their sight; and they rose up that same hour, and returned to Jerusalem to the Eleven, and those that were with them, who told them, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon; then they told them what things were done in the way, and how he was known

of them in breaking of Bread; but neither believed they them. But whilest they yet spake, whilest it was Evening, in the first day of the week, the Door being shut, where the Disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews,* 1.226 cometh Jesus himself, and stood in the midest of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you; but they were terri∣fied, and affrighted, supposing they had seen a Spirit; but he up∣breaded them with their unbelief and heardness of heart,* 1.227 be∣cause they believed not them that had seen him since he was risen; and he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? See my Hands and my Feet, a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones, and he shewed them his Hands, and his Feet, and his Side; and when they believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? and he eat a piece of boiled Fish, and an Hony-Comb; and the Disciples rejoyced that they had seen the Lord; and he said unto them, These are the words that I spake unto you, that all things must be fullfilled that was writ∣ten in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms of me; then opened he their understandings,* 1.228 that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoo∣veth Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, and ye are witnesses of these things, and behold I send the Pro∣mise of my Father among you,* 1.229 but tarry ye at Jerusalem till ye be endued with Power from on High. He saith unto them again, Peace be unto you, as my Father sent me, so send I you; go ye into the World and preach the Gospel to every Creature; he that believeth, and is Baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned, and these signs shall fol∣low them that believe; in my Name they shall cast out Devils, and they shall speak with new Tongues, they shall take up Serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover: And when he had said these things, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive the holy Ghost, whose Sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whose Sins ye retain they are retained, (and thus Jesus appeared five times in the very first day of his Resur∣rection) but Thomas, who is called Dydimus one of the twelve was not with them when Jesus came, and the rest of the Disciples telling him, we have seen the Lord, he very confidently professed he would not believe it, about eight dayes after, Thomas being then together with the rest, Jesus comes; the doors being shut, and stands in the midest, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you, and aboundantly satisfies Thomas his unbelief.

Then the Eleven Disciples went into Galilee unto the Mountain that he had appointed them; and when they saw him they worship∣ped him, but some doubted; and when Jesus came unto them, he said; All Power is given unto me, both in Heaven and in Earth, go there∣fore and teach all Nations, Baptizing them, &c. and I am with you to the end of the World; After that, Jesus was seen of above five hundred Brethren at once, after that by James, 1 Cor. 15.6, 7.

Afterwards Jesus shewed himself to his Disciples again at the Sea at Tibe∣rias, or at the least to seven of them, as they were Fishing, after they

had fished all night, and caught nothing, in the morning J•••••••• un∣known to them, stands upon the Shore, and bids them cast their Net on the right side of the Ship, where they took a great Number of Fish.

Last of all he appeared to his Disciples in Jerusalem, and led them out as far as Bethany, and he lift up his Hands, and blessed them, and it came to pass, as he blessed them, he was parted from them, and car∣ried up into Heaven.

Hitherto reacheth the History of the four Evangelists declaring the Sufferings of Christ; and now I shall give the Reader a short account what Josephus the Jewish Historian in his eighteenth Book of Antiquity writeth of John the Baptist and Christ; concerning the Baptist Cap. 7. he saith thus, Herod the Tetrarch killed John, Sur-named the Baptist,* 1.230 a most excellent man, who stirred up the Jews to the study of Vir∣tues, especially of Piety and Justice, and also to the washing of Bap∣tism, which he said then would be acceptable to God, if not abstaining from some one or two Sins but having their minds first purged through righteousness, they also added cleanness of body: And whereas there was great resort unto him, the Common people being greedy of such Doctrine, Herod fearing least the great Authority of the man should raise some Rebellion, because they seemed as though they would de∣cline nothing to which he advised them, thought it safer to take him out of the way, before there was any alteration in the State, then to repent too late, when the State was once imbroyled; wherefore he commanded him to be sent Prisoner to Macharas, and then to be put to death.

Concerning Christ he saith thus, Chap. 45. In the same time there was a wise man (named Jesus) if we may call him a man;* 1.231 he was a worker of miracles, and a Teacher of them that willingly receive the Truth, he had many both Jews and Gentiles that were his Followers, and was believed to be the Christ; and when Pilate had crucified him, through the envy of our Rulers, nevertheless those that loved him continued constant in their affections, for he appeared to them alive the third day; the Prophets in their Prophesies foretelling both these, and many other wonderful things concerning him, and the Chri∣stians (from him so called) continue to this very day.

After the Apostles had seen Christ, and had worshipped him, after his Resurrection, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy, from the mount of Olives, which is from thence a Sabboth dayes journey, and in Jerusalem they abode in an uper Room,* 1.232 and continued with one ac∣cord in Prayer, with the Women, and Mary his Mother, and his Brethren; and they were filled with the holy Ghost, and began to speak with Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance; and many received the Truth, and continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship, and breaking bread from House to House, did eat their Meat with gladness and singleness of Heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people,* 1.233 and the Lord daily added to the Church such as should be saved, and the multitude of them that belie∣ved were of one heart, and one Soul, and there was none among them that lacked; for as many as had Possessions of Lands or Houses sold

them, and brought the prices, and laid them down at the Apo∣stles feet, to be distributed to the use of the Poor, in which busi∣ness Barnabas, that is, the Son of Consolation, shewed the first Ex∣ample.

By the hands of the Apostles were many Miracles done among the People, and many believed, and were added to the Lord.

But the high Priests and Sadduces that were with him, moved with Envy cast the Apostles into Prison, from whence the night following being freed by an Angel, were commanded to Teach the people bold∣ly, and without fear, from whence being brought to the Council by the advice of Gamaliel a Pharisee, a Doctor of Law, in much esteem among the People, were delivered from death (after they had been scourged) and let go; and they went from the Council rejoycing that they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Jesus, and they taught daily in the Temple, and the Word of the Lord increased, and the number of the Disciples multiplyed.

Stephen did many wonders and Miracles among the People, and stoutly defended the Cause of Christ against the Jews of the Synagogue of the Libertines, Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and of Asia, disputing with them; but when they could not resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake, they turn to false accusing him, and caught him, and brought him before the Council, and set up false Witnesses, who should avouch, that they heard him speak Blasphe∣mous words against the Temple and the Law.

Stephen before Annas the High Priest and Council shews, that the true worship of God was observed by Abraham and his Posterity, be∣fore the Temple was built by Solomon;* 1.234 yea, before Moses was born, and that Moses gives Testimony of Christ, and that the outward Ceremonies that were given to their Fathers were to endure but for a time: Then he sharply reprehends the Jews, because they alwayes resisted the holy Ghost, and had wickedly put Christ to death, whom the Prophets had foretold should come into the World; now concer∣ning the death of Stephen, see it at large in the Testimony of the Martyrs.

* 1.235 After the death of Stephen there arose a great Persecution against the whole Church that was at Jerusalem, in which Saul exceedingly raging, made havock of the Church, for having received Authori∣ty from the chief Priests, he not only, when the Saints were put to death, gave his voice against them, but also he himself, entering into every House, and taking from thence both men and Women, bound them, and put them in Prison, and some were compelled by denying Christ to Blaspheme.

This Persecution dispersed the Church into divers Countries, but with great advantage to the Church;* 1.236 for some that were dispersed into the Regions of Judea and Samaria, preached the Gospel where∣soever they came; others went to Damascus, amongst whom was Ananias, a devout man according to the Law, and one who had a good report among all the Jews who dwelt there; others travelled as far as Phenice, Cypris and Antioch, Preaching the Word of God to

those that were dispersed among the Gentiles; amongst them that went to Samaria was Philip, who Preached Christ there; when the Apostles at Jerusalem had heard that Samaria had received the Word of the Lord, they sent unto them Peter and John, upon whose pray∣ing for them, and laying their hands on them, they received the holy Ghost, which Simon Magus (who had a long time,* 1.237 bewitched the People of Samaria with his Sorceries, that giving heed to him, from the least to the greatest, they said, he was the great Power of God) seeing the great signs and wonders that were done by the A∣postles offered them Money, that he also might receive the Gift of conferring the holy Ghost,* 1.238 whose mad impiety Peter sharply rebu∣king, warns him to repent of this his Wickedness, and to ask pardon of God; who desireth the Apostles that they would pray for him to the Lord: The Apostles having cleared themselves in these parts, they returned to Jerusalem Preaching the Gospel in the Villages of Sama∣ria as they went.

Saul yet brea••hing out threatnings and slaughter against the Disci∣ples of the Lord, obtains of the High-Priest Annas and the Council,* 1.239 Letters to the Synagogues of Damascus, that if he found any that were Christians, he should bring them bound to Jerusalem, that they might be punished, and as he came nigh to Damascus at mid-night a Light from Heaven above the brightness of the Sun, shined round a∣bout him, and them that journyed with him, and when they were fallen to the Earth, he heard a voice speaking to him in the Hebrew Tongue, Saul, Saul, Why Persecutest thou me, 'tis hard for thee to kick against the pricks? and when he had said, Who art thou Lord? it was answered him, I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou Persecutest;* 1.240 but rise, and stand upon thy feet, I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a Minister and a Witness both of those things that thou hast seen, and those things in which I will appear unto thee, delivering thee from the People, and from the Gentiles unto whom now I send thee, that thou mayest open their Eyes and turn them from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins, and Inheritance among them that are Sanctified by Faith that is in me; and when as Saul, full of fear and trembling, asked further, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? The Lord said unto him, Rise, go unto Damas¦cus, and there it shall be told thee of all things that thou must do;* 1.241 but the men that journyed with Saul were so amazed that they were speechless, seeing indeed a Light, and hearing the sound of words, but neither seeing Christ which spake, nor understanding any thing which he spake; Saul arose from the Earth, and being blinded with the Glory of the Light, being led by the hand,* 1.242 he comes to Damas∣cus, and he was three dayes without sight, and did neither eat or drink: Now there was a certain Disciple, named Ananias, to whom the Lord spake in a Vision, Arise and go into the Street that is cal∣led Streight, and inquire in the House of Judas, for Saul of Tarsus,* 1.243 for behold he prayeth; (and Saul then saw in a Vision Ananias entering, and laying his hand on him that he might receive his sight) but Ananias

answered,* 1.244 Lord I have heard by many how much evil he hath done unto thy Saints at Jerusalem; yea, in this place he hath Authority from the chief Priests to bind all that call upon thy Name; and the Lord said un∣to him, Go thy way, for he is a chosen Vessel unto me, to carry my Name before the Gentiles, and Kings, and the Children of Israel; for I will shew unto him how great things he must suffer for my Name.

* 1.245 And Ananias went and entered into the House, and laying his hands on him, said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the Way as thou camest, hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the holy Ghost;* 1.246 and strait-way their fell from his Eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight forth-with. And Ananias said, The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know his Will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the Voice from his Mouth, for thou shalt be a Witness before all men, of those things that thou hast heard and seen; and now, why tarriest thou? Arise and be Baptized, and Washed from thy Sins, calling on the Name of the Lord; and Saul arose and was Baptized; and when he had received meat he was strengthened.

But what was revealed to Saul at Damascus that he should do, Luke shews not in the Acts, but out of those things which in the Epistle to the Galatians, he saith happened unto him immediately after his Conversion, it appears that among other things, it was command∣ed him, that he should not confer with flesh and blood, nor return to Jeru∣salem to them that were Apostles before him, but that he should go for some time into Arabia, or places neer Damascus, where he should Receive the Knowledge of the Gospel, not being taught of men, but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

Saul then returns to Damascus, and tarries with the Disciples there a few dayes, and strait-way in the Synagogue he Preacheth that Christ is the Son of God, and they were all amazed who heard these things, and said, Is not this he that destroyed at Jerusalem those that called on this Name, and came hither for that intent that he might bring them bound unto the chief Priest; and Saul increased the more in strength, and confoun∣ded the Jews that dwelt at Damascus, teaching that Jesus is the Christ; for to the Jews that dwelt at Damascus was the Gospel first preached by him.

Tiberius being certified by Pilate out of Palestine concerning the Af∣fairs of Christ, he proposeth to the Senate that Christ might be rec∣koned among the Gods, which the Senate opposing, he remaining in his Opinion, threatens that it should be dangerous for any to accuse a Christian, as Tertullian relates, [in Apologetic. (Chap. 5, and 21.) and others that follow him, as Eusebius in Chronic. and Hestor. Eccles. lib. 2.2.] and our Gildas in an Epistle of the destruction of Brittain, which being granted; we may lawfully say, that the first Persecution, after the Murther of Stephen, that arose in Judea, ceased partly by the Conversion of Saul, who greatly promoted it, and part∣ty through the fear of Tiberius.

When Saul had preached the Gospel a long time at Damascus, the Jews took counsel to kill him, and watching the Gates of the City

day and night that they might take him and kill him, but being let down by a rope by night in a Baskit escaped from them.

The first three years after his conversion being finished Saul return∣ed to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen dayes, and he then assaying to joyn himself to the Disciples, they all were affraid of him, not believing him to be a Disciple; but Barnabas took him, and brought him to the Apostles, viz. Peter, and James the Brother of the Lord, he declared unto them, how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached bold∣ly at Damascus in the Name of Jesus.

Saul also speaks boldly in the Name of Jesus at Jerusalem, but the Jews went about to kill him, Saul being in the Temple praying, was in a Trance, and saw the Lord speaking unto him, saying, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy Testimo∣ny of me; to whom he answered, Lord, they know that I imprisoned, and beat in every Synagogue those that believed on thee, and when the Blood of thy Martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by▪ and kept the Garments of them that killed him; and the Lord said unto him, Go, and I will send thee to the Gentiles.

The Brethren at Jerusalem brought him to Cesarea, [years since Christ 38] and sent him into his own Country of Tarsus, and he came into the Countries of Syria, and Cilicia, hitherto he was unknown by face to the Churches of Judea; but they heard only that he preacheth the Faith which once he destroyed, and they glorified God in him, and the Churches had rest through all Judea, and Galilee, and Samaria, and were edified, and walking in the fear of the Lord, and comfort of the holy Ghost, were multiplyed.

About this time King Herod troubled the Church, [years since Christ 44] laying hands upon some, for contradicting the Institutions and Rites of the Coun∣try, of which he was a most religious observer, as Josephius Lib. 19. Cap. ult. relates.

He slew James the Brother of John with the Sword, and seeing the death of James* 1.247 pleased the people he cast Peter into prison in the dayes of Azincus, delivering him to four Quaturnions, that is, sixteen Souldiers to gua••d him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the People,* 1.248 but there were Prayers made daily in the Church for him, and an Angel of the Lord delivered him miraculously in the night, and he went to the house of Mary the Mother of John Marcus, where many were Congregated, and at Prayer, and telling them that they might certifie James the Son of Alph••as, and Brother of our Lord, and the rest, of the manner of his deliverance, he went into an∣other Place,

* 1.249 Herod being frustrate of his hope, in his rage commands the Inno∣cent Keepers to be dragg'd to Execution, and he going down to Caesarea stayed there; he was prejudiced in his mind against the Syrians and Sidonians, whose Land being not sufficient to maintain them, (Espe∣cially in that year of scarcity) they were forced to seek for themselves sustentation from Galilee, and other places under Herods Jurisdiction; they came therefore Unanimously to him, by the mediation of

Blastus the Kings Chamberlain, whom they had made their Friend, desiring Peace of him; a day being appointed, Herod in his royal attire, and sitting before the Tribunal, made a Speech to them; the People with Acclamations shouting out, 'Tis the Voice of a God, and not a Man;* 1.250 but presently the Angel of the Lord smote him, because he did not give the Glory to God, and being eaten up of Worms, he gave up the Ghost.

The very same History Josephius Examplifies, saying, he had now finished the third year of his reign [the fourth now beginning] when he came to Caesaria, which was formerly called Stratons-Tower, where he So∣lemnized some yearly Playes for Caesars health, to which Festivity a great multitude of Noble Men and Youngsters came together, out of the Province; on the second day of this Celebrity he goes all attired with his Princely Robe; richly and curiously wrought with Silver, which by the reflection of the rising Sun yeilding an Angelical or extraordinary lusture struck reverence into the Spectators; and presently some wicked Parasites with acclamations from a far off, saluted him God, desiring him to be propitious to them, for that hitherto they had only honored him as a man, but now they saw there was something more in him than humane: This Impious Adulation he neither refused nor repelled, he was suddenly struck to the very heart; afterwards his Belly began to torment him more and more grievously, wherefore turn∣ing to his Friends, he said, Behold, I who by your appellation am a God, am commanded out of this Life, my certain fate giving the Lye to your flattery; and I, who you saluted Immortal, am forced to death; but I must endure the pleasure of the Heavens: Having spoken these things, his pain grew worse and worse, and presently these things being divulged about the Country, the rumour went, that he was a dying, and in the end his pain lasted in great extremity, and without intermition for five dayes space, and he then ended his life, Joseph. Lib. 19. Chap. ult.

* 1.251 About this time Saul is alwayes found named by his new name Paul, Paul and Barnabas coming to Antioch, and entering into the Syna∣gogues, almost the whole City came to hear the Word of God; but the Jews seeing the multitude, were filled with envy, and contradict∣ed what Paul spoke, with whose Blasphemies Paul and Barnabas be∣ing grievously offended, they left the Jews and preached only to the Gentiles who with joy embraced the Gospel, and the Word of God was divulged over that whole Nation; they stayed an Antioch a great while, and suffered those things which in his latter Epistle to the Co∣rinthians he writes of, to wit, that as at Phillippy afterwards, so twice elsewhere by the Gentiles he had been whipped with rods, and recei∣ved five times four hundred stripes from the Jews.

Certain Professors of the Name of Christ of the Sect of the Pharisees came down from Judea to Antioch, [years since Christ 52] and said, that the Christians of the Gentiles ought to be Circumcised, and keep the law of Moses, if they would be saved, disturbing the Souls of many of the Brethren in Syria and Cili••i•• with their perverse Doctrine, against whom Paul and Barnabas stifly oppose themselves, Paul calls them Brethren brought in un••wards, Philastrius de Heres. Cap. 87. and Epiphanius Heres. 28▪

say, that Cerinthus that arch Heretick was the first Broacher of this Opinion.

Paul fourteen years after his going to Jerusalem, undertaken three years after his Conversation, goes again to Jerusalem with Barnabas,* 1.252 being both sent from the Church at Antioch with some others, that they might ask the Judgment of the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem (whose names those Disturbers had abused to bolster out their Opini∣on) concerning the Controversie newly risen, but Paul would not compel Titus to be Circumcised least he should seem to give place to the false Brethren for a moment.

Peter and Paul had foretold at Rome, that it should come to pass, [years since Christ 67] that after a little time God would send a King that should overcome the Jews, and that should lay their City equal with the Ground, and should Beseige them, being pined with hunger and thirst, and then it should come to pass, that they should eat each other, and con∣sume one the other, and at last that they should come into their Ene∣mies hands, and should see their Wives most grievously Tormented in their sight, and their Virgins to be Violated and Prostituted, their Sons to be torn asunder, and their little Ones to be dashed in pieces; and to be short, all things to be wasted by Fire and Sword, and themselves forever banished out of their own Land; and all this because they exalted themselves against the Son of God; Lactan. lib. 4. Chap. 21.

On the 29th day of the Moneth call'd June, (which last day of that Moneth falls to be within the reign of Nero.) Paul was beheaded at Rome, as the Records both of the Eastern and Western Churches con∣firm; whereupon Chrysostom undoubtedly affirms, that the day of his death was more certainly known then that of Alexander himself [in 2 Cor. Homil. 26.] Dionysius the Bishop of the Corinthians affirms in an Epistle to the Romans, that Peter also suffered Martyrdom at the same time with him [in Eusebius l••b. 2. Histor. Ecclesiast. Chap. 24.] whom also Origen relates in the third Tome of his Comentaries up∣on Genesis, that at Rome he was Crucified with his head downwards (as he had desired, [Ibid. lib. 3. Hist. Chap. 1.]

Four Years before the Jewish War (that was managed by Vespasian) when the City of Jerusalem enjoyed both Peace and Plenty one Jesus, the Son of Ananus, a Country-man, and one of the common People, coming to the Feast of Tabernacles, began suddainly to cry out, A Voice from the East, a Voice from the West,* 1.253 a Voice from the four Winds, a Voice against Jerusalem and the Temple, a Voice against New Married Men and Women, a Voice against all this People; and crying thus night and day through all the Streets of the City, some of the Nobility disdaining any token of adversity, took the Fellow and scourged him with many stripes; but he spake nothing secretly for himself, nor unto them that scourged him, but continued still in the same Cry; but the Magistrates thinking it rather to be some Mo∣tion in him from God, brought him to the Roman Captain, where being beaten till his Bones appeared, he made no intreaty, but with a weeping Voice, at every stroke he said, Wo, Wo, to Jerusalem:

Albinus then asked them, who he was, and where he was born, and why he still cryed after this manner? but he answered nothing; yet he ceased not to bewaile the City, till Albinus thinking he was mad suffered him to depart; he crying thus most on the Feast dayes, and that for seven years space (or rather six as it is in Phot. Biblioth. Cod. 47.) and five Moneths, and yet was neither hoarse nor weary; at last he was killed by a stone shot out of an Engine in the time of the seige [Je∣seph. lib. 7. bel. Chap. 12.]

And according to these, and many other Prophecies concerning the destruction that was to come upon the Jews for the hardness of their hearts, it accordingly came to pass; for Cornelius and Suetonius relate, that there were six hundred thousand of the Jews killed in this war between Vespasian the Emperor and the Jews, but Josephius, a Jew, and a Commander in that war writes, that ten hundred thousand perished by Sword and Famine; and of the rest of the Jews that were dispersed all the World over, and put to death divers wayes, the number is said to be ninty thousands [so Orolius lib. 7. Chap. 9.] but I find not the number of six hundred thousand of them that were killed in Suetonius; in Josephius [lib. 6. belli. Chap. 17.] the number of Captives is ninty seven thousand, but the other number, eleven hundred thousand, is only the number that perished in the six months seige in Jerusalem; and thus did the Lord afflict with Wars and Destruction these Apo∣statized and stiff-necked people the Jews, until they were a scattered and dispersed people, as at this day they are throughout the World.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The year of the World.
• * 1.2

  Man at first created in In∣nocency.
• * 1.3

  Woman made to be a help meet for man.
• * 1.4

  The Com∣mandment gi∣ven man in his first Creation.
• * 1.5

  The Serpent be∣guiled Man and Woman by his Subtilty,
• * 1.6

  After man had transgressed, he first began to make a Co∣vering.
• * 1.7

  The Serpent hath ever been the moving cause of all the W•• that has come upon Man.
• * 1.8

  The Promise of God for the restoring lost man
• * 1.9

  What Sacra∣fice God ac∣cepted, and what he re∣jected.
• * 1.10

  Seth born in the room of Abel.
• * 1.11

  Enochs blame∣less life.
• * 1.12

  The evil the Sons of God were prone to run into
• * 1.13

  The Spirit of he Lord grie∣ved with the corrupt among men.
• * 1.14

  He raised up Noah to testi∣fy against them, and commanded him to build an Ark.
• * 1.15

  The long suf∣fering of God before he brought the deluge upon man.
• * 1.16

  Noah goes forth of the Ark and of∣fers unto the Lord for his Preservation.
• * 1.17

  The beginning of the confu∣sion of Babel,
• * 1.18

  Schalch Hakk. p. 8. Citante. Hotnig Smeg. Orient C. 8. p. 291. Confer. Maimon. Mar. Neroch Part 3. C 29. p. 4 1.
• * 1.19

  Abram called from his Fa∣thers House.
• * 1.20

  Abram goes into Egypt be∣cause of the Fa∣mine, being ac∣companied with Lot.
• * 1.21

  They parted to avoid strife.
• * 1.22

  Abrams name changed.
• * 1.23

  By Faith Abraham of∣fers up his Son Isaac Lib. 1. Antiq. 14. (Al 22.)
• * 1.24

  Abrahams care in getting a good Wife for his Son Isaac.
• * 1.25

  ••183.
• * 1.26

  Abraham be∣ing dead, Isaac walks in the steps of his Fa∣ther.
• * 1.27

  Isaac entrea∣ted the Lord in the behalf of his Wifes barreness.
• * 1.28

  Esau & Ia∣cob are born
• * 1.29

  Jacob got the Blessing from Esau.
• * 1.30

  Isaac's care that Iacob should not take a Wife of the Canaa∣ntes.
• * 1.31

  He fell in love with Rachel.
• * 1.32

  He is deceived of Rachel after he had served Seven Years for her.
• * 1.33

  Jacob gets a∣way from La∣ban unknown to him.
• * 1.34

  Laban follow∣ing after him, and overta∣king him, came to agreement with him.
• * 1.35

  He is affright∣ed with the news of Esau; approach.
• * 1.36

  He presents Esau with Presents.
• * 1.37

  The cause why Ioseph's Bre∣thren hated him.
• * 1.38

  They conspi∣red his Death, at last sold him.
• * 1.39

  He is sold to Captain of the Pharaoh's Guard.
• * 1.40

  Ioseph expert in interpre∣ting the Dreams.
• * 1.41

  He interpree¦ted the Kings Dream.
• * 1.42

  Pharaoh ad∣vanced Ioseph.
• * 1.43

  Seven Year Plenty.
• * 1.44

  Seven years of Famine.
• * 1.45

  Jacob sends his Sons into Egypt to buy Corn and they are taken for Spies.
• * 1.46

  Ioseph sends all of them a∣way with Corn, but one whom he kept Priso∣ner till they brought their Youngest Bro∣ther.
• * 1.47

  They confess the evil they had done a∣gainst Ioseph.
• * 1.48

  They tell their Father what happened.
• * 1.49

  He was loath to part with Benjamin but being press with Famine, let him go.
• * 1.50

  Ioseph Enter∣tains them.
• * 1.51

  His Contri∣vance to stay his Brethren.
• * 1.52

  Jud••h humbly supplicates Joseph.
• * 1.53

  Joseph maker himself known 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his Bre∣thren.
• * 1.54

  ••••er he and comm••••ed cha••••, he sends for his Father.
• * 1.55

  When the news was bought to Jacob be re∣vived.
• * 1.56

  Joseph brings five of his Bre∣thren and Fa∣ther before Pharaoh
• * 1.57

  The time when Job lived.
• * 1.58

  Joseph being dead and Pharaoh.
• * 1.59

  A new King rose up that af∣flicted the Is∣raelites.
• * 1.60

  The King made an Edict to destroy the Male-Chil∣dren.
• * 1.61

  Moses born.
• * 1.62

  His wonderful fetchfetch.
• * 1.63

  Moses and A∣ron declare their Message to Pharaoh.
• * 1.64

  They go again to Pharaoh.
• * 1.65

  God plagued Pharaoh.
• * 1.66

  When they were departed Pharaoh and his Host fol∣lowed them
• * 1.67

  The Children of Israel sung a Song, a Song to the Lord for their deliver∣ance.
• * 1.68

  Moses received the Law upon the Mount.
• * 1.69

  Whilst he was in the Mount the People were run into Idolarty.
• * 1.70

  He prayeth for the People.
• * 1.71

  Nadab and Abibue struck dead, and why.
• * 1.72

  The Priests for bidden Wine.
• * 1.73

  To ease Moses in the Govern∣ment seventy Elders were chosen.
• * 1.74

  Israel murmer again, the Lord was Wrath with them.
• * 1.75

  Spies sent out ••o veiw the Land of Cana∣an.
• * 1.76

  Some of the Spies bring an ill report of the Land, so that the Peo∣ple were dis∣heartned.
• * 1.77

  For the Peo∣ples complain∣ing, the Lord was again Angry.
• * 1.78

  Mans Age a∣gain shortned.
• * 1.79

  The People murmer again
• * 1.80

  Aaron di••••
• * 1.81

  Ioshua succeed ed Moses.
• * 1.82

  The Lord was with Ioshua.
• * 1.83

  Joshua being dead the Israe∣lites began to backslide.
• * 1.84

  And Idolarty crept in.
• * 1.85

  They were brought into Bondage.
• * 1.86

  Delivered by Othoniel.
• * 1.87

  Brought into Bondage again
• * 1.88

  Instrumentally delivered by Ehud.
• * 1.89

  They return a∣gain to sin, and are brought in∣to Bondage.
• * 1.90

  Are delivered again
• * 1.91

  They sin again
• * 1.92

  A Prophet sent of God to re∣prove them.
• * 1.93

  Gideon raised up to deliver them again.
• * 1.94

  By a small number which he chose, and why.
• * 1.95

  They fall into Idolatry again.
• * 1.96

  Were delivered into Bondage.
• * 1.97

  Sampson aven∣ged their cause.
• * 1.98

  Sampson betrayed by Dalila, with what followed.
• * 1.99

  Samuel the Prophet is rai∣sed up.
• * 1.100

  His care to turn the Peo∣ple from Ido∣latty.
• * 1.101

  Samuel taking his Sons to help to Judge the People, they walked not in the way of their Father.
• * 1.102

  At which the people being offended desire they might have a King.
• * 1.103

  Saul being given for a King, he reig∣ned but a short time.
• * 1.104

  David is a∣nointed King.
• * 1.105

  Davids Com∣bate with the Phili••••ine.
• * 1.106

  The cause of Sauls anger a∣gainst David.
• * 1.107

  David well be∣loved of the People.
• * 1.108

  Sauls Evil course in going to the Witch of Endor, and what the ef∣fects thereof proved to him.
• * 1.109

  David Lamen∣teth the death-of Saul and Jonathan.
• * 1.110

  Davids purpose to build a House for God, but put by it, and why,
• * 1.111

  David's great sin.
• * 1.112

  ••eing convin∣ced of his evil by the Prophet, repented.
• * 1.113

  Solomon born.
• * 1.114

  The Lord was angery with David, and why.
• * 1.115

  David chose to fall into the hands of God.
• * 1.116

  David grown old.
• * 1.117

  Adonias his Son strives for the Kingdom. David cau∣seth Solomon to be anointed King.
• * 1.118

  Whereupon Adonias flies
• * 1.119

  David dies.
• * 1.120

  Solomons Up∣rightness to walk before the Lord.
• * 1.121

  He asketh Wisdom.
• * 1.122

  Wherefore God gave him Wisdom be∣yond any be∣fore or after The first expe∣rience of Solo∣mons Wisdom.
• * 1.123

  How long the Temple was building.
• * 1.124

  Solomons Pray∣er for he Peo∣ple.
• * 1.125

  Solomons heart drawn away from the Lord.
• * 1.126

  The Lord an∣gry with Solomon.
• * 1.127

  Solomon repenteth.
• * 1.128

  Rehoboam through his unadvisedness turns away the Peoples heart from him.
• * 1.129

  Ier••••••ms Idola∣try.
• * 1.130

  The Prophet is sent of God to reprove him.
• * 1.131

  The Prophet slain for his disobedience.
• * 1.132

  Rehoboam forsoke the Lord.
• * 1.133

  Asa throw down Idola∣try.
• * 1.134

  Iehosaphats good reign.
• * 1.135

  Iehorams Ido∣latry.
• * 1.136

  He is reproved by the Pro∣phet.
• * 1.137

  The Judgment that God infli∣cted on him.
• * 1.138

  Athaliab through cruel∣ty possesses her self of the Kingdom. The secret
• * 1.139

  preservatien of Joash.
• * 1.140

  Athalia slain.
• * 1.141

  Whilst this King had good Counsel he did right.
• * 1.142

  He turns into Idolatry.
• * 1.143

  The Prophets reproves him.
• * 1.144

  The Prophets is stoned to Death.
• * 1.145

  This Kings mi∣serable end.
• * 1.146

  Amaziahs E∣vil.
• * 1.147

  The Prophets reproves him.
• * 1.148

  The King is slain.
• * 1.149

  The reason of Ʋzziah his prosperity.
• * 1.150

  How he came to loss.
• * 1.151

  God Judg∣ment on him.
• * 1.152

  Ahaz his Evil.
• * 1.153

  He is delivered into the hands of his Enimies.
• * 1.154

  Hezckiahs good reign, his breaking down Idolatry.
• * 1.155

  He tell sick, the Prophet foretold his d••ath.
• * 1.156

  He ekiah is broken in Ten∣derness The Lord had compassion on him.
• * 1.157

  His Son is turned to Ido∣latry.
• * 1.158

  The Prophets Message a∣gainst the evil of those times. The Kings Bondage he is brought into. He is hum∣bled under the hand of God, and reforms in part.
• * 1.159

  The good King Iosiah raised up.
• * 1.160

  His Covenant with the Lord.
• * 1.161

  He unadvi∣sedly assisted the King of Egypt, & was slain
• * 1.162

  His loss g••••••••∣ly ••amen••d by all.
• * 1.163

  Especia••••y by the Prophet Jeriemiah.
• * 1.164

  His Son walk∣ed not in the steps of his Pather, but did e••il.
• * 1.165

  Jeremiah ex∣hortes the peo∣ple.
• * 1.166

  Ʋriahs Pro∣phesie. He is put to death.
• * 1.167

  Habbahkuks prophesie.
• * 1.168

  Jeremiah re∣proves the Jews.
• * 1.169

  He prophesies of their Capti∣vity.
• * 1.170

  Ieremiahs de∣cree against. Ichoiachin. He pronoun∣ced a Wo a∣gainst the wick∣ed Pastors.
• * 1.171

  Isaiahs Prophe∣ts of Christ.
• * 1.172

  The year of Christ.
• * 1.173

  Christ is born
• * 1.174

  The great re∣joycing at his Birth.
• * 1.175

  He is called Jesus.
• * 1.176

  Simeons Testi∣mony con∣cerning that.
• * 1.177

  Herods Cruel∣ty and Subtil endeavours to kill the Child Jesus.
• * 1.178

  His Mouth was first ope••∣ed to oppose the Doctors, at twelve, years old.
• * 1.179

  Iohn Ministry what it was.
• * 1.180

  Jesus fasie•••• forty dayes
• * 1.181

  Johns Testi∣mony concer∣ning Christ.
• * 1.182

  The works he did in Jud••••.
• * 1.183

  His works and Acts in Syria.
• * 1.184

  The Iews of∣fended because he had healed on the Sab∣both day. They seek to ••lay him.
• * 1.185

  He chose••h the twelve A∣postles.
• * 1.186

  His Exhorta∣tion to them
• * 1.187

  He cures the Woman that had long ••ad the Issue of blood.
• * 1.188

  He opens the Eyes of two Blind men.
• * 1.189

  He again ex∣horts his Di∣sciples, & sends them forth to Preach.
• * 1.190

  He rais••th up Lazarus.
• * 1.191

  He weeps o∣ver Jerusalem.
• * 1.192

  He warns his Disciples to watch
• * 1.193

  Juda•• Cove∣nants to be∣tray him.
• * 1.194

  He telleth who should betray him.
• * 1.195

  He washeth his Disciples Feet.
• * 1.196

  He exhorts them to love one another.
• * 1.197

  He comforts them.
• * 1.198

  He again ex∣horts them to pray against entering into Temptation.
• * 1.199

  Christ was in an Agony.
• * 1.200

  Judas betray'd him.
• * 1.201

  Their cruelty to him.
• * 1.202

  The chief Priests accuse him falsly.
• * 1.203

  He is called be¦fore Pilate a∣gain.
• * 1.204

  His answer to Pilate.
• * 1.205

  Pilate finds no fault in him.
• * 1.206

  Being in He∣rods Jurisdic∣tion, he is sent by Pilate to him.
• * 1.207

  Her••d sends. him back.
• * 1.208

  Pilate would have released him.
• * 1.209

  The Iews still prosecute their envy against him.
• * 1.210

  Pilate fits a∣gain. His Wife Warns him.
• * 1.211

  The Jews Cruelty.
• * 1.212

  Pilate went a∣gain into the Judgment Hall.
• * 1.213

  The chief Priests wicked∣ness.
• * 1.214

  Pilate washeth his hands, and why.
• * 1.215

  The Iews moc¦ked Christ.
• * 1.216

  Judas his wick∣ed end.
• * 1.217

  The chief Priests mock Christ.
• * 1.218

  The Soldiers also mock him.
• * 1.219

  The Ce••tu∣rions Tes••imo∣ny conerning Christ.
• * 1.220

  Ioseph beggeth the Body of Jesus of Pi∣late.
• * 1.221

  Joseph buries Jesus his Body.
• * 1.222

  The Sepulcher is watched by Pilate Com¦mand.
• * 1.223

  Jesus first ap∣peared to Mary Magdalene
• * 1.224

  She goes and tells the Dis∣ciples of it. The Disci∣ples believed her not
• * 1.225

  Christ appear'd to two of the Disciples as they were go∣ing to Em∣maus.
• * 1.226

  He appears a∣gain to his Dis∣ciples.
• * 1.227

  He reproveth their unbelief.
• * 1.228

  He opens their understandings.
• * 1.229

  He send•• them forth.
• * 1.230

  Josephus his Testimony Concerning Iohn.
• * 1.231

  Iosephus his Testimony concerning Christ.
• * 1.232

  The holy Ghost fell up∣on the Apo∣stles.
• * 1.233

  Them that be∣lived were of one heart.
• * 1.234

  Stephens Te∣stimony of Christ.
• * 1.235

  Persecution arose.
• * 1.236

  It proves to the advantage of the Church.
• * 1.237

  Simon Magus his wickedness.
• * 1.238

  Peter reprove•• him.
• * 1.239

  Saul breathes out threat∣nings against the Christians.
• * 1.240

  The Lord ap∣pears to him.
• * 1.241

  The Lord sends him to Damas∣cus.
• * 1.242

  His sight was taken away.
• * 1.243

  Ananias is sent by a Visi∣on to him.
• * 1.244

  Year since Christ.
• * 1.245

  He layes his hand on him.
• * 1.246

  His sight is restored.
• * 1.247

  Peter impri∣soned.
• * 1.248

  He is woun∣derfully deli∣vered.
• * 1.249

  Herod, rage a∣gainst the Pri∣son Kepers.
• * 1.250

  Herod is smote and d••ed.
• * 1.251

  Saul•• name is changed to Paul.
• * 1.252

  Paul goes to Jerusalem,
• * 1.253

  A prophesy against the ••ews.